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BEN is exhausted. It's 9 o'clock on Friday evening, he's been at his desk for 13 hours, and he's clocked more than 70 hours this week. All he wants is a quick bite to eat and to head home, as quickly and painlessly as possible. He pulls out his smartphone and scans the options that his mobility app suggests. Train or bus? Too many stops. A carpool vehicle? He's in no mood to make small talk with strangers. He opts for his own autonomous taxi, price be damned, and tacks on his standard order from the local pizzeria.
The small electric car—no driver—picks him up a few minutes later, just as Ben steps through the front door and onto the sidewalk. His slice (with extra onions) is still steaming when he opens the pizza box sitting on the car's table; the taxi picked it up moments before Ben climbed in. He settles in and enjoys an episode of his favorite guilty-pleasure reality show that the car has cued up for him. The cost of the whole trip is instantly deducted from his account. Twenty minutes later, he's at his apartment door. Half an hour after that, he's fast asleep, dreaming about his plans for the weekend.
A journey like Ben's, and the complex web of actors required to make it happen, may be possible sooner than many of us imagine.
A year ago, we posited that the extended global automotive industry was undergoing an unprecedented transformation into a new mobility ecosystem.1 Since then, the pace of change has been, in our view, breathtaking. Through hundreds of conversations with corporate executives, government leaders, technologists, and academics around the globe, we have gained a front-row seat to how the future of mobility is evolving. In particular, we have witnessed:
Broad acceptance of the core tenets of how this evolution will unfold. Skepticism persists and uncertainty abounds, but we have seen surprising agreement that a fundamental shift is driving a move away from personally owned, driver-driven vehicles and toward a future mobility system centered around (but not exclusively composed of) driverless vehicles and shared mobility (see sidebar). Less agreed upon: the speed at which this transformation will take place, how the future ecosystem will be constructed and function, and how corporate leaders believe their enterprises' business models need to adapt.
Governments catalyzing the emergence of a new mobility ecosystem. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the Smart Cities Challenge as a fillip for cities and states to experiment with cheaper, faster, safer, greener, more efficient, and more convenient transportation for citizens.2 The 78 submissions, including that of eventual winner Columbus, OH, spanned a wide range of intermodal innovations and provided an incubator for new forms of transportation and new ways to consume mobility, potentially making them available and commercially viable sooner than a market-only approach would create.3 The DOT continues to serve its primary mission of public safety, while demonstrating that it can play a pivotal role in driving innovation through investments and regulation.4 States such as Nevada,5 Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida6 are developing pilot programs and implementing regulatory changes to accelerate adoption of the future mobility ecosystem, as they seek to provide more and better options for their citizens and to spur economic development.
Significant moves by industry incumbents and disruptors to enact the future. As we anticipated, both sets of players have come to the realization that collaboration is key to gaining a value-added role within the ecosystem. Many of these moves are speculative, exploratory, and of a nature to create option value.7 Noteworthy examples include GM's $500 million investment in Lyft and acquisition of Maven, a carsharing platform;8 Ford's launch of Ford Smart Mobility and investments in Velodyne, SAIPS, Nierenberg Neuroscience, and Civil Maps;9 Daimler's investments in Moovel and Car2Go;10 and multiple efforts by both technology companies and automakers to develop autonomous vehicles. And while these are important developments, they likely represent just the early stages of the transition. We anticipate large-scale, in-market pilots in the next 12 to 18 months; the introduction of commercially available fully autonomous electric vehicles (either as part of shared fleets or for private ownership); and tangible examples of what the cities of the future will look like, including the reduction of curbside parking, intelligent traffic signals, and the emergence of seamless intermodal transportation choices.
Given this dynamic and changing environment, many questions remain:
This paper aims to advance the collective thinking around answering these questions. It extends our initial perspectives and incorporates new insights and analyses gained from an extensive and ongoing dialogue with most of the key players driving these changes. Ultimately, we hope this article provides a roadmap of sorts, helping stakeholders determine where to play and how to win.
In The future of mobility,11 we argued that four concurrent "future states" would emerge within the mobility ecosystem, emanating from the intersection of who owns the vehicle and who operates the vehicle: personally owned driver-driven; shared driver-driven; personally owned autonomous; and shared autonomous (figure 1).
* Definition: By autonomy and autonomous vehicles (AV), we refer to stage 4 of the NHTSA's scale of autonomy—that is, full self-driving automation in which the passengers are not expected to take control for the entire duration of travel.
Our own analysis suggests these changes could occur more quickly and at greater scale than many are prepared for, especially in densely populated areas.12 If shared and autonomous vehicles are adopted as quickly as other technologies (like smartphones, cellphones, and the Internet), our modeling finds that significant change will begin within five years and that the market for personal mobility could transform dramatically over the next 25 years (see appendix for additional details). Population growth and the extension of transportation to the previously immobile, such as adolescents, elderly, lower-income groups, and those with disabilities, could cause total miles driven to increase by as much as 25 percent by 2040 (figures 2 and 3). Note that, while the developments discussed earlier give us some confidence that change is coming quickly, we have not attempted to model sui generis adoption rates using, for example, consumer attitudes, consumption patterns, or regulatory developments around shared and autonomous mobility. Of course, if these services and technologies are adopted at slower rates more akin to electricity, the radio, or the television, the speed and magnitude of the changes will lessen accordingly and potentially significantly.
Since the shift toward shared autonomous mobility will likely happen fastest and most dramatically in urban environments, we broaden the aperture to imagine how people and goods will actually move in the future, and what types of vehicles, technologies, data, services, and capabilities are needed to make that movement possible.
To explore a future urban mobility ecosystem that delivers seamless intermodal transportation faster, cheaper, cleaner, and safer than today, let's revisit our friend Ben. After a restful weekend, Ben is back at work Monday and has already put it in a full day at the office (figure 4).
Of course, individuals' transportation needs are nearly as idiosyncratic as their fingerprints, so consider this an illustrative example. But it is likely that enabling a seamless intermodal journey will require a future mobility ecosystem that is much more complex than today's extended automotive industry. New opportunities will emerge to deliver the diverse experiences that customers like Ben demand. Companies will look to design new products, services, and solutions that serve each future state and multiple modes of travel simultaneously—or accept a narrowing of their future horizons in a more diverse mobility ecosystem. Both incumbents and disruptors are beginning to stake out positions, and in the process providing the contours for how that ecosystem might look (see figure 5). But the first step is understanding to what roles companies might aspire, and what capabilities will be required to succeed in tomorrow's ecosystem.
The development and manufacturing of cars (and trucks, buses, trains, and bikes) will continue to provide a critical source of value. But like the mobility ecosystem as a whole, the carmaking business will be more complex than ever. New products will likely emerge, from small utilitarian autonomous "pods" to highly customized, personally owned self-driving cars. And the changes won't be limited to the passenger auto: Self-driving technology will likely infuse trains, buses, commercial trucks, and other forms of transit, demanding that developers and manufacturers evolve their capabilities accordingly.
Incumbents and new entrants, alone and together, are actively seeking to position themselves for this future. Nearly every major automaker and a variety of technology companies are actively investing in autonomous drive technology.13 Ford, GM, Local Motors, and others are developing advanced, additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques to support the engineering and manufacture of customized vehicles.14 And multiple companies look poised to bring extended-range, affordable electric vehicles to market in the coming years.15
These moves suggest that the traditional capabilities of vehicle manufacturers and suppliers will need to expand, collaborating with autonomous vehicle technology suppliers, software developers, and others to provide a much broader range of product choices. There are complex economics in being able to manufacture vehicles similar to today's mass-produced driver-owned cars, highly customized personally owned autonomous vehicles, and utilitarian pods for urban environments. Manufacturers will likely require not only today's traditional supply chains but new manufacturing capabilities that allow advanced, low-cost, efficient customization. They will need to determine if they should redesign their business model to compete in all four future states or to focus on one segment. It means developing:
The in-vehicle transit experience will increasingly be a defining feature of the future of mobility. In the United States, drivers spend roughly 160 million hours daily traveling from point A to B.17 That's 46 minutes per person, every day. As shared and autonomous mobility proliferate, a tremendous opportunity arises for companies seeking to sell content, entertain, and generally enhance the time spent in-transit. Roughly 20 percent of UK consumers' online shopping, for example, already occurs during commutes.18
"Experience enablers"—content providers, in-vehicle service providers, data and analytics companies, advertisers, entertainment equipment providers, and social media companies—will clamor to make the in-transit experience whatever we want it to be: relaxing, productive, or entertaining. We are already seeing signs of the imminent war for travelers' attention. Volvo announced a partnership with Netflix in January 2016 to enable live streaming while in commute.19 Several automakers have struck deals with content providers to stream audio to vehicles, which could readily extend to video, web browsing, and other even more advanced content.20 Augmented-reality windshields, currently being explored as a safety and navigation aid for drivers, could easily be repurposed for a hands-free world.21
Many of the capabilities in this space already exist but will be vastly expanded to become even more immersive and interactive: high-quality content creation, effective content sourcing, targeted advertising, and product placement. New needs will emerge as data and analytics support not only entertainment but a broader set of experiences.
Content creation will likely remain central, and as vehicle interiors adapt to a driverless world, new possibilities will emerge to develop immersive and interactive videos, music, and games. In March 2016, Ford patented an "Autonomous Vehicle Entertainment System," in which the entire windshield becomes a display for entertainment purposes.22 It is increasingly plausible that the entirety of the cabin's walls and ceiling could become high-definition touchscreens, perhaps incorporating augmented-reality technologies. The most successful experience providers will capitalize not only the time spent in the vehicle but the myriad unique ways customers can consume content. Today's content and experience leaders may have significant opportunities for growth, as do owners who want to curate branded experiences.
In-vehicle services could also expand, from meals to shopping and beyond. Today we are seeing the first forays into on-demand food delivery operated independently of restaurants.23 Tomorrow that service could be extended to the vehicle itself for journeys of sufficient duration—think of Ben's frictionless pizza and grocery deliveries.
Predictive content analytics will likely be essential to maximizing the in-vehicle experience, collaborating with mobility managers (see below) to provide content seamlessly and intuitively to assist passengers with where they are going, how they get there, and what they do along the way. Doing so means tailoring content suggestions based not only on a user's history—as today's recommendation systems do—but also with ever-more comprehensive information about the specifics of a trip, entertainment and productivity patterns, and social interactions. Platforms and data will be the lifeblood of this new system.
The safe and efficient movement of people and goods hinges critically on underlying infrastructure, a fact that will be just as true tomorrow as it is today. Accordingly, the important role played by providers of both physical infrastructure and energy infrastructure will persist. Transit stations, roads, highways, waterways, and public parking will become even more interconnected as customers increasingly expect multimodal transportation. That means providing:
Smart tolling and dynamic road usage pricing, which will likely emerge built not only on supply and demand but also road type (primary vs. arterial), the number of affected passengers, environmental impacts, and infrastructure wear and tear. Such systems will help cover the real cost for the use of the infrastructure while aiding route optimization and flow and helping to offset potential declines in revenues from other sources (like traffic fines, gas taxes, and parking fees).24
Traffic flow management informed by real-time data and analytics of congestion, weather, and other variables, which many cities are already implementing.25
Energy providers and retailers will likely need to integrate into the existing infrastructure to ensure that the overall fleet—which could comprise many more electric and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles—can travel effectively. That demands close management of an increasingly complex end-to-end supply chain, including battery recharging and replacement.
In addition to these physical assets, a parallel digital infrastructure will emerge that will be every bit as critical as roads and bridges. As data becomes the new oil, companies—including providers of telecommunications, cybersecurity, and operating systems—can capture value by providing fast, safe, reliable, and ubiquitous connectivity for all the data that the future mobility ecosystem requires.
Already, telecommunication giants are experimenting with ways to monetize connected car technologies. Verizon is one of 15 companies working with the University of Michigan to test driverless cars, focusing specifically on how autonomous vehicles will communicate with other vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and the surrounding infrastructure.26 AT&T connected more than 1 million cars in late 2015, more than any other wireless category, including smartphones.27 Both companies are exploring alternative revenue models: AT&T is bundling cars as an additional device to the shared data pool, whereas Verizon is experimenting with pay-per-app models.28 And we are already seeing partnerships between telecommunications providers, and automotive manufacturers, and mobility management services. To facilitate its partnership with Netflix, Volvo partnered with Swedish telecommunications provider Ericsson to build smarter streaming technologies specifically for autonomous vehicles.29
To succeed as digital infrastructure providers, companies can look to offer:
Seamless connectivity that keeps customers online regardless of time, location, or mode of travel, and that can accommodate the surge in data that will accompany the proliferation of connected, shared, and autonomous vehicles and seamless intermodal transportation. That could mean smart metering and surge pricing to avoid, for example, localized connection outages in areas of heavy traffic.30
A horizontal operating system that is "shared by all participants across the ecosystem rather than being unique to each vertical stack of technology."31 That means the ability to bridge not only vehicles but also mobile devices and Internet of Things architectures—in many ways, a prerequisite for the vision of seamless, intermodal mobility.
Network security that safeguards customer data and the overall mobility system. As connected vehicles yield ever more detailed information about where and how we go, when, and with whom, protecting data will become sine qua non.32 And keeping autonomous vehicles safe from the range of potential cyberthreats, from the merely inconvenient to the life-threatening, will be key to realizing the future of mobility.
Today, ride-hailing companies act as network orchestrators, connecting people requiring a service with those offering that service. Along with automotive OEMs, however, these companies are pursuing a more integrated set of mobility options and services. Uber is expanding its connections with lenders, payment providers, and credit card companies, investing in its own mapping capabilities, and integrating with major business software applications.33 GM has invested $500 million in Lyft and acquired Maven, a carsharing platform.34 In April 2016, Ford launched FordPass, an app and platform that aims to be a one-stop mobility marketplace encompassing vehicle control, vehicle sharing, parking reservations, in-vehicle entertainment options, and even live chats with customer assistants.35 Similarly, Daimler's North American expansion of Moovel—which enables route planning, booking, and payment across multiple modes of transit—reflects the company's ambition to create a network of "interoperable products built for transit agencies, app developers, and end consumers."36
These efforts are tangible demonstrations of the future of mobility management.37 As providers begin to set up infrastructure, autonomous technologies are tested and proven, and the in-vehicle experience improves, we are seeing indications that an integrator will emerge to connect autonomous vehicles and other modes of transit to the end consumer. Fully realized mobility advisers will look to enable a seamless intermodal transportation experience, ensuring easy access, exemplary in-transit experience, a smooth payment process, and overall customer satisfaction. They will take into consideration customer preference, traffic data, and other circumstances to arrive at the most convenient and cost-effective mobility plan—whether that entails a shared car, a train, a bike, or all of them.
We see both customer-facing and asset-owning dimensions to mobility management, and while the two roles are distinct, in practice a company could fill both of them simultaneously. The mobility adviser directly interfaces with the customer, who will expect a customized experience that relies on the mobility assistant's ability to execute trip planning, adjust routes to allow for traffic and disruptions, and handle payments. A variety of technology companies that collect consumer business data (for example, venue information and activity information) will work with the mobility managers and end-consumer businesses to enhance the user's experience. Social networks will further enhance the user experience by suggesting consumer preferences to shape the journey. And navigation providers will look to optimize routes using prime data from environment and weather companies. For the company at the center of it all, that means developing:
Mobility data collection to enable tailored route suggestions, including the ability to store and access vast amounts of information safely and reliably. Sensors can collect information on everything from intersection status and traffic jams to travel time measurement and CO2 emissions. Value to the user will likely come through the integration of this information into smarter route suggestions.
Predictive analytics to match user preferences with travel recommendations. Mining vast quantities of real-time data on the environment as well as user habits will help orchestrate a seamless flow across the ecosystem.
User control, including design and deployment of intuitive customer interfaces, although the proliferation of apps may find this capability dispersed among the users themselves.
Relationship management capabilities to acquire and retain customers. Because network effects will likely play an important role in mobility managers' success, extensive and early user buy-in and adoption will be essential.38 This makes sales and marketing teams critical for building the platform.
Because shared autonomous vehicles will likely play a critical role in the future mobility landscape, especially in cities, fleet operation is a second opportunity to create value around mobility management.
Fleet operators will deploy a range of vehicles matched to users' preferences, managing their upkeep and storage, and leverage enhanced smart routing capabilities to match supply and demand effectively. Doing so successfully requires:
Procurement capabilities, including contract management
Vehicle tracking to enable real-time monitoring of the fleet: Companies offer software showing vehicle location, fuel usage, speed, mileage, and other information in real time, making it easier for fleet companies to match vehicles to users39
Finance and insurance, working with partners in those industries
Setup, scheduling, and allocation of vehicles throughout the service area, including the ability to reconfigure a vehicle's entertainment and other options remotely as it moves from one fare to another
Supporting ecosystems
There are multiple additional roles that are essential for keeping the mobility ecosystem running smoothly but that are beyond this article's scope. Finance, insurance, and payment providers will likely see dramatic shifts in their business and the emergence of new products and services to meet changing customer demands. Auto finance will increasingly become a business-to-business interaction with the purchasers of large shared fleets.40 As vehicles become safer, insurance policies will likely shift to focus on per-trip coverage for riders and product liability policies to cover autonomous vehicles' hardware and software.41 Payments providers will likely support in-vehicle purchases, linking accounts directly to consumers and offering the ability to pay once for a single journey.
Governments will also likely play a critical role, both by setting regulation and by serving as a "conductor" of sorts, enabling the ecosystem's constituent pieces to work seamlessly together. City and regional managers will work with other enabling entities to ensure public infrastructure is maintained (see "Infrastructure enablers" above).
The roles and capabilities described here are illustrative, not exhaustive, but many players will vie for these new opportunities. Winning in many cases will require significant transformation of their business system and operating model. While some stakeholders may find themselves naturally well positioned for certain opportunity spaces or value capture strategies, others will find themselves at a disadvantage. The future need not take companies by surprise, however. The key lies in understanding your capabilities against the emerging needs of the ecosystem to decide "where to play" and "how to win."42
Depending on your perspective, the changes discussed here—shared mobility, autonomous vehicles, seamless intermodal transit—may seem thrilling or daunting. Much has happened in just the past year, and we expect even more to occur in the coming one. Any actor involved in the movement of people and goods should begin identifying now where it wants to play in the new mobility ecosystem.
Evaluate the potential impact: Each player should analyze how and by how much the future of mobility will impact their current business or operations. The magnitude of the transformation is likely sizeable, the velocity of change is rapid, and businesses and governments will have to operate in a multistate, multimodal future that demands flexibility and adaptability. While the change may seem distant, the timeframe for adoption could shrink surprisingly quickly. An analysis will give management a more empirical understanding and help build consensus around the degree of urgency required to make the transition to the new mobility ecosystem.
Determine which role or roles you aspire to in the new mobility ecosystem: While change is imminent, new opportunities will continue to emerge and expand. Amidst the ecosystem's complexity, we anticipate the emergence of distinct value creation roles. These roles are closely linked and will require collaboration to serve the customer. The car-centric extended automotive industry has become a customer-centric mobility ecosystem, where the focus is on the experience of moving from point A to point B—rather than the physical vehicle itself.
Assess how your current capabilities match those required for future success: Not all opportunities are created equal. Stakeholders must carefully examine their own capabilities against those required to succeed in their chosen role. This paper only scratches the surface of the opportunity spaces. In reality, there are a host of players and capabilities that will support and enable the ecosystem.
Evaluate competitive intensity, and be clear-eyed about how you stack up against incumbents in that space: You will not be alone in seeking to capture value in the new mobility ecosystem. Many players—both incumbents and disrupters—are already making moves to play.
Develop a roadmap to build the needed capabilities: Enterprise transformation rarely happens overnight and takes time and planning. Understanding the broader ecosystem and the required capabilities will help companies and governments better lay out their path to success, whether that be through acquisition, partnership, or internal development. Part of this journey will require making hard decisions around your winning aspiration.
Change is coming soon—and the extended automotive industry will have to rapidly adjust to rising consumer expectations. As elements of the new mobility ecosystem emerge, from carsharing apps to self-driving vehicles, it's hard not to speculate how advanced transportation technology might change. Many will likely find a vision of being seamlessly picked up after work, entertained in comfort on the way home by a system that already knows your preferences and needs, and efficiently dropped off at your front door very appealing.
Making this scenario a reality—much less making it as smooth as it needs to be for broad adoption—will demand new thinking, competencies, and coordination. In the new mobility ecosystem, value creation opportunities will likely require stakeholders to rethink their business models. Depending on an organization's role in the ecosystem, leaders will need to determine whether existing capabilities allow them to deliver the value customers demand—and if not, how to build new strengths.
We use a range of data to calculate the impact of the four future states on miles travelled and unit sales:
For miles traveled in rural and urban areas: "Highway statistics," US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm.
Since data on urban areas includes suburban areas, we follow economist Jed Kolko's methodology to back out the suburban share: Kolko, "How suburban are big American cities?," FiveThirtyEight, May 21, 2015, http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-suburban-are-big-american-cities/.
For shared vehicle data, we use a combination of data on the size of the rental car fleet and vehicle usage in miles used to calculate annual miles driven by rental cars: Auto Rental News, "2015 U.S. car rental market," Fact Book 2016, p. 8, www.autorentalnews.com/fileviewer/2229.aspx; Scott McCartney, "Rental cars with higher mileage populate lots," Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2013, www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324463604579040870991145200.
We include data on annual taxi mileage: Transportation Research Board, Between public and private mobility: Examining the rise of technology-enabled transportation services, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, May 13, 2016, www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/173511.aspx.
We incorporate annual miles driven by Uber and Lyft: Pavithra Mohan, "Uber is even bigger than you realize," Fast Company, September 8, 2015, www.fastcompany.com/3050784/elasticity/uber-is-even-bigger-than-you-realize; Anne Freier, "Uber usage statistics and revenue," Business of Apps, September 14, 2015, www.businessofapps.com/uber-usage-statistics-and-revenue/; SherpaShare, "Uber trips are becoming longer and faster, but are they more profitable?," SherpaShare blog, February 2, 2016, http://sherpashareblog.com/2016/02/02/uber-trips-are-becoming-longer-and-faster-but-are-they-more-profitable; Matt Rosoff, "Uber is now more valuable than Ford, GM, and a bunch of huge public companies," Business Insider, December 4, 2015, www.businessinsider.com/uber-valuation-vs-market-cap-of-publicly-traded-stocks-2015-12; Alison Griswold, "Why General Motors is making a $500 million bet on Lyft," Quartz, January 4, 2016, http://qz.com/585520/why-general-motors-just-made-a-500-million-bet-on-lyft.
For projected population growth, we tap World Bank projections: "Health nutrition and population: Population estimates and projections," World Bank, http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source=Health Nutrition and Population Statistics: Population estimates and projections.
We estimate when autonomous vehicles will be launched using a thorough scan of OEM, technology companies, and subject-matter expert statements and use data on the diffusion of other recent innovations to proxy adoption rates.
Looking at generational data from the World Bank as well as poverty data from the US Census Bureau allows us to estimate what additional population segments might become mobile in the future: "Health nutrition and population: Population estimates and projections," World Bank; Carmen DeNavas-Walt and Bernadette D. Proctor, "Income and poverty in the United States: 2014," US Census Bureau, September 2015, www.census.gov/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-252.html.
We use several sources for information on the average number of passengers per vehicle: Transportation Research Board, Between public and private mobility; Office of Highway Policy Information, "Annual vehicle distance traveled in miles and related data—2014," US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, December 2015, www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2014/vm1.cfm; and Taylor Soper, "Lyft's carpooling service now makes up 50% of rides in San Francisco; 30% in NYC," GeekWire, April 22, 2015, www.geekwire.com/2015/lyfts-carpooling-service-now-makes-up-50-of-rides-in-san-francisco-30-in-nyc/.
And to project vehicle lifetime, we take US government data and apply the historic rate of lifetime improvement going forward: National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Vehicle survivability and travel mileage schedules, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, January 2006, www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809952.pdf.
Finally, rather than attempt to determine adoption rates from "the ground up" using, for example, consumer attitudes, we simply assumed that the adoption of shared and self-driven vehicles would follow a similar pattern as other recent technologies. In our analysis, we posited three possible trajectories of adoption—fast, medium, and slow—which we proxied with actual adoption rates for smartphones in the United States, conventional cell phones in the United States, and the Internet globally. These technologies had sufficient historical data and important similarities to the mobility innovations in which we were interested: They were expensive when first introduced, required significant infrastructure investment, and exhibited strong network effects. That said, there are important differences: The automobile is a fixed capital asset that most households turn over relatively slowly, for instance. Accordingly, applying different assumptions about the speed of adoption could significantly alter the model results.


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Dieting: 50 ways to lose 10 Pounds
Losing weight, unfortunately, isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. What helps one person shed pounds may backfire on another. Because we're all so different, from our food preferences to our body chemistry, the only successful way to reach and maintain a healthy weight is to find what works for you. We've read the studies, the books, the reports, and the theories. We've been talking to experts and trying to keep ourselves trim for years. There probably are a million ways to gain 10 pounds, but here are 50 ways to lose 10 pounds.
1. Water yourself. A recent study proved that dieters who guzzled plenty of H2O lost more weight than those who didn't.
2. Halve at it. Divide your normal portion by two and save the rest for later. You are likely to feel full on less food than you think.
3. Go meatless. In general, vegetarians have lower body weights than their meat-eating peers. Follow their lead -- at least until you drop a few pounds.
4. Go vegan. Vegetarianism not helping you lose? Take it to the next level by swearing off eggs and dairy too. Cheese can be a diet killer.
5. Get fresh. Eliminate all packaged foods and eat only fresh ingredients you've prepared. No bags, boxes, cans, or cartons allowed.
6. Diet 2 days a week. If you can't stick to a program all the time, try slashing your calories to 650 a day just 2 days a week and eating normally the other days. A recent study suggests this offers protection from breast cancer as well as assistance with weight loss.
7. Not so sweet. Everyone knows sugar isn't healthy, but when you start reading labels, you find it in unexpected places, like pasta sauce and frozen entrees. Cutting the sugar out of your diet will mean healthier meals overall.
8. Cut the flour. The short-term elimination of floury foods like white bread and pastries can efficiently kick-start your weight loss plan.
9. Be virgin. Alcoholic beverages are some of the emptiest calories out there. Replace them with water, and the weight comes off.
10. Walk 2 minutes out of every 30. Short walking breaks add up to weight loss.
11. Fidget more. Studies show that fidgety types burn significantly more calories than their stationary peers.
12. Sleep it off. Recent studies have shown that those who don't get enough shut-eye eat more and reach for more fattening grub than people who get plenty of rest.
13. Get it on. Thirty minutes of sex burns at least 60 calories for a 150-pound woman.
14. Eat at home. Meals eaten away from home have 134 more calories, on average.
15. Start a blog. The weight loss blog is practically a literary genre. Start one, and you aren't just losing for yourself. Your public needs you.
16. Tweet your weight. Some call it the #humiliation diet, but many credit the accountability for their weight loss success. Use the hashtag #tweetyourweight. Tell us about your weight loss and use @PreventionMag!
17. Find a buddy. You know you are more likely to show up at the gym if someone is waiting there for you. Fan Prevention magazine on Facebook to meet more readers like you!
18. Lose to win. Bring a taste of The Biggest Loser to your own gym, work, family, or circle of friends for extra motivation.
19. Veg out. Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, which are less calorie dense and more nutritious than any other type of food.
20. Go nuts! A recent study found that dieters who snacked on shelled pistachios shed more pounds than those who ate other snacks, even though they contained the same amount of calories.
21. Grapefruit diet. A recent study showed that eating one grapefruit daily helped 58 percent of subjects to lose weight.
22. Pay cash. Shoppers who pay with plastic are more vulnerable to impulse buys, which tend to be the fattening snacks you know you shouldn't have anyway.
23. Don't be smelly. Scented cosmetics make us crave the foods they remind us of, which ultimately makes us eat more, according to recent reports.
24. Remind yourself to eat better. One study found that people chose better-for-them foods when they were prompted to "consider the healthiness" before digging in.
25. Learn to knit. Doing something--anything--with your hands can distract you from your cravings.
26. Train for a race. Many people find that having an athletic goal motivates them to exercise regularly in a way that nothing else can.
27. Join a sports league. Fitness can be fun, and if it is, you're more likely to stick with it. Pickup softball, anyone?
28. Quit sugary drinks. Some super-size sodas have 500-plus calories, and juice isn't much better. Drink water instead. (See item No. 1.)
29. Swear off dessert. Cut a slew of calories by ordering a skim cappuccino instead so you have something to do while your dining companions devour a cheesecake.
30. Join a program. US News recently rated Weight Watchers the best choice for weight loss.
31. Work standing up. Standing burns at least 30-percent more calories than sitting on your backside all day.
32. Get a treadmill desk. Studies suggest you can burn an additional 800 calories during your workday--if you continually walk at a very slow pace.
33. Swap your supper for soup. Soup's high water content makes it a low-calorie and filling option. Just steer clear of the creamy kinds.
34. Stop dieting. Yo-yo dieters don't tend to get thinner--they get fatter. Instead, make a serious lifestyle change.
35. Quit snacking. The real reason the French don't get fat is because it's a cultural faux pas to eat between meals.
36. Go gluten free. It isn't a miracle diet, but it can be a useful short-term experiment that often leads to weight loss and ultimately a less bread-heavy diet.
37. Spice it up! Cayenne pepper really can rev your metabolism, according to recent research.
38. Abandon your car. Walk or bike to work for a slimming--not fattening--commute.
39. Eat breakfast. Those who enjoy a morning meal have been shown over and over to be slimmer than breakfast skippers.
40. Drink more milk. Low-fat dairy consumption seems to speed weight loss--scientists credit the calcium.
41. Eat more yogurt. A recent report revealed the foods most identified with maintaining a healthy weight, and yogurt ranked among the best.
42. Drop the potato chips. At the top of the list for foods that make you add pounds? Potato chips.
43. Take a two-wheeled tour. A long weekend bike ride around your hometown will help you see the sights in a new light, all while you torch a ton of calories.
44. Make it interesting. Go to Stickk.com to sign a contract with yourself to lose weight. If you don't shed the pounds, your money will be donated to a charity that you hate.
45. Weigh in daily. For some, the scale is a bummer and a distraction. Others like the daily feedback and accountability. Try it, and see if you lose weight.
46. Meditate. It's no secret that stress-eating can sabotage the best diet intentions. A short daily meditation can help you keep binge-inducing anxieties in check.
47. Chill out. Drinking eight or more glasses of ice water a day may help your body burn fat, according to research.
48. Express yourself. A creative outlet is likely to boost your self-esteem and take your mind off food. You can't eat and decoupage at the same time.
49. Brush and floss. Who wants to ruin their minty-fresh breath with a snack?
50. Fantasy binge. Before you dig in, visualize yourself eating a treat. Science suggests that those who do this mental exercise will eat less of what they first imagined.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
6.4 Announcement¶
- Authors:
Project Steering Committee
- Released:
The MapServer Team is pleased to announce the release of MapServer 6.4.0 and MapCache 1.2.0
This 6.4 release brings a number of major new features that are summarized in this document. The full list of changes can be found in MapServer 6.4 Changelog.
Major New Features in MapServer 6.4¶
MS RFC 101: Add Support for Content Dependent Legend Responses. Funding by local government Netherlands (gemeenten Cuijk, Grave, Mill en Sint Hubert).
Add Support for librsvg as an alternative to libsvg-cairo. Funding by Kanton Basel-Landschaft.
MS RFC 100: Support for tile index with mixed SRS in raster layers.
MS RFC 90: Enable/Disable Layers in OGC Web Services by IP Lists
MS RFC 85: Vector Contour Rendering (CONNECTIONTYPE CONTOUR)
MS RFC 86: Scale-dependant String Substitutions. Funding by swisstopo.
Implementation of layer masking for WCS coverages (#4469)
Implementation of offsets on follow labels (#4399)
Migration Guide¶
Head to MapServer Migration Guide
Major New Features in MapCache 1.2.0¶
Source Code Download¶
The source for this release can be downloaded at:
Binary Distributions¶
Binary distributions will be available in the coming days:
The other binary distributions listed in the download page should also be updated with binaries for the new release shortly.
Thank you to all of the users, developers, and supporters of MapServer. Enjoy!
The MapServer Team


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This pendant is a part of the AXIS Crystal Talisman collection. TEA created this collection to let the mineral specimens shine. All of the crystals from this collection are selected from our stash we've been hand picking over the last 10 years.
This specific pendant has a Rubellite Tourmaline Crystal, 14k yellow gold plated finish, and is reversible.
Dimensions: 3/4" tall x 3/8" wide
The chain pictured is our "14k Yellow Gold Box Chain 1.5mm" and is available in 18 and 24 inch lengths.
Chains sold separately! Cheers :D


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There are lots of Boho Home and Apartment Decor and that is a number of these. We create a massive collection of Stylist and Chic Boho Home and Apartment Interior Decor which you can try on yours.
In the event you want the most appropriate ideas to your own requirements, there are a couple of factors that will consider so which you may be sure you take the best thought for your own requirements.
In the event you feel perplexed to find the ideal idea for your own requirements, this report offers you information to direct you in finding the most acceptable idea for your own requirements. Affordable interior layout ideas are not limited to big products! They're not hard to obtain these days, you simply need to know the ideal places to search and that the ideal things to buy.
image source : pinterest.com


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Thursday 13 at 20h30
14 rue Saint Denis 75001 Paris by Metro 1 Châtelet
> just for guest list or to do lightning talk
> just for guest list or to do lightning talk
You can watch Hackito Ergo Sum in live : http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hackito-ergo-sum-2012
–[ Monxla HES 2012 Wargame by Steven
Dear fellow hackers,
Again this year, Steven Van Acker (@StevenVanAcker) from OverTheWire has worked hard to create the HES Wargame and challenges. You can find the introductory letter below to start hacking !
Happy Hacking.
–[ Synopsis
Hello agent Hipnkewl,
As Head of the cybercrime-fighting unit of the best three-letter
agency in the world, I welcome you to the team.
To demonstrate your skills to the rest of team, we have prepared your
first assignment.
The russian Nasenko family has decided to become a crime family. Being
hip and trendy, they have figured out that an online presence is a must in today's world.
They have set up a server where they are testing and developing the best and latest cybercrime
What they don't know, is that we have already infiltrated their business and have a mole
inside their organisation.
Your job is to locate the information hidden by the mole and use it to take down the Nasenko server.
Details about the location of this server will be transmitted once the
mission is a go.
God speed, make us proud !
Director A.F.
–[ Rules
Only playable and opened on site, so come to try it 🙂
–[ Target
We will be able to sell you directly onsite some pass for the conference. However there is some restriction :
– prices will be be more expense than online payment
– places available will depend of the online attendees registration
– we will accept only cash
Don't forget Bring your U.S.B. for the Friday night party ! You'll be able to plug it to the T.V. to display the medias you want or to root the T.V. Psychedelic medias are welcome !
(If you manage to find a usage for your exploit hah.)
The HES conference will once again gather some of the most innovative security researchers worldwide to meet the largest possible European hacking scene. This edition will be held at the Espace Niemeyer, the historic headquarters of the French Communist Party.
Backed up with a Programming Committee* comprised of highly respected members from all corners of the hacking community, Hackito Ergo Sum 2012 expects to meet the technical quality of its previous editions.
The architectural masterpiece of Oscar Niemeyer will host Hackito Ergo Sum during 3 days ; Hackito Ergo Sum will try to put the emerging security concerns under the spotlight by finding synergies between the underground, security experts, and technical decision makers.
Credit photo: Clement Guillaume (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29341581@N08/galleries/72157627789176229)
To accommodate the international security researchers among speakers as well as in the audience, the highly technical security talks will be given only and entirely in English. This allows us this year to welcome the attendance of Georg Wicherski (CrowdStrike, Germany), Fyodor Yarochkin (Veracode, Taiwan), Mikael Lindstrom (EUROPOL, Netherlands), Marc Van Hauser (THC, Germany), Rodrigo Branco (Qualys, Brasil), Mohamed Saher (Egypt), Daniel Mende et Enno Rey (ERNW, Germany), Cesar Cerrudo (CTO at IOactive Labs, Argentina), all highly respected members of the hacking community, and many many more busticatis from around the globe within the public.
The French security R&D will also be present, with researchers such as Ivan Fontarensky and Iean-Michel Picod (Cassidian), Philippe Langlois (P1 Security), Matthieu Suiche (MoonSols), Jonathan Brossard (Toucan System), as well as Renaud Lifchitz (British Telecom) and the Vupen R&D team.
2011 was both the most catastrophic and the most interesting in terms of information security (Wikileaks and Iraq DoD leaks, Anonymous/Lulzsec hacking the FBI, DDoS becoming a daily diversion for thousands of script kiddies, mafia groups gaining interest in Bitcoin and Tor…). Numerous companies and administrations worldwide, including the ministry of finances and the nuclear giant Areva in France, discovered their core networks had been compromised to unimaginable scales, often for years. The industrial fiasco of RSA also put millions at risk globally, especially in the most sensitive sectors of the economy. In this context : what to expect for 2012 ?
Hackito Ergo Sum will try to anticipate the short term global challenges of 2012 by taking a deep dive into the findings of security researchers around the globe. Previous editions featured entirely new talks such as hacking Scada networks (including satellites!) using X25, new kernel pool overflow exploitation techniques (Tarjei Mandt won the pwnie award 2011 at Blackhat for this amazing research he first presented at Hackito Ergo Sum 2011), reverse engineering of FPGA firmwares, dynamic forensic analysis of malware using either direct RAM access or using emulation (PandoraBochs), fuzzing of virtual machine monitors at interrupt level, hacking Telco Operators at the scale of a country using the SS7 protocol, and GSM security through femtocells for instance.
The global economy of the security industry has also significantly changed over the past few years : private military companies now buy exploits and resell them, including to governments. Intrusions of some of the world's largest companies such as Nortel, which often lasted years and were operated from foreign countries, show that the game has changed : we are not talking about defacing webpages anymore, espionage of populations, governments and corporations using cyber-means is a reality.
Those questions will be debated in "round table" sessions among hackers, security experts, security vendors and members of public administrations.
The secret of Hackito Ergo Sum lies in its spirit : as a 100% non profit event and because it is open and welcomes anyone, we can count on hackers from all borders to help us. This open spirit will also be reflected by the associated activities and workshops organized by hackers and for hackers during the conference. Those will include the most awaited wargame from Steven Van Acker of the « overthewire » community, a cryptographic challenge from Eloi Vanderbéken, as well as lockpicking workshops.
Finaly, the grugq (Coseinc, Thailand), after organizing the best openbar parties of both HITB and Blackhat US in 2011, will install his Barcon in Paris during HES.
*Programming Committee of Hackito Ergo Sum:
Tavis Ormandy (Google)
Matthew Conover
Jason Martin (SDNA Consulting Shakacon)
Stephen Ridley
Mark Dowd (AzimuthSecurity)
Tiago Assumpcao (RIM)
Alex Rice (Facebook)
Pedram Amini
Erik Cabetas (Include Security)
Dino A. Dai Zovi (Trail Of Bits)
Alexander Sotirov
Barnaby Jack (Mc Afee)
Charlie Miller (Accuvant)
David Litchfield (Accuvant)
Lurene Grenier (Harris)
Alex Ionescu
Nico Waisman (Immunity)
Piotr Bania
Laurent Gaffié
Julien Tinnes (Google Corp.)
Brad Spengler (Grsecurity)
Silvio Cesare (Deakin University)
Carlos Sarraute (Core security)
Cesar Cerrudo (IOActive)
Daniel Hodson (Ruxcon)
Nicolas Ruff (E.A.D.S)
Julien Vanegue (Microsoft Security Redmond)
Itzik Kotler
Rodrigo Branco (Qualys)
Tim Shelton (HAWK Network Defense)
Ilja Van Sprundel (IOActive)
Raoul Chiesa (TSTF)
Dhillon Andrew
Kannabhiran (HITB)
Philip Petterson
The Grugq (COSEINC)
Emmanuel Gadaix (TSTF)
Kugg (/tmp/lab)
Harald Welte (gnumonks.org)
Van Hauser (THC)
Fyodor Yarochkin (Armorize)
Gamma (THC, Teso)
Pipacs (Linux Kernel Page Exec Protection) Shyama Rose.
Including the three co-organizers of Hackito:
Philippe Langlois (P1 Security, /tmp/lab)
Jonathan Brossard (Toucan System, /tmp/lab)
Matthieu Suiche (MoonSols)
About Hackito Ergo Sum
Hackito Ergo Sum is a technical security conference bringing new and exclusive research from all around the world. HES is 100% non profit, and is backed up by the Parisian hackerspace /tmp/lab (http://www.tmplab.org).
AL'X COMMUNICATION – Véronique Loquet
+33 (0)6 68 42 79 68 firstname.lastname@example.com
Welcome to 2012 Hackito Ergo Sum Website.
Hackito Ergo Sum conference will be held from April 12th to the 14th of 2012 in Paris, France.
Following last edition's success, HES2012 will continue developing and sharing a pleasant atmosphere and rich technical content, focusing on hardcore computer & network security, insecurity, vulnerability analysis, reverse engineering, research and hacking. We will do our best to help new talents and confirmed experts present their latest research.
HES is and remains an international conference, 100% in English, aiming to gather the best security researchers, hackers, experts, operationals and decision makers in Paris.
This year, we will have one country of honor, from which and for which we expect specific submission and focus. This year, it will be Russia. The goal of such dedication of HES 2012 to Russia is to bring in focus one country and its specific challenges and skills in the matter of security. Russia is indeed one such country, with extremely skilled security researchers and a creative and impressive security industry, but also extremely active malware creators and developped underground market.
You can already register or read the call for paper.


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In fact, people who have hearing loss often report having trouble with feelings of dizziness and even experience an increase in falls.
How Is Our Hearing Connected to Our Balance?
Our balance system relies on the labyrinth, a maze of bone and tissue in the inner ear. In the labyrinth is the cochlea, which is where the hearing nerve is located. Near the cochlea are semicircular canals and the otolithic organs which are responsible for our sense of balance. This is where our body, along with our sight and touch, senses movement.
If you have problems with your dizziness, or you experience vertigo, then your balance issues could be caused by hearing loss. Problems with the inner ear that can be responsible for hearing loss can also lead to balance problems, dizziness, and even vertigo. Our ears are responsible for more than just hearing. They hold the vestibular system, so when you have hearing loss you can experience balance problems as well.
Balance problems and hearing loss do not always go together. You can have hearing loss without ever experiencing a problem with your balance, or you could have vertigo without having hearing loss. It's important if you have hearing loss that is the result of a head or ear injury to seek immediate attention, so you don't have additional problems with balance or experience falls in the future.
What Can You Do?
Taking care of your hearing health means you will feel better overall. Our ears are connected to our bodies and overall health, so it's important to practice good ear health and visit us regularly for annual hearing check-ups.
If you are experiencing hearing loss and problems with your balance then call us today to make an appointment. We can help you by finding the cause of your hearing loss and dizziness and offer you solutions to help you feel better.


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Although early reports did not indicate that virtual learning would generate cost-savings, later research suggests that virtual schools can be more cost-effective over time. Even the Southern Regional Education Board, which projected similar per-pupil start-up costs for state-run virtual schools and conventional brick-and-mortal schools, predicted, "Economies of scale should benefit states in funding state virtual schools over time."[18]
Bill Tucker of Education Sector, a nonpartisan education policy think tank, came to a similar conclusion in his study of virtual learning. In analyzing state-run virtual schools, he noted that they have cost-structures different from conventional brick-and-mortar schools. Instead of spending resources on buildings, physical services, facility maintenance and transportation, virtual schools must pay more for other items, such as technology infrastructure, personnel development (specific to remote teacher online instruction) and computer software. However, much like the SREB, Tucker concludes, "[T]here is the potential for significant cost efficiencies" for state virtual schools, because the cost of infrastructure can be spread over many more students.[19]
Potential economies of scale are becoming apparent in colleges and universities. From 1999 to 2003, in response to grants financed by Pew Charitable Trusts, 30 institutions of higher education that created new online learning programs demonstrated improved student performance in two-thirds of the cases, with the remaining one-third showing no statistically significant improvement. Perhaps even more striking was the finding that these programs reduced per-pupil operating costs by an average of 40 percent compared to conventional brick-and-mortar classes, saving a combined $3.6 million annually.[*] A 40 percent reduction in costs is almost unheard of in education.
The effectiveness of online education is increasingly accepted at colleges and universities. In fact, according to a report published by the Babson Research Study Group of the Massachusetts-based Babson College, 25 percent of all students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions were enrolled in at least one online course in the fall of 2008.[20]
Some studies find real savings from K-12 online programs, as well, though not quite as high as those in the Pew program.
A detailed study of FLVS may have been the first to conclude that state-run virtual schools can operate with lower per-pupil expenses. In 1997, FLVS became the nation's first statewide school to offer courses through the Internet. The school provides supplementary courses to Florida students; it does not grant diplomas. Initially the school only delivered high school content, and it had 77 course enrollments in 1997.[21] By 2009-2010, FLVS had almost 214,000 annual course enrollments and served students in kindergarten through 12th grade.[22]
In 2007, the Florida TaxWatch Center for Educational Performance and Accountability compared the per-pupil funding average for conventional school districts in Florida with that of the FLVS. It found that counting only local and state revenues for operating expenses, FLVS cost Florida taxpayers $1,048 less per pupil (or 17 percent less) in the 2006-2007 school year than did conventional districts.[†] The authors concluded, "FLVS gets solid student achievement results at a reduced cost to the State."[23]
The savings for FLVS have only increased since 2007. In 2009, the Florida Legislature, trying to balance the state budget, reduced FLVS' per-pupil funding allotment by 10 percent for the 2009-2010 school year. Still, enrollments were expected to increase by 50 percent. The enrollment spike was due to the program's becoming available to every school district in the state. Julie Young, president and chief executive officer of FLVS, projects that the increased enrollments and reductions in funding will combine to make FLVS cost about $1,500 less per pupil in operating costs than the state's conventional schools.[24]
Pennsylvania's virtual charter schools have shown even greater cost-savings potential than FLVS. These are taxpayer-funded public schools that are open to all students, grades K-12, from anywhere in the state.[25] They use nearly all forms of virtual learning, including computer-based, Internet-based, remote teacher online, blended learning and facilitated virtual learning. Unlike FLVS and other supplemental state-run virtual schools, Pennsylvania's virtual charters may grant diplomas to students.[26]
Pennsylvania funds its virtual charter schools on a per-pupil basis, with resources provided by each enrolled student's resident school district. These districts are required to make a payment from the local and state funds they receive to the virtual charter schools. This payment does not include the per-pupil portion of district funds that go to transportation; physical facilities construction; acquisition and improvement; debt services; or adult and community education programs.[‡] This funding arrangement resulted in the virtual schools receiving on average 27 percent less per pupil than conventional schools. This amounted to virtual charter schools in Pennsylvania spending about $3,000 less per pupil in the 2005-2006 school year.[27]
Surveys of online schools in other states suggest that the cost-effectiveness of Pennsylvania's virtual charter schools may be the rule rather than the exception. In 2008, professor Cathy Cavanaugh surveyed 20 virtual schools in 14 states.[§] She found that the schools spent an average of only $4,310 per pupil on operational costs. She estimates that virtual schools benefit from minimal costs for instructional facilities, transportation and support services staff. Additionally, she notes that online courses can handle larger class sizes without adding instructional personnel. This ability helps virtual schools create economies of scale.[28]
[*] Carol A. Twigg, "Improving Learning and Reducing Costs: New Models for Online Learning," 30, (EDUCAUSE Review, 2003), goo.gl/swKEh (accessed Jan. 26, 2011). Additional information about the Program in Course Redesign can be found at http://www.thencat.org/PCR.htm.
[†] "Final Report: A Comprehensive Assessment of Florida Virtual School" (Florida TaxWatch, 2007), 24-25, goo.gl/dpXb3 (accessed Jan. 13, 2011). The Florida TaxWatch Center for Educational Performance and Accountability did not factor in federal funding, because FLVS does not receive federal funding. (Betty Coxe, Florida TaxWatch Center for Educational Performance and Accountability, telephone correspondence with Michael Van Beek, Jan. 12, 2011.)[‡] Resident districts in Pennsylvania are also reimbursed by the state for about 30 percent of the payment that they make to the virtual charter school on behalf of one of their students. Benefield and Runk, "A Primer on Pennsylvania Cyber Schools" (Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, 2008), 2, http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/ docLib/20090904_CyberSchoolPrimer.pdf (accessed Jan. 24, 2011).
[§] Cathy Cavanaugh, "Getting Students More Learning Time Online" (Center for American Progress, 2009), 12, http://www.americanprogress.org/ issues/2009/05/pdf/distancelearning.pdf (accessed Jan. 9, 2011). The virtual schools she surveyed included state virtual schools, virtual charter schools, private virtual schools and virtual programs run by school districts (Cathy Cavanaugh, e-mail correspondence with Michael Van Beek, Oct. 6, 2010.)
[18] "Cost Guidelines for State Virtual Schools" (Southern Regional Education Board, 2006), 4, http://publications.sreb.org/2006/06T03_Virtual_School_ Costs.pdf (accessed Jan. 24, 2011).
[19] Bill Tucker, "Laboratories of Reform: Virtual High Schools and Innovation in Public Education" (Education Sector, 2007), 6, http://www.educationsector. org/usr_doc/Virtual_Schools.pdf (accessed Jan. 9, 2011).
[20] Elaine I. Allen and Jeff Seaman, "Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009" (The Sloan Consortium, 2009), goo.gl/qmaJV (accessed Jan. 13, 2011).
[21] "Final Report: A Comprehensive Assessment of Florida Virtual School" (Florida TaxWatch, 2007), 9, goo.gl/T1gHf (accessed Jan. 13, 2011).
[22] John Watson et al., "Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice" (Evergreen Education Group, 2010), 26, goo.gl/pqii0 (accessed Jan. 9, 2011).
[23] "Final Report: A Comprehensive Assessment of Florida Virtual School" (Florida TaxWatch, 2007), 25, goo.gl/eE9w7 (accessed Jan. 13, 2011).
[24] Bill Kaczor, "Fla. Virtual School Doing More With Less," The Miami Herald, Sept. 10, 2009, goo.gl/CSjyy (accessed Jan. 11, 2011).
[25] Nathan A. Benefield and Jessica K. Runk, "A Primer on Pennsylvania Cyber Schools" (Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, 2008), 2, goo.gl/LqJvV (accessed Jan. 24, 2011).
[26] "Charter Annual Report" (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2008), 1-3, http://www.pacyber.org/about/files/CharterAnnualReport%202008.pdf (accessed Jan. 14, 2011).
[27] Benefield and Runk, "A Primer on Pennsylvania Cyber Schools" (Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, 2008), 4, http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/docLib/20090904_Cyber SchoolPrimer.pdf (accessed Jan. 24, 2011).
[28] Cathy Cavanaugh, "Getting Students More Learning Time Online" (Center for American Progress, 2009), 12, http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/ 2009/05/pdf/distancelearning.pdf (accessed Jan. 9, 2011).


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We are so excited to be celebrating our 100th card sketch with you today! When I started making card sketches almost 4 years ago I wasn't sure that there would be much of a demand for it, but here we are 100 sketches later and still going strong!!! So please enjoy this special sketch.
Inspiring cards by our DT:
To give you more motivation to play along with this sketch and share it with us, we have an amazing prize up for grabs for one lucky randomly selected winner! This month's prize is an amazing 6x6 paper pad by Carta Bella called Beach Boardwalk! What a perfect set of papers for your Summer projects!
But remember you can't win if you don't play!
Here are the details of how to play along:
1. Make sure and link back to Sketch N Scrap in your blog post when sharing our sketch or a layout or card based on our sketch.
(DO NOT USE THE DIRECT LINK, use http://sketchnscrap.blogspot.com)
2. Link your layout or card up by clicking on the Froggy link in the sidebar. Make sure and link up a DIRECT link to your blog post to allow us to easily locate your entry on your blog.
Have fun, we can't wait to see what you create!
Link up your projects by June 30th at 9:55 pm CST


text:
By Sarah Harris
[Printer Friendly] | [ Email us about these records]Title: Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences Videotape File, 1948-2015
Primary Creator: University of Illinois at U-C. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Extent: 82.0 cubic feet
Boxes 1-36: Promotional B-roll videos, Numbered
Boxes 36-82: Other Videos, Unnumbered
Subjects: Agriculture, Animal Science, Beef Cattle, Experiments, Farming, Foods and Nutrition, Insects, Sheep, Swine
Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences Videotape File, 1948-2015 includes videotapes related to recruitment and promotion; agriculture including farm processes with soybeans and corn, and animals including swine, sheep, and cows; international farm programs in countries including China and Egypt; food and nutrition instructional information; experimentation relating to crops and soil, insects, insecticides and pesticides; interviews with faculty, conferences, award ceremonies, and parties. This series also includes B-Roll/stock footage including video from farms, offices, and landscapes in Illinois.
Boxes 1-36 include promotional b-roll, stock footage that was numbered and inventoried by ACES in a spreadsheet provided to the archives. The information available is from ACES and includes time coded descriptions of what is on the tapes. Boxes 36-82 include other videotapes that are unnumbered. Information for these boxes came from the labels affixed to the videotape. Please note that the videotapes have not yet been viewed and verified to be what the labels describe.
Agricultural instruction was provided for in the Land Grant Act of Congress in 1862 and it was one of the chief aims of the university at its beginning.1 In 1867, the Board of Trustees established the Agricultural Department, made up of the School of General Agriculture and the School of Horticulture, Fruit-growing, and Landscape Gardening.2 It was formally recognized as a College and the dean's office was established in 1877.3 The dean is appointed biennially by the Board of Trustees and his duties include: preparing the budget; representing and reporting on the college to outside authorities; and coordinating the activities of the departments and special offices.4 The dean is also responsible for the operations of the Office of Publications and the Office of Agricultural Communications, both established in 1966,5 and the Office of International Agricultural Programs, which was established in 1966 to coordinate college-wide programs such as the International Soybean Program.6 In 1965, the title of the office changed from Dean of the College, Director of the Experiment Station, and Director of the Cooperative Extension Service to Dean of the College of Agriculture.7
1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 1st Report, Laws Concerning the Industrial University, Laws of Congress, p. 1-3; 1st Report, May 7, 1867, p. 47.
2. Board of Trustees Transactions, 1st Report, May 8, 1867, p. 50.
3. Board of Trustees Transactions, 9th Report, June 7, 1877, p. 45.
4. University of Illinois Statutes, May 17, 1972, p. 12-14
5. Board of Trustees Transactions, 54th Report, October 13, 1966, p. 169.
6. Board of Trustees Transactions, 54th Report, September 21, 1966, p. 84.
7. Board of Trustees Transactions, 53rd Report, February 17, 1965, p. 393.


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The Welsh Terrier tends to have a more easygoing manner then the other terrier breeds. It does have some of the standard terrier characteristics though, including an energetic and playful nature. The Welsh Terrier also has a tendency to be self-sufficient, sensitive, and likes to investigate. While slightly calmer which makes it a dependable house pet, it can present the standard challenges of terriers as well. Around strangers and other pets or dogs, the Welsh Terrier may be standoffish. It has a tendency to bark and also to dig.
The Welsh Terrier has moderate exercise needs and these can be satisfied and a decent walk or a high-energy play session on a daily basis. It welcomes the opportunity to run outdoors off of the leash, but this should only be done in a secure or fenced in area since it has a natural instinct to hunt. The Welsh Terrier has the ability to survive in an outdoor environment, but does not do well in cold weather. It is best suited in environments where it can live indoors with access to an outside yard. Maintenance of the coat only requires combing every other day or so and shaping every few months. Shaping can be done by clipping, which will soften the coat. The Welsh Terrier may need its ears trained so that they develop correctly into adulthood.
There are a few minor health concerns for the Welsh Terrier and they include lens luxation and glaucoma. On occasion, allergies and seizures are seen in this breed as well. It is suggested that the eyes be regularly tested. The average life span of a Welsh Terrier is 12 to 14 years.
The Welsh Terrier is one of only two terrier breeds that is native to Wales. It is believed that the breed was derived from the Black and Tan Rough Terrier that enjoyed significant popularity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Britain. During the late 1700s, a breed known as the Ynysfor existed along with the Otterhounds in Northern Wales. Around the same timeframe, another dog referred to as the Old English Broken Haired Terrier was in existence in the northern region of England. Both the Ynysfor and the Old English Broken Haired Terrier shared very similar characteristics and were often being shown and classified simultaneously as the same breed. Because of this and the fact that both were used in the hunting of several small games, both of them eventually became one breed known as the Welsh Terrier, regardless of what location the individual dog came from. The Welsh Terrier breed became recognized in 1886 by the English Kennel Club, however the early dogs were not able to compete as show dogs due to their rough nature. Breeders wanted to progress the Welsh and tried to do so by using selective breeding and cross breeding with the Wire Fox Terrier breed. The result of these efforts was the development of a Welsh that had the physical appearance of a miniature Airedale Terrier. While it has become increasingly competitive in the show ring in recent years, the Welsh Terrier has never gained the success that long-legged terriers have seen in competition.


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Barclays to Become First-Ever Title Sponsor of FA Women's Super League
The Football Association [The FA] and Barclays have today announced a landmark partnership, the biggest ever investment in UK women's sport by a brand, with Barclays unveiled as the title sponsor of The FA Women's Super League with effect from the 2019/20 season.
The multimillion-pound partnership – running until July 2022 – will see the top tier of women's football renamed as the 'Barclays FA Women's Super League' and the introduction of record levels of investment into the women's game in England.
The new partnership includes The FA and Barclays working together to drive the growth of the women's game at a grassroots level, with Barclays becoming the lead partner of the FA Girls' Football School Partnerships, a nationwide scheme to help develop girls' access to football at school. The initiative will see a network of hubs delivering bespoke FA programmes for their local network of schools, which will engage, excite and encourage girls to make football a part of their life. Barclays will collaborate with The FA and The Youth Sport Trust to support the development and delivery of 100 Girls' Football School Partnerships.
Kelly Simmons, The FA's Director of Women's Professional Game said: "We are delighted to announce our landmark partnership with Barclays and are looking forward to them joining us on a journey to transform the future of women's football. Their record, multimillion-pound commitment will impact all levels of the game and will support our ambition to make the Barclays FA Women's Super League the world's most successful league, on and off the pitch.
"Of equal importance is the support this provides to The FA Girls' Football School Partnerships, a cornerstone to our ambition to double participation within The FA's Gameplan for Growth strategy and will see girls across the country given the opportunity to begin a relationship with football, which we hope will last a lifetime."
Jes Staley, Group CEO of Barclays, said: "Football has the power to transform young people's lives, boosting their confidence, being part of a team and providing more opportunities to grow. The grassroots work through The FA Girls' Football School Partnerships will help thousands more girls in England to take up sport and we look forward to partnering with The FA to deliver that. Barclays' multi-year investment is also our salute to the professionalism of The FA Women's Super League players, and we hope it will help take the game to new heights, making England's domestic league a world leader. Our commitment to women's and girls' football, at a crucial time in its development, goes beyond pure sponsorship – we believe it can be a key to increasing participation, development and the wider visibility of the female game."
The FA Women's Super League is Europe's only fully professional domestic female football league and this new partnership will help The FA and the clubs transform the women's game in England, driving increased awareness via significant allocated marketing spend, celebrating the league's players and clubs and changing perceptions. The partnership will also see the introduction of an annual £500,000 prize fund for the league, active as of the 2019/20 season and distributed based on final league position.
The announcement is a significant landmark within The FA's Gameplan for Growth strategy, an ambitious four-year strategy announced in 2017 that aims to double participation, double the fan base and create a high-performance system for England teams.
Barclays now supports both women's and men's football at the top tier as it has also renewed its official Banking Partner agreement with the Premier League for a further three years. It will draw on this experience and its previous experience of delivering grassroots sport through its Barclays Spaces for Sports programme to deliver on its commitment to women's and girls' football.
For more information on women's football and FA Women's Super League visit https://womenscompetitions.thefa.com/ or https://home.barclays/wsl


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Good question.
As any regular reader of this blog knows, I have been arguing that the Democratic Congress is going to cut Medicare Advantage payments to HMOs as soon as they get their hands on the federal budget.
If that is a good bet, why wouldn't Medicare HMO stocks be reflecting that risk? Instead, they have generally been up nicely in value since the election.
It is also notable that Wall Street analysts have estimated that Medicare Advantage HMOs will receive a 3% to 4% payment increase in 2008--based upon the payment policies instituted by the Republican Congress.
In fact, a number of key managed care analysts just reaffirmed their confidence in the Medicare HMOs. Matt Perry of Wachovia recently wrote, "We view 3% as a reasonable increase that will sustain membership growth and margins for most plans in 2008." Carl McDonald of CIBC wrote that some Medicare Advantage plans might have to reduce benefits a bit because health care inflation will likely be more than 3% to 4%, "which means products will not be as attractive as they are this year." Matt Borsch of Goldman wrote, "It appears likely that the 2008 MA rate increases will lag medical-cost trend, implying a modest level of benefit reductions and/or member-paid premium increases will be needed to maintain profit margins." However, "We continue to believe that the [Medicare Advantage] program will provide strong growth for managed care companies in 2007 and 2008." (Source: Kaisernetwork.org 2/22)
So, Wall Street would appear very confident that Medicare HMO payments will continue at minimal, but adequate, levels in 2007 and 2008. Based on the fantastic Medicare Advantage profits reported by the Medicare HMO players in 2006, they apparently feel confident the Medicare Advantage growth and margins will remain strong through 2008.
However, all of this is based on CMS continuing to pay the HMOs from the Republican payment base.
Apparently, these analysts don't think the Democrats will be able to cut Medicare Advantage payments presumably because they think the number of seniors enjoying these plans constitute a powerful political force and because George Bush will still wield a powerful Presidential veto until January 2009.
I will counter that they don't know Pete Stark, John Dingell, Charlie Rangel, and Ted Kennedy very well. They also don't understand the power committee chairmen have in the Congress--particularly late in the budget process. They also don't seem to understand how badly the Democratic Congress needs the Medicare Advantage "over payments."
The CBO report yesterday, estimating these "over payments" to be worth $65 billion over five years, just put the icing on the Democratic cake.
Wall Street needs to do a better job of factoring in the political risk to Medicare Advantage plans:
- A Bush veto will do the MA plans no good --an earlier post.
- Why the Democrats Hate Medicare Advantage Plans--an earlier post.
- Why the Democrats need the MA money--an earlier post.
Whey are the HMO stocks doing so well in the face of these Medicare Advantage political risks?
Short-term versus long-term.
Since when did Wall Street care about the long-term?


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Religious infidelity
(Redirected from Infidel)
Religious infidelity (Latin īnfidēlis, from in- "not" + fidēlis "faithful") is the condition of lacking religious beliefs, or of doubting or rejecting the central tenets of a particular religion.
[edit]- We took the liberty to make some enquiries concerning the ground of their pretentions to make war upon nations who had done them no injury, and observed that we considered all mankind as our friends who had done us no wrong, nor had given us any provocation... The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the laws of their Prophet; that it was written in their Koran; that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners; that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners; and that every Mussulman who was slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise. He said, also, that the man who was the first to board a vessel had one slave over and above his share, and that when they sprang to the deck of an enemy's ship, every sailor held a dagger in each hand and a third in his mouth; which usually struck such terror into the foe that they cried out for quarter at once. That it was a law that the first who boarded an Enemy's Vessell should have one slave.
- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Jay (28 March 1786).
- Concerning an interview in London with the ambassador from Tripoli, Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja.
- INFIDEL, n. In New York, one who does not believe in the Christian religion; in Constantinople, one who does.
- Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic's Dictionary (1906); republished as The Devil's Dictionary (1911).
- There is but one thing without honour; smitten with eternal barrenness, inability to do or to be: Insincerity, Unbelief.
- Thomas Carlyle Chartism (1839), Ch. 8
- He ridiculed the absurdity of refusing to believe every thing that you could not understand; and mentioned a rebuke of Dr. Parr's to a man of the name of Frith, and that of another clergyman to a young man, who said he would believe nothing which he could not understand:--'Then, young man, your creed will be the shortest of any man's I know.'
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge Specimens of the Table Talk of S.T. Coleridge 21 April 1811
- Monotheism has manufactured a number of hate-filled words - infidel, kãfir, unbeliever, munkir, mushrik, heathen, heretic, hypocrite, polytheist, pantheist, pagan - which raise unbreakable barriers between brother and brother, and which divide the one human family into a number of warring camps.
- S.R. Goel, Defence of Hindu Society (1983)
- Infidelity and faith look both through the perspective glass, but at contrary ends. Infidelity looks through the wrong end of the glass; and, therefore, sees those objects near which are afar off, and makes great things little,—diminishing the greatest spiritual blessings, and removing far from us threatened evils. Faith looks at the right end, and brings the blessings that are far off in time close to our eye, and multiplies God's mercies, which, in a distance, lost their greatness.
- Bishop Hall Select Thoughts, or Choice Helps for Pious Spirits
- The religion-builders have so distorted and deformed the doctrines of Jesus, so muffled them in mysticisms, fancies and falsehoods, have caricatured them into forms so monstrous and inconceivable, as to shock reasonable thinkers, to revolt them against the whole, and drive them rashly to pronounce its Founder an impostor. Had there never been a commentator, there never would have been an infidel.
- Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Timothy Pickering, Esq. Monticello
- The infidels today think they built missiles and invented the atom - but our Lord shakes them and sends the sea upon them, and the sea rises and floods a city, because this sea is a soldier. He sends an earthquake that splits the earth, and swallows them up with all their missiles and possessions. Why? Because Allah never abandons His believers.
- No one is so much alone in the universe as a denier of God.
- Johann Paul Friedrich Richter Flower, Fruit and Thorn Pieces; or, the Married Life, Death and Wedding of Siebenkäs, Poor Man's Lawyer 1796-97 First Flower-Piece
- Mere negation, mere Epicurean infidelity, as Lord Bacon most justly observes, has never disturbed the peace of the world. It furnishes no motive for action; it inspires no enthusiasm; it has no missionaries, no crusades, no martyrs.
- Thomas Babington Macaulay Edinburgh Review October 1840, review of Ranke's History of the Popes
Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)
[edit]Quotes reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895).
- No matter where the skeptical thought originates, or how it gets access to our minds, we see at once that it flattens the level of life and every aspiration. It makes our character less vigorous. The gospel is not simply a philosophy of religion or law of life, but it is an apocalypse, showing the heavens to our thought, and so bringing its spiritual benedictions to every heart and life.
- Richard Salter Storrs, p. 347.
- Admit their maxims, and the universe returns to a frightful chaos; all things are thrown into disorder upon the earth; all the notions of virtue and vice are overthrown; the most inviolable laws of society are abolished: the discipline of morality is swept away; the government of states and empires ceases to be subject to any rule; the whole harmony of political institutions is dissolved; and the human race becomes an assemblage of madmen, barbarians, cheats, unnatural wretches who have no other laws but force, no other curb than their passions and the dread of authority, no other tie than irreligion and independence, no other gods than themselves.
- Jean Baptiste Massillon, p. 348.
- The nurse of infidelity is sensuality. Youth are sensual. The Bible stands in their way. It prohibits the indulgence of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.
- Richard Cecil, p. 348.
- What ardently we wish, we soon believe.
- Edward Young, p. 348.
- There is not a single spot between Christianity and atheism, upon which a man can firmly fix his foot.
- Nathaniel Emmons, p. 348.
- There is one single fact that one may oppose to all the wit and argument of infidelity; namely, that no man ever repented of being a Christian on his death-bed.
- Hannah More, p. 348.
- The infidelity that springs from the heart is not to be reached by a course of lectures on the evidences of Christianity; argument did not cause, and argument will not remove it.
- Mark Hopkins, p. 348.
- There never yet was a mother who taught her child to be an infidel.
- Henry W. Shaw (better known by his pen name Josh Billings), p. 349.
- Is it for the cultivated man, the man of broad and general views, to throw himself without reserve and with all his weight, into what, for aught he yet knows, may be only a cross-current and eddy, instead of the main stream of truth?
- William Greenough Thayer Shedd, p. 349.
- I know not any crime so great that a man could contrive to commit as poisoning the sources of eternal truth.
- Samuel Johnson, p. 349.
- Freethinkers are generally those that never think at all.
- Laurence Sterne, p. 349.
- Reason is the test of ridicule, not ridicule the test of truth.
- Warburton, p. 349.
- When you see a mad dog, don't argue with him unless you are sure of your logic.
- Charles Spurgeon, p. 349.
- In my judgment, a great mistake has been made by well- meaning and zealous men, through treating error and infidelity with altogether too much respect. I believe that it is safe to say that Christianity is indebted for none of its progress in the world to rational conflicts with infidelity. I do not believe that a single great wrong has ever been overthrown by meeting the advocates of wrong in argument.
- Josiah Gilbert Holland, p. 349.
[edit]- Klein: In the late 1600s, pirates targeted ships sailing from the Muslim Mughal Empire, including convoys taking wealthy pilgrims to Mecca. What role did attitudes toward Islam play into the colonies' support of piracy?
- Dolin: By and large, colonists viewed the pirates of the 1600s as attacking "infidels" despite the fact that the East India Company and the Mughal Empire were valuable trading partners. Colonial governors and elites didn't view it as a sin to rob non-Christians halfway around the world. The colonists could psychologically disassociate themselves with the victims. The sense I got in reading contemporary documents was that the attitude didn't necessarily arise out of a fear of Islam. It was more of not giving a second thought about those people. They didn't feel bad about taking their money and killing them in the process. I think it's as simple, base, and vicious as that.
- Eric Jay Dolin in "The surprising history of American pirates", by Christopher Klein, The Boston Globe, (2018/09/15, updated September 15, 2018).


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DRUKHARI: ARCHON Games Workshop Warhammer 40000
The Archons are the masters of the Drukhari Kabals. Regal and monstrous in equal measure, each wields the power to enslave worlds and destroy civilisations. Archons have fed upon the pain of so many others that it takes true atrocity to invigorate them, so they must lead ever more raids against realspace.
This 11-piece plastic kit makes one Archon clad in Kabalite armour inscribed with runes. The Archon carries a husk blade and splinter pistol, while the cloak of skin and the trophy rack mounted upon his pack proudly display the bounty of horror he has reaped in battle.