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Lady Crusaders use strong hitting to down Ridgway
Elk County Catholic pounded the softball and had a 13-run second inning en route to a 21-2, 3-inning win over Ridgway Wednesday afternoon at Francis S. Grandinetti Elementary School. ECC had every starter get a hit, the top four hitters combined for nine hits overall."We had a well-balanced offense [yesterday] with every starter getting at least one hit," Elk County Catholic coach Dr. Joe Coroso said. "We made some adjustments after our first game with Ridgway (a 2-0 win) and it seemed to make a difference [yesterday]. Taylor Schlimm threw another great game and still hasn't given up an earned run this season. Michelle Imbrogno made two spectacular fielding plays at shortstop and she just gets better every game." The Lady Crusaders opened the game with a 2-run home run from Jessie Ginther in the first inning, scoring herself and Hannah McGowan. The run was the first of four scored by the ECC leadoff hitter, she also had two RBI in a 2-for-3 day. The inning continued as Anna Hawkins and Jenny Cappiello walked. Lyndsey Trumbull singled to load the bases. After a fielder's choice to home off the bat of Taylor Schlimm, Kristy Hanes flew out to center for a sacrifice fly, scoring Cappiello. ECC took a 3-0 lead into the second inning and took control of the game with 13 runs and 18 batters stepping to the plate. Michelle Imbrogno opened the inning with a walk. McGowan reached on a failed fielder's choice attempt to second and Ginther roped a double to score Imbrogno. Ginther finished with 3 RBI for the Lady Crusaders and scored four runs in a 2-for-2 showing. Hawkins added a double to score both McGowan and Ginther and make the lead 6-0. Hawkins had three hits, two doubles and six RBI for the Lady Crusaders. Cappiello singled and Trumbull was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Schlimm walked home Hawkins for the Lady Crusaders' seventh run. Hanes reached on an error to score Cappiello and Gradizzi singled home Trumbull for ECC. Imbrogno hit a sacrifice fly on her second time up to score Julia Scacchitti and put the lead at 10-0. McGowan roped a single to plate both Hanes and courtesy runner Sam Smith. Ginther was walked and Hawkins added to the run total with a single to score McGowan. Cappiello reached on an error as Ginther scored and a groundout from Trumbull scored Hawkins. Schlimm singled home Cappiello for the last run of the inning as the Lady Crusaders led 16-0 after two innings. In the third inning, Imbrogno opened with a double and McGowan followed with a single of her own. Ginther walked and Hawkins cleared the bases with a 3-run double, scoring Imbrogno, McGowan and Ginther. After a groundout, Schlimm walked and Hanes hit into a fielder's choice. A single from Smith scored Scacchitti and Lexa Hansen. Ridgway was able to crack the scoreboard in the home half of the third. Jenna Hoffman opened with a 1-out single, Erica Thorwart then hit into a fielder's choice. Melissa Wehler walked and Bri Stenta singled, an error from ECC was able to bring home both Thorwart and Wehler. Schlimm had one walk and four strikeouts for her fifth win of the season."They came out ready and we weren't ready," Ridgway coach Gary Gerber II said. "Pitching was a little wild but also the defense didn't seem ready at times. Now is when you see how the team reacts after a loss. We come right back and we're just looking for a little more hustle. I thought we hit alright. We started hitting it a little better, definitely better than the first time we faced her [Schlimm]. I think they're ready to hit."ECC hosts Kane today at 4:15 p.m. Ridgway travels to face St. Marys today for a 4 p.m. start.Individual statistics:ECC AB R H BIHannah McGowan 3 4 2 2Jessie Ginther 2 4 2 3Anna Hawkins 3 2 3 6Jenny Cappiello 2 3 2 1Lyndsey Trumbull 2 1 1 1Taylor Schlimm 2 0 1 2Kristy Hanes 2 1 0 2Torie Gradizzi 3 0 1 1Michelle Imbrogno 3 2 1 1Jessie McLaughlin 0 0 0 0Sam Smith 1 1 1 2Julia Scacchitti 0 2 0 0Lexa Hansen 0 1 0 0Jena Struble 1 0 0 0Totals 24 21 14 212B: Hawkins 2, Imbrogno, Ginther. HBP: Trumbull. SAC FLY: Hanes, Imbrogno. Ridgway AB R H BIErica Thorwart 2 1 0 0Melissa Wehler 1 1 1 0Bri Stenta 2 0 0 0Ashley Viglione 2 0 0 0Sam Kovalyak 1 0 0 0Taylor Roseto 1 0 0 0Sydney Kovalyak 1 0 0 0Jenni Thomas 1 0 0 0Jenna Hoffman 1 0 1 0Totals 12 2 2 0 R H EECC 3(13) 5 - 21 14 1Ridgway 0 0 2 - 2 2 2ECC IP H R BB KSchlimm 3 4 1 1 4Ridgway IP H R BB KRoseto 2+ 13 20 8 2Herzing 1 1 1 2 0Roseto pitched to 4 batters in the 3rd inning.


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The Washington Mystics were glad to finally get their first road win of the season in their last game before the Olympic break, and it came at the Liberty's expense.
Crystal Langhorne scored 24 points and Monique Currie added 16 to lead the last-place Mystics to a 70-53 victory over the Liberty on Friday. Washington (4-14), which had lost its first seven road games, snapped a four-game losing streak and won for the second time in 11 games.
"It was big for us to come in and win on the road our last game," Langhorne said. "Just a change of direction for us."
After trailing early, the Mystics took control with a tiebreaking 15-2 run in the second quarter. The Liberty got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
"We were being really aggressive offensively," Langhorne said. "They were getting a lot of second-chance opportunities in the first quarter and we really focused on boxing out and pushing on transition."
Washington shot 43 percent (24 for 56) from the field, led by Langhorne's 10-for-15 and Currie's 5-for-8 efforts. The Mystics were also 19 for 28 (68 percent) on free throws.
Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points on 9-for-23 shooting for the Liberty (6-12), losers of three straight and seven of their last 10. Essence Carson added eight points on 4-for-15 shooting as the Liberty shot 32 percent (22 for 68) — including 1 for 15 from 3-point range — and 8 of 9 on free throws.
"I was 0 for 5 behind the [3-point] line," Pondexter said. "Those are shots you got to make. We're a pretty solid 3-point shooting team. Leilani [Mitchell] is the head of that, Nicole [Powell] shoots well. … We knock shots down. Obviously today wasn't that kind of day."
The Liberty cut a 13-point deficit late in the second quarter to eight early in the third. Nevertheless, the Mystics scored seven consecutive points to regain control. Jasmine Thomas made two free throws and hit a 3-pointer, and Noelle Quinn had a layup to stretch the advantage to 48-33 with 5:12 left in the quarter.
Currie made two free throws and a 3-pointer in the final minute of the period to give Washington a 58-41 lead heading to the fourth. Ashley Robinson's free throw with 8:42 remaining pushed the Mystics' lead to 18, their largest of the game.
Mitchell's 3 with 3:48 to go — the Liberty's first made shot from beyond the arc after missing the first 14 attempts — capped a 7-0 run and pulled the Liberty to 61-53, but they would get no closer with the Mystics closing the game on a 9-0 run.
"It was a great team effort with everybody contributing," Washington coach Trudi Lacey said. "We executed our game plan for 40 minutes, which is something we struggled with all season. This was a good way to end the first half of the season. We just have to build on it and move forward."
Kia Vaughn returned to the Liberty lineup after missing three games due to a concussion and had four points and four rebounds in nearly 27 minutes. New York was still without second-leading scorer and rebounder Plenette Pierson, who missed her eighth straight game with a left knee strain.
Both teams played their final game before the league's month-long break. They resume play Aug. 16 when the Liberty host Connecticut and Washington visits Indiana.
"We definitely needed to win and obviously we didn't," Pondexter said. "It shows how much work we got to do during the break."
The Mystics trailed by seven points a little more than 6 minutes into the game before pulling to 17-16 on Natasha Lacy's layup in the final minute of the first quarter. Currie made one free throw and hit a jumper to cap an 11-2 run that gave Washington a 19-17 lead in the opening minute of the second.
Alex Montgomery and Langhorne traded jumpers about 50 seconds apart, and then Montgomery made two free throws to tie the score 21-all with 7:14 left in the first half.
The Mystics then took control with their 15-2 run over the next 5:51. Langhorne made two tiebreaking free throws and Quinn hit a 3-pointer to push Washington's lead to five with about 5 ¹/₂ minutes remaining in the half. Langhorne and Matee Ajavon had four points each during a 10-0 spurt that extended the lead to 36-23 nearly 4 minutes later.
The Liberty, who shot 3 for 15 from the field and had six turnovers in the second quarter, scored the final four points of the period to pull within nine at the break.
"We had control of the game pretty early," Pondexter said. "We made a couple of substitutions and they took advantage of it, kind of disrupted the flow of how the game was going in the beginning. And we never recovered."

subset: commoncrawl


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What Drink Do You Order at a Bad Bar? 25 Food Writers Share Their Safety Drinks
What do you drink at a bad bar? It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, I know, but we've all been there: stuck in a tired airport lounge, or at a restaurant hundreds of miles away from an artisanal cocktail menu, eyeing a bartender who doesn't look old enough to drink. What do you order when you just don't trust the bar (or the bartender)? What's your safety drink? I asked 25 food writer friends what they go to when they want a drink but don't trust the bar.
My own personal "safety drink" is a Godfather, a venerable old classic involving 2 parts (or 3 parts) Scotch to 1 part amaretto, stirred over ice. It's really satisfying and somehow exceeds the sum of its parts — and more the point, nearly everyone knows it, and there isn't even a garnish to screw up.
Read on for 25 professional food-lovers' own safety drinks. And while this may sound like a menu born from desperate times, these drinks are also really terrific inspiration for those of us who want a quick cocktail in the evenings but aren't up for, you know, brewing our own bitters. These picks are great reminders of how simple and yes, foolproof, a good drink can be.
What's Your Safety Drink?
- If I'm unsure, I just stick to beer. Someone else has already done the work there and as long as the bartender can pour a draft, I'm good with that. - Casey Barber, Good. Food. Stories.
- A good vodka shaken straight up with a twist and nothing else - no vermouth. 95% of the time I'm safe. Although last Friday I ordered it at the Irish Bank in SF and got my Belvedere swimming in vermouth, sent it back and received a Tanqueray with a vermouth float. I gave up and drank my husband's rye on the rocks and switched to beer. - Robin Carpenter of Hunt and Gather Girl
- Gin and tonic. With enough lime, I can tolerate a bad one. - Sheri Castle, cookbook author
- My safety drink is to ask the bartender to make me something he or she likes. Even an inexperienced bartender will have at least one drink that they know and love. I'll take that one! - Emma Christensen of The Kitchn and Emma Elizabeth Christensen
- Usually something simple — Wild Turkey bourbon on the rocks. Or a beer. - Melissa Clark, cookbook author and columnist at The New York Times
- Vodka on the rocks. I've had many a bad vodka + tonic. - Karen Covey of Gourmet Recipes for One
- Gin, grapefruit juice and bitters..though a recent trip through the South rattled my expectation that every bar has bitters. - Brenda Crow of FoodShed
- Jack & Coke. The more I drink, the less I care. - Tara Mataraza Desmond of Crumbs on My Keyboard, Almost Meatless
- Vodka tonic but I think it can be messed up - in a bad bar the tonic's often flat or off. Maybe for now on... Scotch on the rocks? - Jenni Ferrari-Adler, Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant
- Vodka iced — straight up! - Judy Witts Francini of Divina Cucina
- If they have good beer I ask for that with a ton of limes. If there's decent gin I'll ask for a gin and tonic - again, lots of limes. They can't screw that up. Right? - Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan of The Kitchn
- Campari and soda. With lime. But not all bars have it! - Kathy Gunst of Kathy Gunst.com
- I say, "No, please, really, make me the drink that is the truest expression of your creative self." - Francis Lam of Gilt Taste
- I go for vodka tonic. - Andrea Lynn of Andrea Lynn Food Writer.com
- I order based on the look of the bartender. If he/she is older than dirt, I'll get an Old Fashioned or a Gimlet. If he/she is under 30, I get bourbon with ONE ICE CUBE. - Ivy Manning, cookbook author
- Sweet vermouth (red, like Lillet) on the rocks with a twist. Or Campari in the same way. - Domenica Marchetti of Domenica Cooks
- When in doubt: 1) Draft beer 2) Club soda. - Nancie McDermott, cookbook author
- Bourbon on the rocks - I mean how can you mess up one ingredient? Or a bottle of beer... always leery of dirty taps....yuck! - Maureen Petrosky of The Kitchn and MaureenPetrosky.com
- I used to think gin and tonic, until a very suspect bartender gave me one that tasted like flat 7-Up. So now I'll order an Americano (1:1 Campari and vermouth, club soda), or if things are really grim, bourbon on the rocks. Or a beer. - Anjali Prasertong of The Kitchn and Eat Your Greens
- Gin and tonic is an easy solution, I mean the worst they can do is forget the tonic and that wouldn't be all bad. Sometimes I do venture to a shaken dirty martini, but in that you sometimes get bartenders who either assume vodka (I'm a gin man myself) or add way too much olive juice (olive juice with a splash of gin anyone?). - Adam Salomone of Harvard Common Press
- If I really don't trust the bartender? Simple, just give me the best beer on the menu, of course I would pick. Or the wine of my choice. If I had to pick spirits, bourbon, with a splash of soda. I could live with any, although Maker's Mark is hard to beat. - Bruce Shaw of Harvard Common Press
- Gin and tonic with a splash of cranberry and a lime. I like it because I'll drink it weak or strong, because it still makes a conversation piece at a party, and because when I've had enough, I can switch to soda with cran and everyone thinks I'm still drinking. - Jess Thomson of Hogwash and Pike Place Market Recipes
- A Greyhound has never failed me (yet!). - Tara Austen Weaver of Tea and Cookies
- I have sent back so many G&Ts because they use the tonic from the gun and 9 times out of 10 it is flat and syrupy. I only order Gin and tonics from places that use bottled/canned tonic water and sadly very few places do. - Bethia Woolf of Columbus Food Adventures
- I think you can't mess up a gin and tonic too badly. - Grace Young, Grace Young.com
What's your safety drink — out, or at home? And why?
Related: Favorite Cocktails: What Are Your Top 5 Picks?
(Image: Peter Kim/Shutterstock; Nancy Mitchell)


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Post by cryptostorm_admin » Mon Mar 14, 2016 10:01 pm
Greetings -That's good news to hear that our domain has been un-blackhoied after the passage of time since it was turned off last fall.That domain is one of a number of mirrored TLDs that, together, at as pointers to our transparent proxy to the KAT content search engine. As a network security service, we provide a number of such dedicated transparent web proxies, with the primary goal of enabling secure access to widely-available web resources for our members. Often, alternative proxy access to such search engines come laden with aggressive - and often security-negative - advertising resources; we limit the transmission of such "badware" on the proxies we make available, thus substantially improving the security and usability of web access for our members - and for the broader online community.(similar, but parallel, benefits accrue to our members through our "TrackerSmacker" anti-adware DNS cleansing function)These resources are, in summary, a "give-back" we provide at no cost and for which we receive no financial benefit. But, we're believers in the "what goes around, comes around" approach to business - it's worked well for us over the years, and we are always appreciative when our vendor colleagues resonate with this approach, as well.There's considerable detail on the technical underpnnings of this particular transparent proxy in our corresponding forum thread {which simply links to this thread ~admin} on the topic.Meanwhile, if we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to let us know. Generally, it's more efficient for everyone involved when such communications takes place. That's not to say we all necessarily reach automatic agreement simply through communication; fair minds can - and do - disagree on important and complex topics. Rather, it's to acknowledge that failing to communicate rarely if ever helps move that process along in a healthy and efficient way.With regards,~ pj
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Post by huh » Tue Oct 06, 2015 6:16 am
Post by Pattern_Juggled » Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:26 pm
Post by cryptostorm_admin » Fri Oct 02, 2015 6:40 pm
Going into some detail, the proxy operator then explained that Kickass (for unknown reasons, but possibly to save bandwidth) set their site up in a way that makes it extremely difficult to get proxies working. We didn't get a comment on that specifically from Kickass, but they did give us an explanation as to why some proxies had stopped working."We have banned some proxies which were replacing ads. The only reason is that we don't want to lose our traffic because of proxies which are not even showing our ads while they are providing additional load on our servers," the Kickass operators explained.So what we have here is Kickass being blocked in the UK in the first instance due to its claimed disruptive effect on the revenue models of the entertainment industries, followed by proxies being blocked for having a similar effect on the revenues Kickass. Hmmmm.Additionally, Kickass also told us that they blocked some proxy sites for doing too well in search engine results."Another reason [for banning proxies] is that for some queries in Google, proxy's pages were placed even higher than [Kickass' results]," the site explained.Quite why proxy sites have been outgunning the official domain in Google's results is uncertain, but the search engine may well be down-ranking 'pirate site' domains as it promised the music industry it would.
But despite KAT's approach to some proxies, it is possible for them to work with others.Drastik, the admin of PirateProxy.net, the world's largest Pirate Bay proxy, told TorrentFreak that he had previously spoken with the KAT admins about ads and had reached an agreement."When my KAT proxy (katproxy.com) started getting a lot of traffic, I contacted a KAT admin and asked if I could add one banner advertisement to cover my server costs. They said that it was okay and I added that one ad. My proxy has been running fine," he explained.
"In the nearest future a number of official proxies will be started as well so KAT definitely will be available through its official proxies even in case of any issues with our main domain," KAT concludes.
Post by BubuAnabelas » Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:19 am
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Post by vpnDarknet » Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:54 pm
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Code: Select all
From: firstname.lastname@example.com sir or madam,This is a notification of copyright infringement.Ticket ID: (COMESOABUSE #5473)We found cases of copyright infringements on the pages below:Original Work: Session Keys Grand YInfringing URLs:https://katstorm.party/e-instruments-se ... 86405.htmlOriginal Work: Saint Seiya - Soul of GoldInfringing URLs:https://katstorm.party/anonimu-fansubu- ... 11888.htmlOriginal Work: God EaterInfringing URLs:https://katstorm.party/horriblesubs-god ... 62544.htmlhttps://katstorm.party/ohys-raws-god-ea ... 68073.htmlhttps://katstorm.party/ohys-raws-god-ea ... 05371.htmlOriginal Work: The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls Second SeriesInfringing URLs:https://katstorm.party/horriblesubs-the ... 95369.htmlI have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above as allegedly infringing is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.I ask you to take down this content within 48 hours and I would be grateful if you could send me a short message when you have accomplished the deletion.
From: firstname.lastname@example.com website https://katstorm.party/ doesn't host any content, it's a simple proxy to the website https://kat.cr/, so we have no control over the content.If we took down the proxy, there are hundreds of others on the internet, all easily accessible via Google.For example:http://kickass-download.cf/http://freeproxy.io/o.php?u=https://kat.crhttp://thekat.tv/http://kickassto.co/http://katproxy.is/http://kat.cr.prx.websiteproxy.co.uk/If you want the copyrighted materials you described to be removed from the internet, you would have to contact the people operating https://kat.cr/
From: firstname.lastname@example.com my problem. You provide access to illegal content so you are 100% responsible for your "proxy".Also other services similar to yours are able to block content that we report.
From: email@example.com "Tracy" -First off, my apologies if I have chosen an inaccurate honorific in my salutation; despite reading through the growing correspondence we've received from you thus far, I see no surname and cannot but guess at the appropriate term.While we are heartened to hear of your "good faith beliefs" in various elements of consensus reality, it is unfortunately the case that personal beliefs rarely have the force of substantive justification for claims made under the legal systems of any of the possible jurisdictions covered under the activities being discussed - or alleged - in your correspondence thus far. Put another way, it may be the case that I have a "good faith belief" that our planet's sole moon is made of a particularly pungent French cheese. Alas, that belief won't get me a shot at winning a claim for all that delicious dairy product in a legitimate court of law. Nor will it, in fact, get me much beyond pitying stares from those with a more robust connection to objective reality.In much the same way, your claims thus far teeter precariously somewhere between childish fantasy and delusional personal pocket-universe. In crassly quotidian terms, you've provided not one whiff of forensic or objective evidence in support of these fantastical assertions of some transgression of a right under (civil) law of some party which may or may not be in any legally substantive relationship with whoever you are. One finds it often to be the case that courts do, speaking in general terms, expect to be provided with more than flights of imaginary fancy when it comes to tort claims (or jurisdictionally equivalent legal assertions).This is the place in this process where, therefore, we respectfully request that you provide to us substantive and independently verifiable forensic data to back up the oddly faith-based statements you've produced in early messages to our staff. We assume, given that you purport to do this for a living ("this" being some form of low-rent mercenary activity putatively on behalf of some kind of intellectual property "owner" somewhere in the world), you are familiar with the standards and expectations of digital forensics in the context of provisioning of network-based resources and claims made that such resources emanate from particular physical hardware devices under the custody and/or control of specific legal entities or individual persons. Because, obviously, if you don't know what you're doing wrt forensic standards one might well wonder if there's other "oopsie" holes in your knowledge praxis when it comes to other elements of your shakedown - let's be honest and call it what it is: extortion - attempt.Once we receive those data - and don't stress over the method used to provide them to us, as we're pretty flexible in being able to accept most any commonly-supported format, channel, method, or encoding of said data - we will do our own close review to determine if they are congruent with your claims thus far.If they aren't, we'll review our own legal rights to seek compensatory, punitive, and whatever other damages ("karmic retribution," perhaps?) duly-constituted courts of law might consider in the case of a lame-brained digital extortion attempt gone wrong.It's worth noting, further, that such desperate ploys for easy money (or, worse yet, censorious removal of shared cultural patrimony) generally run afoul of criminal statutes in most every jurisdiction one might choose to visit on this beautiful planet of ours. Although we're somewhat well known for our tendency to avoid wasting LEO time on such picayune matters, one nevertheless remains aware that it's entirely possible some public prosecutor or similar figure will choose to take up such a criminal case and, as the saying goes, put your snarky ass in jail for a minute or three.So there's that.As to what is or is not "your problem," I'd personally suggest that you are underestimating the potential scale and scope of the set of things that could well become "your problem" as time goes by. The universe we share is funny like that: merely asserting one is free of problems isn't terribly effective in magically making any such problems vanish. Or so we've been told, for what it's worth.While Goebbels was a big fan of "blocking content," we're not so much in that particular camp. Anyone holding one's breath for that to take place is likely to find themselves short of oxygen long before we start censoring packets coming across our network because some tinpot Torquemada decides to email us about his (her?) personal fantasies and other idiosyncratic belief quanta. We just don't roll that way, yo.With... well, not so much respect as something more like contemptuous bemusement...~ cryptostorm's contumacious network topologist-at-large, aka "pj"
Remember me


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7 Simple But Powerful Prayers
We are forever being pulled outward into the world of position, possession, pleasure, and away from any kind of inner experience. Prayer is intended to be the deliberate, conscious inner work to help turn us in an inward direction. The seven simple but powerful prayers that follow are ways in which you may begin working to become inwardly active in your life. This new kind of prayer-in-action changes your perception by turning your attention from constantly looking for ways to fix life by struggling outside of yourself, to where the real problem --and the real solution -- exists: within you.


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5 Cookie Cookbooks Worth Owning
When I'm browsing through the cookbook section of the local bookstore, it's very rare that I'm looking for a book that encompasses all the different courses and dishes one could eat. Instead, I'm usually very specific and looking for a book about meat or slow cookers, but in this case it's cookies.
Although it sounds silly to want to own 5 cookbooks worth of cookie recipes, if you're truly digesting what's in each book, it's not difficult to do. For as many awesome cookie cookbooks (say that 3 times fast) as there are out there, there's an equal amount of bad ones. Here's a few of our favorites:
1. Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: The word Vegan makes you think that your baked good will taste like whole grains and flax or other non-dessert based grains and "hippie food." This book is perfect to add to your collection for those with allergies or with kids (someone in a class at school always has one!) and yields amazing goods to feed crowds.
2. Martha Stewart Cookies: A few years back Martha put out a holiday cookie magazine supplement to her Living Magazine. My copy is now tattered and torn and I was ever so grateful when this book came out. It encompasses most of those recipes, packaging tips and has big, beautiful photos. Fabulous recipes, my only complaint is that the book doesn't stay open easily on the counter and needs a stand or weight.
3. King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: I've eaten my way through 85% of this book over the last several years (I say years to make it sound less depressing... don't look at me that way, you'd do it too) and my favorite part about this book (besides the cookies themselves), is the science that lies within it's pages. There's all sorts of tips that will help you better understand the mechanics of a recipe to help you become a better baker.
4. Cookie Craft: From Baking to Luster Dust, Designs and Techniques for Creative Cookie Occasions: If the title is that long it must be good right? This book is a great place to find sparkly eye candy and is full of cookies that leave you with your jaw open in amazement. It's a good source to see all sorts of icing work and decoration in one place without spending your evening Googling till your eyes bleed.
5. Taste Of Home Cookies: Although it takes a great deal for books that are compiled from magazines to win our hearts (they usually tend to be 25% awesome and 75% just ok), this one has earned a spot on the shelf. This is a great book for new bakers as its ingredients and instructions are unassuming and easy to follow.
A few other honorable mentions go to some of the cookbooks in Sara-Kate's post from yesterday, so make sure to check those out as well!
Do you have a favorite that didn't make the list, share the title and let us know why you think it's awesome in the comments below!
Related: Gourmet Magazine's Favorite Cookies: 1941-2008
(Image: Barnes and Noble)


text: Status of licences for sportsbets, VAT on services rendered electronically Share this 24 MAR 2016 By: Richard Woolich Martin Heinsius Permission of online sport betting providers in Germany The gambling market is strictly regulated under German law, with the operation and organising or facilitating of public games of chance on the internet prohibited (sec. 4 para. 4 of the state treaty on gaming 'GlüStV' 2012). Exceptions are permitted only under strict conditions. However, in reality there is a largely unregulated gambling market in Germany, which public regulation appears to have failed to prevent1. In the following, we present the current legal situation and political debate. Background The operation and organising or facilitating of public games of chance may only be performed with the permission of the competent authority. The current basis for this procedure, on which the federal states have agreed, is the GlüStV 2012. Based on this treaty, the federal states have enacted state gambling laws, each implementing its own decrees. Under the previous GlüStV 2008, the operation and organising or facilitating of games of chance over the internet was prohibited without exception. Only the State was allowed to operate sports betting, with organising or facilitating only allowed at state lottery retail locations. Pursuant to the GlüStV 2012, the operation and organising or facilitating of games of chance over the internet is still prohibited, although an 'experimentation clause' exists which provides exceptions in respect of lotteries and sports betting, with the operation and organising or facilitating of sports betting over the internet requiring a licence. Under the GlüStV 2012, from July 2012 the operation of sports betting was permitted on a trial basis for a seven year period. However, a licence is still required, with a limit of 20 licences allowed to be allocated throughout the country. Hesse is the competent state for the allocation of these licences and is supported by a gambling committee for this purpose. European-wide bidding for the licences started in August 2012. However due to a decision of the Administrative Court of Wiesbaden2 in 2014, subsequently confirmed by the Higher Administrative Court3, the licences could not be granted. Following an emergency appeal of this decision in 2015 by a sports betting provider, the Administrative Court of Wiesbaden4 required the granting of licences to be postponed. This decision was confirmed by the Higher Administrative Court on the ground that the supreme gambling supervisory authority of the states, the gambling committee, is unconstitutional.5 The Higher Administrative Court stated that the distribution of responsibilities according to the GlüStV 2012 contradicts the federal system of the German constitution (Grundgesetz, 'GG'). The GG provides that the public authority has to be exercised either by the federation (Bund) or the states (Länder). The (contractual) creation of a 'third level' violates the federal system. Furthermore, the Higher Administrative Court stated that the gambling committee is not sufficiently democratically legitimated. By creating the gambling committee, the states created an institution with the competence to take binding decisions for all states in an area with implications for fundamental rights, without, however, ensuring that this was established with the appropriate controls and monitoring procedures. As a result, it appeared that the procedure for granting sports betting licences would be on hold for the foreseeable future.6 Current actions against illegal providers As previously mentioned, a largely unregulated gambling market exists in Germany. This has been encouraged partly by the courts suggesting that the delay in granting of licences is not attributable to the sports betting providers and that they should therefore not be penalised by the current law7. In addition, the authorities want to avoid judicial disputes and damages claims.8 As an example, the sports betting provider "Tipico" operates at over 850 sports betting locations, none with a gambling law licence.9 Furthermore, the administrative authorities have practical problems applying prohibition orders to sports betting providers.10 The ability to block cash flows under the GlüStV 2012 has not yet been invoked, but the competent state Lower Saxony has announced that it may do this in future.11 Perspective On 4 February 2016, the European Court of Justice12 (EuGH) indicated that the illegal sports betting monopoly in favour of the German State (resulting from the previous GlüStV 2008) still exists. Essentially, the EuGH stated that the EU principle of freedom to provide services prohibits (both under the previous and current law) the authorities from punishing private economic operators because they offer sports betting without a licence. However, this decision only concerns land-based betting operators. As online sports betting was totally prohibited under the GlüStV 2008, no state monopoly arose which could have been consolidated under the GlüStV 2012.13 Therefore, in respect of online sports betting, no violation of European law has occurred.14 Until a few days ago, the reaction of the German legislature was unclear. According to German legal literature, the willingness of politicians to modify the licence procedure is very limited.15 The state lottery offices classify the decision of the EuGH as an endorsement of the GlüStV 2012 (see here and here). However, the need for reform is supported by the Ministry of the Interior of Hessen, which supports the abolition of the limitations on the number of licences (20) and monthly bets (EUR 1,000). Although Hesse is the competent authority for the granting of licences, it has no greater influence regarding the revision of this procedure than other states. Furthermore, as the illegal providers benefit from the current legal situation, an initiative for reform from this group is not expected.16 Nevertheless, as the administrative regulation of gambling is the responsibility of the states and the states are not obliged to coordinate their gambling laws,17 there is a possibility that one state could enact a different gambling law to others. In an effort to end the political and legal stalemate mentioned above the government of Hesse announced on March 15th18 that it will propose a new GlüStV which would both cover the concerns raised by EuGH and the German Administrative Courts. The proposal in essence no longer limits the number of licences that may be issued but instead entitles anyone who complies with the applicable rules to a licence. With respect to online gambling a betting limit of EUR 1,000.00 is replaced by a loss limit of EUR 1,000.00. In cases where a higher creditworthiness is proven, the loss limit can be increased. Registration and identification procedures are simplified. A unified data base for "blocked" gamblers will be introduced that will cover all types of gambling. In order to centralise supervision the Federal States will set up a corporate entity under public law, Gemeinsame Anstalt für Glücksspielaufsicht (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) to issue the licences and supervise the market participants. As in the existing GlüStV it is proposed to levy a gambling duty at 20% of the operators' gross gambling revenue. The proposed new GlüStV does not yet provide for an effective date. As it is an agreement among the German Federal States (Bundesländer), it needs to be signed by at least two of them to take effect among its parties. The draft provides that it would become effective with respect to further Federal States once they have acceded to it. Guidance of the German Inland Revenue Office relating to electronically provided services By way of introduction, if a B2C betting service constitutes an electronically supplied service (ESS) the place of supply is where the player is established. If it does not constitute an ESS, the place of supply is where the supplier is based. Accordingly the question is fundamental in deciding where a betting transaction is taxed, and which jurisdiction's VAT laws are relevant. This is a difficult question particularly as the definition of ESS according to EU VAT law requires there to be "minimal human intervention" and this phrase is open to different interpretations. The German Inland Revenue Office has published guidance on the meaning of electronically supplied services. It defines services rendered electronically in sec. 3a.12 para. 1 sentence 1 of the German value added tax application decree (Umsatzsteuer-Anwendungserlass, "UStAE") as services provided via the internet or an electronic network, including networks for the transmission of digital content, whose performance is highly dependent on information technology. These services are mostly automated, performed with minimal human participation and would not have been possible without information technology. This is generally the same definition as that used in the EU Regulation 282/2011. The German Inland Revenue Office has also created a list of services that fall under the above definition. Pursuant to this list (sec 3a.12 para 2 UStAE) software; amendments or updates to software; services that provide or enhance a presence in electronic networks for personal or business use (such as websites); services generated automatically by a computer over the internet or other electronic network upon entry of certain data by the service recipient; and other automated services for which the internet or another electronic network is required to perform such services (such as online market platforms) all fall under this definition. In particular, pursuant to sec. 3a.12 para. 3 no. 7 UStAE, the provision of movies and games through the internet, including gambling and lotteries, (which according to German legal literature includes sports betting)19 meets the requirements for a service provided electronically. Given the above definition, sports betting provided it satisfies the definition of an ESS would qualify as an electronically supplied service under the legal practice of the German Inland Revenue Office (although it would depend on the human intervention involved). Consequences of the Regulatory Status Quo for VAT From a German tax law perspective the question whether a certain business or business transaction is illegal, constitutes a criminal offence or requires a licence is irrelevant for taxation purposes, because pursuant to Sec 41 AO (Abgabenordnung, German General Tax Code) an illegal business transaction shall not be disregarded for tax purposes, as long as the parties to the business transaction or relationship fell bound by their mutual agreement and perform their "obligations" under such agreement as if it were valid. Consequently sports betting transactions offered to consumers would be subject to VAT in the country where the service recipient is established if it constituted an ESS even if such services are offered without the required business licence. With respect to VAT the application of the gambling exemption needs to be carefully reviewed. With respect to Germany (§ 4 Nr 9 lit b UStG) gambling as an ESS would be VAT exempt, provided that such service is subject to the Lottery duty. It goes without saying that not declaring and paying VAT or Lottery duty that has become due may constitute a criminal offence. 1 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (410). 2 VG Wiesbaden, decision dated 17 September 2014 - 5 L 1428/14.WI. 3 VGH Kassel, decision dated 07 October 2014 - 8 B 1686/14. 4 VG Wiesbaden, decision dated 05 June 2015 - 5 L 1453/14.WI. 5 VGH Kassel, decision dated 16 October 2015 – 8 B 1028/15. 6 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (413) 7 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (413) 8 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (413). 9 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (410 et seq.). 10 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (413). 11 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (414). 12 EuGH, decision dated 04 February 2016 - C 336/14. 13 Ruttig, EuGH rügt Übergangsreglungen im Glücksspielrecht: Ein Pyrrhussieg für Online-Sportwettangebote, in Legal Tribute Online, 11.02.2016 14 Ruttig, EuGH rügt Übergangsreglungen im Glücksspielrecht: Ein Pyrrhussieg für Online-Sportwettangebote, in Legal Tribute Online, 11.02.2016 15 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (413). 16 Becker, ZfWG 2015, 410 (413). 17 Makswit, ZfWG 2015, 430 (434). 18 Hessisches Innenministerium "Glücksspiel in Deutschland in geregelte Bahnen lenken" 15.03.2016 19 Leipold, in: Sölch/Ringleb (2015), UStG § 4 Nr. 9 recital 72


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Getting married is kind of like launching into outer outer space - a little unknown but absolutely exciting! The big day is set for July 11th,2015, and we are really looking forward to sharing this time with each of you, so save the date and get on board.
We'll be using this site to keep you apprised of all of the festivity details as we count down to the Big Day -- check back often for the latest information. Please sign our guest book to let us know you stopped by :)
See you at blast off!
Chad and Tina


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The point of this discussion is to get people's perspective on abortion. Why people do it. And why people are against it.
From Catholic.org I found a video on abortion, but it didn't look like the normal procedures performed in the United States. It looks like they purposely chose the worst pictures possible to convince Christians that abortion is wrong. Where did they get such graphic material?
Video Link: http://www.catholic.org/video/watch.php?v=13
A legal abortion in the United States looks more like this: http://www.thisismyabortion.com
I believe if you get pregnant by accident that you should keep it. But if you are forced (rape) (incest) then it definitely changes things. How can we force her to bring a rapist's baby to term? I also heard that giving birth to a rapist's baby is like being raped all over again.
I think that making abortion illegal is wrong. This takes away women's rights. I believe women should choose, but I think it's recommended that women take counseling before taking any action.
This is my opinion, but I would like to know others point of view on the subject.
I got two questions for you:
Views: 839
Point was that since I'm going to die anyway, and I won't leave trash (children) behind, I couldn't care less. Think about renting a car when you know you're going to die that day. We all will be done in, by death. Yes my philosophy is very personal and would not work if everyone held the same belief. Thankfully, like I said, people breed like packs of dogs - so don't worry, humanity is safe. I'm merely apathetic to it's existence, I care about myself. Evolutionary disadvantage.. I wouldn't be too sure about that. Evolution is not just about numbers. Right now humanity is growing, yet it's still going in a downward spiral like we're being flushed down a toilet. A few aborted lives won't change things, and if it does, not to the worse. Less people is always better, quality over quantity. No matter how you see it, it's still true. I'd trade a thousand muslim lives for one atheist life. The one is better for the betterment of humanity then the other, numbers are secondary. Not all genes are fit to pass on, but thanks to selfserving assholes with their "life is precious" nonsense everybody gets a shot now.
If your offspring would be nothing but trash that you leave behind, are you anything but trash yourself? Why are you quality and everybody else is quantity? Can you explain that? I doubt you are any different than the persons you detest, and deep down inside you probably know that too. Anyway, as you said, all your sterling qualities will be utterly wiped out at death.
You say you enjoy life but you would have to knock me over the head and wipe out my brain for me to believe that. How can you when you have to live in the midst of pathetic, filthy humanity? Yes evolutionary disadvantage. You said yourself you won't have offspring. That just ended your genetic line. So much for quality over quantity.
BTW does your girlfriend know about your first choice should she ever turn up pregnant? What does she think about it?
That's adorable, but unlike what you like to think, we are not all equal. Yes, life can be enjoyed without mingling with other humans, it's the way how I enjoy my life, I have a little circle of people whom I love and interact with, anything more is unnecessary. Once again quality over quantity ;P
I'd like to take you up on your offer, but I doubt there's much to wipe out.
About my gf, yes she thinks the same way, because she sure as hell wont let her life get ruined by a faulty condom.
What kind of a dumbass question is that anyway, how on earth would she NOT know my stance on this?
Do you usually not talk this kind of stuff over with your partners, and instead just surprise them with "I'm gonna keep this baby"?
What makes it a dumbass question? I don't know how many girls would be happy thinking that their boyfriend thinks their offspring would be trash to be left behind like junk in a rental car. Not very romantic, but hey, it takes all kinds.
You live, you have fun, and then you die. Ultimately, the specter of death will wipe out the fun you are having even before you are done having it. You are no different than the rest of the human race, you just want to be. You want to be better. And you are better, in your own brain...which will last until the worms get it.
Oh, and in the circle of your self-selected friends, who will also be dead in some fraction of a century. Chances are very good that you and I will probably both spend our last years in nursing homes being cared for by the people you detest.
As for insults, I just love people who think everyone who questions anything they say is automatically less intelligent, who surround themselves with people who only agree with them and admire their own charming and error-free selves. What makes you think your mind is any better than mine? Besides hubris, I mean. Seriously.
Your questions was whether or not she knows about my stance on a pregnancy/reproduction. That was the dumbass part, don't do a 180 now.
Don't you have some priests you can annoy?
Priests have enough people annoying them, KOrsan.
How and when did I do a 180? I only asked you a question, (for which I was rudely insulted) because, unlike you, I try not to assume things about people, but prefer to find things out before having an opinion on them, since as they told me in college, ASSUME makes an ASS out of U and ME.
Look, I'll be honest. I like to discuss ideas because I like to understand the truth. I don't have an agenda to prove I'm smart or right. If I sound challenging sometimes, it's because I like to get at the heart of things. Some people don't like their ideas challenged, but I kind of thought, from the title and all, that this would be an okay environment for that. I've already been told that's not welcome, and since I already came from a totally doctrinaire environment where I'm not allowed to think for myself, I prefer to not put myself in them voluntarily. I just don't like to be insulted and brainwashed. So don't worry, won't ruffle your little worldview no more.
You're giving yourself too much credit, you didn't challenge anything.
I smell objectivism in your tone. ;-)
I quess I have worked with, and even lived around these '..uneducated filthy excuses..'.
The world can be a very dirty, nasty place. When I put kitchen scraps in my mulch pile, I need to face the nasty prospect of opening the lid, throwing the stuff in, mixing the top, taking in the smells of rot, adding lime, and appreicating that I have one less thing to add to my garbage can. And yes, I have, in a year, great soil for my garden. These nasty, filthy discusting worms, bugs, bacteria, fungi, beetles are doing a job of recycling that they have done selflessly for millions of years.
Humans did not fall far from the ancestorial tree! Atleast group flea grooming has mostly been abandoned. But people with stones still hurt each other randomly, and ignorance is sometimes promoted as a 'good'. Self ornamentation can be taken to a rattling extream.
Quantity, sometimes guarantees decendents in this nasty filthy world. Consider the mass production of larva, eggs, pollon, spores, seeds, etc, that never come to produce a damn thing but food for other creatures, and more mulch. Nature seems very generous, just stay away from the nashing teeth.
'.. those that should not breed..', even they might have offspring that could change the world, even if it is only to write emails.....
If you are Pro-Life, you could lose the fetus sometime during pregnacy, or come to term and lose the child in birth, or the child could become ill and die latter.
If you are Pro-Choice, you could prevent the pregnacy entirely, or prevent the pregnacy-with some chance of failure, or an abortion.
I expect that these are not exhaustive lists of possible outcomes. I decision tree with frequencies could be created. I expect that the probably outcomes are nearly alike, but the 'quality of life' issues that are part of survival, are not yet mentioned.
I can't believe the outcomes are alike, because using abortion and birth control pills tend to lower a woman's overall fertility because they produce a lot of issues such as scarring (abortion and the IUD) and hormone imbalance issues (abortion, hormone pills) so that populations that do this generally have lower fertility all around, not just when they are trying to.
Plus, look at, for instance, the Irish population in the years leading up to the famines. The population was severely oppressed by the penal laws and extraordinarily poor and uneducated, and yet the population in those years in the rural areas grew unbelievably. Many died in the famine, but huge numbers also emigrated and populated other parts of the world. That would be an evolutionarily very successful group. They say the majority of the US now has Irish genetics in some way or another.
So I disagree with you, I don't think the probability outcomes are nearly alike, not when you have ten-children families common in some areas, and many of them generally successful by any standards.
I want to respond to a specific question you have asked, "is there anything in atheism to give value to my life as a woman?" I think life inherently has no meaning. We live [our being born alive being an accident] we die[definite]. Do you think if you were born barren, your life would have no meaning since you can't conceive? I think no. That said, I think we create value in our life by aspiring to achieve some goal that we have set for ourselves, at least for me that is. For the time that i was a theist, the thought that I had a higher purpose meant a lot to me but when I realized it depended on me, that feeling is no longer there, in it's place is the knowledge that it's up to me.
For the meaning of the word sentient, just go here for a definition. Now why look for arguments here, most of the people here I think have already come to a conclusion on gods so rather, they don't spend much time debating it. For that purpose, there are several books you could read for yourself and make a choice. One of them is a very short philosophical essay by Shelley Bysshe, The Necessity of Atheism.


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August 26, 2011 – Fisheries biologists with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) are investigating reports of crab mortalities by fishermen in Lake Borgne. The reports, which began on Sunday, August 21, were made by commercial fishermen pulling dead fish and crabs from traps through much of the lake. Initial reports indicate that areas of hypoxia, as a result of limited exchange of oxygen from the surface to the bottom layers of the water column, are the cause of these mortalities.
Hypoxic areas in the Gulf of Mexico, sometimes called "dead zones" can cause mortalities for those species unable to quickly relocate to areas where there is oxygen in the water for them to "breathe." Hypoxic zones can be common along Louisiana's coast in the summer months. Current hypoxic zones have been occurring in the northern Lake Borgne, the Mississippi Sound, Chandeleur Sound, Breton Sound, Black Bay and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) for approximately the last month, as well as the more well-known areas offshore west of the Mississippi River. Some of these areas have been experiencing some levels of hypoxia for the last two to three months.
While the current series of crab mortalities from hypoxia are in the general region at the mouth of the Pearl River where a dramatic fish kill was reported on August 13, fisheries experts do not believe the two events to be linked. However, out of an abundance of caution, LDWF fisheries biologists collected crab samples and sent them to the independent laboratory, Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratory, contracted by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals for both volatile and semi-volatile testing.
LDWF fisheries biologists report that high levels of freshwater that have inundated Lake Borgne and other waterbodies near the mouth of the Mississippi River likely created hypoxic areas that crab fishermen have encountered.
Unusually large amounts of freshwater has reduced the ability of the water to mix from top to bottom in many areas, affecting dissolved oxygen levels in the lower part of the water column. In addition,high water temperatures further reduce the amount of oxygen the water can hold. Also, the large input of nutrients has led to increased organic production whose decomposition in the bottom layers further reduces oxygen concentrations.
Fisheries biologists with the state will continue to investigate crab and fish mortalities as they are reported. Once results of the tests are made available with DHH, they will be made available for the public. Fish kills are common occurrences in coastal Louisiana during the summer months. LDWF cooperates with other state agencies in monitoring these occurrences on an ongoing basis.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
For press inquiries, contact Olivia Watkins at 225-610-8660 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Among corporate compliance professionals, Morgan Stanley is held up again and again as the best-case scenario of worst-case scenarios. A Morgan Stanley managing director ended up in prison for committing substantial Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, but the strength of the company's compliance program helped it avoid enforcement actions from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The circumstances behind the 2012 Morgan Stanley declination were included among the real-life case studies highlighted in the FCPA guidance the DOJ and SEC published last year.
In court documents, the government outlined Morgan Stanley's anti-corruption compliance efforts. These efforts included: strong internal policies periodically updated to reflect regulatory developments and specific risks; regular monitoring, including random and unannounced audits; frequent employee training (the employee who committed the violations had been trained on the FCPA seven times and reminded of FCPA compliance at least 35 times); and extensive due diligence and stringent controls on all business partners. Morgan Stanley discovered the violations, self-reported them to authorities and cooperated extensively in the government's investigation.
"Show regulators you're proactive and actively trying to do everything you can to ensure you're compliant, and that goes a long way if they find a violation," advises Thomas Zielinski, a partner at Morgan Lewis. As the former general counsel of Coventry Health Care Inc., Zielinski is familiar with operating in a heavily regulated space.
Rogue actors like the Morgan Stanley employee do exist, and well-meaning employees and third parties will make mistakes even in the face of the most extensive compliance training, yet most regulators will take into account sincere, ongoing and thorough compliance programs when considering enforcement actions.
The complicating factor, of course, is that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to legal and regulatory compliance. But lawyers in the compliance arena—with U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines on program requirements as their roadmap and experience as their compass—have identified six fixable missteps that they see the most. Addressing these common shortcomings is a way for companies to ensure their compliance functions are poised to uncover and address looming problems.
"Crafting a compliance program is an art," says Roy Snell, CEO of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, an association of compliance officers and other compliance professionals. "The thing that was lacking at Enron, at Tyco, atPennStatewasn't legal acumen. What was missing was a compliance officer with authority, independence and good negotiation, collaboration and motivation skills. The best compliance programs are measured by their ability to facilitate action and change."
Mistake: View compliance as a revenue suck.
Reality: There's a strong business case for ethics and compliance.
These days there is increasing acceptance of the view that compliance is a revenue suck—at least among compliance professionals. In a 2013 survey of ethics and compliance leaders that regulatory compliance consultancy LRN published in June, 81 percent of respondents cited long-term value and business performance as the top benefit of an ethical corporate culture, surpassing compliance for the first time. Yet those same compliance leaders said "the lack of appreciation of culture as a business driver" was one of the top obstacles to building a strong ethical culture in their companies.
Now consider a recent survey of CFOs, a corporate population with a different viewpoint. Forty-seven percent of CFO respondents to a 2012 Ernst & Young survey said certain questionable actions (such as using cash payments, entertainment or gifts to retain business) could be justified to help the business survive in an economic downturn.
Why the disconnect? Some of it stems from the difficulty of trying to prove a negative: that compliance efforts saved companies from penalties, financial losses or reputational harm. Furthermore, measuring the corporate culture itself can be a murky exercise for managers and employees. "Many people regard corporate culture as somewhat abstract, 'soft' and tough to measure," LRN reported. In the absence of hard data reflecting the impact of a strong ethical culture on their business, they tend to marginalize its importance.
There is data out there that shows a correlation. Ethisphere, for example, has tracked the performance on the S&P 500 of the companies it has deemed the "World's Most Ethical" and found that they have consistently seen higher percent returns, even throughout the 2008 financial crash.
An ethical culture can also help companies retain employees and attract top candidates to their business. In 2004, with the Enron, WorldCom and Arthur Andersen scandals relatively close in their rearview mirrors, more than 97 percent of MBA students in leading programs in the U.S. and Europe said they would take a pay cut—on average, 14 percent—to work for an organization with a better social and ethical reputation.
"It makes sense. People want to work for a company they feel has good values and a good reputation. They don't want to work for an Enron," says Eric Morehead, senior compliance counsel at advisory firm Corpedia Corp. Morehead helped develop ethics and compliance policy under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines as assistant general counsel for the U.S. Sentencing Commission. "If you want to retain top staff and not lose money to constant recruiting, a positive ethical culture is important," he says.
Mistake: Establish a program and then let it do its job.
Reality: Compliance programs require constant monitoring.
Regular, documented auditing and monitoring of compliance programs are one of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines' requirements for an effective compliance program. But a 2011 Association of Corporate Counsel/Corpedia benchmarking survey on compliance programs found that only 42 percent of organizations were conducting periodic assessment, reviews or benchmarks of their programs.
"Unless you make the effort to periodically audit your compliance procedures and make sure people are actually following them, you can get really tripped up," says Greg Husisian, a partner at Foley and Lardner. "Your compliance system might look perfectly good viewed at 30,000 feet from headquarters or the general counsel's office, but it may not be an effective program as actually carried out in the field."
Auditing is a key component of the risk-based approach to compliance that grew out of accounting concepts, and theU.S.government has endorsed it across a wide range of laws, Husisian says. "It's one of the foundations of 21st century compliance."
Unlike financial auditing, however, compliance auditing is a common victim of cost cutting. It's easy to view audits as a straight expense. In reality, the tradeoff is greater risk to the corporation. The best practice is to have an outside party conduct the audit, but Husisian says audits don't always need to be carried out by an independent auditor: Sometimes, for example, a company can tack on a compliance-related audit to a financial audit that is already planned.
The key is to examine transactions subject to various requirements of the company compliance plan and see whether employees are following through on them. The simplest metrics may involve assessing hotline calls or administering surveys throughout the organization to see how employees view compliance.
Chip Jones, a managing shareholder at Littler Mendelson, says companies must understand that employee engagement and corporate culture are assets that require long-term management. "If employee engagement were an asset on your publicly reported balance sheet, it would most likely be one of the most important assets your organization has," he says. "Employee engagement is an area where leading organizations are doing better than others."
Surveys can uncover discrepancies between executives' view of company culture and the way middle managers and employees view it. PricewaterhouseCoopers' study found that while compliance budgets and staffing are stable or increasing, respondents frequently said they lacked sufficient resources and technology.
"If you conduct surveys by business unit or geography, you can start to identify the areas where particular leaders aren't as effective and use that data to manage the business," Jones says.
Mistake: Fixate on tone from the top.
Reality: Tone at the middle matters, too.
"Tone at the top" is the familiar mantra of corporate compliance programs, and with good reason. But to ensure compliance spreads throughout the organization, tone at the middle is also key. Research from the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) found that middle managers have the most influence on "local" culture and have the power to positively influence the integrity levels of their teams. And when middle managers demonstrate their commitment to compliance, employees are more likely to speak up about perceived problems. Frontline managers, the CEB has found, receive 66 percent of employee misconduct allegations. Similarly, theEthicsResourceCentersays 60 percent of employees report first to their supervisor.
"A lot of employees are never really going to see the CEO and don't have access to that top level of management. They're reporting within separate units in those corporations," says Holly Smith, a partner at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan who was an SEC lawyer for 13 years. "There has to be a strong compliance program at the departmental level, and managers have to be proactive about reaching out on a regular basis to everybody that works in the unit."
CEB research has also found that tone at the top doesn't always trickle down to middle managers and employees, even when there's buy-in from the C-suite and the board.
"I've been working with compliance officers for about 17 years now, and a large percentage of them say their leadership is supportive of compliance and ethics," says Snell, a former compliance officer. "I don't think we have a problem with tone from the top as much as much as we have a problem communicating to the people in the company the fact that there is tone from the top."
All supervisors, middle managers and upper managers need to state on a regular basis that they and their company support compliance and ethics and to market that support just like they would market their products or services to potential buyers, Snell says. This can be simple and inexpensive: a short comment at the beginning of meetings or an e-mail or a company newsletter that focuses not just on the bottom line but on compliance efforts and victories.
More mature companies are increasingly decentralizing the compliance function, distributing responsibilities to people lower and lower in the organization.
"Most multinational organizations today define principles and standards at the corporate level and then push them out regionally to the business, whereas five to eight years ago, compliance was centralized in most companies," says Kenneth Kurtz, CEO of Steele Compliance and Investigation Services. "The breadth of compliance programs used to be more focused and limited, but today companies are contending with compliance actually intersecting the business."
In the PricewaterhouseCoopers survey, 57 percent of respondents reported a hybrid operating environment that combines a centralized compliance function with compliance responsibilities in the business, and 45 percent said more than five people in their companies work in compliance outside the centralized function. Someone in finance and accounting, for instance, may vet travel and entertainment spending to ensure practices are in line with company anti-corruption policies. As such, compliance issues become more intertwined with the day-to-day operations of companies, and more employers expect that these types of employees have some understanding of compliance issues.
Such an approach also can help address bottlenecks. "One of the dangers in managing a compliance program is creating funnels—basically inefficiencies—because one or two people have too much responsibility and they're unable to address the compliance needs of the organization," says Greg Esslinger, senior managing director in the forensic and litigation consulting practice at FTI Consulting.
Mistake: Focus on punitive measures.
Reality: A carrot can be just as meaningful as the stick.
It is vital that companies enforce their compliance program internally, and 92 percent of Fortune 500 companies and 85 percent ofU.S.companies discipline employees who violate either organization standards or the law, according to theEthicsResourceCenter.
Companies that go beyond corrective action to actually reward employee compliance provide a friendlier incentive for employees while integrating the idea that compliance is an inalienable component of business success. LRN's survey found that the most effective compliance programs are much more likely to "celebrate employee acts of ethical leadership," a practice that is far less common in the least effective compliance programs.
A reward could be a bonus, recognition of compliance in performance reviews, or something as simple as offering praise in team meetings or company newsletters to employees who made the right move when faced with compliance challenges.
"Companies that actually reward employees who take compliance seriously and take the right steps stand out," says Dan Collins, a partner at Drinker Biddle and a former assistant U.S. attorney and deputy chief of the Financial Crimes and Special Prosecution section of the U.S. Attorney's Office. "It exemplifies from a management level a commitment to a culture of compliance, which is an important part of showing the government you have an effective compliance program."
Mistake: Develop a one-size-fits-all compliance training plan.
Reality: Training needs to be customized.
In 2012, the Texas-based company Orthofix International paid $7.4 million in disgorgement and penalties to settle FCPA enforcement actions after a wholly owned Mexican subsidiary was found to have made improper payments to government employees. The SEC complaint against Orthofix noted that it had disseminated a code of ethics and anti-bribery training to its subsidiary, but the materials were in English while the Mexican subsidiary's employees spoke minimal English. It may seem like an obvious training blunder, but Morehead says that a surprising number of companies only provide employees with English codes of conduct (the foundation of every compliance program).
The FCPA guidance the SEC and DOJ published in 2012 notes, "Regardless of how a company chooses to conduct its training … the information should be presented in a manner appropriate for the targeted audience," including language considerations. The guidance also advises companies to provide different training approaches to sales personnel and accounting personnel, for example, incorporating hypotheticals and case studies tailored to the situations they're most likely to encounter.
Customizing employee training can also involve more nuanced considerations. Multinational corporations need to consider not just language but local culture and customs surrounding learning styles.
"In Japan, you might see that individuals are not as open to Web-based training; in France, learning styles are more formal than in the U.S.," says Nic McMahon, chief operating officer of VIA, which provides employee training solutions. In a bid for greater employee engagement, some companies have turned to gamelike approaches to training, he says—but if you're working inChina, a crossword puzzle just isn't going to work.
Industry culture matters too. Employees at social media and app development companies, for example, are primed to take advantage of training programs delivered on a mobile platform, one of the more cutting-edge approaches to compliance training that vendors now offer. Vendors are increasingly touting technology-based training solutions that measure individual strengths, weaknesses and learning styles to instantly customize training approaches. For companies that have the budget, they promise individually calibrated approaches to training with little effort.


text:
Your Great Great Grandfather's SUV
Jill Battaglia 12/16/2004 6:12:45 AMExcellent!! Congrats Francis!! #197007
Brenda W. LaFleur 12/16/2004 8:21:37 PMHey Frances! Great job. I'm going to go to Bodie one day! Congrats on your finalist and good luck!! #979754
Lee Ann Sahagun - Poling 12/17/2004 7:54:52 AMCongrats! Another beautiful image!! #981235
Sharrie Thomas 7/12/2006 7:00:41 PMWhat beautiful images in your gallery.
Wagon and Residence, Bodie, CA, USA
Uploaded on 11/21/2004 8:58:15 AM
Camera: Nikon D100 Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Francis Cailles. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


text:
|Attention: DocWiki has reached EOL and will be decommissioned late January 2019.
Conflicts in Datastore Control Center history
From DocWiki
Conflicts in Datastore Control Center history
|Problem Summary
|With high availability, messages appear in the comment column in the subscription agent history. To see the message from Cisco Unified CCX Administration, select Datastore Control Center > History for a subscription agent.
|Error Message
|A message similar to Downloaded 111 data changes (0 inserts, 111 updates, 0 deletes, 111 conflicts) appears.
|Possible Cause
|To support high availability, SQL merge replication is being used to replicate data between the subscriber node and the publisher. As part of this, SQL logs these messages in the subscription agent history.
|Recommended Action
No user action required.
|Release 7.0(1)
|Associated CDETS #


text:
Unable to record an agent
From DocWiki
Unable to record an agent
|Problem Summary
|A supervisor is unable to record an agent's call. Clicking on Record pops up a message dialog box.
|Error Message
|Unable to record agent.
|Possible Cause
|The recording count is set to 0.
|Recommended Action
Go to Cisco Unified CCX Administration. Select System > System Parameters and set the number of the recording count appropriately.
|Release 7.0(1)
|Associated CDETS #


text:
- Description
DetailsHeavy-duty metal clips, zips and hook-and-loop closures create secure storage, and a flap-top opening means more room for hauling bigger items. A variety of specialized pockets deliver military-style organization and easy access, and padded adjustable shoulder straps keep every excursion comfortable. Designed to handle 17" laptops with a padded interior sleeve, the Mechanism Backpack provides the diverse function ideal for hybrid athletes on the go.
- Padded internal sleeve holds most 17" laptops
- Accessories pockets, top flap, and sides with hook and loop closures
- Padded adjustable shoulder straps and removable waist strap allow for comfortable carrying
- Metal carrying handle and custom clips create secure attachment points
- 30L Capacity
- 21" H x 17" W x 9" D
- 100% Polyester
- Imported
- PADDED LAPTOP PANEL-Enhanced with padding for added protection, this panel acts as a divider to create a dedicated storage area for your laptop.


text:
Pure production value for your project!
A perfect cinematic title sequence for with a continuous backwards camera move down a sewer pipeline. It's got a kind of dark, mysterious and grungy feel to it. The 3D is pre-rendered, but you can still make lots of adjustments. The template is in glorious HD – 1920×1080! This title sequence will give your production a good portion of production value. But the most important thing, it will make you or your client happy!
- Very easy to use! Simply drag and drop.
- No plugins required
- No 3D software needed – After Effects only
- Add content in all the frames to your liking. Stills, videos etc.
- Edit all text easily
- Replace the sky with your own if you like
- It comes with a depth pass so you can play around with the depth of field
- You also get a pre-rendered film dust layer in HD
- A handy PDF with instructions follows!
The project has a 3D camera. So if you know how to use AE's 3D space, you can easily add more stuff.
The sound and music is not included. However, if you want to use the same sound effects and music, you can find it here:
Music by PHIL PULEO on audiojungle:
The sound effects used can be found on freesound.org:
The project comes with both a CS4 and a CS5 project file. The video in the frames are not included due to file size.
Don't forget to rate and comment, and follow me for more cinematic template action!
Follow me on twitter for an interesting view on vfx.


text:
Hello All,
Im looking for a piece of software that is free that can remotely audit computers in a Domain or IP/Subnet range.
I need to be able to audit both Win XP, Win 7 machines and Server 2003/2008.
Do you guys know of any free software that can achieve this? Also ideally, software that is just ran from an EXE and not needed to be installed. I have looked at options like Spiceworks but this needs installing.
I have up to 2000 machines, all in different subnets and IP ranges that need to be audited.
Any help appreciated!


text:
muzrix needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 264 designs submitted by 50 freelance designers.
We are just about to launch a new apparel brand and need someone to design a Logo that will become Brand Identity -Website -letterhead -graphic design/labeling/tag -delivery containers/packaging, anything imaginable related to apparel industry.
mostly but not limited to young women and soon will expand to men garment as well.
the logo should emphasize the following term:
"modern","simple","fresh","top brand fashion","worldwide".
The logo should be in between 'toy r us' and 'prada' if you know what i mean (not too childish, not too adult). Color should be web 2.0 style, light not too bold. I want to see submissions with variety of font playing with the word 'toodunk' and 'TooDunk' and the small logo represent the letter 'T' & 'D.
We operate the business online but we dont design the website yet so the logo will be a cornerstone to the whole website theme.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of Greenhouse Gas Voluntary Disclosure in Australia
Based on a comprehensive theoretical framework, we investigate the determinants of greenhouse gas emission (GHG) voluntary disclosure of non GHG registered companies. Previous studies assessed the determinants of GHG voluntary disclosure of firms subject to environmental regulation, risk and liabilities. We also employ proxies of voluntary disclosure theory and agency theory in addition to the stakeholder theory and legitimacy theory used in prior studies. The content analysis for the period 2009 to 2011 shows a positive association between GHG voluntary disclosure, firm size and corporate governance. Further, firms with superior GHG performance are more likely to engage in discretionary disclosure, and listing status plays a significant role in GHG disclosure decision which suggests that stakeholders' interests also determine disclosure decisions.
Full Text:PDF
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/afr.v2n1p110
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Accounting and Finance Research
ISSN 1927-5986 (Print) ISSN 1927-5994 (Online)
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text:
The Proclamation Chamber glimmers as the twilight of a thousand setting suns refracts around the domed ceiling, each burning orb rising again within the milky marble of the expansive floor. Pillars of weary stone rise upwards around the periphery of the vast room. Here, the apex of the Di-Verse, worlds beyond counting stretch out their talons of appeal. Some of their voices are heard, some even considered. Few are chosen.
An expectant buzz of conversation sizzles through the crowd gathered in chamber. It feels like a long time since a general gathering has been called. Something big must be a foot. Rumours flash back and forth across the room, some refuted with derision, others catching hold, breeding speculation and ponderous thought.
The Warriors of the Eternal Quest wait for the announcement. Board-shouldered barbarian trolls stand side by side with slender ochre-skinned elves. Feline beast-men with sharpened claws converse with white-bearded dwarfs, who perch on ledges to gain a better view. Every kind of weapon that can be found under the suns is contained within the hall: swords, staffs, guns, bows, axes, staves – the list goes on. The very best the Di-Verse has to offer in terms of fighting prowess stands waiting in the chamber.
A sonorous blast from the trumpets heralds the arrival of the Power. Standing high above the crowd on a platform jutting out of the chamber wall, he waves an armoured fist in an arc around his body, summoning silence.
"Heroes from a thousand worlds – we have been granted... a quest."
A roar of excitement erupts from the gathered warriors, quickly silenced by another gesture from the Power.
"I have received word from the realm of Visgarthia," he booms. "A dark force, long dormant and thought to be quelled once and for all, has been reborn. If it is not stopped, Visgathia will fall.
"Warriors of the Eternal Quest; sharpen your blades, buckle on your armour, and ready your nerve. For it is time... to fight!"
Cheers and howls fill the hall, metal clashing on metal as the frenzied fighters relish the news of their new mission.
The voice comes like a pin-drop, yet also crashing like the thunder of an inexorable water fall.
The occupants of the chamber turn to look at the source, a tall debonair human, a crossbow slung across his shoulders, leaning casually against the wall.
"Speak your piece, brother," rumbles the Power, a note of annoyance evident in his tone.
"I was just wondering," says the human, flicking a lock of luxurious hair from his brow, "will we be heading into battle one by one, as the custom seems to be?"
"Yes, that is the way," responds the Power.
"Isn't that a bit counter-productive? I mean, we have greatest warriors in the entire universe gathered here in one group – why don't we attack en masse and wipe out this dark enemy quickly and efficiently?"
Some of the warriors stare incredulously at the man, others appear thoughtful.
"Although that may seem like a good plan," begins the Power in reply, "our laws state that one hero must step into the breach. If he or she fails, another will be called up to face the quest."
"When you say 'laws', do you mean our 'contract'?" questions the human.
The Power glowers menacingly from his lofty position.
"You could use that word, yes."
"And our contract is based on a time rate?"
"So... the longer the job takes, the more we get paid?"
The glower deepens into a look of burning rage.
"Yes," snaps the Power. "Do you have a point?"
The human warrior raises his hands in a gesture of compliance.
"Just wanted some clarity – no offence was meant by it."
The Power ignores the comment, his attention returning to the rest of the expansive hall.
"Friends and comrades – the realm of Visgarthia needs you! Be alert and ready for the call!"
A cheer arises, less enthusiastic than before.
The Power raises a fist towards the roof of the chamber. Ripples of lightning explode from the centre of the dome, bathing the crowd in a white glow. Images flash across the ceiling – an ethereal landscape, bathed in glorious sunlight, men and women working and laughing and living – a dark shadow arising, horned creatures with long crooked beaks climbing out of the corrupted soil – a terrible being towering over the realm, stretching out a clawed hand to crush any resistance...
"The wheel will turn and the Chosen will fight," proclaims the Power.
"We will be ready," the assembled heroes reply with renewed vigour.
"Wait here in the chamber until the selection begins," instructs their leader. "Until that time, the buffet table is... open!"
With a burst of smoke, giant tables heaped with food and beverages appear around the edges of the vast room. Crying out in unison with a passionate roar, the Warriors of the Eternal Quest storm the buffet. Adventure awaits, but first, it is time to dine!
Stay tuned for more info on Hack 'N' Slash Hero - the adventure begins soon!


text:
Bring your kids down to Cowch these school holidays with classes for little ones running at 11am and 1pm!
The classes are a fun filled time allowing your kids to go behind the counter and learn how our most popular dishes are created! The kids will get to make their own ice cream burger and kids smoothie!
Each class runs for approximately 30 minutes and each child will get an ice cream burger and smoothie included in the price.
Bookings are essential as we book out fast!


text:
We are students from the hot spot of Sweden's sustainability education, riding bicycles through Europe for adventure and new encounters. Join us for creative and action oriented conversations where you are invited to bring your project – ideas – questions, or whatever you are inspired by and would like to make happen!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
in Vienna, off to Bratislava
1 comment:
- AnonymousJanuary 17, 2014 at 2:23 AM
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text:
In regards to the Degrees Of Imitation Creator Purses
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text:
Regionalism: Reacting to the Modern
|• Introduction
|• New Mexico
|• Southern Agrarians
New Mexico
Whereas the members of the Southern Agrarian group were generally native to or had ancestral roots in the region they championed, other regionalists focused on adopted homelands. By the 1920s, significant numbers of artists and writers had moved to the cities of colonized Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico; some were drawn by the landscape and history of the Southwest, while many others were forced to move to the region's dry climate in order to recuperate from the ravages of tuberculosis. These "neonatives" (outsiders who became permanent residents and invested themselves in local affairs) found and nurtured what they believed to be the "authentic" life of the area before industrialization and even before the arrival of European settlers.
Individuals such as Mary Austin and Mabel Dodge Luhan embraced Native American civilization as the antidote to industrialization and the path to the utopian regionalist vision. (See Romanticizing Cowboys and Indians.)
Though the neonatives supported the preservation of local traditional cultures, they picked and chose among traditions based on their own ideas of what was worth saving. They also created an economic environment centered on serving visitors and attempting to hold on to the past, leaving little place for the native peoples other than as representatives of that past and models for paintings and stories. Throughout the 1920s, the artist neonatives discouraged new residents and new cultural development in the area as they fought to keep their transformation of Santa Fe and Taos from acquiring the look and feel of mainstream America.
At the same time as these regional neonatives sought to preserve the unique qualities of the old Southwest, they found in those qualities the inspiration for new artistic modes of expression. Mabel Dodge Luhan had been an important part of the modernist community in cities while living in Greenwich Village and Florence; as the hostess of literary salons she had brought together many important writers and artists, and she did the same in Taos. Visitors to her home included the painter Georgia O'Keefe, the photographer Ansel Adams, the Harlem Renaissance author Jean Toomer, and the novelists Willa Cather and D. H. Lawrence. These artists mined the southwestern landscape and culture, finding in its ancient and exotic setting spurs to modernist innovation.


text:
|2010-01-02, 10:02
|Link #241
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Accelerator can create plasma, but that's only an application of his ability. Vector Manipulation has no "power." His strength only correlates with how many calculations he can make.
Teleport... can't be measured.
And there's also that Equal Speed Guy.
Just felt like putting that out there.
I remembering reading this:
All the electro masters in Academy City are level 3 or below. Misaka Mikoto is a very special case.
Accelerator and #2 are the only holders of their own abilities.
Also, we can assume that most of the level 5's barely worked their way up the ladder, since that's what most people have the impression of.
So it's probably a combination of your genetics and power.
|2010-01-02, 10:16
|Link #242
We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Discord
Age: 30
|2010-01-02, 10:19
|Link #243
Join Date: Jan 2009
Age: 28
Spoiler for a little big problem:
|2010-01-02, 15:41
|Link #244
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In my room
Then the test kuroko doing in the field in railgun anime is the test use for teleporter and the test that mikoto do in the swimming pool where she fires her railgun is the test for her.
To put it simple the level 5 have their own test and curriculum to follow if you ask me.
As for if everyone can attain a certain level then NO. Not everyone has the potential with it. Even if they try it so hard. That's what the tree diagram said. Only few can attain a certain level.
Every keep saying that railgun comes from level 1 and they should follow her but the truth is. Mikoto had been scouted already for radio project when she was a little girl but that one got suspended but its been reused for the level 6 project.
And being scouted by the scientist means she is special.
As for touma..... yap his hopeless from the science side and I think a miracle for magic side can cure him. But the memory is destroyed and it can't be retained even if they repair that section of the brain. It will just accumulate new data. Like a reformatted hard drive.
|2010-01-02, 15:51
|Link #245
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
I'm not sure how accurate that is.
Many viewers are under the impression that Academy City has a machine that measures the AIM strength of espers, which then is used to determine level.
|2010-01-02, 16:49
|Link #246
Join Date: Jan 2009
Age: 28
.... Such misfortune, actually he is THE enemy and doesn't look like he is going to help Touma.
BTW Touma doesn't care about his past he only wants to avoid the discovery as much as possible with his new life.
|2010-01-02, 16:58
|Link #247
We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Discord
Age: 30
|2010-01-08, 22:40
|Link #250
Join Date: Jan 2009
Age: 28
|2010-01-09, 23:48
|Link #254
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In my room
I'm not sure about item and school but they just argue with each other like a daily routine that result on group stopping them.
They also have different order givers. As for ITEM the one who give orders to them usually are the scientist doing dirty jobs and I have no idea for SCHOOL but for the GROUP they are the army of crowley or just his personal lackeys. As for member.......no clue what soever about them but it looks like the kids that are espers are guard of the professor.
|2010-01-09, 23:49
|Link #255
We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Discord
Age: 30
[Item], [School], [Block], and [Member].
ITEM is led by the Number 4 Level 5 Mugino.
SCHOOL is led by the Number 2 Level 5 Kakine.
BLOCK is... Well, wiki says they're "observating of the interaction with organizations outside Academy City"
MEMBER is led by someone who is called the Professor, And I quote, "Aleister Crowley's loyal dog."
Then there's [Group], who as far as I know, serves Aleister directly.
|2010-01-09, 23:54
|Link #256
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In my room
oh I didn't notice the group block
but that makes 5 groups that are involve in vol 15
And if member is the loyal dog of member then the group is the one given order to do his dirty doings.
And I notice something while I'm looking at the group who is the cute girl beside kakine?
The item are a group which I can say a group of idol but I didn't think that school would have a cute girl in it too.
btw I just notice but group isn't just a group of espers its a group of magicians ans esper together..... does awaki and accelerator know that tsuchimikado and quatzel are magicians?
|2010-01-09, 23:56
|Link #257
~ Your Smile ~
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: 346Pro
Age: 32
^^ Your last question seems to be refering to BLOCK rather than GROUP.
As with Funya's question, what do ITEM and SCHOOL do? They don't seem to have a purpose other than as fan-clubs or ESPer command platoons.
And is the difference between MEMBER and GROUP just who is the 2nd in command, but otherwise have the same purpose of being Aleister's lackey?
|2010-01-10, 00:03
|Link #258
We're Back
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Discord
Age: 30
2 of the 4 members actually met the guy, half of them are Magicians, one of them is the only guide to Aleister, and the other is the Strongest Esper which he needs for some reason or another.
|2010-01-10, 00:05
|Link #259
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
|2010-01-10, 00:08
|Link #260
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In my room
no I was referring to the group which is consist of accelartor and awaki both esper and tsuchimikado which is esper and magician plus quatzal which is a magician.
The block are just bunch of side character to me they aren't important at all.
They are just pure observers which should have dealt with by accelerator but it didn't happen.
To much side character o trash character is confusing.
As for professor asking a fight with the no 2 of academy city is suicidal even if kakine shows his anger being just a spare to the plan of Aleister.
As for member and group their is no higher and lower. They do different jobs,
The member just as the leader the professor are just researchers of Aleister. They also do jobs for Aleister but they aren't meant for fighting which is unlike GROUP. Which are meant to deal with the one opposing Aleister's plan.
|Thread Tools


text:
WTF: Split Your Jeans, But Don't Break Your D*ck (Daggering, Popular Dance In Jamaica.. Government Wants it Outlawed) [Short Film]
Insight is proud to present 'Split Your Jeans, But Don't Break Your Dick', a short film directed by Mike Piscitelli and George Gorrow. Shot in Kingston, Jamaica, the video is an unabashed showcase of the controversial world of the carnal dance craze known in the Caribbean as Daggering. Daggering has been present in Jamaica's dance halls for many years and its soaring popularity has led to the Jamaican government to take unprecedented action in order to outlaw it. Free speech, free dance.
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