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Feminism and the art of burlesque have traditionally had a complex relationship. It is empowering? Degrading? Subversive? Creative? Clichéd? Pandering to the male gaze? Subverting that gaze? Here feminist and burlesque fan and performer Ciara O'Connor gives her view.
The word "burlesque" has cropped up in polite conversation quite a lot recently. Christina and Cher's affront to the word notwithstanding, every so often someone brings it up when out for drinks if I say I've just been to a show… and often there is a reductive remark about strippers. Take for example Maeve Higgins' recent comment on the Tweeter : "Burlesque is so shit. Stupid middle class women stripping." I'm not sure if Maeve has ever been to a show, but I know her comment was a reflection (if a slightly more abrasive reflection) of some peoples ideas and conceptions of what Burlesque is and is not. There are always people who are indifferent towards any medium, the decriers declaring Burlesque is dead, those who say it is anti-women, and those who couldn't care less.
Because I'm a fan of the art form, and I occasionally perform at cabaret shows and see a lot of different types of burlesque, I thought I'd throw my two cents into the ring.
Burlesque's etymology denotes a send up, it is a derisive imitation, grotesque parody. Burlesque is close in meaning with caricature, pastiche, parody and travesty, and, in its theatrical sense, with extravaganza, as presented during the Victorian era (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_burlesque). From the Wikipedia entry on Burlesque we see that it isn't just all 1950s pin-up wither, its been around a long time: ""Burlesque" has been used in English in this literary and theatrical sense since the late 17th century. It has been applied retrospectively to works of Chaucer and Shakespeare and to the Graeco-Roman classics."
Later forms of burlesque came in the popular variety show format. These were common from the 1860s to the 1940s, often in cabarets and clubs, as well as theatres, and featured bawdy comedy and striptease as part of the show. Burlesque has historically been seen as a cheeky, low-brow and very bold form of adult-only theatre. Performers draw from theatre, mime, improvisation, movement to music, as well as all forms of dance. They are also usually loaded with cultural reference and spoof.
There has been a resurgence of interest in classical Burlesque in the 1990s which quickly became popular in the US, the UK and the rest of Europe. This resurgence also birthed what is referred to as Neo-burlesque (see Hot Press this month for a very interesting round-up of Neo-Burlesque in Ireland). Neo-burlesque often removes the nostalgic aspect of burlesque and uses contemporary music and themes, so you may find yourself watching Jessica Fletcher do a striptease to Gothrock. The beauty of burlesque is that it can be anything and everything, as creative as your imagination and the boundaries you put on yourself as a performer.
A friend writing a blog on fashion and feminism recently described me as "someone who I imagine came into the world screaming 'I am a feminist!'." As a feminist-from-the-womb – or at least a young age, I was needless to say not immune to the impressions the media give out about burlesque, and my inner feminist was in twitch-overdrive when I went to my first ever burlesque show. My twitching quickly subsided – and not only was I completely hooked: I was fascinated, enthralled and excited, brimming over with ideas after it – I was convinced that in my eyes, burlesque was decidedly feminist.
As I wrote recently in a guest blog for Dr Sketchy's, decontextualised women's bodies are everywhere in society. Disembodied perfectly round arses in Reebok trainers, floating breasts selling car insurance…. our world is saturated with nudity, implied nudity and women's body parts, exposed, scrutinised, made grotesque and vilified… or portrayed as perfection and symmetry and the ideal we should all strive for/compare ourselves to. Burlesque shows are one place where you get to see real women's bodies… not on display for the sexualised gaze, nor for "auntie Gok" to truss up like some Christmas ham and stuff into magic knickers to try to fit into normative beauty standards, but just – celebrated. Cheered. Whooped at and hollered for. Breasts, bellies, smiles of all ages and types, none of them detached from the woman they belong to. In fact, firmly in context as the performer is not only showing off her body but her creativity… her body can be tattooed, pierced, decorated with body paint, breasts all different shapes and sizes adorned with nipple tassels; they have meaning, they have context. These are real bodies, (ab)normal, individual, all appendix scars and jiggly bits. In a society where nudity has become so… meaningless… here it is loaded with meaning.
Also, the burlesque scene in Ireland is decidedly radical. The performers are smart, creative and quite amazing men and women who do fantastical things with the medium. A great example is my friend and fellow fabulous feminist Emily. She is a stunning performer – she creates acts that are thought provoking, political, visually stunning, sometimes hyperfeminine, sometimes very masculine, always impeccably costumed and gripping from beginning to end. She tells a story and makes a statement in a way that is firmly tongue in cheek and yet quick off the mark and very intelligent.
Another burlesque performer, Lilly DeValle, cuts a striking figure on stage, playing a cheesecake cutesy character who has a dark and evil side – for example her cute barber shop act which quickly transforms into a bloodbath as she hacks up the poor unsuspecting customer in her barbershop chair. She is a true storyteller and has impeccable comedic timing. One of Dublin's queen's of the burlesque scene Miss Bella A Go Go is one of the most creative people I know, sewing and handmaking all her costumes, her incredible mind is full of fantasy which she expertly brings to life on stage with incredibly intricate themed shows, such as her recent Steampunk Cabaret.
So for those who may reduce burlesque to "stupid, middle class women stripping" – I'd like to extend an invitation to come and see a show. The scene here is vibrant and bristling with life and energy. The performers (male and female) are dedicated to making you smile, cringe, cower and giggle like a kid. I asked my friends when writing this why they attend these shows, and the consensus was strong – the striptease element is the last thing on the list. They come to find something different, something entertaining, to find like minded people and to have fun. The nudity in the shows is a great leveller. It's an opportunity to dress up, to drink cocktails and smoke cigars, to travel to another world for one night only. And who among us doesn't enjoy some escapism now and then?
If you think you'd like to give a show a go, then I would highly recommend any of the following nights:
The League of Decadent Bastards
This will be the show of the summer – an all male cast and an amazing line up including some of my favourite cabaret artists, a proper treat for the senses!
Burlesque and Cabaret Social Club
The mainstay of the Dublin scene, mostly classical and vintage burlesque and music, monthly, at the Sugar Club
Fabulous troupe of burlesque artists, comedians and musicians in Dublin
Dr Sketchy's anti-art school – for the artists among us – where life drawing meets cabaret
AND watch out for shows from: Sedition Industries, AWOL tattoo studio Galway, The Pony Girls, Midnight Burlectro, Sideshow Cabaret and many more over 2011.
Ciara O'Connor is an avid amateur cook and veggie. She has been working in women's health and education for many years. In her spare time she likes to read, cook, drink wine, and is a student homeopath, sometimes cabaret performer and occasional yogi.
Her twitter is ciara_oc


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If you're looking to have a wedding that strays from straight down the middle but isn't over-the-top eccentric, consider turning back the hands of time and setting your nuptials... Read full story >>
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subset: commoncrawl


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Linaro Android Build Servicehttps://android-build.linaro.org/ (please bear with SSL issues - it is still officially in beta) is a place where you can get any downloads related to Linaro Android - monthly releases, daily builds for specific boards, and engineers' personal builds while they work on specific features.
The Builds Service is a busy place serving up to dozen(s) builds each day. Architecturally, it is a Cloud-based service, with a master running well-known open-source Jenkins CI server, spawning slave Cloud instances to perform actual builds. As Android codebase is rather big, and checking it out from scratch each time would generate lot of traffic outside the Cloud and put pressure on outside git servers, we also employed a mirror proxy which lives in the Cloud and fetches only updates from the upstream repositories. The mirror proxy is collocated on the build master.
This architecture worked reasonably well until last couple of months, when we started to perform enablement builds for more and more boards, and more and more engineers joined Linaro Android team and started to perform builds in parallel. With the extended and concurrent load, the Build System started to perform less satisfying, and in particular, it turned out that the proxy mirror which was supposed to speed up builds actually became the bottleneck. The final straw which broke the camel's back was upgrade to recently released Android Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0). Google developers warned that ICS release is "two times more everything that 2.x used to be", and they were very true.
We considered several options to improve the situation, like upgrading the build master to a bigger instance, patching "repo" tool used to check out the Android codebase, or using another proxy system. The first solution is particularly tempting - you don't need to optimize the architecture, just throw in bigger hardware (then soon do it again, and then again…). But build master has a special usage pattern of being human-interactive and at the same time has low "duty cycle": it should be constantly running to allow people to check builds any time, and is used in full power only in short bursts when slaves perform codebase chechouts against the mirror. The rest of time it just sits and waits in there. So, using a big (and expensive) instance would give pretty low cost efficiency for such service, especially taking into account that Android Build is not the only Cloud system used or developed by Linaro.
The solution came with something we actually used for few months before doing daily Android Toolchain builds from Linaro GCC Bazaar repository. We didn't have a cloud mirroring support for BZR, so Linaro Toolchain Workgroup proposed simple solution - make a tarball of BZR checkout, and then use it as a "seed" for new builds - fetching just the latest updates quickly and proceeding with the compilation.
It took some time to re-apply the same idea to Android Platform builds, which is mostly due to peculiarities of "repo" tool, and the fact that Android codebase is really huge and consists of hundreds of projects, so slight error in a part not in heavy usage could go unnoticed for weeks or months and then would be hard to find and fix, so sufficient testing needed to be performed. Nonetheless, ICS upgrade urged us, and both Android and Infrastructure team decided that it's more beneficial to invest resources into seeded builds than keep patching old non-scalable solution.
So, how seeded builds work and what they really brought us, based on more than week of runtime? The basic idea is very simple - if we hit some inefficiency with some networked SCM protocol (in particular, here we faced inefficient memory usage with git-daemon), then we can just skip that network protocol altogether! Instead, we replace it with high-efficient and low-resource streaming protocol like HTTP to fetch entire repository, and then perform checkout operations locally. This is of course not a universal solution, but works very well for the usage pattern of a clean-room build system. Fully optimized seeded checkout for Android takes less than 5mins, while previously it took ~12mins. But what's more important is that it's much more scalable - previously, in the worst case of too many concurrent checkouts being done, single one could take hours to finish (or fail). With seed tarball, even download performance drop 3-4 times (and that's pretty heavy server load) wouldn't lead to large build delays.
One chart can say more than dozen of words, so let's look at the typical one:
Here, we can see all 3 phases described above: reasonable build performance (though some builds here failed due to checkout issues), overload phase with big dispersion of build times, and then seeded builds were deployed. You can see how smooth the curve went, how predictable the build time became (a step there is due to adding new components/upgrade of AOSP version). Builds also became more stable, though some "red" gaps are still seen, which correspond to infrastructural issues with the build (which are inherent when using complex Cloud services). Our next aim is to separate such non-deterministic failures from actual compile errors, to avoid false negatives when performing higher-level Continuous Integration cycle with our testing solution, LAVA.
Bottom line: we made a big progress improving performance and stability of Linaro Android builds, which will enable the Linaro Android team to be more productive and do their job with more comfort. It is also big step forward towards reliable Linaro Continuous Integration overall, though more work is needed to make it really shine.


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Recent News and Developments
- November 2013: The Sun Blaze BBQ is a parabolic solar cooker being introduced to the Philippines in 2013. It is 1.5 meters in diameter, made all of aluminum, and weighs roughly 10 kilos. It is very easy to operate and needs nothing more than the sun, no charcoal, no LPG, no electricity needed, it's all clean, free, and unlimited energy. Contact the company for demonstration information. Sun Blaze BBQ
The History of Solar Cooking in the Philippines
The Metro Manilla Council of Women Balikatan has spearheaded solar cooking demonstrations in the Philippines for over ten years. No further information on their work is available beyond this fact.
[Information for this section was taken originally from State of the Art of Solar Cooking by Dr. Barbara Knudson]
See also
Climate, Culture, and Special Considerations
More than one Filipino has told us that Filipinos believe that if your food is put out in the sun it will cause stomach problems.
Articles in the media
- August 2012: Solar Cooking Challenge in Quirino High School, Philippines - Seed
Audio and video
thumb|300px|thumb|left|Using a solar oven to cook Chicken Adobo
See also
Possible funders for solar cooking projects in the Philippines
- Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI)
- Center for Community Transformation Credit Cooperative (CCT)
- Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Inc. (NWTF)
- Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PMPC)
- Community Economic Ventures, Inc. (CEVI), a partner of VisionFund International
- Hagdan sa Pag-uswag Foundation, Inc. (HSPFI)
- Gata Daku Multi-purpose Cooperative (GDMPC)
- Ahon sa Hirap, Inc. (ASHI)
Articles in the media
- April 2010: Solar cooking, anyone? - LoQal
- June 2008: Limlingan: Let's get solar - Sun Star
External links
The entities listed below are either based in Philippines, or have established solar cooking projects there:
SCI Associates
- Main article: Solar Cookers International Association
Manufacturers and vendors


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A short new book by Dr. David Myers of the Hope College psychology faculty responds to the "new atheist" argument that all religion is dangerous and false, by suggesting how faith can be - and often is - reasonable, science-affirming, healthy, hopeful, and humane.
His book "A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on Why God is Good and Faith Isn't Evil" was published earlier this month by Jossey-Bass/Wiley.
Myers writes as both a social scientist and a person of faith. While acknowledging ways religion has fueled the worst in human behavior, he notes that religion more often leads adherents to engage with the world as forces for good.
"Although religion in some forms has indeed fed prejudice and atrocity, the available evidence is pretty compelling: In the Western world, at least, religiosity is more often associated with good - with happiness, health, generosity, and volunteering - than with evil," he writes.
Myers developed the book to bridge two worlds that he feels need not be separate. As a scientist, he understands - and within his own discipline applies - the skepticism that he recognizes can lead others to reject faith. His own experience as both a believer and a psychologist, however, has convinced him that the two need not be at odds. In "A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists" he writes conversationally, offering thoughts and examples that he hopes will prompt his audience to regard faith anew. Michael Shermer, publisher of "Skeptic" magazine and head of the Skeptics Society, notes that Myers "is the perfect person to write this book because he is both a skeptic and a theist, a world class debunker of all things nonsense, and yet a man of faith."
"I develop and offer these and other reflections not as a sophisticated defense of theism," Myers notes. "I hope, more simply, to help skeptical readers, many of whom are among my esteemed friends, to appreciate the common ground they share with many people of faith."
"I aim to suggest to these skeptical friends how someone might share their commitment to reason, evidence, and, yes, even skepticism while also embracing a faith that makes sense of the universe, gives meaning to life, connects us in supportive communities, mandates altruism, and offers hope in the face of adversity and death."
For example, where skeptics might see ways that religious fervor has been behind attacks, wars and prejudice, Myers documents selflessness inspired by faith commitments. Similarly, he describes studies showing that frequent worship attendance predicts greater volunteerism and charitable giving.
He acknowledges, quoting Gordon Allport, that "there are pathogenic strains in some religions, such as excessive terror, superstition, a built-in hostility to science, or a palliative defensiveness. But these pathogenic strains are not found in the great creeds of the world's religions." Moreover, Myers adds, "To judge faith by what Terry Eagleton called 'vulgar caricatures of religious faith that would make a first-year theology student wince' is like judging science by eugenics, nuclear warheads and chemical pollutants."
He also shows how faith and scientific inquiry can work together. While recognizing that there are Christians who see a conflict between the Bible and the conclusions of science, many other people of faith, including many of the founders of science, he says, find that faith inspires and complements good science.
Myers quotes neuroscientist Donald MacKay's reminder that the scientist's religious task, "is to tell it like it is, knowing that the Author is at our elbow, a silent judge of the accuracy with which we claim to describe the world He has created." Indeed, adds Myers, "Disciplined, rigorous inquiry - checking our theories against reality - helps fulfill Jesus' 'great commandment' to love God not just with our hearts but also with our minds."
Dr. Francis Collins, author of "The Language of God" and director of the Human Genome Project as well as an evangelical Christian, has praised Myers' book by noting, "With winsome humor and refreshing humility, David Myers offers a compelling case for skeptics and secularists that mature believers are a lot more like them than they realize - committed to reason and evidence, and offended by misuses of religion by dogmatists with personal or political agendas. Yet he also shows how life can be enriched by embracing a spiritual worldview that adds to rather than subtracts from the search for truth."
Myers, who has taught at Hope since 1967, is a communicator of psychological science to college students and the general public. His writings, supported by National Science Foundation Fellowships and grants and recognized by the Gordon Allport Prize, have appeared in three dozen scientific periodicals, from "Science" to "Psychological Science," and in dozens of magazines and newspapers. His 17 books include best-selling psychology texts and general-audience books on happiness, intuition, and hearing loss.


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Classic cocktails do not, by any means, confine their genesis to the mid-century. But they did comprise a big part of American social life during the 1950s and '60s. And they're back in style. A retro cocktail culture flourishes in the Bay Area, and its epicenter, arguably, is in the Oakland neighborhood north of City Hall, known as Uptown.
The blocks along Telegraph Avenue and Broadway, stretching from 16th Street to Grand Avenue, house one of the highest concentrations of vintage cocktail-focused bars anywhere, along with a heavy splash of original art deco architecture. It's the perfect neighborhood for a boozy historical walking tour, which is what Gretchen Ludwig and Serena Laing offer through their company Localite Tours.
"The way the tour works is that there are a couple really classic cocktails, and then a couple built from the idea of classic cocktails and given a modern twist," Ludwig explained of their weekly eight-block jaunt that hits four unique bars for cocktails and snacks, with stops of historical interest along the way.
But unlike bars that may crank out large batches of some signature mix, the bartenders on this tour savor their concoctions—a Jack Rose from Dogwood uses house-made grenadine, for example. "That drink is not on the menu. It's something they specifically do on our tours. Mindy, our bartender, has done a specialized version of it," Ludwig said. Tour participants get to learn some of the theory and history behind the more familiar drinks we all know.
An old-fashioned, the standard order of one Don Draper, stems from Prohibition, when bartenders used sweet ingredients such as fruit to cover up the rank taste of bootleg liquor. "The old-fashioned is interesting because you don't have to use the orange and cherry combination. The recipe is a ratio, not a specific list of ingredients," Laing said. "It's the balance of the alcohol and fruit. You could have a lime and raspberry one. And according to the knowledgeable bartenders we have on the tour, this one at Era Art Bar would be as authentic as using the orange and the cherry."
Participants learn some principles of mixology along the way, Ludwig said. "There are some basic elements to these cocktails. There are usually three ingredients, and it's a matter of creating structure and balance, and smoothness."
In addition to imbibing cocktails, tour participants get to nibble on a grilled cheese from Dogwood, and enjoy a stop in at the art deco Fox Theater to learn a bit of history and fiddle with a rack of defunct levers.
Tours meet on Thursdays at 7 p.m., cost $65 (drinks and food included), and can be booked through Localite Tours' website.


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This gem pops up every year around this time.
A classic how-to.
Click below:
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tips On Building A Halloween Troll
Posted by Rot at 1:23 PM
Labels: female troll, funny, how-to, rufus, shut it, troll, youtube.com
4 comments:
- Necropolis said...
Hahah I love the tags you placed on this. RUFUS, SHUT IT.
- September 28, 2010 at 3:09 PM
- Rot said...
This guy is awesome.
There's another 9 minute vid of him building a corpse and the head falls over at the end of the video and he yells "SHIT!"
- September 28, 2010 at 3:11 PM
- Mr. Chicken said...
zip tie! zip tie! ZIP TIE!!
- September 28, 2010 at 3:27 PM
- Anonymous said...
I thought the belch was a really nice touch. Very "earthy".
- September 28, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Conference time (Sept 20 - 22) is nearly here, and are you ready to attend a full-day of workshops, and two days of lectures by people from Ireland, and local genealogical experts on Irish roots?
One thing which BIFHSGO does, and has done for the past two years, is to present interviews with the conference speakers.
This year, some of the interviews are -
Lesley Anderson Previews her Pre-conference Seminar Lesley talks about her lecture on Ancestry.ca and how it can help you with your Irish family history research.
Interview with Linda Reid Toronto genealogist Linda Reid will be presenting "Around the Brick Wall: Tracing Back an Irish Family through Collateral Lines" and "Are They Really My Ancestors? Using Autosomal DNA Tests to Confirm (or Deny) Relationships and Ancestors."
Success through One Name Studies Sandra Adams, Bill Arthurs and Elizabeth Kipp along with John D Reid talk about the successes they have had by pursuing their one-name studies and what you can expect to learn if you attend the Saturday afternoon session "Success through One Name Studies"
If you want to listen to these interviews, go to www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=62
If you still haven't registered, you can register online at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=109
The website for BIFHSGO is www.bifhsgo.ca


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Packers to visit Wisconsin academy cadets
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A group of current and former Green Bay Packers is set to visit cadets at the Wisconsin National Guard's Challenge Academy.
Current Packers Jarrett Bush, Randall Cobb and Alex Green as well as alumni Santana Dotson, Aaron Taylor and Frank Taylor will visit the academy on Friday afternoon as part of the eighth annual Packers Tailgate Tour. Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy also will be with the group.
The Fort McCoy-based challenge academy is military-style boot camp open to boys and girls who have dropped out, been expelled or fallen at least a year behind in credits. The goal is to help teens earn their high school equivalency diplomas, learn essential job and life skills and become responsible citizens.
The Packers Tailgate Tour includes stops in five cities, including Tomah on Friday, May 17. The event will be held at the Tomah Recreation Park and benefit Tomah Area Cancer Support, Inc.


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There's a special place in my heart for big, bold adventure movies like John Carter. In an age where detached irony seems to permeate every recess of our lives, John Carter throws out names like "Zodongan", "Therns", "Tharks", and "Barsoom" and doesn't blink an eye. This is the world of John Carter and co-writer/director Andrew Stanton mostly lets the world open up at its own pace. The conflicts are laid out cleanly, the lead characters are compelling, and eventually you're not wondering about the difference between Zodongans and Heliumites and how a guy from 19th-century Earth was drawn into their conflict. You're too enraptured by the majesty of the red planet. You're also too busy laughing at the good-natured humor and being sucked into the exhilarating action.
John Carter starts off by introducing us to the civil war on Barsoom (the planet we call "Mars") between the Zodongans and the Heliumites. The leader of the Zodongans, Sab Than (Dominic West) has acquired an unstoppable weapons given to him from a seemingly all-powerful race known as the Therns. Heliumite princess and scientist Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) is trying to unlock the secret to the Zodongans' power before she's married off to Sab Than so that Helium can form a truce between the nations, although the "truce" is really more of a "Please stop killing us and we'll do whatever you want. Here's our smart and beautiful princess to sweeten the deal." Swept up into this planet-wide conflict is former Confederate soldier John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who wants no more part of war and simply wants the riches of a cave of gold he found on Earth. Unfortunately for Mr. Carter, he encounters a Thern on Earth, gets transported to Mars, and begins an odyssey filled with strange creatures (like the six-limbed, violent Tharks) and fantastical vehicles that can "travel on light".
While we may giggle a bit at the names, Stanton hooks us with visual spectacle and grand conflict. Before the exposition on Mars threatens to lose us, we're moved to Earth and meet Carter. It's a bit of a gamble to show the spectacle and then hit us with the familiar rather than vice-versa, but it's the pattern of John Carter's excellent pacing. Before the movie starts feeling like Dune, we get to see Carter be a badass, get some great laughs as he tries to escape from a U.S. colonel (Bryan Cranston), and when Carter lands on Mars, the humor eases us back into the strange stuff like his capture by the Tharks. John Carter manages these tonal transitions with tremendous skill throughout the story. One scene can have John Carter feeling helpless and trapped, and the next scene can have him paling around with Woola, his faithful, super-fast, ugly-yet-adorable dog-like creature.
It's a masterful balancing act where the pacing, visuals, plot, and characters have to work in sync to transport the audience to worlds within worlds. This isn't simply a modern-day guy hanging out with one alien species. It's a conflict with lots of players and the movie puts them in a world worthy of that conflict. Furthermore, John Carter isn't simply a world-saving cipher. The characters are archetypes and some are more fleshed out than others (translated to English, Sab Than probably means "Bad Guy"), but Carter's backstory has a meaningful tie to his situation on Mars. Granted, the subtext is simplistic and thematically there's hardly anything to chew on, but sometimes painting in the broad strokes of "Honor", "Love", "Redemption" fits the bill.
While the script has no problem with going broad, the excellent cast manages to bring their characters to life by making them more than Hero, Love-Interest, Chieftain, etc. I believe in John Carter because Kitsch sells his character's reluctance, pain, bewilderment, and moral code (and thankfully, John Carter is not "the chosen one who must answer the call"). Collins plays Dejah without the interminable "tough chick" clichés. Yes, she knows how to wield a sword and the character is really smart, but Collins' is unafraid to show Dejah's vulnerable side, which is essential to strengthening the character's determination. For the most part, John Carter does a solid job of showing that John and Dejah are equals, although he has to save her from plummeting to her death one time too many.
On the motion-capture side, the performances are even more crucial to making us believe in the Tharks. Like almost everything in John Carter, the Tharks are silly at first glance, and it takes strong writing and acting to push us past the appearances. Willem Dafoe is great as the Thark leader Tars Tarkas, a character who has to constantly hide his compassion among his combative people. The digital artists do their part, but it takes actors like Dafoe to make the character more than CGI.
John Carter is a visual effects extravaganza, but Stanton captivates us not only with ground-breaking effects, but by pulling everything together as a cohesive whole. It's not enough to simply show John Carter zipping around on airships. The airship has to be part of a culture and the culture has to come alive through its representative characters. This is what good epic stories do. They take the time to set up the world and the characters, and only then does the action come alive, as opposed to one CGI thing fighting another CGI thing. And when the action in John Carter comes alive, it's absolutely spectacular. The 3D doesn't get in the way, provides a nice depth of field, and the world is so big that an IMAX screening would be worth your time. John Carter the kind of visual feast that only a movie theater can provide.
However, the film is like a Faberge egg. It's beautiful and well-crafted, but it can shatter if you mishandle it for a second. As I mentioned earlier, John Carter is a balancing act and the film tumbles badly as it comes to the end. For over two hours, John Carter moves at the best pace to suit the story, but the ending moves in flash forward to the point where a series of big events become so condensed that they're ludicrous. You can almost see the Disney executive off to the side tapping his watch, and saying "Time to wrap it up."
It's a jarring and unworthy finish to a vivid and memorable movie-going experience. John Carter is a swashbuckling tale (Carter even uses swords instead of guns) that measures up to and in some ways exceeds the vision of the source material, Edgar Rice Burroughs' 1917 novel, A Princess of Mars. Andrew Stanton has taken an old-fashioned adventure and given it a high-tech body. John Carter is visually stunning, thoughtfully constructed, and most importantly, the film is grand, goofy, old-fashioned fun.
Rating: B+


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"We have extracted and reviewed well over 400 clinical trials, including in vitro studies, animal research, case-control, cohort, randomized control trials, and meta-analyses supporting the individual ingredients used in Mastermind™ from the last 35 years. Of these studies, approximately 150 were used by our advisory board and research team of medical professionals to analyze the efficacy of these ingredients on cognitive function. Our commitment to excellence and innovation has led us to surpass the standards found in the nutraceutical industry and led us to recruit a third-party clinical research organization to conduct a gold-standard independent, placebo-controlled, and randomized trial on the Mastermind™ formula itself."
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"My goal with the work is to employ the familiar, or what-goes-without-saying, to draw connections and provoke conversations about issues and histories that are often forgotten or avoided in our commerce-infused daily lives." —Hank Willis Thomas
Hank Willis Thomas is the winner of the first Aperture West Book Prize, an initiative announced in January 2007 to raise awareness of photographers based in the American West. For the first winner, the selection committee opted to highlight an emerging artist, Hank Willis Thomas, whose first monograph, Pitch Blackness (Aperture, 2008), was published as a result of the award. Willis Thomas gained wide recognition with his highly provocative series B®ANDED, which addresses the commodification of African-American male identity by raising questions about visual culture and the power of logos.
Willis Thomas's work grapples with issues of grief, black-on-black violence, the contributions of corporate culture to the crises of black male identity, and African-American representation in advertising and media. René de Guzman writes of Willis Thomas in her contribution to Pitch Blackness that he "is most closely aligned with the pioneering African-American artists of the 1970s and '80s, such as Carrie Mae Weems and Deborah Willis (the artist's mother, who is also an acclaimed photographer, scholar, and curator), and his immediate predecessors Lorna Simpson, Glenn Ligon, and Kara Walker." Some have categorized Willis Thomas's work as belonging to the "postblack" genre, where racist stereotypes are reinterpreted or reconstructed. With his characteristic pointedness and dark humor, Willis Thomas creates a visual dialogue about the pressing issues of race, representation, and a sort of present day enslavement-through-consumerism as it applies to African-American youth. Willis Thomas's work is heavily informed by the tragic loss of his young cousin, Songha Willis Thomas, who was murdered by another black man outside a Philadelphia night club in an incident of violence involving a gold chain, an event the artist credits with helping him find his "artistic focus."
Hank Willis Thomas (born in Plainfield, New Jersey, 1976) received his BFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and his MFA in photography, along with an MA in visual criticism, from the California College of the Arts, San Francisco. He has exhibited in numerous galleries and museums, including the Studio Museum in Harlem; Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut; Leica Gallery, New York; and National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.


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I've seen three interesting social media issues arise in the hours following the Supreme Court's decision this morning on Obamacare:
1. Premature enunciation and the ensuing bruhaha
In a rush to report on the extremely complex decision, CNN's website briefly stated that the healthcare law had been overturned. [Screenshot] Folks on Twitter were quick to pounce, and it still seems to be kind of flying under the radar that FOX News' side-scrolling ticker got it wrong too. The comparisons to Dewey Defeats Truman are obvious. The picture below by @garyhe captures this notion visually.
But there are a couple important differences in modern and social media versus the 1940s.
Because of the faster means to get the word out, there is even more pressure for a media outlet to be the first. (The same kind of pressure, felt by a humble blogger like me to be among the first to analyze the issues herein is making it difficult for me to type right.) And members of mainstream media are not just competing against other mainstream media participants. As @roncoleman tweeted, "[t]he central role of @SCOTUSblog in this discussion is the truly historical event occurring today." (@SCOTUSblog's coverage of the decision was driven largely by the work of 81-year-old Lyle Denniston.)
And it's easy to forget that mistakes in reporting can easily be undone. Unlike the paper in the Dewey Defeats Truman situation, which had to literally stop the presses, reset the type, print out new stacks of papers and physically deliver them hours later, the CNN website was changed immediately with little human effort. And the fact that CNN got it wrong couldn't have harmed anyone, given that there were millions of commentators on Twitter to instantly lampoon it, thereby drawing attention to the error.
2. It's not just law professors who can be constitutional scholars
@jonathanwpeters observed the profundity of how the discourse on Twitter had become erudite by simply noting: "June 28, 2012: the day that "Commerce Clause" trended on Twitter." But maybe that eruditeness is just a facade. @jbtaylor gives us a warning: "Brace yourself. Everyone on Twitter is about to become a Constitutional scholar."
3. Everyone's a comedian and all the world's a comedy club
Probably the best part of the social media response to the decision is the humor. Here are a few of my favorite tweets that look at the farcical side of this:
- "Remember when John Roberts botched the President's swearing-in on Inauguration Day? I think they're all good now." (by @johnsberman)
- "I felt a sudden disturbance in the Law, as if millions of nascent law review articles cried out, and were suddenly silenced." (by @timhwang)
- "Tea Party just turned into a massive kegger as the last spare change has gone to buy all the beer left in St. Louis #wow (by @mimizhusband)
- "Now that that's over who wants to grab a Coke and watch some porn" – Clarence Thomas (by @platypusjones)


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Freelancer Black 8
With its glamorous look, magical diamonds and the power of black, the latest model from the Freelancer mechanical collection exudes a devastatingly chic, sensual and elegantly modern feel.
A watch of refined sensitivity, the Freelancer Black 8 alludes to the universal lucky number – the symbol of both prosperity and the infinite. A figure eight is delicately outlined on the black guilloché dial, with 12 sparkling diamonds around its voluptuous curves. Freelancer Black 8 is a very limited edition – only 200 pieces available.
The 38mm case in polished and brushed steel, and the circular bezel studded with diamonds selected for their exceptional purity, underscore the new timepiece's stylish minimalism.
Renowned for achieving a perfect balance between technical prowess and design, RAYMOND WEIL has not merely lavished special attention on the aesthetics of this new timepiece, but also nurtured its horological identity by granting it a mechanical movement with automatic winding, and a fitted balance that is visible inside the figure eight.
Adding a final touch of class, the full-skin, saddle-stitched alligator strap matches the dial's glamorous tones, fitting snugly to the wrist thanks to its folding clasp with double push-piece security.
Freelancer Black 8: irresistibly elegant and mysterious…


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee State track and field program returned home with a bang on Saturday at the TSU Invite, winning six events on the day.
Quanisha Sales led the way for the Tigerbelles claiming top spots in two sprint events, the 55 and the 200 meters. Sales time in the 55 meters set a new career best of 6.97 seconds. The junior crossed the line in the 200 meters with a time of 24.30 seconds a season's best mark.
Junior Ashontae Jackson won the long jump with a leap of 6.16 meters. Not only did the mark beat the closest competitor by .20 meters. The jump set a career best for the Gordonville, Va. Native.
The Flying Tigers day was highlighted by the 4x400 relay teams. Tennessee State claimed the top two spots in the event, with the A team taking the crown crossing the line in 3:17.18. TSU's B squad followed closely behind with a mark of 3:18.35. The winning group consisted of Emmanuel Thornton, Jason Griffin, Quamel Prince and Perry Stokes.
Big Blue locked up a similar performance in the long jump, sweeping the podium. Senior Royce Dates claimed the top spot, clearing 7.56 meters. Dates was followed by Tyler Anderson (7.40 meters) and Kareem Nicholas (7.20 meters). Anderson's mark of 7.40 meters set a new personal best for the junior.
The freshman Prince continues to show his dominance in his first season with the Tigers, taking top spot in the 400 meters, crossing the line in 48.63. The time set a new career best for the Nashville, Tenn. native.
The track and field teams return to action next weekend for the Samford Invitational in Birmingham, Ala.


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Call him now Professor Space Cowboy: Rock guitarist Steve Miller will be teaching at USC for the upcoming fall semester, The New York Times reported.
The university's Thornton School of Music said that Miller will be an artist-in-residence working with undergraduates in its popular music programs. The guitarist will be involved in workshops as well as seminars, such as record production and tour planning.
Chris Sampson, associate dean of USC Thornton, told USC News: "To say we are thrilled about Steve joining our faculty would be an understatement."
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
"This is an amazing opportunity for the students at USC Thornton," he added. "Clearly, Steve cares deeply about the next generation of musicians and wants to be a part of their growth. His willingness to share his incredible experience with our students will undoubtedly transform their experience."
According to USC News, Miller was involved in the creation of USC's Popular Music Performance program from two years ago. He also invited students to record with him at the studio of Capitol Records.
Miller is best known for classic rock radio hits such as "The Joker," "Take the Money and Run," "Fly Like an Eagle" and Abracadabra." His most recent album, "Bingo!" came out in June.
Other artists-in-residence at USC include singer Patrice Rushen and songwriting legend Lamont Dozier.
Selected Readings: The New York Times, USC News


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Twin duvet cover (68" x 88") featuring the image "From The Heart" by Bill Morgenstern. Our soft microfiber duvet covers are hand sewn and include a hidden zipper for easy washing and assembly. Your selected image is printed on the top surface with a soft white surface underneath. All duvet covers are machine washable with cold water and a mild detergent.
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Majula Warmoth
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Can't recommend this enough - shame it doesn't come with pillow cases but good fabric and is the centrepiece of the room
Tulips move me, especially close ups. Hopefully they move you too. This image is available as an artist signed, double matted print on Epson Exhibition Fiber paper in a variety of sizes. Contact the artist for a quote with shipping.
"A Birth Certificate shows that you were born, a Death Certificate shows that you died, AND photos show that you lived." I live in Kerrville, Texas, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country where I photograph nature with a creative and inspired approach. Here, the broad expanse of sky and western landscapes punctuated by details of varying subjects draw me in to explore natural abstractions. Previously I lived in and photographed across Northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota for over 30 years. After retiring from a career in education, I pursued interests as a nature photographer and outdoor writer living in Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. The spirit of nature presented through abstract impressionism is an important element of...
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Spicy Indian rice
Nutrition and extra info
- kcal-
- fat-
- saturates-
- carbs-
- sugars-
- fibre-
- protein-
- salt-
- a mugful of American long grain rice
- 2 onions, sliced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is made from pressing sunflower seeds and extracting the oil. It's usually…
- ½ tsp turmeric
Turmeric is a fragrant, bright golden-yellow root that is most commonly seen and used dried and…
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- large handful of sultanas and roasted cashew nuts
Fry the onions in the sunflower oil in a large frying pan for 10-12 minutes until golden.
Fill a roomy saucepan with water, bring to the boil and tip in a heaped teaspoon of salt - the water will bubble furiously. Add turmeric and the cinnamon stick to the water. Pour in the rice, stir once and return to the boil, then turn the heat down a little so that the water is boiling steadily, but not vigorously. Boil uncovered, without stirring (this makes for sticky rice) for 10 minutes. Lift some out with a slotted spoon and nibble a grain or two. If they're too crunchy, cook for another minute and taste again. They should be tender but with a little bite. Drain the rice into a large sieve and rinse by pouring over a kettle of very hot water
Stir the crushed seeds of the cardamom pods into the onions with the cumin seeds and fry briefly.
Toss in a large handful of sultanas and roasted cashew nuts, then the hot drained rice. This is great with curry and will also give an exotic edge to grilled meat or fish.


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Is the New Yorker's Muslim Obama cover incendiary or satire?
There are always at least two sides to everything in politics. The up-side for Barack Obama of the persistent controversy over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's black militancy and racist sermons was that it sure drove home the point to millions of thinking voters that the Illinois senator was attending a Christian church, which countered the even-more persistent online rumors about Obama being Muslim.
Remember the native costume photo that was or was not promulgated by the Hillary Clinton campaign way back when she thought she had a chance to win the nomination? It's still going around online.
But now comes another unwelcome development for Obama's camp.
The cover of this week's New Yorker magazine depicts Obama in one-piece Muslim garb and headdress fist-bumping his booted, Afro-wearing wife Michelle in camo clothes with an AK-47 and ammo-belt slung over her shoulder beneath a portrait of Osama bin-Laden while the American flag burns in the fireplace -- in the presidential Oval Office.
It's got everything incendiary except a vest bomb. Which is what should telegraph to most people that it's way over-the-top and, therefore, satire.
But politicians don't like satire because it's subject to differing interpretations.
Obama declined comment today, seeking not to elevate its importance. But, in a move that certainly drew more attention to a commercial decision with no hope of changing it, his campaign issued a statement by Bill Burton which Mike Allen of Politico.com reported as, ""The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Sen. Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree."
The McCain campaign immediately e-mailed a similar statement from Tucker Bounds: "We completely agree with the Obama campaign, it's tasteless and offensive."
Of course, the McCain people must say that, despite some staff no doubt chuckling behind closed doors over their opponent's new challenge. That's the problem with satire. A lot of people won't get the joke. Or won't want to. And will use it for non-humorous purposes, which isn't the New Yorker's fault.
A problem is there's no caption on the cover to ensure that everyone gets the ha-ha-we've-collected-almost-every-cliched-rumor-about-Obama-in-one-place-in-order-to--make-fun-of-them punchline.
So you'll no doubt see this image making the internet rounds in coming months by people who don't want to see the satire. And won't include the magazine's press release saying, ""On the cover of the July 21, 2008, issue of The New Yorker, in 'The Politics of Fear,' artist Barry Blitt satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign."
In that issue is a non-satirical piece by Ryan Lizza about Obama's political start in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune respected columnist Clarence Page, an African American, said he found the cover "quite within the normal bounds of journalism."
Little doubt the incendiary magazine cover accomplished its intent of attracting attention on an otherwise slow-news summer Sunday. It'll probably sell more magazines too. And more Mylanta for the Obama offices.
--Andrew Malcolm
(By the way here's the actual article that goes with this satirical/incendiary cover. Warning: It's very long.)


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Projects Abroad Ghana Launches Read and Feed Program
Projects Abroad has launched a new program in Ghana to encourage reading as a way of improving literacy. The 'Read and Feed' program inspires children to see reading as something that is enjoyable. Now all new volunteers to Ghana are being asked to bring a book with them. With more books, the campaign can be expanded to reach more children throughout Ghana.
Read and Feed was started in the Akuapem Hills in the Eastern region of Ghana. The first host was Nana Aframea School in the village of Abiriw. The school already has a basic library so there was easy access to books. However, the few books they did have were rarely being used.
On the program, volunteers visit the school once a week after regular classes have finished for the day. With help from two local teachers they work with a small group of children who have been particularly struggling in class. Volunteers work one-on-one or with small groups of children. After each hour-long reading session the children are given some juice and a snack. After six weeks a new set of children are nominated in order to give everyone the opportunity to attend.
Success of the program and the 'Bring a Book' Campaign
The feedback from this program has been impressive to say the least. There has already been a marked improvement in the reading and comprehension of many children. This is backed up by a noticeable difference in the end of term exam results. The school has also started a book lending club whereby students can 'check-out' books from the library.
The success of the project has inspired local staff to launch a new 'Bring a Book' campaign. The idea is for everyone that comes to Ghana as a volunteer to bring a book with them. Then we can start to fill the currently empty shelves of school libraries. We will be able to run more initiatives like Read and Feed in order to encourage reading as an educational tool and a form of enjoyment for these children.


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Without Copyright Extension, The Beatles Will Never Have Incentive To Write Another Song
from the poor,-poor-ringo-starr... deptOver in the UK, they're having a bit of a debate over copyright extension, as the entertainment industry (not surprisingly) is trying to extend copyrights out much longer. In the article at The Guardian, they set up something of a debate between the British Library and someone from the BPI (the British version of the RIAA). The British Library is reasonably worried that all of this copyright stuff is making it nearly impossible to archive data for historical purposes. The longer copyright is extended for, the worse the problem becomes, as plenty of content will simply be completely gone or in unreadable formats by the time it goes out of copyright. It's a terrible precedent for archiving items. The guy from BPI responds that archiving and extension should be two separate issues, and he's absolutely right. From there, however, almost everything he says has problems.
On archiving, he brushes off the concern of the library by suggesting that the copyright owners can do a fine job archiving everything on their own, and that there's really no need for librarians to worry about such petty little things. "The British Library isn't the only archivist in town. The idea that if it weren't for the British Library no archiving would be going on is false." However, if it's a really big concern, he might, possibly be willing to carve out an exception. Of course, he's missing the fact that these firms are archiving content only based on commercial viability, leaving plenty of other works out in the cold. A large part of the debate is over how to archive "orphan works" that have no direct commercial value, but cannot be copied due to copyright restrictions. Because commercial entities are only interested in content that has commercial value, they're not archiving the rest of it. This is just one of the reasons why orphan works laws make sense.
The bigger issue, though, is copyright extension, and again, the guy from BPI is really far off-base. The purpose of copyright is to put in place the incentives for people to create creative works that they might not have done otherwise. Once that work is created, it's hard to see any reason to increase the incentive. After all, the work has already been created. However, here, the BPI representative totally twists the purpose of copyrights around: "Copyrights are the asset bases of British record companies. If we enhance the asset base, we can go on to make other, more exciting entrepreneurial investment decisions. If we increase the length of the term, we increase the value of these assets." By this argument, the government should just keep increasing the asset base value of any company. I should be able to go to the government and demand that they give a tax refund for each blog post, as it increases the likelihood that we'll keep blogging. That's not the purpose of copyright at all.
The story gets even worse, as they try to explain how poor, poor Ringo Starr with have his royalties dry up if copyright isn't extended. Note that these are royalties from songs he created in the 1960s -- on which we're pretty sure Ringo has already made a sum of money that's probably well in excess of what most of us will make in our lifetimes. In almost any other industry, you don't get paid for what you did in 1960. You get paid for the work you do, not for your past work. If Ringo Starr wants to make more money, he can keep making music -- which is exactly what he's been doing lately. And, that alone suggests that there's no need to extend copyrights. As it stands, there's already plenty of incentive to create new works, and we're pretty sure poor, poor Ringo Starr will get by just fine even if some of the Beatles' music goes into the public domain in a few years.


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(CNN) — A former justice of the peace now faces capital murder charges in the killings of two Texas prosecutors and the wife of one of them, authorities announced Thursday.
Eric Williams' bail has been set at $23 million in the March killings of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, and the January slaying of Mark Hasse, one of McLelland's assistant district attorneys. Williams was already in jail on a charge of threatening investigators probing the killings, and his wife had been charged with murder on Wednesday.
"The murder of a public official, such as a judge a prosecutor or a law-enforcement officer, is an assault on all the people of the state, because it's an attack of the rule of law," said Kirby Dendy, chief of the Texas Rangers.
Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes said the killings stemmed from Williams' "past legal problems with the criminal justice system of this county" — a 2012 conviction on burglary and theft charges that led to his removal from office.
His wife, Kim Williams, was booked early Wednesday on murder charges. She confessed in detail to her involvement in the scheme and implicated her husband as the trigger man, according to court papers.
Byrnes said Eric Williams fired the fatal shots in both slayings. In Hasse's death, Kim Williams was the getaway driver; in the McLellands' killings, she was a passenger, "and Eric did the killing."
"We do not believe there were any other major actors in this case," Byrnes said.
Hasse and Mr. McLelland both believed that Eric Williams blamed them for his removal from office, a sheriff's sergeant noted in Kim Williams' arrest paperwork. The prosecutors carried handguns for their protection after the Williams trial "because they believed Eric Williams to be a threat to their personal safety."
Eric Williams was arrested last week on a count of making a terroristic threat. A sheriff's affidavit accused him of using his home computer to threaten police investigating the McLellands' killings.
Eric Williams' attorney released a statement Friday saying he "has cooperated with law enforcement and vigorously denies any and all allegations. He wishes simply to get on with his life and hopes that the perpetrators are brought to justice."


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How to Crack Down on Insider Threats
Insiders can cause untold reputational and financial damage to organizations, yet companies often underestimate the insider threat until a significant breach occurs.
"It could have been prevented."
That's what Gordon Hannah and Kelly Bissell, both principals with Deloitte & Touche LLP's Security & Privacy practice, say about many cases where insiders maliciously stole intellectual property (IP) or otherwise innocently compromised sensitive information. The "Common Sense Guide to Mitigating Insider Threats," a publication of the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) at the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, defines insiders as current or former employees, contractors, or business partners who have or had authorized access to an organization's network, system, or data.
Hannah estimates that insiders perpetrate 20 to 30 percent of major security breaches. The 2011 CyberSecurity Watch Survey, conducted by CSO magazine and sponsored by Deloitte, found insiders behind 21 percent of cyber attacks at surveyed organizations. In the financial services industry, the number rises to 74 percent, according to the 2012 Insider Threat Study, from the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute CERT division.
The damage insiders can cause to an organization's reputation and competitiveness can be devastating. A research scientist who worked at different times for a large chemical company and a diversified manufacturer admitted to stealing trade secrets from both companies worth between $7 and $20 million, according to the U.S. Justice Department. A software engineer who worked for a handset manufacturer stole trade secrets related to a proprietary technology the manufacturer had spent hundreds of millions of dollars to develop, according to the FBI. A government agency had to pay $20 million to settle a class action lawsuit after a laptop containing the names and social security numbers of millions of personnel was stolen from an employee's home.
Incidents like those are not uncommon, says Bissell. But he and Hannah say organizations can detect and, in many cases, prevent them with an insider threat mitigation strategy that combines an awareness of an organization's information assets with policies, technologies, and incident response processes designed to protect them.
Awareness: Know Where Sensitive Information Flows
According to Hannah, an insider threat mitigation strategy should begin with an assessment of the data and information assets requiring extra protection. He says information security chiefs should know:
- The facilities and systems where an organization's critical information is stored, whether inside the organization or with its partners/service providers;
- The individuals who have access to those facilities and systems;
- How the organization grants, monitors, and rescinds access to them; and
- The level of security required by various facilities and systems.
Based on that assessment, organizations can establish appropriate data security, access, and system monitoring policies. Policies should seek to limit the access granted to "privileged users" (like systems and database administrators) to systems containing valuable, sensitive, or classified information.
"Many times, privileged users have unfettered access to systems," says Hannah. "At some point, those users may have needed broad access to complete an infrastructure buildout or other project. But once finished, their additional access should be promptly revoked. Too often, it isn't, and that creates risk."
Other times, privileged users obtain high levels of access as their responsibilities expand or as they move into new roles. This can become problematic, observes Bissell, when they retain access to systems they no longer require in their new roles, or when their expanded access provides them with opportunities to perpetrate fraud or other malicious activities.
Enforcing "segregation of duties" policies can also limit privileged users' access, thereby reducing the insider threat. Rather than allowing one system administrator to have full administrative rights to an entire system or to multiple systems, an IT organization may decide to separate or divvy up that individual's responsibilities among several staff members. Hannah notes that systems administrators would have to collude to perpetrate malfeasance in environments that implement segregation of duties, but he acknowledges that separating privileged users' responsibilities can be challenging, particularly in short-staffed IT organizations.
Technology: Use it to Support Policies
Organizations can draw on a variety of technology solutions to help enforce access and segregation of duties policies, and to help detect and prevent insider threats. Among them:
Identity and Access Management (IAM) Systems prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to systems. They can also help to enforce segregation of duties policies, and provide alerts when users attempt to access restricted systems.
Compliant Provisioning Systems help companies identify the security and compliance risks associated with granting users access to various systems. They also provide visibility into the access privileges IT departments may need to revoke from employees as they move into different roles.
Data Loss Prevention Systems restrict what employees can do with information. They can prevent employees from altering, printing, emailing, or downloading protected information—such as payroll files, IP, contracts, or customer data—onto a hard drive or USB drive. They can provide alerts when users try to change, print, or download protected files.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) Systems can monitor employees' access to IP. These systems record the activities of users who access systems containing sensitive or classified information, and they can compare user access logs with access policies in DRM systems to confirm that only appropriate individuals have access to IP.
Privileged User Management Systems control and record the enterprise systems to which privileged users have access. They define the commands that privileged database administrators can and cannot execute on various systems (e.g., they can't select "*" or copy the entire contents from a payroll file onto their hard drive). By recording privileged users' activities, companies may be able to more easily identify unusual activity.
Encryption Solutions—deployed to systems containing sensitive data, USB drives, and mobile devices—can prevent some insiders from gaining unauthorized access. So-called container encryption or file/folder encryption can provide more granular control than full-disk encryption over access to sensitive information based on users' roles. To prevent privileged users who control encryption keys from accessing IP and the like, consider deploying end-to-end encryption, which encrypts data at the source as opposed to when it lands in a database.
Process: Reacting to Threats
If a manager obtains evidence, through various systems or other channels, that an employee has stolen information, accessed an unauthorized system, or otherwise plans to do harm, Bissell recommends promptly disabling the employee's access and scanning the individual's computer for unauthorized information.
"If, as the supervisor or security chief, I were to discover that an employee or contractor had data on their computer that they shouldn't, I'd launch an investigation, then determine my course of action," says Bissell. "It may be to reprimand or terminate the employee, or involve law enforcement."
Hannah notes that organizations can take a variety of other measures to mitigate insider threats, including more behavior profiling and running regular, beefed up background checks on employees who have access to sensitive or classified data. "With sound policies, tools, and processes," he says, "organizations can effectively neutralize the insider threat and mitigate the risk a single individual can cause."
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28 April 2011
News of Invisible Conga People's impending return is good news indeed. 2008's "Cable Dazed" hit me like an unusually strong dose of the sublime. Somewhere in there with works like Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" or Erik Satie's "Gymnopedies." You barely notice it until…you're halfway in…and by then it's halfway done.
And then you need to start again.
Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis
Tags: DFA, Erik Satie, Invisible Conga People, Italians Do It Better, Music for 18 Musicians, Steve Reich, The Sublime
15 July 2009
One day someone will write the history of molasses in popular music. It might start with Brian Eno's Discreet Music.
There will probably be a chapter about Erik Satie, the French avant-garde composer from late 19th and early 20th century.
When Satie died, it's said no one had entered his room for a quarter century, and what was discovered there gave Howard Hughes and those Grey Gardens ladies a run for their money. Take it away Wiki-wiki,:
Continuing on, the story of popular molasses may alight upon the short, strange, not-so-successful indie rock career of Codeine in the early 1990s, and their puzzling presence on the SubPop Records roster at the height of grunge fever. Or, perhaps, this history will just seek to puzzle out the latter day activities of Codeine's lead singer Stephen Immerwahr, whose appropriately evocative last name sounds like swimming in a pool of syrup and breathing deep. He hasn't made any recordings or live appearances as a musician since the band's break-up but, in contrast to Satie's biographical profile, his current activities seem more prosaic. Google indicates he's made a career for himself in the world's of academia and public health.
Anyway, the term "slowcore" was invented to describe Immerwahr's band, much to the consternation of any group who followed in their wake and were tagged as participants in said genre. As far as genres go, it holds about the same market kick as a term like "experimental," which is to say, it kicks careers into the grave.
Could the San Francisco band Girls change all that? I wouldn't bet on their success, but I wish for it. Here's the song that convinced me:
This is a band that wins both on musical & stylistic grounds. Let's break it down, shall we:
1. THE NAME: Every once and awhile a group comes along and effortlessly discovers a best band name ever that has, inexplicably, not been taken. Girls is one of them.
2. MUSIC GEEK RHETORICAL CLICHES: Most music geeks that, in some way, romanticize the 1960s as a golden age for pop are forever in search of that white unicorn of musical pleasure "the teenage symphony to God." That's how Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys described his masterwork, Smile, but it could equally be applied to the epically arranged bubblegum pop of his temporal peer Phil Spector. (The internet just told me that The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds was named in honor of Phil Spector's initials. Whoa.)
Now, let me be clear, "River Deep, Mountain High" aside, I don't have much interest in the work of either guy. Illustrative music break:
What's awesome about Girls, though, is that they seem to worship in the same general direction as Spector and Wilson — toward Long Beach? — but put a different kind of offering on their alter. Their teenage symphonies are sung to a downer God obsessed with pills & thrills & belly aches rather than some boring American vision of idealized Stepford girlfriends, beach blanket bingo & surfing. Considering the latter day insanities & inanities that littered Wilson's & Spector's lives & careers, this more purely hedonistic ideal is probably a good thing.
3. HAPPENSTANCE DISCOVERY: Never understate the evocative power of how one discovers a given piece of music. I first came across Girls upon the recommendation of a San Francisco acquaintance named [name withheld upon request], who's been emailing me music off and on for years. His notes usually start with oddly compelling openings like "Their lead singer is this amazing black trannie who reminds me of Iggy Pop." Offer is, of course, a lawyer by training who, at my last recollection, works as a private investigator. I imagine his work clothes consisting of a Magnum P.I.-like outfit that you could only get away with somewhere like Hawaii or northern California.
Maybe that's the trannie on the left?
4. LIKELY INDIFFERENCE TO FAME AT THE EXPENSE OF FUN: Viz, Girls' MySpace which includes a link to the webpage www.drugs.com/imprints.php
Downer gods indeed.
5. PERSONAL STYLE: This may very well be The Odd Couple of indie rock.
I think the pictorial evidence is pretty strong but I, for one, cannot wait for the extensive Pitchfork interview.
UPDATED JULY 16, 2009: You can download free MP3s of the Hellhole Ratrace 10″ and its B-side "Solitude" at this blog post from the band's label, True Panther Sounds. You can also see the artwork for their upcoming full length, which will be titled Album. The latter has a nice, sort of low rent Peter Saville look & feel to it.
UPDATED JULY 20, 2009: Sometimes I'm actually on beat with the wider media's consensus news pegs. I just stumbled across this worthwhile new profile of Girls from The Guardian in London. The headline says it all: "Girls who are boys who like girls: Raised by a cult, rescued by a millionaire and addicted to pills"
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 15, 2010:Name of San Francisco acquaintance redacted upon request of said acquaintance. He's a nice guy! Prospective employers-slash-spouses-slash-legal authorities with which he is in trouble please do not hold this blog post against him. He had nothing to do with it!
Posted by Alec Hanley Bemis
Tags: Brian Wilson, Censorship, Codeine, Erik Satie, Girls, Phil Spector, Slowcore, Teenage Symphonies to God, Tina Turner


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The time is now!
Make straight the bonds that link
Heaven, Fire, Water and Earth
Let me stand as your guide.
Welcome to Aikido Shugenkai's web page. You can find out where we hold classes and our take on Aikido at this website. Have a look around and enjoy your stay.
Shugenkai is a community which supports its members in the pursuit of a life-long study and practice in the fundamental truths of Aikido. We use the analogy of the basic natural elements - earth, water, fire, and air - as a framework to assist us in our continuous studying, learning, and training.
Shugenkai has some very strong views on the purpose of an Aikido dojo. Our non-profit constitution says we exist to further the development of the mind, body and spirit through the practice of Aikido. It does not say "and to make lots of money for someone". While this philosophy is probably found in many other dojo, it is not true of many schools (in various other martial arts) which seem to have the major purpose of extracting money from the students and giving it to the school's owners. This is not our way.


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by Jean-Bernard Hyppolite
Angela Heithecker and Tom Brubaker, both 40-something, opened HOBNOB Design, 7916-18 Germantown Ave., 12 years ago with well-crafted, colorful handbags, rugs and all kinds of unique items. "Angela actually made the handbags out of vintage fabric," said Tom.
"The name came from a brainstorming session with friends. We were looking for a vintage word that conveyed fun and socializing, having a good time."
A customer cruising thru HOBNOB may catch an item from a flea market like a plaque of a marlin head or a carnival wheel. It's easy to appreciate the design of a rug or the beauty of a craft, but after hearing the back story behind certain items, there's a new appreciation for the creation of something as simple as a doormat. Under the front table a few feet away from the entrance lies a group of mats that are derived from "float ropes."
Float ropes are outlawed in Maine due to the harm the material caused to sea life. One couple saw mounds of this type of rope (enough to fill an entire store), and instead of letting it stay around, they weaved it into doormats that are sturdy, never lose color and maintain a long lifespan. Angela proceeds to mention a client she represents named Beehive Kitchenware. "It's from a couple that lives in Fall River, MA. They're making all sorts of metal-ware."
Tom and Angela specialize in two separate fields. Angela focuses on creative aspects such as color consultations, buying and interior work, while Tom handles marketing and other business-related aspects. "It's a classic 'artist meets business,' and that clash occurs, and we've dealt with it for more than 12 years," said Tom "I've learned to be more flexible and less regimented. I think Angela's learned through the process that there has to be some order, planning and structure if something is going to go off the way we want to go off …" Angela added that Tom has become "less nagging" as well.
Angela's desire to continually collect vintage fabrics without knowing exactly what she was going to create with them is a major reason why HobNob still exists today. "Starting the business was fueled by me wanting to continue collecting vintage fabric. I would buy the bulk of whatever I found without knowing what I was going to make out of it. Tom was going a little crazy … I almost had a room full of fabric, so I decided to make something functional with it."
After majoring in metals and graduating from the Crafts Department at the University of The Arts in Philadelphia (formerly PCA), Angela tried her hand at fashion accessory design and then spent five "great years" working in the Philadelphia studio of Galbraith & Paul. Following the birth of her second child, she decided to begin creating handbags from her vast collection of vintage fabrics — and HOBNOB was born.
Angela gained a following by selling her items through boutiques, traveling to locations in the Northeast. One of her first shows was at the Chestnut Hill Spring Flower Festival several years ago. After a while the constant travel became too stressful. "Basically I was setting up a store every time I did a show. I was setting up a boutique and breaking it down. It just wasn't what I wanted to continue doing."
Angela ended up having her handbags featured at Artisans on the Avenue, where she found success. After realizing that perhaps designing handbags wasn't enough, Angela tapped into interior design, and ended up representing other clients both locally and nationally, along with selling her own designs. "Transformation has always been a part of my creative process — using vintage buttons, antique tie-silk and long-forgotten hand-sewing methods to create special handbags. My creative process has now expanded into transforming domestic interiors."
"One of the things we do is search flea markets, thrift stores and yard sales for furniture that has some great bones. They've got great legs, the wood is strong, typically mid-century and earlier," added Tom. The couple have the found furniture reupholstered and rehabilitated, creating one-of-a-kind items.
"It's typically hard to see past a condition in items that people have loved for years but which are worn out and falling apart," said Tom, "but Angela has a great eye to be able to see something and envision it in maybe a certain fabric or in a different way. And once it's re-purposed like that or reupholstered, it's something people really want and are willing to pay for."
Angela, originally from Buffalo, NY, earned a BFA in Metals at the University of the Arts and took additional courses in interior design at Philadelphia University. Tom, originally from Lancaster, PA, went to school for business at Eastern University and did graduate work at Drexel. The couple, married for 22 years, currently live in Mt. Airy. They have two children, Celia and Owen, the former in 8th grade and the latter in 11th grade, both at Germantown Friends School. For more information, visit www.hobnob-design.com or call 215-313-8441.


text: Corneal Epithelial Cell Basal Medium (ATCC® PCS-700-030™) General Information Specifications Documentation Print Email Share Share this product Facebook Twitter Google+ Permits and Restrictions View Permits Biosafety Level 1 Biosafety classification is based on U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines, it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that their facilities comply with biosafety regulations for their own country. Applications Corneal Epithelial Cell Basal Medium is a sterile, phenol red-free, liquid tissue culture medium intended for use as one component in a complete ATCC® Primary Cell Solutions™ system. This serum-free system is designed to support corneal epithelial cells derived from normal human cornea. Corneal Epithelial Cell Basal Medium contains essential and non-essential amino acids, vitamins, other organic compounds, trace minerals and inorganic salts. To support the proliferation and plating efficiency of corneal epithelial cells, Corneal Cell Basal Medium must be supplemented with the appropriate cell-specific growth kit. When using this complete media system, the growth of corneal epithelial cells is supported without the use of feeder layers, extracellular matrix proteins or other substrates. For corneal epithelial cells derived from corneal tissue (e.g., Primary Corneal Epithelial Cells, Normal, Human, ATCC PCS-700-010), supplement Corneal Epithelial Cell Basal Medium with the Corneal Epithelial Cell Growth Kit (ATCC PCS-700-040). Optional media supplements: Gentamicin-Amphotericin B Solution (ATCC PCS-999-025) Penicillin-Streptomycin-Amphotericin B Solution (ATCC PCS-999-002) Phenol Red (ATCC PCS-999-001) Product Format 485 mL Shipping Information room temperature Storage Conditions 2°C to 8°C, protect from light Volume 485 mL Endotoxin < 0.5 EU/mL Osmolality 315 ± 10 mOsm Sterility Tests Negative for bacteria, fungi and yeast. C of A Certificate of Analysis Permits These permits may be required for shipping this product: Customers located in the state of Hawaii will need to contact the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to determine if an Import Permit is required. A copy of the permit or documentation that a permit is not required must be sent to ATCC in advance of shipment. Basic Documentation Product Sheet Certificate of Analysis SDS


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NEW YORK (AP) - It's only 3 p.m. but master director Mike Nichols warns that he's been through a lot already.
NEW YORK (AP) � It's only 3 p.m. but master director Mike Nichols warns that he's been through a lot already.
"I'll be a little slow," he tells a visitor to his rehearsal room at Lincoln Center, where he is readying his next Broadway play. His assistants have been shooed away and he's given the actors the afternoon off.
They've all been at it since 8 a.m. and it's not always the easiest work. Nichols is getting his hands dirty in Harold Pinter's "Betrayal," a play about a love triangle and the pain of loss that stars real-life couple Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig.
How does Nichols know when to take his foot off the throttle and let the actors enjoy the sunshine? "When amazing things have happened," he replies. "Everybody's a little worn out."
Everyone, it seems, except Nichols himself, who is far from weary despite his assurances. The Tony, Emmy, Oscar and Grammy winner seems energized by being back on Broadway and exploring a familiar, naughty theme.
"I keep coming back to it, over and over � adultery and cheating," he says. "It's the most interesting problem in the theater. How else do you get Oedipus? That's the first cheating in the theater."
While known as a jack-of-all-trades who can embrace silliness � "Monty Python's Spamalot," ''The Birdcage" � as easily as heart-wrenching drama � "Angels in America," ''Wit" � Nichols is indeed in his element with rocky relationships.
Many of his film and stage projects � "The Real Thing," ''Carnal Knowledge," ''Closer," ''Primary Colors," ''Heartburn" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" � are littered with psychic aches and broken hearts.
"It was the first thing I knew. My first memory in the world is my gym teacher ripping my mother's necklace off her neck and throwing it out the window and her running downstairs to go after it. I have no memory before that. I was 4," he says. "My father had a lot of girlfriends and my mother had a lot of boyfriends."
No wonder then that "Betrayal" � inspired by a Pinter affair � would attract Nichols, who married TV journalist Diane Sawyer in 1988 after three divorces. Nichols was discussing reviving "Betrayal" before he scored a triumph with last year's revival of "Death of a Salesman."
Nichols and Pinter were friends and worked together � Nichols directed Pinter in "Wit" as Emma Thompson's father, and wrote a scene in Pinter's adaptation of "The Last Tycoon" � but this marks the first time he'll direct something by the playwright.
Does he feel pressure from his old friend's ghost? "I feel free. I don't hear him say, 'No! You're not supposed to do that. Do this!' He's cool," Nichols says. "I'm not worried what he'll think. I'm happy."
Written in a reverse chronology, "Betrayal" begins with the end of an affair between Emma and Jerry, a book agent who is also the best friend of Robert, Emma's husband. Craig plays the husband, Weisz the wife, and Rafe Spall makes his Broadway debut as Jerry. It begins performances Oct. 1.
Nichols, who has some experience directing married couples � he led Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to glory in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" � says Craig (Mr. James Bond) and Weisz ("Stealing Beauty," ''The Mummy") are great.
"They don't bring their marriage to rehearsal," he says. "They are two individuals who happen to walk in together. They work wonderfully together but they work wonderfully with the third member of the cast, who is just as astonishing as they are. They're the dream. They'll do anything you suggest, they always enjoy it."
Producer Scott Rudin, who calls Nichols the "best living director in the theater," says actors gravitate to him because he creates a safe environment for them to create. Then, before they know it, they're baring their souls.
"What he does is very gentile, imperceptible, nearly invisible nudging in the direction of the play," says Rudin. "It's by inference and implication, storytelling and discussion, and gradually, over the course of the workshop and rehearsal, they make their way into the play."
On this workday, an unmade bed and some comfy chairs are all that are needed to get the juices going in the sanitized rehearsal space. Nichols sits at a foldable table with the tools of his trade: a box of tissues, tiny bottles of hand sanitizer, a packet of cheese crackers, several pens, a laptop, iPad, a bottle of water and plastic glasses full of throat lozenges.
There's also a paperback copy of Pinter's play. It's a slim book and Nichols is still stunned that such a slender book with smallish words can connect. "The play weighs more than the words in them," he says.
Nichols, 81, fell in love with the stage at age 15 when the mother of his then-girlfriend gave them theater tickets. He saw the second night of the debut of "A Streetcar Named Desire" starring Marlon Brando in 1947.
"We were poleaxed, stunned. We didn't speak to each other. We just sat like two half-unconscious people. It was so shocking. It was so alive. It was so real," he says. "I'm amazed about our bladders because we never went to the bathroom and it was about 3 1/2 or 4 hours long."
Nichols says he's doing with "Betrayal" what he's always done since that night he saw Tennessee Williams: making the audience recognize that what they're seeing is about them.
"I think a director can make a play happen before your eyes so that you are part of it and it is part of you," he says. "If you can get it right, there's no mystery. It's not about mystery. It's not even mysterious. It's about our lives."
Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits


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QB Andrew Luck Takes Over Play-Calling Duties for Stanford
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has heard of lot of comparisons to Peyton Manning during his time under center for the Cardinal. But now he has another fact in common with the Colts' injured superstar that is rare in the NFL and almost unheard of in college. Like Manning, Luck is now calling his own plays.
"We put the formation out there and let Andrew call the play," said Stanford head coach David Shaw. "It's 100 percent up to him to get us in the right play…I don't know if there are too many college quarterbacks that can truly call the game. It's not coming from the sideline. It's coming from him on the field."
Seventh-ranked Stanford rolled out the new hurry-up offense with Luck calling the plays during last weekend's 45-19 victory over UCLA. And Luck showed just how efficient the system could be, going 23-27 for 227 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions.
When healthy, Manning has long been an effective play-caller for the Colts offense. With these new duties, the Manning/Luck comparisons will only grow as we go through this season — and into the 2012 NFL draft.


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Silverthorne and Diamondville Atomized
Silverthorne and Diamondville Atomized
Exactly a month back, Intel shared with its partners and the media more information of the Silverthorne codenamed processors - Intel's first purpose-built processor designed solely for ultra mobile computing solutions. On 2nd of March, the company finally christened it as the Intel Atom processor. If you're wondering of its market potential, while niche at the moment, it has a very huge untapped potential in both emerging and mature markets thanks to the kind of devices that the Intel Atom will power. We'll give you a quick rundown with the state of things and why the Atom will be big (pun intended).
For several years, Intel has been capitalizing on their more power-optimized notebook-class processors to be used in smaller and lighter computing solutions (just as how desktop processor designs were scaled to the mobile space in the distant past of the pre-Centrino days). Think of the thin and light notebook solutions and the UMPC solutions to-date; while the notebooks have fared reasonably well in their form factor, the size, build and compute power of a UMPC has been far from practical. Part of the reason lies with the clunky Windows interface and the lack of a leaner Windows operating system that can operate smooth enough with the given UMPC hardware specifications. The other major stumbling block is the hardware powering the UMPC themselves which limit them to their existing chunky size. What they lack is processor that has similar computing capability as the current ultra low voltage processors, but with far lower thermal output and power requirements. The all-new Atom processor is targeted squarely at this segment as this single-core, 512KB L2, HT-enabled, 47-million transistor equipped processor is designed for sub-2W operation.
As mentioned earlier, Silverthorne was the initial codename for the Atom processor but sometime later, Intel also mentioned of Diamondville. This is just a variant of Silverthorne, so both of these core code names belong to the Intel Atom processor family. How they differ is basically the segmentation of products they cater to. Silverthorne processors are really optimized for the lowest power possible (as low as 0.5 watts consumption) and are meant for devices like mobile Internet devices (MID) and other in-your-pocket devices. Diamondville however is more cost optimized and is suitable for UMPC and other low-cost, low-profile notebooks. With their native x86 ISA derived from the Merom architecture, the Atom processors hold the advantage of immediate software compatibility of the mass market as opposed to ARM-based processors and the likes. However the Atom (even considering the Silverthorne variant), is not quite yet the ARM application processor competitor in terms of size and power considerations for the handheld market, but it will eventually get to that stage sometime next year.
Another Centrino Ecosystem for MIDs
In addition to announcing the Atom processors, Intel is also embracing another Centrino brand category solely for pocketable mobile devices such as the MID and to push Intel's branding/architecture into this space. Formerly known as the Menlow platform, it is now the Intel Centrino Atom Processor technology. Chipset details are still sketchy, but we heard that Intel will not willfully enforce its own networking module in this platform and will allow third-party vendors to supply them too. The main reason was to allow OEMs and ODMs to tailor their mobility solutions to cater to varying needs and to hopefully drive up the adoption of the Centrino Atom platform with a little more leniency. Of course, once Intel gains a strong foothold, we can't say if they would still adopt this stance.
While other products like UMPC and compact notebooks may choose to adopt the Intel Atom processors and the Menlow platform, they are quite unlikely to bear the Centrino Atom branding as it was specifically targeted for the MID-class devices.
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This Korea Toys page provides a variety list of latest Korea Toys products, manufacturers and suppliers. Here you can browse all manufacturers of Korea Toys. Each of the keywords links to a variety list of latest Korea Toys products, manufacturers and suppliers. Browse keywords such as toy, educational toy, robot, toys, 3d puzzle and more in this popular Korea Toys category to find the best quality Korea Toys products.
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|SOURCE: CIA - The World Factbook
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