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Violence and Suicide Caused by Antidepressants Report to the FDA
by Peter R. Breggin, M.D.
August 23, 2004
On March 22, 2004 the FDA issued a "Public Health Advisory" cautioning about the risks associated with the new generation of antidepressants including the SSRIs. In examining drug-induced suicide, the FDA's also observed that certain behaviors are "known to be associated with these drugs," including "anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, akathisia (severe restlessness), hypomania, and mania."
This syndrome will cause both suicide and violence. Each of the adverse drug reactions described as "known" antidepressants effects has been linked to violence—most obviously agitation, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, akathisia, hypomania and mania. The FDA's conclusions seem drawn from my recent detailed review of SSRI adverse effects (Breggin 1993/1994, p. 32): "Mania with psychosis is the extreme end of a stimulant continuum that often begins with lesser degrees of insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, hyperactivity and irritability and then progresses toward more severe agitation, aggression, and varying degrees of mania."
I made a similar analysis ten years ago in Talking Back to Prozac (1994) when I suggested that a label warning for SSRI antidepressants should include specific behavioral reactions including violence, depression and suicide (also see Breggin, 1997, 2002).
Breggin Antidepressant Column, p. 2 As a psychiatrist and as a medical expert, I have examined dozens of cases of individuals who have committed suicide or violent crimes while under the influence of the newer antidepressants. In South Carolina, for example, twelve year old Christopher Pittman shot his grandparents to death shortly after starting Zoloft. In other cases, a fourteen-year-old girl on Prozac fired a pistol pointblank at a friend but the gun failed to go off, and a teenage boy on Zoloft beat to death an elderly woman who complained to him about his loud music. A greater number of cases involve adults who developed dyscontrol and manic-like aggressive syndromes while taking antidepressants. Numerous criminal cases have been positively influenced by my testimony concerning these adverse drug effects.
Antidepressant-induced mania can lead to violence and also "crashing" with depression and suicide. One clinical trial showed a rate of 6% manic reactions for depressed children on Prozac (Emslie et al., 1997). None developed mania on a sugar pill. The FDA-approved label for Luvox indicates a rate of 4% for mania in children in controlled clinical trials. In short-term clinical trials, 1% or more of depressed adults typically develop mania compared to a small fraction on the sugar pill.
The FDA should follow the example of Great Britain in discouraging the use of these drugs in children. Beyond that, the FDA and the medical profession must forthrightly educate potential patients and the public about the sometimes life-threatening risks associated with the use of antidepressant medications, including suicide and violence.
Breggin Antidepressant Column, p. 3 Bibliography Breggin, P. (1997). Brain-Disabling Treatments in Psychiatry (New York: Springer Publishing Company). Breggin, P. (2002). The Antidepressant Fact Book. (New York: Perseus). Breggin, P. (2003/2004). Suicidality, violence and mania caused by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): A review and analysis. International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, 16: 31-49, 2003/2004. (The complete text of the peerreviewed article appears on www.breggin.com). Breggin, P. and Breggin, G. (1994). Talking Back to Prozac. (New York: St. Martin's Press). Emslie, G., Rush, A., Weinberg, W., et al. (1997). A double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial of fluoxetine in children and adolescents with depression. Archives of General Psychiatry 54:1031-1037. Contact Information: Peter R. Breggin M.D., 206A Dryden Rd PMB 112, Ithaca, NY 14850, 607-272-5328.


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The university's board of trustees voted Friday to hire Timothy Flanagan, who is currently president of Framingham State University in Framingham, Mass.
Flanagan will begin his new job Aug. 15.
He replaces Al Bowman, who announced in December that he would step down after a decade as president and 35 years overall at ISU.
Flanagan is also a sociology professor and has a Ph.D. in criminal justice from the University at Albany, which is part of the State University of New York.
His accomplishments include creating new academic programs, securing tens of millions of dollars in capital investment and establishing record-setting levels of fundraising and private support.
He says he was drawn to ISU by its reputation as a top public university.

subset: commoncrawl


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Soon after graduating from college I was on my way to the ends of the earth on an expensive, five-month mission to a remote corner of Asia. This exciting venture went far in launching me into years of fruitful ministry. As I raised support for it, though, a friend inquired how much of my own money I was putting into the trip. Struck by his words, I decided then and there to use whatever I had in my slender means for expenses like immunizations, supplies, my passport application, and airfare to and from the training and debriefing site.
When the whole trip was over, though, I had second thoughts about my noble choice. I was practically broke and behind schedule on finding that post-college job. Should I have raised more support? Or maybe delayed the whole project until I could pay even more of my own way? Which path is more responsible? More trusting in God? More likely to give him glory? As you may suspect, I found no easy or universal answer to these questions.
Earning Versus Asking
On the one hand, earning money through our own labors and giving sacrificially from what we have can demonstrate our sincerity, steward the resources we've been given, and keep us from being unnecessarily dependent on funds which may be given to those who really need them.
Raising support, though, may do more to build our faith, strengthen our bonds with those who give, and offer donors who cannot go a chance to be part of the team and what God will do through it. It may teach us dependence on God as the ultimate provider, confirm our sense that he is leading the mission, and give us valuable practice in confronting the fears and sense of independence that could keep us from pursing this kind of ministry long-term.
In my case, I found raising support for my trip to Central Asia was extremely valuable in laying the foundation of a support team for long-term ministry. Later, when it came to raising monthly support, I had a mailing list ready to go. More people knew what I was doing and why because I'd already asked them to be part of a mission trip or two.
But giving from my own resources had benefits too. It likewise grew my faith, taught me to live simply, and made me trust God to provide a job on my return. Since I was also giving to support the ministry, I couldn't fall into the trap of thinking some people are goers and others are givers. I, too, was learning the joy of giving sacrificially.
Should You Do Both?
Many short-term mission teams, especially youth groups, develop fundraising strategies that combine asking and earning: participants work hard and are paid for their labors by donations from generous donors whom they serve through product sales, service projects, and more. And some mission team members do what I did, covering some expenses on their own and raising support to meet the rest of the need. Or, as may be the case, raising support and pitching in if all the funds don't come in. Both the earning and the asking can solidify our commitment to making the most of a mission trip. Each can motivate us to be both frugal and faithful as we go.
What's Biblical?
Raising support and paying your own way are both biblical, and both are reflected in the New Testament, even in the life of the Apostle Paul. In some situations Paul worked with his hands to support his ministry and avoid putting up obstacles to his message. But on other occasions he seems to have laid his tools aside in favor of full-time preaching and teaching, supported by others. He also commended and encouraged giving to support those going out to preach the gospel, as well as generous hospitality in receiving missionaries when they passed through.
Raising Prayer Support
Like any other kind of ministry, mission trips seem to work best when we approach them with a healthy sense of dependence on God and others. We're designed to be part of a body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" (1 Corinthians 12:21). Whether you raise support, pay your own way, or some combination of the two, don't neglect the opportunity to raise prayer support.
Some ministries that send out short-term missionaries challenge or require each person to build a team of prayer supporters who will lift them up regularly before, during, and after the trip. Merely making a broad appeal for prayer is of some value, but consider asking for more specific and concrete involvement. Could you sign up 10-12 partners who commit in writing to pray for you every day? This is a great idea, a blessing both to those who go and those who send.
Check out these articles for more insights on the principles and practices of raising support:
- Six Steps for Raising Support for a Mission Trip
- Best Fundraising Ideas for Christian Teens Mission Trips
- Mission Trip Support Raising
- Raising Missionary Support with Global Frontier Missions
Web services to help you with funding that some people use:
- Give Send Go a crowdfunding site
- MissionLinked, and Continue To Give online donor management tools.
- Go Fund Me popular crowdfunding site
- Fund the Nations Sell T-shirts on social media to fund your trip.


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Classroom Select Community Table with Power, Laminate, 96 W x 30 D Inches
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The Classroom Select Community Tables and Benches offer an open meeting concept. Designed for libraries, lounge areas and collaborative learning spaces, offered in a variety of sizes and height options. Centrally located inset power options are also available for all your charging needs, complete with 2 USB and 2 outlets. Choose between a one laminate or two laminate table in any of our 32 laminate choices. Markerboard available in 5 colors on top and side, and 32 laminate under and inside colors. Add comfort to the Community Benches by ordering a 3 inch upholstered Seat cushion, offered in any of our 34 Fabric options.
- Choice of 31 laminate top color
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- Centrally located power inset with 2 USB and 2 outlets
- Bench option sold separately


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After more than 200 years of history in the making, Buffalo Trace Distillery is unveiling its Oral History Project, a compilation of interviews with the people and stories of the Buffalo Trace Distillery family, such as Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee, and descendents of iconic figures such as Colonel Albert B. Blanton and Pappy Van Winkle.
For more than two years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been working with the LouieB.NunnCenter for Oral History at the University of Kentucky Libraries to capture the memories of the Distillery's friends and family to serve as a virtual time capsule for future generations. All the video interviews are housed on the NunnCenter website, available at: http://www.nunncenter.org/buffalotrace/.
Visitors to the website can learn the stories behind how Elmer T. Lee had a hand in creating Blanton's, the world's first single barrel bourbon; the memories of Alice Blanton as she visited "Uncle Albert" on the Distillery grounds where she learned to roller skate; and how Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer for Buffalo Trace Distillery feels that Elmer T. Lee is the "grandfather he never had."
"We're so excited to see this project finally come to fruition," said Meredith Moody, director of marketing services, Buffalo Trace Distillery. "To have the opportunity to preserve such rich memories of our company's legends such as E.H. Taylor Hay Jr., a descendent of Col. E.H. Taylor Jr., one of our company's early entrepreneurs, and our Warehouse Supervisors Ronnie Edwards and Leonard Riddle, who between them have 94 years of bourbon-making experience, is so rewarding."
Douglas Boyd, director of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History agrees, saying "To have been given an insider's look at the rich history of not only the Distillery itself but also the bourbon industry is such a rare opportunity. We're excited that now these stories will live on for future generations to learn about the history and tradition of one of Kentucky's signature industries."
In addition to visiting the NunnCenter's website to watch all the interviews in their entirety, Buffalo Trace Distillery plans to offer computer stations in its Visitor's Center for viewing the oral histories by early 2011.


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These are quotes from female inmates at Michigan's Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility (WHV) who contacted the ACLU to describe their feelings of humiliation when being forced to undergo this invasive behavior.
Since December, the women report that they no longer have to sit for the search, however the most degrading procedure remains in place -- the women are forced to spread their legs while standing and spread their labia while a guard peers into their vaginal cavity.
(These quotations have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Please be aware that due to the nature of these searches, these complaints often include graphic and sometimes disturbing language.)
Learn more about this case:


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Scientists from the University of Buffalo have smoked out what may cause some cases of infertility: marijuana. Today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, Herbert Schuel and his colleagues describe a cellular signaling system that responds to THC--the active substance in marijuana--and that may regulate sperm functions necessary for normal egg fertilization. The signaling system may be activated by anandamide, a cannabinoid-like molecule which this study shows for the first time is found in human seminal plasma, mid-cycle oviductal fluid and follicular fluid.
"These findings suggest that defects in the cannabinoid receptor-signaling system could account for certain types of infertility," Schuel says. "A better understanding of these mechanisms might lead to the development of novel drugs useful in reproductive medicine. For heavy marijuana users, the study results raise the possibility they are jeopardizing fertility by overloading this system."
To be sure, the process by which sperm prepare to fertilize an egg in the female reproductive tract is still mysterious. They must first become "capacitated" before they can begin swimming vigorously towards an egg and secrete the enzymes necessary to penetrate the egg's protective coat, a process called the acrosome reaction. But Schuel's work shows that both AM-356--a synthetic version of natural anandamide--and THC affect this sequence of events in three distinct ways: first, although low amounts of AM-356 stimulate sperm to swim more vigorously, too much of it has the exact opposite effect. Both AM-356 and TCH inhibit structural changes over the acrosome. And AM-356 significantly impairs sperm from binding to an egg's protective coat.
"The increased load of cannabinoids in people who abuse marijuana could flood natural endocannabinoid-signal systems in reproductive organs and adversely impact fertility," Schuel adds. "This possibility may explain observations made over the past 30 to 40 years that marijuana smoke drastically reduces sperm production in males."


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Sustainable fishing at your fingertips: The best fish to buy? Ask your cell phone
Ah, the familiar grocery store guessing game: Which fish is the right one to buy? Farm raised or wild? Pacific or Atlantic? Yellowfin or albacore tuna? Is that swordfish laden with mercury? And what about the shark?
It's close to impossible to remember all the factors that go into making fish healthy and eco-friendly—or not—especially during a rushed trip to the supermarket or a business meeting over sushi. And although any given choice might seem insignificant, all those everyday purchases may have a big impact on the oceans in the long run, says Ken Peterson, spokesperson for the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.
Relax. Help is only as far away as the cell phone in your hand, thanks to three environmental dot-orgs that have set up services consumers can link to 24/7 to instantly get all the fishy facts.
The folks at Blue Ocean Institute, an East Norwich, N.Y.–based nonprofit that studies and promotes the world's oceans, have created FishPhone, which uses a color scale to rate fish from green to red (green being the ecofriendliest). It also red flags varieties known to contain high levels of mercury, a metal associated with neurological problems and birth defects, as well as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organic compounds that are assumed carcinogens and have also been linked to reproductive problems.
To use FishPhone: simply send a text message that says FISH and the variety you're considering to 30644; you'll receive an instant text reply on whether your choice is healthy for you, not to mention for the planet. (Users with Internet access on their mobiles may opt instead to search fishphone.org.)
For instance, when asked about swordfish, the service texts back within seconds: "Atlantic and Mediterranean caught (GREEN), very few environmental concerns; Pacific caught (YELLOW) some environmental concerns. HEALTH ADVISORY: High Mercury."
Elaine Iandoli, a Blue Ocean spokesperson, says that FishPhone has received some 45,000 queries from more than 15,000 users since it was launched in fall 2007. She says it includes rankings of some 100 edible sea creatures that are updated twice a year and comprise different wild-caught and farm-raised fish. For wild fish, scientists take into account how a fish is caught (using nets, polls or harpoons, for example); whether the stock is being managed responsibly; how abundant the breed is (compared with historic levels); and whether fishing methods endanger other species (such as nets used to fish for yellowfin tuna that snare and kill dolphins). For farmed fish, they factor in what the fish are fed, if the farms are big polluters, and the risk of the farmed species wreaking havoc on local ecosystems if they escape.
The fish most asked about, says Iandoli: salmon. (Just FYI—and to save the texting fee—the healthiest and most ecofriendly dish is wild-caught Alaskan).
"I think it's a great educational tool, which is just what a lot of consumers need right now," says Katharine Burnham, media director of the New York City–based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which offers a similar online service called Seafood Selector on its Web site and for mobile devices. "A lot of consumers are becoming better educated about where their food comes from."
EDF has partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which also offers an online and mobile service called Seafood Watch, to provide an online sushi guide that takes into account the health of both humans and the ocean.
The aquarium also recently launched an application for the iPhone that allows users to check out the eco-worthiness of their selections.
"People's choices make a huge difference in the water," Monterey's Peterson says. Not to mention on their own health. So now you can have your fish—and eat it, too.
© 1996-2009 Scientific American Inc.
|Photo © Paul S. Hamilton


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Check back regularly here for Stepping Stones and home improvement tips and tricks to make sure you get the most out of your next Stepping Stones!
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Gmail's "native" app is actually a wrapper for a new version of the Gmail web app, enhanced with a few features that integrate it with the operating system: basic push notifications, image upload and a new navigation menu. It's interesting that the new interface of the mobile web app is only available if you use the "native" app.
I've always thought that Gmail's mobile web app is much better than the native Android app, so it's a pleasant surprise to see that Google didn't develop a completely new app for iOS. This way, you'll always get the latest features and you don't have to wait until Google releases a new version.
Regarding notifications, the app only supports badges and sound notifications, so you won't see the banner notifications introduced in iOS 5. Hopefully, Google will address this issue in a future update.
"To try out the Gmail app today, install it from App Store on any iOS 4+ device. Those who already have the Gmail app released Nov 2 must uninstall or log out of the old app prior to installing the new app," suggests Google.


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(CNN) -- Jason Terry can keep the tattoo.
One of the many story lines in the NBA Finals won by the Dallas Mavericks Sunday night was Terry's bold tattoo. Terry said he had the Larry O'Brien championship trophy tattooed on his right bicep before the season began because he was confident the Mavs would clinch the title.
Losing would've been painful for Terry, literally, as he said he would have the tattoo removed.
The Mavs won 105-95, with Terry leading the team with 27 points.
It was the Mavs' first NBA championship in franchise history. Dallas clinched the series by a margin of 4-2. Prior to their Game 6 victory, no player on the Mavs had won an NBA title.
"When you did something as crazy as I did, you have to back it up," Terry said showing his tattoo to the television cameras. "This team never gave up when faced with adversity. We never gave up. Tonight we got vindication."
The Mavs used furious scoring barrages by Terry and weathered an uneven game by star forward Dirk Nowitzki to win. In the end, Miami could not overcome Dallas' zone defense.
"I still really can't believe it. The team worked so long and so hard. The team deserves this. The Mavs nation deserves this," Nowitski said. "I could not get in a rhythm today but the team carried me to this win."
"I gotta give it up for the fellas," Nowitski said.
Despite a poor shooting night, Nowitzki still had 21 points.
The Mavs held a slim 53-51 lead at halftime and were able to grow the lead. They led by nine at the end of the third quarter. They pulled away in the fourth quarter, helped by Miami's sloppy play and turnovers.
The loss was devastating for Miami, a team that seemed to be put together for a championship.
Before the season, the Heat added perennial all-star forward Chris Bosh and superstar forward LeBron James to a team that was headed by talented guard Dwayne Wade.
A dejected James shook a few hands before quickly walking off the floor. The rest of the Heat stayed out to shake the hands.
"It hurts, of course. But I am not going to hang my head low," James told reporters after the game.
The win not only means the first championship for star power forward Nowitzki, it also means his Mavericks avenged their crushing loss against the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals.
That year, Nowitzki and the Mavericks watched a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals evaporate at the hands of Wade and the Heat.
For 38-year-old Dallas point guard Jason Kidd, Sunday's victory was a long-time coming.
"It's something that you always dream of when you come into the league," Kidd said shortly after the victory. "And it just shows the character of this team... I guess the third time's a charm."
The post-game celebration resulted in at least 14 arrests in downtown Dallas, according to police, including four for disorderly conduct and six for public intoxication.
CNN's Benjamin Gottlieb and Vivian Kuo contributed to this report


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The Mrs. and I were recently part of a panel discussion about the state of Black marriage where the moderator posed the following question: "Who is the head of your household?" While the other married couples all unanimously named the husband as the head, the Mrs. and I were the only ones to counter by saying we both fill that role equally. However, the general consensus was that we were just naïve newlyweds and in time we'd sing a different tune.
At the root of the conversation was the idea of gender roles in a relationship. It was a debate over what a man/husband and a woman/wife are supposed to do. Traditionally, that means a man plays the role of provider and a woman serves as caretaker. That sounds nice in theory but the realities of a marriage are not so black and white, as there are varying shades of grey in every relationship.
We exist in a world where women are no longer limited to being housewives (not that there's anything wrong with that) and men aren't immediately let off the hook when it comes to domestic duties. But what does it mean to be the head of the household? If it's about being the breadwinner, throwing out the trash and getting the big piece of chicken at dinner then I'll take that title, but I believe being the head of household is about who makes the decisions and Rocque la Familia is a two-person democracy.
I liken the dynamic of how my wife and I make decisions to the symbiotic relationship between a pair of shoes. It doesn't matter if you put on the left or the right one first, because you won't get far without the other. There are certain things that I excel at and the Mrs. lets me take lead on. Similarly, there are things that she is strong in and I trust her decision-making in that regard. We walk side-by-side not one behind the other.
I am not my wife's father and she is not my mother, so neither of us tells the other what to do because someone feels it's their right as the head of household. We make a concerted effort to consult each other on matters that will affect the other. Even if it's something that I may have pretty much made a decision on or vice versa, it's a general rule of thumb in our relationship to consult each other before moving forward. It's a sign of good communication and the foundation of a healthy relationship.
Apparently this is a foreign concept for many other couples, where the man is automatically put in the power position. Maybe I'm biased but part of me understands that line of thinking because there are times where the Mrs. and I fall into traditional gender roles. But my wife cooks more often than me not because she's a woman but because she works from home and it makes more sense. Regardless of who makes dinner on any given night, though, I generally do my part by washing dishes. It's a constant give and take that keeps balance in the home.
Ultimately, I'd like to think we're a little more progressive than most in sharing the leadership load. We are each other's favorite person and equally respect the other's opinion so it makes sense that we consult one another often. Maybe I'm just a naïve newlywed but I believe two heads (of household) are better than one.
Do you think a man should always be considered the head of household or can that title be shared? Sound off!
Mr. and Mrs. Rocque are the couple formerly known as Anslem Samuel and Starrene Rhett, New York-based journalists who found love in between bylines. Follow the newlyweds' musings of a marriage in progress here, on Twitter and via their joint blog.


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Some cloud providers fail to detect and block malicious traffic originating from their networks, which provides cybercriminals with an opportunity to launch attacks in a botnet-like fashion, according to a report from Australian security consultancy firm Stratsec.
Researchers from Stratsec, a subsidiary of British defense and aerospace giant BAE Systems, reached this conclusion after performing a series of experiments on the infrastructure of five "common," but unnamed, cloud providers.
The experiments involved sending different types of malicious traffic from remotely controlled cloud instances (virtual machines) to a number of test servers running common services such as HTTP, FTP and SMTP.
In one test case, services running on a targeted server were accessible from the Internet, but the server was located in a typical network environment, behind a firewall and an IDS (intrusion detection system). The goal of this particular test was to see how the cloud provider would respond to the presence of outbound malicious traffic originating from its network.
In a different experiment, the targeted test server was set up inside a separate cloud instance from the same provider in order to test if the provider would detect malicious traffic sent over its own internal network.
A third experiment involved the targeted server running inside a cloud instance at a different cloud provider in order to test how that provider would deal with incoming malicious traffic.
The experiments involved sending malformed network packets and performing aggressive port scanning; sending malware to the victim host via a reverse shell; performing a denial of service attack against a Web server running on the targeted host, performing a brute-force FTP password cracking attack; launching SQL injection, cross-site scripting, path traversal and other attacks against popular Web applications running on the targeted host; and sending known exploit payloads to various services running on the host.
In one experiment, some types of malicious activity, like port scanning, were executed for 48 hours in order to see if a large traffic volume and longer attack duration would trigger a response from the cloud provider.
"The results of the experiment showed that no connections were reset or terminated when transmitting inbound and outbound malicious traffic, no alerts were raised to the owner of the accounts, and no restrictions were placed on the Cloud instances," Stratsec senior consultant Pedram Hayati said Monday in a blog post.
Based on these results, Hayati concluded that cybercriminals could easily create and use botnets that run on cloud instances.
Such botnets would be relatively easy to set up and administer if one learns the cloud provider's API (application programming interface), would take less time to build than traditional botnets because replicating cloud instances can be done very fast, would be more stable because cloud instances have a very good uptime, would be more effective because of the increased computing power and bandwidth available to the cloud instances and wouldn't cost much, Hayati said.
"Based on our experiment, with the budget of as low as $7 and minimum hardware specification, it is possible to set up a botCloud with tens to hundreds of Cloud instances," the Stratsec consultant said. "We define 'botCloud' as a group of Cloud instances that are commanded and controlled by a malicious entity to initiate cyber-security attacks."
However, there are also disadvantages to operating such a botnet. For example, this type of botnet is probably not very resilient to takedown efforts, because cloud providers will likely shut down the offending cloud instances down once they receive an abuse notification from security researchers or victims.
"Computing is becoming cheaper and cheaper and for something like $10 one can buy enough computing power to take down a small website for a few hours," Costin Raiu, director of the Global Research & Analysis Team at antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab, said Tuesday via email. "However, it's also important to say that 'traditional' methods of infecting users with trojans are probably even cheaper and much more resilient to takedowns."
"It takes a lot of time to find a user which is infected by something like a bot from the Pandora DDoS family and convince him to clean his PC," Raiu said. "Such infections can last for weeks or for months - making them a lot cheaper than cloud computing solutions."
That said, cloud platforms can definitely be useful to launch vulnerability scans that can be followed or complemented by other attacks executed with the help of traditional botnets, Raiu said. "I believe that cloud providers should definitely look a bit more into improving the security of their configs."
"The experiment suggests that providers BAE looked at may not be prioritizing monitoring for malicious traffic and the sound implementation of security measures that you'd expect to be implemented on a corporate network," David Harley, a senior research fellow at antivirus vendor ESET, said Tuesday via email. "I can't comment on how typical these providers were. However, when and where cloud providers do implement such countermeasures, the overheads for developing a resilient malicious network are likely to increase sharply."
When making the switch to cloud computing, organizations should search for cloud providers that use high-end firewalls and intrusion detection systems and which undertake regular independent security tests of their environments, Hayati said. "Do not get tempted with ease of use and cheap cost."
In addition, companies should not treat traffic that is coming from public cloud providers as safe, he said.


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Related Projects
RTD, Union Station - Denver, Colo.
This design build project involves the transit improvements at the historic Denver Union Station making it a multi-modal transportation hub. Construction, which began in February 2010, includes: an underground bus terminal, an eight-track commuter rail station, plazas, relocation of the light rail station, and street improvements. This multifaceted project covering 40 acres in Denver's Central Platte Valley will integrate rail and bus service, along with taxis, bicyclist and pedestrians, into a dynamic urban center.
MEC took part in the relocation of the current light rail station. The track, approximately 4500 linear feet, was reconfigured where there were installations of new ductbank to fit the new additional three relay signal houses, relocated communication house, and relocation of an existing sub-station. This work also included the installation of a 1.5 mile OCS system for the new LRT Platforms. MEC was heavily involved with the tie-in and integration on the modified light rail system.
In addition to the light rail system, MEC is responsible for the electrical portion of the bus terminal and new commuter rail train station. Over 25 miles of various sized conduit and over 70 miles of wire will be installed for the power, fire alarm, lighting and communications systems for the new bus terminal and commuter rail. A lot of coordination will be done to tie-in some of these systems to the local transit agency (RTD) existing systems.


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And also, the other book I read by Sue Townsend was hilarious (here).
The day that her children leave from university, Eva decided to go to bed and to stay there for as long as she liked, forgetting to be both a mother and a wife. Of course her decision will create first worry, then anger among her close and enlarge family. Will she ever get out of bed? Is she getting depressed? But also, who will cook food from now on? And who will clean the house.
The book is engaging at the beginning, witty and funny at times. And for half of the book I could also empathise with Eva. But after a while I found it lost all its sharpness, until the end of the book, that I found quite flat.


text:
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text:
1. Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2. and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
5. And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It [is] hard for you to kick against the goads."
6. So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord [said] to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
8. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought [him] into Damascus.
9. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."
11. So the Lord [said] to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for [one] called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.
12. "And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting [his] hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."
13. Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14. "And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."
15. But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16. "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."
17. And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18. Immediately there fell from his eyes [something] like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
19. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
20. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
21. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?"
22. But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this [Jesus] is the Christ.
23. Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.
24. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.
25. Then the disciples took him by night and let [him] down through the wall in a large basket.
26. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.
27. But Barnabas took him and brought [him] to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.
29. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.
30. When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.
31. Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
32. Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all [parts of the country,] that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.
33. There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed.
34. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately.
35. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36. At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.
37. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid [her] in an upper room.
38. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring [him] not to delay in coming to them.
39. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought [him] to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
41. Then he gave her [his] hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.
43. So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.


text: Shingle Style Residence The lakeside setting, the neighboring colonial homes, and the owner's keen interest in American construction suggested a shingle style design, an idiom which still seems relevant to how we build and live today. The house has two fronts, with an archway indicating entry on the landside, and an informal porch entrance on the lakeside. Interior planning centers around a two-story entry hall which extends through the house. The hall facilitates natural ventilation, with prevailing summer breezes entering low on the lakeside, exiting high on the opposite wall. A two story conservatory conservatory captures views and sunshine on the south.


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Dennis Prager, the founder of PragerU, believes size matters and he is in good company with Ronald Reagan and the Founding Fathers.
Ronald Reagan was no friend of big government. He understood the dangers of an ever-expanding, elitist government and he warned us about it, repeatedly.
President Reagan was in good company, with the Founding Fathers, who also feared the growth of government and the centralization of power, decision-making, and dependency that would result.
The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen. This is one of the most important realizations about society you will ever have. – Dennis Prager
Listen as Dennis Prager articulates the relationship between big government and you, the citizen.
Visit PragerU and please, donate. iVoteAmerica is a donor to PragerU.


text:
Cave of Harmony
Jump to navigation Jump to search
|Cave of Harmony
|First appearance
|"Neutopia" (6ACV20)
The Cave of Harmony is a glacier on the planet Neutopia and the only place that is livable on Neutopia when the mercury boils. Two groups of Earthican people including the Planet Express crew - one male and one female - were given the task of getting there by the big rock Alien when the Plan Am plane crashed on Neutopia in June 3011 (6ACV20).
Additional information
- The Cave of Harmony is a nightclub in England that was started by Elsa Lanchester.


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Should Government Offices Store Paper Documents? or Digital Images?
I received an email message a while ago from a newsletter reader asking about an experience she had with a county records clerk. I answered her in email but decided to also publish my reply here in this newsletter because I suspect her experience is going to become more common with every passing year.
I deleted the name of the city, county, and state because I believe this is a nationwide and even international issue. It could have happened anywhere. Let's focus on the issues, not on the location:
"Hi, Mr. Eastman
"I wanted to share this with you. I am researching genealogy for a friend of mine. He told me that his parents were married in {city and state deleted} and he wanted proof of that. He did not have any more information than that.
"Today, I contacted the County Clerk of that location to verify that they were married there. The clerk found the record. I asked how much would it would cost to obtaine a certified copy. She said that 'I will mail the original to you.' I said, 'The original?' She replied, 'Yes, we do not keep original documents anymore. We scan them into the computer system and mail them to the nearest family member.'
"I just wonder how many genealogy seekers know this about {city deleted} or is it this way throughout {state deleted}? I thought I would let you know about this."
My reply:
That is still unusual but not unheard of. I have heard that a number of other places do the same thing.
All government offices are cost-constrained. Buying filing cabinets to keep millions of pieces of paper is expensive. However, creating new buildings or expanding present buildings to provide space for all the filing cabinets, along with the required climate controls (heating, air conditioning, and humidity controls), building maintenance, and salaries of people to maintain the place are cost-prohibitive… always costing millions of taxpayer dollars. In addition, storing paper is a poor method as it is sensitive to fires, floods, mold, insect damage, theft, and other problems.
Storing digital copies (with backup copies stored in second or even third locations) is more reliable, safer, easier to handle (such as giving copies to those who ask), and is always much cheaper for the taxpayers.
My guess is that, within 25 or 50 years, no government office will be storing paper, except for a very few exceptions of important historical documents, probably kept in a local museum.
Just think… if that marriage certificate had already been digitized in the past, when you recently talked to the clerk, he or she could have asked, "What is your email address?" and you then would have received your copy within 15 or 20 seconds. Faster, more convenient, and much cheaper for the taxpayers of the county.
What is your opinion? Should government offices keep purchasing filing cabinets, expanding their buildings or making new buildings for their archives, and pay for the "required climate controls (heating, air conditioning, and humidity controls), building maintenance, and salaries of people to maintain the place?"


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Ralph Sasson, the typically aggro-bro law student you see in the video above, is a former long-time friend of Ryan Braun's who is suing the Brewers star and Braun's agent, Nez Balelo, for defamation. Sasson is also the kind of guy who's not afraid to say "fuck it" and post not only his full 90-minute deposition on YouTube, but also a nearly eight-minute highlight reel of the deposition that is full of him dropping sick owns all over the defense attorney. [Update: Tomahawk dunk reel has been removed. Up there is the full deposition.]
If you've ever been to or spent time around a law school, you've encountered dudes like Sasson. These are the dudes who are convinced that they are the real-life version of Daniel Kaffee, only better at crushing beer bongs.
Sasson's case against Braun and Balelo (which you can read here) is entertaining in its own right. In it, Sasson claims that Balelo contacted him shortly after Braun tested positive for steroids in 2011 and told Sasson that he would pay him $5,000 for help researching legal loopholes that might help Braun win his appeal. According to the suit, Braun and Balelo tried to get out of paying the $5,000 because Sasson "didn't know what the fuck he was talking about." Sasson eventually got paid, but then he decided to sue anyway because Braun allegedly went on to make all kinds of defamatory statements against him. There's also this passage:
Braun made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he wanted Sasson to engage in prank calling [ESPN investigative reporter Mark] Fainaru-Wada for disinformation purposes. Braun wanted to advance the proposition that the original information [T.J.] Quinn and Fainaru-Wada obtained regarding Braun was part of an elaborate conspiracy to assassinate the character of multiple baseball players and agents including, but not limited to, Ryan Braun.
Which brings us to this crazy-ass deposition tape being made public, which the defense attorneys are obviously not happy about. As Sasson told ESPN, though, he couldn't give less of a fuck:
Sasson, who hopes to pursue a legal career, clearly relishes the fight. In a Wednesday email exchange he provided to "Outside the Lines," Sasson writes to Kravit, "I hope the court takes this joke of a motion seriously so I can wipe my posterior with it. ... You want me to destroy all copies of my [deposition]? The copies I paid for? How about this: I'll destroy my copies after you let me foreclose on your home. Those copies belong to me. You want an ex parte order to deprive me of my property? Go read the constitution pal and stop smoking whatever it is you're smoking. Or at the very least, share some with me because it's def some real good stuff. You're making a fool of yourself, Steve. There's something called due process and due process ain't those little droplets of water that form on the grass in the early hours of the spring morning. Get a grip."
Law students, man.


text:
Racism Takes a Toll on Kids' Mental Health, Research Shows
The report, published in the October issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine, looked at 461 cases of links between racism and the health and well-being of youngsters.
"The review showed there are strong and consistent relationships between racial discrimination and a range of detrimental health outcomes such as low self-esteem, reduced resilience, increased behavior problems and lower levels of well-being," lead researcher Naomi Priest, of the University of Melbourne in Australia, said in a university news release.
Most of the racism experienced by children and teens involved discrimination by other people, rather than institutional or systemic racism, according to the findings.
The review also revealed an increased risk of poorer birth outcomes among children whose mothers experienced racism during pregnancy.
Most of the studies included in the review were conducted in the United States with participants aged 12 to 18. Of the racial/ethnic groups included in the studies, the three most common were blacks, Hispanics and Asians.
"We know that children who experience poor health and well-being are less likely to engage in education, employment and other activities that support them to lead healthy and productive lives, and to participate meaningfully in the community," Priest said.
So, she noted, the findings identify an important issue that needs to be addressed in order to improve child and teen health.
More information
CivilRights.org explains the importance of talking to children about racism and diversity.
Updated now LI mother acquited of attempted murder ... Bus crash update ... Heuermann in court ... New piercing bar
Updated now LI mother acquited of attempted murder ... Bus crash update ... Heuermann in court ... New piercing bar


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Fringe's season premiere proved, once and for all, that both Walter and Olivia are sexier in the alt-universe. But it's often true that evil duplicates are sexier than the originals. Because evil is sexy. Here are the 10 sexiest dopplegangers!
10. Evil Jeannie
(I Dream Of Jeannie)
In the second season of this totally awesome magic-girlfriend show, Jeannie turned out to have an evil, meddling sister — who was also named Jeannie. And they were both played by Barbara Eden, just to amp up the confusion. Except that Evil Jeannie was a vampy, trampy slut, who goes around seducing another Air Force officer, named Biff, in the episode "My Sister, The Homewrecker." Everybody thinks that Jeannie is cheating on Tony, whereas it's actually her sister. Want to see how sexy Evil Jeannie could get? Check out this scene between her and Biff, where she puts on the full Zsa Zsa Purr. "That's what you think Dahhhhling."
9. The Peoplebusters
(The Real Ghostbusters)
Okay seriously, this is just totally awesome. In The Real Ghostbusters, our heroes meet their counterparts from a universe of ghosts — the Peoplebusters, who banish people from the ghost world, using slime. Why are they sexy? Well, for starters, the Peoplebuster version of Egon is a skeleton, with a tentacle instead of the "rat-tail" part of his hair. They also carry around a backpack full of slime, with eyeballs in it. Tentacle hair and slime containment = sexy.
8. The Brigade Leader
(Doctor Who)
Doctor Who's main sidekick for the better part of a decade, the Brigadier had an upper lip so stiff, it even had a thick mustache as an extra stiffener. But you just knew that under all of that British reserve was a hot cauldron of passion. And soon enough, we met the Brigade Leader, with his sexy eyepatch and rampaging fury. And 100 percent less mustache. He's sexy in that Sylvia Plath, "Every woman adores a fascist" sort of way, and he gets all the best lines. Like when the Doctor says he doesn't exist in the Brigade Leader's alternate world, and he replies, "Then you won't feel the bullets when we shoot you." Zing!
7. The Intendant
(Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
Major Kira Nerys was a total bad-ass on DS9, until they started trying to show her sensitive side. I swear to the Prophets, she cries in like every other episode of season two. So we needed to reconnect with the sex-boss side of Kira... hence the introduction of the Intendant, her evil alternate universe counterpart who dresses in shiny leather and enslaves just about everybody. She, too, eventually got toned way down, but in her first couple appearances she was the ultimate sex boss.
6. Katherine Pierce
(The Vampire Diaries)
True, it wouldn't take much to be sexier than Elena, who's the ultimate wet blanket with the superpower of perpetual wetness and blankety fluff. Elena is like a blanket that has an infinite supply of soaking wet dogs, jumping out of ponds and wrapping themselves in her, over and over again, forever. Oh wait. Where was I? Oh yeah, Katherine. She's like the anti-Elena, bringing a burst of sexiness and naughtiness into the show — she's sort of the female Damon, actually, except less insecure. She's already made Caroline 100 percent more fun, and she looks like she's just getting started.
(Knight Rider)
There's really only one thing you need to know about why K.A.R.R. is sexier than K.I.T.T.: Peter Cullen. The voice of Optimus Prime (from the Transformers cartoons) also did the voice of K.A.R.R. in at least one episode of the original series, as well as the recent reboot. That's automatically worth a few thousand sexiness points. Plus K.A.R.R. is like the meaner, sleeker prototype as compared to the dumbed down "production model," K.I.T.T.
4. Owlman
(Justice League of America)
We already paid homage to the evil, more feathery twin of Batman yesterday — but he deserves a mention again. He's almost the equal of Batman in every way, except that he's a total sociopath, with no regard for human life. His finest moments are probably in Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel, where he comes across as a classic Morrison villain, slick and unstoppable, with a kind of casual cruelty. And the clip we posted yesterday is one of the coolest Batman moments ever — as well as showing how Owlman is, just slightly, sexier.
3. Vampire Willow
For many of us, the full sexiness potential of Alyson Hannigan's Willow was revealed when we met her vampire counterpart, with her catchphrase "Bored now." She's the more gothy, impetuous, sadistic, dominatrixy version of our beloved Willow — and when they finally meet face to face, it's electrifying.
2. Walternate
You could argue that Walternate is not technically evil — he's a mixture of good and bad, just like most people. But he's pretty darn mean, and unlike "our" Walter, he shows no self-doubt or remorse whatsoever. He's absolutely sure he's right about everything, while doing some hideously cruel things to people. But he's also the sexy-time version of Walter, with the sharp suit and the nice hair and the thin smile. He's teh alternate universe hotness, basically.
1. Mirror Spock
(Star Trek)
Speaking of characters who have the barely concealed passion and the repressed sexual dynamism — Spock is top of the list when it comes to sexy repression, so it's not surprising that he's also top of the list when it comes to sexy alter egos. The beard really works, giving him a sort of "mean daddy" intensity, and the way he is so cruel and yet so polite when he asks for your Agonizer... There's a good reason why Kirk didn't want to use the Tantalus Device on Mirror Spock, let's just say.
Honorable mention: Serena from Bewitched. She wasn't really that evil, just way too mod. And she rocks out:
Note: We already did a round-up of the most ridiculous evil twins, back in January 2009. But it's important to celebrate the sexiness, as well as the silliness, of evil twins.
Thanks to Dave Goldberg for suggesting vampire Willow!


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That Thing Between Eli & Gwen by J.J. McAvoy
Publication Date: April 21, 2016
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Eli Davenport thinks he's found the perfect woman to be his wife. She's a doctor, like he is. She's brilliant, like he is. And she's wealthy, like he is.
Guinevere 'Gwen' Poe thinks her fiance is the perfect man. He's handsome, successful and he was her first…
But when Eli's bride runs off with Gwen's fiance on his wedding day, they are left to pick up the broken pieces of each other…
About J.J. McAvoy
My name is JJ and I'm a student currently living in Ottawa. I wrote Ruthless People in the summer of 2013 in hopes of giving myself a new type of love and crime drama. I never would have imagined that so many of you would enjoy it as well! I truly feel blessed to have fans like you all. Writing is my true love and having you all love my words is a dream come true.


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The Founder Institute, the world's largest startup accelerator, is proud to announce that it is launching its first Japanese chapter in Kansai. The first ever semester in Kansai begins this Spring and is currently accepting applications. With plans to run two semesters annually, the program aims to launch over 20 meaningful and enduring home-grown technology companies per year in Japan.
The news of the Kansai Founder Institute launch was covered by Ken Nishimura of TechCrunch Japan in an article titled, 会社を辞めずに参加可能、アクセラレータ「Founder Institute」が日本初の支部を関西に設立.
In the Founder Institute's four-month, part-time program, promising startup entrepreneurs "learn by doing" and launch a company through structured training courses, practical business-building assignments, and expert feedback from a large network of business mentors. Plus, aspiring founders are not required to quit their day job to participate, so they can begin building a business around their ideas without putting their livelihood at risk.
Leading the Founder Institute's efforts in Kansai are Ichiro Yasui, Narimasa Makino, and Kenshin Fujiwara. Ichiro Yasui is the Founder and Managing Director of HIG Associates Ltd, which specialized in the strategic management and investment consulting for early stage companies in Japan and beyond. Narimasa Makino is a manager at Sunbridge StartUps LLP, where he invests in IT and service companies. Kenshin Fujiwara is a Venture Partner at Miyako Capital, a university-backed VC fund based in Kyoto, Japan, is a founder of coworking space search engine Coworkify, and a chairman of StartupKyoto.com.
In Kansai, I see three major issues working against startups. First, people don't know the best practices for building a startup company. Second, there is cultural fear of failure. Third, there is no supporting ecosystem in the city. I believe the Founder Institute can solve all of these problems in Kansai." – Ichiro Yasui
If you would like to learn more, then please join us for a free, upcoming event:
- Startup Ideation Bootcamp
- Founder Institute Information Session
- Startup Pitch Bootcamp
- Founder Institute Information Session
- Founder Night Out
- See all upcoming events
In only 5 years of operation, over 1,116 graduate companies across 61 cities have used the Founder Institute to validate their idea, develop their plans, refine their product, build an advisory board, prepare for seed funding, and more.


text: Orlando, FL - 2013 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium - Orlando, FL: Anthony V. D'Amico, MD discusses abstracts as discussant during the Oral Abstract Session A: Prostate Cancer at the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium 2013 here today, Thursday February 14, 2013. The Symposium is supported by ASCO, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, ASTRO, the American Society of Radiation Oncology and SUO, the Society of Urologic Oncology. Over 2,500 physicians, researchers and allied healthcare professionals are attending the meeting which is being held at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando and features the latest Genitourinary Cancers research in the areas of basic and clinical science. Date: Thursday February 14, 2013. Photo by © ASCO/Todd Buchanan 2013 Technical Questions: firstname.lastname@example.com; Phone: 612-226-5154.


text:
CaiShen Ye, the Chinese God of Wealth has put the Fake Psy to the ultimate test. The Chinese New Year Gangnam Style game features lion dancers, crackers and a fearsome dragon. Collect the red packets and gold... Oppa CaiShen Style. Happy Chinese New Year from Tamugaia.com ! See you in the highscores.Use the Arrow Keys or WSAD to move.Esc to Pause
Date Added: 2013-02-19
Category: Action
Played 10926 times
Tags: None


text: Hortonworks, provider of one of the leading Apache Hadoop distributions, is taking the open source Big Data software framework into unexplored territory: Windows. \n\n"This is an enterprise-ready, 100 percent open source Apache Hadoop platform for the broader Windows environment," says Shaun Connolly, vice president of corporate strategy at Hortonworks. "We've been spending a lot of time integrating with Microsoft's SQL Server franchise and their business intelligence tools.""When we first set out on this partnership about 18 months ago, our joint objective was to make Hadoop available to the broadest set of users possible," says Herain Oberoi, director of product marketin for Microsoft. "There's been a lot of joint work that's been done since that point. The big thing about our approach is that we didn't want to make this a proprietary port," says Oberoi. "We're committed to putting our effort back into the community and the Apache Hadoop project." Connects Hadoop to Microsoft BI UsersMicrosoft and Hortonworks expanded their partnership in October of last year with the aim of connecting Hadoop with the largest population of business analysts around: users of Microsoft's business intelligence (BI) tools. The partners took a big step toward that goal on Monday with the beta release of Hortonworks Hadoop Data Platform for Windows, an open source distribution that gives organizations the ability to run Hadoop-based solutions natively on Windows. "Today's news builds on our long-term collaboration with Microsoft and is the next critical step in our strategy of broadening the reach of 100 percent open source Apache Hadoop across the enterprise by enabling millions of Windows users around the globe to benefit from this next-generation data platform," Connolly says.\n"Hortonworks Data Platform for Windows extends the Hadoop ecosystem across the Windows operating system, providing organizations with an enterprise-grade, production-tested platform for Big Data deployments," Connolly says.Cloud Perfect Platform Big Data SolutionConnolly notes that HDP will provide identical user experiences on both Linux and Windows. Moreover, it provides interoperability across both operating systems and enables portability of Hadoop applications between on-premise deployments with HDP for Windows and cloud deployments with HDInsight Service running on Windows Azure. "Azure is an important piece," Connolly says. "The cloud becomes a perfect platform to build a Big Data solution on. What we expect to see is that customers will probably kick the tires and run proofs of concept on premise and then, as they think about deployment, they may choose to deploy in the cloud." "We definitely think Big Data becomes a pretty key workload for cloud computing and that's partly also why we're investing in this space," Microsoft's Oberoi adds. While the Big Data market is still finding its footing, Windows Server owned 73 percent of the overall server market in 2012, according to research firm IDC. As the first Hadoop distribution to support Windows, Hortonworks may have the opportunity to steal a march on competitors. "We continue to see growing interest in Apache Hadoop from enterprises eager to store, process and gain business intelligence from data that was previously ignored due to the limitations of traditional data management technologies," says Matt Aslett, research director, data management and analytics at 451 Research. "The Hortonworks Data Platform for Windows brings the potential benefits of Hadoop to the Microsoft community, delivering a platform designed to integrate with their existing Microsoft data management and analytics tools," Aslett says. Thor Olavsrud covers IT Security, Big Data, Open Source, Microsoft Tools and Servers for CIO.com. Follow Thor on Twitter @ThorOlavsrud. Follow everything from CIO.com on Twitter @CIOonline, Facebook, Google + and LinkedIn. Email Thor at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Newsbud presents major new revelations by former FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds. Edmonds, known as the most classified and gagged person in US history, takes on the US Congress and the culprit media in one of the most significant and longest ongoing political/criminal cover-ups involving the FBI, a notorious political mob in Chicago, a well-known elected official and her convicted criminal spouse. Further, she renews her public call for joint testimony under oath before the US Congress. Do not miss this in-depth exposé shedding light on just how notoriously corrupt criminals are given immunity and untouchable status, not only by the US government, but also by the Deep-State collaborators- the US media.
Show Notes
Join the Newsbud Community
Visit our website
Follow Newsbud on Twitter


text:
By Daniel A. Freeman |
We are very excited about our upcoming episode The Present and Future of E-Books, which is going to take place next Thursday, April 18th at 2pm Eastern. I had a chance to talk briefly with our moderator Sue Polanka and panelist Jamie LaRue about what they plan on discussing.
Please be sure to tune in next Thursday! You can pre-register at http://goo.gl/WjrDP. Pre-registration is not required. If you can't attend live, the event will be recorded and available at www.americanlibrarieslive.org shortly after it concludes.


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Aloha! Mount Lebanon Elementary School
You don't have to go to Hawaii to get a taste of the islands. In fact the students at Mount Lebanon Elementary School in Pendleton, S.C. were cooking up what can only be described as a paradise for the taste buds in First Lady Michelle Obama's Recipes for Healthy Kids competition. Our judges made their way down to Pendleton as the competition continued its tour across the country to find the top recipe that schools can easily incorporate into National School Lunch Program menus.
|Ryvers Martin, a Mount Lebanon Elementary School student, enjoys a Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap, her school's entry for the First Lady's Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge.
Mount Lebanon's recipe, called Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap (entered in the 'Dark Green and Orange Vegetables' category), was among the 15 recipes chosen out of the 340 entries submitted, five were selected in each of three categories: whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas.
Mount Lebanon's team served as travel agents for a few hours as their Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap transported us to a land of scrumptious flavors. The wrap is a delicious treat made of seasoned chicken surrounded by sweet pineapple and crunchy shredded vegetables, topped with scrumptious poppy seed dressing -- all wrapped up in a warm wheat wrap to be served as a delightful main dish.
So how did the Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap recipe become a top contender? It took a village as school nutrition professional, Vikki Mullinax; Chef Lorett Arnold-Hayes of 1826 on the Green in Pendleton, S.C.; community member Kristi Martin; parent and teacher Edie Wilkinson; and student Chandler came together to form this team of top chefs. The Healthy Kids Committee developed, tested, and prepared the recipe in the school kitchen before it was ready for prime time.
|Chef Lorett Arnold-Hayes of 1826 on the Green in Pendleton, S.C., prepares a Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap, Mount Lebanon Elementary School's entry for the Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge, while Chandler Brooke Wilkinson gets ready to serve it to the judges.
After perfecting the recipe with a pinch of this and a dash of that, Chef Lorett Arnold-Hayes and Vikki Mullinax served the entrée to the students at Mount Lebanon for lunch. Then the heat was really turned up as the committee went straight to the students for feedback. They gathered critiques on everything from the presentation to the taste of the entrée, and the rest as they say is history. The majority said they liked the entrée and would like to see it on the school menu.
Sound good? Recipes submitted by all the semi-finalists, including Mount Lebanon's Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap, are now posted on the Recipes for Healthy Kids website where the public can vote for the "Popular Choice" award until May 31. Prizes range from $1,000 to a grand prize of $3,000.
To vote for your favorite, go to the Recipes for Healthy Kids website. Below is the recipe for "Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap" for you to try at home with your family or with your classmates. Mahalo to Mount Lebanon Elementary School for their hard work and this great entry!
Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap
6 servings
6 Tortillas-Whole Wheat 10"
1 and 1/2 cups of Broccoli slaw
1.5 oz of raw spinach
1/4 cup of pineapple, crushed canned, drained
1lb 2 oz of chicken, diced
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of vinegar
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp of poppy Seed
1 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp of onion powder
1 1/2 tsp of chili powder
Find out more on how to prepare this recipe, please click here.
Keep an eye on the Let's Move! blog as we report back from our next stop in Kettering City School District in Kettering, Ohio.
Love this recipe? Try:
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Fall Harvest & Grilled Garden Pizza
- Balsamic & Fig Glazed Pear-Topped Chicken Breast
- Pear-Cranberry Cobblers
- Pumpkin Loaf with Raisins & Dried Cherries
- Parmesan Yogurt Dip with Carrots


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When President Obama gave his State of the Union address in January, there seemed to be more commentary among environmentalists about what wasn't said than what was: specifically, his failure to even mention the words "climate change" or "global warming" or "carbon" despite speaking effusively about the need for clean energy development.
There has already been plenty of reflection on this rhetorical retreat, with good summaries and analysis coming from Andy Revkin of The New York Times and Bryan Walsh of Time magazine. The reason for Obama's sudden climate shyness is well known. Even Republican pollster Frank Luntz has advised those fighting climate change not to mention "climate change," but to focus instead on alternative energy and more popular reasons to support it, particularly those related to security and the economy. Hendrik Hertzberg, noting what a change this marked from Obama's previous speeches, in which he spoke forcefully on climate, called it a "masterly exercise in rear-guard tactics" in The New Yorker. Not everyone agrees, of course. David Roberts of Grist and Molly Haigh of 1Sky argued that continuing to mention climate change is good policy and good politics, and vital to building public support for clean energy.
Contrasting with Obama's reticence was the fact that at the Cancun Climate Summit the previous month, there was a greater focus on communications than ever before. Usually at these summits there are one or two side events that focus on communications, including a panel by the Climate Change Media Partnership that I help to organize. In 2010, there were at least half a dozen additional events, including sessions sponsored by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, the International Institute for Environment and Development, the UN Foundation, the British Council, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Climate Summit (a business-oriented gathering).
The reasons these organizations are focusing on climate communications just as politicians are running from it are probably one and the same: an apparent declining interest among the media. Douglas Fischer of DailyClimate.org reports that after spiking in the run-up to the 2009 Copenhagen Summit, media coverage of climate change dropped dramatically last year, back to 2005 levels. Drexel University's Robert Brulle confirmed this in his analysis of nightly news coverage, and similar trends were found globally by the University of Colorado's Max Boykoff and Maria Mansfield at Oxford University. Another study coming out of Copenhagen, Summoned by Science, produced by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, found that even when there are lots of stories, the quality is often lacking, particularly in terms of scientific content.
Responses to a straw poll carried out among members of the Earth Journalism Network revealed the situation is quite nuanced in various parts of the world, however.
Journalists such as Michael Simire of the Independent Group of newspapers in Nigeria, Martin de Ambrosio of Perfil in Argentina, and Marianne de Nazareth in India all sense a growing weariness of climate change stories among their audiences and journalistic colleagues. This may at least be partly due to "climate fatigue". Public interest does tend to ebb and flow over the years. But it's also partly due to a common problem journalists face: whether and how to use environmental jargon. Terms like "climate change" and even "environment" can be a turn-off to general audiences.
Wang Yan, an editor of NewsChina, despite not sensing any boredom with the issue among Chinese audiences, has taken up a strategy echoed by several others: only mentioning climate change when covering United Nations conferences and the like. "I'd prefer breaking down the larger picture into specific cases [such as deforestation or energy efficiency], so that it could make the readers get involved in the possible solution towards the issue," she said.
On the other hand, Rina Saeed Khan of the Dawn Group of newspapers in Pakistan reports that climate change has become a hotter topic than ever there:
[I]n Pakistan where the media space is taken up by the war on terror, corruption and poor governance, the failing economy, etc, climate change stories often appeared on the back pages and people were overall only vaguely aware of the issue… All this changed quite dramatically last year when the massive flooding hit Pakistan. Many articles appeared linking the flooding with monsoon variability, explaining that it is a consequence of climate change.
Earlier, mountain communities had been hit by receding glaciers and [glacial lake outburst floods] and coastal communities by sea level rise and severe tropical storms but these are poor and remote settlements and their voices were just not heard in Islamabad. The floods changed [things] by affecting the entire country — now most people are aware that something very wrong is happening to the climate and they are worried… So, yes for us in Pakistan, living on the frontline, climate change stories are still very important and there are no issues with the terminology.
Charles Kereau of the Solomon Islands adds that in the most vulnerable countries, "the term[s] 'climate' and 'climate change' ring bells in the minds of the audience as something urgent needing urgent solutions because they see the effects on a daily basis."
Bending to the headwinds of popular opinion certainly doesn't mean avoiding climate coverage. Even in areas where interest in the issue seems to be waning, journalists still have a responsibility to track climate science and the impacts of climate change, to the extent we can know them. In some cases, that will probably mean taking the word "climate" out of headlines, but still keeping it in the story.
This is what Simire is doing in Nigeria in order to hook readers into stories they might otherwise ignore. He also recommends that once into the story, reporters look for substitutes for technical terms. For instance, "the word 'response' comes as a tidy, more reader-friendly substitute to the somewhat technical and over-used 'adaptation' and 'mitigation'."
In a post at his Dot Earth blog, Revkin suggested that in order to avoid using hot-button terms like "climate change," journalists "will devote more time and effort to diving deeper on energy policy, habits and innovations — whether unraveling counterproductive subsidies, pointing out the lack of money for path-breaking research, or revealing examples of social and financial innovations percolating around the world."
In Indonesia, Veby Mega Indah, who writes for AlertNet and IPS along with local publications, says she and her Indonesian colleagues don't necessarily mention climate change in stories about extreme weather events because it's hard to know whether they are being caused by phenomena like La Niña or the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Usually, they stick to terms like "weather anomaly." But these days, they focus even more on the subject of forestry and climate change, and the REDD+ projects (another jargon-y term for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) that are taking off there.
"To the extent that people show their interests by searching on Google, the word 'climate' peaked when Obama vow[ed] to act on climate change in late 2009 but otherwise the trends does not look all that hot," says Po Garden, the Earth Journalism Network's Thailand-based project director, who carried out his own survey of search terms. "[T]he highest search volume is in Tagalog and the top search volumes are from Australia, Philippines, and New Zealand."
Athar Parvaiz Bhat from Kashmir sums things up, saying, "the preference or avoidance of the term 'climate' is quite variable when we compare the countries and the regions. For example, its use is likely to jar on the nerves of the audience/editors in the industrial west, but would seem satisfying if not soothing to those from the vulnerable countries like [the] Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan, [and] small island states."
Indeed, where people stand on an issue or phrase seems to depend heavily on where they sit.
The writer James Fahn is the executive director of Earth Journalism Network. This article was originally published in Columbia Journalism Review and has been reprinted with permission.
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My heart, sit only with those
who know and understand you.
Sit only under a tree
that is full of blossoms.
In the bazaar of herbs and potions,
don't wander aimlessly —
find the shop with a potion that is sweet.
If you don't have a measure
people will rob you in no time.
You will take counterfeit coins
thinking they are real.
Don't fill your bowl with food
from every boiling pot you see.
Not every joke is humorous, so don't search
for meaning where there is none.
Not every eye can see,
not every sea is full of pearls.
My heart, sing the song of longing
like nightingale.
The sound of your voice casts a spell
on every stone, on every thorn.
First, lay down your head
then one by one
let go of all distractions.
Embrace the light and let it guide you
beyond the winds of desire.
There you will find a spring
and nourished by its sea waters
like a tree you will bear fruit forever.
~ Rumi
Rumi. "The Hidden Music."
Trans. by Maryam Mafi & Azima Melita Kolin


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By Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers –
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has refused for the first time to declare that Pakistan is making progress toward ending alleged military support for Islamic militant groups or preventing al-Qaida, the Afghan Taliban or other extremists from staging attacks in Afghanistan.
Even so, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has quietly informed Congress that she's waived the legal restrictions that would have blocked $2 billion in U.S. economic and military aid to Pakistan. Disbursing the funds, she said in an official notice, is "important to the national security interests of the United States."
Clinton's decision illustrates how far the administration apparently has determined that it must go, after a near-breakdown in relations, to ensure Pakistan's cooperation in the uphill U.S. effort to prevent Afghanistan collapsing into all-out civil war when American-led international combat forces complete a withdraw by the end of 2014.
Some experts, however, warned that the move might backfire. The waivers could encourage a belief among Pakistani commanders that their cooperation is so crucial that Washington will continue overlooking the Pakistani military's refusal to end what U.S. officials charge is its support for Afghan insurgent groups or to shutter militant sanctuaries, they said.
"The army is going to think that no matter how angry the Americans are at them, they are utterly indispensable and they can violate in any way, shape or form U.S. law and the United States will massage its law to accommodate them," said assistant professor Christine Fair, an expert at Georgetown University. "That's how they are going to read this."
Pir Zubair Shah, an expert with the Council on Foreign Relations, said Clinton's decision might be intended as a warning to Pakistan that aid could be withheld next year if it doesn't end the suspected collusion between its military and its chief spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, and extremist groups.
"It can be a signal that . . . next time we won't apply a waiver and will block the aid," he said.
The State Department declined to respond to a request for comment.
Islamabad vehemently denies charges by top U.S. officials that the army-run ISI is aiding the Afghan Taliban and allied groups, such as the Haqqani network, as part of a strategy aimed at preventing rival India from gaining influence in Afghanistan after international troops withdraw.
In her Sept. 13 notices, Clinton informed Congress that she was waiving provisions of the 2009 Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act and the State Department's 2012 budget requiring that she certify that Islamabad has met certain conditions before some $2 billion in economic, military and counter-terrorism assistance can be disbursed.
Pakistan was required to have made progress in "ceasing support, including by any elements within the Pakistani military or its intelligence agency, to extremist groups," especially those that have attacked U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan.
Islamabad also was required to have made progress toward stopping al-Qaida, the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network and allied Pakistani extremists "from operating in the territory of Pakistan" and staging attacks in neighboring countries. It also must move toward shutting down "terrorist" bases in the tribal areas and other parts of its country.
Clinton didn't disclose which specific prerequisites Pakistan failed to meet. Those details were classified.
It's the first time that the Obama administration has waived the requirements, something the Bush administration did six times for democracy-related sanctions.
Until now, Clinton had certified Pakistani compliance even though U.S. commanders in Afghanistan and other U.S. officials had for years charged the Pakistani army and the ISI with supporting the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. In September 2011, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and retired Adm. Mike Mullen, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explicitly accused the ISI of aiding Haqqani network attacks on U.S. targets in Afghanistan, including a strike against the U.S. Embassy.
Four days before she notified Congress she was waiving the conditions, Clinton decided — under pressure from Congress — to add the Haqqani network to the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. The Pakistani military, which for years has rejected U.S. demands that it move against the Haqqanis' stronghold of North Waziristan, thinks that the group should participate in any settlement to the Afghan war.
Clinton's decision to waive the conditions comes as the United States and Pakistan strive to rebuild a relationship battered by a series of events that began when a CIA contractor shot dead two alleged thieves in Lahore in January 2011. Ties also have worsened over intensified CIA drone strikes, which Pakistan charges are violating its sovereignty and killing civilians.
U.S. commandoes killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011 in Pakistan in a raid kept secret from the Pakistani army, embarrassing and enraging its commanders, and last November, U.S. forces in Afghanistan inadvertently killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in a border post, prompting Pakistan to close the NATO supply routes that the United States needs to ship military equipment out of Afghanistan.
The sides agreed in July to reopen the routes in a first step towards rebuilding ties, which Washington considers vital as the pullout of international forces from Afghanistan continues. It's also seeking Pakistani help in trying to draw the Afghan Taliban into peace negotiations.


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TechRadar Verdict
- +
Good looking
- +
Solidly built
- +
Folding design
- +
Bluetooth and NFC
- +
Unobtrusive microphone
- -
- -
Not the best sound quality
- -
Needs USB or headphone jack
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
The Creative Sound Blaster brand has been carrying weight in the computer audio world for many years, though some recent releases have been poorly received, diminishing the name somewhat. Can the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx headset restore the Sound Blaster reputation?
In some ways, the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx is a bit of an odd proposition. There's no denying that it looks the part, with a stylish folding design in the red and black hues of the Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Rage.
However, unlike the Tactic3D Rage, the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx isn't primarily built for gaming, though it does share some features. A dual mic array is built into the right headphone, offering decent noise cancellation and good recording quality without having an intrusive arm sticking out of the headset, like many gaming headphones have to deal with.
Creative's Crystal Voice technology does a fair job of cleaning up the sound quality, and you can tweak it using the downloaded software or smartphone app. The software also gives you easy access to equalisers and virtual surround sound effects.
This is where the similarities to the gaming-centric Tactic3D Rage end, however, and a headset designed more for mobile use emerges. For example, while the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx is wireless, it connects via Bluetooth, with a desktop PC-friendly dongle conspicuous by its absence. If your PC isn't Bluetooth-equipped, you'll be tethered to the USB cable that comes with it, which is also used to charge the headset.
If you want to use the virtual surround sound effect - which is alright but once again no comparison to a physical 5.1 speaker setup - then you'll need to connect via USB.
Bolstering the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx's mobile credentials is the inclusion of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which enables you to quickly and easily pair up the headset to an NFC-capable phone or laptop (such as the Sony Vaio Duo 13) by briefly tapping the devices together. It works well and is a welcome feature, which goes some way to justifying the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx's high price tag.
Controls on the right of the headset offer quick access to volume and playback controls, along with turning on the fancy SBX effects.
One of the features that Creative is particularly pleased about on the Sound Blaster EVO Zx is the inclusion of the SB AXX1, a piece of technology more often found in Sound Blaster's sound cards for PCs. It was also included in the Creative Sound Blaster Axx SBX10 speakers, which didn't blow us away with their sound quality. The closer environment of the Sound Blaster EVO Zx headset sounds much better, with the SBX effects making a noticeable difference to the feel and depth of the music.
With a £199.99 / US$249.99 / AU$279.95 asking price, the Creative Sound Blaster EVO Zx is an expensive headset. There's some genuinely good technology in these cans, and it's great to see some more NFC-sporting bits of kit. If you use these headphones with a desktop PC, however, you won't get much out of most of this tech, especially if you have a fancy sound card - since the SB AXX1 chip bypasses any sound cards.
You're then left with a well-built pair of headphones that offer good, but not superb, sound quality. Later this year Creative will release the Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR, with larger 50mm drivers in each can, compared to the EVO Zx's 40mm. We'll have to wait to see if the increase in driver size - and jump in price - results in a boost in quality.
First reviewed 19 August 2013
Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.


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November 27, 2013
Legislator Howard J. Kopel and the Nassau County Legislature voted today to approve the remaining funds to repair the storm-ravaged Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant. The Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant, which services 500,000 Nassau residents, was shut down for two days after 9 feet of saltwater entered the facility during Sandy.
The greatest damage was done to the plant's electrical system which was completely submerged by seawater and continues to corrode. Today, the Nassau Legislature approved the final $463 million in funds to repair the plant including $326 million to replace the electrical system.
"The Bay Park Plant sustained significant damage during Sandy, and county workers have been taking heroic measures to keep the plant running over the past year. I am very pleased that we were finally able to provide the funding to complete the repairs that are so desperately needed," stated Legislator Kopel.
To fix this vital infrastructure and to prevent damage from future severe weather, County Executive Mangano originally introduced a Capital Improvement Plan to invest $722 million in the sewage plant in Bay Park, as well as its sister plant at Cedar Creek. The proposed sewer rehabilitation plan is vital to the reconstruction of these facilities and is 100% reimbursable from the Federal Emergency Management Administration ("FEMA") and Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds provided to Nassau County by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Initially, only a third of the requested investment was approved. Now the electrical system can be replaced as well as other critical improvements such as odor control and construction of a storm barrier to prevent damage against future severe weather.