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mikroBasic offers a unique mechanism to easily use libraries in your project, just select the libraries you need and they will be instantly available in your code. No need for dozens of #include directives. You can also install and manage third-party libraries using our package manager and library manager.
Simply select the libraries you need for your project, by checking the box. Or press the "Check All" button to include them all.
With more than 1200 library functions you'll save time, effort and you'll write better code.
Visit LibStock and download fully functional and working projects, and install them with a single click.
Every single library that is in our compiler is covered by a working example. More than 104 ready-made working examples, to help you understand how the library works or give you useful code snippets for your project.
The mikroBasic PRO for AVR currently supports 214 AVR and we are constantly adding new ones.
You can be part of the process by letting us know what microcontroller you wish to see supported next, by using our helpdesk and submitting a ticket.
Toolchain | Vendor | Device | Pins | Flash (KB) | RAM (bytes) | Clock (MHz) | mikroProg | Datasheet | |
Programmer | Debugger |
The integrated solution allows for a streamlined workflow. Drag and drop graphic elements while the compiler generates the code automatically in the background. Modify the generated code in the compiler and create event functions. Seamlessly switch between designing and coding using keyboard shortcut F12.
Try it out for yourself and create fully functional GUIs with just a few clicks. And don't worry about the code, the compiler will take care of that.
Visual TFT supports 17 TFT controllers and multiple display resolutions. So, we even have the hardware prepared for your next graphic project.
The ideal environment for you to write, compile, execute, and debug your code. All the tools you could think of, and more, are there. The Library Manager, Interrupt Assistant, Project Explorer, Quick Converter and more.
Click here to get an in-depth explanation of each part of the IDE.
mikroBasic comes equipped with fully-functional software tools that can boost your efficiency and do the job for you, so you can be more productive in your work: LCD Custom Character Tool, GLCD Bitmap Editor, Seven Segment Editor, UART Terminal, UDP Terminal, HID Terminal, ASCII Chart, Active Comments Editor, Interrupt Assistant, Advanced Statistics and much, much more.
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mikroLab contains everything a developer needs to explore the possibilities of the microcontroller architectures we offer: a development board (with integrated programmer and debugger), the compiler license, an assortment of accessories, and as a bonus, a free license for one of our GUI design tools (either Visual TFT or Visual GLCD).
With the integrated Visual TFT you can create amazing user interfaces, simply drag and drop visual elements and the compiler will generate the code for you. Save time and focus on making your graphic design the best possible.
Seamlessly switch between designing and coding using keyboard shortcut F12.
Manage all your data quickly and easily. Make the workspace comfortable and suited to your need. Use the default layout of the IDE, or arrange the windows manually. Navigate through all the projects you are working seamlessly and save time with the intuitive IDE of the mikroBasic compiler.
Edit Project gives you a full overview of the entire set of configuration bits in each chip. Select only among listed options, described in simple terms. Edit project includes predefined schemes of oscillator settings for most widely used microcontrollers. Simply load your desired scheme, and you are ready to go.
Don't waste your time browsing for examples. Let them come to you. New Project Explorer window leads you to your projects. It displays all of compiler's many included examples by default. But simply point the path to any other folder and fast recursion-search algorithm will extract all of projects inside and will display a tree view of your project files up to any depth. Double click opens the project and sets it as active. Easily switch between the projects as often as you want.
Only mikroBasic offers the unique mechanism to easily use any available library in your project. Special OneClick technology allows you to speed up your development.
Just click on the checkboxes of the libraries you need and they will be instantly available in your code. As we always think one step ahead, we programmed Library manager to allow easy usage of third party libraries installed with Package Manager software.
Notice: Visit LibStock and download fully functional and working projects, and install them with a single click.
Control-space is probably the most widely used shortcut among programmers. Why? Because it initiates Code Assistant - programmer's first aid kit. No one needs to memorize function names.
Focus on your code, and let the syntax write itself correctly. Write function calls with one click of your keyboard. Code assistant in mikroBasic PRO for AVR also suggests correct names of constants, URLs, Active comments and variables, so you have it all covered. You don't ever have to get another Syntax error message.
Use Code Completion for all those times when you need to list identifier names that contain a certain word, or when you only know a part of the identifier name.
Simply type \* in the Code Editor, followed by the phrase, and presses Ctrl+Space - a list of identifiers containing this phrase will be shown.
We have developed Active Comments - a unique feature of mikroBasic PRO for AVR. Any comment can become your multimedia event hook.
Add images, files and URLs to any active comment and assign events as you like.
Right Mouse Click can open browser with URL, Mouse Over can display the image, and Double Click can open a specified file.
You can add:
Easily declare a local variable.
The compiler also includes the Interrupt Assistant, that can help you in configuring interrupts.
You can launch it from the drop-down menu Tools › Interrupt Assistant.
Many functions. Even more parameters. Was it word, or byte? You don't have to scroll through Help file.
Just hit CTRL+SHIFT+SPACE and function parameters will be listed for you.
When your code overgrows the size of your screen, it's always better to fold those completed blocks, and work in a clearer surrounding.
This way you can always see the big picture.
What's the point of a compiler if you have to do all the hard work yourself. mikroBasic PRO for AVR offers you several most useful integrated tools that will help you get the job done with minimum effort.
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It even displays ASCII values of your bytes.
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Software simulator supports all debugging modes as hardware debugger, but instead of executing the code on real hardware, it simulates code flow on your PC. Using Watch Clock you can precisely measure the code execution time in microseconds or in clock cycles.
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Take a look at your variables, arrays and constants and know how much memory your program consumes. See which function calls which in the functions tree window. See how big are your functions and how are they linked in memory, which is especially important if you want to write your own bootloader applications.
The live update of the AVR compilers (version 7.0.1) fixes and improves the user experience in the Visual TFT mode.
List of features applies to all three languages (mikroC, mikroPascal, mikroBasic) unless specified otherwise.
See the Project Log for the full list of new features, improvements, and fixes.
cmd line build 7.0.0
DOWNLOADThe new 7.00 version of the AVR compilers integrates Visual TFT, the GUI design software.
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ATtiny102 ATtiny104 ATtiny417 ATtiny814 ATtiny816 ATtiny817 ATmega324PB ATmega328PB ATmega48PB ATmega88PB
Additional 12 MCU supported in AVRFlash:
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Additional 10 MCU supported:
ATxmega128A1U ATxmega32C4 ATxmega128A4U ATxmega384C3 ATxmega128B1 ATxmega384D3 ATxmega128B3 ATxmega64A1U ATxmega128C3 ATxmega64A4U ATxmega128D4 ATxmega64B1 ATxmega16C4 ATxmega64B3 ATxmega192C3 ATxmega64C3 ATxmega256C3 ATxmega64D4
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They don't know we know they know we know
Add a little fun to your kitchen with our quirky kitchen towels!
They're sewn and printed by hand in Michigan from 100% unbleached cotton. They measure approximately 24" x 26" when opened up, and can be thrown in the washer and dryer.
They make a great hostess gift with a bottle of wine, or a fun stocking stuffer or white elephant gift too!

subset: commoncrawl


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This job posting is no longer active.
Category: High School Education
School: Stratford School
Location: San Jose, CA
Date Opened: Mar 6, 2023
Job ID: 506
Stratford School, a subsidiary of Spring Education Group, a leading independent WASC-accredited private school from preschool through 12th grade was founded with a vision of creating an unique, multi-dimensional, educational foundation for children. At Stratford School, we understand every child has his or her own interests and passions and contributes in his or her own way. Our purpose statement speaks for all of us - "Stratford School - Connecting students to their unique futures." Our proven curricula includes our STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) curriculum that was recognized by the White House as a leader in early childhood STEM education. Our steadfast commitment to this vision continues to guide our growth each year. It is the First California school to earn the Carnegie Science Seal of Excellence for STEM.
Interested in working for Spring Education?
Take the first step by joining our Talent Network today!


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Chapter LXV - Full Of Business And Pleasure
The day after the meeting at the play-table, Jos had himself arrayed with unusual care and splendour, and without thinking it necessary to say a word to any member of his family regarding the occurrences of the previous night, or asking for their company in his walk, he sallied forth at an early hour, and was presently seen making inquiries at the door of the Elephant Hotel. In consequence of the fetes the house was full of company, the tables in the street were already surrounded by persons smoking and drinking the national small-beer, the public rooms were in a cloud of smoke, and Mr. Jos having, in his pompous way, and with his clumsy German, made inquiries for the person of whom he was in search, was directed to the very top of the house, above the first-floor rooms where some travelling pedlars had lived, and were exhibiting their jewellery and brocades; above the second-floor apartments occupied by the etat major of the gambling firm; above the third-floor rooms, tenanted by the band of renowned Bohemian vaulters and tumblers; and so on to the little cabins of the roof, where, among students, bagmen, small tradesmen, and country-folks come in for the festival, Becky had found a little nest--as dirty a little refuge as ever beauty lay hid in.
Becky liked the life. She was at home with everybody in the place, pedlars, punters, tumblers, students and all. She was of a wild, roving nature, inherited from father and mother, who were both Bohemians, by taste and circumstance; if a lord was not by, she would talk to his courier with the greatest pleasure; the din, the stir, the drink, the smoke, the tattle of the Hebrew pedlars, the solemn, braggart ways of the poor tumblers, the sournois talk of the gambling-table officials, the songs and swagger of the students, and the general buzz and hum of the place had pleased and tickled the little woman, even when her luck was down and she had not wherewithal to pay her bill. How pleasant was all the bustle to her now that her purse was full of the money which little Georgy had won for her the night before!
As Jos came creaking and puffing up the final stairs, and was speechless when he got to the landing, and began to wipe his face and then to look for No. 92, the room where he was directed to seek for the person he wanted, the door of the opposite chamber, No. 90, was open, and a student, in jack-boots and a dirty schlafrock, was lying on the bed smoking a long pipe; whilst another student in long yellow hair and a braided coat, exceeding smart and dirty too, was actually on his knees at No. 92, bawling through the keyhole supplications to the person within.
"Go away," said a well-known voice, which made Jos thrill, "I expect somebody; I expect my grandpapa. He mustn't see you there."
"Angel Englanderinn!" bellowed the kneeling student with the whity- brown ringlets and the large finger-ring, "do take compassion upon us. Make an appointment. Dine with me and Fritz at the inn in the park. We will have roast pheasants and porter, plum-pudding and French wine. We shall die if you don't."
"That we will," said the young nobleman on the bed; and this colloquy Jos overheard, though he did not comprehend it, for the reason that he had never studied the language in which it was carried on.
"Newmero kattervang dooze, si vous plait," Jos said in his grandest manner, when he was able to speak.
"Quater fang tooce!" said the student, starting up, and he bounced into his own room, where he locked the door, and where Jos heard him laughing with his comrade on the bed.
The gentleman from Bengal was standing, disconcerted by this incident, when the door of the 92 opened of itself and Becky's little head peeped out full of archness and mischief. She lighted on Jos. "It's you," she said, coming out. "How I have been waiting for you! Stop! not yet--in one minute you shall come in." In that instant she put a rouge-pot, a brandy bottle, and a plate of broken meat into the bed, gave one smooth to her hair, and finally let in her visitor.
She had, by way of morning robe, a pink domino, a trifle faded and soiled, and marked here and there with pomaturn; but her arms shone out from the loose sleeves of the dress very white and fair, and it was tied round her little waist so as not ill to set off the trim little figure of the wearer. She led Jos by the hand into her garret. "Come in," she said. "Come and talk to me. Sit yonder on the chair"; and she gave the civilian's hand a little squeeze and laughingly placed him upon it. As for herself, she placed herself on the bed--not on the bottle and plate, you may be sure--on which Jos might have reposed, had he chosen that seat; and so there she sat and talked with her old admirer. "How little years have changed you," she said with a look of tender interest. "I should have known you anywhere. What a comfort it is amongst strangers to see once more the frank honest face of an old friend!"
The frank honest face, to tell the truth, at this moment bore any expression but one of openness and honesty: it was, on the contrary, much perturbed and puzzled in look. Jos was surveying the queer little apartment in which he found his old flame. One of her gowns hung over the bed, another depending from a hook of the door; her bonnet obscured half the looking-glass, on which, too, lay the prettiest little pair of bronze boots; a French novel was on the table by the bedside, with a candle, not of wax. Becky thought of popping that into the bed too, but she only put in the little paper night-cap with which she had put the candle out on going to sleep.
"I should have known you anywhere," she continued; "a woman never forgets some things. And you were the first man I ever--I ever saw."
"Was I really?" said Jos. "God bless my soul, you--you don't say so."
"When I came with your sister from Chiswick, I was scarcely more than a child," Becky said. "How is that, dear love? Oh, her husband was a sad wicked man, and of course it was of me that the poor dear was jealous. As if I cared about him, heigho! when there was somebody--but no--don't let us talk of old times"; and she passed her handkerchief with the tattered lace across her eyelids.
"Is not this a strange place," she continued, "for a woman, who has lived in a very different world too, to be found in? I have had so many griefs and wrongs, Joseph Sedley; I have been made to suffer so cruelly that I am almost made mad sometimes. I can't stay still in any place, but wander about always restless and unhappy. All my friends have been false to me--all. There is no such thing as an honest man in the world. I was the truest wife that ever lived, though I married my husband out of pique, because somebody else--but never mind that. I was true, and he trampled upon me and deserted me. I was the fondest mother. I had but one child, one darling, one hope, one joy, which I held to my heart with a mother's affection, which was my life, my prayer, my--my blessing; and they-- they tore it from me--tore it from me"; and she put her hand to her heart with a passionate gesture of despair, burying her face for a moment on the bed.
The brandy-bottle inside clinked up against the plate which held the cold sausage. Both were moved, no doubt, by the exhibition of so much grief. Max and Fritz were at the door, listening with wonder to Mrs. Becky's sobs and cries. Jos, too, was a good deal frightened and affected at seeing his old flame in this condition. And she began, forthwith, to tell her story--a tale so neat, simple, and artless that it was quite evident from hearing her that if ever there was a white-robed angel escaped from heaven to be subject to the infernal machinations and villainy of fiends here below, that spotless being--that miserable unsullied martyr, was present on the bed before Jos--on the bed, sitting on the brandy-bottle.
They had a very long, amicable, and confidential talk there, in the course of which Jos Sedley was somehow made aware (but in a manner that did not in the least scare or offend him) that Becky's heart had first learned to beat at his enchanting presence; that George Osborne had certainly paid an unjustifiable court to HER, which might account for Amelia's jealousy and their little rupture; but that Becky never gave the least encouragement to the unfortunate officer, and that she had never ceased to think about Jos from the very first day she had seen him, though, of course, her duties as a married woman were paramount--duties which she had always preserved, and would, to her dying day, or until the proverbially bad climate in which Colonel Crawley was living should release her from a yoke which his cruelty had rendered odious to her.
Jos went away, convinced that she was the most virtuous, as she was one of the most fascinating of women, and revolving in his mind all sorts of benevolent schemes for her welfare. Her persecutions ought to be ended: she ought to return to the society of which she was an ornament. He would see what ought to be done. She must quit that place and take a quiet lodging. Amelia must come and see her and befriend her. He would go and settle about it, and consult with the Major. She wept tears of heart-felt gratitude as she parted from him, and pressed his hand as the gallant stout gentleman stooped down to kiss hers.
So Becky bowed Jos out of her little garret with as much grace as if it was a palace of which she did the honours; and that heavy gentleman having disappeared down the stairs, Max and Fritz came out of their hole, pipe in mouth, and she amused herself by mimicking Jos to them as she munched her cold bread and sausage and took draughts of her favourite brandy-and-water.
Jos walked over to Dobbin's lodgings with great solemnity and there imparted to him the affecting history with which he had just been made acquainted, without, however, mentioning the play business of the night before. And the two gentlemen were laying their heads together and consulting as to the best means of being useful to Mrs. Becky, while she was finishing her interrupted dejeuner a la fourchette.
How was it that she had come to that little town? How was it that she had no friends and was wandering about alone? Little boys at school are taught in their earliest Latin book that the path of Avernus is very easy of descent. Let us skip over the interval in the history of her downward progress. She was not worse now than she had been in the days of her prosperity--only a little down on her luck.
As for Mrs. Amelia, she was a woman of such a soft and foolish disposition that when she heard of anybody unhappy, her heart straightway melted towards the sufferer; and as she had never thought or done anything mortally guilty herself, she had not that abhorrence for wickedness which distinguishes moralists much more knowing. If she spoiled everybody who came near her with kindness and compliments--if she begged pardon of all her servants for troubling them to answer the bell--if she apologized to a shopboy who showed her a piece of silk, or made a curtsey to a street- sweeper with a complimentary remark upon the elegant state of his crossing--and she was almost capable of every one of these follies-- the notion that an old acquaintance was miserable was sure to soften her heart; nor would she hear of anybody's being deservedly unhappy. A world under such legislation as hers would not be a very orderly place of abode; but there are not many women, at least not of the rulers, who are of her sort. This lady, I believe, would have abolished all gaols, punishments, handcuffs, whippings, poverty, sickness, hunger, in the world, and was such a mean-spirited creature that--we are obliged to confess it--she could even forget a mortal injury.
When the Major heard from Jos of the sentimental adventure which had just befallen the latter, he was not, it must be owned, nearly as much interested as the gentleman from Bengal. On the contrary, his excitement was quite the reverse from a pleasurable one; he made use of a brief but improper expression regarding a poor woman in distress, saying, in fact, "The little minx, has she come to light again?" He never had had the slightest liking for her, but had heartily mistrusted her from the very first moment when her green eyes had looked at, and turned away from, his own.
"That little devil brings mischief wherever she goes," the Major said disrespectfully. "Who knows what sort of life she has been leading? And what business has she here abroad and alone? Don't tell me about persecutors and enemies; an honest woman always has friends and never is separated from her family. Why has she left her husband? He may have been disreputable and wicked, as you say. He always was. I remember the confounded blackleg and the way in which he used to cheat and hoodwink poor George. Wasn't there a scandal about their separation? I think I heard something," cried out Major Dobbin, who did not care much about gossip, and whom Jos tried in vain to convince that Mrs. Becky was in all respects a most injured and virtuous female.
"Well, well; let's ask Mrs. George," said that arch-diplomatist of a Major. "Only let us go and consult her. I suppose you will allow that she is a good judge at any rate, and knows what is right in such matters."
"Hm! Emmy is very well," said Jos, who did not happen to be in love with his sister.
"Very well? By Gad, sir, she's the finest lady I ever met in my life," bounced out the Major. "I say at once, let us go and ask her if this woman ought to be visited or not--I will be content with her verdict." Now this odious, artful rogue of a Major was thinking in his own mind that he was sure of his case. Emmy, he remembered, was at one time cruelly and deservedly jealous of Rebecca, never mentioned her name but with a shrinking and terror--a jealous woman never forgives, thought Dobbin: and so the pair went across the street to Mrs. George's house, where she was contentedly warbling at a music lesson with Madame Strumpff.
When that lady took her leave, Jos opened the business with his usual pomp of words. "Amelia, my dear," said he, "I have just had the most extraordinary--yes--God bless my soul! the most extraordinary adventure--an old friend--yes, a most interesting old friend of yours, and I may say in old times, has just arrived here, and I should like you to see her."
"Her!" said Amelia, "who is it? Major Dobbin, if you please not to break my scissors." The Major was twirling them round by the little chain from which they sometimes hung to their lady's waist, and was thereby endangering his own eye.
It is a woman whom I dislike very much," said the Major, doggedly, "and whom you have no cause to love."
"It is Rebecca, I'm sure it is Rebecca," Amelia said, blushing and being very much agitated.
"You are right; you always are," Dobbin answered. Brussels, Waterloo, old, old times, griefs, pangs, remembrances, rushed back into Amelia's gentle heart and caused a cruel agitation there.
"Don't let me see her," Emmy continued. "I couldn't see her."
"I told you so," Dobbin said to Jos.
"She is very unhappy, and--and that sort of thing," Jos urged. "She is very poor and unprotected, and has been ill--exceedingly ill--and that scoundrel of a husband has deserted her."
"Ah!" said Amelia
"She hasn't a friend in the world," Jos went on, not undexterously, "and she said she thought she might trust in you. She's so miserable, Emmy. She has been almost mad with grief. Her story quite affected me--'pon my word and honour, it did--never was such a cruel persecution borne so angelically, I may say. Her family has been most cruel to her."
"Poor creature!" Amelia said.
"And if she can get no friend, she says she thinks she'll die," Jos proceeded in a low tremulous voice. "God bless my soul! do you know that she tried to kill herself? She carries laudanum with her-- I saw the bottle in her room--such a miserable little room--at a third-rate house, the Elephant, up in the roof at the top of all. I went there."
This did not seem to affect Emmy. She even smiled a little. Perhaps she figured Jos to herself panting up the stair.
"She's beside herself with grief," he resumed. "The agonies that woman has endured are quite frightful to hear of. She had a little boy, of the same age as Georgy."
"Yes, yes, I think I remember," Emmy remarked. "Well?"
"The most beautiful child ever seen," Jos said, who was very fat, and easily moved, and had been touched by the story Becky told; "a perfect angel, who adored his mother. The ruffians tore him shrieking out of her arms, and have never allowed him to see her."
"Dear Joseph," Emmy cried out, starting up at once, "let us go and see her this minute." And she ran into her adjoining bedchamber, tied on her bonnet in a flutter, came out with her shawl on her arm, and ordered Dobbin to follow.
He went and put her shawl--it was a white cashmere, consigned to her by the Major himself from India--over her shoulders. He saw there was nothing for it but to obey, and she put her hand into his arm, and they went away.
"It is number 92, up four pair of stairs," Jos said, perhaps not very willing to ascend the steps again; but he placed himself in the window of his drawing-room, which commands the place on which the Elephant stands, and saw the pair marching through the market.
It was as well that Becky saw them too from her garret, for she and the two students were chattering and laughing there; they had been joking about the appearance of Becky's grandpapa--whose arrival and departure they had witnessed--but she had time to dismiss them, and have her little room clear before the landlord of the Elephant, who knew that Mrs. Osborne was a great favourite at the Serene Court, and respected her accordingly, led the way up the stairs to the roof story, encouraging Miladi and the Herr Major as they achieved the ascent.
"Gracious lady, gracious lady!" said the landlord, knocking at Becky's door; he had called her Madame the day before, and was by no means courteous to her.
"Who is it?" Becky said, putting out her head, and she gave a little scream. There stood Emmy in a tremble, and Dobbin, the tall Major, with his cane.
He stood still watching, and very much interested at the scene; but Emmy sprang forward with open arms towards Rebecca, and forgave her at that moment, and embraced her and kissed her with all her heart. Ah, poor wretch, when was your lip pressed before by such pure kisses?


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Read: History of Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is not a new drug, although it has become more powerful in recent years as techniques for its manufacture have evolved.
Amphetamine was first made in 1887 in Germany and methamphetamine, more potent and easy to make, was developed in Japan in 1919. The crystalline powder was soluble in water, making it a perfect candidate for injection.
Methamphetamine went into wide use during World War II, when both sides used it to keep troops awake. High doses were given to Japanese Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. And after the war, methamphetamine abuse by injection reached epidemic proportions when supplies stored for military use became available to the Japanese public.
In the 1950s, methamphetamine was prescribed as a diet aid and to fight depression. Easily available, it was used as a nonmedical stimulant by college students, truck drivers and athletes and abuse of the drug spread.
This pattern changed markedly in the 1960s with the increased availability of injectable methamphetamine, worsening the abuse.
Then, in 1970, the US government made it illegal for most uses. After that, American motorcycle gangs controlled most of the production and distribution of the drug. Most users at the time lived in rural communities and could not afford the more expensive cocaine.
In the 1990s, Mexican drug trafficking organizations set up large laboratories in California. While these massive labs are able to generate fifty pounds of the substance in a single weekend, smaller private labs have sprung up in kitchens and apartments, earning the drug one of its names, "stove top." From there it spread across the United States and into Europe, through the Czech Republic. Today, most of the drug available in Asia is produced in Thailand, Myanmar and China.


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Debate rivals assail Warren as she joins Democrats' top rank
WASHINGTON-The Associated Press
Elizabeth Warren repeatedly came under attack during Oct. 15's Democratic presidential debate as rivals accused the Massachusetts senator of ducking questions about the cost of Medicare for All and her signature "wealth tax" plan in an attempt to derail her rising campaign.
The pile-on reinforced her new status as a front-runner in the contest to take on President Donald Trump next year. With first state primaries rapidly approaching, her many challengers have dwindling opportunities to emerge as powerful alternatives to the progressive agenda she's championing.
The night's confrontations were mostly fought on familiar terrain for the Democrats, who have spent months sparring over the future of health care with former Vice President Joe Biden and other moderates pressing for a measured approach while Warren and Sen.
Bernie Sanders call for a dramatic, government-funded overhaul of the insurance market. Still, unlike Sanders, Warren refused to say whether she would raise taxes on the middle class to pay for a Medicare for All universal health insurance plan - a stance that's increasingly difficult to maintain given her more prominent status.
Her rivals seized on the opportunity to pounce.
"I appreciate Elizabeth's work but, again, the difference between a plan and a pipe dream is something you can actually get done," said Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, added: "We heard it tonight. A 'yes' or 'no' question that didn't get a 'yes' or 'no' answer."
Warren insisted that she has "made clear what my principles are here," arguing that lower premiums would mean that overall costs would go down for most Americans.
California Sen. Kamala Harris tried to get in on the action on another subject, scolding Warren for not echoing her calls for Twitter to suspend Trump's account. Warren responded, "I don't just want to push Trump off of Twitter. I want to push him out of the White House."
Featuring a dozen candidates, the debate sponsored by CNN and The New York Times was the largest in modern history. It was the first time the White House hopefuls gathered in a little more than a month. In that time, the political landscape has changed with Trump facing an impeachment inquiry in the House centered on his quest to get Ukraine to dig up unflattering details about Biden, another front-runner among the Democrats hoping to unseat the president.
The debate also served as Sanders' return to the campaign trail following a heart attack earlier this month. The Vermont senator failed to show all the fire of previous debates but made his points with force. He was applauded when he thanked supporters and rivals for their good wishes and declared, "I'm feeling great."
The debate touched on foreign policy, too. Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who served in Iraq with the Army, questioned the need for U.S. involvement in "regime change" conflicts in the Middle East. That prompted Buttigieg, himself a veteran, to respond: "What we are doing or what we were doing in Syria was keeping our word."
"I would have a hard time today looking an Afghan civilian or soldier in the eye after what just happened over there," said Buttigieg, who served in Afghanistan. "It is undermining the honor of our soldiers. You take away the honor of our soldiers, you might as well go after their body armor next."
Biden has faced the sharpest criticism from rivals in previous debates. But fewer candidates engaged with him on Oct. 15 as they trained their focus on Warren.
Still, he struggled to fully explain why his newly promised ethics plan to prevent conflicts of interest involving his relatives wasn't applied to his son Hunter when he was hired in 2014 as a director for a Ukrainian energy company.
That relationship has become a focal point of Trump's push for a Ukrainian government probe of the Bidens - an effort that was a major factor leading to the House impeachment inquiry.
On Oct. 13, Biden had vowed that "no one in my family will have an office in the White House, will sit in on meetings as if they're a Cabinet member, will in fact have any business relationship with anyone that relates to a foreign corporation or a foreign country."
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper asked, "If it's not OK for a president's family to be involved in foreign businesses, why was it OK for your son when you were vice president?"
Biden faltered some before offering, "My son did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong."
Toward the end, Biden was more confident when he accused Warren and Sanders of "being vague" on the true costs of Medicare for All.
"Tell people what it's going to cost, how you're going to do it and why you're going to do it," he said.
Sanders responded by criticizing the former vice president's record, including his support for what Sanders called the "disastrous war in Iraq." Warren also accused Biden of not doing enough as vice president to empower a consumer financial protection agency she helped set up in the wake of the national financial crisis.
"I went on the floor and got you votes," Biden responded, waving his finger at Warren.
Warren answered that she was "deeply grateful" that then-President Barack Obama supported her efforts, implying that Biden didn't help.
She swatted back at criticism of her sweeping plan to tax wealth Americans to pay for her domestic agenda. Klobuchar said she wanted to provide a "reality check" on the issue while former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke suggested it was "punitive."
Warren framed the measure as part of the ambitious agenda she's pitching to fundamentally reshape the economic and political system.
"Look, I understand that this is hard, but I think as Democrats we are going to succeed when we dream big and fight hard, not when we dream small and quit before we get started," Warren answered.
Though Warren fielded much of the criticism on Oct. 15, other rivalries emerged.
O'Rourke and Buttigieg argued about gun control, with the mayor saying the Texan himself wasn't even sure how the mandatory federal buyback of assault weapons he's called for would work. That touched off a stretch where both candidates talked over one another.
At one point, Buttigieg told O'Rourke: "I don't need lessons from you on courage, political or personal."
Also debating were New York entrepreneur Andrew Yang, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro and billionaire activist Tom Steyer.
Ocasio-Cortez, Omar endorse Bernie Sanders for president
Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar are endorsing Bernie Sanders for president.
The Sanders campaign confirmed the backing of two members of "The Squad" on Oct. 15.
The 30-year-old Ocasio-Cortez and 38-year-old Omar are progressive stars and frequent targets of President Donald Trump
Sanders' deputy communications director Sarah Ford says Ocasio-Cortez will appear with the senator at a rally in her home district in New York this weekend.
Sanders hinted at her backing during Oct. 15's Democratic debate in response to a question about his age, saying his skeptics should attend his rally on Oct. 19 featuring a "surprise guest."


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THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I appreciate the fact that the United States Senate is going to take up the free trade agreement with Peru today. This agreement will level the playing field for American goods and services. It will create new opportunities for investment. It will strengthen our friendship with a fellow democracy. The House of Representatives has passed this bill; I congratulate the House leadership. And I certainly hope the Senate will pass it, as well. This will be a very positive step.
And now I'll be glad to answer some questions, starting with Terry Hunt.
Q Mr. President, a new intelligence report says that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program four years ago, and that it remains frozen. Are you still convinced that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb? And do the new findings take the military option that you've talked about off the table?
THE PRESIDENT: Here's what we know. We know that they're still trying to learn how to enrich uranium. We know that enriching uranium is an important step in a country who wants to develop a weapon. We know they had a program. We know the program is halted.
I think it is very important for the international community to recognize the fact that if Iran were to develop the knowledge that they could transfer to a clandestine program it would create a danger for the world. And so I view this report as a warning signal that they had the program, they halted the program. And the reason why it's a warning signal is that they could restart it. And the thing that would make a restarted program effective and dangerous is the ability to enrich uranium, the knowledge of which could be passed on to a hidden program.
And so it's a -- to me, the NIE provides an opportunity for us to rally the international community -- continue to rally the community to pressure the Iranian regime to suspend its program.
You know, the NIE also said that such pressure was effective, and that's what our government has been explaining to other partners in keeping the international pressure on Iran. The best diplomacy, effective diplomacy, is one of which all options are on the table.
Q Mr. President, Iraq's WMD turned out not to be there, and now Iran halted its nuclear program in 2003. Are you concerned that the United States is losing credibility in the world, and now may be seen as the boy who cries -- who called wolf?
THE PRESIDENT: Actually, I am -- I want to compliment the intelligence community for their good work. Right after the failure of intelligence in Iraq, we reformed the intel community so that there was a lot of serious considerations of NIEs in a way that would give us confidence. And here's a, I think, a very important product that is a result of the reforms we've put in place. As a matter of fact, the American people should have confidence that the reforms are working, and that this work on the intel community is important work.
People said, well, why is it that you can't get exact knowledge quicker? Well, the answer is, is because we're dealing with a regime that is not very transparent and, frankly, we haven't had a very good presence in Iran since 1979. And that's why I instructed the intel community to beef up its intelligence on Iran, so we could have a better sense for what they're thinking and what they're doing. And this product is a result of intelligence reform and, more importantly, the good, hard work of our intelligence community.
One of the reasons why this is out in the public arena is because I wanted -- and our administration believed that, one, it was important for people to know the facts as we see them. Secondly, that members of my administration had been very clear about the weapons program earlier this year and, therefore, it's important for the American people to see that there has been a
-- a reevaluation of the Iranian issue.
Q Mr. President, thank you. I'd like to follow on that. When you talked about Iraq, you and others in the administration talked about a mushroom cloud; then there were no WMD in Iraq. When it came to Iran, you said in October, on October 17th, you warned about the prospect of World War III, when months before you made that statement, this intelligence about them suspending their weapons program back in '03 had already come to light to this administration. So can't you be accused of hyping this threat? And don't you worry that that undermines U.S. credibility?
THE PRESIDENT: David, I don't want to contradict an august reporter such as yourself, but I was made aware of the NIE last week. In August, I think it was Mike McConnell came in and said, we have some new information. He didn't tell me what the information was; he did tell me it was going to take a while to analyze. Why would you take time to analyze new information? One, you want to make sure it's not disinformation. You want to make sure the piece of intelligence you have is real. And secondly, they want to make sure they understand the intelligence they gathered: If they think it's real, then what does it mean? And it wasn't until last week that I was briefed on the NIE that is now public.
And the second part of your question has to do with this. Look, Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous, and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon. The NIE says that Iran had a hidden -- a covert nuclear weapons program. That's what it said. What's to say they couldn't start another covert nuclear weapons program? And the best way to ensure that the world is peaceful in the future is for the international community to continue to work together to say to the Iranians, we're going to isolate you. However, there is a better way forward for the Iranians.
Now, in 2003, the Iranian government began to come to the table in discussions with the EU-3, facilitated by the United States. In other words, we said to the EU-3, we'll support your efforts to say to the Iranians, you have a choice to make: You can continue to do policy that will isolate you, or there's a better way forward, so that it was the sticks-and-carrots approach.
You might remember the United States said at that point in time, we'll put the WTO on the table for consideration, or we'll help you with spare parts for your airplanes. It was all an attempt to take advantage of what we thought was a more open-minded Iranian regime at the time -- a willingness of this regime to talk about a way forward. And then the Iranians had elections, and Ahmadinejad announced that -- to the IAEA that he was going to -- this is after, by the way, the Iranians had suspended their enrichment program -- he said, we're going to stop the suspension, we'll start up the program again. And that's where we are today.
My point is, is that there is a better way forward for the Iranians. There has been a moment during my presidency in which diplomacy provided a way forward for the Iranians. And our hope is we can get back on that path again. But what is certain is that if Iran ever had the knowledge to develop a nuclear weapon and they passed that knowledge on to a covert program, which at one time in their history has existed, the world would be more dangerous. And now is the time for the international community to work together.
Q Mr. President, thank you. Just to follow, I understand what you're saying about when you were informed about the NIE. Are you saying at no point while the rhetoric was escalating, as "World War III" was making it into conversation, at no point nobody from your intelligence team or your administration was saying, maybe you want to back it down a little bit?
THE PRESIDENT: No, nobody ever told me that. Having said -- having laid that out, I still feel strongly that Iran is a danger. Nothing has changed in this NIE that says, okay, why don't we just stop worrying about it. Quite the contrary. I think the NIE makes it clear that Iran needs to be taken seriously as a threat to peace. My opinion hasn't changed.
And I just explained, Jim, that if you want to avoid a really problematic situation in the Middle East, now is the time to continue to work together. That's our message to our allies, and it's an important message for them to hear. And here's the reason why: In order for a nation to develop a nuclear weapons program they must have the materials from which to make a bomb, the know-how on how to take that material and make it explode, and a delivery system.
Now, the Iranians -- the most difficult aspect of developing a weapons program, or as some would say, the long pole in the tent, is enriching uranium. This is a nation -- Iran is a nation that is testing ballistic missiles. And it is a nation that is trying to enrich uranium. The NIE says this is a country that had a covert nuclear weapons program, which, by the way, they have failed to disclose, even today. They have never admitted the program existed in the first place.
The danger is, is that they can enrich, play like they got a civilian program -- or have a civilian program, or claim it's a civilian program -- and pass the knowledge to a covert military program. And then the danger is, is at some point in the future, they show up with a weapon. And my comments are, now is the time to work together to prevent that scenario from taking place. It's in our interests.
Yes, ma'am.
Q Mr. Bush, how can you say nothing has changed? You may see it this way, but the rest of the world is going to see the lead as the fact that the nuclear weapons program was halted in 2003.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
Q When you first saw this, weren't you angry? You didn't know about Syria. In 2005, you had the same assessment, "with high confidence that Iran currently is determined to develop nuclear weapons." And now, quite the opposite. How can you possibly think the rest of the world is going to continue -- to the degree it did -- to rally around you and your intelligence?
THE PRESIDENT: Because many in the world understand that if Iran developed a nuclear weapon, the world would be a very dangerous place. Secondly, many of the world are going to take heart in noting that it's diplomatic pressure that caused them to change their mind. And plenty of people understand that if they learn how to enrich, that knowledge can be transferred to a weapons program, if Iran so chooses.
And I think this is a -- it's a -- to me, it's a way for us to continue to rally our partners. That's why I'm working the phones and Condi Rice is working the phones. All of us are calling our partners. And I appreciate many of the comments that have come out of the capitals.
One thing is for certain. The NIE talks about how a carrot-and-stick approach can work. And this is heartening news to people who believe that, on the one hand, we should exert pressure, and on the other hand, we should provide the Iranians a way forward. And it was working until Ahmadinejad came in. And our hope is that the Iranians will get diplomacy back on track.
Yes, ma'am.
Q Why should you trust this intelligence if it's different than 2005? Why should we trust it any more?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know, I'm -- without getting into sources and that, that's -- I believe that the intelligence community has made a great discovery, and they've analyzed the discovery, and it's now part of our government policy.
Toby, I apologize for getting immediately to the TV people. That's bad protocol, I should have called on you.
Q She went already.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, she already has --
Q Yes, you're getting on TV. (Laughter.)
Q I've got another question, though.
THE PRESIDENT: I'm having such a good time, I forgot what passed.
Q You're just afraid I'll ask another follow-up, which I'd love to.
THE PRESIDENT: No, but you're just going to -- (laughter.)
Q Okay, 2005, why --
THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me, Toby.
Q Thank you. Another issue -- on another issue of credibility in the Mideast, at the Annapolis summit, you used your influence to get Saudi Arabia to the table. But I wonder whether now you will use your influence to do something about the Saudi rape case that's gotten so much international attention. What goes through your mind when you hear about a 19-year-old Saudi women getting gang-raped by seven men and basically a Saudi court blames the victim and sentenced her to 200 lashes? You spoke to King Abdullah by telephone in the last couple of weeks. Did you press him on this case? If so, what did you say? And if not, are you giving him a pass?
THE PRESIDENT: My first thoughts were these: What happens if this happened to my daughter? How would I react? And I would have been -- I would have been -- I'd have been very emotional, of course. I'd have been angry at those who committed the crime, and I'd be angry at a state that didn't support the victim. And our opinions were expressed by Dana Perino from the podium and --
Q But did you press King Abdullah about it, personally?
THE PRESIDENT: I talked to King Abdullah about the Middle Eastern peace. I don't remember if that subject came up.
Q But if it's that important to you, why wouldn't you bring it -- at that level, bring it directly up to King Abdullah?
THE PRESIDENT: We'll have plenty of time. He knows our position loud and clear.
Q Maybe we could switch to the economy just for one second, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Wait a minute, that's not a diss on the front row, is it?
Q Not at all, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Well, they're not taking it that way, it looks like --
Q They're misreading it. (Laughter.)
There's a lot of indications that people are increasingly concerned about the state of the economy and the outlook for the next couple of years. Your administration is considering a plan to help people out with their mortgage payments, but I wonder if there's anything else beyond that that you've got in mind? If you could just give us your thoughts about all this.
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, let me talk about the Paulson-Jackson initiative. They're working with lenders, service industry people and investors to come up with a plan that would make it easier for qualified home buyers to stay in their homes -- and I appreciate their efforts. And that's an important part of what I'm about to say, and that is this: First of all, the basics in the economy are good. Inflation is low, job creation is good, interest rates are low, productivity is up, exports are up. In other words, the basic underpinnings of the economy are strong.
Secondly, we are addressing the current issues, and home ownership is a current issue. And no question it's a headwind; it's a part of why many people are saying that the economy is slowing down. Thirdly, Secretary Paulson has worked with the private sector on a credit reassurance fund. Fourthly, we have called consistently on Congress to pass measures that will help keep the economy strong. And one -- such as the free trade agreement, which I heralded today. That's a signal, John, that as you keep opening up markets it will help the psychology of the country. There's not going to be an immediate impact on Peru; I mean, it's not going to happen next month. But nevertheless, when the country is country is confident we'll continue to open up markets for goods and services, it should say that this administration is aggressively pursuing pro-growth policies.
And the main thing we're going to do is make it clear that Congress is not going to raise taxes during a time when this economy could be slowing down.
So I'm optimistic. I recognize there's some serious issues -- the credit crunch, as well as the home building industry. I am concerned about people who may not be able to stay in their homes. That's of concern to me and our administration. That's why we're taking the action we're taking.
Q Mr. President, good morning.
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, Ed. Thank you, appreciate that. A little ray of sunshine here. (Laughter.)
Q We do all we can. (Laughter.)
Sir, was the government too slow in this case to recognize the sub-prime mortgage problem? And what specific expects -- do you expect to see with the economy on the proposals that will be coming later this week?
THE PRESIDENT: We've been working on this since August, Ed. And ours is a belief that, one, we shouldn't bail out lenders. And so -- in other words, we shouldn't be using taxpayers' money and say, okay, you made a lousy loan, therefore we're going to subsidize you.
Secondly, that we recognize there's -- this is a -- the home mortgage industry is a little more complex than in the past. The old days, you'd go to your local savings and loans or your bank, get your home mortgage, and if you had a problem, you go back to the banker that loaned you the money and renegotiate if possible. Now what has happened, as you know, people have taken those mortgages and bundled them up as securities. And somebody else owns the mortgage -- it's not the originating bank, it's somebody else owns the mortgage.
And so Secretary Paulson is working with a more complex industry than we've had in the past. And that's why it's taken a while, Ed, because not only do you have the lender, you now have a whole service industry that has arisen that will hopefully help people stay in their homes -- that's their job -- but you've also got people all around the world who now own U.S. mortgages and assets that are U.S. mortgage -- bundles of U.S. mortgages.
And so it's a complex assignment. I'm pleased with the work that the Secretary is doing, both Secretaries are doing. I think they're making pretty good progress.
Q Mr. President, to go back to Iran for a minute, the Non-Proliferation Treaty doesn't prohibit a country like Iran from having the knowledge to enrich uranium. Are you setting a different standard in this case, and a different international obligation on Iran? And is that going to complicate the efforts to keep the pressure on when it comes to sanctions at the United Nations?
THE PRESIDENT: The problem that most of the world has seen in Iran stems from the fact that they hid their program. That's what the NIE says. The '68 agreement that Iran signed contemplated full transparency and openness. They didn't contemplate a regime that would have a covert nuclear weapons program -- all the more reason for the international community to continue to work together. If somebody hid their program once, they could hide it again. If somebody defied the agreement that they signed, the codicils of the agreement they signed, they could do it again. And most of the world understands that Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a serious danger to peace. And therefore, now is the time to work together to convince them to suspend their program.
People say, would you ever talk to Iran? For you veterans here, for those who have been following this administration for a while, you might remember that I have consistently said that we will be at the table with the EU-3 if Iran would verifiably suspend their program -- and the offer still stands.
What changed was the change of leadership in Iran. We had a diplomatic track going, and Ahmadinejad came along and took a different tone. And the Iranian people must understand that the tone and actions of their government are that which is isolating them. There's a better way forward for Iran. There's a better way forward for the Iranian people than one in which they find themselves isolated in the world. Their economy can be stronger. But their leadership is going to have to understand that defiance, and hiding programs and defying IAEA is not the way forward.
And my hope is, is that the Iranian regime takes a look at their policies and changes their policies back to where we were prior to the election of Ahmadinejad, which was a hopeful period. They had suspended their program, they were at the table. The United States had made some very positive gestures to convince them that there was a better way forward. And hopefully we can get back to that day.
Q Mr. President, thank you. I'd like to ask for one clarification and one question, if I may.
THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Depends on what the clarification is.
Q The clarification is, are you saying that this NIE will not lead to a change in U.S. policy toward Iran, or shift in focus?
THE PRESIDENT: I'm saying that I believed before the NIE that Iran was dangerous, and I believe after the NIE that Iran is dangerous. And I believe now is the time for the world to do the hard work necessary to convince the Iranians there is a better way forward. And I say, hard work -- here's why it's hard. One, many companies are fearful of losing market share in Iran to another company. It's one thing to get governments to speak out; it's another thing to convince private sector concerns that it's in our collective interests to pressure the Iranian regime economically.
So I spend a fair amount of time trying to convince our counterparts that they need to convince the private sector folks that it is in their interests and for the sake of peace that there be a common effort to convince the Iranians to change their ways, and that there's a better way forward.
So our policy remains the same. I see a danger. And many in the world see the same danger. This report is not a "okay, everybody needs to relax and quit" report. This is a report that says what has happened in the past could be repeated, and that the policies used to cause the regime to halt are effective policies, and let's keep them up, let's continue to work together.
Question, please.
Q What does the vote in Venezuela mean for the U.S.? Obviously this is a major loss for Hugo Chavez, a leader who has repeatedly referred to you as the "devil." Before his effort for this never-ending terms in office, he told a crowd confidently, quote, "Anyone who votes 'no' is voting for George W. Bush. Our true enemy is the U.S. empire, and on Sunday, December 2nd, we're going to give another knock-out to Bush." What's your reaction to Chavez's opponents winning?
THE PRESIDENT: The Venezuelan people rejected one-man rule. They voted for democracy. And the United States can make a difference in South America, in terms of Venezuelan influence.
And here's how: The Congress can pass a free trade agreement with Colombia. People say, well, how does that affect U.S.-Venezuelan relations, or the relations of Venezuela in South American with other countries, and here's how -- and I like to quote Prime Minister Stephen Harper who said, the biggest fear in South America is not the leader in Venezuela, but the biggest fear for stability is if the United States Congress rejects the free trade agreement with Colombia.
It would be an insult to a friend. It would send a contradictory message to a country led by a very strong leader, who is working hard to deal with some very difficult problems, one of which is armed gangs of people that are ruthless and brutal -- people who just kidnap innocent people for the sake of achieving political objectives.
And so a vote for democracy took place, a very strong vote for democracy. And the United States policy can help promote democracies and stability. And again, I'm going to repeat to you: If the Congress does not pass the free trade agreement with Colombia, it will be a destabilizing moment.
Olivier Knox, yes.
Q Yes, sir. Thank you very much. This morning you spoke for apparently about 40 minutes with President Putin. I was wondering if you could shed a little light on what you talked about? Specifically, did you ask him to not go ahead with the sale of uranium --
THE PRESIDENT: I'm not going to get into the specifics of conversations I have with any world leader. Otherwise, the next time I have a phone call it might be a short one. But I'd be glad to talk about the themes.
Q Please do.
THE PRESIDENT: I don't particularly like when people read out my phone calls with them. Sometimes the words get mischaracterized. Sometimes what I say might not be exact -- what they say I said might not be exactly what I said.
But we did spend a lot of time on the Iranian issue. And one of the interesting tactical decisions that Russia has made that the United States supports is the notion that Iran has a sovereign right to have a civilian nuclear power program. What they don't have is our confidence that they should be able to enrich uranium so that those plants would work. Why? Because they had a covert weapons program that they did not declare and have yet to declare. Secondly, we understand that if they were to develop that weapons program it would be a real danger.
And so the Russians said, well, would you support us on this notion -- that because they're untrustworthy when it comes to the fuel cycle, we will provide the fuel and we will collect the spent fuel? And I have, publicly. I'll say it again -- and we discussed this part of our strategy.
Secondly, I explained to him the content of the NIE, what it meant and how our working together has been effective. And thirdly, we talked about ongoing efforts to come up with another U.N. Security Council resolution if the Iranian regime doesn't suspend.
Q Did the elections come up, sir -- Russian elections?
THE PRESIDENT: They did. They did. And I said we were sincere in our expressions of concern about the elections.
Q A question on the upcoming elections that doesn't --
THE PRESIDENT: Which ones would those be?
Q The ones that begin in January -- that does not require you to take any -- to take sides. What is your feeling right now about the tone of the campaign and, in particular, on the Republican side, some of the talk on immigration?
THE PRESIDENT: Wolf, the next three months you and your august colleagues are trying to get me to be Pundit-in-Chief and I unfortunately practiced some punditry in the past -- I'm not going to any further. I know, I know --
Q Little analysis, maybe?
THE PRESIDENT: You can ask another question. I really am going to -- look, we got -- it's hard to believe, like a month away from the Iowa caucuses, and it's going to get intense. And elections are intense. They are intense experiences, and they're intense on both sides. This is the first time in a long time that both parties haven't had -- kind of a clear nominee, and it's going to be interesting to watch.
Q Do you miss it?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I'm going to miss the campaigning. I like campaigning. If somebody ever says they don't like campaigning, they're not telling you -- either that, or they're a lousy candidate. I mean, it's fun. (Laughter.) I enjoy it. I enjoy the crowds, I enjoy the noise, I enjoy giving that message, I enjoy the competition. And, yes, I'm going to miss it.
On the other hand, what I'm not going to miss is what we all -- some of us went through in 2000, which was getting out on the airplane and having my friend Candy Crowley pass a virus around and -- (laughter.) I got a respiratory infection; so did half the press corps. They got off the plane; I didn't get to get off the plane. And it was tough, it was a tough experience. And, well, look, I'm not dissing Candy; I said, "my friend." Look, it can happen to the best of them, you know.
Yes, Wolf.
Q I get another one. (Laughter.) This is a good deal. Can you tell us whether you think your personal relationship with the Democratic leaders in Congress has had a negative impact on your ability to get your legislation through? And how important is that personal relationship?
THE PRESIDENT: I have got cordial relations with the leaders when I talk to them. I saw Speaker Pelosi last night at the Congressional Ball at the White House, and we have very cordial relations. Congress -- the Democrats in Congress, in the House and the Senate, need to work out their differences before they come to the White House. You can imagine what it's like to try to deal on an important piece of legislation, and the Democrats in the House have one opinion and the Democrats in the Senate have another opinion. FISA is a good example.
And in order for us to be able to reach accord, they have got to come with one voice, one position. Nobody -- the most disappointing thing about Washington has been the name-calling and this kind of a -- people go out in front of mics and they just kind of unleash, and I've tried hard not to do that. I've tried to be respectful to all parties. And that's disappointing.
On the other hand, I think we can get some things done. The Peruvian trade vote is one, there's an example. Congress needs to get their differences sorted. One of the worst ways to negotiate is to negotiate with one group, they pocket your negotiations, and then another group shows up and says, well, you said this to them, now give us this.
And hopefully, as we come down the stretch here, that they're capable of coming forward with, here's what we believe, here's our plan, here's what we would like you to consider. As opposed to some examples, which is passing legislation for the sake of the headline, as opposed to passing legislation to get it passed, and SCHIP is a classic example. They knew I was going to veto the bill. They knew that was going to happen. They knew the veto would be sustained. But they ate up valuable time and passed the bill anyway.
So we sit here in the White House trying to figure out why. Why would you waste time? Why wouldn't you sit down and try to seriously negotiate an agreement on a bill that they knew was going to get vetoed and sustained?
Hopefully in the next -- however long they intend to stay here, that we're capable of working together. But if not, I'm going to stand strong for certain principles, one of which is to make sure our troops get funded. We've got men and women in combat. We've got people risking their lives for the United States of America. And this Congress has yet to fund them, and it needs to. And it needs to fund them without telling our military how to conduct this war. Arbitrary dates for withdrawal are unacceptable, particularly given the fact that the strategy is working. It's working.
And it seems like to me that this Congress ought to be congratulating our military commanders and our troops. And one way to send a congratulatory message is to give them the funds they need -- and now is the time to do it.
Let's see here, Mark Silva -- that would be you back there.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. I may want to apologize in advance because --
THE PRESIDENT: Please do.
Q -- I can't help but read your body language this morning, Mr. President. You seem somehow dispirited, somewhat dispirited.
THE PRESIDENT: I think you need to apologize for advance -- (laughter.) This is like -- all of a sudden, it's like Psychology 101, you know? (Laughter.)
Q A question related to that, sir, is, twice now, on Iran and Iraq, the facts have failed you on things that you've been outspoken on telling the American people. Senator Harry Reid is saying on the war spending issue that "the President is not leveling with the American people."
THE PRESIDENT: On the war spending issue?
Q Yes. Are you, in fact, troubled by --
THE PRESIDENT: Why don't you clarify that for me?
Q Well, are you --
THE PRESIDENT: What aspect of it? That I don't think we ought to fund the troops?
Q No, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: I think we need to fund the troops. I submitted a supplemental last February. Anyway --
Q My question, sir, is, are you feeling troubled about your standing here yesterday, about perhaps facing a credibility gap with the American people?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I'm feeling pretty spirited, pretty good about life, and have made the decision to come before you so I can explain the NIE. And I have said Iran is dangerous, and the NIE doesn't do anything to change my opinion about the danger Iran poses to the world. Quite the contrary. I'm using this NIE as an opportunity to continue to rally our colleagues and allies.
Q Do you think it --
THE PRESIDENT: It makes it -- the NIE makes it clear that the strategy we have used in the past is effective. And the reason why we need to make sure that strategy goes forward for the future is because if Iran shows up with a nuclear weapon at some point in time, the world is going to say, what happened to them in 2007? How come they couldn't see the impending danger? What caused them not to understand that a country that once had a weapons program could reconstitute the weapons program? How come they couldn't see that the important first step in developing a weapon is the capacity to be able to enrich uranium? How come they didn't know that with that capacity, that knowledge could be passed on to a covert program? What blinded them to the realities of the world? And it's not going to happen on my watch, Mark.
And so, kind of Psychology 101 ain't working. It's just not working. I understand the issues, I clearly see the problems, and I'm going to use the NIE to continue to rally the international community for the sake of peace.
Thank you very much.


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WORKSHOP NEWS - May 12-14 in Warsaw, Poland
18 Feb 2014 Julia Yuchin Cheng workshop
**Mon 5 May 2014 : :
We are very proud to announce that ticket sales are beyond our expectations ! So hurry up if you are planning to attend and http://warsaw2014.honeynet.org/register.html for registration !
Wed 9 April 2014 : : FIRST.org joins the 2014 workshop Sponsorship team
The honeynet project is proud to announce that the annual workshop in Warsaw will be sponsored by FIRST.org! The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST www.first.org ) is the premier organization and recognized global leader in incident response. Membership in FIRST enables incident response teams to more effectively respond to security incidents reactive as well as proactive. FIRST brings together a variety of computer security incident response teams from government, commercial, and educational organizations. FIRST aims to foster cooperation and coordination in incident prevention, to stimulate rapid reaction to incidents, and to promote information sharing among members and the community at large.
Apart from the trust network that FIRST forms in the global incident response community, FIRST also provides value added services. Some of these are:
• access to up-to-date best practice documents
• technical colloquia and symposia for security experts
• hands-on classes
• annual incident response conference
• publications and webservices
• special interest groups and committees
Currently FIRST has nearly 300 members, spread over Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
This is their first time sponsoring the Honeynet Project workshop and we are very excited to have them aboard.
Mon 7 April 2014 : :Early Bird Rates Expire April 10th.
Join the most fantastic security workshop, May 12-14 in Warsaw, Poland. Check out the agenda and much more on workshop website. Save $190 with Early Bird rates before they expire April 10 - Register now !
Sat 5 April 2014 : :Win a Honeynet Workshop Free Pass !
Do you want to attend the 2014 Honeynet Project Workshop for free ? Be the first one to solve the CrackMe designed by CERT Polska, you will win a free workshop pass. Play it now !
Thu 3 April 2014 : : World-wide Security Training You Cannot Afford to Miss!
The Honeynet Project will offer 4 world-class training courses for the 2014 workshop. The topics include (1)Understanding and Mitigating Botnets by Tillmann Werner (2)Virtualization Security by Brian Hay (3)Reverse Engineering Android Malware by Mahmud Rahman (4)Malware Reverse Engineering by Felix Leder. More courses introduction here. Don't miss the trainings and register it now !
Wed 5 March 2014 : : APPLYING STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP NOW
As a part of our educational mission in the field of information security, the Honeynet Project will offer 5 free seats and additional 5 seats with 50% discount to excellent students who are studying in this field. Students that get the scholarship can attend the workshop Briefing and a Hands-on Training session for free or with a 50% discount. Scholarship is awarded on a first come, first served basis so contacting us now for further details. Mailto: [email protected]
Tue 25 Feb 2014 : : SPONSORSHIP WANTED !
Downloading sponsorship brochure at https://www3.honeynet.org/wp-content/uploads/attachments/sponsorshipdoc.pdf Sponsoring the workshop gives you a good opportunity to both meet top security researchers from all over the world and also be highly visible as a sponsor for efforts in promoting your brand. Interested in sponsorship, contact [email protected] now !
Tue 18 Feb 2014 : : REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP NOW
Registration for the 2014 Honeynet Project Workshop is now open. The Workshop is a 3-day event that features 2 full days of briefing sessions along with live demonstrations and 1 full day of hands-on training sessions. Check out more details at http://warsaw2014.honeynet.org. Early bird registration rates is available from now to April 10th, 2014.


text: Live and learn anytime, anywhere with online programs and courses at Cleveland State University. We offer over 250 online courses each semester so you can make the most of your time. Take online courses along with traditional, face-to-face courses, or apply to a fully online program. All online courses and programs at CSU are taught by the same faculty as our traditional courses.


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Gutter Repairs in Newcastle
Do you have guttering issues in Newcastle? Are you in need of gutter repairs due to a leak in your gutters? Look no further than ACR. Our team can evaluate your guttering problem and provide you with a detailed summary of the necessary work, including the scope of the project and how long it will take. Once you are ready to move forward, we'll get started right away.
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At ACR, we handle all kinds of gutter issues, including leaks, loose downpipes, wetness behind the guttering, and blocked gutters. No job is too big or too small for our professionals. It's important to address gutter problems promptly, as damaged or poorly-functioning gutters can cause structural damage to your roof and other costly issues. Don't let gutter issues ruin your home – contact us for affordable gutter services in Newcastle.
Why Choose ACR for Gutter Repairs in Newcastle?
- We have over 30 years of experience working with various types of gutters, including seamless gutters, aluminum gutters, cast iron gutters, and uPVC gutters.
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For Gutter Repairs in Dublin, click here for full details of our Dublin Gutter Repairs Dublin
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Contact Pat and the ACR team at 085 215 5510 for a free estimate on gutter repairs in Newcastle. We offer same-day visits to any location in County Newcastle that we service.


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Beverly Paige in Big Naturals video: Beverly Knockers
Posted on May 2, 2012
We have some especially big jugs waiting for you today. Chris was the lucky guy who got to come over and play with these beauties. He snuck up into her room while she was still getting dressed just to catch a glimpse. After she was done and went downstairs to show off the goods, it was on. Its only a short time before those massive tits are out bouncing every which way. She didnt take long to start downing the dick either. This good lil girl really knows how to work some magic on the cock. Dont miss out on these juicy tatas.
Beverly Paige


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Jenadrivah Heritage & Cultural Festival
The most famous cultural event in Saudi Arabia is the Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival, organized each year by the National Guard. For two weeks a year, the festival gives over a million Saudis a glimpse into the past.
First held in 1985, the festival highlights the Kingdom's commitment to keeping the traditional culture and crafts of Saudi Arabia alive.
Opening with a traditional camel race, the festival includes almost every aspect of Saudi culture. Artisans, such as potters, woodworkers and weavers, demonstrate their traditional crafts in small shops with typical palm-frond-roofed porches. Visitors can also stroll through the past in a heritage village, which resides permanently in Jenadriyah.
At these exhibits one may watch a metalsmith fashion a traditional brass and copper coffee pot. A wood carver slowly transforms a piece of wood into a saddle frame. Basket makers weave palm fronds and straw into hats, baskets and containers decorated with colorful designs. A potter using a foot-powered wheel shapes clay into bowls and water jars. Leather is cut and shaped into sandals, pouches and bags. Large planks are cut and fashioned into doors and windows that have intricate carvings and inlays.
Blacksmiths heat chunks of iron in a furnace and hammer them into gleaming swords and daggers. A tailor hand-sews golden threads into the collar of a man's cloak. Jewelers fuse precious metals and mount semi-precious stones to make intricate bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Craftsman put together ingenious wooden pulleys used in the old days to laboriously draw water from wells for irrigating crops.
In addition, folklore troupes perform the ardha and other national dances, while singers from around the Kingdom perform traditional songs and music. Literary figures from across the country participate in poetry competitions between contemporary poets reciting historic verses.
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Teaching Academy Steering Committee Named
US - Four months after its inaugural meeting sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, the Consortium of Western Regional Colleges of Veterinary Medicine announced today that it has established a new Teaching Academy to identify, share and leverage expertise across the five colleges in the Consortium. The Teaching Academy will support the development and implementation of best practices and scholarship in veterinary medical education.The Teaching Academy is the first example of how members of the Consortium, which includes Colorado State University, Oregon State University, Western University of Health Sciences, Washington State University and University of California at Davis, are making progress toward the group's goal to collaborate in the advancement of initiatives critical to the future of the veterinary profession.
Pfizer Animal Health and each Consortium-participating college of veterinary medicine (CVM) will contribute $10,000 to jump-start the Teaching Academy's operating budget.
Ten members, two from each member-college, will make up the Steering Committee for the Teaching Academy. They will meet during the second quarter of 2012 to complete governance design, identify strategic tasks and initial projects and assign working groups for each task.
The appointed members of the Steering Committee are: Dr Peter Hellyer and Dr Ray Whalen (Colorado State University), Dr Sue Tornquist and Dr Terri Clark (Oregon State University), Dr Peggy Schmidt and Dr John Tegzes (Western University of Health Sciences), Dr Steve Hines and Dr Leslie Sprunger (Washington State University), and Dr Jan Ilkiw and Dr Johanna (Joie) Watson (UC Davis).
The Consortium stated that the development of the Teaching Academy is a clear demonstration of the action-oriented collaboration the group has produced. Furthermore, the appointment of dedicated, diverse, passionate individuals to the Steering Committee has already created a strong sense of ownership, pride and personal accountability to achieving tangible goals toward educational excellence.
Goals for the Teaching Academy include:
- Generate innovative concepts for the advancement of veterinary education, including adult learning, teaching methods, mentorship, scholarship and leadership
- Develop, review and disseminate best practices in veterinary education, such as, define competencies, assessment of teachers, methods and rewards and incentives
- Contribute to and promote the development of instructional/teaching scholarships
- Provide, promote and develop educational/instructional leadership
"Through the support of the Consortium members and Pfizer Animal Health, the Steering Committee of the newly created Teaching Academy will ensure that participation is rewarding and deliverables are relevant and enduring to Consortium members and all CVMs," said Vanessa Mariani, Director Academic & Professional Affairs, Pfizer Animal Health US. "We remain committed to this initiative of productive collaboration and rapid action to effectively address the needs of the profession with tangible and meaningful outcomes."
The Consortium of Western Regional Colleges of Veterinary Medicine will reconvene at the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention in August to continue work on its midterm strategic goals.
TheCattleSite Newsdesk


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Oh No! Country Zombies Take Over Country Music!
Oh no! In what seems to be a Halloween takeover, zombies have descended on Nashville. Officials are warning area residents — and country music fans in general — to stay away from any artist suspected to have a taste for flesh.
An unidentified (really, unidentifiable) source tells Taste of Country that hundreds of ghastly creatures rose from their graves at midnight and began feeding on dozens, if not hundreds, of guitar-slinging, fiddle playing, previously beautiful singers like Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton, turning them into zombies themselves. This is it, folks: it's the zombie apocalypse!
Police are asking that country fans use extreme caution, as those with a taste for country seem to be the main target for those with a taste for eating people. Warning: Signs that read 'Will play for food' don't mean what you think! Below are the most gruesome, vicious zombies identified by officials.
Blake Hell-ion
Suddenly, Blake Shelton's hit song "God Gave Me You" takes on an entirely different meaning. We fear for Gwen Stefani, but honestly, no one has seen her in days.
Carrie Underworld
Carrie Underwood seemed so sweet, so trusting! Never did the beauty have a bad word to say about anyone — she doesn't even eat meat! It's hideous what she's become ... the first-ever vegan zombie, forced to eat dead grass and trees toppled by Frankenstorm. Even with a bag of hockey sticks, Mike Fisher doesn't stand a chance against this seductive creature of the night.
George Strait-to-the-Plate
George Strait isn't just the King of Country ... he's also the King of Zombies! The country legend used to perform for 20,000 every night, but it was just too much. It'd be too a tempting a distraction for the "All My Exes Live in Texas" hitmaker to continue, so he retired from the road. However, these days, you may see him walking along it, looking for fresh meat.
Taylor 'Boyfriend Slayer' Swift
What a travesty to see Swift as a zombie — she was so young, so beautiful! So much talent has been wasted in a senseless urge to feed on human brain for eternity. Revenge never tasted so sweet...
Kenny 'Chainsaw' Chesney
Maybe it's good that Kenny Chesney is now a zombie. On the plus side, one can probably score a pretty sweet house on the beach for cheap, as this blood-thirsty monster won't be doing much sunbathing anytime soon. Ladies, we know it's tempting to fall into his sculpted arms, but resist him like your life depends on it, because it does ... Unless you're into the whole 'zombie bride' thing.