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SEC560: Network Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
Mon, July 6 - Sat, July 11, 2015
SEC560 is well worth the money. The course is a valuable investment.
Glad to see Powershell in SEC560. It's becoming a greater concern in our environment.
As a cyber security professional, you have a unique responsibility to find and understand your organization's vulnerabilities, and to work diligently to mitigate them before the bad guys pounce. Are you ready? SANS SEC560, our flagship course for penetration testing, fully arms you to address this duty head-on.
SEC560 is the must-have course for every well-rounded security professional.
This course starts with proper planning, scoping and recon, then dives deep into scanning, target exploitation, password attacks and wireless and web apps, with over 30 detailed hands-on labs throughout.
Learn the best ways to test your own systems before the bad guys attack.
Chock full of practical, real-world tips from some of the world's best penetration testers, SEC560 prepares you to perform detailed reconnaissance by examining a target's infrastructure and mining blogs, search engines, social networking sites and other Internet and intranet infrastructure. You will be equipped to scan target networks using best-of-breed tools. We will not just cover run-of-the-mill options and configurations, we will also go over the less-known but highly useful capabilities of the best pen test toolsets available today. After scanning, you will learn dozens of methods for exploiting target systems to gain access and measure real business risk, then examine post-exploitation, password attacks, wireless and web apps, pivoting through the target environment to model the attacks of real-world bad guys.
You will bring comprehensive penetration testing and ethical hacking know-how back to your organization.
After building your skills in challenging labs over five days, the course culminates with a full-day, real-world network penetration test scenario. You will conduct an end-to-end penetration test, applying the knowledge, tools and principles from throughout the course as you discover and exploit vulnerabilities in a realistic sample target organization.
You Will Learn:
- How to perform a detailed, end-to-end professional penetration test using the best methodologies in the industry
- Hands-on skills to use the most powerful ethical hacking tools, including Nmap, Nessus, Metasploit, John the Ripper, Rainbow Tables, web application attack tools and more
- How to utilize built-in operating system tools on Windows and Linux in a weaponized fashion so that you can pen test while living off the land, avoiding the risk of installing third-party tools
- How to provide true business value through in-depth technical excellence in network penetration testing and ethical hacking
- How to structure and conduct a network penetration testing project with maximum efficiency and appropriate safety
Course Syllabus
SEC560.1: Comprehensive Pen Test Planning, Scoping and Recon
Pieter Danhieux
Mon Jul 6th, 2015
In this section of the course, you will develop the skills needed to conduct a best-of-breed, high-value penetration test. We will go in-depth on how to build penetration testing infrastructure that includes all the hardware, software, network infrastructure and tools you will need to conduct great penetration tests, with specific low-cost recommendations for your arsenal. We will then cover formulating a pen test scope and rules of engagement that will set you up for success, including a role-play exercise. We also dig deep into the reconnaissance portion of a penetration test, covering the latest tools and techniques, including hands-on document metadata analysis to pull sensitive information about a target environment.
CPE/CMU Credits: 7
- The Mindset of the Professional Pen Tester
- Building a World-Class Pen Test Infrastructure
- Creating Effective Pen Test Scopes and Rules of Engagement
- Detailed Recon Using the Latest Tools
- Effective Pen Test Reporting to Maximize Impact
- Mining Search Engine Results
- Document Metadata Extraction and Analysis
SEC560.2: In-Depth Scanning
Pieter Danhieux
Tue Jul 7th, 2015
We next focus on the vital task of mapping the attack surface by creating a comprehensive inventory of machines, accounts and potential vulnerabilities. We will look at some of the most useful scanning tools freely available today and run them in numerous hands-on labs to help hammer home the most effective way to use each tool. We will also conduct a deep dive into some of the most useful tools available to pen testers today for formulating packets: Scapy and Netcat. We finish the day covering vital techniques for false-positive reduction so you can focus your findings on meaningful results and avoid the sting of a false positive. And we will examine the best ways to conduct your scans safely and efficiently.
CPE/CMU Credits: 6
- Tips for Awesome Scanning
- Tcpdump for the Pen Tester
- Nmap In-Depth: The Nmap Scripting Engine
- Version Scanning with Nmap and Amap
- Vulnerability Scanning with Nessus and Retina
- False-Positive Reduction
- Packet Manipulation with Scapy
- Enumerating Users
- Netcat for the Pen Tester
- Monitoring Services during a Scan
SEC560.3: Exploitation and Post-Exploitation
Pieter Danhieux
Wed Jul 8th, 2015
This section looks at the many kinds of exploits that penetration testers use to compromise target machines, including client-side exploits, service-side exploits and local privilege escalation. We will see how these exploits are packaged in frameworks like Metasploit and its mighty Meterpreter. You will learn in-depth how to leverage Metasploit and the Meterpreter to compromise target environments, search them for information to advance the penetration test and pivot to other systems, all with a focus on determining the true business risk of the target organization. We will also look at post-exploitation analysis of machines and pivoting to find new targets, finishing the section with a lively discussion of how to leverage the Windows shell to dominate target environments.
CPE/CMU Credits: 6
- Comprehensive Metasploit Coverage with Exploits/Stagers/Stages
- In-Depth Meterpreter Hands-On Labs
- Implementing Port Forwarding Relays for Merciless Pivots
- Bypassing the Shell vs. Terminal Dilemma
- Installing VNC/RDP/SSH with Only Shell Access
- Windows Command Line Kung Fu for Penetration Testers
SEC560.4: Password Attacks and Merciless Pivoting
Pieter Danhieux
Thu Jul 9th, 2015
This component of the course turns our attention to password attacks, analyzing password guessing, password cracking, and pass-the-hash techniques in depth. We will go over numerous tips based on real-world experience to help penetration testers and ethical hackers maximize the effectiveness of their password attacks. You will patch and custom-compile John the Ripper to optimize its performance in cracking passwords. You will look at the amazingly full-featured Cain tool, running it to crack sniffed Windows authentication messages. You will also perform multiple types of pivots to move laterally through our target lab environment, and pluck hashes and cleartext passwords from memory using the Mimikatz tool. We will see how Rainbow Tables really work to make password cracking much more efficient, all hands-on. And we will finish the day with an exciting discussion of powerful pass-the-hash attacks, leveraging Metasploit, the Meterpreter, and SAMBA client software.
CPE/CMU Credits: 6
- Password Attack Tips
- Account Lockout and Strategies for Avoiding It
- Automated Password Guessing with THC-Hydra
- Retrieving and Manipulating Hashes from Windows, Linux, and Other Systems
- Massive Pivoting through Target Environments
- Extracting Hashes and Passwords from Memory with Mimikatz
- Password Cracking with John the Ripper and Cain
- Using Rainbow Tables to Maximum Effectiveness
- Pass-the-Hash Attacks with Metasploit and More
SEC560.5: Wireless and Web Apps Penetration Testing
Pieter Danhieux
Fri Jul 10th, 2015
This in-depth section of the course focuses on helping you become a well-rounded penetration tester. Augmenting your network penetration testing abilities, we turn our attention to methods for finding and exploiting wireless weaknesses, including identifying misconfigured access points, cracking weak wireless protocols and exploiting wireless clients. We then turn our attention to web application pen testing, with detailed hands-on exercises that involve finding and exploiting cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (XSRF), command injection and SQL injection flaws in applications such as online banking, blog sites and more.
CPE/CMU Credits: 6
- Wireless Attacks
- Discovering Access
- Attacking Wireless Crypto Flaws
- Client-Side Wireless Attacks
- Finding and Exploiting Cross-Site Scripting
- Cross-Site Request Forgery
- SQL Injection
- Leveraging SQL Injection to Perform Command Injection
- Maximizing Effectiveness of Command Injection Testing
SEC560.6: Penetration Testing Workshop and Capture the Flag Event
Pieter Danhieux
Sat Jul 11th, 2015
This lively session represents the culmination of the network penetration testing and ethical hacking course, where you will apply all of the skills mastered in the course in a full-day, hands-on workshop. You will conduct an actual penetration test of a sample target environment. We will provide the scope and rules of engagement, and you will work with a team to achieve your goal of finding out whether the target organization's Personally Identifiable Information is at risk. As a final step to prepare you for conducting penetration tests, you will make recommendations about remediating the risks you identify.
CPE/CMU Credits: 6
- Applying Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking Practices End-to-End
- Scanning
- Exploitation
- Post-Exploitation
- Pivoting and Analyzing Results
Additional Information
Laptop Required
To get the most value out of this course, students are required to bring their own laptop so that they can connect directly to the workshop network we will create. It is the students' responsibility to make sure the system is properly configured with all drivers necessary to connect to an Ethernet network.
Some of the course exercises are based on Windows, while others focus on Linux. VMware Player or VMware Workstation is required for the class. If you plan to use a Macintosh, please make sure you bring VMware Fusion, along with a Windows guest virtual machine.
You are required to bring Windows 8 or 8.1 (Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate), Windows 7 (Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate), Windows Vista (Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate) or Windows 2008/2012 Server, either a real system or a virtual machine.
The course includes a VMware image file of a guest Linux system that is larger than 3 GB. Therefore, you need a file system with the ability to read and write files that are larger than 2 GB, such as NTFS on a Windows machine.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You will also be required to disable your anti-virus tools temporarily for some exercises, so make sure you have the anti-virus administrator permissions to do so. DO NOT plan on just killing your anti-virus service or processes, because most anti-virus tools still function, even when their associated services and processes have been terminated. For many enterprise-managed clients, disabling your anti-virus tool may require a different password than the Administrator account password. Please bring that administrator password for your anti-virus tool.
Enterprise VPN clients may interfere with the network configuration required to participate in the class. If your system has an enterprise VPN client installed, you may need to uninstall it for the exercises in class.
You will use VMware to run Windows and Linux operating systems simultaneously when performing exercises in class. You must have either the free VMware Player 6 or later or the commercial VMware Workstation 10 or later installed on your system prior to coming to class. You can download VMware Player for free here.
Alternatively, if you want a more flexible and configurable tool, you can download a free 30-day trial copy of VMware Workstation here. VMware will send you a time-limited license number for VMware Workstation if you register for the trial on their website. No license number is required for VMware Player.
We will give you a DVD full of attack tools to experiment with during the class and to take home for later analysis. We will also provide a Linux image with all of our tools pre-installed that runs within VMware Player or VMware Workstation.
You do not need to bring a Linux system if you plan to use our Linux image in VMware. However, you are required to bring VMware Workstation,VMware Player or VMware Fusion. The class does not support Virtual Box, VirtualPC, or other non-VMware virtualization products.
Mandatory Laptop Hardware Requirements
- x86-compatible or x64-compatible 2.0 GHz CPU minimum or higher
- DVD drive
- 4 GB RAM minimum with 8 GB or higher recommended
- Ethernet adapter (a wired connection is required in class; if your laptop supports only wireless, please make sure to bring a USB Ethernet adapter with you)
- 10 GB available hard-drive space
- Any Service Pack level is acceptable for Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows Vista
During the workshop, you will be connecting to one of the most hostile networks on Earth! Your laptop might be attacked. Do not have any sensitive data stored on the system. SANS is not responsible for your system if someone in the class attacks it in the workshop.
By bringing the right equipment and preparing in advance, you can maximize what you will see and learn, as well as have a lot of fun.
If you have additional questions about the laptop specifications, please contact email@example.com.
Who Should Attend
- Security personnel whose job involves assessing networks and systems to find and remediate vulnerabilities
- Penetration testers
- Ethical hackers
- Auditors who need to build deeper technical skills
- Red team members
- Blue team members
SANS Security 560 attendees are expected to have a working knowledge of TCP/IP, cryptographic concepts (including one-way hashing, symmetric key cryptography and public key cryptography), and the Windows and Linux command lines before they step into class. Although SANS Security 504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling is not a prerequisite for SEC560, that course covers the groundwork that all SEC560 attendees are expected to know. While SEC560 is technically in-depth, it is important to note that programming knowledge is NOT required for the course. For more information on the differences between SEC560 and SEC504, see the SEC560 and SEC504 FAQS.
Why Take This Course?
Why Choose Our Course?
This SANS course differs from other penetration testing and ethical hacking courses in several important ways:
- It offers in-depth technical excellence along with industry-leading methodologies to conduct high-value penetration tests.
- We get deep into the tools arsenal with numerous hands-on exercises that show subtle, less well-known and undocumented features that are useful for professional penetration testers and ethical hackers.
- It discusses how the tools interrelate with each other in an overall testing process. Rather than just throwing up a bunch of tools and playing with them, we analyze how to leverage information from one tool to get the most bang out of the next tool.
- We focus on the workflow of professional penetration testers and ethical hackers, proceeding step by step and discussing the most effective means for conducting projects.
- The sessions address common pitfalls that arise in penetration tests and ethical hacking projects, providing real-world strategies and tactics for avoiding these problems to maximize the quality of test results.
- We cover several time-saving tactics based on years of in-the-trenches experience of real penetration testers and ethical hacker - tasks that might take hours or days unless you know the little secrets we will cover that will let you surmount a problem in minutes.
- The course stresses the mindset of successful penetration testers and ethical hackers, which involves balancing the often contravening forces of thinking outside the box, methodically trouble-shooting, carefully weighing risks, following a time-tested process, painstakingly documenting results and creating a high-quality final report that achieves management and technical buy-in.
- We analyze how penetration testing and ethical hacking should fit into a comprehensive enterprise information security program.
Other Courses People Have Taken
What You Will Receive
- Access to the in-class Virtual Training Lab for over 30 in-depth labs
- A course DVD with numerous tools used for all in-house labs
- A virtual machine full of network penetration testing tools especially calibrated and tested to work with all our labs and optimized for use in your own penetration tests
- Access to recorded course audio to help hammer home important network penetration testing lessons
You Will Be Able To
- Develop tailored scoping and rules of engagement for penetration testing projects to ensure the work is focused, well defined and conducted in a safe manner
- Conduct detailed reconnaissance using document metadata, search engines and other publicly available information sources to build a technical and organizational understanding of the target environment
- Utilize the Nmap scanning tool to conduct comprehensive network sweeps, port scans, Operating System fingerprinting and version scanning to develop a map of target environments
- Choose and properly execute Nmap Scripting Engine scripts to extract detailed information from target systems
- Configure and launch the Nessus vulnerability scanner so that it discovers vulnerabilities through both authenticated and unauthenticated scans in a safe manner, and customize the output from such tools to represent the business risk to the organization
- Analyze the output of scanning tools to manually verify findings and perform false positive reduction using Netcat and the Scapy packet crafting tools
- Utilize the Windows and Linux command lines to plunder target systems for vital information that can further overall penetration test progress, establish pivots for deeper compromise and help determine business risks
- Configure the Metasploit exploitation tool to scan, exploit and then pivot through a target environment in-depth
- Conduct comprehensive password attacks against an environment, including automated password guessing (while avoiding account lockout), traditional password cracking, rainbow table password cracking and pass-the-hash attacks
- Utilize wireless attack tools for Wifi networks to discover access points and clients (actively and passively), crack WEP/WPA/WPA2 keys and exploit client machines included within a project's scope
- Launch web application vulnerability scanners such as ZAP and then manually exploit Cross-Site Request Forgery, Cross-Site Scripting, Command Injection and SQL injection attacks to determine the business risks faced by an organization
Hands-on Training
- Merciless pivoting through a target network
- Mighty Metasploit and its magnificent Meterpreter
- Document metadata analysis with ExifTool and Strings
- Nmap in-depth, including the Nmap Scripting Engine
- Operating System fingerprinting, version scanning and false-positive reduction
- Enumerating users and vulnerabilities
- Intense Scapy packet crafting for pen testers
- Windows command line kung fu
- Password cracking with Cain, John the Ripper and Rainbow Tables
- Pass-the-hash to make Windows wimper
- Metasploit psexec and Mimikatz to exploit and plunder Windows targets for the win
- Weaponizing the built-in Windows wmic and sc commands
- Automated password guessing to get a foot in the door
- Cracking wireless security protocols, including WPA
- Exploiting plentiful XSRF flaws in vulnerable web apps
- In-depth XSS attacks and command injection
- Leveraging web app SQL injection to extract data and gain shell on a target
- In addition to daily labs on all these techniques, experience an end-to-end, full-day penetration test lab that covers an integrated penetration test
Press & Reviews
"SANS is really the only information security training available and is therefore valuable on its own. The wide subject areas, relating to penetration testing, are what makes SEC560 particularly valuable." - Nicholas Capalbo, Federal Reserve of New York
"I think if you genuinely want to learn how exploitation techniques work and how to properly think like a hacker, it would be silly not to attend." - Mark Hamilton, McAfee
"SEC560 is getting better and better. You understand more as the day goes on. Most of these tools I will able to use in my organization." - Rayen Rai, Godo
"SEC560 helped to take the stew of ideas and techniques in my head and organize them in a 'professionally' usable way." - Richard Tafoya, Redflex Traffic Systems
"I had a great time. SEC560 has tons of useful material and techniques. As with all SANS training, I leave knowing that I can apply this as soon as I am back at work." - Benjamin Bagby, XE.Com
"This type of training is fantastic, all new penetration testers and personnel who interact with testers or set up assessments should take SEC560." - Christopher Duffy, Knowledge Consulting Group
"This will help me determine how safe my work environment is. SEC560 is very fun, I do not feel burnt out at the end of the day." - David Neilson, Western Family Foods
"This is one of the most complete technical courses I have ever taken. The Capture The Flag event really helped pull it all together." - Thomas Hart, Hart Consulting
"This training will have a direct impact on my current and future duties. Also having this resource as an outlet to understand new concepts/tools and better understand tools/concepts I was familiar with." - Marcus Knox, DST
Author Statement
Successful penetration testers do not just throw a bunch of hacks against an organization and regurgitate the output of their tools. Instead, they need to understand how these tools work in-depth and conduct their test in a careful, professional manner. This course explains the inner workings of numerous tools and their use in effective network penetration testing and ethical hacking projects. When teaching the class, I particularly enjoy the numerous hands-on exercises culminating with a final pen testing extravaganza lab.
- Ed Skoudis, SANS Pen Test Curriculum Lead and Faculty Fellow


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Bill to Include Gay Rights Movement Info in California Textbooks Clears Hurdle
The California Legislature could soon pass a bill that would require school textbooks and teachers to incorporate information on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans into their curriculum.
The Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education Act, or SB48, which mimics a bill previously vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, made it one step closer to becoming law Tuesday after being approved by the state's Senate Judiciary Committee.
The bill, introduced by state Sen. Mark Leno, could have a nationwide impact if passed because California is such a big buyer of textbooks that publishers often incorporate the state's standards into books distributed to other states.
Supporters say that's a good thing because it will help prevent gay students from being harassed or bullied by their classmates.
But critics say SB48 is just an attempt to brainwash students into becoming pro-gay political activists and ensure that government, not parents, has the final word on teaching kids about moral values.
"Most textbooks don't include any historical information about the LGBT movement, which has great significance to both California and U.S. history," Leno said in a statement. "Our collective silence on this issue perpetuates negative stereotypes of LGBT people and leads to increased bullying of young people."
Leno told FoxNews.com that California school districts that have included the historical contributions of LGBT people and the LGBT movement in their curriculum have seen reduced rates of bullying and violence among students.
He said the bill aspires to achieve the same results statewide by adding LGBT to the existing list of underrepresented cultural and ethnic groups, which are covered by current law related to inclusion in textbooks and other instructional materials in schools.
"Furthermore, SB 48 will reduce bullying by ensuring that discriminatory bias and negative stereotypes based on sexual orientation are prohibited in school activities, instruction and classroom materials," Carolyn Laub, executive director of Gay-Straight Alliance Network, which helped draft the bill, said in a statement.
Critics object to the bill on several accounts, saying it undermines parental authority, promotes gender confusion and experimentation, inappropriately classifies LGBT as a cultural ethnic group, and aims to brainwash children into adopting the LGBT community's political agenda.
"This is teaching children from kindergarten on up that the homosexual, bisexual, transsexual lifestyle is something to admire and consider for themselves," Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, a group advocating against the bill, told FoxNews.com.
Thomasson said teachers should teach about homosexuals' historical accomplishments but should not be forced to mention their sexual orientation.
"Teach them about the good behavior, the noble things that people have done, but you don't have to go into what they do sexually… True history focuses on the accomplishments of people; it doesn't talk about what they did in the bedroom."
Thomasson also complained that the bill does not allow for teachers to discuss the opposition to the LGBT movement or warn against "the negative consequences, that male homosexuality is the largest transmitter of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases."
"So this isn't even about history, this is about, 'Hey, join the movement now. We need more children to become soldiers in the fight against religious freedom, parental rights, marriage for a man and a woman, the boy scouts, you name it.'"
Jim Carroll, President of Equality California, which also helped draft the bill, denied that it aims to recruit students into the LGBT movement.
"And I don't believe that by teaching about the black panthers for instance, that any school teacher could be accused of recruiting for that radical organization," Carroll told FoxNews.com.
Carroll admitted that teachers would not be allowed to say things like "some believe homosexuality is an unhealthy lifestyle, the same way that you couldn't talk about the civil rights movement but then say something discriminatory about African Americans."
But he said that people's sexual orientation would be used only as a way of identifying them.
"It would be difficult to teach about the women's movement without mentioning that Susan B. Anthony was a woman, it would be difficult to teach about the black civil rights movement without talking about Martin Luther King Jr. being black, it would be impossible to talk about the LGBT movement without saying Harvey Milk was gay or Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin were lesbians," Carroll said. "… We're not asking people to talk about what they did in the bedroom, but their sexuality is relevant in terms of why you would discuss them in an educational environment."
Leno added that the State Department would work with local school districts and the public to determine what changes should be made "and then, only at the next printing of the textbook, will this change, along with probably many others, be incorporated into the textbook, so no additional cost to the state."
Opposing groups like SaveCalifornia.com and Concerned Parents United have launched letter-writing campaigns, asking critics to garner more opposition from their neighbors, religious leaders, local PTAs and lawmakers in hopes of persuading the governor and other lawmakers to oppose the bill.
Leno said the SB48 "will get to the floor of the Senate by late May; we hope that it will make its way to the assembly for similar review and to the governor's desk by late summer."

subset: commoncrawl


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Buvons En Coup Ensemble (BUCE) – Minervois & Corbieres
In 2011, I wrote about the Université de la Vigne et du Vin extensively on my vineyard's blog. It's a fantastic conference organized and operated by locals in Aude, and we're very lucky to have this kind of initiative homegrown in our own backyard.
While the Universite de la Vigne et du Vin tries to bring challenging speakers to the area to make presentations in a somewhat academic format, the organizers also host follow-up events in a more casual format called "Buvons un coup ensemble". Two events with the BUCE format are coming up this Friday, one for the Corbieres and one for the Minervois.
The theme is:
« Communiquer, vendre et réussir sur le Net
Concret, efficace et pas cher !!»
So, communication and online sales. I'll try to keep my opinions entertaining and short. And the other speaker noted in the invitations is Francois Druel
The date is Friday January 20, 2012
The time is 9h30-13h30 for Corbieres at the CIVL in Narbonne
The time is 18h00-20h30 for Minervois at the Château St Jacques d'Albas in Laure-Minervois
I'll be there with bells on. If you're reading this, then you're already involved with the Internet to some degree and I highly encourage you to come to one of these events.


text:
The final days of Seattle, not the world. Though, now that I ponder it what a convenient title considering the whole apocalypse n such. Speaking of which, I recently watched 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,' which I also found to be ironic in it's timing. Nothing earth shattering, but a good flick.
Sitting here now I am flooded with the gaping smallness of my life. I have big decisions in front of me. So many in fact, instead of being overwhelmed, as I was and have been the past few days, I am now (more or less) finding incurable amounts of humor in the whole lot of it. Because no matter how many big decisions, - i.e., apply to grad school - espesh with my current view of secular education? Move out of the country? Keep working 4 different jobs? Marriage/family now or wait till I'm 30 as planned? Start confronting all my life's hypocrisies at once (I think I told you how I've been realizing just how hypocritical I am. It's sickening)? Move to Kauai and do yoga and eat fruit all day? Anyway, despite all these biggies, I am painfully aware of just how much it doesn't matter! I'm fine. I'm going to be just fine. There is a current to my life and I can swim with it in my decisions or I can fight it, but either way, I'm going to be swept away. I'm not trying to get crazy 'deep.' I just mean to say there is a lot on the table right now, but I feel completely comfortable knowing that I don't know a damn thing. When things are 'in flow,' I'll know it. When they're not, I also feel it. Guilt and obligation have no place in major life decisions.
Soap box finished.
Back to Seattle.
I feel obligated to mention a major hilarity of the trip. * - I was SOOO excited about eating some fresh seafood. I even took notes from my well-traveled spin class as to which restaurants were best. Reality: Didn't eat a solitary piece of seafood the entire time I was there. In fact, we ate at the same two places nearly the entire trip.
A Thai restaurant with some of the most delicious Thai I've ever had, and....
My last day in Seattle we did do something I had been dreaming of for a long time. I wanted to get lost in the woods. I told Judy of my borderline worrisome obsession with the trees I imagined to meet there. I was not disappointed. The day I go to Sequoia National Park I promise I'll faint, or cry, or pee my pants.
We did a relatively short hike about 40 minutes from Judy's place and it rocked my world. Being in Seattle, this amazingly green, beautiful city, I did think on how lucky I am to live in SLC. While I am fine to move if an opportunity arises, I feel so much gratitude for the proximity to my mountains. I can drive about 5 minutes and be swept away in mountain heaven.
Question is....where to go next?


text:
North Yorkshire County Council
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- 01609 532190
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text:
I brought my bike to a stop and took a long pause, one foot on the pavement, the other still clipped into its pedal. I stared at the stop sign in front of me as though it might offer information. To the left: grass, oak trees, fields. To the right: more of the same. I listened for oncoming cars but the silence seemed bottomless—not even the sound of wind, just my own heaving breath and the battering calls of birds on power lines. Nothing looked familiar. I'd been riding for about two hours beneath a hot midday sun, fatigue had come on suddenly, the road I had turned onto had swerved in unexpected ways, and now I couldn't quite figure out where I was. I had two choices, left or right, and neither was more promising to me than the other. I told myself: Go with your gut. So I climbed back in the saddle and headed off to the right, pedaling with uncertainty. After a few hundred yards, the road veered again, and soon another road forked off in the opposite direction. This feels wrong, I thought. I turned back.
How I had found myself in this situation in Iowa—land of rectangular farms bounded by straight-arrow roads—was puzzling to me. It's true, I was a relative newcomer, but the routes I had been discovering since I began riding here followed the rules of basic geometry so obediently that I felt no need even to carry a map. This morning, I had left home planning to ride a recently discovered loop. I'd headed out of town on Prairie du Chien Road, up the big hill where subdivisions thinned into farmland. I had turned right at the top of the climb, by now nicely warmed up, and followed the steep drop at Tree Farm Road, chugging up the other side, then winding along flats past the old cemetery. Then I'd crossed the state highway and ridden through open farmland, speeding downhill past the tiny hamlet of Morse, then climbing gradually past a vista of newly planted fields. Finally, at the halfway point of my intended ride, the road turned to gravel. All I needed to do was to make one more right turn—8 miles of rolling hills—and then another right turn—8 miles of bland country road—and I'd be back home.
Instead, I peered off in the other direction, where a mileage sign promised a place called Cedar Bluff. I decided to improvise, imagining I would simply widen my loop, returning home on parallel roads, adding perhaps a dozen miles and 40 minutes to my ride. I was immediately grateful for my detour. The road was barren, and the landscape was lush, overgrown, and—unusual for Iowa—forested with looming old hardwoods surrounded by high prairie grasses. It was so enchanting that I failed to pay attention when the road began winding and the expected cutoffs failed to materialize.
I felt a creeping surge of embarrassed panic at the thought of being lost, and suddenly remembered countless road trips I'd been taken on as a child, sitting in the back of our enormous station wagon while my father, having taken one wrong turn that led to other wrong turns, pored over a road map, tracing lines with a ballpoint pen. Often enough, his frustration provoked him to scream at my mother, whose suggestions that we might stop at a gas station for help would be met with scorn. At that age I believed my father to be a great navigator, unlocking the secrets of maps and getting us to our destination by a circuitous network of less-traveled roads.
So much had changed since then. I had spoken to my father just the night before. He was 82. A few months earlier, he had collapsed in the elevator of his apartment building in Toronto. After he was taken to the hospital, his behavior became violently erratic. He lashed out at nurses, refused medical treatment, pulled out IV lines, repeatedly tried to flee during the night. He refused to understand where he was or why he was there. He had lived alone for 25 years since my mother had died, and for a while my sister and I took turns flying to Toronto to be with him. On my first visit, he cried when I entered the room. "You have to help me get out of here," he said. When I returned the next morning, he had no memory of having seen me.
I kept pedaling, without having any sure sense of where I was going. As I crossed a long bridge over the Cedar River, which was still shallow in early spring, it occurred to me that I had never seen my father on a bicycle, let alone gone for a ride with him. He wasn't an easy man. Some years before, when I was living in Montana and told him about my enthusiasm for mountain biking, he mentioned an expedition he had taken as a young soldier, riding through a desert in the Middle East on a heavy steel bike he had assembled for himself from scavenged parts. "You have it easy going uphill with all those gears," he said.
At the hospital, my father's doctors told me that he has Alzheimer's. I had known full well that his memory had grown spotty—not long before, he had been unable to find his car in a mall's parking lot, and routine chores like paying bills had become difficult—but he was often lucid, and he adamantly refused offers of help. Now he could not return home. He was heavily sedated, and after a long stint in the hospital he was moved to an assisted-living facility. To leave the place, residents had to punch a four-digit code into a keypad. There was no danger of his being able to remember it.
I stood at the stop sign and considered my options for a long few minutes. Finally, I turned left onto the unfamiliar road and told myself I would keep going until I knew where I was. Until that happened, I would relax, enjoy the day, the feeling of riding hard, of moving on my own power, deeper into my body and mind. I was not really lost. It only felt like it. I came to a crossroads and turned into the sun. My father is gone, I thought. The only way I would ever ride with him would be by straying onto some unknown road and thinking for both of us. I kept moving. The road ahead was rough and full of cracks. But I followed it without looking back, and it took me where I needed to go.


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A classic tee made from a super-soft modal blend featuring a casual fit and a ribbed rounded neck. The perfect base layer, making it a real wardrobe winner.• Super-soft quality• Regular fit• Short sleeves• Rounded neckIn a size S the chest width is 91 cm and the length is 57 cm. The model is 175 cm and is wearing a size S.
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Ok... I'm being a little silly.
I'm new, duh. What can I say :-)
I'm a dad with ADD trying to learn a new skill so I can be home with my family.
I'm hoping that learning Java will help make that possible.
So, there ya go. That's pretty much what I'm all about.


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Amazing Optical Illusions - Hardcover - Book
Product Information
|Optical Illusion
|9 1/3 in x 9 1/4 in x 1/3 in / 23.7 cm x 23.5 cm x 0.9
Product Description
Authors: Illusionworks & Al Seckel
30 fascinating optical illusions rendered in photography, artwork and computer graphics and explained in clear language for young readers. Hardcover
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On Monday April 12th joanie wrote,
Me and my cat looked at this book and cant beleive some of the illusions. Mr Moewington look at it for so long he couldnt look away so i had to smack him in the face and say bad kitty thats my book he hissed at me but its was worth it to get this book back from him!! I would recomend this book to anyone.


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Architecture: Please forgive the critic (but he just has to rap…)
A whole new architecture's taking over this world
Where no longer the football star gets the girl.
She goes for the DJ; she gives him his fix,
'Cause his ways rule the world in the age of remix.
We've remixed our music, our races, our bars
D.O.A. Detroit, we've hybridized our cars.
A sample of B, follows a sample of A.
They fell into a blender. Oh no, someone pushed puree!
So please forgive the critic
You know, he just can't stop.
'Cause in-between concrete and steel
He's seeing: hip hop!?
Even stiff designers
With a stick up their eyeglasses,
Stealing tricks off street M.C.'s.
Making stuff that passes.
Now in the land that boasts Jay-Z's
You've heard its tales, as she plays Keys.
A high-rise grew near Chelsea Piers
Despite a neighborhood of fears.
It samples lots and lots of planes
Expressing that in window panes.
Each is set at its own angle
Old tricks mixed into newfangled.
Walking by that thing does pop
The first high-rise that's true hip-hop.
In K.C., now the art is fine
Thanks to a new building's design.
A crib for Bach that could be lofty
Casual, due to Moshe Safdie.
Took a rhythm from the street
Pumped it into a stainless beat.
Waves of steel, skyward drawn
Go on and on and on, on and on.
They soften culture's us-and-them
Like Rhianna did for Eminem.
Puccini, Mozart, Petipa, Brahms
Sitting there with open arms.
There's more out there, you should see 'em.
In Colorado, a museum.
It's a trendy yeah, but makes you wobbly
Cause there's a teepee in the lobby.
To the white man's glass and steel
Utes mixed in an indigenous feel.
Stripped down pine and local stones
Thank you, Mr. Johnpaul Jones.
Haters rant it's just post-modern
But they can't see, they got a problem.
Cause on a multicultural planet
The Ute's big cone is true organic.
I know that all this "witticism"
Can't take the place of criticism.
But couldn't find a better way
To say this is a different day.
Forgive me if I cannot stop.
Has architecture gone hip-hop?
Follow me on Twitter at @dparchitecture and on Facebook at Denver Post Architecture.


text: Peanut History Kansas City's oldest bar and grill. Before Prohibition was repealed, in December of 1933, The Peanut existed as a speakeasy. Today's Peanut The Peanut serves the Kansas City community with the most delicious array of bar and grill food in the Metro area. We serve families, businessmen and women, people from all walks of life. We are a genuine neighborhood destination. A comfortable, friendly, affordable respite from the stresses of daily life. There are four Peanut locations to serve you. We hope to see you soon.


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BW-6 Ehlers Danlos Eds Awareness CVID Awareness Boxing Glove Keychain
Boxing Glove Key Chain / Keep Fighting Gift For Him or Her. This key chain style is a perfect gift for both Men & Women. The metal Boxing Glove charm is 25mm/1"inch with stainless steel hoop attach ring. Other charm included is the lovely enamel ribbon charm that you see in the picture. Your design will be gift boxed & ready to give if needed.
Designs for a Warrior ~ Made by a Warrior
I create each item with sincere care and love. I'm a multiple disease Princess Warrior since 2008 and it's my honor to create your design. I make sure to 'Pay it Forward' every chance I get.
FJJCreations donates a percentage of ALL sales to various organizations, fundraisers and events. I update this information online about every 2-3 months. It's pretty exciting to see all FJJCreations has been able to do from your amazing support. It's more than buying a piece of jewelry; you're helping to send Warrior Hugs around the world in Awareness & Support.


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Crepe Satin LatteCrêpe Satin - NT020EVM 001991
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Fabric Details
- Article
- NT020EVM - Crêpe Satin
- Color
- 001991 - Latte (White)
- Search Code
- Quality
- Crêpe Satin
- Type
- Plain
- Composition
- Dyeing Type
- Piece Dyed
- Height
- 138 cm (useful 135 cm)
- Weight
- 100 gr/mt
Buy online our clothing and fashion fabric 'Latte' White Silk Crêpe Satin, Made in Italy.
Our silk crepe back satin fabric has a beautiful hand and luxurious drape. Sophisticated, enveloping, fluid, sensual, crêpe satin is a very chic fabric. Either the matte or sheen face can be used to create garments that give a sensation of true well-being. The fabric structure lends itself to any cut or style. Suitable for lingerie, evening dresses, skirts, shirts or bridal gowns.
Latte White Silk Crêpe Satin Plain fabric for Ceremony dress, Dress, Party dress, Shirt, Skirt, Underwear.
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Imagine a country in which banks hold virtually no cash at all. A country where if you walk into a bank branch, the clerk wont be able to help you make a deposit. A country where theres a good chance that if you grabbed a wad of cash and walked into an electronics store or a major nightclub, they wouldnt be able to assist you in buying a new computer, nor get your drink on.
Welcome to Sweden, the land of virtual cashlessness! Although the Swedish Riksbank recently launched a full array of new and very colorful bills featuring celebrities such as famous children's book author Astrid Lindgren and film director Ingmar Bergman, cash usage in Sweden is in absolute freefall, down from SEK 100 billion in 2010 to SEK 70 billion in 2015. Several factors combined has led to this development.
- Since many years, most Swedes above age 16 use a VISA, Master or Maestro debit card to settle payments, even for smaller sums below $10.
- Sweden is, and has for many years been, in the forefront in both developing and adapting new IT technology and early became one of the most mobile phone dense countries in the world, with upwards of 60% of the Swedish population owning a mobile phone as early as 1999.
- The Swedes willingness to adapt new technology is evident from the proliferation of a transfer system called SWISH. The SWISH app enables any two parties holding a Swedish bank account and a Swedish phone number to transfer money to each other instantly, with no fees. Even merchants use SWISH to accept payments. There are homeless people selling newspapers accepting payment via SWISH. In Stockholm, these homeless sellers have even been accepting credit card payments since as early as 2013 using a smartphone extension known as iZettle, also invented in Stockholm Sweden.
- During the last few years, more than 70% of all bank branches in Sweden has gone cashless, meaning that if you walk into a bank branch in Sweden, theres about a 70% chance (or even higher) they wont accept any cash you try to deposit.
- There are virtually no payments being made by cheques anylonger in Sweden as banks stopped issuing cheque books years ago.
Tech loving Swedes
Some of the facts listed might sound unbelievable and even absurd for someone not living in Sweden: No cash in the bank? Homeless people accepting credit card payments?
Yes, the Swedes seem extremely willing to accept new cashless payment technologies, such as credit/debit cards as well as payment apps, and forgo old ones, such as cash and cheques. All with little or no suspicion towards these new electronic payment methods.
Other countries have tried the same. Singapore tried, or at least planned to try a new electronic cash system named SELT or Singapore Electronic Legal Tender. In an OECD report issued in 2002, the Board of Commissioners of Currency (which was the sole currency issuing agency preceding the merger with MAS in 2002) outlined the envisioned structure of the SELT system where the goal was said to be reducing physical cash usage and its handling costs.
As can be read from the 2002 OECD report, the SELT system was in a very early conceptual stage and only outlined in very broad strokes. Interesting to note is that as early as 1998 the BCCS held a strategic planning seminar in which it set as its corporate vision the introduction of SELT within 10 years.
The 2002 report further states that the SELT system was to be put in place in order to effectivize the cash currency system. The SELT system never came to fruition, and as is evident from the statistics displayed further down in this article, the amount of cash currency circulating in Singapore has increased immensely since 2002. As have the amount of cash ATM machines, where there were way less than 2000 units back then. The OECD report also mentions that although cash transaction costs in Singapore are extremely low, the cost to the economy was approximately SGD 656 million in 1998 and was projected to exceed SGD 1 billion by 2006.
The BCCS envisioning a system such as SELT 15 years ago shows they were ahead of their times and that Singapore government institutions are very early in trying to adopt new technologies and are eager to make their government institutions more effective to have a positive impact on the market economy of the nation. This goes in line with the Smart Nation Objectives that Singapore has outlined. In contrast to Sweden, the Singaporean approach have been to adapt new payment methods such as e.g. card payments, while still being extremely welcoming to older payment modes such as cash or even cheques. The very safe environment with extremely low violent crime rates makes Singapore a nation that lends itself well to cash payments.
However, as absurd as it might sound, the abolition of cash is slowly unfolding in many countries and Sweden is probably at the forefront of this trend. Although a majority of stores still accept payment in cash, there are an increasing number who don't. Swedish law doesn't require a merchant to accept payment in cash, which is a bit funny considering that cash is still legal tender in Sweden and legal tender normally means that what ever is legal tender should be good for the payment of all debts.
Now, if a merchant doesn't want to accept ready cash, so be it. What is more shocking is that, as was mentioned at the beginning of this article, about 70-80% of all Swedish bank branches have removed all cash handling. All within just a few years time. No, it's not a typo. Walk in to a random Swedish bank branch and try to deposit or withdraw a larger sum of cash and up to 80% of the time you'll get rejected with a polite "sorry, but this branch doesn't handle any cash". These branches only provide services such as financial advising, housing loans, credit cards services etc. Most of it meant to get money out of your pocket and into the pockets of the banks'. Bank staff is pushed by it's management to sell house loans, credit lines, speculative paper instruments, and more savings accounts. The aforementioned has been made evident in the extreme case of Wells Fargo's latest banking scandal involving the concept of cross selling accounts with the goal of every Wells Fargo customer holding a minimum of eight accounts with them. Why? Because, in the words of former Wells Fargo's Chairman John Stumpf : 'Eight is great!'.
All this means that if you open an account at a Swedish bank branch, you can only fund your account by either going to a branch that does handle cash or by transferring money to the new account from an already existing account.
During the last 5-10 years in Sweden, M0, which is an aggregate measuring the amount of physical cash in an economy, has collapsed from over SEK 100 billion down to about SEK 70 billion.


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Margaret Atwood of Canadian Sci-Fi author fame has created a little gadget to help her laziness and potentially piss off her fans and fellow authors. She has invented a robotic hand called the LongPen, it will help her do book signing tours by allowing everything to be done remotely. The LongPen will include a video screen so she can still communicate with her fans and she will also still do actual signing remotely and the robotic hand will emulate the strokes. Only a select few have seen the actual invention—pictured is just a robot hand stock photo—and she will do the first unveiling at the London Book Fair.
Invention Enables Signatures From Anywhere [The Raw Feed]


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Get the supplies needed to make this project with the ¾"x1 ½" Glass Tiles ¾"x1½" Glass Tiles and the Pink Silver Swirls Light Pink & Silver Crystal Swirls.
Pink Crystal Swirls NecklaceBy Ann Bernklau
Designer Tips: . If you want to make sure the alcohol ink doesn't accidentally get scratched off over time, apply an even layer of Crystal Lacquer over it and let dry completely. . Act quickly when dabbing the applicator onto the tile; if you keep dabbing too much, you lose the mottled effect. . The glass tile does have a front and a back side. The edges on the front are smoother, and the back surface is more flat.


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A sophisticated beach themed, aquatic vine print; rendered in turf green with accents of mimosa yellow and café au lait brown; on a custard yellow ground. Framed with an exquisite stylized shell border.
The duvet cover is printed on preshrunk, superior grade, soft cotton and is exquisitely finished with neatly interlocked seams and an eight buttoned - hidden closure fastened with coconut shell buttons.
Each piece is handcrafted using intricately hand carved wooden blocks and is an original work of art distinguished by the work of the artisan, the particular lot of dye, and even varying weather conditions. Tonal variations are inherent to the block printing process and enhance the individuality, character and uniqueness of each creation. [ less ]
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Vitor Meira had a pretty rough Indianapolis 500. His car went up in a fireball, and he returned on the lead lap only to get involved in the days most spectacular crash. Roll the videos!
Vitor Plays With Fire
During a pit stop towards the end of the race, Meira was given an ambiguous hand signal from one of the pit crew, which looked for all intents and purposes like a go, which he proceeded to do. Problem was the fuel probe was still attached and sprayed ethanol all over the car, resulting in an instant fireball. Unbelievably, after the safety and pit crews put the fire out, Meira returned to the race and managed to stay on the lead lap. Keep in mind, this is right at the end of the race, his cockpit is now full of water, and if any of the electronics get wet it could be lights out.
Vitor Meira and Raphael Matos Get Friendly
After Meira's incredibly ballsy return to the field, he and Raphael Matos got tangled up in turn one with only 27 laps remaining. Meira hit the wall hard and obliterated the front end, then through the magic of open-wheel contact, Meira ended up on his side, backwards, sliding down the retaining wall for about a quarter mile. Emergency workers gingerly removed him from the wreck and took him to the hospital on complaints of back pain. Turns out he broke two vertebra and will probably be out on rehab for the rest of the season.
He might not have taken home the Borg Warner trophy this year, but we feel he should be recognized for outstanding accomplishments in being a badass. Not too many drivers would have returned to the field after being on fire, and then to be involved in one of the most unique accidents we've ever seen only adds to the mystique.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Bill Friel, Indy500.com


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40 8.5 - 9
41 9.5 - 10
42 10 - 10.5
43 10.5 - 11
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VERY WIDE FOOT - Probably not suitable
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The works of award-winning Spanish designer, Jaime Hayon, blur the lines between art, decoration and design.
The skateboard culture and graffiti art he submerged himself in during his teen years is still prevalent in his work, which has ranged from designer toys, ceramics and furniture to interior design and installation.
Jaime Hayon's rug collection captures his creative energy and singular vision; each rug reflects his offbeat imagination and irreverence for conventional design.
"Life is inspiration. Art has always been really important to me. But I'm also curious about things that are a little bit strange." Jaime Hayon
Capitone is a handknotted deep piled rug which is masterfully hand carved into a 3D pattern. Jamie says: "Capitone is an attempt to translate a technique I love in furniture upholstery into a rug. It's an unusual yet simple concept that brings to the eye feelings of warmth and comfort."


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Nutrition Myths You Need to Stop Believing
Is butter a carb? Most people know that it's not, but many still think that carbs should be avoided at all costs. Pasta, pizza, macaroni and cheese - so many carbs! But that approach is actually really misguided. "Carbohydrates provide essential energy to fuel your brain and central nervous system," says registered dietitian Jillian Greaves. "They give you energy to move your body and also provide a wide variety of important nutrients." In fact, a slice of whole-wheat bread contains essential nutrients including fiber, selenium, manganese, and folate. Cutting out carbs can have consequences including low energy levels, sugar and carbohydrate cravings, and often an unhealthy relationship with food. "Instead of restricting or cutting out carbohydrates, I recommend including good quality carbohydrates on a consistent basis for stable blood sugar and energy levels - eat them as part of a well-balanced meal alongside protein and fat," Greaves says.istockphoto.com
Dairy causes inflammation
Many people choose to eliminate dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, from their diet due to a belief that dairy causes damaging inflammation. However, this may not be entirely accurate. "Research has shown that dairy, particularly fermented dairy like yogurt and kefir, may actually have anti-inflammatory properties," Greaves explains. "Dairy products can be a rich source of protein, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D." And you really do need vitamin D - here are some signs you might not be getting enough of it.istockphoto.com
Almond milk is healthier than cow's milk
There's been a long-running debate over which is a healthier choice: almond milk or cow's milk? Due to the fact that it often has fewer calories and omits dairy, many believe that almond milk is always the better option. However, that really depends on how you're defining "healthier." Registered dietitian Jillian Greaves points out that milk has a great deal of nutritional value that's missing from almond milk, such as protein and calcium. And, she says, "Most conventional almond milks are actually made with very few almonds and are often full of processed fillers and added sugars." Greaves recommends choosing good-quality dairy products if you enjoy them and are not lactose intolerant. Those with a milk allergy (yes, there's a difference between an allergy and an intolerance) should also avoid consuming it. But otherwise, Greaves says, there's no reason to avoid cow's milk if that's the taste you prefer.istockphoto.com
Gluten-free products are always healthier
For those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, eating products that contain gluten can be caustic or even deadly. So, as a result, people with these medical conditions have reason to avoid the plant protein. But others have no cause for fear when it comes to consuming gluten. "If you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten-free products are a great way for you to enjoy some typically gluten-containing foods (pizza, crackers, breads, pretzels)," says Greaves. "However, gluten-free products are often more processed, higher in sugar, and lower in fiber than their gluten-containing equivalents. Just because something says 'gluten-free' does not mean it is healthier."istockphoto.com
Sugar is toxic
Sugar seems scarier and scarier these days; some people go so far as to claim that sugar is toxic. But, registered dietitian Suzanne Dixon explains, "Sugar is not toxic. In fact, our bodies use sugar, in the form of blood glucose, to power nearly every activity going on in our cells." So then where did this myth come from? Not all sugars are necessarily the same. And added sugars can sometimes be found in greater quantities in processed foods. "If you eat a lot of ultra-processed foods where added sugar is high on the ingredient list, this can harm health," Dixon says. It takes an excess of these added sugars to cause harm. And even "added sugar isn't exactly toxic," she says. Rather, "your body will pay the price if you eat a lot of it on a regular basis." The key, she says, is to focus on eating a variety of foods, including those that contain naturally-occurring sugars: fruit, some vegetables, starchy potatoes and squash included. "These are the foods with sugar that also pack vitamins, minerals, and healthy phytonutrients. The low-carb craze has made many people shun all sugar, but that's a mistake." It may be a good idea to limit added sugar if excess consumption is a health concern, she says. "But the occasional indulgence of added sugar (cakes, cookies, a piece of pie)? That's something we can enjoy."istockphoto.com
If I keep trying new diets, I'll find one that's right for me
Many dieters find themselves attempting diet after diet, eventually failing every attempt. But you know what they say about trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Registered dietitian Adee Levinstein says it's time to stop the cycle. "Diets can be tempting to try, especially when they promise that 'with these simple steps, you can lose X amount of weight and be X times happier!'" she says. "Think keto, paleo, Whole30, etc.... While these diets may seem appealing, and tout some 'success' stories, anything that asks you to cut out multiple foods, especially whole food groups, is setting you up for failure (unless you have a food sensitivity or allergy). The more restrictive your intake, the more likely you are to encounter nutritional deficiencies and binge urges." Such urges tend to eventually win out, leaving the dieter feeling like he or she has failed. "Diets don't work because our body is designed to get the nutrients it needs. So, next time a diet fails, take a pause before rushing to the next one," Levinstein advises. "It's not you, it's the diet!"istockphoto.com
Detoxing is important
Many products and diet plans advertise their ability to "detox" your body from toxins. But doing a cleanse or trying to detox can actually be a really bad idea. "In reality, running the course of a cleanse can cause serious harm to the body, as it eliminates multiple macronutrients and deprives the body of the nutrients and energy it needs to run through its internal processes," says Levinstein. "Furthermore, the liver and kidneys are the body's built-in 'detoxers' that filter our blood and ensure the body retains what it needs and gets rid of the rest. Voila - free detox!"istockphoto.com
Sugar is as addictive as cocaine
It might feel like you're addicted to sugar - but the science on sugar addiction is pretty shaky. Though the studies advocating for the legitimacy of sugar addiction point to symptoms similar to those of drug addiction (cravings, withdrawal, tolerance and neurochemical response), other scientific reviews show that there is little evidence to support the concept. Addiction-like behaviors only tended to happen when there was limited or intermittent access to sugar; whereas other chemical addictions occur just as strongly when there is limitless access to the drug. By trying to limit or eliminate sugar consumption, you may be further enabling the symptoms of so-called "sugar addiction," rather than fighting them. Additionally, while you can cut out toxic and addictive substances such as alcohol or cocaine, you can't exactly cut out sugar risk-free. "Sugar, called glucose in its simplest form in the body, plays a crucial role in our body's functioning," Levinstein explains. "Everything in your body, from your muscles to your brain, depends on a supply of glucose to fuel activities of daily living and beyond. It's the body's main source of energy - so eliminating sugar can lead to decreased concentration, alertness, and performance."istockphoto.com
You should burn more calories than you consume
Calories in, calories out is a myth. And focusing on burning more calories than you consume with the goal of losing weight can be really harmful. "This is quite a detrimental myth," says Greaves, "and would likely leave someone not feeling very well!" Greaves explains that your body uses significant daily energy simply to support its daily functioning; things such as breathing, maintaining body temperature, circulation, and organ function all require calories at different rates each day. Limiting your calories can mess with your body's ability to support these processes. "Depriving your body of calories or trying to 'burn more than you consume' can be harmful both physically and mentally," she says. "Our society as a whole needs to stop viewing calories as something we need less of. Calories provide the body with the energy it needs to thrive!"istockphoto.com
Fresh produce is always better
In-season fruits and vegetables probably taste the best and can be better quality for cooking. "But don't dismiss frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables," says registered dietitian Isabel Maples. "They can be great nutrition choices, too." Frozen, canned, and dried produce is packed at peak freshness - and these options are convenient. "If your meal planning is sporadic, having frozen and canned vegetables and beans that are ready when you are helps put a nutritious meal on the table," Maples says, "often faster than take out or delivery." Maples recommends rinsing your canned items before using them, which can reduce the sodium content by up to 38 percent.istockphoto.com
Kosher salt/sea salt/Himalayan salt is better than regular salt
You might have noticed that there are many different types of salt at the grocery store. Some salts, such as Himalayan salt, can be more expensive than just regular table salt. But do these pricey salts make a difference? Maples says they might not be worth the hype. "Some claim that salts other than table salt contain more minerals, like magnesium. However, the amount of additional minerals is too small to make a difference," she says. "All these salts contain sodium, however - a mineral that Americans eat too much of. Populations that consume more sodium have higher blood pressures and prevalence of heart disease. In a practical sense, salt is salt - and all of it should be moderated for better health."istockphoto.com
Eating 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day speeds up your metabolism
There are some things you can do to speed up your metabolism - and there are things (many of which are out of your control) that slow it down. However, the frequency of your meals is not going to make much of a difference. Multiple studies have shown that frequent smaller meals do not result in a faster metabolism or weight loss. Weight science on the whole is probably a lot more complex than you think it is. If you're trying to lose weight, there are a number of reasons why you might not be seeing any success.
More From The Daily Meal:
50 Foods That Are Good for Your Heart
Diet Advice You Need to Forget When You Turn 50
Breakfast Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making
Ways You Didn't Know Your Body Changes After 50
This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Dairyistockphoto.com


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- Posts:
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Signature:If someone does the Fine, youre right, Im clearly a terrible person, Im Satan, Im the worst person alive, I should just die thing in response to criticism of their harmful behavior, they are trying to manipulate people and flip the situation around so that they look like a victim.
As a neuroscientist I have to disagree with the perception that anyone is doing mathematical modeling of cognitive intelligence, yet; intelligence as an economist defines it, yes, but economists are worlds away from actual cognition.
Although it is outside the purview of this organization to offer personal advice, we can say -- without assuming any liability -- that previous experience indicates (and recent market studies corroborate) that given the present condition of the marketplace, continuing with your present course of action is likely to result in substantial in


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Out of Alabama
And Into a New Life in Africa with the Baba Boys
by Tom Wofford, Wedding portrait by David Bley
There's a blur of activity that surrounds almost every wedding, but Ben and Rachael Stanton's January 7 nuptials took place amidst a particularly intense flurry. Ben didn't arrive in Birmingham until Christmas Eve, and there was a lot of thoughtful packing to do for a post-wedding trip that might last an entire decade (And, of course, there were the holidays).
After the wedding on a Columbiana hilltop, followed by a reception in a nearby barn (the bride's veil almost reached the top of her cowboy boots), the couple had time for only a couple of days of honeymoon in the North Carolina mountains, since they had a flight the morning of January 12 out of Birmingham.
It wasn't a direct flight, of course, but then again, to reach the newlywed's new home in the village of Soe (pronounced "Soh-Wee"), in the Bolgatanga District of the Upper East Region of the West Africa country of Ghana, one has to change not only planes, but also modes of transportation, hemispheres and a few basic ways of life.
"It's not easy getting used to having no hot water," said the former Rachael Eden, artist, interior designer and self-described "free spirit," as she packed her last bags to leave behind the apartment where she had lived alone on Southside, Alabama's most densely populated and amenity-filled neighborhood, in favor of a crowded house in the west African bush with no air conditioning or access to dairy products and where the water must be filtered.
And where her six new sons awaited her.
As the new Mrs. Stanton described it, however, one might think she were on her way to DisneyWorld (or at least Six Flags). "There's a good meat market," Rachael said with an effusiveness some women can only muster for a Macy's sale, "and access to good food. And the boys and the community are so awesome."
It would be fair to expect a bride of five days to see the world through rose-colored, heart-shaped glasses, but Rachael had visited Ghana already to experience the life her then-boyfriend was leading, and she was thrilled to be returning to this life as his wife. And as foster mother to the six orphans Ben had been inspired to raise.
"I went to Ghana for a month, in October and November," Rachael said, "and I knew pretty quickly that I wanted to help raise these boys." She arrived October 18, and on November 17 Ben and Rachael became engaged.
The engagement and marriage happened relatively quickly because the relationship had been simmering for a long time. The two met at Mosaic, a young church congregation that meets in Lakeview's Avon Theatre, only a week before Ben was to return to Ghana, and while they spent some time together, "nothing was really happening," Rachael said with a laugh. "I mean, he was going to Africa, so I didn't even flirt." (Mosaic is been one of Baba Boys' best supporters, both spiritually and financially. A benefit last June raised enough money to support Ben for a year.)
"I thought there was a little spark that week," Ben suggested, and Rachael agreed; the seeds of the relationship were planted.
Their relationship matured on Ben's visits back to Birmingham, and even while he was in Ghana, thanks to the miracles of 21st century media.
Early on they discovered a mutual literary and spiritual admiration. "I was in love with the fiction of C.S. Lewis," Rachael said, "and Ben was in love with his non-fiction, and we really bonded over sharing our feelings about this really inspiring work."
Ben has been involved in improving education in northeast Ghana for years. In 2009, he and fellow Mississippi native Ben McNeer co-founded the Desk Project, which is dedicated to providing basic educational needs in the Talensi District in the northeast corner of Ghana, a fifteen-hour bus ride from the coast and the capital, the more affluent areas of Ghana.
"When Ben first arrived in Ghana," McNeer says in a promotional video, "there would be no blackboard, just black paint on a wall. No desks, just children sitting on a concrete floor…The situation was much worse than we thought."
Although Ghana is not among Africa's poorest nations, the country remains a developing nation, and the Talensi District is in the heart of the poorest and least literate part of Ghana. While nationwide, 65 percent of adults can read, in the northeast area, that figure is closer to 10 percent. Pay is so bad that teachers have to work a second job to make ends meet, when teachers can be attracted to the area at all.
The Desk Project provides every basic possible so that the small amount of government money that reaches the district can be spent on teachers's salaries, housing and training, so that the children of the area can have a structured environment where they can focus and a place the parents are proud to send their children.
"Changing one school can change the lives of hundreds of children," Ben Stanton said. "If we can show them they are not alone," the YouTube video about the Desk Project explains, "If we can tell them they are not stuck in poverty then we can help the Talensi. One teacher, one school, one child, one desk at a time."
About the size of Alabama and Tennessee combined, Ghana is like most other former European possessions on the continent, with deep scars of colonial exploitation remaining.
The vast abundance of gold brought Europeans to area in the 15th century and eventually the name "the Gold Coast." The Portuguese arrived first, establishing a fort there in 1484, but the lucrative gold, ivory and pepper trade led almost every European power to attempt a foothold there, including the Dutch, the English, Swedes, Danes, Prussians and the Spanish, who built more than thirty forts and castles among them. By the late 1600s, however, human trafficking became the most lucrative trade in the area, as west Africa became the chief source of slaves sent to the Americas. The European powers fought with each other and with the native nation-states for control of the area for centuries, with Great Britain ultimately driving out its rivals during the 1800s, although the native Ashanti weren't completely subdued until 1900. Independence came in 1957 when the Gold Coast colony was combined with two other British possessions to form the Republic of Ghana.
The Talensi-Nabdam District, where Ben and Rachael will operate their ministry, has not enjoyed the rising standard of living taking place in many of Ghana's urban areas. The people there have a word for "poor," but not one for "rich" The people of this area are considered by their countryman as good for little more than migrant work.
About 25 percent of Ghana lives on less than $500 a year, a situation that describes about 80 percent of the Talensi-Nabdam District. Farming and herding are among the few ways to earn a living, but frequent droughts have decreased crop yields while the local population continues to increase. Most families barely grow enough food for to survive, much less have a surplus to sell to buy other things like health care, or schooling.
While the poverty rate is declining elsewhere in Ghana, in Talensi it is on the rise. Many people of the area are described by a phrase that has arisen in the past 20 years: "too poor to farm." A relatively affluent person in the area is described as "able to solve his problems."
There are thousands of orphans in the area, their parents the victims of malnutrition and no access to health care, as well as HIV rates that continue to increase.
"Education is the solution," Ben Stanton said with conviction, which means he and the other local volunteers have their work cut out for them. There are barely 100 schools in an area with 100,000 people. A typical school has 100 students, but only two trained teachers and a single volunteer.
There is little money for books or supplies. Not one of the schools even has a toilet. The teachers often speak a different language and come from a different culture. It's a hardship for most children to attend school, since most walk more than three miles to the school and also are needed at home to help earn the household's meager living. A lucky few children are sponsored to attend a boarding school, but for most, they will depend on Ben's group and its partners.
"We want to help them realize their potential," Ben said of the African community he now calls home.
For all his hard work over three years in Ghana, last year Ben made a much larger and personal commitment to the people of the Talensi District, when he became foster father to six boys, orphans aged 10-15, at the urging of the founder of Beacon House Ghana, an organization dedicated to child welfare that operates a refuge for orphans in the capital, Accra.
Ben nicknamed his foster sons the "Baba Boys," after the baba tree, a symbol of life and nourishment in Ghana. Although the species is known to grow 100 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter—and to live for literally thousands of years—the baba survives on the edge of the Sahara for nine months of the year with virtually no rain. Not only does the massive, water-filled trunk of the baba (often spelled "boaboa" and "baobab") serve as a well during the long dry season, the tree's fruit is highly nutritious, high in antioxidants and with three times the vitamin C of an orange and 50 percent more calcium than spinach.
Ben's hope is that his foster sons can become human symbols of the baba, young men who can become leaders who nourish their communities.
It's also a fitting coincidence that in dozens of languages from Africa to the Far East, "baba" means "father," including in the local FraFra tongue.
The backgrounds of the six Baba Boys are heart-rending, but their blooming as young men is equally inspiring.
The eldest of the Baba Boys, Bismark, lived with his sister after AIDS destroyed his family, and the youngest, Godwin, was at first taken in by an uncle, but neither family was able to support an additional family member for long. Twelve-year-old Joe lived with his grandmother, but, suffering from elephantiasis, her ability to care for him was limited, and they often went without anything to eat.
Through a sponsor, Bismark now attends boarding school when he is not at the Baba Boys House with Ben and Rachael. (It can cost as little as $42 a month to pay a child's tuition in Ghana, which sounds like a great Valentine's Day gift.) Godwin, the most affectionate of the boys, is also enrolled in school, but will soon need a new sponsor to pay the $500 annual tuition at his school. Beacon House is currently paying the schooling costs for Joe, who wants to become a lawyer, but he also needs a sponsor to cover his $500 tuition. Before the Baba Boys House, Joe, who Ben has described as the most expressive and persuasive of the boys, had to stay at the school during vacations and weekends because of his precarious home life.
While the father of Asadakwesi, 14, is still living, local cultural superstition drove the family out of their village, and has made it impossible for him to support his family. Before she died, Kwesi's mother was accused of being a witch, a stigma that spreads to the entire family and has made it impossible for Kwesi's father to find work.
Bens writes that Kwesi (also sometimes called "Asaada") is reserved and somewhat behind scholastically, but that he's a natural-born artist. For the moment, Asaada, a soccer fan, is in school, but he also will soon need a sponsor.
Kwesi's roommate is Atule, also 14, who Ben calls "the house pantomime," telling stories that begin "Please, Baba Ben," and end with knee-slapping, finger-snapping and a number of other gesticulations.
Incredibly bright, 12-year-old Wilfred is the smallest of the boys, the most scholastically advanced, and also the funniest and most diplomatic. Wilfred is living in a real home, rather than a group home, for the first time in years.
"Now I'm planted," Ben said, "here to help bring these young men to a place where they are bold enough to serve others."
"We're committed to raising Godwin until he's 18," Rachael said, "so we'll be in Ghana at least eight years.
"But I have a feeling we'll be there longer."
Tags: Africa, Alabama, B metro Magazine, Baba's Boys, Ben Stanton, Birmingham, Ghana, Rachael Stanton, The Desk Project


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If you caught Daniel Webster's series of videos and final review on the Samsung Galaxy S, you were treated with an abundance of detail about this new device. Sporting a 4″ Super AMOLED with a 1 GHz processor, the Galaxy is equipped to impress.
However, the Samsung Galaxy S is not alone in the 4″+ screen size market. I've decided to match the Samsung Galaxy S up against my beloved HTC EVO. The EVO has been my primary phone for a little over a month now, and I've been nothing but impressed. Over the next few videos, I will put the Galaxy side-by-side with the EVO and run a few comparison tests. How will the Galaxy's software stack up? Find out below in Part 1 of our software comparison.


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Summer is just around the corner and we continue to show you the island's best beaches so that you can plan the route for your holiday in Majorca. Today we will discuss Cala Estancia, which is located in the south, just 11 km from Palma, Majorca, very close to the residential and tourist area of Can Pastilla and therefore close to our new hotel in Majorca: the 4-star JS Palma Stay.
It is a spacious, fine-white-sand beach, which is 220 metres long and around 37 metres wide. This beach in Majorca has various access points, including access for tourists with disabilities and its occupancy rate tends to be high given that it is located in an urban area.
Cala Estancia has a high security level, hammock rental service, kiosks and spas, and tends to be awarded the Blue Flag year after year. Its conditions are ideal for bathing due to the calm waters, waves, light breezes and the mild incline of the beach itself.
The geographical coordinates are as follows: 02º42'48"E 39º32'09"N


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Jace Tavita scored 17 points and Vander Joaquim had 16 points and nine rebounds Thursday night as Hawaii defeated UC Santa Barbara 70-66.
Hauns Brereton added 14 points and Isaac Fotu contributed 12 points for the Rainbow Warriors (17-11, 10-6 Big West). Hawaii was 10 for 10 from the free-throw line in the final 1:03 to seal the win, with Joaquim making six of those foul shots.
Hawaii was 24 for 30 from the free-throw line in the game and UC Santa Barbara was 20 for 27. Neither team led by more than eight points and there were 11 lead changes.
Kyle Boswell scored 27 points for the Gauchos (8-19, 4-11), who have lost nine of their last 10 games. Alan Williams had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Michael Bryson scored 11 for UCSB.


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DVD 2 - Menu of Miracles by James Prince
Repeat Travellers – Three cards vanish from the deck and then appear inside the magician's pockets. Put back inside the deck, they instantly vanish again and re-appear back in the pockets. Direct, powerful, and a great opening routine.
Mirrors – James' unique finish to any card routine. Placing the deck into the spectator's hands, they solidify into five solid pieces of Mirror! An amazing hands-on routine that will get audible gasps!
Multiple Cards To Pockets – Up to six signed cards are lost in the deck and instantly vanish, appearing in every trouser and jacket possible including one in a sealed envelope!
Card Over/Under And In Matchbox – One of James' brilliant routines that will leave you table dumbfounded. A freely selected and signed card jumps under, over, and finally inside a matchbox that is in full view the entire time. Simple, direct, and fiendishly clever.
Choosing The Right Venue – James tells you how to select the best restaurants to work. Invaluable insights are given that are worth the DVD price alone!
Ring In Pepper-Pot Illusion – James' signature piece in which a borrowed ring vanishes and reappears inside a clear pepper-pot that is sitting on the table. Visual magic at it's best and a brilliant illusion. James teaches you how to make two versions in complete detail. Make this a feature of your show!
Impromtu Anniversary Waltz – James Prince's take on this classic trick, but with a difference. Use any deck and no gimmicked cards to leave a lasting impression on your audience. Simply brilliant!
Running Time Approximately 70min
Table Approach – Learn the correct way tot approach a table for the first time. What to do and more importantly, what NOT to do using James' tried and tested techniques.
Cups And Balls At Speed – Probably the fastest Cups and Balls Routine ever with a four phase multiple ending! The perfect lead in to the next routine that leaves you audience speechless!
The World's Easiest Bill In Kiwi – Probably the simples Bill in Kiwi ever! Easy and completely undetectable. This is a routine that they'll be talking about all night.
Kiwi Finiese – A great finish to Bill Kiwi where you hand out the kiwi to the spectator at the end to keep!
Shoot The Kiwi – The ultimate Bill in Kiwi where the spectator can cut, open and remove their bill! A brilliant gimmick that will allow you to perform a real miracle is described in complete detail. Simply superb!
Fees – A discussion about what to charge and how to get the best out of your chosen restaurants.
Blue Card – A fast and amazing signed card in wallet with a kicker ending that you will use.
Brain Freeze – The easy-to-do packet trick that James has been performing for over ten years! Multiple climaxes simply leaves the audiences in a state of complete Brain Freeze.
Signed Card Thru Window – James' classic version that takes the effect to a whole new level. A freely selected cards is signed and then corner given to the spectator with part of his signature still on it. The deck is then thrown at the restaurant window and instantly the signed card is seen stuck to the other side of the window, Spectator takes his corner piece outside and removes the card from the other side. The corner matches exactly with their signature! No confederates and simply genius thinking!


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Google+, the search giant's floundering social network, has had a tough few weeks. First, Google+ head Vic Gundotra stepped down, spawning intense speculation that Google's stab at a challenge to Facebook is doomed, or at least headed in a new direction.
Now, The Verge reports a step away from Google+ branding that may indeed be a sign Google is giving its social network the slow fade. Some developers adding a Google+ log-in option to their websites have begun seeing an option to add a "sign in with Google" button, rather than "sign in with Google+."
Google confirmed the shift, telling The Verge, "We are always testing things."
Google's social network is widely misunderstood and frequently described as an online "ghost town." While Google reported in October that Plus had grown to 300 million active users, independent measurements have often suggested that much of that activity is simply people using Google's other services, such as Gmail.
At present, when a user signs up for Google+, it becomes the central account for everything from Gmail to maps. The new change suggests Google is at least playing around with moving away from Google+ branding.


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A vast array of characters. Small platforms. Fighting. Yep, it's Smash Bros. Conan is back with another Clueless Gamer, asking this: "Why would we fight when we're in the middle of a Willy Wonka nightmare?"
Nintendo, do think about adding a bacon stage. A delicious bacon stage.
Clueless Gamer: Conan Reviews "Super Smash Bros." [Team Coco@YouTube]
To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.


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Cool demonstration of the tech in action, but damn woman, get back on the road! Brief clip, with the fun beginning at 30 seconds and ending pretty much instantaneously. Update.
Now, the driving may be terrible, but the video itself answers a question about the emulator regarding sound support. Short answer: It looks like it has it!
Update: As is painfully obvious in the demo (and noted below by beloved Gizmodo commenters), there's something wonky going with the touchscreen, which looks to be anything but sensitive.
Bad form.
However, as our tipster Travis points out, this "wonkiness" is most likely due to the nature of the emulated OS:
First off I'd like to point out that this is an emulation of the classic PalmOS running on top of the new WebOS. The classic palms uses a resistive touchscreen and as such would require a stylus with a much smaller point of accuracy. Now you're trying to replicate that on a capacitive touch screen. The emulator doesn't know that though and its still looking for that stylus tip.
You can actually see on the video one of the ways that Palm tried to work around this discrepancy. When she touches the screen there is an after effect of where she touched. If you watch again you'll see that she's just not touching in the right place. Instead of noticing where the emulator is registering her touch and re-adjusting appropriately she's just poking in the same spot over and over. The 'wonky' thing that's going on with the touchscreen is that you've got a capacitive touchscreen designed around finger based input trying to replicate the input in a way that the PalmOS software looking for a 'push' on a resistive touch screen from a stylus will recognise.
Good form. [MotionApps via Engadget]


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Call for Papers
Human-Building Interaction
A Special Issue of ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM TOCHI)
Deadline for Submissions: (be sure to see also our author's instructions)
- December 8, 2017: Informal submission of abstract to special issue editors at email@example.com.
Submission of an abstract is not required, but very strongly recommended for prospective special issue authors.
- January 12, 2018: Submit Full Manuscript at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tochi.
Information for Contributors
We seek original contributions for a new Special Issue of TOCHI on Human-Building Interaction.
Built environments increasingly incorporate interactivity and context-aware automation. Human-Building Interaction (HBI), as an emerging research field, seeks to develop an HCI lens to the vision of our interactive experiences with built environments.
A special issue of TOCHI on Human-Building Interaction invites research contributions that examine the engagement of HCI in the evolution of buildings and urban spaces.
In particular, we solicit articles that pursue the new coordinates that HCI should take into account when shifting attention and scale from "artefact" to "environment." For example, the investigations on the occupant comfort across multiple dimensions (e.g., thermal, visual, acoustic, respiratory), the discussions of the interplay between user agency and building automation, the reflections on the immersive and durable user experience design, and so forth.
We seek contributions that address these and similar topics that embody the complexity of human's individual and collective experiences with and within the built environment. The invited topics include technological innovations, ethnographic studies, as well as conceptual and framing contributions.
Between the lofty and mundane discourses of interactive architecture and connected products lies considerable space for grounded research and reflective discussion.
This special issue invites attempts to capture, share, and expand what is already known, what is contested, and what are opportunities for a common scientific grounding for prospective dialogues and discourses in the area of Human-Building Interaction. It will serve both as a unifying stage for the existing voices that are centrally and peripherally working on HBI, and a platform for the research area to move forward.
The HBI special issue is interested in questions including (but not limited to) the following:
- How can HBI designers reconcile the complexity of human decisions with the efficiency that the automation systems promise? What services do we expect the building to provide seamlessly, and where do we want to retain the manipulation control, and through what interaction modalities?
- What are the UX design challenges in creating buildings that can adapt to their occupants' contextualized needs and preferences?
- Surveillance is increasingly common to provide security. How does the need for surveillance interplay with the privacy concerns which are especially elevated in inhabited environments?
- What can we learn from the comfort literature in the scholarly domain of architecture, and how can an HCI perspective complement and (possibly) correct the current comfort discourses?
- In what ways can built environments support and take advantage of social and cultural diversity?
- Are architecture and interaction design methods and processes compatible? Concretely, how can a team of interaction designers bring their tools to an architectural project?
Please direct inquiries regarding the special issue to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Special Issue Editors:
- Hamed Alavi (University of Fribourg and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL))
- Elizabeth Churchill (Google, Mountain View)
- Mikael Wiberg (Umea University)
- Denis Lalanne (University of Fribourg)
- Peter Dalsgaard (Aarhus University)
- Ava Fatah gen Schieck (UCL, Bartlett School of Architecture)
- Yvonne Rodgers (University College London & TOCHI Editorial Board)
Schedule and Submission Details
Pre-Submission Abstract Due: Dec 8, 2017 (email to email@example.com).
Full Manuscript Submission deadline: Jan 12, 2018 (must submit to: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tochi).
The tentative reviewing timeline is as follows:
- Reviews Due: March 30, 2018
- First-round notifications to authors: April 15, 2018
- First-round revisions due: June 15, 2018
Papers that pass the first round of reviewing will enter revisions and a second round of consideration:
- Second-round reviews due: August 15, 2018
- Second-round (final) author notifications: Sept 1, 2018
- Final revisions Due: Oct 10, 2018
Special Issue Published: February 2019
All contributions will be rigorously peer reviewed to the usual exacting standards of TOCHI. Further information, including TOCHI submission procedures and advice on formatting and preparing manuscripts, can be found at: http://tochi.acm.org/authors/.
Manuscripts are submitted via the ACM online manuscript system at: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tochi.
Please note that TOCHI remains open to regular submissions, as well, throughout the special issue call.