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Debate has been raging over the merits and drawbacks of the littoral combat ship (LCS). Critics regard it as too big, too expensive, too vulnerable, and not sufficiently capable overall. Even its defenders argue that it was never designed to operate in highly threatened waters. Some advocate the development of much smaller combatants—small craft, almost—that would operate in the most dangerous areas.1 The problem with the current discussion is that it mostly revolves around ship characteristics, with little or no thought given to the strategic issues involved, or is based on a bunch of unexamined assumptions about why U.S. Navy ships would be in such waters in the first place. This is an attempt to bring strategic logic to bear on the matter of U.S. naval operations in the littorals and confined seas in the hope that it will provide insights that will inform force design, including ship and weapon characteristics, organization, and personnel management.
Why American ships would be in a contested littoral is a matter of naval strategy. Broadly speaking, the U.S. naval strategy is to disperse the Fleet to patrol potential hot spots along the Eurasian littoral to deter trouble and be readily available as first responders in case it arises. Since Operation Desert Storm, such patrols have been carried out in the absence of any substantial opposition or threat at sea.
Now, as so many writers have pointed out, the growing navies and assertive actions and rhetoric of China and Iran force the U.S. Navy to take account of new conditions, especially in the littorals and confined waters adjacent to those nations. It would be easy enough to simply assume that U.S. maritime strategy will remain constant and regard the issue as a matter requiring only technical adjustment; i.e., either better defenses for current classes of ships or new operational concepts such as Air-Sea Battle. However, the relative merit of these solutions and the balance among them cannot be adequately calculated on the basis of an unexamined strategy.
Command vs. Control
The U.S. Navy has enjoyed comprehensive command of the sea since World War II. Rightly considered, this is a strength relationship between or among navies. If, because of the results of battle or other factors, one navy is sufficiently strong with respect to actual or potential opponents, it gains freedom of action in various ways, including the ability to disperse its combatants widely to exercise sea control—the protection of ships—in multiple locations.2 In addition, the nation may disperse its capital ships to exercise command of the sea; that is, through the threat or use of power projection, enforce the rules of an international system that is congenial to its interests.3 This latter function reflects U.S. Navy strategy since 1945. Exercising command demands the use of the most capable ships; in the U.S. case, aircraft carriers. Boasting powerful land-attack capabilities, these ships have anchored the U.S. policy of maintaining strategic stability. Command of the sea permits not only their dispersal but also the ability to move them close to the scene of action ashore and compromise their mobility, actions that in other ages would have been considered excessively risky to capital ships.
As China and Iran develop sea-denial capabilities, the risks to the carriers escalate and the traditional logic of naval strategy asserts itself. Capital ships are to be used to secure command of the sea, and this means they must be committed only when the prospect for gaining such command exists. The problem is that neither China nor Iran is looking to seize command, nor are they structuring their forces to do so. Instead, they seek, in the first instance, to disrupt and deny U.S. naval forces the ability to exercise sea control in their littoral waters and near seas. This may be for coercive purposes or to allow aggression via the sea.
Any such warfare will be about seizing or denying control in a specific sea area, thus the logic of strategy suggests that capital ships not be risked in such fights. This does not mean that capital ships are therefore no longer useful, because command of the sea or lack thereof forms the political and strategic context in the struggle for sea control. These fights always involve only a specific area of the world ocean, while command, especially in today's world, is a global condition. The U.S. Navy is inherently a global force, and regardless of the importance of a local sea-control fight, the rest of the ocean as well as future global strategic dynamics must be considered in risk calculations.
Peace vs. War: Crisis
While a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor initiated World War II in the Pacific, subsequent history suggests that a future naval war will ignite out of a smoldering crisis that features the intermingled maneuvering of opposing naval forces prior to the outbreak of hostilities. The Soviet and U.S. naval confrontation in the autumn of 1973 in the Eastern Mediterranean serves as a potential paradigm.4 (The author was a junior attack pilot on the USS Independence [CV-62] during the crisis. The Soviet Fifth Eskadra had antiship missiles and a plan to use them. The U.S. 6th Fleet had little in the way of a responsive counterthreat. The carriers only had munitions appropriate for land attack, and the air wings had no antiship tactics; a function of the Navy's focus on power projection in Vietnam for so many years.)
Generally speaking, the tactical offense is dominant at sea, and the force that is able to strike effectively first is likely to attain an insurmountable advantage.5 For this reason, naval forces strive to remain unlocated or at least untargeted. Maneuvering during crisis in constrained waters in the presence of the potential enemy tends to sacrifice any covertness. Thus naval forces in such a situation tend to be on a hair trigger. The situation is exacerbated if one or both sides have committed capital ships to the situation.
The U.S. naval strategy, as has been stated, is to distribute single carrier groups widely to cover key potential trouble spots around the Eurasian littoral. If a crisis erupts, and especially if it erupts quickly, the most likely scenario is that a single carrier group will be the first American force on scene. This was both normal and acceptable when there was no appreciable threat at sea. Given time, the U.S. Navy can and has aggregated multiple carrier groups on scene for sufficient combat power. However, in the future environment, concentrating a multi-carrier force will take longer due to fewer hulls, and the risks will escalate due to emergent denial systems. Moreover, the movement of powerful naval forces can as easily catalyze as deter, the British dispatch of the nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror in 1982 to the Falklands being a case in point. The Argentines accurately predicted when she would arrive from the Mediterranean, and this put them in a "now-or-never" frame of mind with regard to mounting an invasion.6 If a lucrative target loaded with potent geopolitical symbolism is on scene, with more on the way, it could precipitate a dangerous "window-of-opportunity" mindset in the opposing government. British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher reflected this logic when she said concerning British decision making prior to the Argentine invasion of the Falklands, "Most important perhaps is that nothing would have more reliably precipitated a full-scale invasion, if something less had been planned, than if we had started military preparations on the scale required to send an effective deterrent."7
One way to reduce the immediate jeopardy is for the on-scene carrier force to cut and run to get untargeted in more open waters until reinforcements arrive. However, this may effectively cede water space to the opponent—precisely what it wants. Had U.S. carrier groups run west of the Strait of Sicily in 1973 to get untargeted, the Soviets would have been left in possession of the Eastern Mediterranean, and Israel would have been isolated. The U.S. 6th Fleet might have been able to fight its way back in, but the Soviets would likely have gone to the U.N., asking for a halt in place of all forces for a cooling off, and the United States would have been in a politically weak position. Obviously, the subs would have remained on scene, but the signaling was strictly a function of surface ships.
The key characteristic of naval forces is their mobility; it allows for maneuver on a global scale and is also protective. Naval mobility is a continuous factor in peace and war, and in the way the former transitions to the latter. In confined seas and in crisis maneuvering it tends to be compromised in either an absolute or relative sense. Mobility, in both its senses, is most important for capital ships. We must recognize the possibility that strategic mobility of such ships could as easily be catalytic as a deterrent and that loss of protective mobility could have the same effect. The current U.S. maritime strategy, A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower (CS21), asserts that preventing wars is as important as winning them. The analysis so far presented suggests that continuing to follow the pattern of aircraft carrier employment that has been used for the last six decades is increasingly un-strategic.
Credible Combat Power vs. Trip Wires
CS21 calls for concentrating "combat-credible" forces in the Middle East and in East Asia. It does not further define what is meant by combat-credible, but the logical inference is that such forces, whatever their composition, would be sufficiently capable to either defeat aggression outright or at least delay the attainment of some irretrievable military or political fait accompli. This is a rather rigorous standard, given that the U.S. Navy is operating in the littoral of a potential opponent who can bring significant land-based forces to bear, and who presumably has the initiative in terms of when to start the fight. The bar of combat credibility is raised even higher as new and more sophisticated denial systems are introduced. Moreover, whatever the peacetime credibility of forward-deployed naval forces, the pressures of crisis may significantly alter those perceptions among potential aggressors.
In naval warfare at the tactical and even at the operational level, seizing the initiative matters considerably, and thus U.S. doctrine publications are full of exhortations to do so. However, at the strategic level the picture changes. Options and political room for maneuver become critical. Having the luxury of making the second move tends to open up these things to government and military leadership. Assuming the United States does not shoot first in a situation in which deterrence fails, the question becomes what price it is willing to pay for the opportunity to have the second move.
That can range from negligible, as when some unmanned system is destroyed, to near catastrophic, if multiple aircraft carriers are put out of action. At the catastrophic level, powerful national emotions are involved, and this might take away scope for political maneuver by the President. On the other hand, loss of an unmanned system (unless perhaps it is a key satellite) is unlikely to amount to a casus belli, and here again, scope for political maneuver is limited. This logic leads us to the notion of a trip wire.
Naval forces have a long history of being used as such. British gunboats during the heyday of empire were not especially capable ships, but anyone attacking them had to face the possibility that at some point the Royal Navy would show up in force. The trip wire must be such that attacking it would plausibly justify a strong response, but its loss would not materially affect the fighting strength of the Fleet. On this basis alone, the LCS would appear to be a useful presence platform in constrained seas; it has a small crew and does not represent a critical combat capability. However, our analysis must not stop there.
The invasion of Iraq notwithstanding, the United States is generally not looking for a fight. Deterrence has always been the watchword and as previously stated, CS21 says that prevention of wars is as important as winning them. On this account the concept of a trip wire becomes suspect, and the idea of credible combat power gains importance. Forces on scene in peacetime and during a crisis must have the ability to disrupt enemy aggression or otherwise inflict operationally or strategically significant harm, and they must be able to do it after riding out a first strike.
This suggests the distribution of offensive power—missiles, most easily—among numerous platforms and making those platforms hard to target. In such a situation a potential aggressor is faced with a dilemma in which the prospects for a disabling first strike are dim, but any attempt will break a trip wire and also precipitate an immediate damaging response. Meanwhile, the U.S. national command authorities hold the political cards and can dispatch, if they wish, powerful forces that can conduct a structured rollback campaign of their choosing. In this kind of scenario it would be hard for the aggressor to claim any kind of moral victory. This logic would not be lost among foreign leadership, and deterrence would be thereby improved, assuming there was any chance of its working in the first place.
'Being There'
"Being there" matters in strategically important ways. American naval forces have just and sufficient reason to operate continuously in the littorals of Eurasia in light of historical developments since World War II and as a matter of global public good as outlined in CS21. The strategic mobility of naval forces is a massive advantage, but for reasons outlined here, it can be a double-edged sword in modern conditions. The U.S. Navy would be well served to create new kinds of forward forces that are less strategically mobile but more tactically suitable for the operational conditions that are emerging in the Persian Gulf, South China Sea and elsewhere. The LCS may fulfill part of this requirement, and thus it is entirely appropriate that a number of them are being stationed forward. However, the LCS plus existing strike-group ships do not appear to fully answer the new requirements.
Since the age of fighting sail, confined seas, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and bays have been the province of flotillas—groups of small, numerous, and often specialized craft. The range of modern weapons has expanded the breadth and extent of the areas that should rightly fall into the flotilla domain. Through flotilla operations the U.S. Navy can retain a strategy of ceding no water space, either as a matter of peacetime policy or crisis maneuver.
Although the U.S. Navy has not often used flotillas (Vietnam riverine operations come to mind), they are a legitimate element of naval strategy and have their own singular set of operating principles—most of which the Navy has forgotten. Sorting out ship, boat, weapon, and systems designs is only partially a matter of technological push. There should also be a strategic and operational pull that defines missions. This will establish suitability criteria for various designs. Unfortunately, the Navy has not yet adopted the strategic concept of flotilla operations. It will therefore continue to throw money at developing stronger defenses for capital ships so that they can be used in strategically inappropriate ways.
Flotilla operations should be called out in the next refresh of CS21 and incorporated into the Naval Operational Concept. They should be gamed out thoroughly enough that capability requirements and criteria can be established. Working top-down in this manner will guide and facilitate bottom-up technical development and eventually tactical innovation. In this way the Navy can make its investments of scarce resources with more confidence. A program office for flotilla operations should be established, such as was done for Air-Sea Battle and irregular warfare. It should be noted at this point that flotilla operations would involve elements of irregular warfare and might contribute to Air-Sea Battle, but are best approached as a distinct branch of naval warfare. Operationally there should be a flotilla task-force commander reporting to the regional Navy component. Flotilla operations will be regionally specialized and may require tailored forces with distinct characteristics as well as doctrine customized for the particular circumstances of the region.
There are some cultural and emotional Rubicons for the Navy to cross in order to achieve effective flotilla operations. It must embrace truly small combatants, and the surface-warfare community must not orphan flotilla sailors and officers; they must have viable career paths. Flotilla operations as envisioned here and later in this issue will be forward and closely connected to local navies and nations. Thus there seems to be a natural link between a putative flotilla specialty and the Foreign Area Officer program. The Navy Expeditionary Combat Command may be spliced into it, and it stands to reason that Special Forces would also be involved.
Flotilla operations are a feasible and appropriate response to the intersection of emerging access-denial technologies, the logic of naval strategy, and the geopolitical imperatives of the United States that require it to "cede no water" to those who would seek to limit freedom of navigation or conduct aggression at sea.
1. Milan Vego, "Go Smaller; Time for the Navy to Get Serious About the Littorals," Armed Forces Journal, April 2013, www.armedforcesjournal.com/2013/04/13617202.
2. Julian S. Corbett, Some Principles of Maritime Strategy (London: Longmans, Grean and Company, 1918), Part II, Chapter II, 100–04.
3. Robert C. Rubel, "Command of the Sea: An Old Concept Resurfaces in a New Form," Naval War College Review, Autumn 2012, 21–33. This perspective on command of the sea was derived from George Modelski and William Thompson, Seapower in Global Politics 1494–1993 (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1988), 16-17.
4. For additional insight, see Lyle Goldstein and Yuri Zhukov, "Tale of Two Fleets: A Russian Perspective on the 1973 Naval Standoff in the Mediterranean," Naval War College Review, Spring 2004, 27–63, www.usnwc.edu/Publications/Naval-War-College-Review/2004---Spring.aspx.
5. Wayne Hughes, Fleet Tactics: Theory and Practice (Annapolis, MD.: Naval Institute Press, 1986), 25.
6. Lawrence Freedman and Virginia Gamba-Stonehouse, Signals of War (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1991), 65–78.
7. Margaret Thatcher, The Downing Street Years (New York: HarperCollins, 1993), 174.


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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Charismatic pop star-turned-president Michel Martelly took over Haiti on Saturday, promising to rebuild its earthquake-devastated capital, develop the long-neglected countryside and build a modern army.
The 50-year-old performer known to Haitians as "Sweet Micky" was swept to power in a March 20 presidential runoff by Haitians tired of past leaders who failed to provide even basic services, such as decent roads, water and electricity in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.
Martelly was sworn in during a power outage in front of dozens of dignitaries including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the U.N.'s special envoy to Haiti, and Edmond Mulet, head of the U.N. mission that has maintained order in Haiti since 2004. Also present was Desi Bouterse, the president of Suriname who is on trial for the 1982 executions of 15 political opponents.
Former Haiti President Rene Preval took off the presidential sash and put it on Martelly as they shook hands and embraced, but did not say anything to each other. Martelly's wife, Sophia, then came on stage and adjusted the sash as their four children joined them.
Martelly did not speak as he left Parliament for the National Palace, where was to deliver a speech.
Outside the gated Parliament, more than 1,000 Martelly supporters gathered.
"Today is a party for us, for the masses, because the country is destroyed," said Esaue Rene, a 28-year-old mechanic who has high hopes for Martelly. "I would like him to bring jobs so that people aren't sitting around in public plazas because they don't have anything else to do."
Martelly appealed to young voters like Rene because he is the antithesis of Preval, who is seen as aloof and uninspiring. Martelly is effusive and charming. He once joked that he'd dance naked atop the National Palace if he were elected president.
But the challenges Martelly faces in fulfilling his ambitious promises were clear Saturday. He was sworn in front of the country's collapsed National Palace and a shantytown filled with thousands of people displaced by last year's magnitude-7.0 earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people.
During his campaign, he promised to build houses in the capital; bring economic development to the countryside; provide universal education for children; develop agriculture; and replace the discredited armed forces with a modern army capable of responding to natural disasters. The previous discredited army was disbanded by ousted former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1995.
Political observers say speeding up the multibillion-dollar reconstruction effort is paramount. That means Martelly's administration must make progress building houses for the more than 600,000 people still living in settlements; stem a cholera epidemic that threatens to spread during the rainy and hurricane seasons; and strengthen the judiciary. And a parliament controlled by political opponents from Preval's party could make passing bills difficult.
He must he do all this quickly.
"His administration will have to show progress fairly quickly in order to provide confidence to the population," said Mark Schneider, senior vice president of the International Crisis Group in Washington, D.C.
Martelly will lead a country still divided over the presidential election itself. He was initially excluded from the runoff in favor of a candidate backed by Preval, only to be restored after the international community challenged the results.
One sign of the division: Martelly's opponents have recently alleged that he holds dual Haitian-U.S. citizenship, which would disqualify him for the presidency. He denies the allegation.
In what some view as a reconciliation effort, Martelly has invited to the inauguration both Aristide and Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, the former dictator who made a surprise return to Haiti in January. Neither of them attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Since Duvalier came back, the ex-despot has been charged with embezzlement and human rights abuses, and advocacy groups have criticized Martelly for inviting him.
"Martelly's facing the need to knit together a polarized country," Schneider said. "Haiti just went through an election which was riven by discord, disagreement, and unhappiness. And given the makeup of the parliament, he has the major task of forging a national government."
In the weeks since Haitian authorities declared him the winner, Martelly has toured the countryside to learn more about reconstruction projects, announced ways to finance free education, and formed a transition team, led by Duvalier's former social affairs minister, Daniel Supplice.
Martelly was well-known as an entertainer. But what kind of leader he makes, many in Haiti aren't sure.
"He's unpredictable," said Patrick Elie, a defense minister under Aristide and an adviser to Preval. "He's got teeth that can both smile and bite. He's shown that."

subset: commoncrawl


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In & Out
Showing 1–30 of 65 results
Natural textures combine fauna with projections of light and shade which emulate forests, plants and gardens and result in a dream-like atmosphere. The collection is presented as a continuation of the natural world found outside our windows, bringing nature's aesthetics and beauty indoors. Featuring a neutral pallet of blues, greens and using intricate lines, the collection invites you to enjoy the peace and serenity of our living world.


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Driving the Tesla Roadster
Ben Rosen, venture capitalist and former chairman of Compaq, is one of the most influential personalities in the technology industry. Under his leadership, Compaq Computer became one of the first companies to clone IBM's PC design, enabling Compaq to become the world's largest PC maker in the 1990s.
Less well known is Ben's history as an automotive pioneer. More than 15 years ago, Ben and his brother Harold (father of the geostationary communications satellite) started a company to build a hybrid-electric powertrain for cars. Rosen Motors hoped to dramatically improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions – without compromising on performance and style. Despite the brothers' enthusiasm and demonstrations to major automakers, their vehicle was never commercialized.
Ben is a prolific blogger and, having recently taken ownership of his Tesla Roadster, described the "exhilarating experience" in depth. We re-posted an excerpt below and you may view the entire post here.
Two weeks ago, the evening before we were to leave our Manhattan apartment on a 10-day trip to London, we received a phone call informing us that our Tesla Roadster would arrive the next morning at our Litchfield County home. We immediately headed north. Nearly three years after ordering the car, and a year and a half after its initially promised delivery date, it arrived.It was worth waiting for.
Because of the imminent trip abroad, I only had a few hours to test drive it. And then, after returning home from London, once again I had only a short time to drive it before heading off for New Orleans for the opening of Prospect.1, the new international art biennial. So here are my initial impressions.
Before taking it on public roads, I had to make the dreaded trip to the nearest Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles office to get license plates. What a contrast that was – registering a 21st-century automobile with a 19th-century government process. Finally, after two hours tortuous waiting, I got the plates, rushed home and then started fulfilling my electric-sports-car odyssey.
The bottom line
It's an exhilarating experience. The outstanding feature, as compared with any other car I've ever owned, sports cars included, is the remarkable acceleration at any speed. It springs away from a standing start. At speed, it passes other vehicles effortlessly. It is quite simply a terrestrial rocket ship.
Perhaps the other outstanding feature is one that I'm reminded of by the "curious incident of the dog that didn't bark" (in the Sherlock Holmes mystery Silver Blaze). That feature, of course, is the Tesla's sound, or rather, the lack of it. Curiously, there is just no sound. You would expect a high-performance sports car to make itself known, to roar, to growl. Not this one; it doesn't even purr. It is spookily quiet (until high speed when the wind noise comes into play).
This sexy-looking car definitely draws a crowd. It's just over 3½ feet high, seductively styled, very attractive. What's surprising to me is how many people who encounter it actually recognize it as a Tesla. Clearly the company's PR campaign has had an impact – e.g., 60 Minutes last month, Time Magazine this week, which in its 50 Best Inventions of 2008 feature selected the Roadster as the No. 2 invention.


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LA ROSITA, Texas —
A Rio Grande Valley family is fighting to stop President Donald Trump's border wall from cutting through their ancestral land, while at the same time keeping the fight a secret from a terminally-ill loved one.
The Alvarez family said the government came knocking on their door in November to tell them they wanted to take a piece of their land passed on from five generations for a border wall.
At the same time, retired Starr County deputy Leonel Alvarez is worried about spending the last few moments with his wife Anita, who suffered from brain cancer.
"We've been married 50 years plus," he said.
Alvarez hadn't thought about what would be fair compensation for the nine miles of their land the government is seeking.
His daughter Nayda took the border wall fight to Washington, but she said testifying before Congress was like talking to a wall.
"Here we are fighting a battle with the U.S. government and yet fighting a battle with my mother and her illness," Nayda said.
With no money to hire a lawyer and little power to fight the government's right to take land through eminent domain, Nayda feels like plans for a wall in the community of La Rosita is imminent.
A letter from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicates the nine acres of land they wish to survey is part of the president's mission to halt the flow of illegal drugs and human trafficking.
But Nayda doesn't buy it.
"If I saw an invasion… do you think i would put my family at risk? No, I would be the first one out of here," she said.
In an act of protest, Nayda decided to make her opposition to a wall very clear by painting a message on her roof that read "no border wall."
"That message is for Trump," she said.
It's not clear when the government plans to move forward with seizing their property. Funding for a wall in Starr County was approved in February as part of the deal to end the government shutdown.
While the clock continues to tick in this border wall showdown, there was no time left for Anita to see that battle through. She died a week after the KENS 5 Border Team interviewed Nayda.
"Life is like that," noted Alvarez. "I don't think we deserve this because we are citizens of the United States."
Focus for the Alvarez's now is on saving their land.
"This is the only other thing we have because this is something that we can stop," said Nayda.


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Here is another job opening we have. Don't forget, we also have all of the following openings as well.
- Software Development
- Shipping Team
- Processing Team
- Identification Team
- Comic & Coin Experts
Customer Service & Quality Assurance Representative
This is a full-time position for our Customer Service team. The ideal candidate must have a great attitude, excellent written and verbal communication, above-average problem solving abilities, and active listening skills.
- Provide superior communication both on the phone and in email interactions without the use of a script
- Build rapport with customers, helping them to understand how much we value them
- Ability to understand the right questions to ask
- Understand complex needs quickly with limited information and correctly determine the appropriate steps to resolution
- Respond to pressure with grace
- Harmonize the best interests of both customer and company
- Identify opportunities for departmental efficiency improvements
- Track and research issues independently
- Take personal responsibility for self-improvement and department success
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent training and experience
- Call center experience preferred; familiarity with ticketing systems and phone systems
- Knowledge of collectibles is helpful
- Strong computer skills required
- Data entry experience a plus
- Excellent interpersonal skills
Salary & Benefits:
Starting salary ranges from $10.00 – $12.00/hour depending upon experience. After 90 days on the job employees will be eligible for medical benefits, dental benefits, 4 weeks of PTO/year, and other employee benefits.
If you know you would be a good addition to our CS/ QA team, send your resume and cover letter to email@example.com and mention Customer Service.


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Anti-money laundering legislation applying to the pension fund
In its capacity as a Financial undertaking, The Pension Fund Architects & Designers (the pension fund) is subject to:
The Danish anti-money laundering act (official name: the "Danish Act on Measures to Prevent Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism"). The Danish anti-money laundering act is based on the fourth and fifth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist financing (DIRECTIVE (EU) 2015/849 and 2018/843).
The Danish FSA monitors the compliance of the pension fund with anti-money laundering legislation and has the power to impose sanctions if the pension fund fails to comply with the anti-money laundering act.
The Danish anti-money laundering legislation that the pension fund is subject to is available on the Danish FSA's website (in Danish).
Certain of the legislative documents are available in an English translation.
The responsibility for ensuring that the Insurance administration partnership complies with the anti-money laundering rules rests with the pension fund. The Board of Directors of the pension fund has stipulated guidelines for the Executive Board on the implementation of anti-money laundering regulations, etc. The pension fund is administered by Sampension Administration A/S (subsidiary).
Accordingly, under the guidelines issued by the Board of Directors, the Executive Board of Sampension Administrationsselskab A/S has the compliance responsibility for ensuring that the subsidiary complies with and implements anti-money laundering legislation in the Insurance administration partnership to the extent required. For that purpose, the subsidiary has appointed an anti-money laundering officer and is subject to a number of written in-house guidelines on, among other things:
- training and instruction programmes for the employees
- customer identification (actual information about individuals and companies)
- red flags, duty to investigate and duty of notification to Special Crime Unit
- duty to store records and to conduct internal controls with a view to ensuring that anti-money laundering requirements are observed
- risk assessment, risk management, management control and communication.
Policy for delivery of identity information
Pensionskassen Arkitekter & Designere is characterized as being a low-risk counterparty within the meaning of the European Anti-Money laundering regulation.
Based on this categorization it is the pension fund's policy only to deliver a copy of the relevant persons (defined as being either the CEO, CIO or the Chairman of the Board) passport's for identification and Know Your Customer purposes.
Copy of utility bills and/or other identification cards will not be distributed for identification and Know Your Customer purposes. Instead we refer to the public and official Danish Central Business Register at: www.cvr.dk. At the business register the relevant person's role/connection to the pension fund and private address can be verified.


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BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity football team's shot at a post-season berth and a winning season slipped away last weekend with a disappointing 21-14 loss to county rival Snow Hill.
For the Seahawks, playing Snow Hill on the last weekend of the regular season has become a time-honored tradition with both team's post-season fate's usually on the line, adding more drama to what is naturally a big rivalry. This year was no different as Decatur entered last Friday's game with Snow Hill in need of a win to keep its state playoff hopes alive.
For a while, it appeared the Seahawks would take care of business on its end, leading 14-7 at the half. Decatur received the ball first in the third quarter, but could not move the ball much and was forced to punt. Snow Hill's Keith Jackson received the punt at the Eagles' 15-yard line and dashed for a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 early in the third quarter.
The Seahawks responded with an impressive drive on their next possession and appeared poised to retake the lead. Behind the strong running of workhorse running back Delonte Tate, the Seahawks drove to the Snow Hill 10-yard line. Decatur went back to Tate again, but the typically sure-handed running back was hit near the goal line and fumbled the ball back to Snow Hill.
It appeared Tate was down on the four-yard line when the ball popped out. The Decatur running back was still on the ground with the ball lying next to him when the Snow Hill defender picked it up. A few seconds went by as the referees appeared uncertain what to call before Snow Hill's Kyle Wharton ran over and pulled it from Tate's hands. The whistle did not blow and Snow Hill had the turnover.
The Eagles then went on a methodical, 14-play, 88-yard scoring march that resulted in a one-yard touchdown dive by Deron Ames that put Snow Hill on top for the first time in the game at 21-14. Decatur had a few opportunities down the stretch, but did not find the end zone again and the Eagles held on for the 21-14 win.
Going into the game, Decatur knew it had to beat Snow Hill and hope Wicomico could upend Bennett in another Bayside South match-up. The Seahawks entered last weekend's action trailing the Clippers by about four points for the fourth and final spot in the state Class 3A-East standings. A win by Decatur coupled with a loss by Bennett would have secure the final playoff spot for Decatur.
Bennett lost to Wicomico, but the Seahawks couldn't get past Snow Hill, so the Clippers back their way into the 3A-East region tournament. Meanwhile, Snow Hill, with a 7-2 record going into the Decatur game had already secured its playoff berth in the 1A-East region, but solidified its position with the win over the Seahawks. In the end, Bennett finished with 49.22 points to secure the fourth and final playoff spot in the Class 3A-East region tournament, while Decatur finished close behind with 47.67 total points despite falling to the Eagles.
The loss to Snow Hill ended the season for Decatur, which always seems to face the Eagles in the season finale with its post-season hopes on the line. Last year, the Seahawks hosted Snow Hill with their season on the line and beat the Eagles, 35-23, in the final game to earn their first-ever Class 3A-East berth. In 2007, the same scenario played out with a different outcome. Again, Decatur needed to beat Snow Hill to make the playoffs, but fell to the Eagles, 30-27, in double-overtime.
The Eagles finished the regular season with an 8-2 record and earned a number-two seed in the state 1A-East region. Snow Hill will host number-three Havre de Grace tonight in a regional semifinal. Lurking on the other side of Snow Hill's bracket is top-seeded Joppatowne, which finished a perfect 10-0 this season.


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Pet and Dog Friendly Holiday Cottages in Ile-De-France Paris Region
We have found 1 properties to book, based on your search for Pet & Dog Friendly Holiday Cottages in Ile-De-France Paris Region, France.
Gites du Haras de la Fontaine
Holiday Cottage in Poligny, Seine-et-Marne, France
Country Cottage situated ground floor, terrace with garden furniture and barbecue, car park. Surface area 55 m². Internet access. Living-room with fireplace, TV and kitchen cor...
€ 185.00 - € 295.00 per week
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RAINE Large | Ruby
In stock
45% off!
A most graceful – and retired… – teardrop crystal cut. Simply set on a double stone post top.
One pair available in sparkling Ruby!
2-7/8″ long
2-1/8″ below the earlobe
3/8″ wide
Rhodium plating
Stainless steel posts
Made in Texas
*This item ships gift boxed, but there is mo guarantee as to what box you will receive
All Blue Room sales are FINAL – No exchanges, NO returns.
About The Blue Room
The SSC studio has an actual "blue" room. Yes, really - the walls (and ceiling) are painted a vibrant sea blue - think Caribbean Blue Opal. This is where our artisans work at jewelers benches creating the glorious goodies you see here. It's also where samples, prototypes, and lots of bits and pieces tend to pile up. Hence... The Blue Room Sale.
The rules of the road for our Blue Room Sale:
First come, first served, so if you love it, grab it. Our system will hold items in your cart for 30 minutes - one half hour - while you look around and check out. After that they'll return to stock, and someone else can snag them.
If you don't see a bright pink Add to Cart button... the item is already gone!
Each purchase totaling $125 will ship free to addresses within the US. Purchases under $125, flat rate of $9.99. If you would like expedited shipping it's available at checkout.
Because we have a timer on the cart now, we will no longer be rebating shipping fees as in the past. so please keep track of your cart. and try to check out above $125 if you'll be making multiple purchases. We cannot rebate shipping under any circumstances,
Most items in the Blue Room are samples, prototypes, or experiments, occasionally discontinued designs, and as such may not be perfect. Imperfections are minor and are limited to such things as wear and tear, scuff marks, minor scratches, and pieces that don't meet our high level of quality control. There should not be any stones missing. or blatant issues such as breakage with anything you receive. Please note that box condition is not guaranteed on Blue Room items.
You can now use AFFIRM to pay for your Blue Room purchases, as long as each purchases totals at least $100. See affirm.com for more information and for be pre-approved.
All sales are final, and all Blue Room items are sold as-is. Our warranty does not apply to Blue Room items, but we will always be happy to repair anything from SSC at current rates. We welcome any questions you may have on any item. Any returns are limited to items received damaged, and will be handled on an individual basis. If you should receive a damaged item please hang onto all packing materials, and let us know as soon as possible.
We hope you enjoy crawling through the Blue Room, and we hope you find a treasure or two. We have a lot of fun putting this together for you every year, seeing what we can find to fill the shelves. Please invite your friends and family, and make sure to get on our mailing list below, so you don't miss the next Blue Room!
Thanks for stopping by!
Talk to Us.
Let's create something beautiful together...


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With the kids home for summer, I find myself looking for more and more fresh and healthy snacks to appease them when they come in from swimming or running around the neighborhood. This fruity yogurt dip from Katie Goodman is just the ticket, and something they can actually help me make. For this week's flashback, enjoy a tasty yogurt dip perfect for afternoon snacks or summer potlucks!
By Katie Goodman
Many kids will try just about anything as long as they have something yummy to dip it in. I say many, not all, because my 6 year old doesn't fit into this category. But my daughter is a natural born dipper.
Chicken, grilled potatoes, hot dogs, and fish are all gobbled with gusto when dipped in ketchup. Just about any vegetable is beloved with a dabble of ranch dressing to dip them in. While fruit tastes sweet all by itself, it's even more fun to dip it in this Strawberry Yogurt Dip.
|Download the Recipe PDF
Right click to save the PDF to your desktop. Directions on downloading PDFs.
Feel free to switch it up. Try peaches, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, or bananas to the yogurt mixture. Or get creative with a few combinations.
This is a great recipe to get kids involved in the kitchen. Mine love to help spoon the ingredients into the food processor and press the button when I say it's time.
And because the fruit doesn't need to look pretty, this is a great chance to teach them some knife skills. Many fruits are soft enough to cut with a butter knife, so let them have a go (ages 3 and up). They'll feel so proud of their accomplishment!
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
8 ounces plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 – 3 tbsp(s) honey, to taste
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Step 1: Wash strawberries. Remove stems and discard. Chop the strawberries.
Step 2: Add the yogurt, cream cheese, honey, and lemon juice to a small food processor. Puree until smooth.
Step 3: Add the chopped strawberries to the yogurt mixture. Puree until very smooth. Spoon mixture out into a bowl, chill for 30 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit for dipping.
About the Author:
Katie Goodman blogs at goodLife {eats} where she shares what she finds good in the kitchen and in life through recipes, family memories, and yummy photography. She also works as a freelance food writer and photographer for various sites. Outside of cooking, Katie loves reading, gardening, visiting family, and attending the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she resides with her husband and two children.
2 thoughts on "Flashback: Fruity Yogurt Dip"
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in choosing tie-in coat when, also suitable for use dark. This law is applicable to most people, unless you perfect body, do not need this to cover what.
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Arcata Figueiredo's Video Shop Closing, McK To Stay Open
Figueiredo's Press Release
David and Dana Figueiredo, owners of the Figueiredo's Video locations in Arcata, McKinleyville and Fort Bragg, have decided it's time to close the Arcata branch, which has been part of the community for 30 years.
The McKinleyville location will still offer the same great prices and extensive selection, and there will be a drop box in Arcata for the convenience of customers who rent from the other Fig's locations. Fig's will be incorporating many of the Arcata movies into the McKinleyville store. David's brother, Bob Figueiredo still operates his Eureka and Fortuna locations.
Dana and David want to thank their many patrons for their continued support and loyalty over the years, as well as the many employees who have worked with them. Without the employees diligence and dedication they would not have had the time to enjoy their family and friends, or be able to be involved in the many community activities they so enjoy.
A special thanks goes to general manager Muriel Craig, who not only curated the vast selections in the stores, but also has been an extremely loyal friend, second mother and Nana to their family these past 30 years.
David and Dana remember their two children as babies in this family business; now they're college graduates starting lives of their own. When it doesn't make them feel too old, they love seeing their former employees in the community, some of them with children of their own.
David and Dana appreciate the Arcata community and wish you all the best.


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By William Sleight September 10, 2014
For more information on the types of programs and issues covered by this section, click here.
Thank you for reaching out to contact Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP ("the Firm"). Before you send your message, we wanted to make sure you are aware of the following. Please do not send any confidential information in response to this link. Sending an e-mail to the Firm or any of its attorneys does not give rise to an attorney-client relationship, and will not be deemed to disqualify the Firm from undertaking any engagement for a current or future client. Before any attorney-client engagement may be formed, the Firm will need to check for possible conflicts of interest, you will need to consider whether you wish to retain the Firm as counsel, and we will need to consider whether we wish to accept the potential engagement. In the meantime, the Firm reserves the right to represent parties with interests adverse to you.


text: SOS Children's Village Imst/Tyrol The first SOS Children's Village in the world was erected at Imst, in Tyrol and its 50th anniversary was celebrated in 1999. The SOS Children's Village is beautifully situated, on a hill above the small town of Imst, about 50 kms from the Tyrolean capital, Innsbruck. There are 15 family houses at Imst, some auxiliary buildings and a Community Centre, where the office, a chapel and a large hall are housed. In the SOS kindergarten, children of the surroundings are also looked after. The older children go to the local schools at Imst. Some teenagers live at the SOS Youth Facility in Telfs. A Home for Retired Mothers was also established at the SOS Children's Village where the retired SOS mothers enjoy their retirement without losing touch with life at the SOS Children's Village.


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Home Page Chess Life Magazine 2014 February How to Spot Top Talent: Greg on Chess
|How to Spot Top Talent: Greg on Chess
|By IM Greg Shahade
|February 9, 2014
I have now organized 23 United States Chess School programs. I have worked with over one hundred of the most talented young chess players in the country over the past seven years. I have seen them study, solve puzzles, answer questions, play training games, and have fun with their peers during our week long training sessions.
There is one very reliable sign to how much potential and how strong a young chess player is or is going to be, and it's probably not what most people would think.
It's not how quickly a student solves tactics or sees combinations (although these two things always seem to be correlated with the main point of this article). It's not the student's positional understanding. It's not even how much they claim to study chess.
Instead it is "How likely is this student to recognize a famous game/position and know the players involved?"
Do they know that it's Capablanca vs Botvinnik in the AVRO tournament or Fischer vs Petrosian or Karpov vs Unzicker?
I think that if you gave a quiz of 100 famous chess positions and simply asked children "Who was playing this game?", and didn't ask what moves should be played or anything chess related other than historical/biographical information, the players who performed the best at this test would end up being the strongest players ten years later.
We even see some evidence of this at the very highest level. In a documentary about Magnus Carlsen's preparation for the World Championship, one scene showed him identifying famous positions and tournaments with fellow Norweigian GM Jon Ludwig Hammer.
Why is this true? Shouldn't it be that simply solving tactics, finding the right ideas in positions, should be just fine in today's computer age of chess? I don't think so. It's indisputable that while lots of our top young players love chess, not all of them love studying chess. Quite a few of them are probably pushed by parents to study just a little bit more than they'd want to on their own.
Yet some very special kids just want to soak up everything about chess. To them, it is very important to know about the Winter vs Capablanca game, and white's bad bishop.
It's very important to know about Spassky vs Fischer and the crazy pawn grab from Game 1 of the World Championship.
They will not forget this information, because they love chess so much that it is much more meaningful to them. When a child cares that much about chess, they work harder and with more consistency.
If a 1900 rated 9-10 year old seems to recognize every game and position that I show this probably means they are going to be exceptionally strong chess player. It may not be because at that moment they are stronger than everyone else their age, but it's because they feel the need to know and retain this information. Their bond with chess is so powerful, that they know who the player "Motweli" is, or what the famous move was from Averbakh vs Spassky, without even seeing the position. They care much more than other kids do.
How can parents use these patterns and information to help their children? Asking your kids to memorize these names and games is no good, because that is not what is happening in these cases. These super talented kids were not asked to memorize information. It was internal motivation. You cannot make a kid care about chess so much that they want to sit and read Kasparov's Great Predecessors in their spare time. Forcing or coaxing them to do so will never have the same effect.
If it's important to the child to know the exact order of the World Champions, this is a very good sign. If you simply tell them a move, and ask them from what game it's from, such as:
Karpov v Unzicker (after Ba7!)
Lewitsky v Marshall after ...Qg3!
Then you know you have a real talent on your hand. In the past years, the number of children who know random famous positions and examples has risen by a significant degree. I showed a position from the game Cohn vs Rubinstein, and multiple students recognized it in my last chess camp (probably from Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, a great book!). The proliferation of study material on the Internet has helped a lot. In my last camp I overheard some students talking about Gregory Serper's latest column on chess.com because one of the positions I set up was mentioned in this column. Then they started debating which of his articles were best.
Children are soaking up and taking in information at a faster rate than ever before. There is information out there on the Internet that's fun and easy to read. There are tactics trainer programs that the top children are nearly obsessed with.
The deeper and more obsessive the curiosity a child has about chess, the more likely it is that they will one day be playing in the U.S. Championship. This has shown itself to be true for the first 5 years of the camp, as Ray Robson, Daniel Naroditsky, Jeffery Xiong and Sam Sevian (as a few examples), all excelled in their general chess knowledge of random facts and positions. Often they would recognize both the players and the tournament, and you'd see other children, and even the coaches, look at them with an expression that said, "wow, why do you know that?"
Find My Great Predecessors at USCF Sales. Find out more about Greg Shahade in his Best of CLO judging article.


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About Kelty:
Kelty Pack was born in 1952. Incidentally, so was my mom. Or is that 1958. Whatever. Anyway, that was way back with Dick Kelty made his packs by hand. Just over a decade later, Kelty Packs were ascending the West Ridge of Mt. Everest. Not by themselves, people were carrying them.
Nowadays Kelty makes all kinds of gear for everyone from the first time camper to the experienced backpacker. They've expanded their line of packs like woah, so you can pick up Kelty daypacks like the Redstart and Redtail Packs up to expedition size packs like the Kelty Red Cloud 5600 Pack.
For week-long backpacking adventures, check out the Kelty Red Cloud 90 Pack or the Kelty Coyote 80 Pack for men, or the Red Cloud 80 and Kelty Coyote 75 for women. These packs have capacities over 4500 cubic inches. I guess that lets you carry lots of stuff, which is good because Kelty Pack makes other stuff to carry.
By other stuff, I mainly mean tents, sleeping bags, and camping accessories like lanterns and stuff sacks. I tried to keep popsicles in my Kelty Lakota 65 once. I think you can guess how that turned out. Anyway, Kelty makes backpacking tents, like the Kelty Gunnison 1.1 Tent, and family camping tents like Kelty Parthenon 8 Tent and Kelty Buttress 6 Tent. Check out Kelty shelters like the Shadehouse, too, to spruce up your campsite.
Kelty's got sleeping bags, too. You've got your choice of down or synthetic fill, and cold weather bags for down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (I had to google how to spell Fahrenheit), and warmer weather bags rated to 40 degrees.
Check out more Camping and Hiking Gear from Kelty:


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Austrian historian and educator; born at Holleschau, Moravia, July 16, 1823; died in Vienna Oct. 29, 1892. He began the study of Hebrew at a very early age, and later received instruction in German and in Latin from Dr. Egenter, then stationed in Holleschau as military surgeon. Intending to pursue a rabbinical career, he went in 1836 to Pohrlitz, and later to Nikolsburg, where he engaged in Talmudic studies, attending at the same time the gymnasium. Three years later (1839) he went to Vienna, where he attended the university, his studies embracing pedagogics, philosophy, and modern languages. In 1845 his first article, "Das Lustspiel des Aristophanes und das Lustspiel Unserer Zeit," appeared in Saphir's "Humorist." Three years later he published in Frankl's "Sonntagsblätter" his "Das Sterben eines Kindes," his only attempt in the field of fiction.
Wolf was personally engaged in the political struggles of 1848-49, his "Die Demokratie und der Socialismus" appearing in the latter year. On account of several radical articles published in "DieOesterreichische Zeitung" and in "Die Zeit," he was ordered to leave Vienna; but owing to the intervention of influential friends the order was revoked. He then decided to abandon journalism, and presently accepted a position in a school for Jewish girls. In 1850 he was appointed religious instructor in the state industrial high school in the Leopoldstadt, one of the districts of Vienna, which position he held till 1876. In 1851, in response to a request from the mayor of Vienna for suggestions as to school reforms, he published his "Ueber die Volksschulen in Oesterreich," in which he advocated the elimination of religious instruction from all public schools. Toward the end of 1852, on account of a secret denunciation, his home was searched by the authorities, and Guizot's "La Démocratie en France," a work which had been placed under the ban, was found in his library. He was court-martialed, held in custody for seventeen days during trial, and finally sentenced to four weeks' confinement in a fortress. In the same year he received his degree of Ph.D., and two years later was appointed religious instructor to the Jewish community of Vienna. Wolf was active in various public undertakings. In 1859 he founded a library for the young; and in 1861, together with Noah Mannheimer, Baron Königswarter, and Julius von Goldschmidt, he organized a society for the aid of poor Jewish students in Vienna. This society, which is still (1905) in existence, has assisted more than 200 students annually since its foundation. Until 1872 Wolf officiated as pastor to the Jewish inmates of the houses of correction of Vienna and Stein-on-the-Danube; and from 1884 to 1892, as inspector of all the Jewish religious schools of Vienna.
Wolf is the author of the following works: "Geschichte Israels für die Israelitische Jugend" (Vienna, 1856), introduced as a text-book in various Jewish schools of the United States; "Ferdinand II. und die Juden" (ib. 1859; 2d ed., Leipsic, 1860); "Vom Ersten bis zum Zweiten Tempel. Geschichte der Israelitischen Cultusgemeinde in Wien, 1820-60" (Vienna, 1860); "Zur Geschichte der Juden in Worms und des Deutschen Städtewesens" (Breslau, 1862); "Judentaufen in Oesterreich" (Vienna, 1863); "Isaak Noah Mannheimer. Eine Biographische Skizze" (ib. 1863); "Die Juden in der Leopoldstadt" (ib. 1863); "Zur Geschichte der Jüdischen Aerzte in Oesterreich" (1864); "Zur Geschichte Jüdischer Tartüffe" (pseudonymously; Leipsic, 1864); "Das Hundertjährige Jubiläum der Israelitischen Cultusgemeinde" (Vienna, 1864); "Zwei Geschichten der Israelitischen Cultusgemeinde in Wien" (ib. 1865); "Zur Lage der Juden in Galizien" (1867); "Joseph Wertheimer, ein Lebens- und Zeitbild" (Vienna, 1868); "Die Vertreibung der Juden aus Böhmen im Jahre 1744, und deren Rückkehr im Jahre 1748" (Leipsic, 1869); "Kurzgefasste Religions- und Sittenlehre" (Vienna, 1870; 2d ed., ib. 1877), used as a text-book in Jewish schools of North America; "Geschichte der Juden in Wien von 1156-1876" (ib. 1876); "Joseph II." (ib. 1878); "Die Jüdischen Friedhöfe und die Chevrah Kadischah in Wien" (ib. 1879); "Die Alten Statuten der Jüdischen Gemeinden in Mähren, nebst den Darauffolgenden Synodalbeschlüssen" (ib. 1880); "Das Unterrichtswesen in Oesterreich Unter Kaiser Joseph II." (ib. 1880); "Aus der Zeit der Kaiserin Maria Theresia" (ib. 1888); "Josefina" (ib. 1890); and "Kleine Historische Schriften" (ib. 1892).
- Wurzbach, Biog. Lex.;
- Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie;
- Mährens Männer der Gegenwart, s.v. For Wolf's autobiography see Notizenblatt der Historisch-Statistischen Section der Gesellschaft zur Beförderung des Ackerbaues, ed. by Christian Ritter d'Elvert, 1875, Nos. 3 and 4.


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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
The United States congratulates President John Dramani Mahama and the people of Ghana for the successful election on December 7. Nearly 80% of the electorate voted, continuing the Ghanaian tradition of widespread public participation in the democratic process.
This is the sixth successful presidential and parliamentary election since 1992, and further demonstrates the people of Ghana's commitment to democracy and the rule of law. The United States encourages all parties to accept the results and to use the appropriate legal processes to resolve any electoral disputes.
The United States places a high value on its long-standing friendship and partnership with Ghana and the Ghanaian people. We look forward to strengthening our bonds by working with President Mahama and the people of Ghana to ensure prosperity, peace, and further democratic development of Ghana and the region.
Credit: White House
Related articles
- Six lessons from Ghana's 2012 elections (africasacountry.com)
- What Africa can learn from Ghana's peaceful election (one.org)


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Yay, I really think this is my masterpiece wallpaper!!! :DDDD
I spent about 2 hours making this. Pffft... yeah I know I rushed, but thats cuz I didn't want to go to bed before finishing this!!
Dedicated to the creator, Aria Sky! Good luck on your first challenge, Lea!! it was really fun making this wallie x3
but hard too xD
Note: 1600x1200 is best size to view this at!!! Hope you all enjoy!
Original scan: HERE @ minitokyo.net and if that doesn't work, click RIGHT HERE.
Texture used: HERE (I used it twice. Glad I found it while randomly looking through light texture images!) The hard part was covering the text from the original scan!
I edited it on prntscr.com and good old picnik.com (which is sadly on its way out).
Message: Made it up in my head, Aria Sky-style! :D 'Follow your Dreams, Never give up.'
And on a random note... I don't wanna go to bed now, I wanna eat a muffin xP


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French Courses Oxford
How does it work?
Choose the perfect course for you
We will require that you confirm certain information once you have chosen your course from the list above: the desired start date, course level as well as the dates and times that will be most convenient for you.
We find you a great native teacher
Please understand that it will take a few days to get you started with your teacher As it depends upon your language and exact location in Oxford.
The instructor comes to your place to teach
The teacher will come to your home or office to deliver the lessons provided if you live or work close to the centre. If your home or work address is far from the centre then you will be required to have the lessons at the teacher's home or in a public location, like a quiet café or library.
3 simple steps to book your course
About Oxford
Home of the oldest and perhaps most respected institute of higher learning in the world, what Oxford lacks in size (150,000 people) it more than makes up for in prestige. Tourism and the university keep Oxford diverse, and the auto manufacturing industry (the BMW Mini is made in Oxford) keeps the city's economic climate healthy.


text:
Join AARP's community of 50,000-plus volunteers and donate your time and talent — in person or from home — to improve the lives of older Americans and their families.
Find resources for accessing the Volunteer Portal
Interested in Virtual Volunteering?
There are many ways to help others safely from home
Our volunteers are skilled, dedicated and passionate about giving back to their communities and helping the 50-plus population live their best lives. When you join our inclusive family of volunteers, we'll provide all of the training and support you need to make a difference, make new connections and have fun at the same time.


text:
Bitwig has announced the release of Bitwig Studio, a multi-platform music-creation system for production, performance and DJing, with a focus on flexible editing tools and a super-fast workflow.
Record and arrange, improvise and perform, or do it all at once. Choose between several display profiles. Design your own sounds with dedicated container devices. Combine built-in instruments, effects, and VST plug-ins.
Bitwig Studio's unified mapping system allows you to modulate any device or VST parameter using macro controls and modulator devices. Explore a new world of creative possibilities, including audio and note expressions, histogram-based value editing, layered editing, extensive bounce-in-place functions, automatic slicing, smart controller integration, and the Open Controller Scripting API.
Every feature in Bitwig Studio was developed by musicians, for musicians. Welcome to the next generation of music creation and performance software for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Bitwig Studio features
- Cross-platform DAW (Windows, OS X, Linux).
- Intuitive non-linear sequencing for the studio world and beyond.
- Full multi-core and multi-processor support.
- VST 2.4 support with built-in 32-/64-bit bridging and plug-in crash protection.
- Proprietary time-stretching technology.
- Unlimited Audio Tracks.
- Unlimited Effect Tracks.
- Multi-display support for up to 3 displays.
- Unlimited Note Tracks.
- Unified Modulation System: Use Macro Controls, Note Expressions, LFOs, and Envelope Followers to modulate any device parameter, including nested internal devices and even VST plug-ins.
- Note and Audio expressions, including per-note Micro-Pitch Control.
- Automatic sample slicing to both Sampler or Drum Machine.
- Record and edit both track and clip automation in absolute and relative modes.
- Support for numerous MIDI controllers out of the box.
- Multiple tools for specific tasks and editing workflows.
- Macro Controls per device, as well as dedicated Device Panel Mappings with color-coded knobs and buttons for an overview at a glance.
- Advanced layered editing.
- Open Controller API: Lets you create and customize functionality for virtually any MIDI controller, including scripting access to nearly every feature of Bitwig Studio.
- File import: WAV, MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, and Ogg Vorbis.
- A PDF Manual is included with the Bitwig Studio application in English and Japanese.
Bitwig Studio for Windows, Mac, and Linux costs MAP $399 USD / 299 EUR.
More information at Bitwig


text: [Matthias] swapped out his twin-tube florescent aquarium lights for LEDs. By running tank water through the aluminum LED mounts he's transferring excess heat into the water in the tank, in turn saving some of the electricity that would have been used to heat the tank. Couple this with roughly 35 Watts saved by moving away from fluorescent tubes and he's got a great energy-saving hack. The LEDs used in the last aquarium light conversion were cooled by heat sinks and fans. We'd love to see this concept incorporated into that design.


text:
To visualise human ENCODE data at UCSC, open the
Genome Browser,
select the February 2009 assembly (GRCh37/hg19) or the March 2006 assembly (NCBI36/hg18)
of the human genome, and go to your region of interest.
The bulk of
the ENCODE data can be found in the Expression and Regulation
track groups, with a few in the Mapping, Genes, and
Variation groups. Although most
participating research groups have provided several tracks, generally
only selected data from each research group are displayed by default.
Click the hyperlinked name of a particular track to display a page
containing configuration options and details about the methods used to
generate the data. See the Genome Browser User's Guide for
further information about displaying tracks and navigating in the
Genome Browser.
Data from the earlier ENCODE project
pilot phase, which covered approximately 1% of the genome, are
available on the March 2006 (NCBI36/hg18),
May 2004 (NCBI35/hg17), and July 2003 (NCBI34/hg16) human genome assemblies.
The ENCODE Pilot Project
web pages provide convenient browser access to these regions.


text:
Black Veil Brides is an American hard rock/glam rock band based out of Hollywood, California and formed in 2006 in Delhi, Ohio . The group is composed of Andy Biersack (vocals), Ashley Purdy (bass, backing vocals), Jake Pitts (lead guitar), Jinxx (guitar, violin) and Christian (CC) Coma (drums). Released on StandBy Records, the band's debut album, We Stitch These Wounds was released in July 2010 and sold nearly 100,000 copies in its first week, ranking at #36 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and #1 on the Billboard Independent chart. Black Veil Brides are known for their distinct appearance, mainly being inspired by Kiss's famous stage persona as well as numerous 1980s glam metal acts.
On June 14, 2011, Black Veil Brides released their second album, "Set The World On Fire", via label "Lava Records". This is the first album to feature new drummer, Christian Coma.


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Innovation, economic growth and climate change are just a few of the challenges and opportunities that face the U.S. They are also firmly linked to science. For example, research findings provide a basis for understanding how to respond to climate change, and technological progress fuels economic growth. Science is a vital to many government policies, and thus Scientific American has joined a swelling chorus of voices and partnered with ScienceDebate.org, a grassroots organization. We call for the two main presidential candidates—Pres. Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney to address science and technology policy during the 2012 campaign.
ScienceDebate.org sent 14 questions to the presidential candidates in late July and awaits their responses. In addition, we've posed eight of the 14 questions to influential members of Congress, chosen because they lead their parties or congressional committees in charge of science and technology-related policy.
The Scientific American editors will publish and grade the presidential candidates' responses in the magazine's November issue. Congress's replies will be available online, where readers are welcome to challenge our grade and offer their own thoughts.
For a detailed look at each of the questions, see our ongoing series listed below and weigh in with your comments. A new question will appear weekly on Fridays. The individual posts follow (list will be updated):
What Do Obama and Romney Know about Science? And Why It Matters By Christine Gorman, July 19, 2012
Advances in Science Drive Economic Growth By Christine Gorman, July 26, 2012
Senators Fiddle While Deep Ocean Temperatures Rise By Christine Gorman, August 3, 2012
Who Should Fund Scientific Research? How Much? By Christine Gorman, August 10, 2012
Will the Candidates Tell Us about Their Policies on Pandemics and Biosecurity? By Marissa Fessenden, August 17, 2012
Will the U.S. Remain a Leader in a Science- and Technology-Driven Economy? By Marissa Fessenden, August 24, 2012
Can the U.S. Achieve Energy Independence by 2020 By Christine Gorman, August 31, 2012
Food Safety: Romney and Obama Focus on Different Solutions By Christine Gorman, September 7, 2012
Voters Should Pay More Attention to Freshwater Issues By Christine Gorman, September 14, 2012
How Would Fish Vote in the 2012 Election? By Christine Gorman, September 28, 2012
The 32 Congressional leaders we've contacted are listed below, along with their committee or subcommittee assignments and ranks. The elected officials' names link to contact forms on their respective Web sites. We urge residents of the states and districts they serve to e-mail the officials with a request to answer the eight questions. To figure out who your representatives are, visit this site.
Congressional leaders:
Lamar Alexander: Tennessee (R)—ranking member, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Barbara Boxer: California (D)—chair, Committee on Environment and Public Works
Jim DeMint: South Carolina (R)—member, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchinson is retiring)
Michael Enzi: Wyoming (R)—ranking member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Dianne Feinstein: California (D)—chair, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Tom Harkin: Iowa (D)—chair, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
James Inhofe: Oklahoma (R)—ranking member, Committee on Environment and Public Works
Mitch McConnell: Kentucky (R)—Senate minority leader
Patty Murray: Washington State (D)—member, Committee on the Budget (Chairman Kent Conrad is retiring)
Lisa Murkowski: Alaska (R)—ranking member, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Harry Reid: Nevada (D)—Senate majority leader
Pat Roberts: Kansas (R)—ranking member, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Jay Rockefeller: West Virginia (D)—chair, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Jeff Sessions: Alabama (R)—ranking member, Committee on the Budget
Debbie Stabenow: Michigan (D)—chair, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Ron Wyden: Oregon (D)—member, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Chairman Jeff Bingaman is retiring)
House of Representatives
Timothy Bishop: New York State–1 (D)—ranking member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
John Boehner: Ohio–8 (R)—speaker of the House
Scott Garrett: New Jersey–5 (R)—vice chair, Committee on the Budget (Chair Paul Ryan is the Republican vice presidential candidate)
Bob Gibbs: Ohio–18 (R)—chair, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
Ralph Hall: Texas–4 (R)—chair, Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Doc Hastings: Washington State–4 (R)—chair, Committee on Natural Resources
Eddie Bernice Johnson: Texas–30 (D)—ranking member, Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Frank Lucas: Oklahoma–3 (R)—chair, Committee on Agriculture; member of Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Edward J. Markey: Massachusetts–7 (D)—ranking member, Committee on Natural Resources
John Mica: Florida–7 (R)—chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Nancy Pelosi: California–8 (D)—House minority leader
Collin Peterson: Minnesota–7 (D)—ranking member, Committee on Agriculture
Nick Rahall: West Virginia–3 (D)—ranking member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Fred Upton: Michigan–6 (R)—chair, Committee on Energy and Commerce
Chris Van Hollen: Maryland–8 (D)—ranking member, Committee on the Budget
Henry Waxman: California–30 (D)—ranking member, Committee on Energy and Commerce


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What Is Depression?
While everyone feels sad from time to time, if that occurs most days for more than two weeks, it could mean that clinical depression is occurring. Major depression is a period of sadness, irritability, or low motivation that occurs with other symptoms, lasts at least two weeks in a row, and is severe enough to negatively affect one's life. Depression is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It is a real and treatable medical illness.
These PET scans of the brain indicate low activity in a person suffering from depression compared to someone who is not depressed.
Depression: Emotional Symptoms
The most prominent symptoms of depression are usually a sad or irritable mood and/or loss of interest in all or most activities that used to be pleasurable. Patients may also experience guilt despite having done nothing wrong, as well as feeling worthless, hopeless, and/or have recurring thoughts of wanting to die, kill, or otherwise harm themselves, as in cutting or burning themselves¬¬.
Depression Symptoms: Physical
Depression can sometimes be associated with physical symptoms. Examples may include the following:
- Tiredness and low energy level
- Trouble sleeping, particularly early morning waking
- Sleeping too much
- Aches or pains, especially headaches, muscle cramps, or digestive problems (for example, stomachaches, diarrhea, or constipation) that do not improve even with pain focused treatment
- Feeling or seeming slowed down or agitated
Depression can worsen many other medical problems, especially those that cause chronic pain. Certain brain chemicals affect pain and mood, and treating depression tends to improve the symptoms and outcomes of many physical illnesses.
Depression: Appetite Symptoms
Some individuals with depression experience an increase or decrease in appetite, which may lead to substantial loss or gain in weight.
How Depression Can Impact Daily Life
Left untreated, the symptoms of depression can negatively impact the sufferer's activities, relationships, and career. Depressed people often have trouble concentrating and making decisions. They may stop participating in activities they used to enjoy, including sex, as well as no longer spending time with loved ones. In severe cases, depression can be fatal as the result of homicide or suicide.
Warning Signs of Suicide
People with depression are at risk for trying to commit suicide. Warning signs may include talking about suicide or dying, threatening to hurt others, becoming irritable or taking excessive risks, giving away personal belongings, or otherwise settling personal affairs. Any warning signs for suicide should be taken very seriously and immediate help should be sought, either through the closest emergency room or in discussion with a suicide hotline. Two suicide hotlines include 800-SUICIDE (800-784-2433) and 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255).
Who Is at Risk for Developing Depression?
While anyone can develop depression, it is widely thought that a family history of depression is a risk factor for the illness. For example, being the child or sibling of a depressed person increases one's risk of developing a depressive disorder. Women are twice as likely as men to have this condition at some point in their lives. How often depression occurs may be difficult to determine since symptoms of this illness can vary somewhat based on gender, age, and ethnic background.
Causes of Depression
While it is not clear what specifically causes depression, a widely accepted theory is a change in brain structure and chemistry. Specifically, substances called neurotransmitters are out of balance in depressed people. Possible causes for the imbalance include certain medications, alcohol or substance abuse, hormonal or seasonal changes, or enduring a traumatic event, like being the victim of abuse or losing a loved one or a job.
Seasonal Depression
If someone has a pattern of feeling depressed in a particular season, he or she may have a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Although SAD may occur in any season, it is most likely to occur fall and winter, when the daylight hours are shorter. Research shows that SAD occurs in about 3%-20% of all people, depending upon where they live.
Postpartum Depression
What people commonly call the "baby blues" afflicts up to 75% of new mothers. More than 10% of those women experience more severe and persistent sadness even if their baby is healthy. That condition, called postpartum depression, has symptoms that are very similar to the symptoms of major depression. However, in postpartum depression, the baby's well-being may become at risk since a depressed mother may have trouble enjoying, bonding with, and caring for her infant. In rare instances, the mother may become a danger to herself or her infant.
Depression in Children
Depression afflicts about 2% of children in grade school and about 10% of teens In the United States. It can impair the child or adolescent's friendships and school performance. Many of the symptoms are similar to those in depressed adults, but depression can be harder to diagnose in children, partly because they may revert to earlier behaviors (regress), seem angry, or engage in risky behaviors.
Diagnosing Depression
A specific blood test for depression has yet to be developed. Therefore, doctors must use the sufferer's description of their symptoms in order to diagnose this condition. Other information that is usually gathered as part of the assessment include information about medical history, substance abuse, and medication use since these issues may contribute to symptoms of depression. Understanding someone's family medical and mental-health history can help determine what he or she is at risk for developing. Discussing moods, behaviors, and daily activities can help the mental-health professional assess the severity and type of depression the person is experiencing. Gathering all this information is important to the professional in order to provide the best treatment.
Talk Therapy for Depression
Research shows that different forms of talk therapy (psychotherapy) can help alleviate depression that is of mild to moderate severity. The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to help the individual alter ways of thinking and behaving that may lead to depression. Interpersonal therapy works with the depressed person to understand how his or her ways of interacting with others can contribute to depression. Psychodynamic therapy helps the depression sufferer understand and come to terms with how issues from their past may unconsciously affect their current moods and actions. Studies indicate that most people who are having their first episode of major depression need at least six months of treatment to resolve the depressive episode.
Medications for Depression
Many medications, antidepressants, are effective for the treatment of depression. These medications affect the levels of brain chemicals, like serotonin and norepinephrine. It may take some weeks to feel the positive effect of these medications, so it is important to remain vigilant in taking them and working with a doctor in the process. Studies show that people suffering from depression tend to get better faster and more robustly when treated with a combination of psychotherapy and medication compared to treatment with either medication or therapy alone.
Exercise for Depression
Studies show that moderate exercise can be an important part of alleviating mild to moderate depression because it causes the release of chemicals called endorphins. In addition to the medical benefits of exercise, the release of endorphins tends to elevate mood and self-esteem, decrease stress, increase energy level, and improve sleep. Engaging in just 30 minutes of activity that elevates heart rate three to four times per week is enough for anyone to reap the benefits of exercise.
Light Therapy (Phototherapy)
Light therapy, also called phototherapy, can be an effective treatment for SAD and other types of depression. This form of treatment involves sitting in front of a medical light box that emits a specific kind of light for several minutes per day. Phototherapy should only be used when recommended by a doctor and is often used with psychotherapy or medication to achieve the best effects.
St. John's Wort for Depression
St. John's wort is an herbal supplement that has been found to be a potential help for mild depression, but two large studies have shown it is ineffective against moderate or severe depression. Also, St. John's wort can interact poorly with other medications. It is therefore important to ask a doctor before taking this or any other supplement.
Pets for Depression
While loving pets cannot take the place of psychotherapy and medication in treating depression, these family members can be helpful for many people who suffer from mild depression. Pets relieve stress by providing love and companionship. Research shows that animal-assisted therapy can also decrease agitation that often goes with depression.
The Role of Social Support
Since loneliness often accompanies depression, having good relationships and social support can be an important part of recovery from this illness. Joining a support group, either in person or online, having regular contact with loved ones, or joining a club can help ward off becoming socially isolated. Spiritual connectedness, either with other people at a place of worship or just believing in a power bigger than oneself, can help decrease depression as well.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) helps patients who suffer from chronic treatment-resistant depression that does not improve with the combination of psychotherapy and medication. VNS requires the surgical insertion of an electrical device that alleviates depression by inducing a normal electrical pattern in the brain by sending electrical pulses through the vagus nerve in the neck. However, it may take several months of treatments before any improvements in depression are noted.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is another treatment option for people who struggle with severe treatment-resistant depression. This treatment involves administering electric impulses to create a controlled seizure while the patient is under sedation. ECT helps 80% to 90% of people who receive it, which is significant, given that most of those individuals would otherwise continue to suffer. While this form of treatment has a history of stigma attached to it, changes in the way it was implemented decades ago have significantly decreased side effects and improved its effectiveness.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is another option for people with severe depression that does not respond adequately to medication and psychotherapy. With rTMS, physicians aim electromagnetic currents at the skull to stimulate a small electrical current in a part of the brain linked to depression. In contrast to ECT, rTMS does not cause a seizure and seems to have few side effects. However, not many doctors have the training and experience to implement this form of treatment.
Good Outlook
While afflicted with the symptoms of major depression, one might feel hopeless and unable to function. However, this condition is quite treatable and as much as 80% of people with the condition recover with the help of medication, talk therapy, or both forms of treatment. For those who do not improve with those traditional treatments, interventions like VNS, ECT, or rTMS can bring significant relief for many people.
Learn to Spot Depression: Symptoms, Warning Signs, Medication
This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information:
© 1996-2023 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Source slideshow on OnHealth


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Lytro's one of the few companies out there that are pioneering in what's called "light field" technology; their light field sensors basically take in massive amounts of data and process them into a small picture that you can interact with. The final result helps achieve a sort of post-focusing effect you'd find in Google Camera's Lens Blur or the HTC One M8's double-sensor camera. Back about two months ago, Lytro announced a camera called the Illum – one of the first major steps in making a camera like that reality while keeping the specs a bit up to date.
But right now, the technology's still in its growing stages. The Illum is a first, but at the same time it's retaining a hefty price tag of around $1500. It's needless to say that there's still a lot left to be done with this technology before it can actually be that profitable. Just recently, Sony took a big step for the future of light field sensors by grabbing their own patent for light field sensors. According to the patent [warning, geeky read], apparently Sony has a way to get past some of the limitations that light field sensors bring to the rest of the technology implemented in. Put that together with the fact that this is Sony we're talking about, which both has the tech power and the market interest, and you've got a pretty promising look at what the future might hold for these new sensors.


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September 13, 2015
Final Resting Place:
Tribute Posted
Maddox Wickline and Family
Sep 29, 2023
Prayers for comfort and peace in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Ralph Oden Jr
Sep 29, 2023
I know how much you are loved and will be missed by your family. May you rest well and reunite with our loved ones on the otherside.
ellen oden
Sep 29, 2023
hell of a brother in law and uncle to my boys ralphjr aka lil eddie jerry and alvin oden. fly high r i p u will me missed
Sep 28, 2023
We didn't always see eye to eye but we always managed to laugh about it later. You were a great brother. You were also a awesome step dad to Nikki and Jr. And a super grandfather and great grandfather. I'm so glad I got to talk to you one last time❤ I love you and will miss you. RIP
Lisa Bush
Sep 28, 2023
You will be greatly missed. I know you and Mike are up in heaven having a big party. I miss you both so much.
I love you! I am so happy I got to say to tell you I love you.
Love you little sister Lisa
Frenchy and Lori Parris
Sep 27, 2023
We had the pleasure of meeting Dontae at the wrestling tournaments. Our grandson Tyson started his Jr year and Dontae was a true inspiration to Tyson. He was always cheering on any teammate who was getting ready to hit the mat and he was always there when the match was over telling them good job whether they won or lost. I don't think I ever saw him that he didn't speak. He was a true blessing to anyone he ever met and I know Tyson will always have a special angel watching over him. RIP Dontae
Lucy Brewster
Sep 27, 2023
I'm so sorry... You all are in my prayers... I'm so glad I had the honor to be friends with Brenda. Goodbye Miss P. I'll remember you always.
Beth Smith Tucker
Sep 26, 2023
I am so very sorry for all of the family!
Hugs and prayers♥🙏🏻.
Ruth Lockhart
Sep 26, 2023
May She Rest In Peace. Brenda was a loving wife, mother and friend.
Cary Linkswiler
Sep 26, 2023
My heart breaks for this community and Dontaes family! Forever a Mountie! Forever Mr. AHS! I hope and pray that Dontae and Carter are up their goofing off, because that's the kind of joy they gave us!
Nancy Moga
Sep 26, 2023
Sending love, peace, and sympathy to the family. So young and such a nice young man.
Sep 26, 2023
I didn't really know Dante but I know that he was a good person, I'm sorry for your loss. I don't really prey a lot but I will pray for Dante and his family.


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