text:
"The Drop of Water" is number 89 in the Hans Christian Andersen Center's register of Andersen's literary works, i.e. no. 89 in the category fairy tale (the range 1 - 300).
"The Drop of Water" was first published in English December 1847.
The work was published as a part of A Christmas Greeting to my English Friends. (Number 314. Category/genre: Fairy tale collection).
Show this work in its context: all new Andersen publications from 1847.
The first Danish edition: The work was published later (4 March 1848) as a part of Nye Eventyr. Andet Bind. Anden Samling. 1848 [Danish title]. (Number 315. BFN 529. Category/genre: Fairy tale collection).
The work was published later (18 December 1849) as a part of Eventyr. 1850 [Danish title]. (Number 316. BFN 551. Category/genre: Fairy tale collection).
The work was published later (30 March 1863) as a part of Eventyr og Historier. Andet Bind. 1863 [Danish title]. (Number 328. BFN 847. Category/genre: Fairy tale collection).


text:
iPhone 11 Smart Watches
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If you're not 100% satisfied with your product, simply send it back within 30 days and get your money back. Simple

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Claire's has filed for bankruptcy. The hub for ear piercings at malls across America is the latest retailer to succumb to its massive pile of debt.
Claire's, which says it has pierced more than 100 million ears around the world, reached a restructuring agreement with its creditors. In a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on Monday, Claire's said it will reduce its by debt $1.9 billion. It held $2.1 billion in debt at the end of 2017.
The company will continue to operate its approximately 1,600 Claire's and Icing brand stores in the United States during the bankruptcy process and expects to complete it by September. International stores are not part of the restructuring agreement.
"This transaction substantially reduces the debt on our balance sheet," Claire's CEO Ron Marshall said in a statement. "We will complete this process as a healthier, more profitable company." Marshall came from now-defunct bookstore chain Borders.
Claire's struggles stem from a deal it struck more than a decade ago that left it burdened with debt.
In 2007, Apollo Management, a private equity firm, bought Claire's for $3.1 billion and took the company private in what's known as a leveraged buyout.
Claire's could never escape its debt load. As traffic slowed to its brick-and-mortar stores, shoppers moved to digital channels and fast fashion chains such as H&M, Zara and Forever 21 chipped away at sales.
Claire's joins a long line of retailers that have filed for bankruptcy in recent years, including Toys "R" Us, Payless Shoes, Gymboree, Rue21, The Limited and RadioShack.
Toys "R" Us, another company left deep in debt from a leveraged buyout, said last week that it was liquidating its 735 stores in the United States.
Claire's believes a lighter balance sheet will help it avoid Toys "R" Us' fate and still remain a "Girl's Best Friend." And the company says its business is Amazon-proof because you can't pierce your ears online.
™ & © 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


text:
APDS-9960 RGB and Gesture Sensor Hookup Guide
Touchless gestures are the new frontier in the world of human-machine interfaces. By swiping your hand over a sensor, you can control a computer, microcontroller, robot, etc. One manufacturer has even created a touchless toilet that flushes when you move your hand over the tank. The Avago APDS-9960 offers ambient light and color (as clear, red, green, and blue) measuring, proximity detection, and gesture sensing.
The APDS-9960 RGB and Gesture Sensor board breaks out the pins on the Avago APDS-9960 so you can easily use it in a variety of projects. The APDS-9960 uses the I2C interface for communications.
Covered In This Tutorial
In this tutorial, we will give an overview of the APDS-9960 sensor board and provide an example hookup and code. The tutorial is split into the following sections:
- Board Overview -- To begin, we'll go over each of the pins on the breakout board and their function. This section also overviews the jumpers on the front of the board.
- Hardware Hookup -- In this section, we'll show you how to hook the APDS-9960 up to an Arduino to detect gestures via I2C.
- Arduino Library Installation -- Here, we download and install the APDS-9960 Arduino library.
- Gesture Sensing Example -- We try out the sensor with the the GestureTest example.
- Resources and Going Further -- You made a simple gesture sensor, but where do you go from there? This section gives you some additional resources for getting more use out of the APDS-9960.
Materials Used
You will need a few components and tools to follow along with this tutorial. Here is what you will need:
If you do not have specifically a 3.3V Arduino Pro, there are a number of ways to complete the walkthrough. In general, you will need:
- Arduino or other microcontroller -- You will need something that is capable of I2C and communicating back to the computer (e.g. serial communications). The microcontroller needs to have a 3.3V I/O voltage or you will have to use a level shifter. We are using the 3.3V Arduino Pro, but the 3.3V Arduino Pro Mini would work as well.
- Level shifting -- If you are using a 5V Arduino, like the Uno or RedBoard, you will need to use a level shifter, such as the bi-directional logic level converter.
- Connectors -- You will need to interface your microcontroller with the breakout board. Male headers are perfect if you're using a breadboard. Another option is to use wire to connect the breakout board directly to the microcontroller.
- Soldering tools -- After you've picked a connector, you will need to solder it to the breakout board. A simple soldering iron and some solder should be all you need.
Recommended Reading
Before getting started with the APDS-9960, there are a few concepts that you should be familiar with. Consider reading some of these tutorials before continuing:
- What is an Arduino? -- We will use an Arduino to control the APDS-9960
- I2C -- I2C is the communication protocol used by the APDS-9960
- Serial Communication -- We use serial communications (with the FTDI breakout board) to program the Arduino and provide information to our computer from the Arduino
- How to Use a Breadboard -- The breadboard ties the Arduino to the APDS-9960 breakout board
Board Overview
Pin Descriptions
The APDS-9960 breakout board provides 6 pins to provide power to the sensor and I2C bus.
Pin Label | Description |
VL | Optional power to the IR LED if PS jumper is disconnected. Must be 3.0 - 4.5V |
GND | Connect to ground. |
VCC | Used to power the APDS-9960 sensor. Must be 2.4 - 3.6V |
SDA | I2C data |
SCL | I2C clock |
INT | External interrupt pin. Active LOW on interrupt event |
Setting the Jumpers
On the front of the breakout board are 2 solder jumpers:
- PS -- This jumper connects the power supplies of the sensor and IR LED (also located on the APDS-9960) together. When the jumper is closed (i.e. connected), you only need to supply power to the VCC pin to power both the sensor and the IR LED. If the jumper is open, you need to provide power to both the VCC (2.4 - 3.6V) and VL (3.0 - 4.5V) pins separately. This jumper is closed by default.
- I2C PU -- This is a 3-way solder jumper that is used to connect and disconnect the I2C pullup resistors. By default, this jumper is closed, which means that both SDA and SCL lines have connected pullup resistors on the breakout board. Use some solder wick to open the jumper if you do not need the pullup resistors (e.g. you have pullup resistors that are located on the I2C bus somewhere else).
Hardware Hookup
Add Headers
Solder a row of break away male headers to the 6 headers holes on the board.
Connect the Breakout Board
We will be using the Arduino Pro's regulated 3.3V power and I2C bus with the APDS-9960. Note that we are leaving VL on the breakout board unconnected.
IMPORTANT: You must use 3.3V! If you try to use a 5V power supply or 5V I2C communications, you risk damaging the APDS-9960. If you are using a 5V Arduino (e.g. UNO), then you need to have some kind of level shifting.
Connect the breakout board to the following pins on the Arduino:
APDS-9960 Breakout Board | Arduino Pro 3.3V |
Arduino Library Installation
To use the APDS-9960, you will need some supporting software. If you are using an Arduino, then you are in luck! We created an Arduino library that makes the APDS-9960 easy to use. Click the button below to download the latest version of the APDS-9960 breakout board project, which includes the Arduino library.
Unzip the downloaded file and navigate to \
Follow this guide on installing Arduino libraries to install the files within the SparkFun_APDS9960 directory as an Arduino library.
Gesture Sensing Example
Load the GestureTest Example
Open up the Arduino program and select File → Examples → SparkFun_APDS9960 → GestureTest.
Plug in your FTDI Breakout (3.3V) to the Arduino Pro (3.3V). Attach a USB mini cable from your computer to the FTDI Breakout. If you have not previously done so, install the FTDI drivers.
For reference, here is the GestureTest.ino sketch.
APDS-9960 RGB and Gesture Sensor
Shawn Hymel @ SparkFun Electronics
May 30, 2014
Tests the gesture sensing abilities of the APDS-9960. Configures
APDS-9960 over I2C and waits for gesture events. Calculates the
direction of the swipe (up, down, left, right) and displays it
on a serial console.
To perform a NEAR gesture, hold your hand
far above the sensor and move it close to the sensor (within 2
inches). Hold your hand there for at least 1 second and move it
To perform a FAR gesture, hold your hand within 2 inches of the
sensor for at least 1 second and then move it above (out of
range) of the sensor.
Hardware Connections:
IMPORTANT: The APDS-9960 can only accept 3.3V!
Arduino Pin APDS-9960 Board Function
3.3V VCC Power
GND GND Ground
A4 SDA I2C Data
A5 SCL I2C Clock
2 INT Interrupt
Include Wire.h and SparkFun_APDS-9960.h
Development environment specifics:
Written in Arduino 1.0.5
Tested with SparkFun Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V
This code is beerware; if you see me (or any other SparkFun
employee) at the local, and you've found our code helpful, please
buy us a round!
Distributed as-is; no warranty is given.
#include <Wire.h>
#include <SparkFun_APDS9960.h>
// Pins
#define APDS9960_INT 2 // Needs to be an interrupt pin
// Constants
// Global Variables
SparkFun_APDS9960 apds = SparkFun_APDS9960();
int isr_flag = 0;
void setup() {
// Initialize Serial port
Serial.println(F("SparkFun APDS-9960 - GestureTest"));
// Initialize interrupt service routine
attachInterrupt(0, interruptRoutine, FALLING);
// Initialize APDS-9960 (configure I2C and initial values)
if ( apds.init() ) {
Serial.println(F("APDS-9960 initialization complete"));
} else {
Serial.println(F("Something went wrong during APDS-9960 init!"));
// Start running the APDS-9960 gesture sensor engine
if ( apds.enableGestureSensor(true) ) {
Serial.println(F("Gesture sensor is now running"));
} else {
Serial.println(F("Something went wrong during gesture sensor init!"));
void loop() {
if( isr_flag == 1 ) {
isr_flag = 0;
attachInterrupt(0, interruptRoutine, FALLING);
void interruptRoutine() {
isr_flag = 1;
void handleGesture() {
if ( apds.isGestureAvailable() ) {
switch ( apds.readGesture() ) {
case DIR_UP:
case DIR_DOWN:
case DIR_LEFT:
case DIR_RIGHT:
case DIR_NEAR:
case DIR_FAR:
Make sure you have the correct serial port selected under Tools → Serial Port and "Arduino Pro or Pro Mini (3.3V, 8MHz) w/ ATmega328" selected under Tools → Board. If you have never used the Arduino IDE before, this turoial should get you started.
Click the Upload button and wait for the program to finish uploading to the Arduino. Select Tools → Serial Monitor to open up the serial terminal. More info on the Serial Terminal can be found here. You should see a couple of messages noting that "APDS-9960 initialization complete" and "Gesture sensor is now running."
Hover your hand 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) above the sensor but off to one side (i.e. not directly above the sensor). While maintaining the same height, swipe your hand over the sensor (into and then immediately out of range of the sensor). If you move too fast, the sensor will not recognize the gesture.
Gestures will appear on the serial monitor, which indicate the direction of the swipe.
There are also 2 other gestures available: NEAR and FAR.
A NEAR gesture can be achieved by holding your hand far above the sensor (greater than 10 inches (25 cm)), bringing it close to the sensor (about 2 inches (5 cm) directly above the sensor), holding it there for at least 1 second, and then removing your hand.
A FAR gesture can be achieved by holding your hand directly above and close to the sensor (about 2 inches (5 cm)) for at least 1 second and then moving your hand up directly above and out of range of the sensor.
If a gesture was not correctly interpreted, NONE will appear in the serial monitor.
Supported Gestures
Here is a list of the currently supported gestures. Make sure each gesture begins outside of the range of the sensor, moves into the range of the sensor, and ends outside the range of the sensor.
Gesture | Description |
UP | A swipe from the bottom of the board to the top and out of range of the sensor. Make sure that your wrist/arm is not in the sensor's range at the end of the swipe! |
DOWN | A swipe from the top of the board to the bottom and out of range of the sensor. |
LEFT | A swipe from the right side of the board to the left and out of range of the sensor. |
RIGHT | A swipe from the left side of the board to the right and out of range of the sensor. |
NEAR | Object (e.g. hand) starts far above the sensor, moves close to the sensor, hovers for at least 1 second, and moves out of range of the sensor. |
FAR | Object starts near the sensor, hovers for at least 1 second, and then moves up above and out of range of the sensor. |
NONE | The sensor could not correctly guess the gesture being performed. |
Resources and Going Further
Now that you have seen the gesture recognition capabilities of the APDS-9960, you can begin to use it in your project! Keep in mind that the APDS-9960 is also capable of sensing object proximity and ambient/color light. Try out the other examples in the SFE_APDS9960 library to see what the sensor can do:
- AmbientLightInterrupt -- This example shows how you can generate an Arduino interrupt whenever the ambient light falls below a given level. You can also change it to throw an interrupt when the light rises above a certain level.
- ColorSensor -- This demo shows how to read ambient, red, green, and blue light values from the APDS-9960.
- GestureTest -- We used this example in this hookup guide. It shows how to read basic gestures with the APDS-9960.
- ProximityInterrupt -- The APDS-9960 can be used to detect when objects move within range of its sensor. This example shows how to throw an interrupt whenever an object moves within a certain range of the sensor. You can also change the limits to generate an interrupt whenever an object moves outside of a certain range.
- ProximitySensor -- You do not need to use interrupts with the proximity sensor. In this demo, we show you how to poll the sensor for proximity data at regular intervals. Try running this example and moving your hand close to the sensor.
Here are some additional resources to help you with the APDS-9960:
- APDS-9960 Datasheet
- APDS-9960 Breakout Board Schematic
- APDS-9960 RGB and Gesture Sensor GitHub Repository
Other Tutorials
What will you make with the APDS-9960? If you need some inspiration, check out these related tutorials:


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Value of the MICE Sector for the Kenyan Economy
Nairobi, Kenya, April 14, 2020 / travelindex.com / From natural disasters to health and security issues, many things affect MICE industry events and their attendees. COVID-19 has disrupted the world as we knew it… for some the disruption has been small and for others life feels completely upended. At times like this despair, fear and resignation are understandable and normal human responses. Is it possible however that, even out of such disruption and despair, there could still be opportunity? Over the past decade the MICE industry has evolved into a global innovation and education distribution channel.
Convention Bureaus have been collaborating more strategically with governments, economic development agencies, academic and scientific institutions, as well as private sector businesses to better leverage the value of MICE in their cities, and demonstrate the real power of what meetings, incentive travel, conventions, events and exhibitions collectively do for the triple bottom line … The benefits of MICE extend far beyond the walls of the meeting space. When meetings come to town everybody benefits; the industry creates jobs,generates commerce and delivers far-reaching community impacts.
Whilst we cannot predict when this pandemic will end, nor when our industry will resume … we do know that great things happen when people come together! Face-to-face interaction is the platform where deals are struck, relationships are forged and ideas are generated.
• Meetings build meaningful business relationships – According a study by Forbes, business executives prefer face-to-face meetings because they create more meaningful business relationships, provide the ability to read body language not present in virtual meetings, and help build personal connections and networks.
• Meetings build relationships faster than virtual contact – Business travelers in a 2012 study estimated that one hour of face-to-face contact equaled 5 video conferences, 10 phone calls, or 20 emails.
• MICE supports the national economy – EIC and Oxford Economics have reported that the meetings industry contributed $1.07 trillion to the global economy through direct spending in 2017 and supported 10,3 million direct jobs. In Africa the sector was valued at $23.4 billion in direct spending accounting for 80,6 million participants and 328,000 direct jobs.
The Kenya National Convention Bureau is committed to unlocking the value of the MICE sector in Kenya's rebound. We foresee drastic changes in the meetings industry and KNCB will be on the forefront to provide leadership in expanding the economic benefits and impact of MICE post COVID-19.
KNCB: Planning towards MICE
As referenced in the National Tourism Blueprint 2030, the Government of Kenya has identified MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events / exhibitions), also known as business events tourism, as one of the key drivers for the economic development and diversification of tourism in the country. The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife officially engaged The Business Tourism Company (TBTC) in March 2020 to support the Kenya National Convention Bureau (KNCB) in implementing the National MICE Strategy and to nurture an international best practice National Convention Bureau to drive the sector to its deserved success.
KNCB believes that there is opportunity for us to examine how ready we are to respond to crisis situations like this current one, and together plan towards recovery and building a robust and sustainable MICE sector for the long term.
• Building a united public and private sector stakeholder and supplier community
• Improving our market intelligence
• Adding to the sales pipeline
• Building a credible brand for launch to the global marketplace
• Engineering efficient processes to achieve faster business growth in the future
• Generating local community understanding, support and engagement in the sector
• KNCB Business Plan encompassing stakeholder inputs – July, 2020
• Private sector engagement; first quarterly industry forum – July, 2020
• Ambassador programme toolkit encompassing stakeholder inputs – August, 2020
• Deliver Comprehensive suite of Marketing Collateral and MICE Brand for Kenya – September, 2020
• Private sector engagement; second quarterly industry forum and training – November, 2020
• Private sector engagement; third quarterly industry forum – February, 2021
• MICE Industry Research Report – March, 2021


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ABUS' U-locks offer strength, durability and protection you can count on. The Granit Plus 470 U-Lock boasts a burly 12-mm thick, 11-inch long hardened steel shackle and a seriously tough double bolted lock body to keep your bike safe and sound. Its quality ABUS Plus lock cylinder is highly tamper resistant and it's a snap to carry the Granit Plus 470 on your bike with the included bracket. This lock includes two keys, one with an LED light, and an automatic keyhole cover to protect the lock against dirt and corrosion.
- Dimensions: 4.25 x 11 inches
Part Numbers
Option | UPC | MPN |
Black | 4003318112515 | 11251 |


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Milestones:Opana Radar Site, 1941
Opana Radar Site, 1941
Kuhuku, Hawaii, USA, February 2000 - IEEE Hawaii Section
On December 7, 1941, an SCR-270b radar located at this site tracked incoming Japanese aircraft for over 30 minutes until they were obscured by the island ground clutter. This was the first wartime use of radar by the United States military, and led to its successful application throughout the theater.
Street address
57-091 Kamehameha Highway (State Route 83), Kahuku, Hawaii 96731 US (GPS: 21.704304, -157.998477)
Details of the physical location of the plaque
On the north shore of Oahu is the Turtle Bay Resort Hotel, which is on the beach and adjacent to the Opana Radar Site. Turn off the highway, heading north toward the resort and park in the large parking lot. To the left of the main driveway accessing the hotel is a narrow driveway marked with a "Loading Dock" sign. Walk down that driveway, and turn left to walk under an elevated wooden pedestrian walkway to gain access to the beach. Then on your left you will see the Opana Radar Site, which includes (left to right) a concrete monument with the IEEE plaque, a storyboard explaining this site, and another concrete monument with a National Historic Landmark plaque.
How the plaque site is protected/secured
24/7 access.
Historical significance
by Frederick G. Suffield 1
Work on this first long-range search radar started at the Signal Corps laboratories at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, in about 1937. A production contract was let to the Westinghouse Electronics Division in Baltimore, Maryland in 1940. And on December 7, 1941, this was the radar that detected the incoming aircraft at Pearl Harbor. Sadly enough, hardly anyone understood the capability or made use of the radar data up to and including December 7th.
The radar, by today's standards, would be classified as crude, but considering our lack of knowledge of pulses, high frequency, pulse modulators, displays, human factors, etc., it was a surprisingly good unit. It maximum range, 150 miles, and consistent echoes were received at this range. When sited on a cliff or bluff, echoes beyond 150 miles were received.
The operating frequency was 106 megacycles, a high frequency for 1940. With a wavelength of about 9 feet, propellers on aircraft became excellent reflectors. The entire radar occupied four trucks. One of these van type trucks housed the generator and the transmitter power supply. Another was a stake body truck that carried the antenna elements when the radar was being moved. A third was a prime mover that pulled the antenna mount. The fourth was the operating van, it housed the transmitter, modulator, receiver and indicator.
To describe the contents of each truck, one should start with the power unit. This housed a 76 horsepower gas engine driving a 31KW three-phase 60-cycle generator. The engine exhaust went straight up, through a rather ineffective muffler, out the roof of the truck. The transmitter power supply was a monster. It was about 4' high, 5' wide and 6' deep, and only supplied 15KV at .5 amp from a full wave rectifier, a choke and a .5 mfd capacitor. Clever design points in the power supply involved design of the type 531 rectifier tube, about 3" diameter and 7" long. The bottom, at the plate connection, was a cast finned structure that seated into a 3" diameter ring mounted directly on top of the high voltage insulators on the transformer, thus, no plate leads, caps, insulation and support problems.
The antenna tower unfolded from its transportation position to be a triangular tapering tower rising 55' above a circular 8' diameter base. The base plate was remotely rotatable, from the operating truck, thus, steering the antenna. The actual elements were a series of 36 half wave dipoles, arranged in three bays, each bay had 3 strings of horizontally polarized 4 pairs of dipoles, all 36 backed with reflectors. All tuning on early models was by shorting bars on parallel lines and line stretching "trombone" sections. In 1940 there was serious doubt that a 106-megacycle antenna could be designed, built, assembled and tuned in a factory. Westinghouse had a field station on Sandy Hook, New Jersey, offering a distant view over the water entrance to New York Harbor to three large gas storage tanks in Brooklyn. The antenna tower was physically aimed towards the center tank, the radar put on the air, and one man watched the scope in the operating truck, and one climbed the antenna tower with a 4' length of 1 x 2 wood stick. The man on the tower banged away at trombone sections and shorting bars and the man 150' away yelled at him to indicate improvement in the target. When the center tank was a good target and the side one small, the antenna was tuned! The antenna was then rotated to look towards the Glen L. Martin plant in Baltimore, where they almost always had aircraft in the air in test. This provided a crosscheck on performance and opportunity for final tune up. After about 25 sets, we had enough data to pre-position most adjustments, and ultimately went to a screen reflector and pre-cut elements.
The tower was rotated by controls from the operating position, and RF was carried on a 3" spaced copper tube parallel line to the base of the tower in a resonant line condition, terminating in a single turn loop at the base coupled to another single turn loop feeding up the tower. For those accustomed to reading azimuth from the rim of a PP1 scope or from digital read out, we had a different system. We had 3" high numbers painted on plates attached to the 8' diameter rotating tower base and read the azimuth through a window from the operating truck, using at times binoculars, or just plain estimating if mud obscured the numbers.
The heart of the system was of course the Operating Van. The transmitter used two water cooled triodes, type 530, resonant plate line, with the grids held off at about -4500 volts, pulsed up to "0" bias to oscillate. The 15KV-plate voltage required a dual wound ceramic coil to isolate the plates from the grounded water supply, distilled water to minimize leakage current and the addition of ethyl alcohol in the winter as anti freeze.
The receiver was a superheterodyne, with a special tube, the A-5588-A, an RCA experimental electron multiplier, in the front end. While Westinghouse built the modulator, power supply, transmitter and other items, RCA supplied the receiver and I believe Colonial and RCA the indicators.
Each operating van had a spare receiver and spare scope; otherwise, everything was so conservatively designed that service was almost unheard of, except for occasional tube replacement in the modulator.
1. Fred Suffield (1920-2001) was a Life Fellow of the IEEE. His Fellows citation reads: "For contributions to airborne radar development and eminent service to the IEEE". Fred worked for Westinghouse, where he contributed to the airborne television relay system, the Navy AN/APS-6 radar and the SCR-270 radar used at Pearl Harbor. He held 14 patents and published over 30 papers on radar, command and control, lasers, and air defense. He worked on the first radar installed in a Presidential aircraft. (He authored this paper in 1995.)
A Day that will live in infamy!
At 7:02am, on 7 December 1941, two soldiers who were operating an SCR-270 RADAR set at Opana Station on Oahu, Hawaii detected a large flight of planes approaching Oahu from the north at a distance of 136 miles. One of the operators, Joseph Lockard, telephoned the information center at Fort Shafter and reported the incoming planes. Joe McDonald manned the switchboard that morning, and he was sure that this call was serious. The warning was ignored and minutes later Hickam Field was hit by the first bombs of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Sam Stitzer, "Signal Progress: Early Developments in U.S. Radar TR Switching" IEEE Microwave Magazine, June 2017
- Opana Radar Site (part of the National Park Service's Pearl Harbor National Memorial)


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How Information Systems Significantly Helps Reduce Your Organization's Carbon [...]
Ransomware has been on a digital rampage through the first quarter of 2016. A number of different strains of this malware have infected computers in offices and homes throughout the world. Even the FBI is getting involved by publicizing repeated warnings about the growing ransomware threat.
Ransomware Strains
Four new ransomware strains have emerged in the first quarter of 2016. The first, MM Locker ransomware, debuted in early March. By the middle of March, CryptFlle2 had reared its ugly head. The ROI Locker / Manamecrypt ransomware appeared in the first couple of weeks of April. Fast forward to the middle of the month and BrLock ransomware emerged. Unfortunately, these strains appear to be merely the tip of the iceberg. These are merely the newest variants of the overarching ransomware that is wreaking havoc on computers around the world. As the number of new strains continues to increase, the odds of private individuals as well as businesses being affected will only go up. There are even copycat actors attempting to replicate these strains with their own unique twists. From new code platforms to new attack vectors, the number of ways for ransomware to infiltrate computers just seems to keep expanding.
New Versions of Ransomware are not Necessarily Stronger
Thankfully, these new ransomware strains are not drastically stronger than the previous incarnations. Many are highly flawed in design and implementation. Those who have specialized in the research and analysis of malware have already uncovered critical weaknesses in most of these new strains. Some malware experts have created decryption keys that permit users to pry their files loose from the hijackers. Yet the existence of a burgeoning black market for ransomware makes it unlikely that this nasty malware will disappear any time soon. This version of malware is so popular and lucrative that it is generating attraction from the notorious "malware mafias" who compete with one another for malware market share. Dare to take a look at the world wide web's "underground" message boards and you will find that there are numerous ads posted for ransomware.
Spread the Word About Ransomware
Ransomware decryption tools will only combat certain strains of this unique malware. Eventually, hackers will devise a new version of the malware that finds its way around anti-virus defenses and into your computer. Be proactive and let your co-workers know about the existence of ransomware. If they understand that this malware can hijack their computers and demand a ransom payment for a return of control, they will be less inclined to perform risky digital behaviors. The bottom line is that ransomware causes extensive downtime, intellectual property theft and a dramatic drop in workplace productivity. You can lean on our IT professionals to perform thorough security awareness training to help your staff pinpoint the signs of ransomware attacks.
What to do if Your Computer is Infected With Ransomware
If your computer has been infected with ransomware, do not panic! Reach out to your IT support team for assistance. Our IT experts know all the latest methods for malware prevention and elimination. Our team can identify the exact ransomware strain that has infiltrated your computer. We will implement the proper decryption tools in an attempt to recover your files. Our team will also reinforce the security of your network to ward off future attacks.
Our IT Professionals can Help you Prevent and Mitigate Ransomware Damage
Sysoft is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at (416) 410-7268 or send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.


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Android includes APIs to manage devices that are dedicated to a specific purpose. This developer's guide introduces these APIs. If you're an enterprise mobility management (EMM) developer or solution integrator, read this guide to get started.
Where are dedicated devices used?
Dedicated devices (formerly called corporate-owned single-use, or COSU) are fully managed devices that serve a specific purpose. Android provides APIs that can help you create devices that cater to employee- and customer-specific needs:
- Employee-facing: Inventory management, field service management, transport and logistics
- Customer-facing: Kiosks, digital signage, hospitality check-in
Dedicated device features
Android includes APIs to help people using dedicated devices focus on their tasks. You typically call these APIs from a custom home app that you develop. Your custom home app can use some, or all, of the following APIs:
- Run the system in an immersive, kiosk-like fashion where devices are locked to an allowlisted set of apps using lock task mode.
- Share a device between multiple users (such as shift workers or public-kiosk users) by managing ephemeral and secondary users.
- Avoid devices downloading the same app again for each temporary user by caching app packages.
- Suspend over-the-air (OTA) system updates over critical periods by freezing the operating system version.
To call these APIs, apps need to be the admin of a fully managed device—explained in the following section.
Managed devices
Because dedicated devices might be left unattended or used in critical tasks, you need to secure the device. To prevent misuse, dedicated devices are fully managed and owned by an admin component (the admin component typically manages the users too). Fully managed deployments are for company-owned devices that are used exclusively for work purposes. To learn more about Android device management, read the Android Enterprise Overview guide.
Depending on your solution's needs and your business goals, you can manage the device in one of the following ways:
- Develop your own device policy controller (DPC), combining it with a custom home app.
- Use the Android Management API to manage the device and any custom apps.
- Use a third-party EMM solution that supports lock task mode and other dedicated device features.
If you're planning to support a third-party EMM, develop an end-to-end testing plan using the EMM's solution.
We also provide the following resources, which you can use to create your own development or test environment:
- Test DPC app on Google Play
- Dedicated device source code (Test DPC) on GitHub
While you're still developing, you can set your app as the admin of a fully managed device using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB).
Provision dedicated devices
When you've finished developing your solution, you're ready to provision Android devices, or set up the devices for management. To provision a device, complete the following steps:
- Factory reset the device.
Enroll the device. We recommend using a QR code that contains a provisioning config for device. An IT admin can then scan the code to provision the device.
If you cannot use a QR code, you can enroll devices through other methods, such as NFC bumping or by entering an identifier.
Additional resources
To learn more about getting started with dedicated devices, read the following documents:
- Android Enterprise overview that introduces device management.
- Build a device policy controller explains how to develop a DPC.
- Dedicated devices cookbook gives examples for features typical of dedicated devices.


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Opira Morise Kato – Can lobo
This new recording of Opira Morise Kato is called 'Poverty of the world'. He sings about what happened and is still happening to the Acholi people of northern Uganda.
Ogwang Clipper – Wilobo okwanyo mega
In this song Ogwang Clipper complains that all his children were taken from him.
Stephen Komakech
Musicians, radio presenters, choir directors and other music admirers in northern Uganda explain -within one minute- what music means to them.
Okony Tumangu Tim – Two oneko latina
This song is about the children who have died due to Nodding syndrome. During seizures they fell into fire or water and were killed.
Cityboy – Anyaka maleng (with English subtitles)
This song is about a beautiful lady who is at risk of being raped by anyone when she is drunk.
Lukeme Kalule – A man in courtship
Lukeme Kalule: "This song is about a man who is in courtship after he has stolen cassava from his in-laws. According to them, it shows that he cannot be a good husband."
Lukeme Kalule is an Acholi musician from northern Uganda. He has a beautiful deep voice and plays his 'lukeme' (thumb piano) in a
Xylophone Trio – An dano pa Lubanga & Tayatya
This trio consists of three young students from Kitgum Public Primary School; Odong Oscar Kham (sitting alone), Kilenga Geoffry and Okemokoma Emmanuel.
Olweny Maurice Abitingson – Pe nek dano (with English subtitles)
In this song he plays the recorder and sings about how his cows and money have been stolen.


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This Privacy Policy describes our policies on the collection, use, and disclosure of information about you in connection with your use of our websites, emails, and mobile applications ("Site"). The terms "we" and "us" refer to Payless Moving Inc. a NJ corporation, when you use the Site, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of information about you as described in this Privacy Policy.
We may store the information you submit to or through the Site, as well as information we collect in connection with your use of the Site. We use the information to fulfill your requests, provide the Site's functionality, improve the Site's quality, personalize your experience, track usage of the Site, provide feedback to our moving services, display relevant advertising, provide customer support, message you, back up our systems and allow for disaster recovery, enhance the security of the Site, and comply with legal obligations.
The Payless Moving Inc. Web Site may contain links to other Web Sites ("Linked Sites"). The Linked Sites are not under the control of us and Payless Moving Inc. is not responsible for the contents of any Linked Site. Payless Moving Inc. Web Site is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Payless Moving Inc.of the site or any association with its operators.
"Cookies" are small pieces of information that are placed on a web user's hard drive. We may use cookies to provide you with better service. Cookies are pieces of information that a Web site transfers to your computer's hard disk for record-keeping purposes. Cookies can make the Web more useful by storing information about your preferences for a particular site. The use of cookies is an industry standard, and many major Web sites use them to provide useful features for their customers. Cookies in and of themselves do not personally identify users, although they do identify a user's computer. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can set your browser to refuse cookies. However, you may not be able to take full advantage of the functionality of the Thorndike Laundromat site if you do so.
As a condition of your use of the Payless Moving Inc. Web Site, you warrant to Payless Moving Inc. that you will not use the Payless Moving Inc. Web Site for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by our Privacy Policy. You may not use the Payless Moving Inc. Web Site in any manner which could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Payless Moving Inc. reputation, operation or interfere with any other party's use of our services. You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available or provided for through our Web Sites. Notice: Payless Moving Inc. authorizes you to use our client login systems for your convenience only. Any other use of the systems and information, capture the whole page or any portion of the page from the Payless Moving Inc. Web Site for public usage is strictly prohibited.
We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or via mobile device, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
We may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. The most current version of the Privacy Policy will govern our use of information about you and will be located here. If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by email or by posting a notice on the Site prior to the effective date of the changes. By continuing to access or use Anton's Movers Inc. Web Site after those changes becomes effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.


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Load up your tackle box with this one of a kind rattling shad style bait. Aggressive action, rock hard finishes and the deepest diving in its class enable this lure to hunt down the big ones! The Ripshad 44 Mag can be trolled to depths of up to 30', cast and retrieve to 12 feet. Original Reef Runner design curve with an added tail kick make for an impressive, true running, variable speed and multi species lure.
All lure bodies, components and Eagle Claw hooks are made in America. Designed, tested and hand glued in the USA.
Body Length: 3 5/8" Bill Length: 1 5/8″ Total Length: 5 1/4″
Weight: 5/8 oz. Max. Diving Depth: 30′ Hook: #4 Kahle
32 Proven Fish Catching Colors!


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The search for the elusive Wi-Fi hotspot is a thing of the past for Sprint mobile broadband customers. Instead of hunting for a coffee shop or other fixed hotspot, Sprint's new Mobile Broadband Router products connect multiple Wi-Fi-enabled devices at 3G or 4G mobile broadband speeds where Sprint 3G and 4G networks are available.
On the heels of launching the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 intelligent mobile hotspot – which allows customers to simultaneously bridge several Wi-Fi devices to America's most dependable 3G network1 – Sprint now adds two 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Routers to its mobile broadband arsenal: Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router for business, each featuring both 3G and 4G connectivity. These devices are available for use with any Sprint 3G or 4G data plan ranging from $39.99 to $79.99 per month.
Used in combination with Sprint mobile broadband devices, like the 3G/4G USB Modem U300, these Mobile Broadband Routers can simultaneously connect Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones, laptops, MP3 players, cameras, gaming devices and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Sprint 3G and 4G networks. Used with a broadband device, The routers provide access to the turbo-charged Sprint 4G network as it continues to roll out and access to America's most dependable 3G network virtually everywhere else. Users can enjoy secure, high-speed connections from virtually any location, whether on a family outing at the beach or doing business at a remote job site.
Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S supports up to four simultaneous Wi-Fi connections and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router for business supports up to 32 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections. Both routers will support all of Sprint 3G and Sprint 4G mobile broadband USB devices.
"These mobile broadband routers provide an unprecedented bridge to high-speed network performance for multiple Wi-Fi devices or multiple users," said Todd Rowley, vice president, Sprint 4G. "The addition of these mobile hotspot products offers even faster connectivity speeds to Wi-Fi users without the need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. These two new products can potentially connect the Sprint 3G and 4G networks to the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the U.S. today."
The ability of these Mobile Broadband Routers to be used with both 3G and 4G networks will offer added advantages for a growing number of Wi-Fi users across the country. The Sprint Now Network already features 3G speeds that are faster in more places than the AT&T network.2 As the turbo-charged Sprint 4G network continues to roll out in markets across the country, customers will be able to further optimize the performance of their Wi-Fi devices, using them to connect them with the industry's fastest available network speeds.
Sprint Personal Hot Spot PHS300S is priced at $159.99 and available in select Sprint retail stores within Sprint 4G markets, telesales, business sales and at www.sprint.com. Cradlepoint MBR1000 broadband router is priced at $249.99 and is available via business sales, telesales and online at www.sprint.com (all prices exclude taxes).
The first and only national carrier to offer 4G wireless services, Sprint currently offers 4G in Baltimore and will launch 4G in Portland, Atlanta and Las Vegas in August. Sprint 4G provides average downlink speeds of 3-6 Mbps and peak downlink speeds of over 10 Mbps, three to five times faster than today's 3G service from any carrier (based on average download speeds).
The following markets are included on the list to experience Sprint 4G in 2009: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. Also available for customers nationwide is the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300, which provides the best of both worlds - the fast 3G speeds and lightning-fast 4G speeds wherever 4G is available.


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FDA warns about feeding your pet a raw-food diet
In a new study, compared to other types of pet
food tested, raw pet food was more likely to be contaminated with
disease-causing bacteria, the FDA said.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning pet owners about feeding their animals raw diets, warning that those who do may have a higher risk of getting infected with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
In a new study, compared to other types of pet food tested, raw pet food was more likely to be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria, the agency said.
The new warning was issued after a two-year study, in which the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) screened more than 1,000 samples of pet food for bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses.
In the study, CVM sampled 196 commercially available raw dog and cat food. The center bought a variety of raw pet food online from different manufacturers and had the products shipped directly to six laboratories for analysis, according to the FDA. The raw pet-food products were usually frozen in tubelike packages and made from ground meat or sausage.
Of the samples analyzed, 15 were positive for salmonella and 32 were positive for listeria.
The study "identified a potential health risk for the pets eating the raw food, and for the owners handling the product," said Dr. Renate Reimschuessel, a researcher at CVM's Office of Research and one of the study's principal investigators.
The FDA said the best way to prevent infection is to not feed your pet a raw diet; however, the agency is aware that some people prefer this type of food and offers some tips to prevent salmonella and listeria:
• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds) after handling raw pet food, and after touching surfaces or objects that have come in contact with the raw food. Potential contaminated surfaces include countertops and the inside of refrigerators and microwaves. Potential contaminated objects include kitchen utensils, feeding bowls and cutting boards.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces and objects that come in contact with raw pet food. You can also run items through the dishwasher after each use to clean and disinfect them.
• Freeze raw meat and poultry products until you are ready to use them, and thaw them in your refrigerator or microwave, not on your countertop or in your sink.
• Carefully handle raw and frozen meat and poultry products. Don't rinse raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood. Bacteria in the raw juices can splash and spread to other food and surfaces.
• Keep raw food separate from other food.
• Immediately cover and refrigerate what your pet doesn't eat or throw the leftovers out safely.
• If you're using raw ingredients to make your own cooked pet food, be sure to cook all food to a proper internal temperature as measured by a food thermometer. Thorough cooking kills harmful foodborne bacteria.
• Don't kiss your pet around its mouth, and don't let your pet lick your face. This is especially important after your pet has just finished eating raw food.
• Thoroughly wash your hands after touching or being licked by your pet. If your pet gives you a "kiss," be sure to also wash your face.
For more information about raw pet food from the FDA, please read here.


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Oswald de Lacy is growing up fast in his new position as Lord of Somershill Manor. The Black Death changed many things, and just as it took away his father and elder brothers, leaving Oswald to be recalled from the monastery where he expected to spend his life, so it has taken many of his villagers and servants. However, there is still the same amount of work to be done in the farms and fields, and the few people left to do it think they should be paid more - something the King himself has forbidden.Just as anger begins to spread, the story of the Butcher Bird takes flight. People claim to have witnessed a huge creature in the skies. A new-born baby is found impaled on a thorn bush. And then more children disappear.Convinced the bird is just a superstitious rumour, Oswald must discover what is really happening. He can expect no help from his snobbish mother and his scheming sister Clemence, who is determined to protect her own child, but happy to neglect her step-daughters.From the plague-ruined villages of Kent to the thief-infested streets of London and the luxurious bedchamber of a bewitching lady, Oswald's journey is full of danger, dark intrigue and shocking revelations.
Welcome to the BLOG TOUR for The Butcher Bird by S D Sykes. I have a hardback copy of The Butcher Bird to give away to one blog reader. Entry is simple, fill out your details in the widget at the end of this post. Open to UK entries only. Good luck!
The Butcher Bird was published in hardback by Hodder on 22 October 2015 and is the second novel to feature Oswald de Lacy, following Plague Land (published in September 2014). Whilst The Butcher Bird is the second outing in the Summershill Manor mysteries, it really does stand alone very well. I've not yet read Plague Land but the author expertly provides enough back story to enable the reader to enjoy The Butcher Bird on its own.
So, me and historical fiction. It's not a pairing that is often seen on Random Things, and if I'm perfectly honest, I did have my reservations about accepting a spot on this Blog Tour. I rarely read historical fiction that pre-dates the 1800s, and I don't really like Kings and Queens!
However, I met the author a couple of times in the summer, we had some lovely chats and I liked her very much. We chatted about Karen Maitland's books, and she told me that reading Company of Liars had inspired her to write Plague Land. That sold it to me, I really loved Karen Maitland's books, and surprised myself by how much I'd enjoyed them. I did get a copy of Plague Land (although I hold up my hands and admit that I've not yet read it).
I decided to accept the spot on this Blog Tour, the recommendations were strong and from trusted
readers. I'm so bloody glad that I did. I fell in love with Oswald de Lacy and his world as soon as I began to read. This is an absolutely fascinating and compelling story that I have enjoyed so much.
The reader is catapulted back through hundreds of years; the setting is the Summershill Estate in the Autumn of 1351. The Plague has decimated the estate, in fact the whole country will never be the same again. Half of the population have died, the farms and estates are failing and superstition and suspicion abound.
Oswald de Lacy is the third son of the Summershill Estate, he was never meant to be the Lord, but the Plague did not only take the poor. So, after spending his formative years being educated in a monastery, he finds himself, aged just nineteen, in charge of the Manor and the Estate.
Not only does Oswald have to deal with the crumbling Estate, the lack of labour, the demand for higher wages and the idiocy of many of his servants; he also has to deal with his Mother and Sister. There can't be two other characters who are worse than these two. Spoilt, vindictive, ridiculous and quite frankly, just thorns in Oswald's side, Mother and Clemence really are literary gold. SD Sykes has an incredible imagination, backed up by impeccable research.She has created characters and a setting that jump from the pages, she combines humour and mood. The setting is wonderfully described, with turns of phrase that had me laughing and cringing within the same paragraph.
There is a mystery running through The Butcher Bird. and Oswald is determined to solve it. A young baby is found impaled on a thorn bush and the residents of the Estate are convinced that she was murdered by The Butcher Bird which was released when John Burrows opened up the casket of his dead wife. Oswald, being the educated man that he is, pours scorn on this and is determined to find out the truth.
The Butcher Bird is well plotted and is screaming with atmosphere. I was totally enveloped by Oswald's world and the pace never fails. For me, the stand out parts of this book are the descriptions: the journey through the streets of London, the food, the people; all so incredibly realistic and it all feels so authentic. Oswald is a great character, he constantly battles against the deep-set beliefs of those about him, he tries to be fair and to treat everyone with consideration, even those who prove him wrong. There are some wonderfully descriptive phrases, some of the characters have stunning one-liners and each of them, even the lowliest servant has huge character.
I have been captivated and fascinated by The Butcher Bird, it's a novel that has surprised me, but has delighted me. I really look forward to the next chapter in Oswald's life.
I am delighted to welcome the author of The Butcher Bird; SD Sykes, here to Random Things today. I asked a few questions, here are her answers:
Do you read reviews of your novels?
Firstly I should say that I'm always enormously grateful that another person makes the effort to read and review my books. After all, they've willingly given up their precious time to spend maybe two or three days with my story and my characters. I always read my press reviews and my blogger reviews, because I respect the experience, knowledge and standards of these reviewers. I'm not going to be awarded a one star review because Amazon delivered it too late, or because I've given the main character a name that they don't like. These reviews are rigorous, fair and honest. A writer cannot ask for more.
Do you take them seriously?
Yes, very much so. If enough reviewers say the same thing, then, as a writer, you would be a fool not to take this feedback seriously. But I should also say this – a novel shouldn't be the result of a focus group. This would be letting your readers down. For example, when Plague Land first came out I went to a book club and was berated by a reader who didn't like the bawdiness of my writing. In particular, she didn't like mention of piss-pots and the general grime of the 14th century. I came home a little wounded and went to bed thinking that I might tone down the earthiness of my writing. But, after a good night's sleep I came to the conclusion that this wouldn't work for me. I wanted to paint an authentic picture of the medieval world – piss-pots and all. I had to stay true to that aim, and accept that some people will not like it.
How long does it take to write a novel?
Plague Land and The Butcher Bird both took roughly a year, from start to finish. Six months to research and write a first draft. Another six months to work with my editor on rewrites and the final polish.
Do you have any writing rituals?
I like to be at my desk at 9am, with a very strong coffee and the door firmly shut on the outside world. My lovely dog Max always lies on my feet and I sit in a position facing a blank wall (so that I can't look out of the window – I'm easily distracted!) I then write for about three to four hours. Those hours, between 9am and 1pm are the most creative and productive for me. I tend to use the afternoon to concentrate on research, correspondence and social media.
What was your favourite childhood book?
When I was about nine or ten, I found an old copy of Jane Eyre in a bookcase. The book itself intrigued me because it had a battered leather cover and the print was extremely small. I'd never heard of this book, but once I started reading it, the gothic, bleak atmosphere immediately intrigued me. Nothing, however, prepared me for the moment when Jane discovers Rochester's poor, demented wife, being kept prisoner in the attic. I don't think that any book will ever be able to quite deliver that moment of shock to me again. I didn't see it coming. It was both terrifying and thrilling.
Name one book that made you laugh?
I'd just had a caesarian section with my daughter, and a friend of mine came into hospital with a copy of Bill Bryson's 'Neither here nor there.' The descriptions of his travels around Europe made me laugh so much that I had to stop reading the book on medical grounds. Laughter was causing me to strain my stomach muscles, and stretch my stitches!
Name one book that made you cry?
My mother has been a massive influence on me, as both a reader and a writer. She passed her love of books onto my sister and I as children, reading quite long and complicated books to us at night. Wuthering Heights was a favourite. When she read 'The Hobbit', all three of us were all in tears at the death of the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield. Even thinking about Mum reading those paragraphs makes me want to cry.
Which fictional character would you like to meet?
One of my most-loved books is 'East of Eden' by John Steinbeck. I would love to meet Cathy/Kate – the woman whose evil runs through the novel like a strain of toxic bacteria. She has burnt her parents to death, tried to kill her husband, abandoned her twin sons and now poisoned the local brothel-owner, so that she can take over the establishment. Kate appears to have no redeeming features whatsoever. No guilt or even empathy. A psychopath perhaps? Yet she is on her own, quiet crusade. To take as much delight as possible in the hypocrisy of the men who sit in church one day and then visit her brothel the next. This knowledge gives her power, and she loves power. I would probably not be able to meet Kate in person, as she is both secretive and anti-social. But I could follow her about the town of Salinas, as she furtively scuttles into the outside world on her once-weekly trip to the shops.
Which book would you give to your best friend as a present?
I would give my best friend 'Summertime' by Vanessa Lafaye. It's one of favourite books of the year, capturing the sultry, foreboding mood of a 1930s Florida summer, just as the worst hurricane of the century is about to land. The characters are wonderful. The plot is gripping, and the book brings to light a shameful episode in North American history.
Are you inspired by any particular author or book?
I love the novels of Karen Maitland. She captures the atmosphere of the middle ages perfectly. The superstition, the poverty, the politics and the pre-industrial environment. Her books ooze magic and mystery. I've always been fascinated by the medieval history, but it was Karen's book 'Company of Liars' that inspired me to write about the Black Death.
What is your guilty pleasure read?
I'm not really guilty about anything! If you like it, then why be ashamed? However, if I have to choose, I'd say the big-format celebrity magazines, like Hello and OK magazine. I don't buy these publications, but do head straight for them when I make my twice-yearly trip to the hairdressers. There's something restful (I hate going to the hair dressers) even mesmeric about the perfect, air-brushed, teeth-capped, surgically enhanced lives that fold out before me on those glossy pages.
Which book have you re-read?
I've developed something of an obsession with The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. I've probably re-read this novel about five times. The writing is sublime. The setting is captivating, but unsettling – a crumbling mansion, a crumbling family and the crumbling status-quo of English society in the post war years. It's a creepy, sinister story, with strange happenings and the ghosts of the past – and a twist that delivers a terrifying ending to the book.
Which book have you given up on?
Thirty years after the event, I now feel able to confess to never having finished the novel that I was set for 'O' level English Literature (yes, I'm old enough to have sat GCEs.) It was 'Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens. I've always struggled a bit with Dickens, and I remember that I just couldn't stand the characters in this book, particularly the simpering female ones. In the days before synopses on the internet, I must have copied my friend's homework when it came to writing essays. Terrible, I know. But, I'm thinking of giving this book another try. A fellow writer recently recommended it to me, and I trust her judgment. Perhaps I was just a feckless sixteen year old, and should have tried harder?
Sarah Sykes aka SD Sykes lives in Kent with her family and various animals.
She has done everything from professional dog-walking to co-founding her own successful business.
She is a graduate from Manchester University and has an MA in Writing from Sheffield Hallam. She attended the novel writing course at literary agents Curtis Brown where she was inspired to finish her first novel.
She has also written for radio and has developed screenplays with Arts Council funding.
For more information, visit her website www.sdsykes.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @SD_Sykes
A Hardback copy of The Butcher Bird by S D Sykes Follow


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The Torus - Dynamic Flow Process
Whereas the Vector Equilibrium represents the ultimate stillness of energy, the Torus shows us how energy moves in its most balanced dynamic flow process. The important thing to understand about the torus is that it represents a process, not just a particular form.
Ring Torus | Horn Torus |
A torus consists of a central axis with a vortex at both ends and a surrounding coherent field. Energy flows in one vortex, through the central axis, out the other vortex, and then wraps around itself to return to the first incoming vortex. The simplest description of its overall form is that of a donut, though it takes many different shapes, depending upon the medium in which it exists. For example, a smoke ring in air or a bubble ring in water are both very donut shaped. And yet an apple or an orange, which are both torus forms, are more overtly spherical. Plants and trees all display the same energy flow process, yet exhibit a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Hurricanes, tornadoes, magnetic fields around planets and stars, and whole galaxies themselves are all toroidal energy systems. Extending this observation of the consistent presence of this flow form into the quantum realm, we can postulate that atomic structures and systems are also made of the same dynamic form.
Here's a video showing a simple example of a torus flow using a spring metal hoop:
And here's a video by NASA showing toroidal field dynamics around spinning pulsar stars inside our galaxy.
In our model of cosmometry, the torus is the fundamental form of balanced energy flow found in sustainable systems at all scales. It is the primary component that enables a seamless fractal embedding of energy flow from micro-atomic to macro-galactic wherein each individual entity has its unique identity while also being connected with all else. In the words of pioneering researcher Arthur Young:
"The self in a toroidal Universe can be both separate and connected with everything else."
For example, our Sun has a large toroidal field surrounding it — the heliosphere — that is itself embedded inside a vastly larger toroidal field encompassing the Milky Way galaxy. Our Earth's magnetic field is surrounding us and is inside the Sun's field, buffering us from the direct impact of solar electromagnetic radiation. Earth's atmosphere and ocean dynamics are toroidal and are influenced by the surrounding magnetic field. Ecosystems, plants, animals, etc all exhibit torus flow dynamics and reside within and are directly influenced by (and directly influence) the Earth's atmospheric and oceanic systems. And on it goes inward into the ecosystems and organs of our bodies, the cells they're made of, and the molecules, atoms and sub-atomic particles they're made of…
In this way we can see that there is a seamlessly dynamic exchange of energy and information (a.k.a consciousness) occurring throughout the entire cosmic experience. It is like a "stepping down" and "stepping up" from level to level wherein the balance of energy dynamics comes into coherence appropriate to each scale. And yet there is only one whole energy flow occurring throughout the entirety of it. This is what physicist David Bohm calls the Holomovement.
"[Bohm states] "The new form of insight can perhaps best be called Undivided Wholeness in Flowing Movement. This view implies that flow is, in some sense, prior to that of the 'things' that can be seen to form and dissolve in this flow"
According to Bohm, a vivid image of this sense of analysis of the whole is afforded by vortex structures in a flowing stream. Such vortices can be relatively stable patterns within a continuous flow, but such an analysis does not imply that the flow patterns have any sharp division, or that they are literally separate and independently existent entities; rather, they are most fundamentally undivided.
Thus, according to Bohm's view, the whole is in continuous flux, and hence is referred to as the holomovement (movement of the whole)."
From The Holographic Universe, by Michael Talbot
Visionary artist Alex Grey captures the essence of this in his painting from the Sacred Mirrors series, Universal Mind Lattice:
This insight is profound in its implications, especially when we consider that even the most fundamental energy event — a photon of light — can be seen as a toroidal fluctuation emanating from the underlying Unified Field. This suggests that, even within the non-manifest state of the Unified Field there is potentially a current flow occurring, though within a dynamic equilibrium that maintains the balanced structure of the Field until such time as enough localized spin occurs and a photon (and all else in the known universe) emerges into an observable state. (The dynamics of dark energy and dark matter may well be explained by this concept, as will be explored elsewhere.)
"The first significant challenge to mechanism came from Einstein, who claimed there were deep contradictions in the very notion of an independently existing particle. He proposed that what we normally think of as a particle is actually a temporary localized pulse emerging from a larger field, very much as a vortex temporarily forms from the dynamic flowing of a stream."
From The Essential David Bohm, edited by Lee Nichol
Centered By Stillness
Continuing our exploration of the torus as a form and flow process, one of the key characteristics of it is that at its very center, the entire system comes to a point of ultimate balance and stillness — in other words, perfect centeredness. Like the center point of the vector equilibrium, this is the center point "singularity" of the torus. And since we're really talking about a unified model of cosmometry (even though we're describing the model's constituent parts "separately"), this center point is one and the same in both the VE and the torus. In the VE, it's the center of the system in its state of unmanifest perfect equilibrium. In the torus it's the center of the system in its state of manifest flow process.
As in the case of a black whole singularity at the center of galaxies, this center point within all systems connects the system continuously with the underlying Unified Field (energy and information return to the zero-point source state of infinite density via a singularity). In this way, everything is unified and holographically present as the Unified Field informs every manifest entity of the entirety of the cosmos in every moment, and every entity informs the entire cosmos of its localized presence via the Unified Field. This kind of reciprocal exchange is a primary feature of toroidal systems, wherein the individual is informed and influenced by its surrounding environment, and the surrounding environment is informed and influenced by the individual, in a continuous balanced rhythmic interchange.
"...a reciprocal relationship enables a qualitative relation between structure and background, in which each has the potential not only to "impact" the other, but to generate transformations in the nature of what each actually is... More broadly considered, the notion of reciprocal relation allows for nested, mutual influence even between macroscopic processes and those at the atomic level, indicating the complexity of the pathways through which the qualitative infinity of nature may manifest."
From The Essential David Bohm, edited by Lee Nichol
Double Torus Dynamic
Another fundamental aspect of this ubiquitous flow process is what's called the Double Torus dynamic. This is, simply put, two torus forms "stacked" together and rotating in opposite directions. In this way, energy flows either inward or outward at both poles of a system, rather than in one pole and out the other as in a single torus system. This double torus dynamic appears to be quite common in the cosmos as well, appearing in the energy flows of trees, in the weather patterns of Earth and other planets, in solar dynamics, and even in galaxies.
Here's a video from the film THRIVE with researcher Nassim Haramein describing the double torus dynamic at various scales:
Features and Principles of Healthy Living Systems
The torus as a flow process exhibits a set of characteristis that evolution biologist, Elisabet Sahtouris, has identified as features and principles of healthy living systems. Through her study of living systems (ecosystems, for example), she has observed that when these features are present, the system is balanced and whole. When these features become compromised or absent, the system goes out of balance and becomes dysfunctional and corrupted to the point that it will either collapse completely, transform into a new balanced state, or restore its balance again by restoring the appropriate presence and functioning of these features.
The features of healthy living systems that Sahtouris identified are:
1. Self-creation (autopoiesis)
2. Complexity (diversity of parts)
3. Embeddedness in larger holons and dependence on them (holarchy)
4. Self-reflexivity (autognosis/self-knowledge)
5. Self-regulation/maintenance (autonomics)
6. Response-ability to internal and external stress or other change
7. Input/output exchange of matter/energy/information with other holons
8. Transformation of matter/energy/information
9. Empowerment/employment of all component parts
10. Communications among all parts
11. Coordination of parts and functions
12. Balance of Interests negotiated among parts, whole, and embedding holarchy
13. Reciprocity of parts in mutual contribution and assistance
14. Efficiency balanced by Resilience
15. Conservation of what works well
16. Creative change of what does not work well
As Sahtouris herself states on her website, these features apply "from cells to organisms, ecosystems to Earth, bodies to businesses."
It is in understanding the unique roles and coordinated wholeness of these features and principles that we can evaluate and restore the dynamic balanced flow within all of our human-contrived systems such as economics, education, health, governance, communications, etc. Each of these, when functioning in a healthy manner, will exhibit characteristics of a torus flow process, and will naturally then interconnect and mutually empower each other in a larger toroidal system that is the synergetic wholeness of all of them combined.
Resonance, Energy and Consciousness
"All things, material and spiritual, originate from one source and are related as if they were one family. The past, present, and future are all contained in the life force. The universe emerged and developed from one source, and we evolved through the optimal process of unification and harmonization."
~ Morihei Ueshiba, The Art of Peace
Unification and harmonization… this is the threshold of evolution we find ourselves at now at a new level of global dynamics and complexity. We have built systems of technologies, economies, governance, education, etc, that do not properly account for the features of healthy living systems. As such, they are reaching the end of their viability and are either going to collapse or become balanced and whole at a higher level or organization and coherence. The choice we have now — perhaps the only viable option — is to align these systems with what we now understand is the way the cosmos creates healthy and sustainable systems… cosmomimicry, as David McConville, president of the Buckminster Fuller Institute, coined it.
Fundamentally, what we are operating from is the principle and tangible effects of resonance. The Unified Field has an infinite potential of energy and creativity. It expresses this as physical and metaphysical phenomena — energy and consciousness — in a continuous and ever evolving flow. The most balanced, coherent, self-generating and self-sustaining form of dynamic flow is the torus. By creating technologies (for example, what are called free-energy devices) and systems that mimic this flow we engender a synchronizing resonance with the cosmic patterning of life and tap into a resource of energy and creativity that is abundant beyond measure. We can do this personally by learning how to become centered in and embody the torus flow dynamic of our own energy beings (which stabilizes and integrates our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual "bodies", see The Human Experience article). We can do this collectively by understanding that this same dynamic extends into the balanced flow of information and resources throughout local, regional and continental societies. And we can do this technologically by resonating with the fundamental structure of the Unified Field and setting up a harmonic flow form that taps its infinite energy potential in a clean, safe and balanced manner.
This is a glimpse into the powerful effect at all levels of our human, earthly and cosmic experience that applying the dynamic flow process of the torus and the features and principles of healthy living systems can bring into our world.


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Biography: Vernon Nye (1915 - 2013) Born: Batavia, NY; Studied: Mechanics Institute (New York); Member: American Watercolor Society, Society of Western Artists. Vernon Nye was raised in New York State and studied art with Eliot O'Hara, Roy Mason, Ted Kautzky and Harry Anderson. After a successful career working as a book...... read more
A California art print on Arches watercolor paper. 100% archival, and printed in HD.


text: Gerrymandering is a 2010 documentary feature film written and directed by Jeff Reichert. The film explores the history and the ethical, moral and racial problems raised by redistricting, i.e., the drawing of boundaries of electoral districts in the United States.Gerrymandering covers the history of the redistricting practice, how it is used and abused, how it benefits the two major major political parties, Democrats and Republicans. The documentary draws on the perspectives from different individuals, reporters, pundits and politicians.


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The awesome power of forests
Learn about all of the ways forests can make a difference.
Arbor Day Carbon
Now is the time to build a path to your climate goals through carbon and trees, and we're here to help you make it happen.
Reforestation Projects
Replanting our Forests
Rainforest Rescue
Help save our rainforests.


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The Vulcan stove fan is a stirling engine powered fan that quietly and efficiently circulates warm air from your wood stove, coal stove or other heat source, through your home or workshop dramatically increasing the effectiveness of your heating appliance and improving your comfort level. No longer will you have to stoke your stove to blazing hot temperatures only to end up with a VERY hot area in the direct proximity of your stove and mildly warm air across the room. The Vulcan stove fan helps to uniformly circulate the air, leaving you a cozy, comfortable atmosphere to enjoy while reducing the amount of fuel your appliance consumes. In addition, the Vulcan costs you absolutely nothing to operate!
How does it work?
The Vulcan stove fan does not require any electricity whatsoever! No batteries. No mains electricity. The Vulcan is self powered just from the heat of the stove. It utilizes a small, quiet Stirling cycle power plant built into the fan. Making it a very eco friendly fan.
The Stirling cycle power plant obtains its power from rapidly heating and cooling the same volume of air. When the air is heated, it expands, pushing a piston upward; when the same volume of air is rapidly cooled, it contracts, pulling the same piston downward, providing power. The same volume of air is heated and cooled very rapidly converting the heat energy to mechanical energy used to turn the fan blade.
The Vulcan's fan speed increases relative to the temperature increase of its heat source. So, the hotter your stove, the faster the Vulcan will run and the higher the volume of air circulated. The Vulcan stove fan uses the latest and best technology, including borosilicate glass cylinder, graphite piston and ultra low friction demagnetised bearings to ensure it is completely maintenance free. You never have to oil it !
The name of the stove fan
The fan is named after the Vulcan god from ancient Roman religion. Vulcan was the god of fire.
Further information
For further information about the fan visit the Vulcan stove fan website.
Benefits and Specification
- No electricity needed
- Works entirely from the heat from the stove
- Eco friendly
- 100% mechanical
- Quiet, safe, economical operation
- Zero Maintenance (technical advances means no oiling)
- No fragile electronics
- Circulates up to 2.2 times more air than other stove fans
- Operates on almost all stoves. From 150 C (300F) to 450 C (840 F)
- Precision engineered and hand built in England
- Proven 200 year old technology.
- Costs nothing to operate
- Quiet operation
- 3 year comprehensive manufacturer warranty
- Overall height: 30.8cm (12.125 inches)
- Overall width: 25.4cm (10 inches)
- Base dimensions: 15.4cm X 7.7cm (6 x 3 inches)
- Weight: 1.15Kg / 2.53lbs
- Fan diameter: 25.4cm (10 inches)
- Material: stainless steel, aluminium, brass
- Colour: Black, stainless, aluminium, brass
- Works on about 97% of stoves.