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Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America
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- Synopsis
What would it take?
That was the question that Geoffrey Canada found himself asking. What would it take to change the lives of poor children - not one by one, through heroic interventions and occasional miracles, but in big numbers, and in a way that could be replicated nationwide? The question led him to create the Harlem Children's Zone, a ninety-seven-block laboratory in central Harlem where he is testing new and sometimes controversial ideas about poverty in America. His conclusion: if you want poor kids to be able to compete with their middle-class peers, you need to change everything in their lives - their schools, their neighborhoods, even the child-rearing practices of their parents.
Whatever It Takes is a tour de force of reporting, an inspired portrait not only of Geoffrey Canada but also of the parents and children in Harlem who are struggling to better their lives, often against great odds. Carefully researched and affecting, this is the most daring and potential social experiment of our time.
- Copyright:
- 2008
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Book Size:
- 297 Pages
- 9780618569892
- Publisher:
- Date of Addition:
- 11/25/08
- Copyrighted By:
- Paul Tough
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Nonfiction, Business and Finance, Education, Social Studies, Sociology
- Submitted By:
- Amber W
- Proofread By:
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.
Other Books
- by Paul Tough
- in Nonfiction
- in Business and Finance
- in Education
- in Social Studies
- in Sociology


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March and April brought the return of the Tag & Bink series, written by Kevin Rubio of Troops fan film fame. The Fetts make appearances.
Star Wars: The Return of Tag & Bink – Special Edition #1
And what an occasion it is. Fans jonesing for more side-splitting Star Wars shenanigans will thrill to the new misadventures of this hapless pair, members of the Rebel Alliance,who have somehow stumbled past the worst Imperial perils with their limbs intact. In The Return of Tag & Bink-Special Edition, the duo set out to rescue a certain smuggler trapped in carbonite-with the help of Lando Calrissian! One thing leads to another, and they manage to subdue the deadliest bounty hunter in the galaxy on their way to infiltrating the Hutt palace. Star Wars fans know what comes next, and there will be guest appearances of favorite characters on the way to the Sarlacc pit, the Death Star, and Endor! This issue will conquer the world!
You can take a peek at Boba Fett's role in this, thanks to the famous DarkHorse.com previews.
Star Wars: Tag & Bink – Revenge of the Clone Menace
The origin story of our hapless heroes begins on their respective planets, Alderaan and Corellia. These future soldiers of the Rebel Alliance are sized up for Padawan potential, and we are treated to a rare inside look at the rigorous mental and physical training undergone by aspiring Knights in the Jedi Temple! Mace Windu, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the elder Fett each have a role in the miseducation of Tag and Bink, but despite all this schoolin', the two decide that spying on Padme and "the Chosen One" is a pretty good idea . . .
Check out the 4-page preview at DarkHorse.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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The WINNER Announced!
I sincerely appreciate your participation in my recent Physician's Formula Boost Your Beauty Giveaway, and as always, your participation in each giveaway hosted on my blog. I love reading through the entries, and receiving feedback of what I can do to change or add, to make my blog better for all of you! Thank you so, so much!
There were 86 entries in total, and the winner was picked at random using random.org.
And, the winner is…
Congrats! I'll be contacting you shortly.
The Physician's Formula Boost Your Beauty Contest is still running on the Physicians Formula website until Dec. 16th. Make sure to enter for your chance to win a pair of diamond earrings worth $4,000 and lots of Physicians Formula Cosmetics! Entering is easy. Click here to enter.


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Original Cubitec Shelves, 3 Kits
Though this item is long gone, we've curated a few other products that you might also be interested in. Check them out!
People Who Looked At This Product Also Shopped For:
Your FurnitureGenius Recommendations
Original Cubitec Shelving- 3 Kits
designed by Doron Lachisch
Cubitec is a scalable storage and organization solution that takes the form of square shelving. Cubes, if you will. And why wouldn't you? With these ingenious units you can create shelves as long, tall, or tiny as you want. No matter what kind of space you need to transform with attractive, multipurpose shelving and storage, you can adapt Cubitec units to get the job done.
What's to Like:
The completely customizable nature of the product is the most appealing thing about it. They can scale up or down, fit any space. And that's a rare quality in a piece of furniture. Also rare? A piece of furniture that can be turned into an elaborate playhouse for your cats.
What's Not to Like:
The plastic look of the shelves can be great for some rooms, not so great for others. If you're going for gravitas in your shelving solutions, these aren't exactly it.
Bottom Line:
These are great solutions for your storage and organization problems. They can scale and fit in any room, any place. Just make sure the mesh with your decor.
Each durable plastic shelf can be built vertically or horizontally, easily adapting to the needs of your space. Lightweight injection-molded polypropylene composition provides exceptional strength and a modular shelving option. Equally suited for both residential and commercial use.
100% recyclable. Each Cubitec shelf space supports up to 55 lbs.
Dimensions: 90" h x 54" w x 10" d (as shown)
Interior dimensions (each cube): 15.5" h x 15.5" w x 10" d
*Please note that original Cubitec shelving is not compatible with Cubits shelving units.


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Mort Walker, Ray Billingsley, Jerry Craft, and many more appear at UConn on Saturday September 10th from 10:00am – 4:00pm.
Press Release:
Don't miss the "Artists' Alley" on Saturday, September 10th from 10:00am – 4:00pm at the UConn Stamford Art Gallery. The "Artist's Alley" gives cartoon, comic strip and comic book fans the chance to meet and greet these exhibitors in person, some of whom will sell original art, books, and sketches, and will be available to sign autographs.
Come meet in person…Scott Barnett, Ray Billingsley, Orlando Busino, Jerry Craft, Carl Herring , Jr., Tyler James, Kevin Liell, Frank McLaughlin, Barbara Slate, Everett Soares, Mort Walker, Adam Wallenta, and billboard artist Russell Rainbolt.
Admission is FREE to the Exhibit and the Artists' Alley. Visitors to the Artists' Alley on September 10th will receive a free Marvel Comics Calendar while supplies last. UConn Stamford is located at the corner of Washington Blvd. and Broad Street in downtown Stamford. FREE Visitor Parking is available at the UConn garage, 2nd level, on Washington Blvd. For more information contact Gary Faulkner at UConn Stamford 203.251.8400
University of Connecticut – Stamford
One University Place, Stamford, CT 06901


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The State Column
October 23, 2011
Texas Republican congressman Ron Paul has won the latest Republican presidential straw poll.
The Texas Republican, who continues to trail former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in national polls, captured the support of 53 percent of Ohio Republicans. Former businessman Herman Cain won the support of 26 percent of Republicans voting in the poll. Mr. Romney captured 8 percent in the poll, while the rest of the Republican field captured less than 5 percent.
The event requires participants to pay $25 to participate giving Ohio Republicans a chance to have their voices heard in the early stage of the presidential primary nominating process.
Mr. Paul's victory in Ohio comes as his campaign announced they would launch a series of ads aimed at criticizing his Republican opponents. The campaign will also run radio versions of these spots, and complement the broadcast push with substantial voter outreach on the same topics.
The Save Infowars Super Sale is now live! Get up to 60% off our most popular products today!


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Women in Business, Penultimate Year, Deals, Manchester, 2019
- Recruiter
- Location
- Greater Manchester
- Salary
- Competitive
- Posted
- 28 Feb 2019
- Closing date
- 28 Mar 2019
- Industry
- Finance & accounting, Financial services
- Job function
- Finance
- Job level
- Entry level
- Hours
- Full time
- Contract
- Permanent
- Listing type
- Job vacancy
On this programme, you'll get the chance to enjoy this unique opportunity to spend time with females within our business who'll demonstrate the variety of opportunities available.
Open to all, this vacancy is aimed primarily at inspiring and supporting women seeking an experience in professional services, as part of our commitment to improve our female representation by showcasing some of our female leaders. The programme focuses on developing confidence and skills and provides an insight into the opportunities available at PwC.
What you'll do
During this 3 day paid placement, you'll work closely with a variety of females at all grades to learn what it's like being a woman at PwC and experience first hand the nature of the work that we do.
You'll choose which office you'd like to come to and which area of the business you're interested in. You'll spend time with females at all levels of the business, from graduates to senior leaders, attending meetings and working with our clients and teams to get real exposure to our business. Impress us during your time with us and following a final interview, you could well earn a place on one of our Summer Internship, Work Placement or graduate roles for the following year. Our national opportunities will be running over the Easter and Summer holidays (restrictions for some areas).
In Deals you'll help put together major mergers and acquisitions and resolve business crises. You could work on anything from international take-over bids to economic crime investigations and cases of insolvency.
Shadowing days
The date of your placement will be dictated by the availability of the leader and your recruiter will share with you the available dates when you are offered a place.
The start date you've chosen to apply to will determine when your placement will take place:
What you need to get in
The PwC Deal
We want people to build exceptional careers during their time at PwC. When you feel motivated and energised by your work, you're more able to contribute to the organisation, as well as achieve your aspirations. No matter which area of the business you choose to join, all routes offer the same deal. The opportunity to grow as an individual, to meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will stay with you for life. We empower people to be the very best they can be and to reach their full potential. In return, your hard work will be rewarded with a competitive salary and a personally tailored benefits package.
Diversity and inclusion
We work in a changing world which offers great opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. It's critical we have diverse talent, views and thinking if we are to deliver exceptional client value and solve the world's important problems. We seek to attract and recruit people from the widest talent pool, who reflect the society in which we work. And we aim to encourage an inclusive culture where people can feel empowered to be the very best they can be and to reach their full potential creating value through diversity is what makes us strong as a business and as an organisation with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate. So join PwC. We'll help you reach your full potential. Learn more here pwc.co.uk/diversityAbout PwC
We're one of the world's leading professional services organisations. From 158 countries, we help our clients, some of the most successful organisations on the globe, as well as its most dynamic entrepreneurs and thriving private businesses, to create the value they want. We help to measure, protect and enhance the things that matter most to them.
Find out more about our application process here.


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Welcome to the Stumptown Disc Golf Web Site. Home of the Beaver State Fling, Rose City Open, the Oregon Disc Golf Championships, and the Winter Slosh Series.
Stumptown Disc Golf is dedicated to promoting disc golf in the Portland, Oregon Metro area. Thanks to our membership we are building new courses, educating the public about our sport, teaching clinics for youth and adults on the skills of the game and sponsored numerous tournaments. Membership fees are used to promote our sport and stay in the Portland metro area.
Join today and you can have a say in the future of disc golf in Portland and beyond! Links for memberships after the break...
Join or renew your Stumptown Membership here
PDGA members can save $5.00 on their memberships if you are a Stumptown Disc Golf Member.
http://j.mp/PDGAClub Be sure to select Stumptown Disc Golf in the club dropdown.


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Moving Mountains (1850–2012) considers an analog history of photography within the digital torrent that is its current technological manifestation. Penelope Umbrico steadies her focus on the mountain: oldest subject, stable object, immovable landmark, site of orientation, place of spiritual contemplation. The mountain, the photographer, the book—these are the masters. Umbrico employs smartphone camera apps to make new photographs of the images of mountains that appear in the Aperture Masters of Photography books. The artist states: "Pointing my iPhone down at these mountains, the hallucinogenic effects of the camera apps's filters blend with the disorienting effects of the iPhone's gravity sensor. My mountains are unstable, mobile, changing with each iteration, re-mastered. Here is the biggest distance, the longest range. I present a dialogue between distance and proximity, limited and unlimited, the singular and the multiple, the fixed and the moving, the master and the copy. I propose an inverse correlation between the number of photographs that exist of mountains at any one time, and the stability of photography at that time." A print installation and limited-edition book component of Moving Mountains (1850–2012) was initially created on the occasion of Aperture's sixtieth anniversary as part of Aperture Remix—an artist commission and exhibition. For this project, a select group of contemporary photographers were invited to choose an Aperture publication and to pay it artistic homage. Penelope Umbrico chose to work with the Aperture Masters of Photography series; this ebook iteration is another iteration of the work she created as part of that project.
Penelope Umbrico (born in Philadelphia, 1957) graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, and received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts, New York. She has participated extensively in solo and group exhibitions, including at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and PS1 Contemporary Art Center, New York. Umbrico is core faculty in the School of Visual Arts MFA Photography, Video, and Related Media Program. She lives in New York City.


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What We Learned at the 2012 National Homebrewers Conference
Tips and techniques to help you brew better beer at home.
Homebrewers from around the country gathered in Seattle recently for the 34th Annual National Homebrewers Conference, which featured a range of expert panelists, the latest homebrewing equipment, and more beer than a couple thousand participants could drink over five days. Throughout the conference, we were struck by some trends that are emerging in the world of homebrewing and in beer in general.
Creativity is Booming
I though I had heard of every possible ingredient to use in homebrewing—until I saw a beer that was dry-hopped with chanterelle mushrooms. Nothing could top that. But then we got to the booth featuring beer made with Mountain Dew and a homemade coffee mead that they splashed cream in (think White Russian cocktail). What was really impressive? These bizarre brews were actually quite drinkable.
Not all the creativity was off the wall. American homebrewers are busy crafting delicious stouts infused with cocoa nibs and hops, and I was able to sample a whiskey cherry porter that tasted as good as it sounds. Of course, there were a few creative attempts that fell short, but usually that was because the underlying beer was lacking more than the extra ingredients. If your brewing methods are sound, creative ingredients go a long way.
Homebrewers Can Be Better Than Pro Brewers
I was expecting the homebrew at the National Homebrewers Conference to be good, but it exceeded my expectations. On Thursday night of the conference, local professional brewers brought their kegs for us to sample, while Friday night featured beers from homebrewing clubs across the country. There was no question in my mind who brought the better beer. Four of my favorite 5 beers of the week were homebrews.
The homebrewed beer excelled in creativity, complexity, and innovation. Homebrewers are bringing back forgotten styles like Berliner Weiss, Mild, ESB, and Gose, and they're doing it well. And the best homebrewed stouts, pales, and IPAs (particularly the Black IPAs) were high quality, complex, and delicious. When someone asks you if you can brew beer at home that is as good as commercial, you can say with confidence that you can do it better.
Feedback Makes You Better
While a lot of homebrews I tried were fantastic, some of them were mediocre and a handful were downright undrinkable. I found it interesting that my least favorite beers at the conference mostly came from individuals who were not associated with a homebrewing club. I would even say that the larger homebrew clubs generally had better beer than the smaller clubs (though not across the board). The lesson is that when more people try your homebrew and give you feedback, you will brew better beer. This was eye opening to me because I've been slacking off a bit in attending our local homebrew get-togethers. If I want to make sure my brewing techniques are up to par, outside critique is essential.
Sours Are In
Homebrewers across the country are producing sour beers at an unprecedented rate. At Friday's Homebrew Club Night I tasted a half dozen Flanders beers made by homebrewers, 3 of which were very impressive. Every other table seemed to have a Berliner Weiss or a Gose, and there were Brett Saisons and sour blonde ales peppered throughout the room.
If you're a homebrewer interested in brewing sours, just start now. There is a lot of great information out there in books like Wild Brews and specialty sour forums like the Babble Belt. Most sour ales take a year or so to mature to perfection, so the sooner you start, the sooner you'll be done. If you want a sour that is ready within a few months, the best option is to try brewing a Berliner Weisse.
Anyone is welcome to attend the national homebrewers conference, but you have to be quick to buy tickets—they tend to sell out in a couple days. The 2013 conference will be in Philadelphia from June 27 to 29. Keep an eye on the American Homebrewers Association and AHA Conference webpages for future details.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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DIY Wall Art: Bubbles
If you liked my DIY on triangle art, then you're going to love this one.
I saw something similar in a blog post about cool offices, and I thought 'Hey, I could make that!' This project is super fast, will cost you almost nothing and looks amazing. The holy trinity of DIY art projects if you ask me.
Here are the supplies you'll need:
- a stretched canvas
- big paint brush
- scissors
- white acrylic paint
- Mod Podge
- tissue paper in primary colors
Stretched canvases can be purchased in any arts & craft store. If you buy a cheap one, and why the hell not, they're not as expensive as you think. You can often find the store brand canvases are bundles in packages of 3 for a cheaper price. Since you're buying a cheap canvas, you'll want to paint the whole thing with a nice coat of white paint first. Even if the canvas looks nice and white, it will look even better with a coat of paint on it!
Ah, that's better. Set that aside to dry and now here comes the only hard part in the whole project. Cut out 3 circles from your tissue paper. Get creative and play around with different sizes. Here comes the 'cheap' thing again, buy the cheapest, crappiest tissue paper you can find. You don't want that thick, expensive stuff because it won't be translucent enough. I got mine from the dollar store where they had a huge selection of colors for $1 each. Try to get bright colors that will pop against the white background, the 'red' in this trio is really a bright magenta.
Before you make anything permament, play around with the positioning on your canvas. The secondary colors that the paper make when you lay them on top of each other will look different depending on who's on top. Also, I think it looks cool when some of the bubbles goes off the edge.
When you figure out your arrangement, spread a thin coat of Mod Podge where you want the first circle to lay. Carefully and slowly lay the circle down while smoothing the air bubbles and wrinkles with your brush. It's easier to start from one edge and work your way across.
Once the circle is smoothed out and most of the wrinkles are gone, put another coat of Mod Podge on top. BE CAREFUL with this step because the paper is wet and will easily tear at this point. And if the paper tears, your face will look like this.
Repeat the same steps for the other 2 circles.
If you're amazing and more patient than me, you'll take your time to smooth it out perfectly. I kid myself into thinking it looks better with wrinkles.
But seriously, it's not the end of the world if there are still some wrinkles.
After all the circles are in place, add another coat of Mod Podge to make it look uniform.
I really like how this project turned out and I hope you like it too. Some other ideas: cut little squares or circles for a confetti look or change up the shapes for some variety.


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File menu "Open" and "Save As" dialog box text invisible
Discussion of bugs in Seamonkey
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
Hi guys,
Really need help with something that has just cropped up regarding SeaMonkey browser.
I've found that no text labels are visible in the folder or directory panes of the File menu dialog boxes such as those concerning Save File As, Open File or Print.
Also, right-click dialog boxes display only grid of blank boxes rather than options.
I have installed/uninstalled several times version 2.48 but it doesn't help.
Any ideas?
Does the same thing occur if you launch the application in Mozilla Safe Mode? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode
Yes, exactly the same thing happens in Safe Mode.
This sounds like a graphics driver problem. Did it work before?
Which OS? Windows 7?
Yes, it was working normally since I first started using SeaMonkey on the computer, for 2-3 years so far. I'm also running Firefox but it doesn't have these issues.
I'm using Windows 7.
Just cropped up when?
Ever since installing SeaMonkey 2.48?
Or you've had 2.48 installed, working as expected, & over the last couple of days the issue presented itself?
Using any kind of Windows "theme manager"?
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:220.127.116.11) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
Yeah, I first noticed it after installing 2.48 about 2 days ago. Odd dialog box behaviour.
I haven't set up or been adjusting settings in anything to do with themes.
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
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Beginning May 13th, 2014, we will be upgrading Flash Player's extended support release from version 11.7 to version 13. This change impacts enterprise and IT customers that currently deploy Flash Player using the extended support releases available through our distribution channel.
Adobe makes available the extended support release to organizations that prefer Flash Player stability over new functionality. We will create a branch of the Flash Player code that we keep up to date with all of the latest security updates, but none of the new features or bug fixes available in our normal release branch. This allows organizations to certify and stay secure with Flash Player with minimal effort.
To ensure a smooth transition, we encourage IT organizations to thoroughly test our version 13 releases (currently available on labs.adobe.com) over the next couple of months before deploying.


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Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong spoke to CBC News on Saturday and said much of the extra money comes from the land transfer tax, which is generating extra revenue as Toronto's real-estate market continues to surge.
Minnan-Wong cautioned that although he opposed the land transfer tax in the past, it might be too soon for the city to consider removing it.
"We have a quite a substantial debt," he said. "The last administration spent $700 million for streetcars and didn't have a way to pay for it. Until we have some way to pay for those large expenditures, it's hard to make an argument to eliminate the land transfer tax."
The land transfer tax charges purchasers on a sliding scale base on the value of the property. A house priced at $500,000 would result in $5,700 in land transfer taxes.
First-time purchasers are eligible for a rebate of $3,725.
The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license. The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.
HomeLife New World Realty Inc., Brokerage, Independently Owned & Operated


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St Johns Farmers Market
Saturday, October 3, 2020
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
You will find fresh local produce, fruit, eggs, flowers, and meat in addition to locally roasted coffee and handmade crafts.
8-12 Saturday mornings
Location:St Johns Farmers Market
100 Maple St
Saint Johns, MI 48879
Contact:Cost: Free to attend
Event Website: Click to Visit
Organizer: St Johns Farmers Market
Organization: St Johns Farmers Market
Organizer Phone: (989) 227-1717
Organizer Email: Not Provided
Download the event to your event calendar:Save to your iCal or
Back to the CalendarClick here
We do our best at Lansing Family Fun to provide accurate, useful information about events and activities. This information (such as times and locations) is gathered from user submissions, press releases, local newspapers, signs around town and word of mouth. We do our best to confirm details before they are posted here. Sometimes details change or we are given inaccurate information. Whenever possible, we link our write-ups to the source in which our information came from and strongly urge you to confirm details before you go. Lansing Family Fun is in no way responsible for any problems that occur while participating in activities listed on the site, in the newsletter or on Facebook.


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Among recent enforcement actions were: a criminal indictment filed against SAC Capital for insider trading; charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission against the City of Miami and its former budget director over fraud in municipal bond offerings; and the agreement by the trustee of a defunct New York garment company's pension plan to restore missing funds to the plan in settlement of a Department of Labor suit.
Cohen's SAC Capital Faces Criminal Charges; Cohen May Also
While Steve Cohen faced SEC administrative charges last week for failing to prevent insider trading at the hedge fund firm he founded, SAC Capital Advisors, the firm itself was indicted on criminal charges filed Thursday. Unrivaled by any case since the charges against former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta, the SAC controversy promises plenty of revelations, since according to the government it involves some 20 companies and spans 14 years, going back to 1999.
Although the SEC declined to file civil fraud charges against Cohen, federal prosecutors are reportedly continuing to explore their options against him. They had no such reservations about pursuing his company.
The result of a six-year-long crackdown on insider trading, the indictment of SAC Capital from a grand jury included four counts of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud.
The federal indictment could sound the death knell for the $15 billion hedge fund whether the government makes its case or not, since investor withdrawals from the fund have mounted along with the reputational damage to the firm, already facing criminal cases against two employees. In addition, in a parallel civil action, the government said that SAC must forfeit "all property, real and personal, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the commission of those offenses."
Cohen was charged by the SEC with failing to supervise employees and with failing to recognize "red flags" allegedly indicating insider trading by two of those employees, portfolio managers Michael Steinberg and Mathew Martoma. Both Steinberg and Martoma face criminal insider trading charges, and both have pleaded not guilty.
The SEC said: "On at least two separate occasions in 2008, [Steinberg and Martoma] provided information to Cohen indicating their potential access to inside information to support their trading. However, Cohen stood by on both occasions instead of ascertaining whether insider trading was taking place." In fact, the agency added, "instead of scrutinizing their conduct, Cohen praised Steinberg for his role in the suspicious trading and rewarded Martoma with a $9 million bonus for his work."
According to a Reuters report, a company spokesman said in a report that Cohen plans to vigorously defend the SEC's failure to supervise charge.
SEC Charges City of Miami, Former Budget Director on Muni Bond Fraud
The SEC has announced charges against the City of Miami and its former budget director, Michael Boudreaux, for making materially false and misleading statements and omissions about some interfund transfers in three 2009 bond offerings totaling $153.5 million. They were also alleged to have provided false and misleading information in the city's fiscal 2007 and 2008 comprehensive annual financial reports (CAFRs) received by investors, particularly those who have invested in previously issued city debt.
According to the SEC, Boudreaux initiated a transfer of approximately $37.5 million in city money between the funds, so that city bond offerings would get favorable credit ratings from rating agencies. The transfer was necessary so that Miamic ould meet, or come close to meeting, its own requirements for reserve levels in the general fund. The city was experiencing increasing deficits in its general fund, which is regarded as a major indicator of financial health. Boudreaux's transfers of money from Miami's capital improvement fund to the general fund masked the situation, and the city kept quiet about them, the SEC charges.
Miami allegedly never told its bondholders that that money included legally restricted dollars that, under city code, may not be commingled with any other funds or revenues of the city. It also apparently never revealed that the transferred funds were allocated to specific capital projects that still needed those funds as of the end of the fiscal year, or that in some instances had already spent that money.
Problems arose when Miami was forced to reverse most of the transfers after its Office of Independent Auditor General (OIAG) issued a report. The reversal meant the city could no longer meet statutorily mandated general fund levels, which led the city to declare a state of fiscal urgency. As might be expected, bond rating agencies then downgraded their ratings on the city's debt.
The SEC charges the city with violating a cease-and-desist order that it issued in 2003 for similar misconduct. The agency seeks injunctive relief and financial penalties against Miami and Boudreaux, as well as an order commanding the city to comply with an SEC cease-and-desist order issued in 2003 for similar misconduct.
This is not the first time the SEC has alleged further wrongdoing by a municipality subject to an existing SEC cease-and-desist order, and it's not the first municipality the SEC has gone after.
Other entities include:
- New Jersey, which broke new ground for the SEC when it was charged in 2010 with fraudulent municipal bond offerings;
- Illinois, charged over pension funding fraud, about which it misled municipal bond investors (the state settled without admitting wrongdoing);
- Victorville, Calif., which was charged with defrauding municipal bond investors;
- Harrisburg, Penn., charged with securities fraud for hiding its true financial situation from municipal bond investors;
- And, not to be left out, the city of South Miami, charged with defrauding bond investors concerning the tax-exempt financing eligibility of a mixed-use retail and parking structure.
Pension Funds to be Restored in Settlement of DOL Suit Against Trustee
The trustee of two defined benefit pension plans for Manhattan-based Sadimara Knitwear Inc. and Stallion Knits Ltd. has agreed to settle a Department of Labor lawsuit by restoring missing assets to the plans. She will also be barred permanently as a fiduciary.
Sadimara Knitwear Inc. and Stallion Knits Ltd. were garment companies headquartered in Manhattan. The companies, which are no longer in operation, sponsored the plans to provide pension benefits to their employees. Colette Mordo was the trustee and fiduciary to both plans.
After an investigation by the Employee Benefits Security Administration's (EBSA) New York regional office, the DOL alleged that she had authorized the pension plans to make improper loans and transfers of plan assets over several years to multiple recipients, including members of the Mordo family and International Design Concepts LLC and Apparel Group International LLC, two companies in which Mordo had an ownership interest.
In settlement of the suit, Mordo admitted to entering into $4.23 million in alleged unlawful plan transactions between 2002 and 2010.
According to the judgment, Mordo is removed from any and all fiduciary positions with respect to the plans, and is permanently barred from serving as a fiduciary to any ERISA-covered plan. The judgment also appoints David Lipkin of Metro Benefits Inc. as the independent fiduciary who will administer the plans, determine and pay out benefits to participants, and terminate the plans.
The Labor Department is also authorized to seek a contempt order if Mordo violates any terms of the judgment.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Regional Forums' started by Cuttle, Aug 25, 2012.
glennR id be up for some scouting?trail clearing days, could bring a few people im pretty sure
put me down for a bunk in one of the rustic cabins. anyone looking to split a cabin ?
I know folks want to get a hand on the cabins, but somebodies 50th birthday (some folks know him as BDXMPL ), combined with a weekend at the Barber Vintage Festival.... well, I am a day late and a dollar short
Please give me a day to recoup (and catch up with work)
Take your time Silke.... It's only Oct....
I hope Hunter had a great Birthday !!!
Okay, its the 16th, who do I talk to about a warm place to sleep?
Today is the 15'th not 16th
It's Eli. We look past such things; he's taken too many hits to the head.
I kinda cheated and changed the date this morning
Date changing Martian
If I's don't get no cabin, I's gonna start a riot.
you can stay in our house!!!!
feed the cats 'n dogs twice a day, goats once, chickens twice.... thank you
OK, free the dogs and cats, eat the chickens, and do what to the goats. ..twice?
just milk 'em
they are boys
You can milk anything with teats...
I have teats. Do you want to milk me, Ricky Bobby??
I might, if you'd quit avoiding me...
Hence the reason I avoid you.:huh


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text:
2006 Medal Winner
The Hello, Goodbye Window illustrated by Chris Raschka and written by Norton Juster (Michael di Capua Books, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children)
In this sunny portrait of familial love, a little girl tells us about her everyday experiences visiting her grandparents' house. Raschka's style resembles the spontaneous drawings of children, perfectly mirroring the guileless young narrator's exuberant voice. White space balances the density of the layered colors, creating a visual experience that is surprisingly sophisticated. With a few energetic lines, Raschka suggests a world filled with affection and humor," said Award Committee Chair Gratia Banta. "The richly textured tones of these expressive illustrations convey the emotional warmth of the intergenerational connection."
2006 Honor Books
Rosa illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Nikki Giovanni (Henry Holt and Company)
From the arresting cover through the endpapers, Rosa, with Giovanni's spare, elegant prose and Collier's iconic illustrations, celebrates the quiet courage of Rosa Parks. Collier's radiant watercolors of faces and hands highlighted against the edges of his richly colored collages create another distinguished work of art from this award-winning illustrator.
Zen Shorts illustrated and written by Jon J. Muth (Scholastic Press)
Zen Shorts, Muth's story of inquisitive siblings befriending a wise panda, is told through luminous watercolors interwoven with three lessons, set apart by starkly contrasting Asian-inspired brush paintings. The interplay of artistic styles elegantly conveys the gentle, timeless messages of self-knowledge and acceptance.
Hot Air : The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride illustrated and written by Marjorie Priceman. (An Anne Schwartz Book from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster)
Energetic lines and rich watercolors animate Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride, an aerial adventure over 18th-century France. Priceman, who previously received a 1996 Caldecott Honor for "Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin," combines spare text, dynamic design and masterful perspective to illuminate the humor and high jinks of three animals swept up in the winds of history.
Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems illustrated by Beckie Prange, written by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Company)
Eleven joyful songs of everyday pond life throughout the seasons are celebrated through Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems, an elegant and satisfying combination of visual drama, poetry and scientific facts. The organic lines of Prange's exceptionally executed, hand-colored woodblock illustrations enlarge upon Sidman's expressive nature-themed poems
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Now Playing
Up Next
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India's Covid-19 Crisis: Record Infections Amid an Economic Downturn
India is reporting more daily coronavirus infections and deaths than any other country, while its economy has contracted at a record pace. WSJ explains what's at stake for the nation of nearly 1.4 billion. Photo: Naveen Sharma/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire
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Why America's Jobs Recovery Is Different From Other Countries'
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Voters will have a chance to help shape the American economy when they go to the polls in November. WSJ's Jon Hilsenrath breaks down where President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden stand on key economic issues. Photo Illustration: Carlos Waters/WSJ
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text:
The same Copyright conditions apply as described on my site:
Reverse engineering strict forbidden.
There you can find more explenation about those files too.
Note that those Excel Files are designed for and in Windows.
Some will maybe work on a MAC, but the most extensive don't.
Also problems are reported when people used them in Open Source.
Making them work on all systems is a complicated business.
MAC has an other way to handle graphics and dialog windows (and partly programming code).
The in-depth differences between those systems and the resulting influence are hardly documented, making it difficult to take corrective actions.
The designer has no specific preference or aversion against whatever system, he is just mainly active in a world were Windows dominates.
Not included in the downloads below (download it via this link) is:
Room Modes and Reverberation Time Calculator
This is a very Graphical MS Excel file, allowing to have a good overview of the different types of modes.
Analysis ToolPak Translator 7.0 aka ATPT 7.0
more info (not download) http://www.acoustics-noise.com/ATPtranslator.shtml
I added a typical MS Excel for Windows Tool below, which isn't directly acoustics.
MS Excel (even the latest editions) counts 93 worksheet functions (ca 30%) which are language sensitive (Analysis Toolpak).
This tool makes such files usable in 11 Western Main language versions of Excel.
Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese PTG, Spanish, Swedish.
An example of such a File is the Chris Whealy acoustics file to calculate different types of absorption.
The condition however is that the sheets containing such functions are not protected.
The designer is rather proud to say that this is probably the only Tool in existance capable of automatically solving this MS Excel problem. Even the (expensive) Multi-language MS Office editions still have trouble with this.
What happened with this site? Look here:
Some valuable links To check Transmission Loss of Walls:
- The Excel file below: AcousticSelector03
This File includes > 50 Boral (Australien)
- The Excel file below: MSMresonance03
- Excel calculation file USNorms3
Download see further down
- The BBC File:
- The TL trial program:
Best Regards
Eric Desart


text:
James Rickards has been quite vocal in his view that the price of gold is headed much higher. Yet, in the same breath he aggressively promotes the idea of using the IMF SDR to replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency.
There's two reasons for this. First, if you study Rickard's background going all the way back to his role in the Iran hostage crisis, you'll see that he's been lifetime "front man" for the most powerful interest groups that control this country behind the scenes. First and foremost he's a front-man for the Pentagon.
I've been told separately, independently from two different sources that the elite insiders in the Department of Defense know that the demise of the dollar is inevitable. That there's nothing that can be done to prevent it.
Which brings us to the second reason that Rickards is trying to pimp the IMF SDR like a magic elixir snake-oil salesman. The U.S. dollar currently represents 61.2% of the IMF SDR: SDR Currency Basket.
If the U.S. Government can persuade the world to accept the IMF SDR as a replacement for the dollar, the U.S. Government will still have de facto control over the world's reserve currency and therefore can continue to defer the systemic collapse of the U.S. into the future. Please note the absence of Chinese yuan or Russian rubles from the IMF SDR basket.
I have always believed that China and Russia would never accept an IMF SDR as the global reserve currency, even if the U.S. and EU were willing to put those two respective currencies in the basket. The biggest clue for me has been the rate at which both China and Russia are accumulating gold in their currency reserve accounts and working to eliminate the use of the dollar in their trade agreements.
But this article, reinforces my view – BRICS To Form Their Own "IMF:"
The BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — are reportedly close to finalizing their long-awaited development bank and currency reserve, each valued at $100 billion, in what has been billed as a historic challenge by the world's emerging economies to a global financial architecture that has been dominated by the U.S. and Western Europe since its post–World War II inception.
The BRICS nations first announced their plans for the bank in March 2013 but struggled to reach an agreement over China's desire to hold a greater stake in the institution. But a Brazilian government official told Reuters last week that the five members were ready to split funding and control equally, clearing the last major hurdle for a launch in 2016.
To economists in the developing world, who have long criticized the World Bank and IMF as anathema to the countries they purport to help, the New Development Bank holds tremendous promise. Critics say the West has taken advantage of its monopoly in international lending to wield outsize influence in the economic and political affairs of developing countries, dictating development models that further entrench these countries' subservience to the West.
But unlike the U.S. and Europe, who are in lockstep on most things, the BRICS countries have little in common but a shared ambition to rebalance the global economic order.
I would suggest that anyone who wants to see the issues clearly should place a little less "faith" in the information being disseminated by people like Jim Rickards. I would also suggest that the unwillingness of Russia/China to cooperate with the U.S. on the matter of the U.S. dollar is the reason recent military aggression by the U.S. toward Russia and China…


text:
Border Patrol agent arrested after Carrie Underwood concert
A Border Patrol agent was arrested after reportedly hurling traffic cones at vehicles following Thursday night's Carrie Underwood concert at Freeman Coliseum, officials said.
A motorist notified deputies that someone was throwing the cones on Houston Street at passing vehicles around 11 p.m., Bexar County Sheriff's Office spokesman Paul Berry said.
The motorist's windshield was damaged by one of the cones.
Patrick Jochum, 26, was charged with criminal mischief causing between $500 and $1,500 worth of damage, a Class A misdemeanor. Bail was set at $1,600.
A deputy arrested Jochum as he stood on a curb near the coliseum, reportedly upset when no cabs would stop to pick him up, Berry said.
Upon arrival at the magistrate's office, he told the deputy he is a Border Patrol agent in Carrizo Springs, though he was not carrying credentials or an issued weapon.
A Border Patrol official confirmed Jochum works in the Del Rio sector.


text:
Welcome to the Olteanca google satellite map! This place is situated in Teleorman, Romania, its geographical coordinates are 43° 50' 0" North, 24° 48' 0" East and its original name (with diacritics) is Olteanca. See Olteanca photos and images from satellite below, explore the aerial photographs of Olteanca in Romania. Olteanca hotels map is available on the target page linked above.
Do you like this map? Link to it or recommend it!
Register at Olteanca or add new placemark for Olteanca.
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Maplandia.com in partnership with Booking.com offers highly competitive rates for all types of hotels in Olteanca, from affordable family hotels to the most luxurious ones. Booking.com, being established in 1996, is longtime Europe's leader in online hotel reservations.
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Many photos and unbiased Olteanca hotel reviews written by real guests are provided to help you make your booking decision.
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You can also dive right into Olteanca on unique 3D satellite map provided by Google Earth. With new GoogLe Earth plugin you can enjoy the interactive Olteanca 3D map within your web browser.See the 3D map of Olteanca, Romania in Google Earth »
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text:
This was published 6 years ago
Technical issues plague myGov online tax return lodgement
The Tax Office has been hit by a technical issue which prevents people lodging tax returns and accessing other essential government services online.
The issue is related to this year's mandatory requirement for taxpayers to use a myGov login when lodging returns online. The myGov site is a portal the federal government created as a single log-in for all its services.
"We are working with myGov to fix error 5077 in etax," the Tax Office said on its website on Thursday. "We recommend waiting and trying again in a few hours, as too many attempts will lock you out. We appreciate your patience. We will post updates through our Twitter page."
The issues appeared to surface on Wednesday, when both the Tax Office and the Department of Human Service, which runs myGov, acknowledged the matter on their Facebook pages.
The issues are affecting not only the lodgement of returns, but access to other essential government services that rely on myGov, such as Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support, and e-health records.
"We have been working hard to resolve the intermittent issues with myGov and most customers will today notice an improvement in the service," the Department of Human Services said on Wednesday. "A record number of you are registering for myGov, so we'll be keeping a close eye on the service today and our technical specialists will keep working hard to fix any ongoing problems."
Despite this, the Tax Office issued another update on Thursday saying the issues were persisting.
In a statement to Fairfax Media, the Tax Office said the issue was only affecting a small number of people.
"More than 99.9 per cent of people are successfully lodging online using e-tax," a Tax Office spokesman sad.
"The ATO is aware that in less than 1 per cent of cases people may experience an ongoing technical issue.
"We are now working to further reduce the instances of this issue. Those experiencing this problem can call the e-tax IT help desk on 1300 1300 17."
Since July 1, 15,705 people have lodged online using e-tax and 12,632 people using myTax, the spokesman said.
Taxpayers have been complaining about the issue on social media. Some say they are being told to mail in their tax returns instead of doing them electronically via e-tax and myGov.
"Would love to get past 'This site is currently experiencing some technical difficulties. We apologise for this inconvenience. Try again later. If the problem continues contact us on 13 28 61'. After calling that number and being told to just mail it in instead, what's the point of this website again?" wrote Anthony Robertson on the Tax Office's Facebook page.
"This is unacceptable – STILL cannot lodge my return," wrote another Facebook user.
"This system is absolute bull plop!! I can't say I'm surprised at the total mess it is and I'm over the whole myGov lack of help and the mandatory conditions you have put on people making them have a myGov account. It makes me want to never lodge my tax again!" wrote another.
News of the technical issues follows reports the myGov website had a number of security vulnerabilities, most of which have been fixed. The vulnerabilities allowed an independent security expert to hack into any myGov account using a simple exploit.
Ben Grubb is a Desk Editor/Locum Homepage Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald.


text:
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text:
One example of a concept gone wrong that killed an entire sport, Windsurfing. I grew up in Las Vegas, where in the 1980's there was a highpoint for windsurfing and at one point there were 3 shops in town.
Now, with a capitalist interest in business survival, these shops promoted the sport and grew it to the largest point the region had seen, with 1500 people attending weekend competitions. These shops laid the ground work for local promotion, and they backed it up with in store customer service and instruction.
Years later when I hit high school and finally got some wheels, there was not a single shop or instructor in town to be found, and on a good wind day there may be 15 guys at the beach.
Turns out that while I was studying in school these dedicated shop owners closed one by one, unable to compete with catalog sales and direct sales from manufacturers.
So when the time came, unfortunately there was no one to teach me to windsurf or show me what gear I needed for my area. Sure I could buy a rig online, if I knew what to look for. But that thought quickly disappeared when I realized I would be alone on the beach with no one to show me how to properly rig the gear, let alone use it.
So my lust for wind turned to power kites and paragliding and now I am a proud kiteboarder. I look back on other industries mistakes, and my passion for kiteboarding won't allow me to jump on the band wagon and help destroy my favorite sport.
The bottom line is without local retailers the sport won't grow, and with them it grows massively, and safely.
Brian Schenck
Ozone Kites USA


text:
1. Re: 1. Where can I find Oracle Documentation?BluShadow Mar 13, 2015 8:02 AM (in response to BluShadow)
All oracle documentation is located on the following website:
The "Database" section (Oracle Database Help Center) is where you'll find stuff on SQL and PL/SQL. Pick your database version and click on the "All Oracle Database Books" link at the bottom of the page to get to all the documentation. From there you can pick certain books, or you can search for what you want.
New to Oracle SQL and PL/SQL?, which Documentation to read first?
Start with the "Concepts" manual.
Then perhaps:
"2 Day Developers Guide"
"PL/SQL Language Reference" (and "PL/SQL Packages and Types Reference")
"SQL Language Reference"
as appropriate for your interest.
2. Re: 2. How do I ask a question on the forums?BluShadow Mar 23, 2018 3:12 PM (in response to BluShadow)
Firstly, have you checked the documentation or done a search on the internet? Members don't appreciate people asking questions that are easily found just by looking in the documentation. Frequently asked questions can be found in the below posts.
1) New Thread
Click the "Post New Thread" link. (Note: do not post your new question in answer to someone elses thread; that's called "hijacking")
2) Thread Subject line
Give your thread a meaningful subject, not just "help please", "Query help" or "SQL". This is the SQL and PL/SQL forum. We know your question is going to be about those things, make it meaningful to the type of question so that people with the right sort of knowledge can pick it up and those without can ignore it. Never, EVER, mark your subject as "URGENT" or "ASAP". This forum is manned by volunteers giving their own time to help and your question is never urgent or more important than their own work or than other people's questions. It may be urgent to you, but that's not forum members issue. By marking your question as urgent you are actually less likely to get a good response, as members will choose to ignore such questions or respond unfavorably.
3) SMS/Txt Spk
Avoid using "SMS spk" or "txt spk" in your posts. This is a professional forum and the primary language is English, though this is not everyone's native language. Using txt spk makes it hard for people to read and understand your requirements. Spelling mistakes, errors and language differences accepted. Abbreviations are ok, in moderation.
4) Ask nicely
Typing your subject line or your post IN CAPITALS is considered shouting. It's considered rude to SHOUT at people, so please use mixed case unless you are emphasising a word for a particular reason. Consider the internet's rules of netiquette (http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1855.txt) in your posts.
5) Database Version and IDE Version
Ensure you provide your database version number e.g. 188.8.131.52 so that we know what features we can use when answering.
If you're not sure what it is you can do the following:
select * from v$version;
in an SQL*Plus session and paste the results.
In addition, it's a good idea to tell people what Integrated Development Environment (IDE) you are using e.g. SQL*Plus, SQL Developer, TOAD, PL/SQL Developer etc. and what version it is. The IDE could relate to your issue, or could help responders in giving you an answer that best suits that IDE.
6) Tables/Indexes
Provide us with table structures and indexes where necessary. Use the DESC command in SQL*Plus or your CREATE statements if you have them.
7) Sample Data
Provide us with sample data to help recreate the issue
You can do this using subquery factoring (a "WITH" statement) e.g.
with t as (select 1 as id, to_date('01/01/2009','DD/MM/YYYY') as date_created, 50 as val from dual union all
select 2, to_date('02/02/2009','DD/MM/YYYY'), 25 from dual union all
select 3, to_date('03/02/2009','DD/MM/YYYY'), 30 from dual)
,x as (select 1 as id, 'Fred' as name from dual union all
select 2, 'Bob' from dual union all
select 3, 'Tim' from dual)
or by providing create table and insert statements e.g.
create table t (id number,
date_created date,
val number)
create table x (id number,
name varchar2(20)
insert into t values (1, to_date('01/01/2009','DD/MM/YYYY'), 50);
insert into t values (2, to_date('02/02/2009','DD/MM/YYYY'), 25);
insert into t values (3, to_date('03/02/2009','DD/MM/YYYY'), 30);
insert into x values (1, 'Fred');
insert into x values (2, 'Bob');
insert into x values (3, 'Tim');
8) Expected Output
Provide us with an example of the expected output. You can show this in a table, as with the sample data, or just as formatted output.
9) Explain the Actual Issue
Too often we see people asking for help to fix some code they're trying to write, but they haven't actually explained what the issue is the code is supposed to be resolving. Ensure you've explained clearly what the actual requirements are that you are trying to achieve with the code as, more often than not, there will be a better solution to your problem, completely different from how you are trying to solve it. See the following: http://xyproblem.info/
10) Formatting code and data
Ensure you format your code and data so that it's readable on the forum.
On the new forum, this is now achieved using the Syntax Highlighting option, by copy/pasting your code to the editor, highlighting it, then clicking the "insert" (>>) button, selecting "Syntax Highlighting >" and choosing SQL (or the appropriate language). Your code should then appear formatted and highlighted. (although day 1 this still appears buggy)
DECLARE v_str VARCHAR2(100); BEGIN v_str := 'This is some sample code'; END;
The other option at the minute seems to be pasting your code/data and ensuring you change it to Courier New font, so that the indentation stays correctly.
11) Error Messages
If your code is producing an error, copy and paste the error message for everyone to see. Don't just say "it doesn't work" as that means nothing. Also try and include the full message, not just the ORA-XXXXX code. There are some common codes people may know immediately, but most people have not memorised the meaning of the hundreds of possible ORA codes that can be produced.
12). Post Answered Etiquette
It's good etiquette, when your question has been answered to mark it as answered, and mark posts as "correct" or "helpful". You can mark 1 post as correct and any others as helpful. Don't be pushed into marking people's answers if they say "please mark my answer correct/helpful" as once you've marked them, you cannot remove it. Ensure you are happy you've got the correct answer to your question first and wait and listen for the responses of those who are experts as they may be able to improve on previous replies. People who ask a lot of questions but don't mark them as answered may find they get less responses as people are less willing to help if they don't get any feedback from you.
13) Homework/Study/Interview questions
If you question relates to homework, your studies or was something you were asked in an interview, ensure you show your own answer or what you've tried yourself so far, even if it's not working. Members have their own work to do and do not just want to do your work for you, though most are willing to help out if you can show that you've made some effort yourself and you're clearly stuck.
14) New to SQL or PL/SQL. Need someone to teach you?
Please read the following blog post which reflects the opinions of most community experts: https://oracle-base.com/blog/2016/07/27/learning-career-development-and-mentoring/
And consider what you're asking before you post your question. People are willing to help, if you can show you're helping yourself.
3. Re: 3. How to improve the performance of my query? / My query is running slow.BluShadow Jun 11, 2013 7:43 AM (in response to BluShadow)
Performance tuning is not always as simple as just showing people a query and them telling you where it needs improving.
So that people can assist you better with your performance issue, please see the following threads which give you some ideas of what you will need to be looking at, as well as what information you should provide to forum members if you want help:
When your query takes too long ...
HOW TO: Post a SQL statement tuning request - template posting
4. Re: 4. How do I convert rows to columns?BluShadow Nov 24, 2016 9:38 AM (in response to BluShadow)
This is called "pivoting" and is asked on this forum almost every day.
Static Pivoting
See these threads:
Help for a query to add columns
Tom Kyte - Pivoting pre-11g
Re: Help with PIVOT query (or advice on best way to do this)
Dynamic Pivoting
"But I want to pivot an unknown number of rows to columns?"
This is not easily possible as the number of columns returned by an SQL must be known before any data is fetched, it would have to be done dynamically.
See these threads/documents:
PL/SQL 101 : Cursors and SQL Projection
Help for a query to add columns
How to pipeline a function with a dynamic number of columns? in conjunction with https://technology.amis.nl/2006/05/16/pivot-dynamic-data/
A clever technique using the PIVOT functionality of SQL (11.2 and above)...
String Aggregation
"But I want to get all the data in a single column?"
This is called string aggregation.
See these threads:
Re: Concat rows values into single column (and a sys_connect_by_path example further up)
Re: Multiple rows into a single line in 'Single Column Table'
LISTAGG 11g function
Various string aggregation techniques
Tom Kytes string aggregation
Note: recommendations to use the wm_concat function should be considered poor suggestions as it is an undocumented function, not supported and subject to change in future versions of Oracle. Even Tom Kyte says so... Re: DISTINCT not working with wmsys.wm_concat
5. Re: 5. How do I read or write an Excel file?BluShadow Sep 20, 2018 2:21 PM (in response to BluShadow)
Reading Excel files
Is it really an Excel file with a .xls extension?
See the following thread:
Re: Read CSV/XLS file to insert into Oracle database.
or a more recent way by Odie, detailed on his blog:
(Odie's project is on GitHub: https://github.com/mbleron/ExcelTable)
or is it a character seperated file (CSV) file?
See the following:
Re: Using DML order to import a .xls file
Morgans Library - External Tables
Morgans Library - SQL Loader
Anton Scheffers XLSX reading through PL/SQL
Writing Excel Files
For Excel 2007 and onwards, see ascheffer's package here: https://technology.amis.nl/2011/02/19/create-an-excel-file-with-plsql/
For doing it using COM automation see Saubhik's package here: http://saubbane.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/writing-and-formatting-excel-using.html
Re: Regarding export to excel from PLSQL
Other Office XML links:
Re: How to save a query result and export it to, say excell?
6. Re: 6. What is the difference between count(*) and count(1)?BluShadow Jun 11, 2013 11:04 AM (in response to BluShadow)
Count(1) is rewritten by the optimiser to Count(*) so they are identical:
See the following threads:
7. Re: 7. List of values in an IN clause?BluShadow Jan 29, 2018 1:04 PM (in response to BluShadow)
"I have a list of values in a variable/parameter that I'm using with an 'IN' clause in my query, but I'm not getting results?"
This is the "Varying IN list" issue.
Your "list of values" is actually a single value, not a list of seperate values. Tom Kyte has a good article on this...
... and Adrian Billington gives some great examples...
8. Re: 8. Can anyone explain Regular Expressions to me?BluShadow Jun 11, 2013 11:06 AM (in response to BluShadow)
CD wrote a few excellent threads on this:
Introduction to regular expressions ...
Introduction to regular expressions ... continued.
9. Re: 9. How do I use the data in my Ref Cursor in another query?BluShadow May 22, 2015 11:11 AM (in response to BluShadow)
See this community document:
10. Re: 10. How do I use Exceptions? / How can I continue after an exception?BluShadow May 29, 2015 12:55 PM (in response to BluShadow)
See this document:
11. Re: 11. How do I group sequences of numbers/dates etc.?BluShadow Jun 2, 2015 10:10 AM (in response to BluShadow)
Based on an excellent thread by Aketi Jyuuzou please see the following document:
12. Re: 12. ORA-01031: insufficient privileges when running PL/SQL codeBluShadow Sep 17, 2013 1:28 PM (in response to BluShadow)
This is often caused by permissions only existing through a role rather than being directly granted to a user.
See the following:
13. Re: 13. How do I answer a question on the forums?BluShadow May 6, 2015 11:09 AM (in response to BluShadow)
1) Consideration for new members
Be considerate of new members. Remember they probably haven't seen this FAQ thread and may not have thought about how to ask the question properly; or may be new to using forums (or even the internet!!). If it's an obvious document question help them by providing a link to the documentation (not everyone knows where to find the documentation or knows what they need to search for to find their answer in it). If they haven't formatted their post, link to this FAQ (quick way is copying http://forums.oracle.com/message/9362002#9362002 in your reply) so they can learn how to do it themselves. The post may also get formatted by a moderator if it's just a case of sticking some code
tags in and providing a moderator is around.
2) Consideration for non-new members
If someone is not a new member and had posted a document type question or not formatted their code etc. feel free to point out (as politely as you can manage) that they should know better and link to this FAQ thread.
3) Duplicate postings
Bear in mind that the forum software can sometimes be glitchy and generate multiple posts, but if a member is obviously asking the same question more than once, politely point out to them that it won't help them to get the answer any quicker and will just confuse matters. Also provide a link back to their original thread if possible and indicate that answers should go on that thread. The moderators will do what we can to clean up duplicate posting (removing or locking them as appropriate).
4) Formatting your answers
As per the FAQ information on how to ask a question on the forums, it's useful if the members answering can also ensure they have formatted the code in their responses, and where necessary given any useful information to explain any more complex parts of the answer. Also consider the other points in the above FAQ relating to not using SMS speak etc.
5) Links to personal websites and Signatures.
Avoid answers that just link to personal blogs and websites (The site admin have indicated that this will be treated as spamming/promotional), but feel free to link to relevant information in support of an answer you've posted on the forum. Remember the purpose of the forums is to assist each other, not to advertise products, services or your own websites.
6) Links to 3rd party websites
Avoid linking to 3rd party websites that throw up popup windows or adverts (or require subscriptions/payments) or are clearly more about commercial services and products than providing a good comprehensive answer. e.g. There's little use in linking to a site that provides a basic pointer to an answer, and is more focused on selling books or "DBA Services" etc. in order to resolve the persons issue. Obviously there are some good websites with comprehensive answers and a little advertising on them (google ads or whatever), and those are generally ok, as long as it's helping to answer the persons question.
7) Begging for points
Posting an answer and finishing the post by saying something like "If my answer useful, mark it as correct or helpful" is not acceptable. This is considered begging for points and the site admin have indicated that this is not acceptable.
The points system on the forums, as agreed by most of the regulars on here, is not an ideal system. The last thing it needs is people begging to gain points for themselves so that they can boost their ego by trying to reach "Guru" status to impress their friends. The purpose of these professional forums is to help others, have our own questions answered and to learn new things for ourselves. Most of the experts and gurus on these forums have gained points and their status through simply answering questions well without asking for them. Sometimes points are awarded, sometimes not, and that is up to the original poster as to whether they follow the forum etiquette. Anyone spotted asking for points in any form is liable to have such comments edited out of their post or the post deleted (if deletion isn't removing an actual answer). *You have been warned!*
8) Requesting a question is marked as answered
Furthering the above point, if the original poster has indicated that their question has been answered, and they haven't marked the thread as answered, by all means feel free to say "Please mark the thread as answered so members can focus on other threads". Just don't ask for points.
14. Re: 14. What's the difference between different versions of the database?BluShadow Jan 6, 2015 2:32 PM (in response to BluShadow)
Commonly we get asked what's the differences between version X and version Y of the database, or what new features it has...
It's all documented...
10.1 New Features
10.2 New Features
11.1 New Features
18.104.22.168 to 22.214.171.124 New Features
12.1 New Features
Compatibility and Interoperability Issues Introduced in Oracle9i Release 9.0.1
Compatibility and Interoperability Issues Introduced in Oracle9i Release 9.2
Compatibility and Interoperability Issues Introduced in Oracle Database 10g Release 10.1
Compatibility and Interoperability Issues Introduced in Oracle Database 10g Release 10.2
Compatibility and Interoperability Issues in Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1)
Compatibility and Interoperability Issues in Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2)


text:
With World Humanitarian Day just two days away why not challenge yourself with an interactive humanitarian game? Inside the Haiti Earthquake is a first-person simulation based on documentary footage from Haiti and real-life decision scenarios. Would you have made it as an earthquake survivor, aid worker, or journalist in Haiti after the earthquake?
Produced by PTV Productions and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. The simulation asks what decisions you would take after the earthquake?
Inside the Haiti Earthquake is a web-based simulation that allows users to experience the quake's aftermath from the point of view of an aid worker, survivor, or journalist. Inside the Haiti Earthquake draws on footage and real-life stories from the three-part Inside Disaster documentary series. Co-director, cinematographer and composer Nicolas Jolliet travelled to Haiti in January and August 2010 to capture original footage, photos and music for the project.
The United Nations too has sought to capitalise on the popularity of video games to educate and raise awareness about the work of the organization. Learn how to plan and save a village from a tsunami or cyclone. Or step into the shoes of an earthquake survivor or refugee. You can even donate rice by answering simple questions. (Learn more...)
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


text:
What's New
Butter Finger Serif Font by Fonthead Design
About: Much like Butter Finger, Butter Finger Serif likes to show off its fun, whimsical lines and chunky corners. But it brings you a more complex flavor due to its delectable serifs—a little more to love, a little more for the eye to grab onto. It's the perfect comfort font.
Tags: Font, Fun, Wacky


text:
- Grand Gestures. In an unprecedented move, Iraq's leading Shia cleric, the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, met with a delegation of Iraqi Christian leaders from the Armenian Christian Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox Churches in October to stress common bonds, encourage active participation in Iraq's elections, and to address the bombing of Christian churches.
- Stay Strong. The Presbyterian Church (USA) headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, received a letter threatening arson attacks on Presbyterian churches because of its policies in the Middle East. Last July, the Presbyterian Church (USA) agreed to support selective divestment of holdings in multinational corporations profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
- Vote With Feet. Eight hundred forty-three former soldiers-more than 33 percent of the total who were told to appear at mobilization stations by mid-October-didn't show up when the Army asked them to report for duty to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan, the Associated Press reported.
- Way Offshore. Along with shipping U.S. jobs overseas, now it appears that we can't even say our own prayers. "With Roman Catholic clergy in short supply in the United States," reported The New York Times, "Indian priests are picking up some of their work, saying Mass for special intentions, in a sacred if unusual version of outsourcing."
- Duty Bound? Despite Azerbaijan's constitutional commitment to allow alternative service for conscientious objectors to military service, Jehovah's Witness Mahir Bagirov has been ordered to report for duty. "My religious convictions would be violated if I was forced to bear arms," Bagirov told Forum 18, an Oslo-based Christian religious freedom group.
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text:
Though chronologically it is the 21st century, a new millenium, politically we are still mired in one of the bloodiest centuries ever, the 20th Century. Thoughtful people from traditions have worked hard to bring peace and understanding to the tortured world, but with faster mass communication, it is getting easier to be profane and inflame than to educate.
Chronology of events:
A rightwing Danish paper wantonly solicited cartoons on the prophet of Islam to gratuitously offend the followers of Islam invoking freedom of the press. Danish Muslims requested a meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark. The Prime minister not only refused to meet them, but also snubbed the ambassadors of Muslim countries who tried to elicit a dialogue.
Without redress, it took four months to permeate the rest of the Muslim world. Muslims feel incensed and express their displeasure with peaceful demonstrations and boycott of Danish products. The legitimate Muslim protests are being marred by mindless extremists who think violence, intimidation, arson and even killing is permissible, insulting and injuring the religion they purport to defend.
Freedom of the press by many in the West is being caricatured as license to insult and injure those whom they do not understand and the right to protest by some Muslims is being confused with a right to assault.
Injury to free speech in the West:
Freedom of expression, especially freedom of the political expression has been a corner-stone of pluralistic democracies, enshrined in most modern constitutions.
Historical experience teaches that suppressing any speech can result in the suppression of all expressions opposed to those in power. Therefore to protect legitimate political dissent even reprehensible speech is deemed protected. Often the rights to stupidity are less challenged than the right to hold the governments accountable. When political dissent is curbed states become oppressive. Horrible modern examples are the fascistic and communistic regimes of mid twentieth century.
Until mid 20th century, ugly caricatures of Blacks in the US and Jews in many Western Christian countries were rampant. The resulting Nazi holocaust jarred the West, leading to a well-deserved guilty conscience. The denial of Holocaust is a criminal offence not only in Germany, but also in Austria, France, Belgium, Poland and Switzerland. David Irving, a British historian is being prosecuted in Austria for this offence. Historic mistreatment of Blacks in the US has so shamed the nation that certain derogatory words have been expunged from the public discourse. In the US incendiary public speech about any particular group is considered a hate speech. Under certain circumstances it is illegal.
These do circumvent the right of free speech, but evolving civil society considered it necessary to protect the freedom from the extremists. Thus putting a limit to the free speech.
Though Section 140 of the Danish Penal Code prohibits blasphemy, apparently it has not been enforced since 1938. Section 266b prohibits expressions that threaten, deride or degrade on the grounds of race, color, national or ethnic origin, belief or sexual orientation. The Danish public prosecutor determined that the offensive cartoons did not violate either law. It is a subjective opinion not allowed to be tested in the courts. Another prosecutor may have reached a different conclusion, with far different outcome.
The dictionary definition of a bigot is – A person who holds blindly and intolerantly to a particular creed or opinion. The widely understood definition is- Bigots tend to generalize without exception, such as all Christians, all Muslims, all Hindus, all Jews, all in the west or east are such and such.
The right wing Jyllands-Posten of Denmark egregiously with the intent to offend published the cartoons. Some newspapers in other European countries that circumvent the right of some free but offensive speech callously republished those offensive cartoons, self-righteously claiming to defend the right of free speech, landing with both feet in to bigotry. The Muslims correctly see it as hypocrisy. In the West, in some quarters Islam is an easy mark these days. Muslims increasingly feel that they are being treated in the West as Blacks and Jews used to be.
The rise of profanity:
It is important to remember that Western media is often profane. Unfortunately, with crass use of freedom the public discourse in the West has become more crude and profane. In mid 1980s in the US a Museum exhibited Andres Serrano's Crucifix in urine, a painting in 1990s had Madonna smeared with dung.
It should not go unnoticed that the US and British governments as well as many European governments have condemned the egregious nature of those cartoons. The newspapers in the US and Britain as well as major newspapers in many European countries have not published them. Not because they were afraid, but because they decided not to fall in the gutter with the exploiters of free speech, such as tabloids.
The injury to Muslims:
The widespread civil protest by Muslims is completely justified, as a long established civil right. The boycott of Danish products that subsidize the offending Danish paper through advertisements was a proper retaliation. But the criminal behavior of some protestors is an insult to Muslims and the prophet who lived and preached civility, consideration and the rule of law.
Destruction of Embassies and deaths of innocent people is barbaric and against the tenets of Islam. If those countries do not prosecute to the fullest extant of the law they should be considered complicit. Prophet Muhammad and early Caliphs especially admonished the mistreatment of ambassadors.
An Iranian paper has asked for cartoons about holocaust in retaliation. Iran has many political grievances against Israel. Targeting Jewish calamity is reprehensible. It does insult the victims of holocaust, but even more so, it exposes their narrow minded, misplaced vindictiveness, and insults the tenets of Islam.
Most Islamic scholars have condemned the violence. It is on utmost importance for all Muslims to strongly condemn and eschew violence and rude remarks. With the connivance of the hoodlums, it only re-enforces the caricature that some would like to propagate.
What needs to be done?
Freedom of political thought, speech and action is the most important corner stone of democracy. It should be protected and nurtured. The freedom of belief and practice of a religion, or to believe or not to believe should also be sacrosanct and should not be violated.
It is easy to demand that there ought to be a law! The problem is crafting a law that is narrow enough in definition so that politicians may not exploit religion and religious partisans may not exploit politics, and wide enough in practice to cover almost all situations.
Such a law is excruciatingly difficult to design. A badly crafted law is worse than no law. Blasphemy laws do exist in many countries. Experience has shown that usually they are either not used or misused. To craft a good law that can be implemented requires deep understanding and enormous work to bring about a consensus. It may eventually be too difficult to craft a usable law, but it is possible to craft a standard of ethics as a sense of the society that can be widely accepted and followed.
Fortunately we have a world body, the United Nations that can and should take a lead. Perhaps Article 18 pertaining to freedom of belief and religion of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" can be modified to include a language that inhibits a wonton disregard to sensitivities of religions. Though often maligned by the powerful for their own ends, the UN has helped in creation of and eventual adaptation of better laws by many countries that initially resented them.
Average Danes, Europeans, Muslims and all others want to respect others and be respected. They feel helpless and are gradually being polarized by the cacophony of charges and counter-charges. In the West thoughtlessly some feel obliged to defend crude, inane and gratuitous insult to Islam in the name of the freedom of the press, and among Muslims, some feel licensed to violence in the most un-Islamic defense of Islam.
Religious zealots particularly in the Europe have a long history of insulting other religions even persecuting believers of other religions as well as those who choose not to believe. In modern times this tendency has been on the rise. Unfortunately secular zealots do not have a better record either. In the communist countries religions have been persecuted and in most Western countries all religions especially Christianity and now Islam have been considered fair games.
These are tough times for all, especially for the Muslims. But all turbulent times are also windows of opportunity. It is very important for us to speak out, speak in measured voices, and speak with courage, decency and justice. Things will change as they always have. It is up to us to affect that change. We should not allow the worst among us to drive the agenda.


text:
Spy guy: Snooping stoppage allowed 9/11, says Naftali
The man who runs the Miller Center's Presidential Recordings Project is jetting through Charlottesville on a book tour layover, with San Francisco, L.A., New York, Miami, and Chicago in the rearview and three Canadian cities to come, including his old stomping grounds in Montreal.
Now living part-time in Charlottesville and part-time in D.C., Naftali has a new book, but it's not about dead presidents. It's an exposé of the colossal intelligence failure that allowed 9/11.
Blind Spot: The Secret History of American Counterterrorism is "fascinating" according to a recent review in Business Week. The National Review calls it the back story to the 9/11 Commission. Naftali calls it a prequel.
"I'm in history because I love to tell stories," he says. "I have a very low boredom threshold."
The 43-year-old Naftali has studied the history of counterespionage, watched the watchers so to speak, since he was an undergrad at Yale. Espionage is spying, and counterespionage means stopping others from spying on you, by playing a mole back on his handlers or by feeding agents false goods, perhaps.
Welcome to the wilderness of mirrors, where Naftali likes to play. While still a wee Canuck, at the ripe old age of 13, Naftali's father thought the young tyke should spend a summer abroad. In Russia in 1976.
And thus young Naftali got a behind-the-iron curtain view of the Cold War. That facility at peering through the looking glass, as well as his ability with the Russian language, has translated into another book, about the Cold War from the Soviet side, the upcoming Khrushchev's Cold War.
While Naftali was at Yale, the chief American counterintelligence spook at the end of World War II happened to be a professor there. He left some papers, and Naftali was entrusted with taking a look at this secreted history. Interviews with the chiefs of German, French, and British counterintelligence followed. "That's like your first taste of caffeine," he remembers. "It was the beginning of this treasure hunt."
Blind Spot developed when Naftali's Miller Center colleague, Philip Zelikow, then head of the 9/11 commission, tapped Naftali to brief the feds on the back story. "It was," says Naftali, "a historian's dream."
"The blind spot," he explains, "is our inability to conceive of a terrorist attack on our own country at home. We didn't take stock of the fact that 9/11 was as much a policy failure as it was an intelligence failure. To blame it on the CIA is really ludicrous."
On his book tour, he's often asked how well we are doing now.
"Not as well as I would have liked," he says. "After Pearl Harbor, the United States did not dismantle the entire intelligence community. It is an odd thing to do, but that is what we did after September 11."
Naftali sees how counterterrorism measures affect daily life too. He's just finished taking his citizenship test. Does anyone doubt that he passed with flying colors?
Timothy Naftali