text:
Deeplinks Blog posts about Online Behavioral Tracking
What if using the Web didn't mean sacrificing your privacy?
We've spent years thinking about simple ways for everyday users to demand real privacy online. And, working in consultation with privacy experts across the globe, we've got a blueprint for addressing one particularly challenging privacy dilemma: online tracking.
EFF just released the first detailed policy implementation of Do Not Track (DNT) as a Web privacy opt-out. We've also created a less technical guideline to the policy.
The Associated Press reports that healthcare.gov–the flagship site of the Affordable Care Act, where millions of Americans have signed up to receive health care–is quietly sending personal health information to a number of third party websites. The information being sent includes one's zip code, income level, smoking status, pregnancy status and more.
Advertising network Turn announced today that they will suspend their zombie tracking cookie program. Turn was recently caught using Verizon Wireless' invasive UIDH header to undelete tracking cookies that web visitors had previously deleted. This unacceptable practice means that users who delete cookies to avoid Turn's and others' tracking will continue to be tracked against their will, using information associated with their previous activity through a permanent identity.
2014 has seen a flurry of events surrounding the issues of privacy and security when it comes to mobile devices. Here are some highlights.
EFF started the year by releasing HTTPS Everywhere on Firefox for Android. Before, HTTPS Everywhere could only protect web browsing on desktop platforms, but with the release of HTTPS Everywhere for Firefox for Android, that same protection became available for Android devices as well.
Subscribe to EFF Updates
Deeplinks Archives
Deeplinks Topics
- Fair Use and Intellectual Property: Defending the Balance
- Free Speech
- Innovation
- UK Investigatory Powers Bill
- International
- Know Your Rights
- Privacy
- Trade Agreements and Digital Rights
- Security
- State-Sponsored Malware
- Abortion Reporting
- Analog Hole
- Anonymity
- Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- Biometrics
- Bloggers' Rights
- Border Searches
- Broadcast Flag
- Broadcasting Treaty
- Cell Tracking
- Coders' Rights Project
- Computer Fraud And Abuse Act Reform
- Content Blocking
- Copyright Trolls
- Council of Europe
- Cyber Security Legislation
- CyberSLAPP
- Defend Your Right to Repair!
- Development Agenda
- Digital Books
- Digital Radio
- Digital Video
- DMCA Rulemaking
- Do Not Track
- E-Voting Rights
- EFF Europe
- Electronic Frontier Alliance
- Encrypting the Web
- Export Controls
- Eyes, Ears & Nodes Podcast
- FAQs for Lodsys Targets
- File Sharing
- Fixing Copyright? The 2013-2016 Copyright Review Process
- Genetic Information Privacy
- Government Hacking and Subversion of Digital Security
- Hollywood v. DVD
- How Patents Hinder Innovation (Graphic)
- International Privacy Standards
- Internet Governance Forum
- Law Enforcement Access
- Legislative Solutions for Patent Reform
- Locational Privacy
- Mandatory Data Retention
- Mandatory National IDs and Biometric Databases
- Mass Surveillance Technologies
- Medical Privacy
- Mobile devices
- National Security and Medical Information
- National Security Letters
- Net Neutrality
- No Downtime for Free Speech
- NSA Spying
- Offline : Imprisoned Bloggers and Technologists
- Online Behavioral Tracking
- Open Access
- Open Wireless
- Patent Busting Project
- Patent Trolls
- Patents
- PATRIOT Act
- Pen Trap
- Policy Analysis
- Printers
- Public Health Reporting and Hospital Discharge Data
- Reading Accessibility
- Real ID
- Reclaim Invention
- Search Engines
- Search Incident to Arrest
- Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act
- Shadow Regulation
- Social Networks
- SOPA/PIPA: Internet Blacklist Legislation
- Student Privacy
- Stupid Patent of the Month
- Surveillance and Human Rights
- Surveillance Drones
- Terms Of (Ab)Use
- Test Your ISP
- The "Six Strikes" Copyright Surveillance Machine
- The Global Network Initiative
- The Law and Medical Privacy
- TPP's Copyright Trap
- Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
- Travel Screening
- Trusted Computing
- Video Games
- Wikileaks
- Transparency
- Uncategorized


text:
You are here:
|Knowledgeability = 10
|Clarity of Response = 10
|Politeness = 10
|Thanks for the prompt, clear, and precise reply to my question. I am sorry I am late with this "Thanks", but I have been out of town and have not been able to apply Kenneth's instructions to solve my clock problem. I will do so tomorrow, Saturday. Thanks again. Regards, Brian Kessler Olympia,WA
Answers by Expert:
any mechanical clock question -no watches- no battery clock questions and no appraisals-ie: "how much is my clock worth?" type questions please! Attach a photo if possible and note all markings on the rear of the mechanism- thanks 40 years as a professional clock repair person- still a full time clock repair service owner
43+ years as a professional clock repair person- still a full time clock repair service owner.
Awards and Honors
Comment - On a scale of 1-10, I would give Mr. Saunders a 15 on each category. His responses were clear, addressed my questions and concerns in a way that even I could understand, and even sent a picture. He explained what I had and how to resolve the issue. I was amazed at how quickly he replied to each on my e mails. He shouldn't get a gold star, he should get a whole box of them!!! Thank you Mr. Saunders, I will keep you on my e-mail "speed dial". Comment - Ken answered my question regarding how to adjust the proper striking of the hammers on my Grandfather clock within a few minutes of my sending the question to him. He answered my follow-up question the next morning. I would rate him higher if there was a number larger than ten in the selection box. Thanks again Ken Comment - I RECEIVED AN ANSWER WITHIN AN HOUR.OUTSTANDING SERVICE.YOUR RATING SHOULD BE HIGHER THAN 10. Comment - This Man is Fantastic...there is no Scale for a Professional...like him...if there was...He'd beat the top of it...off.....and Smile....I could never ask for more ....this Man is TOPS.......100+......is his Score....
©2017 About.com. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Keeping safe
Thames Valley Police works hard to make the Thames Valley region a safe place to live work and visit. Nevertheless there are some simple common sense actions which you can take to make yourself safe. Planning your journeys, staying alert and avoiding poorly-lit alleyways and car parks are just a few.
If your personal safety is in immediate danger, or if it's an emergency, please call police on 999.
If the crime is not in progress but you are concerned about your personal safety, please call 101, the 24-hour Thames Valley Police non-emergency number. If you do not wish to give information to police, please call the independant charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
In this section, you can find out about:


text:
- Sort:
- Most Popular | Most Recent
Taken about 10 minutes after the Durango-Silverton steam train pulls in. In the lower right you can see the "Sweeper Car" just coming in having collected cinders and put out fires tossed by the firebosx. (Fuji IS-1 300mm [barely fits the gigapan] stitched with Calico on the Mac) Vertical bands of differin...


text:
ACHICA > Calvin Klein & Olivier Desforges > Olivier Desforges Flore Single Flat Sheet, Blanc
Click image to zoom -- or click here to enlarge
Olivier Desforges Flore Single Flat Sheet, Blanc
This product is not available
|Sale closed
UK Delivery: Estimated 3rd - 10th May - we'll email you once your items have been dispatched.
Returns: Click Delivery & Returns or check your delivery confirmation.
If you are ordering multiple items, ACHICA aim to send as few deliveries as possible for your convenience – you will only pay one delivery charge.
|Product Information
Team the full Flore range of duvet covers, pillowcases and sheeting to complete the stylish look in your bedroom.
Dimensions: W180 x L290cm
Material: 100% Cotton Percale
Thread count: 200
Care instructions: Machine washable at 40 degrees
Product Code O7W012BD
|Delivery & Returns
We hope you will be thrilled with your purchases but in the unlikely event that you want to return something, you can find full return instructions on the back of your delivery note or click here


text:
Sandia U-Shaped Office Desk
$734.95 - $734.95
Regency's Sandia U-Shaped Office Desk is a sophisticated choice for today's executive. The spacious bow-front desk is connected to a matching credenza by a 42" wide bridge. Two hanging pedestals have four locking drawers for convenient storage. A 3/4 modesty panel with a built-in cable passage, combined with desktop grommets, allow easy wire management. Available with or without a hutch.
Don't hesitate to call us at (877) 839-3330 if you have any questions about our office desks. A member of our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team will be happy to help.
Click an item below to purchase or view more information
|Sort By:
|View Item
|U-Shaped Desk - 71"W x 101"D


text:
- All Products(20)
Results 1 - 20 of 20 matches
Top RatedManhasset M51 Fourscore Stand
The Model 51 Fourscore Stand has a one-piece desk that measures 32 in. wide and enough room to hold four pages...$49.99Compare Compare Now site7prod450185
Top RatedManhasset M48 Symphony Music Stand
The standard bearer for metal music stands.$46.50Compare Compare Now site7prod450172
Top Rated$51.50Compare Compare Now site7prodH12848
Top RatedManhasset 48T Tall Stand #48T
A taller version of the popular #48 symphony stand.$40.22Compare Compare Now site7prod468158
Manhasset Shaft Lock for Manhasset Music Stand
The Manhasset Shaft Lock is easily retrofitted onto all Manhasset music stand shafts, instantly allowing you...$6.97Compare Compare Now site7prod467212
Top RatedManhasset M48 Carton of 6 Music Stands
Our most popular music stand.$243.00Compare Compare Now site7prod450188
$76.50Compare Compare Now site7prodJ42290
Manhasset 48C Music Stand
A shorter version of the Symphony Stand, with a vertical extension of 16" to 28" (lip to floor), with a...$56.01Compare Compare Now site7prod467207
Top RatedManhasset Voyager Music Stand
Designed for the musician demanding portability without sacrificing any Manhasset quality. This highly...$63.17Compare Compare Now site7prod468159
Top RatedManhasset M52C Voyager Concertina Stand
For years, traveling musicians have tried to find the stability of the Manhasset stands in a portable, folding...$57.99Compare Compare Now site7prod450189
Price Drop$44.99 - $51.50Compare Compare Now site7prodJ42292
Top RatedManhasset 4901 Director's Stand
A must for every director. Unique double desk construction provides easily accessible music storage.$51.99Compare Compare Now site7prod450184
Manhasset M54 Regal Conductor's Music Stand
Built with the same superior quality, including the patented fingertip height admustment feature that has made...$80.60Compare Compare Now site7prod451060
Top RatedManhasset MH5001 Orchestra Stand
Designed especially for concert orchestras, the Double Lip Orchestra Stand provides convenient storage for...$44.99Compare Compare Now site7prod450193
Manhasset AC65 Desk
Don't need the entire Manhasset orchestra stand, but only pieces? Here is the desk for the original complete...$22.75Compare Compare Now site7prod450181
$16.50Compare Compare Now site7prodJ42289
$42.80Compare Compare Now site7prodH92127
Top RatedManhasset 1670 Stand Wrench
This wrench, specifically designed and sized for Manhasset music stands, provides the 20 lbs. of torque needed...$13.49Compare Compare Now site7prod468156
Top RatedManhasset MH-53 Table Top Stand
Enjoy the full-size Manhasset music stand desk resting on any flat surface. Ideal for classroom, private...$22.53Compare Compare Now site7prod450194
Top RatedManhasset Floor Protectors - Set of 3
Protects wood floors from scratches. Fits all Manhasset stands (except for Voyager). Set of three.$6.21Compare Compare Now site7prod468157


text:
Product Highlights
This item is noncancelable and nonreturnable
You Pay: $358.95
The 4 x 5.65" Neutral Density Attenuator 1.8 Filter from Schneider is a unique filter for the still or MPTV shooter. Unlike traditional graduated ND filters that are 50% clear and 50% ND with a certain density factor, Attenuators are graduated over the entire surface of the filter. For example, the 0.3 (1 stop) attenuator will be clear glass at the bottom of the filter and 1 stop ND at the top with a gradual progression throughout the remainder - with probably a 1/2 stop ND somewhere in the middle - but the major difference between the two types of filters is that the transition in Attenuators is seamless.
With traditional ND filters, the transitional line in the center of the filter can either be soft edge (smooth transition) or hard edge (much more pronounced) but maximum ND is quickly achieved shortly after that horizon line and remains constant for the rest of the filter. Neutral Density grads are perfect for scenes that have a definite horizon where you can place the ND edge on; Attenuators are much more subtle and are better suited for situations that don't allow you to hide that edge - perhaps a street scene that needs to be balanced where one half is lit by sunlight and the other half is in shadow.
Schneider Attenuators are made from Water White glass and characterized by a high-transmission quality. Typically, it will transmit 98-99% of the light. It also features an anti-glare and anti-reflective quality that makes it useful in a wide range of uses including the movie theater industry, store and art displays. The glass is virtually defect-free and is becoming more and more prevalent in digital equipment.
|Neutral Density Attenuator
|4 x 5.65" (100 x 140mm, 4mm thick)
|1.8 = 6 stop
|Filter Factor
|Exposure: Reduces ISO by 1/64
|Not Applicable
|Not Applicable
Seamless transition between top and bottom of filter
Helps control depth of field
Permits use of wider apertures
|Nature, outdoor photography
|Color Temperature
|Not Applicable
|Water White Glass
|Front Filter Thread Size
|Not Applicable
|Front Lens Cap Size
|Not Applicable


text:
26 Oct / Eat Gluten-Free at Portland's Peruvian Restuarant – Andina
Eating out is quite the adventure with a wheat-free, dairy-free and low sugar diet. And that's why I have to give mad love to restaurants that get it right. Portland's Andina restaurant in the Pearl knows exactly how to take care of it's wheat/gluten intolerant customers. When I asked the manager about how a fancy-schmancy Peruvian restaurant came to the decision of providing a gluten-free menu–the answer was simple: our customers wanted it. Love it!
The food presentation is divine, the food is delicious and the desserts are absolutely lovely. Served tapas style, guests can choose from a wide variety of chicken, seafood and veggie dishes that are perfectly proportioned.
Photos from top to bottom:
-Palta Rellena De Cangrejo Y Langostinos – avocado stuffed with crab & prawns – YUM!
-Morada – house-smoked Draper Valley chicken with purple potato – my favorite!
-Yukon potatoes for dipping in the green chile salsa
-Torta de Chocolate – flourless chocolate-cinnamon cake
-Flan De Queso De Cabra – goat cheese and lemon cake with fresh raspberries
On top of ALL of that, the waitstaff at Andina is IMPECCABLE. Our waiter, Eric, was a pure gentleman and a lovely woman came over to us at the end of the meal to tell us how much she appreciated us visiting the restaurant.
What's YOUR favorite gluten-free spot in P-town (or anywhere in the world for that matter!)? Leave your comments here.
Happy Eating!
-Heather 🙂


text:
AS I have said, it was the state of my health and temper which caused me to be sent from home when I was in my sixteenth year. So many causes of unhappiness had arisen, and my temper was so thoroughly ajar, that nothing else would have done any effectual good. Every thing was a misery to me, and was therefore done with a bad grace; and hence had sprung up a habit of domestic criticism which ought never to have been allowed, in regard to any one member of the family, and least of all towards one of the youngest, and certainly the most suffering of all. My mother received and administered a check now and then, which did good for the time: but the family habit was strong; and it was a wise measure to institute an entire change. Two or three anecdotes will suffice to give an idea of what had to be surmounted.
I was too shy ever to ask to be taught any thing,—except, indeed, of good‐natured strangers. I have mentioned that we were well practiced in some matters of domestic management. We could sew, iron, make sweets, gingerbread and pastry, and keep order generally throughout the house. But I did not know,—what nobody can know without being taught,—how to purchase stores, or to set out a table, or to deal with the butcher and fish‐monger. It is inconceivable what a trouble this was to me for many years. I was always in terror at that great mountain of duty before me, and wondering what was to become of me if my mother left home, or if I should marry. Never once did it occur to me to go to my mother, and ask to be taught: and it was not pride but fear which so incapacitated me. I liked that sort of occupation, and had great pleasure in doing what I could do in that way; insomuch that I have sometimes felt myself what General F. called his wife, — "a good housemaid spoilt." My "Guides page: 65 to Service," ("The Maid‐of‐all‐work," "Housemaid," "Lady's Maid," and "Dress‐maker,") written twenty years afterwards, may show something of this. Meantime, never was poor creature more dismally awkward than I was when domestic eyes were upon me: and this made me a most vexatious member of the family. I remember once upsetting a basin of moist sugar into a giblet pie. (I remember nothing else quite so bad.) I never could find any thing I was sent for, though I could lay my hands in the dark on any thing I myself wanted. On one occasion, when a workwoman was making mourning in the midst of us, I was desired to take the keys, and fetch a set of cravats for marking, out of a certain drawer. My heart sank at the order, and already the inevitable sentence rung in my ears,—that I was more trouble than I was worth; which I sincerely believed. The drawer was large, and crammed. I could not see one thing from another; and in no way could I see any cravats. Slowly and fearfully I came back to say so. Of course, I was sent again, and desired not to come back without them. That time, and again the next, I took every thing out of the drawer; and still found no cravats. My eldest sister tried next; and great was my consolation when she returned crest‐fallen,—having found no cravats. My mother snatched the keys, under a strong sense of the hardship of having to do every thing herself, when Rachel suggested another place where they might have been put. Then they were found; and my heart was swelling with vindictive pleasure when my mother, by a few noble words, turned the tide of feeling completely. In the presence of the workwoman, she laid her hand on my arm, kissed me, and said, "And now, my dear, I have to beg your pardon." I answered only by tears; but the words supported me for long after.
I look back upon another scene with horror at my own audacity, and wonder that my family could endure me at all. At Mr. Perry's, one of our school‐fellows was a clever, mischievous girl,—so clever, and so much older than myself as to have great influence over me when she chose to try her power, though I disapproved her ways very heartily. She one day asked me, in a corner, in a mysterious sort of way, whether I did not perceive page: 66 that Rachel was the favourite at home, and treated with manifest partiality. Every body else, she said, observed it. This had never distinctly occurred to me. Rachel was handy and useful, and not paralysed by fear, as I was; and, very naturally, our busy mother resorted to her for help, and put trust in her about matters of business, not noticing the growth of an equally natural habit in Rachel of quizzing or snubbing me, as the elder ones did. From the day of this mischievous speech of my schoo‐fellow, I was on the watch, and with the usual result to the jealous. Months,—perhaps a year or two—passed on while I was brooding over this, without a word to any one; and then came the explosion, one winter evening after tea, when my eldest sister was absent, and my mother, Rachel and I were sitting at work. Rachel criticized something that I said, in which I happened to be right. After once defending myself, I sat silent. My mother remarked on my "obstinacy," saying that I was "not a bit convinced." I replied that nothing convincing had been said. My mother declared that she agreed with Rachel, and that I ought to yield. Then I passed the verge, and got wrong. A sudden force of daring entering my mind, I said, in the most provoking way possible, that this was nothing new, as she always did agree with Rachel against me. My mother put down her work, and asked me what I meant by that. I looked her full in the face, and said that what I meant was that every thing that Rachel said and did was right, and every thing that I said and did was wrong. Rachel burst into an insulting laugh, and was sharply bidden to "be quiet." I saw by this that I had gained some ground; and this was made clearer by my mother sternly desiring me to practise my music. I saw that she wanted to gain time. The question now was how I should get through. My hands were clammy and tremulous: my fingers stuck to each other; my eyes were dim, and there was a roaring in my ears. I could easily have fainted; and it might have done no harm if I had. But I made a tremendous effort to appear calm. I opened the piano, lighted a candle with a steady hand, began, and derived strength from the first chords. I believe I never played better in my life. Then the question was—how was I ever to page: 67 leave off? On I went for what seemed to me an immense time, till my mother sternly called to me to leave off and go to bed. With my candle in my hand, I said "Good‐night." My mother laid down her work, and said, "Harriet, I am more displeased with you to‐night than ever I have been in your life." Thought I, "I don't care: I have got it out, and it is all true." "Go and say your prayers," my mother continued; "and ask God to forgive you for your conduct to‐night; for I don't know that I can. Go to your prayers." Thought I,—"No, I shan't." And I did not: and that was the only night from my infancy to mature womanhood that I did not pray. I detected misgiving in my mother's forced manner; and I triumphed. If the right was on my side (as I entirely believed) the power was on hers; and what the next morning was to be I could not conceive. I slept little, and went down sick with dread. Not a word was said, however, then or ever, of the scene of the preceding night; but henceforth, a most scrupulous impartiality between Rachel and me was shown. If the occasion had been better used still,—if my mother had but bethought herself of saying to me, "My child, I never dreamed that these terrible thoughts were in your mind. I am your mother. Why do you not tell me every thing that makes you unhappy?" I believe this would have wrought in a moment that cure which it took years to effect, amidst reserve and silence.
It has been a difficulty with me all my life (and its being a difficulty shows some deep‐seated fault in me) how to reconcile sincerity with peace and good manners in such matters as other people's little mistakes of fact. As an example of what I mean, a school‐fellow spelled Shakspere as I spell it here. Mr. Perry but in an a, observing that the name was never spelt in print without an a. I ventured to doubt this; but he repeated his assertion. At afternoon school, I showed him a volume of the edition we had at home, which proved him wrong. He received the correction with so indifferent a grace that I was puzzled as to whether I had done right or wrong,—whether sincerity required me to set my master right before the face of his scholars. Of course, if I had been older, I should have done it more page: 68 privately. But this is a specimen of the difficulties of that class that I have struggled with almost ever since. The difficulty was immensely increased by the family habit of requiring an answer from me, and calling me obstinate if the reply was not an unconditional yielding. I have always wondered to see the ease and success with which very good people humour and manage the aged, the sick and the weak, and sometimes every body about them. I could never attempt this; for it always seemed to me such contemptuous treatment of those whom I was at the moment respecting more than ever, on account of their weakness. But I was always quite in the opposite extreme;—far too solemn, too rigid, and prone to exaggeration of differences and to obstinacy at the same time. It was actually not till I was near forty that I saw how the matter should really be,—saw it through a perfect example of an union of absolute sincerity with all possible cheerfulness, sweetness, modesty and deference for all, in proportion to their claims. I have never attained righteous good‐manners, to this day; but I have understood what they are since the beauties of J.S.'s character and manners were revealed to me under circumstances of remarkable trial.
While organised, it seems to me, for sincerity, and being generally truthful, except for the exaggeration which is apt to beset persons of repressed faculties, I feel compelled to state here (what belongs to this part of my life) that towards one person I was habitually untruthful, from fear. To my mother I would in my childhood assert or deny any thing that would bring me through most easily. I remember denying various harmless things,—playing a game at battledore, for one; and often without any apparent reason: and this was so exclusively to one person that, though there was remonstrance and punishment, I believe I was never regarded as a liar in the family. It seems now all very strange: but it was a temporary and very brief phase. When I left home, all temptation to untruth ceased, and there was henceforth nothing more than the habit of exaggeration and strong expression to struggle with.
Before I went to Bristol, I was the prey of three griefs,—prominent among many. I cannot help laughing while I write page: 69 them. They were my bad hand‐writing, my deafness, and the state of my hair. Such a trio of miseries! I was the first of my family who failed in the matter of hand‐writing; and why I did remains unexplained. I am sure I tried hard; but I wrote a vulgar, cramped, untidy scrawl till I was past twenty;—till authorship made me forget manner in matter, and gave freedom to my hand. After that, I did very well, being praised by compositors for legibleness first, and in course of time, for other qualities. But it was a severe mortification while it lasted; and many bitter tears I shed over the reflections that my awkward hand called forth. It was a terrible penance to me to write letters home from Bristol; and the day of the week when it was to be done was very like the Beckwith music‐lesson days. If any one had told me then how many reams of paper I should cover in the course of my life, life would have seemed a sort of purgatory to me.—As to my deafness, I got no relief about that at Bristol. It was worse when I returned in weak health.—The third misery, which really plagued me seriously, was cured presently after I left home, I made my dear aunt Kentish the depositary of my confidence in all matters; and this, of course, among the rest. She induced me to consult a friend of hers, who had remarkably beautiful hair; and then it came out that I had been combing overmuch, and that there was nothing the matter with my hair, if I would be content with brushing it. So that grief was annihilated, and there was an end of one of those trifles which "make up the sum of human things."
And now the hour was at hand when I was to find, for the first time, a human being whom I was not afraid of. That blessed being was my dear aunt Kentish, who stands distinguished in my mind by that from all other persons whom I have ever known.
I did not understand the facts about my leaving home till I had been absent some months; and when I did, I was deeply and effectually moved by my mother's consideration for my feelings. We had somehow been brought up in a supreme contempt of boarding‐schools: and I was therefore truly amazed when my mother sounded me, in the spring of 1817, about going for a page: 70 year or two to a Miss Somebody's school at Yarmouth. She talked of the sea, of the pleasantness of change, and of how happy L.T—, an excessively silly girl of our acquaintance, was there: but I made such a joke of L. and her studies, and of the attainments of the young ladies, as we had heard of them, that my mother gave up the notion of a scheme which never could have answered. It would have been ruin to a temper like mine at that crisis to have sent me among silly and ignorant people, to have my "manners formed," after the most ordinary boarding school fashion. My mother did much better in sending me among people so superior to myself as to improve me morally and intellectually, though the experiment failed in regard to health. A brother of my mother's had been unfortunate in business at Bristol, and had not health to retrieve his affairs; and his able and accomplished wife, and clever young daughters opened a school. Of the daughters, one was within a few weeks of my own age; and we have been intimate friends from that time (the beginning of 1818) till this hour. Another was two years younger; another, two years older; while the eldest had reached womanhood. Of these clever cousins we had heard much, for many years, without having seen any of them. At the opening of the year 1818, a letter arrived from my aunt to my mother, saying that it was time the young people should be becoming acquainted; that her girls were all occupied in the school, for the routine of which Rachel was somewhat too old; but that if Harriet would go, and spend some time with them, and take the run of the school, she would be a welcome guest, &c. &c. This pleased me much, and I heard with joy that I was to go when my father took his next journey to Bristol,—early in February. My notion was of a stay of a few weeks; and I was rather taken aback when my mother spoke of my absence as likely to last a year or more. It never entered my head that I was going to a boarding‐school; and when I discovered, long after, that the Bristol family understood that I was, I was not (as I once might have been) angry at having been tricked into it, but profoundly contrite for the temper which made such management necessary, and touched by the trouble page: 71 my mother took to spare my silly pride, and consider my troublesome feelings.
I was, on the whole, happy during the fifteen months I spent at Bristol, though home‐sickness spoiled the last half of the time. My home affections seem to have been all the stronger for having been repressed and baulked. Certainly, I passionately loved my family, each and all, from the very hour that parted us; and I was physically ill with expectation when their letters became due;—letters which I could hardly read when they came, between my dread of something wrong, and the beating heart and swimming eyes with which I received letters in those days. There were some family anxieties during the latter part of the time; and there was one grand event,—the engagement of my eldest sister, who had virtually ceased to belong to us by the time I returned home.
I found my cousins even more wonderfully clever than I had expected; and they must have been somewhat surprised at my striking inferiority in knowledge, and in the power of acquiring it. I still think that I never met with a family to compare with theirs for power of acquisition, or effective use of knowledge. They would learn a new language at odd minutes; get through a tough philosophical book by taking turns in the court for air; write down an entire lecture or sermon, without missing a sentence; get round the piano after a concert, and play and sing over every new piece that had been performed. Ability like this was a novel spectacle to me; and it gave me the pure pleasure of unmixed admiration; for I was certainly not conscious of any ability whatever at that time. I had no great deal to do in the school, being older than every girl there but one; and I believe I got no particular credit in such classes as I did join. For one thing, my deafness was now bad enough to be a disadvantage; but it was a worse disqualification that my memory, always obedient to my own command, was otherwise disobedient. I could remember whatever I had learned in my own way, but was quite unable to answer in class, like far younger girls, about any thing just communicated. My chief intellectual improvement during that important period was derived from page: 72 private study. I read some analytical books, on logic and rhetoric, with singular satisfaction; and I lost nothing afterwards that I obtained in this way. I read a good deal of History too, and revelled in poetry,—a new world of which was opened to me by my cousins. The love of natural scenery was a good deal developed in me by the beauty around Bristol. One circumstance makes me think that I had become rather suddenly awakened to it not long before,—though my delight in the sea at Cromer dated some years earlier. Mr. Perry tried upon us the reading of L'Allegro and Il Penseroso; and it failed utterly. I did not feel any thing whatever, though I supposed I understood what I heard. Not long after he was gone, I read both pieces in the nursery, one day; and straightway went into a transport, as if I had discovered myself in possession of a new sense. Thus it was again now, when I was transferred from flat, bleak Norfolk to the fine scenery about Bristol. Even the humble beauty of our most frequent walk, by the Logwood Mills, was charming to me,—the clear running water, with its weedy channel, and the meadow walk on the brink: and about Leigh woods, Kingsweston, and the Downs, my rapture knew no bounds.
Far more important, however, was the growth of kindly affections in me at this time, caused by the free and full tenderness of my dear aunt Kentish, and of all my other relations then surrounding me. My heart warmed and opened, and my habitual fear began to melt away. I have since been told that, on the day of my arrival, when some of the school‐girls asked my cousin M. what I was like, (as she came out of the parlour where I was) she said that I looked as if I was cross; but that she knew I was not; and that I looked unhappy. When I left Bristol, I was as pale as a ghost, and as thin as possible; and still very frowning and repulsive‐looking; but yet with a comparatively open countenance. The counteracting influence to dear aunt Kentish's was one which visited me very strongly at the same time,—that of a timid superstition. She was herself, then and always, very religious; but she had a remarkable faculty of making her religion suggest and sanction whatever she page: 73 liked: and, as she liked whatever was pure, amiable, unselfish and unspoiling, this tendency did her no harm. Matters were otherwise with me. My religion too took the character of my mind; and it was harsh, severe and mournful accordingly. There was a great furor among the Bristol Unitarians at that time about Dr. Carpenter, who had recently become their pastor. He was a very devoted Minister, and a very earnest pietist: superficial in his knowledge, scanty in ability, narrow in his conceptions, and thoroughly priestly in his temper. He was exactly the dissenting minister to be worshipped by his people, (and especially by the young) and to be spoiled by that worship. He was worshipped by the young, and by none more than by me; and his power was unbounded while his pupils continued young: but, as his instructions and his scholars were not bound together by any bond of essential Christian doctrine, every thing fell to pieces as soon as the merely personal influence was withdrawn. A more extraordinary diversity of religious opinion than existed among his pupils when they became men and women could not be seen. They might be found at the extremes of catholicism and atheism, and every where between. As for me, his devout and devoted Catechumen, he made me desperately superstitious,—living wholly in and for religion, and fiercely fanatical about it. I returned home raving about my pastor and teacher, remembering every word he had ever spoken to me,—with his instructions burnt in, as it were, upon my heart and conscience, and with an abominable spiritual rigidity and a truly respectable force of conscience casually mingled together, so as to procure for me the no less curiously mingled ridicule and respect of my family. My little sister, then learning to sew on her stool at my mother's knee, has since told me what she perceived, with the penetrating eyes and heart of childhood. Whenever I left the room, my mother and elder sisters used to begin to quiz my fanaticism,—which was indeed quizzical enough; but the little one saw a sort of respect for me underlying the mockery, which gave her her first clear sense of moral obligation, and the nature of obedience to it.
The results of the Bristol experiment were thus good on the page: 74 whole. My health was rather worse than better, through wear and tear of nerves,—home‐sickness, religious emotions, overmuch study (so my aunt said, against my conviction) and medical mismanagement. I had learned a good deal, and had got into a good way of learning more. My domestic affections were regenerated; and I had become sincerely and heartily religious, with some improvement in temper in consequence, and not a little in courage, hope and conscientiousness. The fanaticism was a stage which I should probably have had to pass through at any rate,—and by the same phase of pastor‐worship,—whoever the pastor might have been.


text:
Burning Solaris 10 ISO DVD using a Mac
By jhawk on Nov 19, 2006
Things are ramping up till the end of the year. During the first week of December, I am giving a Communications Express Boot Camp in Singapore. This will be the first one in what I hope will be a series of small boot camps to be held around the globe. Our big Communications Software Summit will be held at the Sun Santa Clara Campus in February 2007.
Part of the setup for teaching a class like this is the time it takes to setup the lab. In previous classes, I've placed everything on a CD, and then I would hope that everything would go as planned on the install. More times than not, it wouldn't work out as planned. This got me thinking of doing this a better way.
On Friday morning, I thought it would be easier to to put my whole lab setup on a laptop. I had no idea how difficult it would be so, I thought I would just do a test installation. In my desk, I had a Sun issued Toshiba Tecra M2 which was left over from my pre-Mac days. This laptop had too many issues for me to get into. The biggest of which was a 3 inch wide swath of dead pixels and a questionable hard drive. It wasn't likely that Sun would give me a another laptop to do this, so I had to make it work on this one.
My first step was to download the Solaris 10 ISO image. Many of you non-Sun Folks can do this for free. You can try the commercial Solaris or the Open Solaris versions.
A Mac is really handy in . After I downloaded the ISO image, I placed it on my Mac Desktop. Then I opened the Finder to start the DiskUtilities application.
Once I got DiskUtilities started, I simply go to the menu and select File -> Open Image.
I then just select the ISO Image.. this will mount the ISO image.
At this point, just click burn and place a DVD-R into the CD/DVD drive.
At this point, I just take the newly created Solaris 10 x86 DVD and place it into my Toshiba laptop and boot!


text:
Web Stories
Alumnus to discuss marketing career at J&J
Posted February 10, 2009; 07:03 p.m.
Princeton alumnus Roderick McNealy, director of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Marketing and Advertising College and a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, will speak at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, on the second floor of 36 University Place.
McNealy, who earned his A.B. in history from Princeton in 1972, is responsible for the development and implementation of worldwide marketing communications training and consulting projects at J&J. He will discuss the unfolding of his career and the marketing and advertising programs and strategies at J&J that have led to their recognition as leaders in creative and effective market communications.
McNealy earned his MBA from Harvard University and began his career at Procter & Gamble. He has been with J&J since 1978, working in marketing and advertising, market research and strategic planning, and quality improvement.
His address is part of the Office of Career Services' IMAGINE Speaker Series.


text:
The Navesink River Hunting Retriever Club is pleased to announce a two day working seminar with Pat Nolan of Ponderosa Kennels on April 13 & 14 at Colliers Mills WMA, New Egypt NJ.
Working spots are for those who have completed AKC JH, NAHRA SR or HR, or Working Certificates and are getting ready to move on to the higher levels of training and titles.
Auditor spots are for anyone, working at any level and highly recommended for those just starting out.
Both land and water work will be done.
Registration details can be found on the Navesink River Hunting Retriever Club website under Training Events or contact Linda Sperco at firstname.lastname@example.com
Registration deadline has been extended to March 31 - anyone who plans on attending is asked to RSVP as soon as possible, as working spots are limited and half full.
Linda Sperco


text:
Taste of Home Magazine Only $3.99/Year
… it's back and this is such a great holiday gift idea for just about anyone on your list!! This one is for Taste of Home Magazine, which is one of my favorites .. and at only $3.99 per year, you can get 4 years for only $15.96!
Right now, at Discount Mags you can get it for $3.99 a year when you use coupon code SHESAVED at checkout. You can get this price for up to four years… and you can also purchase them as gifts (what an awesome gift this would make!) You CAN'T beat this awesome price…this is through tonight at midnight (01/03) so hurry!
About Taste of Home Magazine
Taste of Home America s No. 1 cooking magazine takes a commonsense approach to family-pleasing meals with family-tested favorites, hints on cooking for one or two, as well as meals on a budget for big families and more.
If this isn't the magazine for you … you can use coupon code: SHESAVED to get 20% off of all other titles at DiscountMags!


text:
Sending this will probably erase someone else's account, since it seems to be due to disks filling up and losing data because of faulty error handling.
Accounts that have disappeared include Stevey, skx, salmoni, ncm, returnoftheredi, dorward, hereticmessiah.
Note that certs for an old account are still shown on the other person's page, but not on the new account if it gets recreated. e.g. at the time of writing this negative's page shows he certified salmoni, but that was before salmoni recreated his account, so his new account doesn't show that cert. Similarly, salmoni certified this account, but then it disappeared and I recreated it, so my page doesn't show the cert. God knows what that's doing to the trust metric. [Update: looks like the tmetric page crashes apache, so the answer might be that the trust metric is no longer being updated]
Possible causes could be that someone has found a way of corrupting an account by certifying it (or giving a diary rating) or that the disk is hopelessly knackered and is losing files. But I'm just guessing.
Bah, I'm not even certified as apprentice under this new account, so can't add a reply to MartySchrader's article pointing him in the direction of other virgule code bases that have already made improvements. Maybe I'll get more hacking done in 2005 if I don't waste 5 mins a month writing a diary here. Unlikely though.
So long and thanks for all the foss.
As a couple of people have noted already, a few advogato accounts are broken. I am supposed to be redi but trying to log in, or even visit my page, tells me there's no such account, but I'm still listed on e.g. PStreams and mysqlcppapi.
salmoni says his account returned, without his certs. skx (nee Stevey) is having the same problems. Could there be a corrupt account that occurs alphabetically somewhere near redi and salmoni? (that wouldn't explain how richdawe survived).
For anyone doing forensics, my account became unreachable just before the recentlog disappeared a few days ago. The recentlog returned, but I didn't.
skx points out our diaries still exist. Time to look at the mod_virgule code ...
Since I can't post to my own diary ... Someone suggested I increase the version number of PStreams from 0.5 to 1.0, since it's functional and fairly stable. I had been planning on making some big, unstable changes but maybe I should release 1.0 as is and make the changes for v2. I dunno.
New HTML Parser: The long-awaited libxml2 based HTML parser code is live. It needs further work but already handles most markup better than the original parser.
Keep up with the latest Advogato features by reading the Advogato status blog.
If you're a C programmer with some spare time, take a look at the mod_virgule project page and help us with one of the tasks on the ToDo list!


text:
All of that is a very interesting discussion of your views, but doesn't recommend any specific action.
For example, I agree with you to the extent that we are all born with a different set of advantages and disadvantages. Some overcome their disadvantages and succeed to a degree far beyond what we might expect. Others fail miserably regardless of their advantages. What, if anything, do you propose that our government should do about that? What specific legislation can positively change that situation without causing as much harm as good?


text:
$1899 per month*
Prices & Specials may vary by service area. *Offer Terms
Are Garden City Kansas consumers really satisfied with their local telephone service? How costly are the long distance phone calls? What if something goes wrong? How long will communication remain disrupted? What features are available to make keeping in touch just a little easier? Can landline and cell services ever be combined? For individuals who ask any of these questions and more Cox telephone provides the answers.
First, are Garden City customers really satisfied with the local phone company? If the bill is over $40 just for the privilege of having a phone, and loaded down with special fees and taxes, probably not. Then, consider the cost of making one of two long-distance calls per month. Now what? Do people have to choose between groceries and communicating with friends and family? Not with Cox telephone.
Cox phone provides packages based upon the individual needs of the consumer. For example, the person who rarely makes long-distance calls will appreciate an hour of free out-of-area calling. On the other hand, an individual living a thousand miles from friends and family will probably prefer the plan allowing for unlimited long-distance communication. For both, Cox phone considers the needs and budgets of valued customers.
What if something goes wrong? Will the phone be out for days, or will Cox provide prompt service? Unlike some companies, when a need arises, customers do not call a main office thousands of miles away from the problem. Then, someone is dispatched from a regional office somewhere. Fortunately, Cox is part of the local community. Customer service is paramount. Professionals will make sure the phone is up and running as soon as possible.
With a Garden City (KS) personalized package and excellent customer service, consumers may still be skeptical about the features lost when switching to Cox telephone. Actually, the opposite is true! Cox has 15 standard perks to make the digital communication easier than ever before. Among the most popular attributes is call waiting.
For households with teenagers, the feature can be a lifesaver. Parents do not have to worry about missing an important call, and the kids do not have to be hassled to get off the line every few minutes. It can also come in handy when parents are on the line and kids need to call home. Call waiting is the perfect solution to keep from missing the important calls.
Another vital feature is call forwarding. When Garden City KS customers are waiting for an important call, there is no need to wait by the phone. With Cox telephone, send the calls to the destination or a cell phone. Relax and go about the daily routine. Personally, the option is great when family is traveling. Know where the kids are during school extracurricular trips. Never miss a message from a spouse away on a business venture.
Thankfully, Cox phone in Garden City also provides cell service. No separate plan with another provider is necessary. Customers can bundle the convenience of a home phone and mobile communication together in a package suitable for all of the family's needs. With multiple mailbox service, each member can have access to personal messages without bleeping through every call and potential losing a recording for someone else.
Cox Garden City, Kansas telephone has covered all the bases when it comes to providing the best communication available through digital technology today. Customers have options to make sure they receive the wanted messages, and services to get rid of the nuisance calls. In addition, many al la carte features will also protect consumers from individuals who may be harassing or exercising some other untoward activity.
Whatever the need, Garden City Cox telephone, internet, and tv utilizes the latest digital technology available. With the many standard perks and addition options, consumers will be totally satisfied.


text:
News & Announcements
Centenary College Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the First Year Experience Program
Hackettstown, N.J. – First year students are provided the support to flourish at Centenary College through the First Year Experience program (FYE). Entering its 10th year, FYE was designed to help new students become acclimated to college.
"The development of this program has helped countless students bridge the gap between high school and college," says Joshua Walker, First Year Experience Coordinator at Centenary College. "Centenary students are well-equipped with the resources that they need for success and the best college experience that they can have as a result of this program."
When Centenary students enter their first year, they are enrolled in an Academic Foundations Course (AFC), with the particular class dependent on their major. Designed to engage students about content related to their chosen field of study, classes have unusual titles such as "Reality or Fiction" for Sociology majors. This year, undecided majors will be enrolled in a course called "Mass Media Connection in an Undecided World." Professors serve as students' advisor for the year, and each class will have a First Year Leader (FYL), an upperclassmen that will further aid them in their academic journey. FYLs serve as mentors, friends and informative sources for incoming students. They play an integral role in managing the College's Orientation Week and Fresh Start event designed for the new student.
Paige Norman, a senior Education student from Philipsburg, says a highlight of her time as a FYL was the work that she did that helped more than half a class of 18 undecided students declare their majors at the end of their first semester.
"There were a lot of activities in that AFC class that focused on the emphasis of different areas of study and the various careers that correspond with those majors," says Norman. "It was so satisfying to see that my work had such an impact on so many students."
First Year Leaders are selected through a stringent interview process and must be recommended for the position. The interview process is a three-step opportunity, which includes a group activity, an interview with a small group of FYLs and then a final interview with Centenary administrators.
If selected, students are required to help facilitate two classes per week, plus manage two programs per month. The bi-monthly programs are designed to bring the first year students together and engage them in campus activities and their community in general. Some program examples are attending the College's Involvement Fair and a community service painting activity, or even attending a baseball game at no cost. FYLs are also on call 24/7 to help students get through any difficulties adjusting to that first year.
Samantha Davis, a senior Fashion Design major from Medford, credits her involvement as a FYL to her other current positions with the College, such as Student Life work-study, Admissions Tour Guide and upcoming responsibility as Student Government Association President in the fall.
"My academic journey has been so rewarding because of my experience being a FYL," says Davis. "I determined that my professional goal is to become a Dean of Students at a College. I would have never been exposed to the notion of pursuing that career, if it weren't for my involvement."
The administration is so committed to providing Centenary students with the tools they need for a successful academic career that, this year, a Second Year Experience program has been introduced. Similar to the First Year Experience program, it was created to continue to engage students throughout their second year at the College. Ten Second Year Peers are available to act as mentors and provide guidance to those who are interested in meeting with them about various topics, such as strengthening leadership skills and tips for building a resumé.
"These programs are the best marketing strategy for Centenary College," says Centenary History and Education major and new FYL Quinn Khouri, who is a sophomore from Maryland. "What a brilliant way to build and maintain a solid connection between students, faculty and staff."
Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary
College is an independent, coeducational liberal arts and career studies college
distinguished by an accomplished faculty, small class size and diverse student body. Centenary is the only baccalaureate and master's degree granting institution in northwest
New Jersey.
Centenary College's main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County). The Centenary College School of Professional Studies program offers accelerated degree completion programs in Parsippany, with an additional facility in Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey. Centenary College's main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County). The Centenary College School of Professional Studies offers degree programs online and in two locations: Parsippany and Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey. The School of International Programs recruits international students for study at Centenary and Centenary students for study abroad.


text:
Detailed Maps with Free Updates
nüvi 2797LMT arrives with a bright 7.0" display and loaded with detailed maps of North America. With free lifetime map updates, your routes are sure to reflect the most up-to-date maps, POIs (points of interest) and navigation information. New maps are available for download up to 4 times per year, for the life of your device, with no fees.
With so much data, nüvi 2797LMT makes it easy to find addresses and millions of POIs such as businesses, stores, restaurants and other destinations. nüvi 2797LMT arrives preloaded with POIs, so there's no need for you to enter that address information. Just select one - or many - and navigate there, quickly and easily. You also have the ability to add custom POIs to your nüvi 2797LMT.
love it 10/9/2015ann from
this except for one minor error in finding the zoo (it didnt know there was a golf course dividing the street) it has been awesome love the size of it so easy to read and use
Another great Garmin 9/21/2015Harald from Rothsay, MN
I have used a number of Garmin GPS items before. This one is great, with all kinds of extras. The only issue is that it is not always accurate and sometimes takes you on routes that are less than worthy.
great unit 10/15/2014don from Greenwood SC
Good product.. everything I expected from a Garmin. Thank you. Unit looks and acts like a brand new one.
Garmin GPS 6/17/2013
I like the 7" screen. The only problem is that it is so large that blocks my vision and I have yet to find a proper place to put it. The traffic information is not available in my city. I have no way of testing it until I go to a larger city where traffic report is available. So far, GPS serves my purpose.


text: Hey check out "MAN UP" on ABC tomorrow night (Tuesday 8:30/7:30c) - the guys, including Dan Fogler from "Fanboys", hunt down an original Betamax of A New Hope. Later in the season, Billy Dee Williams plays himself and they got him to recite dialogue from Empire, it's hilarious! Definitely tune in!


text:
Hello all friends and fans of manga! BANZAI fast approaching!
But an event would not be a manga event without AMVs, is not it? You are right! And that is why the JET team invites you to participate in the great contest of AMVs organized within BANZAI!
Whether you are a Clipper veteran or you've just started, do not hesitate! Come show us your talent, impress us with your work and try to win first prize!
But beware: The AMVs are subject to an exclusivity rule. Clearly, the AMV should be broadcast only during the screening on the day of the event. And therefore it is forbidden to post it online before the announcement of competition results.
For registration will just let the nickname, the clip name and the name of the music on this address: email@example.com (when done to send the clip on this address as well).
The submission deadline for The AMV is August 23, 2012 . For the judges it will be: YosMaster , MimS et Raitei
See you there!
-No AMV will be accepted past the deadline.
AMV-Everything presented is subject to an exclusivity clause.
-Strictly forbidden to publish your AMV online before the announcement of competition results. Any breach of this rule leads to disqualification.
AMV-Everything must be presented in connection with the world of anime and / or manga. The AMVs from video games or non-Japanese animation will be accepted to some extent.
-Any use of gory scenes or pornographic presented in an AMV causes your DISQUALIFICATION FINAL contest. You will be allowed to participate, even with another AMV. You have been warned.
-For questions, please contact the JET team on the official website: http://www.jetunisia.org/
JET, Japanese Events in Tunisia.


text:
7.2: Elements of Agent-based Models
Having an idea of what agents and agent-based models are, we will now turn to some more detailed definitions and examples. In particular, we will look at three components that define "agenthood": individual agents, agent societies, and the situated environment. As a rule, all three components are important for agent-based models.
This section shall answer the question, "What makes an agent an agent?" or "What characteristics must an agent have?" To contribute to this answer, Figure below shows agents in their situated environment.2
Agents in their situated environment.
Figure above shows what needs to be taken into consideration when building agent-based models and what contributes to defining agents:
- Individual agents: each agent is an intelligent software agent. They are able to perceive their environment, including other agents. This perception leads to an internal representation that is used to make decisions. It is even possible to run simulations on this perception to support better decisions. They can act on objects and communicate with other agents (or via interfaces also with humans). They have a set of rules that represent their goals, their beliefs, and their desires, all of which drive their decisions.
- Agent society: as a rule, an agent-based model will use more than just one agent. While each agent exposes the characteristics of an individual agent, they may be quite different. The resulting agent societies can be quite different regarding: 1) the number of agents (from large scales with thousands of agents to just a few); 2) the degree of cooperation (all stages between cooperative to non-cooperative can make sense, depending on the problem to be solved); 3) the type of agents employed (homogeneous vs. heterogeneous agent types); and 4) if everybody can contribute new agents to the society (open society) or if strict and predefined rules regulate the composition (closed society).
- Situated environment: the environment provides the context for the individual agents and the agent society. Besides other agents, the environment may be comprised of additional active and passive objects. The environment can represent geological and geographical information, weather, and all sorts of other things of interest in the context of the problem. What's most important here is that the agents are situated within the environment, which means they both perceive and act in this environment.
Passive objects can be best understood as just being things. They normally do not change their attributes if not acted upon by others. The streets and office buildings used in the traffic examples are normally pretty static and are not normally important for the computation of traffic problems unless they are acted upon, resulting in a change to their attributes. An active object, on the other hand, may change its status on its own without being acted upon or having to expose all the characteristics of an intelligent software agent. Traffic lights are a good example of an active object in the situated environment of the traffic simulation.
The question often arises, "What is the difference between objects and agents?" While they are both software programs that communicate via interfaces and act towards a given goal, intelligent software agents have internal decision rules that govern if and how to respond to a subroutine (a program running within a program), while objects simply execute the subroutine that is called. Objects have no control over their actions, they have to act. Agents have full control and use their rules to make a decision about how to answer the inquiry to maximize their goals and desires. This difference is summarized in Wooldridge3 and Jennings et al.4 by the now well-known slogan: Objects do it for free, agents do it for money.
Individual Agents
Many textbooks start with describing the agent. The approach selected in this section has the advantage that you already know why some of the characteristics are so important, as you already know the context. Knowing the context makes defining the characteristic properties of an agent easier. The following list is compiled from a variety of papers that tried to define individual agents better. Up to today, there is no generally accepted definition available, but the research community agrees that these following characteristics all contribute to the understanding of what an agent really is.
- Agents are situated! They are in an environment that they can sense and perceive. They can use their sensors to find out more. They can move around in this environment and act on objects or other agents. Therefore, agents need sensors to sense and perceive as well as effectors to interact. The ability to observe and act accordingly is often referred to as reactivity, in particular when observation and (re)action are directly related by rules.
- Agents are social! They can exchange information with other agents. This information can be task related. It can also comprise orders or tasks within an agent hierarchy working together to solve a problem, or can be coordination between agents. Agents can collaborate or they can compete for tasks. In any case, several languages have been developed to support this communication.
- Agents are flexible! There are many other words that have a similar meaning that have been used to describe the same idea: agents can intelligently adapt to new situations. They not only act according to their rules, they observe if their action contributes to reaching their goals. They can learn, as they can change their rules if the observation shows that some actions are not helping to reach the goal or may even be counterproductive. This makes them agile and sustainable.
- Agents are autonomous! They can operate without the direct intervention of humans or other authorities. Autonomy requires control about their state and behavior. It also requires guidance by some kind of value system, which can be purely utilitarian, or it can be based on complex psychological models of beliefs, desires, morals, and ethics.
- Agents are pro-active! They do not simply act in response to their environment, they take the initiative. This requires that they build a plan and conduct the resulting operation. Communication with other agents supports both aspects: building the plan and executing the plan in an orchestrated manner.
To support this set of characteristics, the following architectural frame addressing the main agent characteristics has been proposed.5 It is comprised of a set of functions for the external domain (to deal with interactions with the environment, which includes other agents and humans as well), and a set of functions for the internal domains needed for the agent to act and adapt as an autonomous object. The external functions are perception, communications, and action. The internal functions are sense making, decision-making, memory, and adaptation.
Architecture Framework for Agents
Let's define the functionality and related challenges in a little bit more detail. We use the order in which the functions are likely used when an agent acts in the situated environment.
- Perception: Using its sensors, the agent receives signals from his environment and prepares this information for the internal sense making function. The general assumption is that with more and more observation – and exchange of results with other agents that do the same – the closer the perception gets to the real situation.
- Sense Making: In order for observations to make sense, they need to be mapped to an internal representation. The internal representation is the picture the agent has about himself within the situated environment. Looking at the earlier figure showing the agent in his situated environment, the perception is depicted in the cloud. The internal representation does not have to be complete (for example, the triangle and one of the big blocks are missing) and can even be wrong. It is possible that the agent only uses a limited set of attributes to capture his observations, such as "is moving" or "is not moving," as a Boolean parameter that cannot capture velocity and direction. The general rule is: "If you need a detail for your decision process, you need to be able to observe it and it needs to be captured in your internal representation!" Another problem to tackle is data fusion. If we make two similar observations, we have to decide if these observations are dealing with the same thing or if we have two things to take care of.
- Memory: the rules and algorithms that define how sense making and later decision-making are done are stored in the memory. It is possible to distinguish between short-term and long-term memories. The memory domain stores all information needed for the agent to perform the tasks. There are many approaches to model and implement memory and represent knowledge, information, or data required for the sense-making and decision-making function to work.
- Communications: As agents are social, they share results with others and ask questions. If two agents use different kinds of sensors, they can share the results of their observations and both can improve the internal representation. If one agent already observed the effects of a certain action, he can communicate the results so that other agents can use the experience. It is possible to use different kinds of languages; whiteboard approaches can be implemented to support collaboration.
- Decision Making: Agents can support reactive as well as proactive methods. That means we can use simple if-then rules to react on events, or we can use complex decision algorithms based on plans, goals, and value systems. We can ask for more information, or we can trigger some action.
- Action: Whenever the decision-making function triggers an action, the effectors of the agent are used to act in the situated environment. This includes moving the agent itself as well as acting on active and passive objects. It is also possible to act on other agents other than simply communicating with them. In a hostile environment, agents may attack each other. In a cooperative environment, one agent may transport another agent to a location that was otherwise out of reach. All possible actions – and their constraints – should be known to the decision-making component and stored in the memory.
- Adaptation: Agents learn and adapt; they are flexible. If a certain action does not lead to the desired effect, this action will no longer be supported. If the environment changes, the internal representation needs to be updated and the rules and algorithms need to be adjusted. Depending on the sophistication of the approach, the agent may discover new heuristics or algorithms. It is possible to simply apply operations research and classic optimization, or it is possible to use complex artificial intelligence approaches.
As this enumeration shows, all seven components are in perpetual interplay with each other. The decision-making function may need more observations from the perception; the memory is adapted based on new information received from communication; and so forth. Many agent-based model frameworks support (pseudo-) parallel execution of these components for agents, and definitely within a society of agents.
Applying These Ideas in Agent-based Models
When designing an agent-based model, one eventually brings together all the various components discussed so far, even if only starting with a very simple setup at first. To begin with, one should have at least one agent situated in its environment along with at least one other agent or an object. As soon as this is the case, the agent needs to be able to "see" the other partner (or the object) in order to interact with them. This can be done by implicitly modeling sensors or simply assuming that everything in the environment can be "seen" by the agent by using the information provided by the other agent or object (i.e., its location, direction, and velocity). The next step is to create an internal map and copy all relevant information, filtered by what the sensors can actually observe. Finally, an agent can be programmed to apply complex algorithms to add new observations to what they "see."
This process of programming an agent to add new conditions/observations eventually leads to the processes of sense making and decision-making. Sense making correlates the observations with the knowledge stored in the program's memory, and then tries to identify patterns in what is "seen." Decision-making then connects such patterns with actions. These two processes can be controlled through the application of simple IF-THEN rules. If a condition is discovered in the environment (the sense making process), then the related action is executed (decision making).
While simple IF-THEN rules can be applied to many basic scenarios, more complex interactions require the use of additional, stored information from memory for comparison. This holds true even if one were to only use a single constant or a list of constants from a database. These have to be stored and therefore belong to memory. If, for example, our agent has only a limited set of actions stored in his memory from which he can choose to conduct, then the agent must therefore have the constants (conditions) in his memory as well. What's more, not only is it necessary to use additional, stored memory for more complex interactions, it is possible to categorize these memories into the equivalent of short-term and long-term memories. To do this requires that the agent follow two different sets of rules. The short-term set comprises those rules that are used often or have been recently used, while the long-term set comprises rules that are not so often applied.
The actions of the agent, which result from the application of short-term and/or long-term stored information, can be constrained by predetermined values. If an action exceeds these values, the action is not considered. Using the traffic example, the speed limit may be a legal constraint for some drivers, while others may add a 10% tolerance rate and drive 40 mph in a 35 mph zone. Still others may have no problems driving as fast as possible as long as they don't see a police car. This example can be used to generalize values which can be used to reflect a variety of scenarios.
The process of using observed conditions to guide actions is not too terribly difficult until one considers how beliefs play a role in real-world situations and how these beliefs can be modeled. Because beliefs often guide the selection process, and because they often reflect higher individual values, two choices may look the same in any given context: the belief system of the agent will therefore guide his choice. If, for example, an agent has the same rates of success when either fighting for something or simply giving up and looking for an alternative, a programmed belief that peaceful operations are a better solution should guide his selection of that option.
So how does one implement adaptation in a model? Adaptation is actually programmed into a model whenever something is implemented that changes how rules are applied regarding sense making and decision-making, including the application of values/beliefs. If, in the traffic scenario, more police cars are punishing speeding, even speed lovers will adapt their patterns.
Once a model has been developed that closely resembles the real-world situation it was designed for, one would likely seek out answers to questions. Specifically, one would be looking for patterns of behavior to emerge as a result of manipulating some condition within the environment or some action of the agent. The wave patterns in the city traffic model are one example. Schelling's segregation model is another.6 Here Schelling defined a chess board structure with two types of agents on it, and both types of agents were programmed to follow the same simple rule: In order to be happy in a place, a certain percentage of neighbors should be of the same type! If this is not the case, the agent moves to a free space, if possible. This leads to patterns that clearly separate the types. The figures below show the NETLOGO implementation of Schelling's segregation model with initial and resulting distributions for 30% similarity (i.e., an agent feels happy when at least 30% of its neighbors are of its same type) and 70% similarity (i.e., an agent feels happy when at least 70% of its neighbors are of its same type).
Segregation Model with 30% (top) and 70% (bottom) happiness rate.
In both cases nobody told the agents to segregate, it just happened: a pattern emerged. Many complex system structures have been explainable by simple rules. New approaches are looking at how emergent behaviors can actually be used within engineering to make systems become more stable, sustainable, and agile.
It should be pointed out that the patterns of emergent behaviors do not happen magically. There is no emerging intelligence, no deus ex machina. The results of emergent behavior can always be explained after they occurred based upon the programmed agent specifications and/or their location within the situated environment. A modeling simulation system in general – and an agent-based modeling simulation system in particular – is a production system that follows well defined algorithms and rules (i.e., applied mathematics based on computable functions). No one expected such clear segregation to occur just based on very simple rules within a simple geometry, but it did and it can be explained after observation. Sometimes the results that emerge are as predicted. Sometimes the unintended is observed, but these results are often the most powerful in their ability to incite further discussion as to how the modeled system actually works.
2 Andreas Tolk, Adelinde M. Uhrmacher: "Agents: Agenthood, Agent Architectures, and Agent Taxonomies," in: LeventYilmaz and TuncerÖren(Eds.): Agent-Directed Simulation and Systems Engineering. Wiley-Berlin, pp. 75-109, 2009
3 Michal Wooldridge: "An Introduction to Multiagent Systems," Wiley-Hoboken, NJ 2002
4 Nicholas R. Jennings, Katia Sycara, and Michal Wooldridge: "A Roadmap of Agent Research and Development," Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems 1, 275-306 (1998)
5 Lisa J. Moya and Andreas Tolk: "Towards a taxonomy of agents and multiagent systems." Proceedings of the 2007 Spring Simulation Multiconference, 1:11–18, SCS San Diego, CA, 2007
6 "Thomas C.Schelling" "Dynamic Models of Segregation," Mathematical Sociology 1:143-186, 1971
Notes/Highlights Having trouble? Report an issue.
|Highlighted Text
|Show More
Image Attributions
To add resources, you must be the owner of the section. Click Customize to make your own copy.


text:
The Washington Post
By: Scott Wilson
February 13, 2013
President Obama challenged Congress on Tuesday night to assist an American middle class squeezed by rising costs and stagnant wages, making clear that he will devote much of his second term to closing the income gap between rich and poor.
In his first State of the Union address since reelection, Obama called restoring the country's middle-class promise "our generation's task," casting the ability to work and prosper as a basic American principle in jeopardy because of a changing economy and partisan dysfunction in Washington.
Arguing for an active government role to tackle inequality, Obama proposed a series of ways -- some old, some new -- to improve access to education and expand job training programs. He would raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour -- a nearly 25 percent bump -- over the next three years.
Many of his previous economic plans have stalled in a divided Congress. But speaking from a position of political strength -- and facing a deficit of less than $1 trillion for the first time in his administration -- Obama suggested that the American public supports many of his goals, even if many in the chamber do not.
In an hour-long address focused tightly on domestic issues, Obama also announced that he will bring 34,000 American troops home from Afghanistan over the next year, cutting the U.S. presence there by almost half.
The U.S. military mission in Afghanistan concludes at the end of 2014, and Obama intends to keep only a small force there for training and counterterrorism missions beyond that date. "After a decade of grinding war," the president said, "our brave men and women in uniform are coming home."
The speech, interrupted repeatedly by raucous and sometimes strictly partisan applause, was Obama's fourth State of the Union address. He used the annual ritual to attempt to turn the page on a first term preoccupied with winding down two wars and working to repair a badly damaged economy.
"We have cleared away the rubble of crisis," he said, "and we can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger."
'Unfinished' business
Throughout the speech, however, was a warning that the nation's progress, which he repeatedly called "unfinished," is in peril unless Obama and Congress can work together on the economy's behalf.
"We gather here knowing that there are millions of Americans whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded," he said. ". . . It is our generation's task, then, to reignite the true engine of America's economic growth -- a rising, thriving middle class."
Economic progress has been halting since he took office, and he spoke Tuesday with the looming threat to the economy of automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration, just a little over two weeks away.
Obama and congressional leaders have been unable to reach agreement on how to avert the cuts, which the president warned Tuesday would fall hardest on those who can least afford them.
He called for "bipartisan, comprehensive tax reform" and emphasized that his proposals would not add to the $854 billion deficit, only reallocate money already in the budget to finance them.
"But let's be clear: Deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan," Obama said. "A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs -- that must be the North Star that guides our efforts."
Republican lawmakers reacted coolly to Obama's message, characterizing the program he outlined as a defense of big government at a time when they believe over-regulation and high taxes are keeping the economy down.
"But his favorite attack of all is that those who don't agree with him, that we only care about rich people," said Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican who delivered the GOP response. ". . . Mr. President, I don't oppose your plans because I want to protect the rich. I oppose your plans because I want to protect my neighbors -- hard-working middle-class Americans who don't need us to come up with a plan to grow the government. They need a plan to grow the middle class."
Unlike his second inaugural address, in which liberal social issues defined much of his message, Obama spoke directly Tuesday to a prime-time television audience about what he believes must be done to improve the economy and prepare the next generation of workers for the jobs it is creating.
He will take his message on the road over the next few days, visiting North Carolina, Georgia and Illinois to discuss various economic proposals.
The proposals include spending $40 billion to upgrade bridges as well as starting a fund, known as the Energy Security Trust, responsible for researching ways for more American cars and trucks to run on cleaner fuels.
When Obama spoke Tuesday about immigration legislation, gun control and climate change -- issues that rank high on his domestic agenda -- he did so by connecting them directly to the American economy.
He called on Americans to cut in half the energy wasted by homes and businesses in the next two decades, something that would benefit the environment as well as the economy. Green jobs, he said, will be the ones helping drive future employment growth.
In perhaps his most passionate moments, Obama also demanded action against gun violence as part of what he called "building new ladders of opportunity" for low-income communities aspiring to rise into the middle class.
He is scheduled to speak about the economic challenges facing cities at a Friday event in Chicago, his home town, where advisers say he will also discuss gun violence.
Obama has endorsed tighter restrictions on gun ownership -- including a ban on assault rifles and the adoption of background checks for anyone buying a firearm -- in the aftermath of the December shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 children and six staff members were killed.
On Tuesday, several Democratic lawmakers brought victims of gun violence to the speech and, most notably, first lady Michelle Obama's guest list included a teacher from Sandy Hook Elementary.
The first lady also sat with a police officer, Brian Murphy, who responded to the massacre at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, and the parents of a girl killed by gunfire in Chicago this month. The 15-year-old girl, Hadiya Pendleton, performed with her high school's majorette team in last month's inaugural parade. Michelle Obama attended her funeral in Chicago this past weekend.
"The families of Newtown deserve a vote," Obama said, much of the chamber coming to its feet. "The families of Aurora deserve a vote. The families of Oak Creek, and Tucson, and Blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence -- they deserve a simple vote."
Minimum-wage hike
Obama's proposal to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour over the next three years was among several new proposals that his advisers said were designed to close the income gap.
As part of his job training initiatives, Obama proposed spending what advisers estimated to be $1 billion to build "manufacturing institutes" where private and public-sector agencies, including the Defense Department and Energy Department, collaborate to prepare workers for the challenges of the new economy.
Obama also reiterated his desire to address problems in the U.S. voting system, typified in the last election by the hours-long wait some voters endured to cast ballots in crowded polling stations, many in urban areas.
He mentioned the issue in his victory speech in November and on Tuesday announced a commission to study ways of making voting simpler.
It will be chaired by the lead attorney from Obama's past campaign, Bob Bauer, and his counterpart from Republican Mitt Romney's, Benjamin Ginsberg.
Obama spent less time on foreign policy, emphasizing the continuing fight against al-Qaeda and the impending conclusion of the war in Afghanistan -- America's longest -- at the end of next year.
He also warned the leaders of Iran that "now is the time for a diplomatic solution" to avert a military confrontation over its uranium enrichment program.
Many of his foreign policy ambitions appeared aimed at improving the nation's economy, and he mentioned the tumultuous Middle East only in a brief passage, saying he would address the region further during a visit there next month.


text:
It would have been nice to get this done without referring to this game's most obvious inspiration, but Hunted: The Demon's Forge can't even make it into the shops without doing the same. On the cover is a line from Kotaku: "A dungeon-crawler for the Gears age."
So be it. Hunted takes the two-man wrecking crew formula and drops it somewhere between Middle-Earth and Skeletor's house, offering legions of enemies to smite with your swords, arrows and magic.
Caddock is a melee specialist whose disturbing dreams involving a demon, an artifact and a very under-dressed lady come to life as the game's secrets unravel. As Caddock chases his visions he is joined by fellow mercenary E'Lara, a sexy, witty elf with formidable attack skills.
Even in AI mode, your co-op partner's cover fire is invaluable. Both characters are equipped with bows and swords, so swapping the roles of cover fire provider and berserker is easy. The resulting action is repetitive, and sometimes frustrating, but it is largely satisfying. It needs to be, because there isn't much else to do aside from a few puzzles.
The two characters talk a lot throughout, making it a sort of medieval buddy movie with lots of swords and killing. The dialogue is welcome, for it distracts from the just-another-dungeon or burning township syndrome which has been written into Hunted's code.
Graphic elements are Hunted's worst problems. The in-game camera often floats in the wrong place and the environments are always excessively gloomy. The game makes heavy use of cinematics but too many times, they interfere with the live action - sometimes fatally so.
Characters can only carry one health power-up at a time and if a character is downed in combat, they have a limited time to be healed by their partner or else they'll die where they fell, much like Gears, et al. The limited resources encourage more co-operation - or more time spent bashing pots in the hope of finding another potion.
Verdict: For all its ills, Hunted is enjoyable. The action is good fun, and there is something attractive about the lead couple - they breathe life into what could have been a write-off. The biggest question is about longevity: not everyone will want to turn back to this once the 12-14 hour story mode has been completed.
Stars: 3/5
Platform: XBox 360
Rating: R13
- Timeout


text:
Twitter: @ckparrot
I remember at the beginning of the season the week leading up to Missouri's matchup with Georgia when Richardson was mouthing off about the SEC referring to it as "old man football"... after Georgia thumped 'em by 3 touchdowns, they were holding up signs that read "Grown Man Football" as Missouri proceeded to go 2-6 in the conference.
Prime example of the reason he won't be on the Dolphins' short list at 12. Joe Philbin wants guys who shut their mouths and just show up to work. He doesn't want Sheldon Richardsons.
For better, and for worse.
Zaviar Gooden has what Channing Crowder would refer to as "young, dumb energy". Not in a bad way.
Can't coach that kind of athletic ability though. The kind that makes plays.
I'm torn about Sheldon at tackle though. Feel like he might be more at home on the outside in a 3-4. And of course inside in the nickel, which has become the NFL's new base defense.
Add Dion Sims to my Sig
Draft Wishlist:
1. Patterson WR
2a. Da'Rick Rogers WR
2b. Eric Reid/ Rambo FS
3a. Tharold Simon CB
3b. Chris Gragg TE
4. Brandon Jenkins LB
5. Cornelius Washington DE
5/6. Vince Williams LB
7. Onterio McCalebb RB
7. Collin Klein QB
Tyler Polumbus RT, Starks DT, Bush RB, Grimes DB, Avril DE
That's how I see him. I think he's going to draw interest from teams that use both fronts. If you've got his type of athleticism with long enough arms at that size, teams are going to fall in love with sticking you on the 5 in base with the bonus of reducing you down in rush packages... and Richardson's 34 1/2" arms more than makes him a prime candidate. He's essentially the prototype.
Geno Smith
Matt Barkley
Ryan Nassib
Sean Renfree
Brad Sorensen
Jordan Rodgers
Eddie Lacy
Giovani Bernard
Zac Stacy
Montee Ball
Michael Ford
Cierre Wood
Denard Robinson
Stepfan Taylor
Rex Burkhead
Mike Gillislee
Latavius Murray
Dennis Johnson
D.J. Harper
Lonnie Pryor (FB)
Richard Samuel (FB)
Mike James
D.J. Monroe
Benny Cunningham
Onterio McCalebb
Marcus Curry
Orwin Smith
Tight End:
Tyler Eifert
Travis Kelce
Chris Gragg
Joe Fauria
Dion Sims
Zach Ertz
Jake Stoneburner
Zach Sudfeld
Ryan Otten
Justice Cunningham
Jack Doyle
Kyler Reed
Chase Harper
Wide Receiver:
Cordarrelle Patterson
Stedman Bailey
Tavon Austin
Markus Wheaton
Justin Hunter
Quinton Patton
Ryan Swope
Josh Boyce
Robert Woods
Tavarres King
Aaron Dobson
Chris Harper
Corey Fuller
Tyrone Goard
Ace Sanders
Marquis Goodwin
Rodney Smith
Chad Bumphis
Mark Harrison
Emory Blake
Taylor Stockemer
Zach Rogers
Roy Roundtree
Javon Lawson
Justin Brown
Chip Reeves
Jonathan Bostic
Michael Mauti
A.J. Klein
Brandon Hepburn
Will Compton
Cameron Lawrence
Jake Johnson
Greg Blair
Jarvis Jones
Jamie Collins
Cornelius Washington
Zaviar Gooden
Sio Moore
Khaseem Greene
Chase Thomas
Mike Taylor
Jake Knott
Lerentee McCray
Gerald Hodges
Keith Pough
Daren Bates
Brian Schwenke
Barrett Jones
T.J. Johnson
Joe Madsen
Patrick Lewis
Chance Warmack
Jonathan Cooper
Hugh Thornton
Alvin Bailey
Eric Herman
Brian Winters
Jeff Nady
J.C. Tretter
Chris McDonald
Adam Masters
Lane Johnson
Eric Fisher
Luke Joeckel
D.J. Fluker
Terron Armstead
Luke Marquardt
Nick Becton
Reid Fragel
Tanner Hawkinson
John Wetzel
Dallas Thomas
Brennan Williams
Ricky Wagner
Rogers Gaines
LaAdrian Waddle
Elvis Fisher
Mark Popek
Eric Reid
Shamarko Thomas
Matt Elam
Johnathan Cyprien
Phillip Thomas
Bacarri Rambo
Earl Wolff
Duke Williams
D.J. Swearinger
Dexter McCoil
John Boyett
Malcolm Bronson
Kemal Ishmael
Jahleel Addae
Bradley McDougald
Terence Garvin
Cody Davis
Kejuan Riley
Rontez Miles
Don Jones
B.J. Scott
Jermaine Robinson
Defensive Tackle:
Sharrif Floyd
Sylvester Williams
Jesse Williams
Brandon Williams
Joe Vellano
Chris Jones
A.J. Francis
Jake McDonough
Defensive End:
Cornellius Carradine
Ezekiel Ansah
Corey Lemonier
Sam Montgomery
Dion Jordan
Damontre Moore
Devin Taylor
Margus Hunt
Datone Jones
Mike Catapano
Trevardo Williams
Ty Powell
Lavar Edwards
John Simon
Quanterus Smith
Eric Martin
Travis Johnson
Dee Milliner
Desmond Trufant
Xavier Rhodes
Jamar Taylor
Robert Alford
Terry Hawthorne
Dwayne Gratz
Leon McFadden
Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Darius Slay
Jordan Poyer
Kayvon Webster
Sanders Commings
B.W. Webb
Johnny Adams
Nickell Robey
Micah Hyde
D.J. Hayden
Troy Stoudermire
Greg Brown
T'Sharvan Bell
Kip Edwards


text:
Log In now to add this Gigapan to a group gallery.
Log In now to add this Gigapan to a gallery.
About This GigapanToggle
- Taken by
- Jeff Cremer
- Explore score
- 2
- Size
- 0.51 Gigapixels
- Views
- 7530
- Date added
- Dec 28, 2010
- Date taken
- Dec 28, 2010
- Gear
Nikon D80 + Nikon 200-400mm f/...
- Categories
- Galleries
- Competitions
- Tags
- macaw, peru, manu, rainforest, lick, tambopata, clay, jungle, research, center
- Description
Macaws eat a variety of foods including fruits, palm fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves, flowers, and stems. Wild species may forage widely, over 100 km (62 mi) for some of the larger species such as Ara araurana (blue & yellow macaw) and Ara ambigua (great green macaw), in search of seasonally available foods. Some foods eaten by macaws in the wild contain toxic or caustic substances which they are able to digest. It has been suggested that parrots and macaws in the Amazon basin eat clay from exposed river banks to neutralize these toxins. In the western Amazon hundreds of macaws and other parrots descend to exposed river banks to consume clay on an almost daily basis - except on rainy days.
Donald Brightsmith, the principal investigator of the Tambopata Macaw Project, located at the Tambopata Research Center (TRC) in Peru, has studied the clay eating behavior of parrots at clay licks in Peru. He and fellow investigators found that the soils macaws choose to consume at the clay licks do not have higher levels of cation exchange capacity (ability to adsorb toxins) than that of unused areas of the clay licks and thus the parrots could not be using the clay to neutralize ingested food toxins. Rather, the macaws and other bird and animal species prefer clays with higher levels of sodium. Sodium is a vital element that is scarce in environments >100 kilometers from the ocean. The distribution of claylicks across South America further supports this hypothesis - as the largest and most species rich claylicks are found on the western side of the Amazon basin far from oceanic influences. Salt-enriched (NaCl) oceanic aerosols are the main source of environmental sodium near coasts and this decreases drastically farther inland.
Clay-eating behavior by macaws is not seen outside the western Amazon region even though macaws in these areas consume toxic foods such as the seeds of Hura crepitans, or sandbox tree, which have toxic sap. Species of parrot that consume more seeds, which potentially have more toxins, do not use claylicks more than species that eat a greater proportion of flowers or fruit in their diets.
Studies at TRC have shown a correlation between clay lick use and breeding season. Contents of nestling crop samples show a high percentage of clay fed to them by their parents. Calcium for egg development - another hypothesis - does not appear to be a reason for geophagy during this period as peak usage is after the hatching of eggs.


text:
Crazy Days and Nights just reported that the ex-husband of Real Housewives of Miami star, Alexia Echevarria, is a registered sex offender, as well as a convicted drug dealer and smuggler. In addition to being Alexia's ex-husband, he is also the father of her two sons, who have appeared on the show. Alexia's ex-husband only served a fraction of his sentence in jail, and told The Enquirer that his sexual assault and battery charge, for which he served time 12 years ago, was a misunderstanding. He said, "It was a one-night stand. Her parents had me arrested… Things happen."
Alexia isn't the only Real Housewives housewife to have a boyfriend/husband with a checkered past. Check out other husbands of Real Housewives who have run into trouble with the law:
(Photo via National Enquirer)