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Same-Sex Marriage For And Against: Part IV
Question 5
In his last argument Mr. Briggs mentioned the argument of choices, and also the difference between the rights to be happy and the pursuit of happiness.
First, to say that the government cannot guarantee happiness only the pursuit of happiness is one thing. But to claim that the state cannot pass law that could help the attainment of happiness is another thing.
Like we saw in question 4, love as very little to do with marriage, and marriage is not a guaranty of love. In the same way, wanting to be married has little to do with happiness, and a lot to do with the economic advantages that come from the union. If marriage was a requirement for happiness, then why are so many married couples so miserable?
Is pedophilia a sexual orientation? A simple answer is no. A more complete answer is that in pedophilia there is no mutual feeling. To claim sexual orientation, you need to have reciprocity of feeling. Gay, Bisexual and heterosexual couples can claim reciprocity with their counterpart, Two man, two woman or a man and a woman can declare their love for each other. A pedophile can't make the same claim, because pedophile will use subterfuge to prevent the child from speaking of their relation. Pedophilia is also age restrictive, i.e. that when the child reach a certain age the interest from the pedophile vanishes.
Attraction to animal or inanimate object is also not a sexual orientation since there is no reciprocity from the animal or object. Nothing prevent these person to claim that they are married, but no one, including the state, has to agree with them either.
Should bisexual have the right to marry a man and a woman? Again, no but they can or should be able to marry either a man or a woman. The reasons that were mentioned before are that polygamy is illegal and a contract is between two people or parties (I'm unable to find an example implicating 3).
Is sexual orientation a choice? No. What defines it, it is unknown. A good example is what determines if we are left or right handed. Do we choose one or the other? No. We just are either left, right or both, like people are gay, straight or both. They just are, they don't choose which one they are. A man who said he was gay and got married to a woman later probably was bisexual to begin with.
Gay people can't reproduce, yet they still exist which might mean that they are a natural, although rare, occurrence in society.
Life is not fair, yet it doesn't mean that society doesn't have to try to make it fairer? If people believe that being married will help them be happier, why should the state stand in their way? If someone is blind or becomes blind does it means that we should make sure that these people have a miserable life? Or shouldn't society try to find ways to help people with handicap be the most autonomous they can?
As is well known, the right to pursue happiness in the original draft of the Declaration of Independence—Happy Birthday, America! May you outlive your enemies, foreign and domestic—was the right to property. It was changed for aesthetic purposes (unfortunately). Anyway, since my happiness isn't your happiness, the government in passing its laws to "allow" happiness must choose which happiness is the better. And that is what we are discussing.
Allard: "why are so many married couples so miserable?" I instead ask you: Why are so many married couples so happy? I next week attend the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents, a not-rare occurrence among my relatives.
Although I agree with Allard that it is not, pedophilia is increasingly claimed as an "orientation" by—who else?—academics. "To claim sexual orientation, you need to have reciprocity of feeling." Well, children have feelings, do they not? Dogs reciprocate their love towards their masters routinely. Which is why some are arguing for interspecies "marriage." Yes, they are. What arguments are there to refute them? As long as we can cobble enough votes together to pass the redefinition, then it shall be "Man and Sow", or "Man and Hog", if that be your preference.
Polygamists are also calling their proclivities an "orientation", and the call is increasingly being made that polygamy should be allowed. No use pretending this is going to go away. If "marriage" is whatever the majority say it is, then any habitation can be called "marriage".
As distressing proof that I have been right all along and that the only argument the SSM crowd has is "I want it!", I offer the above (and the comments in Part II). Philosophical and legal argument cannot just focus on what a mass of people are screaming and marching for now, at this instant in time. It must consider all possibilities, and these possibilities cannot be dismissed because "'Nobody' wants that now." For one, as I've shown, it's not "nobody". For another, it's irrelevant whether anybody is now asking for, say, dog-man "marriages". We have to be able to show why such unions are wrong or right. And this must be something beyond a raw, unsupported, unsubstantiated "I don't want it!"
Fact is, there just is no justification for SSM except "I want it!", and to deny undesirable "unions" we only hear "I don't want it!" But science and natural law offer a consistent, justifiable, intelligible solution for both. However, in the next and last part (tomorrow), I shall show my political solution to the whole mess.
Allard: "Is sexual orientation a choice? No." This is simultaneously false and unproven. It is false because we have direct evidence that some people chose with what or whom they seek their physical pleasures. And we have direct evidence that some people have changed their minds about these activities over the course of their lives. Some "gays" choose to switch to heterosexuality, for example. And in the acronym LGBTQIA the "Q" is for "questioning", which admits some are unsure. The only response to this direct evidence is to say, dogmatically, "I don't believe it!" or (of those who switch from gay to straight) "He was no true Scotsman in the first place." Well, I can't talk you out of your love of theory.
The claim is also unknown because, despite an earnest search, no biological or environmental factor has been discovered which makes an "orientation" (besides normal, of course). This does not prove that such factors do not exist, but it is rational to suspect that they do not; or rather, that there exists simple "switches". Human behavior is too complex for such simple explanations.
About being blind or lame, Allard asks ought we not to "help people with handicap be the most autonomous they can". Yes, of course; absolutely yes. But this does not mean that we should call the blind "sighted" or the lame "whole and able" to protect their feelings. And it would be the very epitome of absurdity to create laws which force the populace to go along with these redefinitions. Right?
Whoever does not act like a lady or gentleman in responding will be banned.
20 thoughts on "Same-Sex Marriage For And Against: Part IV" Leave a comment ›
"Dogs reciprocate their love towards their masters routinely."
And for that matter, why *exactly* do we need reciprocity? Is not marriage a social, all too-human convention? So on what authority do we now impose "reciprocity" on it as a requirement? So I can kill a cow to eat it and take its hide for clothes but I cannot marry it? Muuuu
Allard: Your circular reasoning is really showing. Can't marry more than one person because it's illegal? So is gay marriage in 32 states. The majority says it's illegal. So no SSM by your reasoning.
Pedophilia is just as much natural as homosexuality. (Note to Briggs: I am saying if one is natural, the other is, not that either is necessarily natural.) There is no argument out there that has proven that pedophilia is not as natural as homosexuality. In fact, virtually all arguments made to support the idea that homosexuality is natural apply to pedophilia too. There are no studies because that would be career suicide.
Reciprocity is not part of love. Never has been, never will be. Some people prefer to marry where there is reciprocity, some marry for money (like 32 women marrying rich 80-year-old men–the women may love the money, not the man).
It is not society's job to determine fairness. As noted by Briggs, whose definition does society use? What about those who are treated unfairly by treating someone else fairly (as in the case of SSM)? What of the person who is offended by homosexuality but forced to sit through "sensitivity" training telling them homosexuality is okay and there's no more to be said about it. One person's behaviour is unfair to the other. It's unavoidable.
Mr. Briggs,
And it would be the very epitome of absurdity to create laws which force the populace to go along with these redefinitions. Right?
The law says that I am the legal mother of my adoptive daughter, but it has not stopped you from saying that I am NOT the mother in a previous post. You obviously don't have to redefine it and accept that I am the mother. (Yes, I don't forget, and I am the kind of person who could carry grudge against someone forever. Just think of the reason why I am writing this. Well, who cares, I am just a reader and a stranger. ^_^)
Now, replace "mother†with "SSM.†So why would the legalization of SSM force you to go along with the definition of SSM?
You evidently don't understand why the post about mother is degrading to me. You would probably say, "but, I am just stating the absolute truth by science and natureâ€. So, I don't think it's helpful to further point out why your writings in Part I are degrading toward my gay cousin and nephew.
(It seems that a word can only evolve if you say so, e.g., diversity and marriage. And since when you think that science and nature can tell you the truth.)
JH–you are the legal and practical mother of your adoptive child. However, by strict biology you are not. Otherwise the child would not have a "birth mother". That term exists because biology is in conflict with sociology when it comes to terminology. To me, it does not mean one is right and the other is wrong. Each is correct in its own way. I understand adoptive parents saying they are the parent of child, since they raised the child, the child shares their name, etc. but by strict biology, the child's birth mother still exists in the sense that she gave life to the child.
It has been explained over and over and over why we are forced to go along with SSM. We must service them in business or be sued. A Christian is forced to allow same-sex couples to rent a room at the bed and breakfast, thus facilitating a behaviour they find offensive. It is NOT just about marriage. It is about FORCING everyone to agree that this is morally acceptable and pummeling if they don't do along.
This "degrading to me" is accusing somebody of using an ad hominem argument. Saying that somebody is using an ad hominem argument while he's is not is as bad as using an ad hominem argument.
The point of an argument is to convince somebody else using logic that your standpoint is better. If one is inclined to feel hurt when loosing the argument, then don't argue. Or win the argument.
There are two feelings after an argument. Joy, because you you lost and now have found a better standpoint. Or joy, because you won and still have a better argument.
Reposting since I didn't get an answer. Maybe went unnoticed the first time.
Would you consider this acceptable as free speech for an Imam to say something like that:
"Christians (or Catholics) who want to remain in their lifestyle and proselytize vulnerable young people that civil law should discriminate against them;
Our children will pay the price in disease, death, abuse . . . if we do not say no to the christian desire to socialize your children into accepting something that is clearly wrong.â€
Anne Coulter said after the Boston bombing that the wife (a white American should be put to jail for wearing a hijab.
There are limit to free speech.
I'm obviously not Briggs, but I would have no problem with the Imam saying what you typed. He is entitled to his opinion and his religion. Now, if he starts saying Americans should die for this, that crosses the line. Or as in this case:
The limits to free speech start when violence is advocated. Up to that point, one can say whatever one wants.
Polygamy is illegal in all fifty states and every western countries. But you left out the part that a contract is also between 2 peoples. How would the government split the inheritance or decide which contract as priority. Which wife would be in charge of deciding of medical care of the husband? Wife #1 or #3. How would you divorce multiple marriages?
Pedophilia is between an adult and a child who cannot consent to what will be done to him or asked of him.
Polygamy is still present in many Middle Eastern and Asian countries. In some countries it is legal for a 'man' to marry a twelve year old girl.
Who is treated unfairly when 2 men or women consensually get married? You! How by hurting your feelings? What about other people feelings? Rights are individual and are limited to your person. If the other doesn't have the right to tell you what to think, why should you have that right. You would have a point if you were forced into marrying a woman. What people do in their personal life doesn't concern you, even if your are offended. For example, I'm offended when people treat other people unfairly.
It seems that you believe that people right to discriminate against other people is more important than other people own freedom of opinion. this is why your are losing your argument.
The person that would hold the language given in the example does promote violence. They want violence (physical or psychological) done to a of people.
Why about 1/10 person are left-handed? Nobody knows for sure. There are theories, nothing more.
Exodus apologized recently for their failed attempts at converting gays.
That some gay people may have found happiness with someone of the other sex can easily be explained by bisexuality. Just like some people are ambidextrous. Why are there Gay-Straight Identical Twin or Right-handed/ left-handed Identical Twin. They both happens at about the same rate. Should we have the right to discriminate against the left-handed has we do the gays.
Sylvain: Marriage is a contract that most certain by redefined. Otherwise we would not be having this discussion. As for the questions, we can certainly address them when we change the definition of marriage, as we are doing now. Who its the "mother" when two men marry? Who is the "father" when two women marry? Now schools just ask for "parent" names. See, we can fix that easily.
Consent is not part of marriage in other parts of the world. Children cannot consent to medical care, but parents impose it on them anyway, saying it is for their own good. Who knows, maybe sex with an adult could be for their own good? After all, having two mommies is now for their own good.
Again, it's not wether I am hurt by the marriage itself–it's the fallout with being fired for voicing an opinion, etc. And who is harmed by no SSM? The gay couple gets their feelings hurt because they can't do what everyone else can. So we have to let the SSM group get their way? Why? Why can't they be unhappy???
There is NO discrimination in not allowing SSM. Any more than in not allowing child marriage or polygamy or marriage to one's sheep. If you cannot discriminate for gays, you cannot in any way limit marriage if some group wants it changed. Otherwise, you are guilty of what you say we are–you don't want people to marry multiple partners or sheep, so that stays illegal.
So, what is it? ALL marriages of any kind or admit your position is what YOU want and that's the only justification?
My Dear Mr. Briggs,
Since it seems that the worthy and respectable majority opinion of SCOTUS and those of your readers haven't convinced you and made you understand a bit more, I have no illusion that you'd agree with me at all. I know that I am no almighty, especially, I had exchanged my magic wand for a new ring on the day of my 25th wedding anniversary.
If I summarize all your arguments as follows: "You don't want it, and you are having a tantrum over SCOTUS ruling†Now, what would you think?
Could it be "JH just doesn't get it?†Or worse, in you usual snarky way (because you know who your audience is), "JH is a liberal and a progressive and an academic and a non-theistic Buddhist and a feminist, and so on, (i.e., everything you hate), …â€
When I compare your hetero marriage (HM) (and mine) to bestiality or incest or pedophile (BIP), I see many differences between them. Those differences also hold between SSM and BIP. It seems that by replacing SSM with HM in your arguments related to BIP can also be seen as arguments against HM.
When I compare SSM with your HM, they are the same in many ways. SS couples want the same many things. Whom should they ask for those same "privileges"? What's wrong with wanting the same things entitle by HM and ask for it?
(I mean no insult. It'd not surprise me that you'd feel insulted by this comparison. Agree or not, imo, some of your writings can be used to promote prejudice, bias, and hate against gays.)
Do you buy my arguments? Probably not!
My Dear Mr. Briggs, again,
I've lost! Do you think so? (Ah, you want to win!!! Although I do think that TIME is on the side of same-sex couples.)
Yes, I've lost because that I don't care to think more and come up with NEW augments. Evidently I also fail to convey clearly to you that my main point/concern is
"Is it possible that there are no absolute moral rules in the case of SSM, instead, we have different moral values and different priorities that decide which side we are on? "
The question should sound familiar to you. Your answer is "NO" since morally, SSM is absolutely wrong TO YOU. I disagree because your rules are in no way absolute. Why? Read all the words that have been put forth by many supporters of SSM. I don't consider this a matter of losing or winning.
I am also trying to decide what kind of person you are. I am judgmental.
(No more comments on SSM from me. BTW, have you sent your posts to any of your gay friends?)
Mr. Briggs,
There are two feelings after an argument. Joy, because you you lost and now have found a better standpoint. Or joy, because you won and still have a better argument.
I read too fast, so I misread. Pleases strike "I've lost! Do you think so?" in my comments. My points still stands.
You take time for a breather too, old chap.
The absence of evidence for a mostly immutable cause of homosexuality does not mean no such cause exists. Your logic is thus fallacious.
It is also, however, irrelevant. The case against gay marriage rests not on finding that nobody is forced by biology to be gay, but rather on stronger pillars, a number of which you have mentioned.
To me, the strongest argument against gay marriage (meaning, government recognized gay "marriage") is that it will be used to coerce those who disagree, typically through religious conviction, to go along with it.
Make no mistake: every possible way in which the religious can be attacked using government sanctioned gay marriage as a club will be used. Every one. Gay activists have never shown the slightest sense of balance or decency. Randy Shilts reported how gay activists threated to poison the blood supply by donations of blood from know AIDS victimes, just because the blood banks were refusing blood from homosexuals – at a time when no test for infected blood exists.
In the same way, gays have viciously attacked churches, especially the Catholic Church, already driving some Catholic adoption agencies out of business. The fact that these agencies were performing a highly valuable service, paid for by co-religionists, didn't matter. It was either adopt to gay couples, or get out.
This absolutism and viciousness is, in itself, a wholly adequate reason to not provide the weapon of gay marriage to those who would use it so badly.
I personally never got married and I have no plan to get married soon. But what I remember, from marriages I witness, is that both spouses had to answer YES at some point to get married. Consent is required.
In other part of the world children do get married without their consent but the consent of their parents is required.
I'm pretty sure that you are not suggesting that the western world should take lessons on individual rights and freedoms from old countries. Something like Ed Snowden complaining that the US government violate civil right and seeking asylum from countries that have little to no personal freedom.
Have you been fired for voicing your opinion? I'm pretty sure that your opinion could be protected by the first amendment, at least to a certain limit depending on how you voiced it. There is probably nothing that has been said on this blog that would justify it.
As for getting hired, It should not matter what opinion you have. Yet, just looking gay, black, Latino, will make the job hunt much harder. In the US people actually get fired for being gay.
The definition of marriage used by most people who opposes it, is the definition adopted by the state of Israel after the exodus. Back then Israel was a religious state.
Are left-handed people (about 10% of total population) less natural than right-handed people?
Gay population is not as clear cut since not all gays out themselves, but they constitute 1-5% of the population. Why should left-handed be natural and not gays. In both cases they don't choose, In both cases we can't explain why.
"This absolutism and viciousness is, in itself, a wholly adequate reason to not provide the weapon of gay marriage to those who would use it so badly."
Yet republican have no problem letting gun land in the hand of criminals or the crazy. I don't know much people who die because someone got married.
How would suggesting the western world take lessons on individual rights and freedoms from old countries be any better or worse than suggesting that "progress" equals SSM? New is not always better. Who's to say the old way is not the best and who are we to suggest they might be wrong? That would be intolerant, wouldn't it. Intolerant of intolerance.
As noted, parents can consent to their children marrying. Consent to marriage exists only in some countries. And we must be tolerant of other's ideas so we cannot disparage those who have arranged marriages or marry off their 9 year old.
My opinion on gays is NOT protected by the first amendment. Not in a job. Whether or not I have been fired is not relevant unless you are assuming I am the litmus test for the claim. You certainly can be fired in England:
Then there's the good old USA
You are comparing handedness to sexual orientation? Okay, for years people that were left-handed were taught to use their right hand and they did so. No severe psychological damage occurred so far as I know. People learn to use their non-dominate hand if they lose their dominant one. So the handedness is NOT absolute. It can be and is relearned when the situation calls for it. So if the sexual orientation works the same way, heterosexuality can be learned by homosexuals.
Oh, 1-3% of the population are sociopaths–does that make them natural? Should we indulge their "normalcy"?
(As I recall, you were "gun-ho" for gun control, so it seems you are willing to impinge upon my rights. As for causing death, homosexuals have the highest rate of new HIV cases in the USA each year and the highest percentage of any group living with HIV. This is according to the CDC. So "gay" sex most certainly can kill and at a rate higher than heterosexual sex (only 27% of new cases).)
About the first case you presented I retain this excerpt:
"The judge disagreed, saying, "This case is not about the right of a teacher to hold sincerely held beliefs based on the Bible in relation to homosexuality or attendance at church on Sundays. It has been about how those beliefs and views are manifested in the context of teaching in schools with young people with diverse sexuality, backgrounds, and beliefs.—
In Canada, the law protect us from illegitimate firing. Employers needs to have a good reason to fire people.
About your second link. If she goes to court she will probably win because of this line "Do I treat them bad? If course not! Jesus never did that to ANYONE he meant"
Public school are supposed to be laic which means that teacher cannot imposed their personal belief on their students.
And this goes both ways. For example in some state people can be fired for being gay (1). Or doctor are force to lie to there patient and perform unnecessary procedure(2).
1) http://www.policymic.com/articles/11738/5-people-who-were-fired-for-being-gay-and-the-29-states-where-that-is-still-legal
2) http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/06/new-kansas-anti-abortion-law-orders-doctors-to-lie-to-their-patients/
About handedness:
Left-handed people who were forced to write right-handed did poorly in school and many suffered bad self-esteem and had a lot of trouble adjusting throughout their life. Those who were ambidextrous did better just like those who are bisexual.
Sociopath can do as they want as long as they respect individual freedom, when they kill they go to prison.
About gun control:
I'm for background check and the ban of some weapon that cannot be use as a hunting weapon. Even Scalia said that the government is justified to impose some limit to gun as long as he doesn't interdict them completely.


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Tyranny Over There but Not Over Here
One of the fascinating aspects of tyranny is that people can recognize it when it happens in other countries but are blind about it when it happens at home. The American people, especially the US mainstream press, are a perfect demonstration of this phenomenon. Consider the following article from last Sunday's New York Times: "Dilemma for Uber and Rival: Egypt's Demand for Data on Their Riders." It details a request by the

subset: commoncrawl


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Since patch 4.3 went live the market for gems has improved quite a lot making a World of Warcraft add-on like "Routes" extremely useful. What routes does is take node information from a mod like Gatherer and figures out the shorted path to visit each of those nodes. For the CS/IT/Programmer folks out there, it figures out the "Traveling Salesman Problem" for you. It works for mining and herbing nodes as well as a few other things.
First things first. You will need information about node locations. The easiest way to do that is to already have run Gatherer for a while. Gatherer keeps the information about node locations in a format that Routes can read. Gathermate is another add on that does this but I haven't used it. Also if you want you can get the Wowhead GathererDB, which has all of Wowhead's node information in it.
Once you have node information it's pretty easy to set up the Routes add on.
1. Type /routes to bring up the configuration panel. You'll be asked to name the route so that it can be saved. In this case I picked "Ore" since that's what we'll be using this route for. Once you've named it, click the Okay button.
2. Scroll down a bit on the panel and you'll see options to select what type of nodes the add on will use for this route. I selected the ore that I want to mine in this zone. Click the "Create Route" button just under the selections that you made.
At this point if you look at your main map you'll see a tangle of weird lines all over your map. DON'T PANIC! We haven't optimized the route yet. That's the next step
3. If you need to bring the panel up again, type /routes. On the left side of the panel is a list of all of the zones that you have routes for. Expand the zone that you're in and select the route that you just created. In this case "Twilight Highlands" and "Ore." That brings up the settings for your route. On the top right hand side click the "Optimize Route" tab to bring up your optimization options.
4. The default settings are usually fine. I have "Extra Optimization" checked but it isn't really needed. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the "Background" button under the Background section. This is your safest bet as it does its computations in the background letting Wow do its functions as well. If you click Foreground then Routes takes all of your resources while it figures out the shortest path and if a large number of nodes are in the zone, you may be disconnected from the server.
Now you should have a nice path to follow when you bring up your map. The path is also visible on the mini-map so it makes flying that path very easy. You just follow the line on the mini-map.
5. There are a number of optional setting that you can play around with like changing the color and width of the line. I changed this route to Orange so that I could tell the difference between my Ore route and my Herbs route.
That's it! Now you just have to follow the route and gather your resources!
Note: Before you ask, Sexymap, Gatherer, NPC_Scan Overlay, Mini-map Button Frame, and Routes are the add-ons in the mini-map picture


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Challenge Warm Up Routine
Original Strength (OS) have a system that not only provides fantastic restorative qualities but it also serves as a simple yet effective method of warming up.
For the Challenge I've put together this simple OS routine to follow along to.
If you need any personal adjustments to this, please just ask.


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Hi, I am a delivery Manager from Johnson & Johnson. We have recently purchased 500 users license from JIRA. I have couple of queries.
a)Can i can purchase "x" no of supporting hours from you and utilise your services when we have an issue (Consulting hours)
b) Planning to hire a Consultanting company to help us roll out JIRA across the enterprise. Who are your partners in this space.
I tried reaching you on the phone numbers you have given us (San fransisco, Australia). But nobody is picking up the Phone.
Hi Ramana,
Having purchased a license from us, you are entitled to as much support from us as you need, within the boundaries of Atlassian Support but for anything outside that scope you will need to contact an Atlassian Expert who will charge you as per the service agreements you reach prior to engaging them to assist you. There is a search page on that site, so you can locate someone in your country, or we can advise you on Experts dependent on your requirements.
All the best,
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Hi John
Thanks for the response. I have few more queries on the support i need. Please let me know if the below is covered under your support. Please asnwer to each of the below points. Based on your reply, I need to take a call on if i need to reach out to Atlassian experts.
a) We need to deploy JIRA/Greenhopper in a highly availability environment. We are planning to install JIRA/GH on a linux box in cluster mode. We will prepare a detailed design document on how we will be setting up in Cluster mode. Can you review the document and let us know if we are in the right direction.
b) As we are going to set up JIRA/Greenhopper for enterprise, We need your support to review our hard configuration of our server
c) Review of the database set up
d) Any support required during installation Ex: Helping us in configuring the adminstration moduel if we have any queries.
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.
I don't think Atlassian will go into that level of detail, although they may point you at documentation
My instincts on your questions though:
a) Jira does not cluster. You can cluster the hardware, but Jira will not cluster. It will run on one node fine, you can keep the others for failover, but it will not cluster.
b) Have a read of https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/JIRA+Requirements
c) See b
d) You will be able to raise support requests if you are stuck, but Atlassian won't provide instant responses automatically and they won't be on-site with you.
For b,c and d, I'd recommend approaching an Atlassian consultant as John already mentioned, if you're uncertain about what you find in the documentation.
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a) Atlassian support does not cover this. And using a cluster can also result in an unsupported enviroment which may become difficult to resolve via support if you get into issues
b) Atlassian support does not cover this
c) Atlassian support does not cover this
d) Yes, supported.
And I would recommend to go to an expert in case you do not have experienced an Atlassian administrator at your company.
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Woo Jin Jeong, Michael Abramoff, Bhavna Antony, Chunhua Jiao, Mona Garvin, Elliott Sohn; Retinal thickness changes in mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus quantified using an enhanced Iowa Reference Algorithm. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2013;54(15):4883.
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© ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)
Inner retinal thinning in humans with type I diabetes mellitus (DM) has been previously described by us and others in eyes with no detectable diabetic retinopathy. In this study we sought to compare retinal topography in vivo of wild type mice to those with DM using the Iowa Reference Algorithm for three-dimensional automated layer segmentation of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).
C57BL/6 mice (3 months) were assigned into streptozotocin-induced type 1 DM (n=10) and age-matched control cohorts (n=8). Retinal OCT imaging was performed (Bioptigen, Morrisville, NC) system at baseline and 6 weeks after induction of DM. Using the Iowa Reference Algorithm, mathematically enhanced for mouse OCT, average change in thickness of the combined retinal nerve fiber layer and inner plexiform layer (RNFL-IPL) and total retinal thickness were quantified and compared using two-tailed paired t-test analysis at 0 and 6 weeks for each group.
Mean total retinal thickness of the DM group at 6 weeks (135.6μm) was thinner (p=0.02) compared to baseline (137.6μm; 95% CI, 1.29-5.71μm). The mean total retinal thickness of the control group at 6 weeks (137.3μm) was similar to baseline (137.9μm). Mean thickness of RNFL-IPL layer in the DM and control groups was similar at 6 weeks and baseline.
The Iowa Reference Algorithm was successfully enhanced for mouse OCT 3D segmentation, and a significant decrease in total retinal thickness was quantified in mice after 6 weeks of streptozocin-induced diabetes mellitus was not attributable to changes in inner retinal thickness. On-going research is underway to determine the precise retinal layers responsible for the attenuation.
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1. Chop kale into thin ribbons. If artichoke hearts are whole, cut into quarters. Add to work bowl.
2. Scoop flesh from the avocados. Add to work bowl. Drizzle in lemon juice, garlic, Adobo seasoning and black pepper. CHOP until completely smooth.
3. Transfer the avocado cream, kale, and artichoke hearts to a serving dish. Serve alongside tortilla chips, pita chips, rice crackers, or sliced vegetables.
4. Best enjoyed fresh, Avocado Cream will keep for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Store leftovers in an airtight container with a layer of plastic wrap pressed up against the cream to prevent browning.
5. Add roasted tomatoes, roasted peppers to the work bowl. Press PUREE until well combined.
6. Add to serving bowl. Stir to combine. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper if needed.
7. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.


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Scunthorpe Poly will once again be promoting a Track League and a Circuit race series during the 2015 season.
The track league is based at Quibell Park in Scunthorpe and runs on selected Friday evening. More information.
The circuit race series is run at Blyton Park Race Track and takes place on alternate Wednesday evenings and some Saturdays. More information.


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BAAgricultural Communication
United States, California
|United States, California
|Undergraduate, full-time
|Nominal duration
|4 years
|Study language
|Tuition fee
|$22,116.00 per year
|Application fee
|$55.00 one-time
|Entry qualification
High school / secondary education (or higher)
The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English.
Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original.
|Language requirements
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) must be taken within the last 2 years with: a minimum score of 550 (paper version) or a minimum internet-based score of 80 IELTS (International English Language Testing System) must be taken within 2 years with: a minimum score of 7.0 for undergraduate applicants a minimum score of 6.0 is required for admission to a graduate program. However, individual programs may require higher scores; applicants are advised to review program-specific requirements. Cal Poly's institution code is 4038.
|Other requirements
Undergraduate applicants* are advised to NOT send any supporting documents upon application that include but are not limited to: 1)essays 2)resumes 3)portfolios 4)recommendation letters 5)transcripts Applicants will be contacted if additional documents are required. Note: Unsolicited documents and transcripts will not be processed. *Graduate and International applicants should check those sections for information on required documents.
Europe/Istanbul time


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*Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
*Unlimited Saves
When you find a Charm of Saving, pick it up and save the game. There will be another one in the same spot that you can pick up and use again later.
*Code for panel in library
In the library is a panel on the second floor the code is 3926.
|One Stop for Playstion Cheats


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Maple Grove Civic Club Hears About Opioid Epidemic
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's Health Planner Jennifer Kimball and Police Chief Richard Tarsa were invited to speak at the monthly club meeting on Sunday at the PNA and they fielded questions about drug abuse in the Berkshires.
"Every community regardless of size or make up is affected by this. There is no discrimination when it comes to the drug issues and it affects every single race, person, family and society as a whole," Tarsa said. "No one is immune from it. You have 18-year-old kids you have 67-year-old adults."
First to speak was Kimball, who explained what her organization, the Berkshire Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative, does. The collaborative focuses on disseminating information that it hopes will prevent the misuse of prescription drugs as well as offer information to those seeking treatment.
"What we are talking about here is a public health approach to opioid addiction and misuse and we are talking about shifting the environment and the way we do things in Berkshire County," she said. "It is not just opioid addiction but addiction and other mental health issues as a whole."
She said primary prevention is about trying to prevent people from getting addicted to substances in the first place and noted one action the group has taken is in partnership with Berkshire Health Systems. She said those who have been prescribed Schedule 1 or 2 drugs will receive an informational pamphlet.
"We give information about what you are taking and the fact that it is addictive," Kimball said. "Also, how important it is to have a pain management plan with your doctor and plan to reduce use or stop as soon as possible ... the risk of becoming addicted to an opioid increases at four or five days."
She said another huge part of prevention is straight education and trying to get people to understand that addiction is a mental illness and should be treated as such.
"Addiction is a mental health issue and I don't think you need to separate those anymore," she said. "We understand that the Nancy Reagan approach of just 'say no' doesn't work and mental illness, addiction, stigma, trauma and all of those things play into this."
Kimball said they also look to help those already struggling with addiction and have developed a pamphlet that tells people where they can go to detox, various help lines and where they can find medicated assisted treatment throughout the county.
She said the organization also advocates for more Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of an overdose, access points and they urge first responders to carry it as well as addicts themselves.
"We want active drug users to carry it with them and not to use alone because with the amount of fentanyl in heroin right now it is much stronger," she said. "Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, so people are at a high risk of overdose."
She added that they also advocate for syringe access points such as Tapestry in North Adams.
"It seems kind of counterintuitive like how you can give someone the needle ... but people are going to use the drugs anyways and we don't want them to get an infection or spread disease," Kimball said. "…We want to keep them safe until they are ready to get treatment."
She added that the syringe access points collect more needles than they give out which means there are less out in the public.
Tarsa expanded on the makeup of today's heroin and said typically a single pack of heroin is purchased for $4 to $5. The dealer then sells it for $15 to $20 so there is a big profit margin.
He echoed what Kimball said and noted that not only is today's heroin sometimes cut with fentanyl but an additional drug called Carfentanil, or carfentanyl.
"They are mixing it all together and the three of them all together one of the slang terms is 'Gray Death' and you can interpret what you want from that," Tarsa said. "You have three powerful drugs that you are using all at once."
He added that if a specific kind of heroin is known to cause overdoses it doesn't necessarily mean addicts will try to avoid it.
"The packets are labeled and have different names ... and if a person overdoses, others think that it may be a good one that is a good high," he said. "So they go looking for it so they can get that high and take that chance."
Tarsa said his officers carry Narcan and noted that although it is a great tool it is not a cure-all. He said he has come across addicts who have taken 50 to 75 hits of heroin a day and said he has been to overdose calls where it has taken up to six Narcan sprays to revive someone.
The police don't just carry Narcan for those suffering from an overdose, he said. There have been cases where police (not in Adams) have absorbed the drug through their skin and because it is so strong, they overdose immediately.
Tarsa said it is hard to calculate how many overdoses are in town because not everyone seeks medical help and the numbers always change but overdose and medical calls related to drug use have increased in Adams.
Kimball added that the number of overdose-related deaths in Berkshire County was 35, which is consistent with previous years. She added that the number may to be totally accurate because some smaller towns do not report overdose deaths because of privacy laws.
Tarsa said the department's partnership with Berkshire Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative been a huge benefit to the town and efforts to snuff out the epidemic in the county.
Kimball said understanding has come a long way and people are realizing simply jailing addicts is not the answer.
"You can't really arrest the problem away and we have tried that approach and we know it does not work," she said. "You have people that are struggling ... and jail does not treat addiction and when they get out they just keep going."
She added that those who detox in jail and are released are 120 times more likely to die from an overdose than the general public.
Kimball noted that the beds at BHS in Pittsfield for long-term addiction treatment have improved things because there are other options than just the three to five-day detox that often results in relapse.
She said there is still a need for more beds and transitionary homes for those leaving the treatment center.
In closing, Kimball asked that the club members think differently about addiction and treat those who may be battling it with compassion. She said everyone deserves a chance to get better.
"We want to keep people alive long enough so they get to that point where it sticks and they seek out treatment," she said. "That might be AA, NA, medicated assisted treatment, yoga, church or bonding with animals. Everyone deserves the right to live and to get better."
Before closing, Tarsa said the Adams Police Department is preparing to roll out a pilot opioid buyback program its has developed with Williams College students. He said people can bring in their drugs in exchange for a voucher from a local business.
The forum was recorded for later broadcasting on Northern Berkshire Community Television. Check the listings for times.
Tags: Maple Grove Civic Club, Opioid abuse, opioids, substance abuse,
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CHRAPKO, Anne Marie - Anne passed away peacefully in her sleep at Afton Park Place on Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the age of 86. She was born on February 27, 1931 in Korytne, Slovakia and came to Canada in 1937. Predeceased by husbands John Chrapko and Floyd Payne. Dear mother of the late John Chrapko, who died in infancy, Marianne & David Clift, Jerry & Ingrid Stevens, Lucy Lariviere-Tirey & Raymond Lariviere, Chuck & Carol Chrapko and Anastasia Chrapko. Loving grandmother of Rhiannon & Paul Mestancik, Allison Clift and Jack Clift, Jennifer & Jeff Fynn-Paul and Daniel & Ashley Stevens, Tonya Cianchette, Ryan and Melissa Tirey, Taylor and John Chrapko, Wolfgang Chrapko, Jessica, Samuel and Joseph Howell. Great-grandmother of Maia and Ilianna Mestancik, Ingo Griffin, Persephone and Patrick Fynn, Hank and Charlie Stevens, John and Luke Cianchette. Predeceased by her parents Louis & Mary Stefanka, sister Frances Bratanek and brother Rudy Stefanka. Anne was an entrepreneur. She was a founding partner of Chrapko Construction, Our Lady of Sorrows Junior Seminary (now Huron House Boys Home), Chrapko Nursing Home (now Vision Nursing Home), Twin Lakes subdivision, Floyd-Anne Realty and several more. Anne served the community by being past-president and 56 year member of the Catholic Women's League, a Girl Guide Leader and delivered for Meals on Wheels. Visitation will be held on Friday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. at the McKENZIE & BLUNDY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 431 Christina St. N., Sarnia. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Entombment Lakeview Mausoleum. As an expression of sympathy friends who wish may send memorial donations to Rayjon Share Care, P.O. Box 2482, Sarnia, N7T 7T1, St. Joseph's Hospice, 475 N. Christina St., N7T 5W3 or to the charity of your choice. Messages of condolence and memories may be left at www.mckenzieblundy.com
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Southampton's club record signing Sofiane Boufal has taken part in full training after overcoming a knee injury that has seen him sidelined since his arrival in the summer.
The 23-year-old has not yet featured in Claude Puel's team since his reported £16m transfer from Lille at the end of August, but his fitness has improved.
"I am very, very happy to be back in training," he told the club's official website. "It's a moment that I've been waiting for. I've been working really hard to get back to this point today, so it is very satisfying to get back out on the training pitch with the rest of the group.
"It will take time, as this is just my first training session. I've got a fortnight now to really work with the group and the manager, and after that we will see how things are going as to when the first match will be for me."
"I feel very good. As I say, I have worked really well with the physios and the physical trainers, and today I feel good, I feel fresh, I feel strong and I am happy to be back out on the pitch."
The Saints' next game will be at home to Burnley on October 16.


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In Memory: NOCE Student, Mother of Four was Victim of LV Shooting
October 13, 2017 9:11 AM
All students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in North Orange Continuing Education's (NOCE) first ever Campus Climate Survey.
The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) applauded our
institution for being a stellar adult
education school. WASC defined us by these six attributes:
passionate, embraces diversity, innovative, dynamic synergy, safe to
take risks, and courageous. In an effort to monitor and uphold these
values, we are conducting NOCE's first-ever Student Campus Climate
Survey and Employee Campus Climate Survey. Campus Climate is defined as "the current attitudes,
behaviors, and standards of faculty, staff, administrators, and students
concerning the level of respect for individual needs, abilities and
potential." In order to get the best measurements on our institution, we
are looking for 100% participation.
This anonymous survey is an opportunity for NOCE students and employees
to provide honest feedback. Survey topics include student support,
quality of education, sense of belonging, barriers to education, safety,
campus environment, communication preferences, and equity. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
EMPLOYEES - access the survey here from 10/16/17-11/3/17 : https://nocccd.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7VRmR...
STUDENTS - access the survey here from 10/23/17-11/3/17: https://nocccd.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6DUb9...
Students may also complete the survey at the following locations:
Computer Labs:
Students will be able to stop by a computer lab and take the survey at their leisure (at each Center). There will be a team member from the Office of Institutional Research and Planning present in the computer labs to assist students with the survey. Please see the dates and times the computer labs will be available below:
Admissions and Registration Computers:
At each Center, the Admissions and Registration Offices will have the Student Campus Climate Survey shortcut link on each computer for students from 10/23/17-11/3/17.
Click here for the Student Campus Climate Survey flyer.
The Campus Climate Survey is an opportunity for NOCE to hear your voice!
In Memory: NOCE Student, Mother of Four was Victim of LV Shooting


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Im sure your adding stuff like organazations like Akatsuki , Hebi , and Etc. I think you should add them there own jutsu. For example "Akatsuki Death" or the Demon taking jutsu.
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Since 1995 we have been designing and packaging the Best of South Africa vacation tours and safaris for our guests from all around the world, not to mention local guests too.
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is an organization change
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"Digital Revolution" Shaping Diverse and Agile Cultures in Asia
|Digital technologies are reshaping work cultures in Asia and that is good news for both workers and businesses. The top down, authoritative "control culture" is being supplanted by agile cultures, which promote diversity, open-mindset and empowe .. 245 read, 0 comment [More]
Competitive Imperatives for 2019 and Beyond
|As multinationals struggle to satisfy fickle consumer, compete against agile local players and keep up with disruptive digital technologies, they are discovering that bold moves rather than incremental solutions open doors to better opportunities. .. 524 read, 0 comment [More]
Technology Defines the Challenges for Retailers in 2019
|In this newspaper article, we explore trends that will affect the success of retailers in Thailand. For example, retailers who do not pay attention to the impact of digital technology on the top and bottom lines, or the importance of providing excit .. 573 read, 0 comment [More]
News Flash: When Knowledge and Experience Cripple a Leader
|When Knowledge & Experience Cripple a Leader To most leaders, knowledge is power. It is said if you have knowledge, then you have an advantage over your competitors and your peers. But nowadays, knowledge can be a liability, if the leader is the .. 725 read, 0 comment [More]
How to Create Meetings Where People Want to Speak Out
|A clever facilitator can open people up and create a great meeting experience. It is all about understanding business issues and context, and creating an atmosphere where people feel safe and want to express what they think. One of the reasons pe .. 636 read, 0 comment [More]
How the AMCHAM Chief in Thailand Achieved Her Purpose
|Most successful organizations have a clear, meaningful purpose, which focuses efforts and drives relevant change. Such has been the case of The American Chamber of Commerce [AMCHAM] in Thailand, which has thrived over the years. After 17 years at .. 947 read, 0 comment [More]
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The second level of education is called ADVANCED EXPLORER PROGRAM and aims at the improvement of the diver's skills through underwater entertainment.
What do you need to start?
- You should have fully completed the first level of education (OPEN WATER COURSE) or any other basic training program of a recognized institution of education
- Minimum age: 12 years old
What are you going to attend?
There are 2 basic dives:
- The Deep Dive, which takes place in 30 meters depth and,
- The Underwater-orientation through which you get to know your way around the underwater environment
Then, you can choose among the following the rest 3 dives that excite you the most:
- Nightly,
- Shipwrecks,
- Perfect buoyancy,
- Connection with nature underwater,
- Research and emergence,
- Underwater photography,
- Enriched air dive,
- Scuba diving using a dry suit etc
As fοr all these categories, you should read the respective chapter on e-book as well as answer the particular questionnaire. The instructor will be ready to answer any of your questions.
How long does the program last?
- Duration of diving courses: at least 15 hours
- Minimum marine training: 5 dives in at least 2 days
What is the next level of training?
- After you have completed the ADVANCED ADVENTURER PROGRAM and the four specialties, you automatically receive the ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER.


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In several places they close the small village schools in the name of saving. We try to keep them, since they are close - places to learn and enjoy the learning. They work in small groups. And the world is not that far away, vice versa. With modern technology it is closer than ever. We have a lot of partner schools in europe and they sometimes consider us as role models.
We have Sataedu, which schools second grade students to almost every profession. Even special studies you can't study anywhere else in Finland. And same goes to adults. Students here go to Polytechnic or University to Pori, Seinäjoki and Tampere. And then we come back. Well, we do have polytechnic school in Kankaanpää too. People just have called the art school for ever.
* Pohjois-Satakunta - Suomi sanakirjan mukaan Sopeva = Sopiva, passeli


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With 3 days remaining, Delhi gets ready for road-space rationing plan
New Delhi, Dec 29 (Punjab Mail) – Three days remain for the radical road-space rationing plan to kick in and Delhi is working to even out the odds.
The Delhi Police and the government, who have had their fair share of differences, appeared to be on the same page while DTC and DMRC came out with their plans on Monday to ensure a smooth run for commuters during the 15 days when only half of the city's cars will be allowed on the road in an attempt to clean Capital's toxic air.
For the Delhi Police, the campaign was yet another responsibility as a law enforcement agency and they would do a good job of it, city's top officer BS Bassi said, a day after he warned volunteers against vigilantism.
"We have sought powers to impound the vehicles whose drivers do not follow the odd-even rule, as penalising the drivers will not keep them off roads. We are with the government," the police commissioner said.
Police are vital to the success of the campaign, as they will be the ones enforcing the driving restrictions.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced 198 additional trains for the period, which means 365 more trips a day. On an average, the Delhi Metro carries 2.6 million passengers daily, making 2,827 trips.
Anticipating passenger rush, CISF has agreed to provide 500 more personnel to the DMRC. The Central Industrial Security Force is tasked with guarding vital installations across the country.
The Delhi Transport Corporation plans a special shuttle service between Delhi and suburban towns of Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon. After identifying areas from where a large number of commuters head to the Capital, the government would talk to managements of the housing societies in the areas to decide on pick-up points for the bus service, transport minister Gopal Rai said.
Twitter India, too, has decided to do its bit. From December 31, queries on routes and public transport can be directed to hash tag #pollutionfreeDelhi. Twitter and transport authorities would respond to them, said Raheel Khursheed, head, new, politics and government, Twitter India.
Challenges, however, remain. Police plan to invoke Section 115 of the motor vehicle act that allows them to stop vehicles from entering the city.
With Uttar Pradesh and Haryana police yet to come out with their plan, the move could lead to massive traffic jams along the city's entry points that are virtually choked during rush hour even on a normal day. More than a million people come to Delhi for work or on business from neighbouring states.
On Monday, an association of private schools moved the Delhi high court, challenging a Delhi government's order asking them to put their buses and drivers at its disposal. Between them, the schools have around 1,000-1,200 buses. The government said it has "rolled out enough buses".
For the campaign to work, public transport, which is woefully inadequate, would have to be robust, activists have been saying. All schools in the Capital have been ordered shut by the Kejriwal government during the period of driving restrictions to ease pressure on roads as well as public transport.
From January 1 to 15, odd-numbered private cars will be allowed on streets only on odd dates while those with registration numbers ending in an even number on even days. Sundays are free for all.


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Property Mgmt Services
Many owners of rental property find that the demands on their time and effort grow excessive over time. Property management requires knowledge of marketing, credit review, leasing policy, Fair Housing Laws, the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, collections and evictions, maintenance services, cost control, accounting, and financial reporting. All of this, and late night telephone calls from the tenant, send many fed-up owners to management companies. Homes4lease offers expertise in dealing with all of these demands at a very competitive price.
Many owners select professional management companies when their work, or other personal matters, require them to move to another city (or country) temporarily. Since they expect to return to Oklahoma in the future, they decide to offer their homes for rent, rather than enduring the stress of selling and the uncertainties of buying another when they return. In addition, they simply cannot handle all the details of marketing, leasing, and managing a rental property from their remote locations.
Another identifiable group is the investor in single-family property, who decides that he/she would rather deal with the financial aspects only, and leave the operating end of the business to a management company. The owners handle the aspect in which they are most expert, and leave the day-to-day matters to the management company.
10 Reasons to have Homes4lease manage your property:
HOMES4LEASE PROVIDES A FREE MARKET ANALYSIS to determine the highest rental value of your property. We start with an onsite inspection, noting any amenities that can be emphasized in marketing, and, if appropriate, pointing out matters that can have an adverse effect on value.
HOMES4LEASE ADVERTISES each Sunday in The Oklahoman, along with postings on various websites until it is leased…..and we pay all advertising costs!
HOMES4LEASE QUALIFIES EACH PROSPECTIVE TENANT, with a thorough investigation of their credit, rental, and employment history at no cost to the homeowner.
HOMES4LEASE ENSURES YOU ONLY PAY ONCE EVEN IF THE TENANT DEFAULTS. If for any reason, the tenant leaves without fulfilling the terms of his lease, we will find a new tenant and give credit on the lease commission for the unfulfilled portion of the old lease.
HOMES4LEASE TELEPHONES ARE STAFFED 24/7. Our maintenance supervisor is contacted immediately for emergencies, and clients are promptly informed.
HOMES4LEASE STAYS IN TOUCH. Company policy is to keep the Client informed of all matters concerning the property. Maintenance needs are discussed before any money is spent. The Client's preferences are determined before leases are signed. We will let you know if the tenant is not performing as agreed and, after reviewing the options with the Client, proceed as directed.
HOMES4LEASE PROVIDES DETAILED ACCOUNTING. Company policy is to remit rental proceeds to our Clients by the 10th day of the month. We send out a complete accounting of all income and expenses each month. Delinquent tenants are courteously reminded, then served strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and their lease.
HOMES4LEASE CAN FINANCE RENOVATIONS. If a property needs major repairs prior to marketing, often times we can arrange a payment plan, saving the problems of going to the bank.
HOMES4LEASE COMPREHENSIVE LEASE PROTECTS THE CLIENT. This time-tested document and our experience in enforcing its terms offer state-of-the-law protection from lost rents and property damage. If there is a dispute with the tenant, HOMES4LEASE WILL GO TO COURT ON BEHALF OF OUR CLIENT FOR EVICTIONS.
HOMES4LEASE GUARANTEES YOUR SATISFACTION. If at any time you are dissatisfied with our service, you may cancel your agreement with 30 days written notice, no questions asked.


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Not only did Makenzie have a Tournament last weekend, she also had games on Monday and Tuesday.
On Monday she played the whole game except the 3rd quarter,
Tuesday she played the entire game. The picture below is from half time on Tuesday.
They all look pretty wiped out, especially Makenzie!
During the Varsity game I couldn't find Makenzie. I thought maybe she was in the gym behind the bleachers shooting around.
Nope, sound asleep on the bleachers, even with everyone running around right by her.
She was one tired girl! Oh, and they won both games!


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Huawei announces China availability of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software upgrade for Ascend P1 customers starting September 30. Besides upgrading to the latest operating system from Google, P1 owners will receive the latest version of Huawei Emotion UI 1.5.
According to China-based manufacturer this is only the beginning of a long process to upgrade several other Huawei smartphone and tablets in the following months. The software update brings a whole new easy-to-use and improved experience, Smart voice assistant, Huawei Cloud + Cloud services and much more.
We have no information when a world-wide upgrade will be available for Ascend P1. Updates on this topic in our future reports.
source Huawei


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Roots & Craft: Mardi Gras w/ NOLA Jazz Band & Grand Avenue Ruckus
Presented by Iowa Public Radio, Civic Music Association, & Des Moines Social Club
Laissez les bons temps rouler! We may not be down in the bayou, but you can still let the good times roll with us, celebrating Mardi Gras! Join us for a fun evening in the spirit of Mardi Gras, listening to the sounds of NOLA Jazz Band, followed by Grand Avenue Ruckus. This concert is a special edition of DMSC's Roots & Craft series, held each Friday, presenting Roots music across multiple genres and a new Craft food, wine, or beer feature each week. Stay tuned for our Craft features, full of traditional New Orleans cuisines and libations!
All band members have a common love for the sound and "feel" of both traditional and current New Orleans and roots blues music – real, gutsy, raw, heartfelt, and entertaining. They also find joy in their music and love performing together, having fun, and entertaining their audiences. The NOLA Jazz Band has played alongside a number of well-known traditional jazz and music groups this past year including Davina & the Vagabonds, Sony recording artist trumpet player and singer Bria Skonberg, and Dom Flemons of The Carolina Chocolate Drops. Individual band members have also shared the stage with Vincent Gardner, Maynard Ferguson, Benny Goodman, Kurt Elling, and many other well know jazz artists during their careers. NOLA Jazz Band members have also been inducted into the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Who's Ready For A Ruckus? Grand Ave Ruckus is the Midwest's newest brass band, and they're here to bring the boogie from the bayou here to the heartland. Taking inspiration from New Orleans' best brass bands to the Jackson 5, Grand Ave Ruckus is a bombastic, get-down-and-dance, funk filled show. Featuring local Des Moines musicians, Grand Ave Ruckus covers your favorite tunes with a powerful, horn-driven performance. Screaming trumpets, wailing saxophones, and a big bottom end give Grand Ave Ruckus their one-of-a-kind sound. Grand Ave Ruckus is always a party, and it's definitely one you won't want to miss!
February 2 // Doors 5PM // Show 5:30 // $10 // Kum & Go Theater


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Heredity: Heredity is the transfer of genetic material from parent to offspring, from generation to another. DNA is the genetic material that is transferred across generations.
Variation: Human genetic variation is the genetic differences within and among populations. The types of variation are: a) Continuous variation b) Discontinuous variation. Some of the features of the different organisms in a species show continuous variation, and some features show discontinuous variation.
Continuous variation: Human height is an example of continuous variation. Height ranges from that of the shortest person in the world to that of the tallest person. Any height is possible between these values. So it is continuous variation. For any species a characteristic that changes gradually over a range of values shows continuous variation. Examples of such characteristics are: Height, Weight, Foot length.
Discontinuous variation: Human blood group is an example of discontinuous variation. There are only 4 types of blood group. There are no other possibilities and there are no values in between. So this is discontinuous variation. A characteristic of any species with only a limited number of possible values shows discontinuous variation. Here are some examples: Gender (male or female), Blood group (A, B, AB or O), Eye color.


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The American Lawyer Magazine
National Law Journal
Law Catalog
Law.com Sites
law.com Seminars
Automated Lawyer
New York
New Jersey
Other states
HELLER Ehrman White & McAuliffe L.L.P. has formed a financial technologies group, headed by P. Michael Nugent, former general counsel (technology and intellectual property) at Citigroup.
"Banks and other financial institutions have always been among the largest users of information and computer technology," observes Heller chair Barry Levin,citing growing concerns and legislation in the areas of privacy, encryption, and security.
The new practice group will include technology, corporate, and litigation attorneys. It will tackle software and business method patents; mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures; electronic commerce law; taxation; anti-trust and more.
inData Corp. &
Phoenix's inData Corp., has announced a partnership with Aspen Systems Corp., (which provides litigation support services and products), to sell the inData Director Suite to Aspen's clients at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Information: Reader Response no. 298.
RIA, which provides tax research and compliance tools, has announced a partnership with The Bureau of National Affairs Inc. (BNA) to supply BNA's Daily Tax Report on RIA's Checkpoint online service.
Information: Reader Response no. 299.
Advanced Productivity Software Inc. is partnering with Orion Law Management System Inc. APS' DTE timekeeping product line will now integrate with Orion's time-and-billing module.
Information: Reader Response no. 300.
401kExchange &
401kExchange, a Web service that offers service provider ratings, online plan proposal analysis, and other services, has announced an alliance with Capital Analysts Inc.
401kExchange will offer its services to CAI advisors and clients via a private label Internet platform.
401kExchange also announced an alliance with Larkspur Data, which provides targeted database marketing tools for financial and insurance professionals.
Information: Reader Response no. 301.
Levit & James &
Levit & James has announced that its CrossWords conversion utility, that helps firms convert documents from Corel Corp.'sWordPerfect to Microsoft Corp.'s Word, now integrates with World Software Corp.'sWORLDOX document management system.
Information: Reader Response no. 302.
Sprint &
Phone giants Sprint and Nortel Networks have agreed to continue expansion of Nortel's portion of Sprint's nationwide PCS wireless network. The agreement extends and expands the existing five-year relationship.
Sprint also announced a three-year accord with Lucent Technologies, to supply equipment and services for the next phase of Sprint's wireless network development and expansion.
Information: Reader Response no. 303.
Monterey, Calif.'s KOM NETWORKS is teaming up with SanOne Inc. to integrate KOM's STEALTHWORX£ software with SanOne's Dynamic Allocation Manager storage system.
KOM also announced an alliance with StoreAge Networking Technologies Ltd. to integrate technologies.
Information: Reader Response no. 304.
New Financing
Portland's Fios, which provides electronic discovery; antitrust review; and merger and acquisition due diligence services, has announced that it has raised $10.1 million in a second round of institutional funding. Investors include Fluke Venture Partners, 3i; Banyan Capital Partners, and Velocity Capital, who join existing investors Digital Partners and FBR CoMotion Venture Capital.
Fios also announced that it has added two new directors to its board: Kevin Gabeleinof Fluke , and Kevin Scottof 3i.
Information: Reader Response no. 306.


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Dino Melaye a Senator from Kogi West, on Wednesday admitted that Nigeria is currently in great hunger and poverty, stressing that, Nigerian leaders including himself must repent, and deal with the problem.
Dino Melaye, made this remark while sharing a video of him speaking at The Osasu Show Symposium held in Abuja on his official twitter handle, @dino_melaye.
"Nigerian leaders including me must repent and sincerely deal with hunger and poverty. Nigerians deserve better," he wrote.
Recall that the Kogi West Senator had last week admitted that the political elites have failed nigeria and her teeming youth.
Dino Melaye, who spoke as one of the panelists at the symposium had said, "When you speak the truth, you die, when you lie, you die; so it is better to speak the truth and die. I may sound very unpopular but I will speak the truth. Apart from militocracy, politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in Nigeria.
"Unfortunately, we the leaders, myself inclusive, have failed this nation and have failed the younger generation, myself inclusive. The reason why we are where we are today is beacuse there is a disconnect between leadership and followership.


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Every Thursday @ 8:00 p.m.
Join an evening filled with personal stories and songs as the
Thursday February 24 - Up Close and Personal with Jerry Herman
Thursday February 24 - Up Close and Personal with Jerry Herman
accomplished lyricist looks back on his career.
Thursday March 3 - Up Close and Personal - A tribute to Frank Loesser
Over the course of his career, Frank wrote more than 700 songs
and five Broadway musicals and contributed music and lyrics
to dozens of films.
Thursday March 10 - Performing Arts - From Page to Stage: Locomotion
Have you ever wondered how all the elements of a theater production
come together for the final product? Maria Salvadore talks about
the creation of her book Locomotion.
Thursday March 17 - Performing Arts- The Suzanne Farrell Ballet:
Deconstruction Divertimento - Suzanne Farrell along with her
acclaimed ballet company presents a performance and demonstration.
Thursday March 24 - Performing Arts - Telling Stories: Linda Sue Park
Ms. Park reads from her recent novels and discusses what
inspired them. She also talks about her desire to explore her heritage
and her passion for baseball.
Thursday March 31 - Performing Arts - Telling Stories: Richard Peck
Creative writing students join a moderator as they join Richard Peck
to discuss his recent books, his work and the craft of writing.
He also gives advice for aspiring young writers.


text: GasAlertMicro5 portable gas detector simultaneously monitors and displays up to 5 potential atmospheric hazards including oxygen, combustible gases and a range of toxic gases. Compact and lightweight, with a concussion-proof, waterproof IP66/67 rated boot, it is perfectly suited for harsh industrial environments. The GasAlertMicro5 monitors various combinations of the following gases : hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), oxygen (O2), combustibles (LEL), chlorine (Cl), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), chlorine dioxide (ClO2), phosphine (PH3), ozone (O3), ammonia (NH3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2)


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Approve Strikes Out in France
William Haggas' Approve could come up with third place as Irish Field, the Spanish raider grabbed the victory honours in the Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte.
The treble trying Broox attempted to put up a challenge, but Irish Field was always working hard in the last furlong and got over the line in the lead.
Approve, the Norfolk Stakes victor, appeared well defeated at the midway point but hung on powerfully in the final stages to indicate a step up in length could be on the cards.
The 5 British travellers were also short of fortune in the Prix Eugene Adam as Alain de Royer-Dupre's Shimraan ran out a stunning victor.
Clive Cox's duo of Xtension and Black Spirit made out better in fourth and fifth place in turn but at no point seemed to be looking like winners.
Also well defeated were Richard Hannon's Quadrille, Godolphin's Emerald Commander and John Gosden's Azmeel.
In only his third event, the victor held off Czech contender Shamalgan under Gerald Mosse to win with ease.


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One of my favorite podcast episodes from the last couple years is Freakonomics' Parking is Hell:
The episode is inspired by Donald Shoup's 800-page book, The High Cost of Free Parking. I haven't read the book, but the episode is eye-opening, as it forces you to think about the huge opportunity costs of the choices we've made over the past several decades in terms of land use and transportation.
In a nutshell: we have far more parking spots in this country than we could ever possibly need; the parking spots are occupying valuable tracts of land that could be better used for something else; the costs for developers to build enough parking to meet local ordinances drive up prices for almost everything we do; and in urban areas, parking is absurdly under-priced, especially at peak times, leading to congestion and pollution issues.


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Evaluating recommender systems in tourism - case study from Austria
Zanker, M
Fuchs, M
Höpken, W
Tuta, M
Müller, N
MetadataShow full item record
Recommender systems (RS) are employed to personalize user interaction with (e.g. tourism) web-sites, supporting both navigation through large service assortments and the configuration of individual service packages. Depending on the interaction strategy, RS are either utilized to elicit users' tastes and preferences or to stimulate desire for different offerings. In addition, as a potentially rich source of digital traces, RS also act as a repository for marketing intelligence. Web-usage mining is an accepted approach to analyse web-usage behaviour based on information traces left by the web-user (Mobasher, 2007). This paper proposes an empirically tested approach which combines typical web-log data with user feedback gathered by an interactive travel advisory system developed for an Austrian spa-resort. The proposed approach focuses on evaluating the RS with respect to efficiency, effectiveness and actionable marketing intelligence.


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Earth Alliance History
NAME: Earth
LOCATION: 3rd Planet
STAR: Sol
SYSTEM: 10 total - 6 solid, 4 Gas
SATELLITES: 1 - Luna
AGE: 4.5 billion years
TEMPERATURE:14 degrees Celsius
MASS: 1.0 gravity
ROTATION: 23 hours, 56.409 minutes
Founded in 2085 as an economic/political conglomerate committed to the goal of colonizing the planet Mars, the Earth Alliance quickly proved to be an extremely practical replacement to the dismal failure that was the United Nations. Originally consisting of Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States of America, the Alliance proved that through the use of a common language and integrated culture, mankind could achieve any goal they set forth.
The founding countries of the Earth Alliance made a strong drive to explore the stars, setting up stations and outposts on the lunar surface and, finally, a colonial settlement on Mars in the year 2090. Although the first Martian colony would be destroyed a decade later by a terrorist bombing, the success of the Alliance proved all too well that if mankind was to move beyond Earth's cradle, humanity could not allow its self to be separated by language or social/political boundaries.
In 2107, a few years after the second Mars Colony was created, the United Nations was disbanded, leading to hard-liners who opposed to Earth Alliance to be elected in France, 2112. In the year 2122 the Earth Alliance became the official governing body of humanity and the planet Earth. This sparked several global conflicts, primarily from nations who refused to be a part of the Alliance. Combined with resources stretching thin, as the Alliance had settled and explored every planetoid in its home solar system, it looked as if a global military crisis was about to engulf the Earth. This crisis came to a head in 2150 with the terrorist bombing of San Diego, which lead to a rather short lived war resulting in the Alliance crushing all of the dissident nations.
By this time humanity had grown too big for its home solar system and, unfortunately, all attempts to find a way to travel beyond the speed of light had failed. Earth scientists had discovered hyperspace and proven the existence of tachyons, but still could not find the mathematical know-how to send anything larger than a particle through the barrier between real space and hyperspace. Thus, in an effort to curb civil unrest, the Alliance began launching sleeper ships out into deep space, in the hopes of making contact with alien life. Amazingly enough however, the aliens humanity was trying so desperately to contact, found Earth first.
In 2156 the question of whether or not Mankind was alone in the universe was answered, when a Centauri patrol fleet detected the use of intense radio and low level tachyon communications being sent via hyperspace by Earth stations in the Sol system. The Centauri, who looked amazingly similar to humans, greeted humanity with open arms and quickly engaged in extensive trade relations with the Earth people. Thus the Earth Alliance found the universe opened up before them. The dream that had inspired the creation of the Alliance had finally become a reality.
For nearly a century the Earth Alliance saw massive growth, technology purchased from the Centauri allowing Earth to leap ahead two centuries in only two years. Humanity quickly began setting up colonies and staking claim to every world surrounding the Sol system, becoming an active participant in the galactic community. Still the Alliance was dependent upon the Centauri for galactic space travel, a fact that did not sit well with many in the Alliance. With the Lockheed-Mitchell Corporations creation of the first Alliance Jump-Gates of Terran design, humanity was no longer dependent upon the Centauri and quickly began working towards the goal of becoming a major galactic power.
After several boarder skirmishes with races in what would later become the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, the Earth Alliance formed a large and powerful Star-Navy under the authority of the governments military branch Earthforce. Through innovation and the valuable knowledge gained through years of internal strife, humanity quickly proved its self to be a military force to be reckoned with and many of the more aggressive races opted to leave the Alliance in peace.
In it's first 75 years, the Earth Alliance set up colonies and staked out territory on every planet and solar system within 8,000 cubic light-years of Sol. Colonies on Proxima Centauri, Wolf 359, the Luyten stars, Cygni Alpha and the Ross stars. In only a few short years Earth become the undisputed power with controlling interest on every world within 20 light-years of Sol, from Ross 128 out to Sirus, with additional holdings stretching out as far as Deneb, Orion and other systems as far as 2,000 light-years of Sol in every direction. Then on November 3, 2231 the Earth Alliance finally took its place as a Galactic Superpower, when Humanity declared war on the brutal Dilgar Empire. The League and,
to a lesser extent the Narn Regime, had been at war with the Dilgar for nearly a year before the Alliances entrance into the conflict. The war was going badly for the League and the Dilgars victory seemed assured until the Earth Alliance lent its might to the battle. Though humanity had joined in the war primarily to flex their galactic muscles, the war quickly became a moral crusade as stories of heinous atrocities made their way back to Earth Dome. Within less than a year the Earth Alliance, along with its allies, succeeded in defeating the Dilgar Empire and halting their reign of terror across the quadrant.
Riding high on their victory and the new found respect from many of the other races, the Earth Alliance began to fortify its defences and once again invested more resources to colonization and exploration. The future of the Alliance looked to be a bright one in the golden years after the victory over the Dilgar. Unfortunately the Alliance, believing themselves to be one of the most powerful empires in the known galaxy, were about to get a harsh introduction to reality.
In July of 2245 a fleet of Earth Alliance ships sent on a standard exploration mission into Minbari territory, accidentally came upon a Minbari fleet in rout to Z'Ha'Dum. Upon entering the Minbari held star system, the small fleet of Alliance ships found themselves face to face with a Minbari War Cruisers, approaching with gun ports open. Captain of the commanding ship, fearing they were about to be attacked, gave his crew the order to open fire on the Minbari fleet.
In a devastating opening volley of plasma weapon fire, the Alliance ships succeeded in damaging the Minbari Cruiser and destroying a support craft before escaping into hyperspace and back to Alliance territory. Among those killed in the battle was Dukhat, leader of the Gray Council, the ruling body of the Minbari Federation. Thus, do to a simple misunderstanding, a bloody three year war ensued that would forever change the quadrant.
Earthforce, facing an enemy that was thousands of years technologically superior, found its self to be ill equipped to face the onslaught of the Minbari's military machine. Many of the League worlds that pledged themselves to assist the Alliance quickly withdrew their support, leaving only the Narn who offered weapons but no direct military assistance. Victories were far a few between, the Alliance loosing an average of five ships for every Minbari ship destroyed. Even those battles which were won by the Alliance were not true victories, as the cost in ships and manpower always averaged a 3 to 1 loss in the Minbari's favour.. and this was just to drive the Minbari attackers off.
The Earth Alliance only achieved one true victory during the course of the war, when Lieutenant Commander John Sheridan, who had been thrust into command of the Earth Alliance Heavy Cruiser Lexington following the death of his captain, laid a trap for an attacking Minbari warship.
John Sheridan, knowing the Minbari vessel would return to finish the crippled Lexington ass oon as they radioed for assistance, ordered his crew to dispatch the ships last threefusion bomb warheads, hiding them in an asteroid belt. Once the bombs had been laid in place the Lexington called for assistance, knowing full well that the Minbari ship would return.
Thinking they were about to engage a helpless target the Minbari ship made a bee line for the distress signal, looking for a quick kill. Upon entering the belt Lieutenant CommanderSheridan detonated the mines, heavily damaging the Black Star. Crippled and attempting to escape, Sheridan succeeded in destroying the Black Star with the detonation of the second mine. It is important to note however that the mine its self did not cause the BlackStar to explode. The second nuclear detonation disrupted the ships reactor containment system causing a core breech, and it was this breech in the ships fusion reactor system that destroyed the Black Star. This was the first and last major space victory of the war. Despite this one victory, the war continued to go badly for the Earth Alliance. By 2248,with most of Earth's forces destroyed or off engaging the Minbari in other systems, the Earth found its self directly in the path of a Minbari attack fleet nearly three thousand capital ships strong.
In a final effort to protect the Earth, 20,000 of the bravest soldiers the Alliance had to offer formed a line just behind lunar orbit, swearing to whatever fates or gods existed that it would be a line the Minbari would not cross! The move was a desperate one, as Earth hadno hope of defeating the advancing Minbari forces. Over 20,000 men and woman formed the line... only 207 survived. The Battle of the Line was the bloodiest space battle of the entire war, and not a single Minbari ship was brought down.
After the Battle of the Line had concluded, the Minbari Federation surrendered to theEarth Alliance. For reasons of their own, reasons that are still not fully understood by thegeneral public, the Minbari Federation surrendered on the verge of total victory, a victory that would have included the annihilation of the human race.
With a new lease on life, the Earth Alliance set in motion a long forgotten proposal of Earth Alliance senator Calvin Natawe and the Babylon Project was born, dedicated to creating a place where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully.Under the leadership of President Santiago and support from throughout the Alliance, the Babylon Project became a reality with the completion of space station Babylon 5.Though the Alliance has been through a great deal of strife in recent years, ranging fromintergalactic conflicts, the assassination of President Santiago and a devastating Civil War to over through Santiago's killer, then president Morgan Clark, the Earth Alliancecontinues to be one of the largest and most influential powers in the quadrant. Consisting of sixteen colonies, eight major military outposts and eleven research stations*,the Alliance is one of the largest empires in this part of the known galaxy, larger in size than either the Narn, Centauri, and even the Minbari empires and boasts a military some20,000 capital ships strong.
With the defeat of the Shadows, freedom having been restored to the Alliance following President Clark's suicide and a new found sense of purpose, the Earth Alliance once again has set its sights to the stars and the ideals to which the Earth Alliance was founded upon... Freedom, justice and liberty for all.