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Canada's Amaya Gaming Group has reported a 360 per cent increase in revenues to CAD$18.3m for the third quarter of 2012, with full year revenues expected to be significantly boosted by the company's recently completed Cadillac Jack and Ongame acquisitions.
Amaya said that third quarter revenues were boosted by the inclusion of software licensing and hosted casino revenues from Chartwell and CryptoLogic, as well as an increase in sales of its proprietary Mosino gaming stations.
"We were very pleased with the organic growth of our revenues in the third quarter over the second quarter, which was primarily due to the growth of the licensee bases in Europe of our subsidiaries CryptoLogic and Chartwell," said David Baazov, president and CEO of Amaya.
Total expenses rose 177 per cent to $16.2m, with selling and marketing expenses increasing 106 per cent to $2.7m. General and administrative expenses grew by 173 per cent to $11.8m, driven by a growing employee base due to the Chartwell and CryptoLogic acquisitions and fully staffed operations in Moldova, Armenia, and the Dominican Republic. Consulting fees, amortization costs, and communications expense in connection with generating CryptoLogic's hosted casino revenue also contributed to the increase.
Amaya recorded an adjusted EBITDA of $5.9m for the third quarter, compared to an EBITDA loss of £0.9m a year ago, although this excludes $0.4m of acquisition-related costs and $0.1m of costs to terminate certain employment agreements. Overall, the company generated net earnings of $0.9m for the quarter, compared to a net loss of $1.8m a year ago.
Q3 and Jan-Sep 2012 Results
Canadian Dollars (CAD$) Q3 2011 Q3 2012 Jan-Sep 2011 Jan-Sep 2012
Revenues 4.0m 18.3m 8.9m 39.2m
Cost of Products 0.2m 0.05m 0.4m 0.8m
Gross Profit 3.8m 18.3m 8.5m 38.5m
Total Expenses 5.9m 16.2m 14.2m 45.9m
Net Earnings/(Loss) (1.8m) 0.9m (4.7m) (6.4m)
Basic EPS (0.04) 0.01 (0.11) (0.11)
For the nine month period, total revenues soared 342 per cent to $39.2m. On a regional basis, revenue growth was concentrated in the Caribbean and Europe during the period.
The Caribbean now accounts for 30 per cent of total revenues following an increase in the sale of the company's Mosino gaming stations, while Europe accounts for 66 per cent as the customer base of Chartwell and CryptoLogic are predominantly European. Africa generated just 3 per cent as Amaya shifted away to more profitable markets in North America, Europe and the Caribbean.
A significant rise in total expenses however, up 223 per cent year-on-year to $45.9m, meant that the company widened its net loss to $6.4m for the nine month period.
Following the closure of the Cadillac Jack and Ongame acquisitions earlier this month, Amaya said that it expects fourth quarter revenues to be in the range of $36m to $40m, with adjusted EBITDA of between $13.5m and $15m.
"We're also extremely excited about our recent acquisitions of Cadillac Jack and Ongame," continued Baazov. "Cadillac Jack provides Amaya with an important presence in the United States and the ability to offer physical, virtual, and mobile gaming solutions to our customer base, which addresses a growing trend toward convergence in our industry.
"Additionally, we expect to leverage Amaya's existing customer base in Europe as well as our sales and support staff to place Cadillac Jack's top quality gaming machines in that region.
"Our acquisition of Ongame provides us with a global online poker network reaching 20 million customers that includes 25 of the e-gaming industry's strongest brands. Having a top quality poker engine also positions us to participate in the U.S market as the regulation of online poker evolves. We expect to capitalize on revenue and cost synergies from both acquisitions early in the New Year."
As at September 30th the company held cash and cash equivalents of $99.9m compared to $5.8m a year ago.
Shares in Amaya Gaming Group Inc (Co. Data) (TSX:AYA) will commence trading at $3.87 per share in Toronto later today.
Other sources:


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The Quakes announced their opening day roster. But the season doesn't start until Thursday and changes could be made before then.
The Quakes haven't gotten official word, but it's being reported several places that Angels starting pitcher Scott Kazmir will make a rehab start with the Quakes on Friday.
As for the roster there are a couple of locals: Redlands East Valley HS product RHP Tyler Chatwood (Angels No. 14 prospect, highest Angels prospect on the roster) and Miller HS product LHP Robert Fish (who previously pitched for the Quakes).
Other Angels prospects: No. 15 LHP Will Smith, No. 17 2B Alexi Amarista.
Other 2009 Quakes returning: RHP Jeremy Haynes, RHP Mike Kenney, RHP Eddie McKiernan, RHP Nick Pugliese, RHP Matt Shoemaker, LHP Andrew Taylor, OF Rian Kiniry.
Kiniry is the only position player returning to the Quakes.

subset: commoncrawl


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Monday - Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST
Closed Saturdays and Sundays
A stylish contemporary combination of Asian simplicity and shaker style is interpreted in the Boulevard Collection. Every element is both functional and stylish. This collection is at home in both a sophisticated Metropolitan apartment as well as in a more rustic country home.Wire Length 8.00.
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OK, in the 1950's, they'd have made a Sci-Fi flick out of this, but NASA announced today that they have discovered what has been termed a new form of life, an "extremophile" bacteria. I don't fully understand all of the science behind it (I was awful at science, really I was).
Still it's an interesting read.
Just a snippet from the article:
John Elliott, a Leeds Metropolitan University researcher who is a veteran of the UK's search for extraterestrial life, called the find a "major discovery"
"It starts to show life can survive outside the traditional truths and universals that we thought you have to use... this is knocking one brick out of that wall," he said.


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Latest Features
AHL Game Night: 11-7-12 Crunch at Bulldogs
Finland representing.
Riku Helenius (pictured) stopped all 23 shots he faced to post his second career AHL shutout.
First Period
Second Period
SYR Korobov, (1) (Taormina), 6:01
SYR Wyman, (2) (Killorn, Gudas), 15:40
Third Period
SYR Panik, (3) (Palat), 18:14 (EN)
Helenius and Dmitry Korobov were the game's first and second stars, respectively. Korobov's goal was his first career AHL goal. It was originally awarded to forward J.T. Brown who was back in the lineup tonight after missing a couple of weeks of action. He was +2 with 3 shots on goal. Wait til the rust falls off.
Panik attack, y'all. Empty net style.
The real story is Helenius getting off the canvas, though, with his first AHL shutout since he was a rookie about four years ago. His season GAA and save percentage are still the dog's breakfast, but readers of this site last season know what Helenius did early in the season in the SM-liiga last year when he turned one shutout into bunches of shutouts. It's a good omen for the Crunch.
Syracuse wraps up the two game set against Hamilton on Friday in Montreal.
Box score from TheAHL.com.
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The Greenville College women's volleyball team overcame a slow start to earn a sweep of Benedictine Springfield Thursday evening in Greenville.
The Lady Panthers committed five attacking errors in their opening game against the Eagles, but matched that total in 48 chances over the next two games to improve to 2-3 on the young season.
Despite totaling just eight kills in 28 attacks in the opening game, Greenville won it 25-21.
In a convincing 25-13 game-two win, the Lady Panthers had kills in nearly half of their attempts. They totaled 14 in 29 tries while committing just two errors.
Greenville sealed the win with a 31.6 kill percentage in the third game, cruising to a 25-11 win.
Published with permission of The Greenville Advocate. For the full article, please visit http://www.thegreenvilleadvocate.com for subscription information.


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2004 Track and Field
Dillon named HCAC Field Athlete of Week
Clint Dillon breaks own mark in Pole Vault
By Ben Risinger, SID
March 29, 2004
BLUFFTON , OHIO - Senior Clint Dillon ( McAllen , TX /Bucyrus) has been named player of the week for the Heartland Conference
in men's track for the week ending March 28, 2004 .
Dillon won the Pole Vault this past Saturday at the Tiffin Invite with a mark of 15'2.25." The height mark provisionally qualified Dillon for the NCAA Division III national championships and breaks his own school record set in 2002 of 15.'
"It's a big relief for myself and Clint to achieve this standard. Clint's worked hard over the past two seasons to physically prepare himself in order to compete at the national level," head coach Nate Smith said. "Now our goal is to continue moving up that list and for Clint to continue reaching new heights in 2004."
Dillon is currently the top vaulter in the HCAC for the current season by more than a half foot over the competition. His performance helped Beavers earn a third place finish at the Tiffin Invitational this past weekend. Bluffton College will be back in action this weekend at home when they host the Beaver Invitational on Saturday.


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Shrugging off a poll that shows his popularity has plummeted, Gov. Rick Snyder said on Wednesday that the gains made by the state in his first two years in office still haven't resonated with some factions of the public.
"It's all about reinventing Michigan and that involves a lot of challenges and it requires change. And change is not easy for a lot of people. But we're making progress. We're the comeback state," Snyder said in an interview with the Daily Tribune.
The poll conducted by the Lansing-based EPIC-MRA firm found that the Republican governor's job approval ratings sank to 36 percent positive, 61 percent negative. That decisive gap wipes out the only positive numbers Snyder had managed in an EPIC-MRA survey, in December, when the margin was 51-48 percent.
The governor noted that Michigan's numbers look good: jobs, economic growth, personal income and home sales and prices are all on the upswing. In fact, Snyder has said that Michigan's' economic rebound, lower taxes and balanced budget should serve as a model for Washington.
But that upbeat message apparently has not impressed the public.
The Feb. 5-10 statewide poll found that a majority of voters, by a 46-41 percent margin, still believes that Michigan is on the "wrong track."
Perhaps more surprising was the respondent's views on the Michigan economy, which has been in recovery mode for three years. Only 54 percent said the state's economic doldrums are behind us and conditions are improving. One-fourth said the Michigan economy is at the bottom of its long downward slide but has not gotten any better.
And nearly 20 percent said they believe the economy is still falling and has not yet bottomed out.
"Sometimes it takes time to get the message out," Snyder said. "It's more challenging when you were down as long as we were in that past decade — people tend to be more negative. We … need to be more positive, we need to be more forward-looking, and we need to be more inclusive. Our best days are ahead of us."
Pollster Bernie Porn said the figures seem to indicate that the first-term governor was hurt badly by his sudden support for right-to-work legislation, which he signed into law in December. But the survey found that the state is nearly evenly divided on the issue, with 45 percent in favor and 50 percent opposed.
The governor said he should not be judged by one poll and his Wednesday appearance in Sterling Heights at a luncheon meeting of home builders demonstrated that some sectors of the economy are clearly enamored with Snyder.
The Association of Home Builders in Southeast Michigan presented their "Distinguished Service to Government Award" to Snyder and the crowd gave him two standing ovations.
Snyder told the Daily Tribune that, regardless of his approval ratings, he is continuing on the road mapped out in his State of the State Address last month.
His immediate focus is on talent — creating a skilled workforce that is highly desirable to employers. Job training programs will be a major focus when Snyder holds a Spring summit on the talent topic. The goal is to transition unemployed or underemployed workers into new professions ranging from nurses to accountants to skilled-trades work.
"We need to be doing a better job of connecting supply and demand for jobs," he said, adding that the state's website features more than 50,000 job openings.
In contrast to President Obama, Snyder has no interest in pursuing an increase in the minimum wage. But he hopes to wrap up a deal with the Obama administration to create a joint federal-state health care exchange — an online marketplace — in advance of the final phases of Obamacare being phased in by the end of the year.
That is an issue that puts him at odds with many Republican legislators and voters. Another Snyder proposal that is unpopular with GOP partisans is his plan to expand Medicaid to another 475,000 people by accepting Obamacare funding.
Republican lawmakers are skeptical of Washington's promises of full funding but Snyder said those concerns should be quieted by the plans for a Heath Savings Account. The savings accrued from wider Medicaid coverage for low-income families will be placed in the account to cover unexpected costs or funding changes handed down by Congress or the White House.
"It's setting aside money for co-pays, deductibles and unforeseen expenses," Snyder said, "just like you would with your family."


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Hosted and narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr., THE MARINES OF MONTFORD POINT: FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM profiles the first African Americans recruits in the United States Marine Corps, beginning with their experiences at Montford Point Base, a segregated boot camp in the heart of the Jim Crow South. All-black battalions from Montford Point loyally served their country (some as officers) in three major conflicts - World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War - while fighting for their civil rights back home. During the film, Montford Point veterans recount the racism they faced both within and outside the military and reminisce about the rigors of basic training, the harsh conditions of the barracks and the perils of combat.
Visit the Website: www.unctv.org/marines
Length: 55 minutes


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In most countries, one of their major bills is electricity aside from house rental and telephone bills. One good example is in my home country, the Philippines, where the electricity rate changes every now and then which gives every Filipino a hard time managing it.
Filipino BlackBerry users do not need to worry anymore as you can now manage your electricity bill easily with the help of Meralco AppCal by Manila Electric Company - MERALCO. With this app, you will know the operating cost of each of your home appliances and how much it contributes to your monthly electricity bill. This app gives you an estimate electricity usage cost of your appliances. It features a list of different commonly used appliances at home like electric fan, washing machine entertainment system and other types of appliances.
All you have to do is to launch the app, fill in the number of hours a day, days a week and weeks a month you use a particular appliance and it will compute for its approximate consumption cost. The AppCal is updated every month to reflect changes in Meralco rates. Also, the good thing about this app is that you do not need internet connection in order for you to use it.
So if you want to start saving money and you feel like your electricity bill is getting bigger and bigger, then you must get a copy of this app and see the big help it can give.


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Story first appeared on USA Today -
Swim for a half-hour in a river in east China's Cangnan county and win $48,000.
Sound like easy money? Take a look at the river.
Chinese angry about their toxic and trash-choked rivers have made online offers of cash rewards to the chiefs of their local government's environmental protection bureaus to take a swim in the waterways they are in charge of protecting.
One Internet posting offers $32,000 if an official will spend 20 minutes in a river in Rui'an or $16,000 for a 10-minute river dip in Dongguan down south.
None of the Internet users expects the officials to take the bait. The social media campaign against water pollution that inspired these rewards leads some analysts to hope authorities will take action after the relative success of a public movement to increase government transparency over the abysmal air quality in many Chinese cities.
China's water and air quality has long been sacrificed by the government to China's thirst for industrial growth in recent decades. Even the government releases grim statistics: 64% of groundwater in 118 Chinese cities is "severely polluted," state news agency Xinhua reports.
To provide examples, Chinese journalist and activist Deng Fei, whose Twitter-like micro-blog has almost 3 million followers, asked people last week to post pictures of rivers in their hometowns as they traveled there for the recent Lunar New Year celebrations.
The strong response, by thousands of Chinese Internet users, "shows more Chinese pay close attention to pollution, and now they have the tools to express their opinions," Deng said.
Although China's citizens still lack formal channels, such as democratic elections, to influence their government, this social-media-driven campaign "has become a large-scale discussion topic that shows the will of the people," so China's "parliament," the National People's Congress (NPC), and ministries must take notice, he said.
Two delegates to next month's annual session of the NPC — when the ruling Communist Party's new leader, Xi Jinping, will be appointed president — promised to raise the issue of water pollution, Deng said.
The rewards for hazardous swimming started Saturday when eyeglass entrepreneur Jin Zengmin posted photos online of a filthy river in Rui'an in Zhejiang province, with his $32,000 bet for the area's environmental protection director. Jin reminisced about swimming in the river as a child and watching his mother washing clothes there.
"Even animals don't dare swim in these rivers, much less officials," Deng said.
The offering of money "is an expression of anger and frustration over the dereliction of duty by local environmental officials and their failure to enforce the rules," said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Beijing-based non-profit group. Middle-aged Chinese "remember their rivers used to be cleaner, drinkable, swimmable and touchable, but no longer," he said.
This social media push has the potential to grow into something similar to the air quality campaign, given that the problem of water pollution is as bad or even worse, Ma said. "The local government still puts GDP (gross domestic product) rate ahead of environmental protection. We need the public to change that," he said.
The chief environmental official in Rui'an, Bao Zhenmin, blamed river pollution on rubbish discarded by residents and migrant workers, not shoe factories, as Jin alleged. Bao promised steps to reduce the problem, chinanews.com reported.
Deng said the answer is for the government to share more information with the public about water discharges, increase legal penalties against illegal discharges and ease restrictions on people filing lawsuits in environmental cases. He said environmental offices should be controlled by Beijing, not the local governments often responsible for pollution.


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Today, building a sports car from scratch in your garage sounds completely crazy to many, but whether you want to believe it or not, that's how some of the most successful sports cars were made. If you need proof then look no further than the Shelby Cobra or England's own Ariel Atom.
The Atom is a road car built with the intent of going as fast as possible around the track. It's one of the best handling cars n the world. However, even though it doesn't have a conventional body and is powered by either an Ecotec or Honda 4-clinder, the Atom still costs over $40,000.
It's not insanely expensive, but it's far from practical given that it doesn't even have a trunk or a roof. It may not be that big of a deal to some, but if you're a middle-class family man you would be better off spending those 40 G's elsewhere…especially considering you could build something similar for less money.
That's what one Ohio man did in the form of this car you're looking at here. Built just a few years ago, this Atom-inspired machine sports a tubular frame built on a C5 Corvette chassis that utilizes an entire Monte Carlo SS drivetrain, ECU, wire harness, and gauge cluster. The only performance modifications appear to be a cold-air intake and a Borla muffler with custom mandrel bent tubing, but even with the sock 303 horsepower this thing must fly.
There are several videos of this car on YouTube that include the build process, first start up, and the first driving experience of the finished product. We've included the latter attached to this story. So for those of you looking to build your own dream car, take it from the guy who built something from scratch from a two car garage. With the right amount of perseverance, anything really is possible.


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Student or Learner
Hello Everyone,
We Chinese English Learner are always troubled by the modifier: we don't know for sure what the modifier exactly modify. Please see the underlined sentence. I would like to know here according to the context what "in the united states" modifies, "European Ethnic Groups" or the whole sentence-"White culture resulted from a synthesis of ideas, valudes and beliefs inherited from European ethnic groups"?
...In the United States, when you speak of upper, middle and lower classes you speak not of national origin or ethnicity but of power and control over material resources. Economic power in the United States today is largely held by youthful, able-bodied White males. Whites in the United States tend not to recognize the existence of a White culture. White culture resulted from a synthesis of ideas, values and beliefsinherited from European ethnic groups( in the United States), As the dominant culture in the United States, White culture is the foundation of social norms and organizations...


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Get into the holiday spirit by building and decorating an authentic gingerbread house with your family. Brainstorm with your kids and bring your ideas to be creative together without messing up your own kitchen! The Children's Museum of NH will supply all the materials: a fresh and tasty unassembled gingerbread house, icing and a wide variety of candy and edible decorations – you supply the inspiration! Cider, cookies and holiday music make this a memorable family experience.
- Warm cider, cookies and holiday music will set the mood for this special family event.
- Three sessions are available 9:30am, 11am and 1pm
- Sessions are 1 Hour
Register now because space is limited!
Saturday, December 14, 2013 9:30am, 11am & 1am
Museum Members: $30 per Family (limit 4)
Community: $40 per Family (limit 4)
Additional Participants: $5
Additiional Gingerbread House Kits: $20


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Not unlike the Beatles' arrival in the U.S. 50 years ago, Billy Joel's 1987 visit to the Soviet Union for six concerts in Moscow and Leningrad shook a nation.
Nearly every minute of the trip was documented on film — some shown the same year via HBO — and this weekend Showtime debuts a new film, "Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust — The Bridge to Russia," documenting the visit.
The 75-minute special features concert and backstage footage along with candid scenes of Joel, his then-wife, Christie Brinkley, and infant daughter, Alexa Ray, visiting with Soviet citizens, from circus performers in Moscow's Gorky Park to a woman who accosts him in the streets of Leningrad for corrupting the country's youth. Joel and his band members sit for new interviews, along with tour personnel — including insightful translator Oleg Smirnoff — and Soviet musicians who talk about the impact of Joel's visit.
"I remember the Russians being the most incredible audience," says saxophonist Mark Rivera, the only member of the Soviet tour band still playing with Joel. "They soaked up the entire event. It was the first time a band brought the entire production — lights, sound, stage, the whole nine yards. The people were amazing."
n "Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust" debuts at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, on Showtime. A new box set of recordings from the trip is due out in May. Joel, meanwhile, performs on Feb. 15 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Some tickets remain available. Call 248-377-0100 or visit www.palacenet.com.


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Retro Gaming Hacks, Part 3: Add a Ball and Score to Pongby Josh Glover, contributor to Retro Gaming Hacks
Now that we have moving paddles for our Pong clone, the only thing standing in the way of having some real fun is the fact that the ball does not in fact move. But this is a problem easily solved once you rediscover some basic geometry.
The first geometric law we will require is: slope equals rise over run. The ball is going to move in a straight line, so all we have to do to track its movement is, for every iteration of the main loop, change the y coordinate by the rise (or numerator) of the slope, and the x coordinate by the run (or denominator). The fact that the slope, a fractional sort of number, can be easily represented by two components is a big win for our integer-loving CPU. You can start by defining two more macros at the top of the sdl-pong.c file, where all of the macros live:
#define BALL_SPEED 6 // total change in x and y in the slope
#define SLOPE_MAX_DY 4 // the maximum change-in-y allowed in the slope
The macros will make a bit more sense once we add another structure definition (right above the
GameData structure in the code):
// Structure definitions
typedef struct {
int dx;
int dy;
} Slope;
and a few new members to the
GameData structure itself:
int game_speed; // game speed
int ball_speed; // number of pixels the ball can move at once
int slope_max_dy; // maximum value for change-in-y component of the slope
SDL_Rect ball; // ball
Slope slope; // slope of the line representing the ball's path
Just as the game uses the
GameData structure to hold a collection of related data, so will it use the
Slope structure to keep track of all of the data necessary to keep track of the ball's movement: namely the change-in-x (run) and change-in-y (rise) components of the slope of the line along which the ball is currently moving. As always, you will need to initialize the new members of the
GameData structure:
// Initialise game data
game.running = 1;
game.game_speed = GAME_SPEED;
game.ball_speed = BALL_SPEED;
game.slope_max_dy = SLOPE_MAX_DY;
You may be wondering if I forgot to initialize the
Slope. Actually, I didn't; I just cannot do it in such a straightforward fashion because I want to introduce the one ingredient that makes a good game great: the element of chance. Why not randomly generate the starting
Slope (within reason, of course)? You need to include two new headers at the top of the file:
// Standard library headers
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>
stdlib.h provides the
srand() and
rand() functions, and
time.h provides the eponymous
time() function, which you will need in the new
genSlope() function. Add the definition of
genSlope() between
cleanUp() and
movePaddle(), like so:
void genSlope( GameData *game );
and add the implementation between that of the same functions:
/* Function: genSlope()
* Randomly generates the slope of the vector of ball's travel.
* Parameters:
* *game - game data
void genSlope( GameData *game ) {
// Seed the random number generator with the current Unix timestamp
srand( time( NULL ) );
// Generate the change-in-y component of the slope randomly
game->slope.dy =
1 + (int)((float)game->slope_max_dy * rand() / (RAND_MAX + 1.0));
// The change-in-y component of the slope is
// whatever is left in the "budget"
game->slope.dx = game->ball_speed - game->slope.dy;
// Flip a coin for x and y directions
if ((int)(2.0 * rand() / (RAND_MAX + 1.0)))
game->slope.dx *= -1;
if ((int)(2.0 * rand() / (RAND_MAX + 1.0)))
game->slope.dy *= -1;
} // genSlope()
Related Reading
Retro Gaming Hacks


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Dodger Stadium Fanfest presented by State Farm January 26
Current Dodger players and legends will make appearances
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers will hold their first offseason FanFest presented by State Farm on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The event will be held at Dodger Stadium in lot 6 from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and will feature appearances and autographs of Dodgers from the past and present. FanFest gates open at 11:00 a.m. for the general public and at 10:30 a.m. for Dodger season ticket holders with their MVP cards.
January 26 also marks the Dodgers' Ticket On Sale event which will offer fans the first opportunity to purchase individual tickets for the 2013 season. Both Fan Fest and the Ticket On Sale event are free and open to the public.
FanFest will feature autograph sessions with current and former Dodger players, a kids' zone, interactive games, a memorabilia exhibit, entertainment and other family-friendly activities. Food, beverages and Dodger merchandise will also be available for purchase at FanFest.
More information can be found by visiting www.dodgers.com/FanFest. Further details will be announced at a later date.
Anyone attending?
I'm planning on getting Opening Day Tickets this year.
Haven't been since the O Dawg hit for the cycle!!
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121220&content_id=40765394&vkey= pr_la&c_id=la


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A photo gallery is in the Photos section of this website
The local Polar Bear Plunge was held Saturday at Kiwanis Lake in Plunkett Park.
Despite the sunny day and temperatures in the upper 30s, the water was still freezing cold for the plungers, as shown on their faces as they came out of the water. Some got out of the water as fast as possible, while others swam back to shore or splashed around in the water.
Most plungers came out of the water with smiles on their faces, but some had "OMG" expression on their faces. All-in-all they were ready to jump in and ready to get out and they all participated knowing the money they raised will help the Special Olympics.
Awards were presented for the school with the most students and money, the individual who raised the most money and the team that raised the most money. In addition, there is the Golden Plunger is presented to the team with the best costume, which is judged by the Special Olympics team the Unstoppable Dawgs.
This year's recipients of the Golden Plunger were the Missouri Military Academy "Super Heroes." Montgomery County R-2 Schools brought 49 participants and raised $3,700; the team with the most money was First Aid Kit, (aka CPR Services); and Chris Burle won the prize for the individual raising the most money, $1,080.
According to Tim Schuster, Northeast Area Director for Special Olympics Missouri, there were 160 plungers and the event raised $16,600 and counting. The amount will be recounted and verified said Schuster.
There is still some sponsorship money that has not been collected, which will add to the total. Schuster said he should have a final number by Wednesday.


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The lights are on
Tales of Xillia's August 6 release date is on the horizon, so what better way to get excited than share what you can anticipate for the next entry.
A Mature Tale
Xillia features a more mature cast than previous entries,
allowing the writers to tackle more difficult subject matter. Not only do the
issues feel darker and more realistic, but the cast as a whole feels more apt
to take on the challenge of stopping a war. Even the youngest cast member,
Elize, deals with complex issues and the harsh realities of the world well
before she should ever have to. Not to mention, the tale makes it more than
just about a war, but also about the motivations behind people protecting their
own and losing their grip on what's humane.
Two Playable Protagonists
This entry has two selectable protagonists that are different as night and day. Milla, a spirit summoner, takes charge of situations, while Jude, a medical student, prefers to stay in the background. The narrative separates both characters at different points, so it will be interesting to experience events from two different eyes and see if their disparate views bring a new dimension to the narrative.
Skits Galore
Skits have always been a main attraction for Tales, and this
entry has them popping up left and right. The skits can be as simple as adding
more meat to the plot, or as silly as the group teasing one another. In
addition to the main skits that are available as you advance the story, you can
also unlock sub-event skits. Sometimes these are about the towns and people you
encounter; others add more backstory to characters. For instance, did Jude have
time for friends at medical school? And if that's not enough skits for you,
there's also an etc. category that usually contain more of the comical ones.
A Refined Battle System
Tales' smooth action battle system, reminiscent
of a fighting game, is alive and well. This time around the developers worked on
linking plenty of elements and focused on you teaming up with other characters to
get battle advantages and special pair-up attacks. Blocking, quick-steps, and
jumping can help you out during the course of battle while you balance regular
attacks with using artes (special attacks/magic). Get ready to show those baddies who's the boss.
Intense Boss Battles
A highlight of any Tales game is those boss battles that
make you work for victory. Not to mention, you get awarded extra bonuses at the
end of fights depending on your time and largest combo. Working toward getting
a great time and chaining up as many attacks possible is tough in itself, but
brace yourself for bosses who dare you to take advantage of every avenue possible.
Let them attack you from behind or neglect to defend, and the cost is grave. Of
course, this also means that when you outsmart these bosses and truly punish
them, it's all the more rewarding.
Email the author Kimberley Wallace, or follow on Twitter, and Game Informer.


text:
"One of the most troublesome aspects of our temple activity is that as we get more and more temples scattered across the earth there is duplication of effort in proxy work …… We, therefore, have been engaged for some time in a very difficult undertaking. To avoid such duplication, the solution lies in complex computer technology. Preliminary indications are that it will work, and if this is so, it will be a truly remarkable thing with worldwide implications."The Family History Department is looking for individuals to serve as Church Service Missionaries called to support the release of the new FamilySearch program as the program is deployed to temple districts throughout the world. Missionaries are also needed to answer phone calls and / or e-mails regarding other aspects of family history such as Family History Center Support, Internet Indexing, PAF, Family Search and other programs.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2005 General Conference
Missionaries will have early access to the new FamilySearch program and will be trained via a self-paced training curriculum that can be accessed from home.
Missionaries will serve completely from home in this capacity; there is no requirement for any travel. Missionaries will receive help and support via a variety of computer and internet-based systems as they seek to provide accurate and timely responses to patrons around the world.
The opportunity is available immediately.
In order to be called as a Church Service Missionary for the Family History Department, one should:
- Meet with their bishop and stake president to discuss the Church Service Missionary call
- Be willing to commit to at least a 6 month call, and preferably 12-30 months
- Be able to commit to at least 12-20 hours a week, preferably in 4 hour increments
- Have some prior family history experience
- Have a DSL/Broadband Internet connection
Comments from those currently serving in this capacity include:
- "I am grateful that it isn't only the 19 or 21-year old…or the retired, that are capable of, or willing to serve a mission…to learn and grow spiritually, while being of benefit to others. Next to the Lord and my family…family history is my greatest love in the world. Serving a mission—even part-time-- from home is an opportunity of a lifetime for me…a dream come true,…for I love serving the Lord"
- "I could not now, nor do I think I ever will be able to go on a mission outside of the confines of our home. While this saddens and disappoints me, I appreciate the fact that now I can make some small contribution from my home. This blessing gives some comfort to me because I really do want to serve."
- "It is the Lord's work, and I feel highly privileged to be accepted as a Church Service Missionary at this time of my life, when many think my time of usefulness is past."
- "We came home and served two years in the temple and then my husband died and I felt like my life died. My bishop knew how I felt and came to me and suggested this mission since I had a computer and had done quite a lot of genealogy. It has been a life saver."
- "This calling of Family History Support Missionary is one of sitting down at a computer with little physical labor. I feel that the Lord has answered my prayers for a position I could handle and help build the kingdom."


text:
...then there's got to be something to it.
Religion isn't always right... they don't teach facts, they teach opinions.
Stupid opinions based on violent fairy tale books, at that.
*Chops of "The New Guy's" head*
Respect my peaceful religion! OR ELSE!
Oh no! It's a holy war against the internet!
I wonder how well that will work out. Will the internet fight back?
About as well as it did the last time..
You see, letters in the hebrew language are also numbers. There is no W so V is used in it's place or in other words, V and W are interchangeable. It so happens that V is also 6 so when you type www, you are typing 666. That's right, every time to go on the World Wide Web, you are paying homage to the beast.
That was the early rallying cry to why the internet was evil and should be removed. Of course some people who actually knew better checked up on those facts and it turns out a little different. [av1611.org]
About as well as it did the last time..
You see, letters in the hebrew language are also numbers. There is no W so V is used in it's place or in other words, V and W are interchangeable. It so happens that V is also 6 so when you type www, you are typing 666. That's right, every time to go on the World Wide Web, you are paying homage to the beast.
That was the early rallying cry to why the internet was evil and should be removed. Of course some people who actually knew better checked up on those facts and it turns out a little different. [av1611.org]
Except that 666 isn't the number of the beast, it's actually 616. Google it, number of sources other then the one I put down.
http://theologica.ning.com/pro... [ning.com]
When has "fact" had anything to do with religious outrage?
When has "fact" had anything to do with religious outrage?
Religious outrage, racist outrage, nationalist outrage. They are all equally stupid. I have had a long series of strange discussions with people of all these denominations about the building of a Mosque in my town. The argumentation goes that: "Do you know how many Churches there are in Saudi Arabia? Have you seen what they are doing to Christians in Iraq!?! We must ban mosques immediately to prevent this from happening here before the Moslems rise up and impose Sharia law on all of us!!!". Really? Says I, for one thing our moslems are a small and moderate minority; how are they supposed to impose Sharia law on us (Answer: Uhhhhhhhhmmmmm.... Uhhhh.... I just fear that they just will!). Secondly I find it interesting that you are implying that one can use the stupidity and cruelty of people in other countries to justify doing stupid and cruel things to innocent people in your own country? In that case did you notice what the Serbs did to Moslems in Bosnia? Did you notice what the white patriotic christian knights of the Ku Klux Klan did to African Americans, Latinos and other minorities in the USA? We must ban Christianity immediately!!! Remarkably enough they considered equating all moslems with ISIS and banning Islam to be a reasonable and natural thing to do (even though the local moslem community is just about the most peaceful and law abiding group of people in our country) but they went absolutely apeshit when I applied their own logic to Christianity. It got even funnier when I pointed out that both the Serbs and the Ku Klux Klan are white and perhaps we should ban white people since most of the people involved in this discussion including my self were white. I just find it endlessly fascinating how the minds of these people work. They keep citing the Constitution when it supports their point of view but then they want to ban Moslems from practicing their religion, ban immigration of non-whites or put gay people in jail for offending christian fanatics everywhere by existing the Constitution can apparently be ignored.
One might even suspect that the media pushes (or is pushed) to put Christianity in the best light and any other religion in a poor light because most of the country's political donors are Christian. It strengthens your base.
And WWW is not 666 either.
You might as well be saying the blue moon isn't blue for what it is worth. I mean the entire premise of the post was about misconceptions as the basis for a war against the internet.
Except no...a little Googling shows that first mention of the number is in a widely distributed book from 2nd century Christian author Irenaeus, who affirms that the number is 666, and mentions some texts with the wrong number. The only evidence for 616 is an old papyrus from the 3rd century. It may be the oldest known copy of the book of Revelations, but it wasn't the original copy, the text was written 150 years earlier. Furthermore, papyrus was valuable and was often re-used, so it may not even be the oldest known version of Revelations.
In order to prove that the original number was 616, one would have to find either the original version of the text, or a large number of texts (from various locales) which wrote 616, or perhaps have a well-regarded and well-preserved early Christian author like Irenaeus or Augustine say that the actual number was 616.
I dialed this number, but the beast put me on hold listening to muzak.
"isn't always right"
More like "is almost always wrong with few exceptions."
It has nothing to do with religion, they just want to keep the peoples in the dark age, so they can rule them.
Control is the point of religion. In Christianity the first book gives a lessen of do as you're told.
Religion isn't always right... they don't teach facts, they teach opinions.
This is unlikely to have much to do with either, and more with Ayatollah wishing to stay "Grand": a gatekeeper of Heaven who dictates to ignorant masses in the name of God. That doesn't really work if the masses aren't ignorant, and even more so if they get used to debating.
In other words, power corrupts. It should really be regarded like super-heroin: no matter your initial purposes for getting it, you will be addicted and unwillin
Around 1992-3, the Internet was operating at kB/s. It was fast enough for the Usenet and exchange of texts. There was very little junk, only one virus of note, and people were nice and out of the way to help. It encouraged reading, learning, communicating with real people and, in general, growing. Even slashdot, when it appeared, was interesting. The only thing that would break your concentration were talk (which you could turn off in your
fake illegal downloads
I'll have you know all my illegal downloads are real and the NSA will back me up on this.
I'll have you know all my illegal downloads are real and the NSA will back me up on this
It's true, it's how we get all our software. And viruses.
But when it comes to Jennifer Lawrence, we choose to go right to the source('s phone). Your stuff is totally boring.
-The NSA
I am of the same opinion, and I can provide evidence.
So where is the "evidence" you claim to have? Your "evidence" seems to have originated from your gut. There is a lot less porn on the internet than you think [bbc.com]
The dubious provenance of statistics about porn are well-known inside the tech industry.
"We are aware that a number of statistics are being used in relation to online safety and have concerns over their accuracy," said Nicholas Lansman, secretary general of ISPA, which represents net supply firms. Anyone quoting stats should check their veracity, he said.
"It is vital that any decisions in relation to online safety, like any other policy area, are based on evidence rather than myths and assertions," he added.
The pope essentially said the same thing recently when he said that young people spend too much time on the Internet.
Religious leaders know that the survival of religion is being threatened by knowledge sharing on the internet, so it shouldn't be any surprise that they would speak out against it.
The internet is especially threatening to the Religion of Peace, as it exposes them for who they really are.
Nice generalisation, there.
It might be a generalization if it wasn't true. Been paying attention to the world lately, or did you miss the "religion of peace" committing genocide in Iraq.
Right. And what about the ones with the same religion fighting against the IS? How about the majority of the people around the world with the same religion that say IS doesn't represent them nor their religion? Etc...
The pope essentially said the same thing recently when he said that young people spend too much time on the Internet.
Did he? It looks like you don't quite have that right.
Pope Francis says the Internet is a 'gift from God' [latimes.com]
Pope Francis: Internet is a blessing [nypost.com]
The Pope's view is a bit more insightful and nuanced than you state.
Pope Francis says the Internet is a 'gift from God'
That guy will take credit for anything.
The pope essentially said the same thing recently when he said that young people spend too much time on the Internet
If they are outside playing and not inside surfing the internet, they are harder for the priests to catch.
The pope essentially said the same thing recently when he said that young people spend too much time on the Internet.
Religious leaders know that the survival of religion is being threatened by knowledge sharing on the internet, so it shouldn't be any surprise that they would speak out against it.
Not that I feel any need to defend His Holiness, but there's a bit of a difference, don't you think, between calling the Internet "immoral" and observing that young people might have better things to do with some of their time?
You already know they don't like this because it takes away their control over a population.
Of course they count it against their religion of control and abuse.
Duh! No different than Communism controlling religion. It's all about monopolizing focus and control in the hearts of man. Everything else is a threat to that goal.
The key bit FTA is here:
"All third generation [3G] and high-speed internet services, prior to realization of the required conditions for the National Information Network [Iran's government-controlled and censored Internet which is under development], is against Sharia [and] against moral and human standards."
In short the position is that if you have freedom you will abuse it. That's overall pretty similar to the thinking of al Qaida and ISIS. Strike up the banjos and play "Dueling Theocracy!" Oops, sorry, no music allowed. Or kite flying.
Those who are wrong hate communication because it allows the good-doers to take over.
It's pretty fucked up when the US may actually side and assist Iran in stomping out ISIS. It truly is an act of choosing the lesser evil???
When you consider that the US sided with Saddam Hussein to contain Iran, you begin to realize that such things are possible.
It's pretty fucked up when the US may actually side and assist Iran in stomping out ISIS. It truly is an act of choosing the lesser evil???
I guess there's always a Greater Satan.
"Arab spring in Iran? Maybe?"
Very unlikely since the Iranians are not Arabs - they're Persians
They aren't the only country wanting to remain in the 8th century, their are still supposedly modern countries that ban teaching or evolution and insist on teaching their kids at school creationism.
Except for the fact Iran is trying to go back to the 8th century using 21 century technology to get there, and ostensibly taking the entire world back with it!
Well, I'm sure our drill bits can go through glass just as well as sand.
It's like they WANT to remain in the 8th Century. Why is it exactly that we're afraid of them?
Because while they're eager to keep an 8th century moral code (and dress code for women), they seem decidedly more modern in their choice of military forces [wikipedia.org] and interest (but not yet attainment of) nuclear weapons [wikipedia.org].
Because, you know, when you're the Grand Ayatollah, some "Bikinis" are OK [wikipedia.org] but definitely not others [victoriassecret.com].
Iran's government is fighting over whether or not to implement rusting-edge technology, with calls for impeachment if they go ahead. It's like they WANT to remain in the 8th Century. Why is it exactly that we're afraid of them?
We're afraid of them because they're not content to merely stay in the 8th century themselves - they insist on everyone else going back to the 8th century too.
First... moral standards are "his" moral standards.
Second, internet in general connects his people to the world... exposing them to other view points that might distort their indoctrination to his world view.
So what he is saying is "the people of my country might not believe in my values if exposed to alternative view points."
Which is rational. They probably won't. His world view is pretty weak on logic, argument, or supporting evidence. Its just do what I say or the sharp knives come out.
I accidentally RTFA'd and realised the fatwa is actually against high-speed internet that isn't government controlled and censored:
All third generation [3G] and high-speed internet services, prior to realization of the required conditions for the National Information Network [Iran's government-controlled and censored Internet which is under development], is against Sharia [and] against moral and human standards.
Thus I conclude that internet porn is just fine, so long as it's consumed slowly, scanline by scanline. He clearly wants you to enjoy the anticipation.
Or maybe is just a fan of ASCII art [asciiworld.com].
Where in the Koran does it mention bandwidth? or the speed in which information is made available, since it has nothing to do with what information is available, just the connection speed?
The article doesn't give reasoning, but as he has no objection to high-speed internet once the filtering is in place I'm guessing his objection isn't to the technology but the content. The internet is full of things that would be regarded as corrupting by many in Iran. Not just the obvious pornography and blasphemy - this is a country where forign films often have to be edited to raise the necklines of women's clothing or chop of the arms off an unmarried couple so they aren't holding hands.
64kb/s ought to be enough for anybody.
For $59 a month, I'm sure Comcast can market a Halal connection for 64kb/s. Act now, and receive a free burka! Whooo.
Be nice to more then double my download speed and quadruple my upload speeds.
Quick!, Get the Australian Government on the phone, slow national broadband is their policy!
Mr Malcolm Turnbull, We have a sale for your broadband plan.. Iran is interested in your vision!!
Torture is OK in Iran.
It is interesting that one of the basis of most religions is the freedom to choose. Most religions allow people to choose to do good or choose not to. Why does the Muslim religion seem to want to control everything? Conversion by force, death sentence for converting to another religion, hiding women's bodies so not to tempt men and now censorship. What would a religion have to force it's followers to conform? What proves a person's faith is the ability to resist temptation. Look at the trials of Job. If the people need to be "protected" from temptation then their faith is weak.
Wasn't that long ago the Christians were the same.
The Ayatollah speaks the truth. Just look at America. Everywhere there is broadband, heathens have flourished, while is REAL America, where dial-up reigns, people are living nobly under god's laws and the Bible. Preach it Brother Ayatollah! AMEN!
Someone's after your job.
Many ultra-orthodox rabbis who demand their followers not use uncensored smartphones or uncensored internet access. In 2012, a big anti-Internet rally for ultra-orthodox Jews was held in New York. [nytimes.com] "The siren song of the Internet entices us! It brings out the worst of us!" The event was streamed live and is summarized on YouTube. [youtube.com]
There are ultra-orthodox ISPs with filtering. The filtering is very stringent, [yeshivanet.com] based on a rabbi-approved whitelist. "That's all you get, and nothing else."
There are kosher cell phones [venishmartem.com]. "Kosher Phone has no camera, no Bluetooth capabilities, no memory card slot and cannot be connected to a computer."
That's in the US. In Israel, kosher cell phones are so locked down that only approved numbers can be called. Even rape crisis centers are blocked. [ynetnews.com]
I have a Jewish friend in who co-runs a computer repair service in NYC. They've told me that when a rabbi calls for assistance, they inevitably have among the largest stashes of porn you can imagine. And the wives all have accounts on dating services.
At least there is a political disagreement and (a small number of government) people are talking about the issue.
It's scarier when you remember that Iran is a liberal democracy compared to some countries (Saudi Arabia).
Ay ah tol' ya and ay ah tol' ya....
Whenever someone says "4G" half the time all I hear is "orgy". Is it just me or are other people having this same problem? This all started with the T-Mobile 4G chick and proceeded downhill from there.
Had to pause and rewind the commercials... all I kept hearing was "my touch orgy"
The Imams decided Gutenberg's printing press was off limits, because (you have to know how the press worked...stamping, essentially) printing the prophet's words on one would be equivalent of punching him in the face.
And ever since, Muslims have been spiraling downward into a pit of ignorance and fanaticism. There was a time when they were the flower of human civilization. That time has passed. Ours will, too, if we continue to allow superstitious morons to dictate our social and educational policiies.
Its not that religion is evil, or that it does not have significant purpose. Its just that people use it as a means to carry out their own agenda hiding behind the myths and teachings that were misunderstood or misinterpreted. Religion is just a way to get people to follow you and to make you fear going against them because its going against a God. Iran is just another Country bent on keeping the information of the real world away from its people. Only instead of a dictator you have a religious figure who tries to control people through religion. Don't think for a second the Muslims are any more peaceful then the Christians, or Jews or any other religion. Wars throughout history have had significant meaning over differing religions. Unfortunately, religion has backfired on keeping peace in the world. It has only worsen and created conflicts and in many cases has shed more blood then it has saved. It was never meant to happen that way, but it has.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." - George Carlin.
"Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." - Mark Twain.
So if Iran or wherever wants to pass stupid edicts, just let it go ahead.
Have some respect for Iranians to recognize a horse's ass for what it is.
If a stupid government passes a sufficient number of dumb edicts that they eventually make themselves irrelevant.
Or maybe we should interfere and start another war which would surely help support a dumb regime (on both sides).
The rich get rich, and the poor get poorer. The haves get more, the have-nots die.


text:
The Frank Bart era has begun in Wauconda.
Bart, who defeated incumbent Mayor Mark Knigge by a mere 33 votes last month, took the oath of office during Tuesday night's village board meeting.
New Clerk Gina Strelecki and rookie Trustee Teri Burke -- both Bart allies -- were sworn in, too. Incumbent trustees Lincoln Knight and John Barbini, who ran on a slate with Knigge, also began new terms Tuesday.
Although the campaign was heated, Knigge and Bart were gracious to each other during the meeting, even cracking a few jokes.
Knigge congratulated the newly elected officials and talked about the excitement of taking office.
Once he was sworn in, Bart gave Knigge a plaque for his service and a bouquet of flowers to Monica Knigge, the former mayor's wife.
Bart also pledged to reach out to the Knigge family as mayor.
"Their ideas and opinions are important to our future," Bart told the standing room only crowd at village hall.
Bart, 43, is a business consultant and a military veteran. A lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Army Reserve, he completed three tours in the Middle East with the Illinois National Guard.
Bart talked about his vision of leadership after taking the oath.
"I believe leadership is a role where we are in service to those we lead," Bart said.
Strelecki defeated incumbent Virginia Irwin for the clerk's job.
Burke replaced Trustee Doug Buster on the board. Buster didn't run for another term.
Barbini has been a trustee since 2009. Knight joined the board in 2005.
Bart wasn't the only Lake County mayor who took office Tuesday. In Round Lake Park, Linda Lucassen began her first term.
Lucassen defeated Kathleen Pender to win a 4-year term. She replaces Jean McCue, who didn't seek re-election.
"I am looking forward to working with the village of Round Lake Park residents and our business owners," Lucassen told the Daily Herald in an email.
Lucassen previously had served as village clerk and most recently as trustee.
Joining Lucassen on the dais are four candidates who ran with her in April: new Clerk Karen Eggert; new trustees Donna Wagner and Raeann McCarty-Robles; and incumbent Trustee Robert Cerretti.


text:
Many Americans and members of Congress who justly are upset over the National Security Agency's unfettered data collection also will be upset if an undetected terrorist threat results in violence against Americans or American interests.
Therein lies the problem amid the ongoing disclosure of the NSA's surveillance - how to gather data without violating citizens' privacy.
Chairmen of the House and Senate judiciary committees, Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, have introduced the USA Freedom Act to give some direction to surveillance.
The bill would create safeguards such as a special advocate to promote privacy in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. That court handles NSA wiretap requests, when the NSA decides to seek approval. The bill also would require public release of some FISA court decisions.
Rather than allowing the NSA to collect vast amounts of data because it can, the bill would mandate court orders. It also would preclude "reverse targeting," or targeting foreigners to obtain data involving an American.
Service providers also would be allowed to disclose the numbers of data requests they receive. To ensure ongoing scrutiny, the bill requires periodic reauthorization by Congress.
It never has been true that security and privacy are mutually exclusive. The bill establishes a framework to recognize that in practice.


text: /* * Copyright (c) 2003 Apple Computer, Inc. All Rights Reserved. * * @APPLE_LICENSE_HEADER_START@ * * This file contains Original Code and/or Modifications of Original Code * as defined in and that are subject to the Apple Public Source License * Version 2.0 (the 'License'). You may not use this file except in * compliance with the License. Please obtain a copy of the License at * http://www.opensource.apple.com/apsl/ and read it before using this * file. * * The Original Code and all software distributed under the License are * distributed on an 'AS IS' basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER * EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND APPLE HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, * INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, QUIET ENJOYMENT OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. * Please see the License for the specific language governing rights and * limitations under the License. * * @APPLE_LICENSE_HEADER_END@ */ /* * AuthorizationDB.h -- APIs for managing the authorization policy database * and daemons. */ #ifndef _SECURITY_AUTHORIZATIONDB_H_ #define _SECURITY_AUTHORIZATIONDB_H_ #include <Security/Authorization.h> #include <CoreFoundation/CoreFoundation.h> #if defined(__cplusplus) extern "C" { #endif /*! @header AuthorizationDB Version 1.0 This API allows for any programs to get, modify, delete and add new right definitions to the policy database. Meta-rights specify whether and what authorization is required to make these modifications. AuthorizationRightSet(NULL, "com.ifoo.ifax.send", CFSTR(kRuleIsAdmin), CFSTR("You must authenticate to send a fax."), NULL, NULL) add a rule for letting admins send faxes using a canned rule, delegating to a pre-specified rule that authorizes everyone who is an admin. AuthorizationRightSet(NULL, "com.ifoo.ifax.send", [[CFSTR(kRightRule), CFSTR(kRuleIsAdmin)], [CFSTR(kRightComment), CFSTR("authorizes sending of 1 fax message")]], CFSTR("Authorize sending of a fax"), NULL, NULL) add identical rule, but specify additional attributes this time. Keep in mind while specifying a comment to be specific about what you need to authorize for (1 fax), in terms of a general message for user. The means of proof required for kRuleIsAdmin (enter username/password for example) should not be included here, since it could be configured differently. */ /*! @define kRightRule rule delegation key. Instead of specifying exact behavior some canned rules are shipped that may be switched by configurable security. */ #define kAuthorizationRightRule "rule" /*! @defined kRuleIsAdmin canned rule values for use with rule delegation definitions: require user to be an admin. */ #define kAuthorizationRuleIsAdmin "is-admin" /*! @defined kRuleAuthenticateAsSessionUser canned rule value for use with rule delegation definitions: require user to authenticate as the session owner (logged-in user). */ #define kAuthorizationRuleAuthenticateAsSessionUser "authenticate-session-user" /*! @defined kRuleAuthenticateAsAdmin Canned rule value for use with rule delegation definitions: require user to authenticate as admin. */ #define kAuthorizationRuleAuthenticateAsAdmin "authenticate-admin" /*! @defined kAuthorizationRuleClassAllow Class that allows anything. */ #define kAuthorizationRuleClassAllow "allow" /*! @defined kAuthorizationRuleClassDeny Class that denies anything. */ #define kAuthorizationRuleClassDeny "deny" /*! @defined kAuthorizationComment comments for the administrator on what is being customized here; as opposed to (localized) descriptions presented to the user. */ #define kAuthorizationComment "comment" /*! @function AuthorizationRightGet Retrieves a right definition as a dictionary. There are no restrictions to keep anyone from retrieving these definitions. @param rightName (input) the rightname (ASCII). Wildcard rightname definitions are okay. @param rightDefinition (output/optional) the dictionary with all keys defining the right. See documented keys. Passing in NULL will just check if there is a definition. The caller is responsible for releasing the returned dictionary. @result errAuthorizationSuccess 0 No error. errAuthorizationDenied -60005 No definition found. */ OSStatus AuthorizationRightGet(const char *rightName, CFDictionaryRef *rightDefinition); /*! @function AuthorizationRightSet Create or update a right entry. Only normal rights can be registered (wildcard rights are denied); wildcard rights are considered to be put in by an administrator putting together a site configuration. @param authRef (input) authRef to authorize modifications. @param rightName (input) the rightname (ASCII). Wildcard rightnames are not okay. @param rightDefinition (input) a CFString of the name of a rule to use (delegate) or CFDictionary containing keys defining one. @param descriptionKey (input/optional) a CFString to use as a key for looking up localized descriptions. If no localization is found this will be the description itself. @param bundle (input/optional) a bundle to get localizations from if not the main bundle. @param localeTableName (input/optional) stringtable name to get localizations from. @result errAuthorizationSuccess 0 added right definition successfully. errAuthorizationDenied -60005 Unable to create or update right definition. errAuthorizationCanceled -60006 Authorization was canceled by user. errAuthorizationInteractionNotAllowed -60007 Interaction was required but not possible. */ OSStatus AuthorizationRightSet(AuthorizationRef authRef, const char *rightName, CFTypeRef rightDefinition, CFStringRef descriptionKey, CFBundleRef bundle, CFStringRef localeTableName); /*! @function AuthorizationRightRemove Request to remove a right from the policy database. @param authRef (input) authRef, to be used to authorize this action. @param rightName (input) the rightname (ASCII). Wildcard rightnames are not okay. */ OSStatus AuthorizationRightRemove(AuthorizationRef authRef, const char *rightName); #if defined(__cplusplus) } #endif #endif /* !_SECURITY_AUTHORIZATIONDB_H_ */


text:
City handles New Haven
COLUMBIA CITY — It didn't matter what foot it came from, just about everything was at or in the goal Monday night for Columbia City girls' soccer.
Hosting a Northeast Hoosier Conference special against New Haven, City had five different Lady Eagles post a goal in what was an early lead and 5-0 shutout for Columbia City.
"Our first two goals were within the first 10 minutes so we set the pace right there," said Columbia City head coach Nicole Gebfert.
The Lady Eagles took control of the possession early and often in the first half with two goals in under six minutes of play.
First off the foot of forward Sarah Opliger, Columbia City quickly jumped on top of the Bulldogs in the 37th minute after Opliger beat the New Haven goalie Kairsa Jacquay for the first goal of the game.
Not celebrating long, the Lady Eagles struck again with senior Michaela McIntosh taking one of Columbia City 36 shots on goal for the game and putting it into the back of the net with 35 minutes remaining in the half.
"We've been stressing to possess the ball in the midfield and look to our forwards," Gebfert noted. "We did that well tonight. That was exactly our game plan and we followed through with it."
Another shot nearly helped put City up 3-0 as the first half whined down. Cassie McFarren took a loose ball up the middle narrowly missing a shot in the corner when it was snagged by the Bulldog goalkeeper.
Columbia City finally got the third goal it was looking for in the first half with No. 8 Emily Wise getting it with just eight seconds to spare in the half.
Off a run up the middle of the New Haven defense, Wise beat the goalie one-on-one to the left corner.
"We had a lot of different people score tonight," Gebfert stated. "We spread the ball around, got shots from all different areas of the field. Five goals, five different girls."
The scoring picked backup just one minute into the first half with Jessica Nierman. The senior took a long shot from the right wing clearing the goalkeeper's reach to put it in the far side of the net.
One more goal came in late for the Lady Eagles with 13:56 remaining when senior Erica Spade cut off a bad pass in the New Haven defense for a shot in the upper left hand corner of the goal.
Columbia City (5-4, 2-2 NHC) head to Warsaw Thursday.


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The NHL playoff schedule was released on Sunday and the chase for the Stanley Cup begins on Tuesday with three games.
The defending champion Los Angeles Kings finished fifth in the Western Conference rather than eighth, as they did last season, and will take on the fourth-seeded St. Louis Blues starting on Tuesday at 8 p.m. (ET).
The Blues, who closed the season on a roll, going 12-3-0 in April, will have revenge on their mind after being swept by Los Angeles in the conference semifinals last spring.
The Kings followed up last spring's playoff sweep of the Blues by then sweeping this year's regular-season series by a 3-0 margin. However, the two clubs finished the regular season separated by just one point in the standings.
The top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks, who captured the Presidents' Trophy with 77 points, will open the playoffs against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
The Blackhawks set an NHL record this season for earning at least one point in their first 24 games (21-0-3). Meanwhile, the Wild were the last team to qualify for the playoffs. Minnesota was on the verge of missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
The Detroit Red Wings won their final four games in the regular season to extend the longest current playoff streak in the NHL to 22 seasons. Detroit earned the No. 7 seed in the West and will open up against the second-seeded Anaheim Ducks, who won the Pacific Division title, on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.
The Vancouver Canucks won the Northwest Division for the fifth time in six seasons, and finished third in the West with 59 points. They will face the San Jose Sharks starting Wednesday at 10:30.
The Sharks swept the season series by a 3-0 margin, but both teams ended the season playing their best hockey. San Jose finished on a 12-5-1 stretch while Vancouver went 13-6-1 to end the season.
The defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils missed out on the postseason for the second time in three years, leaving the East wide open for a new team to make a run to the Stanley Cup.
The top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins have to be the odds-on-favorite after finishing nine points clear of the Montreal Canadiens in the final standings.
The Pens, who reeled off 15 straight wins in a perfect month of March, may have an added weapon when they host the New York Islanders to start the postseason, as captain Sidney Crosby returned to practice Friday after missing the team's last 11 games with a broken jaw he sustained on March 30.
The eighth-seeded Isles stumbled into the postseason, losing their final three games, although two of those losses came via shootout, which is not an option in the playoffs. Game 1 of this series is set for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
The Southeast Division champion Washington Capitals, led by Alex Ovechkin's league-leading 32 regular-season goals, open their postseason slate against the sixth-seeded New York Rangers, who eked into the playoffs with five wins in their final six games.
The Rangers and Capitals will be facing off in the postseason for the third straight year. Washington took the first two meetings, but New York outlasted the Caps in a seven-game marathon in the Conference Semifinals last season. This season's playoff matchup between the two teams will begin Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Montreal, which edged Boston by one point for the Northeast Division crown, will host the Ottawa Senators in the first round after the Sens beat the Bruins in Sunday's season finale to give the Canadiens the division title.
Ottawa and Montreal split four games this season, with each team earning a shootout victory on the road. The Canadian counterparts have never faced each other in the postseason. Game 1 is set for Thursday at 7 p.m.
The final Eastern Conference matchup features a pair of Original Six teams, as the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto and Boston haven't met in the postseason since 1974, when the Bruins swept the Leafs in four games in a quarterfinal matchup.
The Bruins went 16-5-3 at TD Garden this season and took three of four from the Leafs during the regular season. Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m.


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In a time of crisis people look around for someone who seems to know what is happening and what should be done. This often leads to disaster. A country is falling apart and people see someone who is supremely confident and full of noble sentiments. In fact his confidence comes from opportunism. He knows that this is his moment to seize power and he has a sure intuition about how to do so. He is not concerned so much with leading people to a better place as just to take charge. Probably this assuages a deep anxiety and insecurity in himself that is only bearable when he can dominate and control.
Soon people realise they have put the wrong person in power but he clings to it at any price – including their lives. How many fallen dictators are determined to drag their country down with them into the ruins of their own ego? Unrestrained egotism inevitably destroys.
Calmness in a storm is a powerful force in itself. Sometimes it can even calm the storm. But we have to discern where the calmness comes from – the ego cynically seizing an opportunity or a wisdom and compassion that sees through the present turmoil to the centre where the energy of peace resides.
There is only one great teacher and leader, the spirit. Some people carry a strong measure of the spirit in themselves and can be trusted. But such people, hands-on people not wafflers, discourage projection and do not seek acclaim. This self-knowledge was a characteristic of Jesus as he came to the crisis of his life.
One of the best leaders I have known was Sr Margaret Collier from Cork, a soft spoken woman, working always with great clarity and gentleness. She had the rare gift of inspiring, empowering, pushing from behind and then deftly stepping aside to let her protégés run things and take the credit. She left a strong and well-run community behind her.
People who build new things that last and can guide others through crisis are filled with the spirit. There's always some ego at work in the available memory of our operating system. No one is perfect, even the very good and not many are very good. But, better concentrate on the good in people than the bad in order to avoid the ego in ourselves from seizing power.
With good practices embedded, our lives become attuned to this dimension of reality. Gradually, there is less and less space for the secret, crippling self-doubts of the ego. The doubts that do remain active are not destabilizing. They keep us grounded and ready to learn.
There is only one leader and we are all disciples. "Call no one on earth your teacher because you have only one teacher." It's strange how quickly the practice of meditation reveals the meaning of this and changes our values and way of living.
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As the peak of hurricane season quickly closes in on Southwest Florida, the Lee County Sheriff's Office reminds residents what to look for and how to stay away from some of the most common scams and frauds that may occur after a natural disaster. When preparing your hurricane survival kit this year, don't forget to include these very important "post-hurricane" safety and security tips to avoid being taken advantage of by con-artists who love to prey on disaster victims:
- Identity thieves: Inclement weather may force you to abandon your home due to flooding and wind, leaving your personal items vulnerable to being scattered around town. Now is the time to shred sensitive information and place items such as your social security card, birth certificate and passport in a secured, water-proof container. If you are forced to relocate from your home, be sure to contact your local post office as soon as possible to either forward your mail or place it on hold as identity thieves have been known to collect information from abandoned houses.
- Dishonest contractors: If you have property damage you will most likely want to have it repaired as quickly as possible so you can regain a sense of normalcy. This mindset can leave you vulnerable to fly-by-night contractors looking to make a quick buck. Beware of high price temporary repairs, a request for a large cash deposit, or pushy salesmen. If at all possible it is always best to get at least three written estimates by contractors who have roots in the local community.
- Fraudulent representation of FEMA: After a disaster, you may encounter someone who claims to be a FEMA representative. Beware of phone calls and individuals who go door-to-door asking for your social security and/or bank account numbers, FEMA registration number or other sensitive material. FEMA reps typically will not take an active role in seeking out individuals, but will make themselves accessible to victims by travelling through damaged areas. If in doubt, contact the sheriff's office.
- Charitable phishing or spoofing alerts: Beware of Web sites and e-mails soliciting donations for disaster victims. To ensure contributions to U.S. based non-profit organizations are received and used for intended purposes, go directly to the Web site of recognized charities and aid organizations, as opposed to following links provided in e-mails. All Internet scam complaints can be forwarded to: www.ic3.gov.
If you have a question about this topic, or if you would like to report a fraud, contact the LCSO Fraud line at (239) 477-1242.


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Massive wildfires scorching huge swaths of Colorado have local IT firms and solution providers looking over their shoulders -- and out their windows -- wondering how their business, and that of their clients, will be impacted.
While wildfires are burning in several western states, the worst-hit area so far seems to be in the Colorado Springs, Colo., area where the Reuters news service is reporting that, as of Wednesday afternoon, at least 32,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and that parts of the Air Force Academy there have burned.
The fires around Colorado Springs, a city of about 650,000 people, are among the worst to impact a major metropolitan area in the U.S. since the 2007 wildfire outbreak in the San Diego area.
[Related: Five Natural Disasters That Threatened To Break IT Supply Chains]
IT companies both large and small are being impacted by the fires, which so far are only about 5 percent contained and which could continue to with rising temperatures.
A number of employees of Colorado Information Technologies, a small solution provider in the city, have already lost their homes to the blaze, said Denise Gonzalez, office manager for the company.
Colorado Information Technologies is making plans to evacuate if needed, Gonzalez said.
"The other side of the road from where we are is in the mandatory evacuation area," she said. "We can see the fires from here. They're about 10 miles away."
Trevor Dierdorff, CEO of Amnet, an IT services and managed services provider for businesses with 20 to 200 seats, said his company is only three miles away from the evacuation area.
"So far, we see mostly smoke," Dierdorff said. "But if it were night, I expect we could see the flames reflected in the smoke."
Four of Amnet's employees are under mandatory evacuation orders from their homes, and one employee nearly lost her home, Dierdorff said.
Amnet has been in touch with customers to make sure their offsite backups were done properly, he said.
"It was our first order of business," he said. "One client, a small newer business, decided it didn't want the overhead of offsite backups. He called us frantically last night asking us to help him get set up. But by then, the power was out at his business."
NEXT: VAR Says Coloradoans Too Complacent About Disasters


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We're just two weeks away until Mobile World Congress kicks off, the largest mobile exhibition on the face of the planet. Everything that gets announced there usually ends up being talked about for the next 12 months, case in point the Samsung Galaxy S II. This year we're sad to report that Samsung isn't going to be at the event in any major way, instead they're opting to host their own event later this year. That's music to LG's ears, who has recently been struggling to make a name for themselves in the smartphone market. Their last successful device was the NVIDIA Tegra 2 packing Optimus 2X, and even then, that device was riddled with bugs that took multiple software updates to rectify. We already know one of the devices LG plans to announce at MWC, the 5 inch Optimus Vu, but is the Miracle going to be their sleeper hit product?
The LG Miracle, which was previously known as the Fantasy, is your run of the mill Windows Phone. It has a spec sheet that isn't going to blow anyone away, but just look at how this thing looks. The first word that springs to mind is "organic". While Nokia's Windows Phones are pretty, they look a bit over engineered. The Lumia 800 has hard edges on the top and bottom of the device, and the Lumia 710, which we think looks better than the Lumia 800, is a bit on the thick side. The Miracle on the other hand looks like a no fuss rounded rectangle with a thin bezel and a stylized back.
Now as for the elephant in the room, Windows Phone, that's a personal preference. If you like Microsoft's smartphone operating system, then great, the Miracle is likely going to be the perfect budget phone. If you don't … well then you don't. Maybe you'll change your mind when you see the next version of the OS later this year.
[Via: Unwired View]


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iPhone Application Key Leaked 247
HighWizard writes with word from Engadget that the iPhone SDK Key has been leaked early. "We're not exactly sure how this all went down, but we trust Erica Sadun over at TUAW when she says that it appears that the iPhone's SDK key — which will probably be required by all 'official' third-party apps — has been leaked. Two different sites currently have the key posted, but it's all just for show until next month, when the SDK hits for real — and the code is undoubtedly changed."