text:
In the months after law enforcement agents raided his state assembly and union offices, Brian
McLaughlin, wary of surveillance, started conducting his business at the Hollywood Coffee Shop, a soup and sandwich place at 16th Street and Sixth Avenue, around the corner from the New York City Central Labor Council.
He would sit at a table against the windows, over-looking the subway entrance, facing the door where he could see who was coming
and going.There, he told those who asked that he really had no clear idea why a battery of agents from the FBI, the federal labor-racketeering office, and city investigations department had burst into his offices on
March 2 and seized scores of boxes of records. He sat there in his dark labor statesman's suit, six foot three, built like a tree trunk, shaking his big handsome head of black hair laced with gray from side to side. "That's what my lawyer's trying to find out," he said.
People wanted to believe him. New York is considered a union town, and over the 10 years he headed the 1.5 million- member labor council, Brian McLaughlin, more than anyone else, was the face of labor. He rarely missed a rally or a picket line, and you couldn't fail to spot him as he stood literally head and shoulders above the crowd, always with a determined set to his jaw. He was there for the transit workers at their huge thundering demonstrations; for the firefighters, cops, and teachers when City Hall balked at new contracts; and for labor newcomers like the graduate school students trying to win union protections. He talked about immigrants and the rough deal they got, and how unions were reversing years of policy to now embrace them. He fought Wal-Mart over the way it treated its workers and helped block the giant chain from opening in the city. He had his troops organize the annual Labor Day parade (the weekend after Labor Day to avoid vacation conflicts), and every elected official in town, and those seeking to become one, had to be there, to be seen marching with big Brian McLaughlin, the face of labor.
Which is why many were inclined to give him the benefit of their many doubts when federal agents appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, at his doorstep. New York's unions
have been plagued for generations by thieves who used their official positions to wrongful advantage. But most had the decency to keep to the shadows, to grow fat and prosperous in the dark like plump mushrooms. Who ever heard of a thief who clamored for the limelight? What burglar made sure his face was in every photo, his name in every article, the more times the better?
The minute he became president of the labor council in 1995, McLaughlin put a public relations adviser on the payroll. He went through half a dozen of them over the years, his instructions always the same: Get me coverage. He was an easy media sell: good-looking, charming, able to give a good speech. The resulting profiles were so flattering that he began discussing his political future with consultants. Why not mayor? he asked. He was a moderate blue-collar Democrat, a veteran assemblyman from Queens, a natural heir to those who had crossed party lines to vote for Rudy Giuliani, the Republican mayor McLaughlin had endorsed for re-election. He let the notion float in the press and began raising a campaign war chest.
At St. Patrick's Cathedral in September 1999, he sat upright and earnest in a front pew as his dying friend, Cardinal John O'Connor, proud son of a union painter, praised him during a Sunday homily for bringing energy and integrity to labor. "There is a wonderful new breath in the movement," said O'Connor, eager to reaffirm the dignity he believed unions offered to his flock. McLaughlin nodded in solemn agreement.
That fall, when scandal engulfed leaders of the huge municipal workers' union, District Council 37, McLaughlin rushed to repair the damage. He spent several Sundays touring neighborhood churches, where he climbed to the pulpits, offering an apology and a plea for forgiveness of the wayward unions. "Neither the church nor the unions are perfect institutions," he said. "Sinners belong in church, but workers belong in labor unions if they want a better future."
That was Brian McLaughlin for you: ever sensitive to the PR demands of the moment, always aiming his pitch at the soft spot held in the hearts of most New Yorkers for labor, always standing tall for working men and women, so tall that you always knew he was there.
And that's why the betrayal by Brian McLaughlin of the labor movement—a movement that has suffered a thousand such betrayals by lesser leaders—cuts so deep. Despite his claims of innocence, McLaughlin has few believers these days. He faces 50 years in prison if convicted, and a trial (for which no date has been set) would be likely to smear the city's unions even more. "I'm as angry as angry can be," seethed veteran union organizer Kevin Lynch last month, echoing the rage of scores of colleagues. "It's going to take us years to dig out from this one."
If even a small portion of the massive 186-page indictment filed against him in October is to be believed, Brian McLaughlin already knew he belonged in the ranks of the sinners he deplored when he toured the churches that fall. Even then, according to the allegations, he was concocting larcenies large and small.
A fund intended for picnics and holiday parties for the members of the streetlighting division of his own union, Local 3 of the electrical workers? He was already using it to pay the docking fees at a marina on the Jersey Shore where he kept his boat, and to make payments on his sports utility vehicle, according to the government. The campaign finance committee, the one he sought to boost with contributions from admirers who saw in him a potential mayor, a real labor mayor? He had already placed one of his union cronies on the committee's payroll as a consultant for $500 a week, payments he allegedly directed straight back to his own pocket. The Committee to Elect Brian M. McLaughlin paid a woman $450 monthly to clean his district assembly office in Flushing. But most of her time was spent washing floors and windows at the nearby house McLaughlin shared with his wife and children, the indictment asserts.
Bigger schemes were also allegedly under way.
In 1998, an electrical contractor who won a city bid to maintain streetlights on Staten Island asked to be cut a break on union work-crew requirements. McLaughlin, who served as the union's business agent for the streetlighting workers, agreed—for a price, the indictment states. The contractor doled out monthly checks of $2,400 described as expenses, along with numerous "bonus" checks of $5,000, to his top foreman, a member of McLaughlin's union, according to the government, money that is also alleged to have gone into the labor leader's wallet. Two years later, when the contractor won the right to maintain Manhattan's streetlights as well, McLaughlin said the labor-saving arrangement could continue—at double the price, according to the government. At the end of that contract, McLaughlin allegedly demanded a closeout payment of $15,000. He was amenable to terms: The money could be in cash or in checks to either his campaign committee or a union-sponsored athletics group that ran a Little League for members' kids. The contractor chose the combination plan, the government claims, writing several checks in May 2002, including one for $3,000 to the Electchester Athletics Association, a group McLaughlin also allegedly plundered, and another for the same amount to the campaign committee.
Prosecutors carefully omitted from their indictment the names of McLaughlin's accomplices and the contractors alleged to have bribed him. But in campaign disclosure reports filed with the state elections board, McLaughlin listed just one $3,000 check that month. It was from Solomon Tannor, the late president of S.N. Tannor, an electrical contracting firm that won bids to maintain city streetlights in Staten Island and Manhattan in 1998 and 2000. Firm representatives did not return calls.
As McLaughlin preached that fall, he had an even more lucrative scam under way, according to the charges. New York was preparing a massive overhaul of its traffic signals, replacing incandescent bulbs with cheaper, energy-saving light-emitting diodes. Electrical contractors purchasing the new LEDs were told by McLaughlin and his cohorts, the government claims, that they'd be well served to buy them from a particular supplier, even though his fixtures were more expensive than those of competitors. Otherwise, McLaughlin allegedly told the contractors, his members might have trouble installing the new lights. In exchange for that heavy-handed product endorsement, the lighting salesman allegedly put more than $400,000 in sales commissions in a McLaughlin account, according to the indictment.
Again, authorities didn't disclose the name of McLaughlin's alleged partner, but records and sources confirm his identity, and it has a familiar ring for New Yorkers: Bernard "Buddy" Beame, owner of Argent Electric Corp. and son of Abe Beame, the late mayor who was famous for his municipal
penny-pinching. Buddy Beame denied any wrongdoing. "I have no dealings with him," he said of McLaughlin when reached at his Westchester home.
Such scams are a long way from the skills that Brian McLaughlin's co-workers so admired when he was first coming up in the electricians' union. "We used to call him 'The Natural,'" said an electrician who served with McLaughlin in the union's construction apprentice program in the 1970s. "He just had all these gifts of leadership—tall, impressive, a great speaker."
It didn't hurt that McLaughlin was a third-generation union member (his father was the chief electrician for The New York Times), and when Local 3's longtime leader, Harry Van Arsdale Jr., needed help running the city labor council—where Van Arsdale had doubled as president since 1957—he tapped McLaughlin for the slot. When Van Arsdale decided to revive the Labor Day parade in 1981, a tradition that the city's increasingly moribund union movement had abandoned almost 20 years earlier, McLaughlin was told to pull it together.
To do so, the young electrician recruited help from the union's "J division," some 300 members working for private contractors maintaining the city's streetlights. Contractors are required to keep a team of workers and trucks on call at all times for emergencies, and the union contract stipulates how many workers should be in a crew. And while many J-division men did union tasks on their own time, before or after their shifts, there has also long been a wink and a nod between contractors and the union allowing members to slip off the job for extracurricular activities.
J-division men often provided the troops for labor rallies and political campaigns, tapping light posts to supply the juice for sound systems, and using the trucks with the long stretch buckets to festoon streets with banners and campaign posters. McLaughlin was appointed business agent for the division and he generously shared his members' expertise with other unions, a move that earned him friends among the rest of the city's trade union leadership. When they went looking for a new council president, the good-look
ing guy from Local 3 seemed a perfect fit.
Back then, McLaughlin's election as the city's top labor official was viewed in union circles as a major reform victory. For one thing, he was replacing Van Arsdale's son Tommy, who had frustrated other city union leaders with his cautious labor conservatism. For another, McLaughlin was just 43 at the time and he talked the talk of a labor activist, in stark contrast to many of the city's ossified unionists, particularly in the powerful building trades. In addition, he already knew the city's top politicians, having been elected in 1993 to the state assembly, representing what was then a mostly white working-class swath of Flushing, Queens.
And there seemed to be no question he was a hard worker. He seemed to need little sleep and peppered his staff with constant questions. "I am on the beach in the summer, it is 10:30 at night, and he is e-mailing me about projects he wants to get done," said Ed Ott, a former health care workers organizer whose 1996 hiring by McLaughlin as the council's policy director was viewed as another positive sign that the city's new labor chief wanted to get things done.
But even then there were hints that big Brian McLaughlin also carried a dangerously big ego. In his campaign for the job, McLaughlin told supporters he wanted to be the council's first full-time leader, focused strictly on union business. But after his election, he refused to yield either his $80,000-a-year assembly seat, which kept him commuting to Albany at least six months a year, or his position as head of the J division, a post that carried prestige within Local 3, one of the largest and most powerful of the city's unions.
There was also an exasperating tendency to try and please everyone, to make promises he could never deliver. "He wasn't a hard guy to like," said a top city union leader. "He just wasn't someone you wanted to do business with."
As one labor official put it: "He was split so many ways, it made it impossible to focus."
Despite the many hats he wore, McLaughlin did find time to harness the council's organizational assets for his own benefit. Each of the council's 400 affiliate unions contributed to its political action committee, a fund intended to provide monetary heft to labor's political agenda, putting money behind pro-union candidates and causes. But records show council contributions went heavily to candidates in Queens, McLaughlin's political base, with McLaughlin's own assembly campaign committee and his political club receiving the largest donations. In 1999, the PAC shelled out $49,000, its largest single expenditure, for a series of radio ads that highlighted the labor council's push for a so-called living-wage bill. But the ads' main purpose, confirmed sources who helped craft them, was to get McLaughlin added name exposure.
Technically, McLaughlin was accountable to an executive board, composed of more than 30 representatives of the city's largest unions. But according to several board members (many simply didn't bother to attend the monthly meetings), there was little discussion of the council's own operations. "I never went to a meeting where they approved an expenditure," said one member. "I don't remember ever seeing an audited financial statement."
Often, McLaughlin brought guests to make presentations. A couple of years ago, a board member recalled, McLaughlin introduced the marketing director for a cell phone company that had agreed to union contracts. Using the company would be good for labor, McLaughlin told his board, adding that the director was making a contribution to the council's upcoming golf tournament. After the marketing director ended his pitch, someone walked in with a pile of boxes. "I have a gift for everyone," the cell phone rep said, and proceeded to hand out new phones to the board members. The phones, union officials noted, came loaded with several hundred free minutes. Some happily took them, but many left the boxes on the table, aware that the gift from a union employer represented a potential violation of federal law. "It was such a typical Brian meeting," said one member. "Just a dog and pony show. Instead of talking about real work, he's just trying to ingratiate himself with this guy."
Members of the J division were constantly in the council's offices. Some came and went, carefully noting their volunteer hours. But a small clique of McLaughlin's closest associates were fixtures in the place. "Brian's Local 3 guys were always around," said one former council employee. "For a while I tried to figure out who was who, and why they were there. Then they would tell me, friendly-like, 'Just don't worry about it.' So I didn't. I figured I didn't need to know to do my job."
McLaughlin's own council salary rose to $145,000 a year, but when another former council aide said he needed a raise, McLaughlin ordered him fired, and then refused to appear in person to explain why. The aide delayed cleaning out his desk, figuring McLaughlin would have to show up eventually. Instead, the aide received a visit from a pair of burly Local 3 members, both of them foremen in the streetlighting division. "We've been told we have to get you out of here, even if we have to throw you out, which we don't want to do," threatened one of the foremen, although the dispute was settled peaceably.
One steady council hanger-on was Pete Manno, the roly-poly chairman of the local's streetlighting division who served as McLaughlin's right-hand man. Another was Charles Washington, a cigar-chomping African American who was listed as a foreman for streetlighting contractors but whose time was allegedly consumed attending to constant personal errands for McLaughlin, ranging from picking up prescriptions for McLaughlin's family to taking McLaughlin's Jeep Cherokee to the car wash, even delivering envelopes and gifts to McLaughlin's girlfriends. Washington, discreetly referred to as "Officer 2" in the indictment, is described as having served as the labor chief's "personal assistant and valet."
Another J-division regular was McLaughlin's cousin, a man named Tommy Schuette (pronounced shoot-ay). In addition to working as a foreman for a streetlighting contractor—purportedly a full-time job in itself—Schuette was a practicing chiropractor with offices in Suffolk County and Manhattan. The two men were extremely close. "I think Brian is closer to Tommy than he is to his brother," said one person who knows the family. On occasion, Schuette would give back rubs to people meeting in the council's conference room, and he often signed up visitors as clients for his practice.
He had other jobs as well. In late 2002, McLaughlin had the council hire Schuette as a $5,000-a-month consultant for chores like hauling and setting up sound equipment for rallies. This was work that had long been done for free by J-division volunteers, but McLaughlin allegedly insisted his cousin be paid for the tasks. That wasn't all. McLaughlin also had the labor council retain Schuette as a fundraising consultant, allowing him to collect a percentage of whatever contributions he collected for the new golf tournament that the labor leader had initiated.
Finally, in August 2005, McLaughlin ordered Schuette placed on the council's payroll as the director of its immigration project, the Commission on the Dignity of Immigrants, a group that had been launched in tandem with the New York Catholic Archdiocese and McLaughlin's admiring friend, the late Cardinal O'Connor.
Under its first director, José Peralta, the commission had played a helpful role, uniting immigrant groups around the city. But after Peralta was elected to an assembly seat, the organization faltered, with immigrant activists wondering what had happened. By the time McLaughlin appointed Schuette to head it, the group was essentially inactive. But that didn't affect his pay scale. Schuette's initial salary was $81,000, a level that made him the third-highest-paid employee at the council. A couple of months later, McLaughlin had it hiked to $94,000.
For Ted Jacobson, a quiet former teachers' union official who has long served as the council's secretary, an elected position, this was too much. According to council sources, the usually mild-mannered Jacobson tried to tell McLaughlin that it would be a big mistake to hire his cousin for the immigration job. The confrontation took place over the telephone and witnesses heard McLaughlin's end of the conversation. "Fuck you, I am the president. Don't tell me what I can't do," McLaughlin yelled and then slammed down the phone.
According to the federal charges, each one of the labor chieftain's dealings with his multitasking cousin was a scam, with most of the money passed back to McLaughlin. Nor was that all of it. State records show that the same month that McLaughlin had Schuette hired at the labor council, he also added him to his assembly payroll as a part-time "community liaison"—another scam, according to the feds.
In one more elaborate scheme, McLaughlin allegedly helped Schuette launch a film- processing business in Manhattan, ordering
a crew of Local 3 streetlighting workers to spend the summer of 2002 building the new film lab—while they were on the clock for a city contractor. As part of McLaughlin's end of the deal, he allegedly had Schuette's new company make payments on a brand-new $80,000 luxury car that he registered in his wife Eva's name. The vehicle was an interesting choice for one of the top labor leaders in the country, where the auto- and steelworkers unions have long pleaded with members to show support for their ever dwindling jobs by buying American-made cars. It was a gleaming black Mercedes-Benz.
Outside of the little clique from Local 3 and a handful of other McLaughlin intimates, those escapades stayed mainly behind the closed doors of his council office. In public, Brian McLaughlin remained labor's face and leading voice, an affable man whom most people liked, even admired. That status was something he was determined to capitalize on.
He had first talked about a mayoral candidacy in the late '90s, an idea that failed to gain traction. But the notion gained new life after new mayor Michael Bloomberg hiked property taxes, evoking anger among middle-class families. In early 2003, polls showed any Democrat could beat Bloomberg nearly 2-1.
McLaughlin huddled with his political advisers, his former chief of staff, Evan Stavisky, and union lobbyist Bob Ungar, and asked top gurus like Hank Sheinkopf for advice. He hired a full-time fundraising consultant, a young woman named Jackie Rovine, parked her in an office upstairs from the labor council on West 15th Street, and began trying to raise as much campaign cash as he could.
It wasn't that difficult. He had close contacts in the construction industry, and valuable friends. His most important fundraiser was his pal Santo Petrocelli Sr., the former chief executive of Petrocelli Electric, a Long Island City–based firm that has won some $400 million in city electrical contracts over the last 15 years. "Petrocelli may not have had the title, but he was Brian's campaign-fundraising chairman," said one of McLaughlin's former advisers.
McLaughlin dined regularly with Petrocelli, who was known in the industry for brandishing a big cigar and bragging about wiseguy connections, ties that have often been alleged by mob informants. McLaughlin clearly respected the older man. His assembly financial disclosure reports show that in 2000 he invested in a successful telecommunications company called FiberNet Telecom that was started and partly owned by Petrocelli. The investment breached the spirit if not the letter of rules forbidding employer-union dealings, but then so did much of McLaughlin's relationship with the contractors.
Campaign records show that the electrical firms, many with Local 3 bargaining agreements, loaded up the labor leader's campaign coffers. Petrocelli and his family anted up about $10,000 personally, and held fundraisers that brought in thousands more; Welsbach Electric, another big Queens-based contractor, gave $18,000. In a single week in May 2003, Richard Addeo, the late owner of Adco Electric on Staten Island, raised $61,000 from business aides and family members to fuel McLaughlin's mayoral bid.
By July, McLaughlin had already hit the $1 million mark and he hired a new publicist to get that story out to the press. The Daily News described McLaughlin as "charging hard from the outside." The Times did a Public Lives profile on the big labor leader who would be mayor. "I don't particularly like politics, and I have no ego for it, quite frankly," he told the reporter, a remark that made many roll their eyes when they read it.
But then suddenly, after the big push, he gave up. McLaughlin never explained his reasons, even to council aides. Early polls showed him running far behind other likely contenders, and there was also resistance within the labor movement. State AFL-CIO president Denis Hughes, a respected leader in McLaughlin's own Local 3, publicly opposed the campaign, and several union officials said they were pledged to other candidates. But the move still stunned his supporters.
"It was like he just couldn't pull the trigger," said Rory Lancman, a Queens district leader in McLaughlin's own political club. "We never had a discussion about him quitting the race; he just announced it. That was the frustrating thing about dealing with Brian. He was this big, powerful guy, but no one ever knew what he was doing."
Others wondered if the whole thing had been a sham. "A lot of people thought it was a cynical exercise," said one labor official who worked with McLaughlin. "As soon as he shut it down, a whole lot of eyebrows went up."
But there was another reason as well. In early 2004, more than two years before the raids on his offices, and just before he
dropped his mayoral bid, WNBC-TV reporter Jonathan Dienst called McLaughlin's offices, saying that he'd learned from sources that the labor official was the target of a criminal investigation. The message was relayed to McLaughlin. He "turned white," according to a source. "He just got panicky."
A couple of weeks later, an item ran in the Daily News that McLaughlin had taken himself out of the mayoral race. "My focus has to be on working people," he told the paper.
Dienst's story, however, never ran. He decided to hold off, he said, after law enforcement sources pleaded that it could jeopardize their case. When the piece didn't run, McLaughlin was relieved. But he was hardly scared straight. Instead, he responded more like a well-schooled crook, urging greater precautions. According to the indictment, during a meeting with one of his union minions about ripping off more funds from the Electchester Little League, he ordered him never to talk over the telephone. "Nothing on the fucking phone ever again," the labor chief is alleged to have instructed.
He also began siphoning money out of his campaign committee. In the months after he ended his candidacy, he authorized some $146,000 to a consulting firm set up by his cousin Tommy Schuette. Another $56,000 went to a foreman in the J divi
sion; $20,000 was given to McLaughlin's new daughter-in-law. He even billed his campaign committee $2,400 for the cost of flowers and dinner for his son's wedding rehearsal, according to the government.
Still, his ambitions died hard. Even after the mayoral bid fizzled, he talked about becoming the next Democratic county leader in Queens. The buzz grew so loud that the late Democratic boss Tom Manton confronted him, according to a longtime Manton aide. "What's this about you wanting my job?" Manton asked him. "Not while you're in it," McLaughlin assured him, although top Democrats in the borough said that was exactly what McLaughlin had in mind. He saw other possibilities as well. As late as last year, according to his advisers, McLaughlin was talking about running for Public Advocate, or perhaps city comptroller. "He was talking about 2009," said one consultant. "He was going to raise another million dollars."
It wasn't until after the indictment that McLaughlin's labor colleagues learned how well the city's top union official had done for himself. Out on the north shore of Long Island, in the hamlet of Nissequogue, just north of Smithtown, McLaughlin had been building a dream house, a sprawling 13-room colonial with two fireplaces, a wraparound porch, wine cellar, wet bar, and a two-horse stable in the back. The tabloids ran photos of the place, but the pictures didn't do it justice. The big house is nestled in the woods, set back from a rural road behind a post-and-rail fence, in a neighborhood of horse farms, a mile from the beaches. Much of the money McLaughlin is alleged to have taken from his various victims—the labor council, the J division's picnic fund, the Little League, his campaign committee—went into the house, according to the government.
Other money went to girlfriends, at least three of whom were cited in the indictment. In New York's labor world, that was about the only thing that people could agree on when asked if they'd ever gotten a hint that McLaughlin had a secret life. "I knew he liked the broads," said one veteran unionist. "We'd be out after meetings and he'd be at the bar working it. He didn't have any trouble, either, a good-looking guy like that."
Other than his not-guilty plea at his October arraignment, McLaughlin hasn't said a public word about his troubles. Even people who count him as a friend say they haven't heard from him. Two weeks ago, he and his wife put the new house in Nissequogue on the market at an asking price of $1,699,000. The government already has a lien on the property, so he'll have to fight it for the money. The first to spot the real estate listing were members of Local 3, who put the link to the offering, with its 360-
degree color panorama photos of the interior, on a website where union gossip and gripes are posted. "Look at all those high-hats!!" commented one poster, referring to the expensive recessed lights in every room.
Most unions keep mum after their leaders are accused of crimes, insisting that the accused is entitled to a presumption of innocence. Not so Local 3. In an almost unprecedented article in the November issue of the local's newspaper, its leadership issued a withering blast on the editorial page. "He has betrayed us," the editorial stated. "We are embarrassed. We are shocked."
Last week, a visit to the Nissequogue house found an inflated Santa, a snowman, and other happy-looking Christmas decorations on the lawn, with the only sound that of chittering sparrows in the tall pines. Eva McLaughlin was just pulling out of the driveway, and she paused to see what the visitor wanted. Yes, this was 1 Hawks Nest Lane, she confirmed, a hopeful tone in her voice. When the visitor introduced himself as a reporter, however, she stomped on the gas and roared away in the shiny black Mercedes-Benz her husband had bought.


text: Professor Ignacio Cirac, director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and leader of the Theory Division, has been honored with the National Culture Award from Catalonia (Premi Nacional de Pensament i Cultura Científica). Born in the Catalan city of Manresa, Cirac received this distinction for "his pioneering work on quantum information processing, which will lead to performing calculations that cannot be solved with traditional methods." Cirac's theory group works on quantum computation and also develops theoretical tools to describe many-body quantum systems, which may lead to a better understanding of macroscopic phenomena such as superconductivity. Cirac and his collaborators created new theoretical tools to characterize and quantify entanglement, and participates in the creation of a new theory of information based on quantum mechanics. Cirac, born in 1965, studied theoretical physics at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid where he received his PhD in 1991. He began his career in physics as a "Professor Titular" at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha where he stayed till 1996. In 1996 he became a professor at the department of Theoretical Physics at Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck. Since 2001 he has been director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and head of the Theory Division. In 2005 Cirac was awarded the 'Quantum Electronics Prize' of the European Science Foundation. In May 2006 he was the youngest ever winner of the renowned 'Royal Spanish Prince of Asturias Prize', and in the same year he received the 'International Quantum Communication Award' together with Professor Peter Zoller (University of Innsbruck). In January 2009 he again shared the 'Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Basic Sciences' of the Spanish BBVA Foundation with Professor Peter Zoller, and a couple of months later he received the Benjamin Franklin Medal from the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, together with Peter Zoller and Dr. David Wineland (National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder (NIST)). The Catalan Culture Awards are given annually in different cultural and scientific categories to personalities which are elected by a jury of 23 scientists, artists and journalists. By establishing this award the Catalan Arts Council, founded in March 2009, aims at promoting scientific and cultural activities, independent of government and regardless of political situations. Cirac will receive the Catalan Culture Award, which is endowed with18000 Euro, from the President of Catalonia, José Montilla, on July 3, 2010. For more information, visit: www.mpq.mpg.de/cirac

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Welcome. Happy. Safe.
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Team conisting of highly skilled software architects with focus on guidance and support for the UI software teams in Nokia Copenhagen.´ Main responsibilites for the team: ? Ensuring the software platform strategy and architecture goals are aligned with the global architecture defined by the Architect Management Group ? Define architecture and interfaces for new development ? Evaluating 3'rd party device management solutions ? Consultance support for outsourcing activities ? Classroom training
Team consisting of software developers. The purpose and the main resonsibility for the team: ? Implementing usability improvements in Nokia middle range phones in every component where it is needed
Cross country team divided in Denmark, Finland and UK. Team consisting of Usability specialists. Main responsibilities for the team: ? Supporting UX designers when user involvement is needed in their design processes ? Providing objective usability support by helping designers to plan, arrange, moderate, and analyse usability evaluations ? Managing and maintaining Usability Lab facilities ? Benchmarking competitor products ? Define and prioritize usability issues which needs to be improved ? Driving local user panels ? Empower user centered design within Nokia
? ScrumMaster for two cross functional development teams ? Responsible for the agile processes in DBC (internally known as "DBC Agile"). Making sure the defined processes are followed and making sure the processes constantly are being improved ? In our developed software we have working unit tests (in some cases implemented through TDD) and integration tests needed for continuous integration ? We are working on having continuous deployment as a part of our development process. Our current goal is to have continuous deployment implemented during 2015
Leading R&D team during the termination period of Nokia Denmark. Main focus on: ? Finalizing current team tasks ? Handover of team responsibilities to colleagues in other countries and outsourcing to external companies ? Managing the team and the people in the special circumstances where everyone knew Nokia Denmark is terminating
Working independently with software for Nokia S40 products Some of my focus areas: ? Implementing and maintaining the user interface for DRM for Nokia mobile phones ? Supporting the development and the maintenance in several areas related to the user interface for Nokia mobile phones
Working independently with software for Nokia S40 products ? Implementing software in different areas related to the user interface for Nokia mobile phones


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About This Winchester 12 Gauge Ammunition
Invented nearly one hundred fifty years ago, the 12 gauge shotgun has become one of the best, most effective firearms in the world. Great for hunting, sport shooting, self defense, military use, and law enforcement service, the 12 gauge is one of the most versatile short range firearms on the market.
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A former member of the Manson family may be getting out. A California parole panel has recommended that 70-year-old Bruce Davis be released on parole after serving 40 years in prison. Davis was convicted in 1972 of the murders of Gary Hinman and Donald Shea. (He was not charged with the more notorious Sharon Tate murders, but the Hinman and Shea killings were certainly heinous enough.)
One of the first things I thought to myself when I read about Davis was, "I bet he'd already be out if he were in Canada." This was not an educated conclusion, but an expression of my vague sense that we're softer on violent criminals than U.S. jurisdictions — that we make them eligible for parole sooner and release them earlier. But I wondered if there was any factual basis for that "sense."
So I started poking around Canadian and California sentencing and parole rules. And I found that there really is reason to believe that California, generally considered a liberal state, is tougher than Canada in this regard.
For example, this is not the first time Davis has been recommended for parole. It happened a couple years ago too.
But in California, there is a 120-day review period during which the entire parole board can examine the case. And even if the prisoner overcomes that hurdle, he still has to get by the governor, who has the absolute right to reverse the board's decision to grant parole to murderers.
That's what happened in 2010. Then-governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar overruled the board and declared Davis too dangerous to be let out. (As governor, Schwarzeneggar reversed approximately two thirds of the Board's decisions to grant parole.)
In Canada, Davis would have been out the moment the board decided to let him go.
What's more, in California, the parole board itself grants parole to only about 20% of the "lifers" (prisoners who, like Davis, are serving a life sentence) who come before it. And that's before the governor has his say.
In Canada, the grant rate for lifers hovers between about 33% and 38%.
It's true that thanks to the Harper government's changes to the criminal code, Canadian judges now have the option of forbidding prisoners convicted of multiple murders from serving their parole-eligibility periods concurrently. So, in Canada, a sentencing judge could, in theory, now make Davis wait 50 years before becoming eligible for parole — 25 years for each murder, served consecutively.
That would be quite a bit tougher than California, where Davis has already appeared before parole boards 27 times with only 40 years served. But if we're talking about options at a sentencing judge's disposal, California offers far more severe penalties than we do, including life without the possibility of parole (in Canada, parole is a theoretical option for all offenders) and the death penalty.
I don't know whether Davis still poses a danger to society. I do know that men of his age are statistically unlikely to commit crimes, and that California jails are massively overcrowded. However, I also know that there's something profoundly troubling about freeing a man who killed as viciously as Davis did, even 43 years after his crime. And there's little comfort to be found in the confirmation that such a murderer would be just as likely to be released — if not more so — here.
National Post


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I made this little dress yesterday with some of the fabric I had left over from this skirt.
It is kind of my own creation. I mixed up a couple of patterns to get this final product.
Once I had finished the pink dress I thought that the bodice was a little too long so to disguise this I added a yellow sash made from the same type of fabric.
I think that this actually makes the dress look nicer, especially teamed with a matching yellow t-shirt.
I used little pink press studs to fasten the straps at the front. I only used interfacing on the back straps so I'm a little worried that the press studs might rip the fabric at the front. The fabric is quite sheer so we'll see how it goes.
Perfect for a picnic...
and climbing trees?


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[This is one of the first things I ever wrote, you can tell by some of my references, it seems especially applicable today. I did not do these things, but the sentiment applies.]
I don't even try
I'm a natural
someone should make a movie about me
starring Robert Redford as myself
you'd be in it
played by a heavier Renee Zellweger
In the movie I'd make jokes about your weight
I'd remember your birthday
but still not get you anything
I'd even pick out what I wanted to give you
but use the money to buy a couple drinks
for a girl who is more attractive then you'll ever be
years later I'd sleep through your wedding
even though I'd agreed to be an usher
It would be an awesome movie
The Asshole would be a huge box office success
money would pour into my bank account
girls would flock to my arms
Redford, Zellweger and I would be interviewed together
on Regis and Kelly
I would make jokes about Redford's golf swing
and he would tell amusing anecdotes
about my alcoholism
and the subsequent nights spent passed out
in the back of pick up trucks
Tabloids would carry stories about Renee carrying my baby
we would be a media hit
Eminem would mention my height in one of his songs
Vh1 would interview me for "We Love the 90's"
I'd talk shit on 311
I would appear on the newly reborn Dave Chapelle Show
in a sketch called "Ask an Asshole"
All this would lead to a sequel
"the Asshole II: Twice the Ass, Twice the Hole"
Chris Rock would be added to the cast
as Redfords rookie partner
with no respect for the rules
the Asshole II would alienate it's fan base
who would say it had lost touch with it's original vision
Car chases and gunfights
are no substitute for a man cracking jokes
about Leukemia patients weird shaped heads
or the charm of a man describing his date
as looking festively plump
My fall from the limelight would be swift and complete
I would be left with no money
having squandered it on statues of myself, pyramid schemes
and girl scout cookies
left with nothing I would crash on your couch
drink your beer
make fun of your pudgy kids
and never, ever wear pants
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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Updating to OS X Mavericks? If you already use OS X, why wade through a big book that repeats what you already know? That's why Zango Group principal Galen Gruman has written OS X Mavericks: The "Just What You Need" Book that details all the new capabilities in OS X 10.9, with clear explanations, how-to information, and color screen images. From iBooks to Maps, from file tags to Finder tabs, this book shows you just what you need to know.
Price: $5.99 / £4.49 / €4.99 / ¥600 e-book, $17.99 print
If you're new to OS X, also check out Galen's OS X Mountain Lion Bible.
And if you also use an iPhone or iPad, check out his iOS 7: The "Just What You Need" Book that covers its new features.
Copyright © 1999-2019 The
Zango Group. All rights reserved. The Zango Group is a registered business alias for Galen Gruman, its sole proprietor. All trademarks belong to
their respective companies.


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The first ever British advert created specially for dogs - featuring high-pitched sounds that cannot be heard by humans - is due to be broadcast on ITV1 tonight.
The commercial, a minute-long send-up of The Italian Job, also features whistles and barks intended to catch the attention of even the most indolent of canines.
Bakers, the dog food manufacturer which commisioned the advert, hope the sounds will provoke a reaction from dogs in living rooms across the country, fooling their owners into thinking they are interested in the products on the screen.
Carolyn Menteith, of the Kennel Club, said most dogs were most likely to react to the unfamiliar sound by pricking up their ears or tilting their head to pay attention, while some might wander up to the television set.
A small number of particularly noise-sensitive dogs may be spooked by the sound and bark or hide under the sofa, but the distress would be no worse than hearing other unfamiliar sounds, she explained.
The marketing ploy is especially clever because dogs are largely uninterested in visual stimuli, so owners may notice their pets looking directly at the television screen for the very first time, she added.
Bakers tested the advert, which features noises above 17,000 Hertz, on 12 dogs while the animals were distracted with a toy, and found that in each case they stopped playing and reacted to the sound in some way.
The advert will be screened on ITV1 at 7.15pm today, during a break in the soap Emmerdale.
A similar advert by Nestlé to promote their Purina brand of pet food was screened in Austria last year and could come to British television in 2012.


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What is it about bees? Three experts discuss why they're fascinating, why they're dying and what can save them
In 1945, there were 4.5 million hives of bees in the United States. Today, there are just about 2 million. It's been a subtle decline over time, but one that has dramatically accelerated over the past seven years. [ted_talkteaser id=1822]And this should be extremely alarming, given that bees pollinate one-third of the world's crops.
In today's talk, given at TEDGlobal 2013, Marla Spivak looks at why bees are disappearing. She highlights four reasons — many related to changes in farming practices — and how they interact to tragic end. But beyond that, Spivak wonders: what do these deaths mean for us given that bees, a species our lives are deeply intertwined with, have thrived for over 50 million years?
"This small bee is holding up a large mirror," says Spivak.[ted_talkteaser id=416] "How much is it going to take to contaminate humans?"
Spivak is not the only TED speaker…
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Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
|FeLv is a devastating disease in cats. It is responsible for more deaths than any other feline infectious disease. Three percent of domestic cats are infected with FeLV but it is believed that in the feral population the infection rate may be as high as 11%. Although FeLV does not infect humans, it is very infectious between cats. FeLV belongs to the same family of viruses as FIV which has been discussed in another article.
The science of FeLV
When a cat is exposed to FeLV, there are four possible outcomes. Thirty percent of cats have bodies which are are resistant to infection and produce a strong immune response to the virus. About 30-40% of cats become infected and are unable to clear the infection, and as a result become persistently infected. These cats excrete the virus in their saliva and are a permanent threat to other cats. About 25-30% of cats have bodies which cannot resist the virus. However, these cats do not become persistently infected immediately. Instead, the virus hides in the bone marrow for up to 30 months. Eventually, these cats either clear the virus or become persistently infected. Finally, a in small percentage of cats the infection becomes sequestered. In these animals the virus hides from the immune system, predominantly in the the bone marrow. They do not ever clear the virus but they are also not contagious and are unlikely to develop the full blown disease.
FeLV is capable of producing a wide variety of associated diseases and symptoms including degenerative diseases, such as anemia, liver disease, intestinal disease and reproductive problems. In some cats, the virus produces cancerous diseases, such as lymphosarcoma and leukemia. Many cats suffer from suppressed immune systems and a variety of illnesses, depending on which organ is involved. Cats whose immune systems are depressed by FeLV are susceptible to a wide variety of infectious diseases and other problems, such as chronic respiratory infections, chronic gingivitis and stomatitis, feline infectious peritonitis, poor healing of wounds and abscesses and chronic generalized infections.
There are three types of FeLV:
FeLV-A is found in all FeLV cats and it is mainly responsible for severe immunodeficiency.
FeLV-B is found in about 50% of infected cats and causes cancers
FelV-C is rare, only seen in about 1% of infected cats and is responsible for severe anemia.
About the virus
FelV is a retrovirus, an enveloped RNA virus which uses specific enzymes to translate its own RNA into DNA and incorporate that DNA into the body's DNA. Retroviruses were only discovered in late 1960s and did not gain their name till 1974.
In retroviral infection, a virus infects a new host through receptor proteins on cells at the infection site, much like a key fits into a lock. Once a cat is infected, the virus gains a foothold by undergoing a series of genetic mutations designed to invade new sets of receptors, allowing it to continually evade detection, attack, and ultimately shut down the body's defenses. This shutdown occurs when mutated versions of the virus infect and destroy the body's T cells, which are critical to immune function. Recently, studies on FeLV identified another factor in the infection process: a secondary retroviral receptor (or cofactor) that is crucial for the mutated, or T-cell adapted, virus to do its work. Without this receptor, appropriately dubbed FELIX, the virus would be unable to set up shop. Specific blocking of FELIX may bring a new way to treat FeLV in future.
There are two main tests for FeLV:
ELISA - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - The most common screening test for FeLV. It is a rapid test which is usually carried out at veterinary clinics. Vaccination for FeLV does not affect test results since the tests look for viral antigens, not antibodies.
IFA - the immunofluorescent antibody test - is used most commonly as a confirmatory test when false positive or false negative results are suspected from an ELISA test.
How is FeLV spread?
The virus does not survive outside the cat's body for long. Therefore infection normally happens through contact. The virus is found in saliva, urine and other secretions of infected cats. Cats sharing food bowls and litter trays can pass the infection to uninfected cats. Infected mothers pass the infection to their unborn kittens, all of whom are usually infected at birth. Bites following cat fights are a common means of spreading the disease. This is why FeLV is more common in cats which are allowed to roam outside. In general kittens are more susceptible, especially those under 4 months of age. These have the least ability to mount an effective immune response and so are most susceptible to FeLV.
Cats older than six months are relatively - but not absolutely - resistant, but high-level exposure to infected cats can overcome this resistance.
How can I protect my cat from FeLV infection?
There is a vaccine against FeLV, and all cats should be vaccinated. If your cat is an indoor cat the vaccine is less important but still it is recommended as a precaution. If you have a cat which is infected make sure that the contact between the FeLV+ cat and healthy cats is kept to a minimum. Ordinary household detergents and bleach effectively kill this virus; so make sure that food bowls and litter trays are cleaned regularly.
There is no cure for FeLV. The main ways of treating FeLV+ cats are protecting them from exposure to other diseases, ensuring good nutrition, giving regular vaccinations with killed virus vaccines (but not with a feline leukemia vaccine), reducing stress, controlling parasites, and early and aggressive treatment of any symptoms that appear. Because of the suppression of the immune system any bacteria infections have to be treated with antibiotics. In severe bacterial infection the vet can prescribe Propionibacterium acnes (Immunoregulin) Immunregulin is an immune stimulant that may increase the response of antibiotics to fight resistant secondary infections. It needs to be injected IV (intravenously) to insure that a sufficient concentration reaches the proper cells. Low-dose oral Interferon Alpha is also an immunostimulat and can be prescribed to help combating secondary infections.
Specific cancers associated with FeLV have their own chemotherapy treatment protocols. However, cats with cancer associated with FeLV have an average survival time of 6 months even with aggressive chemotherapy.
FeLV+ cats are susceptible to FIA (feline infectious anemia) which is caused by the parasite Mycoplasma (formerly known as Haemobartenella felis). This parasite destroys RBC's and can cause or worsen anemia. FIA is treated with antibiotics like tetracycline, Doxycycline, and Baytril, and possibly steroids (e.g. prednisone). If the anemia is severe a blood transfusion may be needed. Cats are good at hiding anemia so you need to watch closely for the signs which include pale gums, weakness, deep breathing, or possibly eating litter or licking concrete or walls.
Loss of appetite is common in FeLV+ cats and requires veterinary attention because just a few days of anorexia in cats can have serious consequences like liver damage.
FeLV+ cats are also susceptible to periodontal disease which can in turn cause other health problems; as infected gums bleed, bacteria can spread infection throughout the body. Your vet should exam your cat's mouth and treat any problems.
Virbagen Omega (rFeIFN) is a recombinant feline interferon which is authorized for use in cats as a treatment for FeLV and/or FIV in non-terminal clinical stages.
The vet can also prescribe so-called "Combination therapy". This is a "cocktail" of drugs, like those used for AIDS in humans. They contain ati-viral drugs such as AZT. This type of treatment is still very much experimental.
There is a good vaccination against FeLV. It is recommended that after the initial vaccination cats are given annual boosters. On average, FeLV vaccines prevent infection in about 80 to 90% of cats.
Living with an FeLV-infected cat
If you have a cat infected with FeLV you can help to prolong her life by limiting exposure to infection. As we have said earlier, FeLV positive cats have a very suppressed immune system. It is very important to keep your cat indoors. She should not be fed with raw meat or eggs since there is a risk of bacterial contamination. Always keep her dishes and litter tray very clean.
Regular checks with the vet are important to spot any developing problems in early stages. Your cat should be given any routine vaccinations, but it may be better to use vaccines based on killed pathogens. The vet will be able to advise you on this.
Unfortunately cats with FeLV are also prone to cancer. Treatment with chemotherapy can be attempted but think before making that decision. The chemotherapy will probably not prolong your cat's life for more that few months and there may be serious side effects. So you will have to weigh the benefits of the chemotherapy with the quality of your cat's life.
Note: This information is for guidance only. It is not intended to replace consultation with a licensed practitioner.


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7 Clarifications On Wedding Hairstyles For Long Curly Hair Down | wedding hairstyles for long curly hair down
I am not acceptable at hair. Somewhere amid perfecting my eyeliner and acquirements to awning breakouts, I actually disregarded how to accomplish my beard attending nice. Case in point: A ancestors affiliate already bought me a book of updo afflatus because they "noticed I abrasion my beard the aforementioned a lot." But accord me a tutorial and some patience, and alike I can apprehension out a adequately attractive 'do.
Image Source: bcea.info
Instagram is a gold abundance of attainable, appealing hairstyles abounding with updos for continued hair. Those with continued beard can calmly acquisition afflatus from hairstylists, celebrities, and influencers, and there are so abounding styles to accept from. Braids, twists, and ponies are absolute for anniversary parties or for any night out on the boondocks aback you appetite to aroma things up from your approved look.
Follow these 18 Insta-torials aimed at updos for continued beard afore your abutting big event.
Braids go with about aggregate and attending actually attractive for every affectionate of event.
This complicated updo is accessible aback burst bottomward into a few steps.
This attending is absolute for a academic event, abnormally if you accept a attractive brace of earrings to appearance off.
The best affection of this updo is that it doesn't accept to be too perfect.
If you accept coiled hair, assignment with it rather than adjoin it. Use your accustomed arrangement to add aggregate to a simple bun and twist.
Snazz up any updo by abacus barrettes or added embellishments. This attending works for weddings, too.
You don't charge checkered beard for this simpler-than-it-appears updo—though it does help.
Here's addition archetype of how a complicated updo can be simple to do yourself already you breach bottomward the steps.
A complect and pony is a acceptable combo, and it's adequately simple for those who are hopeless at hairdos.
Give your bun some aggregate with the advice of a hidden beard donut.
Create twists and curls all the way bottomward for a continued updo that looks affected for a adorned night out.
Start with bouncing hair, again accord yourself a french braid. A few moves about-face your archetypal complect into an updo for a night out.
If you're attractive for article a little beneath traditional, this able complect makes a statement.
Only accept a few minutes? Get coiled beard out of your face and off your close for a night of dancing.
Wear a blubbery acme braid, cull out a few apart pieces, and add some adorned barrettes for a alluringly appealing look.
Give beeline beard aggregate by agee and texturizing pieces afore architecture a low bun.
Pin aback continued beard with an updo that is accessible abundant to do on your own.
A fishtail complect goes above the accepted complect and looks attractive for a fun, accidental event.
7 Clarifications On Wedding Hairstyles For Long Curly Hair Down | wedding hairstyles for long curly hair down – wedding hairstyles for long curly hair down
| Delightful to help the blog site, in this particular time period I'll demonstrate in relation to keyword. And after this, this is actually the first photograph:


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Woman not guilty of assault with beer bottle
Sarah Williams says she was acting in self-defence two years ago when she swung a beer bottle that cut open a man's face — and a jury agreed with her.
The 12-person jury took little more than a lunch hour Tuesday to reach a verdict after a three-day trial in which Williams was portrayed alternately as someone who came rushing at the complainant Ryan Bray — who by most accounts was drunk and aggressive that night — and as someone who instinctively swung out to protect herself as an angry man she did not know charged at her.
"I'm feeling great," the 25-year-old married mother of one said after the verdict. "I'm glad this is all behind me. I have been stressed about getting it over with for more than two years."
Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas on Tuesday gave instructions to the jury, which deliberated on the aggravated assault charge for only an hour and 15 minutes, and summarized the evidence presented at trial.
On Aug. 13, 2010, Williams attended a party hosted by a then co-worker — they worked at a local call centre — in the 300 block of Bridge Avenue. Shortly after midnight her friend came into the party upset over the way Bray had just treated her. Williams and her friend agreed to collect their other friend and leave.
They were on the walkway to the house when Williams heard a commotion and saw Bray, a stranger, approaching.
"She told us she saw Bray charging down the sidewalk towards her," Thomas said. "He was angry and looking for someone to fight. He told a female in front of her to get the (expletive) out of his way, and he tossed her aside some distance. He then came at Williams.
"Bray pushed her with both hands on her chest and she stumbled backwards and he said, 'Get the (expletive) out of my way,' and he kept coming."
Williams testified that Bray looked angry and that she closed her eyes and struck with both fists, forgetting that she had a beer bottle in her hand.
She left the party almost immediately.
Thomas noted that one of Williams's friends largely corroborated her story on the stand. But Thomas also recalled that Bray's friend Taylor Johnston testified that she saw someone matching Williams's description come running out of the house, push Bray against a car, raise a beer bottle up and strike the complainant in the face. Johnston said she was between the two parties and that Williams had to reach around her.
Johnston had also testified, however, that Bray had taken his shirt off and was intoxicated and "out of control," and that people escorted him to his house but that he returned.
Bray, 28, who had surgery that night and who was left with a scar from his neck to his ear, acknowledged at trial that he had six to nine beers and a mickey of whiskey and that he did not remember much about the events leading up to the incident.
Defence lawyer Hanieh Azimi said she believes the jury was swayed by her client's believability.
"My client's testimony was very powerful," Azimi said. "The way she testified was very straight-forward.
"And there was evidence from other witnesses that Mr. Bray was out of control, aggressive and wanting to fight people."
Aggravated assault carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.


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Manson takes metal to next level
1990s megastar will perform two shows at Knitting Factory next week
Fri., Aug. 28, 2009
Spokane loves its metal (and "American Idol," apparently).
There have been a few sold-out shows at The Knitting Factory this summer – Godsmack, Hollywood Undead and "Idol" winner David Cook – but the biggest of them all is none other than Marilyn Manson.
His appearance has been expanded to a two-day affair, Monday and Thursday at The Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague Ave. Thursday's originally scheduled show is sold out, but at press time there were still tickets available for Monday.
"I can't remember the last time Marilyn Manson was in Spokane," said Matt Judge, the Knitting Factory's general manager, who has lived in town since 1974.
"I figured it would sell well. We added the second show because another show (Anthrax) canceled. There was a high demand.
"We were just lucky we were able to add the second date … which actually ends up being the first date."
A rock megastar during the 1990s, Manson was packing arena-sized venues as religious organizations were accusing him of poisoning the nation's youth.
Shortly after revealing the behind-the-mask emotions and intelligence at work in an interview for Michael Moore's political documentary, "Bowling for Columbine," Manson retreated to the shadows, releasing his supposed farewell best-of album in 2004.
After a short hiatus, though, he returned with a more raw, introspective home recording, 2007's "Eat Me, Drink Me," which was released in the wake of his high-profile divorce from burlesque entertainer Dita Von Teese.
Manson is back this year with a new album, "The High End of Low," that reaches into familiarly swampy territory.
For Manson, dropping a new batch of industrial-metal grinders about Satan, blood, sex, drugs and violence is playing it safe.
A leadoff single with a title that is unprintable in most American newspapers is par for the course.
Using Nazi symbolism as a metaphor for love is a narrow escape from self- parodying his '90s-era peak.
While there are plenty of ballad-style tracks that recall "Eat Me, Drink Me," Manson's new album was hyped as a back-to-form recapture of "Antichrist Superstar," complete with a reunion with his longtime collaborator, bassist/guitarist Twiggy Ramirez.
There are a couple of surprise twists on this refined and updated version of Manson's '90s inventions, such as the falsetto vocals on the acoustic ballad, "Running to the Edge of World."
But it's largely more of the slaps and bites at middle-class morality that fans, critics and parent groups have come to expect.
If the rock and roll superghoul really wanted to shock the world he would shave his head, grow a beard and start singing folk songs.
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It rained. It poured. It blew.
We had a layover day!
Dream Design Do, Experiences, Inspire, Minimalism, New Zealand Places Visited, Te Araroa Walk
#aotearoa#experiencesinspireMinimalismNew ZealandTe Araroa WalkTravel
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You know, I never saw myself as a camper… but I have been converted. I had a good mentor. As you can see I have successfully put up the tent and that took A LOT of hard work! Just kidding. He always does all of the hard work and heavy lifting. But I'm really good at watching! This is our spot where we always camp-out at the farm. And it's a really good spot. Complete with fire pit and newly cut logs for seats. Yep, we're roughin' it all right.
Someone found a good tree and a good spot. Coming down is not nearly as easy as getting up there.
This is Buddy. He is my favorite farm dog. He has a girlfriend named Lilly. She lives close by. They often wander off to find the other and get into trouble. It's really cute. What's great about the area is that everyone knows who Buddy is–he's Uncles David's dog. He has been spotted with the hunt dogs chasing after the foxes close to the interstate. He can always find his way back home.
A little brotherly competition spurred on a hay bail race. You know, just for funsies… that looks like a work out to me!
My view in the morning. I love this place. It truly is my happy place. I'm still so tired from the weekend and I really didn't do ANYTHING strenuous. Oh well, such is life. In other news… I'm trying to get back in shape. And I mean it this time.
Today I am thankful for: talking to Basement Sara — even if it was only for five whole minutes. And my spurts of conversation with my bestie overseas. Call up your friends. It's time we talk to each other–no matter how busy life gets!


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Industry Products
Railinc's industry products originate in committees sponsored by the Association of American Railroads.
These committees work to identify critical, industry-wide needs that can be addressed through centralized data and technology resources that Railinc develops.
Use the links below to view Railinc's industry products:
Asset Health Data Summaries
Asset Information Repository (AIR)
Billing Repair Card
Car Accounting Self-Service (CASS)
Car Hire
Car Hire Accounting Rate Master (CHARM)
Car Hire Data Exchange (CHDX)
Car Hire Rate Negotiation Self-Service (CHRNSS)
Car Repair Billing
Car Repair Billing Data Exchange (CRBDX)
Car Repair Billing Price Master
Clear Path System
Component Tracking
Damaged and Defective Car Tracking (DDCT) System
Early Warning System
Equipment Health Management System (EHMS)
Equipment Health View (EHV)
Equipment Quality Reporting
Forward and Store
Freight Loss Data Exchange (FLDX)
Interline Service Agreement (ISA) Repository
Interline Service Management
Interline Settlement System® (ISS)
Letter of Authorization
Loading Authority (OT-5)
Mechanical Defect Reports
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to celebrate Korean Liberation Day
1. Gwangbokjeol literally translates to "'Restoration of the Light' Day," in which gwang (광(光)) means "light," bok (복(復)) means "restore," and jeol (절(節)) means "national holiday."
2. Some of the Korean national holidays or historic events/days are customarily named in reference to the dates of their occurrence as seen below:
BTW, during the 2012 London Olympics, Japanese designer Hiroko Koshino's uniforms for the Japanese gymnastics teams made me feel very disturbed:
(From left) Kazuhito Tanaka, Kohei Uchimura, Designer Hiroko Koshino,
Rie Tanaka and Yu Minobe. (Photo by Toshiyuki Hayashi)
The Axis: Japan allied itself with Nazi Germany in World War II, along with Italy.
This photo shows the Japanese "Kyokujitsu" flag and the Nazi's "swastika" flag.
In short, it's not a stylized version of Japan's national flag, but a Japanese version of the Nazi flag. In case you still don't understand, I'll put it this way: Just imagine how the Nazi victims and their family members would feel if they saw the German athletes compete in the uniforms using the Nazi's swastika symbol.
Today (8/15/2012), Kim Janghun or Kim Janghoon (김장훈), a Korean singer, philanthropist, and Dokdo islets advocate, swam from the eastern port of Uljin to Dokdo as part of a relay team to proclaim Korea's inalienable sovereignty of the islets. According to the Yonhap news agency, before jumping into the water, he said, "I will never make such a comment as 'Dokdo is our territory' when I arrive there. It's meaningless to do so because they are undeniably our territory." (CNN Report: South Korean singer swims into island dispute with Japan) And they safely entered Dokdo, after a 49-hour-long swimming relay through the storm and 13-foot-high waves.
BTW, Korean people jokingly say, "We don't need a passport to get into Dokdo, but you do; we don't need international roaming in Dokdo, but you do." And here, "you" refers to You-Know-Who.
|Kim Janghoon's relay swimming team in the waters off the Dokdo islets
|Kim Janghoon's relay swimming team and other tourists
in the Dokdo islets (8/15/2012)


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Our office in San Diego offers a wide array of treatments that uses laser technology mainly because its power is so flexible that it can be used to effectively treat just about any skin problem you may have. The evolution of laser treatments has come a long way since its inception and more and more experts are finding revolutionizing methods of using laser technology in making patients look their absolute best.
Laser treatments create a controlled inflammatory response in the deeper layer of the skin and this stimulates your skin tissues to renew and repair it. We use laser treatments for a number of the procedures that we offer to patients and there is a specific type of laser that fits each skin issue to be addressed. We use laser treatments for tattoo removal and gone are the days when you have to live the rest of your life regretting a tattoo that was a result of bad judgment.
Laser treatments such as CO2 and erbium treatments are also effective in treating acne in the face and in the neck area and works by diminishing the amount of bacteria and inflammation and are also widely used to remove scars and acne marks.
Laser treatments also changed how cosmetic surgeons treat hair removal which was not possible many years ago. It works by killing the hair root from deep within the skin surface which reduces and sometimes eliminates its growth. Laser treatments are reccommended for the correction of hyper-pigmentation and sun damage on all skin tones which results to discolored skin. Our patients in San Diego also benefit from the use of laser treatments in the reduction of age related skin issues such as fine lines and wrinkles. This is also an effective way to remove spider and varicose veins.
Although laser treatments can be virtually used for any skin issue that you may have, there are still some restrictions to the use of laser in treating skin disorders. The effectiveness of laser treatments vary from person to person based on the skin tone. Different wavelengths of laser treatments pick up different pigments and we approach this difficulty by combining laser treatments that will best suit your skin tone and skin disorder.
Laser treatments have a very high success rate and there are very minor complications and side effects are seen like mild swelling, crusting, and skin redness which can easily be managed.
To learn more about laser treatments at Dr. Nowak's cosmetic surgery practice in San Diego, contact us at (619) 420-1840 or fill out our contact form to schedule your private consultation today. We look forward to your visit!


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Sons of the Curse
Brothers of the Knife
Teeth of the Wolf
Hounds of the Underworld
At The Ede
Baby Teeth
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Category Archives: Conventions
Finding Me at Continuum X
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Going to Melbourne!
Well, it's official: my bid to attend Continuum X, the 53rd Australian National Science Fiction Convention being held in Melbourne this June, under the auspices of the FFANZ programme (Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand), has been successful. On … Continue reading
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And the winner is…
So, this happened over the weekend: I'm still in a state of shock, after leaving the Sir Julius Vogel Awards ceremony on Saturday night in Auckland with two of the coveted trophies, one presented together with co-editor Lee Murray for … Continue reading
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Feb 03, 2013
The potential of the Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), can be tapped to increase the adaptive capacities of communities to fight climate change, says Ilona Porsché, Project Director, GIZ, on the sidelines of a DSDS-2013 conference organised by The Energy and Resources Institute. Excerpts...
OneWorld South Asia: How can the Indian government sponsored schemes help people in rural areas, especially the farmers to adapt to the climate change?
Ilona Porsché: A study, which will be shared with the public by April, is being carried out jointly by GIZ and the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc), on behalf of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), with support from the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) and IIFM Bhopal, to explore the potential environment benefits that can be generated through the Indian government's flagship scheme, MGNREGA.
Though the primary aim of MGNREGA is to create employment opportunities in rural areas, one of the secondary objectives of MGNREGA is to create long-term valuable assets and protect the natural resource-base through various works undertaken by it, like the building of check dams and afforestation. Based on this study, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and India's Ministry of Rural Development have come together to start a new bilateral project to increase environmental benefits generated through MGNREGA.
There are a lot of restraints which we are going to look at through various aspects like technical sound construction, maintenance of the works, capacity development and training of all people involved in the implementation of MGNREGA works, including the technical engineers who support MGNREGA.
OWSA: How does the Indo-German project, Climate Change Adaption in Rural Areas of India, run by GIZ equip rural communities to gear up to meet the challenges brought in by the climate change?
Porsché: Through this programme, we are working on seven intervention areas, one of which is to support 16 states and two Union Territories of the country on developing action plans on climate change. We expect that by addressing framework conditions, assessing vulnerability and by directly working with the rural communities we will help to increase the resilience of the local population vis-à-vis climate change. We showcase ways of physically dealing with climate change. For example, in the watershed development in Tamil Nadu, we increase the height of bunds to deal with the greater runoff and we also look at alternative means of income for the farming communities.
OWSA: How do you think management of natural resources in a sustainable way can help improve livelihoods of farmers with small land holdings?
Porsché: Environmental benefits will not only make the natural system more resilient but also increase the adaptive capacities of the communities as their natural resource base is strengthened. In the event of unfortunate events like flash floods or increased rainfall in a shorter period of time, the communities are in a better position to deal with such extremes. In a country as big and diverse as India, localised solutions should be devised to deal with extremes of climate variability.
OWSA: How vulnerable do you think is South Asia in general and India in particular to the adverse and the negative impact of the climate change?
Porsché: In 2010, Maplecroft's Climate Change Vulnerability Index identified India as the second most vulnerable county in the world which gives us an idea of how vulnerable this part of the world is to climate change. In my opinion, Indian farmers are particularly vulnerable in many areas as they face many other challenges apart from climate change. For an Indian farmer, challenges from climate change are in addition to the other existing challenges, like of survival or regular income. The two challenges combined will make the farmers very vulnerable.
OWSA: Who do you think will bear the actual brunt of the adversities ushered in by climate change in developing countries like India?
Porsché: People are particularly vulnerable in mountainous regions and coastal areas. Also, people living in dry lands or having little access to quality information on climate change could be at the receiving end. Women too, are particularly vulnerable in rural areas where they have a low participation in the decision-making. Since, women are the ones who actually carry out agricultural activities; they also need to be updated with the developments regarding climate change.


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There's been a lot of buzz around sapphire, an extremely hard material that smartphone makers are using to produce scratch-proof screen displays. Huawei, the world's third largest smartphone maker, unveiled the Ascend P7 with a sapphire display on Friday. The announcement follows rumors that Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 will incorporate the nearly indestructible material, although there are some major doubts.
Many are familiar with the blue sapphire gemstone, which is found in nature. But the sapphire crystal used in smartphone screens is made in a lab. It's transparent because it doesn't have the impurities that give mined gemstones their color.
So how exactly is this "miracle material" made?
For a better understanding, we turn to GT Advanced Technologies, a company that sells the equipment that allows smartphone makers to produce sapphire display screens and which Apple partnered with last year.
A video by Pocketnow from inside the GT Advanced Technology factory in Massachusetts provides a great demonstration of how sapphire crystal is made. The full video is embedded below, and we've also broken down the steps using screenshots.
Stage One: Manufacturing Sapphire Crystal
The process starts inside these furnaces, where extreme heat and pressure turn aluminum oxide into the sapphire crystal.
According to the Pocketnow video, a "sapphire seed," which is about the size of a hockey puck, is placed at the bottom of a metal barrel, called a crucible.
The seed is mixed with a form of aluminium oxide and uncrystalized sapphire material, called crackle, which is shown below.
Next, the crucible is placed inside the furnace. The temperature is churned up to nearly 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, enabling the materials to melt together. The melted material is then put through a series of cooling cycles over a period of roughly two weeks, during which time the sapphire crystallizes.
What you're left with is a cylindrical piece of sapphire, called a sapphire boule.
The sapphire boules can then be drilled and cut to be used for a variety of purposes, including LEDs and airplane windows.
To make a smartphone display, however, a smaller cube is cut from the boules. This is called a sapphire wafer, from which paper-thin sheets of sapphire are made for smartphone displays.
In the next stage, described in the second part of this post, the sapphire wafer must be separated into paper-thin sheets that can be used for smartphone screens.
You can watch the full Pocketnow video below for a more in-depth look at the process.
Stage 2: Making The Sapphire Display
GT Advanced has produced their own video describing how the super-thin sheets are made using their technology.
First, the sapphire wafer is bombarded with high-energy protons (hydrogen ions) in a process called proton induced exfoliation (PIE).
To carry out this process, the GT Advanced uses its ion implantation machine, named Hyperion 4. Hydrogen ion beams hit the sapphire wafer with such a high velocity they they penetrate beneath the surface.
The hydrogen ions form a line of hydrogen gas microbubbles underneath the wafer's surface. Next, the wafer gets cooked.
The high heat separates super-thin sapphire sheets from the sapphire wafer. The process is repeated many times until the wafer is used up and there are a bunch of very thin sheets.
Eventually we end up with something like this:
Watch a video of how this advanced technology works below.


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Literature On The Lower East Side
Must Jewish literature written by a Jew? How about a book that focuses on a Jewish concern, or characters with a recognizably Jewish neurosis? Is contemporary Hebrew-language literature necessarily Jewish?
Josh Lambert, academic director of the Yiddish Book Center, moderated a panel focused on these questions, "Making it New: Contemporary Novelists and the Jewish Literary Tradition," with writers Tova Mirvis, whose new novel "Visible City" is published this week, and Jonathan Rosen, author of "The Life of the Skies: Birding at the End of Nature," at the Museum at Eldridge Street with a small but rapt audience on a blustery Sunday afternoon. The program was co-sponsored by the Yiddish Book Center.
As Israeli writer and philosopher Assaf Segive, writes, Jews were the first to introduce narrative prose as a literary form. Rosen and Mirvis agree that classical Jewish texts have lent themes and style to much subsequent writing. But where do we draw the line? Rosen recalls reading the Odyssey as a child: "When Odysseus sees, but cannot embrace, his departed mother in the Underworld, to me this was a Jewish story of my father meeting the mother whom he lost in the Holocaust."
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Jews tend to look at the world with a certain sensibility, even when not consciously confronting Jewish themes. Writing about bird watching, Rosen was observing creatures "who live in one place, then migrate to another," a pattern associated with Jewish life. Mirvis speaks of creating characters with lifestyles that "were so obviously Jewish" that she did not need to identify them as such.
Rosen concludes by describing these as "extraordinary times." Centuries ago, he points out, Jews were "inscribed as characters in other people's sacred literature where we were depicted as figures of obstruction or evil." A Jewish state, Rosen believes, is an assertion that our testament isn't "old" and so is a thriving Diaspora where "we are writing ourselves back into our own stories."
Contemporary Jewish writers have a keen sense of "being alive now," an opportunity for literature that is seasoned, nuanced and bold.
Susan Reimer-Torn is the author of the memoir, "Maybe Not Such a Good Girl: Reflections on Rupture and Return," to be published this May.


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A move towards activism for the Spanish fragrance market
Aug 30, 2019 | By Maria Florencia Ameneiros
Jul 20, 2016
Forget everything you think you know about the Hamptons. Banish any assumptions about a stuffy, posh place full of resort frocks and over-priced bikinis (although there are some of those.) The Hamptons will surprise you with its localised charm and unique perspective on retail – I promise.
Why? Because of an aura of exclusion – and I mean that in the best way possible.
An exclusion (by and large) of mall chains, of fast-fashion and big box retailers – an exclusion of behemoth departments stores and tourist traps. Save for one strip mall in Bridgehampton there is a complete void of typical retail tropes.
Instead, shops are quaint, often independently run, feature revolving pop-up collections and highlight local designers. And when you do encounter the J.Crews, Ralph Lauren's and Club Monaco's they are befitted in floral disguises, tucked away along garden paths, made up like beach houses, blending into their surroundings instead of jutting out like a commercialised beacon of commerce. In short – the Hamptons are charming and full of local flavour, making the shopping experience unique and overwhelmingly pleasant.
Sag Harbor – The Main Street is a blend of general stores, antique shops, higher-end indie boutiques and interior design havens. There's more of a laid-back feel here than in East or Southampton, which is reflected in the retail gems found there such Joey Wolfler's Styleliner boutique and Shelly Bredau's Addo. Each shop holds curation at a premium, gathering local artisans, global influences and on of a kind garments into a stylised experience.
The Styleliner tops my list of must-see shopping in the Hamptons, offering a brick and mortar companion to the original mobile store concept.
Immediately jewellery from Greek designer Katerina Psoma caught my (evil) eye –
As did handbags from Wolfler's own line, like these embroidered mini satchels with boar tooth clasps (love) –
East Hampton – East Hampton is where you'll go for the contemporary finds. The main drag of shops surrounding Newton Lane boast high-profile boutiques and brands such as Intermix, Milly and Blue & Cream – alongside your 'elevated basics' at ATM by Anthony Thomas Melillo, James Perse and Theory. Newcomer Tory Sport feels at home in East Hampton, blending elements of boutique fitness with a bright, preppy collection of athleisure separates. It's impossible not to want something in this store. Besides the stellar merchandise, the interior design knocks it out of the park– replete with vintage copies of Sports Illustrated to peruse in their surf-inspired lounge area.
And for that quaint Hamptons charm I was referring to earlier? Feast your eyes on Ralph Lauren's RRL shop. This store is a denim and/or vintage enthusiast's dream. The two-story barn is merchandised within an inch of its life, as you might expect from the master of visual merchandising himself. A curated collection of vintage 40s-era clothing sits alongside RRL merchandise in seamless fashion – surrounded by a treasure trove of curiosities literally hanging from the rafters.
Even the sales associates are dressed to the nines-
Right across the garden path you'll find a tiny shop with a truly global presence. Figue, a boutique owned by Stephanie von Watzdorf, both inspires and seduces with its wanderlust-iness – sourcing goods from around the globe from hand-beaded Masaii cuffs to artisan sandals from India. Check out that evil eye again! I'm sensing a trend here…
Amagansett – You'll be drawn here to check out the much-hyped summer pop-up of NYC's The Line, or perhaps you're just on your way to Montauk – either way take time to explore this small but diverse patch of shops. Centered around Amagansett Square, an outdoor shopping centre and community lawn, the boutiques range from kid-friendly retailer Pink Chicken to sustainable beauty brand Botanica Bazaar. But if unique indie jewellery and highly-giftable curiosities are more your thing (can you tell they're mine??) then pop into Love Adorned.
The NYC retailer with an already devoted fanbase opened up shop in the Hamptons this year, bringing their unique blend of jewellery brands with them including standout collections from Anthony Lent, ManiaMania and Manon.
Southampton – With a downtown that closely mirrors East Hampton, South offers up the essential boutiques and brands with a few irreverent twists. New York Sunshine Surf Club is one example – a small menswear boutiques of graphic tees and trunks that offers a notable departure from your typical Hamptons fare.
Similarly, Cabana Southampton features an edgier dose of brands than most including sunglasses by Freeway, apparel from Assembly New York and footwear from Matt Bernson.
Across the way on Jobs Lane you'll find a limited-run space aptly named Pop-Up Collective. The shop is friendly and warm, with an energetic group of hands-on women running the collective show. Citing a strong Greek and Turkish influence, you'll again see an abundance of evil eye accessories here – featured on brightly striped tote bags from A to Z Greek and Agua D' Mar.
Also make sure to check out the goods from The Bazaar Project – a Miami-based boutique selling unique (and adorable) accessories at the collective like this dancing flamingo phone case from Wiggle. (which I 100% purchased)
Montauk – You've finally reached the tip of the Island! Congratulations! Take a load off at one of the water-front boutique hotels that double as homes for some of Long Islands best rotating pop-ups. The Surf Lodge, although small, offers a choice selection of trendy wares at their guest boutique, Surf Bazaar – which kicked off the summer season in style with a Studio One Eighty Nine collaboration co-founded by none other than Miss Rosario Dawson.
Gurney's offers another key destination for summer pop-ups (or just a place to kick your feet up and have a cocktail) with a revolving collection throughout the summer featuring Hamptons heavyweights such as Mara Hoffman, Kiini and Otte.
Love shopping? Follow Sidney on her retail adventures here.
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