text:
This site is the archived OWASP Foundation Wiki and is no longer accepting Account Requests.
To view the new OWASP Foundation website, please visit https://owasp.org
Binary planting
From OWASP
- This is an Attack. To view all attacks, please see the Attack Category page.
Last revision (mm/dd/yy): 01/31/2013
Binary planting is a general term for an attack where the attacker places (i.e., plants) a binary file containing malicious code to a local or remote file system in order for a vulnerable application to load and execute it.
There are various ways this attack can occur:
- Insecure access permissions on a local directory allow a local attacker to plant the malicious binary in a trusted location. (A typical example is an application installer not properly configuring permissions on directories used to store application files.)
- One application may be used for planting a malicious binary in another application's trusted location. (An example is the Internet Explorer - Safari blended threat vulnerability )
- The application searches for a binary in untrusted locations, possibly on remote file systems. (A typical example is a Windows application loading a dynamic link library from the current working directory after the latter has been set to a network shared folder.)
Risk Factors
Insecure Access Permissions-based Attack
- A Windows application installer creates a root directory (C:\Application) and installs the application in it, but fails to limit write access to the directory for non-privileged users.
- Suppose the application (C:\Application\App.exe) loads the WININET.DLL library by calling LoadLibrary("WININET.DLL"). This library is expected to be found in the Windows System32 folder.
- Local user A plants a malicious WININET.DLL library in C:\Application
- Local user B launches the application, which loads and executes the malicious WININET.DLL instead of the legitimate one.
Current Working Directroy-based Attack
- Suppose a Windows application loads the DWMAPI.DLL library by calling LoadLibrary("DWMAPI.DLL"). This library is expected to be found in the Windows System32 folder, but only exists on Windows Vista and Windows 7.
- Suppose the application is associated with the ".bp" file extension.
- The attacker sets up a network shared folder and places files honeypot.bp and DWMAPI.DLL in this folder (possibly marking the latter as hidden).
- The attacker invites a Windows XP user to visit the shared folder with Windows Explorer.
- When the user double-clicks on honeypot.bp, user's Windows Explorer sets the current working directory to the remote share and launches the application for opening the file.
- The application tries to load DWMAPI.DLL, but failing to find it in the Windows system directories, it loads and executes it from the attacker's network share.
Related Threat Agents
Related Attacks
Related Vulnerabilities
Related Controls
- Access Controls
- File Integrity Checking
- CWE-114: Process Control
- Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability in iTunes for Windows - example of Insecure Access Permissions-based Attack
- Remote Binary Planting in Apple iTunes for Windows - example of Current Working Directroy-based Attack
- http://365.rsaconference.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/3034-102-1-4071/HTA-206%20-%20Remote%20Binary%20Planting%20%E2%80%93%20An%20Overlooked%20Vulnerability%20Affair.pdf


text:
- Products
Product Lines
Shop by Concern
- Science
P.E.T.® TechnologyP.E.T.® enables large molecule ingredients to penetrate the outer skin barrier, delivering ingredients to the basal layer and providing the skin with the full benefits of each ingredient.
Before & AfterUnedited before and after images highlight the successful results of SESHA Skin Therapy's multiple product lines.
- Search

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cissie Graham Lynch Promotes Online Youth Ministry at a Time of Youth Exodus From Church
Billy Graham's Granddaughter Plays Increasingly Vital Role as Manager of RANSOM Youth Ministry
Cissie Graham Lynch Promotes Online Youth Ministry at a Time of Youth Exodus From Church
At a time when youth and young adults are leaving the church in the United States en masse, Cissie Graham Lynch of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) is committed to getting them back by providing answers to important questions this intelligent, tech-savvy generation might have, she recently shared with The Christian Post.
Graham Lynch, 25, is the granddaughter of one of the most famous American evangelists, the Rev. Billy Graham, and daughter of the Rev. Franklin Graham of BGEA and Samaritan's Purse. Since 2010, she has worked as part of both these ministries as a special projects producer. She has traveled the world advocating for such initiatives as the Children's Heart Project, The Greatest Journey, Operation Christmas Child and Ransom.tv, the ministry's latest venture for which she is now responsible.
Ransom.tv is a website community geared toward young adults between 18 and 30 years old. It was launched at BGEA in Sept. 2011 with the goal of encouraging believers in that tricky age group to get involved with the church community and share their problems and questions with ministers and each other online.
Over a year later, the project is still kicking with over 6,000 Facebook followers, keeping the young minister busy. In addition, Cissie Graham Lynch is still involved with ministry projects at both BGEA and Samaritan's Purse, and has started to be a strong presence in both organizations, as ministry insiders told CP.
Graham Lynch considers herself part of the millennial generation that is tech-savvy, opinionated, fast-paced, and in search of answers.
"Above all, we long for authenticity, and we crave relationships," she said. "God created us that way, so we will seek community anywhere it can be found, especially on the Internet. But the greatest relationship I have found is with my Savior, Jesus Christ."
The idea behind Ransom.tv was to create a website where people can come and not feel judged, "where people can come and feel comfortable, where people can come and be themselves," the young minister told CP.
The website features spiritual help articles, social and cultural articles, music videos and more. One thing Graham Lynch is particularly excited about at the moment is a feature called "Ransom Notes" that allows visitors to tell their stories "of how Jesus Christ ransomed them." The website is designed to be interactive and reflect the voice of its visitors, rather than its creators, through discussion forums, videos, and multiple locations to leave a comment or note.
"We want them to find encouragement through that, and we want them to find encouragement through others who might have been experiencing certain things that they are going through; and we also want to encourage them through the Gospel of Jesus Christ," Graham Lynch told CP.
The task of attracting and keeping the attention of that particular age group is not an easy one. All signs, supported by research, are showing that young people across the nation are stepping away from the church.
A 2007 survey conducted by LifeWay Research found that 70 percent of 23- to 30-year-olds admitted to breaking regular church attendance for at least a year from ages 18-22. Meanwhile, the Barna Group recently concluded that nearly three out of every five young Christians (59 percent) disconnect from church life, either permanently or for a long period of time after the age of 15. Those polled were active in a Christian church during their teen years.
The youth see churches as overprotective, while the young congregants fear their experience with Christianity is too shallow and many think churches are too contradictory to science, studies indicate.
"This is the generation that is leaving the church," Graham Lynch told CP Monday. "This is a generation that's smart. They have so many questions to ask, and smart questions to ask. And we hope that at Ransom.tv ... we would be able to help those questions by looking at what the scriptures have to say."
Whether the topics be sex before marriage, alcohol, pornography or adultery, these are subjects that any church should be able to address, Graham Lynch argues.
"I have a passion for my own generation; people who are facing pressure from friends, family, and society. A lot of people are hurt and are searching in the wrong places for answers," Graham Lynch said in an earlier statement emailed to CP. "They are being influenced by such things as false religions, people with their own agendas, and money. I want to be a beacon of hope for them by showing that they can stand on only the truth – the Scripture of Jesus Christ through the Gospel."
Graham Lynch has not yet followed the steps of her father and grandfather up to the pulpit, but she did not exclude the possibility of preaching in the future.
"I have not yet been called to do that," she told CP.


text:
Over the years, the bow-tie brand has been the Heartbeat of America, Like a Rock and espoused seeing the U.S.A. in a Chevrolet. Seeing the U.S.A. in today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe Corvette convertible might get your heart beating a little faster, but will its price mean you won't be getting your rocks off?
If there was one thing that junior high taught me — and it's very likely that is the case — it's that the proper response to any statement in the obvious is well, duh! Here, I'll use it in an example — at nearly eleven-large, yesterday's 1979 Olds Cutlass diesel, despite rocking a stick, came up short in an 88% Crack Pipe loss. Well, duh! See how well that works? Thanks, 7th grade!
Today's car certainly makes the grade, the Corvette being so iconically American that it was the only thing astronauts could find on the ground that could give them the same rush as spending millions in tax dollars to crap in their pants while circling the globe. New in '68, the Corvette Stingray pushed the envelope of styling as one year later did Neil Armstrong the boundaries of Man's achievement.
This 1968 Corvette convertible, in Le Mans blue, may not be the the most original example, but it sure looks like it would be a barrel full of monkeys — and not the poo-flinging kind. The Corvette dealer brochure for that model year described the car as "All Different, All Over," a claim which could have been disputed at the time if it hadn't been for the jaw-dropping styling. Underneath that, the Corvette carried on the C2's same wheelbase and much of its underpinnings, including transverse leaf spring independent suspension, as the earlier car. Engine choices were a selcetion of 327s and 427s in various states of rabidity. New for '68 was the first ever option of a three-speed THM transmission.
You will find neither the original engine, nor an auto box in this car, the seller claiming instead a 350 cid V8 punched out to .030 over, and the four-speed stick that you'd really want to find between its thin, vinyl seats. If you are looking for matching numbers, this obviously isn't your car, but if you want a good looking classic 'Vette that could be a daily driver? Well then, we have much to discuss.
Being the first year of a substantially redesigned model, the '68 Corvette came with, and expanded upon, a reputation for a number of problems, however none of them too serious, and all of them fixable. This did result in the '68 cars having a lot of parts — door handles, vacuum systems for headlamp and wiper door, and others — that are unique to that model year only, despite there being little evidence of the difference between it and later years.
The rest of this one looks to be an excellent driver, and the seller claims that the 350 and the rest of the drivetrain is new. The interior is not in showroom shape but it's perfectly serviceable right down to the pinkie-thin three spoke wheel. Outside, the wheels aren't quite as nice, nor are they original, but the seller says the car comes with its factory steelies. That's good because the chromed Cuisinart wheels on the car aren't doing it any favors. Mileage? Apparently you have to call for that.
Chevrolet sold 28,566 Corvettes in '68, almost 20,000 of those being the fun in the sun convertible. Despite the lopsided model mix, it is that more-common droptop that today commands a premium over the T-roof coupe. But that perhaps does not seem to be the case with this one. The dealer — dealer! — is asking $17,900, which seems more like coupe money than what you'd stuff in a G-string to get it topless.
But is that deal? After all, the '68 Vette did have some frustrating problems, and who knows if those ghosts have been busted? It also comes with the wrong engine and the question of how professional that SBC's build has been. All that might make the price tag reasonable, or even a rip off.
And now it's time for you to weigh in on that. What do think, is that $17,900 a price that puts this Corvette on the launch pad? Or, does that just seem astronomical?
You decide!
c-smotorsports.com or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Ian for sending the link to the Allante, which led to this Vette!
Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.


text: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has completed painting the first of two Tunisian Air Force C-130J-30 Super Hercules. Tunisia currently operates a fleet of C-130Hs and C-130Bs, first purchased in the mid-1980s. The new C-130Js will support Tunisian operations across the mission spectrum, including relief efforts around the world, firefighting and traditional airlift sorties. The first aircraft is due for delivery later this year.


text:
Promotional webstores that are setup as a packaged offer include the free ticket and the price is already reflected.
Articles in this section
- Do travel agents get discounted tickets?
- How can I keep up to date with the latest LEGOLAND Florida Offers?
- Do you offer discounted tickets for Veterans?
- Can I use a single coupon code for multiple ticket purchases online?
- What locations are participating with current LEGOLAND promotions?
- How many discounted tickets can I get with my promotional coupon?
- Do we offer discounts for employees of area companies?
- Does LEGOLAND Florida Resort offer travel agent discounts?
- Does LEGOLAND Florida Resort offer AAA / CAA discounts?
- Do you offer discounts for Home School groups and families?


text:
Update: Senators propose tax relief after Ark. oil spill
US Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman have introduced legislation to exempt Arkansans who receive compensation from ExxonMobil for the Mayflower pipeline spill are not taxed by the federal government.
The legislation introduced Wednesday is similar to a bill introduced last week by Republican Rep. Tim Griffin and that is supported by the Arkansas congressional delegation.
The Mayflower Oil Spill Tax Relief Act of 2013 by Pryor - a Democrat - and Boozman - a Republican - would classify compensation to Mayflower families as "qualified disaster relief payment."
ExxonMobil's Pegasus pipeline ruptured on March 29 and spilled thousands of barrels of oil in Mayflower. The spill damaged properties and led authorities to evacuate more than 20 homes.


text:
Healthy Edamame Recipes
7 Edamame Recipes That Fill and Fuel!
7 Edamame Recipes That Fill and Fuel!
Although it's a tongue twister, edamame is a protein-packed powerhouse that should top your grocery list each week. Loaded with fiber and at 100 calories per half-cup serving, the soybean is a satisfying addition to almost any meal. Aside from an easy snack, using edamame in pasta, appetizers, and even dips will bump up favorite foods with an extra boost of nutrients like iron, calcium, and folate. If you already have a bag of these tiny green beans in your freezer, then here are seven ways to put them to good use tonight!


text:
I gave Josie O my Popsicle stick to chew on while we were on the porch, and after a few licks, she accidentally pushed it through the crack between two boards and it was gone. She stared down in the exact manner of a kid holding an empty ice-cream cone.
Blog Archives
"What is this, Mi-am-i Beach?"
Our temperatures have been in the single Fahrenheit digits for a couple of days now, so to get Josie O (my Chihuahua) her quota of mental stimulation, I've been taking her to stores. Yesterday we went to Marshalls. I put her carry box in the front of the cart, and she stood with her front paws on the edge, like the figurehead of a ship if the figurehead of a ship were covered in fur and made licky faces at people. (Note to self: horror movie idea: seafaring werewolves.)
Afterwards, I stopped by Ideal market and bought Popsicles, because no weather is too cold for Popsicles unless you're in a tent.
In other news, I'm reading Maddy Hunter's Passport to Peril mysteries, which are hilarious. In Pasta Imperfect, two bestselling romance writers bicker about how "ten inches of flaming virility" really behaves.
"People have actually done surveys and the consensus is, it doesn't throb!"
I cleared my throat and raised a tentative finger in the air. "If you ladies don't mind my asking, if it doesn't throb, what does it do?"
"Maybe it quivers," Nana said thoughtfully. "You know, kind of like a handheld blender."
So I'm going to put Maddy Hunter on my list of fantastically funny mystery writers, up there with Laura Levine, that goddess of laughter.
Lastly, I seem to be over my embarrassing writers block and working well on Critter from the Black Lagoon again, although there was a moment when it was possibly going to be Beaver from the Black Lagoon, because in addition to killer hogs, prehistoric central Florida was also home to beavers the size of black bears.
Luckily, a cooler head prevailed (my head, just cooler), and I'm sticking with pigs.
I'm still shooting for a July release date, which is the soonest I can bring it out according to my contract with St. Martin's.
P.S. If you don't understand the title of this post, it's a reference to the movie Groundhog Day.
Josie O's first time on TV
It all began yesterday, as I stood in line at the Post Office. I checked my voice mail and there was a message from Dreux (pronounced Drew) DeMack, a producer at COCO (Colorado and Company), Denver's Channel 9 morning show.
Hi, Esri! We were wondering if you could be on the show tomorrow to talk about The Portrait of Doreene Gray.
Eek! The message had been left at 11:00 that morning, and now it was 3:30. Due to a surfeit of stupid political calls, I'd been ignoring unknown numbers. I called back and told Dreux's voice mail I'd be overjoyed to come. Then I rushed home and washed Josie O. Then I rushed to Nordstrom Rack and bought a cute new dress, suitable for TV.
But I didn't hear from Dreux the rest of the day. I resisted the urge to beat my head against the wall. Now that I'd missed this chance, would they call again?
The next morning, today, I woke up around ten to eight and dialed Dreux's number, just in case. He picked up.
Hi, Esri, I just walked in the office. Sorry I didn't get your voice mail yesterday, but we'd still like to have you on today. Did you get the message I left on your phone about an hour ago?
I hadn't, but the upshot was that they wanted Josie O and me there sometime between 9:30 and 9:45. It was now eight o'clock. I had an hour and a half to get myself and Josie ready and drive to Denver during the tail end of rush hour.
No problem, Dreux! I'll be there!
Esri's 4-Step TV-Prep Program
Step 1. Drink a cup of soy milk to avoid passing out from low blood sugar.
Step 2. Careful grooming: Brush teeth. Wet ridiculous bed head. Attempt style with super big bobby pins. Give up and pomade it into submission. Put a whole crap load of make up on, and the aforementioned dress.
Step 3. Get Josie's stuff together. Sweater dress, toys, treats, food, water bottle, leash, ohmygod why does this dog have so much stuff?
Step 4. Drive to Denver.
We made it there at 9:20 or so – plenty of time for Josie to have a wee on the manicured lawn and for me to sign in and get my visitor's tag. Dreux came out and met me, and was just as warm and welcoming as last year. Great guy. This time, I was with the regular host, Denise Plante, a tall, gorgeous creature with boots I wanted to steal right off her shapely legs. I refrained.
It's chilly in a TV studio, except on the set proper, which is warmed by those bright, bright lights. Josie O sat quietly in her carrier while I reviewed my script and went over my answers to questions. Up on the set, Denise talked with guests about new treatments for thyroid problems and low mortgages. Dreux wandered over and looked down at Josie, who was napping.
Him: She's really good.
Me: Next time, you'll have her on and skip me.
Finally it was our turn. I ran the mic up my dress, made sure my books were propped up, and gave Josie a few treats. Earlier I had walked around the set to get her familiar with it, but she didn't seem to care. Josie has been in so many situations that her attitude is, "Is this what we're doing now? Okay then."
Denise gave me a lovely introduction, read the blurb for my book, and then asked about Josie. As I answered, I put Josie on the floor and had her do a spin, then picked her back up and took her sweater off, so she wouldn't get warm and fuss. We only had about five minutes, and she sat quietly in my lap the whole time, being cute, which is her job.
Then we were done, and it was time to pack up. I asked Drew when the show would air.
Didn't I mention? This was live. We'll probably run it again, though, because it's general. I'll let you know any subsequent air dates. Remind me to send you a DVD of your segment.
So there it was, my second time on COCO and Josie's first. As before, I did fine, but I also could have done better. Short appearances are a real art, and it's hard to stay tightly on message. But hey, I had a cute dog with me.
If you're interested in Josie's sweater, you can find it at The Doggie Market on Etsy.com. Just click here.
Actual things I have said to my dog.
It would be kinder to eat that from the head down.
You have very poor impulse control.
See? Mommy doesn't eat her poop.
Wake up and be cute.
And as a bonus, one from Angel Joe.
You're kind of prissy for a cat puke and poo eater.
Puppy Teeth
Yesterday, Josie O was gnawing away on a beef tendon while Joe and I looked on dotingly. Suddenly she started doing that peanut butter stuck to the roof of the mouth thing.
Me: She must have a piece of tendon stuck on her teeth.
Josie: (spits out little gristly looking thing)
Me: Aren't you gonna eat it? You worked so hard to chew it off.
Joe: (puts bit of stuff on finger tip, offers it to Josie) Wait a minute, it's a tooth!
So Josie, who still has some gaps in her mouth arsenal at 10 months, is still cutting teeth.
Josie O, Bite Free for [1] Day(s)!
I don't know if Josie really got stung by a wasp yesterday or not. She napped most of the day, and when her eensy dose o' Benadryl wore off, she was as lively as ever, with no limp or sign that anything had happened. I never saw any swelling, so for all I know, she just stepped on something sharp. Regardless, she got a restful day out of it.
When Josie was at her most pitiful, I put Musette down next to her bed, to see if maybe she'd be sympathetic.
Musette (leaning in): Aw… What happened to– (stiffens) No! She is my sworn enemy! (stalks off)
I think Musette wants to try a friendly overture, but isn't sure she wants the consequences. Come winter, when the outdoors ceases to please, that's when it'll happen. "The power of boredom compels you!"
Josie O learns about stinging insects.
Josie and I were outside when she suddenly let out a yip and ran for me and the front door, in that order, whimpering and holding up her left front paw. She's been interested in the bees and wasps, so I figured she got stung.
Once inside, she got in her bed and licked her paw while I got a Benadryl gelcap and poked it with a pin. Gave her about half a drop, mixed with some honey, and now she's like Bill Murray when they gave him the truth serum in The Man Who Knew Too Little. ("Are you a member of our Frequent Renter's club?")
Don't know what kind of bug it was, but the first-aid instructions are the same. Good thing it wasn't her face, or we'd be at the vet right now. So far her paw isn't swollen very much at all. For all I know, it was an ant.
The Littlest Coworker
Aug 3
This gallery contains 2 photos.
I put the tuffet on the floor behind my desk chair so Josie O could keep me company if she wanted, then forgot all about it. Turned around and this is what I saw.
The Portrait of Doreene Gray – Review
Lesa Holstein is the winner of the 2009 and 2010 Spinetingler Awards for Best Reviewer, plus a slew of other awards. Here's her review of the second in my Tripping Magazine mystery series.
Once again, Esri Allbritten has given readers a solid mystery with a well-developed cast of characters. But, it's the staff of Tripping Magazine that are the best characters, as they argue and plot their way to the solution of the mystery. Angus tries to find a paranormal connection and Michael tries to debunk all such possibilities. If you enjoy a little local history, a few ghost stories, fun sleuths, and a great deal of humor, you won't go wrong with the latest Chihuahua mystery, The Portrait of Doreene Gray.
Click here to read the entire review.
Click here to read the first chapters of the book.
Click here to buy Portrait at the bookseller of your choice.
And if you haven't read the first book in the series, it's available in paperback now.


text:
Your cart is empty$0.00
The URL you used cannot be located on our server.
You can jump directly to these commonly used parts of the site:
You probably clicked on a link that is either outdated or entered incorrectly.
There have been several different versions of the Iconfactory, and while we attempt to preserve the links on the site, it's not always possible.


text:
Simon Cowell's making a big splash with his first selection as judge on the forthcoming reality show, "X Factor."
Antonio "L.A." Reid, the current chariman of the Island Def Jam record label, will give up his spot to take a chair on the new Fox program, reports Billboard.
Reid is a judge in Cowell's mold, a proven talent evaluator and hit maker rather than a performer, who has mentored such megastars as Mariah Carey and Usher. He reportedly will let his Def Jam contract lapse this year so that he can judge, rather than re-up his deal.
U.S. & World
Reid will eventually be joined by two other hosts and a slew of big names have been connected to the show. Carey, George Michael, Paula Abdul, and Nicole Scherzinger have all been mentioned as possible judges.
Auditions for "The X Factor" start March 27 in Los Angeles and the show airs in September. The grand prize is a $5 million recording contract with Sony Music.
Selected Reading: E! Online, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard


text:
recent posts
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Mini Chocolate Cranberry Buttercream Cupcakes
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Big Apple Bites - Part 1
I had three places on my wish list, and Momofuku-anything was at the top. However, getting into Momofuku Noodle Bar on a Saturday night is tough (especially with a party of 9) but after waiting an hour and a half and splitting our group in two, it was a dream come true. Green Light: Momofuku ramen ($16) was savory, slippery and made with love; with luscious chunks of pork belly and a perfectly poached egg. Spotlight: melt in your mouth pork belly buns. Everyone from Anthony Bourdain to Martha Stewart raves about these famous buns and now I know why.
We also visited Momofuku Milk Bar, which turned out to be a smallish take-out dessert spot hidden in the Chambers Hotel. Green Light: the Cinnamon Bun Pie has built-in cream cheese icing (genius!), we also liked the yummy peanut butter and compost cookies. Yellow light: the Candy Bar Pie was a little bit too sweet, in my opinion (like a Reese's, Snickers and Rolo all at the same time, with a pretzel). Spotlight: their famous Crack Pie had an addicting, custard-y, butterscotch-y taste that made you want to swallow more and more with each bite.
We also made sure to try the Shake Shack, which some say is like the In & Out of the E. Coast (I think it's even better, and I love In & Out). Green Light: perfectly cooked, deliciously seasoned burgers and cheese fries. Yellow Light: the peanut butter fan in me had to try the salted peanut butter hot chocolate, which was good if not a little too rich. Spotlight: here they have concretes - which is kind of a cross between a sundae and a shake. All I can say is wow. Their Pumpkin Pie Oh My Concrete (vanilla frozen custard with a piece of pumpkin pie blended together) is one of the best things I've ever tasted.
I lived in NY for a few years and my fave bagels were from H&H, so I had to visit for old times' sake. Green Light: cinnamon raisin bagels: firm and toothsome on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, best when eaten still warm. Another Green Light: strawberry cheesecake from Junior's: dense, creamy and flavorful with just the right amount of tart and sweet. Unfortunately, a a return visit to a former favorite spot, Gray's Papaya turned out some underwhelming hot dogs - Red Light.
Lastly, a BIG Green Light for the Halal Guys in midtown. Open from 7:30pm-4am, this food cart (my sister's bf Pat-strami did the research, and these guys at this particular location are the best) serves a $6 platter of some of the best chicken or lamb gyro and rice ever. Fresh, tender and perfectly spiced with an awesome white (mayo? yogurt?) sauce. At $6 it's one of the best, and most delicious deals in town.
And this is only the first half. The eating continues...Part 2 next week!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Pumpkin Pecan Roll
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Boston Cream Cupcakes
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
LA Eats
There wasn't much time. Two full days at the Magic Kingdom doesn't leave many opportunities for additional outside eating. But on a trip we took this summer, MFM and I did what we could. After two days of turkey legs, churros, and bright green mint juleps, we mixed it up with some new favorites, old standbys - all delicious.
Not a reflection or anything on Musha (I was stuffed and very satisified after dinner here) but for me, driving down the street (Carson Blvd) and not stopping at the parked ramen truck was simply impossible, especially with such a cute and inviting name as Happy Cup Ramen. Green light: the miso ramen with cha shu was fresh cooked, hot and delicious. Spotlight: the experience of eating ramen standing up in front of a car dealership while traffic goes by isn't, in actuality, a bad one. It's actually kind of fun.
I'm just as enamored with the current salt trend (salted caramels, salted chocolates) as the next person, and had to try sea salt lattes at the "Starbucks of Taiwan" 85C (as in degrees) in Irvine. (Just an aside, but is anybody else curious as to whether all this extra sodium is somehow bad for you?) Named for the perfect temperature for which to consume coffee, this bakery chain has over 230 locations worldwide. Green light: the sea salt latte, which I had iced (refreshing and delicious); also a fan of the taro buns. Yellow light: first visit is a little daunting, and irritating as there are no posted instructions for newbies. Everyone just seemed to know you're supposed to pick up a tray and tongs and help yourself to the baked items then wait in a separate line to pay or order drinks.
The last stop was King's Hawaiian in Torrance. I love this place for so many reasons. The sweet and addicting Hawaiian rolls. The light and refreshing guava cake. Spam. (Green lights all around, plus another one for the katsu curry). Red light: not sure if it was just an off day, but the usually tasty bowl of saimin suffered from tasteless, watery broth and lackluster noodles. (I say off day). Spotlight: Did I mention their perfectly executed Spam musubi is served with a teriyaki dipping sauce? Fancy!
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Strawberry Bavarian Chiffon Cake
• Using the mixer or a whisk, whip the cream until thickened.
• Line the sides of a 10" springform pan with 3" sides with plastic wrap, allowing enough overhang to cover the top of the cake completely when it is assembled. Leave the bottom of the pan unlined. Have the cake ready.
• The cake can be served immediately or kept cold in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
The Boiling Crab
It was my first time at a Boiling Crab (a chain with locations in So. Cal and Texas). I'm always a bit nervous about trying new dining experiences, so instead of the usual here's-what-I-ate commentary, I've constructed a list of Boiling Crab helpful hints, just in case you go. At approx. $30-$35 per person for seafood, I think it's one of the best deals around. It's certainly one of the most delicious.
1. They do not take reservations. When Yelpers say to get there when they open (3pm) they aren't kidding. Case in point, we put our names on the list at 6pm, and we weren't seated until 9pm (on a Saturday). There's the aforementioned tvs to keep you occupied, but people also just hang out in their cars or at the Target next door. Or, you can start off with an "appetizer" at the neighboring Vietnamese restaurant, as one of our friends who couldn't wait any longer did. (No, this was not Kung Fu Prawn).
4. Go for the "whole sha-bang." First, pick your seafood: (our group had shrimp, crawfish, Dungeness and king crab and clams). Then, pick your seasoning: rajun Cajun, lemon pepper, garlic butter, or the whole sha-bang (all three - words cannot describe the spicy, buttery deliciousness.) Last, your spicyness level (medium was plenty hot). The ratio is about 1 pound per person, if you include sides (we also got corn and sweet potato fries).


text:
Jones rejects Colorado coaching offer
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- The losses keep piling up for the University of Colorado football program.
A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday that Butch Jones has rejected an offer to become the Buffaloes' next coach. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Jones hadn't publicly revealed his decision to stay at the University of Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Enquirer first reported Jones had withdrawn his name from consideration for the Buffaloes job, just as he had the Purdue opening earlier in the week that subsequently went to Darrell Hazell.
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn didn't return phone messages seeking comment on Jones' decision.
Jones met with Bohn and others in Boulder for nine hours on Monday, when he was offered a five-year deal worth at least $13.5 million. He then spent two days avoiding questions about his coaching future while promoting the Bearcats' appearance against Duke in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 27.
On Wednesday night, Jones sent a text message to the AP calling a report that he had accepted the Colorado job "absolutely false," and Bohn responded in a text to AP that "our process is not complete."
Now, it's back to Square One for a program that, at 1-11, just completed the worst season in its 123-year history.
Jones was Colorado's top choice to replace Jon Embree, who was fired after going 4-21 in two seasons at his alma mater. Jones is believed to be the only candidate that Bohn has met with during his third coaching search since firing Gary Barnett in 2005.
Jones, 44, is a hot candidate with a 50-27 record as a head coach, and might soon be in line for much better opportunities than the one Colorado had to offer. He's 23-14 in three years at Cincinnati after going 27-13 at Central Michigan. He followed Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly at both schools.
Embree had three years remaining on the five-year contract he signed on Dec. 6, 2010, when he replaced Dan Hawkins. Like Hawkins, he was due a buyout approaching $2 million.
The Buffaloes job isn't a glamorous one, with sub-par football facilities and a fan base and booster pool disenchanted by seven straight losing seasons -- and now, as Embree's quick hook attests, an administration that wants immediate upgrades on the scoreboard and in the Pac-12 standings.
That's a daunting task for the next coach, who will face a truncated recruiting season while inheriting a youthful roster that has managed just three league wins since bolting the Big 12 two years ago.


text:
Effective Date of December 19, 2015.
Mastercard International Incorporated (doing business as Mastercard Worldwide) and its affiliates (collectively, "Mastercard") respect your privacy. This Global Privacy Notice describes the types of personal information we collect, how we use the information, with whom we share it, and the choices you can make about our use of the information. We also describe the measures we take to protect the security of the information and how you can contact us about our privacy practices.
Our privacy practices may vary among the countries in which we operate to reflect local practices and legal requirements.
Click on one of the links below to jump to the listed section::
Mastercard may obtain information about you from various sources. We may obtain information about you in our role as a processor of electronic payment transactions. We also may have a direct relationship with you, and you may choose to provide personal information to us in connection with that relationship.
As a processor of electronic payment transactions, we obtain a limited amount of personal information about you from financial institutions, merchants and other entities in connection with your payment card transactions. In this context, we receive the card account number, the merchant name and location, the date and the total amount of the transaction. Importantly, we do not receive the cardholder's name or other contact information to process transactions.
We also may obtain information about you from companies that use other Mastercard products or services, institutions that issue Mastercard branded payment devices, publicly available information systems, and commercial information services.
In addition, you may choose to submit information directly to us. You may do so, for example, on our websites, in connection with a Mastercard product or service, when you participate in an offer or promotion or in connection with an actual or potential business or employment relationship with us.
For processing of payment transactions the types of personal information we may obtain are:
For other types of services that Mastercard provides the types of personal information we may obtain are:
We collect certain information by automated means, such as cookies and web beacons, when you visit our websites. The information we collect in this manner includes IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, information on actions taken on a website, and dates and times of website visits. A "cookie" is a text file placed on a computer's hard drive by a web server. A "web beacon," also known as an Internet tag, pixel tag or clear GIF, is used to transmit information back to a web server.
We may use the information we obtain about you to:
If you give us permission to do so, Mastercard will use your personal information to conduct marketing activities such as the following: (i) send you information and ask your opinion on Mastercard products and services, including by email and SMS; (ii) create specific messages for your personal profile; and (iii) develop market research. We also may use the information in other ways for which we provide specific notice at the time of collection.
We do not sell or otherwise disclose personal information we collect about you, except as described here in or otherwise as we disclose to you at the time the data is collected.
We share information to process electronic transactions and other activities that you request. We may share the personal information we collect with our affiliates, financial institutions that issue payment cards or process electronic payment transactions, entities that assist with payment card fraud prevention, and merchants. For example, in this context we provide financial institutions with information about their cardholders' transactions that Mastercard processes. In addition, we may share personal information with other third parties with the consent of the individual to whom the information pertains or as otherwise directed by your financial institution.
We also may share the information with our service providers who perform services on our behalf. We authorize these service providers to use or disclose the information only as necessary to perform certain services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. We require these service providers by contract to appropriately safeguard the privacy and security of personal information they process on our behalf.
Mastercard transfers personal data within the Mastercard group of affiliated companies subject to the terms of this privacy notice or otherwise as we disclose to you at the time the data is collected.
On our websites, you may choose to use certain features for which we partner with other entities. These features, which include social networking and geo-location tools, are operated by third parties, clearly identified as such, and not affiliated with Mastercard. These third parties may use personal information in accordance with their own privacy policies. We strongly suggest you review the third parties' privacy policies if you use the relevant features.
We also may disclose information about you (i) if we are required to do so by law or legal process, or (ii) when we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent harm or financial loss, or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual fraudulent or illegal activity.
We also reserve the right to transfer personal information we have about you in the event we sell or transfer all or a portion of our business or assets. Should such a sale or transfer occur, we will use reasonable efforts to direct the transferee to use personal information you have provided to us in a manner that is consistent with our Global Privacy Notice. Following such a sale or transfer, you may contact the entity to which we transferred your personal information with any inquiries concerning the processing of that information.
You have certain rights regarding the personal information we maintain about you. We offer you choices about what personal information we collect from you, how we use that information, and how we communicate with you.
You can choose not to provide personal information to Mastercard by refraining from conducting electronic payment card transactions. You also may refrain from submitting information directly to us. However, if you do not provide personal information when requested, you may not be able to benefit from the full range of Mastercard products and services, and we may not be able to provide you with information about products, services and promotions.
You can elect not to have a unique cookie identification number assigned to your computer. If you would like to opt-out of such cookie identification, click here. Additionally, most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to be notified when you receive a new cookie, and how to disable existing cookies. Please note, however, that without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of all our website features.
You can opt-out of certain uses of information we collect about you by automated means when you visit other websites. We may use service providers to post content on those other websites. They may use cookies when they serve ads to you. You may direct our service providers not to use cookies to serve ads to you by clicking Cookie Opt-out.
You can tell us not to send you marketing communications by e-mail by clicking on the unsubscribe link within the marketing e-mails you receive from us or by contacting us as indicated below. You also may opt-out of receiving marketing e-mails from Mastercard by clicking here. As indicated above, we may anonymize personal information to perform data analyses. To opt-out of such anonymization, click here.
You may withdraw any consent you previously provided to us, or object at any time on legitimate grounds, to the processing of your personal information. We will apply your preferences going forward. In some circumstances, withdrawing your consent to Mastercard's use or disclosure of your personal information will mean that you cannot take advantage of certain Mastercard products or services.
If you are located in the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you may direct us not to share your personal information with third parties, except (i) with service providers we have retained to perform services on our behalf, (ii) in the event we sell or transfer all or a portion of our business or assets, (iii) if disclosure is required by law or legal process, , or (iv) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss, or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual fraud or other illegal activity. If you are located in the European Economic Area or Switzerland, we use your personal information only for the purposes indicated in this Notice unless we have a legal basis, such as consent, to use it for other purposes. Where required by law, Mastercard obtains your prior opt-in consent at the time of collection for the processing of (i) personal information for marketing purposes and (ii) personal information deemed sensitive pursuant to applicable law.
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to request access to and receive information about the personal data we maintain about you, update and correct inaccuracies in your personal data, and have the information blocked or deleted, as appropriate. The right to access personal information may be limited in some circumstances by local law requirements. To learn more, please contact us as set forth below.
To update your preferences, ask us to remove your information from our mailing lists or submit a request, please contact us as specified below.
We may transfer personal information to countries other than the country in which the data was originally collected. These countries may not have the same data protection laws as the country in which you initially provided the information. When we transfer your personal information to other countries, we will protect that information as described in this Privacy Notice.
Mastercard is a global business. To offer our services, we may need to transfer your personal information among several countries, including the United States, where we are headquartered. We comply with applicable legal requirements providing adequate safeguards for the transfer of personal information to countries outside of the European Economic Area or Switzerland.
The security of your personal information is very important to Mastercard. We are committed to protecting the information we collect. We maintain appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect the personal information you provide against accidental, unlawful or unauthorized destruction, loss, alteration, access, disclosure or use. We use SSL encryption on a number of our websites from which we transfer certain personal information.
Our websites may provide links to other websites for your convenience and information. These websites may operate independently from Mastercard. Linked sites may have their own privacy notices or policies, which we strongly suggest you review if you visit any linked websites. To the extent any linked websites you visit are not owned or controlled by Mastercard, we are not responsible for the sites' content, any use of the sites, or the privacy practices of the sites.
This Global Privacy Notice may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our personal information practices. We will post a prominent notice on our websites to notify you of any significant changes to our Global Privacy Notice and indicate at the top of the Notice when it was most recently updated.
If you have any questions or comments about this Global Privacy Notice, Mastercard's privacy practices, or if you would like us to update information or preferences you provided to us, please click here. You may also contact us by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or write to us at:
Global Privacy Officer
Mastercard Worldwide
2000 Purchase Street
Purchase, New York 10552
If you are located in the European Economic Area or Switzerland, Mastercard Europe sprl may be the entity processing your personal information. If you have any questions or comments about this Global Privacy Notice, Mastercard Europe sprl's privacy practices, or if you would like us to update information or preferences you provided to us, please click here. You may also contact us by email firstname.lastname@example.com or or write to us at:
Global Privacy Officer
Mastercard Europe sprl
Chaussée de Tervuren 198A
B-1410, Waterloo


text:
You'd be amazed how much making mistakes pays off. A while back, I did this post that included some French in the splash image, and I, true to my nature, screwed it up. So Jonathan Miller corrected me, and even better, offered to be my eyes out in France for interesting stuff. A whole bunch is coming your way soon, but first I'm hoping to solve a small mystery.
In the batch of lovely pictures of Francophonic iron was this Panhard 24— a sleek, novel looking car I've always liked. This one, though, has a weird, squared-off hood bulge. Why? The Panhard used a flat-twin engine, and that sits pretty low. Is this from an engine swap? Big turbo pipes? Pastry warmer? Who knows?
Anyway, I thought it'd be fun for us to try and figure this out. Any Panhard heads out there know why someone would do this?


text:
SOMATOM Perspective
"Open new opportunities" VS. "Close doors to growth" – Second best is not an option.
What our customers are saying
SOMATOM® Perspective is proven in practice. Users world-wide have confirmed that in addition to the wide clinical portfolio, the positive financial aspects of the scanner are especially valuable – from the quick and uncomplicated installation to the efficient daily use.
"We have already scanned around 800 patients. We have studied all possible conditions, whether oncologic, pediatric, cardiac, vascular, musculoskeletal or cerebral and indeed, the results we get are truly satisfying."
Dr. Alexandre Fuchs
Imagerie Medicale Sainte-Marie, Pontoise, France
"(…) of course, reimbursement in the health sector keep receding. What is needed are systems that are more cost-efficient than previous ones. The SOMATOM Perspective, for example, through its eMode and the included service benefits, can certainly help here."
Dr. Johann-C. Steffens
Radiology of Israelitisches Krankenhaus, Hamburg, Germany
"This system offers some algorithms and software which are extremely advantageous. One is iTrim, which is an algorithm that improves temporal resolution."
Dr. Paulo Pedro
Cardiologist at S.A.M.S, Lisbon, Portugal


text:
The Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V in Olympic White is a 5-string bass guitar that perfectly combines the look and vibe of classic basses from the '60s and '70s with the features and playability of modern instruments.
The Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V features a Soft Maple body that exactly mimics the contours of the classic Fender Jazz Bass. This is joined by a 34"-scale Maple neck with black binding and block inlays. These combine to produce a striking looking bass that produces a wide range of amazing tones and is lightweight and comfortable to play.
From a hardware perspective, the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V comes equipped with a pair of Fender-Designed Single-Coil Jazz Bass pickups that are accompanied by a pickup-specific volume controls and a master tone control. This setup allows classic Jazz Bass tones to be easily achieved thanks to its simplicity and user-friendliness. Joining the pickup selection is a stand vintage-style 5-string bridge, standard open-gear tuners and a three-ply black/white/black pickguard.
The main features of the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V 5-string bass guitar in Olympic White include:


text:
Zola Jesus has produced a couple of albums of note in the past few years, particularly Stridulum and the new one, Conatus, which we reviewed here. There's now a video for a track from it, which premiered over on the New York Times earlier this week. Anyway, you can watch the weirdness in full below. Revel in it.
Video directed by Jacqueline Castel.


text:
Recommended Stories
Quantifying the Toll of Covid-19
The latest economic research from Atradius suggests global GDP may recover rapidly in 2021—but only if some key assumptions are met.
Corporate America Chips away at $350 Billion Debt Problem
"You entered the pandemic with dozens of U.S. high-grade companies carrying around $1 trillion of debt in aggregate, pledging to pay down debt or grow their way into lower leverage." That's going to be hard in this economy.
Will the Fed Issue a Digital Currency?
"It's more important for the United States to get it right than to be first," says Chairman Powell.
Resource Center
Sponsored by OANDA
Multi-Currency Best Practices for the Finance Department
Download this 3-step guide to better understand and assess your company's FX exposure.
Treasury & Risk
Don't miss crucial treasury and finance news along with in-depth analysis and insights you need to make informed treasury decisions. Join Treasury & Risk now!
- Free unlimited access to Treasury & Risk including case studies with corporate innovators, informative newsletters, educational webcasts, and resources from industry leaders.
- Exclusive discounts on ALM and Treasury & Risk events.
- Access to other award-winning ALM publications including PropertyCasualty360.com and Law.com.
Copyright © 2020 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


text:
This piece appears in Occupy Consciousness: Essays on the Global Insurrection, an anthology that is offered as a free gift from the Evolver Social Movement, available for download here. Please consider supporting the work of the Evolver Social Movement with a tax free donation.
When I first heard about the occupation of Zuccotti Park last fall, I was sitting comfortably in my uncle's beachfront apartment in southern California. My close friend Dallas, an avid Facebook updater, had posted his own first-hand images and descriptions of the events on his wall, as well as links to collections of similar information and videos as they became available. Shocked to see evidence of such a significant protest, not in the Middle East, but right in downtown New York City, where my uncle and I are both from, I eagerly relayed the news to him. The problem was, he didn't believe me.
Ever since his days at the college paper, my uncle has been a television and print news junkie. He is the reason why Marriott elevators play CNN, Caesar's Palace airs Fox in the Roman Baths and the Hotel Imperial in Vienna delivers the Herald Tribune with your morning coffee, if you're American, anyway. Ever since we shared the experience of witnessing the collapse of the World Trade Center on television so many years ago, he and I have sustained a discussion surrounding naïve realism and mass media spectacle.
Like many people, my uncle believes that what makes it into the mass media dialogue is basically the truth. He feels that the validity and significance of a story will always lead to its finding a home within the mass media. From his perspective, radical or conspiratorial views are marginal because they are simply less valid. I find his view absurdly naïve. It seems to me — and most of my friends — that corporate media will always exclude some stories and play up others based on their own narrow interests. Different media companies reflect similar underlying structures that seek political and economic gain. Therefore, radical points of view are systematically squashed and marginalized, leading to an implicit, if not explicit, conspiracy of corporate American values.
The fact that people of my uncle's mindset cannot see beyond the mass media envelope is akin to a fish unable to think water' because it is completely immersed within it. This is what media theorist Marshall McLuhan called, the "invisible media environment." According to McLuhan, once the old media is made obsolete by the new, what was previously invisible becomes visible, and the old world becomes the content of the new. Let's consider what happened at Zuccotti in this light.
The Occupy protest took place in an extremely high-visibility location — Zuccotti is only a block from the Milky-Way's most intense rubber-necking attraction, ground-zero — but the mainstream media simply ignored the first days of the occupation. Companies like Fox, the New York Times, and CNN are supported by advertising revenue from major financial institutions. Their dependence upon the system determines how they cover Wall Street. While the major media conglomerates operate from this same small island of Manhattan, and could not have missed this uprising happening at the epicenter of the financial world, they cast a blind eye upon it. Even The New York Times, believed to be the voice of liberal conscience, refused to give the protest lip service at first. In their first foray, they ran an embarrassingly negative piece by Gina Bellafante that sought to diminish the significance of the uprising.
But the media landscape in 2011 has changed significantly. Because of the extraordinary proliferation of smart phones and new social technologies, the occupiers were able to take matters into their own hands, circulating photos, Blog posts, and video of the events, disseminating the information directly to their circle of friends and beyond, via Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and so on. This is how, from the beach in California, I was able to see posts from my friend Dallas, someone I know personally and whose information I trust. His updates showed me exactly what was going on, a significant protest with shocking violence and police brutality. On Youtube, a video of young women fenced in and sprayed with mace for no apparent reason suddenly grabbed the public's attention. The ability of videos such as this one to go viral and reach millions of people in a few days reveals that the old media environment is becoming obsolete, as we enter a new one. The sluggish response of mainstream media, the politically motivated nature of their editorial processes, and the lack of a concrete and trustworthy human link are simply no match for a global network of people with smart phones and social-media tools, a decentralized swarm that is a new civil society power. With the overreaching violence of the police now common knowledge, the ice quickly melted and left-leaning media personalities like Keith Olberman and Michael Moore started to speak out. In fact, they would have been perceived as irresponsible, and would have lost credibility as progressives, if they didn't respond to what was taking place.
The lack of mainstream coverage in the first five days was a glaring omission, and one of the main topics initially discussed. But even after this, as the media caught up, and even published some excellent pieces (such as Frank Rich's account in The New York Times that noted Occupy Wall Street was revealing a new "architecture of consciousness"), the attempts to marginalize the uprising continued, and all but drowned out legitimate representations of the movement. A fish, we must remember, cannot breathe outside of water and so will submerge itself once again until it dies a 'natural' death.
The occupiers were youthful and inventive. Moving quickly to develop an alternative media infrastructure, they started live webcams, published their own newspapers, and created other forms of DIY news. As Occupy stayed true to its anarchic, process-oriented ideals, the uprising spread rapidly across the planet, replicating itself in city after city. Despite the scoffing and snarky putdowns from the mainstream, Occupy managed to shake many people out of the trance of television and print media, altering the carefully scripted discourse. Over the course of several months, the planetary community received a Shakti-burst of insight into our potential to reconstitute society through humane and ecological values that are beyond money, that are ultimately ubiquitous. We are like sleepers awakening from a dream, and as we awaken, we realize that the urge to rebel against the collusion of corporate media and financial institutions — the sorcerers who maintain the spell — is everywhere. It has been hidden under the surface all along.
The weeks that followed the onset of Occupy revealed a perpetual dialogue between the social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and the old media rulers. If the New York Times changed a page that had already been posted without referencing it, someone on Facebook would show the before and after with side-by-side screenshots. But there is a darker more Pynchon-esque side to the new media too. The new anonymous power of the multitude to "culture jam" and create discourse around power and control can also be used irresponsibly, even dangerously.
At one point, a number of posts claimed that Facebook was trying to censor a picture of the protest. Even some friends of mine started to post this photo — which was actually of a mob of baseball fans in the streets near City Hall — claiming it was a huge Occupy protest that Facebook was suppressing. Evidently they weren't checking what they were doing before they posted. They were disseminating the images simply because they 'wanted' to believe it. Any New Yorker should have known that the image was not what the caption claimed: baseball fans and protestors against social injustice have a different look. By spreading a deceptive image, the posters threatened the delicate balance between the powers-that-be and the emergent opposition. At that delicate point in the ongoing narrative of Occupy, if enough people believed that a massive swarm of people was taking place and being ignored by the media, it might have incited riots. The new media power that spreads memes and images virally allows many people to amplify what is happening without taking responsibility or being ethical — a similar example was the rapid dissemination of the recent Kony video, which turned out to be a form of propaganda. At this point, there are many people who haven't taken responsibility for their new social power. They enjoy yelling "fire" in a theatre to watch the ensuing chaos unfold.
Both fortunately and unfortunately, this is the new hyper-mediated world in which we are now immersed. Occupy Wall Street promises to be only the beginning of this story. Right now, "cold wars" over media hacking, viral propaganda, municipal evictions, are raging rapidly, while political organizations and private companies seek to manipulate the new situation to their advantage. The choice we make, individually, as to how we use our new extraordinary connectivity and media power is the front line of a global struggle for the future of the earth. The situation requires deeper awareness and responsible participation on all of our parts. The new media environment is characterized by networks of trust between connected individuals, and is thus horizontal rather than hierarchical. Instead of getting "All the news that's fit to print" from one authoritative source, we have all becoming collaborators in discovering and sharing what is relevant to our lives.
By the time an old media environment is rendered visible on a large scale, a new and invisible one has already replaced it. In order to avoid regressing into outmoded forms, we must learn to surround and contain the old world, while developing a stable relation to the new. Following McLuhan's metaphor we might make a jump from fish to amphibian. We do this by searching out and playing with the boundaries of what was previously invisible to us, and making it visible for ourselves as well as others. One crucial reference point for this emergent culture is gatherings, such as festivals (or the now-forbidden Occupy zones) where an alternative culture, based on trust and transparency, can manifest temporarily. For instance, I could easily see the gaps in the mass media's presentation of the facts, where my uncle couldn't, because I participate in a counterculture of festivals like Burning Man. These "temporary autonomous zones" ritually turn our world upside down and redefine our social boundaries, revealing the constructs of every-day life, and our potential to change them.
Our changing media landscape is chaotic and unpredictable. The new environment of our communication technology empowers us as individuals, but it can also lull us into a dreamlike state of trance if we do not take responsibility for our new capabilities. In this time of intensifying pressure and ongoing insurrection — at "the edge of history," as the cultural theorist William Irwin Thompson defines it — we are discovering that we possess the power to remake the world as active participants, if we learn to collaborate. The alternative is to passively "enjoy the ride" as the prevailing system of domination and surveillance continues to strangle and suffocate the planet, erasing our identities in the process.
Faust. If ever I lay me on a bed of sloth in peace,? That instant let for me existence cease!? If ever with lying flattery you can rule me? So that contented with myself I stay,? If with enjoyment you can fool me,? Be that for me the final day!? That bet I offer!? Mephistopheles. Done!
image by Sunset Parkerpix, courtesy of Creative Commons license.


text:
CertainTeed Corporation, along with employees from its Kansas City, Kansas, insulation plant and professional partners are rolling up their sleeves to assist Homes for Our Troops (HFOT). HFOT is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes for severely injured Veterans. The latest team effort shows support and appreciation for a local Lee's Summit, Missouri Veteran.
CertainTeed offers a portfolio of roofing, insulation, drywall, siding, housewrap and trim for builds across the U.S. CertainTeed's involvement also extends to employees actively participating in HFOT local community events, as well as builder, distributor, and company contractor partners who assist with product delivery and installation.
Due to the proximity to the company's insulation manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Kansas, local CertainTeed employees are able to do even more for Marine Sgt. Dustin Johns, taking action along with more than 150 people to assist with landscaping and other exterior beautification details during Volunteer Day. Several supporters, including long-time Kansas builder and HFOT partner Sallee Homes of Lee's Summit, was on hand when the home was officially presented to the Johns family during the formal Key Ceremony.
A technician with the 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Company, Sgt. Johns was clearing an area of explosive hazards in Sangin Valley, Afghanistan on November 12, 2011 when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). The blast resulted in the amputation of both legs and two fingers on his right hand.
He was fitted with prosthetics for both legs, but learning to walk again is only one challenge of day-to-day life. Sgt. Johns' mortgage-free home provided by HFOT is specially designed to accommodate his needs and is a crucial step in helping his family rebuild their lives.
"When we heard about Homes for Our Troops building a home so near our largest insulation manufacturing facility, our staff, both at the corporate and local level, were excited at the chance to do more than usual for the local hero," said Greg Silvestri, president of CertainTeed Insulation. "Everyone who has touched this project, from our builder, distributor and contractor partners to the employees at the plant to our company sales territory managers, have expressed their thankfulness for being able to step in, and eagerness to participate in another build when the opportunity presents itself."
In conjunction with CertainTeed, Insulate America has participated in a number of builds since becoming involved with HFOT in the past few years.
"We do charitable work within the communities that we serve. Whether that's a check, or with some hands on work. It's rewarding when you come to the home that is being built for one of our Veterans to see the impact and the community coming together," said David Beam, president of Insulate America. "It's a small token of appreciation for their sacrifice and our freedom."
This was the first time A+ Insulation, an Insulate America member contractor from Edwardsville, Kansas, provided installation services for a HFOT build.
"I really had no idea the lengths Homes for Our Troops goes through to personally customize each home to benefit the life of each deserving Veteran. It's amazing," said Mike O'Hara, president of A+ Insulation. "And CertainTeed Sales Territory Manager John Larkin was wonderful to work with, making it easy to complete the insulation installation on schedule."
Since its founding in 2004, HFOT has built more than 220 mortgage-free, specially adapted energy-efficient homes for Veterans severely injured in combat after September 11, 2001. Each four-bedroom, two-bath home is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, complete with roll-in showers, roll-under cooktops and sinks, and other standard accessibility items. Construction of a home takes six to seven months, with the cost of each build averaging $430,000.
To learn more about CertainTeed's Homes for Our Troops partnership, visit www.certainteed.com/followtheproject.