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This article is by Cara Hale Alter, the president of SpeechSkills, a San Francisco–based communication training company, and author of The Credibility Code: How to Project Confidence and Competence When It Matters Most.
In poker, a "tell" is a subtle nonverbal signal revealing information about the strength or weakness of a player's hand. The most common poker tells are "acting" tells, such as a player's acting confident when he's bluffing. But acting tells are basic tells, discernible even to neophytes. Professional players, particularly the poker elite, watch for advanced tells—much more nuanced emotions and behaviors that, because they are unconscious, are harder to control.
Leadership presence has advanced tells, too. (I train execs and entrepreneurs, many from some of the world's best-known companies, in projecting leadership presence in make-or-break situations.) With the U.S. presidential election fast approaching, including three high-stakes debates in October, it seems only fitting to look at the leadership presence of the candidates, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
Obama and Romney will be battling in the debates to win the hearts and minds of voters, especially undecided voters. Both men exude the basics skills, or three pillars, of leadership presence—a strong posture, a strong voice, and strong eye contact. However, with many national polls showing a tight race, the advanced tells of leadership presence can be influential. So what are the subtle signals that can indicate which candidate is more in command, more present, and more real?
Here are five advanced tells of leadership presence, along with my subjective grades for Obama and Romney, based specifically on their recent convention speeches:
1. Taking up space. A leader with presence understands the power of body language. Whether he's addressing the board of directors or a crowded arena, he physically owns his territory, taking up personal space from the start. His gestures, most notably, are wide and open, defining a big bubble of space in front of him. On the other hand, a leader who feels anxious or intimidated gets smaller. He locks his elbows to his torso and keeps his gestures close to his body, as if he's stuck to the table or podium.
Obama: B. Romney: C.
What to watch for on debate nights: Look for whose body language is more open, and who more freely moves away from the podium.
2. Using natural, interactive hand gestures. Natural hand gestures are integral to communication, for many reasons. Above all, they create an impression of openness and connection. A leader with presence literally reaches out to his listeners, early and often. The ebb and flow of his hands is in sync with his message, drawing people into the subtext. A less comfortable leader will keep his hands still, effectively becoming a talking head.
Obama: B+. Romney: C.
What to watch for on debate nights: Look for whose hands begin moving first, and whose hands stop moving abruptly—a common tell of self-consciousness.


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NOTE: Nike's Press Release on the shoe is listed below
Reviewer: Ian Favre
The good folks at Nike Golf were kind enough to send us their newly released Nike Swingtip Golf Shoe. Kind of a combination of the old school wing tip and Nike casual athletic sneaker. Good looking shoe that should work off and on the golf course given its spike-less traction pattern and very comfortable insole. I walked 18 holes in them today at the Home Course in Dupont and have some feedback for the potential buyer.
Course Conditions: Windy, no rain but slightly moist footing.
Positives: Very comfortable to walk 18 right out of the box with no issues at all on the feet. Great insole that I would pull out and put in other shoes for sure. Pretty slick looking and unlike any other golf shoe on the market. Should be awesome off the course for daily use.
Negatives: Very poor traction, unlike other casual golf shoes with small rubber spikes (i.e. Ecco, Ashworth, etc) these have a lip all the way around the bottom that seems to keep the spikes from making any good contact with the ground. My back foot slipped 5 or 6 times on shots out there today. Maybe in bone dry conditions the performance would be better, but in Seattle that happens how often?
Summary: Great shoe, but not a great golf shoe. Great addition to my evening wardrobe (yeah right) but slipping on tee shots is just no bueno.
Here's a recent press release on the new Nike Lunar Swingtip golf shoe. Looks pretty fresh 🙂 – Ian
Nike Golf Finds Inspiration in Action Sports for the New Swingtip Footwear
-Nike Golf's Lunar Swingtip shoe pays homage to the wingtip design-
BEAVERTON, Ore. (June 28, 2012) – Nike Golf's non-stop innovation is in full swing as its footwear team continues to thrive on inspiration from Nike Athletes. The most recent idea born from Nike Athlete input is the new men's Nike Lunar Swingtip shoes that pay homage to the classic wingtip design.
A team of Nike Golf engineers and designers visited Nike affiliate, Hurley, for unique athlete inspiration from skateboarders and surfers who enjoy golf and can go low on the course. The engineers and designers utilized these insights as well as those already in the Nike Skateboarding line, to create a shoe that provides stability and comfort on and off the golf course.
"Nike Action Sports has a lot of skate and surf athletes who love golf and are low-handicap players," said Lee Walker. "When they play, they want to look the part – to wear the 'uniform' of golf. But at the same time they, better than most, can appreciate the stability afforded by a low-profile cupsole construction given the performance demands of their chosen sports. Balance and stability are critical in board sports just as they are in golf."
The traction pattern of the outsole was derived from a pressure mapping study Nike's Sports Research Lab (NSRL) conducted on multiple categories of Nike Athletes. These findings directly influenced the stud configuration, geometry, and heights of the lugs, resulting in a design that offers traction on demand, when and where you need it.
The lugs engage with the ground throughout the swing, providing a secure grip with hidden traction. The rubber rim around the bottom of the shoe is weight
A full-length Nike Lunarlon sockliner delivers superior out-of-the-box comfort while providing ground feel and support. Walker stated, "Action Sports had been utilizing this execution of Lunarlon foam in their Skateboarding line. This inspired our team to incorporate a similar drop-in Lunarlon sockliner for comfort directly underfoot."
Wingtip upper designs are available in multiple colors and material offerings, including: Leather (1-year waterproof), Suede and Canvas.
AVAILABILITY: July 1, 2012
Leather (1 yr WP): MSRP: $150 – MAP/STREET: $119.99
Suede: MSRP: $140 – MAP/STREET: $109.99
AVAILABILITY: January 1, 2013
Canvas: MSRP: $130 – MAP/STREET: $99.99

subset: commoncrawl


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"Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4 NIV)
Is there a sin gene? Will DNA researchers someday discover that sin consists of a molecular structure and is scientifically observable so that a new professional endeavor will be devoted to eradicating this blight from humanity utilizing sophisticated treatments? Will these treatments be considered a violation of human rights, because they destroy an individual's unique personality?
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The words of the King James Bible ring out today in books, poems, popular songs, speeches, and sermons. Visit the rich array of resources for yourself and your classroom and experience the history of one of the most widely read book in the English language.
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I have been traveling since December 21. First, from my home in Colorado to Orange, California in a Prius with the dog, the husband and my two teenagers. True.
Once in SoCal, we joined my siblings for a holiday week with my mom. We went to the beach.
My dog, who is a poodle, has never liked the water. Until now.
I drove to my sister Linden's house in Watsonville. After looking at her over-sized, monolithic, ice cube of a fireplace, I just got sick of it. We had to fix this thing and make it work with this fab wooden house. I had a vision that involved paint, mosaic and upholstery. Linden and I set out to make this work.
We went to a tile store and bought a box of leftovers, then laid them out on the floor.
We went to town. Painted the whole thing a charcoal grey, with the very top painted a metallic copper, to simulate a copper roof.
We designed two tile mosaics to edge the fireplace arch, different from each other to compliment the rooms they faced. After three days of paint, concrete repair, mortar, tile, grout and cloth, we had it nearly done.
Then I headed up to see my friend Lorri Scott, who is a fiber artist and fashion designer. She lives on a hill, overlooking the sea.
She showed me how to dye fabrics with rusty pins, onion skins, roses, eucalyptus and vinegar.
Lorri delivered me to the Greyhound Station where I was to take a bus to see my other friend in Oakland. My luggage was too heavy. We sat on the floor of the bus station to rearrange my bags. If you are a traveling art teacher, you have done this before, but perhaps not on the floor of a bus station with a fashion designer.
The bus took me to Oakland to see my dear friends, Ivan and Lori and their son, Joe. Lori was my housemate the year I live in Florence, Italy. We have been soul sisters since. Ivan drove me from their home to Petaluma, where we met my friend Ilene Harris. Ilene drove me four hours up the incredible coast of northern California to teach for the NORBAG book group in Arcata.
We stopped at Real Goods Solar Living Institute, a eco-friendly education center along the way, where there was a "car" garden.
Ilene is a letter boxer. According to the website she uses to guide her, "Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining artistic ability with "treasure-hunts" in parks, forests, and cities around the world. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues. The prize: an image from a miniature piece of art known as a rubber stamp—usually a unique, hand-carved creation."
We found one of the boxes at this facility.
I am now happily ensconced at the home of Ilene and her charming husband, Dave. There is a fire, acres of huge trees, rain, green rolling grass, pygmy goats and a dog. We ate Dutch babies for breakfast, with Peet's coffee.
I am profoundly content.
Here is a Haiku, because it is Friday.
Moving up the coast
Uplifting friends and branches
Steady chain of grace.
One Comment
I've done mosaics like this when I was lucky enough to gather enough leftovers…the fireplace turned out beautifully.
Steady chain of grace…such a good line♥


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After School Treats Made Easy
It's back to school time in much of the United States, and that means that many of us have to change up our schedules. Gone are the days of lazy meals and grabbing a snack from the pantry at any random time. Now those oh so fun late night dinners must cease and desist. Your kids - and you, by default - must now try to wiggle back into routine meal and snack times.
Let's talk snacks.
One of my own children's favorite snacks is the ubiquitous cookie. There's not usually much to recommend in a cookie, though - other than, of course, deliciousness. I've toyed with different cookie recipes, trying to decrease the sugar and increase the protein and I've found very little success. It just seems that there's really no way to make a cookie good for you.
But the no bake peanut butter oatmeal cookie is an anomaly. Do you remember it? Melt 1 stick of butter with 4 T cocoa, 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of milk. When it boils, stir in 3 cups oats and 1 cup of peanut butter and drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper - once cooled, they are a handful of yumminess that make for a decent snack, especially if you have a glass of milk alongside.
Yes. I know that they have butter AND sugar - but I've done some experimenting and I've successfully reduced the amount of sugar and added additional peanut butter - and I didn't say that they were super healthy - just sort of healthy. Don't forget to use the parchment paper - I've been out of it and tried dropping the hot mixture onto a plate, and the results weren't anything good.The parchment paper works like a dream, allowing the cookies to cool and solidify without any stickiness issues that ruin the looks of a good cookie.
If you have a peanut butter allergy to contend with, I've made these with both soy butter and sun butter. They look exactly the same, but this substitution means that your child can take them to a peanut free lunch table.
Do you have a favorite after school cookie snack that is a healthy choice?
I like getting whole grain triscuits and adding a bit of shredded cheese and zapping them in the microwave for 30 seconds. they can be made like mini pizzas with mozzarella and a little pepperoni too. my kids gobble them up and they are more filling than other snacks so they arent hungry right away again. cookies are a treat but would rather give them goldfish or pretzels, something with less sugar.
Shredded cheese on flour tortillas, microwaved for 15 seconds each. They can make them themselves or I do it for them. Fast, easy and satisfying!
Quoting othermom:
The kids don't usually have cookies after school. They will have a granola bar, fruit, nutrigrain bar, ect
Nutri-grain bars have as much or more SUGAR (in the form of high fructose corn syrup) than cookies! Just because it's called "nutri-grain" does not make it healthy:
I know the nutri grain bars are not really healthy, but tey like them and are easy to store in the car for snacks after school while we are running around.
Quoting akunyos:
Quoting othermom:
The kids don't usually have cookies after school. They will have a granola bar, fruit, nutrigrain bar, ect
Nutri-grain bars have as much or more SUGAR (in the form of high fructose corn syrup) than cookies! Just because it's called "nutri-grain" does not make it healthy:
do you have a link for a good recipe?
Quoting othermom:
Quoting goddess99:
pumpkin cookies!
Never tried pumpkin cookies


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Anthony Davis Injury: Updates on Hornets Star's ShoulderFebruary 26, 2013
Injury-plagued rookie Anthony Davis has been dealing with a shoulder injury recently, but is making progress.
UPDATE: Monday, Mar. 4, at 11:29 a.m. ET by Brandon Galvin
Great news for Hornets fans as Anthony Davis (shoulder) is expected to play tonight, according to New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jimmy Smith.
Jimmy Smith @JimmySmith504
Anthony Davis will play tonight for #Hornets.2013-3-4 16:23:27
---End of update---
UPDATE: Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 1:20 p.m. ET by Tim Daniels
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports Davis will not play tonight when the Hornets take on the Oklahoma City Thunder due to his injured shoulder.
Jeff Zillgitt @JeffZillgitt
No Anthony Davis for Hornets vs. Thunder tonight. Out with sprained left shoulder sustained in Tuesday's game vs. Nets.2013-2-27 18:04:44
---End of update---
Hornets sideline reporter Jennifer Hale reported last week that Davis left New Orleans' game against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday with an injured shoulder:
Jennifer Hale @JenHale504
@Hornets trainer tests Anthony Davis' shoulder strength & rotator cuff. Davis remains on bench w/ shoulder wrapped in hot towel.2013-2-27 02:44:30
Davis went down midway through the third quarter, and was seen writing in pain. He was taken out of the game for Ryan Anderson with 3:55 remaining in the third period and the Hornets down, 66-59.
Assuming that Davis' night is over, he will finish with six points and four rebounds in 21 minutes of action as the Hornets struggled to keep up with the visiting Nets.
The first overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Davis' first professional season has been an up-and-down affair. He's averaging a very solid 12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, but has been prone to his fair share of rookie mistakes.
Most notably, Davis, who excelled on the defensive end at Kentucky, has struggled with defensive rotations. The Hornets are a better defensive team with Davis on the floor, per NBA.com, but his progress has been slow throughout the season.
Quite possibly the biggest reason for Davis' slower-than-expected development has been injuries. He has missed 13 games this season, and has suffered from knee, head and ankle injuries at different times. Never quite completely healthy at any point in the campaign, Davis was finally rounding into form as his knee was reaching the 100 percent level.
If this shoulder injury winds up being more serious than expected, it will be yet another setback for Davis, who has to be frustrated at this point. With the Hornets far out of the Western Conference playoff race, don't expect him to be rushed back into the lineup.
Davis is a face-of-the-franchise type talent, so expect New Orleans to proceed with caution—especially considering the snakebitten fashion of the young forward's season.


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Saturday promised to be another long day at the World Show with three Groups to go: the Hounds and Scenthounds which is Group 6, the Pointing dogs, Group 7, and the Companion Dogs, which is Group 9. This is a most interesting day, as Group 6 has a lot of rare breeds and even in… read more
Eurasia 2013: The Crufts of Russia
The biggest dog show in Russia, in fact one of the largest anywhere these days, is called Eurasia and is held in Moscow each year. It's been called "the Crufts of Russia," and entry figures seem to increase every year. This year's show, held on March 27 and 28, had nearly 13,000 entries: 6,633 on… read more


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July 3, 2013
American Museum Of Natural History To Preserve Lonesome George
Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online
Lonesome George, a 100-year-old giant tortoise that once lived on the Galapagos Islands, is going to be preserved by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.Scientists made the surprising discovery of Lonesome George on Pinta Island in 1972. They had thought his species, Geochelone nigra abingdoni, was already extinct before then. The famous tortoise passed away in June 2012, found lifeless near his favorite watering hole. Taxidermists now hope to keep his image alive forever.
The American Museum of Natural History wrote that Lonesome George will be preserved in consultation with Museum scientists and by the same expert taxidermy and conservation team that worked on the renovation of the Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals. This hall features 46 stuffed animals ranging from a nine-banded armadillo to white-tailed deer.
"Doing taxidermy on a tortoise is much like working on an elephant," George Dante, the lead taxidermist on the project, told National Geographic. "There's no fur, so we have to work to preserve the skin, maintaining its natural color and texture as much as possible, sculpting the wrinkles so they are anatomically accurate. There's very little room for error."
According to the NatGeo report, the final product will take six to seven months to complete. Only the eyes on the animal will be "unnatural."
"Everything else you see is what you'd see looking at the live animal," Chris Raxworthy, the museum's curator of herpetology told National Geographic. He added that even the post will be accurate to help capture the "spirit of George."
"We want to demonstrate the neat features he had--a long neck and unique shell morphology that let him stretch way up, an adaptation that would have helped him to reach food on a dry island like Pinta," Raxworthy said.
Taxidermists at the museum will be closely working with the Galapagos National Park Service, SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, and the Galapagos Conservancy to prepare the giant tortoise's body and also spread awareness about the importance of conservation.
"An icon for biodiversity conservation, Lonesome George will be on display at the Museum for a limited time starting this winter before he is returned to the Galapagos," the museum wrote in a statement.
Although Lonesome George is gone forever, his species may not be. Scientists believed at the time of his death he was the last member of his species. But one hopeful team is headed back to the Galapagos to look for surviving individuals of this species. If no survivors can be found, there is still hope because this group has confirmed 17 hybrid giant tortoises were ancestors of Lonesome George.


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Press Releases
Gluu Server 3.1.1 single sign-on (SSO) platform is GDPR ready
Gluu Server 3.1.1 supports key user consent features organizations need to comply with the European Union's new General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR). November 3, 2017 — Austin, TX USA — Gluu announced today general availability of the Gluu Server 3.1.1, its industry leading free open source single sign-on (SSO) and strong authentication platform. In addition […]
Kantara Awarded $2.4 Million To Develop Digital Identity And Privacy Solutions Using Smartphones
Multiple Projects Underway with Lockstep Technologies, Gluu Inc., and Exponent Inc., USA WAKEFIELD, Mass., USA – May 11, 2017 — Kantara Initiative was awarded multiple research grants valued at up to $2.4 million USD. The funding is being used to develop three innovative digital identity and privacy solutions using smartphones including mobile device attribute verification, […]
Gluu Server v3 includes support for Shibboleth v3 and OpenLDAP
New components and new features highlight the latest version of the Gluu Server. Release Highlight Update of Shibboleth SAML IDP to version 3 Jetty replaces Tomcat as Java servlet container OpenLDAP replaces OpenDJ as default LDAP server Support for more authentication mechanisms including Social Login and One-Time Passwords (OTP) Centralized logging Improved audit logging capabilities […]
Gluu and Symas collaborate on next generation identity and access management (IAM) platform
OpenLDAP is now the default identity store in the Gluu Server access management platform. San Francisco, CA — February 15, 2017 — Today at RSA Conference 2017, Gluu, Inc. and Symas Corporation announced a business and technology partnership that will see inclusion of OpenLDAP in the Gluu Server Community Edition (CE) version 3.0 and onward. […]
Gluu CEO to host two sessions at RSA Conference 2016
Open source evangelist and Gluu founder Mike Schwartz will present a survey of new authentication technologies and ideas on how organizations can modernize their identity and access management services. Austin, TX — January 4, 2016 — Gluu CEO and founder Mike Schwartz will be hosting two sessions at RSA Conference 2016, the premier global security […]
Gluu Server 2.4 includes new graphical user interface and support for the SCIM 2.0 identity management specification
SCIM 2.0 is designed to make managing user identities in cloud-based applications and services easier, enabling distributed and secure cloud identity. News Highlights The Gluu Server 2.4 includes a new responsive user interface, and a dashboard that displays real time authentication metrics. SCIM 2.0 will reduce the cost and complexity of user management, making it […]
Gluu Server 2.3 release includes support for FIDO U2F authentication and conformance with all OpenID Connect 1.0 profiles
The FIDO U2F standard enables convenient cryptographic authentication for tokens and mobile applications, providing a usable, secure, and inexpensive alternative to passwords. News Highlights The Gluu Server supports enrollment and authentication for any FIDO U2F 1.0 compliant client. Watch Gluu CEO Mike Schwartz display how to use FIDO U2F in the Gluu Server. Compliance with […]
Gluu to Promote OAuth2 Access Management at Cloud Identity Summit
Gluu CEO Mike Schwartz to promote OAuth 2.0 as the solution for achieving increased identity assurance in digital transactions during session at the Cloud Identity Summit in San Diego, California. Austin, TX — June 3, 2015 — Gluu, a leading provider of open source identity and access management software, is hosting a session at the […]
Gluu Server 2.2 is released–includes support for UMA 1.0
The latest release of the Gluu Server for CentOS and Ubuntu is a major step towards enabling organizations to launch a free open source access management infrastructure. News Highlights Updates align the Gluu Server with UMA 1.0, a new profile of OAuth 2.0, developed at the Kantara Initiative, that enables organizations to centrally manage policies […]
Gluu Server 2.0 sets new bar for open source API security
The Gluu Server Community Edition (CE) 2.0 now ships with support for the UMA, OpenID Connect, SAML, and CAS web security protocols. Austin, TX, January 20, 2015 — Gluu today announced the availability of the Gluu Server 2.0, its industry leading open source access management platform for API security. Today all Internet domains need to […]
Gluu joins Open Interconnect Consortium to help Design Internet of Things security
The OIC is led by Intel Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., MediaTek, Samsung Electronics and other industry leaders to promote open standards and open source software to enable a secure interoperable Internet of Things (IoT) future. Gluu announced today its participation in the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC), a group of industry leaders from a broad range […]
Gluu and Canonical to demonstrate instant application security using Ubuntu Juju orchestration at OSCON 2014
Stop by booth #P8 at OSCON to see a live demo of Ubuntu Juju in action: for the first time Single Sign-On between applications is drag and drop. Austin, TX (July 3, 2014) — Gluu announced today that it will demo an Ubuntu Juju-based deployment of the Gluu Server Community Edition at O'Reilly OSCON, the […]
At OSCON 2014, Gluu to launch free "Gluu Server Community Edition" and "Gluu Server SAML Edition" for Ubuntu, Debian, Centos, and Redhat
The Gluu Server Community Edition will make it free and easy for Internet domains to centralize OAuth2 based authentication and authorization using the OpenID Connect and User Managed Access (UMA) protocols. Austin, TX (June 26, 2014) — Gluu announced today that it will introduce both a free and lower priced version of the Gluu Server […]
Gluu releases OX 1.1 to enhance features for electronic identity enrollment
Bringing open source to bring your own identity (BYOD), new OX features enable a person to enroll with a mobile, social or corporate identity. Austin, TX (June 23, 2013) — Gluu announced today that version 1.1 of its open source OX project, which provides an OAuth2 compliant OpenID Connect provider (OP), UMA authorization server (AS), […]
Gluu releases OX 1.0 to GitHub
Organizations can launch their own authentication service, moving off Google, while still adhering to the same OpenID Connect API expected by internal, SaaS and mobile applications. March 25, 2014 — Austin, TX — Gluu announced today that OX 1.0, its OAuth2-based open source identity and access management platform, has been released on GitHub. OX software enables […]
New Juju application security framework Committee formed with Gluu, ForgeRock and Canonical
Seven leading identity and access management organizations collaborate with Canonical to make it easier to secure applications with open standards like OpenID Connect. London, UK, March 26, 2014 — Gluu and ForgeRock, leaders in open source application security, today announce they will lead the Juju Application Security Framework Design Committee. The Committee, originally set up […]
Gluu Crowdfunds OAuth2 strong authentication and API access management software for Apache Web servers.
Plugin enables SSO to websites that support OpenID Connect 1.0. Early support for the UMA OAuth2 profile for authorization may offer domains alternatives to CA SiteMinder. March 5, 2014 – Austin, TX — OAuth2 is becoming increasingly popular as a protocol to secure websites. This crowd-funded plugin for the popular Apache Web server will enable […]
Gluu CEO Mike Schwartz to host SXSW session on digital authentication
Mike Schwartz, CEO of identity security startup Gluu, will discuss digital authentication trends and best practices at SXSW Interactive 2014. January 10, 2014 – Austin, TX — Gluu CEO Mike Schwartz will host an hour-long session at SXSW Interactive to discuss the modern renaissance taking place in the world of digital authentication. The session, titled […]
Gluu adds Asimba SAML platform to Gluu Server Stack
The open source Asimba SAML platform is now included in the Gluu Server to ease single sign-on integrations for application developers. December 19, 2013 – Austin, TX — Gluu announced today that new deployments of the Gluu Server will include the open source Asimba SAML platform. Gluu's main use case for Asimba is to enable […]
Gluu publishes open source mobile phone authentication software to enable derived credentials
oxPush enables a person to receive an almost instantaneous out-of-band "mobile push" notification to enable any smart device to serve as the "something you have." December 17, 2013 – Austin, TX — Gluu announced today that development of its new open source mobile two-factor authentication app and server platform, oxPush, has been completed and is […]
Gluu CEO Mike Schwartz delivers keynote at ID Next 2013
Mike Schwartz, Gluu's CEO and Head of Sales delivered the ID Next 2013 keynote address to digital identity and privacy experts. November 21, 2013 – The Hague, Netherlands — On Tuesday, November 19th, Gluu CEO Mike Schwartz delivered the opening IDentityNext 2013 keynote address to industry peers about the importance of the emerging OAuth2 profiles […]
Gluu delivers OpenID Connect plugin for Apache Web Servers
Crowdfunding fuels Gluu to develop first-ever open source OpenID Connect plugin for Apache Web Servers. November 6, 2013 – Austin, TX — Gluu announced today that the crowdfunded development of an OpenID Connect plugin for the Apache 2.4.6 Web Server has been completed. The open source code is now available for download and use via […]
The Gluu Server now supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux
The Gluu Server for single sign-on, strong authentication, and web access management is now compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux. November 5, 2013 – Austin, TX — Gluu announced today that the newest update to its puppet recipe includes support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating systems. Previously, Community Enterprise Operating System (CentOS) was […]
Gluu introduces open source identity and access management suite at 'Japan IT Week'
The Gluu Server for single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and web access management was on display at Japan IT Week. October 31, 2013 – Austin, TX — Gluu, a leader in open source identity and access management, participated in Japan IT Week from October 23-25 in order to raise brand awareness and secure business channels in […]
Gluu developing oxPush to enable push notifications for two-factor authentication
Open source two-factor authentication software enables companies to send out-of-band verification notifications via the Google or Apple mobile push networks.
TM Forum Digital Disruption 2013 to feature market update on digital identity by Gluu CEO, Mike Schwartz
Gluu CEO, Mike Schwartz, will host a market update on digital identity Wednesday, October 30th at TM Forum's Digital Disruption 2013.
JavaOne open source identity and access management expert panel to include Gluu CEO, Mike Schwartz
Gluu founder and CEO, Mike Schwartz, will participate in a JavaOne panel discussion on trends in open source identity and access management on September 23, 2013.
Open source community crowdfunds plugin for 300 million Apache Web Servers
Leading open source identity and access management companies join 30 individuals to crowdfund OAuth2 plugins for Apache web servers.
Gluu embeds TiQR for secure and free multi-factor authentication
Open source platform for organizational access management integrates open source two-factor authentication mechanism.
Gluu names Falcon exclusive delivery partner in Japan and South Korea
Gluu partners with Falcon Systems Consulting to upgrade delivery capability in Japan and South Korea for its open source enterprise authentication and authorization platform, OX.
Gluu adds inWebo to supported two-factor authentication mechanisms
Gluu adds easy integration for inWebo to make single sign-on and two-factor authentication with cloud apps simple and secure
Gluu Publishes Open Source "Enterprise UMA" Software to enable OAuth 2.0 Access Management for Web and Mobile
Gluu's open source software for UMA, the proposed IETF standard for "User Managed Access", makes it easier for organizations to publish an authorization API to centralize enforcement of application security policies.
Toopher's Two Factor Authentication Supported by Gluu
Gluu offers a number of preconfigured solutions, including Toopher, for multi-factor authentication to applications that support standard interfaces.
Gluu Provides Toshiba Open Source Authorization and Authentication Platform for New Cloud TV Services
Gluu's open source authorization and authentication platform, OX, will enable the next generation of Toshiba Cloud TV Services to authenticate consumers and integrate with popular Internet apps.
Gluu adds support for PhoneFactor Two Factor Authentication
Gluu open sources the OX integration for PhoneFactor to enable domains to authenticate individuals using mobile phones.
Gluu Integrates OneID for One-Step, Two-Factor Strong Authentication
Gluu adds easy integration for OneID to enable domains to identify people using bank-like authentication technology.
Gluu releases Shibboleth Plugin for OX to enable simultaneous OpenID Connect and SAML sessions
Gluu announced today its Shibboleth Login Handler for the open source OX platform to enable simultaneous OpenID Connect and SAML 2.0 sessions.
Gluu Announces Plantronics as the First Sponsor of the "A-Loft" App Inventor Program for Kids
Plantronics will be the first project sponsor of Gluu's newly launched "A-Loft" App Inventor Club for Austin, TX kids ages 7 to 12 years old.
Gluu Signs 8 New Universities to Start 2013
Since the beginning of 2013, Gluu has signed 8 more universities to its subscription based EDU federation and cloud identity solution.
Gluu integrates Wikid Systems for affordable, tokenless strong two-factor authentication
Gluu platform now supports Wikid Systems for affordable and secure soft token two-factor authentication to cloud, mobile, and network applications.
Gluu integrates YubiKey for secure hard token USB and NFC Two-Factor Authentication
Gluu Cloud Identity platform announces support for YubiKey, a USB and NFC hard token strong authentication device, enabling two-factor access to both wifi and enterprise cloud applications.
First OAuth 2.0 and SAML identity federation platform to be shown by Gluu
In a bi-monthly cloud identity webinar for educational institutions and university IT executives, Gluu will demo for the first time its consolidated interface for SAML 2.0 and OAuth 2.0 that leverages open source software from the Shibboleth and OX projects.
Independent research firm cites Gluu as an OpenID Connect Vendor
An October 24, 2012 independent research report on Identity Standards cites Austin, TX startup, Gluu, as one vendor that provides productized support for OpenID Connect.
Gluu's OpenID Connect platform to support multi-party federations
Leveraging the success of SAML multi-party federations in Higher Education, Gluu has proposed a similar design for OpenID Connect.
Gluu and Shibboleth Consortium finalize partnership; offer Universities an easy way to contribute back to open source Shibboleth project
Gluu and the Shibboleth Foundation finalize a partnership to help increase funding for development and marketing of the open source Shibboleth project.
Gluu partners with Duo Security; Embeds Two-Factor Authentication
Gluu partners with Duo Security to bring two-factor authentication to Gluu's cloud identity platform.
Gluu Joins OpenID Foundation
Gluu, a leader in open source cloud identity, today announced it has joined the OpenID Foundation to help develop, promote and extend the soon-to-be released suite of OpenID Connect standards.
Latest Open Source OpenID Connect Platform Released by Gluu
Gluu today announced a new release of its "OX" OpenID Connect platform that includes over twenty new features and enables organizations to control access to enterprise cloud applications.
Gluu Founder and CEO, Michael Schwartz, to host OpenID Connect 1.0 session at RSA Conference Europe 2012
Gluu Founder and CEO, Michael Schwartz, approved for individual session at RSA Conference Europe 2012 in the United Kingdom.
Gluu slashes prices on Cloud Identity Server for Educational Institutions
Gluu released a discounted pricing schedule that offers user identity management in the cloud to educational institutions at one low annual cost.
Gluu becomes lunch sponsor for Cloud Identity Summit 2012
Gluu announced it will sponsor lunch at the 2012 Cloud Identity Summit in Vail, Colorado.
Gluu Launches Instant Cloud Identity Security in the Rackspace Cloud
Gluu launched today a new service that delivers enterprise-grade cloud identity security in under one hour.
AegisUSA, an Identity Management solution provider with a focus on Federated Identity becomes a strategic partner of Gluu, inc.
Aegis Identity becomes reseller of Gluu's federated cloud identity appliance to offer its customers SSO and federated identity management.
OpenXDI Project Releases OxServer 0.2
Gluu announced today the release of oxServer 0.2 with major new functionality including LDAP persistence, support for OpenID Connect 1.0 federated identity, as well as many performance optimizations.
Gluu releases first version of OpenXDI (OX)
Open source software provides secure, privacy protecting technology to enable sharing of personal data by implementing proposed OASIS XDI 1.0 standard.
Gluu Launches OpenXDI project to implement OASIS standard for semantic web stack
OX software will foster interoperability between personal data stores, and enable organizations to achieve secure data federations.
Gluu Cloud Identity Appliance 1.0 Released
Private or public cloud identity solution enables organizations to quickly achieve SSO with internal and external websites using open source technology.
Gluu Becomes InCommon Affiliate
Gluu becomes an InCommon affiliate to help ease the on-boarding of new universities to the InCommon Federation for federated access to valuable online resources.


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P.T.O is Creating a District Cookbook!
Attention all parents, teachers, staff and community members! The P.T.O. is creating a district cookbook and we need your help!
If you have a Please submit a recipe to bit.do/winooskicookbook!
Please include your:
- Name
- Childs Name
- Phone Number/Email Address
- Category of Recipe
- Recipe Name
- Ingredients
- Directions
All of the recipes will be featured in a district-wide cookbook that will be available to students, parents, faculty, and community members in the near future. Please feel free to submit more than one recipe!
If you didn't yet, please submit your recipe online or return your handwritten or photocopied recipes to the JFK office or Mrs. Goetz's classroom (Room 14). If you submitted your recipe online, you're all done! Thank you!


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RECIPE: Giant Triple Chocolate Donut
Check out my Giant Triple Chocolate Donut! Doesn't it look delicious?
It was just about the best Chocolate "donut" cake I've ever had.
Let's make one! 🙂
I used these giant donuts molds I ordered from a neighbor girl's school fundraiser and as well as a box cake mix. I know this picture is probably a "little" suggestive. Sorry – I promise that wasn't my intention!!! Anyway, the donut molds!
I baked the cake for 30 minutes.
Cooled it.
Then removed it from the mold.
Unfortunately, one of the donut halves didn't come out in one piece. Dang it! But never fear, I "disguised" it with a ganache so nobody would ever know!
Ganache ingredients: 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream, 8 0z. (1/2 lb.) Chopped Chocolate, 1/2 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 Tbps. of either glucose, honey or corn syrup.
While the cream boiled in a sauce pan, I chopped up the Chocolate. I then added the Chocolate to the cream as well as the butter and one of the above mentioned sugars.
I stirred well until completely melted, then let it set for 5 minutes.
Then the fun part – I poured it over the Giant Chocolate Donut!
My daughter was itching to add some Chocolate chips. I have to admit it looked a LOT better! Plus, I could then call it a Giant Triple Chocolate Donut!
I'm sure I don't need to tell you it was absolute Chocolate perfection, do I?
And for lack of any better words – absolutely delicious.
Pure Chocolate heaven. 🙂
Have you ever made any fun cake shapes? If so, what was it? 🙂


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Coos Bay Oregon Golf Courses
|Coos Country Club
|Sunset Bay Golf Course
Additional Golf Course Reviews:
|Broadmoor Golf Course -- hills and water
|Review by: Ben Poston
|A trying course that includes an excellent elevated first tee reachable by PGA's longest hitters. Fast greens during the summer and a well regulated play deserve a visit to this well wooded and sanded part of NE Portland.
|From Portland, OR USA


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2011 Florida Gators Football: 5 Bold Predictions for Week 2 Against UABSeptember 8, 2011
With one game down in the Will Muschamp Era at the University of Florida, so far things look really good for the Gators (1-0).
They were dominant in handling visiting Florida Atlantic last Saturday night and should expect similar results this weekend against Alabama-Birmingham (0-0) in the Swamp.
So, aside from undressing the Blazers, what else could happen in game two?
Here are five bold (or in some cases not-so-bold) predictions:
1. Florida's defense will force its first turnover of the season.
Against FAU, the Gators didn't really allow the Owls to do much of anything. In fact, UF had 18 first downs before Florida Atlantic picked up its first.
But the Owls "won" the turnover battle, 3-0. Look for the Gators to get a takeaway early with the guess here being it comes on an interception of UAB quarterback Bryan Ellis by sophomore safety Matt Elam.
2. The offensive game plan will expand.
Senior running back Chris Rainey said he believed Florida ran only six plays in the season-opener—a statement offensive coordinator Charlie Weis disputed with a chuckle, saying Rainey only counted the plays that involved him.
Still, no one argued that a lot of the playbook was left unopened. Even with that, UF rolled its way to 468 yards, a total that was higher than all but two games in 2010.
Expect more variety this week from the offense, but don't look for the Gators to show too much. After all, Tennessee visits next weekend.
3. John Brantley won't throw an interception.
After throwing 10 picks (versus just nine touchdowns) as a junior, Brantley began his final campaign with two interceptions (and just one touchdown) against the Owls.
That said, he looked comfortable running the Pro Style offense Weis has installed and should look even better this week.
I doubt the Blazers will keep the game close enough to allow Brantley to eclipse 300 yards passing, but look for a line like this: 23-for-31 for 265 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
4. The Gators will punt...once.
Gainesville native David Lerner exited the preseason as the starter, edging freshman Kyle Christy. However, the competition was close and the job potentially could switch on a weekly basis based on who practices better.
Last week was supposed to give everyone their first glimpse of 2010 Ray Guy Award-winner Chas Henry's replacement but the offense had other ideas and UF never punted.
Look for Lerner, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (an ailment former Jacksonville Jaguars' quarterback David Garrard battles), to get his first shot on Saturday night and get off a 47-yard boot.
5. The defensive line will deliver another inspired performance.
Florida's front four controlled the line of scrimmage against FAU, and that was without possibly its best player, sophomore defensive end Sharrif Floyd.
Floyd will have to sit out once again in the second of a two-game NCAA suspension that drew heavy criticism from Muschamp in this statement released by Florida on Thursday:
"I'm angered, disgusted and extremely disappointed that Sharrif will have to miss two games.
In my opinion Sharrif is getting lumped into what is bad about college athletics. As we indicated in the statement Saturday night his issue was not related to sports agents, University of Florida boosters or his recruitment to Florida or anywhere else.
Sharrif is what is good about college athletics—his life is about survival, struggle, disappointment and adversity. I have recruited kids that did not know where they would sleep that night or what they would eat. Growing up, Sharrif was one these kids. Sharrif's life is also about triumph, honesty, integrity, determination, perseverance and character. The NCAA stated that he received preferential treatment; there is nothing preferential about his life.
He grew up with only his great grandmother and still sends her Pell Grant money so she can pay her bills. How many kids do you know that would do that? I know one—Sharrif Floyd.
I want to make it clear that this issue is not about sports agents, Florida boosters or his recruitment to Florida or anywhere else. The issue is about his survival and the only reason the NCAA, the SEC and the University of Florida were aware of these issues is because Sharrif brought them to our attention last February. He came forward because, as I said before, he is honest and because of his integrity.
The toughest day that I have had as a head football coach at Florida was the day that I had to tell Sharrif that he could not play in our game vs. FAU last week. I took away part of his family.
He had tears in his eyes and said 'What have I done wrong?' I told him he did nothing wrong. It wasn't any easier to tell him today that he would be missing Saturday's game.
I have two sons at home—if they end up like Sharrif I will consider myself a successful father."
If the coach is that fired up, imagine how Floyd's teammates will react.
I'm seeing six total sacks with five coming from the defensive line. Fellow 2010 signee Ronald Powell will lead the way with two.
And oh yeah, final score: Florida 52, UAB 7


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American Zeroes by John DiFelice is a darkly comic bit of brilliance.
Novels that defy classification make for an entertaining read, and that is precisely what John DiFelice delivers in American Zeroes. Behind the rambling and sometimes confusing storyline is an intelligent and witty author who knows which subtle buttons to push for laughs, tears and thoughtful musing, forcing readers to see the world through his twisted lens.
At times, the book reads like the rambling manifesto of a conspiracy theorist, or a legitimately deluded patriot, which isn't actually far off the mark. Jeremiah Stumpf is a modern-day antihero: oversaturated by the media, paranoid, a strong believer in truly strange things, and stubbornly convinced of his own correctness. Everyone can recognize the main character, even if they can't relate to his particular brand of living, and his mind is more than crazy enough to be compelling.
Comparing one author to another isn't always fair, but it's impossible to avoid in this story. The recurring themes and discussion of Ayn Rand's writing provide an epic, philosophical framework for this plot, and while some of the more heady moments come through a haze of bong smoke, they are all whip-smart in their own way. Shades of Thomas Pynchon's later works and the hedonistic abandon of Hunter S. Thompson also make an appearance, but DiFelice's overall style is undeniably his own.
For a book that skirts the edges of numerous genres – thriller, satire, stream-of-consciousness diatribe and flat-out farce – American Zeroes never seems to lose its identity or final purpose. The crispness and rapid pace of the writing forces readers to pay attention and take it seriously, but most people will find themselves shaking their heads in amazement or amusement at the bold strangeness of the story.
This book invites readers into the mind of a madman, but Jeremiah Stumpf boasts the type of insanity that is alive and well in this country. From binary code deductions hidden in the Declaration of Independence to the tireless Cold War against his terrorist neighbors, the narrator is a mirror for the mistrust and senseless fear being propagated in the world today.
As Stumpf says near the end of the book, "There are no coincidences in this world. Nothing happens by chance, I fully believe that. We are all at the mercy of sinister forces vying for control of our bodies, minds, and souls and they will not stop until they have enslaved us." Jeremiah is a man of action and belief who wants to positively change the things he sees as "wrong" in the world – an emotion to which readers can likely relate.
However, over the course of the book, he stops coming off as a proud patriot and begins to resemble an ignorant talking head, rattling off figures from Rwandan genocide peacekeeping missions and spouting racially biased opinions in the same breath. Jeremiah Stumpf is a consummate modern American in the sense that by being so concerned with the problems and mistakes of others, he is unable to see his own failings. This book will send readers into fits of laughter, but also turn their stomachs at other moments, because Jeremiah is far from a caricature. He's the archetype for a new demographic in America.
For a first novel, DiFelice knocks this story out of the park, brilliantly blending philosophy, paranoia, brotherhood, patriotism and hot-button issues into a romping novel that seems remarkably contemporary, but also clever enough to stand the test of time.
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Life Reset Button & the Future
"Have you turned it off and on again?" — Roy, 'The IT Crowd' I did not know that life had a reset button but now I can tell you that God is the one who gets to push it. My life changed one night when that button was pushed. Before that moment, I was an author, […] Continue reading →


text: Hi Folks, My question is for all you very experienced float tubers. Never had one myself. Always had a drift boat. Sometimes kind on inconvenient. I seem to see references on several threads where people are floating certain rivers with pontoon craft. Does a person need to have oars with a pontoon craft to float with one of these, or are people doing well with some of the newer float tubes that resemble a pontoon boat with oars, but do not have the oars. In other words fins and waders for navigation from hole to hole. I suppose it depends on the river of course. But I am pondering a purchase for the lakes and wondering about certain river applications. Hope this is relevant. It has me occupied. Cheers, Mark


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Religious Accommodation Expands Beyond Christianity
The Department of Defense has published an updated regulation on religious accommodation (see text: DoDI 1300.17). They represent a thorough and thoughtful effort to manage post-DOMA strife caused by some who continue to oppose all lesbian and gay rights. It is only fair to point out that military policy and culture was, up until recently, effectively anti-gay. Many anti-gay persons became comfortable in the military with statements, practices, and isolation that fit their anti-gay ideology. Now, as the military changes, it is reasonable to steward everyone, from the cheering LGBT allies to the jeering anti-gay fundamentalists, through the changes. But the new regulations are not all about the LGBT culture clash. Sikh Americans and nontheists were given significant concessions in the new regulations as well.
David Niose, Legal Director of the American Humanist Association, "The revised regulations on religious accommodation are encouraging, but humanists and other nontheists are still waiting to see real-world change in the military. Actions, not words, are what we seek. Humanist chaplains would be a sensible first step, a concrete and meaningful move that would demonstrate the chain of command's understanding of the value of our large and growing segment of the military demographic."
These new regulations follow the annual conference of the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) held each year in January. Chaplains are closely consulted and advised on these issues despite the potential conflict of interest that my arise from a 98% Christian chaplaincy. These conflicts of interest seemed to display themselves in a negative fashion when, in 2011, barriers to diversity were raised by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board following the appointment of the first Hindu Chaplain. The new regulation, on the whole, shows a positive step forward for diversity.
The obvious beneficiaries are Sikh Americans whose beliefs forbid its members from cutting their hair. This practice had in the past contradicted military policy. However, several individual exemptions have previous been provided, including a Sikh member in 2009 and a Jewish member in 2011. These individual exemptions, after several years of testing, have now been authorized as general policy. It is also the case that foreign militaries and military personnel with medical conditions have been allowed to grow beards, or at least not shave regularly. Accommodation requests must be renewed individually at each command level, and so Sikh Americans may find themselves unable to adhere to their beliefs when they move into a new command. They say this there must be a blanked approval before they are fully accommodated.
There has been significant opposition to Sikh hair and headgear accommodation from parts of the nontheist community. Many nontheists initially consider the accommodations to be unnecessary and unfair. Many have a firm church-state stance that does not include any accommodations for religious belief. However, many nontheists including MAAF praise the accommodations as a healthy diversity initiative that will have minimal negative impact and a strong positive impact on team cohesion.
The new policy was discussed in a House Armed Services – Military Personnel subcommittee hearing on January 29th that I attended. The panel assembled for questions included chaplaincy leaders from the DoD and each branch of service. The event was attended by Miss Davis, California, advocating for diversity and inclusion, and a group of Congressional Prayer Caucus members who seemed primarily concerned that all chaplains would have unfettered opportunity for Christian proselytism and sectarian prayer. The chaplain leaders stated that they weren't aware of any restrictions on prayer nor any instances of discrimination by those subject to proselytism or those trying to exercise their faith. These were all very explicit assertions, at least from my perspective in the audience, but I can only assume that was some sort of political equivocation as those leaders and the audience could all list many instances of restrictions and complaints related to religious speech and action.
Returning the the contents of the regulation: From the nontheist perspective, it is an evolutionary leap forward that the regulation states, "the Military Departments will accommodate individual expressions of sincerely held beliefs (conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs) of Service members in accordance with the policies and procedures in this instruction." While this does not explicitly reference atheists, humanists, or other nontheists, by referencing sincerely held beliefs, conscience, and moral principles alongside religious beliefs, it would be hard to restrict this "religious" accommodation exclusively to traditional divine religious beliefs. This wording emphasizes existing Constitutional legal precedent (such as Welsh v. United States, 398 U.S. 333 (1970); United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163 (1965)).
The DoD has clearly spent significant time and effort in managing the objections of anti-LGBT Christians. The language of religious accommodation from the DoD is strong, and just as strong is the commitment to good order and discipline and unit cohesion.
Because the military is a specialized community within the United States, governed by a discipline separate from that of the rest of society, the importance of uniformity and adhering to standards, of putting unit before self, is more significant and needs to be carefully evaluated when considering each request for accommodation of religious practices. It is particularly important to consider the effect on unit cohesion. The excerpt below shows what is, at least to start, a thoughtful and workable policy in this post-DOMA transition period. All requests for accommodation of religious practices will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Each request must be considered based on its unique facts; the nature of the requested religious accommodation; the effect of approval or denial on the Service member's exercise of religion; and the effect of approval or denial on mission accomplishment, including unit cohesion.
These regulations are a step forward for diversity for all personnel of all beliefs, but there is a lot of work to do, and hopefully everyone of all beliefs will be afforded a seat at the table.
Additional Notes
The treatment of terms was concerning. The term "Substantially Burden" is defined as, "significantly … as opposed to minimally interfering with the exercise of religion." And "Exercise of Religion" is defined as "any religious practice(s), whether or not compelled by or central to, a system or religious belief." "Substantially" is defined as the "significantly" and "Exercise of Religion" is any practice labeled "religious" whether or not it is compulsory or central to a belief. There is no definition of religion, proselytizing, or evangelism within this regulation or referred to in this regulation, but there should be. Those oversights leave unresolved the continuing exclusion of nontheistic and naturalistic beliefs like humanism from chaplaincy training and services.
The Instruction states that personnel may "observe the tenets of their respective religions" and now add a reference to "observe no religion at all." The DoD should be commended for adding this but there is still the question of nontheistic and naturalistic beliefs. Humanists and other nontheists should should also be included and supported equally within the military team, not marginalized as "no religion at all." The inclusion of conscience language elsewhere in the regulations is a positive step, but only explicit reference to nontheistic and naturalistic beliefs can really make this clear to what has historically been a theistic chaplaincy.
6 Responses to Religious Accommodation Expands Beyond Christianity
I'm beginning the process to request an exception-to-policy to allow a beard to be worn while in uniform… as an atheist. I'm currently overseas, so I'm not very hopeful, but if anyone thinks they might be able to assist or would like to know what happens with it, hit me up at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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It will be interesting to see how this plays out for all individuals in the future. It sounds like there is still a lot of room for discretion by unit leadership.
Even as a Christopher Hitchens type of atheist, I find that I can sympathize with Sikhs probably more than any religion. Theirs is the only religion I know of which, at its very founding, insisted upon equal rights and opportunities for women. They also highly value education, scientific literacy, tolerance, service to others, and self discipline and sacrifice. In many ways, they are basically secular humanists, with a little bit of woo thrown in, plus awesome knives and beards. One of my old school buddies was a Sikh and was among the brightest students in a class of over 500. He was also very kind, and is now a doctor at Johns Hopkins.