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Conviction of NYC cop cannibalism case overturned
(AP) -- A federal judge has overturned the conviction of a former New York City police officer accused of plotting to kidnap, kill and eat young women.
Judge Paul Gardephe ruled late Monday that there was insufficient evidence to support the conviction of Gilberto Valle, defense attorney Julia Gatto said Tuesday.
"The judge's well-reasoned decision validates what we have said since the beginning: There was no crime," she said. "Gil Valle is innocent of any conspiracy. Gil is guilty of nothing more than having unconventional thoughts."
Valle, who could have faced life in prison, was acquitted of kidnapping conspiracy charges, the most serious count he faced.
He was convicted in March 2013 and had not yet been sentenced.
A jury had concluded he wasn't just fantasizing when he conversed online with others he had never met about killing and cooking his wife and others in a cannibalism plot.
In his 118-page opinion, first reported by The New York Times, Gardephe said: "The evidentiary record is such that it is more likely than not the case that all of Valle's Internet communications about kidnapping are fantasy role-play."
The judge planned a hearing Tuesday morning on the status of the case; Valle has been jailed since his arrest in 2012.
"Gil Valle has been in jail for 18 long months, 7 months in solitary confinement, for a crime he absolutely didn't commit," said Gatto. "We're relieved he will be free and incredibly grateful to Judge Gardephe for upholding the awesome and fundamental legal principles at stake here, including our core freedom to be able to think what we want free of government intrusion."
A call to a spokesman for Manhattan federal prosecutors was not immediately returned.
Prosecutors had argued that Valle took steps to carry out his plot, including looking up potential targets on a restricted law enforcement database; searching the Internet for how to knock someone out with chloroform and where to get torture devices and other tools.
Gardephe upheld Valle's conviction on a charge of illegally gaining access to the law enforcement database, which carried a maximum sentence of one year. Valle was fired after his conviction.
In one of the numerous online conversations shown to the jury during the trial, Valle told a man he met in a fetish chat room, "I want her to experience being cooked alive. She'll be trussed up like a turkey. ... She'll be terrified, screaming and crying."
In another exchange, Valle suggested a woman he knew would be easy prey because she lived alone. The men discussed cooking her, basted in olive oil, over an open fire and using her severed head as a centerpiece for a sit-down meal.


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These are the top 5 productivity improvements from Apple's WWDC
The developer tools for iOS 10, due later this year, will include CallKit, a framework that lets developers of VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) applications make it easier for iPhone and iPad users to take calls sent from communication apps.
One such app is Cisco Spark, which will support CallKit. An incoming Spark call will ring on the iPhone lock screen just like a cellular call and users will be able to tap on a contact in the address book to contact them over Spark. Siri will also be able to set up that call.
2. Major Siri enhancements
Siri received a smorgasbord of new features across iOS, tvOS and the newly renamed macOS. The biggest change is that with the launch of macOS Sierra in the fall, Siri will be available on the Mac. Users will be able to consult the virtual assistant to help with a variety of queries, including searching for images.
Siri has been updated to work with the desktop environment, letting users pin many query results into Sierra's Notification Center sidebar. Users will also be able to drag images they search up using Siri into other apps, without having to first save them somewhere on a computer. It's an easy way to quickly get images from the Internet into a presentation or document, though users may run afoul of copyright law if they do that.
There will also be a SiriKit API that lets developers connect their apps to the virtual assistant, so that users can do things like send messages through apps including WeChat and request a ride from services like Lyft.
In addition to Siri, macOS will get a slew of improvements aimed at increasing user productivity. First and foremost, people with iOS devices and Macs will have access to a unified clipboard, so that text and images copied on an iPhone can then be pasted on a nearby Mac.
Apple will also be bringing support for tabbed windows to applications running on macOS Sierra. That means people who are used to having a dozen browser tabs all open in one window will soon be able to bring that habit to many other Mac apps, including Maps.
Sierra will also come with Auto Unlock, which lets Apple Watch users automatically unlock their computers when they sit down in front of them. It will allow people to use strong passwords without having to type them out every time they go to unlock their computers.
That may not be something businesses want to enable, however, since it means someone could unlock a computer if they have a properly authorized Apple Watch – no computer password required.
Apple also unveiled watchOS 3, the next iteration of the software that powers its smartwatch. Its biggest improvement allows users to pick their favorite apps, which will be kept in memory and updated in the background. Those apps should then open drastically faster than apps under watchOS 2.
Users will also be able to write replies to messages using a "Scribble" feature that lets them scrawl out characters in English or Mandarin, in addition to the existing support for quick replies and voice input. That's useful for people who are in a setting where they don't want to pull out their phones, but who also don't want to talk to their wrists.
Swift Playgrounds is aimed primarily at iPad-toting programming students who are just getting started with building programs in Swift. They can walk through a guided tour of a development course to learn basic programming concepts. But the app also gives more experienced developers the ability to play around with the full iOS software development kit on their iPad, something that wasn't possible before.
It's not going to suddenly turn an iPad into a machine that could build an entire publishable iPhone app, but it could provide some marginal benefits to developers who want to test bits of code away from the confines of their Mac.
The app shows that Apple is interested in putting iOS development tools on the iPad, and may signal more things to come for the device in the future.
These are just a handful of the announcements that came out Monday, which also included live collaboration inside Apple's Notes app and support for Split View in Safari on iPad, so people can view two browser windows side by side.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Home
- Government
- Community Development Department
- Business Licenses
- Massage Establishments & Therapists
Massage Establishments & Therapists
All therapists and persons responsible for operating the massage establishments must be a California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) certificate holder, unless exempt pursuant to the Citrus Heights Municipal Code Section 22-606.
The applicant for a massage establishment license shall be the responsible person who shall hold a valid and unexpired CAMTC certificate. The responsible person shall apply for a Massage Establishment License via Business License Portal, and provide the following documents:
- The Massage Therapist Register (PDF);
- The CAMTC certificate and the CAMTC identification card;
- A copy of valid and current driver's license and or identification issued by a state or agency showing the individual is at least 18 years of age;
- Proof of designation as the responsible person.
- A statement as to whether the business intends to provide massage services off-site;
- Information demonstrating that the proposed business is consistent with the applicable land use designation and city zoning code;
- A floor plan showing the layout of the massage establishment; and
- An acknowledgement signed by the responsible person and each owner of the massage establishment that all information in the application is true and correct.
An owner who is a CAMTC certificate holder must submit a copy of the CAMTC certificate and the A identification card. If an owner is not CAMTC-certified he shall file an application for background check including:
- The individual's legal name, height, weight, color of eyes, and hair;
- A copy of valid and current driver's license and/or identification issued by a state or agency showing the individual is at least 18 years of age;
- The individual's business, occupation or employment history for the five years immediately preceding the date of application;
- The name and address of any massage establishment or similar business owned or operated by the person whether inside or outside the city or state;
- The massage or similar business license history of the individual operating in the city or another city, county or state, including whether such person has had such license or permit revoked or suspended and the reason and dates for such revocation or suspension;
- All convictions, except minor traffic violations; and
- Two identical passport photos.
Massage operations are restricted to operating only between the hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The establishment must be in compliance with facility and sanitation standards as prescribed by city ordinance. It is the owner's/responsible person's responsibility to comply with all city building requirements and ordinances.
Business Licenses
Physical Address
6360 Fountain Square Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
Phone: 916-727-4907Fax: 916-725-5799
Lobby Hours
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday


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Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Steelers signed cornerback William Gay to a three-year contract on Monday.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Gay was selected by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2007 draft and spent his first five seasons in Pittsburgh before playing for the Arizona Cardinals in 2012.
He started 15 games last season and racked up 57 tackles, two interceptions, six passes defensed and three forced fumbles.
The University of Louisville product appeared in 80 games (37 starts) during his tenure in Pittsburgh and compiled 247 tackles, 43 passes defensed and three interceptions.


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Madden NFL 09 Basics
What Madden game would be complete without an inundation of gaming options? Madden NFL 09 is absolutely no different than its predecessors, and even throws some new options into the mix. Below is a comprehensive list of game modes and other options available in the game with a brief overview of each. Keep in mind that some of the options will open up more options (and so on and so forth) which is represented below as well.
As mentioned earlier, "Game Modes" is the real meat of the game. Here, you will find seven features that are all fun to use and have practical in-game applications. These seven features are discussed below:
Franchise | This is the reason many people purchase Madden year after year - so you can have the chance to play as your favorite team through many seasons. Once you select this option, you will be asked to load a franchise or begin a new one. Choose your poison, then continue on to playing what is arguably Madden's deepest feature. |
Fantasy Challenge | Madden NFL 09 introduces the series' newest option - the Fantasy Challenge. This mode takes advantage of the fantasy football craze sweeping the nation, allowing you to draft a team of your own choosing and following them through various leagues of varying competitiveness. If you're keen on picking the next star or have gut instincts on certain players or moves, this is definitely a mode for you. What's more, it adds incredible depth to a game that already has incredible depth in its Franchise and NFL Superstar modes alone. Remember - this is a mode you'll want to explore if you want to unlock everything in the game, including the very team you decided to take to the top. |
NFL Superstar | If you ever imagined playing as just one particular player, a player which you create and control the ultimate destiny of, than this feature is what you want to explore. You can literally pick any position, create a player at that position, and then play only as him in-game, without even calling any of the plays on your team's behalf. Remember, this can be on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. But you don't only control the player on the field, but also off the field as well. Give it a go, and you'll see exactly what we're talking about. Madden veterans will be more familiar with this style of deep gameplay. What's more, if you cultivated a player in EA's NCAA Football 09, you can import that character into the world of Madden! |
Tournament | You can create unorthodox, un-NFL styles of play here by creating tournaments of varying "types." More akin to World Cup soccer or something of that nature, these tournaments are completely customizable and oddly enjoyable. Definitely check this option out when Franchise mode or playing against your friends has given you enough for one day. |
Mini Games | This is a little aside to Madden, if you will, where you can run some random drills with various teams. For the hardcore football fan only... there's little enjoyment in these situations, many of which you regularly find during any given in-game situation. However, the more you do here the more you can unlock, so if you're a completionist, as so many of us are, you'll be sure to spend extra time here. |
Practice | It is what it says it is. What did you expect? |
Play Online | There's really little to explain here - if you're a person who loves to play Madden online, then this is the option for you. Selecting this with an internet-ready gaming console will allow you to join other Madden players on the network, where you can putz around with friends or make some new enemies by showing them just how well you play the game. Remember, things get competitive online, so it's only for the well-prepared! |
The My Madden section is where you can find all of the Madden Cards you won in the game by accomplishing certain tasks in your various games. For instance, you get points for a long touchdown throw, a shutout, a blocked kick, or a quarterback sack. These points all go towards your Madden Cards, which is a collector's dream.
On the other hand, you can also find a stat book, as well as coaching strategies, gameplay settings and system settings. This is the section where you can also load and save various in-game "personalities." In other words, you can load a franchise here, or save it. You can do this for all of your Madden saves at this very location. You can also find the Ring of a Champion here, which will chart your save file's progress through the annuls of Madden completion. As usual, depth, depth, and more depth.
Give us feedback! | On to Football 101... |


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Just a week after receiving 3GPP technical specs for use of its AWS spectrum, the FCC is saying it intends to limit the use of Dish's spectrum, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal today.
According to the report, FCC officials said that they are leaning toward limiting Dish's 40 MHz of AWS-4 spectrum to prevent interference with the H-block, a chunk of spectrum in which Sprint has expressed interest.
Sprint has repeatedly petitioned the FCC to shift Dish Network's AWS-4 band up 5 MHz, from 2000-2020 MHz to 2005-2025 MHz, so adjacent H-block PCS spectrum can be used for LTE.
Sprint claims that if the FCC were to limit the H-block to only small cell use or air-to-ground communications, it likely would not bid on that spectrum. Dish has argued that a "full-power" H-block would cause at least 25 percent of its uplink to become unusable, a claim Sprint has said is erroneous.
Jeff Blum, senior vice president and deputy general counsel for Dish, recently called Sprint's proposal a "zero-sum approach" that "does not result in net spectrum gain for the American consumer and creates no new jobs."
"Worse yet, it takes 5 MHz of spectrum out of the hands of a new market entrant and puts it in the hands of an incumbent that already has more than 200 MHz of wireless spectrum," Blum said. "This makes no sense at a time when the nation is enduring a spectrum crunch and would benefit from more wireless competition.
Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen has been vocal about how any further delays in the FCC's approval process will affect his company's plans to put the spectrum to use.
At the PCIA conference in October, Ergen said he was disappointed at how long it has taken the FCC to act on the matter. Ergen argued that further delays caused by acceptance of Sprint's proposals would hurt Dish's ability to compete with operators like AT&T and Verizon Wireless and said the company may be forced to sell the spectrum if it takes any longer.
Ergen told The Wall Street Journal that should the FCC push such limitations on its spectrum, it would likely be a "game changer" for the company. Ergen has repeatedly said all options are on the table, including bringing a partner into its plans, or even selling its spectrum outright.


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Mallorn | |
"Mallorn" by Ted Nasmith | |
Pronunciation | mahl-lorn |
Other names | Malinornë (Q) |
Location | Valinor, Tol Eressëa, Númenor, Lothlórien and the Shire |
Appearance | Large silver-barked tree, green leaves and golden flowers |
The mallorn (pl. mellyrn[1]) was a kind of large tree growing in Valinor, Númenor and the Westlands.
Description[edit | edit source]
Mellyrn are trees of immense size, especially when growing in Númenor. They are also described as similar to beeches: their bark was smooth and silver-grey, and the leaves were green on top and silver underneath; they turned golden in autumn and remained on the tree through the winter to fall to cover the ground in the spring, when new leaves sprouted. Golden flowers bloomed on the branches.[2]
The trunk of the tree divided to a crown of many branches, and the Galadhrim used the space to build telain (a sort of platform) or buildings on the top of the trees.[3] The leaves also had practical uses, such as for packing rations of lembas. The Galadhrim used the bark to make hithlain.[4]
Frodo Baggins explained that he could feel the life of the tree when he touched a mallorn in Lothlórien.[5]
History[edit | edit source]
Mallorn-trees originally grew in Valinor and from there were spread to Tol Eressëa by the Elves once the Lonely Isle was moved to its final position by Ulmo. The Elves of Tol Eressëa brought mallorn-trees to the Men of Númenor and they grew on the shores around the Bay of Eldanna in that land.[2] Even Tar-Aldarion, the great Ship-King, did not cut down these trees.
Mallorn-nuts were given by Tar-Aldarion to his friend Gil-galad, the Noldorin King of Lindon. The mellyrn did not grow in Lindon, but Galadriel took some nuts with her to Lothlórien, where they grew to immense heights (but not as great as the groves of Númenor).[2] Lothlórien became known as the Golden Wood because of them.[6]
Caras Galadhon, the city of Galadriel and Celeborn in Lothlórien, was built in the branches of huge mallorn-trees. The Fellowship spent the night in a flet in a mallorn-tree nearby, and were later given lembas wrapped in mallorn-leaves.[3]
Galadriel gave Samwise Gamgee a box of soil containing a single silver mallorn nut.[7] After the War of the Ring and the Scouring of the Shire, Sam planted the nut in the Party Field where the Party Tree had stood before its felling. It was the only mallorn-tree in Middle-earth outside of Lórien. When the tree bloomed in the next summer it was said that all the Shire became golden from the flowers.[8]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The word comes from malt ("gold") + orn ("tree"). In Gondor Sindarin the same word was pronounced Malthorn.[9][10]
Malinornë is the Quenya translation of mallorn.[11]
Uses outside the Legendarium[edit | edit source]
By 1956 Tolkien had been informed about "a new house far away [that] has been called The Mallorns" — regrettably, Tolkien noted, as the correct Sindarin plural would be mellyrn.[1]
Mallorn is also the journal published by The Tolkien Society.
Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]
- 2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II:
- Mallorn trees are the core buildings in the elven faction, as they produce resources needed for constructing buildings and recruiting troops. When a mallorn tree reaches level 3, a tower is automatically constructed atop of the tree, where an elven archer is placed.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 See Letter to H. Cotton Minchin (16 April 1956)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "A Description of the Island of Númenor"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Mirror of Galadriel"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XIII. Galadriel", p. 251
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Lothlórien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn", note 5
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Farewell to Lórien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Grey Havens"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001, p. 27
- ↑ Carl F. Hostetter, The Two Phonetic Values of ll in Elvish Sindarin in The Lord of the Rings, published on Tengwestië, December 7, 2003
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "A Description of the Island of Númenor", pp. 167-168


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Internet service provider and more in Wheaton, IL
This is your town. Get the complete peace of mind that comes with the local treatment and the best in-home WiFi. Have confidence in a fast and reliable connection and choose the best Internet experience for you. Enjoy the convenience and safety of a home protection solution—protect all your devices and keep your loved ones safe with Advanced Security. Even more, enjoy unmatched value and the freedom to use your mobile device how you want, while being connected to the most reliable 5G network nationwide. Xfinity Mobile lets you choose from the latest phones, bring your own or trade in to save even more. With Xfinity X1, you can enjoy live TV, On Demand sports and your favorite streaming apps like Netflix, Peacock, and HBO Max all in one place. Explore more internet service providers in Illinois!
Xfinity Stores in Wheaton, IL
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The second edition of the VLIR-UOS sponsered course on "Facilitating multi-actor collaboration for sustainable resources management", given by Cycloop and hosted by HUBrussel, has been a great success. Starting with an introduction at the HUBrussel, a few days were spent at the conference center Chant d'Oiseau at Woluwe (Brussels), including a lively version of the Podocarpus National Park Simulation game and in depth discussion of the collaboration process on the basis of video recordings. In the following days, topics like appreciative inquiry, action research, stakeholder analysis, governance, convening and facilitating were addressed. The excursion to the Doode Beemde near Leuven was also much appreciated. The programme was greatly enhanced by the rich experience and input of the participants!
During the closing reception, the participants received their certificate:
Baribwegure Deo
Aggrey Daniel Maina Thuo
Samuel Ochola
Milton Armando Reyes Gutierrez
Viviana Berrio
Jenny Montes Vasquez
Cecilia Andrea Gutierrez del Castillo
Natalia Angelina Vizcarra Noriega
Fernando Ortega
Eliana Quiroz Gutiérrez
Maria Alejandra Claure Oviedo
Fabian Eduardo Rodas Lopez
Silvia Elena Martinez Arroliga
Irene Awuor Ogada
Laura Alvarado
Bert Verstappen
Andries Verdegem
Inge Vermeesch


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Just another WordPress site
Embers is proud to be recognized by the local media & their readers for the following awards!
Our Showroom is open daily except for Sundays. You're encouraged to come in any time you like during open hours; if you have a question or want assistance without coming to Brentwood we are happy to help you from here via phone!


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Botanical Drift
Protagonists of the Invasive Herbarium
Botanical Drift explores the hermeneutics, historicization, semiotics, and symbiosis of plant diversification, species cultivation, and destruction—past and present, extant and extinct—around the globe. Plant histories are explored as commodities and colonial as well as decolonial devices by significant and diverse feminist, art-historical, and anthropological voices—from Germaine Greer to herman de vries—bringing new perspectives through photo-essays, fiction, performance, and interventions in ecological, film, and translation archives. Reflecting on experimental ecology—the undiscovered, underestimated, and undesired non-European flora and fauna—it challenges perception and inspires potentialities to bring new understandings of the undergrowth of the Kew Gardens botany collection.
Contributions by David Edward Allen & Maria Buzhor, Rebecca Anderson, Bergit Arends & Sunoj D, Connie Butler & Hazel Dowling, Caroline Cornish & Mark Nesbitt, Alfred Döblin, Natasha Eaton, Germaine Greer, Kim Berit Heppelmann, Emma Waltraud Howes, Melanie Jackson, Alana Jelinek, Philip Kerrigan, Kay Evelina Lewis-Jones, Claire Loussouarn, Wietske Maas, Natasha Myers, Matteo Pasquinelli, Raqs Media Collective, herman de vries, Khadija von Zinnenburg Carroll


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Previous Lesson
Complete and Continue
You can paint.. Just learn as you play. I'll show you how.- PART ONE
You can paint. I'll show you how, one gentle step at a time.
PLEASE read this before you start.
Meet your tutor Nicola.....I don't bite. (1:30)
What this 'Play-cedure' is all About - it's about you having fun for yourself
Here is what you'll need. I've kept it simple (5:44)
The really basic stuff about watercolour paints and how they work (5:19)
Start by Drawing a Very Simple Frame (1:33)
Paint What comes into Your Head (3:08)
Get a bit creative (5:47)
You Decide when it's Finished - not me, not your partner, you do (4:31)
So how are you doing so far ? (0:30)
Watercolour Paper
A closer look at watercolour paper (5:01)
Brushes (4:08)
Now you know the basics - let's paint (0:43)
Your first go at mixing colours - green
A gentle start by mixing some greens (5:24)
A is for apple - and trust me you'll be surprised at what you can do. (2:34)
Step two with the apple (4:03)
Step three with the apple (4:52)
Congratulations, you have painted your first painting, well done. (1:28)
So are you ready to paint some more ? (1:32)
WANT MORE? - extra goodies just for you
Teach online with
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you'll need to login
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Whatsapp To Stop Some Smartphone Devices On December 31, 2017
As the year ends, WhatsApp gives a farewell note to some smartphone users and it's not a good one.
WhatsApp will cease to work on devices running BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone 8.0 as from December 31, 2017.
A WhatsApp blog post with the End of Life date clearly states that users of BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone 8.0 and older operating systems will not be able to use the app after December 31, 2017 – not more than a week from now.
To be able to recall, WhatsApp has extended support for both platforms in June this year. At that time, WhatsApp also found that the application would stop working on Nokia S40 phones will be stopped from December 31, 2018. The application will stop working on Android 2.3.7 and older phones (Gingerbread) will be stopped from February 1, 2020. Messaging applications have become unavailable on Nokia phones running Symbian S60 since June 30, 2017.
Stopping support for Blackberry and Windows Phone did not see any additional extensions and that date will be the same. If your phone has one of two dedicated operating systems, you should consider upgrading to a newer phone so you can properly access WhatsApp.
WhatsApp updates for other versions of the operating system, such as Windows Phone 7, Android 2.1, Android 2.2, and iOS 6, were halted in 2016.
WhatsApp has officially redeemed its new standalone business application this month, which includes verified and unverified profiles. This gives businesses a formal way to do business through messaging apps.


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ISC West Abounds With Solutions Offering Much More for Less
SSI Editor-in-Chief Scott Goldfine highlights the latest technologies from Honeywell, IQinvision, OnSSI, JVC, Allegion and Lenel that he saw at ISC West 2014.
ISC West 2014 was just about an unequivocal success with packed aisles and happy, sometimes overwhelmed vendors. Let's hope this is a harbinger of what the year holds in store for the electronic security industry. Often feeling like Adrian Peterson pushing to make it through a stout defensive line, I made my usual nonstop rounds with exhibitor meetings every top and bottom of the hour throughout. Here are some Day 1 highlights . . .
Ralph Maniscalco, and other friends at Honeywell, showed some very slick new offerings, including an advance look at Tuxedo Voice that accepts user voice commands at the touch screen controller and can also display on any connected device in the home. In addition, it can function like a DVR with a camera interface and SD card storage in the controller. Also saw how the Lynx can now handle up to four cameras and Honeywell is beta testing a tablet-based app that replicates the actual system touch screen interface and in doing so functions as a great sales tool for dealers.
Wendi Burke at IQinVision showed off one of only a half-dozen 4K Ultra HD displays at the show. There was much excitement in the air as news of the merger with Vicon had just been announced. Burke says the deal is a 50%-50% split and is a strong complementary fit as the two video surveillance solution providers have no overlapping products or market focus.
Caught up with my old friend Ken La Marca (ex-Sony) in his new digs with OnSSI. He was jazzed about the Ocularis 4.0 VMS that he said is the company's most significant update since the product's launch several years ago. Four significant new features are: mix and match of cameras and less costly licensing; critical failover coverage on all cameras; easy audit logging; and integration with Axis' new access control solution.
Over at JVC, John Grabowski said the company was ramping up its efforts in the security surveillance space. He spoke highly of a new line of entry-level IP cameras and also upgradable NVRs. At the same time, he said the firm's analog business was still strong, so much so that a new line of DVRs has also been released. According to Grabowski, JVC has the lowest IP camera failure rates in the industry. And they are looking at migrating 4K Ultra HD technology over from its broadcast division to security.
April Dalton-Noblitt and Minu Youngkin at Allegion shared a lot of wisdom about how the firm is strategically targeting the health-care market and in doing so helping integrators gain more business in the space. They said it is all about increasing value to the end user by leveraging the technology for management beyond security and driving outcomes that reduce costs. They said more than ever compliance and higher efficiency is mandatory for health-care clients, which is a great opportunity for integrators. They also told me how excited they are about the recent rebranding of their business as Allegion and how there is a palpable buzz around the enterprise.
Had an enjoyable one-on-one with Lenel's Ross McKay, who expounded on some key shifts he is seeing in the access control business. He said there are much fewer very large projects than there once were, and so the real opportunity is in the mid-market. This is why the company is offering its TruePortal product as a solution to those end users that easily allows them to scale up down the line to the more robust OnGuard platform. McKay says he is also seeing wireless access really coming into its own and more true systems integration. At the same time, he has observed a loss in momentum for managed access control, particularly where it comes to large end-user customers. He also conceded there had been a lot of shifting in recent times within Lenel and parent UTC on the security side, but those days are over and the mantra now is stability.
That's enough to chew on for now. Much more to come in our ongoing ISC West 2014 coverage.
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Croup is breathing difficulty accompanied by a "barking" cough. Croup, which is swelling around the vocal cords, is common in infants and children and can have a variety of causes.
Viral croup is the most common. Other possible causes include bacteria, allergies, and inhaled irritants. Acid reflux from the stomach can trigger croup.
Croup is usually (75 percent of the time) caused by parainfluenza viruses, but RSV, measles, adenovirus, and influenza can all cause croup.
Before the era of immunizations and antibiotics, croup was a dreaded and deadly disease, usually caused by the diphtheria bacteria. Today, most cases of croup are mild. Nevertheless, it can still be dangerous.
Croup tends to appear in children between 3 months and 5 years old, but it can happen at any age. Some children are prone to croup and may get it several times.
In the Northern hemisphere, it is most common between October and March, but can occur at any time of the year.
In severe cases of croup, there may also be a bacterial super-infection of the upper airway. This condition is called bacterial tracheitis and requires hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics. If the epiglottis becomes infected, the entire windpipe can swell shut, a potentially fatal condition called epiglottitis.
Croup features a cough that sounds like a seal barking. Most children have what appears to be a mild cold for several days before the barking cough becomes evident. As the cough gets more frequent, the child may have labored breathing or stridor (a harsh, crowing noise made during inspiration).
Croup is typically much worse at night. It often lasts 5 or 6 nights, but the first night or two are usually the most severe. Rarely, croup can last for weeks. Croup that lasts longer than a week or recurs frequently should be discussed with your doctor to determine the cause.
Children with croup are usually diagnosed based on the parent's description of the symptoms and a physical exam. Sometimes a doctor will even identify croup by listening to a child cough over the phone. Occasionally other studies, such as x-rays, are needed.
A physical examination may show chest retractions with breathing. Listening to the chest through a stethoscope may reveal prolonged inspiration or expiration, wheezing, and decreased breath sounds.
An examination of throat may reveal a red epiglottis. A neck x-ray may reveal a foreign object or narrowing of the trachea.
Most cases of croup can be safely managed at home, but call your health care provider for guidance, even in the middle of the night.
Cool or moist air can bring relief. You might first try bringing the child into a steamy bathroom or outside into the cool night air. If you have a cool air vaporizer, set it up in the child's bedroom and use it for the next few nights.
Acetaminophen can make the child more comfortable and lower a fever, lessening his or her breathing needs. Avoid cough medicines unless you discuss them with your doctor first.
You may want your child to be seen. Steroid medicines can be very effective at promptly relieving the symptoms of croup. Medicated aerosol treatments, if necessary, are also powerful.
Serious illness requires hospitalization. Increasing or persistent breathing difficulty, fatigue, bluish coloration of the skin, or dehydration
Medications are used to help reduce upper airway swelling. This may include aerosolized racemic epinephrine, corticosteroids taken by mouth, such as dexamethasone and prednisone, and inhaled or injected forms of other corticosteroids. Oxygen and humidity may be provided in an oxygen tent placed over a crib. A bacterial infection requires antibiotic therapy.
Increasing obstruction of the airway requires intubation (placing a tube through the nose or mouth through the larynx into the main air passage to the lungs). Intravenous fluids are given for dehydration. In some cases, corticosteroids are prescribed.
Viral croup usually goes away in 3 to 7 days. The outlook for bacterial croup is good with prompt treatment.
If an airway obstruction is not treated promptly, respiratory distress (severe difficulty breathing) and respiratory arrest can occur.
Most croup can be safely managed at home with telephone support from your health care provider. Call 911 if:
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, call 911 or your health care provider for any of the following:
Wash your hands frequently and avoid close contact with those who have a respiratory infection.
The diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae (Hib), and measles vaccines protect children from some of the most dangerous forms of croup.
Long, SS. Croup (viral laryngotracheobronchitis). In: Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Elsevier, 2003; 210-211.
Murray JF, Nadel JA. Croup. In: Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed.W. B. Saunders Company, 2000; 960-961.
Knutson D. Viral croup. Am Fam Physician. 2004; 69(3): 535-40.
Behrman RE. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 17th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier; 2004.


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Another one for the "is there anything they won't try to regulate?" file:
THE Government is seeking to prevent an EU directive that could extend broadcasting regulations to the internet, hitting popular video-sharing websites such as YouTube.
The European Commission proposal would require websites and mobile phone services that feature video images to conform to standards laid down in Brussels.
Ministers fear that the directive would hit not only successful sites such as YouTube but also amateur "video bloggers" who post material on their own sites. Personal websites would have to be licensed as a "television-like service".
Viviane Reding, the Media Commissioner, argues that the purpose is simply to set minimum standards on areas such as advertising, hate speech and the protection of children.
But Shaun Woodward, the Broadcasting Minister, described the draft proposal as catastrophic. He said: "Supposing you set up a website for your amateur rugby club, uploaded some images and added a link advertising your local sports shop. You would then be a supplier of moving images and need to be licensed and comply with the regulations."
Not that this is a big surprise; the European Union is practically synonymous with bureaucratic over-reach and hyper-regulation. But still, shouldn't common sense kick in at some point?


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FABRIZIO: I have shown you how to organize an army to battle another army which is seen posted against you, and I have told you how it is overcome, and also of the many circumstances which can occur because of the various incidents surrounding it, so that it appears to me now to be the time to show you how to organize an army against an enemy which is unseen, but which you are continually afraid will assault you. This happens when marching through country which is hostile, or suspected (of being so). And first you have to understand that a Roman Army ordinarily always sent ahead some groups of cavalry as observers for the march. Afterwards the right wing followed. After this came all the wagons which pertained to it. After those, another Legion, and next its wagons. After these come the left wing with its wagon in the rear, and the remainder of the cavalry followed in the last part. This was in effect the manner in which one ordinarily marched. And if it happened that the Army should be assaulted on the march in front or from the rear, they quickly caused all the wagons to be withdrawn either on the right, or on the left, according as it happened, or rather as best they could depending on the location, and all the forces together, free from their baggage, set up a front on that side from which the enemy was coming. If they were assaulted on the flank, they would withdraw the wagons to the side which was secure, and set up a front on the other. This method being good, and prudently conducted, appears to me ought to be imitated, sending cavalry ahead to observe the country, then having four battalions, having them march in line, and each with its wagons in the rear. And as the wagons are of two kinds, that is, those pertaining to individual soldiers, and the public ones for use by the whole camp, I would divide the public wagons into four parts, and assign a part to each Battalion, also dividing the artillery and all the unarmed men, so that each one of those armed should have its equal share of impedimenta. But as it sometimes happens that one marches in a country not only suspect, but hostile in fact, that you are afraid of being attacked hourly, in order to go on more securely, you are compelled to change the formation of the march, and go on in the regular way, so that in some unforeseen place, neither the inhabitants nor the Army can injure you. In such a case, the ancient Captains usually went on with the Army in squares, for such they called these formations, not because it was entirely square, but because it was capable of fighting on four sides, and they said that they were going prepared either for marching or for battle. I do not want to stray far from this method, and want to arrange my two Battalions, which I have taken as a rule for an Army, in this manner. If you want, therefore, to walk securely through the enemy country, and be able to respond from every side, if you had been assaulted by surprise, and wanting, in accordance with the ancients, to bring it into a square, I would plan to make a square whose hollow was two hundred arm lengths on every side in this manner. I would first place the flanks, each distant from the other by two hundred twelve arm lengths, and would place five companies in each flank in a file along its length, and distant from each other three arm lengths; these would occupy their own space, each company occupying (a space) forty arm lengths by two hundred twelve arm lengths. Between the front and rear of these two flanks, I would place another ten companies, five on each side, arranging them in such a way that four should be next to the front of the right flank, and five at the rear of the left flank, leaving between each one an interval (gap) of four arm lengths: one of which should be next to the front of the left flank, and one at the rear of the right flank. And as the space existing between the one flank and the other is two hundred twelve arm lengths, and these companies placed alongside each other by their width and not length, they would come to occupy, with the intervals, one hundred thirty four arm lengths, (and) there would be between the four companies placed on the front of the right flank, and one placed on the left, a remaining space of seventy eight arm lengths, and a similar space be left among the companies placed in the rear parts; and there would be no other difference, except that one space would be on the rear side toward the right wing, the other would be on the front side toward the left wing. In the space of seventy eight arm lengths in front, I would place all the ordinary Veliti, and in that in the rear the extraordinary Veliti, who would come to be a thousand per space. And if you want that the space taken up by the Army should be two hundred twelve arm lengths on every side, I would see that five companies are placed in front, and those that are placed in the rear, should not occupy any space already occupied by the flanks, and therefore I would see that the five companies in the rear should have their front touch the rear of their flanks, and those in front should have their rear touch the front (of their flanks), so that on every side of that army, space would remain to receive another company. And as there are four spaces, I would take four banners away from the extraordinary pikemen and would put one on every corner: and the two banners of the aforementioned pikemen left to me, I would place in the middle of the hollow of their army (formed) in a square of companies, at the heads of which the general Captain would remain with his men around him. And as these companies so arranged all march in one direction, but not all fight in one, in putting them together, one has to arrange which sides are not guarded by other companies during the battle. And, therefore, it ought to be considered that the five companies in front protect all the other sides, except the front; and therefore these have to be assembled in an orderly manner (and) with the pikemen in front. The five companies behind protect all the sides, except the side in the back; and therefore ought to be assembled so that the pikemen are in the rear, as we will demonstrate in its place. The five companies on the right flank protect all the sides, from the right flank outward. The five on the left, engird all the sides, from the left flank outward: and therefore in arranging the companies, the pikemen ought to be placed so that they turn by that flank which in uncovered. And as the Heads of Ten are placed in the front and rear, so that when they have to fight, all the army and its members are in their proper places, the manner of accomplishing this was told when we discussed the methods of arranging the companies. I would divide the artillery, and one part I would place outside the right flank, and the other at the left. I would send the light cavalry ahead to reconnoiter the country. Of the men-at-arms, I would place part in the rear on the right wing, and part on the left, distant forty arms lengths from the companies. And no matter how you arrange your Army, you have to take up ((as the cavalry)) this general (rule), that you have to place them always either in the rear or on the flanks. Whoever places them ahead in front of the Army must do one of two things: either he places them so far ahead, that if they are repulsed they have so much room to give them time to be able to obtain shelter for themselves from your infantry and not collide with them; or to arrange them (the infantry) with so many intervals, that by means of them the cavalry can enter among them without disorganizing them. Let not anyone think little of this instruction, because many, not being aware of this, have been ruined, and have been disorganized and routed by themselves. The wagons and the unarmed men are placed in the plaza that exists within the Army, and so compartmented, that they easily make way for whoever wants to go from one side to the other, or from one front of the Army to the other. These companies, without artillery and cavalry, occupy two hundred eighty two arm lengths of space on the outside in every direction. And as this square is composed of two Battalions, it must be devised as to which part one Battalion makes up, and which part the other. And since the Battalions are called by number, and each of them has ((as you know)) ten companies and a general Head, I would have the first Battalion place its first five companies in the front, the other five on the left flank, and the Head should be in the left angle of the front. The first five companies of the second Battalion then should be placed on the right flank, and the other five in the rear, and the Head should be in the right angle, who would undertake the office of the Tergiduttore.
The Army organized in this manner is ready to move, and in its movement should completely observe this arrangement: and without doubt it is secure from all the tumults of the inhabitants. Nor ought the Captain make other provisions against these tumultuous assaults, than sometime to give a commission to some cavalry or band of Veliti to put them in their place. Nor will it ever happen that these tumultuous people will come to meet you within the drawing of a sword or pike, because disorderly people are afraid of order; and it will always be seen that they make a great assault with shouts and noises without otherwise approaching you in the way of yelping dogs around a mastiff. Hannibal, when he came to harm from the Romans in Italy, passed through all of France, and always took little account of the tumults of the French. When you want to march, you must have levellers and men with pick axes ahead who clear the road for you, and who are well protected by that cavalry sent ahead to reconnoiter. An Army will march in this order ten miles a day, and enough Sun (light will remain for them to dine and camp, since ordinarily an Army marches twenty miles. If it happens that it is assaulted by an organized Army, this assault cannot arise suddenly, because an organized Army travels at its own rate (step), so that you are always in time to reorganize for the engagement, and quickly bring yourself to that formation, or similar to that formation of the Army, which I showed you above. For if you are assaulted on the front side, you do nothing except (to have) the artillery in the flanks and the cavalry behind come forward and take those places and with those distances mentioned above. The thousand Veliti who are forward, come forth from their positions, and dividing into groups of a hundred, enter into their places between the cavalry and the wings of the Army. Then, into the voids left by them, enter the two bands of extraordinary pikemen which I had placed in the plaza of the Army. The thousand Veliti that I had placed in the rear depart from there, and distribute themselves among the flanks of the companies to strengthen them: and from the open space they leave all the wagons and unarmed men issue forth and place themselves at the rear of the companies. The plaza, therefore, remains vacant as everyone has gone to their places, and the five companies that I placed in the rear of the Army come forward through the open void that exists between the one and the other flank, and march toward the company in the front, and the three approach them at forty arm lengths with equal intervals between one another, and two remain behind distant another forty arm lengths. This formation can be organized quickly, and comes to be almost the same as the first disposition of the Army which we described before: and if it becomes more straitened in the front, it becomes larger in the flanks, which does not weaken it. But as the five companies in the back have their pikemen in the rear for the reasons mentioned above, it is necessary to have them come from the forward part, if you want them to get behind the front of the Army; and, therefore, one must either make them turn company by company, as a solid body, or make them enter quickly between the ranks of the shield-bearers (swordsmen), and bring them forward; which method is more swift and less disorderly than to make them turn. And thus you ought to do with all those who are in the rear in every kind of assault, as I will show you. If it should happen that the enemy comes from the rear, the first thing that ought to be done is to have everyone turn to face the enemy, so that at once the front of the army becomes the rear, and the rear the front. Then all those methods of organizing the front should be followed, which I mentioned above. If the enemy attacks on the right flank, the entire army ought to be made to face in that direction, and then those things ought to be done to strengthen that (new) front which were mentioned above, so that the cavalry, the Veliti, and the artillery are in the position assigned in this front. There is only this difference, that in the changing of fronts, of those who move about, some have to go further, and some less. It is indeed true that when a front is made of the right flank, the Veliti would have to enter the intervals (gaps) that exist between the wings of the Army, and the cavalry would be those nearer to the left flank, in the position of those who would have to enter into the two bands of extraordinary pikemen placed in the center. But before they enter, the wagons and unarmed men stationed at the openings, should clear the plaza and retire behind the left flank, which then becomes the rear of the army. And the other Veliti who should be placed in the rear according to the original arrangement, in this case should not be changed, as that place should not remain open, which, from being the rear, would become a flank. All the other things ought to be done as was said concerning the first front.
What has been said concerning making a front from the right flank, is intended also in making one from the left flank, since the same arrangements ought to be observed. If the enemy should happen to be large and organized to assault you on two sides, the two sides on which he assaults you ought to be strengthened from the two that are not assaulted, doubling the ranks in each one, and distributing the artillery, Veliti, and cavalry among each side. If he comes from three or four sides, it needs must be either you or he lacks prudence, for if you were wise, you would never put yourself on the side where the enemy could assault you from three or four sides with large and organized forces, and if he wanted to attach you in safety he must be so large and assault you on each side with a force almost as large as you have in your entire Army. And if you are so little prudent that you put yourself in the midst of the territory and forces of an enemy, who has three times the organized forces that you have, you cannot complain if evil happens to you, except of yourself. If it happens, not by your fault, but by some misadventure, the injury will be without shame, and it will happen to you as it did to the Scipios in Spain, and the Hasdrubal in Italy. But if the enemy has a much larger force than you, and in order to disorganize you wants to assault you on several sides, it will be his foolishness and his gamble; for to do this, he must go (spread) himself thin, that you can always attack on one side and resist on another, and in a brief time ruin him. This method of organizing an Army which is not seen, but who is feared, is necessary, and it is a most useful thing to accustom your soldiers to assemble, and march in such order, and in marching arrange themselves to fight according to the first front (planned), and then return to marching formation, from that make a front from the rear, and then from the flank, and from that return to the original formation. These exercises and accustomization are necessary matters if you want a disciplined and trained Army. Captains and Princes have to work hard at these things: nor is military discipline anything else, than to know how to command and how to execute these things, nor is a disciplined Army anything else, than an army which is well trained in these arrangements; nor would it be possible for anyone in these times who should well employ such discipline ever to be routed. And if this square formation which I have described is somewhat difficult, such difficulty is necessary, if you take it up as exercise; since knowing how to organize and maintain oneself well in this, one would afterwards know how to manage more easily those which not be as difficult.
ZANOBI: I believe as you say, that these arrangements are very necessary, and by myself, I would not know what to add or leave out. It is true that I desire to know two things from you: the one, when you want to make a front from the rear or from a flank, and you want them to turn, whether the command is given by voice or by sound (bugle call): the other, whether those you sent ahead to clear the roads in order to make a path for the Army, ought to be soldiers of your companies, or other lowly people assigned to such practices.
FABRIZIO: Your first question is very important, for often the commands of the Captain are not very well understood or poorly interpreted, have disorganized their Army; hence the voices with which they command in (times of) danger, ought to be loud and clear. And if you command with sounds (bugle calls), it ought to be done so that they are so different from each other that one cannot be mistaken for another; and if you command by voice, you ought to be alert to avoid general words, and use particular ones, and of the particular ones avoid those which might be able to be interpreted in an incorrect manner. Many times saying "go back, go back", has caused an Army to be ruined: therefore this expression ought to be avoided, and in its place use "Retreat". If you want them to turn so as to change the front, either from the rear or from the flank, never use "Turn around", but say, "To the left", "To the right", "To the rear", "To the front". So too, all the other words have to be simple and clear, as "Hurry", "Hold still", "Forward", "Return". And all those things which can be done by words are done, the others are done by sounds (calls). As to the (road) clearers, which is your second question, I would have this job done by my own soldiers, as much because the ancient military did so, as also because there would be fewer unarmed men and less impediments in the army: and I would draw the number needed from every company, and I would have them take up the tools suitable for clearing, and leave their arms in those ranks that are closest to them, which would carry them so that if the enemy should come, they would have nothing to do but take them up again and return to their ranks.
ZANOBI: Who would carry the clearing equipment?
FABRIZIO: The wagons assigned to carry such equipment.
ZANOBI: I'm afraid you have never led these soldiers of ours to dig.
FABRIZIO: Everything will be discussed in its place. For now I want to leave these parts alone, and discuss the manner of living of the Army, for it appears to me that having worked them so hard, it is time to refresh and restore it with food. You have to understand that a Prince ought to organize his army as expeditiously as possible, and take away from it all those things that add burdens to it and make the enterprise difficult. Among those that cause more difficulty, are to have to keep the army provided with wine and baked bread. The ancients did not think of wine, for lacking it, they drank water tinted with a little vinegar, and not wine. They did not cook bread in ovens, as is customary throughout the cities; but they provided flour, and every soldier satisfied himself of that in his own way, having lard and grease for condiment, which gave flavor to the bread they made, and which kept them strong. So that the provisions of living (eating) for the army were Flour, Vinegar, Lard (Bacon) and Grease (Lard), and Barley for the horses. Ordinarily, they had herds of large and small beasts that followed the Army, which ((as they did not need to be carried)) did not impede them much. This arrangement permitted an ancient Army to march, sometimes for many days, through solitary and difficult places without suffering hardship of (lack of) provisions, for it lived from things which could be drawn behind. The contrary happens in modern Armies, which, as they do not want to lack wine and eat baked bread in the manner that those at home do, and of which they cannot make provision for long, often are hungry; or even if they are provided, it is done with hardship and at very great expense. I would therefore return my Army to this form of living, and I would not have them eat other bread than that which they should cook for themselves. As to wine, I would not prohibit its drinking, or that it should come into the army, but I would not use either industry or any hard work to obtain it, and as to other provisions, I would govern myself entirely as the ancients. If you would consider this matter well, you will see how much difficulty is removed, and how many troubles and hardships an army and a Captain avoid, and what great advantage it will give any enterprise which you may want to undertake.
ZANOBI: We have overcome the enemy in the field, and then marched on his country: reason wants that there be no booty, ransoming of towns, prisoners taken. Yet I would like to know how the ancients governed themselves in these matters.
FABRIZIO: Here, I will satisfy you. I believe you have considered ((since I have at another time discussed this with some of you)) that modem wars impoverish as much those Lords who win, as those who lose; for if one loses the State, the other loses his money and (movable) possessions. Which anciently did not happen, as the winner of a war (then) was enriched. This arises from not keeping track in these times of the booty (acquired), as was done anciently, but everything is left to the direction of the soldiers. This method makes for two very great disorders: the one, that of which I have spoken: the other, that a soldier becomes more desirous of booty and less an observer of orders: and it has often been said that the cupidity for booty has made him lose who had been victorious. The Romans, however, who were Princes in this matter, provided for both these inconveniences, ordering that all the booty belong to the public, and that hence the public should dispense it as it pleased. And so they had Quaestors in the Army, who were, as we would say, chamberlains, to whom all the ransoms and booty was given to hold: from which the Consul served himself to give the soldiers their regular pay, to help the wounded and infirm, and to provide for the other needs of the army. The Consul could indeed, and often did, concede a booty to the soldiers, but this concession did not cause disorders; for when the (enemy) army was routed, all the booty was placed in the middle and was distributed to each person, according to the merits of each. This method made for the soldiers attending to winning and not robbing, and the Roman legions defeating the enemy but not pursuing him: for they never departed from their orders: only the cavalry and lightly armed men pursued him, unless there were other soldiers than legionnaires, which, if the booty would have been kept by whoever acquired it, it was neither possible nor reasonable to (expect to) hold the Legion firm, and would bring on many dangers. From this it resulted, therefore that the public was enriched, and every Consul brought, with his triumphs, much treasure into the Treasury, which (consisted) entirely of ransoms and booty. Another thing well considered by the ancients, was the pay they gave to each soldier: they wanted a third part to be placed next to him who carried the flag of the company, who never was given any except that furnished by the war. They did this for two reasons: The first so that the soldier would make capital (save) of his pay: for the greater part of them being young and irresponsible, the more they had, the more they spent without need to. The other part because, knowing that their movable possessions were next to the flag, they would be forced to have greater care, and defend it with greater obstinacy: and thus this method made them savers, and strong. All of these things are necessary to observe if you want to bring the military up to your standards.
ZANOBI: I believe it is not possible for an army while marching from place to place not to encounter dangerous incidents, (and) where the industry of the Captain and the virtu of the soldier is needed if they are to be avoided; therefore, if you should have something that occurs to you, I would take care to listen.
FABRIZIO: I will willingly content you, especially as it is necessary, if I want to give you complete knowledge of the practice. The Captains, while they march with the Army, ought, above everything else, to guard against ambushes, which may happen in two ways: either you enter into them while marching, or the enemy cunningly draws you into them without your being aware of it. In the first case, if you want to avoid them, it is necessary to send ahead double the guard, who reconnoiter the country. And the more the country is suitable for ambush, as are wooded and mountainous countries, the more diligence ought to be used, for the enemy always place themselves either in woods or behind a hill. And, just as by not foreseeing an ambush you will be ruined, so by foreseeing it you will not be harmed. Birds or dust have often discovered the enemy, for where the enemy comes to meet you, he will always raise a great dust which will point out his coming to you. Thus often a Captain when he sees in a place whence he ought to pass, pigeons taking off and other birds flying about freely, circling and not setting, has recognized this to be the place of any enemy ambush, and knowing this has sent his forces forward, saving himself and injuring the enemy. As to the second case, being drawn into it ((which our men call being drawn into a trap)) you ought to look out not to believe readily those things that appear to be less reasonable than they should be: as would be (the case) if an enemy places some booty before you, you would believe that it to be (an act of) love, but would conceal deceit inside it. If many enemies are driven out by few of your man: if only a few of the enemy assault you: if the enemy takes to sudden and unreasonable flight: in such cases, you ought always to be afraid of deceit; and you should never believe that the enemy does not know his business, rather, if you want to deceive yourself less and bring on less danger, the more he appears weak, the more enemy appears more cautious, so much the more ought you to esteem (be wary) of him. And in this you have to use two different means, since you have to fear him with your thoughts and arrangements, but by words and other external demonstrations show him how much you disparage him; for this latter method causes your soldiers to have more hope in obtaining the victory, the former makes you more cautious and less apt to be deceived. And you have to understand that when you march through enemy country, you face more and greater dangers than in undertaking an engagement. And therefore, when marching, a Captain ought to double his diligence, and the first thing he ought to do, is to have all the country through which he marches described and depicted, so that he will know the places, the numbers, the distances, the roads, the mountains, the rivers, the marshes, and all their characteristics. And in getting to know this, in diverse ways one must have around him different people who know the places, and question them with diligence, and contrast their information, and make notes according as it checks out. He ought to send cavalry ahead, and with them prudent Heads, not so much to discover the enemy as to reconnoiter the country, to see whether it checks with the places and with the information received from them. He ought also to send out guides, guarded (kept loyal) by hopes of reward and fear of punishment. And above all, he ought to see to it that the Army does not know to which sides he guides them, since there is nothing more useful in war, than to keep silent (about) the things that have to be done. And so that a sudden assault does not disturb your soldiers, you ought to advise them to be prepared with their arms, since things that are foreseen cause less harm. Many have ((in order to avoid the confusion of the march)) placed the wagons and the unarmed men under the banners, and commanded them to follow them, so that having to stop or retire during the march, they are able to do so more easily: which I approve very much as something useful. He ought also to have an awareness during the march, that one part of the Army does not detach itself from another, or that one (part) going faster and the other more slowly, the Army does not become compacted (jumbled), which things cause disorganization. It is necessary, therefore, to place the Heads along the sides, who should maintain the steps uniform, restraining those which are too fast, and hastening the slow; which step cannot be better regulated than by sound (music). The roads ought to be widened, so that at least one company can always move in order. The customs and characteristics of the enemy ought to be considered, and if he wants to assault you in the morning, noon, or night, and if he is more powerful in infantry or cavalry, from what you have learned, you may organize and prepare yourself. But let us come to some incident in particular. It sometimes happens that as you are taking yourself away from in front of the enemy because you judge yourself to be inferior (to him), and therefore do not want to come to an engagement with him, he comes upon your rear as you arrive at the banks of a river, which causes you to lose times in its crossing, so that the enemy is about to join up and combat with you. There have been some who have found themselves in such a peril, their army girded on the rear side by a ditch, and filling it with tow, have set it afire, then have passed on with the army without being able to be impeded by the enemy, he being stopped by that fire which was in between.
ZANOBI: And it is hard for me to believe that this fire can check him, especially as I remember to have heard that Hanno, the Carthaginian, when he was besieged by the enemy, girded himself on that side from which he wanted to make an eruption with wood, and set fire to it. Whence the enemy not being intent to guard that side, had his army pass over the flames, having each (soldier) protect his face from the fire and smoke with his shield.
FABRIZIO: You say well; but consider what I have said and what Hanno did: for I said that he dug a ditch and filled it with tow, so that whoever wanted to pass had to contend with the ditch and the fire. Hanno made the fire without a ditch, and as he wanted to pass through it did not make it very large (strong), since it would have impeded him even without the ditch. Do you not know that Nabidus, the Spartan, when he was besieged in Sparta by the Romans, set fire to part of his own town in order to stop the passage of the Romans, who had already entered inside? and by those flames not only stopped their passage, but pushed them out. But let us return to our subject. Quintus Luttatius, the Roman, having the Cimbri at his rear, and arriving at a river, so that the enemy should give him time to cross, made as if to give him time to combat him, and therefore feigned to make camp there, and had ditches dug, and some pavilions raised, and sent some horses to the camps to be shod: so that the Cimbri believing he was encamping, they also encamped, and divided themselves into several parts to provide themselves with food: of which Luttatius becoming aware, he crossed the river without being able to be impeded by them. Some, in order to cross a river, not having a bridge, have diverted it, and having drawn a part of it in their rear, the other then became so low that they crossed it easily. If the rivers are rapid, (and) desiring that the infantry should cross more safely, the more capable horses are placed on the side above which holds back the water, and another part below which succor the infantry if any, in crossing, should be overcome by the river. Rivers that are not forded, are crossed by bridges, boats, and rafts: and it is therefore well to have skills in your Armies capable of doing all these things. It sometimes happens that in crossing a river, the enemy on the opposite bank impedes you. If you want to overcome this difficulty there is no better example known than that of Caesar, who, having his army on the bank of a river in Gaul, and his crossing being impeded by Vercingetorix, the Gaul, who had his forces on the other side of the river, marched for several days along the river, and the enemy did the same. And Caesar having made an encampment in a woody place (and) suitable to conceal his forces, withdrew three cohorts from every Legion, and had them stop in that place, commanding then that as soon as he should depart, they should throw a bridge across and fortify it, and he with the rest of his forces continued the march: Whence Vercingetorix seeing the number of Legions, and believing that no part had remained behind, also continued the march: but Caesar, as soon as he thought the bridge had been completed, turned back, and finding everything in order, crossed the river without difficulty.
ZANOBI: Do you have any rule for recognizing the fords?
FABRIZIO: Yes, we have. The river, in that part between the stagnant water and the current, always looks like a line to whoever looks at it, is shallower, and is a place more suitable for fording than elsewhere, for the river always places more material, and in a pack, which it draws (with it) from the bottom. Which thing, as it has been experienced many times, is very true.
ZANOBI: If it happens that the river has washed away the bottom of the ford, so that horses sink, what remedy do you have?
FABRIZIO: Make grids of wood, and place them on the bottom of the river, and cross over those. But let us pursue our discussion. If it happens that a Captain with his army is led (caught) between two mountains, and has but two ways of saving himself, either that in front, or the one in the rear, and both being occupied by the enemy, has, as a remedy, to do what some have done in the past, which is to dig a large ditch, difficult to cross, and show the enemy that by it you want to be able to hold him with all his forces, without having to fear those forces in the rear for which the road in front remains open. The enemy believing this, fortifies himself on the side open, and abandons the (side) closed, and he then throws a wooden bridge, planned for such a result, over the ditch, and without any impediment, passes on that side and freed himself from the hands of the enemy. Lucius Minutius, the Roman Consul, was in Liguria with the Armies, and had been enclosed between certain mountains by the enemy, from which he could not go out. He therefore sent some soldiers of Numidia, whom he had in his army, who were badly armed, and mounted on small and scrawny horses, toward those places which were guarded by the enemy, and the first sight of whom caused the enemy to assemble to defend the pass: but then when they saw those forces poorly organized, and also poorly mounted, they esteemed them little and loosened their guard. As soon as the Numidians saw this, giving spurs to their horses and attacking them, they passed by without the enemy being able to take any remedy; and having passed, they wasted and plundered the country, constraining the enemy to leave the pass free to the army of Lucius. Some Captain, who has found himself assaulted by a great multitude of the enemy, has tightened his ranks, and given the enemy the faculty of completely surrounding him, and then has applied force to that part which he has recognized as being weaker, and has made a path in that way, and saved himself. Marcantonio, while retiring before the army of the Parthians, became aware that every day at daybreak as he moved, the enemy assaulted him, and infested him throughout the march: so that he took the course of not departing before midday. So that the Parthians, believing he should not want to decamp that day returned to their quarters, and Marcantonio was able then for the remainder of the day to march without being molested. This same man, to escape the darts of the Parthians, commanded that, when the Parthians came toward them, they should kneel, and the second rank of the company should place their shields on the heads of (those in the) first, the third on (those of the) second, the fourth on the third, and so on successively: so that the entire Army came to be as under a roof, and protected from the darts of the enemy. This is as much as occurs to me to tell you of what can happen to an army when marching: therefore, if nothing else occurs to you, I will pass on to another part.


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Bus Travel
Long-distance buses are safe and affordable. Luxury bus travel between cities costs about one-third that of plane travel and is more comfortable, with wide reclining seats, movies, drinks, and snacks. The most expensive service offered by most bus companies is called cama premium or simply premium, which indicates that the seats fold down into an almost horizontal bed. Service billed as semi-cama, ejectivo, and cama are other comfortable alternatives.
Without a doubt, the low cost of bus travel is its greatest advantage; its greatest drawback is the time you need to cover the distances involved. A trip from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama, for example, takes about 23 hours. Be sure to get a receipt for any luggage you check beneath the bus and keep a close watch on belongings you take on the bus.
Tickets are sold online, at bus company offices, and at city bus terminals. Note that in larger cities there may be several bus terminals (Santiago has three major terminals, for example), and some small towns may not have a terminal at all: pick-ups and drop-offs are at the bus line's office, invariably in a central location. Expect to pay with cash, as only the large bus companies such as Pullman Bus and Tur-Bus accept credit cards.
Reservations are recommended all year round, but are essential for holidays and travel during high season. You should arrive at terminals extra early for travel during peak seasons when the terminals can be packed with travelers.
Pullman Bus and Tur-Bus are two of the best-known companies in Chile. Their websites are Spanish-only.
Bus Information
Pullman Bus. 600/320–3200; www.ventapasajes.cl.
Tur-Bus. 600/660–6600; www.turbus.cl.


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A new study from Penn Medicine epidemiologists that looked at four years of bed bug reports to the city of Philadelphia found that infestations have been increasing and were at their highest in August and lowest in February. The findings, published ahead of print on January 8 in the Journal of Medical Entomology, point to two possible peak times to strike and eliminate the bugs.
"There is surprisingly very little known about seasonal trends among bed bug populations," said Michael Z. Levy, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB), who mapped the bed bug hotspots in Philadelphia in an effort to find more effective ways to control them. "We found a steep and significant seasonal cycle in bed bug reporting, and suspect that bed bugs have different levels of mobility depending on the season, and that their population size may fluctuate throughout the year."
Warm weather could be a driver for migration to other homes and breeding, he said. "We may be able to exploit this cycle: These seasonal trends could guide control programs to help reduce a city's growing bug population," he added.
To track the spatial and temporal patterns of the bugs, Levy and colleagues, including first author Tarub S. Mabud, analyzed calls to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health's Vector Control Services between 2008 and 2012. They then mapped the phone calls to get a clearer picture of the problem -- when and where it was happening.
Reports came from all across the city, though south Philadelphia was the most affected by the bugs.
Overall, bed bug reports in the city steadily increased by 4.5 percent per month from 2008 to 2011, an almost 70 percent increase year to year. Nearly half of all pest infestations reported to the city over that time period were for bed bugs, a total of 382. From September 2011 to June 2012, Philadelphia residents made 236 reports of bed bug infestations, according to the study.
Infestations peaked in August and reached a low in February, the team found.
They most likely move more frequently during warmer months, with increased development and reproduction happening as well, the team surmises.
The next question is to determine if people should strike when the iron is hot -- or cold.
"We know the bug reports fluctuate over the year -- what we need to figure out now is whether to treat when they are at their worst, in the summer months, or whether to wait until their numbers are down in the winter." Levy said. "Seasonality, we noticed, is just one attribute that can eventually aid control measures, but it is one of many attributes we hope to uncover."
While bed bugs likely migrate actively (i.e. crawl) over short distances, perhaps between adjacent rooms or houses, it's likely they are starting new infestation hotspots throughout the city by riding on people or personal effects over longer distances, said Mabud.
The study is part of a larger, ongoing pilot study in Philadelphia aiming to come up with safer, cheaper and more effective ways to control bed bugs in an urban setting. These findings have led Levy and his team to south Philadelphia, where surveillance, tracking and treatment methods have begun.
Levy is also looking to his ongoing work in Peru, where the triatomine bug, a giant, often deadly insect has pervaded major cities. The bug carries the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas disease, which can lead to fatal heart failure. Penn, along with its partner institution in Peru, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, was recently awarded $3 million by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to conduct a five-year study to improve the control of Chagas disease in the city of Arequipa.
"In Peru, the Ministry of Health has been able to eliminate the insects from tens of thousands of people's homes," Levy said. "Bed bugs are different, and in many ways more difficult to control. Still, my team is hoping to translate what works there for Philadelphia."
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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I was first introduced to Monica a few years ago, when my friend Cindy was hosting a baby shower with Monica and they asked for my help in making red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate tiaras. Since then, I have made goodies for Monica several times! There was the piggy cake and pool party piggy cookies that I made for her daughter's birthday one year, and also a mini Hello Kitty cake a few years ago (that I haven't yet blogged about). And a couple more goodies that I haven't yet blogged about (posts to come!)
So when she asked me to make a baby gender reveal cake for her friend who was expecting, I was excited to be a part of it! And the funnest part was that only the doctor and I knew the gender of the baby, not even the parents-to-be knew! Monica had to drop off a top-secret reveal envelope at my house, which was sealed by the doctor and never opened ... until I got my hands on it! :)
Monica's friend already knew she wanted a chocolate cake that looked like this one, except with yellow chevron instead of blue. I wasn't sure if I liked that the placement of the mustache and bow and letters were at the top of the cake instead of the middle though, so I sketched it out to help me decide.
I baked up two 8-inch homemade chocolate cakes (recipe in my new book!), and sliced them in half horizontally to give me four cake layers. Then I filled them with freshly whipped cream (tinted blue or pink based on the information in the secret envelope!), and then covered the top and sides with two coats of cream cheese buttercream.
I piped a quick shell border on the top and bottom of the cake, and then got to work piping the mustache, bow, and wording.
The final touch was piping the yellow chevron - I used a Wilton #5 tip, and just kind of did a freehand chevron design.
And then it was done! I had been a little worried about the chevron coming out crooked or uneven, but in the end I thought it looked pretty good!
The only thing I wish I could re-do was the top shell border - it was a super hot day, so my cream cheese buttercream started to melt on me! Needless to say, after a few quick pictures, the cake went back in the fridge to set!
And for the gender reveal on the inside of the cake?


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Tag Archives: Electronic Health Record
With nearly 15,000 physicians, residents and staff, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is London's largest employer. It's a multi-site facility that includes University, Victoria and Children's Hospitals plus multiple research institutes and medical centres. LHSC provides the broadest range of specialized services of any hospital in Ontario. In 2016-17, it saw 163,369 emergency room visits and admitted 52,447 patients. Over its 142-year history, LHSC has been a trail-blazer in the use of technology to advance health care. The organization developed the first artificial kidney and was the first hospital in North America to acquire a digital angiography system. It has also led in the use of digital communications as the first hospital to broadcast a surgery in real-time using RP-Vantage technology. So it make sense that LHSC would turn to technology to coordinate communications across its systems. Here's how the organization uses the Internet of Things to improve patient care, move medicines from the pharmacy to the bedside, increase collaboration and share the expertise of its physicians with other communities.


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Winners of April Enchanted Egg Craft-Along Announced
May 05, 2009
Last month, our Crafty Witches brought you their April Craft-Along Contest which asked you to create a Harry Potter themed egg out of the crafting material of your choice. After receiving many wonderful and creative entries, the winners of the Enchanted Eggs Contest are ready to be announced. They are:
- 1st Place – Death Eater Egg by mieljolie
- 2nd Place – Quidditch Stadium Egg by lezlishae
- 3rd Place – Golden Snitch Egg by craftylilthing
The first place winner of this contest will receive 50 MyLeaky points, while the second and third place entries will receive 25 and 10 MyLeaky points, respectively. Crafters Alessandra, overcast, cadetcom, and staarrkatt, who also submitted splendid entries, will receive 5 MyLeaky points for their work as well. Images of these entries can be found via this link, along with complete information about this contest.
Congratulations to all!


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You're at least four months into your tour of parenting, and the complexities of child training are starting to multiply. While your baby is growing physically, his mind is adapting with ever-increasing awareness to new sights, sounds, sensations and relationships. He can now interact with his material universe with greater attentiveness. Watch out: big changes are coming to his world and yours!
Preserving the order and structure that brought security to your baby's day, peaceful sleep in your baby's nights and stability in your home is still the priority, but now it must be viewed through a new developmental lens. For example, feeding time is more than a biological response initiated by a baby's sucking reflex. For the five-month-old, meal times become a complex and conscious interaction between him and his parents, food and drink, preference and need, likes and dislikes, must dos and won't dos!
This is also when waketime behaviors and responses start to fall into the categories of safe or unsafe and right or wrong, and will either be encouraged or discouraged by Mom and Dad's reactions. Training to encourage right behavior and discourage wrong behavior will become the focus of Mom and Dad's attention over the next seven months. All those feeding, waking and sleeping times provide numerous built-in opportunities for displaying parental wisdom, guidance and patience. Babywise II is here to help you in this crucial time.


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No.City fuel is for City vehicles use only.
Show All Answers
Please call (505) 891-5016 so that we can help direct you to the proper manager to explain your complaint.
All City vehicles, with the exception of heavy equipment, is maintained and repaired by the Fleet Maintenance Section of the Department of Public Works.
Please see our Fleet Maintenance Section page to find information on the decommissioning process.
The City purchases its fuel for all of its vehicles and has a designated fuel pump area for its vehicles.This fuel pump area is owned and operated by the City for City use only.
Used oil, batteries, and tires are disposed of in accordance to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
No.Please dispose of your used oil, batteries, or tires in accordance to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.


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Fulfilment of the World's Finest Literature
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Relax in the knowledge that your activity is in safe hands. Scale your business to meet changing demands. Enjoy the benefits of a tailored, personal service provided by a dedicated team of experienced professionals.
Operating on a four acre site located thirty minutes from the City of London, we provide all the facilities, connectivity and systems to support a range of fulfilment and distribution activity from one-off mailings and campaigns through to ongoing, long-term fulfilment contracts.
Total outsourced customer service solutions adding real value to your customer relationships
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Agile response handling facilities providing flexible storage, pick/pack, mailing and distribution services
Providing complete peace of mind for the implementation of campaigns and the fulfilment of marketing collateral
"I just wanted to say what an amazing job you did for us. Everything arrived safely and the way you packaged all the products was so professional... if all our deliveries arrive like this we will only have happy clients"
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A regularly overlooked way to enhance your brand image is to consider how packaging falls into your marketing plan. By using recycled and recyclable, branded product and fulfilment materials, your packaging can help reinforce your brand values and can become an extension of your brand's personality.
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I was really strapped for time and needed to come up with a baked something or other to place inside the little boxes that I had for the teachers that taught my children. I had already made the pretzels with chocolate and M&M's and I needed to come up with something quick. I was pacing through the aisles at Publix when it came to me. Bark!
I really dislike white chocolate though so I had to come up with some milk or dark chocolate. I have had major chocolate disasters before so this was kind of scaring me...I think that Florida heat and humidity do no favors at all for the chocolate dipped items. As I was wandering I happened upon some Ghirardelli Chocolate and I just had to commit!
1 c. sugar
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. dried cranberries
- In a large heavy skillet cook the sugar over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it is melted (about 15 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla, stirring the mixture until the chocolate is melted.
- Stir in the 1 cup of the cranberries and pour the mixture immediately onto a buttered baking sheet, spreading mixture evenly with a buttered spatula. Add the 1/4 cup of remaining cranberries by sprinkling on top. Let the cranberry bark cool and break it into pieces. Store in airtight container lined with wax paper, separating the layers with wax paper.
As Always...
Happy Entertaining!!!