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New Hyundai Inventory in Roswell
- 0 Vehicles
Browse Our New 2021 Hyundai Models for Sale Here in Roswell
There are any number of great places to shop for a new car here in Georgia, but if you've got your sights set on a new Hyundai, you owe it to yourself to make Rick Case Hyundai of Roswell your first and only stop. We proudly offer a diverse selection of new Hyundai models at our Roswell showroom and we'd relish the opportunity to help you find the perfect car, crossover, SUV, or hybrid to best fit your needs. Feel free to browse our inventory online or stop in to our dealership to speak with our experiences sales associates about your automotive needs today!
Take in the Best of Georgia with Our New Hyundai Crossovers and SUVs
Made for drivers with active lifestyles, Hyundai crossovers and SUVs are great for everything from making a big grocery run in Sandy Springs to loading up with your bike and heading out to your favorite trails near Johns Creek. With new Hyundai crossover and SUV models like the new Hyundai Santa Fe, Tucson, and even the all-new Hyundai Kona available here at Rick Case Hyundai of Roswell, you'll have plenty of compelling options to choose from when you shop with us.
Experience the Sophistication and Value of Our New Hyundai Sedans
Easily one of the versatile segments in the automotive industry today, Hyundai sedans are great for families and daily commuters alike. Our dealership near Marietta has a great selection of new Hyundai sedans, including the newly redesigned Hyundai Elantra and the ever-popular Hyundai Sonata.
Enjoy Unparalleled Efficiency with Our New Hyundai Compact and Hybrid Cars
A truly economical means of transportation, compact cars and hybrid models are smart bets for drivers from Alpharetta who want to save money at the pump, but still want to enjoy their time on the road. From the budget-friendly Hyundai Accent to sporty compact cars like the Hyundai Veloster, our new Hyundai compact car inventory is second to none. And if you're looking for a greener means of transportation, models like the Hyundai Ioniq and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid make a compelling value proposition.

subset: commoncrawl


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Most Important Events of the 21st Century
By rhuntwc
9/11 Terrorist AttackOn September 11th, 2001 two planes crashed into the North and South Twin Towers, The Pentagon, and an attempt to attack the White House. In total there were 2,819 people killed in the attacks and 20 percent of Americans knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks.
U.S. Invasion of AfghanistanThe U.S. and NATO invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 and overthrew the Al-Qaeda-supportive Taliban government. American troops then began to institute democracy, fight off any insurgents, and the search for Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
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War in DarfurA conflict in Darfur, Sudan began and soon escalated into full-scale war. It is soon considered the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. By 2008 it is believed that up to 400,000 people have been killed and over 2.5 million displaced.
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Overthrowing of Suddham HusseinThe Multi-National Force – Iraq, led by the U.S. oberthrew and eventually executed Suddham Hussein. The troops remained there in order to institute a democratic government.
Mars Exploration Rovers LaunchedTwo Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity were launched to Mars and landed January 2004.
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Katrina formed in the Bahamas and made its biggest impact as a Category 3 storm in New Orleans,LA.
Train bomb in MumbaiOn July 11, bombs planted on the train system in Mumbai exploded, killing 209 people.
Pluto Reclassified as a dwarf planetThere are three main conditions for an object to be considered a 'planet':
The object must be in orbit around the Sun.
The object must be massive enough to be a sphere by its own gravitational force. More specifically, its own gravity should pull it into a shape of hydrostatic equilibrium.
It must have cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
Pluto fails to meet the third condition, since its mass is only 0.07 times that of the mass of the other objects in its orbit
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Great ReccesionThe Great Recession has affected the entire world economy, with higher detriment in some countries than others. It is a global recession characterized by various systemic imbalances and was sparked by the outbreak of the late-2000s financial crisis.
Barack Obama's ElectionBarack Obama made history when he became the first African-American President.
DVD replaces VCRIn the early 2000s DVD began to overtake VCR as the most popular consumer of prerecorded video and VCR stopped being sold as of December 23, 2008.
Avatar is ReleasedIn December of 2009 the movie "Avatar" was released and eventually became the world's highest grossing film.
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Fall of Myspace, Rise of Twitter and Google+MySpace fades but Facebook & YouTube remain popular and new sites such as Twitter and Google+ emerge. Facebook replaces Digg as the most popularity media sharing site.
Haiti EarthquakeAt least 230,000 were killed in Haiti after a massive earthquake on January 12, 2010 and 3,000,000 were left homeless as estimated by the Haitian government.
BP Gulf Oil SpillThe Gulf Oil Spill have been one of the worst environmental disasters in United States history.BP estimated the flow could be as much as 100,000 barrels per day.
Osama Bin Laden KilledNavy Seal teams found and killed Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Shutdown of "News of the World"The shutdown of the largest UK tabloid News of the World after 168 years in print due to the 2009 phone hacking scandal.
End of the Harry Potter SeriesCompletion of the Harry Potter film series, which is currently the world's highest grossing film series.
British RiotsFollowing a peaceful march on 6 August 2011 in relation to the police response to the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan by Metropolitan Police Service firearms officers on August 4 ,2011, a riot began in Tottenham, North London. In the following days, rioting spread to several London boroughs and districts and eventually to some other areas of England, the initial are believed to have been caused by the police reaction.
Michael Phelps won a record 8 gold medals in the 2008 OlympicsIn the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Michael Phelps set a record by winning 8 gold medals breaking Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals won in a single Olympic Games, which had stood since 1972.[124] Phelps, along with teammates Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol, and Jason Lezak, set a new world record in the event with a time of 3 minutes and 29.34 seconds, 0.7 seconds ahead of second-place Australia and 1.34 seconds faster than the previous record set by the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games


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I stitched up a little gift for the owner of the B&B where we will be staying in The Alsace in France. The name of her B&B is Ambiance Jardin.
It is a magical place with an incredible garden. Pierrette collects watering cans and I hope she will like those I have for her. We are looking forward to going there again and I hope the weather is nice enough to spend some time stitching or quilting in the garden.


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In 1961, Rice College Ennis, then known as Ennis CBS, achieved their only Dr Rodgers Cup success when winning the provincial title at the expense of Cork school, Coláiste Iognaid Rís (Sullivan's Quay) in a game played at Kilmallock.
Ruan native PJ O'Connor was the Ennis school's goalkeeper. He won the nod ahead of the late Pascal O'Brien, who went on to play for Clare and Munster.
At the time, PJ's Ruan clubmate, Frank Custy, was the Ruan senior hurling goalie and after training on the evening before the final, PJ cycled to Frank's home in Dysart to ask for a loan of Frank's hurley for the college's final.
"Having had my tea with Frank's Mam and Dad, I then cycled to my home in Ardcarney, Ruan. Next morning I cycled, as usual, to the CBS and then it was on to Kilmallock, by train, for the game. Our win was the first by a CBS team in any Munster competition since 1941," PJ explained this week.
After the game, the victorious team returned by train from Kilmallock to Ennis and then it was back to the bicycle and PJ cycled home to Ruan. He remembers being stopped by Sergeant Hegarty, a well-known garda in Ennis, who noted that he had no light on the bicycle.
"He enquired where I was coming from and when I told him that I was returning home after being part of the CBS team that beat Sullivan's Quay from Cork in the final, he told me to carry on."
"At a Clare Association function in Dublin in 2009, I recalled the story to Frank. He told me he still had the hurley and asked if I would like to have the hurley for keeps. Needless to say, I was gobsmacked and Frank gave me the hurley when I attended the unveiling of a plaque to the memory of the late John Moroney at Ruan pitch last year."
A year after that Corn Mhic Ruairí success for the Ennis school, they won their only Harty Cup title, beating neighbours St Flannan's in the final.
"The goalkeeping spot on that team was between myself and Michael Hayes from Clooney and he got the nod. Eleven of the 1961 winning side were part of the Harty Cup squad a year later," recalled PJ.
Those teams were trained by Brother Jim Hennessy from Mount Sion in Waterford, who later went to Limerick CBS, where he trained their four in-a-row Harty Cup winning teams (1964-67).
PJ played his first senior game with Ruan in 1963 against Scariff in Tulla, where his direct opponent was the late Emmett Henchy. A member of An Garda Síochána for over 30 years, PJ played most of his hurling as a central defender or at midfield. He won a number of Kildare championships with Leixlip, where he resides.
PJ said he "is chuffed to be in possession of this hurley 50 years after our success. Frank played with this hurley, made by his brother Sean, in the county senior final in 1960 when Ruan were victorious."
According to PJ, "In those years there was a limit to the size of a goalkeeper's hurley, unlike nowadays. The goalie's hurler could be a little bit bigger and there is a little insert in this hurley by Terence O'Brien, the then secretary of the Ruan club."
PJ maintains a keen interest in Clare GAA affairs and regularly travels to games involving Clare county hurling sides. He also maintains a keen interest in the fortunes of his native Ruan.


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It's funny, really. Somebody like Mark Halperin sees this:
Barack Obama's decision to base his re-election campaign outside of Washington seems to be working pretty darn well. The campaign's massive, high-rise headquarters in Chicago's Loop achieves a fine balance between 2008's hip-casual dorm room (there's a Ping-Pong table and cheeky homemade signage) and 2012's systematized Death Star (there are more employees than I have ever seen in a political campaign, with work stations subdivided as ever more employees are added). The place hums from early morning until late at night, designed for maximum efficiency and manifest focus.
and thinks "Success!" I see it and think "High burn rate." Also: "Hubris." Let's talk about why.
Visualization of the Electoral College totals will be helpful, so I'm going to show a series of maps (via 270toWin) and give my explanation of what I think each one represents. A lot of this is subjective, so if you think that I'm generally full of it anyway you have my permission to keep thinking that. Anyway, let's start with the baseline:
These are the 2008 results, adjusted for Electoral College changes (which cost the Democrats 6 Electoral Votes (EVs) right there). This is the ceiling for Barack Obama. I know that they claim that Arizona is in play for them, but I suspect that even Team Obama's leadership sees that as a morale-keeping exercise. So… 359 EVs. Good number, right? 89 EV margin. And yes, it was… and then the administration started to, well, govern.
This is Fallback Map #1:
It shows Indiana switching sides – which pretty much everybody in the business has already conceded – Nebraska going fully Republican, and both North Carolina and Florida becoming toss-ups. This is a map that obviously Team Obama would like to see being the reality on the ground in September of 2012… and, indeed, it was probably the reality on the ground in September… of 2010. I'm showing this map partially because I do think that it was expected by the Democrats that this would effectively be their 2012 map, and partially because it bears noting just how volatile a lead of 89 EVs can be.
This is the Fallback #2 map:
And this is the map that should be front and center at the Democratic party's HQ right now, because it should alarm the heck out of them. With NC flipped (and the NC Democratic party is in freefall right now), and IA, NH, & OH added to FL as the states in play the Democratic margin is down to 6 EVs. Which is to say, the 89 EV lead that formerly existed has been reduced by over 90% at this point. This should not fill the Democrats with confidence, given that there's this map:
This is a representation of the last Cook Political Report snapshot (May 10, 2012) of the race. Toss-up states are CO, IA, NV, OH, PA, & VA (note that NC & NH are conceded to the GOP). Now, obviously some of those states will go to the Democrats… but not all of them. And there aren't that many combinations to make the numbers come out right. Here's the best firewall that I could come up with on the Democrats' behalf:
…and even then it requires a Hail Mary play: write off OH, FL, & VA (all three of which have gone strongly for the GOP on the state level since 2008); retain CO, NV, & PA (that last one will be a bear, but they could do it). Also retain IA… and somehow suck two EVs out of NE. That keeps the EV at 270. A bare win. That is the Democratic firewall. That, to use a pop culture phrase, should be the Democratic party's zombie plan.
And here's the thing: I don't think that the kids overpopulating Central Obama Hive #1 in Chicago really understand this. I think that they're still operating under the assumptions of the Baseline map, with the avant-garde feeling all transgressive by embracing the Fallback #1 map and the IT guys in the basement morbidly looking at a variant of Fallback #2. It has perhaps not occurred to them yet that there are implications to the way that Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia all went severely Republican in 2009 and 2010; or that the Virginia and North Carolina state Democratic parties both decided to shoot themselves in the head, just in time for the 2012 elections*. If it had sunk in, then their unofficial motto wouldn't be "Be confident, but take nothing for granted." It'd be "Hold the line! Make the [expletive deleted] fight for every inch."
Mind you, the fact that they haven't a clue? Great news.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
PS: Some of you will probably now want to argue that Mitt Romney does not have a notably rosier electoral strategy at the current time. So noted, and I agree with you: both candidates have a hard row to hoe this election cycle. Fortunately: from what I've seen of and heard from the Romney campaign, they grimly understand this. Even more fortunately: from what I've seen from the Obama campaign, they do not.
*Admittedly, Virginia's Democratic party did this in 2009, which hides the symptoms a bit – but they haven't exactly recovered from their statewide losses in 2009 and 2011, either. And that will make a difference when Obama tries to campaign there this year.


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Mandatory MMR vaccine a possibility in Washington state
Measles outbreak slows as four new cases are confirmed in Oregon.
Puget Sound companies join to create middle-income housing
Several are the same companies that opposed Seattle's head tax last year.
King County struggles to fund roads and bridges
Program is underfunded by roughly $250 million annually
Washington indigenous communities push for action to address violence against women
A new law seeks to strength data collection on missing and murdered indigenous women.
Proposal: Let Washington dog owners appeal 'dangerous' breed bans
28 cities have ordinances that restrict or ban ownership of pit bull terriers
Impact of transgender military ban unknown for local personnel
A week after the Supreme Court ruling, active-duty service members remain uncertain about their future.
King County Council approves fossil fuel moratorium
Six-month moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure was narrowly approved
Measles outbreak puts Washington under state of emergency
Health officials said un-immunized groups of students in schools can pose an increased risk of spreading preventable diseases
Proposed law would raise age limit for tobacco sales in WA
Lawmakers cite health concerns over tobacco and vape products
Freight or fire: King County's trash problem
Should we ship away waste or build an incinerator?
Samoan community reacts to fatal police shooting
Following the death of Iosia Faletogo, community leaders brainstorm creation of cultural home.
Edgar Martinez finally makes the Hall of Fame
In his last year on the ballot, the Mariner legend and greatest designated hitter of all time gets the Cooperstown call.
South King County coalition targets affordable housing
Rent and housing prices hit south end communities hard; SeaTac, Tukwila, Kent, Burien, Renton and Auburn are working to create organization like Eastside's ARCH
Microsoft will invest $500 million toward regional housing
Mayors of nine cities — including Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Renton and Sammamish — have pledged to help
Exit poll indicates Washington voters still support climate change action
State environmental organizations' poll points to continuing support for carbon-reducing measures.
Gift creates Karalis Johnson Retina Center at UW Medicine in Seattle
Donor is passionate about finding a cure for macular degeneration
Democrats to focus on 30-round magazines and ghost guns in 2019
Following gun control success on the November ballot, state Democrats are eyeing further regulation.
Elder abuse cases are on the rise in Washington
Local agencies and geriatric care managers aim to increase public awareness about the epidemic.
Why do Washington voters struggle with climate change policies?
Despite environmental awareness and the public's apparent desire for reform, statewide initiatives keep failing
Safeco Field funding referendum withdrawn
The mysterious backers of the initiative won't say why, but some think it's because they couldn't get funding to gather the necessary signatures.


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While the iPad continues to be a big success, the tablet market offers a harsher climate to vendors other than Apple — and pricing strategies may be an important factor in their difficulties.
Last week Motorola said it sold only 100,000 Xooms during the third quarter, while Apple sold over 11 million iPads in the same period. Meanwhile, Research In Motion sold just 200,000 of its critically slammed PlayBook tablet between June and August.
So far, Samsung has been the most successful challenger, selling about 1.6 million Galaxy tablets during the third quarter, according to data from market research company Canalys.
Predicted to outsell all other challengers — and possibly prove the point that price is critical to compete with Apple — is Amazon, which has seen such pre-order demand for its upcoming Kindle Fire that it decided to ramp up production. The company is "increasing capacity and building millions more than we'd already planned," CEO Jeff Bezos said last week.
What sets the Kindle Fire apart from competing products is its US$199 price tag, combined with access to movies, TV shows, songs, magazines and books. Today, products like the Xoom and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 originally cost more than twice as much as the Kindle Fire, and about the same as the iPad.
"Tablets at high prices, meaning close to that of the iPad, are simply not going to sell meaningful volumes for the foreseeable future," said Richard Windsor, global technology marketing analyst at Nomura International.
Neil Mawston, director at market research company Strategy Analytics, agrees: "Pricing is critical for tablets. Apple can charge a premium, but very few others can," he said.
Amazon slashing its price to the bare minimum has driven growth, whereas Motorola, HTC and others have tried to maximize pricing and that has backfired, according to Mawston.
Also, Hewlett Packard's fire sale of the TouchPad, slashing prices from $499 to $99, following its decision to withdraw webOS hardware, demonstrated that pricing is a critical factor in determining success, according to Canalys. The company ended up shipping 560,000 units, Canalys said.
But pricing isn't the only factor. The weak user interface on Android Honeycomb, the OS that is used on current Android tablets, hasn't helped, according to Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner.
Amazon has added its own user interface to Android.
Also, the tablet is mostly about media consumption, so you need content and applications to attract users, Cozza said.
"The user experience on Android simply isn't as good as it is on the iPad, and you don't have all of the applications and access to the content Apple is offering," said Windsor.
The way people view the tablet market also puts many vendors at a disadvantage, according to a survey of 4,500 tablet owners in Europe done by market research company CCS Insight.
Almost half see the tablet as a new product category, which means that brand is very important, and Apple is now seen as the safe brand, according to CCS Insight mobile analyst Martin Garner. Also, almost one third see the tablet as part of their computing set up, and that is bad news for phone vendors like HTC and RIM, Garner said.
To turn things around, the Android camp has a lot of work to do.
"It needs pretty hardware designs; more developers to develop tablet optimized applications, services and websites; and Google to develop a more tablet optimized browser and operating system, which it has done with Android 4.0," said Mawston.
Google is taking steps to move in the right direction, but perhaps not moving as fast as it would like, according to Mawston.
RIM also faces an uphill battle.
"The first thing it needs is more attractive hardware," said Mawston.
Besides that it also needs more attractive pricing, better messaging, an improved application store and more of a focus on the consumer, he said.
Despite current challenges most vendors are likely to stick it out. The expected sales volumes are too big for them to just throw in the towel. For example, on Thursday, Motorola launched the Xoom 2 and Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition. In October, the company also launched the Xoom Family Edition, which costs available for $379.
If vendors get tablets right, the category is still expected to play a big role in the future of computing, with end users performing a growing number of tasks on their tablets, according to Garner. He expects more "proper competitors" to the iPad to arrive next year.
Garner isn't alone in thinking that products launched next year will help redraw the tablet map.
"In 2012, we can expect that established vendors will launch lower cost tablets, as well. If there is a significant price gap to the iPad, then maybe there will be some users that just want a good browsing experience. But I still think vendors will need strong content and services," said Cozza.
Samsung's products have been doing better than other Android-based tablets, but nowhere near as well as its smartphones. However, as the company continues to improve its products, volumes will also grow, Mawston said.
Next year will also see the launch of Windows 8, which will be used on both PCs and tablets, and turn the tablet market a three-horse race between Apple, Google and Microsoft, and supporters of the latter two, according to Mawston.
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You shall not post this on anywhere for public use
You shall not sell this for public use
Do not replicate and forward without permission
Do not claim this as yours
Do Not Translate it into your languange and claim ownership
On the long hard road to Fortree City, Ash and the others arrive in a small town called Rubello City, for a pit stop at the Pokemon Center. Just as they decide what to do, Max notices a poster, which gets May excited. It is none other than an ad for a local Pokemon Contest! At least now May has something to do. However, Brock is having some second thoughts. In the middle of the poster is a picture of a ribbon with "R1" printed on it, and they have yet to find out what it could mean.
At the local PokeCenter, they ask Joy for info about the Contest, and sure enough, she is aware that the "R1" means you need at least one Ribbon to enter this one. May is much more relieved now, and prepared to go kick some butt in this Contest. Joy also informs her that there is an event going on which will give her a better chance to participate in the Grand Festival. Suddenly, they are interrupted by a familiar voice, that being of May's Contest rival, Drew. This guy seems to be stalking her, or just desperate to beat her, considering he's entering this outcast Rubello Contest as well. May proudly flashes her two ribbons, but Drew insists on being elite and acting like it's nothing. Suddenly, a bunch of chicks start to flock around Drew, but he doesn't even seem to know them. At first he's a bit intimidated, but then he realizes they are his fans who watched him in the other Contests. The even have merchandise of him, such as pictures, shirts, cellphones and whatnot! May starts to get jealous of all the attention Drew is getting, but then a young woman notices May and Max, and immediately recognizes them as the children of the Petalburg City Gym leader, Norman! She even happens to know their name, and the fact that May is a Coordinator, so she grabs the crowd's attention by announcing her presence. Of course, May didn't expect her to do that or even ask her, but the lady seemed to notice her jealous look. But of course, she had slightly taken back the feeling of being jealous, since she got a déjŕ vu of the incident back at North Petalburg. Yes, once again, all the Norman merchandise as well.
They both sigh, realizing that they don't actually like them for their talent, but for who their father is. But either way, they still have faith in her as a Coordinator. Then they all begin a cheerleader chant, about something called the "PMDM". The woman that attracted the attention then apologizes and introduces herself as Tsukiko, then explains what the PMDM is. It stands for "Pokemon Daisuke Mama-zu", and is basically a group of fangirl cheerleaders who idolize Pokemon Trainers and Coordinators, and Tsukiko is the club president as well as one of their Coordinator idols. They even notice she has gotten one Ribbon already, and are quite proud of that. Ash then pipes up, being the egotistical Trainer he is, and asks if they knew him. One of them gives him a blank look, and they look in the book and find nothing on him. Aw well, probably because he's from all the way in Kanto. J&J have arrived in Rubello City, and sure enough Jessie has noticed the Contest ad, and ready to enter with her Dustox. Much to her dismay, however, Meowth points out the R1 and informs her that she needs at least one Ribbon, and she doesn't have a single one. Angrily, Jessie and the others head over to the reception desk where she desperately tries to haggle with the clerk to let her enter, but to no avail.
Back at the Pokemon Center, May and the others as well as Tsukiko and a few girls from the PMDM have a small lunch break and discuss the matters between her and Drew. Apparently, while they idolize Drew as well, they did happen to see May win the Verdanturf Contest, and her Skitty did an outstanding job. May is now a little more relieved and proud of herself, but Ash is starting to get jealous that they have not mentioned a single word about his Gym battles, but Max reminds him they don't even know who he is. Then, May remembers that Tsukiko is a Coordinator as well as a PMDM member, and asks her about her skills. The girls say that she's pretty good, and is also gonna be in this Contest.
Later, the PMDM girls decide to take a small break from interviewing them, since it's their free time, but Tsukiko stays. She then explains that as much as she'd like to join them, she can't, because as well as a PMDM member, Tsukiko is a mother and has a daughter she needs to watch. However, Brock, with some obvious thoughts on his mind, tries to convince her to let them hang out and bring them along. It's not that hard for May, Ash, and Max to figure out what he's up to, so they refuse as well.
However, Tsukiko does happen to have some time to introduce May to her Pokemon she's using in the Contest-a Flareon and a Lairon. This is the first time May's seen a Flareon, so she 'Dexes them both. Tsukiko then explains how she has a strategy for both of them, but given that May is entering, it wouldn't be fair to tell now, would it? May, concerned, realizes she's got a new rival.
As they walk through the town, Brock gets sidetracked at the marketplace, noticing the tomatoes and thinking of adding that to his culinary list. He then explains that as well as a breeder, he's also a good cook, and those tomatoes would come well in handy. While Brock buys some, Ash asks May what Pokemon she plans to use in the Contest. Realizing she forgot to plan that, she racks her brains for a moment. They did say Skitty was good in Verdanturf, but they didn't see Beautifly in Fallarbor. Hmm… but then again, Beautifly lost back as Slateport. Plus, there's still Torchic and Bulbasaur, who have never been in a Contest. Suddenly, Brock notices an onion, which would be perfect for his recipe. However, as he grabs it, another girl beats him to it. Then they realize that this is Tsukiko's young daughter, Hoshika. Brock decides to give it up and let her buy it anyway. Tsukiko then introduces her daughter to the rest of them, and with a tone of excitement introduces May as the Coordinator with two ribbons, as well as her brother Max, which are the children of the one and only Norman! However, Hoshika seems less excited that most of them, and just slags her mother off as the "raving PMDM head honcho". Not that she dislikes trainers, she's just used to hearing her mother rave. In fact, Hoshika is a beginner trainer as well, and about to go off on her journey just like Ash. She even seems to like his Pikachu a little bit, as it jumps into her arms. To Ash's surprise, Hoshika seems to know what she's doing when handling the rat, unlike most people who get zapped. She even seems to know that he's been training it pretty well, which makes him a bit happier since this is the first acknowledgement he's gotten as of their arrival in Rubello. Tsukiko is glad to see that her daughter is getting along well with Pokemon like she's supposed to, but she's ready to go. Hoshika insists they stick around a little, since she wants to play a little with Pikachu. To a request like that, she'd gladly agree, since May and her friends sure are a talented bunch and she's bound to learn some tips.
Later that evening, May does a bit of training with her team by the center. Starting with Torchic, she has it use an Ember, then run into it and around with a Peck, which looks okay. Next, she has Beautifly make a wavy Silver Wind, followed by a String Shot through it, which creates an interesting pattern. Now it's Skitty's turn, as she has it use its Blizzard followed by the motion of a Doubleslap. Finally she has Bulbasaur try a Vine Whip and Tackle combo, and it horribly blunders as it ends up tripping on its own vines. May sighs, but then remembers what the PMDM girls said about her training, and connects it with how Skitty went from a newbie to a powerhouse. Suddenly, she hears Drew's voice, and realizes that he apparently decided to train her as well. To her surprise, she notices he's not training his famous Roselia, but a Masquerain! Having never seen one of those before, she looks up some data on it as well. Then, she watches as it uses Quick Attack through the air, stopping right in the moonlight (like Medicham did). Next, it uses a big Bubble attack, causing a few beautiful rings of Bubbles around the moon. Suddenly, Drew notices May there, and decides to brag about his new Masquerain. It's strong, beautiful, smart, cool, and cute, which is a perfect balance for Contests. May is impressed, and then decides to show off her new Bulbasaur. Drew is surprised to see one, especially since Bulbasaur isn't exactly a run-of-the-mill Pokemon in Hoenn. It seems to like Masquerain as well, but to May's dismay, seems to not have gotten used to her quite yet. However, despite Drew's attempts to make fun of her, she's still confident in entering it.
The next day, as May goes with her friends to sign up at the reception desk, Ash and the others are shocked to find out that she has chosen to enter Bulbasaur in the Contest, of all Pokemon. Max warns her that it might be a bad idea since she just recently caught it, but she seems to have a plan. Suddenly, she notices Tsukiko on the other side of the hall, very nervous, with her Lairon and Flareon! Unfortunately, they both really want to enter, and she still hasn't decided which to enter. Then May says hi, and Tsukiko quickly asks for her advice in which one to enter, but she immediately takes that back when she notices May's cute Bulbasaur. So then, they decide to do some pre-training to help Tsukiko decide.
Meanwhile, Ash, Brock, and Max are taking a walk through the marketplace again, when once again Pikachu notices Hoshika, and greets her by jumping on her shoulder. Then, they ask her if she saw either Tsukiko or May around, and she reminds them that it's a busy day for Coordinators before the Contest, and they're probably training.
Indeed, they are at the park, about to battle. They are going to have a 2-on-1 battle! Not fair, but this is just training anyway. Lairon and Flareon VS Bulbasaur. Lairon starts with a Metal Claw, as Bulbasaur blocks it with Vine Whip. Next, Flareon tries its Flamethrower, and May being the genius she is, counters with a Razor Leaf. But it actually creates a bit of wind blowing it out of the way, even though the leaves get burnt. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a couple huge robot arms snatch May's backpack as well as the ribbon from Tsukiko's neck! Yes, it's them, and it would be nice to see them do something new rather than the armed balloon. Oh well, this is the first time they stole Ribbons, I'll give them that. Anyway, they then realize they only need one, so they throw May's backpack back. Although Tsukiko's is still missing, so May has Bulbasaur use Razor Leaf again, which Jessie's Dustox stops with Whirlwind. Flareon then tries a Flamethrower, which Wobbuffet throws back at them with Mirror Coat.
Dustox then uses Poison Sting, which Pikachu knocks back with Thunderbolt. Ash and the others have found May and Tsukiko, so they decide to help out as well. Brock tries Lombre and Mudkip's Water Guns, but Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat blocks them both. Hoshika isn't used to TR and their stubbornness, so her mother tries to stop her as she just yells at them to give it back, and sure enough gets mocked, and attacked by Dustox's Psybeam. While her mother is too scared to move, May has Bulbasaur use its Vine Whip to pull Hoshika out of the way. Tsukiko thanks her, then has Flareon finish them off with Flamethrower. Wobbuffet gets ready to throw it back at them, but she's learned her lesson not to aim at Wobbuffet, and aimed at the balloon instead, knocking them down. For once, knowing they can't win, Jessie takes James' advice to surrender the ribbon to Tsukiko and find some other way to enter. But they don't give up just yet. However, Hoshika whispers some kind of plan in her mother's ear, and everyone watches as they both tell Lairon to use one of its secret weapons-Water Pulse. This creates a shock wave around TR, and seconds later a geyser comes from underground, blasting them off!
As Hoshika thanks everyone for saving her, she wishes Tsukiko and May luck in the Rubello Contest, taking place the next day. Tsukiko reminds them that Drew is there as well, and he's a pretty tough opponent, but May claims to know how to handle him, having faced him multiple times before. It's been a great day, and now its time to prepare for the Contest tomorrow!
Thanks To Spinazak For Writing this for us
353: A Fan With A Plan
353: Formidable Enemy!? Mother Coordinator Enters!
Rubello Town
May arrives at Rubello Town and prepares to enter the Contest there
All Content is
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Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark & © of Nintendo 1996-2018


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Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen sought Tuesday to reassure investors that she will support the approach to interest-rate policy that her predecessor, Ben Bernanke, pursued before he stepped down as chairman last month.
Yellen told Congress that if the economy keeps improving, the Fed will take "further measured steps" to reduce the support it's providing through monthly bond purchases.
In her first public comments since taking over the top Fed job last week, Yellen said she expects a "great deal of continuity" with Bernanke. She signaled that she supports his view that the economy is strengthening enough to withstand a pullback in stimulus but that rates should stay low to further improve a still-lackluster economy.
Yellen's remarks, delivered to a House committee, suggested that the Fed will keep its key short-term rate near zero for a prolonged period.
"The recovery in the labor market is far from complete," Yellen said, an indication that the Fed is in no hurry to boost short-term rates.
That message should be reassuring to investors.
Yellen said the Fed is monitoring volatility in global markets but doesn't think it poses a serious risk to the United States at the current time.
"Since the financial crisis and the depths of the recession, substantial progress has been made in restoring the economy to health and strengthening the financial system," Yellen said in her testimony for the House Financial Services Committee. "Still, there is more to do."
Some Republican lawmakers expressed concern to Yellen that the Fed's extraordinary support could eventually ignite high inflation or destabilize financial markets.
The committee chairman, Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, a critic of the Fed, said there were "clearly limits to what monetary policy can achieve." Hensarling questioned whether the Fed had sent confusing signals to investors by changing its possible timetable for future actions on interest rates.
Yellen, the first woman to lead the central bank in its 100 years, delivered the Fed's twice-a-year report before the House panel a week after being sworn in to succeed Bernanke. He stepped down Jan. 31 after eight years as chairman.
Many economists think the Fed bond buying, which totaled $85 billion a month during 2013, will be reduced in $10 billion increments this year until the purchases are eliminated in December.
After the two $10 billion cuts in December and January, the level of bond buying stands at $65 billion. The purchases of Treasury and mortgage bonds are aimed at stimulating the economy by keeping long-term borrowing rates low.
Yellen repeated the Fed's assurances that it intends to keep its key short-term rate near zero "well past" the time the unemployment rate drops below 6.5 percent as long as inflation remains low. Many economists don't expect short-term rates to be increased until late 2015.
The unemployment rate in January fell to 6.6 percent, the lowest point in more than five years. Still, in her testimony, Yellen said unemployment remained "well above levels" that Fed officials think are consistent with its goal of maximum employment. She said the job market still faces problems.
"Those out of a job for more than six months continue to make up an unusually large fraction of the unemployed," she said. "The number of people working part time but would prefer a full-time job remains very high."
In her testimony, she stuck closely to the positions taken by Bernanke. She noted that she had served on the Fed's policy committee and worked with Bernanke in developing the central bank's policies.
"I strongly support that strategy, which is designed to fulfill the Federal Reserve's statutory mandate of maximum employment and price stability," Yellen said.
She said the Fed expects the economy to expand moderately this year, with unemployment continuing to fall and inflation moving up toward the Fed's 2 percent target.
Yellen's testimony comes before she has presided over her first meeting as Fed chair. That will occur March 18-19, after which she will hold her first news conference.
The Fed's three rounds of bond purchases have driven its holdings above the $4 trillion mark — four times its level before the financial crisis struck with force in 2008.


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Paro Festival
Took me about 100 shots to get the exact settings to capture the movement of the dancers with the clarity of the audience. One of my all-time favorite photos.
Mysterious Monk
I was walking into the Paro Dzong and this young monk let me take two quick photos before he ran off.
Dunchen musicians
I had to climb, by ladder, up to the third floor of the Para Dzong to find these monks playing the Dunchen (sounds a bit like a didgeridoo).
Lingm players
Paro Festival Dancers
Para Festival Dancers
Monks watching the Paro Festival
Tradition meets the west with Coca Cola!
Viewing the Paro Festival
I found a whole new view when I climbed up to the top floor of the Paro Dzong during the festival. Saw this elderly gentleman watching from above.
Rice Fields - Paro
Prayer wheels
Counting rounds
The bhutanese walk around the stupas a number of times as they pray. Moving rocks from one pile to anohter help them keep track of how many times they have circled the structure.
Walking around the stupa
Tiger's nest monestary
Young monks studying
We were a bit of a distraction for the young boy on the left...
Tiger's Nest Monastery
Nestled in that rock.
Planting Potatoes
We saw these women as we drove by and stopped to see if we could take their photo.
Rice Fields
School kids
Looking at themselves in the back of the camera
Kids will be kids!


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Purpose coach and conscious leadership consultant Wendy May's book "Regenerative Purpose" turns old paradigm of purpose on its head
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 13, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ — Self-inquiry expert Wendy May says preexisting ideas about our purpose might actually be keeping us from embracing our ideal life path and being in the "purpose flow." Wendy is the author of "Regenerative Purpose: The Dynamic Nature of the Way We Choose Work" — a frame-breaking perspective on purpose work as dynamic, interdependent, and regenerative.
What do you think of when you hear the word "purpose"?
• You might think of the common question we all ask at some point: "What is my life's purpose?"
• You might wonder, "How do I achieve my purpose?"
• Our brains tend to defer to the established linear paradigm of clearly directed goals and a singular focus: "If I do task A and take action B, I will achieve goal C."
This way of thinking often leaves us feeling like our purpose, and our ability to achieve it, is just another difficult task on our never-ending to-do list. Purpose can start to become more of a burden than a joy — but it doesn't have to be that way.
Through teaching self-inquiry, purpose coach and conscious leadership consultant Wendy May invites people to redefine purpose for themselves and their lives. In her new book, "Regenerative Purpose," Wendy helps people navigate this life-changing journey.
Conventional Purpose vs. Regenerative Purpose
Conventional Purpose
* Purpose is an objective.
* Purpose is singular.
* Purpose is definitive.
* Purpose is personal.
* Purpose is formed.
Regenerative Purpose
* Purpose is a practice.
* Purpose is multi-faceted.
* Purpose is dynamic.
* Purpose is relational.
* Purpose is experienced
Download the infographic for Regenerative Purpose.
"Purpose becomes oppressive when we treat it as just another thing we need to seek and acquire and accomplish," says Wendy, "like power, money, or status. When we treat purpose the same way as these old paradigm objects of achievement, we're basically creating 'same salad' with new age dressing."
About Wendy: Wendy May is a purpose coach, conscious leadership consultant, and recovering achievement addict. She is the author of "Regenerative Purpose: The Dynamic Nature of the Way We Choose Work," a frame-breaking perspective on purpose work as dynamic, interdependent, and regenerative. Learn more at www.heywendymay.com.
For the original version of this press release, please visit 24-7PressRelease.com here


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The apparent turn in the U.S. economy may have put the brakes on the IT job loss freefall, according to some new data.
Since last November, IT employment has declined by nearly 250,000 jobs, or 6%, after peaking that month at 4.058 million jobs. However, only 1,100 jobs were lost in August, or a .03% decline, according to the TechServe Alliance, an Alexandria, Va.-based industry group that conducts an ongoing analysis of IT occupation data compiled by U.S.
Mark Roberts, CEO of the alliance, which represents IT services companies, consultants and staffing firms that will be among the first to hire out of a recession, said his member firms are indicating that they are expecting more work. IT employment losses began moderating in June.
"Folks are very optimistic about the future based on what they are hearing from their clients. They feel there is a lot of pent-up demand," Roberts said.
The U.S. Commerce Department reported Thursday that the U.S. economy grew by a 3.5% annual rate in the last quarter.
But IT employment is in a trough and so is the pay , according to David Foote, who heads Foote Partners LLC, a Vero Beach, Fla.-based research group that studies IT compensation. Foote said about two-thirds of IT workers have either seen their salaries go down or remain flat over the last year.
"The economy is having a huge impact on [employers] just having the freedom to pay what they want," Foote said.
Jobs board Dice.com reported 53,400 jobs posted Thursday, compared with 75,600 in November.
Nonetheless, Foote said there remain many IT skills that are increasing in value, especially in SAP and security.
Analysts aren't predicting a fast recovery. Research firm Gartner Inc. recently said IT spending wouldn't return to 2008 levels until 2012.
It's difficult to know the impact of IT consolidations on the job market, including layoffs associated with the pending acquisition of Sun Microsystems Inc. by Oracle Corp. as well as last year's takeover of Electronic Data Systems Inc. by Hewlett-Packard Co., on the total labor market. Moreover, IT jobs continue to move overseas .
In sum, while there may be signs of a stabilizing IT job market, there is still a lot of ground to make up with this year's job losses as well as to make room for those entering the technology field. Foote said the volatility in IT pay is an indication that the hiring recovery will be a slow road.


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Search results for 'empress'
Elvy is India's iconic home décor brand that presents high quality standards in luxury lifestyle with beautiful products exclusively handpicked from all around the world for every aspiring Indian's home with high levels of customer delight. We want our customers to enjoy the experience of having bespoke homes and offices by styling them with the most functional and high utility products. We offer our signature collection and products across Home Décor, Serving, Bar, Office, Travel & Outdoor for the stylish home décor seekers. Elvy also offers a wide variety of luxe gifting. Our customers can also shop Elvy products online and at our retail stores all over the country across New Delhi, Gurgaon, Ludhiana, Hyderabad .


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Wedding Favors
Wedding Favors, Unique Bomboniere & Endless Personalized Favor Options!
From budget minded favors to premium quality porcelain favor options, shop Canada's best favors at the lowest prices. We sell in volume to provide you the best bulk discount prices on all favors. Shop for your wedding reception, bridal shower, engagement party or any event now. Say thank you with personalized online shopping tools to customize your guest favors now!
Shop Canadian, Save Huge! We ship from BOTH Canada & US fast (and duty-free). FREE SHIPPING offer on now!


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Please do not leave any more messages on this blog. I will not be publishing or responding to any more comments left here. You will be automatically redirected to http://www.atkokken.com All posts have been migrated. You will be able to locate any posts by performing a quick search at my new site. Thank you.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
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The Secret Beyond Matter
The Error of the Evolution of Species
When you observe this Earth we live on, you see that it is a wondrous place that meets all your needs in the most perfect way. The bread, cheese, honey, meat, fruits and vegetables you eat with their many different flavors; the water, milk and fruit juices you drink; the air you breathe; your furniture and other objects crafted of wood and glass and plastic; the articles of clothing you wear; fossil fuels such as gasoline, coal and natural gas that provide your heating, transport and all kinds of energy requirements; the cats, dogs, trees and flowers you see when you are out walking; the medicines and remedies you take when you are ill; animals and plants with their totally different structures and features, the dazzling colors and perfect systems that you see on the television; butterflies, birds and fish; all matchless works of art; insects living in unspoiled forests and unexplored regions that you see photographed in magazines and newspapers; roses, lilacs, orchids, lavenders and violets, with their stunning perfumes and appearances; even this page that you are reading at the moment...
At first, you may not see any connection between all these objects, but take a second look. You will then realize that all living things—as well as man's handiwork— are the result of a glorious variety on Earth. The millions of species of living animals, plants and members of the other three kingdoms (fungi, Protista and Monera) that exist mostly at the microscopic level, constitute an ideal environment for all of your human needs to be met.
The Earth hosts millions of living species, from bacteria and viruses too small to be seen with the naked eye to giant Sequoias, from minuscule beetles and midges to enormous whales. Some 2 million different living species have been identified to date, although it is estimated that there are actually many more. There is practically no place on Earth that is completely devoid of life. Wherever you may go, from thousands of meters beneath the sea surface to the highest mountain peaks, from the burning deserts to the icy poles, you will encounter a variety of living species. The many different environments on Earth offer very different conditions: Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, coral reefs, marshes, forests, meadows, deserts, rocky outcrops... No matter how different their conditions may be, all play host to a wide range of life forms.
Everyone knows that our a planet contains a teeming variety of life. Yet most people may never have reflected on this astonishing state of affairs, nor considered the great importance of this variety and how it must have come into being. They may never have thought of the need to reflect on these things. Now, putting aside for a moment the perspective stemming from familiarity, try to imagine a world without all these living things you know about.
First, picture an Earth in which there are no terrestrial or marine plants, no forests, and no trees. You will soon come to an obvious conclusion: Were it not for plants that perform photosynthesis every day, the oxygen essential for life would not be replenished, and for that reason, there would be no life on Earth apart from a few bacteria.
And what would the world be like without bacteria, whose species are estimated to number between 300,000 and 1 million, most of whose scientific names are known only to experts? Yet even if we have very little knowledge about bacteria, members of a different world that we cannot see, there is still one indisputable fact: Life without them is inconceivable. Because the production of a large part of the oxygen in the atmosphere, its elemental cycles, the cleansing of the Earth and the breakdown of dead organisms into re-usable substances and many other vital processes are all due to these microscopic creatures.
Vertebrates, mollusks, arthropods, crustaceans and dozens of other plant and animal groups play an important role in the ecological balance in the seas, forests and land. Were any of these to be absent, the processing of dead organisms into new sources of food would be interrupted, the soil would become unproductive, the food chain would be damaged. Habitats would disappear and as a result, all animals, plants and humans would disappear from the face of the Earth.
We could cite more examples, but the lesson is always the same: Humanity could not survive in the absence of other living things. Plants, animals, fungi and bacteria—in short, all the millions of living species—are at the service of human beings. In the face of this miraculous state of affairs, a number of questions spring to mind:
How did the unimaginable variety of life on Earth come into being?
How did these living things that enchant our souls with their matchless beauty and meet all our needs with the characteristics they possess, come into existence?
How do these millions of living species live in such perfect harmony with their surroundings and with one another?
To whom do the flawless features in each and every species—estimated to number around 100 million—actually belong?
Evolutionists seek to answer these questions, and account for the origin and variety of life, by means of the theory of evolution. They claim that life came into being from inanimate substances, by chance and over the course of time; and that the variety of life in some way arose from single-celled organisms, as the result of natural phenomena and random factors. Many evolutionists have supported these claims ever since Charles Darwin first published his theory, and have offered so-called proofs with which to back them up. However, scientific discoveries have refuted the theory of evolution time and again.
There are innumerable questions to which Darwinism is unable to provide any rational and scientific answers. One of the greatest problems facing evolution is the extraordinary variety of living things, and the origin of these species on Earth. The realization that there are insuperable genetic barriers between species, the sudden emergence of life forms in the fossil record, and the fact that living things possess organs and systems that are wondrous marvels of design unmatched by even the most advanced 21st century technological progress, have all demolished evolutionist claims.
Rather than admitting their mistakes, most evolutionists have tried to salvage the situation by means of imaginary fairy-tale scenarios. Yet evolutionists have no answer to the question of speciation, which Charles Darwin described as the "mystery of mysteries" 1 and to which he long sought an answer. And that despite the intervening 150 years and all their intense efforts!
On the other hand, anyone looking in a sincere, unprejudiced way can clearly see that we live in a miraculous environment. Those bacteria, animals and plants that give rise to such ideal conditions cannot have come into being by chance. The fact is, every species on Earth is the product of a sublime creation. From their proteins and cells to their organs and systems, they carry messages that reveal the glory of their creation. Every living species points to the existence of an Almighty, Omniscient Creator possessed of an infinite artistry and intelligence. That Creator is God, Lord of the worlds.
The fact that God has created all living things and placed them at the disposal of man is revealed in the Qur'an. Some verses in Surat an-Nahl refer to this:
He created the heavens and the Earth with truth.
He is exalted above anything they associate with Him.
He created man from a drop of sperm and yet He is an open challenger! And He created livestock.
There is warmth for you in them, and various uses and some you eat.
And there is beauty in them for you in the evening when you bring them home and in the morning when you drive them out to graze.
They carry your loads to lands you would never reach except with great difficulty.
Your Lord is All-Gentle, Most Merciful.
And horses, mules and donkeys both to ride and for adornment.
And He creates other things you do not know.
The Way should lead to God, but there are those who deviate from it.
If He had wished He could have guided every one of you.
It is He Who sends down water from the sky.
From it you drink and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds.
And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind.
There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect.
He has made night and day subservient to you, and the sun and moon and stars, all subject to His command.
There are certainly Signs in that for people who use their intellect.
And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in the Earth.
There is certainly a Sign in that for people who pay heed.
It is He Who made the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear.
And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty, and so that hopefully you will show thanks.
He cast firmly embedded mountains on the Earth so it would not move under you, and rivers and pathways so that hopefully you would be guided, and landmarks.
And they are guided by the stars.
Is He Who creates like Him who does not create? So will you not pay heed?
If you tried to number God's blessings, you could never count them.
God is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nahl, 3-18)
Obviously the variety of life is a very considerable subject to be dealt with in a single volume. This book describes the general outlines of that variety and what it provides us with. It recalls some of the blessings too many to be listed, even in general terms. In addition, it sets out some of the verses about living things, and indications of the existence and attributes of God, as described in Qur'an:
And in your creation and all the creatures He has spread about there are Signs for people with certainty. (Surat al-Jathiyya, 4)
One aim of this book is to show how irrational and unscientific are evolutionist claims concerning the richness of life, and to invalidate such Darwinist concepts as speciation and macro-evolution. Separate chapters are devoted to the Galapagos finches and industrial melanism, which evolutionists portrayed as fundamental proofs at every opportunity. Scientific facts describe how these tales constitute no evidence of evolution at all.
1 C. Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, New York: Penguin Books, 1988, p. 326.


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Tag Archives: executive
Top Influencers v1.06 Robin Ferracone
Posted on 03. Jun, 2009 by John Sumser.
By John Sumser HR-Recruiting plays out at a variety of levels. So far, we've been looking at influence as it is practiced in the working levels of the industry. Software architects, marketing people, analysts and theorists all wield significant power in the standard set of transactions. Influence is, in one dimension, all about the marketplace. […]


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The next time you see some statistics, remember these facts about bread:
1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users.
2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests.
3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were unacceptably high; many women died in childbirth; and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, and influenza ravaged whole nations.
4. Every piece of bread you eat brings you nearer to death.
5. Bread is associated with all the major diseases of the body. For example, nearly all sick people have eaten bread. The effects are obviously cumulative:
- 99.9% of all people who die from cancer have eaten bread.
- 100% of all soldiers have eaten bread.
- 96.9% of all Communist sympathizers have eaten bread.
- 99.7% of the people involved in air and auto accidents ate bread within 6 months preceding the accident.
- 93.1% of juvenile delinquents came from homes where bread is served frequently.
6. Evidence points to the long-term effects of bread eating: Of all people born before 1839 who later dined on bread, there has been a 100% mortality rate.
7. Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as a teaspoon of dough can be used to suffocate a lab rat. The average American eats more bread than that in one day!
8. Primitive tribal societies that have no bread exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and osteoporosis.
9. Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and being fed only water begged for bread after as little as two days.
10. Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter, and even cold cuts.
11. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person.
12. Newborn babies can choke on bread.
13. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute.
14. Most bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling.
In light of these frightening statistics, we propose the following bread restrictions:
1. No sale of bread to minors.
2. A nationwide "Just Say No To Toast" campaign, complete celebrity TV spots and bumper stickers.
3. A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to pay for all the societal ills we might associate with bread.
4. No animal or human images, nor any primary colors (which may appeal to children) may be used to promote bread usage.
5. The establishment of "Bread-free" zones around schools.
Posted in: Statistics No Comments.


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For the week ending 9 September 2006 / 16 Elul 5766
Blessings or Curses
One of the most difficult things for both individuals and nations is to face the fact that the troubles they endure are the consequences of their actions. Instead of interpreting their setbacks to Heavenly warnings to change their sinful ways, they prefer to shrug their shoulders and make some inane statement such as "that's the world we live in".
This week's Torah reading devotes much space to blessings and curses. This tochacha, which is traditionally read in a lower voice to accentuate its gravity, makes it clear that it is our deeds, for good or evil, which bring upon us either blessings or curses.
Israel has gone through what was probably the most trying experience in its history. We have no prophet to inform us where we collectively went wrong to deserve such a curse, but the tochacha should serve as a stern reminder that things don't "just happen" and that there is an urgent need for every one of us to improve in our relations with G-d and our fellow man in order to secure only blessings for Israel forever.


text: the 5 worst people to have in your meetings — and how to deal with them by Alison Green on February 25, 2014 If you're like most people, your weeks of full of workplace meetings. And if you're like most of us, there are certain coworkers who regularly make those meetings far more painful than they have to be. Here are the five worst types of people to have in your meetings – and what you can do to neutralize each of them. 1. The Monopolizer. The Monopolizer acts as if he's in a meeting of one. He has lengthy comments about every topic that comes up, won't let anything be tabled until you've thoroughly discussed it from all angles, derails the agenda with unrelated items, and makes the group sit through long debates of issues that ultimately don't need to be resolved at this particularly meeting. What to do: Address it head-on, with phrases like these: "Let's table that for now and move on with our agenda." "I'm just looking for quick input at this stage, but might come back to you on this down the road." "I'd love to hear from others now." "I need to cut you off so that we have time to get to other topics." 2. The Silent Shadow. The opposite of the Monopolizer, the Silent Shadow contributes nothing. Whether it's a brainstorming meeting or a project planning meeting, she sits silently while others do the work. What to do: You might be tempted to just ignore her, but a better bet is to try to draw her out in the moment ("Jane, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this" or "Jane, you have great experience in XYZ; what do you think about this?"). Or, depending on your role and hers, you might talk to her outside the meeting and say something like, "I've noticed you don't speak up much in our weekly meetings; is there anything I can do to help you contribute?" 3. The Missing-in-Action. This is the guy who's constantly reading his email, checking his phone, or texting while other people are talking. His actions scream, "I don't want to be here and I'm not paying attention." What to do: This will depend on the dynamics and hierarchy in your office. For instance, if you're the offender's boss, it would entirely reasonable to address it in the moment ("Carl, I'd love to have your full attention") or outside of the meeting. For a peer, you might go with "Carl, I'd love your input on this – would another time be better for you?" And for someone above you in the hierarchy, there's not much you can do. (Of course, cut people some slack. The occasional peek at email is probably no big deal; it's patterns that we're talking about here.) 4. The Unprepared. You ask everyone to do some reading in advance of the meeting and come prepared with their input, but this person never does it. As a result, she derails the meeting by asking people to fill in the background for her, asking questions everyone else already knows the answers to, and generally being unhelpful when called on for comment. What to do: If this behavior is a pattern, talk to her outside the meeting. Say something like, "Lisa, I've noticed you haven't had time to do the meeting prep for our last few meetings. I send it because I don't want to spend people's time covering that stuff once we're all together. Would it help if I got it to you earlier, or is there anything else I can do to ensure you have time to read it?" And of course, if you're this person's manager, you can be more directive than that – as in, "I'd like you to come to meetings with the pre-readings already reviewed." 5. The Naysayer. The Naysayer's favorite refrain is "it'll never work" or "they'll never let us do it" – taking the wind out of new ideas and suggestions with astonishing regularity. While this type often thinks that they're serving a valuable role by playing devil's advocate, denigrating suggestions, and poking holes in plans, but when it happens at every meeting, their colleagues rarely see it that way. What to do: If you're a Naysayer's manager, it's worth giving some feedback on this in private – pointing out that the behavior is squelching new suggestions and enthusiasm and asking the Naysayer to rein it in. If you're a Naysayer's peer, you might try language like: "Let's focus on how this might work for a moment, before we get into potential drawbacks." "What suggestions do you have for working around that?" "Let's work from the assumption that we can get approval, since we've had similar projects approved in the past." You may also like:my coworker's meetings run on and on ... and he knows we're all trapped in our housesI desperately need breaks between my back-to-back meetingswe're supposed to do ice-breakers at every single meeting, even routine ones { 177 comments }


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Difference between revisions of "Reviewing Code for Buffer Overruns and Overflows"
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Always check the bounds of an array before writing it to a buffer.
Always check the bounds of an array before writing it to a buffer.
==.NET & Java ==
==.NET & Java ==
Revision as of 14:57, 3 May 2007OWASP Code Review Guide Table of Contents
- 1 The buffer
- 2 How to locate the potentially vulnerable code
- 3 Vulnerable Patterns for buffer overflows
- 4 Good Patterns & procedures to prevent buffer overflows:
- 5 .NET & Java
The buffer
A Buffer is an amount of contiguous memory set aside for storing information. Example: A program has to remember certain things, like what your shopping cart contains or what data was inputted prior to the current operation this information is stored in memory in a buffer.
How to locate the potentially vulnerable code
In locating potentially vulnerable code from a buffer overflow standpoint one should look for particular signatures such as:
int x[20]; int y[20][5]; int x[20][5][3];
Format Strings:
printf() ,fprintf(), sprintf(), snprintf(). %x, %s, %n, %d, %u, %c, %f
Over flows:
strcpy (), strcat (), sprintf (), vsprintf ()
Vulnerable Patterns for buffer overflows
'Vanilla' buffer overflow:
Example: A program might want to keep track of the days of the week (7). The programmer tells the computer to store a space for 7 numbers. This is an example of a buffer. But what happens if an attempt to add 8 numbers is performed? Languages such as C and C++ do not perform bounds checking and therefore if the program is written in such a language the 8th piece of data would overwrite the program space of the next program in memory would result in data corruption. This can cause the program to crash at a minimum or a carefully crafted overflow can cause malicious code to be executed, as the overflow payload is actual code.
void copyData(char *userId) { char smallBuffer[10]; // size of 10 strcpy(smallBuffer, userId); } int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { char *userId = "01234567890"; // Payload of 11 copyData (userId); // this shall cause a buffer overload }
Buffer overflows are the result of stuffing more code into a buffer than it is meant to hold.
The Format String:
A format function is a function within the ANSI C specification. It can be used to tailor primitive C data types to human readable form. They are used in nearly all C programs to output information, print error messages, or process strings.
Some format parameters:
%x hexadecimal (unsigned int) %s string ((const) (unsigned) char *) %n number of bytes written so far, (* int) %d decimal (int) %u unsigned decimal (unsigned int)
printf ("Hello: %s\n", a273150);
The %s in this case ensures that the parameter (a273150) is printed as a string.
Through supplying the format string to the format function we are able to control the behaviour of it. So supplying input as a format string makes our application do things its not meant to! What exactly are we able to make the application do?
Crashing an application:
printf (User_Input);
If we supply %x (hex unsigned int) as the input, the printf function shall expect to find an integer relating to that format string, but no argument exists. This can not be detected at compile time. At runtime this issue shall surface.
Walking the stack:
For every % in the argument the printf function finds it assumes that there is an associated value on the stack. In this way the function walks the stack downwards reading the corresponding values from the stack and printing them to user
Using format strings we can execute some invalid pointer access by using a format string such as:
printf ("%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%s%s");
Worse again is using the %n directive in printf(). This directive takes an int* and writes the number of bytes so far to that location.
Where to look for this potential vulnerability. This issue is prevalent with the printf() family of functions, printf(),fprintf(), sprintf(), snprintf(). Also syslog() (writes system log information) and setproctitle(const char *fmt, ...); (which sets the string used to display process identifier information).
Integer overflows:
- include <stdio.h>
int main(void){ int val; val = 0x7fffffff; /* 2147483647*/ printf("val = %d (0x%x)\n", val, val); printf("val + 1 = %d (0x%x)\n", val + 1 , val + 1); /*Overflow the int*/ return 0; }
The binary representation of 0x7fffffff is 1111111111111111111111111111111; this integer is initialised with the highest positive value a signed long integer can hold.
Here when we add 1 to the hex value of 0x7fffffff the value of the integer overflows and goes to a negative number (0x7fffffff + 1 = 80000000) In decimal this is (-2147483648). Think of the problems this may cause!! Compilers will not detect this and the application will not notice this issue.
We get these issues when we use signed integers in comparisons or in arithmetic and also comparing signed integers with unsigned integers
int myArray[100];
int fillArray(int v1, int v2){ if(v2 > sizeof(myArray) / sizeof(int)){ return -1; /* Too Big !! */ } myArray [v2] = v1; return 0; }
Here if v2 is a massive negative number so the if condition shall pass. This condition checks to see if v2 is bigger than the array size. The line myArray[v2] = v1 assigns the value v1 to a location out of the bounds of the array causing unexpected results.
Good Patterns & procedures to prevent buffer overflows:
void copyData(char *userId) { char smallBuffer[10]; // size of 10 strncpy(smallBuffer, userId, 10); // only copy first 10 elements smallBuffer[9] = 0; // Make sure it is terminated. } int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { char *userId = "01234567890"; // Payload of 11 copyData (userId); // this shall cause a buffer overload }
The code above is not vulnerable to buffer overflow as the copy functionality uses a specified length, 10.
C library functions such as strcpy (), strcat (), sprintf () and vsprintf () operate on null terminated strings and perform no bounds checking. gets () is another function that reads input (into a buffer) from stdin until a terminating newline or EOF (End of File) is found. The scanf () family of functions also may result in buffer overflows.
Using strncpy(), strncat(), snprintf(), and fgets() all mitigate this problem by specifying the maximum string length. The details are slightly different and thus understanding their implications is required.
Always check the bounds of an array before writing it to a buffer.
The Microsoft C runtime also provides additional versions of many functions with an _s suffix (strcpy_s, strcat_s, sprintf_s). These functions perform additional checks for error conditions and call an error handler on failure. (See Security Enhancements in the CRT)
.NET & Java
C# or C++ code in the .NET framework can be immune to buffer overflows if the code is managed. Managed code is code executed by a .NET virtual machine, such as Microsoft's. Before the code is run, the Intermediate Language is compiled into native code. The managed execution environments own runtime-aware complier performs the compilation; therefore the managed execution environment can guarantee what the code is going to do. The Java development language also does not suffer from buffer overflows; as long as native methods or system calls are not invoked, buffer overflows are not an issue.


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High-end home sales are surging in Southern California
LOS ANGELES – By most measures, the housing market these days is a bit sluggish. Prices are flat. Sales are drooping. A lot of people are priced out.
LOS ANGELES – By most measures, the housing market these days is a bit sluggish. Prices are flat. Sales are drooping. A lot of people are priced out.
But not everyone. The high end is hopping.
Luxury home sales in Southern California are hitting levels not seen in decades. The number of homes bought for $2 million or more in recent months is the highest on record. Sales worth $10 million or more are on pace this year to double their number from the heights of the housing bubble.
"It's pretty mind-blowing, to be honest," said Cindy Ambuehl, an agent with the Partners Trust in LA. "The luxury market has been completely on fire."
Low interest rates, a strong stock market and waves of cash sloshing in from overseas are boosting demand for high-dollar homes. A record 1,436 homes worth $2 million or more were sold in the six-county greater Los Angeles area in the second quarter, according to CoreLogic DataQuick.
In the more recent third quarter, 1,431 were sold. That was up 14 percent from the third quarter of 2013, and well ahead of any three-month period in the housing bubble years of the mid-2000s. This comes even as the broader market has plateaued, with prices in the region still about one-fifth below their pre-crash highs and sales at less than two-thirds their 2005 pace.
It reflects a housing market that is now moving at two speeds, said Selma Hepp, senior economist for the California Association of Realtors. Fast for the high end, sluggish for the rest.
"It's just a completely different story between the two segments of the market," she said. "Those who are doing well are doing really well."
The biggest difference in the luxury market between now and a decade ago is that the world is smaller, said Drew Fenton, an agent who specializes in high-end homes at Hilton & Hyland in Beverly Hills. Wealthy international buyers are scooping up second homes, investment properties and havens for their cash. And it's easier for them to scout – and travel – the world to do so.
"Everything's just more global now," he said. Ten years ago "it was much harder to reach those people, and they didn't travel as much."
Now they are, and so are the agents who cater to them. Sandra Miller, a broker at Volker & Engels in Santa Monica, was recently jet-lagged from a trip to London, where she met with nearly two dozen brokerages that represent high-end buyers. At the end of the month, she's off to Kuwait. Every week, she has a conference call with international agents.
The Los Angeles region scores points with these buyers for its weather, its glamour and a population diverse enough that nearly any transplant can feel at home. And despite its reputation as one of the nation's least-affordable housing markets, Los Angeles can look like a steal compared with other high-end havens.
"We talk to private wealth managers around the world who think California is a very good market right now," Miller said. "Compared to New York or London, LA real estate is a bargain."
But it's not just foreign money that's heating up the high end.
A surging stock market has boosted portfolios for domestic buyers in recent years, especially for those who have money to invest. Low interest rates have made mortgages cheap. And banks – still risk-averse – are offering lower rates and better terms to deep-pocketed borrowers than to cash-strapped first-time buyers. Meanwhile, wealthier households have seen their incomes grow faster than average in recent years.
Builders are recognizing this. Aliso Viejo-based home builder New Home Co. has several developments underway in Orange County targeting high-end buyers, including 6,700-square-foot five-bedroom homes in Irvine and ocean-view condos in Newport Beach.
Sales have been brisk, said Joan Marcus Colvin, New Home's senior vice president of sales, marketing and design, especially at that Newport condo building, the Meridian, where 34 units have sold since February, at an average price of nearly $3 million. That's without even having a model home to show customers – the site is still under heavy construction. Renderings and drone shots of the views are all that's offered.
"It's quite a testament to the strength of the high end of the market," Colvin said. "These were bought sight unseen. We couldn't even stand people there and show them it."
But it's the first new home development in Newport Center in a quarter-century, Colvin said, so there's demand. And income growth has been strong in coastal Orange County, minting new buyers for high-dollar homes. The same trend is happening in places less associated with luxury than Fashion Island.
High-end home sales are surging in "Silicon Beach," too, with tech entrepreneurs and Bay Area transplants scooping up multimillion-dollar homes in Santa Monica, Venice and Marina del Rey. Many of the buyers work in the area, said Miller, and prefer walkable neighborhoods, relatively close to work, to the traditional hubs of Westside glitz.
"These people don't want to commute an hour and a half to Beverly Hills, which is a whole 13 miles away," Miller said.
Then there's the formerly sleepy South Bay. The average sales price in Manhattan Beach through the first nine months of the year topped $2.2 million, said Barry Sulpor at Shorewood Realtors. That's up from $1.85 million in the same period last year. Even empty lots in the beach town's "Tree Section" are going for $1.3 million.
"That's just lot value," Sulpor said. "And as you get closer to the beach it goes up from there."
Prices have been climbing so fast that even fairly recent buyers say they're lucky they got in when they did. About 18 months ago, Ray Ahn and his wife bought a place half a block from the beach, a pocket listing that was never widely marketed. Before the purchase even closed, the house's appraised value started climbing. And of the eight or so houses that neighbor Ahn's, three have gotten high-end remodels since he moved in.
"I probably wouldn't be able to buy here today," said Ahn, who works for an investment firm in downtown Los Angeles.
Living by the beach, he said, is worth the price. Daphna Oyserman agrees. She and her husband – professors who moved from the University of Michigan to the University of Southern California – spent $2.2 million in January for a house a few blocks from the sand. They expected to pay a premium to live in a nice beach town, Oyserman said, and they did. But although their house is "half the size at three times the price" of what they owned in Ann Arbor, Mich., Manhattan Beach offers amenities Michigan can't.
"We thought, if we're moving to LA, we'd like to enjoy it," she said. "In the morning I go for a run on the beach. When we go to sleep we can hear the ocean."
These well-heeled professionals have played a big part in the South Bay's surge, said Sulpor, along with those in the tech industry who prefer a more laid-back scene than Santa Monica and a growing cadre of professional athletes. Then there are young buyers who walk in with trust funds or family money.
"A lot of folks in their 20s and 30s are coming in and taking properties off the table at $3 million or $4 million," Sulpor said. "Sometimes all cash."
Ambuehl said her luxury buyers also are starting to skew younger. Among her clients, tech entrepreneurs and other wealthy shoppers in their 20s and 30s are gradually replacing baby boomers, who often weren't as young when they earned enough to afford a big-ticket house. They're looking for different kinds of homes – often with more outdoor space – and in different neighborhoods. And, she predicts, they'll be driving up the high end of the market for a long time.
"You've got 70 million baby boomers. You also have 70 million Gen Yers. They are a huge part of our buyer pool," she said. "It's a market we have to pay attention to."
(c)2014 Los Angeles Times
Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC


text:
Abby, 32 years old, came to see us for help with edema of her upper
eyelids of three weeks duration. Her eyelids were red and burned.
They felt better from applying cold water.
She had two episodes of cystitis over the past year. Both times she
experienced burning in the bladder on urination. She had tried to treat
herself with herbs without success. She complained of burning and stinging in the bladder on urination, especially at the end of the stream.
The pain was worse right before and at the end of urination. She
experienced a lot of urgency at first.
Abby also complained of recurrent vaginitis. She had a profuse, thick, creamy vaginal discharge. When it got bad, her labia were red,
swollen, and burned.
She had terrible cramps just before her menses. She felt a drawing,
squeezing sensation in her ovaries. It was somewhat better when she doubled
over. The pain always occurred in the middle of the night. Her
menstrual flow was heavy at the beginning of each period. The first night she
had to get up in the middle of the night to change her menstrual pad. Her
cramps tapered off with the flow. Her sexual energy was good.
Abby had a past history of eczema which had gone away when she eliminated
dairy from her diet. She had a tendency to constipation. Her nails were
very soft.
She liked olives and chocolate. Lately she was less thirsty. She was
not particularly warm or chilly. She slept well, mostly on her back.
We gave Abby Apis mellifica 200C in one dose.
Apis, made from an angry honeybee, is often thought of as an acute
remedy for beestings, but less frequently considered as a constitutional
Think about the symptoms of a beesting, and you will have a good idea of when
to prescribe Apis. The area around the sting becomes hot, red, and
swollen. There is usually burning, stinging pain. The discomfort is often
relieved by cold applications. Apis is an important remedy for other
conditions in which the person has similar symptoms to a beesting. These
include cystitis, vaginitis, ovarian cysts, and most edematous diseases. You
have undoubtedly heard about beesting treatments for arthritis. In cases of
rheumatic arthritis with symptoms corresponding to Apis, the homeopathic
mode of administration is considerably more comfortable than subjecting oneself
to multiple beestings. Apis is a classic remedy for anaphylaxis, though
Carbolic acid is often considered first in extreme cases. Apis
is also useful in cases of meningeal irritation. One keynote of this remedy is
the "brain cry" or "cri encephalique"- the piercing shriek of children with
Roger Morrison, MD, elaborated on the mental and emotional picture of
Apis at the 1991 International Foundation for Homeopathy Case
Conference. People needing Apis are busy bees. They are hard-working,
industrious, practical type folks. They are very protective of their hives,
often devoting a great deal of their time and energy to home and family. As Dr.
Morrison said, "You don't want to cross a bee…or someone needing Apis
It is also interesting to mention that people needing Apis are
generally not very thirsty. Abby's thirst had diminished of late…
One month after taking the Apis, Abby wrote us a letter because she
was unable to keep her follow-up appointment. "The rash on my eyes has
virtually disappeared… I have lost my thirst though I am forcing myself to
drink water… " Her vaginal discharge was gone. She experienced periodic
"twinges" of itching. She mentioned that she was feeling a lot of pressure at
work and was very concerned because her husband had multiple sclerosis.
Abby called nine days later to report that the swelling was completely gone
until she was exposed to a strongly aromatic shampoo. At that time her symptoms
returned. Apis 200C was repeated. She had one more episode of the
swelling six weeks later, which was quickly relieved by another dose of
Apis 200C.
Abby returned to see us five and a half months after the third dose of
Apis. She reported that she had been feeling great. She had no more
recurrences of cystitis, vaginitis, or swelling of the eyelids.
The ovarian pain had not returned. Now, eleven months after the first dose of
Apis, she has not needed further treatment.
Dr. Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Dr. Robert Ullman are licensed
naturopathic physicians and are board certified in homeopathy and teach homeopathy to licensed health care professionals. They
practice in Edmonds, WA at 131 3rd Ave., N., Edmonds, WA 98020 and can be
reached at (206) 774-5599. Their book, The Patient's Guide to Homeopathic
Medicine, is now available.


text:
with ever-increasing pressure to boost state-mandated test scores, some school districts have sought an advantage by pumping up their pupils with extra calories from junk food, a study conducted at the University of Florida suggests.
The study, published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that on test days many districts fed students high-energy foods with low nutritional value because the empty calories gives students a short-term mental lift much like carbohydrate loading energizes athletes, said David Figlio, a UF economist whose research focuses on the design and evaluation of education and social policy.
"We find significant evidence that school districts, particularly those threatened with at least one failing or sanctioned school, respond by giving students more empty calories on testing days," said Figlio. "These are calories found by nutritionists to have substantial very short-term cognitive effects, but no long-term benefits."
Studies have shown that students perform better at academic tasks in the several hours following a large dose of glucose or empty calories, which improves knowledge or cognitive ability in addition to boosting energy.
Figlio and Joshua Winicki, an economist with the American Institutes for Research, did a detailed study of elementary school lunch menus from 23 randomly selected school districts in Virginia during the 1999-2000 school year, comparing nutritional content on days of state-mandated tests with that of non-test dates. The study was funded by The National Science Foundation.
As part of the national 2001 "No Child Left Behind" Act, states must evaluate schools based on the percentage of students meeting proficiency standards on state curriculum-based examinations. Schools with large numbers of students failing the test face sanctions that may include loss of state funds.
In districts with at least one school in danger of facing sanctions, school lunches averaged 863 calories during the testing period, compared with 761 calories before and 745 calories after, Figlio said.
Despite the calorie boost, however, the nutritional content of the food was lower on test days, he said. The dietary changes were subtle but may include corn dogs instead of hot dogs or different types of pizza, he said.
The empty calorie approach seems to work in improving test scores Đ at least in the short run. Among schools threatened with sanctions, those that increased calories the most during test days saw the largest gains in student achievement, he said.
Although the sample size was small, the results suggest that raising calories by an average of 110 resulted in higher pass rates of 11 percent for mathematics, 6 percent for English and 6 percent for social studies, he said.
"This study provides another piece of evidence that evaluating schools on the basis of aggregate student examination scores is not a silver bullet," Figlio said. "This study, as well as others looking at school responses to high-stakes testing, suggests that these test scores are more manipulatable than one might naively assume."
Other research, for example, finds that schools alter their discipline policies during the testing period or move more low-performing children into special-education classes in which students often aren't required to take these tests, he said.
Diet is a plausible way to improve test scores because students who don't reach the minimum acceptable threshold in school accountability systems are overwhelmingly from low-income income families eligible for subsidized lunches, he said.
The researchers focused on Virginia, a state with a school accountability system in place since 1995, because they had access to detailed elementary lunch menus collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But similar results likely could be found anywhere in the country, he said.
"Performance incentives are performance incentives, so I don't see anything special about the Virginia exam that would make Virginia more or less prone to this phenomenon than anywhere else," he said.
Figlio said he doubts that schools increase calorie content because they want to reward students with their favorite foods for the stress they endure on test days.
According to one school district in the sample, elementary students' favorite meals, as measured by sales, are pizza, cheeseburgers and tacos. Yet schools in the sample served these items on only 35 percent of testing days, compared with 34 percent of non-testing days, he said.
Albion Monitor
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text:
The European Commission organised a 2-day event in Strasbourg on January the 16 and the 17th 2014 on "Social entrepreneurs have your say. Empowering social entrepreneurs for innovation, inclusive growth and jobs" (Read the full agenda).
The event took stock of the Social Business Initiative impact and developments of social economy in Europe; identified the future priorities for action and where the EU could add value and support the scaling-up of social entrepreneurship; strengthened stakeholder's network(s) to support the emergence and scaling-up of initiatives and practices and would create more awareness, ownership and collaboration among institutional actors.
In the framework of this event, building on the ongoing cooperation with the European Commission in the fields of social economy and social entrepreneurship, the LEED Programme organised with the DG Employment of the European Commission a workshop on Potential of social enterprises for job creation and green economy: how to stimulate their start and development?
This workshop aimed to create an interactive learning environment for participants in order to exchange knowledge and good practices regarding the role of social enterprises in job creation. The results of a recent OECD study on job creation by the social enterprises and the social economy organisations in many economic sectors allowed a debate on the barriers and opportunities for social enterprises to create decent and sustainable jobs. A special focus were put on the role of social enterprises in the green economy. The topic introduced by speakers and stakeholders came from different perspectives, fields of expertise and geographical areas, who shared their views and replied to the questions of the public.
Introduction – Antonella Noya, OECD
Heather Buckingam, Third Sector Research Center, University of Birmingham
Presentation of OECD Study: survey on job creation through the social economy and social entrepreneurship
Panel discussion on social enterprises in the green economy and their potential for job creation
Moderator: Antonella Noya
Closure – Antonella Noya, OECD
For further information, please contact Antonella Noya, senior Policy analyst and manager of the Forum on social innovations.
Related Documents


text:
The Bachelorette star Ali Fedotowsky is finally breaking her silence on contestant Justin Rego's two-timing ways. On Monday night's episode, Ali had the following to say when confronting Justin: "I came here to find a husband, and you're f****** with that?!"
But that was then and this is now. Ali seems to be over the whole Justin issue based on her new PEOPLE blog today. Here's what she had to say about Rated R:
"First off, when Jessica called me, the first thing I said to her was "Are you okay?" I felt so bad for her. I had only known Justin for a matter of weeks; he had betrayed her for years. No woman should ever let a man treat her with disrespect the way Justin did. The reason I didn't look super upset during the phone call is because I was not going to let him hurt me. I wouldn't give Justin the satisfaction of thinking he could affect me. I wanted to be strong — for me, for Jessica, and for all the women and girls watching who have been betrayed by a man before.
When I told Justin that he would regret this, I didn't mean his lack of relationship with me. I meant that he would want a chance to explain himself — not only to me but also to all of you watching. As you all saw, he didn't do such a great job explaining himself. I guess that is what happens when you're caught in a lie. That's all I really have to say about that."
In other Justin news, Justin, who is pictured above partying with Jersey Shore's Snooki courtesy of ZackTaylor.ca, is also speaking out on his actions on the show.
In a new interview with ET Canada, Justin attempts to squash the truth rumors that he only went on the show for fame."In the next year or so I'm actually looking to be a police officer," he tells ET Canada. "I'm slowly studying it … that's something I truly am passionate about and I definitely want to get into."
Justin continues, "No more reality TV," adding that he "definitely" does not want to be the next Bachelor. "This has been such a rough experience, like it's kind of scared me away from doing anything. It's not fun having you're name dragged through the mud."
And despite being photographed 3 weeks ago kissing the same ex-girlfriend who called Ali, Justin is now claiming he wants nothing to do with her. "Unfortunately now due to the fact of all this happening and seeing her true nature and true intent I really don't want to continue any type of relationship with her," said Justin.
As you can see in the previews from what is to come in the remainder of the season, Frank Neuschafer tells Ali a secret which appears to leave her heartbroken. If you want to know what Frank tells Ali, you can read about that here.