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UIMA – Search and Analytics exploiting Unstructured Information
Mining Unstructured Information using UIMA
Vast amount of knowledge is available as natural language text – web documents, reference books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, technical reports, contracts, novels etc. Add to it the growing volumes of images, audio and video. Undisputedly unstructured information is the largest, most current and fastest growing source of knowledge. It is "unstructured" as it lacks explicit semantics (or structure) that is typically used by computer applications to process the same.
Unstructured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) is a framework for finding latent meaning, relationships and relevant facts from unstructured text. UIMA is useful for building analytic applications that analyze large volumes of unstructured information to discover relevant knowledge.
Unstructured information must become "structured" so that the applications can interpret it correctly. A typical UIM application would take plain text as input and identify entities (persons, places, organizations etc.) and relationships. UIMA standardizes semantic search and content analytics, providing a common method for meaningfully accessing data contained in text such as e-mails, blog entries, news feeds, and notes, as well as in audio recordings, images, and video.
Originally developed by IBM, now UIMA is now a top level Open Source project at Apache. In March 2009, UIMA is approved as an OASIS standard. Hopefully these trends would translate to more UIMA compliance from third party vendors.
UIMA's objective to support interoperability among analytics is divided into four design goals:
• Data Representation – Support common representation of artifacts (the unstructured information) and artifacts metadata (results from analysis).
• Data Modeling and Interchange – Support the platform-independent interchange of analysis data in a form that facilitates a formal modeling approach and alignment with existing standards.
• Discovery, Reuse and Composition – Support the discovery, reuse and composition of independently-developed analytics.
• Service-Level Interoperability – Support concrete interoperability of independently developed analytics (software for analysis) based on a common service description.
The seven elements of UIMA specification are:
1. Common Analysis Structure (CAS) – Common Data structure shared by all UIMA analytics to represent the artifcact and the artifact metadata. The CAS is an Object Graph. The CAS representation can be easily elaborated for specific domains.
2. Type System Model – A collection of inter-related type definitions. Every object in a CAS must be associated with a type. The UIMA Type-System is a declarative language for defining object models. Type Systems are user-defined. Each type definition declares the attributes of the type and describes valid fillers for its attributes. Types can be single-valued or multi-valued, or constrained to a legal range of values depending on the needs of the application. UIMA adopts Ecore as the type system representation, due to the alignment with standards and the availability of EMF tooling.
3. Base Type System – Standard definition of commonly-used, domain-independent types. This establishes a basic level of interoperability. The most significant part of the Base Type System is the Annotation and Sofa (Subject of Analysis).
4. Abstract Interfaces – Defines the standard component types and operations that UIMA services implement. Processing Element (PE) is the supertype of all UIMA components PE interface defines getMetadata() and setConfigurationParameters(). Analyzer, CAS Mutliplier and Flow Controller are the subtypes. An Analyzer (most common) processes a CAS and possibly updates it contents. A CAS Multiplier processes a CAS and possibly creates new CASes – say for example dividing CAS into pieces or merging multiple CASes. A Flow Controller determines the route CASes take through multiple Analytics.
5. Behavioural Metadata – Declaratively describes what the analytic does – say what types of CASs it can process, what elements in a CAS it analyzes and what sort of effects it may have on CAS contents etc. Analytics are not required to declare behavioural metadata. But it means that an application using the analytic cannot assume anything about the operations of the analytic.
6. Processing Element Metadata – Defines the structure of processing element metadata and provides an XML schema in which PEs must publish this metadata. All PEs must publish metadata which describes the analytic to support discovery and composition. PE metadata has: Identification information, Configuration parameters, Behavioural Metadata, Type System and Extensions.
7. WSDL Service Descriptions – Specifies a WSDL description of the UIMA interfaces and a binding to a concrete SOAP interface that compliant frameworks and services MUST implement.
In UIMA the original content is not affected in the analysis process. Instead, an object graph that stands off from and annotates the content is produced. Stand-off annotations in UIMA allow for multiple content interpretations of graph complexity to be produced, co-exist, overlap and be retracted. Typically an analytic generates from the UIMA representation an in-line XML or an XMI or RDF document.
According to Apache, "UIMA is, by itself, an empty framework. Its purpose is to enable a world-wide, diverse community to develop inter-operable, often complex analytic components, and allow them to be combined and run together, with framework supplied scaled-out and remoting as needed".
Apache site (http://uima.apache.org/) provides the framework, components and infrastructure. The frameworks (available in Java as well as C++) run the components. The framework provides a common platform for unstructured analytics, enabling reuse of analysis components – annotators, parsers and consumers.
UIMA Annotators are the ones that do the real work of extracting structured information from unstructured data. Apache site itself provides a list of annotators – like Regular Expression Annotator that detects entities like email addresses, URLs, phone numbers, zip codes or any other entity based on regular expressions and concepts, Dictionary Annotator that creates annotations based on word lists. In addition UIMA annotators including Natural Language Processors from various vendors can be downloaded from web (some of them listed in http://uima.apache.org/external-resources.html) .
A full analysis task for a search or intelligence application is a multi-stage process. As UIMA defines a common, standard interface, annotators from multiple vendors can be made to work together. The UIMA application can use the annotators without finding out how they work internally. The UIMA framework can take care of the integration and orchestration of the annotators.
Apache site also provides tools for either creating new interoperable text analytics modules or enabling existing text analytics investments to operate within the framework.
IBM has empowered its products and services with UIMA creating a channel for third-party vendors to deploy their text and multi-modal analytics in larger integrated solutions. IBM OmniFind Enterprise Edition provides UIMA for building full-text and semantic search indexes and Analytics Edition deploys UIMA for information extraction and text analysis.
Semantic Search applications can benefit the most by using UIMA framework and UIMA components for:
· Identifying the language of the specific document
· Language dependent linguistic processing (tokenization, lemmatization, and even speech detection).
· Analyzing the text contents for entity and relation detection.
Business Intelligence or Government Intelligence is another major area which can use UIMA. Sample applications include:
- Defect Detection and Early Warning System (gain insight from service and maintenance records)
- Customer support and self-service (analyzing the call center logs, emails etc.)
- Public image monitoring (finding out from internet forums and discussions the image pertaining to a product or company).
- Insurance Fraud analysis (identifying hidden relationships and patterns from claims documents).


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I have totally been taking this tie for granted all week. "Pfft. There's no way Serbia loses this one. Not at home." And then, somewhere between this morning's draw ceremony and all the Qatar outrage, I flipped.
"Shit. They could totally lose this."
I'm not sure whether it's my incisive tennis analysis or my tendency to adopt the Serbian "doom and gloom" paranoia when something doesn't look like a sure thing. All I know is that the frazzle came and I'm not sure what to do.
I mean, everyone is picking you guys to win. Pete Bodo thinks it'll be a 3-0 sweep! Augh! Stress!
First up tomorrow will be Tipsy vs. Gael. Despite Viktor recent form (win in Moscow), I think this is the right call. Janko has been a DC stalwart and he has the guts to step on court in front of 18,000 screaming Serbs and focus to get the job done. Despite the fact that these two have engaged in the worst trash talking ever ("You're nervous." "Bish, please, I ain't nervous. You should be nervous."), I think this match is a total toss-up. I am really interested to see how Gael will deal with this raucous crowd (in the undercard of crowd vs. umpire, I'm going with the crowd).
Gael won their last match at the USO, but if I recall, Tipsy was physically spent from his Roddick match. Someone on the FD FB page said that Tipsy may be carrying an injury into this tie. Take that with a grain of salt, but...FRAZZLE ROCK.
Guy has indeed tapped Gilles over Llodra -- in hopes of saving Mikey's energy for dubs and maybe reverse singles -- to face Nole in the second rubber. On paper, this looks like a straight set win all the way. Gilles is 1-5 against Nole, with that first win coming in their first match ever. Their last match, in Beijing was a 63 62 shellacking. To me, there's no way Gilles is going to win this match. All he and Team France can hope is that he makes it a long one and drains some of that Nole energy for Sunday.
This could go down as an MJ/Coco decision for Guy. Personally, I think it's the right move. In the event the Sunday rubbers are live, I'd rather throw a relatively fresh Mikey out there. He has the maturity to deal with the crowd, a psychological edge in that he beat Novak less than a month ago, and all the pressure will be on Novak to pull out the win. But if you play him on Friday, you're putting him up against a relatively more relaxed Novak, you drain him for doubles (which is an absolute must win for France), and then you either have to throw him out there again on Sunday or bring in Gilles.
Tactically, I think it's the move you make, though if it doesn't pan out you'll get killed for it.
So anyway, yeah. I'm worried. That Gael/Janko rubber is HUGE.
(Pics: Getty)

subset: commoncrawl


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Ontario Log Homes, Log Cabin & Timer Frame Companies
Suggestion: Many Canadian log home companies work all over Canada, not just in the Province in which they are located. If you don't find what you are looking for on this page, try browsing the other Provinces.
* These listings include companies in Postal Codes M4B 1V4
Ontario Log Homes Video
Find log furniture and rustic decor companies in Ontario Canada!


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ATMOSPHÉRES (ECM 2016) is a new project between Jan Bang (samples), Arve Henriksen (trompet, vocals), Eivind Aarset (guitars) and Tigran Hamasyan (piano).
The album will be released August 26th. 2016 and this collaboration bodes for some spectacular live shows.
Three tour dates in Netherlands & Belgium available: September 4, 5 & 6…
For any acqueries and info contact Jurgen.
Tigran Hamasyan: piano
Arve Henriksen: trumpet
Eivind Aarset: guitar
Jan Bang: electronics and live sampling
This far-reaching double album, recorded and mixed in three days in Lugano, introduces a new quartet with Tigran Hamasyan, Arve Henriksen, Eivind Aarset and Jan Bang.
The Norwegians had played in diverse configurations on ECM – Jan Bang on Eivind Aarsets Dream Logic, for instance, and Bang and Aarset on Arve Henriksens Cartography – but with Hamasyan at the center of the sound, bringing with him ancient folk melodies transfigured in the compositions of Komitas, other inspirations come into play.
All four players are at a creative peak here, whether freely reflecting upon Armenian themes or spontaneously shaping atmospheric soundscapes together.


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Alliance and leicester loans
Alliance and leicester loans
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Round the World Planner
Introducing the new online service for your round-the-world trip preparation by SkyTeam alliance - Round the World Planner. Its functional and user-friendly interface will make planning your future trip a faster and more pleasant experience. By using the tool you will be getting advice on more efficient routes. The main idea of the Planner is to give you flexible search possibilities and find the ideal price at the same time.
After you have chosen your route, you can save it on your computer or share it with friends and relatives, and start getting prepared for the biggest trip ever – your round-the-world trip! Together with Go Round the World by SkyTeam you can take advantage of the SkyTeam alliance global route network, all together 20 of the biggest airlines in the world. This new service is subject to SkyTeam alliance applicable Terms & Conditions. You can learn more about the tool and get Go Round the World at any office of Aeroflot – Russian Airlines.
For more details and to start the Round the World Planner application, please refer to the the SkyTeam alliance's website.
We wish you more interesting travels!


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You know what, I am a big fan of A/B Testing which is also called..
It's 2015 and many transmogrification have been occurring in the technical and marketing industry since..
We are midway through 2015 it is time for some reality check on the SEO..
Fresh content indicates that your site is regularly updated with latest information. Google loves fresh..
In my previous article, I mentioned about two new terms TF (Term Frequency) and IDF (Inverse..
Its very important to make your business image online if you really want to succeed..
Yes it is true Google Adwords is going to upgrade the URLs Deadline. If you..


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My husband got me these egg thinlit dies. There are 17 sizes of eggs, and a die to cut the egg in half and makes it look like it is cracked open.
This card immediately popped in my head as soon as I saw the dies!! I had to use them with the crazy birds!!!
I took a manila tag and inked it using the wrinkle free distress technique. I cut off the top so I could use it as a card topper. I inked the edges of the tag and the edges of a card blank.
I stamped the bird on water colour card stock and fussy cut it as I don't have the thinlit die set yet. It is on its way though. Same as my crayons and the crazy accessories....
Anyhoo, I coloured the bird with distress markers and stamped the bird also on the tag. I glued the cut bird on the stamped image, this way its tail and quiff are in place. The eyes I coloured in with clear wink of stella so they have some shimmer.
I die cut the egg shape and "cracked" it with the crack die cut. It is hilarious!
I decided I wanted an old fashioned decorated egg, so I took my embossing pen and drew on the egg and heat embossed colour after colour. Then I inked the egg with a blending tool and distress ink. I inked the edge with walnut stain ink....as I do the majority of the craft bits I get in my hands hahaha... I would be lost without my walnut stain ink!!!! I stamped the egg with a crackle stamp as it needed a bit more texture...
I stuck the egg on the card using dimensional foam as I wanted a bit of depth.
I stamped a label on some card stock and stanped the sentiment. As I don't have an easter stamp, I used my trusted alphabet stamps. Got quite a collection in all sorts of sizes, so I am good to go.
I inked the little label and stamped the crackle over it and stuck it above the bird with foam.
I have a few more eggy birdies up my sleeve so be warned ;-)
Thank you for peeping by and maybe until next time.
Take care,


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Do you think that writing an American history report will not be harder than writing an ordinary essay? If this is what you think, we have bad news for you.
An American history report is a bit more complicated and serious assignment. We know for sure that teachers pay special attention to the topics students choose for their American history reports. This is why our article is designed for those who have troubles choosing a good idea for discussion.
First, we would like to introduce you some basic principles of selecting a topic for American history reports.
- Think of the period in American history that you are interested in;
- Recollect major events and dates within this period;
- Think of some famous people, outstanding leaders, and politicians associated with this period.
So, your American history report can be devoted to a significant event, person, or a certain period in general. Yet, narrowing a focus is absolutely necessary if you want your American history report to be effective.
Here are several examples for you.
American history reports: idea #1
Roaring 20's was a significant period in American history, a period of some really important changes. Besides, this topic is not that frequently discussed as the Civil Rights Movement, for instance.
You can choose to cover many specific issues in your American history report. We suggest you consider the changes in social stereotypes regarding women.
American history reports: idea #2
The first half of the 21st century seems to be an exciting period to talk about in your American history report. What about George Bush's presidency as the central idea of your report?
If you need more ideas, read our articles about an essay on Pearl Harbor and American Revolution essay.
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Come, come ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear; But with joy wend your way
These were the first line in our Church hymn for our opening song to begin our Sacrament meeting this Sunday. We're happy and full of joy as we jointly sang with the rest of the members of the Church. We contemplated on our spiritual duty to our fellowmen as we serve our God and be nourished with His words, not only from the scriptures, but also from the teachings and messages of our leaders in a general conferences.
Though hard to you this journey may appear; Grace shall be as your day
'Tis better far for us to strive Our useless cares from us to drive
Because of our strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we didn't mind those frailties upon ourselves. We know and we do testify that as we do our best for our capacity to do, to share what we know about the Church and in return we may be blessed beyond measure.
Do this and joy Your hearts will swell-- All is well! All is well!
As we nurture ourselves of the words of God, of the counsels and messages of our general authorities, of our living prophet for today, President Thomas S. Monson. And as I've mentioned beforehand, our happiness is beyond measure. We are ready to welcome trials in any form into our lives with an open arms. We know if we are obedient and faithful in keeping God's commandments, blessings keep on pouring that there's no enough rooms to keep those things to come. The windows of heaven are open so to speak.
We feel that there's a mighty change in our hearts. Thus, my family is spiritually prepared and uplifted. And we happily admit that:
All is well! All is well!
We're joyfully, joyfully Marching to our home! says the last line from our closing hymn, "We Are Enlisted" as we complete our Sunday services for this day.


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Madison is 9! How in the world did that happen? She wanted a Beach Party for her birthday but since I wasn't about to fill my backyard with sand, I thought a Backyard Boardwalk Party would be a fun compromise.
I found these great Cedar Garden Walkways on Amazon and thought they'd make the perfect boardwalk to set the scene. I used one at the entrance to the party as well as a large sign to welcome the guests as they entered the backyard.
As you can see, our Boardwalk had many fun things to explore. Water World, boardwalk games, a snack shack, beachy crafts, and a souvenir shop made this a party to remember.
Let's start at the Snack Shack…
All of the snacks had a beachy theme and included pretzels (starfish), goldfish crackers, cheese balls (beach balls), twizzlers (pool noodles), lifesavers, gummy rings (inner tubes), and blue gatorade (salty sea water).
A little further down the boardwalk was a craft shop, "Crafty Creations" where the girls decorated flip flops, decked themselves out with metallic tattoos, and colored beach balls.
Another fun thing to do at our boardwalk was to play carnival-style games. We had a fish bowl ping pong toss, bean bag toss, and ring toss.
The hit of the whole party was Water World. I purchased a large inflatable water slide and the girls had a blast sliding and splashing. We also had water guns and water balloons for a water fight.
I also set up a "Boardwalk Boutique," where I stocked the party favors. Each guest chose a beach towel and a pair of sunglasses with interchangeable frames from the shop.
After lots of fun in the sun and visiting all of the things our boardwalk had to offer it was time for lunch. We grilled hot dogs and had mac and cheese.
Madison chose cupcakes over a cake for her birthday this year. I found this really fun Ferris Wheel cupcake stand that made the perfect centerpiece for our dessert table. We also had old-fashioned lemonade that I served in glass bottles, along with salt water taffy, and swirly cotton candy flavored lollipops.
Madison and her friends had a blast at our Backyard Boardwalk. It was such a fun theme and I really enjoyed putting it all together and loved the way it turned out.
Happy 9th Birthday, my dear, Madison. I hope all nine of your wishes come true.


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from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Inspired by Nature
- Health & Wellness
We started this journey actually 8 years ago! Breast Cancer rocked our world. It led to great things though. We researched, traveled long distances to visit creators and tested many products and even made our own over the course of those 8 years. It's all been worth it!
We are bringing you all the beauty imaginable on God's Green Earth that others have uniquely created under one roof.. You don't have to question what your buying but we certainly encourage you to ASK what's on those labels. You can read them all! We don't allow toxic chemicals in our little boutique so you won't leave with one either!
You can feel confident that you are giving your body the absolute BEST treatment in the world. One beauty drop at a time. We care about everyone so we cover Skin Care, Hair Care, Cosmetics, Maternity Love, Baby Love, Manly Care and even your furry family Pet Care too! We are Small but MIGHTY!
We're not messing around. You should know what your using on your skin that is so readily absorbed in an instant.. You should feel good looking your best in Makeup that isn't making you age faster and making you feel blah! FEEL as GOOD as you LOOK!! That simple.
Come see what we are so passionate about. You just may thank us for bringing a little bit of heaven to our little town.
Smile, It's a Good Day to be a GREAT Day...
Whom to Contact
- Candice Currier1252 NW 6th St Ste 8Grants Pass, OR 97526Phone: (541) 295-8456
- Sabrina HartfordPart Owner1252 NW 6th St Ste 8Grants Pass, OR 97526Phone: (541) 295-8456
I-5 North Exit 58 take a left and follow down 6th Street. Corner of 6th and Savage on the right. I-5 South Exit 58 continue down 6th Street. We're on the Corner of 6th and Savage on the right.
The Chamber Office
1995 NW Vine Street
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Chamber Business Hours
Monday through Friday
9am - 5pm
CLOSED Major Holidays
(541) 476-7717


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- Home
- About Us
- Services
- Pet Library
- Informational Pages
- Forms
- Other Features
- Contact Us
- Links
- Site Map
Client Feedback - How are we doing?
We at Wellsville Veterinary Hospital are always looking for ways to improve our service to you. Your suggestions, ideas, and comments are always welcome.


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As we continue our Leadership in Communications series, today's topic is a huge step. It's important that you choose to lead instead of manage, develop a communications vision, and know your next step, but all of those steps which we've discussed so far are private, internal steps.
Leaders go public
If you really believe your vision for your organizations' communications will transform you organization and propel it towards its goals, you've got to talk about it with the people in your organization whose help you need to make that happen.
You've got to ask your boss for the meeting to discuss it. You've got to ask the board that makes the budgeting decisions for the opportunity to speak to them. You've got to go to your peers and share with them how your communications vision would help them achieve their goals.
Leaders go private
Your mind may have already raced ahead to vision casting speeches and power point presentations. While at some point you may need to make a presentation to your staff or board, I believe it's much better to start with private conversations with key individuals.
Some people are uncomfortable asking questions and making decisions in front of other people. Some analytical people (like me) need time to examine and think about the details before coming out publicly for or against an idea.
Even if eventually the decision to move forward with a new idea will be decided by a group or board, it's extremely beneficial to have a few of those people already on board and ready to advocate your idea before making a presentation to the group.
Leaders are persistent
Don't expect your boss, board, peers, or other key people to embrace your vision the first time you share it. If it was an easy idea to say yes to, you'd probably already be doing it. Answer people's questions. Listen to their concerns. When possible provide examples of other organizations that have done similar things and show the results. Give people time to process. Don't be rude or antagonizing, but if it's something you truly believe in, don't shut up about it.
This is the hard work of leadership.
Everyone has ideas. Few people are willing to schedule the meetings, do the presentations, face the skepticism, answer the questions, persevere through rejection and keep on working to bring about that vision.
Where are you in leading your communications? Do you have a vision but have been afraid or unwilling to have the talks? Or are you boldly and tirelessly sharing your vision and making those asks?
4) Know Your Next Step <– Leadership in Communications –> 6) Leadership in Communications Q & A


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The Company's filings with the Ontario Securities commission can be accessed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under Alacer Gold's profile. The Company's filings with the Australia Securities Exchange may be accessed at www.asxonline.com also under Alacer Gold's profile.
NI 43-101 Technical Reports on Alacer's projects are available here.
The following ESTMA report(s) are in accordance with the Extractive Sector Transparency Measure Act S.C. 2014, c.39, s.376 and the Natural Resources Canada Technical Reporting Specifications.
All historic Regulatory Filings are available on www.sedar.com and on www.asx.com.au.


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V/M Custom Boat Trailers
Disclaimer: Due to the heavy demand of the summer boating season, we recommend ordering parts at least two weeks prior to the desired delivery date. For custom manufactured parts (Guide-ons, Axles, etc), it may take longer. If you have a deadline to meet, call us and let us know so we can best assist you in getting the parts you want in the desired time frame.
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Website powered by Network Solutions®


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Assignment of Mortgage (AOM) Service
When loans are bought and sold, the buyer is the beneficiary, so we recommend that they take control of the process and partner with an experienced third party to ensure that assignments are done correctly. When the buyer is in control of the assignment, they can follow up to make sure everything gets signed, returned and sent for electronic recording.
If the buyer is not on the county record as the owner of the loan, it puts their investment at risk. This is especially important for non-performing loans, which are commonly sold today. It's critical that the proper paperwork is done timely and correctly on these loans. For this type, portfolio modifications or foreclosure is the resolution. The new owner of the asset must be on record with a proper chain of title to follow this path. The investor must protect the asset they just bought. If they're not listed in the real property records as the owner, they will not receive notifications of adverse incidents and situations. This can be critical information to managing your assets properly.
Another potential risk is the rejection of a lien release by the county if the loan on record is not in the current investor's name. Also, when the borrower pays off the loan, it makes it difficult to release the lien resulting in poor service to the customer.
How Our Assignment Service Works
Working quickly and efficiently with great communication between MetaSource and our client is essential to our assignment solution. This is accomplished through our proprietary system and a team dedicated to you. Here's how the process typically works:
- You provide the legal names of the assignor and assignee and we will load the information into our proprietary system, which eliminates the need to retype on every assignment
- Once the appropriate source document is provided (recorded mortgage/DOT/title policy), MetaSource generates an assignment document using county specific rules to eliminate the majority of the reasons the county may reject a document
- The assignment is recorded electronically, if the county is able, or sends the assignment through the mail using our in-house mailing system to send and track
- When the recorded assignment is received from the county, your assignment is imaged for further routing and the original is returned to you or your designate
We manage the assignment process every step of the way until the recording process is complete.
Tracking Missing Assignments
Missing intervening assignments is another potential challenge that may arise. Tracking down missing assignments is time consuming, but becomes even harder if those assignments belong to companies that have gone out of business. In that case, an experienced document services provider can provide valuable help.
MetaSource leverages its database of contact information for companies and people with the authority to execute documents for that company to get these problems resolved quickly. Even for servicers and investors who have dedicated staff to handle this problem, our database, generated from over 25 years of working in the assignment and lien release space, can determine—before loans are bought—how fast problems might be solved.
Contact us to learn more about our assignment of mortgage service


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Hard Traveler Kenn Roberts on making — and giving away — millions
Bay Weekly: The Hard Travelers are in their second life. How is this one different?
Kenn Roberts: Buddy Renfro and I had been listening to the Kingston Trio when we started the Hard Travelers in 1958 in the basement of the Phi Delt house at the University of Maryland. We were young guys grasping for notoriety and a career in music.
Delegate Bob Costa and his deciding vote for the Civil Marriage Protection Act ... A Bay Weekly Conversation
At first glance, it seems unlikely that a truck-loving, firefighting Republican from rural Anne Arundel County would give the Civil Marriage Protection Act its victory vote, moving same-sex marriage through the House of Delegates and a step closer to law in Maryland.
Tim O'Neill talks with Bay Weekly about the restoration of Annapolis' Capitol dome
Tim O'Neill of Severna Park is project manager for Power Component Systems out of Hanover. One of several subcontractors restoring the dome of Maryland's State House — built between 1784 and 1787 as the second dome to top the 1772 Capitol — Power Component Systems has the job of stripping the top layers of paint from the Capitol's dome.
A Bay Weekly conversation with David Humphreys, director of the Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association
On your seventh circle through the auto hell of Historic Annapolis in fruitless search of a parking place, you take traffic personally. Personally is how you take the blockage on Rt. 50 west, gridlock on the Bay Bridge — and your own personal traffic hell, wherever you find it.
A Bay Weekly conversation with Kenneth Reckhow
No less an authoritative body than the National Research Council weighed in this month on progress in restoring Chesapeake Bay. In a hefty report, the council, which is part of the National Academies of Science, delivered a sobering assessment of what would be required to achieve ambitious goals.
© Copyright 2019, New Bay Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Tour length
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Explore the Cultural Heritage of Vietnam 3 days 2 nights
This tour is ideal for those who have just three days but want to discover as much of the cultural heritage of Vietnam as they can. It begins in the Hue, the old Imperial City, which served as Vietnam's capital under the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. It then follows the scenic highway N1 from Hue to Hoi An via Da Nang, one of Vietnam's major international sea ports. This trip finishes in the picturesque town of Hoi An, once one of Southeast Asia's major trading ports between the 17th and 19th centuries.
Da Nang
- Modern coastal city offering soft sandy beaches and dramatic mountains
Hoi An
- Captivating multi-cultured town known for its crafts and undeniable charms
- Imperial capital of Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty
Tour code:
3 days 2 nights
Day 1 Arrive Hue (L/D)
You will either be collected from
Hue airport or Hue station
and taken to a hotel downtown. You will now have free time to explore your new surroundings until lunchtime. In the afternoon, you will embark on a private tour of Hue City including the
Hue Citadel
and the Forbidden Purple City, the Imperial Museum and the bustling Dong Ba market. In the evening, you will taste the finest in Hue cuisine at a local restaurant. You will spend the first night in Hue.
Day 2 Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An (B/L/D)
After breakfast you will take a private boat, cruising along the romantic Perfume river heading out into the countryside.
Thien Mu Pagoda
will be the first stop of the day, and from here, you will have a great view of the Perfume river and surrounding area.
Next up it's back in the car to visit Minh Mang's tomb and King Tu Duc's tomb, followed by Lunch at a local restaurant. You will then begin the drive to
Hoi An over Hai Van Pass
. En route, you will stop in Da Nang for a visit to the
Cham Museum
and to explore the handicraft villages at the foot of Marble Mountain before arriving in the charming river town of
Hoi An
. You will have free time to explore the quiet streets, staying overnight in Hoi An.
Day 3 Hoi An - Da Nang Departure (B/L)
In the morning, you will enjoy a half day in
Hoi An
, taking in the beautifully preserved historical sites in the Old Town. Your tour will include a visit to the
Chinese Assembly Halls, the Japanese Bridge, Phuc Kien Pagoda and Tan Ky House
. Following the tour there will be free time to shop before your transfer to Da Nang airport for onward travel.
Please note that the hotels mentioned in this list are for reference only. Depending on availability and your preference, they can be changed. If we are unable to book any hotel, it will be replaced by another hotel at least of equivalent standard and value.
Arrival Hue
Midtown Hue
Kim an hotel
• Complimentary arrangement for Visa Approval Letter – single entry Vietnam.
• Transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle as per program.
• English speaking guide as per program.
• Lunch (L) & Dinners as mentioned (L/D).
• Visit fees for all sightseeing as mentioned on the program.
• Accommodation in sharing double room including breakfasts at hotels as mentioned.
• Stamping fee for visa to Vietnam.
• Meals not mentioned.
• International flight and taxes.
• Domestic air tickets and domestic a/p taxes.
• Other personal expenses: drinks, souvenir, etc…
• Standard check-in time is 14h00 and check-out time is 12h00 at most of the hotels.
• Arrival/Departure: Above prices are valid only for group of clients travelling together – arrival and departure with the same flight. Arrival/departure by other flight subject to supplement charge.
• In no case, the non-used services or visits will be refunded or provided on individual basis for group member(s) due to the delayed arrival/early departure unless they will go on private tour.
• Program is subject to change without notice due to Vietnam Airlines unexpected changes of schedule or flight unexpected cancellations.
• There might be supplement for compulsory lunches or dinners during Christmas and New Year 2018.
• There will be no refund or compensation applied due to force major which effect to visit program.
• We reserve the right to adjust the prices at any time in the event of an increase of the fuel surcharge applied by airlines companies or any other transport companies.
• In general most places are closed in Vietnam throughout the period of the Lunar New Year (from the 15th of February until the 20th of February 2018 inclusive).
• Deadline for flight tickets: We will automatically issue flights 5 days after bookings is confirmed by us, please take note and come back to me within 5 days since booking is confirmed if you find clients don't want to issue it.
Check Availability
Related Tours
Discover the ancient cities of Hoi An & Hue 4 days 3 nights
Experience the Highlights of Central Vietnam 6 days 5 nights
Essence of Hoi An 2 days 1 nights
Unique Heritage of Central Vietnam 7 days 6 nights
Vietnam World Heritage Luxury Tour 10 days 9 nights
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How to deploy the Liferay Portal to the Jelastic cloud: Part II
Liferay Portal is one of the most popular enterprise web platforms for building business solutions. We have already shown you how to deploy this great application to Jelastic Cloud and today we will continue to work with Liferay Portal: let's configure the environment with the database for it.
Create the environment
1. Go to jelastic.com and sign up if you haven't done it yet or log in with your Jelastic credentials by clicking the Sign In link on the page.
2. Click Create environment to set up a new environment in Jelastic.
3. In the Environment topology window, select Tomcat 7 as your application server, set the Cloudlets limit (e.g. 16), pick MySQL as the database you want to use and specify the number of Cloudlets for it. Then type your environment name, for example, liferay, and click Create:
In a minute your environment will be created and appears in the environments list.
Upload Java package
1. Go to the Liferay web site, navigate to Downloads and download the latest Liferay Portal Community Edition.
2. Extract the files from the archive you have downloaded.
3. On the Liferay web site, navigate to Additional Files and simply copy Liferay Portal x.x GA x WAR URL.
4. Upload the Liferay Java package to the Deployment manager via URL, you have just copied.
5. Once the package is in Jelastic, deploy it to the environment you have just created by clicking the Deploy button near the package name.
Configure database
1. Switch back to Jelastic dashboard and click Open in browser button for MySQL.
2. While you were creating the environment, Jelastic sent you an email with credentials to the database. Create an account and the database with the application using these credentials.
Configure Liferay
1. Go back to Jelastic dashboard, navigate to Tomcat section, click on Config button and upload the downloaded tomcat libraries Liferay application needs from the package you have downloaded earlier: liferay-portal-tomcat-x.x.x-xxxxxxxx/liferay-portal-x.x.x/ tomcat-x.0.xx/lib/ext.
5. Navigate to the home folder and click the New file button to create a new portal-ext.properties configuration file. Type the following string:
In the same file enable MySQL:
jdbc.default.driverClassName=com.mysql.jdbc.Driver jdbc.default.url=jdbc:mysql://mysql-{your_env_name}.{hoster_domain}/{db_name}?useUnicode=true&characterEncoding=UTF-8&useFastDateParsing=false jdbc.default.username=username jdbc.default.password=password
Don't forget to save the changes and restart Tomcat!
Start Liferay
1. Open your application in a web browser.
2. Create your account, confirm the configuration and click Go to My Portal.
3. Accept the license agreement.
4. Set the new password.
5. Now you can sign in and use Liferay with all its functionality! Enjoy!
Related article:


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Dresser can be related to a lot of kind product, such as furniture, theatre, industries and few other things. Because it's a decoration website, absolutely I will and should discuss about dresser furniture. Dresser as the name, usually use as dressing table which maximum placed at our bedroom and maximum we found in girls or woman's bedroom. On this category, dresser usually comes with big mirror which are place at above the furniture. The other function of dresser is to place in side of room or better known as side table. This furniture mostly made from wooden material. The common style and characteristic applied there are with carved knees, cabriole legs, and slipper or claw and ball feet. Even yeah not all dressers applied this style, but maximum are come with this concept style.
248 items
We consistently strive to offer the best possible buying experience - this includes an industry-leading customer service, mobile-friendly layout, fast and affordable shipping, consistently affordable pricing, and access to the most sought-after products on the market. Don't just take our word for it, here are some reviews that our past customers have left!


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Gov. Nixon encourages Missourians to recognize, honor veterans of that conflict. (Photo under fair usage rights)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – Gov. Jay Nixon is encouraging Missourians to give special recognition and honor to veterans of the Vietnam War on Monday, March 30, which will mark the third observance of Vietnam Veterans Day in Missouri.
In 2012, Gov. Nixon signed into law a bill designating March 30 as Vietnam Veterans Day in Missouri. The day is designed to encourage Missourians to observe the day with appropriate events, activities and remembrances in honor of those who served during the Vietnam conflict.
"Vietnam veterans are valued and vital members of our communities who, through their selfless service and sacrifice, have earned our deepest respect and admiration," Gov. Nixon said. "I encourage all Missourians to join me in honoring these soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen for their bravery, patriotism and service on our behalf."


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Perseveranza SpA enjoy intense business relationship with the main Italian
and International Banks that are well active in shipping like:
Banco di Napoli;
HSH Nordbank;
Deutsche Bank;
Deutsche Shiffsbank.
All of them has been or presently are loan providers to Perseveranza .
Reliability coupled with the punctual fulfilment of all obligations toward the loan providers, represents the biggest investment of the company and that of Giuseppe D'Amato family.


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Over the years, the educational system has gone through major changes and reformations. The beginning of formal education dates back to the 6th century and the adoption of the Chinese culture. The Meiji Restoration and World War II were important highlights in the restructure of the system.
In the present day, education in Japan is structured into 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high and 3 years of senior high. Classes begin in April, around the time Cherry Blossoms are in bloom, and are held from Monday to Friday or Saturday.
- Kindergarten (幼稚園 Yōchien): Children from 3-6 may enter kindergarten or day-care facilities. The educational approach in these ages varies, with some only functioning as playing facilities, while others are specifically equipped to prepare the child to pass tests in order to enter a private elementary school. Kindergarten is optional.
- Elementary school (小学校 Shōgakkō): At age 6, children are obligated to enter elementary school, which is composed of 6 grades. Classes begin early in the morning and last approximately 6 hours. Entering elementary school is seen as an event of great importance, a stepping stone that shapes the child's life. While most of the population enrolls in public schools, there is a great amount of competition for some of the more prestigious private schools.
- Junior high school (中学校 chūgakkō): Ages 12-15 attend Junior high.
- High School (高校 kōkō): Ages 15-18 attend high school, in preparation for university. High school is not compulsory, but very few stop their education at Junior high. Japanese, English, mathematics and science are important subjects to graduates. The percentage who stopped at Junior high was considerably higher in the 1950s though early 1980s, when you could walk into a factory job at 16, which is why some older anime are set in Junior High instead of High School.
- Japanese Universities have their own page.
School clubs:
Japanese schools' extra-curricular activities are centered on "club activities" organized by the students themselves. Each club is generally assigned its own room or other facilities, will have a faculty advisor (komon no sensei 顧問の先生), and has a president (kaichō 会長). More details at our Japanese School Club page.
The most common clubs include the student council, the school newspaper, and the Kendo team. Other clubs range from normal sport clubs (baseball, soccer, swimming etc.) over cultural clubs (art, tea ceremony, music etc.) and a mixed bunch (library, computer, home economy etc.) to the more unusually (railways, astronomy, occult research etc.)
It's rare for a student to be a member of more than one club — club activities are generally too time-consuming to allow for it. Students who aren't members of any club are derisively said to be members of the "Go Home Club."
School uniform:
The Sailor Fuku often seen in Japanese Media is well-recognised as a symbol of Japanese school life and youth. The girls' uniform is based on European-style naval uniforms and came into use sometime during the 19th century. Schools have two versions of the uniform—the regular one for all seasons, and a lighter one for summer. It may depend on the region, but recently the sailor suit (and the traditional male counterpart, the gakurana black ensemble with a high collar, based on Prussian officer uniforms) has become largely the domain of middle/junior high schools, whereas high schools have shifted towards more fashionable or professional-looking styles of uniform, often with tailored blazers, vests, neckties, and plaid skirts. Elementary schools, if they have a uniform, tend towards collarless jackets and skirts with suspenders and sometimes, students wear their gym uniforms during class and change into their formal uniforms when outside of the school or attending ceremonies.
School Festival:
Bunkasai, the "Japanese Cultural Festival," is an important annual event at nearly every school in Japan from junior high to university (the dates are different from school to school, to allow observers to attend multiple events). It's a day to show off the students' talents and the school itself to parents and prospective students. Instead of a shrine-based matsuri, a Festival Episode may well be based at a school's Bunkasai.
Each homeroom class will put on some sort of event (justified from the educational standpoint as teaching the students how to run a business); the two most common involve turning a classroom either into a small cafe (kissaten), or a Haunted House (obakeyashiki, from obake, meaning monster or ghost, and yashiki, mansion). This itself has become such an ingrained part of the trope that it is rare to see any other possibilities discussed when a class is trying to decide what to do for their participation in the festival (this is lampshaded in Azumanga Daioh), but carnival games and student-crafts shops crop up from time to time. Student clubs will also participate, generally creating club-theme-related attractions in hopes of attracting future recruits. Theme costumes will be commonplace.
In addition to events held within the school proper, with classrooms temporarily transformed into shops, the school grounds will be used for outdoor stalls like those of a shrine matsuri.


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Should there be an object of the game, or should this be an interactive simulation, like Sim City?
I personally think that there should be an objective to a game because a majority of the player's actions and decisions would be driven by the need to achieve that objective. While there is merit in the interactive simulation games that have its players gain avatarial capital, I believe those gains come secondary to the objective gains within the game. Although it seems that objectives of a game can mute out social interactions, there are many examples of games that are objective-based yet do not compromise the interactive simulation amongst players like Counter Strike or Call of Duty. In those examples, there is still freedom to travel the virtual maps which lend a type of playing environment that facilitates exploration. You are also engaging in the camaraderie and teamwork of other players which interact all types of subjective experiences, logic, and gameplay. There is a lot of liberty in playing these types of games (both in exploring and in social interaction) and yet there are clear objectives for the players to complete. The interactive simulations are good to give a sense of realness, however I think it's the main goal or objective of the game that will drive the player into continue engagement.
I believe the game should require an overall objective. For instance, I would like to see a max level but once that is reached I do not want that to be the end of the game. I would honestly like to see an open end objective like an MMO. Many MMO's have have an overall objective which is to get the max level but once that is done your game isn't over. Instead of the game ending because you reached max level, in reality that is when the game actually begins. So in a way I would like to see both objectives incorporated into one game. Just like Fallen Earth's Online player progressive system. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland located around the American Grand Canyon. Fallen Earth's game-play features FPS/RPG hybridization with hundreds of items including improvised equipment and weapons, a real-time, in-depth crafting system which includes vehicles, various skills and abilities, factions and tactical PvP. So meanwhile you can level to your max level but once that has happened the game is not over, you still can fight for control of your faction or become a trader/crafter for good or evil.
There should be some sort of object of the game where as a player you can improve your character or account. There should be some sort of reward system for making good decisions, and likewise some punishment for making bad decisions. Playing the game similar to the Sims where there isn't much of anything to improve yourself does not give me motivation to continue playing for long. I like to know that I am improving or making some sort of progress in the game, something as a comparator of myself to other players of the game. Much like some MMO's, they give out quests or certain tasks the player can do to improve their character. However, they also have the option to freely explore the world. I believe this can reach out and keep a wide range of audiences interested where they can explore the world and the game much like the Sims, but can also perform some tasks to improve themselves.
I think there should be an object to a game. First of all i hate games like The Sims because I can't compete. I need to compete in some way when im playing video because to me its more entertaining. Games that have an incentive allow the player to put effort into play and thus become more entertained especially when playing a friend. This is where online gaming comes into play. Online gaming is for competitive users who want a challenge and who desire a reward as a result of winning, even if that result is simply bragging rights. Games without an objective or a goal, regardless of their endless possibilities can lead to boredom because you are simply living a potential realistic life, only virtually. Games with an objective have negative and positive effects on a gamer. The negative effects can come as a result of loss which will often discourage a player whether they are playing a friend or a computer simulation. Playing a game such as The Sims lacks the excitement that a game such as Zelda or Madden NFL is full of. Yes, players who play The Sims may get pleasure out of living a life through an avatar that they can only dream of in real life but you cannot get the same excitement that was intended in the establishment of video games without a goal or objective.
I think the game should be purely a simulation because it is a game that created a fantasy world with its own rules that allows many player to join this world and "live" under its rules and "experience" what different systems would bring to them. To have an object to the game means that a certain possibility will be developed meaning that no matter what happens, there will be certain results. This limits the imagination and possibilities to the game because anything can happen in this world just like anything can happen in our world as well.
I agree. If a player is given a concrete objective to the game, then that player's decisions and actions will be based mostly on trying to reach that objective. This may prevent players from exploring certain places or doing certain things in the game that they might have done without the objective. It also almost guarantees that a certain outcome in the game will happen (since the players will be working towards it), which seems to ruin the idea of influencing and experiencing a political alternative to our current world. Perhaps a vague, more general objective can be used for the game, like gaining skills or experience, where a player can choose what they want to learn or where they want to explore. An general objective will get someone to start playing and continue playing as they become more immersed in the game.
I think the game would actually benefit from having a primary objective because it would provide an initial incentive for playing the game. For example, the goal of World of Warcraft was to complete the quests and defeat the final bosses. However, what resulted from the game was an entire social environment where players can interact and travel/fight together. These connections grew so large that players would actually meet outside of the game and discuss various things with each other. A lot of people have this misconception that once the player accomplishes his or her mission, they would no longer play the game. However, if you look at World of Warcraft, the object is so hard to achieve that it causes people to work together.
I think if the game were based levels and there was an object to the game it would defeat the purpose of this whole thing. It would institute rules and competition, perhaps creating alliances between people/states which could further perpetuate things like tyranny and world wars. It would be best to have it be based on something like the Sims where people participate in a world that reflects the choices they make to live the life they want. Since many institutions would not exist in this world that exist in the current reality of our society, I feel their would be more of a chance to pursue whatever a person wanted to do. I have to agree with what someone else already say... having an object to the game would put boundaries on the game and not let it live out to its full potential. There are already inherent rules and objectives to the game if there were levels or things like that that would take the player off the path of what the game is supposed to be.
I think that the game should be a simulation, because I think the players would lose interest if there was an object to the game and they already accomplished it, then they would just lose interest and never play it afterward. The reason why people play games like Sims and World of Warcraft and keep coming back to it is because of the social networking and the constant new features that are being added to it interest the players more and keeps them wanting to come back and play. I think players will learn more if there is no main objective attached to the game, it's better to have variety of goals for players to reach, as well as various opportunities that players can choose to accomplish and reach on their own.
I agree with this concept of simulation. If a game was based on other forms of media like movies or books, they would not be engaged continuously over and over. Once the objective of the game is finished, essentially the player has achieved their intended goal, and the reason for playing the game would diminish. Putting aside educational factors, many people view games simply as an escape from the reality of things they normally have no control over, and a simulation like Sim City gets as close to manipulating this control over life and the world around them without ever having to leave your house.
I totally agree about the social networking and constant updates to the game. In today's society, online computer games that require intensive interactive game play, MMO(Massively Multiplayer Online) games for example, can be played forever as it seems like. This is because you are playing with real people who you can interact with and there are always constant new patches that allow the user to play new material all the time. In my opinion, when I play a game and complete the main objective, I then stop playing the game as there feels like there is nothing else to do. Goals that players create for them selves and accomplish for them selves would be better and this will allow players to have a variety of goals for them to achieve.
I agree with Isabelle. The game should be simulation. The game should be for entertainment for and social networking. I used to be an avid Sim City player and have watched the original Sim City evolve from Sim City 2000, 3000, and presently 4. When I played it I focused mainly on entertainment and would communicate with other players in terms of how to create my city and be a productive state in the nation of Sim City. I never focused masterying the game, but I did make sure my city had complete power, water, and the people living in my city were happy. In short, I used the game as a simulation.
I agree with you. The game should be for social networking and not have a certain set objective. In a interaction game like this, object are goals seem to be pointless because in everyone should have their own objective and goal. Setting one not only limits the game, it also take away the interesting part of the game, that is, the possibility to create and develop.
I agree with the fact that this should be a simulated game, however, I don't know that the reason is because there would be a loss of interest if there was an objective. If the objective is difficult enough to achieve and remains an ongoing challenge for players, they will be interested and entertained, while also being able to engage in the social networking and new features. I think a simulated game would be more appealing but some sort of an objective is necessary as well so one can see where the game is taking them and that there is a point to playing it.
I also agree with this the fact that the game should be a simulation game, and I also agree with the comment that the players would not lose interest. In any simulation circumstance, I believe that the interest would continue on as players learn more about the game and their position in it. In this regard, I also think that the social media aspect of it will enable relationships like facebook or online games have deemed. I also believe that in any new media, there is an individual that wants to understand the game to its potential and become masters in it. So through time, I believe that groups will be created within the game and progress itself into an interactive world.
I completely agree with you regarding the simulation that should be in the game. One of the things that does bring individuals into the online game world is the visual stimulation along with the networking within the gaming community. This particular game I believe should have a balance of not only visual/social importance but also objectivity. The games objectivity I think is key in separating it from a multitude of games online that do not have a political and educational possibility at their core and I think this balance will highlight that objective while also bringing many players to the site
This game should be a simulation because it would be difficult to find a specific objective or to keep players from only concentrating on the objective if there was one and therefore loosing sight of other issues . I think that allowing the game to lead you or develop accordingly to social interactions and other events would be more interesting since the player would not be expecting any specific turnout.
When there is no particular set objective there is increased ability for the player and the game to develop into unique ways. For instance, by having a main object there is an encouragement for competition and thus the goal of the game becomes winning instead of the learning process throughout the game, which I argue is more important to the benefit of the game and the player as a whole. When it's a win or lose situation, the goal then becomes winning without an understanding of the meaning and motives behind the game. Without positioning the game as motive-based, it is more realistic.
I definitely agree with this... it does not allow the game to naturally develop into something else that perhaps it couldn't if there was an object to the game. It changes the dynamic of the game and perhaps completely opposes the ideas originally set up for the game. By having an objective, there is more of a chance to create political institutions to gain more control over certain aspects of the game in order to win. When competition is the main objective, it blinds the players into looking beyond that aspect and living a more harmonious life amongst other citizens. Like you said, there is a win or lose situation and this does not make things equal. Things should be played out naturally to see how it evolves and what comes from having no motive or objective in going from day to day life... it could go a different direction than we even thought it could go, and perhaps it would lead to this aspect of having an objective, but it would happen naturally.
There should be a variety of objects in the game available to the player. The game World of War Craft (commonly known as WOW) is an example of this. The main object of the game is to reach "level 75" with your player, such based on abilities, strenght and experience in battles. However the way by which one may reach this varies endlessly through each individuals' selection of acitivies they choose to participate in or objectives they wish to accomplish. One may ask "what happens when the players reach the top level? What then? The designers of WOW have continually upgraded the game in various ways so that the player does not become uninterested. I feel that such would be an appropriate way for the game to be structured, in that players will have the choice to engage in a variety of actions for self-improvement, or self-destruction for that matter. Though there is the argument that having an objective in the game may place interest in that objective alone and nothing else, it can also be argued that not having an objective can become pointless and meaningless to the players. There must be a reason, a motive for the players to engage in every time they play.
if there was an object to the game, wouldnt it essentially be the online version of the boardgame Risk? we'd all play strategically...
There needs to be some object to the game to keep players engaged and provide some guidlines for their actions. I do not think this will detract from the realistic nature of the game as long as the objectives are presented in an appropriate fashion, nor do I feel sim city is all that realistic itself. The problem with sim city is that it is too much of a free-for-all where players treat the game as an escape from reality rather than an alternative version of reality. The enjoyment of sim city does not come from simulating boring, dull life in the game but by having a realistic appearance in which players can project their imagination on, doing things out of the ordinary without having to face any real consequences. For example, a sim city player may build a bunch of amusement parks on an interesting whim or knock down all the school buildings as a way to let out their frustration after getting a bad grade on a test in the real world.
Real life has a good deal of structure, goal-oriented intentions, and predictability. Establishing player objectives will provide structure and predictable intentions, making it more realistic and be more engaging by setting up challenges for the players to overcome and the enriching feeling of achieving specific goals. Real life presents people with a set of objectives at different stages of life from which people choose from. For example, during early childhood, children decide what toys they want to play with, at adolescence there are many other categories of objectives people choose from (i.e. education, peer relations, sports, community organizations, etc.) and in adulthood they decide what kind of employment they want to strive for. The completion of certain objectives opens the door to new objectives. The game should reflect this notion by presenting players with a set of optional objectives in which they can check which ones they want. Then they work towards completing these objectives, choosing their actions carefully as they may undermine some objectives while furthering others and so the challenge is making decisions that will maximize the potential of completing all objectives overall. Continuously throughout the game at certain stages, new objective choices should appear in which players must choose from. Having no objectives will cause players to mindlessly do things, or do things only possible in one's imagination and the virtual gaming world. Thus, objectives are necessary for some game structure and to keep players fully immersed in the game.
I disagree. The game should not have an 'object' for the very same reason that you say it should - to be representative of reality. Yes, real life can be structured and predictable but I hesitate to conclude that there is some sort of to life, an ultimate goal that can be realized by those who 'play' well. Instead, reality is random and complex; the object of my life may be different from someone else's and is particular to every individual. In games like 'Sim City' there are still 'objective choices' to be made in order to get somewhere, and I think that this game would benefit if players were presented with these choices and decisions. However, in creating a sole object to the game we are depicting life as a being a 'win or lose' type situation. Instead, the game should not recognize any choice as the 'right' choice but should allow actions and decisions to impact players in the same way they do in the real world: through offering new opportunities and creating new results. I agree that structuring the game so that when people make a decision a potential 'door' is opened would create incentive and immerse players. This aspect of the game can exist without creating an actual object to the game that a player would try to realize.
the fear of having an object to the game and trying to have a mastery of the object is that it would limit the full capacities of the game itself. instead of having one chief focus, why not allow for multiple areas of reward where reward itself is intrinsic to the new budding features that one encounters. similarily i think how players are rewarded should change over time depending on how many new players enter the game and how interconnected around the globe this game becomes. surely then we will see how subjective each person's objective to this game is
the game should be a simulation game similar to that of Sim City because this allows for more cause and effect situations to blossom and the reward system would be more closely related to that of the real world. a lot of people believe that games like Sim City are about as close to real life as a game is able to reach resulting in the most compelling scenarios spurning from player interactions. the simulation would reflect things and ideas the players believe are faulty in society or show how people are able to take advantage of the systems intact to run a society. however with this said even in a simulation and in reality as well there would have to be an object that the people are trying to reach. in the real world people see the object of their lives as being bearers of children, accumulating wealth, bettering the world, or even just having fun. this would be reflected in the simulation as well, regardless of the set up and there would also be people who would be able to reach a sense of mastery by achieving this object or goal.


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Jasiri X
Emcee and community activist Jasiri X is the creative force and artist behind the ground breaking internet news series, This Week with Jasiri X, which has garnered critical acclaim, thousands of subscribers, and millions of internet views. His videos have been featured on websites as diverse as Allhiphop.com and The Huffington Post and Jasiri has been a guest on BET Rap City, The Michael Baisden Show, Free Speech TV, Left of Black, and Russia Today. A six time Pittsburgh Hip-Hop Award winner, Jasiri recently became the first Hip-Hop artist to received the coveted August Wilson Center for African American Culture Fellowship. A founding member of the anti-violence group One Hood, Jasiri started the New Media Academy to teach young African-American boys how to analyze and create media for themselves.
Rhymes: Public Enemy "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos," Mobb Deep "Shook Ones (Part II)," and Jay Electronica "Exhibit C"
Click here to download Jasiri's Interview[audio https://archive.org/download/RhymesReasonsJasiriX/Rhymes%20%26%20Reasons-%20Jasiri%20X.mp3]
More Info on Jasiri:
Songs from this Interview:
Public Enemy "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos"
Public Enemy "By the Time I Get to Arizona"
Mobb Deep "Shook Ones (Part II)"
Sam Sneed "U Better Recognize"
Jay Electronica "A Prayer for Michael Vick & T.I."
Jasiri x "Don't Forget About the Hood"
Jay Electronica "Exhibit C"
Jasiri X "Trayvon"
Jasiri X "Real Gangstas"
Chance the Rapper "Acid Rain"


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Good time to fertilize
Since we all felt nature's wrath from hurricane Irma on September 10th, we have been trimming, pruning, removing, raking, and sweating, all the while wondering what the rest of the storm season would bring. Hopefully, we can put Irma behind us and move with the gardening chores that October has for us.
Foremost is your fall fertilizing. Everything in your yard could use a boost. While Irma's strong winds dried out leaves on some plants like bougainvillea on the day of the storm, other plants are just now showing the effects. A good feeding will hasten new leaf growth and help your plants recover from hurricane stress. Remember the good rule of thumb of one pound of fertilizer for every three feet of height for palms and trees. One half that amount is applicable for the average shrub. Pulling away mulch when applying feed is recommended as mulches absorb nitrogen from your fertilizer taking it away from the plants that need it. Replace the mulch and water in the fertilizer.
Herbs & Vegetables
Growing vegetables and herbs is also on the fall schedule. Whether starting from seeds or juvenile plants, October is the month to start your winter crops. Our new supply of organic seeds has arrived including herbs, vegetables, fruits, sprouts, and flowers. SmartyPlants can get you started with the right growing media as we have non-peat cups and trays to start your seeds. We also have the excellent seed-starting soil mix from Organic Mechanics, and our organic fertilizers include fish emulsion, seaweed extract, worm castings, and the Dr. Earth line of organic feeds. Many herbs and vegetable starter plants have also arrived. We have patio tomatoes, jalapeno and habanero peppers, Brussel sprouts, eggplant, collards, okra, zucchini, squash, cabbage and an assortment of herbs in 4 ½-inch and 1-gallon pots.
Interesting Specimens
If your yard needs some replacements or additions, think about some uncommon palms. A Florida-native, the Buccaneer or Sargent's palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii), is a palm for the extremes as it is drought and salt tolerant. A slow grower, it general reaches only 15 feet in height, and its swollen trunk base and silvery gray fronds makes it a striking specimen. These are available in 15-gallon pots.
The red Latania (Latania lontaroides) has sometimes been called a dwarf Bismarkia, but they are not related. Besides its show-stopping red petioles, the Latania silver fan-shaped leaves have 'fur' on them, making them even more unusual and striking. Reaching a height of twenty-five feet and a spread of fifteen feet, the red Latania is drought and salt tolerant. We have these beauties in 7-gallon pots.
Wild Lime
For the butterfly enthusiast, the wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara), native to South Florida and the Caribbean, is a must. It is a host plant for the giant Swallowtail butterfly. A very thorny plant, it is sometimes planted as a protective barrier. Since it can be a menace as a bush, we only offer it in a standard or small-tree form with a single trunk. This makes it much easier to keep shaped plus your swallowtails will be at eye-level for viewing! SmartyPlants has 3-, 7-, and 15-gallon sizes available.
(October 8th)
Melaleuca Mulch
If you are re-mulching your beds, this is a good time to try melaleuca mulch. We offer this product as an environmentally prudent alternative to cypress mulch. Melaleuca is made from an invasive tree species that is native to Australia, and it has become increasingly invasive to many wetlands and uplands, including the Florida Everglades. It was also known as the mulch that settles (diminishes) the least in a 2-year period.


text: As part of their training and to foster scientific cross-talks in the school, FIRE PhD fellows present their work to interdisciplinary audiences through the fellow seminars. In the first year, the students work in groups to present their newly created projects during the Creating Interdisciplinary Research Projects workshop, and they individually present their PhD research project during the Interdisciplinary Fridays seminars. During the second year, students group themselves according to themes and organise a day-long workshop centered around the chosen them.


text: Written by Geomancy.Net. Posted in Ram Compatibility Ram & Pig - Chinese Horoscope [ Compability with others | Ram | Pig | Home ] Ram and Pig One of the best possible combinations. Both are home loving and loyal. This is going to be a harmonious relationship. Hits: 9907 Print Previous Next


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1942 - 2001
1946 - 2009
The Bluegrass Plus Club was started in April 2005 by Ray and Sheila Tassie, we welcome all types of acoustic music from bluegrass, old timey, ballads and blues to keep it live and alive, in a relaxed and friendly enjoyable manner.
Always music has been there but during the 90's other things took priority and enthusiasm slipped but in 2001 on hearing the sad news of the untimely death of Bluegrass musician Ted London (Henley Horrors) the spark was re awakened, so here's to you Ted.
Ted teamed up with Viva Smith and Ray Tassie in the late 60's to form Wild Oats. Mike Flood joined, Ted then left to pursue his love of Bluegrass. Derek Smith (who Viva subsequently married) joined, they were very popular during the seventies and eighties. Viva then formed an all girl harmony group Dangerous Curves which was very popular until her untimely death on Easter Monday 2009.
Wild Oats made two LP's if anyone would like copies on CD please let us know and donations will go to Cancer Research UK in memory of Viva.


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I Kings 19:11-12
And as Elijah stood there the Lord passed by,
and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain;
it was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose,
but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind, there was an earthquake,
but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake, there was a fire,
but the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire,
there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
* * * * *
How did Elijah know that now was the time to come out from behind the rock where he was hiding and talk to the Lord? The Bible says, When Elijah heard it (the gentle whisper), he wrapped his face in his scarf and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Elijah knew God. He had seen his God perform in magnificent, powerful acts! It was Elijah who announced the awesome edict from God: . . . . surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years . . . and there wasn't. God followed through: He stopped the rain!
Elijah saw with his own eyes the bottomless flour canister and the oil pot that never ran dry. He was there when God breathed life back into the widow's son.
God sent fire from heaven and burned up the saturated bullock and all of the wet wood and licked up all of the water out of the trenches that Elijah had filled. He even burned the rocks and the dust! Elijah was there. He saw God do it and heard the people yelling at the top of their voices, Jehovah is God! The Lord, He is God!
And when God decided that it was time for the rain to fall, He split open the heavens and the rain fell. Oh, yes. Elijah knew God to be a mighty God! Why did he feel safe, like it was all right now to go out when he heard a gentle whisper?
I don't know, but I wonder if it was because God wasn't trying to impress anyone that day. It was just His friend, Elijah, and Himself. You'll think I'm strange when I say that maybe–just maybe–God is like the great wizard in The Wizard of Oz. Oh, not that He is impotent or manipulative. He does a lot of impressive things, but when you get to know Him, one on one, He's gentle. A gentle person. When He touches you, His touch is gentle. When He speaks to you, His words are gentle.
Gentle as a dad with his newborn son.
Gentle as a little child reaching out to touch a butterfly.
Gentle as a soft, spring breeze.
Gentle like a mama dog with her litter of pups.
He doesn't really want me to sit in the grandstand all of the time, watching His glorious acts of power and bragging on Him. He doesn't want me to always be needing Him to change the water into wine or feed five thousand with five hard little loaves and two little fish. He simply wants to walk with me and talk with me. He wants us to be Friends. Friends! Incredible!
You don't yell at me, God. You don't get frustrated and stomp around in Heaven. Even when You scold me, You do it gently. You watch and You know when a tiny sparrow falls. You are a gentle Shepherd. You stooped down, picked up the dirty, frightened little lost lamb, carried him in Your arms, and he wasn't afraid any longer. I can see that tiny animal snuggling down in Your cloak and Your strong arms holding him…gently. I wonder if You didn't nuzzle Your chin in the heavy, curly wool on his head? Yes. You are a gentle God.
Oh, I thank You so much for Your gentleness. That takes away my fear, my hesitancy at being in Your presence. I've been guilty of putting the wrong inflection in Your voice, making You angry or judgmental. But, God, I know You better now. You didn't shout at the fierce wind and the tumultuous waves of the raging sea. You spoke gently and said, "Peace. Be still." You spoke gently to John about Your mother, gently to the lepers, gently even to the embarrassed harlot.
I have been so unfair to You. I have longed for gentleness. I have cried for gentleness–imagined gentleness–and You have been right here all the time. I should have known. Thank You, gentle Jesus, for being my Friend.
His voice is for the ear of love,
and love is intent upon hearing
even the faintest whispers.


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Lacey Caroline is one of the many female artists to come out of country music, but one of the few to come from a region that's not the South, and it shows in her music. Her second EP "One of the Guys" distinguishes her from the crowd, embracing a rock-influenced sound and highlighting her spunky personality.
Track by track review
Album Rating: 9/10
- Girl Like You - The lead single from the EP is a good introduction to Lacey Caroline's personality, establishing her as a classy girl, but one who won't step down from a conflict to get what she wants. Unlike a lot of independent music (especially independent music written exclusively by the artist) the lyrics are pretty creative, and don't rely on forced rhymes or clichés. 8/10
- One of the Guys - Although "Girl Like You" establishes Lacey Caroline's personality in reaction to an event, "One of the Guys" establishes it as a whole. It also takes a refreshing attitude towards girls behaving in a tomboy-esque way not seen often, emphasizing that Lacey can behave however she likes Lots of songs that attempt to establish the singer as a person paradoxically include them changing for someone they love, and this is a refreshing change, emphasizing that she can behave however she wants and even if she could be a typical girly-girl, she's not choosing that and it's her choice. 9/10
- Vegas - The best song on the EP, "Vegas", tells a story that's been told quite a few times — one of a boy who's cheated on a girl and thinks it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Caroline's sass from "Girl Like You" continues on this song, with lyrics such as "Tell me again how much I meant/Cause it seems like your lies keep changing" and "You let — what's her name? — take you home". The depiction of the cheating fits well with the theme of "Love ain't a game and this ain't Vegas", with the cheating boy taking a risk and behaving recklessly and expecting nothing will happen. 10/10
- The Way It Used to Be - The rock-influenced style works well on the rest of the tracks on this EP as they are upbeat songs and the music fits the emotion, but "The Way It Used To Be" would work better as a more ballad-like song, describing how a relationship used to be. It's good for a musician to find their style, but it shouldn't be influenced so much that the music of a song doesn't fit with its theme. I'm confident there's room for improvement, however, considering that the lyrics of this song are well written and the rest of the EP is good too. 7/10
Album Rating: 9/10
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The ultimate musescore songbook
I have just created a group to compile a songbook of songs from Musescore (See group description for more detail, here's the link: http://musescore.com/groups/ultimate_songbook_of_musescore. We need all the people we can get to join, as it 30+ people to really kick start the path to publishing the song book, so it would be great for everybody to join!
Thanks in advance!


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Folk Artist, Poet, Librarian: Meet RhondaK
Decked in dreadlocks and constantly running about in designer high heels, RhondaK, a.k.a. Rhonda Kitchens, is an academic librarian by day and fantastic folk artist at night. Her eccentric tastes are reflected in her works. Though she paints hundreds of images, the artist explains that she is "creeped out by canvas." Instead, she utilizes wood planks, slats, and boards, sometimes interlaced with ropes, other times nailed to another post, to create her pieces. And, even with her interest in visual art she refused to lose her other passion: writing. Rhonda saw herself as a poet and even had a few pieces published. So, she started to add her own poems, pithy phrases, and reflective philosophies toher works. She now categorizes herself as a folk artist and her works as "sign art."
"I was drawing a lot. I drew price tags for a chainsaw artist, Alan 'Tiki Man' Keller, and made short stories to go with the tikis he made. Then, I wanted to branch out some more so started painting on wood I found in the area where I was at the time — Cortez, Florida. I was encouraged to put them out for sale and I started showing them at the Star Fish Company. The first thing I sold was on a piece of palm tree remnant. It was a daisy and said 'Be A Lazy Daisy.'"
Her success was interrupted by two car accidents that happened in 2002. She was diagnosed with two concussions within a week. She had issues with her eyes and found that her "memory shifted". For a time, she feared she had lost the ability to read and worried that she could not work as a librarian. To cope, she started to paint symbols that meant something to her: roosters and hands. She expanded to other images of personal hope, mixtures of the Florida beach scene and the metaphysical: mermaids, turtles, fish, beach scenes, angels, and pelicans.
She continued her recovery and continued to grow her art brand. Now a resident of Tampa, she expresses uncertainty as to where her creative side will take her. She has been asked to do murals and other works, but, as with many artists, she struggles between her love of creation and maintaining a job.
"I sell at least one piece a week somewhere. I feel blessed. But, at the same time I do feel down that some people don't see sign art as "real" art. From my experience, it's a fantastic, old and oft collected art. I've seen people hug my work. I make people laugh. I make people think. I remind people about things they love."
When asked what her advice would be for art collectors, she said that it was important to take time with an artist. "Ask to look at doodles and sketches with ideas that the artist hasn't had time to create yet. Encourage them to follow through. Ask them about a piece they are most proud of and the story behind it. It's important to hear the artist's story."
Where to find her art: Ybor Saturday Art Market, Star Fish Company
To contact the artist: email@example.com
Website: Rhondakwrites.com


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The Tony Romo-Dallas Cowboys standoff is now in its 20th day. Is there light at the end of this tunnel?
On today's edition of CowboysCast, Mike Fisher from 105.3 The Fan in Dallas and CowboysHQ.com joins Bobby to sort through the fact and fiction of Romo's pending departure.
LINK: Is There A Rift Building Between Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys?


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Agent Green
Thank you to everyone who made Agent Green a success, creating real positive impact in our community while having a great time and meeting wonderful people! We are in the process of reinventing Agent Green; stay tuned for exciting news about the new direction of this great program in the spring of 2011.
Agent Green events activate our community's collective buying power in a reverse boycott to demonstrate how going green is good for the bottom line. The events create inertia for efficiency retrofits, generating up-front capital to facilitate the switch.
Seattle Green Spaces Coalition
Our Mission
Coltura's mission is making America gasoline-free by 2040.
Gasoline use is one of the main reasons our earth is in peril. It's up to us to save our home.
Coltura was founded in 2014 to accelerate a consumer shift from gasoline to clean transportation. To achieve our mission we are uniting artists, scientists, businesses, and communities to change our gasoline habit.
Gas-Free Planning
writing services
Host a Clothing Drive/Raise Funds
I've created this group to give members an opportunity to host a paid donation drive for the nonprofit organization of their choice. Any organzation with 501c3 status qualifies - schools, churches, shelters, food banks, cause-oriented organizations, etc.
The company I work for, Value Village, pays organations for every pound of soft goods collected - clothing, shoes, fashion accessories, linens, etc. - providing an opportunity to make upwards of thousands of dollars.


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Atlas of pathology
Thymus atrophy
Where: lymphatic system, thymus
Possible causes: Porcine circovirosisPRRS
Thymus atrophy is generally related to immunosupression as well as with chronic catabolic processes. This piglet suffered from porcine circovirus type 2-systemic disease (formerly known as postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome), which causes lymphocyte depletion observable at a microscopic level. Such lesion can be grossly visualized in some cases as thymus atrophy.


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Charges against three Prince George's County police officers left a nasty taste in the chief's mouth, he said Monday evening.
Chief Roberto Hylton made the comments hours after the FBI arrested the officers, saying he is concerned that greed has taken over some of the department's employees. The officers were arrested Monday morning as part of an ongoing investigation. The FBI also served search warrants throughout the county and in Prince William County, Va.
"I'm outraged at the disgraceful conduct demonstrated by three of our officers, who tarnished our badge for their own greed and personal gain," Hylton said.
In two indictments unsealed Monday, a federal grand jury indicted a total of nine defendants, including the three Prince George's County police officers. Seven defendants, including two of the officers, are charged in the first indictment with conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right in a scheme involving the transport and distribution of untaxed cigarettes and alcohol. The second indictment charges the third officer and another man with a drug and gun conspiracy.
Read the indictments here and here.
Prince George's County police confirmed that the FBI arrested Sgt. Richard Delabrer, Cpl. Chong Chin Kim and Officer Sinisa Simic.
U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein said the officers abused the public trust, NBC Washington's Chris Gordon reported.
"We gave them badges to enforce the law," he said. "They used them to break the law."
Delabrer, 45, of Laurel, Md., and Kim, 42, of Beltsville, Md., were charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion under color of official right.
According to the indictment, they agreed that Amrik Singh Melhi, a 51-year-old Clarksville native who owns numerous liquor stores in Maryland, and others would pay police officers in exchange for them using their official authority to ensure the safe transport and distribution of untaxed cigarettes and alcohol in Maryland and Virginia.
The others charged were Melhi's 49-year-old wife, Ravinder Kaur Melhi; Amir Milijkovic, a 39-year-old auto glass store owner from Bowie, Md.; Chun "Eddy" Chen, 34, of Bowie; and Jose Moreno, 49, of Alexandria, Va. They face a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted in the extortion conspiracy case.
The first indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $3.5 million, 25 properties, 13 vehicles and 84 bank accounts.
In the second indictment, two people were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking: Simic, 25, of Woodbridge, Va.; and Mirza Kujundzic, 30, of Woodbridge. Conviction could result in sentences of up to life in prison with a minimum of five additional years on the gun charges, Gordon reported.
Simic already was suspended without pay when he was arrested Monday, NBC Washington's Julie Carey reported. Drugs had been found in his personal vehicle in July. He also had been suspended with pay prior to that for another offense.
The Prince George's County Police Department said it is cooperating fully.
At least one officer apparently met his alleged co-conspirators through off-duty work at a liquor store. Hylton promised a review of moonlighting policies for officers.
The FBI confirmed that a search being conducted at Tick Tock Liquor in Hyattsville, Md., is part of this investigation. Both the FBI and the IRS were at the scene. More FBI agents were seen coming out of Delabrer's Laurel home with numerous boxes, according to NBC Washington's Darcy Spencer. Agents also searched Simic's Woodbridge, Va., home, Gordon reported.
The charges are part of an ongoing series of public corruption investigations in the county, and more could follow, U.S. Attorney Rosenstein said.
"We have ongoing right now a series of related investigations here in Prince George's County," Rosenstein said. He would not comment on how the various investigations may be related.
It does not appear that the officers' arrests are directly related to Jack Johnson's arrest on Friday.
"It's part of an ongoing investigation in Prince George's County," said FBI spokesman Richard Wolf, of the bureau's Baltimore field office. "I'm not going to make connections to any other cases that are currently out there."
At a U.S. District Court appearance in Greenbelt Monday, the defendants were ordered held in custody until detention hearings later this week.
Stay with NBC4 and NBCWashington.com for more information.