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AVG: Over Half of Parents Peek at Teens' Facebook Accounts
Over the past couple of years, international security firm AVG has commissioned several surveys around the topic of children and the Internet. Dubbed "Digital Diaries," this project "has aimed to determine how the Internet is impacting children as they play, learn, and grow up in today's digital world." The latest edition, "Digital Coming of Age," focuses on families with children ages 14 to 17.
Earlier Phases
Digital Birth, the first phase of this project, looked specifically at children under two years old. 92 percent of U.S. parents uploaded photos of children under two, seven percent gave their baby an e-mail address and five percent created a social networking page to share baby's latest news. 34 percent shared sonograms, meaning the child had a digital presence even before birth.
Preschoolers from two to five years old acquired Digital Skills before life skills, according to the next report. 59 percent of children in this age range can play a computer game, but only 52 percent can ride a bike. 69 percent can operate a computer mouse, but only 11 percent can tie their own shoes. A recent study by MinorMonitor found that four percent of kids in this age range have a Facebook account.
Ages six to nine are enjoying the Digital Playground offered by social networking and entertainment websites. AVG reports that 14 percent of these children are among the (at the time) 7.5 million underage users of Facebook. If you count Club Penguin, Webkinz, and other kid-focused sites then over half of these kids use social networking.
In the age range from ten to 13, children haven't actually reached Digital Maturity, but they face adult choices. 62 percent have Facebook accounts or accounts on other mainstream social networking sites and thus face the same scams, clickjacking attacks, and dangerous apps that adults do.
Click the image below for a chart summarizing all phases of the Digital Diaries project.
Digital Coming of Age
For the latest report, Digital Coming of Age, AVG commissioned a multi-nation survey of 4,400 parents of teens from 14 to 17 years old. This survey revealed some interesting national differences. For example, 75 percent of parents in the U.S. connect with their children via social media, but just 33 percent in France and 10 percent in Japan.
Overall 20 percent of parents suspect their teens are obtaining porn or illegal music downloads. 20 percent their teens may be "sexting" via mobile phone. Yet a full 80 percent are confident that their children have never arranged a real-life meeting with an online acquaintance.
Parents definitely worry about social media activity by their teens. According to the survey, nearly a quarter of 14-year-olds had "sexually explicit or abusive" messages posted to social media. 40 percent of U.S. parents worry that inappropriate social media postings will "affect their children's job prospects down the road."
One way parents deal with this worry is to sneak a peek at the child's account. Fully 60 percent reported having done so, with mothers peeking more than fathers. 17-year-olds are getting close to adulthood, yet 40 percent of their parents still logged in secretly. Click the image below for a graphical summary of the Digital Coming of Age report.
One fact becomes clear from this wide-ranging survey: Modern kids have experiences and hurdles that their parents never faced. Parents can't necessarily help, and schools aren't effective at teaching teens how to use the Internet responsibly.
"Our latest research will hopefully facilitate conversations with parents, educators and others around the most effective strategies to monitor youth activity and teach them how to express themselves safely and thoughtfully online," said Tony Anscombe, senior evangelist for AVG Technlogies. "We're all learning as we go. We can't parent today like we were raised, because the Internet simply wasn't available or as accessible when we were young."
You can view the full text of all five reports at AVG's Digital Diaries website. AVG has also created a family safety quiz to see how prepared parents are for their child's digital adulthood. On completing the quiz parents will receive a packet of family safety info and guidelines.
For more from Neil, follow him on Twitter @neiljrubenking.


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Version 1.0 of A Valley Without Wind is now available, representing the retail release of this procedurally generated side-scrolling action game. The launch trailer shows the game off, and the A Valley Without Wind offers trial versions for either Windows or OS X, which can be unlocked to the full version. Here's a bit on the game:
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Chatbear v1.4.0/blue++: Page generated 25 August 2019, 15:19.
Chatbear Announcements.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thomas Smith and Rachael Kauffman would like to announce the engagement of their parents, Kay Smith and Greg Kauffman. Kay is the daughter of Thomas and the late Cheryl Hansen of Reinbeck and Greg is the son of Steven and Teresa Kauffman of Ankeny.
The bride-to-be is a 2002 graduate of Gladbrook-Reinbeck High School and a 2005 graduate of Marshalltown Community College. She is employed by Sween & Tilton, P.C. in Eldora. The groom-to-be is a 1996 graduate of Oelwein High School and a 2001 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. He is employed by the United States Postal Service in Reinbeck.
A September 26 wedding is planned at St. Gabriel Catholic Church. The couple resides in Reinbeck.


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AfriGeneas Canada Research Forum
1921 Canadian Census Release!
... on Jun 1st, but there's a catch. Yes, 92 years have finally passed (my, how time flies when you're having fun), and the 1921 Canadian Census will be released Jun 1st, 2013, to the LAC (Library and Archives Canada) but it will still be several more months before it's digitized, indexed and available for use. I expect that Ancestry.ca (Canadian version of Ancestry.com) will work, feverishly, to get the entire index done within months, just like Ancestry.com did with the 1940 U.S. Census.
The questions are almost identical to prior censuses, with RACE in column 21 this time (versus column 13 in prior years), this census is jam packed with useful information.
For more information:


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Customize SolidWorks for Efficiency8 May, 2011 By: Bill Hall
Solid Thinking Tutorial: You can implement these simple adjustments quickly, and start seeing the benefits immediately.
Editor's note: This tutorial courtesy of SolidWorks.
When I consider customization as it relates to SolidWorks, I always look for the "low-hanging fruit." By that I mean performing the customization tasks that take very little time to implement, pay dividends immediately, and enable typical day-to-day functions to be performed more efficiently.
We shall begin our customization efforts in the way of templates. We use these whenever we begin a part file, assembly, or drawing. All of the document properties are included in this file.
Go to Tools > Options and alter the Document Properties settings as desired. Save these as special file types: part templates (*.prtdot), assembly templates (*.asmdot), and drawing templates (*.drwdot). Organize the templates in a common folder (often, this is a location on a server that everyone can access). The path to this folder should then be defined. Do this by going to Tools > Options and altering System Options > File Locations; set the path for the document templates here. This will create a custom template tab, as seen below, which will be available when we begin a file.
The power of customized part templates is often overlooked. There can be huge benefits in using these to define "starter parts." Notice the welded structure preview in the image above; this template has been saved with an actual model in it. With these in place, we can start a new part, select a starter part template, edit the dimensional or feature values, and save it as a brand-new part. Creating a design table (Excel spreadsheet) inside this document can be useful as well. Once we define this level of customization, it is not only quicker to get started in a SolidWorks file, it also adds standardization from one file to the next.
Let's move along to the next area of customization, the interface. There are several areas here that we can adjust to really enhance the efficiencies of SolidWorks.
Toolbars have been a convenient way to manage commands for some time. However, the introduction of the patented technology known as the Command Manager has added a whole new level of control. In the following picture, you will see the Command Manager with many of the tabs activated. A simple right mouse button (RMB) click on one of the tabs will enable us to show and hide whichever tabs we need for the tasks at hand. For example, if you do not plan on using the mold tools today, turn that tab off.
The visibility of the Command Manager is controlled by using the drop-down menu Tools > Customize. With the Toolbar tab active, you can put a check in the box labeled "Enable Command Manager" to activate it. In this area you can also select to turn off the large buttons with text option, and create a much smaller width of the Command Manager once you are familiar with the icons.
Once we have the Customize dialog box open, there are several tabs available for customizing. Toolbars can be turned on and off from the designated tab. The Commands tab (below right) allows us to choose a category such as Features. This exposes the icons/commands that we can simply drag with the left mouse button anywhere in the Command Manager or any toolbar that we wish. These commands are then instantly available.
The Mouse Gestures tab is fully customizable as well. This tool is activated by selecting the RMB in any environment and slightly dragging in a specific direction. Upon doing this we will see this menu appear:
Moving over the image and releasing the button activates the command. Part, Assembly, Sketches, and Drawings are each a separate environment that will bring up its own custom Mouse Gesture menu. We can make modifications to Menus, Options, and even Keyboard Shortcuts here as well.
A real time-saver is the context-sensitive menu that is activated by hitting the S key on the keyboard. As is the case with the Mouse Gestures, a different menu presents itself depending upon the environment we are in. This menu is also fully capable of accepting the icons/commands to be dragged in as mentioned previously during customization. An RMB click on the gray area shown here is another fast way to get to Customize.
So many of the interface options we have discussed allow us to access commands more quickly and easily than ever before, and greatly reduce the amount of travel required for the mouse.
The last area I will discuss is the Design Library, which resides on the right side of the screen and allows us to control access to common folders or locations on a server. By clicking on the first icon/menu at the top, we can add items to existing libraries. The second icon/menu allows us to define a path to a local folder, or perhaps one that exists on a mapped drive or server.
After we go through these steps to customize, we can exit the software. At that moment the settings are written to the registry of the computer and are saved. To distribute these alterations to other machines, we can use the Copy Settings Wizard. Go to the Windows Start menu, and choose All Programs > SolidWorks 2011 > SolidWorks Tools > Copy Settings Wizard. Once this file (*.sldreg) is created, it can be copied to another machine, and a simple double-click on that file will duplicate all the settings.
Good luck customizing, and enjoy the efficiencies you gain from doing so.


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Storm Over Mono Lake
Mono Lake
Uploaded on August 24, 2004
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Brian d. Reed. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


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LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Tiger Woods hit every tee shot exactly where he was looking, needed only eight putts through seven holes and reached 4-under par to quickly get his name atop the leaderboard Thursday in the British Open.
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Tiger Woods hit every tee shot exactly where he was looking, needed only eight putts through seven holes and reached 4-under par to quickly get his name atop the leaderboard Thursday in the British Open.
It looked like he was just getting started. Instead, he stalled.
On as easy a day as Royal Lytham & St. Annes can provide — soft fairways and greens, little evidence of wind — Woods had to settle for a 3-under 67 that left him three shots behind Adam Scott.
Woods looked like he was capable of running away from the field with those four early birdies to take the lead. He narrowly missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 ninth hole for a 29, which would have been his lowest nine-hole start in any major.
"We knew that we needed at least to get off to a quick start on that front nine, and I figured a couple under would have been good," Woods said. "But I look up on the board and Scotty is going pretty low, and so is everyone else. I felt I had to make a few more, and I was able to."
He covered the flag with his tee shot on the par-3 12th hole, leaving himself 12 feet below the hole. But when he walked onto the green, he saw a leaderboard packed with names. His was not at the top, rather somewhere in the middle. Scott already was at 6 under and challenging the major championship record of 63. Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell and Zach Johnson, all of them major champions, also were at 4 under with plenty of birdie holes ahead of them.
Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but what followed was Woods' worst putt of the round.
That's when Woods shifted into neutral. He gave himself reasonable chances, and kept leaving putts short.
"I was just lacking a little bit of pace on the greens coming home," he said.
One of the best shots he hit all day kept was on the only hole where he failed to make par — and it saved him from a much higher score.
Woods worked out a game plan that looked similar to what he used at Hoylake five years ago when he last won the British Open. He rarely hit driver off the tee in an effort to avoid bunkers, only this was different. Royal Lytham's bunkers are staggered in the fairway, and they are everywhere. Woods didn't just stay short of them, he navigated his way expertly through them.
He hit a driver on No. 2 and a 5-wood on No. 10 that started left and over the heads of the spectators, only to curve gently back to the right and into a perfect spot. He appeared to be in complete control off the tee, which is pivotal for any good round at Lytham.
The exception came on the 15th.
Woods pulled his iron into the rough, the ball nestled at the bottom of 18-inch grass that had been trampled by footsteps and cables. He tossed aside the cable and some television equipment and tried to hammer a wedge some 60 yards over a pot bunker he couldn't see.
It was an example of Woods saying earlier in the week that some spots at Royal Lytham were "unplayable." He had a shot, just not much of one.
This one didn't make it 60 yards. The grass grabbed the shaft the club and turned it, and the ball fluttered into the side of a hillock in even deeper rough. The top of the grass came up to Woods' knees as he waited for his caddie to get the yardage — 118 yards to the front of the green, 137 yards to the hole.
Another miscue, and this could get ugly. But he hit that one onto the green, missing the pot bunker to the left, and hit a beautiful lag putt to escape with bogey.
"To carry it 80 yards, it's still ... people don't realize how deep some spots are," Woods said.
He managed to finish the round without further incident, and the report card looked like this: two drivers out of his 14 tee shots; all but one fairway; and four birdies, though none over the final 11 holes.
"I felt like I had pretty good control," Woods said. "I was shaping the golf ball both ways. Sometimes I rode the wind, sometimes I held it against it. But as I said, I was playing to my spots. I had certain sections I wanted to put the ball in, and I did that all day."
It was a solid start, and Woods will never complain about a 67, even on the slightly better half of the draw.
"I got off to a positive start today," Woods said. "We've got three more rounds. We've got a lot of golf to play."


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Fake Android Security App is Mobile Zeus Malware in Disguise
A new variant of the Zeus banking malware is masquerading as a security app in order to lure users trying to protect their Android devices from…malware.
The fake security app, called the Android Security Suite Premium, is actually the latest Zeus malware, Denis Maslennikov, a Kaspersky Lab researcher, wrote on SecureList on Monday. Once Android Security Suite Premium is installed on the mobile device, it displays a blue shield icon on the menu and a fake "activation code" when executed, according to the blog post. The app first appeared in early June, and there are at least six different versions.
The malicious app can intercept incoming text messages and forward them to remote command-and-control servers. Depending on the user, the messages could include sensitive data, such as password reset links or even one-time passwords. Any of the six C&C servers could send instructions to the app to uninstall itself, collect and transmit system information, and installing other malicious applications, Maslennikov said.
"Let's be honest, such functionality (the ability to receive and execute commands and the ability to steal SMS messages) is not that new for mobile (Android) malware," Maslennikov said.
However, what made this fake app interesting was the fact that it communicated with a C&C server linked to known Zeus C&C servers. That particular server was registered with fake registrant information, and Maslennikov discovered the same data was used to register several other domains back in 2011. Those earlier domains are currently listed in Kaspersky's Zeus C&C database, he said.
Considering that this app's functionality is "almost the same" as the ones in older Zitmo (Zeus for Mobile) variants, it was safe to conclude that "'Android Security Suite Premium' = New ZitMo," Maslennikov wrote.
Here at Security Watch, we regularly recommend you install a security app to protect your mobile device. It's important to install tools from recognized vendors and from reputable app markets. Don't go looking for security apps from alternate (and dodgy!) third-party sources. Check out PCMag.com reviews for Android security apps, including our Editors' Choice, Lookout for Android and similar tools from Kaspersky Lab, F-Secure, and McAfee.


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Migrating Websites from Shared Hosting Accounts
Some of the information in this article is advanced material we make available as a courtesy. Please be advised that you are responsible for properly following the procedures below. Customer Support cannot assist with these topics.
Before you attempt to migrate your hosting content, make sure you have created a backup of your information for restoration purposes.
Migrating your website to your new server is not something that GoDaddy directly supports unless you purchase our Migration Expert Service (more info). It is up to you to ensure that your website and corresponding applications work correctly in your new environment. This is a brief explanation of the migration process to help assist you.
Setting up Your Domain
Set up instructions depend on the control panel you have selected. If you have opted to setup your server without a control panel, then you will be responsible for the setup your domain manually.
Reference the corresponding control panel below for reference regarding setting up a domain on your server:
Upload Your Files
Once you have setup your domain, you may upload your files to your server. Each control panel contains a file manager option to assist you, or you may choose to use any File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client for uploading your files. Please note, when using a 3rd party FTP client, you will need to use port 21. For more information, see How To FTP Your Server.
Remember, when uploading your files and accessing your site for preview, use your server IP address as the nameservers have not been updated to reflect the change. Once you have tested your site, you may set up your DNS.
Setting up Your DNS
Once you set up a domain and created a zone file in your control panel, you will need to create and register two domain hosts for your domain. You will use these domain hosts when reassigning your name servers.
Registering Your Own Nameservers
After you have registered your domain hosts, you will need to modify the nameservers on your domain to reflect your new domain hosts.Unparking (Activating) Your Domain Name
Note: It may take 24 to 48 hours to register hosts.
**For all mailboxes and databases currently on your shared accounts, create appropriate mailboxes and databases in your control panel on your server. Also, recreate custom DNS configurations associated with your shared hosting account with in your control panel.


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San Diego's Bridgepoint Education beat Wall Street analysts' forecast for earnings and revenue in the first quarter despite a drop in student enrollment compared with last year.
The for-profit education company, which is facing accreditation hurdles, blamed the enrollment declines on a new strategy aimed at attracting students who are more likely to complete their degrees.
The company earned $23.4 million, or 43 cents a share, on revenue of $222 million in the quarter. That's down from a profit of $33 million and revenue of $250 million a year earlier.
Analysts on average had forecast sales of $217 million and earnings of 41 cents a share.
The for-profit education industry has been struggling lately with declining enrollment as the economy has improved. In addition, it faces increased scrutiny over education quality and debt loads taken on by students.
Regional accreditation agencies cited Bridgepoint for poor graduation rates and spending too much on recruiting students but not enough on education programs. Accreditation is key to Bridgepoint and any college because it's required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bridgepoint has taken several steps to address those concerns, including being more selective in enrollments to make sure prospective students are prepared for college level courses.
"The goal of these initiatives is to attract high quality students that are more likely to benefit from the educational programs we provide and will persist and complete their educational programs at higher rates," said Chief Executive Andrew Clark in a conference call with analysts.
The company had 78,782 students at its two colleges – Ashford University and the University of the Rockies -- at quarter end, down from 94,863 students a year earlier.
New student enrollments fell to 13,300 in the quarter, compared with 24,300 for the same period in 2012.
Clark said the decline stemmed from tougher admissions screening. He said overall demand remains strong for Bridgepoint's mostly online college degree programs from Ashford and the University of the Rockies. Analysts have been focusing on the declining enrollment at for-profit colleges as they forecast where the industry is headed.
Clark said he expects new student enrollment numbers to improve toward the end of the year.
Bridgepoint is working to move its accreditation for Ashford University from the Midwest region to California. Last year, the agency that grants accreditation in California denied Bridgepoint's application. The company has reapplied and is trying to fix problems that led to the rejection.
Clark said the California accreditation agency visited Ashford in April and expects to issue a draft report in June. A final decision on the California accreditation is expected in mid July.
In the meantime, Ashford remains accredited in the Midwest region. The university is based in Clinton, Iowa.
Bridgepoint released results on Monday before markets opened. Its shares ended the day down 18 cents at $10.83 on the


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CBF and the City of Hampton are looking for able bodies to help with our installation of our final rain garden of 2017! On that morning, the work will involve digging, shoveling, and wheelbarrowing materials. We will then break for lunch. If everything goes well in the morning, we will devote the afternoon to installing the top-soil, plants, and mulch. Gloves, shovels, and other tools will be supplied.
R.S.V.P requested


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Crivitz Area Food Pantry
Date: Aug. 29, 2019
Time: 8 am - 12 pm
Add Event to Calendar
Crivitz Food Pantry will be open every Saturday beginning May 25th from 8am - Noon. Every Thursday, open 8am - Noon for a weekly rummage sale until August 31st.
Location: Crivitz Food Pantry
|216 S. Hwy 141
Crivitz, WI, 54114
Contact Name: Marge Banaszak


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Sunday, October 27, 2013
30 and 4
Posted by M Crew at 9:22 PM 0 comments
Thursday, October 17, 2013
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." Henry David Thoreau
On a daily basis I could eat our girls up I love them so. Everyday Olive becomes more squeezable and I can't stop kissing her cheeks. Maddie is becoming more aware of lines she can and can not cross. Her vocabulary is improving daily and so is her understanding of time out & spankings. If she's done something that earns her either one, she will stop to look at me and start waving her darling wave and say "hi! hi! hi!". I'm telling you, she ain't no dummy.... she knows being cute can get her out of punishments or at least lessen the sentence. We can already tell Olive is the thinker and Maddie is the go-getter. Our very own Bonnie and Clyde.
I recently heard about the article written in the Rolling Stones about 'Sexting, Shame and Suicide'. It's based on the story of the 15 year old who killed herself after being sexual assaulted at a party. I can't get it out of my head because more than anything I want our girls to know who they are and have the confidence to stand up for themselves and what's right.
Posted by M Crew at 8:58 PM 0 comments
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Atlanta Zoo
Over a week ago we were able to visit the Atlanta Zoo with my awesome friend Sarah, who was able to get us in for free on her yearly pass. This Sarah girl is always looking out for me! We were walking out the door for Wal-Mart when she called to invite us. Who wouldn't choose the Zoo over Wal-Mart?
Madelyn was in pure heaven, she just wasn't too happy she couldn't touch all the animals. Elephants are her favorite and she screamed with delight seeing one.
Posted by M Crew at 9:12 PM 3 comments


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Commercial & Residential Intercom System Installation in the Alexandria Area
Intercoms play an integral role in both basic communication and security functions, whether in a residential or a commercial setting. Whether you're looking to install an intercom in an office building, apartment complex, retail store, or any other type of facility, our team at ASI can help.
ASI installs intercom systems throughout Alexandria and surrounding areas. Call us at 703-349-6570 or contact us online to learn more about the types of intercoms we offer or to schedule installation services today!
Benefits of Intercom Installation in Alexandria
There are plenty of benefits to installing an intercom system in your residential or commercial facility. These systems are able to dramatically improve communication and security in your space by:
- Screening visitors to confirm their identities prior to granting entry
- Denying access to suspicious or unauthorized guests
- Providing microphone surveillance
- Allowing contact between employees, residents, or customers
- Monitoring visitor traffic in and out of the facility
- Increasing safety with emergency preparedness notifications or medical alerts
- Operating as an emergency telephone
Convenient communication and heightened security are two things that almost all spaces—whether residential or commercial—are in need of. To learn more about how installing an intercom system can benefit your Alexandria location, contact our team at ASI today.
Types of Intercoms We Provide in Alexandria & Surrounding Areas
Three are three basic types of intercoms that can be installed throughout Alexandria: audio systems, audio-video systems, and combination systems.
- Audio intercom systems use only voice communication, and they're typically used in situations where the master station user is within view of the door being secured by the audio intercom.
- Audio-video intercom systems use both audio and video to communicate. The master station will include both a microphone for audio communication, as well as a live video feed of what's happening at the door station. These types of systems are usually utilized if the master station isn't within view of the door being secured.
- Combination systems often utilize multiple doors and require a mix of audio and video stations. These systems are best for facilities looking for extra layers of security, and in which the master station isn't within view of the door station.
To learn more about the types of intercom systems that ASI installs in the Alexandria area, give us a call today at 703-349-6570.
Why Trust ASI for Your Residential or Commercial Security Needs in Alexandria?
Allegiance Security Integration (ASI) is a small, woman-owned, family business specializing in electronic security since 2007. We are Project Managers and Engineers who understand the anatomy of the system and the lifecycle of a project. We are an independent, product agnostic integrator that will identify the best product on the market that will fit your needs. We have full engineering and designing capabilities in-house.
When you need security solutions that you can depend on, from access control to video surveillance and beyond, the team at ASI is here to help. We have ample experience in the field with a variety of clients throughout Virginia whose protection is our top priority.
If you're ready to learn more about how intercoms can protect your facility in Alexandria or to schedule an installation appointment, contact ASI online or give us a call at 703-349-6570 today!


text: Calligraphy was invented to convey important messages. Send your loved ones a card that will make a difference in their lives.Our clear-mount stamps * Are made of the same premium rubber as our wood-mount stamps.* Have deeply etched images so you get a superior stamped impression each time. * Are precut so you don't have to trim.* Are repositionable; temporarily mount them on clear blocks for stamping, then remove them for storage.* Save space—you need only one set of blocks for all your clear-mount stamps (blocks sold separately). * Come packaged in cases with images on the spine for easy storage and quick reference.Quantity: 5 rubber stampsSuggested clear blocks (sold separately): i


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FORT HOOD, Texas, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Is Nidal Hasan, the accused Fort Hood, Texas, killer who insists on representing himself, trying to set up an appeal based on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel? If so, based on court precedent, he's probably whistling in the wind.
Though rare, appeals based on claims of ineffective assistance of counsel in the military system are the same as those in the civilian courts. As is usual in the civilian courts, a different set of lawyers -- the military Defense Appellate Division -- argues the appeal.
A military judge last Thursday refused to let Major Hasan's standby lawyers limit their involvement in his court-martial.
Hasan, 42, is acting as his own attorney. The appointed standby lawyers said they asked to limit their involvement because the Army psychiatrist appears to be seeking the death penalty.
The court-martial is being held at Fort Hood, where Hasan admitted in opening statements he went on a shooting spree in November 2009 that left 13 people dead and 29 wounded. Shouting "God is Great" in Arabic, he opened fire in the fort's Soldier Readiness Center before being shot by military police responding to the gunshots. Now, Hasan may be paralyzed for life from the waist down.
If convicted, Hasan could face the death penalty, though the U.S. military has not held an execution since 1961. Several soldiers currently are on death row.
Meanwhile, the Army continues to issue Hasan his pay -- something it is required to do by law unless he's convicted and, among other things, sentenced to forfeiture of pay. If that sentence is approved by a review, the paychecks stop.
In many ways, Hasan's life represents the ultimate U.S. success story.
He was born in Virginia in 1970 of Palestinian immigrant parents. Entering the Army, he earned his medical degree at an Army medical center.
A devout Muslim, he became increasingly radicalized, culminating in his explosion of violence less than a month before he was scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan.
In general, the U.S. Supreme Court has been tough on ineffective assistant of counsel claims.
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution says in part, "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to have the assistance of counsel for his defense" -- now called the "assistance of counsel clause."
But like the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, the Sixth Amendment right to counsel can be waived.
State and federal courts repeatedly have supported a defendant's right to represent himself or herself -- even if that runs the risk that victims may be questioned by those who harmed them.
But asserting an ineffective counsel claim is probably useless when a defendant has chosen to mount his or her own defense.
"When an accused manages his own defense, he relinquishes, as a purely factual matter, many of the traditional benefits associated with the right to counsel," Justice Potter Stewart wrote for the 6-3 majority in 1975's Faretta vs. California.
In a footnote -- but not in the main body of the opinion -- Stewart was even more direct: "The right of self-representation is not a license to abuse the dignity of the courtroom. Neither is it a license not to comply with relevant rules of procedural and substantive law. Thus, whatever else may or may not be open to him on appeal, a defendant who elects to represent himself cannot thereafter complain that the quality of his own defense amounted to a denial of 'effective assistance of counsel.'"
Writing in the Florida Bar Journal in 1997, Angela D. McCarvy said: "Requests for self-representation and claims of ineffective assistance of court-appointed counsel present a real quagmire to the trial judges who must deal with them. Such difficulties are understandable, since the case law in these areas is voluminous, complex and at times downright inconsistent."
But the state courts also have cast a jaundiced eye on ineffective assistant of counsel claims from defendants who chose to represent themselves. For example, a North Carolina court ruled in 2007 that a "defendant who elects to represent himself cannot thereafter complain that the quality of his own defense amounted to a denial of effective assistance of counsel."
For such claims in general, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1984's Strickland vs. Washington set the bar rather high.
In that case, David Washington pleaded guilty in a Florida trial court to an indictment that included three capital murder charges. In the plea "colloquy," he told the trial judge he had committed a string of burglaries, but had no significant prior criminal record and at the time of his criminal spree he was under extreme stress caused by his inability to support his family.
The trial judge told Strickland he had "a great deal of respect for people who are willing to step forward and admit their responsibility."
In preparing for the sentencing hearing, Strickland's lawyer talked with him about his background, but did not seek out character witnesses or request a psychiatric examination -- preventing the prosecution from cross-examining him or presenting psychiatric evidence of its own. The lawyer also did not request a pre-sentence report because it would have shown Strickland's criminal history and undercut his claim of no significant prior criminal record.
The judge sentenced him to death on all three murder counts, finding aggravated circumstances and no mitigating circumstances such as mental illness -- all three stabbing deaths occurred during robberies -- and the Florida Supreme Court agreed with the sentence. Strickland then went back to state court, contending among other things his attorney was ineffective at the sentencing hearing. When that failed, he went to federal court, where a federal judge rejected his claim.
A federal appeals court reversed.
The U.S. Supreme Court then reversed the appeals court by a vote of 7-2.
"A convicted defendant's claim that counsel's assistance was so defective as to require reversal of a conviction or death sentence has two components," Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in the majority opinion. "First, the defendant must show that counsel's performance was deficient. This requires showing that counsel made errors so serious that counsel was not functioning as the 'counsel' guaranteed the defendant by the Sixth Amendment. Second, the defendant must show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This requires showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable. Unless a defendant makes both showings, it cannot be said that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a breakdown in the adversary process that renders the result unreliable."
She added later: "An error by counsel, even if professionally unreasonable, does not warrant setting aside the judgment of a criminal proceeding if the error had no effect on the judgment. ... The purpose of the Sixth Amendment guarantee of counsel is to ensure ... a defendant has the assistance necessary to justify reliance on the outcome of the proceeding. Accordingly, any deficiencies in counsel's performance must be prejudicial to the defense in order to constitute ineffective assistance under the Constitution."
Justice William Brennan agreed with the reasoning in the majority opinion but dissented to the outcome. By that time, Brennan had come to the conclusion the death penalty "is in all circumstances cruel and unusual punishment forbidden by the Eighth and 14th Amendments. ... I would vacate [Strickland's] death sentence and [send the case back down] for further proceedings."
Justice Thurgood Marshall dissented.
"The opinion of the court [majority] revolves around two holdings. First, the majority ties the constitutional minima of attorney performance to a simple 'standard of reasonableness.' ... Second, the majority holds that only an error of counsel that has sufficient impact on a trial to 'undermine confidence in the outcome' is grounds for overturning a conviction."
Marshall said that was too vague.
"My objection to the performance standard adopted by the court [majority] is that it is so malleable that, in practice, it will either have no grip at all or will yield excessive variation in the manner in which the Sixth Amendment is interpreted and applied by different courts. To tell lawyers and the lower courts that counsel for a criminal defendant must behave ... 'reasonably' and must act like 'a reasonably competent attorney' ... is to tell them almost nothing. In essence, the majority has instructed judges called upon to assess claims of ineffective assistance of counsel to advert to their own intuitions regarding what constitutes 'professional' representation, and has discouraged them from trying to develop more detailed standards governing the performance of defense counsel. In my view, the court has thereby not only abdicated its own responsibility to interpret the Constitution, but also impaired the ability of the lower courts to exercise theirs."
Strickland was executed by electric chair three months after the Supreme Court ruling.


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Find the perfect hotel in Fort Washington using our hotel guide provided below. Search for the cheapest discounted hotel and motel rates in or near Fort Washington, MD for your corporate or personal leisure travel. Explore the most favored Fort Washington, Maryland hotel and motel rooms. Browse the Fort Washington area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Fort Washington hotels.
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And the Seesmic experiment continues! If you missed Episode #1 of Coty Loves Threadless be sure to check it out – I explain a little bit about what this is all about! If you're on Seesmic then video reply and let me know what you think about this weeks Threadless releases and if you're not on Seesmic then comment away below! Enjoy with tea and a comfy tee!
Here's a direct link for my RSS readers – Coty Loves Threadless #2 on Seesmic.
98 Different Creatures! by Daniel Abensour is my Threadless Pick of the Week!


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Re: terra's things
Devil Girl wrote:
I have just seen this (I have not had chance to read it all yet)
The comic strip is class it is funny
I like your new avatar
Thanks a lot, the lady is my mother!
And for the avatar, it's the magic of Photoshop.
I could make some for you with pics of your little ones. Just give me links to the pics you'd like to have in little frames like that, and I'll do them for you if you are interested.
You're welcome Awe bless your mum
That would be very funky thank you
I will have a look tomorrow as I really have to crash soon (It is nearly 1am here )


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The modular, light-weight and easily transportable blades, which maximise the energy output of their turbines, are well suited to the low-wind regimes found along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, Carnevale said. Special protection along the leading edge of the blade should also help guard against damage from sand storms.
Blade Dynamics has a manufacturing site in the US and will open an assembly facility in the UK by the end of the year to build an 80-metre-long blade linked to the Energy Technologies Institute-backed project to develop a 100-metre blade.
Modular design
Traditional blade manufacture involves main composite components like the upper and lower shells and inner reinforcements made to their full length before further final assembly.
Blade Dynamics, in contrast, manufactures its blades split into relatively short, easy to handle, individual components that can fit into standard 40-foot (12-metre) containers.
These smaller parts are easier to make at very high quality, according to the company. A series of relatively uncomplicated moulds are used for the individual inner and outer parts, with assembly done in laser-aligned jigs that are easy to install and dismantle again.


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Playwright Arthur Miller, author of the internationally renowned "Death of a Salesman" and other modernist classics of the 20th-century American theater, has been named the 2001 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced today. The annual NEH-sponsored Jefferson Lecture, which honors the cultural accomplishments of the third president of the United States, is the highest honor the federal government bestows for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities.
Among Miller's many awards are the 1984 Kennedy Center Honors and the 1991 Mellon Bank Award, both for lifetime achievement. His Pulitzer Prize-winning "Death of a Salesman" (1949), which has been produced in more than 30 countries, is a theater staple that assures Miller a prominent place among the world's great playwrights.
"Arthur Miller has reached millions of people throughout the world by his consummate skill as a playwright of extraordinary dramatic power and insight into the human condition," said NEH Chairman William Ferris. "His plays are cautionary tales that present the individual's struggle for dignity against forces of materialism and repression. His work is truly a mirror of modern life, and we are honored that he will be our 2001 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities."
Miller will present his lecture on Monday, March 26, 2001, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The lecture is open to the public, and attendance is free. Those interested in attending should call (202) 606-8400 or send e-mail to @email to request an invitation.
Born in New York City in 1915, Arthur Miller began his playwriting career as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. Upon graduating in 1938, he went to work writing radio plays and scripts for the Federal Theater Project in New York City. He received national acclaim with "All My Sons" (1947) and his masterpiece, "Death of a Salesman." Both plays won the prestigious New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for best American play of the year.
Miller's themes include the psychic devastation wrought by illusions and the threat to individual freedom by unjust authority. His corpus includes "The Crucible" (1953), "A Memory of Two Mondays" (1955), "A View from the Bridge" (1955), "After the Fall" (1964), "Incident at Vichy" (1964), "The Price" (1968), "The Creation of the World and Other Business" (1972) and "The American Clock" (1980). In 1987 he wrote a personal memoir, "Timebends: A Life," followed by the plays "The Ride Down Mt. Morgan" (1991), "The Last Yankee" (1993), "Broken Glass" (1993) and "Mr. Peters' Connections" (1998). His most recent book is "Echoes Down the Corridor: A Collection of Essays, 1947-1999" (2000).
Miller has received three Tony Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, the National Institute of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal for Drama, the New York Public Library's Literary Lion Award and the Pell Award for Excellence. He holds honorary doctorates from Harvard and Oxford universities.
Miller now lives in Connecticut with his wife, photographer Inge Morath, with whom he has published three books of photographs.
Miller was chosen as the 30th Jefferson Lecturer by the National Council on the Humanities, the 26-member advisory board of NEH. The lectureship carries a $10,000 honorarium.
Previous Jefferson Lecturers have been James M. McPherson, Caroline Walker Bynum, Bernard Bailyn, Stephen Toulmin, Toni Morrison, Vincent Scully, Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Conquest, Bernard M.W. Knox, Gertrude Himmelfarb, Bernard Lewis, Walker Percy, Robert Nisbet, Forrest McDonald, Leszek Kolakowski, Cleanth Brooks, Sidney Hook, Jaroslav Pelikan, Emily T. Vermeule, Gerald Holton, Barbara Tuchman, Edward Shils, C. Vann Woodward, Saul Bellow, John Hope Franklin, Paul A. Freund, Robert Penn Warren, Erik Erikson and Lionel Trilling.


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Sleep is essential for our health and well-being. But many people do not get enough sleep or the right kind of sleep. Polysomnographers perform sleep studies that help physicians diagnose and treat sleep disorders such as insomnia (chronic sleeplessness), narcolepsy (deep daytime fatigue), sleep apnea (breathing stops repeatedly during sleep) and many others.
Sanford Brown's Polysomnograph program will teach you to use a variety of electronic monitoring devices to record a patient's brain and cardiac activity, eye and muscle movement and more – while they sleep. Along with technological skills, our polysomnograpy training will teach you to prepare patients before their sleep study, answer their questions afterward and help physicians evaluate treatment methods.
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EzraplaysEzra wrote:I know the new Roto's come with an extra E string. And it really, to me, is the unwound strings that spoil the punch first. But, cats right on. In a studio session I change before we start, and most often halfway through too. I can absolutely hear the difference in the strings from the first take to, say the forth take. Being accustomed to playing freshy's makes playing fading strings unbearable. On the otherhand if my guitar is sitting around the house I can play it for some time without it bothering me, but not through an amp. Like many things with guitars; if your getting by without it, you don't need it.
Wow. Hobby players like me appreciate hearing from you pros, thanks. Just need to understand what you are saying Ezra, you change strings in the middle of a session and you get the strings to settle(stretch) enough to stay reliably in tune afterwards? Cat you do this too? Now I've heard people say to pull up on the strings to stretch em, but my guitar still needs to sit 2-3 days


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I'm going to beat Unseen to this one!
So Eric Holder in a recent Congressional hearing has left the door open to preforming a drone strike against terrorists on American soil in an "extraordinary circumstance."
From CNN:
"Attorney General Eric Holder is not entirely ruling out a scenario under which a drone strike would be ordered against Americans on U.S. soil, but says it has never been done previously and he could only see it being considered in an extraordinary circumstance.
He began to winnow the list of those possible extraordinary circumstances Wednesday. In testimony Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pressed Holder whether he believed it would be constitutional to target an American terror suspect 'sitting at a cafe' if the suspect didn't pose an imminent threat.
'No,' Holder replied."
Given the fact that there are people out there who want to kill us, who want to die for their cause, and who label themselves as an enemy to America, do you think that they Attorney General makes a valid point? Might there be some circumstance where a drone strike is the best option to prevent even more loss of life including that of law enforcement? Is he just plain wrong and this can't be permitted at all? As Senator Paul is now filibustering on the Senate floor and making the point, is there zero room for a lethal military/law enforcement drone strike on an individual? Might there still be a comparison with the use of lethal force by a police officer to a person that is known to be armed, dangerous, and looking to kill?
Views: 1008
Check with the Israel, they have a system that works.
this shouldn't even be a question for the american people to ponder.
what don't you understand?.. american people should NEVER be a target for a drone strike on their home soil, that's just insane! and it's sad that there's even a debate about it.What kind of world is it when people have to wonder about being attacked by an unseen,unheard machine,being controlled by someone who could very well be your neighbor. This isn't the america i grew up in.
And allowing hundreds or thousands of innocents to be killed if the trade off is, say, a dozen or so innocents in a drone strike?
To me, that isn't even a difficult dilemma.
Like extreme positions, they can only be maintained by not examining the facts and available options.
Like the prohibition against torture. If torture were the last resort in discovering facts to stop a nuclear weapon from being used on an American city, would the government who proclaims it's against torture use it in such an extreme circumstance? Of course they would, and few would blame them. Ya do what ya gotta do.
Or... The greatest good for the greatest number.
Or the greatest good for the best moneyed?
Will this only stand for 'other' people, but not for you and yours?
Well, I don't think anyone would be happy if something bad happened to their own loved ones.
I'm sorry, but they're not MY missiles!
What are we going to do with our deeply well trained war gamers, but give them the tools for 'real' death?
A grandson of ours, plays lot of war and death games, since highschool. He recently got a security job where he gets to carry a 'GUN'. Our family knows him as the kid that threatened to kill himself just a few years go, just to get back at his father for taking his guns away! He is a gunho, 'kill the rag heads', bigot, and now he has another gun with a badge to hide behind..
@ BlackGravity,
This isn't the America i grew up in.
Nor I. And that was the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis when we actually came very close to a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union.
I simply cannot understand why anyone would trust the same people who said there were "Weapons of Mass Destruction" in Iraq, to weaponize drones in American skies. The fuckballs who run this country are the reason other people on this planet want to kill Americans. When American drones fire missiles into wedding processions killing men, women and children, it kinda of pisses off their relatives.
This country has been messing in the affairs of other nations for way too long. There are a lot of people in the world that don't like us for good reason.
I think it's time American starting behaving like a Big Brother instead of the world's Biggest Bully.
BTW. Your name is way kool, is it a play on Dark Matter?
The U.S. government was lied to by a formerly trustworthy informant about the WMD's. Add to that the fact the Saddam didn't exactly go far out of his way to dispel the idea and it was a train wreck all the way around.
I wonder what the larger group is, the group of people who hate us or the group who would give anything to be able to say "I'm an American."
Maybe you can find one of them to trade places with you!


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Not long ago, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a poker gathering at my house in Las Vegas. We convened not for the typical revelry of card-playing and socializing, but at the request of poker champion Vanessa Selbst, to take part in a coaching session she would lead as a preparatory Final Table simulation for eventual World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up Jesse Sylvia.
We had 10 brilliant poker minds in the room, and it was fascinating to take part in such a full spectrum of analysis and opinions, as we simulated and discussed the playing styles of the opponents Jesse would face. As hand after hand was played and analyzed, one thing became clear: Optimal critical thinking during the latter stages of a hand was going to be the difference between winning the $9 million first-place prize and making an early exit.
The difference between a good poker player and a superstar is the ability to think as clearly on the 10th decision as on the first decision. You often see players with less developed gumption using screwdrivers as hammers when the number of decisions piles up in a given hand.
Sylvia was clearly operating at the superstar level. In a hand where he held 4s 4c as the original raiser against a single opponent, the flop came Jd 8c 4d. The opponent, repping eventual world champion Greg Merson, check-called a flop bet half the size of the pot. This perfectly sized bet against one opponent gave "Merson" a chance to check-raise, as it indicated neither protection nor a bluff. The subsequent call was similarly proper and representative of Merson's trickiness, as it could mean a float, a trap, a draw or a piece.
The turn brought a 10h.
Oh no! A potential straight! But look more closely. The straight that hit would have been a gutshot spike. Far more likely that if "Merson" held a 9, it would be with a piece of the board as well, rather than with a Q or a 7. Lesser players in Sylvia's seat would typically do one of two things after the opponent checked: They either check as if there are monsters under the bed — a far too cautious move that would sacrifice value and allow multiple draws still in play a chance to spike — or they overprotect, betting pot-size or some such amount, which sacrifices potential value (but at least doesn't allow proper odds for a draw).
A superstar would bet just enough to give draws improper odds to continue, while saving enough chips for proper river value, in case the opponent does indeed opt to continue.
Sylvia bet a little less than two-thirds the pot, and his opponent called.
An 8s on the river paired the board and gave Sylvia a full house.
The pro representing Merson led out for 40 percent of the pot, a nicely sized bet that doubled as both a blocker bet and a feeler bet. After Sylvia raised, "Merson" folded and showed 9d 8d.
Had Sylvia overbet the turn, he would have lost the chance at getting more money out of his opponent on the river — if not with a lead-out bet, with a possible "crying call" by the opponent if he put Sylvia on a multi-barrel bluff, which Sylvia had shown he was capable of in the past.
By keeping a cool head, Sylvia maximized his profit potential. Yes, a diamond, a queen or a seven could have hit, but for Sylvia's opponent, the risk of chasing one of those cards was greater than the value.
Keep your cool and always prepare for your options on the following street, and you, too, can maximize your value like a superstar.
Alex Outhred has been a professional poker player and coach since 2006. He has made a World Poker Tour final table and cashed in multiple World Series of Poker events. An accomplished instructor, Outhred helped launch WPT Boot Camp, WSOP Academy and DeepStacks Live.


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If you require to use formal casual shoes for women, the rules are more cut and also dried out, no matter your gender: a service suit normally does the trick. Likewise, if you dont consult with customers as well as are lucky sufficient to have a job that allows you complete flexibility with your closet, women as well as males alike might have the ability to use jeans, Tee shirts and also sneakers everyday without stressing out regarding whether they look specialist adequate as well as will be taken seriously at the workplace.
But lots of industries require a type of dress thats more evasive and can be specifically puzzling for females to decipher: company casual. Not every person settles on what makes up casual shoes for women, so defining acceptable standards can lead to consternation. Different markets, organizations and also areas have disparate expectations. Whats even more, while males have a go-to business casual outfit- a grabbed or polo shirt and khakis (or perhaps jeans if you work in tech)- it isnt so straightforward for women.
To puncture the complication, national rules expert Diane Gottsman, writer of Modern Decorum for a Better Life and also owner of The Procedure College of Texas, lends her know-how to this issue. Below are some tips to aid women decipher the complicated distinctions between casual shoes for women attire and other specialist styles of clothing for job.
Service casual shoes for women Defined
As the modern-day office evolves as well as the tech market wields increasing impact, lots of females ask yourself whether organisation casual is simply an additional means of saying casual or clothed down. According to Gottsman, however, casual shoes for women is still thought about office professional – with the emphasis on specialist. To put it simply, you ought to think of clothing you would certainly put on when you fulfill your ideal client for lunch.
The casual shoes for women is not regarding your comfort, explains Gottsman. It is a toned-down variation of a much more formal match or dress. For females, it would certainly be wearing slacks, sports jacket as well as an outfit footwear versus a more formal fit (skirt as well as coat)- equivalent to mens sport coat and also dress shirt without a connection.
She adds that casual shoes for women does not include athletic shoe unless the task requires a comfy sneaker, nor does it consist of pants unless they are permitted as well as urged by the office plan.
The casual shoes for women Blunders
Several females err on the side of informality with casual shoes for women, when flipping the script would certainly offer them better. Gottsman thinks that getting also relaxed by wearing an attire that does not equate to the business society can leave females underdressed in expert situations.
Females (in addition to guys) might misunderstand the term casual shoes for women to suggest something you could wear grocery shopping on Saturday, Gottsman says.
Another typical misperception is that, if a market is recognized to have a more casual culture, its alright to wear service casual to a job meeting because sector. Technology business are infamous for their uniform of denims and also Tees, as well as some trading companies permit their execs to dress exceptionally casually. However in these situations, should ladies use company casual to task meetings?
Recognizing casual shoes for women Social Hints
Are specific markets a lot more amenable to casual shoes for women for ladies than others? Gottsman describes that it isnt always so black and also white; every culture is various. Financial institutions, law practice and bookkeeping firms are typically very conservative. However there are constantly exemptions to every rule and also its important to do your study, she says. While the interpretation of service casual shoes for women remains the same despite age, junior executives should adhere to the lead of their elderly execs when figuring out exactly how to dress at the workplace.
Gottsman also warns experts to understand the difference between designs as well as trends. Timeless garments- essential things such as a white cotton tee shirt, nice-fitting pants and an ageless sports jacket- will certainly last for several years. Fashion patterns come and go, she says. You likewise wish to put on accessories very carefully and also stay clear of anything that is as well limited, too short or as well revealing- to put it simply, too disruptive.


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** (out of four)
It's been nine years since the "Pitch Black" sequel "The Chronicles of Riddick," probably because that's how long it takes to recover from the sight of Vin Diesel holding a knife to Judi Dench's throat. Actually, my eyes could use more time to heal.
Alas, here comes "Riddick" to follow 2000's dull "Alien" rip-off and 2004's dull sci-fi/action epic that makes less sense as it goes. Surprise surprise, the third installment's a bore too, and Diesel's terrible performance goes without saying. This guy specializes in franchises that don't know what to call their sequels—the next "Fast and Furious" movie will probably be "The Team That Is Both Furious and Fast"—and when tasked with carrying "Riddick" alone, he delivers the charisma of a rock. Well, that's not true; on this underpopulated planet with a urine-colored sky, he's surrounded by rocks, and those do a better job of holding the screen.
It appears the civilization-controlling power Riddick possessed at the end of "Chronicles" lasted only a few days, as the ex-convict with built-in night vision must again defend himself from a variety of CGI monsters and two bickering human crews well aware of the hefty bounty on Riddick's bald head. Diesel says he leveraged his house to make the film, which is about as essential as a prequel about Riddick's college days. Safe to say he was a ruthless hazer, but always had your back in a bar fight.
This time, director/co-writer David Twohy adds welcome/unfunny comic relief, and "Battlestar Galactica" cult heroine Katee Sackhoff (as one of many in pursuit of Riddick) single-handedly increases the film's watchability and badass factor. Yet this monotonous search for an unlikable anti-hero amid giant, deadly insects made me long for the fun of "Starship Troopers," particularly during incessant voiceover in which Riddick says things like, "The whole damn planet wanted a piece of me."
Franchises don't work if the movie improves when the main character is offscreen.
Watch Matt on "You & Me This Morning," Friday at 6:55 a.m. on WCIU, the U
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If you expect Windows Vista's service packs to be as substantial as XP's were, then you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Speaking to a group of financial analysts earlier this week, Michael Sievert, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Windows Marketing, said that consumers should not expect service packs for the operating system to include several new features and updates. Why? Because Vista is "high quality right out of the gate," he said.
That's not to say service packs for the shiny new operating system won't be released—they will—but they will not be nearly as sizable as previous ones such as Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2. Windows XP Service Pack 2, for instance, added features to the operating system such as Internet Explorer's pop-up blocker, Bluetooth support, and the Windows Firewall. Sievert doesn't expect Vista's service packs to have those types of features mainly because most people should have already downloaded them through Windows Update. "They (service packs) have a different level of importance today as people get their updates in real-time using Windows Update," said Sievert.
Sievert also cited new development tools and processes that Microsoft used to create Vista as other reasons for the lack of a "killer" service pack. One process that Microsoft heavily relied on was the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL), which has led some to say that this is the reason behind Vista's "most secure operating system ever" branding. The process consists of developer training, the use of tools to discover vulnerabilities and code flaws, attack surface and inter-procedural analysis, threat modeling, and external code review with outside companies. Because Vista has been put through this entire cycle, people within Microsoft argue that it is without question the most secure operating system on the market.
What Sievert says about the lack of a big service pack makes sense, especially since most updates can be obtained online. However, if Microsoft feels that a "big bang" service pack would give Vista an extra push in sales, there's a chance we still might see one. Even if a service pack is released without any nifty features, as long as the patches are included, many new customers will find it much more practical than waiting for Windows Update to push down the updates.


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SH73 Highlights - Castle HIll, Arthurs Pass hiking and Otira lookout
Highlights on the road to Arthur's Pass - Walking in Castle HIll, Arthurs Pass hiking and the Otira lookout
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The trip from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass takes in the best of the Canterbury high country - Castle Hill, Arthur's Pass Hiking and the Great Alpine Highway. This part of the country is one that I know really well and have spent many happy days here with guests on our New Zealand hiking tours. The Canterbury High Country is a truly stunning part of the country any time of the year and the perfect place to start your New Zealand trail. Departing from Christchurch the amazing high country is only an hour away and that's where we'll head today.
The road from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass is one of New Zealand's great roads, there are so many highlights on the journey but we would like to focus on three of our favourites - the Bealey valley, Castle Hill and the Otira lookout.
Arthurs Pass Hiking - the Bealey Valley
The name 'Bealey' is synonomous with the Arthur's Pass region and comes from an early superintendent of Canterbury province, Samuel Bealey. In this area there is Mount Bealey, the Bealey Spur, the Bealey river, the Bealey hotel and even the original name for Arthur's Pass township was Bealey Flats. Somewhat confusingly, all of these places are in different locations, but just follow your guide and you'll end up at the right place! The Bealey valley is just five minutes pass Arthur's Pass village, accessed from a small carpark on the left hand side on the road to Greymouth. There are a lot of Arthurs Pass day walks but in all my years as a walking guide I've not seen another day walk that is so accessible and offers so much on a relatively short walk.
We start our hiking in beautiful lush native beech forest, real Lord of the RIngs country! As the altitude is much higher here (750m / 2500ft) than on other forest walks in our tour we are walking in mountain beech forest, with trees in exposed places stunted and contorted by the alpine elements. You can feel the natural energy in this real world of green so soak it in and start to unwind.
As we cross the Bealey river bridge, stop and marvel at the crystal clear mountain waters cascading through the mini-gorge below - quite a sight when the river is in flood too. After a short climb from the bridge we find an alpine wetland, a natural clearing in the forest with a thick peat soil, take a close look and sometimes we'll see Kiwi footprints - there is a mating pair of Kiwi living in the Bealey Valley permanently and the local conservation volunteers are regular visitors. From the clearing we'll also get our first view of the permanent glaciers of Mount Rolleston, the highest mountain in Arthur's Pass National Park at 2300m (7500ft). Once through the wetland we're back in the forest for our gentle hike along the trail to our lunchspot, take in the mountain views enjoying a hot cuppa served by your guide.
After our break we'll continue on up the trail for the real variety, after only 20 minutes or so we'll leave the forest and enter the sub alpine zone, a stark contrast in views and environment, as we've left the lush green world of the beech forest and are now walking through the sub alpine flora like native daisies, buttercups (the Mount Cook Lily is actually a giant buttercup) and even the rare New Zealand edelweis. The mountains are all around and above us now, this is one of the beauties of this walk, we're in the heart of the Southern Alps but only a 2 hour drive and a little honest hiking from New Zealand's second largest city.
Depending on how much snow we've had through the winter, the Bealey glacier often extends right down the valley to where we're hiking and it's a real treat when we can actually walk up to the end of the glacier - not bad considering where we started the day. The top of the Bealey Valley looks very alpine, but in reality it's a short 2.5 hour hike with breaks from our trailhead - that's what makes this hikes one of my favourite in all New Zealand.
Bealey Valley Hiking highlights - Pristine mountain beech forest, crystal clear alpine stream, alpine wetland environment, alpine flowers, glacier views and even more at the right time of year. All this combined with real easy access from the main road and Christchurch make it one of the best New Zealand day hikes anywhere.
The spiritual centre of the universe' Castle Hill / Kura Tawhiti
A popular stop along the Great Alpine Highway and the perfect contrast to the lush beech forest of Arthur's Pass, this part of the Canterbury high country was once home to forest life too but over centuries the bush has been cleared by both Maori and European settlers. The huge limestone boulders provided shelter for Maori food gathering and greenstone parties and has the name Kura Tawhiti, which means 'the treasure from a distant land" in reference to the precious food source, the kumara (sweet potato) which was cultivated here. European history here goes back 150 years, as the first Canterbury settlers spread out from the plains into the high country in search of land to graze their stock and the history to neighbouring Castle Hill station is a whole encyclodedia in itself.
This is the back story to Castle Hill, but what will take your breath away is the awesome presence of the limestone rock formations - you'll see them from a long way away from the high points on the highway and they keep getting bigger and bigger the closer you get. There's an easy flat walking track up to the boulders, then follow your guide through the maze and in to the centre of the rocks and it's easy to imagine groups of early travellers resting under the rock overhangs and preparing food around cooking fires. There's an energy here that is almost tangible, this was recognized in 2002 by the Dalai Lama when he christened Castle Hill as a "Spiritual Centre of the Universe".
Otira Lookout
Ten minutes past Arthur's Pass village is the Otira viaduct lookout, perched on a edge of the bluff just on the Western side of the main divide. This is a compulsory stop on our tours for a number of reasons - The true pass is actually on the western side of the village, so a visit to Otira lookout takes us over the high point of the road and the main divide of the Southern Alps - one pretty impressive road especially when you take a look at the original route high to your right which was in use until relatively recently (1999). It's right about now we realize how tough the early settlers had it, they would make the ardous journey to the West Coast in all weather, perched high on their stagecoach and traversing the rocky road in a generation that didn't pay too much heed to health and safety.
The view from the viaduct itself is of a very impressive feat of engineering, the Otira viaduct, but another real drawcard here is that this is one of the best places anywhwere in New Zealand to see our unique and very cheeky alpine parrot, the kea (Nestor Notablis). The world's only alpine parrot and only found in New Zealand's Southern Alps, this 'clown of the mountains' will bring a smile to your face for sure. If you haven't seen any kea antics, do a quick YouTube search to be amazed. The Kea is highly intelligent and now very rare, with only around 5000 remaining in the wild and while you can never guarantee seeing wildlife anywhere, a visit and overnight stay in Arthur's Pass as part of our tour will give you the best chance to see Kea anywhere in NZ.
Other recommended stops on the Great Alpine Highway
There are so many amazing spots on the Great Highway but after years and literally hundreds of journeys on this road here are my favourites: Porters Pass, Cave Stream, Lake Pearson, Waimakariri Valley views.
These are the highlights of day one of our 13 or 11 day New Zealand Hiking Tour - a fully guided small group tour starting in Christchurch and finishing in either Queenstown or Christchurch. We have carefully planned this itinerary to include some of the best walks in New Zealand, iconic activities you'll never forget and accommodation offering all the comforts of home. Hiking highlights are day walks on the Milford, Routeburn and Hollyford Tracks plus in Mount Cook and Arthur's Pass National Parks. Your tour includes bucket list activities such as the TranzAlpine, Nile River glowworm caves, Fox Glacier hiking, Okarito Lagoon kayak, Lake Wanaka cruise, Queenstown winery walk, helicopter flight from Milford Sound to Martins Bay and Mt John observatory in Tekapo. There is no camping or staying in huts on this tour, accommodation is at a four star standard to ensure you ahve all the comforts of home. For more information please contact us now or download our New Zealand Trails Walking Tour 2013 2014 Season Brochure.
by Andrew Wells - New Zealand Trails
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World Heritage Walking Tour - New Zealand Trails
The World Heritage Walking Tour, perfect for your trip of a lifetime. The best walks in New Zealand, iconic outdoor activities, 4-star accommodation and delicious food and wine - in a friendly small group led by expert 'Kiwi' guides.