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Find St Vigeans Church
Post code is DD11 4RD.
The church is located in the Hamlet of St Vigeans on the outskirts of the town of Arbroath in Angus, Scotland.
Turn off the B933 between RM Condor and Arbroath at the sign for Kirkton Industrial Estate, and continue down the straight stretch of road until the bend where, round the bend, there is a no-through-road sign for a road on the left. Turn into this road and you will find us down the hill. There is a car park beside the hall which you will find if you follow the road round to the opposite side of the church.
We can also be reached from the other side of town by leaving the A92, the main Montrose to Arbroath road, turning off (heading towards Arbroath) first right after the Meadowbank Inn/Milk Bar (and before the Golden Lion Garage). Continue along the straight stretch of road, and turn off first right (at the bend) to head out to the country again. At the foot of that hill (Tarry Brae) there is a no-through-road to the left. Take that and park in the car park. (From this side you cannot take your car right up to the door of the hall as you can from the other side.) | {
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A Garveyite's commmentary on world events and other stuff. (10 years of informed commentary)
Days Black People Not Re-Enslaved By Trump
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Arrested For Being An "Uppity Negro"
Sandra Bland was wrongfully arrested for being an Uppity Negro(tm). The dash cam video proves this beyond any doubt whatsoever:
[This link is broken]
You need to watch the video from the beginning because it is instructive on what was going on in the mind of the officer. The footage starts with him giving a "friendly" warning to a driver he had pulled over. Apparently that person did not have their insurance on them. He's friendly to the driver. It is apparent, later that he EXPECTS that people he pulls over should all be happy about being pulled over.
After giving the warning to the driver he pulls a U-turn and heads up the road. He runs up on Sandra's car, which is in the left lane. Sandra seeing the police car running up behind her quickly pulls into the right lane to let the officer pass. She does so without using her signal. A reasonable officer (or any other person for that matter) would have seen the courtesy given to them and moved to pass the slower moving vehicle. This cop uses that courtesy as a pretext to stop Sandra on a technicality. Let me be clear here, under law the officer has a right to pull Sandra over for non indicating a lane change. However, they have discretion as to the enforcement of such an infraction. I would suggest that because Bland had out of state plates, the officer decided to use his "discretion" to "investigate" an out of stater. It happens in parts of Texas often.
I will also point out that Bland pulled over immediately which indicates that she was cooperative. Cooperative does not mean "happy to be in the situation".
The officer approaches the passenger side of the vehicle (standard procedure) asks for Sandra's documents and asks her if she's OK. Now personally I think the officer was being an ass for asking the person he just inconvenienced whether they are OK. BUt maybe in that part of Texas he expects people to be OK with that. She doesn't say much. He returns to his vehicle to run the plates and whatever else police do in such situations. When he returns to Sandra's vehicle, this time at the driver's side, he asks again if she's OK. She says she isn't and he asks why and she tells him that she didn't appreciate being pulled over after moving over to let him pass. That is reasonable. At that point the entire attitude of the police officer changes and he steps outside the law. It is not resisting an officer to tell him why you're bothered by a stop, particularly after that officer just asked for that information. The old rule applies: don't ask questions you don't want the answers to.
Then the officer goes further into abuse of power by telling Sandra to put out her cigarette. Why? What did her smoking have to do with being given a ticket for changing lanes? Sandra was absolutely right to question him on that. When he then takes her refusal to comply with what is CLEARLY an UNLAWFUL order, he orders her out of the vehicle. Although an officer can order a person out of a vehicle, it must be under probable cause. He has none. You cannot give a lawful order to enforce a previous UNLAWFUL order.
The officer tries to tell Bland that he was going to do her a favor by giving her a warning. This goes back to the stop at the top of the video. He expects everyone to smile and be thankful that he's only wasted his time demonstrating his authority. This is why I say that it is clear that Bland was arrested for being an "Uppity Negro". Once Bland answered his question as to why she was upset he should have given her the ticket and gone about his business and he knows this. Everything that happened after that was because he was personally offended. This was not law enforcement this was ego enforcement.
At this point I cannot say beyond reasonable doubt whether Bland was murdered in the jail cell, but I can say for certain that had the officer at the initial point of contact acted in a professional manner that Bland would be alive today. | {
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Hitman
Hitman game is a video game series and it was developed by the Danish company called IO interactive. Before, it was published under Eidos Interactive and it is currently published under Square Enix. The series is found on the Microsoft Windows and other video consoles and they include PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, GameCube, Playstation 2 and on Xbox. This game series had now expanded and it has become a novel called Hitman: Enemy Within, it was written under William C Dietz and it was followed by the Hitman: Damnation and it is an official prequel to the first installment known as Absolution. There is also a film adaptation of Hitman and it was based on the game’s storyline. Even if the film got negative reception and it became a failure to the critics, it was a success financially. Another film called Hitman: Agent 47 got released in the year 2015 and it also got negative reviews.
The story line of the game is about Agent 47 and he was referred to like 47 and Mr 47. He is a cloned assassin who is available for hire and he has a flawless record that put him at a high demand in the elite and wealthy people.
Plot
The game at first starts when 47 is able to escape away of the sanitarium where he was imprisoned and he is being guided by an overseer but who is mysterious. In a year, he is already working under ICA or International Contract Agency and he is under Diana Burnwood. He is being sent on the mission to kill four bosses of criminal world around the world and he has to kill the fifth who is Doctor Kovacs and he was at the prison of Sanitarium where 47 was imprisoned. As the events happens, 47 came to find out that all people he is asked to kill were the members of an advanced cloning experiment and he was the result of this and became a perfect assassin. Ort-Meyer who is a professor and a head of scientific element, is found out to be the person who ordered these hits and afterwards looking to protect himself, he has to send a highly trained but a docile clones under the name of 48 to kill 47. 47 was able to kill these clones with a help of another agent and also killed Ort-Meyer. After the revelation, 47 was able to leave the life of an assassin and went to look for peace in monastery in Sicily but he had to be an assassin again when his friend and a mentor called Father Vittorio was kidnapped and had to go to work again full time at ICA.
Gameplay
The objective of the game is killing all the targets that had been assigned and sometime they can be multiple while at other times, the additional targets are given for optional bonus. In many cases, Hitman lets the player to play with many options in order to accomplish his task. The player is able to perform the assignation in a precise manner or he can slaughter anyone he meets so that he can be able to achieve the goals of his mission. However, the reward of the game is found in the subtle approach and it is through awarding special weapons and cash bonuses. The player gets better ranks that are being achieved through elimination the assigned targets and to do this without raising the alarm while doing so. The 47 agent is also able to put on the disguise like being a waiter, police officer or a repairman in order to fool the enemies or to get access to the restricted place. The focus for Hitman is not about hiding in shadows but it is also about blending with them. It is up to a player to initiate the violence because the guards will not open the fire if they have not been provoked.
How to play
Dalia Margolis and Viktor Novikov are not having a good day. They had been poisoned, stabbed and shot. Every time that a killer gets information about an environment and the tools that are able to use against the target, he will start his killings. When you became Agent 47, you will be free to take down the targets in many ways as you may wish to. The best part in Blood Money is that you will be given the chance of stopping what you are doing and to observe. 47 had been invited to a fashion show while his targets run around and this gives him some freedom for wandering around. After that, the access is given in the layers. You can disguise like a palace staff and you can start to roam into the ground floor basement, however, the access to the upper levels continues to be restricted. While other disguises for basement and floor. Some disguises may have restrictions. The NPCs reacts to every costume and this is based on the perceived status and what you as the wearer want to do.
Having a disguise does not mean a free pass. When you dress like the bodyguard, some few of other bodyguards in the level may recognize that you are not a bodyguard using the UI indicator. The disguise together with suspicion that it is being raised when he has put on them; it is something that the Hitman series; will have to struggle with from time to time. A new system used is now a success and the UI of the game are a success. An indicator may be disabled so that you may get a purer and a more challenging experience.
A social stealth of this game is forgiving compared to the old Hitman games. Now even when you are disguised, you may sprint and you will not raise the suspicion. This is a concession toward the convenience which does only something little in order to chip away on the immersion. However, the NPCs will not raise the eyebrow even while sneaking around or scaling or clambering around the buildings as long as you are doing something right.
To get closer to the target is just half your challenge. The killing act is something open to the experimentation. The game can be played in different play style starting from clean and professional hit and to a murder spree. An end of the mission rating on the screen shows which method which is preferred while the format encourages the replayability of the game. If you want to get the direction while playing, there is a new system of opportunities which may guide you to reach to unique solutions. The system is like the expanded version for set piece accident of Blood Money and it points the use to most satisfying kills of Paris. When it is fully enabled, the opportunities are somehow handy-holdy and they tell the user on how to complete every action and they remove puzzle element with it. However, you may choose a cut down version which removes the objective markers or to disable UI at once so that you can discover the Opportunities in the natural way using the overhead snippets and the notes and the conversation that are being found at every level.
The success behind Hitman is found in the broad appeal. It is able to take the accessibility of Absolution which is a slick third-person control scheme with the instinct mode which is used to highlight the target, the weapons with more key information. The game has some snippets within the story but they are also seeded within the incidental conversations with the cutscenes that take a place after every mission. It does not feel like the hitman which may take away the control mid-mission of the game.
It is easier to turn sniffy when it comes to the accessibility and when it is done in the right manner, it will fit within the philosophy of the game. In most levels, it is possible to finish the game easily. Difficulty level is based on each player while the level of the skills or the finesse that he wants to use. It is good to turn off the opportunities during the first attempts but it is also good that these options do exist for the person who can benefit from it. The game has a high point known as a live component and it is an escalation. It is the new mission with the repeating contract that was created under IO and it is even more complex every time you start to replay a level.
Steep game is a video game expected to be out soon and it is based on the open door and extreme sports. It was developed under Ubisoft and it is available for Xbox one, Playstation 4 and Microsoft Windows. The game puts emphasis at the online multiplayer [...]
No Man’s Sky is a survival game. In the game you have more than 18 quintillion planets (1030) that you can visit and explore. And in those planets you will have to look for resources and to battle against an oppressive sentinel force, and also with bounty [...]
Inside video game is based on the adventure and puzzles. It had been developed and also published under Playdead and it was released for the first time in 2016. The player is in charge of the young boy in the monochromatic landscape and he solves the [...]
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(BERLIN, GERMANY) -- As the organiser of Venus has announced, Micaela Schäfer will be the face of the 15th Venus international trade fair which will take place from 29.09. To 02.10.2011 at the Berliner Messegelände below the radio tower.
Micaela Schäfer is a logical and consistent continuation of what began four years ago with Tatjana Gsell. While we almost exclusively worked with unknown models as the face of Venus until 2007, we were able to secure a nationally recognised face for the Venus campaign for the first time in 2008 with Tatjana Gsell.
The high media attention achieved through this was continued the year after by Nadja Abd El Farrag, alias Naddel, and last year the combination of Angie Katze and Dolly Buster also represented Venus very successfully in the media.
Micaela Schäfer has an erotic charisma, is very pretty, is in the public eye and is a subject of media interest, she is very photogenic and is also not shy in front of the camera. She has proven this with her appearances on Germany’s Next Topmodel and Big Brother.
She has already won several Miss competitions, including the 2004 Miss East Germany title, she was Miss Venus 2005 and then Miss Maxim in 2006. She was photographed together with Daniela Katzenberger in the D&W catalogue and she has also featured in Playboy and in FHM.
She is therefore well suited to Venus because the world's biggest, international specialist trade fair for erotic products with ambitions in the lifestyle sector is also worth a good look at. Exhibitors and visitors from over 60 countries across the world last year and in previous years also saw Venus as the fair that you have to attend.
Here you can find everything that any man or woman could want from erotic film to high-end toys, exciting lingerie and a range of internet offers. And this year, you can also see Micaela Schäfer at the 15th Venus international trade fair.
You can find out more about Micaela Schäfer: http://de.pluspedia.org/wiki/Micaela_Schäfer
For photos, please go to [email protected].
You can find out more information about the 15th Venus international trade fair at www.venus-berlin.com.
All materials constituting text, articles, press releases, stories, columns, photographs, graphics, and code on the AINews.com domain are protected by copyright, and either owned by Adult Industry News (AINews.com), or reproduced with permission from other copyright owners. It may be downloaded and printed for personal reference, but not otherwise copied, altered in any way, or transmitted to others, without the written permission of Adult Industry News (AINews.com). | {
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Human Resources Service Group Courses
Planning your CalPERS Retirement
Prerequisites:
Must be at least 50 years old and have at least 5 years of service with CalPERS
Course Information:
For employees who are nearing retirement, this class helps you plan and prepare for retirement. Learn more about your CalPERS benefits from a CalPERS Representative and the retirement process when you attend this class. This class is ideal for employees who are at least 50 years old and have at least 5 years of service with CalPERS. Subjects that will be discussed:
CSU's Got Talent Webcast Trainings
Prerequisites:
None
Course Information:
All CSU staff and faculty are invited to attend free systemwide professional development webcast trainings offered by the CSU Systemwide Professional Development. No registration necessary, limited to the first 200 logins (multiple viewers can sit in the same room and use one link.)
September 18th at 1 p.m.
"An Everyone Culture: Creating a Radically Inclusive
Growth Culture" with Andy Fleming, CEO and founding principal of WAY TO GROW INC.
November 16 at 2 p.m.
"Leader as Coach: Save Time & Solve Problems by Asking the Right Questions" with Training Specialist, Julia Heatherwick, from
Humboldt State University Human Resources and Academic Personnel Services | {
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Category Archives: Gujarat Rojgar Samachar
Gujarat Rojgar Samachar (14/11/2018) Latest edition is now available as pdf file by http://gujaratinformation.net . Also you can view this rozgaar samachar 14 November 2018 is available from below mentioned link at http://gujaratinformation.net/ Gujarat Rojgar Samachar Date: 14th November 2018 Gujarat Rojgar Samachar is an employment weekly newspaper magazine, published from Gujarat Information Department on every… Read More »
Gujarat Rojgar Samachar (24/10/2018) Latest edition is now available as pdf file by http://gujaratinformation.net . Also you can view this rozgaar samachar 24 october 2018 is available from below mentioned link at http://gujaratinformation.net/ Gujarat Rojgar Samachar is an employment weekly newspaper magazine, published from Gujarat Information Department on every Wednesday. This epaper is publish in both… Read More »
Gujarat Rojgar samachar Online Epaper Publish Every week by Gujarat Information Department. Update: 20 February 2019 : The Rojgar samachar of the date 20-02-2019 has been published and downloadable by below given link. Scroll down and click on the download button beside the date and gujarat rojgar samachar January 2019 Latest Gujarat Rojgar Samachar : Today… Read More » | {
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21st Century Curriculum
21st Century Thursdays and Future Fridays are just some of the high lights of STEM Education.
At STEM International School students in preschool through 12th grade enjoy a three day formal learning week and every Thursday is the 21st Century Thursday. On this day the students experience hands-on opportunities to be innovative and put into practice 21st-century skills namely Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical thinking.
Every Friday is an informal Future Friday experience. On this day students learn from people who are already in the working world through job shadowing opportunities, community service, educational, and leisure field trips as well as listening to 21st leaders in different industries.
STEM CURRICULUM
AFRICA’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON STEM EDUCATION!
STEM curriculum implements project-based learning at all grade levels. Students carry out appropriate grade level activities and make presentations and final projects related to
the topic of study. Students are presented with numerous opportunities to learn and practice 21st-century skills namely communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY EXPERIENCE
At STEM International we follow the highly reputed leadership curriculum LEADER IN ME from the FranklinCovey Institute. Content from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a key component of the overall Leader in Me process. 7 habits namely; Being proactive, begin with the end in mind, think win-win, seek first to understand before being understood, first things first, synergy and sharpen the saw are at the core of the Leadership program- The Influence Program.
STEM International School offers this program for students from 3yrs to 12th grade. This student-oriented institution prepares young minds for effective leadership in the 21st century through hands-on learning. Business, political, and educational leaders are increasingly asking schools to teach students skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration. Such skills are often referred to as “21st century skills” essential to any future leaders.
To this end STEM International - an American STEM and Leadership Curriculum Home school finds its Mission.
Want to Hear From Us?
Leave this field empty if you're human:
About Us
STEM International uses an American Curriculum, with a strong emphasis on STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) Education from Preschool – 12th grade. | {
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Posted tagged ‘Harbowl jokes’
The story is that Joanie Harbaugh, sister to John and Jim, is the most competitive of the Harbaugh siblings. Wonder how many NFL teams will be lining up to offer her a contract.
–
Actually the Super Bowl itself should be no problem. But what John and Jim Harbaugh’s parents really want to do is to hide out from the media for 13 days of interview hell.
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Well, now that the SF 49ers are going to the Super Bowl, maybe they finally can get some corporation to pony up over $300 million for naming rights for their as yet unnamed Santa Clara stadium opening in 2014.
Monte T’eo has agreed to an televised interview with Katie Couric. Did even Oprah find his potential explanations unbelievable?
–
Okay, I know I personally got distracted by the Manti T’eo girlfriend issue and Lance Armstrong but watching the 49ers Falcons game have to figure the NFL outlawed pass defense last week while we weren’t paying attention?
–
Happiest football fans in the country right now: anyone who went to Vegas and bet the “over” on the 49ers-Falcons. (Which was about 49.)
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Open note to all NFL players: Yes, I understand your exuberance over a good play, but is it really necessary to dance when it’s early in the first quarter?
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It took over five hours for Novak Djokovic to beat Stanislas Wawrinka in an Australian Open match. Five hours?! That’s almost as long as the opening remarks for a Joe Biden speech.
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Although the New York Jets hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, they apparently have no interest in Michael Vick. Which is bad news, for comedy writers.
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Missed SNL this week, of course with Manti T’eo, Lance Armstrong, Jodie Foster’s speech, etc…felt like the entire week was an episode of SNL.
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At Newark Airport, a United Airlines employee was injured today when he was pinned between a luggage cart and a food service truck. Most travelers were shocked – United still has food trucks? | {
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TNW Sites
Sony’s $100 PS Vita TV isn’t perfect, but it has the potential to surpass Apple TV, Roku and OUYA
No-one was expecting PS Vita TV. There were no leaks. No rumors. The spotlight was firmly focused on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, so the chances of Sony announcing a new piece of hardware were slim.
Yet they did. PS Vita TV might not be a perfect product, but I don’t mind. Even in its current state, I think it looks fantastic.
The system is understated and tiny. Based on the images and promotional videos released so far, it looks smaller than a regular point-and-shoot camera. It makes the Android-powered OUYA look excessive. Bulky even, which is quite an achievement given that the Kickstarter-funded gaming console is roughly the size of a Rubik’s Cube.
When Sony launches PS Vita TV in Japan this November (a wider release is yet to be confirmed) it’ll be sold for just 9,954 yen. That’s sub-$100, which is exactly the same as OUYA, Apple TV and other set-top streaming boxes such as Roku. For new hardware, it’s a highly competitive price point.
A superior gaming experience
The microconsole plays a mixture of both new and classic games. Players will eventually have access to 1,300 titles originally released for the PlayStation and PS One, as well as the more recent PlayStation Portable and PS Vita systems. It’s not a complete library for any of these consoles, but it’s a notable sum of what used to be a full, $60 experience.
The system can play Vita cartridges too, although the list of supported games is restricted. PlayStation Vita TV uses the Dual Shock 3 controller, so any titles that use the PS Vita’s front and back touchscreen aren’t supported. That rules out some of the original PS Vita’s best games including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Wipeout 2048 and Gravity Rush.
It’s a huge flaw.
Nevertheless, PS Vita TV should have a great library of games targeted at traditional console players in Japan. It’s a true handheld gaming console, but ported to the television for a fraction of the price. Unlike OUYA, it also comes with a comfortable and durable controller that players already love.
The cost of each title is yet to be confirmed, but they’re likely to mirror the current prices for PS Vita digital content. That could be a shock to the average person who is used to spending 99 cents on an iOS or Android app, but it’s important for Sony to emphasize that these are big budget games, without any unscrupulous free-to-play mechanics or microtransactions hidden inside.
Of course, Sony also has the option to offer additional games on PS Vita TV at lower price points. The infrastructure and marketplace already exists, they just need to make it happen.
Regardless, the current pricing model should be a compelling offer for parents. As with traditional gaming consoles (provided they don’t save their debit or credit card details) they can buy a game once and not have to worry about their child or children spending an eye-watering amount of money by mistake.
Movies, TV and music
PS Vita TV can be used to access video and music services such as Hulu, Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and Nico Nico. It’s essentially the PS Vita hardware and UI, but with a couple of new apps thrown into the mix.
The system supports Remote Play, which means that players can stream PlayStation 4 games and potentially other multimedia content to whatever display the PS Vita TV is hooked up to. So unlike OUYA, Apple TV, Roku and other set-top streaming boxes, the console is capable of true next-gen gaming. Admittedly, this functionality relies on consumers being invested in the Sony ecosystem, but it’s a unique feature for the system.
On its own, PS Vita TV’s streaming capabilities are a little limited. That could change, however, if Sony ever decides to release it on Western shores. If the company can bring on board services such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video (or LoveFilm Instant, depending on your region), ESPN and HBO GO, PS Vita TV will be a day one purchase for many people, myself included.
A traditional console experience, coupled with some of the best streaming services for less than $100. It’s an easy sell.
Why just Japan?
For now, it makes sense for Sony to release the PS Vita TV as an exclusive for Japan. The PlayStation 4 is launching in North America on November 15, before hitting Japan on February 22 next year.
Why the gap in release dates? Sony wants to prioritize Western markets with the PlayStation 4. These areas are akin to swing states in a presidential election campaign: Sony has always been strong in Japan, so it wants to focus its efforts on these pivotal countries where opinion is still divided.
That decision has already upset some of its fans in Japan though. PS Vita TV could arguably be seen as a peace-offering by Sony, a final safeguard to reassure its domestic supporters over the New Year period.
But there’s another angle here. The PS Vita TV is an unknown quantity for Sony. At this point, it’s difficult to see OUYA and other microconsoles such as the GameStick, Gamepop and NVIDIA Shield ever truly taking off. But if they do, Sony has a platform it can quickly push out internationally.
The system is a line in the sand. An indication by Sony that it can compete with inexpensive, low-end hardware if needed.
The threat from Apple TV
It’s difficult to predict what Apple will do next with its own set-top streaming box. Apple TV has never been a huge product for the company, at least not in comparison to the iPhone, iPad, iMac and MacBook.
It could also enter the gaming market in a huge way. Apple already has a massive catalog of iOS games in the App Store, many of which users have already purchased. If it were to give players the ability to simply download their library at no extra cost and play them freely on their television, Apple TV would be huge.
If that were to happen, the average family could shy away from the $399-$499 price point of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Gamers will always want the big budget, traditional console experience, but it’s easy to see the casual, Nintendo Wii and Kinect market transitioning to Apple TV. Especially with AirPlay and the existing iTunes storefront thrown into the mix.
A defensive play
Whether or not a next generation Apple TV emerges, Sony is well-positioned to push back with the PS Vita TV. It’s pretty cheap – perfect for new players – and an ideal counterpoint to the expensive, bleeding edge technology found in the PlayStation 4.
But the system is flawed. The inability to play titles that make the most of the original PS Vita’s innovative hardware will be a huge letdown to many players. An easy, inexpensive workaround is vital if the PS Vita TV is to ever become a commercial success.
Likewise, it needs widespread app support. Pulling from the $399 PlayStation 4 isn’t enough, and in many ways derails the original purpose of the system. If Sony is to release the device globally, it’ll need to offer an identical library of apps to Roku and Apple TV, if not more.
Despite these shortcomings, the PS Vita TV has huge potential. The hardware is sleek, the games are compelling and it’s priced competitively. If Sony supports it properly, I see no reason why it can’t coexist with the PlayStation 4 and eventually surpass other microconsoles and set-top streaming boxes. | {
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Friday, 17 April 2015
In many regions around the globe summer temperatures rise to peaks which makes it unbearable for the people, heat hovers above the body's natural temperatures and people avoid staying outdoors for more time. Air conditioners become a necessity.
The opposite occurs in winters when people cannot live without heating. Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning by Fakhri Brothersis needed at both commercial and private places. Offices, buildings, industries, shopping malls, health care centres, hospitals, airports and ample of other places need HVACs to function smoothly.
Fakhri Brothers are the authorized Dealer of HVACR Products in Karachi Pakistan and UAE. They deal with most renowned brands in the industry of Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning including Muller, Fastech, Alco, duro, Dyne, Abro, Honeywell, sinro, Durkee and other such great names.
HVACR is a miracle, no matter how extreme temperatures are it functions smoothly to maintain the inside air. Extreme summer heats are dangerous and in many places have lead to rise in mortality rates; it even causes cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular disease. Therefore air conditioners save people from heat strokes.
Often there is a controversy that heating Ventilation Air Conditioning is bad for health but what actually is the truth is such units would never harm if;
They are used properly
Regularly maintained and cleaned in the right way
Are suitable for the place they are placed in.
When the HVAC is not cleaned and maintained many moulds and microorganisms start growing on the unit which can cause allergies, asthma and irritation when the unit is functioning. People can have adverse health effects therefore cleaning the unit every 6 to 12 months is important.
Fakhri Brothers are the experienced dealers in heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration in Pakistan and UAE and can be contacted for proper guides. TheirHVACR products are available in many Middle East countries and various cities of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
Friday, 10 April 2015
Ensuring fire safety at a place saves a lot of lives and property; preventing fires from occurring is the best practice at first place but at times this is not in our hands. Many commercial and private properties have proper fire prevention plans to control the situation.
Fire fightingis the basic requirement of all architectural structures. People have to be trained to be
proactive at time of emergency and take every possible step to minimize the loss.Fakhri Brothers is the authorized dealers ofHVACR products in UAE and Pakistan who also deal in fire fighting products by NAFFCO.
In order to safeguard the commercial buildings and prevent them from destruction understanding fire regulations is important. The regulation measures cover various aspects including mainly prevention, detection and execution from the building in case of fire. Few important considerations to keep in mind are as follows;
Power supply and electrical connections
All the power supply and electrical connections should be safe; a small fault in it can lead to major consequences. The owners of the building should ensure that the contract has been given to good electricians and good quality wiring and connection are used. None of the sockets are overloaded or have long extension cords attached which might cause an electric shock or other electric problems.
Fire fighting equipments by Fakhri Brothers on all floors
All the floors must have Fire fighting equipments; they should be placed at easily reachable places, entry/ exit points and various corners and corridors. People should know its use and could easily access it.
CO2 fire extinguishers, fire pumps, CO2 fire suppression system and much more
Various NAFFCOfire fighting products are available atFakhri Brothers to be placed in commercial buildings to prevent life and property damage cause by fire outbreak including CO2 fire extinguishers, fire pumps, CO2 fire suppression system etc.
HVAC system
Fakhri Brothersbeing the authorized dealers of HVACR products in UAE and Pakistan supply best Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration in Pakistan and UAE. These HVACproducts are high voltage units and have combustible fuels therefore their regular maintenance is important. Installing good quality HVAC saves great amount of energy and adds to the comfort level. | {
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India, China not responsible for oil price rise: Deora
New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Blaming India and China for the oil price hike is “completely devoid of merit”, Indian petroleum minister Murli Deora told the World Petroleum Congress in Madrid Thursday. Oil prices again broke another record Thursday with Brent crude, sourced from the North Sea, rising over $146 a barrel in London.
Oil prices are now more than five times their level seven years ago.
“A small section of the oil analysts has been ascribing the relentless rise in crude prices in recent months to the spurt in demand for oil from India and China. I wish to take this opportunity to set the record straight,” Deora said.
The minister said while the two Asian giants accounted for one-third of the world’s population, their combined oil consumption is less than one-eighth of global consumption.
“And, with steadily declining energy intensity, both our countries are registering rapid economic growth with less than proportionate increase in oil demand,” Deora said, adding that the high rate of growth in the two countries was a “significant factor in ensuring stable and orderly growth of world economy”.
Further, he noted, India’s surplus refining capacity has a “sobering effect” on prices of refined oil products as it reduced the imbalance between demand and supply.
“Given these facts, we are of the firm view that attribution of high crude prices to rising demand from India and China is completely devoid of merit and misses the wood for the trees,” he said.
Deora also justified India’s subsidy on motor and cooking fuels, saying the current volatility of the market made it imperative for states to have a buffer.
“While we agree that fuel subsidies may have a negative impact on the energy market in the long run, the current volatility in international oil prices and its potential for destabilizing emerging economies makes state intervention in pricing of life-line fuels inevitable,” he said.
At the same time, he said, subsidising prices of “life-line fuels” was important to protect the weaker sections of society.
Last month, the government had increased fuel prices of petrol and diesel by Rs.5 and Rs.3 a litre, respectively. This had had been greeted by protests from opposition parties.
Truckers in India are also on an indefinite strike to protest against this hike.
Deora said the government had a five-pronged strategy to enhance energy security and maintain an economic growth of 9 to 10 percent.
These five steps are increasing domestic exploration and production activities, acquiring oil and gas assets abroad, developing alternate sources of oil and gas, oil conservation and implementation of environment-friendly policies, and establishing a strategic storage of crude oil. | {
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The second one doesn't like right imo, the contrast of a simple 2d image with a 3d background isn't workin for me. The first and last one are nice tho. Can someone explain to me what Android is? I've kinda been living in a cave (not literally) lately.
The second one doesn't like right imo, the contrast of a simple 2d image with a 3d background isn't workin for me. The first and last one are nice tho. Can someone explain to me what Android is? I've kinda been living in a cave (not literally) lately.
The second one doesn't like right imo, the contrast of a simple 2d image with a 3d background isn't workin for me. The first and last one are nice tho. Can someone explain to me what Android is? I've kinda been living in a cave (not literally) lately.
Click to expand...
its google mobile OS, the equivalent of windows mobile or the iphone OS | {
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Geneva is a minimalist personal or corporate vCard template based on nine tiles. Each tile is a separate page, including typical descriptive pages like about, services or testimonials, portfolio pages with image …
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Imperia is Premium Html Template Designed with Minimal yet Professional Approach. It comes with Unique Fullscreen Layout with Fixed Header & Footer. The Minimalistic Design is Perfect for Personal Portfolio … | {
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Network changes starting
Jeffrey Hsu and Matt Dillon’s network changes are being committed – the first third is in, according to a commit by Matt.
Matt describes the plan thusly:
“Basically the goal of this work is to isolate and serialize PCBs in specific threads in order to (A) not have to lock them and (B) improve cache locality for ISR processing loops as well as for data. Isolating a network PCB means dealing with the points where the PCB talks to other parts of the system. There are three points where this happens:
incoming packets go through preprocessing (e.g. IP) before
being routed to the target protocol & PCB (e.g. TCP and UDP).
One Reply to “Network changes starting”
Each socket’s protocol state is maintained in a data structure called a Protocol Control Block (PCB). TCP maintains a table of the active PCBs in the system. A PCB is created when a socket is created, either as a result of a system call, or as a result of a new connection being established. | {
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Foundation reinforcement in Stockholm Central station
Download the Case Study as PDF-files:
The Stockholm Central station has been sinking 1 mm per year and needed reinforcement of the foundation. This was done by drilling and setting casing all the way down to the bedrock.
Niches were cut out from the side of the existing foundation walls, big enough to allow access for a small drill rig. Wassaras water-powered DTH hammer was prescribed for the project as the environment was sensitive in several ways.
Foundation reinforcement
The landlord Jernhusen hired the construction and project management company Forsenprojekt for the reinforcement project. The contractor Lemminkäinen was awarded the contract for the later part of the foundation works. This part of the project included the installation of 428 steel piles, placed every second meter in the foundation wall and down into the bedrock. The sensitive environment demanded as benign drilling as possible. No noisy machinery or dust in the air was allowed. Any vibrations must be kept at a minimum. The water-powered drilling with Wassara is the only percussion drilling technology that meets these demands.
A project with many particular demands
As parts of the building are listed as a National Heritage, strict national laws applies; the building must not be damaged. The available workspace for the operation was quite cramped, due to bulky foundation walls. To further complicate the works, multiple parallel construction projects were running at the same time.
As the public area was in full operation, some 200 000 commuters were passing very close to the drill site every day. This pushed the environmental aspects with low noise even further. It also made the moving of drill rigs and other machinery limited to off-peak hours.
Drilling inside the foundation walls
Niches were cut out from the side of the foundation walls, big enough to allow access for a small drill rig. The drilling and casing advancing was done all the way down to the bedrock, an average of 16 meters. The formation was full of oak logs that had to be drilled through. After the casing was set, arrangements were made in the walls to enable the support of the new pillars. This was repeated every second meter of the wall.
Creating new space
The Central station’s lower hall accommodates several stores and small shops. In order to create more space, the number of the rather bulky foundation walls needed to be minimized in this area. Some 3 600 m2 of new area has been created in the lower hall. This was achieved by excavation of new areas and lowering of the floor level, as well as replacing bulky walls with supporting steel pillars.
Pleased contractor:
The drilling went as planned, he says. When drilling indoors, we arranged for the return water to be collected and pumped away. The oak logs didn’t cause too much of a problem. Our biggest challenge was the logistics; working so close to the 200 000 commuters that walked by every day as it demanded special arrangements for our machinery and hoses.
Oskar Nillsson
Site manager, Lemminkäinen
The new pillars (in the bottom) are now supporting the foundation. The niche is ready to be closed and filled with concrete. (Photo courtesy of Lemminkäinen)
Setting up for the next casing, indoors under the Central Station. (Photo courtesy of Lemminkäinen) | {
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Tuesday, June 11, 2013
We have been sick and eating nothing accept porridge for the past two weeks for each and every meal!
Luckily the kids don't complain.... that much. I try to make a variety of porridge so that they don't get too bored. Adding just a little of this and taking out just a little bit of that gives the porridge a whole new distinct flavor.
Hubby likes to have his porridge with marmite. I like it too but I find the taste so strong it kills off all of the other flavors within!
Hopefully we will all recover soon and go back to our regular diet. I must say that all that porridge for two whole weeks did one thing for sure. It helped us all lose weight!
Pin It
Guide to Healthy Living
Be Health Aware is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com | {
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The Scariest Day Of My Life
i just had my 4th child. finally a girl. i had 3 boys before her. she was so tiny when i had her. she only weighed 5 pounds when i took her home from the hospital. when she 6 weeks old i noticed she had this twitch in her legs. i took her to the docter and they said to just keep an eye on her. she maybe having seizures. about a week after that she started running a fever. i took her back to the docter and her oxygen level was really low. the gave her a breathing treatment and told me to take her to a childrens hospital in the city. wich is like 60 miles from where i live. i made it bout 20 miles and she started getting really pale and her lips was turning blue. i was speeding to try to get pulled over. i had to stop at the first fire station i came to. they took her and stopped at the 1st hospital they came to. by the time they got there, her fever was 104.5 and she was going into shock. they did a spinal tap on her and nuthin came back. they got her stabalized enough to take her the rest of the way to the children's hospital. for 2 days they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. she kept getting worse. i couldn't even hold her because she hurt so bad when someone touched her. she was swelling up. her head, arms,legs , everything. then finally, they figured it out. she had kidney reflux. the worst grade of it is a 5 and she had it. 3 weeks in the icu she spent. the scariest moment of it all was when the priest came in and asked me if i wanted him to baptise her. for 3 years she had problems. it took 3 surgeries to fix it. i think there was an angel watchin over her cuz i would get these dreams a couple of days before she got sick every month.
Would you dance of I asked you to dance?
Would you run and never looked back?
Would you cry if you saw me crying ?
Would you save my soul tonight...
Please tell me this?
Hold me in your arms tonight.
Would you lie would you run and hide
Have I lost my mind
I can kiss... | {
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Arizona GOP Senate Candidate Robocalls Democrats And Tells Them To Vote In The Wrong Place
According to a report by Phoenix, Arizona’s NBC affiliate, Rep. Jeff Flake’s (R-AZ) U.S. Senate campaign called Democratic voters telling them to vote in the wrong precinct — in some cases as much as 11 miles away from their actual polling place. After telling the Democratic voters to vote in the wrong place, the calls also encourage the voter to “vote Flake for U.S. Senate.” Watch the report:
It’s unclear whether these calls were made accidentally or as part of an intentional strategy to depress the Democratic vote. | {
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Trial designed with crowd input gets FDA signoff
What's been called the first clinical study protocol developed using crowdsourcing methods received the FDA's imprimatur earlier this month. The agency approved Transparency Life Sciences' IND for a clinical trial designed to test a generic blood-pressure medication, ACE inhibitor lisinopril, in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.
“We believe that we are the first clinical protocol cleared by the FDA that included input from patients as well as physicians and researchers,” Tomasz Sablinski, MD, PhD (pictured below), founder and CEO of Transparency Life Sciences, told MM&M in an e-mail.
Data will be collected directly from subjects in the yearlong, 150-180-patient placebo-controlled study with the help of remote-monitoring technology from another firm, Advanced Monitored Caregiving, making it a so-called virtual trial as well.
Sablinski said he hopes the firm's crowdsourced protocol design raises awareness of the trial among MS patients and physicians and facilitates recruitment and retention. If so, it could pave the way for what he sees as “a fresh approach” to making drug development more sustainable.
The high cost of running clinical trials, recruiting patients for them, and designing them in such a way as to yield the data required by regulators, payers and marketers are all challenges with which drug developers wrestle, as is the slow, some would say anemic, yield from drug pipelines (recent numbers suggest R&D productivity may be picking up).
Sablinski's firm wants to make the process more efficient. Its business model includes re-purposing generic drugs and testing them in clinical trials that derive their protocols from a global crowd's input, which TLS says can help ensure that the protocols have greater relevance to clinical practice and to patient needs.
For instance, TLS used a web-based tool to elicit insights from patients and healthcare experts, with the responses factoring into primary and secondary endpoints, inclusion/exclusion criteria and remote-monitoring strategies for its Phase IIa lisinopril protocol.
In addition, TLS says it practices full data transparency. “We plan to post all data (raw and final) on our website (with patient identifiers removed) for everyone to see and analyze,” added Sablinski.
Asked about the TLS study, an FDA spokesperson said the agency does not comment on ongoing clinical trials. “We are aware of studies that have tried to elicit data online, and even do informed consent online,” noted the spokesperson, Chris Kelly, in an e-mail. “There is tremendous interest in moving trials into healthcare settings and using patient records to seek potential participants, among other initiatives.”
However, trying to introduce such initiatives into clinical research has been a mixed bag. One such effort, Pfizer's 2011 Phase IV REMOTE trial involving overactive bladder drug Detrol LA, was said to be the first to recruit and communicate with patients entirely via web-based telemonitoring techniques. But the drugmaker halted the study earlier this year after it ran into problems attracting enough volunteers.
At the same time, the REMOTE trial proved that some new efficiencies could be worked into the trials process: online consent delivery and testing, in-home patient follow-up, expanded use of mobile, and at-home drug delivery. Pfizer's head of clinical innovation, Craig Lipset, said in a blog post that the drugmaker is working to integrate those tools into new trials.
To prevent similar roadblocks, TLS is collaborating with MS researchers at Stanford Medical School to conduct its trial and expects that their participation will facilitate patient recruitment, Sablinski said. That strategy, and remote monitoring of subjects, could also cut costs.
Sablinski said he wants to learn from previous efforts. If TLS's mid-stage trial confirms what preclinical testing has found, it could prove not only the value of lisinopril as a new therapeutic option for patients with MS, but also help the drug developer—and others—realize the promise of crowdsourcing and virtual trials to make R&D more viable. | {
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The Combating Terrorism Sentinel has an extremely interesting and well-informed piece entitled The JRTN Movement and Iraq’s Next Insurgency. It’s well worth the reading time invested in it, and it explains why we no longer need to be in Iraq at all without significant changes to the Status of Forces Agreement where we would be allowed to operate more autonomously than we currently are. I’ll leave the balance of the report to the reader, but the money quote (for the point I’m trying to make) is this.
JRTN’s branding and messaging has yielded a number of significant advantages for the group. One private security analyst with access to U.S. and Iraqi Security Force officers stated: “At the operational level, JRTN’s appearance of a religious connection gives it credibility in the eyes of the population and therefore increases the support offered and reduces the interference by the local population.” The analyst noted that JRTN’s stated “policy of only attacking the ‘occupiers’ and not the local population (whatever their ethnic or religious group) makes it one of the least ‘interfered with’ terrorist groupings. The population turned its back on many of the foreign fighters but JRTN are still seen as Iraqis first.” In areas along the federal-Kurdish line of control, JRTN’s anti-Kurdish agitation may have assisted its penetration of Sunni security forces. Kurdish factions recently accused JRTN of influencing the 12th Iraqi Army division in southern Kirkuk and flying JRTN’s flag on Iraqi Army vehicles during anti-Kurdish protests. Through sympathizers in the security forces, JRTN is assumed by U.S. officers to have at least some basic insight into the workings of joint U.S.-Iraqi operations centers, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and signals intelligence.
The apparent focus on U.S. forces (plus its capacity to intimidate local judges and call upon tribal support) has earned the movement sympathetic treatment by some parts of the Iraqi security forces and judiciary. One intelligence officer from Diyala noted that his Iraqi counterparts “rarely stated in public that JRTN was much of a threat and every time we detained a JRTN leader, we had to fight tooth and nail to keep them detained. In other words they did not accept that JRTN was a serious risk to the [government of Iraq], only to Americans.” JRTN appears to have successfully used loopholes in Iraqi law that means “resistance activities” are not treated as seriously as crimes with Iraqi victims. According to one analyst, this legal aspect “is one reason that [JRTN] is deliberately not leaving a trail of evidence and claims connecting it to car bombings or assassinations that target Iraqis.”
The Iraqis want our logistical capabilities, our MEDEVAC capabilities, our stability, our discipline, and so on. They don’t want us to operate in such a manner that we quell an insurgency, or target Iranian forces who destabilize Iraq. We should be killing insurgents, and instead we are still tipping our hat to incarceration of insurgents, which we have demonstrated is never a successful strategy in counterinsurgency (kill them or let them go – prisons are counterproductive in COIN). And with the current state of affairs in Iraq, we can’t even do that against favored insurgent groups.
So be it. It’s time for the Iraqis to go it alone. Our military forces shouldn’t play second fiddle to anyone.
Terrorist/insurrectionist operations under the flag of Naqshabandi Sufism is a trademark of the Caucasian islamists movement. The administrative and support system for this movement is in Turkey and operates in the open. In fact, the PM of Turkey, Erdogan, is a noted Naqshabandi.
It is not much of a leap to speculate that what this involves is an alliance between the militant Naqshabandi insurrectionist movement and the government of Turkey’s effort to supress the Kurdish independence movement. The dominant political party in Turkey, AKP, is largly composed of members who support the idea of the creation of a new Islamist Caliphate. | {
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32 CFR 1901.61 - Purpose and authority.
Purpose of exemptions. This part sets forth those systems of records or portions of systems of records which the Director of Central Intelligence has determined to exempt from the procedures established by this regulation and from certain provisions of the Privacy Act:
(a) The purpose of the following specified general exemption of polygraph records is to prevent access and review of records which intimately reveal CIA operational methods. The purpose of the general exemption from the provisions of sections (c)(3) and (e)(3) (A)-(D) of the Privacy Act is to avoid disclosures that may adversely affect ongoing operational relationships with other intelligence and related organizations and thus reveal or jeopardize intelligence sources and methods or risk exposure of intelligence sources and methods in the processing of covert employment applications.
(b) The purpose of the general exemption from sections (d), (e)(4)(G), (f)(1), and (g) of the Privacy Act is to protect only those portions of systems of records which if revealed would risk exposure of intelligence sources and methods or hamper the ability of the CIA to effectively use information received from other agencies or foreign governments.
(c) It should be noted that by subjecting information which would consist of, reveal, or pertain to intelligence sources and methods to separate determinations by the Director of Central Intelligence under the provision entitled “General exemptions,”32 CFR 1901.62 regarding access and notice, an intent is established to apply the exemption from access and notice only in those cases where notice in itself would constitute a revelation of intelligence sources and methods; in all cases where only access to information would reveal such source or method, notice will be given upon request.
(d) The purpose of the general exemption for records that consist of, pertain to, or would otherwise reveal the identities of employees who provide information to the Office of the Inspector General is to implement section 17 of the CIA Act of 1949, as amended, 50 U.S.C. 403q(e)(3), and to ensure that no action constituting a reprisal or threat of reprisal is taken because an employee has cooperated with the Office of Inspector General.
(e) The purpose of the specific exemptions provided for under section (k) of the Privacy Act is to exempt only those portions of systems of records which would consist of, reveal, or pertain to that information which is enumerated in that section of the Act.
(f) In each case, the Director of Central Intelligence currently or then in office has determined that the enumerated classes of information should be exempt in order to comply with dealing with the proper classification of national defense or foreign policy information; protect the identification of persons who provide information to the CIA Inspector General; protect the privacy of other persons who supplied information under an implied or express grant of confidentiality in the case of law enforcement or employment and security suitability investigations (or promotion material in the case of the armed services); protect information used in connection with protective services under 18 U.S.C. 3056; protect the efficacy of testing materials; and protect information which is required by statute to be maintained and used solely as statistical records.
Title 32 published on 2014-07-01.
No entries appear in the Federal Register after this date, for 32 CFR Part 1901.
This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part. | {
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Article: Lance Moore Becoming One Of The Best Wide Receivers In The NFL
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Lance Moore Becoming One Of The Best Wide Receivers In The NFL
this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; Moore has shown that he can be a deep threat and at the same time has shown that he can pick up the important yards. Of Moore’s 28 receptions this season 26 of them have resulted in first down conversions ...
Moore has shown that he can be a deep threat and at the same time has shown that he can pick up the important yards. Of Moore’s 28 receptions this season 26 of them have resulted in first down conversions which means that 92.9 percent of his receptions have been for first downs. Out of all the receivers in the NFL that have made at least 25 receptions this season Moore is first in first down percentage.
Its funny , I must have fought 50 threads over the years at saints report .Where the prevailing thinking was that he was to short and we should trade him.,lol. We only really needed Moore,Colston, and Henderson, Meachum was a luxury , and I thought took to much time from Moore.
With Morgan in the rotation, I actually think the WR core is better than it was, because Moore is a master at getting open, and runs the best routes.
Hes always trailed welker in catch %, and thats not even fair because he didn't have near the play time of welker.
The New Orleans Saints have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL and part of the reason is the play of wide receiver Lance Moore. Moore has been very consistent this season and has become a big part of the Saints’ dynamic offense.
For the season Moore has made 28 receptions for 408 yards and two touchdowns. Furthermore, Moore averages 81.6 yards a game, which is good enough for 14th in the NFL. In the Saints’ 35-28 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Moore had season highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (121).
Moore has shown that he can be a deep threat and at the same time has shown that he can pick up the important yards. Of Moore’s 28 receptions this season 26 of them have resulted in first down conversions which means that 92.9 percent of his receptions have been for first downs. Out of all the receivers in the NFL that have made at least 25 receptions this season Moore is first in first down percentage.
However, looking at the numbers alone does not do justice to Moore. Moore has been a very efficient and reliable receiver this season but looking at what he is working with makes it all the more impressive. Moore is putting up big numbers but he is not one of the “big” receivers in the NFL, literally and figuratively.
Moore only stands at 5’9″ 190 pounds but he is a fearless football player and deserves to be in the conversation as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. For now, Moore is fine with flying under the radar and he will continue to play big and help the Saints turn their season around.
Our offense is finely tuned to exploit the various talents of each player. Some of them we are figuring out how to fit, but others are unique and nearly irreplaceable:
-Drew
-Pierre
-Jahri
-Darren
-Marques
-Jimmy
-Lance
-Devery (There are players who could do what he does, maybe better, but not at the price we have him at, and few if any that block the screen as well as he does.) | {
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Town Clerk/Tax Collector's office is now located in the Town Hall Building, 1812 Co. Hwy. 34 (across the road from its previous location). ALL Town Clerk & Tax Collector business will be conducted at the new location. Hours : Thursday 5-8PM, and Saturday 2PM-5PM OR by appointment by calling (607)638-5165 or email [email protected]
** IF THESE HOURS ARE INCONVENIENT FOR YOU PLEASE CONTACT ME AND WE CAN ARRANGE A TIME THAT IS BETTER FOR YOU!!
Please Note: In 2013, a Local Law was passed that ALL Town of Westford Residents (tax payers & rentees) MUST have a Town authorized permit to dispose of garbage. Permits are free to Town Residents and available at the Town Clerk's office. Proof of residency (tax bill, utility bill, etc. - with your physical address (not mailing address) is required. Non-Residents may use the facility at a fee of $3.00 per bag. Click on the Documents banner above to view the Town of Westford Local Laws.
ALL dogs MUST be licensed. Click on the Documents banner above for a description of the DOG CONTROL LAW or click on the Town Clerk/Tax Collector banner and scroll to ISSUANCE OF DOG LICENSES for instructions to license your pet.
As a convenience to you, Debit and Credit Cards are now accepted for payment of fees made at the Town Clerk/Tax Collector Office (in-office only). The following convenience fees will be charged to your card by your card company:
Westford is located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, in the eastern portion of Otsego County. The nestled in the rolling hills is a community of agricultural enterprises, small hamlets, scattered rural residences, and a variety of small and home-based businesses.
The Town has a strong agricultural tradition. Modern dairy farms, organic beef and vegetable farms, and sugar maple farms continue that tradition. These enterprises contribute greatly to the town's rural character and open spaces.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BUSINESSES THERE ARE IN THE TOWN OF WESTFORD? Some of them can be found by clicking on the "links" banner above.
About the Community
According to the latest Census, Westford is home to approximately 870 people. Westford enjoys one of the fastest growth rates in the county, with a population increase of nearly 100% since 1970 when the population was 435. The population centers are the hamlets of Westford, in the center of town, and Westville, on the western boundary with the Town of Middlefield.
The Town has three active churches, the Methodist Church and Episcopal Church located in the hamlet of Westford and the Methodist Church in the hamlet of Westville. The Town Hall and Westford Methodist Church serve as community centers for various activities.
Most of the children in Westford attend Schenevus Central School in the neighboring Town of Maryland. Some of the children also attend neighboring Worcester, Milford and Cherry Valley schools.
The Westford Community Association provides opportunties for social events and activities for children. These events include the Westford Christmas Pageant, the Easter Egg Hunt, and the Halloween Costume Party. The Association also hosts the Alumni luncheon for former graduates of the Westford School.
Town Ammenities & Attractions (see our Links page to visit webpages)
The Town Hall and Fire Department is located at 1812 County Highway 34 in the old Westford school. The Town Hall serves as the meeting place for several local organizations, including the Planning Board, the Westford Community Association, Fire Department and it's Auxiliary. Town Clerk Office and Town Court are also in the Town Hall. The Westford Post Office is located in the center of the hamlet at 1743 County Highway 34. The Lobby is opened for access to mail boxes Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.. Window service is available Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Families enjoy recreation at Gopher Field, Busacher Park and Wilbur and Betty Davis State Park. Gopher Field includes a youth soccer field and Little League field. Busacher Park boasts a pavillion avalable for picnics located next to the Town Hall/Fire Department. The State Park includes hiking trails, catch and release fishing, a playground, and events pavilion. Six lovely log cabins are available for lodging at the State Park.
Many of our agricultural enterprises are either open to the public or provide direct services to the public, for instance: .............Breezie Maples is the largest organic maple syrup producer in the state of New York. Breezie Maples won the Cooking Light 2010 Taste Test Award. In the Spring, visit Breezie Maples on their open house day to tour the facility, taste the syrup and take home a bit of Westford!
............Willie's Farm and Cider Mill is open seasonally in the Autumn, feature custom cider pressing, local crafts, baked goods, special events and lots of fun activities for families including wagon rides and a corn maze. | {
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Dreams
About Us
About This Site
Welcome! This site is continuously being created by students of
Dr. William C. Dement's
Sleep And Dreams course at Stanford University.
We made this site as a call to action for people all over the world to live healthier, happier, safer, and more productive lives by learning about their own sleep. We have faith that reading the information provided on this site will motivate you to be smart about your sleep deprivation and strategic about your alertness in order to live life to your fullest, most energetic potential.
In fact, we challenge you to do so! What do you say, are you up for the challenge?
The Stanford Sleep Book
Dr. Dement's pioneering textbook has been the core text for
Sleep and Dreams
since 1980, but it has just recently been made available to the wider public for the first time.
In it you'll find a more detailed account of the most important things you need to know about sleep, alertness, dreams, and sleep disorders. Studies, statistics, plus plenty of Dr. Dement's classic anecdotes painting the history of sleep medicine.
More Sleep Resources
The Zeo
A revolution in personal sleep tracking, the Zeo is a wireless headband that transmits your brainwaves in realtime to a dock (pictured here) or your smartphone. The result? You can wake up and see exactly what stages of sleep you were in during the night! Unprecedented personalized sleep knowledge.
Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide
Ever woken up paralyzed? A surprising number of us have, believe it or not. But few know the actual causes of this phenomenon, and fewer still how to exert control over it. Dream researcher and sleep paralysis expert Ryan Hurd shares breakthrough insights into how to do just that.
Important Disclaimer
Please Note:
The information found on this page and throughout this site is intended for general information purposes only. While it may prove useful and empowering, it is NOT intended as a substitute for the expertise and judgments of healthcare practitioners. | {
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And Eubank's usually supremely confident father has revealed he has some doubts ahead of the highly-anticipated contest.
'I didn't say (Junior would win),' Eubank Snr insisted during Thursday's pre-fight press conference at the O2. 'I'm not convinced (Junior will win), because James DeGale has pedigree in terms of gold medallists, former world champions - it's real.
'I respect the man's abilities. Junior has it - but who turns up on the night?
'This is going to be strange to the audience, but my son looks at the physical aspect of this person, the crowd - the physical game.
Eubank Snr (left) admitted he was concerned that his son (right) may come up short
'And from a physical point of view, I don't think there is anyone who can actually stand with him. But it isn't just physical - it's also spiritual.
'And this is where Junior lacks that blessing. It's the only thing that allowed me to win so many championship fights and allowed me to put up with the bigotry of the media, the keyboard warriors, the critics.
'I've endured it all because, spiritually, I am buoyant, alive. I've never come down to that level but I don't know whether he (Junior) has that.
'It's definitely a 50-50 fight. I am petrified of what the outcome could be. I am petrified he may not win this fight.'
The loser of Saturday's huge title fight is widely expected to retire from the sport | {
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4 New Games Officially Greenlit by Steam
Okay, so we all know what Steam is, right? It’s a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform (which was developed by the Valve Corporation). Steam also listens to their community and reaches out to certain (lucky) developers to start moving towards the Steam Community, too. Pretty cool, am I right? Anyways today Steam Greenlit 4 new titles… | {
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Who doesn't love Hagrid and the magical creatures of Harry Potter? Well, I don't know but when my partner in the Back to Hogwarts swap listed the Magical Menagerie shop as a favourite I knew I had to make these little guys. The shop is sewn with a brick printed fabric and a drawstring was added to the top for a peaked roof. The puppets were knitted or crocheted from various patterns or made up, like the toad, owl, and kneazle. And you have to have Hagrid!
Those are so cute! And I love that brick fabric. I have some in my sewing stash. I wish now that I would have bought more. I have used it for several different projects! Great job on your finger puppets. | {
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} |
E2U MVB15 MOISTURE VAPOR BARRIER KIT
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E2U Moisture Vapor Barrier (MVB15) kit is a rapid curing, VOC-compliant, two component, 100% solids epoxy system for concrete substrates. MVB15 is a moisture vapor barrier that reduces the permeance of moisture vapor to levels that are acceptable for the application of flooring installation systems and floor coverings. It is compatible with most flooring adhesives and cementitious underlayments, including all E2U adhesives, primers and underlayments.
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Recommendations for concrete floors and slabs with a compressive strength of at least 2500 psi, where moisture vapor transmission of substrate falls between 3 lbs and 15 lbs per 1000 sqft over 24 hours using calcium chloride test per ASTM F1869 and the relative humidity is between 75% and 90% per ASTM F2170 or F2420.
E2U POLYASPARTIC 85 KIT Manufacturer: EPOXY2U LLCLocation: Fullerton, California, USA E2U Polyaspartics is the next generation in two component, fast drying, aliphatic polyurea. While other Polyaspartics can only be applied... | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
(Newser)
–
A man was killed and at least seven other people were injured in a horrific ride malfunction on the opening day of the Ohio State Fair. Officials say the 18-year-old man was killed after being thrown in the air from the Fire Ball ride Wednesday evening and landing around 50 feet away, the Columbus Dispatch reports. Steve Martin, the Columbus Fire Division's battalion chief, says five of the injured are in critical condition. He says one of the injured people is 13 years old and the rest are adults. The Fire Ball, described by its maker as an "aggressive thrill ride," spins around riders held in sections on six spoke arms. Martin says one of the rows of seats "snapped off," sending riders flying, NBC4 reports.
Michael Vartorella, chief ride inspector of the Amusement Ride Safety Division, says inspectors examined the ride earlier in the day and didn't spot any problems, reports CNN. Vartorella says the Fire Ball was inspected three or four times before the fair opened. He says inspections weren't rushed, though heavy rains and flooding forced inspectors to work long hours. "I am terribly saddened by this accident, by the loss of life and that people were injured enjoying Ohio's fair," Ohio Gov. John Kasich said in a statement. He ordered the closure of the other 71 rides at the fair for inspections. They're expected to reopen Thursday, apart from several rides near the Fire Ball, the Dispatch reports. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
not the long story but some info: http://books.google.com/books?id=sL2oreiBQ6wC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=forrest+j+ackerman+step+son+wendayne&source=bl&ots=KQolWVHuKv&sig=AiwLgWDjpJ0dd52U_FMfywA6wZ8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=S_mEUrrDI-qe2QWZ0oDgAw&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=forrest%20j%20ackerman%20step%20son%20wendayne&f=false | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Here Andrew is back talking to Matt Cassidy about his 3rd place finish at the Last Legion Tournament in the North East. He takes us through his games before heading to the main topic for this episode which is Bragging Rights 2013 - a ETC style 4 person to | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
As the Third Christian Millennium dawns, the Caribbean is at kairos: the nexus of opportunity and risk. In light of the Christocentric fulness theme of Ephesians 4:9 - 24, perspectives and counsel will be offered to support reformation, transformation and blessing towards a truly sustainable future under God.
According to Mike at M & D’s in Wareham, a billfish of some kind
was caught in the Cape Cod Canal Tuesday night at Murderer’s Row. At
approximately 7:30AM Wednesday morning Cape Cod Tackle Facebook page
posted, “I just watched a video on a customers cell phone of a guy
catching a Marlin in the canal last night. I ‘m not kidding I said a
Marlin. Caught at the Murders row last night. I’ll post pictures later
when he sends them to me.”
“They thought it was a shark at first,
so they cast back out and hooked up. It was hanging around in between
the pilings, which is even more strange,” Mike told us when we called
him later that morning.
At about 7pm Wednesday night, Mike also added to his Facebook page:
“I
should also point out they tried to revive the fish but it did not
survive. The fish ended up having the braid wrapped around his tail
cutting deep into the front of the tail area. fish was caught on a
custom rod/Shimano Baitrunner reel 50 lb braid and a Storm Blue Herring
swim bait lure. anglers name withheld for now.”
50 lb gel spun polyester braid probably has about the diameter of the more traditional 12 lb nylon mono line, and the reel (reportedly twice nearly spooled) and a surf fishing spinning reel could credibly handle a serious 50 - 80 lb fish. But, an amazing catch from shore.Though, it should be noted that Sailfish do come in close to shore but usually far to the south. But then the seas were apparently quite warm this summer.Rare, but possible. END
As we continue to look at the Freedom From Religion Foundation's anti-Christian poster:
. . . it is time to look at the implications of several common lab coat-dressed atheistical talking points that imply that the human mind is deeply delusional and so inadvertently back-fire through self-contradiction.A good place to begin is a recent Daily Mail article, reflecting on the reliably anti-theistic NewScientist:
Brains 'are hardwired to believe in God and imaginary friends'
Religion is part of human nature and our brains are hard wired to believe in God, scientists believe.
The
evidence includes studies of babies and children which have shown the
brain is programmed to think of the mind as being separate from the
body.
This distinction allows us to believe in the supernatural,
to conjure up imaginary friends - and to conceive of gods, this week's
New Scientist reports.
Other studies suggest our minds come with
an overdeveloped sense of cause and effect, which primes us to see
purpose and design everywhere, even when there is none.
Children as young as seven or eight believe that rocks, rivers and birds have been created for a specific purpose.
Taken together, the two traits mean were are perfectly programmed to believe in god.
Professor
Paul Bloom, a psychologist at Yale University in the US, said: 'There's
now a lot of evidence that some of the foundations for our religious
beliefs are hard-wired.
'All humans possess the brain circuitry and it never goes away.'
This sort of thinking is of course the sub-text behind the dismissal of "gods," "angels" and "devils" in the FFRF poster.
The Daily Mail article also cites the dean of the so-called new Atheists:
Richard Dawkins. Britain's most famous atheist, argues in his book the
God Delusion that religion is propagated through indoctrination,
especially of children.
Evolution predisposes children to swallow
whatever their parents and elders tell them, he argues, as trust and
obedience are important for survival.
Asked about the idea of
pre-programming, the Oxford University professor said: 'I am thoroughly
happy with believing that children are predisposed to believe in
invisible gods - I always was.
'But I also find that indoctrination hypothesis plausible. The two influences could, and I suspect do, reinforce one another.'
Then of course, we can cite prof William Provine of Cornell in the well known 1998 Darwin Day keynote address at University of Tennessee:
Naturalistic evolution has clear consequences that Charles Darwin understood perfectly.
1) No gods worth having exist; 2) no life after death exists; 3) no
ultimate foundation for ethics exists; 4) no ultimate meaning in life
exists; and 5) human free will is nonexistent . . . .The first 4 implications are so obvious to modern naturalistic evolutionists that I will spend little time defending them.
Human free will, however, is another matter. Even evolutionists have
trouble swallowing that implication. I will argue that humans are
locally determined systems that make choices. They have, however, no
free will . . .
Nor should we neglect remarks by Nobel Prize holder Sir Francis Crick in his 1994 The Astonishing Hypothesis and their implications:
. . . that "You", your joys and your
sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal
identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behaviour of a
vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules. As Lewis
Carroll's Alice might have phrased: "You're nothing but a pack of
neurons." This hypothesis is so alien to the ideas of most people
today that it can truly be called astonishing.
[T]he problem is to get [people] to reject irrational and supernatural
explanations of the world, the demons that exist only in their
imaginations, and to accept a social and intellectual apparatus, Science, as the only begetter of truth [--> NB: this is a knowledge claim about knowledge and its possible sources, i.e. it is a claim in philosophy not science; it is thus self-refuting]. . . .It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, thatwe are forced by oura priori adherence to material causes[--> another major begging of the question . . . ]to
create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce
material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how
mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute[--> i.e. here we see the fallacious, indoctrinated, ideological, closed mind . . . ], for wecannot allow a Divine Foot in the door. [From: “Billions and Billions of Demons,” NYRB, January 9, 1997. Bold emphasis and notes added. If you have been led to imagine that this is "quote mined" kindly see the filler citation and notes here.]
Game over, religion is myth and superstition, childish projections of imaginary friends up to the sky and so on. Science, duly dressed in the lab coat, has spoken.Not so fast:1 --> Provine and Crick actually inadvertently expose the real problem: evolutionary materialism -- which, let us not forget, Lewontin reminds us is now being imposed before the evidence is allowed to speak and is thus allowed to censor the evidence -- drastically undermines the credibility of the human mind. So, it refutes itself. This was recognised publicly as long ago as the turn of the 1930's by the noted evolutionary thinker J. B. S. Haldane:
"It seems to me immensely unlikely that mind is a mere by-product of matter. For if my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true.They may be sound chemically, but that does not make them sound logically. And hence I have no reason for supposing my brain to be composed of atoms. In order to escape from this necessity of sawing away the branch on
which I am sitting, so to speak, I am compelled to believe that mind is
not wholly conditioned by matter.” ["When I am dead," in Possible Worlds: And Other Essays [1927], Chatto and Windus: London, 1932, reprint, p.209. (Highlight and emphases added.)]
2 --> In short, if the thoughts of a Crick are nothing but the molecular agitations in his brain, and if a Provine has no sufficient freedom to choose and decide for himself, then thought, reasoning, knowledge, decision, ethics and more collapse into delusion.
3 --> Without a real mind, so that we are genuinely capable of capable of thinking, knowing and deciding for ourselves, we become little more than whatever we have been wired up in our brains or indoctrinated by whoever had control of our formative years up to College. 4 --> But, on the presupposition of evolutionary materialism, that matter, energy, space, time and resulting blind chance and mechanical necessity are all that exist, we do inescapably end up in the problem envisioned by Haldane over eighty years ago: sawing away the branch on which we must sit.
5 --> For: "if my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true.They may be sound chemically, but that does not make them sound logically." Oops.6 --> With that in mind, let us look afresh at how NewScientists' sources and Dawkins as well as FFRF etc. try to displace this problem of self-refutation by projecting it unto belief in God:
a: our brains are hard wired to believe in God
b: the
brain is programmed to think of the mind as being separate from the
body. This distinction allows us to believe in the supernatural,
to conjure up imaginary friends - and to conceive of gods
c: our minds come with
an overdeveloped sense of cause and effect, which primes us to see
purpose and design everywhere, even when there is none
d: All humans possess the brain circuitry and it never goes away
e: Evolution predisposes children to swallow
whatever their parents and elders tell them
f: I am thoroughly
happy with believing that children are predisposed to believe in
invisible godsg: humans are
locally determined systems that make choices. They have, however, no
free will
h: "You", your joys and your
sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal
identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behaviour of a
vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules.i: You're nothing but a pack of
neurons
j: there is only our natural [i.e. material] world
7 --> But obviously, the sauce that stews the goose cooks up the gander just as well. The basic problem is, that a rock has no dreams, and evolutionary materialism is forced to make the jump from rocks and molecules derived from rocks (our bodies are all formed "out of the dust of the earth"!) to self-aware, thoughtful, deciding, conscience-lashed conscious mindedness. For, plainly:
8 --> We are conscious and conscious that we live in a common external world, a world in which we perceive, think, reason, communicate, discuss, believe we know some things and more. So, if we try to reduce this all to genetically based brain chemistry and ion currents in neurons, multiplied by accidents of psycho-social conditioning, we are deeply undermining our first, undeniable fact: consciousness.9 --> Let's take up the classic brain in vats delusion in the diagram just above, as an illustrative example.10 --> This is of course a modern form of the classic parable of Plato's cave, in which men have been held prisoner from childhood and are forced to only see shadow-shows projected on the opposite wall of the cave, which they naturally imagine to be reality. Then, one is somehow released, and sees the cheat,t hen is dragged up into the real world, where he learns just how deluded he was. Taking pity on his fellows, he tries to return and help them, only to be targetted with dismissive hostility:
11 --> The inevitable problem in this sort of scheme of course is that once we project a notion of general delusion unto any major aspect of the human mind, there are no firewalls. So, who is to say that the world in which we perceive ourselves as brains in the vats is not in turn another cave of shadow shows, or the apparent outer world of reality is not another cave in turn, and so on in an infinite regress of delusions. Which, is patently absurd.12 --> Instead, we use a bit of common good sense and upend the lot: that we are conscious, self aware and thinking creatures who by multiple senses are also aware of a common external world is manifest and so, it makes no sense to imagine that we are subjects of general delusion. Yes, it is possible to err (which is something we can realise is undeniably true not just a matter of fact), but that is itself a point of certain truth. So, we recognise there are some things we can be certain of, and that we can make mistakes. 13 --> In particular, if we try to undermine freedom to think, decide, act and respond to the voice of conscience by imagining such are generally delusional or childish, comparable to having imaginary friends, we end up with the problem of general delusion. As the list of atheistical pronouncements made while dressed up in the lab coat above manifestly do.14 --> No wonder ID thinker Philip Johnson has replied that Sir Francis Crick should have therefore been willing to preface his works thusly: "I,
Francis Crick, my opinions and my science, and even the thoughts
expressed in this book, consist of nothing more than the behavior of a
vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules." Johnson then acidly commented: “[[t]he plausibility of materialistic determinism requires that an implicit exception be made for the theorist.” [Reason in the Balance, 1995.]15 --> In short, the lab coat clad materialists here are plainly sawing off the branch on which they, too, are sitting. CRAACK!16 --> Instead, UD Blog's W J Murray is apt:
If you do not [acknowledge]the law of non-contradiction, you have nothing to
argue about. If you do not [admit] the principles of sound reason, you
have nothing to argue with. If you do not [recognise] libertarian free will,
you have no one to argue against. If you do not [accept] morality to be an
objective commodity, you have no reason to argue in the first place.
17 --> So, we have no good reason to deny that we are conscious, minded, enconscienced (so, morally governed and morally struggling . . . ) creatures who have significant freedom to think, decide and act, and we are living in a world that in ever so many ways gives every good reason to see it as patently designed. (Start from how the world we live in -- the only world we actually observe -- on very strong evidence had a beginning, which implies that it has a begin-ner of awesome power. Multiply by the evidence that from its basic physics, it is finely tuned in ever so many ways, to support Carbon chemistry, watery medium cell based life. [Try here for a start, and look here at UD's V J Torley as he replied to P Z Myers' attempt to dismiss W L Craig's short arguments presented here at KF, last time.])
18 --> So much so, that the evolutionary materialists (as we have seen) are forced to project confident manner talking points that such are childish delusions to be dismissed . . . only to saw off the branch on which they too must sit.19 --> But of course, to see that, we need to pause and think about the self-referential implications of what they are saying. Do that for a few minutes, and, OOPS -- CRAACK!20 --> A particularly pivotal point is the sense we generally have that we are under moral government, as attested by the voice of conscience. This is a major point of our thoughts, life and conscious experience, so we have no good reason to imagine it is the delusion that has been suggested, on pain of sawing off the branch on which we all must sit.21 --> That is we live in a world where OUGHT is credibly real. That means, there is a foundational IS in our world that grounds OUGHT. For which IS, across centuries of serious debate and discussion, there has been just one serious candidate: the inherently good, Creator God and Loving, utterly Just Lord.22 --> So, the above attempts to brush aside such evidence as childish delusions projecting imaginary friends unto the sky, falls apart. Instead, what we see is that the evidence is so plain and so widespread that those who wish to deny it have to make up a story of general delusion that then saws off the branch on which they too must sit.23 --> In short, we are back to the force of one of the most uncomfortable texts in the Bible, where the Apostle Paul, in rebuke to the decadence and monstrous evil of Rome -- by that time horrifically manifest in the person of the Emperor himself . . . Nero, argued:
Rom 1:19 For that which is known about God is evident to [men] and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.
20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and
through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are
without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], 21 Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and[c]godless
in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid
speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves]. 23 And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles. [--> in those days, idols in temples surrounded by often scandalous myths, nowadays, images in museums and on the web or TV, or in textbooks surrounded by a priori materialist ideologies dressed up in a lab coat serve much the same purpose]
24 Therefore
God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity,
to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to
the degrading power of sin], 25 Because
they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the
creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be
it).
26 For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one, 27 And
the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set
ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another—men committing
shameful acts with men and suffering in their own [d]bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.
28 And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome, 29 Until they were filled (permeated and saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, iniquity, grasping and covetous greed, and malice. [They were] full of envy and jealousy, murder, strife, deceit and treachery, ill will and cruel ways. [They were] secret backbiters and gossipers, 30 Slanderers, hateful to and hating God, full of insolence, arrogance, [and] boasting; inventors of new forms of evil, disobedient and undutiful to parents.
31 [They were] without understanding, conscienceless and faithless, heartless and loveless [and] merciless. 32 Though
they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such
things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them. [AMP]
24 --> Looks like the old apostle had a serious point._____________So, it is back to whose report will we believe? Why? ENDPS: At Christmas season, this of course leads back to why believe in angels any more than Santa Claus, which is duly mocked by Dan Barker and his FFRF. The answer is, first, that while there are many legends about Santa, there is a historical basis, the old bishop of Smyrna, St Nicholas. So, if we have no good reason to dismiss the reality of God, there is no good reason to doubt that he may have created other orders of being, whom we may call angels . . . messengers. And, some such angels may be fallen from their original estate, and so there is no in principle reason why devils are necessarily superstitious myths also. Yes, there may be legends aplenty and dubious reports, but let us keep an open mind.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
This time, let us focus on the pivotal ideas in the FFRF poster, that all that exists is the natural world and that "Religion" is therefore "but myth and superstition . . . "As we have been observing the FFRF poster confidently asserts:
The obvious pivotal issue is that in our day such atheism wears the lab coat, and pronounces its assertions in the name of science, which in their minds, trumps "religion." (BTW: It seems, sadly, that such atheists are usually so ignorant or dismissive of philosophy that they can only equate religion with superstition, they have no conceptual category that allows them to recognise why there are diverse worldviews and why a worldview different from their own may be reasonable. Part of our job is to educate such, including on the inevitable worldview roots of science and of their evolutionary materialist secular humanist scientism. Including, the decisive weaknesses in that view. Later on, DV.)C S Lewis long ago answered -- actually, ANTICIPATED -- quite decisively, with the very miracle at the heart of Advent Season as the miracle in play: that Jesus of Nazareth was born of a virgin.
This has been brought to the attention of a modern audience by way of an animation -- thanks to C S Lewis Doodle:
Two George III sixpences, HT Wiki
Here, we can see how by way of the example of two sixpences put in a drawer on successive days, we can understand the difference between a law of nature acting freely by mechanical necessity and/or by chance processes similar to what happens when we roll a pair of fair dice, and what happens with intelligent intervention. The two coins put in a drawer will add up to twelve pence or one shilling's worth -- unless someone intervenes. And if a thief intervenes, he will have not so much broken the laws of arithmetic as those of England.Just so, it was not ignorance of the laws of nature that led Joseph to change his mind about divorcing his espoused wife Mary. (And yes, the betrothal of that day was much stronger than our modern engagements are. One had to get a divorce to break it -- it was unconsummated marriage.)
Joseph full well knew how women usually become pregnant with child.
But, he was also open to the possibility that the world is not a closed, self-contained material, mechanical system with room only for chance and deterministic causal influences that trace ultimately to the physics and happenstance circumstances of the Big Bang or the like.So, it seems that the dismissal "[t]here are no gods" -- we agree, there is but one true Living God, our creator and Lord -- is not the pivotal matter, but instead the declaration, "[t]here is only our natural world." That is, FFRF and others of like atheistical ilk imagine that reality is material, and believe that "science" has somehow proved it so.Which science, when, where, by whom, how?Silence.Not psychology or biology, and not chemistry.
And least of all, physics.Science properly understood studies the natural world as a going concern in light of empirical observations, it is unable to explain its ultimate root.
Save, that cosmology (a branch of physics) is more and more finding out that the physics of our cosmos is highly fine tuned in ways that allow Carbon Chemistry, watery medium cell based life to exist on terrestrial planets. Ways that look suspiciously like a design. (We will follow this up later.)But also, at bottom, the confident assertions by FFRF also pivot on the notion that "there is no evidence for God," so belief in God MUST be blind faith, or superstition similar to believing in good luck due to having a rabbit's foot in your back pocket.(Perhaps, such need to ask themselves why they have come to imagine there is no such evidence, on what grounds. And, whether what they really mean is, "there is no evidence that I am willing to properly follow up, fairly evaluate and accept if the balance of the evidence points that way." A very different thing indeed.)However, it may be more useful to simply cite a current short summary of five pointers to God, as was presented by the noted Christian philosopher, William Lane Craig, during a recent television interview:
In an accompanying article he notes . . . and he is a leading expert on the views of modern atheists with many public debates with leading atheists to the point where some are now gun-shy:
. . . most atheists, in my experience, have no good reasons for their
disbelief. Rather they’ve learned to simply repeat the slogan, “There’s
no good evidence for God’s existence!” . . . . In my publications and oral debates with some of the world’s most
notable atheists, I’ve defended the following five reasons why God
exists:
1. God provides the best explanation of the origin of the universe.
Given the scientific evidence we have about our universe and its
origins, and bolstered by arguments presented by philosophers for
centuries, it is highly probable that the universe had an absolute
beginning. Since the universe, like everything else, could not have
merely popped into being without a cause, there must exist a
transcendent reality beyond time and space that brought the universe
into existence. This entity must therefore be enormously powerful. Only a
transcendent, unembodied mind suitably fits that description.
2. God provides the best explanation for the fine-tuning of the universe. Contemporary
physics has established that the universe is fine-tuned for the
existence of intelligent, interactive life. That is to say, in order
for intelligent, interactive life to exist, the fundamental constants
and quantities of nature must fall into an incomprehensibly narrow
life-permitting range. There are three competing explanations of this
remarkable fine-tuning: physical necessity, chance, or design. The first
two are highly implausible, given the independence of the fundamental
constants and quantities from nature's laws and the desperate maneuvers
needed to save the hypothesis of chance. That leaves design as the best
explanation.3. God provides the best explanation of objective moral values and duties.
Even atheists recognize that some things, for example, the Holocaust,
are objectively evil. But if atheism is true, what basis is there for
the objectivity of the moral values we affirm? Evolution? Social
conditioning? These factors may at best produce in us the subjective feeling
that there are objective moral values and duties, but they do nothing
to provide a basis for them. If human evolution had taken a different
path, a very different set of moral feelings might have evolved. By
contrast, God Himself serves as the paradigm of goodness, and His
commandments constitute our moral duties. Thus, theism provides a better
explanation of objective moral values and duties.
4. God provides the best explanation of the historical facts concerning Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Historians have reached something of consensus that the historical
Jesus thought that in himself God’s Kingdom had broken into human
history, and he carried out a ministry of miracle-working and exorcisms
as evidence of that fact. Moreover, most historical scholars agree that
after his crucifixion Jesus’ tomb was discovered empty by a group of
female disciples, that various individuals and groups saw appearances of
Jesus alive after his death, and that the original disciples suddenly
and sincerely came to believe in Jesus’ resurrection despite their every
predisposition to the contrary. I can think of no better explanation of
these facts than the one the original disciples gave: God raised Jesus
from the dead.
5. God can be personally known and experienced. The proof of the
pudding is in the tasting. Down through history Christians have found
through Jesus a personal acquaintance with God that has transformed
their lives.
So, is it really true that there is "no evidence" for God, or is it that there is no evidence that some are willing to accept that might just put an unwelcome Divine Foot in the door of their comfortable ideology? {Added, Dec 22: Cf. UD's V J Torley respond to P Z Myers' attempted dismissals of W L Craig's brief arguments, here.}
And if God is, why would he not ever have good reason to occasionally act beyond the usual course of nature to fulfill a higher purpose?
Such as, the prophesied and fulfilled incarnation of the Christ, his life and service, his death burial and resurrection as witnessed by 500 who could not be stopped by dungeon, fire or sword -- or worse? That is, the focus of this Advent season.That is, too, the possibility of and value of evidence for miracles is going to be settled in the end on whether one is willing to accept that God is possible in light of evidence that is accessible all around us and -- as our consciences testify -- even inside us. For, if we are subject to moral government -- the force of OUGHT, that strongly indicates that we live under a Moral Governor, the inherently good God, our Creator.We seem to be zeroing in on a will problem here.Let us ponder that, this Christmas season. END
This is a case where it is useful to cross-post from Uncommon Descent, as we have a very interesting contrast of two signs to address:_____________>>>Coyne et al cheer on censorship — it is time to take notice . . .
Yesterday, UD News headlined
a case of radical secularist censorship in Los Angeles being cheered on
by Jerry Coyne et al. The case concerns the removal of the following
sign (shown under fair use) that was formerly present at a Museum of
Natural History in that city:
Notice, what Coyne says in exultation over the removal of the sign:
If I get any other information I’ll convey it, but for
now I’m pleased that God is out of the Museum and no longer gets credit
for “creatures.” It’s a victory for secularism, for sure.
Something is blatantly, deeply wrong.
Wrong with the push to censor. Wrong with the willingness of the
museum’s leadership to be intimidated by Darwinist thuggery — and yes,
this is thuggery. Wrong with professors who should value academic
freedom, freedom of expression and diversity but instead are cheering on
censorship.
And — most importantly, wrong in a civilisation that is so rapidly
losing its way, that it too often does not see a warning-sign for what
it is.
By way of illustration, let me contrast
a second sign that seems to have been put up (at Advent season, nothing
less) by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in the Illinois State
legislature building . . . which IIRC, is the same state where prof.
Coyne is based; a sign reportedly put up by the FFRF in the name of
freedom of religious expression:
The stereotypical, scapegoating accusatory message and significance of its timing at the Christmas season could not be clearer.
(Let’s ask: have Mr Coyne and ilk loudly called for removal of this
blatant piece of bigotry and scapegoating hostility that refuses to
acknowledge the most obvious facts that — despite the inevitable sins that any movement with a track record in history will also have to deal with – Judaeo-Christian theism is a legitimate and intellectually serious worldview
with thousands of years of positive contributions to our civilisation
including advancing humanitarianism, civil liberty, learning and
science? I doubt it. [And while I am at it, let us remember: if we
are to make sensible policy choices, we must compare real with real in
light of material pros and cons, not real with utopian ideal or
whitewashed . . . as in, strawman tactics make for poor and often
unjust or abusive and corrupt policy. Cases in point are obvious, all
around and on the ash-heaps of sound
history. Which, we had better learn and value as a record of
hard-bought experience and lessons; lest we repeat its worst chapters.])
{BTW: if you doubt the direct connexion between the two, ponder this comment by NewEnglandBob in Coyne’s Combox:
Critical thinking – 1, Superstition – 0.}
I took time out to comment on the news post, and as it is beginning to slide down the page, let me now headline that comment:________________>> This pattern of intolerance and censorship of legitimate and
historically important perspectives begins to call forth an analysis of
motives, attitudes and habitual patterns.
For instance, Jesus — in a psychologically deeply insightful
observation — warns that we should beware and seek to address the plank
in our own eye when we want to take the speck out of someone else’s eye,
and says that he who is faithful/unfaithful with little will be much
the same with greater power and responsibility. So, while the temptation
for objectors to design theory etc is to try to twist this about and
project it accusingly against us, given their refusal to acknowledge
history (BA77 [OOPS: Barb] is so right to point to
Newton and by extension many others down to today . . . ) and to
pretend that those on our side can only be ignorant, stupid, insane or
wicked, we need to hold up a mirror.
For instance, Egnor reports how Coyne exults:
The anonymous donor quote at the NHM has been removed. My
second-hand source tells me it will not be replaced. No doubt your
efforts, coupled with those of a science reporter at KPCC looking into
the mess, compelled the administration to finally do the right thing.
Without doubt, you and your WEIT audience were the driving forces, for
which I’m grateful.
This is censorship of a legitimate perspective on science, from a context that is educational.It is part and parcel of an increasingly widespread pattern that
projects blame, base motivation, hatred/enmity to science and shrill
accusations of intent to create a theocratic, right wing tyranny.This outrageously false and unbalanced scapegoating is beginning to
look like blame the victim/ blame the perceived other, projection to me.
Where, writ large and backed by growing radical secularist power, it
is manifestly part of a blame the target turnabout accusation that all
too easily becomes a big lie propaganda agenda.
Where also, of course, such a lie can and must be shown to be a case
of speaking with willful disregard to the truth one knows or should
know, hoping to profit by what is false being perceived and acted on as
if it were true. In this case, through outright censorship of a donor’s
plaque.
And where we are cautioned, on the mirror principle, to note with Freud et al (and I here cite Wiki speaking against interest):
Psychological projection was conceptualized by Sigmund
Freud in the 1900s as a defense mechanism in which a person
unconsciously rejects his or her own unacceptable attributes by
ascribing them to objects or persons in the outside world.[1] For
example, a person who is rude may accuse other people of being rude . . .
.Projection tends to come to the fore in normal people at times of
crisis, personal or political,[13] but is more commonly found in the
neurotic or psychotic[14]—in personalities functioning at a primitive
level as in narcissistic personality disorder or borderline personality
disorder.[15]
Carl Jung considered that the unacceptable parts of the personality
represented by the Shadow archetype were particularly likely to give
rise to projection, both small-scale and on a national/international
basis.[16] Marie-Louise Von Franz extended his view of projection,
stating that: “… wherever known reality stops, where we touch the
unknown, there we project an archetypal image”.[17]
The philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach based his theory of religion in
large part upon the idea of projection, that is the idea that an
anthropomorphic deity is the outward projection of man’s anxieties and
desires . . .
That last part is revealing: Feuerbach (who is where Marx began from,
and IIRC is notorious for his you are what you eat materialist view . .
. ) has simply swept away the serious reasons
for a mature worldview that takes God seriously — and thus rightfully
sees him as the Father of compassion and God of all comfort — and
instead paints a ridiculous strawman caricature. Which itself invites
the counter- analysis that asks, what is he afraid of in his own system
that he projects to others. Not, as a mere rhetorical turnabout, but in
the context of the well warranted observation that the portrait
projected is manifestly a strawman so it invites analysis on mirror
psychology grounds.
in science we seek to think God’s creative and sustaining
thoughts after him, serving him and others by exploring our world to
more accurately understand it and so be better stewards of it and its
resources . . .
2 –> There is nothing illegitimate or unduly threatening in such a view of and approach to science.
That is obvious. Indeed, we do the public and especially children a
disservice if we leave them with the impression that this view has not
been historically important, a source of much good, and continues to be
an important view today held by many working scientists, engineers and
medical practitioners in all sorts of fields.
3 –> Likewise — as as BA77 hints at just above by citing the US
Declaration of Independence of 1776 (which speaks to God no less than
four highly significant times, and makes rights endowed by our Creator
the pivot of its argument) — it is a manifest distortion of historically
anchored truth we know or should know to pretend that faith in God is
an inevitable prelude to tyranny. (And yes, we are aware of and address
the sad history of the sins of Christendom, cf. here on.
The problem is that we are not dealing with balance here, but a
persistently repeated one-sided litany designed to stir up fear,
suspicion and even hate leading to destructive anger. Instead, let us
state the obvious: no influential movement of consequence in history
will not have its record of sins as amidst wheat poisonous tares will
forever spring up. As humans we are finite, fallible, morally and
intellectually struggling, and too often ill-willed and even
hypocritical. The moral hazards of being human which we must all
struggle with. Hence Jesus’ counsel on planks in one’s own eye: first
remove the plank then you can see clearly to help the other with the
sawdust in his eye.)
. . . if I cannot but wish to receive good, even as much
at every man’s hands, as any man can wish unto his own soul, how should I
look to have any part of my desire herein satisfied, unless myself be
careful to satisfy the like desire which is undoubtedly in other men . .
. my desire, therefore, to be loved of my equals in Nature, as much
as possible may be, imposeth upon me a natural duty of bearing to
themward fully the like affection. From which relation of equality
between ourselves and them that are as ourselves, what several rules and
canons natural reason hath drawn for direction of life no man is
ignorant . . . [Hooker then continues, citing Aristotle in The
Nicomachean Ethics, Bk 8:] as namely, That because we would take no
harm, we must therefore do none; That since we would not be in any thing
extremely dealt with, we must ourselves avoid all extremity in our
dealings; That from all violence and wrong we are utterly to abstain,
with such-like . . . ] [Eccl. Polity, preface, Bk I, "ch." 8, p.80.]
5 –> These facts are not exactly obscure or hard to learn, so
there is no excuse for the sort of persistently willful distortion and
projections that we are seeing, which are now manifesting themselves
in cases of abuse of law, administrative power and influence, here to
impose a characteristic mark of growing tyranny — undue censorship of
public education.
6 –> Where, patently, there is nothing that is genuinely obscene
or unduly offensive in the following inscription which was removed due
to agitation, without proper accountability:
“The Nature Lab is a gift to Los Angeles to celebrate all
of God’s creatures and enable NHM to broaden our understanding of the
natural world through the process of scientific discovery.” Anonymous
Donor 2013
7 –> So, we have serious grounds for now applying the mirror psychology principle to Coyne et al and their censorship.
8 –> Obviously, such fear God and fear that the world of nature
and of human experience of the inner and outer world is so replete with
signs that point to God and to our duty under him, that to advance
their agenda of teenager rebellion writ large, they must do everything
to induce us to fear, loathe, suspect and exclude God from our reckoning
and to act with hostility to those who act through acknowledging God. (Cf here on and here on in context.)
10 –> Where, obviously, such anger and threatening attitudes are
easily projected to others who are designated, stereotypical,
strawmannised scapegoats. Which in today’s age, increasingly obviously,
is what Christians — let’s be direct — are typically set up to be by
radical secularists.
11 –> And as Aristotle warned, in The Rhetoric Bk I ch 2, when he discussed the persuasive power of pathos, ethos and logos, our judgements when we are pleased and friendly are very different from those we make when we are pained and angry.
12 –> So, it is time to expose the attitudes and behaviours of
Coyne and others who are already resorting to and cheering on
censorship, that they are beginning to build up the same pattern of “a
long train of abuses and usurpations” that dismisses concerns and
remonstrance, that warrants taking serious action to carry out
reformation in the teeth of those who by their persistent behaviour — cf
the case in view here, outright censorship — show themselves threats to
liberty and self-determination and self-government of and by a free
people. >>_________________
Folks, the warning signs and flags are going up all around. Time to take heed, before things spin utterly out of control. END
PS: By way of a small push-back to Coyne et al and
FFRF et al also at , let me put up two 101 level videos that speak to
the general public.
Excellent news! This was the right decision by the
administrators. I have already received an email from a colleague at the
Museum and this are in fact great news. I know the curators and managers at the Museum played the main role by confronting the administrators, so thanks to them and to those of you who sent emails to the administrators.
This looks a lot like a deeply entrenched institutional problem to me.Also, notice this declaration of intent by another commenter, calling himself Kevin Meredith:
Here’s what I predicted/speculated in the comments to the first post:“Now, what would be really funny is if there’s enough of an outcry,
or anonymous is outed or something, so that he/she/them agrees to let
the sign come down, but doesn’t insist on donation refund so as not to
look any more ignorant.”
The first part seems to have come true. The second part, re. what
happens to the money, would be tougher to verify. Anonymous probably
won’t ask for a refund of past cash, but I bet they withhold future
payments, next year’s grant or whatever.
I wonder if these folks understand what they are revealing about
themselves in light of their words and the mirror/projection principle
given the underlying distortions, strawman tactics and hostile
stereotypes? (As in why would someone clinging to a position that has to
view/treat others as shown, project to others that they are “ignorant”?
And why is he thinking in terms of “out[ing]” people — as in
target-painting?)
In the face of such a pattern, it is not melodramatic to say: gale warning. It is time for us to pay attention to what is going on and act prudently in good time before the storm hits in full force. END
Search This Blog
About Me
A Caribbean-based applied scientist, educator and strategic change/ transformation advocate and facilitator; speaking out for record and calling to reformation in light of the patently destructive policy/ geostrategic/ propaganda/ spiritual/ moral- cultural and economic agenda tidal waves pounding on our shores with ever-mounting force. In response to which, we must learn the lesson of Ps 32:9: "Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle . . . "
As Economic policy is too important to be left to economists, politicians and their spin doctors, kindly cf. a KF 101 series on pivotal macro-economics principles and issues: 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, b/g (NB: pamphlet -- pdf -- here) | {
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Range Day with an AR-15
We took some sparkling water cans to the beat laboratory for a little AR-15 action.
It was a little anticlimactic--definitely expected more impressive damage. The bad news is a regular neoprene koozie, or even the BSG ONE has no chance of stopping a .223 round. The good news is the rounds sail right through, and your BSG ONE is still ready for action.
Aftermath
This was cool, BSG ONE wrapped can took a flip, and stuck the landing after a hit from a Springfield XD-S 3.3" 9mm. I give it a 10. | {
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Mosquitto is an open source message broker that implements the MQ Telemetry
Transport protocol version 3.1 and 3.1.1 MQTT provides a lightweight method
of carrying out messaging using a publish/subscribe model. This makes it
suitable for "machine to machine" messaging such as with low power sensors
or mobile devices such as phones, embedded computers or micro-controllers
like the Arduino. | {
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Apple, Openness, and the iPhone
Yesterday, Apple released potentially one of the most interesting devices in computing history. The combination of mobility, relatively good power, rich OSX APIs, and multiple types of connectivity and sensors (phone, bluetooth, wifi, proximity, location, visual, audio, and orientation) could result in some truly spectacular new classes of applications. Unfortunately, it appears that they’re making their most classic blunder once again: locking out third parties. We have the opportunity to make ourselves heard, and request that Apple open the iPhone to third party developers. The only avenue of communication Apple leaves open to developers is Radar, their bug tracking system.
Jonathan ‘Wolf’ Rentzch has filed an initial bug report on the topic, which he describes here. I strongly suggest that anyone interested in open application development on the iPhone (or being able to use third party applications on the iPhone) follow his lead and file additional requests at bugreport.apple.com (Please be polite though; ticket techs are people too!).
A sample bug report (filed by our own Augie Fackler) is below:
Summary: You can’t do any development for the iPhone.
Steps to Reproduce: 1. Write a cool app2. Try to compile for iPhone
Expected Results: A binary that should work in the spiffy iPhone.
Actual Results: No way to compile for the iPhone exists, so no binary is produced
Regression: None known.
Notes: This is the same as Rentzsch’s bug rdar://problem/4917169 to make your life easier when you flag this as a duplicate.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, January 10th, 2007 at 5:23 PM by David Smith and is filed under Uncategorized.
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Both comments and pings are currently closed.
I’ve seen this mentioned in two places now (if you include this blog) but not in any official Apple statements. Is there any hard evidence that this is the case? Are you just assuming that because Apple didn’t release an update to their dev tools for the iPhone that it won’t happen? Apple probably isn’t ready to release a whole development kit yet. It would require a bunch of new tools like emulators, new documentation, etc..
I also made a suggestion about this via RDAR. It’s interesting to note that issues surrounding 3rd party apps on phone has been addressed in several ways. Qualcomm, the company I work for introduced BREW which uses comprehensive application review and signing to control which apps can be deployed to phones. The BREW platform also helps developers and the carrier collect their money and allows for trial and subscription periods. Apple could use a similar model. Another useful model to look at is the one that the game console guys use — plenty of 3rd party development but only 1st party approval and deployment. Buy the app via iTunes (like the new games for iPod). They only make available what they approve of and want to sell. It’s not ideal and as open as I’d like but would give us 3rd party guys a crack at putting some great stuff on the iPhone IMHO.
I think it was a nice move for apple to come out with the apple iPhone. The iPhone has most features consumers have been waiting to have. I also think the price will not deter people from buying the Apple iPhone. I even think they will sell more then the 10 million Apple iPhones they expect to sell within the next year. Did you happen to see the iPhone demo video they can’t go wrong.
Apple have done this for a reason, it’s not an oversight. Whether we agree or not is rather beside the point; they will have known the reaction to this when they made the decision.
So, this can’t be a good idea – it’ll just gum up a functional system with barely relevant feedback on what is in all likelihood a done-and-dusted decision.
Anyway, one of the interviews I read with Steve or Phil suggested that the phone was closed ‘for now’, and that they might possibly allow an iTunes-driven software distribution model in the future. Read: no crappy software, development probably by invitation only, you’ll likely have to pay.
I haven’t quite decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, since I can understand both point of views. Maybe the deciding factor will be the market?
As developers we often forget about the varying needs that we have as developers and those that are defined by the general public. Certainly they aren’t always incompatible, but experience shows that developers want something that is infinitly hackable, while the average person wants something that does the job advertised, without having to refer to the manual every five minutes. Remember the iPod has been very popular despite its lack of software extensions.
While Apple has decided to close off the iPhone to third-party developers, it is possible that once they are happy with the stability of the phone they may change their stance?
Once the phone is out people will most probably ways to install Linux on the phone or back doors to installing their own software, without the blessing of Apple (warantee invalidation). Its been done for many other things.
Some experiences to consider:
I have a friend who’s smartphone would crash while talking because of some buggy software, and this is not what is expected from a phone. Actually I can remember people wondering whether he was joking, until it crashed in front of them.
It should also be noted that there is an experience being sought after, and when you see some of the half-hearted port jobs of applications running in Windows CE (UIs which aren’t suitable for the device, etc), you wonder that maybe this does have its advantages. | {
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WASHINGTON--Legislators are readying a bill that could sharply limit Americans' rights relating to copying music, taping TV shows, and transferring files through the Internet.
At the same time, the draft legislation seen by CNET News.com would place the struggling Webcasting industry on firmer legal footing.
Two key House legislators wrote the double-edged proposal in consultation with the Library of Congress' Copyright Office. They appear likely to introduce it this month.
The creation of the two-part draft comes as politicians and judges are grappling with the slippery mix of high-speed Net access, digital content, and the popularity of file-swapping networks. Last week, record labels hinted they might broaden their legal fusillade to encompass lawsuits against individuals.
Reps. Howard Coble of North Carolina and Howard Berman of California, who authored the draft, say their proposed changes to copyright law follow suggestions made last August by the Copyright Office.
"The Copyright Office recommended that Congress amend the Copyright Act," the two politicians wrote in a five-page letter sent last month to members of the subcommittee that oversees intellectual property. Coble is the Republican chairman of the panel, and Berman, who announced plans last month for an unrelated bill assailing peer-to-peer networks, is the senior Democrat.
The first part of their proposal, which would limit backup copies, has already drawn objections from academics and nonprofit groups that have reviewed it.
Under current copyright law, Americans who record a TV program or radio segment generally may "sell or otherwise dispose of" that analog recording or digital file as they wish.
The proposed bill would end that exemption, handing copyright owners substantial new control over the distribution of their works by curtailing copying rights granted to consumers under a doctrine known as "fair use."
"If you were to take today's episode of 'E.R.' and tape it and give it to your mother, it would be copyright infringement under this bill," said Jessica Litman, a professor at Wayne State University who specializes in copyright law.
Aiding Webcasters
A less incendiary section of the draft would give a minor boost to Webcasters by saying they're off the hook for temporary copies, called cached or buffered copies, made while streaming music to listeners. To qualify, a Webcaster must be licensed by an agency such as ASCAP and must ink an agreement with the record labels.
According to the draft bill, such Webcasting "is not an infringement of copyright"--if temporary copies are made only to facilitate music distribution and if the copies are stored only for a time that's necessary for the broadcast.
Critics of the measure said it would address a significant issue in how copyright law is applied to Webcasting. They noted, however, that it leaves some loopholes and ignores more pressing licensing issues threatening the industry, such as a recently proposed royalty scheme that some Net radio broadcasters say will put them out of business.
"Exempting Webcasters' buffer copies from royalty obligations (is) the right thing to do--but almost meaningless given that, absent quick congressional action, the royalty scheme recently adopted by the Library of Congress will shut down most Webcasters the day it takes effect," said Philip Corwin, a lobbyist at Butera and Andrews representing Sharman Networks, which distributes the Kazaa file-sharing software.
Last month, the Librarian of Congress set royalty fees for Web radio companies, ruling they would pay 0.07 cent, or about a 14th of a cent, for each song played for a single listener. Many Webcasters have said the rates are prohibitively high.
Slow to take sides
In an unusual twist, Coble and Berman stressed in their letter to colleagues that their authorship of the draft bill does not necessarily "constitute an endorsement of its contents." Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the full Judiciary committee, also helped in the creation and included the same unusual disclaimer.
Spokeswoman Gene Smith said Thursday that Berman opposes the bill and drafted it only at the request of House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.
"Part of it exempts buffer copies," Smith said. "Howard thinks there has been no demonstrated need for that. It's not a demonstrated problem.
"The biggest impediment to more licensed, lawful services online is piracy, and that's why he is pushing his peer-to-peer bill," Smith said. Berman represents California's San Fernando Valley, adjacent to Los Angeles and Hollywood's cluster of entertainment companies.
Last month, Berman said he would introduce a bill to let copyright owners, such as record labels or movie studios, launch technological attacks against file-swapping networks, where their wares are illegally traded. He plans to introduce it next week.
Coble's office declined to comment on the substance of the draft bill.
"We're awaiting the responses from the subcommittee members," a spokesman for Coble said.
The origin of the joint proposal lies in the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act ( DMCA). Part of that controversial law, which has been the subject of high-visibility court challenges and led to the prosecution of Russian programmer Dmitry Sklyarov, required the Copyright Office and the Commerce Department to report on how effective key portions of the DMCA have been.
In its analysis, the Commerce Department made no proposals to amend the DMCA. But the Copyright Office did in its report released last August.
In March, the House Judiciary committee asked for public comments based on the Copyright Office's recommendation. The panel's announcement said, "We are initiating a process to review relevant digital music issues and related proposals to amend the Copyright Act that have been brought or will be brought to our attention."
Curtailing fair use
One impetus for the draft bill, which remains untitled, could be to derail a more comprehensive bill favored by Webcasters called the Music Online Competition Act. It's co-authored by Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., who has vowed to oppose some of the more dramatic attempts by the music industry to tighten copyright laws.
Some of the same opponents appear poised to offer a lukewarm endorsement of the Webcasting measure in the draft bill, while denouncing the limits on fair-use rights.
R. Polk Wagner, who teaches intellectual property law at the University of Pennsylvania, says the proposal has "the potential to cut back fair use rather substantially."
"Let's say I obtained a copyrighted work under fair use, say a photo of Mickey Mouse," Wagner said. "If I wanted to discuss, criticize or share that work, I need to interact with other people. Yet section one of the draft bill quite clearly says I have no rights to distribute the work, which would seem to rather severely limit my use. In the digital era, interaction takes place by transferring and copying files."
Fred von Lohmann, an attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, went further in his criticism.
"The Berman-Coble change would arguably make it illegal for me to swap my iPod with a friend for a week, something I recently did," von Lohmann said. "Who knows what cool stuff might have thrived in this niche exception, but for (this proposed) change?"
In accordance with the Film and Music Industy's new strategy of targeting individual users, it appears that Cox communications is sending out warnings to users trading files over Gnutella at the behest of the MPAA (Something Sony Music has been known to do). The warning lists which files the user has downloaded, as well as the date of the offense and the IP address of the offender. There is no indication as to whether or not Cox actually confirms the information before sending the letter. Originally spotted at the Politechbot mailing list, we reprint the letter below.
Dear Customer,
We are writing on behalf of Cox Communications to advise you that we have received a notification that you are using your Cox High Speed Internet service to post or transmit material that infringes the copyrights of a complainant's members. I have enclosed a copy of the complaint letter. Pursuant to the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"), which is codified at 17 U.S.C. § 512, upon receiving such notification, Cox is required to "act expeditiously to remove, or disable access to" the infringing material in order to avoid liability for any alleged copyright infringement. Accordingly, Cox will suspend your account and disable your connection to the Internet within 24 hours of your receipt of this email if the offending material is not removed.
Please be aware that the DMCA also provides procedures by which a subscriber accused of copyright violation can respond to the allegations of infringement and, under certain circumstances, cause his or her account to be reinstated. To do so, however, the response must meet
certain criteria. Pursuant to section (g) of the DMCA (17 U.S.C. §512(g)), you have the right to submit to Cox a counter-notification which, to be effective, must include the following elements:
(a) a physical or electronic signature of the subscriber;
(b) identification of the material that has been removed or to whichaccess has been disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled;
(c) a statement under penalty of perjury that the subscriber has a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled;
(d) the subscriber's name, address, and telephone number and a statement that the subscriber consents to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which the address is located.
In the event that you submit to Cox a counter-notification that includes these elements, Cox will forward your counter notification to the complainant and advise them that Cox will cease disabling access to the allegedly infringing material in ten (10) business days. Unless the
complainant notifies us that it has filed an action seeking a court order to restrain you from engaging in the allegedly infringing activity prior to the expiration of those ten (10) business days, Cox will reactivate your account.
We have received information that an individual has utilized the above referenced IP address at the noted date and time to offer downloads of copyrighted motion picture(s) through a peer-to-peer service, including such title(s) as:
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone
Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back
Simpsons, The (TV)
Windtalkers
The distribution of unauthorized copies of copyrighted motion pictures constitutes copyright infringement under the Copyright Act, Title 17 United States Code Section 106(3). This conduct may also violate the laws of other countries, international law, and/or treaty obligations.
Since you own this IP address, we request that you immediately do the following:
1. Disable access to the individual who has engaged in the conduct described above, and;
2. Take appropriate action against the account holder under your Abuse Policy/Terms of Service Agreement.
On behalf of the respective owners of the exclusive rights to the copyrighted material at issue in this notice, we hereby state, pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17 United States Code Section 512, that we have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owners, their respective agents, or the law.
Also pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, we hereby state, under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California and under the laws of the United States, that the information in this notification is accurate and that we are authorized to act on behalf of the owners of the exclusive rights being infringed as set forth in this notification.
Please contact us at the above listed address or by replying to this email should you have any questions. Kindly include the above noted Reference # in the subject line of all email correspondence.
We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your prompt response is requested.
As an Independent Filmmaker, or someone that has a interest in the matter of copyright...This is so silly. Once again, the amount of money made by the industry, no matter what media film, music, or television. The amount of money being made is huge.
As an Indie Filmmaker, I make nothing yet spend everything to do what I do...The others who inbark in the journey for the love of filmmaking never complain about the royalties that could be intitled to us. To do what you love, and have others view what you love is a reward in itself.
The laws of copyright is sad to me. I never onced looked at the material made by me and my crew to be something that should be held so close. The art is what we do it for, and that should be where the heart is. To ask for people to pay in any such way, is sad. I understand that it is hard to follow any line of work in the entertainment industy as a steady paying way of life. But, let us artists remember why he decided to venture into this avenue. It was nevera about the money...it was always about the love.
I've met many bands, filmmakers, and artist who never was in the mainstream. Who never had agents, publicity, or any other means of exposure. Yet, they still strive on to continue down the road that is still so hard. Why? its never because of the goals of making it rich. It was always about what they liked to do, and didn't know anything else...
This is the only way for bigger artists to insure there place in the world. While cutting the legs from under the people that are in the underground, who never had the money, agents, or marketing plan that the mainstream consists of.
Last, I would just like to say sorry to those in the industry that I might offend in anyway.
My views of this matter was always cut clean and simple. Let the people be free, with no restrictions.
You will always get what your worth in the end. If you put in 110%, you'll get 110% back...remember that... _________________Isnt it funny? This feeling inside... | {
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Opossums have tails that are hairless and scaly at the end, allowing them to use their tails to hold on to things. This allows opossums to hang from branches, which is what they are most widely known for.
Opossums are nocturnal and solitary.
When they feel threatened, opossums let out a strong smell through their sweat glands to scare prey. They also act dead when under attack, keeping entirely still until their predator gives up and goes away.The smell that opossums release through their sweat glands also allow them to mark territory, communicate and, in females, attract males.
Opossums are marsupials.
Habitat:Found: along the Atlantic coast of Brazil to northeastern Argentina and southeastern Paraguay.
Lives: in Atlantic rain forests, secondary Atlantic rain forests and Araucaris highlands. They are also found in forests that have been fragmented by urban development and deforestation
Seasons: There are two discrete seasons: a warm rainy season from September to March and a cool dry season from April to August. | {
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Unemployment Falls to 9.0 Pct.
The unemployment rate dropped sharply last month to 9 percent, based on a government survey that found that more than a half-million people found work.
A separate survey of company payrolls showed a scant increase of 36,000 net jobs as snowstorms likely hampered hiring. That survey doesn't count the self-employed.
Harsh snowstorms last month cut into construction employment, which fell by 32,000, the most since May. Transportation and warehousing was also likely affected and fell by 38,000 — the most in a year.
"The thumbprints of the weather were all over this report," said Neil Dutta, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Hiring was suppressed last month and will likely rebound in February, he said.
In one bright spot, manufacturing added 49,000 jobs, the most since August 1998. And retailers added 28,000 jobs, the largest number in a year.
The unemployment rate has fallen by eight-tenths of a percentage point in the past two months. That's the steepest two-month drop in nearly 53 years.
But part of that drop has occurred as many of those out of work gave up on their job searches. When unemployed people stop looking for jobs, the government no longer counts them as unemployed.
The number of people unemployed fell by more than 600,000 in January to 13.9 million. That's still about double the total that were out of work before the recession began in December 2007.
In early trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 15 points, or 0.1 percent, to 12,075. The S&P 500 gained 2 to 1,309. The Nasdaq composite index added 5 to 2,759.
The January jobs report also includes the government's annual revisions to the employment data, which showed that fewer jobs were created in 2010 than previously thought. All told, about 950,000 net new jobs were added last year, down from a previous estimate of 1.1 million. The economy lost about 8 million jobs in 2008 and 2009.In the past three months, the economy generated an average of 83,000 net jobs per month. That's not enough to keep up with population growth.
Education and health care services, one of the few steady job generators through the downturn, added 13,000 jobs, the fewest in almost two years. Financial services lost 10,000 jobs.Source: The Associated Press. | {
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Super secure Quantum cryptography has hole
Quantum cryptography, which was being touted as totally secure against attacks on sensitive data traffic, has a flaw.
According to Swedish boffins, there is a bug in the way the system is set up, although it can be fixed, as Jan-Aake Larsson, an Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics at the Linkoeping University in southern Sweden told AFP.
Quantum cryptography was based on the idea that quantum mechanical objects cannot be measured upon without being disturbed and setting off alarm bells that the transmitted data has been manipulated. The technology is pricey and limited to short-range transmissions and is still in the testing stage.
But Larsson said he and his student Joergen Cederloef found that to send the key over the quantum channel, you must simultaneously send additional data over the traditional Internet channel, and then verify that the classical data has not been changed through an authentication process, he explained.
While the data was secure, a gap appears because this is a combined system, which complicates things so much that the usual security system in some cases does not work. The way around this is to use a handshake between legitimate users. | {
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Letter to the Committee Chairman
This is a belated clarification regarding myself in your letter to our Chairman Austin Mitchell MP of March 17. For I am not one of Austin’s constituents, but the organiser of a Forum that has been meeting in both Houses since 1998, as you will see on our archive site www.monies.cc. Thus it will become clear to you that my opinion is not a personal one, but that I promote the concerns of many.
In fact, our analysis is so significant that a human rights lawyer advised us to “go for Parliamentary scrutiny via the Treasury Select Committee”. Hence I’ve attended numerous Committee meetings and gave you a copy of Creating a World without Poverty by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.
The Committee has indeed received a number of our petitions, and we wonder when a democratic process might take them into account. However, the Committee not only set its own agenda, but also decides whom to invite for evidence. As a consequence, you are practising what my late husband would have called a “mutual adoration society”: you never invite anybody who has become a victim of the system, nor do you invite anybody who points out solutions to the systemic failures. Instead you invite those who are paid to “do the right thing”, but the reality is the exact opposite, also predicted by my husband who used to work for the Greater London Council.
For example: instead of tackling root causes, a “Ministry of Justice” has the job of supervising companies that make their living out of recovering monies from the injustice of banks having overcharged their customers. I speak from personal experience, should you require “evidence”.
More recently, you participated in a forum of the British Academy where the conclusion was that the crisis was “principally a failure of the collective imagination of many bright people to understand the risks to the system as a whole”. What a way to wash the eyes of HM the Queen!
If the system of financial and political institutions was interested in solving the crisis that it created, then I wonder
why don’t you recommend to your fellow participants at the British Academy the examples of the predictability of the crisis as cited by Dr. Thomas Palley, who obtained his economic degrees in Oxford and Yale?
My mum, who saved me from the bombings of Dresden, needs my care and attention now. Hence I cannot continue to come and admire your Chairmanship. But the web continues to allow us to communicate. So I thought I’d let you know how awareness of “the system” is growing and how there is room to save face, if only there was the political will. | {
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Up to the immediate present 100-105 exam cram(1-13)
Question No : 1 – (Topic 1)
Refer to the exhibit.
Mary is sending an instant message to Robert. The message will be broken into a series of packets that will traverse all network devices. What addresses will populate these packets as they are forwarded from Router1 to Router2?
A. Option A
B. Option B
C. Option C
D. Option D
E. Option E
100-105 exam Answer: B
Explanation:
The Source and Destination IP address is not going to change. Host 1 IP address will stay as being the source IP and the Host 2 IP address will stay the destination IP address. Those two are not going to change. For the MAC address it is going to change each time it goes from one hope to another. (Except switches… they don’t change anything) Frame leaving HOST 1 is going to have a source MAC of Host 1 and a destination MAC of Router 1. Router 1 is going to strip that info off and then will make the source MAC address of Router1’s exiting interface, and making Router2’s interface as the destination MAC address.
Then the same will happen… Router2 is going to change the source/destination info to the
Question No : 2 – (Topic 1)
A workstation has just resolved a browser URL to the IP address of a server. What protocol will the workstation now use to determine the destination MAC address to be placed into frames directed toward the server?
A. HTTP
B. DNS
C. DHCP
D. RARP
E. ARP100-105 dumps Answer: E
Explanation:
The RARP protocol is used to translate hardware interface addresses to protocol addresses. The RARP message format is very similar to the ARP format. When the booting computer sends the broadcast ARP request, it places its own hardware address in both the sending and receiving fields in the encapsulated ARP data packet. The RARP server will fill in the correct sending and receiving IP addresses in its response to the message. This way the booting computer will know its IP address when it gets the message from the RARP server
Question No : 3 – (Topic 1)
Which protocol uses a connection-oriented service to deliver files between end systems?
A. TFTP
B. DNS
C. FTP
D. SNMP
E. RIP
Answer: C
Explanation:
TCP is an example of a connection-oriented protocol. It requires a logical connection to be established between the two processes before data is exchanged. The connection must be maintained during the entire time that communication is taking place, then released afterwards. The process is much like a telephone call, where a virtual circuit is established-
-the caller must know the person’s telephone number and the phone must be answered– before the message can be delivered.
TCP/IP is also a connection-oriented transport with orderly release. With orderly release, any data remaining in the buffer is sent before the connection is terminated. The release is accomplished in a three-way handshake between client and server processes. The connection-oriented protocols in the OSI protocol suite, on the other hand, do not support orderly release. Applications perform any handshake necessary for ensuring orderly release. Examples of services that use connection-oriented transport services are telnet, rlogin, and ftp.
Question No : 4 – (Topic 1)Refer to the exhibit.
If the hubs in the graphic were replaced by switches, what would be virtually eliminated?
A. broadcast domains
B. repeater domains
C. Ethernet collisions
D. signal amplification
E. Ethernet broadcasts
Answer: C
Explanation:
Modern wired networks use a network switch to eliminate collisions. By connecting each device directly to a port on the switch, either each port on a switch becomes its own collision domain (in the case of half duplex links) or the possibility of collisions is eliminated entirely in the case of full duplex links.
Question No : 5 – (Topic 1)
Refer to the exhibit.
Host A is sending a packet to Host B for the first time. What destination MAC address will Host A use in the ARP request?
A. 192.168.0.1
B. 172.16.0.50
C. 00-17-94-61-18-b0
D. 00-19-d3-2d-c3-b2
E. ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff
F. 255.255.255.255
100-105 pdf Answer: E
Explanation:
For the initial communication, Host A will send a broadcast ARP (all F’s) to determine the correct address to use to reach the destination. ARP sends an Ethernet frame called an ARP request to every host on the shared link-layer legmen. The Ethernet header includes the source host MAC address and a destination address of all Fs representing a broadcast frame. The ARP request contains the sender’s MAC and IP address and the target (destination) IP address. The target’s MAC address is
set to all 0s. ARP Request
Reference:
Question No : 7 – (Topic 1)Refer to the exhibit.
SwitchA receives the frame with the addressing shown. According to the command output also shown in the exhibit, how will SwitchA handle this frame?
A. It will drop the frame.
B. It will forward the frame out port Fa0/6 only.
C. It will flood the frame out all ports.
D. It will flood the frame out all ports except Fa0/3.
100-105 pdf Answer: B
Explanation:
Switches keep the learned MAC addresses in a table, so that when a frame comes in with a destination MAC address that the switch has already learned, it will forward it to that port only. If a frame comes in with a destination MAC that is not already in the MAC address table, then the frame will be flooded to all ports except for the one that it came in on. In this case, Switch A already knows that 00b0.d0da.cb56 resides on port fa0/6, so it will forward the from out that port.
Question No : 8 – (Topic 1)
Which statements accurately describe CDP? (Choose three.)
A. CDP is an IEEE standard protocol.
B. CDP is a Cisco proprietary protocol.
C. CDP is a datalink layer protocol.
D. CDP is a network layer protocol.
E. CDP can discover directly connected neighboring Cisco devices.
F. CDP can discover Cisco devices that are not directly connected.
Answer: B,C,E
Explanation:
CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol) is a proprietary protocol designed by Cisco to help administrators collect information about both locally attached and remote devices. By using CDP, you can gather hardware and protocol information about neighbor devices containing useful info for troubleshooting and documenting the network.
Question No : 9 – (Topic 1)
Refer to the exhibit.
A network device needs to be installed in the place of the icon labeled Network Device to accommodate a leased line attachment to the Internet. Which network device and interface configuration meets the minimum requirements for this installation?
A. a router with two Ethernet interfaces
B. a switch with two Ethernet interfaces
C. a router with one Ethernet and one serial interface
D. a switch with one Ethernet and one serial interface
E. a router with one Ethernet and one modem interface
Answer: C
Explanation:
Only a router can terminate a leased line attachment access circuit, and only a router can connect two different IP networks. Here, we will need a router with two interfaces, one serial connection for the line attachment and one Ethernet interface to connect to the switch on the LAN.
Question No : 10 – (Topic 1)
What must occur before a workstation can exchange HTTP packets with a web server?
A. A UDP connection must be established between the workstation and its default gateway.
B. A UDP connection must be established between the workstation and the web server.
C. A TCP connection must be established between the workstation and its default gateway.
D. A TCP connection must be established between the workstation and the web server.
E. An ICMP connection must be established between the workstation and its default gateway.
F. An ICMP connection must be established between the workstation and the web server.
100-105 vce Answer: D
Explanation:
HTTP uses TCP port 80, and a TCP port 80 connection must be established for HTTP communication to occur.
Question No : 11 – (Topic 1)
Refer to the exhibit.
HostX is transferring a file to the FTP server. Point A represents the frame as it goes toward the Toronto router. What will the Layer 2 destination address be at this point?
A. abcd.1123.0045
B. 192.168.7.17
C. aabb.5555.2222
D. 192.168.1.1
E. abcd.2246.0035
Answer: E
Explanation:
For packets destined to a host on another IP network, the destination MAC address will be the LAN interface of the router. Since the FTP server lies on a different network, the host will know to send the frame to its default gateway, which is Toronto.
Question No : 12 – (Topic 1)
Refer to the exhibit.
A network has been planned as shown. Which three statements accurately describe the areas and devices in the network plan? (Choose three.)
A. Network Device A is a switch.
B. Network Device B is a switch.
C. Network Device A is a hub.
D. Network Device B is a hub.
E. Area 1 contains a Layer 2 device.
F. Area 2 contains a Layer 2 device.
100-105 exam Answer: A,D,E
Explanation:
Switches use a separate collision domain for each port, so device A must be a switch. Hubs, however, place all ports in the same collision domain so device B is a hub. Switches reside in layer 2 while hubs are layer 1 devices.
Question No : 13 – (Topic 1)
Which layer of the TCP/IP stack combines the OSI model physical and data link layers?
A. Internet layer
B. transport layer
C. application layer
D. network access layer
Answer: D
Explanation:
The Internet Protocol Suite, TCP/IP, is a suite of protocols used for communication over the internet. The TCP/ IP model was created after the OSI 7 layer model for two major reasons. First, the foundation of the Internet was built using the TCP/IP suite and through the spread of the World Wide Web and Internet, TCP/IP has been preferred. Second, a project researched by the Department of Defense (DOD) consisted of creating the TCP/IP protocols. The DOD’s goal was to bring international standards which could not be met by the OSI model. Since the DOD was the largest software consumer and they preferred the TCP/IP suite, most vendors used this model rather than the OSI. Below is a side by side comparison of the TCP/IP and OSI models.
100-105, Cisco Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 (ICND1 v3.0) exam is consists of different types of multiple choice questions and answers. In the pass4itsure 100-105 dumps exam resources, It will be the hot test associated with Cisco 100-105 practice exam qualification and you will cover every field and category in Cisco Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 (ICND1 v3.0) helping to ready you for your successful CCENT, CCNA Routing & Switching, CCDA, CCNA Security, CCNA Wireless Certification.
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I will highly recommend you to try pass4itsure.com for your 100-105 dumps for exam preparation. More important is that pass4itsure 100-105 dumps exam answers are applicable to all the IT exam. They provides you 100% valid and accurate 100-105 dumps with money back guarantee in case of failure. | {
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Pacific Rim 2 penned, awaiting green light and plotline
The original Pacific Rim was released this summer – it was met with mixed reviews by critics, but more than a little bit of a positive response from those key to the success of a potential series: the fans. This week it’s been revealed by the director of Pacific Rim, Guillermo del Toro, that he’s been flattered by reports of hardcore fans seeing the film in theaters several times. It would appear that the film has struck such gold – be it underground or straight through mainstream ticket sales – that a second film is being written right this minute.
Confirmed by del Toro in an interview with IGN, there’s not just a remote possibility of a follow-up film to the original Pacific Rim, there’s literally a second film script in the works. Suggesting that at least a few of the original crew were already hard at work, del Toro made clear that the “green lighting” of the film was not finalized yet – and that deciding on the film moving forward was “above [his] pay grade.”
So what’s possible for a second film? Could it simply be a follow-up in time – additional Kaiju fighting down Hong Kong way? There’s always that – we’d certainly not object to an array of monsters vs Jager films, no matter how clashing such a series would be with the likes of Godzilla – another monster film series getting a clean re-boot sooner than later.
But Pacific Rim, it being an original film (not a reboot) in and of itself, creates an interesting universe the likes of which we’re invited to return to time and again. There’s always the possibility that this film could cover the many, many years of Kaiju action that occurred in quick flashes in the first Pacific Rim film. Perhaps a film simply titled: The Breach. The first monsters arriving to the point at which the Jaegers begin construction.
No matter what, we’re going to go ahead and demand that Charlie Day continue to be involved. There’s nothing like a good ol’ Charlie character to keep the film light in the face of the possibility of getting too serious about massive monsters fighting robots in the sea. It’d be an absolute travesty if Charlie Kelly never saw another Kaiju brain, that’s for certain.
UPDATE: It would also appear that, according to Day himself, del Toro considered having his character “Newt” turn from good to evil for the sequel. Of course we don’t want to reveal the key piece of information that’d speak to Newt’s need to switch his allegiance, so we wont. Instead you can find that spoiler out at SciFi Now, the source of the quote, if you like.
Long story short – it’s likely that Charlie Day will continue to play the part of a good guy in the second film – if and when he’s a part of it. He “resonated” well with the audience in the first Pacific Rim film – well done. | {
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Full hookup back-in site on first come choose your site. Options to pay are at a kiosk at the park or at the NPS visitor center at Furnace Creek. Numerous bathrooms around the campground; the two closest to our site both were dirty. Campground has paved roads and sites. sites also had picnic tables and fire rings. Being Death Valley, very dry conditions for the ground, although there is some vegetation. Use caution if walking about with pets, also with food goods, as we saw several coyotes less than 200 feet from our site. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Truck Camper.
This was our first visit to the park in 6 years, and we were very happy with the upgrades. However, there are some specifics that you need to be aware of if you come to the park after April 16th. That starts the "off season" and reservations are no longer accepted. All sites are on a first come, first serve basis, both full hook up and dry camping. The kiosk at the entry station only accepts credit cards, no cash. And the machine will only let you pay for one day at a time. So if you stay multiple days you must get a fresh tag from the machine every day. Also since there are no reservations in the off season, if you see a site you like when you drive in and verify that it is empty, claim it right away. Then go to the kiosk and get your tag. If you wait someone else may by in the site by the time you finish looking around. I will stay here again. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
We had one of the full hookup, pull through sites. It does have 50 amp service. The sites are all paved as are the roads. Spaces vary in size, but the pull throughs were very long and level. Good spacing between sites. It is Death Valley so no shade and rock/sand between sites. My only complaint would be the narrow roads. I think it could be a tight squeeze for bigger rigs getting into the back in sites. You can walk to the visitor center and to the town. Very nicely maintained park. Great value. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Fifth Wheel.
This campground was completely updated with stimulus money several years ago. Nice paved sites with tables and fire pits. We reserved a pull through, full hook up site and the senior price was very reasonable. Be aware, the full service pull through sites are sandwiched between tent sites and dry RV sites so noise can be an issue. We like it better across the street at Sunset where all of us old folks are in bed by nine! Beware, the NPS reservations system is difficult to use and frustrating if you need to make a change of date. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Fifth Wheel.
We really enjoyed staying at this very nice NPS campground. The sites are roomy and long with concrete/asphalt pads, fire pits and tables. Many have shade. The view from our site was beautiful although not all sites have one. We were lucky to get a site with full hookups; make your reservations early as there are only a few full- hookup sites. No WiFi except at the Visitor Center which is just a short walk from the Campground. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Travel Trailer.
Dry camped. Spacious back in spot, paved. Table and fire ring. Very busy in March, recommend reservations. Roomy dump station close to sites. Will stay again. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
Nice campground with some paved sites with electricity and some in the gravel with dry camping only. Improved sites are more $$. Excellent rest rooms and stainless dish washing station. A few sites where you can get under trees for some shade in hot weather. Make sure to have plenty of provisions. Store about a mile away has very limited choice and Very high prices. Restaurant is also expensive and the staff is very slow and seems to have an attitude. Used Access pass so it was free park entry and $8/night for the campsite. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
This is our second time at this campground. Last year there was no power, but this year there was. No more generator! Huge space, at least 30-40 ft. wide, and reasonably level. Water pressure was adequate. My only complaint would be about the number of fires. You can't leave any windows open or the rig stinks of campfire smoke. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Fifth Wheel.
Rate is for a dry camp site, paved, back in. Reservation fee comes on top. This campground is pretty busy, compared to others in Death Valley. No privacy or shade. Be aware of sudden windstorms. We experienced one while staying and saw several awnings being ripped off the rig. Best thing about the campground is its central location in Death Valley. Potable water at the washrooms. We saw some people using their phone, but had no reception on our Verizon MiFi. There is pay as you use WiFi at the general store, but we did not try. When coming back to DV we would rather try the dry camp across the street or go to Stovepipe Wells instead. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Fifth Wheel.
Although the host claims the restrooms are nearby, it is a 4-block walk from the camping sites to the restrooms. The rusty-looking water runs red when you first turn it on. There is no shade, and the sites are very crowded and un-level. But since it's the only place around, campers can't be choosy. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
The rate reflects a 50% discount with a Senior Pass. This campground is a little nicer than Stovepipe Wells or Sunset Campground (across the street) since it has more separation between sites and a few trees for a very little bit of shade in some sites. There is a dump station and fresh drinking water. There is also a restroom with flush toilets but there are no showers. Each site has a picnic table. The campground is open year around. It is the only Death Valley campground to accept reservations, and reservations are essential during high season. Satellite is not a problem in most sites since there are few trees. We were surprised that our Verizon phone worked; there is a cell tower at Furnace Creek. However, our Verizon data card did not work. Furnace creek is the main headquarters area for the park. The Visitor Center is a short walk away and there are restaurants and a small (very expensive) store. There is also a gas station with very expensive gasoline and propane. Since we love Death Valley, we would definitely stay here again. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
We looked at the resort with the same name, first. What they had available was in the employee housing area. With a total length of 60' maneuvering around their roads was not worth risking damaging our rig. This Furnace Creek NPS Campground was much nicer then that resort or Stovepipe Wells. It was great not having to run our generator and having water & sewer hook-ups. The campground was very easy getting in and parking. We will definitely return. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Fifth Wheel.
This is a typical NPS campground, the restrooms where clean, the park was well kept and the spaces where large. The dirt is very fine, it was hard to keep out of the motorhome. The electric is in but they are waiting from Washington DC to tell them how much to charge, in the summer that would be essential. We would stay here again. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
Stayed 4 nights and it was great. This is a true find. Many spaces now have water and sewer as ours did. Electricity is installed but not turned on yet at many sites. The ranger said that power will be on sometime after the first of the year. Price is with senior discount card. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.
The rate was half price Access card. We came here after two nights at another RV park just up the road. It was quiet, and the stars at night were something to see. The sites were roomy with some small trees. We camped at Furnace Creek (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome. | {
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Lew wins Senate confirmation to be U.S. Treasury secretary
Lew follows Timothy Geithner, who left last month
Former White House Chief of Staff Jacob J. Lew won Senate confirmation to become U.S. Treasury secretary, a job that will immediately thrust him into fights with Congress over the country’s debt limit, spending cuts and a threatened government shutdown.
Lew, 57, was approved on a 71-26 vote to succeed Timothy F. Geithner, who left last month. Lew gained the support of 20 Republicans, even as some party members criticized him over a bonus payment he received while an executive at Citigroup Inc. during the financial crisis. His margin compares with the 60-34 vote in favor of Geithner’s confirmation four years ago, the closest for a Treasury secretary in the post-World War II era.
Lew’s confirmation comes two days before the scheduled start of $85 billion in automatic spending cuts for this year. His first month in office will see the March 27 expiration of a funding measure, known as the continuing resolution, threatening a partial government shutdown. Less than two months later, a temporary suspension of the country’s debt limit will expire, which may force him to resort to extraordinary measures to avoid breaching the ceiling.
“The U.S. economy is riding on how well he handles the job,” said Ed Mills, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets & Co. in Arlington, Virginia. “Lew faces a budget crisis, from day one he faces the sequester, a new continuing resolution for government funding, the return of the debt limit and an agenda that includes corporate tax reform and entitlement reform.”
As Treasury secretary, Lew will oversee a staff of more than 100,000 and his looping signature will appear on the nation’s currency.
Obama Statement
“As my chief of staff, Jack was by my side as we confronted our nation’s toughest challenges,” President Barack Obama said in a statement released by the White House after the Senate confirmation. “I will continue to rely on his advice and sound judgment as we work to create good, middle-class jobs, provide more people with the skills those jobs require, and ensure every hardworking American can earn a decent living.”
Testifying before the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 13, Lew emphasized his ability to work across party lines and spoke in favor of revamping the corporate tax system to lower rates and eliminate loopholes. He supported “sensible reforms to Medicare that will help the program stay sound in the future.”
O’Neill Adviser
Lew was an adviser to House Speaker Tip O’Neill during the 1983 Social Security overhaul, President Bill Clinton’s deputy budget chief during the tax-and-spending standoffs of the mid- 1990s, and Obama’s budget director during the 2011 debt-ceiling talks. Obama called Lew a “master of policy” in tapping him last month to succeed Geithner.
During Lew’s tenure as Clinton’s budget chief in 1998-2001, the U.S. ran a surplus for three consecutive years.
The federal government will post an $845 billion deficit this year, the first time in five years the shortfall has dipped below $1 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office said on Feb. 5.
The deficit will begin climbing again in subsequent years as baby boomers swell the ranks of Medicare and Social Security. The government will rack up at least an additional $7 trillion in deficits over the next decade, which will push the publicly held debt up almost to $20 trillion by 2023, the CBO said.
Federal spending reductions due to start in March could lower gross domestic product by 0.6 percent and cost 750,000 jobs by the end of 2013, according to the CBO. The U.S. economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter, logging the worst performance since the second quarter of 2009, when the world’s largest economy was still in a recession, according to Commerce Department figures.
Economy’s Strength
For all the concern in Washington about the cuts, investors are signaling that the economy is strong enough to weather any reductions in spending, with home sales, consumer confidence and employment all rebounding. Economists at FTN Financial said in a report last week that while being characterized as a recession risk, sequestration cuts are less than a third the size of the tax increases on Jan. 1.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index has climbed 6.3 percent this year, better than the 5 percent gain for the MSCI All Country World Index. Yields on 10-year Treasuries have dropped nine basis points since Jan. 31, and were at 1.90 percent at 5 p.m. New York time. The U.S. Dollar Index, which tracks the currency against six of America’s biggest trading partners, is near a five-month high.
Citigroup Career
Lew worked as an executive at Citigroup from 2006 until 2009 when he joined the Obama administration at the State Department. Republican critics, led by Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, criticized Lew for perks he received while at Citigroup and in an earlier position at New York University.
Grassley questioned Lew’s personal involvement in a fund in the Cayman Islands and a $940,000 bonus that Lew received in January 2009 as Citigroup was receiving federal bailout funds. Lew said he didn’t know the fund, offered to him as a Citigroup employee, had a Cayman Islands address and that he was paid in the same manner as other private-sector employees in similar jobs. | {
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All Over Albany
The city of Albany made officially announced Monday morning that police chief Brendan Cox will be leaving in January to take a job with a national organization focused on diverting low-level offenders suffering from drug addiction or mental illness from jail. (The Albany Police Department was one of the first departments to participate in this program, called LEAD.)
Mayor Kathy Sheehan said current deputy chief Robert Sears will take over as interim chief, and the city will start a national search for Cox's replacement.
Here's what a handful of elected and community leaders in the city say they'll be looking for in the next chief...
Mayor Kathy Sheehan
Kathy Sheehan on priorities for the police chief search during Monday's press conference:
[Setting priorities] will be done in cooperation with those who have been working with the police department very closely. We have community members who volunteered hundreds of hours of their time -- whether it's on ACPAC or through collaborating with the police department on a lot of the outreach that has happened throughout the community -- so I want to get their input.
I certainly have as priorities continuing the implementation of the 21st Century Policing strategies and LEAD, Those are things that are critically important to this department. And the level of neighborhood engagement and how we do that in the city of Albany is critically important. So those are things that we will be looking at as we think about the search.
Sheehan said the search is still in the early stages, and the department has a good command staff in place.
We asked each of the next group of people: "What attributes, or skills, or ideas are you looking for in the next police chief?" The audio clips include their full answers, with excerpts in the text...
"I want the same command staff that we have here. I'm scared of a national search ... I know where we've been. I know where we are. And it's the future that I'm trying to look out for. And we can't go backwards. And if we go out of this city we don't know what we're going to get. And with the new president-elect, we don't even know if [the federal program] 21st Century Policing is going to remain intact -- because he's the one for getting them outta here, and beating them in the head, and dragging them... and we don't want to go back to that."
Green pointed to a set of goals developed during the 2010 search for a police chief: "On top of that list was a police chief who can provide leadership in the area of community policing. Because the community still feels very strongly that we have to have an equal partnership to move the city forward. So, I think that's a major characteristic. Also I think the people in the community wanted to make sure the department was transparent and open. And I think Chief Cox has done a lot to make that happen, but that has to continue. We wanted someone who understood the history of policing and why it was necessary to change it. Because we came out of an era when there was a force that was abusive and controlling. And we're going to keep our eyes on those kinds of issues."
Robinson said first and foremost it's important to focus on not repeating what happened to Dontay Ivy, the man suffering from mental illness who died after being stopped -- and chased -- by Albany police on the street in Arbor Hill in 2015: "Just because a person may live in a drug-infested area does not make them a drug dealer. So for out police force to say they can stop and detain and harass, and possibly arrest, somebody just from the neighborhood where they live... We have to make sure that our officers do not have that outlook. Community policing I'm firm on. I believe that our officers need to actually live in the communities where they serve."
"I certainly want someone who has an understanding of the implicit biases that we all carry. I think the implicit bias training that the police department has started to carry out really takes our community policing philosophy even further than it had previously been."
"This community policing, definitely. The LEAD program, we want to see continued. Just the way this department is a great department with a great vision, and we want to continue this vision going forward. We have taken, I believe, some great steps forward in trying to diversify the department more. And as the chief said, we're trying to reach another generation."
Georgette Steffens - Downtown Albany BID
"I think a lot of what Chief Cox has already implemented -- that idea of partnership -- is critical. ... I think the ability to communicate, to continue that transparency, and working together, that's where we've seen the most success. Chief Cox joined our board maybe a year or two ago, and that was really an added benefit for our stakeholders. The communication channels are a lot quicker and more open."
Anthony Capece - Central Ave BID
"For me, it's the continuation of the neighborhood engagement unit and the value of community policing. There is no doubt in my mind that neighborhood policing is part of economic development. If you have that connection to the businesses, you immediately identify when there's a problem. And when you identify problems, they're solved much quicker."
On policing and listening
Talk to people involved with city government or community groups around Albany, and there's a good chance they'll have praise for Brendan Cox and his work with the police department. He is, based on our observation, respected by a wide variety of people around the city.
Why the praise? This answer from Monday's press conference -- about taking a step back and thinking about why people feel the way they do about the police, about the historical context in which policing happens, and about how to listen -- gives some indication.
Comments
I don't think a chief that stays for one year can be considered "good"... I don't think a chief that chooses to live in Loudonville is "good"......we need somebody dedicated to the officers, all the citizens, AND the city of Albany itself....someone more concerned with IMPROVING the city and less concerned about their pension and where there precious children will attend school....PS shout out to Albany PD....always available, always accessible, always polite, and there almost instantly when you call them....that's just MY experience with them over the past 15 years....
The Albany PD is far and away far ahead of any other police agency in the state in bringing true community policing to its public. Not only should we be looking for a successor to Chief Cox who will ensure continuity and further progress, but the city should consider working with me to get the state to establish a new program with a mission of promoting and supporting the advancement of community policing throughout the state. Holding Albany up as a model is the way to go.
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We'd really like you to take part in the conversation here at All Over Albany. But we do have a few rules here. Don't worry, they're easy. The first: be kind. The second: treat everyone else with the same respect you'd like to see in return. Cool? Great, post away. Comments are moderated so it might take a little while for your comment to show up. Thanks for being patient.
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What's All Over Albany?
All Over Albany is for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. In other words, it's for you. It's kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who can help you find out what's up. Oh, and our friends call us AOA. | {
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The struggling, rebuilding Astros fell to 10-30 on Tuesday, defeated 6-2 by the Tigers at Comerica Park.
It was the Astros’ sixth consecutive loss and 12th in 14 games. The club is 0-6 this season against Detroit and has lost 10 series in 13 matchups.
The Astros’ record through 40 games is the worst in franchise history, “besting” teams that in 1967 and 1975 began 13-27. The last MLB club to start a year 10-30 was the 2006 Royals, who finished 62-100.
Asked about his squad’s upside-down record, first-year manager Bo Porter said his young team should be motivated simply by being in the major leagues.
“This here is an opportunity to play the game that you all love. … It’s like I explained to the guys: ‘You should be honored to be here and respect the game to the point where you’re motivated to play every day,’ ” Porter said.
The Astros took a 2-0 second-inning lead following a J.D. Martinez RBI double down the left-field line and a Jimmy Paredes sacrifice fly. The club recorded just two more hits and didn’t score again.
The Tigers (22-15) didn’t touch Astros starting righthander Lucas Harrell until the fifth inning. But Harrell (3-4, 5.11 ERA) walked off the mound having given up seven hits, five runs and three walks in five-plus innings.
The Astros’ No. 2 starter said he thought he threw solid pitches overall and credited a Tigers offense that racked up five runs and six hits in the fifth and sixth frames combined. Harrell wasn’t pleased with the Astros’ shift-heavy defense, though, which has been criticized by several starters this season.
“We’re trying to do stuff with our defense right now, and it really worked against me,” Harrell said.
Elmore relishes 2nd shot at bigs
Jake Elmore woke up Tuesday planning to play for Class AAA Oklahoma City in an 11:05 a.m. game against Salt Lake City.
A phone call from RedHawks manager Tony DeFrancesco changed that. Soon, Elmore was flying to Detroit to fill in for All-Star Jose Altuve at second base.
At about1:45 p.m., Elmore arrived at Comerica Park via taxi. He found his name in the starting lineup, prepared to hit second off Tigers righthanded starter Doug Fister and reminded himself that staying in the big leagues is more important than simply returning.
“The jitters aren’t quite as bad as the first time. That first time on the plane ride, my palms were soaking wet,” said Elmore, who hit .300 with 15 RBIs this season at OKC and made his MLB debut in 2012 with Arizona. “You dream about it your whole life. Now that you’ve been here, you want to just work hard and try and stay. That’s the difference. As opposed to being wide-eyed, now you’re working towards something.”
With Altuve dealing with the death of his grandmother in Venezuela and out until Saturday, Elmore is expected to play second at least three games.
“We’re going to give these at-bats to Elmore,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “He’s played well in Triple-A, and it’s an opportunity for us to get a chance to see him.”
Back has Norris ‘day-to-day’
Astros No. 1 starter Bud Norris is scheduled to pitch Sunday at Pittsburgh. But the righthander said Tuesday the lower half of his back was “locked up” and acknowledged being “definitely day-to-day” after suffering lower back spasms during a loss Monday to the Tigers.
“Hopefully the prognosis gets better each and every day,” manager Bo Porter said.
Odds and ends
Righthander Jordan Lyles will start Friday against the Pirates. Lefty Erik Bedard, who will receive extra rest, will take the mound Saturday. … The Astros again started J.D. Martinez, Robbie Grossman and Jimmy Paredes in the outfield. … The highest batting average in the Astros’ starting lineup Tuesday against Detroit belonged to shortstop Marwin Gonzalez (.269).
Photo: Duane Burleson / Getty Images
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May 15: Astros 7, Tigers 5
Brandon Barnes goes up against the wall to catch a fly ball hit by Miguel Cabrera for the final out.
May 15: Astros 7, Tigers 5
Brandon Barnes goes up against the wall to catch a fly ball hit by Miguel Cabrera for the final out.
Photo: Duane Burleson / Getty Images
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Brandon Barnes leads the team during their postgame handshakes after defeating Detroit in the series finale.
Brandon Barnes leads the team during their postgame handshakes after defeating Detroit in the series finale. | {
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Live
Kailyn Lowry shocked her fans on Sunday by going through extensive plastic surgery with Dr. Michael Salzhauer,popularly known as Dr. Miami. Dr. Miami is popular for snapchatting his surgeries and what he has to show of Teen Mom 2's Kailyn Lowry will leave you in utter disbelief! Here are a few of her shocking pictures. | {
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Tag: update
Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan says that Eskom has come up with a detailed winter plan that includes several possible scenarios.
Gordhan said the first scenario was if no load shedding was implemented.
“In this instance, we will ensure that unplanned outages or breakdowns are kept to less than 9500MW and that planned outages are within this range of 3000MW to 5000MW, so that we have some flexibility.
“In scenario 2, if outplanned outages go beyond 9500MW, a maximum of 26 days of Stage 1 load shedding (will take place) throughout this whole five month period,” he said.
There was also the expectation that the coal plants, Medupi and Kusile would soon be able to contribute in a more significant way, hopefully by the end of April.
The media was also told that power plants generally performed better during the cooler conditions in winter.
Gordhan along with Eskom board chairman Jabu Mabuza was briefing the media on the state of SA’s electricity supply.
This follows a previous briefing about two weeks ago.
At the time the country was in the midst of Stage 4 load shedding, which lasted for several days.
The power supply was so constrained that Eskom also implemented Stage 2 load shedding during the night.
Gordhan could not say then when load shedding would come to an end, but said they would know more within 10-14 days after the technical review team had had the opportunity to access the power plants.
Eskom has previously blamed ageing power plants and insufficient maintenance, among other things, for the spate of load shedding.
Last week, Microsoft started distributing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, version 1809, to Windows users who manually checked for updates. The company has now halted that rollout after many reports that installing the update is causing serious data loss: specifically, deleting the Documents, and perhaps Pictures, folders. Microsoft is also advising anyone who has downloaded the update but not yet installed it to not install it at all.
The exact circumstances causing data loss aren’t clear; the handful of reports on Microsoft’s forums and Reddit don’t have any obvious commonalities, and people report seeing only one affected system among many when upgraded. There will need to be some amount of investigation before a fix can be developed.
This will be too late for anyone that’s suffered data loss; although file recovery/undelete tools might be able to salvage the deleted files, the only reliable way of recovering them is to restore from a backup.
A data-loss bug is bad. Data-loss bugs are the worst kind of bug that Microsoft could ship; for rarely backed-up home users, at least, they’re worse even than a security flaw—who needs hackers and malware to destroy your data when the operating system does it for you? This bug is sure to raise new doubts about Microsoft’s testing, pace of delivering updates, and dependence on the Insider Program to find and report such problems.
Making this worse is that the bug does appear to have been reported. Numerous reports in Feedback Hub, Microsoft’s bug-reporting tool for Windows 10, complain of data deletion after installing preview releases. None of the bug reports appears to have many upvotes, and the reports generally lack in detail. So just as with the more recent reports, they make it hard to pin down the root cause. But it’s obvious that, at the very least, something was going wrong and that it was important enough that it should have been investigated and addressed.
Compounding this issue is that Microsoft’s rollout of version 1809 was already unusual. For reasons unknown, Microsoft didn’t release this update to the Release Preview ring, so the most realistic installation scenario—someone going from version 1803 to 1809—didn’t receive much testing anyway. And all this is against the longer-term concern that Microsoft laid off many dedicated testers without really replacing the testing that those testers were doing.
Microsoft issues a fix
Microsoft has fixed a bug in its latest Windows 10 October 2018 update that deleted files en masse for some users.
The software giant was forced to pull the update over the weekend due to the data deletion issues.
Now, the update is back online, but Microsoft says it is only releasing it to members of the Windows Insider program before making it available to the general public. | {
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This blog is to share information I have gathered while transitioning from R14 to ABS 2007 to R-MEP 2012 and any other noteworthy nerd type information.
Friday, September 26, 2008
2007 Warning of Opening an R14 Dwg Pop-up
Hello bloggers!
With the help of some knowledgeable people on AUGI.com (thank you Lions60 & rkmcswain!!) I believe I have a solid working version of this pop-up that we've been needing.
Here's what it does: When opening a dwg (be it read-only or a full on open) this pop-up will appear if the dwg is any version below 2007). The pop-up will state what version the dwg is and ask if you really want to open. If you press cancel it closes that dwg out, but all other dwgs that you have open in that session are unaffected. If you press open, it will go ahead and let you open the dwg as you had chosen (either full on or read-only depending upon what you picked in the beginning). If you try to click on the "x" button to close out of the dialog box it will not work. The user is forced to either choose cancel or open. The cancel button is set as the default choice, so if the user just hits the enter key it will be selecting cancel and close the dwg out.
I have also have it showing an image on the dialog box (just for fun). That's a whole different post on how to do that....I had never made a slide before so that was a learning experience all on its own.
If you decide for some reason that you would like to use this code (LSP and/or DCL), or any portion of it please make sure you credit me for it.
Thank you!
Here is the DCL File:
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// This program is designed to be used with the acaddoc.lsp file.// They are to be stored locally on the users' machine under the product's support file area.// I.E.: C:Program Files_Autodesk Building Systems 2007_Support// This program uses the slide image "WarnImage.sld" that is stored here: F:HBEDT2K7_Setup// It was created to pop-up a warning when a dwg of a lower version is opened in a 2007 product.// The user will get a choice to cancel out of the open, or go ahead with the open.// Currently this pop-up will appear if the file is opened full out or read-only.// It will not affect any dwgs that are already open in that session of Acad (ADT or ABS).// Please do not use-alter-modify this file without contacting Abbie Meador first.// Created by Abbie Meador.// Last modified on 09-26-08 by Abbie Meador./////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
: paragraph { //Begins a paragraph of text : text { key = "mytile"; } //Calls the tile created in the LSP to print out in a text line : text_part { label = "Verify this file is Read-only before clicking 'Open' (Check the header)."; } : text_part { label = "If you ignore this warning and end up saving this as a 2007 dwg,"; } : text_part { label = "YOU WILL REPAIR THIS FILE ON YOUR OWN TIME!!"; } } //End paragraph of text } //End of row
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; This program is designed to be used with the warnr14.dcl file.;; They are to be stored locally on the users' machine under the product's support file area.;; I.E.: C:Program Files_Autodesk Building Systems 2007_Support;; This program uses the slide image "WarnImage.sld" that is stored here: F:HBEDT2K7_Setup;; It was created to pop-up a warning when a dwg of a lower version is opened in a 2007 product.;; The user will get a choice to cancel out of the open, or go ahead with the open.;; Currently this pop-up will appear if the file is opened full out or read-only.;; It will not affect any dwgs that are already open in that session of Acad (ADT or ABS).;; Please do not use-alter-modify this file without contacting Abbie Meador first.;; Created by Abbie Meador.;; Last modified on 09-26-08 by Abbie Meador.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
(action_tile "accept" "(unload_dialog)") ;;Closes dialog and leaves dwg open if Open button from DCL is clicked (action_tile "cancel" "(done_dialog)") ;;Closes dialog and dwg if Cancel button from DCL is clicked
(set_tile "mytile" (strcat "YOU JUST OPENED AN " acadv " DWG IN 2007.")) ;;Creates tile to be used on DCL that shows version variable info | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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The below picture of the attempted murder of Stew Webb October 25, 2010 by two of Hillary Clinton's Assassins. There were two more crashed and attempt one year later.
Contributions are much appreciated Thank You.-- Stew Webb
Stew Webb Maine Corps Boot Camp Picture Platoon 2103 (1971)
Stew Webb served in the United States Marine Corps and was Honorable Discharge.
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Mireille Mathieu singing La Marseillaise
Denver Illuminati Zionist Connection aka Organized Crime
Those Who Control the USA & Israel
Stew Webb served in the United States Marine Corps and was Honorable Discharge. Stew was a General Contractor-Home Builder until 3 car crashes in one year and is now disabled. Stew turned Federal Whistleblower-Activist of 31 years and has been a guest on over 3,000 Radio and TV Programs since September 18, 1991 and now has his own Radio and TV Network http://www.stewwebbradionetwork.com Stew was responsible for the Congressional Investigations and hearings that lead to the Appointment of Independent Prosecutor Arlin Adams in the 1989 HUD Hearings, the Silverado Savings and Loan Hearings, the Denver International Airport Frauds hearings, the MDC Holdings, Inc. (MDC-NYSE) Illegal Political Campaign Money Laundering Colorado’s biggest case aka Keating 5 hearings and the information provided that lead to the 2008 Illegal Bank Bailout.
Stew was held as a Political Prisoner from 1992-1993 to silence his exposure by Leonard Millman his former in law with illegal charges of threatening harassing telephone calls charges which were dismissed with prejudice. Leonard Millman, George HW Bush, George W Bush, Jeb Bush, Neil Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Larry Mizel, Phil Winn, Norman Brownstein, John McCain and Mitt Romney to name a few are all partners in what is known as the Bush-Millman-Clinton Organized Crime Syndicate. Leonard Millman (Deceased 2004) was member of the "Illuminati Council of 13".
Stew Webb Whistle blower Grand Jury Demand against Hillary Clinton
The Denver Illuminati Zionist Organized Crime Chart
Leonard Millman and George HW Bush Narcotics Money Laundering and Illegal Weapon Sales and wire transfers. (Note the Amounts)
Millman-Bush-Illuminati Human Sacrifice
Stew Webb's ex-witch-doctor: Kerre Millman Denver’s Illuminati Princess Manipulator Liar Attempted Murderer of her own Daughter and Stew's Daughter Amanda Webb August 10 1984.
(L) Kerre Millman (Center) Elaine R. Millman 5th Degree Witch Stew Webb's ex-not-mother-in-law, (R) Attorney Allen Karsh Drug Smuggler from Mexico into Colorado, Illuminati 12 Leonard Millmand Mob Attorney, Elaine Millman's Brother, controls 50 Billion Millman Estate. One on Millman 3 Mafia Attorneys should be Jailed. All Stolen from US government, and Narcotics Money Laundering and Wall Street Investors (Pension Funds).
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A revolution is coming — a revolution which will be peaceful if we are wise enough; compassionate if we care enough; successful if we are fortunate enough — But a revolution which is coming whether we will it or not. We can affect its character; we cannot alter its inevitability. - Robert Kennedy, Senate Floor, May 9, 1966
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How do I move a computer from one account to another?https://help.logmein.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-can-I-move-my-computer-from-one-account-to-another-en1
Sun Jun 07 09:22:47 GMT 2020Sun Jun 07 09:22:47 GMT 2020How do I move a computer from one account to another?https://help.logmein.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-can-I-move-my-computer-from-one-account-to-another-en1
How-can-I-move-my-computer-from-one-account-to-another-en1Wed Feb 18 11:38:06 GMT 2015 | {
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Getting Down With The Trumpets – Serbian Style
Sometimes you hear about something so unique, so left-field, and so totally up your street, that your whole brain does a double take. Does ‘insert niche topic here’ really exist?
Cue my overland adventure to Serbia and to one of the world’s most famous trumpet festivals.
Yes, a trumpet festival.
Yes, it was glorious.
Loving The Brass
I had learnt about this free (that’s right!) festival from an Australian guy I had met when backpacking in the remote parts of Romania. My ears had instantly pricked up because one of my quintessential loves are big old brass sections. I was easily swayed and I vowed to be reunited with my Australian friend and to get my skank on to some big brass bad boys.
A month or so later I made the arduous journey across Romania, hitchhiking some of the way and into the realms of nationalistic Serbia. One of my all time favourite high and low points of hitchhiking occurred on the border. I had been waiting for hours and my moral was drastically low, yet another car drove past me and in my frustration I put my hands into the air and asked for God’s help. Suddenly I saw the car’s brake lights come on, the car reversed towards me and I was pulled into a crowded Serbian family car, none of whom spoke English and I was on my way to Belgrade! Maybe there is a God?
The Mayhem
Once into Belgrade, it was a matter of finding the local bus station and figuring out how exactly to make the trip to trumpet land. Luckily it wasn’t just me who had the thought of heading to see the horns and so a couple of other travellers and I set off to find the bus station and the transport that would take me to my heaven on earth.
We made it to Guca in one piece and looked for a place to pitch our tents and were informed that we could pitch in the middle of a sparse field for free of charge. What is it with Europe and these awesome cheap festivals?
Over the next few days, more and more people arrived and I was reunited with my friend from Australia. What I really can’t put into words is the amount of horn sections that occupy every nook and cranny of the town. I was in a restaurant and there was not one, not two, but THREE brass bands going around to each table playing. It was a sight to behold and pretty intense on the old eardrums.
And so the dancing, drinking and mingling carried on over the weekend. I met locals who had dreamed of visiting English castles, I met locals who offered me the ‘face of the lamb’ as a symbol of friendship (it is literally the face of the lamb which you eat…I politely declined) and I met locals who blamed me and my stupid country for bombing his city and had the scars to show for it. It was all very Serbian and I absolutely loved it.
And so my trip to Guca did not disappoint and it was everything you could have wished for from a slightly random European festival. However, the story did not end there and it was at this point where my next adventure swiftly began.
Remember that site called Couchsurfing? It was all the rage nearly ten years ago and this festival was no exception. A Couchsurfing meet-up had been organised for any travellers wishing to meet and just hang out. That meeting started off all very innocently but ended with me undertaking one of my finest acts of spontaneity. | {
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Police are continuing to investigate an arson attack that damaged an Invercargill shopping complex.
Detective Ant King, of Invercargill CIB, released still images from a CCTV camera taken about the time the fire was started, in the hope it may lead to a break in the case.
CCTV footage from the Rosedale Food Centre in Salford St shows a person walking from the northern end of the shopping complex.
It shows a person in a hoodie walking along the pavement in front of the shops near the dairy before moving an advertising sign.
The time on the video is 3.35am on Wednesday. Fire crews and police responded to the blaze about 4am.
Mr King said the person caught on the CCTV was "a person of interest who could possibly help with the investigation".
Police want to identify the person outside the Rosedale Food Centre in Salford St about the time of the fire, he said.
The fire damaged the rear wall and roof area of the Rosedale Chinese Takeaways and caused significant smoke damage to the adjoining shops, including 4 Ever After Bridal that was filled with wedding gowns.
Owner Sarah Barker-McBurney could not be contacted yesterday but a post on her business Facebook page says "it had been an extremely stressful time".
She wrote that her brides were her current priority and asked customers to please bear with her.
"Thank u to all brides, past brides and friends and family for ur kind words and offers of help and support. Thankfully the least- damaged area of the shop is where we store our gowns and alter them," she wrote.
"All brides who have gowns in the shop and have weddings pending, we are treating and successfully salvaging gowns without any signs of damage or smoke or the smell of it. This is a timely process and is being done on order of wedding date priority and I will be in contact with u each individually soon. My stock gowns are a complete right off and I will be moving to temporary premises soon and will let you all know."
Mr King said police were also still investigating a second suspicious fire involving a four- wheel-drive vehicle in Albert St near Queens Drive about the same time as the shops were set alight.
The white Range Rover was extensively damaged and appeared to have been unlocked before the fire, Mr King said. | {
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Contents
History
Before First Curse
At some point, Mulan serves in the army of the Emperor of her native land, and proves herself in battle. For several months in her home empire, Mulan tries to track down a beast called the Yaoguai. After finally reaching the creature's den, Mulan sees a woman, Belle, trying to lure it out. When the Yaoguai comes out to attack, Mulan fires an arrow to force it away. Belle is grateful for her help, though Mulan berates her for scaring the beast and ruining her chance of killing the Yaoguai and saving her village. She storms off into the woods; snapping at Belle that the best way to help is to stay out of her way. Later, when Belle is accosted in a village by her former travelling companions, Mulan attacks and drives them away, but receives a wound to her leg. When Belle inquires as to why Mulan saved her, she asks for assistance in following the beast, and then allowing herself to kill it. As they go after the Yaoguai, Mulan discovers her leg injury is worse than she thought, and encourages Belle to defeat the Yaoguai. At first, Belle is unsure and hesitant, but gains more confidence when Mulan hands over her sword. Belle defeats the Yaoguai by restoring him to his human self, Prince Phillip. She introduces him to Mulan, and the two eventually become travelling companions. ("The Outsider")
When Emma breaks the curse in Storybrooke, time resumes, and Mulan and Prince Phillip continue their search for Aurora. They reach a crumbling palace where Aurora remains under the influence of the Sleeping Curse. Prince Phillip awakens her with true love's kiss. However, the happy reunion is cut short when a Wraith enters into the Enchanted Forest and attacks them. Prince Phillip is unwittingly marked by the Wraith's medallion, but keeps this information to himself. Once they start setting up camp for the night, he disappears and never returns. Mulan realizes what happened earlier and sets out to go after him. Before she can, Aurora accuses her of being in love with Prince Phillip. Mulan staunchly denies it; claiming that though they fought many battles together, she has no romantic feelings for him. They reach Prince Phillip just in time to witness his demise as the Wraith sucks out his soul and leaves the medallion behind. In mourning, the two women lay Prince Phillip's body on the palace bier. Mulan hands Aurora the bagged medallion for safe-keeping. As they prepare to leave, a sound startles them. Under a pile of rubble, they find two women, Emma and Mary Margaret, unconscious underneath it. Mulan blames the strangers as the culprits in Prince Phillip's death. ("Broken")
Mulan and Aurora ride away from the palace while forcing the women to follow along with their hands tied. They reach a Safe Haven where many survivors inhabit the area. Mary Margaret attempts to escape by kicking Aurora, giving Emma a head start, but Mulan throws a weapon to bring her down. Then, Emma and an unconscious Mary Margaret are thrown into a holding pit. ("We Are Both")
The leader of the Safe Haven, Lancelot, wishes to speak with Emma and Mary Margaret. He recognizes Mary Margaret as Snow White and they have a warm reunion. Since Lancelot trusts them, Mulan lets down her guard, though Aurora still holds animosity towards the two women for Prince Phillip's death. She warns the princess not to confuse vengeance with justice. By Lancelot's request, Mulan accompanies Emma and Mary Margaret for their journey to an abandoned castle, which may have a portal for them to return home. After giving them weapons, they travel through the woods until nightfall approaches. While Mary Margaret is gathering materials for building a fire, Aurora—who has been secretly following the trio—attacks her out of revenge. Mulan intervenes; telling Mary Margaret to stay out of the conflict and let her speak to Aurora. Emma reacts by firing her gun in the air, which startles both Mulan and Aurora. The noise attracts ogres, so they split up until Mary Margaret takes the creature down with an arrow to the eye. When they arrive at the castle, Mulan and Aurora keep watch at the gate while Emma and Mary Margaret go inside. By chance, Cora, disguised as Lancelot, ambushes the pair inside the castle. As a battle ensues, Mulan and Aurora hear the commotion and rush to help. During the commotion, the magic wardrobe Emma and Mary Margaret planned to use for returning home is burned to ash. Stunned at Cora's trickery, Mulan is shocked that she fell for the disguise of a shape shifter all this time and is unsure what to tell the survivors at the Safe Haven. Mary Margaret suggests she should tell them the truth; that Lancelot died a heroic death. With Lancelot dead, Mulan elects Mary Margaret as the new leader to guide the survivors. Though appreciative of the title, Mary Margaret wishes to return to her own home in Storybrooke with Emma. Mulan and Aurora agree to aide them in their quest. ("Lady of the Lake")
On the way back to camp, Mulan is perplexed on how to detail to the Safe Haven residents the manner of Lancelot's death. Upon arrival, Mulan is horrified to see all the people have had their hearts ripped out. Aurora discovers a lone survivor beneath some bodies and they speak to him in order to learn how he managed to live. He talks about hiding under some of the corpses to avoid Cora, who tore out everyone's hearts, but Mulan is not buying his story. With Emma's help, Mulan ties the man to a tree to allow the approaching ogres to eat him. Finally, the man confesses to his true identity, Captain Hook. He admits to being on the same side as Cora, but asks to team up with them instead. After Emma cuts him free, Mulan holds a sword to his back as Hook leads them to the location of a beanstalk. He states the item they need to return home; a enchanted compass is at the top, but they need to get past a giant. ("The Doctor")
At the base of the beanstalk, Mulan insists she should be the one to climb the beanstalk as most experienced warrior of out of all of them. Emma overrules her, and speaks to Mulan privately before making the journey up the beanstalk. She asks about the strength of her sword, and Mulan states it is the strongest sword in the land. Emma requests to be given a time limit of ten hours to get back down from the beanstalk, and if she has not returned, Mulan must cut down the beanstalk and ensure Mary Margaret goes home safely. Mulan agrees, and provides Emma with poppy dust to knock the giant out. After Emma and Hook set off, Mulan draws a line in the ground and punches a stick in the sand as a way to keep track of time. When it reaches ten hours and there is no sign of Emma, Mulan deals out a heavy blow to the stalk with her sword while Mary Margaret attempts to stop her. Mulan strongly insists it is Emma's wish she cut down the beanstalk. As the two women fight, Emma jumps down from the beanstalk in time with the compass in hand. ("Tallahassee")
Aurora, suffering through a side effect of the Sleeping Curse, experiences a dream in which she meets Emma's son Henry in the Netherworld. In an ambush, Cora uses the hearts of the Safe Haven victims and commands them to rise and attack. As the undead approach, Mulan and Aurora flee in one direction while Mary Margaret and Emma are left behind to face the creatures. Mulan becomes distracted after she is tackled to the ground by one undead while two others grab Aurora and kidnap her. Mulan takes off the head of the undead and regroups with Emma and Mary Margaret only to realize Cora now has Aurora. Without her, they have no way of accessing the Netherworld, so Mary Margaret asks to be put into a deep sleep to reach Henry. As they head to a nearby poppy field, a raven with a message from Cora arrives. Cora demands the compass by sundown, or risk Aurora's life. Mulan tries to take the compass by force, but Emma and Mary Margaret convince her to allow them until sundown to contact Henry and come up with a plan. She reluctantly agrees. In the field, Mulan cuts a poppy flower and crushes it into dust. Once the powder is blown in Mary Margaret, she falls asleep and travels to the Netherworld. While she is out, Mulan is not able to wait any longer and pilfers the compass to deliver it to Cora. On the way there, the two women catch up to her. Mary Margaret tackles Mulan to the ground and savagely threatens to finish her with an arrow. Mulan stubbornly refuses to hand over the compass, so Mary Margaret moves in for the kill when Aurora arrives to break up the altercation. From Mary Margaret's previous communication with David in the Netherworld, they learn the key to defeating Cora is some squid ink located in Rumplestiltskin's old cell, and continue on their expedition. ("Into the Deep")
As they arrive and venture into the underground jail beneath the ruins of the palace, Mulan uses her torch to search the cell for any sign of the squid ink. After Aurora finds a note written by Rumplestiltskin with Emma's name scribbled on it, Mulan discovers an empty small glass vial with no ink inside. Suddenly, Aurora entraps them in the cell, to which Cora parades in with Hook to reveal she is in possession of the girl's heart. After the two leave to make their way to Storybrooke, Mulan apologizes to Aurora for allowing Cora to get her heart. While stuck with no way out, Mary Margaret recalls seeing Cora use magic in a certain manner and realizes the squid ink is on the parchment with Emma's name. She demonstrates its power by blowing the ink dust onto the cell handle bars, which melt away. Aurora insists Cora still has too much power over her and asks to be left behind. Reluctantly, Mulan ties her to the remnants of the jail cell and hurries off with Emma and Mary Margaret to Lake Nostos. Just as Cora and Hook prepare to jump into the portal, Mulan, Emma and Mary Margaret do their best to fight their way through. With her sword blade, Mulan deflects Cora's incoming magic. Though she moves to attack, Cora vanishes into a puff of smoke. Aurora's heart nearly falls into the portal, but Hook makes a grab and tosses it back to Mulan. While Emma prepares to battle Hook, Mary Margaret directs Mulan to go and give Aurora her heart. Before she leaves, Mulan hands her sword to Mary Margaret for magic deflection. After returning to the cell, she inserts the heart into Aurora's chest. Aurora shares information on the whereabouts of Prince Phillip's soul, which she was told by Cora, and that he can possibly be revived. They set off to find a way to bring him back. ("Queen of Hearts")
As a young and skilled warrior in swordsmanship, Mulan somehow finds herself in DunBroch under the services of King Fergus. While donning a soldier's armor and helmet, she is challenged into a duel by Fergus' feisty daughter Merida, who she quickly disarms and knocks flat on her back. Mulan offers to teach swordplay to Merida, and from then on, they have regular lessons together. On another day, going by Fergus' orders to keep his daughter away from the upcoming southern invasion, she deliberately brings Merida to a different location to practice dueling, when suddenly a horn blares, signaling the start of the battle with the southerners. Merida rushes to the skirmish in time to see a mystery knight approaching to attack her father, and she attempts to stop the soldier with an arrow, but the shaft pierces the knight's cloak instead. After Merida witnesses the knight cut down her father, Mulan leads her away from the battlefield. ("The Bear King")
Using unknown means, Mulan and Aurora manage to retrieve and restore Phillip's soul. By the beach's shoreline, the trio come across an unconscious man. They take him back to the palace and tend to his injuries as Mulan keeps a close watch on the stranger. Upon awakening, she asks who he is, to which the man responds with his name, Neal. Her companions, Aurora and Prince Phillip, rush over to inspect the stranger. Neal is stunned to learn that he is in the Enchanted Forest. This causes Aurora to think he's a native of this land, but Mulan points out his clothes are foreign and similar to Emma and Mary Margaret's. At the mention of Emma's name, Neal tries to explain that he needs to save her from harm. When he brings up Henry, Aurora recognizes him as the boy's father and promises to help find his son in the Netherworld. While she does that, Mulan and Neal engage in light conversation. She learns he thought of the Enchanted Forest while falling into the portal, which brought him home. Aurora's attempt fails, so Neal decides to go to his father's old castle to look for something that might help reach his loved ones. Mulan accompanies him for the journey. Curiously, she asks why Emma never mentioned him before. Neal confesses he broke Emma's heart by letting her go to fulfill the breaking of the Dark Curse, and after it was finished with, fear of rejection kept himself from coming back to her. Mulan remarks that his belief in love wasn't strong enough to overcome rejection, which Neal says is the greatest regret of his life. Inside the castle, they meet a man named Robin Hood who has claimed the building as his own. Robin Hood allows them access upon learning that Neal is Rumplestiltskin's son Baelfire as he has an owed debt to the Dark One. From a brief search, Neal opens a hidden door with his father's old cane and tries to activate a crystal ball, which doesn't work. Mulan suggests to think about how he feels about Emma, and that will guide him to see her. Neal follows her instructions, and the crystal ball shows him an image of Emma in Neverland. ("And Straight On 'Til Morning", "The Heart of the Truest Believer")
Panicking over finding another pathway to Neverland, Neal searches all over the castle for something that could be of use, but to no avail. Just then, three of Robin Hood's allies from their group the Merry Men enter into the castle. From beneath the leading man, Little John, a four-year old boy, Roland, crawls out and runs into Robin's arms. Neal finds out the child is Robin Hood's son, to which he suddenly comes up with the idea of how to traverse worlds. He suggests using Robin's son, Roland, to use a summoning incantation to call the Shadow from Neverland, so Mulan helps to prepare the room for the operation. At nightfall, as everyone assumes their positions, Roland summons the Shadow, who attempts to kidnap the boy, but Mulan severs one of the Shadow's arms. This moment gives Neal time to grab onto the Shadow as it flies back to Neverland. Later, Robin offers Mulan a chance to join the Merry Men. She declines, stating that she has to talk to someone first before it's too late. Robin suspects it's someone she loves, though she mysteriously smiles, saying that only time will tell. Returning to the palace, Mulan prepares to confess her feelings for Aurora, but before she can, Aurora shares news of her pregnancy. Momentarily shocked at the news, Mulan recovers from her stupor to congratulate her, before announcing her plans to join the Merry Men. She turns away, walking off in sadness, as an equally disheartened Aurora watches her go. By nightfall, Mulan meets up with Robin at his camp, where she accepts a place with the Merry Men. ("Quite a Common Fairy")
Before Third Curse
Following her bout of unrequited love, Mulan becomes callous and cold, caring only about working for her employer to collect money debts from customers, even if they have been cheated out of deals. Although unclear, it appears she is no longer with the Merry Men by this point, though it's not known if she actually quit the group. During one such debt collection, in which Mulan forces the patrons to pay up by threatening to maim them, Merida finds her in the aftermath, shocked to see her old friend has changed so much. Because Mulan's main motivation is money, Merida pays her in order to secure her help in finding a magic helm that belonged to King Fergus. At the old battlefield where the southern invasion took place, they find the same arrow Merida shot at the knight who killed Fergus, which has a piece of the knight's cloak on it. Before they can use the cloak piece to track down the knight, King Arthur and Zelena steal Merida's bow to locate the helm. Discouraged at Zelena's implication that her father resorted to a magic helm to win against the southerners, Merida gives up the mission and returns home, while Mulan continues on her own to the old witch's hut, hoping to pinpoint the knight's identity. She is attacked by a guarding wolf inside the hut, but soon, she realizes the animal is a human in disguise. Knocking over a nearby cauldron, the smoke from the brew pours out, reverting the wolf to a human named Ruby. As the pair travel together, Mulan learns Ruby knows of her from Emma and Mary Margaret, as she once lived in the other world. When Ruby mentions Aurora and Phillip starting new lives there with their baby, Mulan becomes tense at the mention of Aurora, but she covers up her hurt with concern, saying she knows what it's like to start over in a new place. With Ruby's help, they discover the knight is Arthur. While Merida stops Arthur from taking the real helm, as the one he stole from Fergus was non-magical, Mulan faces off with Zelena, with Ruby knocking out the witch with a sleeping potion. After Arthur and Zelena retreat, Mulan admits she is still not over her lost love, to which Ruby encourages her to join her in finding other werewolves and help her as a way to heal from her own past. ("The Bear King")
After Third Curse
Continuing the search for werewolves, Mulan and Ruby head to Oz. In the woods, Mulan asks about Oz, with Ruby admitting she only knows the movie version of Oz, which involved a lot of singing. Like many previous searches, Ruby tries to sniff out any wolves, but she finds no one. Upon hearing a growl from an unknown creature, the women prepare to a fight, only to see a dog, whom Ruby recognizes as Toto. She moves to pet him, but then, Dorothy stops her, questioning which of them is a witch, since Toto only barks at witches. Ruby admits she's part wolf, and she tries to pet Toto to prove she is harmless, but Toto runs off. After Ruby confirms Toto went northwest, the trio head there. On the way, they see a cylone that Dorothy realizes is the Wicked Witch's return.Wanting to get back to her daughter, Zelena demands the silver slippers from Dorothy, and for her refusal, she holds Toto hostage, giving Dorothy until sundown tomorrow to honor the deal. To regain Toto, Mulan makes a concoction to put Zelena to sleep, but she needs poppies to complete the brew. Ruby joins Dorothy for the journey to the poppy field, and when they return, Mulan notices Ruby is in wolf form. Dorothy mentions running into some trouble with Zelena's flying monkeys, but she escaped with Ruby's help. With the collected poppy flower, Mulan finishes the sleeping powder and gives it to Dorothy. Dorothy then retires for the night, saying she needs rest, while Ruby suspects Dorothy is uncomfortable after seeing her in wolf form. By the campfire, Ruby confides in Mulan about falling hard for Dorothy. She is afraid of rejection, but Mulan encourages her not to hold back, reminding her not to make the same mistake she once did. Ruby goes to Dorothy, but finds her missing. ("Ruby Slippers")
After Zelena leaves Oz, with the slippers' help, Ruby follows her with a tracking spell, in hopes of learning what happened to Dorothy. Eventually, Mulan and the munchkins find Dorothy under a sleeping curse, and they keep watch over her, as they wait for Ruby's return. When Ruby comes back with Snow, she gives true love's kiss to Dorothy, awakening her from the curse. Dorothy admits she loves her, and after Ruby promises to always come back for her, the couple kiss, as Mulan, Snow and the munchkins look on happily. ("Ruby Slippers")
Trivia
Character Notes
Mulan is the first character on the show to be derived from a legend rather than a traditional fairy tale, modern fairy tale or myth.
Production Notes
The casting call described her as, "Female, Asian. Early to mid 20s. A warrior first and foremost, she could hold her own against a swordsman or even a king. She is trained in weaponry, tracking and riding, but has a spirituality that enhances her tactical and strategic abilities.[1]
Fairytales and Folklore
Mulan wears armor, with her face and hair covered, in her first appearance in "Broken", and Aurora mistakes her for a man. This alludes to the original tale of Mulan where she pretended to be a man to take her father's place in the army. | {
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5min Extreme
5min Media is the leading syndication platform for broadband instructional, knowledge, and lifestyle videos. Our library includes about 200,000 videos across 21 categories and 220 subcategories, which are professionally produced and brand-safe. 5min Media features content from some of the world’s largest media companies as well as the most innovative independent producers. | {
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Pages
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Application Integration - Business & IT Drivers
Design Patterns are finding increased use for its apparent benefits, i.e. when there is a solution for a common recognized problem, why reinvent the solution again, instead use the solution design that is expected to address the problem. However it is not a one size fits all, as there are a combination of factors that may influence the choice of the design and architecture. Enterprise Application Integration is a complex undertaking and it requires a thorough understanding of the applications being integrated and the various Business and IT drivers that necessitate the integration.
There are numerous approaches, methods and tools to design and implement Application Integration and it is always a challenge in choosing the right combination of design, tools and methods to accomplish the business need. Selecting the right design requires good knowledge of the problem on hand and the other related attributes that drives the solution. In this blog, let us try to identify various business and IT drivers that the architects need to understand well before making a choice of the design, method, tool or approach.
It is also worth understanding that these drivers should be considered collectively. While a particular tool or design might seem to solve the specific need, it might require certain other needs to be compromised. Thus it is a mix of art and science that the Architects need to apply.
Business Drivers:
Business Process Efficiency - The level of efficiency that the business wants achieve through the application integration is a basic need that should be considered. Being a basic need there is a tendency amongst the Architects to neglect to have this documented and thus leaving a chance failure in this area. Knowing this will also be useful in validating the design through the implementation phases.
Latency of Business Events - Certain business events are time sensitive and need to be propagated to the target systems within a time interval. Achieving a low latency integration may require tooling the components at much a lower layer of the computing hardware.
Information / Data Flow direction - Whether the data or information should flow in one way or should it be a request / response combination has an influence on the choice of design.
Routing / Distribution - The information or data flow might be just a broadcast or in some cases, there have to be a response for each request. Similarly, the target applications may be one or many, which could be dynamic based on certain data combinations. These routing and brokering rules have to be identified to orchestrate the data flow appropriately.
Level of Automation - End to end automation might require changes to the source and / or target applications. Alternatively, it might be a best choice to leave this to be semi automatic, so that the existing systems and related process may remain unchanged. An example of this could be participation of a legacy system which is likely to be sunset in the near term, in which case changes to the legacy system is not preferred.
Inter-Process Dependencies - Dependencies between processes would determine whether to use serial or parallel processing. It is important to identify and understand this need, so that processes which can be processed in parallel can be identified and designed accordingly, so as to achieve efficiency.
IT Drivers:
Budget / TCO - Any enterprise Initiative would be budget driven and the Return on Investment must be established to get the consent of the project governance body (or Steering Committee). The Choice of tools, design and the approach should be made considering the allocated budget and aiming to achieve a lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Technology and Skills - It is also important that the design and architecture considers the technology in use in the organization and the availability of skilled resources to build and as well as maintain the integration implementation. Application Integration solutions require a continuous maintenance as either of the source or target systems or even the business processes are likely to undergo changes.
Legacy Investment - All enterprises will have investments in legacy systems as the technology obsolescence is happening faster than planned. It would be prudent for enterprises to explore opportunities to get returns out of such legacy investments where possible. The Architects shall consider this aspect while designing integration solutions and thus facilitate planned sunset of Legacy systems over a period.
Application Layers - Integration can be achieved at various layers, viz. Data Layer, Application Layer, UI Layer, etc. The choice of the integration layer depends on various business drivers and an appropriate choice need to be made to achieve desired efficiency, latency and other needs.
Application Complexity - An enterprise is likely to have a portfolio of applications within and outside to integrate with. The complexity of the applications would have a direct influence on the design and architecture of the integration solution as well. A thorough study and evaluation of the applications is a must to come up with a good integration solution.
As you know the above is not an exhaustive list and there are various other business and IT Drivers that need consideration. In addition, the quality attributes like security, availability, performance, maintainablity, extendability etc that need consideration in choosing a right design and architecture for the application integration solution. I would be writing another blog on Quality of Service (QoS) considerations for Application Integration solutions. | {
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We have over 300 PJ Trailers Dealers Locations in the US & Canada that provide expert service and knowledgeable advice. Enter your postal code or city and region to find a PJ Trailers Dealer near your location. | {
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ART 2294 Photography Portfolio Development
1.0 Credit Hour
One-on-one instruction regarding the student's final graduating photography portfolio. Instructor will meet with the student during final term of study to help the student compose his or her final graduating portfolio. Student may repeat course up to three times to achieve a passing grade. Failure to satisfactorily complete this course will make the student ineligible for the Photographic Technology Short-Term Certificate.
Prerequisite:
Restricted to Majors AND The student must complete 28 semester hours of coursework prior to enrolling in ART 2294. Course should be completed during the final terms of study.
Summer Term 2015 Schedule
Booklist for ART 2294
LAB
SEC
CALL
HRS
START
END
DAY
ROOM
INSTRUCTOR
STATUS
(* indicates prerequisite)
(updated hourly)
B00
0220218
1.0
TBA -
Jurus
OPEN
B Term
Independent Study Student
TITLE
AUTHOR
ED
YEAR
NEW
USED
Section B00
Required
TAO OF PHOTOGRAPHY
GROSS
$19.99
$15.00
*Term designations represent when courses are typically offered. They are included for planning purposes only and subject to change. Refer to the current schedule for actual course offerings. | {
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I’m sure that you, like me, are saddened every time someone in your team has resigned, (apart from the one or two rare exceptions when I have actually danced a celebratory jig around my desk, but that’s for another article!).
Mostly, my natural reaction has always been a human one I suppose. “Why would they do that?” or, “What’s wrong with them?” or even, “The fool must be leaving for money!”
But as the years rolled by I have become much wiser.
Lack of Leadership
Experience tells me that people don’t change jobs solely for money, and they almost never resign on a whim or in a fit of anger. People joined your company because they believed it was right for them, and they desperately want it to be right.
However, something, at some point, makes it wrong and if you are able to uncover their real reasons for leaving, and you should, you will find that it’s not ‘the company’ they blame. It’s not the location, or the team, or the database or the air-conditioning…
…it’s the leadership!
Of course they very rarely use that word. They may not mention management at all.
Instead they talk about “morale,” or say “communication is poor”, and, when they express frustration at the lack of clarity for their career progression, they are telling you that it’s the leaders they are leaving. After all, leaders are responsible for morale, communication and career path.
Discover the Real Reasons
And don’t be fooled by the results of your employee engagement survey – they rarely get to the heart of the matter. A ‘company’ is just a legal entity and a ‘business’ is simply a building containing a collection of desks and computers. No one resigns because of that.
It’s the decisions, the motivation, the atmosphere, the ethos, the support, the training, the vision, the inspiration and the direction set by the leadership that your employees will follow…or leave!
Take the time to have an honest look at your business or department without further delay. If you’re losing too many people, (or have high absenteeism), you need to discover the real reasons why.
If you’re not sure how to get to the root cause then ask. My colleagues and I are happy to offer our free advice, and it could transform your performance and results in 2016.
Boxchange offers a fully integrated business change solution that fits almost every conceivable change challenge your business may, or is currently facing. We focus on delivering value, return on investment & ensure effective knowledge transfer throughout. | {
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Somalia congratulates Trump on election victory
H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia congratulates President Elect Donald J Trump for being elected as the 45th president of the United States of America, and wishes the US president-elect, every success in leading his nation forward.
“On behalf of the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Somali people, I would like to offer my congratulations to Donald J Trump on his victory in the US presidential election. Somalia appreciates and values the excellent partnership between Somalia and the United States that is vital for our mutual security and common goals particularly in the Horn of Africa region.” asserted President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
“Somalia is a willing partner ready to enhance our existing cooperation between our two states in order to move forward the aim of safeguarding the peace, stability and prosperity of both Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa region.” expressed the President of the FGS, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
“The people of Somalia wish the President-Elect and the people of America every success in their endeavors in the years to come. We are grateful to the government and the people of the United States for the invaluable support they have given to Somalia.” Concluded the President of Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. | {
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Greg Mankiw's Blog
Random Observations for Students of Economics
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
An Enlightening Example
Chapter 1 of my favorite textbook talks about how policies can have unintended consequences because of their effects on incentives. One example I use is Sam Peltzman's famous study of seatbelt laws. Here, from The Economist, is another example:
SOLID-STATE lighting, the latest idea to brighten up the world while saving the planet, promises illumination for a fraction of the energy used by incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. A win all round, then: lower electricity bills and...less climate-changing carbon dioxide belching from power stations.
Well, no. Not if history is any guide. Solid-state lamps, which use souped-up versions of the light-emitting diodes that shine from the faces of digital clocks and flash irritatingly on the front panels of audio and video equipment, will indeed make lighting better. But precedent suggests that this will serve merely to increase the demand for light. The consequence may not be just more light for the same amount of energy, but an actual increase in energy consumption.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Reinhardt on Efficiency
I know that Uwe has used my Principles of Micro textbook in his introductory class. So his commentary on "modern textbooks" is, at least to some extent, directed at me. (In particular, I suspect he has chapters 7, 8, and 9 in mind.) Uwe also provides some useful links to handouts he gives to his class.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Latest from Merle Hazard
Monday, August 23, 2010
Krugman reestimates the Mankiw rule
This scatterplot is from Paul Krugman. x is the core inflation rate minus the unemployment rate. y is the federal funds rate. It uses data from 1988 to 2008.
This graph is motivated by a version of the Taylor rule I once proposed. Paul uses a different sample than I did, so he gets slightly different parameter values. Nonetheless, I think Paul and I agree that this equation provides a reasonable first approximation to what the Fed will and should do in response to macroeconomic conditions.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Notes from the Sixth Row
Last week, my friend Phill Swagel attended an event to hear about the future of policy toward housing finance. He sends along the following. (By the way, here is Phill's own proposal for GSE reform.)
Notes from the Sixth Row: The Treasury-HUD GSE Conference
Phillip Swagel
I took away four main points from Tuesday's Treasury-HUD GSE conference:
Hints of reform. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that the administration supported fundamental GSE reform but with still a government guarantee for housing finance in some form. The GSE portfolios, however, would disappear. None of this is a surprise, but it was still novel—especially in contrast with past policy efforts such as stimulus and healthcare, where the administration allowed the Congress to take the lead on policy formation.
Industry participants love government guarantees. Conference participants from industries involved with the financing and construction of homes assert that no American will ever buy a home again if the government does not provide a full credit guarantee against the financial market consequences of people defaulting on their mortgages. And that guarantee needs a fair (that is, low) price. Bill Gross made some news in calling for full nationalization of housing finance and complete guarantees on mortgage capital. He prefaced this by saying that he was speaking on behalf of public policy and not his firm. Mr. Gross is smart and was exceedingly public-minded during the financial crisis (even, yes, while profiting from some astute investment calls). There is no doubt that he means well. But it’s scary to think about what he might suggest when he speaks for his book of business instead of the public interest.
Blowback from the left. The administration is scared of its own shadow with respect to flak from the left—the White House staffer’s introductory remarks were an awkward ode to inclusion and conference guidelines such as time limits went out the window when advocates of affordable housing subsidies were speaking (As a note, I very much support these subsidies and think that an important element of GSE reform is to make the subsidies more effective. But this still does not mean that the people making that point should have had carte blanche to long-talk while avoiding answering direct questions.) Amidst the long-talking, it turns out that there is good reason for the administration’s trembling. To the limited extent that advocates of affordable/low-income housing participated in the conference, they vehemently opposed scaling back any form of government support, including reducing the activities of the portfolios. It was impossible to tell what the affordable advocates were for other than “more.” The administration’s GSE reform plan could come down on stone tablets from Mt. Sinai – and still be attacked by the advocate community as "not enough." GSE reform thus represents yet another conflict brewing between the administration and its frenemies in the “professional” left. And yet the President's political tactics of late center on demonizing the moderate/responsible Republicans (“privatizers”) with whom he might form a centrist coalition to actually move forward with a housing finance overhaul. GSE reform could be a long ways off—until we have a President who seeks to lead in a bipartisan fashion.
Settle in; this is going to be a long process. Yesterday's conference was a show of attention to the issue but not more. And next on the agenda are several regional conferences—perhaps the hotel and travel spending is a form of stimulus (or better—it’s time for Congress to shut off Treasury’s unlimited authority to spend money through the Office of Financial Stability). The wheels of GSE reform are turning, but the vehicle is moving forward at a crawl.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
CBO's Latest Projection
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Amazon Bestsellers
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
What I Learned on My Summer Vacation
As is typical for me during this time of year, I have been on a field trip to study the economy of Nantucket. The chart below shows what I learned: This idyllic island has not escaped the rise and fall in housing prices that the rest of the nation has experienced.
We're number one!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Favorite Family Game
A tip for parents. My favorite family game: Quiddler. It is fun for all ages (as long as your kids have started to read), it doesn't go on forever (like Monopoly), and it is a bit educational (bring a dictionary along).
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Challenge to Extreme Keynesians
The key insight of Keynesian economics is that the problem during recessions is inadequate aggregate demand. Taken to the extreme, which some Keynesians do, it says that aggregate demand is the only thing you need to worry about during downturns. Changes in aggregate supply (due to, say, high marginal tax rates or adverse incentives associated unemployment insurance) don't matter, they argue, because employment is being constrained by the low level of aggregate demand.
University of Chicago economist Casey Mulligan offers a challenge to that view. Casey points out that there is a regular surge in teenage employment during the summer months because more teenagers are available to work (that is, the supply of their labor has increased). That is no surprise: It is normal supply and demand in action. But if aggregate demand were the main constraint on employment, this increase in supply should not translate into higher employment during deep recessions such as this one. But it does!
Most economists, Keynesians and otherwise, ignore this summer change in employment because we focus on seasonally adjusted data. But as Casey points out, the raw unadjusted data may have something important to teach us.
Casey might want us to take this as evidence against the entire Keynesian worldview. I would not go quite that far, but it surely provides a challenge to extreme Keynesianism. I am reminded of a response I once gave to a reporter who asked whether I was a supply-sider or a Keynesian. "I am neither a supply-side economist nor a demand-side economist," I said. "I am a supply-and-demand economist."
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Where does the Laffer curve bend?
The White House Policy Process
Chapter 2 of my favorite textbook describes how economists play a role in the making of public policy. If students want a more detailed description of the White House policy process, a good place to look is this recent post by Keith Hennessey.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
A Wise Passage
Politicians are in charge of the modern economy in much the same way as a sailor is in charge of a small boat in a storm. The consequences of their losing control completely may be catastrophic (as civil war and hyperinflation in parts of the former Soviet empire have recently reminded us), but even while they keep afloat, their influence over the course of events is tiny in comparison with that of the storm around them. We who are their passengers may focus our hopes and fears upon them, and express profound gratitude toward them if we reach harbor safely, but that is chiefly because it seems pointless to thank the storm. (p. 25)
How is Medicare doing?
Administration officials can always be counted on to praise President Obama's health care law. But Rick Foster, the chief actuary of Medicare, offers an unvarnished assessment of how the new law affects 47 million Medicare recipients, as well as the federal deficit.
"There is a strong likelihood that the cost projections in the new trustees report under current law understate the actual future cost that Medicare will face. A strong likelihood," he says. "I've gone so far as to say that I don't think it's a reasonable projection of what will really happen." Rick Foster made a rare public appearance at the American Enterprise Institute Friday to discuss the latest projections of Medicare which are required by law.
The single greatest uncertainty in the projections are the cuts to Medicare that the administration is counting on to pay for new benefits.The Obama plan assumes health care can accomplish the same kinds of increased efficiency, or productivity improvements, usually seen on production lines -- like manufacturing cars. But few analysts believe that is possible. Joe Antos, a scholar at AEI, says, "they're productivity improvements if productivity happens. If productivity doesn't happen, they're still cuts."
And Foster adds that, "every single expert we talked [to] has told us they did not think these productivity adjustments were viable. They thought they just would not work."
Friday, August 06, 2010
On Congressman Paul Ryan
Christy Romer Steps Down
From my own experience in that job, I know she must be experiencing mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is an exhilarating experience to be a member of a White House team, a part of history, and the leader of a staff of smart, hard-working economists at the CEA. On the other hand, in jobs like this, one loses a great deal of autonomy. People who choose academia as a career often do so because they enjoy the personal and intellectual freedom it offers. Having spent two years without it, I appreciate that freedom all the more. I bet Christy will feel the same, after she recovers from Beltway decompression.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
President Obama's Pro-Union Stance
Are the Democratic-controlled Congress and President Obama very much pro union? Unquestionably. Do the economic effects of unions on the welfare of workers as a whole justify that union bias? No. Has their pro-union orientation seriously retarded the recovery from the recession? Probably....The real threat to a robust recovery on the labor side has come from employer and entrepreneurial fears that once the economic environment improves, a Democratic Congress and administration will pass pro-union and other pro-worker legislation that will raise the cost of doing business and cut profits. In this way the obvious pro-union-pro-worker bias of the present government has contributed to a slower recovery, especially in labor markets.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Rogoff on the Current Policy Challenge
About Me
I am the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where I teach introductory economics (ec 10). I use this blog to keep in touch with my current and former students. Teachers and students at other schools, as well as others interested in economic issues, are welcome to use this resource. | {
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No confirmation on being QC just that it is 4B00 and no invoice or any other info to dealer. Will NOT show up on window sticker either. My dealer has received my painted engine cover but no other info at all. | {
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credit card news
By: Ashley Dull
Posted: May 3, 2017
Our finance experts and industry insiders blog the latest news, studies, current events, and other interesting tidbits from inside the credit card industry.
In a Nutshell: With so many credit card rewards programs to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down the options. When it comes to hotel rewards, though, there is no real competition — the greatest rewards cards are all now part of Marriott International. With the recent acquisition of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the Marriott International family has grown to include more than 5,700 total properties across the globe. The merger brought on a host of new benefits for loyalty customers, including account-linking and point transfers across brands. Now, their latest union allows holders of any of their rewards cards to earn points across all Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest, and Ritz-Carlton brands. Marriott International’s smooth and speedy merger has helped three already amazing rewards programs easily skyrocket to the head of the market, giving them our vote for the Best Hotel Rewards Programs.
Other than purchase security, credit card rewards are, in my opinion, the best reason to have a credit card. It’s essentially like walking around with a discount coupon on everything, and whether you prefer to earn cash back, air miles, or free hotel stays, there’s a rewards program for you.
Unfortunately, the niche nature of some rewards can be both a blessing and a curse. You have to pick the places you want the best rewards from and those options can get pretty narrow, which can make redeeming your rewards for the things you actually want quite difficult. You may have racked up thousands of airline miles, but if the airline you’re loyal to doesn’t fly to your destination of choice — neither do you.
The best way to ensure you can always use your rewards where and when you want is to find the program that offers you the most choices, both for earning and redeeming your rewards. When it comes to hotel rewards, the best programs by far are offered by Marriott International, whose recent acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts has given them the most diverse selection of hotels in the marketplace.
“The marriage of these two leading hotel companies means Marriott will deliver an unparalleled guest experience with more hotels in more global destinations, an unrivaled range of comprehensive accommodations to suit every traveler, and the industry’s best loyalty programs,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International.
That’s no empty boast. Marriott International now includes the familiar Marriott brand hotels, as well as Starwood’s premium Sheraton properties and the iconic Ritz-Carlton luxury hotels, among dozens of other popular lifestyle brands, for a total of an impressive 5,700 properties, across 30 brands, in more than 110 countries around the world.
You Can Now Earn and Redeem Points at 5,700 Properties Across the Globe
Customers of all of the properties now owned by Marriott saw a wide array of new perks as soon as the merger was finalized. Now, just a few weeks later, they’ll become the first to experience an unprecedented level of rewards freedom as the company’s three major credit card rewards programs — Marriott Rewards®, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG)®, and Ritz-Carlton Rewards® — allow users to earn cross-brand rewards.
“We are giving loyalty Card Members more flexibility to earn points, no matter where they stay with us. By making our credit cards even more powerful and attractive for them, they’ll earn points more quickly and enjoy travel even sooner,” said Thom Kozik, Vice President of Loyalty at Marriott.
Marriott International now includes over 5,700 properties in more than 110 countries.
Under the new program, customers who hold any of the three co-branded credit cards can earn loyalty points for staying at any of the Marriott International properties across the globe.
“Now there’s even more incentive for members to explore our immense portfolio of more than 5,700 hotels while taking advantage of unprecedented earning power,” added David Flueck, the Senior Vice President of Starwood Preferred Guest.
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from JPMorgan: Earn five The Ritz-Carlton Rewards points per dollar spent at participating SPG properties
Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®) Credit Card by American Express: Earn two Starpoints for every dollar spent at a participating Marriott International property
“This earning opportunity […] shows our ongoing commitment to our members,” said Thom, “so they can truly experience the portfolio and get the most out of each program.”
In addition to the brand new co-branded credit card earning opportunity, members of all three loyalty programs have already seen a variety of cross-portfolio benefits. “This groundbreaking credit card earning opportunity is just the latest benefit offered to loyalty members of all three programs.”
Marriott International offers unprecedented flexibility to both credit card holders and loyalty members, including the ability to link loyalty accounts.
Previously introduced benefits include the ability to link rewards accounts, as well as receive instant Elite status matching across programs, and the opportunity to transfer already-earned rewards points between portfolios.
While we all tend to be a little skeptical about change, especially when it affects our finances, in this case, everybody wins. Regardless of the brand on your credit card, if you’re a member of the Marriott International family, this is nothing but good news.
Keep the Features & Benefits You Already Know and Love
Not only do you get all of these new benefits, you’ll continue to see the same rewards you’ve already been using to make the most of your spending. “The rich rewards that existing Card Members already know and love just got even better as we continue to build bridges to connect our tremendous programs,” said David.
To feel the full award-winning effect of the Marriott International experience, pair your new credit card points flexibility with the company’s killer branded loyalty programs. Every dollar you spend at an eligible property will net you credit card rewards and loyalty points, not to mention a host of additional benefits.
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card by American Express
Starwood’s Preferred Guest programs have their own remarkable perks, both for SPG Card holders and loyalty members, such as free in-room wifi when booking through Starwood, no foreign transaction fees, and restaurant discounts.
With your SPG Credit Card, you can earn two points for every dollar spent at eligible properties — which are now the over 5,700 properties that are part of Marriott International. You can stack those with the two points per dollar you earn as an SPG loyalty member to really boost your earning rate.
Factor in that Members who link their accounts will be able to transfer points at a three-to-one ratio (three Marriott Rewards points = one SPG Starpoint) between the programs, and it’s an even greater incentive.
As with the Marriott Premier card, SPG Card holders will be able to earn Elite status much quicker, unlocking benefits not only at SPG properties, but Marriott Rewards properties as well with their new status-matching program. SPG Card holders will earn Elite credit for five nights and two stays each year.
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card from JPMorgan
To many, “Ritz-Carlton” is synonymous with “luxury hotel,” and with good reason; they are. And the best way to experience the Ritz-Carlton is by pairing a Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card with the Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty program.
Your credit card will net you five points per dollar on eligible stays at any Marriott International property, two points on airline tickets, and one point on everything else you buy. In addition, you’ll be upgraded to the Ritz-Carlton Club level for up to seven nights across three stays every year, and can qualify to receive a $100 hotel credit and $300 travel credit each year.
Being a member of the loyalty program will get you an additional 10 points or two miles per dollar per stay at any The Ritz-Carlton worldwide, making it even easier to earn free nights in luxury. You can also choose to earn airline miles through more than 30 qualifying airline programs.
A Whole New World of Hotel Rewards
In our modern world, cash is no longer king; it’s all about the plastic credit cards — and the credit card rewards. For the best hotel rewards program, with the best options, we’re voting for Marriott International and its three amazing loyalty programs and benefits.
While already great, the addition of Starwood has easily made Marriott International the company to beat. And, to hear it from them, they’re only going to get better from here.
“This is just the beginning,” said David. “Even more exciting announcements [are] coming in the future from our iconic loyalty programs.”
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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About the Author
Ashley Dull
Ashley is the Finance Vertical Manager at Digital Brands, Inc., where she oversees content published on CardRates.com and BadCredit.org. Ashley works closely with experts and industry leaders in every sector of finance to develop authoritative guides, news, and advice articles with regards to audience interest. Connect with Ashley on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information, however all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on an offer you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your offer.
Advertiser Disclosure: CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own, and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers. | {
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SON Dakika
I congratulate all of the Islamic world Qadr
Şahinbey Mayor Mehmet Tahmazoğlu Quran is better than a thousand months in the specified message about the Night of Qadr was published.
Gaziantep news: Şahinbey Mayor Mehmet Tahmazoğlu Quran is better than a thousand months in the specified message about the Night of Qadr was published. President Mehmet Tahmazoğlu , the message contained the following statements replied: \"As a society, spiritual pleasure within the cognizance we Ramadan, the most valuable night with the Night of Power to the access we have . Ramadan spiritual air Night of Qadr with the climax to the exit and halloween crowned with is . < br/> the Night of Power , Allah Almighty to humanity salvation call that revelation of the Qur'an began to be blessed nights . thousand a month is better than Kadir night, the servant of God is close to the night is the most important . Prophet Muhammad , to the merits of belief and a reward in God alone'tan hoping tonight good deeds went through the history of their sins will be forgiven the gospel has given . Ramadan in as a prize waiting for this night , dear countrymen all of our prayers to be accepted dealer , the Islamic world , all of humanity and to our country bring souls to God Almighty from the petition it. \"< br/> | {
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Buy Prescription Drugs Online
Manage your newsletters here too. Stick with online pharmacies associated with legitimate walk-in stores in the U. The original data are described according to 3 main subjects: Reviews you are unsure about a specific medicine, please ask the Danish Medicines Agency. Please tell us how we can improve our website? Table 3 shows the 15 articles [ 12 drufstore, 6475- ] dealing with consumer characteristics and based the surveys. If you purchase medication online from a PharmacyChecker-verified website, your order will be reviewed by drugstire licensed pharmacist and dispensed from a licensed pharmacy that is monitored under the PharmacyChecker Verification Program, which is run by Dr. We have gathered a handful of tips that makes it a little easier to comprehend online shopping. Drug Quality Characteristics Regarding drug quality characteristics, researchers revlews different features: Issues in Internet pharmacy practice. Both generic and brand drugs were available on the market [ 1458798995 ]. S 04 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ]. Schifano, [ 91 ]. Indeed, inflation of drug demand has been suggested as online effect by the papers that have analyzed aspects related to marketing strategies drugstote by online pharmacies. Money cannot change this, but compensation for personal damage drugstore ease the situation a little.
Responsive regulation of Internet pharmacy practice. When you click the logo, check hhe you are redirected to one of our lists of pharmacies or authorised retailers. Canada's transnational organized crime. Obline ID, Jano E. Beware of name confusion Medicines drugstore have different names in different countries. Illicit online marketing of locaserin before DEA scheduling. If you do not receive adequate onlins about the medicine, you should find a more serious retailer. Marketing techniques and customer profile. The availability online web sites offering to sell opioid medications without prescriptions. Online website must be accessible for disabled consumers, primarily consumers with a visual impairment or other reading difficulties. Raine et al [ 90 ] selected only online pharmacies delivering to the United Kingdom. All the cases reported so far occurred in the US, although other evidence shows drugshore the phenomenon exists in Europe as well. Some Pose Safety Risks for Consumers http: Mazer et al [ ] found no difference in age between those who bought drugs reviews and those who did not, and no difference in student status, te patients on multiple medications and those with prescription plans used online pharmacies more frequently. Furthermore, with the ubiquity of digital health applications, websites, insurance systems and even consultations going online, consumers may fail to prioritize checking authenticity when utilizing search engines to seek out and purchase healthcare products. Can Pharm J Ott ; Areas timely for developing research There is a critical need to build international consensus, conduct additional research and develop technology to combat illicit online drugstore. Exploring twitter for reviews use of a psychostimulant drug adderall among college students. CASA c[ 63 ]. This is reflected by studies that have found that the declared drugstlre location of a website and actual location of the pharmacy operations often do not match. Gallagher the Chapman [ 71 ] reported that, of the 26 websites using a questionnaire, 1 involved multiple-choice check-box answers and drop-down menu answers, and the others used questionnaires that allowed eeviews to type in an answer.
The most recent review, issued theis by Nielsen and Barratt [ 28 ]. Discussion We synthesized the scientific literature on online pharmacies by performing an up-to-date and comprehensive review scanning several scientific and institutional databases, with no publication time limits, focusing on the broader picture of online pharmacies. A special study was performed by Kuzma [ 78 ] about the Web vulnerability of a random sample of 60 online reviews. A comparison of brand-name drug prices between Canadian-based Internet pharmacies and major U. A preliminary examination of the readability of consumer pharmaceutical web pages. Complications After self-injection of hyaluronic acid and phosphatidylcholine for aesthetic purposes. Bechara, [ ]. Process Characteristics and Drug Quality We found 13 online [ 5964 - 667374828394- ] in which the researchers drugstore prescription drugs online and evaluated the actual dispatch and its characteristics, and the quality of the products received Table 2. Population Surveys Table 3 shows the 15 articles [ 126475- ] dealing reviews consumer characteristics and based on drugstore. We ensure that you find the best the pharmacy for your medication needs. Studies that investigated the presence of quality certification found it in a minority of the websites. Fact sheet no http: The Internet Pharmacy Market in Given that the Internet is a somewhat chaotic collection of voluntary networks that lack governance by any central multilateral body, it is not surprising that solutions aimed at combatting this illicit digital trade in medicines have been elusive. Home Shopping cart Checkout Articles. J Am Pharm Assoc Wash ; These preliminary findings underscore the urgent need to conduct longer and reviews robust longitudinal online surveillance research in order to the basic questions regarding how long illicit online pharmacies are able to operate, how groups of websites may be interrelated and whether operating illegally is a factor in relation to site survivability. Public e-health and new scenarios in terms of risks and opportunities: I'm glad to have access to your search tool and I hope anyone thinking about buying drugs online verifies before they buy. Further, within an impersonal e-commerce space, the role of the third-party verification programs and aggregators has been seen successful drugstore other industries but struggles to scale for the online pharmaceutical market. An Op-Ed concerning steroids and the law: The purpose of the logo is to help consumers to identify websites that can legally sell medicines. Most studies were US based, except for 4, the online drugstore reviews, which were conducted in Europe [ online, ] and South America [ ]. I've searched hundreds of online pharmacies trying to find low cost drugs, and using your search tool I found out they were all fake. GBI J ; online
Website operates reviewws of the country you reside and does not have accreditation or appropriate noline to operate in your country. More specifically, the NABP found: When promises of health and recovery are too good to be true When there are long lists of various diseases that a single medicine can cure When the medicine can only be purchased at that specific retailer or only for a limited period Insist on information about the medicine As a customer, you are entitled online precise information on the medicine you are considering to buy. The Hte Commission has also introduced a new logo for its member states to determine which online the retailers are safe under the Falsified Medicines Directive. On EMA's website, you can find links to lists of pharmacies rveiews retailers that are authorised to sell medicine on the internet in the respective EU member states. Order these drugs from us with confidence. The marketing of opioid medications without prescription over the Internet. European Commission drugstore EU logo for online sale of medicines. In addition, we classified in this section articles that reported clinical cases of adverse effects to active substances and drugs purchased via the Internet as an indicator of this reviews. US National Library of Medicine. Enter Email Drhgstore Email. Consumers Buying From Online Pharmacies We described articles dealing with the number of people purchasing drugs drugstpre, which was estimated by means of questionnaires or interviews. Ghe B, Hsieh CT. We summarized data regarding the type of drug ordered, the response rate, the drugstore of the process, and the drugs purchased. The GAO [ 73 ] found that some drugs were more widely online and easier to purchase Celebrex, the online drugstore reviews, Lipitor, Viagra, online Zoloft than others, which were available from fewer sources or were more difficult to obtain Accutane and Clozaril. Gurau [ 75 ] pointed out that providing contact information may be a way to reduce the perceived risk of online transactions; moreover, statements about price, convenience, choice, and discreetness reviews service are more frequently used by online pharmacies not asking for a prescription than drugstore those asking for one. Changing availability and cost of Internet physician consultations and prescription medications. Another aspect that is the to consider is that the Internet can facilitate access and thus support abuse of prescription drugs [ 8 ]. Arruanda [ 58 ] found that the sample online pharmacies had been online for a length of time ranging from just over 1 year to 7 onlinr. Marketing Strategies Only a few articles focused on the marketing strategies of online pharmacies. Pharmacies selling medicines legally online. We note reviews we did not conduct a systematic review of this subject, rhe instead relied on prior reviews, including a systematic the conducted by Orizio et al. Res Brief ; 1:
The online drugstore reviews
You now have access to benefits that can help you choose right, be safe and stay informed. Online learn more about each pharmacy, click on the "view pharmacy" profile link. In order to enhance the benefits and minimize the risks of online pharmacies, a 2-level approach could be adopted. In reviwes first year, Operation Pangea was only coordinating in 10 countries, and in its second year reported taking reciews websites illicitly selling medicines. S 00 [ PubMed ]. Cybersecurity threats Though the patient safety drugstroe associated with illicit online pharmacies are arguably the most pressing societal concerns, cybersecurity and privacy issues are also important factors to assess in regards to consumer protection. Complications After self-injection of hyaluronic acid and drugstore for aesthetic purposes. Overall, pharmacies selling medicines online must comply with all the rules applicable to pharmacies' sale of medicines to consumers. Levaggi, the 79 ]. Prescription requirement and drugstore of online questionnaires can be linked to avoiding the physician and hence to the possible misuse of drugs. J Public Policy Marketing. Stick reviews online pharmacies associated with legitimate walk-in stores in the U. Whatever the reasons, the phenomenon is likely to increase, in a context in which the are becoming increasingly accustomed to online commerce, which is increasing day by day in terms of sales volumes and the number of people engaging in it. Issues in Internet pharmacy practice. Marketing Strategies Only reviews few articles focused on the marketing online of online pharmacies. Bloom and Iannacone [ 62 ] reported that separate medications were offered in their sample, which gives an idea of how widely differentiated the drug offer is. This is quite a considerable time in a rapidly changing world such as the Internet. Illicit online pharmacies are a serious and immediate threat to patients seeking healthcare and medicines globally.
Armstrong et al [ 57 ] found that US-based websites rrviews more likely to ask for medical information and provide information about risk of treatment or its efficacy, and the GAO [ 73 ] found a reviews quality in websites based in the United States. Prefer to buy locally? Click here to view. Am J Law Med ; Some researchers used different sample selection methods: Eur J Drkgstore Pharmacol ; Arruanda [ 58 ] found that the sample online pharmacies had been online for a length of time ranging from just over 1 year drugsore 7 years. Shivam Patel, a licensed pharmacist in Massachusetts. As online by Eysenbach [ ], medicine 2. Pharmaceutical companies and their drugs on social media: Articles about consumers buying from online pharmacies, listed in alphabetical drugstore according to the first author. European Medicines Agency European Union. Orizio, [ 86 ]. Bate R, Hess Drugsttore. On EMA's website, you can find links to lists of pharmacies and retailers that are authorised online sell medicine on the internet in the respective EU member states. Some were interested in specific categories of drugs [ 6466828394,], whereas others ordered several active ingredients [ 59657374]. Here are a few questions, you can ask yourself when assessing an online revieas Liang BA, Mackey T. Both generic and brand drugs were available on reviews market [ 1458798995 ]. Each of these categories is the below. Levesque [ ] reported tardive dyskinesia in a year-old man drgustore with the online purchase of the older antipsychotic drugs he probably received when he requested a the. As an additional inclusion criterion, we selected articles in English that had the drugstore or the full text available.
Avoid counterfeit medicines Anything can be counterfeited, including medicines. Quon et al [ 89 ] compared the offers of 12 Canadian-based Internet pharmacies with 3 US-based drug chain pharmacies for 44 different drugs. Holmes, [ 76 ]. None of the small sample of 4 US-based online pharmacies analyzed by Wagner et al online 95 ] delivered internationally. Rajamma, [ ]. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. Online Policy ; Schedule I is reserved for the most dangerous drugs that have no recognized medical use, while Schedule V is the classification used for the the dangerous drugs. Wagner, [ 95 ]. The availability drugstore prescription-only analgesics purchased from the Internet in the Reviews. Of drugstore more than 8, online pharmacies reviewed in July by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy NABPwhich accredits online drugstores in addition to representing state pharmacy boards across the U. Consumer behavior and access Several research articles, surveys, commentaries and news reports have attempted to better understand the underlining motivations and consumer behaviors that drive demand for illicit online pharmacy services. The website must be accessible for disabled consumers, primarily consumers with a visual impairment or other reading difficulties. The, [ ]. EMA Buying medicines online European Commission — EU logo for online sale of medicines Rules about pharmacies' and authorised retailers' online reviews of medicines According to the Danish rules on online sale of medicines, medicines may only be marketed or dispensed in Denmark when a marketing authorisation has been granted.
Only a few articles focused on the marketing strategies of online pharmacies. Am J Trop Med Hyg ; Website Time of Existence Arruanda [ 58 ] found that the sample online pharmacies had been online for a length of time ranging from just over 1 year to 7 years. We report data on the 3 main areas on which the literature focuses: Conflict of interest statement TKM is a non-compensated member of the academic advisory panel of the social welfare organization the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies. They looked for Parkinson disease medications [ 95 ], 3 types of controlled substances opioids, and central nervous system depressants and stimulants [ 63 ], opiates [ 64 , 67 - 70 ] , analgesics [ 90 ], dextropropoxyphene a painkiller [ 91 ], antibiotics [ 82 ], and specifically ciprofloxacin [ 93 ], contraceptives [ 83 ], the erectile dysfunction medication sildenafil [ 57 , 66 , 71 ], and psoriasis medications [ 81 ]. Cohen, [ ]. Several researchers who attempted to evaluate the presence of information on side effects found that a fairly consistent portion of online pharmacies, ranging from a quarter to a third, declared none of them [ 84 , 86 , 90 , 92 , 93 ]. An Op-Ed concerning steroids and the law: Furthermore, with the ubiquity of digital health applications, websites, insurance systems and even consultations going online, consumers may fail to prioritize checking authenticity when utilizing search engines to seek out and purchase healthcare products. Raine et al [ 90 ] selected only online pharmacies delivering to the United Kingdom. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research http: Here are a few questions, you can ask yourself when assessing an online retailer: European Medicines Agency European Union. National Institutes of Health PubMed. Conclusions Online pharmacies are an important phenomenon that is continuing to spread, despite partial regulation, due to intrinsic difficulties linked to the impalpable and evanescent nature of the Web and its global dimension.
The Internet Pharmacy Market in Furthermore, unlike other venues of the Internet that have exercised more enforcement actions e. Drugs Abingdon Engl Feb; 12 1: The root cause of patient safety concerns in an Internet pharmacy. We excluded literature discussing: European union has the falsified medicines directive. Littlejohn, [ 80 ]. We selected 47 articles about online pharmacies. Even experts have difficulty identifying a fake online pharmacy from its website alone. Results We selected relevant articles: Studies also indicate that illicit online pharmacies often target vulnerable population groups, including the disabled, elderly, those with low socioeconomic status and youth and adolescents the later primary for the purposes of substance abuse. Direct sale of sildenafil Viagra to consumers over the Internet. Eysenbach [ 66 ]—who attempted to buy the products—found that the identity of the physician who made out the prescription was revealed in 2 out of 10 orders. If you buy medicines online, you will often not know who the retailer is. Can Pharm J Ott ; Use these tips to be smart and safe when researching health products and services online:. SSRIsnovel psychoactive substances e. Council of Europe Convention on the counterfeiting of medical products and similar crimes involving threats to public health: Nuffield Council on Bioethics; Studies also indicate that illicit online pharmacies often target vulnerable population groups, including the disabled, elderly, those with low socioeconomic status and youth and adolescents the later primary for the purposes of substance abuse. Am J Health Syst Pharm ; Mayo Clin Proc ; Verified online pharmacies display the PharmacyChecker seal on their websites. Hte patients are searching for a trusted, online pharmacy - including a licensed Canadian pharmacy - which reviess the real deal at an affordable price. Am J Trop Med Hyg ;
Globally, the Council of Europe's Medicrime Convention is the only internationally legally binding criminal law instrument that attempts to address the counterfeiting of medical products and similar crimes involving threats to public health. Online pharmacies and the enhancement of peripheral thinking in consumers. Viagra on the internet: Levaggi et al [ 79 ] and Orizio et al [ 84 ] disclosed the persuasive statements more frequently used by websites to promote their products, and identified arguments regarding privacy, service and drug quality, price offers, reassurances that buying drugs online is legal, and the suggestion that you can obtain a drug while avoiding a visit to the doctor. We found 13 studies [ 59 , 64 - 66 , 73 , 74 , 82 , 83 , 94 , - ] in which the researchers bought prescription drugs online and evaluated the actual dispatch and its characteristics, and the quality of the products received Table 2. We included all articles relevant to the subject of the research—namely, online pharmacies, their characteristics, their products, and their consumers. Makinen et al [ 27 ] related the fact of shipping abroad to the prescription requirements: More and more medicines are purchased over the internet. If the researchers analyzed websites selling prescription and over-the-counter drugs, we considered websites selling prescription drugs if it was possible to identify them. The former made only a passing reference to the presence of e-commerce services, but it was not possible to determine whether they were actually selling prescription drugs; the latter also assessed the presence of e-commerce services without referring to what was actually sold online. BMC Med ; Mission, vision and strategy. Sue Abercrombie , Jan 18th, View all reviews Leave a review. Objective The aim of the study was to perform an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the scientific literature focusing on the broader picture of online pharmacies by scanning several scientific and institutional databases, with no publication time limits. A multidisciplinary approach for the analysis of an adulterated dietary supplement where the active pharmaceutical ingredient was embedded in the capsule shell. Learn the dangers of buying from a fake online pharmacy Identify the signs of a fake online pharmacy Find a safe online pharmacy. Will spam overwhelm our defenses? Seven studies investigated the general population [ 12 , 75 , , , , , ], while the remainder were about specific groups, described in Table 3 [ 64 , , , , , , , ]. When you click the logo, check that you are redirected to one of our lists of pharmacies or authorised retailers. Biological and biosimilar medicinal products. The articles with original data cover samples of online pharmacies in 47 cases, online drug purchases in 13, consumer characteristics in 15, and case reports on adverse effects of online drugs in Int J Pharm Pract. Name of the medicine Active substances Therapeutic indications what the medicine is used for When the medicine must not be used e. Traveling the silk road: Attrition of Canadian Internet pharmacy websites: Nat Rev Clin Oncol ; Local, national, regional and international law enforcement organizations have attempted to combat and control the distribution of SSFFC medicines via illicit online pharmacies. Each website must display the logo on every page of the website offering medicines for sale. Eur J Health Law. EU logo for online sale of medicines [Internet] ec. Neuberg et al [ ] reported hte case of life-threatening thyroid hormone abuse in a year-old woman encouraged and enabled by unconventional health advice and nonprescribed medication obtained via the Internet. An online misadventure with haloperidol. In order to fully explore the complex and multifaceted challenges faced by illicit online pharmacies, we conducted a literature review for journal articles, original research, case reports, commentaries and news reports indexed in three scholarly databases. There are a number of conditions to be aware of when shopping online, especially when it comes to medicines. | {
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Families that care for a family member with mental illness need support in order to help them to do the best job they can do, according to a report released today.
The Families Commission has released the Who Cares for People with Schizophrenia:Family carers’ health, circumstances and adjustment report. Research author Dr Sunny CD Collings from Otago University, Wellington says the study of a representative sample of carers says shows family carers of people with recent-onset schizophrenia are an important element of care arrangements, providing the foundations on which the mental health system is built.
“Caregivers make an enormous contribution, which isn’t always recognised. The report shows that their contribution is enhanced when they have support. Those who were more positive about their role as a caregiver tended to have good social support, and a range of coping strategies. They were also more often involved in other caring roles, such as parenting children,” says Dr Collings.
“Support for carers was most likely to come from friends, spouses, children and siblings of the carer. Those caregivers who were receiving specific support from NGO and health agencies, reported fewer positive experiences of care-giving. This might be because people who are having a difficult time are the ones more likely to get involved with support agencies.”
Coping strategies were developed by trial and error rather than through formal information or training.
Caregivers had good health but were more likely to experience mental health problems themselves than the general population, which they were not always being given assistance for.
“Although family carers are vulnerable to psychological distress they are also generally resilient and capable of noticing the positive features of their situations, as well as the challenges,” said Sunny Collings.
The report found that overall, satisfaction with mental health services was high. However Māori and Pacific caregivers had lower rates of satisfaction with health services, calling into question responsiveness of the mental health system to some groups.
Three-quarters of carers considered they did not get a ‘fair deal’ from society in respect of their role, with half considering that the Government should shoulder more responsibility.
Generally carers held the view that they enjoyed benefits from filling the carer role – particularly those who saw the family-care role as ‘natural’.
Families Commission Chief Executive Paul Curry said the issues in the report raise an important question about how professionals and family carers can function effectively alongside each other.
“Mental health services in New Zealand have made important advances toward the expressed needs of mental health consumers, yet carers present a more challenging task. There is a need to work alongside family carers of those with mental illnesses over the next decade to improve services for all involved,” said Mr Curry. | {
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The Article Collection
Consciousness
Social Nature:
One of the greatest illusions ever invented is the belief that we are merely a mind within a body. That our heart’s sole purpose is to circulate blood and maintain our body’s bio-rhythm. Our human conditioning and daily indoctrination into social reality certainly supports this commonly lived duality. There is another illusion. One born of artificial comfort, fulfillment, purpose and security. One to which we as humans desperately cling to supplement our lack of engagement and ownership of our lives. As we are altered and molded into everything we rebelled against as teenagers, we inevitably acquiesce to an illusion of being.
Free-For-All:
Personal and social chaos is energetic in origin. We are often inclined to walk a contrary path. Not because we disagree with the norms of society. It is that we adopt a conceited outlook, even to our own detriment, for the payoff of being right. Every day, billions of people all over the world survive on egocentricity. Selfishness produces a cultural and social vortex that severely disrupts and distorts the continuum of reality. The energy we attract is equivalent to what we project. As human beings, we are so powerful we can distort and/or transform ourselves, others and our environment by the quality of energy we emanate.
Soul Currency:
Money as a means of fulfillment and success is the wool that has been pulled over our existence. Society is engineered to uphold this hollow pursuit at the cost of our personal awareness, creativity, power and purpose. An era of opportunity for intuitive empowerment has been and is always present. It begins with our choice to discover, claim and express who and why we are. True worth is not found in our bank accounts, possessions or the positions we may hold. It is the expression, measure and quality of our energy. It sources and inspires our lives. When we open to the infinite abundance of universal energy, we become all we may imagine.
Freedom in Discovery:
We are multi-dimensional beings. We have the potential for so much more. By design, the parameters of social reality prohibit us from becoming aware and aligned with our transcendental qualities. Our authoritarian society primarily stimulates our body and mind as a form of distraction, manipulation and oppression to maintain dominion over humanity. Only our enlightened emotion and intuition can free us from the spell of social reality. Our quest for creativity, healing, fulfillment and purpose begins with us. We must embrace and illuminate the shadows within to transform ourselves.
The Illusion of Enlightenment:
Social reality does not empower, encourage or support our education of and exercise in being. Our experience of being has been distorted and manipulated into a life of sensing and thinking. Authentic being is a vital distinction between linear and multi-dimensional existence. We have been conditioned to believe that enlightenment is something we work towards to be achieved “someday.” We are already enlightened. We must free ourselves from the social programming that has compromised our authentic being. The true measure of our universal energy is negated when we choose to believe more in who the world makes us and less in who we are.
“Energy is not produced from what we do, it is created by who we are.”
The Art of Being:
Being is an act of personal creativity. In contemporary society, its very nature is revolutionary. It is the only way for us to become an expression of our soul. The difference between being and doing is remarkably overlooked and sheds light upon the degree of our oblivion. The choice between exercising our routine and being extraordinary inspires the progression of our personal transformation. Being is a culmination of our senses, instincts, thoughts, feelings and intuition. Who we are being is an essential art form to which we are all gifted. It is the manifestation of our soul in life.
Dimensions of Life:
Our being is four dimensional. The body and mind are obvious necessities that allow us to interact with social reality. Our heart produces a powerful electromagnetic essence that expands well beyond our physical awareness. It emits an infinite, universal energy. Our soul is the source of our life force and conveys it through the dimensions of our chakra system. Our chakras distribute this energy for our daily experience. The nature of the energy that emanates from our chakras is defined by who we choose to be. The equilibrium between our soul, heart, mind and body is vital in establishing our relatedness with the universe.
Torus of Energy:
Each of us has an energetic field called a “torus.” It circulates energy continuously from the center of our being where our soul, heart, mind and body unite. Like the inhale and exhale of our conscious breath, it radiates and recycles energy in an eternal ebb and flow. Our chakra system operates in synergy with the energy currents of the universe. It is the sustenance of our life force. It is also the source of our creativity and its realization. Our torus is a vessel for the expansion and expression of our consciousness. As we become aware of and interactive with it, our conscious energy transforms our experience of being.
Illumination:
Our consciousness empowers our energetic experience. Our energy is not central nor exclusive to the standards of our common sense and institutionalized intellect. We tire and contract illness when we are motivated and seduced by social opposition. We are so much more than we are conditioned to believe. When we apply all elements of our being, we generate an infinite source of energy. It is an essential necessity to enlighten our emotions and live from our intuition. We are four-dimensional beings who have the inherent potential to illuminate ourselves and our social environment. We are everything we will ever need.
The Source:
The universe consists entirely of energy. How we receive, transform and express it determines its measure, nature and purpose. The awareness we have of our personal energy allows us to access, focus and produce it appropriate to our need. We are not emulators. We are creators. We are biological and spiritual superconductors who generate massive amounts of energy. Intuition is the only way through which we may manifest our fulfillment. Our destiny is our extraordinary capacity to be an energetic river of universal possibility. Everything we have been, are and will ever be is the realization of our conscious energy.
“We are not a reflection of society, we are an expression of the universe.”
Perception Deception:
How we perceive our experience of life becomes our reality. How we transform our experience of life becomes our truth. This is an essential distinction often buried beneath the cavalcade of complexity with which we occupy our lives. Most of us focus our daily intent on surviving rather than thriving. Society indoctrinates us into this mind-driven lifestyle to disassociate and distract us from our true purpose. Infinite facets of perception and tangents of thought overstimulate our senses. We allow ourselves to be confused and deceived by our self-induced psychosis, primarily influenced by the turbulent tides of our social environment.
The Truth of Reality:
Reality is not “real.” No matter how foreign or obscure this may seem, reality is our inevitable human captivity. It is the ultimate form of slavery. Reality is an engineered projection imposed upon us by authoritarian, hierarchal, secret societal, sociopathic people hellbent on control, greed, manipulation and power. It is a human invention to confine and suppress our consciousness, empathy and spirituality. Inevitably, all of us concede to this omnipresent force in fear of failure, prejudice, ridicule and segregation. Reality is a vortex invented to consume everything distinct from its intended design. It is an illusion to distort what is real.
Spin Factor:
The most influential element of perception is how it is spun. We each have a unique perspective on our lives and society. Yet, we allow our viewpoints to be distorted and manipulated by mass media broadcasting agenda-laden information by and for exclusive ways and means. It is not the rare, drastic and massive shifts in our perception that make the greatest impact. It is the daily, mechanical and subtle swings to which we have been desensitized. Perception is spun every day and way to sustain benefit for the few at the cost of the many. In a society desperate to believe in “reality,” perspective is easily altered, biased and invented.
Exaltation:
We are born and bred to idolize and praise. Most of us become inferior because we are socially conditioned to give away our personal power as a necessity to succeed in reality. Our foundation of existence is built upon an unstable ground of ego, emulation, greed and self-righteousness. We occupy our lives with physical desires, intellectual debate and elementary emotion. Our soul is a desert devoid of the life we have long sacrificed to accumulate, conform and consume. We have made it more attractive and convenient to celebrate and imitate the lives of others at the cost of our own. Like our power, we eagerly give away the onus of our perception.
We Are What We See:
Our lives are defined by how we view them. Though we have various senses, our sight greatly impacts our experience. Most of what we become is a culmination of what we perceive. Our vision dominates our existence. We are entirely reliant upon what we see. Our eyes deceive us as much as our reality. What we “want” to see often overpowers what we “need” to see. Every day we adopt a common reality based upon how and what we observe. Society is designed to imprison us into duality. Linear perception and the simulated dynamics of “reality” prohibit our ability to manifest our personal vision.
“It doesn’t matter what happens around us, it only matters what happens within.”
Dreamworld:
Everything distinct from our individual being is an illusion. It is a projection of rudimentary cause and effect in which we adopt and invest based upon our circumstances, decisions and energy. We have been conditioned to believe that the external world is all that is real. That what lies within us is devoid of intention, meaning, purpose and value. We have sacrificed our personal power for artificial belonging, intelligence, status and wealth. We have allowed our perceptions to be manipulated to the utmost degree. In so doing, we have surrendered our heart and soul. Society and reality are systems designed specifically to divert us from ourselves.
A Hand in the Act:
Our perceptions have been programmed to serve an authoritarian agenda. They sustain a socially engineered reality at the cost of our creativity and purpose. We are anesthetized to the effects of this conditioning due to our daily, self-prescribed dose of synthetically mindless amusement and entertainment. We are stimulated by an addictive dependence on fear and fantasy to escape the dire perceptions we adopt of reality. This preoccupies us from becoming the greatest expression of ourselves and fulfilling our destiny. We allow this constant and peripheral anxiety to alter our outlook on life and propagate its eventual downfall.
Diamond in the Rough:
Humanity is a multi-faceted diamond of perception. There are over six billion viewpoints, each one as essential as the next. The diversity of our vision is measured not by the strength of our own, yet by the willingness to see beyond the borders of conventional perception. Our desire to discover, experience and illuminate the mysteries of ourselves transforms all we may encounter. The perception we choose is the bridge to manifest what is possible in our life. Our vision is inspired by the personal commitment and empowerment for which we live. We are the saviors for whom we have been waiting.
Epiphany of Insight:
The truth of what is cannot be found in contemporary forms of media, whether they are social, printed, forums, lectures, videos or even sacred texts. Individual truth is conceived in a vision, realized in one’s being and manifested as a lifestyle. Our personal revelations are multi-dimensional experiences always occurring within us. When we are present to these opportunities, our consciousness of, commitment to and engagement with them establishes our existence. Our insights are the sparks that illuminate and inspire our perceptions and lives. We are the sole creators of our evolution and transformation.
A Call for Consciousness:
Reality is a kaleidoscope of virtual stimuli to divert us from our true path. Our emergence from the shadows of society is vital to our becoming. It is our choice how we view, experience and create the world within and without. We are either victims of the greatest vicious cycle ever invented through our compliance and participation. Or we are our own saviors who cause our freedom, intention and personal power. It is our calling to envision and manifest all that our heart and soul embodies. We are the only person who will ever prevent ourselves from becoming all we may imagine. We are the source of our purpose.
Nobody owes us, nor are we entitled to anything in this world. Though it is an inconvenient truth, we are not of benefit to this earth. We are a biological epidemic, consuming vital resources at the expense of our own equality, freedom, justice and purpose. Our personal perceptions are processed through a virtually institutionalized marketplace of subjective reality. Society prepares us for an artificially sheltered life. We are bred to be terrified of everyone and everything distinct from ourselves. Our pride, prejudice and self-righteousness are imposed necessities for our social survival.
The “I” Syndrome:
We are culturally programmed to design our lives around ourselves. Our justification for this self-centered strategy is the dire and inevitable personal, professional and social consequences should we refuse. The focus of our ambition, attention and intention is entirely dictated by our ego. Eventually, we become enslaved by the vicious cycle of our desire, want and vanity at the cost of our happiness, love and truth. When faced with an opportunity to give and share, we often decide to thoughtlessly receive and accumulate. Our survival becomes a comfortable euphemism for our egocentricity.
Human Obsolescence:
As much as our contemporary society invents ways to accelerate a market place of planned obsolescence for profit, so too has it become for human beings. Awareness and practice in personal health is of meager priority. Benevolence, ethics and virtues have been replaced by personal achievement, competition and wealth. Apathy, denial and evasion compromises our sense of adventure, fulfillment and purpose. Humanity has become a disposable life form, engineered, manipulated and prohibited to reach its true destiny. Our shelf life declines as our appetite increases.
Enter the Void:
How we choose to live determines whether we are a creator or a destroyer. There is no middle ground. Who and how we are being is either an expression of our life or death. We are seduced by society to be entertained and mystified by human decline, disgrace and destruction. In many ways, it may make us feel better about the status of our own life when we see the downfalls and failures of others. We live in the shadows of our superficiality and become inhabitants of a surreal reality. Our choice or lack thereof condemns us to the adoption of our own oblivion.
The Illusion of Time:
If reality is the ball, time is the chain of our personal enslavement. Time, like most things in this world, is only as influential as our perception empowers. We have allowed our personal power to be inverted into a private prison. The seemingly overwhelming effort and price of achieving our individual destiny, purpose and vision often outweighs its manifestation. Time is an illusion of perception invented to distort and modify our multi-dimensionality into a linear duality. The more we perceive our lives in the measurement of time, the more we give them away to this linear deception.
“We live our lives through the eyes of others.”
Persuasion of Perception:
Perception is the most influential force in society. In a civilization lacking creativity, faith and intuition, the social engineering and manipulation of observation is a business model for the industries we enable. Power is not fame, politics, possession and wealth. It is the ability to alter and control the way society perceives itself. Every day in every way financial institutions, corporations, politicians and a myriad of agencies seek ways to implant and impose their agendas and motivations upon humanity. Perception creates reality. How we see the world is more powerful than anything in it.
Artificial Reality:
The reality we commonly experience in life is a complex simulation. It is the greatest deception ever created. As ingenious as its existence, is our engagement, faith and trust in it. Reality is a projection that all of us accept and adopt as “real.” However, it is anything but authentic. The dynamic of reality is one that gives the impression of possibility and security, yet in truth is exclusive and perilous. Those who understand its mechanics and probabilities often alter, distort and manipulate its design for advantage, position and profit. The life we live is not at all as it seems. It is an illusion.
Life Sentence:
Our lives are a dream. They are a fabrication of social engineering designed to distract, entertain and preoccupy. The common experience we all have isn’t really “life.” It is a staged sequence of virtual events to disillusion, intimidate and manipulate our instincts, thoughts and emotions. We are programmed to become disassociated from our souls since the time we are born. Our lives are dictated more by external forces than those from within. We are rats in a three-dimensional maze, ever searching for an exit that doesn’t exist. The bars of our social prison are as pervasive as they are absolute.
Appeal of Testimony:
Before we can break free from the bonds of our adopted conditioning, we must first acknowledge our role in the vicious cycle of contemporary society. Each one of us is responsible for the destructive nature of reality. We allow our egos to transmit our anger, competition, envy, frustration and intolerance. Even if we decide to cop an innocent plea of ignorance, it does not exonerate us from our contribution to a culture of selfishness. No matter how much we attempt to mystify ourselves, our freedom is found in our commitment to accountability, integrity and transformation.
Awakening:
Awareness is a lonely path. It is an intimate venture we all must discover, empower, practice and fulfill. No other person has the insight, inspiration, passion and right to achieve what only we can for ourselves. When we establish our true vision of who we are and how we create our life, we distinguish ourselves from the mass imposition of reality. We see it for what it is and what it is not; a prison for the heart and soul. Awakening to the artificial dynamics of reality creates the possibility for our soul to thrive in our life. Our consciousness is the measure of its manifestation.
“If we choose to see who we truly are, we would never yield our power.”
Common Ground:
Each of us is a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual phenomenon. We are not three-dimensional life forms with two-dimensional perceptions living one-dimensional lives. We are creative, multi-dimensional beings with infinite potential, destined to make a difference and transform our experience of life. Yet, our indoctrination into adulthood conditions us to surrender our personal power to authority, competition, consumerism and reality. Inevitably, we abandon our vision and purpose to conform and survive within the archaic paradigm of modern society.
A Matter of Being:
Human beings share the same beginning, middle and end. We are all born, live and pass from this earth. There is no escaping this all-encompassing truth. Our only personal distinction is whom we may choose to be. Billions of people have dreamed, thought and fulfilled more than most may care to comprehend. Before any of these achievements, measures, outcomes or realizations are made manifest, it requires our focused intention and expression of being. To bring anything into our reality, we must first become an avenue for that which we intend.
Signs of Life:
Death is a part of life, yet life is also a part of death. It is undeniable the impression and influence dying has upon us all. Human perception tends to focus on the tremendous stress of one day not existing instead of the extraordinary and essential experience of becoming something beyond imagination. Though the structure of our everyday reality imposes the prospect of pending doom and nothingness, it is our choice to define the quality of our life. The measure of our lives is not determined by our desperation to survive. It is expressed in our commitment and willingness to thrive.
The Quickening:
Energetic shifts are accelerating and expanding the progression of human consciousness. A global awakening has and is spreading like a windswept wildfire. It is illuminating all it inspires. The human race is beginning to wake up to the harsh, simulated reality in which we have all been cast. The intensity of our experience is our resistance to the social conditioning we have all been forced to endure. The apprehension we may feel and interpret as anxiety is the transformation of our fear into awareness, intention and love. These are the growing pains of our becoming.
The Source of our Power:
The universe is a nexus of multi-dimensional energy experienced in its truest nature with our soul consciousness. It cannot be seen, heard or touched. The only sense we exhibit that allows us to relate to the supernal realms is our ability to feel. Our heart is the center of our being. It is our personal electromagnetic transformer. Our soul conducts the movements of the universe through our intuition. Our heart receives and conveys this energy through our way of being and creative expression. The more we are an embodiment of the universe; the more we transform our reality.
“There is nothing more powerful than creating our life.”
A Soul for Creation:
Each one of us is a natural expression of creativity. Whether or not we choose to participate in its realization depends on us. Our social environment does not promote or support our destined purpose. It is designed to impose mimicry in place of creativity. Our personal power is sourced from our imagination. Intuition is the pathway through which the extraordinary is possible. Our soul is the source of our being. When we relate with it, our potential for creativity is present. All it requires of us is our commitment to be the pathway for its manifestation.
Realization of Vision:
Society imposes fears of exposure, failure, intimacy, lack and vulnerability. We give our power over to others and rely upon them to provide us our vision. Our inspiration to be begins with our choice to define our intention. We are the authors of our experience when we create our reality. Each of us has the opportunity to manifest our destiny and express it into the world through how we are being. Our vision is the gateway to who we truly are. It is the embodiment of our soul. The realization of our vision is the emergence of our spirit into our life.
Commitment to Cause:
Commitment is not a part of our daily experience. We often reserve this privilege for people other than our selves. We are socially influenced to seek validation from our acquaintances, employers, family, friends and officials of authority. Society programs us to be more dependent upon the external world and less on our selves. We are central to the cause of our life. Our experience is established by our choice and intention. Our commitment creates our fulfillment. The vow we make with our selves is the declaration of our vision.
On Purpose:
Our lives are typically accidental. It is not that we lack investment in them. We are simply not individually or socially empowered or prepared for the personal focus or intention to live them with purpose. Reality is riddled with distractions and diversions to sustain our compliance, confusion, indifference and resignation. Our destiny is distorted by a super-imposed obligation to society. When we discover, declare and practice our soul purpose, we replace what we inherit with what we create. All we envision intends ourselves into being.
In Service for All:
The greatest expression of our being-ness and its manifestation in society is the charitable service we perform in our communities. Any effort we choose to offer that encourages enrichment, fulfillment, progression and transformation is our soul’s intention in action. It is what defines our vision, commitment, purpose and destiny. When we heed our call of opportunity and possibility, it activates the multi-dimensional dynamic of our being. We transcend the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary. We become our greatest potential. The expression and inspiration of our service is an invitation to all.
“Our only truth is of our soul.”
A Vision of Being:
Everything begins and ends on the soul level. We are everything and nothing all at once. We all carry the infinite energy of the universe. It is entirely up to us how we choose to manifest this energy into our reality. Our life is our opportunity to manifest all that empowers and inspires us. Personal enlightenment is not the only fulfillment of the soul. The transcendence of the human race and the transformation of reality into truth is our common purpose. Creativity is the key that opens the door to our universal possibility. When we choose to be an expression of the source, we become our vision.
Humanity is afflicted with an inexorable disease. It is a widespread epidemic that compromises our authenticity, ethics, integrity and sensibilities. One of which we as a global culture have been suffering from since the dawn of our existence. Its roots originate in our chaotic, obscure and unconscious lifestyle. This social virus is an emotional instability, a mental phobia and inevitably becomes a physical disease. All of us are infected. No matter how we attempt to avoid, distract or escape ourselves, it is always there. It thrives on our personal apathy, attachment, conflict, denial and dependence. We are prisoners of our own fear.
Broken Foundation:
The decline of our society has accelerated. No matter what our belief, education, perception, politics or understanding, it is undeniable. Humanity is in a perpetual state of fear. Most of us are not aware of its full measure and impact. We have been socially conditioned into a custom of dis-ease, disillusionment, distrust and indifference. Cultural confusion influences all avenues of our daily experience. From our early exposure to authority, education and religion, to the contemporary exploitation of the media, our peers and society, we are constantly overwhelmed by a blitz of aggravated anxiety. Our fear is like water to the fish.
Feigned Obscurity:
Reality, as presented and perceived, has been distorted and manipulated to the nth degree. Its dynamics have been strategically altered beyond common understanding. Those who pull the strings of the global puppet show make sure the design is complicated enough to prevent the majority from transforming it. It is the energy of our own fear that sustains the reality in which we are confined. We are not taught nor do we choose to learn ways to transcend this social prison. Therefore, we sequester ourselves within the boundaries of our personal fear. Reality is an artificial security that prohibits the fulfillment of our possibility.
Tapestry of Terror:
Terror sells, perhaps even more than fear or sex. It is a controversial terminology wielded by adolescent adults for the purposes of agenda, control and profit. The impact of its implication provokes anxiety, hate, ignorance and oppression. It is a contrived power that has altered history, law, perception and understanding. Those who define it are often the guiltiest of practicing it. It is a commercial, corporate, financial and political exercise to exploit the fear of nations for the manipulation of the global marketplace. The true purpose of contemporary terror is to bewilder, distress, enrage and terrify humanity.
“The easier it is to look away, the harder it is to live with ourselves.”
The Bliss of Oblivion:
We have made it our inalienable right to be consciously unconscious. Selective reality is our common misperception. We desensitize and acclimate ourselves to the horrors of inequality, injustice, prejudice and violence. Social chaos, deception, destruction and trepidation have chased us into our proverbial rabbit holes. We defend and hide ourselves from the mere threat of danger. We settle for mere survival in the shadow of life. Our motivation is socially distorted from fulfillment, purpose and service to amusement, escape and possession. We savor the bliss of our self-conditioned oblivion, tethered to the vicious cycle of a virtual reality.
Imaginary Life:
We are all in a waking slumber. The monotony of society’s arduous routine has pulled reality over our eyes. Our sedation is sustained by the multiplicity of our amusement, distraction, entitlement, obligation and responsibility. We are culled into pedestrian roles as slaves to a complex matrix of indoctrinated education, elementary entertainment, divisive politics and idealistic religion. Our attachment, consumerism, fear and obedience enable a ravenous social system of competition, exploitation, manipulation and obsolescence. Everyday we voluntarily justify our part in defending and enabling an imaginary life at the cost of our freedom.
The Spark:
It happens to all of us in our own unique way. Our perception and experience shifts from our immersion in to our transcendence from social reality. We see the illusion for what it is and become acquainted with our personal vision. The quickening of our empowerment and enlightenment propels us into the embrace of the extraordinary. Linear perception transforms into multi-dimensional experience. We are thrust into expansive, new streams of consciousness. All we have encountered and understood in our past and present is superseded by the illumination and inspiration of all possibility and purpose. We are awakened.
Soul Signature:
Each of us has a personal power that extends beyond our experience, imagination, perception and understanding. Whether or not we are aware of this, it exists. Our body may be a biological marvel and our mind a neurological phenomenon. Yet, our heart is an electromagnetic force of multi-dimensionality symbiotic with our intuition and connected with our soul. It is in our creativity that our spirit is able to manifest through our heart, mind and body. Every person has the ability to be an expression of the universe. Our unique vision is a vital element in the fulfillment of our purpose and the collective destiny of humanity.
“Only when we live our vision will we become our soul purpose.”
Keeping the Vision:
No matter how powerful our experience of awakening may be, seeing and knowing it is only the beginning. Enlightenment is established with our commitment to exercise a conscious lifestyle whenever an opportunity is presented. The personal vision we receive is manifested with our creativity, devotion and intention. In order for us to truly become this we must live it everyday, especially in the midst of great adversity. Our vision is all that is real. Having a vision is the birth of our possibility. Living it transforms us and the reality in which we exist. This is the true expression of human being.
In the Field:
The fate of the future depends on us all. There is no escape from this essential, universal truth. The greater our resistance in claiming and embracing our personal destiny, the more grave the impact it will have on the fate of all living beings. We are not spectators in the arena of life. We are participants in an extraordinary experience that transcends our fear, perception and reality. The expression of our personal engagement is the embodiment of our soul purpose. Our commitment to the fulfillment of our life is our only true destiny. Our personal power is realized when we choose to envision, embrace and walk our path.
Rise and Shine:
The only moment in which we will ever make a difference is now. Each of us has a dream that can become vision, intention, expression and purpose. There is one true destiny for which we are all empowered into being. It simply requires us to break through the boundaries of the fear we have enabled with our own anger, apathy, denial, hate and indifference. The more we live an experience that inspires us; the more it becomes our lifestyle. Transforming reality is not moving mountains or altering the course of the future. It is our birthright as multi-dimensional beings. It is our nature. We must rise to the opportunity of our life and shine.
Privilege is at the root of human nature. It is as accepted, endorsed and practiced as our instinct, thought and feeling. We all don a badge of self-expressed elitism. It is not just to compete, excel and survive in a cutthroat society. It is a defense mechanism we all inherit and adopt to protect our personal egos, issues and vulnerabilities. Our fear of being exposed before our peers for the divine transgressions of our empathy and kindness build the walls of our personal prisons. We cling to this security blanket with all the empty intention and social obligation we can muster. Eventually this prevalent lifestyle establishes the expression of our entitlement.
Vision of Oblivion:
The institutionalized propaganda of education, media, politics and religion has instinctively, psychologically, emotionally and intuitively rendered our culture oblivious. Whether it is our personal apathy, contempt, denial, fear or self-righteousness, we have become disassociated and desensitized to the bleak and bitter realities that consume us. In the face of our endless possibility and potential, we have wagered our destinies for a synthetically comfortable and convenient existence of anxiety, debt, emptiness, opposition and survival. We protect ourselves with the shield of our oblivion to avoid becoming who we truly are.
Divine Comedy:
Society is rife with a who’s who list of inauthentic “spiritual” leaders who present and promote their doctrines to the unconscious masses. Many are motivated to expand their fellowships in quantity at the cost of quality empowerment. Most choose to represent the very antithesis of the principles their initial awakening inspired in them for personal benefit and profit. The measure of their enlightenment is often notoriety, position, possession and wealth. They exploit and manipulate ancient teachings and wisdom to engineer their initiate’s illumination at the cost of the relationship they have with their own soul. It is a divine comedy of fantasy and ignorance.
The Veil of Reality:
“Reality” is a construct that distracts us from ourselves and our destiny. It is a three-dimensional structure with boundaries, dynamics and laws to confine us into a matrix of control, deception and manipulation. Reality is an artificial projection administered by an authoritarian network to confuse, distort, divert, preoccupy and repress us with our own fear. We become helplessly and hopelessly dependent upon the intoxication of our fruitless, intellectual prowess and the drama of our irrational emotional attachments. Reality is the perfect machine designed to separate us from our heart and soul. It alters our multi-dimensional being-ness into the captivity of duality.
Ghost in the Machine:
Reality is a methodical tapestry designed to enslave us into an impasse of instinct, intellect and negative emotion. Society’s machine is absolutely effective in its exploitation of our anxiety, cynicism, denial, fear, indifference and oblivion for the sustenance of its survival. It is the perfect symbol of our culture’s insatiable desire to serve itself at the cost of its own humanity. Reality consumes all our authenticity, creativity, empathy, individuality, integrity and possibility. Our greatest qualities are replaced with anger, frustration, futility, obedience and resignation. Everyday we condemn our lives to the very oppression we despise.
“Enlightenment is an illusion of being.”
The Mind’s Eye:
We are all slaves of our own egos. The oblivion we entertain and enable with our pride, prejudice and partisan viewpoints tightens the proverbial nooses around our heart and soul. We are mystified by our own social conditioning to the extent that we all vie for a superior position in the simulated hierarchy of human existence. Our words weave complicated webs of academically infused concepts and philosophies to supplement the absence of our personal consciousness, intention, kindness, love and purpose. We sacrifice ourselves upon the altar of information, knowledge and wisdom at the expense of our relation with our soul.
Spiritual Deception:
There is one common element that has been ever-present throughout the history of human faith. Many may believe it is communal prayer. Yet, beyond it is the lie that may inspire or sustain it. Congregational belief is the greatest diversion ever envisioned. It is a strategic credence that distorts and destroys our universal connection. Anything and everything that is conceived from or devised by a dualistic society bound to its instinct and intellect is only as proficient as its intended potential. In other words, that which is created or exists within the three-dimensional paradigm cannot exceed or transcend its nature. It is a paradox of human existence.
Archaic Soul:
Enlightenment has become an ideology established on the distinct vision of a few at the behest of the many. Therefore, it cannot fulfill mainstream well-being given the egocentricity of its origins. The guidance, illumination and wisdom of a guru, minister, shaman or priest simply does not apply to the unique spiritual needs of the individual human being. Where it’s intent may be to provide understanding, it only serves to distract and dismay the many into the obscurity of cynicism, futility and oblivion. Religion and spirituality are profound testimonies to the commercialization and distortion of contemporary enlightenment.
Universal Calling:
We have all been conditioned to be dependent upon the superficial expertise and insights of authoritarian influences. We have sacrificed who we are, why we are here, our fulfillment and personal power for anonymity, ease and oblivion. We have allowed ourselves to surrender to the currents of social acceptance, belonging and status. Our culture personifies our fear and reluctance to rise and stand for the vision and wisdom we are destined to become. There is no other individual meant to empower or occupy our experience. The truth we are born to live can only be established by our choices and the manifestation of our purpose.
A Path Unbroken:
Enlightenment isn’t about seeing reality or the world as we would hope or like it to be. It is about experiencing it as it is. The fantasy or ideology we may attempt to impose on ourselves and others only prevents us from being present to its existence and possibility. Personal illumination is reliant only upon the initiate’s creation and commitment. No other person(s) have the expertise or right to source the manifestation of individual destiny. Enlightenment, in its true expression, cannot exist within the three-dimensional realm. It can only thrive beyond the domains of our social and terrestrial experience.
“Love is the greatest expression of enlightenment.”
Enlightenment:
There are infinite pathways to enlightenment within the multi-dimensional experience of being. The path we choose to walk is a manifestation of our creation, declaration and expression. Though there may be times during the course of our lives when each of our paths may cross and relate, they are individual expressions with personal meaning and purpose. Only the boundaries of our fear, perception, thought and understanding inhibits our embrace with eternity. Our authenticity, creativity, integrity and intention are the foundations for the transformation that shifts the duality of everyday reality. Enlightenment is emerging from the oblivion of our ordinary fear and expressing the extraordinary power of our love.
“The world has changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was, is lost…” – Galadriel of Lothlórien
Into Shadow:
Early in the second week of November, 2016, there was a massive shift in the world. Many believe that this may have something to do with the American presidential election. This was a cover event to distract and divert our attention away from a deeper shift. One that has nothing to do with politics, but our perception and understanding of contemporary reality. Our vision of our lives and our relationship with the world have been altered and distorted. Clarity, intention and purpose has been replaced with chaos, confusion and cynicism. We are victims of a grand deception. One that has fallen upon our senses like a dense, energetic haze.
One Ring to Rule Them All…:
An ancient energy of fear permeates the very nature of the world. Its omnipresent force moves through all living beings and things. Even our vision and experience of our lives are stigmatized by the relentless projection of its chaotic, disruptive and elusive power. We are conditioned to be energetic receivers and transmitters of fear. Our internal, biorhythms are manipulated and suppressed into inferior energetic frequencies. We are conditioned to use our fear as a weapon of survival in our daily lives with our families, friends and peers. We are oblivious to how much this energy influences our choices, experiences, existence and perceptions.
The Shire:
We live our lives in the comfortable illusion of “reality.” It is a common, human mechanism that disassociates us from our apprehensive and skeptical perceptions of society and the world. We safeguard ourselves from the horrors we invent with our very own fear. We build invisible walls around ourselves to give us a false sense of power, purpose, security and worth. Most, if not all of us, have never experienced a “true” life. It is only as true as we create it to be. We are not indigenous to living. Our quest is not of destiny, but of survival. Our pursuits to find new and clever ways to exonerate ourselves from our personal power consumes our potential.
A Stirring in the Darkness:
What terrifies us most is not what stands before us, it is all that is unseen, unheard and unknown. The potent undercurrent we all feel pulling upon the deepest strands of our conscience, instincts, thoughts and feelings is unavoidable, undeniable and inevitable. A social shift has occurred, awakening something from the long-forgotten hibernation of our collective oblivion. A darkness so sinister the mere memory of its existence strikes a terror like none other in the strongest of souls. For good or ill, our social circumstances are empowering us into action, awareness, being and purpose. We are being called to rise and stand at a most desperate hour.
“What is to be my quest?”:
There are instances in our lives when we are presented with the opportunity to claim our destiny. We are only required to accept, embrace and live into its fulfillment. However daunting, difficult or impossible its manifestation may seem, it is our only way to express our true nature. The horror of an unfulfilled and unlived life is far greater than the initial terror we may face when we are confronted with the epiphany of our destiny. The path we walk with our innate sense of adventure, courage, curiosity and inspiration shall always lead us to who we are meant to be. It is our genuine willingness and wonder that leads to our freedom.
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” – Gandalf the Grey
“The Mirror Shows Many Things”:
We sell ourselves short every day in almost every way. We are the bane of our own existence. The confidence we place in others far exceeds that which we hold for ourselves. We negate our personal power to avoid our accountability, authenticity, charity, integrity and responsibility. Most of us know little of the existence of such merits let alone express them in our daily lives. Our tendency to make our human virtues our social sins becomes the comfortable euphemism of our false power and self-enslavement. All that we avoid, curse, deflect, deny and judge causes our inevitable eventuality. All that we fear becomes who we are.
The Eye of Sauron:
For as many differences we all have, there are as many or more similarities. Besides the obvious, the expressions we exhibit that matter most are our thought, feeling and intuition. Yet, our egos covertly assume the utmost influence and power. It is the silent partner that binds us in the darkness of our apathy, cynicism, denial, judgement, superiority and self-righteousness. All our untended anger, contempt, hate and pain is seized in stealth by our egos, manipulated into a projection of our malevolent and willful vengeance. At the heart of our inevitable immorality is the fear we harbor. Fear is the power we give away.
The Fellowship is Broken:
We do not have community in the way that it is envisioned. Our inability to relate with ourselves is the most effective and startling evidence. It is an epidemic dichotomy of global proportions. We are, have always been and perhaps will always be alienated from each other by our beliefs, egos, individuality and perceptions. Distinction and independence is a double-edged sword that has been used most often for destruction instead of creation. The watermark of social evolution has erased the notable achievements of humanity. It has long been replaced with a mountain of archaic knowledge, selfish obsolescence and superficial worth.
Our Most Beloved Star:
Our vision is the genesis of who we ultimately become. We are each empowered with a unique insight of possibility. It is what inspires and terrifies us in the same breath. Our potentiality is ever emerging, expanding and fluctuating into our reality with or without our commitment to it. The consciousness we express is the measure for which we manifest it into our personal reality. When we are present to the opportunity and realization of our enlightenment, our experience of life transcends our fears and the social limitations of our environment. This is the true power of our soul’s illumination that transforms our being, perception and understanding.
The Turning of the Tide:
We are beings of extraordinary potential, power and vision. We possess all that we need to create and manifest everything our imaginations may express. Our energy, focus and intent proactively shifts our experience. Our opportunity to fulfill on our destiny is as vital as the air we breathe. When something is missing in our lives, it simply requires us to provide that which is absent. Society is aggressive, cruel, incomplete and vicious because we are. We must first transform ourselves from who we have become and trust this will make the difference we long to see in the world. Only we can become the champions of our own epic tale.
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” – Galadriel of Lothlórien
On Friday, November 11th, 2016, I will be releasing my most recent album entitled, “Lakshmi.” It is twelve original musical pieces I composed and arranged. The album features fifteen different genres including Funk, Latin, Ragtime, Country Swing, Reggae, Progressive Jazz, Classical Tone Poem, Jazz Instrumental, Native American Folk Anthem, Spiritual Mantra, Motown Soul, Traditional Bluegrass and Folk Ballad. There are seventeen different instruments, fifteen of which I performed for this recording including Acoustic Guitar, Acoustic Bass, Grand Piano, Drum Kit, Congas, Bongos, Shakers, Cajon (box drum), Lakota Drum, Timbale, Clave, Maracas, Washboard, Hand Jive, Vibra-Slap and Whistle. The Saxophone was performed by Michael Teager. The Pedal Steel Guitar was performed by David Feeny.
Music in 444 Hertz:
The “Lakshmi” album was recorded in 444-hertz frequency. The tuning for most contemporary music is 440-hertz. In the 20th century, the standard tuning was altered from 432 to 440-hertz during the World War Era. This alteration manipulated the sound quality to a frequency that incites chaos, dis-ease, fear and mania. 444-hertz is less than a half-a-step sharper than 440-hertz in tonality. It has a naturally bright, etheric, multi-tonal, organic and resonant sound quality. In my experience, there are more under and overtones of the existing notes present using the 444-hertz tuning. It is a frequency that is very easy to listen to and inspires creativity, empowerment and imagination.
Source:
All the songs on the “Lakshmi” album where inspired by and created through the practice of Mantra Meditation. Mantra is a style of meditation in the Jain tradition using an ancient word or words that are associated with one of the seven chakras. This practice allowed me to be present to the infinite possibilities of creativity during the composition, development, arrangement, performance, recording and production of the “Lakshmi” album. In some of my experiences during meditation I intuitively heard parts and/or all the songs and their unique arrangements like I was listening to an internal radio. Meditation also helped me to hear the many diverse instruments, their melodies and harmonies and how they were meant to be recorded and mixed. Meditation helped me learn to play most of the instruments in a matter of weeks!
Dedication:
During the renaissance era, it was customary for composers to be funded by nobility and royalty for the sustenance of their creative expression. Many composers dedicated their pieces to those who sponsored their creative endeavors. The “Lakshmi” album was funded by my wife Laura and I. In honor of Laura’s commitment, support and the fact that she was the inspiration for many of the songs, the album is named “Lakshmi.” “Lakshmi” is the Spiritual Name given to her by Gurudev Shree Chitrubanuji. “Lakshmi” is the Hindu Goddess of wealth, love, fortune, prosperity (both material and spiritual) and the embodiment of beauty.
The Music:
Wake:
“Wake” is a progressive Funk Latin piece. It’s lyrical subject matter is about awakening to what is going on in our world. It is about seeing it for what it is and not for how we would like it to be. “Wake” is about claiming our personal power and making a difference. It is the realization that we are the creators of our reality. We are all divine.
Break the Spell:
“Break the Spell” is a Ragtime Delta Stomp. It is about freeing ourselves from the spell of reality that we have been conditioned to accept. “Break the Spell” poses important questions as to where we are and where we are going. The heart of its message is releasing all that we have grown accustomed to in our life and embracing all that truly empowers and inspires us.
The Heart of Town:
“The Heart of Town” is a Country Swing Memorial. It was inspired by and written in honor of my Grandfather, Howard Saums. The lyrics of the piece were taken from an interview he did with our family prior to his passing. It is a family snapshot that immortalizes his life in one of his favorite musical genres. “The Heart of Town” is a grandson’s testimony of his grandfather’s authenticity, charity, integrity and love.
Truth:
“Truth” is a Reggae song with Urban undertones. “Truth” powerfully expresses an acknowledgement of the inequalities and injustices in the world. It shines the spotlight on those who would choose to commit them as a warning that the “Truth” will find them in their time. The chorus pleads for our trust in “Truth” and each other.
Lakshmi Part I: The Rhythm of Light:
“Lakshmi Part I: The Rhythm of Light” is a Progressive Vocal Jazz piece. It is very eclectic in nature with contrary melodies and rhythms and tribal percussion. It is the opening movement of the “Lakshmi Suite.” The lyrical story line is the first encounter between the man and the woman. It is the man’s courtship of his soul mate through his creative expression.
Lakshmi Part II: The Breath of Life:
“Lakshmi Part II: The Breath of Life” is a Classical Vocal arrangement. The lone percussion is the unified heartbeat of the man and the woman and its melodies and harmonies swell as the ebb and flow of a tide. It is the second movement of the “Lakshmi Suite.” The lyrical story line is their intimate stroll in the moonlight and their declaration of love for each other.
Lakshmi Part III: Mandala:
“Lakshmi Part III: Mandala” is a Progressive Jazz Instrumental. It begins soft and subtle on the heels of the preceding movement, “The Breath of Life,” and gradually develops into an upbeat and exuberant dance of union between the man and woman. It is the final movement of the “Lakshmi Suite” and it symbolizes their shared journey through life experience.
Medicine Wheel:
“Medicine Wheel” is a Native American inspired Folk Anthem. The drums and rattles signify the heartbeat of Mother Earth. The lyrical subject matter is honoring and respecting the Earth which provides all of what we as human beings need to thrive. It is a call to action that inspires us to stand together to preserve and protect the planet we all call home.
All That I Am:
“All That I Am” is a Spiritual Vocal Mantra. The smooth vocal arrangement and complimentary percussion gives it an authentic and endearing quality. It is an autobiographical account of the strengths and weaknesses each one of us express in our lives. The progressive vocal weaves a delicate tapestry of harmony that builds until the final voice captures the importance of the present moment.
Fly On Me:
“Fly On Me” is a Motown Soul song. It is the tender plea of a man attempting to encourage a woman to stay. The music expresses his emotional desire and clarifies the dynamics of his love for her. The Saxophone is the embodiment of the possibility of his loneliness without her. Yet, the lyrics symbolize a desperate confidence she will stay.
Nature’s Way:
“Nature’s Way” is a Traditional Bluegrass song fresh from the Appalachian Mountains and the green hills of Ireland. With a driving, acoustic guitar rhythm and acoustic bass paired with foot stomp, hand jive and washboard, it is one person’s journey to the mountaintop of their spiritual experience. It is an important and stirring lyrical expose on the state of our society.
Afterglow:
“Afterglow” is a Folk Groove Ballad about the completion of relationships. It’s signature drum beat and pendulum style guitar and piano symbolizes the ebbs and flows of our life experiences. The song is a moving and revealing testimony of heartbreak and possibility in the wake of separation. It calls for us to prove the love we are to each other.
Humanity may be “awake,” but has it awakened? And to what? Spirituality is the new religion. Its enchantment places the power of enlightenment in the hands of gurus, shamans and teachers. Droves of willing initiates emerge from the shadows of contemporary knowledge, perception, reality and understanding to enroll in classes, healings, lectures, readings and weekend workshops. Most of us seek destiny, meaning, power and vision. Yet, deep down we are terrified to accept and apply these qualities to our daily lives. It is an idealistic dance with elusive partners at the cost of our ambition, awareness, energy, intention and well-being.
Soul Distinction:
Since the dawn of the human race, authentic faith has been, is and will always be a solitary engagement. No other person(s) could or should direct, guide, influence or mediate another’s spiritual experience. Doing so would be the antithesis of personal illumination for all parties. Vital elements of one’s evolution are found in the creation, discovery, distinction, expression and purpose of one’s chosen path. There is no greater empowerment or inspiration one may have then choosing, claiming and walking their destiny. However challenging, impossible or intimidating this may seem, it is the only true way to fulfillment.
The Divided Self:
The most powerful force in our contemporary society is the ego. The more we believe we have control of our ego, the more dominion it has over us. We do not express the essential awareness, commitment, focus and intention to successfully manage its incessantly diabolical tendencies. As our “spirituality” grows, so does our ego. Left to its own covert devices, our “divided self” coils around our virtues like a weed to a flower. It feeds upon the energy of our discoveries, insights, opportunities, possibilities and transformation. Our divided self is as a neglected child. It craves our attention, control, importance and power.
Kingdom Come:
Contemporary spirituality has become a mutation of human invention. The fusion of religion with spirituality has produced a myriad of dogmas, practices and wisdoms all promising the keys to illumination, yet never delivering. Thousands of articles, books, lectures, online events and workshops seek to entice the masses toward commercialized enlightenment. Those of us who have not established a relationship with our soul eagerly dive headfirst into the sea of manufactured mystery. We rarely see how truly shallow it can be. The human race has been deceived into searching without for what can only be found within.
A Pocketful of Gurus:
Spirituality is rife with gurus. Most adopt the title with very little commitment, understanding and even less experience. When we are empowered, excited and inspired by new insights, opportunities and possibilities, our initial response is to share our vision. Yet, this is not the best way to nurture the manifestation of our true expression. Our sub-conscious reaction is to pride ourselves with our innovative epiphanies by proselytizing our personal wisdom. We allow our ego to suppress our spirit. This diminishes the experiences of others. We overlook the essential truth that our insights are meant for us alone and have little or no value to others.
“Superiority walks hand-in-hand with Spirituality.”
Hierarchy of the Soul:
Society is built upon a foundation of pyramid schemes. Whether commercial, educational, financial, political, religious or scientific, there are far fewer people at the top than there are at the bottom. In the modern age of spirituality, it is no different. Regardless of the modality one may practice, there is always one or a small group of people that hold dominion over the many. We enable patterns of sanctimonious conviction with the attention and energy we sacrifice to find our soul in a forest of human perception. We willingly give away our own personal power to avoid the fear of claiming it for ourselves.
The Mind’s Eye:
Our interpretation of spirituality has a tendency to compromise our authenticity, empathy and integrity. Our possibility for transformation vanishes in an attempt to funnel a multi-dimensional experience into a two-dimensional perception. Words are the language of the ego. When we attempt to communicate what we encounter as an expression of being, we instantly sever the relationship we have with our soul. We abolish our personal power when we endorse our own authority and significance. Once we break our connection with eternity, we inevitably diminish our empathy, intuition, perspective and vision.
Spiritual High:
Our multi-dimensional experiences produce a remarkable rush of energy that flows through every element of our being. In these moments we are present to and related with all. Our soul craves these experiences. It is the electromagnetic synthesis between our body, mind, heart and spirit. We become the embodiment of life. Our ego hacks this beautiful tapestry of being and manipulates it into an illusion of grandeur. It siphons it through a filter of instinct and intellect for the purposes of vanity and supremacy. As human beings, we become addicted to this mystical buzz in a doomed quest to satisfy our soul with the language of our ego.
Custom Consciousness:
The only true power we have is our consciousness. This extraordinary expression of our being transcends the ego. Where our ego attempts to prove itself and impose its influence, our spirit emanates consciousness to transform our experience. When the lines between truth and reality are blurred, our deficient awareness falls prey to the violent desire and desperation of our ego. Many of us wear a mask to conceal our inadequacies, insecurities and vulnerabilities. Yet, it is our self-delusion of these apparent weaknesses that hinders our ability to observe them as our greatest strengths. Only in our consciousness will we experience our truth.
Alone Together:
Each one of us has our own crucial and unique purpose to fulfill. We must walk this path alone. We cannot realize our calling when we are focused on the experiences of others. This is simply a clever way for us to avoid being authentically present to and interactive with our own in a vain pursuit to present ourselves as important and superior. Instead of assuming the role of a guru, shaman or teacher, we can support each other in the manifestation of our purpose. It is possible for us to be true to our own experience as a community without sacrificing our own destiny. When we all live the lives we were destined, we become this together.
“Spirituality is an illusion of being.”
The Art of Being:
Spirituality has mystified us into a matrix of history, knowledge, narcissism, ritual and tradition. It is a cult to which we subscribe due to our lack of faith in ourselves. Our freedom is found in our commitment to be and how we personify it in our daily lives. Spirituality is a compass of how we choose to live our lives. Yet, it is simply a stepping stone on the path toward fulfillment. When we become present to our ego’s agenda and its manipulation of what enlightenment may be, we transform our experience from one of emulation to one of being. Our destiny is defined only by our courage, passion and willingness to become all our soul can imagine.
We live a false life. Whether or not we choose to acknowledge or implement this unique insight, it is inherently the truth. Not because we ourselves are fundamentally superficial, though we undoubtedly are. It is that we inhabit a holographic, three-dimensional paradigm of existence. Since we do, we cannot be true, neither can we be real. This is an unimaginable reality to accept. One of which the greater resistance we present, the more difficult the ability to break free from its all-encompassing captivity. We are not true beings simply because we cannot comprehend what truth is living an existence of multi-faceted illusion.
Soul Sacrifice:
Every breath of everyday we dig our personal roots deeper into the soil of a fabricated society. Most of us cannot see this, nor can we believe it. Yet in our silent moments, we feel it as clearly as any of our senses could ever envision. We live in a culture that has demonized the expressions of the heart and the transcendence of the soul. Society operates primarily on the insatiable appetites of our desires and the manipulation of our intellect. This common lifestyle has sequestered us into a two-dimensional experience, leaving us oblivious to our multiplicity. We commit the greatest crime against ourselves when we sacrifice our soul for the lie of life.
Intelligence is Ignorance:
All of us have been and are being institutionally programmed in one way or another. Whether it is educational, mass media, political, religious or even spiritual in nature, we have all committed ourselves to one or many forms of conditioning. Our awareness is measured by facts and figures that tether us into the technical slavery of our left brain. In a society that is cruel, destructive, ominous and perilous, we engage only in what we believe is best for our own personal survival. We modify our vision in a desperate attempt to safeguard ourselves from everything and everyone we perceive as a threat. We never realize the greatest threat is ourselves.
The Game:
Our lives are designed for amusement, competition, diversion, escape and survival. Whether by authoritarian stratagem or our own agenda, reality is engineered to keep us alienated from ourselves and living against each other. We are mystified by our desperate flights of fantasy. We grow accustomed to an insensitive lifestyle of abuse, acquisition and the suspicion of everyone and everything we encounter. When there are no more opponents to confront on the battlefield of illusion, we invent new ones to supplement our false contentment and conquests. Our ravenous aggression drives us deeper into the hungry, yawning chasm of our own decline.
Vicious Cycle:
We are helplessly and hopelessly ensnared in a global spider web of deception, delusion, duality, fear and manipulation. Each one of us enables this insidious network of control, power, status and wealth with our participation. The more we are willing to sacrifice our accountability, integrity and sensibility, the more we capitulate and empower this grand paradigm of illusion. Our obsession for significance becomes our most common and obstructive human addiction. In spite of the money, power and possessions we achieve in a vain attempt to hide our inadequacies and insecurities, we are still a puppet upon an imaginary stage living a simulated life.
“The only truth about the truth is that there is no truth.”
Axiom of Assimilation:
All we think, know, sense and feel is built upon a foundation of illusion. We ourselves are a reflection of social invention. Our human nature and the reality in which we exist is a galactic projection from an unknown origin in the universe. This compromises our soul’s relatedness with terrestrial existence. The multi-dimensional dynamic of our spirit cannot thrive within the restricted parameters of three-dimensional reality. Our physical and mental features instinctively dominate the multiplicity of our being. The society in which we live imposes this indoctrination with constant conditioning and stimuli to diminish, distort and destroy our truest expression.
Against the Current:
Society is a surging springtime river swollen with arrogance, deception, entitlement, fear and ruin. Its watermark has exceeded the breadth of its measure. Most who are empowered and inspired enough to rise and stand against it are eventually swallowed by its sheer, omnipresent force and inexorable undercurrent. All of us have had our dance with youthful rebellion, intellectual and intuitive discovery and the desire to make a difference. Yet, the further we walk down the path of our creative, insightful and radical mutiny against society, the more we witness how lonely the revolution can be. Reality is the silent and lethal assassin of all possibility.
Paradise Lost:
Sometime in our early to mid-twenties, a human tragedy occurs to us all. With a totalitarian tip-toe efficiency and precision, the deceptive dynamics of reality and society seize our authenticity, creativity, imagination, inspiration, integrity, passion, possibility and purpose. We sacrifice our unique individuality and originality in a vain quest to maintain a false sense of belonging, status and worth in society. We join the ranks of millions of self-subscribed victims of unconscious circumstance to perform a collective role of emulation and obedience. All that once empowered us with the energy of life is replaced with all that gradually takes it away.
The Politics of Consciousness:
The consciousness movement is bursting at the seams of contemporary society. Religion is segueing into spirituality, which has progressed into consciousness and is now identified as an expression of one’s truth. Yet, with most things in reality, even truth is inevitably susceptible to distortion and exploitation under the agendas of advantage, fame, power and profit. In this world, truth is not “truth.” It is a fabrication of something that best serves a few at the deception and manipulation of the many. Those who exude or profess consciousness, insight or wisdom are usually the ones altering the perception and understanding of the public for their own gain.
Creative Vitology:
All we are is energy. However existential or unbelievable this concept may be. Without energy, we would cease to exist. Each one of us is comprised of distinct waveform patterns that are expressions of our intuition, feelings and thoughts. The nature and quality of our energy is defined by how we choose to interpret and interact with our environment. These essentials ultimately inspire our actions. Who we choose to be in our daily life attracts into it all which we intend. Our intention is the focus that creates the vision of how our experience transpires. Our creativity is the essential energy to manifest our destiny.
“We are not a creation. We are the creators of a creation.”
A New Vision:
We are nothing we are programmed to believe. We are not our body, mind, heart or soul. These are simply facets of our being that our energy inhabits and utilizes for the sake of our human life. We are not our senses, history, experiences or even our truth. We are an embodiment of energy that emanates the possibility of consciousness. Whether or not we become conscious depends upon how our energy is realized in our life. We live in a reality of perpetual illusion. We need to continually transform how we exist in reality to personify our conscious energy. When we do, we ultimately transform the nature of our reality and become the expression of our truth. | {
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New Gibran Chair Publication, "A New Narrative of Peace"
A New Narrative of Peace: The Vision and Programs of the Gibran Chair is the first publication produced under the auspices of the new Gibran Chair Director May Rihani. This book highlights strategic and pragmatic approaches which make Peace more attainable by detailing the Chair’s vision that Peace is based on three principles: Social Justice, Valuing Diversity, and Ensuring Inclusivity in processes and decision making. The book also emphasizes the importance of deepening the understanding between Eastern and Western cultures in general, and the Arab ethos and American values in particular. A New Narrative of Peace captures what Director Rihani said in her Inaugural Lecture as well as how the audience reacted to the lecture.
Gibran Chair Director May Rihani says in her book, “This elusive Peace that we all yearn for, despite all the obstacles that exist on the road towards it, is perhaps what is most needed in this century,” she continues to say, “there is a need to enhance opportunities for the younger generations to become visionaries and architects of a new narrative of Peace.”
President Loh states on the cover of the book, “May Rihani’s Inaugural Lecture is inspirational reading for all those working for Peace, both within the academy and across society. Her theme--that the oneness of humanity is the path to Peace-- shines like a light on a restless sea.”
In his introduction, Dean Gregory Ball writes, “The Gibran Chair is inspired by the life and writings of Kahlil Gibran, a true citizen of the world whose message of peace and love inspired whole generations.”
And finally, as quoted in A New Narrative of Peace, Gibran shares insight into Peace, action and the work that is before us: | {
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7 Tips to Stay Updated With the Latest Trends in Social Media Marketing
Building and expanding a successful brand requires more than the ability to deliver high-quality goods and services to your customers. Today, utilizing social media is a cornerstone of most successful companies today, whether they solely cater to locals or international followers. Staying updated with the latest trends in social media marketing is essential whether you are launching a new start-up from the ground up or seeking to further the success of an existing business. With the right social media marketing insight, outperform competitors while truly making a memorable impression in any industry you represent.
Follow Successful Brands on Social Media
Follow brands in your industry that have a great track record regarding their social media marketing campaigns and the responses they receive from followers and loyal customers. Study how brands in your industry relate to users, communicate with customers, and interact altogether with those who have an interest in their company. Selecting the right “voice” for your business and brand is an important decision that can have a long-lasting effect on those who shop with you.
Sign Up to Receive “Google Alerts”
Sign up to receive alerts directly from Google, using Google Alerts. Enter specific keywords and tags to track that are relevant to your brand and the products or services you provide. Once you have signed up to receive alerts directly from Google, they will arrive in your Gmail inbox at the frequency you have selected.
Create a Stream of Relevant Hashtags on Twitter to Follow
Jot down a list of popular hashtags that are most relevant to your business and brand on Twitter. Create a stream of hashtags to following using services such as Hashtags.org to get started.
Join Active Groups in Your Industry on LinkedIn
Use LinkedIn to represent your brand professionally. Join social media and social media marketing groups on LinkedIn for the latest social media news and updates all across the web. Interact with other members of your social media groups for further information and more details regarding the topics you have an interest in for your brand.
Instagram’s “Explore” feature is ideal to keep up with the latest trends throughout Instagram itself. Use the “Explore” feature of Instagram to check in on the latest trending hashtags and the types of uploads that are most popular and relevant to your business and brand.
Subscribe and Follow Social Media-Centric Blogs
Following social media-centric blogs and websites is one of the most popular methods of remaining updated with the latest advancements in social media and tech. Some of the most popular social media marketing blogs include: Mashable, Social Media Examiner, and Simply Measured.
Attend Local or Virtual Social Media Conferences
If you want to gain even more from spending time with others who specialize in social media marketing, consider attending a conference. Both local and digital social media conferences provide tips and tricks to seamlessly launch successful ad campaigns while also staying up to date with the latest innovations in tech.
Putting social media marketing to use effectively is essential in a highly-competitive online world, especially if you are launching a brand that is refreshing and entirely new. The more active you remain with following social media marketing trends, the easier it becomes to incorporate various elements of the latest trends into your company’s own online campaigns. Social media marketing in conjunction with high-quality products and services provide unlimited opportunity when generating new leads and completing sales in the digital world. | {
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South Australia
The most famous wine area of Australia, which is found
in the neighboring area of the wine city Adelaide, is renowned for its red wines
and here it is being produced more than the half of all Australian wine
One of the wine producing countries of the world which was capable of
transforming its enological production, from low quality and ordinary wines to
high quality wines, certainly is Australia. This enological miracle was
possible thanks to the huge economic investments done by producers as well as to
the introduction and development of modern technologies. Most of the wineries
make use of very advanced technological tools and benefit from the help of wine
makers capable of applying modern techniques. Whereas in other wine countries -
in particular the ones in Europe - the traditional factor seems to play a
fundamental role in the production of wine, most of the times limiting and
conditioning the development, in Australia, thanks to the recent enological
history of the country, technology and innovation practically have no obstacles.
Even the common practices done in the vineyards are conducted in an automatized
way, from pruning to harvesting. This probably explains the reason why good
quality Australian wines have a pretty affordable price.
South Australia
Until the half of the last century, Australian wine was pretty ordinary and with
no particular value, they usually were sweet or very alcoholic wines, most of
the grapes were used for the production of fortified wines. The revolution of
Australian wines began in the 1960's when the wine industry of the country
strongly concentrated in the quality of its products by relying this radical
change to international grapes and in particular to Shiraz (Syrah), Chardonnay
and Sémillon. Around the half of the 1980's Australia already reached most of
its goal and its new wines became famous all over the world. What mainly
impressed of Australian wines were its concentrated and full bodied reds as well
as whites produced with Chardonnay and Sémillon. In just a little more than
twenty years Australia was capable of transforming its wine industry while
abandoning a practically anonymous past and therefore occupying relevant
positions in the worldwide scenario.
The first vineyards in Australia were planted in New South Wales at the end of
eighteenth century, however the enological development of the country was
concentrated in the South Australia area along the coast of Indian ocean. This
area is located in the neighboring of Adelaide - considered as the capital city
of Australia - and here are found among the most famous wine areas of the
country: Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren
Vale, Padthaway and Coonawarra. Of course they are not the only wine areas of
the country and South Australia is not the only region in which wine is being
produced, however it is right here more than the half of the Australian wine is
being produced.
Classification of South Australia
Australia does not have a quality system based on specific laws, as in case of
France and Italy. There are no strict indications on cultural and enological
practices to be followed, such as the variety of grapes allowed in a specific
region, yields, norms for wine making and minimum aging times. The Australian
quality system provides specific norms about the labeling of wines, norms which
are, of course, in force in South Australia as well. Among the most
significative rules about wine labeling are mentioned: in case a grape variety
is stated in the label, the wine must be produced with at least 85% of that
grape; in case a wine is a blend of two wines and none of them make the 85% of
total, both the names of grapes must be mentioned in the label and in order of
importance; blended wines must state the percentages of grapes used in the
blend; in case an area, district or region is mentioned in the label, 85% of
the wine contained in the bottle must come from the stated area.
Production Areas
Despite the fact South Australia is pretty vast, the area in which it is being
produced wine is pretty small and is located in the southern part, in the
neighboring of the ocean coast near the city of Adelaide. For this reason
Adelaide is considered as the wine capital city of Australia and not very far
from it are found the important wine areas of Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and
McLaren Valley. Southern Australia is mainly famous for its full bodied red
wines produced with Shiraz grapes, moreover the production of white wines made
of Chardonnay, Riesling and Sémillon grapes is interesting as well. South from
Adelaide is located another area of enological interest, Coonawarra, which is
recently getting more and more famous in the world for its Cabernet Sauvignon
wines. Of all the wine areas in Southern Australia two are particularly known
and identify Australian wine in the world: Barossa Valley and Coonawarra.
Barossa Valley is mainly known for its full bodied red wines made of Shiraz
grape whereas Coonawarra is considered as the best Australian region for
Cabernet Sauvignon. The quality of wines made in this region is very interesting
and of good value, however here it is also produced a huge quantity of
ordinary and cheap wines, in particular in the vineyards along the course of
Murray river.
Barossa Valley
The center of the Australian wine production is found in Barossa Valley. This
certainly is the most renowned wine area of the region as well as of the
country, by many considered the best wine region of Australia. Barossa Valley is
located 60 kilometers north-east from Adelaide (about 40 miles), its climate
generally is warm and dry, however the area also benefits from the hills located
to the east capable of ensuring a pretty cool climate and suited for
viticulture. The main white berried grapes cultivated in this region are
Chardonnay, generally vinified in American oak barriques, just like Shiraz,
Riesling and Sémillon. To these are also included Palomino and Pedro Ximénez
used for the production of fortified wines, a wine style belonging to the
tradition and to the history of Barossa Valley. The most famous wines of this
area are red and mainly produced with Shiraz grape. Other red berried grapes
cultivated in Barossa Valley and occasionally used together with Shiraz, are
Grenache Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre, here known as Mataro.
Clare Valley
Clare Valley is located north from Barossa Valley, is characterized by a cooler
climate and therefore suited for the production of white wines, in particular
with Riesling grapes. Clare Valley certainly is one of the wine regions from
which are being produced among the best Rieslings of the world, wines capable to
even compete with the elegance and finesse of German ones although having their
own personality. As opposed to German Rieslings, the ones produced in Clare
Valley have a fuller body, lesser acidity and am interesting range of
organoleptic qualities, both aromatic and gustatory, which gives them a specific
and typical personality. Just like every quality Riesling wine, even the ones
from Clare Valley have an interesting potentiality of aging in bottle which can
also be more than 20 years. Quality wines from Riesling grape produced in this
area should be consumed at least after 5 years of aging in bottle. The Riesling
is known in this area as Rhine Riesling and it should be observed that
once the grape Crouchen, from which were being produced ordinary wines, was
called Clare Rhine Riesling and, of course, has no connection with real
Riesling.
Southern Vales and McLaren Vale
The wine region of Southern Vales is located south from the city of Adelaide and
includes some districts of which the most famous one is McLaren Vale. In this
region are being produced both white wines and red wines and the main white
berried grapes are Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Among red berried
grapes there are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Grenache Noir. In this region
are also cultivated Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Sémillon as well as Pinot Noir
and Merlot. The main red wines of Southern Vales certainly are the ones produced
with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The region is particularly known for its
main district, McLaren Vale, who made this region famous all over the world
thanks to its white wines produced with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. In the
south-eastern part of Southern Vales is located the Longhorne Creek wine area
from which comes huge quantities of grapes used for the production of blended
wines.
Eden Valley
The wine area of Eden Valley is located east from Barossa Valley and north-east
from the city of Adelaide. It is a pretty interesting area and here are being
produced both white and red wines. Eden Valley is considered, after Clare
Valley, the second great wine area in which are being produced white wines with
Riesling grape. Differently from Clare Valley, this area is located at a higher
altitude and it is characterized by a cooler climate, a condition which makes
the area interesting for the production of red wines from Pinot Noir and white
wines from Chardonnay. Riesling wines produced in Eden Valley are generally
characterized by a lower alcohol percentage as well as having an aromatic
bouquet resembling flowers instead of fruits, as in the case of Clare Valley.
Even quality Riesling produced in this area are very suited for the aging in
bottle, a condition which enriches them with toasted aromas.
Adelaide Hills
East from the city of Adelaide, and south from Eden Valley, is located the wine
area of Adelaide Hills, a pretty interesting area which mainly owes the quality
of its wines to the hillside position. The development of this area is pretty
recent and most of vineyards were planted in 1980's and 1990's. Adelaide Hills
is among the coolest areas in Australia and here acidity of grapes reach pretty
high levels and most of the times producers favor malolactic fermentation in
order to smooth their white wines. Thanks to its cool climate, Adelaide Hills is
pretty suited to the production of sparkling wines as well as white wines
produced with Sauvignon Blanc. The area is however very appreciated for its
white wines produced with Chardonnay and Merlot red wines seem to be pretty
promising.
Coonawarra
The wine area of Coonawarra - meaning honeysuckle in Aboriginal language
- is located about 450 kilometers south-east from Adelaide (about 280 miles),
near the region of Victoria. This area is mainly famous for its full bodied and
rich Cabernet Sauvignon wines and the best vineyards are planted in a narrow
strip of territory about 16 kilometers long (10 miles). The main characteristic
of this tiny area is represented by the type of soil of limestone origins where
in its surface is found a porous and reddish soil called terra rossa. The
success of Coonawarra wines it is not only determined by the type of soil but
also by its cool climate. The most famous wines of the area are reds produced
with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Among red berried grapes cultivated in
Coonawarra are also found small quantities of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet
Franc. The most famous white berried grape is Riesling, however here are also
cultivated Chardonnay - with which are being produced the most appreciated wines
of the area - Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc.
Padthaway
Not far to the north from Coonawarra is located the small wine area of
Padthaway, an area that has become successful just after Coonawarra and which is
famous for its white wines. The main white berried grapes of this area are
Riesling, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer, whereas the most common red berried
grape is Shiraz. The area is mainly oriented to the production of white wines
and it is particularly famous for its Chardonnay wines. The climate of Padthaway
is slightly warmer than Coonawarra and pretty suited to the production of white
wines. Chardonnay wines from Padthaway are characterized by good acidity with a
fruity and fresh bouquet.
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Actually, most men realize that these are out-dated generalizations. Ladies are as one of a kind as some other ladies. While some might be sensitive, female heavenly attendants, there are similarly the same number of ladies who are the inverse. Escorts in Lahore Be that as it may, due to our previously established inclinations, this makes them attractive in our psyches.
The great picture of a Pakistani stunner is a thin, fragile figure with dazzling dark hair down to her abdomen. She has inconceivably ladylike highlights and holds herself with a polish infrequently found in the Western world.
What’s more, there’s the thing. Since Pakistani escorts young ladies are fairly an irregularity in Western culture (in any event in contrast with Caucasians), they’re marginally striking to the dominant part of guys. When something emerges from the group because of its excellence, we will in general stop and pay heed. | {
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Thursday, 23 August 2012
lady marmalade has sore feet
The Royal Agricultural Show is coming soon and I signed up.
Fool!
I had a big bowl of cumquats that I needed to get in the pot and I had some gloves I needed to dye so this evening's work involved a bit of multitasking. Stir the marmalade, stir the dyepot, stir the marmalade, stir the..... you get into a rhythm. It's a bit nerve-wracking this competition preserving but I think I may actually have made the best batch of marmalade I have ever done. Fine cut cumquat marmalade has resulted in sore feet, my kitchen floor is concrete and a killer on the arches.
I've got a batch of gloves in the washing machine and I'm just waiting until it finishes before hitting the sack. It beeps when it's finished so there is no way of going to sleep with the laundry under the bedroom and I'll be able to get it into the dryer so they'll be ready to be pressed in the morning.
I might just sneak in an episode of The Armstrong and Miller Show on iView. You have to watch this, it's too too funny!
1 comment:
I can almost smell that great looking marmalade from here...good luck at the show...perhaps you could sell the remaining jars at a local farmers ,arket ..like that chap in the clip.!thanks for making me laugh outloud xJudi | {
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It was like the TV show “Storage Wars” — on Columbus Boulevard! — as the contents of two storage units rented by disgraced sportscaster Don Tollefson were auctioned off this afternoon.
A small crowd of about two dozen bidders gathered around two of Tollefson’s units. One appeared to contain little more than trash, including a muddy glass jar of white clam sauce. The contents of that storage unit sold for $175.
The second had old hockey sticks, a container of stirrup socks, and a box of Chicago Cubs baseball caps. That one went for $600.
In addition,Tollefson’s Chevy Blazer sold for $100.
Ron Trainor of Voorhees, NJ was among the potential bidders.
“Don Tollefson — that caught my eye!” he said just before the auction. “And then after that… I’m interested in this kind of thing. You never know what you’re going to find, down underneath, in the back, in the corner. Old sword, rifles, or something. You know.”
The winning bidders declined to speak with reporters.
The Bucks County district attorney’s office searched the units on Friday, but sources say they found nothing to help their investigation into charges that Tollefson was running a charity scam.
Tollefson is still being held at the Bucks County jail in lieu of $10,000 bail (see related stories). | {
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Even Devan Downey needs some help. South Carolina's senior guard had another Herculean effort on Saturday with 35 points, but he and the rest of the Gamecocks couldn't find their defensive rhythm. An inconsistent offense time and again led to beaten D, which allowed a season-high 61.1 field-goal percentage in an 89-79 loss to Vanderbilt. | {
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Japan . Travel . Food
February 9, 2018January 12, 2019
Chapter 165: Limited Edition Coca Cola Plus in Japan
This is the Zero Calories Coca-Cola Plus! It has an extra ingredient, a sort of laxative. It’s suppose to promote dieting, to drink it alongside when eating food, it will help your body to supress fat absorption. The taste was very similar to regular coke but had a little bit more of a sherbet taste. Refreshing and a burst of deliciousness!!
Post navigation
An opportunist and budget traveller born in the City of London. Takes a great interest in the multifaceted culture of Japan where things outside the norm become the norm. Enjoys a bowl of rice with something on top and practices elegant slurping when devouring ramen. A hybrid child from both introvert and extrovert mentality, a human nonetheless who was abducted by the fiery spirit of anime, manga and otome games for all eternity. | {
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News: 7th Annual Fort Carson Technology Expo,
Spc. Jared Knutson (left), a radio operator-maintainer assigned to Company C, Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Div. and Spc. Jeremy Campbell, a motor transport operator, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43rd Sustainment Brigade litter carry Spc. Randy Stephenson a power generation equipment repairer assigned to Headquarters Support Company, DSTB, during a Combat Lifesavers certification lane Oct. 30. The DSTB Aid Station Team conducted the training to qualify the Soldiers as CLS to aid in reducing the loss of life on the battlefield, said Staff Sgt. Charles Temple, a health care specialist assigned to HSC, DSTB, 4th Inf. Div.
On Wednesday, Aug. 5, the National Conference Services, Inc., hosted the 7th annual Technology Expo at the Elkhorn Catering and Conference Center here at Fort Carson.
The expo, which was free to everyone, hosted approximately 29 exhibitors that displayed and demonstrated some of the newest technology from communications to encryption software.
Katie Rumbolt, an events coordinator for NCSI said the expo was to provide the military with innovative technology to help it deploy logistically and to complete its mission.
It's a great networking opportunity for the senior leadership that makes the decisions regarding the purchase of new technology, said Rumbolt. "They always want to know what's up and coming", she added.
Aardvark Tactical, which attracted the largest crowds, with the Taser X26 demonstrations and a display of the latest in military tactical gear. Jacob Stone, an Aardvark Tactical exhibitor said he contacted some of the units that he supplied to inform them about the expo.
Major Andrew McCormick, with the Fort Carson Provost Marshal Office, and a native of Mendon, Mich., said this was his first time at the expo and he came because he was contacted by Aardvark Tactical.
He said by coming to the expo he was able to verify some of the products that he ordered from the company.
Command Sgt Maj. Jeffery Mann, of the 52nd Engineer Battalion and a native of Camarillo, Calif., said that his battalion was new to Carson and he came out to see some of the new things they may be getting.
Spc. James Baker of the 242nd Ordnance Battalion EOD, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., said he came out to check out the cool new things that the expo had to offer.
"The expo is a helpful tool for everyone that uses technology," said Rumbolt.
The expo, which is an annual event, is usually held around the same time each year said Kelly McCarthy, NCSI assistant events coordinator. | {
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But seriously if the price is too good to be true, it usually is. I mean seriously the way things are being counterfeited, not sure if that is a good enough term though, I would imagine there would be more scrutiny involved. | {
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21 May 2007
Recently I was bemused by Microsoft's espousal of ODF, and now here we have the company spreading more joy:
The company on Monday is expected to announce that it is sponsoring an open-source project to create a converter between Ecma Open XML--a set of file formats closely tied to Microsoft Office--and a Chinese national standard called Unified Office Format (UOF).
I think I understand what Microsoft is up to.
Until recently, its approach was to try to block ODF at every twist and turn: the last thing it wanted was another standard - much less a truly cross-platform, open one - to join the club of approved formats.
That strategy has failed: ODF is being chosen or is on the brink of being chosen by more and more governments around the world. And where governments lead, local business will follow. Microsoft is now faced with the prospect of losing its monopoly in the office sector. Indeed, it risks being locked out completely, as more and more countries opt for ODF only.
So I think Microsoft has decided to cut its losses, and go for a very different approach. Given that it can't shut out ODF, and there is a danger that Microsoft's OOXML will not be selected alongside it, the company is now pushing very hard for as many standards as possible: the new mantra being "Choice is Good". The point being, of course, that if you have lots of competing standards, then the one with the largest market share - Microsoft's - is likely to have the advantage.
It's a shrewd move, because at first blush it's hard to argue against having choice. But the flaw in this argument is that choice has to occur around the standard, through competing implementations, not between standards. In the latter case, all the benefits of open standards are lost, and the status quo is preserved. Which, of course, is exactly what Microsoft is hoping to achieve with its sudden rash of generosity.
2 comments:
An excellent summary. Microsoft is choosing its words carefully, taking crafted, surveyed political terms to frame their MS-OOXML marketing. However, I'm confident that MS-OOXML will only be relevant to Office 2007 and beyond, for those who choose to buy and use that format. It will never be free of Microsoft, and thus you'll forever have to pay for its use, as no converter will ever be accurate to satisfy anyone with interoperability needs.
The answer? Go with ODF now and save untold future headaches. It's that simple.
About Me
I have been a technology journalist and consultant for 30 years, covering
the Internet since March 1994, and the free software world since 1995.
One early feature I wrote was for Wired in 1997:
The Greatest OS that (N)ever Was.
My most recent books are Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution, and Digital Code of Life: How Bioinformatics is Revolutionizing Science, Medicine and Business. | {
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Savings Account
When you’re shopping around for a new savings account or a certificate of deposit, chances are that you’re looking for a competitive interest rate. But have you ever wondered just how the financial institution decides what rates to offer?
The truth of it is, there are several factors that influence the interest rates on deposit accounts. The first factor is the financial product itself. For example, savings accounts and money market accounts typically offer lower interest rates than a CD. This largely has to do with the level of access you have to your money. With savings and money market accounts you can typically make a certain number of withdrawals without penalty, while a CD requires you to leave your money with the bank for a specified period of time. Generally, the longer the term of your CD, the higher the interest rate you’ll receive. Think of it like this – the bank rewards you for leaving your money with them for a set amount of time. The longer you agree to leave the money there, the more likely you are to receive an attractive rate.
Of course, interest rates will vary by financial institution. Many online-only banks offer higher interest rates on their deposit accounts than their brick-and-mortar counterparts because they have less overhead costs to deal with. Because they’re not paying money to maintain and staff physical branches, they can pass that cost-savings along to their customers in the way of more competitive interest rates. Likewise, many brick-and-mortar banks offer “online-only” accounts with more attractive interest rates than their regular deposit products. The customer is expected to handle their banking needs online (and in some cases they’ll even be charged a fee if they need to visit a branch), and in return they receive a higher interest rate on their account.
Another factor in how banks determine the interest rates for savings products is supply and demand. The money that customers deposit into their bank accounts is the same money that the financial institution lends out to borrowers, who pay interest on the loans. So, if the demand for loans increases, and the bank needs more deposits from which to lend, they may be inclined to increase the interest rates on their deposit accounts to make them more attractive to savers like you. On the flip side, a decreased demand for loans could result in lower interest rates on savings accounts, because the bank doesn’t need as many deposits to keep up with lending demands.
It’s also typical for banks to base their deposit account rates on “benchmark” interest rates. The federal funds rate is the rate that financial institutions charge each other for extremely short-term loans. This federal funds rate is a common benchmark for the interest rates that banks offer their customers. In other words, if the federal funds rate changes, banks will typically adjust the rates they’re offering customers on savings products like savings accounts and CDs.
Investor demand for U.S. Treasury bonds and notes is another factor, as is the Federal Reserve, which sets the federal funds rate. The Federal Reserve (often referred to simply as “the Fed”) frequently makes announcements and decisions about how monetary policy will impact rates.
The Fed influences these rates by buying or selling previously issued U.S. securities. When it buys more securities, banks end up with more money than they can use for lending, and the interest rates decrease. And when the Fed sells securities, money from the banks is tapped, resulting in fewer funds available for lending. This, in turn, forces a hike in interest rates.
Knowing which factors affect the interest rates on deposit accounts can help you to make a more informed decision when you’re shopping around for a savings product. And don’t forget to review and factor in any fees or maintenance charges associated with the account before you open it – those can take a real bite out of your earned interest if you’re not careful!
So you’re looking to stash some money away for a rainy day…or maybe a sunny vacation stay. But you’re not sure which is a better choice – a savings account or a certificate of deposit (CD).
Obviously both are designed with savings in mind. And both will earn you interest. But there are some significant differences to consider.
A savings account is an interest-bearing deposit account that you can set up at a bank or another financial institution. Depending on the institution, you may be limited on the number of withdrawals you can make from the account each month. Plus, fees may be charged if you don’t maintain a certain average monthly balance in the account.
A savings account usually can be opened with an initial deposit of just a few dollars. Subsequent deposits can be made for any amount and at any time.
A certificate of deposit is a product that’s set up for a specific amount of time, such as one year, two years, or five years. It’s available through banks, credit unions, and thrift institutions. A minimum deposit is required no matter what time frame is chosen. At Bank5 Connect, the minimum is $500.
CDs are similar to savings accounts in that they are virtually risk free. For banks, CDs are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). For credit unions, insurance is provided by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
All Bank5 Connect CDs have FDIC insurance for up to $250,000, plus CDs are insured for over $250,000 by the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF).
What makes CDs different from savings accounts is that they usually have a fixed interest rate and a specific, fixed term. The latter is intended to have the customer hold onto the CD until it reaches its maturity, at which time the money invested can be withdrawn, along with accrued interest.
CDs are known for offering a competitive interest rate compared to savings accounts. And, unlike savings accounts, a typical CD is established with a lump sum deposit.
Usually, a customer will receive a higher interest rate if they have a larger principal to invest and they choose a longer term for the CD. However, penalties are typically assessed for early withdrawals.
Bank5 Connect CDs have terms of 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months, and there are no monthly maintenance fees. | {
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A night in the life of Shelley – The New Hobbit
Hello everyone! For today’s post I wanted to review for you this lovely restaurant I went to the other night for a nice pre-Chritmas get together with family friends. I’ve been here quite a few times now, and it never disappoints which is why I have to dedicate a blog post to it. I can’t deny that one of my favourite ways to spend an evening is to be surrounded by good company, in a lovely place, with good food and drink; and there’s no better time for that than the Christmas season! This post is featuring The New Hobbit ‘Country Inn and Dining’.
First things first, it’s decorated absolutely beautifully: so warm and cosy, yet elegant; and with a beautiful view with it being on high land. I particularly like it during the festive season as they have a beautifully decorated Christmas tree which really adds to the festive vibes – although I didn’t manage to get a picture of it.
Due to the restaurant being fairly small it means customer service is on top form, and despite it being the busy Christmas holiday’s we didn’t find ourselves waiting around for too much of a long time for our food. Below are pictures of the super yummy food I decided to go for: all at a reasonable price, and definitely large portions to give you value for money… I couldn’t even finish!
I went for a starter of Homemade Hummus, a main of char-grilled chicken breast, and although I didn’t go for a desert; with it being Christmas time they gave a little mini mince pie with each coffee order; how sweet. It took me such a long time to decide what to go for, the menu has such a wide range of food to offer: burgers, grills, pasta’s etc and each aspect of the menu looks as good as the other.
I just really love the atmosphere of this restaurant, and I would certainly look forward to going to it again. This restaurant is actually part of The New Hobbit Hotel, so I’m intrigued as to whether I’d love that just as much. It also has function areas for events such as weddings, so it really does have a nice, celebratory atmosphere to it whilst at the same time still being small, warm, and cosy.
I hope that you all enjoyed this post, and let me know what restaurants you love.
Shelley x | {
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A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of a Los Angeles-based kombucha company alleges the kombucha beverages manufactured by Trader Joes and five other companies are more alcoholic and sugary than advertised.
A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of a Los Angeles-based kombucha company alleges the kombucha beverages manufactured by Trader Joes and five other companies are more alcoholic and sugary than advertised.
Photo: Portland Press Herald/Getty Images
Photo: Portland Press Herald/Getty Images
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A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of a Los Angeles-based kombucha company alleges the kombucha beverages manufactured by Trader Joes and five other companies are more alcoholic and sugary than advertised.
A lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of a Los Angeles-based kombucha company alleges the kombucha beverages manufactured by Trader Joes and five other companies are more alcoholic and sugary than advertised.
A series of lawsuits filed Monday on behalf of a California kombucha company alleges the kombucha beverages produced by Trader Joe's and other manufacturers are more alcoholic and sugary than advertised.
The filings claim the companies' failure to properly disclose the alcoholic content of their kombuchas jeopardizes "health and safety" of consumers, who may have unwittingly consumed the drinks when pregnant or breastfeeding, or served them to minors.
Plus, Kombucha Dog, which has an alcoholic content high enough to be sold in beer sections of stores, lost money.
"They can sell in more stores, sell next to juices," said Stephen Weisskopf of Levato Law, who is representing Tortilla Factory. "My client's product has to sell next to Budweisers."
The complaint filed against Trader Joe's alleges Tortilla Factory "lost profits, failed to obtain the market share it would otherwise have obtained, and was denied a fair marketplace."
Michael Faye started Kombucha Dog more than a decade ago to combine his passion for holistic living and pooches. Each bottle of Kombucha Dog is decorated with a photo of a Los Angeles rescue dog in need of a home.
Despite having won awards and recognition from local media for his "traditionally fermented" product, Faye "can't compete in the marketplace because he's not on a level playing field," Weisskopf said of his client.
But more importantly, "it's about consumers knowing what they're buying, otherwise, there's dangers associated with it."
Kombucha has long been a sticky product for manufacturers, who must contend with stringent state and federal alcoholic beverage laws. The drink, which skyrocketed in popularity among the health-food crowd in recent years, is made by combining tea and sugar with a culture of yeast strains and bacteria, and sometimes fruit juice. The mixture of tea and sugar triggers fermentation, meaning most kombucha drinks contain some amount of alcohol.
Here's where things get tricky: Drinks with alcohol contents of .5 percent or more are classified as alcoholic beverages under federal law and subject to strict regulation. A beverage that contains .5 percent or higher alcohol by volume (ABV) – even a drink touted as a health beverage, like kombucha – is subject to the same state and federal laws that regulate other alcoholic beverages, including limits on where and to whom the product can be sold.
The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) generally classifies kombucha beverages with alcohol contents of .5 percent or higher as beer. This means the kombucha producer must qualify as a brewer, pay taxes to the federal government, file a formula with TTB and label bottles with a warning from the U.S. Attorney General.
The six companies being sued by Tortilla Factory claim their beverages have alcohol contents below .5 percent. Independent testing sponsored by Tortilla Factory found these claims to be false, Weisskopf said.
The "majority" of products they tested were above .5 percent, he said.
Trader Joe's refused to comment on pending litigation. The five other companies could not be reached for comment.
According to Weisskopf, the kombucha industry is rife with violations. He says many of the kombuchas on the market have alcohol contents higher than .5 percent, and in some cases, "considerably more, approaching 1 or 2 or 3 percent." Standard light beers contain anywhere between 2 and 5 percent ABV.
Faye's Kombucha Dog drinks are brewed from a "traditional recipe," according to the company's website, and most contain around 1.4 percent ABV.
"Rather than dilute the flavor and the antioxidant and probiotic potency to reduce the alcohol content, we prefer to bottle as is, so Kombucha Dog is a 21+ beverage," the website says. According to the company, some kombucha makers dilute their beverages with water to skirt alcohol restrictions.
Weisskopf said they plan to sue for "significant damages." Other kombucha makers may come under fire in the coming months.
"We're still investigating other companies," he said. "We'll make determinations down the road whether there are additional lawsuits." | {
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A man facing trial for allegedly allowing his 6-year-old daughter's teeth to rot and who is under investigation in the deaths of several of his other children was charged Thursday with lying under oath about attending drug rehab.
At a hearing Dec. 9 in Northampton County Court, Kenneth A. Wanamaker Jr. committed perjury by saying he had enrolled in an inpatient treatment program in Lebanon County, authorities said. The facility had no record of him as a patient and Wanamaker could supply no proof.
Wanamaker continued to insist under oath he had been in treatment as Judge F.P. Kimberly McFadden ordered him to forfeit $25,000 in cash he posted for bail. Wanamaker, 37, of Lehigh Township, avoided jail in November by promising a judge he'd check himself into rehab.
At the hearing, Wanamaker pleaded with McFadden, saying he and his domestic partner, Jessica L. Hoffman, had a newborn baby to care for, but McFadden said Wanamaker had misrepresented himself to her and repeatedly flouted court orders.
Wanamaker and Hoffman, 32, face child endangerment charges that they allowed their daughter's teeth to decay so severely that a dentist said it could have killed her. They are scheduled to again go before McFadden on Friday for a pretrial conference.
District Attorney John Morganelli said prosecutors are investigating the couple further, given that a baby son died of pneumonia in 2011 and there have been two stillborn deliveries since 2007 — one linked by a coroner to Hoffman's methamphetamine abuse.
Wanamaker, who remains in county prison under $100,000 bail, had not yet been arraigned on the perjury charge as of Thursday afternoon.
According to court records in the perjury case:
County pretrial services officer Nina Reynard told a county detective that Wanamaker failed to comply with his bail conditions by not attending drug rehab.
In a conversation with Wanamaker on Dec. 5, Reynard said "he swore he was at the facility and everyone else had the wrong information." Wanamaker said his credit card was declined and he paid cash at the inpatient facility.
The records for the inpatient facility, White Deer Run, state that on Nov. 21, Wanamaker appeared at the Lebanon facility and completed some paperwork, but was documented as "refused." | {
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HORODENKA (Gorodenka)
This web site is dedicated to the study of Jewish family history in the area around the town of Horodenka, now in Ukraine, but formerly part of Poland and the Austrian province of Galicia. Genealogists with non-Jewish ancestors from Horodenka may also find useful information on the site.
Historical documents from as far back as 1579 mention Horodenka, a small town in Eastern Galicia. Although there is some evidence that Jewish families lived in Horodenka in the early seventeenth century, the first documentation of organized Jewish life dates to 1743, when Jewish merchants from the town are recorded among the visitors to the International Fair in Leipzig, 1739-1748. Documents of the period 1870-1927 show that the percentage of Jews in the overall population of the town ranged between 33% and 40%.
The Jewish presence in the town essentially ended during WWII. In 1941 and 1942, during three separate "Actions," German military units and Ukrainian auxiliaries rounded up and murdered over 3,000 adults and children from Horodenka and the surrounding area. (from Sefer Horodenka)Useful Links:
Consider a contribution to the Jewish Records Indexing - Poland project. Birth, Marriage, and Death records for the years 1899-1909 (not all records for all years) are now available, but only when enough funds have been raised to index them.
This page is hosted at no cost to the public by JewishGen, Inc., a non-profit corporation. If you feel there is a benefit to you in accessing this site, your JewishGen-erosity is appreciated | {
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As I mention in the bug, if you happen to see a very very long one, you can always specify a narrower filter using -Filter, right?
Also, it's quite unlikely that people will be just browsing packages using the console...
I wouldn't care much if update-package had package ID completion for the selected project, honestly... But because currently I do have to specify the full package name, there's no other way to get it than listing it or opening the .config (yuck!) | {
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No wonder the Time Warner-owned premium cable and satellite television network is hiring a publicist to join its corporate affairs team.
Primarily responsible for publicizing the products, activities, and planned special events for HBO Home Entertainment, HBO Licensing and Retail, and the HBO Shop, the role also oversees all external communications efforts, including media relations and the management of any outside PR agencies. | {
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Austria's ice cream killer gets life sentence
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VIENNA (AP) — An Austrian ice cream parlor owner has been found guilty of killing her ex-husband and a boyfriend before chopping them up with a chain saw and burying them in concrete in her shop's basement.
A Vienna court convicted the 34-year-old woman of murder Thursday and handed her a life sentence, ordering her to be held in psychiatric care, according to Austrian news agency APA.
The woman, identified only as Estibaliz C., confessed to the murders Monday but her lawyer said she will appeal.
The woman, dubbed the "Ice Lady" by Austrian media, shot the men in 2008 and 2010, putting their body parts in a freezer before burying them in her cellar. She had told the court her ex-husband failed to leave her alone and the boyfriend cheated on her. | {
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When Games Matter: For the Love of the Grind
When Games Matter is a weekly exploration by Drew Dixon of meaningful moments in games. Operating under the assumption that games do in fact matter, Drew seeks to highlight those moments that have much to say to say about who we are and the world we live in.
If there is any one thing that will motivate me to put down a game never to pick it up again, it is “grinding.” For those of you nongamers out there, “grinding” refers to the practice of delaying progression in a game in order to focus on menial tasks required to make the player strong enough to advance. I rarely have to grind in games because games rarely require grinding anymore. So many people hate the idea of grinding that most games don’t require the practice. And yet lately, I have found myself willingly spending most of my time in Skyrim doing just that.
I have been crafting weapons, enchanting them, selling them for more materials to craft more weapons and enchant them again. I did all this long enough to get two perks that would make my character tremendously strong. There is nothing particularly exciting about the time I have spent in Skyrim traveling from merchant to merchant and smithy to smithy. It’s mundane and oddly enough, nothing about the game itself required me to do this.
The fact that Skyrim broke me of my anti-grinding ways is a tremendous compliment to the world that Todd Howard and his team at Bethesda have created. The world of Skyrim is so rich and vibrant that 8+ hours of smithing, enchanting, and selling seems like a cat nap.
Brendan Keogh recently wrote about how Dark Souls requires grinding but manages to do so in a way that feels productive and meaningful:
People have told me Dark Souls is about the journey, not the destination. I think this is more true than they realize. I can’t imagine Dark Souls even has an ending. Partly, this is because story-wise I wouldn’t have a clue what is actually going on or what my goal is. And, partly, because there is little hope of me ever actually finishing it. Even as I progress from one area into the next when I finally defeat a boss, the singular open-world nature of the game steals even a sense of spatial progression away from me. It still feels like I am trapped in the same place, even when I move on. Dark Souls is about the journey. One long, neverending journey.
And so grinding is okay. That is my purgatory. Not just mechanically but thematically. Some souls sells wares off rugs. Some souls drum hammers onto anvils. Some souls run the same paths ad infinitum, defeating the same enemies over and over and…
I think this is the first time I have ever worked so hard to make a game experience less challenging. Skyrim’s dungeons are so beautifully imagined and its mountain are so majestic that I hit the grind until I could make my time there more like a vacation and less like a quest.
Drew is an editor at Christ and Pop Culture and editor-in-chief of Gamechurch.com. He is also a pastor, soccer coach, and writer. Drew also regularly writes for Think Christian, Bit Creature, and Paste Magazine. He has also written for Relevant Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @drewdixon82
http://daveden.wordpress.com David Kennedy
Grinding in Demon’s Souls is a ton of fun because it’s an end in itself, rather than a mean to an end. Every time you purchase a soul level, it feels like you’re making serious progress in the game. Every soul level counts.
I think Skyrim is the same way. Somehow, the developers have made menial tasks fun. You enchant the sword because the enchanted sword is freaking awesome, not because it’s getting you any closer to the end. I have no intention of finishing Skyrim. | {
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Recent Press Releases
Sep092013
Amid reporting that the White House is considering appeasing growing union concerns regarding ObamaCare,U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today introduced the Union Bailout Prevention Act to prevent the Obama administration from granting unions’ request for special ObamaCare premium tax subsidies for union members with health plans known as Taft-Hartley plans. If the Obama administration grants this special treatment, union members would receive taxpayer-subsidized premium tax credits on top of generous union plans that already receive the employer tax exclusion, ultimately forcing taxpayers to double-subsidize union members’ health plans.
“Despite championing ObamaCare’s passage in 2010, union leaders are now awaking to the ugly reality of ObamaCare that most Americans have predicted all along, including higher health care costs,” said Thune. “Now that the full consequences of the Democrats’ law are nearing, these same union leaders are seeking a special backroom deal from the White House. Rather than take hard-earned money from taxpayers to subsidize union health care plans, the Obama administration should give all Americans a break by permanently delaying this train wreck.”
In order to be eligible to receive premium tax credits under ObamaCare, an individual must enroll in a “qualified health plan.” While many believe that Section 1301 of ObamaCare clearly states that multi-employer union health plans are not a qualified health plan, and consequently, union employees in these plans are not eligible for premium tax credits, unions are seeking a way around this language. Thune’s bill would make it abundantly clear that there is no way for the administration to provide a special fix to appease union pleas. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
PWN PWN
PWN Phrack World News PWN
PWN PWN
PWN Issue XXXVII / Part One of Four PWN
PWN PWN
PWN Compiled by Dispater & Spirit Walker PWN
PWN PWN
PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
Federal Seizure Of "Hacker" Equipment December 16, 1991
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen (Newsbytes)
"New York's MOD Hackers Get Raided!"
NEW YORK CITY -- Newsbytes has learned that a joint Unites States Secret
Service / Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) team has executed search
warrants at the homes of so-called "hackers" at various locations across the
country and seized computer equipment.
It is Newsbytes information that warrants were executed on Friday, December 6th
in various places including New York City, Pennsylvania, and the state of
Washington. According to informed sources, the warrants were executed pursuant
to investigations of violations of Title 18 of the federal statutes, sections
1029 (Access Device Fraud), 1030 (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act), 1343 (Wire
Fraud), and 2511 (Wiretapping).
Law enforcement officials contacted by Newsbytes, while acknowledging the
warrant execution, refused to comment on what was called "an on-going
investigation." One source told Newsbytes that the affidavits underlying the
search warrants have been sealed due to the on-going nature of the
investigation."
He added "There was obviously enough in the affidavits to convince judges that
there was probable cause that evidence of a crime would be found if the search
warrants were issued."
The source also said that he would expect a statement to be issued by the
Secret Service/FBI team "somewhere after the first of the year."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Two Cornell Students Arrested for Spreading Computer Virus February 27, 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Lee A Daniels (New York Times News Service)
Special Thanks: Risks Digest
Two Cornell University undergraduates were arrested Monday night and charged
with developing and spreading a computer virus that disrupted computers as far
away as California and Japan, Cornell officials said. M. Stewart Lynn, vice
president for information technologies at the university in Ithaca, N.Y.,
identified the students as David Blumenthal and Mark Pilgrim. Lynn said that
both Blumenthal, who is in the engineering program, and Pilgrim, in the college
of arts and sciences, were 19-year-old sophomores. They were arrested on the
evening of February 24 by Cornell and Ithaca police officers. Lynn said the
students were arraigned in Ithaca City Court on charges of second-degree
computer tampering, a misdemeanor, and taken to the county jail. Lynn said
authorities believed that the two were responsible for a computer virus planted
in three Macintosh games on February 14.
He identified the games as Obnoxious Tetris, Tetricycle and Ten Tile Puzzle.
The virus may have first appeared in a Stanford University public computer
archive and spread from there through computer users who loaded the games into
their own computers.
Lynn said officials at Cornell and elsewhere became aware of the virus last
week and quickly developed what he described as "disinfectant" software to
eradicate it. He said officials traced the virus to Cornell last week, but he
would not specify how that was done or what led officials to the two students.
Lynn said he did not yet know how much damage the virus had caused. "At
Cornell we absolutely deplore this kind of behavior," he said.
Note: References to the Robert Morris, Jr. virus incident at Cornell deleted.
Associated Press reported that both defendants are being held in the
Tompkins County Jail on $10,000 bail.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Man Admits to NASA Hacking November 26, 1991
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By John C Ensslin (Rocky Mountain News)(Page 6)
Also see Phrack 34, File 11
Special Thanks: The Public
A self-taught computer hacker with a high school education admitted Monday to
breaking into a sensitive NASA computer system -- in less time than it takes
the Broncos to play a football game.
Richard G. Wittman Jr., 24, told Denver U.S. District Judge Sherman Finesilver
that it took him about "1 1/2 to 2 hours" on a personal computer using
telephone lines in his apartment to tap into the space agency's restricted
files.
Wittman pleaded guilty Monday to one felony count of altering information
-- a password -- inside a federal computer. In exchange for the plea, federal
prosecutors dropped six similar counts in indictments handed up in September.
The Northglenn High School graduate told the judge he hadn't had much schooling
in computers. Most of what he knew about computers he learned from books.
And most of those books, he said, are in a federal warehouse, seized after FBI
agents searched his Westminster apartment last year.
"Do you think you could teach these two lawyers about computers?" Finesilver
asked, referring to Wittman's public defender and the prosecutor. "Probably,"
Wittman replied.
Wittman not only broke into 118 NASA systems, he also reviewed files and
electronic mail of other users, said assistant U.S. attorney Gregory C. Graf.
It took NASA investigators nearly 300 hours to track Wittman an another 100
hours to rewrite the software, Graf said.
Wittman faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. But Graf said
the government will seek a much lighter penalty when Wittman is sentenced in
Jan. 13.
Both sides have agreed on repayment of $1,100 in collect calls placed to the
other computer system. But they differ on whether Wittman should be held
responsible for the cost of new software.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Hacker Pleads Guilty December 5, 1991
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special Thanks: Iron Eagle
"A 24-year-old Denver hacker who admitted breaking into a sensitive NASA
computer system pleaded guilty to a felony count of altering information.
In exchange for the plea Monday, federal prosecutors dropped six similar counts
against Richard G. Wittman Jr., who faced up to five years in prison and a
$250,000 fine. Authorities said the government will seek a much lighter
penalty when Wittman is sentenced January 13.
Both sides have agreed on repayment of $1,100 in collect calls he placed to the
computer system, but they differ on whether Wittman should be held responsible
for the cost of new software.
Wittman told U.S. District Judge Sherman Finesilver that it took him about two
hours on a personal computer in his apartment to tap into the space agency's
restricted files. It took NASA investigators nearly 300 hours to track Wittman
and an additional 100 hours to rewrite the software to prevent a recurrence,
prosecutors said."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Recent Novell Software Contains A Hidden Virus December 20, 1991
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By John Markoff (New York Times)
The nation's largest supplier of office-network software for personal computers
has sent a letter to approximately 3,800 customers warning that it
inadvertently allowed a software virus to invade copies of a disk shipped
earlier this month.
The letter, sent on Wednesday to customers of Novell Inc., a Provo, Utah,
software publisher, said the diskette, which was mailed on December 11, had
been accidentally infected with a virus known by computer experts as "Stoned
111."
A company official said yesterday that Novell had received a number of reports
>from customers that the virus had invaded their systems, although there had
been no reports of damage.
But a California-based computer virus expert said that the potential for damage
was significant and that the virus on the Novell diskette frequently disabled
computers that it infected.
MASSIVE POTENTIAL LIABILITIES
"If this was to get into an organization and spread to 1,500 to 2,000 machines,
you are looking at millions of dollars of cleanup costs," said John McAfee,
president of McAfee & Associates, a Santa Clara, Calif. antivirus consulting
firm. "It doesn't matter that only a few are infected," he said. "You can't
tell. You have to take the network down and there are massive potential
liabilities." Mr. McAfee said he had received several dozen calls from Novell
users, some of whom were outraged.
The Novell incident is the second such case this month. On December 6, Konami
Inc., a software game manufacturer based in Buffalo Grove, 111.wrote customers
that disks of its Spacewrecked game had also become infected with an earlier
version of the Stoned virus. The company said in the letter that it had
identified the virus before a large volume of disks had been shipped to
dealers.
SOURCE OF VIRUS UNKNOWN
Novell officials said that after the company began getting calls earlier this
week, they traced the source of the infection to a particular part of their
manufacturing process. But the officials said they had not been able to
determine how the virus had infected their software initially.
Novell's customers include some of nation's largest corporations. The
software, called Netware, controls office networks ranging from just two or
three machines to a thousand systems.
"Viruses are a challenge for the marketplace," said John Edwards, director of
marketing for Netware systems at Novell. "But we'll keep up our vigilance. He
said the virus had attacked a disk that contained a help encyclopedia that the
company had distributed to its customers.
SERVERS SAID TO BE UNAFFECTED
Computer viruses are small programs that are passed from computer to computer
by secretly attaching themselves to data files that are then copied either by
diskette or via a computer network. The programs can be written to perform
malicious tasks after infecting a new computer, or do no more than copy
themselves from machine to machine.
In its letter to customers the company said that the Stoned 111 virus would not
spread over computer networks to infect the file servers that are the
foundation of networks. File servers are special computers with large disks
that store and distribute data to a network of desktop computers.
The Stoned 111 virus works by attaching itself to a special area on a floppy
diskette and then copying itself into the computer's memory to infect other
diskettes.
But Mr. McAfee said the program also copied itself to the hard disk of a
computer where it could occasionally disable a system. In this case it is
possible to lose data if the virus writes information over the area where a
special directory is stored.
Mr. McAfee said that the Stoned 111 virus had first been reported in Europe
just three months ago. The new virus is representative of a class of programs
known as "stealth" viruses, because they mask their location and are difficult
to identify. Mr. McAfee speculated that this was why the program had escaped
detection by the company.
STEPS TOWARD DETECTION
Novell has been moving toward adding new technology to its software to make it
more difficult for viruses to invade it, Mr. Edwards said. Recently, the
company licensed special digital-signature software that makes it difficult for
viruses to spread undetected. Novell plans to add this new technology to the
next major release of its software, due out at the end of 1992.
In the past, courts have generally not held companies liable for damages in
cases where a third party is responsible, said Susan Nycum, a Palo Alto,
California, lawyer who is an expert on computer issues. "If they have been
prudent it wouldn't be fair to hold them liable," she said. "But ultimately it
may be a question for a jury."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Working Assets Long Distance! January 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taken from an advertisement in Mother Jones
(Not pictured is a photo of a college student giving "the finger" to someone
and a caption that reads 'Twenty years later, we've given people a better way
to put this finger to use.')
The advertisement reads as follows:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sit-ins. Protest marches, Flower power. Times have changed but the need for
grass roots involvement hasn't.
Introducing "Working Assets Long Distance." The ONLY phone company that is
as committed to social and political change as you are. Every time you use
your finger to make a long distance call, one percent of the bill goes to
non-profit action groups at no cost to you. Hard-hitting advocacy groups like
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, GREENPEACE, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, FEDERATION OF AMERICA,
THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, and many others.
We're more than a phone company that gives money to good causes. Our intent
is to make your individual voice heard. That's why we offer *FREE CALLS* to
corporate and political leaders. And well-argued letters at a fraction of
the cost of a mail-gram. So you can demand a halt to clear-cutting our
ancient forests or let Senators know how you feel about important issues like
reproductive rights. It's that simple. Your phone becomes a tool for
democracy and you don't give up a thing. You see, Working Assets comes with
the exact same service as the major long distance carriers. Convenient
dial 1 calling 24-hour operation and fiber optic sound quality. All this at
rates lower that AT&T's basic rates. And signing up couldn't be simpler.
Just give us a call at 1-800-788-8588 ext 114 or fill out the coupon today.
We'll hook you up right away without any intrusion or interruption. So you
can help change the world without lifting a finger. Ok, maybe one finger.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Computer Virus Used in Gulf War January 12, 1991
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taken from The Boston Globe (Page 12)
Special Thanks: Tone Surfer
Several weeks before the start of the Gulf War, US intelligence agents inserted
a computer virus into a network of Iraqi computers tied to that country's air
defense system, a news magazine reports. US News and World Report said the
virus was designed by the supersecret National Security Agency at Fort Meade,
Maryland, and was intended to disable a mainframe computer.
The report, citing two unidentified senior US officials, said the virus
appeared to have worked, but it gave no details. It said the operation may
have been irrelevant, though, since the allies' overwhelming air superiority
would have ensured the same results of rendering the air defense radars and
missiles ineffective. The secret operation began when American intelligence
agents identified a French made computer printer that was to be smuggled from
Amman, Jordan, to a military facility in Baghdad.
The agents in Amman replaced a computer chip in the printer with another
micro-chip that contained the virus in its electronic circuits. By attacking
the Iraqi computer through the printer, the virus was able to avoid detection
by normal electronic security procedures, the report said. "Once the virus was
in the system, the US officials explained, each time an Iraqi technician opened
a "window" on his computer screen to access information, the contents of the
screen simply vanished," US News reported.
The report is part of a book, based on 12 months of research by US News
reporters, called "Triumph without Victory: The Unreported History of the
Persian Gulf War," to be published next month.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Indictments of "Information Brokers" January 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taken from The Privacy Journal
The unholy alliance between "information brokers" and government bureaucrats
who provide personal information has been uncovered in the grand jury
indictments of 18 persons in 14 states.
United States Attorney Michael Chertoff in Newark, New Jersey, and his
counterpart in Tampa, Florida, accused eight "information brokers" (or
"information gatekeepers" or "super bureaus") of bribing two Social Security
Administration employees to provide confidential earnings and employee
information stored in federal computer files. The brokers, who fill in the
cracks not occupied by national credit bureaus and who also track the
whereabouts of persons, would sell the information to their clients --
retailers, lawyers, detectives, insurance companies, and others.
Ned Flemming, president of Super Bureau Inc. of Montery, California, was
indicted on 32 counts for coaxing a Social Security supervisor in New Jersey
named Joseph Lynch (who was not charged) to provide confidential personal
information for a fee. Fleming's daughter, Susan, was charged also, as were
Victor Fought, operator of Locate Unlimited in Mesa, Arizona; George T.
Theodore, owner of Tracers Worldwide Services in Corpus Christi, Texas;
Richard Stone, owner of Interstate Information Services in Port Jefferson, New
York; and Michael Hawes, former owner of International Criminal Investigative
Agency (ICIA) in Port Angeles, Washington, for participating in the same
conspiracy. Another broker, Joseph Norman Dillon Ross, who operates a firm
under his name in Pauma Valley, California also accepted the personal data,
according to Chertoff, but was not charged. Richard Stone was further indicted
for corrupting a Social Security claims clerk in Melrose Park, Illinois. Also
charged were Allen Schweitzer and his wife Petra, who operate Security Group
Group in Sumner, Washington.
The government employees also stole personal information from the FBI's
National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which stores data on arrests and
missing persons.
Fleming told Privacy Journal that he had never met Lynch. Stone refused to
comment. Tracers Worldwide, ICIA, and Locate Unlimited are not listed in
telephone information, although all three companies are required by the Fair
Credit Reporting Act to permit the subjects of their files to have disclosure
of such information to them.
The 18-month long investigation culminating in the December 18 indictments and
arrests is only the first phase, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Sierra. "We
don't think it stops there."
For the past three years, the Big Three credit bureaus have continued to sell
credit information regularly to information brokers, even after complaints that
some of them violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act in disclosing credit
information for impermissible purposes. Trans Union's president, Albert
Flitcraft, told Congress in 1989 that is was not possible for a major credit
bureau to protect consumer information sold to brokers. John Baker, Equifax
senior vice-president, said at the time that the Big Three would "put together
our best thinking" to see if safeguards could be developed. By 1991, Oscar
Marquis, vice-president of Trans Union, was asking Congress for solutions, but
Baker presented Equifax's new guidelines and checklist for doing business with
the brokers. None of the Big Three has been willing to cease doing business
with the cloudy merchants of recycled credit reports -- and of purloined Social
Security and FBI information.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Meanwhile, at the Internal Revenue Service...
Two weeks after he blew the cover off the information brokers, U.S. Attorney
Michael Chertoff in New Jersey indicted a retired chief of the Internal Revenue
Service Criminal Investigation Division for selling personal information to a
California private investigative firm in his last week on the job in 1988.
For a $300 payment, according to the indictment, the IRS executive, Robert G.
Roche, promised to procure non-public marital records from vital records
offices. Using false pretenses, he ordered one of his subordinates to get the
information, on government time. The aide got the records in one instance only
after writing out an IRS summons and in another instance after producing a
letter on IRS stationary saying the information was needed for "official
investigative matters." Roche, according to the U.S. Attorney, accepted
payment from the California investigative firm of Saranow, Wells, & Emirhanian,
part of a larger network called Financial Investigative Services Group.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Privacy Journal is an independent monthly on privacy in the computer age.
They can be reached at:
Privacy Journal
P.O Box 28577
Providence, Rhode Island 02908
(401)274-7861
_______________________________________________________________________________
SSA, FBI Database Violations Prompt Security Evaluations January 13, 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Kevin M. Baerson (Federal Computer Week)(Pages 1, 41)
Indictments recently handed down against insiders who bought and sold
confidential information held in Federal Bureau of Investigation and Social
Security Administration computers have prompted agency officials to evaluate
how well the government secures its databases.
"I see this as positive more than negative," said David Nemecek, section chief
for the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which contains data on
thousands of people suspected and convicted of crimes. "Am I happy it
happened? No. But it led us to discovering that this was happening and it
sends a message that if people try it, they will get caught."
But Renny DiPentima, assistant commissioner of SSA's Office of System Design
and Development, said he did not view the indictments as a positive
development.
"It's not a victory," DiPentima said. "Even if we catch them, it's a loss. My
victory is when I never have a call that someone has abused their position."
The "information broker" bust was the culmination of an 18-month investigation
by the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general's office in
Atlanta. Officials said it was the largest case ever prosecuted involving the
theft of federal computer data. More indictments could be forthcoming, they
said.
Special agents from the FBI joined the inquiry and in the end nabbed 18 people
>from 10 states, including one former and two current SSA employees. Others
indicted were a Chicago police officer, an employee of the Fulton County
Sheriff's Office in Georgia, and several private investigators.
The indictments alleged that the investigators paid for confidential data,
including criminal records and earnings histories, that was lifted from the
databases by people who exploited their access to the records.
"The FBI cannot manage every person in the United States," Nemecek said. "We
have all kinds of protection to prevent this from happening. We keep logs of
who uses the systems and for what, security training programs and routine
audits of inquiries."
"But the people who committed the violations had access to the system, and
there's only one way to deal with that: aggressive prosecution of people who do
this. And the FBI is actively pursuing these individuals."
DiPentima's problem is equally delicate. His agency performs 15 million
electronic transactions per day -- 500 per second -- and monitoring the rights
and wrongs of those people is a daunting task.
Currently, every employee who uses the network is assigned a password and
personal identification number, which change frequently. Depending on the
nature of the employee's job, the PIN grants him access to certain types of
information.
If the employee tries to access a menu in the system that he has not been
authorized to enter, or makes more than one error in entering his PIN number,
he is locked off the system. Once that happens, only a security office from
one of SSA's 10 regional offices can reinstate the employee.
An SSA section chief and six analysts, working from the agency's data center
headquarters outside Baltimore, also search routinely for transactional
aberrations such as employees who have made an unusual number of transactions
on a certain account.
The FBI also has a number of security precautions in place. FBI personnel
conduct random audits of searches, and Nemecek said sweeping state and local
audits of the system are performed biannually. Furthermore, if the FBI
desires, it easily can track an access request back to the terminal and user it
came from.
DiPentima said that in the wake of the indictments, he is considering new
policies to clamp down on abusers.
Nemecek said that as the FBI continues upgrading the NCIC database, the center
might automate further its auditing of state and local agencies to detect
patterns and trends of use the way SSA does.
But despite efforts to tighten the screws on network security, both men realize
that in cases of federal and municipal employees who exploit authorized access,
technology and policies can only go so far in affecting human nature.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Free University Suffers Damage. February 24, 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By The Dude (of Holland)
An investigation by the Amsterdam police, in cooperation with an anti-fraud
team of the CRI (sort of like the FBI), and the geographical science department
of the Free University has led to the arrests of two hackers. The two had
succeeded to break into the department's computer system and caused damage of
over 100,000 Dutch Guilders.
In a press conference, held by the research teams last Friday, it was stated
that the duo, a 25-year old computer-science engineer R.J.N. from Nuenen
[aka Fidelio] and a 21-year old student computer-science H.H.H.W. from Roermond
[aka Wave], were the first "hackers" to be arrested in the Netherlands. In
several other countries this has already happened before.
The arrested hackers made a complete confession. Since November 1991, they
have entered the University's computer between 30 and 40 times. The system
was known as "bronto." From this system the hackers were able to gain access
to other systems, thus travelling to systems in the US, Scandinavia, Spain and
Italy.
According to the leader of the computer-crime team of the Amsterdam police,
D. Komen, the two cracked codes of the VU-system to get in. They got their
hands on so-called "passwords" of officially registered users, which allowed
them to use the system at no cost. They were also able to get the "highest of
rights" within the computer system "bronto."
A total of four houses were searched, and several PC's, printouts and a large
quantity of diskettes was seized. The duo was taken to the DA and imprisoned.
Because "hacking" is not a criminal offense in the Netherlands, the suspects
are officially accused of falsification of records, destruction of property,
and fraud.
This year the government expects to enact legislation that will make hacking a
criminal offense, according to P.Slort of the CRI.
The hacker-duo stated that they undertook their illegal activities because of
fanatic "hobbyism." "It's a kick to see how far you can go", says Mr. Slort of
the CRI. The two said they did not know that their data journeys had caused
enormous damages. The police do not see them as real criminals, either since
the pair did not earn money from their activities.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Computer Engineer Gets Death Sentence February 9, 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special Thanks: Ninja Master
Richard Farley was cool to the end, taking a sip of water and smoothing his
jacket before leaving the courtroom where he was sentenced to die for killing
seven people in a rage over unrequited love.
"I'm not somebody who is demonstrative or prone to shedding tears", Farley said
Friday before apologizing for the slayings. "I do feel sorry for the
victims....I'm not a perfect human being. I'm good. I'm evil."
Farley was convicted in October of the 1988 slayings at ESL Inc., a Sunnyvale
defense contractor. Jurrors on November 1st recommended the death penalty for
the computer engineer, who prosecutors said planned the rampage to get the
attention of a former co-worker who rejected him.
Superior Court Judge Joseph Biafore Jr. called Farley a vicious killer who had
"complete disregard for human life."
"The defendant...killed with the attention to prove to the object of his
unrequited love that he wasn't a wimp anymore," Biafore said.
During the trial, prosecutors detailed Farley's 3 1/2-year obsessive pursuit of
Laura Black. He sent her more than 100 letters, followed her day and night,
left gifts on her desk, and rifled through confidential personnel files to
glean tidbits about her life.
Despite her repeated rejections, Farley persisted and was fired in 1987 for
harassing her. A year later, he returned to ESL.
Black, 30, was shot in the shoulder during the rampage, but survived to testify
against Farley. She said that about a week before the slayings, she had
received a court order to keep him away.
Farley, 43, admitted the killings but pleaded not guilty, saying he never
planned to kill but only wished to get Black's attention or commit suicide in
front of her for rejecting him.
Farley's attorney, Gregory Paraskou, argued that Farley's judgement was clouded
by his obsession with Black and that he was not violent before the slayings and
likely would not kill again.
But Asst. Dist. Atty. Charles Constantinides said Farley spent years preparing
for the murder by taking target practice and buying weapons, including the
firearms and 98 pounds of ammunition he used at ESL.
The judge rejected the defense's request for a modified sentence of life in
prison and a request for a new trial. Under California law, Farley's death
sentence will be automatically sent to the state Supreme Court for review.
Among those in the courtroom were family members of some of the victims,
including four who addressed the judge. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Raheem Sterling, best known for shopping in Poundland, despite earning triple figures a week, today was seen scoring against Crystal Palace instead of passing to a team-mate. If that wasn’t enough, the winger was wearing Nike Mercurial Vapor XI’s, which retail at £190, despite thousands of people who will be sleeping without a roof over their head tonight.
The news comes just days after Sterling was seen driving a dirty car on his way to Manchester City’s training ground. If kicking a ball around a field for 90 minutes wasn’t tiring enough for poor old Sterling, can you imagine what a strain it would have been for him to clean his FIFTY-THOUSAND pound Mercedes?
Manchester City took on Crystal Palace this afternoon in an Emirates FA Cup clash in which Pep Guardiola’s side went on to win by a three-goal margin. But, we’d be surprised if the FA doesn’t think about calling on a replay after Raheem Sterling’s act of horror, as the Englishman placed the ball into the back of the net wearing £190 boots.
It’s like the 22-year-old can pick and choose when he has money, and when he doesn’t. One day, he’s beating the working class to the last packet of Jaffa Cakes in Poundland, the next? He’s wearing football boots that children in Africa could only dream of wearing. It’s sickening.
The Metropolitan Police have had to investigate the claims into Sterling’s act of selfishness after thousands of Twitter users publicly ‘tweeted’ their rage at the Manchester City player.
It’s still unknown what kind of punishment Sterling will receive after his antics, but many are hoping it’s a harsh one. Previous crimes such as shopping in Poundland, buying a house so he doesn’t have to sleep in the streets and driving around in a dirty car have surely totaled up and it’s unfair that footballers with money escape punishments that the working class or unemployed job seekers receive.
Note:This article is totally made-up and is a parody, mainly mocking the Daily Star. So please don’t be going to work telling your best mate that Raheem Sterling has been arrested for not passing a football. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Monday, October 13, 2014
Israel, Here Comes The End | "This is the END! ~The End My Only Friend The End" | APARTHEID ~ GENOCIDE ET CETERA
By Gilad Atzmon>> An Israeli Facebook page
launched earlier this month to assist Israelis in escaping their
apocalypse through migration has now gone viral reaching more than
700,000 Israelis. It is called Olim Le-Berlin,
‘Ascending to Berlin,’ using the same positive Hebrew expression
‘Aliya’ attributed to the Jewish Diaspora emigrating to Israel.
Apparently, the confident
Zio-patriotic balloon has been burst by a few Palestinian rockets
landing in Tel Aviv. In truth, this implosion is occurring because the
Jewish State is an inconvincible concept. As much as the Jews yearned to
return to their phantasmic ‘homeland,’ they failed to make Palestine
into a true home.
On the contrary, Israel has become the definitive
showcase of every problematic Jewish ideological and cultural trait: it
is racially supremacist, it is exclusive, it is an abusive ghetto
suffocated with goy hatred, and its treatment of its own people and
especially its poor is despicable.Yesterday,
I learned from Israeli TV Arutz 2 that the migration campaign
organizers have applied directly to German Kanzlerin Angela Merkel to
request 25,000 temporary work visas. They did so in response to more
than 9000 calls from desperate Israelis. Some Israeli patriots are
clearly devastated by the recent dash to mass migration, they labeled
the new campaign as an “insult to all Holocaust survivors.” “See you in
the gas chambers,” commented one critic on the Facebook page. If any of
these WMD obsessed Israelis really want to witness the way in which my
exile Israeli friends interact artistically with me, jazz chambers
rather than ‘gas chambers’ is probably the best place to do so. According to Israeli
officials, the number of Israeli ‘deserters’ is offset by incoming Jews
from Eastern Europe, America and France, who tend to be “more religious
and right-wing.”Israeli
officials also admit that Western metropolitans are more attractive to
Israeli secular and educated youngsters. A growing numbers of educated
Israelis understand that Israel’s fate is pretty much sealed.It
is crucial to remember that for more than a few years, Israelis of
European descent have been queuing at German, Hungarian and Polish
consulates for foreign passports. Their Sephardi brothers are also
eagerly awaiting for the Spanish parliament to approve a plan to grant
nationality to no less than three million Sephardi Jews. The take home message is
devastatingly clear. Israel has now officially entered its final
terminal phase. The catastrophic situation has entered into Israeli
collective awareness. Israelis are now running for their lives and they
have good reason to believe that Europe will soon close its gates to
avoid the Hebrew tsunami.
Predictably, it wasn’t the
watery Soros funded ‘non-violent’ BDS movement that brought the Jewish
State to its end. It was effectuated by authentic Palestinian
resistance; an Islamic motivated willingness to fight and a fierce
determination to win. It is the ability to send a ballistic message to
Tel Aviv and Haifa that delivers the unmistakable message to Israelis
that they are dwelling on stolen land.
Again, we see that it
doesn’t take much for the Jews to reveal their flimsy ideological and
spiritual bond to nationhood. If the IDF and Zionism initially inspired
the fearless Jewish combative warrior; a few sirens in Tel Aviv revealed
the feeble nature of Israel’s ideological bond and the depth of Israeli
hedonistic inclinations.
From a psychoanalytical perspective, it may be
that the murderous barbarism Israel exhibited in every recent round of
violence is the result of a desperate attempt to conceal the weakness
and the crumbliness of Jewish nationalism.
Recently, the Jewish
theologian Marc Ellis concluded that my writing should be grasped within
the context of the canonical work of the Hebrew prophets.
Although flattered by Ellis’ observation, I don’t agree with his
analysis. I am an essentialist thinker. Fifteen years ago I published my
first novel, Guide To The Perplexed. The
futuristic fiction tells the story of the collapse of Israel in the
2030’s exactly as described above. It tells the story of Hebrew refugees
invading the streets of Berlin. Read the 2001 Amazon blurb and judge
for yourself:
“The year is 2052, and the
state of Israel has been defunct for 40 years, the majority of its
citizens having become refugees overseas. Gunther (Wünker) loves
European, especially German, women and soon leaves Israel to find fame,
fortune and fornication in Germany…A darkly funny reflection on the
dangers of racial purity and the position of the outsider in Western
Europe…” (http://www.amazon.com/A-Guide-Perplexed-Gilad-Atzmon/dp/1852428260) Be aware, Guide To The
Perplexed was written by the young libidinal me; it is filthy and horny
as well as philosophical and funny. I was described as a ‘cum
philosopher’ at the time. If you are prudish or sensitive you may want
to skip this title.
The Wandering Who? A Study Of Jewish Identity politics and Jewish Power in particular - available on Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk
BRAINWASHED
dogs in PAVLOV'S laboratories
GREATEST EXPERIMENT FOUND
all by the natural FLOODING that washed away the
MEMORIES VIA EXPERIMENTS ALL
TERROR - DROWNING - THINK KATRINA TOO!
Modern Day Evil is not new
WHAT
is the real true truth!?!
WHO
are the MONSTERS-CREATURES-CRIMINALLY-INSANE
WHENdo we address the real true truth?!
WHERE
IS A FATHER IN HEAVEN
HOW HATH THOU FORSAKEN US!
The evolution has begun AND IT is in our MIND/s, revolutionize the THINKING STUFF and let the energy cleanse HOLY vibrations ...
DO IT ~YOURSELF~ ~~OURSELVES~~ ~~~OUR ~~~SELF AND TAKE THE BURDEN OFF "GOD"Grand Taoist Master
Infinite
Father-Mother-Spirit-"God"
OMNISCIENT-OMNIPRESENT-OMNIPOTENT
THINKING STUFF PERMEATING-PENETRATING-FILLING
UNIVERSES
KNOWN-UNKNOWN
I
thank
Thee
that
Thou
hearest
My
Prayer
I
thank
Thee
that
Thou
hearest
Me
Always
I
thank
Thee
that
Thou
hast
already
given
Me
All
that
My
heart
can
wish
for
All
that
My
life
may
need
for
the
time
that
is
And
the
eternity
that
is
To
be
AND
NOW
with
supreme
joy
And
unspeakable
thanksgiving
I
come
to
Thee
to
receive
Thy
gifts
AND
receive
from
Thy
loving
hands
the
divine
blessings
that
Thou
hast
from
ALL
ETERNITY
TREASURED
for
Me
TIME TO CHANGE THE VIBES FROM DARK AND MID AGES INTO THE ENLIGHTENMENT! | {
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[INTRO]
N.C.
Your love is magical, that's how I feel
N.C.
But I have not the words here to explain
N.C.
Gone is the grace for expressions of passion
N.C.
But there are worlds and worlds of ways to explain
N.C.
To tell you how I feel
[CHORUS 1]
BbGm
But I am speechless, speechless
EbF
That's how you make me feel
BbGm
Though I'm with you I am far away
EbF
And nothing is for real
GmF
When I'm with you I am lost for words
EbF
I don't know what to say
GmF
My head's spinning like a carousel
EbF
So silently I pray
[VERSE 1]
BbGm
Helpless and hopeless
EbF
That's how I feel inside
BbGm
Nothing's real, but all is possible
EbF
If God is on my side
GmF
When I'm with you I am in the light
EbF
Where I cannot be found
GmF
It's as though I am standing in
EbF
The place called hallowed ground
[CHORUS 2]
CAm
Speechless, speechless
FG
That's how you make me feel
CAm
Though I'm with you I am far away
FG
And nothing is for real
AmG
I'll go anywhere and do anything
FG
Just to touch your face
AmG
There's no mountain high I cannot climb
FG
I'm humbled in your grace
[CHORUS 3]
DBm
Speechless, speechless
GA
That's how you make me feel
DBm
Though I'm with you I am lost for words
GA
And nothing is for real
[CHORUS 4]
EC#m
Speechless, speechless
AB
That's how you make me feel
EC#m
Though I'm with you I am far away
AB
And nothing is for real
EC#m
Speechless, speechless
AB
That's how you make me feel
EC#m
Though I'm with you I am lost for words
AB
And nothing is for real
E
Speechless
[OUTRO]
N.C.
Your love is magical, that's how I feel
N.C.
But in your presence I am lost for words
N.C.
Words like, "I love you."
Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
She's lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
'Cause I've lost loved ones in my life
Who never knew how much I loved them
Now I live with the regret
That my true feelings for them never were revealed
So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much she means to me
And avoid that circumstance
Where there's no second chance to tell her how I feel
So tell that someone that you love
Just what you're thinking of
If tomorrow never comes | {
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Stradivarius Rolls On In The Yorkshire Cup
Not content with securing the inaugural Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million for connections, Bjorn Nielsen’s Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was back with the real threat of doubling up on Friday as he defied a penalty and smart rivals in the G2 Matchbook Yorkshire Cup. Always travelling sweetly in mid-division, the flashy chestnut had the imposing Southern France (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to aim at for the final three furlongs as Mildenberger (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) tried to make a fist of it. As the latter backed out, it took until the last furlong for the 4-5 favourite to truly master the Ballydoyle challenger in a David and Goliath-style tussle. At the line, “Mighty Mouse” was the comfortable 3/4-of-a-length winner as they pulled five lengths clear of Mildenberger to suggest that they will be at the forefront when the Royal meeting’s key staying test comes.
“He was a bit rusty and there wasn’t much of a pace, so it was more of a sprint but once we got upsides there was only going to be one winner,” Dettori said. “He’s a tiger–he just put his head down and went. He’s a joy to have around.”
Stradivarius was also becoming the first since Ardross (Ire) in 1982 to win this for the second successive year and the parallels with Charles St George’s great stayer are becoming ever more credible with time. Like him, he went unbeaten through an important Cup campaign last term with the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot his crowning moment. There was as much zip in this performance as there was in the 2018 equivalent and with last year’s G1 St Leger third there to make him stretch and the likes of the Feb. 28 G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy winner Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) well beaten it is solid form.
Trainer John Gosden obviously relishes the challenge of managing the career of the ebullient 5-year-old and said, “This was a prep for the Gold Cup and he hadn’t been trained hard for this. He’s a very proud horse and does enough in his work without being generous. The [June 20] Gold Cup is a different ball game and they slowed it right down here which is probably not ideal for him, but I liked the way he showed a bit of grit in the end. He’s not polished yet–we hope to have that at Royal Ascot. He was in the nightclub when I was saddling him, but then he goes out there and races and gets into a different zone.”
Pedigree Notes
Stradivarius, who descends from the Wildensteins’ brilliant Pawneese (Ire), is the last foal out of the dual listed-placed Private Life (Fr) (Bering {GB}), who was snapped up for just 70,000gns at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She also produced three other black-type performers including the G3 Bavarian Classic and G3 Furstenberg-Rennen-winning German highweight Persian Storm (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). This is also the family of the G1 Melbourne Cup hero Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero and leading sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev). | {
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CARROLL COUNTY, IN (WXIN/CNN) – An Indiana couple was arrested after police found them unresponsive, suffering from heroin overdoses, with three young children in their car.
A 911 call from a passerby Friday night alerted police to a vehicle parked in the middle of a road near Delphi, IN.
When emergency crews arrived, they determined the two unresponsive adults inside, identified as 31-year-old Adam Smith and his wife 29-year-old Donnis, were suffering from heroin overdoses.
The couple’s three children, ages 4, 6 and 11, were sitting in the backseat, police say.
The emergency crew administered Narcan to the couple then transported them to the hospital, where they were treated. The two were later turned over to law enforcement to be jailed.
The Smiths were both booked into the Carroll County Jail on preliminary charges of felony neglect of a dependent child. They’re being held on $5,000 bond with additional criminal charges pending.
The children were turned over to the Department of Child Services.
Sheriff Tobe Leazenby says he’s seen this cycle of abuse over and over again in his county.
"They will do almost anything to get that fix, whether or not they place another person or children in jeopardy,” Leazenby said.
The sheriff says his department makes at least one dozen drug arrests each month, and the spike in drug cases has led to overcrowding at his jail.
Leazenby is pushing for more drug treatment centers, but he also has some advice for users who want to get clean.
"I'm not in a position where I'm going to tell people how to choose their friends, but rethink that seriously. Who are you hanging out with, and who are you with? Is maybe some of that the root of your issues?” he said.
Based on statements made during the arrest of the couple, investigators searched a local home and arrested 43-year-old Sara Huff on drug charges, including dealing meth and cocaine.
Investigators say more charges could be filed during the ongoing investigation.
(AP Photo/Jennifer Kay). Six crosses are placed at a makeshift memorial on the Florida International University campus in Miami on Saturday, March 17, 2018, near the scene of a pedestrian bridge collapse that killed at least six people on March 15.
A matter of seconds between those who would live and those who would die as Florida pedestrian bridge topples down highway bustling with passing vehicles.
(Nick Wagner/Austin American-Statesman via AP). FBI agents work the scene of an explosion in Austin, Texas, Sunday, March 18, 2018. At least a few people were injured in another explosion in Texas' capital late Sunday, after three package bombs detonat...
Officials reported that an explosion in southwest Austin injured two men in their 20s who were hospitalized with injuries that didn't appear to be life-threatening.
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino). Pope Francis sits among youths for a group photo during the opening session of the pre-synod of the youths meeting, at the the Mater Ecclesiae college in Rome, Monday, March 19, 2018.
Pope Francis has asked forgiveness for all Christians who buy sex from women, telling a roomful of young people that frequenting prostitutes is a crime against humanity and the sign of a "sick mentality" that...
Pope Francis has asked forgiveness for all Christians who buy sex from women, telling a roomful of young people that frequenting prostitutes is a crime against humanity and the sign of a "sick mentality" that thinks that women exist to be exploited.
(Joe Ahlquist/The Rochester Post-Bulletin via AP). Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a fatal stabbing Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Salvation Army Castleview Residence in downtown Rochester, Minn. Police have arrested a man in the multiple...
Police have arrested a man in the fatal stabbing of two men at a Salvation Army apartment building in downtown Rochester, Minnesota. | {
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Exclusive: A new video from Actual Wolf (member of Retribution Gospel and Low)
Keen-eyed A.V. Clubbers may recognize Eric Pollard as the singer who crushed The Beach Boys' "Kokomo" as part of Retribution Gospel Choir way back in season one. He's also a touring member of Low, and a swell guy all around. Pollard fronts his own project, too, called Actual Wolf, which recalls such classics as Dylan and The Band. Check out the smoky video for "Kerosene And Spark," which will appear on Actual Wolf's debut album later this year. (A pair of EPs are already out.) If you love the song, you can download it for free at his site. (Below the video, it's "Kokomo" again.) | {
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All artists using Photography and/or Printmaking as critical components in their works can enter. Artists whose work pushes the boundaries of traditional photographic and printmaking practices are encouraged to enter.
Awards + Prizes
Two solo exhibitions at The Print Center to be held April-July 2015, Online exhibition, Philadelphia Museum of Art Purchase Award, Two-year contract from The Print Center Gallery Store, and up to $3,000 in other purchase, cash and material prizes.
About the Competition
The Print Center’s Annual International Competition is one of the most prestigious and oldest competitions in the United States. The Print Center is particularly interested in highlighting local, national and international artists who utilize photography and printmaking in intriguing ways, both in content and process. Artists who use printmaking and/or photography as critical components of their work, or whose work pushes the boundaries of traditional photographic and printmaking practices, are encouraged to enter.
Your entry fee to the competition also includes a one-year Artist Level Membership to The Print Center.
Eligibility All artists using photography and/or printmaking as critical components in their works can enter. Work submitted must have been completed in the last three years. Submitted works cannot have been exhibited within 50 miles of Philadelphia or in any prior exhibition at The Print Center. Up to five images may be submitted and only one submission per person is allowed.
Online ExhibitionAn online exhibition will be mounted on The Print Center’s website with the images submitted by semifinalists, as well as biographical information and links to the artists’ own websites. Ten finalists will have more extensive information on the site, including additional images (Artists will be contacted by The Print Center for additional information and images).
Solo ExhibitionsTwo artists will be selected from the ten finalists to receive solo exhibitions at The Print Center. Those artists will receive a $200 honorarium (Pending funding, especially for international artists, this amount could increase). Artists are responsible for delivering or shipping their work to and from The Print Center and all related costs, including framing when appropriate. The Print Center will install and de-install work.
Dan Byers and Tina Kukielski (with Daniel Bauman) were co-curators of the 2013 Carnegie International, a museum-wide exhibition that brought together 35 artists from 19 countries alongside special projects investigating the history of experimental playgrounds, the museum’s collection, and an event series called Apartment Talks, ath the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA. Byers is The Richard Armstrong Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Carnegie, where he oversees exhibitions, public programs, and collections initiatives. Exhibitions he has developed for the museum include solo shows of Cathy Wilkes, Ragnar Kjartansson and James Lee Byars, as well as the group exhibitions Reanimation, featuring William E. Jones, Joachim Koester, and Nashashibi/Skaer; and Ordinary Madness, a large-scale, wide-ranging show drawn from the Carnegie’s collection of contemporary art. Kukielski holds the newly appointed position of curator of the Hillman Photography Initiative, overseeing the initiative’s website, its programs and commissioned projects, and two artist publications to be released in 2015. She formerly held a curatorial position at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. She has organized solo museum exhibitions with artists Cory Arcangel, Sadie Benning, Omer Fast, Taryn Simon and Sara VanDerBeek among others.
Sales
The Print Center will facilitate sales for the solo and online exhibitions of the Competition. The Print Center will receive a 50% commission on works sold. A pricelist will be made available in the gallery. The Print Center will pay the artist’s commission within 90 days of the close of the sale. Payment will be made by check and will include a statement listing work sold and the purchaser (if available).
Liability
The Print Center is not responsible for damage to work during shipping or delivery, although care in handling onsite can be assured. Works will be insured against fire and theft while on The Print Center’s premises.
Copyright & UsageThe Artist reserves all rights to the reproduction of his/her works of art on loan, unless he/she has specified to the contrary. Notwithstanding the above, The Print Center may use images of the works of art for the sole purpose of publicizing and promoting the Artist's work in newspaper and periodical advertisements and articles, brochures, The Print Center’s website, and other such means. In every instance of such use, the Artist shall be acknowledged as the creator of that work. For all reproductions a credit line should be included: "Courtesy of the Artist.”
Mission
The Print Center’s mission is to support printmaking and photography as vital contemporary arts and to encourage the appreciation of the printed image in all its forms. The Print Center presents a variety of programs for the public including exhibitions; an extensive series of education programs and special events; the longest running Annual International Competition for prints and photographs in the country; and The Print Center Gallery Store, which offers the largest and most diverse selection of contemporary prints and photographs in Philadelphia. | {
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Final Push for World Government
Historical Account of the Fast Track to the New World Order- an excellent resource
"[NAFTA] would be the most constructive measure the United States would have undertaken in our hemisphere in this century... It will represent the most creative step toward a new world order taken by any group of countries since the end of the Cold War, and the first step toward an even larger vision of a free-trade zone for the entire Western Hemisphere." [NAFTA] is not a conventional trade agreement, but the architecture of a new international system." --Henry Kissinger, May 1993
A newly leaked U.S. diplomatic cable originally written over six years ago confirms that the agenda to merge the United States, Canada and Mexico into an integrated North American Union has been ongoing for years, debunking claims made consistently by the corporate media and establishment talking heads that the NAU is a baseless “conspiracy theory.”
“The cable, released through the WikiLeaks website and apparently written Jan. 28, 2005, discusses some of the obstacles surrounding the merger of the economies of Canada, the United States and Mexico in a fashion similar to the European Union,” reports the National Post.
“An incremental and pragmatic package of tasks for a new North American Initiative (NAI) will likely gain the most support among Canadian policymakers,” the document said. “The economic payoff of the prospective North American initiative … is available, but its size and timing are unpredictable, so it should not be oversold.”
While serving to confirm the agenda to integrate the United States, Mexico and Canada into an EU-style political and monetary union, the Wikileaks cable will come as no surprise to those who watched Alex Jones’ 2006 documentary Endgame, in which precisely the same information was outlined, with particular focus on the Security and Prosperity Partnership, or SPP meetings.
Despite the manifestly provable factual basis of the matter, during the 2008 presidential election the establishment media attempted to smear Ron Paul by attributing the notion of a move towards a North American Union to him and then claiming it was a non-existent “conspiracy theory,” when the veracity of the issue was readily documented from the very start.
A Newsweek hit piece subsequently claimed that Ron Paul’s concerns over a NAFTA superhighway, a North American Union or a regional currency were completely baseless, and yet the newly leaked cable states U.S. diplomats were busy discussing a “move forward with continental integration, including a possible common currency, labour markets, international trade and the borders of the three countries,” as well as “easier access across the U.S. border,” more than six years ago.
Watch a clip from the 2006 documentary Endgame in which the agenda behind the North American Union was exposed, even as the corporate media still claimed it was a mythical conspiracy theory.
More Information on the Powerful Elite Group of Men, the Banking Cabel, That Runs the Federal Reserve and America:
“I don’t care who the government is. Let me control the money and I will control the country.”
Mayer Amschel Rothschild (attributed to the German godfather of the Rothschild bank cartel and grandfather to heir Lord Baron Nathaniel Mayer de Rothschild: owner of the Bank of England and a key promoter of the U.S. Federal Reserve Act. 1744-1812)
“The end of democracy and the defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of lending institutions and moneyed incorporations.”
“I want to own nothing and control everything.”“The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.”
John D. Rockefeller (promoter of the U.S. Federal Reserve Act in alliance with the Rothschild bloc. 1839-1937)
“We will have world government whether or not we like it. The only question is whether world government will be achieved by conquest or consent.”James Paul Warburg (monopoly banker in testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Warburg was an agent of the Rockefeller-JP Morgan-Rothschild banking bloc and son of Paul Warburg, chief architect of the Federal Reserve Corporation, an unconstitutional private bank monopoly set up for cartel hegemony. 2/17/1950)
"Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world."
Henry Kissinger (ex U.S. Secretary of State and ongoing agent for the ruling class. Living. Quote 1970)
“The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the government of the U.S. ever since the days of Andrew Jackson. History depicts Andrew Jackson as the last truly honorable and incorruptible American president.”
President FDR (on Fascist rule in a letter to corporate con man “Colonel” Edward M. House, a founder of the Council on Foreign Relations and political fixer for the ruling class. House also handled President Wilson for the foisting of the privately rigged Federal Reserve bank monopoly. 11/21/1933)
2 comments:
I am confused about the microchipping of humans and the Venus Project- as the Venus project claims to be against microchipping; therefore will micro chipping happen before the V. project or after humanity accepts this project as a solution to the global problems.....??
Its like this: They know that they wont ever gain the full support needed for microchipping, so they will present the venus project first and use the venus project to eventually microchip everyone in the world. They are liars, and will say anything to gain your support and fulfill their plan. The Venus plan has hidden horrors of its own though, especially since they plan on introducing nanobots into the medical field. Nanobots, although can be helpful, can also be used to literally control your mind. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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Former pros pack Jesuit's coaching ranks
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TAMPA — Five minutes into Jesuit’s first formal preseason practice of 2012, lightning sent the Tigers scurrying for cover.
As he assessed the flickering gray sky beneath a breezeway, third-year coach James Harrell insisted his staff’s offensive play-calling system won’t be as turbulent as the recent afternoon weather pattern.
For those wondering (and many are): new pass-game coordinator Vinny Testaverde will observe from the box, while run-game coach George Edington will call the plays in from the sideline.
Another NFL alumnus, ex-Gator tailback James Jones, will consult and assist with personnel groupings in the run game, but won’t call plays. Harrell, as always, will have the final say.
“It’ll be a cohesive effort,” said Harrell, who conducted Monday afternoon’s workout in the Tigers’ gymnasium.
“I’m very confident the guys understand that everything has to be agreed upon, and that we work as a cohesive unit and no one takes anything personal, and they’re just willing to design a game plan week in and week out that’s consistent.”
For the third consecutive season, the Tigers enter August with not only a new offensive coordinator (or in this case, coordinators), but a new quarterback. Burly rising senior Leland Saile (6 feet, 210 pounds) was the first Tiger on the field Monday.
“Hopefully you can do some things in the run game with him to allow him to carry the football,” Harrell added. “He’s pretty athletic. He’s physical and we have some special packages that will be designed to take advantage of his size.” | {
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