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Wheatgrass For Growth And Fertility
In the 1930's an American agricultural chemist, Dr. Charles F Schnabel noted that ailing hens fed fresh, young wheatgrass recovered quickly, grew faster and fertility doubled compared with healthy hens fed standard diets. This discovery was the impetus for what became a lifetime of research into the reason for this amazing result. Joined by others, such as biochemist George Kohler, his passion inspired a body of scientific research that continues today. Other pioneers such as Japanese pharmacist, Dr Yoshihide Hagiwara have proven wheatgrass to be of major therapeutic significance.
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By Anthony McCartney
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Celebrities have long contended with the occasional downsides of stardom — tabloid scandals, stalkers, box office bombs, the paparazzi. Now, add "swatting" to the list — a prank that sends police charging to the gates of stars' homes on false reports of gunmen, hostages or other crimes in progress.
Instead of bad guys, responding officers, police dogs, helicopters and sometimes SWAT teams have found only stunned domestic and security staff unaware of any trouble — because there wasn't any.
The recent hoax 911 calls to the homes of Tom Cruise, Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Chris Brown and other stars are leading authorities to eye some 911 calls with extra suspicion and lawmakers to call for stiffer penalties for the pranksters.
"This is a very vexing problem that needs to be fixed at the early stages," said California State Sen. Ted Lieu, who is proposing tough consequences, including hefty fines, for those caught swatting. "If this isn't resolved, this will result in a tragic situation."
Swatting is the rare trend that actually didn't start in Hollywood. Authorities in Dallas, Washington state, Alabama and elsewhere have arrested teens and young men for bogus 911 calls that have drawn large police responses and in some cases, resulted in innocent people being detained by police.
The term comes from the pranksters' desire to have heavily armed special weapons teams dispatched to their calls. That doesn't always happen, but the calls tie up resources ranging from dispatchers, patrol officers, helicopters, detectives and cyber-crime specialists.
The Beverly Hills Police Department estimated more than half of its emergency resources were occupied with the Cruise swatting call on Jan. 17. It was just one of a rash of calls aimed at celebrities over the next several days, including a false claim there was a domestic violence incident at Brown's home.
"We're getting much better at deciphering what is real and what is not," said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The agency has handled calls at Bieber's home and a former Kardashian family home.
Patrol units will check out every call but will hold off calling in the big guns until signs of an actual crime emerge, he said.
Authorities in the Los Angeles area are concerned that the high-profile calls against stars are inspiring copycats who perhaps notice the immediate attention swatting incidents command on tabloid news sites.
Los Angeles police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said the department has seen an increase in the number of swatting calls since last year, when stars such as Kutcher, Bieber and Cyrus were targeted.
"People are jumping on the bandwagon thinking it's funny or a clever or interesting," Smith said. The calls aren't just tying up patrol officers, but also investigators probing the pranks who could be assigned to larger crimes.
"The last thing we want to have our detectives do is spend a bunch of time on a foolish prank like this," he said. "We want our detective handling robberies, burglaries and other crimes."
Police arrested a 12-year-old boy in December who is suspected of placing swatting calls at numerous homes, including Kutcher's. That call brought out many heavily-armed officers and prompted the actor to leave the set of "Two and a Half Men" to make sure his home and workers were safe.
Prosecutors are still evaluating potential charges against the boy.
"If we catch you, and we're going to catch you, you're going to be prosecuted," Smith said. "We've got some pretty clever detectives in this department. They'll find out who did these things."
There are also concerns that swatting will lead officers to treat certain 911 calls differently.
"At some point, we don't want law enforcement to feel like this is another cry-wolf situation," Lieu said.
Smith said that's a possibility, but he said officers are being told to treat all 911 calls with caution, even if they know they're traveling to a celebrity's home and the call has the traits of a prank.
The California bill, which is also being proposed by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, would increase the penalties for convicted swatters to up to three years in jail if someone was hurt as a result of their call, and also make them responsible for the costs of the emergency response.
Whitmore and Smith said they did not have precise estimates for how much swatting calls cost, and it does not appear any agency is tracking the phenomenon nationwide.
The term swatting was coined by the Dallas FBI office a few years ago after its agents busted a group responsible for 60 hoax calls around the nation. The group's leader was sentenced to more than five years in prison and ordered to pay more than $75,000 in fines, although most swatting calls are handled by local authorities.
Hoaxers often use a computer and programs available online to trick 911 systems into thinking the distress calls are coming from the address where officers are dispatched, even though the prankster may be miles, or several states, away.
Although the use of Internet phone providers can make it harder to track the callers, "nothing on the internet is ever terribly secret," Smith said. "There's always going to be a trail,"
Spoofing a phone number is legal and used for many legitimate business purposes, but it has become a favorite technique of pranksters to harass strangers or send pizza deliverymen or locksmiths to unwitting targets' homes.
Dr. John Grohol, a research psychologist who studies internet behavior and founded the online community PsychCentral.com, said the motivation for celebrity swatting may be rooted in the hoaxers desire to impact the stars' lives and gain notoriety for themselves in online communities.
"You have to kind of look at it from the perspective that most people don't have a lot of opportunity to affect a celebrity's life directly," Grohol said. "This is a way that a person can feel empowered."
Copyright 2013 Associated Press

subset: commoncrawl


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Duke Connected Care, a community-based, physician-led network, includes a group of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers who work together to deliver high-quality care to Medicare Fee-for-Service patients in Durham and itssurrounding areas.
Occ Summary
The Population Health Care Manager is responsible for clinical expertise for specific complex and/or rising risk patient populations with a design to meet specific contractual and program related requirements. This role will perform disease management, assessment of disease, care plan development and facilitation, referral to appropriate levels of care, etc. The role functions as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team, ensuring excellence with transitions of care to achieve optimal clinical outcomes through a seamless model of access and care. Focus on improving the health status and care for individuals with chronic conditions with complex medical, mental health and psychosocial issues.
Work Performed
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in a clinical field such as Nursing, Counseling, Social Work, Therapy, Allied Health, or community health related fields.
3 years of clinical experience required.
Degrees, Licensures, Certifications
Must have a current license in at least one of these areas:
Current or compact RN licensure in the state of North Carolina
Current licensure as a licensed clinical social worker by the NC Social Work Certification and Licensure Board
Current licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor by the state of NC,
Current licensure as a Licensed Addiction Specialist by the state of North Carolina.
Requires ACM or CCM certification within 3 years of hire date.
Job Code: 00005495 POPULATION HEALTH CARE MANAGER
Job Level: G1
Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the communityfeel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
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Everyone else is trying to anticipate what will be hot in the next year. So why not us, right? Curvy, plus-size, and full-figure girls have a lot to look forward to fashion-wise in the new year. And, as I straighten my turbin and gaze into my crystal ball I do see some definite "trending" towards timeless classics, vintage-y finds, and more structure. (Those old "flowing" tops are just about gone with the wind.) Call it the thrift-store effect, if you will. Let's take a short trip into the future and you can tell me whether you agree.
Fitted Tops
Military Chic
Retro Frocks
Tartan, Houndstooth & Plaid
Ruffled Shirts & Pirate Style. Arrrrrghh.
Sweater Dresses
Graphic Skirts
Studded Pants, like these from Apple Bottom
Dresses that look like two-pieces
Skinny Jeans, even for the non-skinny
Coming up... trends in accessories!


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Flavored alcoholic beverages ranging from spirits to wine, cider, beer, ready-to-drink (RTD) and high-strength premixes were all the rage in the U.S. during 2012, says Euromonitor, and the trend is set to develop further in 2013.
According to an analyst insight post by Claire Moulin, a lead analyst for Euromonitor International, legal drinking age consumers, especially those under 30, the so-called "millennials," are exploring new types of drinking habits. "They are adventurous in terms of flavor and brand and they do not want to drink the same way their parents did," Moulin wrote.
The evolution of consumer drinking habits, demand for convenience and differentiation are boosting demand for alcoholic beverages that are recognizable yet different, Moulin adds. "The key word is differentiation. You are what you consume and what you drink is increasingly a matter of defining one's lifestyle. Uniform and one-brand-fits-all is giving way to segmented, more artisanal products, with consumers mix-and-matching in-between," she said.
Although spirits have seen the most development in terms of flavoring over the past few years, according to Moulin, there are opportunities for flavor development in beer and beer-hybrid beverages, as illustrated by the success of Bud Light Lime-a-Rita. The brand was launched in April 2012 in the U.S. in both off and on-trade and was instrumental in AB InBev's sales increase in 2012, having been in decline since 2008.
"Beer flavorization brings potential to a category that has been struggling since 2007, and helped sales turn around in 2012, while providing potential for brewers to expand in new categories such as malt-based RTDs. Malt-based RTDs vs craft beer," wrote Moulin. When looking at the flavor landscape in alcoholic drinks, there is a clear polarization trend. On one side the focus is on the convenience and accessibility of ready-mixed and easy to drink products, with a younger image, and on the other side it is on more acquired tastes, playing on authenticity and characterized by stronger flavors, with a more grown-up image."
The analyst notes beer is following a similar trend, with the range of flavors divided between fruity/sweet and more acquired/stronger tastes. Most products falling in the first segment are categorized as malt-based RTDs, as the beer is mixed with added sweetener and flavorings, while the latter is mostly found in craft dark beer. Malt-based RTDs is characterized by the convenience of ready-to-drink hybrid beverage. The fact it mixes different types of alcoholic beverages makes it intrinsically different, Moulin said.
In addition, convenient packaging makes it easy to purchase and consume on impulse. For example Bud Light Lime-a-Rita is available in 8 oz. cans, 12 oz. glass bottles and 24 oz. cans, sold individually, and typically in the chilled cabinets of convenience stores. In the on-trade, the brand is often sold under a special deal with several cans sold in a bucket of ice for convenience of sharing. Products are usually targeted at younger consumers, using a sweet taste with artificial fruit flavors, such as lime and blueberry, and high alcohol content: 8% abv for Bud Light Lime-a-Rita.
A key point for success is to bring differentiation while still retaining a recognizable and familiar aspect, said Moulin. In the case of Bud Light Lime-a-Rita, the brand uses terminology borrowed from the mixology world and uses the existing Bud Light Lime brand as a point of recognition. For craft beer, differentiation with a familiar twist is still true but is done in a different way, the analyst added. The trend is trying to steer away from sweet and artificial tastes and re-inventing classic (almost old-fashioned) flavors. Claims focus around authenticity and character of the product, borrowing from longstanding examples in spirits, for example using barrels that have previously been used for bourbon. Recognizable flavors are prominent, accentuating the natural and non-artificial artisanal process, to give a more mature, adult positioning.
Beyond sweet flavors and gender-specific limits, Moulin said it's easy to see beer consumption as gender-specific, with flavored malt-based RTDs being mostly targeted to women consumers, playing on the stereotype of women not liking the strong, 'acquired' taste of beer, a stereotype also seen in spirits, and instead seeking sweet alternatives.
"But in terms of actual consumption, men form a surprisingly large part of the consumer base for these products. There is a strong demand for flavored beer beverages that are socially acceptable for men to drink, a demand Mike's Hard Lemonade successfully fulfilled, making it leader of the malt-based RTD category," Moulin said.
"In an attempt to reach male consumers, Smirnoff launched Smirnoff Ice Black, a "male-friendly" malt-based beverage, in early 2012, a product that quickly got lost in the Smirnoff Ice range as it did not bring any real differentiation, apart from being targeted at men," Moulin added.
Key products in flavored beer, according to the analyst, have been the ones that have successfully transcended gender categorization, using differentiation with a familiar twist instead. She said Bud Light Lime-a-Rita has successfully appealed to men and is expanding its flavor portfolio, with Straw-Ber-Rita available since early 2013, and potential for more flavors such as berries or mango.
"Being solely gender-specific in terms of marketing is not enough and to be successful, brands must bring tangible differentiation and added-value beyond gender stereotypes. One of the only really successful alcoholic drinks with a clear gender positioning in the U.S. has been the Skinnygirl range, going beyond gender stereotypes and actually providing something different; the convenience of ready-mixed cocktails, without the high-sugar or artificial content of the competition," Moulin said.


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Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
MOSCOW (AP) — As a counterweight to the European Union, Russia's Vladimir Putin is pursuing an ambitious dream rooted in memories of Soviet glory: The Eurasian Union.
It's a strategy to pull former Soviet satellite states back into Moscow's orbit through a combination of incentives and threats. And embattled Ukraine, a huge country of 46 million people, has lain at the center of the game-plan.
Putin has put Eurasian Union at the top of his presidential agenda, voicing hope that the new grouping could become a major economic powerhouse on par with the EU. He has sought to lure ex-Soviet nations with cheap energy and loans, while also expanding his military presence in these countries whenever he can.
Russia's offer of $15 billion to make Ukraine drop a trade accord with the EU was a carrot in Putin's Eurasia program. His deployment of troops to takeover Crimea is a stick.
Here is a look at how Russia has fared in bringing other former Soviet neighbors under its thumb:
Putin understands that it's not just military might that matters in winning allies. Cash counts, too.
He formed an economic bloc with Belarus and Kazakhstan in 2010 with a goal to bolster mutual trade through the removal of customs barriers. Armenia and Kyrgyzstan also want to join, and Tajikistan could be on membership track, too.
This Customs Union is the basis for the Eurasian Union, a more ambitious economic bloc set to be formed in 2015.
Belarus, led by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko — dubbed "Europe's last dictator" — has been Russia's closest ally. Lukashenko has kept most of the economy in state hands and depended on cheap energy supplies and loans from Russia to keep it running. Belarus also has been an important military partner, hosting Russian military facilities and conducting joint maneuvers with Russian forces.
Kazakhstan, led by autocratic President Nursultan Nazarbayev, is the second largest country by territory and economy among the ex-Soviet nations. Nazarbayev has maneuvered between Russia and the West during more than two decades in power. But Russia has little leverage over Kazakhstan, whose energy riches and booming economy make it nearly an equal partner.
Armenia, whose economy has been crippled by a blockade imposed by arch-enemy Turkey, has been a staunch Russian ally. It has depended on Russian loans and hosted a major Russian military base.
Kyrgyzstan, an impoverished Central Asian nation rocked by political instability, hosted a U.S. air base key for supporting operations in nearby Afghanistan. The base is now being shut down under the Russian pressure. Kyrgyzstan also hosts a Russian air base, which is set to expand.
Tajikistan, one of the poorest ex-Soviet nations on Afghanistan's northern frontier, hosts an estimated 5,000 Russian troops and depends on Russian economic aid and remittances from migrants working in Russia.
Some ex-Soviet nations have developed strong ties with the West and shed Russia's influence.
Energy-rich Azerbaijan has been shipping its Caspian oil to Western markets via a pipeline bypassing Russia and stayed away from any Russian integration projects. At the same time, it has maintained friendly ties with Russia, where some of its richest tycoons have major assets.
Georgia built strong ties with the West under U.S.-allied former President Mikhail Saakashvili, who sought to restore control over Moscow-backed breakaway provinces, triggering the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. The war was an extreme outcome, but the Kremlin has made a habit of keeping neighbors in line by promoting pro-Russian separatists on their territory.
Saakashvili's party lost control to a coalition led by a billionaire tycoon, who made his fortune in Russia and moved to normalize ties with Moscow. A candidate backed by him won a presidential vote last year. Despite Georgia's ongoing rapprochement with Russia, political ties have remained frozen over Moscow's recognition of independence of Georgia's separatist provinces after the war. Georgia is unlikely to be drawn back into Russia's orbit.
Impoverished Moldova, located between Ukraine and Romania, has sought to build closer ties with the West and faced Russian trade sanctions. Moscow has no economic interests in Moldova, but has vowed to preserve a military foothold there. Russian troops have remained in its breakaway province of Trans-Dniester since a conflict in 1992, and Moscow has rejected Western demands to recall them.
Several former Warsaw Pact nations in eastern Europe and ex-Soviet Baltic nations have joined the EU and NATO and are now safely outside Moscow's reach. Russia's relations with some of them often have been strained by political disputes, but Moscow lacks levers to pressure them.
Resource-rich Uzbekistan, led by authoritarian President Islam Karimov who has been in office for more than two decades, has aspired for regional domination and zigzagged between Russia and the West. Karimov often had rocky relations with the West, which has criticized Uzbekistan's rights record. But he also has been very nervous about Russian influence and stonewalled Moscow's offers for closer economic and political cooperation.
Turkmenistan, a desert nation sitting on huge natural gas reserves, is ruled by authoritarian President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov. It has stayed away from Russia-dominated alliances and sought to develop close energy ties with both the West and China.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Obamacare's winners and losers
If employers drop their plans under the President's plan, some employees could be in for a major change in their health-care circumstances. We explore the possibilities.
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- This is the seventh installment in a series of health-care columns by Fortune's Shawn Tully.
As President Obama prepares for his historic address on health-care reform to Congress tonight, America's politicians and pundits aren't even mentioning the most glaring weakness in Obamacare: It creates a deep divide between "winners" -- those who will effectively get a big pay raise through federal subsidies -- and the "losers" destined to suffer a steep, shocking decrease in their incomes after paying for health care.
The biggest losers? White-collar professionals who form a big swath of the middle class. A computer programmer or personnel executive earning just $80,000 a year, for instance, could see his pay -- after covering the far higher medical premiums he'd face with the President's plan from his own wallet -- shrink by almost $9,000.
Through those higher premiums, Obamacare would impose what amounts to a large tax on the raises middle-class families are counting on to pay for everything from college tuition to property levies. Those employees could see around one-third of their salary increases go to bigger health-care premiums alone.
Hence, health-care "reform" could impose a stiff penalty on getting ahead.
The situation gets critical under a scenario where employers drop health insurance. What are the chances that companies -- which now insure 105 million workers, or nine in every 10 adult employees -- will eliminate their plans? The Congressional Budget Office reckons that most companies will keep coverage under the House bill. But many economists strongly disagree, for three reasons.
First, while the bills favored by the Administration contain a "pay or play" provision allowing employers to eliminate their medical plans in exchange for paying a penalty or tax -- with the most prominent bill in the House, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, imposing a payroll tax of 8% in these cases -- many large employers are already paying over 8% of their payrolls in medical expenses, especially if they have lots of low-earners benefiting from rich plans. As we'll see, many manufacturers could pay the 8% tax and actually give those low-earners a raise.
Second, health-care expenses are rising so fast that companies end up accounting for them in higher costs, fewer jobs, and eventually, lower pay for their employees. That's a difficulty many of them may want to do without: "Most companies will take the 'pay' option to get off of the health cost escalator and leave it to the government," says Ed Haislmaier of the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Third, more and more companies are already terminating their plans each year. Obamacare is simply likely to speed up that process.
With that in mind, let's examine the profiles of the possible winners and losers. For our analysis, we'll use the provisions of the House bill, virtually all of which the Administration strongly endorses.
In each case, we'll first calculate what the employee now earns after making his or her contribution to the health-care premium. We'll call that number the "Benchmark." Then, we'll calculate what they will earn after paying for coverage under Obamacare if their employer drops its plan. (It's important to note that the bill requires employers to either insure all of their workers, or drop their plans for everyone entirely and pay the 8% tax.) We'll call that number the "New Net." The difference -- or "Pay Gap" -- determines if the employees in our hypothetical examples would be winners or losers.
To make the comparisons simple, we'll look at families of four. Since the premiums employers pay are just another form of compensation, we'll assume that when they eliminate their plans, the employee gets a raise equivalent to the health-care contribution the company would've made. Many Americans worry that their employers will just keep the money saved from dropping a company health insurance plan, so they'd lose their coverage with no pay increase. But if employers try to stiff their workers, they will lose that talent to competitors who pay more. Bidding for labor should keep total compensation the same, even in today's slack labor market. So what employees sacrifice in benefits they should more or less recoup in higher salaries.
Whether an employee proves a winner or loser depends on large part of the size of the "Affordability Premium Credit" they qualify for under the House bill (page 137). The APC determines how much Americans can afford to pay depending on their incomes. The government then provides a subsidy for the balance of the premium for the plan, which would be purchased from a private insurers marketplace called a Health Insurance Exchange.
Obamacare also creates a new class of winners. Obviously, it's a great deal for the uninsured. Low-wage workers, including members of strong unions, would receive the equivalent of large pay increases while keeping their lavish policies. Consider a family of four earning $40,000 with no coverage, where the working spouse is employed by a landscaper or restaurant chain that doesn't offer coverage. The Benchmark is $40,000; after the payroll tax and the required contribution under the APC, the employee would still have a net salary of $35,400. So he or she would be getting a policy with a probable value of $13,500 -- the bill mandates rich coverage -- at one-third the cost.
By contrast, young, healthy Americans with small families who buy their own catastrophic care policies and have incomes in the $60,000-plus range will get hammered under Obamacare. The House bill would eliminate high-deductible plans, and force them to buy gold-plated policies, mainly with their own money.
Here are a few other examples of Obamacare's big winners and losers.
- Benchmark: $37,450
- New net: $42,703
- Pay gap: +$5,253 OR +14%
This employee benefits from the rich medical plan typical of many large companies -- with a total cost of $13,500 and $3,000 paid from his own pocket. The employee's contribution is deductible, so it really costs him just $2,550, after assuming a 15% tax rate. So the "Benchmark" is $37,450 (or $40,000 salary minus the $2,550 after-tax cost of the premium).
When the company drops its plan, the employee's pay should go to $50,500, as the employer adds its former contribution of $10,500 to the worker's paycheck. But remember the 8% payroll tax; that will knock pay back down to around $46,500. Hence, the employee now has $6,500 in extra cash to pay towards the new premium, over and above the $40,000 salary. That's worth $5,491 after taxes.
The APC shows that the employee can afford to pay just $2,788. So he has $2,703 left over to add to his $40,000 salary after paying for health care. So the New Net is $42,703 (or $40,000 plus $2,703).
So subtract the Benchmark of $37,450 from the New Net of $42,703. The Pay Gap is $5,253, in the employee's favor. He is getting an effective raise of 14%.
Outcome: Big winner
- Benchmark: $87,900
- New net: $78,555
- Pay gap: -$9,345 OR -11%
Workers with rich plans are winners up to around $65,0000. At that point, the New Net -- their new income after premiums -- quickly becomes far smaller than the Benchmark, or what they earned after coverage before Obamacare. A major reason is that the APC subsidies decline steeply before disappearing over $80,000 or so.
At $90,000, this employee is well above the APC level, so the hit to income is catastrophic. Instead of making $87,900 after medical costs, she's at $78,555. That's a loss of $9,555, the equivalent of an 11% pay cut.
Let's say we're now in the new world of Obamacare, and our employee just got a promotion from city to district sales manager with an increase from $70,000 to the $90,000 salary in our example. Because the raise sends the worker over the APC subsidy level, health-care costs would rise by over $7,000, absorbing over one-third of her raise.
Outcome: Big loser
- Benchmark: $56,600
- New net: $53,817
- Pay gap: -$2,783 OR -5%
In this typical small-company plan, the employee pays $4,000 a year towards an $8,000 premium, and the company pays the balance. This policy features far higher deductibles and co-pays than big companies offer, and pays for fewer benefits.
This time, our math shows that the worker's Benchmark is $56,600 and that, for a comparable policy costing $8,000, the New Net comes to $53,800. The employee is worse off by around $2,800, for a pay decrease of almost 5%.
Around this pay range, a persistent problem occurs: The 8% payroll tax more than wipes out what would be extra cash from the pay increase that comes when the company drops coverage. Hence, workers at lower pay levels under small company plans get hit hard. The problem is especially acute because the companies are making relatively small contributions to their plans,----so that those contributions get swamped by the payroll tax.
Outcome: Moderate loser
- Benchmark: $87,200
- New net: $72,980
- Pay gap: -$14,220 OR -16%
Small companies have millions of executive-level employees who earn medium-high incomes. They're star sales people, marketing managers, and assistant treasurers. Amazingly, they get pounded even harder than their counterparts in the Fortune 1000. The reason is two-fold: These folks have typically modest health-care plans to start with, so they don't get the big salary increase employees with rich plans garner when companies drop their coverage, and the 8% payroll tax actually ensures that this sort of small company executive starts even deeper in the hole than the $60,000 employee, simply because the payroll tax is assessed on a larger salary.
But the employee is earning far too much to qualify for a subsidy. Worse still, she's now forced to buy not the same $8,000 policy she had before, but something far more costly-- more like the $13,500 plans that big companies provide. Why? Because Obamacare mandates extremely comprehensive coverage with low deductibles and lavish benefits. Under the House bill, basic, high-deductible plans don't qualify for sale on the Health Insurance Exchange.
Outcome: Big loser
It's clear that the House plan will not work if companies drop their coverage. The result would be so cataclysmic for the middle class that only a public option with heavily subsidized coverage could bring even medium-income workers coverage they could afford.
To say that a public option in this scenario is inevitable doesn't mean it's desirable. A public option would simply add a new, enormous level of subsidies to those planned for low-income workers. That would severely deepen future deficits.
But whether or not the president demands a public option on Wednesday, it could become the only escape if the U.S. adopts the rest of Obamacare.
Read Shawn Tully's other installments in this series:
The crazy math of health-care reform
White House drug deal won't save money
Obamacare could cost you $4,000 a year
Don't like Obamacare? Here's an alternative
Designing the ideal health care system
The retail giant tops the Fortune 500 for the second year in a row. Who else made the list? More
This group of companies is all about social networking to connect with their customers. More
The fight over the cholesterol medication is keeping a generic version from hitting the market. More
Bin Laden may be dead, but the terrorist group he led doesn't need his money. More
U.S. real estate might be a mess, but in other parts of the world, home prices are jumping. More
Libya's output is a fraction of global production, but it's crucial to the nation's economy. More
Once rates start to rise, things could get ugly fast for our neighbors to the north. More


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"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." ― Plutarch
An education from the Department of English at UNO can be foundational, eclectic and easily tailored to a student's interests. Students may choose to read the heroic sagas of medieval Britain and Ireland or immerse themselves in the theory and practice of Rhetoric or Technical Communication. They may learn the craft of composing forceful and evocative prose through studying the art of Creative Non-Fiction, hear the resonant voices of the Beat Generation Poets, or discover the enormous variety that is Native American literature.
They may attain a nuanced understanding of the complexities of Shakespeare's dramas and the rapier wit of Jonathan Swift or explore the structure and cultural function of language itself through the discipline of Linguistics.
No matter where students' interests take them on their journey through the English major, they can anticipate learning the art and craft of composing persuasive prose and enhancing their powers of advanced critical thinking in a nurturing yet challenging intellectual environment.


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ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dell today is launching the Dell IoT Solutions Partner Program for the advancement of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and solutions. The program builds an ecosystem of partners to help customers navigate the fragmented IoT landscape and identify the right technologies to develop their IoT solutions. As a global leader in computing technology, Dell will offer participating partners access to the industry's most robust and reliable product portfolio, world-class support and increased opportunities for incremental business growth.
The program will combine a global, multi-tiered (Executive, Associate, Registered) network of experienced Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) with Dell's broad portfolio of IoT assets, including purpose-built, intelligent gateways and embedded PCs, security and manageability tools, data center and cloud infrastructure, and data integration and analytics software like Boomi and Statistica. These assets will help organizations develop, deploy and maintain leading-edge IoT solutions.
"Dell believes that opportunities increase when you help others win," said Andy Rhodes, executive director, Commercial IoT Solutions, Dell. "We are passionate about collaborating with this strong group of companies and believe ISVs are critical in building the bridge between the exciting industry potential of IoT and profitable market reality."
Dell works with Information Technology (IT) and Operations Technology (OT) organizations to create a unifying IoT strategy for bridging their differing business approaches. The IoT Partner Program will include companies across a wide range of industries that further strengthen Dell's expertise in areas such as industrial and building automation and transportation. It launches with more than 25 partners including GE, SAP, Software AG, Microsoft, OSIsoft and others, many of which are utilizing the Dell Edge Gateway 5000 Series to power their own IoT solutions. Dell also continues to build relationships with systems integrators (SIs) with vertical expertise and deployment scale.
The Dell Edge Gateway now also supports Windows 10 for secure, reliable, and streamlined support and is Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT. Customers can depend on the Edge Gateway for seamless and security-enhanced data with the Azure IoT Suite, so they can get their projects running quickly.
Creating use case blueprints is one of the many ways Dell is working with partners to help customers speed up their IoT projects and make sense of the vast ISV landscape. Dell, Kepware, and Software AG are collaborating to develop IoT enabled predictive maintenance models utilizing distributed analytics to address the industry's biggest operational challenges, such as unplanned downtime, overall equipment effectiveness, maintenance cost and return on assets.
With Microsoft and Blue Pillar, Dell is delivering Automated Demand Response solutions which help utilities maintain grid reliability and enable customers to realize significant value through dispatch of onsite power generation or reduction in consumption. This allows our customers to improve profitability through demand response incentives and reduce operational risks through proactive notification from the utility of potential power disruptions.
Dell and SAP are also collaborating to bring business to the edge with models designed to help address the industry's biggest operational challenges, such as business continuity, overall equipment effectiveness, maintenance cost and return on assets.
The Dell Edge Gateway 5100 Model designed for the extended temperature ranges found in industrial environments is now available on Dell.com. Dell also launched five new accessories for the Edge Gateways, including I/O and power expansion modules, ZigBee module, CAN bus card, and IP65-rated rugged enclosure. Finally, Dell revealed new cloud-based manageability software, the Edge Device Manager (EDM), which provides centralized reporting and control of edge gateways from a single cloud-based console. Learn more about these new product updates here.
Additional partners are adding tremendous value through their specialized areas of expertise, including Azeti, Blue Pillar, Datawatch, Eigen Innovations, Flowthings, Flutura, GE, Kepware, Lynx Software, Microsoft Azure, OSIsoft, relayr, SAP, Software AG, and ThingWorx.
Partner Quotes
"Dell brings an excellent balance of purpose-built features set and the enabling security and manageability software that build credibility with IT organizations. By combining Dell's deep roots in the industrial sector and strong focus on data-driven innovation with GE's Predix platform, we are enabling Dell's IoT gateways to be Predix-ready, and connect seamlessly into the Predix software stack," said Denzil Samuels, Head of Global Channels and Alliances, GE Digital.
"Microsoft is continuing its work with Dell across our offerings for every IoT scenario, from the Azure IoT Suite to Windows 10 on the Dell Edge Gateways. Our collaboration will help both companies to ensure that our customers receive a world-class ecosystem of devices and services and time to production at industry-leading speeds," said Caglayan Arkan, general manager, Worldwide Manufacturing, Microsoft Corp.
"Our PI System, the industry standard in enterprise infrastructure for management of real-time data and events, running on the Dell's Edge Gateway on Windows 10 lowers the barriers to pervasive monitoring; enabling operators and engineers to capture additional sensor data without impacting or upgrading traditional automation and control systems," said Richard Beeson, Chief Technology Officer, OSIsoft. "Our partnership with Dell to deliver IoT data to PI allows our joint customers to receive substantial enterprise insights and value."
"Software AG's partnership with Dell is hugely significant for any enterprises looking for ways to simplify and cost effectively utilize the Internet of Things. Together we are bringing industrial strength real-time analytics to the edge of the IoT, significantly reducing network traffic and accelerating the ROI of IoT projects," said Eric Duffaut, Chief Customer Officer (CCO), Software AG. "Our Streaming Analytics Platform together with Dell's purpose-built edge gateways allow customers to process large amounts of real-time data close to where the action is. This in turn drives faster automated decisions and appropriate digital responses locally, only sending a subset of critical data to the core for further analysis and action."
Additional Links
- http://delliotpartners.com/
- Dell's IoT Strategy and Partner Programs: Part One and Part Two by Laurie McCabe, Partner, SMB Group
- Follow us at @Dell on Twitter and Dell Internet of Things on LinkedIn
About Dell
Dell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. Dell takes a pragmatic approach to the Internet of Things (IoT) by building on the equipment and data you already have, and leveraging your current technology investments, to quickly and securely enable analytics-driven action. With a comprehensive solution portfolio including edge gateways and powerful analytics tools, Dell reduces the complexity, lowers the risk and increases the speed of deploying IoT initiatives. For more information, visit www.dell.com/IoT.
SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.


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The Largest Valley System in the Solar System
News story originally written on August 8, 2001
Scientists studying the features of Mars have discovered the largest known valley system in the solar system. These valleys and gorges lie beneath the surface of the planet, under ash, lava, and dust, and were spotted by the Mars Global Surveyor which can look beneath the surface of Mars using lasers. Data from the Viking spacecraft which circled Mars in the 1970's was also used during this study.
These giant channels were apparently formed by large amounts of water flowing through them, as similar structures are formed on Earth, except that to form valleys the size of these the water flow through them would have been 50,000 times that of the Amazon River!
The scientists who completed the study say that Mars probably experienced periods of dramatic heating caused by volcanic activity, and this sharp increase in temperature would have caused floods of an incredible scale. They say that the amount of water flowing through the channels they have discovered would have been enough to fill an ocean three times the size of the Mediterranean Sea in less than two months!
The evidence from this study supports the long-held idea that Mars has vast amounts of frozen water, and that from time to time this water is released by volcanic activity. It also suggests that sometime in the future, Mars may again have oceans, lakes and rivers on its surface.


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DBS digibank - the smartest way to bank
At a Glance
When it comes to banking the way you live, digibank is the only app you'll need. Intelligent, secure and intuitive, it's the best way to bank whenever you want, from wherever you are.
New to DBS? Getting started just got easier
Open an account with just your phone and Singpass without the need to visit a branch, and get a headstart with one of our four starter packs. Learn more
Insights that help you stay ahead of your everyday banking needs
Get personalised notifications, transaction updates, spending overview and analyses to help you track, plan, manage and grow your money smarter.
Tools to make your money work harder
Track, plan, manage and grow your money with smart tools.
Banking made secure and simple
With biometric authentication, you don't have to enter passwords.
Pair with PayLah! for more deals and rewards
Move between digibank and PayLah! with just a one one-time login to enjoy banking and lifestyle services seamlessly.
Download digibank app
Start your account instantly.
Get instant access to digibank and PayLah! for all your banking needs when you sign up with Singpass!
Not just a pretty interface.
Your digibank app doesn't just look good. It's packed with clever design touches to make banking quicker, easier and safer
Stay ahead of your everyday banking needs.
It's all about making your banking smart and effortless, by giving you insights, alerts, reminders and analyses. Learn more
Make your money work harder. Easily.
Let us help you take charge of your everyday banking with reminders to help you stay on track, and regular insights on your account activity. Learn more
Banking that's simply secure.
We built digibank with multiple layers of personalised security like biometric locks and encryption, so it's both simple and safe.
Two apps, one seamless journey
You can also move seamlessly between digibank and PayLah! with just a one-time login. These two companion apps are now connected for you to enjoy banking and lifestyle services with ease. Download both apps today.
Set up your DBS digibank in under 3 minutes
- Download DBS digibank app.
- NEW TO DBS CUSTOMER: Sign up using Singpass and start banking instantly with a bank account, debit card and PayLah!
Foreigners with valid Singapore pass (EP/SP/DP) may also be eligible to open an account instantly using Singpass.
EXISTING CUSTOMER: Register with your DBS ATM/Debit/Credit Card number and PIN, or via Singpass Face Verification (Singaporean/PR only).
- Set up your Digital Token and you're done!
Alternatively, if you prefer to use Physical Token, approach any of our branches or call DBS hotline to request one.
Simple banking just for you
Click to download our bilingual (English and Chinese 中文) guide on how to enjoy 24/7 convenience with the digibank app and our self-service banking services. So you can skip the branch queue and free up precious time for you and your loved ones. Mobile or Desktop version.
What is digibank?
DBS iBanking and DBS digibank mobile app are now known as DBS digibank. It allows you to view your account balances, transferring money and paying bills, apply for new accounts and credit cards instantly, and manage your finances, anytime, anywhere.
How can I download digibank mobile?
If you are a new user to digibank, please download the latest version of digibank in the App Store, Google Play Store and Huawei App Gallery.
I don't have any account with DBS. Can I use digibank mobile to register for an account?
Tip: Singaporeans, PRs or foreigners who do not have a Singpass account may register here.
I have just registered for a Singpass account. When can I start using it to register for an account on digibank mobile?
Your Singpass/MyInfo profile should be up and ready to use the next day for new account application on your digibank app.
What do I need to register for digibank?
For new to DBS customer:
You will need:
- Singpass (Singaporeans, PRs or foreigners who do not have a Singpass account may register here.)
- A valid mobile number and email address
- Or these required documents, if applicable
For existing DBS customer:
You can register for digibank using any of the following methods:
- ATM/Debit/Credit Card and PIN
- Singpass Face Verification* (only for Singaporeans and PRs)
*Registration available through digibank mobile app only.
What are the eligibility criteria to register for digibank?
For New to DBS customer:
You must be at least 16 years old with a valid mobile number and email address to register for digibank and open an account.
For Existing DBS customer:
You will need to be 16 years old and have a personal or joint-alternate account of the following:
- DBS Autosave/Current/Savings Plus or POSB Savings/Current Account
- DBS or POSB Credit Card/Debit Card
- DBS Cashline/Home Loan with Servicing Account
You will need also to provide DBS Bank with your mobile number and email address during registration.
What can I do on digibank?
Please click here for the list of services that we presently offer.
Why should I choose digibank?
- It only takes 4 simple steps to sign up
- It's Safe
- Safe and secure transactions with Transaction Signing and multifactor authentication.
- We'll send transaction alerts to your registered mobile number when you complete your transactions.
- Wide Range of Services
With over 150 online banking services, digibank will help you to better manage your finances.
What are the security features of digibank?
- Transaction Alerts
What are transaction alerts?
Email and SMS notification alerts are triggered when you perform selected transactions via digibank as well as other channels. transactions. Click here to find out more. - digibank OTP
What is digibank OTP?
digibank OTP serves as an additional security feature that uses a One Time Password authorisation. You will need to register your mobile number with the Bank in order to receive digibank OTP.
What are the minimum specifications required to use digibank?
digibank apps are compatible with operating system (OS) versions Apple 12.0, Android 9.0 and above. For optimal app stability and security, please ensure that you update your device OS to the latest version. For more information, click here.
Why does the mobile banking app require app permissions?
App permissions are necessary to access selected banking services on digibank.
Below are some examples of permissions requested:
- Photos, Media, Files and Camera permissions are necessary to upload supporting documents for an application.
- Contact permissions are needed when performing a PayNow transfer.
- Location permissions are necessary to provide directions to nearby DBS/POSB branches and ATMs.
By allowing access, the app does not use the permissions to store contacts or images found in the device.
To change / view permissions, log in to digibank app and navigate to 'More' and then 'App Permissions'.
We are continually working on improving our mobile banking application capabilities. Kindly look out for future updates.
I am facing issues with my digibank. What should I do?
Please ensure that you have updated your digibank to the latest version on App Store/Play Store/App Gallery.
For your security, please note that
- Blue filter apps or any apps that alter your mobile screen viewing will reduce your screen taps sensitivity when accessing the DBS digibank SG app. Disable such apps/settings first before logging in.
- If you have a firewall or device security app installed, check if you have granted access to digibank app via your security/firewall app
Basic troubleshooting tips
- Uninstall DBS digibank SG app
- Restart phone and ensure Android or iOS OS is running on latest version
- Re-install DBS digibank SG app
What is Digital Token and how do I set up?
Setting up is easy. Download the DBS/POSB digibank app on your preferred mobile device. Upon logging in to your digibank app, perform one-time setup for the Digital Token. Thereafter, turn on your app push notification so you can receive timely notifications each time you transact.
For more information on digital token and instructions to set up, please click here.
Can I use Physical Token instead of Digital Token?
Yes. Simply approach any of our branches or call our DBS hotline to request a Physical Token.
Follow the instructions on the mailer to activate your Physical Token. Alternatively, login to your digibank app and tap on More > Activate Physical Token.
What if my Registered Address* in Singpass is wrong?
You can update your address at ICA- eService' before you sign up for digibank.
This applies to New to DBS Singaporean/PR customers only.
*Your new debit card will be mailed to your registered address.
How do I close digibank profile?
Closing your profile terminates your access to all digibank online and digibank app services. You may continue to bank with us through other channels.
Click here to find out more.
Singpass Face Verification
What is Singpass Face Verification?
Singpass Face Verification is a national facial identification service and DBS is using this technology to allow customers to sign up for digibank and/or retrieve their digibank User ID conveniently.
Who can use this service?
- All Singapore citizens and Singapore PRs with a Singpass account
- Any DBS/POSB customers who wish to sign up for digibank
- Any existing digibank customers who wish to retrieve or change their existing User ID
How does it work?
- Tap on Get Started
- Enter Personal Details
- Select Singpass Face Verification
- Tap I'm ready for a selfie
- Tap on Ok, Continue
- Position your face within the oval grid
- Enter SMS-OTP
- Enter your digibank credentials
- Digibank registration is completed!
Is Singpass Face Verification available on digibank online?
No, Singpass Face Verification is only available on digibank mobile.
Are there any tips for a successful Singpass Face Verification?
- If you are wearing glasses, make sure your eyes are clearly visible. No tinted glasses.
- If you are wearing headgear, ensure that your whole face is visible.
- Be in a well-lit environment so that your face can be seen clearly.
- Maintain a neutral expression when taking the selfie.
How is my captured photo being used?
Your captured photo is used to compare against your NRIC or Passport photo records from the Government's biometric database instantly.
Does DBS store my captured photo?
No, DBS does not store your captured photo.
Are there any charges for using this service?
There are no charges for using this service.
Are there other ways to register for digibank / retrieve my digibank User ID?
Yes, you may use your Card and PIN to register for digibank / retrieve and change your digibank User ID.
Global Finance Award 2020 Best Consumer Digital Bank Most Innovative Digital Bank (Asia Pacific) Best Integrated Consumer Bank Site (Asia Pacific) | |
The Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2020 Digital Bank of the Year Best Retail Mobile Banking Experience Best Mobile Banking Application Best Retail Online Banking Experience Best Digital Wealth Management Experience Best API Project |


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This article is more than 1 year old
DNS servers filled with wrong Kool-Aid, big names waylaid in Romania
Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, PayPal all graffiti'd
A hacker today redirected web surfers looking for Yahoo, Microsoft or Google to a page showing a TV test card by apparently poisoning Google's public DNS system.
Punters and organisations relying on Google's free service were affected, rather than the websites themselves being compromised.
Visitors to yahoo.ro, microsoft.ro and google.ro were served a message from an Algerian miscreant using the moniker MCA-CRB. Traffic destined for the Romanian websites of Kaspersky Lab and Paypal was also hijacked. Affected web browsers were pointed to a frankly boring message resembling nothing more than a test card and an animated GIF background.
MCA-CRB is a prolific online graffiti artist who has defaced at least 5,000 sites, according to records kept by Zone-H. The latest attack was carried out to gain bragging rights rather than to trouser a profit or stage a political protest.
Costin Raiu, a senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, said "the problem is with the Google free DNS servers (188.8.131.52, 188.8.131.52) not with the DNS servers for the specific domains". His colleague Stefan Tanase believes Google's public DNS servers were tricked into giving out the wrong IP addresses for the affected domains; one way this attack can be pulled off is by poisoning the web giant's DNS cache with bogus entries.
Other experts think the problem originates further up the food chain at Romania's TLD servers.
Catalin Cosoi, chief security strategist at Romanian antivirus firm Bitdefender, explained: "The breach appears to have initially originated at the Romanian TLD, from where the compromised DNS records propagated to DNS cache servers. We believe that the RoTLD breach was carried in a similar manner as in the Pakistani hack. It is only a supposition, but all signs point to the same group."
Last week, defaced copies of Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, eBay and Apple's Pakistan websites were shown to surfers, again as a result of a DNS hijack. Hackers latched onto vulnerabilities at PKNIC, a Pakistani domain name registrar, and altered records to pull off the attack, Softpedia reported.
Access to the affected Romanian sites was restored by Wednesday lunchtime, except Paypal.ro which proved difficult to reach in any case.
DNS systems translate human-friendly domain names, such as theregister.com, to internet addresses that routers and servers can understand and process. ®


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'Crush' comes from the built-in zip methods in CrushFTP. They allow for downloading files in compressed formats in-stream, or even automatically expanding zip files as they are received in-stream. This is called ZipStreaming and can greatly accelerate the transfer of many types of files.
Secure management is web based allowing you the ability to manage and monitor the server from anywhere, or with almost any device. Easy in place server upgrades without complicated installers. Runs as a daemon, or Windows service with no need for a local GUI.
CrushFTP is watching out for you by detecting common hack attempts and robots which scan for weak passwords. It will automatically protect you against DDoS attacks. No need for you to do anything as CrushFTP will automatically ban these IPs to prevent wasted logging and CPU usage. This keeps your server secure from unwanted abuse.
User management includes inheritance, groups, and virtual file systems. If you want simple user management, it can be as easy as just making a folder with a specific name and nothing else. Think about how easily you can delegate user administration with CrushFTP's role based adminstration and event configuration.
High speed file transfer over high latency connections. Job scheduling and monitoring. DMZ capable with reverse connections from internal server, virtual IP management and session replication provide for High Availability. Automated reporting and real-time monitoring. In-stream PGP encryption and decryption, to enforce security on stored files.
Wide variety of included plugins allowing for extended authentication methods (LDAP, Active Directory, Radius, Folder Names, and more) CrushTask also allows for post processing actions (copy local or remote, rename, email, zip / unzip, encrypt / decrypt, imap, and more).
CrushFTP provides realtime monitoring of all operations. You can see an overview on the dashboard, watch a filtered and highlited log scrolling as activity occurs, and see each active connection.
Realtime local file synchronization to the server. Keep folders in sync across many machines. Detects changes in files and sends only the changed parts. Utilizes high speed transfers and compression, and can synchronize files with encryption being done at the client.
Customizable HTTP(S) WebInterface supporting resume and high speed transfers, and WebDAV(s) support for iOS / Android devices. Automated thumbnail creation for many file types, slideshow mode for viewing photos, and built-in movie playing interface.
Users can be allowed to connect a local drive on their machine which they can then utilize. This allows for seamless integration with the OS in file management and applications working with documents stored on the server.
SFTP - This uses a SSH connection to perform file transfers. Public / private key authentication can be allowed or password-less logins. SFTP is not well suited for high latency connections though. Almost any SFTP client is supported.
SCP - Secure copy also uses SSH, but is meant for pushing a single file transfer as fast as possible. Its not well suited for directories, or for downloading if you don't know the exact file name already. Almost any SCP client is supported.
The server dashboard shows you summarized information about what the server is doing. You can see things like the number of active connections, free drive space, recent login list, memory usage, server port status, and history graphs about bandwith and memory usage. You can drill down into appropriate items to see more details and monitor specific users or actions the server is doing.
You can allow users to create temporary links and shares to files and folders. These links self expire after the set interval. You can customize all aspects about the sharing interface including what items are visible, their default settings, custom email body, colors and fonts, and the method of share to use.
Event actions that are user customizable. They can generate emails with a list of uploads a user just made, or many various other tasks. You can customize events down to extreme detail. Events can be used to run various plugins which then perform other tasks as well (such as the CrushTask plugin.)
The WebInterface allows you to specify custom forms for welcoming a user on their first visit to your site (such as acceptance of a legal disclaimer), or for asking for additional information about uploads. This data can be further processed in email notifications, or written to XML files using a CrushTask as an event in the user's setting in the user manager.
The WebInterface is a rich interface allowing for stunning visual displays of its files. Images, PDFs, Documents can all have previews of their contents generated into thumbnails that the user will see at a glance in the WebInterface. You can allow the user to view these thumbnails in large forms for slideshows, or quick previews. Movies can be handled also. Still frames are generated automatically from the movie so you can get a quick overview of the movie as your mouse hovers over the icon. You can also allow users to play movies directly from the WebInterface.


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Office Behavior
The 10 Things You Only Do When You Work In An Office
The awful sound of your morning alarm, the straightening of the tie and the complete lack of motivation at your job past 1 p.m. on a Friday are all things that come with the package of working in an office. The brisk transition from lazy mornings watching Mad Men while trying to motivate yourself to, at least, have a shower before the sun goes down to a world where everyone has a desk is quite a difficult one to take in stride.The last time you had a desk was in high school, where throwing a balled-up piece of paper at a rival for the crown of "class clown" was completely normal, and interrupting a teacher with fart noises was simply labeled as "something you deal with" by the staff.
But this is different. A fart noise would not be tolerated in a professional environment, and to attack someone with a paper missile would certainly result in at least a written warning. While we are prepared for some of the things that come with a 9-to-5 job, no amount of research could prepare us for the extremely tedious and incredibly routine aspects of life in an office.
Didn't think you cared about babies? Well, you do. Never imagined discussing whether you would rather have no hands or no feet? Well, you will. Those office walls bring out the worst in people, so here's something to put you in good stead
10. Drinking a bottle of water a day
Before you started working, water was something that you knew was important but didn't really consider.The most you ever drank when you were at home dreaming of a job where you couldn't masturbate without people knowing was maybe a few coffees. But did you ever think you could drink 1.5 liters of water in just one day?9. Acting like a dick to your mates
It starts when you're in the pub and the conversation turns to you. But before you speak, both of your arms start to rise up by your side, until they both are able to get purchase on the top of the sofa, leaving you looking like a lever-based corkscrew. You tilt your head back and say, "Ah, me, [smirk] all is good, my friends. All is good." You've never said these words, but the new job has massaged your ego and the important meetings you've been in have made you into a knob. Luckily (for your friends), this only lasts a week.8. Eating sushi
Before you started work, your diet consisted mostly of food of the beige variety. Pastries, breads, pasta, sandwiches, breaded meat — just one color was enough to fulfill your every culinary need. Now you're eating something called a bento. What happened? You used to be so carefree, and food was just something you had to do to stay alive. And now look at you — you've gagged on wasabi.7. Going to bed Drunk at 8 p.m.
It seems that since you started, every three days you are in bed early with an empty box of KFC on your side table. Working makes you want to get drunk, and as the constant need to socialize after work grows, so does the amount of takeout boxes on your bedroom floor. Be careful to at least leave one night to clean your room, though, because a vicious cycle of work/play can only lead to bad smells.6. Getting Irrationally excited when someone brings in sweets
When someone brings in a box full of Krispy Kreme doughnuts at work, you suddenly feel that this is a day to remember. Look at yourself, seriously. You have never bought cookies before to eat on your own because you don't care for casual snacking deserts. Remember you're a man, and try not to do that thing that people do when they raise both of their hands, wiggle their fingers and make an "mmmm" sound as they decide if they want a bloody cake.5. Spending A lot of money on Fridays
Friday is a day when lunch is a special time, but remember what Friday also is? Friday is also the time when you can go out, get smashed and not worry about the consequences. But we eat double the amount we usually do and spend twice as much as normal on the one night we're looking to get drunk quickly and cheaply.4. Lying about your weekends
You will realize after a few weeks that people around you are actual adults. Adults who go on weekend breaks and have exciting hobbies. What adults don't do is go to the bookmakers and place 14-team accumulators, play FIFA for six hours, have cheese toasties for Sunday lunch, and wait until 4 p.m. to take a shower. Keep that a secret.3. Using coffee/tea to break up the day
Everyone uses the task of making and drinking hot beverages as a way to burn down the clock. We get to the stage when we stare blankly at the computer screen, when the blue Facebook border becomes just a blur and we say, "I need to put the kettle on." So, for argument's sake, people who drink coffee work fewer hours.2. Gossiping about totally uninteresting things
"Do you think they're... You know..." "Guess who I saw last night?" "I don't know what she sees in him."These are all staple sentences that become just as important to your office world as the walls that form it.
People have sex. You know this, and so does everyone else, but you tend to forget this at work and treat every single piece of information about the current romantic endeavors of your peers like rare artifacts that you are desperate to share. You might not care if your best friend is in love, but you bloody well love it when some random girl from your work force flirts with the UPS guy.
1. Counting down the seconds it takes you to take a piss
Two minutes is pretty much all it takes to walk to the little boy's room, pop the little fella out, get him to do what he does best, wash your hands, and go back to your seat. But what happens if it's a longer wee? Or you get stage fright? Or if you do that thing where your penis goes a little diagonal and piss goes a little off target and onto your trousers? Horrifically, there isn't any proof you can dig up that proves you haven't taken a dump at the workplace, but if you stay in the toilet for three minutes or more, you're labeled a violation.-
Business Etiquette
Drinking Games
Job Satisfaction
Office Politics


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Financial technology startups emerged as serious challengers to financial services in 2017
All the attention in financial services this year has gone to the newest kids on the block: cryptocurrencies. With bitcoin now eclipsing $15,000 and Coinbase adding more than 300,000 users in one week alone, it's easy to see why.
While cryptocurrencies stole the spotlight, a clutch of companies were quietly working behind the scenes to slowly bring the financial services establishment to its knees. It may turn out that these startup entrants of the last several years will prove to be the more relevant disruptors.
Earlier this year the "fintechs" hit a massive milestone, one that very few people noticed but which must certainly be keeping senior execs at banks, credit card companies and other institutions up at night. In June of 2017, for the first time in history, the top 10 publicly traded U.S. fintechs surpassed $100 billion in total market capitalization.
Now that number is over $130 billion, and there are another dozen privately held fintechs in the U.S. collectively valued at almost $35 billion. Together this is nearly $175 billion of value that didn't exist 20 years ago. Other recent artifacts that must surely be unsettling for the incumbent financial institutions include: PayPal's market cap surging past that of Amex and Robinhood quickly closing in on E*Trade in terms of total number of accounts opened — in just three years.
Definition: Matrix considers "FinTechs" to be (a) technology-first companies that leverage software to compete with traditional financial services institutions (e.g. banks, credit card networks, insurers, etc.) in the delivery of traditional financial services (e.g. lending, payments, investing, etc.) or (b) software tools that better enable traditional finance functions (e.g. accounting, point-of-sales systems, payments, etc.)
Introducing the Matrix U.S. FinTech Index
With an eye toward tracking the progress of disruption in the financial services space, we're excited to release the Matrix U.S. FinTech Index. This index is a market-cap weighted index that tracks the progress of a portfolio of the 10 leading public fintech companies listed above over the course of the last year (beginning in December of 2016). For comparison, we also included another portfolio of the 10 largest financial services incumbents (companies like JP Morgan, Visa and American Express), as well as the S&P 500 index.
As seen below, the Matrix FinTech Index shows a clear win for the fintechs. To their credit, after a rough year in 2016, the incumbents rallied in 2017 to perform slightly better than the S&P 500 Index — yielding 29 percent returns over the one-year period (compared to the 20 percent returns by the S&P 500 Index).
The fintechs, however, have blown by this, delivering 89 percent returns and handily beating the incumbents by 60 percentage points. If you had invested in the Matrix FinTech Index a year ago, you would have almost doubled your money in just one year.
This is just the beginning
Unfortunately for the incumbents, the outlook only worsens from here. The "old-guard" has long been suffering from inflexible back-end systems, antiquated ways of serving customers and human intensive processes. They're also increasingly at risk of losing trust with consumers as a result of very public failures like the Wells Fargo scandal and the Equifax data breach.
In the next 10 years, we predict that the incumbent's portfolio returns (shown above in red) will drop well below the S&P 500 as they continue to disappoint end consumers and cede ground to the fintechs.
Meanwhile, the fintech takeover has just begun — financial services in recent years has been 7-9 percent of U.S. GDP (i.e. trillions of dollars). In the decade to come, we will see the Matrix FinTech Index continue to climb to new heights as the existing fintechs surge in value and as we add many more fintechs to the Index. In fact, the nearly 100 percent growth we've seen in the last year is the bottom end of the hockey-stick, just hitting the inflection point. By 2027, as we accelerate up the hockey stick, every aspect of financial services, from payments to lending to investing, will be dominated by fintechs.
Move over financial services — the fintechs are here and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
Featured Image: Thomas Trutschel/Getty Images
Published at Fri, 29 Dec 2017 23:30:06 +0000


text:
Google's stock surpassed the $1,000 mark for the first time Friday, helped by strong third-quarter results.
Shortly after the markets opened, Google shares jumped 14 percent to $1,015.46 and closed a day of heavy trading at $1,011.41. The gains marked Google's biggest one-day jump in more than five years.
The stock had never been higher than $928 in regular market trading since Google went public at $85 per share nine years ago.
Late Thursday, Google reported a 36 percent jump in third-quarter net income, which beat Wall Street's predictions. The numbers showed that while the company's average ad prices continue to decline, they're being offset by a larger number of people clicking on ads.
Over the years, Google has expanded its reach far beyond the powerful search engine that made it famous. It now includes the video-sharing site YouTube, along with the Android operating system that runs on close to 1 billion smartphones and tablets. The company ranks as the No. 1 digital ad company by revenue, leaving rivals such as Yahoo and Facebook far behind.
Google's stock has climbed steadily in the past five years, more than doubling in value. But the stock slipped slightly in recent months, while the overall market has risen, amid worries about deteriorating ad prices.
Google's average ad price has fallen from the prior year in each of the past eight quarters, primarily because advertisers aren't paying as much for mobile ads because the screens on smartphones and tablet computers are smaller than those on laptop and desktop computers.
As more people rely on mobile devices to connect to Google's search engine and other services, the trend is driving down the company's average ad price, or "cost per click."
But the number of so-called "paid clicks" on Google's ads helped offset the lower prices in the third quarter. The clicking volume increased 26 percent from last year, an indication that Google's data analysis is doing a good job matching ads with the interests of its services' users.
Friday's stock surge takes Google's market capitalization to about $333 billion, which still pales in comparison to that of technology industry rival Apple Inc. The iPhone and iPad maker ranks No. 1 in the world with a market capitalization of $462 billion.
It's unlikely that Google shares will stay above $1,000 for very long. The Mountain View, Calif., company plans to issue a new class of stock that will likely cut the value of the shares in half, though its market capitalization will be unaffected.


text:
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Rub Out The Word (two tapes, Big Body Parts BBP C3, 1989)
Following yesterday's blast, here is a somewhat minor thing, only two sixty minutes, dealing with voice related music, 'Rub Out The Word' compiled by Jeph Jerman of Hands To, and released by his own Big Body Parts label. Mainly US experimentalists to be found here: Bunker Club, Mental Anguish, Swinebolt 45, Illusion Of Safety, Eric Lunde, City Of Worms, PBK, Big City Orchestra, David Montgomery, If Bwana, CBC III, Allegory Chapel, Crash Worship, Terre Blanche, Then Behavior, David S. Hastings, Yeast Culture, Black Coke, Hands To, Blackhumour, AMK, Lab Rat, John Hudak, Criss and what seems to be the only European contribution by Kapotte Muziek. An edition of 100 copies.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Intrendent Fansette (three tapes, MAM Aufnahme, 1987)
Weekend again, and again I am serving two big compilations. The first one is really big, three ninety minute tapes, but still not the biggest compilation I have in my collection. That one is lurking still to be digitised. This particular compilation was compiled by a German guy whose name escaped me, but its a truly great selection of all sorts of music, although mainly electronic. Included are, and I just type up some of the more famous names now, De Fabriek, Das Synthetisches Mischgewebe, Z'EV, Julius, Kapotte Muziek, P16.D4, Klinik, Problemist, Vox Populi, Pacific 231, Tara Cross, Sack and then many more. 68 tracks in total. There is also an extensive booklet, which I didn't scan, because it might fall apart then, and hey, it's too much work anyway. Originally an edition of 300 copies.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Band Of Pain - Argento (LP, Dirter Promotions 24, 1994)
"Started in 1994 as a side project from Splintered, the band Steve Pittis was part of. After several vinyl and CD releases and two John Peel Sessions, Steve felt it was time to break away. Before long, Band Of Pain became the main concern, and Splintered split at the end of 1996. Since then Band Of Pain has released numerous records and CDs" it says on the website of the Band Of Pain.
This LP, which was recorded by Pittis and Dave Collins with assistence of Richard Johnson and James Machin, was the first release as Band Of Pain, and released on Pittis own Dirter Promotions label in an edition of 500 copies. Later a limited edition of 40 copies were released on CDR. Uk noise rock scene stuff.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Death Leaves An Echo (LP, Les Disques Du Crepuscule TWI 663, 1987)
One of the first cassettes I ever bought was 'From Brussels With Love', which I thought was brilliant (a post about this will be done in the future). I heard/have several other compilations on this label, including this one, which seems a sort of best of previous work, rather than a compilation of new work. But I still quite like, since I don't have many other records on this label (and which seem hard to find on other blogs. It has pieces by Paul Haig, Isabella Antenna, Wim Mertens, The Pale Fountains, Piscine & Charles, The French Impressionists, The Border Boys, Winston Tong, 52ND Street, Stanton Miranda and Ludus.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Institut für Feinmotorik - Archivmaterial (LP, 1997), Untitled (10", 1997)
From Discogs: "Institut Für Feinmotorik (= institute for precision motoricity) is a project which is interested in the complex relationship between perception of micro-phenomenons in acoustic and visual spheres and the precisioned stumbling through micro-social behaviour in daily situations. The group's work is focused on the acoustic sphere beyond usual gain signals. Elements of noise containing no original sense emerge to significant structures. The setup consists of six to eight "empty" record players which means that no gain signals but empty or manipulated lock grooves or the paper labels of the records are played. Besides that Institut Für Feinmotorik have found some other ways to generate acoustic signals out of empty record players: house-rubberbands, adhesive tape and tooth brushes are just a few instruments used to produce different sounds. Not only for friends of minimal techno in Brinkmann and Studio 1 style."
This band didn't release much and some of it was in extremely limited editions, such as these, their first two records from 1997, both in an edition of 100 copies on their own label. Lots of crackling and popping here. I will post some of them in the future.
their website
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Odal - Desintegration (tape, Nihilistic Recordings, Industrial Therapy Unit itu 12, 1988)
The fourth post with music by Peter Zincken. Somebody left a comment on 'TV Monster' with a link to a short documentary about Zincken, though its in Dutch. I recommend you watch this, as its great. This tape was co-released by Canadian Industrial Therapy Unit, the label of a band Not Half, with whom there is a collaborative on this release. Also a collaboration piece with Kapotte Muziek is here, among the usual Odal madness.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Illusion Of Safety - Finite Material Context (2 tapes, Complancy, 1990)
More big downloads I guess, this double tape by Illusion Of Safety, which was released on their Complacency label in an edition of 150 copies in a box with several laminated inserts. Each track is by one member, except for two. This is Illusion Of Safety in their best cassette days. Great mixture of experimental, electronic and musique concrete.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Journey Into Pain (4 tapes, Beast 666 Tapes 007, 1987)
A few weeks back another blog did 'Tourney Into Pain', just when I almost completed making MP3s of 'Journey Into Pain'. The two releases are connected. 'Journey Into Pain' is released by Japanese Beast 666 Tapes and 'Tourney' might be a bootleg version on Statutary Tapes (RRRecords), with partly new tracks and some skipped from the original. I have no idea why. People asked me to up this 'Journey Into Pain', so here it is. Four sixty minutes tapes, that's what the weekend is for! With New Blockaders/Organum, P16D4, Merzbow, John Duncan, Paul Hurst & Mark O'Brien, Tom Recchion, Vittore Baroni, PGR, HNAS, Un Drame Musical Instantane, Half Japanese, Anschluss & Russ Shorto, Maybe Mental, Helene Sage, SBOTHI, The Haters, Asmus Tietchens, Incapacitants, The Sodality, Bruno Cossano, Nord, Giancarlo Toniutti, Hijyo Kaidan, The Boredoms, The Hanatarashi,
download & download
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Thee Book (2 tapes, Graf Haufen Tapes ght 35, 1985)
During the weekend you have some time to do some extensive downloads, so this weekend two 'big' compilation, starting with 'Thee Book', released by Graf Haufen Tapes. The guiding theme is books and each side of this double ninety minute tapes is a chapter, 'Movements', 'Crimes', 'Rituals' and 'Difficulties'. Its a who's who of the mid 80s cassette culture, with lots of known names (P16D4, New Blockaders, The Haters, Pacific 231, Kapotte Muziek, Smersh), but also many unknowns (AIZ, Bogart, Aesthetik Der Gewalt, Ritus). Lots of Dutch names too, De Fabriek, Disturbed Life, Arthur Berkhoff, MTVS, Unit 6, Friends In Low Places, Hessel & Nick Nicole & Alvin and Het Zweet).
Friday, August 22, 2008
Jim O'Rourke - Some Kind Of Pagan (tape, Sound Of Pig sop 224, 1989)
I already prepared this and some else place a comment on the previous post with a link to download the tape I never heard 'Secure On The Lose Rim'. I am not sure if you care to browse through all the old comments, so here is the 'Secure' link.
He also send a link for this, 'Some Kind Of Pagan', but I prefer to use my own version. More guitar and reverb and no overdubs. This is the last tape I have from Jim.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Schimpfluch-Gruppe - Mama (Das Fest) (LP, Schimpfluch KSK 03/SH 26, 1992?)
Discogs lists as artist Schimpfluch-Gruppe/ Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck / Saubaggerln / Kamm-Duo Plattl, which might also be true. Things are never that clear with Schimpfluch records. They also give various titles for side A, but I couldn't detect any separate tracks. It's the usual strange all around.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
A Handful Of Dust - Concord (LP, Twisted Village TW-1027, 1993)
From New Zealand comes A Handful Of Dust, "the core duo of Bruce Russell and Alastair Galbraith, with the regular percussive under-pinning of Peter Stapleton". They have lots of releases on Russell's own Corpus Hermeticum, as well as some other labels. Their music is a fine combination of rock, improvisation, a bit of noise.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tesendalo - Natur Naht (LP, White Noise WN 002, 1995)
For those of you who are is despair after seeing so many tapes on this blog, we have a piece of vinyl today. Tesendalo is or was the musical project of Peter Schuster, who was a member of PCR and Doc Wor Mirran, at least for a while. He's from Nurnberg. His solo music deals with synthesizers and sound effects, and is dreamy, droney and atmospheric. There is a whole bunch of tapes, which I don't have, on his own Prion Tapes (of which I have some), and some highly limited vinyl on Korm Plastics, Drone, Staubgold, Bad Alchemy and Molar Records. White Noise later became Noise Museum and was run by Yann Farcy, who started the L'Invitation Au Suicide.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Des Duyvels Doedelsack - Three Tapes
I posted previously a tape by them, and this post reflects their first three releases on their own Pidoewa label. It's the final post with cassettes I borrowed from EU Records, and the biggest post. Before I leanred that Des Duyvels Doedelsack was mainly one Hans Boogmans, who played the piano, was a drawer, writer. In 1990 he converted to be fundamentalist christian and commited suicide in 1998. Also in the band was Anthony Blockdijk, who was also in bands as Art In Revolution (AIR), drummer of Niet-Reëel Aanbod (NRA), Salò Mentale and played indo rock and now lives in Suriname. A lovely guy.
The three tapes are
Het Ruisen Der Vleesch (Pidoewa p1, 1983)
Snerpt Door De Kathedralen (Pidoewa p2, 1983)
Het Duizelt De Staketsels (Pidoewa p3, 1983)
buy it here
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Schlaflose Nachte (tape, 1982?)
Among the lot of EU Records was also this tape by Schlaflose Nachte, which looks like a demo but perhaps it was officially released. There is on the b-side a longer piece which they recorded with Einsturzende Neubauten in 1981 in a concert in Berlin. As you no doubt remember from my previous postings about this band, they were before this called Suspect. I posted some weeks ago their 'Tanz Auf Dem Vulkan' tape and through EU I got a copy of my own, and it sounds a bit different and has more tracks. You'll find both versions in that post now.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Mark van Kempen - Zwart-wit/Apostelen der Liefde (tape, Kubus Kommunikaties kk 016, 1983)
From Mark van Kempen I posted a tape last year and here is his first release, also on Kubs Kassettes. I never heard this before and its quite nice but not as good as his Egotrip cassette. Again I had a hard time separating the tracks so left them unindexed, maybe it also works better like this.
download or download
Friday, August 15, 2008
Gammagluboline - Live Paradiso (tape, Pidoewa p4, 1983)
I have no idea who they were, but no doubt there is connection to Des Duyvels Doedelsack, of whom I posted a tape before, and will post more in a few days. A band from The Hague. Lots of rhythm machines, guitars, kinda nouveau psychedelic and a bit funky. Weirdness all around
buy it here
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Overflow - Enjoy (tape, DC 21-19 AC, 1987)
The last German tape which I got from EU Records, and I am not sure why I picked this, maybe like yesterday's post I was confused with something else. The cover is very hard to read, but the music is kinda poppy and electronic. Otherwise I know nothing about it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Arbeit Arbeit Arbeit (tape, 1981)
I was a bit too quick with handing my wish list at EU Records, and I thought this would be a tape by my favorite Belgium groups Arbeid Adelt, but it turned out to be a highly obscure German group Arbeit Arbeit Arbeit, who recorded this at the Berlin Wall. Lots of synths, voices and saxophone. Not exactely a favorite of mine, but fine enough to be part of NDW.
buy it here
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Didaktische Einheit - Ich Will Nicht Mehr Denken (tape, Dosis 7, 1982)
I used to have a great tape by this German band, but I forgot its title and I no longer have it. I kinda hoped it was this was from EU Records, but it isn't. Didaktische Einheit was, I believe, a kinda bigger group of musicians from Berlin and released various tapes in this time of true NDW. I see on Discogs that the tape I had was 'Dosis 6'. They also made a LP. This release is not mentioned.
buy it here
Monday, August 11, 2008
J. Derwort - Bamboo (tape, Low Lands 02, 1987)
Like yesterday I haven't gotm much clue about one J. Derwort, except that he is from Rotterdam and plays music on home made bamboo flutes, but also calrinet, percussion and special effects. There is a little bit found on the internet and it seems he had a connection to Michel Banabila. The word new age falls. Ouch. But I thought it was quite a nice ambient work after all. I have no idea about the label.
buy it here
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Een Uur Voor f 5,50 - Met De Bus Naar De Sneeuw (tape, Wegwerp tapes wwt 002, 1985)
Things can hardly be more obscure, I guess, than this one. The 'band' is called 'Een Uur Voor f 5,50', meaning 'one for for 5,50 guilders' and the title 'Met De Bus Naar De Sneeuw', is 'with the bus to the snow'. It is recorded by a guy from Groningen, Loepie and released by Wegwerp Tapes, the label of The Lost Attic. And that's all I know. Just like the 'Interprovinsjale Sweinen' tape of some time ago, great fucked up rhythmbox and synths music.
buy it here
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Lost Jockey (tape, no label, 1983)
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the small box of EU Records that I'm uploading this and next week was this tape release by The Lost Jockey. I thought they just released those two records which I posted a year ago. Four long pieces of sheer minimal classical (think Steve Reich) music. Last year, John Wesley Barker, one of the founding fathers of The Lost Jockey, left a comment,in which he said about a CD re-issue: "The reason none of Lost Jockey has been released on CD is that it would have had to be re-released and the group split up with no legal constructions to enable such releases.", which is something I don't understand. Get them all to sign a piece of paper saying it's ok to release a CD - or since we know now:a double CD! No longer for sale at EU Records: I bought it.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Yntse Vugts - Machine Talk 1-4 (four tapes, Monteur Verlag, 198?)
A while ago I posted a cassette by Fredy Beckmans, today its is from his (former?) partner Yntse Vugts, who played cello and reel-to-reel tape decks. She generated a sort of minimal mechanic sound with it, that is quite nice. She had various releases, none of which I ever had, but this is also my first experience with her music, although I once saw an installation by her at V2 when they were still in 's-Hertogenbosch. The tapes are all 20 minutes and have one tracks per side. These were released as one set, I believe, on her own Monteur Verlag label.
buy it here
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Tecnoville - Live Effenaar, Eindhoven 8.5.81 (tape, LeBel Period lp 600, 1981)
Much of the music of Tecnoville has been posted already, but not this very nice live recording from 1981. The piece 'Results' ends abrupt on side A and is started again on side B, so I skipped the version on the first side.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
De Sekte - Ex Libris (tape, Stichting Update Materials st 004, 1982)
After the Massmirror drama, now Shareonall has disappeared, following complaints by Gema.
Ok, quite a loss, but less than Massmirror. I am already re-upping on Rapidshare. Once Rapidshare collapses, this blog stops. I will not go somewhere else again.
Because I am busy with reupping everything today a short tape from the EU Records batch, the twenty minute tape by De Sekte, which was a percussion band from the people around Dier, which we posted before. Members where P. van der Kruis, M. Hoogeboom and R. van Deuveren.
buy it here
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Rob Smit - Metaal (tape, Kubus Kassettes kk 004, 1981)
Music is something you should get on the real thing, CD, LP, cassette, and this blog merely serves as pointers to good music, which sometimes is forgotten, but if you look hard you are able to find it. EU Records is one such place where one can find interesting releases, and the owner has been extremely kind to lent me a few cassettes, which I will now post. They are all for sale at his place, except for the one, which I kept. But for the next ten days or so, only tapes, and all of them for sale at EU Records. We kick off this trip with Rob Smit, the owner of Kubus Kassettes. I already posted various of his tapes before, which are usually quite ambient, but with a good sense of experimentalism. On his own 'Metaal' release, he produced three long pieces with a toy xylophone, which is slowed down with a reel to reel machine and treated with some effects. I wished Smit would put this out on CDR! He sells old photographs these days.
Monday, August 4, 2008
John Trubee And The Ugly Janitors Of America - Strange Hippie Sex Carnival (LP, Musical Tragedies MT 083, 1987) plus two 7" singles
Has 433RPM complete gone mad? Absolutely not. I like to present music on my own blog that I personally like, and I might be the only person in the world who likes John Trubee, so be it. This somewhat strange musician who lead an avant-garde jazz/rock band (his own words from 'Cassette Mythos'), but also made tapes with atmospheric synthesizer tapes and prank phone calls. This LP 'Strange Hippie Sex Carnaval' is an absolute favorite of mine. I added two of his 7"s, including his infamous 'Blind Man's Penis' and a split 7" with Frank Zappa, part of Musical Tragedies saw blade 7"s. And more to come by him!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Ashtray Navigations - Live At Wolf Central (tape, Freedom From, 19?)
I posted music by this great lo-fi drone, noise group before, and here is one of the few tapes I have by him.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Odal - Against Nature (tape, Lor Teeps, 19??)
No doubt this came with a booklet of any sorts with collages by Peter Zincken, but I don't have, just the tape in a rather dull cover. It's released on the Dutch Lor Teeps. More noise from the Dutch master.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Omit - Alienation (tape, Deepskin Conceptual Mindmusic, 1990)
"Clinton Williams has been on a highly personal journey into sound since the late 1980's. Starting from scratch, using modified electric motors as his sole sound source, he has built up a home studio and battery of hand-made and salvaged electronic sound sources, with which to pursue his researches into the human psyche. Working in complete isolation for several years, before making contact with a few like-minded souls in other parts of the world, he has released a mass of cassettes and lathe-cut polycarbonate records on his own Deepskin Conceptual Mindmusic imprint. He has also collaborated with Bruce Russell as Dust/Omit, and Paul Toohey as Omit/K Group."
Alienation was one of his earliest releases of nice experimental electronics with a strong low-fi edge to it. More of his to come.
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