text:
Global digital music revenue to reach $11.6 billion in 2016
Digital music is expected to surpass physical music sales within the next several years as revenue from downloading and streaming increases and the overall business shrinks, according to a new report.
Digital music is picking up share and will account for the majority of the industry's sales by 2017, said the report from from Siemer Ventures, the investment arm of Santa Monica-based merchant bank Siemer & Associates LLC.
Part of that growth is coming from streaming on a plethora of services, including Pandora, Clear Channel's iHeartRadio, Spotify, Rdio and MOG, as well as online video companies such as YouTube and Vevo.
RELATED: Despite concerns, it's full-steam ahead for music industry
The streaming space is getting more crowded with big players, including Google Inc.'s recently introduced offering and the impending launch of Apple Inc.'s iTunes Radio. The growth will continue as companies offer new services, such as streaming in cars, said John Rudolph, a senior advisor at Siemer.
"You've got a lot of initiatives that are going to bring in people who are not already engaged with digital music," he said. "We tend to think services like Pandora are ubiquitous, and they're not."
Over the next three years, revenue for the digital industry, including money from the downloading and streaming of songs, is expected to grow 12% each year to about $11.6 billion, the Siemer report said. Meanwhile, the overall global music industry will continue to shrink to $26.5 billion in 2016, down 8% from last year.
Online streaming revenue grew 40% to $1.1 billion in 2012. That accounts for a small share of the total music industry, but it's a fast rate of growth compared with 8.5% for downloads.
The number of digital music users grew 9% last year to 1.2 billion and is expected to rise to 1.8 billion in the next three years. That's an increase of more than 10% every year.
PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments
Digital music has attracted plenty of interest from investors. Siemer said digital music companies raised a total $476 million in 2012, helped by funding rounds by Spotify and Deezer, which both raised more than $100 million.
While Spotify and Deezer are high-profile examples, much of the funding is going to companies that work behind the scenes to help rights-holders and other businesses make money from the fast-changing music business.
"One of the big issues that all those folks have is, how do they account for the rights-holders and how do they establish an efficient licensing scheme," Rudolph said. "Now they're looking internally and going, how do we actually pay people and track content?"
That category includes companies like Tunecore, which helps artists get their music onto services like iTunes and Spotify, and Gracenote, a data company that's a division of Sony Corp.
Slacker CEO Jim Cady talks streaming music business
iHeartRadio, Spotify lead user growth as Apple unveils streaming
New company Audiam seeks to get musicians paid from YouTube clips
Follow on Twitter: @rfaughnder
PHOTOS: Highest-paid media executives of 2012
ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen
PHOTOS: Hollywood back lot moments
From the Emmys to the Oscars.
Get our revamped Envelope newsletter, sent twice a week, for exclusive awards season coverage, behind-the-scenes insights and columnist Glenn Whipp's commentary.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.


text:
Top flight deals to Caracas (CCS)*
Fly to Caracas with KLM
Thanks to our global network, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines always offers convenient flights to Caracas, serving Simon Bolivar International Airport (CCS) in Caracas. Along with Caracas, we serve over 150 destinations worldwide and over 500 destinations with our partner network. So sit back and let us take you where you need to go. Book your flight to Caracas with KLM!
Top Caracas attractions
- Centro Financiero Confinanzas: also known as "The Tower of David", this skyscraper is the third largest in the city and is still unfinished, making for a truly haunting visitor experience.
- Teleferico: a panoramic gondola lift that ascends El Ávila Mountain, offering visitors breathtaking views of the Caracas skyline on one side, and the coastline on the other.
- Paseo Los Proceres: a famous public square, featuring beautiful monuments and fountains along with a large scenic pond.
- Museo de los Ninos (Children's Museum): an interesting museum in Caracas focused on teaching children about science, technology, culture and arts.
- Palacio Municipal: the City Hall of Caracas, offering visitors the opportunity to view beautiful Venezuelan architecture and a museum on the ground floor featuring some famous pieces of local art.
What's the best way to get around Caracas?
There are many bus links, train stations and a good subway system that you can use to get around Caracas, and all of these methods of transport are incredibly cheap. We recommend using taxis to explore Caracas, as they are very cheap and reliable. There are many unlicensed taxi drivers, but they are safe to use. As an extra precaution at night time, though, book a licensed taxi through your hotel.
What's the weather in Caracas?
Caracas is perfect to visit at any time of year, with average temperatures between 22°C (72°F) and 24°C (75°F) no matter the season. If you want to avoid the rain, visit Caracas between December and April - that's the dry season!
Weather in Caracas
Powered by: OpenWeatherMap.org
25 °CThursday13/08/2020
27 °CFriday14/08/2020
28 °CSaturday15/08/2020
28 °CSunday16/08/2020
28 °CMonday17/08/2020
26 °CTuesday18/08/2020
26 °CWednesday19/08/2020
*All amounts are in EUR. Taxes and surcharges are included. No booking fee is applicable, but a payment surcharge may apply. Prices shown may vary depending on fare availability. You will see the final amount when selecting your payment method.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Abstract: Given the apparent importance of the environmental characteristic "accessibility" in criminological literature in helping to explain the occurrence of burglary, this paper examined the role of accessibility in reported burglaries of private apartment units in Tallahassee, Florida, which were predominantly occupied by students. The study examined 96 reported burglaries committed at 94 apartment units, within 51 complexes.
Accessible Targets, But Not Advisable Ones: The Role Of 'Accessibility' In Student Apartment BurglaryPDF (Portable Document Format)140 KBCreated on 3/1/1998Views: 1793
Email this document to
Maintained by ERIT, University Libraries, UNCG


text:
Lux Decor Stripe Bed Sheet Set - Wrinkle, Fade, Stain Resistant - Hypoallergenic - 4 Piece
FEEL THE DIFFERENCE -Sleep better and wake up each morning feeling refreshed and full of energy. Silky soft, most comfortable and luxurious bed sheets you can find The Soft Lux Decor Stripe Bed sheet Set is designed with your comfort in mind. Add a designer accent to your bedroom decor with this timeless dobby stripe pattern artistically created to be a wonderful addition to any bedroom. Your comfort is of the utmost importance to us, because of this our sheets are created from the finest imported double-brushed microfiber yarns creating an atmosphere of breath ability which wicks away sweat and keeps you dry and cool throughout the night. These sheets are two times more durable than cotton, completely wrinkle free, and perfect for all four seasons.
Easy Care: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low, Fade Resistant and Wrinkle Free.
4-piece set includes 1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet, and 2 pillowcases (Twin Set comes with 1 pillowcase).
Double-brushed microfiber for outstanding comfort.
16" deep pockets on the fitted sheets and perfect for oversized mattresses.
Superior weave for durability and a buttery-soft touch.
Hypoallergenic, Antimicrobial & Antibacterial — ideal for sensitive skin and those with allergies.
Sizes: King, Queen, Full and Twin.
Available in a variety of 11 beautiful colors: Blue, Brown, Burgundy, Dark Grey, Green, Grey, Navy Blue, Purple, Taupe, Vanilla & White.
King Set includes:
Flat sheet (102" x 105"), fitted sheet (78" x 80") and 2 pillow cases (20" x 40")
Queen Set includes:
Flat sheet (92" x 102"), fitted sheet (60" x 80") and 2 pillow cases (20" x 30")
Full Set includes:
Flat sheet (81" x 96"), fitted sheet (54" x 75") and 2 pillow cases (20" x 30")
Twin Set includes:
The digital images we display have the most accurate color possible. However, due to differences in computer monitors, we cannot be responsible for variations in color between the actual product and your screen.
Lux Decor Collection is a different kind of company that prides itself in providing the absolute best customer service in the industry. We accept returns within 14 days from shipment delivery date if the product is different than described, damaged or late.
Member Exclusive
You Quality For An Extra
When you checkout in the next:


text:
Items where Person is "Boman, Mats"
Group by: Item Type | No Grouping
Jump to: Article
Number of items: 1.
Cheah, Seng Kian and Perre, Emilie and Rooth, Mårten and Fondell, Mattis and Hårsta, Anders and Nyholm, Leif and Boman, Mats and Gustafsson, Torbjörn and Lu, Jun and Simon, Patrice and Edström, Kristina. Self-supported three-dimensional nanoelectrodes for microbattery applications. (2009) Nano Letters, 9 (9). 3230-3233. ISSN 1530-6992


text:
Dodgers shut out Pirates
Los Angeles 3, Pittsburgh 0
Zack Greinke pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning of his splendid Dodgers debut, leading Los Angeles to a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Andre Ethier homered and Los Angeles got RBI doubles from Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez. Greinke, who signed a $147 million, six-year contract to join the Dodgers during the offseason, struck out six and did not walk a batter in 6 1-3 innings.
Greinke (1-0) was on a limited pitch count after throwing only 13 innings during spring training, but he made his 92 pitches count. He yielded just a two-out single to Garrett Jones in the second inning and a one-out single to Andrew McCutchen in the seventh.
Offensively for the Dodgers, Ethier hit his first home run of the season, Kemp got his first hit (his RBI double) and Gonzalez had his first RBI. All three hits came against Pirates starter Jonathan Sanchez (0-1).
Greinke began his Dodgers career by retiring the first five batters he faced. With two outs in the second, he gave up a hard one-hopper by Jones that second baseman Mark Ellis couldn't handle. The play was ruled a hit. Greinke responded by setting down the next 14 hitters in a row until McCutchen lined a single to center with one out in the seventh. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly swiftly made his way to the mound to take the ball from Greinke, who missed a couple of spring starts because of inflammation in his elbow and the flu.
Along the way, Greinke got help from his defense, particularly from shortstop Justin Sellers in the fifth inning. Sellers robbed Jones of a hit with a diving, backhand stab of a sharp grounder, bouncing up and throwing out Jones at first.
Brandon League pitched the ninth for his first save of the season, completing the two-hitter.
Sanchez was no stranger to the Dodgers hitters, pitching against them for the 18th time in his career. All 17 previous appearances came with the Giants.
Like Greinke, Sanchez retired his first five hitters. But the sixth batter in the lineup, Ethier, drove a 2-2 pitch into the right-field bleachers.
Los Angeles couldn't muster much else off Sanchez in the early innings. Greinke reached base on an error in the third but was erased when Carl Crawford hit into a force play. Crawford was thrown out trying to steal, ending the inning. Gonzalez hit a soft liner to shallow left field for a two-out single in the fourth, but was stranded.
In the fifth, A.J. Ellis doubled with one out, and one out later Greinke singled to left. Ellis, though, was held at third, and Crawford struck out when fooled by a slow curveball out of the strike zone, ending the inning.
The Dodgers finally broke through again in the sixth and knocked Sanchez out of the game. After Mark Ellis' leadoff walk, Kemp and Gonzalez had back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead, spelling the end of the night for Sanchez. He went five-plus innings, allowing three runs and six hits.
After Greinke came out in the seventh, Paco Rodriguez, Kenley Jansen and League combined to hold the Pirates hitless for the final 2 2-3 innings.
NOTES: Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley (bruised finger) made his last rehab start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday and is slated to come off the disabled list and start next Wednesday in San Diego. Billingsley missed the final five weeks of the 2012 season with an injured elbow. ... Kemp's double ended an 0-for-12 slide to start the season. ... Pirates catcher Russell Martin returned to Dodger Stadium for the first time since playing his final game with Los Angeles on Aug. 3, 2010. Martin, who spent the past two years with the Yankees after the Dodgers let him go following the 2010 season, received mostly boos from the crowd when he came to bat in the second inning. ... The Pirates went homerless for the fourth game in a row and remained the only National League team without a home run this season.


text:
yesterday my brother went to boarding school. They grow up so fast, one moment they're watching the backyardigans on Nickelodeon and singing along to kiddie songs and before you know it they're in boarding school. mrsm, of course. and since he's in a tahfiz program, i guess that stands for Maahad Rendah Sains Mara. tee hee
Brought me back to when i first went to boarding school. On the first day, i remembered waving to my parents and brothers and nenek as they drove away, a rolled-up mat slung over my shoulder. that time i didn't cry, had to make a brave face you see. But when i went for my bath, i cried in the shower. before i went to sleep, i cried. there was this road sign saying "MRSM 4km" and when i saw it i cried. Hated that signboard. it was a miserable feeling.
boarding school was like this big, bad monster where your clothes got stolen if you put them on the clothes rack and lockers were occasionally smashed and seniors turned on their radio and played obscene songs. true experience. we are creatures of habit, and being thrust from Backyardigans to Hooligans is not a pretty thing, i pity my brother for that. But maybe because mine wasn't a Maahad, so maybe it ain't that bad.
Oh and it made me realise one more thing. My parents are usually well prepared and when it comes to first day at boarding school they'll pack everything from thirsty hippo to febreze to layering paper so our clothes don't get dirty from the locker. When you're in form 1 you don't appreciate these things and you don't really care because mum does everything and you take it for granted. but yesterday i called my mum and we laughed about packing thirsty hippo and all that and she said "well, we try to make it as comfortable as possible for you so it becomes more bearable". awww :') looking back, it did make life easier :) i remember looking at other people's lockers and there was no paper underneath their clothes and i thought their clothes must be dirty why didn't their parents bring some paper?
which brings me to the actual point of this post: family. Crying was actually a blessing-in-hindsight-in-disguise, i suppose, because it showed i had a family to miss and that was worth missing. whenever i went back home for the weekend my mum would always cook some dishes that were 'makanan wajib' and before i went back to school she'd ask me if i'd like something to drink and i'd answer teh tarik. and then my dad would drop by the 'karipap panas' stall and get me a karipap ayam panas (hot chicken curry puff..where is that stall now anyways??). And its those little things that you cherish. Not the food, silly. The love and attention that your family shows through all those little things, so life becomes more bearable. it took me 5 years of boarding school and 18 months of college and 1 1/2 years of university to put this into writing, *sigh* when all it takes for a mum is a single mug of tea.
and i believe that's where the education starts, at home. people who moved and shook the world were brought up in homes also, they were not born ready to give speeches, or to command armies, or to write books or blogs. I like this quote from Charles Lamb,
"Lawyers, I suppose, were children once."
i pity people who come from less than ideal homes. like this friend of mine who i met in boarding school in form 1. On our first chat he told me he was smoking and was in lock-up by the age of 11. Later i found out his parents were separated. must be hard being in his shoes. So be grateful if you have a caring family, don't complain-complain only.
Build a home on strong foundations, and you can build the world.


text:
Hefty fine for Massachusetts utilities for Hurricane Irene response
National Grid, NStar, Western Massachusetts Electric Co. fined $25 million
State energy regulators have fined three Massachusetts utilities nearly $25 million for "systematic and fundamental failures" in their response to two major storms in 2011.
The penalties were announced Tuesday by the Department of Public Utilities after an investigation that took more than a year.
Some customers were without power for a week after Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and a surprise October snowstorm.
By far the biggest penalty was assessed against National Grid, fined $18.7 million. Department of Public Utilities chairwoman Ann Berwick said regulators found "systematic and fundamental failures" in how the company planned for and responded to the storms.
National Grid says in a statement it is reviewing the decision.
NStar was fined $4.1 million and Western Massachusetts Electric Co. was fined $2 million. Both companies, divisions of Hartford, Conn.-based Northeast Utilities, say they plan to appeal.
NSTAR said it would appeal the fine.
"The amount of devastation our system sustained last fall cannot be understated – with an estimated 80 percent of our overheard circuits damaged after Irene alone. We were essentially rebuilding the electric system as we restored power, and the penalties assessed today are simply not in line with the realities of getting the job done," said Werner Schweiger, President of NSTAR Electric.
Under a new state law passed this year, the fines will be returned to consumers in the form of rate relief.


text:
Giveaway Winners
July 20, 2010
Yes, more than one!
One was picked using the random number generator and the second was chosen by myself and the other two ladies of Boojiboo. After seeing how much effort was put into the comments I felt bad picking just one! Both win an apron of their choice.
Winner #1
I will be sending you both an email shortly!
No comments yet


text:
Public transit riders rally for funding
Rally held in downtown Pittsburgh
Riders rallied in downtown Pittsburgh on Thursday to ask for adequate funding for public transit.
Gov. Tom Corbett's funding plan calls for much of the money to go towards bridges and roads. Senate Transportation Chairman John Rafferty proposed an alternative plan this week that will allow transit a bigger portion of the money.
At the rally, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said, "I think it's good that we're continuing to move forward to make sure we get adequate funding, proper funding, to make sure our economy continues to grow."
The rally brought politicians, advocates and riders together, including Wilkinsburg business owner William Anderson.
"I own an auto body shop, but I don't own a car," Anderson said. He said he relies on public transportation himself, and for his employees.
At bus stops throughout the city, riders were frustrated with the increased fares and cutbacks in bus service
"The one we have to catch, it runs like every hour, and on Sundays and Saturdays, there's not bus (service) where we live at, " Janelle Steele said.
Steele's infant son suffers from health problems and they spend a lot of time in the hospital. Steele relies on buses to get them there.
"I have to lug him up the hill with stroller and bags and diaper bags, it makes it really difficult," Steele said.
In each of the transit funding plans proposed, fees will be assessed to drivers.


text:
Hanetration is a solo artist from Cornwall, UK. He makes ambient/electronic/drone with a very cinematic feel, through (IMO) his very tasteful sprinkling of percussion. He also mixes the three with an even keel and understanding, giving equal vibes of dark and uplifting, often shifting from basic tribal drums, to frenzy IDM-friendly beats, all while splicing them between the occasional wind instrument and sped up vocal chatter. The drone isn't as prevalent (mostly the opening track), but it's there -- as is the brief experimentation with glitch effects at the end of the third track.
All in all this EP has a lot going on for four short tracks, and at 20 minutes long you'll probably fill in the blanks. Check out his bandcamp (full of free goodies) and Facebook for news on his upcoming releases.
Artwork by Tommy Nease: tommynease.tumblr.com


text:
As a Sprint Authorized Retailer, we proudly sell the latest products, plans and services, offering the most competitive pricing and outstanding customer service. With numerous store locations, we invite you to stop by and learn how Sprint can work for you.
If you're ambitious, hard working, and looking for a fun, rewarding career with opportunities for advancement, consider joining the Sprint store by Experts Choice team. You'll learn all about wireless devices and mobile service, and you'll get to share your love of technology with consumers who value your expertise. Check out our available job opportunities and contact us today. Please note, this is not an offer for Sprint employment.


text:
Erik Troan is CTO at rPath, a company that delivers enterprise applications across cloud-based environments. He recently spoke with Dr. Dobb's editor in chief Jonathan Erickson about the rapidly changing world of distributed computing.
Dr. Dobb's: How has the advent of cloud computing changed distributed computing?
Troan: Distributed computing is all about modular deployments, where each type of node can be scaled independently of the others. Deploying that into environments that allow on-demand scaling of each node allows properly designed distributed architectures to flexibly scale themselves and adjust to the changing demands of their users. On-demand environments like clouds are poised to become the default deployment environment for distributed and scale-out compute infrastructures.
Dr. Dobb's: How far can developers go with lightweight "mashup" style tools when it comes to distributed computing?
Troan: Mashup tools are highly relevant today. Human beings do a good job of breaking tasks into components that feed each other; we do a poor job of dividing up tasks into pieces that need to share a single resource. Mashups of components using distributed environments allow scalable applications to be built quickly in a way most people are comfortable architecting.
Dr. Dobb's: Are distributed computing environments relevant?
Troan: I don't think DCEs are even remotely relevant any longer. Web technologies, including XML, SOAP, and REST, have completely displaced those efforts in mainstream architecture. Simple, standard interfaces allow applications to be built much more quickly across organizational boundaries than anything as complex as DCE or CORBA.
Dr. Dobb's: Have large-scale distributed computing projects such as [email protected], [email protected], and the like helped us solve any day-to-day distributing computing problems, or are they simply academic exercises?
Troan: Projects like [email protected] have encouraged IT organizations to look at the spare computing capacity they have spread out across thousands of desktop machines as a resource they could tap to solve compute problems. I know organizations are exploring virtualization as a low-impact way of harnessing those machines.


text:
Carpet Repair in Glenview, Kentucky
Need your carpet repaired in Glenview? You can only move the furniture so many times to cover up burn marks and other damage. Classic Services of Louisville has been repairing carpet in Glenview, Kentucky for more than 21 years, and we've seen it all. Carpet repair is a much more affordable option than replacing your carpet. When you need professional carpeting or area rug repair in Glenview, call (502) 353-5193 to speak with one of our carpet repair specialists.
Call for a FREE Quote
Repair Your Glenview Carpet and Save!
Nothing lasts forever, including your carpet. Whether your carpet damage is caused by natural wear and tear or by accident, the Glenview carpeting repair experts at Classic Services of Louisville can restore your carpet to like-new condition. We work with all types of carpeting, including sculptured, textured, plush, shag, low pile, and indoor/outdoor. From burn marks to tears, we've got the tools and the expertise to fix the damaged area of your carpet for seamless results.
Save time and money by calling Classic Services of Louisville for a fast free carpet repair quote.
Is Your Carpet Coming Unraveled?
Over time your carpet can shift or ripple, particularly in high traffic areas. No matter what time of carpeting you have, our Glenview carpet repair specialists will make your carpet look like it was just installed.
- carpet stretching for rippled carpet
- shifting carpet runner on stairways
- repairs and patching holes, burns, frayed edges, and snags
- carpet-safe dye for spot or stain repair
- color enhancement for sun-faded areas
- carpet seam repair
- carpet that has pulled away from thresholds
Call (502) 353-5193 today to schedule an analysis of your Glenview carpet damage, along with a free quote.
Call for FREE Carpet Repair Quote
(502) 353-5193
Dial Area Code first please.
★★★★★ - "Absolutely wonderful. My carpets have never looked or smelled cleaner. I was so surprised at the stains that they got up that no one else ever did"
Tammy in Louisville, KY2018-08-06
★★★★★ - "Had hardwood floors cleaned and they look awesome! They were professional and very informative. Will definitely be calling them again!"
Crystal in Louisville, KY2018-04-18
★★★★★ - "Tony Helms cleaned the carpets throughout our new home today and to say "what a difference" is an understatement. He did an excellent job making the carpets look brand new and was very knowledgeable in his business and tips for future spot treating. Tony was very pleasant and I enjoyed our conversations also. If you want amazing results for your carpet cleaning needs, I suggest you call Tony at Classic Services."
Wanda F, Carpet Cleaning in Okolona, KY2018-01-11
★★★★★ - "I tried Tony out for the first time today. He cleaned my couch and chair. Gotta wait for it to dry to see how it looks (which I am positive will be great) but he was very friendly and knowledgeable about the work. Great Customer service! I will be calling him back to do my carpet. I highly recommend using Tony!"
Barbara Chris Duvall, Upholstery Cleaning in Louisville, KY
★★★★★ - "Tony and Jason showed up on time and did an excellent job on our carpets. Very satisfied and would recommend them and definitely use them again. Thanks again guys"
Jeremy Kampschaefer, Carpet Cleaning in New Albany, IN
★★★★★ - "Tony came a week after we called - it would have been sooner but we only have a one day opening a week. He was awesome. He cleaned the living room carpet, hallway, and my room. If that wasn't enough he cleaned the new brown recliner sofa that is huge and the old 4 seater theater recliners. Everything looks great but I can't tell you how amazing the theater recliners look again! 3 kids 2 dogs family friends and the occasional foster dog -- that thing was nasty! Thank you again for the amazing work and pricing!!"
Lesley Dues-Smith, Upholstery Cleaning in Louisville, KY
★★★★★ - "I just want to give a shout out to Tony Helms with Classic Services who cleaned my carpets today. He was prompt, professional and courteous and got stains out that were set in my rugs from the original owner 14 years ago! Very competitive rates and he has tools even the big companies don't have! Give him a call if you need any services done. You won't be disappointed! Thanks Tony!"
Ericka Azzarello, Carpet Cleaning in Louisville, KY
★★★★★ - "Great service and great people. Can't say enough nice things."
Buddy T., Carpet Stain Removal in Louisville, KY
★★★★★ - "I definitely recommend Classic Services! Tony is simply the best!"
Greg M., Carpet Cleaning in Jeffersontown, KY
★★★★★ - "Brand new beautiful California Berber. Classic services are the best. The attention to detail was fantastic."
Diane H., Carpet Cleaning in Louisville, KY
Call for FREE Carpet Repair Quote
(502) 353-5193
Dial Area Code first please.


text:
One hundred years ago, on this day, March 15th, the "ides of March," Czar Nicholas II of Russia, under pressure, abdicated, ending the dynasty that had ruled Russia since 1613. The end result was not the liberal democracy that many hoped for, but, rather, seventy years of communism, a period far worse than anything under the czars. When the czar abdicated, nobody could have foreseen the ultimate outcome. The czar himself brought attention to the fact that the day was the "ides of March," the day Julius Caesar was assassinated, changing the course of Roman history, ending the Roman Republic, replacing it with the Roman Empire. The term became popular through Shakespeare's famous play, "Julius Cesar."
Today, March 15th, The Netherlands is voting for a new government. It's the first time ever that Holland has received this much media attention. Once again, an uncertain future awaits the country and the European Union; that is, if Geert Wilder's 'Party for Freedom' makes significant gains and goes on to form a government. Mr. Wilders has been labeled Holland's Donald Trump. He's a populist, who wants to restore his country to what it was, ending the multiculturalism that has fundamentally changed the country. In addition, he wants to leave the EU. He also wants to ban the Koran and Islamic schools and has called for the closure of all mosques; and end the wearing of burqas and hijabs, requiring people to wear western style clothing.
The election result is likely to have a profound effect on France and Germany who hold elections later this year. If a populist government comes to power in the Netherlands, then, maybe populism will see gains in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. This could make 2017 as significant a year as 1989 and 1848 in European history. Change is in the air. But, as with Russia a century ago, the future of change is unpredictable. Sweeping populism may sweep away the European Union, but what will replace it? Will liberal social democracy be replaced by more nationalistic forms of government? Could a swing to the right in the Netherlands lead to similar swings elsewhere on the continent? The European Union, which turns 60 in ten days, may have to go back to the drawing board.
It's not just the election that is making news in Holland. For over four centuries the Dutch, once a great maritime power, have had a peace treaty with Turkey. But now, the two NATO members are going through a verbal conflict that could easily get out of hand. The basic problem is immigration. Millions of Turks live in Holland, Germany and other EU countries. The Turkish president wants to send members of his government to speak to these Turkish citizens, so that they will vote for Mr, Erdogan in a referendum that will grant the president more powers. Naturally, Holland does not want the Turkish election to be conducted in Holland. Allowing Ankara to do so would expose the lie that Muslims are assimilated and are, in fact, Dutch. They are not, identifying primarily with their own religion and culture, not with that of the host country.
A Turkish government minister was not allowed to address a rally in Holland. Consequently, relations have been negatively affected.
The Netherlands isn't the only European country that's hitting the headlines internationally. The United Kingdom is also in the news.
It's taken nine months for the groundwork to be laid for Britain to activate Article 50 and apply to leave the European Union. It's been a rocky road, with members of Britain's ruling elite doing everything possible to undermine the will of the people, expressed in June's Brexit vote. The unelected House of Lords was the final hurdle.
As if invoking Article 50 is not difficult enough, Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish National Party picked the same time to demand another referendum.
This time, she believes the Scots will vote to leave the United Kingdom as the majority of Scots voted to remain in the European Union.
In effect, what Ms. Sturgeon wants is to replace English domination with German domination. Ignorant of history (except possibly watching "Braveheart" over and over again!), Ms. Sturgeon has no problem replacing London with Berlin.
When the UK completes its negotiations with the EU settling Brexit terms, Ms. Sturgeon's Scotland will have to act quickly and apply to use the euro. It will also need massive amounts of aid as Scotland has needed English financial support ever since it voted to join the union with England, over three centuries ago.
Scottish loyalists will have to get used to shopping with a new currency – and won't even be able to stay home and watch the BBC!


text: Introduction Students may study abroad in the UAE with API at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). AUS is consciously based upon the American system of higher education. The beautiful campus has been described by many as the "jewel of Sharjah" and is itself a must-see destination for tourists and dignitaries alike. Thoroughly grounded in Arab culture, AUS is a leading comprehensive coeducational university in the Gulf, serving students from the region and around the world. Once a British protectorate, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) came together as one country when the seven emirates united in 1971. Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken. Ranked fourth in the world in oil resources, the UAE has one of the world's fastest-growing economies. For Western visitors, the UAE is a very safe destination, with the comforts of home and a taste of the exotic. Spread out over desert and coastland, you can soak up the atmosphere of the heritage areas or the magnificent mountain scenery of Hatta, haggle over souvenirs in the souqs (outdoor markets) of Sharjah, head out to Abu Dhabi's desert sands for a camel ride under a star-filled sky, or dive the coral-filled waters of the Arabian Gulf. Sharjah promotes itself as the cultural capital of the UAE, and its proliferation of excellent museums, galleries and theatres makes this tag well deserved. Architecturally, the restored central arts and heritage precincts are two of the most interesting neighborhoods in the UAE, and the city's souqs give it the cachet of being the best place for shopping in the country. Sharjah Explore Sharjah


text:
There's something either unpleasant or fishy about Michelle's setting for delivering the Best Picture Oscar *UPDATED*
[UPDATE: Okay, I knew my theory was way too wacky to be true, although I had fun writing it up. Although the White House didn't list it on the official schedule (because Thomas Lifson checked), I should have remembered that the Obama's were hosting the annual Governor's dinner — the one at which Chris Christie got the royal treatment and Obama kicked out reporters when things got interesting (and I'm sure they exited peacefully baa-ing, as one would expect from Obama's sheeple media.
Incidentally, if something fish is going on with Michelle, this might be it.]
Many have commented upon Michelle Obama being beamed in to present the Best Picture Oscar. It's certainly a cheapening of the dignity of the White House, not to mention that it's yet another creepy chapter in the Obama cult of personality.
What I noticed was that Michelle is surrounded by a military entourage. What's with that?
I'm not the only one who thought Michelle's military setting was peculiar. Over at American Thinker, Thomas Lifson is also trying to figure that one out:
Speaking of that venue, who were those young men and woman wearing uniforms with braids, framing Mrs. Obama?
I don't know much about uniforms, but they look kind of military to me. If that's the case, what kind of event was going on at the White House that night? The President's schedule doesn't include any mention of a formal event at the White House.
By the time the program was over, it was almost midnight, so I am pretty sure the president wasn't out playing golf. I wonder what was going on in the First Family's residence that night?
I agree — there's something weird going on here. Was the White House having its own private Academy Awards party? A lot of people do that, but what's with dragging the military into it?
Here's a bizarre thought, one that undoubtedly proves that I've had too much chocolate this morning: The Academy makes a huge deal out of the fact that results are unknown right up until the very minute the presenter reads them out loud. Is it possible that this was staged, and that Michelle actually filmed this statement hours or days before? After all, this is a make-believe presidency working closely with the chief city of The Land of Make Believe.
Of course, my little theory would require that those young men and women in uniform (Marine and Navy, I believe) either to be complicit in a fraud or, perhaps, be fraudulent themselves — that is, be actors playing dress-up in uniforms. In other words, my little theory is a very big stretch.
It certainly would be a good scandal, of the type that would directly affect Hollywood, if it turned out that this was a fake. I'll admit that, while trickery is unlikely, it's still incredibly distasteful to see the American military serve as a backdrop to Hollywood.


text:
Updates available for Kindle Fire HD (7.2.1) and Kindle Fire 2nd Generation (10.2.1)
Amazon Kindle community thread
for the heads-up!
The updates for the Kindle Fire HD 7″, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 16 GB and the Kindle Fire 7″ SD have been posted!
You can always go to:
to check for software updates for any of your devices.
Here are the specific ones:
Kindle Fire HD 7″ Software Update Version 7.2.1
Kindle Fire (2nd Generation) Software Update Version 10.2.1
These updates bring three main changes:
- Kindle FreeTime
- Default device languages (German, English UK, English USA, Spanish, French, Italian)
- The ability to turn off the recommendations
I've downloaded it and installed it, and will start experimenting with it, then write more.
I downloaded it using my Fire itself, then using ES File Explorer to more the file from my Download folder to my Kindleupdates folder.
I'm seeing a few things already, but I better get this out so you can do the update. 🙂
If you want to wait, you can…it will update automatically if you do that.
Update: here are the basics on these three features:
Kindle FreeTime:
This is an app, and you'll actually find it on the Apps tab. It is not under Parental Controls in the settings.
First, it does exactly what people have wanted for a long time for the Kindle! You can "whitelist" what specific files you want available on the device to profiles you create. You can choose exactly what e-books, videos, and apps you want available to each child. These come from the ones you have already purchased and are already in the Cloud.
You can not set controls based on ratings (you can't say no R rated movies, for example).
It requires you to enter a birthdate and gender to set up a profile for someone…some people aren't going to like that. Could that be used for marketing purposes by Amazon? Sure, that's possible.
It appears that the parent has to be the one to switch the profiles. That will irritate some folks. You can't let the children pass the device back and forth, picking their own profiles: the parent has to be involved in-between.
The biggest negative is that you have to put in your password…a lot. Once you get to Parent Settings (which you do by swiping down from the top when you are in a "child's profile", it should probably accept that you've entered the password until you leave that part. As it is, every time you want to do anything, you have to enter it again.
You can choose an avatar for a child: it says "photos" which will probably make people think they can use their own photos.
You can set daily time limits for each child. How much time each day they can read books, watch videos, use apps, and total screen time. People will like that.
There are some things you can download (like free e-books) within the child's profile. Some people will like it, some won't like that books and apps are being offered to their children without their intervention.
Overall, FreeTime has some great basic functionality, and could use tweaks to the UI (User Interface).
Swipe down to get to settings – More – Language & Keyboard – Language
Once you choose the language, the switch happens right away.
When you use look up for a word, you can easily switch between dictionaries to change the default.
The dictionary did take a minute to load, though.
Show/Hide recommendations
Maybe it's somewhere else, but I found it this way:
Swipe down to get to Settings – More – Applications – Amazon Home Recommendations, then you can choose to Show or Hide
One other note I've mentioned before about Updates: they are huge files. This one is 535.96 MB. I'll use that ES File Explorer I mentioned above (which is free) to remove it.
Update: wooooo-hooooo! The problem with the Bluetooth keyboard repeating letters appears to be fixed! That's marvelous, and it will likely mean that I generally retire the netbook from my use. I can blog on my Kindle, I can blog on my Kindle! 😉
Update: This just occurred to me this morning. Although the set-up would be clunky, you could use FreeTime to create "Collections" on your Fire! You would create a profile for a "child" named "Mystery", one named "Romance", and so on. It wouldn't be smooth to use, since you have to enter your password so often switching between, but it would certainly work. That would also mean that you could have related e-books, movies, and apps all in the same Collection.
This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.


text:
- Prayer and Worship
- Beliefs and Teachings
- Issues and Action
- Media
- Bible
- Catholic Giving
- About USCCB
Second Passover. 1The LORD said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year following their departure from the land of Egypt: 2Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the prescribed time. 3In the evening twilight of the fourteenth day of this montha you shall celebrate it at its prescribed time, in accord with all its statutes and regulations. 4So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, 5and they did celebrate the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month during the evening twilight in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.
6There were some, however, who were unclean because of a human corpse and so could not celebrate the Passover that day. These men came up to Moses and Aaron that same day 7and they said to them, "Although we are unclean because of a human corpse, why should we be deprived of presenting the LORD's offering at its prescribed time along with other Israelites?" 8Moses answered them, "Wait so that I can learn what the LORD will command in your regard."
9The LORD then said to Moses: 10Speak to the Israelites: "If any one of you or of your descendants is unclean because of a human corpse, or is absent on a journey, you may still celebrate the LORD's Passover. 11But you shall celebrate it in the second month,b on the fourteenth day of that month during the evening twilight, eating it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, 12and not leaving any of it over till morning, nor breaking any of its bones,c but observing all the statutes of the Passover. 13However, anyone who is clean and not away on a journey, who yet fails to celebrate the Passover, shall be cut off from the people, for not presenting the LORD's offering at the prescribed time. That person shall bear the consequences of this sin.
14"If an alien* who lives among you would celebrate the LORD's Passover, it shall be celebrated according to the statutes and regulations for the Passover. You shall have the same law for the resident alien as for the native of the land."d
The Fiery Cloud. 15On the day when the tabernacle was erected, the cloud* covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant; but from evening until morning it took on the appearance of fire over the tabernacle.e 16It was always so: during the day the cloud covered the tabernacle and at night had the appearance of fire. 17Whenever the cloud rose from the tent, the Israelites would break camp; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites would pitch camp.f 18At the direction of the LORD the Israelites broke camp, and at the LORD's direction they pitched camp.g As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.
19Even when the cloud lingered many days over the tabernacle, the Israelites kept the charge of the LORD and would not move on. 20Yet if it happened the cloud was over the tabernacle only for a few days, at the direction of the LORD they stayed in camp; and at the LORD's direction they broke camp. 21If it happened the cloud remained there only from evening until morning, when the cloud rose in the morning, they would break camp. Whether the cloud lifted during the day or the night they would then break camp. 22Whether the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for two days or for a month or longer, the Israelites remained in camp and did not break camp; but when it lifted, they broke camp. 23At the direction of the LORD they pitched camp, and at the LORD's direction they broke camp; they kept the charge of the LORD, as the LORD directed them through Moses.
* [9:14] An alien: compare this passage with the Passover legislation in Ex 12:48, where circumcision is required of the alien who would celebrate the feast.
* [9:15] The cloud: already mentioned at the departure from Egypt; cf. Ex 13:21–22.
b. [9:11] 2 Chr 30:2–15.
g. [9:18] 1 Cor 10:1.
By accepting this message, you will be leaving the website of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This link is provided
solely for the user's convenience. By providing this link, the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops assumes no responsibility for,
nor does it necessarily endorse, the website, its content, or
sponsoring organizations.


text:
You are here
Contact Us
Please Note:
NCH does not have professional homeopaths or other medical professionals on staff. NCH does not provide medical or therapeutic advice (including second opinions or recommendations for a particular remedy or potency). Nor do we assist practitioners with questions regarding their cases. Persons seeking medical or therapeutic advice should consult with a healthcare professional. Practitioners seeking assistance with a particular case should consult with their peers (NCH members can find peers using the Membership Directory after logging in) or contact their professional society for advice.


text:
OldUsedParts wrote:you betcha, I was a big JJ fan and got to see her with Big Brother and the Holding Company live - - - AWESOME Concert also - - - - she was also a SE Texas Gal (Beaumont area) - - - gone much too young
That album is the first I bought and still the best. Ladies and gentleman, 4 guys and one great great broad. Love it.


text:
You are here
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced the Department is now accepting applications for up to $30 million in total funding for small-scale process integration projects that support the development of advanced biofuels that will be able to replace gasoline or diesel without requiring special upgrades or changes to the vehicle or fueling infrastructure. This announcement is part of the Obama Administration's continuing commitment to accelerating R&D to develop a more sustainable transportation system, lower our dependence on foreign oil, and grow America's clean energy economy.
"Developing the next generation of American biofuels will enhance our national energy security, expand the domestic biofuels industry, and produce new clean energy jobs. It will help America's farmers and create vast new opportunities for wealth creation in rural communities. By investing in innovative approaches and technologies, we can continue to move the biofuels industry forward and grow our economy," said Secretary Chu.
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) released today provides up to $30 million over the next three to four years to support as many as five projects. The projects will focus on optimizing and integrating process steps that convert biomass into biofuels and bioproducts that will eventually be used to support hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals. These process improvements could include pretreatment methods that alter the biomass to improve the yield of sugars in subsequent process steps, less costly and more efficient enzymes that produce sugars, and fermentation organisms and catalysts that convert the sugars into fuel and chemical intermediates. Successful applicants will demonstrate the research potential to improve the economics and efficiency of their proposed process.
A description of the solicitation, eligibility requirements, and application instructions can be found on the FedConnect Website under Reference Number DE-FOA-0000337. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by no later than 11:59pm EST on February 7, 2011.
DOE's Biomass Program works with industry, academia, and national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies. For more information on DOE's Biomass Program, please visit the Biomass Program Website.
Follow the Department of Energy on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Flickr. Follow Secretary Chu on his Facebook page.
Media contact(s):


text:
Mission update: SMART-1 fires engine for last time until the Moon
On 25 October 2004, ESA's SMART-1 fired its solar-electric propulsion system, or 'ion engine', for the last time on its way to the Moon.
This small correction manoeuvre lasting about four hours was necessary to correct the slight over-performance of the engine during the last long burn of 100 hours between 10-14 October.
The ion engine firing will be resumed only in lunar orbit on 15 November for a 4.5-day burn, to reduce the lunar orbit. But from now on the spacecraft will proceed unpowered in its journey towards the Moon - where it will arrive on 15 November.
In the meantime, SMART-1 will perform another two orbits around Earth. The last time SMART-1 will approach Earth, or the lat time at the lowest point of its orbit, will be on 2 November 2004 and, finally, the last part of this Earth orbit will lead to the capture by the Moon on 15 November.
After that it will continue orbiting around the Moon in smaller loops until it reaches its final operational orbit (spanning between 3000 and 300 kilometres over the Moon's poles) in mid-January 2005.
From then on, SMART-1 will start a six-month comprehensive survey of key chemical elements on the lunar surface and will investigate the theory of how the Moon was formed.
Up to 26 October, and the 289th engine pulse, the SMART-1 solar-electric propulsion system has accumulated a total 'on' time of nearly 3648 hours, consumed about 58.8 kilograms of xenon fuel and gave the spacecraft a speed of about 2737 metres per second (nearly 10 000 kilometres an hour!)


text: Bausch + Lomb PureVision contact lenses use the unique AerGel material to provide outstanding clear vision with exceptional comfort. AerGel resists protien build up and maintains oxygen levels to keep your eyes full of moisture and feeling healthy all day long. PureVision 2 contact lenses are specially designed to reduce halos and glare for the ultimate vision experience. Bausch + Lomb also manufacturers PureVision Toric, PureVision 2 for Astigmatism and PureVision Multifocal. Get your PureVision contacts lenses here from PostalContacts.com and receive high quality products and a low price.


text:
How Does the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) Impact the Hospital and Healthcare Industry
CISA is very significant for healthcare organizations
On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA). This very controversial measure encourages but does not require businesses and government agencies to share information related to malicious hackers and their methods. Many in the technology community agree that although the intent of the bill is good, the implementation is terrible.
This dialogue surrounding the CISA has been going on for more than a decade. High-profile cyber security breaches at many companies in 2015 and earlier have finally helped focus attention on action. Unfortunately, with the current hysteria of recent acts of cyber terrorism, the federal government tends to be more reactive than proactive.
Most privacy advocates, large technology companies and cyber security experts are opposed to CISA. In essence, their position is that CISA may only encourage more government surveillance, since data can be used by the NSA and others to spy on citizens. Since there is no liability for companies handing over data, there is no real incentive to make sure that all personal information is removed. Previous versions of the CISA bill exposed companies to liability and privacy concerns if they had to hand over data to the government. The final bill waives liability to lawsuits. Unfortunately, due to late changes in the bill, there are no measures that require or guarantee that businesses or governments remove meta data that could be passed along and used to identify individuals. As a practical matter, removing meta data can be a difficult task to automate.
Unfortunately, CISA does not address the real root cause of the problem, which is unpatched hardware and software, malware and lack of using encryption when it is appropriate. Also, since there is no mandatory participation, it is difficult to see how real results may be achieved. There are benefits to encouraging the sharing of information, but the implementation of the bill makes this sharing optional. There are a lot of technology products used by modern healthcare organizations and hospitals, so information sharing regarding possible threats can be helpful. There is a great deal of complexity in keeping hardware and software updated to prevent hackers from penetrating the security of a healthcare organization. It is difficult for both large and small healthcare organizations to keep up with patching their systems, as bugs and security holes are constantly being identified in infrastructure and software. When an actual breach happens, it is very often due to not utilizing information already available, since it is so voluminous and changing on a daily basis.
CISA is very significant for healthcare organizations because they have no liability if they hand over PHI that goes to government organizations and eventually other healthcare organizations through sharing. In other words, if a hospital or healthcare organization deems that it has been subject to a mere cyber security threat, it can hand over related data to other private organizations as well as governments without any penalties, if it does not remove individually identifying information such as PHI. Essentially, HIPAA policies and procedures can be violated with no liability to these healthcare organizations.
Additional Whitepapers
- How Does the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) Impact the Hospital and Healthcare Industry
Patient Safety
- Presentation on Patient Safety: Achieving A New Standard for Care (Institute of Medicine Committee on Data Standards for Patient Safety November, 2003)
- The JCAHO Patient Safety Event - Taxonomy: A Standardised Terminology and Classification Schema for Near Misses and Adverse Events


text:
Nova Scotia Archives
The web page you requested has been moved and updated. Visit our home page or use our search page to find the information you're looking for.
Please update your favourites and bookmarks or use an online search tool like Google to find our content.
This page will automatically take you to the Nova Scotia Archives website in 15 seconds (click to go now).


text:
College of Science and Engineering
Welcome to the College of Science and Engineering.
The College comprises six research-led Schools: Chemistry, Engineering, Informatics, Mathematics, Physics & Astronomy and Geography, Geology and the Environment. Together, these departments teach approximately 20% of campus-based undergraduate students, undertaking diverse programmes of study, from human geography through a range of laboratory-based subjects to engineering. They also generate more than a third of the University's research income.
Although each school has a distinct identity, there are a number of major interdisciplinary research activities, typified by centres in Space Research, Climate Change Research and Mathematical/Computational Modelling. Researchers within the College have international reputations and collaborations with researchers throughout the world, making it an exciting environment for both research and teaching.
Our students benefit from following best practice, working alongside leaders in their fields. Approximately a quarter of our undergraduates go on to study for a higher degree. Our graduates are much sought after by employers - either by going directly into employment in the broad area of their degree subject or pursuing successful careers in diverse areas such as education, commerce, IT and the public sector.
I hope the information in these web pages proves useful to you. If you require any further information I would be delighted to hear from you.
Professor Paul Monks
Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College


text:
Valley Medical Center is back to normal operations.
Schedule a procedure or clinic appointment. Coronavirus information, visit Public Advisory.
When Seconds Count
Watch video
"I thought it was heartburn," says Vance, 53, of the chest pain he experienced one afternoon. But within minutes Vance knew—he was having a heart attack.
"Vance had total blockage in the largest artery of his heart… the most serious kind of heart attack you can have," says John W. Nemanich, MD, FACC and Medical Director of Interventional Cardiology at VMC.
Quick response saved his life. Vance's blockage was removed just 39 minutes from the time he came through our door.
Five days later he was released from the hospital with a new outlook. "I get the fact that I got a second chance," he said. Now that he's completed his cardiac rehab program, Vance is training for the Seattle-to-Portland bike ride.
Learn more about Valley Medical Center's nationally recognized cardiac care.
Valley Medical Center's door-to-balloon time - from the moment a patient arrives, to the time we remove a blockage - beats the 90-minute-or-less national benchmark by half an hour. Since 2001, Valley Medical Center has served as a champion of improving cardiac response times in hospitals across the nation. With one of the busiest emergency departments on the West coast, VMC's exceptional record of patient outcomes has also drawn national attention. In 2006, Dr. Nemanich was invited to present at the Clinical Outcomes Assessment Program (COAP) conference. In addition, Yale University researchers came on-site to study best practices in reducing door-to-balloon time.
Copyright 2012 - 2020 Valley Medical Center. All rights reserved.


text:
About Leonardo
Net neutrality means equal access.
If Facebook decides to offer 1/8 bitcoin to its users who spend 30 minutes a month watching video ads, is that net neutrality or free market value exchange? Yes it is different and not equal. It is a value exchange not net neutrality.
Same for zero rating. Same for any company that makes the risk investment to optimize their streaming or website.
At the end of the day, if the content is not popular it will not be watched even with zero rating- just look at a 500 channel cable package.
Stage 3 and the pound of flesh being extracted is already here. It is called Retransmission fees. The growth in broadband subscribers has been subsidizing the growth in retransmission fees (cable carriage) which is expected to double the next 4 years despite declining payTV bundle subscribers. As a NYC Time Warner Cable subscriber I only have one provider because the NYC landlord only allows one provider in the building so they can take their % share of the revenue. Further I'm paying $65 for 12-15mps when TWC states its providing 100mps yet they advertise my same broadband service with payTV for the same prive $65. Basically giving TV away for free but they are really not- broadband is subsidizing retransmission fee growth. Which begets the question of net neutrality and fast lanes then what is retransmission fees doing here?????? The elephant is already extracting its pound of flesh silently and deeply.
Simple math and follow the money:
Retransmission fees are being subsidized by the growth in broadband subscribers.
PayTV bundles subscriber growth at best is flat and the cable cos have been bundling VOIP and other data services to prop up the bundled PayTV subsctiber model.
Keep in mind that broadband is not a telecommunication service contrary to all the various types of telecommunications that flow over WiFi which then flows over the fixed broadband line connection.
Which begets the question of how retransmission fees which are directly linked to payTV subscribers is projected to double their growth over the next 4 years. The simple math and answer is growth in retransmission fees is being subsidized by broadband subscriber growth. Put another way, retransmission fees have created their own fast lane but its not tied to capacity but to the revenue generated by other providers that use that capacity. If one is to have meaningful net neutrality this needs to be LOUDLY addressed as it is the biggest elephant in the room no one sees- the linkage of payTV subsidies to broadband.
tax, overbilling, legalized fraud, legalized corruption-
in the end it takes $$ out of the consumers pocket in return for what? here the consumer clearly pays for the cost and profit of the cable company's last mile connection. charging the product the consumer requested over that same connection, is double billing- it's a methodology for a company to receive revenue for certainly not the cost of the service therfore a private company tax on consumer. Definition of tax is also a strain or burden which this clearly is.
When a private company takes public subsidies, yes its double taxiation. When a private company takes double dipping of revenue for the same service, it should fraud. If I charge you for a service and then I go further and charge the products you use which are part of the original service, it seems quite be institutionalized corruption and fraud when one puts this into law. btw these companies are public companies last I checked.
Wheeler is going full press with the incentive auctions yet when Verizon lobbied and achieved passage of a bill in 2002 declaring wireless broadband is not telecommunications, Net Neutrality has no standing, classifying them as "information services" not subject to Title II of the Communications Act.
Why would Wheeler rush to auction these licenses until the Net Neutrality is in place. Wireless broadband is telecommunications.
here is a link to send an email to Wheeler on the FCC site
directly comment to Wheeler's blog on the FCC site:
here is the link
Post your comments direct to Wheeler's FCC blog
It is double taxation on consumers to charge for a service the consumer already pays for.
Folks, NYC landlords get revenue from TWV or VZ Fios when they let them in the building. To date you will find one or the other. Therefore although there may be dozens of fiber lines under the avenues, the last mile to the consumer in New York City is usually ONE PROVIDER. The part that is tragic for consumers like myself is TWC has raised broadband prices thye last 4 years from $40 to $60 (50% increase) and the coaxial cable in my apartment is greater than 20 years at least. It is insulting to an intelligent consumer paying $60 for 9mps broadband connection when my friend in Mexico City pays $70 for a 300mps broadband connection. My freinds the U.S. economy depends on broadband and this type of last mile manipulation does not help the country.
NAB president Gordon Smith states before Congress: "Today, broadcasters compete with wireless companies, pay-TV providers and over-the-top services for eyeballs and advertising."
Last I checked, retransmission fees are a corporate subsidy granted by Congress which needs to be eliminated so that this statement could be truthful. The broadcasters were given the over the air spectrum by Congress to provide Americans with Universal Access to their content (FREE) and quite frankly, the broadcasters have decided not to innovate and provide Universal Access in order to protect their retransmission fees and payTV model which certainlt is not free markets.
Most of the spectrum the wireless carriers have is configured as FDD, at a time when voice was paramount, the requirement that the capacity for uplink and downlink be equal made sense. Most of the capacity constraints today are video which is primarily on the down link. What that means if a carrier has 40MHz of LTE spectrum, reality is only 20MHz is available for the downlink. Sprint is the only carrier advocating TDD which is dynamic allocation, uplink or downlink where the capacity demand occurs at the cell site. This is why there are data caps- the network is limited in flexibility because of FDD.
Add insult to injury, factor in the number of NFL stadiums that have received government/municipal financing and tax breaks, then perhaps your story would be more comprehensive.
The post by Mike Masnick is extraordinarily naive.
LTE is entirely IP. You can test all you want and find nothing today.
The one thing tests will not find is what future software migrations and upgrades may bring or trigger. No testing in the world can find this. Logistically impossible to implement testing insitu.
The fundamental question is can you trust a China company with your Core? Answer: NO.
Most of the Tier-1 carriers have significant government enterprise business and the risk of installing Huawei "Cores" is like giving the Navy's Carrier Nimitz to China and asking China to provide maintenance and other logistical services.
Nonetheless if I do not take Apple's deal of 30% plus their requirement that small artists need to go to an outside "aggregator" which takes another 30%-40%, so I have new business partners that are taking 70% of the upside, yes even if I do not take that deal, Apple's deal is a VAMPIRE deal and you do agree since you say just do not take the deal!
Peter willl be most happay when China hackers copy his code and sell "Happy Birds" to gloabl consumers underming his brand strategy and paying Peter zippo.
Peter will be most happy then!
30% for Apple is too much commissions for an artist to have their songs uploaded and downloaded off the platform.
And Apple says you have to go to an "aggregator" which then takes another 30%-40% so now an artist is down to 30%.
Both Apple and "aggregator" do not pay for any of the upfront costs on music production or promotional materials like video, so its a "riskless opportunistic" transaction.
Realistically the 30% should be shared between Apple and any "aggegrators" they impose for simply uploading digital files to their platform.
Else there is a case for Applle being a Vampire!


text:
The first time I saw the Paw Prints Keepsake Frame, I knew I needed to have it! The only problem? I have 5 cats! How am I to choose the lucky kitty that gets their paw print hung on the Wall of Fame?!
Background Research:
Meet my 5 wunderkitties, in order from oldest to youngest:
What a docile, wonderful orange blob of a cat. He appeared outside my house on the night of my 16th birthday and never left (best present EVER)!
Our neurotic sweetheart, and the only female in the bunch. Joined the household when I moved back home after freshman year of college.
Lynard & Skynard
Brothers! My best friend and I brought them home to foster in the beginning of the summer of 2007. I am still "fostering" them, haha.
And last, but certainly not least…..Buddy!
I adopted Buddy last April from the Animal Care & Control Center in Brooklyn. He is absolutely insane, but that is why he is awesome.
I have to pay homage to Harley. Harley was my first cat, joined the family when I was 11 years old. He passed away 3 years ago, but he'll always be the king of our jungle.
How does one choose which paw to take a print of? Well, it was actually easy to choose.
Fatty is the oldest of the bunch, and the most cooperative. My thoughts are that he will be the easiest to get a steady paw print from. Getting the paw print and putting together this frame might require some extra time to get just right since a live animal is involved in the process, but it will be well worth the memory that is being created.
This project looks easy, but looks are very deceiving. When opening the dough package, it subsequently stuck to the inside of the package it came in and it took a good 5 minutes to get all of it out of the package, along with out from under my fingernails.
The rolling pin that this product came with is a tiny cylindrical piece of wood that you cannot even grip, and the dough gets stuck on when you try to use it. I had to use my mom's good cooking rolling pin instead.
Getting this dough into the right shape and having the right consistency was not fun. It took about 20 minutes to get it to the right shape and size, and to get any air bubbles out. I was not satisfied with the first (second or third) prints that I took, so I needed to roll the dough out again and… and AGAIN.
Finally, on the fourth attempt, I got the golden paw print! My Fatty was not as happy as I was at this point, but after some smooshy hairy kisses, he was fine.
The end result, in my opinion, is certainly worth the effort and work that has to be put in to obtain the paw print.
I will treasure this print for the rest of my life and always have it hanging on my wall. I will certainly be getting the rest of my kitties' paw prints at some point in the future and more of these frames to put them in!
The Paw Prints Keepsake Frame is $30.


text:
Happy Birthday 9" Foil Balloon
SFS-FOILHB9-01Regular price $5.00 Save $-5.00
Order TIMELINE for Flower Orders:
In order to provide you the freshest and best quality product, it would be requested that you order at least 24 hours before the required date.
Sydney Flower Shop orders stock from growers for pick up each morning but that is for all orders today for delivery tomorrow.
Order TIMELINE for Gifts (All Varieties):
A minimum 24 hours before required delivery date.
Regular Delivery:
Free Delivery to all Sydney Suburbs.
The order cut-off time for next day delivery is 5.00pm on the day prior to delivery. If you place your order after 5.00pm, we cannot guarantee delivery will occur on the next day.
Same Day Delivery:
On occasions we can accommodate same day delivery, however this is dependent on the time we receive your order and the amount of flower stock we have available after all orders for the day are fulfilled, therefore, it would be advisable that you contact us to confirm prior to placing an order.
When We Deliver:
Delivery times will depend on delivery location. As a general guide:
- Monday to Friday: 12.00 pm – 5.00 pm (6.00 pm for residential addresses)
- Saturday: no deliveries (unless arranged with Us)
- Sunday: no deliveries (other than on Valentine's Day and Mothers' Day)
- We don't delivery on public holidays excluding Valentine's Day/Mother's Day
Sometimes there are delays beyond our control. Flat tyres, traffic jams or bad weather can cause delays. If you request a specific time of delivery, we will do our best to accommodate your request however it cannot be guaranteed.
Delivery instructions:
Our couriers do not call prior to delivery. Please ensure the recipient is home to receive items.
Where the intended recipient is not at the delivery address, our couriers will leave the item in accordance with your instructions or otherwise in a secure location if no one is available at the delivery address.
If a secure location is not available, our couriers will leave a note advising the recipient to contact Us to arrange for re-delivery. We may charge you $12.95 for the cost of re-delivery, but will seek your authority prior to charging this fee to you.
If you provide us with an incorrect delivery address, you must pay $12.95 for re-delivery of your order to the correct address. We may also charge you for the cost of new flowers if we need to replace the original flowers.
When ordering liquor, someone of the age of 18 must accept the delivery and if there is any doubt regarding age, then a valid photo identification must be produced.
High volume days:
The cut off and delivery time parameters do not apply to busy floral events including (but not limited to) Mothers' Day, Valentine's Day and Christmas Day. Please check our website for expected delivery times on those days and make sure to place orders in advance to ensure timely delivery.
Sydney Flower Shop 1800 512 213 or email@example.com
Images found on this site are used for display purposes only. Actual products may differ from product images displayed.
** Please note that the use of a vase in each photo is for display only.
If a product is low in stock in the delivery location, prior to completing your order you will be invited to select an alternative product or authorize Sydney Flower Shop to substitute for a product that is in stock. Sydney Flower Shop takes utmost care and attention to ensure that any substitutions are as similar as possible to the requested item.
Rules for substitution
- Where a specific flower type or colour is unavailable within the given time frame of delivery, Sydney Flower Shop will use types or colours that achieve the same overall shape, style and effect.
- In arrangements of assorted flowers, the colours shown online will be used if at all possible, even if this means substituting other kinds of flowers of greater value.
- For one-of-a-kind flower arrangements, such as all roses or all lilies, we will make every attempt to match the flower type, but may substitute with another colour.
- For one-of-a-kind plants, such as orchids, we will make every attempt to match the plant type, but may substitute with another colour.


text:
VIDEO DOWNLOAD - Diva Diaries with Heidi Lovelace
This edition of Diva Diaries should be subtitled "Getting In on the Ground Floor Edition" because if you don't know who Heidi Lovelace is by now, you need to find out immediately. Of course, what better way to discover who the "Punk Rock Ragdoll" is than by watching as Josie (Heidi's former roommate) sits down with her and covers the highlights from Heidi's young career. For those of you who already familiar with Heidi Lovelace's reign as OVW women's champion, her time in Chikara, or her appearances for Shine and Shimmer, or her breakout performance at 2013's National Pro Wrestling Day, this will be a welcomed reminder of how good this girl really is today.
Aprox. Running Time: 1 hr. 48 mins.
Average Customer Review: Not yet rated
Write an online review and share your thoughts with others.


text:
Back in February, I took my first shot at attempting to rank players for fantasy purposes. After a full season, I thought it wise to take a look back at how they went, and compare them to how it actually turned out and see if there is anything to be gained from it. Next up is the review of my SS rankings.
My Preseason Rankings
1. Hanley Ramirez
2. Troy Tulowitzki
3. Jimmy Rollins
4. Ben Zobrist
5. Derek Jeter
6. Jose Reyes
7. Jason Bartlett
8. Elvis Andrus
9. Marco Scutaro
10. Alexei Ramirez
11. Ryan Theriot
12. Asdrubal Cabrera
13. Miguel Tejada
14. Alcides Escobar
15. Cliff Pennington
Yahoo's Final Rankings (Top 15)
1. Troy Tulowitzki
2. Hanley Ramirez
3. Derek Jeter
4. Alexei Ramirez
5. Jose Reyes
6. Stephen Drew
7. Alex Gonzalez
8. Marco Scutaro
9. Rafael Furcal
10. Ben Zobrist
11. Omar Infante
12. Juan Uribe
13. Miguel Tejada
14. Elvis Andrus
15. Ian Desmond
I also mentioned J.J. Hardy, Stephen Drew, Yunel Escobar, and Everth Cabrera as potential deep league plays, and specifically to avoid Rafael Furcal.
From my preseason rankings, Cliff Pennington (19), Ryan Theriot (21), and Jason Bartlett (23) all finished in the top 25. Jimmy Rollins, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Alcides Escobar all finished outside of the top 25.
Free Agents: Edgar Renteria, Miguel Tejada, Juan Uribe
What We Saw
- Despite missing part of the season, Troy Tulowitzki pretty clearly had the best season of anyone with SS eligibility. His September was definitely one to remember as well. I imagine we might see some rankings next year with him ahead of Hanley Ramirez, but I'm not sure I could go that far yet. But I definitely wouldn't fault people who do that.
- Derek Jeter had what was widely considered to be a down year for himself in 201, and still finished 3rd in Yahoo's rankings. While the batting average was definitely down, he still had double digit steals and home runs, and scored 111 runs. Still a lot of value there.
- So much for my thought that the fantasy value of Rafael Furcal was less than zero. Oops. He would have been higher up in the final rankings had he played more games, but I'm not sold he would have kept up that production if he had.
- Jimmy Rollins is going to be a very nice value pick to some people next year, but I definitely don't trust him to either stay healthy or to be productive when he is healthy. It is telling that he fell outside the top 25 at a position as shallow as SS.
- Ian Desmond and Starlin Castro both strike me as players who will be in the top 15 for 2011, if not potentially top 10 players. They should improve with a full season under their belts.
- Overall, the position is probably at one of its most shallow points. It seems to fall off pretty quick once you get past the top 5 or so, and you kind of end up with a lot of players who do 1 or 2 things, but not all 5.
Preliminary 2011 Rankings (Very Raw)
1. Hanley Ramirez
2. Troy Tulowitzki
3. Jose Reyes
4. Derek Jeter
5. Alexei Ramirez
6. Stephen Drew
7. Jimmy Rollins
8. Ian Desmond
9. Elvis Andrus
10. Starlin Castro


text:
Nellie Clay falls hard for winter-eyed, curly-haired Hobbs Pritchard. In no time at all they are married, paying no heed to Nellie's mama, who warns that she sees death in her tea leaves. It's 1939, and despite the Depression that the country is in, it's the modern world. Who believes in ghosts and hoodoo? Hobbs brings Nellie home to Black Mountain, a very different world than the one Nellie grew up in near Asheville. For a time, she's happy, despite their neighbors' coldness and the strange rumors she keeps hearing regarding her husband. But slowly she discovers that Hobbs Pritchard isn't the man she thought he was, and she begins to dread hearing his tires on the gravel outside.
And she begins seeing people. There's an old woman in the house with steel gray hair, and a small man with round glasses who walks the Pritchard land. Only Shelly, the Pritchards's sometime maid, sees them too. Nellie knows that she has to get off Black Mountain, but Hobbs is squarely in her way. One dark night everything falls apart, and Nellie does leave Black Mountain for good…or so she thinks.
Told through the eyes of five women touched by the murderous cruelty of Hobbs Pritchard, Ghost on Black Mountain is set against the rich beauty of the Appalachians. Linked by blood, common experience, and the ability to see "haints," each woman nonetheless has a unique voice that engages the reader with its compelling tale.
Check this title's availability in the UNC-Chapel Hill Library catalog.


text:
Robert Strong
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 10
It's ok guys, it's ok; there are THEORIES!
So the winner of the War of the Five Kings is….Balon Greyjoy!!! Ah, so another season of Game of Thrones comes to a climactic end. Whilst this season has arguably been the worst (of the best) so far, you cannot deny that the finale had some wonderful moments. Well, depending on your definition of wonderful. As it stands now, essentially every story has caught up or even overtaken the books – save for an entire side plot featuring the Greyjoy family which fans are hoping will make an appearance in season 6. This episode popped in to say hi with pretty much every 'main' character, so let's start in the east and do a little banana shaped trip across Westeros and Essos.
The climactic scene of episode 9 was, of course, Daenerys flying off on Drogon. Now, Drogon is still a young'un and not fully grown, so it is understandable why he was hurt so badly from a few blades. We aren't exactly sure where Daenerys has landed, but due to the arrival of the Dothraki, you can assume it's somewhere within the Dothraki Sea, which is north of Meereen. It wasn't revealed who the Khal of this particular khalasar is, but we know that what remains of Dany's ties with the Dothraki is limited; will she be greeted with welcome arms, or a sword to the face? In the books, Drogon makes himself a home in a cave, which Daenerys calls Dragonstone after her old home. She also gets very ill and has the poos before she seen by a lone Dothraki scout, who then sends for the rest of the khalasar.
Further east, in Braavos, we saw the concluding chapter for Arya this season. After a bit more overkill with Meryn Trant's evilness (yes, we get it, he's a dick) Arya is able to finally act out her revenge, wearing the face of the girl that she helped mercy kill a few episodes ago, which was a pleasant scene to watch! What was interesting here was that we saw, in some form, how the faces actually work. They appear to literally be masks that the Faceless Men can chop and change as they please. Additionally, the show also implied truth behind a theory that many fans already speculated – that Jaqen H'ghar is just a face, not a person. Seemingly as punishment for going against the Many Faced God, Arya is now blind, and even that does happen in the books, but under slightly different circumstances.
Over the Westeros now. The slightly seemingly irrelevant Dorne scene concluded with the unexpected death (we assume, anyway) of Myrcella. It was kind of obvious as soon as Ellaria kissed her on the lips what would happen, but my mind was briefly taken away from thinking about it too much as soon as Tyene Sand said "bad pussy" and I cringed. I mean, really? As if the Sand Snakes couldn't get any worse…. As mentioned prior, this whole side story differs quite dramatically from the books. To avoid mild book spoilers (for scenes that I am 95% sure will not appear in the show), skip ahead to the next paragraphs. Ok? Ok. Well, for starters, Jaime is off in the Riverlands, and nowhere near Dorne. Mycrella is still there, and is guarded by a member of the Kingsguard named Arys Oakheart. Doran Martell's daughter, Arianne (who sadly does not appear in the show) seduces Arys and convinces him to make Myrcella queen, seeing as in Dorne, age matters in succession, not gender. The reason for this is to largely defy the Lannisters. Without going into too much detail, someone snitches, and Arianne's little rebellion fails, with Myrcella losing an ear in the process and Areo Hotah (the big guy with the glaive that protects Doran) killing poor Arys. What do the Sand Snakes have to do with this? Well, not much…they kind of just bang on about revenge until Doran imprisons some of them, whilst Ellaria…also doesn't do much, and is a lot nicer! So, anyway, the question that arises now is 1) how will Jaime react? And 2) how will Doran react? I've said before about how much I like House Martell in the books, and unfortunately they haven't really shone in the series, but there is still in in season 6!
Right, King's Landing. It was a shame that we didn't get to hear of Margaery's fate; so at this stage we have no idea what the High Sparrow has in store for her. In the books, Loras is off fighting on Dragonstone, and so the whole trial surrounding his sexuality doesn't happen. Instead, Margaery's own virginity is taken into question (bear in mind that book Tommen is about 8 or so, so they didn't seal the deal). Nevertheless, I'm sure light will be shed on her early next season. No, instead, the focus was on Cersei and her brilliantly done walk of punishment. It was horrible to watch, in a good way…and it was just about long enough that you felt uncomfortable and, despite what you may think of the Queen-mother, sorry for her. The question that now of course is how will Cersei respond to this? Will she get revenge, or is she truly broken? As an interesting side note: lads, this was just a body double with Lena Headey's head CGI'd on. Some people are complaining that it looked a bit rubbish, but honestly I don't think you would know. We very briefly saw the return of Kevan Lannister, standing with Pycelle, in the Red Keep. Kevan has been acting ruler since Cersei's imprisonment, whilst Tommen pouts in his room. We were also introduced to a new member of the Kingsguard….who looks somewhat familiar…but I can't quite put my finger on it….
Everything that surrounded Winterfell was show-only stuff. In the books, we last we see of Stannis is that he is marching…forever marching. He does not engage the Bolton force. Sansa is still in the Vale with Littlefinger – in the series, she has taken the role of a character called Jeyne Poole, who marries Ramsay as a fake Arya. Nevertheless, Theon still steps up and leaps from the walls of Winterfell with her to freedom…only to run into Stannis' army. Right…let's talk about Stannis. Despite being a Stannis fan, I don't feel as upset about his death as I thought I would. It was almost inevitable. He became such a tragic figure, and as I mentioned last week, truly desperate. But, like the man he is, he went down a trooper, in the most stoic, Stannis way possible. So, yes, whilst I am a bit gutted that the One True King is dead (in the series, anyway….), it's almost a relief. Now, all the legit Baratheons are dead… On the plus side, Brienne finally got her revenge…at the expense of forgetting all about Sansa. Shame we didn't actually get to see the fight, but I guess a lot of the budget was spent on Drogon and Lena's head. Now, Melisandre…what is your game? You got the impression that her confidence in Stannis was waning as this season went on, especially after her interactions with Jon. Which brings us on to…
The Wall. Firstly, Sam. Now this conversation is carried out a little differently in the books, and it's actually Jon who insists that Sam go to Oldtown to become a maester, pretty much as soon as he is elected Lord Commander. Sam also takes Gilly, the baby, and Aemon with him, the latter of whom still passes away, but during the journey. Melisandre never actually goes with Stannis, and stays at the Wall. As do Shireen and Selyse, who are still very much alive. The climactic events happen in a slightly different albeit somewhat similar way too. In the books, the Night's Watch are annoyed at Jon not just due to his empathy with the Wildlings, but because he wants to attach Winterfell to remove the Boltons from power (and existence). The attack on Jon happens through the teary eyes of the Watch brothers, and is not led by Alliser Thorne. Jon is also not tricked about Benjen either – no, no one has heard from Benjen since A Game of Thrones. Also, Olly isn't there, because that little bastard is a show only character. Nevertheless, Jon is assassinated "for the Watch". This is where book readers are; "[h]e never felt the fourth knife. Only the cold." BUT DON'T WORRY!!! Since this happened in A Dance With Dragons back in 2011, fans have been scrambling together any theories they can on how Jon might have somehow survived this assassination. Now, show Jon looked pretty darn dead to me, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he will stay dead. One theory is Melisandre. She returns to the Wall, but for what purpose? We know she has a bit of an interest in Jon, and know that Red Priests have some sort of power that allows them to bring back the dead – think back to season 3 with Thoros and Beric. I believe that she will use her power to resurrect Jon. This may well change the Stark bastard, but changed Jon is better than no Jon, isn't it? Kit Harington has said in a very recent interview that Jon is dead…but my argument is that he wouldn't really turn about and go "nah he comes back", right? RIGHT?! It also seems kind of weird that they would kill off our only real link to the Wall. Sure, Melisandre and Davos are now there too, but they are more supporting characters. There are also dozens of other theories surrounding Jon, such as his parentage, or whether he is some kind of 'chosen one', and whether the title A Song of Ice and Fire alludes to him partially. Also, he had his stare down with big baddie White Walker, the Night's King in episode 8…surely that was not for nothing….right?! Well, until either The Winds of Winter or season 6 are released (the latter, I'm sure), I guess we can keep on speculating.
Well, now you have just under a year to kill. My advice? The same as last year: read the books. They are phenomenal, and further expand on this world that we know and love. As for me, I need to find some games to review…


text:
Passengers on the US Airways flight that crash-landed into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon praised the actions and courage of the pilot, a safety consultant with 40 years of experience in the aviation industry.
Sources tell CNN that Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger was piloting US Airways flight 1549 from New York's LaGuardia airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, when at least one of the plane's engines failed.
Passenger Jeff Kolodjay offered "kudos" to Sullenberger for a landing that minimized damage to the aircraft and its 155 passengers and crew. Read full article »
All About US Airways Group Inc. • LaGuardia Airport • Charlotte (North Carolina) • Michael Bloomberg


text:
Throughout the year Dots 'N Doodles will host various events such as our annual Open House and a variety of visiting artist workshops and product demonstrations. We also support our local community partners such as The Astoria Art Loft, listing their classes on our calendar as well as other local community events.
The workshops, demonstrations and events are listed below with sign up instructions and contact information. Each listing will provide a description of the event, the place, the time, the dates, the fees (if applicable) and other pertinent information.
Follow us on Facebook and Pinterest. For more information feel free to call us at 503-325-5081


text:
E-signatures have gone from curiosity to core business tool. They've also gone from on-premise server to the cloud, and from isolated application to embeddable API. Indeed, e-signature tools have a lot to offer most any organization, but companies must take care to choose the best tool for the job (or jobs) at hand. A recent evaluation by ProgrammableWeb shows that among the many e-signature options available today, one stands out clearly from the rest: DocuSign.
In its comprehensive comparative review of the major e-signature services, ProgrammableWeb also tested Adobe EchoSign, Barracuda SignNow, HelloSign, Sertifi eSignature, and Silanis e-Sign Live. A detailed analysis of the test results—and the e-signature market in general—are now available in 20-page-plus report, downloadable as a PDF.
E-signature boom
As the use of computing devices has grown—most notably, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets—so has the use and acceptance of e-signatures. The United States and many other countries have adapted laws to make these sorts of signatures acceptable in a wide variety of cases, such as signing contracts, government forms and deeds to property.
Each of the services tested enables users to collect electronic signatures and incorporate the signatures into a document, as well as manage workflows by routing the document for review and/or signatures from other users based on rules set by the developer and/or administrator. The services also provide APIs that allow organizations to build e-signature functions into their own applications and integrations with other cloud services.
"At the simplest level, these integrations allow the e-signature service to read or write documents on another service—say, DropBox," stated the report. "Business applications like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM are obvious targets for e-signing because contracts and other agreements are so central to their operation, and several of the products do work specifically with them."
Larry Seltzer, a technology analyst with decades of experience testing products' suitability for business use, conducted the evaluation. He tested the products from a programmer's perspective, focusing on features that would help a company use the e-signature API quickly and effectively. Key criteria included the availability of evaluation accounts for programming tests, the quality and availability of documentation and sample code, tools for programmers and community for support.
API changes
Interestingly, the tests also highlighted some changes in the state of the state of API techniques.
Seltzer noted in the report: "As in the rest of the world of APIs, SOAP is declining as a technique among e-signature products, and REST is ascendant. The same is true, to a lesser extent, of JSON (on the rise) and XML (going out of favor). One of the products we tested, Sertifi eSignature, has only a SOAP API. Barracuda SignNow, HelloSign, RightSignature and Silanis e-Sign Live have only a REST API. DocuSign and Adobe EchoSign have both. In the case of DocuSign and EchoSign, we tested only the REST APIs. Both DocuSign and Adobe claim that their SOAP and REST APIs provide equivalent functionality."
Capability continuum
ProgrammableWeb's tests showed a wide range of capabilities and performance levels. One service came out on top in all areas, however: DocuSign. The platform "has the greatest breadth of features available under the API, the best developer tools and the best code samples and documentation," stated the report.
Tests also showed that the scope of DocuSign's API may be intimidating for some users, but "one man's complicated is another man's powerful and comprehensive," the report added.
At the end of the day, recommended ProgrammableWeb, organizations will need to determine how each of the platform's capabilities and performance align with their current and projected business needs.
At the other end of the complexity spectrum, for example, the HelloSign product and API are both easy to use, while Sertifi eSignature will give SOAP programmers a capable but simple e-signature option. Programmable Web tests found the other products--Adobe EchoSign, Barracuda SignNow, RightSignature and Silanis e-Sign Live-- disappointing for reasons ranging from being complicated to use to minimal sample code.
Ongoing research and analysis
This project was part of ProgrammableWeb's ongoing research and analysis efforts.
ProgrammableWeb notes clearly that it was retained by DocuSign to develop the report. However, one of the conditions under which ProgrammableWeb accepted the custom research work—and, for that matter, any custom research work it does--is that the report's underwriters will have no influence on the methodologies used in evaluating products under test or on the published analysis.
"… the only part of the outcome that DocuSign influenced was the inclusion of its API in the comparison," noted a disclosure statement from Programmable Web in the e-signature report. "Beyond that, the testers, writers and editors who had a hand in this report's production received no guidance, instructions or influence--directly or indirectly--from DocuSign."
E-signatures are an important tool for effective workflow, and ProgrammableWeb's analysis of the current crop of tools gives organizations invaluable guidance in procuring the most suitable platform.


text:
By Admiral James A. Lyons
(submitted by Dan Rainey)
There is an urgent need for full disclosure of what has become the "Benghazi Betrayal and Cover-up." The Obama national security team, including CIA, DNI and the Pentagon, apparently watched and listened to the assault on the U.S. consulate and cries for help but did nothing.
America deserves the truth about Benghazi
No Trackbacks


text:
FiltersFast.com is proud to offer you another way to safely and effectively purify your water. SteriPEN offers the power of ultraviolet (UV) light to make water safe to drink. Extensive testing has proven this portable water purifier to be effective and safe, eliminating more than 99% of bacteria, viruses and protozoa that cause water-borne illness. The method of Ultraviolet (UV) Light to purify water has been in use for hundreds of years and is currently used to purify drinking water in cities around the world.
In addition to being effective and safe, UV light does not alter the taste, pH or other properties of your drinking water. You can use SteriPEN products in a variety of situations, including but not limited to:
Travel: Water systems in many countries do not adequately purify drinking water to ensure safety. Contamination of water pipes and leaks are also common. SteriPEN utilizes ultraviolet light to eliminate the microbes that can harm you.
Hiking and Camping: Drawing water from nature when hiking and camping oftentimes is the only choice you have. However, even if a stream looks clean, it can still be contaminated with bacteria that can make you ill. This makes having a portable water purifier, such as SteriPEN, all the more important whenever you go outdoors.
Emergency Preparedness: When natural disasters strike, many people stockpile large quantities of bottled water. SteriPEN destroys bacteria, viruses and other contaminants in your drinking water with its UV light, by quickly and effectively, eliminating the need for bottled water. Keeping SteriPEN portable products on hand will give you confidence and security that your family has access to safe drinking water.
All SteriPEN products have received the Water Quality Association's Gold Seal for purifying water safely and effectively. See the complete listing of SteriPEN products we offer. Make sure your water is purified whether you're on-the-go or dealing with an emergency. It is time to see water in a whole new light.