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St. Angela's College, Sligo, a College of the National University of Ireland, Galway, is a provider of University-level education and research in the North West of Ireland. As a College within the wider National University network we are a dynamic, fast-growing educational institution that recognises our strategic location in Sligo and the North West. We are fully responsive to the local/regional needs and aware of our contribution not only to University-level education but to the social and economic development of the region.
Students at St. Angela's College, Sligo are afforded a high quality of University education with small classes, state of the art resources within a strong community environment while been given the wider opportunities of being registered students at NUI Galway.
St. Angela's College, Sligo, is founded on over 400 years of education tradition. This is a tradition which values both Christian ideals and academic excellence. As a College within the wider National University of Ireland network there is a strong community environment which is recognised for its friendly, caring, atmosphere characterised by respect for the individual.
St. Angela's College, Sligo, has a well-deserved reputation for delivering high quality programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across the academic departments of Nursing and Health Studies, Home Economics and Education. The College offers a wide range of Access, Adult Education and Professional Development programmes.
Although established as a College of Education for Home Economics Teachers in recent years the College has expanded far beyond its original remit and currently its profile of academic programmes of study also includes: Nursing & Health Studies, Education, Special Needs Education, Theology, Food and Consumer Studies, Science, Irish, Economics and Social Studies.
The Irish Government's decision to name St. Angela's College, Sligo as the sole provider of Home Economics Teacher Education in Ireland (2003) and the Department of Health's approval of the new School of Nursing and Health Studies has resulted in a dramatic increase in student numbers in the past five years. Current student numbers attending the College are approximately 900.
The provision of such a range of academic offerings at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels coupled with its unique geographical position as the sole provider of University education in the North West has lead to a dramatic increase in student numbers regionally and nationally with an ever increasing interest internationally. It is predicted that there will be a significant growth in student numbers over the next few years.
The Modern Day Campus & Environment
In 1952, St. Angela's College, Sligo was founded by the Ursuline Order. It was around this unique cut stone building, the beautiful 19th Century Clogherevagh House that our modern day campus, overlooking the lake has evolved. .
In recent years the College has undergone a period of rapid infrastructural development. The landmark new Àras Michael Building is home to the well equipped McKeown Library and the Department of Nursing & Health Studies incorporating state of the art clinical facilities.
St. Angela's Student Residences are luxury student accommodation adjacent to the St. Angela's Campus, overlooking Lough Gill and are available to students, visiting academics and international guests. On site support services include a laundry, gym, a convenience store with ATM and car parking. (see www.sasr.info)
The new Nursing Building, Library and Student Residences clearly demonstrate the College's commitment to modernisation of facilities and infrastructure. All infrastructural developments reflect new academic and enrolment growth. Investment plans and developments are ongoing to undertake significant projects of building and modernisation in the coming years which will include: further upgrading of classrooms, lecturing facilities and specialist laboratories, indoor and outdoor sports and recreation facilities.
We recognise and are proud of the fact that our College campus is located in one of the most scenic areas in the country on the shores of Lough Gill. Our College Green Team monitors and maintains how we interact with our idyllic environment as we continue to develop and cater for an increased student population. The aim of the Green Team is to focus on conserving resources and increase recycling so an environmentally friendly campus can be enjoyed by students, staff, the community and visitors alike.


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Here's a Full Monty with a Q from sweet Jasmine, who currently lives at PAWS in Norwalk, CT. :)
Jasmine Full Monty 2010 (http://animalsheltervolunteer.blogspot.com/)
Whooo-hoooo Jasmine.
That's a furry fully revealing Full Monty. But you handled it well.
Love & Purrs,
You certainly aren't shy are you Jasmine!
You get our vote for full monty!
A master of the art! Our vote here!

subset: commoncrawl


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No one can explain the most complex economic and monetary issues in a simpler, more homespun fashion than former governor of the Federal Reserve, Bob McTeer. He is known for carrying around two yard sticks, one slightly longer than the other, to demonstrate to your average guy the monthly changes in employment.
Bob argues that the Fed is getting a bad rap today. Ben Bernanke's quantitative easing is neither inflationary, nor causing the collapse of the dollar. This "money printing effort" is not actually printing any money. The $1.7 trillion QE1 was designed to buy mortgage backed securities to bring liquidity back to the market place. QE2 enabled the purchase of a further $600 billion in Treasury securities to prevent a double dip recession. On top of this, the Treasury piled the $700 billion TARP to recapitalize the major banks. All three of these programs were wildly successful.
As a result, the Fed balance sheet has grown from a pre-crash $800 billion to $2.8 trillion. Normally this would be inflationary, but it is not this time, as all of the extra money is being tied up with excess reserves at the banks. The proof of this is that the money supply, M2, is growing at a very modest 5%, barely enough to accommodate the population growth. Without the Fed programs the monetary base would have fallen off a cliff.
The challenge going forward is for the Fed to unwind its balance sheet at the same rate that the banks start paring back excess reserve through more aggressive lending. Too slow, and the Fed risks inflation. Too fast, and it risks falling back into recession. After the end of QE2, the Fed is likely to maintain a neutral stance, rolling over maturing debt instead of paying it down. Call it QE2.5.
Although it appears that the dollar is in a free fall in the foreign exchange markets, it is in fact at the same level as it was before the financial crisis. All it has really done is given back its flight to safety bid. The dollar is really a function of our international balance of payments and global interest rate differentials. Bob feels that the next big move in the greenback is down. I couldn't agree more.
McTeer points out that the Fed has been a huge cash cow for the Treasury, and ultimately, the taxpayer. QE1 and QE2 took in $120 billion in profits over the last two years. The TARP funds paid a 5% preferred dividend and brought in tens of billions of dollars in profits from the banks, General Motors, and AIG.
Bob views Obama's $900 billion stimulus package as "an attempt to shoot a hog with a shotgun." The big problem is that businesses view such programs as temporary and act accordingly. Permanent changes to government policies get you more bang for the buck.
Bob, 70, was probably one of the last people in Texas to use a functioning outhouse. He grew up in rural Ranger, Georgia, the son of a truck stop operator, and his first brush with the real economy was pumping gas and picking cotton. Somehow, he scored an economics degree from the University of Georgia, and went on to work at the Federal Reserve. He was named president of the Dallas Fed in 1991, and went on to pioneer the analysis of the impact of technology on the macro economy. Bob is simple, but he is no lightweight. Today, he serves as a chancellor of Texas A&M University, with 100,000 students.
By. Mad Hedge Fund Trader


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Welcome to Weston Park Horse Trials
In this site you will find a wealth of information relating the Spring National and Autumn International horse trials including contacts, dates and times, course information and even results (after the event of course).
Situated on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, the House was built in 1671 and has been the ancestral home of the Earls of Bradford. Today the House and Park is a Charitable Foundation, the family collections of porcelains, antique furniture and portraits are available for all to enjoy. The ongoing restoration and maintenance is financed by events such as the horse trials and the Weston Park Trustees thank you for your continued support and extend a heartfelt welcome to you all.


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Hitachi Ltd. says its researchers have successfully shrunken a key component in hard drives to a nanoscale that will pave the way for quadrupling today's storage limits to 4 terabytes for desktop computers and 1 terabyte on laptops in 2011.
A terabyte can hold the text of roughly 1 million books, 250 hours of high-definition video, or a quarter million songs.
"It means the industry is making good progress to advance the capacity of disk drives and move to smaller form factors," said John Rydning, an analyst at market research firm IDC.
The feat, which Hitachi plans to present Monday at the Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Conference in Tokyo, revisits a technology known as giant magnetoresistance, or GMR, that was the basis of the work of two European scientists who won the Nobel Prize in physics last week.
A hard drive has a metal disk inside that spins as an arm with an electromagnetic head at its tip hovers over it. The head reads bits of data by registering the magnetic bearing of the particles on the disk.
Capacities of hard drives have grown as researchers have crammed more bits of data closer together while also making the heads sensitive enough to read the data. The industry looks to new technologies every time physical limitations kick in, and GMR -- which allows for extremely thin layers of alternating metals to detect weak changes in magnetism -- was one of the breakthroughs that led to the fastest growth rate in the early 2000s, allowing hard drives to double in capacity every year.
But GMR-based heads maxed out, and the industry replaced the technology in recent years with an entirely different kind of head. Yet researchers are predicting that technology will soon run into capacity problems, and now GMR is making a comeback as the next-generation successor.
"We changed the direction of the current and adjusted the materials to get good properties," said John Best, chief technologist for Hitachi's data-storage unit.
By doing so, Hitachi said it has created the world's smallest disk drive heads in the 30-nanometer to 50-nanometer range, or about 2,000 times smaller than the width of an average human hair.
Other hard drive companies are working on similar technology as well, Rydning said. He predicted the entire disk drive industry will begin migrating to this new type of GMR-based technology in 2009.
More TechLibrary
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Gulf Communities Agreement
It should first be noted that since the making of this agreement, Pasminco collapsed and was re-launched as Zinifex. Then in 2008, Zinifex merged with Oxiana Limited to become OZ Minerals.
Agreement overview
The GCA is a comprehensive agreement that seeks to achieve long term objectives and provide benefits to all parties. The GCA covers a wide range of issues and commitments, including social impact assessments, health facilities, the development of local businesses, compensation at the mine site and along the pipeline corridor, strategic plan funding, employment and training. A number of committees have been established to oversee environmental issues and employment and training under the GCA (MMG, 2010, 2, 3; Zinifex Century Mine, 2008, 4). A legal trust called the Aboriginal Development Benefits Trust has been established, consisting primarily of local Aboriginal community members who manage Century Mine's contributed funds for business development (Rio Tinto Aboriginal Policy and Programs, Briefing Note, March 2002; MMG, 2008, 3).
Some specific commitments have been made under the GCA in the following areas:
Schedule 1: Queensland government assistance
Pursuant to Schedule 5, five pastoral lease holdings (Lawn Hill, Riversleigh, Turn-off Lagoon, Pendine and Konka) were to be transferred back to their traditional owners. So far, the holdings that have been transferred are the Turn-off Lagoon property, as well as the Pendine and Konka properties (MMG, 2010, 3).
Schedules 7 and 8: the Gulf Aboriginal Development Corporation
The Gulf Aboriginal Development Corporation (GADC) was established under the GCA at the request of the Waanyi, Mingginda, and Gkuthaarn and Kikatj native title parties, in order to represent their interests during the implementation phase and the entire life of the agreement (MMG, 2010, 4). It plays an important coordination and facilitation role in the continuing operation of the agreement (Zinifex Century Mine, 2008, 3).
Research on employment outcomes
In April 2004, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining released a research paper on Aboriginal employment at the Century Mine. This paper found that the Century Mine employed a higher proportion of local Aboriginal people than most other remote mining operations in Australia (CSRM, 2004, i). Since the mine first became operational, Aboriginal employees accounted for between 15% and 20% of the total workforce. The mine was also recruiting at a rate of around 50 new Aboriginal employees a year. On a less positive note, Aboriginal employment at the mine was largely restricted to entry level positions, with few Aboriginal employees progressing to supervisory roles. Likewise, few Aboriginal employees were working in areas that required formal qualifications - although the research summary acknowledged that Century was making an effort to change this by investing in apprenticeships (CSRM, 2004, i).
Ten-year review
A ten-year review into the GCA was conducted in 2008 (ABC News, 2008; Department of Infrastructure and Planning, 2008). The review was overseen by a Steering Committee made up of representatives of the Queensland government, the Century Mine and the native title groups affected by the agreement (MMG, 2010, 4). The review called for 'increased government effort' in relation to the GCA, stating that 'a renewed commitment to the GCA was required over the remaining life of the mine...to ensure that employment and enterprise development benefits to native title groups [were] maximised' (Department of Infrastructure and Planning, 2008).
More specifically, the review made a number of recommendations for possible improvements to the agreement, including:
Research on general outcomes for Gulf communities
In July 2008, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining released a research paper on the implications of the completion of the Century Mine on Gulf communities. This paper found that the Century Mine has had the following impacts on the Gulf region:
© Copyright of Indigenous Studies Program, The University of Melbourne 2007 | Disclaimer Published by the Indigenous Studies Program, The University of Melbourne, October 2007. Photographs © Odette Mazel 2007.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management today published proposed regulations to establish a commercial oil shale program that could result in the addition of up to 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil from lands in the western United States.
In keeping with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the BLM is proposing regulations that would provide the critical "rules of the road" on which private investors will rely in determining whether to make future financial commitments to prospective oil shale projects.
"As Americans pay more than $4 for a gallon of gasoline and watch energy prices continue to climb higher and higher, we need to be doing more to develop our own energy here at home, through resources such as oil shale," said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. "Instead, I find it ironic that we are asking countries halfway around the world to produce more for us."
Oil shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock containing organic matter from which oil may be produced. The regulations would provide for a thoughtful, phased approach to oil shale development on public lands in the West. Commercial development of oil shale will not begin until it is technologically viable, which is not expected for several years.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is only publishing proposed regulations at this time because the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008 prohibits the agency from using FY2008 funds to prepare or publish final regulations. The President has called on Congress to remove the ban on finalizing oil shale program regulations.
Before any oil shale leases are issued, site-specific National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis would be completed on the proposed development. Once a lease is issued, the lessee will also have to obtain all required permits from state and local authorities, under their respective permitting processes, before any operations can begin.
The proposed leasing regulations incorporate provisions of the Energy Policy Act and the Mineral Leasing Act relating to: maximum oil shale lease size; maximum acreage limitations; rental; and lease diligence. The rule will also propose a range of royalty rate options, and will ask for public input on the royalty provisions. The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed rules.
The regulations address provisions of the Energy Policy Act that establish work requirements and milestones to ensure diligent development of leases. Standard components of a BLM leasing program ─ including lease administration and operations ─ would be included, as well as additional NEPA documentation requirements for lease applicants.
In remarks last month calling on Congress to expand domestic energy production, President Bush noted the "extraordinary potential" of oil shale resources on public lands in the West. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. holds more than half of the world's oil shale resources.
The largest known deposits of oil shale are located in a 16,000-square mile area in the Green River formation in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Shale formations in that area hold the equivalent of up to 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Federal lands comprise 72 percent of the total surface of oil shale acreage in the Green River formation.
"Oil shale is a strategically important domestic energy source that should be developed to reduce the nation's growing dependence on oil from politically and economically unstable foreign sources," said BLM Director James Caswell.
Throughout the process, the BLM will collaborate and consult with affected states, tribes and local governments to ensure that their interests and concerns surrounding the oil shale program continue to be addressed. For instance, the site-specific NEPA analyses would include the same opportunities for public involvement and comment that are part of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement process.
The regulations are just one of several steps designed to harness these vast energy resources. The BLM has also issued research, development and demonstration (RD&D) leases for five oil shale projects in Colorado's Piceance Basin and one in Utah. The BLM is also preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement that would amend several resource management plans to open lands for application for potential oil shale leasing in the future.
The Oil Shale Regulation on the electronic desk of the Federal Register today
is at


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there was a bit of talk about him on here with that Fresno documentary..
today the Globe ran a big piece about him
today the Globe ran a big piece about him
The 33-year-old's hopes of returning to the NBA or playing pro basketball anywhere in world are now basically dead. With his Massachusetts driver's license expected to be suspended soon, the Fall River hoop legend had to give up his job repossessing cars recently and is seeking employment in tough economic times. And the ex-Celtics point guard also has a wife and three kids to support.
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But considering the long fight that a now-sober Chris Herren is winning over alcohol and drugs, his current issues are far from the end of the world.
"I've been to hell and back," said Herren. "I lived the life that most people, a lot of people, don't get a chance to come out of, straight up. By the grace of God and the help from a plethora of people, I was able to come out of this.
"My financial situation is today. For today, it's fine. Am I comfortable and happy with it? Do I aspire for more? Absolutely. But like I said, from where I've been, it's a lot better."
Herren's hard fall from hoop legend to addict started when he was at Durfee High School in Fall River.
He averaged 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists as a senior in the 1993-94 season. The 1994 Massachusetts Player of the Year once scored 63 points - still a record - in an AAU game for the Boston Amateur Basketball Club.
Herren, a 6-foot-3-inch combo guard, was a McDonald's All-American and the focus of a book, "Fall River Dreams." He was featured in Sports Illustrated and mentioned in the same breath as prized Georgetown recruit Allen Iverson.
Through it all, Herren lived in a family that he says wasn't "Leave It To Beaver," but wasn't bad, either.
Celtics assistant executive director of basketball operations Leo Papile, who coached Herren with the BABC, said, "At his position in that era, in 1993 and 1994, there was no one better in the nation in high school as a combo guard. He could run a team, tough as nails, shoot the long ball, he had great instincts and feel for the game. He could run pick-and-rolls. He had an NBA résumé."
Said Herren, "What do you think your ego is going to be when you're a McDonald's All-American and you're in Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone magazine and you have a book written about you? Your ego can go a lot of ways."
Herren opted to go 35 miles up Route 24, signing a letter-of-intent with Boston College. But his Eagles career ended shortly after it started as he suffered a season-ending broken wrist in his debut against Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo Nov. 25, 1994.
"BC was a good idea," said Papile. "But when he got hurt, it went up in smoke."
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Herren partied hard and began using cocaine. His academics suffered. A substance-abuse counselor, who requested anonymity, said Herren's father approached him about helping his son with his drug problem. After three visits, Herren stopped meeting with the counselor, one whom he would cross paths with again 14 years later.
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"The one thing that struck me about him when I met him, and this is not for everyone, but I liked him," the counselor said. "He was positive even when he fired me. He said, 'You're good at what you do.'
"He had no interest in pursuing counseling. That's typical with addiction."
Said Herren, "At 19 years old, I had the blinders on and I wasn't really looking for support, help."
After academic troubles and a failed drug test, Herren decided in April 1995 to transfer. Looking back, he wishes he had stayed in Chestnut Hill.
"Today, as an adult and a grown man, you value things a lot differently," Herren said. "You become a little wiser. The education you receive at Boston College is like no other, the network, the people you deal with."
Herren's next move was 3,000 miles west to play for renowned coach Jerry Tarkanian at Fresno State. After sitting out a season, Herren was eligible to play as a sophomore in 1996-97. Tarkanian believed Herren was one of the most talented guards he ever coached - even better than his Bulldogs teammate, Rafer Alston, now with the Orlando Magic. But the focus to become great wasn't there for Herren.
"He was very talented, no question about it," Tarkanian said. "He had great guard speed. He was a quick guard. He was better than Rafer at that time. But Rafer was the first one in the gym and the last one out. Chris had other things he was interested in."
One of Herren's most memorable games was when he scored 19 points in 30 minutes against the University of Massachusetts on Nov. 22, 1997. Three days later, he held a teary-eyed press conference in which he admitted to having an alcohol and drug problem. On Nov. 28, Herren departed for a three-week stint at a rehabilitation clinic in Utah.
Tarkanian said he had no clue about Herren's alcohol and drug problem, but he said Herren often had friends in town from Fall River, and they might have been a bad influence.
"I was shocked when he tested positive for drugs and had to leave the team," Tarkanian said. "After the UMass game, his father and grandfather were so happy. The following day, he tested positive. I was shocked. I was disappointed."
Said Herren, "I'd be partying for two or three days, then walk in to play UMass on an hour sleep on national TV."
Herren averaged 7.2 assists a game, second in the nation, during his senior year at Fresno State, as well as 11.4 points. Prior to the 1999 NBA draft, Suns guard Steve Nash, who was a friend of Herren, approached then-Pacers forward Chris Mullin about helping Herren with his off-the-court problems. Mullin, who had overcome alcoholism himself, obliged. Herren spent time with Mullin in Indianapolis working out and talking about his off-the-court struggles.
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"He stayed in Indiana for a few days," said Mullin. "He got to meet my wife. He kind of got to meet the family. He ate meals with us. We shared some things. My wife knew who he was before and liked him. How many times does someone hand you a card and you don't call? We stayed in contact here and there after that."
With the off-court issues hanging over him, Herren fell to the second round and was selected 33d overall by the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 assists while shooting 35.8 percent from 3-point range as a rookie in 45 games during the 1999-2000 season.
Herren seemed to be on the right path in Denver until he was introduced to the pain-relieving drug OxyContin.
"If you look at those pills, they're the size of an Advil and they come in pink, yellow, green, blue," Herren said. "How could these things harm you? How could they cause such destruction? But the pain that those little pills bring, I wouldn't wish that on anybody.
"And from that point, when I got traded, I didn't play many games sober. And if I was sober, I wasn't feeling good."
The Nuggets traded Herren and Bryant Stith to the Celtics for Calbert Cheaney and Robert Pack on Oct. 16, 2000. In his last NBA season, 2000-01, Herren averaged 3.3 points and 2.2 assists. The Celtics cut him Oct. 28, 2001, to sign veteran guard Erick Strickland.
Playing career ends
With his addiction to OxyContin in full swing, Herren became a journeyman player, making stops in Italy, Turkey, China, and Germany. He thought he could hide his problem overseas, but it got worse, and he says he began using heroin in 2004. He was even put in jail in China after being arrested in a bar fight.
His wife, Heather, never saw her husband do drugs, but she knew something was wrong as money issues cropped up. She began realizing her husband had a problem while he was playing in Turkey during the 2001-02 season, but she admitted she had a "lot of denial."
"When we got back from Turkey, I realized it was a big issue," she said. "It was a big, big issue that I never fathomed. I didn't know a lot about addiction."
Herren's playing career ended in December 2004 after he was cut by the Dakota Wizards of the Continental Basketball Association following an arrest in Portsmouth, R.I. Police found him unconscious at a Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru with 18 packets containing heroin residue, along with drug paraphernalia.
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Herren blames no one but himself for his drug problems.
"The reality is, I've lived in seven different foreign countries and six different American cities and I found drugs in all of them," Herren said. "So it's not where you live, it's the person that you're bringing there.
"I did plenty of geographical changes in my life, thinking, 'I'm going to go to Italy to get away.' But Chris Herren was still with Chris Herren at the end of the day."
Hours before the incident in Portsmouth, Papile said, he had a bad feeling about Herren after watching him work out at the Celtics' practice facility in Waltham.
"I smelled a rat," said Papile. "It's not good with this kid. He was always a hyper kid, always over the edge. But this time he was going too fast."
Big assist for Mullin
As odd as it sounds, Herren's life finally changed for the better on June 4, 2008, when he was still a heroin user and heavy vodka drinker. He was found unconscious over the wheel of his car after it crashed into a telephone pole in Fall River, with a bag of heroin on the passenger seat.
He was taken by ambulance to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River for treatment and turned to his cellphone in hopes of finding someone to call for help.
"I looked at my phone and I had no friends left," Herren said. "All I had in my cell phone were people you don't call to be there when you need them except my brother's phone number and I was too ashamed to call my wife. I called my brother and told him what happened. Then I started crying.
"I was in the emergency room and this lady, her name was Mrs. Roy, she said, 'I know your mom. I was friends with your mom and we are going to get you some help because you don't need to be walking out of this emergency room by yourself and try to figure this out.' "
Upon his release four days later, Herren went to a nearby detoxification facility. Mullin and his wife, Liz, read about Herren's incident in a California newspaper and reached out to him. The Mullins sent Herren to a residential drug rehabilitation program in Rhinebeck, N.Y., where he was without outside contact from June through August of last year.
"People that go there, it's real, real hard-core," said Mullin. "Like a lot of things, it's nice for people to help each other. But doing that helped me. In life in general, the more you give away, the more you get back."
Said Papile, "Chris Mullin is a saint."
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Through it all, Heather stayed by her husband's side.
"I remember being really scared," she said. "I know he was. I really didn't know what the future would hold. There were times when I'd had it. I didn't know if I'd continue to support him. We were both really scared.
"But [June 4, 2008] was a significant day," said Heather. "No more deceit. No more lies. It was needed for him to be fine."
Next up for Herren was a three-month stint at the Miller House, a 33-bed residential program housed in a Victorian manor in Falmouth. There Herren met up again with the counselor he turned down in 1994.
"I was pleased he was getting serious," the counselor said. "I've been doing this a long time. It's not a surprise to see someone from 15-20 years earlier. His story is not unusual except for his background. He pretty much lost everything except his wife."
The counselor said Herren was serious from the moment he got there and showed the kind of leadership he did in his days as a star point guard. Upon Herren's departure last November, many of the other patients were happy for him but sad to see him go.
"Miller House was the best thing I ever did," Herren said. "It gave me the confidence that I could go on in life."
"Nothing made me more happy than to hear the peace in his voice," said his wife.
'Out of the darkness'
Herren spent a month in a Falmouth halfway house before going back to his wife and three kids. He departed a new man, drug-free since the incident on June 4, 2008, and alcohol-free since Aug. 1, 2008. He attends a one-hour rehabilitation program daily and counsels people trying to overcome addiction. He hopes to start a basketball school for kids in the Portsmouth area.
"Today, I've done everything necessary to feel sober," Herren said. "That's how I look at it. Do wounds heal? Yes, absolutely. Do I feel the guilt, the shame, the resentment like I used to? Not even close. I'm much healthier today because I put the work in."
Said Heather, "We are both finally out of the darkness."
Before this year's playoffs, Papile and Celtics scout Austin Ainge invited Herren and his 10-year-old son, Christopher Jr., to a Celtics practice in Waltham. After rubbing elbows with Celtics Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Eddie House, and Stephon Marbury, Christopher went home with a wide smile and an autographed pair of Pierce Nikes, proud to be the son of a former Celtic.
"My son was on Cloud 9," Herren said. "For Paul to take the time out, for Ray to take the time out, for Stephon, Eddie House, for my son's sake . . .
"I don't need to validate anything. But for my kid growing up knowing that his father used to be a Celtic, and he had a chance to see that it was real. It wasn't just on the Internet and it wasn't just on trading cards.
"And when Paul handed him the shoes with, 'To lil' Chris,' when my son walked away, it was priceless. That's the thing. There are bad memories, real bad memories. But over the last year, there have been good ones."


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Imagine having to juggle the pressures of a thriving career with the responsibilities of caring for an aging or sick loved one. If this is your reality, it's important that you know that you are not alone. There is help.
A recent study reports that 73 percent of caregivers work and two thirds of them say they must go in late, leave early, or take time from their workday in order to successfully tend to their caregiving tasks. In fact, according to the study, caregivers spend a weekly average of 20.4 hours tending to a loved one. At least 10 percent of African-American workers sampled had to quit their jobs altogether. Therefore, among the major stresses of caregiving is lost wages.
The study, by the National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with AARP, concludes that whether caring for an aging spouse or parent; a child with special needs or a sick loved one, balancing the tasks with a regular job can be overwhelming. This is especially true if the caregiving situation has come unexpectedly, if the caregiver has no help or is unable to cover new costs.
If you are a caregiver, it is important that you know that helpful resources are available to you. These are some ways that balancing caregiving and career can be made easier:
Be sure to care for yourself. Have backup like a trusted friend or family member who can take over the caregiving when you need a breather. You will be in much better spirits and your loved-one will receive better care if you are rested and are able to do other enjoyable activities.
Give yourself a break. Frustrations are common; especially among new caregivers, mainly because of what they do not know. The more you learn and realize that you are not alone, the less stress you will experience.
Seek useful information and resources. The AARP Caregiving Resource Center is a foremost source of caregiving information. The National Institute of Health is another great resource for caregivers; including its subsidiary, the National Institute on Aging (www.nia.nih.gov).
Connect with other caregivers. The dual responsibilities will always be a challenge, but talking to someone who understands will help ease stress.
Know your legal rights. Eldercare.gov says you can possibly take time off from work under the Family and Medical Leave Act, which "allows qualified employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off to care for a family member."
Talk with your employer. Many caregivers continue to work, mainly because they need money, they enjoy working, they're saving for retirement, working makes them feel useful, or they enjoy interacting with other people. Some employers may allow tweaks to your job schedule for greater flexibility.
Finally, be proactive. Make a list of how others can help. When someone you trust offers to help, allow them to choose from your list.
A quarter of African-Americans say the possibility of becoming a future caregiver is on their minds. This answer is significantly higher than that of the total surveyed – 20 percent. If this is on your mind, be aware that the impact of caregiving while working is well documented. If or when that times comes, be comforted in knowing you are not alone and there is help.
For additional information, tips and local resources, please visit the AARP Caregiving Resource Center.


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Lime Launches Lime Tours in Select Markets
A key goal at Lime is to make the experience of renting one of our vehicles feel as seamless as if our riders were using their very own vehicle. In addition to providing more convenient and reliable vehicle options, we also want Lime to be a bridge to (re)discovery for our riders. In this case, encouraging people to get back outside, get around their cities and safely return to social gathering.
We recently launched Lime Tours, a new offering that shares with riders suggested places to visit as well as riding routes, currently live in LA and SF. Aimed at locals and tourists alike, riders will be able to find highly curated tour routes and points of interests - including landmarks, restaurants, cafes, etc. - at the click of a button, all in the Lime app.
With tourism still recovering from the worst of COVID-19, our goal is to help our riders get outside and find new or unexplored places in cities whether it's where they live or in town as a tourist. There's no better way (or currently, safer way) to see a city than by scooter or bike. Riders are outdoors and socially-distanced, while traveling quick enough to get around but slow enough to see everything. Our new Lime Tours feature doubles down on this to provide an easily accessible tour of a city, informed by locals.
In addition to proving a fun outlet for riders, Lime Tours is also aimed at boosting the local economy. Research from Emory University revealed the positive economic impact of micromobility on local economies. The study found shared e-scooter systems created an estimated $13.8 million in additional sales across 370 food and beverage companies in four cities over six months in 2019, as compared to four similar cities over the same time period without e-scooter programs.
We're customer-obsessed at Lime, which results in a strong focus on making the rider experience as enjoyable as possible. Lime Tours provides riders with a convenient, fun way to explore their cities while patronizing local businesses.


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As confirmed last night by — among other things — the crapular Twitter photo you see to the right — Britney Spears (and Demi Lovato) are joining the US X Factor panel.
We thought you might like to see the official press release because the way they present the news is almost as interesting as the news itself, right?
Here you go:
Singers and Vocal Groups Ages 12 and Over Eligible to Audition
For Chance to Win a $5 Million Syco/Sony Music Recording Contract
Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning worldwide pop icon Britney Spears and singer, songwriter and actress Demi Lovato will join L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell as judges on THE X FACTOR, the hit singing competition series returning this fall on FOX.
Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history. Her musical career boasts nearly 100 million albums sold worldwide and countless awards and accolades, including the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award and Billboard's Best-Selling Female Artist of the Decade (1998–2008). Spears first captivated audiences with her first single "…Baby One More Time," an international hit that is currently 14x Platinum in the U.S. So far, Spears has earned a total of five No.1 debut albums and 24 Top 40 songs in her career.
Lovato is an accomplished singer and actress with a devoted and engaged young fan base. Her single, "Skyscraper," off of her most recent album, "Unbroken," recently went platinum, while the video for her new single, "Give Your Heart a Break," already has garnered 10 million YouTube views. Her first album, "Don't Forget," debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and her second album, "Here We Go Again," debuted at No. 1. Lovato began acting at the age of 10, and starred in the cable television series, "Sonny With A Chance." Her film credits include "Camp Rock" and "Princess Protection Program."
"I'm absolutely delighted Britney and Demi are joining us," said Simon Cowell. "Britney remains one of the biggest stars in the world, she's talented, fascinating – and I believe she knows exactly how to spot THE X FACTOR. Demi's had an amazing career in music, TV and film for someone her age. She's young, confident, and enthusiastic. I think it's really important that she speaks to our younger audience. The new panel will be dynamic and will work really well with the changes we are making to the show."
Spears added, "I couldn't be more excited to join THE X FACTOR judging panel. I'm a huge fan of the show and now I get to be a part of the action. Simon and L.A. better watch out!"
"I'm so thrilled to join this legendary group of judges on THE X FACTOR," said Lovato. "To be able to spend each week with Simon, L.A. and Britney watching the best that America has to offer is truly a dream come true."
Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, noted, "Britney is an unparalleled superstar. Her success in the music industry over the last two decades makes her a perfect fit for THE X FACTOR judging panel. Demi has mass appeal and is beloved by her fans around the world. We are incredibly lucky to have them on board and we know they will bring so much excitement to the judging table for Season Two!"
"Britney Spears has done it all – she is the ultimate pop icon – and I am thrilled that she has agreed to join THE X FACTOR," said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. "Nobody embodies THE X FACTOR more than Britney – she has shown the world what it means, how to do it and how to sustain it! Demi, like Britney, was discovered at a young age. Her ambition and drive solidifies her as one of the most popular young artists today. Now they will each get a chance to share their experiences and skills with the acts that they will mentor on THE X FACTOR."
In its first season on FOX, THE X FACTOR shot to the top of the ratings as the No. 1 unscripted series of the fall and currently ranks as a Top 10 series among Adults 18–49 and the No. 1 new series among Women 18–49.
THE X FACTOR is searching for undiscovered talent 12 years old or over – both solo artists and vocal groups – who are willing to brave the panel for a chance to win a $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music. Interested solo artists and vocal groups should sign up now for audition information at www.fox.com/theXfactor.
In a departure from other singing competition series, the first time contestants audition for THE X FACTOR judges, they will do so in front of an audience of thousands – raising the stakes and increasing the pressure to impress not only the judges, but also a potential legion of fans. This will be the ultimate test to prove they have the vocal ability, charisma and stage presence that it takes to win an unprecedented $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music.
THE X FACTOR was created by Syco Television and is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Siobhan Greene are executive producers for Syco Television. Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America.
About Britney Spears
In a little more than a decade, Britney Spears has sold nearly 100 million records worldwide, making her the fourth best-selling female artist ever in America. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears became a household name as a teenager when she released her first single "…Baby One More Time." Her recently released album, "Femme Fatale," includes the No.1 hit "Hold it Against Me," and additional hits "Till the World Ends," "I Wanna Go" and "Criminal." "Femme Fatale" is her seventh studio album since her 1999 debut album, "…Baby One More Time," which broke sales records selling over 27 million copies worldwide and established Britney as a prominent figure in popular music and culture. Spears also recorded high-grossing albums "Oops!.I Did It Again"; "Britney"; "Blackout"; and "Circus." An artist so beloved that she inspired her own episode of GLEE, Spears began crafting her most recent album, "Femme Fatale," while on the road for "The Circus Starring Britney Spears" tour. The tour grossed more than $130 million to become the fifth highest grossing tour ever by a female. Spears has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards and won for Best Dance Recording in 2005.
About Demi Lovato
Singer and actress Demi Lovato started in show business as a pre-teen and rose quickly. By the time she was 15, she was a bona fide TV star cultivating a promising singing career. In the late 2000s, while maintaining a rigorous TV and film shooting schedule, Lovato released two massively successful solo albums, "Don't Forget" (2008) and "Here We Go Again" (2009); the former debuted at No. 2, the latter at No. 1.
She recently hit the studio with an all-star list of collaborators, including Timbaland, Jason Derulo, Ryan Tedder and Missy Elliot on her 2011 album "Unbroken." The first single, "Skyscraper," debuted at No. 1 on iTunes' chart and recently went Platinum. Lovato's new single, "Give Your Heart a Break," is cruising up the Top 40 radio charts, while the music video has reached over 10 million YouTube views, as she has some of the most engaged fans in the business. Earlier this year, Demi accepted the People's Choice Award for Favorite Pop Artist, an award chosen solely by the fans. This summer, she will embark on a 21-date U.S. tour.
THE X FACTOR launched in the U.S. in Sept. 2011 on FOX, immediately becoming the No. 1 unscripted show this fall. It was FOX's highest-rated Wednesday night premiere in 13 years among Adults 18–49. The show averaged a 4.3/12 among Adults 18–49, and averaged 12.6 million viewers. THE X FACTOR significantly improved FOX's year-over-year time period performance on Wednesday and Thursday nights among Adults 18–49 by +52% and+40% respectively. Local versions of "The X Factor" are now produced in more than 40 territories and the U.S. version of THE X FACTOR airs in over 162 countries. Artists discovered by "The X Factor" format have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 110 No. 1, 270 Top 10 and 501 Top 50 releases. THE X FACTOR was created by Syco Television and is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Siobhan Greene are executive producers for Syco Television. Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America.


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KOEI also recently announced that the company shipped a combined 1.5 million units worldwide of the original Warriors Orochi across all video game platforms including PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Windows-based PC, and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system.
About Warriors Orochi 2
Shattering time and space, the venomous Serpent King Orochi kidnapped the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors in scheme to test his might. The heroes eventually defeated Orochi and his menacing army. While the slain Orochi lies in the netherworld, a mysterious alliance is hatching an otherworldly plan so that the Serpent King may rise again. Now a new group of warriors must join forces with history's finest in an effort to stop this evil resurrection.
Warriors Orochi 2 takes place after the events of the original game. The game's main "Story" mode features storylines for the kingdoms of Wu, Wei, and Shu, and the Samurai Warriors, while a new Orochi storyline looks back to the first series of wars to expose some of the Serpent King's secrets. The game's newly added "Dream" mode features an original storyline different from that of Story Mode.
A new two-player "Versus" mode comes action-packed with four different games including "Tag Team" matches that pit individual fighters in lethal head-to-head combat.
The popular "Team Battle System" which lets players create their own three-person fighting unit returns for this sequel. At any given time, one warrior will be engaged in battle, while the other two are recuperating; restoring their Life Meters and Musou Gauges.
Warriors Orochi 2 features an overwhelming lineup of over 90 playable characters from both franchises including Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends, plus new characters from Chinese and Japanese history.
Developed by Omega Force, Warriors Orochi 2 is for 1-2 players (versus play).This game is not yet rated by the ESRB. Warriors Orochi for Xbox 360 delivers the ultimate Warriors Orochi 2 experience in stunning 720p HDTV and in game Dolby Digital audio. This title is not yet concept approved by Microsoft. Warriors Orochi 2 was released in Japan in April 2008 under the title, "MUSOU OROCHI: MAOU SAIRIN."
About KOEI Corporation
Based in Burlingame, California, KOEI Corporation established operations in 1988 as the North American subsidiary of KOEI Co., Ltd. of Japan. KOEI is respected worldwide as the premier brand of strategy and simulation games, and is the innovator of the Tactical Action genre. The company's Warriors series of games have generated a combined 18 million units in global sales.
KOEI develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software for video game systems and personal computers. For fiscal 2007, KOEI posted worldwide revenues of $256 million. KOEI maintains operations in Japan, the U.S., the UK, France, Canada, China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Lithuania. More information about KOEI and its products can be found at www.koei.com.


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The SH AUTO 5M is a range of stationary self service wash units equipped with innovative frequency modulated motor technology. Ideal solutions for equipping service stations or car dealerships with a self service wash site with quick payback on investment.
The innovative frequency modulator technology leads to a more simple machine with lower wear parts and downtime due to maintenance. The machine will thus be in operation for longer periods and will also cost less in service. This in turn decreases investment payback time.
Simultaneously, the SH AUTO 5M is more comfortable and easier to use, with lower noise levels - creating greater user satisfation and loyalty to the cleaning site, leading to more repeat business.
Low fuel, water and electricity consumption also reduce daily operating costs.


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Libyan government struggles for control after militia attack on protesters
| Tripoli, Libya
Clashes erupted Saturday in Libya's capital as soldiers and government-affiliated militias attempted to regain control of a base occupied by armed gunmen, a day after a deadly militia attack on protesters.
A fighter on the government side said one of his colleagues was shot dead in the fighting in the Tajoura neighborhood of eastern Tripoli. Eight pro-government fighters were wounded, the official LANA news agency reported.
Soldiers and government-affiliated militiamen were trying to regain control of a base attacked Friday evening by militiamen coming from the nearby city of Misrata.
The fighter spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.
A military commander in the base, Col. Musbah al-Harna, told LANA that the militia from the eastern city of Misrata attacked the base around dawn Saturday.
Al-Harna said the militiamen later left the base, taking with them much of the weapons and ammunition there. He said the militiamen are now at the edge of the city.
Tripoli is on edge after other Misrata militiamen in Tripoli opened fire Friday on protesters demanding the disbanding of unlawful armed groups, killing 43 people and wounding 400, LANA reported the Interior Ministry as saying.
Many stores in the city were closed on Saturday. Tripoli officials have declared a three-day mourning period.
Also on Saturday, Prime Minister Ali Zidan warned against attempts by militiamen from outside Tripoli to enter the capital, saying it could lead to a "bloodbath," LANA reported.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya urged Libyans to exercise "maximum restraint and resolve to peaceful means to resolve their differences."
The mission said in a statement that it "strongly condemns the violence which took place in Tripoli ... resulting in the tragic loss of life among civilians, and calls for its immediate cessation."
Since the 2011 fall of dictator Moammar Gadhafi, hundreds of militias — many of them on government payroll — have run out of control in Libya, carving out zones of power, defying state authority and launching violent attacks. Libya's government has failed in forcing them to join the weak police and armed forces it is struggling to set-up, amid growing public disgruntlement over the country's security vacuum.
The behavior of Misrata militiamen in particular has sparked public outrage.
Saturday, security was tight around Tripoli as funeral processions for those killed Friday are expected. Government-affiliated militias and armed residents set up checkpoints throughout Tripoli and at its gates, blocking gunmen from entering the city and to protect their neighborhoods from more violence.


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I kind of wonder if 25 man guilds will go away.Originally Posted by Maxrandom
I kind of wonder if 25 man guilds will go away.Originally Posted by Maxrandom
I have a feeling 25 mans will start slowly becoming a thing of the past. Unless people really love 25s, it's much easier to get 10 people together and get the same exact gear.
Fucking retarded.
*sucks in air*
Woah - same item levels for 10 and 25, just more items to loot from bosses in 25.
*Watches the horizon grow dark with the multitudes of the WoW community carrying pitchforks*
*Braces for stampede* :-X
Hooray, I was just saying that it would be great to make a change like this. Hopefully it will help to alleviate raid burnout where you are raiding icecrown two times every single week on the same character such that you are absolutely fed up of the instance within a month or two of raiding.
The one question that has to be asked though, are they making 10 mans as hard as 25 mans (would be good) or making 25 mans as easy as 10 mans (which would be bad).
Being honest here, it is a good idea, but at the same time bad. The whole point of 10/25 man raids where to vary the experience of raiding in terms of difficulty. So unless they manage to pull it off so the HC modes are harder, then good luck to them.
However, I do like the idea of being able to get the same loot from both difficulties ie. 10+25 and 10HC+25HC. Gives the 10man raids a bigger challenge, yet also the 25mans the reward and obviously a bit more loot, because 2-3 drops a boss in small raids isn't exactly a good use of time for a few people to get upgrades now is it?
"I know your $14.99 entitles you to play the game your way, but the rest of the raid's $359.76 says know your role."
Now this sounds more like the raid progression i have been wanting. Step towards tbc raiding again but with some obvious improvements. Nice one : )
I like the fact that we will have 2 raids instead of one per patch, it will make raiding alot better. Also, alot of you people should be happy with these changes. Seeing as both the 10 and 25 dungeons will share loot you can also expect the same difficulty. This will destroy alot of pugs.
God forbid you actually, ya know, do something else with your time?Originally Posted by Maxrandom
This more than anything seems like a good thing, raiders will be able to raid with friends or guilds (More friends+more fun?)
Difficulty will most likely be scaled so that there's not much love lost
Just wait and see, have faith in blizzard
http://www.mmo-champion.com/character-bios/'almega'-nara-draconus/ - my RP characterHow much bone could a bonestorm storm if a bonestorm could BOOOOOOOOONESTOOOOOOOOOOOORM!!
More raid options for one tier? Awesome. No more months and months in the same place, at least we'll have some variation.
this is exactly what i wished, same id for 10 and 25 raid instance !
i relly like the changes (10 man guildy here)
Honestly can't wait to finish this pug to come read this thread.
Making myself some popcorn and getting a box of tissues..
I'm going to sit down and get comfy for this thread
amazing idea imo i enjoy both sizes of raids but having the difficulty of 10 mans ramped up is a good thing and making both size raids drop the same quality loot is a nice prospect it will allow them to make more content with varying sizes because they dont have to create multiple loot tables with this im hoping to see 2+ raids added every patch more content makes me a happeh DK ;D
Burning Crusade: Goodbye 40-player raids!!!!
Cataclysm: Goodbye 25-player raids!!!
Next xpac will just be 5-player raids
This will probably be a wowkiller for a lot of people I know. Maybe even me too, pretty crazy news this morning.
... Say Wut now?
I cant do a 10man and a 25man run on my main Anymore?
well that sucks.
I dont think 10 and 25man should get the same loot... 25man is just overall harder because of positioning the raid and assembling and organizing skilled players in such a raid format...
we'll just have to see how this goes...
Best. Cataclysm. News. Ever.
I hope they never go back to "Hai welcome to lvl 80 go do ICC tomorrow after you faceroll heroics for 6 hours". Make quest rewards and dungeons more important this time around!


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GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba – There were no rants this time, no ignoring the judge or getting out of their seats to pray — just one scornful remark from the professed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks as a weeklong pretrial hearing began for five Guantanamo Bay detainees.
It was a sharply different atmosphere as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his four co-defendants returned to court at the U.S. base in Cuba for the first time since their arraignment in May, when their concerted effort to disrupt the proceedings turned what was supposed to be a brief hearing into an unruly, 13-hour spectacle.
This time, the defendants sat quietly, cooperated with their attorneys and responded to the judge when asked. And they were awarded a small victory: The judge granted a defense request to allow the five men to skip the rest of this week's hearing if they choose, rather than risk being forced out of their cells and into the court by military guards.
Asked if he understood the implications of not attending court while hearings go on without him, Mohammed made his only statement of the day: "Yes, but I don't think there is any justice in this court."
The issue was only one of a handful to be resolved Monday in a weeklong hearing on about two dozen motions before the formal trial, which is at least a year away. Most of the day was taken up by the debate over whether defendants must attend all proceedings under the rules of the special tribunals for wartime offenses known as military commissions.
Lawyers for two of the defendants said the threat to forcibly remove them from their cells and bring them to court is traumatic for men who were subjected to harsh interrogations that they say amounted to torture while in CIA custody, before going to Guantanamo in September 2006.
"Our clients may believe that ... I don't want to be subjected to this procedure that transports me here, brings up memories, brings up emotions of things that happened to me," said Jim Harrington, who represents Ramzi Binalshibh, accused of helping to provide support to the hijackers who crashed planes into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001.
Harrington's statement elicited groans from a small group of family members of Sept. 11 victims who were chosen by lottery to come to Guantanamo to view the proceedings. A few other families watched the proceedings on closed-circuit TV from U.S. military bases.
Prosecutors wanted the men to be required to attend court sessions. The judge, Army Col. James Pohl finally ruled that Mohammed and his codefendants would not be forced to attend the hearings. He said he may require them to attend future pretrial sessions and said they would have to be present for their trial.
His questioning of the defendants brought a rare light moment to what is considered of the most significant terrorism prosecutions in U.S. history.
The judge told each man that the trial would go on without them if they were to somehow escape from U.S. custody, drawing a smile of disbelief from Binalshibh. "I'm escaping from custody?" he said in English.
The same question prompted some sarcasm from Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, a Pakistani citizen accused of funneling money to the hijackers. "I'll make sure to leave some notes," he said in English.
Mohammed, dressed in a white headdress and black vest, his bushy beard dyed a rusty orange with henna, sat serenely reading legal papers or following the procedures in a specially designed high-tech courtroom that allows the government to muffle sounds so spectators behind a glass wall cannot hear classified information.
The orderly scene was in stark contrast to the May arraignment on charges that include terrorism and murder. At that session, one prisoner was briefly restrained for acting out, Binalshibh launched into an incoherent rant, the men generally ignored the judge and refused to use the court translation system, and two stood up to pray at one point.
Mohammed's civilian lawyer, David Nevin, said he wasn't sure whether Mohammed would show up for court on Tuesday, saying he would likely decide each morning.
"Still front and center in everything that's going on here is what Mohammed said when he had a chance to talk," said Nevin, a prominent U.S. death penalty lawyer. "He said 'There is no justice here.' That's the problem. That was the problem then. That's the problem now. It'll be the problem tomorrow and the day after that. "
In addition to those watching in Guantanamo, families and the public were invited to view the proceedings from closed-circuit video in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maryland.
Just seven families attended the first day of the hearings at a U.S. military base in Brooklyn. Ken Fairben came with a picture of his paramedic son, Keith. As he watched the proceedings, he said he looked into each of the men's faces, wondering, "What is he thinking? Why would he want to do this?"
The suspects could be sentenced to death if convicted, but Fairben said he hopes they get life sentences instead.
"If you give them death penalties, that's martyrdom to them," he said. "Why give them something they want?"
The focus of the week's hearing include broad security rules for the case, including measures to prevent the accused from publicly revealing in testimony what happened to them in the CIA prisons. Prosecutors have asked the judge to approve what is known as a protective order intended to prevent the release of classified information during trial.
Lawyers for the defendants say the rules, as proposed, will hobble their defense. The American Civil Liberties Union, which has filed a separate challenge, says the restrictions are overly broad and would improperly keep the public from hearing the men speak about their captivity.
The U.S. government has acknowledged that the defendants were subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques" before being transferred to Guantanamo in 2006, which in some cases included the simulated drowning method known as waterboarding.
Mohammed and his four co-defendants face charges that include terrorism, conspiracy and 2,976 counts of murder in violation of the law of war, one count for each known victim of the Sept. 11 attacks at the time the charges were filed.
Mohammed, a Pakistani citizen who grew up in Kuwait and attended college in North Carolina, has told military officials that he planned the Sept. 11 attacks "from A to Z" and was involved in about 30 other terrorist plots. He has said, among other things, that he personally beheaded Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. In addition to Binalshibh and al-Aziz Ali. the other defendants are Walid bin Attash; Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi.
Associated Press writer Verena Dobnik contributed to this report from New York.


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Here's the latest article from the Paranormal site at BellaOnline.com.
The Ouija Board
A look at the history and use of an Ouija Board.
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Spinneys Lebanon Criticized for Labor Practices
Charbel Nahas, the former Lebanese labor minister, is to appear before a court next month on charges of publishing incorrect information, slander and libel over the labor practices of Spinneys, the Dubai-based Middle Eastern supermarket chain.
"Nahas believes that what's at stake is not a personal issue because there is none," a supporter of the politician told Al Akhbar newspaper. "It is a public concern to denounce violations of rights and freedom of speech. The company was just not up to their responsibilities, it is one which violates our constitutional rights."
Spinneys was founded in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1924 where it sold goods imported from England to expatriates. Over time Spinneys added stores along the British railway lines to cities like Baghdad, Damascus and Jerusalem. Over time, the chain shut down some outlets and opened others following the fall of colonialism and the shift in the political climate.
Today Spinneys is majority owned by Abraaj Capital in Dubai and has stores across Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates where it still serves middle class and elite shoppers. (The company has even inspired copycat stores in Kabul, Afghanistan).
In June 2011, Nahas was appointed minister of labor in Lebanon, and began to draw up plans to raise the minimum wage as well as to improve the rights of foreign domestic workers. Nahas resigned less than a year later after failing to gather sufficient support for his ideas although parliament did vote to increase salaries by 35 percent to 675,000 Lebanese pounds ($448) a month before he quit.
Local labor activists say that Spinneys initially refused to raise salaries for the 1300 local employees despite the new law. In July 2012 several workers set up a union that was recognized by the Lebanese government. In addition to campaigning for better wages, the union says it has discovered that a number of employees have not been registered for national social while baggers are being forced to work for tips alone.
Spinneys CEO Michael Wright disputes this - in a September 2012 letter to the Business and Human Rights Center in London he says that all workers have always been paid minimum wage and registered for social security.
Wright says that Spinneys has also attempted to "hire the Lebanese porters as permanent full time employees have been made, but as such staff are not allowed to take tips (no Spinneys employees are permitted to take tips), they have declined full time employment preferring to remain self- employed and to collect tips."
He added: "It is also worth mentioning that there currently are approximately 300 porters serving 7 stores. Should Spinneys decide to hire full time porters to cater for the needs of its clients, we would not hire more than 100 porters, and the remaining porters would simply lose their income."
Meanwhile, the activists says that there is a concerted effort to discredit the union. For example, some 200 pro-company employees allegedly attended the first union elections in November 2012, where they chanted: "We want Michael Wright as president of the union)" and attempted to disrupt a rally outside the Achrafieh store.
One of the pro-union employees told Al Bawaba (a Jordanian website) that they had been bused in from other branches of the chain "to dance in front of Spinneys Achrafieh." "They wanted us to show our support for the company," he said on condition of anonmity. "Our attendance was not optional. We were brought here like sheep."
The activists also say that the company has targeted union organizers. Moukheiber Habshi, one of the founders of the union, says he was attacked in October 2012 after leaving work. "They followed me to the parking lot and began beating me, hitting my head and body," Habshi told Al-Akhbar newspaper. "They want me to leave my job or give up union work."
Other workers who took part in union activities - Milad Barakat and Samir Taouk - were fired, although Wright says that they were let go for misconduct.
"We believe that the entire effort disguised in the issue of a Spinneys labour union is not as it appears to the public but rather a tool to serve specific political interests as well as hide for the misconduct of certain individuals aforementioned (Barakat and Taouk)," Wright wrote in his letter to the Business and Human Rights Centre.
Nahas was drawn into confrontation when he openly supported the workers against Spinneys and spoke out against the company on radio and television. Earlier this month Wright sued Nahas forcing him to go to court. A first hearing was held May 7 and a second hearing is scheduled for June 26.
- 184 Labor


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Everyone knows that if you see a skunk in the daytime, you should probably stay away from it. Really? Cause when I see skunks at night I usually run toward them and try to cuddle with them.
So there I was a couple mornings ago, nursing a migraine headache as I watered all the spots in my garden that my loser watering system fails to reach. It's a morning ritual. I looked down at my feet, and there was what appeared to be a dead baby skunk. My immediate reaction was terror, and then I thought, "poor little thing, I wonder how it died?" It was unusual that it had died without letting off that tell tale…eh…odor.
I was just leaning down to do a visual examination when the little skunk lifted its miniature head and stared me right in the eyes. I did what every calm mature adult would do: I ran screaming into the house, calling the dogs in behind me.
Tiny wino skunk stumbling around my yard at 11 in the morining.
As if watching the zombie apocalypse, the dogs and I peered out my front window. The baby skunk rose up and stumbled around. The poor thing was so wobbly I thought it must be either sick or injured. Then, from my vantage point, I saw it choose a well-fermented wild plum from under the tree, and eat it. Then it ate another one, then another and another. That little midget skunk was drunk.
What to do with an intoxicated diminutive pew factory when one is trying to run a dog business? Ol' Yeller's bright idea was to get our Havahart trap and bait it with breakfast sausage.
The whole time Ol' Yeller was doing his Havahart thing, I was thinking, "why aren't you baiting it with rotten plums?" Not surprisingly, the trap plan worked about as well as if I had invited the little thing to jump into the back of my car so I could drive it to the other side of the lake.
The tiny shit dwarf had no fear of us. At one point, my son and I threw plums at it in hopes of scaring it away. Instead, the skunk staggered right up to me and looked up, as if trying to tell me that the plums I was throwing at him weren't ripe enough.
Little shitty skunk ignoring trap, looking for more boozy plums.
My son, my husband, the dogs and I watched Pepe le Pew for an hour or so. Since dogs and skunks are incompatible playmates, I had to cancel a dog evaluation appointment and postpone another dog's drop-off. My son and hubby went to run some errands, and I walked inside to make a piece of toast to stave off the nausea building from my migraine. During this time, the skunk disappeared.
I thought this was the end of the story until three nights later. As I was writing this story, my dog wandered out the side door. Who should be standing there? You guessed it: that tiny striped wino.
For the second time in the 3 ½ years that I have had my dog, Moondoggie was skunked. I can now officially report that baby skunks produce the same amount of abhorrent stench as their parents.
Good times.


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6.3-oz, 100% polyester jersey with wicking technology
No Bleed Fabric (NBF) created with a unique cationic dye process for easy printing
Side seamed
Moisture wicking
Our minimum orders for online purchases are 8 items, due to the amount of time and materials required for order setups. We have great price breaks at regular intervals. Looking to order more than 200 items right now?Please contact us directly for a custom quote.
The options below are tailored to the specific product you've selected and are based on our recommended decoration options.If you were hoping for an option that isn't listed below, we might be able to do it for you! Please send us an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com and let us know what you are hoping to have done. We will do our best to make it happen.
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Thanks for going through our information and providing the necessary information to price out your order.After adding your selection to the cart, you will be given the option to Upload Artwork files and add any further notes that you'd like our team to see!After checking out, one of our team members will review your order for accuracy. They will contact you directly with any issues/discrepancies or let you know if everything is good to go.You will also be provided with an artwork proof to review. If, at any time, you decide that you do not want to proceed with the order, we will be able to provide you with a full refund.


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Tesla's New Customer Referral Program
Customer referrals have been a key part of our growth ever since we began selling Roadster in 2008. Since then, our customers' enthusiasm for their vehicles has propelled Model 3 to become the best-selling luxury car in the U.S. and the best-selling electric vehicle in the world last year. We've heard from our customers that the Referral Program was one of their favorite reasons to tell their friends about Tesla, so today, we're introducing an all-new Referral Program to give customers another way to share what they love about their cars.
While our previous Referral Program was very successful, it came with significant costs, and ending the program last year allowed us to pass those savings along to customers. We've since restructured the program to save the company money while also offering rewards that are super exclusive:
Now, each time a friend purchases a new Tesla using your referral code, you'll both get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging. Each referral also gives you a chance to win a Founder's Series Model Y monthly and a Founder's series Roadster supercar quarterly, both signed by Elon Musk and Franz von Holzhausen. Tesla owners who already have unlimited Supercharging get two chances to win with each referral.
The continued growth and excitement we've generated have been driven largely by the passion of our current and future customers. Our goal is simply to build the best and safest cars according to U.S. government testing, so that owners will share their experiences with others and help accelerate our mission towards a sustainable future.


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Latest Article|September 3, 2020|Free
::Making Grown Men Cry Since 1992
3 min read
Thursday 3"BUCKWILD" (MTV 11 p.m.) Now that "Jersey Shore" is off the air, the era of Guidosploitation is officially over. Hicksploitation, on the other hand, is in full swing. Hence, MTV greenlighted this reality show about a bunch of twentysomethings in West Virginia who do more or less exactly what the "Jersey Shore" bunch did: get drunk, fight and try to sleep with one another."What Not to Wear" (TLC 8 p.m.) Tonight's season premiere features former teen singing sensation Tiffany. Either she's still wearing those acid-washed jean jackets from the '80s or she's in desperate need of some career attention.Friday 4Over/Under (USA 8 p.m.) USA burns off the pilot episode of this failed series, about a Manhattan day trader who becomes a Brooklyn bookie, as a TV movie.The Foreigner (TCM 12 a.m.) Pioneering punk rock filmmaker Amos Poe contributes this 1978 spy film parody chockablock with New York icons like Deborah Harry, Eric Mitchell, Anya Phillips and Patti Astor.Saturday 5"Cesar Milan's Leader of the Pack" (Nat Geo Wild 8 p.m.) The Dog Whisperer travels to Europe to tackle the "global issue of canine abandonment" by giving unadoptable dogs a second chance in his Dog Psychology Center.Sunday 6An Amish Murder (Lifetime 7 p.m.) If the Amish were allowed to watch TV, they'd be shocked at how popular they are, currently, on basic cable. Why here they are in a TV movie starring Neve Campbell and C. Thomas Howell."Downton Abbey" (KNME-5 9 p.m.) Season three, baby! So far, we've survived the sinking of the Titanic and World War I. I have a feeling things are looking up for England."Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: A Very Boo Halloween" (TLC 7 p.m.) Given that we just celebrated New Years, it seems like the perfect time for a Honey Boo Boo Child Halloween special."Making Mr. Right" (VH1 7 p.m.) Single women pretend to be matchmakers in order to manipulate men they actually want to date in VH1's new reality dating show. And it's still married homosexuals who are violating the sanctity of heterosexual unions?Monday 7"Black Ink Crew" (VH1 7 p.m.) Yup. Docu-reality show about a tattoo parlor in Harlem."Deception" (KOB-4 9 p.m.) In this "Revenge"-esque drama, a female detective goes super undercover among San Francisco's socialite set in order to solve the murder of her best friend.Tuesday 8"Africa" (Discovery 8 p.m.) Discovery examines the world one continent at a time, starting with Africa.Wednesday 9"Stars in Danger" (KASA-2 7 p.m.) Because "Diving With the Stars" sounded too dumb. Yes, reality show "stars" like JWoww and Kim Richards plus a couple of old actors from "Baywatch" and a retired NFL player or two will be competing in a series of Olympic-style dives including solo, synchronized and high."The 39th Annual People's Choice Awards" (KRQE-13 8 p.m.) Expect to hear the name "Justin Bieber" a lot.


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Combination Attritor with Vertical Shaft Adjustment
June 10, 2008
This hybrid laboratory mill has a vertical shaft adjustment function that combines features of the company's HSA-1 and 1-S model attritors. The vertical shaft adjustment feature is designed to accommodate grinding media of different sizes, making the combination mill more versatile. While this feature is typically included on the 1-S attritor, it has not been included previously on the HSA-1 model. The drive system allows the user to switch easily between the high-speed 1700-rpm HSA system with side discharge and the conventional 350-rpm 1-S system with bottom discharge. The HSA tank cover has a two-piece stainless-steel design with a brush seal, charging chute, and vent. The 1-S tank cover is a one-piece nylon-coated stainless-steel cover with a charging port and brush seal for dust control.
Union Process Inc., Akron, OH 330-929-3333 www.unionprocess.com
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I was most excited that the chicken broth came with a recipe on the back of the box, and that it sounded delicious! I wasn't disappointed - chicken, shrimp, noodles, red peppers, cabbage, onions, carrots... it was so good! I would definitely buy this broth again - it was full of flavor and smelled amazing. The only negative thing was that I had to add another box of regular chicken stock just to give the soup enough juice to cook the noodles. A second box of the thai chicken broth would have really given a huge boost of flavor, but it was still really good. Thanks to Bzz Agent for letting me try this campaign!
Here's the recipe:
32 oz Chicken Soup for the Soup Thai Style Chicken Broth
1 T oil
1 lb chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
8 oz peeled and deveined shrimp, split
1 t salt
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 cup sliced carrots
3 cups Nappa or white cabbage cut 1/2 inch thick
3 oz vermicelli pasta or rice noodles
Heat oil in 4 quart pot over high heat. Add chicken and shrimp and saute lightly for 2 minutes. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, carrots, cabbage, salt and broth. Mix all ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered on the stove over low heat for 10 minute. Add pasta and mix. Simmer for 5 minutes longer and serve. Enjoy!


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Skilling enterprises, startup developers key to India's digital dream: IBM
Monday January 08, 2018,
4 min Read
With digital transformation comes the daunting task of preparing a workforce for technologies like Big Data, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) that can address the massive demand coming from governments and businesses in India.
According to a top IBM executive, the time is ripe to start the journey right from schools and universities, leading to up-skilling and re-skilling the enterprise and startup developers' community in the country.
Between 2010 and 2030, India's working population is expected to expand from 750 million to almost one billion.
"Without adequate education and training, such population growth poses an increased risk of the emergence of a growing class of under or unemployed. Skill is emerging as the new currency across businesses globally and in India," Seema Kumar, Country Leader, Developer Ecosystem and Startups, IBM India/South Asia, told IANS.
"We believe the industry is no more bifurcated into blue-collar and white-collar jobs. The 'new collar' job community is embracing technology rapidly, forging deeper relationships with ecosystem partners and acquiring 'in-demand' skill-sets," Kumar emphasised.
Sensing the urgent need to build a talent pool for the future, IBM recently announced a collaboration with the Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC) to spur emerging technology skills in the domestic telecom industry.
The agreement outlines a roadmap to build capabilities in the areas of information and communication technology (ICT) to provide the required and relevant skills for the telecom Industry.
"This collaboration will provide an opportunity to students and young professionals to get skilled in emerging technologies including Big Data, Cloud Computing, IoT and mobile applications that have a huge potential in the telecom sector," Kumar said.
IBM's student developers' programme (career education) that infuses software capabilities that are industry specific and market relevant has helped more than 24,000 students and faculty members develop industry-relevant software capabilities.
Developers are the new marketers and decision-makers across organisations and it has become imperative to make them the centre of the core strategy.
"We also have collaboration with US-based Galvanize and Coursera to offer cognitive and Cloud curriculum to developers to help them equip with new age requirements around data science and Machine Learning (ML), etc," the IBM executive said.
In 2017, IBM organised "IBM DeveloperConnect Roadshow" in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad where it offered day-long workshops that combined technical sessions and hands-on activities, led by technical experts from IBM around data science, ML and Cloud.
"We are going to organise the 'IBM Code' day for developers in Bengaluru on February 14 which is another step towards introducing the developer community to IBM technologies," Kumar told IANS.
IBM also has an online learning platform Cognitiveclass.ai that offers several online courses in the area of data science, AI, big data and Blockchain.
"We also work with external Edtech partners who offer structured courses and curriculum based on these technologies. For instance, Jigsaw Academy is leveraging the IBM Data Science experience platform and CognitiveClass.ai to offer advanced customised learning to students and professionals on data science," Kumar noted.
Similarly, GlobalKnowledge is a training partner offering detailed courses on Cloud and cognitive development, also enabling professional certifications in these domains.
"Today, we are witnessing start-ups adopting Cloud at a fast pace, looking at creating enterprise class solutions and use best practices at a competitive cost, more agile systems and greater efficiency," Kumar said.
IBM Cloud Private is an integrated Cloud platform built on a Kubernetes-based container architecture.
It is a pre-packaged offering with enterprise-grade content, bringing Cloud native environment to Private Clouds so that start-ups can maintain control over core data while giving developers the flexibility to easily update and launch new apps in a secure manner.
"We foresee start-ups in the FinTech, e-commerce and HealthTech space leveraging IBM Cloud Private for on-premises software portfolio or easily integrate next-generation data and software optimised for Cloud," Kumar added.


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Seeking "tens of millions" paid to Lance Armstrong for "years of broken promises", the US government joined a lawsuit, alleging the doping cyclist defrauded former sponsor US Postal Service.
The government filed paperwork in federal court to join a lawsuit by Floyd Landis -- a former Armstrong teammate stripped of the 2006 Tour de France crown for doping -- after talks with Armstrong over damages issues broke down.
"Lance Armstrong and his cycling team took more than $30 million from the US Postal Service based on their contractual promise to play fair and abide by the rules -- including the rules against doping," said Ronald Machen, US Attorney for the District of Columbia.
"This lawsuit is designed to help the Postal Service recoup the tens of millions of dollars it paid out to (Armstrong's) cycling team based on years of broken promises."
US Postal, which did not sponsor the last of Armstrong's seven stripped triumphs, paid $31 million in sponsorship fees from 2001-2004.
"In today's economic climate, the US Postal Service is simply not in a position to allow Lance Armstrong or any of the other defendants to walk away with the tens of millions of dollars they illegitimately procured," Machen said.
Landis claims Armstrong and manager Johan Bruyneel defrauded taxpayers and the government by having Armstrong and other riders use performance-enhancing drugs as Armstrong won a record seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005.
Armstrong, 41, was stripped of those titles last year after the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) uncovered overwhelming evidence, with testimony from 26 witnesses, that he was at the heart of a major doping conspiracy.
Armstrong admitted to being a dope cheat in a television interview with Oprah Winfrey last month.
"The Postal Service has now seen its sponsorship unfairly associated with what has been described as 'the most sophisticated, professionalized, and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,'" Machen said.
Financial hardships, caused in part by a federal requirement to pre-fund employee pensions, have the US Postal Service planning to cut Saturday delivery of mail in August.
Landis, who himself admitted to doping, filed his lawsuit under the False Claims Act, which allows citizens to sue for alleged fraud against the government and receive as much as a third of any money recovered.
The law allows for the recovery of treble damages or, in Armstrong's case, triple the sum of the US Postal sponsorship.
The US Justice Department move came two days after Armstrong told USADA he would not testify under oath about the details of the doping scheme, but he might have to provide such testimony if the lawsuit leads to a court trial.
That could help USADA's ongoing look into Bruyneel and other details about how Armstrong got away with such a major doping conspiracy for so long without being stopped by the International Cycling Union (UCI).
The US government, which will file its formal complaint within 60 days, is only joining the case against Armstrong, Bruyneel and the Tailwind team entity run by Armstrong, and not against several other defendants named in the suit.
"Today's action demonstrates the Department of Justice's steadfast commitment to safeguarding federal funds and making sure that contractors live up to their promises," deputy assistant attorney general Stuart Delery said.
Armstrong had tried to settle the matter with US lawyers but failed because his attorneys claim US Postal benefitted from increased publicity as a sponsor associated with Armstrong during his days of glory.
"Lance and his representatives worked constructively over these last weeks with federal lawyers to resolve this case fairly, but those talks failed because we disagree about whether the Postal Service was damaged," Armstrong attorney Robert Luskin said in a statement.
Armstrong's camp also made public studies from 2002-2005 that valued the publicity benefits of the sponsorship deal at more than 300 percent of the money invested every year.
"The Postal's Services own studies show that the Service benefited tremendously from its sponsorship -- benefits totaling more than $100 million," Luskin said.
But there was no look at how links to the doping revelations of the past year might harm the US Postal Service's reputation.
"It is critical that public confidence in contractor performance remains high," said US Postal Service Inspector General David Williams.
"When that public trust is compromised, as occurred in this case, the Office of Inspector General will fully investigate."
In addition to the Landis lawsuit, Armstrong was sued on February 7 by a Texas insurance firm seeking $12 million for bonus money paid to the cyclist for Tour de France triumphs that no longer exist.


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One city fends off cyberespionage attacks, and collaboration is key
Connecting state and local government leaders
Seattle's collaboration with the FBI and a DHS fusion center helped thwart attacks from China, but that kind of information sharing doesn't happen enough, a new report says.
Back in March, a U.S. commission released a report saying that the Chinese military was likely targeting critical infrastructure and intellectual property in the United States.
"That came out on a Tuesday," Michael Hamilton, CIO of the City of Seattle, said in a recent white paper by IID, an Internet detection and mitigation company. "By 10 o'clock that Tuesday morning, the FBI was standing on my desk holding a CD saying, 'Here's a whole bunch of indicators; don't be talking to these addresses and watch out for these binaries and these tactics,' etc."
"And so we searched the city of Seattle and we found some hits," Hamilton said in the report. Seattle's IT department touches much of the city's critical infrastructure, including utilities, communications, clean water and transportation. It also works closely with other nearby city and county IT departments, including Tacoma, Bellevue, and Kirkland.
Then Hamilton's team took the CD to the Seattle fusion center. The analyst there "searched our regional monitoring system and was able to identify all of the contributing jurisdictions that had been in contact with those Chinese military addresses," Hamilton said.
Among the findings was that 50 percent of the hits involved maritime ports, with others targeting universities and corporate networks — sure signs that infrastructure and intellectual property were being targeted. Hamilton's office contacted the ports and affected organizations, which then had the opportunity to examine their systems.
The Seattle case is good example of the kind of information sharing and collaboration that cybersecurity leaders say is necessary to protecting U.S. networks, but which still faces some hurdles.
A primary means of collaboration is through fusion centers, the information sharing centers created under the guidance of the Homeland Security Department. The centers are designed to prevent and effectively address cyberterrorism by promoting information sharing at the federal level between agencies such as the FBI, CIA, Justice Department, U.S. military and state and local governments. Today there are 72 state- and locally-run fusion centers operating across the nation.
In addition to assets provided by the fusion centers, state governors have recommendations for improving cybersecurity in the form of a report released by the National Governors Association (NGA). The report suggests governors can improve their state's cybersecurity posture by:
- Establishing a governance and authority structure for cybersecurity.
- Conducting risk assessments and allocate resources accordingly.
- Implementing continuous vulnerability threat monitoring practices.
- Ensuring compliance with current security methodologies and business disciplines; and create a culture of risk awareness.
The report was released in tandem with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's briefing to Congress on governors' efforts to protect against cyberattacks. Snyder and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley have led NGA's Resource Center for State Cybersecurity (Resource Center) since October 2012.
Snyder also released an electronic dashboard designed to provide governors with an overview of their state's cybersecurity environment and to assist them in implementing the paper's recommendations. The dashboard currently is being pilot-tested in Michigan and Maryland in conjunction with the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center, according to a press release from NGA.
NSA chief Gen. Keith Alexander echoed the need for a collaborative approach to cybersecurity at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit last month, reported Anthony Freed of TripWire. Government agencies, the private sector and allied nations should all be sharing threat and vulnerability intelligence data, he said.
"We need the authority for us to share with them and them to share with us. But because some of that information is classified, we need a way to protect it," Alexander said. "Right now, we can't see what's happening in real time. We've got to share it with them, and potentially with other countries."
While DHS maintains a list of fusion center success stories, not everyone believes the centers are living up to their potential. A 2012 report from the U. S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on fusion centers found that they did not produce useful information to support federal counterterrorism intelligence efforts, wasted taxpayer money and trampled civil liberties.