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Insider Threats
Seeing threats, feds target instructors of polygraph-beating methods
Federal agents have launched a criminal investigation of instructors who claim they can teach job applicants how to pass lie detector tests as part of the Obama administration's unprecedented crackdown on security violators and leakers.
The criminal inquiry, which hasn't been acknowledged publicly, is aimed at discouraging criminals and spies from infiltrating the U.S. government by using the polygraph-beating techniques, which are said to include controlled breathing, muscle tensing, tongue biting and mental arithmetic.
So far, authorities have targeted at least two instructors, one of whom has pleaded guilty to federal charges, several people familiar with the investigation told McClatchy. Investigators confiscated business records from the two men, which included the names of as many as 5,000 people who'd sought polygraph-beating advice. U.S. agencies have determined that at least 20 of them applied for government and federal contracting jobs, and at least half of that group was hired, including by the National Security Agency.
By attempting to prosecute the instructors, federal officials are adopting a controversial legal stance that sharing such information should be treated as a crime and isn't protected under the First Amendment in some circumstances.
"Nothing like this has been done before," John Schwartz, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official, said of the legal approach in a June speech to a professional polygraphers' conference in Charlotte, N.C., that a McClatchy reporter attended. "Most certainly our nation's security will be enhanced."
"There are a lot of bad people out there. . . . This will help us remove some of those pests from society," he added.
The undercover stings are being cited as the latest examples of the Obama administration's emphasis on rooting out "insider threats," a catchall phrase meant to describe employees who might become spies, leak to the news media, commit crimes or become corrupted in some way.
The federal government previously treated such instructors only as nuisances, partly because the polygraph-beating techniques are unproven. Instructors have openly advertised and discussed their techniques online, in books and on national television. As many as 30 people or businesses across the country claim in Web advertisements that they can teach someone how to beat a polygraph test, according to U.S. government estimates.
In the last year, authorities have launched stings targeting Doug Williams, a former Oklahoma City police polygrapher, and Chad Dixon, an Indiana man who's said to have been inspired by Williams' book on the techniques, people who are familiar with the investigation told McClatchy. Dixon has pleaded guilty to federal charges of obstructing an agency proceeding and wire fraud. Prosecutors have indicated that they plan to ask a federal judge to sentence Dixon to two years in prison. Williams declined to comment other than to say he's done nothing wrong.
While legal experts agree that authorities could pursue the prosecution, some accused the government of overreaching in the name of national security.
The federal government polygraphs about 70,000 people a year for security clearances and jobs, but most courts won't allow polygraph results to be submitted as evidence, citing the machines' unreliability. Scientists question whether polygraphers can identify liars by interpreting measurements of blood pressure, sweat activity and respiration. Researchers say the polygraph-beating techniques can't be detected with certainty, either.
Citing the scientific skepticism, one attorney compared the prosecution of polygraph instructors to indicting someone for practicing voodoo.
"If someone stabs a voodoo doll in the heart with a pin and the victim they intended to kill drops dead of a heart attack, are they guilty of murder?" asked Gene Iredale, a California attorney who often represents federal defendants. "What if the person who dropped dead believed in voodoo?
"These are the types of questions that are generally debated in law school, not inside a courtroom. The real question should be: Does the federal government want to use its resources to pursue this kind of case? I would argue it does not."
In his speech in June, Customs official Schwartz acknowledged that teaching the techniques _ known in polygraph circles as "countermeasures" _ isn't always illegal and might be protected under the First Amendment in some situations.
"I'm teaching about countermeasures right now. The polygraph schools are supposed to be teaching about countermeasures," he said. "So teaching about countermeasures in and of itself certainly is not only not illegal, it's protected. You have a right to free speech in this country."
But instructors may be prosecuted if they know that the people they're teaching plan to lie about crimes during federal polygraphs, he said.
In that scenario, prosecutors may pursue charges of false statements, wire fraud, obstructing an agency proceeding and "misprision of felony," which is defined as having knowledge of serious criminal conduct and attempting to conceal it.
"When that conspiracy occurs, both parties are guilty," said Schwartz, a veteran federal polygrapher who heads Customs' polygraph program. "And it makes more sense to me to try to investigate the party that's doing the training because when you do that, you eliminate dozens or hundreds or thousands of people . . . from getting that training."
Schwartz, who was involved in the federal investigation, cited the risk of drug traffickers infiltrating his agency as justification for prosecutors going after instructors. However, he told the crowd of law enforcement officials from across the country that he wasn't discussing a specific case but a "blueprint" of how state and local officials might pursue a prosecution.
Urging them to join forces with his agency, he declared in a more than two-hour speech that "evil will always seek ways to hide the truth."
"When you identify insider threats and you eliminate insider threats, then that agency is more efficient and more effective," Schwartz said.
The Obama administration's Insider Threat Program is intended to deter what the government condemns as betrayals by "trusted insiders" such as Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who revealed the agency's secret communications data-collection programs. The administration launched the Insider Threat Program in 2011 after Army Pfc. Bradley Manning downloaded hundreds of thousands of documents from a classified computer network and sent them to WikiLeaks, the anti-government secrecy group.
As part of the program, employees are being urged to report their co-workers for a wide range of "risky" behaviors, personality traits and attitudes, McClatchy reported in June. Broad definitions of insider threats also give agencies latitude to pursue and penalize a range of conduct other than leaking classified information, McClatchy found.
Customs, which polygraphs about 10,000 applicants a year, has documented more than 200 polygraph confessions of wrongdoing since Congress mandated that the agency's applicants undergo testing more than two years ago. Many of the applicants who confessed said they either were directly involved in drug or immigrant smuggling or were closely associated with traffickers.
Ten Customs applicants were accused of trying to use countermeasures to pass their polygraphs. All were denied jobs as part of Customs' crackdown on the methods, dubbed "Operation Lie Busters."
"Others involved in the conspiracy were successful infiltrators in other agencies," Customs said in a memo about the investigation.
Documents in Dixon's case are filed under seal in federal court, and prosecutors didn't return calls seeking comment.
Several people familiar with the investigation said Dixon and Williams had agreed to meet with undercover agents and teach them how to pass polygraph tests for a fee. The agents then posed as people connected to a drug trafficker and as a correctional officer who'd smuggled drugs into a jail and had received a sexual favor from an underage girl.
Dixon wouldn't say how much he was paid, but people familiar with countermeasures training said others generally charged $1,000 for a one-on-one session.
Dixon, 34, also declined to provide specifics on his guilty plea but he said he'd become an instructor because he couldn't find work as an electrical contractor. During the investigation, his house went into foreclosure.
"My wife and I are terrified," he said. "I stumbled into this. I'm a Little League coach in Indiana. I don't have any law enforcement background."
Prosecutors plan to ask for prison time even though Dixon has agreed to cooperate, has no criminal record and has four young children. The maximum sentence for the two charges is 25 years in prison.
"The emotional and financial burden has been staggering," Dixon said. "Never in my wildest dreams did I somehow imagine I was committing a crime."
Williams, 67, has openly advertised his teachings for three decades, even discussing them in detail on "60 Minutes" and other national news programs. A self-professed "crusader" who's railed against the use of polygraph testing, he testified in congressional hearings that led to the 1988 banning of polygraph testing by most private employers.
Some opponents of polygraph testing, including a Wisconsin police chief, said they were concerned that the federal government also might be secretly investigating them, not for helping criminals to lie but for being critical of the government's polygraph programs. In his speech to the American Association of Police Polygraphists, Schwartz said he thought that those who "protest the loudest and the longest" against polygraph testing "are the ones that I believe we need to focus our attention on."
McClatchy contacted Schwartz about his speech, but he refused to comment.
Some federal officials questioned whether people who taught countermeasures should be prosecuted.
Although polygraphers, who are known as examiners, are trained to identify people who are using the techniques with special equipment, "there's absolutely nothing that's codified about countermeasures," said one federal security official with polygraph expertise, who asked not to be named for fear of being retaliated against. "It's the most ambiguous thing that people can debate. If you have a guy who's nervous about his test, the easiest way out of it for the examiner is to say it's countermeasures, when it's not."
The security official described Williams as a "gadfly" who's known for teaching ineffective methods. Polygraphers assert that one of Williams' signature techniques produces erratic respiration patterns on a polygraph test. Demonstrating their disdain for his methods, many polygraphers call the pattern the "Bart Simpson."
"Prosecutors are trying to make an example of him," the official said. "It serves to elevate polygraph to something it hasn't been before, that teaching countermeasures is akin to teaching bomb making, and that there's something inherently disloyal about disseminating this type of information."
Federal authorities, meanwhile, have concluded that some of the applicants who sought advice on countermeasures and were hired didn't use the training after all. The list of people who sought out Dixon and Williams mostly comprises people who bought books or videos but didn't hire the men for one-on-one training.
Charles Honts, a psychology professor at Boise State University, said laboratory studies he'd conducted showed that countermeasures could be taught in one-on-one sessions to about 25 percent of the people who were tested. Polygraphers have no reliable way to detect someone who's using the techniques, he said. In fact, he concluded that a significant number of people are wrongfully accused.
Honts, a former government polygraph researcher, attributed the criminal investigation to "a growing institutional paranoia in the federal government because they can't control all their secrets."
Russell Ehlers, a police chief in Wisconsin, said he wouldn't be surprised if federal authorities had scrutinized him. Schwartz cited an unnamed police chief in the Midwest who was "advertising on the Internet that he would like to teach people to pass the polygraph" as an example of someone who should be investigated. In the last several months, Ehlers said, he's noticed what appears to be Internet visitors from the Justice Department checking out his website that advises applicants on how to get a job at a police department.
In his off-duty hours, Ehlers sold a video that discussed countermeasures, but he said he'd recently stopped selling it as a precaution after hearing about the criminal investigation. He said he'd intended it to help "good" police officer candidates pass the test because he thought that innocent people were routinely accused of lying during polygraph tests.
"Imagine you're a 25-year-old who has dreamed of serving in the field of law enforcement," he said. "You finally make it, only to find yourself booted out of the hiring process, the result of a false-positive exam result. In my opinion, that's a real problem, not the sharing of information on countermeasures."
George Maschke, a former Army Reserve intelligence officer who's a translator and runs a website that's critical of polygraph testing, said he also suspected he'd been targeted although he'd done nothing illegal.
In May, the translator received an unsolicited email in Persian from someone purporting to be "a member of an Islamic group that seeks to restore freedom to Iraq."
"Because the federal police are suspicious of me, they want to do a lie detector test on me," the email read.
The emailer asked for a copy of Maschke's book, which describes countermeasures, and for Maschke to help "in any other way."
Maschke said he suspected the email was a ruse by federal agents. He advised the person "to comply with applicable laws," according to an email he showed McClatchy.
Although federal authorities haven't contacted him, Maschke said he worried that visitors to his site, AntiPolygraph.org, would be targeted simply for looking for information about polygraph testing.
"The criminalization of the imparting of information sets a pernicious precedent," he said. "It is fundamentally wrong, and bad public policy, for the government to resort to entrapment to silence speech that it does not approve of."
Tish Wells contributed to this article.


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Not sure if you're calling this thread irrelevant or not but in my defense I figured having a daily countdown till training camp is relevant.
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Not sure if you're calling this thread irrelevant or not but in my defense I figured having a daily countdown till training camp is relevant.
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I do agree that theres been a little too much merging and over moderating but thats just my opinion and its nothing against the mods, i love all them. We got the best mods we ever had on here and thats 100% undeniable fact.
Happy Kurt Thomas Appreciation Day! Let's wish Kurt a great season!
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David Lee Melo and Tyson, that's insane.
Who do you go with, Lee Melo Tyson or Amar'e Melo Tyson, I go with Lee because he fits the spot better even if he isn't necessarily a better overall player.
Also is it basketball season yet??? dying to watch a game.
IMO its tough to keep KOL busy during the offseason. Therefore, the more threads the better.
Real Talk
Happy Patrick Ewing Appreciation day. There is 33 days left until training camp!!!!
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Come ooooooooooooooonnnnnnnn......
Here's another insider article from some dickhead at BSPN on our chances at beating Miami
Editor's note: This is the third installment of a 12-part series this summer that will profile six Eastern Conference teams and six Western Conference teams that could knock off the Miami Heat. Today we profile the New York Knicks.
The Knicks had a typically bizarre season last year, a description that would seem oxymoronic if it were applied to any team not owned by James L. Dolan. It began with an 8-15 start under Mike D'Antoni when Carmelo Anthony was running a point-guard-oriented scheme that lacked a point guard, and Anthony's ill fit with Amare Stoudemire looked like it was going to lead to a franchise implosion.
Then Linsanity was born, leading to an outburst of hyperbole notable even by New York standards, though at least in this instance the excitement was justified by the results. The Knicks won seven straight, the last five with Anthony out of the lineup, and the team's luster was restored. Then New York lapsed into a six-game skid as Anthony gradually usurped Lin's newly won role as the focal point of the offense. After the sixth loss in that stretch, D'Antoni and the team parted ways.
Enter Mike Woodson and suddenly New York started to play a little defense, capitalizing on the key offseason acquisition of Tyson Chandler. Anthony won the offensive power struggle, and the Knicks finished the season on an 18-6 run. Though Lin wasn't around for the last 17 of those games because of a knee injury, New York entered the postseason on an upswing. Still, no one was really sure which version of the Knicks was best situated for a playoff run.
In the playoffs, the Knicks ran up against the Heat, and with Lin still out of the lineup, it was really no contest. Miami won the first three games by an average of 20 points and took the series in five games, the first step in the first championship run for the Heat's current big three. Counting the regular season, Miami wiped the floor with the Knicks in seven of eight meetings.
In the regular season, Miami outscored New York by 12.6 points per 100 possessions, more than five points worse than the Knicks did against any other conference opponent. Then, when it counted most -- in the postseason -- that figure swelled to 15.1 points. Indeed, the Knicks have a lot of ground to make up when it comes to challenging the league's elite.
The Knicks were busy in the offseason, spending big to add veteran pieces to the Anthony-Stoudemire tandem, which, we ought to point out, still might not be a workable duo. At the same time, the Knicks turned suddenly frugal by deciding against matching the offer sheet Jeremy Lin signed with Houston. What's left is a roster with a solid projection, still miles short of Miami, with little upside to close the gap.
The newcomers include Kurt Thomas, Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby who, unless somebody like Kevin Willis or Bob Cousy comes out of retirement, will rank second, third and fourth on the league's list of oldest players this season. As a group, the Knicks' roster projects to be the league's third oldest and fifth most expensive, qualities that are usually affixed to squads that have actually won something in the past.
Raymond Felton returns to New York after a poor season in Portland, hoping to man the point guard position with the same aplomb he showed when running D'Antoni's offense prior to the megadeal that landed Anthony in the Big Apple. If it doesn't work out, Felton's presence will be a constant reminder of Lin's absence. Assuming, of course, that Lin pans out in Houston.
New York did pull off some nice ancillary moves. Premium defender Ronnie Brewer was plucked from the bargain bin after being let go by the cost-cutting Bulls. Streak shooter J.R. Smith was retained on one of the offseason's best value deals. Steve Novak was brought back as a floor stretcher, though his four-year, $15 millon contract might have been a bit steep given that his effectiveness last season was directly tied to Lin. In the 270 minutes with Lin and Novak on the floor together, the Knicks outscored opponents by a whopping 19.2 points per 100 possessions. In the 751 minutes with Novak on the floor without Lin, the Knicks were outscored.
Key personnel
The addition of Camby may have the biggest effect on the Knicks' quest to catch Miami. Both Camby and Chandler have some injury history, and, as mentioned, Camby is one of the league's oldest players. In that regard, you can look at the latter's return to New York as more of an insurance policy than anything. However, if they can both remain healthy and productive for most of the season, the Knicks will have a legitimate basket-protector and dominant rebounder on the floor at all times. This was part of the dynamic that the Dallas Mavericks rode to their win over Miami in the 2011 Finals, when Chandler teamed with Brendan Haywood in the middle for Dallas.
During the playoff matchup between New York and Miami, the Heat were 10.3 points per 100 possessions better with Chandler on the bench, and that accounts for about 30 percent of the minutes played in the series. If Camby can help hold down the fort defensively when Chandler rests or sits with foul trouble, suddenly those matchups start looking a lot closer.
Telling stat: 18-6
A 24-game sample size isn't meaningless in the NBA, though, of course, you'd like a larger pool of data from which to draw conclusions. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that the Knicks' 18-6 record was the second-best mark in the league to finish the season. Only the San Antonio Spurs posted a better margin of victory during that stretch, and only three teams were better on the defensive end. Yet just when you got excited about that flash of elite play, the Heat dispatched New York in the playoffs with breathless ease.
Still, Knicks fans can take solace that amid the turmoil of the 2011-12 season, the team was quite a bit better than its 36-30 record indicated. The point differential was that of a 41-25 team, a percentage that would have gotten the Knicks a 4-seed and a real shot at No. 3. It's the percentage of a 51-win team over a normal season, which would have been New York's most wins in 15 years. So the starting point for this year's team is a little further along than it might seem if you just look at last season's standings.
What needs to go right?
We've been highly critical of the Knicks, and our caterwauling about the way Dolan's franchise is operated continued as the team got older and more expensive over the summer. The primary complaint is that so many resources have been expended to build a team that on paper is still a good 10-12 wins worse than the Heat. Sure, it might put New York in contention for as high as a No. 2 seed, but there is no upside to the roster with Lin gone and few avenues to get better any time over the next three seasons.
As far as beating Miami, by temporarily joining the second tier of Eastern teams behind the Heat, the Knicks are as well poised as anyone to take advantage of a catastrophic injury to LeBron James. Save that, there is really isn't much hope of New York besting Miami over a long series. The gap is just too big. Having full-time rim protection might shave a point or two from last season's 15.1-point chasm between the teams, but it's not going to cause James & Co. to break a sweat.
Bradford Doolittle is an author for Basketball Prospectus. Follow him on Twitter at @bbdoolittle.
I hate to sound like I'm making excuses for the team, but those are the facts. Maybe its my love for the Knicks telling me this, but that series would have been wayyy closer if not for the injuries. And with the additions we acquired this season, all bets are off.
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Justin Timberlake is beyond good manners. At club Avenue the other night, a gorgeous girl told us: "Justin Timberlake was so rude to me. I was waiting in line for 20 minutes, and of course, he was ushered right in." When the tipster jokingly teased him by saying, "Hey, you can't skip the line," Timberlake turned to her and earnestly said, "Oh, I absolutely can." Later the gal asked for a photo and the superstar responded, "I would, but I'm way too drunk." Timberlake's spokeswoman had no comment.


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By: Kara Duffy
January 6, 2014
Donalsonville, GA- Doctor Louise Ingram Royal has been a teacher at Seminole County Elementary School in Donalsonville for 23 years.
"It started off like a normal day," Royal said. "I was excited about getting to school and I went in kind of early that morning."
Royal soon realized that day would be anything but normal.
"She just kicked me, repeatedly; I do remember that part and she drug me by the hair of my head across the hall," Royal said.
On the morning of May 7th 2013, Neotha Fedd, a parent of one of the students, came to the school to speak to a different teacher, but when Royal approached Fedd to ask her to wait in the office, she attacked.
"She alleged that Ms. Royal had mistreated her son years ago and then was going to take it out on Ms. Royal that day," said Joe Mulholland, the South Georgia District Attorney who represented Royal.
Fedd was seen on camera at the school beating, kicking and hitting Royal with a custodial broom for several minutes before help finally arrived.
"There was a lot of brain damage that is irreversible," Royal said.
Royal also says she can no longer see in her right eye and suffered injuries to her jaw and arm.
In December 2013, a jury found Fedd guilty of several charges, including aggravated assault, aggravated battery, terroristic threats and disturbing a school.
On Monday afternoon, a judge sentenced Fedd to 35 years in jail and she must serve at least 20.
Royal has not returned to the classroom since the attack.
"I have been told I will never be able to teach again, but I'm alive and I'll fight it until the day I die because it is my life and I cant imagine living without educating children," she said.
Royal also says she hopes this incident will raise awareness about the importance of security in the school system.
By: Kara Duffy
May 7, 2013
Donalsonville, Ga. -- A teacher was taken to the emergency room after police say she was badly beaten by a parent.
According to Chief Investigator Greg Long with the Donalsonville Police Department, 49-year-old Neotha Fedd was arrested Tuesday morning.
Long says Fedd entered Seminole County Elementary School shortly before 8:00 a.m. and when the teacher told her that she needed to obtain a visitor's pass, Fedd attacked her.
Investigator Long says during the attack Fedd grabbed a custodial broom and began to hit the teacher with it. He says she then dragged the teacher down the hall by her hair.
The teacher was taken to Donalsonville Hospital for treatment but has since been released.
Fedd has been charged with aggravated assault, battery, cruelty to children, obstruction of an officer, disruption of a school and giving false information to law enforcement.
Investigator Long said that as a precautionary measure, the school was placed on a lockdown, but that no one else was injured during the attack.


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ThinkJump Journal
The blog of Kim Gentes. A place where you will find articles on worship, family, technology, church, music, and art. We promise nothing. But try to never deliver.
kinda cool!
Our very own ThinkJump Journal was just named the "Best of the Best" in online blogs from Worship Leader Magazine. Got our little patch of niceness from the good folks at WL Mag sitting right here.
Of course, check out the site yourself and find something useful before giving us your approval. But if you dig anything your find around here, be sure to leave a comment (good or negative!). It's your feedback and comments that make our site rich!
Entries in Kim Gentes (14)
Mentoring Worship Leaders (ThinkJump Journal #105 with Kim Gentes)
Friends. For the last 25 years, I've been involved in worship and music in the local church. For almost that same amount of time, I have been involved in finding, encouraging and mentoring others in various aspects of leadership, from teams to small groups to Sunday morning worship. I've had the benefit of some great mentors in my life, and I knew intuitively that if I was to be a servant (as Christ calls us to be) in ministry that I was also tasked with helping others along the journey, just as I was helped.
Over the last 20 years I've had the opportunity to train dozens of people in various aspects of music, worship and leadership. Guitar classes, small group leading, one-on-one mentoring and co-leading in various situations. Through doing this, I learned there were things that worked well, and other things that didn't. I have been wanting to share what I learned in a way that would help others.
Last year, a friend of mine, Tom Kraeuter (author of 20+ books on worship) asked me if I would contribute to a book he was writing on mentoring worship leaders. Tom knew that for a book to be a true resource across churches and denominations it needed to have a broad perspective. He asked 10 worship leaders, mentors and teachers to contribute their best thoughts and ideas to a comprehensive book that would help other leaders have some helpful guides as they begin mentoring or the process of being mentored in their local churches and ministries.
The result of this collaboration is "Mentoring Worship Leaders", the book cover you see to the left here. I am not only pleased with the book as a whole but have added more great insights to my own tool chest by reading the contributions of others such as Monte Kelso, Kent Henry, Karen Lafferty, and others. There are very few books that even attempt to cover the topic of worship leadership mentoring, and even fewer that provide more than just a single perspective. If you are considering mentoring others or are looking for mentoring guidance yourself, I honestly believe the book can open up some insights and possibilities to you in doing this. Watch the video below to get a brief overview of the book from Tom.
If you are a worship leader mentoring others, or a person looking for tools for your own mentoring journey, I highly recommend this book, not just because I contributed to it, but because it is an excellent resource. You can order the book below. I pray it is a blessing to you.
Mentoring Worship Leaders... Training the Next Generation
Tom Kraeuter, Kim Gentes, Kent Henry, Karen Lafferty and others
Cost: $14 (free shipping - to US only)
Buy Multiple Copies?: Use button below(free shipping - to US only)


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MILPITAS, Calif., August 6, 2015 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), a global leader in flash storage solutions, today announced that Judy Bruner, executive vice president, administration and chief financial officer, will address the investment community attending the 17th Annual Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum on Monday, August 10th at 3:00 p.m. MDT.
The session will be webcast and can be accessed live from the SanDisk Investor Relations website at www.sandisk.com/IR. A replay of the webcast will also be available.
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, is a global leader in flash storage solutions. For more than 27 years, SanDisk has expanded the possibilities of storage, providing trusted and innovative products that have transformed the electronics industry. Today, SanDisk's quality, state-of-the-art solutions are at the heart of many of the world's largest data centers, and embedded in advanced smart phones, tablets and PCs. SanDisk's consumer products are available at hundreds of thousands of retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit www.sandisk.com.
Investor Contacts:
Jay Iyer, 408-801-2067
Brendan Lahiff, 408-801-1732
Media Contact:
Michael Diamond, 408-801-1108
© 2015 SanDisk Corporation. All rights reserved. SanDisk and the SanDisk logo are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).


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I would like to thank The Lancaster News for providing the coming events section free of charge to the public. I belong to some organizations that depend on the large portion of their publicity for meetings, performances, luncheons etc.
Such publicity is invaluable to these organizations' success. And, anyone outside of Lancaster can read about all the exciting things that make Lancaster a great place to live.
Pat Clancy
J.R. Wilt's guest column of Oct. 17 (How incorporation will help Van Wyck) is highly illuminating, but not in a way he intends. It shows exactly what incorporating Van Wyck would not do. Primarily, it wouldn't save the residents from any of the ills he outlines.
Please understand that I am not a fan of unrestrained development. Development should always be fashioned in an intelligent, planned way. I also have concerns that Lancaster County isn't always willing to do this, especially along U.S. 521.
Whatever happened to living the way God intended us to?
Our government used to stand by "thus sayeth God." Our country was founded on the greatest book that's ever been written.
But now, our children are living in fear every day in our schools. Prayer in school is now like a disease or plague. If you pray, you're bashed for it.
In our government, court systems, city hall, we can't pray to the only true and living God.
He created this world and everything in it. God is the giver of life and the taker of life.
I have lived on Locustwood Avenue more than 21 years.
Living beside the school (Erwin Elementary), I understand that you must pick up your children. This year, however, has been the worst ever. I don't understand why some people think it is OK to block my driveway and Pink Dogwood Avenue. It is really sad when a few people think the rules don't apply to them.
Yeah, I'm talking about you, lady in the blue SUV and the family in the little black car that was blocking Pink Dogwood and would not move.
This letter is in response to "System failing to keep us safe" by Ramond Johnson of Indian Land in the Nov. 19 edition of The Lancaster News.
I agree with everything Mr. Johnson said in his letter to the editor regarding the "Man wanted for attempted murder" in the Nov. 12 edition of The Lancaster News.
But I have another question: Why has a person been arrested and pleaded guilty 10 times, but hasn't been found and arrested for attempted murder?
There are many who are disabled and have to use scooter chairs. I am one myself.
I appreciate the chairs being provided for our use in Walmart. There is no possible way I can walk from one side of the store to the other.
The problem I see is those who do not plug them back in when they are finished using them.
Many times I have plugged them back in after someone parked them and walked out the door. My husband has driven them in from the parking lot numerous times.
Please be considerate and plug them back in for the next person to use.
I, Lancaster City Councilman Gonzie Mackey, would like to thank everyone for the support, trust and confidence to allow me to serve you for another term in office representing District 2, but truthfully representing the entire city as a whole.
I really take my position as a city councilman very seriously. Like I stated in my first debate, I may not know everyone personally or treat everyone the same, but my promise to you was that I will treat everyone fairly. Your concerns and complaints are mine.
Thanksgiving is when, as a nation, we give thanks for the important blessings in our lives.
For many, that likely includes family, good health, a decent job and the like. And we should be thankful if we enjoy any or all of those things.
For some in our society, however, working hard doesn't always produce enough income to make ends meet.
Many rural and small town Americans depend on something that the rest of us don't likely think about that often, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), to help get through some of the tough times.
Now that the election is over and all the votes have been counted, I want to say a very special thank you to all of you who voted for me in the Cane Creek Watershed Board race. The promise that I make to you is that I will never disappoint you. In fact, you may be pleasantly surprised at how hard I will work for you.
I am looking forward to working with Ann, Amanda and Tony Sistare and all other directors to make this the best watershed possible.
The men and women who have served and fought for our great country's freedom are America's true heroes. Many have lost their lives for our freedom.
May God grant you the peace you deserve and may you get the reward you truly deserve. No country can come close to America, and you made it all possible. America must never fall. We back down from no one.
For all the men and women who have fought and served our great country; for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice; we thank you.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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The Island President
USA, 2011, 101 min., English, Director: Jon Shenk
Introduced by Erik Assadourian, Transforming Cultures Project Director, Worldwatch Institute.
Filmed at the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, the documentary follows former President Mohamed Nasheed on his quest to lobby for higher climate regulations for developed nations and newly industrializing countries. The Maldives, the lowest-lying country in the world, are endangered like no other country by the melting ice at the poles and the resulting rise of the sea levels.
The Island President won the Cadillac People's Choice Documentary Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, and the Sustainability Award of the Sundance Institute in the feature category.
Jon Shenk has produced a number of documentaries for, among others, PBS, the BBC, A&E, and National Geographic Television, and has been nominated twice for an Emmy for his cinematography.
For more, click here.


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When someone sends you an SMS or MMS message on your iPhone, it appears as a green bubble—iMessages appear as blue bubbles. When you set up Text Message Forwarding, you can send and receive the SMS and MMS messages from your iPhone on any Mac, iPad, or iPod touch that meets the Continuity system requirements.
Set up text message forwarding
- On all your iOS devices, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. On your Mac, open Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Make sure that you're signed in to iMessage with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.*
- Choose which devices can send and receive text messages from your iPhone. If you're not using two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, a verification code appears on each of your other devices: enter that code on your iPhone.
As long as your iPhone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, new SMS/MMS texts can be sent and received on the devices that you added.
iCloud now keeps your entire messages history updated and available on all your devices—even when you set up a new device. Learn how to keep all your messages in iCloud.
Don't see the Text Message Forwarding setting on your iPhone? Go to Settings > Messages, turn off iMessage, turn it back on, tap Send & Receive, tap Use Your Apple ID for iMessage, then sign in with the same Apple ID used on your other devices.
Forward older text messages
- Touch and hold the message bubble that you want to forward, then tap More.
- Select any other text messages that you want to forward.
- Tap the Forward button and enter a recipient.
- Tap the Send button .
Learn more
- Learn about Messages.
- To forward an SMS/MMS from your iPhone, you need a text-messaging plan. Contact your wireless carrier for more information.
- Learn about more Continuity features for your Apple devices.


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Windows Vista: How to upload a website
This guide briefly describes what an FTP client is and how to use Windows Vista Network Places to upload your website to your hosting account. You may download a PDF version to your computer or view the guide below.
Note: The PDF format guide requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader at Adobe's website.
Using Windows Vista to Upload Your Site.


text: It's time to take back the piste for 2019/2020. Too long a wasteland of the benign and the commercial. Too long a soft middle ground for the easy and the uninspired. For us the piste is a place of wild on-rails skiing, the pulse of rapid acceleration, the thrill of cold air coursing through your hair as you release the animal within.


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For a better experience, switch to Desktop Version
The end of art
HSC year: 2007, ARTEXPRESS year: 2008
Expressive form: Film/video
Exploring the impact of postmodernism on art, and inspired by the theories of art critic Donald Kuspit, The end of art is an examination of the concept that art has indeed come to an end. As much about the history and nature of art, The end of art is also a representation of the postmodern world we inhabit and a subsequent questioning of it. Has art been replaced by 'postart', a term invented by Alan Kaprow, a new visual category that elevates the 'banal over the enigmatic, the scatological over the sacred, cleverness over creativity'? And what comes next? Where will art stand after postmodernism?
Or view all 62 works.


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The Europa Nostra Annual Congress will take place from 10-12 June in Istanbul, one of three 2010 European Capitals of Culture. It will offer participants a programme of exciting events taking place in world-renowned heritage venues within the historic Süleymaniye Quarter of the city.
Planned meetings include the Europa Nostra Forum on the topical theme of "Multiple Identities, a Common Heritage", organised with the kind cooperation of the Mimar Sinan University, in the impressive setting of the Cultural Center Tophane, a true architectural landmark of historic Istanbul, built by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. These events will be complimented by a variety of congress tours, receptions and dinners to ensure that participants experience Turkey's cultural heritage to the fullest.
The Congress should in particular provide a platform for meeting representatives of a growing civil society movement committed to cultural heritage in Turkey, and for connecting those organisations with the wider European heritage movement. We also hope that the Congress will lead to the launch of Europa Nostra's country representation in Turkey, the aim of which will be to act as an efficient liaison and coordinating body between Europa Nostra and heritage NGOs in Turkey.
To participate, please complete the registration form and send it before 15 April 2010, either by e-mail (firstname.lastname@example.com), fax (+31-70-3617865), or post to Mrs Barbara Zander, Europa Nostra International Secretariat, Lange Voorhout 35, NL-2514 EC The Hague, The Netherlands.


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HR operates nine unique restaurant concepts in Northeast Ohio. Our award-winning restaurants are known for enthusiastic, energetic, hardworking professionals dedicated to the simple goal of delivering warm, genuine hospitality each day.
We strive to bring innovative and exciting new ideas to each property daily. Although we always think big, we never forget our small business roots. Everything we do is geared to achieve your ultimate satisfaction.
We cordially invite you to be our guest.
Come on in...


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This is from News Talk 77 WABC New York.
I am shocked as Maine is a blue state.
I should have known the State Senator would be a Republican.
As no DemocRat would make such a proposal.
(WASHINGTON) — In the midst of the gun debate, a state senator from Maine proposed a bill that would allow teachers and other school employees to carry concealed weapons on the job.
The bill proposed by Sen. David Burns, R-Washington County, a few weeks ago follows the shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 children and six adults were slain.
Burns' bill would allow educators and school employees to carry a concealed weapon while in school under the stipulation that they undergo a psychological exam, take a firearms training course and receive certification to carry the weapon.
"My bill would have the option of either putting together a training curriculum through the [Maine] Criminal Justice Academy or it would be put together by private vendors trained in firearms," he told ABC News. Police officers in Maine's cities are trained at the academy.
When asked where the licensed gun holders would actually keep the guns during school hours, Burns told ABC News that trained staff members would keep the weapon on them, saying, "That is the value of this bill."
Burns says that the idea of carrying a concealed weapon, however, is no new phenomenon.
"It's something that police officers have been doing for years." He continues, "The key is proper screening, training and oversight. We do this all the time with our police department; there are people in schools with the right aptitude to do it too."
Parents of students would be notified that an employee at their child's school is carrying a concealed weapon, but the identity of the weapon carrier would be kept confidential.
Maine would not be the first state to adopt similar laws. Utah, Alabama, Texas and even Ohio have had armed employees in schools, even before the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.
Burns, who is a first-term state senator representing District 29, worked for 24 years as a Maine state trooper before taking office. He told ABC News that he has seen both sides of the spectrum, having worked as a state trooper as well as a policymaker for both private and public schools in Maine.
Burns said that he has no concerns about this bill and that it is a good option for rural communities with a lack of resources to protect students and staff.
"It's an option proposal that schools can opt in or opt out of." He continues, "If a school chooses to do that, they can do so and that result would be kept confidential."
Institution of the bill would rely upon approval of the local school board, superintendent and building principal.


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Welcome To Michael's Lounge
As a published writer, I've established this website to showcase my creative work
in the form of articles, poetry, stories, scripts, and whatever else inspires me and
gives me reason to pick up the pen...or laptop.
For me, writing is not just a hobby. If I could, I would write all day, every day.
Unfortunately, I have to eat, sleep, and use the restroom every now and then, so
complete devotion isn't possible. However, when I'm not preoccupied with those
things, you could probably find me jotting down notes for my blog, or pounding
away at my novel tentatively titled,
The Threesome.
So, who am I?
A good place to start would be my name, right? I'm Michael Rochelle, and I reside
in the Washington, DC area. In January 2010, I graduated magma cum laud with a
Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English from the University of Baltimore. Always a
glutton for punishment, I recently began working on a Master of Business
Administration (MBA) degree. Why? Well, I think it's important to be well-rounded,
and I love taking on new challenges--either that or I'm just plain crazy.
As a former staff writer for Clik Magazine and a contributing writer for various
websites and local newspapers, in the future I'd like to continue taking on creative
opportunities to write, edit, etc.
That noted, feel free to take a look around. Kick off your shoes and get to know a
little more about me through my writing. Feedback is very important to me. If you
like what you read, hate what you read, fall asleep when you read, I want to know.
Feel free to let me know what you think by utilizing the contact page. I WILL
RESPOND TO EVERYONE ASAP. In the words of the infamous radio and
television personality Wendy Williams, you all are "friends in my head," and I truly
appreciate your taking the time to check out my site.
umor column, "
Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Magic Mike Birthday Wishes
can be
found via my humor
blog at


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Hi all,
I recently started blogging again and am trying to get to 25 followers for my giveaway ending on Sunday 23 September.
I will follow back. Please also leave a link of your blog in the comments.
Please join my giveaway.
Views: 51
Nice blog, good luck on your contest. If you get a chance, check out my site at www.giftswapcity.com.
Hi Tenille and Susie, thanks a lot. I will try to visit your blogs later today. My internet connection is a bit bad at the moment. It's refusing to load certain pages. It won't even load my own blog. I hope it will be better later on.
Hi Chantal Karwofodi
I am following your blog....Can you plz follow both of mine
thanks in advance


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Hackney Handwarmers - Marina
sold out
Hackney Handwarmers - Marina
These limited edition Hackney handwarmers can be worn indoors or outside. You'll feel much cosier with these on, whilst still being able to use your hands effectively!
Each pair boasts exquisite quality and stitch detailing, due to being entirely hand knitted on six tiny, tiny wooden needles.
Due to the nature of the yarn, every single handwarmer (not just pair) is unique. The handwarmers you receive may therefore vary slightly from the photo.
75% Virgin Wool, 25% Polyamide
100% Made in London
One size fits all; the stitch pattern means that they're very stretchy. Each handwarmer measures approximately 17x8x1cm when flat.
FREE luxury gift presentation box included.
Add To Cart


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Koala Felt Ball Rug
Or 4 interest free payments of $66.25 AUD with Afterpay.
Or 6 interest free payments of $44.16 AUD with Laybuy.
Koala Felt Ball Rug
- Handmade in Nepal under fair trade from premium quality New Zealand wool .
- Coloured from natural dye. Free from chemicals or any other toxins. Eco – friendly.
- 1 Year Warranty.
- Definitely an ice breaker product with strangers.
- Click Here If You Want To Design Your Own Rug.
Koala felt ball rug is made from 100% New Zealand Wool and is handmade at our factory in Nepal.
This koala felt ball rug is hand sewn together and can be used on both sides.
These stunning rugs are perfect for any room in the house. With the flair and creativity of the design these heavy duty rugs would last a lifetime and are sure to make a statement.
Each felt ball is 100% New Zealand soft wool, is felted and then hand stitched together.
This koala ball rug has 2 colour combination. They include grey and white felt balls.
How Your Koala Felt Ball Rug is Made
This grey and white felt ball rug is a hand-made by Nepalese women artisan . Below are very quick and simple steps on how it's done.
- Each individual felt ball are made of high quality New Zealand wool which are soaked in soapy water and rolled until they are roughly 2 cm in diameter.
- Once done, they put the ball in the cold water and rinse it. ( Yes they do it to thousands more , individually to make up your rug).
- These felt balls are then dried in the sun.
- Once completely dried, they are ready to sewn together to make the rug. This is the most complex task and takes huge amount of time.
- Once the rug is made, it's ready to be delivered to you. Hope now you appreciate all the work that goes into this wonderful piece of work.
Grey And White Felt Ball Rug Care instructions
This felt ball rug in grey and white is a hand-made natural products. Therefore there is a chance that slight color and product variation may occur. However, this is not a sign of poor quality, rather proof of a natural handicraft. New felt ball rugs may have short hairs on the surface of the felt rug that are not spun into the felt-ball, but these will disappear after regular vacuuming.
Felt ball rug wool repels liquid, so spot clean immediately and professionally dry clean when your carpets are cleaned. Alternatively you can hand wash your grey and white felt ball rug with cold water. Please do not use bleach!
This grey and white felt ball rug is a durable design product. The design and workmanship are of extremely high standards – the best materials combined with exacting craftsmanship ensures high quality and functionality. The exciting grey and white combinations and stylish, robust design are a daily delight for the eye.
Grey And White Felt Ball Rug Quality GuaranteedFelt ball rug sourced are handcrafted, natural rugs. There is a chance that slight color and material variations can occur. This is not a sign of inferior quality, but it is a proof of true handwork.
Please contact us if you believe that there is a compromise in your multicolored felt ball rug.
If you wish to know what felt really is, here is the link to wikipidea. Hope this helps.
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What is Premiere Elements 2019 and who is it for?
Adobe Premiere Elements 2019 is video editing software used by anyone who wants to quickly and easily trim their videos or combine multiple clips and photos into amazing films. It offers help and inspiration, hassle-free organisation, step-by-step guidance for editing and fun ways to make and share stunning video creations and films. Plus, it makes things fast and easy with photo and video automation powered by Adobe Sensei AI technology. Learn more.
Can I instal Premiere Elements on more than one machine?
You can only instal Premiere Elements on one computer at a time, with a maximum of two installs while you own the software. In other words, if your computer crashes or you switch to using a different computer, you can reinstall the software one time without having to contact Adobe Customer Support.
What's the difference between Adobe Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements?
- Premiere Elements is designed for people who take videos and want quick and easy ways to organise them, trim them, make them look great, turn them into polished films and share with family and friends.
- Photoshop Elements is designed for people who take lots of photos and want to automatically organise them, make them look great, create with them and print and share with family and friends.
- Both apps share a common Organiser for easy access to all photos and videos.
- They're sold separately or bundled together as Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements.
What's the difference between Premiere Elements and Premiere Pro?
Premiere Elements offers options for every level of user with Quick, Guided and Expert modes, so it's easy for beginner video enthusiasts to get started making great-looking films. Premiere Pro provides the ultimate toolset for professional video production.
I use free video editing software. Why should I consider Premiere Elements 2019?
Most free video editors offer a limited set of editing tools. Premiere Elements 2019 provides you with automated video editing options for every level of user:
- Auto-generated creations delivered right to you upon launch—all powered by Adobe Sensei AI technology.
- The home screen for feature highlights, inspiration, help and learning.
- The re-designed Quick Edit mode with a simplified Sceneline that put everything at your fingertips.
- The Organiser to easily search, find and keep everything at your fingertips.
- Quick Edit and Expert Edit to make films your way.
- Cool, easy-to-apply effects and transitions to show your style.
- Twenty Guided Edits for step-by-step help with creative techniques and effects.
- The ability to share your films virtually anywhere, including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and more.*
Should I buy Premiere Elements 2019 or the Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements 2019 bundle?
If you like to take and share videos and photos, get the bundle to:
- Use a common Organiser for easy access to all your videos and photos.
- Edit and share videos and photos together in creative ways.
- Get a great value.
Where can I learn more about new features?
See the Features page for details.
Technical questions
Where can I find the serial number to instal Premiere Elements?
There's one serial number for both Windows and Mac and it's located on the back of the Windows DVD sleeve inside the box.
What are the minimum system requirements to run Premiere
Elements 2019?
Elements 2019?
See the system requirements for more information.
Does Premiere Elements support Windows 32-bit operating systems?
No, it only supports 64-bit installations.
Is Premiere Elements 2019 faster than before?
Yes, you'll experience faster installation as well as faster performance throughout Premiere Elements.
Does Premiere Elements 2019 support variable frame rate (VFR)?
Does Premiere Elements 2019 support HEIF and HEVC?
You can import and edit HEIF images on macOS and HEVC on macOS 10.13 and above.
Where can I ask a technical or how-to question related to Premiere Elements?
Visit the Premiere Elements forums to get answers from product team members and other expert users.
You can also use the following helpful resources:
Purchasing options
I own an older version of Premiere Elements. Can I get upgrade pricing?
Yes, we offer upgrade pricing for existing customers.
Where can I find out about volume licensing for Premiere Elements 2019?
For licensing questions, visit the Adobe Volume Licensing page or contact your local Adobe sales representative.
Learning Premiere Elements
How can I get started with Premiere Elements 2019?
The home screen offers direct links to tutorials and fun things to try with your videos. Check out Premiere Elements Learn & Support for all you need to get started—video and step-by-step-tutorials, Help content and links to resources offering comprehensive product support from Adobe and our knowledgeable community.
Where can I find the manual?
You can find web and PDF versions of the manual on the Premiere Elements Help page. To learn more about the latest features in Premiere Elements, read the What's new summary.
Still deciding? Start with the free trial.
* This product may integrate with or allow access to certain Adobe or third-party hosted online services ("Online Services"). Online Services are available only to users 13 and older and require agreement to additional terms of use and the Adobe Privacy Policy (see www.adobe.com/go/terms). Online Services are not available in all countries or languages, may require user registration and may be discontinued or modified in whole or in part without notice. Additional fees or subscription charges may apply. 4k supported cameras include GoProHero 4 Black, Samsung S8, DJI OSMO X3, DJI Mavic Pro, DJI Phantom 4, iPhone 8+, iPhone X.


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The Sons of Fëanor Fanclub and Other Silmarillion Swooning - sounds good to me. So, go ahead and start a new thread by that title.
Amrod and Amras don't get too much swooning so, today's SW N goes to the twins.
And, I'll have to find a suitable new sig pic - XenArwen may resemble my First Age RPG character, but she's been there long enough.


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The next-generation Xbox is coming soon.
While we don't have all the specifics on what to expect, The Verge points us to a new report that says the next-generation console will require an always-on connection just so it can function.
This notion makes Microsoft's Xbox Live service that much more important.
The reason cited for the constant connection is to prevent the use of used games, which could cripple services like Game Fly and GameStop.
Gaming magazine Edge, fills us in on a few features of the new system. If Edge's sources are correct, the new system will be lightning fast, using an 8-core AMD processor with a separate graphics engine, an astounding 8 GB of memory, a revamped Kinect, and enormous 50 GB Blu-ray game discs.
Don't Miss: Microsoft Is Already Teasing The New Xbox >
Get the latest Microsoft stock price here.


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Please click anywhere to continue browsing our site.
Our doors at Ultimate Tire & Service Center first opened in 2006. Located at 2721 McIngvale Rd. in Hernando, MS, we provide honest and thorough automotive repair and tire sales to customers from Hernando, MS, Southaven, MS, Senatobia, MS, and other surrounding areas. The pride of Ultimate Tire & Service Center is our incredible customer service and our experienced staff of automotive professionals who are capable of performing the auto repairs your vehicle needs. Our ASE-certified technicians are ready to return the dependability to your vehicle. As a tire dealer, we have some of the most respected tire brands in the industry, including tires from MICHELIN®, BFGoodrich®, and Uniroyal®, stocked in our showroom. We look forward to providing extensive auto repair, tire sales, and exceptional customer service to all our customers.


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Intel contextual awareness: 'We know what your wife is up to'
Knows when its best to call, text, or just leave her alone
IDF 2012 Intel Labs is working on a technology that uses what it calls "contextual awareness" to advise you of the best method to use when contacting others.
"I want to call my wife or text my wife during the workday," Intel research engineer Philip Muse told The Reg during a pre-show technology showcase on Monday at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, "but I don't know what she's doing. She's out and about, she's busy, she's doing something – I never know whether I should call her or text her."
Enter contextual awareness. "With this technology, I will now have a picture of what she's doing, and I can make that decision."
The technoloogy takes advantage of what Muse called hard sensors and soft sensors – hard sensors being such built-in capabilities as your mobile device's accelerometer or GPS, and soft sensors being based on event in your calendar, your interaction with applications, or other software-based information.
These sensors share your user state among all your devices – smartphone, PC, whatever – to provide the contextual awareness system with a idea of what you're up to at any given moment. Knowing that, it can advise your friends, family and colleagues the best way to contact you or interact with you – phone calls and texting were the forms of interaction that Muse and Intel Emerging Platforms engineer Sai Prasada demoed at the event.
A phone equipped with contextual awareness technology, for example, will display an icon showing whether the person with whom you want to get in touch is at their desk, walking around, or playing music – it can even listen in to that person's surroundings, should that permission be given. "I know now what's going on at the other end of the phone," Muse said, "before I even place the call or send a text."
Intel Labs' contextual awareness technology suggests that right now it'd be best to send Mr. Reina a text message
Contextual awareness as perceived by a desktop or laptop PC focuses, understandably, less on mobility and changing location and more on the software being used on that device and the target person's activity – a "don't bother me" hand icon, for example, will tell you that the person doesn't want to be contacted because they are, say, in a meeting.
Prasada noted that the contextual awareness technology will suggest the best way to contact someone – by text message, for example, if they're in a meeting – although it does allow you to override its suggestions. It also allows you to send that text message to their laptop rather than their phone – which, he noted, might be in their pocket during a meeting, and presumably they might not want the boss to know that they're receiving a message.
Another example: say you want to contact someone who's driving in their car, and you're in a meeting so you can't call them on the phone. You can instead text them, and the contextual awareness technology will sense that the reciptient is in their car, make the connection, and translate the text message to speech over their hands-free car phone using a text-to-speech capability. Similarly, the recipient can speak their response, which will then be translated into text and sent back to you as a text message.
All of these various and sundry activities and notifications can be overriden, and preferences can be set by each user, as well. Presumably, your wife can simply turn the entire system off if she simply doesn't want you to know what she's up to.
Although, of course, when she comes home she might have some 'splaining to do.


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Man pleads in slaying of college football player
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Eastern Michigan University football player Demarius Reed.
Twenty-year-old Kristopher Pratt of Detroit entered the plea Friday in Washtenaw County Trial Court.
The Ann Arbor News reports (http://bit.ly/1u0bvsE ) the plea deal calls for an 18- to 30-year prison term for Pratt, who agreed to testify against 21-year-old co-defendant Ed Thomas, whose trial begins Monday.
Pratt also had been scheduled for trial Monday.
Pratt told Judge Donald Shelton that he and Thomas followed Reed into an apartment building last fall with the intention of robbing the 20-year-old wide receiver from Chicago.
A defense lawyer has said there isn't enough evidence to show Thomas committed the crime.
Pratt told the judge he shot Reed twice in the side.
Information from: The Ann Arbor News, http://www.mlive.com/ann-arbor
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


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Young Scientist Award for Semiconductor Researcher
24 September, 2012: Yusuf Günel, a Ph.D. student at the Division of Semiconductor Nanoelectronics (PGI-9) has won a Young Scientist award at the International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS) in Zurich.
He received the ICPS Young Scientist Best Paper Award for his presentation of the scientific article "Supercurrent and Magnetoresistance-Oscillations in Nb/InAs-Nanowire/Nb Josephson junctions". The ICPS is one of the most important conferences held in the field of semiconductor physics and took place from 29 July to 3 August 2012 for the 31st time.
Last updated: 07 Oct 2013


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According to consulting firm BRC, Microsoft Windows Mobile is poised to steal customers from both Blackberry and Symbian in the high-end enterprise space. The reasoning behind this projection relies less on any particular strength of Windows Mobile as an operating system, and more on the overall level of corporate software integration Windows Mobile brings to the table.
"RIM and Symbian have attracted millions of business users through Personal Information Manager (PIM) and e-mail, but without middleware solutions they will lose them to Microsoft" according to Jeff Ace, one of the report's authors. "Developers look to the easiest system to place their wares. Windows Mobile is well marketed, targets the most
lucrative market and hides the complexity of devices from them. It is not surprising that all major middleware for CRM is available on Windows Mobile." Ace continues "Nokia has the marketing clout to attract developers, but seems reticent, while the natural attraction of Windows Mobile must be troubling device manufacturers."
The report suggests that RIM will need to develop similar tools if it wishes to counteract this trend, while Symbian should switch to a device-independent development platform.


text:
Get Your Free Audiobook
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
Non-member price: $38.92
Publisher's Summary
Critic Reviews
- Book Sense Book of the Year Award Winner, Adult Non-Fiction, 2003
"A classic is born in this tender, intensely moving and even delightful journey through a white African girl's childhood." (Publishers Weekly)
"This was no ordinary childhood, and it makes a riveting story thanks to an extraordinary telling." (School Library Journal)
"In this powerful debut, Fuller fully succeeds in memorializing the beauty of each desert puddle and each African summer night sky while also recognizing that beauty can lie hidden in the faces of those who have crossed her path. Highly recommended." (Library Journal)
"An honest, moving portrait of one family struggling to survive tumultuous times." (Booklist)
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- Mark
- 16-01-2004
Moving echos from history
This is a wonderful book. Touching and tragic covering a pivotal point in Rhodesia?s history. It tracks the life of a white family trying to cling on in Africa. They defended themselves from armed insurgents (terrorists or freedom fighters depending on your viewpoint) in a typically British way.
What gives it its power is that it is viewed through the eyes of a young girl with one foot in the colonial past and one in the future, whatever that was to become. Her powerlessness to control events but being forced to watch sums up much of the fate of Southern Africa and it?s people. There are also plenty of poignant moments where her life reaches out across the racial divide showing that everyone involved in those turbulent times were just human beings trying to survive.
Having been born in Rhodesia I am emotionally involved but nevertheless would recommend this title for its honest portrayal of a small part of this now forgotten conflict.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
- Sara
- 12-10-2015
An African Childhood of Harrowing Proportions
This story of English ex-patriots living in a variety of countries in southern Africa with their children is amazing, bizarre, gruesome, violent and filled with disease. Most surprising to me was the fact that even one of them survived. At times, the details of the food and living conditions are so nauseating and disastrous that the title of the book--Go To The Dogs--seemed redundant. By this, I mean that it would be difficult for life to deteriorate further than the story presents. One war torn, drought ridden, broken down and hungry farm after another.
Through all this runs the strong and endearing voice of the author as the child "Bo-bo". Fuller's writing pulls all the loose ends, pain and disaster together and weaves a story of growing up in Africa. This story embodies her deep and visceral love for the place, the smells, the people and the creatures that inhabit that world. At one point in the writing she refers to her life as a child as a "terrifying unhinged blur". Believe me--she captured it in this book.
The narration was fantastic. It continually drove me forward--never allowing me to even consider giving up. This was my first book narrated by Lecat--but it won't be my last. Excellent reading--that added immensely to the whole experience.
Listening prompted me to do research about this time period in Africa's history. I read about each of the countries where the family lived--trying to make some sense of the choices and the reasons behind the decisions they made. It was not until the last hour or two of listening that I understood that all this didn't matter. It wasn't a book of African history--but rather a book of a family's history.
35 of 39 people found this review helpful
- Jon
- 15-02-2004
A Rare Glimpse.....WELL DONE!
I agree with previous reviews....this is a brilliant,rare gem of a book. Having lived some years in Southern Africa....it brought back the feel Rhodesia/Zimbabwe....truly a rare glimpse into a world unknown to most of us.
The reader IS EXCEPTIONAL! This is one of those books that is BETTER in AUDIO...due to the narration. She has the accent's down pat!
Get it....your world view and heart will be the fuller for it!
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
- Cynthia
- 15-01-2004
I couldn't put this book down, and now finding it on tape is a delight. The narration is engaging and entertaining. The author writes in an almost muscical style, it's like listening to narrative poetry in parts. The richness of the language and detail is truly luscious. I am usually struck by how "thin" many modern novels read, like eating the most basic and bland meal, with no spice or flavor. This novel is like a feast, rich and robust, filled with a symphony of tastes, smells, sights, and sounds.
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
- New England Lamb
- 09-12-2011
Superb, writer and narrator
This is a gorgeous, sad, hilarious, very moving memoir. Fuller's parents are amazing people, and their situation is Africa is beyond imagining. Then add in Lisette Lecat and you will not be able to stop listening. This narrator is extraordinary. I generally avoid all but the authors reading their own books, but in this case I have to say I can scarely imagine even the author improving up Lecat. She must be South African, right? I mean, she has the voices & accents just pitch perfect. This is a great read. Oh, sure, it culminates in the narrator's wedding, which reminds you of just how young this writer still is. But give it to her. She's a remarkable writer--her restraint as impressive as her descriptive powers.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
- Judy
- 18-10-2011
Wonderful memoir of a childhood in Africa
Thanks to Lisette Lecat's spirited narration, this is a book that may well be better listened to than read in hard copy. Fuller remembers the richest of childhoods, led during a time of struggle and war in Rhodesia - now Zimbabwe, and later in Malawi and Zambia. Her mother could be dismissed as a bitter, depressed racist, and a drunk. But no! this woman was Alexandra Fuller's mum. And she has an intense of love of family. The book is timely touching and funny: truly out of Africa. Beautifully written and told with wit and wisdom. Spend some time with this one.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
- Shannon
- 27-03-2006
Difficult, but worthwhile
To begin with, this was a fascinating book. The author (who must now be in her 30s) grew up in several countries in Africa.
Her (white) parents, who were unashamedly racist, moved the family from one country to another when the white ruling classes were overthrown.
The author ("Bobo") describes the ordinariness of training children to apply tourniquets, bandage war wounds and insert and monitor IV fluids, all skills that were needed in the wars against various freedom fighters. In addition, Bobo talks about life with her severely alcoholic, bipolar, animal-loving and native-despising mother, her perenially unsuccessful father and her beautiful older sister.
The first part of the book, which concerns her young childhood, was very sad, but the second half, which describes the great beauty of Africa, and Bobo's experiences in non-segregated society, is fascinating and filled with her obvious love for the continent.
It wasn't an easy listen, but it was a truly illuminating one.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
- Susan
- 12-12-2011
Loved the Narration
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
This is a good book for anyone with an interest in African modern history.
Have you listened to any of Lisette Lecat's other performances before? How does this one compare?
Lisette Lecat has done marvelous readings for Alexander McCall's 'The Lady's First Detective' series. Her performance in 'Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight' certainly is a plus.
Any additional comments?
The story line rather rambled at times, and at other times was gripping. I did learn more about what it was like to live in Rhodesia, as the country became Zimbabwe.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
- D. Littman
- 28-01-2004
A fabulous book, destined to be a classic
This is a wonderful, "coming-of-age" story, a nonfiction story, that is destined to become a classic. Perhaps not a major classic (e.g., Jane Austin or James Joyce or F Scott Fitzgerald) but certainly a minor classic (JD Salinger, etc.). The story is episodic, sounds very true, characters painted well above the usual caricature level in the usual lower quality works. The verbal narration is really good too ... so good in fact that the book may come across better in audio form than as a book (sound effects, exclamations, singing & so forth are part of the text). I know that on Amazon & elsewhere this book has sometimes been criticized for "missing the black experience" in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe in the same period. Something that had to be equally, or more harrowing frankly. But the author can't be faulted for writing about her own experience, can she?
11 of 14 people found this review helpful
- Sarah
- 21-02-2004
A wonderfully funny and heart breaking story of growing up in Africa. The author did not glamorize but shared her life without apologizes. The woman who read the book did a wonderful job of capturing the characters personalities.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
- Amazon Kunde
- 14-02-2018
Post-colonial memories of a British girl
The story is extremely interesting and the narrator is absolutely brilliant including the noises she makes imitating the animals that the author encounters. It is someone's memory so it does come with a little judgment but it makes the story even more authentic.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
- Laulan
- 26-02-2015
Fantastic tale of a life spent in Africa
Exceeded expectations and perfect narration almost felt like I was there with the family
Highly recommended for anyone else who found Africa a spiritual place to visit
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
- 07-01-2018
Decent book, but cut short
really good story including some of Zambia and Zimbabwe's history. it seems it cut off the last minute of narration however.
- janine Kennedy
- 11-09-2016
Beautifully written
The story is so well written that you can see, smell and touch the scenery. However the storey itself wasn't captivating and ended quite sharply in my opinion. Worth listening to none the less


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James Bond 007 is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. The fictional British Secret Service agent has also been used in the longest running and most financially successful English-language film franchise to date, starting in 1962 with Dr. No.
After Fleming's death in 1964, subsequent James Bond novels were written by Kingsley Amis, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks and Jeffery Deaver. Moreover, Christopher Wood novelised two screenplays, Charlie Higson wrote a series on a young James Bond, John Pearson wrote an authorised biography, while other writers have authored unofficial versions of the character.
There have been 22 films in the Eon Productions series to date, the most recent of which, Quantum of Solace, was released on 31 October 2008 (UK). In addition there has been an American television adaptation and two independent feature productions. Apart from films and television, James Bond has also been adapted for many other media, including radio plays, comic strips and video games.


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U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
The EEOC Atlanta District Office is conveniently located in the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center on Alabama Street between Forsyth, Martin Luther King (MLK), Jr., Drive, and Broad Streets, directly across from the MARTA Five Points Train Station and near Underground Atlanta. There are public parking lots in the vicinity of our complex, including off Alabama Street and MLK. We are unable to validate parking.
South Bound (I-75/85) - towards the Downtown Connector
Take the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK), Drive Exit
Bear right off the ramp
Head west onto MLK - one way after the stoplight.
Go approximately one mile
Cross over Peachtree Street - our complex will be to the right.
North Bound (I-75/85) - towards the Downtown Connector
Take the Fulton Street Exit
Bear left on the overpass to cross back over I-75 to Central Avenue, one way north bound.
Continue straight about a mile (cross over Memorial Drive, Trinity Avenue, Mitchell Street)
Left onto MLK
Cross over Pryor and Peachtree Streets - our complex will be to the right
I-20 West Bound
Take Capitol Avenue exit
Make a right on Capitol Avenue
Cross over Memorial Drive
Make a left on MLK
Cross over Peachtree Street - our complex will be to the right
I-20 East Bound
Take Windsor/Spring Street exit
Make a left on Spring Street
Make a right on Mitchell Street
Left on Forsyth Street - our complex is at the next stoplight
We are accessible by MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) train and bus, which operates directly from Hartsfield International Airport and is near most major hotels. We are located on the Alabama side at the Five Points MARTA Train Station. Please contact MARTA directly for schedules and fees, which is currently $1.75. Website: www.itsmarta.com.


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