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General rules
Participation rules:The breach of any of the general rules listed below, or of those specific for each of the tournaments, may result in the loss of a game or even in the dismiss from the Festival, as well as in the loss of any right to cash prizes or trophies, or the refund of any amount that the player could have paid (i.e. registration fee).
- Chess tournaments that take place during the International Chess Festival Sunway Sitges shall be governed by these rules of play, by the Laws of Chess and by current FIDE regulations, interpretations and supplements included.
- Participation in any of the Festival tournaments implies the knowledge and tacit acceptance of these rules of play.
- It will be the responsibility of each player to be assigned to the correct group of play in each of the tournaments that he or she decides to play. Also, the player must ensure that his or her details that appear in the various registration lists and rankings are correct, and should inform the Festival Organizers in the event of a mistake. If a player is found out to be not assigned to the correct group or to have provided some incorrect information deliberately, he or she will immediately be expelled from the Festival.
- The winners (or both players in the event of a draw) will be responsible for communicating the results of their games to the referees. If the outcome of a game has not been notified to the referee team, both players will be considered to have lost that game.
- The relocation of the pieces, board and clock to their original position will also be responsibility of the players, once the game is finished. The elements necessary for the running of the games cannot be removed from the game halls.
- Players agree to attend the game halls with proper clothes and to have a correct and sportsmanlike behavior.
- Smoking is not allowed neither in game halls nor throughout the hotel premises, except for its outdoor terraces.
- Entering mobile phones in the game halls is forbidden unless they are turned off and are kept off for the duration of the game. Entry into the gambling halls of any electronic device that could be used to provide some help to chess players will not be permitted. The player authorizes referees to check if the phone is off in case they have any doubt on this point.
- Players may not leave the game halls without justification or permission of a referee while in their games. In particular, they cannot go to their hotel rooms or access the Analysis Room before completing their games.
- The Festival Organization, consensually with referees, reserves the right to assign game rooms the way it deems most appropriate, being able to isolate any games during any round of any tournament.
- The Organizers reserve the right to make some small specific modification in tournaments' schedules, in order to improve their development. Also, under referees' advice, the Organization may increase or decrease the number of rounds of any Festival's tournament. Although expected to be an improbable circumstance, if any changes occur, players will be notified well in advance.
- Participation in any of the tournaments of the Festival implies acceptance by the player that his or her personal details and games' information may be published in different media that the Organization considers desirable for better publicity of the event. These means include, for example, registration lists (paper and online in different media), match results, tournament rankings, retransmissions, etc.
Enrollment and registration:Only players with a valid federative license will be able to participate in any of the Festival's tournaments. Players can register for tournaments through any of the following:
- Filling the form you find in this website
- By sending an email to
- By calling (+34) 93 811 34 10.
- By sending a fax to (+34) 93 894 14 64.
The Organization of the Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival reserves the right of admission and may reject any application for registration that it deems appropriate.
Tie-breaks:Tie-breaks will be valid both for classification purposes as well as for obtaining trophies and cash prizes. Therefore, no trophies and cash prizes will be divided among the players who have tied points.
The tie-break system for all Festival's tournaments will be as follows and in the following order:
- Buchholz FIDE least the worse result.
- Total Buchholz FIDE.
- Progressive Cumulative until the end.
- Particularly among players still tied, should they have played against each other.
- Raffle in the presence of the Competition Committee.
In the case of group A, once the previous tiebreaker systems have been applied, a provisional general classification will be available. However, if there is a tie to points between some of the first 4 classified players in that provisional classification, a match-play tiebreaker will be applied to obtain the final general classification.
This match-play tie-break will consist of an eliminatory system (semifinal and final if there are 3 or 4 players tied) among the players who have finished the tournament with the same number of points (no matter if the champion must be determined or not), in the following way:
- 2 blitz games with a rhythm of 5 minutes + 3 seconds per play (5 '+ 3 "), alternating colors.
- In case of a tie, a blitz game "Armaggedon", with 6 minutes for the player with white and 5 minutes for the player with black. The color of each player will be raffled and, in case of draw, the player who has played with black will win.
- The first 4 players tied to points: 2 semifinals and final to elucidate the positions first to fourth.
- Champion decided but 3 players tied to points in the second to fourth places: 1 semifinal (third and fourth) and one final (the second would go directly to that final).
- 2 players tied for points in the first 2 places, and 2 tied for points in the third and fourth places: 2 finals, one to determine the champion, and another to determine the third place.
Byes:Byes, of zero points, should be requested in writing to referees, and must contain both the bye request and the signature of the player.
If a tournament of the Festival allows applying for a bye (see rules of each of the tournaments), the bye for a particular game may be requested before the end of the previous round.
Byes requested for the first game of a particular tournament will only be considered if requested by email to the Organizers prior to the start of the tournament, and if the answer to that request is positive. No requests for byes by players who have not made paid the registration fee of the tournament will be considered.
Claims:Any claim concerning a referee decision will have to be addressed in writing to the Competition Committee. It should be done before one hour after the end of the game in dispute.
This Competition Committee shall consist of the Director of the Festival and 5 players (3 holders and 2 alternates, the latter for those conflicts that involve any of the holders, or if they could not be located). During the first round of the Festival, the Organization will choose that Committee.
Decisions of the Committee shall be final and not subject to appeal.
In blitz tournaments, the decisions of the Festival's main referee will be final and not subject to appeal.
Validity:Slow games tournaments are eligible for ELO FIDE, FEDA and FCE, and shall be valid for obtaining international norms.
Awards:Legal holds and taxes will be applied to each of the tournaments' cash prizes. The specific list of prizes of each of the Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival's tournaments is in the specific prizes' section of this website for that tournament.
The awards ceremony will take place at the end of the tournament, between the hours indicated on the schedule found on this website. If a player is entitled to receive a prize but is not present at the time that it is awarded during the awards ceremony, he or she will lose any right to receive that prize, and will not be able to claim it later. Also, in order to collect the prize, the player will have to show an identity card or passport.
Hotel reservations:The Hotel Sunway Playa Golf & Spa Sitges (4 stars) offers to the participants the International Chess Festival Sunway Sitges accommodation offers:
- Single room: 65 € per person and day, in half board (breakfast and dinner)./li>
- Double room: 43 € per person and day, in half board (breakfast and dinner).
- Third person: to consult
- Sending an email to
- Calling (+34) 93 811 34 10.
- Sending a fax to (+34) 93 894 14 64.


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Essay Topic 1
Discuss the Forward to Kokoro. Who is the translator for the work and what does he write of the language in the novel? What important historical facts are related? Why are they important in understanding Kokoro?
Essay Topic 2
Describe and discuss the Emperor Meiji and the Meiji era. How did Japan change as a society during this historical period? What were Japan's relationships with neighboring nations? How is this era embodied in Kokoro?
Essay Topic 3
Describe and discuss the character of Soseki as the protagonist and narrator of Kokoro. How old is Soseki when the story begins? What attributes does he have? Is the narrator ever addressed by name in the novel? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 4
Describe the setting of Kamakura, Japan. How far is Kamakura from Tokyo? When did the Meiji restoration take place and how did it affect Kamakura? What imagery...
This section contains 978 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The closing date is nearing for funding applications to a new grant scheme which will help offer more support to the vulnerable, young and elderly in Leicestershire.
The 'Your Shire' community grant, launched by the county council, has a £160,000 'pot' which offers up to £2,500 to smaller groups and charities to develop activities they currently offer – or to give them a springboard to start something fresh.
There will be two rounds of funding and the closing date for round one is Sunday, October 19.
County Councillor for Whitwick, Leon Spence, said 'I would urge local groups to consider bidding for this important smaller grant funding pot.
'You Shire grants are very much aimed at groups looking to help vulnerable people as early as they possible can. Any local group who has identified a need and have innovative ideas how it can be addressed should visit www.leicestershireforums.org.uk as soon as possible.'
The funding will help to:
• Support vulnerable people in the community (£15,000 available each round);
• Encourage young people to achieve their potential (£15,000);
• Support older people to live independently (£15,000);
• Getting active in the community (£15,000);
• Eating healthily for less (£20,000, round one only);
• Supporting Carers (£20,000, round two only);
For more information, you can also call 0116 305 7034, e-mail email@example.com or visit www.leicestershireforums.org.uk


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Nuclear Test
The Smell TestFebruary 15, 2013
Over in South Korea, precocious robots have been sniffing the air at a few nursing home test sites and neutralizing unwelcome odors. Or at least they were, but now have probably been reassigned to nose around for radioactive effluvium from a nuclear test by a despotic neighbor. Talk about your ultimate call-in.


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Follow-up Review of the FBI's Progress Toward Biometric Interoperability Between IAFIS and IDENT
Evaluation and Inspections Report I-2006-007
July 2006
Office of the Inspector General
The FBI and the DHS are implementing the first phase of a three-phase plan for achieving full interoperability.
In May 2005, the DHS Secretary announced that the DHS would adopt a 10‑fingerprint collection standard for enrolling visitors into US‑VISIT, as recommended in the NIST Technology Standard. The DHS's decision to modify US‑VISIT resolved the first of two major barriers that had created an impasse toward achieving interoperability between IAFIS and IDENT.48 On May 19, 2005, the DHS sent a memorandum to the Homeland Security Council stating that it would modify the US‑VISIT program as soon as practicable to use 10 flat fingerprints for enrollment and 2 flat fingerprints for identity verification. The Homeland Security Council concurred with the DHS's decision and stated in a "summary of conclusions" dated June 7, 2005, that "it should be the policy of the United States Government that biometric screening of foreign visitors to the United States be based on a fingerprint standard requiring 10-[finger]print capture at enrollment and 2-[finger]print verification thereafter."
The resolution of the impasse has allowed the FBI and the DHS to begin planning their approach to achieving full interoperability of the fingerprint systems. The FBI and the DHS currently are implementing the first phase of a three-phase plan that is intended to produce a joint, automated system for the reciprocal sharing of key immigration and law enforcement data. Appendix II contains a table showing significant interoperability-related events during 2005.
The FBI and the DHS have formed a working group and established a three-phase plan for achieving full interoperability.
In May 2005, the FBI (through the CJIS Division), DHS (through the US-VISIT office), and DOS formed the IPT to coordinate efforts to achieve full interoperability. The IPT charter sets out guiding principles to serve as the foundation for sharing biometric and related information among the agencies in accordance with each agency's mission.49 Since its creation, the IPT has produced several key interoperability planning documents, including the DHS/US-VISIT & DOJ/FBI Interoperability Concept of Operations and the DHS/US-VISIT & DOJ/FBI Interoperability Business Requirements.50 All issues regarding the interoperability of IAFIS and IDENT are vetted through the IPT and its sub-teams.
The IPT plans to accomplish full interoperability in three phases. A brief description of the capabilities planned for each phase follows, while the phases themselves are described in more detail later in this report. According to CJIS Division officials who participate on the IPT, the interoperability efforts were on schedule as of June 2006.
The FBI and the DHS are developing the first phase of the interoperability plan.
For the interim interoperability development phase, the FBI and the DHS established the following objectives: (1) meet both agencies' most urgent requirements for data access; (2) share data in both directions; (3) serve as a prototype of technical concepts for full interoperability; and (4) not detract from achieving full interoperability in terms of cost, schedule, effort, and technical architecture. To meet these objectives, the FBI and the DHS began developing the interim Data Sharing Model (iDSM).53 According to the iDSM Project Concept of Operations, the iDSM will deliver the first interoperable biometric data capability between the DHS and the FBI by allowing both agencies to share read-only copies of selected immigration and law enforcement data.54 For the iDSM to become operational, the FBI and the DHS must identify the records to be shared and exchange the replicated files containing the selected records.
Data to be shared through the iDSM. In September 2005, the FBI, DHS, and DOS signed a letter of concurrence stipulating the data to be shared among agencies and the terms governing the use, disclosure, and protection of the shared data. As of June 2006, the FBI and the DHS had agreed to exchange read-only copies of records identified as being the most useful to support the other agency's mission and data that would support IAFIS and IDENT users' needs. According to iDSM planning documents, both the FBI and the DHS are responsible for updating the data that they share (e.g., expunging records or substituting records with better quality fingerprint images) through an automated process.
The FBI's data. The FBI is planning to transfer all of the approximately 800,000 IAFIS Wants and Warrants records that have fingerprints associated with them to provide the DHS with access to the complete set of these records.55 Once the iDSM becomes operational, the DHS should have access to all fingerprint records of subjects with active warrants, including U.S. citizens, and the current daily extract process will be eliminated.56 According to the iDSM Concept of Operations, the DHS's access to the full set of Wants and Warrants records will facilitate better decision-making about an individual's admissibility, eligibility for immigration benefits, or deportability from the United States. Access also will allow the DHS to detain individuals who have outstanding arrest warrants and notify the appropriate law enforcement agency. Once all the Wants and Warrants data is available, IDENT users should be able to submit one transaction and receive the FBI's and the DHS's shared criminal history, biographic, and immigration information on the subject whose fingerprints are being searched. The DHS plans to conduct up to 250,000 fingerprint searches of visitors per day against the Wants and Warrants data.
In addition to developing the iDSM to provide the interim interoperability capability, the FBI also has taken steps to improve the records available to the DHS until the iDSM becomes operational. On November 30, 2005, the FBI began expanding the daily Wants and Warrants records extracted from IAFIS to provide the DHS with all newly issued or updated warrants created after November 2005, including those for U.S. citizens. The FBI provides up to 2,500 of these records to the DHS each day. Although technical limitations restrict the number of daily extracts to IDENT, the expansion is nonetheless increasing the information immediately available to the DHS. The DHS's immediate access to these additional records allows immigration officials to conduct fingerprint searches using more complete and current information.
The DHS's data. The DHS is planning to transfer 2 sets of records from IDENT to the iDSM: the approximately 16,000 Visa Denial and the approximately 390,000 Expedited Removal records.57 The DHS does not currently provide the FBI – or the over 70,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that contribute to IAFIS – copies of any immigration data. The agencies chose to include those records in the iDSM because they were viewed as being most useful to law enforcement officials.58 According to the iDSM Concept of Operations, these immigration records will help the FBI and other IAFIS users establish the identity of individuals they encounter, determine whether someone is in the United States illegally, conduct better risk assessments, protect officer safety, and enhance law enforcement agencies' ability to develop comprehensive history and threat profiles. The FBI plans to conduct searches of at least 1,000 fingerprint submissions per day against these DHS records. As of June 2006, the DHS had not begun providing copies of these records to the FBI, but DHS officials told us that they would be able to transfer both sets of records to the iDSM by September 3, 2006.
CJIS Division officials stated that the initial iDSM storage capacity for the FBI's and the DHS's replicated files will accommodate up to 1 million records each. They explained that the FBI and the DHS designed each data storage component to accommodate about twice that amount of records to allow for growth and to prevent the need to immediately upgrade the iDSM.
Status of system development. FBI and DHS officials told us that, as of June 2006, the development of the iDSM was on schedule to become operational on September 4, 2006. CJIS Division officials stated they were in the process of purchasing the hardware and software needed for the storing of the replicated files. According to documents the CJIS Division provided, the hardware and software must be delivered by July 2006 to maintain that schedule.
On September 4, 2006, when the iDSM is expected to be fully populated with copies of the Wants and Warrants, Visa Denial, and Expedited Removal records, the FBI and the DHS plan to begin testing and using the iDSM. Once the iDSM is operational, the FBI plans to enable three agencies to submit fingerprint searches through IAFIS to be run against the DHS's records. The three agencies are the Boston Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Those agencies represent state and local law enforcement and a federal agency authorized to conduct fingerprint searches for non-criminal justice purposes. The FBI is planning to divide the initial iDSM search capacity of 1,000 daily fingerprint searches among those three agencies. The FBI and the DHS plan to test the iDSM's effectiveness by tracking the number of fingerprint searches each agency performs, the number of hits and positive identifications resulting from those searches, the number of individuals apprehended as a result of the positive identifications, the number of false positives, the transfer and storage of data in the iDSM, and the hardware and software performance.
If successful, the iDSM will be instrumental in establishing the foundation for full interoperability between IAFIS and IDENT. The DHS's access to the full set of Wants and Warrants records will help reduce the risk of unknowingly admitting criminal aliens into the United States, including those claiming to be U.S. citizens. Once all the Wants and Warrants containing fingerprint data are transferred to the iDSM, immigration officials will be able to search visitors' fingerprints against all of these records rather than a subset. Similarly, the FBI's access to the Visa Denial and Expedited Removal records will help identify illegal aliens. The FBI's access to those immigration records is significant because, for the first time, the FBI will be able to search fingerprint records in IAFIS against those in IDENT.
The FBI and the DHS plan to implement the remaining two interoperability phases by December 2009.
To achieve full interoperability, the FBI and the DHS must next complete the final two interoperability phases (IOC and FOC). The IOC development phase is planned to begin on September 4, 2006, and continue through July 2008. The FOC development phase is to begin in July 2008 and end by December 2009 with full interoperability.
During the IOC phase, the FBI and the DHS plan to choose a technical solution, expand data sharing, and broaden access to the data.
At the beginning of the IOC development phase, the FBI and the DHS must decide on one of three technical solutions currently under consideration for full interoperability. The three technical solutions, described below, are referred to as the shared data model, the shared services model, and a base case option.
Shared data. This model involves the FBI and the DHS exchanging, and conducting searches against, read‑only copies of each other's fingerprint data. Under the shared data model, the FBI and the DHS would independently maintain their own biometric (fingerprint) and biographic data, but would provide a copy of the fingerprint data to the other agency. The receiving agency would be responsible for searching the data and requesting the associated biographic information when a match is encountered. The replicated data also would provide an offsite, 24-hour backup for IAFIS and IDENT data, which the agencies plan to keep updated in near real time. The iDSM has a shared data component because it allows both agencies to access copies of the same biometric data (e.g., Wants and Warrants, Visa Denials, and Expedited Removals).
Shared services. This model involves the FBI and the DHS each sending fingerprint search transactions directly to the other agency's automated system. The shared services model would not utilize copies of the FBI's and the DHS's fingerprint data. Instead, each agency would maintain control over its data by requesting that the other agency perform a fingerprint search and return the associated biographic information. This model is similar to the current process whereby the DHS sends fingerprint searches (TPRS transactions) directly to IAFIS through the IDENT/IAFIS workstations and requests the criminal history or immigration information associated with any fingerprint matches. The iDSM has a shared services component because it allows both agencies to request biographic and criminal history data from the agency that owns it when a fingerprint match is found.
Base case. Finally, the IPT is also considering a base case option, which refers to a slightly improved version of the operational iDSM. According to the FBI, this would encompass the DHS's efforts to modernize IDENT as they occur.
Although the FBI and the DHS have not made a final decision on the technical solution for full interoperability, they are implementing the iDSM as a prototype to test the shared data approach. CJIS Division officials stated that they are currently working on a cost-benefit analysis to determine the most efficient solution and estimate the necessary costs. The cost-benefit analysis is due to be completed by August 2006. CJIS Division officials stated that after September 3, 2006, when the iDSM is expected to become operational, they will test the technology for 30 to 90 days. The FBI and the DHS plan to make the records in the iDSM available for conducting fingerprint searches throughout the 22‑month duration of the IOC development phase. Both agencies plan to track and evaluate the number of fingerprint searches performed against the other agency's records and the number of positive identifications resulting from the searches.
During the IOC phase, the FBI and the DHS expect to have access to one another's basic immigration and criminal history information associated with any fingerprint searches that result in a match. Specifically, the FBI and the DHS plan to: (1) expand the data shared between them; (2) establish the initial fingerprint search capacity and storage needed for full interoperability; (3) allow federal, state, and local agencies limited access to immigration data, which includes basic biographic data; and (4) provide immigration authorities full access to criminal history information.
Expanded data sharing. During the IOC phase, the FBI and the DHS plan to expand the data accessible to each agency beyond the records initially selected for sharing through the iDSM. During the IOC phase, the FBI expects to have access to all biometric records in IDENT, and the DHS expects to have access to all biometric records from the IAFIS Criminal Master File.59 The method of providing this access will depend on which of the technical solutions (shared data or shared services) the IPT selects (the base case would not provide access to all biometric records in IDENT and IAFIS because it includes only the iDSM records). For example, if the shared data model is chosen, both agencies would exchange copies of additional IAFIS and IDENT data, beyond the records in the iDSM.
Fingerprint search capacity and storage. The FBI and the DHS also expect to establish the initial fingerprint search and storage capacity needed for full interoperability during the IOC phase.60 The CJIS Division plans to search a subset of its federal, state, and local agencies' IAFIS transactions against the DHS's records. Specifically, the CJIS Division plans to conduct up to 1,000 initial fingerprint searches per day of selected criminal arrestees and federal employees in positions of public trust or national security against the DHS's records in the iDSM. By the end of the IOC development phase, the FBI plans to increase those fingerprint searches to approximately 50,000 per day and increase the storage capacity to accommodate all the records that will be in IAFIS and IDENT by FY 2009.
Federal, state, and local agencies' limited access to immigration data. During the IOC development phase, the FBI plans to allow any agency – beyond the three pilot agencies – to request a fingerprint search against the DHS's records. The agencies may be federal, state, or local law enforcement or civil agencies conducting non-criminal justice searches. The FBI's current system receives approximately 60,000 search requests per day from all such agencies. Currently, FBI and other law enforcement personnel can obtain immigration data on a foreign national who is a "subject of interest" by submitting the subject's name to the DHS's Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC).61 During IOC, the LESC will continue to provide support to the FBI. When the FBI finds a match of a subject's fingerprints against IDENT data, it plans to request the associated immigration data from the LESC. However, as of June 2006, FBI officials indicated that the amount and types of immigration data that the LESC would provide had not been determined. The FBI plans to request the data from the LESC by submitting an electronic request known as an Immigration Alien Query, to which the LESC will return an automated response. The FBI will then provide that response back to the requesting agency. Officials from the CJIS Division and US-VISIT office recently met with LESC representatives to plan for the additional workload. According to the iDSM Concept of Operations, the initial submissions to the LESC will not exceed 80 requests per day.
Immigration authorities' full access to criminal history data. For criminal justice purposes, the DHS plans to obtain criminal history information through the existing procedure whereby it submits a query to the FBI's National Crime Information Center. For non-criminal justice agencies (e.g., the DOS), the FBI will provide the criminal history information associated with a fingerprint match after it makes a positive identification in IAFIS.
During the FOC phase, the FBI and the DHS are planning to achieve full interoperability.
The FBI and the DHS plan to begin developing the FOC phase in July 2008, after completion of the IOC phase. The FOC phase is scheduled to be developed over 17 months, ending in December 2009, and is to achieve full interoperability among IAFIS, IDENT, and US-VISIT. According to CJIS Division officials, however, implementing the FOC development phase will be affected by the progress of two separate projects that we discuss later in this report: the CJIS Division's development of a new version of IAFIS and the DHS's modernization of IDENT.
The FOC phase is intended to be an expansion of the IOC phase and is planned to: (1) provide complete, standardized data sharing between the FBI and the DHS; (2) increase fingerprint search capacity and storage to accommodate more transactions; and (3) allow federal, state, and local agencies full access to immigration data.
Standardized data sharing. By the end of the FOC development phase, IAFIS and IDENT users are expected to be able to submit a single request that searches all fingerprint records maintained by the FBI and the DHS to receive associated criminal history and immigration information about the subject. The searches are to be based on fingerprints, although interoperability planning documents indicate that expansion to palm prints, facial recognition, and other biometrically based methods may be developed and used by the agencies in the future in a final interoperability solution (beyond FOC).62 The method of providing this information will depend on which of the technical solutions (shared data, shared services, or a base case) the IPT selects.
Increased fingerprint search capacity and storage. CJIS Division officials stated that by the end of the FOC phase, the federal, state, and local agencies' capacity to search against the DHS's records will increase from the planned IOC capacity of approximately 50,000 transactions per day to approximately 200,000 per day, a level that according to CJIS Division officials, will accommodate all requests. The FBI and the DHS are also planning to increase the storage capacity of the interoperability solution to accommodate all the records that will be in IAFIS and IDENT by FY 2010.
Federal, state, and local agencies' full access to immigration data. By the end of the FOC development phase in December 2009, the FBI and the DHS are planning to allow all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as authorized non-criminal justice agencies, full access to the DHS's immigration data, both benefits- and enforcement-related. However, the two agencies have not yet decided on the parameters of this access and must still make several policy decisions. As of April 2006, officials from the CJIS Division and US‑VISIT office were meeting to discuss the following issues:
With FOC, the LESC is expected to provide more comprehensive immigration information associated with fingerprint matches. As of June 2006, CJIS Division officials stated that although the amount and types of immigration data that the LESC would provide have not been determined, they described the idea of providing an "immigration summary sheet" that would contain a consolidated listing, from every available database, of all immigration information (including biographic) related to the subject.
To support full interoperability, the FBI and the DHS are upgrading IAFIS and IDENT, and the DHS is preparing to convert US‑VISIT to 10 fingerprints.
Concurrent with the IPT's efforts to implement full interoperability, the FBI and the DHS are independently upgrading IAFIS and IDENT to process 10 flat fingerprints. The FBI is upgrading IAFIS to process more flat fingerprint submissions through its Next Generation Identification (NGI) initiative, and the DHS is planning to modernize IDENT and convert US‑VISIT from a 2‑ to a 10‑fingerprint system.
The FBI is upgrading IAFIS through its NGI initiative.
In early 2004, the FBI began planning the NGI initiative (then called Next Generation IAFIS) to provide IAFIS users with quicker and more accurate fingerprint searches and more complete criminal history information. As described below, the interoperability-related portions of the NGI initiative include the processing of an increased volume of flat fingerprints as well as several new services, including a specialized biometric database and improvements in criminal history data.
To oversee NGI planning and implementation, the CJIS Division created the NGI Program Office on March 15, 2005. On July 1, 2005, the FBI awarded a contract for a study to identify development and implementation strategies, functional and system level requirements, and cost estimates. To identify user needs, a team of contractors and FBI personnel from the NGI Program Office completed over 200 interviews with IAFIS users from federal, state, and local agencies, including the DHS and the DOS. NGI Program Office staff stated that they planned to categorize and prioritize user needs and develop cost estimates for them. The study is slated to be completed by December 2006.
The NGI initiative is scheduled to be implemented concurrently with the overall interoperability effort. CJIS Division officials told us that the interoperability‑related portions of NGI are tentatively scheduled to be completed by the end of the FOC development phase in December 2009, pending the results of the study. In FY 2006, the FBI received $16.8 million to support IAFIS hardware and software modernization associated with NGI. The CJIS Division estimated that it would need an additional $74.1 million in FY 2007 funding for further NGI development, however the Department requested $38.1 million in FY 2007 to cover the FBI's NGI-related expenses.
Flat fingerprint processing. In our 2004 review, we found that the CJIS Division was planning to incorporate in its NGI initiative flat fingerprint processing for non-criminal justice purposes, including checking employees' and applicants' backgrounds, issuing licenses, and enrolling foreign nationals into US‑VISIT. To ensure that IAFIS would be prepared to handle 10 flat fingerprint submissions from the approximately 43 million annual US-VISIT enrollees, we recommended that the FBI develop options for the eventual upgrade of IAFIS.64 Since we issued our 2004 report, the FBI has begun accepting flat fingerprint submissions on a limited basis. According to NGI Program Office staff, IAFIS currently processes flat fingerprints from three entities: the DOS, the American Bankers Association, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. From July 27, 2005, through April 17, 2006, those entities submitted approximately 47,000 search requests.
NGI Program Office staff stated that although conducting searches using flat fingerprints requires more processing power than rolled fingerprints, IAFIS currently can process the number of fingerprint searches it is receiving without affecting response time. However, because searches of US‑VISIT enrollees' fingerprints will significantly increase the volume of flat fingerprint submissions, the CJIS Division is in the process of implementing upgrades to the fingerprint search segment of IAFIS and to the system's overall search capacity. IAFIS is currently capable of processing up to 100,000 fingerprint searches a day from all sources, but NGI Program Office staff stated that the CJIS Division plans to expand this capacity to at least 200,000 daily fingerprint searches based upon requirements from IAFIS users from federal, state, and local agencies, including the DHS and the DOS.65
In addition, NGI planning documents we reviewed indicated that enhancing IAFIS to process more flat fingerprints will require the FBI to develop two separate initiatives. First, the CJIS Division must ensure efficient searching in IAFIS using 10 flat fingerprints and, second, must develop processes for the acceptance of 2-fingerprint verification requests. NGI Program Office staff confirmed that the IAFIS will have the capability to process both 10 flat fingerprint searches and 2-fingerprint verifications.
Enhanced Terrorist Identification Service (ETIS). The CJIS Division is planning to implement a specialized biometric database that will allow more rapid identification of certain criminals and terrorists. The plans call for the ETIS to be integrated with the National Crime Information Center and to be interoperable with other automated fingerprint identification systems. The CJIS Division plans to implement the ETIS during the FOC development phase as a subsystem of IAFIS.
Disposition improvements for criminal history records. Another NGI initiative planned for the FOC development phase will improve the disposition information on criminal history records from the National Crime Information Center. The disposition provides users with information on the outcome of an arrest, such as whether the individual was convicted or acquitted.
The DHS plans to modernize IDENT.
The DHS is planning to begin modernizing IDENT through an effort it refers to as "Unified IDENT" to accept, store, and process 10 fingerprints and improve fingerprint matching accuracy. Further, according to the DHS's draft Initial 10-print Transition Plan (10-Print Plan) dated September 16, 2005, the DHS plans to provide more comprehensive individual alien history information, link its various immigration databases, and establish a "person-centric view." According to the 10-Print Plan, the goal of the person-centric view is for each individual with an immigration history to have only one identity across all DHS databases (known as a unique identifier). Under the person-centric view, the DHS expects users to be able to submit a single query and receive a consolidated response containing all biographic and immigration information (both benefits- and enforcement-related) associated with the individual being queried. The CJIS Division's schedule reflects that the DHS is planning to begin modernizing IDENT during the interim interoperability development phase and complete the modernization during the FOC development phase.
When we asked DHS officials whether they were on schedule with the IDENT modernization efforts, they stated that the project is likely to take longer than they anticipated, but that this would not affect the achievement of full interoperability. US-VISIT officials stated that they are currently working with CBP and others to consolidate fingerprint records, but that they must acquire additional fingerprint processing power to support searching of those records. US-VISIT officials stated that their first priority was to prepare the records to be shared through the iDSM, particularly the Expedited Removal records, by ensuring that all the records contain an identifying number and that there are no duplicates. US-VISIT officials confirmed that they plan to complete the IDENT modernization project during the FOC development phase.
The DHS plans to convert US-VISIT to 10 fingerprints.
The DHS and the DOS have begun planning for the transition of US‑VISIT from a 2- to a 10-fingerprint enrollment standard during the interim interoperability development phase. The DHS has formed a user group to select a new scanner suitable for capturing 10 flat fingerprints. In April 2006, the DOS began a series of pilot projects to collect 10 flat fingerprints from foreign nationals applying for visas at selected consulates and embassies. The DOS plans to complete those pilot projects and begin deploying 10 flat fingerprint processing at the remaining consulates and embassies during the IOC development phase, according to the CJIS Division's schedule. The DHS plans to begin pilot projects to collect 10 flat fingerprints from foreign nationals at selected ports of entry during the IOC development phase.
The DHS has estimated the costs to implement the US-VISIT transition from 2 to 10 fingerprints for both it and the DOS in FY 2006 and FY 2007. According to the DHS's 10-Print Plan, the US-VISIT transition will cost approximately $281 million for both fiscal years ($240 million in DHS costs and $41 million in DOS costs).66 In FY 2006, the DHS received $340 million for US-VISIT expenses.67 In FY 2007, the DHS requested $362 million for US-VISIT expenses.
The DHS's plans to convert US-VISIT. In preparation for modifying US-VISIT, the DHS formed a user group with representatives from the FBI, the National Institute of Justice, the DOS, the NIST, and the Department of Defense. The user group identified a need for fingerprint scanners that are faster, smaller, and more portable than the devices currently being used to capture 10 flat fingerprints.68 The user group agreed on a set of core requirements and issued a Request for Information to vendors to develop a device capable of capturing 10 flat fingerprints. In a December 2005 report, the user group determined that, while the industry currently does not offer a device that meets all of its core requirements, two vendors would be able to provide, within 12 months, such a device.69 The DHS plans to test and evaluate the devices during the interim interoperability development phase, according to the CJIS Division's schedule.
The DOS's pilot projects to collect 10 flat fingerprints. In April 2006, the DOS began testing software capable of processing either 2 or 10 fingerprints at the consulate office in Cairo, Egypt. The DOS also began a series of pilot projects recently to collect 10 flat fingerprints from visa applicants at selected consulates and embassies. The DOS began its first pilot project in San Salvador, El Salvador in April 2006 and is planning additional pilot projects in London, England in July 2006 and in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in September 2006.
According to DOS officials, the pilot projects will test the process of collecting 10 fingerprints in an operational environment to identify the length of time needed to collect the fingerprints, the quality of the fingerprint images collected, and additional training needs. However, because IDENT is not yet prepared to accept 10 fingerprints, the DOS plans to continue transmitting 2 flat fingerprints for searches against IDENT.70 DOS officials stated that they did not anticipate sending 10 flat fingerprint images to the DHS for inclusion in IDENT until September 2006, when IDENT is expected to begin accepting 10 fingerprints. To collect the fingerprints during the pilot projects, the DOS plans to use an existing type of 10-print scanner that the FBI certified as being in compliance with IAFIS. Once smaller, lighter scanners are available, the DOS plans to deploy the devices and require 10 flat fingerprint processing at its remaining consulates and embassies during the IOC development phase.
Pilot projects to collect 10 flat fingerprints from foreign nationals at selected ports of entry are scheduled to occur during the IOC phase, according to the CJIS Division's schedule. In April 2006, DHS officials stated that the pilot locations had not yet been identified. They also stated that before the DHS decides on appropriate ports of entry for a pilot, they must conduct further planning, such as operational and process modeling, facilities modifications, proposed technical solutions, and environmental planning, and collaborate with CBP and other stakeholders. The DHS is planning to deploy US-VISIT 10-fingerprint capabilities at all ports of entry and consulates by the end of the FOC development phase.
The IPT is estimating interoperability costs for the IOC phase.
The IPT is working on a cost-benefit analysis, which it expects to complete by August 2006, that will estimate the IOC interoperability-related expenses for the FBI, DHS, and DOS to make IAFIS, IDENT, and US-VISIT interoperable.71 Those expenses will include agency-specific initiatives needed for interoperability, such as a portion of the FBI's NGI, the DHS's IDENT modernization, and the DHS and DOS joint implementation of a 10‑fingerprint enrollment standard for US-VISIT. The final cost will depend largely on which of the technical solutions the IPT chooses for full interoperability. FBI officials noted that achieving full interoperability is dependent on the FBI, DHS, and DOS receiving adequate appropriations to cover all interoperability-related expenses.
The FBI has estimated costs for the first two interoperability phases.
Separate from the IPT's cost-benefit analysis for IOC, FBI officials have developed FBI-specific cost estimates for the first two interoperability phases. For FY 2006, the FBI estimated a cost of $7.9 million for the iDSM and $24 million for the first portion of the IOC development phase. In its FY 2006 appropriation, the FBI budgeted $18.9 million for interoperability-related expenses, most of which included reprogrammed funding.72 For FY 2007, the FBI estimated that $33 million will be needed for hardware and software for the IOC development phase and the FBI subsequently requested that amount in the President's FY 2007 budget.73
The FBI and the DHS have identified technical, funding, and policy risks and have developed mitigation strategies.
We examined whether the FBI and the DHS (through the IPT) have identified potential technical, funding, and policy risks that could delay full interoperability and whether they have developed corresponding mitigation strategies. We found that the IPT has developed risk management plans and mitigation strategies that appear reasonable for the overall interoperability effort. We also found that the FBI developed a risk management plan with mitigation strategies for its portion of the interim interoperability development phase (iDSM).74
In a November 2005 draft Interoperability Concept of Operations, the IPT identified broad risks that must be managed throughout each of the interoperability phases.75 The IPT devised mitigation strategies for those risks and stated that it, along with the DHS and the DOS, would manage the risks and periodically report to the IPT's Executive Committee on the status of the mitigation effort. The broad risks and mitigation strategies in the document we examined included the following:
The FBI identified the iDSM-specific risks in an April 2006 iDSM Concept of Operations. For the specific risks, the FBI identified corresponding mitigation strategies and risk consequences that build on the broader interoperability risks discussed in the previous document. CJIS Division officials stated that they regularly identify and monitor the iDSM risks, and on May 3, 2006, the officials provided documentation showing 18 open risks and 39 risks that they had closed.76 The open risks involved areas such as schedule, technology, reliability of systems, cost, policy, privacy, and security. Among them were:
Although the interoperability risks and corresponding mitigation strategies appear to be reasonable, the scope of our review did not include an analysis of whether the IPT or the FBI identified all potential risks to the interoperability project and appropriately closed or mitigated those risks. Further, because the FBI is working toward establishing the iDSM, it has not completed risk analysis plans for the remaining two phases, although FBI officials stated that they have begun identifying potential risks for the IOC and FOC development phases. We therefore encourage the FBI to continue regularly monitoring the overall risks to the project and to develop risk mitigation strategies for the IOC and FOC phases.
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A new upholstered furniture collection by Maine Cottage® that boasts seven coordinating pieces available in 145 colorful fabrics to create an effortlessly chic space in your master suite, sunroom or family area. Inspired by that one great friend who loves traditional items, like a classic little black dress or sentimental pearls—the Flora Collection is tried and true.
A statement piece no doubt, is the elegantly curved Flora Wedge Sofa! Shown above are two wedge sofas that bookend this round room—the Flora Wedge Sofas are great for a turret! Or add one semi-circular sofa for a cozy resting place in a more traditional living space. With ample seating and plush cushions, this upholstered sofa is perfect for entertaining and lounging.
Traditional English roll arms and a standard comfort down package are elements that make this collection top-notch.
A waterfall skirt adorns all Flora pieces, including the Loveseat, Sofa, Apartment Sofa, Sleeper Sofa and Chair. (Shown above in Sea Biscuit / Porch.)
What Flora pieces would you mix and match? With more than 145 colorful fabrics and 50 original paint colors for coordinating wood and wicker furniture, the options are endless!
The Maine Cottage® blog is a window into what inspires our designers to create cottage style furniture, coastal colors and unique fabric patterns. Whether you're an interior designer that specifies our products, a color consultant with creative block or a homeowner ready to live on the colorful side—welcome to our color drenched journey!
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Tag Cloud200 Fabrics All Weather Wicker Annapolis Art beach Beach House Charleston Designer Showhouse coastal coastal furniture Coastal Home Coastal Living color colorful furniture Color Idea Color Ideas cottage Cottage Living country Country Living designer fabric furniture home house interior design juicing living Made in USA Maine Maine artist Maine Cottage Maine Cottage: 40 Colors Maine Cottage As Seen In Maine Cottage Colors Maine Cottage Fabrics Maine Cottage News Maine Cottage Upholstery Maine Cottage Wicker mango Metropolitan Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge metropolitan kitchen and lounge Seating USA Wicker


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We've made our system free to use in order to help a person get the best rates possible when searching for various coverage options as a homeowner.
Midland, TX (PRWEB) July 30, 2014
Owners of homes in the United States who are searching for insurance plans can now conduct research using the Quotes Pros website. Some of the best homeowners insurance companies prices are now searchable when using the national system at http://quotespros.com/homeowners-insurance.html.
A variety in policy types and companies can be found when access is gained to the website system. All rates that are supplied require a homeowner to submit a zip code in order to determine key aspects like crime rates, severe weather history and other factors that are calculated by insurance companies.
"We've made our system free to use in order to help a person get the best rates possible when searching for various coverage options as a homeowner," said one Quotes Pros rep.
The prices that are featured are displayed after a person selects a company to evaluate pricing. When zip codes are supplied, a list of companies is returned and a selection can be made to view the exact company prices available. This is considered a faster method of price discovery due to the privacy of the system.
"We're planning to enhance the way that policies are searched for this year by adding different levels of coverage plans to allow homeowners to customize a policy," said the rep.
The Quotes Pros company is also promoting several new rates research options for different coverage options this year online. The automobile insurers that are placed into the company system now give access to standard, SR22 and motorcycle rates that are up for review at http://quotespros.com/auto-insurance.html.
About QuotesPros.com
The QuotesPros.com company is now featuring prices for insurance packages that are marketed nationally by top agencies on the Internet. An easy system to find costs for different plans has been installed for direct usage on the company homepage. The QuotesPros.com company connects with different providers of policies throughout the U.S. in order to feature the price discounts and special promotions that agencies are marketing to consumers.


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'11 Best R&B Albums: #1 Frank Ocean Nostalgia, Ultra
It almost feels wrong that we didn't pay for Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, Ultra. Released for free at the top of the year, Frank turned the tables on traditional R&B and hipster cool. He clipped the Eagles' wings on "American Wedding" and challenged the status quo on "We All Try". "Swim Good" was excellent, but then there was "Novacane". An easy bass and a melodic hook caught everyone's attention and helped give Def Jam's red-shirted rookie the push he needed. Ultra magnetic move.
Previously: #5 Marsha Ambrosius Late Nights & Early Mornings l #4 Beyoncé 4 l #3 The Weeknd House Of Balloons l #2 Terius Nash 1977


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This book presents the fundamental numerical techniques used in engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, and the physical and life sciences in a way that is both interesting and understandable. Using a wide range of examples and problems, this book focuses on the use of MathCAD functions and worksheets to illustrate the methods used when discussing the following concepts: solving linear and nonlinear equations, numerical linear algebra, numerical methods for data interpolation and approximation, numerical differentiation and integration, and numerical techniques for solving differential equations. For professionals in the fields of engineering, mathematics, computer science, and physical or life sciences who want to learn MathCAD functions for all major numerical methods.Use prime notation for derivatives, or derivative operators from calculus toolbar. 4 . Limit constraints to simple forms such as y(a) = c or ya#39;(a) = d. Mathcad cannot handle constraints such as y(a) + ya#39;(a) = e. 5. Do not enter a numerical value foranbsp;...
|Numerical Methods Using MathCAD
|Laurene V. Fausett
|Pearson - 2002
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.How it works:


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Template Eris is a free joomla 2.5 template, based on the powerful Gantry Framework. It's corporate/clean design makes this template a must-have in your website's portfolio.
Demo Template Eris:
Key Features:
- Gantry Framework used, simple to use and powerful
- Compatible only with Joomla 2.5+
- Unlimited background colors and combinations!
- Around 70 modules positions or various combinations
- Plusslider
- Portfolio adaptation with multiple columns
- Blog section
- Photo gallery plugin
- Google map on contact page with personalised PIN & multiple locations
- Google Fonts support
- Newsletter component
- Built-in Prettyphoto lightbox
- Mobile version with view-switcher
- Quickstart package & Standalone template included
- PSD Files included (slides also)
- 960px grid system
- Social media support
- Built in styles


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Azure Events
See what's happening in your area
Register to attend this complimentary webinar on advocacy over the Azure Cloud.
SoCXO is a social employee advocacy platform which helps you drive word-of-mouth publicity through the social networks of your brand's advocates. Powered by Azure cloud, SoCXO enables organizations to spread their marketing communications on social media in an easy, safe and rewarding manner.
Where: India
When: Wed, 13 Apr 2016 09:30:00 GMT
Wed, 13 Apr 2016 09:30:00 GMT (UTC)
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View as Slideshow: Best Linux Browsers
Choosing the best Linux browser for your needs requires just a bit of homework: Web browsers for the Linux desktop have evolved over the years, just as they have for other popular desktop platforms. With this evolution, both good and bad revelations have been discovered. Revelations from new functionality, to broken extensions, and so forth. In this article, I'll serve as your guide through these murky waters to help you discover the best in Linux browsers.
Firefox – Firefox has long been a friendly browser for Linux users. Accessible on both 32bit and 64bit Linux installs, Firefox also offers extensive extensions to choose from. It's a fast loading, easy to navigate Web browser that has found itself in a popular place with Linux users.
The good: It's easily installed from most common Linux software repositories, if not already installed on the distro by default. Thousands of extensions to choose from to make your Firefox browser more fully featured. Nearly every website on the Web (including government and banking sites) render properly.
Also important: Firefox respects your privacy. In addition to a straight forward privacy policy, they're not in the "same business" as Google. Therefore, most users feel more comfortable allowing Firefox to see their daily browsing activities whereas other browsers, might have more profit-driven interests. Firefox is also great for web developers, thanks to its element inspection tool, built right into the browser.
The bad: Not too long ago, I was finding that Firefox's frequent updates were breaking my extensions. This meant I needed to verify that my favorite extensions were compatible with new Firefox updates BEFORE I updated my browser.
To be blunt, this caused me to rethink which browser would be my default tool to browse the Internet. In fairness, Mozilla does post a blog post with each browser update for extension developers. In these posts, developers are told what has changed and what needs to be done to keep things working smoothly.
Chrome/Chromium – Google promotes its browser named Chrome, however I tend to put Chromium into the same group as Chrome since Chromium is used as its base for development. Unlike Firefox, Chrome/Chromium was late to the game for Linux. Linux users only considered it worth trying at the time due to the fact that Chrome/Chromium was perceived by many as being the fastest browser.
The good: Even today, Chrome/Chromium is considered pretty fast. Even with the recent updates made to other competing browsers, Chrome/Chromium hasn't lost its speed. Extensions for Chrome/Chromium are plentiful and even better, updates to the browser have no affect on said extensions. This means that, unlike Firefox, I haven't dealt with extension incompatibilities. Like Firefox, Chrome/Chromium also has an element inspection tool, built right into the browser. After trying syncing options with other browsers, only Chrome/Chromium has proven itself to be truly idiot-proof. Without question, Chrome/Chromium syncing is the best in the browser space, from my perspective.
The bad: Chrome/Chromium doesn't always render pages correctly. Be it rare, some sites like Ebay don't always render correctly. Case in point, if I create a new Ebay submission, I find there are buttons missing in some cases. I've also found that sometimes Chrome/Chromium can lockup completely if an open tab is rendering heavy script. Sites like Google Plus and Facebook are the most common offenders.
Qupzilla – When it comes to lightweight browsers, I've found Qupzilla to be among the most awesome. Based on Webkit, it provides decent rendering support while maintaining a very small resource footprint.
The good: Qupzilla is ideal for lightweight desktop environments where you need a modern browser capable of rendering pages correctly and generally providing a solid web browser experience. It's extremely lightweight and will run on older PCs without missing a beat. Access Keys and GreaseMonkey extensions are installed (but disabled) by default.
Like Firefox and Chrome/Chromium, Qupzilla provides access to an element inspection tool as well. And finally, having Adblock installed by default makes this a clear lightweight winner for me.
The bad: HTML5 video doesn't seem to work reliably. Also, in order to watch Flash videos, you must visit the preferences and uncheck Click to Flash in the Extensions, Webkit plugins area. This is a poorly thought out decision to essentially disable Flash out of the box, while HTML5 video remains completely broken.
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Membership and Functions
The Council's mandate is to promote the effective implementation of, and compliance with, the Convention. It is also required to supervise the activities of the Secretariat, to cooperate with the National Authority of each State Party, and to facilitate consultations with and cooperation among States Parties, at their request.
A full listing of the many facets of the Council's work is found in Article VIII, paragraph 32.
In this section:
Each State Party has the right, in accordance with the principle of rotation, to serve on the Council. Regional groups are represented on the Council in accordance with a detailed formula stipulated in the Convention as follows:
- Africa - nine members;
- Asia - nine members;
- Eastern Europe - five members,
- Latin America and the Caribbean - seven members;
- Western Europe and Other States - 10 members;
- and by one further State Party, designated on a rotating basis, from Asia or Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Council is required to carry out all functions and powers entrusted to it by the Convention, as well as any functions delegated to it by the Conference. In so doing, the Council must act in conformity with the recommendations, decisions and guidelines of the Conference, and must ensure their proper and continuous implementation.
Among the most important of the Council's functions are:
- the taking of measures in cases of non-compliance by a State Party, including the submission of recommendations for action to be taken by the Conference;
- the consideration and submission to the Conference of the draft OPCW programme and budget;
- the draft report of the Organisation on the status of implementation of the Convention and the report of the Council on the performance of its activities;
- and the making of a recommendation to the Conference on the appointment of the Director-General.
Executive Powers
The Council has considerable executive powers in relation to the implementation of the Convention. It may, without reference to the Conference:
- conclude agreements with States Parties on behalf of the Organisation in connection with assistance and protection against chemical weapons;
- approve agreements or arrangements relating to the implementation of verification activities negotiated by the Secretariat with States Parties, such as facility agreements; and,
- subject to prior approval by the Conference, the Council may conclude agreements or arrangements with states and international organisations on behalf of the Organisation.
- The Council plays a key role in the resolution of ambiguities and concerns regarding compliance. As described earlier and as discussed in more detail in the sections on challenge inspections and investigations of alleged use, the Council is the primary focal point designated by the Convention for resolving such concerns.
A special role is also assigned to the Council in relation to requests for assistance and protection against the use or threat of use of chemical weapons, in accordance with Article X of the Convention.
Finally, the Council is also assigned special powers in the event of a dispute between States Parties about the interpretation or application of the Convention.
Decision Making
In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Council adopted by the Conference at its First Session, the Council shall, with one exception, generally take decisions on matters of substance by a two-thirds majority vote, and a simple majority of all its members shall decide on questions of procedure. The one exception concerns the Executive Council's power to stop a challenge inspection from going forward. That decision can only be taken by a three-quarter majority of all the Executive Council members. In practice the Council has generally been guided by the principle of consensus.
Subsidiary Bodies
The Financial Regulations of the OPCW authorise the Council to establish a body consisting of experts of recognised standing from States Parties to advise it on administrative and financial matters. The current subsidiary bodies are:
- Confidentiality Commission
- Scientific Advisory Board
- Advisory Body on Administrative and Financial Matters
Another panel, the Advisory Panel on Future OPCW Priorities, completed its work in July 2011.
89th Session of the Executive Council
9 - 12 October 2018
90th Session of the Executive Council
12-15 March 2019
91st Session of the Executive Council
9-12 July 2019
92nd Session of the Executive Council
8-11 October 2019


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Workout With Your Dog
STRENGTH TRAINING, ENDURANCE & FAT LOSS, through the use of cardio circuits & resistance bands, while your dog gets conditioned in agility and obedience.
30-minute sessions:
Torch Fat in Less Time
The most obvious benefit of short, intense workout is that it doesn't take as long. It allows you to arrive, hit the workout and move on with the rest of the day. It also helps to keep your pup focus on the task at hand.
High Intensity-type training gives a natural boost to human growth hormone production, which is essential for optimal health and strength. It has been shown to boost fat loss, your metabolism and increase muscle strength.
You reach your "maximum output" since you are asked to only do it for shorter amount of time. You perform at a higher intensity, one that you would not be able to maintain for an hour. Meaning you are getting maximum results in minimum time.
Never Be Bored Training Again
Great way to do full body workouts. You can have separate stations, some for upper body and some for lower body.
Perfect way to mix cardio and strength training in a short period.
The "after burn" effect will have you torching calories up to 48hrs after your workout ends. Wouldn't you like to burn calories while you sit and watch TV?
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CLARK – During the summer, preparations were underway for the new school year at St. Agnes School in Clark. The school's cafeteria has been completely renovated, as well as the stage in the auditorium. A brand new gymnasium is being built and some areas of the school received a fresh coat of paint.
St. Agnes will open its doors to all middle school students on Wednesday, Sept. 7, and to elementary students on Thursday, Sept. 8. All students will assemble in the playground area at 8 a.m. on their respective start date with the exception of the Kindergarten students, who will meet their teacher at the classroom for a quick "photo-op".
Principal Heather Schnaars will start the school year off with all of the parents and guardians gathering together and reciting a blessing for their children before entering the building for the start of the new school year. The first couple of days will be noon dismissals, in preparation for the first full week of full days beginning Monday, Sept. 12. Pre-Kindergarten children will follow a special schedule to introduce them to their new routine starting Monday, Sept.12 as well.
The middle school students will have the option this year of joining in on some special study skills classes that will be offered by the principal. The school has added a vocabulary textbook into the curriculum for fourth and fifth grades. The fourth and fifth grades will also start switching classes to help better prepare the students for the middle school.
"We anticipate a very exciting 2011/12 school year," said Schnaars. "The students and faculty are looking forward to being challenged and rewarded all at the same time."
To learn more about the St. Agnes School, visit www.stagnesschool.com.
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Log seats set of 30. These natural log seats create aesthetic outdoor seating with interesting bark and growth rings. The seats are cut from UK grown hardwood trees such as hazel and ash from sustainably managed UK woodlands.
- Height: 20cm
- Diameter: 18-22cm
- Weight: Approx 6kg
- Rough cut – Please note that surfaces are not sanded – see photos
- Bark: This differs for each species and may appear different to that photographed. These are hand harvested and patches of bark may be missing.


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High Quality Australian Made Chlorine Resistant Swimwear.
At Nova Swimwear we believe in supplying High Quality Chlorine Resistant Swimwear at affordable prices.
Our range covers ladies, men's , Boys and Girls swimwear, with options available for young children and those requiring plus size bathers.
Nova Swimwear has been manufacturing quality Chlorine Resistant Swimwear in Australia since 1986, so you can be assured that you are buying from a reputable company.
Our company motto is "100% Customer Satisfaction"
We are Australia's largest manufacturer of Racing Skins & Training Skins, Female knee length swimsuits & Male Jammers.
We supply a large range of styles and designs and manufacture FINA approved swimsuits in our factory in Queensland Australia.
All internet order receive "FREE SHIPPING" Australia wide.
We are happy to Refund your purchase if the size or style does not suit your requirements. (Please Note: Returns for Refund must have swing tags attached)
Customers in Australian CBD areas can expect to receive their order just one business day after purchase, while country areas will get their orders within 3 to 8 business days. If you order online by 2pm, we'll send it the very same day
Show your colours in Team Swimwear uniforms
If your club or school wants the team spirit to shine at your next meet, give us a call to discuss manufacturing custom swimsuits based on your own design ideas or have our design team help with a design. We have created personalised chlorine resistant swimwear in Australia for 1000's of clubs and schools, so make an enquiry with our team and take the first step to your very own team uniforms — we also supply custom silicone swim caps imprinted with your logo at great prices.


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For those of you who live somewhere that practices Daylight Savings Time, the time change is coming up. In the United States, this will be March 14. Move clocks one hour forward.
While this is the time change I liked least as a teenager, I like it most as a mother. It is much easier to adjust your children ahead than behind.
See the time change blog label for all previous time change posts.
We aren't doing anything to prep. I will just adjust schedules once the time change happens.
Time Change Reminder
Labels: time change
3 comments
I am unable to click on the Time Change link on the list of topics on the right side of the screen (it's actually not a link like the others). When I click on the link posted in yesterday's post it doesn't take me anywhere. Is anyone else having this problem?
- March 4, 2010 at 7:43 AM
- Jessica said...
Praise God! I am ready to get back to our 7:00 a.m. wake time again. Woohoo!
- March 4, 2010 at 9:12 AM
- Plowmanators said...
Chrissi, are you scrolling down when you click? Here is the actual URL:
- March 16, 2010 at 11:54 AM
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Kolcraft Moms Take on Chicago
Kolcraft was abuzz with excitement to welcome 4 Kolcraft Mom ambassadors to our corporate office in Chicago. We had talked with these moms via blog, social media and on the phone, but never met in person. Their time in Chicago was a time for us to get to know them & them to get to know us.
We started the Kolcraft Mom Fest with spa treatments at the Red Door Spa. We know moms don't get much time to themselves, so we wanted to pamper them after their travel to the Windy City. That night we dined Chicago style at the locals' favorite pizza spots – Lou Malnati's. Then if was off to see some fireworks on Navy Pier and walk the Mag Mile before drifting to dreamland at The Drake.
The next day came bright and early with breakfast at Kolcraft corporate offices. Here the moms got to meet 3 generations of Koltuns – Sandy Koltun, CEO (son of the founder of Kolcraft), Tom Koltun, President, and Anita Koltun, social media intern. They also toured the offices and saw our test labs. The day was spent showing them products in various stages of concept and development. It was exciting to see their reaction to "first looks" at products and to get their feedback. We ended the day with a limo tour of Chicago sites.
Friday was the end of our time with our Kolcraft Moms. We met them for breakfast and were serenaded by A Nation of Mom's son who played the violin like a little Itzhak Perlman. It was hard to say goodbye, but we are grateful for the time we had with them.
See our Chicago memories with the moms
Read more about these 4 amazing moms at:


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EDITOR'S NOTE: A grand jury on December 21 declined to indict anyone in connection with Sandra Bland's death at the Waller County jail; the decision pertains only to the actions of staff at the jail where Bland was found dead. Special prosecutor Darrell Jordan stressed in announcing the decision that the "case is still open" and grand jurors will reconvene in January to consider further aspects of it. It remains to be seen if charges will be brought against State Trooper Brian Encinia, who arrested Bland. The hearing discussed in Debbie Nathan's report below involves the civil suit that Sandra Bland's family has brought against several officials involved in her arrest and imprisonment.
Sandra Bland's mother and sisters were in federal court in Houston on Thursday. The occasion was a hearing for their lawsuit against multiple defendants: the Texas highway trooper who improperly arrested Bland in July, the county that jailed her, and the jailers who Bland's family say should have prevented her from dying while behind bars. The courtroom was packed with Bland's family, her Sigma Gamma Rho sorority sisters, black civil-rights activists, unaffiliated but concerned community members, and the media.
Among new developments in the case were revelations from the lawyers of those being sued that they've seen evidence, lifted from Bland's cellphone texts, that she might have been getting counseling for mental-health issues. The defendants say that Bland died while in custody as a result of a suicide that the jail could not have prevented.
The judge set the trial date for January, 2017, over a year from now. It will be a long time before legal light is definitively shed on the question that graces everything from hashtags to T-shirts: What happened to Sandra Bland?
But if you follow the money in Texas, it's clear that one big reason people like Bland get stopped on the roads is because the state—and its counties and munipalities—are grubbing for dollars and cents.
Bland was detained ostensibly because she failed to signal a lane change in Prairie View, a small, college town in rural Waller County, near Houston. It's very common for young people to get pulled over there. As in Ferguson, Missouri, stopping drivers and ticketing them is how Waller County makes a lot of money.
Attorney Emily Gerrick has studied the phenomenon. She is with the Austin-based Texas Fair Defense Project. It's a nonprofit working to improve the state's public-defender system and challenge policies that jail poor people because they can't afford bail-bond fees and post-conviction fines and costs.
Those costs are legion and staggering. Texas has no state income tax, and money for social services must come from somewhere. Gouging people with traffic tickets and criminal convictions is an easy way for the state, counties, and municipalities to collect lots of money.
They do it through a byzantine schedule of fees. The state keeps most of the money, but counties and cities retain a percentage. There's a $25 "records-management" fee, for instance. A $15 "judicial fund" fee. Fifteen dollars added to each bail-bond payment. The list goes on, with scores of charges. As a former Waller County Justice of the Peace described it, a trivial infraction can rack up charges totaling as much as $500.
The most arbitrary pinch comes from what's known in Texas as the "Consolidated Court Cost." Added to a fine, it's a fixed amount imposed upon everyone who pleads guilty or is convicted of any offense, no matter how small. The fee is $40 for a non-jailable misdemeanor like a traffic ticket, $83 for a higher-level misdemeanor, and $133 for a felony.


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GRANDFATHER FLOWAGE Privacy for your new home or cabin on this pretty wooded lot. With 150 feet of shoreline on the Grandfather Flowage, and a gradual slope to the water's edge, this property is sure to be exactly what you are looking for. The Grandfather Flowage is known for its great fishing, too! The lot has a mix of hardwood on it and has a great slope for a walk-out basement. Priced well below other lots in the area, you have to see how nice this piece of property really is. Check it out before it's gone!
Features Residential
|Lot Size SqFt: 94525
|Lake Chain:
|Lot Size Acres: 2.17
|Lake Name: Grandfather Flowage
|Zoning: Buyer to Verify
|River Name:
|Taxes: $868
|Water Frontage (feet): 150
|Tax Year: 2016
|Lake Size-Acres: 758
|High School: LI Tomahawk
|Shoreline: Rocky, Sand
|School District: Tomahawk
|Access Road: Town Road
|Site Influence: Buildable, Easy Access, Lake Front, Level, No Thru Road, Park Setting, Private Setting, Quiet Area, Recreation Nearby, River Front, Rural Setting, Secluded Lot, Water View, Wooded Area


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MFC: Integrating your application with the Windows Restart Manager
Thanks for it.
MFC: Integrating your application with the Windows Restart Manager
It is used to automatically restart an application after it crashes ??
it seem nice for the worker, when windows is being error,. Great,.ty.
Windows Azure Storage Overview
Hi there, anyone know if it's even worth contemplating writing a layer for Umbraco which will support Windows Azure Storage?
I don't suppose there's some "Storage Provider" that i can override?! I know it's a long shot, but my goal is to utilise Umbraco inside a .NET 4 application in the Azure cloud.
Erik Porter and Nathan Heskew: Introducing Orchard
success for you sir
C9 Lectures: Dr. Don Syme - Introduction to F#, 3 of 3
you may visit here Danes,.
Hope it's useful for you,.
Windows Animation - Advanced Topics
as quoted from microsoft site,. That "Animation can help to communicate major state changes in the user interface and help to manage the complexity of the user interface. Animation can also add to the user's perception of the quality of an application."
I agree about it,. But, as windows user I hope, Microsoft continues to develop how to have windows system is not heavy with the existence of a sophisticated animation.
Erik Porter and Nathan Heskew: Introducing Orchard
Thanks for Share sir,. I want to try it later,.,.
IE 9 and SVG - Past, Present and Future of Vector Graphics for the Web
If IE9 supports all features like dynamic text intoduction in SVG; change FONT of text thats available in web server, scaling of Pictures, without any addon plugins then it ll be really great one.
IE 9 - Surf on Metal with GPU Powered HTML5
nice News share about IE,.


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Marie-Lizette Acoba
Associate Editor, Poker Pro Wannabe
Los Angeles -
I am Marie-Lizette Acoba. Yes, I have two first names AND a last name. I'm trying to start a new trend... I'm bring surnames back. But if that's a mouthful, no worries! To most people I'm simply "Lizette."
I enjoy playing poker and writing about my poker exploits at confessionsofapokerprowannabe.com.
In addition to playing poker, I am a freelance poker writer and photographer. I do what I can to change minds about the poker industry so that one day it can be accepted as mainstream entertainment like professional sports and reality television.
I've only been on this side of the rail for three years, but I've managed to wiggle my way into some pretty cool gigs. I also write the poker blog for The Bicycle Casino, market its live webcast 'Live at the Bike,' and manage The Bike's social media accounts.
I also I do social media consulting, webdesign and marketing promotion for several other poker companies, poker charity events and a few select friends, but it's not my primary focus.
Posts by MarieLizette:
This Week's Big Winners – August 14th
Seven-Digit Prize Pools Were King in the Second Week of August15 Aug 2011
Well, the buck torch has been passed and it has fallen upon me to summarize the latest and greatest happenings in tournament poker. Seeing as how the last entry was pre-WSOP, I will take it upon myself not to pick-up we Pokerati left off, choosing instead to focus on the past few days…during which time millions were […]
There's No Crying in Poker!
What's worse, men who enter ladies events or tradition of trying to shame them?06 Jul 2011
That's what I thought after playing in and being a witness to the 2011 World Series of Poker Ladies' Event — the line from the 1992 film, A League of Their Own, where Jimmy Dugan (played by Tom Hanks) famously said, "THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!". Don't people know, "There's no crying in Poker!" The […]
Penn National Growing Pains?
Non-Vegas casino giant reorganizes to avoid shareholder, union spats16 Jun 2011
Exactly two weeks to the day after Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) announced its acquisition of M Resort, a casino workers labor union, UNITE HERE!, issued the following press release that might be of special interest to investors who paid nearly $40/share. (So far, after short-lived giddiness, their stake continues to drop like a rock.) Read below for the […]
Federated Sports + Gaming Acquires Heartland Poker Tour
Could This Be the Beginning of a Match Made in the Heartland?14 Jun 2011
Federated Sports + Gaming (FS+G) announced today that it has acquired Heartland Poker Tour (HPT), the nation's leading grassroots poker tour and one of the largest independent producers of poker content on television. "HPT is one of the great success stories in the poker industry" "HPT is one of the great success stories in the […]
Sorel Mizzi's Next Play…
"Poker Players Against Poverty" Established To Help Those in Need09 Jun 2011
By the time Sorel Mizzi turned 25 on April 16 of this year, he already earned one of the top nods in the poker world as Bluff Magazine's Player of the Year for 2010. He had also been at the center of several scandalized cheating accusations. There is no question that Mizzi is an exception […]
Shuffle Master, Inc. Reports Finantial Growth
Second Quarter EPS of $0.14 and Record Quarterly Revenue of $59.9 Million08 Jun 2011
Shuffle Master, Inc. today announced its results for the second quarter ended April 30, 2011. "We attribute this success to our R&D efforts, continued investments in game content, and improved execution." "During the quarter we achieved record quarterly revenue of nearly $60 million, filled some key strategic roles such as a new CEO and General […]
New software runs World Series of Poker tournament utilizing twenty PokerPro tables
PokerTek Receives GLI Approval for PokerPro's Newest Tournament Features08 Jun 2011
PokerTek, Inc. the industry leader in automated poker technology, is pleased to announce that Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has approved its latest PokerPro software, Tournaments Plus+, version 3.0. This approval clears the way for installations and upgrades of this new software into jurisdictions worldwide that accept GLI certification. "And we look forward to running more […]
Maria Ho Pockets Second-Highest WSOP Cash Ever by a Female
VIDEO: Last Hand of 2011 WSOP Event #407 Jun 2011
Maria Ho started the Day 4 Final Table of the 4th event of the 2011 World Series of Poker ($5K NLHE) as the shortest stack, while Allen Bari came to the table with a dominant chip lead. Although Maria was able to chip up and double through the elimination of Nicholas Blumenthal, Allen kept his […]
Penn National Gaming Announces its Acquisition of M Resort
Anthony Marnell III, M Resort Developer and Founder, to Serve as Facility's President02 Jun 2011
Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) announced yesterday that following its October 2010 purchase of all of the outstanding debt of M Resort for $230.5 million and the receipt of requisite regulatory approvals, it has acquired the business in exchange for the debt. Penn National purchased the M Resort debt from Bank of Scotland plc […]
WPT® Texas Hold 'Em Poker Game on Facebook® Offers Fans the Chance to Set Sail
with the WPT Amateur Poker League on a Caribbean Cruise27 May 2011
Hands-On Entertainment, an award-winning entertainment company that develops and publishes social and mobile games, today announced it is offering fans of its WPT® Texas Hold 'Em Poker game on Facebook a chance at winning a 7-Day Exotic Eastern Caribbean Cruise hosted by the WPT Amateur Poker League. The cruise will take passengers to the Bahamas, […]