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|Kachin Independence Organisation/ Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA)
Founded: 5 February 1961
Headquarters: Laiza, Kachin state
Active Area: Throughout Kachin State and Northern Shan State.
Size: Over 15,000 (10 brigades)
Chairman – General N'Ban La
Vice-chairman – General Gunhtang Gam Shawng
General Secretary – Salang Kaba Kumhtat Hting Nan
Kachin Independence Organisation/Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA) signed a ceasefire agreement with the military junta, on February 24th, 1994. It has been fighting the Tatmadaw (military) since U Thein Sein took office in 2010. The KIO rejected the U Thein Sein administration's offer to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), maintaining the principle of inclusion of all ethnic armed groups. The group resigned from the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), which collapsed because of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). It joined the Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee (FPNCC), led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), which comprises seven ethnic armed groups from northern Myanmar, seeking peace and political dialogue.
The KIO held discussions on working with the government on the prevention and control of COVID-19 in 2020. It recommended the issuance of peace declarations in line with the government's COVID-19 policy of no discrimination against people living in any part of the state.
During the military coup d'état, KIO leader N'Ban La said the group stands on the right side and also called on the people to do the same. There were up to 155 days of fighting between the KIA and the junta. Although this figure could be higher. In cooperation with a local People's Defence Force, the KIA is carrying out attack against local military bases.
The KIO is working with the National Unity Government (NUG), which emerged during the Spring Revolution, in using its cash flow system to sell treasury bonds.
Ceasefire and Peace Process
Clashes with Tatmadaw
CRT team members
Liaison offices
Peace Process
Ceasefire & Peace Process:
Liaison offices: Technical Advisory
Official delegation team
Liaison offices
Previously: 22 liaison offices in Kachin and Shan states under the 1994: Myitkyina and Bhamo.
KIO's technical advisory team office is also running as a liaison office.
KIO Justice and Negotiation center
Located: Prang Ngawn village, Loijay Township, Kachin State, Myanmar
KIO's Technical Advisory Team
Located: No. NR/114, Shatapru ward, Myitkyina Township, Kachin State on July 2013
KIO member:
Peace Creation Group
Website: http://peace-talkcreationgroup.com/
The Peace-talk Creation Group is made up of Kachin businessmen. They have
Membership includes:
|KIO Rep
|Govt Rep
|Laiza, Kachin
|KIO Central Committee
|4 leaders of the Kachin National Consultative Assembly(KNCA)
|The government offered a verbal ceasefire with the KIO. The KIO told them they must first agree to recognise their political rights before any discussion regarding a ceasefire could commence. A document was prepared and sent to Myanmar high-ranking state officials and military leaders. However, they would not sign it. They told the KIO that must discuss these details in a meeting. The KIO told them they will not accept any proposal for a political dialogue inside the country. It must take place in a third country under the aegis of foreign mediators. The KIO's request was refused. KNCA reps: TsumHpawng Sin Wa, Labang Gam Awng, Ding Yau Zau In — sent by U TheinZaw (MP and former military general)
|Laja Yang Village, Kachin State
|Maj. Gen. Gun Maw + (4)
|Col. Than Aung
|They discussed about ceasefire.
|Laja Yang village, Kachin state
|Maj. Gen. Gun Maw + (4)
|Col. Than Aung
|The KIO demanded that the government negotiate a nationwide ceasefire with all ethnic armed groups. The government wanted them to sign a ceasefire. No agreement was reached but both sides agreed to continue meeting for further discussions.
|Mae Sai, Thailand
|Lt. Gen. N'Ban La
|Aung Min
|Informal meeting Individual participants included: Nay Win Maung; Myanmar Egress, DrKyaw Yin Hlaing and Tin Maung Than; Burmese academics, HarnYawngwe; executive director of the Brussels-based Euro-Burma Office.
|Ruili, China
|Lanyaw Zawng Hra
|Aung Thaung
|Full scale delegation level talks. No agreement was reached. Other KIO reps: Col. LahpaiZau Raw, Lt-Col. Lazing JiNawng, Lt-Col. MaranZauTawng, Sumlut Gam and Lama Gum Hpan
|Ruili, China
|Sumlut Gam + (11)
|Aung Thaung
|The government continued to try to convince the KIO to sign a ceasefire but they refused. Discussions lasted two hours.
No agreement was reached. KIO complained that the Myanmar military was attacking their frontline position while talks were going on
|Ruili, China
|Sumlut Gam + (7)
|Aung Thaung
|3 day meeting No agreement reached but a joint statement was signed that tentatively agreed on five points. Some of which included: continue political dialogue, building trust, a drawdown in troop levels, coordination of military activities in the conflict zone.
|Chiang Rai, Thailand
|Maj. Gen. Gun Maw, Brig. Dr. La Ja
|Aung Min
|Informal Meeting
|Maija Yang
|Sumlut Gam +(4)
|Aung Min
|Informal Meeting
|Maija Yang
|Sumlut Gam +(4)
|Aung Min
|Informal Meeting
Agreed to aim toward more meaningful talks in the next round, including the presence of army C-in-C Soe Win. Aung Min laid out a map detailing the government's proposal for the relocation of military bases to sites where both armies would be farther apart.
|Ruili, China
|Sumlut Gam
|Aung Min
|Agreement was reached to continue talks and proceed with further political dialogue.
|Ruili, China
|Sumlut Gam, Maj. Gen. Gun Maw
|Aung Min
|Ruili, China
|Sumlut Gam, Maj. Gen. Gun Maw
|Aung Min
|2 day meeting, 5 point statement Observers: 4 from UNFC, 2 from SSPP, 2 from RCSS, 2 from NDAA, 4 from PCG and Minister-Counselor Mr. Wang Zongying of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC and 2 from the PRC
|Myitkyina, Kachin State
|Sumlut Gam, Maj. Gen. Gun Maw and other leaders (48 delegates)
|U Aung Min, Lt. Gen. MyintSoe and ministers (44 delegates)
|UPWC led by U Aung Min and KIO led by U SuamLut Gam discussed for peace in Majwe hall in Myitkyina city, Kachin State on 28-30 May. Both parties signed 7 points agreement. Those 7 points agreement is:
|Sumlut Gam, Maj.Gen. Gun Maw, Col. Laphai Zau Raw, Col. Zau Tawng, Naw Htoi, 8 representatives from KIO
|Aung Min, Lt. Gen MyintSoe (30 from govt/ 53 from KIO/ 24 from ethnic armed groups/ and CSOs/ total 115)
|KIO and UPWC signed 7-point preliminary agreement in Myitkyina on 10 Oct 2013. It includes
|KIO Advisory technical team
|MPC technical team
|Informal meeting
|KIO Advisory technical team
|Informal meeting
discuss over 5 issues,
|Myitkyina, Kachin state
|UPWC and KIO held a formal meeting on May 13, 2014. KIO and UPWC met on May 13 in Myitkyina, Kachin state and released a joint statement after the meeting. They agreed to reduce the clashes.
|Myitkyina, Kachin state
|KIO advisory technical team
|KIO and UPWC held an informal meeting on May 28, 2014 in Myitkyina, Kachin state. After the meeting, KIO and UPWC formed a joint committee to mediate the conflicts between KIO and government forces and reduce the clashes in Kachin state. In the joint committee, Col. Than Aung leads the government team and Col. Zau Tawng leads KIO team. The joint committee has equal number of representative. There are 5 representatives from each side included in the joint committee.
|Myitkyina, Kachin state
|KIO technical team
|Col. Than Aung (minister of Kachin state border affairs)
|Informal Meeting
The government and delegates from the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) held a third round of peace talks in Myitkyina on July 5 in an attempt end skirmishes between rebel forces and the army.
|KIO/A led by Col. Zau Tawng
|Myanmar army officials led by Col. Than Aung (Kachin state border affairs minister)
|Informal Meeting
Conflict-resolution teams representing Govt (5 rep) and KIO (5 rep) held talks in Myitkyina on August 12, following recent skirmishes between Burma army and KIA forces in Hpakant area on August 8 and 10. "Both sides had some misunderstandings so we held talks," a Kachin State official said.
|Col. Than Aung, Government officials (including the Ministry of Border Affairs and Security in Kachin State) and Col Zaw Taung, a leader of the KIO negotiation team
|crisis resolve
|Col. James Lwan Daung (KIO Reps of IR), BRAT- U Mg Kyaw Nu (Chairperson)
|Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT) released a meeting video file on youtube on 7th, September. In this video file, U Mg Kyaw Nu chairperson of BRAT, discussed with General James Lwan Daung, KIO IR man, in Bangkok on 2nd March.
Rejected meeting invitations:
01/06/2011 KIO's demand for political dialogue and withdrawal of the army from locations close to the areas under control of the KIA as a precondition to further talks were turned down by the government delegation.
09/07/2012 KIA refused to attend scheduled meeting in Bhamo because of an army offensive launched during the weekend near Laiza. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Gen. Soe Win was also scheduled to attend the talks.
25/08/2012 KIO rejected an invitation from the government to hold peace talks in Naypyidaw saying it would be "impossible" to meet in the country's capital while its own headquarters remains under siege.
15/04/2012 Rejection of 4th meeting in Myitkyina. Spokesman La Nan said the KIO could not meet in Myitkyina at this time because the government has escalated its military activities in the area, reinforced troops near KIO headquarters in Laiza, and appeared to be preparing for an assault on KIO outposts.
The KIO agreed to continue talks with the government through the UNFC at a venue outside of government-controlled areas of Myanmar (Jan.22, 2013).
They want a formal "political dialogue" but will not take part in 'ceasefire talks". They are advocating for a pushing for an all-inclusive ethnic conference similar that follows the 1947 Panglong agreement. A wide range of ethnic issues and political problems could be discussed with the government, including the release of prisoners on both sides and the rebuilding of villages affected by the long-running war among ethnic groups.
It was reported in June, 2012 that the government decided to drop Article 17/1 outlawing the KIO. However, both the army and police officials continue to arrest people under 17/1 and those already charged were never released.
The KIO and Kachin peace brokers close to the Myanmar government opened a "justice and negotiation center" in Prang Ngawn, a village in Loijay Township. The center is supposed to be used for future negotiations and will store all records about the peace talks. It will also be place where "anyone can come and give advice" about the peace process (18/09/2012). The center has not yet been be used for peace talks.
Joint Committee for Dispute resolving formed in KIA office in Myintkyinar (May 28)
KIO and Government peace team formed a joint conflict-solving coordinating team (May 28)
2012: 2,400 clashes (according to KIO) 1095 clashes (according to government)
- At least 700 KIA soldiers are reported to have died since October, 2012 (anonymous source close to govt) It is believed that many died after the government launched a large scale offensive on KIO positions near Laiza in December 2012. Unofficial KIO estimates of the government death toll ranges from 5,000 -10,000 (anonymous source close to KIO)
- 35 govt soldiers killed, 190 injured (according to govt figures)
- Over 100,000 IDPs from Kachin and northern Shan states (various public sources)
- 56 attacks on railroad tracks from Mandalay to Myitkyina, 15 attacks on Myitkyina-Sumprabum road, 42 times attacks on Myitkyina-Bhamo road (govt source)
- attacks on infrastructures such as communication towers, 1 electric power grid, 1 power plant (govt source)
The 88 Generation Students Group leaders held a meeting with a high-ranking officials from the KIO/KIA in Laiza, Kachin state. (06/01/2013)
International observers:
HarnYawnghwe of the Euro Burma office and representatives of the Switzerland-based Center for Humanitarian Dialogue have attended some of the talks as observers.
- demanded that the agreement be signed in the presence of an international organization; called on Japan to act as an international mediator in peace talks with the government (27/04/12)
- the government and ethnic Kachin rebels are blaming each other for fighting in northern Myanmar, the government is denying it carried out air attacks on rebel-held territory
- the Myanmar public has a right to know how many soldiers have been killed during the Kachin conflict, the war is taking up large amounts of the national budget, it could be spent on far better things like healthcare and education (24/09/2012)
- the KIO urged U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to intervene in the Kachin conflict and do more to provide humanitarian aid to an estimated 75,000 internally displaced persons (26/09/2011, 01/05/2012, 15/05/2012), they also called on all stakeholders and the international community to help find a solution
- called to stop offensives (16/09/2012, 28/02/2012)
- claims that the government's peace process is just a show for the government as they continue to reinforce troops (03/11/2011)
- a KIO official said that the failure of talks was because Myanmar government ministers did not accept that fighting between the two sides is a political issue. (06/12/2011, 19/04/2012)
Mar 11, 2015 – KIO released a statement on students protest in Letpadan
Feb 12, 2015 – KIO released a statement on Union Day
Nov 20, 2014 – KIO released a statement on Myanmar army attacked on KIA military academy
May 13, 2014 – KIO and UPWC joint statement of the Myitkyinar talk to form the conflict mediation team
Mar 28, 2014 – An interview with KIO Spoke Person in Irrawaddy News
Oct 10, 2013 – KIO and Govt 7 points agreement
Jan 20, 2013 – KIO's statement on armed conflicts in Kachin state
Jan 19, 2013 – KIO reply to the President's office statement saying Burmese stop the conflict in Kachin state
Dec 24, 2012 – KIO object Myanmar Northern military command commander Brig. GenTun Tung Naing's warning letter
Reference: Deciphering Myanmar's Peace Process – A Reference Guide (2021 – 2022)


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Expert's Rating
- Beautiful and useful Vari Angle 3-inch LCD
- Wireless flash transmitter for multiple flashes
- Robust movie recording options including full HD
- External mic jack
- Clear, easy to use menu system and onscreen controls
- Excellent image quality, even at ISO 1600
- Versatile 18-135mm kit lens option provides all in one solution
- Some physical controls (such as Display button) oddly placed
- Lack of single button movie recording
- Auto White Balance struggles in most indoor lighting conditions–a traditional Canon weakness
Our Verdict
The Canon EOS Rebel T3i with 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS optional kit lens is a complete picture taking machine. The latest Rebel features an LCD that swings out and can be positioned at a variety of angles, full HD video recording, wireless flash control, a respectable continuous shooting mode, and the same high resolution, 18 megapixel sensor as its predecessor, the EOS Rebel T2i.
You can build an entire system around the T3i by purchasing additional lenses, but we encountered no problems handling common shooting situations with the kit18-135mm zoom lens. For about $1,200, you can have a versatile camera/lens combination that would serve most hobbyists quite well. The 18-55mm is still available as the kit lens, bringing the price down to less than $900. So if you have a tighter budget, it's great to have that option.
Basic specifications
At the heart of the EOS T3i is an 18-megapixel APS-C sensor powered by a DIGIC 4 processor. It can record images up to 5,184 x 3,456 pixels. The optical viewfinder provides 95 percent view, and the Vari-Angle 3-inch LCD shows 100 percent view with 1,040,000 dots of resolution. Data is recorded to an SD card, and the camera is SDHC and SDXC compatible.
When you look through the optical viewfinder, you see 9 autofocus points. The center AF point is cross-type, and is the most sensitive of the group. So when you're letting the camera determine the focus for the shot, it has a wide area of coverage with 9 sensors detecting objects in the frame. The pop-up flash provides a wide enough coverage area to properly illuminate subjects with the kit lens attached, plus it serves as the wireless trigger for off-camera flash control with Canon Speedlites.
Maximum continuous shooting speed is 3.7 fps, which compares favorably with the competition. The camera is powered by a rechargeable Canon LP-E8 battery. Body weight is 18.2 oz without a lens attached. The T3i feels light, but sturdy in the hands and is well balanced with either the 18-55mm or the 18-135mm zoom. If you're on the go, this camera won't weigh you down.
Physically, the T3i isn't very different than its predecessor, the T2i, with the exception of the Vari-Angle LCD that swings out from the back of the camera. However, there are some notable changes inside this latest model from Canon.
Features worth noting
When you look at this class of DSLR, sophisticated entry level, there are a handful of impressive features that add value to this investment. In addition to a reliable picture taking machine, T3i owners can experiment with off-camera flash, record HD movies with great audio, and creatively play with their images while they're still in camera. Here are a few of those highlights.
Built-In Wireless Flash Control (new feature for Rebels) If you have an external Canon flash unit with wireless slave capability, such as the Speedlite 430EX II, you can fire it off-camera with the T3i. You don't need a separate wireless controller. Options include firing a single off-camera flash, balancing the off-camera flash with the built-in flash unit on the T3i, or operating multiple external flashes. The upshot is that with just one external flash and the T3i, you have a number of flexible lighting options. This is a powerful feature for a consumer camera, putting pro lighting techniques at your fingertips for an affordable price.
Vari Angle LCD (new feature for Rebels) The T3i's adjustable LCD is an excellent design for recording video. You flip open the LCD, then swing it out. You can angle up or down, or turn it completely around and fold it against the back of the camera. The resolution is terrific both for Live View capture and playback. When you're done, turn the screen around and secure it face-first against the back of the camera to protect it during transport. This encourages capture from a variety of angles helping you make more interesting movies while not straining your back and neck in the process.
Full HD Movie Recording with Controls On the T3i you can record 1920×1080 video at 24, 25, or 30 fps; plus 1280 x 720 video at 50 or 60 fps; or standard definition 640 x 480 video at 25 or 30 fps. Emerging filmmakers can opt for auto or manual exposure mode while shooting video, and even choose between auto and manual options for recording audio. The audio is further enhanced thanks to the built-in mini-stereo mic jack for an external microphone. There's even a built-in wind filter.
Video Snapshot Function This feature allows you to record a series of 2, 4, or 8 second video clips, then, without editing, the T3i combines them into one movie that can be saved to your Mac or played via the HDMI port that allows direct connectivity to an HDTV. Each Snapshot is saved to an album after you record it, and you have the opportunity to keep or discard the clip. Once you've captured the various sequences, go to playback mode and watch the fast-paced move you've just created. It's a cool feature that saves you a trip to the desktop movie editor. Once you're finished, disable the Video Snapshot mode to return to regular movie making.
Creative Filters After you've captured an image, you can continue to play with it via the Creative Filters mode in the playback menu. There are five to choose from: Grainy B/W, Soft Focus, Fish-Eye Effect, Toy Camera Effect, and Miniature Effect. Once you choose an effect, you can apply one of three different strengths. When you're finished, the T3i processes the image and saves it as a separate file on the memory card. The new Fish-Eye effect is a new addition to the Creative Filter line up, and one of the most interesting effects. Be careful, though, it can be addictive.
Setting Maximum Speed for Auto ISO Existing-light photographers will appreciate the ability to set the maximum speed for Auto ISO. Auto ISO, without a top limit setting, can sometimes result in noisy photographs. The T3i allows you to set the maximum ISO speed to a level you're comfortable with so you can use this feature with confidence.The available range is from 400 to 6400. If you're conservative about how high you want the ISO to go, then you can choose a setting such as 800 for the top end limit. But because this camera performs so well at higher ISOs, you can easily set the limit to ISO 1600 or 3200 and still get very good image quality. The choice is yours.
Star Ratings In Camera While viewing images in playback mode on the T3i, you can assign a star rating to it. These ratings are transferable to Aperture, Bridge, and Lightroom, but not iPhoto. So when you upload your images to your Mac, the star ratings are displayed to help you immediately identify your favorite shots.
Copyright Information Setting When you access the Copyright Information tab in the Menu, you can set the author's name and copyright details for every shot that is recorded with the camera.
Image quality
With either kit lens, the 18-55mm or the 18-135mm, the Canon T3i provides excellent image quality in terms of sharpness and detail. If you're tempted to upgrade to the 18-135mm kit lens for its extended zoom range (29-216mm in 35mm terms), then it's probably worth the bump in price. But in terms of image quality, the 18-55mm holds its own nicely against the upgraded zoom. So don't expect better pictures with the more expensive kit option. Base your decision on zooming range, not picture quality.
Even though either kit zoom isn't a particularly fast lens (maximum aperture ranges from f/3.5 to f/5.6 on both), the T3i is a reasonable low light performer because you can push the ISO to 1600, even 3200, and still get quality images.
In our lab tests, the T3i performed incredibly well in its test group, earning a word score of Superior in the Exposure, Color, Sharpness, and Distortion categories. Click on any of our lab's test images to view the original files.
As for its video mode, the movies live up to the hype. You can produce excellent HD video with terrific audio (provided you use an external mic) with the T3i. It earned a word score of very Good for video quality, and Good for audio quality. Here are sample clips that we shot in bright indoor lighting and in low light with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i. For the highest-quality clips, select 1080p from the drop-down menu in the lower-right corner of each player.
The Rebel T3i is a very Mac friendly camera. Lots of good Mac software is bundled with the camera including Digital Photo Professional for processing raw files, EOS Utility, and PhotoStitch for panoramas. Raw files can also be processed in the latest versions of Apple Aperture and iPhoto with Mac OS X 10.6.7. And the video files have the .mov extension, so no conversion is necessary for viewing on your Mac.
The limited amount of physical real estate on the T3i seems to have influenced the location of control buttons. The Menu and Info buttons are awkwardly placed in the upper left corner of the back of the camera. They're not nearly as easy to access there as, for example, the 60D's placement of them on the right side.
The T3i would also benefit from the addition of a dedicated movie record button. Currently, you have to rotate the Mode dial to movie mode, then you can initiate recording with the Live View button on the back of the camera. It would be nice to directly access movie recording for those spontaneous moments.
And finally, as with most Canon cameras, Auto White Balance produces excessively orange cast when shooting without a flash under tungsten lighting.
Macworld buying advice
The Canon EOS Rebel T3i is a premium entry level DSLR that captures excellent still images and video. It is Mac friendly in terms of its bundled software, and its compatibility with Apple imaging applications. If you don't need the extended zooming range of the 18-135mm IS kit lens option, then you can save yourself a couple hundred dollars with the shorter 18-55mm kit zoom. Both lenses provide terrific image quality, and you can add lenses later as your budget allows.

subset: commoncrawl


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What does it take to convince motorists to drive less -- and thereby reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions? A new study by an NYU Wagner researcher points the way.
For some local, state, and federal policy makers, the answer typically lies in land-use planning that makes it easier for people to walk, ride bicycles, or use mass transit. But for other policy makers, congestion pricing – charging drivers more to drive in heavy-traffic areas during peak hours -- is the better way to go.
Although the two strategies for two decades have been seen by proponents as substitutive rather than complementary – and even at odds – a new study led by Zhan Guo, assistant professor of urban planning and transportation at New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, has found that these fundamental approaches are actually more effective at reducing motorists' vehicle miles traveled (VMT) when developed in concert and in connection with each other.
The conclusion arises from an examination households' VMT data in a pilot mileage-fee program run in Portland, Oregon. The analysis sought to determine whether land-use planning reinforced the benefit of congestion pricing, and whether congestion pricing could strengthen the role of land-use planning in encouraging travelers to reduce the amount of driving they routinely do.
The data for the study were collected over 10 months from 130 households in Portland. The households studied were divided into two groups: those that faced congesting pricing, and those that did not, in order to determine the impact of congestion pricing in different types of communities.
The study found that VMT reduction is greater in traditional (dense and mixed-use) neighborhoods than it is in suburban (single use, low-density) ones, since traditional neighborhoods tend to offer more transportation options. Therefore, the researchers concluded, land-use planning is necessary to ensure that congestion pricing has an optimal effect on overall miles traveled by car, and the two strategies for reducing traffic appear to be mutually supportive, according to the study, "Are Land Use Planning and Congestion Pricing Mutually Supportive," published in the Journal of the American Planning Association.
Guo coauthored the study with Asha Weinstein Agrawal of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University and Jennifer Dill of Portland State University's Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning. To speak with Guo about the findings, contact NYU press officer Robert Polner at 212.998.2337 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The only reason I did not give this case 4 stars is because when the magnetic closure is resting against the back of the tablet case, my tablet will not operate correctly. The tablet will turn off, will not let me access the home screen from inside an app, and the only way to fix the problem is to turn off the tablet. Just need to make sure that the front cover of the case is folded under and rests between the back cover of the case that the magnetic closure. Works like a dream after that!!!
Hello Felecia, Thank you for the review! We are aware of the issue that you are speaking of. It has been resolved in our newest production of the Stealth Cases. We would be happy to send you a replacement case that does not affect the Autowake function in your tablet. Please feel free to email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
My Apple Air Ipad fit nicely in it. I like the shade of Red. I only wish the had a place to hold my different sizes of stylus'
I had one myself, so I bought one for my husband. They are the best we have ever found for the price.
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Isn't the fact that you received a message warning of such severity a sign that it's not true?
Symantec Cries Wolf About ThreatCon 4: Imminent Global Internet Failure
from the aesop's-modern-fables dept
Symantec's DeepSight threat warning system sent out an erroneous "ThreatCon 4" warning on Friday caused by an errant product test. ThreatCon 4 is the highest level of warning that can be issued by the DeepSight system, and is supposed to indicate times where "extreme global network incident activity is in progress." The level 4 warning has never been issued; the last time level 3 was reached was back in 2004. Symantec issued a retraction of the false alarm approximately an hour after it was issued, and so far, no reports of harm from the false alarm are apparent. Actually, it doesn't even seem like anyone took this warning that seriously at all, considering the lack of any sort of response. And without any sort of response, doesn't that make the early warning system, well, not that useful? After an hour without much of a response, they should have just said: "This was a test of the DeepSite early warning system. Had this been a real warning…"


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Yesterday, Michael Vick signed his second $100 million contract of his career. This time, it's a flat $100 million with around 40 of it guaranteed. For someone who not only fell off the peak mountain but fell off of it and landed on his head, this is incredible.
Even though signing Michael Vick to a long-term deal is as risky as a rich white man taking a walk in Compton, this is a contract that is absolutely necessary for the Philadelphia Eagles organization.
On this blog I like to hate on the big bad contracts. I do it because they have such a high likelihood of blowing down the foundation of a franchise. Big bad contracts tend to carry a lot of risk. Big bad contracts can unnecessarily tie up salary that could be better utilized elsewhere.
However, this time, the Eagles had to pay Vick.
The Eagles had to do this after they handed the franchise over to the Underdog when they traded away Kevin Kolb. Look at it this way, Kolb is getting $20 million guaranteed and he has hardly done a thing.
At 31, Michael Vick has proven that he is an elite NFL quarterback.
You can't always go with the safe bet. Low risk and high reward cannot always be the strategy. Elite NFL quarterbacks don't come along very often. The Eagles are loading up on talent for the next half decade but without a leader the team would have been driving down the highway with the brakes on.
Now, it's full steam ahead.
$100 million sounds like a lot for a 31-year-old, oft injured quarterback. In fact, $100 million is a lot for a 31-year-old, oft injured quarterback. Nevertheless, this oft injured quarterback is too special. In Philadelphia, he has received the love as a modern-day Rocky Balboa all while wearing his very own Superman cape.
In 12 games last season he threw for over 3000 yards, had a passer rating of 100.6 and rushed for 56.3 yards a game. If you're the Eagles, there was no way that you were going to let something that special slip through your fingers.
The Eagles are praying to God each and every night that Michael Vick stays healthy. And at 31, there's no reason to believe he will be slowing down anytime soon if he stays healthy.
Although they drastically contrast in styles, Peyton Manning is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league at age 36. Kurt Warner led his team to a Super Bowl appearance in his late 30's. And it doesn't seem that long but Tom Brady has reached the age of 34.
The Eagles pushed most of their chips in when they made their big splashes this off-season. There was no other choice than to go all-in with Michael Vick. They were pot committed.
This isn't the case of a diva in disguise wide receiver who wanted nothing more than to have his ego fed. Michael Vick deserves the money he is getting. As the only man who can lead his team to the Promised Land, Michael Vick has earned his keep.
Related: Larry Fitzgerald is Only a Wide Receiver
Larry Fitzgerald might have earned his keep but he sure didn't do what is best for his team. Michael Vick has kept more than his own interests in mind since joining the Eagles. He did everything that he was asked to and, as player who plays the most important position in the game of football, he is getting rewarded for it.
Try and justify Larry Fitzgerald getting $10 million more in guaranteed money than the game's most electrifying quarterback. You can't do it.
Vick's contract seems like a bargain when you compare it with Fitzgerald's. But bargain or not, this was a deal that had to be done.
It was a no-brainer to the Philadelphia Eagles that signing Michael Vick straight out of the slammer was the right decision. It was also a no brainer for the Philadelphia Eagles to make Michael Vick a $100 million man, once again.
Agree? Disagree? If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, please feel free to reply in the comments section below. Or you can e-mail me at [email protected]. Also, follow me on twitter @paintstheblack and I will happily return the favour.
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Grays Harbor Lighthouse
The Grays Harbor Lighthouse (Westport Light) is a lighthouse located on Point Chehalis on the southern side of the entrance to Grays Harbor, Westport, Grays Harbor County, Washington, in the United States. Year first lit-1898. Automated-1960s. Foundation-Sandstone. Construction-Brick and concrete.Tower shape-Octagonal. Height-107 feet. Original lens-Third order Fresnel lens. Range-9 miles. Characteristic-Alternating red and white every 15 s.
GraysHarborLighthouse2100Grays Harbor LighthouseWestportWashington.United StatesTowerWashingtonPhotographyDon TibbitsPacific Ocean
From Grays Harbor Lighthouse


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Fall is still more than a week away but drivers on some B.C. highways might feel like winter is already arriving.
In a special weather statement Thursday morning, Environment Canada said a cold front crossing 100 Mile and South Thompson regions could turn into two centimetres of snowfall at higher elevations.
READ MORE: Lakecity sees its first dusting of snow… In September
Flurries are likely to blanket roads in higher elevations through the day, first over Bebgie Summit along Highway 97 between Williams Lake and 100 Mile House and near the summit of the Coquihalla Highway, the national forecaster said.
Motorists are reminded to take extra caution while driving through the mountains as unpredictable weather can suddenly change.
|Light dusting of snow near Nazko. (Samantha Alec/Contributed)
|Snow falling in 100 Mile House Thursday, Sept. 13.
With files from The Canadian Press
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The 6th Day of Christmas: Vicesimus Knox on the Christian religion and peace on earth (1793)
Found in The Works of Vicesimus Knox, vol. 6
The English anti-war minister Vicesimus Knox (1752-1821) reminded his parishioners in 1793 that the motto of Christianity was the exhortation from the gospel of Saint Luke "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men":
This gracious proclamation from Heaven announces the great purpose of Jesus Christ, the promotion of piety to God and benevolence to man. It may indeed be called the motto of Christianity. It may form the inscription on its unstained banners, as it advances in its progress, endeavouring to diffuse the blessings of perpetual peace and universal love….
Peace on earth! Alas where is it? amid all our refinement in the modes of cultivated life, all our elegant pleasures, all our boasted humanity, war, that giant fiend, is stalking over empires in garments dropping with the blood of men, shed by men, personally unoffended and unoffending; of men, professing to love as brethren, yet cutting off each other from the land of the living, long before the little time allotted them by nature is elapsed; and increasing beyond measure, all the evils to which man is naturally and morally doomed, at the command of a narrow shortsighted human policy, and an ambition which, considering the calamities it causes, I must call accursed.
The shades of the picture are black as death, the colouring of blood. No; not all the arts of politicians can veil its shocking deformity, from any eyes but those of the vulgar; the vulgar, I mean, rich as well as poor, titled as well as untitled, swaying sceptres or wielding a spade. By all but the vulgar and the creatures of despotism, offensive war, with all its pompous exterior, must be deprecated as the disgrace and calamity of human nature….
Oh war! thy blood-stained visage cannot be disguised by the politician's artifice. Thy brilliant vestments are to him who sympathizes with human woe in all climes and conditions, no better than sable mourning; thy melody, doleful discord, the voice of misery unutterable. Decked, like the harlot, in finery not thine own, thou art even the pest of human nature; and in countries where arbitrary power prevails, the last sad refuge of selfish cruel despotism, building its gorgeous palaces on the ruins of those who support its grandeur by their personal labour; and whom it ought to protect and to nourish under the olive shade of peace….
If the Christian religion in all its purity, and in its full force, were suffered to prevail universally, the sword of offensive war must be sheathed for ever, and the din of arms would at last be silenced in perpetual peace. Glorious idea!…
This quotation is part of a series for "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on the theme of "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men" [Luke 2:14]
The radical anti-war English minister Vicesimus Knox got into a lot of trouble with the authorities when he began preaching against the British and other European monarchies' efforts to defeat the new French Republic by force of arms during the 1790s. He reminded them that "the motto of Christianity" had been clearly stated in Luke II, 14, namely "peace on earth and goodwill towards men." What makes this sermon rise above the sometimes empty homilies about peace which are offered up at Christmas time are his profound moral and political objections to war. Here are some examples.
He begins by noting the hypocrisy of the most enlightened and Christian countries of the world which ignore this basic Christian principle by constantly pursuing a policy of war, "that giant fiend, (which) is stalking over empires in garments dropping with the blood of men, shed by men, personally unoffended and unoffending".
Young men are deceived by "the politician's artifice" and are taught by the military "the art of spreading devastation and most expeditiously and effectually destroying those of their fellow-creatures, whom politicians have bade them consider as enemies." These wars are paid for in the lives and taxes of those who make their living "wielding a spade" or in "the useful employments of mechanic arts". The young men who fall on the battle fields are "the pale victims of war; poor victims" who are "cut off in this world before their time, in youth and health, like rose-buds cropt in the bud of existence."
Politicians are constantly defending their actions by claiming that the state is faced with the "political necessity of war" but which Knox calls "a narrow shortsighted human policy" which serves the interest of a small group of political and military leaders.
Knox's solution is "to compose the differences of nations by negotiation" "in a league of philanthropy" and to return to the Christian ideal of considering "all men under the sun, as united to us by brotherly love, or, as it is termed, fraternity; natural, not political fraternity; the strong tie of one common nature". In this way Christian principles would come into "full force" and "the sword of offensive war (would) be sheathed for ever, and the din of arms would at last be silenced in perpetual peace."
Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.


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Request More Information - Listing ID 2473608
- Price$13,500,000
- StatusActive
- Address595 Cityview Ridge Drive
- Henderson, Nevada 89012-5859
- Bedrooms4
- Full Baths5
- Total Baths7
- Partial Baths2
- Acres0.620
- SqFt11,000
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When it Comes to LEED, Platinum is the New Green18 Nov, 2009 By: Kenneth Wong
An architect committed to environmental stewardship uses 3D BIM software to design a home that's a Wisconsin first.
About seven years ago, Carol Richard, a partner from the Atlanta-based architecture firm Richard Wittschiebe Hand, bought an empty lot in the tree-lined Sunset Hills neighborhood in Madison, Wisconsin. The plot would become the site of her new home.
Noting the tranquil landscape and the modest homes nearby, Richard concluded she shouldn't build anything "out of whack scale-wise." While planning her home in 3D BIM (building information modeling) software, she modeled her would-be neighbors' homes as well. She wanted to ensure that her house didn't tower over the rest.
The result was an inconspicuous 2,700 sq. ft. modern home smoothly integrated into a series of Cape Cod–style, post–World War II homes. Aesthetically, Richard has succeeded in blending in, but her residence now attracts attention for a different reason altogether: It's the first residential home in Wisconsin to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Platinum certification.
Carol Richard, a partner from Richard Wittschiebe Hand, built a home that became Wisconsin's first LEED Platinum–certified residence.
Southern Light Box
"My intent was to create a 'light box,'" explained Richard, "with simple forms and clean lines, with large windows to the south."
The amount of light admitted into the rooms is controlled by a set of fixed louvers, offset about two feet from the front windows. "The width and depth of the individual louvers and the distance between the system and the windows was carefully calculated using modeling tools so that on June 23 [peak summer], no light penetrates the windows at all, but on December 21 [peak winter], light travels all the way to the back of the space [where the windows are]."
Richard's home is also equipped with low-flow lavatory faucets, low-flow showerheads, and dual-flush toilets, along with a roof washer and a 550-gallon rainwater collection tank. The water efficiency strategies resulted in the home being awarded 12 of the 15 possible points under the LEED Platinum crediting system.
Neighborly Adjustments
While modeling her home and its surroundings in detail in Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Richard was able to compare the scale of her home with her neighbors' houses. That gave her a good sense of the maximum height for her design.
"When it started out, [our roof] had a much steeper slope," Richard recalled. "But in the end, we went with a flat roof and kept the slope to a minimum. I didn't want our [roof] to be higher than the neighbors'."
The design study also led Richard to select a shade of gray for the exterior that provided a darker finish than she had originally planned. The color matched the environment, as well as the other units already in place. "I wanted [the house] to recede rather than be a large, looming presence," she explained.
After comparing her home with those nearby, Richard adjusted the height of the roof and the color of the exterior walls to blend in better.
Powered by the Sun
One of Richard's neighbors had grown a large maple tree. You could, in fact, see that tree in Richard's ArchiCAD model. "I modeled that [tree] because I wanted to make sure it cleared our solar panels," she said.
ArchiCAD comes with a series of 3D clip art designs — natural objects and pedestrians — that users can drop into a 3D model. For an accurate representation of her neighbor's tree, Richard specified an estimated height, then let the software generate a 3D object with the right dimensions. Using ArchiCAD's sun study, a feature that let her simulate the sun's effect on her site all year round, Richard was able to determine where the tree's shadow would fall. Her neighbor's maple tree, she was relieved to discover, wouldn't interfere with her solar panels.
Richard's local utilities provider, Madison Gas and Electric, recently published a study of the multifamily homes in the area. According to this study of total electricity and gas costs, residents spend about $0.60 to $1.80 per square foot per year. By this estimate, Richard would expect to spend about $135 to $405 per month on utilities. Instead, she pays an average of $44.21 per month.
Richard and her family moved into the new home in May. Since then, she has had to pay for gas — mostly for cooking purposes, as her heating system is energy-efficient — but she has not had to pay for electricity. The photovoltaic panels on her roof generate more power than the home needs. She's been depositing the excess energy back into the grid to help power her neighbors' homes. Her home was awarded 28.5 points out of the 38 possible points under LEED's energy and atmosphere category.
In ArchiCAD 12 (released in July 2008), Graphisoft introduced a new energy analysis module called EcoDesigner, accessible from the modeling environment via a single click. The new feature lets users group related building components (such as external walls and floors); apply material properties; define usage (residential, retail, hospital, and so on); specify the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; and then obtain an estimate of the building's carbon output and monthly energy consumption.
Richard didn't have a chance to put EcoDesigner to the test during the planning of her home, but she has since created an energy report using the module, based on her home's as-built conditions. She hopes to compare the software's estimates and the building's actual energy use after she's gathered enough data.
"Deciding to build our house as a LEED project wasn't an easy choice," Richard revealed. "There were expenses associated with that, " such as investing in photovoltaic panels. "The program is geared more towards builders than owners, so it was an interesting experience for us. But along the way, we learned to build a more sustainable, durable house. " (Durability analysis is one of the requirements of LEED Platinum certification.)
For more on Richard's home, visit the Ross Street House project page, or read the family's Ross Street House blog chronicling the progress of the home.
EcoDesigner, an energy analysis module, debuted in ArchiCAD 12.
Editor's note: Green design fans, check out the December 2009 edition of Cadalyst magazine — an announcement is coming soon — which includes Kenneth Wong's cover story, "Computer-Aided EcoDesign."
About the Author: Kenneth Wong
For Mold Designers! Cadalyst has an area of our site focused on technologies and resources specific to the mold design professional. Sponsored by Siemens NX. Visit the Equipped Mold Designer here!
For Architects! Cadalyst has an area of our site focused on technologies and resources specific to the building design professional. Sponsored by HP. Visit the Equipped Architect here!


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It was a simple enough question, I thought. "If you had been able to work with a playable woman character in Far Cry 4, what would you have done? It sounds like you were in the planning phases of it, at least." The response from the game's narrative director? Total silence.
I didn't do my Ubisoft booth tour until the final day of E3, and the effect on the place after a week of controversy surrounding the lack of playable women in Assassin's Creed Unity was... pronounced.
It was an awkward moment as Far Cry 4 narrative director Mark Thompson and a Ubisoft PR rep nervously glanced back and forth, first at each other, then at me. Thunderous beats from a live Just-Dance-a-long to "What Does The Fox Say" just outside our interview room echoed for what felt like forever. Shadows in the dimly lit space bounced every so slightly. A small air conditioning unit belched out chilly wind. "If you could maybe ask about something else..." the PR rep eventually motioned apologetically.
Thompson looked like he wanted to say something, but he bit down on his tongue. His eyes darted down to the floor in a manner that reminded me of Wile E. Coyote stepping off a cliff and standing in mid-air for a moment, only to plummet like a cartoon anvil the second he realizes there's no ground beneath his feet.
"What I can say is... no, no, I shouldn't," Thompson finally blurted before laughing to lighten the mood.
It wasn't the first time this sort of thing had happened that day, and I definitely didn't blame Thompson or the PR guy. They'd both been extremely enthusiastic and helpful otherwise, but it was clear that their hands were tied. Mandate from on high and all that.
I got my first moment of awkward silence while talking to an Assassin's Creed Unity producer, but that didn't entirely shock me. Ubisoft had already issued an official statement on the matter, after all. It failed in many ways to address the actual reasons people were/are upset, but still: Ubi said their bit, drew their line in the sand.
What got me was that women in general seemed to be a taboo subject. Even when I asked about the woman hostage in Rainbow Six Siege's hostage mode (wherein teams compete to rescue or capture a hostage, as seen here)—whether there would be male hostages as well, etc—my interviewee nearly got cut off by PR.
It's one thing for big publishers to clam up online, but it's another to see it happen in person. To be speaking face-to-face with a clearly passionate, interested, interesting developer only to have them go sheet-white and pin-drop silent without warning. It's like a computer suddenly locking up on you, only its face is decidedly human.
Back to Far Cry. Before my question ground the interview to a halt, we had a very frank discussion about what went wrong with the big Far Cry 4 box art fiasco. Thompson agreed that people probably needed more context, and without it they jumped to conclusions and assumed the worst. It was, however, out of his hands. There are countless moving parts in big budget game development.
When our moment of silence ended, I pointed out that this is kind of a similar situation. Once again, Ubisoft has released a small statement while failing to really address the main issue (that it seems like women weren't really a priority here; that it seems like Ubi never really tried), and that's it. Once again, people are assuming the worst while Ubisoft elects to sidestep an issue rather than engage it head-on.
"Yeah, we definitely think about that," said the PR rep.
I really hope they do.
TMI is a branch of Kotaku dedicated to telling you everything about my adventures in the gaming industry (and sometimes other offbeat and/or uncomfortable subjects). It's an experiment in disclosure, storytelling, interviewing, and more. The gaming industry is weird. People are weird. I am weird. You are weird. Why hide that? Let's explore it.


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The Seattle Seahawks have emerged as perhaps the greatest threat to the San Francisco 49ers' hopes of continued NFC supremacy in 2013.
Pete Carroll's team made several moves in the offseason to fortify an already strong roster, highlighted by the acquisition of dynamic wide receiver Percy Harvin.
"They're building a dynasty over there," the Niners tight end told NFL.com's Jeff Darlington on Tuesday at the NFL Rookie Symposium in Ohio. "These guys are coming to take us out. I respect them, but we want to win, too. We have to ... play each game like it's our last game."
Darlington asked Davis if he would see time at wide receiver this season. Davis practiced exclusively with the wide receivers during minicamp, leading to speculation he will take on a different role with Michael Crabtree sidelined by an Achilles injury.
"If coaches want to line me up there, we'll see," he said.
"I'll do whatever the coaches ask me to do. If statistics come, it's cool. But ... My true identity is within the team. I never doubt myself. That's how I live."
Davis' production dipped for the fourth straight season in 2012, but it hasn't been about an erosion of physical skills. Davis remains one of the most dangerous playmakers in the league -- finding more ways to get him the ball is never a bad idea.


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Legal historians had a range of interesting panels to choose from at the AHA conference in Boston this past weekend. I attended several panels that addressed the meaning, practice, and implications of international and transnational history, and the particular challenges of researching, writing, and publishing beyond the traditional borders of national histories.
As William Hitchcock, Professor of History at the University of Virginia, noted in introducing a roundtable on publishing in international history, legal historians, like scholars in so many other fields, now have excellent examples of work that helped to internationalize the study of legal history, and that have posed significant challenges to several traditional areas of historical inquiry. Hitchcock pointed to Paul Halliday, Habeus Corpus: From England to Empire(see Steve Vladeck's series of posts on Halliday's book here), Liz Borgwardt, A New Deal for the World: America's Vision for Human Rights, and Mary Dudziak, Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy. These authors and others certainly encouraged me to begin to think more globally about American legal history and convinced me that there is still a great deal more to study about the implications of American law for the world, and world history for American law.
But as panelists noted this weekend, scholars working on international histories face some particular challenges. For example, commenting on a panel concerning non-state actors in the practice of foreign policy, Erez Manela, Professor of History at Harvard, suggested that because scholars studying international institutions are "not working in well-established modes," they do not necessarily have a "built-in audience." As international historians advance new concerns and insist upon new avenues of study, he suggested, they have to work to clearly define the stakes of their projects to connect with the familiar concerns of national histories—immigration history, state-to-state diplomacy, and the Cold War, for example. Though Manela directed his comments to the study of NGOs, his suggestions seem to apply to many areas of international and transnational inquiry.
The reasons for this are both intellectual and practical. As Susan Ferber, Executive Editor for History at Oxford University Press and Kathleen McDermott, Executive Editor for History at Harvard University Press, explained, publishers need to be able to identify the core constituencies for new work. International and transnational histories may be cutting edge and spark an editor's interest, but ultimately, publishers need to know the stakes of a project for well-defined areas of study, which often means placing a work in a national category or categories. Some in the audience seemed disheartened by the fact that publishers' category codes have not evolved to reflect the new terrain of international history. But Ferber and McDermott's broader point seemed to be that publishers want original work driven by clearly defined questions to which the author provides meaningful answers.
In many cases, the innovative challenges to well-defined fields and long-standing narratives come from scholars doing international work, but not always. Whether a work is international or national in scope, within a well-defined field or on an uncharted path, the marks of good scholarship are the same: What is the original contribution? To whom does it matter? And why should we care? The answers to these questions should not rely on labeling the work "transnational" "international" or "global," particularly given the proliferation of scholarship that can make such a claim. As Mark Bradley, Professor of History at the University of Chicago and co-editor of the series The United States in the World added, whether a project is international in scope or not, it still takes a "rich historical imagination" to make a substantial contribution to the study of history, and to get an editor's attention.
Reflecting on some of the comments on international history at this weekend's AHA, I wondered about the specific challenges that legal historians face when doing international and transnational work. In my own research on law in the Philippines in the early twentieth century, I have to reconcile and account for various legal traditions, institutional forms, jurisprudential disagreements and overlapping codes. I've found that in many cases I can answer the more technical questions with further research. The more difficult issues, it seems to me, are those that concern some of the enduring questions in the study of American legal history. International and transnational legal histories push us to think about the relationship between law and society in new ways, either because we have embraced geographic and cultural difference, expanded our understandings of legal agents and modes of exchange, or as in the case of global institutions, because our traditional definitions and understandings of "law" and "society" do not quite fit the nature of international legal institutions and aspirational international agreements.
I am interested in what others think. What other challenges have those working on transnational or international legal histories encountered? Does the international turn look different to non-U.S. scholars? Do those who have published international histories have suggestions or thoughts?


text:
Kelly Clarkson
Are you there?
Are you watching me?
As I lie here on this floor
They say you feel what I do
They say you're here every moment
Will you stay?
Stay 'till the darkness leaves
Stay here with me
I know you're busy, I know I'm just one
But you might be the only one who sees me
The only one to save me
Why is it so hard?
Why can't you just take me?
I don't have much to go
Before I fade completely
Can you feel how cold I am?
Do you cry as I do?
Are you lonely up there all by yourself?
Like I have felt all my life
The only one to save mine
How are you so strong?
What's it like to feel so free?
Your heart is really something
Your love, a complete mystery to me
Are you there watching me?
As I lie here on this floor
Do you cry, do you cry with me?
Cry with me tonight
Are you there?
Are you watching me?


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- 2 pounds assorted fresh berries, washed and patted dry, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries (strawberries hulled and halved)
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau
- 2 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
- Mint sprigs, for garnishing
- Pinch of salt
In a large bowl combine the berries, 3/4 cup of the sugar, water, and 1 teaspoon of the orange zest in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the berries have softened and given up their juices and mixture is chilled, about 1 hour. Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Sift the self-rising flour, cake flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a medium mixing bowl. Add the butter and remaining orange zest to the flour mixture and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the cold butter into the flour until there are no butter pieces larger than a pea. Add the heavy cream to the flour mixture and, using your hands or a rubber spatula, stir just until the cream and flour come together to form a dough. Do not overmix!
Sprinkle some of the all-purpose flour on a flat surface and place the dough on top of the flour. Using your hands, press the dough into a 1/2-inch thick disk about 8 inches in diameter.
Using a 3-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut the dough into circles. Be sure to press straight downward when cutting the dough ñ a twisting motion will prevent the dough from rising. You will need to re-form the scraps of dough in order to make 8 shortcakes. Do this by gathering the scrap pieces together and pressing to re-form into a 1/2-inch thick disk, then cut as many additional shortcakes as possible from the re-formed dough.
Place the shortcakes on a small baking sheet and use a pastry brush to brush the tops with the melted butter. Sprinkle the tops of the shortcakes with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the shortcakes from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. The shortcakes can be served warm or at room temperature.
To assemble the shortcakes: Using a knife or fork, split the shortcakes in half horizontally and place the bottom halves on each of 8 plates.
Divide the berries evenly among the bottom halves and top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream. Lean a shortcake top against each bottom and serve, garnished with a sprig of mint.


text:
Chicago's very own radio personalities Roe Conn and Richard Roeper were on air congratulating us here at Abt Electronics for becoming the Best Place to Work in Chicago. Along with another Chicago news favorite, Ron Majors, they discussed their experiences of coming to our store for the first time as well as recalling memories of when they first bought from us.
They were even impressed with our "Vest Hall of Fame", a private section of our store we have dedicated to past employees, both long-time veterans who have retired and those who passed away while working with us.
Thank you fellas from Chicago's WLS 890 AM for the kind words and recognition!


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Enjoy with escort service in Dadar at the nearest Hotel
From elite models to part girls Dadar escorts have them all under one roof. We understand the city better than others and is affordable too. Some of the best 5 Star Hotels In Dadar are Trident Kurla, Taj Santacruz, and Trident Nariman Point. Ours is a leading agency of escort services. Many people who never had the privilege of having a girlfriend can experience the same with our escort service in Dadar. Rising hormones is natural and this is where our Dadar escort service comes to your rescue. Provide you call girls that are vibrant and are also experts in giving you an Intimate massage.
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Dadar escort service has been in place for a long time. Our services provided has always received positive response from the customers. Girls of various cultures and ethnicity under one shade is available only with us. All these things has made us one of the most sought-after escort services in the city.
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In one world if we answer this it is full satisfaction. Our escorts service in Dadar call girls have been trained in a way to make sure that you get complete satisfaction. Our girls are elite and possess swag. From all age groups to all shapes and sizes. Dadar Escorts don't just hire girls like that but have put up certain criteria in place. If the girls don't fulfill those criteria then we don't take those girls. The first thing is they are up for everything. Secondly, the girls aren't forced into the business, and last but not the least being educated is also compulsory for the girls associated with Dadar escort.
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The Social Security Disability Insurance program is in big trouble. In 2016, the program's trust fund is expected to run out of money. When that happens, there will be "large across-the-board cuts for all beneficiaries," warn James Lankford, the Republican chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees entitlements, and Jackie Speier, the subcommittee's ranking Democrat. Those cuts will be painful for the "truly disabled," whom the system originally was designed to serve.
Washington has a choice to make: provide for the truly disabled or the newly disabled.
The definition of disability was expanded to include mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as well as musculoskeletal pain. The proportion of Americans deemed permanently disabled doubled over the previous four decades, George Washington University law professor Richard J. Pierce Jr. wrote in a 2011 piece for the libertarian Cato Institute. It's like an epidemic. In 2008 alone, the number of applicants — 2.8 million — grew by 21 percent.
In an 11-page memo to acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Carolyn W. Colvin, Lankford and Speier faulted administrative law judges for having "rubber-stamped" new applicants. Each new disability recipient is expected to cost taxpayers $300,000. In 40 states, cases reach a judge only after two separate teams of examiners have turned down an applicant. Nonetheless, hundreds of judges have reversed more than 80 percent of the cases before them. The SSA's Office of the Inspector General calculated that the judges approved 930,250 individuals on disability between 2005 and 2012. No wonder the system is going broke.
There's such a huge backlog that the SSA has yet to review cases approved by infamous "red flag" judges Charles Bridges and David Daugherty. According to their regional chief, Bridges awarded benefits to nearly all the 2,000 claimants who came before him each year. Daugherty approved 99.7 percent of cases before him, to the benefit of 8,413 individuals. Estimated lifetime cost: $2.5 billion.
Social Security spokesman Mark Hinkle responded that the administration has ramped up its efforts to prevent and detect abuses. The White House has submitted a budget that would fund fraud prevention, and that, too, should help.
Lankford and Speier made a number of common-sense recommendations — including that the SSA conduct more reviews of existing cases, comb through applications approved by "red flag" judges and require that applicants submit all evidence regarding their conditions instead of only favorable medical reports.
The Republican and Democratic representatives also take issue with Social Security's refusal to allow judges to review social media. They think it should be mandatory for examiners to check Facebook and other websites to see whether applicants who claim back pain are spending their weekends waterskiing or moving furniture. Pierce questions whether judges should look outside legal records to adjudicate claims. If that's the roadblock, perhaps other investigators can look to see what applicants do in their spare time.
When she visited the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial board in March, Speier made the general observation that Congress does so little compared with what needs to be done. On this issue, Speier and Lankford have bucked Beltway languor in a bipartisan — and hence modest — effort to make the safety net work better.
But I have to say, I like Pierce's idea best. The professor thinks the SSA should get rid of all 1,400 administrative law judges. "They are counterproductive. They introduce more errors than they eliminate," Pierce told me. "They have absolutely no relevant training, no expertise, and they're overruling people who have relevant training and expertise." What's more, he wrote for Cato in 2011, the $2 billion freed up by their removal could be used to "hire a large number of talented people to manage" important programs.
Pierce's solution would not yield the most painstaking justice. But painstaking justice costs too much money. The only way to even the scales that tip in favor of applicants' attorneys would be to hire another army of lawyers to represent the taxpayer in administrative law court — and that would mean less money for the truly disabled.
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Chery qq6 Photo & Video
Chery qq6 has a very pleasant and modern design, comfortable spacious cabin, a fairly high engine power and very economical consumption of gasoline. This model is perfect for everyday use, whether it\'s a drive around the city, on the flat smooth asphalt, or outside the city, in the countryside with rocky, bumpy and uneven roads. Chery qq6 car behaves well on the road in the rain and sleet, it is easy to operate and good for predictable driving in difficult driving conditions.
Video review Chery qq6
The young Chinese company has recently started its activity, but today Chery cars are in high demand among customers in many countries. It should be noted that the models of this brand can boast about decent quality, which fully corresponds to their price. Experts of the concern work hard on the new technologies, each new model boasts about new details and elements that make it more perfect, convenient and demanded. Moreover, Chery cars will higher class vehicles very soon.
You can safely opt for Chery qq6, if you need to transport things or goods – the trunk is very spacious and roomy, you can also place some implements onto a spacious back seat. If you drive with friends, one of them can sleep on the back seat without any discomfort.


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Material: Stainless steel heat resistant
Salomon's Metalen has this material available in the following versions: Pipe Plate Rod
That's why you choose Salomon's Metalen
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The ship designer is out now in the the alpha 2.0 patch, so when have a that ship designed feel free to post it here and so others can see what kind of cool things you can build with it.
You need to put the image on another site something like imageshack or dropbox, copy the URL and use the insert image button. There put your URL to your picture in the spot where it says image URL.
I must assume that an overwrite function will be added later? Sane name hulls don't currently overwrite (nor ask if we want to).
We have to be careful with overwriting ships, in case they still exist out on the map, but we will try and accommodate. By the way Awesome ship, would love to see some of these get posted over on Steam.
Ah, I hadn't considered that. I said the overwrite thing because I tend to work at different moments in the big ships so I need to save to continue later. I think that in the dev stream it was mentioned something about exporting pieces to be reused, so that could work as WIP workaround for me.
Oh, also curious that my video settings (lowered due to crappy card) are ignored in the planet's shipyard list. Not that I complain for the eye candy (no slowdowns anyway).
You will be able to save as a Template, if you are just working on Cosmetics, we should be able to let you overwrite those without messing with existing ships, (I will have sure.)The Ship view, on the Planets is going away, as Starports will soon be their own on map object, and have their own screen. That screen will support all the Post Possessor goodness.
Okay here it is... Resistance is Futile
Above the ship is in action below is the design view. Got it completed using the mirror image options
Those are some sexy cubes you have there.
Congrats on the cube, it looks awesome. Borg Sphere next?
Maybe later One thing that's needed is a hard 0,0,0 coordinate, using one hard point on the generic ship to link everything to isn't always accurate . We'll see if they add it
I really, really, really want to be able to import all these ship designs.
okay I'm not thrilled with it but this is what I quickly put together.. Note the sphere is a colony ship
And next to the cubes
It's that small dot between the cubes
Here is another between 3 cubes and closer zoom, the size is close that it could fit in through the middle opening on the cube. See picture below.
Here's my first medium-hull ship.
Here is a group of new ships I created this morning I created one each colony, constructor, and scout ship. Plus I posted them all together as well.
Edit: Added a transport ship and a defender
I just realized that this is the Ragnarov from SOSE! AWESOME!
Here's my first attempt in GC3 of a star destroyer.
It's dangerous out there. Take this:
I must say that I like the Terran blocks best.
I thoroughly agree, Terran blocks are the best! Now we just need to be able to see them in action! If only we had the combat viewer or at least in-map battles!
Now I have a frigate.
Ho ho ho!
(Edit: Changed it a little, and took shots from more angles.)
My first scout. I called it the Atlas.
My fighter craft, the Phantom. Basically reused the scout and expanded upon that.
My heavy fighter/Corvette. Went with a bit of a different design, which I called the Arrow.
Unfortunately I got use to relying on autosave and I did all this in one turn before I quite out. Since I didn't end the turn all I have left of these three are a couple of screenshots.
Edit: removed broken image links
If you start a new game your ships should be there. The ships save separately and are loaded into your game at the begining of the game. So you may not see them in your current game that failed to save but, should be there in a new game.
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If he divorces his pregnant wife as the result of khula', who should bear the expenses of the birth?
If a man divorces his wife as the result of khula' or he gives her a final talaaq, and she is pregnant, then he must spend on her and on the child according to scholarly consensus; that includes the expenses of the birth.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If a man divorces his wife in an irrevocable divorce, which is either a third talaaq or khula', or an annulment of the marriage, and she is pregnant, then she is entitled to maintenance and accommodation, according to scholarly consensus, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Lodge them (the divorced women) where you dwell, according to your means, and do not harm them so as to straiten them (that they be obliged to leave your house). And if they are pregnant, then spend on them till they lay down their burden"
[al-Talaaq 65:6]
According to some reports about Faatimah bint Qays: "You are not entitled to maintenance unless you are pregnant." Because the pregnancy is his child, so he is obliged to spend on it and he cannot spend on him (the child) without spending on her (the mother), so it becomes binding on him to spend on her too, and he must also pay her for breastfeeding. End quote from al-Mughni (8/185).
As the wife is pregnant, then she is entitled to maintenance, unless she lets her husband off, such as if she divorces him by khula' on the basis that she will cover her own expenses during pregnancy, or expenses during pregnancy until she gives birth, or until the child is weaned. Ibn Qudaamah said: If a woman divorces her husband by khula' and lets him off paying her maintenance during her pregnancy, she has no right to maintenance and neither does the child, until he is weaned. But if she divorces him by khula' and does not let him off paying her maintenance during her pregnancy, then she is entitled to maintenance, just as if he divorced her with a third talaaq when she was pregnant, because the pregnancy is his child, and he must support it. End quote from al-Mughni (8/188).


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NASA's scrapped Ares I rocket may see new life as part of a new private launch vehicle to provide commercial flights to space for satellites, cargo – and maybe even people, the companies proposing it announced today (Feb. 8).
The five-segment solid rocket was developed by Alliant Techsystems (ATK), a longtime NASA contractor responsible for the twin solid rocket boosters used to launch space shuttles into low-Earth orbit.
But the booster's original purpose – to serve as the first stage for NASA's Ares I rocket for launching astronauts into space on Orion capsules – fell through last year when President Barack Obama cancelled NASA's Constellation program aimed at returning astronauts to the moon. The Ares I rocket served as one of the cornerstones for the Constellation program.
Now, ATK has teamed up with the European aerospace company Astrium to repurpose the Ares I rocket's first stage into a completely new, commercial launch vehicle.
The companies call the new rocket "Liberty."
ATK and Astrium are pitching the Liberty rocket for NASA's Commercial Crew Development-2 competition, which is seeking proposals for commercial spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from space. NASA began soliciting proposals for the program in October and could make funding announcements next month, agency officials have said.
Resurrection of Ares I rocket
ATK and Astrium officials say the Liberty rocket could be ready for a first test flight by 2013 and begin operational launches by 2015 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Astrium builds the Ariane 5 rockets that have served as Europe's primary workhorse for launching satellites and spacecraft into orbit. The company would provide the second stage for the new rocket that is based on the Ariane 5 vehicle, officials said.
"Both stages were designed for human-rating since inception and would enable unmatched crew safety," ATK and Astrium officials said in a statement.
Once operational, the rocket will be able to launch payloads of up to 44,500 pounds (20,185 kilograms) into the orbit of the International Space Station, which sails about 220 miles (354 kilometers) above Earth.
That lift capability should give the Liberty rocket the ability to launch unmanned spacecraft, as well as be scaled up to carry astronauts on crewed vehicles as well, officials said.
"The Liberty initiative provides tremendous value because it builds on European Ariane 5 launcher heritage, while allowing NASA to leverage the mature first stage," said former NASA astronaut Charlie Precourt, vice president and general manager of ATK Space Launch Systems, in a statement.
NASA's space shuttle program is due to retire this year after three final flights. Once the shuttles retire, NASA is banking on the availability of commercial U.S. spacecraft and rockets to ferry astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. However, NASA will have to depend on Russian, European and Japanese spacecraft until those American vehicles are available.
Scrapped NASA rocket
ATK's five-segment solid rocket boosters are one segment longer than the versions used to launch NASA space shuttles. The company has test-fired two of the larger rockets at its proving grounds in Utah.
In 2009, NASA launched the first Ares I rocket test flight – called Ares I-X – to demonstrate the feasibility of the booster's odd design, which featured a skinny first stage topped by a fatter second stage. NASA hailed the Ares I-X rocket test flight as a success.
But in 2010, Obama shifted NASA's focus from the moon to a new target: sending astronauts to visit an asteroid by 2025, and then take aim at a human expedition to Mars in the 2030s.
That shift drew criticism from some lawmakers and Constellation program supporters since NASA had already spent about $9 billion on the moon exploration program, which included the Ares I-X test flight and design work on a larger Ares V heavy-lift rocket that also drew on ATK-built solid rocket boosters.
A mobile launch platform for the Ares I rocket has already been built, and launch pad modifications for the Kennedy Space Center also drawn up. ATK and Astrium hope to make use of the existing infrastructure to lower launch costs, officials said.
"We will provide unmatched payload performance at a fraction of the cost, and we will launch it from the Kennedy Space Center using facilities that have already been built," Precourt said. "This approach allows NASA to utilize the investments that have already been made in our nation's ground infrastructure and propulsion systems for the Space Exploration Program."
ATK and Astrium plan to use the United Space Alliance – a longtime NASA contractor used to prepare NASA shuttles for flight – to assemble Liberty rockets for launches.
"This team represents the true sense of international partnership in that we looked across borders to find the best for our customers," said Blake Larson, president of ATK's Aerospace Systems Group. "Liberty provides greater performance at less cost than any other comparable launch vehicle."
You can follow SPACE.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik on Twitter @tariqjmalik.


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Thursday, 23 March 2006
Altered Book 5
The background to this page is an article about holidays in the city, so it seemed an appropriate background to a photo of Turin and some tickets etc from our time there!
Crafted by Crafty Green Poet at 8:12 am No comments:
Thinking about: altered books, books, Italy, photos, re-use, recycled crafts
Thursday, 16 March 2006
Japanese Poetry and Flowers = Notelets
These notelets are made out of old card and paper from my office, extracts from Japanese poetry from a haiku magazine and photos of flowers from an Italian magazine. I made a whole series of them to remind me its supposed to be Spring!
Crafted by Crafty Green Poet at 8:55 am 1 comment:
Thinking about: collage, photos, re-use, recycled crafts
Sunday, 12 March 2006
Altered Book 4
This page of the book features the Hanbury Botanical Gardens, on the coast between Ventimiglia and the French border. The background is a pencil crayoned sketch from a photo and I stuck in two tickets for the gardens. In this case, the text has nothing to do with the pictures, I'm running out of appropriate text!
Crafted by Crafty Green Poet at 3:41 pm No comments:
Thinking about: altered books, books, Italy, photos, re-use, recycled crafts
Sunday, 5 March 2006
Community Backgreens Initiative
Green Caretakers and Re-solution http://www.re-solution.co.uk have launched a project to revamp some of the derelict backgreens in densely populated areas of Edinburgh. The idea originates in Copenhagen, Denmark (unfortunately I can't find English language web resources on the Copenhagen project, has anyone got any information on this?). The plan is to involve local residents in tidying up the areas behind their tenements, planning how they want them to look and then signing up to a maintenance agreement. Hopefully the results will bring backgreens into better use, increase the community feeling of an area and improve the area for wildlife. So, I'll maybe need to buy a pair of wellies.....
Crafted by Crafty Green Poet at 7:15 pm 2 comments:
Thinking about: garden, green lifestyle, In and around Edinburgh
Thursday, 2 March 2006
Spring Gift Wrap
This is a nice giftwrap for Mothers Day or a spring birthday. The paper is from two paper bags, the ribbon is reused and the gift tag is from an old greetings card. I love how the flower on the card echoes those on the paper!
Crafted by Crafty Green Poet at 9:40 am 2 comments:
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