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Open Flash?January 02, 2006
Total speculation alert. I don't want anyone to read further into this than what I say, since I have no insider knowledge. But I was just re-reading a post of my own from December, Macromedia No More, and one paragraph particularly jumped out at me this time 'round.
Which brings us back to the web. AJAX is hot, but Javascript can't do everything. When faced with its limitations, Flash is currently the most practical alternative. From a business standpoint, it's a no-brainer to develop and promote this emerging/existing platform (in whatever form it may take). So I'd expect to see a lot more effort toward making Flash development easier.
I got to thinking that if I were to go back and re-write it, I'd probably clarify and say that "…I'd expect to see a lot more effort toward making Flash application development easier." And then I got to thinking even more.
What do we know about Ajax? It relies on text-based Javascript, viewable (and stealable) by anyone. View Source led to the web's popularity, and I have no doubt that View Source and open libraries are inspiring a lot of scripting developments lately. Javascript is far easier on the developer than Flash currently, which (accessibility and functionality concerns aside) goes a long way to explaining its resurgent popularity. The web now needs this sort of functionality; unobtrusive Javascript is likely the most responsible and easiest way to provide it.
Now, there are methods of creating Flash content other than through
Macromedia's Adobe's Flash IDE (Integrated Development Environment). But as far as I'm aware, you're still chained to the official software if you want to do much more than simple timeline-based animation.
What could possibly give Flash an edge over open source technology? An injection of the open source philosophy. If the IDE were opened, and Flash movies were View Source-able, wouldn't life be a lot easier for the average Flash application developer?
It has been pointed out numerous times in the comments that there are ways of viewing source on a Flash binary. In fact, Adobe themselves are trying to facilitate this even further — check out this demo and right click for the option. There you go.
I highly doubt Adobe will do it quite like that, if at all. Flash is a big money-maker, always has been. And imagine the out-cry of thousands of content creators who are relying on Flash's inherent closed nature to protect their creation. It's not a likely move, but if the goal is a platform with which to compete against open source technologies and the upcoming XAML/Avalon combo from Microsoft's camp (and that's what it looks like from where I'm sitting), it might be the only way to capture developer mind share.
Of course, it sounds like the new Flash/PDF client is likely to be a new thing, existing "in addition to" rather than "instead of" stand-alone Flash and PDF. Were that different enough to avoid the existing content problem, and were it an open source technology, and were Adobe to somehow figure out a way to quickly get it out to the existing huge install base of the two current technologies, well… I think they might just have something. Big ifs, but this one should be interesting to watch.
I think the power of Ajax is that it's Javascript for the interface but nearly all of the backend data stuff is on the server. So the most important code is the stuff that's pumping out the information on request, rather than the (fairly) generic and trivial JS which slots it into place.
As such, a lot of the techniques are already closed by default.
Michael Chambers developed a way for Flash developers to do this on their own with Adding a View Source Menu item to Macromedia Flash Content: http://weblogs.macromedia.com/mesh/archives/2005/04/adding_a_view_s.cfm. It allows viewers to download the source to the Flash movie as a zip file. This is something the developer has to expressly set up to be used, but hey, it's a start.
There's already quite a few options to creating Flash content without the Flash IDE.
Here's a list of compilers and other tools:
You might want to take a look at Laszlo:
It's an open-source platform for creating Flash-compatible applications.
I miss LiveMotion. (I know, I may be the only one.)
But it had a much more intuitive way of doing things compared to Flash's timeline.
Ming (http://ming.sourceforge.net) for PHP (and others) lets you generate Flash server-side (or run the script once and save the resultant .SWF, or whatever). It takes a little getting used to, and you still need to know ActionScript to do interactivity, but it's an alternative to the Flash IDE which may appeal to many, especially those with a more programming bent.
Don't know that much about the subject but there are ways to get to the flash source code. You need some software like Flash Decompiler and off you go. You can see sprites, images and all the code. I know it is more work than view source but is works.
And another thing I heard a friend of mine talk about was Macromedia Flex (http://www.macromedia.com/software/flex/). It's not my cup of tea, and I don't know how long it still will exist, but it's a package for developing Rich Internet Applications (!?). If that one should support a view source option …
quis: The same is just as true for Flash, which can easily off load all data manipulation to the server if need be. This sort of thing has been Flash's strength for longer than its been Ajax's strength.
Dave: I totally agree that the "view source"-ness of HTML and javascript has helped made it popular among developers, but even now, it's possible to give this same functionality to Flash movies. Allowing the viewing of your source is as simple as adding a right-click contextual menu icon for it. Unfortunately, developers (including me) usually do not want this functionality exposed, and I also imagine that if "view source"-ness was turned off by default in HTML and javascript, most developers would choose not to turn it on.
The tragedy of Flash is one you could write an entire book on. And the story's not even done yet. It's very Tivo-like in that manner. Great company… great product… great people… great community… great intentions. Spoiled, however, by two different forces which are completely unrelated:
1. Obnoxious and highly-intrusive advertising piggybacking on the power of the Flash platform.
2. The tendency of the development community, in general, to migrate to free, non-binary formats.
It's such a shame that things have thus far worked out like this because Flash, in literally hundreds of ways, is a better platform with which to develop web content (at least certain kinds of it) than HTML/JS/ETC, and now it's probably going to be relegated to very small tasks within any given project.
On the bright side, even when used for widgets like inline video or polls, Flash is still a useful piece of the web experience landscape.
Well, actually what the W3C is doing with the Compund Document and rich web clients (http://www.w3.org/2006/rwc/) is what you could call a standards compliant, open source, accesible version of flash for web app development.
DOM 3 + SVG + [insert other XML flavors here] + capable browsers = accesible Rich Internet Applications. Only the browser gets to act as the flash player.
And that's not likely to change anytime soon.
View Source is possible in Flash (and we are really going to make it is easier and easier for developers to choose this.) Here is a good example:
right click on the chart in this example: http://weblogs.macromedia.com/mxna/reports/categoryFeedReport/index.cfm
then check out:
I think that, and this is just my personal opinion, the main reason for AJAX and JavaScript's extreme popularity is that it is so functional but no different from it's surroundings. It's simply manipulation of content.
Flash on the other hand is on a totally different level from AJAX and JS, It's an entire application stuck on a website, so to speak.
And when exactly was the last time you saw somebody peering into an application to see how they did this nifty little trick they'd never seen before incase they wanted to include it in a project of their own?
So… like SVG.
Or like SVG could be, if Adobe ran with it. A mix of both worlds.
From what I understand, wouldn't looking at ode post compiling be different from the actual hand written code? Doesn't the compiler compress and otherwise convert the code?
And Mike D.: Up until now, Javascript has been suffering from the same bad rap as Flash when it comes to number 1: what was used for all of those obtrusive pop up window ads :p
"I think that, and this is just my personal opinion, the main reason for AJAX and JavaScript's extreme popularity is that it is so functional but no different from it's surroundings. It's simply manipulation of content.
Flash on the other hand is on a totally different level from AJAX and JS, It's an entire application stuck on a website, so to speak."
Spot on, great comment. I've never put words to it before, but that's always been my feeling of the relationship between Flash and the rest of a page.
(On the other hand, Javascript does help you communicate back and forth with Flash these days, so it's not entirely true anymore.)
As mentioned in a previous comment, being able to view source would make the flash format much more cumbersome. It's in a binary and gzipped (as of recent Flash iterations) format for a reason: to make it small. The Flash format itself is well documented and there's certainly nothing stopping people from developing an IDE to take advantage of that.
From a business sense, I can't see why they would make the Flash IDE open source? Flash is probably the most popular browser plugin next to Acrobat Reader.
"From a business sense, I can't see why they would make the Flash IDE open source? "
Well that's exactly my point. Financially, it doesn't make sense. Strategically, how else are they going to compete with a bunch of open tools on one hand, and Microsoft on the other? Short term gain might win out, but long term sustainability is what I'm thinking could possibly drive this.
The Measure Map alpha currently has one of its Flash components available through the Flash plugin's View Source function. It takes you to a page detailing how the component works, download links and a demo of it.
The problem I see is that it requires the developers to make the decision to have it available. Unlike AJAX/JS things where you can find them through the HTML source.
I wonder why Adobe/Macromedia hasn't done a trick that Microsoft often pulls: make an "Express" version.
There are only two things wrong with Flash for me: 1. its quite expensive (illegal methods not counted) and 2. its a bit too complicated to immediatly run away with.
If the would make a stripped down FlashExpress for free, I would download and expiriment with it and use it for small things. I'm a PHP/JS coder so I do need Flash of similar for my User Interfaces. With less advanced features i would easyer create something nice, and keep using it. Now I try the trial for a while once every year or so. By the time I got everything figured out again, the trial is allready expired….
"Strategically, how else are they going to compete with a bunch of open tools on one hand, and Microsoft on the other?"
Good point. If people have a choice between Flash and AJAX, and no prior experience with either, chances are their going to go with the one that they won't have to invest in. It's the same problem as Adobe now has with ColdFusion (as Macromedia and Allaire had before). Their charging god knows how much for ColdFusion server, when PHP, ASP etc. are all free, there's really no logical reason why someone would go with CF if there's an equally good but free alternative.
Sure, there are things you can't do with AJAX that you can with flash, but with AJAX being so accessible (to a developer, ie. "view source" etc.) if your new to it, you usually learn by example, and take existing code and develop on that, rather than start from scratch. Personally I've found that that's not so easy with Flash.
You have to look beyond ColdFusion's retail price tag when comparing it against PHP, ASP or other programming languages. Just because something is free doesn't mean it's better - ColdFusion is a quick, simple technique to learn and has a lot of great attributes/features unavailable in other languages. This includes Flash integration and dynamic components. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a CFML guy now into RoR, but that doesn't mean I still don't believe in the appeal of ColdFusion.
It sounds like you want SVG + SMIL + Javascript. Using those technologies has an advantage over Flash in that it should* be easier for assistive technologies to parse, which would increase the audience.
I really like the Flash IDE for developing Flash content, but the binary format drives me nuts. An ideal compromise for me would be for the Flash IDE to support the save/export of what's in the timeline to SVG and SMIL.
*Notice that I said it SHOULD, not that it would.
SVG: http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/
SMIL: http://www.w3.org/AudioVideo/
Jack Sleight: I'm sorry, but I want to point out a tecnicality/word-choice issue in your last post. I have a problem with people who like buzz words, and with "AJAX". AJAX is the TECHNIQUE for data transferrance, and has no flash-like qualities.
However, as Matt was hinting (okay more like pointing) at, a combination of Javascript+A vector image language (SVG, etc.) would be more appropriate for the data-based structure of the web. This os probably what you were thinking (or something like this :-p ) but I just wanted to point out this technicality to future readers. Or at least this viewpoint.
Sorry about my post about Laszlo systems and Open Rico. You may delete it. I foudn a message on Open Rico accnowlaging the inspiriation.
Hi Dave, sorry I missed your post yesterday… from what you wrote I can't tell whether you were aware, before Geoff's mention, of the work done by the good folk at osflash.org? If not, I'd really recommend exploring what people are working on here.
It *is* a new problem to figure out how to balance the short-term results required by investors and the longer-term benefits of a wider ecology – Macromedia has a long history of dealing with volunteer group development, and opensource.adobe.com opened before I even heard of the acquisition. But I think we're all still exploring here; I don't think the sustainable path is yet tested and proven.
One thing I *do* know, though, is that most of the technical people I talk with during the workday, inside and outside the shop, are aligned on using technology to help the world be a better place. There's a core commonality in goals here.
"What could possibly give Flash an edge over open source technology? I'm not so sure that's the right question… I'd be looking at "How can Adobe help improve the world, while still satisfying its investors, and do so in concert with independent groups of independent individuals who can see personal gain in using Flash Platform technology?" Not as easy a phrase to dance to, true, but that's the question I ask in this area, myself.
jd – nuance aside, I'm not so sure those are ultimately different questions. Whatever the motivation, it's looking to me that the major next-gen interaction technologies are all coming at a common problem from different angles, but may end up overlapping substantially in time. I doubt any one eventually "wins" outright, but there are certainly benefits to holding a balance of power.
Geof Harries: Oh I know ColdFusion has its appeal, I also started all my development in CF, and was developing sites with it for a few years. It certainly has appeal to beginners and advanced users due to the ease of use and the fact that its incredibly feature rich without any need for extensions, add-ons (custom tags, cfx tags) etc. I however switched to PHP because I got fed up with the cost of the software and the premium that CF hosting tends to come at.
Zach Blume: Yeah, sorry, your right, bad word choice, what I really meant was what was capable with the technique that people call "AJAX", you know, JS, DOM, CSS.
Matt wrote: "I really like the Flash IDE for developing Flash content, but the binary format drives me nuts."
Check out FlexBuilder 2 at labs.adobe.com. Powerfull IDE for Flash development, text based format. Quite different from the Flash Professional authoring tool, but might be what you seek.
For a new user, cost isn't everything. For some, It's maddening trying to spend time working around CSS and DOM browser bugs and on top of that trying to debug your JS code. That's quite a lot to stomach. Is it working or is it a browser bug? At least in Flash you have some form of a controlled programming environment that you can learn the basics of OOP.
I know it's been mentioned here, but check out OpenLaszlo - http://openlaszlo.org. It's based on an XML + Javascript language called LZX and is similar in many ways to Adobe's Flex - without the ActionScript 2 (or 3) learning curve.
Also, it's now possible to deploy OpenLaszlo applications (SWFs) via typical web servers - no Java/Tomcat required anymore.
Hi David,
Earlier you wrote:
"AJAX is hot, but Javascript can't do everything. When faced with its limitations, Flash is currently the most practical alternative."
Is JavaScript the limitation? I imagine a big driving force behind AJAX is that people already understand the core document object model it is based on because they work with much of it every day: HTML and CSS.
So basic scripting of a simple and already understood document object model is very appealing for a lot of people. I've been away from DHTML for some time but from afar it looks like a short term challenge for AJAX will be the fragmentation of many different libraries with different APIs.
On the other hand Flash has a much richer API, or if you like, document object model. That is a blessing and a curse. Someone looking at Flash for the first time has a lot of new learning to do but also a lot of features to discover. With the upcoming release of Flex 2 and later Flash 9 the API or document object model will dramatically change so there will be more learning in order to exploit more features.
I think at some basic level this is the fundamental problem. To create full featured and complex applications usually involves working with a lot of APIs. Languages such as Java, JavaScript, or ActionScript are not the big problem.
It will be interesting to see how the AJAX libraries evolve and how API churn and complexity is managed.
Yours truly,
Macrodobie could solve the whole dilemma by incorporating a full browser inside the Flash player, thus adding AJAX developers to the Flash fold by preserving their learning investment and giving that larger community incentive to access Flash's broader capabilities. Then we would have a serious platform because standards compliant code would also run consistently in Flash in any browser and stand alone.
I think the Flex 2 has lots of promise (alpha), because of its cost (1000/developer, no server cost), XML, Actionscript 3 and lots of built-in widgets. It has a non-timeline IDE and one should check it out at http://labs.adobe.com
Gnash, the new Free Software Foundation version of Flash, bears watching. It seems to have closed many of the v4-vs-v7 gaps and even has a Firefox plugin. It doesn't have an Explorer plug-in but… who cares?
Holds out the promise that Flash could become an open technology. Maybe with an editing environment built on Eclipse? Hmmm? Eh? Java VM instead of Javascript would be cute too, especially if the Java2d stuff bound transparently into the Flash geometery model. Cute, cute, cute.
I am not an expert at Flash, though do know some personally. I would recommend people talk to those involved with Flash to better understand where it is a better choice than AJAX. One thing I have always said can AJAX draw a 3-D "looking object" and spin it? Yeah not really useful but shows power. Also can you create video conferencing applications. There are many things that Flash can do that AJAX can't but it really depends are your needs.
Oh there are tools out there to develop Flash Applications without the IDE just Google on "Eclipse MTASC Flash" and if you want to see what people are doing check Darron Schall's blog and Jesse Warden's (lazy I know, no links). Darron built a VNC client in Flash just because.
Oh and check the Macromedia Labs
Peace (or War if your that type)
"Spot on, great comment. I've never put words to it before, but that's always been my feeling of the relationship between Flash and the rest of a page."
The cursor change always disoriented me.
FWIW, I doubt Flash will have the impetus to overthrow AJAX because while the availability, accessibility and future of Flash lay in the hands of a corporation, AJAX is a technique with its roots in community-based standards compliance. Sure, FF and IE lock horns on DOM handling, but that's nothing new… we've been around that block a few times with CSS and HTML.
Essentially, AJAX is a new approach to manipulating a browser and Flash is an application living inside a browser. AJAX, like HTML, XML and CSS, lives and dies by a consortium, but Flash isn't required to live by any other standards than its own.
It's not just a decision between Flash and CSS/JavaScript/HTML (which I will just refer to as HTML). Let's face it, Flash is really good at doing some things that you just can't do (easily) with HTML, like Interactive graphics and animations, and really complex interfaces. However, there's no good reason to build a whole web application using Flash.
There are a number of reasons building a whole app with Flash isn't great, including the IDE, openness, etc. However, I think the bloated size of swf files may be the worst. Write a simple form in Flash and an identical one in HTML, and the Flash one will always be much bigger. This is because the swf needs to describe how the form fields look, whereas the browser already knows what HTML forms look like.
BUT, don't throw the Flash movie out with the bath water! There's nothing wrong with using Flash movies within web apps to enhance usability and accomplish some things HTML sucks at.
In one interface I built, I used a simple swf for a tree navigation, and another one for a date selection form field. Sure, I could've done the tree with HTML. But the Flash tree was just a little bit smoother. As for the date selection, I wanted something more powerful than select boxes (ie. what was the last Tuesday in September?). This probably could've been done with just HTML, but Flash was perfect for the job.
In both cases, it just took a little JavaScript and HTML to wire everything together (The tree drew itself from an XML document on the server. The date picker had a corresponding hidden form field on the page, and JavaScript was used to talk back and forth from the web page to the swfs).
And about the new Flash/PDF client, I wonder if it will somehow be related to FlashPaper http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashpaper/ .. actually, I alwasys suspected FlashPaper may have been one of the reasons behind the merge.
Referring to this post, http://www.mezzoblue.com/archives/2006/01/02/open_flash/#c024714, SVG can be sent compressed via mod_deflate in Apache.
I might be a little late … just wanted to react to that : "But as far as I'm aware, you're still chained to the official software if you want to do much more than simple timeline-based animation."
well, i don't think there is anything you could do with the IDE you can't do with swfmill, mtasc and animation package which are the core tools/libraries for open source flash developpement. i only use the flash IDE to get embbeded fonts neat … and i think this is because i never took the time to search for a proper way to do it with another external tool.
flash IDE is not a proper tool for developpers … it hasn't been designed for them. Developping flash application with eclipse is a lot more handy !!!
I would be ecstatic to find a decent XHTML/CSS editor that supports some semblance of AJAX development. I am a developer with a goal of producing standards-based XHTML/CSS, but my experience has been that the big webpage editors don't support that goal very well. If I could have that, along with a little AJAX support, I'd be as happy as a lark. My fear, though, is that DreamWeaver will never support AJAX well because it is effectively completing techology with Flash.
This was started around the same time that Microsoft began allowing select companies to "purchase the rights to view the non-modifiable source" to their Windows Server OS.
It seems that businesses are starting to shift from closed-source to free software (not $0, but the freedom to develop and use).
in my case, I will wait for Flex 2 because it has lots of promises to it. Let's go roound two Ajax vs Flash
I think SVG is the best alternative for web developers than flash!
SVG is based on XML so is easyiest than flash to manipulate data and interact with server side info, and with the svg graphic itself.
SVG is a W3C Standard, Flash is not!!
Plain and simple - the reason people are gravitating towards AJAX-type development is because it's not a platform at all. It's just a different way to use technology that's been around for years. That's the attraction - there's no software to develop in or 'proper' method to use.
Now if you need animation, then of course you need something like flash but if animation isn't not 100% necessary for your application then why on earth use it for an application?! Who decided that 'rich internet application' meant that the application had 'cool, animating' menus and stuff like that?! IMO, a 'rich internet application' is one that behaves similar to desktop software (minimal page reloads, on-the-fly data lookup, etc.) - you don't need Flash to accomplish this.
All one needs to do is ask end users if they like stuff animating all over the place for menus, forms and the like and you'll hear that most end users don't like it. Designers and developers are getting a kick out of it more so than the people who actually use the applications they build…
my two cents…
Windows Users!
If you have MX 2004/Professional:
Open Flash, click "Help" on toolbar, click "About Flash" (Professional), then look where it says 2004™. Click right in the middle of the "™" part. It's a 1×1 pixel button, so you may have to click a few times.
Some nice new Flash work is coming out recently as authors concentrate more on … The browser buttons work along with the buttons on the flash content


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subset: commoncrawl


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Eventually I will get it on the road after the double garage being built. Darren sent on an idea, as we like sponge bob, perhaps a possibility for the Camaro future.
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It wasnt my for the camaro i need to make that very clear ...
was watching the tv program called TANKED and this came up, so it's given Dan an idea about the camaro might get more use this way dan ????????????????????
Upgrades = Saleen supercharger kit with JDM tune, 3.4 pulley , keene bell boost a pump , 62mm Twin Throttle body with spacer, EBC drilled grooved vented discs up front with red stuff pads all round , Boost gauge and Fuel psi gauge ,oil seperator, Additional cooling fans for heat exchanger, 7 row oil cooler BMR rear lower control arms. Exedy stage 1 clutch kit. 481Bhp total. Plus all the normal refinements you get with a saleen mustang production number 192 of 945 for that year.. New PB at santa pod 12.75sec 1/4 mile
See xmas toy project in readers rides for my 79 Trans Am on going project , In my stable is a 2005 saleen mustang 79 Trans am 69 Chevy El camino el camino now sold TRANS AM MIGHT BE UP FOR SALE IF ANYBODY INTERESTED ???


text:
Platinum is synonymous with luxury, and this PowerBullet is no exception. Covered with silky smooth material, this Platinum will not only be your favorite accessory in your toy box, but it's way more affordable than any ring. The Platinum PowerBullet also has a new technology to control the speed, it's called Variable Speed control. Simply press and hold the button down and feel the vibrations increase. When the desired speed is found, let go of the button. To go higher, simply press and hold the button again. When you want to turn it off, press and release the button quickly. Along with being wireless and waterproof, the Platinum features a glowing LED button with an attractive upgraded flat button, making it easier and more comfortable to use.
Ships Everywhere.
Not a word about the size of this item in the description and not a word about the battery required! Result not an order! IF it had been about 3"s long +/- and had used a AA battery needed to have staying power I would have ordered it! But not a word so not an order!Anonymous - December 17 2014
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Save money: Instantly compare Proton Brake Fluid Replacement prices in Hemel Hempstead to find the best deal.
Save time: Find and book the best Brake Fluid Replacement deal quickly and easily with our online booking tool. No upfront registration required!
Quick and easy: Simply enter the vehicle registration number of your Proton and your post code, compare prices, choose a garage in Hemel Hempstead and book your Brake Fluid Replacement.
No payment required: You won't pay a penny until all of the work is complete.
Speak to an expert mechanic: If you need to speak to a mechanic about your Proton, call one of our experts today on 03304 004439.
Always great
"Dsa are friendly, trustworthy and good value.. Highly recommend"
Great Service.
"No complaints. Good value. Everything explained clearly. Recommendations given. Not pressured into having something done I didn't need. Will use again."
"Friendly, professional, affordable"
Always consistent
"Always keeps you up to date with the progress of repairs, useful collection service for those less abled."
Excellent service
"Lovely guy came and picked my car up took it to the garage then phoned throughout the day with updates. Then car got delivered back to me. Excellent service"
"Used this garage for Multipoint Inspections on all cars in family and few repairs / adjustments and can't fault them, especially the staff."
A1 Customer Service
"Was contacted by Stoneacre after making booking and told about a Multipoint check for £14.99 which included a free litre of oil to take away. From arriving to leaving the service was excellent and even shown around points of concern whilst vehicle on ramp. The garage did not have the free litre of oil suitable for my vehicle available and therefore did not charge me a penny for the inspection. A good print out showing what was inspected etc and areas of concern along with quotes was given too. Well done Stoneacre Goole. First class customer care even for something they did not receive any payment for. 10/10"
improvement needed
"It was done in the shortest time possible."
excellent service
"First time i have used Fitch autos,great communication with very polite staff ,kept well informed of when car would be collected and returned to me,very happy with quality of service will use this garage for all my service needs from now on,would highly recommend. "
Great service
"First time using this garage, it had lots of good reviews and the prices were decent so thought I'd give it a try. I am very happy with the work I had done, I took my own ad- blue that they filled for me, it didnt take any longer than expected and the complimentary wash is a nice touch. One thing that did get me thinking was that my car takes 0w30 oil but on my service report they stated they re filled it with 5w30 so gave them a call and was re assured that 0w30 oil was added but the mechanic had wrote the wrong oil down."
Excellent service
"Brilliant plain english service"
Another great MOT
"Cannot fault the service received from the team, always get the work done quickly and willing to explain what needs doing with a smile."
Car brakes on your car use fluid pressure to work. When a car's brake pedal is pushed, a plunger in the brake's master cylinder pressurises the brake fluid that resides in the hoses and pipes to make the other components of the braking system move.
This varies from car to car, but most manufacturers suggest that the fluid is replaced at least every couple of years. Although the fluid is in a sealed system, moisture can still find its way in. It corrodes components over time and decreases the temperature at which the fluid is supposed to boil. Furthermore, as the internal components of the braking system wear out, debris contaminates the fluid, jamming everything up. All of this impacts on how well the brakes function, particularly in constant stop-start traffic with heavy braking.
Proton is a Malaysian car manufacturer which set up shop in 1983 on the orders of the then Malaysian Prime Minister, whose aim was for the country to build its own national car. Today Proton exports to more than 50 countries worldwide including the UK, where it has been selling vehicles since 2009.
One of the most popular Proton models currently sold in the UK is the Gen-2, a family saloon which also comes in an 'Ecologic' dual-fuel variant. This gives you the option to run the car on LPG, which will save you money on fuel costs. The other main current models on offer are the Savvy, an inexpensive compact city car, and the Satria Neo, a 3 door supermini.
Proton's partnership with Lotus engineering has led to improved steering and cornering; the Gen-2 in particular gains plaudits from drivers for its comfortable ride. However, in general Proton drivers frequently report noisy engines, as well as bemoaning the interior's rather cheap look and feel.
What do you need from your garage?
You may live within walking distance of a garage which offers most of the services you need. However, by sticking with the nearest garage in Hemel Hempstead you could be missing out on a better deal. What if a garage with a collection / drop off service or courtesy car could do the same job at a good price, without the inconvenience of losing your car for the duration of the repair? BookMyGarage allows you to search for local garages which offer this facility, and compare their prices, all in one session.
We can help you find garages for your Proton in Hemel Hempstead for car servicing or repair work, including:
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Book online 24/7, with no payment requred, and receive immediate confirmation by email


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Concord, NH, police: Sleepwalking man shoots self in knee
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Police say a Concord, N.H., man may have been asleep when he accidentally shot himself in the leg.
Police told the Concord Monitor (http://bit.ly/1ca8Umd ) that a woman called police around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday to say her husband had shot himself in the knee. The woman said her husband appeared to be sleepwalking at the time and woke up when the gun went off.
Police say the man was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. They don't anticipate filing charges.
Information from: Concord Monitor, http://www.cmonitor.com


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Have you ever seen a Sumatran Rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)? It is often said, we protect what we know and love, so SOS thought to share a short video of this unique, charismatic and Critically Endangered rhino species to show just what SOS is trying to do - protect threatened species, their habitats and the people who depend on them. And as International Ranger Day approaches (July 31), we also highlight the role of the Rhino Protection Units who work tirelessly to guard the last few Sumatran Rhino from poachers.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Sumatran Rhino's first scientific description. In 1814 German biologist Johann Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim, provided a scientific description of the Asian two-horned, hairy or Sumatran rhinoceros. Once plentiful and widespread from India to Borneo, Sumatran rhinos have been around for a lot longer than two centuries of course, but experts believe today fewer than 100 animals survive in three Indonesian national parks: Bukit Barisan Selatan, Gunung Leuser and Way Kambas on the island of Sumatra. Centuries of hunting and habitat loss both fragmented and drastically reduced its populations, however, with Sumatra remaining the last bastion of hope for its recovery as a species.
According to Bill Konstant Programme Officer with SOS Grantee and IUCN Member the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), the question is whether we can work together to ensure these rhinos will survive and thrive for another 200 years.
In Sumatra, specially-trained Rhino Protection Units (RPUs) assist government forest guards by providing round-the-clock surveillance, as well as monitoring of resident Sumatran rhino, elephant, tiger and tapir populations. Each RPU is lead by a wildlife ranger who has authority to carry a firearm and arrest suspected poachers. He is supported by a team recruited from the local community.
Local coordination and engagement is crucial to implementation. Consequently, IRF is working with local partner Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI) along with several government authorities to train and equip seven 4-man RPUs patrol Bukit Barisan Selatan and five units are stationed in Way Kambas. That represents a total of 48 well-trained professionals safeguarding small populations of threatened rhinos that barely outnumber them. These highly trained men slog through swamps, clamber through dense tropical jungle, spending hours and days on patrol, rarely if ever seeing the animals they are charged to protect. And yet they remain committed and passionate about their task.
Supporting their work is critical to the survival of the species – people, and not just rangers, but park officials and conservation scientists collaborating to ensure a viable population of Sumatran rhinos must be rewarded and acknowledged for their efforts protecting such world treasures to ensure we can continue to build on successes to date.
There is hope - for example Andatu (pictured above with mother Ratu) was the first Sumatran Rhino born in a breeding centre in Indonesia. But we cannot rely on captive breeding alone to save a species. Instead it is our collective willpower, talents and resources that can transform prospects for threatened species, the world over.
Thus, as this bicentennial anniversary of the Sumatran rhino being recognized as a species rolls on - we are faced with the sobering reality that its future is not only precarious, but lies entirely in our hands. To take action, you can support on the ground species conservation by donating to SOS – Save Our Species which channels funds to the best projects on the ground such as this one implemented by IRF and its partners in Sumatra.


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A New Standard for PDF Accessibility: PDF/UA
After many years of work and with contributions from individuals around the globe, the August 7, 2012 publication of ISO Standard 14289-1, better known as PDF/UA, marks one of the most significant developments in the evolution of the popular and widely used Portable Document Format (PDF). The publication and availability of PDF/UA will encourage the production of PDF files that are more consistently accessible to persons with disabilities.
Initially referred to as PDF/Access in 2004 by the AIIM standards committee, PDF/UA was conceived in response to the proliferation of PDF documents that were valid according to the PDF specification, but were insufficiently accessible to persons with disabilities. To meet the needs of the widest possible audience, the producers and viewers of PDF content needed a common standard.
The main PDF standard, ISO 32000, already defines the format's accessibility features. What PDF/UA does is to clarify and demonstrate how those features should be used, for both producing and consuming PDF documents. As with the other PDF standards (such as PDF/A and PDF/X), ISO 14289 omits features of the PDF specification that are ill suited towards its purpose. Features of the PDF specification necessary for accessibility are mandated in PDF/UA even though they may be optional in the core PDF specification. Also, any features which are allowed in ISO 32000 but which inhibit accessibility are prohibited in PDF/UA.
It's important to note that PDF/UA is neither a spec to measure PDF content, like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), nor an everyday authoring guide. It focuses on giving developers of PDF authoring tools and viewers, as well as vendors of assistive technologies that support PDF, critical information on how to build and present PDF content more accessibly. The goal is to make accessible PDFs easy to author and use, however they are produced. While PDF/UA contains great information for authors on how to meet the needs of users with disabilities (and also to address most WCAG success criteria), much of that work should really be done by tools and read by assistive technology, so PDF/UA support will mean authors do less work and get more accessible content.
Over the last 8 years, Adobe has participated in the development of PDF/UA and we are integrating support for PDF/UA into our products. It's important to us that our tools do what's right to communicate effectively what authors intend.
Of course, this work extends beyond our own products, and so we've been supporting the open-source NVDA screen reader project to include support for PDF/UA and other PDF and Acrobat/Reader-related features as well.
If you want to follow the further developments of the standard or even participate, please see AIIM's PDF Standards page.
If you are interested in PDF accessibility and PDF/UA, here's two suggestions for you to learn more:
- View our training materials for Acrobat and PDF accessibility. These resources offer information about how to use Acrobat to produce or repair PDF files for accessibility. WCAG Techniques for PDF are also available and provide useful information for authors looking to meet WCAG 2.0.
- Check out the PDF/UA standard. The document itself can be purchased directly from ISO (You don't have to buy this standard if you just want to author accessible PDF files. However, you should encourage authoring tool makers, PDF viewer makers, and AT vendors to buy it, read it, and support it.)


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Petition To South Carolina Supreme Court Charges Righthaven With Unauthorized Practice Of Law
from the gift-that-keeps-on-giving deptWe just wrote about the effort by one of the people sued by Righthaven to file a massive response with counterclaims. One of those claims was that Righthaven was involved in the unauthorized practice of law in South Carolina. Now, the very same legal team has petitioned the South Carolina State Supreme Court -- which has specifically asked people to petition it on the unauthorized practice of law -- in order to get a declaratory judgment on the issue. The claims in this petition match, pretty much exactly, the claim in the original response lawsuit (with some more detail), but taking it straight to the state Supreme Court is definitely an interesting move.
To be honest, I've always found statutes or rules against "the unauthorized practice of law" to be a bit questionable in general. People should be able to avail themselves of the legal system without a lawyer, if they so choose (even if it's not very smart), and requiring one to become "licensed" has always struck me as much more of a method of limiting supply (and increasing costs), rather than any real attempt to maintain quality. That said, the unauthorized practice of law, remains against the law, and it appears that Righthaven may have to defend itself on this one.
The filing does list out some interesting cases, basically state by state by state by state, that highlight "sham" assignments for the sake of lawsuits, and compares them all to Righthaven... and then notes that Righthaven is worse than almost all of those other cases:
Righthaven is far worse than the debt collectors referenced in the cases cited above. In every single one of those cases, the debt collector at least tried to collect the debt prior to litigation.... But with Righthaven, its first and only act in the collection of alleged debts is to prosecute a lawsuit. That is all Righthaven does and all it ever did. Righthaven is not a debt collector who unintentionally ran afoul of the law of unauthorized practice, Righthaven is an entity set up ab initio for the express purpose of committing the unauthorized practice of law.Clearly, it seems the lawyers are hoping for a sympathetic ruling here in the South Carolina Supreme Court, which will, in turn, help even further the claims in the original case, that this whole thing is really racketeering. I still think that claim is a long shot, but if this petition actually goes forward, Righthaven may be in a lot more trouble than it had ever imagined.
As with the response in the lawsuit, this petition has some amusing moments. My favorite, concerning Righthaven's continued (and continuing) efforts to rewrite its agreement with Stephens Media to get just enough control to be allowed to sue, the filing mocks the repeated attempts by Righthaven to find the magic words, and says:
It's a wonder Righthaven's pleadings don't end with 'arbracadabra.'It also later claims: "Righthaven and the truth are not well acquainted." It's always fun when you find a lawyer who's willing to go out on a limb a bit with some humor in these filings, though, certainly, some courts have problems with such cheeky attitudes. Either way, if these lawsuits do well, Righthaven may be in a lot more trouble than people already think it's in.
Filed Under: copyright, fraud, south carolina, unauthorized practice of law
Companies: righthaven


text: Пулеметом второй мировой войныin the Second world section. A collection of photos of the great patriotic war pictures of battles On our site you will find a large number of the best collections of photos in excellent quality. You can easily find you interesting and desired pictures and can download them for free.


text:
European stocks up in thin trading
MOSCOW European stocks edged up on Thursday as traders returned from the Christmas break anticipating progress from budget talks in Washington.
Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.2 percent to 5,966.55. Germany's DAX rose by 0.3 percent to 7,656.27 while France's CAC-40 was up by 0.4 percent to 3,669.74. Wall Street braced for a flat opening, with Dow Jones industrial futures marginally higher at 13,045. S&P 500 futures rose less than 0.1 percent at 1,413.90.
Trading was sluggish early Thursday in the first day of trading following the break for Christmas as many investors are expected to remain on vacation at least until next week.
"Trading volumes across all markets will of course remain quite subdued, as most market participants in Europe and the U.S. are on vacation until next Wednesday and those that are at work are decidedly lacking in holiday cheer," Moscow-based investment bank Sberbank CIB said in note to investors.
Investors are eagerly waiting for news from Washington where U.S. President Barack Obama was to resume budget talks with Congress after cutting short his Hawaii vacation. The negotiations aim to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" -- deep budget cuts and tax hikes that would kick in on Jan. 1 unless the White House and Congress agree on a budget deal. Congressional officials, however, said Wednesday they knew of no significant strides toward a compromise over a long Christmas weekend.
On Wednesday, U.S. stocks fell for a third session as trading resumed after the Christmas break. Disappointing holiday sales weighed heavy on retail companies and investors worried about the impending fiscal cliff. Wall Street is set to open up slightly, with stock index futures for the Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 both up around 0.1 percent.
Asian stocks on Thursday pushed higher with Japan leading the way. The country's benchmark index hit its highest level in more than a year on optimism that a new government in Japan will stimulate the country's sluggish economy.
Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.9 percent to close at 10,322.98, its highest finish since March 2011. That added to Wednesday's 1.5 percent gain and took the Nikkei to a 22 percent increase for the year. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.4 percent. South Korea's Kospi added nearly 0.3 percent. Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and Australia also posted gains.
Incoming Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for more public works spending to reinvigorate the economy. He wants the Bank of Japan to raise its inflation target from 1 to 2 percent to drag the country out of two decades of deflation, or steadily declining prices that have deadened economic activity.
"The message from Japan is clear at the moment, the incoming government will do everything in its power to weaken the yen and stimulate the economy," Australia's IG Markets said in a report.
In China, shares lost ground, with the Shanghai Composite Index falling 0.6 percent while the Shenzhen Composite Index lost 0.8 percent.
Benchmark oil for February delivery edged up 2 cents to $90.99 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $2.37 to finish at $90.98 per barrel in thin post-Christmas trading in New York.
In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3269 from $1.3220 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar gained to 85.74 yen from 85.63 yen.


text:
Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight (2010 onwards)
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First impressions can be tricky.
That's one of the lessons painfully and humorously driven home by the upcoming comedy "Peeples," starring Craig Robinson as an ordinary guy who crashes his girlfriend's posh family weekend in the Hamptons while trying to impress her domineering father.
Naturally things don't go quite according to plan for Robinson's character, Wade, and by the time he shows up at the home of the Honorable Judge Virgil Peeples, he's rumpled, wallet-less and slicked with dog slobber.
Robinson and writer-director Tina Gordon Chism know all too well that introductions are often fraught. During their own disastrous first meeting, with Gordon Chism pitching the film and Robinson exhausted after a long day of shooting "The Office," she caught him dozing off beneath a pair of mirrored sunglasses.
"His head just started leaning, and I'm talking," she said at the same hotel in Hollywood where they first met. "And I realize he is asleep. He is stone-asleep, and I can't even gauge for how long."
"I wouldn't say stone-asleep," Robinson protested. "Just a little cat nap."
Fortunately their second meeting, which Gordon Chism made sure to schedule in the morning, went off without a hitch. "It was love at second sight," Robinson said.
"Peeples," which opens May 10, could represent a step forward for both of them. The film is Gordon Chism's directorial debut — she previously wrote the screenplays for "Drumline" and the teen drama "ATL" — and it also marks Robinson's first turn as a leading man.
The character of Wade draws on both their experiences. Gordon Chism got the idea for the story after meeting an ex-boyfriend's seemingly perfect family. "They looked beautiful, and they all had the best professions," she recalled, but "I realized the seriously messed-up situations that the family was hiding from each other. I lived it, and I was Wade."
When Robinson came aboard, she began tailoring the role to him, for example, by making Wade a children's musician. (Robinson himself taught music to elementary school children in Chicago and Indiana years ago.) "When you see the music, they're bringing the Craig Robinson effect," he said with a laugh.
Gordon Chism credited Robinson and the rest of the cast — which includes Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier and Diahann Carroll — with helping her carry out the vision she's had since writing the script.
"I wanted it to be something that I hadn't seen a black family do before, which is quirky, smart, sometimes dry and droll — places that it's common for others, but we don't get to go there," she said. "I feel like that I did deliver on, and it's 100% because of the cast."


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They look amazing. I've watched them play a half dozen games and they look dangerous pretty much at all times.
After sucking and suffering so many years I believe it is our time. The Jackets seem to have the right mix of offense with Wennberg, Saad, Foligno, Atkinson and Defense with Werenski and Jones. The key is in Goal with Bobrovsky and if he can handle this kind of workload and stay healthy. I am keeping my fingers crossed and loving every minute of this season. Torts has this team so positive right now.
Fire The Canon........BOOM!!!!!!!
They look amazing. I've watched them play a half dozen games and they look dangerous pretty much at all times.
ForumICE Rule Book
Thank you to Habs4Life for the avatar
Yes, enjoy the run that they are on right now.
Fellow Jackets fan here! My god do they look good right now. Thirteen straight and (sorry to say to some of our other posters) they've been steamrolling some teams. It's been such a treat to watch. I do have my doubts about what they'll do if they make it into the playoffs, being as they're a young and inexperienced team, but holy shit do they look good right now. There's absolutely no question that no matter what happens with this season... the Jackets, as a franchise, are moving in the right direction.
Btw CanonFire, welcome... awesome to have another Jackets fan on the board!!!
Last edited by the_undead; 12-28-2016 at 12:46 AM.
They are playing great but that PDO will definitely come down. The sv% likely comes down a bit and the shooting % will definitely come down a fair bit.
They are a good team though and I think they easily make the playoffs and can be a threat.
I agree. Truthfully... I think their powerplay and resilience has been the biggest contributors to their success so far this season, though. I've never seen the Jackets, in their entire franchise history, play with such a (seemingly) care free confidence. They seem to be an offensive threat at all times right now. Even strength, man advantages, and shorthanded even. And, unlike in the past, if they're trailing... rather than it being over, they're battling back. It's really refreshing.
Like I said, their youth and inexperience leads me to believe that while they'll have a good season and likely make the playoffs, they'll be a contender, but (in my opinion) won't make it past the conference finals if they get that far. I'm not trying to be negative, but they've still got some growing to do. That said, this season is a serious improvement from the past and I'm extremely excited for the future.
I wouldn't doubt that they're capable of going all the way even. They have that kind of talent and energy. If they stay healthy they are a serious threat.
15 in a row.
Sixteen straight. I'm still so amazed by what I'm witnessing. Their power play is just SO DAMN DANGEROUS!
This is just getting stupid.
Right??? They'll be trying to tie the record tomorrow night against Washington. *fingers crossed*
We Just played them (Hurricanes) They were Dangerous in the third Fast and seem to get the puck where it's dangerous. Not looking towards facing them 2 more times in 12 days.


text:
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It has been almost three years since 19-year-old Siobhan Russell was found brutally stabbed to death by her 17-year-old boyfriend in Oak Hill, Va.
In 2010, Siobhan's abuser was arrested and sentenced to 40 years in prison. After living through this horrific event, Siobhan's mother was determined to do all that she could to prevent other acts of abuse and violence. She now runs an organization to raise awareness about teen dating violence, where she speaks to communities about the warning signs of dating violence. She is an example for us all.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Lancaster News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
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Activist Resources
Media coverage plays a large part in defining public perceptions toward alternative sexual expression. You and your organization can help shape media attitudes by speaking to the press about sexual issues that concern consenting adults.
NCSF in the News
For more information and current press releases.
S&M! Lewd Ken dolls! Worhington's wild weekend.
The Other Paper (Columbus, Ohio)
February, 12, 2009
Despite Right Wing Pressure, Straight BDSM Gathering Goes Forward
The Boston Edge
February 10, 2009
Interview with Susan Wright, Spokesperson for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
Kasidie Magazine
October 2008
Shrinks: Kinky Sex is a Mental Disorder
Mom Logic
September, 19, 2008
For some, Gitmo interrogation techniques are a real turn-on
New Jersey Star-Ledger
August 2008
Leather Scene Not as Gay as Imagined: Many gay folk in the bondage S/M scene relate more to the leather community than the LGBT community
By Bill Schoell
NY Blade
August 08, 2008
Man on video in R. Kelly trial: He did what?
By Rex W. Huppke
Chicago Tribune
June 8, 2008
Daddy do-right; The Sexies Awards
By Dan Savage
Detroit Metro Times
March 5, 2008
Death shines light on dangers of sex play
By Carly Weeks
Globe and Mail
February 28, 2008
Bound and Flagged: Members of Seattle kink community face discrimination in custody battles
By Jason Simms
The Stranger
February 21, 2007
When three's no crowd
By Rachel Breitman
Gay City News
October 25, 2007
Media, critics get whipped into frenzy by Leather Fest
By Jefferson Siegel and Lincoln Anderson
The Villager (NYC)
October 10 - 16, 2007
Pollard denied access to papers; Justices refuse to hear appeal
By Guy Taylor
The Washington Times
March 21, 2006
Arts Briefly: Justices reject photographer's appeal
By Ben Sisario
New York Times
March 21, 2006
Foes of Anti-porn Law Prep Appeal To Supreme Court
By Fresia Rodriguez Cadavid
Technology Daily
August 22, 2005
Spanking Jessica Cutler: Capitol Hill attorney sues Washingtonienne for exposing his kinks
By Rachel Kramer Bussel
Village Voice
May 31, 2005
Nothing wrong with sex
UCLA Daily Bruin
Feb 14, 2005
Waltham sex boutique aims to attract couples
By Joshua Myerov
Boston Globe
October 14, 2004
Sex, art & politics takes on John Ashcroft
By Susan Wright
San Francisco Bay Area Indymedia
August 30, 2004
Iowa State U.: Iowa State Board of Regents next to receive Cuffs appeal.
By Morris L. Manning
The America's Intelligence Wire
June 1, 2004
Iowa State U.: Members of Iowa State U. bondage group appeal assault verdict
By Tom Barton
The America's Intelligence Wire
May 3, 2004
East Carolina U.: Club focusing on fringe sexuality denied East Carolina U. association.
The America's Intelligence Wire
April 8, 2004
Iowa State U.: Group wants Iowa State U. Cuffs charges dropped.
The America's Intelligence Wire
By Tom Barton
February 23, 2004
Kenner police heavy-handed
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)
October 20, 2003
Sex club is shut down: Restraining order targets 'private' fetish group in Lakewood
By Ann Schrader
Denver Post
May 21, 2003
Queen of Pain, Dominatrix: I'll whip courts over sex rap
Philadelphia Daily News
August 27, 2003
Slap leather, S&M lovers: 'Thunder' to peal soon
By Ann Schrader
Denver Post
June 1, 2003
Controlling clubs a zoning matter
By Peter Ward
The Sun (Lowell, MA)
December 28, 2002
A taste of the whip for Saddam: U.N. weapons inspector Jack McGeorge's leadership role in the Washington S/M scene isn't a liability, says a friend -- it'll help him distinguish between fantasy and reality.
By Kerry Lauerman
December 3, 2002
Monitor irons out kinks with UN
By Joe Williams
NY Daily News
November 30, 2002
U.N. begins searches in Iraq
By Maggie Farley, John J. Goldman And John Hendren
Los Angeles Times
November 28, 2002
No background checks on applicants: Critics say U.N. inspectors are inexperienced
By James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post
November 28, 2002
Cendant, sex lobby communicate but don't make up
Lodging Hospitality
October 1, 2002
Cendant spars with sexual freedom lobby
Lodging Hospitality
August 1, 2002
Bound by a boycott
The Advocate
May 28, 2002
Sex-Oriented convention opens today despite effort to ban it
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 27, 2002
What is going on in that ballroom?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 25, 2002
Senator will try to block sadomasochism seminar
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 22, 2002
Senator wants sex seminar outlawed, says event is 'absolutely dangerous'
Belleville News-Democrat (St . Louis, MO)
April 22, 2002
Hotel will host seminar, despite objections from Southern Baptists...
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 7, 2002
One more faction whips Congress
The American Enterprise
March 1, 2002
Group with unconventional tastes draws ire over gathering
By Burt Constable
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
February 7, 2002
The erotic web offensive
By Annalee Newitz
January 14, 2002
New suit targets obscenity law
By Julia Scheeres
December 12, 2001
Tough Love: Inside the city's growing sadomasochistic scene
Philadelphia Daily News
July 10, 2001
Kinky find a cause in 'Paddleboro'
By Amy Pagnozzi
Hartford Courant
March 9, 2001
Lawsuit targets last scraps of Net-obscenity law
By Sam Costello
December 20, 2001
New Suit Targets Obscenity Law
By Julia Scheeres
December 12, 2002
1976 case seen a key to Attleboro sex party charges
By Cindy Rodriguez
Boston Globe
July 17, 2000
N.Y. woman charged in Mass. spank party
By Leo Standora
NY Daily News
July 13th 2000
Safe, sane and consensual' is rule for sadomasochists
By Stacy Downs and Dawn Bormann
The Kansas City Star
June 16, 2000
NCSF Profile
An interview with Leigha Fleming, then-interim Executive Director of NCSF.
On Our Backs
Tristan Taormino interview former NCSF Executive Director Judy Guerin.
Press Release - NCSF Marching Forward
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
Marching Forward: NCSF proactively advocates for sexual freedom
November 19, 2008 - NCSF is proud to be the only group in the country with a national mission committed to changing the political, legal and social environment for those involved with the BDSM, swing and polyamory communities. The new board of NCSF was voted in at the annual Coalition Partner meeting held in Atlanta in September: Leigha Fleming is the new Chairwoman of NCSF, and new board members Laura
Carlson (Secretary), Klawdya Rothschild, Tim Murray, and Ron Zimmerman have joined existing board members Vivienne Kramer (Treasurer), Jim Duvall, Jim Fleckenstein, and Howie Zusel.
NCSF has directly helped tens of thousands of practitioners, businesses and groups since its founding in 1997. NCSF's newest project is the DSM Revision Project: Kinky is NOT a Diagnosis! The DSM Revision Petition is gathering signatures from individuals and organizations calling on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to adhere to empirical research when revising the diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Susan Wright is working directly with the DSM revision committee to ensure that healthy BDSM practitioners and cross-dressers are not misdiagnosed under the DSM criteria.
Incident Response
Media Outreach Project
Kink Aware Professionals (KAP)
Legal Committee
Education Outreach Program
The Education Outreach Program (EOP) is run under the Institute for 21st Century Relationships by The Foundation of NCSF. ITCR supports the freedom of consenting adults to discover and to practice the intimate relationship structure that best meets their emotional and human needs. The EOP educates law enforcement officials, and our constituents about the risks of selective enforcement and how to minimize the risk of becoming a target. NCSF has published a number of pieces of literature for this program and has trained a team of individuals from across the country to deliver 10 educational presentations from "Traveling With Toys" to "How to Protect Your Event."
For over a decade, NCSF has formed valuable alliances with other advocacy organizations to work on projects that defend sexual freedom rights: Free Speech Coalition, the ACLU, American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists, the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and the Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance, among others. Susan Wright is on the Advocacy Committee of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists.
NCSF is a member of the organizing committee for the Sex Positive Journalism Awards, along with journalist Miriam Axel-Lute and activists from The Center for Sex & Culture. The first award ceremony for the Sexies was held in New York City on October 4, 2008 (www.sexies.org). NCSF also participates in
Consent Counts, a group formed at Creating Change 2007 to take on the work of decriminalizing Leather/kink/fetish/BDSM consensual adult behavior (www.consentcounts.org).
Currently NCSF has 56 Coalition Partners who elect the board and establish the yearly goals at the annual Coalition Partner meeting. Coalition Partners are groups and businesses that serve BDSM, swing and polyamory practitioners. NCSF also has nearly 100 Supporting Members - groups and businesses who actively support NCSF - totaling tens of thousands of members. You can also become an individual member for $25, which goes directly to supporting NCSF programs and projects.
In the past decade, alternative sexual expression has become much more visible to the general public, bringing about an increasing number of attacks. The success of this fight depends on your support. You can become an individual member of NCSF, volunteer to join the NCSF staff, make a donation to NCSF, initiate or help out at a fund-raiser for NCSF, and encourage your group to become a Coalition Partner of NCSF. Every step you take helps us further the sexual freedom movement!
Check out these exciting projects on the NCSF website at: www.ncsfreedom.org
A joint Project of NCSF and ITCR: The Foundation of NCSF


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The far-left Southern Poverty Law Center, tax-funded abortion behemoth Planned Parenthood, and even the federal government are under fire for wild rhetoric and vicious hate-mongering that many conservatives and even some establishment analysts believe may have contributed to Wednesday's shooting in Washington, D.C., by deranged homosexual activist Floyd Corkins. Some experts expect to see more similar violence in the future if the hostile climate is not addressed.
On August 15, the alleged would-be mass murderer walked into the lobby of the conservative-leaning Family Research Council, apparently intending to slaughter innocent people who simply disagreed with his views on homosexuality. Before shooting a security guard and being subdued, police say Corkins, who was carrying extra ammunition and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches, told him something along the lines of "I don't like your politics."
In the wake of the incident, FRC president Tony Perkins (pictured) and other conservative leaders acknowledged that the shooter himself was responsible for his actions — unlike collectivist extremists, who consistently seek to blame acts of violence on their political foes rather than individual criminals. However, Perkins and even some establishment pundits like Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank had to point out the obvious: The vitriolic rhetoric used to slander conservatives by groups like the SPLC and the tax-funded abortion giant Planned Parenthood is out of control.
For years, the SPLC and its allies have been whipping up a hysterical frenzy of hate aimed at ideological opponents. The Alabama-based outfit regularly accuses pro-family organizations and churches that support the traditional definition of marriage, for example, of being so-called "hate" groups. It even lumps them together with true purveyors of hate like white supremacists and National Socialists (Nazis) for added effect.
Whenever there is violence that might in any way be linked to right-of-center political beliefs — no matter how implausibly — the group is at the forefront of spreading disinformation aimed at silencing and demonizing its opponents. With the help of biased establishment media outlets — disgraced ABC reporter Brian Ross erroneously linked the Tea Party to the Colorado shooting recently, for example — the SPLC regularly seeks to paint conservatives, libertarians, and Christians as potentially violent extremists.
Such tactics have largely discredited the SPLC in the eyes of normal Americans who follow the news. But bureaucracies like the Department of Homeland Security and even some law enforcement agencies regularly rely on the group in their own efforts to demonize and dehumanize right-of-center activists.
Consider the string of reports released by the federal government in recent years that have cited the SPLC to characterize the views of average Americans as potentially terroristic. Pro-life activists, proponents of national sovereignty, constitutionalists, opponents of illegal immigration, returning veterans, and countless others have all become victims of the hateful federal campaigns over the last decade.
In the FRC's case, the "hate group" label was awarded by the SPLC in 2010 because the conservative group allegedly "spread false and denigrating propaganda" about homosexuals. The SPLC cites a 1999 booklet co-authored by an FRC policy analyst entitled "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys." That publication allegedly suggested the "gay rights" movement was trying to normalize pedophilia and gain access to children.
Planned Parenthood, meanwhile, claimed in 2006 that the FRC — along with Eagle Forum, Christian Coalition, Concerned Women for America, Feminists for Life of America, Focus on the Family, and other peaceful activist groups — were actually "Terrorists and Extremist Organizations." As the largest abortion provider in the nation, Planned Parenthood receives hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers every year — about half of its budget, in fact. And it always has the ear of politicians, especially President Obama.
After the shooting, however, concerned conservatives suggested that it was time for such groups to stop spreading dangerous propaganda. After all, if a group is equated with the KKK, neo-Nazis, terrorists, and others, unbalanced individuals may see that as a green light to kill, possibly hoping to become "heroes" in the process.
"Let me be clear that Floyd Corkins was responsible for firing the shot yesterday," said FRC President Perkins after the shooting. "But Corkins was given a license to shoot an unarmed man by organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center that have been reckless in labeling organizations hate groups because they disagree with them on public policy."
The respected pro-family leader thanked all of the homosexual activist groups that expressed their condolences in the wake of the shooting. However, he also challenged them to go a "step further" and call for an end to the "reckless rhetoric" that has put so many conservative organizations in the crosshairs. The SPLC, he added, "should be held accountable for their reckless use of terminology that is leading to the intimidation and what the FBI here has categorized as an act of domestic terrorism."
The SPLC promptly responded to the accusation, with SPLC senior fellow Mark Potok calling it "outrageous." According to Potok, who regularly demonizes conservatives and liberty-minded activists in the wake of violence as "extremists" or purveyors of "hate," Perkins was simply exploiting the shooting as an opportunity to "score political points."
"Perkins' accusation is outrageous," Potok wrote on the SPLC's website. "The FRC and its allies on the religious right are saying, in effect, that offering legitimate and fact-based criticism in a democratic society is tantamount to suggesting that the objects of criticism should be the targets of criminal violence."
Even liberal-leaning Washington Post opinion writer Milbank, however, conceded that the SPLC had gone too far in its efforts to demonize groups like the FRC. "I disagree with the Family Research Council's views on gays and lesbians. But it's absurd to put the group, as the law center does, in the same category as Aryan Nations, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Stormfront and the Westboro Baptist Church," he wrote. "The Southern Poverty Law Center should stop listing a mainstream Christian advocacy group alongside neo-Nazis and Klansmen."
Virtually all honest analysts agreed that the SPLC's designation of the FRC and other Christian organizations as "hate" groups is absurd. Some analysts, however, had long predicted that violence would be the result. And many experts believe the latest attack is part of a broader "war on religion" that will continue contributing to violence in the future.
"This near-tragic incident marks an alarming turn in our cultural battle over values," Bryan Fischer, a senior official with the American Family Association, said in a statement, adding that the SPLC "must be called to account" for its "dangerously misguided" rhetoric. "The left's war on religion and Christianity has now gone from symbolic to literal."
Of course, the individual shooter was solely responsible for his actions — nobody else, including the leadership of the SPLC, Planned Parenthood, or the federal government, can be legitimately blamed for the attack. However, when mainstream Christian conservative organizations are demonized and equated with the Ku Klux Klan, nobody — not even the Washington Post — can deny that the discourse has gone far outside of any rational bounds.
Conservative leaders still hope the SPLC and other like-minded organizations will reconsider the vicious hate-mongering tactics — especially Planned Parenthood, which has received billions in taxpayer funds. The federal government, meanwhile, has an obligation to all Americans not to accept the advice of discredited activist organizations seeking only to slander and intimidate political opponents.
Whether the SPLC, Planned Parenthood, and the federal government will apologize or change remains to be seen. In the meantime, however, right-of-center organizations across the country say they are stepping up security while praying for an end to the hate that again manifested itself through violence and terror.
Photo of Family Research Center's Tony Perkins: AP Images
Related articles:
Security Guard Called Hero in Shooting at Family Research Council
Protecting Rights: Loyal Americans Targeted by the SPLC
DHS Labels Liberty-Lovers as Potential Terrorists
Leftist SPLC Publishes Patriot Hit List
When Loving Your Country Marks You As A Domestic Terrorist
New DHS Domestic Terrorism Report Targets Millions of Americans
DHS Sources Prompt Calls for Ousting Napolitano
SPLC Targets 18 "Anti-Gay" Pro-family Groups
Profiling and Criminalizing Political Dissent
Real or Imagined? A Critical Review of the SPLC's List of Conspiracies


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Rosalind Rosenberg
Her profile on the history department's Web site notes that Professor Rosalind Rosenberg "specializes in American history, with special focus on women's, social and legal history." In fact, Rosenberg is a crucial part of Barnard's history—having joined the faculty in 1984, the year after Columbia College went coed. "It was a time of exciting discussion," she recalls. "I was impressed by the strong sense of community at Barnard and the dedication of the faculty and staff to each other, to the students, and to women in general.
"We had a pioneering women's center and women's studies department. We made gender a central concern in our first-year seminars as well as in courses across the curriculum."
Over the past 27 years, in addition to the history department, Rosenberg has also taught in the departments of women's, gender and sexuality studies, and American studies. In 1992 (revised in 2008), her book Divided Lives: American Women in the Twentieth Century was published. Her 2004 book, Changing the Subject: How the Women of Columbia Shaped the Way We Think About Sex and Politics, is the most comprehensive look at the roles various women played in the history of the university and how they affected women throughout academia and American society.
"In the late 1990s, my colleague Bob McCaughey asked me to participate in a university seminar on the history of the university in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of Columbia in 2004. I wrote a paper on the woman question at Columbia. In conducting my research for it, I was startled to discover that Columbia had produced more female PhDs than any other university in the country, including many that were far larger. I wanted to understand how that happened, so I decided to write a book about it," Rosenberg says.
When she approached Columbia archivists, she was presented a single file folder marked "Women at Columbia." She adds, "It was not a topic that really had engaged anybody's interest."
Rosenberg spent several years researching, interviewing, and organizing the information. Much of the material she unearthed is now part of the university's archives. "Women are so often overlooked, forgotten, or misunderstood," she says. "It seems as though every couple of years, some news magazine runs a story about the death of feminism or women giving up on careers. I take it as my responsibility to set the record straight on that subject, in my classes and in my writing."
Her impact on the history department at Barnard extends beyond her own areas of specialization. As its chair from 1987–1990, and again in 1998–2000, she helped strengthen the department by encouraging the hiring of professors who taught subjects other than American and European history. "I wanted our own department to reflect the world, so we began to hire in Latin American, African, and Asian history," she says. "This is a college for women, so we hired faculty who showed a strong interest in working with women and advancing their interests. We also looked for faculty who cared as much about teaching and advising students as they did about their research."
In addition to teaching at Barnard, Rosenberg, a member of the executive board of the Society of American Historians, has taught graduate courses at Columbia, and she says wherever the classroom is, students keep her motivated. Her youngest student was 16 and her oldest was 74. She has also loved working with Columbia's Lifelong Learners Program for individuals 65 and older interested in auditing courses.
Her life and teaching have been impacted by the amazing women she has met and worked with, including longtime Barnard sociology professor Mirra Komarovsky; they first met when Rosenberg was an assistant professor of history at Columbia from 1974–82. "Mirra's books were a major influence on me as a graduate student and shaped my understanding of women's lives in the post-World War II period," she says. "I tried to get Mirra to do an interview with me for the Columbia Oral History Project, but she always refused. Fortunately, her younger sister, Dolly, saved her papers. I was able to interview Dolly after Mirra died [in 1999], and that interview helped me greatly in writing Changing the Subject."
Although Rosenberg's official retirement date is December 31, 2011, she will be back on campus in the fall of 2012 to teach. This year she is focused on research and writing for her biography of Pauli Murray, a civil-rights advocate, feminist, lawyer, writer, poet, teacher, and clergywoman. "Time to make progress on this book," says Rosenberg, which she began in 1994.
Turning 65 earlier this year, she feels it's right for her to officially "retire," but she eagerly looks forward to the continuous inspiration she receives from Barnard students. "They are so energetic and have so many great ideas," she says. "I'm sure that I learn more from them than they learn from me. It's wonderful to see their intellectual curiosity and their enthusiasm for life."
Serge Gavronsky
Scholar, teacher, novelist, poet, and translator, and in the past five years, a painter with several exhibits to his credit, Professor Serge Gavronsky has spent 51 creative and productive years at Barnard in the French department and will retire—only "officially" that is—on December 31, 2011. "The reason I've been here for so many years is a question of enormous admiration for my students without whom I believe I probably would have retired years ago," he says with a firmness not be questioned. The professor adds that only people unfamiliar with Barnard ask how students have changed since he began teaching in 1960. "We had brilliant students 50 years ago ... and that has not changed," he affirms. "Barnard has given them the intellectual and emotional material allowing them to move forward after graduation."
Most of Gavronsky's life has been spent on Morningside Heights. Born in Paris to Russian parents, the family moved to the United States in 1941, fleeing Hitler. He attended Columbia College then received both a master's degree and PhD from Columbia. "As an undergraduate, I was accepted in an illustrious seminar conducted by Jacques Barzun and Lionel Trilling. It was because of them and an 'A' paper I wrote, that they convinced me to go on for a PhD in history." The paper, "The French Liberal Opposition and the American Civil War," went on to become a book that explored Napoleon III's official support of the Confederacy and the Liberal Opposition's affirmation of the Union.
In 1960, Gavronsky began teaching at the College—his first teaching position—as a part-time instructor. The following year he taught an ambitious two-semester course on "The Writing of French History from the Middle Ages to de Gaulle." In 1975, he became chair of the French department, bringing fresh perspectives and energy to the position, which he held until 2001.
He initiated two curricular developments: translation and literature, and French and Francophone studies, a literary and ideological movement first developed in Martinique and Senegal in the 1930s by black intellectuals and poets. These thinkers and their writings strengthened and affirmed black identity with their poetry and political activities. Over the years, he brought influential thinkers and writers to the campus—organizing Thursday meetings to which he invited people like Anaïs Nin and Susan Sontag. Gavronsky says, with a puckish smile, the only part of being department chair that made him uneasy was doing the budget: a lack of mathematical capacities made that a challenge, and someone in accounting always assisted him.
In addition to teaching, Gavronsky has been published extensively—poetry in French and English as well as 19 livres d'artiste and criticism. His first novel, The German Friend, dealing with politics, terrorism, and sexual intrigue, was published in 1982, and translated into Italian; the Italian translation featured a preface by Harold Bloom. His most recent novel is The Sudden Death of Serge Gavronsky, and he is currently working on a new novel. His scholarly works include two studies, Francis Ponge: The Sun Placed in the Abyss (1977) and Francis Ponge and the Power of Language (1979) about the French essayist and poet who worked mainly in the first half of the twentieth century, and was celebrated for seemingly fusing the two literary forms into prose poetry that eschewed symbolism and sentimentality. His latest translation and preface is Essential Poems and Writings (2008) by Joyce Mansour.
The professor has been the recipient of some of the most prestigious academic awards: In 1979, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, one year later, there was a Camargo Foundation Fellowship. In 1990, he received a Mellon Faculty Grant for outstanding teaching. He was also honored by the French government, which named him Officier dans l'ordre des Palmes académiques in 1991.
While Gavronsky is not teaching a course this semester, he will lead a seminar for graduating French majors in the spring. "I'm going to give them a great deal of liberty," he says. "I will remind them of the major tracks—language, literature, translation, and French studies—and let each one decide which one they wish to concentrate upon." He adds, "I've never done that before, but they will share each other's papers. As a result, they will not only learn from their own papers, but will be enriched by the others. I'm looking forward to that and I think I'll become very sentimental at the end of the seminar."
Unsure what the future will hold, Gavronsky does not believe retirement means finality. Ever since a former art student, Constance Lane '77, knocked on his door about five years ago and encouraged him to paint, he's had two one-man shows in Manhattan and another in Brooklyn, and took part a group show in Brooklyn. An abstract expressionist who likes to work in acrylics, he says, with a classic Gallic shrug, "I refuse to look into my glass ball and predict."
-Lois Elfman '80


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Take a journey to Westport
Westport is a great stop on any South Island road trip, with lots of outdoor activities close by.
Located on the West Coast of the South Island, Westport was settled as a gold mining town. The area is rich in minerals and coal, supporting the town's growth and economy. There are many things to do in Westport, as the surrounding West Coast is full of outdoor adventures and stunning scenery.
How to get there:
Westport is about a 4 hour drive north west from Christchurch. There are two routes to choose from, both winding over the magnificent Southern Alps, which are postcard perfect in winter:
- Athurs Pass: Arthurs Pass has great scenery, steep roads and takes you through to Greymouth. Greymouth has a range of activities worth stopping for, including Shanty Town – a town recreated to show life in the early 1900's. Westport is around 1.5 hours drive from there.
- Lewis Pass: Lewis Pass is a great route if you want to stop by Hanmer Springs and relax in the hot pools. The Pass then goes straight on to Westport.
Located near vast areas of native rainforest, and below the striking Southern Alps, allows for a wide range of Westport outdoor activities:
- Walks: There are many walks of varying lengths and difficulties within 20min drive of Westport. Depending on what you want to do, there are short bush walks up to several day tramps. You can easily arrange guided walks also. Highly recommended, just off the Lewis Pass highway is the Lake Daniells route. It is an easy 2 hour walk to the hut, with a well maintained track. This route is good for families and any experience level.
- Rivers: There are many rivers all along the West Coast, and most are great fishing spots. Whitebait is a delicacy that is caught in these rivers too. Usually turned into a patty and fried, Whitebait is often expensive or hard to find in shops as it is seasonal with strict regulations.
- Buller Gorge: Home to New Zealand's longest swingbridge, the Buller Gorge is a breathtaking place to visit. From the swingbridge is the Cometline, an exciting but safe zip line ride across the gorge. The Buller Gorge is also offers jet boating, gold panning and many walks.
- Punakaiki "Pancake Rocks": Less than an hour south of Westport is Punakaiki. Towering rock formations, caves and blow holes right on the edge of the ocean make for a dangerous but awe-inspiring sight. There is a walking track that loops through the rocks, allowing a close-up encounter with some serious surf; the walk takes about an hour. The Pancake Rocks are right on the side of the main highway with easy parking, a visitor centre and a café. A great half day trip.
Westport is a great destination or the perfect spot to stay the night if you are travelling from Greymouth to Nelson.
Come over and visit on your next break, and book your Westport accommodation with Bella Vista Motel Westport.