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This is a guest-post by historian of Science Ted Davis, and is the twelfth installment in our "Evangelicals, Evolution, and Academics" series. Ted is the vice-president of the American Scientific Affiliation, and is consulting editor for both Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith and Science and Christian Belief.
For at least a century, evangelicals have typically rejected both evolution and higher biblical criticism. Sometimes there are good reasons: the claims of some biblical scholars are so outrageous, and the claims of some scientists so anti-religious, that a strongly negative response is entirely appropriate. Too often, however, the evangelical encounter with modern science conforms to what historian Mark Noll has called "the scandal of the evangelical mind"—namely, "that there is not much of an evangelical mind."
Fundamentalists and Evangelicals: Significant Differences
John Stackhouse has given an excellent definition of an evangelical. I especially like the breadth of his criteria for being an evangelical and his emphasis on ecumenical cooperation. Evangelicals and fundamentalists share many core beliefs, but differ from one another mainly in attitude, especially their overall attitude toward modernity, including science. George Marsden, the leading historian of fundamentalism, defines it as "militant anti-modernism," and both parts of that definition are crucial. Where fundamentalists have historically emphasized separation from the world and its "worldliness," evangelicals have typically been much more willing to engage the world on its own terms, and thus their understanding of the world is negotiated to a much greater extent than that of fundamentalists.
Evangelical Tension with Science
Nevertheless, evangelicals exhibit considerable tension and ambivalence when it comes to science, especially human evolution. On the one hand, evangelicals enthusiastically embrace the findings of science, when it comes to most applications in medicine and engineering. They also accept the experimental sciences, such as physics, chemistry, physiology, or thermodynamics. They have no problems with gravitation, the periodic table, the circulation of the blood, or the law of entropy. Here, their attitude is highly empirical: if it can be shown from repeatable experiments and observations, it's true and presents no challenge whatsoever to religious belief.
On the other hand, evangelicals are quite hesitant to accept some conclusions of the so-called historical sciences, such as geology, cosmology, and evolutionary biology. Fundamentalists reject the very legitimacy of those sciences, and have created their own alternative explanation, "creation science," which comports with their particular views of biblical authority and hermeneutics. Evangelicals are more ambivalent. Many evangelicals accept the big bang – indeed, quite a few evangelical leaders believe that aspects of the big bang theory strongly support belief in the divine creation of the universe. Many evangelicals also accept modern geology, with a 4.65 billion-year-old earth and the long history of living things before humans arrived on the planet. But evolution - understood here to mean the common descent of humans and other organisms - presents very serious problems for many, perhaps most, evangelicals.
Evangelicals and Evolution: Looking for Alternatives
This motivates many evangelicals to look for alternative views. Some embrace creation science. Others prefer one of the many varieties of "old earth creationism" or "progressive creationism." Probably a large number prefer the confident, sometimes even cocky tone of the "intelligent design" movement. Officially (at least), ID takes no stance on the age of the earth and universe, though most ID adherents have no quarrel with mainstream science on those issues. Technically ID has no stance on human evolution, either: as long as "design" can be shown within science itself, evolution is in theory acceptable to ID advocates. In practice, however, many ID leaders have said strongly negative things about both "evolution" (or "Darwinism") and "theistic evolution," leading most observers to conclude that ID is just another form of antievolutionism, albeit the most sophisticated form that has yet appeared. Many ID advocates view the hypothetical "just-so stories" of evolutionary biologists with scorn: they want to see convincing evidence that what might have happened actually did happen, before they embrace a fully evolutionary account of life's history.
Reconciling Evolution with Scripture
Most evangelicals do not see any viable way to combine human evolution with the following beliefs, which they base on their interpretation of the Bible:
- the uniqueness of humans, who alone bear the "image of God"
- the fall of Adam and Eve, the original parents of all humans, from a sinless state, by their own free choices to disobey God
- the responsibility of each person for their own actions and beliefs, within a universe that is not fully deterministic
- the redemption of individual persons by the atoning sacrifice of Christ.
Evangelicals cannot and must not be separated from their crucial beliefs about human dignity, freedom, responsibility, sin, and redemption. The 64-dollar question is: can they maintain those beliefs without simultaneously affirming the necessity of an historical, separately created first human pair?
Evangelical Theologians and Biblical Scholars: It is your move
Reconciling the theory of evolution with these core beliefs depends to a great extent on evangelical academics, particularly theologians and biblical scholars. Can they be persuaded that the scientific evidence for evolution is sufficiently strong to warrant a re-examination of the traditional view? Can a credible gospel and credible science be harmonized?
There exists an enormous gap between popular conceptions of science – conclusions, methods, and attitudes – and those of scientists themselves. This gap is not unique to science among practitioners of specialized knowledge, and it is not unique to evangelicals among the lay public. But it is real and very significant, and it affects theologians and biblical scholars no less than anyone else. Those who try to bridge this gap are mostly scientists (in their role as educators at colleges and universities and insofar as they write books for lay readers) and science journalists. Both of those professional communities tend to be skeptical if not hostile toward Christian beliefs, and this can exacerbate an already difficult state of affairs. If ways can be found to popularize good science, while showing appropriate sensitivity to the concerns of evangelicals, it would be a very good thing.
Signs of Hope
Certainly there are reasons to hope. The conversation about science and religion is considerably broader now than it was at the time of the Scopes trial in 1925. Back then, many Protestants faced a very grim choice. On the one hand, they could follow politician William Jennings Bryan and the fundamentalists, rejecting modern science in the name of biblical authority and orthodox beliefs. On the other hand, they could follow theologian Shailer Mathews and the modernists, rejecting biblical authority and orthodox beliefs in the name of modern science. There was no one out there like John Polkinghorne, a leading contemporary scientist who accepts evolution but also upholds the Nicene Creed (a pertinent example is his book, The Faith of a Physicist).
And Polkinghorne has plenty of company – Francis Collins, Joan Centrella, Owen Gingerich, Simon Conway Morris, William Phillips, and Ian Hutchinson (to name just a few) are all excellent scientists, and they all believe in the divinity of Jesus, the bodily resurrection, and the actual divine creation of the universe. But they are all scientists, not theologians (except for Polkinghorne, who is both). In Galileo's day, it was the scientists who eventually convinced the theologians and biblical scholars to accept Copernicus' theory of the earth's motion around the sun, but it took a long time. And the process was difficult and often painful. I suspect we are in for more of the same.


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Now that he's out of jail, Lil Wayne is ready to show his fans just how much he missed them while he was away.
The chart-topping rap star has just announced a Spring tour and he's going to be bringing a host of big-name guest stars out on the road with him, reports the New York Daily News.
The "6 Foot 7 Foot" rapper will begin a 25-city tour on March 18 in Buffalo, N.Y., and will travel to Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., among other stops.
U.S. & World
He'll be taking to the stage with Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Travis Barker and Mixmaster Mike.
Weezy will perform tunes from his most recent release, "I Am Not a Human Being," which hit the streets while he was still in jail last year for gun charges. He's also expected to debut new tunes from his forthcoming alubm, "Tha Carter IV."
Selected Reading: NY Daily News, Billboard, Zap2it

subset: commoncrawl


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New Mexico starts season on the road at national runner-up Texas
(Courtesy New Mexico Media Relations)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— University of New Mexico head baseball coach Ray Birmingham and his staff have announced the 2010 Lobo baseball schedule. The 2010 schedule will feature some of the best teams in college baseball including; national runner-up and Big-12 champion Texas, College World Series participant Arkansas, USC, Arizona, Texas Tech, Mountain West regular season champion and Super Regional Qualifier TCU and 2009 MWC Tournament champion Utah. The Lobos are currently scheduled to play 31 games in the friendly confines of Isotopes Park.
"We want to go to the mountain top," said Birmingham. "We are going to open up at Texas. This is a bold statement for our program. UNM baseball fears no one and we think we can beat anyone we face. There aren't any slouches on our schedule. There are tremendous teams on our schedule. We want to get to Omaha, we're not ever going to forget that we are going to get to Omaha and we are going to make ever effort to get there."
The Lobos start the season with a three-game set in Austin, Texas as they take on Big 12 champ Texas on Feb. 19-20. The Longhorns were the No. 1 seed in Omaha last June and lost to national champion LSU, 10-4, in game three of the College World Series Finals.
New Mexico will stay in the Lone Star State for a single game with Texas Tech on Feb. 23. Tech finished seventh in the Big 12 last season and went 25-32. The Lobos were 2-2 against Tech a season ago.
The first home stand of the season will be Feb. 26-28 as the Lobos welcome Northern Colorado to Isotopes Park for a four-game set. New Mexico went a perfect 4-0 against Northern Colorado last season and out-scored the Bears, 56-17.
The Lobos will head south to take on in state rivals New Mexico State March 2-3. New Mexico split the '09 season series with the Aggies 1-1 despite outscoring NMSU 12-6.
A trip to sunny California to play the USC Trojans is the next stop for the Lobos on March 5-7. The Trojans finished the season 28-28 last season and seventh in the Pac-10 Conference.
The Lobos return home for an eight-game home stand starting with NMSU March 9-10. New Mexico will then host a four-game set with Louisiana Tech on March 12-14. Tech finished 29-22 on the season and finished second in the Western Athletic Conference narrowly missing out on a NCAA Regional berth.
MWC play begins on March 19-21 with Utah at home. The Utes were one of three MWC representatives in the NCAA Regionals last season. Despite finishing next to last in MWC regular season play, the Utes won the MWC tournament and earned the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals. New Mexico swept Utah on the road in three consecutive 10-inning games last season.
A two-week road trip starts in Tucson, Ariz. as the Lobos take on the Arizona Wildcats March 23-24. The Wildcats finished the season 30-25 and fifth in the Pac-10 conference.
On March 26-28, the Lobos will take on NCAA Regional qualifier San Diego State. The Aztecs finished 41-23 last season and fourth in the MWC. The Lobos edged the Aztecs 2-1 in the regular season series at Isotopes Park, but fell 2-1 in the second round of the MWC Tournament.
The Lobos then face UNLV, April 1-3, in Las Vegas, Nev. UNM lost two of three games against the Rebels last season. UNLV finished fifth in the MWC with a 26-32 record.
New Mexico will face BYU at home on April 8-10. The Lobos were 3-2 against the Cougars last season. BYU finished behind the Lobos in third place in MWC regular season play, but ousted UNM 5-1 in the MWC tournament.
The Lobos will visit College World Series competitor Arkansas April 13-14. The Razorbacks made it to the national semifinals before being defeated by eventual champion LSU. Arkansas finished the season 41-24 on the season and fourth in the Western Division of the SEC.
The Lobos return home for a five-game home stand against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe Coppin State, April 16-18, and West Coast Conference competitor San Francisco on April 20-21.
New Mexico will head north to Colorado Springs, Colo. to take on the Air Force Falcons April 23-25. The Lobos swept the Falcons 3-0 last season and outscored them 35-10. Air Force finished last in the MWC regular season standings.
A 10-game home stand will start with a second meeting against Texas Tech on April 27. On April 30–May 2 the Lobos will face San Diego State for the second time in the season. On May 7-9, the Lobos face 2009 MWC regular season champion TCU. The Horned Frogs were one step away from the College World Series last season and finished the season 40-18.
New Mexico will welcome Delaware State for a three-game set, May 14-16.
The regular season will conclude at Utah May 20-22. The MWC Tournament is scheduled for May 25-29 in San Diego, Calif.


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In my past posts I talked about the different FENG SHUI TIPS FOR THE WORKPLACE (1 and 2), and about the different FENG SHUI TIPS FOR THE WORKING PERSON. Today, allow me to share how one can improve their Work or Career Feng Shui by using symbols use in Buddhism.
I personally use some of the things that I'm going to suggest here and I found them to be truly powerful that enables me to accomplish the things that I need to accomplish even those that I think are unachievable Furthermore, it helps maintain my 'sanity' and not give into pressure.
One of the most common and very powerful Buddhist symbols that I always use for my work is the Victory Banner. I've discussed about the Victory Banner before and I will not discuss about it here. If you want to know more about the Victory Banner please read the following posts – FENG SHUI TIPS FOR THE WORK PLACE (2) and THE VICTORY BANNER: A POWERFUL FENG SHUI TOOL FOR CAREER SUCCESS.
The other Buddhist tools that you can use to help you with your work are by tapping into the power of Mantras! I've wrote about mantras entitled – MANTRA: THE POWER TO TAP THE SYMBOLIC SOUND, SCRIPT, AND THOUGHT – please do read more about it for you to be able to understand more how they work. But also equally powerful with the mantras are the seed syllables.
Seed Syllables are basically shortened version of the mantras. However, they in itself are very powerful and create a different form or energy on its own. There are different kinds of seed syllables and I won't be able to share them all here. However, there are different seed syllables that are works well for the different field of work or work environment.
The one that I use a lot is the seed syllable HRIH. It's a wonderful amulet for those who are in marketing and public relations (like me); it's also very good for those who are in advertising, legal profession (lawyer, judge, police), sales, journalism. The seed syllable HRIH has the ability to ensure that it wearer will have the ability to overcome any hostile and emotionally stressful environment.
Another powerful seed syllable is BAM. It's a seed syllable that is good in protecting people who deal with nature or environment a lot. It has the power to block off negative energies brought about by the beings in the third dimension. It is also a powerful tool against unintentional evil eye brought about by envious and jealous people. Therefore it's a good charm for people who hold powerful position. It's also very good for those who's work involve the environment like – rigging, mining, quarrying, even construction, environmental scientist, agriculture, aquaculture, etc.
Next is HUM. HUM is one of the most common syllable, which can be found in a number of powerful mantras like OM MANI PADME HUM or OM PADMO UNSHNISHA VIMALE HUM PHAT or OM VAJRASATTVA HUM. HUM is a very powerful seed syllable of protection. People whose job involve a lot of traveling or involve some delicate situation will benefit from this seed syllable. If you're a pilot, a captain of a ship, a flight and ship steward, traveling sales agent, military, tour guide, you'll benefit a lot from this seed syllable.
Though not exactly a seed syllable but more of a mantra, I would like to include OM AH HUM here. The mantra OM AH HUM has the power to clear our your surroundings from negative chi, so if you work in a hospital, morgue, cemetery, it is advisable for you to wear the symbolic script of the mantra OM AH HUM.
You can buy it as a jewelry or you can simply print a copy, enclose it a case and carry it with you.


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LeBron James Will be a Cavalier Until at Least 2010Wednesday was signing day in the NBA, which means that many of the trades and contract deals that have been speculated about became official. The top story without question is that LeBron James signed a contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers for three years, with a player option for the fourth year. The deal that he signed as a rookie ends after the 2006-07 season, so James will be a Cavalier until at least 2010. The coverage of this story has been fascinating and amusing. When Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony immediately announced that they planned to re-sign with their teams but James was silent, speculation ran rampant about whether James planned to leave Cleveland early for greener pastures. Then, someone came out with the "scoop" that James would stay in Cleveland after all. Next, a "bombshell" dropped when word leaked out that James would not sign a five year extension but instead agree to a three year extension; supposedly, James' decision influenced Wade to make a similar move.
Some commentators are acting as if James and his agent discovered some secret loophole in the collective bargaining agreement but if they would have been more concerned about getting the story right as opposed to getting it "first," James' decision would not seem so mysterious. Tim Duncan signed the exact same kind of deal in 2000. There are two good reasons for not signing a five year deal: one, the player is not stuck with the team if the organization fails to make the right moves to contend for a championship; two, the player will have the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent when he will presumably be in the absolute prime of his career. Scottie Pippen opted for the security of a long term deal early in his career and spent many years resenting how underpaid he was when player salaries exploded but the Chicago Bulls refused to renogiate his deal. Michael Jordan was similarly underpaid but made up the difference with his tremendous endorsement deals. Both he and Pippen received large contracts at the end of their careers that at least somewhat compensated for the seasons in which they did not receive full market value, so in the end they obtained both security and a big payday.
What nobody is talking about is the one potential downside of James signing a three year deal: an injury or off-court problem that diminishes James' value. Everyone assumes that James will be getting a huge payday with his next deal in three or four years but in the meantime he is giving up the option to have two more years of guaranteed salary, which amounts to roughly $30 million. Remember Ralph Sampson? He won Rookie of the Year in 1984 and All-Star MVP in 1985. In 1986 he and fellow "Twin Tower" Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to the NBA Finals. At that point, Sampson certainly would have been considered worthy of a max deal if the current system had been in place then. In 1987 he suffered the first in a series of injuries that derailed his career. James won Rookie of the Year in 2004 and the All-Star MVP in 2006. He certainly seems destined to become one of the game's all-time greats and he has already banked tons of endorsement money--but the future is promised to no one, not even the self proclaimed "Chosen One." So, opting for a three year deal may turn out to be a good move, but--contrary to what you are reading and hearing--it is neither precedent setting, nor is it without risk.
posted by David Friedman @ 4:29 AM


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Type study: United Pixelworkers
Today's post was written by Jay Fanelli and Nathan Peretic of Full Stop, creators of United Pixelworkers, a t-shirt storefront for a fictitious union of web designers and developers.
When you look at United Pixelworkers, most of you probably think: that's a terrible site.
And yet, we think it's perfect for our users (or damn close). Notice we didn't say all users. You see, we knew two things before we moved a pixel on this project: One, our audience is comprised almost exclusively of web designers and developers using late-model computers with big screens, the latest browsers, and fast connections. Two, United Pixelworkers is a side project for us, a labor of love to which we can devote limited time. We knew our users and we knew our limitations. Each visual and functional decision we made had to be based on those factors.
Let's talk about some of those decisions.
Union made
With its cement-colored pixelbricks and distressed red and blue banners, United Pixelworkers' aesthetic is an homage to the "Made in the USA" gritty union heritage of Pittsburgh, our hometown. We needed a typeface that fit that visual vocabulary. Enter Hellenic Wide, a 19th-century western font experiencing a surge of popularity (to say the least). Super-extended with enormous slabs, Hellenic Wide is surprisingly suited to a staggering variety of styles, including: mid-century modern, concert posters, vintage letterhead, Seventies electronic components, its actual intended use as a western font, or, how we're using it, as an industrial workhorse.
The previous iteration of the site paired the quirkiness of Hellenic with the austerity of all-caps Futura Bold. This time, we redesigned our logo using a modified version of Hellenic's inline variant, flipping the script and making it the dominant font on the site. Typekit made that a convenient choice.
About those tassels
For years, HTML websites had little choice but to appear cold, sterile, and lifeless with their curt image swaps and abrupt color changes — particularly compared to decadent Flash sites of the time. Advances in CSS, however, have entrenched delight at the same foundational level as balance, proportion, color, and typography in standards-based web design.
Designing delightful interactions for an audience of designers is petrifying. We knew we needed to come up with something novel, over and above the experience of the first Pixelworkers site, and navigation is a convenient place to introduce novel interactions. We've all seen navigation that changes color, moves, fades, or grows, but we've never seen anything quite like our "tassels." Truth be told, they were an accidental discovery. A love child of the multi-colored inline logo and the repeated ribbon device used throughout the site, the tassels were too visually busy for use as a background for text, but when combined with a graceful color fade, were perfect as an added bit of navigational flair.
That fade-and-move interaction would have involved JavaScript only a few months ago. Now, transitioning any CSS property in Safari, Chrome, Opera, or Firefox is merely a few lines of CSS — except, unfortunately, for background images like we were using. The simple solution was to nest another element within each navigation item. As you hover, the inside element gradually appears, moving from zero to 100 percent opacity.
The flyout tassels were comparatively simple to implement. Each link receives a background image that is almost completely obscured by the elements it contains. On hover, the background image is translated left, again relying on CSS Transitions for the easing. That's it.
Here's the relevant CSS for the position change (the full source can be seen at this demo):
a { background:url("tassles-red-blue.png") no-repeat 20px top; -moz-transition-property: background-position; -moz-transition-duration: 0.5s; -webkit-transition-property: background-position; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.5s; transition-property: background-position; transition-duration: 0.5s; } a:hover { background-position: left top; }
And for the fade:
a .nav-background { background: url("ribbon-lined.png") no-repeat left top; } a .nav-background .background-hover { background: url("ribbon-lined-hover.png") no-repeat left top; opacity: 0; -moz-transition-property: opacity; -moz-transition-duration: 0.5s; -o-transition-property: opacity; -o-transition-duration: 0.5s; -webkit-transition-property: opacity; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.5s; transition-property: opacity; transition-duration: 0.5s; } a:hover .background-hover { opacity:1; }
Navigation that stays with you
The original United Pixelworkers site featured a lot of content on a long scrolling homepage. To assist the user in moving around, we included a simple fixed position menu that followed the user down the page. For the redesign, we wanted to retain a piece of that heritage. We devised a double-layer model, where a light grey content layer floats above a static dark grey navigation layer. The top layer scrolls independently, and the navigation dynamically updates depending on which part of the page is displayed. The jagged pixel edges add some textural interest and reference the blocky junctions dividing the page sections in our previous design.
Locking the navigation layer in place was easy, but dynamically updating the navigation involved more effort. In the end, we set a timer to check the page location every 100ms (based on John Resig's advice that attaching behavior to the window scroll event is a "very, very bad idea"). We then compare that to a few page zones automatically calculated based on the visible page sections. Once at least two-thirds of the viewable area is inside a zone, we update the navigation.
Finally, because the active state of the navigation is determined by your position on the page, clicking to view a new section updates the navigation automatically as the page scrolls.
It's worth pointing out here that fixed navigation is problematic on mobile devices and small windows. With that in mind, we feature test for fixed position support and reset the navigation position to static when appropriate. Similarly, an
@media query verifies that a minimum browser height is met before enabling the fixed position navigation. A little responsive web design goes a long way.
Standards-based design rightly advocates diligent effort toward accessibility, performance, usability, beauty, mobile-friendliness, and more — but each project also demands unequal emphasis on certain criteria, sometimes to the point of ignoring one or more facets. For United Pixelworkers, we needed to build a website that would capture the attention of jaded web designers without completely forsaking our client responsibilities. Our decisions, therefore, skewed dramatically in the direction of the new and shiny with little attention paid to the flexibility or portability of the experience, or browsers well past their expiration dates.
Thanks for reading. Now go buy some t-shirts.
Jay Fanelli and Nathan Peretic are the co-founders of Full Stop, a web design and development shop in the City of Champions: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They blog at http://www.fullstopinteractive.com/blog.
2 Responses
Great article, thanks for the detailed process information!
Yeah, this is great stuff. I love good use of small patterns in design and the tassels were a nice touch. Thanks for the information, Typekit and Full Stop!
Comments are closed.


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Gurgaon the 'Millennium City', always in the limelight, has a new destination the Golf Course Extension Road. It is a relatively new locality, with improving infrastructure and a demand for premier lifestyle housing segments, the realty scenario on this stretch has changed significantly. Developers are now developing golf-themed apartments and villas, specially designed for the trendy, modern end users. It has seen a sudden boom, and whether you are an investor or an end user this is a location on the buyer's list. Top realty players like DLF, Tata Housing, Emaar, have launched several premium projects here.
Why Golf Course Extension Road?
Connectivity to IGI airport and other areas of the NCR region is a big plus, and the improving infrastructure has further fueled developments along this stretch. The commissioning of world class projects like Delhi- Mumbai Industrial Corridor [DMIC] will also boost the prospects of this area. Golf Course Ext. is the latest hot-spot of luxurious housing projects in Gurgaon. This area has carved a niche for itself, as it is well connected. It is 30mins from the International airport IGI and has easy accessibility to NH-8 and South Delhi via the Gurgaon- Faridabad Expressway. [Read more…]


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I have a Mac. I'm in college studying physics.
Because of this, I would need to compile a lot of C++ libraries (think
gsl, ...). I usually need to patch some Makefiles, compile from source, look for dependencies and other annoying problems, because it seems that Mac OS X, though Unix, has some differences with the default Linux systems.
Therefore I was thinking about doing the old switcheroo to a Linux OS (probably Debian).
Q: Would this be a good step towards solving all the compatibility issues described above? (I hear from friends running Linux they have issues too), or would it be trading one set of problems against another?
Is it worth it? Exchanging my 100% it-will-work-well (1) operating system with a more widely used system yet that would have some hardware problems (probably)?
After all a Mac is Unix too, so would the gain be profitable?
(1) with this I mean that Mac software is built to run under Mac hardware, whilst Linux software, though universal, isn't. Trying some stuff out in VirtualBox, I noticed the correct keymap for my keyboard isn't available on Ubuntu or Debian. I also notice (from these same friends of mine) that Linux tends to have driver problems etc.
Perhaps I shouldn't listen to these friends of mine.


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Democrats get help from Massachusetts Sen. Warren
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is quickly becoming a top Democratic fundraiser and campaign powerhouse, hitting the road on behalf of candidates in key races the party will need to win to retain control of the U.S. Senate in November.
Since March, the Massachusetts Democrat has stumped for candidates in Ohio, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Kentucky and has trips planned this week for West Virginia and Michigan. It's a hefty schedule for a freshman senator who not long ago was teaching law at Harvard.
Along the way, Warren has found her brand of economic populism resonating far from her home in the liberal enclave of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Part of Warren's economic pitch is legislation she sponsored that would let college graduates refinance their student loans at lower interest rates, an effort blocked by Senate Republicans.
Warren found a receptive crowd during a recent campaign stop at the University of Louisville with Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Kentucky secretary of state hoping to unseat Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
Warren said the Kentucky race is "about a man who stood up and filibustered the student loan bill."
"When you've got a choice between billionaires and students, Mitch McConnell says it is more important to protect the billionaires," Warren told the crowd. Senate Republicans blocked Warren's student bill last month on a 56-38 vote that fell short of the 60 needed to advance the proposal to a debate.
McConnell's campaign spokeswoman Allison Moore was quick to highlight Warren's awkward fit in coal country, noting that she supports the federal government's efforts to restrict carbon dioxide emissions, restrictions many in Kentucky oppose.
McConnell had criticized Warren's bill when it came up for a vote, saying it won't make college more affordable or reduce the amount of money students will have to borrow.
"The Senate Democrats' bill isn't really about students at all. It's really all about Senate Democrats," he said. "They want an issue to campaign on to save their own hides this November."
Cast by critics as a typical Northeast liberal, Warren, 65, grew up in Oklahoma in a family which she said lived on "the ragged edge of the middle class" — an experience that she said helped forge a lifelong interest in advocating for working families trying to get a fair deal in an economic and political system that Warren argues is rigged against them.
Warren found herself thrust into the national political spotlight during a grueling 2012 campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Scott Brown. It was the most expensive campaign in Massachusetts history with both candidates raking in tens of millions in donations.
Warren's profile has made her a go-to campaigner for Democratic Senate candidates, in part because as a newer arrival on the political stage she is free of some of the political albatrosses carried by other top Democrats like President Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
In March, Warren attended a fundraising reception and dinner in Cleveland for Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown. Days later she attended a student rally and fundraiser for Minnesota Sen. Al Franken in Minneapolis. Next were fundraisers in May for Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Washington Sen. Patty Murray.
Now, Warren is continuing her fundraising efforts, with a planned Monday event with West Virginia Democratic Senate hopeful Natalie Tennant. Tennant, West Virginia's secretary of state, is vying with U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito for the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller. Capito is favored and holds a hefty cash advantage.
Capito's campaign has also been quick to target Warren, calling her "one of the staunchest opponents of coal and West Virginia's way of life."
Warren has conceded that she and Tennant — who, like Grimes, has criticized Obama's plans to limit carbon emissions from the coal industry — don't agree on everything, but can come together on economic issues facing struggling families.
Later in the week, Warren is scheduled to attend a fundraiser with Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Gary Peters who is facing off against Republican Terri Lynn Land. Peters and Land are competing to replace Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, who's also retiring.
Warren has also sent out fundraising emails to her supporters on behalf of Democratic Senate candidates in Georgia (Michelle Nunn), South Dakota (Rick Weiland) and Iowa (Bruce Braley).
Warren's rising political star in the Democratic Party has garnered the attention of Hillary Clinton, in part because Warren has been seen by some as a possible alternative candidate for president in two years, even though Clinton has yet to announce and Warren has repeatedly said she's not interested in running in 2016.
Warren has been flexing her fundraising prowess in the party by using her political action committee — the PAC for a Level Playing Field. The leadership PAC has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars which she's used to support Democratic Senate candidates and party committees including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Julian Zelizer, a political history professor at Princeton University, said Warren is crafting a national political profile while also testing whether a populist economic message can win broad support across the party.
"Part of this is for her to build her stature, but she is also a believer," Zelizer said. "She could stumble but ... she's still new and she doesn't have the baggage of someone like a Hillary Clinton."


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Tour de France 2014 stage 20 was an individual time trial. It covers a hilly distance of 54 km. I say hilly because it only climbs up to 200 m, but on a time trial a bump can be significant. This is the only time trial in the entire Tour, usually there are several. This is also the last chance to secure a podium position for everyone except Vincenzo Nibali. He likely has first place all wrapped up—-as he goes into the time trial with a seven minute lead to the next closest racer.
So this stage was a battle between Jean-Christophe Péraud, Alejandro Valverde, and Thibault Pinot to see who places second and third in le Tour 2014. Unfortunately Valverde does not have a good race today and looks fatigued. A sunny day for today's race—after yesterdays torrential rain it makes for a great time trial. Racers averaging 49 kph. throughout the course. The fastest descent recorded on the previous mountain stages was 116 kph.
The crown very excited lining the roads as this will be the first Tour de France since 1997 that a French citizen will stand on the final podium. Peraud and Pinot will be second and third.
Tony Martin puts in the best time in todays race at 1:06;21. Nibali finished in fourth place in the time trial and secured his place the overall Tour winner.
Vincenzo Nibali ,29, also becomes only the sixth rider in history to win all three grand tours.
Tour de France 2014 Stage 20 Results:
1 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 1:06:21
2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano 0:01:39
3 Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura 0:01:47
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:58
5 Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura 0:02:02
6 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:02:08
7 Jean-Christophe Péraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:27
8 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling 0:02:36
9 Markel Irizar Arranburu (Spa) Trek Factory Racing 0:02:39
10 Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:02:58
General Classification after 20 stages:
1 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 86:37:52
2 Jean-Christophe Péraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:07:52
3 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:08:24
4 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:09:55
5 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:11:44
6 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:11:46
7 Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura 0:14:41
8 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing 0:18:12
9 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling 0:18:20
10 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling 0:21:24
I am a firefighter currently circumnavigating the globe by bike for cancer research. I have covered 12,000 km or 1/2 of the globe so far. My global ride site that maps me on Google Maps is www.firefightercycle.com . Read my blogs sign up on twitter @copsfire, or RSS feed here
Tour de France 2014 Race Synopsis: The first three Tour de France stages will be held in the U.K. ending in London Monday, July 7, 2014.
The Tour de France being the most prestigious bike race in the world, of course, will be host to the world's top cyclists. It will consist of 22 teams and 198 top cyclists crossing four countries (England, France, Belgium and Spain) covering 3,664 km, and will be watched by 3.5 billion fans.
Many of the participants are fresh out of the Giro d'Italia, won by Nairo Quniana of Colombia. Many riders also sat out the Giro, like Chris Froome, just to focus on the Tour de France.
Here are some of the top Tour de France cyclists. They all have impressive race biographies and have all placed in the top 10 in multiple races over the last few years. I have only listed a few of the most notable finishes in their race histories.
Richie Port is Chris Froome's wingman in Team Sky and Nairo Quintana, the 2014 Giro winner, will not race.
Defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome (Team Sky): Kenyan (born 20 May 1985)
Froome cashed out, after he crashed out in Stage 5. At the age of 12, his mother took him to his first organized bike race, where he met professional cyclist David Kinjah, who became Froome's mentor. They trained together, mountain biking in the rural highlands north of Nairobi. Chris Froome broke out in 2011.
- 2011 placed second in the Vuelta a Espana,
- 2012 second Tour de France, 3rd (bronze) in time trials Olympic games,
- 2013 first Tour of Oman, first in the Tour de France,
- 2014 he is still proving to be in top form by placing first again in the Tour of Oman.
Vincenzo Nibali (Astana): Italian (born 14 November 1984)
Vincenzo Nibali
In order to become a cyclist, he left his hometown, Messina, and moved to Tuscany at the age of 16. For 10 months of the year, he lived in the house of his ex-directeur sportif, Carlo Franceschi, in Mastromarco. This man can climb, sprint and leave other top chasers in the dust. Nibali is a favorite of mine to win this Tour if he stays healthy and avoids crashes.
- 2010 first Vuelta a Espana
- 2011 second Giro d'Italia
- 2013 first Giro d'Italia and second in the Vuelta a Espana
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank): Spanish (born 6 December 1982)
Alberto Contador is out of the race after crashing on stage 10 and fracturing his shin. Contador said he wasn't exactly sure what caused the crash — which happened while he was speeding downhill at over 70 kph about halfway through the stage. Contador is one of only five riders to have won all three Grand Tours of road cycling. The 32-year-old Swiss rider already holds the 2008 Olympic and four World time trial titles.
- 2007 first Tour de France
- 2008 first Giro d'Italia
- 2009 first Tour de France
Nairo Quintana (Movistar): Colombian born (born 4 February 1990). Since his win of the 2014 Giro d'Italia last month Movistar has decided to let Quintana rest and he is not going to race in Le Tour. But his background is interesting so I left it in.
Quintana comes from a very humble background and his parents raised him in what the newspaper El Espectador refers to as "precariously difficult economic conditions," but still saved up to buy Quintana a second-hand mountain bike to make the mountainous journey to school. His biggest strength (not surprisingly) is climbing; this combined with a very light physique is the formula of a champion.
This young man climbed mountains at high altitude his whole life. Growing up in rural Colombia, Quintana had no inspiration or knowledge of professional cycling. His parents sold fruit and vegetables at a market, and he would often sell the produce with his father door-to-door. "I didn't know Miguel Indurain or any other professionals," Quintana says. "We didn't have a television." His mountain bike was simply the only way he could get to school. Living at 3,000 metres of altitude, he would ride 18 kilometres down the mountain each morning, before climbing back up in the afternoon. This is why he is now the best cyclist climber in the World.
- 2014 Giro d'Italia Winner
- 2012 1st Stage 1 (ITT) Vuelta a Espana
- 2013 second place Tour de France.
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma QuickStep):British (born 21 May 1985)
Originally a track racing cyclist specializing in the Madison, points and scratch disciplines, he has competed on the road since 2006, rising to prominence as a sprinter, widely considered to be the fastest road cyclist in the world. "I was always riding a bike, getting dropped in little races." Cavendish started racing informally at 12, as a mountain-bike rider."My mum would laugh at me, and I said it was because all my mates had mountain bikes, so I asked for a mountain bike for my 13th birthday and got one. The very next day I went out and beat everyone." Likely going for a green points jersey in the race.
- 2008-2011 20 stage wins Tour de France
- 2008-2011 9 stage wins Giro d"italia
- 2011 first World Road Championships, first points competition Tour de France
- 2012 2 stage wins Tour de France
- 2013 6 stage wins Giro d'Italia, 2 stage wins Tour de France
Tejay van Garderen (BMC) American (born August 12, 1988)
He began riding at 10. By 14, he nearly beat two hours at the Mount Evans Hill Club, a 28-mile climb gaining nearly 7,000 feet. He won 10 junior national titles in road (road race, criterium and TT) and cyclo-cross. Two of his early teams were the Team Rio Grande Racing developmental squad.
- 2010 stage 1 winner (TTT) Vuelta a Espana, second overall Tour of Turkey
- 2012 fifth overall Tour de France
- 2013 first overall Tour of California, first overall USA cycling challenge
- 2014 second overall Tour of Oman
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Movistar) Spanish, (born 25 April 1980)
Valverde grew up in a Spanish cycling family; his father Juan was an amateur bicycle racer and bought him a bike when he was six years old. His brother Juan Francisco was also an amateur road-racing cyclist. Valverde's first race was in his home region in Jumilla; he finished second. The following week he won his second race in Yecla. He allegedly took more than 50 consecutive victories between 11 and 13 years old, earning him the nickname El Imbatido (The Unbeaten). He has an impressive record:
- 2006 second Vuelta a Espana
- 2008 first National Road Race Championships
- 2009 first Vuelta a Espana
- 2012 second Vuelta a Espana
- 2012, 2013, 2014 first each year in the Vuelta a Andalucia
- 2013 third Vuelta a Espana.
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) Swiss (born 18 March 1981)
Cancellara began road cycling after falling in love with an old bike at the age of 13. After that, he then began to take the sport more seriously and he won two consecutive World Junior Time Trial Championships in 1998 and 1999. At age 19 he turned professional. Cancellara will try to break the hour world record in Aguascalientes, Mexico, after the 2014 Tour de France. He just may do it, as this 32-year-old Swiss powerhouse cyclist already holds the 2008 Olympic and four World time trial titles. His nickname is "Spartacus" 2008 first "Gold" in time trial at the 2008 Olympic Games.
- First place 2004-2013 (except 2010) in the National Time Trials
- 2013 first in tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix
- 2014 first Tour of Flanders
Peter Sagan (Cannondale): Slovakian (born 26 January 1990)
Nicknamed "The Terminator," Sagan is one of my favourite riders to watch. He is considered by many one of cycling's most promising young talents, having earned many prestigious victories in his early 20s. Sagan had a successful junior cyclo-cross and mountain-bike career, winning the Junior World Championship in 2008, before moving to road racing. Likely a good contender for a green points jersey in the race.
- 2010 Paris-Nice first points classification
- 2012 first in points Tour of Oman, first in points Tour de France
- 2013 first National Road Race Championship
Marcel Kittel (Argos Shimano) German (born 11 May 1988)
Kittel made his Tour debut in 2012 when he was selected as leader of his team in the 2012 Tour de France, where he would compete for stage wins and the green jersey. Kittel has found incredible success as a sprinter. Likely going for a win or green points jersey in the race.
- He finished first in the 2013 Tour de France first stage in Corsica and took the inaugural Maillot jaune of the 100th Tour de France
- Kittel started the 2014 season by winning three stages in a row at the Tour of Dubai. On the third stage, he survived two short climbs near the end of the race and won the sprint of a greatly reduced group
The finish will be in Paris on Sunday, July 27, 2014.The Tour is made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,656 kilometres (2,272 miles).
These stages have the following profiles:
- 9 flat stages
- 5 hill stages
- 6 mountain stages with 5 altitude finishes
- 1 individual time-trial stage
- 2 rest days


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- tseh architects technology officeWhen an old technology office needed a makeover from its minimalist soviet modernism decor, they decided to go big -- and green! The wonder workers at TSEH Architectural Group in Kyiv, Ukraine have recently revitalized a hard, cold industrial office space into a luscious indoor garden. With green walls, trees, even grassy knolls to sit upon, employees can stop and smell the flowers without even leaving the building.1
- tseh architects technology officeUpon entering the technology office space, guests are greeted with two vertical green columns at the reception area. The indoor greenery does not stop there, as a grassy wall fence leads back to the open offices.2
- tseh architects technology officeAn amazing lawn-like cube is cut out of the center of the the main office, while trees and plants sprout out of the concrete floor throughout the rooms and hallways.3
- tseh architects technology officeEven a grassy hill sits under the stairs of one area, for the most relaxing conference room ever!4
- tseh architects technology officeWhile greenery certainly brightens up a room, it is nothing without the right environment! The new office layout is open and light, with only glass partitions separating each room.5
- tseh architects technology officeFloor to ceiling windows create a fresh and bright space for air to flow freely and plants to thrive.6
- tseh architects technology officeTSEH Architect's eco-takeover incorporates a ton of green and grassy features, but it also preserves most of the original outlines of the industrial loft. The design was not to destroy the past of the space, but to build upon it, to give it a bright and fresh future.7


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Congratulations to Elliot, Bill and Joe, three Mets fans whose love for their team dovetailed well with our Valentine's Day contest. For answering yesterday's quiz, each wins a copy of The Happiest Recap: First Base (1962-1973), the first volume of the four-volume series that tells the story of the New York Mets' first 50 years through 500 Amazin' wins. You can get your copy here.
Other developments before we get to the quiz answers:
• Kindle version is closing in on reality. Will let you know the moment it drops.
• The second volume — Second Base: 1974-1986 — is in production and you'll find out here first when it becomes available. (Spoiler alert: You're gonna love it.)
• I engaged in what became a pretty passionate interview about the project with the guys from Rising Apple Report the other night: Matt Musico, Rich Sparago and Sam Maxwell. Listen to it here. (I come in around the 9:30 mark.)
• If you're the mark-your-calendars type, then go to Wednesday, June 26, and circle 7:00 PM. That will be The Happiest Recap Night at Bergino's Baseball Clubhouse in Manhattan, with book talk followed by proprietor Jay Goldberg's invitation to stay and watch the Mets play the White Sox (yes, the White Sox) live from Chicago at 8. More details as the date approaches.
As for Bobby and the Valentines…
1. Who was the winning pitcher in Bobby Valentine's first Opening Day victory as Mets manager?
Turk Wendell, in relief, in the 14th inning of the March 31, 1998 season opener, a game best remembered for Bambi Castillo sending us all home.
2. Three pitchers tied for most games started on the Mets in Bobby Valentine's first full season as Met manager. Name all three.
In 1997, the ball most often went to the troika of Rick Reed, Dave Mlicki and National League All-Star Bobby Jones.
3. Bobby Valentine wrote John Olerud's name into the three-hole in 1999 in 159 of 163 regular-season games played. Who were the other three Mets he used as starting No. 3 hitters that year?
Robin Ventura, Matt Franco and Benny Agbayani each filled in orderwise for Oly on his rare days of rest.
4. Who was the last Met to bat in a game managed by Bobby Valentine?
The last batter of the 2002 Met season was Matt Franco, but he was a Brave by then. The answer from the Met side of the box score is Esix Snead.
5. Mike Hampton, Al Leiter, Rick Reed, Glendon Rusch and Bobby J. Jones started 151 of the 162 regular-season games the Mets played in 2000. Who were the other five pitchers to whom Bobby Valentine gave the ball to start the remaining 11 starts in that pennant-winning year?
Now and then you'd get a start from Pat Mahomes, Dennis Springer, Bill Pulsipher, Grant Roberts and the Bobby Jones who was never a National League All-Star.
6. Which six Mets played in the most games during Bobby Valentine's six full seasons as Met manager?
Going around the horn, there were the five stalwarts of 1999 (and assorted other years): Mike Piazza, John Olerud, Edgardo Alfonzo, Rey Ordoñez and Robin Ventura — and then there was the peripatetic Matt Franco, who nosed out Jay Payton in the call of duty.
7. Bobby Valentine took over Met managerial duties with 31 games remaining in 1996. He used four different starting first basemen during that period. Please name them.
With Rico Brogna already out for the year, Bobby V. leaned on Butch Huskey, Tim Bogar, Roberto Petagine and (there's that man again) Matt Franco.
8. Bobby Valentine became a Met when he and Paul Siebert were traded from San Diego for Dave Kingman on June 15, 1977. How many hits did Bobby collect in all the games Paul ever won as a Met?
None. Siebert won two games, both of them as Joe Torre's extra-inning option of something approaching last resort. Valentine batted eight times in those games and went hitless.
9. Between them, how many hits did Bobby Valentine and Ellis Valentine accumulate as Mets?
186; Ellis outhit Bobby 132 to 54.
10. Greg Harts went 1-for-3 in his Mets/major league career. Against whom did he register his only base hit?
H(e)arts and flowers to Rick Reuschel for getting Greg on the board.
Baseball-Reference was the indispensable source for these answers and much that appears in The Happiest Recap.


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Dirksen Senate Office Building
(Remarks as Prepared)
Thank you, Chairman Lieberman, Senator Collins, and Members of the Committee for the invitation to discuss the lessons the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) learned following the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. I would like to highlight for you our intelligence information sharing efforts regarding these attacks.
The Office of Intelligence and Analysis routinely analyzes and provides information, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), on overseas terrorist threats and attacks with our state, local, tribal, and private sector partners to assist them in protecting our nation, its vital assets, and citizens. We have analyzed the November 26-30, 2008 Mumbai attacks, where members of a well-armed, and trained terrorist group made a maritime entry into the coastal city and then fanned out to attack multiple locations, including transportation, commercial, and religious facilities. The assailants apparently were familiar with target layouts and security postures, indicating pre-operational planning and surveillance. We continue to analyze the Mumbai attacks as new data become available, and we and the FBI will share this information broadly with our customers to help them protect our nation's citizens and critical infrastructure and to hone our capabilities to respond quickly and decisively to any terrorist attacks on the Homeland. Broadly, the lessons learned thus far can be categorized into prevention and deterrence, and response and recovery.
Prevention and Deterrence
We are reminded that disrupted plots may resurface. Indian authorities apparently arrested a Lashkar-e-Tayyba (LT) operative in February 2008 who carried with him information suggesting Mumbai landmarks, including the Taj Mahal Hotel, had been targeted for surveillance, possibly for a future terrorist operation. Indian authorities shared the information with the hotel owners and the security was bolstered at the Taj Mahal and at several other locations. Some time prior to the attacks, however, security at many of the sites identified in the February 2008 arrests was reduced to more routine levels. It is apparent now that LT's overall intention to attack Mumbai was not disrupted—LT plotters evidently had delayed their attack plans until a time of their choosing. This is a valuable lesson that we have also learned from the multiple plots planned against New York City, including the World Trade Center Towers, before the September 11 attacks brought the towers down. This lesson appeared to have been repeated in Mumbai. An intelligence informed threat warning and a heightened security posture may have delayed the attack in Mumbai, but LT plotters continued to plan for attacks on Mumbai's financial and entertainment center. DHS and the intelligence and law enforcement communities must remain cognizant that targets identified in previous plots are likely to resurface in the future.
A determined and innovative adversary will make great efforts to find security vulnerabilities and exploit them. The Mumbai attackers entered the city via the sea because they may have believed it was the best rout to avoid detection. Sea infiltration permitted the attackers to com ashore with a substantial cache of weapons that might have been detected during a land entry into the city. Terrorists are always seeking to identify weaknesses in our security and exploit them. Vulnerability assessments used to develop security and protective protocols must look closely at our nation's assets from the perspective of the terrorist, vigorously seek the weaknesses that they can exploit, and work tirelessly to minimize if not eliminate those weaknesses.
Security must be unpredictable for the adversary, but predictably responsive to those it is meant to protect. The Mumbai attackers were able to ascertain the routines and vulnerabilities of the security forces at the primary targets during the pre-operational phase. For this reason, it is important to vary security routines and establish capabilities to "surge" security forces, such as we have done in DHS, through the Transportation Security Administration, with our Visual Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams. In addition, during the period of heightened security, several of the hotels that were attacked installed security scanning devices. According to open source reporting, some of these devices were not in operation during the attacks, and all security personnel were not properly trained on those devices that did work. Effective training of private sector security personnel and first responders is an essential element of securing our nation's critical infrastructure—85 percent of which is privately owned. Training of the private sector on detection, deterrence, response and recovery is essential to protecting our homeland. To that aim, my office shares, on a routine basis, intelligence-derived threat information on potential adversaries and their tactics with state, local, and tribal authorities, and private sector security personnel. This information can be used to develop coordinated public-private response plans and train first responders on how best to respond to various attack methods that may be employed by terrorists so as to better protect personnel and resources.
Target knowledge was paramount to the effectiveness of the attack. The terrorists were able to collect sufficient information on all targets to execute a successful attack. Much of the information they required was accessible through open sources that are readily available in any open society. Hotels, restaurants, and train stations by their nature are susceptible to extensive surveillance activities that might not necessarily draw attention because the public is frequently moving through them. In the Mumbai attacks, during the planning and training stages, the cells reportedly used information from commercial imagery providers as well as pictures and videos from each of the targets acquired by support personnel. Surveillance by terrorist operatives or support personnel represents an opportunity to identify and interdict terrorist operatives. The Department is working, in cooperation with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and our state, local, tribal, and private sector partners to establish a comprehensive Suspicious Activity Reporting system that is designed to systematically collect and identify possible pre-attack activity.
"Low tech" attacks can achieve terrorist strategic goals—and can be dramatically enhanced by technology enablers. The Mumbai attackers were able to locate precise landing points by using Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation. The attackers also were able to fend off the Indian response force because they were heavily armed with automatic rifles and grenades—the weapons of a basic infantryman. The group reportedly received extensive training that may have included urban assault operations. In addition, the attackers used wireless communication devices, including satellite and cell phones, to coordinate movement activities, establish defensive positions, repel rescuers, and resist Indian efforts to suppress them. Open source reporting also indicates they monitored press coverage of the attack through wireless communication devices—which may have been taken from hostages—that may have provided some tactical advantages against the Indian rescue forces.
Response and Recovery
Response to a similar terrorist attack in a major U.S. urban city would be complicated and difficult. The chaos the attacks created magnified the difficulty of mounting an appropriate response. First responders, in order to deal with such a crisis, must first and foremost have adequate information on what is occuring as well as the capability to mount a rapid and effective response that minimizes the impact of the attack. In Mumbai it was not immediately clear to authorities whether there were multiple attack groups or a single group. The attackers were able to exploit the initial confusion because of the indiscriminate firings to move on to new targets. While preparedness training for this type of attack may not have prevented it, the effects likely could have been mitigated and reduced if authorities had been prepared and had exercised responses to terrorist attacks across all levels of government. Within the United States, our national exercises incorporate not only federal interagency participants, but also include regional, state, and local authorities, in order to identify potential gaps in our responses.
A unified command system is of paramount importance if governments are to respond to terrorist attacks quickly and effectively. Within the United States, we have developed the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) that provide us with a unified command system to respond to such attacks as well as natural disasters. This framework, while not a panacea, does provide guidance on organizational roles and responsibilities during response and recovery operations. The NRF and NIMS also provide mechanisms to convey to the public critical information, such as areas to avoid during an incident or the potential for additional attacks in other areas or regions.
Public-private interactions are crucial and must be developed before an incident occurs. Developing these relationships before an incident helps facilitate the flow of information during the crisis and may help ensure the data conveyed to first responders are accurate, such as changes in floor plans or access routes. Within DHS, the Office of Infrastructure Protection manages many public-private partnerships. Our efforts to build bridges between intelligence analysts and the owners and operators of the private sector that operate most of our critical infrastructures is ongoing and sustained. Furthermore, there are also many programs in operation and under development at the state and local level to expand relationships between owners and operators and first responders.
Threat Information must be quickly and accurately conveyed to the public. Accurate information serves to protect the public, reassuring them that the government is responding appropriately to the threat or attack. Information flow must be timely and managed in a manner that prevents the terrorists from potentially benefiting from what the authorities know about the attackers. Within DHS, we have established procedures and protocols to release accurate threat information quickly. These procedures during an incident include a thorough review to ensure protection of sensitive information. We have exercised this process on numerous occasions.
Training exercises that integrate lessons learned are critical. Through various national and state programs, DHS and agencies with homeland security responsibilities have exercised and practiced our coordinated response to terrorist attacks. We have taken the lessons learned in the September 11 attacks and the many attacks that have occurred overseas, and incorporated them into our national planning exercises. We have practiced coordinating responses to multiple attacks across federal, state, local, and tribal authorities. We will incorporate Mumbai-style attacks in future exercises to refine further our response capabilities. We have identified shortfalls and gaps, such as interoperable communications systems and intelligence analytic capabilities at the local level, and are using the DHS grants programs to address those shortfalls.
Lastly, we must protect the attack sites to collect intelligence and evidence to identify the perpetrators. In many instances, it may not be readily apparent which group is responsible. While the preservation of life is paramount, preservation of crime scenes is an important consideration to identify the attackers and hold them accountable. This requires training and experience to execute effectively.
Now, let me briefly convey the information sharing actions of my Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)—in conjunction with our partners at the FBI—during and after the Mumbai attacks. You also asked that we discuss DHS' information sharing with India following the attack. I respectfully request that we leave discussions of what has specifically been shared for a closed session to protect information the Indian government deems sensitive. I will note, however, that we have been working very closely with the Indian government to provide any information and assistance that we can.
Information sharing with state, local, tribal, and private sector partners is central to the intelligence mission of I&A. As noted earlier, we share this information to better secure our nation's infrastructure and to protect its citizens, by ensuring state, local, and tribal authorities and private sector owners are aware of the threat environment and tactics that may be employed by would-be terrorists. In addition to distribution of unclassified analyses focused on the homeland security implications of the Mumbai attack, I&A staff also fielded numerous questions from state, local, and tribal authorities and our private sector partners.
- Less than 24 hours after the November 26th attacks, I&A, acting jointly with the FBI, released a situational awareness update with the most current, 'For Official Use Only' (FOUO), information. This product, titled Islamic Militant Group Attacks Multiple Locations in Mumbai, India was disseminated broadly to all federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector stakeholders.
- That same day, November 27, I&A analysts consolidated intelligence regarding the attack tactics and began drafting a report for federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector entities describing the attack and its implications for homeland security.
- Between November 28 and December 2, I&A analysts provided classified and unclassified briefings on the attacks to private sector organizations, including a teleconference with approximately 250 attendees from the Commercial Facilities Sector Coordinating Council (SCC), the Transportation SCC, the Electric Power SCC, the Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security, the Federal Senior Leadership Council, the Information Sharing and Analysis Centers Council among others and the Homeland Security State and Local Community of Interest (HS-SLIC) State, Local, and Tribal, and Territorial Government Coordinating Council (SLTTGCC).
- On December 3, the FBI and I&A published a FOUO Joint Homeland Security Note, Mumbai Attackers Used Commando-Style Assault Tactics, describing our preliminary findings on the terrorist tactics used in Mumbai for federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners.
- I&A also released a FOUO background primer for federal, state, and local officials in early December on the LT terrorist organization. This "Homeland Security Reference Aid" discussed the group's history, leadership, membership, targeting preferences, and homeland nexus.
- In the weeks following the attacks, I&A has continued to provide classified and unclassified briefings, particularly to the private sector; tailoring presentations for the Nuclear SCC, the Financial Services Sector's SCC and Information Sharing & Analysis Center, and the Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee.
Homeland security stakeholders have responded positively to our efforts and, according to I&A intelligence officers in fusion centers nationwide, their state and local counterparts have praised DHS for providing timely, relevant information in the attacks' aftermath. A senior security official at a large private company singled out I&A during a recent address, noting that the timely intelligence information provided by DHS was a "breath of fresh air."
I have touched on a broad range of information on the lessons learned and our information sharing activities in support of state, local, tribal, and private sector partners with information regarding the tragic attacks in Mumbai. DHS is making strong efforts to foster information sharing at all levels of government. We remain committed to implementing the information sharing mandates of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Act of 2004, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, and the August 2007 9/11 Commission Act. We do this with full concern for the civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy of all Americans.
Thank you and I look forward to your questions.


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Beyond the Parrot Man
People tend to think of me as the "parrot man." When they see me on the street, they often say, "Hey! Aren't you the parrot guy?" I always fess up, but the fact is, my involvement with the flock ended years ago. Before I encountered the parrots I was on a journey, and the parrots were part of that journey. There was something I needed to learn from them. Having learned it, I moved on. I still watch out for them, making sure that no one is exploiting them, and I always will. But the parrots never depended on me for their day-to-day survival. It would have been disastrous for them if they had. They are wild, self-sufficient creatures. And, as anyone who visits San Francisco will see, the flock is thriving. There are currently more than 200 of them.
My Work as a Writer
These days, my preoccupations are those of a writer. It's been a natural progression for me. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a novelist. But making a living as a writer seemed too hard. I also came to believe that literature was dying. So I abandoned that dream and went into the world to live my life, never imagining that the path I followed would bring me back to writing. I have one published book, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, and I'm currently working on Street Song. Whenever I find the time and energy, I work on my blog, Views From a Hill. My intention here is not simply to have fun with words and to tell stories—although those are two of the few joys that writing brings. What I want is to help make this a better world. We're in pretty bad shape right now and getting worse. We humans need to change before we do ourselves and everybody else in. I believe we'll have one more chance to turn things around. But it may well be our last one.
My wife, Judy Irving, and I have an e-mail list that will keep you up to date on our various creative activities. It's called firstname.lastname@example.com. Mailings are infrequent. If you'd like to sign up, click on the address.


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West Grove parish to begin construction of new lower level
By ACL
Father William S. Murphy of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in West Grove formally opens the construction of a lower level that will be added onto the main church on State Road.
By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer
Before dozens of parishioners on a rainy Sunday afternoon, Father William S. Murphy of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish cut the ribbon on the construction of the lower level of the main church, located on State Road in West Grove. The ceremony followed a 12 noon Mass and a celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi on the church grounds.
The construction of the lower level is the second phase of Assumption BVM's strategic plan, and is designed to create meeting rooms to better facilitate programs and activities for its congregation and for community organizations. The renovations will include a social hall, a conference room and a parish office. The construction is expected to take two years.
The first phase of the strategic plan, completed in Aug. 2012, created a four-classroom modular unit behind the parish school that better provides accommodation for a school that saw a 29 percent increase in student enrollment. The third phase of the plan will lead to the relocation of parish staff to the completed lower level of the main church. A fourth phase of the plan will renovate a house on the State Road campus that will eventually be used as a priest's residence.
Assumption BVM is about $100,000 toward its goal of raising the $350,000 needed to complete the project, due mostly from contributions during its parish appeal. The donation of time and labor volunteering has accounted for about $20,000 in additional costs.
"We want to do all that we can to assure that our children, our youth and our adults have all the opportunities needed to form themselves as followers of Jesus Christ by knowing Him more deeply, loving him more intimately and serving Him more fully," Fr. Murphy said.


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President Barack Obama will accept unlimited corporate contributions to help finance his 2013 inauguration, a shift from 2009, when corporate funding was barred and per-person donations were capped at $50,000.
The president's inaugural committee made the decision, which was first reported by Politico, because, they said, contributions from individuals alone would not raise enough to cover the price tag of all the events.
"Our goal is to make sure that we will meet the fundraising requirements for this civic event after the most expensive presidential campaign in history," Addie Whisenant, spokesperson for the Presidential Inauguration Committee, said in a statement.
The inaugural committee in 2008 said that its ban on corporate funding, among other initiatives, would help "underscore their commitment to change business as usual in Washington."
Lobbyists and political action committees are still barred from donating, and there will be no sponsorship agreements. All corporate contributions will be vetted and the committee will not accept any from companies who accepted TARP funds and haven't paid them back yet.
The inaugural committee also notes that these are the same guidelines to which civic organizations like arts museums and the American Red Cross adhere.


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Not Sure?
Use our calculator to work out the roofing sheets you'll need.
Pairs of fillers to fit 41/1000 Cladco Tileform profile Supaseal (25mm) Black with 6mm base
Inc VAT
Please note images may vary from actual item supplied due to lighting variations and camera angles
A pair of polyurethane foam fillers are designed to close off the end of our Tileform sheets and prevent the weather from getting in.
The Eaves filler fits between the final purlin of your building and the roofing sheets, with the other half fitting at the other end of this between the sheet and the flashing used to seal of the roof.
Please note images may vary from actual item supplied due to lighting variations and camera angles
Need help? Call Us on: 01837 659901
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, and Saturday 8am to 12.30pm.
Roofing Sheets and Fixing Fillers
Our tileform profile fillers can be held in place with silicone sealant if necessary, providing further protection for your completed roofing project. Measuring 1m in length and manufactured from polyurethane, our tileform profile fillers and part of our wider range of roofing sheets and fixings.
We can also provide Box Profile and Corrugated fillers depending on the roofing you are working with. If you have any questions, please contact us directly via email or phone.
We are still open and delivering following government guidelines, please see our COVID19 information here
Our transport team are working tirelessly to ensure your order reaches you as soon as possible. The current high demand for our product and delivery means it's taking us longer than usual to deliver and as a result of this some deliveries are facing a short delay.
Bank & Public Holidays:
We will be closed on the following public and bank holidays in 2020/2021.
Summer bank holiday, Monday 31st August : Closed
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At Cladco Profiles we offer a delivery service (£72 delivery charge*) generally allowing up to 4-5 weeks (25 working days) for delivery after the order is placed. *Please note remote areas and Highlands may incur an additional charge, please enter your postcode at checkout to obtain a price.
Please note this is subject to change and where possible orders may be delivered before this time, however as we are in our busiest period please bear with us when waiting for your order delivery slot. We also urge you not to employ anybody to fit the products before they have been delivered and checked.
For smaller items and sample packs we send via Royal Mail, this service takes 3-5 working days to arrive.
- Standard Parcelforce (Small box) £8.33
- Next Day Parcelforce (Small box) £10.00
- Large Parcelforce Items £22.00
Due to our delivery schedules we try to give as much notice as possible. Deliveries are always Monday to Friday, we cannot deliver on weekends this applies to all deliveries including Parcelforce and Royal Mail. It's important to us to get your goods delivered to you in perfect condition, to help achieve this we use our own vehicles and drivers for the majority of our deliveries.
In order for us to ensure that you receive the exact goods you have ordered any changes you deem necessary to the order below will result in the order being cancelled and being re-raised. We will not edit existing orders. This helps us to avoid any confusion and provide a better service to all of our customers.
After your order has been picked our transport team will contact you via text on the contact mobile phone number provided with a delivery date. Our drivers will generally call you before they arrive at your site. We use a variety of vans and lorries of up to 26 tonnes. The vast majority of our deliveries are made on vehicles larger than 7.5 tonne therefore you will need to ensure that the delivery address has sufficient access for a vehicle of this size. Please contact us prior to placing an order if you have any specific requirements regarding vehicle access into the property.
Not all our delivery lorries have cranes and it is the customer's responsibility to provide assistance to the driver to help unload. Please bear in mind the items delivered can be heavy and sharp. Anyone giving assistance to the driver should wear suitable gloves and clothing. Cladco Profiles offer a kerbside delivery service only; the delivery service does not cover the driver carrying materials any distance or to the rear of the property. If the vehicle is invited on to the customer's property it is entirely at the risk of the customer, Cladco Profiles and its drivers will not be liable for any damage to the property.
We only deliver to mainland Britain.
We take pride in delivering a great product and a great service to all of our customers.
Please ensure you submit two working telephone numbers, preferably one being a mobile to receive text messages, for our transport team to contact you.
Please ensure if you have any access issues or delivery concerns please state them at point of order so our transport team can be aware when booking in your delivery. Our vehicles are large and require adequate space to manoeuvre. If you live in an area with weight or height restrictions please contact us before placing your order, if you are unsure of any restrictions please get in contact.
If your area is not listed below, please contact us on 01837 659 901 to discuss how we can help in further detail.
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Items can be collected from our warehouse in Okehampton (Devon) please allow a minimum of 2-3 days before collecting your items, this ensures the warehouse will have the items ready to collect. Our staff will always contact you when items are ready to collect.
Cladco Profiles will only load flatbed lorries & flatbed trailers for insurance purposes. If the appropriate vehicle is not available - Two people would be required for a Collection. Cladco Profiles will NOT load - any vehicles with roof racks; horse box; cattle lorry or fixed sided trailer, management have the right to refuse loading your vehicle for any reason. Please note before arranging collection please read our Customer Collection Notice.
Collection times: Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm, Saturdays 8.30am - 12.30pm.
If for any reason you want to return an item, Please see our returns page here
Please note: For guaranteed delivery by Christmas you will need to have placed you order by 3pm on Monday 9th December.
If this doesn't suit you or you would like to discuss delivery options, please contact our sales team on 01837 659901
Collections are unaffected by this and orders due for collection before Christmas can be placed up until 5pm on Friday 20th December.


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Eddie Griffin Airs Out The Paparazzi's! "Stop Suckin Michael Jackson's D*ck". Plus Says "The Pregnant Man Is A B*tch"
Eddie Griffin Rips Paparazzi's Stupid Questions . Courtesy of Hollywood TV
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The largest yoga gathering on record came in at 36,000 people in June 2015, India.
Click join to add this to your Bucket List - then you can get stuck in with helping yourself, and others, to make it happen
Copyright © 2020 Cur Non Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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Have any thoughts, comments or ideas? Send them in and tell us what's on your mind.
Don't like what's being said? Tell us what the problem is and where it has occurred, we will send in our team to check it out and resolve the issue triple stat.
If you want to ask questions or contribute to the community in this tribe, you need to change your Bucket List item to public


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The Australian Institute of Business Brokers (AIBB) has denied reports that encrypted passwords belonging to 250 of its members were posted online. Hacktivist group Anonymous is claiming responsibility for posting the passwords.
An AIBB spokesperson told Computerworld Australia that all the group had posted was 250 names of its business brokers and that the password information included alongside the names was incorrect. The spokesperson added that the business brokers' names are publicly available.
According to an Anonymous Legion blog entry, the group targeted the AIBB website on 8 August and the data, which was uploaded to Pastebin, included password hashes and usernames from the AIBB's databases.
A Twitter account associated with Australian Anonymous supporters tweeted that the Australian Institute of Business Brokers had been hacked and posted a link to a Cyber War News notification.
Anonymous has been attacking Australian government and business websites in response to the federal government's proposed two year data retention laws which are currently under discussion by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS).
Internet service provider AAPT had one of its servers compromised and 40GB of its data, which included customer information, was leaked online on 30 July. The Federal Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, is currently investigating the breach to ascertain if the company's practices were consistent with the Privacy Act at the time of the incident.
At least 10 Queensland Government websites were taken offline during July by hackers claiming to be associated with Anonymous.
Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU, or take part in the Computerworld conversation on LinkedIn: Computerworld Australia


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Frankie Eyes, whose real name was Frank Chalmers, was a holographic simulation of a mob gangster character in the Vic Fontaine holoprogram. Frankie Eyes grew up with Vic, who would mercilessly beat Frankie at street stickball; Frankie never forgave Vic for this. Frankie, financed by mob godfather Carl Zeemo, bought the hotel and casino hosting Vic's lounge act, firing Vic and replacing him with burlesque dancers contorting to sounds of the Blues.
Eager to run Vic out of town, Frankie (along with mob enforcer Tony Cicci) beat up Vic, bruising three ribs and spraining Vic's wrist. However, Frankie soon became distracted by Kira, playing the decoy. She succeeded in occupying his attention enough so that Frankie was totally unaware of the heist which occurred in his own casino; he was robbed of his casino earnings, as well as Mr. Zeemo's "skim" money. Lacking this money, Frankie and Mr. Cicci were last seen being escorted bruskly from the casino by Mr. Zeemo's own enforcers.
The Frankie Eyes character was created by Felix, the creator of the Vic Fontaine program. Part of a jack-in-the-box subroutine, the character self-terminated when the subroutine was defeated by Vic and company. Although described as being period-specific, Frankie Eyes was (unlike Vic) not a self-aware program. (DS9: "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang")
External linkEdit
- Frank Chalmers at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works


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Publicity Stunt? Ric Flair Bitch Slaps Hulk Hogan Leavin Him All Bloodied at Australian Press Conference! (For Talkin Smack Bout His Women)
Hulk Hogan injured in bloody Sydney brawl with Ric Flair and media
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text: I'm in! Rusted Metal Spade Handle With Bird Garden Ornament by THE RUSTIC WAREHOUSE £24.99$46.28€28.45$31.97 23 customer reviews(23) Favourite Favourite Ask Seller View your favourites quantity personalise PRODUCT DETAILS made in britain RUSTIC RUSTY METAL SILHOUETTE SIGN / ORNAMENT . GREAT FOR ANY HOME OR GARDEN made from: MADE FROM METAL . dimensions: 10 CMS WIDE , 36 CMS TALL. product code: 769426 see more see less CUSTOMER REVIEWS 23 customer reviews see more customer reviews read about our product rating system trusted independent customer feedback forum DELIVERY This product is dispatched to you by THE RUSTIC WAREHOUSE. RETURNS You have 28 days, from receipt of cancellable goods, to notify the seller if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item. Please note: goods that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements, perishable products and personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken are non-refundable, unless faulty. Read more about our returns policy.Should you choose to return or exchange your order you will need to deliver the item(s) to the UK, where this seller is based.


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The application opens on Thursday, January 2, 2020 at 8 a.m. The deadline will be Monday, March 2, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.
Under the direction of Mike Causey, Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal, the Fire/Rescue Grants & Relief Fund programs collect and disburse over 12 Million dollars annually.
The Volunteer Fire Department Fund and Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund was created to financially assists our State's greatest resource, our volunteer emergency personnel. The NC General Statutes have been amended to allow for limited paid personnel. Through dollar-for-dollar matching fund programs, the Department of Insurance assist fire departments and rescue/EMS organizations to purchase related equipment and to make capital expenditures.
The Firefighters' Relief Fund and Rescue Relief Fund programs are designed to financially assist firefighter and rescue personnel in the event of In-Line of Duty injury or death. It may also be used for supplemental retirements, educational benefits and to purchase other insurance/pension plans.


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Biden and The Onion poke fun at each other
Vice President Biden is poking fun at the satirical newspaper The Onion for poking fun at him.
Hours after The Onion released a mock autobiography of Biden -- The President of Vice -- Biden "protested" the depiction of him driving a TransAm.
He's a Corvette guy.
"A Trans-Am?" tweeted Biden. "Ever look under the hood of a Corvette?"
Biden's tweet included hashtag "#imavetteguy."
Biden provided his answer to the social media site Reddit.
Previous post:
The satirical newspaper The Onion has often had fun with Vice President Biden, and is now putting their efforts into an e-book.
The President of Vice, released Friday, is a fake "autobiography" of the vice president, written in "Biden style." It's available on Kindle for $2.99.
"Hombre, you've just done Uncle Joe a real solid buying this book," says the foreword. "I ain't the kind of guy who forgets his debts. Next time we meet there's a tallboy of ice cold Beast on me."
The e-book cover shows a shirtless Biden washing his Trans Am on the White House lawn.
You get the drift.


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There is a silent revolution brewing in the enterprise, and it's no longer cloud computing. Cloud computing, while evolving from blue-sky thinking to mainstream phenom in a few years, has resulted in several ripple effects across IT.
One that is particularly disturbing for IT managers is Shadow IT, or the introduction of technology within a company from the bottom-up. This refers to situations where new products and solutions are not brought in via a centralized evaluation and purchase process with oversight from the powers that be, but from the people in the trenches.
And not necessarily from select people in the trenches – the enterprise architects or software engineers can perhaps be relied on to conduct their due diligence prior to acquiring new technology, but anyone in the company, regardless of their title and pay-scale can be the initiator.
One doesn't have to look far to understand why. Business moves fast, and end-users want to keep up. Leveraging many of the SaaS-based tools and products out there allows them to do exactly that. Astute IT leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place — they don't want IT being viewed as the anchor that slows innovation and growth, but they also don't want to see business being hurt on their watch due to lapses in security, compliance or performance.
As one starts digging deeper, the nature of this problem becomes more apparent. Products traditionally deployed within enterprises have been vetted by IT and set up for proper security and manageability, but they can have gaps and tend to be harder to use. A few years ago, employees had no choice but to reach for the nearest set of manuals, call Help Desk and log a ticket, or spend hours and days attending webinars and training sessions before they were able to use those products. Now, the prevailing feeling is "if a product requires me to read a manual, it's friggin broken!"
Fueling that feeling, there's an ecosystem comprising hundreds of vendors offering various tools and solution alternatives in the cloud. Individual, group and department-level users are tempted to sign up, evaluate and/or use these software without IT's involvement. These are tools that are sometimes free, or may cost a few hundred dollars per month and easily fit into the budget of many managers. At times, even non-managerial employees happily sign up for some of these services using their personal credit card, given the immense productivity gains and ease-of-use they bring to the table.
By the time IT becomes aware, that software may already be well entrenched in the organization regardless of its quirks (or ahem… security holes) that IT is now forced to deal with.
These scenarios have placed IT in the crosshairs to take control of the situation, scan workstation logs and network ports for rogue usage, and enforce requisite standards for user privacy, data confidentiality, scalability and manageability. But punitive measures don't exactly endear IT to their business counterparts — a recent survey by InformationWeek finds less than half of non-IT personnel regard IT to be integral to their business. Nor are such measures 100% effective.
The reality is that technology purchasing is undergoing unprecedented decentralization and that is here to stay. Attempting to control or put an outright stop to these practices is akin to swimming upstream and will eventually fail. Leading analyst firms estimate as much as 35% of enterprise technology spend will fall outside the IT department's budget within the next two years.
So What's a CIO To Do?
I recently watched an Andreessen Horowitz video (The Renaissance of Enterprise Computing) where Gary Reiner, former CIO of General Electric says "if I was a CIO now, my job would be much more about procuring solutions than managing people."
Gary's statement points to the elephant in the room. IT has to participate in the process and guide it, rather than attempting to confront and control it.
But that's easier said than done. IT is its own victim due to the segregated collaboration tools and linear approval mechanisms such as ticketing systems and intranet portals implemented in the past. These intrinsically suffer from excessive communication latency and workflows that are hard-pressed to meet the urgency associated with seemingly mundane technology requests from business. End users are no longer content to send an email or log a ticket and wait for IT to act on it. They instead turn to the latest SaaS provider their spouse or neighbor was talking about, and are off and running in minutes and hours rather than days and weeks.
A New Solution: SelectHub
Newly launched SelectHub is designed to address this very issue and help manage Shadow IT. SelectHub enables both end-users and IT, along with other key stakeholders (Procurement, Finance, Enterprise Architecture and budget owners/managers) to be in lockstep throughout the evaluation process. Any of the above stakeholders can initiate an evaluation project within SelectHub with just a few clicks, invite other key personnel, assign them specific roles and each party can proceed to specify the scope, requirements and success criteria that matter most to them as well as engage in peer-level conversations regarding each area's necessity and impact. Project participants would have visibility to all or part of the project, based on their roles.
Regardless of whether a software project conforms to a centralized top-down purchasing model, or occurs at a grassroots level, SelectHub serves as the tactical link between IT and business to accelerate evaluation and rollout of the right solution while enhancing IT participation and governance. Instead of treating each other as policy violators or innovation stoppers, both parties can pool their expertise and achieve measurable progress while eliminating altogether the fragmented communication and back-and-forth delays associated with emails and tickets.
Shadow IT inevitably results in loss of control and compromised security. With SelectHub, IT can take affirmative action by initiating or participating in, and influencing the evaluation process to orchestrate a reasonably satisfactory outcome for all stakeholders.