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Newly Released Documents Show How Government Inflated the Definition of Metadata
On Monday evening, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence finally made public the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court order approving a program to collect metadata—that is, information other than the actual contents of an email—from electronic communications. But rather than settling the debate that has raged over surveillance since the recent leaks, the document only complicates the already heated conversation about what data should be collected and by whom, pointing at larger questions of what is the medium and what is the message in this digital age—and when does one become the other?
In the order, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly acknowledges she is authorizing "an exceptionally broad form of collection," but notes that "under prior statutory language," her ruling might have been quite different. Indeed, the order highlights the significance of changes made to legislative language defining surveillance techniques in the past decade and a half. Those changes, intended to update surveillance laws, radically altered the landscape of what is considered metadata, making possible the kind of sweeping online data collection carried out by the NSA.
Unlike content, metadata is not protected by the Fourth Amendment, per a 1979 Supreme Court ruling that deals with telephone surveillance. So determining what constitutes metadata versus content effectively sets the boundaries for what kinds of information the government can collect more casually about larger numbers of people, as opposed to what they need to work harder—and obtain warrants—to acquire. This division was more straightforward with traditional telephone technology: There were phone numbers, dates, and times (metadata) and then there were conversations (content). This made it relatively easy for Congress to define metadata surveillance techniques as those that identify "the numbers dialed" or an "originating number."
Kollar-Kotelly's order hinges on the definitions for "pen register" and "trap and trace device"—surveillance mechanisms for capturing the metadata of outgoing and incoming communications, respectively. Prior to 2001, she notes, the definitions of those techniques in 18 U.S.C. §3127 were geared very specifically toward capturing telephone metadata. A pen register was defined as "a device which records or decodes electronic or other impulses which identify the numbers dialed or otherwise transmitted on the telephone line to which such device is attached," while a trap-and-trace device was one that "captures the incoming electronic or other impulses which identify the originating number of an instrument or device from which a wire or electronic communication was transmitted." That's legalese for devices that could identify incoming and outgoing phone numbers.
But that changed with the 2001 Patriot Act, which updated the definitions to apply unequivocally to Internet communications and make the law "technology neutral," so that rather than focusing on the telephone the provisions could apply to all of the different communications technologies we use today—as well as ones we haven't even invented yet—without requiring Congress to constantly rewrite or add new laws. Today, a pen register is "a device or process which records or decodes dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information transmitted by an instrument or facility from which a wire or electronic communication is transmitted, provided, however, that such information shall not include the contents of any communication." This shift from defining metadata as phone numbers to conceiving of it as everything that is not "content" does much more than update the definition for the Internet age. Or, in a sense, it does less: It does not update the language so much as it completely dodges the issue of the ways in which the nature of metadata has changed over time, with the development of new technologies.
Metadata is not—and cannot—be technology neutral. The types of peripheral, addressing, and noncontent information that are generated by communications depend entirely on the type of technology being used. For instance, email metadata might include email addresses, IP addresses, subject lines, and server transfer information—data that in many cases have no clear counterpart in a telephone call. Internet communications create entirely new categories and types of metadata; they generate much more non-content information, both in terms of quantity and variety, than the telephone. The Guardian's excellent interactive guide to metadata, which lists the different types of meta data associated with emails, phone calls, cameras, Facebook and Twitter accounts, Google searches, and Web browsers, drives home the extent to which the information you generate depends on the devices and services you use.
Frustratingly, the released court order redacts the "categories of information" that the government believes fall under "the umbrella term 'meta data.' " The redactions appear to span multiple pages, leaving open the question of just how many different types of information may fall into the allowable "dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information" designation.
At this point, metadata is pretty much anything that is not a communication's contents, and since content itself is defined in fairly vague terms in U.S. law as "any information concerning the substance, purport or meaning" of a communication, it's not difficult to understand how Kollar-Kotelly came to the conclusion that even an "exceptionally broad form of collection" was warranted under the law (though, of course, it's harder to assess her reasoning given how much of the order has been redacted).
It's incredible how much of the way we think about surveillance continues to be governed by telephone technology. Even President Obama sought to reassure the public about the nature of the leaked surveillance programs by telling reporters in June that "nobody is listening to your telephone calls." When it came to old-fashioned telephone technology, there was a clear-cut distinction between metadata and content, there were data irrelevant to a communication's meaning, and we were reasonably well aware of the kinds of metadata we generated when we made calls. But now, none of those assumptions necessarily holds true, and we're beginning to understand the extent to which the medium—and the metadata—really are the message.
Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University.


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Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
Share YOUR win out of this fight with the world!
The fight against North Carolina's Amendment One galvanized thousands and inspired the whole country. "They," the architects of this legislation and the Right-Wing forces led by NC Representative Paul Stam "The Sham" that pay for these wedge amendments, may have won the short term battle.
But the TRUE victory is in our renewed commitment to each other and solidarity with all families.
They may have won the amendment. BUT OUR WIN IS BIGGER!
Name the win you were a part of, saw play out in your community and with your families, and upload your victory story.

subset: commoncrawl


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Entering the salon from the expansive cockpit one finds an open, bright and airy area with generous seating and plenty of room for entertaining or relaxing after a long day of cruising or fishing. Immediately to port is an "L" shaped settee with ottoman and adjacent to port is counter space, ice maker, storage and the electrical panel. Forward and to starboard is an "L" shaped dinette with gloss cherry table. Forward of the dinette is the entertainment center with television, DVD, and stereo. Forward and down two steps to port is the mid-level galley. The galley is cleverly situated in a way that those preparing meals are not removed from the action in the salon. The galley has great storage and includes all appliances necessary to prepare great meals for owners and guests. Continuing forward and down two steps the guest stateroom is located to starboard. The stateroom includes two berths and access to the guest head. Storage lockers and drawers are plentiful. Forward of the guest stateroom is the guest head. The head includes a separate shower stall and vanity. Continuing forward the owner's stateroom includes a centerline berth and private head. Storage lockers and drawers are again plentiful. The private head includes vacuum system head, vanity and stand-up shower stall.
Huge price reduction wants to see all offers no trades.
The new Riviera 43 Open Flybridge, is the latest in flybridge design from Australias most awarded luxury boat builder. This exciting new model incorporates great function and style within a supremely comfortable, sea-kindly hull. The most striking aspect about Rivieras latest creation is its design approach: a thoroughly modern methodology that will progress flybridge boat design into a new generation of boating enjoyment. Designed exclusively using Rivieras Unigraphics three dimensional CAD software system, the result is a superbly considered boat with abundant use of light and space. The new 43 Open Flybridge brings the outdoors in, creating an alfresco environment with a seamless transition between the expansive cockpit and the contemporary leather and varnished cherry interior.
Engines where rebuilt at 1,600 hrs now have a total of 2,000 ,all receipts available for your inspection. Third fuel tank for extended range.
Riviera boasts the best flybridge in her class for both visiblity and layout. There are two cockpit seats for captain and mate with a well designed dash for electronics and steering. To port is a mini refrigerator/freezer with a small cocktail sink above. To port and forward is a comfortable built-in full length lounge allowing true luxury at sea for a lucky guest. To starboard is comfortable L-shaped settee with built-in dinette table for appetizers, dining, or cocktails while enjoying the view.
Electronics / Navigation Equipment
All electronics listed below are found on the flybridge unless indicated differently.
Depth sounder
Auto pilot Simrad AP 11
CD Player ClarionCockpit speakers
Radar ray marine E 120 72 miles
Gps Garmin 6212 color
VHF Icom IC m302
Electrical System
• 110v AC electrical system
• 12v DC electrical system
• Batteries / Parallel Switch
• 13.5 KW Onan Generator (4700 Hours)
• 30 amp Battery Charger
Deck and Hull
• Anchor
• Transom Door
• Bow Pulpit w/Rails
• Navigation Lights
• Muir Electric Windlass
• Fenders w/Lines
• Spreader Lights
• Freshwater and Saltwater Wash Down System
Cockpit & Fishing Equipment
• Bait Freezer
• Cockpit Sink
• Reinforced Cockpit Floor For Future Game Chair
• 3 Tackle Drawers
• Step Down Engine Room Access
• Bait Tank Pump Switch
• Rod Holders X 6
• Aqua World Live Bait Well (Swim Step)
• Outriggers X 2
• Storage Drawers
• Spreader Lights
This roomy salon has an open feel to it with excellent visibility and comfort! The comfortable leather L-shaped sofa is to port with under-seat storage. To starboard is an L-shaped dinette with leather and canvas back seating and a teak table. Rich looking high gloss teak throughout with ample storage!
• U-Line Icemaker
• Glass & Teak Coffee Table
• Clarion Marine 6 Disc CD Changer
• Clarion Speakers X 2
• Window Treatments
• Cruisair Reverse Cycle Heat/Air
• Beige Carpet w/Canvas Cover
• Phone Jack & Electrical Outlets
• Overhead Grab Rails X 2
The galley is very clean with a teak and holly floor.
• Norcold refrigerator/freezer
• Ceran 2-burner Electric Stove
• Nova Kool Refrigerator
• Water Heater
• Built-in Molded Fiberglass Sink
• Built-in Rubbish Bin
• Sharp Carousel Convection Oven
This vessel sleeps four owners and guests in two staterooms. The guest stateroom layout features twin berths with a built-in night stand in-between, closet and drawers. The master stateroom is forward with a comfortable Queen berth, two closets, reverse cycle heat/air, and under bed storage and drawers. Each stateroom has a private adjoining head with vacuflush toilets, stall shower, sink and cabinetry.
• Window Treatments
Engine / Mechanical Equipment
• Cruiseair Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
• Twin Disc Transmission
• Engine Temperature Alarm
• Engine Fuel Shut-off Valve
• Accoustical Thermal Insulation
• Fuel Transfer Pump
• Extra Engine Room Lights
• Rawwater Sea Strainers
• Hydraulic Wheel Steering
• Trim Tabs
• Fuel Filters
• Automatic Bilge Pump
• Oil Changing System
• Dual Racors
Other Features
• Brown Systems 1000lb Davit
• Full Windshields
• Dual Shorepower Inlets
• Extra Fuel Tanks & Gauges
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33338
United States


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Under Armour ColdGear Infrared Reactor Jacketview other products
We think this is a great looking jacket that can be worn on and off course. The quilted construction delivers exceptional levels of warmth and comfort that you'll definitely appreciate.
Under Armour has delivered a super-stylish jacket in the shape of the ColdGear Infrared Reactor. But not only does it look good, it also features a range of technologies to keep you warm and swinging comfortably.
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- Storm technology repels water without sacrificing breathability
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Come by the shop and try on this versatile garment from Under Armour. We think you'll be impressed by both the style and the performance it can offer in colder weather.


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Ms Thomson, Lanarkshire
I could not have asked for a better marketing approach. I put my confidence in you and you delivered.
This is a fantastic opportunity to acquire this building plot having previously been granted full planning permission (recently expired) for an all-on-the-level cottage, which makes best use of this much preferred position on the fringes of a small secluded development,
Kilmarnock 31-33, John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, KA1


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Viscount Brookeborough: My Lords, I, too, thank my noble friend for her introduction of this appropriation order, thereby giving us the chance to say a few words about how Northern Ireland's finances are arranged. I am sorry that I shall be unable to keep to one subject, but we from Northern Ireland are rather thin on the ground today. I have several points on different subjects that I should like to raise.
First, I welcome the money available for agriculture, but it would be remiss of me not to mention that department in the light of the BSE crisis. Northern Ireland is a society based on agriculture, and 80 per cent. of the beef is normally exported outside the Province. At this stage I must declare an interest not just in farming but in tourism linked to farming.
The farm diversification scheme, which was discontinued last year, would seem to be a positive way of helping farmers in difficulty to become less reliant upon traditional farming. It supported the introduction of activities such as fishing ponds, golf driving ranges, and, in my case, a small business centre. Can my noble friend tell us when that scheme might be introduced? The other schemes available--such as rural development and cross-border community regeneration schemes--are not available to the private sector and individual farmers who are suffering now as a result of this other crisis.
On the tourism and IDB fronts, can my noble friend the Minister say whether there is a fair distribution of funds for new projects between those two areas? The IDB seems to have unlimited funds while tourism--one of the foremost industries in the world and equally important in the Province--is capped at £3 million to £4 million in the tourist development scheme. I heard the overall figure that my noble friend gave, but that was in the new projects tourist development scheme. Will my noble friend confirm an undertaking given by a predecessor of hers--Peter Viggers--who said:
However, the projects--for example, hotels on the Causeway coast--to take us into the 20th century now frequently cost more individually than the total amount. Perhaps my noble friend would look at that important issue, give us an answer and give the industry some hope.
On education, I note that two of the five education boards are to go. According to the Minister for Education that will save money. In the light of that, I should like to ask about the funding of Tirella Primary School in County Down. Of the pupils at that school, 95 per cent. are children of soldiers in the garrison regiment at Ballykinla, who change over every two years. At changeover times, normal transitory payments for each pupil are paid, but Tirella's position is unique as 95 per cent. of its pupils change over in a short space of time every two years. In addition, the pupils arriving during the last changeover came from, for example, no fewer than 23 different schools in England during a four-month period. During that period the children leaving--95 per cent. of the pupils from the previous
That is an abnormal task for the staff of any school, and we should remember that that happens every two years in this case. Consideration has also to be given to the permanently enrolled resident pupils who have to continue their classes during that time. An added burden is presented by 11 children with learning difficulties, and two more are to arrive shortly. That is apparently not an unusual number for any regiment.
Due to small financial difficulties, two teachers are to be made redundant on 31st August 1996. The mothers, who have accompanied their husbands to Northern Ireland on the assurance of good education for their children, are very concerned. I was surprised when I met them to find how strongly they felt that they had been let down. That is one additional worry that soldiers' families in an operational environment could do without.
I know that over several years the school's deficit has risen to £100,000, but surely in that case the department could find a way of providing some additional annual funding to do justice to our soldiers' families in this unique and difficult situation. Perhaps it could find funds from abolishing two of the boards.
I have read the correspondence between my honourable friend Mr. Ancram, the school and parents, and I am disappointed at the intransigence shown. I ask my noble friend to convey the parents' concern about this state of affairs to Mr. Ancram.
I should like to say a few words about the management of the health service in Northern Ireland. Before I do so, I must declare another interest in that I have been a non-executive director of the Green Park Healthcare Trust since it was set up three-and-a-half years ago. My comments, although relating largely to that trust, bring out examples of what is happening in other areas, which I have no time to study.
This trust provides many of the regional services for the Province, such as the cancer centre and orthopaedics. Since the formation of hospital trusts in Belfast, there has been an unhealthy open war between them over which hospitals should supply particular services, and indeed which ones should survive in any reorganisation.
The health wing of the Civil Service, otherwise known as the Management Executive (ME) should be controlling the future development of hospitals and should be insisting upon the trusts getting on with the job of running their own businesses not those of other trusts. For example, the Campbell Report has said that in an ideal world, in line with the Calman Report in England, the cancer centre should be moved from Belvoir Park Hospital to an acute hospital site.
After consultation, an option appraisal will be carried out, as has been announced, and the result will be announced in the spring of 1997. It should be noted that, due to the complexity of moving radiotherapy, that move could not be completed until 2000 at the earliest, and a sum in the region of £40 million would have to
Continual discussion and comment in the public domain is extremely damaging to the service at present. Staff are worried about their future careers, and the public is most concerned. It must be remembered that one person in three suffers from cancer at some stage in their life. That is not only in Northern Ireland. The ME seems to do little to alleviate those concerns. I ask my noble friend why the NIO has not put more pressure on it to do so.
In addition, Professor Bob Stout, a member of the Eastern Health Board, which is in practice a Department of Health agency, was quoted in the News Letter on 13th June as saying at the board meeting: first, that Green Park Healthcare Trust could be dissolved; and, secondly, that the management of Belvoir Park should be transferred to the City Hospital as soon as possible. Not only does that fuel the fire when the process of option appraisal will be taking place within a year, but why does the ME permit him to speak like that?
It is interesting that Professor Stout is also--this is rather worrying--a consultant geriatrician at the City Hospital. Does my noble friend agree that it seems most inappropriate for Professor Stout not to withdraw from that discussion while he has a foot in both camps? Yet again, the ME does not seem to care as it allows a person with a vested interest to use the Eastern Health Board to suggest that his trust hospital should take over the services of another trust.
Mr. Dan Thompson, chairman of the Eastern Health Board, is also keeping the fires burning in Belfast. He is quoted as saying:
Earlier this year the Minister, Mr. Moss, announced a 3 per cent. reduction in funds to health boards and therefore a 3 per cent. cut in their buying power. Presumably that was done after consulting the ME. A 3 per cent. cut overall was announced, but of course that could not come out of acute services--those dedicated to life-threatening problems (casualty, cancer and so forth). It took some time, and a great deal of work and money by the health boards and hospitals to show that, if 3 per cent. overall could be saved, it would have to come out of a reduction in elective surgery and procedures such as hip replacements and wheelchair provision. However, a 3 per cent. overall reduction
I turn to my final point. The noble Lord, Lord Williams of Mostyn, mentioned quangos when, unfortunately, I was out of the Chamber. My point is related directly to the management of the hospital trusts in general. I believe that the health service is not looking forward to the new year when the appointments of the present non-executive directors end. We were on a steep learning curve with the chief executive and non-executive directors who had previously been clinicians and so forth. They did not have management experience and therefore, three-and-a-half years ago, we were all learning together. However, when the non-executive directors finish their terms of appointment in six months' time half of the board members will be totally new. I wish to know how the Minister expects those changeovers to take place in the interests of the continuity and efficiency of the trust boards. If we are to widen the catchment area for the membership of those boards, surely we should have heard something about that by now. The Northern Ireland Office should be looking at new appointees.
I have been privileged to be a member of a trust board and I have learnt more from it than I suggest it has learnt from me. I am not sure how the posts will be advertised because the income is £5,000 before tax. If one advertises an appointment at that level of income, requiring the amount of attention that we have given it for three-and-a-half years, one could receive applications from many people in the dole queue, which may be appropriate. However, I suggest that the office must do some fairly hard canvassing to find people appropriate to the post.
In conclusion, I support the appropriation order and I hope that the NIO can take some action to rectify the problems which I have pointed out.
The Earl of Harrowby: My Lords, I rise in the gap to make one brief point supplementary to a remark made by the noble Lord, Lord Williams of Mostyn. He referred to BSE and compensation levels and I should have liked him to mention the timescale. I make a general point that cashflow is vitally important in the industry. It may well be the deciding factor in the survival of many farmers in Northern Ireland, as in the UK. The House cannot expect banks to be able or willing to bail out farmers indefinitely.
I hope that my noble friend the Minister will be able to comment on that subject. I make the point generally and not specifically with regard to Northern Ireland.
Lord Fitt: My Lords, of all the Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office, the noble Baroness has most responsibility. She is in charge of the Departments of Economic Development and Agriculture. They are the two main facets of life in Northern Ireland without which Northern Ireland could fall apart. Since the noble Baroness took over those responsibilities two or three years ago she has undoubtedly proved to be a very efficient and compassionate Minister in both those areas. I rise for only a few minutes to make a specific appeal in relation to some of the problems that we have in Northern Ireland.
West Belfast, the constituency which I represented for many years, has always been a problem constituency. Many people on this side of the water will have seen that 22,000 people in West Belfast voted for Sinn Fein in the recent Forum elections. Many people will mistakenly believe that all those people were voting in support of Sinn Fein and therefore in support of the campaign by the IRA. That is definitely not so.
I have been in touch with people in West Belfast since I became a Member of this House. Many of those votes were cast because in that area there is social deprivation. Of all the constituencies in Northern Ireland there is a higher incidence of employment in West Belfast and in the adjoining constituency of North Belfast. Many of the votes which were cast for Sinn Fein were cast out of a feeling of desperation. Many people in that constituency feel that they have been pushed to the side and are regarded as being republican activists and therefore not worthy of consideration. That would be a mistaken point of view.
I know that in recent weeks announcements have been made with the object of attracting industry into West Belfast. But what we have achieved is a small drop in a very big ocean. I know that the noble Baroness has travelled the world in an attempt to attract investment into Northern Ireland. However, if there is ever to be a solution and a change in the attitudes of those people who appear to be voting out of desperation for paramilitary spokesmen, I believe that the noble Baroness should do whatever she possibly can to attract more industry into West Belfast. Of the 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland West Belfast has been sorely neglected.
It may be due to the image that has been projected to the outside world that potential investors are reluctant to set up industries and to invest in that particularly troublesome area. However, those 22,000 votes cast in West Belfast for Sinn Fein were not cast in support of the IRA campaign. They were cast because people feel neglected and there is an air of despair in the area. Many young people over the age of 18 who voted in that constituency did not vote for Sinn Fein as spokespeople for the IRA. They voted because they had no job and saw no prospect of getting a job.
The noble Baroness has a record in Northern Ireland which far exceeds those of her predecessors. The noble Lord, Lord McNally, mentioned that when Ministers are appointed to their various portfolios in Northern Ireland they go "native", for want of a better word, and begin to develop a feeling for the Province. The success of the noble Baroness has been due to the fact that she has never been over-political in any way towards one community or the other. People accept her for what she is trying to do as a Minister in support of the whole community in Northern Ireland.
The noble Lord, Lord McNally and I were MPs in another place, and I have to say to him that a previous Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was not accepted by the whole community as not being political. I refer to the noble Lord, Lord Mason, now a Member of this House. The noble Lord in fact created untold difficulties in Northern Ireland. The noble Baroness has been able to carry out her functions with the support of the whole community in Northern Ireland.
Finally, the noble Baroness will know that there is great fear that the Royal Victoria Hospital may be stripped of its role in Northern Ireland and eventually close down. If that happens West Belfast would see that the hospital to which all the communities give their allegiance will be taken away. That would not be good for the morale of people who live in that area.
Baroness Denton of Wakefield: My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have spoken for their interest and concern in Northern Ireland and for the knowledge which is brought to any debate on the subject. I also thank noble Lords for their courtesy. I should say to the noble Lord, Lord McNally, that I believe that being a Northern Ireland Minister is one of the best jobs in government. I particularly enjoy my work as the Minister responsible for the economy because I believe that working for jobs provides the best cement for peace.
The noble Lord, Lord Cooke, was extremely generous in his remarks. I should tell him that I love visiting companies. But that creates paperwork. My officials will confirm that I do not have such a deep affection for that.
We always welcome the noble Lord, Lord Fitt, on these occasions. He omitted to mention that a major part of my portfolio is to deal with women's issues. The women in the Province create enormous strength. However, as the noble Lord said, my job is to ensure that there is hope and prosperity for all in the Province.
I welcome the noble Lord, Lord McNally, to our debates on Northern Ireland. His noble friend the noble Lord, Lord Holme of Cheltenham, always brought great experience to our debates. I am sure that he would be proud of the support which the noble Lord, Lord McNally, has given today to everyone in the Province.
The noble Lord, Lord Williams, and I have long debated these issues and, as he pointed out with great courtesy, we have long discussed the issue of criminal injuries. The noble Lord said that he is not too unhappy that the long grass is the shape that he would wish it to be. After every debate I draw the remarks of the noble
Your Lordships have rightly identified two major issues which concern Northern Ireland at present. The first is the agricultural situation brought about by the BSE crisis; the other is the question of energy costs. I too am extremely concerned about those issues, which have major implications for the economy. The beef and dairy industry represents 4 per cent. of our GDP. I wish to clarify that before the crisis, more than 50 per cent. of our beef was exported but more than 70 per cent. represented sales outside the Province, including the United Kingdom market. Fortunately, that has not gone away completely because there is great respect for the quality of Northern Ireland beef. We continue to have outlets there; we continue to try to build on that.
As regards support for the industry, the whole policy is based on the fact that the Government's aim is to ensure that there is an industry after the crisis is over. We have based our compensation and support packages on that premise. We are determined to keep the industry. I confirm the figure which my honourable friend announced in another place. The Government will be bringing forward something in the order of £2.5 billion to ensure that there is still an industry when the crisis is over and that, because of its needs and because of the great success it had in export markets, Northern Ireland will receive more than its fair share of that. In addition, I should point out that I was able to negotiate for Northern Ireland a special programme to deal with the bulls in Northern Ireland in connection with the Dutch consumer market. Therefore, we do have support for that very serious health and safety problem which must be dealt with.
I praise those in the industry in Northern Ireland. We have received enormous co-operation; we have worked together. The noble Lord, Lord Williams, referred to traceability. Because of that and because of the high standard of the veterinary service in the Province, we have managed to cope with the problem better than in other parts of the United Kingdom. I assure the noble Lord, Lord Williams, that the backlog in Northern Ireland is coming down very rapidly due to the level of co-operation we have received. I know that some of my colleagues have had much greater difficulties than those I have experienced in the Province.
In some cases it is not necessary but we continue to draw to the attention of other European countries the high standards that exist in Northern Ireland. We do have BSE but we are dealing with it. And there is a much smaller incidence there than in other parts of the United Kingdom. The average number of cases per month is running at between nine and 12 which indicates that the measures we are taking are working. Again, that is because the farmers have abided by the requirements.
My noble friend Lord Harrowby is no longer in his place but I should tell him that we well understand the problems of cash flow. I have great experience of Northern Ireland and I have seen that the banks play a sustainable role. We are grateful to them. But as a government we have arranged that payments of some £300 per animal should be paid on account. Also, I have asked that my officials should work overtime to ensure that all payments due to farmers go out as quickly as possible. Therefore, we are dealing with the problem and we seem to be having some success.
Electricity and energy prices are high. However, the situation is changing. I am well aware of the needs of the Province in that regard, in particular those of residential users. Competition is coming, and we look forward to welcoming gas to the Province. I am delighted also that one of the largest users, Shorts, has committed itself to combined heat and power. The company's experience in that regard will prove a very good role model for other large users. I look forward to that coming on stream.
I understand the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Williams, but I believe it inappropriate for me to comment on the financial performance of a private company. The regulation of the electricity industry is now the responsibility of the independent Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland. When his appointment was announced, I was extremely pleased that it was praised both by NIE and the chairman of the Electricity Consumer Council. That marks the respect in which he is held. The director general is currently engaged in the first electricity price controls review since privatisation and his proposals will take effect from 1st April 1997. The director general also published in January 1996 a consultation paper on the introduction of greater competition and consumer choice in the electricity market in Northern Ireland. He plans to issue a further paper with his definitive proposals shortly.
It is more expensive to produce and distribute electricity in Northern Ireland than in most regions of Great Britain. Power stations are small, the spinning reserve margin is higher and the customers, on average, are more dispersed. When making comparisons, it always appears that we are behind in the privatisation programme by about two years. That has an effect. However, I also believe that a more relevant comparison is not with London prices but with prices in Cornwall.
I should tell the noble Lord, Lord Cooke, that the Government will continue to encourage both efficiency and competition. We believe that there is a role for all in that respect. As I said, the discussions between NIE and the generators about the revision of the generator contracts are a matter for the companies concerned. It is the regulator who has the responsibility to examine the proposals arising from discussions to amend an existing generator's contract and, if not content, to consider a possible referral to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
The noble Lord, Lord Cooke, also raised the question of prices at Ballylumford. I should tell him that negotiations are taking place and the contracts between
We believe that we should await the outcome of the regulator's efforts to introduce greater competition, and his initial review of NIE's price controls, before deciding on the use of the remaining £60 million which was made available to the Province. I hope that the noble Lord will appreciate that that is a sensible decision. We hope there will be a change in the situation to the benefit of users.
The noble Lord will be pleased to know that the recently published sulphur strategy for the United Kingdom proposes a new system of control which will in effect remove the concept of the regional bubble. It future, it is proposed that an application will be made in respect of individual plant based on the principle of best available techniques not entailing excessive cost. When the proposed Industrial Pollution Control (Northern Ireland) Order comes into effect next year, it is anticipated that the authorisations for the Northern Ireland electricity industry will take effect from mid-1998. I suspect the noble Lord will think that that is too slow. I promise him that it is being done with all due speed.
The noble Lord also raised the question of EU assistance for the natural gas project. The EU is providing a total of £49 million between 1994 and 1999 for the undersea natural gas pipeline between Scotland and Northern Ireland, and a grant of £14 million will be available for the high pressure main from Ballylumford to Carrickfergus. We in Northern Ireland have reason to be very grateful to the European Union for the support that it shows.
There was considerable comment both from my noble friend Lord Brookeborough and from the noble Lord, Lord Williams, on the question of priorities and the ability to manage the issues, which are enormous, in the health service. I should point out that the health service in Northern Ireland is funded at 14.5 per cent. more per capita than in England. But, even so, priorities have to be set so that the service may live within its budget. A reduction of services in low priority areas will enable additional resources to be found for community care, which is so important, renal services and additional drugs for cancer patients.
However, there is always an issue. The noble Lord, Lord Williams, raised the suggestion that operating theatres may close at the Royal Victoria Hospital. I am afraid that I do not have knowledge of that but I shall write to the noble Lord on the matter. My noble friend Lord Brookeborough and the noble Lord, Lord Fitt, also asked what was happening as regards the hospital and spoke about the position of affection in which it is held within the community. The proposals which have emerged from Dr. McKenna's committee are with my honourable friend and are being considered. The results of that consideration will be made known.
The noble Lord, Lord Williams of Mostyn, and also my noble friend Lord Brookeborough, referred to quangos. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people who serve on quangos in Northern Ireland. We place great demands on those people. We invite people to take up positions. We say the position will take up half a day a month but they quickly realise that they have to devote two days a week to the post in some instances. I have witnessed high levels of commitment from those people. They are experienced but in many cases they experience a big learning curve, as my noble friend said. However, they are always anxious to offer the best service.
We are conscious of the need to spread the posts among as many people as possible. I am particularly proud that the percentage of women serving on public appointment boards in Northern Ireland is higher than in the rest of the United Kingdom. We are always seeking to extend that. Since I took office I have seen councillors serving in this capacity. We have tried to spread appointments as widely as possible. My noble friend referred to the appointment to the HSS trust boards. Those appointments are made by the Department of Health and Social Services with the approval of the Secretary of State. The department seeks to achieve equality of representation. We are all well aware of the need to balance experience with the need to introduce new views and new experiences to the board.
As regards Northern Ireland, we shall, of course, implement the suggestions made by the committee of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Nolan. However, we have to bear in mind the fact that the two communities there do not always agree--I say that gently--but both must be involved in decision making. I must inform my noble friend Lord Brookeborough that Belvoir Park Hospital has rightly developed a tradition of high quality care which is much respected by those who have been treated there and by their relatives and friends.
The cancer working group's report is the subject of public consultation until 10th July. Everyone is well aware of the issues involved. Even if the results of the consultation exercise and an option appraisal support the relocation of services from Belvoir Park Hospital, that could not realistically be carried out before the year 2000. There is no question of services currently provided at Belvoir Park Hospital being run down or diminished. I understand the anxiety of my noble friend as regards the insecurity generated by media reports. However I am sure my honourable friend the Minister for Health in Northern Ireland would always be pleased to reassure people who have anxieties in that regard.
My noble friend also referred to the comments made by Professor Stout. I assure him that Professor Stout is not a member of the cancer services working group. Nor has the HSSB been involved in any of the decisions relating to the location of Green Park's services. People who have experience of this matter have a right to comment. However, I have great respect for the tradition of your Lordships' House of declaring an interest before making such comment.
My noble friend also referred to tourism funding. There are great opportunities in the tourism industry. The Government may now adopt a different role in that
The noble Lord, Lord Fitt, referred to West Belfast. I have sympathy with his anxiety for that area but I am more hopeful than he appears to be. I believe that our targeting social needs policy is beginning to make a difference. I spent much time in West Belfast last August trying to learn about people's concerns. One anxiety was that if one applied for a job with a BT 13 postcode the chances of being accepted were much reduced. I believe that the position is now changing. People are learning to overcome that problem.
I am delighted to tell the noble Lord that unemployment in West Belfast has reduced by nearly 14 per cent. That is nearly three times the national average. We have companies such as Fujitsu, the Europa Tool Company and Colorite. There is the significant announcement by F G Wilson which seeks to take 400 jobs into West Belfast. Now that people can achieve aspirations, I hope that it will give them more confidence.
There is also the growth of local companies in the enterprise parks which the Government have created throughout the area. Glenwood Enterprise Agency, which I visit frequently, has some thriving, growing small companies. I believe that there is hope, and I think that there is change.
The noble Lord, Lord McNally, raised the question of integrated education. I assure him that the Government remain fully committed to supporting viable proposals for new integrated schools. There are now 28 integrated schools with an enrolment of almost 6,000 pupils but with potential to achieve enrolment in excess of 7,500. A number of new integrated schools, two secondary and two primary, will open in September 1996. The recurrent expenditure on integrated schools is estimated to be £15.4 million in 1996-97 with capital expenditure of £7.3 million. I hope that I reassure the noble Lord that we are not considering lessening our support. However, those proposals have to be viable, and wanted by the parents of the pupils.
On education, my noble friend raised the issue of Tyrella Primary School. It is obviously important that we ensure that children who travel with parents who are part of the security team in the Province are provided for. I assure my noble friend that that school has a high per capita expenditure level compared with the average for primary schools in that area. It is receiving its full budget allocation. That makes allowance for the extra-curricular pressures which a small school faces with fluctuating enrolment of children from Army personnel. However, as my noble friend requested,
Perhaps I may reply to the ACE issue raised by the noble Lord, Lord McNally. It is a matter of concern. The percentage reduction is not the 40 per cent. that was mentioned in another place; the figure has been 25 per cent. But it was based on the number of people in place at the time. The balance had to be made without full consultation because the issue was a budgetary matter and could not be discussed ahead of the announcement of the financial issues. There has been intense consultation since. The aim in making that reduction was to balance our training towards ensuring that the jobs we create in the Province go to the people in the Province. We moved away from community work to ensuring that we skewed training for the jobs available. At present we have a record number of vacancies in Northern Ireland. That was the reason that that balance was made.
The opportunities are easing through and we have been working closely with other departments using the service of ACE employees and in the development of the community work programme. In it we work with companies to try to ensure that people go into specific work opportunities which put them at the top of the ladder when jobs come along. We hope to see a great increase in the number of opportunities and, therefore, in the amount of trust we can expect from the long-term unemployed by showing that we are dealing with the problem. The decision was not made lightly and it was made on the policy that, I am pleased to say, the economy is growing.
I thank everyone in your Lordships' House who has taken part in the discussion on how we plan the future of the Province. If I have not dealt with any matters, I shall ensure that I write to noble Lords. With that, I commend the order.
On Question, Motion agreed to.
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Our student dissertations reflect the wide range of interests and expertise in the department. Below is a list of recent dissertations, you can also visit the Department's Dissertation Collection at ScholarWorks@UMass.
Sarah Tanzi: "Free-Market Authoritarianism and the Election of Donald Trump"
Moise St. Louis: "Looking Beyond the Rubble toward Louverturean Statecraft: The post-occupation state and the historical fault line of responsive government in Haiti (1791-2010)"
Alyssa Maraj Grahame: "Democracy in Crisis: Social Mobilization against Financial Capital"
Nicklaus Laverty: "Imperial Janus: Patterns of Governance in the Western Borderlands of the Tsarist Empire"
Kevin Pallister: "Bringing the Ballot Box to the People: Election Administration and the Origins of Inclusive Voting Practices"
Khorapin Phuaphansawat: "My Eyes Are Open but My Lips Are Whispering: Linguistic and Symbolic Forms of Resistance in Thailand during 2006-2016"
Alper Yagci: "Managing the Agricultural Biotechnology Revolution: Responses to Transgenic Seeds in Developing Countries"
- F. Gizem Zencirci: "The Local Production of Welfare Humanitarianism in Neoliberal Turkey"
Our students often work with faculty members of other subfields on their dissertations, which has produced vibrant intellectual eclecticism and the cross-fertilization of traditional political science subfields. Students work with faculty in other subfields including American politics (Kevin Pallister and Sarah Tanzi), Political Theory (Alyssa Maraj Grahame and Gizem Zencirci), and International Relations (Alper Yagci and Alyssa Maraj Grahame).


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Salmon Springs Trading Estate
Salmon Springs
Painswick Road
01453 297342
Mon-Fri - 10am–4pm
Saturday - 10am–5pm
Sunday - 10am–4pm
A quick note to let you know that, while The Malt House Emporium is relocating, we're closed in order to refurbish and restock. We'll be back soon though so please visit again in early November for more news about our re-opening. In the meantime all of our pianos listed are still available at The Piano Shop Bath.


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Matthew Shechtman focuses his practice in consumer financial services. He represents private, public and governmental clients throughout the country in business and complex civil litigation, including contract disputes, construction litigation, shareholder disputes and receiverships. Mr. Shechtman is involved in all phases of the litigation process. He drafts pleadings, motions and memoranda; manages discovery; engages in court advocacy; and counsels and advises his clients through the day-to-day management and administration of receivership proceedings, as well as providing more generalized counsel on other business matters.
Professional Background
Prior to joining Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in July 2015, Mr. Shechtman was for five years an associate at a Pawtucket, Rhode Island firm. During law school, Mr. Shechtman worked as a research assistant to Professor Elizabeth Colt. He clerked with the United States Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. in the Organized Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Division. In addition, he worked as a legal assistant and accounts manager for a sole practitioner, also in Washington, D.C.
In addition to his other law school accomplishments, Mr. Shechtman was a recipient of the merit-based Roger Williams Scholarship. He received CALI Awards for the highest grades in Legal Methods I and II, Contracts II and Legal Drafting: Commercial Real Estate. In addition, Mr. Shechtman was a member of the Honors Program.
Honors & Awards
- Named a Rising Star by New England Super Lawyers Magazine for New England/Rhode Island, 2014 and 2015.
- Survey and Comment," Willis v. Omar," 14 Roger Williams U. L. Review 534 (2009)
Blog Posts
Consumer Crossroads: Where Financial Services and Litigation Intersect
Hinshaw Publications
- August 30, 2016
- October 29, 2015
Service Areas
J.D., magna cum laude, Roger Williams University School of Law, 2010
- Assistant Editor, The Roger Williams University Law Review
B.A., Political Science, James Madison University, 2006
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island
- U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont


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Archived Feb 27 2009
United States & Canada - Feb 27
Click on the headline (link) for the full text.
Many more articles are available through the Energy Bulletin homepage
U.S. Congress Begins Talks On Energy Bill
Ben Block, WorldChanging
Just days after U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a gift to the renewable energy industry - a multi-billion-dollar stimulus package - leaders in both Congress and the Administration discussed plans Monday for an energy bill that would greatly expand clean energy capacity.
Renewable energy projects spread quickly across the United States last year before economic recession brought many plans to a halt. But the country needs much more than an economic stimulus to fulfill Obama's goal of providing 25 percent of U.S. energy needs with clean energy by 2025, according to a panel of political experts.
The newly announced measures include a national "smart grid" electricity transmission system and a national renewable energy portfolio standard, Congressional leaders said at the National Clean Energy Project event in Washington, D.C., organized by the Center for American Progress.
"The one single most efficient, job-creating, economy-stimulating measure," former Vice President Al Gore said, "is this national unified smart grid."
(25 February 2009)
Let the Clean Energy Revolution Begin
Ted Glick, ZSpace
... In other words, there is much evidence to indicate that, right now, the Democratic Party Congressional leadership, and perhaps the White House, has decided to "go wobbly" on the critical and urgent issue of climate change. Or, being charitable, perhaps they've been distracted by the battle over the economic stimulus package and now that that fight is over, they may soon come to realize the necessity of moving expeditiously in both houses of Congress to put a steadily declining cap and a rising price on carbon emissions.
There is no question but that there are practical difficulties in getting the needed 60 votes to get such legislation through the U.S. Senate, and it's not just because of the fossil (fuel) mentality of the vast majority of Republican Senators. It's also because of the unreliability of the 15 or so Democratic Senators, most of them from states where coal or oil extraction are major industries, who are by no means prepared to vote the right way on this issue. There are also problems in the House with similarly problematic House members.
This is why it is soooooooo good that Power Shift 09 (http://www.powershift09.org) and the Capitol Climate Action (http://www.capitolclimateaction.org) are taking place over the weekend of Feb. 27 to March 2 in Washington, D.C.
(26 February 2009)
The Climate Change Lobby Explosion
Marianne Lavelle, Center for Public Integrity
... But while the Obama team readies to take on the global warming challenge, the special interests that seek to derail, blunt, or tailor any new climate policy to their narrow agendas have already gathered in staggering numbers. A Center for Public Integrity analysis of Senate lobbying disclosure forms shows that more than 770 companies and interest groups hired an estimated 2,340 lobbyists to influence federal policy on climate change in the past year, as the issue gathered momentum and came to a vote on Capitol Hill. That's an increase of more than 300 percent in the number of lobbyists on climate change in just five years, and means that Washington can now boast more than four climate lobbyists for every member of Congress. It also means that 15 percent of all Washington lobbyists spent at least some of their time on global warming in 2008, based on a tally of the total number of influence-peddlers on Capitol Hill by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Based on the data, the Center estimates that lobbying expenditures on climate change last year topped $90 million. About 130 businesses and interest groups spent more than $23.5 million on lobbying teams solely focused on climate, but that vastly understates the money devoted to the effort. More than 95 percent of climate lobbyists work on other issues such as tax and health care for their clients as well, and they don't have to report how much they're being paid on global warming specifically. But even if just 10 percent of their time last year was spent on climate, that would add nearly $70 million to the grand total spent lobbying on climate in 2008 and push expenditures past $90 million.
(24 February 2009)
Marianne Lavelle was a journalist for US News & World Report and has contributed to Energy Bulletin.
Related: Lobbyists Flock to Climate Issue (Andrew C. Revkin, blog, NYT)
New report shows explosive growth in climate change lobby (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Administration blocks more Bush-era oil shale development leases
Jim Tankersley and Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times
The Interior Department on Wednesday blocked a Bush administration plan to open parts of the Mountain West for oil shale development, announcing that it would first study the water, power and land-use issues that complicate one of the nation's most abundant but controversial untapped sources of energy.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar canceled shale development leases on federal land in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and launched a second round of leases in the region limited to research purposes. In doing so, he rebuked what he called former President George W. Bush's "headlong rush" to begin development.
"Those who have fantasized that oil shale is a panacea for America's energy needs have been living in a fantasy land," he said.
(26 February 2009)
And yet: Obama Administration Restarts Oil Shale Leasing in Colorado, Utah.


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WHY Does "Peace on Earth - Good Will to All." Only have to be on one day a year?
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The Atari 2600 Video Computer System (VCS), introduced in 1977, was the most popular home video game system of the early 1980's. Now you can enjoy all of your favorite Atari 2600 games on your PC thanks to Stella!Stella is a multi-platform Atari 2600 VCS emulator released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Stella was originally developed for Linux by Bradford W. Mott, and is currently maintained by Stephen Anthony. Since its original release several people have joined the development team to port Stella to other operating systems such as AcornOS, AmigaOS, DOS, FreeBSD, IRIX, Linux, OS/2, MacOS, Unix, and Windows. The development team is working hard to perfect the emulator and we hope you enjoy our effort.On this site you'll find information about downloading, installing, using, and enhancing Stella. You'll also find useful information about the Atari 2600, emulation and homebrew development.Stella is now DonationWare. Please help to encourage further Stella development by considering a contribution.Copyright © 1996-2012 Bradford W. Mott, Stephen Anthony and The Stella TeamSite Updated June 18, 2012Latest Release (v/ 3.7.2) Stella-3.7.2-win32.exe Binary installer (exe) for 32-bit Windows XP/Vista/7Stella-3.7.2-x64.exe Binary installer (exe) for 64-bit Windows XP/Vista/7Stella-3.7.2-windows.zip Binary ZIP (32-bit and 64-bit) for Windows XP/Vista/7Stella-3.7.2-macosx.dmg Binary DMG for MacOS X (32-bit Universal Binary, version 10.4 and higher)Stella-3.7.2_intel-macosx.dmg Binary DMG for MacOS X (32/64-bit, Intel CPU/10.6+ only)stella_3.7.2-1_i386.deb Binary 32-bit DEB for Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin)stella_3.7.2-1_amd64.deb Binary 64-bit DEB for Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin)stella-3.7.2-2.i386.rpm Binary 32-bit RPM for Linux (tested in Fedora)stella-3.7.2-2.x86_64.rpm Binary 64-bit RPM for Linux (tested in Fedora)stella-3.7.2-src.tar.gz Source code tarball for all systems Miscellaneous / Extras stella-snapshots-20120529.zip Snapshot files for use in ROM launcher/ROM Info ViewerSourceforge project page Older releases on the Sourceforge Stella project page Copyright © 1996-2012 Bradford W. Mott, Stephen Anthony and The Stella TeamSite Updated June 18, 2012Have Fun!
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text: It is .4 miles from the train station to my home. The sidewalks aren't the smooth and clean ones of the Flatiron District. They're broken with concrete jutting up out of the ground. On the day I brought the Predator home, it had just rained, and while the streets were dry, puddles of brown, stagnant awful lay in a pedestrian's path at every intersection. I lifted and dodged and hurried home. The shipping weight of the box is 70 pounds, and between the Pelican case, power supplies, and 19 pound laptop I was sure I was dragging all 70 pounds behind me.


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Ride like the weather's perfect.
Just because the weather's not perfect doesn't mean the dirt isn't calling your name. When things are chilly, windy, and a little wet, just don the Fox Racing Diffuse Women's Jacket and get after it like like the sun's shining. It's easier to ride when it's a little chilly and damp anyway, because you stay cool and the trails stay tacky. If you get a little too cool, though, the Diffuse's lightweight fleece back and sleeves will keep some heat close to your skin, and the synthetic fabric on the front will block the wind and shed light precipitation, courtesy of the water-resistant DWR coating.
Fox hooked the Diffuse up with a lightweight adjustable hood, in case it starts sprinkling a little harder during the climb, and included a back flap vent to help you stay comfortable and reflective details to make the ride back to the parking lot a little bit safer. There are also two hand pockets, one of which has a port for easy headphone routing, so you can keep your motivational jams blasting when you're grinding up hills or convincing yourself to not touch the brakes on the way down.


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Portable rotating engine for any bucket
This is the idea of Gaurav Raut, student at National Institute of Design in India. A portable motor with arms can agitate clothes in water in a bucket. The motor can be plugged into the local electricity network. The shaft rotates at 70RPM and takes about 30 mins to clean a bucket of clothes. This design is not open source.


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Q&A: Beacon Talk About Their Debut Album – And How They Aren't Really Trying To Make R&B Music
This has been a good year for bands making music that might ostensibly be referred to minimalist R&B. In addition to great offerings in that vein from the likes of inc. and Autre Ne Veut, we also have The Ways We Separate from Brooklyn art-synth duo Beacon. We recently premiered the video for "Drive" — which is itself a kind of homage to R&B videos of the past — and I had the chance to sit down with the duo to talk about, among other things, how they aren't really an R&B band at all (though they don't mind if you think they might be).
STEREOGUM: How did the two of you start playing music together?
MULLARNEY: We started in … 2010?
GOSSETT: We both went to Pratt. I think we met each other during our first week of classes.
STEREOGUM: What kind of work were you doing?
GOSSETT: I was making mostly paintings.
MULLARNEY: Sculptures and videos, mostly.
STEREOGUM: Were you both doing music?
MULLARNEY: I was. It was slowly becoming a part of my work as well.
GOSSETT: Yeah, I'd been doing music stuff on and off for a while, throughout college.
STEREOGUM: At what point did it start to feel like Beacon started to take off and have a life of it's own? Did it become a full-time pursuit pretty early on?
GOSSETT: It happened pretty quickly for me. I was in grad school doing my MFA — doing painting and video stuff, multimedia arts — and I remember specifically leaving the studio one night after we'd been mixing one of the early songs and I realized that I'd been making music nonstop for nearly two months but not really doing any other kind of creative work related to school. I pretty much made a decision to leave on that day. I dropped out the next week. For me that was a very big deal. I'd spent an entire summer without making any visual art, which seemed indicative that music is what I needed to be doing.
MULLARNEY: That summer I was working pretty crazy hours doing props and set design for Adult Swim. We wrote that first EP in the middle of the chaos of all that. Once we had mixed it and put it out there, it seemed like it was reaching way more people than we had ever thought that it would. That kind of shifted us into this mental space of taking things more seriously and planning things out.
STEREOGUM: Were you surprised by the success of the early EPs?
GOSSETT: I'm always surprised. It's such a weird thing … you spend so much time with it and it's easy to lose your perspective on it after a while.
STEREOGUM: Did you tour a lot for the EPs?
MULLARNEY: >After the first EP came out we went and toured pretty quickly. We'd been performing a lot though even before that. The entire project kind of sprang out of this performance art thing that we'd been doing that was a lot more free-form and experimental. Throughout late 2010 and early 2011 we just tried to book as many shows as possible as a way to get our feet wet as performers.
STEREOGUM: What were those early shows like?
GOSSETT: They were a lot more centered around the visuals. The music was really centered on these large-scale visual installations that we'd been doing. It was usually us in the center of the space with these massive projections happening all around us. The sounds were heavily sample-based and it was much more chaotic. The more we played out the more we started to think that maybe we should actually record some of the material. We kind of started stripping things down and figuring out what it meant to actually make songs and make a good recording, as opposed to the music being just a part of the visuals. Thinking back on it, what we were doing then is really not that far removed from what we do now. There are still visuals involved.
MULLARNEY: We tried to lock in performance spaces as often as possible. We still do, actually. We liked performing in spaces that were more open and more suggestive of performance art, as opposed to music spaces that just felt like venues. That was our way of kind of easing into the identity of being a band.
STEREOGUM: Well, that's so much more interesting than just playing in clubs. When it came time to make this record, did your approach to writing and recording change much? What is your usual process of making songs?
GOSSETT: It's kind of consistent with how we've worked in the past. We tend to work separately early on, just creating these sketches for songs and sending them back and forth to each other. The process of recording those two EPs really taught us a lot about what we liked and what we didn't like to do. It was a slow learning curve for us, but it also really allowed us to figure our sound out along the way. This record definitely involved more gear, but more experimentation as well. The EPs had to happen in order to get us to a place where we felt confident and comfortable enough to make a full-length album — for us to have ten songs that we felt good enough about. We really wrestled with these songs and it was a long process to bring them to completely. Still, I am proud of those EPs and they really served a purpose in helping us actually become a band. It's also interesting to see which songs really resonated with people … and that was helpful in terms of just helping us figure out our own strengths and weaknesses.
STEREOGUM: Was the aesthetic of the record something you'd established from the outset or did it take a while to reveal itself?
GOSSETT: We had some things in mind going in.
MULLARNEY: I think we knew we wanted it to have some more up-tempo moments — not that the record is really up-tempo by any means — but we had an idea of what we wanted. It's hard to think about, in retrospect, how much of it we really planned. It's just a matter of getting yourself in the studio with enough songs sketches and enough random ideas that you'll have plenty of material to play around with. For us, that is about as much planning as you can do. You set aside a nice block of time and you make sure you go in with a bucket load of ideas — and something good will come out of it. That's what works for us, anyway.
STEREOGUM: Do you have your own studio?
GOSSETT: No, we just kind of work … wherever we can, basically.
MULLARNEY: Yeah, we go into a studio to the mixing and most of the vocals have to be recorded in a studio, but so much of the other stuff we can do at home. Most of our synth stuff can actually be done at home in a bedroom setting.
STEREOGUM: Isn't that amazing?
MULLARNEY: [laughs] It really is. I don't know how we'd do it, otherwise. I mean, if it weren't for the ease of the technology, we probably wouldn't even be a band.
GOSSETT: Even thinking about how things were just ten years ago … it's really astounding.
STEREOGUM: How long did it take to finish the record?
MULLARNEY: It's funny … some of the parts — like the vocal melody from "Bring you Back" — were written back in 2010. In terms of how far back we reached, some of the songs go back to our very earliest days. The recording itself was done in about three months, but that was with us working on it in some capacity basically every day.
STEREOGUM: This record seems to be very much about separation and isolation. How did they lyrical content of the record present itself?
MULLARNEY: The lyrics are almost always a direct dialogue with the music as it's being written. I write some lyrics with melodies — sometimes written on a piano — and then they are later taken into Beacon space. Other times the lyrics come really organically between the two of us.
GOSSETT: Often as we're recording and working on the songs, each of us will kind of just be sitting on different sides of the room making notes and developing different ideas about the songs. The subject matter often presents itself in that way.
STEREOGUM: There is such a fascination right now with bands making this very ephemeral, kind of minimalist R&B, which is a term that often gets used to describe your music. Does that make sense to you?
GOSSETT: It makes a little bit of sense. I think it's a fairly small part of what we do — it's an element that kind of gets collaged in with all these other things we do. It's interesting — Thomas' sensibilities are not at all aligned with that kind of music. He never really listened to that kind of music.
MULLARNEY: My reference points are actually a lot different than what people might assume. All of those things — like, singing in a falsetto or other things that you might consider the standard tropes for an R&B singer — those were not things I was ever thinking about or trying to emulate. At the same time, our music is quite minimal and we do really love super rich bass, which is something that kind of lives inside hip hop and R&B records, so it's not a huge leap for people to see that in our music — and it's not as if we reject that. Still, my personal influences really come from things like IDM and other electronic music — that sort of world. That's the music that influences me the most, at least textually. But, you know, it is timely right now to be making that kind of music and if we can be considered a part of that, I don't really mind it.
STEREOGUM: Thomas, do you feel more comfortable now as a singer? It seems like your voice is a lot stronger — more focal — on this record than it was in the earlier EPs.
MULLARNEY: Definitely. I was really experimenting on the early material, playing around with masking my voice in different ways. Now I really like to explore the different ways that I can attack a song in terms of my vocal range. Also, I'm just more confident than I was before. That's just a natural thing that happens the longer you do something. If you can keep those walls from building back up, the better off you are.
Beacon's The Ways We Separate is out now on Ghostly International


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Behavior by any employee that violates these policies or the condoning of such behavior by any manager or supervisor may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, said TDCJ Executive Director Brad Livingston. I am committed to the success of TDCJs equal employment opportunity complaint procedures and to resolving each allegation in a timely manner.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to any form of discrimination or harassment are encouraged to contact any TDCJ official or the Employee Relations Intake Team at (936) 437-4240, file a grievance through the employee grievance process, or contact the Texas Workforce Commission - Civil Rights Division at 1-888-452-4778, and/or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at 1-800-669-4000.
By Janice Harris Lord, Board Member
|Janice Harris Lord
After a crime has been committed, trying to make sense out of what happened can be daunting for the victim. Relentless brooding over why someone would choose to hurt or kill another person can haunt dreams, result in long-term sadness, anger, fear and anxiety, and even produce a sense of loss of ones own self. The opportunity to describe the impact of the crime to the offender and to ask unanswered questions can be one component of recovery. It can mean regaining control and moving forward in life.
In 2001, the Texas Legislature made Victim Offender Mediation/Dialogue (VOM/D) a crime victims right by amending the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. The TDCJ Victim Services Division manages the VOM/D process as a means for victims to talk with their TDCJ offenders in a safe, structured face-to-face setting.
Through VOM/D, victims can tell their offenders how the victimization has affected their lives and ask questions that only the offender can answer. In addition, the victim and the offender can develop an agreement whereby the offender accepts responsibility and demonstrates accountability.
The VOM/D process can only be initiated at the request of the victim. Requests are examined by TDCJ Victim Services on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the suitability of the process for both the victim and the offender. If deemed appropriate, the offender is informed of the request, educated about the VOM/D process and asked about his or her willingness to participate. If interested in participating, the offender must first admit guilt and accept responsibility for the crime.
Although involvement in the program is voluntary for the victim and offender, both must commit to participate in all phases of the VOM/D process with a staff or volunteer mediator. Any one of these three individuals can decline further participation at any time prior to and including the day of the dialogue if motives or behaviors of the victim or the offender are considered inappropriate or harmful.
The VOM/D process allows for the use of creative alternatives if the standard process is not acceptable. For instance, if an offender does not wish to participate or is ineligible, a surrogate dialogue allows the victim to meet with another offender who committed a similar crime. If the victim or offender wants to participate but prefers an indirect dialogue, videotaped statements or letters can be used in lieu of the face-to-face meeting.
Since each VOM/D case is unique, the preparation process usually ranges from four to six months. Once preparation is complete, a day for the dialogue is scheduled at the offenders unit. The seating arrangements, order of entry into the room, and order of dialogue are determined by the victim and mediator, with changes only if deemed necessary for security reasons by the programs administrator or the unit warden. During the concluding process of the dialogue, the victim and offender develop an affirmative agreement that includes actions to demonstrate the offenders accountability for the crime. These might include the offenders participation in victim impact panels or sessions with a chaplain to explore the crime and its impact on the victim.
Immediately following the dialogue, the mediator meets with the offender, and then with the victim. The victims debriefing might include hearing about the offenders debriefing. Within two to three weeks, the mediator holds individual follow-up meetings with both the victim and offender.
During Fiscal Year 2010, 101 VOM/D cases were initiated. During that same period, 29 person-to-person dialogues and 14 creative alternative dialogues were completed. From the programs inception in January of 1994, through September 30, 2010, TDCJ Victim Services has arranged 291 victim-to-offender dialogues and 113 creative alternative dialogues.
As a result of their participation in VOM/D, many victims report that their anger, fear, hatred and contempt decreased, sometimes in only a few hours. Some extraordinary transformations in attitude, confidence, courage and demeanor have been described. For offenders, the goal of VOM/D is to increase victim sensitivity and awareness, and many have said that, for the first time, the crime victim became a real person rather than a faint image. Some have said the process made them realize the severe impact of what they did to the victims and their families.
The VOM/D program is only one way a victim might choose to alleviate their grief and hurt. It provides a safe and structured opportunity for victims to achieve better understanding of what happened. It can help victims take back some control of their lives and open the path to recovery.
Waste, fraud and abuse of state resources cost all taxpayers millions of dollars each year.
The Office of the Inspector General is dedicated to detecting, investigating and prosecuting reports of waste, fraud and abuse of state resources within all divisions of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
If you have any information regarding waste, fraud or abuse of state benefits, equipment, personnel or funds, please contact the Office of the Inspector General, Crime Stoppers or the State Auditors Office toll-free.
Agency committed to equal employment opportunity policies
Taking back control through Victim Offender Mediation/Dialogue
Call tollfree to Report Waste, Fraud and Abuse of TDCJ Resources


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Cheese & Olive Puffs
Serve with olives as a snack, or as part of a meal. To make it kid-friendly, substitute the olives for whatever suits their taste.
|½ cup
|Parmesan cheese
|3 sheets
|Butter puff pastry
|½ tsp
|½ cup
|Tasty cheese
|¼ cup
|Pitted green olives
|1 to taste
|Ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 200C. Mix together the grated cheeses, cumin, olives and pepper. Roll the pastry to 5mm thick and cut out circles of 9cm diameter.
2. Place a little filling on one side of the rounds, wet the edges with a little water and fold over to form a half circle, pressing the edges together, then crimp with a fork.
3. Place on a cold baking tray and bake for around 7 minutes or until golden and puffed.


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If two camera connectors is one too many for you to carry, this handy adaptor is for you. It combines a USB port and SD card slot into just one adaptor to get your iPad and cameras playing nice. There's a switch to select which slot is in use – it can't use both at once – but other than that it's as simple as plugging it in and transferring images or movies from your cameras and SD cards.
$39.95 plus shipping
The iGuy theiguy.com.au


text: Lido di Ostia to Villabate trains might be a good value for money solution: travelling in Italy by train is often rather cheap and faster than taking a bus indeed Trains leave from Fiumicino Aeroporto and arrive at Bagheria every about 2 hours on average. If travelling with Trenitalia, you need to know the Lido di Ostia to Villabate train schedule: the first train leaves at 06:27, while the last ride is at 06:27. A Lido di Ostia to Villabate train cost about 187.85 €. But how long is the train ride from Lido di Ostia to Villabate? Your journey takes about 13 hours on average.


text:
Search for a property and see it's band
Safe, secure and simple online payments
Work out how much you could claim and make an application.
Find your bin collection dates
Collection of large household items
Request a new bin or a removal of a container
Requesting a copy certificate and searching for records
A list of this weeks openings
Celebrating British citizenship
Help for consumer, debt, legal and other matters
Residential or nursing homes
Modifications to homes
Choice based lettings
Keeping you safe in your home
Advice and grants to improve energy efficiency
View the latest job opportunities
Latest teaching opportunities
Local leisure centres and sports clubs
What's on in Bolton
Information on parks, pitches and courts
search for a planning application
View most recent planning applications
Apply online via the planning portal
Find a school inc performance stats
Apply for a school place for your child
Details of Children's Centres in Bolton
Pay online, other payment options and advice
Parking in the town centre
Potholes, faulty streetlights and more
Buildings or structures may become dangerous due to old age, rapid deterioration, inclement weather or by more dramatic causes such as fire, explosion, or impact by vehicles.
Where the danger is felt to be so great that imminent collapse of the building or structure may occur, building control may take immediate action to remove the danger.
If there is no immediate danger but action is required to make the building or structure safe in the short term, building control may apply to the courts to have a notice served to the owner stating the required works to make it safe.
We will inspect all dangerous structures within 1 hour of being notified by telephone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you believe there to be imminent danger please do not report this by email.
See the Contact details tab for information on reporting a dangerous building.
Are you aware of any buildings in your area which are vacant and open to access?
These buildings can become a nuisance to surrounding residents and neighbours, attracting potential vandals, drug users, and can often suffer from arson attacks.
Did you know that building control can have these buildings made secure?
Once an insecure building has been reported to building control it is our policy to attend the property within two hours to establish if the building is insecure. If it is we can serve notice to get the building made secure, in some cases the property will be secured the same day.
Without adequate maintenance and repair a building or structure can quickly fall into a dilapidated condition. Alternatively, a building could be vandalised, subject to a fire, or damaged by extreme weather conditions. The owner, in turn, may not have the resources or inclination to repair the building.
When situations such as this arise building control can serve a notice to the owner, requiring them to either repair the building to a reasonable standard, or demolish the building and clear the site. If the owner fails to comply with the notice building control may carry out the work in default and charge the owner.
We will respond to all dilapidated and ruinous building notifications within 24 hours.
Building Control Services
Development And Regeneration Department
Room 309
Third Floor
Town Hall
Victoria Square
Times are displayed in a 24 hour format.


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Spiritual Life
The Office of Spiritual Life at Lewis & Clark College is designed to support all religious life programs that take place on campus, and has its roots in the Presbyterian heritage of the college. Recognizing the religious and spiritual diversity of the Lewis & Clark community, the Spiritual Life staff seeks to facilitate moral and spiritual dialogue and growth in a context of mutual support.
As Dean of Spiritual Life, the Rev. Mark Duntley, Ph.D. directs and facilitates a variety of programs for students focusing on spiritual and moral issues. Students help plan and lead many of these activities, including regular worship services, special forums and lectures, small-group studies, spiritual renewal retreats, and volunteer community service projects. An Interfaith Dialogues group encourages dialogue and cooperation among organized faith groups, and a Spiritual Life Advisory Council provides religious and spiritual life programming and policy recommendations. Rev. Duntley also is available for religious, crisis, and grief support and counseling.
The 2012-2013 academic year initiated a campus-wide Spiritual Initiatives Project directed by the Office of Spiritual Life. The Spiritual Initiatives Project has the core purpose of enhancing our college campus community through spirituality, and consists of a number of new and revitalized spiritual life opportunities focused in three main areas: 1) interfaith programs, 2) nurturing the spirit programs, and 3) justice, service and spirituality programs. Programs and spiritual life activities that are part of the Spiritual Initiatives Project will be announced as each academic year progresses.
There are a number of religious and spiritual life groups on campus that serve the needs of students. Along with the programs coordinated by the Office of Spiritual Life, there is the Roman Catholic group (known as the Catholic Student Community, see also the Eucharist Schedule), the Lewis & Clark chapter of the Greater Portland Hillel, the Lewis & Clark Christian Community (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship), the Muslim Student Association, the Interfaith Dialogues Group, the Buddhist Group, Common Ground (Earth Spirituality and Pagan), the Pio Sports Ministry and Pioneer Christian Fellowship, a Unitarian Universalist group and an LBGTQ group called Spiritual Que(e)ry. Students from a number of other traditions (including Baha'i, Hindu, and Sikh) do not maintain a formal student group, but organize activities and meetings on an occasional basis. For further information please contact the chapel office by phone or request information by emailing the office at email@example.com.


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Friends of Horninglow
The Friends of Horninglow are a voluntary group who work proactively to support fundraising for Horninglow Primary School. Activities range from organising school discos for the children; Bingo nights for parents / carers and the community to sponsored events e.g. sponsored walk.
Friends of Horninglow events which have taken place are this academic period are:
|27th November 2015
|Christmas Bingo - amount of donations £322.56
|29th November 2015
|Christmas Craft Fair - amount raised £367.42
|11th December 2015
|Christmas Disco
|11th March 2016
|School Disco
|18th March 2016
|Easter Bingo
Upcoming events are:
25th June 2016
2nd November
3rd November
4th November
25th November
Summer Craft Fair
Nursery/Reception Film night
Y1,Y2,Y3 Film night
Y4,Y5,Y6 Film night 5pm -7pm
Christmas Bingo- doors open 6pm
Details of the events are publicised in the school newsletters.
If you are interested in getting involved please contact Mrs A Upton by e mailing: firstname.lastname@example.com or leave a message in the school office.


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Shia LaBeouf arrested for DUI
Actor Shia LaBeouf of "Transformers" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" fame has been arrested on DUI charges after a pretty serious car accident this weekend.
Law enforcement sources say LaBeouf was involved in a car accident at 3 a.m. Sunday at a Hollywood, California intersection. After reportedly made an illegal left turn and hitting another car, Shia's car apparently rolled.Paramedics brought both parties, LaBeouf, his passenger as well as the driver of the other car, to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. It is not clear what the extent of those injuries may be at this time, however, TMZ.com is reporting that Shia "badly injured his hand."The actor was placed under arrest for suspicion of felony DUI after he showed "outward signs" of intoxication at the scene of the accident. In the state of California, drunk driving can be raised to a felony status if it results in an injury to another party.LaBeouf was arrested earlier this year for unlawful smoking, and just last summer stated in publicity interviews for "Transformers" how happy he was to not be a part of Hollywood's criminal youth a la Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.More on this story as it develops...In the meantime, check out more tales of bad celebrity behavior in our Drink, drugs and rehab section.


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Apple Macbook Pro Core i5 - (4 GB/500 GB HDD/OS X Mavericks) A1278 (13.3 inch, SIlver, 2.06 kg)
If you are looking for a high-end laptop with plenty of features and high-performance, then what you need to be doing is investing in this Apple MacBook Pro. Stylish and powerful, this laptop delivers seamless multitasking and lag-free computing for maximum efficiency and productivity.
Awesome piece of hardware.
Sunil kumar
Certified Buyer
17 Jan, 2016
An Apple that suits the taste within reach..
Raj Martin Crove Yona
Certified Buyer
23 Dec, 2013
Simply the best!!!
Dr. Akash Prasad
Certified Buyer
7 Oct, 2016
great product
siddarthan nehru
Certified Buyer
4 Aug, 2013
Fully satisfied with the product
Flipkart Customer
Certified Buyer
2 Oct, 2016
Classy product
Shelton Johanson
Certified Buyer
7 Sep, 2016
Perfect product!
Sejal Mathur
Certified Buyer
8 Sep, 2016
Great Deal and great product.
Sachin Chavan
Certified Buyer
19 Jul, 2016
level 1 for apple
Daniel Immanuel
Certified Buyer
19 Aug, 2013
Good Entry Level Laptop
Himanshu Mehta
Certified Buyer
25 Aug, 2016
With support for millions of colours, the brilliant LED backlit 33.782 cm display of this Macbook Pro is sure to keep your eyes locked on to it all along. The display features a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and is also developed with IPS technology.
Experience extremely smooth and fast performance with the 2.5 GHz Intel i5 Dual Core processor that powers this laptop. With the option of Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz and a 4 GB DDR3 RAM, the device delivers incredible speeds while running applications. The Intel HD Graphics 4000 provides fluid graphics while watching videos and gaming.
Store all your favourite movies, music, picture, applications and more with the 500 GB storage space this Macbook Pro offers.
Integrated with a 720p FaceTime HD web camera, you are sure to love video chatting using this laptop. The device comes with stereo speakers for excellent sound along with a headphone port in case you want to connect your headphones. The omnidirectional microphone is designed to pick up even when you speak in a low tone of voice.
The device comes with Wi-Fi to connect to the internet, along with 2 USB 3.0 ports and Bluetooth v4.0 to transfer data to other devices effortlessly. The laptop also features a FireWire 800 and Thunderbolt port, while the SDXC card slot makes it convenient to transfer pictures and videos from your memory card to the laptop.
Providing up to an incredible 7 hours back up, you can wirelessly browse the web or even watch movies without interruptions. The laptop features a lithium-polymer battery. You can charge the device using the 60 watts MagSafe power adapter from a power source.


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Hi All,
It's been nearly a month since the last '7Days of Chocolate Reviews' - it sure has been a busy start to the year huh!?
This week you may have noticed that the site has got a new 'ChocolateMission News Page .... Chocolate Matters' --> See HERE.
Rather than having to wait until the end of the week to get your Chocolate news I will now be updating the page with the latest goings on in the Chocolate World as and when the news breaks. It would be great if you guys contribute stories and your views and opinions on the news - make sure you keep checking the site as it will be updated regularly.
I hope you enjoyed the reviews this week - if you haven't seen them you can find them here:
Thorntons Dessert Gallery ... (See HERE)
'Bits n Bobs' Japanese Superpost 2011 # 3 ... (See HERE)
Cadbury SpotsVStripes The Big Race ... See HERE
Next week we will have more chocolates from Thorntons, a 'Bits n Bobs' review and a special Ritter feature.
Have a great weekend
*** Posts from other blogs I enjoyed this week ***
* The Impulsive Buy - Stephanie from the TIB team got stuck in to the awesome sounding Häagen-Dazs Limited Edition Blueberry Crumble ... See HERE
* Candyblog - Cybele posted her review of one of the most exciting candy bars coming out in America in 2011, the Twix Coconut ... See HERE
* GiGi Reviews - Chocolate pudding that gets one of GiGi's coveted '11 out of 10' ratings - Temptations by Jell-O: French Silk Pie, obviously a must try for you Yanks ... See HERE
* FoodetteReviews - Since when have Dominoes been genetically modifying poultry to not have bones :D Domino's New Boneless Chicken Wings with Mango Habanero Dipping Sauce ... See HERE
* Brand Eating - There isn't enough money in the world to make me eat one of these ready meals - Hungry Man Home-style Meatloaf ... See HERE
* Foodstufffinds - Liz at FFF managed to come across the cheekiest flavour of crisps ever - Seabrook Jacket Potato With Creamy Butter ... See HERE
* Rodzilla Reviews - Roddy looks like he has his hands full trying out three new B&J's flavours. See his first one - Ben & Jerry's Red Velvet Cake ... See HERE


text:
I have been on a beading kick lately and my little sister is turning fourteen in a few weeks, so I decided I needed to celebrate by making her some jewelry. I think I had as much fun packaging them as I did making them. (I can get away with posting the photos this soon because she is going to be on the road for a while and then romping around Disneyland! NOT FAIR!) :)
Original contemporary paintings including landscapes, portraits, and interiors by artist Trent Gudmundsen.


text:
Avon Plaintiffs Fight Application of Tellabs
Avon had filed a notice of supplemental authority citing the U.S. Supreme Court's Tellabs Inc. v. Makor Issues & Rights Ltd decision on June 25, mere days after the High Court handed down its 8-1 opinion. Several other high-profile securities defendants have cited Tellabs to buttress a motion to dismiss over the past month.
Robert L. Garber said in a brief on behalf of his fellow derivative plaintiff...
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text:
March 23, 2018United States
The president has selected the nation's premier champion of a narrow, defensive, and ultimately self-defeating approach to the U.S. role in the world.
August 21, 2018U.S. Foreign Policy
On the margins of her speech on abusive use of social media, First Lady Melania Trump's office announced that she will be making a trip alone to Africa in the coming autumn.
August 20, 2018Nigeria
This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger between August 11 and August 17.
August 14, 2018Nigeria
Domestic and international observers generally see Osinbajo as highly competent and his tenure as vice president a success. The Lagos business community, highly critical of Buhari's economic policies, will welcome the prospect that Osinbajo will continue as vice president. He has been generally lauded for his role as acting president during Buhari's absences, most recently for his handling of a blockade of the national assembly by certain members of the security services.
August 16, 2018Cameroon
The Anglophone crisis in southwestern Cameroon is getting worse, and outside observers are beginning to notice. According to Amnesty International, "alarm bells are ringing" in Congress over Cameroon, and on July 31, Karen Pierce, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, tweeted that there is "lots of interest" in the crisis among UN representatives in New York.
August 13, 2018Nigeria
This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger between August 4 and August 10.
August 8, 2018South Africa
The ANC's proposed legislation would clarify the constitutional provisions that already provide for the government to take ownership of land, but not expand them. Ramaphosa and the ANC acknowledge that the constitution's property clause already "enables the state to effect expropriation of land with just and equitable compensation and also expropriation without compensation in the public interest."
August 7, 2018Nigeria
This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger between July 28 and August 3.
August 9, 2018Nigeria
The book likely represents the public views of one of Yusuf's sons and the current ISWAP leader, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who became very close to Abubakar Shekau after the former's father was killed in 2009.
August 6, 2018Zimbabwe
Mnangagwa's victory was promptly and shamefully endorsed by African Union observers and those from the Southern African Development Community, but questioned by observers from the European Union, the National Democratic institute and the International Republican Institute, and, most important, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, a local NGO umbrella that deployed 6,500 observers around the country.


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Flickr's new owner is here to save it from oblivion (again)
Can Flickr make another comeback?
Yahoo became one of the most popular websites of the early consumer internet. Founded in 1994, Yahoo was among the first web portals, which were websites that provided users with a list of hyperlinks to other websites. Yahoo then developed a search engine, email service (Yahoo Mail), along with a variety of its own content operations including Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, and Yahoo Sports. Yahoo emerged in the 1990s as a major internet powerhouse, serving as an internet starting point for millions of people. Yahoo went public in 1996 and remained a powerful company well into the 2000s. Microsoft tried to buy Yahoo for $44.6 billion in 2008, but the bid was declined. In the years after, competition began to eat way at Yahoo's dominance, most particularly from Google. Verizon acquired Yahoo in 2016 for $4.8 billion, though that amount was later lowered after massive data breaches of Yahoo's came to light.
You can root against the Patriots from anywhere with your mobile device.
And YOU get a lawsuit, and YOU get a lawsuit...
And, surprise, he had ties to a Russian security agency.
Tumblr founder and CEO David Karp is stepping down after 10 years.
Every single account.
If you were affected, you could be in for some $$$.


text: "Theatre for children and young people has changed a great deal in recent years. It tackles many subjects traditionally considered too weighty for a young audience. These range from death … to the environment … We even tackled the banking crisis in 2013's Bank On It, a show about economics for five to 10-year-olds."