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Rethinking ICT regulation: Regulators' essential role in capturing the full potential of the ICT sector
The digital revolution is questioning existing regulatory frameworks and forcing regulators to respond. Regulators have to grapple with these disruptive forces in a manner that will foster both innovation and fairness. The three key areas for regulators to look at, and that require a focus on digitization, are market efficiency, scarcity management, and safeguarding customer welfare.
Rethinking ICT regulation Regulators' essential role in capturing the full potential of the ICT sector
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About the authors
Beirut Bahjat El-Darwiche Partner +961-1-985-655 bahjat.eldarwiche @strategyand.pwc.com Chady Smayra Partner +961-1-985-655 chady.smayra @strategyand.pwc.com Dubai Jayant Bhargava Partner +971-4-390-0260 jayant.bhargava @strategyand.pwc.com David Tusa Partner +971-4-390-0260 david.tusa @strategyand.pwc.com Milind Singh Principal +971-4-390-0260 milind.singh @strategyand.pwc.com Riyadh Hilal Halaoui Partner +966-1-249-7781 hilal.halaoui @strategyand.pwc.com
Bahjat El-Darwiche is a partner with Strategy& in Beirut and the leader of its communications, media, and technology practice in the Middle East. He advises governments, regulatory authorities, industry bodies, and telecom operators and has led engagements in the areas of telecom-sector liberalization and growth strategy development, policymaking and regulatory management, privatization, business development and strategic investments, digitization, corporate and business planning, competitive readiness, and governance, as well as operating models and restructuring. Milind Singh is a principal with Strategy& in Dubai in the firm's communications, media, and technology practice. He works with policymakers, regulators, and operators across emerging markets, helping them navigate change and maximize their returns from digitization. Sandeep Ganediwalla was a senior associate with Strategy&. Rawia Abdel Samad is an associate with Strategy& in Dubai in the firm's communications, media, and technology practice. She has more than 5 years of experience in management consulting across the Middle East, Africa and Asia working with telecom operators, ICT players and governments on corporate strategies, national ICT development plans, and digitization and innovation strategies.
Expert panel
The authors wish to recognize and thank the members of our expert panel — and others who did not wish to be cited — for their support, insight, and guidance in the preparation of this study. Our views were informed in debate and dialogue with the expert panel. The views of the expert panel should not be construed as representing the opinions of their organizations. The final views presented in this paper are those of the authors. Dr. Kamal S. Shehadi, Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer, Etisalat Group. Dr. Shehadi is responsible for strategic regulatory engagement at the Etisalat group level. He was previously the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Republic of Lebanon and the Managing Director of Connexus Consulting, a telecommunications policy and regulation consultancy in the Middle East and North Africa. Raul Katz, CEO, Telecom Advisory Services. Dr. Katz provides direction to CEOs and other top management of major telecommunications, software and information services companies in the areas of business strategy, consumer/industrial marketing and general management approaches. He was previously CEO of Adventis, a telecommunications consulting company, and a Lead Partner at Booz Allen Hamilton. Andrew Haire, Chairman, AJH Communications, LLC. Andrew Haire is a senior telecommunications executive with over 30 years of experience across four continents. He has designed major policy frameworks in the telecoms, technology, and postal sectors, and has had many senior management roles with regulatory and public policy portfolios at one of the world's largest telecom operators.
Executive summary
In the seven years since we published our path-breaking study on regulation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) information, communications, and technology (ICT) sector,1 much has changed in both the region and the industry. Today, MENA countries have far higher rates of ICT penetration and usage, with average mobile penetration exceeding 100 percent. Broadband household penetration in mature markets is approaching 100 percent and in the most mature markets is actually above that level. The telecom sector itself has undergone a fundamental transformation, evolving from a primary focus on infrastructure and basic connectivity to a focus on a broad range of services related to digitization — a phenomenon that we have defined as the mass adoption of connected digital services by consumers, enterprises, and governments. These services include cloud computing, smart meters, e-government, and remote health monitoring. In light of the many changes in the MENA region's ICT sector, Strategy&, in collaboration with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Bahrain, has updated its 2007 study. In this report we address three key questions: 1. 2. 3. How important is regulation in the new digital environment, which places greater emphasis on services than on infrastructure? How should regulation evolve to suit the needs of the new digital environment? Where do MENA countries currently stand in this evolutionary process, and what paths might they follow in the next decade?
The MENA region's evolving ICT sector
The MENA region's ICT industry has emerged as an important driver of national economic competitiveness. The ICT sector is a high priority in the MENA region. Several countries have identified ICT as a key driver of development and an enabler of future economic growth and diversification. Within the MENA region, most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)2 governments regard ICT as one of the key components of their national development plans. Furthermore, the ICT sector has become more diverse. Growth and innovation are fuelled by a complex ecosystem of stakeholders, including operators, over-the-top3 providers, and device manufacturers — as opposed to licensed telecom players alone. In addition, policymakers and sector developers have shifted their focus from establishing a liberalized, competitive marketplace to developing an innovative and economically vibrant ICT sector. The evolution of the MENA region's ICT sector is also being fuelled by burgeoning demand from the Arab Digital Generation (ADG), citizens between the ages of 15 and 35. The ADG accounts for 40 percent of the MENA population. A study that we conducted in 2012, in collaboration with Google, revealed that 83 percent of the members of this fast-emerging cohort use the Internet daily, and almost half of them strongly support a technology-led transformation of key economic sectors, including healthcare and education.4 In short, now that connectivity is ubiquitous, demand is shifting to digitization services (see Exhibit 1, page 6).
Within the MENA region, most GCC governments regard ICT as one of the key components of their national development plans.
Exhibit 1 Evolution of the MENA region's ICT sector
2007 • • • Five out of 17 MENA countries had competitive mobile, fixed, and data markets Average mobile penetration: 68% Broadband household penetration: 39% in the most heavily penetrated market • • •
2013 Eleven out of 17 MENA countries had competitive mobile, fixed, and data markets Average mobile penetration: 124% Broadband household penetration: 120% in the most heavily penetrated market
Digitization services (applications, content, devices, IT services, etc.) Ecosystem of players (operators, IT services providers, data and content providers, device manufacturers, etc.) Homogenous demand (by industry vertical)
Telecom operators
Homogenous demand
Telecom sector as a budget source
Telecom sector as socioeconomic enabler
Sector development
Note: The 17 MENA countries are: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Source: Informa; Strategy&
The changing need for regulation
In the last half-decade, the emphasis in the global ICT sector has shifted away from access, as measured by the adoption by consumers of traditional IT and telecom devices such as personal computers and telephones, to digitization. This transition toward digitization is very pronounced in the MENA region. Five years ago, broadband penetration in Saudi Arabia was less than 1 percent. Today, broadband is widespread in Saudi Arabia and the country has the highest YouTube usage per capita in the world and very high Twitter penetration. The United Arab Emirates has the highest penetration of smartphones per capita in the world, and Qatar has the world's highest growth rate for Facebook penetration. These high rates of digital device and service adoption are not restricted to the GCC countries: One-fifth of all Egyptians use Facebook, making Egypt one of the top 15 countries on the social network. With ubiquity of access now accomplished and digitization the new order of the day, it is vital to determine whether and how the role of ICT regulation in the MENA region should change. To better understand the relationship between digitization and regulation, we used Strategy&'s Digitization Index, a global ranking database that calculates the level of a country's digitization using 23 indicators to measure six key attributes, to determine to what degree a nation's regulatory environment correlates with its overall digitization score in different stages of development.5 Our analysis reveals that the regulatory environment is a critical factor in evolutionary progress in the early stages of digitization. However, as the overall digitization score of a country rises — that is, as the country becomes more evolved digitally — the influence and effect of regulation lessens and other factors become more significant in the country's continued progress (see Exhibit 2, page 8). Although the correlation between regulation and digitization weakens as countries become more digitally evolved, the influence and effect of digitization on nations and their economies continues to be substantial. A 2013 South Asia–Middle East–North Africa (SAMENA) Telecommunications Council study found that digitization created 6.7
With ubiquity of access now accomplished and digitization the new order of the day, it is vital to determine whether and how the role of ICT regulation in the MENA region should change.
Exhibit 2 There is lower regulatory impact at higher levels of digitization
Relation Between Effective Regulation and Digitization in Selected Markets (Logarithmic Regression)
90 80 70 Digitization Score 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 Regulatory Score 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 Y = 69ln(x) - 61.3 R2 = 0.6204
Note: Digitization Score is based on Strategy& Digitization Index; Regulatory Score is based on the World Economic Forum Networked Readiness Index's Political and Regulatory Score, Business and Innovation Score, and Affordability Score. As the slope of regression decreases and the digitization score increases, there is lower regulatory impact. Source: World Economic Forum; Strategy&
million jobs in the MENA region and contributed US$631 billion to its overall GDP between 2005 and 2011. The study also found that despite these gains, the MENA region continues to lag behind other regions in its level of digitization (it ranks sixth out of seven regions in the world) and that accelerating digitization could add $1.4 trillion in economic value to the region by 2020.6 Regulation is one of three development levers available to governments to unlock this value, along with policymaking and sector development. Policymaking establishes the national vision and aspirations for a sector, whereas sector development provides the means for tactical market intervention. However, regulation is the critical enabler of efficient markets and consumer safeguards. Regulation protects broader national interests through three principal means: • Market efficiency: Regulation ensures the sustainability of industry players and promotes market competition and efficiency. • Scarcity management: Regulation manages access to, and the utilization of, sometimes-scarce national resources, such as spectrum in the ICT sector. • Safeguarding customer welfare: Regulation protects customer rights and interests, and maximizes customer surplus.
Toward a next-generation regulatory regime To provide recommendations as to how the regulatory regime needs to evolve, it is important to understand the three key questions that regulators ask to achieve the objectives outlined above (see Exhibit 3, page 10). 1. Which markets matter? The most important question a regulator asks is which markets matter? Regulators identify the markets that might potentially fail and then regulate them. When a regulator deems a market to be important in this regard, it applies market assessment tools to test for the dominance of players within that market, examines what can be done to enhance the level of competition inside it, and looks at how consumer interests can be further safeguarded in the market. Hence most regulatory tools and remedies are derived from understanding and adopting a definition of which markets matter. Historically regulators have been very good at defining markets that matter, evolving from legacy views of voice-centric markets (local voice, international voice, interconnection) to data markets (last mile access,
Strategy& 9
Exhibit 3 Critical ICT regulatory dimensions
Next-Generation Regulation Framework
What is it? Market definition Market efficiency Supply models Supplier quality Spectrum supply Scarcity management Spectrum use • • • What are the limitations on spectrum usage: harmonized or liberalized? What measures drive the adoption of services by the end user? What is the extent of security measures in these services, for the supply side and the demand side? How is consumer privacy being protected across these services? What environmental protection measures are being taken by regulators, e.g., green technology? • • • Which markets should regulators monitor to ensure efficiency and prevent failures? How should supply models in each of these markets be structured: integrated or layered? To what extent should the supplier quality be dictated for origin, fragmentation, and reliability? What is the state of spectrum supply in the market?
Adoption Security Consumer welfare Privacy Environment
• •
Source: Strategy&
international access). However, in an environment in which most telecom markets are increasingly commoditized, or soon to be commoditized, regulators need to revisit their definitions of which markets matter.7 Broadly regulators have three choices. First, they can continue to see their scope and mandate limited to ensuring efficient telecommunication markets. Second, they can adopt a horizontal view of the ICT sector, which involves looking at other aspects of the ICT sector's supply side that they may deem to be important, such as the cloud computing services market. Third, they can adopt a vertical view of the ICT sector, which seeks to address market failures at the intersection of the overall economy and the ICT industry, such as the mobile payments market or the mobile health market.
10 Strategy&
Once regulators have aligned on which markets matter, the next set of questions focuses on the philosophy of how to supply these markets in terms of market structure and supplier quality. Historically regulators have preferred integrated suppliers in these markets, expecting telecom operators to play both in the services and infrastructure spaces. However, markets are becoming increasingly fragmented and new types of players are emerging. Consequently, it is important to review previous attitudes to market structure and to prefer de-layered markets (such as by separating applications, infrastructure, and services). Finally, regulators are increasingly playing a key role in ensuring supplier quality in these markets. They are balancing national interests with consumer safeguards. Most emerging economies are seeing the emergence of undercapitalized, sub-scale telecom operators in traditional telecom markets that do not have the ability to invest, but still hold scarce national resources such as parts of the spectrum. These operators continue to exert pricing pressure in the market, putting the entire national ICT sector at risk. 2. How is scarcity managed? Closely tied to the first question of which markets matter is that of how to most effectively allocate scarce national resources to drive market efficiency. Previously, this question centered on spectrum supply. Given the growth of the mobile market, the spectrum continues to be a scarce national commodity. Two key questions emerge when discussing spectrum allocation: How much of the spectrum should the government release for the public good, and how can the government control the use of the parts of the spectrum that it releases? In a bandwidth-hungry world, governments are moving to release more and more of the spectrum from services such as broadcast or government communication services. At the same time they are increasing availability in the unlicensed band. The growing demand for larger bands by service providers is driving the need for a secondary spectrum market, in which the spectrum can be traded between parties without, or with very limited, state involvement. 3. How is consumer welfare measured? As consumer adoption and usage of connected ICT services grows exponentially, the previous focus of regulators on using price as a key barometer of consumer welfare appears misplaced. Their attention needs to shift away from pricing levers alone to include other metrics surrounding the quality of service received by the customer. For example, how can consumer data privacy be protected while enabling market innovation; how can consumer data and connected behavior be kept safe; and how is the environment being protected in a world where the number of connected devices could reach 50 billion by 2020?
Most emerging economies are seeing the emergence of undercapitalized, sub-scale telecom operators in traditional telecom markets.
Take the example of no charge Wi-Fi initiatives from players such as Facebook and Cisco or Gowex. Consumers, whether businesses or individuals, obtain Internet access without charge in return for agreeing to receive targeted advertising that comes from their sharing their personal data (location, online behavior, social information, etc.) with the Wi-Fi provider. Regulators need to decide whether and when to regulate these unlicensed innovative initiatives. If they decide to regulate these activities, the next question is the nature of license to be awarded to new players and the likely impact upon existing licensed players. Regulators also need to ensure customer privacy is protected while simultaneously ensuring that ICT innovation continues. Another example is the planned use of drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles) by Facebook and Google to expand Internet access to the underserved parts of the population. These alterative communications platforms can provide Internet access at relatively lower cost. Regulators need to decide which agency will regulate these services and how — especially after such services gain significant scale and become mainstream. An additional challenge would be that these drones might not fly exclusively within national borders, or might provide services across borders. This would raise the question of the integration of national regulations with regional or international regulations. All of this will need to be considered within the broader question of what spectrum will be provided for such unlicensed, innovative players while protecting consumer privacy.
Key lessons for regulators
Our research on regulatory evolution offers three historical lessons that are applicable to the ICT sector: 1. Innovation drives regulation, not vice versa. Regulation tends to respond to industry evolution because policymakers cannot anticipate how and when innovations may change an industry through the introduction of new business models or new services that become substitutes for existing services. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. has responded to the growing use of drones for a range of commercial activities with a road map to formally integrate drone flights into U.S. airspace in phases over coming years. Regulators need to intervene when non-regulated activities start negatively affecting customer welfare. When markets and the activities within them change in a manner that is counterproductive for customer welfare, regulators need to intervene to redefine the market and/or bring in specific regulations to protect customer welfare. For example, regulators are exploring options to regulate Uber, a smartphone app that connects drivers to passengers for a flat fee or a fare calculated through GPS, after concerns surfaced over safety (lax driver screening), pricing (differential prices based on current demand), and insurance (inadequate insurance). Non-regulated activities, which create new risks in regulated markets, also warrant the attention of regulators: In innovationdriven environments, regulators should be prepared to act when non-regulated services threaten either the sustainability of regulated entities or the safety of customers. For example, the U.S. stepped up regulation of financial markets after the 2008 financial crisis, including pushing for increased transparency in derivatives trading and restricting certain kinds of unregulated activities such as proprietary trading that is not to the benefit of financial institutions' customers.
Regulators need to intervene when nonregulated activities start negatively affecting customer welfare.
These three lessons suggest two approaches for the ICT sector — a telecom-focused approach or a digitization-focused approach. In the telecom-focused approach, the regulatory regime trusts the ICT industry to drive innovation and results in the marketplace, and restricts itself to safeguarding customers (much like a legacy telecom regulatory regime). In the digitization-focused approach, the regulatory regime provides ongoing oversight and monitoring of critical ICT and digital markets as they evolve across industries. This prevents the need for major interventions. Neither approach assumes an all-powerful regulatory regime in which regulators manage all aspects of the ICT value chain and regulate all participants in the ICT marketplace. Telecom-focused versus digitization-focused We can chart the differences between the telecom-focused and digitization-focused regulatory regimes by examining their implications for the three main questions facing regulators (see Exhibit 4, page 15). What we find is that the difference between telecom-focused and digitization-focused ICT regulatory regimes comes down to the government's view regarding the effect of impending shifts in the ICT landscape on the health and operations of regulated markets and regulated suppliers. If the government believes that the communications markets and providers in their countries will remain sustainable and that new markets for ICT services that are emerging will be efficiently served by the industry, a telecom-focused regime is the logical choice. Conversely, if a government believes the sustainability and vibrancy of the communications market and the proactive monitoring of emerging digital markets are required to avoid failures, a digitization-focused regime is more appropriate. Market efficiency • Market definition: In a telecom-focused regulatory regime, ICT regulators are focused on maintaining and safeguarding the legacy ICT markets and the communications infrastructure they require. This regulatory regime assumes that failures in other markets will not endanger access to, or the quality of, communications services. In a digitization-focused regime, regulators adopt an expanded purview, looking beyond the legacy markets for traditional services to new markets emerging from the rapid adoption of digital services by all industries and verticals. For example, in a digitization-focused regime, ICT regulators might monitor and act to safeguard the market for e-health devices and services.
Exhibit 4 Differences in telecom-focused versus digitization-focused regulation
Telecom-focused Market definition Market efficiency Supply models Supplier quality Spectrum supply Scarcity management Spectrum use Liberalized Communications markets Integrated suppliers No restrictions Unlicensed
Digitization-focused Digital sub-markets De-layered markets National support Digital dividend Harmonized
Adoption Security Consumer welfare Privacy Environment
Quality Nascent Monitored Monitored
Usage Unified Mandated Enforced
Source: Strategy&
• Supply models: In a telecom-focused ICT regime, regulators would continue to prioritize integrated suppliers, occasionally preferring service-based models for their skills and expertise. In a digitizationfocused regime, regulators would de-layer supply markets, by separating infrastructure, services, and applications, in order to drive adoption of digital services and market growth. • Supplier quality: In a telecom-focused regime, regulators eschew restrictions on the origin and quality of suppliers, in effect deregulating the industry. In a digitization-focused regime, regulators would give preferential treatment to home players, creating incentives and environments that would support vibrant, local ICT supply markets. Scarcity management • Spectrum availability: In a telecom-focused regime, regulators would attempt to maximize the digital dividend available in the market by expanding the availability of unlicensed spectrum and allowing unlicensed services to access it. In a digitization-focused regime, regulators would likely focus on using tighter control of the supply markets to maximize licensed spectrum availability for licensed services. • Spectrum usage: In a telecom-focused regime, regulators would liberalize spectrum usage by allowing the markets to determine the best use, price, and restrictions for a spectrum band. In a digitizationfocused regime, regulators would ensure that the spectrum is harmonized but tradable by seeking a balance between scale and market efficiencies. Consumer welfare • Services adoption: In a telecom-focused regime, regulators would focus on the quality of services offered in the marketplace. In a digitization-focused regime, the focus would shift to the efficient usage of services by consumers, businesses, and governments in these markets. • Services security: A telecom-focused regime would likely not have well-defined norms for the security of ICT services, and regulators' interest in the security of services would be relatively weak. In a
In a digitizationfocused regime, regulators would likely focus on using tighter control of the supply markets to maximize licensed spectrum availability for licensed services.
digitization-focused regime, regulators would define and mandate a robust set of national ICT security policies and practices. • Services privacy: In a telecom-focused regime, regulators would monitor and react to concerns of customer privacy and security. In a digitization-focused regime, regulators would dictate services privacy and customer data usage norms, thereby proactively setting standards for companies to follow. • Services environment: In a telecom-focused regime, regulators would periodically monitor the environmental impact of ICT services, without imposing environmental (green and health) measures on the industry. In a digitization-focused regime, regulators would define and enforce environmental norms and restrictions. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. initially proposed that all Internet traffic should be treated equally (a telecom-focused approach). However, after this was successfully appealed in the courts by the Internet Services Providers, the FCC is now following a market-based approach and exploring options to allow differential access in select cases as seen in the agreement between Comcast and Netflix.
The current and future state of MENA ICT regulation
The final component in the decision-making process for ICT regulatory regimes in MENA countries is an analysis of the current state of ICT regulation (see Exhibit 5, page 19). This analysis creates a necessary baseline for understanding the degree of change required to implement a new regime, whether telecom-focused or digitization-focused. In terms of markets, most ICT regulators in the MENA region are still assessing the potential for failure and dominance in communications submarkets. The supply markets are mainly integrated, with limited service-based attempts to foster greater competition. In addition, most competition, especially in the communications market, is restricted (with local partners needed) and national champions are actively supported (because of their important fiscal contributions and their employment of local talent). In terms of the spectrum, few countries in the MENA region have begun to make available the spectrum in the digital dividend band. Most MENA states continue to focus on availability of the spectrum for GSM-family communications. (It should be noted that in most MENA countries, bands available per operator are higher than global averages.) Furthermore, spectrum usage is dictated and enforced by regulators, with no spectrum trading or reuse allowed. In terms of customer welfare, affordability continues to be a key regulatory driver, with significant effort being directed at pricing and tariff approvals. There is less emphasis on quality and usage. Regulatory concerns regarding security, privacy, and environmental concerns are nascent, if addressed at all.
Exhibit 5 MENA ICT regulation today
Current state of regulation Market definition Market efficiency Supply models Supplier quality Spectrum supply Scarcity management Spectrum use Harmonized Legacy communications markets Integrated suppliers Restricted entry GSM
Adoption Security Consumer welfare Privacy Environment
Affordability Nascent Nonexistent Nonexistent
Source: Strategy&
Comparison of regulatory approaches from around the world
To better understand the state of regulatory evolution and approaches being adopted by various countries at different stages of that evolution, we benchmarked three countries: the U.K., Singapore, and Bahrain. U.K. The U.K. ranks among the top 10 countries in terms of the World Economic Forum's Networked Readiness Index and has an integrated regulator in OFCOM. Over time, the U.K. has moved toward a more deregulated regime, adopting a telecomfocused approach of regulatory evolution. The regulator focuses on increasing the deregulation of the communications market, preferring service-based competition, with limited or no restrictions on the suppliers in the market. The regulator has made the 700 MHz spectrum available to communications providers and allows for spectrum trading under restricted conditions. The U.K. has made strong moves on consumer protection in terms of enforcing quality of services offered in the market. Cyber security norms are nascent and not enforced in the market. Privacy laws are supported by national laws and environmental regulations are strictly enforced. Singapore Singapore has historically been a leading ICT economy with a very active regulator in the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA). The regulator has adopted a hybrid approach with an active digitization-focused model. The IDA has actively made new digital markets such as mobile payment services by deploying nationwide infrastructure for near-field communication (which allows users to simply tap or swipe their mobile device at the point-of-sale to complete a transaction). It has also enforced delayering in the communications market and supported the national champion, Singtel. Singapore has ensured healthy spectrum supply, although limited steps have been taken to increase the quantum of unlicensed spectrum. However, spectrum trading is allowed, subject to the IDA's approval. Consumer privacy is enforced under the newly introduced Personal Data Protection Act. The IDA has also collaborated with the private sector to improve cyber security. As part of that effort the IDA has announced a national cyber security master plan 2018. Bahrain Bahrain is one of the leading ICT economies in the MENA region, ranked among the top 30 in the world. The regulator has played an active role in shaping the country's ICT landscape. However, the focus continues to be on defining the communications market, supply remains integrated, and there is a high level of support for national ICT suppliers. Spectrum availability continues to be limited and spectrum trading is not yet allowed. On consumer welfare, the focus remains on ensuring service affordability, with limited emphasis on consumer privacy. A national cyber security policy is in its infancy, although there is a strong cyber security certification program. There is no unified agency to promote cyber security across all ICT assets. Environmental concerns are addressed and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection's standards are regularly measured and enforced.
However, the supply side of the MENA region's ICT sector remains weak in most markets, with the exception of telecom providers. Unlike other emerging economies, such as China or India, which have taken significant regulatory or policy steps to support local ICT companies, the MENA region relies on imported ICT skills — with only a couple of exceptions, such as Egypt. In addition, the quality of the ICT labor pool in MENA markets has only recently started to improve. Given the current situation in the MENA region's ICT sector and the challenges that lie ahead, governments must continue playing an active oversight role across emerging digital markets, supporting national ICT players, and mandating customer welfare practices across usage, security, privacy, and environmental dimensions. Based on these mandates, we conclude that a digitization-focused regulatory regime is appropriate in most of the region's countries.
Regulators around the world have played a critical role in ushering in the always-on digital era, and fostering continuously increasing access speeds and declining access costs. However, as we have seen in other industries, maintaining a sustainable pace of innovation by the regulated or non-regulated players requires that regulators broaden their mandate to protect consumer welfare within emerging ICT markets or to ensure that the regulated markets do not suffer exogenous shocks. At the same time, the level of regulatory oversight should be tempered by the knowledge that regulators are unlikely to be able to anticipate innovation and that they should not seek to dictate its course. The way forward for regulators in the MENA region's ICT sector is one in which they will bring to bear their skills and knowledge in marketmaking and addressing market failure, and it should extend to new, emerging digital markets. They will have to identify, adapt, and apply the best regulatory practices from around the world in ways that efficiently satisfy consumer and national interests at home. It will be a tightrope to walk, but one that MENA regulators have mastered before, when they leveraged the best global communications technology and applied it to create national telecom champions. The task is difficult, but achievable, and it is necessary to ensure the future economic and social prosperity of the MENA region.
Karim Sabbagh, Bahjat El-Darwiche, Chady Smayra, and Fady Elias, "Toward more effective regulation: Unlocking the value of telecom markets in the MENA region," Strategy&, 2007.
The GCC countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Over-the-top involves using the Internet to stream content directly to handheld devices, game consoles, and TV sets connected to broadband.
3 4 5
"Understanding the Arab Digital Generation," Strategy&, 2012.
Karim Sabbagh, Roman Friedrich, Bahjat El-Darwiche, and Milind Singh, "Maximizing the impact of digitization," Strategy&, 2012. "SMART SAMENA: Capturing the USD 1.3 Trillion Digitization Opportunity in the SAMENA Region by 2020," 2013 (http:// samenacouncil.org/digitization/SMART-SAMENA_Report.pdf).
David Tusa and Milind Singh, "Confronting commoditization: Mobile operators can cope with the threat of commoditization," Strategy& (forthcoming).
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Tablet screenshots will now show in Play Store listings for users browsing on that device
The official Android Developers Blog has just put up a post explaining to app developers guidelines for uploading and displaying screenshots of their apps running on tablets. Developers can now specify the difference between screenshots being uploaded for phones, 7-inch and 10-inch tablets, so that when users view the Play Store listing from each of the devices they will see views of the app relevant to that device. With Google's continued focus on tablet design and making apps look great on larger screens, it's important to show users what they're getting while browsing the Play Store.
If you're a developer and have tablet-optimized apps, check in your Google Play Developer Console for instructions on how to manage your screenshots. The rest of us will see the benefit of this initiative as more apps are properly designed for tablets.
Source: Android Developers Blog

subset: commoncrawl


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Really shimmery and different. Interesting how this can look like plastic building blocks for kids in one puzzle and like this the next. great set of puzzles. Thanks.


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Kim Kardashian Sued For 2014 Car Crash (EXCLUSIVE)
Kim Kardashian was sued on Tuesday by Rafael Antonio Linares, with whom she had a car accident on March 11, 2014, Gossip Cop has exclusively earned. According to court papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Kardashian smashed her Mercedes G Wagon into his vehicle on Sunset Boulevard near Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. Linares now claims in court documents that he "sustained personal injuries which caused and will continue to cause pain, discomfort, and physical disability" to him.
Linares is seeking unspecified damages. He's also seeking money for past and future medical expenses, the cost for the repair of his car, and the money he had to shell out during the "loss of use" of his vehicle. Mostly, though, Linares says in his filing that he was "gainfully employed" before the car crash, but has since been "deprived of earnings" and will be seeking compensation for his "loss of income," as well the cost of the litigation.
As Gossip Cop reported at the time of the initial accident, Kardashian and Linares' vehicles collided after she made a left turn at an intersection while his car drove straight, despite supposedly having his right turn signal on. The two drove separately to the Beverly Hills Hotel, where they exchanged information and even hugged. Although both cars were damaged, no one was ticketed then, and the two parties seemed to have settled the incident themselves, that is until Tuesday's court filing.
Gossip Cop reached out to Kardashian's rep for a comment about the suit, but has yet to hear back.


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Energy Systems Research:
Low-Cost Model Capture
In designing Cyber Physical Systems, a fundamental problem is modeling the underlying structures. IMpACT is a methodology and a toolbox for analysis of uncertainty propagation for building inverse modeling and controls. Given a plant model and real input data, IMpACT automatically evaluates the effect of the uncertainty propagation from sensor data to model accuracy and control performance. It also utilizes non parametric statisticals method to quantify the uncertainty in the sensor measurements and to determine near optimal sensor placement and density for accurate signal measurements.
MLE+ Toolbox
MLE+ is an open-source Matlab/Simulink toolbox for co-simulation with the whole-building energy simulator EnergyPlus. It is designed for engineers and researchers who are familiar with Matlab and Simulink and want to use these software tools in building energy simulation. MLE+ provides a control development workflow as well as graphical front-ends for designing advanced control strategies, in which the building simulation is carried out by EnergyPlus while the controllers are implemented in Matlab or Simulink.
Green Scheduling
Heating, cooling and air quality control systems within buildings and datacenters operate independently of each other and frequently result in temporally correlated energy demand surges. As peak power prices are 200-400 times that of the nominal rate, this uncoordinated activity is both expensive and operationally inefficient. Green Scheduling is an alternative approach to fine-grained coordination of energy demand by scheduling energy consuming control systems within a constrained peak power while ensuring custom climate environments are facilitated. Unlike traditional real-time scheduling theory, where the execution time and hence the schedule are a function of the system variables only, control system execution (i.e. when energy is supplied to the system) are a function of the environmental variables and the plant dynamics.


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Flower Power®
The name of the wine "flower power" derives from the famous expression of the poet Allen Ginsberg coined during the period of the "hippy counterculture " of the sixties and seventies. This wine finds it's natural habitat on the edge of a swimming pool or on the background of a barbecue among friends.Read the data sheet
Morellino di Scansano
Morellino Podere 414, the only wine produced by the farm contains 85% of Sangiovese, accompanied by Ciliegiolo, a local vine variety, traditional of Maremma territory and particularly valuable for giving freshness to the wine; Alicante is responsble for conferring it a mediterranean sign, spicy and intense, and Colorino. This Morellino represents all the features of Maremma's character, impetuous at first sight, though generous in colour, in aroma and in body, just like its territory of origin.Read the data sheet
Aleatico Passito
This "passito" was product in small quantity, less than 1000 bottles, has been made with grapes of Aleatico. In Tuscany, this wine has ancient roots on the coastal zone and in the "archipelago". Speaking specifically of the Maremma and Morellino di Scansano the Aleatico was used after drying in a plant to prepare a wine with high alcohol but not fortified (source ARSIA notebooks,No.6/97).Read the data sheet


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As above.. anyone have for sale?
Email in profile
Cheers Stu
As above.. anyone have for sale?
Email in profile
Cheers Stu
Hi Stu
Hows it going? Think I have a F adaptor in the shed. I will take a look
Hi Si
Ya its going well thanks been some cracking weather for getting on the bike too
Hows tricks your end?
If you have an adaptor give us a shout...
Found it. £6 posted.
Things are good here, just bought the new anthem x. I like it alot :D. Came back yesturday after 4 days of riding at CYB. Weather was perfect. we stayed here http://www.caegwynfarm.co.uk/ if your interested. Only a mile or 2 from the centre.
Nice one.. paypal? usual email address?
Ya just got back myself from an epic 4 days in the lakes... 11hours in the saddle on sat was an interesting one!
Paypal gift to firstname.lastname@example.com
11 hours WTF, did you get lost, have mechanicals or something
Cool will send in a min
No didn't get lost haha... about a 75mile offroad loop from langdale campsite with some serious climbs including The High Street... can't beat the lakes for an epic!
Cheers mate, will post tomorrow
This topic has been closed to new replies.


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Question: How can the company fulfill the I-9 requirement to physically review new hires' documents when employees work remotely? Can we have a notary review the documents, notarize a copy of them and send that copy to our main office?
Answer: No. Form I-9 documents must be reviewed in person. You may designate a third party, such as a notary, to review employees' documents, but the notary must complete the form. (Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)Question: Must every field on the I-9 have a value? For example, employees must list other legal names by which they have been known or enter N/A. Other fields, such as email addresses or telephone numbers, don't explicitly require this.
Answer: The new data fields, including employees' phone numbers and email addresses, are optional. Required data fields must be completed with the appropriate information or N/A. It's recommended that N/A be inserted into optional data fields. (Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)


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Paper Heart Wedding was inspired enough by this style shoot at Front Porch Farms to share it with their readers. Click the image to view the entire post.
Organic, Natural Styled Shoot
This styled shoot at Front Porch Farms is just stunning… loving all the details and elements: birds' nests, burlap with ruffles {a twist on the country-rustic look}, lace {lace, and more lace!}, black wicker placemats, hydrangeas, wildflowers and wood. Tiffani's styling showcased a lot of our beautiful Front Porch Props as well {note the washboard "I do" sign, candy stand, whiskey barrels, farm tables, lanterns, and picture frames!}.
Dress: The Bride Room
Florals: Belle Fleurs
Styling: Creative Design Events
Paper Goods: Something Detailed
Cake Designer: Jo's Custom Cakes and Catering, Inc.
Photography: Hurst Photography
Venue: Front Porch Farms
Models: Chelsea Rochelle & Janee Proffitt
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46
Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice
When Miss Katie Ryan celebrates a birthday, it is a grand affair.
Stephanie Alexander of You're Invited designed the event.
Heather Sisemore was on hand to capture it and AT HOME tennesse published it. I wonder what she will plan for her 3rd birthday?
Here are just a few of the images. You can see the rest on You're Invited's Blog.
Planner: You're Invited visit their website
Photography: Heather Sisemore Photography visit her website
Graphic Design, custom signs: Lisa Sarmento, a Nashville-based graphic designer
Cake: Maples Cakes visit Maples website
Floral Decor: Terry White, of the English Garden, designed the 4 floral arrangements on the front porch steps. You can call Terry at (615) 354-0094
At Home Tennesee
AT HOME tennessee chose FrontPorch Farms as the location for a photo shoot to accompany and article in their Food section for the October 2010 issue.
You can see the complete article"Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice" online here starting on page 83
Amy & Seth
Title: Amy & Seth
Location: Front Porch Farms
Date: 2010-10-13
Amy & Seth December , 2010
"When it comes to lovin' couples,
don't we make the perfect pair-
There's romance, love, and laughter
in the friendship that we share."
More details of their love story to come


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Food writer and clinical psychologist Scott Haas wanted to know what went on inside the mind of a top chef - and what kind of emotional dynamics drove the fast-paced, intense interactions inside a great restaurant. To capture all the heat and hunger, he spent 18 months immersed in the kitchen of James Beard Award-winner Tony Maws's restaurant, Craigie on Main, in Boston. He became part of the family, experiencing the drama first-hand. Here, Haas exposes the inner life of a chef, what it takes to make food people crave, and how to achieve greatness in a world that demands more than passion and a sharp set of knives.
A lens into what motivates and inspires all chefs - including Thomas Keller and Andrew Carmellini, whose stories are also shared here - Back of the House will change the way you think about food - and about the complicated people who cook it and serve it.
©2013 Scott Haas (P)2013 Tantor
"Truly horrible narration"
The narration ruined this for me, and after suffering through a couple of chapters I had to turn it off.
The pacing is bad, many of the French terms (it IS a book about cooking after all) are incorrectly pronounced, and the entire read is annoying.
Too bad. I just wasted a credit.
"Interesting but repetitive"
It was fascinating to follow the processes of running a high end restaurant . However by the end of the book the author drifts away from his narrative and gets bogged down in long conversations of cooking philosophy.
The first section or the book that is focused on the day to day operations of the restaurant.
Read Kitchen Confidential instead.
"Almost Gets There"
As a chef I was hoping that the author would be able to convey that chefs, cooks, and dishwashers are all just damaged people trying to please others. He touched on it a little, but anger isn't the only way our trauma shows it self. We sweat it out night after night aiming for perfection that we will never obtain. We set ourselves up for displeasure. The book itself was well written and an easy read.
"Chef is a nitwit"
Obnoxious, arrogant & annoying. Reading was fine, writing was fine, but the subject matter was mediocre.
"I could really relate....I'm a chef."
being in the industry I could really relate. The story line actually depicts what happens in almost successful kitchen. I f@#$ing loved the book. Us chefs don't have much time to read. listening to the Audible book sure did allow time to fly by in the kitchen.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


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Seven Tips for Healthier Tailgating
Eat a meal, don't graze.
With so much food laid out for the tasting, it's so easy to graze mindlessly. "If you're constantly grazing, then over the course of a few hours, you'll end up eating way more than you would have if you ate all at once," Dulan says. "Instead, look at tailgating as a meal. Fill your plate one time, sit down, and eat slowly." Since we tend to eat dishes that require a fork more slowly than finger food, those healthy side items can help us eat less overall. "Using a fork helps you slow down and savor each bite," Dulan says. If you do get the urge to snack before or after the main meal – which, let's face it, you probably will – reach for fresh veggies or nuts instead of potato chips or nachos.


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+myConnections: Engage your community - connect to news, events and information you care about. View more information...
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View your community's facilities and features online with the new Facilities Module.
Personalize your online experience to stay up-to-date on news, events and other information.
Film Permits
The City of Westlake Village has a long history of providing backdrops and locations for many commercials, television shows, and motion pictures. Filming is allowed in the City of Westlake Village under certain guidelines. The filming permit application fee is $250 (non-refundable).
Permit Application
Fees and Insurance
Permit Issuance
Download and print a Film Permit Authorization Form
Download and print a Film Permit Application


text:
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Paolo Gibilisco (Tommaso Isola (
Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics, 2007, vol. 59, issue 1, 147-159
Keywords: Uncertainty principle; Monotone metrics; Quantum Fisher information; Wigner–Yanase–Dyson information (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View complete reference list from CitEc Citations Track citations by RSS feed
Downloads: (external link)http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10463-006-0103-3 (text/html)
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text:
Marisha Pessl
Marisha Pessl
Marisha Pessl's bestselling debut novel, SPECIAL TOPICS IN CALAMITY PHYSICS, won the John Sargent Sr. First Novel Prize (now the Center for Fiction's Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize), and was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review. Pessl grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and currently resides in New York City.
Marisha Pessl
- Website: marishapessl.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarishaPesslOfficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarishaPessl


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This property has been removed by the agent. It may be sold or temporarily removed from the market
3 bedroom property for salePolstain Crescent, Threemilestone
Property Description
Full description
whilst the ground floor now offers an entrance hall, sitting room with double doors opening through to separate dining room, wide inner hallway/breakfast area (formerly the kitchen), a ground floor fully tiled shower room as well as generous kitchen/dining room completed in 2008. There is an attached garage to the side and the property comes with double glazing, gas fired central heating and upvc fascias. The enclosed garden to the rear has a paved sitting area as well as a useful timber store shed. Located at the head of a cul-de-sac and overlooking a green and woodland area, the property does need to be viewed as the accommodation is not immediately apparent from the front.
Location: Threemilestone is a popular location on the Western outskirts of Truro and has a range of local facilities all accessible with a level walk and include primary school, health centre, bakers, butchers, local stores, public house and post office. Truro city centre is some three miles distant and includes mainline rail link through to London Paddington whilst the attractive North Cornish coast is some 8 miles distant.
Entrance Hall: Radiator. Stairs to first floor with cupboard under. Door giving access to attached garage.
Lounge: 3.86m (12ft 8in) x 3.43m (11ft 3in) Gas fire with marble hearth. Obscure sliding doors lead through to:-
Dining Room: 3.2m (10ft 6in) x 3.31m (10ft 10in) Double glazed patio doors to the rear garden (this could be utilised as a ground floor 4th bedroom if required).
Inner Hallway: 3.08m (10ft 1in) x 2.2m (7ft 3in) Could be used as a breakfast area and is the original location of the kitchen before the property was extended. There is a deep store cupboard and access to:-
Shower Room: 2.3m (7ft 7in) x 2.09m (6ft 10in) Fully tiled with a large shower cubicle, vanity wash basin, low level wc, extractor fan and convector heater.
Kitchen/Dining Room: 5.38m (17ft 8in) x 2.58m (8ft 6in) Extensively fitted with a range of base, wall and drawer units, granite effect work surface with inset stainless steel 1 ½ basin sink unit. Gas double oven, gas hob and stainless steel cooker hood. Plumbing for automatic washing machine, dishwasher and space with vent for tumble dryer. Further space for fridge/freezer. This dual aspect room has double doors leading to the rear garden.
Landing: Access to roof space.
Bedroom 1: 3.3m (10ft 10in) x 3.26m (10ft 8in) This measurement is taken to the front of a range of built in wardrobes with central dressing table unit. Airing cupboard.
Bedroom 2: 3.5m (11ft 6in) x 3.09m (10ft 2in)
Bedroom 3: 2.13m (7ft 0in) x 2.03m (6ft 8in) Plus further built-in cupboard and recess to the door.
Bathroom: White suite with panelled bath having independent electric shower over and pedestal wash basin
Separate WC: Low level wc.
Outside: To the front the garden area has been concreted and gravelled providing parking for 3 vehicles. The rear garden contains a paved pathway and rear patio area, ornamental pond and lawn area with mature shrub borders. There is also a useful timber store shed.
Attached Garage: 5.07m (16ft 8in) x 2.46m (8ft 1in) Having an electric up-and-over door, power and light connected and wall mounted gas boiler.
Directions: Proceeding from Truro towards the A30 at Chiverton continue past Truro College and take the slip road off the dual carriageway signposted to Threemilestone. Turn first left into Polstain Road and continue along and then turn next left into Polstain Crescent. Follow the road around to the left and the property will be ahead of you at the head of the cul-de-sac overlooking a green area to your right.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
To view this media, please visit the on-line version of this page at www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42548249.html
Listing History
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Market Info
Disclaimer - Property reference 6109541_5223460. The information displayed about this property comprises a property advertisement. Rightmove.co.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information, and Rightmove has no control over the content. This property advertisement does not constitute property particulars. The information is provided and maintained by Goundrys, Truro. Please contact the selling agent or developer directly to obtain any information which may be available under the terms of The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 or the Home Report if in relation to a residential property in Scotland.
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Rumor: Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Mother 3, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Metroid Prime 4 and more detailed
Nov 13, 2017 | 7 Comments
Kicking off the EA press conference at E3 was PopCap Games' Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.
In this new Plants vs. Zombies, which plays like a third person shooter, you can play with up to four friends in co-op mode. Each plant is has specific class, the Sunflower is a healer, the Cactus does long range offense and the Peashooter looks to be midrange offense!
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare will be a timed exclusive for the Xbox One.
Before the Popcap Games spokesperson exited the stage...Peggle 2 was announced!


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LORAIN — A deputy clerk of courts in Lorain Municipal Court was arrested this morning during a drug raid at a Columbo Lane home.
Sierra Dozier, 25, was charged with possession of marijuana, endangering children and permitting drug abuse, Lorain police Lt. Roger Watkins said.
Also arrested during the raid in which roughly 6 pounds of marijuana and around $1,000 in cash were seized, was Julio Osorio, 26. He was charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession of criminal tools, possession of drug paraphernalia and multiple counts of possession of marijuana.
Watkins said the raid was part of an ongoing drug investigation, but during the search police also discovered evidence that Dozier may have been stealing from the clerk's office. He declined to discuss the specifics of the suspected theft because that investigation is still ongoing.
He said both Dozier and Osorio were arrested without incident. A 3-year-old child was present in the home at the time of the raid.
Read Wednesday's Chronicle for more on this story.


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Harry's @ Esplanade8 Raffles Ave #01-05/07 Esplanade MallSingapore, Singapore
About BEN: Established by alumni and students of Chicago Booth, the Booth Energy Network (BEN) provides a global networking platform for Booth and University of Chicago alumni with a professional interest in the energy industry. BEN is a virtual and physical platform for the active sharing of insights and ideas as well as a tool to reinforce a network of professional contacts amongst the entire Booth community. Non-Booth, University of Chicago alums are also welcome in the BEN community. For more information: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/alumni/clubs/ben/index.aspx
No Charge
Register Online
Deadline: 10/31/2010
Lata Shamdasani (AXP6), Ilke Karayigitoglu (Campus '06) +65 9670 6540 (Lata), +65 9724 9834 (Ilke)
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business |
University of Chicago |
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text:
With Florida being home to 11 state universities, the Board of Governors awarded the state universities, by dividing up an extra $20 million in "performance funding" based on scores that graded these higher institutions on how well they prepare graduates for the workforce.
The scores were based on three criteria: graduates' employment, wages and cost of education.
Of course the grading received controversy, seeing that it only included data that tracked students employed in the state of Florida, according the article released by The Huffington Post.
UCF and USF tied for first, both receiving $2,608,696 performance bonus in return for their scores. The list is as follows:
- University of Central Florida & University of South Florida
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Florida International University
- Florida State University
- University of North Florida
- Florida Atlantic University
- University of Florida
- University of West Florida
- Florida A&M University
- New College of Florida
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Join AARP
Get exclusive member benefits & effect social change. Join Today
Adrenergic drugs are also called adrenergic amines or sympathomimetic drugs. They are medicines that work by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS is part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). It helps to regulate your body's reaction to stress or an emergency. During these times, the SNS releases chemicals called neurotransmitters from the adrenal gland. These chemicals act on your body to increase heart rate, sweating, and breathing rate, and decrease digestion. The response by your body is sometimes called the "fight or flight" response.
Adrenergic drugs stimulate the same nerves by either mimicking the action of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine or stimulating its release. They are used for many life-threatening conditions. These include cardiac arrest, shock, or opening the airways during an asthma attack or allergic reaction.
Adrenergic drugs stimulate the adrenergic nerves. The structures of the drugs closely resemble the neurotransmitters that your body produces during times of stress, such as norepinephrine. Norepinephrine acts directly on the adrenergic receptors. Therefore, adrenergic drugs are able to interact with the same receptor sites as the neurotransmitter.
There are several types of adrenergic receptors in the body. The specific action of the drug depends on which type of the adrenergic receptor is affected. It also depends on whether or not the drug acts directly on the receptor or indirectly by stimulating the release of neurotransmitters. The receptors include:
Examples of the affects adrenergic drugs can have on the body include:
Adrenergic drugs have been developed to act on specific receptors in the body. The condition they are used to treat depends on which receptor is affected by the drug. Examples of some broad types of adrenergic drugs and their uses include:
Bronchodilators act on the beta-receptors directly to improve breathing in patients with respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and bronchitis. They open up the bronchial tubes, or air passages. Examples of adrenergic drugs used for bronchodilation include:
This list is not all-inclusive.
Sometimes an allergic reaction to insect stings, foods, or other substances can cause swelling that tightens up the air passages. Epinephrine can be injected in these emergency situations to open up the airways.
Vasopressors can act on the alpha-1, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. They also act on dopamine receptors. They can act on more than one type of receptor at the same time. Examples of these types of adrenergic drugs include:
The vasopressors stimulate smooth muscle contraction of the blood vessels. The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that moves blood around the body. The muscle contraction leads to vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels. The narrowing of the blood vessels will cause a rise in blood pressure.
The increased blood pressure can be used to treat patients with shock. Constriction of the blood vessels can also be useful to stop bleeding as well as to keep anesthetics to a specific area of the body. They do this by closing off nearby blood vessels to keep the anesthetic from spreading.
Drugs in this class may also be used when swelling of the blood vessels in the mucous membranes of the nose blocks up the nasal passage and causes discharge. This might happen if you have a cold or allergies. Adrenergic drugs can act on sympathetic nerves to shrink the swollen membranes and provide relief for a few hours. These drugs are often referred to as nasal decongestants.
Adrenergic drugs are also used to stimulate and restore the heart beat if a person's heart stops beating. This might occur due to drowning, electrocution, suffocation, or other causes. Epinephrine, for example, can be injected directly into the heart to make the heart start beating again.
The FDA approved label for epinephrine states that the drug should be used with caution in people with heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, or hypertension (FDA).
You should tell your doctor if you are taking any other prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
Side effects depend on which adrenergic drug you are taking.
Common side effects of adrenergic drugs, like epinephrine, include:
Enter your symptoms in our Symptom Checker to find out possible causes of your symptoms. Go.
Enter any list of prescription drugs and see how they interact with each other and with other substances. Go.
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text: WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Senate Finance Committee approved a broad sweeping tax bill, including a 20 cent hike in cigarette taxes to finance health insurance for poor children. The bill, which aims to produce a net tax cut of $85 billion over five years, will go to the Senate floor next week. Other provisions of the bill retained the $500-per-child tax credit and some $32 billion in education tax incentives. But even though the bill is much more Clinton-friendly than the harsher House version, it is likely to face opposition from the Administration for not providing enough tax relief to lower- and middle-income people.


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Posts tagged "ballpoint" User news
Ballpoint Pen Illustration by Wang 2muBallpoint Pen Illustration by Wang 2mu
Wang 2mu produces brilliantly detailed ballpoint pen illustration and is based in Shanghai, China. » read moreleggi tutto
Beautiful artworks by Mel Fischer aka kleinmeliBeautiful artworks by Mel Fischer aka kleinmeli
Discover new artists is always a great satisfaction I would like to draw your attention to these wonderful illustrations born from the hand of Mel Fischer. Mel was born in Germany (East Germany) in 1980 and she went to art-school when she was 17 and made her degree in Graphic... » read moreleggi tutto


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June 1973 Member from University of MD/Eastern Shore December 1984 Joined from Virginia Tech
1985 Annual Conference Newcomers Committee Member
1986 Annual Conference Recreation Chair
1986-88 Nominating Committee Member; Research Committee Member
1987 ISTP Presenter
1987 Annual Conference Registration Committee Member
1987-88 AA/EEO Committee Member; Nominating Committee Member
1988-89 Research Committee Member
1989-90 College Member-at-Large
1989 Annual Conference Panelist
1990-91 AA/EEO Committee Member; Liberal Arts Network Steering Committee Member; Support Staff Workshop Committee Member;
1991 Annual Conference Exhibitors Committee Member; Registration Committee Member
1991-93 College Member-at-Large
1993-94 Diversity Advancement Committee Co-Chair
1993-94 Nominating Committee Member
May 1994 OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
During that time, Ernie never hesitated to state his opinion particularly when it came to issues around diversity. In some ways, Ernie became MAPA's consciousness on issues around recruitment, mentoring, nurturing and promoting people of color.
In 1987, Ernie was a member of MAPA's AA/EEO Committee. He served on that committee several times before taking on the responsibility of Diversity Advancement Committee Chair in 1993.
During his tenure Ernie's committee:
• Was active in making several policies around diversity advancement issues in the National as well as Regional level.
• Implemented a program which allowed free one year membership to HBCUs who were not involved in MAPA.
• Provided Annual Conference Scholarships to two HBCUs in the MAPA region.
• Held the first Diversity Advancement Interactive discussion at an Annual Conference addressing issues of concern.
• Served as the Nominating Committee introducing individuals of color for officership within MAPA's Board.
• That year Ernie was offered the OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD, the first person of color to receive that distinction in MAPA.
Ernie's pursuits should not be surprising since he was one of the first graduates of the Masters of Education Scholarship underwritten by CPS for underrepresented groups. He then because a board member of this organization, later known as CCDM. CCDM was dedicated to the attraction of people of color to the field of Career Development. As he looked as the demographics of college students in the future, he felt the need to be a role model, provide information and assist students within their endeavors. At Virginia Tech he:
• Served for a number of years as advisor to the Black Graduate Student Association.
• Assumed responsibility for the Career Enrichment Program formerly called the Minority Career Advancement Program.
• Served as the President of the Black Faculty and Staff Caucus (1985-86), and increased membership of the Caucus by 20 percent.
• Initiated a Black Church Visitation program which strengthened community relations and increased Virginia Tech visibility.
Certainly as we review Ernie's initiative toward Affirmative Action and Diversity Advancements, MAPA can say he was a hero during his lifetime.
In 1995, MAPA changed its name to the Mid-Atlantic Association of Colleges and Employers (MAACE), to become more closely aligned with the other regional associations and national association. Over the course of time and by joining with another association, EACE, Inc. became an official regional organization on July 1, 1997.
Compiled by Yvonne Harrison in April 1995
Ms. Harrison is currently Director of the Career Development Center, WPI
Ernie was a person who you immediately liked. He had a wonderful sense of making you feel welcomed. Ernie had the gift of gab and was one of those people who was always on target no matter what the subject. He was thoughtful when the subject was serious but also playful when it was not. To me, Ernie was one of those people who lived his life with no regrets! He shared with others, he cared about his colleagues and he loved the profession he choose. Ernie strongly believed in diversity and the advancement of everyone. He was our conscience a lot of time in dealing with difficult subjects at Board Meetings. He was a true proponent of change. I feel very lucky to have known him the short time that I did. If I had to sum up my perception of Ernie, I would probably say he was a very special man, with wonderful vision, who cared about people.
Vanessa A. Singleton
Assistant Director for Recruitment and Special Projects, Personnel Services Branch, DOA
Ernie Andrews served as Associate Director of Career Services at Virginia Tech from 1983 to 1994. I had the pleasure of working side-by-side with Ernie during those years and thoroughly enjoyed our collegial relationship. I had a lot of admiration for Ernie Andrews. He was a colleague and a friend. If you knew him – you liked him – a lot!
As a young professional at the time, I learned much from Ernie. He usually thought outside of the box. He offered unconventional, yet thought provoking and challenging, ideas and approaches during staff meetings and conversations. When things were stressful, he would tell me, "Donna, keep cool. Nothing is worth fretting over." His insights and ideas were based on years of experience, perspective, and wisdom.
Ernie was very positive minded and had a contagious laugh. During Ernie's last days in the office, as he battled lung cancer, he kept that calm demeanor and positive spirit. He chose to move forward with optimism and kept a smile on his face. Ernie was a role model in many ways…to many people in our office and profession.
Donna Cassell Ratcliffe
Past President EACE, Director of Career Services, Virginia Tech
11/10/2017November 2017 Digest
11/10/2017October 2017 Update
11/28/2017WEBINAR: Moving from Diversity to Inclusion: One Career Center's Journey
12/12/2017December Twitter Chat
EACE Headquarters
3601 E. Joppa Road Baltimore, MD 21234
Tel: 410-931-8100


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Celebrate Irish culture at the library on St. Patrick's Day
The Cloquet Public library is celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a literary reading and traditional Irish music starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 17. Irish-American author and Cloquet native Séamas Cain will read from his recently published novel "The Dangerous Islands." The reading will be preceded by music performed on the Celtic harp and penny whistle by Mary Hagen and Linda Crumpton.
Cain is a poet, playwright, conceptual artist, performance artist and theater director who has written about Ireland for many years. Born and raised in Cloquet by parents of Irish descent, Cain has been active in Irish artistic and political circles since he first lived in Ireland in the late 1960s. The Northern Ireland conflict, known as "The Troubles," was an early focus of his essays, pamphlets and manifestos. In an essay written in Northern Ireland in 1968, Cain expresses his understanding of the struggle against the British as a humanist movement while deploring the "mindless violence" of the Irish Republican Army.
Ireland's struggles form the backdrop of his most recent work, "The Dangerous Islands," an unconventional novel that combines aspects of various genres, including poetry and play script, in conveying the experience of a young Irish-American man from 1965 to 1998.
Francis M. Carroll, author of "The Fires of Autumn: The Cloquet-Moose Lake Disaster of 1918" and "Crossroads in Time: A History of Carlton County, Minnesota," had this to say about Cain's book: "'The Dangerous Islands' invites the reader into a kaleidoscope of colors, sounds and images. The experience is both intensely personal and cosmic. Séamas Cain's work comes out of the world of ancient Celtic sagas, out of the séances of William Butler Yeats, out of T.S. Eliot's desert wastelands, and especially out of James Joyce's play with language. He takes the reader to mysterious islands, as well as dangerous islands."
Cain has been the recipient of grants from the IMRAM festival in Ireland, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the McKnight Foundation, and the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, among other organizations. He describes his novel as "a non-Classic coming-of-age tale. It is a story of self-education and self-development, with convictions and disillusionment. But it resists all pigeonholing, for it is also a novel of ideas ranging across literature, philosophy and politics."
"The Dangerous Islands" has been published in Ireland by The Red Jasper Press, an independent publishing house under the curatorship of Kit Fryatt, lecturer in English at the Mater Dei Institute of Education in Dublin. Fryatt organizes activities of the Irish Centre for Poetry Studies, to which Cain has contributed. The book's preface was written by American poet Sheila E. Murphy. Copies are available through various U.S. distributors and bookstores.
Mary Hagen has been a local harper for many years. Linda Crumpton is a member of a Celtic music group that performs regularly at Carmody Irish Pub in Duluth. Both musicians are Cloquet residents.


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Before tonight, the Orioles hadn't trailed in 36 innings since the All-Star break and hadn't fallen behind in the last 45 innings overall. Their last deficit came at the end of the July 13 loss to Toronto.
All good things must come to an end.
The Royals loaded the bases with no outs against starter Jason Hammel, and Alex Gordon scored on Billy Butler's double play grounder to third.
Hammel is fortunate that he only surrendered one run after the first two Royals reached on singles and Lorenzo Cain walked.
Hammel has allowed 13 runs in the first this season, the most of any inning. It's close, though. He's given up 11 in the seventh and 10 in the second, fourth and sixth.
This month continues to challenge Hammel, who owns a 3-15 (.167) career record in July. According to STATS, that's the lowest winning percentage in July for any pitcher in the live-ball era (since 1920) with a minimum of 15 decisions.
Nate McLouth was called out on strikes leading off the top of the first inning. He's batting .450 during his five-game hitting streak, going 9-for-20 with a double, two triples, an RBI, three walks and four runs scored.
McLouth has four straight multi-hit games.
Danny Valencia, who was 11-for-20 lifetime against Royals left-hander Bruce Chen, flied out in the second inning.
The Orioles are 39-25 (.609) in night games, the third-best record in the majors and second-best in the American League behind Oakland (39-22, .639). During the day, the Orioles are 18-18, which is the 10th-best mark in the AL.
The Orioles are 17-for-46 (.370) in the last three games with runners in scoring position. Nick Markakis singled with two outs tonight, but he didn't get any further than first base.
Update: The Royals scored again in the second inning. Hammel was fortunate again that he only allowed one run.
Chris Getz delivered an RBI single and took second on the throw home. The Royals had two runners in scoring position with one out, but couldn't add to their 2-0 lead.
Hammel has thrown 38 pitches in two innings. The Orioles are lucky that their bullpen is rested. T.J. McFarland hasn't pitched since July 13.
Update II: Manny Machado cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the top of the third inning - his first hit at Kauffman Stadium.
Machado hadn't homered since July 9 against the Rangers.
Machado is wearing his batting gloves again tonight.
He's just a glove machine.


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Ok figured out the problem sd must be formatted to fat32 so wierd it got all the files except iso56 keeps giving me the same error when I try to load it oh well I dont have GH5 and neither does she. If she purchases Rock Band with the instruments will we have this problem? They live 7 hours from me so trying to get everything figured out now.
If you think she might go with GH5 and or the Rock Band then you better get the needed IOSes and tweaks in place then or good ol' auntie will be receiving a pleading phone call. Hard to beat a pre-teen girl for whining and begging.
Look up each game-the musical instrument games all have little quirks to them, good thing is they have lots of posts, threads, and even a Sticky (GH5).
If you get a -1 error (can't find file) with only IOS56-recheck its location using Wad Manager-specifically click on it, make sure settings are at default IOS249 and SD card slot. If all is well and still error -1-redownload-possible bad extraction or bad download.


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by Serge Berger | December 18, 2012 11:54 am
With just a few trading days left in 2012, market volume is bound to drop off sharply later this week.
For many large institutions, this means making any major moves will become difficult at best. But retail investors also should be aware of the volume drop-off because it translates into choppier tapes. Afternoon sessions will be especially prone to fast moves (such as the one seen Monday), when it doesn't take much volume to move the market.
Given this volume cliff and general news flow going into the last two weeks of the year, I've made it a rule not to make any major investment calls during this time. I also dramatically cut back on trading, and any trades I do make are about half the usual size.
As a result of the smaller volume, any market moves heading into year's end might not be taken seriously, so I will be focusing on whether the current market structure holds. Specifically, during each of the remaining trading sessions, I will be looking to see whether key levels on the major stock indices hold, and how various sectors and other asset classes hold (correlation).
The über-important support level on the S&P 500 is the November reaction lows at 1,443, followed by 1,400 and 1,384 (give or take a few points). Since late November, there have been three telling days for the bulls (See arrows on chart: Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 17), which continue to speak for the positive market structure that in Q1 2013 and should eventually lead to yet higher prices.
After the recent mean-reversion move in Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL[1]), I also will be keeping one eye on the AAPL chart, as its still ultra-large market cap does matter to the major indices. On the multi-year weekly chart, my more meaningful level to watch is closer to $460.
To the point of cross-asset correlation, up-trending tapes tend to show high correlation among at least the cyclical sectors. I will be looking to see whether this correlation remains high.
See the below chart, which shows the correlation of the S&P 500 sectors over the past week. Note that most things are moving up together, with the exception of consumer staples (XLP[2]) and health care (XLV[3]) — they are defensive sectors, and in a healthy tape, they should lag the broader market.
Bottom line: During the remaining trading sessions of 2012, I will focus on the bigger picture and market structure rather than sweating the small stuff. There's no reason to do all that much given the lack of volume and news flow.
It's been a long year, and I, for one, will focus hard on spending time with family and friends … and resting up, as the battle of 2013 will begin all too soon.
Serge Berger is the head trader and investment strategist for The Steady Trader[4]. Sign up for his free weekly newsletter here[5].
Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2012/12/2012s-final-trading-days-what-to-watch/
Short URL: http://invstplc.com/1fy5Ujg
Copyright ©2017 InvestorPlace Media, LLC. All rights reserved. 700 Indian Springs Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601.


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Life StoryAug/Sep 2014 Issue
We've Got "Issues": Averting a Meltdown
Irreverent solutions to your real life allergy drama
Dear Issues,
I'm a single breastfeeding mom who works full-time and goes to school part-time. If that weren't challenging enough, I noticed shortly after having my baby that she would violently spit up and cry for hours after I ate certain foods. I took her to a specialist and discovered that she has allergies and/or intolerances to gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, walnuts, almonds and fermented foods.
I now have to make almost everything from scratch and it costs a fortune. By the end of the work week, I'm exhausted. Every spare moment at home is spent in the kitchen trying to keep up with meals for both my baby and myself. This diet has literally consumed my whole life and a sizable chunk of my paycheck.
I've found some great recipes and learned a lot about cooking and healthy eating, but even when I try to simplify things by using a slow cooker, making large portions for leftovers and using a lot of rice and potatoes, I still feel overwhelmed with how much time and money it takes. I don't want to switch to formula because I feel that my daughter deserves quality food but I would love to order a pizza and take a night off.
How can I make this easier, cheaper and less time-consuming?
One Extremely Tired Mommy
Dear Mommy,
Girl, you need a break and a pizza. While breastfeeding is an amazing way to give your baby a head start, especially when she already has food allergies, some baby formula is not going to harm that little bundle of joy. Please know that I'm not telling you to stop breastfeeding your baby. What I am telling you to do is to take into account your own health and emotional wellness.
Consult your baby's pediatrician for an allergy-safe formula that can help occasionally supplement your breast milk. This may give you some space to indulge once in a while in the foods you've been missing. Ask the doctor's office for their assistance in connecting you with local social services to help fund the formula and for any other resources that might aid you and your baby.
Studies show that babies who are breastfed benefit in countless way, including a lower risk of developing food allergies. Although that train has already left the station for your baby, feel good that you're doing everything you can to protect her little immune system. And you are. Using a slow cooker and eating less expensive (yet wholesome) single-ingredient foods, like brown rice, beans, potatoes and greens, are good things to do not only for your baby, but for you. So if you feel you can hold on, keep cooking and maintain your diet until your baby gets just a little bit older. At 4 to 6 months, your pediatrician will have you start introducing solid food. Your pediatric allergist will probably test her again to see what foods she can tolerate. Some food allergies can—and do—go away as babies age.
Hang in there and know there is an end in sight. Your little one needs a happy, healthy mama (along with some allergy-friendly formula). And you, new mom, need to know you're doing a great job.
Gluten-Free Eating at the Campground
Dear Issues,
My family has decided to go camping with two other families and I'm pretty excited about this adventure. I'm also wondering if I'm just not thinking clearly as I fantasize about sleeping under the stars surrounded by giant pine trees. I feel pretty confident that I can maintain my gluten-free diet while outdoors. After all, we bring all our food with us. But I have a nagging suspicion that I'm not considering something that could knock me out of commission and keep me from enjoying the trip. Since my symptoms are mostly digestive, a misstep could be a pretty big deal out there. You know what I mean.
Scared of the Dark
Dear Scared,
I'm with you, mostly. I mean, I'm not going with you as you sleep outside and poop in the woods because I'm never doing that again. But I share your enthusiasm that fun times are ahead.
Vacations are awesome. Safe vacations for those of us with serious food issues are even more awesome. Since you bring your own food, you're in control of the situation and, therefore, much safer. However, let's look at the factors that could interfere with your good time. Here's the checklist I'd use if I were to ever consider vacationing in the dirt again. (Hint: I won't.)
• BYOs:�We all love s'mores, right? But those of us who can't eat normal graham crackers are already on high alert. Pack your own gluten-free graham crackers in anticipation of the campfire's crackle and don't share your stick. It's a recipe for cross contamination.
• Foil, Foil, Foil:�If you're sharing a grill with someone else's hamburger bun or gluten-filled sausage, wrap your food in foil and cook away. OK, so you won't get grill marks on your burger. You also won't be in the outhouse all night.
• Water: Food issues or not, everyone should stay hydrated when spending time outdoors. You, however, have two other reasons to carry your own water: No sharing. And staying hydrated is important if you get…uh….compromised.
• Snacks:�You don't want to feel deprived when other campers wave their cookies in your face. Bring your own faves so you can indulge when everyone else does.
A Pan Don't let gluten-grubby cookware contaminate your dinner. You should have at least one small pan that's dedicated gluten-free.
• Wipes: Whether it's to clean your hands after you move the buns or to wipe off flatware that looks suspicious, keeping your food area clean when you don't have indoor plumbing requires extra help. Heck, if I were you, I'd even pack a small bottle of rubbing alcohol to kill germs. You never know when you may need to create a sterile environment.
Toilet Paper Just bring it. If anyone is going to need it on this trip, it's you.
April Peveteaux is author of Gluten Is My Bitch: Rants, Recipes and Ridiculousness for the Gluten-Free.
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|You are in: World: Africa
Tuesday, 29 August, 2000, 14:27 GMT 15:27 UK
Officer meets Sierra Leone hostage
A British army officer has met one of the 11 British soldiers being held hostage by a rebel militia group in Sierra Leone.
One of the captives was allowed to leave the jungle camp to meet Colonel Simon Fordham of the Royal Irish Regiment, a spokesman for the British army said.
He was accompanied by Colonel Kallay, one of the leaders of the West Side Boys rebel group which seized the soldiers on Friday.
Colonel Fordham was accompanied by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, a former coup leader, who is now a member of the Sierra Leonean Government, The Times newspaper reported.
The paper added there were no negotiations, but the rebel leader was given a letter from the Sierra Leonean Government telling him to release the hostages.
UK prime minister Tony Blair is to be briefed on the situation on his return from holiday on Tuesday.
A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Blair realised it was a "complex and difficult situation" but wanted to be updated immediately.
"Whenever British forces are held against their will, anywhere in the world, it is something the government takes very seriously," said Mr Blair.
'Good spirits'
Colonel Stewart Douglas, of the Royal Irish Regiment, told BBC News 24 that the soldiers were being treated well and that none of them had been injured.
He said: "It is an unpleasant situation for them but they are in good spirits.
"It is a strong group and they are experienced soldiers... it won't be the first time they will have found themselves in a conflict environment."
He said the soldiers would have been trained for such a hostage situation and that they would be putting their "procedures into place".
"It depends on their captors but I think it is a good sign that the captors are in direct contact with us," he added.
He said the men's families were receiving regularly updates of the situation.
"The families are our prime concern," he said.
"We have a very well-developed regimental service and we are in a position to give good support to the families."
Local politics
The BBC West Africa correspondent, Mark Doyle, says the West Side Boys are believed to want food and medicine in return for their hostages, but that complex local politics could also be involved.
The meeting has raised hopes of progress towards the hostages' release, he adds.
According to some reports the meeting with Colonel Kallay took place at a UN peacekeeping base at Masiaka.
The 11 members of the Royal Irish Regiment (RIR), were seized together with a soldier from Sierra Leone, outside the capital, Freetown, on Friday.
The West Side Boys swear allegiance to the former military government headed by Mr Koroma, but remain in opposition to the present Sierra Leonean Government despite the fact that Mr Koroma is now a member of it.
They are known for wearing bizarre clothing and being almost perpetually drunk, but they reputedly use their guns without hesitation, and command fear in the areas which they control.
They are not connected to the main rebel group in Sierra Leone, the Revolutionary United Front.
On Monday the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he expected the kidnapped soldiers to be released "in the near future".
The UN is assisting British and Sierra Leonean authorities to negotiate with the captors.
See also:
29 Aug 00 | Africa
Who are the West Side Boys?
27 Aug 00 | UK
Relatives await news of soldiers
26 Aug 00 | African
Annan pushes for more troops
04 Jun 00 | Africa
UN investigates hostage crisis
19 May 00 | Africa
Concern over missing UN troops
12 May 00 | Africa
Jungle escape for British soldiers
28 Aug 00 | UK Politics
UK presence in Sierra Leone questioned
Internet links:
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Links to more Africa stories are at the foot of the page.
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Liam Tung
December 17, 2010
- A d v e r t i s e m e n t
- {openx:49}
The cryptography of open source operating system OpenBSD was rigged with FBI-sponsored backdoors a decade ago, a former government contractor has told OpenBSD founder Theo De Raadt.
A 'backdoor' is an algorithm or rootkit written to allow a third party to bypass usual security controls and gain access to a system
Stock up for the Holidays with eFoodsDirect and get FREE Shipping! (Ad)
"I wanted to make you aware of the fact that the FBI implemented a number of backdoors," Gregory Perry, former chief technology officer at former government contractor, Netsec, told De Raadt in an email.


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Meeting the public
Monthly borough council meetings are open to the general public. But in most towns, including Lehighton, usually very few people attend.
Councilman Dale Traupman said he wants to know what people in the community are thinking, so he's come up with a plan to listen to them outside the four walls of the borough hall.
Traupman is suggesting holding a series of informal meetings with borough residents on their turf. He wants groups of council members to stage meetings at such places as the borough park, Community Grove, the Heights area, and the north end of Third Street.
He recommend these sessions "should not exceed 45 minutes and are for gathering information and feedback only. In depth discussions should be avoided."
There would be no official decisions made at these sessions, but matters of importance would then be discussed at the monthly council meetings.
Council member Melissa Ebbert was quick to endorse Traupman's idea. It does sound like a novel approach for the council members to let the electorate know they are listening.
It would be an opportunity for residents to explain specific problems to council members - problems like hang-outs where drug activity might be suspected, poor storm water drainage, and dilapidated buildings - without the formal forum of a borough council meeting. There could be suggestions made for improving the neighborhood or even the entire community.
This might be a concept that could be explored in other communities.
The meetings would be advertised so that the public would be aware that they are being held and as many council members as available could attend.
Obviously, most council members do make their presence known in the community. Generally, though, they hear individual complaints or recommendations. The informal meeting concept as proposed by Traupman would be an avenue where entire neighborhoods could discuss matters of importance.
The entire council agree to support Traupman's plan.
We can't wait to see how things work out with these neighborhood sessions.
By Ron Gower