text:
|Número de publicación
|Tipo de publicación
|Fecha de publicación
|5 Ago 1975
|Fecha de presentación
|7 Mar 1973
|Fecha de prioridad
|9 Mar 1972
|También publicado como
|Número de publicación
|Leroy S Baker, Gerald Wayne Beene, Frank L Simokat
|Cesionario original
|Superior Continental Corp
|Exportar cita
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Citas de patentes (4), Citada por (2), Clasificaciones (8)
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesión de USPTO, Espacenet
United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,898,391
Schwarzer, et al. 1 Aug. 5, 1975 54 TW() STA(;E TIMEDIVISION 3.492.430 1/1970 Vigliante ..179/15AT MULTIPLEX TELEPHONE SYSTEM 3.401.235 9/l968 Corbin ..l79/l5AT 3.311.705 3/l967 Corre l79/l5AT 3.280.265 10/1966 Von Sanden ..l79/15AT [75] lnvemorc l g f g Fiankfurt 3,275,749 9/1966 Kunihiro ..179/15AT am 'f 2.877.304 3/1959 Hagenhaus ..179/15AT Johannes-Georg Schosnig, Frankfurt am Mallh Germany Primary Examiner-Kathleen H. Claffy Assistant Exuminer-Thomas DAmico [73] Assigneez Telefonbau und Normalzeit Attorney. Agent Firm ErWin s G.m.b. H., Frankfurt am Mam. Germany [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Mar. 7, 1973 An improved two-stage time division multiplex system or telephone exchange adapted for four-wire operation. The line terminals are sub-divided according to their functions into groups, each group having, and Mar. 9. 1972 Germany ..P 22 11400.7 being comtolled its group connection Store' The incoming and outgoing hues of each group are connected to separate buses or highways, and the [21 I Appl. No.: 338,779
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [521 vs. c1 ..179/15 AT; 179/18 J buses or highways of each group y be intercon- 511 1111.0 ..H04J 3 00 hected y gates 9r Coupling points The buses or highways connected to the outgoing lines of all [58] Field of Search 179/15AT. 15A. 15A groups y be connected y gates of Controllable 79 5 5 181 coupling points to the buses or highways to which the incoming lines are connected. The last mentioned l l References Cite coupling points are under the control of bus con- UNITED STATES PATENTS nection stores. Both the group connection stores and the bus connection stores are under the control 3.694.580 9/1972 111656 ..179/15AT a central programmed Computer having a central 3.597.544 3/1971 Kennedy 179/2DP or computer store.
1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures A-KS (first coupling (secorsd coupling stage) 51 stage f B-SSI TN inter-bus (group of subscrib (8-552 l Q0 5 stationes) Q ves2 BKP 3 roup onnection zhhh VSP-SS storage control storage control ZBK P cgnnection (supervisory channel) K K 5 ores PATENTEB 51975 3,898,391
SllEEl 1 OF 4 FlG.l
subscriber terminal equipment (group of subscriber stations) (first coupling stage) TNG subscriber TSS WR WS SS selection E} W( A-KS register AT 1 dial t t register s a e scanner l: I SL6 (special lines group) second tie line tie lines repeater $5 coupling N ,-Q-U v stage Ll A-KS PBX line NAL-Ue line circuit AT J state scanner PBXlines central control (special group) SS Computer station Q SR line circuV BP I switchboard L BPS line circuit KSt (supervisory channel central channel control PATENTEU 5W5 898,391
A-KS B-KS (first coupling (secon)d Coupling stage) 31 stage 65 d f B-SS'! inter-bus TN l BKP gates (group of subscriber stationes) A-SS2 v) group I connection store K K/ VSP-SS storage Jf control storage control L ZBK bus P" cgnnectlon s (Supervisory channel) K K ores PATEHTED AUG amplitude sample transmitter APS'l Siiii 3 SF 4 FIG.3
V651 (group switching device) 65R J voice bus BKP1 voice bus ves2 Q APE2 I amplitude sample receiver amplitude sample transmitter APS3 (group switching BKP3 inter-bus gate BKP gate
V653 (group switching device) -BKP6 V684 inter-bus (group switching gate device) 5 inter-bus gate amplitude sample receiver I PGS(interface) register KKSt KK i (channel head) J AK(output channel) (input channel) BAL(block address channel lines) StL (control lines) ZBK A channel head register V (supervisory channel) An St selector 000cc dd I (channel control) l l register J l l l Reg KSt AnPE conversion device SR5 (interface) TWO-STAGE TIME-DIVISION MULTIPLEX TELEPHONE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In prior art time-division multiplex telephone systems the number of connections which may be established and maintained simultaneously over one single bus or highway is limited by the electrical properties of the bus or highway, and the switching speed of the connection means to a number in the order of about 100. Since there is often a need for establishing and maintaining a larger number of simultaneous connections, it is necessary to expand time-division multiplex systems in such a way as to cope with high traffic density requirements. As long as multiplexing is effected in but one stage, the number of coupling points must be increased,
resulting in systems having a plurality of buses or I highways instead of but one. In view of the limitations and drawbacks of such systems it is generally more desirable to resort to multi-stage time-division multiplex systems.
One prior art multistage time-division multiplex system is limited to two-wire operation, and cannot Y readily be adapted for four-wire operation.
The Highgate Wood experimental electronic telephone exchange system installed in North London, England, lends itself to four-wire operation, and has means for multi-stage time-division multiplexing. In that system the external lines are arranged in groups and all the lines in one group are connected by gates to a pair of group highways or buses, one for each direction of transmission. Each pair of group highways or group buses can be interconnected by an inter-group gate, or inter-group coupling point. In other words, the in-highway and the out-highway of each group can be connected by an inter-group gate, or inter-group coupling point. The invention relates to a greatly improved version of the aforementioned experimental system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One concept underlying the present invention is to effect the control of groups of peripheral devices such as groups of subscriber terminals, groups ofAL- QL, and NAL lines, and groups of switchboards and data transmission terminals preponderatly by peripheral devices, and to assign only control operations of a higher order to a programmed digital computer in the central exchange.
According to this invention the external lines are arranged in groups depending upon function, i.e. subscriber station groups, special line groups and special groups. Each of these groups is provided with, and operatively related to, a group connection store. A bus connection store is provided for, and operatively related to, each in-bus (or in-highway) or out-bus (or out-highway) of each group. The bus connection store connects the various out-buses and in-buses ofthe particular groups by means ofcoupling points with other in-buses and out-buses. The aforementioned group connection stores as well as the aforementioned bus connection stores are controlled over a particular channel system by a central digital computer, or by a corresponding programmable centrally located system.
In telephone systems embodying the present invention the aforementioned functional terminal or line groups form separate units which require but a relatively limited number of lines for their connection to the centrally located coupling stage and the centrally located system control. This is of particular importance in instances of time-division multiplex systems which extend over large areas.
Another desirable feature of systems embodying the present invention resides in the fact that the pulse density in the long buses or highways and in the central coupling stage is but half as large as in the remote spatially concentrated terminal groups.
Still another desirable feature of systems embodying the present invention resides in the fact that the central control computer has but decision making functions all effectuating functions being carried out outside in decentralized equipment.
Systems embodying the present invention are particularly applicable in instances where flexibility is of the essence, and further expansion thereof is contemplated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EM BODI MENT Referring now to FIG. 1, reference character A- KS has been applied to indicate the "first coupling stage and reference character B-KS has been applied to indicate the second coupling stage of a timemultiplex system having two stages. The first coupling stage A-KS includes several groups as, for instance, groups TNG of subscriber stations, special line groups SLG and special groups SNG. FIG. 1 shows by way of example but one of each of the aforementioned groups. The groups TNG of subscriber stations, of which there may be many, depending upon the system under consideration, serve the purpose of connecting subscriber stations TSS by the intermediary of subscriber terminal equipment TS to the coupling stage A-KS. The individual voice channels extend from the subscriber stations TSS to the coupling stage A-KS. but the state of the subscriber stations TSS (e.g. idle or busy) is determined by a state scanner AT and a corresponding signal is transmitted by way of the state and control signal transmission path ZBK and channel control KSt for said path to the centrally located digital control computer SR. The latter transmits control signals by the intermediary of the state and control signal transmission path to the coupling stages A-KS and B-KS. Both coupling stages A-KS and B-KS are interconnected by the voice buses SS, and establish the desired new connections on the basis of the control Signals being received by them.
Reference character WR has been applied to indicate a dial register which receives and stores dialed information and transmits the same by the intervmediary of the dialed information circuitry WS to the coupling stage A-KS.
In a similar fashion special lines groups SLG are connected to the coupling stage A-KS. The special lines groups SLG include leased tie lines, and extension station or PBX lines NAL-Ue, respectively. Reference character Q Ue has been applied to indicate a leased tie line repeater for connecting a leased tie line, to coupling A-KS. As a general rule the density of traffic in the lines pertaining to groups SLG is larger and the number of such connections is smaller than those ingroups TNG of subscriber stations. I
The special groups SNG include switchboards BP and special telecommunication devices as, for instance, conference call devices, data stations DS or picture phone stations which are connected by the intermediary of appropriate intermediary circuitry BPS and D85 to thecoupling stage A-KS.
All coupling stages A-KS are alike, except that special groups SNG call for wide band transmission.
Referring now to FIG. 2, coupling stages A-KS and B-KS are shown therein in greater detail. The subscriber station TS is connected by four-wire lines to voice buses A-SSl and A-SSZ by the intermediary of amplitude sample transmitters APS and amplitude sample receivers APE. There are connections whose origin and termination pertain to the same group. In order to establish such connections voice buses A-SSl and A-SS2 may be interconnected by the group switching device GS. Establishing connections between different groups of lines involves the coupling stage B-KS. To this end the voice buses A-SSl and A-SS2 may be interconnected by group connection switching devices VGSl and VGS2 with corresponding voice buses B-SSl and B-SS2, respectively. Reference character BKP has been applied to indicate switching devices for connecting the aforementioned busesB-SSI and B-SS2 of the coupling stage B- KS shown in FIG. 2 with the corresponding buses of coupling stage B-KS of other groups of lines which are not shown in FIG. 2. The coupling stage B-KS shown in FIG. 2 is structured in such a way that the transmitting voice buses of one groupe.g. buses 3-851 and 3-582 of a group TNG of subscriber stations-can be connected to the receiving voice buses of all other groups by the intermediary of one of a plurality of switching devices BKP.
APS, the control of the amplitude sample receiver APE, the control of the group switching device GS and that of the group connection switching devices V081 and VGSZ is effected by means of the storage control system Sp-St and group connection storage device VSP-G. The control of coupling points BKP is effected by bus connection storeVS PeSS.
Referring now to FIG. 3 it will be explained more in detail in connection with that figure how a connection is established between terminal stations pertaining to the same group and how a connection is established between terminal stations pertaining to different groups. FIG. 3 shows portions ofa coupling stage A-KS and of a coupling stage B-KS shown more in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described inconnection with these two figures. The system shown is one without change of phase, i.e. a certain fixed phase within a larger interval of time is assigned to a givenconnection during which phase information is transmitted in either of both directions. Considering connections between the same group, the two signals are transmitted sequentially over 'the same message path. On the other hand, considering connections between two different groups, in that instance parallel transmission is effected via two different message paths. This will be explained below in more detail. 7
Assuming that it is intended to interconnect two lines U, and U pertaining to the same group U. The fixed phase or interval of time assigned to this specific connection is subdivided into two parts. During the first part of the aforementioned phase or interval of time information is transmitted from line ,U, by the intermediary of amplitude sample transmitter APSl, the group-switching device 681, the amplitude sample receiver APE2 to, the line U During the second part of the aforementioned phase or interval of time information is transmitted from line U2 by the intermediary'of amplitude sample transmitter APSI, the group switching device G81, and the amplitude sample receiver APEl to the line U,. It is thus apparent that two amplitude samples are transmitted within one complete phase or interval of time as, for instance, by the intermediary of group switching device 081.
Considering now the case of establishing a connection between lines U, and V, which pertain to different groups In that instance information is. transmitted in another fashion than in the instance which has been considered above. In the case or instance of a connection between lines U, and V, pertaining to different groups information is transmitted within 'the same phase or interval of time fromline U,
by the intermediary of amplitude sample transmitter APSl, the group connection switching device VGSI, the coupling point BKPS, the group connection switching device V054 and the amplitude sample receiver APE3 to line Vl, while information is transmitted from lines V, by the intermediary of amplitude sample transmitter APS3, the group. connection switching device VGS3, the coupling point BKP2, the group connection switching device V652 and the amplitude sample .receiver APSI to line U,.
It will be apparent from the abovethat the pulse density along all elements forming the communication channel is only half of the pulse density which prevails when lines are interconnected which pertain to the same group. Since the length of a communication channel established between two different groups is generally longer than the length of an intragroup communication channel. this tends to result in undesirable secondary effects which can be avoided by increasing the spacing between pulses.
As shown in FIG. 1 the coupling stages A-KS and B-KS are connected to the central control computer SR by the intermediary of the state and control channel ZBK and the channel control KSt. The adaptation of the peripheral devices to the aforementioned channel is effected by channel heads KK. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 andwill be described below more in detail.
The state and control channel ZBK includes an input channel EK for serially transmitting information regarding states in central direction. an output channel AK for serially transmitting control signals in a direction opposite to said central direction. block address lines BAL for selecting individual channel heads KK and control lines StL for controlling transmission conditions. The channel heads KK and the channel control KSt include registers Reg.KSt and Reg.KK. respectively. for storing signals relating to state and supervisory control. Writing into the aforementioned registers and readout thereof. respectively. is effected in channel heads KK by means of peripheral devices such as. for instance. the group connection storage device VSP-G (FIG. 2). by the intermediary of parallel interface device PGS. On the other hand. the transmission between channel heads KK and the centrally arranged channel control KSt is effected serially. The output process is initiated by the central control computer SR. The output control or supervisory signal is transmitted through interface device SRS to channel control KSt. That signal includes a control or supervisory code signal proper. transmitted by conversion device AnPE to the register Reg. KSt and the address of the channel head intended to be reached. The term conversion device as used in this context is intended to refer to means for modifying in one way or another information transmitted to. or from. the central control computer. Such a conversion may consist in a change of speed. a series to parallel conversion or of a change of coding. The address of the channel head intended to be reached is initially received by block address register BL Reg. and is transmitted from there by block address line BAL to the respective channel head KK. The selector AnSt and the control lines StL initiate the transmission process by which the content of register Reg.KSt is transmitted serially by means of output channel AK to the register Reg.KK of the selected channel head KK. Said content is then transmitted in parallel by way of the interface device PGS to the device to be controlled. The input is effected in a similar fashion. Since the address of the channel head KK which is in a state of readiness is initially not known to the channel control KSt. a scanning process is initiated involving a step-by-step change of the address register BL Reg. until a change of state is noted by input channel EK. Only then is this signal serially transmitted to the channel control KSt and placed into the control computer SR. jointly with the address ofthe corresponding channel head.
As is apparent from the above the object of the channel system-Le. the individual channel heads KK. the state signal and the control signal communication channel ZBK and the channel control KSt is to transmit state indicating signals and control or supervisory signals between the periphery of the system and itscentral unit. This may be further illustrated by the following example.
When an idle subscriber goes off-hook. the scanning device AT of the group of subscriber stations to which the particular subscriber belongs senses the change of state from idle to busy. This change of state signal is combined with a tag signal indicating whether the calling subscriber station is a conventional dialing station. a key dialing station, a data transmitting and receiving station, a picture telephone station. etc., to a unitary message and transmitted to the central unit by way of a channel head KK, a signal channel and channel control KSt. The message is processed in the central control unit. To this end a clear or empty line is seized and reserved in the central call record. Further a search is made for a clear line in the selection register WR. As a result of the operations in the central unit, a supervisory order for the respective group of subscribers is assembled. This supervisory order transmitted to connection storage VSP-G by the channel system includes the number of the connection line in the connection storage VSP-G to be seized, the number of the subscriber station TSS. the number of the selection register WR and a control signal for processing the call. The number of the subscriber station. the number of the selection register and the control signal are recorded in the addressed line of the storage control system Sp-St. In the instant case the above referred-to control signal results in that the transmission end of the subscriber station is periodically connected to the selection register WR. and that its receiving end is supplied with a dialing tone.
The operational task of the central unit is completed when it has assembled the supervisory order. The operational task of the channel control KSt is terminated when it transmits the supervisory order to the channel head KK. The latter is freed or idled when the storage control system Sp-St has received the order. Finally. the operational task of the storage control system Sp-St is completed when a record is placed in the particular storage line of the storage control system. This mode of independent operation of the central unit. the channel control KSt, the the channel heads RR and the peripheral storage control units Sp-St makes it possible to optimize the distribution of the load, and to achieve a reasonable balance among the various speeds of operation.
The central control computer RS may be either a general purpose computer or a special purpose computer with programmed control and central storage or memory.
I claim as my invention:
1. A two stage time-division multiplex telephone system including a. external lines connecting amplitude sample transmitters (ASP) and amplitude sample receivers (APE) with first stage outgoing and incoming buses (A-SSl, A-SS2). said external lines being arranged in equal function groups 7 a V (TNG, SLG. SNG), and external lines pertaining to the same of said equal function groups being connected to a pair of said first stage outgoing and incoming buses;
' first coupling points (GS) each for interconpairs of second stage outgoing and incoming buses (8-881, 8-552);
. pairs of group switching devices (VCiSl), VGS2),
each pair of said pairs of group switching devices being interposed between a pair of said first stage outgoing and incoming buses (A-SSl;
A-SS2), and a pair of said second stage outgoing and incoming buses (BSS1, 8-582), and said pairs of group switching devices (V081, V052) being under the controlof said group connection stores (VSP-G);
. a plurality of pairs of second coupling points (BKPI, BKP2, BKP3, each of said plurality of pairs of second coupling 'points being arranged to interconnect a pair of said second stage outgoing and incoming buses (8-851, 8-882) and being under the control of one of a plurality of bus connection stores (VSP-SS) to establish four wire connections between pairs of said externallines of different of said equal function groups (TNG, SLG, SNG); and
.a channel system transmitting control data connectingsaid group'connection stores (VSP- G) and said bus connection stores (VSP-SS) to a central programmed control computer (SR).
|Patente citada
|Fecha de presentación
|Fecha de publicación
|29 Jun 1961
|18 Ago 1964
|Gen Electric
|A. c. static switching circuits
|23 Ago 1963
|13 Dic 1966
|Stromberg Carlson Corp
|Signaling system
|18 Ago 1969
|7 Sep 1971
|Northern Electric Co
|Method and means for ringing a telephone subset
|12 Abr 1971
|29 Ago 1972
|Stromberg Carlson Corp
|Stored energy signalling circuit
|Patente citante
|Fecha de presentación
|Fecha de publicación
|14 May 1976
|21 Feb 1978
|International Telephone And Telegraph Corporation
|Line signalling over common highway for telecommunications system
|2 Ene 1981
|12 Jul 1983
|T-Bar Incorporated
|Transfer bus matrix
|Clasificación de EE.UU.
|370/380, 370/388
|Clasificación internacional
|Clasificación cooperativa
|Clasificación europea


text:
LOGOS Kids Program
Additional Information
LOGOS Kids is a midweek children's ministry program that is focused on bringing kids closer to God. This is done through intentional Bible teaching that gives kids a hands-on opportunity to experience the Word through worship, prayer, mission, fellowship, and fun!
Registration is available online at first4god.com
For any questions, please call 660-826-5300.
LOGOS Kids is held every Wednesday evening from 5-7pm, at First Christian Church in Sedalia. The program is open for children age 4 – 5th grade.
First Christian Church is located at 200 South Limit.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Stand out among your peers by earning a graduate-level professional sales management certificate—one of only a handful in the nation and the only one in Indiana.
You will be learning from experienced Miller College of Business faculty who keep their industry and sales skills sharp through their current work in consulting, outreach, and research in selling, sales management, and sales technology. Plus, the college has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)—considered the gold standard among accreditations available for business schools.
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You can take these courses online or on our main campus.


text:
GREEN BAY- Since Judge Barbara Crabb issued a stay on her same-sex marriage ruling Friday, local same-sex couples are basically in a holding pattern: waiting and wondering what will happen next.
County clerks have also been caught in the middle of the confusion.
Lisa and Berri West have had a big week.
The first same sex couple in Brown County to marry on Monday. On Wednesday, the first same-sex married couple to give birth to a child in Brown County..
"Crazy but exciting. Two of the best life events that you could possibly have happen within a matter of days of each other," said Berri West.
Now that Judge Barbara Crabb issued a stay on same-sex marriage licenses, the Wests and County Clerks aren't sure what will happen to the marriage licenses issued this week.
"There are those people who have been issued licenses but haven't been able to get married yet , you know, will they be allowed to get married and file their records? There are people who already did get married and have filed their records," said Brown County Clerk Sandy Juno.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen issued a statement saying he was pleased with Judge Crabb issuing the stay.
He said: "Wisconsin's law regarding same-sex marriage remains in full force and effect. The state and all of its agencies and subdivisions must follow and enforce Wisconsin's marriage law."
The conservative group Wisconsin Family Action issued a statement frustrated with Crabb's decision.
It said: "That ruling unilaterally declared Wisconsin's Marriage Protection Amendment unconstitutional, thus trouncing on the votes of over 1.6 million Wisconsin citizens who approved the amendment in November 2006."
As for the Wests: They had hoped their marriage would give them both full parental rights of their daughter Silas and their son Jasper.
"Essentially right now I was told that there wasn't a clear way to handle the birth certificate even though we are legally married. I still have to file as single on the birth certificate and not put Lisa down as the other parent just because there is no clarification yet on how to handle that through the state's eyes," said Berri West.
The Wests say they have been in touch with the American Civil Liberties Union and are considering further legal action.
County clerks hope to have more instructions from the state on Monday.
They want to know the legal status of couples who have been married, or have filed for same-sex marriage licenses.


text:
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
Markham, Ontario
45 Stop Two-Manual Heritage™ H-II 45D Organ
Click here to see this organ as an Organ of the Week
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church selected true pipe-organ sound in their new 70th Anniversary Heritage H-II 45D instrument. The Heritage is a beautifully designed console based on the Quantum™ Q285D digital instrument with 7 stop lists easily accessed from an on-board library that offers the organist a wide palette of pipe-organ sound: Classic Allen, Aeolian-Skinner, Arp Schnitger, Schlicker, English Cathedral, Cavaillé-Coll and Orchestral. This level of detail and artistic flexibility means that well over 500 years of organ repertoire and organ building can be credibly represented and performed on this instrument. With its 12 audio channels, the exceptional clarity of every musical nuance is a truly wonderful experience to play and to hear.
Glionna Mansell Corporation President and Artistic Director, Gordon Mansell, also music director and organist at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Toronto states: "The Heritage version of the Q285D is an impressive instrument and the very finest of Allen's two-manual instruments. The quality of construction and of sound redefines the state-of-the-art in organ building." Allen organs are built to satisfy the congregation--and with moving mechanical drawknobs, this instrument is also designed with the organist in mind.


text:
All quotes tagged Counselor
(35 quotes found)
"Our squad members are getting access to trauma and grief counselors. It's becoming a very difficult task."
"My mind is my therapist; my conscience is my lawyer; my body is my personal trainer; my soul is my counselor."
"Some people never seems to amaze me. They validate their own insecurities to degrade someone else character."
"I definitely can't take all the credit for it. Other counselors, especially Fred Williams, helped put Kim on the right track and gave her encouragement and support. She's an example of why we do what we do. She is a success story in all aspects of vocational rehabilitation services."


text:
Welcome to my store! This is the place to find all of the prints I've published myself since 2001. Also, there are a number of prints that Wild Wings published in the 90's that are still available-check out www.wildwings.com. If you buy one of my "Signed and Numbered" prints there is NO shipping charge. All of my other prints have a modest postal fee-and we check everything before the charges are called in, so if this web store charges too much (which happens when you buy multiple prints) we manually fix it. All the prints are shipped flat, so they don't have that annoying curl to the paper. If something doesn't work correctly PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ON THE PHONE! 608-335-7004. You can also order over the phone using your credit card (or by sending a check) and skip the whole online shopping cart-you can even visit my home gallery to make a purchase. If you are interested in buying an original painting, please visit the Plus One Gallery (London). Thanks so much for shopping for my artwork! Steven Kozar
(Smaller) Open edition, signed prints (43)
- Signed, but not numbered, giclee prints. Printed with archival (fade-proof) inks. These prints are a great value, with many images to choose from; plus they make great gifts.
(Larger) Limited-Edition Signed and Numbered Prints (34)
- Highest-quality signed and numbered giclee prints on 100% cotton paper, printed with archival (fade-proof) ink. If you aren't buying an original painting, this is the next best thing. SHIPPING IS FREE on these prints.


text:
Perhaps, in life, people shouldn't be divided between the useful, who will help you achieve your desired pleasure or ambition, and the rest, who need to be tossed aside or derided for their inadequacy. Perhaps the division shouldn't be between the knowing in-group and the rest of the world, the promising and the unpromising, the interesting and the passé. Maybe there are just people, muddled and misguided, frequently wicked, yearning for something good, worthy of politeness and respect, even when their wits are cluttered, or they are stuck in a rut, or whatever.
What is the sine qua non of civil interaction, of affability? Benevolence and civility. What are the vices that offend against these necessities? Irony, malice, rudeness, narcissism. What does one get from immersing oneself in a culture without civility or benevolence? One becomes uncivil; one loses the ability to distinguish between acts of malice, indifference, and friendship. If one can maintain an affable demeanor in such a milieu, that is heroic virtue. But for the rest of us, we should remember the words of the psalmist:
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the impious,
or stand in the path of sinners,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but his will is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates by day and by night.
The distinction among men that should be drawn is the distinction between those whose company we can keep without traveling in consilio impiorum, and everyone else. Whatever other wickednesses there may be, whatever other virtues we may desire, civility and benevolence are at the foundation—if these are absent, whatever other goods we pursue will fail.


text:
Ocilla Police Department
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the address of the Ocilla Police Department?
A. The Ocilla Police Department is located at 401 South Cherry Street
Mailing address:
Ocilla Police Department
401 South Cherry Street
Ocilla, GA 31774
229-468-7534 Fax
Q. Where will I report for court on a citation written by the Ocilla Police Department?
A. The Municipal Court of Ocilla is at 111 North Irwin Ave.
Q. How do I pay a citation (ticket) issued by the Ocilla Police Department?
A. When the Ocilla Police Department issues a traffic citation, there are several ways of resolving the citation. If the person who received the citation does not wish to contest the citation, then a cash bond may be mailed to the Ocilla Municipal Court at 111 North Irwin Ave. The cash bond must be received on or before the assigned court date. If the cash bond is received on or before the assigned court date on the citation, no further action on the citation is necessary.
If the person receiving the citation desires to contest the citation or discuss the matter with the judge, they must appear on the assigned court date. If the citation is not paid on or before the assigned court date, and the person fails to appear in court, then the court will report the failure to appear to the state issuing the driver's license or a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest. If this notice is sent to the state, a person's driver's license or privilege to drive in this state could be suspended. Additional court cost will be added to the fine if you fail to appear in court as scheduled. If you elect to appear in court, be prepared to pay your fine if the court finds you guilty of the offense.
Q. How do I know how much the fine will be?
A. The Municipal Court sets Bond or fine amounts. Information about the amount of bond required for your violation may be obtained by calling 229-468-3438. All fines must be paid in cash, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks must be given prior approval.
Q. How do I file a police report?
A. If your situation is an EMERGENCY, immediately dial 911 and an officer will be dispatched. A non-emergency report should be made to 229-468-7494 if the incident occurred in the City of Ocilla. Reports can be made by having an officer come to you, or by you coming to the police department.
Q. How do I get a copy of a police report?
A. Incident and accident reports are available from the Records Department, located at the Ocilla Police Department 400 South Irwin Ave., Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Q. How do I obtain a release if my vehicle was impounded?
A. If it is necessary to impound a person's vehicle, the officer will normally provide the name of the wrecker service which towed the vehicle. The officer who had the vehicle towed will explain any special conditions, which must be met for release of the vehicle.
Normally you must show:
1. a valid drivers license
2. a valid insurance card or other proof of insurance
3. Proof of ownership such as a title, tag receipt or notarized bill of sale.
(Note) If there is a hold on the vehicle, it will not be released until you speak with the officer or department who placed the hold.
Q. Where do I apply for a Georgia Driver's License?
A. You may obtain a Georgia driver's license from any Georgia State Patrol post. The closest posts are in Douglas and Tifton.
Q. Where do I get a driver's handbook?
A. You may obtain a driver's handbook from any Georgia State Patrol post or at the Ocilla Police Dept.
Q. I just moved here from another state, how long do I have to obtain a Georgia Driver's License?
A. Any person who is a resident of this state for 30 days shall obtain a Georgia Driver's License before operating a motor vehicle in this state. (O.C.G.A. 40-5-20)
Q. How does my child take an Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program course?
A. A.D.A.P. (Alcohol & Drug Awareness Program) is normally taught in the school systems throughout Georgia. In most cases, it is taught in the 9th grade in conjunction with the Health class. Students that expect to get their driver's license prior to age 18 must successfully complete this four-hour program. For students that do not receive this course through their school system, the course is offered statewide at different locations each month throughout the year. This is known as the A.D.A.P. makeup. The dates and times vary from place to place and from month to month. To obtain information about the nearest A.D.A.P. makeup you can call 1-800-245-4410, or visit the web site: www.ganet.org/dps.
Q. Where can I renew my commercial driver's license?
A. You can renew your commercial driver's license at any driver's license office. However, if you need to obtain a commercial driver's license, you will need to complete this procedure at a Georgia State Patrol post.
Q. I have just moved to Georgia from another state. What documents will I need to obtain a Georgia Driver's License?
A. This information may be obtained from the Georgia Department of Public Safety by contacting any Georgia State Patrol Post, or visit the web site: www.ganet.org/dps.
Q. I am a new resident. How long do I have before I am required to purchase a Georgia License Plate?
A. Any person owning or operating a motor vehicle on any public street or highway shall register his or her vehicle within 30 days after becoming a resident of Georgia. (O.C.G.A. 40-2-8)
Q. Does Georgia require a special license for a motorcycle?
A. Yes. A person operating a motorcycle in the state of Georgia must have a class "M" license.
Q. Does Georgia require motorcycle operators to wear a helmet?
A. Yes.
Q. Is it unlawful to ride in the back of a truck?
A. It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 18 to ride as a passenger in the uncovered bed of a pickup truck on any interstate highway in this state. (O.C.G.A. 40-8-79)
Q. What is the law in Georgia concerning Child Safety Seats?
A. Every driver who transports a child four years of age or younger in a passenger automobile, van, or pickup truck, other than a taxicab as defined by O.C.G.A. 40-9-101 or a public transit vehicle as defined by O.C.G.A. 16-5-20, shall while such motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a public road, street, or highway of this state, provide for the protection of such child in a child passenger restraining system approved by the U.S.D.O.T. under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
Q. What is the law in Georgia concerning safety belts?
A. The driver and each occupant of the front seat of a passenger vehicle shall, while such passenger vehicle is being operated on a public road, street or highway of this state, be restrained by a seat safety belt approved under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. Provided that the term "passenger vehicle" includes pickup trucks for any occupant who is under 18 years of age. Each minor over four years of age who is an occupant of a passenger vehicle shall, while such passenger vehicle is being operated on a public road, street, or highway of this state, be restrained by a seat safety belt approved under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208.
Q. What is the Georgia Law concerning the purchase of alcoholic beverages?
A. No person knowingly, directly or through another person, shall furnish, cause to be furnished, or permit any person in such person's employ to furnish any alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age; No person under 21 years of age shall purchase, attempt to purchase, or knowingly possess any alcoholic beverages; No person under 21 years of age shall misrepresent such person's age in any manner whatever for the purpose of obtaining illegally any alcoholic beverage; No person knowingly or intentionally shall act as an agent to purchase or acquire any alcoholic beverage for or on behalf of a person under 21 years of age; or No person under 21 years of age shall misrepresent his or her identity or use any false identification for the purpose of purchasing or obtaining any alcoholic beverage. O.C.G.A. 3-3-23.
Q. What is the Georgia Law regulating the sales and serving of alcoholic beverages?
A. No person shall allow or require a person in his employment under 18 years of age to dispense, serve, sell or take orders for any alcoholic beverages. This Code section shall not prohibit persons under 18 years of age who are employed in supermarkets, convenience stores, breweries, or drugstores from selling or handling alcoholic beverages which are sold for consumption off the premises. (O.C.G.A. 3-3-24)
Q. What can I do about a vehicle, which has been abandoned, on my property?
A. The Ocilla Police Department can only tow abandoned vehicles from public property. If you have an abandoned vehicle on your property, you should make a reasonable attempt to contact the owner. If you can not locate the owner, call the non-emergency number and request an officer. The officer will check the vehicle to determine if it is stolen. If the vehicle is not stolen, you can call the wrecker service of your choice and have it towed. The charge for towing the vehicle is normally obtained by the wrecker service when the owner comes to claim the vehicle. However, you should discuss this matter up front with the wrecker service.
Q. How do I get someone out of jail?
A. The person arrested must complete the booking procedures before they can be released. Part of this booking procedure is the establishing of a bond. On traffic charges, this bond will usually be the amount of the traffic fine, if posted in cash. If a property bond is posted on a traffic case it will be double the cash fine amount.
There are three accepted methods of producing bond:
1. Cash Bond - American currency, cashier's check or US Postal money order personal checks must have prior approval
2. Professional Bonding Company – The list of approved bonding companies is displayed in the secretary's office of the Ocilla Police Department and in the booking area of the Irwin County Jail. We are not allowed to recommend a bonding company. You may call the bonding company and they will advise you of their procedures and fees.
3. Property Bond – Property bonds may be signed by persons who own their own property in Irwin. In order to sign a property bond your property must be listed on the property books at the Irwin County Tax Office or be approved by the Chief of Police. In the event the property is in more that one persons name, then all parties listed on the tax book must sign the bond. The sheriff of the county where the property is located must approve property bonds from other counties before the bond can be accepted.


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As part of our ongoing work with the Ramayana and our celebration of its diversity, we at Kiski Kahani are hosting Sunte Ho! a journey through the epic with story tellers Vayu Naidu and Ruby Sahota, and with music by Ansuman Biswas.
Anek Ramayan (Shikha Sen, 70 mins, English/Hindi) : Join us for a screening and a discussion with the director.
Browsing through back issues of Infochange Agenda, Rajashree Gandhi finds that "Space means a thousand different things, to a thousand different people, through a thousand different viewpoints..."
The QFest 2011, with the theme Being Seen, Being Heard was a huge success with over 200 people for the screenings and 250 people for the cultural evening (most of whom were young college students). Particularly heartening were the parents, family and friends who turned up to support the LGBT community.
The anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition is yet another occasion to reflect on building an inclusive society. We reprint an article by Sohail Hashmi.
Travel to the heart of Punjab. Enter a world of Sufi shrines worshipped and looked after by Dalits. Listen to B.S. Balli Qawwal Paslewale, the first generation Dalit Qawwals born out of this tradition...
"...An epic (is) a kind of ... rolling stone, gathering and dropping as it goes along..." says historian Romila Thapar, about the Ramayana.


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Organize your favourite listings
Sign up to keep track of your favourite spaces and revisit them later.
Former Environment Canada space, current build out is office intensive however Landlord will support Improvement Allowance packages. Demisable. Parking 3 stalls per 1,000 square feet leased, energized surface stalls $50 per month, underground stalls $110 per month.
Twin Atria is a contemporary "A" class office complex featuring attractive wet and dry atrium areas that provide interior offices with unique views into these central oases, and enclosed balcony areas over-looking them. The building is well serviced by public transit and has several restaurant and retail amenities nearby, including a convenience store and an eatery located on the main level. Other building features include: fibre optics, a back up diesel generator with UPS switch, and over $4million in capital expenditures underway, targeting LEED Silver certification.


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Rep. Kelly Supports Major House Action to Crack Down on IRS
Today Rep. Kelly joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives in taking major action to crack down on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for its unjust overreach and abuse of powers against the American people.
By a bipartisan vote of 228-195, the House passed the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2015 (H.R. 5016). The bill provides annual funding for the Treasury Department, the Judiciary, the Small Business Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and several other agencies. It includes the following policy provisions:
1) Seriously Reduces IRS funding – H.R. 5016 cuts IRS funding nearly $1.5 billion below last year's level and nearly $3 billion below its request. In total, the bill brings IRS funding below 2003 funding levels.
2) Prevents the IRS from Implementing new 501(c)(4) Regulations – H.R. 5016 prevents the Treasury from using any funds to revise, or finalize any regulation related to 501(c)(4) organizations.
3) Prevents the IRS from Implementing Obamacare – H.R. 5016 prevents the IRS from using any funds to enforce Obamacare's individual mandate. Moreover, it prevents the IRS from transferring funds from HHS to the IRS for Obamacare uses.
4) Prohibits IRS Targeting – H.R. 5016 prohibits any funds from being used to subject organizations to additional scrutiny based upon ideological beliefs.
5) Protects the First Amendment – H.R. 5016 prohibits the IRS from using any funds to target individuals for exercising their First Amendment rights.
6) Prohibits funding for IRS bonuses – H.R. 5016 prohibits the IRS from awarding any bonuses to its employees unless tax compliance and conduct are given consideration.
7) Prevents Destruction of Records – H.R. 5016 prevents any funding from being used to destroy, deface, or dispose or records, regardless of their form or characteristics, in contravention with the Federal Records Act.
8) Stops Unnecessary Waste – H.R. 5016 prohibits any funding from being used by the IRS to create inappropriate videos and hold frivolous conferences.
9) Protects and Serves Taxpayers – H.R. 5016 requires the IRS to institute and enforce policies that safeguard the confidentiality of taxpayer information and protect taxpayers from identity theft.
10) Improves IRS Accountability – Finally, the bill requires the IRS to establish an employee training program that covers issues such as taxpayers' rights, ethics, and applying tax law impartially.
It is now up to the Senate to pass and President Obama to sign this crucial legislation. The American people have waited long enough for a permanent end to all IRS threats to their liberty. This bill is a major step toward that must-reach goal.
Read more about the bill here.
Full bill text here.


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Written on: 11/05/2012 by SandieThailand (1 review written)
easy to use website. car was as described. Services good.
One issue, here in Thailand is they ask you to pay an addition deposit on the car, which should be mentioned on the booking form. The charge is placed against your credit card, and then removed when you return the car, which would be fine, however my card is a debit card, so I am still waiting for credit/refund on that.
I am dealing with the company on this.


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Balisongs and The Law
One of the questions I am frequently asked is, "Is it legal to own/carry a balisong in the state of... or in the country of..."
The answer is usually, "I don't know."
First, let me make very clear that I am not a lawyer. The information I am presenting here is, as a lawyer would say, offered without recourse. (That's lawyer-talk for, "I have no idea what I'm talking about and, since I told you that, if it's wrong, you can't sue me.)
Here is a link to a very excellent discussion of knife and weapons laws published by the American Knife and Tool Institute.
What I can tell you is that here in the United States, we are not always as united as the name might suggest. The United States is a federal union of fifty states and, while united in some respects, each of those states remain substantially independent in many other ways. What's legal in one state is not necessarily legal in another. Laws can even vary from city to city.
Criminal law is one area where states remain substantially independent and where laws can differ dramatically among states.
As American has become more mobile, there has been a move to homologize some laws (traffic laws, for example). But many areas of law remain different from place to place.
Consider, for example, a car trip from Seattle, Washington, down Interstate Highway Five, through Oregon, and to San Diego, California. In Washington state, you should stop for red lights and may proceed on green lights. This is also true in Oregon and in California. Those laws are uniform from state to state. The speed limits will also be uniform from state to state. But, the fine for violating those speed limits will vary from state to state.
In Washington, you'll be paying a state sales tax on many of your purchases. In Oregon, there is no state sales tax on most items. While in Oregon, though, you'd better stock up on what you need, because when you cross into California, you'll find a state sales tax on many items again.
Washington residents pay a state sales tax, but no state income tax. Oregon residents pay state income tax, but no state sales tax on most items. California residents pay both.
The state tax you pay on the fuel you use on this imaginary car trip of ours will vary from state to state.
Speaking of fuel, when you initially get fuel in Washington, you'll probably have to operate the pump yourself. In Oregon, a trained and state-licensed fuel attendant will do that dangerous and environmentally-sensitive task for you. If your windshield is dirty, the attendant will wash it for you too; it's an Oregon state law. But, once you're in California, you'll be back pumping your own fuel and washing your own windshield again.
This variation of laws from city to city, from county to county, and from state to state makes figuring out what's legal for you very difficult.
It's not unusual at the gas stations here in Oregon to see someone hop out of a car with out-of-state plates and reach for the pump handle only to be intercepted by an attendant who has to explain to the visitor that it's actually illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon.
Unfortunately, the government does not have an "answer desk" where you can call to find out what is and what is not legal for you.
To make matters more confusing, when we talk about knives and balisongs, we're talking about weapons laws. Weapons law is one of the most obscure, vague and confusing parts of law.
Finally, when we talk about weapons law, we're talking about criminal law. Criminal law is not just a simple matter of what the law books say. What's legal and not legal is a matter of what legislator have written in the laws, how your state's Attorney General interprets those laws, how those laws have been applied by prosecutors, how those interpretations and applications have been decided by courts, and how those decisions have been reviewed by higher courts.
There are websites where you can go and look up the exact text of most state and federal laws in the US. Most American states have the text of their laws on their state websites now. You'll also find the text of your state's laws at larger public libraries. But, these sites and these books are not very useful because in matters such as the legality of balisongs, what the law books say is really just the beginning of the story.
I often hear people say, "I checked my state's laws and they don't even have the word balisong in 'em. So it must be legal for me to own one." This is a recipe for trouble.
Yes, in many states, the text of the law will not even use the terms "balisong" or "butterfly knife". If your state is like this, you may think that because the law doesn't even mention balisongs, it's ok for you to own and even carry one. But, your state's Attorney General may have a different opinion. He may think that a balisong is a form of switchblade or a form of "gravity knife". If your state outlaws switchblades (and most do), then you may end up in court where the prosecutor need only convince the jury that his application of the law is correct.
In most states, such a case has already happened. In some states, courts have decided that balisongs are indeed switchblades. Courts in other states have decided that they are not. In some states, courts have decided that balisongs are "gravity knives" which are also illegal in most states (this even though most balisong openings contain some element of a handle or blade moving up in defiance of gravity). In other states, courts have held that balisongs are not gravity knives.
Yes folks, a single word may have different meanings in different states. Now you know why lawyers go to law school for five years typically.
The results have been mixed. In one state, the term "switchblade" apparently includes balisongs, while in the neighboring state it does not. Here in Oregon, balisongs are considered switchblades. Fortunately, here in Oregon, it is legal to own and even overtly carry switchblades (including balisongs). On the other hand, just a few miles north in Washington State, the state law specifically mentions balisongs separately, not as switchblades. But both balisongs and switchblades are clearly NOT legal to own in Washington.
This makes no sense, I know. How can a word have one definition in one state and a totally contrary definition in another state? How can a balisong be a switchblade in one state and not in another? It's a manifestation of one of the key underpinnings of our American union, "State's Rights." And it's part of the American way.
Another common recipe for trouble is, "I asked a police officer and he said..." Well, police officers are great people and certainly mean well. But, their training in the law is typically only about forty classroom hours.
If you were to go to a large library and find a copy of your state's laws, it's typically a set of books occupying ten to twenty feet of shelf space. The US Code of Federal Regulations occupies about fifty feet of shelf space. And these are big books we're talking about. They use a small font and there's not a lot of pictures. And that's just the text of the laws. That's just the beginning. The case histories and court records you need to study to really determine what is and is not legal literally fill warehouses.
With maybe 40 hours of classroom training on the subject, a police officer's knowledge of the law is usually very shallow. The is especially true when you remember that that 40 hours includes criminal law, traffic law, domestic law, civil law, civil rights, everything, mostly state and local, but some federal too. With all that material to cover, you can bet that obscure topics like exotic knives don't get covered very throughly.
A lawyer goes to law school for four or five years. That's 3500-4500 classroom hours and as many hours more spent outside the classroom studying, reading, researching, and working on assignments.
Weapons law is a very obscure and very complicated area and few police officers really know it with any depth.
Furthermore, a police officer's opinion ultimately carries little if any legal weight. If you are arrested for carrying an illegal knive, "I asked a police officer and he said it was ok," is unlikely to get you off. The fact that one officer says that your knive is ok means only that that one officer is not going to arrest you at that time.
Yesterday, I made a free right turn on a red light after stopping. Nobody else was coming and the intersection was clear. I didn't notice until I was halfway through the turn that that intersection has a big sign saying "No Turn On Red." Oops. And, as luck would have it, there was an officer right behind me. I thought I would be fined for sure. He couldn't have missed my offense. But, he didn't stop me or anything. Now, if I do the same thing tomorrow, but this time the officer does stop me, what do you think would be the reply if I said, "I did the exact same thing yesterday and another officer saw me do it and didn't stop me?" The answer would be "Yesterday's officer made a mistake, but his mistake doesn't make today's turn legal."
Police officers can not change or make laws. What they can make is mistakes... and the officer's mistake may be your undoing.
The only way for you to know for sure what is legal for you in your community is to dig through the laws, the Attorney General's Opinion statements, and the court records. I'm sorry to have to say it, but to answer that question you're just gonna have to research the issue. If you know where to find all of those documents, how to thoroughly search them, how read them, how to follow references from one to the next, etc., then you can do this. But, if you're like most people, you probably don't know how to conduct such research. So, you'll just have to hire someone who does know how and have them do it for you.
It may seem a bit odd to have to hire someone to do such a thing for you. But what would you do if your television set broke? Could you read the circuit diagrams and component data sheets? Do you have all of the necessary test equipment? Could you figure out what was wrong and fix it? A few of you probably could. But, most of you would realize that fixing a television set is a complicated, technical undertaking requiring special training, special tools, special skills, and experience. Most of you would hire a professional to do it for you. Well, researching legal issues is a complex, technical undertaking too. It requires special training, special tools, special skills, and experience. Most of us will have to hire a professional if we want results we can trust.
Fortunately, you probably don't need a lawyer for this. A paralegal can handle such things easily and less expensively. But, even for someone skilled in this type of research and with all of the tools at hand, it's still hours of work and it will probably cost you a couple hundred dollars. That's the cost of getting an authoritative and reliable answer. Violating the law can cost you a lot more than a few hundred dollars.
I do not normally do this, but I am about to suggest a business that I have not tried myself. I recently saw an ad for this company, http://www.legalopinion.com, which offers to have a lawyer answer simple legal questions for just $39.95. "Is it legal for me to own and/or carry concealed or overtly, a balisong or butterfly knife in City, State?" seems like a simple enough question and criminal law is one of the areas they offer. You might give this a try. In posing your question, be sure to adequately define "balisong" or "butterfly knife" so that they can give you the right answer. If you do try this, let me know how the service goes and if I should continue to suggest it.
"So," you may ask, "Why are weapons laws so vague?" If literally read, many states' weapons laws actually outlaw pencils and pens.
Many technical documents contain a "glossary", a section, containing careful definitions of important words used in the text. By including such a section, the author helps assure that the reader will read the same meaning out of the text that he wrote into it.
There's a glossary of sorts here on my website. I put this list of words together so that when people talk about balisongs, we can all use common terminology and better understand each other.
Laws, unfortunately, do not usually have a glossary. Often, laws do not define the words they use. For common words, I suppose that that's ok. But for uncommon words and for key words in the laws, this is frustrating to those of us trying to understand those laws and figure out what is and what is not legal.
Especially where weapons are concerned, Attorney Generals and prosecutors encourage legislators to write laws broadly so that they can apply them broadly. If they made a specific list of weapons which are illegal, criminals would just start carrying and using weapons that are not on the list. Eventually, the list would grow to thousands of pages. But, even a list that large could not list all of the various forms and variants of weapons that creative minds can think of.
And here us the rub of the problem: Legislators make lists of what can not be done. Designers figure out what can be done.
Legislation is essentially a defensive activity. It's about blocking. It's about saying "No".
Design is essentially an offensive activity. It's about figuring out a new way to attack a problem, fill a need, or satisfy a market. It's about saying "Yes."
If a basketball team plays nothing but defense, if they never even cross the center line away from their basket, if they concentrate exclusively on blocking their opponents' shots, the best they can hope for is a zero/zero draw. In fact, they'll probably loose the game. You see, if that team misses just one block, if the opposing team manages to make just one lucky shot, then the game is decided.
If all they try to do is block specific shots, then the legislators' game is lost too. As long as there's a need or a market desire for weapons for whatever reason, then every time the legislators illegalize some new weapon, the designers will come up with some new variation that skirts around the laws.
The legislators are playing pure defense.
Legislatures have seen this recently in attempts to ban "assault rifles." Every time the legislators try to define "assault rifle", the manufactures just come up with minor design tweaks that allow essentially the same guns to skirt around the new definitions. All these legislators have succeeded in doing is changing the cosmetic appearance of guns. If you believe that looks can kill, well, then, I suppose that this is a success. But, if you believe that the danger in guns is their ability to expel a projectile at high speed in a fairly predictable direction, then nothing important has changed.
So, legislators try to make the laws broad. In doing so, they end up making them vague. It's like giving that defense-only basketball team racquetball racquets to use. This would extend their reach and help them block more shots more easily. But, again, the other team needs only one lucky basket to win the game.
The only hope this defense-only team might have would be a rules-change allowing them to put a cover over their basket.
The conventional (non-balisong) one-hand-opening knives, those with thumb studs, those with a disk on the spine, those with holes in the blade, are all clever designs to fill a market need or a market desire for one-hand-openable knives despite restrictions on switchblades, gravity knives, and balisongs.
Historically, every time lawmakers have restricted some aspect of knife design, clever designers have come up with new designs that skirt around those new laws.
Offense always wins.
Over the years, prosecutors have learned that it's pretty easy to get a jury to convict someone for a weapons violation. Given the opportunity, juries eagerly expand the definitions of weapons because nobody likes the idea of violent criminals carrying dangerous weapons. If the law is broad enough, prosecutors find it easy to convince juries to make a little semantic stretch in order to convict a criminal. Most jurors want to convict criminals. So, prosecutors have urged legislators to make the laws broad, to give juries the latitude to make those stretches.
Basically, prosecutors have asked for racquetball racquets to widen their reach. The result is that just reading the laws often isn't enough to determine what is and what is not illegal. You have to look at the case histories and see just how far prosecutors have asked juries to stretch and just how willing those juries have been to make those stretches.
Right now, California's State lawmakers are busy broadening California's weapons laws to illegalize the majority of one-hand-openable knives.
Their efforts to restrict knife design with defensive legislation have still lost the game. Even with racquetball racquets, they haven't been able to block every shot. Now, they want to go all the way and put a cover over the basket.
Why? Because gang members are increasingly preferring one-hand-openable knives to guns.
Wait a minute. Isn't there a old saying... something about not bringing a knife to a gun fight? Why would these notoriously violent criminals suddenly switch from guns to knives?
Well, many of these gang members are to young to lawfully buy and own guns. And many of them have prior criminal records that prohibit them from lawfully buying and owning guns. But, lawfully or not, these gang members have been buying and owning guns for many years. They're not called "outlaws" for no reason. So, again, why the sudden switch to knives?
There are two answers: first, legislators (and, in many states, the public via ballot initiatives) have, recently, enacted stiff mandatory sentences for gun-related crimes, have added additional penalties for crimes committed with guns, have allowed more youth who commit violent crimes and especially gun-related crimes to be tried and sentenced as adults, have added additional penalties for previously convicted criminals who reoffend with a gun, and have added so-called "three strikes" laws. And, second, and, perhaps more importantly, police have started actually arresting these gang members for unlawful gun possession and prosecutors have started pursued these cases to conviction. Carrying a gun has just become to much of a risk for these gang members.
All of these laws which have been so effective against guns, which have, in fact, caused some of the most hardened violent criminals to turn away from guns, all of these laws regulate and restrict human behavior with guns, not gun design.
Through these laws, the legislators, police, and prosecutors have successfully caused these criminals to turn away from guns. They've done so without racquetball racquets and without covering the net. Why? Because they've started to play a little offense. They've attacked human behavior instead of trying to block specific gun designs.
Perhaps legislators should apply the same offensive approach to knives.
Regulating the design of knives is like trying to win a basketball game playing only defense. The best you can hope for is a zero/zero tie and you're usually gonna loose.
Instead, of blocking specific knife designs, why not attack human behavior with knives.
There are a few laws I can tell you about:


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MxIco(Maho's eXtended ICO) is a simple demo for X, rotating polyhedra
in the window.
WWW: https://people.freebsd.org/~maho/mxico/
make generate-plist
To install the port: cd /usr/ports/x11/mxico/ && make install cleanTo add the package: pkg install mxico
cd /usr/ports/x11/mxico/ && make install clean
pkg install mxico
PKGNAME: mxico
SHA256 (mxico-1.0.1.tar.gz) = 3b8eb77b8f00c836babe9b83ddc738cd43dcd64da31ec4d06cc8371b5659d5aa
SIZE (mxico-1.0.1.tar.gz) = 224994
NOTE: FreshPorts displays only information on required and default dependencies. Optional dependencies are not covered.
===> The following configuration options are available for mxico-1.0.1_2:
DOCS=on: Build and/or install documentation
===> Use 'make config' to modify these settings
Number of commits found: 18
- Update WWW
- Add LICENSE
- Unsilence installation
Approved by: portmgr blanket
Cleanup plist
Remove NOPORTDOCS and NOPORTEXAMPLES.
Support stagedir.
Approved by: portmgr (blanket infrastructure)
Add NO_STAGE all over the place in preparation for the staging support (cat:
Convert to USES=imake
Trim headers
Convert emu to USES=display
Remove indefinite article
Fix build.
Spotted by: pav
- Get Rid MD5 support
- Mark BROKEN: bad plist after last xorg update
Reported by: pointyhat
Convert most of remaining ports that depend on xorg-libraries to
modular xorg.
- supply corresponding USE_XORG for all imake-using ports that need it
- USE_IMAKE no longer implies USE_XLIB in absence of USE_XORG
- retire USE_X_PREFIX which is not really used anywhere after the
above change
- a few minor nits like whitespace and SF macro
Tested by: 2 tinderbox runs by pav
Approved by: portmgr (pav)
- Welcome X.org 7.2 \o/.
- Set X11BASE to ${LOCALBASE} for recent ${OSVERSION}.
- Bump PORTREVISION for ports intalling files in ${X11BASE}.
update to 1.0.1
Submitted by: Martin Wilke <email@example.com>
Add SHA256
Make portlint happy by replacing space to tab
Submitted by: trevor
- Correct plist
Trim whitespace.
Submitted by: trevor
Add new port mxico(Maho's eXtention to ico).
not only displaying regular polyhedra,
semiregular polyhedra and Zalgaller polyhedra
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December 3, 2009
In the tug-of-war between Sweden and Denmark for the dubious honor of having the world's highest taxes, Denmark has held on to the title, according to the latest Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report covering 2008.
- With an average tax rate of 48.3 percent, Denmark edges out its Scandinavian neighbor by more than a full percentage point; Sweden comes in at 47.1 percent.
- The average tax burden is calculated by the OECD as a proportion of a country's gross domestic product and is referred to as the "tax to GDP ratio."
- Denmark also had the highest ratio in 2007 at 48.9 percent.
To lower the nation's taxes to the European Union (EU) average of 39.7 percent in 2010, the Tax Ministry would have to reduce Denmark's annual tax intake by 150 billion kroner next year. Tax Minister Kristian Jensen says he has no wish for Denmark to hold first place in this unenviable category.
He however adds that the country was facing the challenge of keeping its economy afloat during the financial crisis.
He also argues that several other factors needed to be considered when determining a real tax burden, such as how much money residents of other countries pay for health care and to send their children to school and day care.
Source: Observers, "Denmark Keeps World Tax Title," Copenhagen Post, November 27, 2009.
Browse more articles on Tax and Spending Issues


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"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Military Repeal Pros and Cons
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Miriam Stevens
Week One Publication
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"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Military Repeal Pros and Cons
Photo Source: AP/Bernadette Tuazon "Newly enlisted army recruits, in black shirts, join recruiting officers for a ceremony in New York City." Found in article by Lawrence J. Korb
"Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was enacted during the Clinton era. The policy allowed homosexuals the ability to continue serving in the military as long as they kept their sexual orientation hidden. This non-disclosure lifestyle proved to have an adverse impact on our military, which saw thousands being forced out of serving our country due to their personal sexual preferences. The repeal of this 1993 act came in a time where our first African American President endorsed this agenda so that homosexuals serving in our armed forces could remain no longer cloaked in secrecy. In the New York Times December 22, 2010 article, this historic DADT repeal was shared. "On Dec. 18th, 2010, the Senate followed the House in voting to repeal the policy known as don't ask, don't tell, sending the provision to President Obama, who signed it into law on Dec. 22. Since 1993 the policy allowed gays to serve in the military so long as they kept their sexual orientation quiet. More than 17,000 service members were discharged since it was mandated by Congress."
One source shared how from 1994 thru 2006 over 13000 military personnel with approximately 800 who possessed mission critical skill levels were discharged under the DADT policy. "13,000 military personnel across the services including approximately 800 with skills deemed "mission critical," such as pilots, combat engineers, and linguists. These are the very specialties for which the military has faced personnel shortfalls in recent years."
Source: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
Below shows a graph of the vote that led to the repeal of the DADT ban against openly homosexuals and lesbians for serving in the military. According Carl Husle New York Time, article the ban was removed with a bi-partisan vote, "by a vote of 65 to 31, with eight Republicans joining Democrats, the Senate approved and sent to President Obama a repeal of the Clinton-era law, known as "don't ask, don't tell," a policy critics said amounted to government-sanctioned discrimination that treated gay and lesbian troops as second-class citizens."
Click here to view how the vote was cast in congress to repeal the DADT ban.
DADT Repeal Rally at The White House - May 2, 2011 (Photo Source by Jamie McGonnigal, Equalityphotography.com)
Prior to the repeal openness about ones homosexual and lesbian relationships was taboo. Enormous stress was felt by many closet gays who had entire careers at risk for fear of losing their pensions, benefits and livelihood. One up close and personal video photo view showcasing the impact of some gays in the military is viewed in the project, The Author Speaks, by photographer Jeff Sheng. He discusses the topic in his book, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", which is viewable the below video produced by Simone S. Oliver and recorded by Stephanie Diani.
Vice President, Joe Biden's speech transcripts articulated why the repeal as a victory for the United Sates and how repealing DADT resulted in favorable outcomes not only for our military but nation as a whole. Below are three main points emphasized why lifting the ban was necessary:
1. National security was weakened by the ban
2. Military readiness was diminished
3. Fundamental American principle of fairness and equality were violated
A video of his entire speech is located on the White House Blog online site.
One current poll online through U.S. News & World Report shows there are still some who do not support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell see below screen shot of the results.
Although there are many who celebrated when the repeal was done, still some considered this to be a breach against their personal and religious beliefs. An opponent of this ban was voiced from Keith Johnson. Keith is a petty officer first class with the Coast Guard and a former Marine who shared in the New York Times article by James Dao his concerns. He opposed homosexuality based on his personal religious views and thought repealing the ban would hurt morale, "if I don't know, it's a whole lot better than someone parading it around in my face and me having to deal with it."
One point for keeping the DADT standard was the possibility of a violent after effect due to the camaraderie of those who are strongly opposed to the gay and lesbian lifestyle now having to be forced to live in close quarters with fellow service persons who are open in their sexual orientation. The argument of religion and morality also tied to the possibility of adverse ramifications once some units have their fellow peers come out of the closet. Therefore, the call for a smooth transition and appropriate training is a high priority. Army Lt. Col. Tim Duffy, a 25-year veteran and military policeman shared, "If not undertaken very carefully, I suspect that there will be instances of violence … that will lead to loss of life on some scale. And, you know, that's already happened in some cases and I suspect that … there will be a period of adjustment, potentially violent."
Also, another military personnel mentioned her concerns in the AFT article stating things should remain as they are to not cause disruptions. Army Maj. Christina Bembenek, a military intelligence officer, shared "I think the law is fine as it is even though it's not a perfect solution, but better than opening it up." She further sites although while at work her gay and lesbian peers may perform their job functions, having it forced upon you at social functions does affect overall unit. "It's one thing when everybody's in uniform, you're at work … if this guy's gay, no big deal," she said. "But when he walks in with his boyfriend in civilian clothes to the restaurant that you're having your [unit] dining-in at, that's a very different thing."
Other points of concerns for those opposed to the repeal of the DADT policy was the sexual promiscuity lifestyle found in the homosexual community. This point was also shared in the AFT article by a gay Navy commander who admitted a gay man's sexual interest towards other men presents a concern and could prove to be uncomfortable for straight servicemen. A gay Navy commander-select based in San Diego said sexual drive behaviors is a concern because of the nature of the typical gay lifestyle. "It's shockingly promiscuous," he said. "Men are sexual beings. … I walk down the street and I'll look at guys, just like a straight man will walk down the street and look at a woman. The difference being, we're not sharing the same berthing as that woman. That's definitely an issue. And there's no easy solution for that."
Regarding the repeal of the DADT policy even retired officers shared concerns that could disrupt the effectiveness of our current military way of life. In The Washington Post February 2, 2010 issue before the repeal was enacted (Ret.) Col. Dave Bedey, Fmr. Faculty Member, U.S. Military Academy at West Point shared the following concerns:
"(Ret.) Col. Dave Bedey: The repeal of DADT poses two related risks to our military effectiveness. The first, and most familiar, has to do with unit cohesion. Unit cohesion is the bond the enables combat effectiveness. It is founded on sharing a common purpose and being willing to subordinate self to the needs of the unit. The effect on unit cohesion is hard to judge-but in the profession opinion of most retired generals and admirals who have weighed in on this issue; unit cohesion would be put at risk. The second risk is to the military community-which includes military families that live together. The military community is much more conservative and attached to traditional values than is society at large. Given the President's endorsement of full federal rights to same-sex couples, it is not unreasonable to think that this would include access to family housing on base. Our military communities ought not become embroiled in this aspect of the culture war. This will degrade our military effectiveness."
A potential presidential candidate Pawlenty is a staunch supporter of reinstating the DADT ban and shares his views below in a transcript found from Right Wing Watch article by Kyle Mantyla. Below are excerpts of his response when asked if he would reinstate the DADT ban and you can also hear his comments AFA's Bryan Fisher's interview and You Tube video.
"Pawlenty: Bryan, I have been a public and repeat supporter of maintaining Don't Ask, Don't Tell. There are a lot of reasons for that, but if you look at how the combat commanders and the combat units feel about it, the results of those kinds of surveys were different than the ones that were mostly reported in the newspaper and that is something I think we need to pay attention to. But I have been a public supporter of maintaining Don't Ask, Don't Tell and I would support reinstating it as well."
There are many points of views from those who have been directly impacted by the DADT ban as well as those opposing the lift of the DADT ban. One thing that is apparent is the need for an effective military and smooth transition since the repeal has occurred. The administrations commitment to ensuring that smooth transition is viewed in a comprehensive report that focuses on training and the next steps of implementing the new policy for allowing gays and lesbians the right to serve in the military without fear of repercussions. To review the comprehensive study enacted by the Obama administration focusing on the issues associated with the repeal of the DADT policy, you can view the Pentagon Study document online.
Twitter information
For further reading the DADT pros and cons please check out this AJC.com article, which is an opinion piece but offers very good narrative on each side of the DADT Pros and Cons viewpoints.
Another good follow-up piece and related article on the DADT Military repeal debate is linked to this article "Is It Time to Repeal the Ban on Gays in the Military?" By U.S. News Staff Posted: June 29, 2009 http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2009/06/29/is-it-time-to-repeal-the-ban-on-gays-in-the-military
Online Reference Links:


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EDWARD BATCHELDER: One of the things that I thought was interesting about the Defixiones CD—at least the version of it that I've heard—is that for a project that relates, as you've said, to the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek genocides under the Turks in the '10s and '20s, you've chosen texts from all over the world.
DIAMANDA GALÁS: Yes.
EDWARD BATCHELDER: You have a text by César Vallejo. You have a text by Paul Celan. You have texts by Armenian, Assyrian, and Turkish poets as well. There is obviously a deeper thread that links this than merely the topical issue of the Greeks, the Armenians, and the Assyrians; can you talk a little about that?
DIAMANDA GALÁS: The subject in common is that of being a person who is invisible to much of the population. For example, the genocide of the Armenians, the Greeks, and the Assyrians is something considered inconsequential to the major powers. So people try to cover it up because it just gets in the way of the more important, let's say, business activities between the United States, Turkey, and Israel. Nobody wants to discuss it. So this is something that is buried constantly.
This is also very related to the idea of these poets in exile, whose texts I used, and obviously to Siamanto, the Armenian martyr and poet who wrote about the burning of the Armenian women in the desert by the Turkish soldiers. But it also relates to César Vallejo because he writes about being a poet in Peru and being somebody that nobody had any respect for, an unknown. He was writing to some degree about being a mestizo there. He was writing about being a person who had no identity there, but he was also writing about being a great poet and no one being able to recognize anything that he was talking about. So he writes this poem and describes himself as these kinds of animals, the most wretched of the earth, a person who is undistinguished in any way and wakes up in a little room, looks at himself in a mirror, and wants to blow his head off. Actually, so many of the poets that I work with did commit suicide or were people who were constantly on the move because they were treated like outlaws. Celan was not able to escape the tragedy that his parents experienced. Even with the amount of cathartic writing that these people did, it was still something that stayed in the brain—this feeling of isolation that is like a potential bullet in the brain.
EDWARD BATCHELDER: With Defixiones, and also to a certain extent your AIDS work, it also struck me that it might be possible to say that the work is less about the specific tragedy, atrocity, or whatever you want to call both AIDS and the genocide, than it is about the way in which the culture responds to it. In other words, there's the issue of AIDS, which is in a sense kind of a medical and social issue, and then there's the issue of how the government and people at large feel about it. There's the issue of the atrocities that went on under Turkey in the '20s, and there's also the issue of how Turkey and the United States, and Israel to a certain extent, are reacting to it. It's the machinery that again stifles the voice, keeps people in isolation even after that original catastrophe has taken place. If there is any political focus in your work, it seems to be addressing that issue rather than the original atrocity.
DIAMANDA GALÁS: Well, I think all of the above, in other words, both. These voices are often stifled that you're talking about, but often they're not even heard. They're often very loud voices, but they're not heard. They're not told to be quiet, they're just simply not reviewed, they're not in the press, they're not written about, and they're not published. There were many authors that were published that have been objectionable and have set up—I mean since the classic French literature—with their publishing house a kind of blasphemic receipt from the press to use it to con people into buying the book, you know, to get a lot of press. There has been a kind of manipulation, let's say, of the public and the press, and then the liberal press. We've seen a lot of this crap, but they're still published.
That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the people who are not published because they're really saying something that people really don't want to hear, and people are afraid to write anything about them—afraid to write anything negative, positive, or anything. That's the position of a lot of the people I'm talking about in the Armenian, Assyrian, and the Acheulean genocide because of the relationship between, let's say, Turkey and America, the relationship between Turkey, Israel, and America, and the providing of arms to both, and because of these very incestuous relationships. So, a lot of journalists who consider themselves to be pro-Israel or whatever, they're not going to write anything against the Turks, or they're not going to write anything against Israel, they're not going to think of themselves, they're not going to write anything. They're not even going to discuss the issue except to tell the Armenians what they always tell them: "Don't you think you should get over it?"
And my answer to that is, okay, what do you mean by that? I had everything taken from me, I had my property taken, my graves were dug up and my ancestors were buried in a hole. I don't even know where to find the bodies to bury them properly—I mean these were mass graves. We certainly understand the meaning of mass graves from other holocausts. But this one should be anonymous! And this one should be unremembered. So, what are these people supposed to do? In the state of disgrace and invisibility are they supposed to go to old folks homes where they can comfortably lose their minds? Are they supposed to drink themselves to death? What are they supposed to do as people who are just human receptacles of nothing, and who are not heard? I don't know. There is an expression that my friend Michael Flanagan and a friend of his, John St. James, used when addressing the AIDS epidemic: death by media. Which is that most of the media was responsible for actually killing people with AIDS, making them commit suicide, giving them a sense of despair. And with hepatitis, I must say, because the articles you read in the newspapers are just so not where the state of medical practice is now, it's very discouraging. This kind of reception in the media that tells people to shut up and that their pain is of no importance to anyone is the kind of thing that can drive a person completely crazy. That means a number of things, but with no will to live, you know, there are very few options.