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Agencies look beyond servers, toward virtualizing desktops, applications and storage
Virtualization is on the verge of extending its reach into agency enterprises.
Tips for virtualization deployments
During the past year, server virtualization, which is the ability to run multiple instances of operating systems concurrently on a single hardware system, gathered momentum in the government sector. But increasingly, federal and state agencies are expanding — or at least thinking about expanding — beyond servers to apply virtualization to applications, desktop PCs and network infrastructures.
The Defense Information Systems Agency, for one, is taking virtualization into the cloud.
DISA recently deployed the Rapid Action Computing Environment, a cloud-computing infrastructure that lets Defense Department personnel quickly provision virtual machines so they can test and develop applications before putting them to real use.
Through a common Web portal, DOD and military service users can purchase a virtual machine. Within 24 hours, it will be set up for them, said Alfred Rivera, director of DISA's Computing Services Directorate. They'll pay for it on a monthly basis, and when they are finished, the virtual machine will be decommissioned, he said.
"We're working to fine-tune some of the security issues but, in essence, it allows our customers to provision a virtual machine with memory, storage and [other] capability so they can download their applications to do test and development before they migrate to a pure production environment," Rivera said.
Meanwhile, officials at the Defense Health Information Management System (DHIMS) program are moving forward with application virtualization technology that gives clinicians at Camp Lejeune, N.C., remote access to patients' medical records stored in AHLTA, the military's electronic health records system.
However, the most common use of virtualization is still for servers, as agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency look to consolidate their many server rooms.
States also are getting into the act. Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality has implemented blade servers and virtualization software to reduce computing costs and save energy and space in the agency's data center. And Pennsylvania has embarked on an initiative to virtualize the state's entire data center.
Moreover, to meet the rising demand, vendors such as Citrix Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and VMware are pushing virtual infrastructures or solutions that encompass the various flavors of virtualization.
Server virtualization yields results
Virtualization can make a single physical resource — such as a server, operating system or storage device — appear to function as multiple resources. Or it can make multiple physical devices appear as a single resource.
Before DISA could move virtual machines to its on-demand computing model, it had to tackle server sprawl, power consumption and, most of all, the underutilization of its infrastructure.
As a service provider to the military services and DOD agencies, DISA works with its customers on application development and any type of virtualization at their own facilities.
"Each customer comes with their own requirements, and we work with them on an individual basis," Rivera said. "And sometimes they come with their own design."
Underutilization of resources is common in data centers. On average, if an Intel-based server that runs Microsoft Windows — known as a Wintel machine — is not virtualized, it is probably running at about 7 percent utilization, and that's a liberal estimate, Rivera said.
So DISA must convince its customers that it makes sense to move to virtualized servers to a common platform. To save money, the agency has standardized its infrastructure for Wintel and Linux servers on VMware's ESXi virtualization platform, Rivera said.
Several years ago, DISA adopted capacity-on-demand contracts with original equipment manufacturers. The agency buys capacity as a utility and only pays for what it uses. Hewlett-Packard provides DISA's Windows and Linux environments, in addition to a virtualization solution on top of that capacity-on-demand contract, he said.
VMware ESXi users can quickly create virtual machines through a menu-driven start-up and automatic configurations. It lets operations managers create virtual machines or import a virtual appliance with direct integration between VMware ESXi and the VMware Virtual Appliance Marketplace.
In the Unix environment, DISA is creating virtualization with Sun Microsystems' Logical Domains, which partitions workloads on one physical server and HP's virtual server environment for HP-UX systems.
Within the Wintel/Linux infrastructure, DISA has about 4,500 server environments in its data centers. The agency has virtualized about 750 of them.
The biggest challenge the agency faces is ensuring that applications can move seamlessly from the physical to virtual worlds because the agency does not own the application, Rivera said.
Another challenge is more cultural. "I have had to prove to customers that the move to a virtualization environment doesn't [degrade] performance or efficiencies," he said. "It is educating a customer base that their application [still] sits in their own domain where it is under their own control."
Meanwhile, EPA is just starting a multiyear effort to address server sprawl in computer rooms spread across the country.
The agency has one main data center located in Raleigh, N.C., that hosts all the agency's enterprisewide applications. The facility has about 450 servers with 120 terabytes of storage and a petabyte of data on tape.
However, the agency has 40 computer rooms, small data centers that officials want to drastically cut down to a few, said Myra Galbreath, chief technology officer and director of EPA's Office of Technology Operations and Planning.
EPA started dabbling with virtualization about four years ago with the implementation of IBM P Series Unix-based servers, she said. That system offered logical partitioning of workloads, and as a result, EPA data center managers were able to put about 36 virtual instances across six physical servers.
Later, EPA adopted 3Par storage technology, which lets agency managers support increased storage provisioning and data duplication. That helped reduce the volume of data that EPA needed to replicate to its disaster recovery site.
Last year, local sites and laboratories started to get into server virtualization, Galbreath said. The agency is trying to assess what has worked best, so officials can set a standard that all local sites can adopt.
EPA also has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Green Grid, a consortium of industry and government organizations that promotes energy-efficient computing, to study how the small computer rooms can reduce power consumption.
"There has been a lot of work on large data centers but not a lot on small computer rooms," Galbreath noted. "And lots of government [agencies] have these small computer rooms."
As EPA tackles server virtualization in small, decentralized computer rooms, Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality has achieved a more energy-efficient data center with HP blade servers and VMware software.
The agency first tested virtualization of its e-mail system. But based on e-mail volume and system configuration, the information technology team realized that the system wasn't the best candidate, said Ron Hardin, the department's CIO. The IT team looked toward mission-critical systems, such as those associated with environmental research, data warehousing and accompanying front-end applications, and the team decided to start there.
After doing an assessment, the team identified about 65 servers that it could virtualize.
The department now runs applications from those machines on seven HP blade servers.
The migration to virtual machines has reduced energy consumption by 30 percent and could lower maintenance and support costs by 40 percent, Hardin estimated.
Future plans are for agency officials to move software-as-a service and service-oriented architecture applications onto the virtual environment.
A place for desktops
Just as all applications might not be suited for server virtualization, desktop virtualization might not be suited for all environments.
Users typically don't notice when their organization virtualizes a server environment, said Jim Smid, data center practice manager at Apptis Technology Solutions (ATS). Users don't know whether it is virtualized or deployed on a physical server -- it makes no difference to them.
But desktop PC virtualization is a different story.
In such a setup, users have a thin-client monitor, keyboard and small appliance to pull their unique desktop image and applications from a server that resides in a data center. Such an environment makes it easier for administrators to manage and secure the desktop because users basically have a diskless workstation. But mobile employees, for example, who need to work anywhere, anytime might resist such a system.
Yet, during the past year, there has been a push toward desktop virtualization in the government sector, especially in controlled environments, such as training facilities and laboratories, he said.
For example, many military bases across the country have facilities in which they bring in groups of people for training on software or other technologies, he said. IT administrators need to give those machines a baseline configuration that would allow for different environments.
So desktop virtualization is a cost-effective way for administrators to provide customized desktops to users and then refresh them for the next round of people, Smid said.
"There are tools available to very quickly roll out a consistent image to a lot of different folks," Smid said. That gives them the ability to work independently without needing administrators to deploy physical infrastructure for everyone who receives the training, he said. Military facilities are deploying desktop virtualization solutions from Citrix and VMware for such deployments, he said.
EPA is considering desktop virtualization but only for specialized environments in which employees need access for routine administrative duties and secure information, Galbreath said.
"We're treading very carefully on that," she said. "But right now a lot of those folks have two machines" — one for the confidential information, the other for e-mail and Internet connectivity.
"We're trying to evaluate how we can use desktop virtualization and still ensure the security of keeping the two separate," she said.
Applications on demand
The Defense Health Information Management System Program Office is pushing forward with application virtualization to give clinicians remote access to patient medical records in the AHLTA electronic records system.
DHIMS' information management/information technology solutions help collect, manage and share health data throughout DOD.
"We have over 100,000 end-user devices and the three services — Army, Navy, Air Force — have their own requirements for those end-user devices that we want to be respectful of," said Capt. Michael Weiner, DHIMS' chief medical officer.
"That has given us some challenges," he said. "So we have looked at the areas of virtualization."
A challenge DHIMS faced was giving clinicians access to patient records while they are in field clinics. When loaded on a desktop PC as a client, the AHLTA program is bigger than Microsoft Office, requiring a lot of power, Weiner said.
To give doctors in remote field units access, AHLTA has been put on servers using Citrix's XenApp application delivery system, which lets them retrieve medical information from anywhere using any device. XenApp manages applications in the data center and delivers them as an on-demand service.
DHIMS has deployed the technology at Camp Lejeune, where Navy medical personnel can serve the Marines Corps, which does not have its own medical system. There are many small clinics at Camp Lejeune where doctors need access to AHLTA, Weiner said.
"We have a provider who is in a tent in a clinic in the field with the Marine unit," he said. "We'd like them to be able to pull up all the health care information that has been recorded on that patient."
DHIMS officials plan to extend the capability to Army, Navy and Air Force reserve units.
"We want to ensure that while those servicemen and women are on active duty, clinicians can pull their data up and document it into the DHIMS system," Weiner said. For example, a reserve unit from Maine might want to see what care was delivered to its members while they were on active duty. "So wouldn't it be great for their care provider in the reserve unit to see what was documented?"
Weiner said XenApp is being used at military hospitals in Portsmouth, Va., and Camp Lejeune. However, other services use other virtualization systems on the market, such as VMware's ThinApp and Microsoft App-V, formerly SoftGrid.
Storage: the last frontier?
Planned maintenance is the primary cause of downtime on a computer system. Storage virtualization is one way to mitigate or eliminate those planned downtimes, some experts say.
"We've been doing virtualization of storage through IBM's Storage [SAN] Volume Controller for at least three years," said Tony Encinias, chief technology officer of Pennsylvania's Office of Information Technology.
"Virtualized storage reduces the down time when we have to restore or migrate data offsite," Encinias said.
Virtualization of storage will a huge future requirement for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Harkin said.
For instance, much of the department's documentation work — retention schedules and permits — is done on paper. Now the department must digitally store all of that information, he said.
There are many different types of technology that can be used for storage virtualization. The right fit depends on the environment, ATS' Smid said.
For an agency with a small IT shop that struggles with utilization issues — for example, an IT department does not use all its storage capacity or its storage area is tapped out –- there are relatively inexpensive technologies.
For instance, storage arrays from NetApp and Hitachi can boost the utilization rate and give those agencies the flexibility to move applications from one storage array to another or move one virtual machine to another.
With those solutions, the storage array is used as a front end and everything behind it is virtualized, Smid said. That technique can be effective in a small environment that does not have a lot of transactions that could act as a bottleneck, he said.
For large environment, companies such as EMC work with a storage-area network infrastructure. The company's approach is to push the virtualization layer to the network, so the burden doesn't weigh on any single storage device. The SAN handles the virtualization, Smid said.
The solution also is more scalable, although it can be more expensive.
"But if you [have] utilization range in the 20 to 40 percent on your storage arrays and you can deploy something where you can double that, the cost of the virtualization infrastructure very quickly pays for itself," Smid said.
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Sons & Daughters are - Adele Bethel (vocals/guitars/keyboards), Ailidh Lennon (bass/mandolin), Dave Gow (drums/percussion) and Scott Paterson (guitars/vocals).
"It comes from a dream that Adele had a couple of years ago," laughs Sons & Daughters guitarist Scott Paterson when quizzed on the enigma of just how they decided upon their name. "Bob Dylan was standing in her back garden singing 'The Times They Are-A Changing,' and she woke up immediately after he sang the line, 'Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command.' And the name just stuck from there."
Formed in Glasgow over a shared love of Johnny Cash records and absolutely nothing to do with long-running Australian soap-operas, Sons & Daughters' sound is of blackest Americana mixed with broadest Scots, spinning dark tales of broken bones and tough love. "I had the idea of forming the band around two years ago," explains Adele. "Ailidh and I started writing songs in my flat, with me on piano and her on guitar. I'd known Dave for a long time since we'd toured together with Arab Strap, and he'd promised me that he would play drums in my next band. Then one night I saw Scott do his own solo acoustic thing, and we were all really impressed and asked him to join."
So the band was in place; Adele was the strutting front-woman/guitarist/keyboard player, Ailidh was the ice-cool bassist with a neat line in mandolins, Scott provided all the licks and Dave held it all together from the back. But Glasgow in 2002 wasn't the vibrant musical hotbed it became in 2004, and the band was initially met with indifference. "Post-Rock was very big in Glasgow at the time," recalls Scott. "Where as we just wanted to write short songs with strong melodies, lasting two to three minutes maximum. We wanted to make them really catchy and concise, edited right down so that there was only the bare minimum in there. And when everyone's playing Post-Rock, that doesn't sit too well!"
And so here begins the strange twist in the tale. There surely can't be many newly-formed unsigned Glaswegian bands whose first record is released on an American independent, and only made available in their hometown on import, but in the face of local nonchalance, that's exactly what happened to Sons & Daughters. "After a while," says Dave, "We'd played a few gigs in Glasgow and put together enough money to go and record some tracks. We sent some stuff out to the places in the UK you normally send stuff to, but we didn't get a whole lot of comeback on it. Ben, the guy who runs our label in America, was a friend of Adele's who had kept in touch; she sent him our demos and he loved them. He asked us if we wanted to record more for him, and we jumped at the chance. And that's basically where Love The Cup came from."
Released on US label Ba Da Bing!, Love The Cup comprises seven songs of black-as-coals American roots music spliced with traditional folk, new wave and deadpan Scottish drawls, boiling over with sexual tension and the constant spectre of violence hanging over it like a long black veil. It's right there on the album's remarkable opening track "Fight" as Scott and Adele embark upon a duel of one up-manship, attempting to outdo the other with an array of scowls and threats. "There is a very dark side to our music," admits Scott. "There's a lot of violence and melancholy in it, but at the same time, it's music that you can dance to. At gigs, there's nothing worse than seeing people just standing around, unsure of whether it's perceived as cool to be enthusiastic about the music. Essentially it's dancing music, even though to look at the lyrics you wouldn't think it."
For the last five years Sons And Daughters have worked towards fashioning a distinctive sound, image and story. Inspired by the melancholy storytelling of Lee Hazlewood, the lyricism of Bill Callaghan and Leonard Cohen, and the raw power of country, blues and folk, the Glasgow-based four-piece have been busy creating their own world and making it an interesting place to live in since 2002. The punk blues of their 2004 debut Love The Cup and 2005's The Repulsion Box won fans such as Nick Cave and Franz Ferdinand, and marked Sons And Daughters out as a band of fine taste and judgment.
In the summer of 2006, Sons And Daughters holed up in a house in the village of Adfern on the west coast of Scotland. They had no television, no telephones, and worked on new songs in a converted barn for eight hours every day. "We wrote and practiced all day and played poker and got drunk at night. We were committed to writing a great pop record," says Adele. "We all love Blondie and The Smiths and we wanted to embrace that and not repeat what we had done before. Then we thought: who would be the perfect producer for a record like this?" Domino's Laurence Bell suggested Bernard Butler, and all being huge Suede fans the band agreed. This Gift bears out that Butler and Sons And Daughters make a winning combination, although it didn't always feel like that at the time of recording. "He's very, very tough," says Scott. "He doesn't sugar-coat anything and we had a lot of clashes. Then we heard the playbacks of the songs and it all began to make sense." Adds Adele, "At first it was his way or no way. Then Scott got talking to him about Joe Meek and Bert Jansch and we started to click."
The result, despite or perhaps because of the tensions and struggles that came during its recording, is an album on which a unique, inspired band step up onto a whole new level. The songs on This Gift offer glimpses of a romanticized Britain; a result of the band spending so much time out of the country, on the road, and going to US states like Montana, where Adele visited a rest stop bathroom to see a notice board listing 100 women in the area that had gone missing. "Things like that play on your mental state and fire your thoughts," she says.
Scott couched the stories and sentiments in Adele's lyrics with suitably elegant guitar parts. "I was looking for ways to expand the sound, to use as many different guitar styles as possible," says Scott. "Then Bernard brought in the Gibson 335 12-string that Johnny Marr played on Strangeways, Here We Come and that was like Excalibur. The power of the Gods was with us."
- Sons & Daughters Announce New Remix 12
- Sons and Daughters Announce The Release of 'Silver Spell' Remixes On 12" - Listen Here
- Sons and Daughters Announce Autumn Tour and Next Single
- Sons & Daughters Present The JD Twitch Remix Of Silver Spell
- Sons & Daughters 'Mirror Mirror' Coming Soon...
- Sons & Daughters Announce New Album & Free Download
- Sons & Daughters Special Glasgow Show Next Week
- Teenage Rampage! Domino 15th Birthday Stage at Underage Festival

subset: commoncrawl


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China's continued influence on agricultural commodity demand and global economic growth, along with increasing weather extremes, stand out as key issues for North American food, beverage and agribusiness in 2013, a recent poll of Rabobank clients shows. The poll of over 350 executives from leading companies in the North American food, beverage and agribusiness industry was conducted at Rabobank's recent Markets Forum held in New York City. Rabobank is a leading bank to the global food and agribusiness industry and premier financial institution to the North American food, beverage and agriculture sector.
China Will Continue to Drive Demand for Agricultural Commodities
Asked to name the country or region which they believe will have the greatest impact on global agricultural commodity demand over the next 10 years, 61% of respondents at the Rabobank Forum chose China. That view of China's continued dominance far exceeded views of India (14%), Africa (10%), Latin America (9%) and Southeast Asia (6%).
Views Mixed on China's Long-Term Economic Dominance
Despite recent signs of slowing economic growth in China, the large majority of executives polled by Rabobank see China continuing to be the most important driver of long term global economic growth. Forty-one percent of respondents said China would drive the global economy for between five and 10 more years, while 40% said China will remain the primary driver of global economic growth for the next 50 years.
Bill Cordingley, Head of Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory for Rabobank in the Americas, said, "These results are not surprising and reflect the significant impact that China has had on the food and agribusiness industry over the past 10 years, globally as well as in North America. China today has the second largest middle class in the world at 157 million, which will surpass the U.S.'s middle class in the next ten years, so China's demand for agricultural commodities is going to continue to grow. Our North American clients in the food, beverage and agriculture sectors see opportunities to play a role in the Chinese market, not only as exporters but also as investors in the country's domestic growth by bringing technology, know-how and capital to support development of a more modern, safe food system in China."
In addition to their views on China, Rabobank Forum attendees provided opinions on a range of topics that they believe will be significant issues for the global and North American food and agriculture/agribusiness industry in the coming years, including production levels, risk management, genetically modified organisms (GMO), social media, and U.S. and European macroeconomics.
Continued Weather Extremes Will be Dominant Factor for North American Food & Agribusiness
Notably, 68% of attendees named weather extremes/volatility as the single biggest factor affecting North American food and agribusiness in 2013. That concern far outweighed the next two closest factors – consumer demand (13%) and policy/regulation (10%). Geopolitical events, trade/tariffs/exchange rates, and policy/regulation all received votes in the single digits.
"Given that the North American industry, particularly the U.S., is in the middle of the worst drought in over 50 years," said Cordingley, "these views are quite understandable and represent a significant issue that is top of mind for most food industry players as we enter 2013."
Agribusiness Increasing Risk Management In Response to Volatility
Reflecting the concern over continued weather volatility, 59% of respondents said that 2012 drought has changed their views about risk management in their business. Executives at the Rabobank Forum cited an increased focus on financial liquidity (25%), increased investment in risk management and insurance (21%) and greater diversification (13%) as their three leading solutions to hedge against continued volatility in weather patterns and commodity markets.
66% Expect U.S. Corn Yield to Exceed 200 Bushels/Acre by 2025
"Corn is a critical input to the North American food industry, and strong and consistent yield growth has underpinned the industry in the U.S. for the past ten years. Despite the enormous gains already made due to precision farming, GMOs and other technologies, attendees at the Forum were very bullish in terms of their outlook for this trend to continue longer term," said Cordingley.
Over 90% of executives at the Rabobank Forum said that they expect U.S. corn yields to exceed 170 bu./acre by 2025: notably, over a quarter (26%) forecast yields of over 250 bu., while 40% forecast yields of between 200 and 250 bu. Those expectations compare to U.S. trend line yields of between 150-160 bu./acre in recent years, prior to this year's drought-driven decline to 120 bu.
Impact of Social Media on Food & Agribusiness Sector
Social media played a significant role in the news earlier this year about the use of lean finely textured beef (LFTB) in U.S. beef processing. Rabobank asked its Forum attendees if the rise of social media is causing them to adopt a different approach in their business. More than half of executives (51%) said that the growing influence of social media is changing the way they handle brand and reputation management and business communications. Nine percent said it is driving changes in the way they handle vendor/customer/supply chain management. However, 37% said they are not making business changes in response to the increasing prominence of social media.
"Social media has introduced a new and widely accessible communications platform to the media mix, and this has created both opportunities and risks for companies in the food industry. For some parts of the industry, 'business as usual' may not work any longer as social media exercises its potential to be a catalyst for change. However, the social media phenomenon also offers the industry an opportunity to engage in direct discussions with consumers and other stakeholders, to address concerns, to educate, and to clarify fact from rumor or misinformation. One thing is certain, social media is changing the food business in North America."
What Factor Will Most Influence Acceptance of GMOs?
While well-established in the U.S. market, GMOs in agriculture remain controversial in many parts of the world and have not had anywhere near the rates of option outside the U.S. Polled on the factors that would most encourage increased global uptake of GMO technology in agriculture over the next decade, 56% of respondents cited sustained high commodity prices. Others said that greater consumer acceptance (34%) will be key to higher adoption, but 7% said they believe GMO uptake will slow. Three percent said that improved intellectual property rights in developing markets will be the solution to make GMOs more acceptable among consumers and the food industry.
About the Rabobank Annual Markets Forum
The Rabobank Markets Forum is an annual event hosted by Rabobank International in North America that brings together hundreds of executives and senior managers from the bank's clients – the leading companies in the North American food, beverage and agribusiness industry – as well as Rabobank analysts and bankers, and financial market opinion leaders for an interactive discussion about strategic issues shaping the global and domestic business environments. A key element of every Rabobank Markets Forum is audience polling to gauge the opinions of food and agribusiness industry leaders on a variety of topics relating to financial, economic, agricultural, and commercial markets.
This year's speakers included Luke Chandler, Global Head of Agri Commodity Markets Research for Rabobank; Jan Lambregts, Global Head of Financial Markets Research for Rabobank; and Dr. Nouriel Roubini, Chairman of Roubini Global Economics, as keynote speaker.


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Apple Knocks Out Android in Mobile Security [INFOGRAPHIC]
You could be carrying a virus with you everywhere you go. This new strand doesn't target the immune system, but rather the operating system — on your smartphone.
Smartphone usage has skyrocketed over the past few years. There are now more than 1 billion active smartphones, or one for every seven people on the planet. Because of their immense popularity, smartphones have become a main target for nefarious hackers looking to spread malware and steal personal information.
The main avenue for viruses to infect smartphones is through third-party apps. There are over one million apps combined for the two most popular mobile operating systems, Google's Android and Apple's iOS.
Many hacked apps, often made to look like popular apps, are rigged with malware. More than 90% of the top-selling Android and iOS apps have hacked versions available for download on torrent sites and other unofficial platforms, according to a study by Arxan, a mobile security company.
Up to this point, Apple seems to be doing a better job protecting its mobile users against cyber threats. The iPhone has never seen a virus, and its only spam app was removed. Conversely, 75% of smartphone malware targets Android devices, according to F-Secure.
One probable reason hackers target Android over Apple is that the former enjoys a much greater share of the smartphone market. More than 50% of all smartphone users employ the Android OS, while Apple's market share is closer to 30%. With far more people using Android devices, a virus has the ability to do much greater damage.
For more on mobile app security and how the top two operating systems stack up, check out the following infographic, created by Ladbrokes Games.
Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, bns124


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soft calming soothing neutrals with roses, lisianthus and snapdragons. Arranged in clear glass
Your order is very important to us. We take pride in every order we fill for every customer. If you do not receive a confirmation of your order by us, please call the shop at 1-800-275-6105 in the event a technical error occurs.
It is sometimes necessary to substitute a flower or color due to flower availability based upon your requested delivery date. Please be assured we always match your order as close to the arrangement you have chosen. If you have questions or concerns regarding the need to substitute flowers based upon availability please give us a call prior to ordering. We will accommodate any special requests to the best of our ability.
Please keep in mind that orders received by 11:00AM are guaranteed same day delivery. We can still fill your order if we recieve it after 11:00AM, however, a guarantee can not be made. If you are ordering after 12:00PM on Saturday or ordering on Sunday or holidays, we can not guarantee Same Day Delivery. We know how important your order is to you, so we will do everything we can to deliver promptly and courteously. If you have a rush order, call the shop at -1-800-275-6105 and we will try to accomodate it.
Thank you for placing your order with us!
We deliver smiles....... every time


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Reiki - Cove
Cove is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the south-west of the Rosneath peninsula, on the east shore of Loch Long. Wikipedia
Crystal Reiki Life
Paisley, Renfrewshire, Pa3 4bw
Relax with reiki healing energy Schedule your therapeutic in person or distance reiki session wherever you are to facilitate emotional and physical healing! Reiki Healing Reiki is [...]Distance: 8.97 miles.
Peaceful Haven Holistic Therapies
East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, G75 9NL
Reiki Teacher offering Level 1, Level 2 Practitioner, and also Reiki Treatments with the use of a copper pyramid for increasing energy & vibrations [...]Distance: 20.31 miles.
Think Be Feel Wonderful
Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, G82 2PB
I believe the best way to live a positive life is making sure not only your body is healthy but that your mind and [...]Distance: 1.64 miles.
Healing Dimensions
Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, G82 2PB
01389 768014
Holistic Therapist, working from Home Salon in Dumbarton. Reiki Practioner, specialises in Therapy combinations. For example using Reiki after Aromatherapy Massage or during Foot Reflexology [...]Distance: 1.66 miles.
Green Tree Remedies
Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, G82 3DP
I have been involved in using natures ways to help us heal our bodies, minds and souls since 1998. I have been a Medical [...]Distance: 1.91 miles.
Reikihands Holistic Therapies
Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, G847JN
Reikihands Holistic Therapies Helensburgh offer a wide range of therapies. Massages include Indian Head, Aromatherapy, Hot Stones, Warm Bamboo, Manual Lymphatic/ Hot stones, Lower leg [...]Distance: 7.01 miles.
Tranquility Helensburgh
Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, G84 7JN
My name is Diane Wilkie and I am a Reiki Master/Teacher & Practioner. I hold regular Reiki classes for all levels of Reiki and [...]Distance: 7.01 miles.
Treatments at Breaholm
Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, G84 7HR
Jean has over 15 years working as a complementary therapist. She works from a tranquil, quiet and relaxing room within Braeholm in [...]Distance: 7.56 miles.
SH THERAPIES For You & Your Pet
Glasgow, City of Glasgow
077 9216 6276
Reiki Master and Holistic Therapist in Glasgow providing Reiki and other holistic sessions (home visits also available) including: ~ Crystal Chakra Balancing ~ Chakra Counselling ~ Angel [...]Distance: 7.72 miles.
Serene Senses holistic therapies and massage
Yoker, City of Glasgow, G14 0LD
I am a Usui Reiki master teacher and I have a diploma in Eden Energy Medicine which I skilfully blend with reiki so you [...]Distance: 8.47 miles.
Renfrewshire Reiki
Paisley, Renfrewshire
Reiki master/teacher in Usui reiki and master /teacher in *Karuna reiki available for reiki treatments, reiki courses and workshops. Currently home and mobile therapist. Also [...]Distance: 9.01 miles.
New Earth Therapies & Training
Glasgow, City of Glasgow, G14 0UG
0141 946 8126
I am a fully qualified Reiki Master/Teacher with ten years experience of practicing and teaching Reiki as well as a Karuna teacher registered with [...]Distance: 9.95 miles.
Karen Condie
Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, G847HR
07795 260 910
Karen offers a range of treatments including Reiki, Swedish and Hands Free Massage, Remedial and Sports Massage plus adaptations for cancer treatment history, she [...]Distance: 10.28 miles.
Lorraine's Inner Haven
Balfron, Stirling and Falkirk, G63 0PS
Lorraine's Inner Haven is based in Balfron, Glasgow. I am a REIKI Master/Teacher and an experienced, qualified and fully insured Holistic Therapist. I am [...]Distance: 10.61 miles.
Soul Space Glasgow
Glasgow, City of Glasgow, G12 9UT
Reiki (ray-key) is Japanese for 'universal life energy' and is a word used to describe a system of natural healing. We live in a [...]Distance: 10.67 miles.
Reiki in the City
West End, Lanarkshire, G20 0PW
My main aim is to support the individual to feel relaxed and build on my intuition and guidance to support you. My services are also [...]Distance: 10.68 miles.
Reiki Healing
Crookston, Renfrewshire
Reiki is defined a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to [...]Distance: 10.74 miles.
Woodland Herbs Clinic
Glasgow, City of Glasgow, G3 6HB
Reiki is one of the most popular treatments in our natural healthcare clinic and our team of reiki practitioners includes several of Glasgow's best; [...]Distance: 12.09 miles.
kundalini yoga and holistic therapies
Bishopbriggs, Dunbartonshire
I offer Reiki, Indian Head Massage and kundalini yoga in very safe and calming environment. Session last from 60-90 minutes and it cost £35. [...]Distance: 12.56 miles.
Tranquil Times with Reiki
Priesthill, City of Glasgow, G53 6UB
What is Reiki? Reiki, like other complementary therapies focuses upon the whole individual. So often when people are given a diagnosis the focus is [...]Distance: 12.66 miles.
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text:
Travelling around London is an experience in it's self. Navigate the famous underground rail systems or visit the sights in an open topped double decker bus. Why not take a cycle tour and visit undiscovered gems off the tourist track? Or if you prefer a much slower relaxing pace, don comfortable shoes and meander through the cosmopolitan city on foot, then when you're done stop off at one of the many cafes for a spot of English tea and scones.
The Ampersand Hotel
Address 10 Harrington Rd London, SW7 3ER United Kingdomwork Phone: +44 (20) 7589 5895work Email: [email protected]INTERNET Visit Website


text: Nike, a multinational sport giant, needs no introduction. Originally founded at the University of Oregon by athlete coach Bill Bowerman and track athlete Phil Knight, Nike's prestige was catapulted across the world by producing Olympic-winning running shoes. Nike's sporty and youthful nature has been constant ever since. Sponsoring a wealth of athletes and sports teams – Nike has become associated with winners, whether it be Rory McIlroy or Serena Williams. Such affiliation, coupled with the iconic swish logo and marketing captions have made Nike the number one international sport brand. Not bad for a student. Nike's Prescription Glasses obtain vibrant and well-fitting designs to support the needs of any wearer. Using authoritative colours, expertly crafted resistant frames in sporting styles and embellished with the iconic Nike tick, you're bound to have a pair of spectacles reliable for generations to come. What are you waiting for, whether shopping for yourself or a loved one - Just Do It. At Glasses Station, we have a wide collection of Nike Prescription Glasses available in men's models to choose from. Browse our best-selling pairs such as the Nike 8172 model, complete with a satin-black, half-framed finish.Mens Nike Glasses


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Regardless of Google's Internal Policies, Doesn't He Have the First Amendment Right of Free Speech to Say Anything He Wants?
Absolutely, he does. But that doesn't affect Google's right to fire him for saying it. California is an "at will" state, meaning that the Employer can fire an Employee for any reason or for no reason, as long as it is not for an illegal discriminatory one. A private company can fire any "at will" Employee for expressing almost any viewpoint, on or off the job, and can clearly fire anyone for advocating a discriminatory labor practice in the workplace. On the other hand, a convincing case can be made that he was fired for expressing views that Google's policies actually constitute discrimination based upon gender – discrimination against men, because allowances and adjustments are continually made at Google to strive for equal representation between men and women, leaving fewer of these desirable lucrative jobs for men. Discrimination claims brought by the members of the non-minority group against affirmative action programs are referred to as reverse discrimination claims.
Reverse Discrimination Claims in the Workplace – The New Haven Firefighter's Test
Reverse Discrimination Claims are clearly being recognized in the Courts, even though they have had somewhat limited success up to this point. But see, Ricci v. DeStafano[2], in which the results of New Haven, CT Fire Department exam for captains and lieutenants were thrown out altogether because no black applicants qualified for promotion. The white and Hispanic applicants sued, claiming that they had been intentionally discriminated against by the City based on their race, which, in constitutional law, is called disparate treatment. The Supreme Court said Title VII[3] (the federal law against discrimination in employment) prohibits both intentional discrimination (the "disparate treatment" given to the white and Hispanic applicants) as well as, in some cases, practices that are not intended to discriminate but in fact have a disproportionately adverse effect on minorities (known as "disparate impact", the result which followed for the black applicants). Because no black applicants qualified, the City threw all the test results out and no one was promoted, so the white and Hispanic applicants had obviously been subjected to disparate treatment. The City, on the other hand, argued that this was necessary to avoid a clear disparate impact, i.e., no black applicants qualifying for promotion. The Supreme Court reversed all lower courts, holding that once the test had been set up, applicants had paid for it, taken time to study for it, and legitimately expected to be promoted or not based upon a legitimate expectation that their race would not be a factor, throwing the test results out amounted to exactly the sort of racial preference Congress had been trying to prohibit. The Supreme Court reasoned that even though there was a disparate impact, the test was job related and consistent with business necessity, and there was no equally valid non-discriminatory alternative which the City had refused to adopt. Affirmative action continues after this ruling because selection processes are designed to include race as only one of a series of factors that make up some kind of a composite score, so no hard and fast racial quotas, (which would clearly constitute disparate treatment) are ever used. "See, Fisher v. University of Texas" [4]. While the Courts do take reverse discrimination claims seriously now, they are still very difficult to win, and as long as Justice Kennedy stays on the Court and is unwilling to abandon affirmative action, this is likely to continue. On the other hand, if Kennedy retires or dies and is replaced by a Trump appointee, affirmative action as we know it will probably come to an end. In such an environment, James Damore would unquestionably win.
The Google Memo as a Retaliation Case – Fired for Complaining About Reverse Discrimination
Damore was not fired because of his gender, which is the classic Title VII discrimination case; instead his argument is that he was fired in retaliation[5] for opposing an unlawful practice under Title VII, which is good enough. He would also likely file under the California statute prohibiting retaliation for complaining about any discriminatory practice.[6] To make a claim for being fired based on gender, he would have to prove that Google's policies were actually discriminating against men – which would be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. But in a retaliation case, he only has to show that he honestly and reasonably believed that the practice he spoke against was unlawful, even if this is not ultimately found to be correct.[7] To win this claim, he doesn't have to hit a home run – he just has to get to first base. He would have a good chance to do this under the state of the law as it actually is now, because the Fox News viewers on the jury would vote for him, feeling that a conservative viewpoint was suppressed within a liberal organization. Ironically, this is one of those few employment cases where the employee would be better off with a conservative jury panel. However, if he filed his case in federal court, it would likely be assigned to the San Jose courthouse in the Northern District of California, and his jury pool would be drawn from four counties that went for Hilary Clinton in 2016. I think he would clearly be able to make out a case and get to trial, but no one can say how the jury would decide it.
Damore's Petition with the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB")
Even before he was fired, Damore filed a petition with the NLRB, a federal administrative agency which usually deals with labor unions, but there is a right to "concerted activity for mutual aid or protection"[8] by non-union workers as well. While the content of Damore's petition is not yet publicly available, he will clearly allege that Google engaged in an unfair labor practice by interference, restraint, and/or coercion[9] with his right of concerted activity. This allows non-union employees to communicate amongst themselves about their working conditions for the purpose of improving them. According to the Department of Labor, this generally requires two or more employees acting together, but the action of a single employee may qualify if he is acting on behalf of others, or attempting to get others to act. His best argument is that the Memo was circulated on the internal Google electronic bulletin boards to communicate to all other male software engineers that they should challenge the various allowances and adjustments which will eventually make 50% of the software engineers female. This would make their jobs more secure, and could legally qualify under this rule.
How Will the Case be Decided at the NRLB?
The case will first go before an Administrative Law Judge and could come out either way, but whichever party loses has the right to appeal to the Board, which consisting of 5 members appointed by the President. Often a panel of three Board Members will decide a case, but the full Board usually considers novel or potentially precedent changing cases. Although there are normally 5 Board members, there is still one vacancy, so there are only 4 members on the Board now, 2 Republicans and two Democrats, but Trump could fill that vacancy before the case gets there. Unlike cabinet members, NLRB members are appointed for 4 year terms, and cannot be fired by the President, so they are a little more independent. While there might be a desire on the part of the Republicans to rule in favor of a viewpoint which is attractive to the right, that would also create a precedent making it harder for employers to fire an employer for taking a liberal viewpoint, so it's anybody's guess what they would do. An NRLB decision can be appealed to a United States Circuit Court of Appeals, but which one? The Employer has the right to appeal to the D.C. Circuit in Washington, D.C., or in any circuit in which it has sufficient business operations. However, the party that brought the petition can also appeal, and the NRLB itself has the right to seek enforcement in any Circuit Court. If multiple parties file petitions for appeal within 10 days after the Board's ruling, the Circuit Court that will decide the case will literally be determined by a coin toss. Mr. Damore has the potential to become the right's standard bearer against affirmative action. This is really a ball game that could go either way, and appeals from the decision could also be a roller coaster ride for years.
Opinion: Whether the Memo's Conclusions are Right or Wrong, Political Correctness Should Not Prevent Us From Having this Conversation
While some women will be offended by some parts of the Memo, and justifiably so, that was clearly not the author's intention. Numerous blogs and articles have popped up which are not the least bit sexist, in fact, one written by Michael Kreiger (Liberty Blitzkrieg) makes the following cogent point: For example, American culture worships the Wall Street trader who makes $5 million a year while adding very little to no value to society, while looking down upon a mother or father who chooses to stay home and raise their children. Rather than reflecting upon the world we've created and admitting how perverse this is, the mantra seems to be "hire more women traders." That's a one-way ticket to nowhere.
It's Food For Thought
[1] Matter of Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, U.S. Dept. of Labor v. Google, Inc., Case No. 2017-OFC-00004.
[2] 557 U.S. 557, 129 S. Ct. 2658, 174 L. Ed. 2d 490 (2009)
[5] California Government Code § 12940(h), Fair Employment and Housing Act.
[6] Protesting what an employee believes in good faith to be a discriminatory practice is clearly protected conduct.42 U.S.C. § 2000e-3(a); Griffiths v. Cigna Corp., 988 F.2d 457, 468 (3d Cir. 1993). Thus, "a plaintiff need not prove the merits of the underlying discrimination complaint, but only that 'he was acting under a good faith, reasonable belief that a violation existed.'" Griffiths, 988 F.2d at 468(quoting Sumner v. United States Postal Service, 899 F.2d 203, 209 (2d Cir. 1990)).
[9] 136 S. Ct. 2198, 195 L. Ed. 2d 511 (2016)


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For a family-friendly Thanksgiving dinner, the sides matter. A lot.
Because if the mashed potatoes aren't truly wonderful, you're going to have some seriously upset children at the table. Which is to say, this isn't the time to experiment by spiking them with blue cheese or a 50-50 ratio of garlic to potato, or to test whether mashed cauliflower really does taste just like the real thing.
This is the time to make wonderfully fluffy, buttery, salty, peppery, delicious mashed potatoes.
By the same token, if you want those green beans and carrots to go anywhere near the children's mouths, you might consider a bit of enticement. To help you, we've come up with a kid-pleasing but adult-friendly sweet-andsour glaze. And if that doesn't work, you can always threaten to withhold dessert…
Buttery Mashed potatoes
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 10
4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and halved
Kosher salt
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Ground white pepper
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat and cook for 20 minutes, or until very tender but not falling apart.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 F.
When the potatoes are just tender, drain them and spread them in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Return the potatoes to the saucepan. Add the butter, half-and-half, mustard and garlic powder. Mash the potatoes until smooth, then season with salt and white pepper.
Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories; 80 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 3 g protein; 220 mg sodium.
Sweet-and-sour Glazed Carrots and Green Beans
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
4 ounces bacon
1 pound carrots, peeled and
cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 pound green beans,
trimmed and cut into 2-inch
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic
Kosher salt and ground
black pepper
In a large deep skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-line plate to drain, leaving the drippings in the pan. Once the bacon has cooled, crumble and set aside.
Return the skillet to the heat and add the carrots. Cook for 8 minutes, or until just starting to become tender. Add the green beans, then cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the brown sugar, molasses and vinegar. Stir until a thick glaze forms. Cook until bubbling all over and slightly thick and sticky. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve topped with the crumbled bacon.
Nutrition information per serving: 160 calories; 80 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 4 g protein; 300 mg sodium.
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Election 2020
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Cold, wet and welcome: York County soccer teams get back in the game
Dodgers one win away from ending 32-year title drought


text:
Diagnostic Problems in Breast Pathology, 1e
by Frederick C. Koerner MD (Author)
- Depicts the key aspects of various diseases in real-life detail through more than 1,000 full-color illustrations.
- Focuses on the distinction between benign and malignant lesions, the most crucial challenge faced by the surgical pathologist.
- Places a special emphasis on diagnostic pitfalls and differential diagnosis, to equip you with practical guidance and solutions in reporting difficult or problematic specimens.
- Integrates clinical, gross, microscopic, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic features of breast tumors and related lesions.
- Emphasizes clinicopathologic and radiologic features and correlations, to enable you to diagnose surgical specimens in light of relevant clinical data.
- This new text examines common as well as more difficult diagnostic problems encountered in today's field of breast pathology. The first part of each major section consists of a presentation of general concepts and a detailed description of the pathologic characteristics of specific lesions. Then it focuses on the differences between commonly confused entities and emphasizes pathologic findings to help you obtain the most accurate diagnosis. More than 1,000 illustrations-most in full color-present the key aspects of various diseases in real-life detail.
Product Details


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What people are saying - Write a review
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LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - SpaceyAcey - LibraryThing
Pinker explains the computational theory of the mind in easy to understand prose for the layman. It's not all literature summarizing, he also inserts some of his own ideas on all sorts of topics ... Read full review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - raschneid - LibraryThing
Very interesting, well-written, and comprehensive. I appreciated the overview of both computational and evolutionary psychology in one tome of a book; computational psychology is pretty much awesome ... Read full review


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Welcome to the cozy life! The softest sweater with a dreamy texture keeps you warm all season long. You can wear it anywhere your lifestyle takes you.
Thank you for shopping Luxe House of Couture! It's very important to us that you are completely satisfied with your shopping experience.
If you are not happy with your purchase, you can return your item within 14 days of receiving your order. Items must be in their original form, unworn and unwashed to receive a refund for product cost only. We do not refund the shipping you paid for your order. Please read the information below for important things to know about returns!
*** WAREHOUSE OR BLOWOUT SALE ITEMS ARE FINAL SALE & NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RETURN, EXCHANGE OR REFUND ***Additional non-returnable items:Gift cardsAny item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our errorAny item that is returned more than 30 days after deliveryRefunds (if applicable):Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.If you are approved, then your refund will be processed for the amount of the item purchased, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.Late or missing refunds (if applicable):If you haven't received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.If you've done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com items (if applicable):Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately sale items cannot be refunded.
Exchanges (if applicable):We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com and send your item to: 477 W Universal Circle Sandy Utah US 84070. We cannot hold items for you to exchange.Gifts:If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped directly to you, you'll receive a gift credit for the value of your return. Once the returned item is received, a gift card will be emailed to you.Return Address:
477 W Universal Circle Sandy Utah US 84070Please include your name and order number with your return to make your return processes quicker. You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don't guarantee that we will receive your returned item.


text:
Thank You, Nephi
1. Thank you, Nephi, for your words
that tell the story of your past,
the record of your wanderings,
engraved with care on plates of brass.
Thank you, Nephi. As a lad
you did not murmur or complain.
And when you had a task to do,
you listened to the Lord's command.
2. Thank you, Nephi. Long ago
you stopped beside the sea's warm sand.
While others laughed, you built a ship
to take you to the promised land.
Thank you, Nephi, for your faith.
You knew His plan; You taught His word.
Thank you, Nephi. All your days
you walked in truth, you loved the Lord.
Text: Mabel Gabbott
Music: Lynn Lund
Artist: Gabbott/Lund
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: Friend
Composition Date: 1992-03-01
More Info: Friend


text:
CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago man has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for plotting to attend a Somalia training camp with dreams of becoming a suicide bomber for al-Qaida and another terrorist group, al-Shabab.
Shaker Masri's sentencing Tuesday came two years after his arrest that relied heavily on an FBI informant. He pleaded guilty in July to attempting to provide material support and resources to a terrorist organization.
Prosecutors say the 29-year-old Alabama-born Masri talked about the possibility of killing a busload of U.S. soldiers and, in their words, spoke of the "heavenly rewards one would receive for martyrdom."
Investigators also allegedly found Osama bin Ladin's 1996 manifesto, "The Declaration of War Against the Americans," on Masri's computer.


text:
76. NEIL ARMSTRONG: A giant among men
Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) was a aerospace engineer, Navy pilot, test pilot, university professor and did something else I'm not sure of. Oh right, he was an astronaut and was the first human to set foot on the moon! Silly me. I'm sure you've all read many tributes and better-written obituaries to this great man, so I'll just be brief. In my opinion the most impressive thing about Armstrong was his humility. He hated the public spotlight, did very few interviews, was intensely private and always modest. The thing is, he could totally be forgiven for having a huge ego because let's face it, Neil Armstrong was freakin' awesome!! He was just the best. Let's do a quick rundown of his awesomeness credentials: He got his pilot's license when he was 15, before he was old enough to drive. He flew in 78 combat missions during the Korean War. After the war he became a test pilot where he flew over 200 aircraft. 200! Those were extremely dangerous and experimental aircraft. I can't think of a more badass job, except maybe oh, I dunno, how about an astronaut?! As command pilot of Gemini 8 he completed the first successful docking of two spacecraft and while testing landing vehicles for the Apollo missions he barely survived a crash when he ejected himself from an out-of-control vehicle the moment before it burst into flames (check out the footage, it's crazy). Even more incredible is the fact he went back to work that same afternoon. Then of course, during the Apollo 11 landing, Armstrong took over manual control after noticing the Lunar landing module was off-track and was all like "Relax dudes, I've got this". The fact he remained humble after all these achievements and played down his role in history is just so damn impressive. What a guy.
– Here's a nice tribute video from Hank Green of SciShow.
– I don't actually have a source for this quote. Does anyone know specifically when Armstrong said it?
– Thanks to Kapitein and Derek for suggesting this quote.
– RELATED COMICS: A global consciousness. The most astounding fact.
– Also, check out the new READER OF THE MONTH blog section!


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French and Malian troops are fighting Islamist rebels in the Sahara outside northern Mali's biggest town, France's defense minister said on Wednesday, describing the desert campaign against Al Qaeda as a "real war" that was far from won.
After driving the Islamists from north Mali's main towns with three weeks of air strikes and a lightning ground advance, France is now pursuing them in the remote northeast where pro-autonomy Tuaregs are pressing their own territorial claims.
French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said French and Malian joint patrols were searching the scrub-land outside the desert trading towns of Timbuktu and Gao. Residents in Gao said today their town was hit by rebel rockets fired from the bush.
"There were clashes yesterday at Gao because from the moment where our forces, supported by the Malian forces, started undertaking missions and patrols around the towns we had taken, we encountered jihadi groups that fought," Mr. Le Drian told Europe 1 radio.
"It's a real war," Le Drian said. "Every night now, even last night, the French forces are targeting and hitting the training centers and truck depots of the jihadists."
With just 4,000 ground troops in an area the size of Texas, France has appealed for the swift deployment of a UN-backed African military force (AFISMA) to help secure the region. But the effort has been slowed by lack of transport and equipment.
Paris has said it would start to draw down its own force in Mali from March.
French troops are cooperating with Tuareg pro-autonomy MNLA rebels who say they have occupied the remote northeastern town of Kidal and surrounding areas after the Islamist fighters fled French air strikes into the nearby Adrar des Ifoghas mountains.
The Tuaregs promised to help fight Al Qaeda and its allies.
That on-ground cooperation, and France's public insistence that the MNLA should take part in negotiations on Mali's political future if it drops its demands for full independence for the north, is an irritant for Mali's troubled military.
Mali's armed forces are still smarting from their defeat in last year's northern Tuareg rebellion that triggered a coup in the capital Bamako and was later hijacked by rebels acting in the name of Islam.
Interim Mali president Dioncounda Traore has offered talks to the MNLA if they do not seek full independence, and says he is aiming to hold national elections in the country by July 31.
"There will never, ever be a solution if you don't talk to the Tuaregs - but they are not homogenous," said Jeremy Keenan, a British anthropologist and expert on the Tuaregs.
"The MNLA is trying to give the picture that they are back in control and that they are the legitimate voice... This is their last-chance saloon," he told Reuters, adding Mali's Tuareg community was comprised of many shifting factions and loyalties.
France has said that several hundred Islamist fighters have been killed in its "Operation Serval" in Mali, since it intervened dramatically on Jan. 11 to turn back a rebel guerrilla column advancing southward toward the riverside capital Bamako.
The loose Islamist alliance that had occupied the north for 10 months includes Al Qaeda's North African wing AQIM, a splinter group MUJWA, and Mali's Ansar Dine movement, led by a former prominent Tuareg separatist turned Islamist, Iyad Ag Ghaly.
Tuaregs positioning for talks
France wants to restore stability to Mali and remove the threat of Islamists using it as a base to launch attacks in Africa and the West. The United States and European allies are supporting the mission with transport, logistics and surveillance but have said they will not furnish combat troops.
Paris argues a lasting peace in Mali hinges on political talks to reconcile the black African-dominated government in Bamako with the restive north, in particular the Tuaregs.
Positioning itself for talks, the MNLA said on Tuesday it had occupied the town of Menaka, more than 185 miles south from its remote northern stronghold of Kidal.
But complicating the chances of any deal is the deep resentment felt by many Malians towards the MNLA for opening the door to the Islamists' seizure of the north. The MNLA themselves are poorly organised, divided and represent only a part of the north's population, experts say.
"You have a huge part of the rest of Mali not wanting to have anything to do with the Tuaregs - the Tuareg problem has to be resolved and it goes wider than Mali," Keenan said. There are restive Tuareg communities in neighboring Algeria and Niger.
Analysts said Algeria and Mali's other northern neighbours such as Mauritania andLibya must be part of international efforts to forge long-term security in the ungoverned wastes of the Sahara, where Al Qaeda hostage-takers have sheltered alongside traffickers of drugs, cigarettes and migrants.
The MNLA has started its own patrols in the remote regions around the Algerian border where Islamist fighters are believed to be holding seven French citizens hostage. It announced this week it had arrested two senior Islamists fleeing to Algeria.
French special forces and some 1,800 Chadian troops are also based in Kidal, but Malian government troops have kept away.
"[The African force] AFISMA and also the Malian army will deploy eventually to Kidal," AFISMA spokesman Col. Yao Adjoumani told a news conference in Bamako."Talks between the MNLA and the government will take place later."
(Additional reporting by Alexandria Sage in Paris, Pascal Fletcher in Dakar and Adama Diarra in Bamako; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)


text:
All Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., founded by Patrick Integlia, former Vice President of New England HVAC & Controls, Inc., is a full service heating and air conditioning company specializing in installation and design of central air conditioning systems and heating systems. Our professional service technicians understand your air conditioning and heating systems and can eliminate money wasting problems.
Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy StatementCopyright © All Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. . All Rights Reserved. | Website Hosted & Designed by Foradvice.net


text:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Android | Email | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | RSS
James Alton "Jim" McDivitt was born on June 10, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois. He is of Irish descent. Like many other astronauts, he was a Boy Scout and earned the rank of Tenderfoot Scout. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School, Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1947.


text:
What is the definition of preventative medications?
Preventive medications are drugs used to treat very frequent tension headaches and migraines, or the combination of both types of headaches, to reduce both the frequency and severity of the headaches; preventive medications are prescribed to be taken regularly, usually on a daily basis.
Reviewed by Nayana Ambardekar on February 13, 2019
SOURCES: Mayo Clinic. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
SOURCES: Mayo Clinic. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
What is the definition of primary headaches?
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the WebMD Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.
This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information.


text:
Autonomy's ex-CEO denies blame for HP's $5B loss
NEW YORK Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) said on Tuesday that it's the victim of a multi-billion dollar fraud at the hands of a British company it bought last year that lied about its finances.
Autonomy's former CEO Mike Lynch said HP's allegations are false.
In a statement to the Financial Times, Lynch said "The former management team of Autonomy was shocked to see this statement today, and flatly rejects these allegations, which are false."
- HP takes an $8B hit
- HP earnings: Accounting issues end an ugly year
- Meg Whitman accused of enforcing noncompetitive agreement
HP CEO Meg Whitman said executives at Autonomy Corporation PLC "willfully" boosted the company's figures through various accounting tricks, which convinced HP to pay $9.7 billion for the company in October 2011.
HP is now taking an $8.8 billion charge to align Autonomy's purchase price with what HP now says is its real value. More than $5 billion of that charge is due to false accounting, HP said.
The revelation is another blow for HP, which is struggling to reinvent itself as PC and printer sales shrink. The company's stock hit a 10-year low in morning trading.
Among other things, Autonomy makes search engines that help companies find vital information stored across computer networks. Acquiring it was part of an attempt by HP to strengthen its portfolio of high-value products and services for corporations and government agencies. The deal was approved by Whitman's predecessor, Leo Apotheker, but closed three weeks into Whitman's tenure as chief executive. Whitman was a member of HP's board of directors when Apotheker initiated the Autonomy purchase.
Among the tricks used at Autonomy, Whitman said: The company had been booking the sale of computers as software revenue and claiming the cost of making the machines as a marketing expense. Revenue from long-term contracts was booked up front, instead of over time.
As a result, Autonomy appeared to be more profitable than it was and seemed to be growing its core software business faster than was actually the case. The moves were apparently designed to groom the company for an acquisition, Whitman said.
Once HP bought the company, Autonomy's reported revenue growth and profit margin quickly declined. The company's former CEO Lynch continued to run the company as part of HP, but Whitman forced him out on May 23 because it was not living up to expectations.
"Little did I know that there was more than met the eye," Whitman said.
With Lynch gone, a senior Autonomy executive volunteered information about the alleged accounting irregularities, prompting an internal investigation, Whitman said.
Lynch told the Financial Times that Autonomy has been mismanaged since HP bought the company. "It took 10 years to build Autonomy's industry-leading technology," Lynch said.
The case has been referred to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK's Serious Fraud Office, she said. The company will also try to recoup some of the cash it paid for Autonomy through lawsuits.
On a conference call with Whitman following the earnings report, analyst Ben Reitzes of Barclays Capital asked who will be held responsible internally for the disastrous acquisition.
Whitman answered that the two executives who should have been held responsible - Apotheker and strategy chief Shane Robison - are gone. But the deal was also approved by the board of directors.
"Most of the board was here and voted for this deal, and we feel terribly about that," Whitman said. "What I will say is that the board relied on audited financials. Audited by Deloitte - not `Brand X' accounting firm, but Deloitte. During our very extensive due diligence process, we hired KPMG to audit Deloitte. And neither of them saw what we now see after someone came forward to point us in the right direction."
Apotheker told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was "stunned and disappointed" to learn of the allegations against Autonomy, and pointed out that they had gone undiscovered by HP's auditors, executives and directors.
Deloitte UK said it could not comment on the matter because of client confidentiality rules.
Whitman said she still views Autonomy as a "growth engine for HP software," albeit a weaker one than initially thought. HP has been attempting to morph itself into a company that not only makes computer hardware but one that delivers software and services, too.
HP's stock dipped $1.59, or 12 percent, to $11.72 in afternoon trading. Just after the market's open, the stock hit $11.35, its lowest level since 2002.


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Breakthrough in solar cell efficiency
18 April 2012
Low cost solar cells suitable for rooftop panels could reach a record-breaking 40 percent efficiency following an early stage breakthrough by a University of Sydney researcher and his German partners.
With Australian Solar Institute support, Associate Professor Tim Schmidt from the University's School of Chemistry, together with the Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy, has developed a "turbo for solar cells", called photochemical upconversion that allows energy, normally lost in solar cells, to be turned into electricity.
The finding has been published in the Energy & Environmental Science journal.
Associate Professor Tim Schmidt said using the upconversion technique, a process which harvests the part of the solar spectrum currently unused by solar cells, eliminates the need for costly redevelopment of solar cells.
"We are able to boost efficiency by forcing two energy-poor red photons in the cell to join and make one energy-rich yellow photon that can capture light, which is then turned into electricity," Associate Professor Schmidt said.
"We now have a benchmark for the performance of an upconverting solar cell. We need to improve this several times, but the pathway is now clear."
Australian Solar Institute Executive Director Mark Twidell said this is a great example of successful collaboration between leading Australian and German solar researchers.
"Together, Australia and Germany can accelerate the pace of commercialisation of solar technologies and drive down the cost of solar electricity," Mr Twidell said.
"That's why the Australian Solar Institute is supporting collaboration between the two countries through the Australia-Germany Collaborative Solar Research and Development Program."
The Australian Solar Institute is a $150 million commitment by the Australian government to support the development of photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies in Australia.
|Follow University of Sydney Media on Twitter
Media enquiries: Verity Leatherdale, 02 9351 4312, 0403 067 342, firstname.lastname@example.com


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
Writer, poet, wife and mother. Do you like odd tales that come from somewhere off center? Fantasy is my field and telling the tales of the odd my game. Come on over and try one out. You never know where my mind will take you. Open yours and let me in.


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This Talisman Necklace is part of the Felicity Initial Series, an original Sequin design of the letter A, featuring a delicate monogram that sits inside a pave crystal-set circle.
Initial Talismans give you so many options to add to your neck game! Whether you select your own monogram or letters to represent someone close to your heart, these delicate necklaces are perfect for layering or a standalone statement.
Charm measures 0.5" tall.
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Materials: 22K gold-plated brass with our signature antique finish & anti-tarnish coating with Swarovski® crystal details.
Designed & handcrafted in the USA with components from around the world.
A unique, meaningful gift idea!
On model, for reference:


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PIPE Safety - Bifocals Clear
Product details
- Matte Black Frame, Clear Bifocal Safety Lens with Gray Foam
- Meets ANSI Z87+ safety standards
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- Bifocal lenses have two viewing areas divided by a visible line: a larger viewing area for distance with a smaller segment for reading.
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All Bomber Eyewear come with non-toxic EVA foam lining for better grip, comfort and more buoyancy.


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Search Constraints
You searched for: Subject Biology and Ecology Remove constraint Subject: Biology and Ecology Place Maine Remove constraint Place: Maine Place Florida Remove constraint Place: Florida Year 1990 Remove constraint Year: 1990
Search Results
1. Spread of Africanized Honey Bees in the United States, 1990-2005
1990. United States. Agricultural Research Service. This polygon shapefile portrays the spread, by year, of the Africanized honey bee (AHB) in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Isla... National Atlas of the United States.


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Today at the Tokyo Game Show 2013, I got some hands-on time with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. As this is the first time the game has been playable in Japan, I was excited to see what all the hype was about. And simply put, I had a lot of fun just playing it. Here are five reasons why.
The Jobs
[Sorry for the lack of game sound in the gameplay videos. The audio at the booth was headphones only.]
As this was my first time playing Lightning Returns, I kept with the default job setup—Equilibrium (her default knight-like costume), L'Ange Noir (a mage class), and Dragonslayer (the typical Dragoon class). As I went through several battles, I was impressed at how different each job played—even when they shared attacks. For example, when Equilibrium Lightning cast the thunder spell it did almost no damage compared to when L'Ange Noir Lightning cast the same spell. Defense was handled similarly—while all three classes could block, the two melee classes took far less damage than the mage class.
The Fluidity
Moreover, switching jobs in Lightning Returns is as simple as hitting L1 or R1—and the change is nearly that quick. This allows you to watch for the enemies attacks and switch to a class with a high defense to block the hit—if you are fast enough, anyway. I also liked that the game forced me to change jobs constantly—as using one job replenishes the other two. This kept everything exciting and forced me to adopt a constantly changing strategy.
The Customization
While I left the demo set to its defaults when I was playing, I stuck around to watch other people not only try out many of the other jobs, but also customize the jobs with a variety of different attacks and spells. From what I saw, there is an amazing amount of customization possible that will allow you to play the game in any number of different ways.
The Open World
While I only saw a small part of it, the map I was in was huge. Far from the city I have seen in trailers and gameplay footage, this demo was set in the rural countryside—in a village and the rolling hills around it.
The open world left me with a myriad of possibilities. Should I talk to the people in the town and do their quests? Should I explore the countryside instead? Or should I just press on with the main story to see if I could find a missing chocobo?
The Sound Design
As the camera was moving around quite a bit in battle (following my current target), it was common for several of the enemies to be out of my field of view at any given time—not that that stopped them from attacking. Luckily, even though I couldn't see them, the sound cues were so distinct, I had no trouble blocking spells cast off-screen. I imagine that paying attention to sound cues will make all the difference in a game as chaotic and flashy as Lightning Returns.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII will be released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 21, 2013 in Japan and February 14, 2014 in the United States.
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.
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