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This article is more than 1 year old
Google faces post-Fleetwood Mac comedown
Mountain View in rehab
Fail and You America loves its ballin'. Walk into the shop, ice around your neck, and twist off a hand full of cabbage to buy things - not out of necessity, but out of the joy of buying things.
You would think that a publicly-traded company that's rolling in cheddar would be able to exercise some self-restraint, especially a company staffed with educated people who are convinced of their own superiority, but are far too passive-aggressive to ever admit it out loud. Before the recent economic enema, Google bought a lot of shit it didn't need. They have sent an unfathomable amount of money down the tube, either out of willful ignorance or simply to keep up the corporate baller image.
In October of 2007, Google paid $12 million for Jaiku, a Twitter clone that nobody used. With Twitter being many times the size of Jaiku and still unable to turn a profit, it's unlikely that Jaiku was ever a real business. Last month, Google announced that they were going to port Jaiku to Google App Engine, open source it, and then never work on it again.
You know how an eleven-year-old kid will get really excited over a single Christmas present? How he's practically in tears when he gets it? Them, two weeks later, that same toy is lost somewhere under the bed, and the kid is excited about something else. Yeah, Jaiku was cool to Google for about fifteen minutes. Now, it's on its way to the tag-sale pile.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, twelve million dollars is enough to buy forty eight million doses of a drug to treat malaria.
Jaiku is small potatoes compared to some of Google's other money pits. Their stake in AOL, which recently lost some $726 million in value, is a ripe example of Google's pathological spending habits. For a company with such a massive market cap, wasting $12 million on an also-ran web service is a minor fuck-up. But losing $726 million on a defensive investment? Well, that brings you into fail territory.
When Google bought five percent of AOL in 2005, it was so that they would remain the default search service for AOL subscribers. To Google's credit, AOL subscribers are one of the few online populations that still actually click on contextual ads, but for a billion dollars? For far less than that, you could pay someone with the foresight to know that AOL is at the end of its rope to tell you to save your money.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, $726 million dollars is more than enough money to pay the ten thousand contractors Google recently laid off.
Google's money-wasting skills aren't restricted to equity investments. They can spend it internally too. If there's one thing that Google's liberal-leaning workforce loves, it's a good entitlement. You suffered through more than a decade of collegiate education, partly out of fear of entering the real world, and partly because you'd never heard the word "overqualified" before, so when you landed that job as a Software Engineer in Mountain View, dammit, you were entitled to some free shit.
I want a big salary. I want a stock option grant that will get re-priced when it's underwater. I want free food every day. I want a shuttle bus to cart my fat ass from San Francisco to Mountain View, because I'm young and I deserve to live in the city even though it's an intractable commute for people who don't have chauffeurs.
I want all of this, and if you take any of it away, by golly, I'm going to whine about it on an internal mailing list. If my demands are not met, well, I guess I'll whine some more, but eventually shut up because my parents told me that I don't know how good I have it, and deep down, I'm too much of a chickenshit to go looking for a new job.
I see what Google's intention is: a well-cared-for workforce is a productive workforce. An employee who eats on campus doesn't take long lunches and can get back to work faster. When you work at Google, you call these things "perks." After you've quit Google, you call it "welfare." Google is quickly figuring out what the government already knows: Once you start with entitlement programs, the amount of money you need to spend on it never decreases. While Google doesn't publish this line item, probably out of shame, it's been estimated that they spend roughly $72 million per year on food alone.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, $72 million per year can send more than 2,000 poor kids to Harvard.
From the end of the last dot-com bust until now, Google has been like a 1970s Stevie Nicks: good looking, talented, and on top of the world. This recession, however, is like the coming of the eighties. All the drugs are finally taking back what's owed to them. Sure, there's still some real talent hidden under those dark-circled eyes, but it's going to be at least a decade before we see it again. Until then, though, Google is going to be in rehab, feeling sorry for itself over all of the bad decisions its made.
Of course, Google isn't going to have the same bedside repentance as every other drugged-out musician looking to change her ways. No, admitting fault for Google would mean admitting that they're better engineers than they are businessmen. For a company that quantifies everything, they're not doing a good job quantifying important shit like "return on investment" or "opportunity cost." As long as the magic money machine keeps running, though, they don't have to. Ill-advised ideas will continue to see the light of day until the contextual ad business slows. Maybe then will we see some real innovation out of Google – when there's a bottom line to protect.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, you can't serve AdSense on shareholder reports. ®
Ted Dziuba is a co-founder at Milo.com You can read his regular Reg column, Fail and You, every other Monday.


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Thursday, September 23, 2010
No shortage of money
8 comments:
- Benjamin Cole said...
Well, the old saw is some see the glass half-full and others half-empty.
I do not worry about inflation; on the contrary, we may be in deflation already if Milton Friedman and Michael Boskin are right about CPI measurements. The trend lines on core CPI are plunging towards zero or lower.
The trillion or so in quantitative easing? If the money supply is causing inflation, we have yet to see the slightest hint of it, or expectations of it. Bond buyers flood TS treasuries auctions with money at low, low rates. I suspect rates go lower.
Friedman said low interest rates are a sign of tight money.
On money supply or monetary expansionism: It is not too expansionary if the economy is feeble and inflation slumping to deflation. That describes us today. It is relative.
You might pump huge amounts of air into a tire---it doesn't matter how much you pump, what matters is if the tire is inflated. We gotta pump some more.
One wacko idea I have is that the Fed and the Bank of Japan are going to have to learn how to master QE.
If zero bound becomes a frequent guest (it has moved in and taken over the master bedroom in Japan), then we have to devise other non-fiscal ways to stimulate. Ergo, QE.
QE may become the monetary choice of the future.
- September 23, 2010 at 2:55 PM
- Public Library said...
There is never a shortage of money in a fiat currency system. The simple answer to those in-charge is to always print more of it.
Ironically, nobody can prove that an economy needs additional money equivalent to the pace of GDP, but as you rightfully point out, it continues to grow unabated at or around that pace.
Eventually all of this money printing will come home to roost.
- September 23, 2010 at 3:02 PM
- Scott Grannis said...
Public: In theory, according to Milton Friedman the job of a central bank should be to allow the money stock to grow by the amount of real growth in the economy plus the desired amount of inflation. By that standard, the Fed has been doing a perfect job.
The problem with Friedman's prescription, however, was that the velocity of money can and does change, so a strict money growth rule might prove disruptive to the economy.
In any event, it is hard to believe that 6% money growth and 6% nominal GDP growth are a prescription for a big rise in inflation. Especially since those numbers have been the norm for the past 25 years without any major acceleration in inflation.
- September 23, 2010 at 5:39 PM
- Bill said...
Did excess leverage cause stocks to reach their highs in 2007? If so, then would it not take quite some time for stocks to recover to those levels given the de-leveraging trend?
- September 23, 2010 at 6:49 PM
- septizoniom said...
scott sumner says you are flat wrong
- September 23, 2010 at 8:59 PM
- Charles said...
Some people believe that the Wizard of OZ lives in the basement of the Fed. He can turn the dials and pull the levers and fix the economy. He just needs the right operating manual. So on Nov 1 when he gets an estimated NGDP, he can fiddle with the controls and put us back on track with a mid-course adjustment when "final" NGDP appears.
Of course we don't know exactly what and how much the wizard should do and we have no reason to think a particular course of action will be stabilizing or destabilizing. Add to this the fact that everyone will be watching on Nov 1 so they can predict what the wizard's going to do next.
For this to be stabilizing people have to believe it will work. If they don't believe then the wizard becomes another source of disruption and uncertainty.
People believe that stable interest rates equate to consistent, predictable monetary policy. This is very important, especially when the administration is so hostile to business.
There is no evidence that monetary policy is delaying the recovery. Commodity prices are rising, the dollar continues to drift down, the yield curve slopes up, M2 is expanding slowly, equities have been trending up for the last 18 months. Buying T-bonds and creating more excess reserves is supposed to make a difference?
- September 24, 2010 at 3:54 AM
- Frozen in the North said...
Sure the banking sector has seen huge inflow of cash, but it has recycled most of it towards the feds.
M2 growth is fascinating, but what about velocity, which is down in the dump.
In effect the banks have been sterilizing the cash
- September 24, 2010 at 6:35 AM
- Scott Grannis said...
Bill: I don't believe that leverage is capable of doing magic things. The only leverage that is meaningful in a macro sense is banks using reserves to create new money. Since M2 hasn't displayed any unusual growth over the years, I rule out excessive money creation as an explanation. Some people were using too much leverage, and that destroyed them. Many are now trying to deleverage, but that doesn't reduce aggregate demand, it just affects relative asset prices. Leverage can never create demand out of thin air, so deleveraging can't destroy demand.
- September 24, 2010 at 8:25 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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Following on from Prof Ronald Carter's blog entry 'A few words on corpus linguistics', Dr Rachele De Felice looks in more detail at what we can learn from the language of emails.
Email communications
How often do you use email for professional purposes? According to some reports, "the average worker fields more than 100 emails every day", and most people in other walks of life also often have to write a business email. If email communication is central to your business, you probably make sure that your message comes across as professional, effective, and polite – but have you ever thought about just what it is in the message that gives this impression?
Everyone has their own writing style, of course, but there are certain words and phrases that tend to appear very often in professional email communication as a typical, almost expected way of expressing something – so it is useful to know what they are, and when to use them. Continue reading "What can we learn from emails?"


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August 25, 2010
EPA Considering Ban on Traditional Ammunition — Take Action Now
All Gun Owners, Hunters and Shooters:
With the fall hunting season fast approaching, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Lisa Jackson, who was responsible for banning bear hunting in New Jersey, is now considering a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) – a leading anti-hunting organization – to ban all traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976, a law in which Congress expressly exempted ammunition. If the EPA approves the petition, the result will be a total ban on all ammunition containing lead-core components, including hunting and target-shooting rounds. The EPA must decide to accept or reject this petition by November 1, 2010, the day before the midterm elections.
Today, the EPA has opened to public comment the CBD petition. The comment period ends on October 31, 2010.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — urges you to submit comment to the EPA opposing any ban on traditional ammunition. Remember, your right to choose the ammunition you hunt and shoot with is at stake.
The EPA has published the petition and relevant supplemental information as Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0681. If you would like to read the original petition and see the contents of this docket folder, please click here. In order to go directly to the 'submit a comment' page for this docket number, please click here.
NSSF urges you to stress the following in your opposition:
* There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.
* Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 50 state wildlife agencies.
* A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
* A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle's recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.
* Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.
Steps to take:
1. Submit comment online to the EPA.
2. Contact Lisa Jackson directly to voice your opposition to the ban:
Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 564-4700
Fax: (202) 501-1450
Email: email@example.com
3. Contact your congressman and senators and urge them to stop the EPA from banning ammunition.
Categories: Government Relations, Top Stories


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Loading up on turkey and mashed potatoes during the holidays is more ritual than reckless.
But what happens when stuffing yourself becomes habitual? Here's the truth to overhaul your overeating from a doctor who was also once a patient.
It was a real problem that started in high school for Dr. Jane Baxter.
She says, "I couldn't stop eating ice cream. I wanted to go out and get food and I was really leaning on food to help me. I was very anxious and insecure in high school so I started overeating."
With therapy, Jane overcame her overeating and even turned the tables on her problem.
She became a therapist herself because she knew she could help others struggling with the same food addiction. And she admits the problem isn't just psychological.
"The pancreas is secreting insulin to try and control our blood sugar levels and that's kind of a sedative so not only are you eating to distract yourself but you're starting to also feel soothed," she says.
There are a few easy things you can do to stop the cycle.
First, Dr. Baxter says you should just stay out of the kitchen.
"Keep your environment safe and redirect your steps. It's fine to go watch TV but grab some gum instead of food."
Recent studies have actually found that open concept floor plans where you can see your kitchen from the living room or dining room also leads to overeating because it can give you easy access to food.
When it comes to cravings, Dr. Baxter says they usually only last 20-30 minutes so use distractions to get over the initial cravings.
"Once you start having certain wins where you didn't give into the craving, you start to feel better about yourself and that replaces the pleasure you can get food."
Finally, get help if you feel you can't control it.
"Detach yourself from all that crappy negative self-talk because it just buries people."


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HTC adds One S to lineup, coming to T-Mobile (hands on)
HTC announces another smartphone, the One S, which lacks quad-core power but runs Google's latest Ice Cream Sandwich OS.
Thankfully HTC went big at Mobile World Congress with its quad-core HTC One X smartphone. Sadly, the next handset to fill out the company's new lineup, the One S, runs a less splashy Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core CPU. Still, if today's phones are any indication, that will remain plenty fast.
The One S is decently equipped in its own right; it runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and has integrated Beats audio technology. Its large 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen shines, as does HTC's latest version of the Sense UI. The One S has an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a sharp 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter.
HTC One S (photos)See all photos
HTC makes pains to point out the One S' advanced camera, which has a claimed 0.7-second shot time, 0.2-second autofocus, and f/2.0. The latter enables the phone to snap better pictures under low-light conditions. While we didn't have a ton of time with the phone, the camera did capture photos quickly in a few test shots we were able to snap.
HTC has made a real effort to set the phone apart. At 0.3 inch thick, the device uses aluminum with a soft-touch surface created by a "micro arc oxidation" technique. This process is also claimed by HTC to be used in satellite design. It does look sharp, and as usual, HTC pays attention to details in the handset's contouring. It's an understated, but smooth device for sure.
What appeals to us as U.S. denizens is the HTC One S' appearance on T-Mobile's roster, where it will connect to the carrier's HSPA+ 42Mbps data network. Pricing will be key, as always, but based on what we've seen so far, the One S is a handset we'd be happy getting to know.
Mobile Guides
Foldable Phones
Mobile Accessories
Wireless Plans


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By submitting this form, I give OurChurch.Com permission to send me communication by email.
Up until now, there has been very little research available about how important church members and staff think mobile apps are and what features they would want in a mobile app for their church. So, a month ago OurChurch.Com launched The Ultimate Church Mobile App Survey.
I spent some time analyzing the results and came away with a number of key insights about church mobile apps, which I want to share.
1) I want it all
We asked people how important they thought 15 potential church app features were. The first thing that jumped out at me is that for 14 of the 15 features we asked about, extremely important (a 5/5 importance rating) was the most popular response. Even the least popular feature had 43% of people indicate its importance is a 4 or 5 out of 5. People also suggested 20 additional features we didn't include in the survey.
Clearly people would like a lot of functionality from their church app. They want it to be able to do everything the church website can do and more.
2) Most popular features
To determine which features are considered most important, I combined the percentage of people who rated each as a 4 or 5 out of 5 in importance. The features are listed below from most popular to least popular. The top feature is different from the others, so I'll reveal and discuss that next.
- —
- News/announcements (89% important or very important, 60% very)
- Info about church (76% important or very important, 64% very)
- Alerts (75% important or very important, 52% very)
- Map to church (73% important or very important, 63% very)
- Evangelism tools (62% important or very important, 41% very)
- Facebook page (62% important or very important, 37% very)
- Sunday bulletin (60% important or very important, 36% very)
- Sermon notes (59% important or very important, 38% very)
- Social feature (57% important or very important, 38% very)
- Church blog (52% important or very important, 29% very)
- Twitter (52% important or very important, 26% very)
- Connection to YouVersion Live (48% important or very important, 27% very)
- Secure donation (43% important or very important, 30% very)
- YouTube (43% important or very important, 20% very)
Not surprising, giving people the ability to read news and announcements as well as being able to deliver alert notifications were two of the top 5.
What is surprising to me, though, is how important people seem to think general church info and a map is. I think for the most part church apps are used by members of churches to stay informed and communicate with their church. General info and a map are not needed by church members, so I don't see much use for those things in a app. If you do, I'd love to hear your reasoning.
Beyond that, the popularity of other features seems in line with popularity in general. More churches have a Facebook page than a blog, and more have a blog than a YouTube channel, which explains their relative popularity.
3) The #1 Most Popular Feature is…
The church mobile app feature that ranked the highest in our server is the ability to pull info from church website rather than updated separately.
A whopping 65% of respondants rated that 5/5 in importance and another 17% gave it 4/5. Clearly church communication staff and volunteers are very busy and more than anything they don't want to have to spend time ever week putting the same info into an app that they already put into the bulletin and the website and possibly email, Facebook, Twitter and more.
4) Apps Beat Mobile Web
Another thing we were curious to learn about is whether people consider mobile apps to be more or less important than a mobile version of their website. We asked "How important do you think a mobile app is for a church in comparison to having a mobile version of its website?"
58% said both are very important and useful. But of those who thought one was more important than the other apps beat the mobile web by 2 to 1 (20% to 10%). The preference for apps was even stronger – more than 4 to 1 – among respondants from larger churches. Which leads me to my next learning point…
5) The Great App Divide
With so many people rating so many church app features as very important or extremely important, we were curious to see how serious churches were about getting a mobile app and if they thought it was important enough to actually pay for.
At first glance, I was disappointed with the results.
- Only 31% said their church is motivated or highly motivated to get an app
- Only 18% would pay more than $500 for an app
- Only 21% would pay more than $25/mo for an app
But when I looked below the surface and compared smaller churches (< 500 weekly attendance) with larger churches (> 500 weekly attendance) a noticed a big contrast.
While only 2% of respondants from smaller churches described their church as motivated or very motivated to get an app, 51% of respondants from larger churches described their church that way.
There are big gaps between what smaller and larger churches are willing to pay for an app as well. While only 5% of respondants from smaller churches said their church would pay over $500 for the development of an app, 48% from larger churches said their church would. While only 8% of respondants from smaller churches said their church would pay over $25/mo for an app, 42% of respondants from larger churches said their church would.
Obviously, there are economies of scale here. Larger churches have more money to spend than smaller churches, and larger churches will be able to communicate with more people via their app than smaller churches. It was the biggest of the mega churches that were first to get their own app. And while more churches are getting mobile apps, it's still primarily very large churches.
6) The Great App Divide Part II
The survey revealed one other reason why larger churches are more serious about getting a mobile app. We asked, "What percentage of people in your church do you guess would use your church's app if it had one?" 84% of respondants from larger churches thought at least 10% of their congregation would use an app. But only 49% of respondants from smaller churches thought an app would be used by 10% of their people.
Clearly, larger churches have higher percentage of smartphone users.
The survey was conducted between March 1, 2011 and March 30, 2011. Results are based on 92 responses. It was conducted online and not in a scientific manner, therefore results represent only those who participated.
What are your reactions to the survey's findings?


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Yusif Eyvazov grew up in Baku, Azerbaijan and received his musical education at the Baku Academy of Music. In 1997, he moved to Italy and continued his studies there.
In the 2015/16 season, Yusif Eyvazov makes a series of important debuts. He stars as Canio in Los Angeles Opera's production of I Pagliacci conducted by Plácido Domingo, makes his first appearances at the Metropolitan Opera and the Wiener Staatsoper singing Calaf in Turandot, and debuts at both the Paris Opera and at the Staatsoper Berlin as Manrico in Il Trovatore. In June 2016, Eyvazov appears at the Mariinsky Theater for the first time, in the title role of Otello with Valery Gergiev. His Salzburg Festival debut takes place in the summer of 2016, as Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut. On the concert stage he sings in Parma under the baton of Marco Boemi with a programme featuring works by Verdi and Puccini, in concert with Riccardo Muti in December, and will undertake a major concert tour throughout Asia alongside Anna Netrebko, in the spring of 2016.
In the 2014/15 season Yusif Eyvazov performed Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana at the Teatro Filarmonico for the Verona Opera Festival and Radames in Aida with the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Mr. Eyvazov sang Verdi's Requiem at the Auditorium di Milano with the LaVerdi Symphony Orchestra and also a recital at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona alongside Anna Netrebko, conducted by Massimo Zanetti.
Yusif Eyvazov's other recent performances include Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Symphony Orchestra LaVerdi in Milan, Radamès in Aida for Opera Fiesole, Cavaradossi in Tosca at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the title role of Verdi's Otello for the Ravenna Music Festival, Manon Lescaut (Des Grieux) alongside Anna Netrebko at the Teatro dell' Opera in Rome under the baton of Riccardo Muti, and Canio in I Pagliacci at Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Italy under the baton of Paolo Carignani.
He lives in Vienna with his wife Anna Netrebko and her son Tiago.
To make an order, please use mobile version of our website - buy tickets from any smartphone


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The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Education, Courses of Study in
EDUCATION, Courses of Study in. The course of study which forms the outline of work in the best schools of to-day is a broad, socialized program, having little resemblance to the brief course in the schools of 50 years ago. Reading, writing and arithmetic were then the subjects of instruction covered in the elementary schools. In the "academies" Latin and Greek were the principal subjects with some mathematics, as the purpose of the instruction was preparation for college. In many States there are now certain statutory requirements relative to the course of study such as the teaching of physiology and hygiene and instruction in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, geography and history. The emphasis to be given to these different subjects, the assignment of time allotments, and the teaching of other subjects such as music, drawing or science are fixed largely by local superintendents and boards of education.
During recent years courses of study have been "enriched" and "vitalized" by the introduction of many new subjects. Some have held that too much new matter has been added with the result that thorough work is no longer possible. On the other hand, the vast changes in the social and economic life of the day demand a closer relation between the program of studies and the immediate daily life of the child. The scientific study of the progress of pupils has established the fact that there has been considerable waste in useless repetition in the elementary grades. The activities which have been introduced through play and games, story-telling, dramatization, handwork, weaving, sewing, cooking, wood-working, modeling, gardening and other means have been added largely because of their interest. They were considered helpful devices in the monotony of the daily routine. Only recently has their social value been appreciated. The recognition of the importance of these activities in the growth and development of the child has given them a definite place in the course of study. The evidence of waste in effort and of undue time allotments for the fundamental subjects makes the articulation of the new work more easily accomplished. The schools are an important part of the social life of the community, not apart from it. In the process of education the course of study must present in rational sequence type forms of life experiences. The vast changes in our social conditions have reacted on the whole theory and practice of education. Courses of study are, therefore, not definite and final, but subject to constant modification. Health education was not thought of yesterday, but is all-important to-day. Physical training, supervised playgrounds and recreational centres are provided in the educational program of every progressive community. The school day is being lengthened, and the time is not far distant when the course of instruction will be continuous throughout the year
Too often this enrichment has resulted in mere multiplicity of subjects and congestion of the program. It should not mean this if the entire course is unified and the common aims of the instruction determined. The study of the relative values of the different subjects of instruction and the elimination of useless material has resulted in the consensus of educational leaders that six years is ample time in the elementary grades to be given to the study of the so-called common branches. At least it is thought that the problem in the first six years has been too much a mere pouring in process to give the child a vast accumulation of facts; that he should master the fundamental processes of reading, writing and arithmetic, and form a proper mental attitude toward his social environment.
The thought has been held for several years that many of the so-called secondary subjects should be begun before the ninth year. The several reports on this subject which appeared around 1900 emphasized the unreasonable rigidity of the system which fixed eight years for the elementary course and four years for the secondary course. These discussions lately centred on the necessity of economy of time and a more thorough instruction in subject matter. The epoch-making treatment of the subject of adolescence by Hall was a new and compelling factor in the consideration of the reorganization of the course of study. It became clear that the psychological break came too late; that the eight and four plan for the elementary and secondary school work was illogical as well as uneconomical; that the development of the youth, physically as well as psychologically, demanded the reorganization of the school work on the six and six or the six-three-three plan, by which some differentiation in the course of study and methods of instruction might be made after the sixth school year. The great elimination of pupils in the seventh and eighth grades and the failure of the course of study to function compelled remedial action. Hall's complete discussion of adolescence and Dewey's emphasis on the relation between the course of study and the social environment have resulted indirectly, if not directly, in the development of the intermediate school, covering the seventh, eighth and ninth years. In the six-three-three plan the elementary work is followed by a three-years' intermediate course, and that in turn by the secondary course of three years. The course of study in the intermediate school, or junior high school as it is sometimes called, is to assist the boys and girls to find themselves; the work is slightly differentiated into groups to meet individual needs and to give an acquaintance with the first principles of a few fundamental occupations. The work is departmental and promotions are made by subjects. The courses are in a sense prevocational in that the pupil has the opportunity to test his inclinations and capacity through the socialized grouping and co-ordination of subjects. He is given more freedom than in the elementary school but is not left on his own resources as in the secondary schools. The organization of the intermediate school with the development of the course of study best suited to the peculiar needs of the pupil in his relation to his social environment is only a step in the solution of a large educational problem; it is far from being solved.
In the secondary field courses of study are still largely dominated by the college idea. The college preparatory aim persists not only in the course of study but in the treatment of separate subjects of instruction. In very few of the courses of study in the secondary schools has there been any complete correlation of work or definite aim. The subjects are too often unrelated to each other and bear little relation to the social environment. The mortality in the secondary schools is very high, as only 20 to 25 per cent of first year pupils complete the course. While no one factor is responsible for this condition, the failure of the course of study to function has been a determining element.
School courses have been planned for the graduate, not for the pupil who goes part way through, notwithstanding the fact that the great majority do not complete the course. The aim of the eight-year elementary course has been the completion of the requirement for "admission to high school." The aim of the high school course has been the "college" or professional school requirement. The needs of scarcely 5 per cent of secondary pupils have determined the course of study for the other 95 per cent. The relation of the school work to the social environment has been almost entirely overlooked in both the general outlines of courses of study and in the method of treatment of the subjects of instruction.
The solution seems to be in the shortening of the elementary course and in the modification of the work in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades, or intermediate school, so that a slight differentiation in work may begin before the adolescent period, and that the secondary course of three years furnish opportunities for the development of the different types of individual pupils. Each course should be based on definite needs and have a definite and specific aim. It should furnish the pupil the opportunity to carry forward the particular work in which he showed or developed interest in the intermediate school.
The more logical break which comes at the end of the three-year period at the close of the intermediate courses does not leave the pupil wandering aimlessly. He has been given an opportunity to find his bent. The diversified course of study in the intermediate school holds the pupil much better, and even if he should leave school at the end of this period, he has had the advantage of an additional year beyond the eight grades, with a course of instruction planned to meet his needs.
A reconstruction of the secondary course is under way. In part the needs of pupils are being met through the organization of technical high schools, commercial high schools, vocational and continuation schools, and in some high schools special courses in technical, commercial or vocational subjects are offered along with the so-called academic work. There are two schools of thought with regard to the vocational courses; one, that there should be set up an independent educational organization for this vocational work, and the other that such a program is undemocratic, that the courses in vocational, technical and academic subjects should be carried along side by side with no separate educational administrative organization.
This adjustment with the environment is being worked out and courses are being evolved with definite social aims. There will be no fixed courses of study, as they will always be subject to modification as the needs change. There will be no final differentiation between academic and vocational, as technical or cultural training will depend upon the needs of the pupil rather than on any mere arbitrary classification of studies. Courses of study must be adjusted with the whole environment in terms of individual and community needs.
Bibliography. — Bagley, William C., 'The Educative Process'; Dewey, John, 'Democracy and Education'; Dewey, John, 'The Child and the Curriculum'; Hall, G. Stanley, 'Youth: Its Education, Regimen and Hygiene'; Hanus, Paul H., 'Educational Aims and Values' O'Shea, M. V., 'Education as Adjustment'; National Society for the Study of Education, Fourteenth Year-book, Part I; Fifteenth Year-book, Part III.


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Now that the 12-time Grammy winner has established herself as one of music's brightest stars, Keys is ready to inspire others - without singing a tune. Keys is launching AK Worldwide, a new company that will handle the singer's projects, especially those outside of music. "It really explores the ways I can affect the world in a positive way, even outside of music," Keys said in an interview Tuesday. "It is really about finding ways to bring forth things into the world that will give you and all the people that encounter them, and myself, inspiration," she said. The first project for the 28-year-old is The Barber's Daughters, a handcrafted jewelry line engraved with messages of hope and wisdom. "The words, when you read them, they really do resonate with you. They kind of inspire you to want to find that place in yourself," she said, sporting a silver oval ring that read: "May you find inspiration and meaning soaked in the wonders of the imagination cradled in compassion of the heart and hold a will to make difference." Keys also will launch a new Web site, iamasuperwoman.com, devoted to spotlighting inspirational women and causes that will fill a missing gap in the blogosphere, Keys said. "It really calls out to all those brilliant, amazing, fantastic women every day that are doing their thing and need kind of a community to support each other," she said. Keys said the creativity required to be a businesswoman has spilled over to her music, and that it's reflected on her fourth studio CD, "The Element of Freedom," to be released Dec. 1. "We have the ability to be totally free, to be totally unstoppable, and there's no heights that you can't reach," Keys said. "So I totally love that and that's what the music feels like, and that's what everything that I'm doing sounds like." The lead single, "Doesn't Mean Anything," teaches people that having success is unimportant unless there's someone to share it with, Keys said. The next single, "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart," is "mean, mean, mean," she said. The CD finds Keys working again with her musical partner, Crucial Keys, and producer Jeff Bhasker, who recently produced tracks on the latest albums from Jay-Z and Kanye West. Keys credits Oprah Winfrey and other business-minded people with turning on her entrepreneurial spirit. "Why do I love Oprah? Because she's able to bring you things that will really change your life," Keys said. "They're part of your life in a meaningful way, and those are the things I want to be a part of."
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What is a pension plan?
Pension plans provide a continuous, fixed income after retirement. The amount of income is typically based both on your total years of employment and the wages earned during your final year of employment. Because you will know in advance the amount of your monthly benefit at retirement, pensions are referred to as "defined benefit" plans. Private and union pension plans typically do not require an employee contribution to the pension fund, while government pension plans usually do.
What is a 401(k) plan?
A 401(k) plan is not a pension or "defined benefit" plan. Instead, 401(k) plans are a type of "defined contribution" plan established by employers or unions for employees to contribute voluntarily to their own individual retirement accounts. Employers may match employee contributions, and if employers choose to contribute, they may do so either in cash or company stock. 401(k) plans are investment accounts as well as savings accounts. That is, 401(k) funds do not merely sit in an account and collect interest. Rather, an employee's 401(k) funds only grow (or shrink) through investment decisions. Employees often have responsibility for making wise investments of the contributions in their 401(k) accounts, though employers may limit some investment options. The amount of money you will receive upon retirement will vary based on the amount of your contribution and the success of your investments.
What is a 403(b) plan?
A 403(b) plan is similar to a 401(k) plan (see above), but is provided to employees of non-profit organizations.
Must employers set up pension plans, 401(k) plans, or 403(b) plans?
No, but if your employer does set one up, it must follow government regulations.
What must I do to receive a pension?
You must have worked for the same employer or within the same union for a specified number of years for your benefits to become "vested" (meaning that the benefits become entirely yours). Once you are vested, you are entitled to your pension benefits, although you may have to wait to receive them until you reach the retirement age specified in your pension plan. If you die before your retirement age, your spouse and children under age 18 receive your benefits (usually 50%), unless your spouse has given up this right.
How do I find out how much my pension will pay?
You may request an Individual Benefit Statement once every year. Many employers automatically mail this statement to all covered employees every year.
If a new employer takes control of my pension plan, what happens to my years of work with my previous employer?
Your previous years of work count toward vesting if your new employer continues to maintain your previous employer's plan. The new employer might choose not to continue the plan.
How does a break in my employment affect my pension?
Special rules govern whether you lose credit for previous years' work. Those rules include several factors:
- If you were already vested prior to your break in employment, the years before and after the break must count toward calculating your pension benefits.
- If you were not already vested prior to your break in employment, a long break in employment may cause you to lose all your years before your break.
What counts as a break in my employment?
- If you worked 1,000 hours or more in a year, that year normally will count toward vesting. (A full-time employee works about 2,080 hours a year.)
- If you worked 501-999 hours in a year, that year normally will not count toward vesting. However, it also will not count as a "break in service."
- If you worked fewer than 501 hours in a year, that year normally will not count toward vesting and in certain circumstances can result in losing credit for previous years of service toward vesting.
What steps can I take if I think my pension rights are being violated?
Step 1: Collect and Review Your Documents
Helpful documents to review will include your:
- Summary Plan Description (SPD), which explains how the pension plan works;
- Individual Benefit Statements;
- Separation papers; and
- Pay stubs.
If you are missing your Summary Plan Description or Individual Benefit statement, write to your "plan administrator" to request the missing documents. (The plan administrator is the person legally responsible for managing the plan and whose sole purpose is to provide benefits to the plan participants and beneficiaries. If you don't know who your plan administrator is, then request the administrator's contact information from your employer.) State that you are making your request under Section 104 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Include your full legal name, your Social Security number, date of birth, years worked, and your return address and phone number. Be sure to date the letter and send it certified mail with return receipt. Get this information for every pension plan under which you have been covered.
Step 2: Assess Your Situation
Try to answer the following questions:
- Which pension plan was in effect when you vested
- Which pension plan(s) were in effect from the time you vested until you retired?
- When did the pension plan(s) terminate?
- Has the company changed owners? When? Who were the previous owners?
Step 3: Write, Then Call, Your Plan Administrator
Write to your plan administrator to request action on your pension problem and a written response within thirty days of the date she received the letter. State that you are making your request under Section 104 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Include your full legal name, your Social Security number, date of birth, years worked, and your return address and phone number. Be sure to date the letter and send it certified mail with return receipt. Follow up with a telephone call if you do not hear back within thirty days.
Step 4: File A Claim (If Necessary)
If your plan administrator does not satisfactorily address your pension problem, you may file a claim to have your problem formally assessed. Three kinds of claims may be filed: an internal administrative claim, a Department of Labor claim, or a federal lawsuit. Benefits Owed: Should your pension problem deal with a dispute regarding the calculation of benefits you are owed, you must almost always file an internal administrative claim first. The Department of Labor can assist you on an informal basis with benefit claims. For instance, they can inform you of your rights and what procedures to follow. They might also be able to call your employer on your behalf and make a preliminary, informal inquiry into your claim. Plan Problem: Should your pension problem involve a claim that the plan administrator is failing in her legal duties (for example, engaging in fraud), you may bring your pension claim directly to federal court or to the Department of Labor. If you file a claim with the Department of Labor, they may decide to sue on behalf of all plan participants. They may also decide not to sue. You do not need to file a claim with the Department of Labor before filing your own federal suit.
What should I expect to happen in a typical internal administrative process?
Your Summary Plan Description should explain the specifics of how the internal administrative process works. Typically, you file a written claim (including copies of any evidence) with your plan administrator or other designee. The administrator normally has 90 days to respond to your claim, and if you do not hear back from her after that time, you should consider your claim denied. You have a right to be informed, in writing, why your claim was denied. You also have the right to appeal a denied claim to the plan administrator within 60 days of receiving notice that your claim was denied. In your appeal you should submit any new information or evidence that addresses the weaknesses in your original claim (as communicated in the written explanation for why your original claim was denied). The plan administrator usually has 60 days to review your appeal. If your appeal is denied, the administrator must explain, in writing, the basis for her denying your appeal. At this point you may decide to sue in federal court.


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We all want to get away. We all deserve to get away. We should all go away - to Narragansett and the Blueberry Cove Inn of course - soon. As an innkeeper I feel that it is my duty to help you get away by offering a June discount. June is a lovely month and you really should experience a break by the sea before the crowds come down next month. Or golf. Or fish. Or shop. Or indulge in history. There is something for everyone to do.
Book one night, Sunday through Thursday, and get the second night half price. You must book on-line and mention the special in the "Special Requests" box on the reservation form. (The automatic computer generated confirmation won't show the discount. When I process it I will send you a new confirmation that reflects the discount.)
Unfortunately I can't accept third party gift certificates for this offer. And it will end June 27, 2013.
So what are you waiting for? Tell your boss you need two personal days and book now!
Innkeeper Seely


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Hi all!
This is our new game, which is kind of a good-old Zelda-like adventure game. We made it very retro-fashioned on purpose, to bring back the "magic" of the 80's games. The game has a decent length if you want to complete everything in it, which should take around 20 to 25 hours, or more like 10 to 15 hours for a first run just trying to beat it.
You'll need to defeat monsters along the way of the outside world to find dungeons where quest items (or treasures) are kept safe by big monsters. Those relics are then used to grant passage to the evil Gordzak's lair, which you'll have to destroy in order to beat the game. To accomplish this you will need to upgrade your gear and your personal strength by leveling up and finding magic items.
Have fun!
Hi all!


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It was 1998, the dark ages in publishing.
My agent couldn't sell either of my two novels. Publishers had been really excited about them, but they were ultimately too uncomfortable with my genre-bending to bite. They wanted a suspense novel or an erotic novel, something less sophisticated…or more sophisticated. What they didn't want was an erotic novel with a mystery at its heart and a strong female main character.
There was no way to market a book that was so hard to categorize, publishers said.
But I was in advertising and had been online since 1994. I was fascinated with the marketing opportunities I imagined possible. What if I did an online marketing test for my novel and got some sales? Then maybe my agent could take my marketing plan to publishers and show them how to market my work.
I figured I could print up a few copies and also offer an electronic download online.
At the time the only place to sell an electronic book was from my own Web site. And the only place to sell the printed book online was Amazon—they'd just started the Advantage program to "level the playing field" for anyone with a book, an ISBN, and a dream.
I didn't think that running a marketing experiment was anything terrible. But my agent said if I self-published, no one would ever take me seriously again. She said it would end my career before it began.
That seemed absurd to me. I had many friends who were painters, photographers, sculptors, musicians, and indie artists who operated creatively and on their own. I didn't see what I wanted to do as being any different.
Oh but it was. I remember the snowy day the books arrived from the printer. As soon as I unboxed them, I grabbed a few and drove over to my local bookstore. The owner was inside, on a ladder. I told her about the book and asked if I could give her a copy.
She wouldn't even turn around to face me. "I would never look at a self-published book," she'd said with utter derision.
I walked back outside, stood in the snow and burst into tears. And out of those tears came determination. I became tireless in marketing the book, and within the next few months I sold almost 3,000 e- and print copies. Lip Service became the highest ranked independent press title according to an Amazon press statement.
Six months after that snowy day, Lip Service, which featured a privileged New York City housewife who works as a phone sex fantasist as a means of liberation, became the first self-published book and the first e-book discovered online (at Amazon by Literary Guild and Doubleday Book club editor Erica Tsang) to go on to be traditionally published (by Pocket in 2000) bought by my current publisher at Atria, Judith Curr. The news landed me in the New York Times, the Wall St. Journal, Time magazine, Newsweek, the Today show, Bloomberg news, NPR, Fox News, and more, with every host and reporter (including Katie Couric) blushing when they talked to me about the topics in the book (very explicit phone sex) and the cover (x-rated).
Lip Service sold modestly in stores—booksellers said the cover just made it an embarrassing hand sell— but at the mail-order book clubs and with online retailers, it sold over 75,000 copies within the first month, and rights were eventually sold in 10 countries.
Thirteen years later, Atria is reissuing Lip Service with a brand new cover. It's never been out of print. The publishing world could not be more different today than it was when I began this journey.
In a lot of ways it's very gratifying. The world many of us—Douglas Clegg, Seth Godin, Doug Ruskoff and others—envisioned is here. The rules have all been bent or broken and the future is wide open to anyone with time, energy, and a good idea.
M.J. Rose, the founder of AuthorBuzz.com, has written 12 novels including her most recent, The Book of Lost Fragrances.


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There seems to be a lot of conflict among folks attempting to make plans for the future. I think the basic cause is different views regarding where we are headed, and how fast changes may take place.
The most popular view among the general public, including research scientists, is that growth will continue practically indefinitely. Let's call this Scenario A. This forecast by Price Waterhouse Coopers might be typical of what one would expect:
These growth rates don't look all that high when presented on an annual basis, but they really add up over time. At an annual growth rate of 7.6%, India's GDP in 2050 can be expected to be 27 times its real GDP in 2005. At an annual growth rate of 0.8% per year, by 2050, India's population can be expected to 43% higher than in 2005.
A second scenario, which I call Scenario B, is one that is held by quite a number of people who have been studying oil and gas depletion models. It is focused on an expectation that oil and gas production in the future will follow a pattern such as this one prepared by Colin Campbell, taken from the April 2009 ASPO-Ireland Newsletter.
Note that in this scenario oil production starts dropping off about now by about 2% a year. Natural gas production doesn't drop off as quickly. Substitutes, such as ethanol and coal aren't shown on the chart, but many think they will help cushion the decline. With this view, the big concern is adapting to having a little less oil and gas each year.
A third scenario, which I call Scenario C is a very rapid drop off in fossil fuels of all types, such as might happen if a financial crash, or a major disruption of international trade, suddenly affected world economies. This is a graph I made for an Oil Drum post in 2009:
Under this scenario, the big concern is that the exponential growth we see in many things–real GDP, bank deposits, world population–will suddenly (or perhaps over a period of, say, 20 years) come to an end, and may in fact lead to collapse. As Kenneth Boulding was quoted in saying in yesterday's post, "Anyone who believes that exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist."
We are depending on fossil fuels to maintain and increase our food supply. It is doubtful that with a much smaller fossil food supply, the world will be able to continue to support a population of 6.9 billion people.
The Connection between Oil Supply and World GDP
One other thing that it is helpful to understand is the apparent connection between oil use and GDP.
This graphic indicates that for the historical period shown, a rise in the world oil consumption of a given percentage seems to be associated with an increase in World GDP that is about 2.5 times as large. No doubt, increases in the supply of other fossil fuels play a role in this GDP growth as well.
We are not really certain precisely how the relationship between GDP and oil consumption will work on the way down. At least part of the growth in GDP is from oil substituting for manual labor. If we start moving the other direction–toward more manual labor–will that bring GDP down more quickly, since manual labor does not produce a very large quantity of goods and services, in comparison to oil? Efficiency gains and substitution of natural gas and coal may work to keep GDP from dropping as quickly, but these require investment–for example, building electric cars to replace gas-powered ones.
Looking at the three scenarios
Scenario A – Economic and Population Growth continues almost indefinitely
This is the scenario that underlies the pronouncements in the press. Even most mainstream scientists seem to believe this view of the future.
With this view, oil, natural gas, and coal use continue to rise, practically indefinitely, and forecasts of CO2 levels are very high. Climate change is a major concern, as is getting countries to voluntarily cut back on their fossil fuel use. The expectation is that economic growth will continue forever (although perhaps at a bit lower rate) even if major cutbacks in fossil fuel use are made.
One detail that is sometimes raised by those in the peak oil community is that it is not entirely clear where all the fossil fuels assumed in the climate change models will come from, since climate models seem to assume more fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) than are available.
Figure 5 is from this Oil Drum post by Luis de Sousa. This difference will not be an issue to many people, because of concern for being near a climate change "tipping point," but it does give rise to differing viewpoints on how urgent it is to cut back.
The other detail that "peak oilers" raise is that oil production seems likely to decline on its own. While there is still a need to limit coal use, and perhaps natural gas use, a large share of the oil problem perhaps will naturally take care of itself. If there is a way to ease the transition away from oil, for example through tax structure, that perhaps makes sense, but the reason for the move away from oil may be as much because the oil won't be there, as it is for climate change reasons.
Scenario B – Oil and natural gas production estimates based on depletion analyses govern the likely future
With this view of the future, future oil price and technology changes are viewed as likely to have relatively small impacts. Oil and natural gas production are expected to progress in accordance with models which take into account the tendency of oil supply from oil fields to decline. Typically, the models assume that much of this natural decline is offset by infill drilling, development of new (usually smaller) fields, and very slow development of unconventional oil.
With this view of the future, the issue is to try to hold up GDP (or some other measure of prosperity) by substituting materials for material that are expected to be in short supply, such as oil–for example, building electric cars, to replace gasoline powered vehicles. The type of decline in GDP that perhaps might be expected is perhaps something like this:
Some with this view have focused on adding wind and solar to the electric grid, to increase electric capacity for electric vehicles and for general "growth" in the use of electricity. Some who are not concerned about climate change issues may also suggest an increased role for coal in electricity generation, or even coal-to-liquids, as a substitute for oil.
Most of the transition-type plans one sees for the future seem to follow the belief that the future will follow Scenario B. The plan is often to substitute approaches which use a little less oil for current approaches, which use more oil. Or the plan may try to substitute electricity for oil, or reduce electricity use.
Gardens or small farms will often have diesel operated equipment, and may be irrigated, perhaps using a solar pump. Electric fences may be used. Improved public transportation, such as long distance trains, may be part of the plan. Because the expectation is that the economic situation is not deteriorating too quickly, climate change is often a major consideration, because of its connection with coal usage.
Scenario C – Crash scenario, because the "system" does not hold together in some way.
The assumption in Scenario B, above, is that depletion will govern the amount of future oil and gas extracted. This implies that oil and gas companies will continue to do infill drilling, and will continue to drill in new fields they are developing. It also assumes that systems will work together pretty much as they do today–our electric system will keep operating; our governments will keep operating, and the markets (based on supply and demand) will continue to operate.
But it can be argued that the depletion models really set an upper bound for oil and gas production (assuming no new major innovations in extraction technology, and assuming prices remain high enough to encourage drilling at the level assumed in the depletion models). The question is whether our systems can in fact work together as well as we hope. If not, there could be a major disruption–perhaps not as soon as suggested by Figure 3 above, but it could be quite soon–certainly within the next 20 years.
One of the big concerns is whether the financial system will be able to continue to function as it does today, since it needs growth to maintain its current method of operation. Without growth, huge debt defaults seem likely, and growth is tied in with oil supply. Of course, even if the financial system does fail, there is the possibility that new system could be devised. Also, as long as the means of production remain, it is possible that other systems may be able to continue operating, even if, say, the banks fail.
The problem is that we have many vulnerabilities, and we may not even understand all of them. Our "just in time" delivery system is one. Another is our international trade system. Almost every high-tech product requires raw materials from around the world, so disruption in this system could be a major issue. If electrical companies go bankrupt, or are unable to pay their employees because of financial disruptions, this could lead to widespread electrical outages.
For a person who is concerned about these types of issues, the way to plan for the future becomes more problematic. One of the issues is just keeping the current system together as long as possible. Making major changes–and this could be as simple as adding a lot of wind and solar to our current electrical grid–could be the type of change that brings the system down.
Faced with possible immediate problems, climate change may move down the priority list for some. If a Scenario C type of situation should occur, it would likely pull down natural gas and coal production, in addition to oil production. Food and water supplies could easily be affected. One might expect population to decline–if not immediately, over a period of years.
It seems to me that one of the types of mitigations we would want to consider in planning for Scenario C is restoring technology of the type we had prior to the industrial revolution. At that time, there were wind turbines made with local materials that were used to power some factories. We also made use of canal boats for transportation of goods. Ropes and knots were also used to a significantly greater extent than they are used today.
Steps would also need to be taken to develop food production capabilities without using fossil fuels, and also for pumping or otherwise gathering water. Food storage would be another major area of concern.
If Scenario C is really an issue, one almost feels powerless. What politician would ever consider such an extreme scenario? But even if a Scenario B evolves toward a Scenario C because things start falling apart after many years, one would still need plans for local food and water production that do not depend on fossil fuels.
I should add that I do not see any way that wind and solar PV are, on their own, self-sustaining. To me, they can only be produced with fossil fuels. They will stop working not long after fossil fuel support ceases to be available. For example, suppose you have a solar PV panel. If it is part of a grid connected system, it will stop functioning when the grid stops. If it is separate, it will be useful only as long as the appliance to which it is connected still works. If we lose the ability to make new computers and light bulbs, the solar panel will have much less use.
Blending Scenarios
Most people would say that we really don't know for certain which scenario is ahead. As a result, we perhaps need to look at both Scenarios B and C, weighted as we think appropriate, in terms of what types of planning we will do.
There are no doubt some variations I left out. If one sees financial markets as being able to mitigate Scenario B, perhaps this might lead to higher oil and gas prices, and more fossil fuel production. In this case, the result may be something between Scenario A and Scenario B. The reason I tend to discount this possibility is because high fossil fuel prices tend to cause recession, and bring oil and gas prices back down again. At this point we don't have good substitutes (on any reasonable scale) for oil, gas, and coal, either. The substitute that comes closest is ethanol, and it is in competition with resources needed for food.
It is important that we think through which scenario(s) are most likely, and how this affects where we choose to place our priorities. While it would be nice to be able to do every type of mitigation, some may not be helpful, and may even be counter-productive. We also don't have resources to do everything, so we need to make choices.


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Eicher Brake Pads 101442089
Eicher Brake Pads 101442089
- Fitting Position: Rear
- Wear Indicator: Not Fitted
- From trusted brand Eicher
Eicher Rear Brake Pads 101442089Brake pads form a vital part of the disc brake system. The friction material is applied onto the brake disc surface by the caliper pistons to generate the friction to stop the wheels turning. The Eicher Premium range carries an extended 24-month, 24,000 mile warranty when fitted in complete axle sets (meaning Eicher Premium pads and discs are fitted at the same time, and purchased on the same, or related invoices) to allow you to fit them with confidence. The entire range of Eicher Premium Pads & Discs are fully R90 compliant so there is never a compromise on safety or quality.
If you need to return an item we'll happily offer a refund as long as this is within 28 days of delivery, in its original packaging and you have proof of purchase.
There are several easy ways to return your item(s):
- FREE in-store returns*
- by post
You can return an item for FREE to a Retail store, but if you choose to return by post you'll need to cover the cost of postage. However, if the item you're returning is faulty we'll refund the postage once we've received the item and checked the fault.
For more information on our Returns Information, including our Courier service, please visit: Returns Information | Halfords UK
Print a returns note form here.
* Please don't forget your proof of purchase. We may need to verify the serial number on your receipt against the serial number on the item being returned.


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- Swiggy disburses over Rs 450 cr in loans to 8K restaurant owners
- People return to Bengaluru from long weekend: full traffic jam in the city
- RSS man heading Congress in Telangana: KTR
- 'Jitni abadi, utna haq': It will eventually culminate into majoritarianism, says Singhvi
- Following are foreign exchange rates on october-03-2023
- Asian Games: Atanu, Dhiraj lose in shoot-offs in recurve archery quarterfinals
- Live Update: PM Modi to arrive soon to Nizamabad
- Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale: Buy iPhone 12 for Rs 32,999
- Close shave for passengers as bus hangs on bridge over Mahanadi
- Nara Lokesh's CID inquiry in IRR case postponed to October 10
Just In
Dhoni, Kohli nominated for ICC People's Choice award
Dubai: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and star batsman Virat Kohli were today nominated for the International Cricket Council's People's Choice Award, the winner of which will be declared on December 13 during the governing body's 10th annual awards.
"The quintet of players nominated for the award are Australia's Michael Clarke, England's Alastair Cook, India's duo of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, and South Africa's AB de Villiers," the ICC said in a statement.
Both Kohli and Dhoni have been ICC award winners in the past. While Kohli won the ICC ODI Player of the Year 2012, Dhoni had bagged the same trophy in the year 2008 and 2009.
Fans will have the opportunity to decide the winner by voting either via www.lgiccawards.com or via Twitter using the hashtag #lgiccawards.
Voting opens today and will close at midnight November 23 with the winner to be announced on December 13, along with all the other winners of the LG ICC Awards 2013.
This year marks the 10th year of the LG ICC Awards, and will see a change in the format of the Awards.
The formal event will be replaced with a special TV show that will be broadcast towards the end of the year. The show is set to recap the last year in world cricket and will feature interviews with many nominees and winners.
The short list was nominated by an elite panel of cricket experts, which is headed by ICC Cricket Committee Chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble. Other members of the panel are England's Alec Stewart, New Zealand's Catherine Campbell, Pakistan's Waqar Younis and South Africa's Graeme Pollock.
The five players were selected by the panel using the criteria set out by LG and the ICC.
"This is the fourth year of the LG People's Choice Award and it continues to be hugely popular among fans across the globe," ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said.
"This year we see a number of new names nominated for the title, all tremendous entertainers who play with style and skill. I'm sure all the fans will come out in force to vote for their favourite."
Details of the ICC Test and ODI Teams of the Year, as well as short-lists for this year's LG ICC Awards will be announced on November 11 at a press conference in Mumbai.
Based on the period between August 7, 2012 and August 25, 2013, ICC Awards take into account performances by players and officials in a remarkable period for the game.
The voting academy for this year's LG ICC Awards is as follows:
Former cricketers: Brendon Julien (Aus), Shelley Nitschke (Aus Women), Bhabibul Bashar (Bang), John Emburey (Eng), Claire Taylor (Eng Women), Kiran More (Ind), Sudha Shah (Ind Women), Mark Richardson (NZ), Lesley Murdoch (NZ Women), Mudassar Nazar (Pak), Jonty Rhodes (SA), Kerri Lang (SA Women), Chaminda Vaas (SL), Daren Ganga (WI), Mpumelelo Mbangwa (Zim), Gavin Hamilton (Scot Assoc & Aff Rep)
Media: Jesse Hogan (Aus), Atif Azam (Bang), Dean Wilson (Eng), Alison Mitchell (Women's Media Rep), Sanjeev Samyal (Ind), Mark Geenty (NZ), Saleem Khaliq (Pak), Firdose Moonda (SA), Callistus Davy (SL), Barry Wilkinson (WI), Michael Madyira (Zimbabwe), Liaquat Ali (Assoc & Aff Rep), Josina Luke (Women's Committee Rep)
Representative of Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match
Referees: Andy Pycroft
Representative of Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires: Steve Davis
Chairman of ICC Cricket Committee: Anil Kumble.


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NASA's Cure for a Common Phobia
Nov. 9, 2012: NASA has found a cure for a common phobia--the fear of asking "stupid" questions.
It's not a pill. No therapy is required. The cure is a rubber chicken.
That's right, school kids and even their teachers can find themselves tongue-tied when they come face to face with an astronaut or astrophysicist. This interferes with NASA's mission to reach out, inspire, and educate. "But nobody's afraid to talk to a rubber chicken," says Romeo Durscher of Stanford University, executive secretary for a fowl NASA ambassador named "Camilla" who's taking classrooms by storm.
Outfitted in her own personal spacesuit, Camilla travels far and wide to meet with kids at schools, science centers, and even sci-fi conventions. She helps break the ice for astronauts and other space-celebrities when they meet the general public.
"Camilla is the perfect NASA spokes-chicken!" says astronaut Clayton Anderson. "I am one of her biggest fans. Always a big hit with the kids, she makes science, engineering, technology, and math seem appealing, not threatening, to youth of all ages."
Camilla is willing to go almost anywhere for science.
Earlier this year she flew to the edge of space to investigate a solar radiation storm. A group of high school students in Bishop, California, attached radiation sensors to Camilla and sent her into the storm clinging to the payload of a helium balloon. She flew so high (124,000 feet on one flight) that the daytime sky turned as black as space. Later, Camilla parachuted back to Earth where the kids continue to study the data she gathered.
"We had so much fun working with Camilla on this experiment," says Rachel Molina, a senior at Bishop Union High School and a member of the launch team. "She is one cool chick." One of Camilla's prime missions is to inspire girls to enter the sciences, and it seems to be succeeding. Molina plans to major in physics when she goes to college next year. "Should I ask Camilla for a letter of recommendation?" she wonders.
More than 20,000 people follow Camilla on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, where every adventure is an opportunity for science education.
"During one visit to Johnson Space Center, Clayton Anderson showed her the space toilet trainer," Durscher recalls. "Camilla insisted on trying it out. She ended up getting sucked into the hose -- and stuck in the toilet. Luckily, we were able to free her. And we used the incident to teach how space toilets work."
On Nov. 14, 2012, Camilla will be in Australia to observe a total eclipse of the sun. At the end of totality, she's going to run "the Solar Eclipse Marathon," a 26.2 mile race that begins when the first ray of sunlight lances over the edge of the retreating Moon. As far as anyone knows, this is the first time a rubber chicken has run such a race.
Camilla's travel budget is very small, so certain measures are necessary for reasons of economy. For instance, on airplane flights Camilla travels in the overhead compartment. "I ask her to keep quiet," says Durscher, "but every now and then she lets out a disgruntled squawk. I just sit there like I don't hear anything."
Ultimately, Durscher would like Camilla to join the crew of the International Space Station. In particular, he's angling for a berth on Soyuz Expedition 40/41. If this happens, astronaut chats from orbit with school kids and reporters might never be the same.
With a space-suited chicken floating in the background, "no one will ever be afraid to ask a 'stupid' question again."
Educators are encouraged to follow Camilla on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
Authors: Dr. Tony Phillips , Dauna Coulter | Production editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA


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AURA Bracelet
AURA Bracelet, open ended bangle, silver plated zamak.
- For wrists size circumference up to 19 cm
Zamak is an alloy composed of zinc, aluminum, magnesium and copper and finally dipped in silver. The advantages of Zamak include hypoallergenic properties as well as a nickel free metal. Therefore, it causes neither allergies nor rashes.


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- Security News
- Cybercrime & Digital Threats
- Modern Ransomware's Double Extortion Tactics and How to Protect Enterprises Against Them
Download Modern Ransomware's Double Extortion Tactics and How to Protect Enterprises Against Them
Ransomware actors have been a persistent threat for years, but they are still evolving. The wide adoption of advanced cybersecurity technologies and improved ransomware response processes has limited the success of traditional ransomware attacks. Upgraded security has forced these cybercriminals to evolve their strategies, and has paved the way for what we now call modern ransomware attacks.
Modern ransomware actors identify and target valuable data, often exfiltrating it from a victim's network organization rather than simply encrypting it. This gives them another avenue for extortion: if a victim does not pay the ransom, the attacker can threaten to publicize the private data. For enterprises holding intellectual property data, proprietary information, private employee data, and customer data, this is a serious concern. Any data leak will come with regulatory penalties, lawsuits, and reputational damage.
Another significant feature of modern ransomware is that the actors are more precise and involved in the attack. They take over networks in multiple human-supervised stages, veering away from click-on-the-link automatic events. They also spend significant time conquering different parts of the victim's network (a process that may take weeks or months) before they execute the ransomware payload, making such attacks look more like nation-state advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks instead of traditional ransomware incidents.
This report discusses the differences between modern ransomware and traditional attacks, and also offers a look into the new ransomware business model using the Nefilim ransomware as a case study.
The tools, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) that make up the ransomware business model have changed significantly, primarily to take advantage of new technologies that advance the attackers' capabilities.
Figure 1. Changes in ransomware business models and monetization methods
Figure 1 shows the evolution and the major shifts in different ransomware business models and their respective monetization methods. Model 1 is related to early monetization strategies, wherein actors were limited by localized payment methods. This model is outdated and is rarely used compared with Models 2 and 3. Some underground actors still prefer Model 2, which provides moderate monetization from a large number of victims. Model 3 is related to more targeted monetization of victim assets and includes the deployment of several additional steps in the cybercriminal business process.
This section will use the Nefilim ransomware family as an example of a modern ransomware attack.
To gain initial access into victim's networks, Nefilim actors use exposed RDP services and publicly available exploits. They exploited a vulnerability in the Citrix Application Delivery Controller (CVE-2019-19781), and a Windows Component Object Model (COM) elevation of privilege (EoP) vulnerability that Google Project Zero discovered, which was then fixed by Microsoft in May 2017.
After gaining initial access, Nefilim attackers start by downloading additional tools on a web browser. One significant download is a Cobalt Strike beacon that is used to establish a remote connection to the environment and execute commands. (Cobalt Strike is a versatile post-exploitation penetration tool that allows security testers to attack the network, control the compromised system, and exfiltrate interesting data. Unfortunately, its capabilities can be misused by attackers.) Other downloaded files are: the Process Hacker tool, which is used to terminate endpoint security agents; and Mimikatz, which is used to dump credentials.
Attackers move laterally once they gain a foothold into the network, meaning they will use a compromised system to find other areas they can access. To avoid detection, attackers will often weaponize tools that are built-in or are commonly used by administrators, a tactic that called "living off the land."
Attackers can use Mimikatz to dump hashes, tickets, or plain text passwords.
Attackers can deploy tools within systems to aid in lateral movement. This includes tools such as PsExec, Bloodhound, and AdFind.
Cybercriminals can abuse tools like AdFind to collect Active Directory information and map out the infrastructure to find more targets.
Attackers can exploit known vulnerabilities to elevate privileges and perform administrative actions or actions requiring elevated privileges.
Nefilim's initial tactics and tools
As discussed in the previous section, the commercially available software Cobalt Strike is run on the victim's system. The beacon will connect back to a Cobalt Strike C&C server that the attackers control. We have seen Nefilim-related Cobalt Strike C&C servers being hosted in different clusters on the internet. The actors have a preference for hosting companies in various countries including Bulgaria, the UK, the US, and the Netherlands. Other Nefilim-related Cobalt Strike C&C servers are hosted through small bulletproof web hosting services created by various shell companies. Some of the shell companies seem to be set up almost exclusively for hosting Cobalt Strike beacon C&Cs , large scale internet scanning (including the scanning of Citrix servers and in one case, the clear-web back end for a Tor-hidden website where Nefilim actors post stolen data from their victims.
We observed Nefilim actors making use of at least three different kinds of bulletproof hosting services: a Tor-hidden server that is used to leak stolen information, small IP ranges belonging to small shell companies, and fast flux hosting (hosting where the frontend regularly changes its IP address).
Nefilim is a post-compromise ransomware, which means it is launched manually by actors or affiliates after they determine that they have adequate control over the victim's infrastructure. Once it is running, the execution flow is very straightforward.
First, Nefilim creates a mutual exclusion (mutex) object to prevent more than one thread of the same process. Then, it will decrypt the ransom note using a fixed RC4 key. Figure 2 shows an example of the ransom note, which includes three email addresses that victims can use to contact the Nefilim actors about the ransom payment.
It then generates a random AES key for each file that it queues for encryption. To enable file decryption in case the victim pays the ransom amount, the malware encrypts the AES key with a fixed RSA public key and appends it to the encrypted file.
If launched without any problems, the Nefilim executable prepares to encrypt. Before starting, it checks an exclusion list of files and directory names. This prevents Nefilim from encrypting files that the operating system needs, and it allows common applications such as browsers and e-mail clients to continue working properly. Then, it encrypts the files that are not on the exclusion list — the encryption function is largest function in the Nefilim code.
Figure 2. The Nefilim ransom note
After its first version was spotted in the wild, we have continued to monitor Nefilim's activities and its evolution. To date, we have observed 18 different variants among an estimated 65 different samples.
Based on the information we have gathered, Nefilim samples follow a consistent pattern. This suggests that:
The following table lists the tactics and techniques used in the Nefilim ransomware samples we observed.
|Initial access
|T1078 – Valid accounts
|T1106 – Native API*
|T1059 - Command and scripting interpreter
|Privilege escalation
|T1055 - Process injection
|Defense evasion
|T1140 – Deobfuscate/Decode files or information
|T1070 – Indicator removal on host*
|T1070.004 - File deletion*
|T1083 - File and directory discovery*
|T1120 - Peripheral device discovery*
|T1135 - Network share discovery*
|Lateral movement
|T1570 - Lateral tool transfer
|T1486 - Data encrypted for impact*
|T1489 - Service stop
The profile of a Nefilim victim is relatively broad in terms of location and industry, but the targets tend to be companies with a revenue of over US$1 billion. The majority of the targets are located in North and South America, but we have also seen targets throughout Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
Our data showed a steady and substantial growth in the amount of sensitive information that has been leaked by Nefilim actors. Nefilim has been able to keep websites with victim's data up-and-running for more than a year. The group has also been known to post their victims' sensitive data over several weeks and even months, with the goal of scaring future victims into paying ransom.
Figure 3. Nefilim victims by number, location, and industry
Figure 4. The median revenue (in millions of US$) of ransomware victims with leaked data per RaaS as of February 21, 2021
Figure 5. The cumulative data (in gigabytes) leaked by Nefilim actors from March 2020 to January 2021
We think that the primary reason ransomware actors leak sensitive data is to issue a clear warning to future victims: ransomware actors will try to cause further harm when the ransom amount is not paid. For example, the infamous REvil actors boldly started an "auction" on their website in the dark web for the stolen data of a victim organization that refused to pay their ransom.
We researched the RaaS sites of 16 ransomware actors and found significant differences in how these actors extort money from their victims. Most actors claim that they will keep stolen data publicly available for several months. Some actors such as Nefilim and Cl0p manage to keep terabytes of stolen data online for over a year and threaten to leak increasing amounts of data over time. As mentioned above, some websites are on Tor-hidden servers while others are hosted using bulletproof hosting. We noted that RaaS actors upload stolen files on commercially available and free file-sharing platforms, or even host files on their websites on the clear web.
We believe that the Nefilim ransomware evolved from an older family called Nemty. Based on the code similarities between Nemty and Nefilim, as well as what we believe to be similar business models, we find it likely that the version called Nemty Revenue 3.1. was the first version of Nefilim.
Over the years, we have been monitoring malicious ransomware activities, including the actors behind the Nefilim and Nemty ransomware. Specifically, we tracked the group behind these ransomware families under the intrusion set "Water Roc." Currently, we associate the underground actors jsworm and Jingo with Water Roc activity, and both actors have actively sold and supported Nemty in the past. Based on their activities online, both are believed to be Russian-speaking. Nemty's code also contained lyrics from several Russian songs and artists. While we can't state with full confidence that either of these two actors are still actively involved in Nefilim's operations, we do believe that they were involved in Nefilim's early development at the very least.
jsworm posts on the Exploit forum for the first time; JSWorm and RazvRAT go on sale
jsworm posts that RazvRAT is no longer for sale
The Nemty ransomware affiliate program starts with 25 vacancies available
Jingo advertised the Nemty ransomware on a verified Tor website
Nemty ransomware version 1.6 is released
Nemty ransomware version 2.3 is released
Corporate links website launches the Nemty ransomware blog
The initial Nefilim ransomware variant is compiled
jsworm mentions starting a separate project
Nephilim ransomware variant is compiled
Nemty Revenue 3.1 is released on the Exploit forum
jsworm shuts down the Nemty ransomware
Nemty ransomware starts using Trickbot
Sigareta ransomware variant is compiled
Telegram ransomware variant is compiled
Nef1lim ransomware variant is compiled
Merin ransomware variant is compiled
Fusion ransomware variant is compiled
Milihpen ransomware variant is compiled
Gangbang ransomware variant is compiled
Mansory ransomware variant is compiled
*a complete version of this is available in the PDF
The breakdown of Nefilim's tools, tactics, and processes reveals significant features regarding the modus operandi of modern ransomware:
We see that modern ransomware affiliates can find ways into large enterprises through access brokers, manage to exfiltrate large quantities of valuable data, and then try to extort victims in as many ways as possible. Operations like these are powered by evolved affiliate programs that give ransomware actors a hefty arsenal: customizable software, new and readily available technologies for better victim-targeting, and improved avenues for collaboration.
Corporations and network guardians have to stay ahead of the curve and be prepared for APT-level ransomware attacks, especially given the amount and value of data that many businesses have stored in their systems. Security investigators have a difficult task as well — they have to piece together actions from multiple groups: the intruders who first breach the network and the group that will try to move laterally and monetize the attack. The full kill chain becomes more complex because of the various groups that are involved.
Although there are challenges and complexities in shielding organizations from these threats, recent events show that even the most advanced malware families can be brought down. Cybersecurity is also evolving constantly, and always finds new ways to defend against these persistent threats.
To read more about modern ransomware, read our full report.
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