text:
Star Tribune publisher: No harm intended in transferring files
Ridder appeared confident, but contrite, during questioning in the second day of the Ramsey County District Court injunction trial. Several times in the more than four hours of questioning he expressed regret at not deleting computer files containing confidential revenue numbers and other sensitive information when he left the Pioneer Press.
"I wish I had" Ridder replied, when asked by his attorney why he hadn't deleted the files when informed Pioneer Press executives were concerned he had them. "I just should have left it at the Pioneer Press."
Ridder claims he kept the files because he wanted to keep using the spreadsheet design that he had become accustomed to using over the years at the Pioneer Press and other papers. He also said deleting the Pioneer Press data was a "massive job" that he neglected to do in a timely way.
He estimated keeping up to 20 spreadsheets, each with numerous pages. Ridder said he rarely deleted anything from his laptop computer so it included similar information from his stints at papers in San Luis Obispo and Contra Costa.
"It was Pioneer Press information and I should not have forwarded it on to anyone at the Star Tribune."
"I don't delete files, hardly ever," he said. "But don't get me wrong. If I could have done this differently, I wish I didn't have this information."
Within a month of taking the publisher position at the Star Tribune, Ridder had shared the Pioneer Press files with the heads of advertising and other key departments at the Minneapolis paper. During his testimony he maintained he never intended to use the information to gain an unfair advantage to the detriment of his old paper.
Ridder also disclosed he met with executives for Avista, the new owners of the Star Tribune in late February of this year. On the flight back to St. Paul -- before he officially had the job -- he composed a wish list for a new staff. Ten of the 14 he hoped to recruit to fill those jobs were Pioneer Press managers.
The Pioneer Press is suing to block Ridder and two other former employees from taking their jobs at the Star Tribune, maintaining that would violate their non-compete agreements.
Ridder says there's no question in his mind his boss agreed to waive the agreements at the end of 2005. Ridder says when the paper's parent company and his own family's firm, Knight Ridder, went on the block, senior executives at the paper expressed concerns about the non-compete agreements. He said he asked his boss to void them as a gesture of good faith to his top executives.
Ridder's boss, Art Brisbane, testified earlier he doesn't remember that conversation


text:
MIAMI – The family of a cyclist killed by a convicted hit-and-run driver are still upset over what they consider to be a light sentence.
Michele Traverso was sentenced to 364 days in prison and two years of community control on Wednesday. He was pleaded guilty in connection with the Feb. 15 incident that killed cyclist Aaron Cohen and injured cyclist Enda Welsh.
"I did what I thought was most appropriate in light of everything that was presented to me," Judge William Thomas said Wednesday.
Traverso was facing up to 30 years in prison.
Cohen's wife said the family supported a six-year sentence, which prosecutors wanted. The state was asking for a sentence of six years in prison followed by five years of probation.
Prosecutors said Traverso had been drinking, but they couldn't prove he was driving under the influence without a blood alcohol content level.
"What is being penalized is the action after the incident," said Jude Faccidomo with the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Faccidomo said the judge is bound by guidelines and with no other criminal evidence, a two-year sentence is within the guidelines of leaving the scene of a crash with death.
"Does Florida law almost encourage someone to flee the scene of this type of crash and death if staying means they will be charged with something much more serious?" asked Local 10's Glenna Milberg.
"An argument could be made for the fact that if you're able to avoid detection for driving under the influence, that may be in your best interest," replied Faccidomo. "The question then becomes should Florida reconsider their guideline scheme, and that's possible, yes."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Mr. President
President Barack Obama will address the nation's schoolchildren Tuesday, exhorting them to get good grades and stick it out until graduation. Billed by the White House as unprecedented, this speech re‐emphasizes the president's avowed commitment to the importance of education, both to the lives of individual children and to the U.S. economy.
But are President Obama's actions advancing the goals he espouses?
The president's most dramatic act to date has been to commit an extra $100 billion to shoring up the nation's traditional public school systems, arguing that higher education spending will boost the economy. But a July 2008 study in the Journal of Policy Sciences finds that, to the authors' own surprise, higher spending on public schooling is associated with lower subsequent economic growth. Spending more on public schools hurts the U.S. economy.
How is that possible? There is little debate in academic circles that raising human capital — improving the skills and knowledge of workers — boosts productivity. So an obvious implication of the JPS study is that raising public school spending must not improve human capital. While this possibility surprised study authors Norman Baldwin and Stephen Borrelli, it comes as no shock to those familiar with the data on U.S. educational productivity over the past two generations.
Since 1970, inflation‐adjusted public school spending has more than doubled. Over the same period, achievement of students at the end of high school has stagnated, according to the Department of Education's own National Assessment of Educational Progress. Meanwhile, the high school graduation rate has declined by 4% or 5%, according to Nobel laureate economist James Heckman. So the only thing higher public school spending has accomplished is raising taxes by about $300 billion annually without improving outcomes, which is not exactly a recipe for economic growth.
On the subject of getting good grades, by contrast, the president's Department of Education has discovered a strikingly successful federal program right under its nose. In April, the department reported that Washington, D.C.'s Opportunity Scholarships program, which pays K-12 private school tuition for 1,700 low‐income students, is significantly raising academic achievement. Children who've attended private schools under the program for three years are now reading two grade‐levels ahead of a randomized control group of students who've remained in public schools.
These voucher recipients are getting the improved grades the president says he wants, but instead of supporting this program, President Obama killed it just weeks after the Education Department released its favorable report. He has said that it should admit no new students and should cease when the last of its current participants finish school.
Anyone genuinely concerned with raising graduation rates should be interested in the research comparing public and private schools. Repeated scientific studies have found that, after controlling for differences in student and family background, private schools have significantly higher graduation rates than public schools, especially for those most at risk of dropping out.
A nationwide study by University of Chicago economist Derek Neal, for instance, reports that urban African American students are 26 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school if they attend Catholic schools than if they attend public schools. These same Catholic high school students are also much more likely to be accepted into college and twice as likely to complete college as their public school peers.
Partly due to this phenomenon, state‐level programs that bring private schooling within reach of low‐income families are proliferating all over the country. Some of these programs are even receiving growing support from Democrats. In Florida, for instance, businesses that donate to nonprofit K-12 tuition scholarship organizations can receive a dollar‐for‐dollar tax credit. This makes millions of dollars available to poor parents who wish to send their children to private schools but otherwise couldn't afford it. A bill to strengthen that program was passed last May with the support of nearly half the state's Democratic Party, and two‐thirds of African American Democrats.
Were President Obama to endorse these state‐level programs they would grow explosively, bringing the option of private schooling — and the prospect of much higher graduation rates — within reach of millions more children. But the president has not joined with Democrats and Republicans at the state level in supporting K-12 scholarship tax credits. He continues to oppose them.
So today, while the president is telling schoolchildren to get good grades and stay in school, his actions and policies are lowering student achievement, fomenting dropouts, and slowing the U.S. economy. Actions speak louder than words, Mr. President.


text: "Interestingly with a title like Arhythmia, the artwork on the front of this one looks much like the inside of a heart valve, albeit softened in both texture and color. As for the music, hopefully it wont give you any cardiac trouble. Darker and more experimental than his other discs, here Benford takes us into what he calls an exploration of rhythms that can be heard and felt but not danced to. Rumbling and churning sounds are joined by a steady rain in the background. Benford notes that the music is divided into five parts, although it plays as a single track. The movements are distinct and easily identifiable. The rain and rumbles fade away and are gone within 15 seconds of the start of part II, which takes a long slow descent to parts unknown. It plays like an infinite downward spiral, a rather creepy but cool effect. Unusual brushing sounds pan back and forth forming a unique percussive element. Its clear by this point that the disc is more sound collage than music in the conventional sense. Metallic bells ring out to start part III, and we breathe a sigh of relief as the ominous rumbling drones from part II gradually disappear. Though still quite stark and minimal, this part is bright and cheery by comparison. Part IV swirls similarly to part II, though in more of a holding pattern than a deep dive. Id call it grey noise rather than white. This one plays like a blank canvas for your mind to imagine various subtleties that may or may not be there. The last part follows a similar pattern, creating another unique sound world to explore for the last 15 minutes before coming back to reality. Arhythmia is daring adventurous fun."


text: Using VoiceThread to Discuss Infographics This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Samantha Stelz. Is VoiceThread a tool that can be used in the primary grades? Is VoiceThread easy to learn for students who are not as familiar with technology? The answer to those questions is…yes! VoiceThread is an excellent 21st century learning tool that students can use in a variety of ways across grade levels. When talking with other teachers from different counties and states across the US about how I utilize VoiceThread and other technology programs in the classroom, they often cannot believe that my students are 'only' second graders. … Continued


text:
- 25,265 +/- Sqft
Property TypeLand & Ranch – Homesite
SubdivisionEAGLES NEST GOLF COURSE SUB
Listing Date11/07/19
Lot Size0.58 Acres (25,265 SqFt)
Property Description
Beautiful gently sloping & easily buildable lot with outstanding views of Buffalo Mountain to the Northwest, Keystone to the South and Continental Divide to the East. The home design may include a lower level garage with access from Two Cabins Drive or a co-level garage with access from Highland Crossing. Silverthorne utilities include water, sewer, trash and snow removal, police and fire protection, natural gas and electricity. Golf course with membership. Trails to National Forest close by.
Presented By
- City Lot
- Mountain(s)
- Valley
- Clubhouse
- Golf
- Trails/Paths
- Cable Available
- Electricity Available
- Natural Gas Available
- Sewer Available
- Water Available
Financial Information
- Association Management
- Common Areas
About Silverthorne
Silverthorne received its name from Judge Marshal Silverthorn, who staked his gold mining claim in the valley in 1881. The "e" was added to the name in the 1930's because it was considered fashionable and chic. Over 100 years later Silverthorne continues to be "the gateway to Summit County." Officially incorporated in the 1960's, Silverthorne has grown up with the Summit County tourist industry. Silverthorne's proximity to both summer and winter activities, where all four of Summit County's world-class ski resorts within 20 minutes, make the town an ideal place to visit and live. Silverthorne's 62,000 square foot recreation center offers plenty of indoor recreation for both residents and visitors alike. Silverthorne is best known for its shopping, which should not be missed. The Silverthorne Factory Stores, with over 70 brand name shops are widely known for exceptional value, quality, and variety.
Area Market Data
4 Beds 4 Baths
4 Beds 4 Baths
5 Beds 5 Baths
7 Beds 7 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Your Mountain Home, Inc


text:
Several years ago, when my daughter was little and we were struggling to cope with her autism, we used PECS cards and picture schedules to help her manage transitions. It didn't take long for me to realize that picture schedules were a great way for "NT" (neuro-typical) preschoolers to manage transitions, as well. I've been using movable picture schedules in my classroom for since then.
In almost every early childhood classroom, you'll find a written daily schedule at "grown-up" eye level for grown-ups to read. Few preschoolers can read these and even if they are able, they are likely posted way above a preschooler's eye level.
There are lots of great ways to implement picture schedules in an early childhood classroom. One of the easiest is to use a pocket chart and list the activities with a picture, similar to this one from Learning Resources. I would substitute the clock face for actual pictures for young children who are not "reading a clock" yet.
One of my colleagues made this one for her class. There is a clothespin that the students manipulate to change the current activity.
Last year, when my state Pre-K consultant visited, she mentioned that I really needed to have one that read left to right to encourage proper patterns of reading. My current schedule goes across and back again for a few rows, since I just didn't have the space to put one in one long length.
I use photos of the kids during each part of the day, so it is easy for them to relate to.
There is a velcro arrow that the "Timekeeper" moves throughout the day.
Some years, I randomly ask a student to move the schedule or assign it for the day, but this year I included it as one of our weekly jobs. Manipulating the schedule can be an especially helpful task for some children with autism or special needs. It is also very soothing for a child who has separation anxiety. They can look and see exactly what comes next and when "Mommy or Daddy is coming back".
Each Monday morning, my students are invited to pick a classroom job for the week and be in charge of that duty. Our "Timekeeper" gets to move the arrow at each transition time and gets to sport the "Timekeeper" job icon on their cubby.
The schedule can be as complex or simple as your needs dictate. The goal is to make a schedule that fits your activities and needs. Be sure to post it low for little eyes and hands.


text:
Angela Cuocci has more than 17 years of experience in the fitness industry with15 years of experience as a club owner. She is the CEO of Ladies Total Fitness, a full service women-only facility including group exercise, personal training, child care, weight loss programs, salon and spa services, and children's dance and baton. She is also the CEO of Cuocci & Stamm Consulting Group. In this role, she helps other club owners maximize their profit by attaining more leads, elevating closing percentages, increasing revenue at point of sale and implementing a systematic approach to maintaining operations.
If you're in the health club business, then you know that every club has three main priorities: retention, revenue and referrals. Club parties are the perfect way to drive revenue while creating an experience that makes your staff and members want to stay for the long haul.
The two T's: timing and theme. Before sending out the guest invitations, you need to set your budget and choose a theme that you can successfully execute. If you want your event to be successful, give it flair. Consider a charity tie-in so that you can solicit free advertising and donated prizes, gifts, food and giveaways. You also need to choose a day and time that allows you to reach the most potential guests.
When planning your party, mind your demographics by making sure your theme is a good fit. Here are some potential themes: casino night, member appreciation, costume party, Christmas bazaar, lunch with Disney Princesses, member luau, birthday/anniversary celebration, "Deal or No Deal" game night or outdoor movie night.
You also need to have a can't-miss-it event agenda by planning activities such as celebrity appearances, master classes, free fitness assessments, product sampling, fun games for kids and refreshments. Whether you're planning an event in the fitness business or not, everyone comes for free food.
Create a guest list. Every invitation must have a personal touch. Don't do the same old thing. Mail out handwritten invitations, send e-cards, personally hand out invitations and call to invite. The time your staff members spend working to personalize your message can be counted toward your advertising budget and will produce a greater result than any printed publication. After sending out the invites, make an RSVP list and ask people to commit to attending the event.
Successful parties 101: picking perfect incentives. Choosing the right incentives is three-fold: employees, members and prospects. Incentives should be fresh, exciting and not your typical day-to-day giveaway.
Ask yourself…."What would make ___________ want to come to the event and refer new business or purchase additional services?"
Here are some tips for incentives for employees, members and prospects.
· Choose activities that get your entire team psyched to participate; remember that they are your greatest promoters. You need staff buy-in to organize a successful event.
· Offer a cash/ancillary service incentive for all team members who personally generate new business. Make it worthwhile.
· Offer an incentive for giving referral leads you can personally invite. Don't forget to get their name, address and phone number.
· Give the member a different incentive for bringing a friend to the event.
· Offer the best incentive for referral enrollments.
· Give the participants a small prize for attending and boast desirable prizes that members can win.
· Offer ancillary services at a special discounted rate on the day of and possibly the week leading up to the event.
· Consider allowing your members to solicit their own businesses during your event.
· Give them an incentive just for showing up.
· Offer another incentive for enrolling.
· Sell membership packages that are different then the norm.
Important reminders.Inspect what you expect with a clear system of checks and balances. Require attendance for all key employees and sales staff. Designate a host or hostess whose main responsibility is to keep track of the prospects. Choose wisely because lost guests equals lost revenue. Pick a money-minded person and think of him or her as an air traffic controller. Require attendance and participation from all independent contractors that drive revenue.
Additional prizes given should be based upon revenue generated through participation, purchasing additional services and referring new members. Confirm everything and everyone the day prior to the party.
The bottom line is that you need to attack every event with this question in mind," How can this event drive revenue?" While some may argue that you are simply planning an open house, why wouldn't you turn every event into an open house opportunity? Events generate energy and excitement in any club. When executed successfully, parties and events make members and employees happy and generate revenue for your club.


text:
Mississippi Baptist Foundation
Monday, July 13, 2020
The Mississippi Baptist Foundation serves as the trust agency of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, offering a means whereby Mississippi Baptist can provide perpetual support for Mississippi Baptist and Southern Baptist causes until our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns.
As the trust agency of the convention, the Baptist Foundation promotes Christian estate stewardship, receives, invests, and manages endowment gifts, and distributes earnings, as specified by donors, to Baptist ministries. The Baptist Foundation serves as a money manager for Baptist churches, institutions, and agencies. The Baptist Foundation is directed by a Board of Trustees elected by the Mississippi Baptist Convention and is funded primarily by a Cooperative Program allocation.
The Mississippi Baptist Foundation has as its goals:


text:
The legend is crumbling: the squat, bulldog features, set fiercely in tenacious pursuit of the TEN MOST WANTED CRIMINALS. The gangbuster nemesis of "Baby Face" Nelson, John Dillinger, Ma Barker. The scourge of would-be spies and saboteurs. The alert sentinel and fearless fighter holding back the tide of the Red Menace. The stubbornly independent guardian of evenhanded law enforcement, highmindedly fending off Congressmen and Presidents who sought to use his agency for political purposes.
J. Edgar Hoover deserved some of that billing, although it was overblown from the start. Now, just three years after his death, a sharply different portrait is emerging of the man who built the Federal Bureau of Investigation into the world's most reputable police organization through 48 years as its famed Director. To be sure, there had always been a few blemishessome from scattered revelations through the decades, some from his own reckless conduct as he grew older and fought to retain the power he felt slipping away. But now, under congressional and journalistic scrutiny, as well as in the writings of his once fearful agents, a darker picture is coming into view.
In these new shades Hoover is seen as a shrewd bureaucratic genius who cared less about crime than about perpetuating his crime-busting image. With his acute public relations sense, he managed to obscure his bureau's failings while magnifying its sometime successes. Even his fervent anti-Communism has been cast into doubt; some former aides insist that he knew the party was never a genuine internal threat to the nation but a useful, popular target to ensure financial and public support for the FBI.
Even more serious flaws in the Hoover character and official performance have come to light:
> Instead of insulating his bureau from politically sensitive Presidents, Hoover eagerly complied with improper requests from the men in the White House for information on potential opponents. If a President failed to ask for such information, the Director often volunteered it. He tapped the telephones of Government officials on request, perused files of politicians unasked, volunteered tidbits of gossip.
> He was a petty man of towering personal hates. There was more than a tinge of racism in his vicious vendetta against Martin Luther King Jr. He had to be pushed into hiring black agents for the bureau.
> His informers, infiltrators and wiretappers delved into the activities of even the most innocuous and nonviolent civil rights and antiwar groups, trampling on the rights of citizens to express grievances against their Government. His spies within potentially dangerous extremist groups sometimes provoked more violence than they prevented.
> As an administrator, he was an erratic, unchallengeable czar, banishing agents to Siberian posts on whimsy, terrorizing them with torrents of implausible rules, insisting on conformity of thought as well as dress.
The fact that such a man could acquire and keep that kind of power raises disturbing questions not merely about the role of a national police in a democracy, but also about the political system that tolerated him for so long. The revelations show too that those political dissidents in years past who complained they were being harassed and spied upon were not so paranoid after all.


text:
domain.xml (located in
GLASSFISH_INSTALL/domain/DOMAIN_NAME/config) is a key configuration file in GlassFish and it should never be edited by hand. So now that I've said this, I'd be lying if I said I never did this myself. And yes I've had times when my config file was corrupted which would prevent GlassFish from starting. If you end up with a corrupted
domain.xml file *without* editing it by hand (never happened to me), you have one thing to do: file a bug with steps to reproduce.
If for some reason
domain.xml is indeed corrupted (malformed XML or not compliant to the associated DTD), here are a few things you can do before or after the corruption:
• run the following command to verify the correctness of the file :
% asadmin verify-domain-xml
• restore the entire domain :
% asadmin restore-domain
…if you had previously backed it up :
% asadmin backup-domain
• if you're happy losing all domain configuration (deployed applications, JDBC resources, JVM options, …) or desperately want to get back to a working domain, you can create a new one :
% asadmin create-domain domain-name
…or recreate default
domain1 by first deleting it :
% asadmin delete-domain domain1
and running the setup script again from the root directory (GlassFish 2.x only) :
% ant -f setup.xml
You can also try to fix the content of this config file with a smart XML editor providing code completion, color syntaxing and well-formeness verification based on its DTD. If you're using NetBeans, go to "DTDs and XML Schema Catalogs". If you're using GlassFish 3 and above, you probably want to read why there is no longer a DTD/Schema.


text:
Two-Hour Special From Producers of Critically-Acclaimed
"9/11: Day That Changed The World" Features Interviews With Leon Panetta, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Clarke And Others
New York, NY – April 17, 2012 – It was the most complex and expensive manhunt in American history. Over the course of two decades, three presidential administrations, countless deaths and billions of dollars, the world's most wanted criminal somehow remained elusive. Then, on the evening of May 1, 2011, President Barack Obama announced to the world: "Justice has been done." Just hours earlier, U.S. Special Forces conducted a top-secret mission to storm a house on the outskirts of Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing Osama bin Laden and four others with no loss of American lives.
THE HUNT FOR BIN LADEN, produced by the team behind the critically acclaimed 9/11: Day That Changed the World, premieres Sunday, April 29 at 8 pm ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel. The two-hour special features insightful interviews with Leon Panetta, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Clarke as well as a host of CIA and FBI counter-terrorism officials.
Now for the first time comes the full, inside story of the manhunt, told by the men and women who dedicated much of their lives to this mission impossible. Years before the tragic events of 9/11, many in government understood the threat bin Laden and Al Qaeda posed to the United States and worked frantically to uncover their secrets. "Terrorism consumes you," says Pat D'Amuro, former assistant director for the FBI's counter-terrorism unit. "You don't see your family, you miss birthdays, you miss holidays. If you don't let it consume you, it'll destroy you."
Through the eyes of hunters like D'Amuro, THE HUNT FOR BIN LADEN reveals the epic rise and fall of the world's most notorious terrorist, from his start as a mujahidin fighter in Afghanistan to his declaration of war on America and the stream of vicious attacks around the world that made him a household name. The special also offers new details into earlier attempts to capture or kill bin Laden, including "Operation Infinite Reach," the Clinton administration's 1993 bombing of training camps in Afghanistan that missed him by only two hours. There was also the infamous failure at Tora Bora, when Afghan forces and a small group of U.S Special Forces had bin Laden cornered in a mountain cave, only to let him slip away.
Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda presented a historic challenge for a superpower accustomed to defending itself against nation states. THE HUNT FOR BIN LADEN tells a story of political caution, missed opportunities, shifting agendas and growing tension between intelligence chiefs, presidents and the military as America wavered between two approaches: treating terrorism as a crime to be investigated or a war to be fought with all the necessary tools. September 11 settled the matter, but it would be 10 long years before its mastermind was brought to justice. THE HUNT FOR BIN LADEN puts viewers inside the room with President Barack Obama and his advisors for the pulse-pounding moments leading up to the message from Pakistan: "Geronimo EKIA." Osama Bin Laden, enemy killed in action.
THE HUNT FOR BIN LADEN is produced by Brook Lapping Productions for Smithsonian Channel in association with ITV. Executive Producers are Brian Lapping and Kate Botting. The Director is Leslie Woodhead and Producer is Talya Tibbon. Executive Producers for Smithsonian Channel are David Royle and Charles Poe.
Smithsonian Channel is owned by Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. Its programs are largely inspired by the assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex. Smithsonian Channel features award-winning original documentaries, series, and groundbreaking programs highlighting America's historical, cultural and scientific heritage. Smithsonian Channel brings the American experience home in high definition and Dolby Digital 5.1 and is available to customers of DirecTV, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cablevision, Verizon, AT&T, and more. Learn more at www.smithsonianchannel.com.


text:
I have seen lots of blog posts about guild leadership, if you are looking for them start with Matt and keep going.
I have seen lots of posts about recruiting for your guild, or finding the right guild for you.
I have seen lots of posts about being a good class player, nearly every class blog has at least one of those.
I have seen lots of posts about being a good raid leader or raid member.
What I haven't seen, at least many of, is a post about being a good guild member.
Good Guildy! How to be one
Picking the right guild.
The 1st step in being a good guild member is finding the right guild. In the right guild, with objectives that are aligned with yours, you will be off to a huge headstart at being a good guildy.
The old biblical saying of:
Do unto others as you would have them do into you
is much easier when you are all doing unto each other things that you want done unto you.
Account Safety
These days an authenticator is a prerequisite for playing in general, but it is essential if you are in a guild.
You have a couple of options for authenticators these days, and no excuses not to get one.
The only thing worse than having your account hacked and your toons stripped, is for the guild to be stripped as well!
Account sharing
While it's within the ToS to share your account with a family member, nothing will put you on the outer with your guild quicker than your "little brother" or discontent partner screwing with the guild in your name.
Your toon name is your badge of honor. When someone smack talks guildies in your name, it is your name that is dishonored. When someone wipes the raid in your name, you are the annoying noob.
Don't think that logging on the next day and apologizing will clear the air… After all, who is ever going to trust that it is you in the 1st place.
Guild Wealth
Guild bank
The guild bank is not your personal warehouse. It is a collection of mats and gear that is stockpiled through the generosity of your guild mates for the purpose of progressing the guild as a whole.
If you "need" something in the guild bank remember that some other kind soul sacrificed that item and their own profits to help the guild.
Ask before taking, and preferably offer a fair exchange for that item.
Remember that the guild bank doesn't fill itself. So before you hock that Frostweave, BoE etc, that the better place for those goods might Be in the Guild bank. Sharing those mats or other items with a desperate toon will undoubtedly be worth more than the handful of coins in your own bank.
Made a killing on the AH?
Give some to the Guild Bank!
I remember checking our my guild bank one night after a raid. The vault was nearly empty and it occurred to me that our guild leader dropped 3 repair bots and other people shared heaps of pots around the raid. I couldn't farm these things, but I could repay the guild for their efforts.
1,000 gold later (an insignificant amount for me back in TBC, in fact I felt a little guilty for depositing so little) and I had won the gratitude of numerous guild members. The GM was amazed, because hardly anyone contributed to the guild bank.
So that's an upgrade for you? What, 1-20 DPS?
How about your guildy?
If it will do more for them, then it will mean more for them and ultimately the guilds progression.
/pass: I pass, you go for it, you need it more!
are some of the sweetest words you will ever read during a loot roll.
You can craft?
Ask not what your guild can do for you, rather what you can do for your guild.
- If you made it, and are about to vendor or DE it, check in guild 1st.
- If someone needs to utilize your crafting prowess, offer it free, you go to them, supply the mats if you can afford it.
- If you farm, offer a bit around. Pixels of gold have less RL value than hearts of gold.
Your efforts will not go unnoticed!
1) Your 10, 20, 300 gold BoE may have a higher value to someone in the guild that can use it, and I'm not talking monetary value.
2) If someone offers you a BoE, be aware they could have just AH'd it, so make sure you show your appreciation.
Got 'em, Give 'em!
One of the greatest gifts I got in TBC was mats towards my Spell* sets. I repaid in awesome DPS!
There are a few forms of presence that are important. After all, if you are not intending to provide some level of presence, why did you join the guild, you might as well have stayed solo.
Guild chat
Always say Hi & Bye… Simple nah?
Celebrate in guildy's achievements, whether achievement achievements, dings, loot gains, kills, even real life achievements. Even when you are having one of those meh days, it's easy to throw out a grats to two, and it is so nice being on the other end of those… remember?
Guild forum
The guild forums are there for a reason, well many reasons.
One of those reasons is to have a persistent source of information that is a tad bigger that the guild motd.
The other is to facilitate offline communication. It's much easier to hit a forum during the day, than to fire up WoW.
- Make sure you at least read them
- Preferably acknowldge people's thoughts and ideas.
- Sign up for, or create your own events.
- Guild forums are not official forums don't be an arsehat or a troll, and definitely don't be an arsehat-troll. Respect your online family!
Mental presence
When you are online and participating in a guild event, then be there physically and mentally. Join into the activities and the discussion. The event will only ever be as "alive" as you make it.
Not so much the % of your time you are online, but rather your availabilty when you are there.
I am taking more about instances and support. Ever spammed /LFG and guild chat trying to get a group going only to discover that your guildies that could run with you (and probably start up a group of their own and go to that instance you are begging to go to) don't acknowledge you?
Don't be that person. In particular, consider the lower level, or new to 80 toons. Leveling can be lonely and frustrating work. Gearing up at 80 can be a PITA if no one wants to run the instances holding the gear.
The more help you can provide to these people, the quicker you will have additional forces to work with (and guess who will be on their friends list!)
Maybe this is an opportunity for you to play your Alt for a change.
While helping guidies, remember to HELP guildies. If they are doing something that makes them a classtard, then the best person to help them is YOU!
The quicker they learn, the quicker they will become a fully functioning member of the guild, that you will be happy to raid with, and that will give your guild a good name with outsiders.
Guild Relations
Leaders are only human, and humans make bad calls and can't necessarily see the whole picture.
But just because they are (may be) wrong, doesn't mean you can stir up a revolution.
Really, if you have a significant difference of opinion, there are two ways to approach the situation, and two outcomes even if you aren't satisfied with the final decision.
Correct method:
- Broach it with your leader(s) privately via whisper or leader channel if your concerns must be acknowledged immediately, or
- Send them a private forum message to give them a chance to think through and discuss the concept with other leaders in a "safe" environment.
Wrong method:
- Bring up your issues in guild, raid or god forbid general chat.
- Make a public post on your forums.
Why so?
As much as your intentions may be honorable in putting something in the public arena, doing so opens up a few issues.
- It sows a seed of discontent with other guild members, who will start to second guess the end result, and doubt the leadership if there is any delay in a response.
- In opening it up tithe general populace, you then open it to a cascade of divergent views, many of which won't actually be directly on topic and this will obscure the real question and make it difficult for a succinct response.
- It puts the leaders on the back foot, and no one likes to be broadsided.
I know in my guild leadership days, it could take hours, even days for all the relevant leaders to find out about the issue and work out a solution. GL's have lives too, and sometimes WoW comes 2nd, or 3rd or…
When someone made a drama post, it was very difficult to mend fences and keep the discussion on the right path.
Give them a chance to get back to you, and the rest of the guild if necessary, with an appropriate response.
Don't like the decision?
- If you can live with it, buckle down and get on with the job. You were heard, but you can't always get what you want.
- If you can't live with it, offer up a departure notice and leave the guild. Don't ever bad mouth the guild publicly or privately. Doing so will convince people something is rotten, when in fact you alone aren't happy.
New ideas
You've got them, so share them. As much as GL's get inundated by whispers, constantly, they always appreciate new ideas and feedback.
When you have them, you need to share them, otherwise there is the danger that you will become disillusioned with the game.
Let the GLs know you are there and thinking about ways to improve the guild. Just do it privately at 1st so they get a chance to give you a considered response.
Use the calander
No one ever seems to want to run the same instances as you?
Probably not true, but maybe you need to give some advanced warning.
Don't leave the events calender empty, fill it and watch the sign ups roll in (and the subsequent invites).
Support activities
Keeping the guild motivated can be hard at times, especially during school breaks etc.
When the GL's post a silly event it's not only for their own pleasure. There's a good chance they are as excited about it as you.
But there are good intentions behind it, and there's a good chance that the idea has come from another guildy.
Two things to remember:
- Doing the silly event will be good for the guild. 1 person turning up = bad, 2 people = better. The more the merrier.
- You will most likely have a hoot. If you read blogs, or listen to podcasts about silly events, they always end up being a blast… If people show up.
There comes a time in most peoples WoW lives where the guild no longer fits your own needs.
This is OK, but it's now time to /gquit
Talk before /gchat
Logging on at 3am and stealth /gquit is not usually the best way to do it.
Every /gquit no matter what the reasons leaves people wondering about the health of the guild. Unexplained ones just add to the drama.
- Talk to at least one GL about your intentions privately. Equip them to field questions about your departure, or identify future issues (maybe even correct) in the guild.
- Talk about you reasons in /gchat. Let people understand your positive reasons for leaving, and give them the chance to say farewell.
- Post a farewell message in your guild forums for all those that weren't online at the time.
No gossip
You left the guild because it was no longer the best for for you.
Don't bad mouth it, or gossip about it to guild strangers, and especially to former guildies.
In Real Life
If you have never conducted a job interview, you may not realize that a big turnoff is applicants that bag out their previous employers.
Same thing goes with guilds.
This is the stuff that epic drama lama forums are made of. In the end no one comes out looking good, least of all the person that initiated the drama.
I think that's long enough blurb by me.
What would you add?
Gnomer and Out!
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


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Obviously the bulky, shapeless look is in this spring!
Right ladies! To the catwalk!
Yes, but in Islam (almost) all women are either forced or pressured to wear the outfit and large numbers of them much worse than depicted here, while Christian women are not, only a special category who voluntarily subject themselves to becoming a nun.
Orthodox Judaism I don't want to talk about. That's just too ugly and depressing.
It is not so much about not allowing women to advertise their beauty, it's about the owner protecting his property, in the Abrahamic tradition a woman is a man's property. The concept of a nun is the same, only here the exception is the property belongs to a non-existing man.
You can see the sexless uniform as a mobile cage.


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Please welcome Murder She Writes alum Roxanne St. Claire for the day! I am so excited she's here at the new site.
Rocki and I have been friends for years–as writers tend to gravitate toward other writers. We've bared our souls to each other and drank together. A lot. I admire Rocki for her focus and goal-setting, her dedication to her family, and her ability to spin a romantic tale. She loves her characters and it shows on the page. So please — welcome Rocki and comment below for a chance to win a the first book in her brand-new series! ~ Allison
Have You Glommed?
First of all…thank you Allison Brennan for the invitation to guest blog at this new/revised/revitalized/same-but-different-and-awesome corner of cyberspace. I'm honored to be back at my blogging alma mater, Murder She Writes, where I bared my soul for several years and made many new friends!
I know one of Allison's favorite topics is TV shows and I've always felt a little stymied in those discussions because we're not a big TV watching family except for *hangs head in shame* reality TV. We love American Idol, Biggest Loser, Chopped, The Taste, The Voice, and, my personal favorite, The Bachelor. (I consider it an object lesson for my teen daughter: What and How Not To Date.)
But we finally signed up for Amazon Prime late last year and with that came the ability to do something I've never done before — inhale full seasons of TV shows I've missed. The problem is time, of course, because if I have hours to waste, I…well, I never have hours to waste. Not when I'm putting out as many books a year as I do now. But my body betrayed me last week and I was knocked on my behind by a virus that put me in bed with nothing to do.
And, thus, I discovered Downton Abbey. I'd heard so much and often resented being on the "outside" of all those passionate tweets and FB posts about the complete fabulosity of this BBC production. I don't even know which channel is BBC on my TV so I figured I'd missed that ship when it sailed. But, there I was, nestled in my sick bed with a box of Kleenex and a cup of tea, so I fired up my laptop and decided to give it a go.
Fourteen episodes later, I'm all better but so incredibly hooked I have taken to rewarding myself with an episode every time I write 3,000 words. What can I say? I have loved every minute of that drama — the characters are rich and layered and intriguing, the writing is gorgeous, the setting divine, the history chilling, and the plot twists just keep coming. I've cried, laughed, and noticed a strange stilted lilt to my writing voice that I simply must erase lest I ruin my contemporary novels with a touch of 1918 Britain.
Seriously, what a blast! So…question for the readers and viewers – but not about Downton Abbey because I'm terrified of spoilers before I finish every single episode and get caught up. What have you "glommed" (defined as binging in large amounts, unable to stop until the entire series or season has been devoured) lately? A new TV show? A long book series? A new author or musician? Any advice for my next glom now that I've discovered the joys of streaming television?
I'd love to start one commenter on a Barefoot Bay binge (my contemporary romance series) so I'm giving away a copy of BAREFOOT IN THE SAND, the very first of a multi-book series I hope you'll find addicting and glom-worthy!


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A Sandwich a Day: Pawlie Grilled Cheese at Saxelby Cheesemongers
A new sandwich every day.
In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt.
Pawlet is one of many cheeses at the counter at Saxelby Cheesemongers in the Essex Street Market. It's a semi-soft cheese from Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont, and it melts like nobody's business. But that's only part of what makes the Pawlie grilled cheese sandwich ($9) so good.
Bread from nearby Pain D'Avignon takes on an almost pastry-like texture after a smear of butter and a trip to the sandwich press. It's crunchy on the outside, but flaky within. The sides seal shut and keep the nutty, rich cheese from ending up anywhere but your gullet. There's no shortage of that cheese; balance comes in the form of spicy pickles from Rick's Pick's. They're briny and tangy, with a fresh snap and light smokiness, and a faint dose of sriracha that's added to the pickle brine.
The sandwich is currently only available during National Grilled Cheese Month, aka April, but if it sells well it'll stick around. Something tells us we'll be seeing it next month. And the month after that...
Saxelby Cheesemongers
In the Essex Street Market
120 Essex Street, New York, NY 10010 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Coverking takes great pride in the quality of our products and guarantees your satisfaction. From easy returns, industry leading warranties and lifetime repair, you can purchase with confidence.
Products must be in resellable condition and in the original packaging. Please note that you will need to obtain a Return Goods Authorization number (RGA) before shipping your product back to us.
*Personalized products, including logo and design-your-own products, are subject to a 15% restocking fee.
Please submit a photograph of the product with an explanation of why you feel it does not meet our standards and we will repair or replace the product. If claim is made within 30 days of delivery, we will issue a full refund.
Warranty is void if product has been damaged by accident, misuse, abuse or other abuses not arising our of defects in material or workmanship and does not cover everyday wear and tear.
If you wish to repair or replace the product after the warranty period has expired, you can use our Coverking Care program to refurbish your Coverking product.
The cost varies by the type of product.
Covers are not intended for long term use without periodically inspecting and cleaning underneath. Do not allow liquids to dry while cover(s) are installed. Car covers are not intended for vinyl (or other) wrapped vehicles. Shrin Corporation's liability is limited to the purchase price of the product. Shrin Corporation is not responsible for any other damage.
Manufacturing times vary at different times of the year and depend material availablity and production volumes. Coverking manufactures most custom accessories in California, USA - and has been doing so since 1986. During that time, we have worked vigorously to speed up our production time required to make the word's best covers for your vehicle. Your order will be shipped directly to you from Coverking's facility in Anaheim, CA. USA.
Custom Car Covers – 1-2 weeks
Custom Seat Covers – 3-4 weeks
Custom Dash Covers – 1 week
Custom Molded Dash Covers – 1 week
Custom Sunshields – 1 week
Custom Floormats – 1 week
Universal-fit products ship within 1 week.
Production times are not guaranteed. After purchase, you can track the progress of your order through production.


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The new Student Email Service is an optional combination of email aliasing, forwarding, and UBC hosted mailbox. Users of this service can obtain a UBC email address, firstname.lastname@example.com, which can be forwarded to either an external or UBC hosted mailbox.
Email Forwarding Service
All students and alumni are eligible to sign up for a UBC email forwarding address, email@example.com, which can be used even after graduation. This address can be forwarded to an email mailbox of your choice (external or UBC hosted mailbox.)
This is an email forwarding service only, and does not include any kind of mailbox or mail storage services.
UBC Hosted Mailbox Service
Active students (including those with Netinfo/Interchange mailboxes) can sign up for the new Student & Alumni UBC-Hosted Mailbox service. More information on the October 15th 2012 decommissioning of the old Netinfo/Interchange email service can be found here.


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Significant Guidance
This page provides access to significant and economically significant guidance documents issued by USCIS and those issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service that apply to USCIS, as required by Executive Order 13422, Further Amendment to Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review (72 FR 2763, published January 23, 2007) and the Office of Management and Budget's Good Guidance Bulletin (GGP) (72 FR 3432, published January 25, 2007).
Public Comment on Significant Guidance Documents
USCIS will post significant guidance documents on the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website at www.regulations.gov. This site will provide a public forum for submission of comments and for requests to amend or issue significant guidance documents. To submit comments on significant guidance documents, please follow the instructions on the FDMS website using the docket number associated with the significant guidance document (as indicated below).
Guidance documents represent the current thinking of USCIS on a topic. They do not create or confer any rights for or on any person and do not operate to bind USCIS or the public.
Feedback or Complaints
Members of the public who have feedback or complaints regarding significant guidance documents should contact USCIS. If you have a complaint regarding a USCIS significant guidance document or believe a USCIS employee is not following the guidance requirements of Executive Order 13422 or OMB's GGP Bulletin, please contact email@example.com. In order to ensure proper processing of your comment, please include the words "SIGNIFICANT GUIDANCE: [Insert name of significant guidance document]" in the subject line of your email message. Please note: Under the Privacy Act, we cannot provide any information about a pending application or petition for benefits, or answer any case-specific questions. If you have been instructed to send USCIS written communications, or to contact USCIS regarding a case, sending an e-mail to this address will not satisfy those instructions.
If the issue is not resolved, please contact the Department's Office of the General Counsel, Regulatory Affairs at firstname.lastname@example.com. In order to ensure proper processing of your comment, please include the words "SIGNIFICANT GUIDANCE: [Insert name of significant guidance document]" in the subject line of your email message. Public comments under these procedures are for the benefit of the agency and do not require formal response by the agency.
USCIS will review requests, complaints and questions to determine whether any action is warranted and, if so, what action. USCIS will determine whether it needs to take any action based on the nature and timeliness of the information submitted, the significance of any modifications requested, the magnitude of any modifications requested, and the resource requirements for any modifications requested.


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Mochi is a rice cake made from organic sticky brown rice. We cook the brown rice and then grind and knead it into a dough. After it cools down we package it in 284g blocks. To prepare, cut mochi into pieces, place in oven, under broiler or in a waffle iron, as mochi cooks it softens, puffs up and then goes crispy. Serve it freshly cooked with your favourite spreads or toppings. Mochi is an excellent gluten free alternative to toast or crackers. Mochi is considered a high energy food especially for soon to be or new mothers and also for endurance athletes.
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90 Main St
Flemington, NJ 08822
Flemington DIY Print Club is a weekly open studio held from 6-9:30 pm every Monday. It provides an opportunity for local artists and community members new to arts processes to utilize shared printmaking facilities. Print Club provides a platform for artists to network, build community, and work collaboratively. The program will host group shows of participant work throughout the year. We do our best to keep is accessible at just $10 per printer.
DIY Print Club is supported by Printers In Residence. Printers in Residence are selected through an application process. Their work will focus on critical perspectives in contemporary printmaking. Participants are encouraged to develop a cohesive body of work throughout their six month residency at DIY. Printers in Residence will have a show at the end of their term and are encouraged to attend monthly DIY Art Crit nights. Printers in Residence facilitate Print Club and have regular access to the printing facilities.
Community groups can schedule time for their group to use the printmaking facilities during open hours. This is a great opportunity for organizations to work together in a creative and fun environment, while producing meaningful work for their group.
If you would like to be considered for Printers In Residence, please email us the following to [email protected]:
your name and contact information
a short artist's statement
two references
three samples of your work
a few sentence on how you will use your time at DIY
your weekly availability to utilize and take care the studio at DIY


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MIAMI – A gravely ill dog was found abandoned outside an animal hospital Thursday, and the search continues for her owners.
"When I was turning in to the park, I saw the basket," said Barbara Weeks. "As you can see, it is in a shaded area and it was pretty cold yesterday."
Surveillance video at the Animal Welfare Society, located at 2601 SW 27th Avenue in Miami, recorded a couple leaving a sick dog named Brownie outside.
"She is about 9-years-old. The couple did come into the lobby. Our doctor was doing an emergency surgery, so our receptionist said they could not be seen at that point," said Weeks. "There was a comment made in the lobby. The lady told the husband, 'You should have just left her here and not asked any questions.'"
Instead of waiting, the couple apparently dumped the dog.
The Pomeranian mix required emergency surgery.
"We are hoping and praying that she will make it through," added Weeks.
The not-for-profit animal hospital typically works with low-income pet owners. Weeks said Brownie appears to have been neglected for years.
"Her teeth are really bad. She has had a lot of mammary tumors. She was not spayed," Weeks said. "They (the couple) should be ashamed of themselves. They should think that this is like their daughter since they had her for nine years."
If Brownie survives, the hospital must find her a home.
"We are not allowed to keep animals here unless they are sick. We are not an adoption agency or a shelter," said Weeks.
Local 10 first shared this story in the 12 p.m. news broadcast. The animal hospital said it received such an outpouring of support for little Brownie they now want to change her name.
"Thanks to you guys many many phone calls. Some donations have come in to continue her treatment and some people that are interested in adopting her," said Weeks. "Maybe we should call her Hope, I think it would be a nicer name and we are all hoping she will get better."
Anyone interested in adopting Brownie can contact the Animal Welfare Society at 305-858-3501.


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LL Cool J Clears The Rumors w/ Jay-Z "Promote My Shit"
LL COOL J ADDRESSES JAY- Z ON NEW TRUESTORIES DVD. LL aka THE GOAT WANTS DEF JAM TO PROMOTE HIS SHIT!
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All Wrapped Up by The Old Blossom Box Store
Hello dearies... Welcome to our first Hijab Campaign by The Old Blossom Box Store, dedicated to all girls out there, and especially to our dear dear customers. Modeled by the famous Fatin Suhana, we've made the right choice in choosing Fatin as our very first Hijab model to head our campaign of new Novelty Collection, designed by Jezmine Zaidan. The 'All Wrapped Up' Collection are all designed and produced by The Old Blossom Box Store. We hope this will inspire you to be cute-as-a-cupcake whilst being modest. Do head over to the boutique to view the whole collection (and it will be up online soon too). We would like to thank our Make Up Artist, Syafieq Ayman & Eriey, for contributing to this beautiful shoot, and Bibo Aswan for the photography.
Photography: Bibo Aswan
Designer & Stylist: Jezmine Zaidan
Make Up Artist: Syafieq Ayman & Eriey
Model: Fatin Suhana


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CloudOps Provides Turnkey Cloud-based Services Built on Citrix CloudPlatform
First Canadian Cloud Solution Provider To Join Citrix Cloud Advisor Program
Montreal (PQ) CANADA, November 7, 2012 – CloudOps, a leading provider of best-in-class private, public and hybrid Cloud solutions for enterprises, announced today it has been selected to join the Citrix Cloud Advisor Program, an exclusive group of Citrix partners with experience and expertise building infrastructure as a service clouds using Citrix solutions including CloudPlatform, powered by Apache CloudStack, and CloudPortal. CloudOps is a leading CloudAdvisor partner in Canada, and one of only four select partners in North America to be named to the Program.
CloudOps was selected to join the CloudAdvisor Program based on its extensive expertise and longstanding experience in building clouds that leverage Citrix technologies. CloudOps provides turnkey cloud-based solutions for dev/test, software as a service (SaaS), ecommerce and managed service industries and the company's team of consultants deliver services such as cloud architecture planning and design, web application performance monitoring, cloud migration, cloud building, as well as managed public, private and hybrid cloud services.
"We are extremely excited to be named to the Citrix Cloud Advisory program, and to join this elite group of technical experts selected to deliver Citrix solutions to enterprise customers around the globe," says CloudOps CEO Ian Rae. "We have a longstanding relationship with Citrix technologies, spanning back over many years starting with Citrix NetScaler, and we have continued. to invest deeply in building our team's technological expertise and knowledge around Citrix, and in specific surrounding Apache CloudStack. It's terrific to be recognized by a premier industry brand such as Citrix and to be selected as a key enabler in the company's go to market Cloud strategy."
"As more enterprises turn to the cloud to achieve new levels of agility, acquire new customers and tap into new sources of revenue, they need trusted solution providers close at hand who have the technical competence, best practices expertise, and industry experience to assist them in building a cloud-based solution that serve their needs," says Peder Ulander, vice president of product marketing,CloudPlatform group at Citrix. "The Cloud Advisor Program was developed to connect and extend our cloud-based technology with expertise in the field by certified cloud advisors such as CloudOps. The CloudOps team brings extensive knowledge of Citrix cloud technologies, years of experience serving large and small IT organizations, and extensive real world experience in building best of breed cloud solutions."
About CloudOps
Since 2005, CloudOps has helped hundreds of enterprises and web-based companies build their business in the Cloud. We provide private, public and hybrid cloud solutions for businesses seeking to scale, and for enterprises making their move to the Cloud. Our best in class Cloud architecture and proven approach allows companies to confidently, securely, and reliably capture business opportunities while achieving new levels of business performance. For more information visit us on the web at cloudops.loc.
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Vignettes of Ystov - Found Furniture
Williams Goldsmith is a freelance illustrator based in Brighton, who graduated from The Glasgow School of Art. He is the author of 'Vignettes of Ystov', an ongoing collection of short graphic stories, all set in the fictional, vaguely Eastern European city of Ystov. The book was published by Jonathon Cape, an imprint of Random House, in 2011.
Vignettes of Ystov - One Fell Swoop


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Tiger Woods, fully healthy, isn't waiting to kick off his 2013 schedule. Next week he's playing a European Tour event in Abu Dhabi, and the week after he'll be at Torrey Pines for his first PGA Tour stop. But if things had worked out a little differently—if Tiger's price wasn't too high even for a petrostate—he might not be coming stateside so soon.
Woods was invited to play a second European Tour event, the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, but turned it down. Euro tournaments are allowed to offer players appearance fees, and Woods's was just too pricy for Qatar's taste:
"Tiger Woods demands $3 million just for an appearance, if he were to compete in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters - which is not worth paying for a tournament of $2.5 million prize money," [president of the Qatar Golf Association] Hassan al Nuaimi said.
Woods's agent didn't deny the appearance fee—he just said Tiger "was never contemplating Qatar." Well, not if they're not going to pay him $3 million, duh.


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HAYWARD — The family of Michaela Garecht is awaiting results of lab tests to tell them if a bone fragment found in a Linden well in San Joaquin County belongs to the Hayward girl who went missing 24 years ago.
Hayward police said Thursday morning that a 3-inch bone fragment unearthed with other remains in February was originally sent to an Arizona lab and has been forwarded to a Virginia lab for further analysis.
"We don't have any definitive answer as to whether this is a bone from Michaela," Hayward Police Sgt. Eric Krimm said. It will be several weeks before results are available, he added.
Michaela's mother, Sharon Murch, said Wednesday that she believed the remains are likely those of her daughter, who was 9 when she was kidnapped outside a Hayward corner store on Nov. 19, 1988.
Krimm said the age of the victim and the time period it was believed to be from were the only two clues linking the bone to Michaela's disappearance.
Hayward police received the fragment about two weeks ago. It was unearthed in February in a Linden well, which is believed to hold the victims of the so-called "Speed Freak Killers." The fragment belonged to a child between the ages of 5 and 13, police said, and Hayward officers hand-delivered it to a lab in Arizona "for testing in the possibility it may be that of Michaela."
It is now at a Virginia lab for more tests, Krimm said Thursday.
The bone fragment was originally delivered to Joan Shelley, the mother of 16-year-old murder victim JoAnn Hobson, after it was excavated from the Linden well earlier this year. The remains were originally identified as those of her daughter, and returned to her family for burial. But rather than bury the remains of her daughter, who vanished in 1985, Shelley sent the them to Dr. Eric Bartelink, director of the California State University, Chico Human Identification Laboratory.
In Bartelink's report, he states the use of large earth moving equipment led to "significant commingling" of the remains in the well, and that at least two other individuals were mixed in with the Hobson's remains.
In total, 28 human bone samples were selected for DNA testing, the report states.
Asked why she might send the bones for analysis even though she had been told they were her daughter's, Krimm said: "I think Ms. Shelley was looking for confirmation and closure."
The report opens up the possibility that other victims of the "Speed Freak Killers" may have been unidentified. Krimm said Thursday that Hayward police had custody of other bones that were believed to be from other victims.
"The other bones — we have not even (attempted) to figure out who they belong to," Krimm said. The department was working with the FBI to figure out how to proceed with those remains, he said.
Herzog and Shermantine were convicted of four murders and suspected in the deaths of as many as 15 people in and around San Joaquin County from 1994 to 1998. They were arrested in 1999. The pair were nicknamed "The Speed Freak Killers" because of their methamphetamine addiction. Herzog's first-degree murder convictions were overturned by an appeals court and he was granted parole, but he committed suicide in January.
Staff writers Eric Kurhi, Katie Nelson and The Stockton Record contributed to this report. Reach Daniel M. Jimenez at 510-262-2728. Follow him at Twitter.com/DMJreports.


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RICHMOND, Va. – VCU's late signing of top-100 guard Melvin Johnson was the Rams' first since joining the Atlantic 10 on July 1. The evidence suggests it won't be the last big splash for Shaka Smart and his staff.
The Rams will welcome a pair of four-star recruits this year in Johnson and swingman Jordan Burgess, as well as highly-regarded forwards Justin Tuoyo and Mo-Alie Cox to complete a recruiting class that has earned much praise.
It's been a long time since VCU landed a four-star or top-100 recruit that wasn't a transfer. Now the Rams will have two joining the program in the same year. But it's not just significant locally. VCU is turning heads nationally.
"This is the first year I can remember where a [non-power six conference] program not named Gonzaga has had two top 100 players," said Dave Telep, recruiting guru and ESPN senior national basketball analyst.
VCU has undoubtedly benefited in recruiting circles from its Final Four appearance in 2011, as well as its move from the CAA to the A10, but the biggest factor in the amount of talent the Rams are able to put out on the floor stalks the sidelines of the Verizon Wireless Arena.
"I think the personality and real charisma and star power Shaka Smart has really keeps [VCU] alive in a lot of instances," Telep said.


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This policy does not apply to Standards of Conduct violations, nor is it an appeal or process to supersede the Standards of Conduct. In cases of sexual harassment or sexual assault, please refer to those policies for appropriate procedures.
Students who believe that a faculty or staff member has violated their rights have the responsibility to discuss thoroughly their complaint with that faculty or staff member. Students in the College of Law shall be governed by their procedures.
In the case that students and the faculty or staff member involved are unable to resolve their differences, students should then discuss the complaint with the immediate supervisor of the faculty or staff member. After the initial meeting, the faculty or staff member, the appropriate supervisor and the student may meet if all parties agree.
If the student is not satisfied by steps 1 and 2, he/she should submit a written complaint to the Dean of Student Affairs, if the matter is non-academic, or the dean of the respective college if the matter is academic. In either case, the respective dean or vice president will establish a Hearing Board. In cases involving rights or a matter which is not readily categorized as either academic or non-academic, the vice president for Administrative Services and the dean of the college will review the situation together and decide which classification is most appropriate.
The Hearing Board will be composed of five members – one student and one faculty member from the student affairs committee, one student from the student senate, one faculty member from the faculty council, and the appropriate dean/director who serves as chairperson.
Within five class days of receiving a copy of the student"s complaint, the faculty or staff member involved shall submit a written response to the Hearing Board chairperson. Copies of the response shall be given to all persons who received copies of the student"s complaint.
The Hearing Board will convene upon receipt of the response. After reading and discussing the complaint and the response, the Hearing Board may request interviews with faculty, staff members or students involved. The Hearing Board shall write a recommendation and rationale upon reading and discussing the initial written complaint and response. Copies will be sent to the student, the faculty or staff member, and the appropriate supervisor.
If after five class days, the Hearing Board is aware that no action has been taken on its recommendation, it may forward its recommendation to other levels for further action (e.g., appropriate vice president or dean).
A written appeal of the outcome by the student or faculty/staff involved to the chairperson of the Hearing Board may be filed within five class days after the receipt of the recommendation. The appeal must be based upon one of the following criteria: 1) procedural error which was significant, or 2) newly discovered evidence which by due diligence could not have been discovered in time to be presented at the Hearing. Upon receipt of the written appeal, the chairperson of the Hearing Board shall submit a copy of the original complaint, response, Grievance Board recommendations and rationale, and the appeal to the appropriate dean.
All proceedings of a Hearing Board shall be kept confidential and not noted in the student"s permanent record.


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Listing of Omni Theater Films April 19, 1983 to present
Since its opening in April 19, 1983, the Omni has earned a reputation as one of the most engaging learning environments in our community. For over 30 years, more than 10 million guests have journeyed to remote islands of the Pacific, explored deep under the ocean surface, splashed down the mighty Colorado of the Grand Canyon, stampeded across the vast Serengeti, traveled through the galaxy to the craters of Mars, and inched up the treacherous peaks of Mount Everest – all while never leaving North Texas.
The Omni Theater was the first IMAX screen in the Southwest and, with an eight-story domed screen and 30-degree stadium seating, remains the largest IMAX dome in the United States west of the Mississippi River. The Omni's 120-foot-wide screen places the audience in the center of the action, producing a sensation much closer to real-life than a conventional movie theater. The theater embodies a revolutionary concept in film presentation, which combines the drama of oversized film, state-of-the-art projection equipment, innovative tilt-domed theater architecture and the most sophisticated production techniques to create unique cinematic experiences.
Previously, the Omni could only show films of up to one hour in length. In late 2005, the theater upgraded to take advantage of new IMAX® technology, called digital remastering (DMR), which allows IMAX theaters to show films up to 2½ hours in length. The Omni Theater chose The Polar Express as its first DMR film due to its strong connection to the museum's mission as a place for extraordinary learning, as well as the film's tremendous appeal to families and children. The Omni also added a new IMAX IDO projection lens that increases by 25 to 30 percent the brightness and sharpness of all films shown at the Omni.
In late 2007, the Omni was closed temporarily while the Museum began construction on a new facility. It reopened in August 2008 with new guest facilities, enhanced LED lighting, and a superior digital sound system. The new system uses compression-free, state-of-the-art technology to create spectacular impact and clarity, ensuring that sound is reproduced as it was originally recorded.
In its 30 year history, the Omni Theater has shown more than 80 giant-screen adventures. A single 40-minute feature requires approximately 13,000 feet of film contained on a reel weighing 200 pounds. That's a lot of film over the years! Experience your next adventure on the biggest screen in the Southwest.


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Just the name of the blog, rationalsurvivability, hints the strategic change in information security that the author suggests. In security, rather than trying to get close to the illusion of total, or "almost total" security, the survival of our organizations should be our mission. Innovate to survive. Using a term coined in psychology, the aim should be to improve the "resilience" of the business and therefore, of their processes.
Chris's articles are not for beginners. Technology lovers who are passionate about security and are willing to challenge their views with alternative or controversial content will enjoy rationalsurvivability: An invitation to enhance the role of information security and its practitioners in organisations.
Since 2006, at least once a month, using a typical template Wordpress, Chris publishes ideas on strategic issues such as the lack of real innovation in current security solutions, creating added value through software security as a service , virtualization and complex network management software or the opportunity to improve security in organizations using cloud services.
An attractive point of his site is the variety of topics covered and the frequent link to his conversations on twitter: from a text about the differences between real and virtual firewall to a futuristic proposal on the use of social networks to interact with machines.
In an example of controversial article, Chris reiterates the intrinsic value of the security professionals community comparing security integrators with the service industry for pets: both devote too much energy to criticize, and not constructively, the industry that supports them.
Further evidence of the interest in this blog and the value of the ideas proposed are the comments left by names like Dan Kaminski, Matt Joyce or Preston Wood.
Happy survival!
|Let's help business to survive
You can also read this entry in Spanish.


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Plastic surgery funding
Why do people do plastic surgery funding
Why do people do plastic surgery funding?This question does not know the answer only one who has never stood in the mirror.
We live in the outside world, and we care how the world perceives us. And first of all, how he perceives us with his eyes – after all, a look is the first source of information about us, our appearance is the first marker of future relations. So, plastic surgery funding.
Life and plastic surgery funding
Behind each plastic surgeons operation, plastic surgery funding is a life story. She can be great or invisible, sad or happy, stormy or quiet. But this is the only life that was given to this – the only – man. And the opportunity to make her what she dreamed, always in our power. Thats why we go to a plastic surgeon! Look plastic surgery funding!
What problems solve plastic surgery funding
The fact that girls who dont need it at all often go to the face plastics, which made psychologists think: what is the reason for such a craze for operations, plastic surgery funding? It turned out that many who change the proportions of the face thus solve certain psychological problems.


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The Post once again showed why it is known as "Fox on 15th Street," running an editorial with the subhead, "tackling the spector of structural unemployment," which essentially offers nothing to address the problem.
The piece got off to a bad start early, telling readers:
"The unemployment rate remains stuck at 9 percent of the workforce, up from 8.8 percent in March. But, good news: The higher rate reflects job-seekers reentering the market because their prospects are better."
Actually, this is not the reason that the unemployment rate increased to 9.0 percent. The Labor Department's household survey showed a 205,000 increase in the number of people categorized as unemployed and a drop of 190,000 in the number of people reported as working. So, almost the whole change from March to April is explained by people going from being employed to unemployed, not new entrants to the labor market. This change is likely just a statistical quirk -- it is not statistically significant -- but the Post's assertion is simply wrong as anyone can see who looked at the numbers for a second.
But, as usual, it gets worse. The Post tells readers that we can't try to create jobs through fiscal stimulus:
"The government's support was truly massive: Even before QE2 and the December 2010 payroll tax cut, the economy had received four times more fiscal and monetary stimulus (as a share of gross domestic product) than in all nine post-1953 recessions combined, according to a J.P. Morgan analysis. But the federal deficit is already huge at 10 percent of GDP, and increasing it substantially could trigger a bond market revolt that would abort the recovery."
Wow, we had a big stimulus -- that's really scary. Well, this was a much bigger downturn than "all nine post-1953 recessions combined." The Post completely ignored the $8 trillion housing bubble as it was growing -- instead filling its news and opinion pages with whining about the budget deficits of those years. It still seems determined to ignore the bubble.
We could recover from 8 of the past 9 recessions (the 2001 stock bubble crash recession being the exception) without substantial fiscal stimulus because they were all brought on by the decision of the Fed to raise interest rates. If the recession was brought on by raising interest rates, then there is a simple way for the Fed to bring on a recovery.
That's right! The Fed can lower interest rates. This is not an option when the recession is brought on by the collapse of an asset bubble, especially when interest rates are already at zero. (We used the growth generated by housing bubble to recover from the last recession.) Doesn't anyone at the Post's editorial board understand this basic issue?
The Post also raises the spector of the bond market vigilantes. Yes, these bond market vigilantes are really scary guys. They are even invisible. The interest rate on 10-year Treasury notes is now 3.14 percent, much lower than it was in the budget surplus days of the late 90s. Still, the Post wants readers to be very scared -- better to force tens of millions of people to be unemployed or underemployed than to take the risk that the bond vigilantes will attack.
Then the Post warns against more aggressive monetary policy. This could lead to INFLATION!!!!!! The horror, the horror. What planet are these people on. Suppose the core inflation rate rises from its current rate of around 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent, 3.5 percent, or even 4.5 percent? Who gives a damn? Economies around the world, including our own, have for many decades had strong growth in output, productivity, and real wages with these sorts of inflation rates. How could any sane person view the risk of inflation rising to such levels as being worse than the current employment situation?
The Post then forgets where the economy is for a moment when it discusses President Obama's efforts to promote energy conservation and clean energy:
"The Obama administration thinks 'green jobs' are part of the answer, but clean-energy subsidies move jobs around within the economy instead of creating them."
The "move jobs around" line is a plausible claim when the economy is at full employment. It is not plausible now. The people employed weatherizing homes would not have other jobs if government subsidies did not encourage homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient.
The Post then gives us it pure propaganda line:
"Increasing exports, as the administration aims to do, is a promising strategy."
Can someone get these people an intro econ textbook? Increasing exports is not what creates jobs, it is increasing net exports (exports minus imports) that creates jobs.
If GM shuts an assembly plant in Ohio and instead ships its car parts to Mexico to be assembled there, are these parts exports creating jobs? In Washington Post land, the answer is apparently yes. Unfortunately in the real world the answer is no. Since we have been increasing our imports more rapidly than we have increased our exports, the United States has been running a big trade deficit, leading to a large loss of jobs. (The trade deficit also implies negative national savings -- and therefore either large budget deficits or negative private savings or some combination, but we'll leave this issue for another day.)
Finally, the Post conclues by urging patience:
"The costs, human and economic, of high unemployment are heartbreaking. But it will take a measure of patience as well as a sense of urgency to prevent it from becoming a permanent feature of the U.S. economic landscape."
Yes, all the buffoons running economic policy who could not see the largest asset bubble in the history of the world are still there running economic policy. All the Wall Street clowns who made a fortune pushing junk mortgages and packaging them into complex financial instruments are still rich. That's just the way it is. The rest of us just need to be patient.
Read more posts on CEPR »


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Lung function tests (also called pulmonary
function tests, or PFTs) check how well your lungs work. The tests determine
how much air your
lungs can hold, how quickly you can move air in and
out of your lungs, and how well your lungs put oxygen into and remove carbon
dioxide from your blood. The tests can diagnose lung diseases, measure the
severity of lung problems, and check to see how well treatment for a lung
disease is working.
Other tests—such as residual volume, gas
diffusion tests, body plethysmography, inhalation challenge tests, and exercise
stress tests—may also be done to determine lung function.
Spirometry is the first and most commonly done lung function
test. It measures how much and how quickly you can move air out of your lungs.
For this test, you breathe into a mouthpiece attached to a recording device
(spirometer). The information collected by the spirometer may be printed out on
a chart called a spirogram.
The more common lung function values
measured with spirometry are:
Gas diffusion tests measure
the amount of
oxygen and other gases that cross the lungs' air sacs (alveoli) per minute.
These tests evaluate how well gases are being absorbed into your blood from
your lungs. Gas diffusion tests include:
Body plethysmography may be
used to measure:
Inhalation challenge tests are done to measure the
response of your airways to substances that may be causing
asthma or wheezing. These tests are also called
provocation studies.
inhalation testing, increasing amounts of a substance are inhaled through a
nebulizer, a device that uses a face mask or mouthpiece to deliver the
substance in a fine mist (aerosol). Sometimes, increasing amounts of methacholine or mannitol may be inhaled through the nebulizer. Spirometry
readings are taken to evaluate lung function before, during, and after inhaling
the substance.
In rare cases, a
bronchospasm can occur with inhalation challenge
testing. You will be closely monitored during and after the test.
Exercise stress tests
evaluate the effect of exercise on lung function tests. Spirometry readings are
done after exercise and then again at rest.
The multiple-breath
washout test is done to check lung function in people with cystic fibrosis. For
this test, you breathe air that contains a tracer gas through a tube. Then you
breathe regular air while the amount of tracer gas you exhale is monitored.
Test results are reported as a lung clearance index (LCI). A high LCI value
means that the lungs are not working well.
Lung function results are measured directly in some
tests and are calculated in others. No single test can determine all of the
lung function values, so more than one type of test may be done. Some of the
tests may be repeated after you inhale medicine that enlarges your airways
Lung function tests are done to:
Tell your doctor if you:
Do not eat a heavy meal just before this test because a
full stomach may prevent your lungs from fully expanding. You should not smoke
or exercise vigorously for 6 hours before the test. On the day of the test,
wear loose clothing that does not restrict your breathing in any way. You
should also avoid food or drinks that have caffeine because it can cause your
airways to relax and allow more air than usual to pass through.
you have dentures, wear them during the test to help you form a tight seal
around the mouthpiece of the spirometer.
Lung function tests are usually done in
special exam rooms that have all of the lung function measuring devices. The
test is usually done by a specially trained
respiratory therapist or technician. For most of the
lung function tests, you will wear a nose clip to make sure that no air passes
in or out of your nose during the test. You then will be asked to breathe into
a mouthpiece connected to a recording device.
The exact procedure
is different for each type of test. For example, you may be asked to inhale as
deeply as possible and then to exhale as fast and as hard as possible. You also
may be asked to breathe in and out as deeply and rapidly as possible for 15
seconds. Some tests may be repeated after you have inhaled a spray containing
medicine that expands the airways in your lungs (bronchodilator). You may be
asked to breathe a special mixture of gases, such as 100% oxygen, a mixture of
helium and air, or a mixture of carbon monoxide and air. Sometimes a sample of
blood may be taken from an artery in your wrist to measure blood gases.
If you have body plethysmography, you will be asked to sit inside a small
enclosure similar to a telephone booth, with windows that allow you to see out.
The booth measures small changes in pressure that occur as you breathe.
The accuracy of the tests depends on your ability to follow all of the
instructions. The therapist may strongly encourage you to breathe deeply during
some of the tests to get the best results.
The testing may take
from 5 to 30 minutes, depending upon how many tests are done.
If you have an arterial blood gas test,
you may feel some pain from the needle used to collect the blood. The other
lung function tests are usually painless. Some of the tests may be tiring for
people who have a lung disease.
You may cough or feel lightheaded
after breathing in or out rapidly, but you will be given a chance to rest
between tests. You may find it uncomfortable to wear the nose clip. Breathing
through the mouthpiece for a long period of time may be uncomfortable.
If you have body plethysmography, you may feel uncomfortable in the
airtight plethysmograph booth. But the therapist will be nearby during the test
to open the door if you feel too uncomfortable.
If you are given
breathing medicine, it may cause you to shake or may increase your heart rate.
If you feel any chest pain or discomfort, tell the therapist right away.
Lung function tests present little or no risk to
a healthy person. If you have a serious heart or lung condition, discuss your
risks with your doctor.
Lung function tests (also called pulmonary
function tests, or PFTs) check how well your lungs work. The normal value
ranges for lung function tests will be adjusted for your age, height, sex, and
sometimes weight and race. Results are often expressed in terms of a percentage
of the expected value. Most test results are available right away.
Test results are within the normal ranges
for a person with healthy lungs.
Test results are outside of the normal
range for a person with healthy lungs. This may mean that some kind of lung
disease is present. There are two main types of lung disease that can be found
with lung function tests: obstructive and restrictive.
In obstructive lung conditions, the
airways are narrowed, usually causing an increase in the time it takes to empty
the lungs. Obstructive lung disease can be caused by conditions such as
bronchitis, infection (which produces inflammation),
Forced vital capacity (FVC)
Normal or lower than predicted value
Forced expiratory volume
FEV1 divided by FVC
Forced expiratory flow 25% to 75%
Peak expiratory flow (PEF)
Maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV)
Slow vital capacity (SVC)
Normal or lower
Total lung capacity (TLC)
Normal or higher
Functional residual capacity (FRC)
Residual volume (RV)
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
RV divided by TLC ratio
FEV1 often increases after using medicine that expands
the airways in people with reversible obstructive disease like asthma.
In restrictive lung conditions,
there is a loss of lung tissue, a decrease in the lungs' ability to expand, or
a decrease in the lungs' ability to transfer oxygen to the blood (or carbon
dioxide out of the blood). Restrictive lung disease can be caused by conditions
such as
pneumonia, lung cancer,
pulmonary fibrosis,
sarcoidosis, or
multiple sclerosis. Other restrictive conditions
include some chest injuries, being very overweight (obesity),
pregnancy, and loss of lung tissue due to surgery.
Lower than predicted value
Total lung capacity (TLC)
Normal, lower, or higher
Reasons you may not be able to
have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
Other Works ConsultedChernecky CC, Berger BJ (2008). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 5th ed. St. Louis:
Saunders.Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009).
Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.Gustafsson PM, et al. (2008). Multiple-breath inert
gas washout and spirometry versus structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis.
Thorax, 63(2): 129–134.Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2010). Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. St. Louis: Mosby.
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Last Revised:
April 28, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Mark A. Rasmus, MD - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine
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Apple is cutting down on UK retail staff at its stores in Milton Keynes and Essex: blueshirted fanbois on short-term contracts will get the heave-ho, sources in the Mac channel claim.
Industry talk of layoffs in Apple's shops surfaced in MacRumours earlier this week. Apple has refused to officially comment though a contradictory rumour broke last night suggesting the vendor was merely tinkering with staffing formulas. Apparently this new "formula" led some employees to see their shifts cut and retail locations to be understaffed.
Dow Jones reports a email allegedly sent by retail chief John Browett to store leaders saying that Apple was pulling back the changes.
But our well-placed source confirmed the cuts are concentrated in some UK stores, shedding staff through natural turnover but in numbers that go beyond normal seasonal churn.
In the Apple Stores in Milton Keynes and Essex's Lakeside Shopping Centre, new hires and those on short-term contracts are not having their contracts renewed, we understand. There is also a freeze on hiring new full-timers and when permanent staff leave they are replaced with a part-timer.
Apple hasn't released specifics on their staffing numbers, but from a back of the envelope calculation based on its Q3 global figures it most likely employs about 3,500 in UK retail.
Dividing Apple's global retail staff (41,000) by their number of global stores (372) - you get the rough estimate of 110 employees a store. Apple has 33 stores in the UK so - roughly - around 3,600 employees in UK retail. The retail department includes people who work in business sales, and inventory. We don't know what percentage of them would be full-timers or part-time summer workers.
As the most profitable tech company in the world - which has done exceptionally well out of its prime location minimalist stores - the move is a surprise, but is likely to be a result of disappointing sales in Europe.
Apple's latest results revealed that iPhone sales had flatlined in Europe, a factor dampening the company's whole quarterly takings, which were down sequentially from Q1.
Our source confirmed that sales across UK Apple Stores were down, and said in particular that sales in Apple's new store in the Olympic Village's Westfield centre in Stratford, London had been a shock to management.
"All takings there were very disappointing – for a brand new store to get that reception was disappointing," said an Apple insider.
Apple has a disproportionate number of stores in the UK compared to those located across the rest of Europe: the 33 shopfronts here compare to 11 in France – which has round-about the same population size – and just eight stores in Germany, which is home to about 20 million more people than the UK.
Commenters are already fingering the new head of retail at Apple - John Browett - as a potential axe wielder. Browett's track record of cuts at Dixons and PC World leads some to believe he wants to make serious cuts at Apple. Browett pulled Dixons out of a rut after taking over in 2007 by cutting hundreds of staff, and placing greater emphasis on trying to turn around the firm's reputation for poor customer service.
A retail shrinkage would be unprecedented in Apple history - where the store strategy has always been in expansion mode.
Analyst at Canalys Tim Coulling said: "They have laid off people in the past, but it has been quite minor. There's no real precedent that Apple have made layoffs in the retail sector.
Apple has so far refused our request for comment. ®