text:
March 25, 2006
Don't plagiarize.
52 comments:
- AllenS said...
I can't agree with you more. Let me add this to the discussion: What shortcuts are you taking now, that you might live to regret?
- Ann Althouse said...
Some day Allen's going to get a job offer, and somebody's who's jealous is going to dig up all his skimpy blog comments and go after him.
- Gerry said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- Gerry said...
I apologize. I decided to take my comment down.
- howzerdo said...
Yesterday, I caught a student in my class plagiarizing. Sadly, in my experience, it is all too common. Last semester, a front page story of the student newspaper was mostly plagiarized from a local newspaper, and I have found about 20 instances of plagiarism in the past 5 years. Students either copy directly from the internet without attribution, or hand in papers that another student wrote for class in a prior semester (even though I change the assignment and the paper no long fits the guidelines!). Maybe my zero tolerance policy is saving them from the fate of this Post columnist and blogger by teaching them a harsh lesson earlier? (Or was being caught in a class at college the reason he dropped out, I wonder?)
- AllenS said...
I was trying to be funny by plagiarizing (using your words contained in the post). Now when I look at my post, it appears like I was making fun of you. I wasn't.
- Ann Althouse said...
Allen: I was trying to demostrate that I got your joke. Too deadpan of me?
- Ann Althouse said...
howzerdo: May I recommend scaring the would-be plagiarizers with this story of how Domenech lost a nice job? I'll bet there are thousands of young people who need to worry that they've got the same vulnerability, and something they'd really love to achieve can be taken away from them. Their past wrongs are just lurking out there forever, waiting to be uncovered by their enemies.
- Michael Farris said...
"Their past wrongs are just lurking out there forever, waiting to be uncovered by their enemies."
I sense a marketing opportunity, can you think of a tony, upscale name for arsenic?
- J said...
With technology making it so easy to spot this sort of thing, it's hard to believe anybody, especially a journalist, believes they can get away with it. That said, Domenech evidently claims innocence, including a contention that an editor placed copy in a review he wrote that was lifted from another source ( http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=13507 ). Will that defense become more or less effective over time? For example, if the writer of this article - http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article352287.ece - claimed that an editor had inserted the first sentence of his description on Instapundit after he wrote the article, I would have no trouble believing him.
- Doug H. said...
I was happy to see Domenech finally take responsibility. Like J I was initially troubled by his reliance on lame excuses. It was sad to see someone in a such a level of denial.
- Aspasia M. said...
People teaching at Universities have noticed a HUGE problem with plagiaring students. Like howzerdo has discussed - the cut and paste funtion is how plagiarizers operate.
We need to drive home to kids that plagiarism is theft.
- Gerry said...
J-- he no longer claims innocence.
- Elizabeth said...
I do all my lit grading with my computer in front of me, browser tabs open to several search engines. I can't browse the "pay for" sites, but I can spot their work because of the generally poor fit of the the paper to the assignment. A year ago, I received a paper on the short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper" full of grad-school critical vocabulary and literary history. When I confronted the second-year, 19-year-old slacker who'd submitted it, she didn't weasel out or deny responsibility, but she was shocked when I showed her a print out of the original work from a website. "I didn't know it was PLAGIARIZED; I got it from my cousin!"
We document every instance of plagiarism to the Student Judicial Office, so there's a paper trail following the student through school. It's helped as a deterrent for repeat offenses, and we can actually expel someone for repeated offenses, which is satisfying.
- reader_iam said...
I used to help out friends' kids with their high school papers but won't anymore because almost inevitably I'd run into problems with their "lifting" material from internet sources. It was such a hassle trying to convince them that plagiarism is theft, and it was surprising and outright depressing to learn that a number of their parents weren't clear on where the line is. (I'm trying to be charitable here.)
It's part of a larger problem/attitude, I think. These same kids often don't think they should have to pay for music or movies, either--and, frankly, their parents too often have the same attitude. Both my husband and I have also taken flak for not letting people copy music CDS or software (unless, in the latter case, it's open source). It's amazing how often people--even businesses--balk at buying the requisite number of software licenses. They even get annoyed if you won't help them "steal" software (and get very offended if you suggest that that's what they're doing).
Kids are observant: How seriously are they going to take what we adults say about intellectual property etc. etc. etc. when so many of us are ethically challenged--even flagrantly so--on these issues?
- Aspasia M. said...
I'm really shocked at how the concept of plagiarism has been "dumbed" down to a lesser offense in kids minds.
I suspect they look at a cut and paste function as different from finding a printed book and copying directly from that hard text.
Even if the original published book or essay is simply available on-line, that in some way depreciates the "theft" of the words to these students.
However, Universitites will still bring very harsh measures to bear if students are caught plagiarizing. A first offense could be flunking a class or a paper. A second offense could mean expulsion.
And for a college with a strict honor code, like Willilam and Mary or UVA - a first instance of cheating can mean expulsion from the school or being stripped of one's degree.
It's quite a serious offense, yet these students seem unaware of the possible real-world consequences of their actions.
- Ricardo said...
This post seems to share a lot of similarities with the other one today on "impeachment". Both involve a dumbing down in ethical beliefs and behavior. Students seem to increasingly believe that it is permissible to copy off the internet, and voters seem to be increasingly jaded over what (if any) accountability is expected from our national leaders. How easy is it to make children listen to adults concerning "ethics" (plagiarism, song piracy off the web, etc) when the adults themselves seem to sanction, and sometimes even encourage, ethical lapses? Don't adults have a duty to demonstrate "leadership by example", before children can be expected to modify their behaviors?
- Aspasia M. said...
The blogger had apparently compilied an on-line collection of his published writings, many of which were thefts.
Who does something as stupid as to archive a bunch of his thefts?
When I said this out-loud, Mr. Geoduck replied, "Someone who didn't think he had done anything wrong. It was his portfolio. He thought it was ok to plagiarize. He didn't define it as plagiarism."
Yikes! I'm shocked. Are other people shocked by this?
I don't get it. This guy was a professional editor and writer. If he didn't want to be a writer - why didn't he get another job?
- Ann Althouse said...
Plagiarism is much worse than theft. It's a fraudulent presentation of your own work, done for gain. It would be like copying a CD only if you also went on to claim that you had played the music on the CD yourself and were entitled to be paid for doing it. Plagiarism is wrong even when the work is in the public domain.
- Ann Althouse said...
geoduck: "I don't get it. This guy was a professional editor and writer. If he didn't want to be a writer - why didn't he get another job?"
I can't even imagine wanting to use the kind material Domenech appropriated, because the joy of writing is finding the ideas and phrases in one's own mind. A plagiarist should be rejected as a writer not just because he's dishonest, but because he has revealed that he doesn't have the mind of a real writer. No one should want to spend any time reading the work of someone who isn't interested in the content and form of his own expression.
- Patrick Martin said...
Am I the only one who doesn't think much of a 24-year-old being excused for misconduct when he was "younger"? The earliest allegations of plagiarism were from when he was 17... that's just 7 years ago. It's not like he's in his 30s or 40s and had long since learned his lesson and cleaned up his act.
I agree very much with howzerdo. Plagiarism is rampant in our high schools and universities. It is time for a massive crackdown throughout education, from elementary school on up.
That said, I do wish the left in general was willing to hold people on its side to the same standards they use to ravage anyone on the right.
- Johnny Nucleo said...
When I was in college, nobody thought anything of buying papers. I didn't cheat, not because I was good, but because the papers on the market weren't as good as what I could write myself.
Is this surprising? When you tell a student not to cheat or plagarize, what do you appeal to? Honor. But to most kids, honor is a joke. Why should they take it seriously? What's to gain?
I don't mean to pick on Ann (being a fan) but what was the reason she gave in her admonition not to plagarize? You might get caught. But if you know you won't, or are willing to risk it, why not plagarize?
- Ann Althouse said...
Althousefan: I agree that higher motives should stop people from doing wrong, but I still want other safeguards. In this case, I think we should scare the kids too. And part of teaching a sense of honor is impressing on young people how seriously other folks think about dishonor and how long the dishonor lasts.
- LoafingOaf said...
So no one at William & Mary reads PJ O'Rourke? I would've spotted that immediately had I been there.
Or is it that no one read the student paper?
I've been reading a lot of Chritopher Hitchens and just happened to read his views on plagiarism last week:
"A good rule of thumb for young plagiarists starting out in life might be the one set down by George Moore. 'Taking something from one man and making it worse is plagiarism'. To 'making it worse' one could add 'or leaving it exactly the same'."
The RedState plagiarist violated both Moore's rule and Hitch's addition. He also lied after being busted, something I'm sure he's regretting as well.
- ChrisO said...
Patrick Martin: You said "That said, I do wish the left in general was willing to hold people on its side to the same standards they use to ravage anyone on the right." Are you suggesting that there are rampant plagiarists in highly visible positions on the left who are not being held accountable because they're on the left? Or is this just another knee jerk swipe at the opposition that actually has nothing at all to do with the subject at hand?
Along those lines, I find it amusing that Michelle Malkin acknowleges that Doemenech is a plagiarist and has to resign, but still can't resist calling the people that exposed him "moonbats" and "sick." Jeez, she certainly is a one-note.
- LoafingOaf said...
I'm looking over the evidence.
It's sad how his approach to movie reviews was to go to rottentomatoes.com and paste things together.
When I was in school I liked the idea of being a movie and music critic, too. When I realized it was too hard for me to express my feelings about art in words, I moved on.
Although I don't like a lot of this guy's politics, he seems to be better at writing about politics than about art. Perhaps if he had stuck to being a hack political writer and let go of his fantasy of being a movie critic he wouldn't have been in over his head, tempted to steal and be a phony. Or, at the very least, he should've forced himself to write his reviews before reading anyone else's.
Thing is, half the movie critics out there are copying from each other's reviews. They're not really plagiarists like this blogger, because they do put it in their own words. But it does account for why they can watch 300 movies in a year and end up with almost identical year-end Top 10 lists. The best critics, in addition to being talented writers with knowledge about the artform they're commenting on, tend to stick with their indivudual gut feelings no matter what everyone else is saying.
- reader_iam said...
Plagiarism is much worse than theft. It's a fraudulent presentation of your own work, done for gain. It would be like copying a CD only if you also went on to claim that you had played the music on the CD yourself and were entitled to be paid for doing it. Plagiarism is wrong even when the work is in the public domain.
I understand the distinction perfectly well, but I feel that you're making too much of it--we're talking degrees of wrong here, and they both start from the same wrong-headedness.
They're both just plain wrong. They're both taking what's not yours. Plagiarism takes stolen material one step further, granted, but it starts with stealing something that's not yours. They're not as separate as you are presenting them in this particular comment. They are both dishonest and disrespectful. One of them is even illegal.
My point was simply that many adults are ethically challenged about what is and is not theirs for the taking. They don't seem to understand that just because they "can" doesn't mean they "should." They disrespect laws and boundaries about what is or is not theirs. Kids see this and act accordingly.
- LoafingOaf said...
I find it amusing that Michelle Malkin...still can't resist calling the people that exposed him "moonbats" and "sick."
The people who exposed him did us all a favor. He was gonna be busted sooner or later. Would've been worse (for Ben as well) had it been later. And I don't think people should be surprised that he was being gone over with a fine-toothed comb. He did write some offensive things.
- JimK said...
ChrisO, you need to read Malkin's post more carefully. She's right, the poeple that went after Domenech are moonbats and sickos. Did you see the crap they said BEFORE the plagiarism came to light? Or are you simply glossing over that part because it affords you a means by which to attack Malkin? You don't need to make it up, Malkin will give you a good reason 5 out of 7 days every week.
However, from where I'm sitting, it looks like you could use a mirror before you decide to criticize anyone.
- howzerdo said...
Ann: good idea. I do spend (what I always think is too much, but I guess is never enough) time every semester telling students about the harsh academic penalties, but maybe adding in the future professional risks is another angle. And of course, I tell them that I hope they will not cheat simply because it is wrong, regardless of whether they are caught and punished. How I wish that alone was enough!
geoduck2: students at the university where I work can be expelled for one instance. The faculty member decides whether to fail the student on the assignment or the course - and regardless, all incidents are reported to Academic Affairs, so that there is a record, in case there is a second offense. The professor can also refer the case to Judicial Affairs, for a university-level penalty. Among the most severe: suspension, and a note of the student's transcripts. This is likely to happen to the student I just caught (who is now sending me numerous emails filled with justifications. If only he put that much effort into the original essay!)
- Johnny Nucleo said...
Ann Althouse: I must come clean. I was trying to hijack the thread. I never doubted your commitment to ethics, but I saw the opportunity to use what you said to segue to my current monomania: the idea that if a critical mass of a society comes to doubt the existence of God (or the gods, or whatever), that society is doomed.
- Ricardo said...
Althousefan: What if the god is money?
- Johnny Nucleo said...
Ricardo: No one's god is money. People like money, because with money they can by stuff, but people don't worship money. That's just an expression. Also, very few people doubt the existence of money.
- Ricardo said...
I beg to differ. Your god is what you worship and adore, and where you give your constant devotion. If you cut through the rhetoric, and really "watch" the people who spend one hour in church a week, and who then spend the rest of the week locked in a love-embrace with money, you'll see what's really going on in their hearts.
Anyway, my question was a hypothetical. What if the god of a critical mass of Americans turns out to be money? Are we doomed?
- Aspasia M. said...
Is this surprising? When you tell a student not to cheat or plagarize, what do you appeal to? Honor. But to most kids, honor is a joke. Why should they take it seriously? What's to gain?
Honor. Gained or lost, I mean.
Why do people like to win in sports? For the glory. Why is it shameful to cheat at cards or sports? It's a loss of honor.
The Burr-Hamilton duel - I suppose we could argue if it was about honor - but people used to the concept of honor seriously.
Not to plagiarize a famous quote but remember this?: "Our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
Gak! Maybe I'm a romantic, but kids apparently don't see plagiarism as a loss of honor.
- Ann Althouse said...
Loafing Oaf: "Thing is, half the movie critics out there are copying from each other's reviews. They're not really plagiarists like this blogger, because they do put it in their own words. But it does account for why they can watch 300 movies in a year and end up with almost identical year-end Top 10 lists. The best critics, in addition to being talented writers with knowledge about the artform they're commenting on, tend to stick with their indivudual gut feelings no matter what everyone else is saying."
Yes, it is very hard to sit through all sorts of movies and write interesting and accurate descriptions and opinions. If I see a movie, I'll usually blog about it, but I don't purport to review movies, because reviewing involves a certain discipline. It's not purely amusing. I'd do it for a good salary, and then I'd be willing to work hard at it. For blogging, I only want to reel out the insights and observations I happen to have. I still care about my writing and originality and so forth, but I'll ignore all sorts of things that belong in a review whenever they don't amuse me (such as plot descriptions, methodically identifying the characters and actors).
- Johnny Nucleo said...
Ricardo: I see what you're saying, but greed is not really the worship of money; it is a manifestation of self-worship. You are your own god. You make up your own rules, and when one of your rules conflicts with your desire, you just change the rule. It's an appealing idea. One can never be wrong. And yes, I think if enough people think that way it spells doom for a society.
- Johnny Nucleo said...
"Why do people like to win in sports? For the glory."
Geoduck, I agree with you, but steroid use is rampant in sports and people care less and less. And traditionally, gambling has been a criminal enterprise. The threat of violence kept things clean.
One more thing. Maybe it's apocryphal, but supposedly Clinton cheated at golf. I remember when I first heard it, I thought it was funny. I thought people who were outraged were just a bunch of squares.
- Aspasia M. said...
Geoduck, I agree with you, but steroid use is rampant in sports and people care less and less. And traditionally, gambling has been a criminal enterprise.
Hmmm. My great-grandmother ran a numbers game out of the family grocery store. Gambling itself doesn't violate one's honor. Rather, it seems to me that the act of cheating damages honor.
For example - card playing doesn't damage one's honor. However, cheating while playing cards does damage one's honor.
I suppose this particular example of plagiarism really hacked me off for several reasons. Mr. Geoduck worked as a layout editor at our college newspaper. So I was really annoyed when Ben D. blamed the college editors at William and Mary for his plagiarism.
I also got a master's at the College of William and Mary. The school has a strict honor code. I'm also annoyed as an alumni of W&M.
- Johnny Nucleo said...
Geoduck, I agree that gambling is not necessarily dishonorable and cheating always is.
But if someone asks, Why? and our answer is Honor, and the someone says, What the hell is Honor? what do we say? To whom or what do we appeal?
Your great-grandmother sounds cool.
- Aspasia M. said...
But if someone asks, Why? and our answer is Honor, and the someone says, What the hell is Honor? what do we say? To whom or what do we appeal?
I see honor as related to integrity.
Integrity is a steadfast adherence to a moral or ethical code. In general these ethical codes have to do with lies, stealing or cheating others. I think one of the worst is a broken promise.
My simple ethical code:
Don't lie, cheat, or steal. And never, ever break a promise.
My great-grandmother, and her relatives, would often say:
(Insert Our Family Name) doen't break promises.
I grew up hearing this. (Our Family Name(s) doesn't lie or; (Insert Family Name (s) don't break their promises.
If any of us lied, cheated or broke a promise, it would bring shame on our family. It literally would hurt the honor of our family.
Honor is the reputation for personal integrity -- or a code of integrity.
If we deal with others without honor then our lack of integrity is revealed in public.
Your great-grandmother sounds cool.
Thanks. She was a cool lady. I guess any wedding she planned for her children was a kick. There was always card playing in the garage at the reception.
I didn't know her very well, but my father told me lots of stories about her. Her husband ran the farm and she ran the grocery store. She not only had 12 children and ran a grocery store, but before she died she was a partner in the local bank.
Being Italian, they of course made home-made wine. I've tasted my grandfather's wine, and it's not bad, especially considering that they made the wine in the Midwest.
- Elizabeth said...
The appeal to honor is helped if we can illustrate the long-term consequences of shame, job loss, public exposure. Maybe I'll start showing "Shattered Glass" in my lower-level courses.
For a few semesters, I was able to use a close-to-home example, of Stephen Ambrose, whose name and reputation were well-known enough to serve as a cautionary tale. By the time his plagiarism was revealed he was professor emeritus, if I recall correctly, but by then Band of Brothers and the D-Day Museum here in New Orleans were in the public eye, so even freshmen had an idea of who he was.
I was crushed by his taint of plagiarism. I deeply respected his work, especially what he did for men of my father's generation. And ours is pretty much a podunk campus; it was heartening to have someone of his reputation there. His fall from grace reflected on us and felt like a betrayal.
- Johnny Nucleo said...
Geoduck, I don't disagree with anything you said, but what I'm hinting at is the object of my current monomania.
I don't particularly want to believe in God, but I've come to the realization that intellectual consistency forces me to.
For a moral code to be anything more than mere preference, it must be transcendent. Otherwise the code is based on things like My Family Says, or Some Smart Guy Says, or We As A Society Say.
I believe honor and integrity are transcendent. But if there is no God, that's just happy talk, and they really aren't and in fact are just things I like. If someone else doesn't like them, I can't really say anything. I can fight them, foil them, but I am not "right" and they are not "wrong". We are nothing more than two opposed parties seeking self-interested goals.
If there is no God, how can we be outraged by Islamofascism? Islamofascists want one thing, we want something else. Who's to say what's better? If there is no God, what does "better" even mean? Say I like destruction and chaos. Then there's nothing more to say.
Perhaps this is the case. Perhaps there is no God. But this idea is dangerous. Intellectuals can handle it. Oddly, intellectuals believe so can everyone else. They can't. They will reject a godless morality. And something else, something we probably won't like, will take its place.
- Aspasia M. said...
Certainly a belief in divinity can inform one's sense of honor and integrity in a helpful manner. However, people like Cicero show that a code of integrity is not dependent upon a belief in a particular religion.
Although I've always thought that a belief in the divine can be a ward against hubris. The laughter of the Gods and such.
- Johnny Nucleo said...
But Cicero based his ideas on stoicism. Was stoicism a religion? I think it was, but my definition is admittedly broad. Was Cicero really a stoic? I don't know, but he understood that to communicate transcendent ideals you had to base them on something. Cicero also believed in the Republic. He thought it absolutely kicked ass and was better than any game in town. It ended while he was still alive.
- Aspasia M. said...
Well, I'm no expert in Cicero but if the subject interest you - I'd suggest Cicero's On Moral Duties, De re publica and, in particular, the Dream of Scripio. Cicero has a concept of natural law and it appears that he believed in the divine. This belief in the Divine appears to be informed by the Roman pantheon of Gods although I'm no Cicero expert.
I wouldn't be surprised if Cicero's concept of natural law influenced Thomas Jefferson. You may be interested in what the late 18th century Englightenment Deists? The Jefferson Bible is interesting.
Ben Franklin also has interesting Deist-like things to say about religion, morality and God. His Autobiography has some sections on some of his religious thinking. Of course, Franklin did also write _To A Young Man On How To Choose A Mistress_. But we all knew Franklin was a salty character & who knows what he got up to in those French salons?
- Johnny Nucleo said...
Of course Cicero believed in the the divine. We all believe in the divine. Some of us want to deny it. The word "God" scares us.
- ChrisO said...
Actually, I don't have to read Malkin's posts more carefully, because I avoid her posts like the plague. I was responding to her quote in the article.
And I'm sure there were some hateful things written about Domenech, but I've read enough of his stuff to know that he traffics in snark and hatefulness. So too bad for him.
The larger issue was that the Post, in order to "balance" Dan Froomkin, who is a respected liberal journalists and columnist, brought in a guy who is a shill for the Republicans and a clear partisan with limited journalistic background. That would be like balancing Charles Krauthammer with James Carville.
- Aspasia M. said...
Chris O,
Yes. James Brady appears to be an idiot.
Divinity as in the Divine. If one is talking about the Roman pantheon of Gods, would it be an error to say "God?" If I am discussing a tradition of polytheism, should I use the word "God?" I'm not sure. Perhaps there was a concept of a "Zeus" or an overarching Divinity in anchient Rome.
Like I said, I'm not an expert in Cicero & I don't know enough about Roman religion. For all I know, Cicero was big into Mithras or Isis, or both. But I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about Jehovah & the Judeo-Christian tradition.
- Johnny Nucleo said...
No thinking Roman of the late republican era believed in the gods. They knew it was a load of nonsense. The stoics conception of the Divine was pantheistic.
How one conceptualizes the Divine is not my concern. I use the word "God" because in the Western Tradition that is the word we use. My point is that absent a Divine Source, morality is meaningless. That this abyss cannot be avoided is the blind spot of our intellectual class.
- Bruce Hayden said...
You should add Doris Kearns Goodwin to the list of plagiarists. Apparently, she (or her research assistants) lifted a lot of material for her book on the Kennedys "The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys" which was ultimately made into a TV miniseries. Apparently, in a revision of the book, she has footnoted her sources, but still didn't put the quotes in quotes (which Forbes suggests brings it up to the Ambrose level of plagiarism).
I should note that she after taking a leave of absence for this from PBS, I am starting to see her again as a talking head - usually opining as a "presidential scholar" on Bush's weaknesses as a president (i.e. she tries to play the neutral, but invariably portrays the liberal view).
- Abraham said...
My point is that absent a Divine Source, morality is meaningless. That this abyss cannot be avoided is the blind spot of our intellectual class.
You may not agree with all of its conclusions, but Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism postulates that ethics can be logically derived from observable facts about the nature of Man and the world in which he lives. Just an example.


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This is a version of the GNU Image Manipulation Program that does a pretty solid job of imitating Adobe Photoshop – a regular user of Photoshop (like me) can adapt to it quite quickly. It's very richly featured and runs quite well – in fact, I see no reason to ever go back, even if Photoshop were free.
10. Gnucleus
Sure, LimeWire and BearShare are free, but why not just get the same basic software without all of the spyware? Gnucleus is pretty much identical to those software packages – but without all that extra junk that slows down your computer.
11. VLC Media Player
If you get tired of having tons of media players on your computer, get this package that runs pretty much every media type you'll run across without breaking a sweat.
12. Juice
Juice lets you effortlessly subscribe to podcasts, organize them, and listen to them at your convenience. In conjunction with PodNova, I find it easier to use Juice to organize podcasts than using iTunes itself.
13. Audacity
If you're interested in recording your own podcast (or just want to make your own voice recordings for whatever reason), Audacity and a microphone are pretty much all you need to get the job done. I'm not much for podcasting (let's just say I don't have a radio voice), but I use Audacity for other voice recording purposes.
14. RSSOwl
RSSOwl is one of many open source RSS readers. In other words, it enables you to use one program to keep track of the content of a lot of different blogs; if you read a lot of blogs, it's the only way to keep tabs on all of them without devoting hours jumping from site to site. If you have a laptop, it's preferable to using sites like Bloglines, but if you're on a desktop, a web-based feed manager might be better.
15. Filezilla
Many people occasionally have a need to FTP files to other computers; if you ever have the need to transfer files in such a fashion, FileZilla will do the job slickly and quickly.
16. Keynote
Keynote is basically designed specifically for the task of taking notes on a laptop. If you ever find yourself in a meeting or a presentation with your laptop open and want to jot down notes and organize them just a bit, Keynote is unquestionably the program for you. It's not good at quality word processing, but that's not the point. In my professional work, I find myself using Keynote almost as often as any other utility.
17. MusikCube
If you're not already committed to downloaded music from the iTunes Music Store, then MusikCube is the best choice available for a music organizer and player. It organizes your mp3s, makes it really easy and really fast to find them, and allows you to make some incredibly clever smart playlists.
18. Handbrake
Handbrake enables you to stick a DVD in your DVD drive and have the contents of that film stored to your hard drive in a form that can be read by pretty much any media player. I often use it to put a few movies on my laptop for travel purposes, so I don't have to worry about keeping track of DVDs while on the road.
19. X-Chat 2
X-Chat is a free IRC client. For those unfamiliar with IRC, it's a place for technical people (and, as my wife loves to point out, nerds) to meet and discuss topics in an open environment. I often find it very useful when piecing through difficult technical issues.
20. KeePass
KeePass is a program that securely stores and manages the abundance of passwords we all use on a daily basis. I have literally hundreds of usernames and passwords spread out all over the place; KeePass keeps them all for me and keeps them safe.
21. TrueCrypt
TrueCrypt enables you to convert a memory stick into a strongly encrypted data storage device, meaning that you can store personal data on it without worrying about losing it and having personal information get out and about. I use it to keep some of my most personal data off of my laptop and strongly secured, just in case.
22. PDFCreator
PDFCreator creates a virtual printer on your computer that, if you print a document to it from any program, creates a PDF of that document that can be read on any computer with Acrobat Reader on it. After installing PDFCreator, all you have to do is print like normal and out comes a PDF!
23. Freemind
Freemind is a "mind mapping" software program. In essence, it enables you to brainstorm and link together ideas quickly, creating "maps" of concepts similar to what you might do on a whiteboard. I find it incredibly useful when putting together ideas for new posts or planning small projects or assembling the backbone of a writing project.
24. NASA Worldwind
WorldWind is very similar to Google Earth in that it allows you to browse the globe. While it isn't strong for creating maps (but why not just use Google Maps for that?), it is utterly incredible for viewing three-dimensional landscapes of any place on earth.
25. Notepad2
Notepad2 is a replacement for the traditional Windows Notepad that just adds a few sweet little features: multiple documents; line, word, and character counts; and some highlighting of tags. In fact, I'm using Notepad2 as I draft this post (after using Freemind to organize it).
26. HealthMonitor
HealthMonitor enables you to keep an eye on the health of your computer. It identifies slowdowns and other system issues quickly and lets you know (for example, it gives a popup if your system memory gets to a certain percentage of fullness, or if your hard drive has only 10 GB free). This can keep you out of trouble and also give you clues to problems your machine might be having.
27. Workrave
Sometimes late into a writing session, my wrists get sore from too much repetitive movement. Workrave basically jumps in before this happens and locks down the computer for a while, preventing me from working too much and causing repetitive stress injury. Since I've started using it, it hasn't significantly hurt my productivity at all and my wrists are thanking me!
28. GanttPV
If you do any project management (or have a need to dip your toes in the water), GanttPV does a brilliant job of managing the task quickly, easily, and freely. If you need to move to MS Project later, you can export from GanttPV to Project, but once you start digging into GanttPV, you'll likely have no reason to use Project.
29. GnuCash
GnuCash is a slimmed-down version of the bloated Microsoft Money and Quicken packages, but it contains all of the features I want for managing my money. The interfaces are incredibly simple – it functions much like a checkbook ledger on your computer – but there's a lot of meat hidden throughout the software.
30. True Combat: Elite
After all this downloading, you're going to need to blow off a little steam, and I've yet to find a more enjoyable free game than this one. It's basically a third person combat game, but the graphics are spectacular and the game is quite engrossing.
Best Free Software for Personal Use
Apache OpenOffice
Apache OpenOffice provides word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, a formula editor, and database management applications, all of which generally offer the same functionalities and features as MS Office.
A popular alternative to Chrome, more than 30% of web users use Firefox as their browser. Firefox stops annoying popups and has tons of amazing plugins that can make surfing the web more personalized and efficient.
Google Chrome
Google Chrome isn't an open source software but it's a viable alternative to Firefox (if that isn't your thing). It's free, fast, and efficient — and comes with an abundance of add-ons so you can customize it to your liking. There's even an option to open an incognito window, which doesn't save your cache or browser history if prefer to keep things more private at home or in the office.
Thunderbird is an email client that has five big things going for it: it's free, it's full-featured, it's lightweight and runs quick, it has an unparalleled spam filter, and it protects you from those ridiculous phishing attacks by clearly indicating which emails send you to a bogus website. If you're not already using a web-based email solution, Thunderbird should be your client.
Mozilla Lightning Calendar
Meant to be used with Thunderbird, Lightning enables you to organize your schedule and important events in a calendar that's fully integrated with your email. You can manage and share multiple calendars, create recurring events, add to-do lists, invite friends to events, and subscribe to public calendars, including holidays.
PDFCreator creates a virtual printer on your computer that, if you print a document to it from any program, creates a PDF readable on any computer with Acrobat Reader installed. It supports many Adobe PDF options, including password protection and 128-bit encryption. All you need to do is print and it creates a PDF!
If you have multiple instant-messaging accounts, use Pidgin to use them all at once. It supports AIM, ICQ, Google Hangouts, Jabber/XMPP, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, MXit, Novell, and more.
Best Free Business Software
If you do any project management (or need to dip your toes in the water), GanttPV does a brilliant job of managing the task quickly, easily, and freely. If you need to move to MS Project later, you can export from GanttPV to Project, but once you start digging into GanttPV, you'll likely have no reason to use Project.
Mind mapping is a key process in many businesses, and this mind mapper does a great job providing an easy-to-use hierarchical editor and other tools to help organize your ideas into one coherent overview.
VirtualBox is a desktop virtualization software, which functions to separate your physical desktop from your desktop space and applications so you can access it from anywhere. It also makes recovery of lost files much easier since all the components are saved in a data center. VirtualBox comes with impressive processing power so your desktop isn't slowed down.
Notepad++'s minimalist, user-friendly style is pleasant to use and comes with features such as multi-view, multiple tabs for separate documents, word auto completion, zoom functions, and bookmarking. On top of that, their systems minimize carbon dioxide emissions by using less CPU power!
With Greenshot, you can take full or partial screenshots and add text and shapes to it so your colleagues quickly understand what you're visually describing. Greenshot supports several image formats.
Many people occasionally have a need to FTP files to other computers. FileZilla will do the job slickly and quickly, especially with their simple drag-and-drop functionality. FileZilla is especially efficient for batch transfers.
Best Free Accounting Software
TurboCASH 5
TurboCASH 5 is a small-business accounting package that includes such functions as invoicing, debtors, creditors, VAT accounting, balance sheet and income statements, and reporting. It's accessible to multiple users and companies.
GnuCash is a slimmed-down version of the bloated Microsoft Money and Quicken packages, but it contains all of the essential features for managing money. The interfaces are incredibly simple — it functions much like a checkbook ledger on your computer — but there's a lot of meat hidden throughout the software.
Best Free File-Sharing Software
Ares Galaxy
Ares Galaxy is a BitTorrent and chat software program with an easily accessible interface and a built-in audio/video viewer. You can share any types of digital file and publish your them through their own peer-to-peer network.
eMule is a peer-to-peer file-sharing client that includes robust search features, checks for file corruptions during downloads, and previews of downloads.
Tribler enables its users to discover and share video, audio, photos, and other files.
Best Free Graphics Software
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is the most popular free alternative to Photoshop. It is known for its versatility, as you can use it as a simple Paint program or for more sophisticated capabilities, such as photo retouching, layering image rendering, and format conversion.
Blender 3D
Blender is a 3D graphics-creation program that enables you to perform animation, modeling, rendering, post-production, real-time interactive 3D, and much more.
Very similar to Visio, you can use Dia to create a wide variety of diagrams, such as flowcharts and relationship charts. You can save your pieces to an XML format and export them to EPS or SVG formats.
Inkscape is a vector graphics editor that includes features such as shapes, paths, markers, clones, text, gradients, and patterns while supporting functionalities such as layers, node editing, bitmap tracing, and more. You can import JPEG, TIFF, and PNG files and export as PNG or other vector-based formats.
Scribus, a desktop publishing application, supports many major graphic formats as well as SVG import and export.
Best Free Audio/Video Software
VLC Media Player
VLC is a fast and powerful multimedia player that supports various audio and video formats, including but not limited to MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, and MP3, as well as DVDs and VCDs. It plays almost any file, CD, DVD, webcams, and other devices.
SMPlayer is a free media player with the added ability to play and download YouTube videos. On top of that, if you're the type not to sit and commit to an entire movie, SMPlayer will simply replay where you left off, which is perfect for busy folks.
Handbrake enables you to stick a DVD in your DVD drive and have the contents of that film stored to your hard drive in a form that can be read by pretty much any media player. This is awesome for travel since you can store all your movies in your laptop instead of carrying around DVDs.
If you're interested in recording your own podcast (or just want to make your own voice recordings for whatever reason), Audacity and a microphone are pretty much all you need to get the job done. Audacity is also very useful for other voice recording purposes.
Media Player Classic
Media Player Classic plays a wide swath of audio and video formats, including MPEG/MPEG-2/MPEG-4, DivX, Xvid, and CD/VCD/DVD media.
Best Free Security & Anti-Virus Software
KeePass Password Safe
KeePass is a lightweight and intuitive password manager for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and mobile devices. Your passwords are kept safe in an encrypted database, which you can quickly access with a master password.
TrueCrypt enables you to convert a memory stick into a strongly encrypted data storage device, meaning that you can store personal data on it without worrying about losing it and having personal information get out and about.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
You can hardly tell Bitdefender is running, as it works quietly but efficiently. It's excellent at blocking and removing malware as well as protecting your computer from phishing.
HealthMonitor enables you to keep an eye on the health of your computer. It identifies slowdowns and other system issues quickly and lets you know (for example, it gives a popup if your system memory gets to a certain percentage of fullness, or if your hard drive has only 10 GB free). This can keep you out of trouble and also give you clues to problems your machine might be having.


text: The Chestnut Hill Community Association and Chestnut Hill Business Association invite family and friends to join us as we celebrate our Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 18 from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. One of Chestnut Hill's most enjoyable holiday traditions, the ceremony has become the unofficial "opening" of the community's Christmas season. This fun-filled family event includes a mummers group, live music, dancing and a special guest appearance. Hot chocolate, cookies, and goodies bags will be provided for children. Families are encouraged to bring a new and unwrapped toy to donate to the United States Marine Corps' Toys for Tots Campaign.


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PySide is intended to be compatible with PyQt's API #2 which was introduced with PyQt v4.6 (this is the default API for Python 3). So the first step to migrate from PyQt to PySide is to switch from API #1 to API #2, which means no more QString, QStringList or QVariant objects (replaced by Python objects):
For Spyder, I chose to deal with this transition period with the following solution. The idea is to be able to test alternatively (and without changing too much code) the three cases (PyQt API #1, PyQt API #2 and PySide) by implementing a transitional package that your code will import instead of importing directly PyQt or PySide. See for example the Spyder's Qt transitional package :
(in the rest of the code, all import PyQt4.QtGui statements are for example replaced by import spyderlib.qt.QtGui)
At first, I thought that the best solution was to migrate directly to PyQt API #2, hence breaking the compatibility with PyQt API #1 (it's hard to resist to the temptation of getting rid of QString and QVariant objects!). But then I realized that other projects using the Spyder's widgets (source code editor, array editor or dictionnary editor widgets) like guidata would be forced to perform this migration at the same time: this was not acceptable and would lead to maintain two different versions of Spyder, one compatible with API #1 (Spyder v2.1) and the other with API #2 (Spyder v2.2). So I'm now convinced that the best solution is to change the code to make it compatible with both APIs and this is quite easy to do (it's now done in v2.1): QString objects can be used implicitely and QVariant objects and methods may be replaced by simple conversion functions (see 'from_qvariant' and 'to_qvariant' in spyderlib's code):
Here is the example of the NumPy arrays editor widget which is compatible with PyQt API #1, API #2 and PySide:
Another difference between PyQt and PySide is the way the QFileDialog static methods are wrapped. In PyQt, getOpenFileName returns only the filename. With PySide, the same function returns a tuple containing the filename and the selected filter. So we have to deal with it and the best way is to write wrappers that ensure full compatibility with PyQt (API #1 and #2) and PySide. This is done here:
There are still a lot of bug to fix for Spyder to be fully compatible with PySide (only Spyder's light mode is running with PySide, with very minor bugs) but that's a great start!


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When you think of California, you tend to think of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the sunny weather and golden beaches of San Diego, or the romance of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. Yet the best-kept secret for those outside of the Golden State is the great vacation destinations for houseboaters.
Houseboat magazine went on a journey this past summer in search of the best places to rent a houseboat in northern California. What we discovered was a beautiful lake nestled in the northern mountains called Shasta Lake where we visited two popular rental marinas. A little further south we came across Don Pedro Lake, which is hidden in the oak and bull pine covered foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, 35 miles east of Modesto. And for our final stop we checked in at Lake McClure, which is less than 30 miles northeast of Merced, which gets its water from the winter snows of Yosemite National Park.
These California rental hot spots each have a lot to offer and all three lakes have their own unique charm. It's this individuality and setting that will keep you coming back for years. Once you've been on one of these western lakes, you'll become a regular when it comes to planning your summer vacations. Forget about Mickey and his Magic Kingdom; northern California is the place where real dreams are made.
Houseboats.com On Lake McClure
When full, McClure has 7,100 surface acres and more than 80 miles of scenic shoreline to explore. The lake is framed by topography ranging from the rugged Merced River Canyon cliffs to oak-studded golden Sierra foothills. Magnificent scenery, miles of secluded shoreline and fantastic boating and fishing make Lake McClure the perfect place for a day trip or extended family vacation at any time of the year.
Fishermen rate McClure as their favorite for its excellent trout, black bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish action. The lake is regularly stocked with trout and the popular trophy-size Florida largemouth bass has been introduced to the area. Many wildlife species including deer, fox and raccoon can be seen along the shoreline as well. Up above, eagles, heron, hawks and cormorant are common sights.
Although Lake McClure's ample surface area provides for great boating, the best way to discover this lake is to rent a houseboat. By day, houseboats are the perfect hub for the day's fishing trips, waterskiing runs and swimming. Later, slip your houseboat into a secluded cove and enjoy a peaceful Central Sierra evening.
The Barrett Cove Marina, which is owned and operated by www.houseboats.com, is located on the northern end of the lake and is a full-service facility for boaters. There are several different models to choose from, including the Odyssey and the Eclipse as well as the elegant Escapade. The high-end Escapade includes a home theater sound system including DVD and tracking satellite for TV and features a faux fireplace in the main salon. Also included on the upper deck is a six-person hot tub, waterslide, TV, observation counter and second galley with barbeque and fridge. Including the air-conditioned penthouse loft, the Escapade sleeps 15 comfortably.
Although Lake McClure is a spectacular recreation destination all by itself, it happens to be near one of California's most popular (non-Disney) tourist spots, Yosemite National Park. If you're looking for more than a water-oriented vacation, the choices really are endless for this area.
The lake is also surrounded by the Gold Rush towns of Jamestown, Coulterville, Mariposa, Sonora and Columbia, a restored 1860s era State Historic Park. For more information on renting a houseboat on Lake McClure visit www.houseboats.com or call 877-468-7326.
Seven Crown Resorts On Lake Shasta
Referred to as the Jewel of Northern California, Lake Shasta is fed by three major rivers: the Sacrament, the Pit and the McCloud. Recreation enthusiasts can enjoy average summer water temperatures of 77 degrees. With a shoreline of 370 miles, the lake is the largest reservoir in the state with countless coves and inlets in which to drop an anchor or tie up. Fishing (the lake has 17 varieties of fish), boating, swimming and other water sports are popular on this lake and views of 14,162-foot Mt. Shasta are breathtaking. On the shore, Shasta Lake offers several scenic trails for nature buffs, including the one-mile Samwel Cave Nature Trail. The lake also supports the largest number of bald eagles in California. Also on the shore are the Lake Shasta Caverns, which showcase 20-foot stalactite and stalagmite formations.
There are quite a few places to rent a houseboat on Shasta, but there are two that we particularly like. One is Seven Crown Resorts, which actually has two locations on Lake Shasta. We stopped at the Bridge Bay Resort that is conveniently located off the Interstate-5 freeway at the southern end of the lake. The resort offers houseboats, ski boats, wakeboard tower boats, fishing boats and patio boats for rent. This full-service marina includes a gas dock and launch ramp, as well as boat slips.
Besides having a lakeside store that offers basic groceries, there is also a nice restaurant on the property that serves up world-class food while boasting a panoramic view of the lake.
Houseboats offered at Seven Crown Resorts range from the high-end Grand Sierra EX that sleeps 13 to the Cascade, which sleeps eight. Prices range depending on the time of the season and availability and discounts are offered on its small rental boat fleet when renting a houseboat as well. For more information on Seven Crown Resorts visit www.sevencrown.com or call 800-752-9669.
Shasta Marina Resort
Just up the road a few miles is another houseboat rental company on Shasta that we'd recommend. At the Shasta Marina Resort the houseboats look and feel more like a boat you'd borrow from your rich uncle instead of some houseboat rentals.
The high-end posh interiors and packed amenity houseboats are built by Thoroughbred and are specifically designed to be rental houseboats but you wouldn't guess it.
The luxurious 16 sleeper Thoroughbred is a 15- by 56-foot houseboat that includes central heat and air conditioning. There are five staterooms onboard and with the sofa foldout there are a total of eight beds onboard.The kitchen is beautiful and spacious with stainless steel appliances and is equipped with quality dishes and utensils. There is even a kitchen phone which is used to communicate with the wet bar on the upper deck. The lounge is luxuriously furnished with a gas fireplace and an entertainment center featuring a flat screen TV with self-tracking satellite, offering premium channels and satellite radio. This boat is perfect for cruising the lake with the whole family. Shasta Marina Resort also offers other options for rentals including the Mirage line that consists of two models, the 14 and the 16 sleeper versions.
For more information on Shasta Marina Resort rentals call 800-959-3359 or visit www.shastalake.net.
Forever Resorts on Lake Don Pedro
Just east of Modesto, Calif., you'll find grassy, oak-covered hills, miles of blue majestic water and crystal clear late summer skies. But like the gold of the early rush, not everyone is in the loop when it comes to cashing in on this houseboat rental hot spot. In the past, only a handful were lucky enough to know about Don Pedro. Well, consider the rush back on. With this article, the word is out. That is assuming, of course, that most houseboaters appreciate calm, underused waters, plenty of shoreline, and some quality houseboats to rent.
Lake Don Pedro is a nearly 13,000-surface-acre (more than two million acre-feet when totally full) lake with over 160 miles of shoreline. This beautiful lake is the state's sixth largest reservoir.
There are two marinas on this lake, Moccasin Point and Lake Don Pedro Marina. Both are owned and operated by Forever Resorts, the world's largest houseboat rental operator. At the Lake Don Pedro Marina location, houseboats ranging from 50 to 59 feet are available for rental. Each 59- by 14-foot Deluxe houseboat sleeps ten comfortably, maximum 12 and is luxuriously equipped with a long list of features, plus a canopy top and wet bar on the sundeck.
From a practical standpoint, the lake is just large enough to satisfy your tastes for adventure, but not quite big enough to get disoriented on. Shorelines consist mostly of muddy sand with some hard shell rock. If you're into fishing, be prepared with jigs and bait that will attract the lake's supply of bass, trout, salmon, crappie, bluegill and catfish. If water sports are your ticket, the lake earns a top score for waterskiing due to its low traffic and therefore low water disturbance-especially during the week. Of course other sports such as wake boarding, tubing, sailing and windsurfing are good options as well.
If you're into wildlife, keep your eyes open for mule deer, raccoons, coyotes, fox, golden and bald eagles and ravens.
For more information on renting a houseboat from Forever Resorts on this lake visit www.foreverresorts.com or call 800-255-5561.
These popular northern California houseboat rental operators have a lot to offer, but book early in the year and make your plans in advance to ensure you get the dates you want. From Lake Shasta to Lake Don Pedro and Lake McClure, it's easy to see why these western lakes are becoming more and more popular each year.
Planning Time
For houseboat rentals on Lake McClure visit www.houseboats.com or call 877-468-7326.
For houseboat rentals at Seven Crown Resorts for Lake Shasta visit www.sevencrown.com or call 800-752-9669. For Shasta Marina Resort rentals call 800-959-3359 or visit www.shastalake.net.
For houseboat rentals from Forever Resorts Lake Don Pedro visit www.foreverresorts.com or call 800-255-5561.
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January 26, 2014 - 6:29am
Pullman loaf from Bouchon Bakery
I like to make the "Pain au lait" from the Bouchon Bakery book, but I'm a bit baffled by the fact that the proof time is only 15 mins.
Could this be a misprint? It would be surprising for a book known for its precision.
Any opinions on that? I like the resulting bread but I feel the proof time should be at least 45 mins.


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Dropcam, an iOS-friendly Wi-Fi-enabled camera system, recently updated their iPhone and iPad apps so that recording can kick in when you leave the house or at certain times of the day. As always, the Dropcam can push alerts to your iPhone or iPad when the camera detects movement and, if you're a subscriber, let you comb through up to 30 days of previously stored footage, complete with movement markers along the timeline and audio.
Of course, the primary use case for this kind of thing is for home security, but you can also open up the live stream publicly, which is great if you've got an ongoing event that you'd like to share with the world. The only major downside to the camera itself is that it's got to be plugged in all the time, but for a home security system, that shouldn't be much of a problem.
I'm finding myself more and more interested in connected home gadgets like Dropcam, Lockitron, and Lifx. Dropcam in particular seems like it's really easy to set up, and pretty useful, but what do you guys think? What kind of home security do you use? Is it hooked up to your iPhone in any way?
- Free - Download Now
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FAYETTEVILLE — Coty Clarke, Michael Qualls and Jacorey Williams each scored 15 points and Arkansas beat LeMoyne-Owen 111-45 in the last exhibition game of the season Monday at Bud Walton Arena.
BJ Young missed the game because of "a violation of team rules," but the Razorbacks led 18-0 six minutes into the game and never looked back.
In addition to the 18-0 run to start the game, Arkansas had runs of 7-0, 15-4, 14-0 and 24-2 – in the first half alone. The 24-2 run happened in the final four minutes of the half and included an alley-oop dunk by Qualls and a pair of 3-pointers from Kikko Haydar and Dee Wagner.
"It all started with our defense," Williams said. "Everybody got after it on defense and defense translates to offense. We had our defense going and that created offense to get it rolling.
"I feel like we're on our way to something big. We've got a good team."
The Razorbacks forced 30 turnovers that led to 44 points. Twenty-one of the Magicians' turnovers were committed in the first half, as well.
"We're going to be a team that is going to attack," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "We are going to attack because we have a lot of skilled guys that can create not only for themselves, but for others.
"We always talk about how it's a game of runs and we had a game of runs tonight. That reminded of some of those games we used to have here at Bud Walton Arena where the other team was just hoping for a timeout or something that does not take place and our guys reacted the right way. When you get the opportunity to get those runs, you want them to go as long as they can and not kill them yourselves."
Mardracus Wade, Rickey Scott, Rashad Madden, Marshawn Powell and Hunter Mickelson made up the Razorbacks' starting five for both exhibition games, but the most minutes any of the starters recorded against Lemoyne-Owen was 17. In turn, the newcomers played often and played well.
The three leading scorers accounted for 45 points, the same amount as LeMoyne-Owen's point total and Clarke recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds to go along with his 15 points.
"Our bench really came to life," Anderson said. "Qualls, Williams and the guy who really played well tonight was Coty Clarke. That was one of his best games overall for us thus far, even from the Italy trip to here. You can see some of these guys getting more comfortable.
"That's the great thing about our team. We have depth now. It provides an opportunity for some guys to step up."
Qualls added three more dunks to his highlight reel, now totaling six dunks in two exhibition games. Not only did he fill the highlight reel, but he filled the stat sheet by accounting for 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
With the exhibition games finished, Arkansas will begin the regular season on Friday when the Razorbacks host Sam Houston State at 7 p.m.


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香港六合彩图库资料 www.3300031.cn Improve visibility and simplify security management?across physical, virtual, and cloud environments
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The Trend Micro Hybrid Cloud Security solution, powered by XGen? security, delivers a blend of cross-generational threat defense techniques that have been optimized to protect physical, virtual, and cloud workloads.? It features Trend Micro? Deep Security?, the market share leader in server security, protecting millions of physical, virtual, and cloud servers around the world.?
Improve and simplify security visibility and management of the hybrid cloud, whether your workloads are on-premises, virtualized, or in the cloud.
Reduce the number of security products you manage and maintain by deploying Deep Security.
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Manage risk, reduce cost, and save time with a solution that delivers multiple security capabilities in a single product that includes automated policy management and central visibility. Deploy security optimized for VMware virtual environments, including the latest developments such as?NSX, as well as?virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI).
Get the full benefits of the cloud while maintaining security with automated controls for protecting cloud workloads, helping you to meet your shared security responsibility for deployments on?Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, VMware Cloud? on AWS, and other cloud providers.


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Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman: iPad marketing 'deceptive'
The Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman has sent a letter to Apple accusing the company of deceptive marketing for the latest iPad model being sold in Norway. The letter notes that Apple advertises "next-generation wireless technology" and "lightning-fast wireless connections" specifically related to support for 4G LTE, however the 4G LTE aspects of the new iPad are only compatible with LTE networks in the U.S. and Canada and will not work on the 4G LTE network in Norway as it uses other frequencies. The complaint goes on to note that the "wireless characteristics of a mobile device such as an iPad" are very important and would be considered as one of the "main characteristics" of the device under the country's Marketing Act, which deems a commercial practice to be misleading if it contains incorrect information or misleads consumers with regard to "the main characteristics."
The Consumer Ombudsman goes on to state that while Apple does include a statement on the limitations of 4G LTE support "in a footnote on the Apple website" the limitations are not displayed prominently enough, requiring more clicks into the site and presented at the bottom of the page in a very small, light grey font on a white background. The letter alleges that "so long as consumers cannot benefit from the support for 4G LTE in Norway" that Apple should not be using the name "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G" or statements like "next-generation wireless technology" without properly disclosing "in a clear way" that the functions are only available in the U.S. and Canada, and ultimately requests that Apple clarify its marketing materials to ensure that consumers are not misled. [via Mac Rumors]
Foxconn employees concerned over reduced working hours
Following yesterday's report by the Fair Labor Association (FLA) into working conditions at Foxconn and the announcement that Apple and Foxconn would be taking action to bring working conditions into compliance with FLA standards, Reuters reports that many Foxconn workers are unhappy with the impact these changes will have on their income.
Among other concessions, Foxconn has reduced overtime for its 1.2 million workers with a promise of adjusted compensation to offset lost income. However, the Reuters report notes that many workers are concerned that their pay will still be cut as well due to the fewer number of hours worked. Foxconn plans to reduce working hours to 49 per week, including overtime, with a maximum cap of 36 hours of overtime per month for each employee. Many Foxconn employees make a significant portion of their income from extended overtime and the move has workers unhappy with the new limitations which they feel will result in lost wages. Although specific details have not been provided, Foxconn for its part has agreed to develop a "compensation package that protects workers from losing income due to reduced overtime," although it seems workers may be having difficulty coming to terms with the idea of earning the same pay while doing less work.
Australian Government certifies iOS device use for classified material
Australian newspaper Herald Sun reports that the Australian Government has given approval for devices running iOS 5 to be used for storing and communicating classified information. The organization responsible for information security within the Australian Department of Defence, the Defence Signals Directorate (DSD), has developed a set of policies and hardening procedures that will permit iOS 5.1 devices to be used to handle classified information at the PROTECTED level—the lowest general security classification used within the Australian Government. Mike Burgess, acting director of the DSD, stated that iOS 5 has successfully passed a stringent and intensive security assessment to ensure that it meets Australian Government information security requirements. The security evaluation, which is believed to be the first of its kind for iOS, covers only those devices owned and managed by Australian government agencies that have had specific DSD hardening procedures implemented and are used in accordance with DSD security advice. Examples of such standards include use of the devices in Apple's Supervised mode, use of iOS Data Protection and storing information only within Data Protection enabled applications, disallowing the use of third-party applications and using non-secure apps and services, including Siri dictation, only for unclassified information. [via AppleInsider]
Nano-SIM vote delayed, RIM claims Apple is misrepresenting delegates
Following reports earlier this week that Apple has offered to grant royalty-free licenses to any and all Apple patents essential to its nano-SIM standard proposal at this week's Smart Card Platform Plenary meeting, French newspaper Les Echos is reporting (translated link) that the vote on the new standard has been postponed after the parties involved failed to reach an agreement. In particular, Nokia opposes the Apple proposal in favour of its own design and claims to have over 50 required patents that it will refuse to license to builders for Apple's proposed standard.
Further, Research in Motion (RIM) has also now petitioned the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) to disallow proxy voting, making allegations in a recent filing that companies, including Apple, are registering their own personnel as representatives from other telecommunications companies. The RIM filing notes "a number of representatives from one company changing their affiliation over night and registering to the meeting not representing their employer or any of their affiliates but representing a completely different company" and cites as examples three specific Apple UK employees registering as representatives from Bell Mobility, SK Telekom and KT Corp. [via Engadget]
Fair Labor Association's Foxconn report finds 50 issues
The Fair Labor Association (FLA) has concluded its independent investigation into working conditions at Apple's suppliers in China. FLA launched its investigation on February 13, 2012 following labor rights allegations at Foxconn and negative reports regarding plant conditions. Shortly after commencing the investigation, FLA president Auret van Heerden released preliminary findings indicating that the working conditions at Foxconn were far better than those in other factories elsewhere in China.
However, in its final report published earlier today, FLA noted that it had observed "at least 50 issues related to the FLA Code and Chinese labor law" covering areas such as health and safety, worker integration, communication, wages and working hours. The investigation consisted of both on-site visual observation and policy/documentation reviews, as well as interviews with hundreds of Foxconn workers and managers, plus surveys of more than 35,000 randomly selected Foxconn workers. The resulting report highlights the most serious problems as being excessive average working hours during peak production times, general issues regarding inconsistent health and safety policies, and lack of worker involvement and communication in the development of health and safety procedures. The report also noted that although Foxconn wages are above the Chinese average, fair compensation was not always paid for unscheduled overtime due to payroll policies.
As highlighted in the report, both Apple and Foxconn have committed to implementing remedial actions for all of these issues, and ensuring that FLA standards continue to be upheld in its supply chain. Apple became the first technology company to join the FLA in January following the release of its own supplier responsibility report in an effort to move toward "greater transparency and independent oversight" of its suppliers.
Apple targeted by new data vending patent suit
South African inventor Benjamin Grobler has filed a pair of lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that Apple has infringed on a "data vending system" patent issued to him in 2004. The lawsuits claim infringements on U.S. Patent 6,799,084 by operating data vending systems such as iTunes, and that the companies are further inducing their customers' infringement. Among other things, the patent in question describes a system that stores data such as digitized music, video and/or computer programs, the dispensing of data to a uniquely identifiable data carrier, and the maintaining of owner and/or possessor records for digital content. The suit against Apple is asking for a declaration of infringement, as well as damages to be decided at the trial. [via Computerworld]
Apple CEO Cook visits Foxconn iPhone plant in China
Bloomberg reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook paid a visit to Foxconn's newly-built iPhone manufacturing facility yesterday at Zhengzhou Technology Park in China. The visit is assumed to be related to Apple's efforts to improve working conditions in its Chinese suppliers' factories following earlier complaints by several human rights organizations. Cook's visit to Foxconn follows a week of business travles in China which included a visit to an Apple Store in Beijing and a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang and Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong. Apple has not provided any further details on Cook's visit or how much longer he will be in China.
FiftyThree releases Paper for iPad
FiftyThree has released Paper, a new sketching and drawing app for the iPad. Focused on a providing a minimalist design, Paper acts as a simple notebook or journal effectively turning the entire iPad screen into a freeform drawing canvas with no additional buttons, controls or other distractions. The app instead relies heavily on a gesture-based control interface: users open and close journals and journal pages with pinch gestures, flip pages by swiping in from the bezel at the sides and access the drawing tools by swiping up from the bottom; users can "Rewind" (undo) by rotating with two fingers in a counter-clockwise direction while other one-finger gestures are used simply to draw on the page with the currently selected tool. The free app includes an eraser and single fountain pen drawing tool with 9 colours; additional tools are available via in-app purchase for $2 each or $8 for the full set of four. Paper is available from the App Store as a free download.
Final iPhone 4 antenna settlement: choose $15 or Bumper, now
The iPhone 4 "antennagate" class action settlement has now been announced, offering U.S. resident iPhone 4 owners who did not opt to receive a free bumper case from Apple to claim a $15 cash payment instead. To be eligible for the cash payment, iPhone 4 customers must also meet several additional requirements: they must have actually experienced antenna or reception issues, been unable to return their iPhone 4 without incurring any costs, been unwilling to use a case on their iPhone 4 and must also have completed certain troubleshooting steps if they still own their iPhone 4. Customers can file a claim at www.iphone4settlement.com; customers also still have the option of choosing a free black iPhone 4 bumper from Apple instead by contacting AppleCare or visiting an Apple Retail Store. [via Engadget]
Apple releases iTunes 10.6.1 with fixes for Apple TV sorting issues
Apple has released iTunes 10.6.1, the latest update to its digital media management software. According to Apple's release notes, the update fixes several issues that may cause iTunes to unexpectedly quit while playing videos, adjusting artwork size in Grid view or syncing photos, addresses issues with VocieOver and WindowEyes and fixes problems with responsiveness while syncing the iPod nano or iPod shuffle. The update also resolves the sorting problem browsing TV shows on the Apple TV that was introduced in iTunes 10.6. iTunes 10.6.1 is available now via Apple's Software Update utility or as a free download from apple.com/itunes.
Foundation Games releases Lumi Lite
Foundation Games has released Lumi Lite for the iPhone and iPod touch, an all-new free prequel to its popular action-puzzle game for the iOS platform. Originally released last December, Lumi challenges players to explore powers of light and magnetism as Lumi. a small but powerful creature who must travel through a darkened world to save his friends and restore peace. Rather than simply being a limited free version of the full game, Lumi Lite is an entirely new game designed as a prequel; players are taken back 100 years before the events in the original Lumi to take on three new levels. Lumi Lite requires iOS 4.3 or later and is available from the App Store as a free download.
Apple CEO Cook meets Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang
During his recent visit to China, Apple CEO Tim Cook took time out to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Li Kegiang. According to a Xinhua report, the two men discussed intellectual property rights protection and economic development. "To be more open to the outside is a condition for China to transform its economic development, expand domestic demands and conduct technological innovation," Li said. He continued on to say that trade and economic cooperation are an "important cornerstone" for the cooperative partnership of mutual respect and reciprocity that China and the U.S. are trying to establish. Li also called on multinational companies to expand cooperation with China, participate in development of western China, pay more attention to workers, and share development opportunities. Cook, for his part, said Apple will strengthen comprehensive cooperation with China, and conduct business in an honest, law-abiding manner. [via Engadget]
25dev releases proximity sensor enabled Flashlight app
25dev has released a new flashlight app that uses the proximity sensor on the iPhone to turn the LED flash on and off. Like other iPhone flashlight apps, the app allows users to turn their iPhone 4/4S LED flash on for use as a flashlight, however it also makes use of the proximity sensor allowing users to have the flashlight automatically turn off when the iPhone screen is covered, such as when the iPHone is in a pocket, flip-case or simply lying face-down on a table. FlashLight also includes an integrated battery meter and built-in compass mode as well as a quick tap signal light feature with included morse code table. FlashLight: Proxmiity Sensor Powered Flash Light requires an iPhone 4/4S and is available from the App Store for $1.
Sprint CFO: Apple deal would cover LTE iPhone
Speaking at an investor conference, Sprint Chief Financial Officer Joe Euteneuer has indicated that the company is free to offer a future iPhone model sporting LTE networking. Dow Jones Newswires reports that Euteneuer declined to say if Apple has such a model planned, but did say that Sprint's contract with Apple is similar to those of rival carriers Verizon and AT&T, and that the carrier isn't subject to any LTE coverage requirements in order to carry such a device. "If you make the assumption that they launch a device at a similar time that they did last year, you're basically done with the major markets" on Sprint's 4G LTE buildout, Euteneuer said, noting the carrier plans to initially cover around 100 million Americans. "So I don't think we are really disadvantaged at all." Notably, Sprint does not currently offer the iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G, although it has yet to publicly launch its LTE network.
Gmail for iOS adds alternate sender support
Google has made a background update to its Gmail mobile app for iOS devices adding support for sending from alternate addresses. Users of both the native Gmail iOS app and HTML5 web app can now choose to use any of their configured From addresses when sending a new e-mail message or replying to an existing message. As before, Gmail will still select the appropriate sender address automatically when replying to a message, however the new feature now allows users to visually confirm which address will be used when composing a reply. Alternate address support has been added on Google's end and does not require an update to the native Gmail iOS app; users of the native app should see the option appear over the next few days. The native Gmail app is a universal iOS app and is available from the App Store as a free download.
Survey: Half of US homes own at least one Apple product
According to a new survey, half of all US households now own at least one Apple product. CNBC reports that its All-America Economic survey found that one out of every ten households that don't currently own an Apple product plan to purchase one over the next year. In addition, homes that own at least one Apple product own an average of three, meaning that the average American household owns 1.6 Apple devices, with nearly 25 percent planning to buy at least one more in the next year. The survey found that Apple customers tend to be young, male, and college-educated, and the more money a person earns, the more Apple products they're likely to own. The All-America Economic survey was conducted over landline and cellphone among 836 Americans from March 19 to March 22, with a margin of error of plus/minus 3.4 percent.
Urbanspoon adds personalized filters, editorial lists
Urbanspoon has released a major update to its iPhone and iPod touch app adding support for customizable filters and location-aware wish lists along with new editorial lists and a redesigned user interface. Urbanspoon helps users locate restaurants based on their location and/or specified food and price preferences and also provides expanded information such as ratings and reviews for restaurants sourced from newspapers, bloggers and fellow eaters. Urbanspoon 2.0 now allows users to create personalized filters with additional criteria such as hottest spots, most popular with diners and availability to help provide an even more relevant focus on restaurant recommendations. An interactive map is now also included on restaurant lists that allow users to narrow their view down by cuisine, distance, name, popularity and price.
The new version also now includes pre-defined editorial lists that users can choose from, such as James Beard Award winners, Eater's hottest 38 restaurants in major cities and more. Wish lists are now location-aware allowing users to be notified if they are near a restaurant on their wish list. The latest update also features a new visual design to make it easier for users to browser and search within the app. Urbanspoon 2.0 is available from the App Store as a free download.
Taposé offers collaborative, confusing iPad journaling
Following an extended period of App Store submissions and rejections, Zanther has released Taposé, a new iPad productivity app that provides an integrated collection of tools including a collaborative multimedia journal, fully featured web browser, interactive maps, calculator and more. Designed with a focus on collaboration, Taposé is tied into a cloud-based service with a unified virtual workspace, allowing multiple users to share and edit journals in real-time. In addition to text editing and formatting features, the journal also supports rich content such as drawings, media elements, contact cards, web clippings and maps. Users can also share either complete journals or individual pages as static PDF documents via e-mail, Evernote, and Dropbox, or print them via AirPrint. Taposé is available from the App Store for $3. Collaborative sharing requires registration for a Taposé account; 400MB of storage is provided for free with unlimited storage available for a $30/year subscription.
Our initial impressions of Taposé show evidence of a great concept in need of significant user interface improvements. The UI relies on many gesture-based actions that are not immediately apparent to the user, and the included tutorial journal does not provide enough information in this regard. Further, the decision to mimic a real-world journal design in the app contributes to this confusion, forcing the user to endure a disorienting left/right "sliding pages" interface when working in portrait view. Turning pages requires corner swipes that are confusing at first, and worsened when you change orientations. The app appears to be considerably less confusing and more usable and responsive in landscape orientation. It is also worth noting that the button to log into or register for a Taposé account only appears in the control hub in landscape orientation.
Apple supplier Hon Hai takes large stake in Sharp
Apple manufacturing partner Hon Hai—better known as Foxconn—has bought in to Japanese firm Sharp. According to a Reuters report, Hon Hai took around a ten percent share of the company, and may use its new stake as extra leverage in attempting to win orders of Apple's rumored TV set. "Hon Hai is already the assembler of Apple's iPhone and iPad, it needs the next driver, which is Apple TV," said Yuanta Securities analyst Vincent Chen. "It's something that [Hon Hai founder] Terry Gou cannot afford not to do. But this is a very big gamble." The report goes on to note that the newly formed relationship between Hon Hai and Sharp may give the latter a leg up in bids for Apple display orders, as Hon Hai/Sharp may be in a position to offer superior pricing. Sharp currently supplies Apple with Retina Displays for the third-generation iPad.
Apple to offer refunds to iPad 4G customers in Australia
In the wake of a potential complaint from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Apple has agreed to clarify claims that the third-generation iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G is compatible with 4G networks. Earlier this week, the ACCC announced plans to file a complaint against Apple over what it considered to be "misleading" marketing. In addition to clarifying the device's cellular capabilities in a statement in its stores and on its website that reads, ""This product supports very fast cellular networks. It is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and Wi-Max networks", Apple also said that it would offer refunds to early purchasers who feel they were misled. Ultimately, the ACCC wants Apple to stop marketing the device as the "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G", while it appears that Apple wants to retain the moniker, and feels that the extra disclaimers will be sufficient to eliminate confusion.


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Qualitycompressions.com is using 4 services which we detected on its website. The major ones are Q9 Networks Inc. for hosting the website, easyDNS for DNS management, easyDNS as Registrar and easyDNS for email services The site was online when this report was compiled on 18 September 2018 06:24. qualitycompressions.com is hosted in Canada and owned by Contact Privacy (). Actual information of owners might be masked by privacy protection services offered by website registrar.
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Domain Name: QUALITYCOMPRESSIONS.COM Registrar: EASYDNS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 469 Whois Server: whois.easydns.com Referral URL: Name Server: MOTORHEAD.EASYDNS.ORG Name Server: NIRVANA.EASYDNS.NET Name Server: RUSH.EASYDNS.COM Status: clientTransferProhibited Status: clientUpdateProhibited Updated Date: 01-apr-2016 Creation Date: 01-apr-2016 Expiration Date: 01-apr-2017 Domain Name: QUALITYCOMPRESSIONS.COM Registry Domain ID: 2017966817_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.easydns.com Registrar URL: Updated Date: 2016-04-03T19:05:15Z Creation Date: 2016-04-01T11:18:17Z Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2017-04-01T11:18:17Z Registrar: easyDNS Technologies, Inc. Registrar IANA ID: 469 Registrar Abuse Contact Email: Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.4165358672 Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited Registry Registrant ID: Registrant Name: Contact Privacy Registrant Organization: MyPrivacy.net Ltd. Registrant Street: 300A-219 Dufferin St. Registrant City: Toronto Registrant State/Province: ON Registrant Postal Code: M6K 3J1 Registrant Country: CA Registrant Phone: +1.6474785997 Registrant Phone Ext: Registrant Fax: Registrant Fax Ext: Registrant Email: Registry Admin ID: Admin Name: Contact Privacy Admin Organization: MyPrivacy.net Ltd. Admin Street: 300A-219 Dufferin St. Admin City: Toronto Admin State/Province: ON Admin Postal Code: M6K 3J1 Admin Country: CA Admin Phone: +1.6474785997 Admin Phone Ext: Admin Fax: Admin Fax Ext: Admin Email: Registry Tech ID: Tech Name: Contact Privacy Tech Organization: MyPrivacy.net Ltd. Tech Street: 300A-219 Dufferin St. Tech City: Toronto Tech State/Province: ON Tech Postal Code: M6K 3J1 Tech Country: CA Tech Phone: +1.6474785997 Tech Phone Ext: Tech Fax: Tech Fax Ext: Tech Email: Name Server: MOTORHEAD.EASYDNS.ORG Name Server: NIRVANA.EASYDNS.NET Name Server: RUSH.EASYDNS.COM DNSSEC: unsigned URL of the ICANN WHOIS Data Problem Reporting System: This domain's privacy is protected by myprivacy.net. To reach the domain contacts, please go to and follow the instructions. This domain is being managed via EASYDNS The DNS Hosting specialists since 1998 DNS Hosting / Dynamic DNS / Failover DNS / DNS Anycast Unconditional Guarantee, No tricks, No gimmicks: System Status Updates: ( Follow us on Twitter ) You have 57 lookups left today


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• A daily summary of global reports on security issues.
An intricate prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas is mostly finished, with Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit back on Israeli soil after five years in captivity by Hamas and most of the 477 Palestinian prisoners scheduled to be released today now in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Gaza Strip.
The dual release has been contested on both sides – by Palestinians angry that Hamas did not secure the freedom of some high-profile prisoners, and by Israelis who are fearful and also angry about the release of people responsible for the deaths of Israelis in terrorist attacks. Regional media have been flooded with opinion pieces picking apart the deal and explaining what it means for the future of the two populations.
Despite their fears, 79 percent of Israelis supported the deal, according to a poll by the Dahaf Institute. And 50 percent of respondents said they were worried about the security situation, The Jerusalem Post reports.
The left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz, whose opinion pages are typically critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, mostly carried op-eds and columns heralding the deal, though acknowledging the security concerns. Bradley Burston, among the most vocal of Netanyahu's critics in the press, wrote of the deal in glowing terms, saying that it showed the kind of convictions that have been lacking in recent years.
On the face of it, the exchange is preposterous, in some ways, borderline suicidal. … The deal to bring Gilad Shalit back to his family is painful to Israelis bereaved by terror. It is, by any measure, chillingly dangerous.
And it was the right thing to do.
The deal is a remnant of an Israel which is fast disappearing. It is a remnant of a particular brand of quiet, exceptional courage. It is an expression of a national character that goes generally ignored in a media environment which prizes the extreme over the honorable. It is evidence of a people true to values which time and sectarian agendas may appear to have diluted and erased.
The deal for Gilad Shalit is a remnant of a promised land that – to those everyday people who donate their very youth, their very lives, in order to defend it – still believes it important to keep its promises.
Awareness that the deal is "chillingly dangerous" is articulated many times over in the Israeli media. In a column for the right-leaning Jerusalem Post, Isi Liebler writes that typically tough Israel has once again revealed its "Achilles' heel" and emboldened voices for extremism – and that the practice of releasing hundreds or thousands of Palestinians in exchange for a handful of Israelis is admirable, but unsustainable.
In such an environment the government must gird itself for the future. We must never again permit the deliverance of one Israeli – either soldier or citizen – to jeopardize our national security.
We must recognize that the concept that "we must pay any price" is unsustainable. A state under siege must not allow itself to be subjected to blackmail and extortion by terrorists.
Despite its concessions on prisoners, that Hamas was able to force Israel to negotiate with the militant group and secure a deal is being viewed as vindication for the group and a blow to the Palestinian Authority, Fatah, and PA President Mahmoud Abbas, who until recently was riding a large wave of support for his bid for United Nations membership. National heroes – 500,000 Gazans are expected at the rally in Gaza City to welcome prisoners home, according to Haaretz – will trump an ambiguous diplomatic success, writes Tony Karon in Time.
Hamas' achievement in freeing some of the thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli prison is a more tangible gain, in Palestinian eyes, than the hypothetical statehood amid continued occupation being pursued by Abbas at United Nations. Palestinian society doesn't regard these men and women as criminals, but rather fighters in the national cause – a peace agreement with the Palestinians would ultimately require the release of all Palestinians who remain in Israeli custody, even if convicted of acts of terrorism.
Hamas is aware it has hit on a strategy that could work again. On Monday, the group's West Bank leader, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, told Haaretz that the remaining prisoners being held by Israel provide an incentive to kidnap again. More than 4,000 Palestinians remain in Israeli prisons.
"I don't know whether more soldiers will be abducted," he told Haaretz. "But so long as Palestinian prisoners continue to suffer in prisons, there will be an incentive to free them via any available means. I urge the government of Israel to release the prisoners in order to put an end to this whole issue. This is an issue that creates considerable tension."
The Palestinian Authority is concerned about the possibility outlined by Mr. Yousef, and of armed resistance becoming the default strategy – a strategy that President Abbas and his government have forsworn, Tom Perry writes in an analysis for Reuters published on the website for Palestinian news agency Maan.
Privately, even Abbas' allies are concerned that the swap boosts the "logic of resistance" – or armed struggle against Israel – at the expense of his non-violent strategy built on negotiations and, most recently, the diplomatic thrust for wider recognition of statehood.
"This deal has definitely improved the public position of Hamas and the perception of resistance," said one member of the Abbas administration. "The success of this deal sends the wrong message to the public."
[Lebanese militant group Hezbollah] said the deal had "toppled once and for all the delusions of those who believe in the possibility of progress or the recovery of rights through negotiations or petitioning the international community".