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David Chauner is a two-time Olympic cyclist who turned his passion for the sport into a life career. His cycling career spans nearly forty years as an Olympic and international competitor, writer, national television and radio color commentator, international event producer and now developer of a new World Cycling League.
Set in the bizarre and little-understood world of professional cycling when American television was just beginning to cover the Tour de France, High Road by David Chauner offers insight into how cycling, and really all sports, can be affected by the desire for power and riches.
Tell us something about your book. The basics: what's it about?
High Road is a novel about the choices a professional cyclist must make when confronted by compelling temptations to break the rules in order to win the Tour de France. How young Kurt Dufour, a privileged Dartmouth student, rebounds from accused murderer to Tour contender in five years is filled with characters who support his drive to the top and those who seek to either control him or stop him.
I've written High Road as a fast-paced tale of challenge, intrigue and romance with plenty of action and plot twists to appeal to any reader of good fiction.
What drove you to write this particular book?
My life has revolved around a fascination with cycling as a competitive sport and the characters who are attracted to it as team owners, athletes and fans. Cycling is not a mainstream sport in the U.S. and the many talented people who become cyclists and reach high levels are generally mavericks in one way or another. Unusual drive, ambition and a high degree of self-motivation, whatever the good or bad reasons, are characteristics you find in most of them.
As an incorrigible storyteller, I love to talk and write about these kinds of people, what makes them tick and what drives them to take on the impossible challenges presented by events like the Tour de France.
As an avid reader, I am keenly aware of the fact that there are few good novels with cycling as backdrop. I see that as a niche that High Road can fill.
How did you come to self-publish? Did you try to get published traditionally?
I went through the traditional publishing experience as a co-author of the Tour de France Complete Book of Cycling which was published by Villard Books in 1990.
Although this was more or less a writing assignment to meet Villard's perceived demand for a how-to cycling book (the sport was gaining new popularity in the U.S. thanks to Greg LeMond, the first American winner of the Tour), I realized that to write what I wanted to write was a long process of finding an agent with valuable publishing connections and the ability to sell my vision. I had a business to run and I just didn't want to take the time or be bothered by the endless lobbying one has to do as a new, unproven novelist. I just wanted to write the story!
Believe it or not, I started writing High Road in 1995 -twenty years ago- when self-publishing was largely considered vanity. A few years ago, at the height of cycling's widely publicized and "stranger than fiction" doping scandals, I showed the incomplete manuscript to a friend who loved the book and encouraged me to finish it. When I looked into getting it published, I couldn't believe how self-publishing had grown, both in terms of acceptance, sophistication and minimal cost. It was perfect for someone like me who didn't want to chase after an agent or grovel to a publisher who may have had different story ideas. Plus I loved the concept of print on demand, ebook publishing and a higher share of royalties!
What self-publishing service did you use? Happy with the service?
I chose Createspace because they are affiliated with Amazon and offer many options from free advice to a la carte services if desired or needed. I designed my own cover and hired an accomplished editor who is also a top cycling journalist and understands the nuances and authenticity important to telling a plausible story in cycling.
I've been quite happy with Createspace and have learned a lot about this new world of self-publishing. I love the fact that it keeps the author in charge yet is right there with advice and services when needed.
What avenues have you taken to market the book? Have you gotten reviews, interviews, TV, print media coverage?
With some solid five star reader and independent reviews behind me, my approach is to get High Road first in front of the large audience of cycling enthusiasts through mention and reviews in the biggest cycling publications and websites, of which there are many. I'm just starting this process and expect to build momentum during July when the Tour de France is running. I know the word is spreading in cycling circles and I've been thrilled with the positive response from those folks as well as from non-cycling reviewers. Cycling enthusiasts and readers in general are huge social media users, an area I need to develop.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
I love good fiction, particularly stories with intriguing plots and characters. I've read everything by Grisham and consider him a great story teller. I've enjoyed most of Dick Francis, largely because he creates great whodunnits around the horse-racing world that can be appreciated by readers with no particular interest in that sport. I've enjoyed DeMille, Sandford, Archer, Follet's epics, Wouke's WWII novels and even Tom Wolfe's classics like Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full, I am Charlotte Simmons and Back to Blood.
What's your writing regimen? Any tips for keeping focused?
Since I'm not a full time writer, I write in spurts when I can make the time and feel the urge. I periodically clear my mind by going for a bike ride.
Would you self-publish again?
Most definitely but I would also consider going the traditional publisher route if the deal were right.
Any final words of advice for those looking to self-publish?
Do it because you believe you are a good writer, have a marketable book and have confidence in controlling the process.
David Chauner Website
SPR Review of High Road


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What is the chemistry between the scientist who presents and the audience? When the presenter who precedes you gives a bad presentation, does that affect you? When you work in a field where people are divided into camps of divergent scientific opinions, does that affect you?
Our experts share with you their experience about the people who come to a talk with a bad attitude, or with their own specific agenda.
Standard Podcast [ 9:42 | 8.92 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2254)

subset: commoncrawl


text: David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an early Oscar frontrunner, but Peter Travers has some critical words for Brad Pitt's new film. What's better? The depressing but brilliant Revolutionary Road, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Plus, the final scumbucket of 2008: Adam Sandler's nauseating Bedtime Stories and Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson's dog Marley & Me. Full the full report — and Travers' last "aye, chihuahua!" of the year — click above.


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|Related Sections:
|Greenville County
Greenville Country Club - Chanticleer Course239 Byrd Blvd
Greenville, SC 29605
Phone: (864)233-6227Fax: (864)271-3730
This club has two regulation eighteen hole courses: The Chanticleer and The Riverside.The Chanticleer Course has water hazards that come into play at least fifteen times. The narrow fairways are tree lined, and the small greens are fast, undulating and elevated.The Riverside Course is easier and more forgiving than the Chanticleer Course. The fairways are wider, and the greens are medium in speed and size. There are fewer water hazards on this course."GOLFWEEK" selected the course 78th among "America's 100 Best Modern Courses" for 1998 and 72nd for 1999.
|Holes: 18
|Greens: Bent Grass
|Fairways: Bermuda Grass
* Update this Course: Update/modify the details for this golf course's listing.
*All Greens Fees provided are subject to change. Please call the golf course to confirm the current fees.


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Thank goodness for "athleisure" being a thing now. I'm pretty sure at least 5 days out of the week I don't even get dressed anymore. I wear my gym clothes everywhere since I've started working out everyday. I usually just throw on a different tank or a sweatshirt like with this outfit to make it a little bit more acceptable. Leggings are so cute now though that I don't even feel weird doing it! I think these tie dye leggings from Lysse are the perfect example!
How do you guys feel about this trend?


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Firstly, it's really hard to enter a "descriptive title" for this, but that's beside the point
Anyways, here's the problem I have:
If , and are altitudes of triangle , and and are points on and respectively such that , prove that bisects .
I've done substantial angle chasing with the orthic triangle, but I can't seem to prove that it is an angle bisector. I've used only 2 pronumerals for angles: for and for and I'm trying to prove is also . Is this the correct/ a good approach? If not, what'd be better? Some hints would do fine, all I've got atm is a huge bunch of angle chasing rubbish


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Apple may very well be in the throes of the most litigious period in company history.
As Apple emerged from the brink of bankruptcy in the late 90s to become one of the leading consumer electronic companies in the world, it's bank account ballooned into the billions and the company increasingly became the target for litigation from patent trolls and companies with genuine legal cases.
At the same time, Apple has taken stronger steps to protect its own patent portfolio, evidenced by a number of high profile cases Apple is currently litigating against companies that use Google's Android OS, for example.
And just last month, Apple finally settled a multi-layered litigation battle with Nokia that saw the Cupertino-based company acquiesce to Nokia demands and agree to pay Nokia royalties for each iPhone sold in addition to a lump sum payment encompassing back royalties for previously sold iPhones.
Needless to say, patent litigation is serious business and can fundamentally affect a company's bottom line. So having a strong legal team that can navigate through the intricacies of patent litigation is absolutely crucial in today's tech landscape.
And now comes word via Reuters that Apple's patent portfolio manager, Richard "Chip" Lutton Jr., will be leaving the company. Taking his place is B.J. Watrous, who formerly worked as deputy general counsel at Hewlett Packard.
As to why Lutton is leaving, and to where, isn't yet known, but Lutton leaves at at time when Apple is defending its patent portfolio with unprecedented vigor. Apple is of course still engaged in a legal battle with HTC over alleged patent infringement while it's also going hard at Samsung for allegedly copying the look and feel of its software and hardware. And then of course there's pending litigation with Kodak, Lodsys, and Motorola, just to name a few.
And looking to beef up its already strong patent portfolio, remember that Apple recently was part of a consortium that delivered the winning $4.5 billion bid for Nortel's massive 6,000+ patent portfolio where Apple is rumored to have contributed $2 billion for licenses to the patents along with "outright ownership" of Nortel's LTE related patents.As of Monday, the report notes that Lutton's voicemail was still operational so it remains unclear when he will officially be leaving his role at Apple, though a source told Reuters it will likely be before the end of August. And as Apple's chief patent counsel, Lutton played an integral role in many of Apple's most recent legal disputes, himself writing some of the filings Apple has used in its ongoing dispute with Samsung.
Lastly, the report relays that Apple IP group has been "on a hiring spree lately, snapping up litigation specialist Noreen Krall from Sun Microsystems."


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Whether you call it a Swoosh or a Swash, here's how to draw it in Illustrator
The Nike Swoosh is a recognizable logo and most people will call it a swoosh or a swash, but Nike didn't invent these wonderful curvy shapes. In fact, shapes like these have been part of fonts for years and years and they are a fun way to make a type logo effect. Simply draw a fun shape off the end of the last letter in a word, join it to the word and then add your custom effects – what could be easier? Well, it's not super simple but it is fun when you know how.
In this video I will show you how to choose a good font to use for a swoosh (or swash) effect and I'll show you where you can download the one I used for free from a free font download site. I'll show you how to rough out the shape to draw and then how to draw it using the Pen tool (don't worry, it's not difficult). Then I'll show you how to turn your type into Paths so you can join the type and the swoosh together and finally how to decorate your new logo text using multiple strokes in Illustrator. When you are done you will have a custom, logo style result and you will have added a whole range of new skills to your Illustrator toolkit and what's not to like about that?
Click on the image above or the video below to view the complete instructions on how to create a swoosh in Illustrator.


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It's that time of the year, with the nice weather, comes construction season.
There are 21 road restrictions around the city today -- from road closures to lane restrictions. While city crews are improving the streets, it's creating headaches for drivers, transit riders and cyclists.
So this morning, I want to do a July construction season check-in.
On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate your level of frustration when navigating the city streets during construction season? I want to know what roads to avoid. What roads still desperately need to be fixed. And what level of frustration you experience on your ride to and from work.
Replay the live chat below, or if you'd like to weigh in, leave your thoughts in the comment section.
Join online host Matt Kruchak from Monday to Friday between 6-8:45 a.m. on cbc.ca/saskatoon for a lively and engaging live chat. While chatting, tune into Saskatoon Morning on 94.1 FM with host Leisha Grebinski.
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.


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Reaching Decisions, Acting & Choosing the Right Time to Act
(Gershon Ben Keren - Mon 30th Apr)
Once we have "chosen" a particular solution, we have to act on it. This is often the hardest part of the continuum. Our perceived inability to act may well cause us to revisit and reconsider the other options that we thought about before initially deciding on one plan of action. We may also try and look for other potential solutions, especially if we start to over-consider the potential consequences of what we first decided upon. This way of thinking puts us squarely back into the "Deliberation Loop" and moves us further away from action, which should be the goal of our threat recognition and decision process.
Our fear instinct often prevents us from acting upon any decision that is made when in a high stress situation. If you are involved in an incident where an aggressive individual is screaming and shouting obscenities at you, despite being fully aware that at any moment he may start to physically assault you, and that your best plan would be to either run away or attack him first, your fear emotion may well hold you in check. In any potentially dangerous situation, even where the level of risk to our safety may be small, our fear emotion will often prevent us from acting.
Anyone who has bungee jumped or parachuted will tell of the inertia that is experienced when you stand on a platform waiting to jump into open air. Our conscious mind knows that both of these activities are relatively low-risk however our emotional self knows otherwise. Our emotional self knows that whilst you don't act you are not experiencing pain or danger and this is good. Let's now take the parachute example and say that the plane is about to crash, you've got over your denial, deliberation and that your only chance of safety is to make the parachute jump; there will still be hesitation. In the moment when you are waiting to make jour jump you are safe, you are not experiencing pain or trauma and your emotional mind will assure you that this is a good state to be in, and whatever you choose to do will take you out of this state. Your emotional side doesn't understand the future, it only understands the now. It doesn't know what you will feel and experience in the future, that your only chance of safety is to jump. It just knows that at this very moment you are safe.
This fear inertia is what holds you back from acting when dealing with an individual(s) where it is obvious that physical violence is the only outcome. As you stand there waiting for the inevitable punch, push or grab, your fear emotion will tell you that at this moment you are not experiencing any pain or discomfort and that you shouldn't do anything to risk this state of affairs – whatever action you take, whether it's running away or making a pre-emptive assault carries a degree of risk to it, and this is an unknown. What your body does know is that whilst not acting nothing bad or painful is happening to you.
When you overthink the consequences of a decision, your natural hesitation to act is reinforced. I see this all the time when I watch sparring (which is great training for fighting but barely resembles a street-fight itself). Often I will see two individuals, at distance, looking for openings. One will start a kick or an attack only to see their opponent respond and pull back etc – for more experienced individuals, these responses can indicate how they should initiate their next attack. However most people start to imagine what will happen if their attack is unsuccessful. They have seen/realized that their opponent is going to respond in some way to what they were planning to do and they now start to imagine all the ways in which they might respond. Weighed down with all the imagined consequences of their action they end up doing nothing. Our fear response may hold us back from initially acting but it is these imagined consequences that reinforces it.
In Combat Sports, such as Boxing and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), the pre-fight build up to a contest is a great example of an individual attempting to get their opponent to consider the consequences of certain actions. A Boxer who repeatedly tells the media that the person he is fighting will not be able to get past his lead punch without walking on to his straight right, is attempting to get his opponent to hesitate and consider the consequences of trying to do so when in the ring. In a street-fight when an aggressor keeps telling you what they're going to do to you, they are attempting to intimidate you into not acting. When a person tells you their plan for you, they are trying to reinforce your own fear instincts desire for inaction. You can choose to believe what they are telling you or not. You can also choose to believe your own imagination's conclusions and scenarios concerning the consequences of acting as well. Or better still you can simply act on your decision.
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Denial, Deliberation, Decision Loop - Deliberation
(Gershon Ben Keren - Wed 25th Apr)
The individuals in the World Trade Center who eventually passed through their denial phase and accepted that something was very wrong were faced with many choices e.g. should they wait for instruction on what to do, should they evacuate the building, should they try and find a supervisor/manager who may have more information etc. In such high stress situations many people get caught in a loop, comparing and evaluating the best option available to them. They will weigh up the pros and cons; eventually they seem to reach a decision, only to repeat the process over again. People do the same when dealing with potentially violent situations.
Imagine you are being followed and you notice/hear the footsteps of somebody walking behind you. You might initially discount or deny that this person is following you but as they start to match your pace, slowing down and speeding up when you do, it becomes evident that you have to accept that you are being followed. Your next step is to work out what you should do. You consider turning around and confronting the person, next you decide it may be best to run or possibly walk up to one of the houses your passing and pretend you're visiting someone. As these thoughts race through your mind you realize the person behind you is getting closer and you start to think about what their motive could be, if they've got a knife etc. You start to run through your options again, with an added sense of urgency and feeling the pressure of your situation. You are stuck in the "Deliberation Loop", trying rapidly to find a solution without ever fully reaching one. It is a classic example of overthinking.
The problem is that just as we have models and scripts that allow us to automate tasks, so we have ways/models of thinking that help us function in our everyday world. We are blessed with a rational brain that allows us to collect information, compare different pieces of it and eventually reach conclusions. When people make a choice about a car they are going to buy, they will consider things such as: reliability cost of parts/maintenance, fuel efficiency etc. When selecting a university or educational establishment: price, reputation, location, length of the course etc. will all be taken account and a comparison of different schools and universities based upon these factors will be reached. This is called "Rationalistic Decision Making" (RDM). It's a method of evaluation that we use to make and justify our decisions 99.9% of the time. It's a fantastic way of processing complex data and making informed decisions based upon it. It has one drawback: it takes time. Unfortunately violent situations have a habit of developing rapidly and time is one of the components of a situation that any assailant/attacker will try and eliminate.
The individuals in the World Trade Center on 9/11 were working against the clock – it took people an average of one minute to clear each floor. If you were an average person who took six minutes to gather your senses and leave your desk, you'd have been six floors higher than you would have been had you managed to start moving the moment you heard the initial explosion/felt the building rock. Without being over-dramatic those 6 minutes for many people were the difference between life and death. There also would have been individuals who "revised" their evacuation plans along the way. The majority of people don't have strong models and scripts of what to do in the event of an emergency. There would have been individuals who had never completed a fire drill, or ever taken note of where the nearest fire escape was. If a person went looking for an escape route or fire escape and couldn't initially find one, they may well have ditched their escape plan in favor of another possible solution they'd considered; waiting for a Fire-Marshall or supervisor to tell them what to do i.e. they were still deliberating after they'd appeared to reach a decision. There is always new information that becomes available as things develop and this needs to be both considered and used to revise a plan. However at the very beginning the initial plan needs to be acted upon with complete conviction.
The problem we have in our rational thinking model is that we are looking to find the best solution to a situation. The problem is that the "best" solution requires a comparison of all possible options to take place in order for a thorough evaluation to take place and this takes time. It is much quicker to simply search for an "effective" solution; something that will work/solve the problem and not care too much if it is the best one available. If you believe someone is following you and running would prevent you from being assaulted you should run. It should not be compared against the other possible options it should just be acted upon. If you are in an argument that is only going one way and walking away will not be effective, nor will continuing the argument or backing down, then your only real choice is to make a pre-emptive strike – with full conviction. This mode of thinking is referred to as Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM). It is a fast way of reaching decisions because it only asks a person to make one comparison of a potential solution (is it effective), rather than comparing each possible solution with each other.
It is easy for us to overthink, we have brains that allow us to do this – it's why we are able to be creative; we can imagine what is not yet there. This is a dangerous mode to operate in as it allows our minds to create new problems that don't exist. In high stress, emotional situations where time is of the essence we need to find effective solutions quickly and not worry if better ones may be available to us.
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The Dynamic Risk Assessment - The Denial, Deliberation & Decision Loop
(Gershon Ben Keren - Mon 23rd Apr)
Human beings have a very simple way of coping with high stress situations; we deny them. Rather than accepting the reality of our situation, we tend to ignore our predicament, denying that we are in any danger at all. Our instincts may tell us to run or get out of a place but we will immediately look for and accept any reason that will allow us to stay put; however tenuous, ridiculous or patently dangerous it may actually be.
A statistic that should be in everybody's head is 6:36. 6 minutes and 36 seconds, is the average length of time that it took for people to start evacuating the second twin tower after it was hit by the second plane on 9/11. Imagine sitting at your desk, aware that the unthinkable has just happened - a plane has hit the tower next to you. Now imagine that you here an explosion many floors above you and then you feel the building you're in start to shudder and groan. Now set your watch alarm for 6 minutes and 36 seconds and wait. This is the average length of time that people working in that second tower waited before leaving their desk in search of a fire escape. This is the denial phase and it has a gravitational pull that is strong enough to keep people in a state of inertia regardless of the information and awareness that they have concerning their situation e.g. friends and relatives watching the events, from the outside, on the ground were phoning and emailing those within the second tower, keeping them up to date with what was going on.
The reason we go into a state of denial so quickly and firmly, is because the human brain is extremely adept at building scripts that automate many of the "tasks" that we fulfill on an everyday basis. If you've ever gotten into your car to go to work, and after 15 minutes find yourself there without any real recollection of the journey, it's because you've completed that familiar task on your automatic pilot; you've slowed down, braked, accelerated, changed lanes etc. without ever being consciously aware of your environment. A person going to work in the Twin Towers on 9/11, wasn't expecting a plane to crash into their office space; it wasn't in their script. Their script or model involved, grabbing a coffee, getting in an elevator, sitting at a desk, attending a meeting etc. The only "disasters" they'd been led to expect that could possibly happen (and maybe trained for) was the risk of fire – and how many people in offices assume every time they hear an alarm, that it's a drill not the real thing? Another manifestation of denial.
Having scripts that allow us to repeat common tasks, without thinking, enable us to complete them quickly and efficiently. Things fall apart when the real world ends up not matching the script. So strong are these scripts and models that we often choose to believe them instead of what is actually in front of our eyes. It was this holding on to inappropriate scripts on 9/11 that kept people sitting at their desks for an average of 6 minutes 36 seconds before they made their way to an exit or fire escape. Some people took longer, some people never moved. There were of course those people who reacted and responded instantaneously, these people are the ones who are equipped with what we refer to as a "survival mindset".
Survivors, survive because they exhibit a curiosity about their surroundings and environment. It is this curiosity that allows them to break out of their scripts and models and accept the reality of the situation they find themselves in. Survivors don't deny or discount the various possibilities and causes of danger however improbable and remote they may seem. They will take in every bit of available information concerning their environment and re-work their scripts and models accordingly.
When I talk to people who have been assaulted one of the most common statements I hear is, "I just couldn't believe this would be happening to me." If a person's entire modus operandi is to work to a script then the unimaginable has no place. If you believe that you won't be mugged in a crowded shopping mall, bus or train station etc, when it does happen to you, your response will be one of disbelief and denial. This is one of the biggest causes of denial in violent situations: a person having built themselves an incorrect "model of violence" e.g. crowded places are the domain of pick pockets and surreptitious criminals not of muggers and sexual predators. A woman may believe that she is safe from being raped on a populated subway carriage but the truth is such assaults have taken place – and unfortunately will continue to do so. A rapist can carry out an assault in less than 10 seconds, using the cover that bystanders afford along with the victim's sense of disbelief/denial to commit their attack with little fear of being discovered or caught. If your model of violence states that muggers and rapists only operate in deserted places then you are reinforcing your ability to deny these assaults happening in any other scenarios.
Experience can often work to reinforce and validate an inappropriate script or model. For every subway ride you've taken where you haven't been raped or mugged you'll reinforce your perception that these threats and dangers are not something that need to concern you when in such a situation. Experience can have the effect of reducing your ability to be curious about your environment and stop you from questioning events, behaviors and actions that may occur within it. Familiarity breeds contempt and the result is a false sense of security. As soon as you stop thinking and questioning you become a victim. Just because something hasn't happened ten thousand times doesn't mean it won't – the Twin Towers didn't experience an attack by air for over 50 years however the unthinkable/unimaginable happened. You may have walked along a street a thousand times, drunk in a bar five hundred times, all without incident. However you're continued safe experience of these things means you're more likely to deny the possibility of violence occurring than had you had to deal with aggressive behavior in these places on every other occasion. Experience can often be translated as, everything you got away with in the past, without consequence.
Denial is a natural response to violence. It is easy to discount and deny the possibility of danger; after all bad things happen to other people not us. Our scripts and models disallow us the opportunity to accept the presence of danger and our experience(s) confirm these. I am sure that the persons, who evacuated the Twin Towers in the first instance, did so after initially "denying" the situation they might be facing. Many people when first confronted with extreme aggression will laugh assuming that the other person must be joking or playing a prank. I remember as a child the first time I was bullied, I simply didn't believe that children could behave this way or anyone would socially interact in this manner (an incorrect model of violence). I wasn't sheltered as a child I'd just not experienced behaviors such as exclusion, extreme ridicule or physical violence before. Because I couldn't imagine them, I couldn't accept them and because of this I kept denying them even when I experienced them, again and again. Many of our scripts and models are learnt/created early in our lives and we must learn to adapt and change them as we get older, wiser and more informed.
Your initial reaction to violence will always be denial however much training you receive. We humans are continually optimistic creatures and we believe that what has kept us safe in the past will continue to do so in the future. When we understand that violence often doesn't adhere to both our models and experience, we are able to set ourselves up for the next stage we go through: deliberation.
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Improvised Weapons (Security Overseas Part 2.5)
(Gershon ben Keren - Mon 16th Apr)
One of the "comments" I got from one of my last posts was about the use of improvised weapons i.e. if you're overseas and can't carry a firearm, CS Spray etc what could you carry or use as alterntives. This is a subject that I feel many self-defense instructors take lightly or misinterpret and at the worst case point people towards "legal carry" weapons that actually disempower them.
A true "improvised" weapon can only exist once. The moment something you find in your environment is spontaneously used as a weapon it loses its improvised quality. The moment you realize an umbrella, pen or chair can be used as a tool for self-defense purposes, the next time you are in a similar situation you will be looking to find one of these items. I remember having the realization that a car radio antennae – the old telescopic ones from the 1980's/90's - would make a great flexible weapon. In that initial instance it was an improvised weapon. Every time after that when I was in a parking lot I was either subconsciously or consciously searching for cars with that type of radio antennae – technology is great but there is no car like a MK 2 Ford Cortina for defensively minded radio aerial design!
Time is great for progress but the ban on smoking in public places deprived many of us the chance/possibility to use those big glass ash trays as "improvised" blunt impact weapons. In one sense the smoking ban saves lives on the other hand…
The value of a true improvised weapon is that it demonstrates that a person is aware of and understands their environment. The irony being that if they truly understand their environment they shouldn't need a weapon in the first place – obviously there are exceptions to this.
When people talk about the use of improvised weapons they are usually talking about how common household objects etc, could be used in an offensive/defensive manner. By definition you can't create a list of improvised weapons, you can only teach people how to identify objects that can be used in this way. This is a skill, a mindset and one you have to develop. Learning how to fight with a chair is learning how to use a chair in much the same way as you use a "traditional" weapon such as a stick, a knife, or a gun – admittedly this isn't the primary purpose of a chair but many "conventional" weapons have started out this way e.g. the PR-24 side-handle (fixed length and telescopic) baton is an interpretation of the Okinawan Tonfa, which in turn was the handle of a rice mill turned to militaristic purposes.
The skill/mindset of "discovering" items in your environment that could be used as weapons lies in understanding your environment. A colleague of mine who used to work in security in Russia tells of how there would be a meeting of individuals, in a bar/club, where everybody was searched for weapons – any being found were confiscated. Knowing that there would always be condom machines in the toilets, whoever was hired for protection would go down and by a pack and put a bunch of coins in one to make a flexible schlock. One person had the thought and the rest were taught and followed.
Many people see improvised weapon's as a quick fix or even a starting point of self-defense, I see it as the pinnacle. If you can understand how to make a tool out of things found in your environment then you have an exceptional mind – you are going back to the basic instincts and ideas that first enabled man to discover fire, create the wheel etc. Improvised weapons are the height of invention – and necessity is the mother of invention. If in a moment you can create a "tool" whilst under emotional pressure, as far as I'm concerned you are at your most human.
Being curious about our environment is what allowed us to become the dominant species. Improvised weapons smack of this curiosity. If you can walk into a bar, pub, club or restaurant and identify 5 things that could double as a weapon then you are thinking like our forefathers. If you don't have this mindset then teaching you how to fight with a chair, a pen or a flashlight is a waste of time. The person who instinctively smashes a fire extinguisher over somebody's head or breaks a pool cue in two is thinking in the right vein as opposed to the person who starts unstrapping their belt because they were taught in a seminar that this was a good idea. There are no short cuts when it comes to self-defense and personal protection; it's a way of thinking.
I could run seminars on fighting with a chair, using a flashlight etc, they'd be worth zero. If you're not attuned to your environment you will never realize the harmful intent that is in it. If you carry a firearm and don't have the time and room to pull it, why do you think you'd have the time to identify another weapon and improvise its use? If you want to carry a "legal" weapon that's another matter, but understand what "legal" means. Also understand, that if it's legal it's probably been "compromised" in some way that makes it ineffective or it requires a lot of skill to make it work in a real-life situation. Don't fool yourself that these "legal" tools are as effective as a knife, a TASER, CS Spray etc, they're not, which is why they're legal carry. I would rather have a hand free to scrape, gouge and rip than tie one or two hands up in a "weapon" that promises much and delivers little. A tool is only a tool if it empowers you. Don't be fooled.
The martial arts industry has created many legal carry tools, some gimmicky e.g. baseball hats with lead shot in them, other more tactical and with genuine thought behind them, such as the Monkey Fist (a take on the Japanese Kusarifundo), the Kubotan Key Chain (an interpretation of the Japanese Yawara) or the now popoular stoppers - basically plastic one finger, knuckle dusters. From a traditional perspective these tools were taught as part of a martial arts system that viewed weapons training as an art, not like us in the West who see these things as quick fixes and equalizers - a Yawara is a very technical weapon that is used to apply painful wrist locks, controls and restraints etc but what business does a civilian on the street have for doing this type of action? When you look at the purpose of a tool, such as the Kubotan that is based on it and look at the goal of what you are trying to achieve, it may become obvious that the two might not marry up. If you're simplt looking to use the tool as an impact weapon, a bottle, pen, magazine or other hand held item will do the trick and may be more readily available.
This is one of the dangers of weapon training in general i.e. you become fixated on the weapon and mold your purpose around it. This is true of conventional, modified and improvised weapon. An improvised weapon should be drawn from the environment to solve the problem at hand - a broken pool cue might make a great weapon in one environment and be lousy in another - the situation determines the solution.
Being able to identify and use objects in your environment is a skill to develop, and one that can be done before the proverbial hit shits the fan. When you enter a room take a sweeping glance and identify objects that could be used as weapons and barriers etc as well as where the exits are. This is a great situational awareness excercise and will hopefully start to rase your awareness of the environments you occupy. It is this awareness that will save you, not the telephone directory in the corner....
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Security Overseas - Part 2
(Gershon Ben Keren - Sat 14th Apr)
This post follows the last and is looking at personal security when travelling abroad – both posts stem from a question a student at my school asked, concerning altenrative self-defense products to CS Spray that could be carried legally by a female friend who was travelling in Europe (in many European countries CS Spray is illegal).
Rather than concentrate on alternative weapons to CS Spray, I'm choosing to look at the direct security measures that a person traveling can take to avoid them having to deal with a physical conflict in the first place. As a side note to this, I want to talk briefly about the way "defensive weapons" are viewed from a legal perspective in certain European countries.
In the UK most of the definitions concerning what constitutes an offensive weapon comes from the intent of the person carrying it e.g. if I am carrying a golf club, garden spade or the like with the intent of using them as a weapon either for offensive or defensive purposes then these items will be classified as offensive weapons. There are also more explicit laws concerning folding knives whose blade's lock etc. But it is worth noting that anything can be potentially categorized as an offensive weapon based upon the intent of the person carrying it. Not being a legal mind, I would also speculate, that if you are involved in a violent incident in the US and you are carrying a weapon that is effectively legal, your intent in carrying and using it would be called into question by any prosecuting attorney. I say this because people often put forward arguments for carrying canes, walking sticks and Kubotan Key Chains (a short stick based on the Japanese Yawara that was popular in the 1980's) as being "legally" eligible as weapons. The fact that a Kubotan key chain serves no other purpose than as a weapon makes it illegal in the UK and in other countries such as in the US it may cause a prosecutor to raise the question as to why a person was carrying it – often by making a substitution, like a Maglite torch, these arguments and questions become moot; especially when travelling it can be argued that a person could be staying in a hotel, boarding house etc where there were shared bathrooms and it would be needed as an aid at night.
But I digress. The purpose of this post is to primarily talk about certain measures that can be taken when travelling. One of the main areas of concern I always had when travelling was how to secure my hotel room once in it. The fact that hotel rooms accessed by old fashioned keys always meant that there would be duplicates around, allowing people to access my room. From a female perspective this could be at night with the purpose of a predatory individual attempting to commit a rape/sexual assault.
It should always be remembered that any criminal's greatest fear (apart from terrorists) is getting caught. Simply making yourself a hard target is often enough to direct a predator's attention elsewhere. Often all that is needed to deter someone with harmful intent is to put an unexpected obstacle in a person's way. Carrying a doorstop in your luggage, and placing it under your hotel door room at night may be all that it takes to slow down and deter a would-be predator. Certain companies make security doorstops which are fitted with a motion activated alarm. There is a link below, which illustrates one of these products (this shouldn't be taken as my endorsement of this particular brand – read the reviews of different makes/models of this type of device and make your own selection).
Another useful device that can be fitted into a handbag/purse is this temporary lock called an AddaLock. It works on most doors and is pretty effective; I've used this product before. It may be used in bathrooms which don't have a lock, both in people's homes and in hotel or restaurant rooms etc. It could also be used in a situation where you need to improvise a "safe room" in somebody else's house whilst you call the police. This is another simple security measure: making sure your mobile phone works in the country you are in and that you know the number for the police or guarda etc. Don't assume it's 911 everywhere.
The temporary locks details can be seen by clicking on the link below:
In the next post I'll look at measures such as securing travel documents etc. See everyone on the mats tomorrow.
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Security Overseas
(Gershon Ben Keren - Sun 8th Apr)
It's awhile since anyone has asked me to write on Travel/Overseas Security but I had a request to do so this week. The question was more about what concealed or legal carry weapons should somebody (in this case a female) take, when travelling especially in European countries where OC Spray – which I'm a big fan of – are illegal and/or there is a risk of causing an alert when passing through airport security etc.
Firstly, any weapon carried should be seen as the last line of defense and not the first. Unfortunately, many people become lazy about this and put their complete dependence on the weapon itself, not realizing that if the other previous lines of defense are compromised it may not be possible to gain enough time to deploy any weapon you may be carrying. Any assailant will attempt to deny you time and distance to act and so if you are going to lower your SA (Situational Awareness), simply because you have a weapon that will give you the upper hand, you may not identify the threat earlier enough to act and use it.
I always teach on my women's self-defense course, where we teach the use of OC Spray, that the fact that you are thinking about drawing the spray is the most useful part about it. When we first recognize a threat we enter a "Denial, Deliberation & Denial" loop, thinking about drawing a weapon can help us move out of the denial stage i.e. if you have your hand on the spray or another weapon you can't deny the danger you are in. Accepting the presence of a threat and overcoming denial is the first step in being able to deal with any threat of danger.
This post and the next will concentrate on dealing with personal safety when abroad, either when with work or during a holiday/leisure time.
Personal safety (and fighting for that matter) is about controlling your environment. The first thing to understand when you are in a foreign country is that you don't understand your environment and as a consequence you will be an obvious stranger. However much you may have read about a particular culture etc, you are not part of it. You will probably stand out, simply by the way you dress, or by simple behaviors, such as not smoking (smoking being the norm in certain countries etc). The more you try to "fit in" the more obvious you are likely to become. The goal of personal security is not to draw attention to yourself: to be low profile. Trying to fit in, in a culture you are unaware of, puts a spotlight immediately on you.
At the same time you must also be able to put the doubt in somebody's mind that you are unaware of your environment. A seasoned traveler is much less of a target than a newbie. Standing in the airport looking at your "Rough Guide to Thailand" or other guidebook, just after you've landed, is going to draw attention to you even before you have left the relative safety of the terminal. Ensuring that you know your transport route from the airport to your hotel beforehand and moving purposefully towards the necessary bus-stop or taxi pickup will more than likely allow you to pass through the airport under the radar of any would be predator.
Knowing the route that a Taxi is likely to take from the airport to your hotel or destination will a) allow you to give off the image of somebody who has been in the city/country before and b) ensure that you won't be over-charged. Don't be afraid to ask generic questions, such as "why are we going this way?" etc, if the route isn't one that seemed obvious from your previous research. Simple questions like this may be enough to put in a person's head that you are aware of the surroundings you are in. Be aware that in most countries taxi drivers and those in the leisure industry are normally amongst the low waged and simple criminal activities such as over-charging may be ways to supplement income, up to more heinous acts such as muggings etc. A taxi driver may well be involved in a staged mugging at a traffic light etc, telling you to hand over your wallet and do what his accomplices want, whilst at the same time pretending to be a victim himself. If the route a driver chooses to take is not an obvious one, you need to question his reason for taking it.
In many countries hotel staff will offer to book your transport such as taxis, bus/train tickets etc for you. At first glance this may seem convenient however in countries such as Vietnam and Thailand these services are charged for. Also you have alerted a member of the hotel staff to where you are going and at what time. Having a predictable movement pattern allows would be predators the chance to synchronize their movements to yours. Convenient as some services are, from a personal security perspective they may not be worth it.
Never make the default assumption that the "locals" are friendly and nice because that is in their nature. The dollar in your pocket is what everyone in the tourist trade is after. Some people have more integrity than others however all are trying to make a living in a low paid industry. You shouldn't be paranoid or suspicious of everyone you meet but you should be aware. Having prior information about your environment is the key to this. There is no need to become over-read and an expert but knowing simple things such as the transport route's the relative proximity of bus and train stations along with the times when such services do and don't run is one way to help you get about safely.
In the next post, I will talk about making sure your hotel/hostel room etc is safe and how to increase your security when in it. All of this may seem a touch extreme however I give it as general advice taken from courses I have run for FTSE 100 & NASDAQ companies in the past, who sent their executives into hostile environments. Take from these posts what you will….
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When To \"Defend\" Yourself
(Gershon Ben Keren - Thu 5th Apr)
The shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida, a few months ago
has raised many issues about the rights a person has to defend themselves
against both real and perceived threats to their safety – I am staying out of
the debate as to whether the shooting was justified but will use it to
illustrate certain points that might help us avoid adopting the roles of both
Martin (the victim) and George Zimmerman (the shooter).
Many people who carry weapons, despite being technically
proficient in their use, have never really considered the decision making
process that they would have to go through before actually pulling and using
it, whether it be gun, knife, stick etc. Most people hold to an innate belief
that they will "just know", when it's the right time; and although this may be
true in certain cases, there will also be those times when a situation could be
interpreted incorrectly – when considering the use of lethal force, relying on
an "it'll be alright on the night approach" is one hell of a gamble.
I have also seen many unarmed fights start because an
individual hasn't considered the times and situations when they would get
physical. I am certainly not suggesting that a person should over analyze a
situation – in reality there is not time – but instead work off "triggers" that
indicate an aggressor's emotional state, and/or think/work through potential
scenario's both mentally and if possible physically using role play to discover
possible disengagement and conflict resolution options that may be an
alternative to physical force e.g. if you've been sitting in a bar for a while
and somebody comes over and says that you are sitting in their seat/chair, what
are their potential motives/reasons? What are your possible solutions? Etc. Are
you prepared and comfortable in making a principled stand, that you're prepared
to back up with force, over a chair?
Pulling a gun on somebody is an extreme response and signals
an intent to use lethal force, making a pre-emptive unarmed strike on somebody
is also an extreme response. In both instances the process that brings you to
the conclusion that such actions are effective solutions to the situation,
should be considered and thought about before you find yourself in the middle
of such an incident, running in real time.
There are people who don't understand the role of having a
de-escalation stance and learning to fight and defend yourself from such a
posture. If at the first instance of trouble you adopt a fighting stance you
are immediately giving a person, even if they are the initial aggressor, the
right to defend themselves. If they are carrying a weapon, your action may be
the "trigger" that causes them to draw it. What started as a verbal dispute
over a chair etc, could now have escalated into a gun/knife threat/fight
scenario simply because of the adoption of an aggressive stance.
Such an escalating situation as the one above may seem
extreme or ludicrous however only George Zimmerman, if we work from an innocent
till proven guilty position, can say what it was that Trayvon Martin did which
triggered him to not only pull his weapon but use it. It may be he
misinterpreted an action, behavior, movement and genuinely believed that any
one of these represented a real and immediate threat to his safety. It could be
that his motives were more sinister…but these are for others to investigate,
debate and discuss.
The decision of when a situation deserves a physical
response (be it armed or unarmed) is one that needs to be considered
beforehand. Adopting an aggressive posture/stance or behaving in an aggressive
manner towards someone carry's a risk, and this has to be accepted. It doesn't
matter if this is done in response to someone else's aggression. In a country
where it is a legal right for somebody to carry a sidearm, that risk is always
going to be a high stakes one.
Don't get me wrong, when it is time to act you should do so,
unwaveringly and with full commitment and absolute force however you should
make sure that it is your decision to act and that you have considered all the
consequences (something you need to do beforehand – this process itself will
eliminate many peripheral doubts that may be present in a violent situation). Be
aware that your behavior can cause someone else to act aggressively, become
physical even if in your mind you wouldn't expect it to illicit such a response.
Frightened people do extreme things and it is not always obvious that they are
acting from fear.
I am not advocating subservience to all aggressor's simply
behaving in a way that allows you to stay fully in control of your environment
i.e. manage both your behaviors and the ones of the individual(s) you are
dealing with. Controlling the environment is the essence of self-defense.
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County Secretary scathing over semi-final abuse claim
IN his first secretary's report to next Monday night's convention Francis Flynn is highly critical of the Westmeath County Board and their minor football manager Tom Carr following events after this year's Leinster MFC semi-final at Pairc Tailteann.
In his report, the secretary said that allegations were made by Westmeath of racial abuse by sections of the Meath supporters as well as a Meath player towards a Westmeath player.
He continued: This matter was dealt with in great detail and with great efficiency by the GAA Child Welfare Committee. Both the Meath supporters and the player were completely exonerated. The player also received an apology from The Mail on Sunday newspaper, stating that he was not a racist. However, Coiste na M CLG has some concerns in relation to the matter.
•The manner in which confidentiality was breached in the Evening Herald on Friday 12th July before Coiste na Mí CLG had been officially notified of the complaint.
•The continued and very public campaign waged by the Iarmhí team manager to undermine and discredit the findings of the committee.
•The reaction of the player's own club to the situation.
Flynn also states racism has never been and will not be tolerated in Meath GAA and reminded all clubs to make sure that the code is active in their club.
The proposed development of Pairc Tailteann and Dunganny following the findings of the Infrastructure Committee of Noel Dempsey (chairperson), Liam Mulvihill, Frank Cooney, Peter Murphy and Joe O'Reilly features prominently in the report.
'The terms of reference for this committee was to produce a report for the short, medium and long term development of Páirc Tailteann and the Dunganny Centre of Excellence to make them 'best in class' to reflect the status of Meath GAA as one of the premier units of the association,' Flynn states.
He continued: 'The members of this committee travelled the length and breadth of the country gathering information and produced a tremendously detailed report to Coiste na Mí CLG in September.
'This report was accepted by Coiste Contae. It is imperative that this report is acted on. It is not going to be easy to implement but it can be done and must be done if we are to move into the 21st Century in terms of infrastructure. All officers and clubs will have to put their full weight behind this project. I know there are many very resourceful people in the GAA community and all help and ideas will be gratefully accepted.'
Referees co-ordinator Donal Smyth warns in his report to convention that there is a major shortage of officials to take charge of games, especially in hurling where there are only 11 that are officiating at games.
He states that he has no doubt that unless the situation improves games schedule will not be completed. Smyth also points out that a huge number will not officiate at official adult games, and asks clubs to ensure that they have referees and that they are contributing to the games in the county by officiating and not just being registered.
Coaching and Games officer Eamonn Barry states the biggest challenge going forward in the years ahead in coaching and games development is to improve the quality of coaching to young players at all levels in every club in the county.
Barry, who will be a contender for the vice-chairman's position, said clubs face a big challenge to ensure they have the proper coaching structures and qualified coaches within the club in order to guarantee that each young player achieves their ultimate potential whether it be football, hurling or camogie.
Drogheda Independent


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Long-Term Relationships: 2 Bachs & Telemann
J. S. Bach didn't actually leave much information about his life. And virtually nothing that he did leave tells us much about his personality. He didn't seem to have a fascinating, mysterious correspondent like Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved." He didn't write lovable letters with funny pictures and dirty jokes like Mozart's….Read More…
2 Bachs & Telemann tickets on sale now!
Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann—father, son and godfather…Read more…Get Your Tickets


text:
Senator HAGEL. Thank you, Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Inhofe, and distinguished members of the committee. I am honored to come before you today as the President nominee to be Secretary of Defense.
First, as you suggested, Mr. Chairman, let me introduce my family-- my wife, Lilibet. Our son Ziller, and our daughter, Allyn, are not with us today. Our son, Ziller, claims he's taking a test. We will confirm that later. But both are a son and daughter that Lilibet and I are very proud of. And I think like any proud father and any proud mother, you all know how I feel about that as you have the same feelings about your children. It is the same way Lilibet and I feel about ours.
I also want to introduce my brother, Tom, who served with me in Vietnam, my brother, Mike, who is our number three brother, and I might add, who actually possesses any talent our family has. He has in the Pentagon 10 paintings as chairman of the Air Force Artist Guild over the years, and they are hanging in different locations in the Pentagon. So we have one brother of some acclaim, and one of us did make it, my brother, Mike. Mike's son is sitting behind him, Josh. He is one of three children that Mike has.
We have here also cousins, many friends, people I owe money to.
And who knows who else since I have received some publicity over the weeks.
I want to also thank my friends, Sam Nunn and John Warner. I want to thank them for their support, their encouragement, and their friendship over many years. And as each of you who had the privilege of serving with those senators, I, too, add my thanks for their tremendous service to our country. These two distinguished
Americans represent what is best about American public service and responsible bipartisanship. They have embodied both in their careers, long distinguished careers, and are models for each of us.
And of course to my family, and friends, and my fellow veterans who are here, as has been noted, Max Cleland, Jan Scruggs, good friends, veterans from all wars, who are here today who I worked with for many, many years. I am grateful to them. Not just to those friends, and supporters, and fellow veterans who are here, but those who are not, thank you.
A life is only as good as the family and the friends you have and the people you surround yourself with. I also want to thank my friend, Leon Panetta, for his tremendous service to our country over so many years. If I am given the privilege of succeeding him, it will be a high honor.
President Obama for his confidence and trust in me, I thank him. I am humbled by the opportunity and the possibility he has given me to serve our country once again. And I fully recognize the immense responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense. I assured the President that if I am confirmed by the U.S. Senate, I will always do my best. I will always do my best for our Nation and for the men and women and their families, who are called on to make the enormous sacrifices of military service. Their safety, success, and welfare will always be at the forefront of the decisions I make.
I also assured the President that I would always provide him with my most honest and informed advice. I make that same commitment to this Committee and to the Congress. If confirmed, I will reach out to the members of this Committee for advice and collaboration. It will be a partnership because the national security challenges
America faces require it.
Our Nation's security is the highest priority of our leaders and our government. We cannot allow the work of confronting the great threats we face today to be held hostage to partisanship on either side of the aisle, or by differences between the bodies represented in Articles I and II of our Constitution. The stakes are too high. Men and women of all political philosophies, and parties, and ideas die and fight for our country. As this committee knows so well, protecting our national security or committing our Nation to war can never become political litmus tests.
I know Secretary Panetta has put a strong emphasis on reaching out to Congress. I, like Leon, come from Congress, and respect and understand this institution's indispensable role in setting policy and helping govern our country.
We are all products of the forces that shape us. For me, there has been nothing more important in my life, or a more defining influence on my life, than my family. Whether it was helping my mother raise four boys after my father, a World War II veteran, died suddenly at age 39 on Christmas Day, or serving side by side with my brother Tom in Vietnam, or the wonderful miracle of my wife Lilibet and me being blessed with two beautiful children. That
is who I am.
We each bring to our responsibilities frames of reference. These frames of reference are formed by our life's experiences. They help instruct our judgments. We build out from those personal foundations by continually informing ourselves, listening, and learning. Like each of you, I have a record, a record that I am proud of.
I am proud of my record not because of any accomplishments I may have achieved, or certainly because of an absence of mistakes, but rather because I have tried to build that record by living my life and fulfilling my responsibilities as honestly as I knew how and with hard work. Underpinning everything I have done in my life
was the belief that we must always be striving to make our Nation a better and more secure place for all of our people.
During the 12 years I had the privilege of serving the people of Nebraska in the United States Senate, I cast over 3,000 votes and hundreds of committee votes. I have also given hundreds of interviews and speeches and written a book. So, as you all know, I am on the record. I am on the record on many issues.
But no one individual vote, no one individual quote, no one individual statement defines me, my beliefs, or my record. My overall world view has never changed: that America has and must maintain the strongest military in the world, that we must lead the international community to confront threats and challenges together, and take advantage of opportunities together; that we must use all our tools of American power to protect our citizens and our interests. I believe, and I always have believed, that America must engage in the world, not retreat from the world, but engage from the world. My record is consistent on these points.
It is clear that we are living at a defining time. Our Nation is emerging from over a decade of war. We have brought our men and women in uniform home from Iraq, and have started to bring them home from Afghanistan.
That does not mean that the threats we face and will continue to face are any less dangerous or complicated. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Recent events in Mali and Algeria remind us clearly of this reality. Twenty first century complexities, technologies, economies, threats are bringing the 7 billion global citizens closer together than ever before. And as our planet adds another 2 billion people over the next 25 years, the dangers, complications, and human demands will not be lessened, but rather heightened.
Despite these challenges, I believe we also have historic opportunities to help build a safer, more prosperous, more secure, more hopeful and just world than maybe any time in history of man, for all people. Yes, the curse of intolerance, hatred, and danger exists around the world, and we must continue to be clear-eyed about this danger, and we will be. We will not hesitate to use the full force of the United States military in defense of our security. But we must also be smart, and, more importantly, wise, wise in how we employ all of our Nation's great power.
America's continued leadership and strength at home and abroad will be critically important for our country and the world. While we will not hesitate to act unilaterally when necessary, it is essential that we work closely with our allies and partners to enhance America's influence and security, as well as global security. If confirmed, I will continue to build on the efforts of this administration and of former Secretary Gates, Secretary Panetta, and Secretary Clinton to strengthen our alliances and partnerships around the world. I will also look forward to working with my former Senate colleague--your colleague--and our friend, John Kerry, in this pursuit.
As I told the President, I am committed to his positions on all issues of national security, specifically decisions that the Department of Defense is in the process of implementing now. This includes the Defense Strategic Guidance the President outlined in January 2012. Allow me to very briefly address a few of those specific issues now.
First, we have a plan to place--a plan in place to transition out of Afghanistan, continue bringing our troops home, and end the war, which has been the longest war, as we all know, in America's history. As you also know, discussions are ongoing about what the U.S. presence in Afghanistan will look like after 2014. The President
has made clear, and I agree, that there should be only two functions for U.S. troops that remain in Afghanistan after 2014: counterterrorism, particularly to target Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, and training and advising Afghan forces. It is time we forge a new partnership with Afghanistan, with its government and, most importantly, with its people.
Second, as Secretary of Defense I will ensure we stay vigilant and keep up the pressure on terrorist organizations as they try to expand their affiliates around the world, in places like Yemen, Somalia, and North Africa. At the Pentagon, that means continuing to invest in and build the tools to assist in that fight, such as special operations forces and new intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technologies. And it will mean working hand-in-hand
with our partners here at home across the national security and intelligence communities to confront these and other threats, especially the emerging threat--the very dangerous and real threat of cyber warfare.
Third, as I have made clear, I am fully committed to the President's goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and I have been on record on that issue. And as I have said in the past many times, all options must be on the table to achieve that goal.
My policy has always been the same as the President's, one of prevention, not of containment. And the President has made clear that is the policy of our government. As Secretary of Defense, I will make sure the Department is prepared for any contingency. That is my job. That is my responsibility. I will ensure our friend and ally Israel maintains its qualitative military edge in the region, and will continue to support systems like Iron Dome, which is
today saving Israeli lives from terrorist rocket attacks. That support I have always made clear and been on the record for.
Fourth, while we pursue the reductions in our deployed stockpiles and launchers consistent with the New START Treaty, I am committed to maintaining a modern, strong, safe, ready, and effective nuclear arsenal. America's nuclear deterrent over the last 35 years has played a central role in ensuring global security and the avoidance of World War III. I have been committed to that. My record is clear on that. I am committed to modernizing our nuclear arsenal.
As we emerge from this decade of war, we must also broaden our Nation's focus overseas as we look at future threats and challenges.
As this committee knows, that is why DOD is rebalancing its resources towards the Asia-Pacific region. We are in the process of modernizing our defense posture across the entire region to defend and deepen our partnerships with traditional allies, especially Japan, South Korea, and Australia, to continue to deter and defend against provocations from states like North Korea, as well as nonstate actors, and to expand our networks of security cooperation throughout the region to combat terrorism, counter proliferation, provide disaster relief, fight piracy, and ensure maritime security.
I will continue this rebalancing even as we continue to work closely--closely--with our long-time allies of NATO and our friends, and with allies, and partners, and friends in other regions of the world. At the same time, we will continue to focus on challenges in the Middle East and North Africa where we have clear national interests. Rather, it is a recognition that the United States has been and always will be a Pacific power, and the Asian-Pacific
area is increasingly vital to America's security and economic interests. That is why we must become even more engaged in the region over the coming years.
Doing all of this and much more will require smart and strategic budget decisions. I have made it clear I share Leon Panetta's and our Service Chiefs' serious concerns about the impact sequestration would have on our armed forces. And as someone who has run businesses, I know that the uncertainty and turbulence of the current budget climate makes it much more difficult to manage the Pentagon's resources and our national security. If confirmed, I am committed to effectively and efficiently using every single taxpayer's dollar the right way, to maintaining the strongest military in the world, and to working with Congress to ensure the Department has the resources it needs, and that the disposition of those resources is accountable.
Even as we deal with difficult budget decisions, I will never break America's commitment to our troops, our veterans, and our military families. We will continue to invest in the well-being of our all-volunteer force. And, working with the VA and other institutions, we will make sure our troops and their families get the health care, job opportunities, and education they have earned and deserve, just as I did when I co-authored the Post-9/11 GI Bill with Senators Jim Webb, Frank Lautenberg, and John Warner. This in-cludes focusing on the mental health of our fighting force, because no one who volunteers to fight and die for this country should ever feel like that they have nowhere to turn. That is unacceptable in this country.
In my 12 years in the Senate, my one guiding principle on every security decision I made and every vote I cast was always this-- simply this: is our policy worthy of our troops and their families and the sacrifices that we ask them to make? That same question will guide me if I am confirmed as Secretary of Defense.
Our men and women in uniform and their families must never doubt that their leaders' first priority is them. I believe my record of leadership on veterans issues over the years, going back to my service in the Veterans Administration under President Reagan, demonstrates my rock-solid commitment to our veterans and their families.
We must always take care of our people. That is why I will work to ensure that everyone who volunteers to fight for this country has the same rights and same opportunities. As I have discussed with many of you in our meetings, I am fully committed to implementing the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and doing everything possible under current law to provide equal benefits to the families of all--all--our servicemembers and their families.
I will work with the service chiefs as we officially open combat positions to women, a decision I strongly support. And I will continue the important work that Leon Panetta has done to combat sexual assault--sexual assault in the military. Maintaining the health and well-being of those who serve is critical to maintaining a strong and capable military, because an institution's people must always come first.
As we look ahead to the coming years, we have an extraordinary opportunity now at this moment to define what is next for America's military and our country. It is incumbent upon all of us to make decisions that will ensure our Nation is prepared to confront any threat we may face in the future, protect our citizens, and remain the greatest force for good in the world.
If confirmed as Secretary of Defense, it will be my great honor, working with the President, this committee, the Congress, and our military, to ensure our policies are worthy of the service and sacrifice of America's men and women.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to your questions.
Source: http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/event.cfm?eventid=b34b4165bf50f68b8118de216b398cb6


text: On 31 January 2000, Mark Hammond said: > > Surely msvccompiler can tell if a particular file (say cl.exe) isn't in > > any of the well known places. Then it can just issue the correct > > commands with the path attached or tell the user it can't find > > cl.exe/link.exe and then ask for vcvars32.bat to be run first. I assume > > we're not going to search all known drives for the correct exe's. > > I agree. IMO, we could take the following approach: > * Look in C:\Program Files\The default place\... > * Look in \Program Files\The default place\... > * Try and import win32api, catching the import error Two things: * what is "The default place"? * if/when a standard Python 1.6 way for accessing the Windows registry comes into existence, should it be added that to list? Otherwise, that sounds good. Patches welcome, tested patches especially so. > However, it is worth noting that running "vcvars32.bat" wont work if run via > a seperate "system()" call - the environment variables set will not persist. > The only decent solution I can see is to create a temporary batch file, that > first calls "vcvars32.bat" before the builds. Depending on how distutils > does its thing, it may just be simpler to detect the condition, and politely > ask the user to run the batch file themselves... Yecch. 1) I don't like the idea of running a batch file (or shell script on the Unix side) for every compiler invocation -- I haven't worried much about performance on the Python side so far in the Distutils (since copying and compiling files is so expensive), but I might have to draw the line at this. 2) If I have no idea where cl.exe is, how am I supposed to know where vcvars32.bat is? Greg


text:
Genealogy Report: Descendants of Alexander White
Descendants of Alexander White
1.ALEXANDER1 WHITE1 was born Abt. 1823 in West Virginia, and died June 18, 1863 in Winchester, VA, Civil War Battle1.He married ELIZA MILLER1 January 21, 1851 in Greene County, PA, by Rev. HenryPletcher, daughter of BENJAMIN MILLER and RUTH ?.She was born 1833 in West Virginia, and died July 12, 1905 in Moundsville, WV2.
Notes for ALEXANDER WHITE:
From West Virginia Archives:Mustered in (Civil War) 12th West Virginia Infantry, Company B, 20 Aug 1862 at Wheeling, WV.Farmer, born Ohio County, WV.Wounded in action on 14 June 1863, at Winchester, Va: died 18 Jun 1863 in hospitalat Winchester, Va. of wounds received by shell hitting right leg.He died after amputation of that leg.
Some records would indicate that Alexander was buried at Silver Hill, Wetzel Co, W.Va., while others indicate that he was buried with unknown Union soldiers in Winchester, Va.
More About ALEXANDER WHITE:
Burial: June 1863, Battlefield Cemetery near Winchester, Va.
Military service: August 20, 1862, 12th WV Infantry, Company B
Occupation: Farmer
Notes for ELIZA MILLER:
She was living with son Benjamin Franklin and grandsons, Thomas and George,in Liberty District, in the 1900 census.She died at the home of daughter Ruth Elizabeth Jane White/Sims in Moundsville, W.Va.
More About ELIZA MILLER:
Burial: July 1905, White Church Cemetery, Bowman Ridge, Marshall Co. W.Va.
More About ALEXANDER WHITE and ELIZA MILLER:
Death of one spouse: June 18, 1863, Winchester, Va, wounds received in Battle
Marriage: January 21, 1851, Greene County, PA, by Rev. HenryPletcher
Children of ALEXANDER WHITE and ELIZA MILLER are:
|MARGARET ELLEN2 WHITE, b. November 02, 1851, Marshall County, WV; d. January 06, 1919, Washington, PA.
|BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WHITE, b. December 26, 1853, Marshall County, WV; d. Aft. 1920, Marshall Co., WV.
|WILLIAM MORGAN WHITE, b. April 21, 1856, Marshall County, WV; d. 1938, Proctor District, Wetzel County, WV.
|RUTH ELIZABETH JANE WHITE, b. October 13, 1858, Marshall County, WV; d. December 01, 1935, Washington, Washington County, PA.


text:
There ought to be a law: GHS students place first, make that second, in Constitution competition
Published 10:46 pm, Friday, January 10, 2014
During the last four months, the 19 students in teacher Aaron Hull's "We the People" section of the Advanced Placement U.S. Government course at Greenwich High School have covered the 27 amendments in the U.S. Constitution and more than 200 years of American history.
But they did not sum up that learning just by taking a test. Instead, they brought that knowledge from the classroom all the way to the state Capitol recently when they journeyed to the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford to compete against four other Connecticut high schools in the We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution competition.
In a mock Congressional hearing format, the students assumed the role of testifying witnesses facing "legislators" played by the competition's judges.
In groups of three or four, the GHS team first delivered four-minute prepared statements answering questions related to topics such as the rights protected by the Bill of Rights, the creation of the Constitution and potential challenges faced by American constitutional democracy in the 21st century.
In subsequent six-minute sessions, they then fielded impromptu questions from the judges.
"These questions can apply either to what you've said or just connect to the topic," said Colleen Bennett, one of the GHS We the People students. "You have to have a wide base of knowledge on the unit you're studying, not just what you've written."
Hull's students prepared extensively during the last few months. Enrollment in the We the People section requires students to participate in the competition -- a commitment that entailed significant work beyond the classroom.
"For our unit, we probably met six to eight hours every week in person -- after school and on the weekends," said Ben Langley, another We the People student.
The We the People competition is run by the Center for Civic Education, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Calabasas, Calif.
Greenwich High's We the People team consistently ranks among the best in the state, having won a number of state titles in recent years.
This year's team, all juniors, was mindful of their predecessors' achievements.
"I think we improved so much from the beginning of the year," said GHS's Annika Bjerke. "I came in and watched the team last year. I remember being so overwhelmed at listening to their responses to their follow-up questions. And I was like, `There's no way I'll ever do this.'
"And then I remember going up on the actual day and responding well and thinking, `Wow, I actually did it. I pulled it off.'"
After the tallying of the judges' marks on their responses, Greenwich's We the People squad originally thought they had clinched the state title by a 1.33-point margin. Teams were scored on a 360-point scale.
But their elation was short-lived. The next day, Hull's students learned that a transposition error had resulted in the miscalculation of Trumbull High School's score. Trumbull, the defending champion with a senior-laden lineup, had won by 2.33 points. That school, instead of Greenwich High, will be heading to the We the People national finals.
"We were called on Thursday morning, and I had to tell the team," Hull said. "They had sparkling grape juice, and we were having a party, and I walked in and said, `I have to tell you something.'"
Three weeks after the competition, the students were still expressing disappointment about narrowly missing out on the state title. But they emphasize that the outcome does not diminish a generally rewarding experience.
"We felt accomplished before we knew we won, so the fact that we didn't really win shouldn't take that away," said Valentina Ruiz-Jimenez. "I gained a confidence in myself, in public speaking and my ability to understand politics."
The course has offered other valuable learning experiences, students say, such as a meeting with Congressman Jim Himes a couple of days before the state championship.
"We get to the core of the issues," said Blake Reinken. "Privacy -- it started with Locke, it started with Hobbes. Even when we're doing the Constitution today, we're talking about 1776 and before that. When you put it in that perspective, only then can you understand the system and be able to be an objective citizen."
Students also note other benefits of the class.
"I feel like the course has helped me create better responses in the rest of my classes," said Lawrence Dunn.
While their second-place finish marked the end of their bid for a state title, it does not conclude the students' academic work together. The same group will take on A.P. Comparative Politics with Hull in the second semester.
"I'm very impressed with them," added Hull, who has taught the We the People section for six years. "This speaks to what they have learned. It's about what they've proven to themselves, the growth they've experienced and the maturity they've shown."
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-625-4439; twitter: @paulschott


text:
Printable View
It is terrible. The nuts basically rip apart anyone saying "slow down, it will get back to normal."
You'll see:
OMG Legislature and Ammo card.
OMG DHS and the other ABCs are hoarding ammo to pass legislation.
The military is coming for you.
We had an interesting time for a while. The whole gun grab thing was really going crazy.
I'd like to see how the feds would implement a door to door search for firearms...not sure how many federal agents are available for that sort of thing. I know local law enforcemtn would all be dead or wounded after the 2nd or 3rd place they kicked in.
I always liked Rugers but never bought one. Not a Glock fan, mostly because of the damn bumps on the grips, have to use one every day. Love my 1911s. Running an XD for off duty right now, like it a lot. Still running a Sig 245 also, nice little package.
I'm probably late to the party here, but I want to say something about the M&P. I'll preface this by saying I've had 5 Glocks in the past: 2 different 26s, a 19, a 23, and a 17. Loved them all. 3 of those pistols were Gen 4s, each and every one of the Gen 4s had issues with ejection. 17 shot brass in my face and was unreliable. 26 and 19 were both reliable but both ALSO shot brass in my face. I also don't like the move to a new recoil spring that is really a fix for nothing in my opinion.
To the point: I used to dislike the M&P. I thought it was a Glock copycat and I didn't like that it didn't have a good, tactile trigger reset. Things have changed. The NEWER M&Ps have an even better tactile reset in my opinion than any Glock I've ever used, they fit my hand better, and now that they've been out for a good while and have proven to be venerable pistols I'd have to say I consider them one of the best options on the market and for the first time there's a polymer pistol I like more than Glock.
Just a note, I carry my P226 more than anything else, but I really want an M&P down the line.


text:
Organize your favourite listings
Sign up to keep track of your favourite spaces and revisit them later.
Excellent views. 5 window offices, open area, reception, kitchenette, and meeting room.
Built in 1988, this character building has an attractive, bright atrium and offers spectacular water and city views. The building also offers underground parking, fibre optic cable, full security access and is fully sprinklered. Located prominently at the entrance to Granville Island, the building offers an excellent selection of food and shopping amenities.


text:
Around Town
Published 6:00 pm, Thursday, January 8, 2009
Midland Newcomers' Club is to meet 11 a.m. Thursday at Cattleman's Steakhouse. The speaker will be Raynetta Williams from the Area Agency on Aging. For more information, call 210-9372 or 697-8555.
Midland Woman's Club is to meet 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the clubhouse at Hogan Park. Eileen M. Piwetz, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Midland College, will present "Plants of Africa." To make reservations, call 694-5583 or 682-4640.
En Amie Review Club is to meet 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Green Tree Country Club. John Deats, director of the library at Midland College, is to review Julie Andrews' autobiography, "Home: A Memoir of My Early Days."
Uptown Midland Business & Professional Women are to meet noon Wednesday at the Petroleum Club. Jimmy Patterson is to be the guest speaker. For more information or to make reservations, call Debbie Gann at 687 5400 or Glenda Knox 686 2819.
Editor's Note: To be included in Around Town, events and meetings must be open to the public.


text:
Lily Tomlin is expected to be in Seattle on Monday to ask the Woodland Park Zoo to move its three elephants to a 2,700-acre sanctuary in Tennessee.
Tomlin and other groups believe the animals should not be kept in small urban zoos, and by doing just that, the elephants' health is endangered.
A local group has been lobbying to have the elephants moved.


text:
Christmas without the other Clause:
The guide to avoiding Christmas
Travel across northern Thailand on an elephant trek, experiencing the Golden Triangle and all the cultural history that it has to offer. The experience couldn't be any further from a wet and windy December in Europe. The amount of activity you engage in is completely up to you. You could experience an outdoors adventure amongst stunning natural beauty or simply enjoy spa treatments at one of the many 5 star luxury resorts that Thailand has to offer.
To truly avoid any sign of Christian tradition during December, an Indian adventure would be an ideal choice. A visit to New Delhi takes you on a spiritual journey to explore the four main religions that engulf Indian life: Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism and Jainism. You will leave feeling enlightened, with a fresh perspective on everything (or everyone) you've left behind in grey old England.
Featured in the breathtaking opening sequence of Skyfall, take your own Bond-style trip to Istanbul. The charming city has enough cultural highlights to fill all your curiosity. With the added bonus that Turkey does not celebrate Christmas, why not venture to one of the luxury beach resorts? Whether you're looking for your own Bond girl or simply topping up your tan, the golden coasts provide stunning scenes overlooking the deep blue sea of the Mediterranean Ocean.
Las Vegas
Although many of the Vegas resorts offer festive packages, there is still plenty of opportunity to avoid Christmas altogether. The legendary partying mecca will still offer everything you expect when you imagine a Prince Harry-style trip to Sin City. The clubs will still be raving, the bars still open and the casinos available for a flutter on the poker tables. However, considering your motivation for this holiday perhaps a visit to the Little White Chapel wouldn't be the best idea.
Party away the Christmas blues in Brazil's party capital. Although Brazil is traditionally a Catholic country that takes the holiday seriously, celebrating on a beach sipping cocktails is a vast improvement to Christmas pudding in front of the TV. The huge parties that continue throughout December will add to the sun, sea and golden beaches that make Rio de Janeiro an ideal singleton's Christmas getaway.
Offering the ultimate in 5 star luxuries, Dubai provides the perfect escape from a western Christmas. The ever increasing city skyline provides breathtaking views of the landscape that put many other cities in the shadows. The city provides endless entertainment; high class shopping, fine dining restaurants and thrill seeking water parks, all of which are perfect for keeping your mind off of those relationship woes. The climate also couldn't be more different from the UK, as the warm heat of the Dubai weather will make you forget about anything snow related.
Bora Bora
There is only one word to describe the Tahitian islands of Bora Bora; paradise! The turquoise ocean and luxury spa resorts make this the ultimate destination for newly single relaxation and escaping the dreary weather of the United Kingdom. Bora Bora allows you to snorkel through the stunning coral reefs exploring the wonders of the ocean or simply sit in a bar admiring the landscape with a cocktail in hand.
Where to Stay?
For a 5 star outdoors break in Thailand we recommend The Anantara Resort Golden Triangle in Chaing Saen. If it is a special heritage holiday in New Delhi that interests you this Christmas then stay at The Metropolitan Hotel and Spa, New Delhi, while if your Christmas is going to be spent on a luxury city escape in Dubai then visit the Majestic Hotel Tower Dubai. Finally, for one of the best spa resorts in Turkey stay at the Hillside Beach Club in Fethiye.
If all else fails then the alternative is rent out a private island in the Indian Ocean and wait until the January sales are over.
Order one of our gorgeous hotel directories.
Enter our draw to win a two-night bed and breakfast stay at Elba Estepona Gran Hotel & Thalasso Spa in Estepona, southern Spain.
Enter the draw


text:
Fiji Time: 2:24 PM on Saturday 24 February
/ Front page / News
Felix Chaudhary
Friday, March 28, 2014
TOURISM Fiji says it has been inundated with enquiries about the first ever Fijian Tourism Expo which will be held in May.
CEO Rick Hamilton said the response had been nothing short of overwhelming.
"The program for this event is shaping up to be very exciting for the tourism industry. We're truly delighted with the enthusiasm and support of FTE from both the Fijian tourism industry and offshore travel sellers," he said
The expo will be held at the Sheraton Fiji Resort from May 5 to May 8 with a record number of buyers booked to participate in the event.
Use the free Acrobat Reader to view.
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Exchange Rate updated on 23rd, February, 2018
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text:
Immigration-Civics Study Guide - 54.37 USD
by Ubiquitous Software Solutions, LLC, Version: 2.7.31 , 62 KB Official Site
Package name: com.ubq.uscis.civics.main , Last Update: 2013-02-27 11:57:42
31 ratings (4.516 average)
500-1,000 downloads
Immigration Study Guide is for those studying to become citizens of the United States.
This guide covers the New Naturalization Test - Civics Exam.
Flash Cards are available under Menu
Just tap question to view answer
No Ads!!
Last comments from Android Market
It needs audio
Hugh (****)
Very handy. Works well, but I find it freezes after about 20 flash cards. I guess it eventually freezes, but I am not usually that patient.
Adlerson (****)
Does exactly what it says. UI could be a little more pleasing to the eye, otherwise perfect.
fernando (*****)
Very helpful