text:
Freedom on the Net
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2012 Scores
Freedom on the Net Status
Freedom on the Net Total(0 = best, 100 = worst)
(0 = Best, 100 = Worst)
Obstacles to Access(0 = best, 25 = worst)
(0 = Best, 25 = Worst)
Limits on Content(0 = best, 35 = worst)
(0 = Best, 35 = Worst)
Violations of User Rights(0 = best, 40 = worst)
(0 = Best, 40 = Worst)
After independent television channels were eliminated and press regulations tightened from 2000-2001, the internet became Russia's last relatively uncensored platform for public debate and the expression of political opinions. In response, the government has tried various tactics to suppress citizens' right to free speech online over the years. In 2009-2010, many bloggers were harassed and opposition blogs were hacked. While these incidents still occurred in 2011, the tactics to restrict freedom of expression online have slightly changed, with the deployment of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks[1] and various smear campaigns[2] to discredit online activists becoming more common. Extralegal intimidation of social network activists and independent forum moderators[3] has become another line of pressure over the online world through strategies such as informal meetings with the security services, calls from the Federal Security Service (FSB) to the parents of activists,[4] or the sudden refusal of forum ad sponsors to buy advertisements.
The post-election events of December 2011 through March 2012 became an important period of awakening for the Russian digital civil society. Numerous demonstrations organized through social-networking websites took place across the country, with the largest taking place in Moscow. Citizen and netizen activism ultimately led the government to concede a few demi-measures to pacify the protest movement, including the installation of electoral webcams (which despite poor quality, helped to identify more election fraud) and the liberalization of political party regulations.
Internet and mobile phone penetration in Russia has continued to grow in 2011 and 2012,[5] and the government largely supports the dissemination of these technologies, both directly and through state-controlled internet service providers (ISPs) that offer relatively low broadband prices. In 2011, internet penetration in Russia stood at 49 percent, up from 18 percent in 2006 according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).[6] Approximately 71 percent of those living in urban areas have access to broadband internet,[7] and prices for unlimited broadband plans vary from US$6 in Central Russia to US$29.5 in the Far East.[8]
The level of infrastructure differs significantly across the country, and gaps are evident between urban and rural areas as well as between different types of cities. The rapid spread of mobile internet in recent years, however, has significantly improved connectivity in remote areas. Still, the worst access conditions can be found in the North Caucasus mountainous regions and the industrial towns of Siberia and the Far East. Access on Sakhalin Island at the Northern Pacific with nearly 500,000 inhabitants is particularly endangered: in May 2011, the fiber-optic cable connecting the island with the mainland was damaged, leaving inhabitants with an unreliable satellite connection as the only means to connect.[9]
By the end of 2008, the majority of schools were connected to the internet, but connection speeds are sometimes low. Libraries have been connected less extensively. Most Russians access the internet from their homes (94 percent of users) and workplaces (48 percent), while the use of cybercafes has significantly declined due to the growing penetration of WiFi and mobile internet.[10] The internet is especially popular among youth, with 96 percent of individuals between 12 and 34 years old connected.[11] Applications such as the social-networking site Facebook, the Russian social-networking site VKontakte, the Twitter micro-blogging platform, and various international blog-hosting services are freely available.
Mobile phone penetration has also grown rapidly in recent years, standing at over 179 percent at the end of 2011.[12] Third-generation (3G) mobile phone infrastructure began developing relatively late due to resistance from military officials, who claimed that the technology might weaken national security.[13] Now approximately 27 percent of mobile subscribers, mostly in the largest cities, own 3G and 4G/LTE phones, and the 3G and 4G/LTE networks are expanding rapidly. Internet access via mobile telephones and similar devices has gained popularity since 2006, and 27 million people report using this method.[14]
Five access providers—MTS (former Comstar), Vimpelcom, ER-Telecom, AKADO, and the state-owned Rossvyaz (previously branded as SvyazInvest)—controlled more than 71 percent of the broadband market as of November 2011.[15] Regional branches of Rossvyaz/SvyazInvest, the fastest growing provider in the country, now account for 41 percent of subscribers, up from 36 percent in 2010. Similar to the federal level, regional dominance usually depends on political connections and tacit approval from regional authorities. Although this situation is not the direct result of legal obstacles, it nonetheless reflects an element of regional favoritism that is widespread in many parts of the Russian economy.
Three leading operators—MTS, Vimpelcom, and MegaFon—hold 83 percent of the mobile phone market.[16] While formally independent, each of these firms has indirect ties to the government. According to independent analyst Vadim Gorshkov, MegaFon is connected to former minister of telecommunications Leonid Reyman, and MTS is linked to the former Moscow regional leadership. In March 2012, Dmitry Medvedev signed a presidential decree that authorized a merger between two government-controlled ISPs, RosTelecom and SvyazInvest.[17] While the decision does not automatically increase government control over the industry, it does significantly change the concentration of internet service provision.
The information and communications technology (ICT) sector is regulated by the Federal Service for the Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor), whose director is appointed by the prime minister. Given Russia's closed political system and dominant executive branch, the appointment process is not transparent. There are no special legal restrictions on opening cybercafes or starting ISP businesses, but unfair competition, widespread corruption, and other such obstacles are not unusual in Russia.
Although attempts to establish a comprehensive, centralized filtering system in Russia have been abandoned, content is most frequently removed and blocked on the ISP level if it violates Russia's laws against "extremism." The procedure for identifying extremist materials is nontransparent, leaving room for politically-motivated content removal.[18] Providers are punished for hosting or not blocking materials that are proscribed in a list on the the Ministry of Justice's website.[19] The list is updated on a monthly basis and included 1,066 items as of January 2012 (compared to 748 items in January 2011).[20]
Officially banned sites include Kavkazcenter.com (a radical terrorist and separatist website), Tawba.info (a site dedicated to Tatar), and radical leftist Limonka.nbp-info.ru, among others.[21] In 2011, a Moscow prosecutor tried to add LiveJournal.com to the extremist list in response to a blog post created by user "nb_licantrop,"[22] but the claim was never realized. Nonpolitical reasons for content removal have also been reported, with most involving child pornography and file-sharing services that violate copyright law.
In addition, there were several reports in 2011 of "regional blocking," the practice in which a website is blocked in selective areas of the country. Initiated by prosecutors in lawsuits and direct appeals to regional service providers, many of the regional blocks in 2011 were based on charges of extremism or vague claims that the sites or materials on them were otherwise harmful to society. Often, the web contents in question were not on the official list of extremist materials maintained by the Ministry of Justice. For example, some regional blocks were ordered for religious websites such as those of the Jehovah's Witnesses in the republic of Mari El in September 2011 and in the region of Chuvashia in November 2011.[23]
The practice of putting pressure on service providers and content producers by telephone has become increasingly common. Police and representatives of the prosecutor's office often call the owners and shareholders of websites to remove unwanted material. Most providers do not wait for court orders to remove targeted materials, and such pressure encourages self-censorship. As a result, there has been a massive exodus of opposition websites to foreign site-hosting providers, as well as a trend toward greater use of social-networking sites. For example, in May 2011, science fiction writer and blogger Leonid Kaganov had to change both the host and domain of his website due to allegations from the FSB of anti-Semitism and extremism and the subsequent extralegal pressure placed on the hosting providers to remove "extremist" content.[24] Kaganov, being a satirical blogger and poet, had mocked an anti-Semitic poem considered by Angarsk (a city in Siberia) as "extremist."[25]
On November 11, 2011, regulations governing the domains ".rf" and ".ru"[26] were updated to allow any law enforcement agency (such as the police, FSB, Federal Drug Control Services (FDCS), or prosecutor's office) to seize a domain without a court order. Under these new regulations, the FDCS successfully seized the domain of Rylkov-fond.ru, a website of the Rylkov Foundation that had severely criticized the country's drug trafficking situation, on February 3, 2012.[27] Later in February, the FSB seized the domain FSB21.ru on the same grounds.[28] On February 24, 2012, the largest domain registrar in Russia, Nic.ru, introduced stricter rules of third level domain cancellation, which now allow for the cancelation of a domain delegation if the site includes "calls to violence, extremist activity, calls to take over power, activity that contradicts with social interests, principles of humanity and morality, offends human dignity or religious feelings."[29]
Following the elections in December 2011, numerous groups on the popular Russian social-networking website Vkontakte were created to coordinate protests against the disputed election results. In response, the FSB contacted Pavel Durov, creator of Vkontakte, to demand the removal of seven groups. Durov refused and was later summoned to the prosecutor's office, which he also ignored.[30] Despite Durov's refusal to cooperate, a user in Brynask reported that the FSB had forced the closure of the Bryansk group's Vkontakte page by contacting one of the page administrators directly. The group in Nizhny Novgorod had its webpage hacked and event cancelled. In Tver, the police temporarily detained the group's creators, Sergey Shilov and Sergey Osipov.[31] In addition, in October 2011, a Twitter user named "@Vasiliy," an anonymous military conscript and the author of the "Barracks Blog," had his identity revealed by the military authorities and the contents of his micro-blog deleted.[32]
Aside from the prosecutor's office, which serves as the government body that monitors extremist materials, the Russian police have also acquired the power to remove online content. Beginning on March 1, 2011, the vaguely-worded new law "On Police" (Article 13, point 12) granted the police the right to order hosting companies to terminate the activity of webpages that infringe on Russian or international law or endanger individual or public security.[33] Previously, the police needed a court order to close a website. Claiming that the powers are intended to provide compliance with international copyright standards,[34] the new legal framework provides more freedom for the authorities to remove content on Russia-based hosting platforms. In February 2012, Interior Minister Nurgaliev announced that the police had closed 8,500 child pornography websites in 2011.[35] Nonetheless, critics have remained concerned that the law would not only be used for criminal activity but also to selectively shut down websites of political nature.
The Kremlin allegedly influences the blogosphere through media organizations as well as the pro-government youth movements, Nashi ("Ours") and Molodaya Gvardiya ("Young Guard").[36] The emergence of competing propagandist websites has led to the creation of a vast amount of content that collectively dominates search results, among other effects.[37] Leaked emails allegedly belonging to the Nashi leaders revealed that the pro-Kremlin movement had been widely engaging in all kinds of digital activities, including paying commentators to post content, disseminating DDoS attacks, and hijacking blog ratings.[38] Propagandist commentators simultaneously react to discussions of "taboo" topics, including the historical role of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, political opposition, dissidents like Mikhail Khodorkovsky, murdered journalists, and cases of international conflict or rivalry (with countries such as Estonia, Georgia, and Ukraine, but also with the foreign policies of the United States and the European Union). Furthermore, minority languages are underrepresented in Russia's blogosphere.
Paid online campaigns against opposition activists were widely used in 2011. In October, the newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that the United Russia party was planning to invest nearly US$320,000 in an effort to discredit Alexey Navalny, the prominent anti-corruption blogger and activist. The news report also wrote that the campaign might disseminate compromising footage of a Navalny look-alike involved in some illegal and/or immoral activities.[39] Several weeks later, the contents of different private mailboxes belonging to Navalny and his wife were published online at Navalnymail.kz.[40] Similarly, the private communications of Lilia Shibanova,[41] an election monitoring activist, and Boris Nemtsov, an opposition politician,[42] were published online.
Smaller smear campaigns were also implemented against less prominent bloggers such as Suren Gazaryan, a Krasnodar-based environmental activist, who discovered evidence that a campaign to discredit him had a budget amounting US$15,000.[43] In November 2011, Yevgeniy Roizman, a Yekaterinburg-based anti-drug activist, stumbled upon a job posting for campaign against him at a headhunter agency. The employers were offering US$8 for posting 100 short comments that bad-mouthed the activist.[44]
Many social-networking sites and blogging platforms belong to Kremlin-friendly business magnates, or oligarchs. Metals magnate Alisher Usmanov owns 50 percent of SUP, the company that owns LiveJournal, as well as a 35 percent stake in Digital Sky Technologies, which owns the two most popular social-networking sites in Russia and a number of other sites elsewhere in the former Soviet Union. Mikhail Prokhorov, another billionaire oligarch, owns RosBusinessConsulting (RBC), whose hosting service is home to 19 percent of all Russian websites.[45] Vladimir Potanin owns Prof-Media, which in turn owns the search engine Rambler.ru, its news portal Lenta.ru, and other popular resources. Yuri Kovalchuk, a close friend of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's who controls the media arm of state-owned energy giant Gazprom, recently bought RuTube, the Russian analogue of YouTube.[46]
This oligarchic control over an important bloc of online media, social-networking applications, and blogging platforms has raised concerns about the Russian internet's vulnerability to political manipulation. One such politicized decision was reported in 2011: in November, the editorial board of Gazeta.ru, an outlet controlled by the metals magnate Alisher Usmanov, was allegedly forced by one of its owners to remove a banner featuring a map of voting irregularities from the portal Kartanarusheniy.ru, even though Gazeta.ru was one of the co-creators of the map together with election observation association Golos. Roman Badanin, Gazeta.ru deputy chief editor responsible for the project, had to resign due to "disagreement with the owners."[47]
The blog-hosting platforms LiveJournal, LiveInternet, Blogs.mail.ru, and Ya.ru together host the majority of all Russian-language blogs. LiveJournal has retained its leading position, though consistent DDoS attacks (in April, July, and December 2011; see "Violations of User Rights") together with rivalry from social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus have resulted in its decline in popularity.
Russia's vibrant blogosphere includes over 52 million blogs and micro-blogs, up from 3.8 million in 2008.[48] Blog campaigns serve as the main platform for social mobilization and play an ever-increasing role in influencing government decisions. Directed against corrupt or unacceptably arrogant government officials, bloggers' wrath has led to dismissals, boycott campaigns, and demonstrations. For example, following the parliamentary elections in December 2011, disagreement over the official results and evidence of vote-rigging collected by the crowd-sourced online portal Kartanarusheniy.ru, among others, led to a public protest that later transformed into an all-Russian movement for free elections and political reform. These post-election protests were coordinated through numerous Vkontakte event groups. A YouTube channel dedicated to documenting instances of electoral fraud also served as a major impetus for the post-election protests, garnering millions of hits.[49]
The portal Kartanarusheniy.ru is one example of the growing number and popularity of online crowdsourcing tools in Russia, which have increased from two websites in 2009 to at least 14 crowdsourcing communities in 2011. The anti-corruption portal Rospil.info created by blogger and activist Alexey Navalny, is another good example of online crowd-funding, and the tool was able to fundraise nearly six million Roubles, the largest amount ever raised in Russian history. In December 2011, another online crowd-funding strategy (facilitated by e-money platform Yandex.money) was used to collect money to sponsor a pro-democracy demonstration at Sakharov prospect (a street in Moscow) that was attended by nearly 60,000 participants.
Although the constitution grants the right of free speech, this guarantee is routinely violated, and there are no special laws protecting online modes of expression. Online journalists do not possess the same rights as traditional journalists unless they register their websites as mass media. Recent police practice has been to target online expression using Article 282 of the criminal code, which restricts "extremism." The term is vaguely defined and includes "xenophobia" and "incitement of hatred toward a social group."
In 2011, Russian officials went further and proposed—in partnership with China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—an "International code of conduct for information security"[50] and later a United Nations convention "On ensuring international information security."[51] The latter document would make member countries pledge to combat sources that disseminate information "that incites terrorism, secessionism or extremism or undermines other countries' political, economic and social stability, as well as their spiritual and cultural environment." The document was not adopted internationally, although countries like Belarus have used its concepts to enact more restrictive reforms.[52] In a positive development, the criminal code was amended at the end of 2011 to decriminalize libel, reducing it to an administrative infraction punishable by fines, effective on December 8, 2011.[53]
There was less physical violence and legal harassment of bloggers in 2011 compared to 2010. In a positive development, Irek Murtazin, a prominent blogger and journalist who was imprisoned for libel against Tatarstan President Mintimir Shaimiev, was released on parole in January 2011, seven months before his official release.[54] Nevertheless, at least ten and as many as 38 cases of prosecutions against bloggers and internet activists were reported in 2011.[55] At the beginning of 2011, the police tried to prosecute several bloggers who had published a poster online that was reportedly disagreeable to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.[56] The prosecution began in the Komi Republic against the user, "onchoys," who was charged with "defamation against a representative of the government." Similarly in April 2011, the FSB in Orel City filed a complaint to start a criminal case against Georgiy Sarkisyan for posting the same image online.[57] The proceedings in both cases, however, were eventually dropped.
In November 2011, the server of the Kostroma-based discussion board "Kostroma Jedis" (Jedi.net.ru) was physically confiscated by the police to be used as evidence in a defamation case against Kostroma governor, Igor Slyunyaev. Forum users who tried to gather to sign a petition were dispersed by the police.[58] They later created analogues of the discussion forum on a website hosted outside of Russia. In December 2011, the Moscow Election Committee called the authorities to start an investigation against popular Russian blogger Oleg Kozyrev for defamation, an effort which was viewed as an attempt by the authorities to punish bloggers for their reporting on electoral irregularities and fraud.[59]
In June 2011, blogger Aleksey (Alaudin) Dudko—who was arrested in 2010—was sentenced to six years in a penal colony for the possession of drugs and weapons. Dudko denied the accusations and claimed his sentence was due to his blogging activity.[60] The same month, Yuri Yegorov, a blogger from Tatarstan and a former employee of the regional government, was sentenced to six months imprisonment and six months of probation for libel against the local ombudsman, Rashit Vagizov.[61] His case was overturned by a local judge in March 2012 in response to the December 2011 decriminalization of libel.[62] In November 2011, Vladimir Pronin, a blogger from the Moscow region who had been publishing online materials about corruption in the Odintsovo city police, was arrested for 13 days.[63] Only after wide coverage by the national media did the court recognize Pronin's arrest as illegal and authorized his release.
It is unclear to what extent internet users in Russia are subject to extralegal surveillance of their online activities. Since 2000, all ISPs have been required to install the "system for operational investigative measures,"[64] or SORM-2, which gives the FSB and police access to internet traffic. The system is analogous to the Carnivore/DCS1000 software used by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and operates as a packet-sniffer that can analyze and log data passing through a digital network.[65] However, no known cases of SORM-2 use have been reported, and the efficiency of the system has been seriously questioned. Meanwhile, legislation approved in April 2007 allows government services to intercept data traffic without a warrant. Online surveillance represents much less of a threat in the major cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg than in the regions, where almost every significant blog or forum is monitored by the local police and prosecutor's office. Most of the harassment suffered by critical bloggers and other online activists in Russia occurs in the regions.
Roskomnadzor, the regulatory body overseeing information technology and mass communications, announced in late 2011 that it had installed online software to detect "extremist" material. Under the new system, websites flagged by the software are given three days to take down allegedly offending content. If a site does not comply, two additional warnings are sent followed by a complete shutdown. The test mode version of the software was to begin operating in December 2011, though its full deployment was indefinitely postponed as of mid-2012. The justice ministry, on the other hand, has invited bids to create its own internet monitoring system, apparently for the purposes of examining content relatied to the Russian government and justice systems and to any European Union statement concerning Russia.[66]
In 2011, the FSB became keenly interested in services that use encryption, particularly Skype, Hotmail, and Gmail. In January 2011, the regional government in Sverdlovsk prohibited its employees from using Skype and Gmail.[67] In April 2011, a representative of the FSB said that any service using protocols that could not be hacked by the FSB should be banned from use,[68] but these calls were dismissed by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Political Leadership.[69]
ICT providers are routinely asked to hand over user data to the authorities. In March 2011, the police requested from forum administrators the IP address of a graphic designer known as "Isabelle" after she had drawn a series of political posters, most of them mocking the ruling party United Russia, online at NevinkaOnline.ru.[70] In April 2011, donors to the Russian anti-corruption website Rospil.info received calls and emails from unknown people (allegedly members of the pro-Kremlin youth movements) asking about their donations. Previously all donors had sponsored money via the aforementioned crowd-funding site Yandex.Money. In May 2011, Yandex.Money confirmed it had released Rospil.info donors' financial and personal information to the FSB.[71] In November 2011, the Russian Drug Control Service approached Habrahabr.ru, a popular IT-portal, and demanded[72] personal data of the Belarus-based staff writer Anatoly Alizar on the grounds of alleged drug propaganda.[73] In this instance, the portal refused to provide the data.
Extralegal intimidation of social network activists and independent forum moderators has become another line of pressure over the online world through strategies such as informal meetings with the security services, calls from the FSB to the parents of activists, or the sudden refusal of forum ad sponsors to buy advertisements. For example, in an attempt to intimidate activists during the post-election period in December 2011, the FSB called the parents of Ilya Klishin for questioning after Klishin had organized a rally to be held on December 10th in Moscow through the Facebook page, "For Fair Elections."[74]
In addition to official monitoring and prosecution, critical websites face censorship in the form of unexpected "technical difficulties." Over the past year, DDoS attacks have become an increasing problem for the Russian media sphere. Still, the police generally refuse to investigate the attacks.[75] LiveJournal, the most popular blogging platform in Russia, was attacked three times during the year. During the parliamentary election in December 2011, 22 websites became dysfunctional due to a powerful attack dubbed as the election "DDoS-alypse."[76]
More generally, cybercrime is a serious problem, as a significant number of cyberattacks were carried out from Russia and against Russian cyber actors. A number of factors contribute to this threat. First, many personal computers in Russia are not protected by antivirus software, leaving them vulnerable to infection and integration into "botnets"—networks of computers that are controlled remotely for malicious purposes. Second, information and instruction on how to build and develop botnets is widely accessible. Finally, punishment of cybercriminals is rare, contributing to a culture of impunity. According to some sources, many hackers for hire are willing to carry out DDoS attacks for as little as €200 (US$260) per day.[77]
[1] Hal Roberts, Bruce Etling, "Coordinated DDoS Attack During Russian Duma Elections," Internet and Democracy Blog, December 8, 2011, http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/idblog/2011/12/08/coordinated-ddos-attack-during-russian-duma-elections/.
[2] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: The Data Leak War and Other Pre-Election Surprises," Global Voices, October 29, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/10/31/russia-the-data-leak-war-and-other-pre-election-surprises/.
[3] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Digital Oppression Hits Web Forums as Election Approaches," Global Voices, November 22, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/11/22/russia-digital-oppression-hits-web-forums-as-election-approaches/.
[4] "FSB officers and 'Extremism' center policemen threaten parents of a journalist," Grani.ru, January 20, 2011, http://www.grani.ru/Politics/Russia/activism/m.194998.html [in Russian].
[5] Public Opinion Foundation, "Интернет-аудитория растет быстрее, чем ожидалось" [Internet audience grows faster than expected], July 15, 2011, http://bd.fom.ru/report/cat/smi/smi_int/pressr_150611.
[6] International Telecommunication Union (ITU), "Percentage of individuals using the Internet, fixed (wired) Internet subscriptions, fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions," 2006 & 2011, accessed July 13, 2012, http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Indicators/Indicators.aspx#.
[7] "TNS Gallup Zip Web Index," TNS Gallup, April 2012, http://www.tns-global.ru/media/content/B7525726-B5E1-4C12-BE25-4C543F42F3EE/!Web%20Index%20Report%20201204.zip [in Russian].
[8] "Internet development in Russia's regions," Yandex Company, 2011, http://company.yandex.ru/researches/reports/internet_regions_2011.xml [in Russian].
[9] "Internet access in difficult because of the wind on Sakhalin fiber-optic cable," RIA Novosti, May 19, 2011, http://dv.ria.ru/society/20110519/82009204.html [in Russian].
[10] Public Opinion Foundation, "Новый выпуск бюллетеня 'Интернет в России, Зима 2009/2010'" [New Issue of the Bulletin 'Internet in Russia, Winter 2009/2010'], news release, March 24, 2010, http://bd.fom.ru/report/cat/smi/smi_int/int240310_pressr [in Russian].
[11] "TNS Gallup Zip Web Index," TNS Gallup, April 2012.
[12] "Cellular Data 2011," Advanced Communications and Media Report, December 2011, http://www.acm-consulting.com/data-downloads/cat_view/7-cellular/18-cellular-2011.html.
[13] The frequency used by 3G had been restricted by the military as "strategic."
[14] J'Son and Partners, "Мобильный Интернет в России" [Mobile Internet in Russia], October 31, 2011, http://www.json.ru/files/mobile_internet_in_russia.pdf [in Russian].
[15] Advanced Communications and Media, "Russian Residential Broadband Data 2Q2011," data report, October, 21 2011, http://www.acm-consulting.com/data-downloads/doc_download/94-russian-residential-broadband-data-2q2011.html.
[16] "Cellular Data 2011," Advanced Communications and Media Report, November 2011, http://www.acm-consulting.com/data-downloads/cat_view/7-cellular/18-cellular-2011.html.
[17] "Medvedev ordered to reorganize Rostelekom by adding Svyazinvest within one year," Gazeta.ru, March 26, 2012, http://www.gazeta.ru/business/news/2012/03/26/n_2259933.shtml [in Russian].
[18] As Dmitri Solovyev's case showed, the results may vary depending on the institution where the extremism check was performed. See, Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Prosecution Against Opposition Blogger Stopped," Global Voices, January 28, 2010, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/28/russia-prosecution-against-opposition-blogger-stopped/.
[19] Two such cases occurred in the Kirov and Khanty-Mansiisk regions. See, Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Hosting Providers Sued for Refusal to Block Web Sites," Global Voices, May 13, 2010, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/05/13/russia-hosting-providers-sued-for-refusal-to-block-web-sites/; "Провайдера обязали ограничить доступ к экстремистским сайтам"
[Provider Obliged to Filter Extremist Sites], Regnum, February 24, 2010, http://www.regnum.ru/news/1256707.html.
[20] Ministry of Justice, "Федеральный список экстремистских материалов" [Federal List of Extremist Materials], accessed April 1, 2012, http://www.minjust.ru/ru/activity/nko/fedspisok/.
[21] These websites were included in the latest update of the Federal list of extremist materials.
[22] The official letter from the Prosecutor's office proposing to block LiveJournal was published by LiveJournal blogger "nb-licantrop" on February 22, 2011 at: http://nb-licantrop.livejournal.com/262567.html#cutid1.
[23] "В городах Чувашии заблокирован доступ к сайтам Свидетелей Иеговы" [Access to websites of Jehovah's Witnesses blocked in town of Chuvashia], Sova Center, November 22, 2011, http://www.sova-center.ru/religion/news/harassment/non_state_discrimination/2011/11/d23076/.
[24] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Famous Sci-Fi Writer's Blog Removed for 'Anti-Semitism,'" Global Voices, May 29, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/05/29/russia-famous-sci-fi-writers-blog-removed-for-anti-semitism/.
[25]Later, Kaganov received an official explanation from the FSB that it had ordered the provider, Zenon NSP, to remove only a particular page of "material that presents a threat to the security of Russian Federation" without telling the provider to remove the whole website. "A Letter from the FSB," Leonid Kaganov's blog, July 13, 2011, http://lleo.me/dnevnik/2011/07/13.html [in Russian].
[26] Particularly Article 5, point 5.5, "Rules of the domain registration in .rf and .ru," CCTLD.ru, http://www.cctld.ru/ru/docs/rules.php [in Russian].
[27] "ARF Open letter to Mr. Ivanov – head of Russian Federal Drug Control Services," Andrei Rylkov Foundation, April 2, 2012. http://en.rylkov-fond.org/blog/ost/rost/arf-open-letter-to-mr-ivanov-head-of-russian-federal-drug-control-services/.
[28] "FSB21 Blocked By FSB Order," Openinform.ru, February 22, 2012, http://openinform.ru/news/unfreedom/22.02.2012/26450/ [in Russian].
[29] Such as ".spb.ru" and particularly ".msk.ru," where the independent ratio station Echo Moskvy has its domain. "Changes in the Terms of Service," Nic.ru, February 24, 2012, http://nic.ru/news/2012/24.02.regl-ch.html [in Russian].
[30] The full story see here: Gregory Asmolov, "Russia: Social Network In-Between Security Services and Free Market," Global Voices, December 28, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/12/28/russia-social-network-in-between-security-services-and-free-market/.
[31] "В Твери задержали организаторов группы "В контакте" "Против нечестных выборов," TverNews, December 9, 2011, http://www.tvernews.ru/news/27095.html [in Russian].
[32] "The author of "Barrack-blog" in danger," RealArmy.org, October 26, 2011, http://realarmy.livejournal.com/2281.html [in Russian].
[33] "Article 13. Police Powers," Codes and Laws of the Russian Federation, accessed September 11, 2012, http://www.zakonrf.info/zakon-o-policii/13/ [in Russian].
[34] "Taras Podrez, Valery Weisburg, "Russia promised the United States to close pirate sites with the help of the law 'On Police,'" Marker.ru, February 25, 2011, http://marker.ru/news/3761 [in Russian].
[35] "Nurgaliev: Policemen had closed more than 8,5 thousand websites with child pornography within a year," Fontanka.ru, Feburary 10, 2012, http://www.fontanka.ru/2012/02/10/086/ [in Russian].
[36] The Kremlin-affiliated media organizations include the Foundation on Effective Politics, led by Gleb Pavlovsky; New Media Stars, led by Konstantin Rykov; and the Political Climate Center, led by Aleksey Chesnakov.
[37] Ksenia Veretennikova, "'Медведиахолдинг': Единая Россия решила формировать собственное медиапространство" ['Medvediaholding': United Russia Decided to Form Its Own Media Space], Vremya, August 21, 2008, http://www.vremya.ru/2008/152/4/210951.html.
[38] Leaked mailboxes are published at this website: http://slivmail.com/ [in Russian]. Email that contains the plan to paralyze Kommersant newspaper website published at: http://rumol-leaks.livejournal.com/12040.html.
[39] "Заказ на Навального. Политический детектив," Novaya Gazeta, October 17, 2011,
http://www.novayagazeta.ru/politics/48964.html [in Russian].
[40] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: The Data Leak War and Other Pre-Election Surprises," Global Voices, October 31, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/10/31/russia-the-data-leak-war-and-other-pre-election-surprises/.
[41] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Creators of Election Violation Map Come Under Attack," Global Voices, November 30, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/11/30/russia-creators-of-election-violation-map-come-under-attack/.
[42] Anton Stepanov, "Life News publishes secret talks with the opposition Nemcova," Life News, December 19, 2011, http://lifenews.ru/news/77459 [in Russian].
[43] Suren Ghazaryan, "As a journalist, Soloviev defended me from port terminals, and how much it cost budget," LiveJournal (blog), July 18, 2011, http://gazaryan-suren.livejournal.com/12446.html [in Russian].
[44] Yevgeny Roizman, "Администрации президента срочно требуются клеветники и мелкие пакостники. Оплата сдельная," LiveJournal (blog), November 2, 2011, http://roizman.livejournal.com/1268886.html#cutid1.
[45] RBC Information Systems, Годовой отчет РБК за 2008 год [RBC Annual Report 2008] (Moscow: RBC, 2009), http://www.rbcinfosystems.ru/ir/2008.pdf.
[46] Open Source Center, "Kremlin Allies' Expanding Control of Runet Provokes Only Limited Opposition," Office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, February 28, 2010, http://www.fas.org/irp/dni/osc/runet.pdf.
[47] "Замглавреда "Газеты.ру" уволился из-за проекта с "Голосом," Lenta.ru, November 30, 2011, http://lenta.ru/news/2011/11/30/gazetaru/ [in Russian].
[48] Number of total indexed blogs and microblogs by Yandex blog search engine found at: http://blogs.yandex.ru/.
[49] Arch Puddington, "A Victory for the Net in Russia," Freedom at Issue (blog), December 8, 2011, //www.freedomhouse.org/blog/victory-net-russia.
[50] "China, Russia and Other Countries Submit the Document of International Code of Conduct for Information Security to the United Nations," Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, September 9, 2011, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx/t858978.htm.
[51] "Convention on International Information Security," Concept paper prepared for the International Meeting of High-Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters (Ekaterinburg, Russia: September 21022, 2011), http://isocbg.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/russian-draft-un-cyber-convention-english.doc.
[52] Glyn Moody, "No, Belarus is not cut off from the internet, but new restrictions are still pretty bad," Tech Dirt, January 3. 2012, http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120103/07193917260/no-belarus-is-not-cut-off-internet-new-restrictions-are-still-pretty-bad.shtml.
[53] Anastasia Baraulya, "For the Criminal Code – Libel Is Not A Crime Anymore," FederalInform.ru, February 15, 2012, http://federalinform.ru/index.php/russia/rpeople/4426-2012-02-15-08-43-22 [in Russian].
[54] "Irek Murtazin: First Interview After Imprisonment," Udikov.ru, February 1, 2011, http://www.udikov.ru/2011/02/01/irek-murtazin-pervoe-intervyu-na-svobode/ [in Russian].
[55] "Threats to Internet Freedom in Russia (2011)," Agora Association, accessed April 1, 2012, http://openinform.ru/fs/j_photos/openinform_354.pdf; "Journal of Internet Unfreedom," Agora Association, accessed April 1, 2012, http://openinform.ru/fs/j_photos/openinform_356.pdf [in Russian].
[56] The poster said, "Putin – pidoras." "Pidoras" is a name for a male homosexual.
[57] "In defense of honor," Kasparov.ru, April 6, 2011, http://www.kasparov.ru/material.php?id=4D9C1F162C3DF [in Russian].
[58] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Digital Oppression Hits Web Forums as Election Approaches," Global Voices, November 22, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/11/22/russia-digital-oppression-hits-web-forums-as-election-approaches/.
[59] "Избирком ответил мне уголовным делом. Против меня," Oleg-kozyrev.livejournal.com (blog), December 28, 2011, http://oleg-kozyrev.livejournal.com/3926225.html [in Russian].
[60] "The court in Moscow sentenced a blogger Alexei Deuko to six years in prison," Karachaevo, June 10, 2011, http://karachaevo-cherkesia.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/187049/ [in Russian].
[61] "In Tatarstan, a globber was sentenced to six months for libel against the Ombudsman," Openinform.ru, June 9, 2011, http://openinform.ru/news/pursuit/09.06.2011/25035/ [in Russian].
[62] "In Kazan, the blogger accused of libel against ombudsman, released from accusation," OpenInform.ru, March 3, 2012, http://openinform.ru/news/unfreedom/30.03.2012/26621/ [in Russian].
[63] "In suburban Odintsov unfolding saga involving bloggers to trial," Novaya Gazeta (blog), November 1, 2011, http://novayagazeta.livejournal.com/390785.html [in Russian].
[64] Konstantin Nikashov, "СОРМ для IP-коммуникаций: требуется новая концепция" [SORM for IP-Communications: New Concept Needed], Iksmedia.ru, December 10, 2007, http://www.iksmedia.ru/topics/analytical/effort/261924.html?__pv=1 [in Russian]. For more information on SORM, see V.S. Yelagin, "СОРМ-2 история, становление, перспективы" [SORM-2 History, Formation, Prospects], Protei, http://www.sorm-li.ru/sorm2.html [in Russian].
[65] B. S. Goldstein, Y. A. Kryukov, and V. I. Polyantsev, "Проблемы и Решения СОРМ-2" [Problems and Solutions of SORM-2], Vestnik Svyazi no. 12 (2006), http://www.protei.ru/company/pdf/publications/2007/2007-003.pdf [in Russian].
[66] "2012 Surveillance: Russia," Reporters Without Borders, March 12, 2012, http://en.rsf.org/russia-russia-12-03-2012,42075.html.
[67] Ashley Cleek, "Russia: Why Skype Worries the FSB?" Global Voices, January 22, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/01/22/russia-why-skype-worries-the-fsb/.
[68] "FSB wants to ban Skype and Gmail, as no control over communication and correspondence on these resources," Gazeta.ru, April 8, 2011, http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lastnews/2011/04/08/n_1784533.shtml [in Russian].
[69] Marina Litvinovich, Sian Sinnot, "Russia: Bloggers Stop FSB Initiative to Ban Skype," Global Voices, April 18, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/04/18/russia-bloggers-prevent-fsb-from-banning-skype/.
[70] "In the Stavropol region, the struggle between Russia and United Internet users," LiveJournal (blog), March 12, 2011, http://mredisonic.livejournal.com/7525.html [in Russian].
[71] Ashley Cleek, "Russia: Anti-Corruption Donor Details Leaked," Global Voices, May 4, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/05/04/russia-anti-corruption-donor-details-leaked/.
[72] Dura Lex, "Federal Drug Control Service aims Alizar," Habrababr.ru, October 14, 2011, http://habrahabr.ru/blogs/Dura_Lex/132109/ [in Russian].
[73] In his post, Alizar speculated on Steve Jobs' ingenuity, marijuana and LSD, and the governments' policies towards light drugs, citing such widely recognized media outlets as Time Magazine, the New York Times, etc.
[74] "FSB officers and 'Extremism' center policemen threaten parents of a journalist," Grani.ru, January 20, 2011, http://www.grani.ru/Politics/Russia/activism/m.194998.html [in Russian].
[75] "«Живой журнал» остался без дела," Gazeta.ru, August 22, 2011,
http://www.gazeta.ru/business/2011/08/19/3739473.shtml [in Russian].
[76] Alexey Sidorenko, "Russia: Election Day DDoS-alypse," Global Voices, December 5, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/12/05/russia-election-day-ddos-alypse/.
[77] "В России DDoS-атака стоит от 200 евро в сутки" [In Russia DDoS Attack Costs 200 Euros Per Day]," iToday.ru, April 5, 2010, http://itoday.ru/news/35916.html [in Russian].


text:
Kirstie Alley is on a losing streak.
The ex-"Cheers" actress announced on her Twitter account Thursday that she'd shed over 50 pounds since starting her own "Organic Liason" diet program, Usmagazine.com first reported.
"I've lost over 50 lbs...and I'm having the time of my of my life...30 more to gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo," Alley tweeted.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Hours earlier, Alley also took to Twitter that reveal that while traveling in Italy recently she'd "found the love of my life."
"Turned out it was me," she tweeted, while also sharing a photo of herself with a handful of "men friends" from the trip.
Alley has been in the public eye with her weight battles for years. Back in 2006, the actress boasted to Oprah Winfrey about losing 75lbs on the Jenny Craig diet.
She revealed last year that she'd bulked up to 230 pounds since her days as a Jenny Craig spokeswoman and had formed her own dieting company.
Alley is documenting her latest efforts to slim down to 145 pounds on her A&E reality show "Kirstie Alley's Big Life."
"I didn't think I was going to be the Pied Piper for weight loss, but I've sort of become that," Alley told NBC "Today" host Meredith Vieira in March. "I'm having fun doing this. I do need to be sort of a role model, whether it's self-appointed or outwardly appointed. That's sort of my responsibility now."
Selected Reading: Us, Kirstie Alley, Twitter

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Disaster Response and Management
- Search and Rescue Teams.
- Medical Teams.
- Counselling Teams.
- Emergency Supplies in the form of food, water, tents, blankets, medicines and high energy and protein supplements.
- Housing
Primary Health Care Containerised Units.
Careline Counselling services
a. Counselling
- Telephonic
- Face-to-Face
- Individual
- Couple
- Group/ Family
b. Training
- Volunteer Counsellor Training (VCT)
- Facilitator training for women in abusive relationships
- Life-skills facilitator training
- HIV/AIDS awareness and education facilitator training
- Foundation playskills in children
- Advanced playskills in children
c. Continuous Development Programmes for Volunteer Counsellors
- Monthly core group meetings
- Workshops on topical issues
- Workshops to promote emotional well being of counsellors
d. Support Groups
- Support for women in abusive relationships
- Bereavement support to children and adults
e. Community Educational Outreach Programmes
f. Specialised Services (Corporates, Organisations and Public)
- Trauma Counselling
- Employment Assistance Program (EAP)
g. Internships and Learnerships
- Psychology & Social Work graduates
- Social Auxiliary workers
Medical Support to Hospitals
- Medical Equipment.
- Medicines and Disposables.
- Kitchens and food for patients.
- Hygiene packs and disinfectants.
- Ambulances.
- Bicycle Ambulances.
Wheelchair Distribution
Institutional Support
Bursaries and Scholarships.
Winter Warmth
Housing Development
Food Parcels
Feeding Centres
Nutrition Supplementation
Meat Distribution
- Providing Nutrition
- Distribution of Food Parcels
- Developing Food Gardens
- Providing Uniforms
- Providing New Clothing
- Distributing New Blankets
- Providing Furniture
- Distributing Stationery
- Setting up Technology Workshops and Providing New Library Books
- Supporting Cultural Programmes
- Providing Trophies for Learners
- Supporting Sports Programmes
- Road Safety Education
- Enhancing Infrastructure
- Establishing Open Source Computer Labs
- Providing Lifeskills Workshops
- Special Projects
- Entrepreneurship
- Copier Machines
- Early Childhood Development Centres


text:
Web Accessibility Help
There are actions you can take to adjust your web browser to make your web experience more accessible.
I am blind or can't see very well
If you have trouble seeing web pages, the US Social Security Administration offers these tips for optimizing your computer and browser to improve your online experience.
I find a keyboard or mouse hard to use
If you find a keyboard or mouse difficult to use, speech recognition software such as Dragon® NaturallySpeaking may help you navigate web pages and online services. This software allows the user to move focus around a web page or application screen through voice controls.
I am deaf or hard of hearing
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, there are several accessibility features available to you.


text:
Find us on:
People who know a veteran best may be the first to recognize emotional distress and reach out for support. If you know a veteran who is in crisis, call 1-800-273-8255.
Review Date: Thursday, November 08, 2012
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can happen after you have been through a traumatic event.
Review Date: Monday, May 09, 2016
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
In the last decade, the United States has experienced a series of man-made and natural disasters. This video focuses on NIMH research in the area of traumatic stress reactions, and specifically, mental health issues among U.S. service members.
Review Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2013
NIH National Institute of Mental Health - NIMH
Learn about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from Veterans who've experienced it. Hear their stories. Find out how treatment turned their lives around.
Review Date: Tuesday, December 08, 2015
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
An effective support group helps recovery through mutual support and provides updated information about causes and treatment, eliminating some of the myths about anxiety disorders. This page lists support groups by state.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
This guide describes the symptoms, causes, and treatments of the major anxiety disorders, with information on getting help and coping with anxiety.
The effects of a disaster, terrorist attack, or other public health emergency can be long-lasting, and the resulting trauma can reverberate even with those not directly affected by the disaster. This page provides general strategies for promoting mental health and resilience.
Review Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - CDCU.S. Department of Health and Human Services
This site provides several fact sheets with tips on coping with war, terrorism, and natural disasters.
Review Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Mental Health America
Locate therapists who understand and counsel those affected by trauma and dissociation disorders.
Review Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2014
International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) offers support to veterans and their family members. Resources for other trauma survivors is available as well.
Review Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011
Large-scale tragedies such as bombing incidents and school shootings can be extremely disturbing to children, who thrive on predictability and security. This fact sheet discusses some ways to help children cope with fears associated with violent trauma.
Review Date: Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Sidran Institute
This booklet describes the impact of violence and disasters on children and adolescents, with suggestions for minimizing long-term emotional harm.
Review Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2014
If you have had feelings of fearfulness and uncertainty for over six months, you may have an anxiety disorder. See your doctor. Effective therapies help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives.
Review Date: Wednesday, January 07, 2015
This resource for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families offers information on benefits, employment, health, homeless assistance, housing, transportation, and other services.
This page from MEDLINEplus links to news and information about post-traumatic stress disorder.
Review Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2016
NIH National Library of Medicine - NLM
PTSD is a real illness. You can get PTSD after living through or seeing a dangerous event, such as war, hurricane, or bad accident. PTSD makes you feel stressed and afraid after the danger is over. If you have PTSD, you can get treatment and feel better.
Learn about common reactions to trauma, hear real stories of those who have dealt with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and find help for Veterans and the general public.
If you suspect that you might suffer from PTSD, answer these questions, print out the results and share them with your health care professional.
Review Date: Monday, December 01, 2014
This brochure provides practical information for parents and students who are coping with the aftermath of a natural disaster, as well others who are helping those affected. Although the focus is on natural disasters, these tips may apply to other traumas students may experience.
U.S. Department of Education
This fact sheet covers things to remember when trying to understand disaster events, signs that adults need stress management assistance, and ways to ease stress.
Review Date: Monday, April 06, 2015
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - SAMHSAU.S. Department of Health and Human Services
This fact sheet offers self-help tips for coping with the aftermath of trauma. It discusses the long-term impact of trauma, including personal uncertainties, family relationship changes, work disruptions, and financial concerns.
Review Date: Friday, December 12, 2014
Search for a specialized Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment program near you. Contact any VA medical center to find a PTSD specialist who provides treatment for Veterans with PTSD. If you are in crisis, dial 911 or 1-800-273-TALK/8255.
Review Date: Saturday, January 23, 2016
The purpose of this brochure is to clarify the issues concerning traumatic memories of physical and sexual abuse experienced during childhood.
This fact sheet provides basic information about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), discusses symptoms and risk factors, and reviews treatment approaches. The fact sheet includes resources for those needing additional information about PTSD.
This multimedia public education campaign is designed to increase awareness among service members of the availability of psychological health and traumatic brain injury resources. The campaign stresses information for families and employers on how to encourage service members to get the help they need.
Review Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
Note: Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.
Language Assistance Available


text:
The web-slinging wall-crawler is possibly the best-loved superhero of all time, mainly because Peter Parker is so easy to identify with: he's a smart-mouthed, scrawny kid who finds incredible powers thrust upon him and struggles with how to use them.
The archetypal superhero, the Man of Steel is as American as "mom's apple pie" (despite being an alien from Krypton). Some find his heroism a little too straight-up, mind you – who didn't love "bad Superman" in the third film?
No superpowers here. Watchmen's iconic vigilante is instead packing some severe psychological trauma, a refusal to compromise and a clear black/white view of the world – reflected in his shifting inkblot mask.
Wolverine (aka Logan) is a mutant boasting enhanced senses, accelerated healing abilities and a set of retractable claws on each hand. Oh, and an adamantium skeleton courtesy of a secret government programme. His anti-authority, no-bull personality is a huge part of his popular appeal.
Another vigilante superhero with no actual superpowers, Batman relies on gadgets, stealth and cunning to dispense justice against Gotham City's criminals. Haunted by a dark past, he's a flip side to Superman – and every bit as iconic.
Iron Man
Playboy Tony Stark fancied fighting evil-doers, so he made himself an incredible flying suit of armour. Iron Man's charm and wit – plus his ability to blow up tanks and stuff – sets him aside from the more self-important do-gooders of the superhero community.
The Invisible Woman
Sue Storm's powers? Well, there's a clue in her name, but she can also project energy fields allowing her to deflect bullets and knock down foes. Along with brother The Human Torch, husband Mr Fantastic and friend The Thing, she's a member of The Fantastic Four.
His name is an anagram of One, because this movie hero is "the one" who will bring peace to the nightmarish future world of The Matrix. Able to manipulate the virtual reality world in which the human race is enslaved, Neo's bullet-dodging, martial arts and crazy flying around powers had us all saying "woah".
The Dragon Ball Z anime character possesses super strength, speed, resilience and the abilities to teleport AND shoot effing fireballs of chi energy. Possibly the most famous Japanese superhero – at least in the West.
The Cajun ladies' man's roguish charms make him more an anti-(super)hero than most of his fellow X-Men. Throws cards with deadly force and beats foes around the head with his bo staff.
The Silver Surfer
Starting off as a baddie – no less than the Herald of Galactus, picking out worlds for the cosmic entity to consume – this alien soon learnt the error of his ways when he visited Earth, betraying his master and being stuck on our planet as a result.
The Incredible Hulk
We all have our angry moments, but when scientist Bruce Banner gets irate he turns green, large and strong enough to smash his way through walls and anything – or anyone – else that gets in his way.
When Detriot cop Murphy is gunned down by criminals, his body is used as the basis for an experimental, pitiless and near indestructible corporate law enforcement robot. But while his body is no longer human, his memories remain – leading him to fight his corrupt creators.
Master Chief
The last of a band of Mjolnir-armoured "Spartan" space marines, the Halo hero is tougher, stronger and more agile than any other human being. Also pretty handy.
The "main baddie" off Heroes, Sylar is able to permanently take on the powers of any other superhero by killing them and examining their brain. While possibly psychopathic, Sylar is not so much evil as driven by a desire to "make a difference" – by the end of the series he has apparently changed his killer ways.
Wonder Woman
The first female superhero superstar, this Amazon has a similar set of abilities to Superman – plus a lasso that forces anyone bound by it to tell the truth. The 70s Lynda Carter TV show has made her a camp icon – but a long-rumoured movie could give her a Batman-style "serious" makeover.
The Flash
Wonder Woman's Justice League pal, this speedster can run physics-defyingly fast – over water, even – as well as think, react and punch with super speed. A movie is rumoured to be coming in 2013.
Currently appearing in your local cinema, Thor is no less than the bloody Norse God of Thunder and wields Mjolnir – which gives him the ability to control weather and fly. Also a founding member of the Avengers.
Dr Manhattan
Watchmen's only true superhero, Dr Manhattan is transformed into a god-like being when a physics experiment goes wrong. In Watchmen's alternate history, his ability to control matter at a subatomic level allows the USA to win the Vietnam War. Also does a neat line in vaporising people.
Black Panther
The first black superhero to hit mainstream comics, Black Panther is an African chieftain (yeah, we know) with enhanced senses, speed and strength. A member of the Avengers, he's married to Storm from X-Men – another African superhero.
The Green Lantern
The Green Lantern's "power ring" enhances his will power, giving him the ability to do pretty much anything he can imagine. That makes him one of the most powerful superheroes around. A movie with Ryan Reynolds is hitting cinemas right about now.
Okay, so we know she's technically a villain but Catwoman has her good moments – and who can forget Michelle Pfeiffer in "that suit" in Batman Returns? Just don't dwell on the later so-bad-it's-not-good Halle Berry vehicle.
The Toxic Avenger
Troma's horror comedy spawned this monstrous creature, a scrawny weakling who becomes hideously deformed but hugely strong when he plunges into a vat of toxic waste. Wielding a mop, he takes on his former tormentors and the town's crime ring in ultra-violent fashion.
A former CIA assassin sent to hell after he's killed by his allies, Al Simmons makes a deal with the Devil to return to life. He does so as Spawn, an anti-hero who quickly decides to betray rather than serve his demonic masters.
Captain America
Conceived to give the US a patriotic boost during the Second World War, Cap is a super soldier who derives his strength from a serum and carries an indestructible shield. He's also the sometime leader of the Avengers. A movie starring Chris Evans (no, not that one) hits the screens this summer.
5 superhero movies you need to watch this year


text:
Both "chic paillote" and "restaurant-pizzeria" The Neptune Beach is a must in Ajaccio. Ideally situated on one of the most beautiful beaches of the Gulf of Ajaccio, the Neptune is open daily from noon from May to November. Le Neptune offers original formulas, like its famous "salad buffet, eat as much as you like" with fresh seasonal products, but also fish and meat grilled, burgers, club sandwich, wrap, wok. .. Between mid-June and mid-September, the restaurant is also open in the evening with a menu, fine cuisine (local fish, foie gras ...) as well as wood oven pizzas. All day on the beach, you can rent a beach chair, order a drink at the bar and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Periodically, themed evenings are organised. In winter, the restaurant is open for lunch depending on the weather. CB, American Express are accepted.
Paparazzi restaurant is open every day of the year (excluding Christmas and New Year), for lunch and dinner, with a varied and generous cuisine: Tartare, meat, fish, pasta, pizzas ... We recommend the original speciality pasta "the sorrentina" covered with a soft pizza dough! Each day, a suggestion and a daily special for €12.50. Warm welcome from the owner and its team. Taste the original Paparazzi cuisine for lunch or dinner by the sea. Credit accepted To contact or book: 04 95 21 04 21 or 06 79 62 55 33
Enjoy Corsican wines on a terrace L' Alba, in addition to being a brasserie at lunch time, offers a wine list selected by the Cave du Cardinal (Wine shop) in the evening. You can also enjoy tapas from June to August. If you prefer tasting local homemade ice cream, this is the place! Broadcast of Football matches. Corsican evening with singers. No CB
Richard Vinet, the chef of the place, and his team offers a cuisine, which changes according to the products available. Specialties of fish, we recommend the famous penne with prawns and the famos toffee 'pain perdu". All their meats are prepared on the grill. They also offer a discovery menu with 2 choices "starter + main course + dessert" at €29. Average price per person: €48 Opening from May to September every night, two weekly closings on Tuesday and Saturday lunchtime. Booking: 0495520778
Taste the famous ice cream of Raugi (to eat in or take away), frozen desserts to die for and a deli for gourmet, this is what Gustino offers. At the heart of the old town, this shop is a wonder of sweet and savoury flavours. The side of the deli, you will find products from Corsica and from elsewhere. Very friendly welcome.The owners are there to help you discover the subtle taste of their unique products. This space is designed to make your visit a unique and privileged moment in time... Follow Gustino on Instagram
A break on a shaded terrace of the Imperial City L' Alba is a brasserie for lunch which offers a fresh and seasonal cuisine: salads, meat, fish, pasta ... Every day a suggestion of fish or pasta or starter. The desserts are homemade and the icecream are from a local artisan. Corsican wines have been selected by the Cardinal Cave (wine shop). No CB. Open from 10am to 2am. The Alba is a wine bar at night (see NIGHT LIFE)
Pizzas, grilled meats ... in a wood fire oven "Le PIment Rouge" is the Ajaccian reference for wood fire oven pizzas. This unique place with its quirky decoration (to surf glory and Balinese influences) is the image of its owner; Jérôme is a surfer and a great traveler, who will welcome you like at home. The atmosphere is fun and friendly and the chef's pizzas are original & delicious ... and perfectly crunchy. All the fresh and cooked ingredients are chosen with care. If you hesitate between two pizzas, Jérôme offers to combine them in two half moons! For meat lovers, we recommend the Indonesian steak served with a homemade mash of the day, the beef tagliata or the grilled beef. The pasta is excellent too, and the wine list offers the best cuvées of Clos Alzeto. Open only in the evening. Open every evening in July-August. Closed on Tuesday evening in June. Closed Tuesday & Wednesday evenings in winter. What we like about the place A beautiful restaurant with an original decoration A very pleasant terrace on summer evenings Free Wi-Fi Credit card accepted Service from 7:30 pm to 11 pm (and sometimes later in summer) Ideal for families (first service recommended with children) and with friends.
London Café, The Place to Be! Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, tea time ... All day the London Café offers, in a very British atmosphere, teas (Kusmi tea), coffee, italian hot chocolate, but also sweet and savoury pancakes, English desserts: cheesecake, brownies, cookies, scones, pancakes ... For breakfast: English breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. For lunch: dish of the day is offered in addition to the menu. Choice of: salads, wraps, bagels, savoury crumbles ... Enjoy your sunday Brunch as if you were in London from 11:30am to 2:30pm from October to May.(€22 per adult/ €18 per child): fruit juice, hot drinks, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, cold meats, jam ... there's something for everyone! You can also visit the place to do your shopping: mugs, teapots, british accessories ... CB accepted. Closed on sunday in summer.


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Innovation is at the heart of every Kalamazoo product. Each part of the collection – from grills and pizza ovens to refrigeration and cabinetry – represents a significant departure from the established norm. Our passion for outdoor cooking and our fiercely independent design philosophy drive us to establish new industry benchmarks. Consequently, our list of exclusives and innovations speaks for itself.
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Listen to this article
The Robert H Smith School of Business is firmly established as a research heavyweight – it was in the top 10 for business and management research in this year's FT Global MBA Ranking. Now, the University of Maryland school is looking to use this strength to promote practical change.
"We have achieved strong recognition for the work we do," says Anand Anandalingam, dean of the school, "but we are striving to have greater influence on the real world."
Since Anandalingam took the helm in 2008, a series of initiatives have been launched with this in mind. Two of these – the Center for Financial Policy and the Center for Social Value Creation – aim to take advantage of the proximity of the campus in the Washington greenbelt to the institutions and organisations in the heart of the city.
The CSVC, for example, can draw on the presence of non-profit organisations based on nearby Capitol Hill. "I am not sure we could have come so far without being in Washington," says Melissa Carrier, the centre's executive director.
The essence of the centre, which co-ordinates corporate partnerships and student volunteer programmes, is to show how for-profit business principles can be harnessed to deliver social benefits.
"The corporate social responsibility movement has only delivered compensation, not value," says Carrier. The theme of social responsibility and value creation is being integrated into the MBA. "Within all sectors, we want Smith graduates to be agents for positive change in their organisations," she adds.
Smith's entrepreneurial spirit and emphasis on experiential learning are married in the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, which encourages and co-ordinates student start-ups. "Developing ideas is key to gaining business literacy," says Elana Fine, associate director. "Where better than university to take risks?"
The hands-on learning approach is epitomised by Brent Goldfarb, in whose entrepreneurship class students pitch and launch start-up companies. The students engage in a Darwinian competition in which one company is eliminated each week. Eliminated students must negotiate a stake, or terms of employment, with the remaining firms.
"I got bored of assessing abstract business plans. I want the students to actually just go out and learn by doing," says Goldfarb.
Since 2005, more than 75 companies have been launched through the centre, assisted by "entrepreneurs in residence" and early investments from a network of "angel" investors.
The school has a growing portfolio of masters programmes. There are four one-year master of science in business programmes, specialising in accounting, finance, information systems and supply chain management. Next year will see the launch of a fifth, in marketing analytics.
"While application numbers for the MBA are still strong, it is demand for specialised masters degrees that we see growing,"says Anandalingam.
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Holiday Freeballing
Enjoy it with your eggnog!
Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt went shopping yesterday. As you can see, they did not buy men's underwear. There, that's what I want for Christmas. I want Jon Hamm to stop freeballing. The problem is that most of you want him to keep on freeballing. WHY?
Seeing it and feeling it are two different things. I don't ever want to see it. Do I want to see it because the way it looks will determine the way it works? Not necessarily. And even then, once is enough. Beyond that, it's just – overall across the board – not a beautiful thing. Like, wouldn't you rather see him kissing his girlfriend?
In other news…
These are the first photos I've posted of Hamm since SAG and Golden Globe nominations were announced and Mad Men didn't matter. This is not a snub. They've had their run. And the show wasn't great the last two seasons. Maybe this is the inspiration they need to step it up. Season 7 will be split into two parts beginning in the Spring.
AKM-GSI / Splash News


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If you are not familiar with the Foodie Pen Pals program, this is a wonderful exchange that Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean does each month. December we will not do an exchange but are encouraged to give food to the needy this holiday season. If you would like to sign up for Jan. 2013 be sure to stop by her blog and sign up between the 25th of Dec and the 4th of Jan.
INFO and Sign Up
My pen pal this month was Marie, she does not have a blog so I can't link you to her, but she sent me a great box!
Skinny popcorn, which I enjoyed! A bag of mixed dry beans, which I used with some leftover ham.
Starbucks hot chocolate, which sadly for me, my son enjoyed. I am unable to enjoy it due to a health condition :( but he loved it!
One of my favorites, a KIND bar, Madagascar Vanilla. This flavor I had not had, and I will look for these again.
She was kind enough to bake me a loaf of Amish Friendship bread. I used to make this myself years ago, I love it!! THANK YOU
I'm excited to see what my recipient thought of her box! I sent a box of goodies to Kendra over at Biting the hand that feeds you. Be sure to stop by to see what I sent and how she liked it! Tell her I sent you :)
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and happy eating!


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Von Miller's "Dancing with the Stars" partner fines him $100 per fart
Von Miller seems to be having a gas on "Dancing With the Stars." And passing some along the way.
So much so that Witney Carson, the Broncos linebacker's dance partner, has been making him pay $100 every time his lets one rip during practice.
"Witney's fining me for farting," Miller said on Monday's show. "… At this point I think she's taking advantage of me."
Carson quipped: "I'm going to start charging for swear words. I'm going to be so rich by the end of this."
It's not the first time the Super Bowl 50 MVP has been charged for flatulence. According to NFL reporter Nicki Jhabvala, the Broncos have a flatulence tax on Miller.
Von Miller said the Broncos have a fine system for, um, flatulence in meetings. Said he thinks he's been fined the most.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) June 3, 2015


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Dr. Martin Gabica reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. In 1980 he was one of the founders of the Idaho Wellness Center, an innovative family practice in Boise, Idaho, based on prevention, self-care, and self-responsibility. Dr. Gabica served as Chief Medical Officer of Healthwise for 6 years before retiring from this position. He will continue to serve as an Associate Medical Director.
MD: University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, Portland, OR, 1977
Residency in Family Practice: Residency of SW Idaho, Boise, ID, 1977-1980
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August 23, 2013
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Morocco cancels war games with U.S. over rights
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco on Tuesday canceled its annual military exercises with the United States after the Obama administration backed having the U.N. monitor human rights in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, U.S. officials said.
The 13th annual "African Lion" exercise — involving 1,400 U.S. servicemen and 900 Moroccan troops, as well as foreign observers from places like France and Germany — had been set to start Wednesday with many personnel already in place. The troops and equipment were now in the process of being redeployed, according to Eric Elliott, a spokesman for the U.S. Africa Command, or Africom.
Other U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because there had not yet been a formal announcement of Morocco's reasons for the cancellation. Morocco's government spokesman declined to comment about the exercises.
Morocco annexed the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara in 1976, sparking a decades-long battle for independence by the Polisario Front group, which ended with a U.N.-brokered 1991 cease-fire.
Mustapha Khalfi, the spokesman who doubles as the minister of communication, summoned journalists Tuesday to express his government's anger over initiatives to broaden the U.N. mission's mandate in Western Sahara to include human rights monitoring.
"It is an attack on the national sovereignty of Morocco and will have negative consequences on the stability of the whole region," he warned. "We count on the wisdom of the members of the Security Council to avoid such initiatives."
Ownership of the mineral-rich region is an incredibly sensitive matter for the Moroccans. Morocco has proposed a wide autonomy for Western Sahara, but the Polisario insist on the right to self-determination through a referendum. Neither side has budged and sporadic talks have ended in a stalemate.
The U.N. observer mission in the Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, currently has 183 military observers, 26 troops and six civilian police and its mandate for the next year is being examined next week.
"We are actively reviewing MINURSO's mandate and are working closely with our U.N. Security Council partners on this issue," said Payton Knopf, spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. "The United States continues to support the U.N.-led process designed to bring about a peaceful, sustainable, and mutually agreed solution to the conflict whereby the human rights of all individuals are respected."
Khalfi described the initiative to expand MINURSO's mandate as "unjustified" in light of Morocco's efforts to improve human rights throughout country, including the annexed territory.
The London-based rights group Amnesty International, however, expressed concern recently over the harassment of pro-independence activists and the alleged use of torture in Western Sahara.
"Pro-independence activists have been imprisoned following demonstrations calling for the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, and some have reportedly been tortured or otherwise ill-treated during questioning by Moroccan law enforcement officials," the organization said Sunday.
Amnesty called for the U.N. to monitor human rights in the disputed territories as well as in the Polisario-run refugee camps across the border in Algeria.
In his report last week on the Western Sahara, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed their point and said continued reports of human rights violations required sustained monitoring by a neutral party.
U.S. personnel for African Lion had been deploying into Morocco since last week, Elliott said. It is one of the largest of the 12 to 18 exercises carried out by Africom every year, and features live fire exercises, amphibious operations and low level flight training.
Such exercises are important "because they give us an opportunity to work with African nations. Morocco happens to have one of the more capable military forces in Africa," Elliott said.


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IMF/Survey volume 29, No. 23, January 2000
- Financial markets recover: IMF adapts to changing global environment to meet member countries' needs
- Financial architecture: Strengthening the international financial system
- Organization: Articles of Agreement shape IMF structure
- IMF Executive Board: (as of September 1, 1999)
- Capital base: Quotas define members' financial and organizational relations with IMF
- IMF quotas: (million SDRs)
- Broader framework: Surveillance helps members identify and correct problems quickly
- Conditionality: Members commit to reform in exchange for IMF financial support
- Financial facilities and policies: IMF financing helps members pursue sound policies
- Access limits govern use of resources
- IMF Contingent Credit Lines protect countries from financial contagion
- Debt strategy: IMF involvement emphasizes policy guidance and adequate financial support
- Conference explores social dimensions of reform
- Training, advice: Technical assistance complements surveillance and financing
- New arrangements: Borrowing supplements IMF's ordinary resources
- Liquidity position: Demand for use of IMF resources remains heavy
- Income and charges: IMF adds annual net income to its reserves
- Overdue payments: IMF strategy stresses prevention, cooperation
- International reserve asset: SDR supplements existing reserves
- IMF chronology: IMF evolves in response to over half a century of challenge and change
Financial markets recover: IMF adapts to changing global environment to meet member countries' needs
- International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
- Published Date:
- January 1999
Show Summary Details
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In another blow to the failing Corinthian Colleges, a state agency on Monday said it had withdrawn its approval of the for-profit company — which means it will no longer pay GI benefits for veterans to attend any of Corinthian's 23 institutions.
As of June, roughly 1,400 veterans or their dependents received military benefits to go to a Corinthian-owned college in California.
California's Department of Veterans Affairs — CalVet– pulled Corinthian's approval after the company failed to meet a 60-day deadline to demonstrate its financial stability or sale of the schools, which include WyoTech, Heald and Everest, the department said in a news release.
"CalVet takes very seriously our duty to ensure our California veterans receive the education and training they are paying for with their earned GI Bill benefits," said Keith Boylan, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Services. "After (Corinthian Colleges) failed to comply … our action was required by law."
CalVet put Corinthian on suspension June 24, days after the career-college giant told investors that federal financial aid sanctions could cause a cash-flow crisis great enough to put it out of business.
Corinthian and other large, for-profit institutions receive most of their revenue from federal student loans and tuition grants, and military benefits.
During a four-year period ending in June 2013, CalVet alone paid $56.9 million to Everest, Heald and WyoTech campuses, according to the department's records.
California's action will further weaken the company's hobbled financial state and could undermine its attempt to sell 85 of its 97 U.S. campuses before it goes out of business — part of a deal reached in July with the U.S. Department of Education.
A federal disclosure Corinthian posted Monday revealed the publicly traded company's intensifying need for cash, its $19 million sale of private student loan notes, and some of its growing regulatory and legal woes — including accusations from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that it had violated the Dodd-Frank Act and, among other concerns, illegally collected debts from students while they were attending school.
Corinthian noted in the filing that "further restrictions on funding or operations by accrediting agencies, state agencies, or other funding sources would exacerbate the Company's existing liquidity constraints."
A spokesman for Corinthian couldn't be immediately reached for comment Monday.
Boylan said the department's decision "removes uncertainty for veteran students and allows them to move forward in finding alternatives for continuing their educational path."
Follow Katy Murphy at Twitter.com/katymurphy.


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|Emerging 90-Point Syrah Brand
|Bedrock Wine Co.
|What to Drink: Syrah Based Wines.
Bedrock is an itsy-bitsy winery making wine in a converted chicken coop. Fruit from only the most excellent vineyard sites is hand pitch-forked into the destemmer, fermented in open top redwood and stainless vats using only native yeasts, and are manually basket pressed by winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson into the sexiest oak from the coldest French forests.
The winery's objectives are:
To channel the fruit of ancient vines into powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines.
To spread the gospel of Syrah in California by sourcing fruit from great terroirs throughout the North Coast.
To proclaim the greatness of Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by sparing no expense on wines of uniqueness and personality.
To reclaim rose' from the excesses of saignee and focus on precision, delicacy, aromatics, and food friendliness.
To make fascinating and quixotic white wines from unique sites and interesting varietals.
To make California Pinot Noir that ages as well as '74 Swan.
To dream big but keep production low!
Picture: Stones, Red Soil, and Ancient Semillon at Monte Rosso Vineyard.


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- (verb) state emphatically or publicly; "he affirmed that they would lend military assistance"
- (verb) declare one's support for; uphold; defend; "the charter affirmed the right of national minorities to use their own language"
- (law) accept or confirm the validity of (a judgement or agreement); ratify;"the Court of Appeal affirmed a decision of the High Court"
- (law) make a formal declaration rather than taking an oath; "he refused to take the oath but chose simply to affirm on being admitted to the Privy Council"
- (verb) offer (someone) emotional support or encouragement; "there are five common ways parents fail to affirm their children"
Affirm (अफर्म) meaning in Hindi (English to Hindi Dictionary)
- मान लेना, स्वीकार करना, पुष्टि करना, प्रतिज्ञान करना, अनुमोदन करना, दावे से कहना
Affirm Origin
- Middle English (in the sense 'make firm'): via Old French from Latin affirmare, from ad- 'to' + firmus 'strong'.
Affirm in a sentence (word usage in recent newspaper)
- In fact, every industry statesman will affirm that leadership centred around values is inevitable for the building of a legacy.
- As a litterateur, I affirm that the current so-called "intolerance" by regional and nation media is of no help.
- YSR Congress MLAs affirm faith in Jagan's leadership.
- The violent battle on 22 March in Hyderabad University seems part of an ongoing coordinated action to affirm dominance and power.
- Ask firmly, negotiate smartly, affirm gently, and settle happily!
Mnemonic trick to remember the meaning of affirm
- Affirm = A + 'firm' statement
Affirm pronunciation
You Must Affirm What You Want! (Law Of Attraction)


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Subsea UK 2013: EPC Offshore Wins Subsea Company of the Year title
An oil and gas concept development and project management company EPC Offshore has won the coveted Subsea Company of the Year title at the Subsea UK Business Awards 2013.
The top accolade, which acknowledges excellence and achievement in the subsea industry, was awarded to EPC Offshore in recognition of its rapid growth, technical excellence and commitment to staff development and training.
The company's recent successes include a major contract to select the optimum concept for the development of Hurricane's Lancaster Field, one of the most significant oil discoveries in the West of Shetland in recent years.
The presentation was made at last night's prestigious ceremony at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre in front of more than 600 industry leaders and guests.
Keith Wallace, EPC Offshore's chief executive, said: "Being named subsea company of the year is a great achievement for us and is testament to the hard work, commitment and professionalism of each member of our team across the company.
"The subsea industry is experiencing very exciting times and we are proud to be part of that growth. Our ability to turn opportunities into assets is helping the industry take on more challenging projects in deeper and harsher environments, improve the ability to capitalise on marginal developments and further increase the life of the North Sea.
"We will continue to invest in the development of our people, our systems and technology to ensure that EPC Offshore continues to offer the industry the most advanced solutions in this increasingly challenging sector."
EPC Offshore works with exploration and production companies to progress projects to sanction and final delivery. It uses a comprehensive and structured set of principles to achieve maximum project value, optimum resource utilization and quality assurance.
The company has experienced rapid growth since it was established in 2009, executing in excess of £20million worth of project management work in its third year and doubling its employee numbers to 75 people based at two offices in Aberdeen, as well as a team in Surrey.
EPC Offshore expects this to rise to 115 as it pursues its ambitious growth strategy during its fourth year in business.
February 7, 2013


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Tomorrow, January 24th, is the 30th anniversary of the introduction of the Macintosh.
The original "Mac" arrived along with the famous 1984 commercial, that aired during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII. Two days after the Super Bowl, the Mac would be revealed by Steve Jobs during Apple's 1984 Annual Shareholders meeting.
The unveiling of the Mac was extremely dramatic. When the lights went down, Jobs came on stage and read the lyrics from, "The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan.
After the formalities of the meeting were over, Apple's then CEO John Sculley (the man who would "fire" Jobs sixteen months later), asked Jobs back to the stage with the following statement:
"The most important thing that has happened to me in the last nine months at Apple has been a chance to develop a friendship with Steve Jobs. Steve is a co-founder of Apple, and a product visionary for this industry, and it's my pleasure now to reintroduce Steve Jobs."
Jobs took the stage again and launched into a long speech about IBM's dominance with the PC through the years, and how Apple was challenging that dominance.
"It is now 1984. It appears that IBM wants it all. Apple is perceived to be the only hope to offer IBM a run for its money. Dealers, after initially welcoming IBM with open arms, now fear an IBM dominated and controlled future and are turning back to Apple as the only force who can ensure their future freedom."
Steve Jobs took a long pause, then continued:
"IBM wants it all, and is aiming its guns at its last obstacle to industry control, Apple. Will Big Blue dominate the entire computer industry? The entire information age? Was George Orwell right?"
The famous 1984 commercial was played and the auditorium was on their feet cheering.
The new computer, the Macintosh, was then taken out of its bag. Here's the video:
But that enthusiasm didn't translate into big success. While Apple sold over 70,000 machines by April of that year, after that, sales diminished sharply.
The Macintosh had an interesting design but, in realty, you couldn't do a whole lot with it. It has only 128K of memory, not nearly enough for most software applications of the day. (The Mac Steve Jobs had demoed actually had 512K). Even just saving a file from two basic applications like MacWrite and MacPaint could mean a long wait. Plus, there wasn't a lot of software available for it.
And it cost $US2495.
The press thought it was cool and impressive but, ultimately just an expensive toy.
In September of 1984, Apple introduced the "Fat Mac" with 512K, which helped to increase sales, but the Macintosh was clearly failing.
By late 1985, Steve Jobs had left the company.
It wasn't until almost two years after the original Mac was introduced that Apple finally got it right with the Macintosh Plus in 1986. The Plus had 1 megabyte of RAM (more than the standard PC with 640K) and worked fast.
Used with a new software product called Aldus PageMaker (later acquired by Adobe), and a fast new printer called the Apple LaserWriter (both introduced in mid-1985), this new Mac launched the "desktop publishing revolution." People and companies could print up their own brochures, newsletters in-house.
And that's what ultimately saved the Mac.
It would take another year though, until 1987, before the sales of Macs starting inching past Apple II computer sales. Apple II sales remained a significant part of revenue for the company well into the late 1980s. If it hadn't been for the consistently strong sales of the Apple II line, Apple could have gone out of the business, with the failures of the Apple III and the Apple Lisa.
Obviously, Steve Jobs eventually (1996) returned to lead Apple, saving it from bland PC offerings and a stale operating system. The software he developed at NeXT, the company he launched when he left Apple, became became Mac OS X (10).
Flash forward 30 years and the Mac is still around and as successful as its ever been.
It inspired the look of the later generations of Windows. It also inspired the look of the iPhone and that inspired the look of Android. No matter what computing device you use today, you're using the legacy of the Macintosh.
So Happy Birthday Mac! You got off to a rocky start, but you certainly made a big impact on all of us.
Here's the famous 1984 commercial:
David Greelish is a computer historian and founder of the Historical Computer Society. Greelish also pens the Classic Computing blog.
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The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that an earthquake centered in Kentucky also rattled at least eight other states.
The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that an earthquake centered in Kentucky also rattled at least eight other states.
The USGS website says the epicenter of the 4.3 magnitude earthquake on Saturday afternoon was about 10 miles west of Whitesburg, near the Virginia line. Residents in both states, as well as West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio and Georgia, also reported feeling the temblor.
National Weather Service spokesman Jeff Carico said employees at the office in Jackson, which is about 60 miles northwest of Whitesburg, felt the ground shake for about 15 seconds. He said the office received numerous calls, but no serious damage was reported. USGS geophysicist John Bellini said the quake is considered "light."
Bellini said people near the epicenter might have had pictures fall off walls or books tumble from shelves. And that's exactly what happened at the Blackey Public Library, which is just west of Whitesburg in Letcher County and about 200 miles southeast of Louisville.
Library worker Bonnie Asher said she was coming downstairs when she heard a big boom. Asher said the entire building shook and the lights flickered off and on, and at first she thought maybe a plane had crashed nearby.
"It was very scary," she said. "It knocked about 14 books off one shelf." Otherwise, though, she said it happened quickly and there wasn't any lasting damage.
Whitesburg resident Charlotte Brown said she was at home and talking to a friend at her front door when she felt the ground start to shake — just a little bit at first, then harder.
"It made me nervous," she said, but the shaking lasted only a few seconds and didn't hurt anything.
"It did shake the house and the dishes rattled," she said.
In Tennessee, some workers at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge felt the temblor, but spokeswoman Ryn Etter said there was no impact to the plant.
Tennessee Valley Authority spokeswoman Jessica Stone said no problems from the quake had been reported at any plants operated by the nation's largest public utility.


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ALEX Toys Craft Dough Sweets Play Set
Please check your favorite toy retailer for availability. Prices may vary.
Buy Online:
Product Description
Satisfy a creative sweet tooth with the Dough Sweets Play Set. Each set contains all you'll need to make a variety of realistic-looking dough sweets that definitely look good enough to eat. Make dough pops, ice cream cones, candy, cookies and many more sweet-looking concoctions, with easy-to-follow instructions. Not edible.
This clay can be reused over and over again! ALEX modeling dough is air dry, simply leave it out overnight – it should not be baked in the oven. Store clay in is a ziplock bag.
Set contains: | 4 colors of soft, easy-to-mold dough in airtight containers | 38 mold shapes | 2 ice cream cones |plastic plate | dough roller | dough shaping tool | 4 ice pop sticks
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