text:
Who Checks the Spell-Checkers?
Microsoft Word's dictionary is old and outdated. Here's how to fix it.
On April 30, 2007, with all the usual fanfare that accompanies a software update, Microsoft added Barack and Obama to Office's dictionary. It was a fairly quick canonization for the Illinois senator. His surname had been on Microsoft's candidate list for new words since Jan. 5 of that year, and his first name followed three days later, in the same recruiting class as Zune, Klum, and Friendster. Three months later, it was official—no longer would Microsoft suggest Boatman as a replacement for the future president's last name.
Of course, by April 2007 Obama was already a figure of some renown. He'd announced his bid for the Democratic nomination in mid-January and had been an object of intense fascination since his July 2004 speech at the Democratic Convention. But escaping the shackles of Microsoft Word's red corrugated line is no small feat, and the list of those who've made the cut can seem arbitrary: Why does it recognize the surnames of Matthew Broderick and Susan Sarandon but trip over DiCaprio and Blanchett? They've heard of Friendster, but not Facebook? Does Microsoft really want to start something with Mark Wahlberg? (Or, speaking of Entourage, with Jeremy Piven?)
There's no reason why spell-check dictionaries need to be so behind the times. All the technology to build a relevant, timely spelling database already exists in search engines like Google and Microsoft's own Live Search, which have a vast vocabulary of words and names and update their dictionaries in near real time. Microsoft Word may not have heard of Marky Mark, but a Live Search or a Google query for Mark Walberg includes results for the actor, who has an "h" in his last name.
For another example, take a reasonably new tech neologism like pharming. Neither Microsoft Word nor the Google Docs spell-checker, the latter of which is based on an open-source tool called GNU Aspell, have heard of the word. Live and Google recognize the term just fine, however, and can retrieve it as a correction for a basic misspelling like pharmung.
What's behind this disparity? Word processors and search engines have different goals. The latter has to field queries as broad and varied as the Internet itself, so it needs a very large vocabulary in order to differentiate spelling mistakes from legitimate search terms. Word processors are much more conservative, limiting their lexicon to words that are definitely legitimate. This way, a program like Word can catch virtually every typo, even if it means misidentifying some proper names and newer words. In other words, search engines put breadth first and spelling accuracy second while word processors are the other way around. If you type in Monkees, Google will assume you're searching for the band; Word will give you a red squiggly line, thinking you've screwed up the word monkeys.
Not surprisingly, search engines and word processors build their dictionaries differently. A search engine's lexicon is typically put together using words gathered from Web pages or old search queries—a huge corpus of real-world data that constitutes a list of valid words and their frequency in the language. Word-processing lexicons are more heavily chaperoned, and the pace at which new terms enter the dictionary is much slower.
Microsoft is beginning to incorporate more natural-language detection into its Office products, though. Ten years ago, they kept candidate words on a single Excel sheet for review by a higher-up. Mike Calcagno, a member of Microsoft's Natural Language Group, says the company now scans through trillions of words, including anonymized text from Hotmail messages, in the hunt for dictionary candidates. On top of this, they monitor words that people manually instruct Word to recognize. "It's becoming rarer and rarer that anything that comes to us ad hoc isn't already on our list" from Hotmail or user data, Calcagno says. According to a July 14, 2006, bug report, for example, the Natural Language Group harvested the following words that had appeared more than 10 times in Hotmail user dictionaries: Netflix, Radiohead, Lipitor, glucosamine, waitressing, taekwondo, and all-nighter.
Incorporating user data is a huge step in the right direction for Word, but the process is still sluggish compared with search engines. Google and Live Search generate dictionaries that approach real-time models of language. In a fascinating paper (PDF), two Microsoft researchers explain that a stream of previous search queries can be used to maintain an up-to-date lexicon capable of correcting a high percentage of mistakes, even when 10 or 15 percent of your searches have errors. This purely statistical approach is much timelier than any involving human editors and has far fewer biases. When it comes to fixing errors, the researchers write, "the actual language in which the web queries are expressed becomes less important than the query-log data."
Google's system relies heavily on word data gathered from the Web itself. As tech staff member Pandu Nayak explained to me recently, Google tries to determine proper spelling algorithmically. While Nayak was unable to look up exactly when Barack Obama entered the lexicon, he predicted that the president-elect was in there well prior to his 2004 convention speech, when even local attention would have produced a substantial online footprint. As soon as a word starts showing up on the Web with any appreciable frequency, it becomes a candidate for a spelling suggestion. Take a very obscure academic term like theothanatology—the study of the death of God—which returns all of 829 results as of this writing. Not only does Google recognize the word, it gets you there from a close misspelling like theotanatalegy. (Live Search is a little behind here. It returns 103 results but can't correct a misspelling that's even one letter off.)
Google's process is wholly automated, which generates a natural set of challenges. The correct spelling of a word is usually more frequent than its incorrect permutations, but there are exceptions. Dalmation, for example, is such a common misspelling of Dalmatian that it can trip up the algorithms. The best search-engine spelling models look at the other words in the query for clues. A search for Sasha Baron Cohen automatically corrects to Sacha, since that spelling of the first name is heavily associated with the latter two. The best algorithms can identify a mistake even when each individual word is spelled correctly—a Google search for golf war returns some results for Gulf war as well.
What would happen if Google's search technology was ported into a word processor? First, the spell-checker would recognize the bulk of any document's proper nouns (no more squiggly red line under DiCaprio) as well as any new terms the kids are using these days (Urban Dictionary tells me, for example, that overchicked is an adjective used to describe a man who is significantly less attractive than his female companion. A word processor powered by search-engine spelling could handle overchicked just fine.)
I also suspect the search-engine model would do a better job at suggesting the right word when you really did make an error. Most word processors make suggestions using the concept of "edit distance"—basically the number of letters you have to change, add, delete, or switch to transform one word into another. Duck has an edit distance of one from luck, and trial and trail are also just one edit away. (For the nitty-gritty on this, see Google research director Peter Norvig's paper on how to write a spell-check program.) While edit distance usually works pretty well for word processors, it can produce some funny suggestions, like Boatman for Obama. (The edit distance there is three; just switch the b and o, add a t, add an n.) Most search engines, by comparison, complement the edit-distance method with a huge amount of data on common mistakes. Given the complexity of the English language, this real-world information is a tremendous spell-checking boon.
The search-engine method does have drawbacks. People have faith that Microsoft Word won't mislead them spellingwise. Perhaps because those red squigglies are so quietly reprimanding, we do anything we can to avoid them. In that last sentence, I originally wrote reprimatory, which is not a real word. Microsoft suggested respiratory. I appealed that verdict to Google, which returned this blog post in which someone uses the word in a comment, plus a bunch of Italian pages with reprimatori. So even though reprimatory isn't a bona fide word, Google found it often enough that it didn't return an error. Relying on Web users for your dictionary does have its perils.
Because it is guided by humans, the Word dictionary is full of words that Microsoft thinks you should be using—it's "prescriptive" instead of "descriptive," to use the lexicographer's parlance. Microsoft will tolerate a few FCC violations in your copy, but damned if it will ever suggest one. Just watch what it does with "siht."
While New Yorker critic Louis Menand has written movingly about Word's hijacking of the writing process, there is something to be said for steering people toward basic literacy. If Microsoft Office's core dictionary becomes a creation of the Web, we'll be handing the keys to a bunch of people who often wield the language clumsily. This clumsiness may be the parent of linguistic evolution, but it's going to make for some rocky spelling suggestions.
Some of these problems could be solved algorithmically, such that a minor word like reprimatory returns an error if it fails to meet a certain frequency in the index. At the very least, Microsoft could give Word a supplemental online dictionary, to ensure that its words are always up-to-date. (Google Docs, too, should take a few hints from the Google search engine.) Eventually, a spell-check based on Web data will be the way to go. Sure, we would see a few more naughty words and Dalmations in our Word documents, butthe end product will be something that resembles the way people use language in the present day. Tally it up as one more victory for the pragmatists in the language wars.


text:
Microsoft SharePoint 2016
SharePoint 2016 is Microsoft's document management and collaboration tool with a software-as-a-service strategy at its core. Like SharePoint 2013, the product is offered in the cloud as part of the Office 365 suite and is known as SharePoint Online; the on-premises version is known as SharePoint Server 2016.
New: SharePoint Online migration planning guide
This expert guide explores 5 key features to know, the pros and cons of making the move, and a 5-step Online portal demo.
With this version of SharePoint, Microsoft has restricted the offering to be more of a traditional document management tool and migrated other collaboration, social media and enterprise search to the wider Office 365 offering, through applications such as:
- Delve -- a data visualization and discovery tool that incorporates elements of social networking and machine learning with the search capability of the Office 365 suite.
- Office Graph -- a back-end tool in the Office 365 Suite that facilitates search across integrated applications and applies machine learning to organizational interactions and content use.
- Sway -- a presentation tool in the Office suite.
- Yammer -- a private microblogging and collaboration platform for enterprise social networking.
While Microsoft is focusing the lion's share of its development roadmap on SharePoint Online, it will continue to release an on-premises version of SharePoint, as customers may have compliance requirements that require certain data to be kept on premises or because they cannot migrate all of their data to the cloud.
New and updated SharePoint 2016 features
Notable features in SharePoint 2016 include:
- Access services: Users can support Office 365 apps or download Excel features to pivot Access tables. Microsoft also improved related item control where users can add new items.
- Compliance features: The In-Place Hold Policy Center and the Compliance Center enable administrators to build policies and apply them against their SharePoint environment. The updated features allow users to delete documents from their OneDrive for Business sites.
- Document library accessibility: Users can use landmarks for a page to make it easier to navigate, keyboard shortcuts for document tasks, announcements for upload progress, improved callout readings and updates to the help documentation.
- More durable links.
- Improved encrypted connections.
- Expanded filenames: Support for file names with special characters, leading with dots, and longer than 128 characters will no longer be blocked.
- Hybrid: With advancements in hybrid options, there is better integration with Office 365 tools. Users are able to use Office 365 services like Delve, Sway and Office Graph with SharePoint 2013 as well.
- Improved ability to identify and search for sensitive content.
- Image and video previews.
- Information rights management.
- Large file support: Users can now exceed the previous 2 GB limit for files. Though there's no real limit, Microsoft recommends a 10 GB maximum.
- MinRole: Administrators can now install only the roles they want on SharePoint servers.
- Mobile experience: Touch-friendly mobile interface. Users can also switch from mobile view to PC view.
- New controls for OneDrive for Business.
- New recycle bin in OneDrive.
- Open document format (ODF): This enables users to create files in a document library and save files in ODF to later edit with a program of the user's choosing.
- Project server: Project managers can request resources from other resource managers and use a heat map functionality to see where resources spend time. They can also create multiple timelines. Project server also has improved backup and restoration capabilities.
- SharePoint business intelligence: Users have added access to business intelligence including Power Pivot Gallery, scheduled data research, workbooks as a data source, Power Pivot management dashboard, Power Views reports, Power View subscriptions and report alerts.
- Improvements to SharePoint search.
- Improvements to sharing features: Users can see who is sharing a folder and can invite and approve or deny access requests easily.
- Sites page pinning: Users can pin sites to follow them on premises and through Office 365.
Deprecated SharePoint features
Here are the features that have been removed from the SharePoint 2016 server:
- SharePoint Foundation: SharePoint Foundation is a free edition which provides a secure, web-based collaboration platform. It is not available in SharePoint Server 2016, but is still available in SharePoint 2013.
- Stand-alone install mode: This feature is no longer available on SharePoint 2016. It has been replaced by the MinRole farm topology.
- ForeFront identity manager client (FIM): FIM synchronizes between Active Directory and SharePoint. SharePoint 2016 does not use FIM, but instead uses Microsoft Identity Manager 2016 or another third-party tool.
- Excel services: Excel capabilities are no longer hosted on SharePoint Server. Instead, it is part of Excel Online in Office Online Server.
- SharePoint BI capabilities: Power Pivot and Power View for BI solutions are not deployed in SharePoint 2016. Power Pivot for SharePoint and Power View for SharePoint add-ins can only be deployed with SharePoint 2016 when SQL Server 2016 is downloaded.
- Tags and Notes: Users can still create new tags and access any existing ones, but Microsoft discourages using the feature as it will be removed in the next release of SharePoint.
- Work management service application: This application has been removed from SharePoint 2016, including My Tasks and other associated Exchange Task Sync features.
SharePoint 2016 architecture changes and options
Since SharePoint Server 2016 has the same code as SharePoint Online, on-premises customers have the same benefits of support and performance for their SharePoint server farms thanks to a few architecture changes.
SharePoint 2013 and previous editions relied on service deployments to patch problem servers. SharePoint 2016 has MinRole, a streamlined topology that has a server in a SharePoint farm which runs an explicit set of services based on its role, and has no other services turned on. This allows for more flexibility, easy fixes, and quick updates to each server resulting in faster and more reliable service.
There are four architectural models for SharePoint 2016:
SharePoint Online: SharePoint is delivered using a software-as-a-service subscription model. Microsoft provides updates automatically, but the customer is responsible for SharePoint management.
SharePoint Hybrid: The combination of a SharePoint Online subscription with an on-premises version of SharePoint. With this approach, customers can meld SharePoint Online services into their overall SharePoint environment, while creating a bridge to ultimately migrate SharePoint sites and apps to the cloud.
SharePoint in Azure: Customers can extend their on-premises SharePoint farms to Microsoft's Azure Infrastructure as a Service cloud for production, disaster recovery and testing SharePoint Server 2016 environments.
SharePoint on premises: Customers maintain control over all the planning, deployments, maintenance and customizations of their SharePoint environments within their own data centers.
SharePoint 2016 vs. 2013
SharePoint 2013 contains multiple features that have been deprecated from SharePoint Server 2016 including Duet, SharePoint Foundation, FIM, SharePoint BI capabilities, and Tags and Notes. The biggest and most notable difference between SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint 2016 is that SharePoint 2016 was built to integrate easily with Office 365 applications. SharePoint 2016 also allows wizard hybrid configuration and hybrid search, while SharePoint 2013 does not.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Bottomless Mimosas or Bloody Marys
- $20 from noon - 3pm for bottomless mimosas and bloody mary's
8am - close
Bar & Kitchen open at 8am
Breakfast Served Everyday starting at 8am
8:00 am
Starting at 6pm every Monday have one of our Margaritas or White Wine Sangria for just $5!
packages for every type of party and budget!
Saturday brunch now includes PBR Tallboys! For $15 you can add bottomless mimosas, bloody mary's and PBR can from noon - 3 pm
We start our happy hour early! 3pm-6pm Monday- Friday $2 domestic drafts, $2.50 domestic bottles
$20 Bottomless Mimosa, Bloody Mary or Domestic Draft Beer 11:30 am - 3 pm
Check out the latest beers on tap.
Let Burke's cook for your next house party!
Book the Burke's War Room to host your Fantasy Football Draft!


text:
We love the people here, because we're not just a number. They treat us really good. It's a great company and the pay is awesome!
The Daniel Company takes customer service seriously. They are the first to make sure that we are able to fulfill our customers' needs, and that is worth everything.
We like the family atmosphere. The equipment is well taken care of, and we are appreciated for doing a good job.


text:
He has finally popped the question.
Against a sea of pink roses, Li Chen got down on one knee before Fan Bingbing and slipped a ring onto her finger during her 36th birthday party.
The 38-year-old Chinese actor shared the good news on his Weibo page in the early hours of Saturday (Sept 16) with the accompanying caption: "Us, forever…" that was sweetly echoed by "Forever, and ever" on his fiancee's Weibo page.
According to Chinese media reports, the proposal took place at an intimate dinner party filled with pink and white blooms as well as six fondant cakes decorated with Fan's favourite cats.
Fan wrote on Weibo the following day: "I feel that my life is complete. I don't want the stars in the sky, just happiness in life. I am very blessed."
In her post, she also thanked those who gave the couple their blessings.
It was a great week for the actress at work too, as she had just clinched Best Actress award for her role in I Am Not Madame Bovary at 31st Golden Rooster Awards.
Meanwhile, some sharp-eyed netizens started discussing the size of the sparkler on her ring finger at the awards show. But it is not clear whether that was her engagement ring.
Fan also dropped hints that Li was husband material. She revealed in a Taiwanese talk show last year that he would be her last boyfriend.
The celebrity couple was reported to have fallen in love while filming the TV series The Empress of China in 2014. And ever since Li and Fan announced that they were dating in May 2015, there have been numerous rumours of the couple getting engaged.
There's no word when exactly they'll be getting hitched, but many people are expecting the couple to hold a grand wedding.
Also read: Fan Bingbing and Li Chen front new H&M campaign as a couple for the first time
news POST
Purchase this article for republication.


text:
East midlands meet 4th september
Forum rules
Please understand that the Frontera Owners Group or any organiser of events will not be held responsible for any loss, damage, accident or injury caused by attending an event. You are responsible for your passengers and for your own safety and should carry the necessary recovery and safety equipment. You agree to follow the rules of the Highway Code, Green Lane Code and club pay and play site rules whichever applies. For greenlane events; All events should adhere to the GLASS Code of Conduct, and please note that Rights Of Way often change and if a TRO (traffic regulation order) has been put in place by the local council you should not drive the lane. If you do not agree to the above you should refrain from taking part in the event.
Re: East midlands meet 4th september
sorted ill dump it in the lab before we head up tot he pub and ill sort it out later ok
The Big Blue Beasty Gallery
Re: East midlands meet 4th september
trucks are rolling so bring on the meet
The Big Blue Beasty Gallery
Re: East midlands meet 4th september
Please post comments/pics/vids in the Review thread below....
Check out the index thread below where pics/reviews from all our past meets can be found!!!!
click here for the SE Events Index/links Thread...see all the reviews and whats coming up soon!
Looks like I'm in trouble with the Mrs's again...
She asked me what I'd most like to do to her body...
Apparently "Identify it" is not the correct answer!
MAKE IT or BREAK IT! TEAMXTREME4X4
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


text: If you didn't make it to San Fran this week for the huge Macworld conference and expo, we've got the pics right here. Our loyal Mac fans have been anxiously waiting for Mac compatibility, and we're happy to be the first GPS manufacturer to offer direct Mac support. Garmin Training Center software is now compatible with Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger." This software for our Forerunner and Edge fitness products lets you analyze and store workout data, create and schedule advanced workouts and download courses for training. Our web-based analysis application, MotionBased.com, has offered Mac compatibility since last spring. Macworld attendees will have a chance to snag a CD with the new Mac-compatible Garmin TC software. Others can download it from our site later this month.


text: Not a zero-sum game By Matthew Schwartz. Published on June 10, 2011. MediaTec Publishing's biannual Chief Learning Officer Symposium covers the latest trends in workforce development and talent management. The spring conference, which was held in late March at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island (Fla.), garnered 350 attendees, said Norm Kamikow, president and editor in chief of MediaTec Publishing. However, one month later, MediaTec launched a virtual edition of CLO Symposium that attracted 1,400 attendees, Kamikow said. MediaTec's Talent Strategies 2011 conference saw a similar spike in circulation when Media-Tec introduced a virtual edition. The physical event, in February, garnered 200 attendees while the virtual edition, in March, drew an additional 950 registrants. MediaTec is also introducing two virtual-only events this summer for Chief Learning Officer and Human Capital Media Group, respectively, which will be followed by a live-virtual combination for the CLO Symposium in September. "Virtual shows are like webinars on steroids," Kamikow said. "We're seeing three times and four times in attendance growth [compared with physical events] and we're probably going to get to seven times or eight times attendance." Kamikow said augmenting live events with virtual editions works on three fronts: 1) Virtual events enable customers to attend the work sessions they didn't get a chance to audit when they traveled to the physical event; 2) they offer customers and prospects, who didn't attend the live event, to view the sessions on a "pay-per-use" basis online; and 3) they enhance the exposure among the events' sponsors. Despite boosting its investment in virtual programming, MediaTec has no plans to reduce spending on its live events. "We spend an inordinate amount of money to keep them strong because they are well respected in the industry and we're not going to do anything to detract from that," Kamikow said. Indeed, 46% of U.S. marketers said that within two years more than 50% of events will be hybrid, meaning the programs will feature both physical and virtual elements; 41% of respondents said that within five years more than 50% of events will be hybrid, according to a recent study released by Unisfair, an InterCall company and a provider of virtual events. "I now see a upward trend in hybrid events," said Joerg Rathenberg, VP-products at InterCall. "It's not a replacement strategy, but a new arrow in the quiver of marketing tools." The survey, titled "The Future of Virtual Business Environments," was conducted online in April, with 550 marketers responding. According to the survey, 60% of U.S. marketers plan to increase spending on virtual events and environments in the next 12 months while 42% of marketers said they planned to reduce spending on physical conference and trade shows in the next 12 months. Rathenberg said that despite the current trends in events spending, he didn't see any danger that virtual events would start to cannibalize their live counterparts. "The right strategy is to release the content in the virtual edition of a trade show over time to keep audiences engaged until the next event," he said. "And many of our customers have seen their physical audience grow as a result." Attendance is growing for Local Government Summit, a virtual event produced by American City & County (70,000 circ.). Roughly 2,000 attendees are expected for the fourth annual LGS in October, according to Bill Wolpin, editorial director and associate publisher of American City & County, Government Product News and Government Procurement magazines, which are part of Penton Media. Attendance grew to 1,600 registrations in 2010, compared with 660 for the first event in 2008, Wolpin said. LGS, which is promoted via print, online and email, is available on-demand for one year following its premiere. Wolpin said budgeting for the event has not chipped away from other products in his portfolio. "We don't see a conflict," he said, adding that he is now considering launching other virtual shows targeting the government sector. "We're not robbing Peter to pay Paul." Most Popular In this article: BtoB


text:
Sign in to retrieve a saved callback list.
Scores based on 115 reviews
Invoice history based on 78 reviews.
Ward Property Services has been established for over 20 years. We are a family run business who pride ourselves on our work and reputation.
We are a one stop shop when it comes to property maintenance, covering all types of work such as a leaking tap, painting & decorating, kitchen & bathroom installations and full refurbishments.
You can be assured of a professional job when you appoint us which is reflected in our feedback from satisfied customers.
As well as professional trades people to carry out the works, we have a full dedicated admin function based in our offices in Sutton who will be happy to help with your enquiry and will update you on progress throughout.
We look forward to being of assistance to you
Dean Ward - Director
Sutton, Mitcham, Morden, Worcester Park, Cheam, Epsom, Putney, Purley, Earlsfield, Carshalton


text: The area around the Knoll is a C permit area. Parking permits are available from the Parking Division. For information on parking fees and how to apply for a permit, phone 3-9362. Visiting scholars need to show their visiting scholar cards in order to obtain a parking permit. Parking fees are prorated throughout the year.


text: Home Entertainment Best Ways to Earn More Money in 2017 Best Ways to Earn More Money in 2017 News source http://www.ibook.mn/8851.html Share This Article: Facebook Twitter Google Pin it ABout The Author Top Medee I am new Blogger. My favourite is IT about Design. I'am very happy with all of making friend over the world


text:
International Federation for Information Processing The IFIP series publishes state-of-the-art results in the sciences and technologies of information and communication. The scope of the series includes: foundations of computer science; software theory and practice; education; computer applications in technology; communication systems; systems modeling and optimization; information systems; computers and society; computer systems technology; security and protection in information processing systems; artificial intelligence; and human-computer interaction. Proceedings and post-proceedings of refereed international conferences in computer science and interdisciplinary fields are featured. These results often precede journal publication and represent the most current research. The principal aim of the IFIP series is to encourage education and the dissemination and exchange of information about all aspects of computing. For more information about the 300 other books in the IFIP series, please visit www.springer.com.[4] M. Tauber, On mental models and the user interface, in: Working with computers: theory versus outcome, edited by G.C. ... Volume 1: Fundamental Algorithms (3rd edition), (Addison-Wesley Professional, Reading, Massachusetts, 1997).
|Creativity and HCI: From Experience to Design in Education
|Paula Kotzé, William Wong, Joaquim Jorge, Alan Dix, Paula Alexandra Silva
|Springer - 2008-11-24
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:


text:
Bulova 1930 Conqueror
Here is my 1930 Conqueror...one of the best timekeepers in my collection. I can wear this one all week and never have to adjust the time.
The ad is from this site dated 1929.
Hello All...I just found a watch like this yesterday at an auction. My watch does not look as nice yet but it runs great. Is there a good way to remove the yellowing on the crystal? And what is the case metal for these models, it does not have anything other than Bulova Quality and the patent date.
The yellowing on the crystal probably won't come off. If it's concentrated above the numbers on the dial it's actually a burn and was caused by the radiation from the lume on those numbers. Best case scenario...new crystal.
We also have examples where the case is Bulova Quality and there's an "F" between the lugs, as well as examples with "GF" between the lugs.
Case serial number has six digits as entered. Picture looks to show seven digits. I'll update if I can read the full seven digit case SN.


text:
Should You Ever Publicly Diss Your Ex's Sexual Prowess Like Crystal Harris Did About Life Between The Sheets With Hugh Hefner?
Is it anyone else's business what you get up to in bed?
Crystal Harris seems to have a non-disclosure policy when it comes to her sex life: the 24-year-old former Playmate is telling tales about her carnal relationship with former fiance Hugh Hefner. Is her dirty dishing TMI or is it ever OK to talk about what you and your man get up to in bed?
Although it seemed like she couldn't hurt him any more than she's done by leaving him days before their wedding, the blonde bombshell is now revealing the ex-couple's intimate secrets.
Crystal went on Howard Stern's Sirius XM radio show July 26 and admitted that intercourse with the Playboy founder lasted "like two seconds."
She added, "Then I was just over it. I was like, 'Ahhh.' I was over it. I just like, walked away. I'm not turned on by Hef, sorry," she said, adding, "He doesn't really take off his clothes. I've never seen Hef naked."
But you were about to marry him?!
To be fair, it doesn't sound like she gave the 85-year-old much of a chance to prove himself. Apparently, they only had intercourse once during the entirety of their relationship.
So is it OK not only to dish about your sex life, but to kick an ex when he's down by kissing and telling stories that will make him look bad?
When a guy dumps a girl, we tend to retaliate by slandering him where it hurts most — his moves between the sheets. Is this immature? Yes. But do I poo-poo it? No way! If a guy hurts you beyond belief, what's wrong with a little carefully placed chatter that could, in effect, put other women off of him? Be careful though: most people can see through hurt talk, so you have to be strategic about dissing his manhood.
However, this isn't the case with Crystal and Hugh. We're talking about a 24-year-old girl who deigned to sleep with an 85-year-old in the first place, then said he was bad in bed. What was she expecting…a miracle?
She is the one who essentially left him at the altar, which means she looks ungracious, rude and unkind to be telling tales about his sexual skills.
Although Crystal seems to have come out on top (so to speak), in effect she's just really making herself look bad. Getting dumped by this girl may be the best thing that's ever happened to Hugh Hefner. But really, it shouldn't have taken him more than two seconds to figure that one out.


text:
Happy Engineers Week! SWE-RVA will be participating in the following events.
Monday, February 17
Engineers Got Talent show at 7:00 p.m. VCU Larrick Student Center, sponsored by SWE-VCU and Theta Tau
Wednesday, February 19
Women in Engineering Luncheon at VCU School of Engineering. Thanks SoE for inviting us!
Thursday, February 20
RJEC E-Week Banquet at the Jefferson Hotel
Sunday, February 23
RJEC Engineering Ingenuity career day at the Science Museum of Virginia
Home >


text:
Ogier's BVI team has advised on three SPAC IPOs worth a combined $400 million since mid-May as the market for IPOs continues to improve.
Improved market conditions for fund raising in the equity capital markets combined with the liquidity offered by SPACS – both in terms of the "money back" feature of SPACS that do not achieve a Business Combination by their deadline, and because listed shares can be freely traded – have led to the resurgence that Ogier's corporate team were among those predicting last year.
Partner Michael Killourhy has acted on all three IPOs – he says that the striking feature is the spread of activity covered, both geographically and in terms of the sectors represented.
The three most recent IPOs undertaken by Michael's team are:
- The $210 million launch of National Energy Services Reunited Corp targeting businesses in the energy services industry, with an emphasis on oil and gas services globally.
- The $143 million launch of Constellation Alpha Capital Corp, a SPAC seeking investment opportunities in the healthcare services and manufacturing industries in India.
- The $52.5 million launch of Bison Capital Acquisition Corp, a SPAC targeting businesses located in Asia and North America in the healthcare, consumer services and media/entertainment industries.
Michael said: "All of the signs have been pointing towards this for a year or more, and it is particularly interesting to see that this trend is not confined to one region or sector, but is spread widely.
"There has been a significant increase in IPO activity, particularly in the US, over the last weeks and months and that confidence is reflected in the increase in SPAC-related activity. That BVI companies are well represented amongst recent SPACs is also very encouraging for the jurisdiction".
Using a BVI company as a SPAC entity provides a number of advantages. The company laws of the BVI are modern and flexible and adaptable not only to market custom and investor needs but also to the rules of those stock exchanges on which SPACs list, enabling the evolution of market trends in SPAC structuring to be easily accommodated within a BVI company.
Combining this with the modern, efficient BVI court system grounded in English process and jurisprudence with an ultimate right of appeal to the Privy Council in London (essentially the English Supreme Court), makes BVI a highly attractive international structuring jurisdiction for SPACs for both sponsors and investors alike.
As a result, says Michael, "We expect to see this activity continue, and we expect the flexibility of BVI legislation to continue to be attractive to sponsors as a structuring option."


text:
It is now seven months since direct mutual fund plan were introduced. Using NAV history of HDFC Top 200, I have calculated the actual difference in returns between the regular-plan and direct-plan (growth option) obtained so far (Excel sheet attached).
Let use recall that regular funds will have a higher expense ratio than direct funds. A typical expense ratio breakup can be found here: Should We Switch To Direct Mutual Fund Plans? Calculate and Consider
First let us look at how the difference between direct plan NAV and regular plan NAV looks like as a function of time.
Notice that the NAV difference is a straight line for a good part and then deviates a bit. This is because the difference in expense ratios has decreased a bit. On 25th Jan it was 0.59%. The difference is currently 0.55%
Assuming I have invested some sum on Jan 1st 2013 (I actually did!) I have calculated the internal rate of return on a daily basis using Excels IRR function. I have then calculated the difference in IRR between regular and direct options and converted it to an effective annualized CAGR difference. This is plotted below as a function of time.
This suggests that HDFC Top 200 direct has approximately 0.5% higher (annualized) return than HDFC Top 200 Regular fund (if the regular fund has returned -5% then the direct fund has returned -4.5%!). Thus the difference in return is approximately equal to the difference in expense ratios.
How do we make sense of this? Suppose I say, this 0.5% difference will approximately remain the same whether you invest for 1 year or 10 years, is it good news or bad?
Many people view this as bad news? What! Only 0.5% difference in returns? Why should I bother with direct mutual fund then?
This result is so counter-intuitive that on another occasion, I heard this 'what, only 0.5%!?' response, from an expert who constantly writes on compounding!
The correct statement is, the difference in returns is 0.5% for each year of investment.
If I invest a sum in HDFC Top 200 Regular and Direct:
- after 1 year: If the regular fund has a value A, the direct fund will have value (approximately)
- A x (1+0.5%)
- after 3 years: If the regular fund has a value B, the direct fund will have a value (approximately)
- B x (1+0.5%) x (1+0.5%) x (1+0.5%) and so on.
- In the above I have assumed 0.5% as a constant difference in expense ratios. If this difference is 0.5% in year 1, 0.4% in year 2 and 0.6% in year 3 then we will have:
- B x (1+0.5%) x (1+0.4%) x (1+0.6%)
So if someone has the disciple to stay invested for a long period of time in a 'good' fund then can be a significant difference in corpus.
For example, in the above example,
- after 5 years, the direct fund value will be about 2.5% higher than the regular fund.
- after 10 years, the direct fund value will be about 5% higher than the regular fund.
This is an approximate illustration. Use this calculator for a more accurate estimate:
- Impact of MF Expense Ratio Calculator (I will post an updated version soon)
Download the HDFC Top 200 Direct vs. Regular Returns Comparison Excel File
Note: I have also calculated the annualised return (CAGR) on a daily basis using Excels XIRR function. The difference between XIRR for direct and regular funds will also give the annualized return difference directly. This difference is a little higher than the one calculated with IRR.
Credits: NAV history from Personalfn


text:
Wawa to Roll Out Kalibrate's Fuel Pricing Solution
Retailer adopts PriceNet system across entire convenience store network
WAWA, Pa. -- Wawa Inc. has purchased Kalibrate Technologies' PriceNet fuel pricing system and will implement a rollout across its entire convenience store network, which includes 382 fuel sites. Wawa will use the full capabilities of PriceNet, which includes 24/7 automation of pricing, full integration to the sites, analytics to determine optimal pump prices and mobile functionality on smartphones and tablets.
"Kalibrate has demonstrated that PriceNet and their experienced people can bring value to our pricing process and decision making," said Brian Schaller, vice president of fuel at Wawa. "Kalibrate will help us meet our strategic and tactical initiatives to improve performance. The system will help Wawa provide even greater value to our customers by enabling faster responses to changing market conditions. We look forward to a successful partnership together."
"We are delighted to partner with Wawa on implementing PriceNet, enabling consumer behavior, predictive analytics and global pricing best practices to enhance their performance," said Bob Stein, president and CEO of Kalibrate Technologies. "I've been in the convenience store industry for over 30 years and Wawa has always been esteemed as one of the best operators in the world. It is a privilege and honor to welcome Wawa to our global portfolio of clients. Kalibrate will combine its software, experienced people and data analytics to deliver Wawa measured decisions with measurable results."
Kalibrate, formerly KSS Fuels, is a leading global provider of fuels pricing and retail location intelligence. Its software, analytics and consulting solutions draw on more than 20 years of expertise and insight into the needs and opportunities of petroleum retailers. Kalibrate has headquarters in Manchester, U.K., and Florham Park, N.J.
Wawa, based in Wawa, Pa., owns and operates a chain of more than 645 c-stores, with 382 offering fuel. Its stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida.


text:
Saturday, October 28, 2017
ROUND ROCK – The UT Tyler men's cross country team won its eighth straight American Southwest Conference Cross Country Championship title and the 12th in the past 13 years after having three top-10 finishers on Saturday at Old Settlers Park.
On the women's side, the Patriots finished third overall led by senior Rachel Willis who earned All-ASC first-team honors after she ran a 23:57.3 on the 6K course to earn fifth place. UT Dallas won the women's title, while McMurry finished second.
The UT Tyler men's dominance began with the first ASC title in 2005 with 2009 being the only year since that the Patriots have not won the team title.The 12 championships are the most in ASC history, with Mississippi College having seven, McMurry two and Ozarks one. On Saturday, sophomore Will McIlroy and freshman Matthew Cecotti led the team with a fifth and sixth place finish while Justin Tokuz earned 10th. McIlroy has now led the team in four of six races and ran a 27:07.3 on the 8K course to earn All-ASC, while Cecotti ran a 27:09.6 for sixth. Cecotti also was named ASC Co-Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year honors.
"The conference is so much better than the past few years," UT Tyler coach Bob Hepler said. "A lot of teams have moved up. We've improved a lot this year too. This meet was very close. You look at UT Dallas, McMurry and Hardin-Simmons and LeTourneau and they're all stepping up. It was very meaningful for us to win today. Our guys needed to run our best race and we pretty much did. We really weren't running that well at the beginning of the year, but our runners started closing the gap through hard work."
Tokuz earned All-ASC second team honors and a top-10 finish by running a 27:21.3 in his third conference meet, while sophomore Nathan Adams also secured all-conference honors after running a 27:31.1 to finish 14th overall. Shafen Borah finished 18th overall with a run of 27:54.1 and freshman Jace Seymour was 20th with a time of 28:01.4 on the clock as he crossed the line. UT Tyler was also represented by Charlie Quintero (28:41.7), Jackson Cook (29:35.3), Zachary Tucker (31:14), Antonio Sanchez (31:40.3), Jose Prieto (32:24.7) and Carlos Flores (32:27.3).
Nathaniel Rankin won the men's individual championship by running a 26:41.6 for Ozarks. UT Tyler won the meet with 52 points, while UT Dallas had 86 points for second and McMurry was third with 92 points.
Following Willis who led the women's team with a fifth-place showing, was junior Michaela Heys who ran a 25:17.8 for 17th place and freshman Paulina Rodriguez who clocked a 25:27.2 for a 20th-place finish for the Patriots. Fellow freshman Theresa Simmons crossed the line in 25:46.7 for 25th followed by Amy Wyatt (26:07), Tristin Salem (26:18.2), Courtney Smith (28:27), Lianne McKee (28:40) and Kiara Mayfield (28:54.7).
UT Dallas' Lindsey Rayborn won the women's race with a time of 22:37.8 for the ASC Championship.
Here's your 2017 ASC Champions.— UT Tyler Patriots (@uttylerpatriots) October 28, 2017
First of all, that's eight straight for your Patriots! pic.twitter.com/mBswObuLfS
October 28, 2017
We are champions and we are all happy. pic.twitter.com/ONXdBWAMQd— UT Tyler Patriots (@uttylerpatriots) October 28, 2017
October 28, 2017
And they're off here at the ASC Championships! pic.twitter.com/CVnzI4Vb3t— UT Tyler Patriots (@uttylerpatriots) October 28, 2017
2017 ASC Men's All-Conference Awards
Individual Champion: Nathaneal Rankin, Ozarks
Freshman of the Year: Nathaneal Rankin, Ozarks
Newcomer of the Year: Michael Harris, Ozarks
Coach of the Year: Bob Hepler, UT Tyler
Co-Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Beau Billings, East Texas Baptist
Co-Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Matthew Cecotti, UT Tyler
First Team
Nathaneal Rankin, Fr., Ozarks
Michael Harris, So., Ozarks
Joseph Parker, So., Sul Ross State
Mack Broussard, Fr., East Texas Baptist
Will McIlroy, So., UT Tyler
Matthew Cecotti, Fr., UT Tyler
Tyler Rohrman, So., McMurry
Second Team
Michael Field, Jr., LeTourneau
A.J. Tillman, Fr., Hardin-Simmons
Justin Tokus, Jr., UT Tyler
Ben Splain, Fr., Hardin-Simmons
Abrahama Martinez, Jr., McMurry
Nathan Adams, So., UT Tyler
John Will, Jr. UT Dallas
2017 ASC Women's All-Conference Awards
Individual Champion: Lindsey Rayborn, UT Dallas
Freshman of the Year: Lauren Robson, Hardin-Simmons
Newcomer of the Year: Alex Fulton, McMurry
Coach of the Year: Rayn House, UT Dallas
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Anna Schaefer, UT Dallas
First Team
Lindsey Rayborn, Sr., UT Dallas
Sydney Tencate, So., Hardin-Simmons
Emily Villines, Jr., Concordia Texas
Alexis Segura, So., LeTourneau
Rachel Willis, Sr., UT Tyler
Hollee Ratliff, So., UT Dallas
Lauren Robson, Fr., Hardin-Simmons
Second Team
Tiffany Cox, Fr., McMurry
Samantha Tschirhart, Sr., UT Dallas
Sadie Dolbear-Craven, Jr., McMurry
Hannah Smith, Jr., Ozarks
Kirstiana Welch, Fr., LeTourneau
Alex Fulton, Jr., McMurry
Shelby McWilliams, So., McMurry


text:
Our HistoryEstablished in 1981. l Meson won the Houston Chronicle Palate Award for Best Service in 1997 and the Houston Press Best Appetizer Award in 2000 for his Cuban Nachos, a fusion of Tex-Mex and Cuban flavors that continues to be a top-selling item today. In 2002 El Meson took first place in the Top Ten Wine List Awards by Houston's Dining Magazine My Table and received the Award of Unique Distinction from Wine Enthusiast in 2008. El Meson was a finalist in the Cartaví International Catalan Wine List Award of 2010, and has been a recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence each year since 1999.
Executive Chef Peter A. GarciaPedro Angel Garcia was born in La Habana, Cuba to a Cuban mother, Esperanza Colarte, and a Spanish father, Pedro Angel Garcia Sr. The Garcia family immigrated to the United States in 1963 and immediately moved to New York City where Pedro was raised. His love of food was sparked at an early age and as a teenager worked in his father's restaurant, Los Parados, on 162nd Street and Broadway in Manhattan, as a short order cook. There he learned the basics of chopping vegetables, cutting meat, and making coffee. Garcia graduated from Aviation High School and attended Queens College before moving to Houston and opening El Meson Restaurant with his father in 1981. He learned about food and wine the old fashioned way, buying, selling, and tasting along the way. He took the helm of the family business after his father passed away in 1992 and began turning out regular Spanish wine dinners winning recognition and acclaim.
Location | Hours | Events
[ebs_seo_cp_map_only width="850" height="425"]


text:
SJB Window Cleaning Services Ltd, provide a wide range of professional window cleaning services in Regent Street, London and the south-east of the UK.
London is one of the most built-up areas in all of Europe, with some of the worlds biggest businesses. Businesses of this size are under pressure to present themselves perfectly, at all times, and this starts with the outside of their premise. First impressions are always the most important and having a London commercial window cleaner to take care of the outside of your home or office will ensure your visitors get the right impression of you.
Why Choose SJB Window Cleaning Services?
When it comes to commercial window cleaning, you need to make sure your window cleaning company have all the correct equipment to get the job done to the highest standard. That is where we are different to your average window cleaning company in Regent Street. We have invested in the industries most state-of-the-art window cleaning equipment, enabling our cleaners to reach anything from a small bungalow to a high-level office block. No matter how big or small your cleaning needs, our friendly team of expert cleaners will be able to help.
Regent Street Professional Cleaning Services
Here at SJB Window Cleaning Services, our professional cleaning equipment enables us to undertake some of the toughest cleaning jobs throughout London – some that many other large cleaning companies refuse to undertake! This includes:
- 60ft reach and wash from the ground
- Office windows up to 70ft high
- Cradle work
- Abseiling work
- Shop windows
- Restaurant windows
- Cherry picker work – our lorry cherry picker mount can reach up to 48 metres high!
- School windows
- Hospital windows
- Apartment block windows
We also undertake smaller domestic cleaning jobs, so if you own a house or a flat in London that is in need of our cleaning services, pick up the phone and ask us for a FREE quote!
More Than Just Windows!
When it comes to making sure your business premises gives off the right impression, there is much more to consider than just having clean windows, and with SJB Window Cleaning Services you will find there is much more to us as well. We provide a wide range of supporting cleaning services, including:
- Commercial Gutter Cleaning
- Commercial Jet Washing
- Driveway Cleaning
- Car Park Jet Washing
- Graffiti Removal
- Tennis Court Cleaning
- Commercial Roof Cleaning
As well as all of the above, you can rest assured knowing that we give competitive rates, free estimates, are fully insured and safe contractor accredited.
Contact Us Today
If you would like more information on our commercial Regent Street window cleaning services, call us today on FREEPHONE 0800 118 2652. Remember, we also offer a FREE survey, so don't delay and book today!


text:
Yoda Fleece Robe
A different kind of Jedi robe
- Perfect for Jedi Masters in their down time
- One size fits many adult humans
- Buy it, you must
This Jedi robe is superior to all others. How do we know? This one comes with ears. How many robes come with ears?! Walk into your lightsaber practice session wearing this Yoda Fleece Robe, and everyone will step back - no one will fight with you, and not just because you're wearing a bathrobe out in public.
After all, the satin patch on the back declares you "Yoda, the Jedi Master" in the style of a boxing robe. *imagines boxing ring* "Introducing, in the blue corner, all the way from the swamps of Dagobah and rated as the best pound for pound user of the Force, former light-heavyweight zen master, Yoooooo-daaaaaaaaa!"
Product Specifications
- Yoda Jedi Master Fleece Robe with Hood
- Officially-licensed Star Wars merchandise
- Has pockets
- One size fits many adult humans
- Robe Length: 47"
- Sleeve Length: 24"
- Chest Circumference: 50"
- Waist Circumference: 51"
- Materials: 100% polyester exclusive of decoration
- Care Instructions: Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low.
- Imported


text:
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) along with the Colorado Association of Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT) and the Colorado Software and Internet Association (CSIA) have moved together to a new office located in Downtown Denver. The announcement is made by John Collar, President and CEO of the CBSA, who says the three organizations previously at the World Trade Center, 1625 Broadway - Suite 950, have moved to Columbine Place, 216 16th Street - Suite 850.
The large suite allows for each association to have their own office areas, a large conference room to hold meeting space, and an open area for association members to come and work while in the Denver area.
"We are very excited about the move to our new offices at Columbine Place" says Collar, "It is a great location, allowing us to be close to the Colorado Capitol and in a central location for all of our members to reach us easily. The three organizations also work well together, allowing each trade association to collaborate and generate synergistic opportunities."
Monday, November 23rd was the first official day in the new office, so each group has been able to settle in to the space prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. All of the association phone numbers and email addresses are remaining the same.
"This is an exciting endeavor, we are looking forward to the shared workspace and the new partnerships that are bound to take place," said Collar. "We would also like to encourage all of those who are affiliated with the three groups or anyone interested in them to come by our new offices and see all of the activity underway."
About Colorado BioScience Association
CBSA is a not-for-profit corporation providing services and support for Colorado's growing biosciences industry. With more than 400 members, CBSA actively works to promote the growth of the industry by working for a better business environment, grow the state's biotech workforce, fight for policies that support a strong bioscience industry in the state and speak with a single voice on behalf of the industry. For more information, visit http://www.cobioscience.com.
About the Colorado Association of Manufacturing and Technology
The Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology is a statewide manufacturing assistance center focused on increasing the strength and competitiveness of Colorado manufacturers. CAMT assists the Colorado manufacturing industry by providing on-site technical assistance and support, and collaboration-focused industry programs. CAMT is an affiliate of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a nationwide network of manufacturing support centers sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and is also hosted by the University of Colorado. For more information, visit http://www.camt.com.
About the Colorado Software and Internet Association
CSIA is the state's largest and most influential technology association. Since its beginning in 1994, CSIA has provided hundreds of programs, workshops and major events to create connections, portals for information, as well as leadership about key issues in the industry. Through the work of our more than 100 key volunteers, Board members and staff, CSIA also serves as the advocate on behalf of the industry for C-Level connections, legislative/regulatory leadership, as well as with the local influencers including news media, government leaders and other industry leaders. CSIA represents the more than 5,000 software companies, nearly 1,000 hardware/storage and related technology companies, and 175,000 IT workers throughout the state to bring forward the technology leaders across the state. For more information, visit http://wwwcoloradotechnology.org.


text: A vascular malformations is an abnormal growth of blood vessels that can lead to abnormally enlarged arteries, veins or an abnormal communication between arteries and veins. There are various types of malformations that include arteriovenous malformation, capillary vascular malformation, and venous vascular malformations. A venous malformation can occur anywhere in the body and may be deep or superficial, localized or diffused. The jaw, cheek, tongue, lips, and extremities are common sites for a venous malformation. These lesions are soft to the touch, the color disappears and empties as the lesion is compressed. They may be painful, bleed easily, cause difficulty in wearing shoes or clothes, and may be cosmetically unpleasing.


text:
Application Security
Applications and data are the main targets of today's attackers. Over the past few years, focus has expanded from web applications to mobile applications as the number of mobile users accessing corporate data continues to increase, leaving organizations vulnerable to data breaches.
Forsythe helps you facilitate the testing, remediation and protection of applications that have become mandatory precautions against attacks, and enable compliance with both internal security policies and external regulatory requirements.
We partner with the leading manufacturers of application security solutions, conduct product testing in our state-of-the-art Technology Evaluation Center, and offer a range of related advisory services including Web Application Assessments, Static Code Reviews, Application Architecture Assessments and services designed to integrate security into the SDLC. We help you reduce web and mobile application threats, and ensure that business applications are tested for security as rigorously as they are tested for functionality and performance.
Key focus areas include:
Secure Software Development Lifecycle (S-SDLC)
Many organizations haven't formalized a secure software development program. Too much time is spent reacting to security issues in completed applications rather than proactively eliminating issues before the applications are deployed.
Forsythe helps ensure that every phase of the SDLC stresses security no matter your development methodology, organizational culture, types of applications and risk profile. We work with you to develop a secure SDLC integration program including recommended policies and guidelines that address the areas of people, process and technology that are critical to a successful development process. By integrating security into the early stages of the SDLC, we help you reduce costs and produce secure applications more effectively.
Web Application Security
Web applications are under siege. Attackers are working around the clock to steal data and disrupt access. Next-generation firewalls, intrusion prevention systems and other traditional network security products have proven ineffective against web-based threats.
Forsythe offers best-in-class web application security solutions including web application firewalls (WAF) that analyze user access to business-critical web applications and act on threats that are woven into innocent-looking website traffic. With customized product testing and expert services that include technology implementation and tuning, we help you protect critical web applications and data from costly breaches.
Database Security
Every organization that collects and processes data faces two major challenges: meeting regulatory compliance requirements and effectively protecting data from data theft. Security solutions such as database activity monitoring (DAM) and database firewalls help organizations discover database assets and risks, monitor and analyze database activity and reduce the exposure of unpatched database servers.
Forsythe offers leading database security solutions, and expert services that include database security assessments, and technology implementation, optimization and tuning. We help you gain visibility into the security posture of databases that contain sensitive information and comply with internal and external requirements.


text:
Purpose of Assessment
The mission of Indiana University Kokomo is "to meet the educational needs of north central Indiana through a broad spectrum of undergraduate programs leading to associate and baccalaureate degrees, a limited range of graduate offerings, and a wide variety of continuing education activities. As a part of Indiana University, the institution is committed to the attainment of excellence in all of its endeavors."
Student learning is at the core of Indiana University Kokomo's mission, and the purpose of assessment is to support student learning. All IU Kokomo academic and service units are involved in fulfilling this mission. Assessment provides a structure for determining how well a unit is meeting its goals for supporting student learning, and gives specific guidance as to what changes or enhancements would improve its performance in this area. In addition, ongoing, systematic assessment is required for the campus to continue to meet the accreditation standards of the North Central Association/Higher Learning Commission. In particular, assessment addresses Criterion Three, Student Learning and Effective Teaching, which states, "The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission."
Faculty, staff, and administration share responsibility for assessing student learning at IU Kokomo. The faculty in academic programs and the staff in service units have primary responsibility for assessment of their own unit's goals and outcomes. The administration guides and assists programs' and units' assessment activities through the Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in collaboration with the Faculty Senate Assessment Committee, the Educational Policies Committee, and unit deans, chairs, and directors.
How Assessment Data are Collected, Used, and Disseminated
Supported by the administration, the faculty in academic programs and the staff in service units are responsible for:
- determining the goals and outcomes of their programs or units
- selecting appropriate data to assess progress toward those goals and outcomes
- selecting the methods by which they will collect and analyze the data
- writing an annual report of their findings, including how they will use these results to improve or enhance the program's or unit's activities, to be shared with the Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and
- implementing plans for improvement or enhancement based on assessment results
A program's or unit's goals and outcomes are clearly tied to the mission of Indiana University Kokomo. A unit states its outcomes in clear, measurable terms and collects data appropriate to these outcomes. Programs and units employ multiple measures, including direct measures, of the outcome being assessed. Assessment of student learning is ongoing, occurring throughout the program (not simply at the beginning and end).
Raw data remain the property of the department or unit, but a program or unit may choose to share raw data with other IU Kokomo departments, including the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, as appropriate. Information identifying individual students, faculty, or staff is removed before data are shared. Assessment reports do not include information identifying individual students, faculty, or staff.
Limitations on the Use of Assessment Data
Assessment data are collected to improve student learning at IU Kokomo. Data collected for the purposes of assessing student learning will not be used as entrance or exit requirements for any program, although a program may choose to report entrance or exit exam performance as part of its assessment of student learning.
Institutional and unit assessment data will not be used to evaluate faculty performance for retention, tenure, promotion, or other administrative decisions. Faculty may choose to include assessment data on their own students when documenting the effectiveness of their own performance.
Administrators above the level of dean, excluding the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, will have access to unit-level assessment data but not individual data. Assessment data will not be used by the administration or unit heads to make comparisons among IU Kokomo faculty or staff members or among IU Kokomo programs or units. However, it is appropriate for the administration or a program or unit to compare a unit's current performance with past performance and with appropriate benchmarks.
Approved by Academic Affairs, October 6, 2009


text:
Indian Creek Trail is a 3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Hood River, Oregon that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
kid friendly
mountain biking
nature trips
trail running
wild flowers
Trail located through the heart of Hood River OR Many entranced and a divided trail due to private property.
a nice walk, very easy. family friendly.
Great hike!
Good hike for families
Midori G.
Great easy hike in the outskirts of Hood River City Center.
Easy walking
Absolutely beautiful!
Alej T.
one good viewpoint. the rest felt like a rural city park. at one point you take a crosswalk by a gas station & pharmacy.
Alma H.
It was a great trip. A bit narrow at some points could be difficult if there's a lot of people but seemed very peaceful today.


text:
Armenia's "Association of Young Biologists" is calling on all concerned to team up with them for a series of environmental events planned to take place from March 24 till September 25.
The Association will organize the events in collaboration with the worldwide "Let's Do It" environmental movement that will coordinate similar events in over 100 countries.
A mass garbage cleanup is planned for Armenia along with raising public environmental awareness.
"Let's Do It" was behind the 2008 garbage cleanup in Estonia in which 50,000 participants collected and bagged more than 10,000 tons of household trash in just five hours.
For further details: http://www.facebook.com/groups/letsdoitarmenia/


text:
You are cordially invited to the first ever Embellish-It.com Blog Hop! We wanted to kick off summer in a big way so come along and get inspired, play a little game and enter to win an American Crafts Prize Package & a Stampavie Stamp !
How to Play
Hop along from Blog to Blog in the order given below. Each blog stop will provide one letter to a mystery word. At the end of the hop on June 3rd, unscramble all the letters to figure out the mystery word, and post your guess in our forum in the specified post below.
On June 1st start at the Embellish-Online.com blog, then head to the IT-Girls blogs in this order:
June 2nd head to
June 3rd head to
The Hop ends at the EI Forum on this post where you can unscramble the letters and post your guess word.
One winner will receive a prize package consisting of a Stampavie Stamp, American Crafts papers and Thickers, and ribbon. Value of prize is approximately $25. The winner will be announced on June 21st, the first day of Summer!
Rules: You can post your guess anytime between June 3rd and Midnight CST on June 20th, 2009. One entry per person please. We apologize, but due to high shipping costs, you must have a North American address to ship your prize package to.


text:
Dorothy Singer wrote this piece,"Reading, Writing and Race Relations", regarding the racial integration in schools. Singer discusses several studies and their findings regarding integration.
Digital Archive brought to you
by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Enjoying the Digital Archives? Help us maintain and expand the collection. Donate to The King Center


text:
Beer Notes
Biere Mag
Beer Passion
Brew Your Own
Cream City Suds
Beer Me!
Eric's Beer Page
Hop Page
to Belgian Beer
NM Virtual Brewpub
Northwest BrewPage
Will Anderson
Stephen Beaumont
Dan Bedell
Bobby Bush
Tom Ciccateri
Horst Dornbusch
Janet Eldred
Sal Emma
Kurt Epps
Donald Gosselin
Robert Hughey
Michael Jackson
Alan Moen
Gary Monterosso
Marty Nachel
John Palmer
Craig Pinhey
Don Scheidt
M. Sauter
Gregg Smith
Richard Stueven
Adrian Tierney-Jones
Glen Tinseth
August, 1998
By Bobby Bush
In the beginning, all German beers were ales. Top-fermented at a relatively fast pace
under moderate temperatures, ales are fruity in character and often hopped, or otherwise
spiced. Ales could not, however, be made in the hot summer months because bacterial
contamination was a certainty.
A few German ales survived the onslaught of brewing history. The early style is
represented today by Alt, which literally means "old." Another, Kolsch (named for the
city of its origin, Cologne), is often lager-like in mouthfeel and flavor profile.
The discovery of a type of yeast in the mid-19th century that would ferment slowly
at cold temperatures allowed the creation of lagers, a distinctive beer of another flavor
altogether. Because of the extended fermentation period, lagers could be brewed during
the winter season and stored away, or lagered, in caves throughout the summer months.
The last casks of the lagered winter beer, often called Marzen ("March" in German), were
usually extracted from their cool cave just in time to celebrate Oktoberfest and a new
brewing season.
I had not visited Germany since I acquired drinking age status, just a few short
decades ago. But here we were flying into Frankfurt with business and beer on my mind.
A quick ride northwest to the tiny village of Freudenberg and we were raring to go. Many
Americans traveling the all-nighter to Europe take the afternoon to acclimate their body
clocks. But not these bad beer boys. After a quick shower, we set off on foot in search of
beer and food.
This being lunch time in northern Germany, all stores other than restaurants were
closed, by law, for the meal hour. Settling in at a friendly, no-English-spoken outdoor
cafe, we relaxed with a bronze, white-headed, slightly hoppy Schlosser Alt, brewed since
1873 in Furstenfeldbruck (which I'm sure is some quaint little German township) and a
Krombacher Pils, a frothy lager which proved to be delicious with a tart, biting flavor
and barely sour aftertaste. Both beers were served in their own brewery-logo glass, with a
cute paper lace doily around the steam, in .31 liter portions. Before heading back to the
hotel to prepare for dinner and more brews, we sampled an Eichener Pils, which was
similar to the previous pils but with more noticeable alcohol presence and more bitter
finish. Eichner, a regional brewery in Kreuztal, has only been in the business since 1888.
Back at the hotel, it didn't take long to notice that the rustic chalet-looking
building across the street was an Alt Freudenberger Bierstube (old town bar) called Bum
Knoten. While my companion napped, I became their first customer of the day. The
bartender, who spoken pidgin English, poured me a bottle of Hecht Schlenferla Rauchbier,
then tended to fresh flower arrangements destined for each table. Brewed in Bamberg by
Brauerei Heller Brau Schlenkerla since 1678, this brown-bronze ale boasted only a tint
of hops, instead it brimmed with a smooth smokiness instilled from a healthy infusion of
smoked barley malt. The style is rare and the taste must be studied long and hard to be
acquired, but it's more flavorful than almost any cigar and certainly more refreshing.
Next from the Bum Knoten tap, I tried a .31 liter glass of Gaffel Kolsch. This
strong, golden ale, served in a tall straight glass (as all ales are), was topped by a big
bubbly white head which lasted longer than the beer did. Each beer, whether ale or lager,
took an eternity to pour. The skilled bartender didn't waste a drop of foam. Konig
Pilsner left bitter tones on the tongue. A tangy wheat lager, Weinhenstephaner Hefe
Weissbier was extremely delicate in mouthfeel, but full of taste. The copper
Frankenheim, with a head almost as stiff as whipped egg whites, presented a cloudy,
fruity body and left a bitter snap at the end. Since 1824, Veltins has been making a
pungent pilsner, which seems to be more popular than water in this sleepy, friendly village.
Busy with his dining patrons, the bartender paid me a quick, highly unexpected
compliment. "You speak good German," he proffered. Realizing that all I had uttered
were the names of the beers I'd ordered (Rauchbier, Alt, Kolsch, Marzen, Pilsner,
Hefeweizen), I took his kindness with a smile. And I left a big tip.
This article first appeared in Focus, a weekly paper published in Hickory, North Carolina.
© Bobby Bush
Recently posted
Tom Rutledge - Brewers' Friend
Brewpub reviews
- Travel to 100s of brewpubs across the U.S. and beyond.
Festival reviews
- Large and small, with beer in common.
Table of contents
Contact Bobby
Brewpub reviews
- Travel to 100s of brewpubs across the U.S. and beyond.
Festival reviews
- Large and small, with beer in common.
Table of contents
Contact Bobby


text:
Leo Guitars is a boutique guitar company based in Germany, that is dedicated to handcrafting stellar quality instruments.
Darko Milojevic, the founder and artisan luthier behind Leo Guitars, is known to be an vintage guitar expert and exceptional master luthier.
He is well known for his ability to capture authentic vintage guitar tones by using old school equipment, methods, and techniques.
Darko's lacquering skills are of such a superior standard that other well known luthiers have called upon his "vintage finish mastery" for use on their own guitars.
Meticulously made in small series, these guitars are limited to 20-25 a year.
Darko is a full member of the European Guitar Builders Association (EGB). The European Guitar Builders Association was founded with the goal of organizing the independent luthiers as well as people related to the field of guitar building all across Europe. The tradition of lutherie is a rich legacy.
The EGB e.V.
Methods tempered, and knowledge accumulated over centuries. We want to preserve this, but also carry it forward, expand it through innovation and the exchange of ideas and culture. We want to foster a sense of community among practitioners of our craft. Most builders are faced with similar problems and challenges.
There is enormous potential in joining and helping each other, sharing experiences, cooperating and advancing the craft in a spirit of amity.


text:
An overheard conversation in a café turns into a reflection on the Race to Nowhere and lessons from the movie War Games.This morning I walked to a café to get some work done. Next to me, a middle-aged Asian mom was telling a recently retired white man about the challenges she faced trying to convince her son to go into banking.
"You make so much, and you don't have to do anything!"
The man concurred. "That's what I did. I was a vice president at Wells Fargo. I couldn't believe how much they paid me for how little I did. You get paid more to do less in banking than in any other discipline."
I laughed out loud—banking, a discipline? Luckily, I had my phone in front of me so I could pretend that I was laughing at something on my screen.
They chortled about the ridiculous excesses of banking and wondered why anyone would do anything else. "I guess some people thrive on stress and high pressure," the man offered.
"Nursing is the worst. It's like teaching. No respect," the mom added. Then she revealed something truly laughable. "My daughter told me there's enough lawyers and bankers in the world. She wants to make a difference."
They had a good hardy-har-har about that one.
The man just shook his head. "Bullshit. There's a growing need for lawyering and banking. You know what there're too many of? Math teachers."
I started to feel like this conversation was so absurd it was being staged for my benefit. Should I jump in? No, better to listen.
I do know something about banking, though. I am, ahem, the coauthor of "the funniest economic primer ever written" and, while researching that book, I become a bit like WOPR in the movie War Games. Our banking system?
A strange game. The only winning move is
not to play. How about a nice game of chess?
Brilliant movie, War Games. It reflected our collective realization that the Cold War was an exercise in futility that threatened our existence. In one poignant scene, the character of Dr. Falken shows a movie about dinosaurs and talks about extinction—with obvious parallels to our situation, both then and now.
Now, children, come on over here. I'm going to tell you a bedtime story. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. Once upon a time, there lived a magnificent race of animals that dominated the world through age after age. They ran, they swam, and they fought and they flew, until suddenly, quite recently, they disappeared. Nature just gave up and started again. We weren't even apes then. We were just these smart little rodents hiding in the rocks. And when we go, nature will start over. With the bees, probably. Nature knows when to give up, David.
Everything will be okay. Nature can always start over.
The movie could be remade today, with climate change standing in for nuclear war. But it would be a lot more difficult to make. Despite the many follies of the arms race, at least we had a central command. Hell, we were prepared six ways from Sunday for every possible contingency. What powerless climate summit would today's Matthew Broderick burst into? Yet the parallels are clear: We are escalating an ecological war on ourselves with all the haste of a banker — or microtrading supercomputer — at the NYSE.
Speaking of the Race to Nowhere, the retired banker and mom next began talking about how they were positioning their teenage children to be judged positively by colleges.
"They'd rather see that you volunteered for no pay in your discipline than worked for money at a restaurant or something."
Ah, the incredibly valuable unpaid internship. If only every young person could afford to work for free while being supported by parents.
A young black man walked down the street and begged a white woman on her way to yoga for some change. She gave him a few coins and they walked in opposite directions.
Apparently the young man was a regular in the neighborhood, because the retired banker was outraged. "That guy is despicable. Just despicable." He told his phone to call the Oakland police, but after the fourth voice command he gave up. They had better things to talk about.
"My boyfriend used to work at Silicon Valley Bank," the mom explained. "He does commercial banking for startups. Their whole culture is 'Party On.' They make so much money and they don't do anything—it's all because of their relationship to Sand Hill Road."
They took turns trading anecdotes about all the "incompetents" and "liars" who nevertheless have fabulous careers in banking by going "from one bank to the next" and "inflating their experience."
Why didn't her son get it? He could have such an easy time failing upward with fellow incompetent liars. Besides, as a banker he could play a central role in escalating the war on both our ecology and economy.
I thought back to War Games.
What is the primary goal?
You should know, Professor. You programmed me.
What is the primary goal?
Some of us are trying to answer that question.


text:
As geeks, we have a long, long history of "our" forms of entertainment and culture being snubbed by the rest of the world. We all know the stereotypes: Sci-fi and fantasy are for the socially challenged, videogames and graphic novels are for the immature, horror is for weirdos, etc.
In the last few years, it seems a whole lot of this attitude has waned considerably, but there's still one bastion of culture that still seems to sneer at the "lower" arts inherent to technology and speculative fiction: the Oscars. While some genre films have certainly been breaking through (Like Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Avatar, to name two), there's one group of people who still can't seem to get any respect: motion capture actors.
Wired's Underwire blog recently posted a feature on Andy Serkis – possibly the world's foremost mo-cap performer, the man who brought Gollum to life in the Lord of the Rings series, and recently turned in an incredible performance as Ceasar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Serkis is incredibly talented, able to create and fully commit to characters from fantastic worlds – but he's never even been nominated for an Academy Award, much less taken home the golden statue. From the post:
The same is true for mo-cap actors who portray characters in videogames, such as the lovely Claudia Black in the Uncharted series or Karen Dyer in Resident Evil 5.
There is hope yet for actors who don the special suits. Increasingly, scenes are shot on location or in more realistic sets, along with all of the other talent present (a far cry from the complete green-screen-a-thons and characters on sticks of the Star Wars prequels), and the prevalence of the maturing tech is certainly helping its profile in the acting world:
Let's hope that's an accurate assessment. I can't wait to see this sort of talent get its proper due.


text:
Jun 26, 2013
Jun 13, 2013
Jun 10, 2013
- The need of more provinces for Federation or Division?
- Shouldn't Punjab government be held responsible for the deaths due to consumption of poisonous cough syrup in Punjab?
- Is Delimitation without census alone in Karachi is fair with the people of Karachi?
- Extremist Religious Groups in Pakistan Justifies: "Attack on Malala Yousuf Zai is a Reaction of Drone-attacks"
- In Quaid's Pakistan Independence is a Responsibility not a Privilege: Are you ready to play your part?
- Do you think that the recent statement of Mr. Altaf Hussain is an eye opener for the Pakistani Nation?
Monthly archive
- July 2010 (1)
- February 2012 (2)
- March 2012 (3)
- April 2012 (10)
- May 2012 (15)
- June 2012 (23)
- July 2012 (44)
- August 2012 (31)
- September 2012 (19)
- October 2012 (10)
Social Media
MQM USA observes 16th convention - GEO News
HOUSTON: MQM USA observed the opening ceremony of its 16th annual convention (June 29th –July 1st) here and attended by hundreds of workers and supporters from USA and Pakistan.
Office bearers from MQM central Office Karachi, Pakistan Moid Siddiqui (member provincial assembly Sindh) and Shabbir Qaimi (former member provincial assembly Sindh) were present in the opening ceremony. Central Organizer MQM USA Junaid Fahmi spoke to the event and welcomed the guests.
16th Annual Convention of MQM USA Kicks off in Houston
Communication and Media Cell, Houston: June 29th, 2012 | MQM USA observed the opening ceremony of its 16th annual convention (June 29th –July 1st). Hundreds of workers and supporters were present at this joyous event that came to Houston not only from across America but from Pakistan as well. The ceremony started with the recitation from Holy Quran and followed by the official opening announcement of the convention by Patron in Chief of MQM North America Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. When Dr.
MQM has the vision & policy to transform the country into shining Pakistan: Dr. Khalid Maqbool
New York: March 28th, 2012 | New York chapter of MQM USA celebrated 28th foundation day of MQM in a local restaurant which was attended by the Patron-in-chief of MQM North America Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and members of central organizing committee Muhammad Gul, Patron of New York chapter Muhammad Khursheed, members of advisory committee Anees Siddiqui and Mrs. Khalida Shujah, member of helping committe Anjum Arif and large number of workers and supporters from New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Connecticut.
Opening Session - 16th Annual Convention of MQMUSA
Opening Session - 16th Annual Convention of MQMUSA
MQM USA Convention will help the organization to flourish in different states and cities of USA – Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui
Houston: June 26th, 2012 | Houston Chapter of MQM USA observed a promotional dinner for Annual Convention on June 23 2012 at Durrani's,The Gourmet in Houston, TX. Large number of Pakistani community attended this event along with the workers and supporters of MQM Houston Chapter.
Preparations for MQM USA Annual Convention are in full swing
Washington DC: June 22nd, 2012 | MQM USA is holding its 16th annual convention from June 29th to July 1st in Houston. Preparations for convention are in full swing and workers of Houston Chapter are busy in giving final touches to the preparation for this mega convention.
Office barriers of different chapters, workers and supporters of 18 cities will attend the 16th Annual Convention of MQM USA.
MQM USA is organizing 16th Annual Convention under the slogan of "Fair System, Stronger Pakistan"
Washington DC: June 4th, 2012 | MQM USA is organizing 16th Annual Convention of MQM USA from June 29th till July 1st of 2012 in Houston, Texas. The central organizing committee arranged a meeting to discuss the preparation of the annual convention.
APMSO introduced the meaning of true change for the betterment of Pakistan – Dr. Farooq Sattar
Los Angeles Chapter celebrated 34th Foundation Day of APMSO
Death Anniversary of Azim Ahmed Tariq observeed in Chicago
Chicago: May 6th, 2012 | MQM Chicago Office observed the death anniversary of the martyred chairman of the MQM Azim Ahmed Tariq. Special prayers were offered for the eternal peace of the souls of Azim Tariq, Dr. Imran Farooq, Nasir Hussain, Arif Hussain and other martyrs of the movement. The In Charge of Chicago Chapter Shahzad Aman, Joint in Charges Arshad Malik & Khalid Khan, members of the Chicago Committee attended the event.
MQM USA prays for early recovery of Shakil Uddin
Washington D.C, May 4th, 2012 | The Central Organizer of MQM USA, Junaid Fahmi and the members of central organizing committee on behalf of the workers and supporters of MQM USA, prayed for a complete recovery of Shakil Uddin ( Member Washington DC Chapter ) who is suffering from heart problems and has gone under surgery. He is under recovery now and can be reached on this number (571)-274-1960.


text:
Writing/Editing Internship
Provided by: A. E. Schwartz & Associates
The Writing/Editing Internship is open to students interested in multimedia writing and editing. Intern duties may include editing, writing, rewriting, evaluating, development, and creating web site text, SEO meta tags, auto responders, marketing manuals, press releases, e-newsletters articles and PPT products. You must have excellent communication and organizational skills, the ability to work independently and in teams, the ability to follow through, computer skills, Internet knowledge and experience to be considered for this internship.