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Jeremy Taylor
Six-Year-Old's Lemonade Stand Raises $10,000 For Dad's Cancer Treatment
Lemonade stands are usually symbolic of the carefree nature of youth. Six-year old Drew Cox, however, has had to grow up fast. That's because his dad, Randy, was recently diagnosed with seminoma, a rare form of cancer.
ESPN Reveals the Down Side to Being 'Michael Jordan'
Michael Jordan has been in some great TV commercials over the years. But the best MJ ad we've seen in a while doesn't even feature Michael Jordan. Well, the ESPN spot doesn't feature that Michael Jordan. Instead it's all about a poor sc…
Milly the Chihuahua Could Be the World's Smallest Dog
How small is Milly, a Chihuahua from Puerto Rico? Answer: very.
Springfield Actually Not In Oregon, Says 'Simpsons' Creator Matt Groening
Well, Oregon, it was fun while at lasted. Earlier this week, it was reported that Matt Groening, the creator of 'The Simpsons', had declared in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine that the famous family's home of Springfield was in Oregon, ending two decades of debate …
'Titanic' in Super 3D Will Give You the Ultimate Shipwreck Experience
Have you seen 'Titanic 3D' yet? If you haven't, you might just want to wait until the film is re-released again, this time in Super 3D. We were able to obtain some footage of what 'Titanic' looks like when treated with this new t…
Teens on Spring Break Save Two People From Burning Car
When one thinks of teenagers descending on a warm locale for spring break, heroic deeds isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But instead of making fools of themselves during their trip down to Florida, Cody Decker and Luke Vaughn saved two lives.
Dallas Tornado Videos Show the Destructive Power of Mother Nature
Between 10 and 18 tornadoes ripped through the Dallas area on Tuesday. Homes were destroyed, vehicles were tossed around like rag dolls and residents frantically sought shelter. And many folks captured the wreckage on their video cameras and phones.
Are Men or Women Better Cooks? — Survey of the Day
A couple of generations ago, preparing meals was pretty much the job of the woman of the house.
But that has changed with more women entering into the workplace and male celebrity chefs making the kitchen a safe place for the fellows to embrace.
But that has changed with more women entering into the workplace and male celebrity chefs making the kitchen a safe place for the fellows to embrace.
'National Cleavage Day' Event Stops Traffic
Traffic was stopped in London during a celebration of National Cleavage Day.
James Cameron Tweets From the Deepest Part of the Ocean
James Cameron is king of the deep blue sea. Using a specially designed one-man submarine dubbed the "Deepsea Challenger," the 'Titanic' and 'Avatar' director reached the floor of the Pacific Ocean's Mar…
Adorable Twin Babies Boogie to 'It's A Small World'
Research suggest that babies are born with a predisposition to dance. So would this video of nine month old twins. They just can't help but get down when they hear one of their toys play the song 'It's a Small World.' Get ready to smile.
Blonde Hilariously Explains Meaning of 'Miles Per Hour'
During a road trip, Travis Chambers proposed a math problem to his wife Chelsea. "If you are traveling 80 miles per hour, how long does it take you to go 80 miles?," he wonders.
While that would seem a ridiculous question to ask an adult, given the ease in which …
While that would seem a ridiculous question to ask an adult, given the ease in which …


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Racing at Richmond is always a blast. You've got short-track tempers, racing to reach the playoffs, a treacherous pit road entrance, and that certain something about racing under the lights. Richmond's worthy of receiving only a thumbs-up, but that's not how things work.
Thumbs Up: Diversifying your portfolio
Believe it or not, prior to Saturday's win at Richmond, Kyle Larson had never won at a track that wasn't a 2-mile D-shaped oval (Michigan or Fontana).
When Larson swiped the victory in the late stages of the Federated Auto Parts 400 Saturday night, it marked his first short track win and his first night race victory.
Thumbs up to Kyle Larson for mixing it up a little bit. It won't be long until he's bringing home checkered flags on more types of tracks. Maybe Target can hook him up with his own version of Supermarket Sweep, which he'd probably win.
Thumbs Down: Clowns
Clowns are weird. Like, the very idea of a grown adult dressing up in eccentric, oversized clothing, colorful wigs and full face makeup is very strange.
After contact with race-dominant Martin Truex Jr. on the final lap, Denny Hamlin took total responsibility for the crash, describing himself as a clown.
RELATED: Hamlin: 'Tonight, I was a clown'
Denny, you would have earned a thumbs-up for taking ownership for a mistake, but instead, you get a thumbs down for being a clown, which is something weird and scary. Sorry, Dennywise.
Thumbs Up: Four-wide salute to the fans
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers started the Federated Auto Parts 400 with a four-wide salute to the fans prior to the green flag.
That four-wide salute! #ThanksFans #Federated400 pic.twitter.com/byMwtoY9r8
— Richmond Raceway (@RichmondRaceway) September 9, 2017
The four-wide fan appreciation salute is a fixture in dirt racing. Maybe that's why noted dirt racer Kyle Larson won the race.
Thumbs up for a cool racing spectacle on a Saturday night short track.
Thumbs Down: Coming up short
It must be frustrating to work all season toward one goal, only to fall short. That was the reality for Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer, and Joey Logano, who didn't quite make the playoffs despite their expectations.
Erik Jones had a solid race go south after a bad restart at the end of the race, relegating the No. 77 car to a sixth-place finish.
RELATED: Jones misses third gear on restart
Clint Bowyer didn't pull off the win he wanted, but at least he'll be in teammate mode for the rest of the season.
Congrats to the teams that made the playoffs. Goal hasn't changed. Have to win a race! We'll now do all we can to help teammates win Champ!
— Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) September 10, 2017
And, as for Joey Logano, he came up one position shy of winning at Richmond, which would have put the No. 22 in the playoffs. Instead, Logano's on the outside looking in.
At least there's a silver lining for the rest of us, thanks to an old bet made back in May.
Furthermore it's not like @joeylogano isn't gonna win again before playoffs. He will. If he doesn't, I'll tattoo DWs face on my inner thigh.
— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) May 5, 2017
Thumbs down for not quite sealing the deal.
Biggest Thumbs Up of the Week: Having a lot of playoff points
Martin Truex Jr.'s night may have ended early at Richmond, but you've got to hand it to the No. 78 team: they're very well-prepared for the playoffs.
That's what winning 18 stages, four races, and the regular season championship will do.
Thumbs up for earning a lot of playoff points — 53 points, in fact — for a stellar regular season. This essentially equates to one free race during each round of the playoffs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Environmental Health and Safety Program
Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) provides and maintains working conditions that comply with federal, state and local standards and health and safety regulations through establishing safe work methods and practices. OCCC:
- Maintains healthful and safe working conditions;
- Adheres to proper operating practices and procedures designed to minimize injury and illness; and
- Encourages all employees to make health and safety an integral part of their daily operations.
The Environmental Health and Safety Program (Program) sets forth processes, procedures and other information to assist departmental managers, supervisors and deans in establishing protective, healthful and safe working methods and practices for their respective areas that promote a healthy and safe workplace. Each departmental manager, supervisor, and dean is responsible for establishing healthful and safe working conditions and requiring employees under their supervision to adhere to the conditions and practices.


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Learn about our Church Activities
We seek to Glorify God through many activities at the church: children's and youth programs, mid-week Bible Study and home fellowship groups, our Sunday services, as well as whole-church fellowship events such as picnics, church camps, host families after church and sharing meals.
Our Sunday services are intended for all age groups, although we do have a Sunday School (up to Grade 3) which begins approximately half way through the service. There is also a creche for younger children.
Please read more about these different activities:
- PlayBuds – for mums and little ones
- Girls Club – "GEMS"
- Boys Club – "Cadets"
- Youth & Young Adult groups
- "The Craft Group"
- Bible-study groups
- Church fellowship activities
- Holiday Bible Club – in the July School Holidays
See Our Church Calendar for Events coming up!


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This game requires the Adobe Flash Player.
one of the best art/real games i've ever made. (my opinion.) it took me three days to make, and i realy want it to be popular, so please vote and nominate! at the begening, look at your radar-(shift). its awesome!!! thanks
Tags: fail amazing 91156 chaos cool art featured fun hard ok love bomtastike ripstikguy56 very game yo zoracreatorwuzhere yours will games vote new people hey
This is a game made with Sploder's classic game creator.


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Besides your script, the synopsis is probably the most important piece of writing relating to your film. It is a one- or two-page outline of your film, introducing the characters and including the beginning, middle, end and all the major plot points of your story.
The synopsis will be used to develop the characters and plot of your film and later to pitch it to the directors, producers and others in the film industry.
For more on writing that compelling synopsis, read my recent column on the online writing magazine writing.ie.
For more information on having your synopsis critiqued or edited, drop us an email or visit Twitter to see what we're up to.


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Punkt MP01 Mobile Phone will take you back in good old days
Punkt; a Swiss technology brand has recently launched a basic mobile handset called 'MP01' designed by British designer Jasper Morrison. Petter Neby, founder of Punkt says, "I think the always on life is probably even worse than having a poor diet. Every day we are consuming more trash and becoming more detached from real life and the ..


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If you don't know IBERICE, it's crucial you understand this: we focus on the ice rinks evolution and quality, following the scientific-technological changes in the ice engineering market, as well as ice accessories, because we want to give to our partners the best ice products and business models!
We're so into track social and technological changes, that we also apply to our site such policy in terms of following up informatics' development as well as in terms of user usability! Why? It's very simple to realize actually! We want to reach you with the best efficiency, so we present ourselves with a new interface, which lets on the flexibility that characterizes our company as well as a sense of satisfaction when you browse through our site.
In fact, in our new website is available all the information you need in a simple manner and that in no way will leave you exhausted!
Scrolling through the various information pages, that includes text, images and video, surely you ascertain that IBERICE considers essential making your event even more fun and will contribute to the increase of the footfall. On the other hand, you will find out that IBERICE has a flexible set of unique services in the market ice rinks.
All for you, so that in the end your event be success!
Come and meet us virtually and realize why we are the best flexible ice fun company for you!


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- Papers
- Patents
- Publication Statistics
OFDM Relay Cognitive Radio Multiple Antennas Resource Allocation Full Duplex Spectrum Sensing Synchronization Spectrum Sharing Channel Estimation Interference Cancellation Energy Harvesting Stochastic Geometry Feedback Heterogeneous Networks Bi-directional relay networks FBMC Equalization channel capacity Duplex SC-FDMA Ultra Low Power TVWS CDMA in-band full-duplex system 5G C-V2V Reliability HetNet interference suppression interference frame structure 5G mobile communication antenna arrays Handoff health care intercarrier interference intersymbol interference UFMC Femtocell cross-link interference Dynamic TDD user fairness hybrid Zigbee QAM body area networks CFO Empty cell On/off algorithm Ultra-dense small cell System level simulation SCMA maximum likelihood method MPA detector Timing and frequency offset inter user interference quality of service amplify and forward communication power uncertainty cellular radio telecommunication traffic WVAN resource block management CoMP V2X Traffic Poisson arrival Subband filtering mMTC Capacity Time-division duplex Short burst transmission Vehicle-to-vehicle communication Spatial capacity OCBT Number of training blocks Communication range LTE-based V2V Vehicular communication Uplink SCMA system Power control Waveforms Multi-user Receiver Metaheuristics control overhead Mode 3 P-NOMA distributed mode non-orthogonal multiple access Location-based Power allocation FS-NOMA partial overlap QR Factorization LTE-TDD Resource sharing —Device-to-device (D2D) resource selection
|Status :
|Date :
|Title :
|Multi-stage Receiver based on Tabu Search (TS) Algorithm for FS-NOMA Systems
|Authors :
|Insik Jung, Jinkyo Jeong, and Daesik Hong
|Conference :
|Abstract :
|This paper proposes a new scheme for multiuser receiver for full-spreading non-orthogonal multiple access (FS-NOMA) systems. We exploit the tabu-search (TS) algorithm which is sort of meta-heuristic algorithms. However, direct application of TS algorithm causes performance degradation because of the low quality initial solution. To overcome this, we propose a multi-stage receiver based on QR factorization technique. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed receiver outperforms conventional FSNOMA receivers and the complexity of it is reasonable.


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The right drink prices maximize a bar's profit. This post will explain exactly how to determine those prices.
First, choose a target pour cost.
There is no universal "good pour cost." The 20% figure is thrown around a lot, but determining pour cost depends on too many variables to plug in 20% and think you're maximizing profit. Pour cost is influenced by:
If you're in San Francisco, you're going have higher drink prices (and lower pour costs) than a similar venue in rural California. The cost of living is higher so people expect to pay more for their drinks and they have to so you can afford the higher rental cost and wages it takes to run your venue.
Next, consider your customers. Are they coming to your venue for a fancy night out or a few beers on the way home from work? Drink prices must be tailored accordingly.
Finally, think about your competition. If your bar is the only poolside bar at a resort, you can charge higher prices (and have lower pour costs) because no one else is bringing drinks to those lounge chairs.
Taking these considerations into account, target a pour cost percentage on the lower or higher side of these rough guidelines:
Liquor: 14%-18%
Wine: 18%-26%
Beer: 18%-24%
It will take some adjusting, but this method will bring you to your most profitable pour cost percentage.
Once you've determined your target pour cost, setting a drink price is straightforward.
Here's the formula:
Cost of Ingredients ($)
Target Pour Cost (%)
Drink Price ($)
If it costs $1.25 to make a Citrus Rosemary Gin and Tonic and your target pour cost for liquor is 16%, you'd do this calculation:
$1.25 / .16 = $7.81
Round up to $8.00 and rest assured that your Citrus Rosemary Gin and Tonic is properly priced.
Finally, keep in mind:
Product Cost: The amount you pay for each bottle of liquor directly influences your drink prices. When the product cost increases, your drink prices should increase as well.
Distributor Promotions: Taking advantage of distributor promotions can help keep costs lower, but make sure you're not keeping too much inventory on hand. It's a balance.
Top Sellers: Slightly increasing the price of your top five drinks/shots can notably increase profit. Pardon the shameless plug, but you can easily see your Top Five Selling Products when you use our app.


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Helium BalloonsVenue Decoration
Table Balloons:
Number Balloons:
Character Balloons:
Please Contact us
Suitable For:
Children And Adults
Bounce and party supplied balloons for a 50th birthday party for me.... from start to finish was very professional... any queries just had to give them an e.mail and they would be very quick to reply back.... balloons where what i expected and delivered on time... would highly recommend them.
Source: Trustpilot
Kirsteen Boyd
Highly recommend Bounce and Party Glasgow. I Just used them on Saturday for my daughters first birthday party with 40 kids ranging in age and the service was top class.
The entertainer kept all the kids happy, interacting with them, laughing, joking, getting everyone involved even the parents, playing games, and provided prizes which the kids loved choosing, music and dancing. There was a fantastic atmosphere because of him.
The face painting service was top class as well, one person was doing the face paints and another tattoos and the kids just loved it. Iv had many party guests ask for the details to book them.
Will definitely use again in the future. Everyone had so much fun thanks to them.
Source: Trust pilot
Nicole Kershaw
I hired Rob at Bounce & Party for little girls 5th birthday party. I had not heard of them before but I can say I was not disappointed. Rob was fantastic from start to finish and kept the energy levels up throughout. All of the children were certainly entertained and other parents commented on how good he was.
I would defo hire this company again and recommended them as there was never a dull moment. Thank you so much Rob
Source: Facebook
Amy Mcdonald
I would 100% recommended Rob for kids parties, he was amazing start to finish, all the kids had a fantastic time and they were a difficult bunch to please
Joanne Cavanagh Hilley
We had over 40 kids and to be able to command their attention and keep it for the entire party is quite something. Great games and music, it was like a proper disco... the kids absolutely love that!
Rob was very professional, turned up in plenty time to get set up and went over everything with regard to safety and certificates and what to expect over the 2hr party.
I have had so many compliments from all the parents and that never happens!
Please consider bounce and party for any celebrations you may have coming up.
Source: Trustpilot
Helium Balloons
A party isn't a party without balloons. We can provide balloons for all occasions including: Birthdays, Engagement, Mother's Day, Weddings, New Baby, Father's Day, Christenings, Retirement, Christmas, Communions, Valentine's Day, Congratulations, Anniversary & much much more!
Our balloons and balloon packages are fantastic value and include free delivery with any of our bouncy castles or party packages.
We can provide themed balloons to match your party or event theme. Balloons will be delivered inflated ready for your party or event.
For more information, to discuss your requirements or for a quote please click the link below or call us on 07949837154.
Add that little something extra...
Candy Bar / Sweet Buffet: Our Candy Bar / Sweet Buffet is a perfect compliment to any children's party, guaranteed to put a smile on any child's (or adults) face. With a selection of favourite sweets available for children to help themselves. Similar to a Candy Cart, our self service Candy Bar / Sweet Buffet pleasantly presents a selection of favourite sweets with jars, bags, tongs and scoops all provided as part of the price.
Sweet Cones: Our Sweet Cones are the perfect way to end the party. Our Sweet Cones are filled with a selection of favourite sweets for children to take home at the end of the party. Our Sweet cones are hassle free & stress free, delivered to the party, pre-made and ready to hand out to your guests at the end of the party.
Face Painting: Why not add a Face Painter & Glitter Tattoos to your bouncy castle hire or party, prices start at an additional £75 for a 2 hour session. Face painting adds instant fun to parties and community events!
All our face painters that we work with are fully insured, police checked and PVG registered. They only use good quality Snazaroo and Grimas hypoallergenic paints.
Helium Balloons: A party isn't a party without Balloons. We can provide balloons for all occasions saving you the hassle of collecting and delivering. Balloons can be provided for Birthdays, Engagement, Mother's Day, Weddings, New Baby, Father's Day, Christenings, Retirement, Christmas, Communions, Valentine's Day, Congratulations, Anniversary & much much more!
Speciality Performers: If you are looking to add something special to your party package we can organise a magician, balloon modellers or something else to compliment any children's or adults party package.
How To Book our Services...
- Take a look at the services we provide and choose the service or package you require.
- Have the following information ready: date, times, and location / address of your party / event.
- Give us a call on Tel: 07949 837154 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or click contact us to be taken to our contact page.
- We will send you email confirmation of your booking
- Details on how to make the 20% deposit will be emailed
- We will give you a courtesy call the night before your party / event.
We Do But We Love Doing It Safely...
At Kool Kids Entertainment love what we do. Delivering a Bouncy Castle or Soft Play for a Children's Party puts smiles on kids faces. We love entertaining and keeping the children amused at a party with music, party games and interaction. But safety is always our top priority and thats why with a Bouncy Castle Hire or Soft Play Hire we give you full guidance and instruction including a detailed safety walk round of the castle after setting up so that when we leave you can feel assured and confident.
At Kool Kids Entertainment all of our Bouncy Castles, Soft Play and equipment is fully owned by us, cleaned by us and maintained by us. We take our Health and Safety responsibility seriously and take every step to make sure our setup and installations are safe. We are one of a small number within Glasgow to be RPII inflatable accredited operators & attendants having taken the operator and attendants course and passed the exam.
Kool Kids Entertainment are a member of the BIHA and TIPE, we strive to maintain the highest standards in everything we do and create the "Koolest" parties for children.
All of our equipment is PAT tested and our Bouncy Castles and Soft Play have a valid RPII / PIPA Test Certificate where applicable. We hold public liability insurance up to £5 million. On our arrival we will introduce ourselves, setup and provide advice and guidance on how to use the equipment safely.
Our bouncy castles are cleaned between hires and our equipment is kept presentable, all of our bouncy castles are under five years old and in brand-new condition.
The price displayed includes delivery of your castle, balloons and party supplies within a 10 mile radius of Glasgow City Centre. Other areas are covered but may incur a small delivery charge.
Our Promises...
- We only take your booking if we can fulfil the booking, we never double intentionally.
- We will always give you a courtesy call the night before your hire or party.
- For outdoor parties and events, should the weather be bad or forecast to be unsuitable we will contact you on a few days prior to discuss.
- The safety of you and you guests is a priority.
- If we are unable to setup any equipment or bouncy castles due to safety issues we will explain why.
How To Contact Us...
For more information, questions or advice please feel free to give us a call on Tel: 07949 837154 or email us at email@example.com or click contact us to be taken to our contact page.
We are able to provide Bouncy Castles, Soft Play, Helium Balloons, Face Painters, Children's parties & Entertainment to the following areas...
Glasgow, Govan, Carntyne, Riddrie, Easterhouse, Paisley, Maryhill, Coatbridge, Airdie, Knightswood, kirkintilloch, Anniesland, Bearsden, South Side, Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Milngavie, Bishopbriggs, Springburn, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell, Bellshill, Pollok, Penilee, & surrounding areas.
Click Here to view all areas though out Glasgow & Lanarkshire we cover.


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There are many international guidelines about the standard of food safety. BRC is British Retail Consortium. It is form to help in defining varied operational conditions of food and health products. It covers various product areas of consumer and other food products. It is an alleged certification that belongs to United Kingdom. BRC Certificate Gujarat is necessarily required to export the product in U.K. To sell the retail product in super market in U.K, the BRC standard certification is necessary.
Considering the quality aspects and hygiene about products regarding health and food, BRC standard are globally accepted.
This certification is designed by mull over end user of the products. It is significant guideline about health safety and quality of the food product. It is also accepted globally. We have a team of experienced and skilled professionals to develop trustworthy quality system.
- It is designed in favor of end user
- Improve and maintain food quality
- Protect from unhealthy products
- Provide assurance for product
- Help to gain customer satisfaction
See Also:- BRC Certificate Gujarat, brc certification Ahmedabad, brc certification India, brc foods certification brc packaging certification, brc certificate consultant, brc certification gujarat, brc certification india, BRC IOP ahmedabad, BRC IOP gujarat, BRC IOP india, BRC Foods ahmedabad, BRC Foods ahmedabad


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Episode #117 — What Can You Do With iPads & Smartphones?
19 November, 2015No comments
Dan's visit to the Apple Store prompts A 2007-2015 discussion of the new iPad Pro, and just what you can and can't do on Apple's tablet. Are we all just too old to give up our laptops for tablets? The New York Times and Google recently teamed up to deliver another way to use your smartphone – for virtual reality, via Google Cardboard. Is this the beginning of an expansion of VR? Or is it just the View-Master of Mills' and Stephen's youth reborn? Finally, we discussed the recent study of media use by tweens and teens by Common Sense Media that highlighted the digital disparities facing low-income teens. In particular, although most have smartphones, they lack access to laptops or desktops on which to do the increasing amount of online homework teachers are assigning. Stephen and Dan talked about the key role of public libraries in giving teenagers access to computers and wireless Internet.
Related Links
- Apple iPad Pro, http://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/
- Google Cardboard, https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/
- "The Times Partners With Google on Virtual Reality Project," NYT, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/business/media/the-times-partners-with-google-on-virtual-reality-project.html
- "The Digital Disparities Facing Lower-Income Teenagers," NYT, http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/the-digital-disparities-facing-lower-income-teens/
- The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/census_executivesummary.pdf
Running time: 47:50
Download the .mp3


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"It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things." ― Lemony Snicket
I don't intend to delve into this too deeply here, but until yesterday I had not known what it was to have a loved one pass on. It is quite fortunate, I suppose, that at twenty-six years old the only loss I had experience was my beloved dog, Billy, but as time slowly moves on it is an inevitable truth that people we love will pass away. My beautiful, kind, gentle, generous granny passed away last night after being unconscious for nearly a week. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend her last days with her, surrounded by her incredibly strong daughters (my mother and aunties) and my amazing sister, boyfriend, father, and cousins.
Spending nearly a week watching someone gradually deteriorate was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Every day, from 8 am to 8 pm was spent with her in her room with my family, and every night I kissed her on the forehead and said goodbye, not knowing what the next day would bring. Suffice it to say that I am now emotionally and physically drained. I'll be taking a little break from blogging while I spend another week with my family, and will return once I'm able.


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Ashley Tisdale was pretty open about her nose job, although she claimed it was for a deviated septum. She told People: "I didn't do this because I believe in plastic surgery. I did this to help my health. I literally almost could not breathe out of the right side of my nose," said Ashley, who openly discussed the procedure because "I want my fans to know the truth. I'm not someone who is going to act like I had nothing done. I just want to be honest because my fans are everything to me."
Well, props for talking about, but how can Ashley says she doesn't "believe in plastic surgery"? Like, as a concept? Betch, you had it done to your face! I'm pretty sure it exists. Also, shut up about "literally almost could not breathe". You just wanted a better nose. The end.
But at least Ashley Tisdale commented on the whole thing, unlike some people (ahem, Ashlee Simpson, Blake Lively). And I assume she wouldn't shy away from talking about the fact that she has extensions too. Or would she say she "doesn't believe in extensions" and she only has them because she "literally almost had no hair". Hee.
Just because it's Friday, let's check out some nose job before and afters! 😉
On the left, Blake's nose at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards and on the right, Blake's nose at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards. You be the judge.
I think it's safe to say a nose job is not all Ashlee Simpson had done; she definitely did something to her chin too. She looks like a totally different person! it's crazy. And after that major tranformation, Ashlee tried to dodge questions about it in the press. Gurl, plz.
And finally, Ashley Tisdale: before and after. She does not believe in plastic surgery, you guys!


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Match your character cherry butcher block countertop with a quality cherry face grain backsplash.
These butcher block backsplashes are constructed with a solid face grain piece of wood.
The backsplashes on this page are 3/4" x 4"
Character Cherry
Cherry heartwood varies from rich red to reddish brown and will darken with age and on exposure to light. In contrast, cherry sapwood is creamy white. Cherry wood has a fine uniform, straight grain, satiny, smooth texture, and may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets. Cherry is easy to machine, nails and glues well and when sanded and stained, it produces an excellent smooth finish. Our character cherry butcher block countertops are made by mixing the heartwood and sapwood and may also have some pith flecks and small gum pockets.


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Historical Images Get a Little Tipsy in Ads for Comedy Central's Drunk History
Washington kegging the Delaware
High school would've been so much more bearable if we'd had a tipsy teacher spouting U.S. history, pausing during key Watergate moments not for dramatic effect but just long enough to puke. Who wouldn't ace that part of the test? Comedy Central is doing its part to make up for those slept-through second periods. The cable channel has nabbed a popular Web series, as it's done successfully in the past, for one of its new summer offerings called Drunk History, which is combination re-enactment, cult celebrity fest and kegger. Stars like Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, Bob Odenkirk, Fred Willard, Stephen Merchant and Jack Black will take part in loopy re-enactments of the Scopes monkey trial, the Battle of the Alamo, the Haymarket riot and other seminal historical events. They aren't really shitfaced, but the show's narrators are (for the sake of argument, that is). Advertising for the series, launching July 9, is appropriately booze-soaked. Suds float up to cover dynamic online banner ads, like cold draft being drawn from a tap, and famous politicians flash bottles of hooch instead of peace signs. Lingering question: How in the world did George Washington ever make it across the Delaware with all that beer? Our 11th-grade class left out all the good stuff.


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Taped on the final ever Saturday night at the legendary Fillmore West, this superb set finds Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady opening for Quicksilver Messenger Service, with help from Papa John Creach on electric violin and Sammy Piazza on drums.
Drawing on their lengthy experience as folk musicians before they formed Jefferson Airplane, it features their breathtaking musicianship and wonderfully intense jamming before a highly appreciative audience.
Disc 1
1. That'll Never Happen No More
2. How Long
3. Candy Man
4. New Song For The Morning
5. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning
6. Uncle Sam Blues
7. John's Other
8. Rock Me Baby
9. Babe I Want You To Know
10. Kown You Rider
Disc 2
1. Been So Long
2. Come Back Baby
3. Feel So Good


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2020 Pennsylvania Dutch Calendar
This year's calendar highlights the robust spiritual expressions of our regional folk culture carved and inscribed in stone. This calendar features a series of house blessings, date stones, and gravestones providing thought-provoking opportunities to explore our cultural roots. As a bilingual calendar, all of the months, holidays, and captions are in Pennsylvania Dutch and English for ease of use in families that wish to explore their Pennsylvania heritage. (28pp. full-color illus. Masthof Press, 2019.)


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Senior Section
New Ross Golf Club has a very active and strongly supported Senior Section. Aimed at those over 50, the Seniors have a schedule of events right throughout the year, with competitions taking place every Thursday. The emphasis is on friendly and fair competition and there is a strong social element to the section.
View the Senior Section Fixture List
Read the Senior Section News & Results


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I'm a pretty experienced food prepper, but I'm looking for lunch ideas I can freeze to speed up my weekdays. Does anyone do this? I eat a LOT of fresh produce, so I'll still have to do that every day, but I'm thinking if I can freeze some things it will speed up my mid-week assembly. I'm thinking 15-20g's protein, and not too crazy with the carbs. I'd be curious to hear from anyone who's doing/done this, or resources. I have training almost every night, and just need to speed things up.
Thanks bunches,
Frozen Dinners - Food Prep
All topics relating to health, diet, nutrition programs and any questions you might have about general health.
Moderators: Mini Forklift Ⓥ, C.O., Richard, robert, SyrLinus
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Re: Frozen Dinners - Food Prep
Yeah I like to make stir frys, curries, and stews. I make like 8 servings at a time, refrigerate a few and freeze a few too each time. You can freeze rice or quinoa too and put the other stuff over them.
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holding that court may take witnesses' estimates of amount of drugs purchased and multiply that by minimum quantity sold on each occasionSummary of this case from United States v. Cooper
No. 98-1281.
Argued December 9, 1999.
Decided May 1, 2000.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. No. 96 CR-40051 — William D. Stiehl, Judge.
Robert L. Garrison (argued), Office of the U.S. Attorney, Criminal Division, Fairview Heights, IL, for plaintiff-appellee.
DeAnna D. Allen (argued), Mayer, Brown Platt, Chicago, IL, for defendant-appellant.
Before POSNER, Chief Judge, and COFFEY and MANION, Circuit Judges.
On January 22, 1997, a federal grand jury returned a one-count superceding indictment charging Defendant-Appellant Marcus Durham ("Durham") with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 846. After two mistrials resulting from hung juries, the third trial commenced on October 21, 1997, and two days later, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. On January 30, 1998, the court sentenced the defendant to 420 months' imprisonment, a supervised release term of 10 years and a $3,500 fine. Five days later, Durham appealed, claiming that: (1) the prosecutor made improper remarks during closing argument, thereby depriving him of a fair trial; and (2) the court improperly calculated the amount of drugs attributable to him. We AFFIRM.
The indictment charged Durham with engaging in this conspiracy from February 17, 1993, continuing until on or about April 30, 1996.
The Cairo, Illinois Police Department, the Federal Public Housing Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation commenced an investigation in 1994 that disclosed that Durham was a distributor of kilogram quantities of cocaine and cocaine base (commonly referred to as "crack") in southern Illinois. As a crack dealer, the defendant had numerous customers, including one Ronnie Bridges ("Bridges") and another person known as Bradley Bigham ("Bigham"), both of whom later testified against Durham at his third trial.
The investigation revealed that Durham employed Michael Bowers ("Bowers"), a child who was but 15 years old at the time he commenced working for Durham in 1993. In addition to providing Bowers with cocaine and crack for sale, Durham took him along on at least two trips to purchase crack in Charleston, Missouri. At the defendant's direction, Bowers hid the purchased crack in his underwear because, as Durham explained to him, "I was younger and the police wouldn't really mess with me." During the second return drug transportation trip from Charleston, the defendant directed Bowers to carry a "brick like package," which Durham told him contained one kilogram of crack cocaine. When they arrived in Illinois from Charleston, Durham paid Bowers $100 for carrying the crack.
On January 22, 1997, a federal grand jury issued a one-count superceding indictment charging Durham with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. On October 21, 1997, a third trial commenced, with the government presenting some thirty witnesses consisting of a number of the defendant's fellow drug dealers, employees, former customers, and law enforcement officers, each testifying that they were either engaged in, observed or had been told about crack transactions that directly involved Durham.
The government's initial attempts to prosecute Durham were unsuccessful — at the conclusion of the trials, the juries were deadlocked and the judge declared mistrials.
When the defense presented its case, the defendant's brother, Darcy Durham, testified that the defendant's unexplained wealth was accumulated by "doing odd jobs" and that the expensive jewelry he wore "could have been gifts." Darcy Durham also testified that he "had no idea" who might have given his brother such gifts and that the most he had ever known his brother to earn from his jobs was a "couple hundred dollars."
In his closing argument, the prosecutor described Darcy Durham as a "dope dealer" himself and also a "liar." The prosecutor also described the defendant, who refused to testify, as a "slick little dope dealer" who "uses kids and exploits them to peddle poison," and asked the jury to use some "good midwestern common sense" in analyzing the evidence. None of these comments drew an objection from the defendant either during trial or on post-trial motion.
Nonetheless, at the close of trial, the district court instructed the jury that
[c]losing arguments are for the purpose of discussing the evidence. Opening statements, closing arguments and other statements of counsel should be disregarded to the extent they are not supported by the evidence.
On October 23, 1997, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Prior to sentencing, Durham objected to the Presentence Investigation Report ("PSR"), which attributed 1.65 kilograms of crack to him. Of the 1.65 kilograms of crack attributed to Durham as relevant conduct, the PSR attributed 1000 grams (one kilogram) to the defendant based on statements Bowers made to the police and his testimony during trial. On January 30, 1998, Judge Stiehl conducted a sentencing hearing, and while adopting the PSR's recommendations in their entirety, the judge concluded that Durham was responsible for even more crack than set forth in the PSR — the court attributed in excess of 2.5 kilograms to his relevant conduct. The court sentenced Durham to 420 months' imprisonment, a supervised release term of 10 years and a fine of $3,500. The defendant appealed.
The judge increased the quantity of crack attributed to the defendant from what was recommended in the PSR, and held that Durham was responsible for in excess of 2.5 kilograms of crack (as opposed to the 1.65 kilograms recommended in the PSR). The court's finding, however, did not alter the defendant's resulting offense level because under U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c)(1), "1.5 KG or more of Cocaine Base" attributed to a defendant results in a base offense level of 38.
On appeal, the defendant claims that: (1) the prosecutor made improper remarks during closing argument, thereby depriving him of a fair trial; and (2) the trial court improperly calculated the amount of drugs attributable to him.
III. DISCUSSION A. The Prosecutor's Closing Argument
Durham claims that the government's comments made during closing argument denied him a fair trial. We employ a two-part test for assessing the propriety of remarks made during closing argument: first, we determine whether the comments, examined in isolation, were improper. See United States v. Morgan, 113 F.3d 85, 89 (7th Cir. 1997). If we determine that when considered in isolation the remarks were indeed improper, we then examine the remarks in the light of the entire record and determine if the defendant was deprived of a fair trial as a result. See United States v. Granados, 142 F.3d 1016, 1021 (7th Cir. 1998). Because the defendant failed to object to the prosecutor's closing argument statements during trial, we review these allegedly improper remarks for plain error. See United States v. Laurenzana, 113 F.3d 689, 695 (7th Cir. 1997). Under this standard, our discretion to correct plain error should be employed only "in those circumstances in which a miscarriage of justice would otherwise result, namely, in those cases in which the error has affected the outcome of the district court proceedings." See id. (citing United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 734-36 (1993)).
The defendant essentially complains that during closing argument, the prosecutor referred to him as a "slick little dope dealer" who "uses kids and exploits them to peddle poison." The defendant also challenges the prosecutor's reference to his brother, Darcy Durham, as a "dope dealer" himself and a "liar," and the prosecutor's plea to the jury's "good midwestern common sense" in analyzing the evidence. From our review of the record, we are convinced that when looked at in isolation, the prosecutor's comments were not improper.
From our review of the record and the applicable caselaw, we are convinced that there is nothing objectionable in the prosecutor's description of the defendant as a "slick little dope dealer" who "uses kids and exploits them to peddle poison" because the remarks were supported by the evidence. We have held that so long as the evidence supports the comments, prosecutors may speak harshly about the actions and conduct of the accused. See United States v. Aldaco, 201 F.3d 979, 989 (7th Cir. 2000); United States v. Cook, 432 F.2d 1093, 1096 (7th Cir. 1970). Indeed, this Court has affirmed similar strongly worded descriptions of defendants made by prosecutors. See, e.g., United States v. Spivey, 859 F.2d 461, 466 (7th Cir. 1998) (finding that the prosecutor's characterization of the defendants as "con men" was not improper); United States v. Fike, 538 F.2d 750, 758-59 (7th Cir. 1976) (finding that the prosecutor's statement that the defendant "has committed a dastardly crime, he should be punished" was not improper). See also United States v. Catalfo, 64 F.3d 1070, 1080 (7th Cir, 1995) (holding that a prosecutor's description of the defendant as a liar was not improper). It remains the longstanding principle of this Circuit that:
The district attorney is quite as free to comment legitimately and speak fully, although harshly, upon the action and conduct of the accused, if the evidence supports his comments, as is the accused's counsel to comment upon the nature of the evidence and the character of the witnesses which the government produces and which is favorable to him.
See Cook, 432 F.2d at 1106-07.
During trial, substantial evidence was presented that established Durham's drug activity and his employment of the child Bowers, who started selling drugs for him in 1993 at the young age of 15 years. Obviously, "the prosecutor's statements were simply a permissible comment upon what the evidence showed," see United States v. Auerbach, 913 F.2d 407, 418 (7th Cir. 1990) (holding that it was not improper for the prosecutor to comment that a defendant "is guilty" and "has done what he is charged with"), and, hence, were not improper.
Likewise, with regard to the reference to Darcy Durham as a "dope dealer" himself and a "liar," the prosecutor was commenting on the credibility of one of the defendant's witnesses. The record reflects several material inconsistencies in Darcy Durham's testimony; for example, on cross examination, Darcy Durham was unable to account for the defendant's wealth. In fact, when asked about his brother's expensive jewelry, he testified that they "could have been gifts," but the most he had ever known his brother to earn from his jobs was only a "couple hundred dollars." Commenting on his own wealth, Darcy Durham testified that he made a living by selling cars, but could neither identify nor remember what type of cars he sold other than a single Ford Mustang. Also, Thomas Spiller, a Cairo, Illinois police officer in 1995, testified that he had observed on one occasion Darcy Durham and the defendant with what appeared to be a large quantity of crack cocaine and money in plain view inside Darcy Durham's residence. Each of these facts and inconsistencies affected Darcy Durham's credibility as a witness and were properly brought out by the prosecutor during his summation. As we have previously held, a prosecutor may remark on a witness' credibility "as long as the comment reflects reasonable inferences from the evidence adduced at trial." United States v. Morgan, 113 F.3d 85, 89 (7th Cir. 1997) (quoting United States v. Goodapple, 958 F.2d 1402, 1409-10 (7th Cir. 1992)); see also United States v. Catalfo, 64 F.3d 1070, 1080 (7th Cir. 1995) (stating that where a defendant's version of the facts conflicts with that of the government witnesses', a prosecutor may argue that the jury should believe the government witness and not the defendant). Because of his inconsistent trial testimony and evidence of his drug activity, we conclude that the prosecutor's comment describing Darcy Durham as a "liar" and a "dope dealer" himself were reasonably inferable from the evidence presented at trial and thus, were not improper.
Lastly, the prosecution's plea for the jury to use its "good midwestern common sense," hardly constitutes misconduct because it could have easily benefitted the defendant, a fellow "midwesterner" himself, as much as the prosecution. Morever, it is well established that "juries are allowed to draw upon their own experience in life as well as their common sense in reaching their verdict. . . . While common sense is no substitute for evidence, . . . common sense should be used to evaluate what reasonably may be inferred from circumstantial evidence." United States v. Magana, 118 F.3d 1173, 1201 (7th Cir. 1997) (citation omitted). Accordingly, we conclude that the prosecutor's appeal to the jury's "good midwestern common sense" also was not improper.
But even if we were to assume only for the purposes of this review that all these comments were improper, we would still conclude that the allegedly improper comments did not deprive the defendant of a fair trial because "it is not enough that the prosecutors' remarks were undesirable or even universally condemned. The relevant question is whether the prosecutors' comments so infected the trial with unfairness as to make the resulting conviction a denial of due process." Darden v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 168, 181 (1986) (emphasis added). To determine whether the remarks denied the defendant a fair trial, we consider five factors: (1) the nature and seriousness of the prosecutorial misconduct; (2) whether the conduct of the defense counsel invited the prosecutor's remarks; (3) whether the trial court's instructions to the jury were adequate; (4) whether the defense was able to counter the improper arguments through rebuttal; and (5) the weight of the evidence against the defendant. See Grandos, 142 F.3d at 1022.
Here, the prosecutor's characterization of Durham's brother, the chief defense witness, as a "dope dealer" himself and a "liar" appears to have been in response to the defense counsel's similar attack against the government's witnesses: "Members of the jury, these people are thieves, burglars, drug dealers, crack addicts, and now suddenly they are going to be truthful people. Suddenly now they gain character and they are going to be honest. Come on, they are lying to get a deal."
It is also evident from the record that the court's instructions adequately informed the jury that:
Closing arguments are for the purpose of discussing the evidence. Opening statements, closing arguments and other statements of counsel should be disregarded to the extent they are not supported by the evidence. . . . You may draw such reasonable inferences as you believe to be justified from proven facts. . . . You should not be influenced by sympathy, prejudice, fear or public opinion.
(emphasis added). Cf. United States v. Stillo, 57 F.3d 553, 557 (7th Cir. 1995) (holding that a criminal defendant "must rebut the dual presumption that a jury will (1) capably sort through the evidence and (2) follow limiting instructions from the court").
Further, the comments describing the defendant as a drug dealer and the plea to the jury's "midwestern common sense" were initially made during the prosecution's opening summation, thus affording the defendant's counsel an opportunity to respond. Finally, the overwhelming weight of the evidence against the defendant more than adequately supports his conviction. Some thirty witnesses, consisting of former employees and customers, as well as law enforcement agents, testified with specificity and detail about Durham's dealings in cocaine and crack.
But as previously discussed, because Durham failed to object to the prosecutor's comments at the time they were made, we also rule that he has waived the issue on appeal and, thus, any review comes under the plain error standard. Accordingly, Durham must establish "not only that the remarks denied him a fair trial, but also that the outcome of the proceedings would have been different absent the remarks." See Granados, 142 F.3d at 1022. We are convinced that the prosecutor's comments describing the defendant as a "slick little dope dealer" who "uses kids and exploits them to peddle poison," as well at the comments attacking Darcy Durham's credibility and appealing to the jury's "midwestern common sense" had little to do with the outcome of the proceedings. Thus, in light of the overwhelming and extensive evidence that implicated him in the offense charged, Durham has failed to persuade us "not only that the remarks denied him a fair trial, but also that the outcome of the proceedings would have been different absent the remarks." Id. We therefore decline to vacate his conviction on account of these remarks.
B. Durham's Challenge to the Court's Drug Quantity Calculations
The defendant also claims that the court improperly calculated the amount of crack attributable to him. We review a district court's determination of the amount of narcotics attributable to a defendant for sentencing purposes under the clear error standard. See United States v. Johnson, 200 F.3d 529, 537 (7th Cir. 2000). "`The factual findings of the district court will not be overturned unless they are clearly erroneous . . . . Thus, we will reverse the district court's conclusion as to quantity of cocaine attributable to [a] defendant only if we have a definite and firm conviction that the district court made a clear error in sentencing.'" United States v. Taylor, 72 F.3d 533, 542 (7th Cir. 1995) (quoting United States v. Mumford, 25 F.3d 461, 465 (7th Cir. 1994)).
The reasons for this deferential standard of review are well-established. Congress has mandated this standard of review in sentencing and stated that "the court of appeals shall give due regard to the opportunity of the district court to judge the credibility of the witnesses, and shall accept the findings of fact of the district court unless they are clearly erroneous and shall give due deference to the district court's application of the guidelines to the facts." 18 U.S.C. § 3742(e) (emphasis added). As a matter of sound jurisprudence, we do not second-guess the sentencing judge because he or she has had "the best `opportunity to observe the verbal and non-verbal behavior of the witnesses focusing on the subject's reactions and responses to the interrogatories, their facial expressions, attitudes, tone of voice, eye contact, posture and body movements,' as well as confused or nervous speech patterns in contrast with merely looking at the cold pages of an appellate record."
United States v. Garcia, 66 F.3d 851, 856 (7th Cir. 1995) (emphasis added).
Thus, because "the district court, as the trier of fact, not only has the authority but is in the best position to determine the amount of narcotics attributable to the [defendant]," the clearly erroneous standard applies to estimates of drug quantities made for sentencing purposes. Id. (alteration in original).
Based on the PSR and the trial testimony, the sentencing judge attributed "in excess of 2 and a half kilograms of crack cocaine" to Durham's relevant conduct, well above the amount required for the maximum base offense level of 38. U.S.S.G. § 2D1.1(c)(1) (requiring only "1.5 KG or more of Cocaine Base" for the maximum base offense level of 38). Although Durham challenges the testimony of four of the government's witnesses, his most significant challenge is to Bowers' testimony which was used by the sentencing judge to attribute 2,040 grams (2.04 kilograms) of crack to Durham. Therefore, because Bowers' testimony represents the bulk of the total amount of crack cocaine attributed to the defendant, we initially address the defendant's challenge to this testimony.
Durham also attacks the testimony of three other witnesses: Bridges, Bigham and Cameron Shaw ("Shaw"). The court attributed 255.15 grams of crack to the defendant based on Bridges' testimony, 56.7 grams of crack based on Bigham's testimony and 113.4 grams of crack based on Shaw's testimony, for a total of 425.25 grams. Bowers' testimony, however, was used by the court to attribute 2.04 kilograms of crack to the defendant. Thus, even if we were to accept as true, which we emphatically do not, the defendant's challenges to the drug quantity calculations based on the testimony of Bridges, Bigham, and Shaw, it could not possibly affect his sentence because the total amount of crack attributable to Durham would still be well in excess of the 1.5 kilograms required for the maximum base offense level.
At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, the judge found that:
Michael Bowers, when he testified at trial, stated that he started dealing in crack for the defendant in the summer of 1993 and that he got fronted by the defendant 5 grams two or three times a week. He didn't sell during the summer of 1994, nor in the colder time of 1995, so a conservative analysis of that would show that he sold 5 grams twice a week, or 10 grams a week, over a period of, if we only count two years, 52 weeks times two years makes it 1,040 grams. One time he went with the defendant to Charleston to pick up the crack and another time he went — the defendant said that the package he received from the source in Charleston was one brick or one kilogram of crack cocaine, so the total that Mr. Bowers was involved with [Durham] was 2,040 grams.
(emphasis added). Durham argues that the court failed to make an explicit finding as to how it arrived at its conclusion that he fronted "5 grams [of crack] two or three times a week." We have held that "estimates of drug quantity are acceptable if they are based on evidence possessing a sufficient indicia of reliability and not nebulous eyeballing." United States v. Pigee, 197 F.3d 879, 889 (7th Cir. 1999) (quotations omitted). In fact, it is also permissible for a court to take witness' estimates of the amount of drugs they purchased and multiply that by the minimum quantity sold on each occasion, as well as extrapolate drug quantities from the amount of money used to purchase the drugs. See United States v. Howard, 80 F.3d 1194, 1204 (7th Cir. 1996). At trial, Bowers testified that he received $500 worth of crack (made up of approximately 25 $20 crack rocks) twice a week from the defendant. Incorporating the PSR's conclusion that "[w]ithin this conspiracy, a $20 rock consisted of approximately 0.2 gram," it seems evident that the court's calculations accurately reflected the evidence presented at trial. Thus, we conclude that the sentencing judge's calculations are supported by the record and based on evidence that revealed a sufficient "indicia of reliability." See id.
It appears that the defendant bases his argument that the court was inconsistent in its drug calculations, in part, on what appears to be a single typo in the sentencing hearing transcript. (Tr. 1/30/98, at I-23) (stating incorrectly that a $20 rock equals "another .12 grams"). From our review of the record and each of the judge's calculations, we conclude that the judge consistently applied the PSR's conclusion that "a $20 rock consisted of approximately 0.2 gram" in calculating the quantity of drugs attributable to the defendant's relevant conduct.
Durham also argues that Bowers' testimony in relation to the weight of the brick of crack that Bowers transported from Missouri to Illinois is unreliable because he provided contradictory statements to federal drug agents. The defendant points out that during the third trial, Bowers described the crack that the defendant gave him to bring back to Illinois as a "brick like package," but was unable to testify as to its weight. Durham claims that this testimony contradicts the statement Bowers gave to federal drug agents on April 16, 1997, when he stated that "Durham told [him] the package contained one kilogram of crack cocaine."
These statements, however, are not contradictory; Bowers' description of the crack as a "brick like package," but not knowing how much it weighed, is entirely consistent with having been told by Durham that the package contained one kilogram of crack. Also, it is important to keep in mind that many of these witnesses, including Bowers, were former associates and friends of the defendant and their testimony, although truthful, can at best be described as reluctant. Nonetheless, it is clear from the record that Bowers' statements to federal drug agents and during trial, consistently identified the crack that he transported for Durham from Charleston, Missouri to Illinois as "a brick like package," and nothing in his trial testimony contradicts his statement to federal drug agents that he was told by Durham that the package contained one kilogram of crack. Further, the defendant is essentially questioning Bowers' credibility, which is plainly a waste of our time in light of our strong preference to defer to the trier of fact on such matters. See United States v. Mancillas, 183 F.3d 682, 701 n. 22 (7th Cir. 1999) ("We do not second-guess the [sentencing] judge's credibility determinations. . . .") (alteration in original); Garcia, 66 F.3d at 856. As we have previously stated, "arguments which simply urge a reassessment of a district court's credibility determinations are wasted on an appellate court." United States v. House, 110 F.3d 1281, 1286 (7th Cir. 1997).
Thus, "[i]n the absence of actual evidence controverting the information in the PSR" and the evidence presented at trial, we conclude that the sentencing judge's finding that based on Bowers' testimony to federal drug agents and at trial, the defendant's relevant conduct involved 2.04 kilograms of crack, was not clearly erroneous. See United States v. Taylor, 72 F.3d 533, 547 (7th Cir. 1995). Because this amount of crack is well in excess of the 1.5 kilograms required under the sentencing guidelines for the maximum base offense level of 38, which Durham was assessed, we need not address his remaining challenges to the court's drug calculations.
We AFFIRM the defendant's conviction and sentence.


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One of the benefits Apollo Property Management extends to its clients is the support of our dynamic Property Management Team, which believes that not all property management companies are equal. Our Property Management Team is committed to the success of Apollo resources on your site and demonstrates that commitment by playing an active role in your project.
Patrick G. Charbonneau
Apollo Property Management
613-225-7969 ext. 229
Pat, company founder and Apollo Property Management's President, attended McMaster University in Hamilton and Carleton University in Ottawa, studying Business and Economics. Pat has also completed a number of courses offered by (BOMA) Building Owners and Managers Association including Design, Operation of Building Systems Parts I and II, Real Property Law, Real Estate Investment and Finance and Environmental Health & Safety Issues. Prior to joining a large area development firm in 1989, Pat was employed by a major international real estate firm, gaining broad experience in property management, as well as real estate sales and marketing.
Pat currently oversees his property management team in the direction of all property management functions of Apollo, including commercial, residential and condominium management, investor relations and project co-ordination.
Pat is an active member of the Ottawa Chapter of BOMA and has served as one of the judges for BOMA's Annual Building and Property Management awards competition. He is an active member and committee chair with the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa, and a member of the steering Committee for the Regional Linkages Committee. Pat has also served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity.
Kandas Miller
Apollo Property Management
613-225-7969 ext. 274
Kandas, in her 12th year at Apollo Property Management, is the Vice-President. Working directly with Apollo Property Management's President and Executive Team members, she is involved in all aspects of the business operations; focusing on administration, service and support teams and systems as well as business development strategies.
Kandas leads the Executive Team and ensures the seamless coordination of all corporate initiatives. She is a motivated team leader with an aptitude for providing expert advice to senior management regarding various standards and operating principles of Property Management. Kandas handles all aspects of investor relations for Apollo Property Management and works together with property owners to provide the highest level of service to clients. With her strong communication skills and a flair for outside the box thinking, Kandas manages all facets of creative corporate documents.
Kandas holds a Bachelor of Science Honors degree in Human Kinetics from the University of Ottawa. She has also obtained her Real Estate Brokers designation through the Real Estate Council of Ontario.
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Director of Condominium Management
Apollo Property Management
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As Apollo Property Management's General Operations Manager, Sean oversees Apollo Property Management's Operations Team which includes all cleaners, superintendents and service personnel working on behalf of Apollo Property Management's Condominium, Commercial and Rental clients. Sean will ensure that all service requests are addressed on a daily basis as well as providing after-hours service to all Apollo Property Management clients.
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Apollo Property Management is an active member of several committees for the Kiwanis. Apollo employees chair or participate on several committees, as these organizations are a benefit to the community. Click here to read more about our Community Initiatives.


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Why use an Accountant
We often hear that it is easy to make money when you've got it to start with. While this may be true it also true that many a millionaire started out with next to nothing in their pocket. The road to financial success is available to anyone who has a vision and is committed to turning the vision into reality. So whether you're a wage earner, someone in business, or retired, it all starts the same way; with a vision of your future, a good budget, managing your cash flow, understanding your risk and having a plan that takes time into account. Financial success is available to anyone who is disciplined in their financial affairs and knows how to use professional advisors to maximize their wealth.
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text: AO CIH Level 2 Certificate in Neighbourhood Maintenance Question Title * 1. Contact details Name Job title Company City/Town Country Email Address Phone Number Question Title * 2. Please indicate whether your organisation provides the following services. Cleaning shared spaces Garden maintenance of shared spaces Caretaking General maintenance of shared spaces Contractor Contractor Cleaning shared spaces Contractor Garden maintenance of shared spaces Contractor Caretaking Contractor General maintenance of shared spaces In house team In house team Cleaning shared spaces In house team Garden maintenance of shared spaces In house team Caretaking In house team General maintenance of shared spaces Question Title * 3. If you use an in house team to provide estate management services, please indicate how you ensure that they are competent to undertake their duties. CIH qualification City & Guilds trade qualification Other trade qualification LANTRA qualification WAMITAB qualification Other cleaning qualification Other facilities management qualification Other gardening/landscaping qualification CIH training Other training Other (please specify) Question Title * 4. CIH currently offer a Level 2 Certificate in Neighbourhood Maintenance aimed at operatives responsible for cleaning and maintaining shared spaces in housing estates and neighbourhoods. Were you aware that CIH offered this qualification? Yes No Question Title * 5. If you were aware that the qualification existed, what has prevented your organisation from using it? No centre delivering the qualification locally Established relationship with other Awarding Organisation qualifications Content not suitable for employees Using apprenticeship Other (please specify) Question Title * 6. The qualification contains the following units, please indicate which of the units would be useful for your operatives. If you would like to see the unit content in detail please follow this link. Portray a positive personal image Clean and maintain external surfaces and areas Clean glazed surfaces and facades Maintain grounds of premises and facilities Assist with the maintenance of grass surfaces Safe operation of powered garden machinery Prepare and operate power tools and attachments when working in the environment and land-based industries Deal with non-routine waste Check and record the condition of property Organise the maintenance and repair of property Question Title * 7. Please indicate any other topics/ subject areas that you would like to see included in the qualification. Question Title * 8. Thank you for your time. If you have any further interest in the qualification, please indicate this below. Would like to be involved in further consultation on qualification content. Would like to access the qualification for operatives/employees. Do not want to be involved further. Done


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g, what's the SKU for white on white?
g, what's the SKU for white on white?
PMP 34/46 rings on Campy Centaur everything else down to the hubs. I had the Stella Azzura fork it sitting around. It works.
Wow, great looking bike
How do you like the shifting on the PMP rings? I thought about them and went with a TA 46 up front on my campy cranks
what cassette size you running in the back?
I put road tires on and went for a 30ish mile ride today. The shifting is excellent, even for the sub-optimal ST pulley setup. I have heard that the shifting gets better as the ring wears in. I think it's a 12-25 in the back. I also have a 46 TA ring I'll try on another bike, but the workmanship on the PMP is way nicer.
CX is cool...
My steed...
Seven Tsunami...good fun.
Love that Tsunami. Have you been at the NCCX series this year? What cat.?
Last edited by Mrs. Mustache; 11-17-2009 at 08:49 PM. Reason: where da pic-toor??
My SS Seven. A fun bike to putz around town.
Boi yoi yoing!!!!!
From where I grew up, it meant puttering around.. hahahah..
I suppose to penis around town or puttering around town is one of the same.. I really mean just to bike around without any real purpose other than exercise.. the ride is muy nice as a SS...
Cold outside and no kids activities today, so I had some free time to catch up on some tinkering I wanted to do with my bikes and thought I would post some pics of a couple I hadn't put up before.
Here's the Elium in goldfish orange. Nice bike, a gift from my wife and kids. Unfortunately, it only gets ridden to basketball on Sat mornings and with the kids around the neighborhood.
That's a helluva neighborhood bike! Nice pedals BTW with the straps!
You've got quite a wife - she seems to keep giving you nice bikes. Sevens and Speedvagens, etc. Not a bad gig you've got there.


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SOLD .90 Ct. Canary Tourmaline Stud Earrings in 10k Solid Gold
.90 Ct. Canary Tourmaline Stud Earrings in 10k Solid Gold
This listing is for a stunning pair of natural tourmaline earrings set in 10k solid gold. The gems are a gorgeous bright canary yellow color. They're oval cut, measuring 6x4mm and weight .45 carats each. The settings are well made in 10k solid gold. These earrings are brand new, without tags. They're the only jewelry item we have with this particular gemstone.
Your item will arrive in a pretty gift box, shipped Priority Mail. Cost is included in the price, no additional charges.
Your item will arrive in a pretty gift box, shipped Priority Mail. Cost is included in the price, no additional charges.
1. ALL GEMSTONES ARE GENUINE, unless specifically stated in the listing.
3. COMPETITIVE PRICING: Know what you are buying before bidding. An educated shopper will instantly recognize the deals that are available in our store, JMLINC.
4. QUALITY: All of our merchandise is excellent quality. We are so confident of the quality that we offer a full refund if you are not completely satisfied.
5. INTERNATIONAL PURCHASES: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to purchasing.
6. REFUNDS: Full refund on all purchases if item is immediately shipped back with the tag still attached. No refunds will be accepted on jewelry that has been modified. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to e-mail us. Please click on our store tag above or add our store to your favorites so that you can come back easily.
THANKS, SO MUCH!! JML Services, Inc.
US Shipping FREE
International shipping is charged at 1/2 of the actual cost for Prior Mail International.
We never charge a handling fee


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Could you please tell me how to configure Ethernet card for capturing vlan tag packet with wireshark? My ethernet card is the "Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller" in WINDOWS 7. I have download the latest drivers and the utility software. with the utility network software i have te possibility to set vlan id in the port but the wireshark isn't able to capture vlan id (I Send ethernet frames with 1518 bytes packet size and the wireshark captures 1514 bytes. the 4 bytes for vlan tagging don't appear). thanks
asked 31 Aug '11, 06:38
I have the same "Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller" in Windows 7 Home Premium, driver 7.67.1226.2012. I have disabled the setting "Priority & VLAN" and the Wireshark is NOT able to capture the Vlan ID. Thanks for the answers!
(07 Mar '13, 02:22) Josemi
The "Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller" NIC can be configured to not strip the vlan tags, by going to the Adapter Settings and setting "Priority & VLAN" to "Priority & VLAN disabled". All the other values for this option will make the driver delete the VLAN tags from the frame.
answered 31 Aug '11, 10:25
SYN-bit ♦♦
I disabled the setting "Priority & VLAN" and the Wireshark is able to capture the Vlan ID. Thanks for the answers!
(04 Sep '11, 02:23) akalavri
I changed your answer to a comment to keep the nature of Q&A going. You might want to accept SYNbits answer by using the checkmark button to the left to mark it as accepted.
(04 Sep '11, 02:59) Jasper ♦♦
This Q&A saved my life. Just goes to show the internet can solve just about anything if you know what question to ask. Thank you people of the internet :-)
So... yeah, I was having difficulty getting anything to fly on my realtek adapaters to between my router/switch lab. I could never figure out if the "VLAN & Priority" was supposed to be disabled or enabled so I figured enabled would allow VLAN traffic to pass and the only other comments on it said, "if you have VLAN & Priority in the adpater settings then it supports VLAN tagging..." ugh... thank you again. I buy you shots of your choice :-)
(16 Apr '15, 21:57) Iz Lo
The Realtek cards I have usually allow capturing of VLAN tags without any problems, and it shouldn't be necessary to set any VLAN id on the capture card itself.
If you're saying you're only getting 1514 bytes I'd guess it's an untagged frame without the FCS (Ethernet checksum), not the VLAN header - which would mean, you can't capture VLAN tags because there weren't any. If you're capturing on a SPAN port you probably have to tell the switch to include VLAN tags in the spanned data (on Cisco devices you can do that by telling it to include the "encapsulation dot1q" when creating the span session). Otherwise the switch will strip the VLAN header before copying it to the SPAN output port.
answered 31 Aug '11, 06:45
Jasper ♦♦
I wasn't able to get this to work properly just changing the "Priority & Vlan" setting. After 2 days of exploring and various google searches I found this topic.
If changing that setting alone doesn't work for you:
1: Update your realtek drivers
2: The key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\00nn needs to have 4 values. '00nn' is the specific key that has the information for the adapter you intend on capturing on. Add or edit the following DWORDs
Restart your computer, make sure there's no firewall preventing wireshark from seeing the nolonger vlan tagged packets, and you should be good to go.
answered 01 Jun '16, 08:48
Thanks, this has really worked!
(02 Jun '16, 09:35) Josemi
Thanks Darinth it worked, I just modified the MonitorModeEnabled, it was in 0. The *PriorityVLANTag was already in 0. I didn't add MonitorMode neither add SkDisableVlanStrip. I modified the "Priority & VLAN" settings and set to "Priority & VLAN disabled" but it didn't work.
(27 Jan '17, 07:15) Adan Ortiz


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text:
One of my colleagues was trying to run up a Sitecore 8 website locally. He's working on the new Sagittarius Agency website which I can't wait for you to see its going to be immense. But he gave me a ring saying that Sitecore was simply displaying a message which said. Default page
This contents comes from the default.aspx in the root of a Sitecore website (any Sitecore site not just version 8). I've seen it a few times in the past and usually simply "turn it off and on again" works. The typical fall back for anyone who has been in computing for a length of time.
In his case though it didn't work, after some investigation it turns out. That the database it was trying to connect to wasn't responding. It's a curious issue because if Sitecore is running, usually you get a proper server side 500 error telling you "I can't connect to the database". But it appears that if the server it tries to connect to, simply doesn't respond instead of the usual 500 error you get "Default Page".
So if you get the above page I would first have a look at the database. It's probably the answer you're looking for.
Page Name: {% PageName %}
Page Template: {% PageTemplate %}
CampaignID: {% AgentReferrer.ID %}
CampaignName: {% AgentReferrer.Name %}
CampaignPhone: {% AgentReferrer.Phone %}
Item Location: {% PageLocation %}
Search Session Exists: False


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It's Coworking Week! As part of our celebration we've opened our doors even wider than usual and are providing a day of free coworking. Each day we will be profiling at least one of our guest coworkers to let you in on some of the great things happening.
Asher Klassen – Canadian Cartoonist
Asher Klassen is a Kelowna based cartoonist, illustrator, printmaker, barfly, scholar, bibliophile, and longbowman. His body of work deals with topics ranging from, but not limited to, politics, comics theory, faith, and criminal law.
Kodie — Hi! So for those who don't know you, who are you in a nutshell?
Asher — My name is Asher Klassen and I'm a cartoonist, illustrator, and printmaker.
K — You're heavily involved in the local comics and cartooning scene as well as events like Comic Jam or Art Brew. Comics in Kelowna? What gives?
A — Yeah! We've got a small but very rich community of independent comics creators in this town! We've got writers in the area looking to break into comics, we've got illustrators looking for writers to work with, or are working with people in other parts of the country. We've also got a lot of what I'd call a "full-package" cartoonist who are writing and drawing their own content and self publishing either on the web or in print.
K — You're here visiting for Coworking Week, and we're glad to have you! What got you interested enough in coworking to come down and see what it's all about?
A — I'd been interested in a while in having office space away from my studio space. I find it hard to get the sort of "office" stuff done when I'm sitting in my studio. It's nice to be able to bring my computer somewhere that's not the drawing table to work on the blog, the online store, break in my new digital tablet. It's great to be able to do that in an inspirational room with other working professionals.
K — What's one thing that you're focusing on getting done today in co+Lab?
A — Right now I'm sorting out some Canada Post shipping rates to ship some of my comics across the country.
K — What sort of comics are you shipping around the country?
A — Illegal criminal comics! Don't tell the authorities.
K — Where can people find out more about you and see some of your work?
A — You can find me online at www.ajkomics.ca as well as on Instagram.
What is coworking week?
This year is the 11th anniversary for coworking and we at co+Lab are celebrating International Coworking Day on August 12th 2016 in a BIG way. From August 8th to August 12th we're providing 1 day of free coworking from August 8th to 12th, leading up to the big day. There's a limit of 1 free day per registrant and coworker registration must happen on our Eventbrite event page.


text:
- Home
- About Us
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See the story on the EDP website (opens in new window).
We were honoured that our Nelson's Gold Caramelised Vodka was chosen for a delicious ice cream dessert made by Dann's Ice Cream.
This was a treat to thank 200 NHS staff from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Thanks to Charlie Hodson and his amazing team


text:
Porcelanosa Wall Tiles Forest Carrara Blanco
Regular price
Available Sizes: 12"x23"
Tile Thickness: 3/8"
Features: Gloss*, Rectified*, V2*
Application: Residential wall tiles
Code: Tile-Porcelanosa222
*Gloss: Shiny tiles, These tiles enhance light and make small places look bigger.
*Rectified: Tiles that come with straight edges. These tiles can be installed with minimal grout lines, which enhances the lighting and makes the rooms more aesthetic.
*V2: Clearly distinguishable differences in texture and/or pattern with similar colors.


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Dave Mustaine, frontman of thrash metal band Megadeth, has recently generated much controversy with his continuous flow of hateful, right-wing comments. But at an August 7 show in Singapore, he downright outraged musicians and an Aurora massacre victim when he suggested that President Obama was somehow responsible for various recent U.S. shootings.
The 50 year-old born-again Christian remarked, "Back in my country, my president is trying to pass a gun ban, so he's staging all of these murders, like the 'Fast and Furious' thing down at the border, and Aurora, Colorado, all the people that were killed there, and now the people at the Sikh temple.
"I don't know where I'm gonna live if America keeps going the way it's going, because it looks like it's turning into Nazi America."
The article goes on to explain that these rantings are a complete turnaround for Mustaine who actually supported Bill Clinton once upon a time.
His complete flip-flop on politics has confused many Megadeth fans and musicians, but Mustaine said his change of views came after he "ditched alcohol and became a born-again Christian."The funny part about these Obama-haters, besides their born-again affiliations in many cases, is the fact that their ideas as so over the top as to be obviously mistaken.
Who could believe such nonsense?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.


text:
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Tag Archives: chocolate
Ultimate Moist and Fluffy Butter Cake – The Giddy Tigress Way
After experimenting with various recipes and tips, I am pleased to announce that I have finally perfected the recipe for the ultimate moist and fluffy butter cake. It is now my go-to recipe when I need a quick and easy … Continue reading
Posted in Drooling & Cooking Tagged baking, butter, cake, chocolate, cooking, home, homemade, kids, marble cake Leave a comment
Tackling The Five Thousand Dollar Buns Recipe
So apparently the creator of this recipe utilised five thousand dollars (I'm assuming RMB) to obtain this supposedly super soft and super fluffy buns that are to die for. I tried a tweaked version a few months ago, but it … Continue reading
Posted in Close to Heart & Home, Drooling & Cooking Tagged baking, bread, buns, chocolate, home, homemade, kids Leave a comment
The Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake – For Chocoholics and Everyone Else!
My kids are diehard fans of chocolate. You can give them chocolate on its own, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, chocolate milk….if there's chocolate rice and chocolate fruits, I bet they would eat those in a heartbeat too! Hence it … Continue reading
Posted in Drooling & Cooking, Parenting & Motherhood Tagged baking, chocolate, cupcakes, homemade, kids 1 Comment
The Chocolate Banana Cupcakes I Made
If there are any two food items that go together so well like an old married couple, it would have to be chocolate AND banana. Incidentally, most kids I know name these two items as tops on their favorites list. … Continue reading
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text:
Abnormal Hb Studies (Hb Electrophoresis)
haemoglobin is the protein p IgMent in the RBCs which is responsible for transporting oxygen to the tissues and organs. Genetic mutations can cause the body to produce abnormalities in the haemoglobin and hence, the abnormal haemoglobin can cause too little oxygen to reach your tissues and organs. A haemoglobin electrophoresis test is a blood test used to measure and identify the various kinds of haemoglobin in the bloodstream.
How to prepare for the test?
No special preparation is needed for this test.


text:
97. DAVID EICHER, Astronomy Magazine Editor-in-Chief talks astronomy, Apollo 11 & the Astro Blues Band
David J. Eicher is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of Astronomy magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of more than 20 books on science and American history and has appeared on CNN, NPR, Fox News and other media outlets to promote astronomy. He's…Read More
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text:
Digital privacy has had a very bad summer. As China and Russia move to block virtual private network services, well over a billion people face losing their best chance at circumventing censorship laws. First, China asked telecom companies to start blocking user access to VPNs that didn't pass government muster by next February. More recently, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a law to ban VPNs and other anonymous browsing tools that undermine government censorship.
As citizens of these countries and people around the world scramble to understand the repercussions, US-based companies that operate in the countries have been swept up in the controversy. Apple complied with a Chinese government order to remove VPNs from its Chinese iOS AppStore, and the company that runs Amazon's cloud services in China this week said it would no longer support VPN use. Even hotels around China that offered VPN services to foreign visitors are largely curtailing the practice.
China and Russia's recent actions aren't new movements toward censorship, but they are escalations. And they leave citizens with few viable options for accessing the open internet.
While the suppressive efforts share the same end goal, they do take different forms. China has laid the foundation for its "Great Firewall" for more than two decades, attempting to control citizens' internet access on a very large scale. Creating and upgrading such a system over time takes massive resources. While Putin has praised the approach, Russia doesn't have a comparable apparatus. Instead, since about 2012, the Kremlin has gradually built up a web of legislation that shapes and controls the Russian internet through legal force more than technical control.
"These crackdowns and ratcheting up of internet censorship in China tend to ebb and flow, and so it is possible that eventually we may see VPNs sort of silently reappear," says Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "In Russia what they're doing is they're passing more and more draconian laws that are extremely difficult to implement. The reason for this is it makes sure that at any given time everyone is breaking the law—anyone that the government wants to target and wants to lean on for information is in violation of the law."
Both approaches have made Russia and China insular markets, challenging for international companies to operate in. Apple, which has been accused of hypocrisy for pushing back against government surveillance in the US while complying with VPN takedown requirements in China, worked for years to enter the Chinese market. "We would obviously rather not remove the apps, but like we do in other countries we follow the law wherever we do business," company CEO Tim Cook said in an earnings call on Tuesday. "We strongly believe participating in markets and bringing benefits to customers is in the best interest of the folks there and in other countries as well."
The VPN crackdowns in China and Russia came as no surprise to those who follow digital rights closely. "We expected it at some point, it wasn't like we didn't know where it came from," says Robert Knapp, the CEO of the Romanian VPN provider CyberGhost, which had its app removed from the iOS AppStore in China. "We had seen the Chinese government putting more and more pressure on VPN providers in a technical sense—blocking our IPs, blocking the server infrastructure we were using, detecting traffic from certain sources."
After years of investing in technical control, China now seems focused on experimenting with regulatory enforcement as well. In the Xinjiang region of western China, reports indicate that the government is requiring citizens to install spyware on their smartphones—ostensibly for anti-terrorism initiatives—and is doing random stops to check whether local residents have complied. They have also arrested citizens over conversations in private chatrooms, indicating that the local government may be actively taking advantage of the spyware. "We are extremely alarmed. This is about as far as a nation-state has gone to submit its people to monitoring," Jeremy Malcolm, a senior global policy analyst at EFF, said of the situation in Xinjiang.
For its part, the Russian government has moved swiftly since 2012 to regulate both infrastructure and content such that is has extensive control of the internet at this point. After the Russian government took broad control of television and media in the early 2000s, the internet was the only place left for free communication. "Now the government is trying to close in on that," says Rachel Denber, the deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia division at Human Rights Watch. "It's the logical progression of things. Once you go down the road of trying to expand state control over online communication, [banning VPNs] would be the next post to hit."
The Russian government may also be reacting to the current geopolitical situation, in which the country has been called out for hacking numerous Western countries, particularly leading up to democratic elections. "The authorities may also be looking ahead to the 2018 [Russian] presidential election, and they might want to take preemptive steps to ensure that no opposition mobilization takes place online," Denber notes.
For now there are still some ways around the Chinese and Russian governments' internet barriers, if you're willing to accept the risk. iPhones can only download apps from the App Store (unless a unit is jailbroken, which is not impossible but technically difficult, and introduces a host of security vulnerabilities). Android phones, though, can still sideload VPN apps from third-party app stores, since users aren't required to get apps from the Play Store. Google doesn't even operate its Play Store in China. For now, it's also easier to download desktop VPNs than mobile ones.
Other anonymizing tools besides VPNs remain a viable option as well, like the Tor Browser. That may carry more risk in Russia, though, given the recent arrest of someone who ran an Tor exit node—a gateway between the service and the internet—the country recently [lost a Tor exit node] for participating in protests. Using Tor Browser in China, meanwhile, requires extensive technical skill, to get around the Great Firewall.
It's also possible to install VPNs on devices while in other countries, and then use them in Russia or China. And end-to-end encrypted messaging services like Signal are a totally separate way of communicating and potentially receiving uncensored information without dealing with VPNs at all.
Experts report that both China and Russia may enact anti-VPN enforcement through checkpoints and arrests to intimidate citizens. "We are still used in Russia, we still count downloads, our Russian community is actually still growing," CyberGhost's Knapp says. "But instead of simply blocking VPN traffic, the Russian government is pulling another string now. They forbid it and they are going to enforce it—maybe brutally enforce it."
There could be unforeseen side effects as well. At the same time that eliminating these tools helps governments expand surveillance and control access to information, banning them also has the potential to degrade countries' overall security posture. Institutions that don't have access to VPNs could be at increased risk of being infiltrated or breached by foreign attackers. And if repressive governments set their sights on encryption next, they could undermine the integrity of basic economic drivers like secure digital transactions.
The dangers of banning VPNs are clear and pressing from a human rights standpoint. But countries that pursue it regardless may find they lose more than they intended.