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Master Chief brings a wicked Ryu
Obviously, we're kidding - he probably couldn't work the joystick through that armor. However, we can point you toward the next best thing. Our man inside tells us that a huge chunk of the Halo 3 dev team just registered to participate in the world finals of theEVO2006gaming tournament, taking place in Las Vegas this August 18-20. We're guessing they're most interested in Dead or Alive 4 than Street Fighter, but there are six different ass-kicking simulators - plus a real man's game, Mario Kart DS - in the cards.
Oh - and yes, you can still register even though this is the finals. Winners of previous rounds will be seeded further along in the tourney bracket. So head to Vegas, but bring your "A" game - the 2004 EVO finals were wherethe infamous "Daigo Umehara vs Justin Wong" matchtook place, so these guys play for keeps.
PlayStation 2 squeezes out more Hits
Just in case you didn't already have enough PlayStation 2 games - and why would you, given that the system's been out for almost six years? - Sony has added another stack of top sellers to its Greatest Hits lineup.
SOCOM 3: U.S. NAVY SEALs, Shadow of the Colossus, Ratchet: Deadlocked, Jak X: Combat Racing and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves are all now available for $20 - proving that if it's got a Sony logo on it and it came out last fall, people bought craploads of it, whatever it is. There's even something for those sick of endless sequels: diamond in the rough Shadow of the Colossus. No doubt Jak X does fantastically original things with the combat racing genre. We can't possibly imagine another reason it might be so popular...
Old game more popular than even older games
Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting has become the fastest-ever selling game on Xbox Live Arcade. The publisher, Capcom, has chosen not to reveal exactly what that number might be... but what it means is that if you go onto Xbox Live right now, you can probably find somebody to play against.
We liked the game a great deal, but Wired News blogger Chris Kohler seems to think - afterinitial misgivingsabout network traffic screwing up the game completely - thatyou can still have a lot of fun with it(but the lag still sucks.)
Slow down time with the Wii-mote
Yesterday, we reported thatUbisoft plans to put out seven launch games for the Wii. Cool enough, but apparently that's now how things went down in France. According toJeuxpo.com- love the French Little Man video pop up ad, guys - the publisher also plans to slide a Prince of Persia game out during 2007. Ubisoft US hasn't had much to say on the matter, but we'll take it to be true for the moment.
Resurrected to feast on your wallet
According to the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (via 1UP,) Konami has plans to bring its 2D masterpiece, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, to the Xbox Live Marketplace. Nice trick, getting a PlayStation game up for download before Sony even manages to make good on its promise to get them onto PSP - and one of the best ones at that. No word on whether the game will see any "improvements" along the lines of removing two-player gameplay from Galaga or the horrible new graphics for Robotron 2084. No word on how much Microsoft Monopoly Money it'll cost to download, either.
Nobody expected the bastard child of Law & Order and Shonen Jump to become a hit, but stores can't seem to keep Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney in stock. The Nintendo DS adventure game (reviewedhere) has managed to keep styluses scratching screens since its September '05 release - so much so that Capcom keeps having to print up more copies. If you're ready for a cross-examination of a clown, head down to your local shop before the latest batch is gone. And if you've already managed to win every case, why not take a look atour latest screensof its sequel, Justice for All?
August 4, 2006


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Our language and the way we name our world is not only extremely important, but also extremely revealing. When we analyze our language we find out many things about the culture that uses that language. In patriarchy, women are victims and to show women as victims is right, normal and beneficial for patriarchy. Female victimization is an integral part of patriarchy and without it, patriarchy would not exist. Patriarchy needs females to be victims. It needs females to feel like victims; otherwise, uppity females would stop their own enslavement. They would stop participating in patriarchy. They would wake up and realize that they are sleeping with the enemy. They would understand that they have Stockholm's Syndrome and seek treatment and they would begin to stand up for themselves. Patriarchy and men cannot have this. Never naming the agent, male violence, is one tool in the patriarchal language box that works to oppress women. Language is a powerful tool that we take for granted as benign; however, it is anything but. Language has a profound effect on our brains. Dee L. R. Graham wrote in her book, Loving to Survive, Sexual Terror, Men's Violence and Women's Lives:
Language, like the affiliative qualities of women, is frequently disparaged in our culture. Language often is spoken of as "just words", as if it had no power or reality. But Feminist science fiction (like literature generally) makes us aware of the true power language possesses to make or remake our worlds. A language will reflect the dominant language using group's view of reality. And the controversy generated when the existing structures of and assumptions about a language are challenged by a subordinate group shows that language is anything but trivial.
The beginning of the written language has the same origins as patriarchy, patriarchal religions and the rise of men, and with the written word the Bible was born. Language and words actually changed our brains and changed us. I could go as far as saying that written language actually mimics our beliefs and ideals and vice-verse, much like religion and mythology. The language of patriarchy is no small thing. Hidden within this male language are ideals that are not female friendly; ideals that continue to oppress women internally and externally. Women and men are taught to speak in very different ways and these differing ways are mirror images of patriarchal ideals.
Women learn to speak in the passive voice. Men learn to speak primarily in the assertive voice. Men speak from a place of "I" or identity, strong in the belief that they exist as independent human beings. Women rarely speak from a place of "I" because they are not strong in the belief that they exist as independent human beings, quite the contrary, they speak from a place of non-existence, of invisibility because in a male dominated society women have had to survive men. Men obscure women in our society and men are the default for both male and female human beings and our language reflects this. In our language there are numerous literal examples of this mentality, the most blatant and the most detrimental for women are the message we receive with the labels or words that define us:
All of these words that we use to name females have within them male names. Moreover, these male names are complete, whole words. The parts that make the word female are incomplete add-ons to the male words and without them, they are only letters, passive appendages that amount to nothing on their own. This mirrors the idea in our society that women are not complete without men; that women are not autonomous human beings. Moreover, when women use these names to describe themselves, they internalize the meaning, and the meaning is devastating. Mary Daly, a Radical Feminist writer & scholar wrote:
Julia Stanley and Susan Robbins have written of the peculiar history of the pronoun "She", which was introduced into Middle English as a late development. During the Middle Ages, "he" had come to be both the female and the male pronoun. After "she" was introduced, it referred only to females, while "he" became "generic," allegedly including women. This transition in the history of the pronoun "he" was hardly significant: "Since the female pronoun always designates females–while the male designates all humans as well as all males, patriarchal language, as manifested in the pronominal system of English, extended the scope of maleness to include humanity, while restricting femaleness to "the Other," who is by implication nonhuman. Any speaker internalizing such a language unconsciously internalizes the value underlying such a system, thus perpetuating the cultural and social assumptions necessary to maintain the patriarchal power structure.
Violence against women is a very good example of patriarchal language and the passive voice or what Mary Daly calls "male speak." When we attempt to name the problem of male violence by truncating it and calling it violence against women, we do two profound things. On a language level, we take away the noun or referent, male that the word violence is dependent on. Without the referent, the perpetrator of the violence, the word violence is meaningless and rendered passive. All human beings understand that violence doesn't just happen, there has to be a violator. By amputating male from male violence, we then have a dependent word that is absent it's referent thereby making our minds desperate to hang its hat on another referent, and devoid of any other choice we attach it to women. Thus, when we read, violence against women, our minds automatically albeit subconsciously, attach the missing violator onto women, ultimately blaming women for the violence against them.
Moreover, on a non-language level, when we amputate male from male violence we deny the existence of the perpetrator and we keep the conversation at the level of female victimization, ideas equally beneficial to patriarchy and the oppression of women. How can we solve male violence if we don't even name it? We are essentially running in circles. We try to solve the issue without addressing the actual issue. Men are responsible for their violence, not women. When we attempt to name the problem with abstract words like; domestic violence, the war on women & violence against women, it has the opposite effect of erasing the actual problem–male violence.
When we hear the word domestic used to describe a type of violence, domestic becomes the perpetrator and since we all know that the realm of domesticity in patriarchy is considered to be a female realm, we automatically conjure up images of women, vacuuming, mopping, doing laundry, looking after children and so on; therefore, equating the word domestic with women. This yet again leads us to the conclusion that with domestic violence, women are the perpetrators and the victims. In other words, women must have done something to deserve the violence. Moreover, since women and domesticity are not relevant in our society, neither is domestic violence, the problem is circular; women violence, violence women, she deserves violence therefore violence deserves her, it is a snake feeding on its own tail.
Similarly, when we name male violence, the war on women, we again hide the actual problem, which is male violence. This works in two negating ways. On both levels, language and otherwise, the war, points to an absent referent — the actual enemy that is waging the war — men. We have again caused a language deficit, therefore the war must seek out and attach itself to a referent or subject, which is women. This implies that the war on women is a war that women created, women fight and women are victims too, another circular appeal–like a rat on a wheel–expending energy but never actually going anywhere. We are speaking about male violence in a way that denies it. It stunts the conversation at the level of female victimization, which in patriarchy is normalized and thereby invisible. When we hear the war, we should ask, what war? Who or what is waging this mysterious war, but we don't, because the war is on women and nobody gives a damn about women! The war on women then becomes a pesky little issue that women have and therefore need to solve, who cares if it is men who are waging this war, apparently that doesn't matter. Men waging war against women is just a part of patriarchy.
Not only have men enslaved women, but they have also created a misogynist language that alienates and demeans women every time they read or utter a word of it; a language that works like an eraser, erasing them slowly over time. Sometimes it's prudent to ask oneself, why is it perfectly OK to include women in the attempt to name the problem, but not men, when it is men who are the problem? Violence against women, domestic violence and the war on women, silently, passively and from obscurity shout about the victimization of women, the dehumanizing of women, the blaming of women for male violence. The language women are forced to use is, like women who must survive in patriarchy, gagged, like a woman who's had her tongue cut out, trying to scream a soundless scream. Even in an attempt to solve the problem of male violence, women use the passive voice, the voice of the female victim, the female subordinate, the female subservient to talk about male violence. We do this because we don't really want to solve it if it entails naming men as the problem. This is a symptom of Stockholm's Syndrome, a well honed defense mechanism, to survive male violence.
It is quite ironic really, women trying to solve a problem without actually naming the problem, but ironic or not this is a symptom of terror. It is a learned survival behavior. By denying that men are the problem, they are able to continue living with them hoping that they can continue to control at least his violence through subservience and femininity and with the false belief that her man will protect her from other men. The passive descriptions, Violence, domestic & the war hang there detached without even a hint or suggestion that there is a hammer, attached to a hand, attached to an arm, attached to a man that is systematically bludgeoning women. Dee L. R. Graham wrote:
When women deny men's violence against us, it is impossible for us to recognize that violence is an effort to maintain male domination, female submissiveness, and possibly even female love of men. Denial of male violence makes it impossible for women to recognize, much less understand, that our love of men and our (adopted) femininity may be attempts to limit men's abuse of women. Denial of male violence also precludes the taking of steps to end violence.
Women have been conditioned through male violence and social pressure to ensure that men are happy or at least not angry because an angry man is a dangerous man and a dangerous man is not conducive to female survival. This survival instinct is hard wired into women due to thousands of years of male violence against women and even today it dictates all of our interactions with men. Women have learned that if they want to survive they must decipher male moods and then administer salve or whatever is needed to make them less violent. To do this women have had to take responsibility for men's moods, feelings & behaviors. This is even more complicated by the fact that women are taught that they don't matter. Their identity only counts if their identity is supporting the male identity. Women cannot have an identity or self of her own. Consequently, women have learned to feel an extreme sense of responsibility for men:
Captive Is Hypervigilant Regarding the Captor's Needs and Seeks to Keep the Captor Happy. In the Service of Keeping the Captor Happy, Captive Tries to "Get Inside the Captor's Head.
To survive men, women have learned to navigate male moods and to do this, they have learned to empathize with a capital "E". Women empathize with men to such a degree that they take on male pain as if it were there own. Women for the most part aren't aware that this is hard wired into them. If I hadn't read, "Loving to Survive" by Dee L. Graham, I too would not have been aware that I was doing this myself. I've always wondered why when I see a man, even a complete stranger cry, I feel like crying too. It tugs on my heart strings and I feel responsible for making him feel better. I realize now what this means. The very idea that I feel responsible for male pain and worse, that I do not feel this at all when I see a woman cry, makes perfect sense now. Knowing this however doesn't feel very good. It makes me cringe inside. But there it is, patriarchal survival 101, and even I, a radical feminist, can't escape it.
Because I am a woman, who must survive in a male dominated world, I have an investment in making sure men are less violent. The need to decipher the male mood and work towards keeping them less violent is what women have done and continue to do because they believe that they can make a difference, that if they do everything right, if they are subservient enough, kind enough, loving enough, selfless enough, they can change him into a better human being. This belief is what keeps women from going off the deep end; regardless of whether or not it is true. Women need to feel safe, to have some sense of security even if this safety and security is an illusion. Women need to understand this phenomenon. Women need to understand why they behave the way they do. Why they ring their hands and feel responsible for men's feelings and behaviors and why they stay with abusive men. It is all connected and if women understood this, they could take steps towards realizing that they too are sick with this disorder and would feel less compassion for men and more compassion for themselves and other women. Ignorance in this case is only bliss for men, not women. Ignorance also makes women less compassionate for other women who we see catering to their men.
Before coming across this knowledge, when I saw women doing this, walking on eggshells, catering to men, I would cringe because (or so I thought) it rubbed my radical feminist sensibility the wrong way; however, now even though subtle, I realize that I do the same thing when I interact with men. I also realized that it wasn't about me being a radical feminist, but instead, me judging other women was a projection of my own self loathing. On the surface, it looks like women are needy and need male attention and approval. It may even look like compassion, but if you look deeper, you will find that this behavior comes from the need to survive male violence. To survive, women must take on their abusers perception, get inside their heads in an effort to control their abuse, in order to feel safer, they ultimately lose their own perspective and begin seeing themselves through men's perspective.
Captor Sees the World from the Captor's Perspective. She or He May not Have Her or His Own Perspective. Captive Experiences Own Sense of Self through the Captor's Eyes.
Women believe that their best chance of survival, although brutal and painful, is to stay with the men they know (literally). Knowing their men then replaces their own sense of safety, their fight or flight instincts. Women then believe that men's behaviors including abuse is their fault. If men lash out at women ( non persons) women are at fault because they are seeing themselves through their abusers eyes and instead of it being their abusers fault, she takes responsibility for it because she must have done something wrong to make him act that way. She wasn't timid enough, nice enough or what have you; therefore, it was her fault. Women blame themselves because they failed at doing the one thing they have learned to do for survival and that is to keep their men less violent.
Women also feel that it would be more dangerous to leave the male batterer that they know, then to be out in the world without protection from other men. She chooses instead to stay with him, wanting to believe that even though he is violent and even though he hurts her emotionally and physically, amongst a sea of male violence, he is her life preserver. She probably also knows that when she leaves him, he could hunt her down and kill her, which is quite common due to the lack of protection provided to women in our society. Ironically, men created the nuclear family to isolate women to ensure female subservience and complicity, and this arrangement has benefited men in many ways. What men did not bargain on was the female tenacity to survive and what these survival tactics would look like.
Women have had to become invisible to survive for thousands of years and taking that first step out of bondage, by letting go of what they believe is their life preserver (men) is frightening. So with this mentality, most women don't rock the boat. Most women don't name the perpetrator and men continue to get away with violating women. In this insane world, women try to work on the problem that is male violence while at the same time hanging on to their life preserver for dear life. I've always argued that women temper male violence. That in places where there are no women such as male prisons and where women have no rights or power, where they are disenfranchised the most such as the Taliban in the Middle East, men are the most violent. When men are left to their own devices, they tend to transgress into barbarians. And although my argument is true, my reasoning on why women are able to temper male violence was incomplete, because I didn't have all of the information needed to really understand why. The reason of course is because in places where women are allowed even the minimum of rights, such as domestic rights and the right to emotionally support their husbands, women go to extremes to make men less violent.
One of the captor behaviors I've noticed in women is the aversion to defending themselves against male violence. I've consistently been bewildered by this because it just doesn't make sense why any human being would not defend themselves against a threat of violence. However, bewildered or not whenever I voiced my opinion about women needing to defend themselves by any means possible, I get women who oppose this idea vehemently. Now that I am armed with more knowledge and I understand the symptoms and behaviors of Stockholm's Syndrome, I am no longer puzzled about this phenomenon. Because women have had to see the world from the captor's perspective and not through her own perspective to ensure her own safety, the idea of harming men then is like harming themselves because their perception has been displaced into the male perception. Women more often then not, see their world through male eyes. Consequently, the idea of women shooting men, even if doing it will save their lives, is uncomfortable. To shoot men, would be like shooting themselves because their sense of self is in men.
Defending themselves against male violence then is shot down because if women admit there is a threat or admit that they need to defend their lives they would have to admit that they are not safe regardless of their tireless efforts, which means it was all for naught and they have failed. Women would then feel a loss of control, the false control they think they have gained by being subservient and feminine, being what men have trained them to be. Over time women have evolved to believe that fighting men with violence doesn't work. They understand on a deep level that it is like shooting a bear with a be be gun and it will most likely just anger them and the beating will be even worse; so women have learned not to fight back. Women believe that the only way to survive their predicament is to do what women have done for thousands of years, acquiesce, be nice, smooth things over, calm him down, be invisible. This is what works, this is what has always worked and doing anything other than this is —DANGEROUS. This of course is an illusion but there it is. So when women oppose or refuse to fight men, we can understand why.
I now have so much more empathy and compassion for myself and other women because of my new understanding. Male violence is so normalized in patriarchy that we don't even realize how much it affects our reality and daily lives. It's like white noise in the background. But the truth is, it affects us tremendously and women have evolved in a specific way because of it. Women are what we are today because of male violence, not in spite of it. Women's behaviors then are dictated by the need to survive and the need to survive dictates that we keep men from being angry and violent. Everyone knows that women are very good manipulators. Everyone knows that women manipulate to get "what they want" , believing that women do this out of selfishness. What if this ability has evolved to keep men from victimizing us? What if for women, getting "what they want" was about staying alive?
I've noticed that myself and others get extremely irritated when they see women manipulating others in real life, in the movies or on TV. What is interesting is that women who manipulate are virulently hated, even though men are getting what they want by physical violence. It is extremely ironic. It really is ridiculous to believe manipulation is worse than physical violence, but we live in a male world and everything men do is revered, even violence and everything women do is frowned upon. Men created the nuclear family to isolate and control women; however, there have been secondary ramifications of separating women from other women and pairing them up with men. Men did it to control women; and this has certainly been one result; however, their has been other results that may not have been foreseen. In the Nuclear family arena, women are better able to manipulate one man– their man — and control his behavior–even if they can't do so outside the home. The home then becomes a woman's control zone which equals safety and even if their husband or boyfriend beats them, it is a danger that they believe they can control. Women put all of the emphasis on herself. She takes responsibility for her behavior and his therefore she alone has control over the situation, the abuse. This is all an illusion of course but you can't fault women for trying. Since women for the most part are less physically strong then men, they have and continue to fight them the only way they can through emotional manipulation. Women are practiced in the art of emoting, men are not. In the emotional arena, women feel that they can prevail against men.
Patriarchy, horrible as it is, is probably tame compared to a patriarchy without women. Imagine what our world would be like if men were left to their own violent devices? Would human beings have survived? In my opinion the male ego, entitlement and his lack of empathy for other human beings will be his ruin. Men know that women without the dominance of men, would begin to wake up and realize the amount of energy they are putting into surviving men. Men know that women would figure out that the energy they expend making sure men are less violent, could be spent on more important things. Men know that women who gather together are more likely to rebel. What men don't know, because in order to come by this knowing they would actually have to see and understand women for who and what they are instead of what they do for him, is that women have actually gained an advantage and that is the ability to manipulate men. Because men have depended on women to temper their moods, they have limited capacity for doing this themselves; therefore, if women did decide to boycott men, take their energy back, separate from men and fight back, men would devolve into apes, after all men without women are at best, very much like the common chimpanzee. Human evolution has been stagnant since the dawn of patriarchy and the only reason we have evolved at all is because of women, not in spite of them.
The answer? In my opinion, women need to understand why they behave the way they do and realize their behavior, although it was out of the need to survive male violence, is not actually stopping men from being violent. Women also need to realize the amount of power they have given men when they lose their own sense of self or perception in order to feel as if they can control men by being in their perception. Women need to wake up to the fact that men are going to be violent towards women regardless of what we do and that maybe, just maybe, female subordination and femininity is not healthy or a deterrent to male violence. If women stop believing in the illusion that they can control male violence and that it is their fault if they can't, they can begin to get out from under their denial, out from under the male perspective, their captors perspective and into their own perspective, ultimately seeing the epidemic of male violence against women for what it is, a serious threat. Then women can take steps towards protecting themselves and other women from that threat. Whether they purchase guns, learn how to use them and carry them on their person, or whether they choose other ways to defend themselves, the important thing is that women choose to protect their lives instead of continuing to protect men.
Michele Braa-Heidner

subset: commoncrawl


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The intense images of clashes between protesters and U.S. law enforcement at the construction site of the Dakota Access pipeline south of the border last year made Canada's Enbridge Inc. reconsider its minority stake in the controversial project.
Chief executive Al Monaco revealed Thursday that he, the rest of the executive team, the board and other units of the Calgary-based pipeline company spent weeks re-examining their already-stated plan to acquire a 27.6-per-cent interest in the Bakken pipeline system – which includes the Dakota Access pipeline.
"It was hard to miss what was going on out there. And we were very concerned about it," Mr. Monaco told reporters following his company's annual general meeting.
"Frankly we spent a lot of time pondering this issue, given the circumstances," he said. "We considered all kinds of alternatives, just like we do with any investment. This one had, certainly, a heightened degree of concern given what was going on."
Mr. Monaco and other North American energy executives have argued that pipelines are now the "point of attack" for environmental opposition to new oil and natural gas projects. In early January, it became apparent that Enbridge had delayed its plan to acquire an interest in the Bakken properties for $1.5-billion.
What's now clear is Enbridge's unease was spurred by protests, and confrontations between U.S. law enforcement and opponents, at the Missouri River in Standing Rock, N.D. Construction was allowed to continue only after the project received a required easement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – the federal agency tasked with issuing permits for water crossings for such pipeline projects – under orders from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Enbridge finally decided to continue to move forward with the deal for the near-constructed pipeline after looking at the vetting the project had already received by operator Energy Transfer Partners LLC, including a number of route changes made in response to environmental concerns, Mr. Monaco said. Energy Transfer Partners and the Corps of Engineers "actually did a fair job, a good job, of listening to people," he said, reiterating a promise to work closely with Indigenous communities affected by projects.
Oil shipments on the Dakota Access pipeline, now partially owned by Enbridge, are set to begin as soon as Sunday.
However, the protests against Dakota Access, and other oil pipelines, haven't ended. A few dozen protesters gathered outside the Enbridge meeting on Thursday, speaking against both the Dakota Access pipeline and the $7.5-billion Line 3 replacement program, which will see the refurbishment and expansion of pipeline already in the ground.
Enbridge is waiting on draft environmental impact statement from Minnesota on Line 3. And while the project has received approvals in Canada, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has filed a court challenge, citing Canada's climate change commitments and other concerns about water and the environment.
Lawyer Tara Houska of the U.S. Indigenous environmental group Honor the Earth criticized Enbridge proceeding with its Dakota Access investment given the treatment of protesters.
Ms. Houska, who is originally from Minnesota, also said affected Indigenous people are opposed to the Line 3 project "across the board."
On Thursday, Enbridge reported lower first-quarter earnings due to the timing of its $37-billion Spectra Energy Corp. takeover and warmer weather in Southern Ontario.
First-quarter earnings were $638-million or 54 cents a share, compared with $1.2-billion or $1.38 for the same quarter last year.
The change came as a result of a number of unusual and non-recurring factors, the company said, including the timing of the closing of its Spectra takeover, the impact of warmer-than-normal weather on gas distribution franchises, and transactions undertaken in 2016 to strengthen the balance sheet.
The first-quarter results reflect about one month of the financial contributions from the assets acquired in Enbridge's takeover of Houston-based Spectra, which closed at the end of February.
The fact that profits from Spectra assets for January and most of February are not included in this year's first-quarter results had a significant impact, Mr. Monaco said. Those two cold, high-gas volume months typically provide a disproportionate amount of earnings compared to the rest of the year.
But Enbridge says the creation of what is now North America's largest infrastructure company will generate billions in additional profits this year. Its full-year, post-merger guidance stands at adjusted earnings of as much as $7.6-billion, before interest and taxes. That compares with about $4.7-billion.
"We're very pleased with how the companies came together. We had a seamless Day-One transition, and integration-wise, we're on track," Mr. Monaco said on a conference call.
"When we account for the effects of closing in February, we're where we expected to be."


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The term privacy had come into existence when for the first time people declared themselves as owners of some items of physical property and wanted to protect them against intruders (Hirshleifer, 1980). Later, this term was used in a broader scope, especially in computer systems, and in combination with other terms such as anonymity, secrecy, etc.
Unfortunately, the broad scope of this term allowed it to be confused with other terms, such as security terms, whereby they were conceived to be the same, which is not true. This fact leads to disagreement on the privacy definitions.
In computer terms, privacy which considered being a social term gives one the ability to choose what data he/she wants to expose to others and what data he/she wants to keep from others. In other words, privacy gives users to control their data disclosure. But when interactions are done via computers and networks, privacy often relies on technical tools for data confidentiality and data integrity. Security, on the other hand, gives one the ability to protect these data and preserve their confidentiality. These important data can be anything including user's bank information, names, date of birth, medical information, user's address and any information that can give an attacker a possibility to track this user.
This information might be of different nature when we are talking about privacy in a company. The data can indeed be company's product details (confidential data that are hidden from competitors), codes, employees' personal information, etc.
Sometimes, privacy and security are conflicting. One example of this scenario is where a company records the location of its users in order to use it as part of the authorization process – perhaps some applications or datasets may only be accessed from inside company premises. But although this helps the company maintain security, tracking and recording employees' location could violate their privacy.
Authentication: Act of verifying identity of an entity.
DNSSEC: An extension to DNS which secures the DNS functions and verifies the authenticity and integrity of query results from a signed zone.
IPSec: provides access control, data authentication, integrity, and confidentiality for the data that is sent between communication nodes across IP networks.
Standard Protocols: Agreements between international organizations concerning computer communications, networking and Internet architecture.
DHCPv6: A protocol that can be used to allow a DHCP server to automatically assign an IP address to a host from a defined range of IP addresses configured for that network.
Authorization: act of determining whether requesting entity is allowed access to a resource
Open Standard for Authorization (OAuth): Provides user's authorization without a need for the resource owners to share his credentials.
Privacy: The ability to choose what data to expose to others and what data to keep from others.
Host Identity Protocol (HIP): Provides a unique identity for a node. This protocol used in scenarios such as multihoming or when a user is dynamic and mobile.


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Your questions answered
Buying a static caravan or lodge with us is a big investment and will certainly come with a lot of important questions.
The best way to get your questions answered is to arrange a park visit and speak to someone on park, but we've done our best to provide the frequently asked questions related to holiday home ownership.
How quickly can I move in after I have purchased?
We know that you will want to be in your new holiday home that same day so rest assured we will do our best to get you in as quickly as possible. If the holiday home is on the park and you have paid in full, the longest wait will be 14 days, but generally it's quicker. If the holiday home is new from the manufacturer we can only prepare your new holiday home once it arrives, but we will keep you updated along the way.
How long is the park open?
You will be able to use your holiday home 10 1/2 months of the year, from 1st March – 10th January, with many exciting and enjoyable things to do throughout. By far, most holiday home owners use the park between Easter and mid November but the choice is yours.
Will my holiday home be covered by a warranty?
All holiday homes purchased from us are covered by a very comprehensive 12 month warranty. The cover differs slightly between new and pre-owned models.
Can you help me get finance?
Yes. Because the companies we work with specialise in providing finance for holiday homes they have tailored their plans specifically to your needs. There is no need to attend a personal interview or to complete complicated proposal forms. In fact, your Ownership Advisor will complete all of the documentation with you. We can offer guaranteed finance, some terms and conditions apply but we will talk about these. Also, unlike a high street bank who may require the loan to be secured on your home, specialised providers only take security on your holiday home.
Are my friends and family able to come and stay?
It's your holiday home, so you choose who comes and stays. Please just let us know in advance if you would like us to give your key to someone.
How long will the park tour take?
This can take as long or as little time as you like, we like to show you everything but it's your day! Why not make it a fun family day out? We can provide you with activity passes so you can get an even better feel of what the park is all about.
I have another question…
If you have any specific questions related to Holiday Home Ownership then please get in touch by calling us on 01526 348801 or you can enquire online using our handy form.
What's the next step?
The best way to experience the benefits of Holiday Home Ownership is to come to park yourself. Click on the button below to arrange a park visit and we'll provide you with everything you need to know about owning a holiday home at Away Resorts.


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Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has warned Egypt against repeating mistakes of past regimes by threatening neighbours over the use of River Nile water.
Museveni on Wednesday told the Ugandan parliament that the construction of a dam over the Nile River by Ethiopia would not destroy the water source as alleged by Egypt.
"Egypt should not repeat mistakes of past governments," he said.
"Egyptians think that there is a threat to the Nile by Ethiopia's building of a hydro power but in actual fact production of electricity saves the Nile."
Museveni said the production of electricity would see a decline in the number of people cutting down trees for firewood, hence the environment in the river's catchment areas will be preserved.
Tension between Egypt and Ethiopia has been rising over the Addis Ababa's plans to build dams along the Nile.
Ethiopia plans to construct a dam where 6 000 megawatts of electricity.
President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt's government has objected to the projects saying it will affect the River Nile's water levels.
Museveni said instead of threatening Ethiopia with war Egypt must open dialogue.
"Construction of dams in Ethiopia has led to her economy to grow," he said.
"It is advisable that chauvinistic statements coming out of Egypt are restrained and through the Nile Valley organization, rational discussions take place.'
Museveni said due to lack of electricity in Uganda, 40 billion cubic meters of wood is used for domestic purposes.
"No African wants to hurt Egypt," he said. "However, Egypt cannot continue to hurt black Africa."
On Morsi said he did not want "war" with Ethiopia over the construction of the $4.7 billion Renaissance Dam near the border with Sudan but said he would "keep all options open."
The Nile is the source of nearly all of Egypt's water.
Ethiopia and other Nile basin countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda - accuse Egypt of taking advantage of a colonial treaty to monopolise the Nile.


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Aho Steers Bridgeport To 3-2 Overtime Win
Sebastian Aho scored the game-winning goal just 26 seconds into overtime on Saturday as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (13-11-1-1), proud AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, earned a 3-2 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (15-9-1-1) at Webster Bank Arena.
Scott Eansor and Devon Toews also scored for the Sound Tigers, helping to end the team's five-game winless streak dating back to Dec. 2. Christopher Gibson (9-6-0) stopped 15 of the 16 shots he faced in relief of Kristers Gudlevskis and picked up the come-from-behind victory.
In addition, Bridgeport's power play was strong and finished the game 2-for-4, with each of the club's last two goals being recorded on the man advantage. Bridgeport is now 1-1-0-0 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.
Greg McKegg put the Penguins on the board first at 6:56 of the opening period. McKegg skated around the back of the net and capitalized on a wrap-around effort for his second goal in five AHL games this season. The puck bounced off the leg pad of Gudlevskis, then hit the skate of a Bridgeport defenseman, before crossing the goal line.
More than a period later, Toews tied the game at 18:46 of the middle frame. The second-year defenseman received a drop pass from Kyle Burroughs at the blue line before walking to the left circle and firing a wrist shot past the glove of Casey DeSmith. It was Toews' seventh goal of the season, assisted by Burroughs and Josh Ho-Sang. Ho-Sang now has eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight AHL contests this year.
Bridgeport took its first lead at 13:46 of the third period when Eansor converted on the power play and backhanded in his team-leading 12th goal of the season. With Colin Smith in the box for high-sticking, the Sound Tigers applied pressure at the doorstep when Casey Bailey's shot redirected to the left of DeSmith, who was caught out of position. That gave Eansor an open net and he brushed a loose puck home on the backhand. Bailey and Fritz were credited with helpers, giving the latter a team-leading 28 points this season.
Less than two minutes later, the Penguins tied it again courtesy of reigning NCAA scoring champion, Zach Aston-Reese. The rookie forward found a sliding puck between the circles and sent a wrist shot past Gibson's glove for his third goal of the year. It forced overtime and helped Wilkes-Barre/Scranton collect one point.
Just 26 seconds into the extra frame, Aho buried the game winner for the Sound Tigers on the power play. Frank Corrado was called for boarding in the final minute of the third period, which rolled into overtime, and Bridgeport capitalized when Shane Prince fired a slap shot from the blue line that was deflected by Aho in front.
Bridgeport outshot Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 33-24, while DeSmith (10-3-2) turned back 31 shots. Gudlevskis made seven saves on eight shots in 22:29 of work before pulling himself due to a lower-body injury early in the second period.
The Sound Tigers went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Next Time Out: The Sound Tigers return to Webster Bank Arena tomorrow afternoon to wrap up a three-game weekend series against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at 3 p.m. Fans can also follow all of the live action on the Sound Tigers Radio Network and AHL Live, beginning with the pre-game show at 2:45 p.m.
Guarantee Your Seats: Flex plans are on sale now for the 2017-18 campaign, offering the greatest savings and ultimate flexibility of all ticket packages. Pick between a full-season, 20-game, 15-game or 10-game plan and you'll also be entitled to exclusive benefits, including the ticket holder exchange policy, which means any unused tickets can be traded for future games. Please contact Brad Dworin at 203-345-4813 or via email@example.com with questions or to guarantee your seats.
Don't Go It Alone: Whether it's a corporate outing, a fundraiser, or just friends getting together, a group outing with the Sound Tigers will guarantee an unforgettable experience filled with fast-paced action on the ice, great music, promotions and contests at an affordable price. The Sound Tigers have a variety of packages and promotional events to offer. Please call the team's front office at 203-345-2300 ext. 7 for more information on the benefits of bringing your group to a future game!
About the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Founded in 2001, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Hockey Club is the top minor league affiliate of the New York Islanders. Don't miss your chance to take part in the family fun entertainment happening every home game at Webster Bank Arena. For further information on ticket or sponsorship opportunities, call our office at (203) 345-2300 or e-mail email@example.com. Keep up with the latest Sound Tigers news on Facebook and on Twitter. For more team information, log on to soundtigers.com.


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Find The Right Acne Treatment Products in Dorena
If you have struggled with acne, you know how hard it can be to find the right acne treatment. That's why we offer solutions that actually fight acne effectively. Not sure where to start? Talk with an Independent Beauty Consultant in Dorena about acne treatment options. The Mary Kay acne treatment collection targets issues like adult acne so you can eliminate blemishes and have the confidence that comes with clear skin. Check out our individual products that tone, cleanse, and clarify, or use one of our skin care systems and get the results you really need. To receive your personal consultation today, talk to your Independent Beauty Consultant in Dorena. Acne treatment has never been easier than it is with Mary Kay.


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TripAdvisor app for Windows Phone 7 now available
TripAdvisor, the popular travel planning tool, has just launched an app for Windows Phone 7. Just like the mobile website, the app allows you to search for anything travel-related -- from hotels and flights to restaurants and points-of-interest to visit once you reach your destination.
Geolocation is supported, which allows TripAdvisor to quickly locate places nearby. But while that's a neat feature, it's also a bit of a downer -- because, really, it's about the only feature TripAdvisor for WP7 brings to the table that its mobile Web app doesn't already offer (its browser-based geolocation doesn't work with WP7 at the moment).
While it's nice to see Windows Phone 7 users getting some big-name apps, it'd be even nicer if we saw some packing a bit more swagger.
Still, TripAdvisor for WP7 might just be worth installing on your device if you're frequently on the go -- at least until a better browser arrives with the Mango update.
Gallery: TripAdvisor for Windows Phone 7
TripAdvisor app for Windows Phone 7 now available originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/tripadvisor-app-for-windows-phone-7-now-available/


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Serving Missouri with timely information about issues of the bail bond industry.
Although Missouri Bondsman encourages debate on topics of interest to the bail industry, please be aware that comments are moderated. Please observe the posting rules. No comments will be printed that contain spam, profanity, or libelous comments. Please post comments in a civil, professional manner.
Friday, March 8, 2013
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1. The Greens Committee shall be made up of the Chairman (appointed by the Board), President of the Men's Golf Association, President of the Women's Golf Association, Golf Course Superintendent, Golf Professional, at least three at-large members appointed by the Chairman, and a member of the Board of Directors (if they are not serving as Chairman). At-large members shall serve three-year terms.
2. The Committee shall establish, with approval of the Board, all rules governing the use of the golf course and practice areas. It shall take appropriate action regarding violation of course rules as soon as possible after an infraction is reported.
3. The Committee shall recommend any capital projects requiring capital funding to the Board of Directors for approval. It shall work with the Course Superintendent to establish the time frame for the completion of the projects.
1. Any infraction of the Rules shall be reported to the Greens Committee. The report shall be tendered in writing, and the person reporting the infraction shall sign their name. A letter shall be written to the person or persons reported informing them of the nature of the offense and reminding them of the specific regulation involved. The person making the report shall remain anonymous unless the incident is of such magnitude that it becomes necessary that the anonymity of the person be revealed.
2. A first infraction may result in a letter, and/or suspension, and/or fine, depending on the severity of the violation. If the offender is a dependent, the dependent and their parents will be required to appear before the Greens Committee for explanation.
3. A second infraction may result in a suspension and/or fine depending on the severity of the violation. The person (and their parents, if a dependent) will be required to appear before the Greens Committee for explanation.
4. A third infraction, within a twelve-month period may result in a fine, suspension, and/or the permanent loss of all privileges involving the golf course and club facilities. The offender (and their parents, if a dependent) may be required to appear before the Greens Committee and/or Board to explain their inability to function within the framework of Club Rules.
5. Any action resulting in damage to the golf course or club property will result in the offender (and their parents, if a dependent) being held financially responsible for the cost of repairs, a suspension, and/or a fine as deemed appropriate by the Green's Committee.
6. The General Manager, Assistant Managers, Club Pro, Assistant Pro, and Greens Superintendent have full authority to enforce the rules. This includes the right to immediately suspend club privileges indefinitely or for a specified period. The Greens Committee or Board will meet as soon as reasonably possible afterwards to discuss such an incident.
1. Members are expected to maintain a reasonable pace of play. To avoid golf course congestion, it is strongly suggested that families or groups of golfers with less experienced players secureplaying times after 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The Pro Shop staff or Starter may delay the starting time of a group if necessary to avoid congestion.
2. All tournaments and games shall be conducted under the rules of the United States Golf Association, except as may be modified by the respective tournament committee. All members are urged and requested to become familiar with these rules and to aid in their enforcement. Knowledge of these rules should minimize misunderstandings that might arise among Club members. All corporate, charity, or fundraiser golf events will be played on Mondays, except as approved by the Greens Committee or Board of Directors.
3. The Golf Course is closed on Mondays until noon except on holidays that fall on Monday.
4. Golf Course maintenance personnel take precedence over all other activities. SPECIAL NOTE: Playing into maintenance personnel, in any instance, will be considered an infraction.
5. No one under 14 years of age will be allowed to tee off before 2:00 p.m.on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, unless accompanied by a parent. The Pro Shop may also designate other restricted times as necessary.
6. Any person under the age of 12 must check-in and have Pro Shop approval to use the golf facilities if unaccompanied by a parent.
7. No disrespectful behavior will be tolerated toward club property or any club employee.
8. No fishing is allowed except as specified by the Board.
9. No littering will be allowed on any areas of the Course. Please keep your Course clean.
10. A Course Marshall will monitor the Course on Saturday, Sunday, Holidays, and other times deemed necessary by the Golf Professional. The Marshall will enforce all Golf Course Rules and Procedures and pace of play requirements, assist with tournaments and special golf events, and make every effort to make play more enjoyable for all players.
1. Prior to teeing off, all members must register themselves and their guests in the Pro Shop or with the Starter. Failure to do so is a rules infraction.
2. Tee Times are required on Saturday, Sunday, & holidays before 2:00 p.m.
3. Every player shall have his or her own set of clubs.
4. All play shall start on hole #1. Only the Golf Professional or Starter may grant permission to start on #10.
5. Foursomes and fivesomes are encouraged at all times in order to accommodate the maximum number of players. No group of less than 3 players or more than 5 players are permitted to play before 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday or Holidays between April 15 and September 15. The Pro Shop will coordinate pairing small groups together that desire to do so. The Pro Shop or Starter may, at their discretion,allow groups of one or two players. No sixsomes are permitted any time on Saturday, Sunday or Holidays between April 15 and September
6. Players should play at a good pace and be ready to play when it is their turn. It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front. Players should invite the group behind to play through if a clear hole has been lost to the group in front. Players searching for a lost ball should signal players behind to play through when it becomes apparent the ball will not be easily found. In any event, the search for a lost ball is limited to five minutes.
7. No player shall play until the players in front are out of range.
8. Members and their guests will obey all posted signs on the golf course, practice tee and other areas.
9. Tuesday is Ladies Day, and ladies take PRIORITY over all other matches.
1. Practicing anywhere, other than in the designated practice areas, shall be a Rules infraction. There will be no on-course practice except as conducted with the Club Pro as part of a lesson.
2. Under no circumstances are practice shots to be hit from any tee box or top of the hill area, with the exception of a mulligan at the start of the day's play.
3. Persons using the practice range should avoid hitting into Holes #9, #12 and #13. Repeatedly or purposely hitting into these areas shall be a rules infraction. Please keep shots within the range confines for the safety of other golfers. Also, the destruction of range balls by any means, including hitting range balls into ponds, is expressly prohibited.
4. Range balls are for designated practice areas only and should stay on the range or chipping green. It is not permissible to use range balls on the course.
1. The Golf Course boundaries are designated by white stakes as being out of bounds.
2. For the protection of other golfers, and for minimum interference with players on other holes, hole #s 3, 6, 9, and 14 have in-course out of bounds. These are marked by white stakes and apply to all shots, not just the tee shot, on each hole. The first and last stakes on these holes are marked with black stripes. A line to the nearest adjoining black-striped stake will be used to determine the beginning and ending out-of-bounds area. (For balls left of the OB stakes on #3 or right of the OB stakes on #14, line up the black-striped stakes on these holes. Balls right of the OB stakes on #6 and #9 will use the adjoining striped stakes on #14 and near the driving range, respectively.
3. The power lines and poles along holes #17 and 18 shall be played as obstructions as defined in the USGA Rules of Golf. If a ball strikes a line or pole, it should be played as it lies. A ball shall not be replayed without incurring a penalty.
4. There shall be no dredging, diving, wading, swimming, or any similar activity to retrieve golf balls in mass except as specifically approved by the Greens Committee or Board.
1. Faulkner County resident non-members are allowed use of the golf course, swimming pools, and tennis courts up to a cumulative total of three (3) times in a calendar year, as a guest of a member.
2. All members are responsible for the fees, charges, and conduct of their guests. Non-registration of a guest will result in an automatic $50.00 fine plus green fees charged to the member.
3. Non-Faulkner County residents having a membership in a country club, may enjoy the facilities of the Golf Course upon payment of the regular green fees. Registration and payment must be accomplished in the Pro Shop prior to beginning play. Visitors may charge their green fees back to their home club only if they belong to a club that reciprocates with Conway Country Club.
1. Rental Carts are the property of the Club. All users are requested to drive properly and only in authorized areas. Any damage to the carts or the Course caused by improper use will be charged to the user of the cart. Club carts will not be rented to, or driven by, any person under the age of 16. Club carts are to be returned immediately to the Pro Shop area upon completion of use, and the key returned to the Pro Shop attendant. The Club will not assume any property damage or public liability that may result from the use of club carts.
2. Cart traffic on the course is controlled by a flag system. Flag stands are located by the cart path on #1 (near the clubhouse) and by #10 tee. The following flag system will be in effect:
GREEN FLAG - All carts use 90-degree rule. Carts must drive on the cart path until reaching the ball, then drive off the path at a 90-degree angle to the ball. When the ball is played, the cart must then return by the same route to the cart path. The cart is not to be driven down the fairway at any time.
YELLOW FLAG – All carts must stay on the cart path at all times, except those displaying a handicap flag may use the 90- degree rule. Handicap status may be applied for and determined by the Pro Shop.
RED FLAG - All carts must stay on the cart path at all times.
BLACK FLAG - Course closed, including practice areas.
3. Carts shall not be driven off the cart path within 30 yards of a green or tee.
4. No vehicles, except maintenance vehicles, are allowed on the Course.
5. The use of private carts is a privilege, not a right. All private carts must be registered with the Business Office and shall have current Trail Fee Labels affixed in the appropriate location. Any damage resulting from the use of private carts is the responsibility of the owner. Owners shall restrict operation of their cart to persons 16 years of age or older unless accompanied by a parent. The Club assumes no responsibility or liability for privately owned carts, either on or off the premises. Any unsafe or inappropriate operation of golf carts is a Rules infraction.
6. Owners shall restrict operation of their cart to persons 16 years of age or older unless accompanied by a parent. An exception will be made to allow driving privileges for privately owned carts at age 15 if the dependent is properly registered through the Pro Shop and a waiver form has been signed by the parent. The Club assumes no responsibility or liability for privately owned carts, either on or off the premises. Unsafe or inappropriate operation of golf carts is strictly prohibited.
7. All golf carts, both Club and private, are limited to 2 people per cart unless there are 2 adults persons 16 or older and one child or unless there is 1 adult person 16 or older and 2 children.
1. Golfers shall, at all times, wear suitable clothing and shoes. No tank tops, T-Shirts, or muscle shirts are allowed. Men are required to wear shirts with sleeves and collars. Mock turtlenecks are allowed as long as the length of the collar is 1 ¼". This applies to any golfer 10 years old or older. Women may not wear swimsuits, halter-tops or bare midriff blouses. If shorts are worn, they should be of generally accepted length. No cut-offs are allowed. Persons on the Course wearing improper clothing or shoes will be asked to leave immediately at the Pro Shop's discretion and the action will be reported as an infraction.
2. Soft spikes, spikeless golf shoes, or tennis shoes are mandatory.
1. Under no circumstances shall a ball be played from any putting green other than the hole being played. If a ball lies on a green or its approaches, it must be lifted and placed, without penalty, to one side of the area, not nearer the hole being played.
2. A player or a caddie shall not place a golf bag or cart on the surface of a putting green. Players will not drive their golf carts within thirty (30) yards of the green except when on a cart path.
3. All divots should be properly and carefully replaced in the fairways and roughs.
4. Ball marks on the green should be repaired in the proper manner.
5. After playing from a sand trap, all depressions and footprints should be carefully raked and smoothed. Sand traps should always be entered and exited at the lowest point to minimize damage to the trap. Please leave rakes in bunkers.


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A new study concludes that Minnesota's government employees are getting paid an average of nearly 8 percent less than their private-sector counterparts, in terms of total compensation.
The focus on pay and benefits for public sector workers has intensified in the past few weeks, as the dispute between Wisconsin's governor and that state's public employee unions continues.
The study of Minnesota workers' compensation was commissioned by the Economic Policy Institute, a group that is supported by labor unions. It was conducted by economist Jeffrey Keefe at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
The typical Minnesota public employee earns about 7.9 percent less than a comparable private-sector employee, the study concluded.
"The difference is greater in state government, where they earn 13.3 percent less than the typical private-sector employee, and local government employees earn about 4.7 percent less," Keefe said.
The Minnesota study is one of seven Keefe has done for the institute. He has also looked at Wisconsin, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and California.
Two of those states -- New Jersey and California -- basically have pay equity between private and public employers, Keefe said. But in the Midwest, the gap is consistent.
He found compensation for public sector workers in Wisconsin lags by about 5 percent. In Ohio, it's 4 percent, and in Indiana it's 6 percent. The widest gap is in Missouri, where Keefe found public compensation lagged private pay by nearly 16 percent.
Keefe credits most of the difference to the fact that more public workers in Minnesota have more education.
"Thirty-seven percent of the private sector workforce holds at least a college degree in the state of Minnesota," he said. "That's contrasted with the public sector, where over 60 percent of the workforce holds a college degree."
Differences like that have been fueling debate about public workers across the country -- in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Idaho, as well as the best-known battle in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker threatened to begin layoffs of state workers as soon as Friday, as a result of the political impasse there.
In Minnesota, the Legislature is considering a pay freeze, a 15 percent cut in the state workforce, and other labor restrictions.
Eliot Seide, executive director of the state chapter of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the study puts the lie to the myth that public workers -- many of them unionized -- are paid a premium. AFSCME represents 43,000 public sector employees in Minnesota.
"Cheap labor conservatives like to pit private workers against public workers," Seide said. "Their real agenda is to drive down wages and benefits for all workers."
Minnesota's Republican lawmakers, though, aren't convinced.
State Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, said the government needs to look at the actual value of the work being done, not at the education or experience of the people doing it. He cites studies by the Chamber of Commerce and other groups that reach a different conclusion.
"They showed the reverse correlation, that in fact public sector employees are making quite a bit more when you filter out these variables that don't have much to do with the amount of work or the level of complexity of the work being performed," he said.
Downey is sponsoring a bill that would commission a market-based study of state work.
The Economic Policy Institute's board also includes executives from the Steelworkers, the United Autoworkers -- as well as AFSCME, the nationwide public sector union.
Still, independent economists say studies like the EPI's consistently show that public employees aren't overcompensated.
"Specific economists might quibble about individual control variables, but this is exactly the approach that everyone would take," said John Budd, an economist and professor at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management.
Budd says the numbers don't justify blaming public employees for fiscal woes around the country.
"It is a political fever. It's really not data driven," said Budd. "You have a lot of ideological beliefs in search of facts, and why let the facts get in the way of a good story?"
The EPI study is based on data from the Current Population Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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Install a Kwikset door knob by removing the old lockset, inserting the new latch into the opening on the edge of the door, connecting the two door knobs, and attaching the faceplates. If installing a knob on a new door, it is sometimes necessary to cut the openings for the doorknob.
Manufacturers use several ways of attaching locksets to doors. Some sets have hidden screws under the faceplate. Remove the knob by removing the setscrew. If a screw is not visible, look for a small trip lever or opening. Press a small screwdriver against the lever, and pull the doorknob off the door. Remove any screws from the faceplate or use a screwdriver to pry screwless plates from the door and remove the hidden screws. Pull the assemblies from the side of the door, and remove the old latch from the edge.
Once the new latch is in place, tighten the screws to hold it in place. Insert the two knob assemblies though the side of the door and the latch. The knob axle goes through the center square opening, and the prongs go through the openings on either side of it. Insert the screws that hold the two sides together, and tighten them. Attach the faceplate over the base, and slide the doorknobs onto the lock.


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© panthermedia.net/Alexander Raths
© panthermedia.net/nobeastsofierce
It all begins with the cell – even in medicine. Biochemists and pharmacologists research new active ingredients, while physicians study specific cell properties and want to make use of the natural potential of stem cells. Cells and cell cultures are being tested in the laboratory to determine everything which could be technically suitable for healing purposes before it comes in contact with the living organism.
© private
Professor Joachim Heberle from the Free University of Berlin wants to make the smallest protein structures visible under the microscope. He wants to accomplish this with an infrared microscope, originating in the field of physics. He told COMPAMED.de which technology is behind all this and what he also wants to examine with it in the future.


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David O. Selznick
Lucky Number 4
David O. Selznick was a male celebrity.
He was born on Saturday May 10th 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.
With a Personal Lucky Number 4, David O. Selznick will find his luck derived from 4 strongest when the issue or event concerns the building of new things or maintaining established traditions.
David's 4 may come in handy if the stability of his finances or romance is in jeopardy. The luck of a 4 may prove beneficial when trying to provide a stable environment in which a project or person can grow.
You and David
About David's Lucky number
David O. Selznick's Personal Lucky Number does not change. This number will be lucky for him during his entire life.
David's luck derived from this number will be strongest when he is addressing events and issues related to the general meaning of the number.
Read more about our numerological interpretation of David O. Selznick's lucky


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Dear friends, welcome to our new blog! We'll use it to announce product updates, share tips and tricks with you, discuss industry news and probably lots of other things that we haven't thought of yet.
As always, feedback is much appreciated, even for this blog. Let us know if there's anything you would like to read more about or if you think this is boring. If you like what you read and/or HipDial, please share the love with your friends, like the HipDial Facebook page and follow @HipDial on Twitter. If you just want to stay up to date with the blog you can subscribe to the feed.
Posted on 07 Aug 2012 by Jonas
If you have a moment, please share this post and follow @HipDial on Twitter.


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Japanese/Thai Chat and/or Email Support Agents
Budget ₱90-350 PHP / hour
Project overview (Japanese):
- client: an adult dating site
- type of chat messages: casual, friendly, and sometimes flirty (in Japanese)
- work hours: 6 to 8 hours per day; rotating shift
Project overview (Thai):
- client: mobile game provider
- type of task: respond to calls and e-mails
- work hours: 4 hours per day, between 8:30am to 5:30am, Thailand Time; Mondays through Fridays
7 freelancers are bidding on average ₱205/hour for this job
Most Respected, I could do that for you, please check out on my portfolios. If you interested don't hesitate to contact me. Best Regards, Toon
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At its best, CRM gives companies information to better understand their existing and potential customers, which can then feed into sales, marketing, and customer service functions. A good CRM system creates a two-way i More
Hi, I'm a native Thai working as a Thai-Eng-Japanese Translator and Interpreter I can speak 3 languages which is Thai(native), English(Business), Japanese(Business) I'm interested in your job and would like to know More


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Khloe Kardashian a Cracks Smile at 6 Months Pregnant, Says She Works Out
(TMZ) -- Khloe Kardashian's facing a big challenge in keeping her revenge body -- pregnancy -- but she's still giving it her best shot.
TMZ got the mom-to-be at LAX Wednesday and asked her some tough questions about staying fit during pregnancy ... but even Khloe doesn't have all the answers.
Even so, she tells TMZ she's exercising when she feels up to it and seems to be in great spirits ... all good news for mama and baby. Still no official reveal on whether she's having a boy or a girl, though.
As TMZ reported ... Khloe and Cavs star Tristan Thompson are expecting sometime around late March, and he agrees with us -- she looks bomb at six months.
Season two of 'Revenge Body' premieres Sunday.
Photo: AOL


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Town Meeting voters approved 20 of 22 warrant articles on Saturday and Monday.
Two citizens' petitions, which dealt with the transfer of custody of 18 Williams Ave. and the leash law at the East Boston Camps, were voted down.
Town Meeting voters approved 20 of 22 warrant articles on Saturday and Monday.
Two citizens' petitions, which dealt with the transfer of custody of 18 Williams Ave. and the leash law at the East Boston Camps, were voted down.
The following is a description of the warrant articles and action taken on them.
Article 1: Town Reports/Town Manger, which reads the Town accept the Reports of Town Officers, Boards and Committees for the calendar year 2006. An amendment was made to add Board Health numbers for Communicable Diseases and clinics.
This article passed unanimously as amended.
Article 2: FY 2007 Budget supplemental Appropriations, to see if the Town would vote to appropriate various sums in order to supplement operating budgets for the Fiscal Year ending in June 30, 2007. The article was dismissed unanimously.
Article 3: FY 2007 Budget Transfers, to see if the Town will vote to transfer various sums between and among various accounts for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2007. The article was dismissed unanimously.
Article 4: Unpaid Bills From Previous Fiscal Year(s), which read the town appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $866.00 to pay outstanding bills owed by the Police Department to Sully's Auto Repair & Towing in accordance with the provisions of MGL Chapter 44, Section 64. This article passed unanimously.
Article 5: Amendment to the Wage and Classification Plan, which asked the Town to amend the Pay Classification Plan effective July 1, 2006. Passed as majority in two motions.
Article 6:Fiscal Year 2008 Operating Budget, which reads the town appropriate $83,366,7898.00 for the operation and maintenance of town Departments for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.
Emergency management personal service was amended from $38,320 to $7,000.
Nashoba Valley Tech amended from $651,145 to $653,793.
Passed by majority as amended.
Article 7: Property Tax Exemption Increase by 100 percent for the blind, elderly, or disabled veterans/board of assessors. Which states the town would accept the provisions of Chapter 73, Section 4 of the Acts of 1986, as amended by Chapter 126 of the Acts of 1988, by providing for additional property tax exemptions for qualified residents who may be blind, elderly, surviving spouses or minors, or who are disabled veterans and to continue the present percentage increase of 100 percent.
This article passed unanimously.
Article 8: Revolving Funds, which states the town pursuant to MGL Chapter 44, Section 53E ½, establish revolving funds for the following departments. This article passed by majority
Article 9: Highway Department Chapter 90 Funds, which states the town appropriate the sum of $655,346 from the proceeds due to the town under the provisions of MGL Chapter 90. This article passed unanimously.
Article 10: Street Betterments – Pond Road, was dismissed by the meeting because there was insufficient data to make a vote on the article at the time. The board of selectmen hope it will be ready to vote on by the fall town meeting. This article was dismissed unanimously.
Article 11: Capital Requests/ Various Departments, which states the town appropriate the sum of $1,692,000 to provide for the capital requests of various town departments. The article passed by majority except for the $25,000 for the town manager.
Article 12: Proposed Cameron Senior Center Expansion – architectural & engineering funds, which states the town appropriate the sum of $385,000 for the design and engineering of renovations and/or addition to the current Cameron senior center and any other related costs. The appropriation is apart of the total project cost estimated to be $4,000,000. This article was one of the more controversial one on the ballot. Some citizens voiced their concerns that the $385,000 would be given to the senior center and the expansion might fail to get completed.
The historical building committee worried the expansion on the senior center could damage some of the historical integrity of the building.
"We want as many of the historical things about this building to be preserved as possible," said a member of the historical building committee.
The senior center tried to ease voters worries by explaining the expansion would be finished as apart of a three-step process.
"We want to build this expansion, we're not going to take the money and run," said Joanne Sheehan, director of elder services at the Cameron senior center.
An amendment was made to the article stating that appropriation of the $385,000 would be contingent on the passage of a proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion vote.
The article passed by a 2/3 majority vote as amended.
Article 13: Authorization to Re-file Special Legislation regarding Cameron Senior Center and Conservation Land, which read the town dismiss article 13. The article was dismissed unanimously.
Article 14: Community Preservation Committee Recommendations, which read the town, pursuant to MGL Chapter 44B, in accordance with the recommendations of the Westford Community Preservation Committee appropriate from Community Preservation Funds the sum of $1,492,142 to various groups. The most talked about section addressed the request for $960,000 for the construction of synthetic fields at the Nutting Road (parcel B of the East Boston Camps) and any other related costs.
Many of the citizens who addressed the town indicated the high upfront cost as being one of the reasons they were opposed to the synthetic fields.
Bob Shaffer argued for the fields, stating their durability as their main selling point.
"Natural fields constantly have to be retouched because of the heavy use. You will get three times the use out of these fields," said Shaffer.
The article passed by majority.
Article 15: East Boston Camps Master Plan, which reads the town vote to accept the East Boston Camps Master Plan as presented by the East Boston Camps Master Plan Committee. Many amendments to the bill were suggested but only one passed. James Gozzo motioned there be new cover language added to the plan to clarify the front-page statement.
The article passed by majority as amended.
Article 16: Transfer Care and Custody of 18 Williams Avenue parcel to the Conservation Commission, which read the Town, pursuant to MGL c. 40, 15A vote to transfer care and custody of the parcel of Town owned land located on Williams Avenue to the Conservation Commission. The town meeting was told any vote on this article would be nullified because the Tax Possession Sale Committee has not voted to mark the land as surplus. Without marking the land as surplus, the ownership of the land cannot be transferred. The town decided to vote on the article to show the opinion of town meeting.
The landowners near 18 Williams Ave. state they have a problem with water in the basement and on the property. The residents complain that a home at 18 Williams Ave. would make the water situation in their homes worse than it is. The Affordable Housing Committee wants to allow Habitat for Humanity to build a house on the property.
One citizen against the article argued the parcel of land could bring the town needed revenue and if custody was transferred to the conservation commission the income from the land could drop considerably.
The article failed for lack of a majority.
Article 17: Amendments to Chapter 80: Demolition Delay Bylaw, which increases the Westford Historical Commission's initial response time to determine whether a structure is historically significant, introducing a fee to be borne by the applicant for a demolition permit, and expanding the scope of applicability of the bylaw to be a categorical "rolling 85 year look back period."
There were a few changes in the language of the amendment to allow it to better reflect the purpose of the document.
The article passed unanimously as amended.
Article: 18 Amendment to Chapter 84: Dogs relative to dogs at the East Boston Camps property, which asks the town to allow the leash law to not apply to dogs at East Boston Camps who obey voice commands.
Many citizens complained about having negative encounters with unleashed dogs at East Boston Camps, some even said they had been bitten.
Those against the amendment argued it could not be enforced.
People for the amendment said they just wanted a place to let their dogs play.
"You won't have anything to fear from responsible dog owners," said Gozzo.
The article was the only vote of the night brought to a count. The article failed for lack of majority Ayes: 62; Nays: 88.
Article 19: Amendment to Chapter 51.1B: Town Meeting to change Annual Town Meeting to a weeknight, which reads the town vote to change the day of the annual town business meeting from Saturday to a weeknight.
Elizabeth Diercks argued, out of 30 of the surrounding towns she studied, 23 had town meetings on weeknights.
The article was referred to a representative town meeting study committee.
Article 20: Amendment to Chapter 171: Wetlands Bylaw to permit setting of fees by Conservation Commission regulations, which asks the town vote to amend section 171-5 Fees of the non-zoning wetland bylaw by replacing it with the words at the time of an application, the applicant shall pay a filling fee specified in regulations of the commission. The fee is in addition to that required by the wetlands protection act and regulations.
This article passed unanimously.
Article 21: Extension of Section 6.3: Growth Management Bylaw for an additional year, which asked the town vote to amend section 6.3 of the Westford zoning Bylaw to extend the Grown Management Bylaw for an additional year to allow for the completion of the Comprehensive Master Plan update.
This article passed unanimously.
Article 22; Amendment to Section 6.2: Siting of Wireless Communications Facilities (WCF) to include additional application requirements and to Section 10.0 regarding related definitions, which reads the town vote to amend Section 6.2 of the Westford Zoning Bylaw to include additional considerations that applicants would be required to address when proposing a WCF with tower.
The proposed amendment is the result of discussions between a Westford citizen activist group and the zoning board. They created many new requirements that applicants must follow before putting up a new WCF tower in Westford in hopes the companies will choose to co-locate on existing structures instead.
The motion passed by a 2/3 majority as amended.


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Knowing Your Love Language Can Help Your Relationships
What is there to know about love languages and relationships? Read and see.
A LITTLE STORY: There was once a young man who wanted to show his love for his wife. So he swam the deepest sea, climbed the highest mountain and tried to reach for the stars. Guess what happened?
His wife left him. Why?
Because he was never home.
How Do I Love Thee?
I chuckled when I read that story. I guess each one of us has a different way of expressing love and seeing certain things as expressions of love. So I see trouble brewing in the air when a person starts feeling "unloved."
Take my spiritual mentor for instance. He shared how his wife simply adores greeting cards-giving as well as receiving them. Not only that, she would keep all the cards she ever got. He's not into cards. Normally, he would just read it quickly and toss it away. Until one fine day, the wife saw the birthday card she had just given him...in the bathroom floor along with some old magazines. She bursts into tears. And he wonders, what did I do now ? All the fuss just for a card?
And of course, there's the wife who wants her husband to notice her new hair or appreciate the things she does for the kids. But ends up feeling frustrated because no words are ever heard. And the husband on the other hand believes he already is doing everything to show his love -- providing financial support, ever-ready to take over plumbing, carpentry, gardening (even if he hastes gardening).
So what is your love language? Have you found yourself complaining that your spouse, your parents, your girl friends and boy friends (and anyone who you have a close relationship with) don't love you enough? If yes, then read on.
The Poetry of Words
Chapman's Five Emotional Love Languages
1. Words of Affirmation
If your primary language is words of affirmation, you need to hear from your loved ones verbal appreciation, compliments or encouragement for you to feel special and loved. Simple and honest statements such as "Honey, you look great in that dress" or "I know you can do it, I believe in you son."
2. Quality Time
I think for most of us, we all value quality time in our relationships. If this is your loved ones love language, make sure that you take the time to engage in activities that you enjoy doing together and giving them your undivided attention during conversations and sharings.
3. Receiving Gifts
Dr. Chapman writes, "Some mates respond well to visual symbols of love. If you speak this love language, you are more likely to treasure any gift as an expression of love and devotion." Gifts does not have to be expensive and big all the time, it can just be buying your spouse's favorite food on your way home or her favorite flowers; or a souvenir item for your kids from your trip.
Hubpages Links
Discover Your Own Love Language
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. How do I express love to others? (I express love by giving my mate my undivided attention while talking--t.v.must be turned off.)
2. What do I request most often? (I often hear myself asking for a hug or to spend time doing certain things together.)
3. What do I complain about the most? (When you are watching t.v., why can't you hear me?)
4. Acts of Service
Discover what are the acts of service that your loved ones appreciate. Is it doing some specific chores in the house? Is it when you take the time to bring your children to the movies? The most important thing to remember is to do these acts with love.
5. Physical Touch
For many couples, they feel most loved when they receive physical contact from their partner. The challenge is also to find out how the partner wants it done. and how he/she responds to touch. Sexual intimacy is just one aspect of the physical love language. Other forms may include back massages, stroking the cheek, a pat on the shoulder, holding hands or giving a hug.
- The Love Language Quiz
Curious enough to find out what your love language is? Why don't you take this test.
Going back to my mentor's story, he realized that loving someone also meant caring about what the other person wants. If that meant, taking the time to read the cards his wife writes to him, savoring the words and keeping the cards after makes her feel valued, then he was more than willing to do it. On the other hand, his wife also takes the time to give him foot massages after long hours of preaching.
A close friend of mine shared that her parents love language is giving of gifts. She enjoys the comforts of a luxurious home, acquire the latest gadgets, gets to wear fashionable dresses, and has her own car. Although she appreciates all these things, she recogizes that the words of affirmation from them matters to her more than all the material things she possesses.
After knowing what your love language is, think about all the times you felt you were unloved. Or recall those moments when you hear them complain that you don't love them. Do you recognize that your partner, friend or spouse may just be showing their love in a different way? Do you now see that you may just have a different love language?
Important Points to Remember
1. Communication - One has to be willing to listen as well as share what is truly in your mind and heart. If one is not being truthful, communication would be pointless. I remember my friend and I bared our souls to each other by communicating this way; "I like it when you...I don't like it when you...or I get hurt when you...But I'm grateful that you..." By being honest and willing to accept whatever truth that is being given, one paves the way for a beautiful relationship.
2. Giving and Receiving - In a relationship, one must understand that it has to be a give and take. A cousin-in-law complained that her husband demands a lot of things from her (cooking, managing the business, raising their son etc...) and she never hears him give a compliment. When asked, the husband complained that his wife never does thing without having to be asked.
The husband's love language may be "acts of service" but he also needs to learn to give his wife "words of affirmation" to make her feel loved. One has to learn to give as well as receive.
Does it Really Matter?
In a nutshell, does it really matter?
It all depends on you. What are you willing to do to make your relationship work? Will you be willing to do certain things because you love a certain person - that their happiness is your happiness?
As I read the little story again, I know for some people, they would find joy in their husbands accomplishments and proud of what they have done. For others like me, achievements are secondary to the precious time they could spend with me.
There is no right and wrong. Just continue to discover what your loved ones love the most, and enjoy the ride of making your relationships more meaningful and special.
Author Dr. Gary Chapman ("The Five Love Languages") speaks on the value of Worldwide Marriage Encounter to married couples.
Great hub, how tru it is, my sister had a husband like that. He was so bessy making money that he would not be home even for Christmas. Guess what! She divorced him.
Loved the hub. You have a great way of expressing your thoughts through your writing. What you say has a lot of merit. Communication is probably the biggest factor in any relahionship. Anything and everything improves with communication. Thanks for the insightful article.
My friend and I were discussing this recently and found that knowing your love language works on so many levels and in so many relationships. Thank you for sharing this.
Good article ripplemaker!and nice video too;)
the opening story on this hub reminds me of a Jamaican woman singer who tries to express to her man (before its too late) how she wished he would treat her....like his phone and "never leave home without me"...i will the post the link here so you can hear for yourself....there's always trouble in paradise, so thanx for the tips and good humour, ripplemaker (great name too!) "These Streets" Tanya Stephens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7TDPMGTLUc&fea... xchara
Hy ripplemaker.
I really enjoyed reading this. I can relate to a lot of this in lots of ways. There is room out there for a curious theory that states that a good ability to Listen is related to being empathetic. I believe in it a lot.Such good common sense things here. This is a solid Hub! Well done! : )
Great summary ripplemaker, I apply this all the time and it works even with those who know about these languages and are aware of them! xx
Its fine it all depends on us but sometimes situation goes out of hands.How to do with that is a big task for many.Beautiful writing.
in behalf of the people you have touched through your love language i thank you deeply.
i did a post on the 5 love languages at www.wymn.net and i conduct seminar on the topic. your hub, though, looks excellent. great job. hmmn... it makes me consider trying out hubpages.
Beautiful, now I just have to find love and I will be set!!
What a great job! Kudos!
Dear Michelle, the Ripplemaker
You are a very gifted teacher and writer.
Thank you for adding your wonderful 'magic' to our lives.
Please see my Hubs entitled SECRETS OF LOVE, PLEASING YOUR LOVED ONE and A LIFETIME OF LOVE.
With Appreciation
Warm Regards
Bernard Levine
You have a beautiful way of expressing your love. I enjoy reading your hubs. Thank you.
I have a copy of this book and read it
A great commentray on language.You have replicated the concept of that book.
Thank you


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I've been patiently waiting for two years – well, maybe not so patiently the last 5 months – for the right moment to upgrade my 9 year old laptop running Windows XP. That moment came precipitously last month, when Microsoft set its ending date for XP support. I now have a new, much faster and very capacious laptop with a numeric keypad – something I've needed for a long time. I have to say, it's been a learning experience to re-learn the locations of some of the keys I use often, like DEL, HOME, and END, and to tweak Windows 7 for my use, but I'm loving the speed and space I now have at my disposal. I'm looking forward to another long partnership.
I waffled about downloading Second Life, but ultimately did download a viewer from the Second Life web site. BIG disappointment! Although I've not been in Second Life for a couple of years, I never cancelled my membership, and I do own a small dwelling there. I thought, with a newer, faster, computer, some of the frustrations I experienced would evaporate – but no such luck. The viewer was crazy, stuttering and blanking out continuously, so I uninstalled it. Next step: do a little more work looking for compatible viewers. Not promising I'll visit SL any more often, but sometimes there are interesting programs there, and libraries appear to still be actively involved.
I've now reached that stage in a Boomer's life when retirement actually seems like a possibility. I'm among the top 5 most senior members of my library's cohort, though I still feel like the New Person. I love my job – it's the most perfect profession I could have chosen – but contemplation of retirement is beginning to proffer the charms and allure of discretionary time. To do what? To go where? It's actually difficult to comprehend not-working; but for my demographic the employment wave has passed, and the next generation will pick up the next set. I feel a new research assignment landing in my in-box: can this be done before I'm 90?