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Hacking & Security Posts - Page 22
Hackers tricked bankers into installing malware, stole $300 million
According to some security researchers at Kaspersky, a group of hackers have used tricky malware to steal at least $300 million from bankers throughout 30 countries across the world.
The hackers tricked bank staff into installing a virus, or malware, through a spoofed email, where they spied on staff to learn their behavior. From there, they were able to mimic bank staff, to learn telltale signs that money is being taken from the bank, and transferred to various accounts. The attacks did just that, transferring money to other bank accounts, but some of it is sent to ATMs where criminals are monitoring specific ATMs.
The banks that were hit are now aware of the attack, but Kaspersky cannot name the banks due to non-disclosure pacts. Some of the firms don't want to admit they were hit, as they would be looked at as victims, and that their security has failed them. As for the breaches of security, the hackers injected malware into banks in the United States, Russia, Japan and many more countries.
Recent data breaches forcing companies to rethink cybersecurity fight
Companies are scrambling to defend against cyberattacks in an effort to prevent data breaches, but are struggling to find success. Cybersecurity experts warn they must realize that hackers will likely enter their systems, and have to find ways to defend attacks after unauthorized access already occurs.
Worldwide IT security spending was around $70 billion in 2014, according to Gartner research group estimates - but that figure will top $109 billion by 2020 for just banks, energy and defense contractors. Spending is going to keep increasing with the number of attacks also reaching new levels, experts warn.
"Once an attack has made it past those defenses they're in the gooey center, and getting around is relatively simple," said Ryan Wagner, director of product management at vArmour, in a statement to Reuters. "You need to make sure that when you close the door, the criminal is actually on the other side of the door."
Companies must expect cybersecurity attacks, prepare for problems
Insurance companies and other healthcare-related businesses can expect additional cybersecurity scrutiny in the future, after Anthem suffered a major data breach.
To better fight against cyberattacks - and subsequent data breaches - companies should conduct cyber vulnerability risk assessments and penetration testing. Just a few years ago, these types of activities were seen as luxuries that very few companies engaged in, but now business leaders must look to ensure their networks are secure.
Cybercriminals are extremely opportunistic and look for any opportunity they can manipulate for their benefit:
Continue reading 'Companies must expect cybersecurity attacks, prepare for problems' (full post)
Obama wants an open debate regarding encryption security
President Barack Obama claims he supports strong computer data encryption more than many law enforcement agencies, though sided with them regarding the need to keep the public safe.
To help address the issue, Obama wants a "public conversation" to discuss encryption and security efforts.
"And so this is a public conversation that we should end up having," Obama told Re/code. "I lean probably further in the direction of strong encryption than some do inside of law enforcement. But I am sympathetic to law enforcement because I know the kind of pressure they're under to keep us safe. And it's not as black and white as it's sometimes portrayed."
The US government and police authorities want access to smartphones and tablets, using everything from fear tactics, threats, and national security claims.
Continue reading 'Obama wants an open debate regarding encryption security' (full post)
Nexusguard: Expect DDoS cyberattacks aimed at the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) offers great connectivity for consumers, but is becoming a soft target for cyberattacks, according to the Nexusguard "2015 Internet Security Trend" report. Of note, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks greatly concern cybersecurity researchers, with criminals hoping to interrupt access to connected technology.
The current IoT infrastructure largely relies on shared libraries and a fast development cycle, with security sometimes included as an afterthought. To make matters worse, cybercriminals can hijack poorly secured "Things" and help use them in botnet attacks against other targets.
"With the Internet of Things, people are posting personal or commercially sensitive information," said Terrence Gareau, Chief Scientist of Nexusguard. "It's a very complex question how people are going to secure that data, especially with increasingly sophisticated attacks. Furthermore, hackers may be incentivized to infect IoT devices and use them as an army for botnet attacks. Additionally, the smokescreen of DDoS attacks used for covering up data exfiltration, market manipulation and extortion, are ever more present."
Continue reading 'Nexusguard: Expect DDoS cyberattacks aimed at the Internet of Things' (full post)
Visa will use smartphone tracking that will help clamp down on fraud
Credit card company Visa plans to release a new location-based feature that will give cardholders the chance to update their location via smartphone. Banks will include the Visa software in their smartphone apps starting in April, and cardholders will have a chance to opt into the program.
When the cardholder's smartphone enters a new city or country, the app updates Visa so they are aware if credit card transactions take place in the new geographic location. This will prevent charges from being declined - and members won't have to call to confirm their whereabouts.
"We will be able to compare the merchant's location to the most recent cellphone location to show it's a less risky transaction," said Mark Nelsen, executive at Visa, in a statement published by the AP.
Continue reading 'Visa will use smartphone tracking that will help clamp down on fraud' (full post)
Apple increases iCloud security with two-step verfication security
Apple has today announced a two-step verification process for iMessage and FaceTime applications, announced in the wake of the massive celebrity leak uncovered late last year.
This new system means that users will be asked to supply their username and password alongside a verification code that Apple will send to a device with granted access to these services. This process has been recommended by computer security experts, with them stating the obvious - a hacker gaining control to your username and password is much easier than doing the former and stealing your phone.
The username and password issues most commonly seen are due to people using the same email and password combination for numerous accounts. This means that if a hacker has access to your iCloud, they likely have access to your Facebook, email, Twitter and more.
Continue reading 'Apple increases iCloud security with two-step verfication security' (full post)
Poor security leads to 1 billion stolen data records in 2014 alone
More than 1,500 data breaches led to at least 1 billion data records being compromised in 2014 alone, according to a report from Gemalto. It's a 49 percent increase in data breaches and 78 percent increase in data records theft year-over-year, with attacks expected to increase even higher in the future.
Cybersecurity experts warn that hackers are changing their tactics, with a focus on stealing personal information which can be collected - and used - at later dates. Fifty-four percent of all data breaches in 2014 focused on identity theft, including financial data, which led all other categories - with attack focus beginning to change.
"Not only are data breach numbers rising, but the breaches are becoming more severe," said Tsion Gonen, VP of strategy for identity and data protection at Gemalto. "Being breached is not a question of 'if' but 'when.' Breach prevention and threat monitoring can only go so far and do not always keep the cyber criminals out."
Continue reading 'Poor security leads to 1 billion stolen data records in 2014 alone' (full post)
Cybercriminals want to compromise your identity, steal personal data
Cybercriminals have their pick of vulnerable targets to compromise, and want to focus more on conducting identity theft over just stealing payment information.
After a data breach, especially if a debit or credit card information has been stolen, compromised users ask their banks to cancel cards. However, a data breach in which names, addresses, Social Security numbers and other personal data are stolen give criminals the ability to take their time to launch future attacks.
"We're clearly seeing a shift in the tactics of cybercriminals, with long-term identity theft becoming more of a goal than the immediacy of stealing a credit card number," said Tsion Gonen, VP of strategy for identity and data protection of Gemalto. "Identity theft could lead to the opening of new fraudulent credit accounts, creating false identities for criminal enterprises, or a host of other serious crimes."
Continue reading 'Cybercriminals want to compromise your identity, steal personal data' (full post)
Damballa: Majority of antivirus solutions fail to detect malware
Antivirus products missed almost 70 percent of malware infections within the first hour of submission, according to Damballa's "Q4 2014 State of Infections Report." In addition, only 66 percent of malware signatures were accurately identified when rescanned within 24 hours of infection - with that number going up to 72 percent within seven days.
Antivirus security companies share malicious file findings with one another, but it takes time for new discoveries to be integrated into their own programs.
"What's clear from these figures is that we have to turn the table on infection 'dwell' time," said Brian Foster, CTO of Damballa. "In much that same way that a flu vaccine hinges on making 'best-guess' decisions about the most prevalent virus strains - AV is only effective for some of the people some of the time. Viruses morph and mutate and new ones can appear in the time it takes to address the most commonly found malware."
Continue reading 'Damballa: Majority of antivirus solutions fail to detect malware' (full post)


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Trustworthy reviews are our priority. Businesses can't pay to change or remove reviews.
My best advice to everyone is DO NOT HIRE THIS COMPANY! Rich Winn, the owner, does not have a clue of what professionalism is. My wedding is May 9, 2015. Today is March 25, 2015 and Rich has decided to finally answer the phone after weeks of calling him and his employees on the company line, leaving multiple voicemails, and calling/texting his cell phone only to inform me that he suggests we go with a different rental company.. OUR WEDDING IS IN 6 AND A HALF WEEKS! Now we have to find a different company to provide chairs, tables, etc. for the wedding at the last minute! Not to mention that he tried to blame me for the fact that things were not being finalized until now... Um actually if he would have answered the phone weeks ago then everything would have been finalized. Then he proceeds to say that he has hired employees that work 40 hour weeks to answer questions for him. However, NONE of his employees seemed to know ANYTHING which is why I was wanting to speak with him in the first place! But this is all okay because I am about 99.9% sure that he would have messed up the day of my wedding anyways! Rich acted as if my wedding was not important at all. My wedding isn't some small backyard party, it is MY WEDDING! The entire company is a joke and if you are wanting any sort of customer service then you will not hire this company!
I used Panache for a few tables and chairs but there is so much more they offer! They have it all! Tables, chairs, linens, tents, serve ware, decorations, lighting... Best part is they will deliver and set up!
We hired Panache Tents to provide chairs, an arbor, sash, and ribbons for our wedding on the beach. First off, I thought it was expensive for 25 chairs with ribbons, an arbor, and a sash. (the arbor is $150, and to have fabric draped over it is another $150!) I changed the chair count to 15 way in advance.
Problem 2 ... they set everything up the night before so it all got rained on. including the fabric sashes on the chairs and fabric on the arbor. I would think they wouldn't put the fabric out until the day of the event.
Problem 3 ... they later just took an additional, unexpected payment out of my bank account ... but that made me wonder why and investigate. When I looked .. they had charged me for 25 chairs & sashes, but the photos clearly showed only 15 chairs with 8 sashes were placed!
I emailed Rich back and forth. Sent photos showing the lack of set up, and it ended with him saying this ....
"If $68 will help put this to bed, I will tell accounting to take it out of my next paycheck and get this done.. WIll this finalize?? Let me know and thanks again".
Kinda snarky, right? It was their mistake. Would NOT recommend.
Panache Tent & Event has their hands full! While our wedding was perfect and I was so happy with the outcome, there were a few "glitches". For example, we originally ordered 50 chair's for our beach ceremony, but added and extra 30. We only had 50 chair's at our ceremony. Another rental that we paid for was Chrome Tiki Torches. I paid $90 for these tiki's and ended up having $4 Dollar General Tiki's as decorations for our ceremony (and I PAID for the chrome ones), which I could have purchased and set up myself if I had known those were going to be used. There were a couple of things missing at the reception location as well, but all of this was decorations that only myself and my parents noticed.
I really think that Panache would be much better delivering the correct things if they had more staff. The gentleman we dealt with was very nice, but it was clear that ALL of his focus was not on MY wedding, as there were several other weddings using their services that day.
I had a beautiful wedding and reception, I just wish that we had received everything that we paid for.

subset: commoncrawl


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THAT'S RIGHT!!! 1,390 ORIGINAL MILES!!! PA 1-OWNER!!! SOLD NEW 5 MILES FROM OUR DEALERSHIP!!! BEEN HERE ALL ITS LIFE!!! 6SPD, TTOPS, LEATHER AND POLISHED... More
Coupe, Blue Ext, Blk Int, 455 V8, 4spd Man, 100 miles on Rebuild, Vin:82122... More
400 V-8 Air Conditioning 4 speed trans Factory 8 track player Power Steering Brand new vinyl top New Holley 750 New cam, lifters, springs New Positrack rear end with 3:42 gears Interior is... More
1937 Pontiac Sedan 2D DeLuxe SeriesThis beautiful 1937 Pontiac is in very good condition. The straight 6 engine runs excellent and the transmission shifts... More
1976 Pontiac Firebird Formula. 455 with h-beam rods. Forged Pistons. Largest Hydraulic cam that Lunati makes. Edelbrock heads. Hooker Headers. Edelbrock intake and Holley... More
1999 Pontiac Trans Am 30th Anniversary Convertible with 6-Speed Manual Transmission and Hurst Shifter. This car has only 5880 miles and is like brand new! This is a... More
1967 Firebird Convertible 1. Numbers matching 326 4-barrel carburetor High Output, power steering 2. Original 4-speed transmission 3. Original Rally Wheels 4. 47,000 original miles 5. Original carpet, top,... More
This is a nicely preserved GTO that runs and drives great! The car has had 1 repaint and is very original. The interior is... More
One of only 1,107 Z-code 400ci 4-speed T-Top Y84 examples built! Optioned with rare factory Air conditioning, power windows, WS6 Performance Package, tilt column, and more! Very... More
1971 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 / Original 400ci WT engine / 4speed These high powered Formula 400s have basically vanished and are in the hands... More
Award Winner 1992 Pontiac Nationals 2nd place 2014 Murrieta Car Show top 40. This car is immaculate. The milege is 55,680 with past history of... More
1965 Pontiac GTO 2 Dr. Hardtop, 389 tri-power M-20 Muncie 4spd, 3:55 Saf-T-Trac, Rally gauges, console w. vacuum gauges, p.s splitters, original sheetmetal, solid... More
1964 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE CONVERTIBLE, NOCTURNE BLUE WITH WHITE BUCKET INTERIOR Rare 389 4 speed and 8 lug wheels are just some of the options Bumpers have... More
For sale in our Chicago showroom is this 1976 Pontiac Trans Am. The second generation of the Trans Am replaced the Coke bottle... More
Beautiful Custom 1966 Pontiac GTO Hard top, 400 Motor with holly 650 carb mostly stock , 4 Speed hurst tranny, interior custom , Frame... More


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5. Kenya Calls out Phaedra
"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star, Kenya Moore, says she is surprised and disappointed in how co-star and friend, Phaedra Parks, handles business.
"I was Phaedra's biggest fan and she was my confidant and my 'RHOA' BFF," she wrote in a recent blog.
"I truly thought the world of her, which makes this dispute over money more difficult to fathom."
In episode 11 of season five, the two divas bumped heads over a business deal in which Kenya put together a tentative production package for a fitness video Phaedra and her husband Apollo were interested in making.
When Phaedra refused to pay Kenya 10 percent of the potential earnings, things got gritty between the two reality stars.
Watch the drama unfold.


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Buy properties in Plantation Drive, Marchwood, Southampton SO40 - 5 bedrooms
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Oak Leaf Close, Marchwood, Southampton SO40Detached house for sale - 5 bedrooms
Really deceptive five bedroom detached home offered in excellent decorative condition. Spacious lounge, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility and cloaks on the ground floor. Upstairs en-suite to master, there are three more bedrooms and ... More details
Note: Distances are straight line measurements
- Millbrook (Hants) (1.9 miles)
- Southampton Central (2.3 miles)
Marketed by Fox & Sons, SO40. Call 023 8065 8279


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Seattle retail rents reasonable on global scale
Retailers in downtown Seattle's premier shopping street have little to complain about compared with their peers in other tony shopping district around the world.
A new study by global real estate firm Colliers International comparing retail space rents in well-known shopping districts in dozens of cities throughout the world, shows Seattle's retail rents are on the reasonable end of the spectrum.
The study shows Seattle Fifth Avenue rents average $40 a square foot annually. That's less than three percent of the rental rates on Fifth Avenue's New York namesake, the most expensive retail street on the globe.


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Star Tracks
Hudson shows off her bubbly personality on the set of Bride Wars in N.Y. Plus: Heidi Klum, Drew Barrymore, Victoria Beckham and more
Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty
Published: Tuesday Jun 03, 2008 | 05:05 PM EDT
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- FROM EW: TV Marathons You Can Binge on this Fourth of July Weekend


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These are the most expensive cities in the Middle East
Can you guess who's number one?July 5, 2015 3:00
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Abu Dhabi's Dana Gas hits 9-wk high after wins Kurdistan case
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Kuwait parliament approves budget with $27 billion deficit
The A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet liner.
December 30, 2010 4:18 by Rasha Reslan
Kuwait Airways has grounded its fleet of five Airbus A300 to conduct an inspection of the jets, the state-owned carrier said on Thursday.
The Gulf Arab carrier did not specify what prompted the suspension, other than that Airbus had asked the airline to conduct a check-up on its A300 planes after Kuwait Airways "submitted notes" to the manufacturer.
"The procedure has resulted in delaying some flights until the check-up is done and this type is back to flying," Adel Broslay, Kuwait Airways' director of public relations and media, said in a statement.
The A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet liner.
Broslay said Kuwait Airways, which has a fleet of 17 planes, could lease aircraft if the maintenance works were delayed.
(Reporting by Ahmed Hagagy; Editing by Will Waterman)


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Kathy Sheets
Original recipe yields 48 servings
Amount per serving ({{servings}} total)
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
The reviewer who complained about this recipe yielding sticky dough did not add enough flour. I have made this recipe five or six times and have had to add up to 9 cups of flour. If it's too s...
These cookies are exactly what Kathy says - thick, not too sweet, but really, really soft and fluffy. Perfect for frosting. I halved the recipe and it made a dozen and a half 2 1/2 inch cookie...
This is the worst sugar cookie recipe I have ever tried. Dough is very sticky and hard to roll out even after refrigeration.


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Foods, Nutrients and Calories
DIGIORNO Pizza, pepperoni topping, rising crust, frozen, baked contain(s) 265 calories per 100 grams or ≈3.527 ounces [ calories | price ]
Gravels and Substrates
CaribSea, Marine, Aragonite, Bermuda Pink density is equal to 1281.5 kg/m³ or 80.001 lb/ft³ with specific gravity of 1.2815 relative to pure water. Calculate how much of this gravel is required to attain a specific depth in a cylinder, quarter cylinder or in a rectangular shaped aquarium or pond
Materials and Substances
Sand, rammed weigh(s) 1.682 gram per (cubic centimeter) or 0.972 ounce per (cubic inch) [ weight to volume | volume to weight | density ]
What is square mil?
A square mil (mil²) is a non-SI (non-System International) measurement unit of area with sides equal to one mil (1mil), or with sides equal to a thousandth (0.001) of an inchread more...»
What is temperature measurement?
Temperature is measurement of thermal energy. The metric (SI) measurement unit of temperature is celsius (°C), the unit is also known as centigrade.read more...»


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Back to TopHow do I access my business account online? What you will need:
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The Astonishing X-Men Thread
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- Product Information
Product Description
Roll out the ribbon around the winners circle at your race car party. Our black and white checkered indoor or outdoor 50' long by 3" wide decorating material is a perfect addition to your raceway decor. Each black and white plastic 50' checkered roll is sold by the roll. Please order in increments of 1 roll. Perfect for retro inspired 50's parties and anything ska, too!
- Questions & Answers
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Customer Reviews
- Excellent Decorating Material Review by Annie
Really added to a racing theme event. Great for tradeshows and open house events.
(Posted on 7/10/12)
- [...] Review by Jane the Garden
The ribbon was used to decorate gift bags for an appreciation, race theme luncheon. They added just the right touch. [...]
(Posted on 6/7/11)
- So Many Uses! Review by Shelby Phillips
I used this tape to decorate my party area, embelish goodie bags, and to make note cards. So many great uses for my Father's Day NASCAR bbq. To see how it all came together [@]
(Posted on 5/10/10)
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1950s Sock Hop Party Ideas
Invite friends over for a rockin' good time when you throw a fifties theme party! Use these party tips to assist you in putting together the best sock hop anyone's ever seen.
Throw a Beach Party with these Helpful Beach Party Ideas
Plan a get-together on the beach, or throw a beach-themed bash in your home, using these fun beach party tips!
Dinosaur Party Ideas
Throw your little one a dinosaur birthday party they are sure to dig with these helpful party tips!


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Bar Hopping or A Romantic Comedy in Nine Parts by Robert Boyczuk I. THE OPENING OF OUR STORY IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE MIDST OF A CONVIVIAL COMPANY, BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH OUR HERO, AND ARE WITNESS TO HIS BUDDING DESIRE. I watch her watching Stan. The drafts are beginning to work their crawling magic, and Stan, who's a big Polish guy, laughs deeply, his gut shaking ho ho ho, now talking too fast while we listen too slow. Stan who started all this anyway, telling tales of the bars to come, pulling the map he has drawn and photocopied from the pocket of his huge, faded coveralls, smoothing it on the table, its corner drinking in a small pool of beer. Eyes up and down watching him, not just hers, nearly everyone's. Only a few familiar faces, looking mostly new to this, listening. Scuzzy, he says in the voice too loud, You ain't seen nothing yet! He tosses back another draft and bangs the empty glass down on the table, his seventh, and suddenly a tumbling jumble of everyone all at once talking, telling their own bad bar stories: this is too tame, too pathetic, a wimpy whiny pale imitation of a bar, a stop unworthy of our pub crawl, Stan the affable host having done it again, everyone laughing and drinking now, still uncertainly, not quite at ease yet, no that will happen two or three bars from now, but talking anyway, the button down office suits and starched 1 skirts beginning to melt away, the fluorescent corridors fading in dim smoky light, the knots coming undone beneath the sagging stained ceiling tiles, all of us working towards that moment of incoherent perfection. She sits quietly, pulling lightly at her beer, listening while the stories wash around her like an ocean lapping at her ankles, one after another, tugging for an instant, before receding. She remains aloof, apart, her gaze distant and insoluble, her eyes shining as if she sees something past what is here. I do not know her, have never seen her before. But that is not so unusual. Not so unlikely, so improbable. It is a large office, and I am a small person, she is far down the table, and it is still too early to tell. II. IN WHICH OUR HERO VISITS YET ANOTHER PUBLIC HOUSE AND CONDUCTS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH HIS CLOSE FRIEND REGARDING THE DISPOSITION OF A CERTAIN YOUNG LADY'S AFFECTIONS. Side by side we stand, Stan pissing forever, a steady golden stream that tells the tale of five bars of two beers each, a thrumming porcelain sound that never ends. Who? he says. In the jeans and suede jacket, I say. Lumberjack shirt that looks like it was taken out of the plastic bag this morning. Michelle? Yeah, I shrug. I guess so. Brown eyes, black hair. Yeah, he says. Michelle. I think she works in marketing. Pretty sure anyway. He belches. She's cute. Cute? I think, listening to the dull splattering of his urine and hard, miserly word cute, thinking, No, it is too small a term for her, all wrong, not generous enough. Michelle: loose-stranded hair piled atop a face round and fine featured; a short scattering of lines that radiate from the folded corners of eyes like pensive thoughts; skin that's warm, almost glowing, almost orange in these poorly lit interiors, a darker flush creeping high across high cheeks keeping pace with her beer; the smooth perfection of her throat as she bends head back to laughter, a softness I imagine brushing beneath my cheek, my lips, my tongue. Michelle. Yeah, I say. She seeing anyone? Don't think so. At least she didn't come with anyone, he says, and smile sighs. If I weren't married .... 2 !! I say. He laughs. Don't worry. But then my stream falters, dries up, his still thundering away, now reading on the wall an unsteady scrawl: 'Drunkenness shows the mind of a man, as a mirror reflects his person. Aeschines.' I clear my throat. Sure is cute, I say just to have something in my mouth, though it sounds stupid even to me, and walk, with the exaggerated care of too many beers, out the creaking plywood door. III. A BRIEF INTERLUDE DURING WHICH OUR HERO REFLECTS ON THE NATURE OF TRUTH AND GOODNESS. I love them: the Edgewater, the Drake, the Black Bull, the Duke of Cannaught, the Claremont, even the lowly Rex. Love them because they admit no lies, are too tired for the untruths of life, too dark for misunderstanding, too smoke filled for the mistaken belief of clear thought. Those who live here know what I mean: empty brief faces staring incuriously at the apparition we are before them, then sliding back into a beery contemplation of a line of endlessly rising bubbles. We do not belong, yet there is no resentment in their glances, only dull glassy-eyed resignation, as if they listen to a jackhammer thump thump thumping miles away. No, no lies here, no pretend smiles, only heavy brown panelling and a wall-eyed patron nodding off, waiters poised with another two drafts, trays filled with the cracked glass truth of beer. And she is far too beautiful. Michelle, I think thinking of her. Beautiful Michelle. IV. WHEREIN OUR HERO BELIEVES HE MAKES HIS INTENTIONS REGARDING THE YOUNG LADY KNOWN TO HER THOUGH THEY ARE SCARCE VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. Piling into the next bar, scramble for seats, dragging of tables together to form a long snake of dissipation. New bar, though it hardly matters, same waiters, same middle-aged men wrapped in white shirt and black pants, change belts slung wide and low beneath broad belly rolls of flesh, lugging endless trays of watery draft. Same cosy wafting stale 3 warmness on this cool summer night, sign overhead, NO DRUG SELLING, and smudged glasses, a little chip in the lip of this one, just like the last bar. Sinking gratefully, at last, into hard wooden seat across and down from her. Playing it cool, talking to those I know, corner eyeing her, watching, always watching, hoping my desperation does not light up my eyes like a display window. A toast! Stan shouts into the rhubarb of conversation, I loving him for it, that glorious son of a bitch, loving these times and bars like he does, their warm smoky uncaringness. To the regulars and the novices, he cries, of the Fourth Annual Queen Street Pubs Crawl! Arms extend, glasses rise like chalices, clinks and sloshed beer fill the air, Stan the first to follow his own toast. And in the rush I catch her eye, and she half-smiles back, a reach and flat click of contact, even through this insulating distance, a jolt of electricity leaps across glass, bounds down my arm and smashes into my chest, heart catching like the grinding of gears, stutters as if to stop, coughs and returns to life, beating with a new rhythm of blood and need, when she half-smiles back. Here's to those who wish us well, and those who don't can go to hell, for we are the men who've turned to vice, gone-or-rheaa and syph-ill-ice, we've had them all by Jesus Christ! Gentlemen, the Queen! Stan's words are a chorus in the background, oh wonderful well- worn words, heard a hundred times before. We are the self-same in this, Stan and I, we loving these tumbledown places with their warm beer glow, their silent quick waiters appearing to fill your emptiness without a sound, without a question, these beer-fueled, thought-stopping moments when anything, anything, seems possible. V. A RESPITE IN THIS BRANNIGAN DURING WHICH A MOST FORTUNATE ENCOUNTER OCCURS. A tug at my arm. Come on, Stan hisses, walking at the back of the pack, me shuffling like a lonely slave down to the next bar, trapped by friends and fear and 4 distance from her, without the courage of adequate beer. Come on, he says again, dragging me off between lightless buildings, and out of her sight. In the alley a spliff appears unannounced, cradled in fingers held low, the slow curl of its smoke drifting between our huddled bodies, a single tiny serpent's eye red glowing in the night. Away from her I feel like a drowning man who's just lost sight of land. What? Stan says. What'd you say? Nothing. Nothing. Here, joint passed to me, and I drink it greedily, knowing I need its not-caring balance, thinking the next bar, yeah, I'll make my move then, pulling it as deep as it will go, letting it drive away my uncertainty and excuses, surrendering to its promise of things that will come, waiting for the first tightening of my scalp and shiver crawl along the flesh of my arms. Tap on my shoulder, and suddenly I'm awake, still clutching the spliff between my fingers as I'm drifting off, and I hold it out, eyes still closed, saying Sorry. Then, startling me, a soft brushing of finger tips whisper along the back of my hand like a light dusting of snow, from behind, not Stan, slipping the stick free, a delicate touch, not Stan's. Open eyed, I stare at her. The line of her jaw, her cheek, are flawless brush strokes in this smoked stunned air as she leans into our three, calf and thigh pressed solid against mine, me not daring a move, impaled, backs like puzzle pieces locked against the world. Breast softly rising against my arm as she inhales deeply, eyes narrowed, pursing full lips I ache to touch. And she holds it. Impossibly long without movement, a statue of perfection knit of shadows. I hold my breath too, waiting, waiting. Exhaling at last, a dam bursts somewhere, all at once blood rushing through my head, my ears and beyond, me giddy and faltering in the cradle of darkness. She rubs against me like a cat, and I hardly notice the sigh (hers or mine?) venturing a small pressure, and she smiles, firm and not moving, like a promise, a pledge, a vow. She is a drug more potent than any I have known, and I inhale her through my eyes as she takes another toke, drawing in the dreamy darkness of the alley, the tendrils of her rushing into my lungs, my blood, my brain. She passes the joint to Stan with a sudden, unexpected laugh that makes my heart lurch like a Mexican bus; she turns and her lips graze my cheek, a caress, the beat of a hummingbird's wings, and she is gone, a hole in the night. Pressed in my open palm a folded piece of paper. The joint has burned to the quick, and Stan fumbles in his pockets, finding the clip, attaching it and raising the roach to his lips, now drawing 5 the last life of it into his gullet, wreathing us with comfortable clouds of smoke, cheeks distended as he puffs, face lit in the tiny redness as the joint pulses like an angry eye, while I curl my hand carefully into a fist round this, our tenuous connection. VI. A REFLECTION BY OUR HERO ON THE NATURE OF LOVE AND THE ROLE OF SPIRITS IN FORTIFYING COURAGE, STRENGTHENING SOCIAL POISE AND ENHANCING GRACE. Oh the pangs of love and fear! But how, when, where? First another bar, first another beer. Soon, soon, I will speak to her, not just yet, savouring the simplicity of this wordless connection, the flawless silence that won't admit anything but purity of intention: without words there can be no lies. Chairs distant, she glances at me, but it is still too early, and I don't watch, feeling her eyes trailing after me in the cluttered clattering now of this staggering bar, while I, full of plans and notions, drink in silent fervour, clutching her crumpled slip of unread paper like a weighty charm, waiting for the perfect moment, waiting for my chance. VII. A VISIT TO THE ESTEEMED ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DRAKE; OUR HERO SUFFERS A TEMPORARY SETBACK AND LEARNS THE EXACTING COST OF HESITATION. He is too tall, as they always are, his clothes too clean, his poise too exact, wearing his not-belonging with pride. Behind him, stained red velvet wallpaper with scratches of black that look like the devil's head over and over, wrought iron fixtures holding burnt out bulbs, a country and western band floats, like an island, as he swings through a ring of pensioners in cowboy clothes, me sinking sullenly into my beer, lower and lower, the sounds of twanging lost love wash over me, me, (she smiled, she smiled, I know she did so long ago), watching a wagon wheel bolted to the wall that seems to spin spin spin ... ... and laughing, she spins past like a leaf on the tongue of the wind, twisting in faster circles her face flushed, in the arms of another, while drowning, I sink slowly into my drink, a lonely slip of paper hanging limply in my hand. 6 VIII. WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ILLUSTRATES HOW OUR HERO MIGHT BENEFIT BY HEEDING THE WORDS OF THE GREAT BARD: 'THIS IS THE MONSTROSITY OF LOVE, LADY, THAT THE WILL IS INFINITE AND THE EXECUTION CONFINED.' We never spoke so she never lied, will not lie with me but in the lies I wove. Too late in this growling alcoholic haze, Stan absorbed in passionate debate with his hat, while under the table lie scattered, bloated beer bodies, and I struggle to hold collapsing walls back, unthinking of her, no, instead considering the message of the table as if it means everything, the brown, peeling table top, its cool rings of beer, pitted and scratched with obscure pen-knife text, cratered with undecipherable cigarette burns, running fingers over this blistered landscape, real words humming round with their own obscure messages, not watching them through slitted snake eyes as they entangle, unwatching through bottom of my glass, they leaving hand in hand, I undrink the last drops, the motion of glass remembered by a wash of pissed- out colour, a cold unburning brush-stroked after image passing, while conversation washes round like a heaving river, carrying me along, lost in swirling cold, thinking someplace, somewhen, she stands on a stage reading poetry that makes no sense, her ragged paper soaking in a pool of beer before me, fibers growing heavy with amber liquid, thick wormy letters inching across the page: Buy me a beer? IX. THE CONCLUSION OF OUR HISTORY IN WHICH AN UNEXPECTED AND PROPITIOUS EVENT REUNITES OUR YOUNG LOVERS AT THE FINAL ALE HOUSE; A GREAT FEAST AND JOYOUS CELEBRATION ENSUES. ... glaring single moment of certainty, words large like semaphores: SHE. IS. GONE. Stumble-stepping down the street, slipping through another blurred door, shhhhhh, outside tires sighing on cement, head abuzz, drifting above the press, strange fearful shifting faces, to fill, there, at last, an empty space. Finger circles round old glass rings, sweat on wet, waiting, treading water, really, until the fist is softened by a single finger raised for the same .... 7 This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Human-readable License: You are free: ● to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work ● to Remix — to adapt the work Under the following conditions: ● Attribution. 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Gunmetal Black Ep 01
episode 14.27 / 5.00 5,243 Views
Lucina's First Day
A look at the first day of Lucina in Super Smash4.25 / 5.00 17,965 Views
BATMAN v SUPERMAN final showdown
SPOILERS!!4.20 / 5.00 15,066 Views
this is what i'm talking about. I used to play pokemon red and blue so I know what you're talking about lol.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Awesome Job!
That parody was super-effective!
I'm sorry I couldn't help myself.
Wow, I just realized that I didn't make any "Super Effective" jokes. :o You've done well to bring them over to reviews...
Hilarious Pokemon parody
I loved those part where he passes the guards and everything haha!
Nice job.
Your username is so incredibly original. I'm jealous.
Honestly, this is the best Pokemon spoof ever.
I don't drink coffee. I'll have one chocolate milk, please. :3


text:
Traxxas TORC Series Invades Chicagoland!
Route 66 Raceway
500 Speedway Blvd
Joliet, IL 60433
Sep 14th · Sep 16th (2011)
The Traxxas Off-Road Championship Series returns to Route 66 Raceway for two big nights of racing! In addition to the stars of TORC you've been watching throughout the season, motocross legend JAMES "BUBBA" STEWART will join the fray in Traxxas Pro Light class! You can watch the action stream live on your computer, laptop, or mobile device, and all the action will air later as "The Off-Road Championship" on Discovery Network's HD Theater channel (you can catch up with all of the 2010 episodes here). In addition to the high-flying action on the track, you'll find plenty to do and see as The Fastest Name In Radio Control comes to each stop on the TORC circuit. Take a test drive on the Try-Me Track. Meet the pro drivers. Visit the Traxxas model display. Make a plan to attend the races when TORC comes to town—excitement, thrills, and fun are guaranteed!


text:
The Software Carpentry Foundation seeks to hire a new Executive Director to build relations with partners, oversee the development of our curriculum, be Software Carpentry's spokesperson, and work with the Steering Committee to set our future direction. The successful candidate will initially be co-Executive Director, and will job-share with the current Executive Director during a brief transition period, after which they will become the new ED.
To apply, please send email to firstname.lastname@example.com by July 31, 2015 with "Co-Executive Director" in the subject line, and include:
A brief resume or CV (approximately two pages).
A brief statement (approximately two pages) of what you would hope to accomplish in your first year as Executive Director. Please also include a paragraph about any work you may have done with Software Carpentry in the past and another about your experience working with other volunteer organizations.
We will begin interviews immediately after July 31, and hope to have someone in place no later than the end of August....read more
With Software Carpentry's rapid growth over the past couple of years, the combined responsibilities of being the Executive Directory and running the instructor training program have become more than a single person can manage. And after five years of working to grow Software Carpentry into the world-wide community it has become, I'd like to spend more time with my family.
The Software Carpentry Foundation is therefore hiring a new Executive Director. I will transition to running instructor training so that the new ED can devote themselves to building relations with partners, overseeing the development of our curriculum, being Software Carpentry's spokesperson, and working with the Steering Committee to set our future direction. Our new hire will initially be co-Executive Director, and will job-share with me during a brief transition period, after which they will become the new ED.
This is the next logical step in Software Carpentry's evolution, and one that we have been working toward for more than a year. As with the election of the Steering Committee in January, it's a sign that Software Carpentry is here to stay, and nothing could make me prouder....read more
A week ago, we posted a proposal to use Jekyll to build our lessons rather than Pandoc. The immediate reaction was almost uniformly positive, but in the days since, people have pushed back on two fronts:...read more
By now, many people in the UK (well, many of the sort who read this blog) will have heard the term Research Software Engineer, but what exactly is an RSE, and what effect will the creation of this title have? To understand, we need to go back to the Software Sustainability Institute's Collaborations Workshop in early 2012 (summarized in these blog posts and others). Those discussions led to this position paper at Digital Research 2012, whose authors argued that:...read more
Useful Tips
The mentoring subcommmittee hosted instructor debriefings on 23 June 2015 to discuss recently completed workshops. We are delighted that so many new instructors are joining us at these sessions as a way to prepare for upcoming workshops, and welcome anyone else interested to attend as well. Below we highlight a few discussion points from our sessions, including issues with lesson pacing and Python installation, as well as tips on using the etherpad and GitHub organizations. A more in-depth synopsis of a recent workshop can be found in this fantastic post on Raniere Silva's blog....read more
I wrote about our experiments with the format of instructor training back in May. At that time, we had run the class as:
We have since tried the mixed mode twice with the trainees at three different sites (three universities in Arizona for one run, and universities in Cape Town, Sheffield, and Ann Arbor for the other). We've also gathered a lot of feedback on what people want from instructor training and what its prerequisites should be. Here's what we've learned....read more
At the beginning of June Rémi Emonet, Kwasi Kwakwa, and Chelsea Chisholm ran a workshop at CERN. Rémi has just posted a review. It went well, and there are a lot of good ideas in his write-up—from using a whiteboard for diagrams to the IPython Notebook's successor (Jupyter) and some semi-improvised intermediate material....read more
A recurring complaint about our lesson template is that it requires authors to commit generated HTML files to their repositories as well as their Markdown source files. This is necessary because we use Pandoc to convert Markdown to HTML, but GitHub will only run Jekyll.
There were a bunch of reasons for using Pandoc instead of Jekyll, but it is now clear that the simplicity of only committing Markdown—i.e., of using GitHub pages the way they're meant to be used—is more important. We have therefore created a prototype of a Jekyll-based template (which is rendered here). The most important changes are:...read more


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PHILADELPHIA — Barry Cofield wasn't heaping praise on himself or teammates along the Washington Redskins' defensive line Sunday after the 27-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Redskins allowed 411 yards, and the veteran nose tackle said he'll spend the week reminding guys of what needs to be better.
There's some tightening up the Redskins' defense could do, but by forcing two turnovers against the Eagles, the unit continued to establish its identity and ability to change games.
"That's the most important thing that we do as a defense. A lot of times we give up yards. We don't have, a lot of times, the horses to really shut a team down for 60 minutes sometimes," Cofield said. "But the big plays we make down the stretch, the turnovers we create, the offense capitalizes, that's what helps us get by."
What helped the Redskins get by Sunday was a monster game by Ryan Kerrigan and some opportunistic playmaking by Cofield, London Fletcher and rookie Richard Crawford.
Kerrigan chose the right time to come up with his first sack in more than a month, stripping Eagles quarterback Nick Foles of the ball on the final play of the first quarter. Philadelphia led 7-0 at the time and was driving, but when Crawford scooped up the ball along the sideline, momentum shifted.
"That's what we've been doing the past couple games, that's why we've been winning," Kerrigan said. "Especially today we got a couple turnovers, especially at key points."
Fletcher's interception, his third in as many games, came after Cofield tipped Foles' pass at the line. The veteran inside linebacker didn't miss his chance to make a difference.
It was the ninth interception by a linebacker this season, the most for the franchise since 1991, when the Redskins won the Super Bowl.
There may not be a Pro Bowl-caliber player on this defense, but the sum of its parts has been more than good enough to frustrate opponents.
"For Ryan to get those sacks, that had to be good coverage. And for London to get that interception, Barry had to tip the ball. It goes hand-in-hand," defensive lineman Kedric Golston said. "That's what it's all about. It doesn't really matter who makes the plays as long as the play is made. That's kind of the motto we've had all year, understanding that, you know what, as long as you win, everybody's doing good."
On a day that quarterback Robert Griffin III threw an interception that went off receiver Joshua Morgan's hands, it was crucial that the Redskins' defense force two turnovers. The offense turned them directly into 10 points.
Couple that with the fact that the Eagles had more first downs and a time-of-possession edge, and the importance of the turnovers was magnified.
"You've got to get turnovers to win in this league. They came up big when they had to. We had a few sacks, we had a few key turnovers and it's always the difference in winning and losing a game," coach Mike Shanahan said. "They did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game, but we took advantage of the turnovers."
It took big plays beyond the turnovers to get the job done against an Eagles team that came close to tying the score in the final seconds. Kerrigan provided the bulk of the pressure with his career-high two sacks.
He credited defensive coordinator Jim Haslett's game plan, but there was a smile on the young linebacker's face when talking about how he made a difference.


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Press release from PR Newswire
Johnson & Johnson to Host Analyst Conference Call on Third-Quarter Results
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Johnson & Johnson to Host Analyst Conference Call on Third-Quarter Results07:55 EDT Tuesday, September 18, 2012NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will host a conference call for investors at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, October 16th, to review third-quarter results. Dominic Caruso, Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer (effective Oct.1), and Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Joaquin Duato, Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, and Louise Mehrotra, Vice President, Investor Relations, will host the call.Investors and other interested parties may access the conference call in the following ways:At Johnson & Johnson's website: www.investor.jnj.com. This earnings webcast is optimized for mobile streaming on iOS devices such as iPhones, iPods, and iPads. A webcast and podcast replay will be available approximately two hours after the conference call concludes. By telephone: For both "listen-only" participants and those financial analysts who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is 877-616-4355. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is 706-758-9071. The conference ID number for all callers is 30006671. A replay of the conference call will be available beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. on October 16, 2012, and ending at approximately 12:00 a.m. on October 23, 2012. The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 855-859-2056. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 404-537-3406. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 30006671.About Johnson & JohnsonCaring for the world, one person at a time, inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. We embrace research and science - bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Our approximately 128,000 employees at more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.SOURCE Johnson & JohnsonFor further information: Media, Bill Price, +1-732-524-6623 or Al Wasilewski, +1-732-524-1130; Investors, Lesley Fishman, +1-732-524-3922, Stan Panasewicz, +1-732-524-2524, Louise Mehrotra, +1-732-524-6491 or Ellen Sipos, +1-732-524-3709


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Braun/Hogenberg: Cities of the Worldby Stephan Fussel
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Google Earth's ancestor: a snapshot of urban life, circa 1600
History's most opulent collection of town maps and illustrations
The complete reprint of all 363 color plates from Braun and Hogenberg's survey of town maps, city views, and plans of Europe, Africa, Asia and Central America, with dozens of unusual details, as well as selected extracts from the original text and an in-depth commentary. First published in Cologne 1572-1617.
More than four centuries after the first volume was originally published in Cologne, Braun and Hogenberg's magnificent collection of town map engravings, Civitates orbis terrarum, has been brought back to life with this reprint taken from a rare and superbly preserved original set of six volumes, belonging to the Historische Museum in Frankfurt. Produced between 1572 and 1617 - just before the extensive devastation wreaked by the Thirty Years' War - the work contains 564 plans, bird's-eye views, and map views of all major cities in Europe, plus important cities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Edited and annotated by theologian and publisher Georg Braun, and largely engraved by Franz Hogenberg, the Civitates was intended as a companion volume for Abraham Ortelius's 1570 world atlas, Theatrum orbis terrarum. Over a hundred different artists and cartographers contributed to the sumptuous artwork, which not only shows the towns but also features additional elements, such as figures in local dress, ships, ox-drawn carts, courtroom scenes, and topographical details, that help convey the situation, commercial power, and political importance of the towns they accompany.
The Civitates gives us a comprehensive view of urban life at the turn of the 17th century. This nice-price edition of our reprint includes all of the city plates, accompanied by selected extracts from Braun's texts on the history and contemporary significance of each urban center as well as translations of the Latin cartouches. A detailed commentary places each city map in its cartographical and cultural context, and examines earlier sources and later editions. Rounding off this comprehensive publication is a separate introductory essay examining the Civitates in its cultural and historical context. From Paris and London to Cairo and Jerusalem, readers will find many a familiar city to zoom back in time to and explore - in fact, many of the maps can still be used for orientation in historical town centers today.
The complete reprint of all 363 color plates from Braun and Hogenberg's survey of town maps, city views, and plans of Europe, Africa, Asia and Central America, with dozens of unusual details, as well as selected extracts from the original text and an in-depth commentary. First published in Cologne 1572-1617.
About the Author
Stephan Füssel is director of the Institute for Book Sciences at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, and holder of the Gutenberg Chair at the same university. He has published prolifically on the early days of printing, the sale and publication of books between the 18th and 20th centuries, and the future of communications.
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Improved flame retardance and smoke/heat reduction has been imparted to polyphenylene ethers by blending the polyphenylene ethers with organopolysiloxane fluids having a critical mole % range of chemically combined phenylsiloxane units.
1. A method for improving the flame retardance and reducing the peak smoke release rate and total smoke of a polyphenylene ether, which comprises blending the polyphenylene ether with 2-15 parts by weight of a phenylsiloxane fluid, per 100 parts of polyphenylene ether where the phenyl siloxane fluid has a molecular weight in the range of about 800-5,000 and consists essentially of dimethylsiloxy units of the formula
(CH3)2 SiO
condensed with phenylsiloxy units selected from the class consisting of diphenylsiloxy units of the formula
(CH6 H5)2 SiO
methylphenylsiloxy units of the formula
CH3 (C6 H5) SiO
and a mixture of diphenylsiloxy units and methylphenylsiloxy units, where there is present in the phenylsiloxane fluid from 20 to 40 mole % of diphenylsiloxy units or 40 to 80 mole % of methylphenylsiloxy units or 21 to 70 mole % of the sum of diphenylsiloxy units and methylphenylsiloxy units based on the total moles of condensed dimethylsiloxy units and phenylsiloxy units.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, where the polyphenylene ether is a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).
3. A method in accordance with claim 1, where the phenylsiloxane fluid has 20 to 40 mole % of diphenylsiloxy units.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1, where the phenylsiloxane fluid has 40 to 80 mole % of methylphenylsiloxy units.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/659,819, filed Feb. 25, 1991, now abandoned.
The present invention relates to a method of improving the thermal properties of polyphenylene ether, by blending the polyphenylene ether with a siloxane fluid having a critical mole % of chemically combined phenylsiloxane units. More particularly, the polyphenylene etherphenylsiloxane fluid blends provided by the method of the present invention, have been found to possess a reduction in both peak smoke release rate and total smoke when tested in accordance with ASTM E906-83.
Prior to the present invention, as shown by Haaf, U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,479, thermoplastic compositions are provided of polyorganosiloxane and polyphenylene ether having improved drop-weight impact resistance. Lovgren et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,446,090 and 4,487,858, show that high viscosity silicone fluids have been blended with thermoplastic polymers to produce flame retardant thermoplastic materials.
In copending application Ser. No. 07/455,122, filed Dec. 22, 1989, there is described thermoplastic flame retardant silicone-polyphenylene ether graft copolymers resulting from the oxidative coupling of certain phenylsiloxane macromers and 2,6-diorganophenol. It was found that in addition to being a flame retardant high performance thermoplastic, the silicone-polyphenylene ether graft copolymer also produced about a 30% by weight of intumescent residue upon termination of burning. The residue remaining after combustion is sometimes referred to as "char yield". Char yield can be measured by the burning of a 1/2" '3/4"�1/16th" molded sample of polymer after it has been placed 2 inches from a radiant heat panel having a 4.4 watts/cm2 heat flux. A desirable char is a char which intumesces or swells, since the char can provide an insulating layer between the heat of the flame and the substrate and behave as a mechanical shield to reduce smoke evolution.
The present invention is based on the discovery that a phenylsiloxane fluid having a critical mole % range of chemically combined diphenylsiloxy units, or methylphenylsiloxy units, or a mixture thereof, as defined below, can reduce the peak smoke release rate (PSRR) and total smoke (STOT) of polyphenylene ethers, if about 2-15 parts by weight of the phenylsiloxane fluid is incorporated into about 100 parts by weight of the polyphenylene ether. Suprisingly, it has been found that if a molded sample of the polyphenylene ether-phenylsiloxane blend is tested under appropriate conditions to measure its char yield as previously defined, the resulting char intumesces or swells forming a mechanical shield which serves as a thermal insulating barrier to reduce smoke evolution.
There is provided by the present invention, a method of reducing peak smoke release rate and total smoke of a polyphenylene ether, which comprises blending the polyphenylene ether with 2-15 parts by weight of a phenylsiloxane fluid, per 100 parts of polyphenylene ether, where the phenylsiloxane fluid has a molecular weight in the range of from about 800 to 100,000 and consists essentially of chemically combined units of the formula,
______________________________________(a) (C6 H5)2 SiO(b) CH3 (C6 H5)SiO(c) (CH3)2 SiO______________________________________
where there is present in the phenylsiloxane fluid from 20 to 40 mole % of (a), or 40 to 80 mole % of (b), or 21 to 79 mole of the sum of (a)+(b), based on the total moles of (a), (b), and (c).
Some of the polyphenylene ethers which can be used in the practice of the present invention have condensed units of the formula, ##STR1## wherein in each of said units independently, each Q1 is independently halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl (i.e. alkyl containing up to 7 carbon atoms), phenyl, haloalkyl, aminoalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy, or halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; and each Q2 is independently hydrogen, halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy or halohydrocarbonoxy as defined for Q1. Examples of suitable primary lower alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, n-amyl, isoamyl, 2-methylbutyl, n-hexyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl, 2-,3- or 4-methylpentyl and the corresponding heptyl groups. Examples of secondary lower alkyl groups are isopropyl, sec-butyl and 3-pentyl Preferably, and alkyl radicals are straight chain rather than branched. Most often, each Q1 is alkyl or phenyl, especially C1-4 alkyl, and each Q2 is hydrogen.
Both homopolymer and copolymer polyphenylene ethers are included. Suitable homopolymers are those containing, for example, 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether units. Suitable copolymers include random copolymers containing such units in combination with (for example) 2,3,6-trimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether units.
Also included are the coupled polyphenylene ethers in which the coupling agent is reacted in a known manner with the hydroxy groups of two polyphenylene ether chains to produce a higher molecular weight polymer containing the reaction product of the hydroxy groups and the coupling agent. Illustrative coupling agents are low molecular weight polycarbonates, quinones, heterocycles and formals.
The polyphenylene ethers generally have a number average molecular weight within the range of about 3,000-40,000 and weight average molecular weight within the range of about 20,000-80,000, as determined by gel permeation chromatography. Their intrinsic viscosities are most often in the range of about 0.35-0.6 dl/g, as measured in chloroform at 25� C.
The polyphenylene ethers are typically prepared by the oxidative coupling of at least one corresponding monohydroxyaromatic compound. Particularly useful and readily available monohydroxyaromatic compounds are 2,6-xylenol (wherein each Q1 is methyl and each Q2 is hydrogen), whereupon the polymer may be characterized as a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), and 2,3,6-trimethylphenol (wherein each Q1 and one Q2 is methyl and the other Q2 is hydrogen).
A variety of catalyst systems are known for the preparation of polyphenylene ethers by oxidative coupling There is no particular limitation as to catalyst choice and any of the known catalysts can be used. For the most part, they contain at least one heavy metal compound such as a copper, manganese or cobalt compound, usually in combination with various other materials.
A first class of preferred catalyst systems consists of those containing a copper compound. Such catalysts are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,306,874, 3,306,875, 3,914,266 and 4,028,341. They are usually combinations of cuprous or cupric ions, halide (i.e., chloride, bromide or iodide) ions.
Catalyst systems containing manganese compounds constitute a second preferred class. They are generally alkaline systems in which divalent manganese is combined with such anions as halide, alkoxide or phenoxide. Most often, the manganese is present as a complex with one or more complexing and/or chelating agents such as o-hydroxyaryl oximes and β-diketones. Also useful are known cobalt-containing catalyst systems.
The phenylsiloxane fluids can have a MW of up to 100,000 and preferably 800 to 5,000. These fluids can be blended with polyphenylene ether to make the flame retardant blends of the present invention. These phenylsiloxanes are well known materials and are shown in the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, Vol. 15, pages 258-264, John Wylie and Sons, New York (1989). For example, the phenylsiloxane fluids of the present invention can be made by initially equilibrating dimethyl silicone stock (hydrolysate or distilled cyclic compounds) and a source of chain terminator, such as a trimethylsiloxy unit. Siloxy units having phenyl substituents can be introduced as diphenylsiloxane or methylphenylsiloxane. In most instances, the equilibrated fluid is devolatilized by heat and vacuum after catalyst deactivation. Phenyl substitution, for example, methylphenylsiloxy units which are equilibrated into the dimethylsiloxane backbone, has been found to increase the thermal and oxidative stability of the resulting polydiorganosiloxane. Copolymers of dimethylsiloxane with some methylphenylsiloxane have been found to have lower pour points because the bulky groups interfere with crystallization of the methyl polymer.
The flame retardant blends of polyphenylene ether and phenylsiloxane fluids can be made by roller mixing or stirring the ingredients and thereafter melt extruding the blend to the moldable state. Compression molding of the ingredients also can be used.
If desired, inert filler materials, such as titanium dioxide, silica, glass fiber, silicon carbide whiskers, carbon fibers, clay, talc, mica and calcium carbonate can be incorporated with the polyphenylene ether and phenylsiloxane fluid during the initial blending process. The fillers can be utilized at from about 1 to 50 parts by weight of filler, per 100 parts of the polyphenylene ether/phenylsiloxane fluid blend.
In order that those skilled in the art will be better able to practice the present invention, the following examples are given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. All parts are by weight.
Blends of commercially available phenylsiloxanes and commercially available polyphenylene ether containing 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether units were made by directly adding the phenylsiloxane to predried polyphenylene ether powder in a sealed container. The mixture was roll-mixed for 1-2 hours with the aid of ceramic balls. The phenylsiloxane fluids which were used are shown in the following table, where "φ" is phenyl, "Me" is methyl, D is the average number of condensed diorganosiloxy units, "Term" are the terminal units and "TMS" is trimethylsiloxy,
TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________Phenyl-FluidSiloxaneStructures ViscFluid(est. mole ratio) (cs) <Mw > <Mn > D Term.__________________________________________________________________________1 100 φ2 1000-1400 1600 750 2.1 hydroxy2a40 φ2 :60 Me2 400-600 1600 400 4.2 TMS3 40 φ2 :60 Me2 350 600 400 1.5 TMS4 32 φ2 :68 Me2 32-60 1000 300 3.2 methoxy5 20 φ2 :80 Me2 190-200 1700 1000 1.7 TMS6 20 φ2 :80 Me2 170-250 -- -- -- TMS7 15 φ2 :85 Me2 60 650 100 6 hydroxy8 5 φ2 :95 Me2 100 8450 750 11.6 TMS9 5 φ2 :95 Me2 100 5700 1750 3.3 TMS10 100 φMe 500 2600 -- -- TMS11 90 φMe:10 Me2 500 2600 -- -- TMS12 50 φMe:50 Me2 125 2050 1100 1.9 TMS13 50 φMe:50 Me2 125 2150 1300 1.6 TMS__________________________________________________________________________ a equilibrate of 3
The blends of polyphenylene ether and phenylsiloxane were compression molded on a Carver press at 265�-270� C. for 1.5-2 min at 2 tons pressure immediately following roll-mixing. The resulting 2.5"�5"�1/16" plaques had a wide range of transparencies. The plaques were cut into five 0.5"�5"�1/16" bars for UL-94 testing. The bars were aged at room temperature for three days before testing.
The char yield for all samples was measured by placing a 1/2"�3/4"�1/16" (approximately 700 mg) specimen under a radiant heat panel (4.4 watts/cm2) and ignited after the sample was preheated for 20-30 seconds. The char volume was estimated by pushing the char through wire gauze shaped as a convex well (60 mm diameter, 30 mm deep) and placed atop a stainless steel beaker (60 mm, 65 mm deep) whereby the char was reduced to a size no larger than 1 mm2. The pre-weighed char was then poured into a volumetric centrifuge tube (10 ml) and centrifuged for 10 minutes. The volume was measured directly from the centrifuge tube and the volume per unit mass was calculated. The following results were obtained:
TABLE 2______________________________________Phenyl- Lev- CharSiloxane el Optical UL-94 Char Y Vb CharFluid (phr) Claritya (1/16") (%) (ml/g) Qualityc______________________________________None -- clear 7.6, V-1 30.6 4.5 A1 5 clear 4.4, V-0 33.0 4.0 A2 5 clear 2.7, V-0 29.0 21.1 B2 8 clear 2.1, V-0 25.7 24.1 B2 15 clear 1.5, V-0 25.6 17.0 B3 5 clear 5.1, V-1 32.2 ˜5 A4 10 transl. -- 28.1 21.5 B5 5 transl. 2.8, V-1 28.5 8.5 C6 5 transl. 1.8, V-0 27.2 14.8 C7 5 opaque 5.5, V-1 27.9 ˜5 A8 5 opaque 6.5, V-1 29.2 5.8 A9 5 opaque 5.8, V-1 30.6 ˜5 A10 5 clear 2.8, V-0 28.6 10.2 C11 5 clear 3.7, V-0 28.9 10.5 C12 5 transl. 2.5, V-0 28.4 19.5 B13 5 transl. 1.6, V-0 29.7 21.5 B______________________________________ a Determined visually; "clear" is transparent and "transl." is translucent. b Char volume is measured by method described above. c A = hard, small, and brittle char; B = voluminous and spongy char; C = moderately voluminous and spongy char.
The above results show that blends of phenylsiloxane and polyphenylene ether possess valuable flame retardant properties. In addition a range of 20 to 40 mole % of diphenylsiloxy units or 40-80 mole % of methyl phenyl siloxy units can provide a satisfactory voluminous and spongy char which can serve as a protective layer for the underlying substrate during burning.
Blends of some of the phenylsiloxanes of Table 2 and commercially available polyphenylene ether (0.46 IV.) containing 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether units were made by adding the phenylsiloxane to polyphenylene ether powder in a Henschel mixer. The mixture was rapidly stirred and then dried for 4 hours at 80� C. prior to extrusion.
The blends were extruded on a Welding Engineers 20 mm (W/E-20), counter-rotating, non-intermeshing, twin screw extruder. 6"�6"�1/16" OSU plaques were compression molded from extrudate using a Pasadena Hydrolics Inc. molder. Three plaques of each blend were tested in the horizontal configuration under a radiant heat load of 35 kW/m2 and continuous measurements of rates of heat and smoke release, including peak rates of heat and smoke release (PRHR, PSRR), and total heat and smoke release (HTOT, STOT) were collected over a 300 sec (5 min) period according to standard OSU protocol (ASTM E906-83) and the results are listed in Table 3. UL-94 (5"�1/2"�1/16") bars were injection molded from extrudate using a 28 ton Engel injection molding machine and the results are listed in Table 4.
UL-94 results from extruded/injection molded parts parallel those derived from roll mixing/compression molding.
TABLE 3__________________________________________________________________________ Level HTOT HTOT STOT STOTBlend (phr) PRHR 2 min 5 min PSRR 2 min 5 min__________________________________________________________________________None -- 321 � 12 230 � 25 444 � 16 691 � 57 473 � 52 644 � 482 5 136 � 11 81 � 16 346 � 20 336 � 67 160 � 32 371 � 493 5 263 � 26 140 � 15 435 � 10 552 � 41 307 � 20 583 � 234 5 102 � 9 71 � 16 327 � 32 247 � 55 127 � 22 373 � 295 5 141 � 14 86 � 7 355 � 8 363 � 93 171 � 30 436 � 259 5 200 � 8 120 � 50 419 � 27 544 � 56 288 � 121 593 � 3710 5 194 � 6 100 � 1 395 � 18 502 � 11 242 � 5 555 � 3413 5 117 � 11 59 � 15 252 � 14 292 � 84 90 � 25 205 � 19__________________________________________________________________________
TABLE 4__________________________________________________________________________Level Optical Ave. 1st Ave. 2nd Range Ave. FOT UL-94Additive(phr) Clarity Burn (sec) Burn (sec) (sec) (sec) Rating__________________________________________________________________________None -- Clear 5.42 12.62 4.4-22.6 9.0 V-12 5 Clear 1.92 1.00 0.8-2.6 1.5 V-03 5 Clear 5.24 6.80 2.5-14.1 6.0 V-14 5 Clear 2.26 1.76 0.9-3.1 2.0 V-05 5 Translucent 2.48 1.58 0.9-3.5 2.0 V-09* 5 Opaque -- -- -- -- --10 5 Clear 5.12 6.38 1.6-17.9 5.8 V-113 5 Clear 1.68 1.24 0.8-2.5 1.5 V-0__________________________________________________________________________ *Not injection moldable
The above results show that peak smoke release rate (PSRR) and total smoke (STOT) are clearly dependent on the type of phenylsiloxane used. The intumescing blends have significantly lower PSRR and STOT than non-intumescing materials. For example, 5phr blends, 2, 4, 5, and 13 have 47-64% lower PSRR compared to the PPO control versus only 20-27% decreases for the non-intumescent blends 3, 9, and 10. Additionally, STOT at 5 min for the intumescent blends 2, 4, 5, and 13 are between 32-68% less than the control whereas the non-intumescent blends 3, 9, and 10 have STOT only 8-14% less than the control
Although the above example is directed to only a few of the many variables which can be used in the practice of the present invention it should be understood that the present invention is directed to a much broader variety of polyphenylene ether and phenylsiloxane fluids as set forth in the description preceding this example.
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News Archive
October 3, 2006
John C. Mather and George F. Smoot were named the winners of 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics this morning for "their discovery of the blackbody form and anistotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation," work that is credited with advancing knowledge about the origin of galaxies and stars, and with supporting the Big Bang theory for the origin of the Universe.
October 2, 2006
Education Department's inspector general says Nelnet inappropriately "recycled" loans at 9.5% interest rate.
October 2, 2006
Colleges and their employees both paid more for health insurance in the last year.
October 2, 2006
Sierra Nevada may continue as a nonprofit liberal arts college -- through a deal with Michael Milken's education company.
October 2, 2006
Daytona Beach Community College gives its employees a 5 percent average raise after enrollment jump this fall.
October 2, 2006
By requiring student contribution, Oregon aims to expand college grants for low-income students without alienating middle class.
October 2, 2006
The Nobel Prize in Medicine for 2006 will go to Andrew Z. Fire, a professor of pathology and genetics at Stanford University, and Craig C. Mello, a professor of molecular medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in Worcester.
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