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A new document dump from Wikileaks on Thursday claims that the CIA was able to infect a Mac's firmware using an attack called a "sonic screwdriver."
The documents, which are dated November 2012, are unverified. However, an Apple spokesperson told Business Insider Thursday night that the Mac vulnerabilities listed in the documents have since been fixed and don't affect Macs built after 2013.
The method described in the documents allowed access to a Mac's firmware using an Ethernet adapter that plugged into the computer's Thunderbolt port. Since the method targeted the Mac's firmware, it could not be removed even if the computer's user wiped the operating system clean, the documents claim.
The process sounds familiar to the so-called Thunderstrike bug that was discovered in Macs in 2015. Apple has since released a software patch that fixed the bug. In fact, Apple hired the two hackers who took credit for creating Thunderstrike. It's unclear if the exploit detailed in the documents published by Wikileaks is the same as Thunderstrike.
Another document in Thursday's document dump from Wikileaks describes how the CIA was supposedly able to infect "factory fresh" iPhones. However, the document is dated January 2009, and such an exploit could have been fixed by now. The Apple spokesperson said this vulnerability only affected the iPhone 3G and was fixed by the time the iPhone 3GS was released in 2009.
The documents are the latest to come out of the "Vault 7" documents from Wikileaks. The first batch of the documents claimed that the CIA could break into Samsung smart TVs and the iPhone. While the documents appear to reveal some explosive information, many of the vulnerabilities exploited in various devices appear to have been fixed.
The Apple spokesperson also said in a statment that Apple has not negotiated with Wikileaks for any information the organization claims to have.
"We have not negotiated with Wikileaks for any information," the spokesperson said. "We have given them instructions to submit any information they wish through our normal process under our standard terms. Thus far, we have not received any information from them that isn't in the public domain. We are tireless defenders of our users' security and privacy, but we do not condone theft or coordinate with those that threaten to harm our users."


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Ed Chivers was introduced to Dungeons & Dragons by well-meaning friends as a teenager in the 90s. He discovered the world of Eberron in 2006 as a player and now runs regular games for friends. This is his first foray into writing adventures. He lives in Sheffield in the UK, and is a father to two children who both seem to have inherited the dice-rolling gene.
Ed is the co-designer of In the Forests of the Night (Across Eberron season 1, episode 7).

subset: commoncrawl


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For my assembly only friends, this was fun and easy, and if you have kids that won't impail themselves on skewers, they can help with this one!
All you need are good quality grape tomatoes, I prefer heirlooms, they are usually organic and pretty colors. Then get mozzarella and some meat of choice. I like a simple salami or capicola. I cut the bottom off so they would stand up, but that was just for show. I made more on larger skewers also.


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Use at the rate of 5 L per ha in 500 L of water, in combination with TourTurf® MC.


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A new science-themed D.C. charter school plans to open its doors this fall across the street from a traditional school that serves the same grade levels and has the same academic focus, highlighting a lack of coordination that has drawn increasing scrutiny in recent months.
As charter schools flourish, they often are competing with neighborhood schools for the city's students, and the two sectors barely communicate about their plans. The move by Harmony School of Excellence-D.C. into a building across the street from Langley Elementary came as a surprise even to Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, who learned about it on Twitter.
Henderson called Harmony's move an inefficient use of taxpayer dollars and a sign of a choice that the city is going to have to make: Does the District want to plan for the coexistence of charter schools alongside a system of traditional neighborhood schools? Or does the city want to continue with a laissez-faire approach that Henderson said could give rise to a "cannibalistic environment" in which "somebody gets eaten"?
"Either we want neighborhood schools or we want cannibalism, but you can't have both," Henderson said, adding her voice to a growing chorus of people who have called for joint planning between traditional and charter schools and perhaps a limit on the number of independent charter schools in the District.
"A citywide conversation about how many schools do we need, and how do we get to the right number of schools, as opposed to continuing to allow as many schools to proliferate as possible, is probably a necessary conversation to have at some point," Henderson said.
Charter schools do not have to specify or propose a location when they apply to the D.C. Public Charter School Board for approval. The board considers applications on their merits, without taking into account the impact on existing schools; once a school is approved, it goes about finding a home, and then must notify the board of its location before opening its doors to students.
Charter board officials and advocates have long argued that location can't be a factor in school approvals because real estate is so hard to find that schools often don't have much choice.
Officials with Harmony, a Texas-based chain that specializes in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, said they conducted an extensive search and found just one workable place for their new elementary school: an old parochial school building on T Street Northeast, in the city's fast-gentrifying Bloomingdale neighborhood.
The building is directly across the street from Langley, another STEM-focused elementary that was recently renovated and that has been working to build interest among young families living nearby.
Soner Tarim, superintendent of the Harmony charter network, said he hadn't realized that Langley was a STEM school. He said that the dearth of other options led him to sign a lease for the building, and he believes that — because charter schools enroll students from across the city — most of Harmony's students will come from outside of Langley's attendance zone and outside of Ward 5.
"I've never spent this much time during my 14 years of charter schooling" on securing real estate, Tarim said. "This was the most intense search."
Also across the street from Harmony are the recently renovated McKinley Tech middle and high schools, both of which are STEM-focused. Tarim eventually plans to expand Harmony into a K-12 STEM school, but he said older grades will have to be placed elsewhere because the building is too small to accommodate them.
The issue of joint planning has attracted more attention in recent months amid the push to overhaul traditional public school boundaries for the first time in four decades. Parents and politicians have questioned how the District can redraw school maps — and thoughtfully plan for the future — without considering charter schools, which enroll nearly half of the city's schoolchildren.
The advisory committee overseeing the boundary overhaul has recommended that the District address the lack of coordination between the two sectors, but — facing resistance from charter advocates — stopped short of making specific recommendations.
Charter advocates say the District could help guide charters' locations by releasing some of the many surplus school buildings that sit empty, and they said they were open to sharing more information with the school system.
But they are firmly opposed to ceding their independence to government officials in the name of joint planning.
"Yes, there is room for better communication and information-sharing as each sector — DCPS and charter schools — makes decisions," Scott Pearson, the charter board's executive director, wrote in a Washington Post letter to the editor in May. "But protecting a traditional school is no reason to keep a great charter school from opening its doors."
A charter board spokeswoman said Pearson was not available for an interview for this article, but she pointed to a May board meeting during which Pearson said he is encouraging newly approved schools to meet with the city's deputy mayor of education to describe their facilities plans.
Henderson said that she envisions a process that would allow city and charter board officials to identify which neighborhoods most need new, good schools and which neighborhoods would benefit from specialty programs. The charter board would then use those priorities in determining which new schools should be approved, she said.
"The citizens deserve better, with the dollars that they entrust us with, than this random, haphazard stuff," Henderson said. "I think this mayor, this deputy mayor, myself, we all support charter schools . . . but I don't think anybody signed up for the kind of uncontrolled expansion of schools, without rhyme or reason."
Ramona Edelin, executive director of the D.C. Association of Chartered Public Schools, said it is not surprising that the chancellor of the traditional school system would want a say in which charters are approved and where they're allowed to open.
But "nobody outside the charter school sector should have a veto power over where our schools locate," Edelin said. "Charter schools are autonomous and free from that kind of control from the government, and that's a requirement of their success."
Responding to Henderson's characterization that charters are cannibalizing the school system, Edelin said that "competition should be good for the neighborhood."
The school system's struggles to maintain enrollment are "not just because there's a charter school nearby," she said. "It's because they're seen as better, and parents are voting with their feet."


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Oh wow, I love your work! Welcome to our forums!
Type: Posts; User: Tice
Oh wow, I love your work! Welcome to our forums!
That really does make it a humble brag... :D
Hey Matt, our little game soundtrack has by now reached over 3 hours ;) And with the amount of regions yet to come, I'm sure it'll be a heck of a lot more than that by the end...
Awww, much appreciated. It's a team effort though, we all delete spam whenever we see it.
Thank you so much! I can't make specific claims at this point, but I'd certainly love to make the soundtrack available! I first have to finish composing it though!
This is brilliant!
(I hope I don't get this wrong, my Japanese is limited)
あなたがありますからよかった。 どおぞ宜しく
When I get the chance to, I dive into the world of Subnautica with my Vive. It looks AMAZING! Exactly the type of game I got a Vive for to begin with!
I hope they make more games like that for VR!
If ever I feel a bit down, I need but to look at the love in this thread and I'll feel right as ray :)
@Sunlag: An entire soundtrack made from mouth sounds seems like a lot of fun actually! It would give the game a very different vibe though, rather tongue-in-cheek, maybe. I'd be interested to know...
BriarRose, thanks! Luckily there's plenty more where that came from :) can't wait to show y'all the rest of the soundtrack!
I'm glad you like it RavenTusk!
I can definitely recommend doing so, it's a great way to spend a sunny afternoon :) (even without the soundtrack)
@Pachow: The samples come with a handy program that indexes them so you can easily navigate different samples inside your DAW (program you do the actual composing in). You can switch between...
Thank you very much :)
I can't yet say anything about wether or not you're close though.
Originally Posted in the Dev Pub
The content presented below was originally brewed in the oak barrels of the Dev Pub forums. After allowing this thread time to properly age, it is now ready for...
Reminds me of Pete Postleweight's chronicler in Dragonheart
Precisely :)
Maybe a traveling scribe could work? And since they are mobile it could be fun to try and find them each time. To 'gate' what you can get out of him, perhaps he only sells scrolls about things he has...
It took a while to get the vibe right. I went in a very different direction at first. Good thing we kept experimenting for a while.
Aww you guys :) I really appreciate that!
Those who are familiar with the tracks already may notice a name change: 'Cabaret du Fae' is now called 'Fae at Play'
One thing I always hope for in potion brewing mechanics is that the outcome isn't too fixed. In the Elder Scrolls, you add specific ingredients and you get a specific potion effect. That's not what I...
I recently got a hold of the new Necromancer class dlc for Diablo 3. Still wish that game's story was done as well as it was in part 2 though...
"A love of human food and music"... well, there can be only one choice for me then :violin:


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DINITROL® Treatment Centre Customer Login Area
If you have had a vehicle treated at a DINITROL Treament Centre throughout the UK and have been issued a certficate. You can also login to download a digital copy of the certififcate and the 3 photographs taken before, during and after the treatment. Remember this is your proof to a possible buyer that the vehicle has been well maintained. The certificate can also be transferred to the new owner along with this account by updating the details.
Find a local centre our book a new treatment application.
Go to the main official DINITROL Direct UK website
Do you require assistance with the customer login area.
DINITROL® Danish vehicle rustproofing treatment centre step-by-step video guide
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Urban Residences Rotterdam. Stunning apartments
Located in the heart of Rotterdam, Urban Residences offers luxurious, designer apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows. The main shopping street of Lijnbaan is a 2-minute walk away.
Urban Residences Rotterdam consists of spacious apartments with double beds, each with an open-plan living and dining area. The architect-designed interior features white, modern décor. Twin bedding is available for a surcharge and free Wi-Fi is provided.
Hennekijnstraat 104, 3012 EB Rotterdam, Netherlands
Photo Credits: Urban Residences


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Edamame Soup
This wholesome soup is a delicious way to enjoy young green soybeans, also known as edamame. This recipe is adapted from one of our favorite food blogs, 101 Cookbooks.
5-6 Servings
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 potato, cubed (about 1½ cups)
- Water, as needed
- 1½ pounds fresh or frozen shelled edamame
- 4 cups vegetable broth + more to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Greek yogurt or soy yogurt for garnish
- In a stockpot, heat olive oil over medium low heat. Add onions and potato. Stir to coat, and allow to cook for about five minutes, adding a little bit of water if vegetables are sticking.
- Add edamame and vegetable stock. Cover and simmer on a medium heat for 15-20 minutes until potatoes and beans are tender.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Scoop out beans and add to processor. Blend until smooth, adding soup mixture a few Tablespoons at a time until totally smooth (you may need to process for 10 minutes or so; a blender will likely be less time).
- Divide between serving bowls, garnish with yogurt, and serve!


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We are about to switch to a new forum software. Until then we have removed the registration on this forum.
Hi :) I'm trying to make an ellipse move horizontally when I press on it, then make it move back to its original position if pressed again. Right now, I only know how to make it move further to the right every time I press. Sorry, I couldn't find it in any beginner guides or videos.
Right now, it checks if the mouse was pressed on the circle, then it does the background(255) to get rid of previous circles and it draws a new circle. If I press outside of the circle, the circle stays where it is.
int circleX = 100;
int circleY = 100;
void setup() {
void draw() {
void mousePressed() {
if (dist(mouseX, mouseY,circleX,circleY)<=25) {
circleX = circleX + 50;
else {
circleX = circleX;
// forum.processing.org/two/discussion/11891/
// how-to-move-a-circle-back-and-forth-using-mousepressed
// 2015-Jul-29
static final int DIAM = 0100, RAD = DIAM>>1;
static final int STEP = 3, FPS = 60;
boolean toRight = true;
int x;
color bg = -1;
void setup() {
size(300, 150, JAVA2D);
void draw() {
x = constrain(x + (toRight? STEP : -STEP), RAD, width - RAD);
ellipse(x, height>>1, DIAM, DIAM);
void mousePressed() {
toRight ^= true;
bg = (color) random(#000000);
void keyPressed() {
Hi GoToLoop, thanks a lot :) It works as it should but it's so advanced and colourful now, haha. I think this is a bit above my level because I'm still a complete beginner (this is my second day with Processing).
static final int DIAM = 0100, RAD = DIAM>>1;
This means that integer DIAM / diam of circle will always be 100 pixels, right? What does RAD and the >>1 section mean?
x = constrain(x + (toRight? STEP : -STEP), RAD, width - RAD);
x is the x for the center of the ellipse? Could you maybe explain what happens here? :) Like, how does it know if it should move left or right.
Thanks again!
There is a boolean that tracks if the ellipse is moving to the right. It is always trying to move, one way or the other, but is constrained to remain within a certain range. The >>1 is a bit shift. He is doing a quick divide by two.
Oh! So RAD is radius and the diameter is divided in half to get the radius :) And width - RAD is the one that keeps the circle from moving out of the window?
Sorry for the newb questions.
This means that integer DIAM / diam of circle will always be 100 pixels, right? What does RAD and the >>1 section mean?
>>1 is a slightly faster way to integer-divide by 2.
0100 is octal for
64 decimal btW.
x is the x for the center of the ellipse?
Like, how does it know if it should move left or right?
boolean toRight.
true, it goes w/ STEP. Otherwise it goes w/ -STEP.
?: conditional operator:
Yes. When it's on the left edge, x, the x position of the ellipse's center, is RAD distance away from 0, so the lower limit is RAD.
The right edge's limit is the width of the sketch minus the radius, which causes the center of the circle to stop when the edge of the circle touches the edge of the sketch.
Try using 0 and width as the limits to constrain to see the difference. Or -RAD and width+RAD.
Thank you! I'll be sure to read the links!!


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2008 Fangmingyuan Bama
£6.00 – £70.00
Bama lies in the Nannuo mountains and that makes this tea the 3rd Nannuo we offer from Fangmingyuan. We couldn't be happier with that. It has a creamy peach flavour that lingers in the mouth for a long time. Time has made this tea very sweet and I can see it becoming even sweeter. It's a clean dry stored tea with slight astringency. There is also a silky thick texture that we really enjoy. It's a perfect tea to drink now or to age a bit further. We are very very happy to offer it finally.


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High above Muker in Swaledale one April afternoon we happened across this bench with a view. Not a soul in sight, not a sound to be heard except for the wind that was blowing relentlessly. It was about 5:30 in the afternoon and the wind made it feel like a mid winters day and the sky did it's best to reinforce the feeling. But the view overcame any discomfort.
While the view is timeless the bench, along with a sort of cairn just out of shot to the left, is not. There is a plaque on the cairn that simply says, "Muker Parish 2000". What else would you need to know?
I struggle to understand how it is that a lot of people like to be hustled and bustled in a town or city where you need to crane your neck just to see the sky when there are places like this where you can hear yourself think and where the wind blows away the cobwebs. On the other hand if it weren't the case then I would probably struggle to find a place to sit on this bench. On the way from here into Wensleydale we actually saw a motorcycle, and a car! Sheesh . . . . you just can't avoid the traffic anywhere these days 🙂


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A written history of Bobby Jameson and his search through the past. Working my way back through the jungle of drug addiction and booze. My family life as a kid was the breeding ground for addicts. No self worth, no help, and one chance to get out alive. Music was the horse I rode out on...and the music business was the horse I rode into hell. Pronounced dead twice from drug over doses, I lived to tell how the pursuit of fame is as deadly as any narcotic I have ever used.
Friday, February 13, 2009
(part 137) PUZZLE MAN
I was a puzzle. A bunch of different experiential pieces that were totally dissimilar to the experiences of those in the world around me. Pieces by themselves, unassembled, which did not portray in any cohesive way a picture of my collective self.
These pieces were in a box in my head, and they just sat there. Occasionally a new piece was added to the box, confusing further any clear notion of what the pieces would represent, should they ever be joined together forming a single character.
A human set of fragments, strewn across the filthy floor of my own house of demons. Cascading emotions and super charged flashbacks flowing in an endless array of deadly memories through my mind and body.
To see me sitting almost perfectly still you would not have guessed that I was engulfed in the kind of turmoil I was in. I would have appeared at ease to any onlooker, even comfortable, while in truth I was not even present.
The shades and textures of a human being are created and changed over time by all that they have been and now are. The social continuity of a culture is born out of the collective similarities of everyday experience.
But when you have a human being, whose experience is totally dissimilar to the experiences of those around him, then the one will be different than the many, and will find it difficult to assimilate or integrate into the world around him.
I could not integrate myself into the world around me. I stood outside like a beggar at the window, hiding the pieces of myself from your view, afraid of what you'd think. In Tucson, I was a nobody on crutches. In Hollywood I was thought of as crazy, but I was still Bobby Jameson.
This was my catch-22 reality. Mentally, I was neither in Tucson nor Hollywood. I was hopelessly split somewhere between them. Always wanting to leave where I was to get to where I thought I should be, and once there, would question my own presence.
As I sat in my wheelchair in the living room of my mother's house, I looked down at my left arm and stared at the needle marks. I looked at my mother, seemingly unaware, of the tragedy all around her. My brother Quentin, nodding out from drugs on the couch and all the while the TV chattering in the background.
In this surreal setting, I knew something had to change. I was broken and loaded on smack and booze in a goddamn wheelchair in Arizona going nowhere. As my eyes traveled over this scene, I knew then the heroin had to go, and I had to get out of there. I vowed to myself that I would pull it together and fight my way back.
After some months, my casts were cut off while having two metal pins removed from my ankle that had worked themselves loose. My left leg, from the thigh down to the calf, was emaciated from no movement for over half a year. It looked like the leg of someone who'd spent time in a prison camp.
The first time I put weight on it without a cast, the pain was unbearable. But with the aid of alcohol and pills I finally got to where I could tolerate it. I was slowly but surely piecing myself back together like frankenstein.
I was a wreckage, posing as a human being. Where once I'd had a clear picture of myself and my purpose, I was now fragmented into so many pieces, it was hard to know what I'd become or where I was headed. Again, I was like a fully assembled puzzle that someone had picked up and dropped on the floor.
I had only a vague sense of what I was doing. In reality I was wandering around as a damaged group rather than a whole human being. Unaware of the truly splintered nature of my psyche, I continued to grope, unsuccessfully, for anything resembling a normal life.
4 comments:
Dear BobReplyDelete
Did you ever read "Homeboy" by Seth Morgan (he was Janis Joplin's last boyfriend)? It was similar to your story, a huge best seller and I loved it but your book is better!
Don't lose your dream yet.
Much love
Dave "Doctor"Pepper.
I'm trying to find the words to put this the right way, so I don't sound dumb.....ReplyDelete
I wish to hell this was fiction, because the writing, this writing, this entry--it may be the absolute most haunting one yet, the most moving. Yet...it's not fiction. This is an account of your REAL, TRUE feelings. This is about your LIFE. Bobby, I have never been more moved by your writing. I'm sorry it's something you lived through. But my heart and my soul are very very touched.
Your life, though remarkable and daunting, simply is what it is. Though the details are fascinating, moving, horrifying, or uplifting (occasionally), and though the individual lessons, if read perceptibly, are extremely edifying, I find that the greatest value for me is the creative aspect of your writing. Your use of the extended metaphor to set a theme for each passage is masterful.ReplyDelete
Your puzzle metaphor fits not only this passage, but your entire narrative. Each piece offers a metaphor or a simile which sets the tone and offers the insight that illuminates a specific aspect or a particular revelation (self- or otherwise), and each piece, though they fit in chronologically, also can be reconstructed or reformed into parallel constructs which inform the various narratives: the ambitious performer, the sensitive artist, the victim of a ruthless and exploitive entertainment business, the rabble-rouser, the frustrated writer, the victim of personal foibles, the local celebrity, the hard-working musician, the optimist, the pessimist, the beneficiary of the kindness of strangers and friends, the target of the indifference of strangers and friends; and, finally, the consummate self-psychologist and the master wordsmith; these are a few of the puzzle pieces that you have created with this wonderful narrative.
I thank you, Bobby, for your continued dedication to unraveling the tangled threads (or putting the puzzle pieces back together) of your amazing story.
I just read your last two poetry posts, and I was reminded of an observation that I have noted several times before: if this is ever published in book form, many of the companion poems should be included. Some of the poems refer to other, current, personal events or feelings, but so many of the rest include parallel poetic frameworks for the chapter details.ReplyDelete
Keep up the good work and keep fighting the hard fight,


text:
Chambers Europe 2019 over BarentsKrans: fast, flexible and reliable advice
De nieuwe rankings van Chambers Europe zijn uit. We zijn blij met de uitstekende resultaten: Chambers kent BarentsKrans een mooie ranking toe op zes verschillende rechtsgebieden. Tien van onze advocaten worden bovendien met naam en toenaam aanbevolen.
Chambers and Partners publiceert ieder jaar opnieuw haar rankings en vergelijkt daarmee belangrijke rechtsgebieden uit 53 jurisdicties in heel Europa, van Groenland en het Verenigd Koninkrijk, tot aan Rusland. Chambers is één van de meest toonaangevende gidsen in de internationale advocatuur. De jaarlijkse ranglijsten worden gebaseerd op feedback van cliënten en peer reviews. Daarmee zijn de rankings onafhankelijk.
Resultaten Chambers Europe 2019
BarentsKrans wordt door Chambers al jaren erkend als 'leading firm' op de volgende rechtsgebieden: arbeidsrecht, intellectuele eigendom, corporate/M&A, mededinging & aanbesteding, dispute resolution en vastgoed. Lees hieronder wat Chambers over onze teams schrijft.
Dispute Resolution (band 2)
Specialist disputes team noted for its expertise in Supreme Court litigation. Particular focus on plaintiff competition disputes, regularly acting for litigation bodies on multiparty proceedings in cartel damages claims. Also experienced handling international insolvency proceedings, contractual litigation and shareholder disputes.
One client says: "The BarentsKrans team uses resources efficiently," and adds: "We have very good co-operation and no barrier in communication." Sources additionally draw attention to the firm's "hands-on mentality."
Ranked lawyers:
- Martijn van Maanen
- William Schonewille
- Rieme-Jan Tjittes
Employment (band 2)
Esteemed domestic firm that is a strong choice for Supreme Court litigation, primarily representing employers in both individual and collective disputes regarding dismissals, discrimination and transfer of undertakings. Has experience in standout cases relating to the employment law protection of workers from different EU states posted to the Netherlands. Advises on negotiations with works councils or unions as part of planned M&A transactions or restructuring processes. Also handles pensions litigation on behalf of Dutch employers and their pensions providers.
Clients say the team's "knowledge is extremely up to date and they have a number of lawyers who are really top of the bill." Others draw attention to the "swift, appropriate and thorough advice" that the department provides.
Ranked lawyers:
- Rogier Duk
- Max Keulaerds
- Laurens de Graaf
Intellectual Property (Band 2)
Strong patent litigation team with experience in pharmaceuticals, technology and engineering. Strong choice for generic pharmaceutical clients. Also experienced in copyright, trade mark, licensing and advertising matters.
One client says: "The BarentsKrans team offers an outstanding performance in terms of knowledge and approach." Another client adds: "The team is strong, enthusiastic and the quality of work is very high. They really dive into the case and strive to understand every detail."
Ranked lawyers
- Marleen van den Horst
- Jaap Bremer
Competition (Band 4)
Advises on cartel issues, investigations, dawn raids and damages litigation, regularly acting for claimants. Also noted for its expertise in merger control, public procurement, contentious antitrust proceedings and EU law. Collaborates closely with its well-respected disputes practice. Increasingly active on state aid matters. Clients consist of local government institutions as well as corporates from sectors including transport, energy and technology.
Clients admire the team's "can-do mentality" and describe the lawyers as "very open and flexible." Others highlight the team's "combination of quality of advice, teamwork and efficiency," further noting its "down-to-earth approach, dedication and availability."
Ranked lawyers
- Joost Fanoy
Corporate / M&A ( Band 4)
Notable mid-market outfit with a healthy portfolio of Dutch private clients. Advises companies in the technology, leisure and drinks sectors on transactional mandates as well as corporate governance and restructuring matters. Also assists a number of significant local and pan-European private equity clients.
Clients appreciate the team's "fast, flexible and reliable advice." Sources also highlight the department's "client-centric" approach.
Ranked Lawyers
- Michiel Martin
Real Estate (Band 5)
Moves up the rankings owing to considerable praise for advice both to public and private sector clients on real estate transactions. Advises on contentious issues arising within the context of commercial lease agreements. Regularly handles land purchase, construction contract and project finance matters.
"The lawyers are very thorough, meet their deadlines and communicate transparently about the costs involved," states one client. Other interviewees appreciate the lawyers' "open and direct communication" with other parties to real estate transactions.


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Smart Pet Love Tender-Tuffs Squirrel Dog Toy, Large
Plush Toys
Price : $21.99
Size : Large
In Stock
Click Here to check if you`re eligible for Local Delivery
Tender-tuffs are for every dog owner who wants a plush toy your dog loves to play with that lasts longer than a day. Made with proprietary Tear Blok technology, smartpetlove tender-tuffs are soft, strong, and last long! Tender-tuffs are available in a variety of categories (tug, crinkle, no squeaker, large breed, small breed, fetch, and more), meaning we have a toy to fit your dog's individual style of play. Tender-tuffs are intended for rough play, but are not meant as a chew toy.


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The torrent site BT Junkie closed today, allegedly due to feared legal action.
The file sharing sites Megaupload and Pirate Bay have both seen their share of legal trouble in the past few weeks, and according to Torrent Freak, this was the primary reason for the site's closure.
Torrent Freak quotes the anonymous owner of BT Junkie as saying;
"…the legal actions against other file-sharing sites such as MegaUpload and The Pirate Bay played an important role in making the difficult decision. Witnessing all the trouble colleagues got into was cause for a lot of worry and stress, and those will now belong to the past."
The growing legal pressure has led several other file sharing sites to discontinue service. FileSonic, FileService, and Uploaded all cut off file sharing soon after the arrest of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom.


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Home boots reviews Stuart Weitzman Chicboot
Product Details
- Flattering and versatile knee-high boot with a fresh silhouette.
- Stretch suede upper.
- Pull-on style.
- Leather lining.
- Suede heel.
- Rubber sole.
- Made in Spain.
- Measurements: Heel Height: 2 1?2 in Weight: 1 lb 1 oz Circumference: 12 1?2 in Shaft: 17 in Product measurements were taken using size 7, width M.
Stuart Weitzman Chicboot Reviews
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This outrageously expensive boot is perfect in fit and form and fabric and design, but not in foot comfort. If all you do is stand around, it will work. If, however, you intend to walk anywhere, watch out. There is no padding to speak of and the hard leather bottom lets every pebble and crack in the sidewalk penetrate to the ball of your foot until you are crying for mercy. I walked 5 city blocks in Kansas City's Plaza and I felt as if I'd walked for miles, the foot pads were so sore and battered. I am going… Read more »
I didn't want to absolutely love these boots when they arrived as they were priced much higher than I have ever paid and had buyers remorse from the time I ordered them, but once they were on I was so excited and knew I could never send them back. I have skinny calves, am 6′ tall, and have the hardest time finding boots that fit my legs and look great with dresses and skirts. Basically I've been wearing boot-shoes with sweater tights since all the other tall boots were way too loose around my calves and looked ridiculous. These boots… Read more »
I am a big Stuart Weitzman fan and find he really makes shoes that are both stylish and durable. These boots are no exception. As such they are expensive but you get what you pay for and as you would expect the suede and craftsmanship are first rate. What I like about these boots in particular is that they have the right size heel for me at 2 1/2″ (I'm 5'9″), they fit a narrow leg (13 1/2″ calf) with no gapping unlike others (they are pull on, so likely to work best for those with smaller builds). As for… Read more »
I absolutely love this boot! Being a runner, I actually have very large calves so thought that these would probably not work since I had read reviews from others with very small calves and how great they work for them. My calves as so large that I have to get boots that stretch because zip up will not go up. Well, to my surprise, these fit wonderfully on me and are so comfortable. Yes, they are pricey but it is so worth it because they will last such a long time and are so well made and comfortable. I am… Read more »
Love these boots! These boots are gorgeous! They fit perfectly. However, in my opinion, they are not true to size. My boots are a 1/2 size smaller than I wear in other Weitzman boots. Also, my feet are narrow, so the perfect fit suggests a narrow width.
Brand Details
A red carpet icon for more than 25 years, Stuart Weitzman shoes are as thoughtfully constructed as they are glamorous. The brand (self-described as "a little obsessed with shoes") is known for offering a vast selection of sizes and widths, as well as an attention to detail that results in an extraordinarily comfortable fit.


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On 1 April 2011 I wrote to Wolfram Research:
I had a look at Wolfram Alpha and was slightly surprised that [it] returned, among many useful information about the matrix
the assertion that it had eigenvectors
(1,0) and (0,0).
You and I, of course, understand how to interpret the answer, but it could be quite confusing for a first year student.
I tried it again today, I got the same answer; see for yourself.


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Before making future forecasts it is useful to survey the beginning of the expiring century. The mechanisms of democracy and capitalism have been already worked out at the USA, France and England. The world community expected to enjoy calm life, miracles of technique, cars, planes and telephone: Then the unexpected started (self-organization!) - world war, revolution, socialism, fascism. It followed by the squall of destructive technique: missiles, nuclear bombs, and the cosmos on the background of the opposition between the West and the USSR. For half a century, the progress of economy and creative sciences have considerably decreased mortality rate, increased production of goods but at the same time the number of industrial waste has increased as well. To the nuclear war danger there added "global problems". Radio, television, chemistry, transport and dwelling problem have concerned every citizen and computer problem - at least many of them. Globalization! Whether it was possible to foreseen it all? Certainly, science fiction writers wrote about it in their books, but who believed them?
As to me, I am not intending to draw pictures of the next century, acknowledgement of self-organization is supposed to cool imagination. Science is sure to make new discoveries, but humanity's everyday life would be aggravated by 10-12 bln. of population (with 30% of old people among them), with obsolete technique, slow income rate and deterioration of environment, one can not expect the fast changing of people life for the better in the nearest future. However, the maturing would continue: poor countriesare supposed to become developing ones, and the developing countries would come close to the rich ones.
People in general would not change. The expectations to improve the genetics of 10 bln.people are ungrounded. It might happen that the genetic embryonic diagnostics would allow to reveal defected babies, but when it is supposed to occur? It is similar to that the pills might decrease the peaks of dangerous behavior of pathological individuals, but how to bring all planets' inhabitants under medical observation? That is why, the deformities and passions would remain.
But there is some start for a few breaking-through: INTERNET might become the most important of them. It is supposed to change a lot: education, labour, business, communication, mass-media. It would destroy "iron curtains", spread ideas of matured society, and provide support for the democracy.
Secondly, - genetics and bio-technologies. It includes: food, medicine, preservation of biological species.
Thirdly, Artificial Intellect - the sphere of optimal control and then - creation.
The basic task is to regulate the self-organization in ideologies and state relations for the sake of not repeating the cataclysms of the twentieth century. Maturing, globalization and one-polar world used to moderate dangers, though not including them completely. It is difficult to settle contradiction between the necessity to carry out hard control over people to let the whole humanity to survive and the principles of individual freedom and democracy.
As to ideologies, i.e. their coordinates in ever- changing world, they are, in principle available for sociology, equipped with monitoring technique of people's psychology and means of influence with various mass media. However, the realization is supposed to be difficult - large scales and self-organization would interfere. But the humanity is moving towards the Intellect.
But the general principles of people's relations were founded by religions still thousand years ago and maybe even earlier still by the ancient herd's ethics. These are compromises to achieve stability and progress. Only content is changing.
I can say only one thing - there is no need to be afraid of the future.


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The 10 Best Plants for Your Pacific Northwest Garden
The 10 Best Plants for Your Pacific Northwest Garden
When we bought our first home, almost 25 years ago, the only thing I knew was that plants were green. Turns out that was wrong too! After a quarter century of gardening in the Pacific Northwest, I have learned a lot about the process and satisfaction that comes from building a garden. Because of our mild and moist climate, we are fortunate to be able to grow a very wide variety of plants. SInce mild and moist sometimes becomes cold and wet or even frigid and frozen, some plants are borderline. Therefore many of us suffer from zonal aspiration - that's OK! For those who are just starting out, or for those who just want to share some ideas about creating a beautiful garden, I dedicate this lens. The plants featured here deserve a home in most Pacific Northwest gardens.
It's Spring - Time to Do a Dance
The crocuses are blooming
The heather's aflame
The trees will need pruning
It's Springtime again!
My Current Favourite Rhododendron - Blaney's Blue
This rhodo found it's home a couple of years ago when I built a narrow bed at the side of our house. Finding the right spot for plants can take time, but this has turned out to be the right spot for some azaleas and this particular small-leafed rhododendron. The colour can only be described as an electric blue. Last week I underplanted it with some marigolds because I wanted a hot orange to contrast with the blue. This colour was completely missed by my camera which washed it out to a pale purple so I adjusted the colour to get back closer to the true hue. I may need to buy several more!
How to Get Rid of Bay Leaf Suckers Organically
We have a small bay leaf laurel in our equally small herb garden. For a number of years, it has been plagued by small winged insects that would cause the leaves to thicken and curl. We would find a bluish sticky substance being deposited on the leaf below an infested leaf. It was unsightly and my dear wife threatened to banish the plant from its prominent place right beside our back porch. She who must be obeyed, would go in and hack away the damaged leaves, but the little bug(gers) would return on mass. With its very existence in peril and being rather fond of the Bay Leaves fro cooking, I took some of the infested leaves to our local GardenWorks gardening store and presented them to the pest "expert" who declared an infestation of aphids and suggested insecticdal soap. I duly applied that last year adn this spring, i went as far as being a bag of lady bugs, knowing that aphids are their favourite meal. I released them on the bay tree and in a couple of hours soon it was festooned with 1500 bright red and black beetles, diligently seeking out their next meal. The next day, I could count around 50 and within four days they had left for parts unknown. In the meanwhile, I had done some research ans lo and behold, they weren't aphids at all but a nasty litlle critter called the "Bay Leaf Sucker"! Well that certainly made sense andf rom the photos I found on the 'net and the descriptions I read, there was no doubt about who our unwanted freeloaders were.
I also read that a mixture of liquid castille soap, olive oil and water could be an effective Bay Leaf Sucker killer. I just so happened to have some of Dr. Bronner's fabulous peppermint castille soap and organic olive oil. I mixed together a dollop of both in a spray bottle and went to war. Every day, I search out the little suckers and spray the "sh*t" out of them. They die. I also nip out any infested leaves and dispose of them. At this point, I have become a Bay Leaf Sucker's worst nightmare. Our Bay Leaf tree looks 100% better, and I have a new sport - Organic Bay Leaf Sucker Hunting. If you have a similar problem, save yourself the money of buying expensive insecticidal soap and make your own concoction. It's cheaper and way more satisfying. My apologies to any members of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Bay Leaf Suckers, (SPOCABLES). I won't be coming to any of your garden parties in the near future!
Great Plant Combination - For your patio
Once in a while, you get it right and put together a plant combination that just knocks your socks off. This is one. Hosta varieties "Blue Angel" and 'June' and heuchera 'Southern Comfort'. Works for me!
Great Plant Combination II
Here's what's happening in my garden right now - April 2012. Brunnera Macrophylla, Jack Frost is one of the greatest plants around with its twinkling bright blue flowers and gorgeous variegated leaves, These delicate pink rhodos have been in this bed for many years and this is the first really nice display of blossoms we've had. With the Jack Frost underplanted it's spectacular. Brunnera is also known by the incongruously unnattractive name of Siberian Bugloss.
Great Gardening Books for Pacific Northwest Gardeners
Every gardener needs inspiration and these books will provide it!
Before - A view of our back yard when we bought our house in 1996
I recently came across this photo. This is one of those cases of buying the worst house on the street and it was ugly!
After: Same View Today
After a lot of work and enjoyment, here is the same view today.
The Patio Project - Creating an outdoor room
A few years ago, I created a partial paving stone patio, which can be seen in this photo. By my calculations it involved moving 11,000 pounds of material in a yard, with an 8 foot vertical drop. How to get all of the sand and gravel for the base from the parking pad which was at the higher elevation to the patio area was the problem. I solved it by getting two concrete tube forms (the one used to make concrete columns) and taping them together with duct tape. I then placed one end up top creating a tube into which I could shovel the first the gravel and then the sand). The material slid down the tube into a wheelbarrow. It worked but it was nonetheless a back-breaking job. The patio I made had sweeping curved edges and looked pretty good, but it was not big enough to be truly useful. When we decide to expand the patio to include the remaining section of yard which was still grass, I hired some experts. What would have taken me three months took them a couple of days! Anyway, the results were excellent and we have had a beautiful and practical patio since then.
The Patio Project - After
It was definitely worth doing. Instead of having a patch of grass, that needed constant mowing and weeding, we now have a beautiful patio for entertaining and summer enjoyment. The addition of numerous pots with hostas and annuals adds a lush beauty to the area.
For Lovers of Beautiful Things
Unique Gemstones
For those of you who are fans of unique, beautiful and fabulous gemstones you must check out http://www.rareandprecious.com You will find a continually changing and growing collection of designer cabochons including:
FIne Jaspers - Deschutes, Biggs, Blue Biggs, Wildhorse, Owyhee, Noreena, Mookaite and more
Fine Agates and Chalcedony- Laguna, Crazy lace, Montana, Blue Chalcedony, Carnelian, Gem Silica, Chrysoprase and more
Fossil Cabochons - DInoasaur Bone, Stingray Coral, Petrified Wood
More- Black Jade, Drusy Quartz, Spectrolite, Chrysocolla, Antique Glass, Koroit Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Moonstone, Amazonite and more...
Heuchera "Southern Comfort" - My favourite heuchera
This is a relatively new variety and it is a great performer. It grows vigorously and puts out an amazing variety of colour as the leaves age. They start out a salmon pink, with a purplish pink underleaf. Over time they turn, first a caramel colour and then a greenish yellow. All of these colours co-exist. In the Pacific Northwest it likes to be in a container and is a great foil for hostas.
Beauty or Beast?
I was given this beautiful pink clematis by a friend and planted it near the fence on the east side of the yard. I have always admired the exuberant abundance of clematis. It survived and thrived in that spot - a little too much! Within two years it was a monster plant that was grasping onto every nearby plant, climbing over the fence and onto the roof of the neighbours carport. It was out of control! I pared it back for a couple of years but it would only come back hardier the next. It is beautiful in May, with masses of pink flowers cascading along the eastern border of out property. But it was too vigorous and was overtaking the smoke bush and a nearby rhododendron, so I choose a drastic measure. I cut it back to the ground. Guess what? It's back! I think I can keep it under control by doing the same every year - cutting it back to the ground. Anyway, I still like the flowers - if it could only learn to contain itself.
Finding a Good Spot for Ligularia
In our garden, I had planted the Ligularia Stenocephela "The Rocket" under our Tai Haku cherry tree. This is a great plant with deeply notched leaves and in the summer, tall spikes of yellow flowers on a black stem. It looks like a rocket climbing into the sky. It did not thrive under the cherry tree - not enough sun and the slugs ate it as fast as it came out of the ground. I then moved it to a very open spot which got pretty much full sun all day. There it wilted under the heat and likewise was not happy. Finally I moved it into a north facing bed that gets early morning sun. That was the ticket! It has thrived there and is now healthy, despite the aphids which love it. From time to time I need to spray the flower stems with a hose to knock off the aphids which will gather there in profusion. It did so well there that I also planted the spectacular Ligularia Dentata right beside it. They now anchor the best bed in my garden!
Ligularia Dentata
I bought this plant because of the gorgeous, large, glossy, purple leaves which gives it the moniker 'Elephant Ears'. I planted it beside the Ligularia Stenocephala "The Rocket" since I that variety was thriving in the northeast facing bed. It gets the cool morning sun for a couple of hours and baths luxuriantly in the shade the rest of the day. It grew like Topsy and was a very key component to that bed. Imagine my surprise when tall stalks emerged from the lustrous growth and spectacular clusters of bright yellow, daisy-like flowers burst forth in mid-summer. It seemed like this plant wasn't content to just deliver great form, colour and structure - it produced amazing flowers as well. A must for any garden.
Spring is working its magic once again. The omphalodes verna twinkles it's starry blue blue flowers underneath the delicate pink of the magnolia - Leonard Messel. White primulas have been out for 3 weeks, white aubretias are blooming, and the hellebores have been in bloom for several weeks as well. Pink traces on the flowering current are starting to show and the ligularia have started to grow in the north-facing bed. It's an exciting time for our gardens, as a parade of foliage and flowers is about to present us with another Spring pageant.
#1 - Hostas
Hostas are a group of perennials that should be included in every garden. On our patio, we have a group in pots and they set the tone for our entire backyard. They are lush, exotic, incredibly varied and very hardy. Right now it's spring in the northwest and the hostas are poking through the dirt. Some are already unfurled and presenting us with that incredibly vibrant, fresh spring green. In addition to having beautiful leaf form, variety and colour, hostas put up beautiful flowers ranging from light purple to white, some of which are very fragrant. We often get hummingbirds visiting our hostas in mid summer.
The only knock against hostas, well maybe two knocks. They are kind of expensive, typically running $25.00 and up at our local garden shops. Secondly, they die back in the fall and turn to mush. Countering those two slight drawbacks are the fact that they are easy to divide and swap with your neighbours and cleaning them up in the fall is dead easy.
Speaking of two knocks -
"Knock knock"
"Who's there?"
"Hosta Who?"
"Hosta la Vista" Bye bye.
#2 - Rhododendron
In the Pacific Northwest we are blessed by an ideal climate for Rhodos and their close cousins - azaleas. What's not to like? Beautiful and abundant flowers, incredible varieties and an exotic, tropical appearance. Rhodos are a must for every garden where they can thrive.
#3 - Azalea
For anyone whoever gets to Vancouver a spring visit to the Van Dusen Botanical Garden and a walk through the rhododendron and azalea display can be a psychedilic experience without the drugs. In fact there is one secret passageway through the deciduos azaleas with an understory of bluebells that is on eof the all-time great garden experiences. It is a kaliedescope of pastel pinks, oranges, yellows, blushing whites and blue that surrounds and envelopes you accompanied by a honey scent that will transport you to places you haven't been since the late '60's,
#4 - Ceonothus
So here's the thing about the ceonothus, it comes from the chaparrals of California so the Pacific Northwest can be a little too cold. But it is probably my favourite plant. It has masses of lilac blue flowers redolent of honey. Grow one by you back door so that when you step outside in June, you'll get a waft of sweet, perfumed honey and hear the buzzing of the bees. It has small glossy, dark green leaves and grows rather quickly. I had one underneath the the roof overhang right up against a south facing wall and it thrived for about 10 years. We even planned our back porch around this plant. Then it died. That was a bummer! Fortunately I had a backup growing along the fence and it was doing quite well until this last winter which was definitely not California! It's looking a bit dodgy right now. However if it dies I will buy another. My garden is not complete without a ceonothus. Oh yeah - if you have a phobia about bees, do not get a ceonothus -bees love it!
Great Gardening Books
Every gardener needs lots of books with beautiful photos.
#5 Rosemary
One of the critieria for a plant to be on this list is this - if it died would I replace it right away? If the answer is yes, it gets on the list. So rosemary fits that criteria because in the Pacific Northwest, we really shouldn't grow rosemary since it is more suited to a Mediterranean climate. However, we have zonal aspirations here and if you're lucky like I was you might get a decade out of your rosemary before it gets wiped out by a particlarly nasty winter like this last one. Sadly, the -17 temperatures and the month of sub-zero weather this year did mine in. It really is a great plant and I can't resist rubbing the spiky leaves with my hands to get that fresh, piney scent every time I walk by. I'll be looking for a new one next trip to the garden shop. However, make sure you put it in a sunny southfacing spot, preferably up against your house or a fence to capture the heat.
#6 - Skimmia
Every garden has that tough spot - deep shade, not enough water,maybe because you have a dense overhanging shrub or tree. In my garden it's the bed with an eight foot high retaining wall on the south side of our patio. There are three large shrub/trees (they used to be shrubs 50 years ago). In the western end of that bed there was a spot that was plant graveyard - no sun, poor water, deep shade. In my quest to find a plant for that spot I came across the skimmia. I planted three - two males and a female. You need both sexes if you want the red berries. They thrived there, in fact there growth is so vigorous that I need to cut them back twice a year.
What's so good about the skimmia? It has attractive, glossy leaves, it is evergreen, it produces beautiful red berries after a delicate display of small white flowers. Best of all, it's the one plant that you can put into the worst spot in your garden and it will thrive.
Great Stuff on Amazon - Books for Gardeners
Everyone loves a good gardening book - well maybe not everyone. I went to a monster truck rally last month and some of the people there were probably not big gardening book buyers.
#7 Pierus Japonica
This plant does everything. It is evergreen. The new foliage comes out with a vibrant flower-like colour, it has clusters of delicate bell-shaped flowers and it comes in many varieties, One of the spring highlights in our garden is the display of the three varieties of pierus japonica. The leaves are a bright intense pink or red when new and slowly fade into a solid or sometimes variegated green. It is slow growing and easy to train into a standard. No question this is one of the top plants for your garden.
#8 Tulips
Every garden should have a spring display of tulips. These Orange Emperor tulips reside underneath a Japanese Maple. Although their display is brief, a mass of brightly coloured tulips herald the arrival of Spring and better things to come. Tulips must be done en masse. There is nothing so lonely as one or two forlorn tulips plopped into a bed. You needs ranks of them, they should be planted in multiples of 20 or more.
Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
A Must-See in Vancouver
If you're a gardener, or just love a beautiful garden, the Van Dusen Garden is a magnificent destination. Created when the Shaugnessey Golf Course was moved, it opened to the public on August 30th, 1975. This spectacular 22-hectare (55-acre) garden in the heart of Vancouver has matured into a botanical garden of international stature since opening to the public in 1975. The mild Vancouver climate allows the cultivation of an outstanding plant collection which is a delight any time of the year. VanDusen boasts over 255,000 plants representing more than 7,300 taxa from around the world. Their plant collections represent ecosystems that range from tropical South Africa, to the Himalayas, to the Canadian Arctic, as well as plants native to our own Pacific Northwest.
VanDusen Botanical Garden is located at 5251 Oak Street at West 37th Avenue (north west corner).
#9 Choisya
This plant would be a welcome addition to any garden in areas with a mild winter. It is evergreen and in the spring puts out attractive clusters of fragrant white flowers. The variety I prefer is a golden colour known as Choisya Ternata Sundance. The common name is Mexican Mock Orange. It needs to be protected from extreme weather, and in the winter of 2008/09 I lost a beauty in my back yard. Fortunately a smaller specimen in the front yard survived. One of my favourite colour schemes in the garden is a golden yellow or chartreuse-leafed plant, combined with a dark purple or maroon leaf and a dusky blue. An example would be the Choisya Ternata Sundance with a purple smoke bush and an unusual rhododendron I have with a dusky-blue-green leaf.
#10 Japanese Maple
In all it's varieties, the Acer Palmatum deserves a spot or two in any northwest garden. Graceful, slow growing and available in a dazzling variety, it should be a focal point in your landscape. Trees grow fast and they grow big in the north west so this is an ideal choice since it doesn't get to be a 75 foot tree.
Gardening Links - Cool Links for Gardeners
A list of public gardens, shops, websites and whatever else strikes my fancy. Oh yeah my websites!
Cool Stuff to Buy
Here you will find things to buy that may please the most discerning. Maybe not.
- World of Gems
The beautiful and fascinating world of gems brought to your home.
Linda on June 29, 2019:
Great post! You're pretty funny. Got everything but Choisya & ceonothus altho some of its in my 85 pots as deer can be a problem & I'm not big on babying half hardy stuff. Will have to try the skimia in the conifer grove. I would like to be able to browse what's happening NOW in other people's PNW gardens but haven't found that type of blog or site.
Cindy Benavente on January 15, 2018:
Great article, it gave me some great ideas!
Prentice Lee (author) from BC on April 28, 2014:
@paulahite: Thanks for the recognition!
Paula Hite from Virginia on April 28, 2014:
Beautiful lens and photos! I shared it on our G+ page today!
liny-tan on May 24, 2013:
love each and every flower you've got in your garden...very lovely!
liny-tan on May 24, 2013:
love each and every flower you've got in your garden...very lovely!
Laura Hofman from Naperville, IL on March 31, 2013:
You have a lovely garden! Thanks for sharing. Beautiful photos!
anonymous on March 07, 2013:
Great site my friend, you're full of surprises!
Speaking of two knocks:
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Hosta who?
Hosta la vista baby!
heidi lm on January 14, 2013:
Love the little Jack Frost flowers; the blue is gorgeous against the greenery and other colors.
Isabellas-cabin on December 31, 2012:
Very beautiful yard!
northcoastpubli on April 19, 2012:
"High Five" I love your yard transformations!
kindoak on April 18, 2012:
Excellent - the before and after photos of your garden are great. Just goes to show that you can always create a nice environment with a plan.
Kathryn Wallace from Greenbank, WA, USA on March 21, 2012:
Thanks for the tips! I'm new to a (coastal) Pacific Northwest garden, so all this great info is duly noted!
anonymous on March 08, 2012:
I very lovely garden plants lens. Blessings!
floatingsquid on November 30, 2011:
Really nice lens. I am really fond of tulips and rosemary and what a lens on it. Enjoyed reading it.
AigulErali on July 09, 2011:
Really nice lens. Rosemary is one of my personal favorites!
AzotaPhotography on June 20, 2011:
Great lens. I'm always looking for ideas for my garden here in the NW.
karitina on May 21, 2011:
these plants, remember me my own city, near the beach, beautiful, healthy, bright as life itself, thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Chazz from New York on May 04, 2011:
Great lens! Blessings from the Perennial Gardening Neighborhood Squid Angel. Your lens is featured on "Wing-ing it on Squidoo" - our tribute to bless-worthy lenses. (You can see it at http://www.squidoo.com/lenses-blessed-by-this-squi...
eccles1 on November 14, 2010:
what a beautiful yard !


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Growing up in a suburb of Detroit, "Detroit-style pizza" was not a term we used to describe the layered, rectangular Jet's Pizza pie with caramelized crust and block cheese baptized in tangy sweet tomato sauce. Instead, we just called it "Friday night," as we — my father, step-mom, and step-siblings — frantically called dibs on one of the four coveted corner slices because those crispy, gooey pieces were as good as currency and both a source of joy and inner-familial contention.
But as of the past few years, it's become less of a geographically-specific treat — Detroit-style pizza has gone national.
By now, the origin of Detroit-style pizza is relatively well-known. It was Gus Guerra, owner of the former Buddy's Rendezvous in Detroit, who gave his Sicilian pizza recipe a Motor City twist in 1946 by using steel automotive pans as the baking vessel to give the pie its crispy crust. Guerra eventually moved on to found another Detroit-style pizza joint with Cloverleaf, and other spots opened like Loui's in Hazel Park, Shield's and Niki's in Detroit, and, much later, Jet's in Sterling Heights. This was all decades before Vice would call Detroit-style "the best pizza you never had," followed by Esquire magazine, which made the bold claim that our take on the beloved dish is "conquering America."
The rapid spread of Detroit-style pizza's national takeover is giving Michigan expats a taste of home and, for the uninitiated, a taste of something new. Founding chef of St. Clair Shores' Detroit Style Pizza Co., Shawn Randazzo, took home World Champion Pizza Maker during the 2012 iteration of the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. At the time of his victory, he and his Detroit-style slices were an island in a sea of Neapolitan and New York-style pies. Thankfully, for the nation's taste buds, this is no longer the case.
This year's expo featured a plethora of Detroit inspired pizza, including Nick Franchi of Ohio-based Upper Crust Pizza, who took the top prize in the Pan Division for his Detroit Crunch Crust. It's grown in such popularity, the massive expo now offers a Detroit-style pizza workshop.
San Francisco has a Detroit-style pie via Square Guy Pies, a popular pop-up turned brick-and-mortar. In July, Portland scored a second Ranch location — a pizza hotspot that specializes in our famed pan pizza served with their in-house ranch dressing — while Washington D.C.'s Red Light restaurant has most recently changed up its menu to accommodate the addition of 10 varieties of Detroit-style pies, including a Coney-dog inspired concoction, replacing pepperoni with hot dog — topped with chili, white onions, and mustard, of course.
But the trend isn't just bubbling across the country — it's having a moment here at home, too.
In the past year, the Motor City's OG Detroit-style pizza spots have expanded. Buddy's has announced national expansion, including its first downtown Detroit location, which is slated to open its doors later this year. Cloverleaf is set to add a Saint Clair Shores restaurant this year, marking the local franchise's seventh location. And Shield's opened its fourth location this past spring in Midtown.
"Shield's originated in Detroit, and you know years back when I think things got a little dicey downtown and things weren't going well, a lot of those small pizzerias closed up," says Norman Mourad, the owner of Shield's Midtown spot. "With the resurgence of Detroit, we were just so excited to bring Shield's back. We thought what better to showcase Detroit-style pizza on a university campus, especially with Wayne State students. We just thought it would be a great spot, across from the DIA, right next to the Detroit Public Library — the area, just the way it's booming, we wanted to be a part of it."
Metro Detroit appears to be leaning into the tradition of Detroit-style pizza, while also turning it on its head with creative use of ingredients. Ferndale's newly resurrected Como's, which now operates with chef and restaurateur Zach Sklar at the helm, joins the ranks of Detroit-style pie-purveyors, offering a variety of non-traditional toppings, including kale, black garlic honey, and marinated tomatoes. And in Woodbridge, Pie-Sci Pizza specializes in a rotating selection of unconventional pizzas, like the Salami Kilpatrick (essentially a hoagie or grinder in pizza form, which was named by Metro Times as the best in the city) and the Sammy Samosa (which uses spiced red lentil, potatoes, peas, fried puff pastry dough, and a tamarind ketchup drizzle). Like most of Pie-Sci's offerings, their pizza can be ordered round or Detroit-style.
Then there's Grandma Bob's, which opened its doors in the spring. The Corktown pizzeria is the result of a partnership between restaurateur Dave Kwiatkoski and chef Matt Ziolkowski, who last ran Pepe Z's in El Club before parting ways in 2017. Though they specialize in kooky Neapolitan-style pie, including a Taco Pizza, Grandma Bob's has, on occasion, offered limited-edition Detroit-style pizza, according to their social media.
But the neighborhood's newest pizza pusher comes from a husband-and-wife duo whose Michigan & Trumbull pizzeria recently opened within the Fort Street Galley food hall earlier this summer. The food hall is but a temporary location for Kristen Calverley and Nathan Peck, both metro Detroit natives who first launched their Detroit-style concept under the same name in Pittsburgh in 2012.
"The response has been overwhelmingly positive in Pittsburgh, people are disappointed to see us go," Calverley says. "I think initially it was tough convincing people that the pizzas — particularly the signature caramelized cheese crust — was not 'burnt,' but eventually it caught on. I think it's helped a lot that Detroit-style pizza is everywhere now and extremely on trend."
Calverley, a Royal Oak native, and Peck, who hails from Southgate, both grew up eating Jet's, sheepishly admitting some shame in loving a chain restaurant, but holding it in high esteem due to sentimentality. They also enjoy a visit to Loui's, both for its atmosphere and commitment to the traditional Detroit style.
The choice to return home was not an easy one, and was sparked when the pair found themselves being sought out by a Detroit real estate developer looking to fill a vacant storefront in Corktown. She says the project "was not the right fit" but it got them thinking about bringing their Detroit-style pizza back to Detroit. It wasn't until they found the location at 1441 W. Elizabeth St. that they knew the time to strike was now — just as so many others have seemed inclined to do.
"I'm confident that our product is different enough that there's a market for it," Calverley says. "I think a lot of the Detroit-style 'institutions' are still not straying much from the traditional toppings and offerings, which absolutely has its place. But we're really trying to do something a little bit different. Of course, it's important to us that our pizza is still accessible, but we play with ingredients and flavor combinations we personally enjoy."
A point of pride for Calverley is in the Woodward White, a white pizza with mozzarella, baked ricotta, garlic oil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, while she says her husband enjoys the couple's Bagley Chorizo, which boasts housemade chorizo, cilantro ranch, and pickled red onions. Everything is made in-house, Calverley says, including the dough, sausage, pickled veggies, and sauces — adding that her husband prides himself on the choice to opt for a more simple red sauce that puts the tomato center stage rather than a complex, and aimless, spice-heavy base.
In recent months, local critics have suggested the Detroit restaurant boom is over, citing back-of-the-house burnout, inexperience, Darwinism, and the rapid increase of closures in both casual and fine-dining establishments, including the quick departure of two restaurants, Allenby and Pursue, both of which were located within the Fort Street Galley, where Michigan & Trumbull will operate out of until they open their Corktown location this fall.
So what does this mean for Detroit-style pizza in Detroit? By our prediction, not a damn thing. There are countless people working hard to take our local delicacy to the next level and to make even more to make it. Just as some prefer putting a Jet's pie down on the family dinner table on Friday nights versus artisanal slices as concocted by the area's latest pizza scientist, there is room in the Detroit market of Detroit-style pizza for everyone to have a favorite.
"I speak for Nate and I both, when I say that this has become a lifestyle for us, an obsession even," Calverley says. "We're constantly eating pizza and constantly trying to improve. We are so excited for the people of Detroit to try it, we've been working hard to make our hometown proud for the last two years."
Buddy's17125 Conant St., Detroit; 313-892-9001; buddyspizza.com (multiple locations)
Cloverleaf24443 Gratiot Ave., Eastpointe; 586-777-5391; cloverleaf-pizza.com (multiple locations)
Como's22812 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-677-4439; comosrestaurant.com
Detroit Style Pizza Co.28630 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; 586-445-2810; detroitstylepizza.co
Grandma Bob's2135 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-315-3177; grandmabobs.com
Jet'sjetspizza.com (multiple locations)
Loui's23141 Dequindre Rd., Hazel Park; 248-547-1711
Michigan & Trumbull160 W. Fort St., Detroit; 313-230-0855; fortstreetgalley.org
Niki's735 Beaubien St., Detroit; 313-961-4303; nikisdetroit.com
Pie-Sci Pizza5163 Trumbull Ave., Detroit; 313-818-0290; piescipizza.com
Shield's5057 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-262-6087; shieldspizza.com (multiple locations)
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The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris
The Squire's Tale is what I love to see out of kids' fantasy. It's charming, it's well-told, it's entertaining for a number of age groups, and even as it simplifies and plays with the mythology it uses, it remains lovingly respectful of the original texts.
I was actually surprised by how closely the novel sticks to the Arthurian legends. The Squire's Tale introduces the character of Terence, Sir Gawain's squire, and gives the magical end of things more of an Irish mythological slant, but beyond that scope it's clear that Morris has read Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and probably a lot of other material as well. This firm grounding in the tradition gives his work a feel of casual authenticity. Yet Morris is also careful never to... Read More
Gerald Morris(1963- )
Gerald Morris, a minister, lives in Wausau, Wisconsin, with his wife and their three children.
The Squire's Tale: Great Arthur retelling for kids
The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris
Knights' Tales — (2008) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Many years ago, the storytellers say, the great King Arthur held court with his gallant Knights of the Round Table. Poor Givret, who is easily the shortest man at court, bears the brunt of their jokes. But what he lacks in stature, Givret makes up for in brains — and before he knows it, his quick thinking has landed him a place at the famous Round Table! And so beginneth the exciting and funny adventures of Sir Givret the Short, Brilliant, and Marvelous.


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I'm going to do that thing Society says women shouldn't do: talk about my period. If this makes you squeamish then maybe don't read this one. If you're someone who struggles monthly, perhaps you'd like to read on.
Last night/yesterday, I slept for 16 hours. This is coming from someone who typically just can't ever sleep. I have extreme insomnia. But when my period comes along, it's almost like I have narcolepsy. I struggled hard to stay awake through work yesterday. When I came home, I fell into bed, still wearing work clothes, and I slept all the way through to the next day. Generally speaking, that kind of sleep is bliss; however, it's problematic to be a teacher and be too tired to think. And, that's not the only gift my period brings.
I've never officially been diagnosed with PMDD because not a single doctor will listen, not the psyc, not the gyno, not the primary. So, I just suffer through every month. This is where things get gross because I'm going to be explicitly honest. For me, each month I bleed so heavily and pass such horrible clots that I pretty much stay anemic. I have cramps so bad that my entire body hurts. I've found myself at work, on the floor, curled up, crying during my conference and lunch. My mood sinks so low that the self-injury increases and the suicidal thoughts become more realized. The bloating is horrendous. And the breast pain is agonizing. I just can't be touched. What I'm trying to say is I need an out of order sign at least once every month.
It's my understanding that this isn't just normal PMS/menstruation; however, as doctors often do, they diminish the pain and complaints of women. So I've never been taken seriously when I've brought these complaints to their attention. And this is a problem. It's a problem because it isn't just about periods. Women go in with heart attacks and get dismissed. Women go in with severe internal organ damage and get dismissed. Female pain isn't real pain. We are dismissed as being overly dramatic. But, come on, we live with our bodies every day. We know when something is wrong. We know when our pain is over the top. So, why do we get dismissed? Why does the medical community perpetuate the problem of not taking women seriously? And what can we do to fix the problem? Because it isn't okay.


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Two pieces of news broke last week, if the first turns out to be true, there will certainly be far ranging consequences. The second revelation was that of the truth being told, now we will await the far ranging consequences.
News last Wednesday regarding Apple's new proposed smart watch is a head scratcher. The headline was astonishing, "Apple to buy 30% of global gold production". We should look at this from several different angles because several things do not add up. If this article is true and Apple does plan to purchase 30% of global gold production, this is THE biggest game changer in the gold market since 1849!
One million watches per month using two gold ounces for each watch? It sounds like an aggressive goal but Apple does have an impressive track record with new products. The other side of the equation is the use of two ounces of gold for each watch, if true then the math becomes mind boggling and Apple will require 24 million ounces. This represents 30% of the 80 million ounces the world produces. My guess is you'd probably be looking at a price of close to $4,000 per watch, $2,500 for the gold content alone.
Can Apple really do this? Is it even true? The "math" may add up but something else really does not. First, there was absolutely zero reaction in the gold market. Can you imagine if some builder announced they were going to build 300,000 houses per year on top of what is already being built? What would the price of lumber, gypsum and other building products do? They would explode and there would be front running actions of hoarding product. Did we see anything at all like this on Thursday and Friday with gold? Not even a whiff!
Next, how exactly would Apple be able to procure this amount of gold? We are talking about 746 tons of it. Let's compare this to what the Germans told us one year ago. They were saying they couldn't get anymore than five tons from the Federal Reserve because of the "logistics" problems …just too much weight I guess? We of course now know this was false because Germany has received more than 10 times this amount and the Belgians 122 tons (which fits nicely into a Boeing 747 cargo plane).
The real question to the procurement question is this, in a market that only produces 80 million ounces per year while demand has been far in excess of 150 million ounces, where would another 24 million ounces fit in? If this Apple story is true and they really do want to market luxury I watches, they will have a serious production problem! Namely, I think they will have a very hard time putting a "shine" on shares of GLD or COMEX contracts. Steel cannot be delivered, construction cannot be completed nor can a vehicle run on derivatives contracts. Though these contracts are wonderful in "pricing" product (for a while), they cannot and will not create real supply. In fact, when they are used to suppress price, they inevitably will create excess demand and reduce available supply. The only thing I can say about this Apple news is if true, it will blow the physical gold market wide open and expose the reality of just how rare gold truly is.
The next bombshell came out on Friday. The Chinese ambassador to Belgium threw a card or two down on the table . Qu Xing apparently made clear what we were all thinking in the first place. He chided the U.S. for their actions within Ukraine. What he said was not really Earth shattering stuff, but, what he said was blunt and to the point which is highly unusual for diplomats who usually try to say very little while doing it "nicely". Mr. Xing stated the obvious when he brought up the fact that Ukraine borders Russia and of course Russia would have concerns both geographically and ethnically. This alone was a big step because China in fact has now publicly chosen a side albeit the obvious one.
The truly giant step and one I have waited for, for quite some time, was his warning if you will of U.S. external intervention. Even stronger and more shocking was his quote "The U.S. is unwilling to see its presence in any part of the world being weakened, but the fact its resources are limited, and it will be to some extent hard work to sustain its influence in external affairs". In case you need this broken down, China just said the U.S. is losing power and control all over the world. A starkly blunt statement from the very polite Chinese, a long time in coming but brutally true. Now, what if any response will come from the U.S.? Sad to say I have seen bar fights start over more gentle words than these.
Before finishing I want to add one other piece of news from Friday afternoon. Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was murdered in Moscow. Zerohedge reports and asks "who" did it? and speculates the Western press will again come down on Mr. Putin "like a ton of bricks". They also speculate there will surely be another round of sanctions against Russia. Several points here, if this was "official action" and sanctioned by Mr. Putin to silence Nemtsov, wouldn't it have been done in a manner other than a sloppy drive by shooting? If done by the KGB would there even been a body to be found? Also, with the previous news the Chinese have publicly declared sides, what good will sanctions be? Can't Russia in essence funnel finance via and be helped by China? Have they both signed long term trade, financial and energy deals only to see Russia hung out to dry by what obviously looks fishy (or false flaggy)?
The above was written Saturday, then HUGE news broke on Sunday.
Hypo Alpe-Adria bank the 6th largest bank in Austria looks to have a 9 billion euro smoking hole in its balance sheet. Austrian officials as recently as last week claimed there was no problem …they were either wrong or lied. The first thing you need to understand is Hypo was originally packaged with assets from "bad banks". The funding came from the wealthy province of Carenthina (10.7 billion euros) and Austria herself (1 billion euros). Until now, this bank was rated "AAA" because of the provincial and national backing. …So much for feeling safe in a AAA rated bank eh? Bail ins are now expected to follow. Notice I did not say "bailout"? Depositors accounts will now be targeted to re "fund" the bank.
What does this mean exactly? My take is there will now be depositors in other banks doing some "math" and making some withdrawals. Remember, interest rates are non existent and may very well be negative for depositors, why would anyone want any risk whatsoever if they are getting no return? The question will arise "what bank" is really safe if Hypo was rated AAA and supposedly backed provincially and federally? In my opinion, this could very well be a "rhyme" with CreditAnstalt which failed in 1931 and ushered in bank runs all over the world.
Is "this it"? Is this the trigger or the "big one"? We cannot know for sure yet but it would be foolish and very dangerous to bet it is not. This situation arose as a result of the Swiss actions, the bank had lent in terms of Swiss francs which became harder to pay off as the franc rose in value. People borrowed in francs because of the low yield and are now burned …as is this bank …and it was not the only one lending heavily in francs, others will surely surface shortly. As I have been pounding the table over the last few weeks, I believe we will see "gaps", market closures and re set action. Hypo could very well kick it all off as investors come to understand there are no more government or central bank "white horses" to ride in and save them. We live in a computerized world, what used to take days or even weeks …now only takes seconds.
One last tidbit, Singapore and China are racing against each other to create a cash gold market and to have their very own "fix" price. A new Asian fix will begin March 12, this will obviously strike at the hearts of both COMEX and LBMA, not to mention London itself which is where the "fix" price has been quoted from for over 100 years. Ask yourself "why" does China want a cash market and to set the fix each day? This is simple, China is THE largest producer of gold and they are also THE biggest consumer, if you own the car, why wouldn't you want to drive it? "Times they are a changing"!
We live in a world where truth is a scarce commodity, consequences are a different duck. Consequences are many and becoming more plentiful with each passing day. God forbid the potential consequences of this banking situation. The old saying goes "sometimes the truth hurts", I tend to disagree. It is not the truth that hurts …it is the consequences!


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Clean, well-built, and ethically sourced—what more could you want from a white sneaker? It may be winter on this side of the globe, but Veja came through with their Pack Man V10 Leather sneaker to challenge your rugged boots for their place in your daily get-up.
If you haven't run into Veja or their products before, the brand aims to be completely transparent in the production of their sneakers, ensuring that all materials used are procured ethically from a sustainable source. In this instance, they've placed the Pack Man V10 on a sole-unit crafted from wild Amazonian rubber, obtained using no industrial processes that can harm the rainforest or other environments. Additionally, the lining and insole are crafted from recycled organic cotton for a truly sustainable ride.
And if you were wondering about the leather itself, the upper is made from white low-chrome leather, which is sourced from cattle that haven't been reared in the Amazon—a practice that heavily contributes to deforestation.
Each pair is made in Brazil and available at Superdenim for £125.


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Payments are withdrawn from August to May. A family need not pay the entire balance due through the payment plan; the payment plan may be used in combination with other family resources or parent/student loans.
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Happy New Years Eve!! I hope you have some fun plans this evening to ring in 2011!
Classic photo of us.
Tonight, Mal and I are going out to dinner together and then celebrating the new year at a friend's house party, where I will not play flip cup with champagne.
This morning, Mal and I had our final training run with our TNT team. The majority of our team is running the Disney Marathon & Half Marathon next weekend, so Mal and I will do our last long run by ourselves next weekend.
Before meeting everyone, I fueled-up with peanut butter and banana on a toasted waffle.
We were completely out of bread-like foods (i.e. sliced bread, frozen waffles, English muffins, Sandwich Thins), so I added some Peanut Butter Puffins to breakfast.
After breakfast, Mal and I drove to South Boston to meet our team. Our coach explained the route and we headed right out.
We started today's run like many others: D Street to South Station to Boston Common.
But, instead of running by the Charles River, we continued on Beacon Street.
I love that many of the homes were still decorated for the holidays!
Around Mile 4, we reached Kenmore Square.
At Kenmore, the Disney folks turned around and headed back to the store, but Mal and I continued down Comm Ave. until we hit Pleasant Street.
At Pleasant Street, we turned around and ran back to the store. It was 5 miles each way.
- Mile 1: 9:14
- Mile 2: 9:19
- Mile 3: 9:08
- Mile 4: 9:17
- Mile 5: 9:38 <— Gu
- Mile 6: 9:28
- Mile 7: 9:13
- Mile 8: 9:19
- Mile 9: 8:44 <— Taylor Swift
- Mile 10: 9:08
Total: 1:32:33
Evan was totally right about Taylor Swift. (He tweeted me a bunch of song recommendations last night.) Taylor's music is awesome for running! I cruised on Mile 9 when her song came on my iPod! 😀
At home, I refueled with a big bowl of Greek yogurt with quiona and fresh raspberries mixed in. Greek yogurt + quiona = fantastic combo.
I also drank an iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts.
Happy New Year's Eve!!!


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1FromFacebook May 24, 2016, 10:46 p.m.
From Dan's Comp electives
- can do extended os instead. but at the same time, just do OS - like EOS is much more work
- One of the best course, must do however assignments are BALLS HARD
- i would consider this essential knowledge for any comp sci student. must have fundamentals of computing.


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The ultimate cufflinks for the broadcaster, singer, or entertainer. A pair of cufflinks in the style of a microphone. men who like the spotlight will wear these sterling silver cufflinks. these conversation starting microphone cufflinks would make a terrific gift for anyone who has the gift of gab!
$ 29.95
© 2020 Cufflinksman.com. All rights reserved.


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Lew served as executive vice president for operations at NYU from 2001 to 2006, during which time the school was investigated for making Citigroup a preferred lender in exchange for "sweeteners," cash and other incentives, according to the New York Attorney General's office at the time.
NYU settled the probe by returning $1.4 million to students and did not admit or deny guilt. Lew left NYU for a job at Citigroup.
The university made Lew a personal loan in excess of $1 million during his time there, the final status of which is unclear, prompting an inquiry from Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa).
"Please describe the terms of the loan including interest rate, minimum payment requirements, term, and the purpose of the loan," Grassley wrote.
"Please describe how the loan was repaid and whether any portion of it was forgiven. If the loan interest rate was below market, or if the loan was forgiven, did you report appropriate amounts as income to the IRS?"
Lew mostly sailed through his confirmation hearing last week as he fended off questions about nearly $1 million in compensation he received as a top Citigroup executive in 2008, when the bank took a taxpayer bailout during the financial crisis. But now Sen. Grassley is demanding Lew answer questions about the student loan program.
Citigroup, as one of NYU's "preferred lenders," could have led students to believe it offered the lowest rate – but it didn't, according to the attorney general's office.
The inquiry could force Lew to disclose the existence of any emails on the topic, which could provide material for any further inquiry.
NYU, in a 2007 letter around the time of the settlement, said it put monies received from Citigroup into a scholarship fund.
Lew, 57, earned more than $900,000 a year while at NYU – more than its president.
A person familiar with Lew's time at the university stated, "NYU provided housing assistance to Mr. Lew, as the university has done for other senior officials and faculty. NYU reported income related to the housing assistance on Mr. Lew's W-2 forms, and he paid all taxes that were due."
The attorney general heading the probe, Andrew Cuomo, now governor, went after schools for the practice, which he called an "unholy alliance" involving "deceptive practices" that may have violated consumer protection laws.
At Lew's Finance Committee confirmation hearing, Grassley raised another issue: asking Lew to explain investments from NYU's endowment in funds based in the Cayman Islands. Lew said he wasn't aware of whether his own investment in a Cayman-based partnership provided any tax benefit.
In Lew of the Allegations…
Jack Lew is the son of working class parents from Queens, New York. The Orthodox Jew has a reputation as a tough negotiator with a keen understanding of the details of the immense economic budget. That reputation is likely to be tested in the coming months, as Congress and the White House battle over the federal budget and a rapidly expanding debt.
As mentioned above and in lieu of the allegations, president Barack Obama is expected to name Lew to be his new secretary of Treasury. However, there's no telling where that nomination will go due to these recent allegations.
Still, the president plays a fair argument in his controversial nomination of Lew. Four years ago, when central bank official Timothy Geithner was sworn in as Treasury Secretary, unemployment was rising and the stock and housing markets were in danger of collapse.
Geithner helped both the Bush administration and Obama administrations use $700 billion dollars to prop up tottering financial firms in a bid to reassure investors, businesses and consumers.
Despite much criticism, economist Desmond Lachman of the American Enterprise Institute says the program worked.
"The country was facing a huge crisis, many people thought we could quite easily tip into a depression, he managed to stabilize that situation," Lachman said.
But Lachman and other critics say Geithner did too little to improve the day-to-day growth of the economy.
"He favored Wall Street on far too many occasions at the expense of Main Street," Lachman said.
The coming two months will be a test for Lew, as the battle over the budget deficit heats up in Congress.