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The Wright Brothers of AI
I just watched Scott Brown's and Dileep George's Singularity Summit talk on YouTube. Brown and George are the founders of Vicarious Systems Inc., the Union City, CA startup that got funded by a couple of big names in Silicon Valley to develop the next big thing in computing, a machine that mimicks the functions of the human brain. That was back in February. I was expecting a major announcement. I was disappointed. The talk was just hype: "we got something big but our IP lawyer told us not to say anything" kind of thing. Lame.
The main point of their presentation was that, just as the Wright brothers studied nature (the flight of birds) to arrive at the design for their first motorized airplane, they too, are studying nature (the brain) to design the first brain-like artificial intelligence. The suggestion seems to be that Vicarious is conducting pioneering research in AI that nobody else is doing, which is not true, of course. There are many other researchers and organizations in the field, including George's previous company, Numenta, who are using the exact same approach. The main difference is that, unlike the Wright brothers who conducted their research in plain view, Brown and George are conducting theirs in secret.
Vicarious' Chances
So what do I think of Vicarious' chances of solving the AI problem? I'll be blunt. I think they have no chance whatsoever. Zilch. Here's why. Dileep George, the brain of the company, is a PhD electrical engineer and mathematician who believes that math is essential to solving the AI puzzle. This alone tells me that he has no real understanding of the problem. Furthermore, although I think that a study of the brain can eventually lead to a major breakthrough, it is highly unlikely that this approach will lead to a breakthrough in the foreseeable future. The brain has a bad habit of hiding its secrets in a forest of apparent complexity. The Wright brothers never had to deal with hidden knowledge. They, like everyone else, could easily observe the gliding flight of birds and derive useful principles.
As an example, let's take George's adoption of Bayesian inference for sequence prediction in hierarchical memory. Bayesian statistics is the sort of thing that a mathematician like George would find attractive just because it's math. But is it based on the known biology of the brain? Not at all. Can George search the neuroscience and biology literature to find out what method the brain uses for prediction? The answer is no because biologists have not yet discovered how the brain does it. They just know from psychology that the brain is very good at judging probabilities based on experience. That is the extent of their knowledge.
The reality is that brain theorists are using the Bayesian brain hypothesis only as a possible avenue of research. They hope and pray that the brain is using Bayesian statistics but it's just speculation. There is no biological evidence for it. In my opinion, looking into a maze of dendritic wiring to get a glimpse of how the brain handles prediction is an exercise in futility, unless one has a thousand years to work on the problem. Does Vicarious have a thousand years to do research? I don't think so.
Rebel Speech Update
As usually happens when I am trying to implement a major paradigm shift in my work, I am swamped with personal and legal problems that are taking most of my time and have nothing to do with my research. Still, I am making excellent progress with my Rebel Speech experiments and I hope to have an uploadable demo program that anybody can play with before the end of November.
And, by the way, I have changed my mind about turning Rebel Speech and Rebel Vision into a business. I have decided to reveal all when the demo is ready for public consumption.
See Also:
Vicarious Has a Winner
Rebel Speech Recognition Theory
The Second Great AI Red Herring Chase
The Myth of the Bayesian Brain

subset: commoncrawl


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The Intellectual Roots of the Occupy Movement
The #Occupy Wall Street movement is primarily a Dadaist expression. Dada originated out of anti-war sentiment during World War I. Participants classified it as a protest against the bourgeois nationalism and colonialism. They also saw it as a protest against intellectual conformity during wartime.
According to Wikipedia:
Many Dadaists believed that the 'reason' and 'logic' of bourgeois capitalist society had led people into war. They expressed their rejection of that ideology in artistic expression that appeared to reject logic and embrace chaos and irrationality. For example, George Grosz later recalled that his Dadaist art was intended as a protest "against this world of mutual destruction."
Already at this point, there is a clear resemblance to the apparent chaos and disorganization of the Occupy Movement and the Dadaist Movement. However, this is only where the roots of the movement began. There is a very rich cultural and revolutionary history behind the Occupy Movement.
Situationists and the French Protests of '68
The Avant-garde Dadaist Movement paved the way for the Situationist International group in 1957. The Situationists were primarily a restricted group of European revolutionaries spanning across several borders. The other heritage they drew from was the Marxist ideology. They were very involved in creating situations where people could experiment with alternatives to the group think of society. They created fields such as Unitary Urbanism and Psychogeography. Détournement is a particularly important practice of Unitary Urbanism.
This group played a large role in supporting the General Strike of May 1968, in France. This strike lasted two weeks and brought the economy of France to a halt. Nearly 11 million people went on strike for the entire two weeks of the protest. This counted for nearly a quarter of nearly 49.9 million French citizens in 1968 and two thirds of the working population. The movement caused massive changes in society as a result of the total disaster it caused. Initially, it focused on educational system. Then it branched out into workers.
The Situationists called for workers to occupy the factories. They established the Council for Maintaining the Occupations. This instituted a democracy with equal voice for all participants:
The council implemented a policy of equal representation for its participants. It was described by Situationist René Viénet as "essentially an uninterrupted general assembly, deliberating day and night. No faction or private meetings ever existed outside the common debate." It was formed on the evening of May 17, by supporters of the Sorbonne Occupation Committee.
The factory occupation was to prevent workers from being locked out of the factory. It resulted in the workers taking over and directing the factories through a democratic process.
Some may say that similarities abound between the French protests of '68 and the Occupy Movement. Sure, they were both started by culture jamming societies. You could say they are nearly the same play from very similar organizations. Unfortunately, they were not organized in the same way and a very different intellectual history make them entirely unlike. These two events unfolded drastically differently due to many differences and concerns that may not have been thought out.
The Reality of Occupy
The Occupy Movement was started by Adbusters, a Canadian culture jamming publication and organization. It was formed in 1989, in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Bill Schmalz and Kalle Lasn (author of Design Anarchy). Adbusters describes themselves: "We are a global network of culture jammers and creatives working to change the way information flows, the way corporations wield power, and the way meaning is produced in our society." Culture Jamming, coined in 1984, is a modern example of détournement, revived in the 1970s with the punk movement.
The Occupy Movement was inspired by the Cairo's Tahrir Square protests, and the Spanish Indignants. The Egyptian Revolution wanted to overthrow an entire government regime. The Spanish protests have a little more in common with the Occupy Movement:
Even though protesters form a heterogeneous and ambiguous group, they share a strong rejection of unemployment, welfare cuts, Spanish politicians, the current two-party system in Spain between the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and the People's Party, as well as the current political system, capitalism, banks and bankers, political corruption and firmly support what they call basic rights: home, work, culture, health and education.
Notice again, there is a definite similarity of the composition of the group and the demands between the Occupy Movement and the Spanish Protests. Occupy is a group of really different people all rallying around demands that each member has. Their focus is wide and there are a diverse range of needs represented.
A grassroots movement organized in March 2011 and became known as ¡Democracia Real YA!, which apparently is also the name of the social network that was used to organize it. This organization has created a manifesto and has brought about a (broad) set of demands and became an actual political platform to operate from. The real momentum behind organizing ¡Democracia Real YA! came from a prior timeline: On 29 September 2010, labor union strikes broke out in Spain. More strikes happened on 27 January 2011, when unions in Catalonia, Galicia, and Basque Country also protested. Both of these strikes were for reasons similar to the Wisconsin Labor Strikes in February 2011 and March 2011. On 7 April 2011, 5,000 people organized a protest in Madrid around the demands of Jovenes sin Futura (Youth Without a Future). On 1 May 2011, a riot broke out in Barcelona and destroyed many businesses in the richest neighborhood. The first occupation planned by the ¡Democracia Real YA! came on 13 May 2011. Two days later, 50,000 protesters joined in and showed support. The protests have continued since (over 6 months).
Interestingly enough, the Spanish protests have also been compared to the French Protests of '68. The similarities: both started around education and employment. Both were in countries small compared to the US. Sure, there was some unrest and an area of Barcelona was trashed, but it has not caused a whole third of the country to cease their daily activities. It has not brought Spain's economy to it's knees.
The Intellectual Heritage of Modern American Protests
During the period of 1954-1968, the most recent African-American rights movement happened. Voting rights and racial desegregation were brought about in the south. The Black Power Movement also happened. It sought to bring about a true relief of oppression from white Americans and a power balance with white Americans. This movement was steeped in non-violent practices.
Second wave feminism emerged during this period, too. Women worked hard to gain equality in society. Women worked to attain equal pay, and equal footing economically. More generally, women worked hard to dispel the media's portrayal of women's role in society. This movement was also rooted in non-violence to achieve its goals.
Parallel to the development of the Situationists in Europe, the development of Happenings came about in the US during 1957. Allan Kaprow coined the term to describe performances happening that spring on George Segal's farm. These happenings were meant to involve the audience and draw them into the art, to interact with it and become a part of the performance itself. In Kaprow's words, "The line between the Happening and daily life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible." A happening depends entirely on the audience that participates. Since the audience changes every time, each performance is never the same. This idea would go on to inspire others.
In San Francisco, The Suicide Club formed in 1977 by Gary Warne (also the founder of SantaCon). This secret society involved itself in urban exploration and social exploits borrowing ideas from happenings. They started The Billboard Liberation Front (one of the first US culture jamming groups) as a result of their bridge climbing antics. They performed street theater — sometimes this involved riding the streetcars naked. They hosted elaborate games in strange places like a cemetery. They also infiltrated organizations — such as the Unification Church and the American Nazi Party.
In 1986, ex-Suicide Club members founded the Cacophony Society. According to their website:
The Cacophony Society is a randomly gathered network of individuals united in the pursuit of experiences beyond the pale of mainstream society through subversion, pranks, art, fringe explorations and meaningless madness.
This group is responsible for creating Burning Man during Zone Trip #4. One of the co-founders, Kevin Evans, conceived it as "a dadaist temporary autonomous zone with sculpture to be burned and situationist performance art."
The idea of the Temporary Autonomous Zone, came to Hakim Bey as early as 1985 while he was studying pirate utopias. The book on TAZ (Temporary Autonomous Zones) was published in 1991. The book skirts around defining the meaning of the TAZ, leaving the term as a floating signifier. Fortunately, the context of the book creates enough of a boundary around the meaning that one can grasp in intuitively. A protest, a happening, a Burning Man event, a Lost Horizon Night Market, a ComicCon, and the Oregon Country Fair are all examples of a TAZ (and happening) to one degree or another.
Hakim's book on the TAZ begins with a section entitled "CHAOS: THE BROADSHEETS OF ONTOLOGICAL ANARCHISM". At this point, we can see that the Situationist legacy had been united with the anarchic tendencies of the US Cacophony Society and earlier Suicide Club. Most likely the notions presented so shortly after Adbusters was founded would have been on the radar of Lasn, since Lasn is such a proponent of the anarchy of design and ideas. It would seem that much of the ideology behind the Cacophony Society would have made it into the minds of those planning the Occupy event.
What Does This Mean for Occupy?
Politically, the French protesters of '68 failed. President De Gaulle tried to fight back with Police action. This was not met well and streets broke out with battles against the police. Fearing a revolution, President De Gaulle fled to Germany, staying at a French military base. He dissolved the National Assembly and held re-elections. His party emerged even stronger after the elections. The aftermath only included sweeping changes to French society because so much of society was effected by a fourth of France protesting.
Contrasted to the French protests of '68, Occupy is definitely not a large movement concentrated in one area. It is not a sizable force that can recon with a cities economy, much less an entire country's economy (maybe a neighborhood economy). Now, the Occupy movement is being confronted with police force in many states. If it were to get violent, that would be the end of the movement. Fortunately, there is a great heritage of non-violent protesting in the US. If this were not the case, the moment a violent fight broke out between protesters and cops, the movement would be dismissed and would have no political power. There is no way this movement as it stands will be able to bring about the social change the French protesters brought about through force.
Occupy may appear to be a grassroots movement, but it only became one after Adbusters manipulated the psychogeography by placing posters around the area Occupy Wall Street would happen. Unlike both the French protests of '68 and the Spanish Indignants, it did not grow out of groups already protesting. Sure, there were union strikes in Wisconsin. Where were students already protesting about the educational system? The sentiment was not nearly as widespread as it was in May '68 in France. There is a similarity between Spanish protesters and Occupy, the length of time occupations have been happening. Occupy has been going on for about 1/3 of the time as the Spanish Indignants, and the protests have lasted 1/3 of the time. They do seem to be very similar in action.
Occupy is seemingly artificial, not to disqualify it, but it was not an organic grassroots movement where lots of people decided to start protesting. It is an idea piggybacking on generally felt sentiments, sentiments felt very deeply by some. It was provoked, not by the government or economy itself, but rather by a culture jamming collective with a nod towards ontological anarchism. Occupy is a work of art. It is a readymade art installation and a happening. Kaprow and Duchamp would be proud.
Occupy quickly evolved into a special type of TAZ. It reminded people that there is more to life than this rat race of consumerism and capitalism. People's belief in reality must be suspended when coming into contact with Occupy. If someone's beliefs are not suspended, they, like many others, will probably be in conflict with Occupy. They might yell, "Get a job!", as I heard many times around Occupy Portland. This is a city bound Zone Trip #4, the origin of Burning Man. As Matt Taibbi phrased it:
This is a visceral, impassioned, deep-seated rejection of the entire direction of our society, a refusal to take even one more step forward into the shallow commercial abyss of phoniness, short-term calculation, withered idealism and intellectual bankruptcy that American mass society has become. If there is such a thing as going on strike from one's own culture, this is it. And by being so broad in scope and so elemental in its motivation, it's flown over the heads of many on both the right and the left.
As Occupy stands, it cannot be sustained for long. If their sentiments are true, let them stop being a non-commissioned art installation occupying public space. It needs to get off the lawn, before too many anti-protest protests break out.
What Occupy Can Do to Be Taken Seriously
Occupy needs to realize it is a happening, a deeply heartfelt, everyday performance art gathering. It needs to realize that the needs of its actor-participants influence the outcome. The needs of its members must be met. Occupy represents a large cross section of people everywhere on Maslow's hierarchy of self actualization (let us not delve into it being a hierarchy, just needs that people have). At Occupy, peoples needs include: physiological (air, water, food, sanitation, etc.), safety (health, shelter, clothing, employment, property, etc.), love & belonging (friends, family, sexual intimacy), esteem (to be accepted, valued, and respected), and self-actualization (morality, creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, lack of prejudice, and acceptance of facts).
This provides an interesting strain on Occupy. It is based on volunteerism, which is a very hard way to manage social services. The strain becomes pronounced in places like Portland where Occupy Portland held a march that ended in occupation of three blocks of parks — parks where a few homeless people already slept. Some of them didn't know what was going on, but it was "cool" that all of these people came to join them. Word of the camp spread and soon there were a lot of actual homeless people with many needs living in the camp. Even today, there has not been any funding sought out to provide mental health and drug addiction counselling to people that desperately need it.
Occupy has a real need for expert facilitation to sort out the needs of people that are a part of the movement and firmly establish groups in charge of meeting those needs. They need to be groups separate from the people with the needs, so there is accountability. There needs to be a definite schedule for meetings around these different needs and concerns, not like the currently ad hoc situation. This would allow more representation in the spokes council meetings. General Assemblies seem to be derailed because of the number of needs represented by each participant.
In Portland at least, passers by and the media have noticed the homeless people, the drug problems, and the mental health problems. Having continuing issues around these untended needs presents many issues to having a consistent and positive view of Occupy by outsiders. Finding a way to take care of these needs will improve communities and improve the outlook for Occupy.
The language of the original poster for the Occupy Wall Street gathering, "What is our one demand?", failed to specify any specific demand(s) but rather left it up to the Occupy group to democratically decide a set of demands, or rather, needs. Adbusters left demands wide open, greatly contrasting with the origin of the Spanish protests. This needs to happen soon. Once the needs and demands are sorted out they can be used to drive powerful changes that people can rally behind.
There are so many ways Occupy could incorporate and become a driving force for local economies. By doing so, Occupy would be setting an example for others to follow. A lack of skilled workers may arise, but this really only presents an opportunity to partner with local organizations and create training programs.
The environment of Occupy's TAZ is ripe for experimentation and innovation. Occupy needs to involve the right people and generate ideas that spread and cause measurable change in society. Once people's needs are met and actual progress and community improvement is made by Occupy, people will start taking it seriously.


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Look kids, natural selection is taking place right before our eyes.
A Danish zoo recently let people watch as they fed a giraffe to a lion. The zoo excused the act because they didn�t want to have inbreeding in their herd, so the 2-year old giraffe was killed with a bolt-gun, skinned and fed to the lions.
That�s a pretty tall tale � sorry, bad giraffe humor.
This was a great day for the lions. You know they sit there smelling those giraffes all day just imagining ways they can find them and eat them.
Thanks to the Copenhagen Zoo, they didn�t have to go out for dinner, they got their giraffe delivered.
One zoo worker said they had given children that watched a greater understanding of giraffe anatomy by skinning and serving the animal to the lions.
In the words of Chris Farley as Tommy Boy, �I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull�s (backside), but I�d rather take a butcher�s word for it.�
At zoos, somehow they place an equal value on all animal life. So, for instance, this spokesperson couldn�t see why people had no trouble feeding a goat or a pig to the king of the jungle, but somehow a giraffe becoming a big-spotted buffet item was a big deal.
�I know the giraffe is a nice-looking animal, but I don�t think there would have been such an outrage if it had been an antelope, and I don�t think anyone would have lifted an eyebrow if it was a pig,� he said.
But there are less than 80,000 giraffes in the world � down from 140,000 just 15 years ago.
There are more than 5 million wild pigs in America. There are 1.7 million domesticated hogs on farms in Kansas alone.
Maybe that is why people wouldn�t mind seeing lions enjoy a few pork chops instead of a 15-foot tall doe-eyed animal.
I also don�t understand why they had to skin the giraffe to feed it to the lions. No one is working as a sous chef in the Serengeti. Let those big cats do a little work.
This was a story that didn�t need to be told. There were so many better solutions than killing a zoo animal for food.
Improve the divorce process
Keith Esau (R-Olathe) just did something that I am sure happens all of the time but I have never heard of it. He filed a bill in the Kansas legislature �for a friend.�
I�m sure this is a lot like when I worked in a hotel and guys would come to the front desk and tell me their �friends� wanted to know if there were any strip clubs around here.
Esau�s bill would take away the option of incompatibility as a reason for divorce in Kansas. Instead, a list of eight reasons would be available to excuse ending a marriage.
It turns out that his friend was John Bradford (R-Lansing) who claimed credit for authoring the bill and asking Esau to introduce it.
The bill is an attempt to promote stronger families and make divorce less convenient. Family is important and I understand the desire to lessen the divorce rate.
But if you think couples can�t figure out which one of the eight new reasons they can use for divorce, you obviously haven�t heard how incredibly creative defense lawyers can be when they explain why, just because all of the facts point to their client, he really isn�t guilty.
I know that there are ways to improve the divorce process so that we could help keep families together that can be saved yet don�t increase the animosity and red tape around an inevitable divorce.
People are going to get divorced. It isn�t a good thing, but it is a real thing.
And those families who still have to raise kids together after the separation don�t need any more reasons to be disagreeable.
Kent Bush is publisher of the Butler County Times-Gazette in Kansas.


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The communications app Fring (free) offers 4-way video calling through its iOS and Android apps now. The app just hit the App Store today! Fring offered two way video calling last year but now upgraded it to four and they added the ability to buy fringout credits which allow users to make low cost calls to regular phone numbers around the world via in-app purchase.. also works with AT&T & Verizon according to their info in the app store.
Imagine talking to four people at one time instead of two! Check out the video below!
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Four people can be on one screen at a time and reunite, sing, dance or do what ever you do together.
FREE: Video calls (on 3G, 4G & Wifi) with DVQ technology
Get the best video calling with Dynamic Video Quality.
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Learn more: www.fring.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/fring
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Fring blog: http://www.fring.com/blog
itunes link below
fring: Video Calls + IM for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
Source: AppShopper.com Blog Archive 'Fring' Now Offers 4-Way Video Calling
1-2-3-4 Fring Now Offers Four Way Video CallingThis article was originally published in forum thread: 1-2-3-4 Fring Now Offers Four Way Video Calling started by thetoothfairy View original post


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Middle Eastern religions
Middle Eastern religions, religious beliefs and practices of the ancient inhabitants of the Middle East. Little was known about the religions of the city-states of W Asia until stores of religious literature were uncovered by excavations in the 19th and 20th cent. The picture is still incomplete, although from the available information it appears that the various religions shared many beliefs and concepts. It was from these roots that three of the world's major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—developed.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- Other Beliefs
- Bibliography
- The Gods
- The Role of Humans
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Ancient Religion


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Journal Article
© Nov 2013 Volume 11 Issue 4, ECIC 2013, Editor: Lidia Garcia Zambrano, pp280 - 392
Look inside Download PDF (free)
Abstract: At a time when intellectual capital and product innovation management are both considered to be critical for companies to gain a competitive edge (and even survive) in todays unstable business environment, this paper discusses the influence o f relational capital on product innovation performance at innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Building upon the intellectual capital and new product development perspectives, an empirical research was conducted, using a questionnaire adminis tered to a network of Portuguese innovative SMEs. The findings suggest that relational capital does have a positive effect on product innovation performance. In particular, Vertical relationships emerges as the main relational capital element significan tly affecting product innovation at the innovative SMEs level. The existence and proactive management of relationships with customers and suppliers emerge as critical factors to product innovation success. We find our results to be useful for both researc hers and practitioners: we contribute to the ongoing understanding of relational capitals impact on critical business phenomena, while also identifying additional critical factors for new product development success.
Keywords: Keywords: intellectual capital, relational capital, product innovation, new product development, innovative SMEs, Portugal
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The Rams have a glaring need for a speed receiver, and have some recent success with guys with character issues.
So with the risk minimal and the possible reward high, they claimed former Lions wideout Titus Young off waivers Tuesday, according to Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com.
Young was such a headache the Lions gave up on him, but the Rams got a huge benefit from rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who many teams were afraid to touch.
Jeff Fisher has the kind of credibility he might be able to pull it off in most cases, but Young has shown signs of not listening to anyone, and the fact he recently said he was better than Calvin Johnson indicates he might have a better grip on the ball than reality.
But for less than $800,000 in total compensation for the year (including his $555,000 base salary), the financial exposure is limited.


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Faculty Publicity
The Office of Public Affairs provides recognition to the members of the University community for awards, honors, publications, promotions, and new appointments by distributing press releases to their hometown newspapers.
To submit information, please fill out the form below and submit to Karen DeCilio, senior editor, at firstname.lastname@example.com
The Office of Public Affairs makes the final decision as to the newsworthiness of the information and where the information will be distributed. Thank you.


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Pershing's annual Insite conference, now in its 14th year, is sui generis. By design it attracts both broker-dealer home office personnel along with BD reps who work through Pershing's clearing business and use its technology, but there are always plenty of registered investment advisors in attendance as well who custody at Pershing Advisor Solutions. And Pershing does get big names to speak.
At the 2012 Insite, which formally began Wednesday midday at its traditional venue, the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Fla., all those attractions were in evidence.
The total number of attendees, according to Pershing personnel, is 2,088 this year, essentially flat compared with last year's 2,073 attendees. There are 395 sponsors and exhibitors this year, up from 360 in 2011. Among those attending this year are 1,329 of what Pershing calls "customers" and customer prospects, with the breakdown being:
- 48% of broker-dealer home office associates
- 25% BD registered reps
- 22% RIAs
- 5% dually registered
Of the big names among the 67 speakers, three are headliners: Former President Bill Clinton is the opening keynote speaker on Wednesday; Deepak Chopra highlights Thursday's sessions and Fareed Zakaria is the closing keynoter on Friday.
On Wednesday, Pershing, a unit of BNY Mellon, also announced that it was enhancing its clearing platform to enable representatives of its correspondent broker-dealers to open, fund and manage 529 college savings plans electronically. In a statement, Pershing said the new offering will allow reps to "operate more efficiently and manage these investments alongside the other assets and investments of their clients." The platform has launched with one advisor-sold 529 plan—the CollegeAmerica plan administered by the Virginia College Savings Plan—but will eventually be adding a "large selection of the nation's most prominent" 529 plans.
Also on Wednesday, Pershing released the latest in a series of studies for advisors on how advisors can better serve sometimes-overlooked market segments. Called Generation X and Y Investors Are the Future of Your Business, this newest guidebook focuses on how advisors can help increase their long-term success by "servicing the next generation of investors now and incorporating them into their long-term growth strategy."
In a statement, Kim Dellarocca, head of segment marketing and practice management at Pershing, pointed out studies that show "almost 90% of prospective heirs say they will move assets to another firm once they receive their inheritance." She urged advisors to "connect now with Gen X and Gen Y investors, whose viewpoints on money and investing and the service they demand will be very different than those of their parents."
The guidebook is available for free from the Pershing website.


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Advanced Base Operations in Micronesia
Headquarters United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC 20380-0001
21 August 1992
Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-46, Advanced Base Operations in Micronesia, is published to ensure the retention and dissemination of useful information which is not intended to become doctrine or to be published in Fleet Marine Force manuals. FMFRPs in the 12 series are a special category: reprints of historical works which are not available elsewhere.
Most of this reference publication was written by Major E. H. Ellis in 1921 when he perceived the coming war with Japan and made this effort to describe where the conflict might be fought and the manner in which it would be carried out. Included in this reference publication are a short biography of Major Ellis, the text of the original manuscript, and other war plan papers that seem to have been written at about the same time. The volume is priceless as it shows very clearly Major Ellis' thoughts and his extraordinary accuracy, especially in the light of a 20-year-gap between his writing and the actual outbreak of hostilities. Extremely fascinating, this volume is essential to understand what was evolving in the Marine Corps before World War II to prepare for that conflict.
Alcoholism was not Ellis' only defect. In parts of his writings, there is a racist tone that is as undeniable as it is regrettable. It accurately reflects the sentiments of a substantial, if not predominant, segment of American society in the early 20th century. These racist views had tragic
consequences. They helped precipitate the diplomatic climate which contributed to the outbreak of war in the Pacific. Further, a belief in an innate racial superiority made military strength seem less critical from a national perspective, and that fostered the lack of preparedness for war against Japan. That belief also caused many Americans --in and out of uniform - to experience a rude shock when U .S. forces encountered firsthand the genuine fighting abilities of the Japanese armed forces. In short, it must be realized today that these racist attitudes helped to cause the war as well as probably to raise the number of American casualties in the early months of the Pacific War.
The important thing, however, is that this manuscript is not being printed to advance or support the racial biases of Ellis. Instead, we seek only to learn and to gain professional military knowledge from his writings despite their reprehensible aspects. From that perspective, a little analysis reveals some useful gems. While the U.S. did not prevail because of a race-based "superiority in the use of hand weapons and in staying power," it did win because of a superior use of the tools of war and also because of a greater national staying power based on the huge American industrial base and a larger population. These strategic advantages allowed the U.S. to survive its initial defeats and go on to victory.
If Ellis' views on the Japanese were a reflection of his time, so were his views on gas warfare. Ellis' statements regarding the use of gas reflect both American experience with gas in World War I and the prevailing laws of war. During the fighting in France, American forces had used gas freely against their German enemies, and frequently they had been on the receiving end of German gas weapons. Based on that combat experience, Ellis assumed Americans would use gas in any war against Japan. In the event, however, that did not occur for the U.S. abided by its policy against being the first to use gas on the battlefield.
The key point to note is that Ellis' text clearly lays out the real reason gas has not been used in wars between modern armies. Since 1981, no army has used gas against an opponent which could respond in kind. Gas is simply too much of a double-edged sword - it cuts both ways and can be as dangerous to the using army as to its opponent. Ellis lays out the case well, and it is these problems with gas - not international law - which have been the real grounds for not using gas. International law once prohibited the use of the crossbow in warfare, but it remained on the battlefield until supplanted by firearms. The weapon was simply too useful and effective for armies not to use it. Gas, the double-edged sword, does not meet those criteria.
Reviewed and approved this date.
Brigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commanding General
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Quantico, Virginia
Major E.H. Ellis, USMC
Major Earl H. Ellis was a brilliant Marine officer whose superb skills as a planner helped forge the modern Marine Corps and its Fleet Marine Force. Though Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune was the guiding light, he trusted Ellis with the job of translating concepts into concrete plans.
Ellis' brilliance in planning was only one aspect of a complex personality. He served the Marine Corps with a single-mindedness which left no time for marriage and which damaged his health and ultimately cost him his life. Ellis frequently worked on assignments around the clock, without sleep, until physically anti mentally exhausted. This proclivity, plus alcoholism, put him in the hospital with mental breakdowns on more than one occasion. (In an era of promotions by seniority, these problems did not end his career as they would today.) His death in the Japanese-controlled Caroline Islands probably resulted from the effects of excessive drinking.
Ellis, who was not a college graduate, enlisted in the USMC in 1900. His talents earned him a commission just over a year later. His service prior to World War I involved the assignments typical for officers of the era. He became a first lieutenant in 1903, a captain in 1908, and a major in 1916. During World War I, Ellis received a temporary promotion to lieutenant colonel but reverted to his permanent rank after the war. During the war, he served as a principal staff officer to Lejeune when the latter commanded the 4th Marine Brigade and then the 2d Division in France. The close relationship, which actually began in the Philippines in 1908, continued after Major General Lejeune became Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Service at the Naval War College as a student and faculty member (1911- 1913) was a turning point in Ellis' career. This tour of duty came during the period when the Naval War College was a major participant in the development of the Navy's war plans. one of these was War Plan ORANGE, which grew out of the need to defend the recently acquired Philippines and from the perception that Japan was the most likely enemy in a future war in the Pacific. War Plan ORANGE served as the basis for a ground-breaking paper by Ellis on the theoretical basis for doctrine covering the defense of advance bases.
After World War I, the naval services again turned their attention to War Plan ORANGE and the problems of a naval campaign against Japan. Study was necessary because the strategic situation had changed radically. Japan, which was on the Allied side in World War I, had captured islands previously occupied by Germany. These islands provided Japan with bases suitable for launching attacks on the Philippines and other American possessions in the Pacific. The altered strategic situation meant that a war with Japan would have to include amphibious assaults for capturing island bases for subsequent fleet actions. This reality served as the basis for the Marines' development of amphibious warfare doctrine and for the formation in 1933 of the Fleet Marine Force.
The first tangible step by the Marines came from Ellis. Working virtually around the clock during early 1921, he developed Operation Plan 712, Advanced Base Operations in Micronesia. This plan stood the test of time; 20 years later, during World War II, the actual American campaign for Micronesia diverged from Ellis' plan only in areas affected by technological advances.
The effort to develop Operation Plan 712 was not without cost to Ellis. He suffered several reoccurrences of his earlier mental and physical problems. He was under medical supervision and treatment for much of the time he worked on the plan.
At the completion of his plan, Major Ellis received permission to travel to Japanese-held Micronesia in the guise of a civilian. En route, he had to be hospitalized in Japan for alcohol poisoning and nephritis, a disease of the kidneys. He managed to get to Micronesia but was under close Japanese surveillance. In May 1923, the Japanese authorities announced that Ellis had died on the Micronesia island of Korror. While there was some speculation that the Japanese had killed him, the most likely cause of death was alcohol poisoning and nephritis.
Major Earl Ellis' writings and plans made him a major architect in the development of the modern Marine Corp. Ellis Hall, the home of the Marine Corps' Command and Staff College at Quantico, VA, pays tribute to his memory and contributions.
The material entitled "War Portfolio - U.S. Marine Corps" seems to be a draft or working document dating from around 1921. The text refers to charts which appear to be missing. Readers should use or quote this material with care.
Notes on Presentation of this Document
The paper appears in this volume solely as an example of the planning undertaken to support Marine Corps operations expected during execution of the then current version of "War Plan ORANGE. "
To make this historical work more readable, minor grammatical and structural changes have been made:
A table of contents has been added.
In the "War Portfolio," handwritten changes of uncertain date have not been incorporated. Unclear references to charts, curves, and graphics are unaltered.
The index has been moved to the end. Its page numbers now agree with this publication.
Typographical errors have been corrected. Minor capitalization and punctuation changes have been made. Some clearly legible sentences do not make sense, possibly because words were omitted. Words added are in brackets.
Those who wish to study the original documents may apply to the Marine Corps Research Center, Quantico, VA, 22134.
Table of Contents
War Portfolio 3 Preface 27 Introduction 29 The Theater of Operations 31 The Sea 31 The Air 32 The Land 32 The Native Population 35 The Economic Conditions 36 The Enemy 37 The Reduction of the Islands 39 The Strategy 39 The Tactics 40 The Occupation 46 Reduction Forces Required 47 The Defense of Fleet Bases 51 Enemy Attacks 53 General Principles of Advanced Base Defense 59 Fixed Defense 60 Observation 60 Word Communications 61 Gun Defense 62 Searchlight Defense 65 Barrier Defense 66 Mobile Air Defense 67 Mobile Sea Defense 69 Mobile Land Defense 69 First Line 70 Second Line and Stronghold 72 Switch Lines 72 Auxiliary Defense--Personnel & Matériel 74 Summary 77 Strategy 77 Tactics 78 Matériel 80 Personnel 80 Organization 81 Proposed Task Organizations 82 Index 85
712H Operation Plan
Approved by the M.G.C. 23 July 1921
Contains: 1. War Portfolio, U.S. Marine Corps. 2. Work Sheet to Accompany War Portfolio. 3. Advanced Base Operations in Micronesia by Major Earl H. Ellis, U.S.M.C.
July 23, 1921
The attached War Plans are approved.
Major General Commandant.


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Informatica Stitches Workday and NetSuite Together
Software integration company Informatica says it has merged two major cloud-based business software platforms, NetSuite and Workday, into a combined, prepackaged product. NetSuite is the cloud-based enterprise resource management company. Workday is the newly public cloud-based provider of human resource and corporate finance software. The combined product synchronizes employee information with information related to the operation of the company. It's available via the Informatica Marketplace and NetSuites's SuiteApp.com.


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It's no secret that today's applications require a high-level of interactivity between user actions and application code. It's critical for developers to know what actions a user performs so that they can call the appropriate code to show and hide content, hit a database or perform other tasks. Although each of today's more modern languages handles events differently, they all provide the ability to attach events to event handlers.
Silverlight 1.0 provides a rich event-driven development model that can be used to detect when users perform specific actions or when Silverlight objects complete various tasks or operations. This can be useful when users interact with objects on a Silverlight canvas, to detect a file's download progress or when you need to be notified that a canvas has loaded and is available to use. Silverlight events can be defined in XML Application Markup Language (XAML) files and handled using JavaScript. In this article, you'll see how to work with Silverlight events and see how they're similar in many ways to HTML events.
Comparing HTML Events and XAML Events
Working with events in Silverlight is quite similar to working with events in HTML. Events are defined using a declarative language (markup language) and handled using a programming language. HTML provides a simple way to embed events and event handler references into various elements contained within a page. For example, to handle a button's click event you could add the following code:
<input type="button" id="btnSubmit" value="Click Me" onClick="btnSubmit_Click" />
JavaScript embedded in the HTML page (or stored externally) could then handle the event:
function btnSubmit_Click() { var outputDiv = document.getElementById("divOutput"); outputDiv.innerHTML = "You clicked the button!"; }
Although this is very simple example, the same overall concept applies to Silverlight applications. Events and their associated references are defined in XAML and handled using JavaScript. An example of embedding events into an XAML document is in Listing One.
<Canvas xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007" Loaded="ShowLoad"> <Canvas.Triggers> <EventTrigger RoutedEvent="Canvas.Loaded"> <BeginStoryboard> <Storyboard> <DoubleAnimation AutoReverse="True" From="80" To="200" Duration="0:0:3" Storyboard.TargetName="tbHello" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Canvas.Top)" RepeatBehavior="Forever"/> </Storyboard> </BeginStoryboard> </EventTrigger> </Canvas.Triggers> <Canvas Canvas.Left="10" Canvas.Top="10" Height="300" Width="300" Background="#efefef"> <Canvas.RenderTransform> <TransformGroup> <RotateTransform Angle="25"/> <SkewTransform AngleX="25"/> </TransformGroup> </Canvas.RenderTransform> <Rectangle Name="Rect" Canvas.Top="25" Canvas.Left="25" Width="200" Height="150" Fill="Yellow" Loaded="ShowLoad" MouseEnter="MouseEnter" MouseLeave="MouseLeave" MouseLeftButtonDown="MouseClick"/> <TextBlock Name="tbHello" Canvas.Left="36" Canvas.Top="80" Foreground="Maroon" FontFamily="Verdana" FontSize="24" FontWeight="Bold" Text="Hello From Silverlight!"> </TextBlock> </Canvas> </Canvas>
Table 1 summarizes the events defined in the XAML shown in Listing One.
Called when the canvas object loads.
Called as the mouse enters an object's area.
Called as the mouse exits an object's area.
Called as the left mouse button is clicked on an object.
The Loaded event defined on the root canvas notifies you when the canvas has loaded so that you know when to interact with it and its children. It's similar to the onLoad event that can be added to an HTML body tag. The XAML Canvas object exposes several other events as well such as GotFocus, KeyDown, KeyUp, LostFocus, MouseEnter, MouseLeave, MouseLeftButtonDown, MouseLeftButtonUp, and MouseMove.
When the canvas is loaded a JavaScript function named ShowLoad() is called. The ShowLoad() function is shown next:
var _Control = document.getElementById('slControl'); var _TB = null; function ShowLoad(sender,eventArgs) { if (sender == "Canvas") _TB = _Control.Content.FindName("tbHello"); alert("Object Loaded. Sender = " + sender); }
If you program in VB.NET or C#, the parameter signature on the ShowLoad() event handler should look familiar. When the event is raised the sender of the object is passed (the Canvas object) as well as event argument data. ShowLoad() checks to see if the sender is a Canvas object and then locates a TextBlock object named tbHello using the FindName() method.
The XAML in Listing One also defines several mouse events including MouseEnter, MouseLeave, and MouseLeftButtonDown. hese events fire as the user enters, leaves or clicks a Rectangle object defined in the Silverlight application. The Rectangle object also defines a Loaded event that calls the ShowLoad() method discussed earlier. The JavaScript code that handles the enter, leave and left button down events is in Listing Two. Looking through the code you'll see that all of the methods have the same parameter signature which allows for a consistent way to handle events and event data.
function MouseEnter(sender,eventArgs) { _TB.Text = "Mouse entered " + sender; } function MouseLeave(sender,eventArgs) { _TB.Text = "Mouse left " + sender; } function MouseClick(sender,eventArgs) { _TB.Text = sender + " clicked!"; }
Silverlight 1.0 doesn't provide a built-in way to know when the right mouse button has been clicked unfortunately. Hopefully that functionality will make it into a future version of Silverlight.
In addition to the events in Listing One, you'll also find a special tag named EventTrigger that can be used to route events and perform actions defined in the XAML. In this example, EventTrigger handles the root Canvas object's Loaded event. It does this using the RoutedEvent attribute. As the Canvas object's Loaded event fires, the EventTrigger will play a storyboard animation that changes the TextBlock's Top property to move the TextBlock object up and down on the canvas. Because the animation's RepeatBehavior attribute is assigned a value of Forever, the animation will play until the application is closed.
Although a complete discussion of routed events is beyond the scope of this article, it's important to understand the overall role they play in XAML and how they can be used to route events to actions. You'll find additional details about event triggers and routed events in the Silverlight 1.0 SDK available at www.silverlight.net.


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Sports Poster Warehouse's Top NFL Players From This Past Sunday
As per every Monday morning, the talk around the office here at Sports Poster Warehouse is about yesterday's NFL action. We like to spend the first hour of the day arguing about the top performers from Sunday's NFL games. So, without further delay, here are our picks!
Brett Favre JET GENERAL (2008) Poster
Larry Johnson RED ROCKET Poster
Jake Delhomme PANTHER POWER Poster
Arizona Cardinals FLYING HIGH Wide Receivers Poster
We here at Sports Poster Warehouse would like to open this up for debate. So, if you think some other players should or should not be here, feel free to voice your opinion!
For these and other great NFL posters, visit www.sportsposterwarehouse.com
And feel welcome to join our self-titled Facebook group for announcements on all specials and contests!Explore posts in the same categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Brett Farve, brett farve posters, gridiron, jake delhomme, kurt warner, larry johnson, NFL, NFL posters, sundayYou can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.


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A new study presented to the American College of Surgeons found that 39% of moped drivers sustaining accident injuries had a blood-alcohol level greater than .05 mg/dL — more than one-and-a-half times the number of intoxicated car or motorcycle drivers. So what's the deal? Mopeds (in this case, we presume they're referring to scooters as well) with engines of 50cc or less displacement can be driven without a driver's license in many states. Thus, they become the vehicle of choice for alcoholics who have had their licenses suspended but still, you know, have to get home from the bar. Clarkson? We're looking at you. According to Dr. Ashley Christmas of the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC:
Upon questioning, we learned that many of these individuals had previously had their drivers' licenses revoked. These patients were very in tune to the fact that a moped was defined as a motorized vehicle with an engine less than 50 cubic centimeters, so they knew they could still drive this vehicle without a license. We suspect that many moped operators are repeat offenders, whose licenses were previously revoked.
Have we stumbled upon a solution for one of society's great ills? Get a DUI, get sentenced to driving only scooters. We'd much rather be T-boned by a drunk driving 100 pounds of plastic at 30 MPH than an Expedition. They'd have to be Sprees, of course. [PRNewswire, Sub. Req.; Photo Credit: Geekologie.com


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Sock photo via Grantland director of business development David Cho's Instagram.
Grantland.com, the first mainstream website to successfully bridge sports and pop culture, celebrates its one-year internet anniversary today. Here's a look back at the first year we've spent with Bill Simmons's baby:
- "Albino Man. Pink Gorilla Singing SportsCenter Theme Song." A Story About Deadspin And ESPN's Grantland Project
- Why Grantland Rice Sucked
- Elaine's Was A Dump, Or The Grantland Fallacy
- Introducing The Grantland Comments And Corrections Desk (More Dear Grantland here)
- Grantland's Jonah Lehrer Loves Intangibles So Much He Made A Whole Argument Out Of Them
- What Does Bartolo Colon Mean Today? (More Colon-O-Meter here)
- The New Grantland TV Commercial Is Flirting With You
- The 11 Worst Grantland Long Reads Of 2011
- Disney's ESPN's Bill Simmons Has Committed 98 Potential SOPA Violations On Grantland So Far
- What Is The Grantland Book Good For? A Deadspin Investigation
Here's to many more!


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The biggest moment in modern Jaguar history wasn't the sale of the company from Ford to Tata, but the launch of the Jaguar XF. With it, Jaguar proved they were committed to being a better carmaker. And now with these automaker-released "spy photos" of the Jaguar XF Sportbrake — neo-Britspeak for wagon — they also proved they've been reading our diary.
A love affair with the current Jaguar XF begins with its sedan-in-name-only design and coupe-esque greenhouse that manages to look as sleek as a sports car while retaining the roominess of a mid-size luxury sedan.
Performance-wise it's stable and comfortable in every trim, but downright naughty in XF Supercharged and XFR form. An aristocratic kind of deviousness that wraps dirty thoughts in gorgeous leather, wood and metal trim. Think Marquis de Sade.
Jaguar even retained its infamous strangeness with the peculiar dial-a-gear transmission and touch-sensitive glove compartment. Sure, when they break it'll be an electronic nightmare, but it's the kind risk the car makes you want to take.
None of this should change with the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, a car I didn't reaize I wanted until I found out it existed. There's a renaissance of sorts coming for the wagon and, if the CTS-V is the Giotto, maybe the XF Sportbrake can be the Caravaggio.
Lest you think someone is fooling with you, a supposedly Jaguar-sponsored Twitter account is handing out the photos to anyone who asks (making it laughable that some outlets have watermarked them).
The photos implore you to follow @Sportbrake on Twitter. We encourage you to do so and then continue to harass them until they build an XFR version.


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Opinion: The Senate's Budget Dissenters
Potomac Watch columnist Kim Strassel on how the Senate will pass the House-negotiated budget deal. Photo credit: Associated Press.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... the stall in the United States ... we will need about eight Republicans to come our way IPO would have a good strong showing from the Democratic side ... but we need bipartisan support to pass it ... will I get it past the houses so easily also passed the Senate ... with similar ease setback Potomac watch columnist Kim straw soul ... joining me now from Washington ... I can send or German says he needs about eight ... Republicans tend to vote for this deal is that right ... well what they need is a need sixty votes to get past the first procedural filibuster Act a hurdle ... and the Democrats need about five Republicans to do that ... they really only need fifty votes which they can supply with their own majority once you get past that filibuster ... now I think what Senator Durbin is referring to as he's probably going to lose a few of his own Democratic members to this so that's probably of close calls the correct number ... can you Mari got some big names though coming out against the deal I'm thinking of Senator Marco Rubio is one ... of why would Republicans oppose this I thought this was a big win for the party ... you think on to a couple of categories Mary I mean you've got those who are as Mr. Rubio is that maybe some visions of the of the running for president ... on and these people are nervous about supporting any deal ... I even though the Paul Ryan deal does have some modest entitlement reform and they don't wanna be associated with any deal that bus through the sequester camps ... I'm similarly there's another category of members that Republicans who are being primary ... I've next year and they are also worried that their opponents who ... who don't actually have to take the responsibility of doing tablets in the Senate many of their opponents Bharti come out to say this is a bad deal ... and so they're also running to get on the right side of that in saying that they will oppose it as well ... what about the defense Fox Lake Kelly ion and Lindsey Graham ... in this and they say coming a little bandanna raised eyebrows in the Republican party ... into like IAI Graham may have been pushing for months I've to do something about the sequester ing and restorer money to defense spending ... and that they were among those that I had ... him pushed the hand of Paul Ryan have to go and do a deal like this because the Republican leadership didn't think they have the votes to keep the sequester flights ... matter they actually have a deal that will put some more money for defense spending I doubt and ran the ball come out and said that they're not going to support the deal to sell ... its serve an interesting situation ... so Q what's your call is again a pass the Senate or not ... isn't very likely to pass a fan and I did but it's not going to be anywhere near this significant margin bipartisan support the piece on the house but but they'll get their probably by the end of the week in part because ... Harry Reid will twist what our team needs to do to support a deal that was indeed offer by his own budget chairman on and that the president seems like it's ... ok when you're hurting your first and they do it by the end of the week ... Potomac watch columnist Kim straw soul thank you so much for joining us ...


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OK, let's just keep this little post between you and I, OK? I purposely waited until now to put it up, knowing that Will would be scuba diving. Shhh. First, old business (two days old, but whatever, it needs to be addressed). It seems that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa still does not believe that Mark McGwire took steroids. Oy vey.
Here's a portion of LaRussa's conversation with Brian Burwell of the St. Louis Post Dispatch on Monday. Question: Did McGwire take steroids?
"Well, that's what you believe and you're probably right according to testimony, but that's not what I believe," La Russa said. "I watched Mark McGwire work."
I interrupted him.
"Wait a minute, Tony. You still don't believe McGwire used performance-enhancing drugs?"
"Absolutely not."
"Come on."
"Absolutely not," he said. "If you see Mark today, he still looks like he did then."
"No, he doesn't," I said.
"Yes, he does," La Russa said.
"No, he doesn't," I repeated.
La Russa tossed his hands in the air and looked at me in frustration. "Are you asking for my opinion or yours?" he said.
"I'm asking your opinion," I said. "But we're having a conversation, and I'm disagreeing with you."
And now here's LaRussa, on his reputation of harboring steroid users:
One way I was taught to survive is my No. 1 accountability factor is myself. This is my 30th year doing this at the major league level. There isn't anybody — the commissioner, our owner, the fans, you — there isn't any person, man or woman, who can make me any more accountable than I am now right now because of myself. And I know there isn't anything we've done in all those years that was — with one small exception where we stole signs, a little hiccup — there isn't anything else that has happened on our ballclubs in Oakland or St. Louis that there's a hint of illegality. There isn't anything that we didn't actively and proactively attempt to do it right."
Now to new business: The Great Scott Spiezio Experiment is over. The Cardinals on Wednesday released the infielder after learning that and arrest warrant had been issued on him by the Irvine Police Department on six charges stemming from a crash in late December.
The warrant alleges driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, hit and run, aggravated assault, assault and battery.
Yikes. However, Paul S. Meyer, Spiezio's lawyer in Irvine, released a brief statement saying, "We anticipate a successful resolution to this misdemeanor matter." OK, then.
This has been your St. Louis Cardinals roundup for today. By tomorrow I expect to be fired, or possibly bludgeoned with a circus mallet. Goodbye.
LaRussa On McGwire, Others In The Mitchell Report [St. Louis Post Dispatch]
Cards Relesae Spiezio After Arrest Warrant Issued [St. Louis Post Dispatch[


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Le Temps Des Cerises
If the adorably modest little bar didn't tell you you were in a zinc, the conversation would ("L'OM a bien joué hier soir, eh?"). Soccer talk is as central to zinc culture as the crocheted curtains, indestructible Duralex tumblers, and gratinéed pork chops here. The pork is not the most beautiful dish you've ever seen, but then, whoever said coarse and crude can't be delicious?I ask for nothing more of a zinc, except maybe Le Temps des Cerises' salmon with sorrel, mosaic streetfront, and dormers with window boxes.


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In the end, it was as much about the game itself as it was about the gold medal.
The 2010 Paralympic heartbreak continued for Canada's sledge hockey team Friday night as Norway's Eskil Hagen scored a fluke goal with four seconds left in regulation time to beat Canada 2-1 at UBC Thunderbird Arena and win the bronze medal.
Calgary's Brian McKeever will make history at the Winter Olympics next month in Vancouver.
Brian McKeever's date with the Olympic history books is scheduled to become official Friday at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
Another day, another IPC World Cup win for Lauren Woolstencroft.


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Jesus Lay Sleeping
Jesus lay sleeping softly by Mary.
Shepherds and wise men now worship this King.
Humbly they kneel by His bed.
They followed the star—to Jesus it led.
O Heavenly Father I want to thank thee
for sending thy Son on the earth to save me.
And as I remember, especially today,
I'll think of His teachings and live His way.
Text: Joyce Brackpool
Music: Joyce Brackpool
Artist: Brackpool
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: New Era
Composition Date: 1979-08-01
More Info: New Era


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Modified Mustangs & FordsHow To Wheels Tires
Power Disc Brakes Installation - Braking The Habit
Give Yourself Peace of Mind and Better Binders With Master Power Brakes
One of our good friends has a '68 Mustang coupe that he's been driving using the original-equipment four-wheel drum brakes. While the drums were standard equipment for their day, front-disc brakes were available as an option on the Mustang even in 1965. Most Mustangs were delivered with drum brakes, however. We don't envy our friend when he has to drive on a rainy day, because wet drums can be a real bear to wrestle with when one side grabs and the other side doesn't. And this '68's drums are without power assist as well.
When the chance came along for our friend to have his car utilized in a power disc-brake upgrade story, he was more than interested. The package was to include not only a conversion from drum to front disc brakes, but a power assist upgrade as well. These two improvements will bring his car out of the braking Stone Age in terms of both stopping performance and the effort required to operate the car's braking system.
The Master Power Brakes power front disc brake kit (PN DB1521PANS) includes 11 1/4-inch vented rotors, loaded calipers with pads, caliper brackets, and a 9-inch-diameter power-brake booster with a dual-reservoir master cylinder. Also included is a combination valve kit, hoses, bearings, seals, and dust caps, as well as a replacement brake pedal and hardware. The kit has a list price of $849-not a terrible sum for braking peace of mind with all-new components. Performing the conversion isn't too difficult; we were able to install it over one weekend.
Join us as we walk you through the installation procedure for both the front disc brakes as well as a new master cylinder and power-brake vacuum booster.


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We are now based at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street.
Click here for more information on how to find us.
Most pain is short term or 'acute' and a result of injury or illness. At UCLH our specialist acute pain teams can help your medical team optimise pain relief.Pain which is more persistent (or otherwise known as 'chronic pain') is usually managed as an outpatient. The expertise for managing chronic pain is located at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN) in the pain management centre.
UCLH Pain Management Centre is a nationally recognized centre of excellence for people with longstanding pain. We have a multi professional service made up of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists. We provide help to minimise pain where possible and maximise quality of life.
We provide groundbreaking pain management programmes alongside the latest interventions including systemic drug treatment, intravenous drug infusions, peripheral and central nerve blocks, radio frequency lesioning and spinal implants. We also provide information and access to TENS machines and acupuncture. We use a multidisciplinary integrated approach to help people get back to activities they used to enjoy and to live as full lives as possible despite pain.
Our specialist areas of pain expertise include:
We are proud to have been recognised as a specialised centre for pain management, one of only several in the UK.
Dr Andrew Paul Baranowski Consultant
Dr Natasha Curran Consultant
Dr Alan Fayaz Consultant
Dr Ashish Shetty Consultant
Dr Brigitta Brandner Consultant
Dr Roman Cregg Consultant
The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street25 Cleveland StreetLondonW1T 4AJ
Patient enquiriesTelephone: 020 3448 4776Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
General enquiriesEmail: email@example.com
GP enquiriesTelephone: 020 3448 4776Fax: 020 3448 3511Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Service manager - Abu ChoudhuryEmail: email@example.com
"Pain is a challenge, but you can live with it with the right tools."
"The Pain Management Centre is not likely to cure all ills but I hope, like me, pain will no longer be the dominating feature of your life."
"After feeling at a complete loss, the pain clinic has been a lifeline. It has given me plenty of ideas how to manage my pain and I feel more in control of the situation."


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Portman to again play Obama in GOP debate preps
Tri-State politician has does this for past few elections
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is tapping Ohio Sen. Rob Portman to play the role of President Barack Obama during his debate preparation sessions this fall.
Republican officials said Monday that Portman, who listened to audio versions of Obama's books to prepare for taking the same role opposite 2008 GOP nominee John McCain, will reprise the role for Romney this year.
He's already preparing with additional briefing materials from Romney's campaign.
Portman has been impersonating Democrats in debate preparation sessions for more than a decade.
When George W. Bush ran for president, Portman played former Vice President Al Gore in 2000 and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry in 2004. CNN first reported Portman's role this year.
Kerry will play Romney during Obama's debate preparation.


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O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee
1. O Master, let me walk with thee in lowly paths of service free.
Tell me thy secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.
2. Help me the slow of heart to move by some clear, winning word of love.
Teach me the wayward feet to stay and guide them in the homeward way.
3. Teach me thy patience; still with thee in closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong, in trust that triumphs over wrong.
4. In hope that sends a shining ray far down the future's broad'ning way;
In peace that only thou canst give—with thee, O Master, let me live!
Text: Washington Gladden
Music: Kevin Olson
Artist: Gladden/Olson
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: New Era
Composition Date: 1993-08-01
More Info: New Era


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Solid state drive (SSD) controller start-up SandForce has landed $21m of C-round funding, just eight months after a $20m-plus B-round. Why does a fabless silicon startup need that much cash?
SandForce is developing SoC (System on Chip) products that, it says: "boost the storage I/O performance of next generation servers, workstations and personal computers by many orders of magnitude." In a job advert introduction it states it is: "creating innovative and disruptive products for storage, consumer electronics, Netbook, Laptop and Enterprise markets."
The "consumer electronics" phrase is interesting, as it implies competition in the markets served by SanDisk and others.
SandForce's current line of SF-1000 storage processors are being used by SMART to develop enterprise flash drives: hard disk drive replacements, probably using multi-level cell (MLC) flash. Unigen is the other announced customer and it is developing a range of 1.8-inch and 2.5inch SSDs with 3Gbit/s SATA and 6Gbit/s SAS interfaces.
What we appeared to have yesterday was a well-funded startup, one with less than 100 employees, that is basically about ASIC and firmware design and specification. Its main costs are people. Now, all of a sudden, it bulks up its financing with another $21m which will be used - according to CEO and president Alex Navqui - for: "our expansion phase as well as [accelerating] our new products development that will help us maintain our market leadership."
The funding round saw contributions from SandForce's existing investors - DCM and Storm Ventures - together with the mystery couple of tier-1 storage suppliers, one of whom is thought to be Seagate. However, the round was led by newcomer TransLink Capital, who brought in four new investors, including LSI Corporation, that well-known supplier of Engenio disk drive arrays (which use STEC SSDs) and hard disk drive controller logic and silicon.
Twenty one million dollars can hire a heck of a lot of people, yet SandForce has just nine jobs posted on TechIt; there's no major ongoing recruitment drive. So what is the money needed for?
One SandForce job advert for a firmware engineer states: "We are writing firmware for a game-changing device that targets the Enterprise and Laptop markets for solid state storage. Our work product will be reaching customers at the beginning of 2010."
We don't know if customers means OEMs or end-users, but we would suggest it means OEMs. It indicates that this is a new version of its storage processor, as SMART and Unigen will be working with the existing SF-1500 enterprise SSD and SF-1200 client device products.
The job description says the hired person will "contribute to the commercial release of our 1st generation product" in their first 90 days, which takes us to the end of January or into February, and will: "Contribute to the tape-out of the next-gen product."
This implies that there is a new processor product coming in early 2010, with a scheduled version 2 of it later in 2010. We might also expect development of the current SF-1500 and SF-1200 silicon. That gives us three product development activity strands.
These strands imply a wider audience, both numerically and geographically, for SandForce's marketing and sales messages. We can envisage an expansion of its sales efforts to the Asia Pacific region and possibly to Europe.
The El Reg reckoning is that SandForce is going to significantly expand its sales offices outside continental USA. It is likely that it will start a recruitment drive to speed its product development in the face of intensifying SSD competition from Fusion-io, Intel, HitachiGST/Intel, Micron, Pliant, SanDisk (recently chosen as Sony's SSD supplier for its Vaio ultra-thin notebook), Seagate, STEC, Super Talent, Toshiba, Violin Memory, Western Digital, WhipTail and many more suppliers aiming to get rich in a hoped for SSD bonanza. ®


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Who has the more compelling propaganda campaign, the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire? In these retro-style posters, each side of the Galactic Civil War tries to win you over to their cause.
Cat Staggs created a series of propaganda posters for the Star Wars Celebration VI art show being held in Orlando this August. We've seen a lot of graphic design-heavy Star Wars propaganda posters in the past, but these are refreshingly direct. Want to be a crack pilot like Luke Skywalker? Join the Red Squadron. Can't pick up a blaster? You can still support the Rebellion at home.
You can see the rest of the posters at Staggs' deviantART page. [via Boing Boing]
G/O Media may get a commission
Eight Sleep Pod Cover


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Our ambition is to deliver a site that is accessible. For example, you should be able to view our information from any browser on any device.
Nor should it make any difference whether you are surfing on your smartphone or have to use a screen reader.
To achieve this high level of accessibility our website is based on guidelines and standards for accessibility.
It must be easy to find your way around our website. The content is therefore structured on the basis of our major target groups. We also endeavour to ensure that all our text is easy to understand.


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Moderator: Cartographers
AndyDufresne wrote:A modern-day Philadelphia map isn't too interesting for me. However, a historical city map---sounds like something I'd support. And certainly Philadelphia has a history to build upon.
drunkmonkey wrote:I'm filing a C&A report right now. Its nice because they have a drop-down for "jefjef".
I do NOT think that it is EVER too early for GFX nitpicks, because if you wait till later, the map tends to set in stone. (if you get my drift).natty_dread wrote:A bit early for graphics nitpicks, but I agree - although the land should be a bit lighter, especially with the black text.
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Svenskt Tenn's table mat becomes a beautiful addition to your table setting. The Elefant print makes it perfect for every occasion.
Svenskt Tenn's founder Estrid Ericson travelled a lot to different places around the world. She always looked for beautiful items and textiles and souvenirs that she could take home and sell in the store on Strandvägen in Stockholm. She designed this print with small elephants, based on a model from the Belgian Congo. The Elefant (Elephant) textile was printed for the first time in the end of the 1930s.
The placement of the pattern may vary from the one in the picture.


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Lawsuit seeks to block new Arkansas abortion law
Abortion rights proponents have filed a lawsuit challenging a new abortion law in Arkansas that is among the most restrictive in the nation.
The new law bans most abortions from the 12th week of pregnancy onward. The federal lawsuit filed Tuesday says that ban is unconstitutional and seeks to block the law from taking effect this summer. It also asks the court to strike down the law completely.
The legal challenge was filed on behalf of two doctors who provide abortions at a clinic in Little Rock. It comes after state legislators last month overrode Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe's veto to give Arkansas what was then the country's most restrictive abortion law.
North Dakota has since gone further with a law banning abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy.


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Poppadums with Chile-Spiked Onion and Avocado Pomegranate Dip from 'Indian Cooking Unfolded'
My only experience eating poppadums has been in Indian restaurants, with a couple of chutneys served alongside. The crackers have always seemed ethereally light and magically crisp. I never would have thought to serve them at home, and knew nothing about preparing them. This dead-simple appetizer recipe from Raghavan Iyer's new cookbook, Indian Cooking Unfolded, takes away that mystique and serves the crackers with an Indian twist on a couple of dips.
As it turns out, poppadums are sold at many Indian and Asian markets in their dried, uncooked state. All you need to do to prepare them is toast them over a gas burner (like a tortilla) or stick them under a broiler for a minute or two. Voila! Crisp, smoky crackers in a matter of minutes.
Why I picked this recipe: I knew I needed to try my hand at preparing poppadums at home. And with the option to serve them with what I'll just call Indian guacamole—I was sold.
What worked: While the poppadums were a welcome new treat and the chile-onion dip was well-seasoned and enjoyed, the real winner here is the avocado pomegranate dip. Between the freshly toasted and ground spices, serrano chiles, and pomegranate seeds, this twist on guacamole will not be easily forgotten.
What didn't: The poppadum toasting took a little practice to become graceful, but after a few crackers, I felt like a pro.
Suggested tweaks: Iyer suggests adding mango to the chile-onion dip if they're in season. I'd also recommend peaches (or any stone fruit) or pineapple. If you can't find poppadums, you can still serve these dips with tortilla chips, potato chips, or other thin crackers. If you're feeling especially adventurous, you can also try making them from scratch.
Reprinted with permission from Indian Cooking Unfolded: A Master Class in Indian Cooking, with 100 Easy Recipes Using 10 Ingredients or Less by Raghavan Iyer. Copyright 2013. Published by Workman Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.
- Yield:Serves 6
- Active time: 20 minutes
- Total time:20 minutes
- 6 or 12 uncooked lentil wafers (poppadums), each at least 6 inches in diameter before cooking
- Chile-Spiked Onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 medium-size tomato, cored and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 or 2 fresh green serrano chiles, stems discarded, finely chopped (do not remove the seeds)
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
- Avocado Pomegranate Dip
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
- 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic
- 2 to 3 fresh green serrano chiles, stems discarded
- 3 large ripe Hass avocados
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds or red raspberries
If you are using a gas stove, set the flame of a burner at medium-high. Holding 1 poppadum with a pair of tongs, flip it back and forth over the open flame until bumps start to appear on the surface and the poppadum turns light brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remember to shift the tongs in order to toast the part initially covered by them. Repeat with the remaining poppadums. Set them aside to cool.
If you are using an electric stove, broiling is a great option. Place a rack as close as possible to the heating element, and preheat the broiler to high. Toast the poppadums until bumps appear on the surface and they turn light brown, 1 to 2 minutes. There is no need to turn them. Set them aside to cool. Microwaving poppadums on high power for 30 seconds to 1 minute is also an option. The poppadums will turn crisp and brittle as they cool. You can store them in airtight plastic zip-top bags at room temperature for up to 2 weeks (but I bet they will be gone long before that).
To assemble the chile-spiked onion, combine the onion, tomato, cilantro, and chiles in a medium-size bowl. Just before serving, stir in the salt. Salting the "salsa" ahead and letting it sit for a while results in a pool of liquid at the bottom of the bowl, an unwanted result that will render the poppadums soggy.
To make the avocado pomegranate dip, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot (when you hold the palm of your hand close to the bottom of the skillet you will feel the heat), usually after 2 to 4 minutes, add the coriander and cumin seeds and toast them, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until they start to crackle and turn reddish brown and the aroma is highly nutty fragrant with citrus undertones, about 1 minute. Immediately transfer the seeds to a small heatproof bowl or plate to cool. Once cool, place the coriander and cumin seeds in a spice grinder (you can also use a coffee grinder) and grind the blend to the consistency of finely ground black pepper.
Place the cilantro, lime juice, salt, onion, garlic, and chiles in the bowl of a food processor and, using the pulsing action, mince the blend. Letting the processor run constantly will create an unwanted chunky puree, full of liquid.
Pit, peel, and cut the avocado into 1/4 inch cubes. Place the avocado in a medium-size bowl and fold in the cilantro mixture, spice blend, and pomegranate seeds. Transfer the dip to a pretty serving bowl. If you are planning on serving the avocado dip later, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the dip's surface, making sure there are no air bubbles in between the wrap and the surface (this slows down the dip from oxidizing and turning a wee bit black). You can store the dip in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To serve, if you are making the spiked onion, place 6 poppadums on a large pretty platter. Evenly divide the onion topping among them, spreading it over the surface of each. If you are making the dip, place the poppadums in a cloth-lined basket with the dip alongside.
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I have been in a rut lately with cooking. I am just plain BORED with my food, and I'm trying to find ways to make it more interesting without too much effort. I have been avoiding dairy, chocolate (with the occasional divulges), red meat, raw vegetables, raw fruit, and most breads. Some types of white bread seem to cause a lot of gas and I am not sure why some do and some don't. I think that maybe it is gluten. I seem to tolerate the Hawaiian bread the best and it tastes really good.
There are really not that many variations of what I cook because usually I need something easy to make that's healthy. That's the problem with Crohn's; it is not like you can just pick something up at the store or get take out. Those places want to please the large majority of people and most people like flavour in their food. It can be really frustrating when there are not enough hours in the day and you are forced to make dinner (because you forgot to plan ahead) even though you have no time. I usually end up making fish (cause it cooks fast) with some rice and vegetables - fast and easy.
This week, and the next two are going to be pretty busy because my husband is on mission in Europe for three weeks. Therefore, I made my yummy - good for the intestine (and soul) - chicken soup. I make a huge pot of it and portion it into little containers. I then freeze most of it so that I will have a dinner ready for those days that I am not prepared. I also take them to work for lunch. I thought that I would share my recipe with you so that you can have a stock of healthy chicken soup too.
Chicken Soup Great for Crohn's
At least 24 cups of water
6 tsp rock salt
3 tsp of chicken bullion (I use caldo con sabor de Pollo)
5 celery stalks cut ½"
Whole package of mini carrots (kind that you eat as finger food – washed peeled and ready to eat)
2 tsp celery salt
4 stalks French onion (cut in thin slices)
Fresh parsley – I add about ½ cup finely chopped (it chops faster if you put in short cup and then take the kitchen scissors and cut it up)
6 chicken legs – throw it in with the skin and all
1 onion sliced
2 tsp oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
Disney magic selections pasta (Nemo shape, pirate shapes or Mickey Mouse) – this brand is good because the noodles don't get too mushy. Add this after the chicken has cooked – don't add right away!
I put it all in the pot (except pasta) and boil until the chicken is done. When chicken is breaking away from the bone, I take the chicken out and take off the skin (throw this away) and then I scrape the chicken off the bone and cut into little pieces. I then put the cut up chicken back in the pot and add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is done (per box directions)
I hope you enjoy it.
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


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Transparency Market Research is Published new Market Report " Salicylic Acid Market for Pharmaceutical, Skin care, Hair care and Other Applications - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2013 - 2019," The global market for salicylic acid was valued at USD 292.5 million in 2012 and is expected to be USD 521.2 million in 2019, growing at a CAGR of 8.6% from 2013 to 2019. In terms of volume, salicylic acid demand was 95,000.0 tons in 2012 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2013 to 2019.
Salicylic acid is being increasingly used in skincare and haircare products due to its medical benefits such as reduction of acne, blemishes, dandruff and psoriasis. Rising awareness regarding healthy skin and hair is expected to drive the global skincare and haircare market, which in turn is expected to drive the growth of salicylic acid market. In addition, growing demand for aspirin is expected to be another factor vital to the growth of the market, as salicylic acid forms a key ingredient of aspirin. However, growing consumer concern regarding the side-effects of salicylic acid is expected to hamper the growth of the market. Research proving the positive impact of aspirin on life-threatening diseases such as dementia, strokes and Hughes Syndrome are expected to open new opportunities for the growth of the market over the next few years.
Demand for salicylic acid was highest from pharmaceuticals and was 48,697.0 tons in 2012.
However, skincare and haircare are expected to be the fastest growing segments in terms of consumption of salicylic acid, on account of increasing consumer awareness regarding healthy hair and skin. In addition, rising awareness among consumers regarding the benefits of salicylic acid on skin and hair is expected to drive the market towards salicylic acid containing skincare and haircare products. The growth of the global skincare and haircare market is expected to augment the growth of the market.
Consumption of salicylic acid was highest in North America and accounted for over 35% of the market in 2012. However, Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth in the market within the forecast period. The demand for aspirin is expected to grow substantially on account of growing ageing population and healthcare initiatives by various national governments present in this region. This factor is expected to drive the demand for salicylic acid in pharmaceutical within Asia Pacific over the next few years. In addition, changing lifestyles and rising consumer awareness regarding the benefits of salicylic acid on skin and hair, is expected to fuel the demand for salicylic acid in skincare and haircare applications.
Key participants' profiles in the report include Alfa Aesar, J.M. Loveridge Limited, Novacap and Simco Chemicals Inc. among others.
The report comprises of the following segments:
Salicylic Acid Market: Application Analysis
· Pharmaceuticals
· Skincare
· Haircare
· Others (food, chemicals, fragrances)
The report provides a cross-sectional analysis of the above application segments with respect to the following regions:
· North America
· Europe
· Asia Pacific
· Rest of the World
» Read More...


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The Obama administration will delay enforcement of the Affordable Care Act's health insurance mandate, extending how long Americans may go uninsured before facing a penalty under the law, MarketWatch has learned.
Also see: HealthCare.gov contractors say not their job to decide when to go live
The health care law requires most people to have health insurance by Jan. 1, 2014 or face a penalty, but the Administration may postpone when those penalties will go into effect. The law allows for "short coverage gaps" of up to three months before imposing the penalty, which is $95 or 1% of an individual's income (whichever is greater) next year. Under the current rules, someone would have to be covered by March 31, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed, which is the final day that people will be able to purchase health insurance on the public exchanges, or marketplaces, created by the ACA.
But the Administration is currently working to revise its policy to ensure that people who wait till the last day in March to sign up will not face a penalty, the HHS official clarified. That means that people may go uninsured till April or May without paying a fine, as it takes up to two weeks to process health insurance applications, and new health policies take effect on the first day of each month. A last-minute March 31 application, for example, might be processed by mid-April for coverage starting May 1.
As the law stands now, in order to be covered by March 31, people would actually need to have insurance by March 1. And since it takes up to two weeks to process insurance applications, consumers would have to apply by Feb. 15, the Associated Press reported recently. (People must apply by Dec. 15 if they want coverage starting Jan. 1.)
The Administration, however, has recognized that there's a "disconnect" between the actual and effective deadlines, as the deadline to get health insurance in time to comply with the ACA is currently six weeks earlier than the final deadline to buy it. Now, the Administration is working to make sure the two deadlines line up with each other, says the HHS official. An announcement about when it will enforce the penalty for being uninsured, and whether that penalty will be delayed beyond the de facto March 31 deadline, will come shortly. The insurance requirement still kicks in Jan. 1, and the enrollment period will close March 31 as planned, the official adds.
The potential extension comes as the federal health exchanges are under fire for ongoing technological problems that are making it difficult for some people to enroll. The Obama administration has so far resisted GOP pleas to delay the requirement that individuals purchase insurance next year, but has lately expressed frustration with the technical difficulties. Those problems, perhaps the elephant in the room during deadline discussions, may influence a decision to provide an enrollment grace period to avoid fines.
There is another sign that the penalty policy may be in flux: While HHS referred MarketWatch's previous inquiries about the fine, and the deadline to avoid it, to the Treasury, a spokesperson there referred a request Wednesday back to HHS, suggesting that the health officials are now the ones writing new rules for the law.
Also see: The freelancer's guide to Obamacare
It's worth noting that the open enrollment period has already been extended to a full six months this year for the implementation of the ACA: In future years, people will have a few months in the fall to enroll in health insurance starting the following January.


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Destination Liverpool
Welcome to Liverpool
Liverpool is a modern, vibrant city proud of its rich heritage, world trade roots, famous for its friendly people, and known worldwide for football and a particular pop foursome. Only by visiting can you fully appreciate how much this wonderful city has to offer.
Eating and Drinking
Eating and Drinking
Whether your delegates fancy taking time out at a waterfront cafe on The Royal Albert Dock, or they prefer to dine in one of the more exclusive, award-winning restaurants in the city's cultural quarter, Liverpool offers a wide variety of restaurants, bars and bistros to suit all tastes.
What to See
Liverpool's world-class attractions include a modern museum, the celebrated Tate Liverpool Gallery, and of course The Beatles Story Exhibition. Just a few steps from the venue is The Wheel of Liverpool – a great way to see the city and its stunning waterfront.
Liverpool Waterfront
Liverpool Waterfront is one of the world's most instantly recognisable urban skylines. It highlights the city's maritime and trade heritage as well as its modern face. Liverpool's event campus sits at the heart of the waterfront and is part of what makes Liverpool such a special place.
Sport in Liverpool
Liverpool and the surrounding area are blessed with world-class sport. Premier League football, championship golf courses and top horse racing are highlights of the sporting calendar. Whether you want to watch or take part, Liverpool's a great place to enjoy sport.
Delegate Discounts
Delegate Discounts
Your delegates receive a special Privilege Card which entitles them to discounts across a wide range of venues in Liverpool. It's a great way for them to get to know our wonderful city a little better.


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September 10, 2018
You've bought your dream home! Unfortunately, the work isn't over once you leave the closing table. Moving is a delicate process that requires high levels of organization at every touchpoint — and unpacking is no exception! Instead of unpacking the first box off the truck, devise a plan to keep your de-boxing organized from the get-go.
While you're packing up, note on the box what's inside and where it belongs — for example: "Kitchen – dinner plates and bowls." These descriptions will help inform how you unpack once you make it to your new home.
Pack a separate box of essentials, like toilet paper, sheets, towels and medications. If you're using a moving company, don't load this box on the truck; keep it in your car so you can access it first thing. Unpack these items before you get started on anything else.
Re-construct the beds and accompanying linens. If you have children, unpacking a few of their favorite toys will help them ease into the new home — and keep them occupied! Even with adults, unpacking bedrooms first can provide comfort and familiarity.
You don't need to completely organize your kitchen at this stage, but getting everything out of the boxes and starting to put away appliances and plates will give you a good idea of what you have and the space you have to store it.
Just like with your kitchen, you don't need to unpack and organize everything just yet, but stocking the showers with soap and toiletries and unloading other essentials like toothbrushes make getting settled in a little more comfortable.
Now that you have these important tasks out of the way, relax — you've done a lot of work, and you can start to enjoy your new home and hard work!
Call 913.945.3704
Email [email protected]