text:
Otitis: Inside look at pathogenesis, treatment and prevention
Otitis externa is an inflammatory condition with or without concurrent infection and is the most common dermatological disease in a busy veterinary practice. Therefore, it is the most common claim forwarded to veterinary insurance companies.
For the most part, the majority of cases are simple, and treatment clears the disease in a few days. However, many cases are recurrent and the management of those cases is frustrating and often veterinarians seek the aid of a specialist. This paper will focus on the more complicated cases and will clarify and discuss the pathogenesis, treatment and preventive measures. I will not discuss the uncommon causes of otitis such as parasites, foreign bodies and neoplasia within the context of this article. The emphasis of this article will be on the dog with severe, complicated or recurrent bacterial otitis with a focus on the pathology and treatment.
Anatomy-normalThe canine ear varies in the size, shape and conformation from breed to breed. The external ear is comprised of the pinnae that can be large and pendulous or erect. It is speculated that a pendulous pinna predispose to otitis externa. However, even erect pinnal breeds such as the German Shepherd are a common breed affected by otitis external The ear has some hair (some breeds have excessive hair), modified apocrine sweat glands (cerumen glands) and sebaceous glands. A small amount of cerumen should be present in the opening to canals as well as on the surface of the canals, leading down to the tympanum membrane. Some dogs have small or stenotic canals (such as Shar Peis) as a breed-related problem. The canals are divided into vertical leading into the horizontal canal which ends at the tympanum membrane. The tympanum membrane separates the external ear canal from the middle ear and leads ventrally into the bulla. The tympanum membrane should be a bit opaque, not completely cloudy and should be relatively smooth.
The microbiology of the ear canal is very similar to the hair and skin in dogs. In my recent article concerning pyoderma, the normal bacterial flora was elucidated. Staphylococcus, E. coli, Corynebacteria, and even transient bacterial such as Proteus, Enterococcus and Pseudomonas can be found. Malassezia, as a yeast organism, is also found normally on the pinna and canal of dogs.
Predisposing causes
It is speculated that predisposing factors are not the primary cause of otitis externa/media but they either trigger or increase the risk of its development. In my practice, these predisposing causes are not common, but in this paper they are definitely worth a short discussion.
Conformation is the most common predisposing cause and includes the large and pendulous pinnal seen in certain breeds such as the Cocker Spaniel or Springer Spaniel. These breeds are also predisposed to other causes of otitis, so careful history and physical examination must be performed before one blames anatomy as the sole cause of otitis.
Excessive hair in the ear canal (or on the medial aspect of the pinnae) has also been implicated as a predisposing cause to otitis. Breeds such as Poodles and certain Asian breeds are considered the bulk of the breeds and most definitely benefit from routine plucking of hair from the vertical canals. I am very careful when I perform hair removal, because certain cases seem to worsen after this procedure. Moreover, some specialists seem to believe removal of hair can worsen and not benefit these patients. As I mentioned earlier, I uncommonly observe these cases, but when I do, I am very careful in selecting patients for hair removal.
Lastly, the one predisposing factor that can complicate and trigger otitis is swimming. Swimming has definitely been linked to otitis in human patients, and it seems that certain dogs are also affected with a similar problem. The real dilemma that I have is the most common breeds that swim are also the most common breeds affected by allergy: the most common primary cause of otitis.
There are numerous primary causes of otitis in the dog including parasites such as Otodectes, Demodex and pinnal parasites such as Sarcoptes, seborrhea, autoimmune diseases, non-yeast fungal infections and glandular disorders. We will focus our attention on the most common primary cause of otitis: atopic dermatitis. Because of its high incidence, atopic dermatitis is more frequently associated with otitis externa than any other disease.


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Macomb County communities Sterling Heights and Utica have approved an amendment to their current water contracts with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department which will increase the price their residents pay for water and sewer service.
Sterling Heights water users will pay 4.6 percent more on their water bills, while Utica residents will pay 12.9 percent more starting July 1.
Sal Conigliaro, Sterling Heights director of public works, said Sterling Heights has a 30-year contract approved by the City Council in 2008 to buy water from Detroit. The contract allows Sterling Heights to periodically review the contract and make adjustments.
Conigliaro said one of the main reasons for the price increase in Sterling Heights is the city�s demand for less water than in previous years.
�After a review we came back with numbers how much water we are going to purchase,� Conigliaro said. �There has been a gradual decline in water consumption for a number of reasons.�
Conigliaro said economics and conservation have played a major role in the price increase. He said people are using less water in an attempt to conserve water, especially on hot summer days where there are restrictions when they can water their lawns.
He also said people also are using less water because of new shower heads and improved toilets that use less water.
Conigliaro said another major reason water consumption in southeast Michigan also is down because the population has fallen.
�Obviously, Detroit has fixed costs that never go down,� Conigliaro said. �Water volumes have decreased and their costs go up and it pushes rates in an upward direction.�
Conigliaro said the average water rate increase set by Detroit is 4.4 percent. He said Sterling Heights is right at the average.
Conigliaro said the DWSD invited all 86 of its wholesale water users to participate in the drafting of a new Model Water Service Contract.
Mayor Jacqueline Noonan said Utica�s purchases from DWSD decreased 10 percent while maintaining its peak flows since 2008. The Utica City Council approved an amendment to its current water service contract with Detroit on Jan. 29.
DWSD is seeking 5.6 percent more from Utica than it charged last year.
�Detroit bills a portion of its costs based on volume and since the amount of water we use is decreasing our unit cost for water is increasing by 12.9 percent,� Noonan said.
She said other costs that go into the charges from Detroit include full-time staffing, equipment, billing, debt service and capital improvements.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Why spend $24 on two tickets for the latest blockbuster film when you can spend $2?
Enrollment is now open for the best kept secret in Los Angeles, the SAG Film Society – Hollywood Screening Series.
As a member in good standing of the Screen Actors Guild, you are eligible to join. For $90, members and a guest can attend 50+ new and pre-release films a year, most at the state-of-the-art DGA Theatre. There are also invites to many off-site bonus screenings and cast Q&As.
Plus, be one of the first 500 to receive membership in the 2017/18 season and you will receive two complimentary guest passes to be used at a future screening!
Click here for all the details. The 2017/18 season begins in May and runs through April 2017. Hurry, space is limited!


text:
Bolivar RF
Heisey CF
Bruce DH
Francisco 3B
Frazier 2B
Alonso 1B
Dorn LF
Valaika SS
Denove C
Cochran P
Bolivar RF
Heisey CF
Bruce DH
Francisco 3B
Frazier 2B
Alonso 1B
Dorn LF
Valaika SS
Denove C
Cochran P
1-2-3 first for Cochran
Are you getting Video?
Heisey walk
Bruce single
Cisco single
1-0 Bats
1 out
Infield hit for Frazier
2-0 Bats
Bulls already have someone up in their pen
Alonso DP
2-0 Bats after 1
4-2 Bulls after 1 and a half
Last edited by GOYA; 09-12-2009 at 06:37 PM.
Dorn HBP
Valaika walk
Denove doubles
Tied up 4-4
nobody out
Bulls pull their starter
The audio stream looks like it just started.
Bolivar single
Denove to 3rd
Heisey up
Bolivar steals 2nd
Heisey singles
6-4 Bats
Bruce flies out
Francisco grounds to the pitcher, FC Heisey out at 2nd
Frazier flies to the track
6-4 Bats after 2
Sounds like we got ourselves a shootout.
I'm surprised you're not at the game, GOYA.
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text:
To the editor:
Using common sense is a big step in the right direction when debating the usefulness of the Old Forge-Lake Placid railroad track system. This system was resurrected back in the '70s with no viable use in site; it fell into disrepair, only to be touted once again as the future of travel in the Adirondacks.
Enough nostalgia, it is time to consider more than a few train buffs. Become realistic; it is time to dismantle the rails between Old Forge and Lake Placid and make it a trail for everyone to use. Not the few people who will ride it once, at a designated time for an amount of money, but for the adventurous and not-so-adventurous travelers who will use it year-round. It just makes sense!
Deborah Ritz
Old Forge


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With Oscar buzz starting to build, the spotlight is shining brightly on Steven Spielberg's acclaimed historical drama "Lincoln."
One element of that film's authentic period look was produced in a faded-brick building by Ymittos Candle Manufacturing Co. of Lowell, a century-old chandler that has lit up 23 films, from "Pirates of the Caribbean" to the upcoming "The Lone Ranger."
Ymittos was founded by Greek immigrants who made candles to illuminate Orthodox churches. But through the years, the company's sacred flame for altars became a must-have for film set designers. Now, Ymittos fills candle orders for about two movies a year.
"They have such beautiful products. So period-correct and the colors are so wonderful," said Christine Wick, the set decoration buyer for "Lincoln." On location in Virginia last fall, Wick, who has hired Ymittos for films in the past, purchased beeswax candles from a local purveyor.
Her boss was not impressed.
"The whole tenor of the movie is dark and brooding. When we bought these other candles they were glaringly wrong," Wick said. The creamy hue was too light for set designer Jim Erickson. "He said, 'These are not going to work. We have to have the real thing,' " Wick recalled.
So she called Ymittos owner Mike Kaplan. Within weeks, the company had shipped 350 tapers, some with two wicks for tall flames. "When we put them on the set, it was the real thing," Wick said.
Made with pure beeswax, the candles emit a warm glow that softened the powerful Civil War drama. In one scene, Lincoln's son Tad holds a thick taper to view grainy images of slaves. In another, a Lowell-made votive silhouettes Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, during a bedroom imbroglio.
When Kaplan saw his handiwork on the big screen last month, he could hardly contain himself. "I wanted to stand up and cheer," he said.
Artisan craftsmanship has kept New England's oldest continuously run candle manufacturer in business since 1910. Entering the shop is like setting foot on a stage set. Up a creaky flight of stairs, industrial-size kettles rattle and hiss with molten beeswax.
Facing a wooden carousel, candle maker Kevin McMullin pushes a lever and racks of cotton wicks sink into hot liquid. He counts to two and releases them. Rows of caramel-colored stalactites begin to appear. Manually, he rotates the next bay and repeats the process a dozen times.
To monitor the number of times a wick is dipped, candle makers slide a poker chip on a string. "Everything's done by feel, by eye, and by instinct," Kaplan said. "We are very analog."
How analog? Orders come by phone or fax. There might be a website, but no one knows the address. "We have a computer downstairs, but I'm not sure if it's plugged in," McMullin said.
In candle making, Kaplan's biggest concerns are power outages and heat waves. "Humidity can invade in the last dip," affecting the way the wax burns and a candle's shape, he said. "We are performance-driven. They not only have to look good, but they have to work."
Beeswax, made by bees to store honey and incubate their young, can be tricky to work with and requires more care, Kaplan said. Such intense execution makes them pricier. At Ymittos, a regular candle costs $3.50, but beeswax goes for $9.50.
Kaplan was an engineer, laid off from his job at a computer printer manufacturer, when he discovered Ymittos was available for sale more than two decades ago.
Figuring the candle business would be sounder than the volatile software world, Kaplan and a partner bought the "sleepy tech" company in 1990 from its founding Dristiliaris family.
"If you invest in high-tech you can get knocked off by the next chip change. You always have to be worrying about things you can't control," he said.
Churches remain the company's main trade. That business slowed during the recession, but orders from inns and national parks picked up the slack. Kaplan said sales have increased in the past two years, but he declined to provide details about revenues and profits at the four-person company.
Movies may not be Ymittos's biggest customers, but Kaplan relishes the company's 15 minutes of fame. He got his first taste of Hollywood shortly after purchasing Ymittos, when he took an unsolicited order to supply candles for the 1992 film "Ethan Frome."
"It started with a call," Kaplan said. "It was God's gift." Many other calls would follow.
Wendy Weaver, a Los Angeles set decorating buyer who ordered candles from Ymittos for "Pirates of the Caribbean" and around 1,700 candles for "The Lone Ranger," both starring Johnny Depp, trusts the company completely.
"They are one of the few places that can do it the way we want them," she said. "They always come through for us."
Using a secret formula, Kaplan can modify the chemistry of a candle to slow down its burn time. Such precision appeals to set designers.
To satisfy a last-minute request from Hollywood, Kaplan once halted an order in progress. "Lincoln" had wrapped, but Wick needed 50 candles to reshoot a scene.
Customers — in Hollywood and elsewhere — find Ymittos despite the company's low profile.
Kaplan doesn't advertise, unless you count the movie posters in his window. Like an expert tailor, he lets the artistry speaks for itself.
"We are helping to preserve craftsmanship in America," Kaplan said. "You have to keep on it or else it will go away."Kathleen Pierce can be reached at email@example.com


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My beloved footy side, Hawthorn, is only two games away from premiership glory and I'm cycling to work in a T-shirt. It's springtime, which means it's a good time to spring-clean your portfolio.
How long is it since you last looked at your portfolio of stocks - really looked at them and asked how hard each one is working for you?
While I'm focused on long-term investments - ones that can be bought and held until they reach fair value - that does not mean they can simply be forgotten.
Circumstances change in even the biggest of the blue chip companies. With stock prices bouncing up and down in response to the latest declaration from the world's central banks, even long-term investors need to be more active than in the past.
Buy and forget is never a wise investing strategy, particularly with plenty of opportunities to buy low and sell high.
I'd suggest reviewing your portfolio at least twice a year if you are a long-term investor. It doesn't matter when you do it. Just before the end of the tax year is a convenient time, because it allows you to assess stocks you own and potentially sell them for a tax loss.
Prune the dead wood
But tax is just part of a much wider picture. When you assess your portfolio, you should be doing so with a variety of issues in mind.
First of these is the share price of the stocks themselves. Whatever the price has done may have an impact on your decision about the stock.
If it has run too far, too fast and you believe there is less upside, you may choose to take profits.
Stocks Intelligent Investor has sold this year chiefly due to higher valuations include Perpetual, Spark Infrastructure and Australian Infrastructure Fund.
Insurance Australia Group is also nearing a downgrade but the share price could increase further if the company sells its poor-performing British business for a decent price.
If, on the other hand, a share price has fallen sharply, you may consider cutting your losses. Stocks in this category have included Billabong International, prior to the acquisition announcement, and Metcash, after it announced a range of measures designed to compensate for the weakening performance of its IGA grocery supply business.
There are even decisions to be made if the share price has moved only modestly. You must ask whether the capital return combined with the dividend payout represents sufficient return on your investment. Can your money be put to work harder somewhere else?
It's OK to sell cheap for cheaper.
Diversify further afield
My personal investment strategy hasn't changed over the past year.
I'm still holding large amounts of cash for future opportunities, like those in August and September last year. My cash is also diversified mainly into US dollars, because my fear of a hard landing in China is more palpable than of hyperinflation in the US due to Ben Bernanke's unprecedented monetary experiment. Should the Australian dollar fall, my purchasing power abroad will be protected.
About 50 per cent of my portfolio is invested overseas and I recently bought a small parcel of shares in the Britain's largest grocery chain Tesco. Although dividends are unfranked, the dividend yield is about 4.5 per cent and the company currently trades for the value of its property alone. That means you're essentially getting Britain's best grocery business for free.
Investing isn't rocket surgery, as Lindsay Lohan would say, but you need to have a clear strategy that includes a regular review of your portfolio and each stock within it. If the reasons you bought a stock no longer hold, then you need to reassess why you still own it.
Most importantly, make sure your portfolio isn't overexposed to individual risks. Just because the major Australian indexes are dominated by a small group of massive companies, doesn't mean you need to have large holdings in highly leveraged banks or volatile resources companies. Australia's banks, BHP and Rio are highly exposed to the Chinese economy.
There are plenty of other great Australian businesses to buy if you know where to look.
Nathan Bell is the research director at Intelligent Investor, intelligentinvestor.com.au. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 282288).


text:
Link Between Marijuana and Psychosis Goes Both Ways 358
An anonymous reader writes with news of a study out of the Netherlands (abstract) about the link between psychosis and marijuana use. The researchers wanted to examine what caused the relationship — was marijuana use leading to psychosis, or did those suffering from psychosis have a higher tendency to seek out marijuana? As it turns out, they found evidence for both. From the article: "... using pot at 16 years old was linked to psychotic symptoms three years later, and psychotic symptoms at age 16 were linked to pot use at age 19. This was true even when the researchers accounted for mental illness in the kids' families, alcohol use and tobacco use. Griffith-Lendering said she could not say how much more likely young pot users were to exhibit psychotic symptoms later on. Also, the new study cannot prove one causes the other. Genetics may also explain the link between pot use and psychosis, said Griffith-Lendering."


text:
Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
From the Wires
Learning Tree Schools: West Jordan Childcare Experts Offer Tips on Discussing Violence With Children
By: Marketwired .
Feb. 5, 2013 05:13 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- (Marketwire) -- 02/05/13 -- High profile acts of violence leave parents and caregivers wondering how to discuss them with children. West Jordan childcare experts and owners of Learning Tree Schools, Bethany Hosking and Amy Moyes, explain it's better for parents to be proactive.
"Most importantly, assure children they are safe," says Moyes, who operates three Salt Lake City daycares. "Remember not to dismiss their feelings, but rather talk through them together."
Let a child's questions be the guide as to how the conversation takes shape. Children may not be ready to talk right away, so watch them for clues that they might need to talk. When ready to talk, give honest answers to questions.
Make any explanation age appropriate. The National Association of School Psychologists offers these tips:
"Have a safety plan in case of emergencies at home and go over it with your children," says Moyes, whose daycares update safety procedures regularly. "If your children are in preschool or attend a child care center, have their teachers or caregiver discuss safety procedures with them as well."
Limit television viewing of the events. Monitor adult conversations when children are present. Avoid using angry language when discussing the topic. Above all, continue a normal routine and monitor children for a change in their emotional state.
Parents who feel their children may be experiencing emotional difficulty should speak to a professional. For children who have experienced personal trauma in the past or who suffer from depression or other mental illness should be closely monitored.
By following these tips, children can successfully cope with situations that are scary and confusing.
Learn More
Learning Tree Schools
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text:
Business meetings are often accompanied with light meal. If that meal is pasta, then nothing can serve any better than Italian pasta. Having delicious mushrooms in a creamy Alfredo sauce, savory marina sauce, and juicy grilled chicken with vegetables in a pesto sauce will surely make your day.The leading corporate caterer Atlanta "Post Exchange Catering" is offering Italian pasta bar catering services in Atlanta at $10.99. Our team of professional caterers has superior expertise in preparing pasta and salad bars that are available at the most discounted prices in Atlanta. Our Italian pasta bar is served with caser salad, garlic bread and fresh brewed iced tea.Call us today at 770 394 0200, or visit our website http://www.PostExchangeCatering.com/ now and order Italian pasta bar for your corporate events from the leading and the most dominant name of corporate catering in Atlanta.
Copyright 2004-2018 SuperAds Inc


text:
22 U.S. Code § 4069 - Thrift Savings Fund participation
Participants in this System shall be deemed to be employees for the purposes of section 8351 of title 5. Any reference in such section 8351 or in subchapter III of chapter 84 of such title 5 to retirement or separation under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of such title 5 shall be deemed to be references to retirement or separation under part I or II of this subchapter with similar benefits or entitlements with respect to participants under such part I or II, respectively.
Section effective Jan. 1, 1987, see section 408 of Pub. L. 99–556, set out as an Effective Date of 1986 Amendment note under section 4046 of this title.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Sometimes I wish for some apocalypse just so the "Please won't someone take care of me!" dolts realize that the only person who can take care of you - IS YOU!.
Is the world really that unsafe that parents need to track their children electronically? I don't think so,
So what's to lose? Say you have a 6 year old kid: is it really going to harm them to wear one of these? Sure, chances are very very high that this'll never be needed, but so what? It's kind of like Pascal's wager, isn't it? The bit that irritates me most about this is the retailer's website "Loc8r", "Where R U" etc. I'd be more worried about the effects of this on their spelling than their general well being.
It costs 150 pounds ($240-250 USD). I think I can think of things more valuable to a growing child than an overpriced watch/GPS combo.
Of course, remembering how I treated watches as a child, I think the GPS functionality might come in handy more often than you suspect. No, your child isn't going to be kidnapped, but he *will* lose his watch. Except this time you have a chance to find it. If this happens 10-20 times, it will pay for itself (vs. the cost of a visually identical non-GPS watch). If my parents hadn't stopped buying me watches after I lost the fourth one, I definitely would have come out ahead on this.
Lets not also forget the dangers of teaching a whole generation of kids that its perfectly okay for those in authority over us to track our every movement.
Exactly. like karate lessons. How about teaching your kid how to defend themselves, along with all the goodness that comes with learning a discipline and being able to utterly kick the crap out of the playground bullies.
$250.00 USD will pay for a few months of kids Karate, and the monthly fee for the watch will make up 1/2 the cost of the rest of their education.
Plus, they are highly active 2 times a week, learn focus, attention and a skill that will save them a lot of pain and grief throughout life. You
You carry yourself differently when you can easily rip off someone's ears and shove them in their nose
I don't know that I'd have that much confidence in karate. It's a great activity for the kids (builds self-confidence and discipline) and even adults (for the cardio workout if nothing else) but as a self-defense discipline many have found it lacking. Personally I felt like I came away with more from a single class of unarmed self-defense taught by ex-cops than I did from a year and a half of karate. Whatever confidence I did have in karate evaporated when our 6th DAN instructor got mugged by two teenage
> Exactly. like karate lessons. How about teaching your kid how to defend themselves,
> along with all the goodness that comes with learning a discipline and being able to
> utterly kick the crap out of the playground bullies.
Um... So how does this address the little people getting abducted or lost? Even if they were 2nd degree black belts, it's not like they have the mass to defend themselves against most adults. Sounds like somebody has watched Ninja Kids [imdb.com] one time too many.
(BTW: I am enrolling both my toddlers in karate when they're old enough, but mostly for the discipline and a physical outlet.)
So what's to lose? Say you have a 6 year old kid: is it really going to harm them to wear one of these? Sure, chances are very very high that this'll never be needed, but so what? It's kind of like Pascal's wager, isn't it?
As someone who has lost a family member to kidnapping, I see very little wrong with such technology. Spot on with Pascal's wager, too.
If you mean the reference to Pascal's wager as an endorsement, please see the wikipedia entry under section Criticisms.
(In short, Pascal inadvertently rendered religion to its proper ridiculous essence.)
When you're 5 or 6, you can't take care of you though.. That's what family and parents are for; the world's one big adventure, and you can cross oceans sailing in a top hat, with no food or water, and it'll be fine!
For every hour of every day, it's overkill, but if you're going out to the local mall, and your kid's just at the age where they're free to wander a little, it may be a good idea.. I can remember (very vaguely) as a kid starting to explore away from the parents' house. I wandered up some side streets and got lost.. I was absolutely terrified, and so were they.. I wanted to go home and had no idea where home was, and they had no idea where I was.. Thankfully, back then, the community was more closely knit, and one of my mother's friends saw me and escorted me back home.
So, yes, I can see some perfectly valid cases where this'll head off a lot of grief on both sides if used judiciously.
Think it could sell as a student tool too (if I pass out in a ditch after a few too many, come pick me up please!!)..
I can remember (very vaguely) as a kid starting to explore away from the parents' house. I wandered up some side streets and got lost.. I was absolutely terrified, and so were they..
That experience taught you something. It was a small step towards being a more responsible person. Kids who are under 24/7 surveillance never learn that freedom comes with responsibility, that their parents' trust to let them wander around by themselves must be earned by not getting lost. Getting lost taught you to be cautious.
The grand-parent AC is right: Preempting every bad decision and the following consequences creates irresponsible children who turn into irresponsible adults.
Yes, but the child may not know the parent can find them.
The child could be lost a lot longer before the parents are worried (the child is not lost to the parents, but the child doesn't know that), therefore actually *enhancing* the educational experience for the child.
Seriously, aside from the price, it isn't invasive, and it does help the parents do their jobs.
"Contemporary society, really anything beyond the barest forms of subsistence scavenging, absolutely depends on division of labor and specialization."
That's a hell of a jump there. Besides which, you are setting up a strawman. The GP didn't say "all the problems of the world are solvable by rugged self-reliance and insolvable by other means". He was bemoaning the fact that people expect others to take care of them and keep them safe. One can be responsible for oneself without roaming across the post apocalyptic wilderness.
Let's take an example. Who is responsible for keeping you safe from criminals? Most would say "the police". But are you aware that, legally, the police are NOT responsible for that? Their job is to deal with crime AFTER it happens. To take it further, "police" as we know them didn't exist until 1829 with the founding of the London police. Prior to that, who was responsible for keeping people safe? The answer is that the individual, or family, was responsible.
There's a big difference between the interactions of specialists in trade and a state of perpetual childhood. It's the difference between knowing some people make and sell shoes and it's my responsibility to acquire them by fair and legal means, and believing that it's the cobbler's responsibility to ensure that you have shoes. Or someone elses responsibility to force the cobbler to give you shoes.
Let's take an example. Who is responsible for keeping you safe from criminals? Most would say "the police". But are you aware that, legally, the police are NOT responsible for that?
Warren v. District of Columbia [wikipedia.org] is one of the pertinent cases on this subject. From the link:
Warren v. District of Columbia is a U.S. Court of Appeals case in which three rape victims sued the District of Columbia because of negligence on the part of the police. Two of three female roommates were upstairs when they heard men break in and attack the third. After repeated calls to the police over half an hour, the roommate's screams stopped, and they assumed the police had arrived. They went downstairs and were held captive, raped, robbed, beaten, and forced to commit sexual acts upon one another and to submit to the attackers' sexual demands for 14 hours. The police had lost track of the repeated calls for assistance. DC's highest court ruled that the police do not have a legal responsibility to provide personal protection to individuals, and absolved the police and the city of any liability.
Cute, isn't it? The police "lose" the phone calls, don't respond for hours and then get absolved of all liability for the hell that those people had to go through. Remember that story the next time you are talking to someone who tells you that the police will protect you. They won't -- even if you live somewhere with a police force that's more competent than DC, it will still take them several minutes to arrive. Until they get there you are on your own. You'd best be prepared.
"If you spend all your time childproofing the world you won't have any time to worldproof your child."
I saw that in a sig awhile ago. Don't remember from who. It's a great one though.
There are towns in the US in which every aid need be applied to protect kids. Some places are simply way too dangerous.
This might also be useful for law enforcement as well as personal protection in that people can prove that they were not in a certain place at a certain time. For example many men have a problem with former wives who imagine that the old ex is stalking them. Having solid proof that your former mate is a dingbat could offer serious lega
Personally I wouldn't use this for teenagers because at that age, they have matured enough that they deserve a little privacy, and they will be going to difference places and such as part of their normal social life. However, for pre-teens, they generally will not be going anywhere but the places you expect them to. If they're not at those places, then they're generally in trouble (whether they've wandered off on accident, been abducted, or are just being mischievous). I don't see how this bracelet really compromises much convenience on their part, so personally I wouldn't hesitate to use it on younger children.
> I don't see how this bracelet really compromises much convenience on their
> part, so personally I wouldn't hesitate to use it on younger children.
20 years later:
"Dad...about that nasty cancer growth...
At 12 I was biking to work, a carnival type job and legal. Preteen. Really you have to know your child, but I also think you have to prepare them. For some I think those the do the former, would not do the latter. And those that would track their child, wouldn't care to teach them to take care of themselves. I don't know what the cut off should be, but either they should have direct supervision in a safe environment, limited freedom, or full freedom. A lot can happen when you are looking up the child's loca
If you think 13 is a magic age where children suddenly deserve privacy of their whereabouts, heck no.
That privilege is @ the parents' discretion. Usually people under age 17 must at all times tell their parents where exactly they are going, at what times. Typically parents just have to believe them, because it would be too inconvenient to have them watched at every moment, and well-behaved teens don't need it.
And their parents may use any method at their disposal to verify the children are at the pl
And then your kids will sneak out of your house or get very, very lonely.
If you think 13 is a magic age where children suddenly deserve privacy of their whereabouts, heck no.
That privilege is @ the parents' discretion. Usually people under age 17 must at all times tell their parents where exactly they are going, at what times. Typically parents just have to believe them, because it would be too inconvenient to have them watched at every moment, and well-behaved teens don't need it.
Why would people under the age of 17 have to have little locational privacy? Personally when I was 13-ish I simply stopped telling my parents where I am, usually through either flat out lying or through giving nonspecific information, simply felt I didn't want them quite knowing where I am. Besides, if there was any sort of trouble, I always had my cell phone with me so it wasn't like I magically vanished out of sight
However, nowadays, when I'm 21-ish my parents still keep pestering me about where I am and I _still_ don't tell them. Just goes to show parents never learn, ever.
Personally I wouldn't use this for teenagers because at that age, they have matured enough that they deserve a little privacy
That, plus if you look at the picture then there's no way in hell that any teenager would be seen dead with that thing on their wrist
"Personally I wouldn't use this for teenagers because at that age, they have matured enough that they deserve a little privacy, and they will be going to difference places and such as part of their normal social life. However, for pre-teens, they generally will not be going anywhere but the places you expect them to. If they're not at those places, then they're generally in trouble (whether they've wandered off on accident, been abducted, or are just being mischievous). I don't see how this bracelet really
1. Extend functionality to provide automatic electroshock to BRAT moving beyond configured away-from-home radius
2. ?
Yes, because if your child is abducted you want to make sure that in addition to whatever fear of the kidnappers they have that they are in pain from electroshock too.
Spoken like a moron that doesn't have children, and probably shouldn't be allowed to.
Extend functionality to provide automatic electroshock to BRAT moving beyond configured away-from-home radius
This has existed for dogs for about a decade...
What is it with the large proportion of parents who feel it suddenly is necessary, though? I'm a parent, and he may still be less than 18 months old and so not going very far, but both me and my wife feel that a lot of this stuff (including net nanny monitors) is overkill and is just going to destroy the child's concepts of trust, personal space and self-reliance.
Instill good values in your child and do your job as a parent and you can't go far wrong. Start to let technology do your job for you (because, shock-horror, the other alternative is putting in effort and teaching stuff to kids) and it'll all go wrong.
Parents have been perfectly capable of looking after their children without GPS tracking for millennia... IMHO with a little trust and good parenting, these devices are completely unnecessary.
A statistically low percentage of child kidnappings, etc, does not in any way assuage the grief and pain of a parent who happens to be one of the unlucky few. As someone else above stated, this is probably not appropriate for teenagers, but rather is suited for young children. The fact that the human race will continue without your child isn't any kind of comfort to a parent. If they make a value judgment that the peace of mind and possible benefit of purchasing one of these is worth the cost, then so be
A statistically larger percentage of child molestation/abduction coming from within the family/trusted friends, surely means this will give the attackers more of an advantage than the defenders.
I thought tagging was for criminals? Free "I Love Big Brother" t-shirt with every watch. Versions 2 monitors for thought crime...
We were perfectly capable of using motorized or animal transportation without seat belts for millennia... IMHO with a little care and good control these devices are completely unnecessary.
It's not that I don't agree with your point, but I don't agree with the argument that you've made. Just because we've gone without something for a long time, and care will mostly mitigate circumstances that would result in an unfavourable result, this does not mean the device is unnecessary or useless.
Now I don't think I s
It's not the kids I wouldn't trust - it's people I entrust them to. It's still years away from me, but I don't think homeschooling is an option.
Just imagine... what if the babysitter is a complete dumbass? Or the teacher? Or the chaperone on the kid's first out-of-state field trip? If the kid's too young to fend for him/herself, most parents would probably (and should!) welcome any additional way to keep track of their kids.
With a little trust and good parenting, ALL of these items are unncessary
If I were subjected to this, the first thing I would do would be to figure out how to remove it without setting of the alarm and then tie it to, say, a car exhaust. If only for the challenge!
On another note, the world may not be more safe or unsafe as it has in the past. The difference is that it has becomes easier to hear about what *does* happen with the internet and such.
That's simple... take it off several times a day claiming it feels uncomfortable.
In other words, set off the alarm intentionally, repeatedly.
Pull the battery. The thing must be transmitting to a local basestation somehow, since GPS is passive (despite the popular press not understanding that basic fact).
Faraday cages aren't exactly high tech and would defeat this also (if you wanted to abduct a kid a van with wire mesh on the inside would do just nicely).
That's funny, I was having a discussion with my mother about how I thought child leashes were stupid and too invasive on the child's freedom.
My mother told me she used to think like that too, until the day she lost one of her children (either me or my brother, don't remember) in a busy place. When that happened she realized that maybe the leashes are stupid, but at least you'll never lose your child in one moment of distraction. Thankfully, she never went though with it
I think a GPS bracelet is a nice compromise between having peace of mind and being too imposing on your child's ability to move and sense of independence. At least when they really are children -- for teenagers it's a different story, IMHO.
I could not agree more. Children are unable to protect themselves and it is physically impossible to stuff enough knowledge into them to make them "safe" while they are still young enough to need protection. The law makes you responsible for both their well-being and their actions and to not keep track of where they are is irresponsible. As long as you are not required to put a state-reporting bracelet on your children, and this remains a matter of choice for parents, then I see it as a useful and valid opt
when the watch battery is dead
do you replace the watch ?
or do you replace the kid ?
you probably would rather replace parents
It might not harm them directly (except for taunts from other children about how they're still being watched by their parents, any possible effects of having a GPS transmitter strapped to a wrist, and the degredation of their self-belief, self-reliance and understanding of personal space) but it'll harm the parent's bank balance.
£150 for a watch for a kid (not known to be the most careful of individuals with items of worth), plus a monthly contract?!?
We live in a world where there are 8 year olds with iphones.
A £150 watch is nothing..
We also live in a world where the parents are still on five year old Nokia 3510s with Pay As You Go sim-cards that get topped up every six months or so
Hey, we should use devices like this to get children used to the idea of being watched constantly. . .
Then, when they are adults, they won't mind Big Brother watching every little thing they do. It's for their safety, after all!
oh, for fsk sake. have you people lost your damn minds?
"lets get our children used to electronic monitoring early"
We have a device like that here allready, we use it for work release from jail.
How about we raise children that we trust out of our sight?
If you need to track your children like criminals, then I feel sorry for you.
sort of.
oh, for fsk sake. have you people lost your damn minds? "lets get our children used to electronic monitoring early"
Long term this is a real concern. If this took off in 40 years time people might not feel safe unless they are tracked electronically, or at least associate being tracked with being safe. It would be quite easy for a government to address their concerns...
Meanwhile I see mothers using phones (illegally, here) while driving their kids to school and weaving across the road. That's not a "perceived" danger. They let their kids get fat. Also not a perceived danger. They don't teach them the dangers of alcohol, which will kill far more people prematurely than all the world's pedophiles and kidnappers.
We really do need to get across the idea that something can be technically feasible and yet undesirable, because a significant number of people do not get it. And in thirty years time the world is going to be run by people still metaphorically tied to mommy's apron, infantilised by never being given any freedom or responsibility. It's not a nice thought.
As a parent of an autistic child with escape artist tendencies, I would love to have this kind of watch. That is, assuming that my kid will wear it for more than 5 minutes in a row without trying to cut it off.
My kid is 10 and incredibly fast. He doesn't understand the concepts of safety and fear, and is constantly figuring out ways to break our locks to go out wandering alone (he's even done it at school, which was actually a bit funny because he took off running in front of the principal, so for the first few minutes there was a gaggle of huffing and puffing teachers and secretaries chasing through an apartment complex until the cops arrived). A watch like this, combined with some kind of alarm could help us keep him alive and unharmed until he is 18.
... will have run out of money. That "montly subscription" is sure as hell gonna wring every last buck out of yout wallet once they got you hooked.
Almost all child abuse is from family members. Wearing a GPS watch won't help to stop the step dad from hurting the kid. Abuse or abduction by strangers is so rare that it is hardly worth mentioning. All this does is extract money from parents and lets them pretend the danger is somewhere that it isn't.
I used to walk to school and walk home by myself when I was like 6 or 7. Now, a child of that age isn't allowed to leave the school building unless a parent or someone else "on the list" appears to pick them up.
I don't know if the number of child abductions and other such things have gone up. I know that attention to those incidents is certainly increased. I just have to wonder if there are really significant differences between now and then or if we are just becoming increasingly paranoid without good r
Considering most situations where a parent would use this (park / mall / large crowds), does it really need "satellite" tracking abilities? I would imagine just a standard beacon transmitter and receiver would be enough. Most of the scenarios I can imagine would be where the child was within 1 mile of the parent, if not less.
Also, I'd have to imagine that if someone is depraved enough to "kidnap" a kid, they know to cut off the watch and backpack / etc.
I've always wondered why reporters/contractors in Iraq & Afghanistan don't get stuff like this (preferably sub-dermal). Is it easy to detect/block/ineffective or simply too much for oil companies/news organizations to spend ~$400 on a statistically significant number of their employees?
Jeez... I was going to mod this one, but as a parent, I've just got to weigh in. Those of you acting like it's some police state conspiracy to track my four-year old, really have no idea what you're talking about. It doesn't change my attitude about keeping an eye on him, it's not invasive or dehumanizing, and the kid doesn't care --the kid probably doesn't even understand. He'd think it was cool to have his own watch.
I lost track of the little guy at a theme park about a year ago when he ran off while I was --ahem-- indisposed in the restroom. We found him 10 minutes later, but it took weeks to get back in my wife's good graces. He's typically obedient, but these things happen --and no, training him in karate, giving him a copy of the Fountainhead, or some other moronic suggestion wouldn't have helped. As he becomes more capable of self-governance and demonstrates responsibility, we will give him increasing autonomy.
Things are not as simple as they seems at first. - Edward Thorp


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Lexington, Ky. (WKYT) - Melissa Hall, a Lexington woman is taking her mission to Facebook. She has set up a Facebook Page, Called, Blanket Drive for NYC.
Hall hopes to fill a U-Haul truck with supplies tomorrow.
After seeing the devastation on TV in New York City after Sandy and now a nor'easter, Hall felt compelled to help out. She started collecting blankets and other supplies from friends and family.
But, knowing how great the need is for those without power, she's hoping that others will join in.
She's going to drive the materials to New York and may even spend a few hours volunteering.
"I think it's going into great hands. I'm working with a New York City rescue mission. They're going to be able to give it to the people, some that are most in need, low income homeless people, just to people who have been affected and even with the weather, just in great ways," says Hall.
Hall is asking for those who are interested in helping out to visit her Facebook Page and she will make plans to pick up your donations.
Hall plans to leave Lexington to New York City by 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
In addition to blankets, she is collecting men's clothing and toiletry items.


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Currently, the second phase of SCVTA's planned extension of the regional BART system is in project development. This 24-month project phase includes refining the project scope, state and federal environmental reviews and identifying and solidifying a funding plan. Up until now, the funding plan was comprised of only local and federal money.
SCVTA explainted the adopted budget bill and a series of "trailer bills" implement two aspects of the Cap and Trade expenditure plan: a budget year (2014-15) appropriation with fixed dollar amounts going to specified programs and, in 2015-16 and thereafter, specified programs will receive set percentages of annual Cap and Trade proceeds. Most significantly, beginning in fiscal year 2015, 15 percent of Cap and Trade revenues will be specifically dedicated to regional and local public transit purposes.
SCVTA's BART Silicon Valley Extension Phase II is positioned to compete for this funding because the project meets the criteria of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, auto trips and vehicle miles traveled, as well as its integration into the overall local, regional and state transit network, including the future high-speed rail system. SCVTA will pursue Cap and Trade revenues to supplement local and federal dollars and meet its long-standing commitment to bring BART through downtown San Jose.
"Drought, flooding, water scarcity and air pollution are direct consequences of climate change which negatively impact people's livelihoods, health and our ecosystem," stated Ash Kalra, SCVTA Board chair. "Transportation contributes nearly 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in California. Cars, trucks and transit must be part of any strategy preventing or reducing the impacts of climate change. VTA's extension of BART will significantly reduce greenhouse gasses and improve our quality of life here in Silicon Valley."


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Penang Marathon ...
|Esplanade in action - Every 1st Saturday of the month
|Written by Administrator II
|Thursday, 21 January 2010 17:35
Date: 6th February 2010 (Every 1st Saturday of the Month)
Time: 8.30pm to 10pm
Venue: Esplanade, Penang
Organised by the Penang State Tourism Development & Culture, Esplanade In Action showcases a series of programmes on the first Saturday of every month at historical Esplanade in providing an insight to the culture of Penang through performances and activities as a form of entertainment which is opened free for all.
email message from Mr Mark Walker :
It was a truly great evening, good dancers, sound system worked well & the weather was fine.
A lot of thought had obviously gone into the programme to emphasise the cultural mix and heritage of Malaysia & Penang. All the artists looked like they were really enjoying performing & it was very professional.
We live in Penang and this was one of the best free nights out we have had for a long time. Well done
|Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 February 2010 00:50


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Submission + - Startup Company GreenThrottle Turns Your Android Smartphone Into a Game Console (hothardware.com)
MojoKid writes: "Time we spend making calls on smartphones pales in comparison to the other activities we use it for, like surfing the web, logging into Facebook, streaming music and video, and of course playing games. It's that latter functionality that a startup called Green Throttle wants to tap into, and given the horsepower of today's smartphones, it makes a lot of sense. The company envisions harnessing the power of today's well-equipped Android smartphones and tablets in order to play console-like games on your HDTV. Right now the concept is limited to select devices — Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy S II and S III, HTC One X, Kindle Fire HD, and Asus Transformer — though the company says it's adding to the list quickly. The system is fairly simple. You load Green Throttle's Arena app on your compatible device and start gaming using the company's Bluetooth-enabled Atlas controller, which looks a lot like an Xbox 360 controller, then push your phone's HDMI output to an HDTV."


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There you go Pando!!. I was not satisfied with my answer, but pand had posted a great set of duties one had to perform as DBA.
Good job pando.
Sam :)
Results 11 to 12 of 12
Thread: I am sarting as junior dba today
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ENGL 337 African American Literature I: Slave Narrative & Early African American Literary Tradition (1)
This course is a study of origins of African American literary and vernacular tradition. Formal and thematic analysis of this tradition in 18th century and Antebellum America (with some examination of Britain). A goal is to understand the influence of this tradition on form and focus of contemporary African American Writers.
- Prerequisite: Previous 100- or 200- level English course.
- Offering: Alternate years
- Instructor: Staff


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Sydney Law School Postgraduate Conference: Crossing Boundaries
1 November 2012 to 2 November 2012
To register and secure your online payment pleaseclick here
Call for Papers
Deadline 31 August 2012
The University of Sydney Postgraduate Law Conference brings together postgraduate research students and scholars from across the Asia Pacific region. The conference aims to give research students the opportunity to present their work to their peers and to leading academics, in a supportive and collaborative environment. In 2012, the theme of the conference is "Crossing Boundaries." The Postgraduate Law Research Students Committee invites research students in law and related disciplines (including sociology, cultural studies, philosophy, political economy, history, economics and business) to submit paper proposals that engage with this theme.
The conference theme seeks to provoke thinking about the form and role of 'boundaries' in our discipline, in our work and in our lives, and the role of research in 'crossing' these boundaries. The law as a discipline is replete with boundaries: between law and equity; between domestic and international jurisdictions; between private and public law. In our research we encounter and often challenge the boundaries of accepted methods of inquiry: doctrinal; anthropological; philosophical; sociological. And in our lives as aspiring scholars we meet the boundaries of our own limitations, often made explicit in the charting of our failures and successes throughout the research process. The idea of 'boundaries' and in some cases the aspiration to cross these boundaries, thus shapes our subjects of inquiry, our selection of method and the scope and substance of our endeavours.
We invite paper proposals that draw upon student's own research and experience to illuminate the broad theme of 'crossing boundaries.' We are interested in, amongst other things, the ways that the idea of 'boundaries' might emerge as a material legal concept (for example, in migration, border control, jurisdiction, constitutionalism, rights, criminal law, privacy, intellectual property, health law, emerging areas of law connected to the internet or nanotechnology) or in a more reflexive sense, in the way that the idea of 'boundaries' might constrain (or enliven) our approach to a chosen field of inquiry.
Various prizes will be awarded for the best written papers, including the prestigious University of Sydney Postgraduate Law Conference Prize. The winner of the prize for the best paper presented at the conference will be invited to submit their paper for publication in the Sydney Law Review.'
Keynote Speaker
The keynote speaker at the conference will be Professor Martin Krygier. Professor Krygier is the Gordon Samuels Professor of Law and Social Theory at the University of New South Wales and an Adjunct Professor at the Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet) at the Australian National University. He is also Co-Director of the Network for Interdisciplinary Studies of Law, based at the University of New South Wales. Professor Krygier's most recent book is Philip Selznick: Ideals in the World (Stanford University Press, 2012).
The conference will take place at the New Law School Building, University of Sydney. Day one will include the keynote address and concurrent presentation sessions. Day two will run as a half day and involve discussion sessions on the PhD experience facilitated by leading academics.
Students are welcome to attend without presenting. Some funding is available to meet the travel and accommodation costs of students who are coming from inter-state and are presenting papers.
Deadline for Abstracts
Friday 31 August 2012
Click here for more details and to register
Time: TBA
Location: Sydney Law School, Building F10, Eastern Avenue, University of Sydney
Cost: Full Fee: $22 (incl GST) Early Bird Registration: $11 (incl GST)
Contact: Postgraduate Law Research Students Committee


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Scientific Summer School Events
- 6-Sep-13
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West Coast Algebraic Topology Summer School 2013
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
- 8-Jul-13
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UW RTG IPDE Summer School 2013
Research Training Group: Inverse Problems and Partial Differential Equations  more››
University of Washington
- 14-Jun-13
- 28-Jun-13
Summer School on Optimization at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
- 10-Jun-13
- 20-Jun-13
Recent advances in Hodge theory: period domains, algebraic cycles, and arithmetic
Each day will focus on a single major theme: 1) Algebraic cycles and the Hodge Conjecture 2) Arithmetic aspects of cycles and period maps 3) Period domains and their compactifications 4) Mumford-Tate groups and representa  more››
University of British Columbia
- 12-Aug-12
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Monterey, California
- 27-Jul-12
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Summer School and Conference in Cohomology and Support in Representation Theory and Related Topics
Cohomology and support in representations theory, Commutative algebra, Triangulated categories and related topics.  more››
University of Washington
- 23-Jul-12
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Fluid dynamics refers to the motion of liquids and gases as well as more exotic deformable states of matter including plasmas, magma, slurries, etc. Modern fluid dynamics research is a paradigm of multi-disciplinary science, combining flow experim  more››
University of Alberta
- 16-Jul-12
- 21-Jul-12
West Coast Algebraic Topology Summer School
The scientific goal is to provide a modern introduction to algebraic K-theory, with the aim of bringing participants to the research frontier. In particular,the workshop will focus on the current understanding and interpr  more››
Stanford University
- 2-Jul-12
- 27-Jul-12
Mitacs/PIMS/SFU Summer School for Undergraduates in Algebraic Graph Theory
Algebraic Graph Theory  more››
Simon Fraser University
- 2-Jul-12
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UW RTG IPDE Summer School 2012
Research Training Group Inverse Problems and Partial Differential Equations A three-week summer school giving advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students the opportunity to study with the  more››
University of Washington
- 25-Jun-12
- 6-Jul-12
Séminaire de Mathématiques Supérieures: Probabilistic Combinatorics
Chance has no place in well-planned methodologies. Every i should be dotted, every t should be crossed. In combinatorics, at least, nothing could be further from the truth. Probabilistic methods have played an ever increasing r  more››
Université de Montréal
- 17-May-12
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PIMS-Mprime-CDM Summer School on Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases
The scientific program of the summer school consists of a variety of formats including short courses, case studies, public lectures and group projects. For details, please refer to the official website below.  more››
University of Alberta
- 1-May-12
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Mathematical Cell Biology Graduate (Web-Based) Summer Course
Tentative list of topics Pattern formation and cellular polarization Intracellular signaling Microscopy methods and biological data analysis Biopolymers and assembly kinetics   more››
University of British Columbia
- 4-Jul-11
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Gene Golub SIAM Summer School 2011
Waves and Imaging  more››
University of British Columbia
- 27-Jun-11
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Séminaire de Mathématiques Supérieures: Metric-measure Spaces
Metric-measure Spaces: Geometric and Analytic Aspects  more››
Université de Montréal
- 8-Aug-10
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Homotopy Theory of Moduli Spaces: the Mumford Conjecture on the stable cohomology of mapping class groups as resolved by Madsen-Tillmann Weiss, cobordism categories, stability theorems and other recent developments  more››
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
- 6-Aug-10
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Volcanology, specifically rapid granular flows or pyroclastic flows, provides an excellent scientific motivation and backdrop to investigate the collaborative application of computational models, statistical methods, and risk analysis. Volcanoes p  more››
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- 23-Jul-10
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This three-day workshop will focus on the mathematical aspects of quantum information: algorithms, computational models and foundations of quantum mechanics. It will serve as a focal point for experts in quantum information science to present th  more››
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- 17-Jul-10
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10th Canadian Summer School on Quantum Information
This is an event organized by the CRG in Mathematics of Quantum Information  more››
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Topic: Getting Started
O'Reilly Network articles about this topic:
Sharing Internet Connections
(BSD DevCenter)
Protecting your computer when you're online is good. If you have multiple computers in your home or small business, protecting all of them is also good--especially if you can share your internet connection. Dru Lavigne demonstrates how to allow other computers to use the network safely with a FreeBSD or similar Unix system and fwbuilder.
Building a Desktop Firewall
(BSD DevCenter)
By now, many internet users know that they need a firewall to protect their computers while they're online. Knowing that doesn't convey the knowledge of how to create and maintain a firewall. A nice GUI firewall builder called fwbuilder makes it possible to set up a working firewall in ten minutes--on Linux, *BSD, and Mac OS X. Dru Lavigne shows how it works on FreeBSD.
Using DesktopBSD
(BSD DevCenter)
A few user-friendly distributions of FreeBSD have appeared lately. DesktopBSD is a user-friendly variant of FreeBSD 5.5 that is suitable even for Unix novices. Dru Lavigne walks through the installation and use of DesktopBSD to provide a modern, powerful workstation.
Using PC-BSD
(BSD DevCenter)
A few user-friendly distributions of FreeBSD have appeared lately. PC-BSD is one suitable for the corporate and home desktops, even those of users unfamiliar with Unix. Dru Lavigne walks through the installation and configuration of PC-BSD to provide a modern, powerful workstation.
FreeBSD Tips and Tricks for 2005
(BSD DevCenter)
The nice thing about F/OSS is that it grows too fast for anyone to keep track of everything new. In her second annual exploration of new things she missed the first time around, Dru Lavigne discovers installed FreeBSD logos, CLI dialog boxes, rescue utilities, more articles, a run-level GUI, saved ports options, and RSS readers.
More FreeBSD for Linux Users
(SysAdmin DevCenter)
BSD and Linux are both Unix workalikes. How different can they be? In certain cases, very! Though the systems share a family tree, their differences sometimes stand out. Dru Lavigne explains FreeBSD's directory layout, devices, kernel modules, and terminology to Linux users.
FreeBSD for Linux Users
(SysAdmin DevCenter)
BSD and Linux are both Unix workalikes. How different can they be? In certain cases, very! Though the systems share a family tree, their differences sometimes stand out. Dru Lavigne explains FreeBSD's runlevels, startup scripts, kernel configuration, and documentation systems to Linux users.
Odds and Ends
(BSD DevCenter)
The end of year holidays bring a chance to reconnect with friends, family, and Unix. At least, they do in Dru Lavigne's household. The FreeBSD columnist shares a few odds and ends on getting to know Unix better.
The SSH Cryptosystem
(BSD DevCenter)
OpenSSH encrypts sessions between two machines, making packet sniffing much more difficult. In the second of a series on Cryptosystems, Dru Lavigne explores the default configuration of OpenSSH on FreeBSD and demonstrates how to enable key pair encryption.
Cryptographic Terminology 101
(BSD DevCenter)
No matter how good your internal security, your data isn't safe if it's sent externally as plain text. To protect your sensitive information from prying eyes, you need cryptography. Dru Lavigne's latest column gives a crash course on this field's vital terminology.
Turn FreeBSD into a Multimedia Workstation
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru Lavigne explores the world of FreeBSD on the desktop by rebuilding the system from source and installing all of the common desktop components.
Installing OpenBSD 3.1
(BSD DevCenter)
Michael Lucas relates his experiences installing OpenBSD.
Advanced Control Structures
(PHP DevCenter)
John Coggeshall introduces advanced control structures and techniques, including multi-conditional "if" statements and an introduction to the "for" statement.
Basic Control Structures
(PHP DevCenter)
John Coggeshall covers the basics of program control structures, including conditional statements and looping using the if and while statements in PHP.
Variable Manipulation and Output
(PHP DevCenter)
John Coggeshall covers basic variable manipulation and output, including math operators and strings.
Basic PHP Syntax
(PHP DevCenter)
John Coggeshall covers basic PHP syntax, including variable usage, variable types, and how to print variables to the web browser.
Working With Text
(BSD DevCenter)
Text files are a basic part of life on a Unix system. Dru shows us how to use the standard text tools like cat, more and redirection operators.
Read The Friendly Manpage! -- Part Two
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru continues the tutorial on understanding manpages and teaches us something about formatted text, unformatted text, compressed data, and control characters.
Customizing mrtg
(BSD DevCenter)
Part II in setting up BSD as a network status monitoring system using
mrtg. Michael Lucas shows us how to custom tailor the
mrtg reports.
Read The Friendly Manpage! -- A Tutorial
(BSD DevCenter)
Have you been told to RTFM, but don't know where to start? Dru Lavigne explains the
man documentation system in an easy to understand tutorial.
Understanding Shell Prompts
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru explains the cryptic configuration of shell prompts and shows us how to set them for the most common shells.
An Introduction to Unix Permissions -- Part Two
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru continues the tutorial on Unix permissions and shows us how to modify them using 'chmod'.
An Introduction to Unix Permissions
(BSD DevCenter)
In the first of a two-part series, Dru covers the basics of permissions on files and directories.
Understanding E-Mail
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru takes us deep into the mysteries of E-mail in an attempt to demystify terms such as "MUA", "MTA", and "IMAP4".
Networking with TCP/IP
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru explains the basics of TCP/IP networking and gives examples of how to use it on FreeBSD. This also makes great reading for Linux and other operating systems that utilize the TCP/IP networking stack.
Using Ethereal
(BSD DevCenter)
Wondering what's going on with your network? Dru explains how to use Ethereal, a graphical network monitoring package that is easy to use and understand. Learn how to capture packets and monitor network traffic.
Useful Commands
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru introduces several useful commands for things like scrolling through virtual terminals and checking date, time, and current working directory.
Customizing the Login Shell
(BSD DevCenter)
Dru shows us the basics of shell configuration and explains the difference between login and non-login shells.
NetBSD for the FreeBSD User: Customizations
(BSD DevCenter)
Turn a stock NetBSD installation into a usable machine. Includes basic configuration and installation of important software packages.
Customizing Your Desktop Environment
(BSD DevCenter)
Customizing the XFCE Window Manager for the X Window System.
Connecting to the Internet
(Linux DevCenter)
This week's column shows where to get the latest Linux documentation for connecting to the Internet and how to set up a dial-up connection.
Other documents about this topic:
Below are other references available on the web for this topic. Since other sites may change their links, please if you find any that may need to be updated.
The FreeBSD Handbook
A solid work with multiple contributors, the handbook provides some user-level coverage but concentrates on the needs of system and network administrators. [Source: FreeBSD.org]
OpenBSD FAQ
A well-maintained hyperlinked FAQ that is as informative as it is easy to use. The maintainers do a nice job of pointing users elsewhere for more detailed information. [Source: OpenBSD]
FreeBSD Documentation
A complete list of documentation pertaining to FreeBSD. [Source: FreeBSD.org]


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Legendary Gibson guitarists Peter Frampton and B.B. King will play the Musikfest stage this summer in Bethlehem, PA. The two musicians will share the Sands Steel Stage on August 5 as part of Frampton's Guitar Circus project. Read more at Musikfest.org.
Also featured in the Guitar Circus appearance will be guitarist Sonny Landreth, whom Eric Clapton calls "probably the most underestimated musician on the planet and also probably one of the most advanced."
2013 marks Musikfest's 30th year.
Read more about Peter Frampton. Read more about B.B King and his Gibson guitars.


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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A state senator said he has filed an ethics complaint against a delegate who asked him to support a provision in a bill that would have made it easier for that delegate to repay about $75,000 in penalties he owes to a state real estate fund.
The Capital of Annapolis reported Friday that Sen. Edward Reilly, R-Anne Arundel, filed the complaint against Delegate Tony McConkey, R-Anne Arundel. It came after McConkey yelled at Reilly when he said he did not support the provision in the bill and was going to try to have it removed.
"He then yelled at me and cursed me and I asked him to leave my office, but he refused," Reilly told the newspaper, recounting a meeting the two had on the last day of the session on Monday. "I picked up the phone and called the Maryland state troopers, who came over and led him out of my office."
A state police spokesman said Thursday that two troopers responded to the call, and McConkey left when they asked.
McConkey was seeking an amendment to a bill to extend the life of the state commission that monitors real estate agents. It would have made it easier for McConkey to repay about $75,000 he owes to the Maryland Real Estate Guaranty Fund by reducing the interest rate on penalties.
McConkey owes the fund money for restitution to three real estate clients, according to state records. He has maintained his innocence in the cases, but entered the civil settlement freely, according to Maryland Real Estate Commission records.
Reilly was a member of a conference committee who was working to reconcile differences in the bill between the House and Senate.
McConkey did not respond to a request by the newspaper seeking comment, but he denied any conflict of interest last week.
The Washington Post first reported on the amendment McConkey was seeking.
Calls to both men's offices by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.
The amendment, which was stripped out of the bill, also would have made it easier for McConkey to have his real estate license reinstated in Maryland after it was revoked in 2010 as part of the settlement. Under the amended law, licenses could be reinstated if an agent was making payments into the fund.
In an April 10 letter to the General Assembly's Ethics Committee, Reilly accused McConkey of misrepresenting a committee advisory statement concerning the case, The Capital reported.
"When the delegate came to me to discuss this issue, he indicated that he had an Ethics Committee letter indicating that he was in compliance with the ethics rule," Reilly wrote. "As I read the (committee's) letter, I strongly disagree."
William Somerville, the General Assembly's ethics adviser, said Thursday he could not confirm if a complaint has been received. All deliberations are confidential, but the accused or the accuser can make the findings public. The committee could refer a case to the House of Delegates for punishments such as reprimand, censure and expulsion.
Information from: The Capital of Annapolis, Md., http://www.hometownannapolis.com
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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The Steelers are moving towards a D that does not have to substitute. If you play undersized pass rushers at DE throughout a game, they will get worn out and run over.
You can find a DE to rush the passer, but they are typically undersized guys who play in sub packages. I'm talking about complete DEs that can play the run and pass. They're hard to come by. Don't take my word for it; Tomlin is the one who said that it is easier to find players for the 3-4.
Look at the names on your list:
Robert Mathis - 12 years
Robert Quinn - 4 years
Greg Hardy - 5 years
Mario Williams - 9 years
Cameron Jordan - 4 years
Junior Galette - 5 years
John Abraham - 15 years
Jared Allen - 11 years
Chandler Jones - 3 years
Olivier Vernon - 3 years
No rookies...
Of the sack artists on that list, only two of them exceeded 5 sacks during their first NFL season...Allen and Vernon...not even Mario Williams, #1 overall pick, could record 5 sacks as a rookie...
How many exceeded 10 sacks during their first NFL season?
Regardless of position, it takes most players at least a year to acclimate to the NFL...usually, it takes more than one year for a pass rusher to accumulate a double digit sack total...
Point out all you want that none of the DE mentioned exceeded 5 sacks, but I bet all or most had more than the 1 Jarvis Jones had. Also, I bet these guys typically played more than an OLB typically plays in our system as a rookie.
It isn't as though those guys came into the NFL recording double digit sacks their respective rookie years...
Dion J 6'6" 250 can go to any team as DE or LB
Ditto for
All three coveted by EVERY TEAM IN THE NFL. All three drafted TOP 6. Despite modest college production the are long gone before we draft.
Jarvis Jones a college 3/4 LB who specializes in pass rush leading the country is ONLY a consideration of 3/4 teams, we draft him at 17. HE IS THW ONLY PASS RUSH SPECIALIST taken by a 3/4 team in the first. EVERY SINGLE TWEENER was gobbled up by a 4/3 team with a top 6 pick.
It is simple numbers. EVERYONE IN THE NFL wants 6'5' 250.
6'2" 240 pass rush specialists only gets first round interest from half the teams.
Another way to look at it is we essentially have twice the talent pool. It is easier for us because we CAN TAKE 6'6" 250, but are not LIMITED to that guy as our prototype.
The same when it comes to OUR DE options. We get Heyward and Tuitt, WHO ARE OUR PROTOTYPES, way later than prototype Dline 4/3 guys. Nix went with what could have been OUR 3RD ROUND pick.
If Woodley or Jones were 6'6" 250 the would go top 10 EASY.
Last edited by Captain Lemming; 06-18-2014 at 04:26 PM.
Never thought of Ansah as a tweener, he was full on 43 DE to me, lebeau loved him though


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50m PSPs
sold shipped globally, says Sony
There's life in the old gal yet
Sony has announced that 50m PlayStation Portables (PSP) have now been shipped worldwide.
The figure's the combined shipment total, correct as of January 2009, for all three generations of PSP: the 1000, 2000 and the troublesome 3000.
It's worth noting that Sony's quoted figure is a "sell-in" number. So although the Japanese electronics giant has shipped 50m PSPs to retailers around the globe, the firm isn't willing to disclose how many have actually been purchased by gamers.
According to recent figures from market watcher GfK Chart Track, the PSP's installed base in the UK is currently around 3.2m units.
Not that Sony's chief rival need worry. Nintendo has sold over 96m Nintendo DS handheld consoles around the world - almost twice as many as Sony has managed. The Nintendo figure includes DSi sales. ®
Sponsored: Minds Mastering Machines - Call for papers now open


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Discussion in 'The Bar' started by Johnny Chimpo, Feb 5, 2013.
dont be a lazy negro and click the link. Im saving Dawgs bandwidth
I'm scared. Should I click.
did hit. Lol Chrizer
Euro firemen have super gay helmets
They look really fucking bored too
great picture but those firemen have the worst looking helmets ever.
is the driver ok?
They look like Storm Troopers.
closer to jesus now
flesh wound
walk it off
true dat
damn shame.
such a beautiful car.
Gnarly.....I saw a hot-shot go from 90 to zero in a late model Corvette when he encountered a tree, several years ago. About 15 or 20 seconds, a huge black mushroom cloud erupted, and something magnesium in the engine started burning white hot. Thankfully the smoke and flames obscured any view of the interior.
he'll shake it off no problem
You can tell from the corpse of the chick riding with him that she was hot.
Like, smokin' hot.
Hello. My name is Toastington


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Child Advocacy Centers in both Grayson and Fannin counties are trying to recover after funding they normally receive didn't make it their way this year.
Fannin County Child Advocacy Center Director Sandy Barber was surprised when she heard the news last month that her organizations was not going to receive their annual funding from the state. "Currently we have an opening with the CAC, we had already started interviewing to replace that person, however because of that funding cut, we have had to put a hiring freeze on for right now."
This year, the state of Texas received two million less in victims of Crime Act Funds (VOCA). That means centers in both Grayson and Fannin Counties lost just under $50,000 dollars each (that's 16 percent of the budget for Fannin County). A loss of staffing could be very detrimental to their goal. "We have specially trained staff that know how to interview those children without being leading or suggestive or things like that."
The loss has caused the centers to rely on the publics help to make up for the lost money, but the lack of funding is not the only problem hampering the centers. "Children are having to spend the night in CPS offices because there are flat out no foster homes."
Barber says more and more children are left without a home, putting a strain on child protective services and on the children themselves. "They think no one in the state of Texas wants me or wants to take me in and so its really heartbreaking and difficult."
Now officials with both offices are doing what they can to make up some of the lost money, but a lack of funding is not the only problem they have solve.
Fannin County Children's Advocacy Center Foster and Adoption Home Informational Meeting is on Tuesday, August 7 from 6:30-8:30 pm. For more information, call (903) 583-4339.


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From the Wires
Music Streaming Service JUKE Launches a Joint Campaign With Mobile Operator, Sunrise in Switzerland
By: Business Wire
Nov. 26, 2012 09:04 AM
European music streaming subscription service, JUKE has joined forces with telecommunications provider Sunrise to offer a special music promotion to their customers.
JUKE is on offer in two different options at Sunrise: existing customers may choose the Sunrise music flex by JUKE option for CHF 10.95 (instead of CHF 12.95) per month with a minimum period of three months or the Sunrise music flat by JUKE option, which is available for new customers and/or contract extensions for CHF 6 (instead of CHF 12.95) per month, with a minimum period of 12 months. Additionally, to mark the launch of this service, Sunrise has introduced a Christmas promotion, effective from now until the end of December. New Sunrise customers signing up for, or renewing their Sunrise Flat 6, Flat 7 or the newly introduced MTV Mobile Maxx (youth rate) contracts, will receive 1 year of JUKE for free based on a 24 month contract.
The JUKE streaming music service offers users access to one of the most comprehensive music libraries in the world. New albums, the latest chart hits, old classics, all-time favourites, rarities – all no problem with JUKE. JUKE is designed for easy operation which makes it incredibly user-friendly. Neither a player nor extra software is required. The user interface is simple and is operated intuitively both online and on mobile end devices. Simply register via myjuke.ch or the free app and start juking. It takes just one click to store tunes or whole albums in playlists using drag & drop. JUKE is also supported by all Sonos® Wireless HiFi systems, so users can stream music in every room of the house without wires, using Sonos Play.
Frank Taubert, JUKE's CEO: "The Sunrise cooperation marks the start of the first joint campaign between JUKE and a mobile phone provider. Sunrise is one of the leading mobile phone providers in Switzerland, and certainly the most innovative, so the ideal partner for our music service. Music streaming is one of the most important developments in the music market and we are delighted that Sunrise is banking on this technology and making great use of JUKE for its Christmas promotion."
Oliver Steil, Sunrise's CEO: "With JUKE we can offer our customers the ultimate in music pleasure and are thus responding as an innovative provider to the growing demand for music streaming."
JUKE works online as well as offline. Simply download the free app (iPhone/iPad, Android or Windows 8), and get instant access to 18 million tunes. All stored playlists are automatically synchronised between all end devices being used. This means that users can listen to their own playlists even if there is no Internet connection.
JUKE offers peerless sound quality for all of its tracks which are played in Dolby® Pulse. This audio codec was specially developed to deliver high sound quality even at low bit rates. This means that JUKE can guarantee CD quality at low data rates, even on mobile end devices. The advantages: JUKE streams faster, is stable, and delivers a fantastic, crystal-clear listening experience. On the Web, JUKE automatically streams at a higher bit rate, thus ensuring sublime music pleasure on home sound systems as well.
--Ends --
About JUKE
JUKE, the cloud-based streaming service with one of Europe's biggest music libraries, is a product of 24-7 Entertainment GmbH, Europe's leading service provider for digital music and a subsidiary of the Media-Saturn Group. JUKE currently offers more than 18 million tracks from more than 80,000 labels in every style of music. These can be listened to directly via streaming on a PC, a smartphone or other mobile devices, and tracks can be organised into individual playlists. In order to guarantee optimal sound and error-free streaming, JUKE exclusively uses the new Dolby Pulse technology from Dolby which has long been synonymous with outstanding sound quality. JUKE can be easily accessed with a PC via the website www.myjuke.ch. For mobile devices there is also a free app which make it possible to use JUKE in offline mode as well (iPhone/iPad, Android,Windows 8). The JUKE streaming service costs CHF 12.95 or € 9.99 per month. JUKE's music service is available in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.
About Sunrise
Sunrise is the biggest private telecommunications provider in Switzerland with offices in Zurich, Kloten, Lucerne, Basle, Berne, Biel/Bienne, Renens, Geneva and Lugano. Around 3 million customers use Sunrise products and services in the areas of mobile telephony, landlines, Internet and IPTV. Sunrise TV, the latest generation of entertainment, is exceptional in offering the widest selection of HD stations in its basic package, the "ComeBack TV" and "Live Pause" functions, and a unique variety of TV and radio channels. The corporate client area Business Sunrise offers customised communications solutions to business clients. Sunrise's mobile network, which is based on the GSM, EDGE, UMTS and HSPA+ technologies, provides modern mobile telephony services to 99% of the population with a transmission speed of up to 42 Mbit/s. A high-performance fibre optics network with a total length of 10,000 km enables the provision of high-quality speech and data services throughout the country. Thanks to unbundling, Sunrise's broadband services can reach about 85% of all households. Sunrise operates around 100 Sunrise Centres throughout Switzerland. Sunrise is a brand of Sunrise Communications AG.
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text:
LaGuardia Community College is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for boundary-breaking success educating non-native students. You will have at your disposal New York's largest ESL Program which includes an extensive Education and Language Acquisition Department offering advanced academic courses in 12 modern languages and preparatory courses to help you read, write, and speak English proficiently; With 160 countries represented and 127 native languages spoken by our students, faculty and staff, there is no better place to explore, experiment, and learn. LaGuardia will give you the inspiration and tools you need to take charge, challenge expectations and write your own future.
1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS. All International Students must submit TOEFL scores, unless you are from a country where English is the official language. If your TOEFL scores are below 450, you can enroll in one of LaGuardia's English Language Center's intensive programs, before applying to the College. 2. Submit one of the following to CUNY: A General Freshman Application if you have never attended a high-learning institution in or outside of the United States. Review Freshman Applicant requirements in addition to International Student requirements for more details. A Transfer Application to CUNY if you have attended a higher learning institution in or outside of the United States. This applies even if you are still in your first year, will not transfer credits, or if you're at another CUNY school. Review Transfer Student requirements in addition to International Student requirements for more details. Be sure to complete the correct application, or An application to LaGuardia's TELC for TOEFL preparation courses. 3. Submit the following documents in one complete package to LaGuardia's International Student Services office. Upon approval, LaGuardia will return these documents to you along with the form I-20. • Personal bank statements that demonstrate your ability to finance or partially finance four semesters (two full years) of expenses. • A notarized statement of financial support from each of your sponsors detailing monetary amounts and/or exactly what they will provide (example: room and board, personal expenses, tuition, etc). Statements promising more money than what a sponsor's income will realistically allow will be rejected. No affidavits are needed if you are sponsoring yourself. A sponsor providing a free place to live and free meals (which is worth more than 50% of the estimated dollar amount needed to support a student) must sign an affidavit of free room and board, and provide a copy of his/her property deed or rental lease (housing that is too small or too far from the College will not be accepted). • Proof of sponsor's income on his/her employer's letterhead, or income tax receipts or forms, or estimated income by a bank (letters stating that a sponsor "has enough" will not be accepted; estimated U.S. Dollar amounts must be disclosed). A company's income cannot be accepted as proof of a sponsor's income. Only proof of the official salary paid to a sponsor is accepted. • Scholarship award letters stating scholarship amount and duration. • Note: Submit only original documents, no less than six months old. If the originals are not in English, please supply official translations and convert currencies into U.S. dollars. 4. Once you have been admitted to a full-time program and proven your ability to afford college and living expenses, you must apply to obtain an F-1 Student Visa, which will allow you to enroll in a U.S. college as an international student. B-1/B-2 Tourist Visas and other types of visas cannot be used to enroll in a U.S. college. Take the following to the American Consulate in your country: • The LaGuardia Community College form I-20 • Your acceptance letter (from LaGuardia Community College) • Your passport • Financial support documents • Proof of SEVIS fee payment • Visa fee
You are an International Student if you hold a temporary student visa while enrolled at the College. If you are a resident alien, permanent resident, refugee, or citizen who attended a higher-learning institution in a foreign country, you are a Transfer Student; if you attended a secondary school only and it was in a foreign country, you are a Freshman Applicant.
We're only an email or phone call away. Send specific questions to firstname.lastname@example.com or call 718-482-5000. If you would like to receive general admission information, please use the Admissions Inquiry Form.


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Students at Supinfocom, a four-year digital arts college operated by the Chamber of Commerce in Valenciennes, France, has made a name for the school in the computer graphics arena. That's because for a number of years now, various students from the school have been selected to show their animated short films at the annual SIGGRAPH Animation Festival, either in the prestigious Electronic Theater or Animation Theater. This year, Computer Graphics World was able to get a sneak peek at some of the senior projects that will be submitted to this year's SIGGRAPH and other animation festivals and competitions throughout the world. After viewing these CG movies and visiting the school itself (see the Editor's Note, pg. 1), it is apparent as to why the student works are consistently selected by show juries.
At the school, the focus is on art and art history. To this end, students spend the first two years learning the basics—font design, textures, clay sculpting, composition, brush stroke, and more—before utilizing those skills and concepts within a 3D modeling and animation program. Moreover, video courses instill the necessities of still photography and imagery before the students apply that knowledge to moving images. When they finally are given access to a 3D environment, the school randomly assigns them a software program, either 3ds Max or Maya. After learning the raw principles of 3D animation and modeling, the budding artists turn their attention to a project.
Presented on these two pages are some still images from the various CG animated short films by the 2006 graduating class at Supinfocom. Additional images from the projects will appear in next month's Portfolio section. —Karen Moltenbrey


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Kill the Messenger
Unlike dress shirts, a messenger bag only gets better with the occasional stain. It's not damage; it's character.
Of course, a little waxed cotton helps. These Earnest Alexander messenger bags (via Refinery29) aren't blowing any minds, but it's good to have a source for rugged satchels that just happens to stitch them together in New York—a locale with more than its share of style locavores.
Just be sure it doesn't match your jacket.


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Expenditure Report Reveals Germany Monitors Skype, Google Mail, Facebook Chat 89
hypnosec writes "The German Government has gone a bit too far trying to be transparent, inadvertently revealing that German police monitor Skype, Google Mail, MSN Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and Facebook chat when necessary. The revelations, spotted by the annalist blog, come from a report of expenses incurred by the Federal Ministry of the Interior following a parliamentary inquiry. The report contains lots of tables and as many would find those boring, some highlights: On page 34 and page 37 of the report line item 486 and 265 respectively, represent decoding software for Google Mail, MSN Hotmail, Yahoo Mail for prevention and investigation."


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If the winter holds up much longer, Rick Atwater might just dive into something new. Again.
The licensed counselor deals with the cold by creating. A couple years ago, late in the winter, Atwater decided to put together a radio show about addiction. It was mid-winter almost 30 years prior that he first pitched the Northwest Herald his weekly addiction column. Winter had just passed when he and another guy started Sidekicks, a mentoring program geared toward troubled teens.
"Late in the winter is always the time when something creative happens with me," Atwater said. "Maybe it's cabin fever."
Regardless the reason, the sum of Atwater's endeavors has equaled a busy but fulfilling life, he said, centered on a passion for helping people recover from addiction.
Atwater was classically educated as a counselor, and exited his masters program to a job at a youth services bureau in the 1970s.
Dealing with addiction, specifically, wasn't on his radar – until it was. He declines to say exactly how his life was affected by addiction, but concedes that his interest in helping others with their issues stems to some degree from personal experience.
"Let's just say I had a life change in 1982 – on March 15 of 1982, to be exact," he said. "And that changed my perspective on what I wanted to do professionally."
His career took off not long after. He started writing the column in 1984 and, a year later, founded Northwest Community Counseling with his wife, Moe Ross. Both are still going. His counseling business has grown to encompass three offices – Crystal Lake, Woodstock and West Dundee.
More recently, he decided to start a Sunday night radio show, which can be heard online at recoveryinternetradio.com.
His guests vary in their connection to addiction. Last summer, he brought on a father who lost his daughter to a heroin overdose. He's also hosted the recovering, talked with advocates and debated issues such as marijuana use.
"When I interview people for the show, I'm interested," he said. "I don't know if anyone else is interested, but I am. Maybe my enthusiasm is infectious and people latch onto that. That's great. I don't think about that personally."
Sidekicks came simply from an identified need in the county. Atwater was at a meeting of the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition when someone mentioned – again – that the community needed a way to engage troubled young people. Atwater and another guy peered across the room at each other and knew in that moment, Atwater said, that they were going to get something started.
They did. Meetings with juvenile judges and others engaged in the system later led to the program's mentor-mentee configuration.
"I've seen him create this organization with all of his own funds," said Teri Lindahl, whom Atwater targeted for help because of her background in youth social services. "He yanked me into it. I was sort of dragging my feet."
Still, Sidekicks – which is geared toward but not necessarily reserved for teens struggling through substance abuse – has been slow to pick up in its first year. Mentors are currently paired with four young people, all of whom have come through court referrals.
"I always tell people, the ones that Big Brothers Big Sisters would choose not to work with because of their troubles, we would work with," Atwater said. "The boys and girls that got coal in their stockings."
Atwater has no qualms with taking on the most extreme cases – or issues, for that matter. On a long lists of interests that have captured his attention, heroin awareness is at the top.
"That's my thing," he said. "There's a lot of drug issues in the county and surrounding counties that are troublesome. But the heroin problem, people die regularly from that."
Atwater started the Heroin Awareness Foundation, and serves on the county's Heroin Education/Enforcement Action Task Force, or HEAT.
"You can light it up like fireworks for maybe six or eight weeks, and then all of a sudden it goes dead air again. It just goes silent," he said. "It's so easily forgotten because it's something we don't want to look at. So I'm always chattering, making noise."