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Special Report: Doing Business With No Walls
This story appears in the November 2009 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
A computer, a telephone, a personal assistant: The 21st century mobile phone is all of that, and more. Now Entrepreneur offers a guide to fully mobilizing your business--including the best gizmos to get the job done.
The first indication that Doug Sohn runs an old-school operation is the sign in front of the cash register at Hot Doug's, his "sausage superstore" in Chicago. It reads "Cash Only," and Sohn means it. If a customer protests, he might chide them: "Didn't your mother tell you to always have $20 in your pocket?"
No surprise that Sohn isn't what you would call an early adopter of new technology. Yeah, he carries a cell phone (just his second in six years), but that's about as wired as he gets.
It's a shame, because the truth is: There is accessible, affordable, mobile technology that could change his business and his life.
Just think about it:
Sohn spends 50 hours a week in the store, taking customer orders and answering the land line next to the cash register. Then he spends 12 more hours working at home, managing his accounts with Intuit Quicken QuickBooks on a desktop.
What if he invested in a new phone and a mobile service plan--maybe a two-line plan with a separate business number that he can ignore when he's not working.
And what if he bought a smartphone, and put QuickBooks Mobile on the device.
Or how about one of the new mobile broadband service plans packaged with a netbook rather than a phone Then the netbook would fit next to the cash register, and Sohn could manage his books during downtime at the store.
It would add hours to his week.
So what's stopping him Nothing so different from what stops so many entrepreneurs from streamlining their operations: There are now so many plans, so many complex mobile devices, so many specialized applications, it's enough to overwhelm anyone but the most devoted technophile.
"The ideal device might make life easier for me," Sohn says. "But ... "
Well, the time for hesitation is over.
In this month's special report on mobile technology, Entrepreneur sorts it all out for you--the service plans, the apps, the providers and, yes, the gadgets. We'll help you shop smarter and figure out the best combination for your business.
But we're not all breathless over this new technology, either--not in this economy. We'll help you figure out exactly what your business needs--and doesn't need. So read on, and untether your business from the past.
13 Apps That Will Change the Way You Work
It's likely that you're already soaking your monthly mobile plan for every last voice minute available. But online applications stores such as the Apple App Store and the BlackBerry App Store make it easy for small-business users to download new mobile functionality that can improve productivity and overall connectivity to colleagues while on the go.
Here's the download on the must-have apps for small-business users:
- DataViz Documents-to-Go: Originally created for the earliest Palm devices, it's now available for BlackBerry, iPhone, Android and other devices. Allows you to create and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents and Adobe PDF documents from your phone.
- Intuit QuickBooks Online for mobile devices: QuickBooks, one of the most successful online small-business applications, was adapted to work on iPhones and BlackBerrys late last year and made available from Intuit Labs in a beta version. Has all the favorite QuickBooks Online capabilities: Balance sheet and profit and loss reports; bank account and credit card balances; vendor, customer and employee lists; accounts receivable and payable; and QuickBooks Online contact resources.
- TimeTTracker MX2: Developed by R&F Consulting Inc. to integrate with QuickBooks to track time, expenses and mileage on a mobile device.
- Exgis Time and Expense: Another of the many time and expense-related mobile applications available for various devices. Exgis T&E is for the BlackBerry and has various levels (Enterprise, Pro, Lite) depending on your business size and need.
- NOCturnalWare TraveLog and While You Were Out: TraveLog is a mileage tracker. WYWO is a mobile version of the popular desktop e-mail feature. Helps if you have a busy, mobile personal assistant who intercepts a lot of your calls.
- Salesforce Mobile: The mobile version of the popular online CRM resource application is available for iPhone, BlackBerry and other devices.
- Bitrino WiFiTrak and AppMiner: Both for the iPhone. WiFiTrak searches for free public Wi-Fi hotspots. AppMiner addresses a fast-growing problem for mobile users--app overload--by tracking frequent updates and price changes in desired apps.
- Nice Office: From developer eAgency, this is a mobile office assistant app for Windows Mobile and BlackBerry that wirelessly syncs with Microsoft Outlook components. Includes features for employee oversight sales and opportunity management.
- BillableGoal: Helps you organize billing time for multiple clients by tracking call and e-mails and creating timers for other billable tasks. Can be exported as an e-mail attachment.
- Put Things Off: Its "laid-back to-do list" helps organize and prioritize tasks while maintaining a sense of levity and sanity. Spun off from the "Put Things Off" blog by U.K.-based Nick Cernis.
- reQall: Voice-enabled memory aid records tasks and reminders before you forget about them, organizes them, sends you alerts and daily "Memory Jogger" reminders.
Shop Like a Business, Not a Customer
Most entrepreneurs buy mobile devices, services and apps as if they were shopping for themselves--but it pays to find the plans and equipment that are meant for business.
Small-business operators are among the most desirable customers for mobile service providers. They aren't locked into corporate contracts. They aren't bogged down by legacy IT systems. They're usually early adopters, and typically they use mobile technology more than the average consumer. And they would probably use it more, given the right tools, applications and education.
But a disconnect remains between most small-business users and the mobile phone industry. Small-business owners looking to buy mobile phones are often treated more like consumers than business professionals with specific business needs.
"Just look when you go into a phone store," says Iain Gillott, president at iGR, a market research firm that focuses on the wireless and mobile industry. "The small-business user's buying process is exactly like the consumer's. They look around at the same phones and buy the same stuff as consumers. There is not any special segmentation."
The fact is, though, that mobile technology tore down the walls between our business lives and our personal lives, prompting the evolution of the so-called "prosumer." Devices like the BlackBerry and the iPhone have had a social impact that encourages us to always be working, even when we're not working. You may think you had a choice in the matter, and maybe you still think you do, but the improved functionality of mobile devices and the improved quality of mobile calling and e-mailing probably already has changed your business life. And small businesses--particularly the entrepreneurs whose brains, hearts and souls, drive those businesses--need to always be connected.
Small-business customers need to think differently when they're shopping for service. Since the in-store shopping experience doesn't particularly beckon the small-business user, purchasing through carrier sites online offers a somewhat more specialized approach.
Verizon Wireless, for example, offers a number of small-business service plans and employs "small-business specialists" in many stores. The company also has small-business account executives who offer further analysis through on-site consultation.
The emergence of application download stores, meanwhile, is helping small-business owners better understand the extent to which they can use their mobile phones for a variety of business processes, creating high-profile venues for obtaining specialized business applications. These applications might be considered foundational to any entrepreneurial business looking to spread its wings and remain productive and organized while doing so. In most cases, multiple-use licenses are available, and most of the applications are available for a variety of device types. DataViz Inc. already had iPhone and BlackBerry versions of Documents-to-Go this summer when it announced a new version of Android phone models rapidly becoming available, said Shari Hoffman, sales and marketing spokeswoman at DataViz. "A lot of small-business phone buyers probably don't know right away, even after they buy a phone, the things that they can do with it," she says.
"There is more education needed, and that will happen."
Here's a rundown of what the major carriers offer online:
- Online resources: Verizon Wireless; Sprint; AT&T
- Business segmentation: All three carriers offer the same tabs you'll see in the consumer portions of their sites, allowing you to shop by device type or service plan preferences. But the additional tab "industry solutions" on all three sites leads to a shopping experience defined by more specific segments, such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing, finance, distribution and professional services. Sprint, for example, highlights 14 specialized sectors.
- Community features: Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint offer small-business community discussion forums through their websites.
- Special assistance: Sprint touts its Solution Launchpad, a feature that allows you to clock on an "organization need" and then build a service plan from recommended devices, pricing structures and applications. Verizon hypes its network of small-business "specialists" and "account executives." AT&T has the AT&T Exclusively Business Center.
- Special devices: AT&T still has a lock on the Apple iPhone, which increasingly is being promoted to business users. Verizon Wireless heavily hypes BlackBerry phones like the BlackBerry Tour. Sprint has the Palm Pre and several BlackBerry devices. Verizon and Sprint also offer the MiFi personal Wi-Fi device that links to the mobile broadband network to create a small Wi-Fi coverage umbrella that can be accessed by as many as five colleagues. Sprint also offers the Airave, a device that expands mobile network coverage inside small offices.
- Other special features: All three carriers offer push-to-talk capability on some phones, though Sprint's long-standing Nextel Direct Connect is still considered the market leader. All three carriers offer navigational capabilities and location-based features. Verizon offers a Field Force Manager app with Job Dispatch, Electronic Timecard and Location and Tracking features.
What Do You Really Need?
As president at mobile market research firm iGR, Iain Gillott studies small-business mobile trends, but he's also a small-business entrepreneur himself. The lead in a four-man firm that he says mostly uses Apple gear--including the iconic iPhone--Gillott knows what it's like to navigate a mobile device purchase. He describes the experience as one characterized by service providers who usually see small-business users much like consumers, and small-business users who often don't analyze their own needs and desires well enough to understand what they're looking for.
Gillott advises that entrepreneurial shoppers ask themselves several questions before deciding on a handset type and service provider (important since some services are only available from limited operators).
- How important is the need to run non-business applications?
- What business applications will be required?
- Is integration with the Microsoft Exchange server required for e-mail and applications (such as calendar)?
- Is a high-quality camera or video camera required (by Realtors, for example)?
- Is push-to-talk service required, for example by contractors and couriers?
- Will the phone be used mainly with gloves on? This is important since most of the touchscreens require skin contact. (The iPhone, for example, does not work well with a gloved finger.)
- How important is image and form factor? Does the device have to be cool?
- How important is battery life? Does the device have to last more than one day without being charged?
- Will the user be staying in a single metro area? Will there be travel between metro areas? Or traveling in rural markets as well?
- Will the device also be used for music and video entertainment? For example, I use my phone to listen on music on planes.
Best Tools For the Job
Best For Entertainment: "Apple iPhone 3G or 3GS ($99.99, $199.99). The ability to take video and music with you (for use on planes, for example) plus buy new entertainment on the road is a huge plus. The iPhone also has an excellent browser and user interface. But e-mail support is relatively weak, and so the iPhone is not the best for MS Exchange integration. If the entrepreneur wants more memory and higher performance, or if a video camera is important, then the choice is the 3GS. If the entrepreneur does not want AT&T service, an alternative is the Palm Pre (currently only at Sprint but coming to Verizon Wireless next year). The Pre has a great user interface, plays music and video from iTunes, has a great browser and is a nice design.
Best 'Business Integration' (MS Exchange Etc): RIM BlackBerry Tour (about $175). "The Tour is the latest from RIM and is a great device. It includes a great camera as well. The price is a little high, and there are other BlackBerry devices available for less than $100. RIM is obviously good at Exchange integration and e-mail. But if you can stretch the budget, get the Tour. The Nokia E71x (about $270) is also worth a look. Windows Mobile devices will integrate very well with Exchange. While Windows Mobile is looking a little old these days (especially compared to the iPhone and the Palm Pre), there are plenty of choices. But, I would recommend waiting--Windows Mobile 6.5 promises a range of new features and should be a major upgrade in the fall."
Best Camera: "Several phones have good five megapixel cameras these days. Nokia N-Series phones have Carl Zeiss optics and take great photos--the N85 or N97 ($366, $599) are both good (and available unlocked from Amazon.com). Others worth considering: the Sony Ericsson C902 (about $300), Samsung F480 (about $290) and the HTC Touch (about $250)."
Best Push-to-Talk: "For push-to-talk, you really have to look at Nextel (for the iDEN network). Motorola's i465 (with keyboard, about $100) and i335 (about $50) are both popular. But also consider Boost, which uses the same iDEN network but offers unlimited usage plans. The Motorola i290 starts at just $49.99."
Best for Gloves: "Forget a touchscreen and forget a QWERTY keyboard--touchscreens like warm dry fingers, and the keys on the QWERTY devices are small. Also best to avoid sliders or flip phones. A good candy bar design with a 10-digit keypad is best. The choice depends on the operator you are using. But good examples are the Pantech c630 (about $170) or the Samsung a637 (about $220)."
Best Battery Life: "The screen on a phone consumes half the available power. So,while the new touchscreen smartphones look great and have fabulous screens, they tend to be power hogs and hence have shorter battery lives. Higher-powered application processors (such as in the new Apple iPhone 3GS) also consume more power. For general business use and a great battery life, I would recommend a BlackBerry Curve (about $150) or Bold (about $200). Avoid the Blackberry Storm (about $100), since this has a touchscreen and takes more power."
Best for Metro Areas: "For unlimited service in metro areas, I would recommend a Cricket from Leap Wireless, or a phone and service from MetroPCS. Each company has multiple unlimited use plans (great for business people who are on the phone all day, such as Realtors), as well as roaming agreements that let users roam in major markets. But rural coverage is poor--stick with a nationwide operator if you need rural coverage. The best-selling handset at Cricket and MetroPCS is the Samsung Messenger (about $175)."
Best to Access New Apps: "Many operators and handset OEMs have been promoting their new application stores. But only one has seen major activity: the Apple App Store. To access this, you need an iPhone. While many of the apps are games or just for fun, there are serious productivity tools as well. If you like to explore and try new software, an Apple iPhone (about $150) is a good choice."


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Laminate flooring Bangholme
Laminate flooring is one of the most popular choices when comes to flooring as an alternative to solid hardwood flooring, Laminate Flooring is not only attractive, cost-efficient and innovative, but is available in a wide range of colours and grains. It's also more dent and stain-resistant than solid or engineered hardwood flooring, making it the perfect choice for active households with young children or pets.
We stock a wide range of laminate flooring in MELBOURNE. When it comes to colour, texture, plank size, thickness and accessories, FLOOR COURT is your one stop shop for laminate floors.

subset: commoncrawl


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Following A Regularly Scheduled Episode at 10pm, "The Soup" Host Joel McHale Welcomes WWE's Biggest Superstars For A No-Holds-Barred Special Salute to WWE at 10:30pm
Los Angeles, CA, November 19, 2012 - Just in time for Thanksgiving, E!'s "The Soup" is serving up a special night filled with not one, but two brand new episodes on Wednesday, November 21st!
Starting at 10pm ET/PT, Joel McHale presents a fresh new episode of "The Soup" with his tongue-in-cheek humor audiences have grown to love. As if that weren't enough, immediately following at 10:30pm ET/PT, Joel welcomes to the set some of WWE's most popular Superstars and Divas including The Miz, Eve Torres, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan and Hornswoggle, along with the legendary announcers Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler for the special episode, " The Soup Salutes WWE- Pile Driving Clips in your Face."
Complete with plenty of pec bouncing, "The Soup Salutes WWE- Pile Driving Clips in your Face" delivers the most hilarious WWE moments and themed clips. From David Hasselhoff engaging in creepy conversation with the WWE Divas and Hulk Hogan doggy-paddling Donald Trump to safety, to more 'sober' fist pumping on "Jersey Shore" and classy romance on "Love Games," this special episode continues the tradition of presenting the "best" of the funniest moments in television. Plus, "The Soup" cameras follow as some of the WWE Superstars stop by the "Fashion Police" set to give Joan and Melissa Rivers a run for their money!
So, grab a chair and tune in to a night of "The Soup," November 21st beginning at 10pm ET/PT, only on E!
For more "Soup-y" goodness, check out TheSoupTV.com and follow @TheSoup on Twitter.
About E! Entertainment
E! is television's top global destination for all things pop culture. The network is currently available to 98 million cable and satellite subscribers in the U.S. and E! content is available on all platforms any time and anywhere from E! Online to social media to mobile to VOD to the latest emerging platforms. Popular programming includes E! core franchises, "E! News," "The Soup," "Chelsea Lately," "Fashion Police" and "True Hollywood Story," as well as the network's hit series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," "Khloé & Lamar," "Kourtney and Kim Take New York," "Ice Loves Coco" and "After Lately." Additionally, E!'s "Live from the Red Carpet" signature events keep fans connected to their favorite stars on pop culture's biggest nights. E! is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.


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Wednesday, October 2, 2013
in the not-too-distant future: exams
Posted by The Author at 9:17 PM
Labels: dakwah and tarbiyyah, graphic art
1 comments:
- Anonymous said...
ameen ameen ameen. May such an event happen in the other parts of the land of ukhuwwah around the world.
- October 2, 2013 at 10:49 PM
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In a survey* of IT professionals, 85% said they are increasing density to:
* Source: "Innovating in a Time of Change: Investment and Technical Trends in the Data Center," CommScope, Sept. 2009
Webshop: patch cables
Route cables directly into ports
Webshop: patch panels
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Sonic Excellence – Advanced A-D/D-A conversion, premium multi-layered board circuitry and rock steady JetPLL™clocking delivers extremely clean, transparent audio at a dynamic range of 119dB with 24-bit resolution at sample rates up to 192kHz.
Focusrite RedNet Series
Studio quality sound meets digital audio networking…
RedNet is Focusrite's flagship range of modular Ethernet-networked audio interfaces that harnesses the power of Audinate's tried and tested Dante digital audio networking system to bring studio quality sound to any modern audio application.
Designed with multiple audio applications in mind – from Live Sound rigs to Multi-room Recording Studios, Houses of Worship, Audio Distribution Installations, Post Production environments and anything in-between – fundamentally RedNet is an extremely scalable, near zero latency audio distribution system that can be used to expand I/O channel count, interface digital components, and/or bridge between Pro Tools|HD or MADI and the Dante audio network.
Dante Audio Networking – Harnessing the power of Dante's tried and tested digital audio networking system, RedNet forms an extremely scalable, modular audio distribution system that is compatible with any other Dante enabled products.
Highly Expandable – RedNet's modular "building block" design means that each system can be specified with any combination of RedNet units to ensure your system has the right type and quantity of I/O exactly where you need them.
Extensive Compatibility – With many different options for interfacing with other hardware, whether it's MADI, AES 3, analogue, Mac, PC, Pro Tools|HD, or Dante-based products - RedNet will function with a huge range of devices and features multiple connectivity options.
Incorporating Focusrite's most advanced AD/DA conversion to date, rock-stable JetPLL clocking and premium multi-layered board circuitry, RedNet is no exception to the company's philosophy that 'Sound is Everything'. With every design detail meticulously engineered, RedNet is a step above its I/O competition, providing some of the most transparent and pristine audio quality available – with the added benefit of the systems' revolutionary networking capabilities.


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NEW YORK, N.Y. – Washington state's chief prosecutor says there's a catch to T-Mobile's new cellphone plans, which replace the traditional two-year service contract with an installment plan for phone buyers.
One of the benefits of the new plan is that buyers can cancel their service at any time. But Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson says the company hasn't told customers that they have to pay the full remaining cost of the phone if they cancel service; they can't remain on the installment plan.
Ferguson announced Thursday that T-Mobile has agreed to warn customers across the country about the lump-sum payments, which can be higher than the "early termination fees" charged by other carriers when subscribers cancel their contracts.
In an agreement filed with a Washington state court, the company also agreed to issue full refunds on request to customers nationwide who bought T-Mobile phones from March 26, when the plan was introduced, to Thursday.
T-Mobile said it believes its advertising was "truthful and appropriate" and agreed to the arrangement in the spirit of increased transparency.
For a high-end phone like the iPhone 5, T-Mobile charges $100 up front, then $20 per month for two years. Customers also have the option of paying the phone outright for $580. While the installment plan adds $20 to the monthly cost, T-Mobile's service plans are cheaper than the competition.
T-Mobile USA is based in Bellevue, Wash., and is owned by German phone company Deutsche Telekom AG.


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Please share!
The London Society and London Historians* have joined forces to conduct this most important of polls. Last year, they asked for nominations; dozens were submitted. Now the list has been whittled down to a terrible ten.
The shortlist contains a mix of maligned monuments — from abstract sculptures to (perhaps controversially) war memorials. Some were chosen for sheer ugliness. Others were deemed to be unsuitable for the location, or inappropriate to the subject.
Take a look at the shortlist and cast your vote. Some of the inclusions may surprise.
The 'winner' will be announced at a special event on 26 February 2019. The evening will also include a series of talks about Londoners who should be commemorated but aren't.


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Malibu Sea Cave
Malibu, California
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Inyo National Forest, Bishop, CA
Malibu Bioluminescence
McWay Falls Milky Way
Big Sur, California
June Lake Beach Stargazer - Sigma 14mm
Mammoth Lakes, CA
June Beach wasn't originally on my list of locations to shoot, but after scouting during the day I knew I needed to adjust my timeline so I could fit it in. With the short window between Moonset and astronomical twilight and the fact that most of my compositions were facing South / South West, it really made hitting all of these spots a bit difficult. Normally I would spend a bit more time trying different compositions, but I probably shot 5-6 images at each spot and made my way to the next.
Sony A7RII - Sigma 14mm
20 Sec | ISO 4000 | f/1.8
Mount Laguna, San Diego, California
Garnet Peak Trail
Mount Launga, California
Lake Sabrina Milky Way
Sitting at over 9,000ft elevation , Lake Sabrina was one of the spots I was most excited to shoot visit. Due to it's location being a bit further from the rest of the spots I had planned, I saved it until my last night. I was originally hoping to use a bit of Moon light to help illuminate the scene, but the Milky Way wasn't quiet in the position I wanted. I could have taken a few photos when the Moon was still up and then composited it with a frame taken of the sky a bit later, but I prefer to capture my images using a single exposure. I shot this at a slightly lower ISO than some of my other images and relied on that extra stop from shooting at 1.8 to help bring out some detail.
During the day, Bishop hit over 100 degrees, by the time I was made it to Lake Sabrina the temperature was in the high 40's. I didn't spend as much time I would've liked here, or any of the locations for that matter, so I definitely hoped to return soon.
Sony A7RII - Sigma 14mm
20 Sec | ISO 4000 | f/1.8
Leo Carrillo Twilight
Moonset in Malibu, California
Lake Sabrina Stargazer
Bishop, CA
As much as I've mentioned being in a rush to hit as many locations as possible, it didn't stop me from being in complete awe of this beautiful area. Although I'm wearing my headlamp, I opted to keep it off for the photo. When you think about it, unless you're using a red headlamp, that light right above your eyes really kills your view of the stars : ) Who would want to miss out on that reflection of the Milky Way!
Being completely surrounded by the mountains, this area was incredibly dark. I briefly thought about extending my exposure a bit and dealing with slightly trailed stars, but in the end opted against it. I was pretty sure that shooting this with the lens wide open, I'd be able to push the RAW file to bring out enough detail.
Sony A7RII - Sigma 14mm
20 sec | ISO 3200 | f/1.8
Mobius Arch Milky Way - Comet 252P/Linear
Alabama Hills, California
Lake Henshaw, San Diego, California
Clark Dry Lake Bed
Anza-Borrego State Park, California
Lone Pine Stargazer
Lone Pine, California
Mr. Mcneil out on a weekend adventure.
Figueroa Mountain
Santa Ynez, California
Malibu Sea Arch
Working on the Edge
Fonts Point, Anza Borrego Desert, California
Mobius Arch Star Trails
Lone Pine, California
Night Watch


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Eyes for art: Bad vision makes for masterpieces
Q: If you were a famous painter and developed eye trouble, would that doom your art? –E. L. Greco
A: Not necessarily, says physicist Sidney Perkowitz in Empire of Light: A History of Discovery in Science and Art. Paul Cezanne, Monet, and other artists saw a world interpreted through imperfect vision. Degas was afflicted by age 36 with a right eye so bad he couldn't see a rifle target. He also suffered from photophobia– extreme sensitivity to bright light– plus blurring and a blind spot. A number of Degas' American scenes from a trip to New Orleans are set in interior lighting, which was about all he could tolerate then, but are in turn "enriched by the inclusion of external light or outdoor views."
His nearsightedness may even have served him, as photos show he rarely wore his glasses, possibly out of desire to tame hard-edged reality and see a "softer world" (author Richard Kendall). Cezanne also rejected eyeglasses. "The link between poor vision and valid art persists," says Perkowitz. There is evidence some contemporary painters can't see stereoscopically (3-D), making the world seem flatter and easier to commit to two-dimensional paper!
Perkowitz comments that as for his own idiosyncratic vision, "Magic happens if I let my myopia emerge at night. Every street lamp, every neon sign and automobile headlamp is surrounded by a lovely halo. The less well I see, the more the world seems filled with light."
The un-bespectacled spectacle.
Q: For fans of the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho, based on notorious Wisconsin psychopath Ed Gein, there's this reality-check: Could Norman Bates' mother truly have mummified naturally as depicted in the movie? B. Karlof
A: Absolutely; it's happened numerous times to bodies kept in homes in very low humidity and protected from insects and other carnivore activity, says Kenneth V. Iserson, M.D., in Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies? (galenpress.com). Forensic pathologists encounter natural mummies that have been kept in warm dry places, such as the corpses of infants in drawers, cupboards, or boxes near fireplaces or heaters.
Essentially, a mummy is a corpse preserved (poorly) through complete dehydration, its skin, muscles, and bones (especially ribs) becoming so dry that any disturbance may cause disintegration to dust. Or the skin may become hardened to the point where a scalpel will barely cut it.
Many mummification processes, natural or deliberate, have marked history. The ancient Egyptians had an elaborate version, and, before the pharaohs, burial in hot dry sand. Corpses have been mummified via smoke-drying and shrinkage, icing, sun-drying, smoke-curing, or salt-packing.
It is claimed that contemporary man can be mummified using modern methods– and kept in much better condition than Egyptian mummies, says Iserson. Freeze-drying bodies is one such approach, plasticination is another. But these are not cryonics, with its dreamed-of freeze-and-thaw resurrection after a cure is found. In all these approaches, "the person is dead and will remain dead."
Q: When you hear a sonic boom, does this mean the plane just "broke the sound barrier"? C. Yeager
A: It may have exceeded the speed of sound hours ago. As a craft approaches Mach 1, sound waves racing out ahead can't get away fast enough so they "pile up" at the nose and trail off in the shape of a huge, high-pressure rearward cone. When this shock wave extends down far enough, groundlings hear it as a boom, but this may be long after the crossover point, like the wake of a ship touching shore.
When World War II aircraft neared Mach 1 during dives, they encountered buffeting and instability that led people to believe a "sound barrier" stood in the way of supersonic flight, says physicist Louis A. Bloomfield in How Things Work. This was dispelled in October 1947 when Capt. Charles Yeager, flying with broken ribs from a horse-riding accident, took his XS-1 rocket plane to Mach 1.06 on a flight so uneventful he could only tell he had "slipped through" with the aid of instruments.
Send strange questions to brothers Bill and Rich at their email address.


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Axminster Carpets: "not currently in administration"
PUBLISHED: 10:12 26 February 2013 | UPDATED: 10:18 26 February 2013
Firm 'continues to trade' as administrators sell off part of the company's Buckfastleigh holdings, saving 20 jobs
Axminster Carpets was continuing to trade as The Herald went to press today (Tueday) – despite part of its Buckfastleigh spinning and dyeing arm going into administration on Monday.
Devonia – a commercial tannery processing British sheepskins - was immediately sold to Eastern Counties Leather, safeguarding 20 jobs.
A spokesman for administrators Duff and Phelps said: "Axminster Carpets Limited, the (Devonia) company's ultimate holding company, does not form part of this sale and is not currently in administration.
"Axminster Carpets continues to trade and fulfil its customers' orders while all available options are being pursued by the company's board of directors."
Axminster Carpets' managing director, Josh Dutfield, welcomed the Devonia sale.
He said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Devonia staff for their loyalty and hard work. I am delighted that the business' future and the employees' jobs have been secured and I wish them all the best for the future. Devonia is a great British brand with a great heritage in the local area."
Meanwhile senior Community Union officials were hoping to meet Axminster Carpet bosses yesterday for further talks.
A spokesman said: "We are aiming to get some insight from them to see how they see things played out over the next couple of weeks and what action they are planning to take. We need to know what they are doing.
"We want the facts on the table to find out the nature of the problems and what they are doing to keep the employees up to speed with information – and any assistance the union can bring to that.
More than 2,000 people signed the union petition in the first 48 hours after its launch.
It reads: "We the undersigned support the campaign to save Axminster Carpets and keep this historic firm and carpet manufacturing in Axminster. We call on the Government to do more to support the carpet industry in this country."
Copies are available throughout the area and on line at
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Home > Jewelries & Watches > Watches > Watch Accessories > White Silicone Rubber Watch Strap Band Deployment Buckle Waterproof 20mm
Product Details
This watch band looks elegant and graceful even in its simplicity tone. It will add a charming taste of wit and maturity for you.
- Color: White
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- Length: Approx. 7.5 inch (19 cm); Width: Approx. 0.75 inch (2 cm)
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- The length can be cut short if necessary
Package Includes:
- 1 x silicone watch band
Instructions: Before use, please make sure that watchband is installed correctly and firmly.
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Export 42 results:
Filtres: Author is Hébert, Marc [Enlever les filtres]
Retinal response to light in young nonaffected offspring at high genetic risk of neuropsychiatric brain disorders. Biol Psychiatry. 2010;67(3):270-4.
Using blue-green light at night and blue-blockers during the day to improves adaptation to night work: a pilot study. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010;34(7):1236-42.
[When a season means depression]. Med Sci (Paris). 2010;26(1):79-82.
Evidence of a biological effect of light therapy on the retina of patients with seasonal affective disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2009;66(3):253-8.
Human retinal light sensitivity and melatonin rhythms following four days in near darkness. Chronobiol Int. 2009;26(1):93-107.
Impact of oral melatonin on the electroretinogram cone response. J Circadian Rhythms. 2009;7:14.
Wearing blue-blockers in the morning could improve sleep of workers on a permanent night schedule: a pilot study. Chronobiol Int. 2009;26(5):913-25.
Influence of timed nutrient diet on depression and light sensitivity in seasonal affective disorder. Chronobiol Int. 2008;25(1):51-64.
Evidence of a possible impact of the menstrual cycle on the reproducibility of scotopic ERGs in women. Doc Ophthalmol. 2007;114(3):125-34.
Impact of light therapy on rod and cone functions in healthy subjects. Psychiatry Res. 2007;151(3):259-63.
Blue blocker glasses impede the capacity of bright light to suppress melatonin production. J Pineal Res. 2006;41(1):73-8.
Electroretinography in patients with winter seasonal affective disorder. Psychiatry Res. 2004;127(1-2):27-34.
Autosomal dominant macular dystrophy in a large Canadian family. Can J Ophthalmol. 2003;38(1):33-40.
A novel syndrome of congenital lid and punctal anomalies, corneal and chorioretinal dystrophy. Ophthalmic Genet. 2003;24(2):111-6.
The effects of prior light history on the suppression of melatonin by light in humans. J Pineal Res. 2002;33(4):198-203.
Electrophysiologic and phenotypic features of an autosomal cone-rod dystrophy caused by a novel CRX mutation. Ophthalmology. 2002;109(10):1862-70.
Electrophysiological evidence suggesting a seasonal modulation of retinal sensitivity in subsyndromal winter depression. J Affect Disord. 2002;68(2-3):191-202.


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New Code of Conduct
Pages 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 NEXT
As everyone will have noticed, the new Code of Conduct has been rolled out today. (Random day too, right?)
This thread is meant to be a centralized location for all questions and comments you may have for the new document.
So.. ask away!
EDIT: It goes without saying that in discussing specifics and context for the Code of Conduct, this thread is going to have posts in with examples of potentially offensive material, clarifications on rules, and a bit of discussion about whether or not a rule is effective. Given that, parts of this thread will ironically be in breach of the Code of Conduct, and for the purposes of those discussions, it's okay.
That said, willfully abusing this good will, attempting to use this mild amnesty to pick consequenceless fights, or use this as grounds to blatantly violate rules will have the typical infractions applied.
Could you post a change list? I don't want to be a rules lawyer but it would be helpful too know what changed
Can we get clarification on this bit? Are we talking about 'here's my fetish' perverted, or 'show me your Insert Body Part?'
For that matter, what's the minimum on the sexist/racist bits as well? Are we talking about people who have 'unfortunate' beliefs, or just throwing around slurs?
I'm not going provide a bulletpoint-by-bulletpoint breakdown, but if it interests anyone I can provide this:
The old version is available here: http://archive.is/SSJ8t
So yeah, just compare them with each other if you so desire.
Looks pretty good from a quick scan over, I like how it's nicely laid out rather than a wall of text like the last CoC. I'm curious about one thing though, I can't see low content posts mentioned anywhere on the new CoC. Has the rule against them been scrapped?
A quick check, for you and anyone else who wants one.
1. 'Rule Zero' has been more clearly spelled out in the new CoC. It ultimately gives Moderators the ability to do anything, giving them wide discretion in how they deal with the forums, even concerning things that don't violate the letter of the law. You can, however, still contest their decisions.
2. Forum offences have been divided more clearly into several categories, each level of which has a different penalty.
3. Better defined 'Illegal Behavior.'
4. Necroing removed from the listed 'crimes'
5. Excessive profanity is now grounds for a warning.
6. Backseat moderating (Attempting to 'punish' people for violating the rules') is now an offense.
7. ...
8. Low Content Posting is no longer an offensive, as long as what you've posted contributes to the thread. Word count no longer relevant.
Besides that, the changes seem to largely be in presentation.
Questions for n0e
Was the exclusion of thread necromancy intentional, or a goof?
Also, does this mean no more dick jokes? Because I love me some good dick jokes...
OT: What the fuck exactly constitutes "Excessive Profanity"? That area seems a little fucking vague...
One more thing that's been removed; that whole bit about content creators and how they're allowed to "say, do, and provoke" whatever they like in their content because "they are entertainers", but "forum members do NOT have the ability to act in the same way."
That clause never sat right with me. I'm glad to see it gone.
(Although, all the Adblock stuff is still in there, which is a bit silly in this day and age, imo.)
What about other minority groups? This site has had a pretty active LGBT population for years, and it's rather disheartening to see this not mentioned, as it can pertain both to comfort AND safety of a significant number of users here.
Thanks for that. I think the necro rule was deliberate, I know Kross has been against it. In the tradition of the escapist blame Kross.
It was intentional, as with the lack of "low content" posts being something to be concerned with. Necroing posts isn't something I feel is worth worrying about and the old "low content" rule was a bit harsh for my taste.
So long as your post contributes in some positive way to the discussion, it's fine and there's no minimum level of text required. Just try not to make a habit of it. We want to see discussions, not just acknowledgements.
On perversions: Detail is key. The more accurately or intimately you detail a going-on, the more it'll skirt foul of the Code of Conduct. PG-13 isn't a bad guide to think of. Implied fetishistic discussion or "I really enjoy the look of [body part]." is pretty okay. "My favorite thing about rope bondage is the specific interplay between [body part] and gravity, and how it <elicits response> of [intimate discussion of arousal reaction, and further detailing of the desired response to sexual activity]." would be over the line. Same for imagery. Posting a nude figure drawing work in an art thread is cool, posting detailed, erotic, sexual art in a thread about "What do you like about the furry community?" would be over the line.
On sexism, racism, and beliefs: Beliefs are anyone's to have, behavior is limited by the Code of Conduct. Saying things like "I'm uncomfortable in black neighborhoods" isn't, by itself, offensive. Saying "Black neighborhoods should be outlawed" can be, depending on how it's framed. "People should be allowed to chase <racial slur>s out of their towns if that's what they want" cannot be read any other way than offensively, and is obviously against the Code of Conduct. In the former, having that belief is fine as long as it's relevant and shared in an alright way. The second belief will be subject to Rule Zero on a case-by-case basis. The third is against the Code of Conduct, and will be infracted. Hopefully that's clear enough?
It's addressed in among the Minor Issue Offenses, specifically in the "Pictures, Images, and Videos" subhead. "Purposeful use of jokes, images, or videos are allowed if it serves to enhance the thread, whereas posting random meme images unrelated to the topic does not."
Unattended threads are now locked automatically after a period of days. (Either 60 or 90, don't remember which.) So thread necromancy is no longer possible, and is subsequently no longer needed.
One of the things the low-content rule guarded against was people quoting someone and just putting "This" under the quote with nothing else added. That sort of posting behavior can often be seen on other internet forums which have no low-content rule.
Are "This" -style posts still being moderated?
I was wondering why half my bookmarks suddenly got locked. Thanks.
Thank the gods for this. Seriously, this has been the source of so many problems these past few years. If this rule is consistently enforced it'll cut down on a lot of unnecessary drama around here.
Topic: FUCK fuck Fuckity Fuck Fuck
Content: I fucking hate this fucking thing. So fucking annoying. FUCK!
^^ Would be considered excessive use. When profanity takes the focus from the rest of the topic, it's excessive.
On the subject of profanity, I just noticed this:
That last bit, that's new. Was that added because thread titles appear on the site's front page? (And you don't want swear words appearing on the front page?)
Did you just write the thing and realize how impossibly wishy washy and poorly defined it was before deciding to throw Rule Zero in there?
When you get down to it forum guidelines and rules are irrelevant anyway. It all comes down to how good the moderators are. Outside of some questionable warnings (for others, not myself) they seem fine to me but I don't know what the track record is since this forum has been going for a long long time.
It would fall under sexist comments if a comment attacks a sexual nature and racist if it attacks the LGBT community itself. Race is rather loosely defined this day and age
Example; Jews, when it comes to debates and discussions are considered a race of people when, in fact, it's a religious preference.
We have now some of the best moderators the site's had, at least since I've been here. We used to have some truly atrocious people running the show here, particularly before the warning bar was implemented.
Honestly, we're tired of folks skirting the rules just to give us the proverbial finger when it comes to actions against them for doing so.
If you're deliberately walking the line between breaking and not breaking a rule, Rule 0 is enacted and the moderators are allowed, and encouraged, to make the decision if it should be acted upon or not.
But it never really was. This was reworded with the last change of the rules already, I believe, but even before that - contribution hasn't been down to a word count but informational content.
This is also something I thought had been in effect for a long ago - the "^this" posts don't contribute to the discussion thus merit the low content warning.
EDIT: Wrong quote...
EDIT EDIT: Also, forgot to mention, I thought the "^this" style comments were falling under the general Forum Conduct section, however, I would agree that missing a specific "offence level" for them may be slightly misleading. I thing, or rather hope, the content-less posts are still not allowed - as I said, they go against the spirit of Forum Conduct, but there is not a specific entry for them. They should be at the same level as "Topic-less Thread Creation", as they are more or less similar in nature.
I've reported you for that. It's against the new Code of Conduct[1].
OT: Happy to see "backseat moderating" added, and "low content" removed. Also echo what Something Amyss said, about including other minority groups.
[1] To be clear: I haven't really.
I feel like it shouldn't be assumed that people will read that rule and think that it also applies to LGBT people, mostly because you have to twist how sexism and racism are generally understood (while declaring that LGBT people are now a race) to make it apply to them. It's not like it would be difficult to just add homophobic and transphobic onto it.
Well, the thing I instantly noticed was that "passive-aggressive responses" are now explicitly against the rules.
That gets a HUGE +1 from me.
(And it will certainly be interesting to see how certain people's -- not naming any names -- posting styles are going to change to accommodate this new rule.)
For the Backseat Moderating change: This might be a stupid question, but I'm a bit confused. Does this include when you are not trying to moderate the person yourself, but rather help them avoid moderation? For example, "fyi, the mods will probably give you some wrath for that MLP gangbang picture. Might want to remove it before they get to it."
In the mod team chat there is a lot of "discussion" by non mods as to what mods should or should not do. This has lead to the chat being full of opinions about the rules rather the bringing to attention of the mods problems, which is the purpose of the chat.
Those kinds of posts, while sometimes helpful to new people (who confirmed they read the rules), are almost always irrelevant to the actual discussion and can derail or otherwise clutter the thread (compounding the original post with other posts that aren't relevant to third parties participating in the discussion).
Send them a private message if you care about their posting habits enough to be their friend. :)
It's all about how you present yourself. Giving people friendly advice when they are new to the community is not a bad thing, when it comes to newbies for example, would be quite welcome I imagine.
However, backseat moderating can be harmful and not very constructive. 'Mods should delete this' or 'I think you should get banned for this', etc. etc. is neither constructive nor welcome.
With the new COC, we hope to put a little more common sense into things, really. If you're doing something for the right reasons, and not to be selfish, upset, troll, discriminate or generally make an ass of yourself, you'll be grand.
Rule 0
Topic-less Thread Creation
Official staff group discussion and communication
Has there been some change to how the system treats locked threads? It seems that pages of threads have been set at locked, which would mean they automatically get deleted. I had suggested this a few times to the tech team (each time being met with a resounding /shrug) that the old threads simply remain sunk. That way any discussion could continue, but without that thread rising to the surface and interfering discussions on the top of the forum.
True, but also, sucks to be them if they don't read the rules they agreed to.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one is entitled to attack others for that opinion. If you can't communicate without using combative, aggressive, or passive aggressive responses, then consider that these may not be the forums for you. Focus your response on your disagreement with a person's opinion, not on the person.
If anything else, being a dick towards a group of folks of any sort is frowned upon. By frowned upon, I mean my banhammer will see action if they do it.
<- Strong supporter of LGBT rights.
Yeah, I mean, you're not wrong. "Rule Zero" effectively gives the moderators carte blanche to moderate whatever they like.
Then again, the "Don't be a jerk" rule (now gone) basically did the same thing. So I guess it's just another way of wording that.
Well, so long as it's enforced as such that's fine, though I'd still suggest for it to be included so that people know they don't have to worry about it here anymore. The Escapist hasn't exactly been the best place in that regard.
I'm in favour of it to an extent. This site has had a known problem with people skirting too close to the line and hopefully that will solve it. The appeals process, from what I gather reading around here, has been used a lot anyways so I doubt it'll be a new thing. It once took me a few weeks to get something of mine appealed and that was back in 2014-2015. I imagine it will be rather polarizing, though.
They've now directly addressed the passive-aggressiveness in the Personal Conduct heading. I'm happy.
6 years is a long time so I'll take your word for it.
Fair enough, I didn't look at it from that angle. I made a Trump thread once (went really well, who would have thought) and one page in it basically turned into the Escapist "insulting others while totally not breaking the rules" Olympics.
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Are Happy Days Returning to the U.S. and Western Europe?
Better days for consumers in the U.S. and Europe may finally be near. Since the Great Recession started at the end of 2008, many consumers around the world have largely been in belt-tightening mode for much of the past five years. But the latest consumer confidence results from Nielsen showed that confidence is slowly rising in the U.S. and Europe, as consumer sentiment improved in both regions in the third quarter. Confidence in the U.S. jumped eight points to an index of 98 from the same period 12 months ago, while sentiment in Europe rose three points to 74, according to Nielsen's latest Global Survey of Consumer Confidence.
Consumer confidence in the U.S. was the highest it's been in six years (since Q3 2007) and neared pre-recession levels, and the rise in Europe was the biggest quarter-on-quarter increase since Q1 2010—it was also an improvement from three consecutive quarters where confidence was fixed at 71. In key Western European countries, sentiment in Germany increased six index points year-on-year to 92; France increased eight points to 61 from 53 in Q2 2013; and the U.K. reported an index of 87, the highest score since Q3 2007, up 10 points from Q3 2012.
While consumers in India and Brazil remain some of the most confident in the world, confidence in these key growth economies has shown modest downward movement over the last few quarters. India reported a score of 112 for its third consecutive quarterly decline, and confidence in Brazil dipped one index point to 109. Confidence in China and Russia both held steady from Q2 2013 with index scores of 110 and 80, respectively.
"Given the size and scale of these economies, it is encouraging to see significant gains in consumer confidence within the U.S. and Western Europe as we consider where we were last year and look ahead to 2014," said Dr. Venkatesh Bala, chief economist at The Cambridge Group, a part of Nielsen. "At the same time, we have to keep modest developing market declines in perspective. While India is significantly off peak optimism of 131 measured three years ago in 2010, it is still one of the largest and most confident countries in the world, and that has an impact on the entire region."
The Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions, established in 2005, measures consumer confidence, major concerns and spending intentions among more than 30,000 respondents with Internet access in 60 countries. Consumer confidence levels above and below a baseline of 100 indicate degrees of optimism and pessimism.
In the latest round of the survey, consumer confidence increased in more than half (57%) of the markets Nielsen measures, compared with less than half (45%) in the previous quarter. Even though confidence in Indonesia declined four index points to 120, the region reported the highest consumer confidence index for the third consecutive quarter. Seven of 10 countries reporting the highest index scores declined in the third quarter; six hailed from Asia-Pacific. Hungary reported the lowest index of 45, but posted a four-point increase from Q2. Portugal reported the biggest quarter-on-quarter index increase of 22 points for a score of 55.
Other findings include:
- Consumers around the world are ready to spend, but are conditioned to save.
- Saving, investing and paying down debt were priorities in the third quarter.
- Recession-battered Europe showed signs of recovery in Q3.
For more detail and insight, download Nielsen's Q3 2013 Global Consumer Confidence Report.
About the Nielsen Global Survey
The Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions was conducted between Aug. 14 and Sept. 6, 2013, and polled more than 30,000 online consumers in 60 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America. The sample has quotas based on age and sex for each country based on their Internet users, and is weighted to be representative of Internet consumers and has a maximum margin of error of ±0.6%. This Nielsen survey is based on the behavior of respondents with online access only. Internet penetration rates vary by country. Nielsen uses a minimum reporting standard of 60 percent Internet penetration or 10 million online population for survey inclusion. The China Consumer Confidence Index is compiled from a separate mixed methodology survey among 3,500 respondents in China. The Nielsen Global Survey, which includes the Global Consumer Confidence Index, was established in 2005.


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Several bidders are set to duke it out for Blockbuster Inc. at a bankruptcy auction in New York on Monday. They reportedly include Dish Network Corp. and billionaire investor Carl Icahn.
The movie-rental chain has received several bids other than the opening bid of $290 million from a group of debtholders made in February. Blockbuster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September.
Dish and Icahn have each submitted a bid, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
Dish Network declined to comment. Icahn could not immediately be reached for comment.
Jay Indyke, attorney for the committee of unsecured creditors, says several bids had come in but did not specify who they are from.
Icahn has been expected to make a bid. He was part of the group of debtholders that provided Blockbuster financing to operate while in bankruptcy in September. Everyone in that group, except for Icahn, made an opening bid in February, known as a "stalking horse" bid, to buy Blockbuster for $290 million.
Blockbuster used to dominate the U.S. movie rental business. But it lost money for years as that business declined because customers shifted to Netflix Inc., video on demand and DVD rental kiosks.
When it filed for bankruptcy protection in September it was down to 3,000 stores, less than a third of the peak of 9,100 in 2004. In December, the chain said it planned to close 182 more in the next few months.
Following the auction, a sale approval hearing is scheduled for Thursday.


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Christian Wenz has summariez an interview with Zeev Suraski of Zend that was conducted by the German portal site Golem.
As far as I have seen, a two part interview the German online portal Golem conducted with Zeev Suraski in Mid-October went quite unnoticed in the non-German speaking community, so I thought that I would sum up the most important topics he covered (translation errors are all mine; I also tried to maintain the context of what Zeev said, but you never now).
Topics mentioned in the interview and in Chritian's list include a mention that Zend Studio will still exist, the differences between PHP5 and PHP6, developers working on the Zend Framework and a look aheaad to the tools Zend will be bringing out to help with developing PHP/Ajax applications.


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MOSCOW, Russia - Supporting the Syrian President Bashar al Assad in his fight against rebels, Russia, along with the Government troops had been laying out battle plans to rid the last rebel stronghold of Idlib in the war-torn country.
However, on Monday, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkey counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan - the two countries decided that Russian and Turkish troops will enforce a new demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib region.
Following his meeting with Erdogan, Putin announced that the buffer zone had been agreed to from which "radical" rebels will be required to withdraw by the middle of next month.
Victory over Idlib, which is the last major rebel bastion in Syria, would mark a crucial final stage in Assad's ambitions to put down the rebellion that broke out seven years back.
And while Syria and Russia have been laying out battle plans for weeks and have even bombarded the rebel province for a short while before a lull in airstrikes took hold last week - have faced one of the most complex assaults even.
Idlib was home to 3.5 million civilians, most of whom were displaced from other areas across the country and over the last few weeks, tens of thousands of people have tried to escape the deadly airstrikes.
However, ever since the government offensive started in Idlib, the Turkish President Erdogan has opposed a military operation against the rebels.
Erdogan fears another major cross-border exodus of Syrian refugees, who would join the 3.5 million that are already present in Turkey.
On Monday, after Putin's talks with the Turkish leader, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu addressed a press conference and told reporters that there would not be an offensive for now.
Meanwhile, Erdogan told reporters at the joint press conference that the deal would allow opposition supporters to stay where they were, and avert a humanitarian crisis.
Further, the Russian President told journalists, "We agreed that by October 15 (we will) create along the contact line between the armed opposition and government troops a demilitarized zone of a depth of 15-20 km, with the withdrawal from there of radically-minded rebels, including al-Nusra."
He also noted, "By October 10, at the suggestion of the Turkish president, (we agreed) on the withdrawal from that zone of the heavy weapons, tanks, rockets systems and mortars of all opposition groups. The demilitarized zone will be monitored by mobile patrol groups of Turkish units and units of Russian military police."
Erdogan added, "With this agreement we have precluded experiencing a large humanitarian crisis in Idlib. The opposition will continue to remain in the areas where they are. In return, we will ensure that the radical groups, which we will determine with Russia, will not operate in the area under discussion."


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I was in a small group my junior and senior years of high school that was absolutely monumental in my spiritual journey. That group helped me more than years and years of sermons I heard. More than years and years of sitting under a Sunday school teacher. More than years and years of individual study.Even though I didn't talk much.
You know why I didn't talk much during group time?
- I was afraid.
- I was afraid that I'd say something and be wrong.
- Afraid I'd misquote a Scripture.
- Afraid I'd say something and be disproven.
- Afraid I'd say something dumb.
There were a handful of times when I'd share something, only for someone to immediately respond with, "Well, why would you say this if ______ is true? What about the verse that says, "______."
I'm sure that the guys saying these things weren't trying to strike fear in me. Surely they weren't intentionally trying to undercut every little step of faith I took to kick my fear in the teeth. They couldn't be backhanding slamming my little serve across the net, like the guy that toys with you in ping pong, only to make you look silly with a flick of his wrist.
But every time I put myself out there, and they gave a quick retort, I retreated into my shell.
It's a fear of man issue, I know. I've worked through it. I've dealt with my issues. I'm still dealing with them. I'm more and more comfortable being harshly corrected and chastised in a small group. My skin has toughened, and I'm more and more confident in who God has created me to be, rooting my identity in Christ. But here's a word of wisdom to every small group leader:
Be careful how you respond to the quiet guy.
It's easy to break people. Inadvertently, you squelch courage, winning the battle you didn't even know existed. Winning the battle for the wrong team.
Instead of jumping all over the guy that says something you don't agree with, let me offer a few responses you could give:
Helpful discussion engagers from a small group leader:
1. Hmm…that's interesting. Can you explain that a little more?
2. Hmm…that's interesting. Anybody else have a different take?
3. Thanks a ton for sharing that. We so value your perspective.
4. Good thought. Sounds like you're pretty passionate about that. Where did you first hear that?
5. Thanks for that. I love the diversity of thought here.
6. Thanks for sharing. Let's bounce that thought around the group.
7. But the Bible says, "_____," so you're wrong… (trust me, even if the person stands in stark contrast with the Bible, this is never, ever the best response right out of the gate)
8. I've not heard that angle before. Help me understand where you're coming from.
9. So, let me try to repeat what you said so we can all be sure to understand your point…
There is a time for correction. A time for pointing out the Truth, and letting people choose to fall into the arms of Truth or run from them. There is a time for brutally honest feedback. But that time isn't from you, the group leader, the "expert," right after that person shares. Please don't stomp out courage. Don't cut off safety. Don't snuff out curiosity.
And don't kick the quiet guy.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. – Proverbs 18:21


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Transferring files from an iPod to a computer can be a daunting task. This is because of the restricting privacy policies followed by Apple. This might limit you from exploring your iPod to the fullest when it comes to sharing music and taking a backup of your favorite playlist. Worry no more as there is an easy and quick solution to this problem of transferring iPod playlists to iTunes on the computer. Read on to learn more!
Transfer Music from iPod to Computer
If you have Windows installed in your computer, then here is a quick and easy way to transfer music to your computer. You just have to follow the below mentioned steps and all the music on your iPod can be transferred to your computer in no time.
• First connect the iPod to your PC. Then hit the X in the upper right hand corner of the iTunes display, which you will find to the left of the search box. This will prevent iTunes from syncing automatically and erasing your playlist.
• Go to the Control Panel–> Portable Media Devices, double-click your iPod.
• In the Tools menu –> Options, in the View Tab, check 'Show hidden files and folders.'
• Navigate to the Music folder.
• Now you can select the music folders, and drag and drop them into a folder on your hard drive, or directly into iTunes.
The only drawback of this method is that it only works on windows operating system. If you are using a mac, then this will not work.
But, by using a transfer utility you can very easily make the content transfer from iPod to computer and vice-versa. It supports all kinds of iPod or iPhone devices. It has a "search" function that aids in finding files easily. You can even play songs directly from the iPod without having to download the playlist to the computer. Our number one choice is MediaWidget. It is easy to use, and works like a charm. Plus, with MediaWidget, you can transfer onto multiple devices.
You can easily install the software quickly with the help of the wizard which will walk you through the setup. By just following the instructions, you can quickly install the software. It is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows NT, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000 and Windows 98 operating systems.
The best part is you can try the software first as you get a free trial period. This will help you to have hands on experience of the software and check if it matches all of your requirements. Check out the MediaWidget Review here


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Who is an archeologist? – This might seem an easy question and in some cases it might be, for example if you work as an archaeologist or if you have a degree in archaeology. Then again there are several trades that deal somewhat with archaeology, for example a guide at museum, an author or an journalist that write about archaeology, that doesn't require an archaeological degree or that you've worked as an archaeologist. Others might have a degree in archaeology but has worked or intended to work as an archaeologist. The last six months I've been part of a work group for the Swedish Union DIK ( Link in Swedish) to set down ethical guidelines for archaeology. The work is not done but it's been interesting to read other ethical guidelines, for example the EAA and the AAA and sit down and discuss ethical issues as well as issues' concerning what is archaeology and who is an archaeologist.
Who is an Archaeologist?
Magnus ReuterdahlArchaeological Prospection, Community Archaeology, Day of Archaeology, Day of Archaeology 2012, SurveyAcademia, Anthropology, archaeologist, archaeologist at a government agency, Archaeology, archeologist, Arkeologi, author, based archaeologist, China, coal mining, Excavation, journalist, lake Vettern, Länsstyrelsen i östergötland, Magnus Reuterdahl, Museology, Östergötland County, Östergötland County Administrative Board, Stockholm University, Sverige, Sweden


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Eric Schmidt Started Spending His Bonus on This Playboy-Adjacent Manse
Last week, Google announced that Eric Schmidt got a $106 million bonus based on the company's 2013 performance. According to the New York Post, he hasn't wasted any time putting it to good use.
Sources told The Post that Schmidt bought a $22 million, 1.3 acre estate in Los Angeles once owned by Gregory Peck's wife.
Conveniently for the tech ladies' man, the estate in the exclusive enclave of Holmby Hills is right nearby Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion. Schmidt's 9,182-square-foot, seven-bedroom "French chateau" was listed for $24.9 million.
Schmidt hardly needed the hefty bonus for the check to clear, of course. Funds for the mansion could have just as easily come out his $8.3 billion net worth. A local real estate expert also told Valleywag that the property hasn't officially closed, so records don't yet show a change in ownership.
Whether or not you think someone who stepped down as CEO three years ago deserves a bonus that would make Lloyd Blankfein blush, we can all agree the executive has impeccable taste in real estate. You can get a more immersive view of the property here. Bunnies not pictured.
To contact the author of this post, please email email@example.com.


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I have a web-site that I'm checking for performance issues and bugs, and i came across a caching code that caches thousands of files into one single directory.
I understand that this is not good and that I/O will degrade and i also heard about potential inode problem.
And i know how to fix the caching code, but the thing is that at this point fixing would be very expensive.
The question: What is the worst case scenario if i live it like it is right now? What will happen to the website? (right now this one single cache directory has 400K files)
I'm new to Ubuntu. And i understand that this is might be an off-topic. But i think this is a "system" question and it does not belong to the 'programming' part of the stackoverflow.
UPDATE: The file system is UFS


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2013 NFL Draft: First-round trades you may see
Elite playmaker Tavon Austin could be a hot commodity early in the first round. (Rich Graessle/Icon SMI)
During the run-up to the 2012 draft, much of the attention centered on the No. 2 overall pick. The Rams dangled that selection for the rest of the league, with Robert Griffin III as the bait, before the Redskins dealt away three first-round picks and a second-rounder to claim it.
There does not appear to be such drama in store this year, at least at the top of the draft. The main reason: The 2013 draft, while bereft of obvious superstars, is as deep as any in recent memory. So many of those trade talks may occur in Rounds 2, 3 and beyond.
But that does not mean that Round 1 will be a stick-to-the-script affair. Which teams might try to move up the draft board? We take a look at some candidates:
Arizona Cardinals (No. 7), Buffalo Bills (No. 8)
Target Player: QB Matt Barkley
Where He's Expected to Go: Top 10
The quarterback situation at the top of this draft is a tough one to peg. Are the Jaguars or Raiders going to take a QB with the No. 2 or No. 3 pick, respectively? If not, then Geno Smith could be around when Cleveland goes on the clock at No. 6 ... unless one of these two teams jumps.
And what's the quarterback pecking order? The general consensus is that Smith is the top prospect available at that position, but there are definitely arguments to be made after that for Barkley, Ryan Nassib, Mike Glennon and others.
Keep an eye on Philadelphia (No. 4) and Detroit (No. 5). Should Arizona or Buffalo decide it's time to get aggressive for a new quarterback, those would be the targeted picks. The Eagles or Lions might agree to slide down for a swap of first-rounders plus an additional pick later in the draft.
San Diego Chargers (No. 11)
Target Player: OT Lane Johnson
Where He's Expected to Go: Shortly after Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher
While there's uncertainty atop the quarterback draft board, the standing at offensive tackle is pretty clear. Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel and Central Michigan's Eric Fisher represent the top two players there, in some order, with Johnson a not-too-distant third.
So, if Joeckel and Fisher come off the board within the first five or six picks, as is expected, that would put a premium on the Oklahoma product. San Diego, sitting at No. 11 in the first round, badly needs to upgrade along the offensive line and Johnson could be a great fit. But it might require the Chargers to make a move -- both to leapfrog any other interested teams and to ensure that no other franchise can do the same.
St. Louis Rams (Nos. 16 and 22), Minnesota Vikings (Nos. 23 and 25), San Francisco 49ers (No. 31)
Target Player: WR Tavon Austin
Where He's Expected to Go: Top 12
Austin continues to pick up steam as the draft approaches, with more and more teams becoming intrigued by the possibility of adding him to their offense.
The floor for Austin might be that No. 16 pick of St. Louis'. With the Rams holding two first-rounders and in need of receiver help (and, specifically, slot receiver help with Danny Amendola departing), Austin is a natural fit there. But that reality also gives several other teams a baseline from where to start their trade talks, while St. Louis could feel the pressure to climb even higher if Austin is the goal.
Minnesota, also with two first-rounders, is an obvious candidate to move. So, too, is San Francisco, which worked out Austin this week and has 15 draft picks with which to orchestrate a deal.
Chasing Austin could require a big move, though, as teams like Tampa Bay (13), New Orleans (15) and Pittsburgh (17) would at least toy with the idea of drafting the West Virginia WR. The aim here, then? Let's set it at the Jets' No. 9 selection.
Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 17)
Target Player: OLB Jarvis Jones
Where He's Expected to Go: ????
Jones is one of the draft's biggest wild cards. He has the talent of a top-five pick, but health concerns and so-so workouts left his draft stock in flux.
That could work to the Steelers' benefit. Pittsburgh has lost more than its fair share of veterans lately, thanks to salary cap issues, with OLB James Harrison among the more recent cuts. While Pittsburgh may prefer to stay put and play it safe in this draft, the prospect of adding Jones might be too tantalizing to ignore, even if the Steelers think he's going to be off the board before they pick.
Pittsburgh is not a team known for wheeling and dealing come the draft, but its needs on defense could shift the plan.
Chicago Bears (No. 20)
Target Player: G Jonathan Cooper
Where He's Expected to Go: Top 20
The Bears hold the final selection in the top 20, so one of the draft's two elite guards -- Chance Warmack or Cooper -- could fall into their laps. However, for a team that's badly in need of an upgrade on the O-line, there will be some nervous moments should one of those two (likely Warmack) hear his name called early.
Chicago doesn't figure to put all its chips on the table to move up a few spots, but a swap with, say, Miami at 12 or Carolina at 14 could be mutually beneficial.
Baltimore Ravens (No. 32)
Target Player: LB Kevin Minter or Manti Te'o
Where They're Expected to Go: Late in Round 1
If Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has taught us anything this offseason, it's that he is more than happy to let the market come to him. Given that, maybe it's unrealistic to consider Newsome packaging a couple picks for a small leap in Round 1.
And yet ...
The Ravens remain in a relatively dire situation up the middle, where both Dannell Ellerbe (free agency) and Ray Lewis (retirement) are gone off last year's Super Bowl team. Either Minter or Te'o -- plus someone like Kansas State's Arthur Brown -- would greatly ease the transition into 2013.


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Nearly 1,000 packed the conference room for the sold-out event, with some attendees lining the walls and sitting on the floor at the Baltimore Convention Center. The annual panel, which takes place during the SBC annual meeting, featured R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources; Matt Chandler, lead pastor at the multi-site Village Church in Texas and president of the Acts 29 Network; David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Alabama; and Daniel L. Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
"A generation is coming that was never deceived by cultural Christianity," said Mohler, describing how previous generations felt a social and professional compulsion to attend church regularly. "Every single new believer is going to be hard won by the old continual task of telling people the Gospel story."
Akin noted the signs of decline for some churches but praised the efforts of the North American Mission Board and SBC church planters engaging metropolitan areas and seeking out unbelievers.
"The key for us right now," he said, "is hold the line on biblical truth -- we cannot compromise on this -- we all see the tides coming on issues related to universalism, inerrancy and gender understanding. We must speak the truth, but we speak the truth in love."
Jonathan Akin, co-founder of Baptist21 and moderator of the discussion, asked the panelists to respond to the controversy surrounding New Heart Community Church of La Mirada, Calif., which embraced homosexuality after the pastor affirmed his gay son.
"As a Gospel people, we should be thankful for the Bible's specificity on what sin is," Mohler said, denying the possibility for Southern Baptists to create a so-called "Third Way" between condemnation and acceptance of homosexuality. "It's not kindness to throw people into the pits of hell -- it's kindness to know that we're sinners and ultimate kindness to say, 'There's a remedy for that sin, and His name is Jesus.'"
Arguing for a pastoral approach to homosexuality, Chandler urged pastors to recognize that someone in their congregation could be struggling with sexual orientation, and not to dehumanize the issue from the pulpit.
"When you talk condescendingly or ignorantly and lack compassion, you push people who struggle into themselves so they feel unsafe to confess, unsafe to seek out help, unsafe to be honest," Chandler said. "You create an environment in which the healing of people by the power of the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the Word becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible."
Jonathan Akin also questioned Mohler on the pastoral response to sexual abuse in light of the case involving a youth worker in a church in the Sovereign Grace church network convicted of child molestation that allegedly had gone unreported to authorities.
"If you get any report of any kind sexual abuse, certainly involving a minor, be committed that before you leave that room, you're going to dial 911," Mohler said to loud applause. "We're not in the position of being investigative agents."
Calling it a "Gospel ministry stewardship imperative," Mohler said churches need to "create a safe place where people can come and report this kind of thing, knowing we're going to respond in the right way." While churches in the past didn't understand the issue, he said "there's no excuse right now for not knowing what you're going to do before you have to do it."
Jonathan Akin set forth his perception to the panelists that the recent success of church planters in North America has led to a lack of interest in young pastors to revitalize established Southern Baptist churches.
Church planting and church revitalization "should not be in conflict with one another, and they certainly shouldn't be in competition with one another," Rainer said, emphasizing that church growth and church health are inseparable.
"The reality is we are reaching less people for Christ. There can be no doubt about that," Rainer said, noting that some churches are either not reporting baptisms or refusing to baptize nominal believers.
"Our theology should drive us, compel us, to share the Good News of Christ," Rainer said. "There is evangelistic dearth taking place, and less evangelistic health."
Despite the decline of baptisms in Southern Baptist churches, the most rapid growth in baptisms is among children. Mohler noted, "The vast majority of people who have ever been baptized by our churches are our own offspring."
But Platt cautioned pastors to assess children's understanding of the Gospel message. "We want to always affirm what God is doing in children's lives," said Platt, who advocated walking children through the basics of faith before baptizing them.
"Keep encouraging this posture of repentance and faith in a child's heart and life, but be wise with the public expression."
Pastors and messengers who registered for the event received more than a dozen free resources, including a DVD of W.A. Criswell's classic sermons and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's Church Planting Survival Guide.
For more information on the Bapist21, including a video recording of the panel, visit www.baptisttwentyone.com.
S. Craig Sanders writes for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
Copyright (c) 2014 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net


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Interested in second hand neo
From Openmoko
If you are interested in purchasing a second hand Neo put your name down here:
--Rakshat 04:40, 8 November 2007 (CET) I already have one GTA01 device. Would like another in black but as I am a student can't really afford the $ 350 total it costs me to get it to India again. Can arrange for pick up in the US.
--Zuch 07:50, 8 November 2007 (GMT) I stay in India and I'm also looking to get one GTA01 device. I can give a US address for shipping.
--rsteig 7:35, 8 November 2007 (EST) I live in USA(Pennsylvania). Looking for a phone.
--Dege 02:47, 9 November 2007 (CET) I live in Australia and am looking for a phone.
--saaib 23:55, 9 November 2007 (PST) I live in San Diego, CA (USA) and looking for a phone.


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Oakland, Berkeley, And East Bay News, Events, Restaurants, Music, & Arts
No one has ever mistaken Rocky Balboa for an officer and a gentleman, but that's just about what we get in the numbingly predictable and none-too-stirring Annapolis, an underdog-makes-good boxing movie stuffed inside what amounts to a US Navy recruiting pitch, with a dash of Good Will Hunting tossed in to complete the formula. It's not hard to imagine that the perpetrators of the thing -- in particular, director Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow) and screenwriter Dave Collard (Out of Time) -- sat down one day and compiled a list of every Hollywood cliché they could think of, then carted the whole mess over to the bean counters at Touchstone/Disney.
That said, let's give credit to a pair of talented, entertaining leading men. Chiseled James Franco (also onscreen these days as the medieval loverboy in Tristan & Isolde) does a nice job here as beleaguered Annapolis plebe Jake Huard, a blue-collar tough from the shipyards just across the river whose fondest dream has always been to enroll at the academy -- mostly to honor the wish of, yes, his dead mother. Jake's constant tormentor and sometimes inspiration is -- what else -- a hard-as-nails senior-year lieutenant named Cole, whose campus cred is bolstered by three years in the Marine Corps before he became a student. Four Brothers star Tyrese Gibson gives this character, who looks buff enough to take out a North Korean battleship with his bare hands, just the right blend of uncompromising ferocity and burning intelligence. We've seen a wide assortment of bad-ass drill instructor types in the movies over the years: Gibson outranks most of them.
Did we mention that Jake and the lieutenant are both palookas? The minute Collard's screenplay drops its first hint about Annapolis's famous Brigade Championship boxing tournament, we know that these two are destined to square off in the Big Fight -- despite the fact that, standing next to Gibson, Franco looks like the towel boy. Never mind: Jake means to finally prove his worth -- to himself, to elite classmates who think the brooding "wait-lister" in their midst can't make the grade, and to his own (here we go again) disapproving father. We know our boy will give as good as he gets in the ring. Yo, Adrian. I'm gonna make lieutenant JG someday.
And, yes, just as we expect, there actually is an Adrian, albeit in slightly different form than South Philly's beloved Mrs. Balboa. Way back in 1955, when grinning midshipmen John Derek and Kevin McCarthy were both romancing Diana Lynn in An Annapolis Story, there were no female students at the service academies; the first woman was admitted to Annapolis thirty years ago, and that gives messrs. Lin and Collard license to inject a bit of romantic longing -- and foolish whimsy -- into these otherwise testosterone-driven proceedings. The thankless task falls to petite Jordana Brewster (The Fast and the Furious), who plays Annapolis sophomore Ali -- a name likely chosen by the filmmakers because this lovely slip of a kid, against the odds and all logic, is destined to become hero Jake's fight trainer.
What they'd both really like to do, of course, is get below decks and shed their starched whites, but that's not allowed until Jake's grueling plebe year is over: For now, Ali's only option is to improve the guy's left hook. The entire phony, wider-audience-beckoning spectacle makes you long for Demi Moore in boot camp, head shaven, crawling through the mud at midnight.
As it is, Annapolis provides the usual dose of testing drills and team bonding so essential to the service-academy formula. Jake's classmates reflect the usual ethnic and emotional mix -- a hotheaded Hispanic (Wilmer Calderon); a brainy, by-the-book Asian (Roger Fan); a sweet-tempered, double-wide black kid from Arkansas (Vicellous Shannon) who can't stop wolfing down Twinkies -- and we get to play the old guessing game about who will make it and who will wash out. Except for Jake, of course: If the laggard from the wrong side of the tracks doesn't survive freshman year, Touchstone has no movie.
Enough said? Franco and Gibson are a pleasure to behold (so is big Chi McBride, as the salty Annapolis boxing coach) in a movie that otherwise fails most of its tests in terms of drama and originality. Hey, the campus doesn't even look right -- for the very good reason that Annapolis wasn't filmed at Annapolis but at Philadelphia's old Girard College, which has some similar white limestone buildings but nothing like the classic sweep of the academy itself. At one point, the plucky hero asks the beauty who will soon become his girlfriend: "It's no fun to be underestimated, is it?" No, it isn't. Annapolis earns that distinction.
Contact the author of this piece, send a letter to the editor, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
News - November 30, 4:00 AM


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Slowed down: City puts brakes on moped freedom
You may have seen them. Or maybe just heard them. Noisy mopeds careering down Charlottesville's streets, riders with heads bare, sometimes a passenger hanging on for dear life.
Next time you spot these rogue riders, you can thank them– for inspiring lawmakers to update the city's regulations on mopeds.
"The police had been observing a number of issues in the community, particularly the safety issues," says Charlottesville assistant city attorney Lisa Kelley of the new regs.
Mopeds are defined as any two-wheeled motorized vehicle with an engine smaller than 50cc that cannot go above 30 mph. State law already requires that riders be at least 16 years old and abide by basic traffic laws. But the city, Kelly says, wanted to beef up the laws. What does it all mean?
For starters, moped riders– including those hip Vespa owners who zoom down city streets– must now don helmets and safety goggles or face fines up to $50. Only one rider is permitted per moped, unless it has a "dedicated" passenger seat with additional foot pegs.
The ordinance took effect on October 1, but the threat of ticketing didn't start until November 1, says Sgt. Ronnie Roberts of the Charlottesville police. And there's more. Come August 2005, all owners of such vehicles must register them with the city and pay a $25 license fee.
Woolen Mills resident Kevin Cox is delighted– particularly by the safety requirements.
"I don't want people on life support costing taxpayers money because they were too foolish to put on a helmet when they got on their moped," says Cox.
Some moped enthusiasts are less than thrilled.
"They tacked stuff onto the ordinance that I wasn't aware of," complains Vespa Charlottesville manager Dave Munn, who originally supported the changes but is somewhat annoyed by the final form of the ordinance.
In particular, Munn is irked by the $25 registration fee. "Isn't that a bit excessive?" he asks.
While Kelley points out that registration might help prevent moped thefts, Munn's not convinced. He laments that registration takes away one of the former perks of moped ownership: "A lot of people ride mopeds so they don't have to register them."
Many of those riders are teens who rely on their moped for transportation. State law already requires all moped drivers to be at least 16, but the state does not require a driver's license. The new city ordinance requires all city moped riders to carry a DMV-issued photo ID, something Kelley says will help police enforce the age limit.
Munn wonders if that's really going to work.
"I don't know how they're going to enforce these laws," says Munn. "Are they going to give kids tickets? Who's going to be held responsible for these 16-year-olds?"
Sgt. Roberts says youths could face juvenile court charges for violations, but he also urges parents to take a proactive role in their children's safety.
"It would behoove any parent to pick up a DMV book and make sure their child reads it," Roberts says, pointing out that kids who drive cars get extensive training in Driver's Ed.
"The whole objective here," he says, is to prevent injuries– particularly often debilitating head injuries.
When it comes to the safety segment of the ordinance, Munn doesn't argue with the wisdom of head protection. But he's still not happy.
"I think it's a good idea to wear a helmet," he says. "But I don't like having to regulate it. People should be allowed to make their own decisions."
However, Mike Hall of Jarman's Sportcycles says he's happy the city toughened its moped laws– particularly the head and eye protection aspects of the ordinance.
"You fall on asphalt at 30mph," he says, "it could be a serious injury." And as for goggles, he adds, "If a car throws up a rock, it could put your eye out."
Hall has no objection to the registration or picture ID requirements, either.
"The things they're putting in place," he says, "are pretty good."
Additional reporting by Vijith Assar