text:
President's Message May
Protocol: Its Importance & Its Limitations
• a sport,
• a martial art,
• a way of life, and
• a tool for social development
In previous messages I have
frequently emphasized the
importance of developing all four
facets of ITF Taekwon-Do.
• courtesy,
• integrity,
• self-control,
• perseverance,
• indomitable spirit.
The five tenets are the framework on which we have structured the Level 1 course about the Do.
This course "What is the Do and Its Benefits" will be offered to ITF members starting in 2010.
Protocol is an important aspect of the first tenet: Courtesy.
Courtesy – Etiquette – Protocol
What is the difference?
Among the elements of Courtesy described by our Founder General Choi Hong Hi in the Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do are the following:
- to be polite to one another,
- to distinguish instructors from students, seniors from juniors, elder from younger,
- to behave oneself according to etiquette.
These three elements are all about proper etiquette and protocol, and General Choi made it very clear that both are very important in Taekwon-Do.
Etiquette defines how one should act to show respect for others and for the rituals and traditions of an organization or culture.
A high degree of etiquette should be observed by students, both inside and outside the training hall (do jang). This should be applied by lower ranking students to senior students while training, by higher ranking students to elder students outside of the do jang, and by all students when visiting another do jang. In all cases, emphasis should be placed on correct and proper salutation. It is a form of respect and courtesy in Western as well as Oriental societies.
The Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do (vol. 1, p. 66)
Protocol refers to formal rules that establish what is proper and correct in official intercourse. Every type of social structure has its rules of protocol "governments of all kinds, the military, religions, international diplomacy, business, sports, etc. " whether their rules of protocol are written in an official document or simply part of their oral tradition.
The following examples were chosen to illustrate that no matter where you live or which organization you belong to, you will always be required to conform to protocol:
When we think about it, we realize that even families have rules of protocol. Of course it would be unusual to have written rules of protocol for your family, so we should probably call them "expectations" rather than rules. Are the members of your family expected to attend family gatherings, to serve elaborate meals or to offer nice presents on special occasions? Each family has its own rules based on their culture, religion, social status, and family traditions. Those rules are in reality an informal code of protocol.
At the other extreme, in the world of international diplomacy everyone must follow complex rules of protocol, particularly on ceremonial occasions. When watching two heads of state meet on the television news, have you ever wondered if they are really happy to see each other? They are being polite, but are the smiles and friendly handshakes genuine or are they "just going through the motions"?
In Taekwon-Do, protocol starts with being polite, but that is just the beginning. We have to take it farther, always applying the rules of protocol in a spirit of respect, according to the martial arts tradition. There should never be any doubt that our gestures of protocol are genuine!.
Whatever the circumstances, following the appropriate protocol is considered to be civilized behavior. It is one way we show respect for authority.
The Origins of Protocol
Protocol for the martial arts started many centuries ago in the Orient, originating as practical gestures designed to cultivate good relations with others. Over time, those practical gestures evolved into formal rules of protocol.
Confucian thought was a major influence on the development of the Taekwon-Do philosophy. General Choi taught his students that by working on self-improvement they were helping to create a better world. As you know, that belief is expressed in the Student Oath.
Courtesy (Ye Ui) is the first of the five tenets of Taekwon-Do defined by General Choi. It is also one of The Five Virtues identified by Confucius. Li refers to good manners, politeness, correct behavior, rituals, and ceremony; in short, Li is about protocol. The other Virtues are Ren(benevolence, Xin (integrity), Yi (righteousness), and Zhi (knowledge).
It is interesting to note that Confucius believed that traditional music and dance were in perfect harmony with the world and heaven. He taught his students that by understanding and properly performing traditional music and dance they could achieve harmony with the universe.
If you have seen illustrations of Chinese mandarins in ancient times, you have probably noticed that they wore tunics with very long, very wide sleeves. When a mandarin pulled up his sleeve it was a practical gesture – it was difficult to use his hands if he didn't – but it was also a way of signaling that he was being open and honest. Perhaps this is where the expression "to have nothing up your sleeve", meaning that you have nothing to hide, comes from?
Nowadays, when you support your right forearm with your left hand to shake hands the Taekwon-Do way, you are following protocol and, although you may not always be conscious of it, you are also telling the other person that he can trust you. Using one hand to support the other arm is a sign of total respect.
It is a well-known Western custom for people to clink their glasses together when someone proposes a toast. There are several theories about the origin of this custom, but it seems likely it started as a practical gesture. It is believed that in order to prove that the drink was not poisoned, the host would pour a small amount of the guest's drink into his own cup and drink it. Some believe this custom originated in Europe in the Middle Ages, while others say it started even earlier with the ancient Greeks.
However it originated, the practice of making toasts and clinking glasses has survived as a custom in many cultures. Our Taekwon-Do protocol regarding toasts requires that the glass be held in the right hand, with the left hand supporting the right arm. To show proper respect for his seniors, a junior will be careful not to raise his glass higher than the glasses of his seniors.
No matter the origins of the rules of protocol, when we follow the appropriate rules we are showing respect for others and for traditions.
Why is Protocol Important?
Protocol exists because all societies need rules. We use rules to create structure and order because without rules there would be anarchy. In a democratic society, the government makes laws and rules that dictate what a citizen must or must not do, but those laws also protect the citizens. The freedom of the individual is always tempered by respect for the freedom of others in a democratic society.
Protocol is an integral part of the martial arts, and respecting our ITF protocol has a positive influence on everyone involved. In fact, we cannot benefit fully from Taekwon-Do unless we respect the protocol.
Many years ago when I moved from Vietnam to Canada to attend university, I continued teaching Taekwon-Do by starting a club at Laval University, but I was disappointed to discover that there were no other Taekwon-Do teachers in the Quebec City area. There were a number of schools offering instruction in other styles of martial arts, but when I took my students to participate in the open tournaments where many martial arts were represented, I noticed one big difference between them and ITF Taekwon-Do: In the ITF we learn the philosophy of the martial arts and follow protocol, while the other schools were teaching only techniques. So they were actually teaching combat sports, not true martial arts.
Over the years I have continued to study the Taekwon-Do philosophy and the ancient Oriental philosophies it is based on. I teach the Do and the Taekwon-Do protocol to my students, because I want to help them to become true martial artists.
The Benefits of Protocol
It is indeed poor taste for a black belt to slight a beginning white belt who might very well be the instructor's senior in both age and station. Students visiting other do jangs, whether they be Taekwon-Do or other martial arts, must pay proper respect and observe the traits of modesty and courtesy at all times.
The Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do (vol. 1, p. 66)
In my professional career, I have responsibility for international development for my company. I have participated in numerous business missions to countries in the Orient and elsewhere. To prepare for these missions, I have taken courses designed to help business people understand other cultures.
By learning and applying the rules of protocol of the country you are visiting, you can show that you respect their culture and traditions. You can avoid behavior that would be insulting to your hosts (not to mention embarrassing for you). I have always considered the information provided in these courses as essential to the success of our missions.
In Taekwon-Do, like in business and other aspects of life, by conforming to the rules of protocol appropriate to the circumstances, you can:
- show respect for people and organizations,
- create a good environment for learning,
- show that you are serious about your Taekwon-Do training,
- recognize that you need to remain modest and humble.
Let's look at each of these points more closely:
- You can show respect for people and organizations
By acting according to the ITF Taekwon-Do protocol, you show respect for our martial art, for the ITF, and for your fellow practitioners. There are also benefits from conforming to protocol in other aspects of your life, such as in education, business, and sports.One of the rules I learned in the courses for business people is that in Asia you must always present your business card with a bow, offering it with both hands. Also, when receiving a business card from someone else, you must bow, accept the card with two hands, and take the time to read the card before carefully putting in a safe place. From their reactions, it was clear that our Asian hosts noticed that we had made the effort to conform with their custom and that they appreciated it very much.
During one mission to Japan a Western businessmen in our group remembered to remove his shoes before entering the home of a Japanese businessman he was hoping to do business with. But when our host served sushi, the Western businessman pushed it away with a disgusted look on his face, muttering something about "raw fish".
While he had learned the importance of complying with certain local customs – he had remembered to remove his shoes before entering — his actions demonstrated that he had not fully understood the principle of respect for others that motivates us to comply with such customs.
As you can imagine, the westerner's inappropriate reaction to the sushi destroyed the initial good impression made by removing his shoes. Our Japanese hosts remained polite, but the businessman lost the contract.
I am not saying that the Western businessman should have forced himself to eat the sushi. He could have refused, but he should have done so politely. The problem was his attitude, not the sushi. This example helps us to see that being a true martial artist means not following protocol only when in a martial arts environment. Being a true martial artist means being guided in everything we do by the principles that are the foundation of our protocol.
- You can create a good environment for learning
Teachers know that students always learn better when they are in a comfortable environment with few distractions, but they also need to be in the right frame of mind to learn. Going to the dojang, wearing the dobok, and making the appropriate gestures of protocol all help us to achieve this.A number of years ago I was coaching a team and our training sessions took place very early in the morning. People arrived for training looking like they had just got out of bed, not quite awake yet. Also, I noticed that they were being careless about their appearance and neglecting to greet each other and me properly. That changed after I talked to them about the importance of adhering to the rules of protocol. There was a noticeable improvement in the atmosphere, and everyone benefited more from our training sessions. - You can show that you are serious about your Taekwon-Do training
The following experience shows how we can do this:In the 1980s I was the coach of the Canadian Taekwon-Do team preparing to compete in the ITF World Championship in Athens (Greece). A psychologist who specialized in helping athletes with mental preparation was assigned to work with my team. (I should point out that although it is now considered normal, at that time mental preparation for athletes was a new concept.) To make the best use of his time and reduce costs, it was decided that the psychologist would also work the local synchronized swimming team.After working with the two teams for a period of time, the psychologist noted that the members of both teams worked very hard and really wanted to win.
He was impressed that ITF Taekwon-Do offered both physical and mental training, but what really impressed him was the discipline of the Taekwon-Do people and their respectful attitude. He could tell that our team members did not perform the protocol gestures (bowing, etc.) mechanically. They really understood that by making those gestures they were signaling a readiness to train, preparing mentally, and proving that they took their training seriously. The protocol helped them to concentrate on their training.
The psychologist called this "une boucle fermée de formation" in French, which could be translated literally as "a closed loop for learning". I had never thought about it before, but I understood then that at the dojang our students are enclosed in a sort of "training bubble", an environment where we provide the conditions they need to progress and be successful. The Taekwon-Do protocol is an essential element of that environment.
- You can recognize that you need to remain modest and humble
Whatever level of Taekwon-Do training we reach, we need to remember that there is always more to learn. Following the rules of protocol in a spirit of respect serves as a reminder that we are all students. It will help us to remain humble and modest (not boastful).
Apply Protocol in a Spirit of Respect
- I would like to start this section with a couple of examples:About thirty years ago, primary and high school teachers where I live in Quebec (Canada) wanted to have a friendlier relationship with their students, so they insisted on being called by their first (given) names rather than Mr, Mrs. or Miss. Recently there has been a trend back to using these titles.What happened? The teachers eventually realized that the problem was that a measure of respect had been lost. When students called their teacher by his or her first name, they felt it put them on the same level as their teachers, so the students felt free to criticize their teachers and to challenge their decisions.Just recently I read that some university professors in Vietnam have asked their students to call them by their first names. In this case, the goal is not to become "best friends" with their students but to encourage them to feel comfortable expressing themselves in class. Apparently the students were so used to the traditional way of teaching "the professor talks and the students listen" that they were afraid to express an opinion. As a result, the professors found it difficult to evaluate how much the students really understood.
- What can we learn from these stories?Like the teachers in Quebec and the university professors in Vietnam mentioned above, our teachers need to find the right balance. I mean the right balance:
- between the teacher's authority and the mutual respect between teacher and student;
- between the desire to perform well and the requirements of our protocol,
- between the technical aspects of Taekwon-Do and the mental aspects,
- between the traditions of the martial arts and life in the twenty-first century,
- between East and West;
and I am sure you could add other aspects to this list.
One more example:
At the end of April I attended the ITF European Championships in Benidorm (Spain). I was pleased to see that all the competitors were following the rules of protocol during the competitions. However, I also noticed that the members of some teams were not showing proper respect for their seniors during those times when they were not actually participating inside the rings. It was quite obvious to me that some teams had not been taught to apply the rules of protocol with respect and understanding; they were complying simply because it was required for the competition. But following protocol is not optional in Taekwon-Do, and the requirement for a junior to bow to his senior does not apply only during competitions.
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all our coaches to make sure that their competitors are aware of the meaning of the protocol gestures and of the importance of performing them in a spirit of respect.
The Scope of Application of Protocol
In the martial arts tradition, protocol is very important. In fact, protocol is fundamental to practicing the martial arts. Having a formal Code of Protocol for the ITF will ensure that the same rules are followed everywhere, and this standardization will make the ITF a more cohesive organization.
As I pointed out above, the ITF rules of protocol are based on the martial arts principle of respect. This means that the scope of application of the protocol is much broader than just the specific actions described in the Code of Protocol. If a specific situation is not specifically mentioned in the Code, we should ask ourselves how the principle of respect relates to that situation and act accordingly.
For example, one principle of our protocol is that the most senior must be recognized first and the others in descending order of rank. I am sure you do this quite naturally in the dojang. However, what should you do when attending a social event with other Taekwon-Do people? You should act according to the principle. You should seek out and greet the most senior first.
A second example: Included in the ITF Code of Protocol will be a definition of the appropriate apparel for training and competition. By dressing appropriately you will be showing respect for the ITF, for your teachers, for your fellow students, and for your opponents in competitions. In addition, by dressing appropriately and good grooming, you will be expanding the principle of respect into your life outside Taekwon-Do and showing respect for everyone you meet.
In a job interview, inappropriate clothing or poor grooming could prevent you from being given the opportunity to showcase your abilities and skills.
Why wouldn't you dress appropriately on such an occasion?
I realize that what you wear and how you eat may seem like insignificant details, but all those details added together become important. You appearance is a major factor in making a good first impression, and if you don't make a good first impression, you may not get a second chance.
Another benefit of dressing appropriately is that it helps us to feel more comfortable on social occasions.
Have you even wondered what to wear to a social event when seniors are present? Perhaps you have been invited to the home of a senior. How can you decide what to wear? The principle is that juniors follow the lead of their seniors, so take your cue from them. If you need help, simply ask what would be appropriate for the occasion. As a general rule, it is always better to be slightly overdressed for the occasion than to be dressed more casually than everyone else.
The scope of application of our protocol also extends to the importance of good manners when eating with others. Although it is not likely that instructions about good manners at the table will be included in the Code of Protocol, we should always find out what is considered acceptable behavior in the circumstances and act accordingly. This is one more way of showing respect for others. Complying with the rules of protocol helps us to progress in Taekwon-Do and also has positive benefits in the other aspects of our lives.
A Code of Ethics or a Code of Protocol?
A Code of Ethics
is a moral guide.
It differentiates between
right and wrong.
A Code of Protocol establishes formal rules
that define what is proper and
correct in the organization.
It describes how you should act.
Why does the ITF need a Code of Ethics and a Code of Protocol?
While ethics and protocol are inter-related, it is important to understand the differences:
You would not steal money from your teacher, because that would be morally wrong and a violation of the Code of Ethics. (It would also be illegal.). However, since it is unlikely that the Code of Protocol would include a rule specifically forbidding stealing, you would probably not be violating the written rules of protocol. Nevertheless, you would be violating the principle of respect for others that is the foundation for the Code of Protocol.
ITF students show respect for their teachers by bowing as required by the Taekwon-Do protocol. Not bowing to your teacher would be a clear demonstration of immaturity and poor attitude, as well as a lack of respect for your teacher. I am sure that is not what you want.
But what would you do in the unlikely event that a senior tells you to do something that you believe is not ethical? A basic principle of protocol is that a junior must always show respect for his senior. However, the rules of protocol do not require blind obedience. A student may express an opinion or refuse to do something that goes against his conscience, but there is never a good reason to violate the rules of protocol by being disrespectful to your senior. It is very important that you not make the situation worse by losing your temper or by complaining to others. If you found yourself in such a situation, you could ask to speak to the senior in private, and then calmly and politely explain your concerns.
The ITF does not condone the abuse of authority in the organization. We have an Ethics & Discipline Committee and a policy that outlines the steps that can be taken to resolve such a situation. So, if the situation cannot be resolved by talking to your senior, you could ask for help from a higher level.
From these examples, you can see why the ITF needs both a Code of Ethics and a Code of Protocol, and I am pleased to say that we are making good progress in both these projects.
A Code of Ethics for ITF Teachers
Master Evan Davidson of ITF New Zealand, who chairs the ITF Ethics & Discipline Committee, had proposed a draft Code of Ethics for ITF teachers, and I am pleased to announce that it was adopted by the ITF Board of Directors at their meeting held in Benidorm (Spain) at the end of April. You will be hearing more about the implementation of this Code of Ethics in the near future.
A Code of Protocol for the ITF
The leadership team of the ITF has always recognized the value of having a Code of Protocol for the organization.
In fact, a few years ago we had mandated an internationally-known protocol expert to produce a protocol manual for the ITF. He attended the 2005 ITF World Championships in Germany to see for himself how protocol was applied at our competitions. He told me that even when the competitors' movements were violent he could see that they respected each other, their coaches, and the umpires. Unfortunately, he later experienced serious health problems, and the project was put on hold.
As part of the preparations for the 2007 World Championships in Quebec City (Canada), the Organizing Committee in collaboration with Mr Kurt Ottesen, a member of the ITF Tournament & Umpire Committee, produced a simplified Guide to protocol specifically for that competition. A copy of this booklet was given to each of the coaches participating in the World Championships. We received very positive feedback and many requests for additional copies of the booklet.
If you would like to download a copy of this Protocol booklet, click here (PDF, 340 kB).
More recently, Master Pierre Laquerre, one of my students who was recently promoted to Black Belt 8th degree, produced a draft document outlining the rules of protocol. This document will be used to ensure that all the clubs in the province of Quebec follow the same protocol.
I intend to invite a number of our high-ranking masters to form a working group that will produce an official Code of Protocol for the ITF, using the simplified protocol guide from the 2007 World Championships and the document produced by Master Laquerre as a starting point.
Obviously, the collaboration of two of the ITF's Standing Committees is essential to the success of this project: the Tournament & Umpire Committee, chaired by Master Alberto Katz, and the Techniques & Instruction Committee, chaired by Grand Master Hector Marano.
To ensure that the proposed rules are accepted by the majority of our high-ranking Grandmasters & Masters, we will also be conducting extensive consultations on this subject.
When this process is completed, the first section of the proposed code will be presented to the ITF Board of Directors for approval at their meeting in the next World Championship in Argentina in the coming November. The first section of the ITF Code of Protocol will deal with the types of situations we encounter most frequently in Taekwon-Do. Our goal is to have this first section ready for 2010. That is when the Level 1 course about the Do will become available to ITF members who have reached red belt status or higher, and that course includes a segment about protocol that will be based on this code.
Protocol is not optional; it is an essential element of Taekwon-Do. You cannot comply with protocol only when you feel like it. It must become an integral part of your life in Taekwon-Do.
I am very pleased that the ITF will soon have a written Code of Protocol and that the rules of protocol will be the same for all practitioners of ITF Taekwon-Do around the world. Once the Code is published, the rules of protocol will be followed for all official ITF events. Our ITF teachers and Masters will teach the rules of protocol to their students and make sure they are followed.
It is often said that respect must be earned. To earn the respect of his or her students, an ITF teacher must:
- offer high quality instruction;
- understand and teach the Do;
- ensure students understand the importance of the rules of protocol and set a good example by following the rules.
Our ITF teachers need to create a welcoming environment that encourages learning and understanding, while at the same time making sure that their students comply with the rules of protocol.
In conclusion, I would ask you to remember that although Protocol is extremely important, it is only one element of Courtesy, and Courtesy is just the first of the five tenets of the Taekwon-Do credo.
To become true martial artists and live the Taekwon-Do way of life, we must study, understand, and put into practice all the elements of the five tenets:
Courtesy, Integrity, Self-control, Perseverance, and Indomitable Spirit
Then we will be able to contribute to the development of a better society promoting peace, justice, and freedom.
Best wishes to everyone,
Grand Master Trân Triêu Quân
President of the ITF
Quebec City, May 14th, 2009
Your goal is to have a happy and satisfying life
and the ITF is here to help you achieve that goal.


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Google has agreed to change some of its business practices, in an agreement made with the Federal Trade Commission that will end the U.S. agency's antitrust probe of the search and technology company.
In the terms of the deal, Google agrees not to appropriate content such as users' reviews from other sites for use in its search and mobile offerings. The company also pledged to make it easier for advertisers to compare the value of running ad campaigns through Google compared to advertising on rivals Yahoo and Microsoft.
FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, who announced the long-awaited deal Thursday, says Google will end "the most troubling of its business practices related to Internet search and search advertising," particularly the "scraping" of other sites for content.
Update at 1:55 p.m. ET: Google's Take On Agreement.
Saying that "We've always accepted that with success comes regulatory scrutiny," Google senior vice president and chief legal officer David Drummond says that companies "can now remove content (for example reviews) from specialized search results pages, such as local, travel and shopping."
As for the patent aspects of the deal, Drummond writes, "This agreement establishes clear rules of the road for standards essential patents going forward."
If you'd like to read the agreement for yourself, it's on the FTC's site.
Our original post continues:
The agreement closes the FTC's antitrust investigation of Google that began in June of 2011, after many of Google's competitors complained that the company was using its dominant spot in the search market to funnel business to its offerings in other areas, as well. The consumer review website Yelp and online shopping engine Expedia have been among those calling for Google to change its ways.
The agreement also requires Google to ease the process for other companies to license "essential" patented mobile and wireless technology that was once widely available under terms set by Motorola years ago. Google acquired Motorola for nearly $13 billion last year, in part to gain control of its more than 24,000 patents.
The change, Leibowitz says, "will also relieve companies of hoarding patents for defensive purposes."
While Google agreed to make those changes, it is not being required to alter its essential search practices. The company has previously been accused of configuring its algorithms to privilege its own products — something its rivals call "search bias."
On its website, the agency says that "the FTC concluded that the introduction of Universal Search, as well as additional changes made to Google's search algorithms – even those that may have had the effect of harming individual competitors – could be plausibly justified as innovations that improved Google's product and the experience of its users. It therefore has chosen to close the investigation."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A collection of five exciting talks on Evangelization from today's top Catholic speakers.
Curtis Martin - Answering The Call
Jonathan Reyes, Ph.D - Equipped For Mission
Sr. Mary Gabriel, S.V. - Blazing a Trail of Glory
Dr. Kasia - Answering JPII's Call to Sainthood After College
Rev. Francis "Fr. Rocky" Hoffman, Executive Director of Relevant Radio - Learn It. Live It. Or Leave It: You Decide.


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Backend web dev in Ruby on Rails
This is a weekly seminar and workshop for folks to learn everything about Ruby, Rails, and web application development.
We meet Tuesdays 7pm-9pm in the Church room.
Approximately half of our lessons are on Ruby, and half Rails.
New students, to prepare for the Ruby lessons, please have Ruby 1.9.3 installed on your machine.
New students, to prepare for the Rails lessons, please follow this great, actively maintained Railsbridge guide -- http://installfest.railsbridge.org/installfest/installfest . Then create a blog app by completing this tutorial -- http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html . (we will build off the blog app extensively)
Student, teachers, TA's needed and welcome!
Join the google group here: https://groups.google.com/group/starmonkeys . And visit our class website at http://www.railsschool.org .
Use the google group or Discussion view of this page to ask questions or suggest ideas!
And be sure to check out Jeremy's awesome front-end class that meets Mondays: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Frontend_Web_Development .
Class 2/5: Rails and TDD. Testing with RSPEC and Capybara
What is the concept of TDD and how does it work in Rails and Capybara.
TDD -> Test-driven development. Capybara -> Capybara is an integration testing tool for rack based web applications.
Briefly take a look at these links:
About TDD - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test-driven_development
What Capybara is - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara
About Capybara - https://github.com/jnicklas/capybara
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/rails-and-tdd-testing-with-rspec-and-capybara
Class 1/29: Popular Alternative Rails Configurations
What the rest of us use: Haml, Postgres, Rspec, and Plain Old Ruby Objects
The Rails default stack is generally sound, but some of its choices are controversial. Let's look at what Steve Klabnik calls the "Prime stack," the Rails stack preferred by many developers who are not DHH.
Please read Steve's post http://words.steveklabnik.com/rails-has-two-default-stacks for background.
We will play with Haml, Postgres (on Heroku), Rspec, and Plain Old Ruby Objects aka POROs (which may constitute a service layer).
There will be Google Hangout in order to include people unable to make it to Noisebridge. Check the http://www.railsschool.org/l/popular-alternative-rails-configurations/whiteboard at 7pm Pacific for the Hangout link.
RSVP here: http://www.railsschool.org/l/popular-alternative-rails-configurations
Class 1/22: Ruby 2: The Wrath of Kwarg
The first Ruby 2 release candidate is out, and the p0 is scheduled to ship in February. Let's play with it.
You may want to install Ruby 2 before class.
Check out http://rubysource.com/a-look-at-ruby-2-0/ for installation instructions and a review of the changes.
We will also be on Google Hangouts in order to include people unable to make it to Noisebridge. Check the http://www.railsschool.org/l/ruby-2-the-wrath-of-kwarg/whiteboard at 7pm Pacific for the Google Hangout link.
RSVP here: http://www.railsschool.org/l/ruby-2-the-wrath-of-kwarg
Class 1/15: Creating a twitter clone
Using rails to rapidly prototype twitter clone
Rails is so convenient that you can create a small twitter clone in a couple hours. You need to have rails installed, and know some basics
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/creating-a-twitter-clone
Class 1/8: Rails 4 New Features
The first Rails 4 release candidate is just around the corner, let's check it out.
As for all our Rails lessons, please have completed http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html in preparation, if you haven't already.
You might enjoy scanning the draft Rails 4.0 Release Notes, http://edgeguides.rubyonrails.org/4_0_release_notes.html before class.
We will also be on Google Hangouts in order to include people unable to make it to Noisebridge. Check the Etherpad aka Whiteboard at http://www.railsschool.org/l/rails-4-new-features/whiteboard at 7pm Pacific for the Google Hangout link.
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/rails-4-new-features
Class 1/1/13: Catch-up Day III
An opportunity for new students to get personal help in meeting the class pre-requisites.
Relevant FAQ links
For the first time ever, we're going to be on Google Hangouts in order to include people unable to make it to Noisebridge. Check the Etherpad aka Whiteboard (http://www.railsschool.org/l/catch-up-day-iii/whiteboard) at 7pm Pacific for the Google Hangout link.
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/catch-up-day-iii
Class 12/18: Challenging Facebook API using Koala
Building an app using very convenient Koala gem to play with Facebook API.
Using very convenient Koala gem to play with Facebook API. Let's build a fun app during the class. Think about what fun apps we can build during our lesson? For example I was thinking about 1. an app that likes random posts on your friends feeds. 2. Shows your most liked photos
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/challenging-facebook-api-using-koala
Class 12/11: Backends for Mobile Apps
We're going to use the Rails API gem to build a backend to support a mobile app.
Recommended viewing
The Rails API Gem by RailsCasts - http://railscasts.com/episodes/348-the-rails-api-gem
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/backends-for-mobile-apps
Class 12/4: Improving UX and Performance with Turblinks and Pjax
Turbolinks and pjax are techniques that avoid page reloads when navigating a site.
Turbolinks can be added to an existing app with hardly any changes needed, and will be enabled by default in Rails 4.
Pjax is used by Github, for example, to allow users to quickly navigate repositories.
We will dust off our blog apps, turn on Turbolinks and observe the difference, then implement a little bit of pjax.
Please make sure your blog app is functioning.
Recommended viewing http://railscasts.com/episodes/294-playing-with-pjax http://railscasts.com/episodes/390-turbolinks
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/improving-ux-and-performance-with-turblinks-and-pjax
Class 11/27: Backbone.js with Rails and creating an API for your app
Implementing hot frontend framework backbone.js in rails application. Creating API for your app. Homework -> Read: http://backbonejs.org/
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/backbone-js
Class 11/20: Images: Instagram API with Ruby-On-Rails and Carrierwave gem
Make sure that you have Rails installed. Think about what kind of App we can build during our class with Instagram API Also would be good if you create Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) (aws.amazon.com/s3/)
RSVP here - http://www.railsschool.org/l/instagram-api-with-ruby-on-rails
Class 11/13: Bootstrapping a Fresh Rails App
We'll take a break from our blogs and create a brand new app.
The goal is to learn the little gotchas associated with starting new projects as well as tips for getting up and running quickly.
Please complete http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html in preparation.
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/bootstrapping-a-fresh-rails-app
Class 11/6: Refactoring existing code
We're going to take a look at refactoring an existing Rails up. Learn how to improve your models, controllers and views.
Please complete http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html beforehand.
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/refactoring-existing-code
Class 10/30: Image Uploads in Rails with TDD
Please complete http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html beforehand.
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/image-uploads-in-rails-with-tdd
Class 10/23: Calculating π with Object-Oriented Ruby and Test-Driven Development
Let's use our favorite programming language to calculate one of our favorite irrationals.
You don't need Rails for this class; it's Ruby-only. Just bring a laptop with Ruby 1.9.
Suggested Preparation
Class 10/16: How to prepare your Rails app for production
By choosing to build your web app in Rails, countless choices have been made for you that give you the best chance of a successful launch. Nevertheless, there are some details you will need to take care of on your own.
In this class, we will implement the minimum precautionary steps to ensure the performance and security of our Rails apps.
Please make sure you have completed the Getting Started guide at http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html and be ready to hack on your blogs in class.
Recommended reading http://guides.rubyonrails.org/security.html http://guides.rubyonrails.org/caching_with_rails.html
Class 10/9: Sending email using background workers
In this class we will show how to send email using Rails. We will also utilize delayed_job gem to handle the actual email sending in the background.
Suggested reading:
ActiveMailer: http://guides.rubyonrails.org/action_mailer_basics.html
Delayed Job: https://github.com/collectiveidea/delayed_job
Class 10/2: Etherpad Bots
Etherpads are the shared docs we take our class notes on.
Read about Etherpads here: http://etherpad.org/
We will target an Etherpad-Lite instance using Ruby. Visit https://github.com/jhollinger/ruby-etherpad-lite to get some ideas what might be possible.
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/etherpad-bots
Class 9/25: Catch-up Day
We're going to use this class to catch up new students.
The two big things we want to accomplish:
a) bootstrapping your development environment - follow http://installfest.railsbridge.org/installfest/installfest
b) setting up a basic blog application - follow http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html
To prepare for this class, get as far as you can in these two tutorials.
Experienced students please consider coming out to help troubleshoot. This class will be a looser format than usual, so everyone, please bring snacks! If there's interest, we will get beers at Shotwell's afterward to celebrate being caught up.
RSVP here: http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/catch-up-day--2
Class 9/18: Roll-your-own Chat App with the Goliath web server
Rails isn't perfect for interactive, real-time, scalable apps. Let's play with Goliath, a Ruby-based web server that is.
This is Ruby-only class for which no Rails experience is required.
However, please complete this small tutorial on EventMachine beforehand: http://rubysource.com/introduction-to-event-machine/
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/roll-your-own-chat-app-with-the-goliath-web-server
Class 9/11: Scraping and Parsing the Web
The last resort when there is no API, scraping and parsing isn't much fun, but Ruby's got some great tools to alleviate the pain.
Please bring some sources you want to scrape as well as ideas for what to do with the scraped data.
The homework is to complete this tutorial on regular expressions:http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/ruby/ruby-for-newbies-regular-expressions/
Regular expressions are a must-know tool when you're parsing textual data:http://xkcd.com/208/
But they're not the right tool for every problem:http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/06/regular-expressions-now-you-have-two-problems.html
This class is Ruby-only. New students that are Ruby newbies, please complete http://tutorials.jumpstartlab.com/projects/ruby_in_100_minutes.html before class. You don't need to know Rails are have completed the Rails getting started guide before attending Ruby-only classes like this one.
RSVP here: http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/scraping-and-parsing-the-web
Class 9/4: Hacking around Foursquare API with ruby
Lets learn how easy it is to use Foursquare API with ruby {should be easy:)}
1. generate ideas about how to use foursquare API and what apps could be made with it. We will decide what app we are going to build at the beginning of the class.
2. Scan through Foursquare API documentation https://developer.foursquare.com/ to know what is possible and what is not
8/28 Class: Self-posting Novelty Twitter Accounts
Let's create bots that make interesting tweets periodically
The homework is just to come up with a fun and simple idea for the tweets you want your bot to post. Also, register your novelty twitter username and a twitter app: http://dev.twitter.com . And make sure you have a heroku account set up.
We'll also have a Ruby 101 break-out group for people that are not ready to program twitter bots.
8/21 Class: Dive into ActiveRecord
We'll be taking a deeper look at what is ActiveRecord (since it's such a big part of Rails)
Suggested reading:
RSVP here: http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/activerecord
8/14 Class: Twitter API
Playing with twitter API to build fun apps
Highly Recommended Reading
The (Poignant) Guide to Ruby by _why
Twitter API docs: https://dev.twitter.com/docs/api
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/ruby-api-s-and-gems
8/7 Class: Ruby, API's, and Gems
No Rails today; Ruby, Rest API's and Ruby Gems instead!
Highly Recommended Reading
The (Poignant) Guide to Ruby by _why
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/ruby-api-s-and-gems
7/31 Class: Rails' Asset Pipeline
We'll look closely at asset organization, compilation, and packaging, and also check out SCSS and Coffeescript.
Required Viewing
Understanding the Asset Pipeline by RailsCasts
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/rails-asset-pipeline
7/24 Class: Fun with the Stripe payment API
We'll hook up Stripe's API in our blog apps.
Please sign up for Stripe ahead of time - https://manage.stripe.com/register
Here's a handy link to Stripe's API docs - https://stripe.com/docs
Required reading
How I Explained REST to My Wife by Ryan Tomayko
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/fun-with-the-stripe-payment-api
7/17 Class: Catch-up Day
We're going to use this class to catch up new students.
The two big things we want to accomplish:
a) bootstrapping your development environment - follow http://installfest.railsbridge.org/installfest/installfest
b) setting up a basic blog application - follow http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html
To prepare for this class, get as far as you can in these two tutorials.
Experienced students please consider coming out to help troubleshoot. This class will be a looser format than usual, so everyone, please bring snacks! If there's interest, we will get beers at Shotwell's afterward to celebrate being caught up.
RSVP here - http://rails-school.heroku.com/courses/noisebridge-rails-course/lessons/catch-up-day
7/10 Class: Continuous Integration with Travis
Intro to CI including configuring our apps to run on Travis-CI.
Please bring a Rails app that you've already pushed to Github.
Suggested reading:
Continuous Integration by Martin Fowler
RSPV here: http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/continuous-integration-with-travis
7/3 Class: Playing with APIs
Where: 7pm-9pm Tuesday in the Church classroom
What: Using the Twitter API in your Rails app
Suggested reading:
http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html (for new students)
RSVP here: http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/playing-with-apis
6/26 Class: Layouts and Rendering in Rails
Meeting as usual 7pm-9pm Tuesday in the Church classroom.
In this ambitious lecture-workshop, we're going to introduce how to organize layouts, partial, templates, etc in Rails.
Homework: 1. http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html (for new students) 2. Scan through http://guides.rubyonrails.org/layouts_and_rendering.html 3. Also prepare some questions!! :)
RSVP here:
Notes- http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/layouts-and-rendering-in-rails#whiteboard
6/19 Class: Test-Driven-Development and Sending Emails
In this ambitious lecture-workshop, we're going to introduce Test-Driven-Development, and apply it to sending emails from our blogs.
New students and others interested will have the option of learning Ruby 101 separately.
Homework: First make sure you've completed http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html, we will continue to work off of this tutorial. Then get as far as you can in both of the following tutorials. Don't worry if you don't finish them.
Action Mailer Basics by RailsGuides
Request Specs and Capybara by Railscasts
RSVP here:
Notes- http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/test-driven-development-and-sending-emails#whiteboard
6/12 Class: Dissecting the request lifecycle with pry
Let's investigate the journey of a request through Rails with some help from the debugging tool pry.
Required reading
Rails 3 in a Nutshell by O'Reilly, Chapter 2, up to and including the Controller section
Required viewing
Pry with Rails by Railscasts
Notes- http://beta.primarypad.com/p/G86Niu6EXz
6/5 Class: Ajax
We're going to continue our discussion of using Rails' Unobtrusive Javascript framework to add ajax interaction to our blog apps.
Please make sure you've completed http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html so we're all on the same page.
Also, RSVP here: http://rails-school.heroku.com/lessons/ajax-in-rails .
Notes- http://openetherpad.org/KjI5Ic2327
5/29 Class: Intro to Product Development
There's more to building web apps than hacking code, like figuring out what problem you're solving and how you'll know when you've solved it. This class we'll look at Michael's website for the class (http://rails-school.heroku.com) and polish it into a valuable tool for organizing our study group.
Homework is to think about these questions, or come up with your own:
- Who are the target users of the class website?
- What utility do they need out of the site to start using it right away?
- What features could be added to open up the site to a larger audience?
Notes- http://openetherpad.org/QjFPw7bflF
5/22 Class: Authentication with the Devise gem
In preparation please finish the tutorial at http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html . Seriously!
Enough talking about awesome Rails gems, let's use one in an app. We're going to add authentication to the blogs we created in the Getting Started guide, using the devise gem.
We will also have a beginners' group for folks needing help getting Rails set up or wanting to learn Ruby.
Notes- http://openetherpad.org/QC7KG7aKVB
5/15 Class: Demo Day!
In preparation please finish the tutorial at http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html .
This class we're going to start with a show-and-tell of projects we're working on or have recently completed. The demos don't have to be Ruby- or Rails-related, but should be related to web programming in some way. This is a chance to get answers to your project-specific questions, find fun new projects to work on, and receive great feedback.
Then we'll break up into two groups, one for beginners and one for more experienced students.
Notes - http://openetherpad.org/xsy1zKhrbj
5/8 Class: topic is BLOGS
In preparation please tackle http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html and get as far as you can in setting up a simple blog app.
Please post some links here to your favorite blogs. We'll take a look at some blog features and talk about how they might be implemented.
Gabe's pick: http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/
Notes: http://openetherpad.org/sIYNUEPzld
5/2 Class:


text:
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Sherpath Objective-Organized - Access Card
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Sherpath is a personalized teaching and learning technology built specifically for healthcare education. Designed for the way students learn today, Sherpath delivers interconnected course content and tools in a single interface that integrates into existing learning management systems. Sherpath's simple, seamless, and supportive environment saves time and provides meaningful learning analytics to drive outcomes for students, educators, and administrators.
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text:
SANTA MARIA, Brazil – Brazilian police say they've made three arrests and are seeking a fourth person in connection with a nightclub fire that killed more than 230 people.
Inspector Ranolfo Vieira Junior said at a Monday press conference that the arrests are for investigative purposes. He says the detentions have five-day limits.
He declined to identify those arrested or the fourth person sought.
More than 230 people died early Sunday during the fire at a university party in southern Brazil. Police have said they think a band's pyrotechnics show ignited sound insulation on the ceiling, causing the blaze.
The Zero Hora newspaper quotes lawyer Jader Marques as saying his client Elissandro Spohr, a co-owner of the club, was arrested. The paper also says two band members were arrested.
Funerals began Monday in the city of Santa Maria, Brazil, where the blaze took place.


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Civilian workers for the Department of Defense will have to take six mandatory unpaid furlough days instead of 11 days, according to an Associated Press report that the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
Update at 2:20 p.m. ET: Pentagon Confirms Reduced Furloughs
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the Pentagon have issued a statement announcing the reduction in civilian furlough days, from 11 to six.
"With the end of the fiscal year next month, managers across the DoD are making final decisions necessary to ensure we make the $37 billion spending cuts mandated by sequestration," Hagel said, "while also doing everything possible to limit damage to military readiness and our workforce."
Hagel said that this year's budget has been marked by volatility and uncertainty — and he noted that the Department of Defense is currently slated for cuts of $52 billion in the 2014 financial year, which begins Oct. 1.
Our original post continues:
"Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved the final numbers this week after meeting with top leaders," the AP reports. "Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The decision comes as about 650,000 civilian workers began their fifth week of furloughs."
Earlier this year, Pentagon workers were told they could face up to 22 furlough days because of budget cuts. Defense employees began taking furlough days on July 8.
News of a possible change to the cuts has circulated since late July, when the AP reported that the eased furloughs were possible if budget chiefs could find hundreds of millions of dollars in savings.
The furloughs have brought pay cuts, stress, and even attempts at humor from the workers.
News of the possible reduction was welcomed by many on the How I Spent My Furlough Day Facebook page Tuesday. But several employees also admitted to being frustrated and unsettled by the stream of changes to the Pentagon's plan.
One worker said that the changes had foiled her hopes of avoiding taking medical leave; and another noted that her furlough days will stop right before her children were finally about to get back in school.
Last month, Morning Edition reported on defense workers who participated in the Federal Furlough Five-Mile Fun Run for Freedom, an event organized by the creators of the How I Spent My Furlough Day page.
In keeping with the furlough spirit, the race stopped 20 percent short of the advertised finish line.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
New to the Malibu Design Group family of brands, Dotti continues its history of success as a leading cover up brand. From classic beach cover-ups to modern chic dresses, Dotti is versatile enough to take any day, on or off the beach, to the next level. Targeted to sophisticated women looking for comfort and style in their pool day attire; Dotti provides something for everyone. With a trend right line that includes over 20 different styles, in a variety of colors, the search for the perfect cover-up is over. Savvy young women and sophisticated ladies can find a style that provides the bit of glamour they are looking for while maintaining great fit, quality and functionality.
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The military justice system has been crafted to work efficiently, but Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales can expect a lengthy legal process as he faces accusations that he killed 16 men, women and children in Afghanistan
Bales is locked up in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as he and his lawyer prepare for a case that involves a horrendous mass murder. In addition, it's a stress point that could trigger retaliation against American troops and even affect the course of a U.S. war that's more than a decade old.
U.S. military leaders, including Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the commander-in-chief, President Obama, have weighed in on the shootings. And yet military officials still have the task of guaranteeing Bales a just process that's free from undue "command influence."
For starters, the military case differs from the processes followed in civilian murder cases, either in the U.S. or Afghanistan.
A Different View Of The Law
The difference begins with the decision on whether a murder suspect should be accused and tried.
In civilian life, that decision is usually made by a grand jury in a secret hearing that's led by a prosecutor who presents evidence against the accused. The suspect and the suspect's lawyers are barred from the proceedings.
Bales will likely face a much more public and adversarial process, called an Article 32 hearing.
"It's unlike a secret grand jury," says Grover Baxley, a former Air Force lawyer. "The accused can be there. The defense attorney can be there. They can ask questions and produce witnesses of their own."
All courts have a political eye on the environment they're immersed in. All the members in this case are going to be aware of what's going on and what's going to be at stake.
Baxley is now a partner in JAG Defense, a civilian law firm that specializes in defending military personnel in military cases.
The Article 32 hearing can be an advantage to the defendant and the defense lawyers, because it gives them a chance to fight an accusation before there's a decision about whether to take it to trial.
In the military, that decision is made by a convening officer, usually a general.
If that officer decides there should be a court martial, the advantage shifts from the defense to the prosecution.
Unlike a civilian trial, where the prosecution and the defense pick a jury, the officer who decides there should be a trial is also the one who chooses the jury members.
The choices are usually made with the advice of a lawyer from the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
"That's the big one that people always point to as being unfair," says Baxley. "It's the same as allowing the prosecutor to pick the jury."
Military Law And Military Goals
That raises the prospect of what's called "undue command influence," and whether military courts can be used to work toward military goals — such as building good relations with civilians in Afghanistan where NATO forces are fighting insurgents.
There might be a temptation to throw the book at an alleged perpetrator in order to assuage the anger of local people where the massacre took place.
"All courts have a political eye on the environment they're immersed in," says defense attorney Eric Montalvo. "All the members in this case are going to be aware of what's going on and what's going to be at stake."
Montalvo is an ex-Marine Corps lawyer and a co-founder of the Federal Practice Group in Washington, D.C.
He says officials in the Bales case will probably go out of their way to avoid any appearance of bias, especially because of the scrutiny the case will get.
Officials at the very top of the military have already commented, including Panetta, who said the death penalty "could be a consideration" in the case.
A Question Of Death
"'Death is different,' is what we say," Montalvo says. "That's true, because if we get it wrong, this is the worst outcome we could have in criminal justice."
One difference is that the military jury must give a unanimous verdict in a death-penalty case. Other military verdicts require only a two-thirds majority of the jury members.
Does the accused have a severe mental disease or defect? At the time of the crime, could he have appreciated the wrongfulness of his action? Is he competent to stand trial, and can he cooperate with his defense team?
Another difference is that a capital case would likely take much longer, Baxley says. He cites the 2009 shootings in Fort Hood, Texas, in which an Army psychiatrist, Maj. Nidal Hasan, is accused of killing 13 people.
Trial in that case was recently delayed until June.
"They're very deliberative in these cases," Baxley says. He's guessing that a trial in the Bales case would take at least two years.
One complicating question in this case is whether Bales might offer an insanity defense.
Military law has a provision for what is called "lack of mental responsibility."
The considerations, says Baxley, are "does the accused have a severe mental disease or defect? At the time of the crime, could he have appreciated the wrongfulness of his action? Is he competent to stand trial, and can he cooperate with his defense team?"
John Henry Browne, a civilian lawyer representing Bales, told reporters on Monday that his client was "confused" and didn't have a clear memory of what had happened on March 11, the night of the killings.
If Afghans Tried The Case
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said Bales should be tried in Afghanistan, under the Afghan justice system.
That may conjure up images of eye-for-an-eye justice.
But Clark Lombardi, an associate professor of law at the University of Washington, notes there are many interpretations of Islamic, or shariah, law in the Muslim world.
Lombardi, an expert on Islamic law, says countries such as Afghanistan typically say their judicial systems are "consistent with Sharia law," but actually follow a civil law system.
The Afghans "have a criminal code drafted with the assistance of the Italian government," he says. "It would be recognizable by anyone from France or Italy."
Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, a professor of law at Emory University, says it's difficult to tell how more traditional Islamic law might apply in the Bales case.
One feature of that tradition, he says, is that the family of the victim would have the choice of whether there should be a prosecution, and it might choose to negotiate a financial settlement in lieu of prosecution.
Na'im says calls for revenge by Afghan protesters or by Taliban insurgents aren't reflective of Islamic law.
"In Afghanistan, the Taliban is going to exploit the situation and even push the families to insist on retaliation, so it's going to take great courage for the families to decide on what they think is right," he says.
Na'im says Islamic law would also accept insanity as a defense "much the same as in modern Western law."
He says the family could insist on the death penalty or accept compensation, "but the best way, according to the Quran, is to forgive."
That's a long way from the kind of process that Robert Bales may be facing, but Montalvo says many of the same concerns apply.
"There's a human being behind all this, and that will be an acute conflict among the members," he says. "How does this case impact our ability to fight the fight, versus protection under the law for the defendant?"
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Here's A Scoop: When News Breaks, People Check YouTube For Videos
"YouTube is becoming a major platform for viewing news," the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism concludes today in a report that puts some numbers behind a pretty obvious trend.
The center "examined 15 months' worth of the most popular news videos on the site (January 2011 to March 2012) — some 260 different videos in all — by identifying and tracking the five most-viewed videos each week located in the 'news & politics' channel of YouTube, analyzing the nature of the video, the topics that were viewed most often, who produced them and who posted them."
Among its findings:
-- Videos about natural disasters such as the March 2011 earthquake/tsunami in Japan and political upheaval such as the Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East were most popular. After the Japanese tsunami, one of the most-watched clips was video taken by a closed-circuit camera at Sendai airport which was then posted by many news organizations.
-- "More than a third of the most watched videos (39%) were clearly identified as coming from citizens. Another 51% bore the logo of a news organization, though some of that footage, too, appeared to have been originally shot by users rather than journalists."
-- "The news viewership on YouTube is probably still outpaced by the audience for news on conventional television worldwide. While those top 20 tsunami videos were viewed 96 million times worldwide the week of the disaster, for instance, more people almost certainly watched on local and national television around the globe. Twenty-two million people on average watch the evening news on the three broadcast channels each night in the United States alone, and larger numbers watch local TV newscasts."
We looked for a video on YouTube about the report. Ironically, there doesn't seem to be one. But here's a new example of the kind of clip Pew's talking about, in which a major news organization (The Associated Press) takes advantage of some "users" video. It's the scene in London Saturday night when officials turned off the power as Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen were playing in Hyde Park because of the local curfew law.


text:
Contents |
Success Stories
BCR's CDP Exhibits
Best Practice Guides
Western States Digital Imaging Best Practices
CDP Dublin Core Metadata Best Practices
Arts and Humanities Data Service Guides to Good Practice - Online books detailing issues with particular data formats (text, images, GIS, Virtual Reality etc.)
Arts and Humanities Data Service Information Papers - Shorter articles dealing with basic themes in digitisation (data capture, metadata, copyright etc.), plus a few other more specialised themes (xml-editors, project management and risk management)
University of Colorado Digital Library - Digitization Best Practices, 2009 and Metadata Best Practices, 2009
Loyola Marymount University Digital Library Program Best Practices, 2008
Best Practice Guidelines For Digital Collections at the University of Maryland Libraries 2006
Blogs/Websites to Watch
- Digitization 101 by Jill Hurst-Wahl
- digitizationblog
Specific Blog Posts/Articles to Check Out
- [1] Local History in E-Books and on the Web : One library's experience as example and model by Don Litzer and Andy Barnett. (from the Spring 2004 Reference and Users Services Quarterly). A peer reviewed article analyzing the value and impact of digitized local historical documents.


text:
RSS is a family of XML file formats for web syndication used by news websites and weblogs. RSS allows a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site using a news aggregator or a Firefox live bookmark. It provides an easy method to republish information from one source (a weblog, a news service, a database) to another through such tools as Feed2JS.
- RSS4Lib -- Innovative ways libraries are using RSS.
- Creating an RSS feed of the books you have checked out of the library
- Educational Feeds and Podcasts - Large directory of RSS feeds related to education. Many feeds are from schools, colleges and universities.
- Government Feeds and Podcasts - Directory of RSS feeds from state, local and federal agencies including the Library of Congress.
Examples of RSS from the Catalog
If your library is offering RSS feeds out of your catalog, please note the URL here under your vendor's heading and include the software version you are running on. Please also note if the feeds are provided natively out of the OPAC or if you have implemented them using your own programmer(s). Even better, if you or someone else is displaying one or more of those feeds on a website, please include a link to it!
SAPHIR (Swiss Automated Public Health Information Resources), catalog searches. Subject Feeds (news and recently cataloged titles) also displayed on the library web site. Implementations by the system librarian, Pablo Iriarte (work described at http://archivesic.ccsd.cnrs.fr/sic_00079211)
Pepperdine University LibrariesPepperdine University Recently Cataloged Titles generated from catalog database.
Z. Smith Reynolds Library at Wake Forest University Recently Cataloged Titles
K-State Libraries, Kansas State University New Books RSS Feeds- created by our programmer, Harish Maringanti.
UBC Library, University of British Columbia New Materials at UBC Library - created by Doug Brigham.
Coastal Bend College Library - vendor hosted, New Titles RSS Feed - generated by catalog database.
Ex Libris
MIT Libraries Recent additions to the collection
Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries New Titles
Currently none
Currently none
Baylor University Libraries New Materials RSS feeds
Cambridge Libraries New materials feeds generated using data exported from the ILS.
Insight Informatics
Riverina Library - user generated from search results and add to google link. RSS links for on loan items and library messages (Libero)
Upper Murray Regional Library - user generated from search results, members on loan items and library messages (Libero)
Currently none
Southlake Public Library - new items (Polaris 3.2)
Shelby Public Library - new items
Troy Public Library - new items
RSS feeds at the Denver Public Library
DeKalb County Public Library Many different catalog feeds
Knox County Public Library User driven RSS feeds from any catalog search. More integrated RSS available after signing in. (Unicorn and Rooms)
Hennepin County Library - catalog searches, items out and holds ready for pickup (home-brewed scripts). New titles feeds also generated from catalog database. (Horizon 7.x/HIP 3.06.A)
Seattle Public Library - catalog searches, items out and holds from Library account. Feeds also generated from popular and new lists (IPAC).
University of Huddersfield Library - catalog searches and account information (loans, holds, fines, etc). (Horizon 7.34/HIP 3.08)
University of Alberta Libraries Dozens of specialized feeds of new books by library and call number. (Unicorn)
The Library Corporation
Allegany County Library System users can perform a search, scroll down and click the orange RSS button, copy the URL, and paste it into a news reader like Bloglines. The library has informational brochures to assist patrons in the initial setup of Bloglines and feeds from our PAC. We are using Library.Solution version 3.3.5
Examples of RSS from the Events Calendar
RSS can also be used to display library events that are pulled from the library's Calendars. Here are some examples (please add to this list):
- DeKalb County Public Library (GA) Events RSS. Also: Customizable User driven Events Feed
- Phoenix Public Library (AZ) Program Feed
- New York Public Library (NY) Follow the library feed
- Montgomery Public Library (MD) Calendar of Events
RSS Readers
- Google Reader
- Bloglines
- MySyndicaat
- NetNewsWire - for macs
- FeedDemon
- Feedly
- The Old Reader
- Newsblur
- Newsvibe
Specific Blog Posts, Articles, and Presentations on Collaborative Tools
- Wusteman, Judith. "RSS: the latest feed." Library Hi Tech 22.4 (2004): 404-413.
- Iriarte, Pablo. "La diffusion de l'information documentaire et des actualités en format RSS : un exemple de mise en place au Centre de Documentation en Santé Publique de Lausanne.". [Chapter] Document numérique et société, 1ère édition, sous la dir. de Ghislaine Chartron et Evelyne Broudoux. Actes de la conférence organisée dans le cadre de la Semaine du document numérique à Fribourg (Suisse) les 20 et 21 septembre 2006. ADBS Éditions, 2006, p. 123-147
- Hadlock, Kris. Creating a Custom RSS Feed with PHP and MySQL
- Celikbas, Zeki. What is RSS and How Can it Serve Libraries
- Holzer, Steven. Quick Guide to Creating RSS Feeds
- Hadlock, Kris. The Anatomy of an RSS Feed


text:
Messages from the department
Bake your cake and eat it too
Your child can learn a lot when cooking with you. Why not make a cake together? What does the recipe ask for? Do you have all the ingredients?
This is one of our many GreatStart – learning with your child activities.
Splish splash – I'm having a bath
Splish splash, I'm in the bath and having lots of fun. Let your child play, exploring the water and how it moves as they swish their hands and legs. Let them try and scoop up the water with their hands, exploring what happens when they open their fingers. Does the water stay put or does it trickle out slowly and run back into the bath?
This is one of our many GreatStart – learning with your child activities.
Positive Parenting sessions
Join one of our free Positive Parenting sessions to learn simple and practical ways to tackle parenting issues. The sessions are for parents and caregivers of children aged 3-12 years and are available in various metropolitan and country locations.


text:
The KGAC facility is located at 11377 Citizens' Way, King George, VA 22485. KGAC is open 10:00-4:30 Monday thru Friday; 10:00-1:00 Saturday; closed Holidays and Sundays. All pulls must occur during these times.
Please know that KGAC http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/VA53.html has rules for adoption which are outlined in the following paragraphs. If you are building a separate webpage with photos that are contained within this email, please ensure that potential adopters are aware of these KGAC guidelines.
(1) Unsterilized animals may only be adopted by residents within King George, Westmoreland, Essex, Caroline, Spotsylvania, or Stafford Counties, and the city of Fredericksburg. Animals previously sterilized may be adopted by anyone. Residents of King George have first option on available animals, over other individuals & organizations. Other eligible adopters may adopt available animals on a first come, first serve basis. Animals may be transferred to other Agencies & Certified Companion Animal Rescue Groups per state law. (SEE http://law.justia.com/virginia/codes/toc0301000/3.1-796.96.html) SECTION C,1 FOR VA AGENCIES AND SECTION C, 5 FOR NON-VA AGENCIES. Please read all of the requirements before calling us. INCLUDE YOUR 501(C)(3) CERTIFICATION & ONLY MAIL/FAX THE REQUIRED INFO THAT WE NEED TO APPROVE YOUR AGENCY. THERE WILL BE NO FEE FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE TRANSFERED ON THE SAME DAY THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THERE WILL BE A $10.00 FEE FOR EACH ANIMAL TRANSFERED AFTER ITS AVAILABLE DATE.
(2) If you are an individual (not representing a Certified Companion Animal Rescue Group) interested in adopting an "Unsterilized" dog or cat, and you do not reside in one of above mentioned Virginia counties, you will need to contact a qualified 501(c)(3) organization to adopt the animal for you. KGARL is not able to adopt animals for individuals at this time.
(3) Those certified organizations that express interest in dogs and cats, if you have not already done so, please ensure the correct documentation is on file with the KGAC so that you may pull animals. KGAC will require the following required documents to be faxed (540-775-5770) to them as per Virginia standards: (a) the rescue's 501(c)(3) determination letter, (b) the rescue's "No Cruelty Disclosure" statement. The "No Cruelty Disclosure" statement must be on the rescue organization's official letterhead and signed by a head officer of their organization. In the "No Cruelty Disclosure" statement, add some words to the effect that no one in the organization has been convicted of animal cruelty, neglect, and abandonment. It must include all three words. (c) A letter stating that all animals will be spayed or neutered, and that the rescue's organization abides by all rules of Virginia, as well as the rescue's own state if applicable, and that the rescue keeps records in accordance with KGAC policies and procedures. After you have faxed your documentation, please contact the shelter to confirm that your documentation has been approved. Once your documentation is on file at KGAC, you are eligible to adopt dogs, cats, and other animals. Please do not send your paperwork to King George Animal Rescue League (KGARL). Please fax ONLY the required paperwork to KGAC at 540-775-5770.
(4) KGAC works on a first-come, first-serve basis for all rescues. They will not hold an animal for an individual or rescue.
(5) Please note that the KGARL, for which I am a member, is a non-profit group of volunteers that strives to help the animals at our county shelter, KGAC. However, KGARL is not affiliated with the KGAC and has no authority on animals at the shelter; the county Animal Control Officer has the final decision on all adoptions. I have personally never met these animals, and I rely on the information I receive from a different KGARL volunteer which is all included in this email. Please refer to our KGAC FAQ on our website, www.kgarl.org, if you have more questions about the difference between KGARL and KGAC.
Cathy Markwith, KGARL Member
King George Animal Rescue League


text: /* * Copyright (c) 2012 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. * * @APPLE_LICENSE_HEADER_START@ * * This file contains Original Code and/or Modifications of Original Code * as defined in and that are subject to the Apple Public Source License * Version 2.0 (the 'License'). You may not use this file except in * compliance with the License. Please obtain a copy of the License at * http://www.opensource.apple.com/apsl/ and read it before using this * file. * * The Original Code and all software distributed under the License are * distributed on an 'AS IS' basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER * EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND APPLE HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, * INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, QUIET ENJOYMENT OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. * Please see the License for the specific language governing rights and * limitations under the License. * * @APPLE_LICENSE_HEADER_END@ */ /* CFNumber.h Copyright (c) 1999-2012, Apple Inc. All rights reserved. */ #if !defined(__COREFOUNDATION_CFNUMBER__) #define __COREFOUNDATION_CFNUMBER__ 1 #include <CoreFoundation/CFBase.h> CF_IMPLICIT_BRIDGING_ENABLED CF_EXTERN_C_BEGIN typedef const struct __CFBoolean * CFBooleanRef; CF_EXPORT const CFBooleanRef kCFBooleanTrue; CF_EXPORT const CFBooleanRef kCFBooleanFalse; CF_EXPORT CFTypeID CFBooleanGetTypeID(void); CF_EXPORT Boolean CFBooleanGetValue(CFBooleanRef boolean); typedef CF_ENUM(CFIndex, CFNumberType) { /* Fixed-width types */ kCFNumberSInt8Type = 1, kCFNumberSInt16Type = 2, kCFNumberSInt32Type = 3, kCFNumberSInt64Type = 4, kCFNumberFloat32Type = 5, kCFNumberFloat64Type = 6, /* 64-bit IEEE 754 */ /* Basic C types */ kCFNumberCharType = 7, kCFNumberShortType = 8, kCFNumberIntType = 9, kCFNumberLongType = 10, kCFNumberLongLongType = 11, kCFNumberFloatType = 12, kCFNumberDoubleType = 13, /* Other */ kCFNumberCFIndexType = 14, kCFNumberNSIntegerType CF_ENUM_AVAILABLE(10_5, 2_0) = 15, kCFNumberCGFloatType CF_ENUM_AVAILABLE(10_5, 2_0) = 16, kCFNumberMaxType = 16 }; typedef const struct __CFNumber * CFNumberRef; CF_EXPORT const CFNumberRef kCFNumberPositiveInfinity; CF_EXPORT const CFNumberRef kCFNumberNegativeInfinity; CF_EXPORT const CFNumberRef kCFNumberNaN; CF_EXPORT CFTypeID CFNumberGetTypeID(void); /* Creates a CFNumber with the given value. The type of number pointed to by the valuePtr is specified by type. If type is a floating point type and the value represents one of the infinities or NaN, the well-defined CFNumber for that value is returned. If either of valuePtr or type is an invalid value, the result is undefined. */ CF_EXPORT CFNumberRef CFNumberCreate(CFAllocatorRef allocator, CFNumberType theType, const void *valuePtr); /* Returns the storage format of the CFNumber's value. Note that this is not necessarily the type provided in CFNumberCreate(). */ CF_EXPORT CFNumberType CFNumberGetType(CFNumberRef number); /* Returns the size in bytes of the type of the number. */ CF_EXPORT CFIndex CFNumberGetByteSize(CFNumberRef number); /* Returns true if the type of the CFNumber's value is one of the defined floating point types. */ CF_EXPORT Boolean CFNumberIsFloatType(CFNumberRef number); /* Copies the CFNumber's value into the space pointed to by valuePtr, as the specified type. If conversion needs to take place, the conversion rules follow human expectation and not C's promotion and truncation rules. If the conversion is lossy, or the value is out of range, false is returned. Best attempt at conversion will still be in *valuePtr. */ CF_EXPORT Boolean CFNumberGetValue(CFNumberRef number, CFNumberType theType, void *valuePtr); /* Compares the two CFNumber instances. If conversion of the types of the values is needed, the conversion and comparison follow human expectations and not C's promotion and comparison rules. Negative zero compares less than positive zero. Positive infinity compares greater than everything except itself, to which it compares equal. Negative infinity compares less than everything except itself, to which it compares equal. Unlike standard practice, if both numbers are NaN, then they compare equal; if only one of the numbers is NaN, then the NaN compares greater than the other number if it is negative, and smaller than the other number if it is positive. (Note that in CFEqual() with two CFNumbers, if either or both of the numbers is NaN, true is returned.) */ CF_EXPORT CFComparisonResult CFNumberCompare(CFNumberRef number, CFNumberRef otherNumber, void *context); CF_EXTERN_C_END CF_IMPLICIT_BRIDGING_DISABLED #endif /* ! __COREFOUNDATION_CFNUMBER__ */


text:
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Here's The List of 23 Anti-Gun Executive Actions President Obama Announced Today
Office of the Press Secretary
January 16, 2013
Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions
Today, the President is announcing that he and the Administration will:
1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant
data available to the federal background check system.
2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making
information available to the background check system.
3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check
4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from
having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background
check on an individual before returning a seized gun.
6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on
how to run background checks for private sellers.
7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.
8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety
9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns
recovered in criminal investigations.
10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it
widely available to law enforcement.
11. Nominate an ATF director.
12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper
training for active shooter situations.
13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to
research the causes and prevention of gun violence.
15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective
use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop
innovative technologies.
16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients
about guns in their homes.
17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits
them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.
19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and
institutions of higher education.
20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health
services that Medicaid plans must cover.
21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements
within ACA exchanges.
22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental
36 comments:
- Capn MikeJanuary 16, 2013 at 12:20 PM
They seen their opportunities and they took 'em.
Wow, talk about overreach! - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 12:53 PM
He can start by firing Eric Holder, and having his replacement charge him for illegally selling guns to criminal organizations resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people including women and children, but we would probably just find out he was under order to do so and Obama won't implicate himself.
ReplyDelete - Texas ChrisJanuary 16, 2013 at 12:54 PM
No outright ban, no magazine limit, no semi-auto ban, so that's good.
But it's a clear ratcheting up of unconstitutional federal powers, and a whittling away at privacy and the 2nd Amendment.
I STILL will not comply. FOAD Obama. - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 12:55 PM
Looks like a bunch of paperwork being shuffled around to me. Doesn't change a thing in my book.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 12:59 PM
I'm a gun-totin' CHL holder, and I see very little wrong with these requests. You first 3 guys are coming off as knee-jerk reactionists who don't bother reading anything. He's addressing proper mental health screenings for guns, and endorsing a campaign of "gun education". My qualms come from the nebulous "relevant data" segments. I'd prefer to know what he means by this, but this is far from the "ban rifles and 'high-cap' magazines" nonsense that we've been dreading.
ReplyDeleteRepliesAgreed that, based on yours an mine common sensical definition if mental health, there's little fault to be found in including mental health in background checks for gun purchases, but as with everything else legislative, it's not our definition that'll be used to deny someone the purchase of a firearm. The G will decide who's mentally ill and to its benefit to boot. Most people on this blog could be labelled paranoid conspiracy theorists by the left wing medical establishment, giving the government all the superficial cause to restrict our gun ownership.
Delete- FreemanJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:18 PM
The problem is that the government has decided that if you hold anti-government political views, you are mentally ill.
Take, Brandon Raub, a former marine who spent a month detained in a mental institution because the FBI didn't like the content of his facebook postings. - Capn MikeJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:31 PM
It's not the meat, it's the METHOD!!
Executive orders = dictatorship.
It doesn't matter if it's guns or "Eat your broccoli", it's the presumption of power that's the issue.
Please think a little before name calling. - Ellis WyattJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:39 PM
Read 'em again. The entangling of gun rights and Obamacare results in your doctor banning you, not banning guns. This is the much more effective and insidious path to enslavement when half the country is on brain altering drugs. Notice the data streams, here too. When your doctor asks, "How many guns do you have," he will now be able to cross check your response with the "background check" which just became a defacto registry. And he will have new tools to report you to the jackboots who will enter your home at gunpoint and confiscate.
Now I know all about, "too long, didn't read," so let's shuffle the above into their proper sequence:
Step one, your doctor is a new snitch:
-The Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.
-Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover [because those can be integrated into the disqualification-to-own-a-gun system. See below]
Step two, your doctor gets access to the background check system, by integrating it into the HIPPA standards all hospital software already is required to comply with:
-Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
-Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPPA - notice they didn't give the much more familiar acronym, so fewer people would bother to read it], that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.
Step three, your doctor gets legal cover to identify you as a gun owner:
-Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.
-Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
-Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
Step four, weaponize Obamacare by linking federal law enforcement and medical definition:
-Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
"Threats of violence." Like a "reasonable" suspicion that your bruised hand came as the result of a blow you delivered, even to an inanimate object.
Has your wife ever taken an anti-depressant? Your kids ever take Ritalin?
Hope you whole household never needs to visit a doctor, ever, my friend. - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:47 PM
Aka Al
I thought it would be worse but I'm with you. It's mostly just him saying, "look at me. I'm trying." I did like 14 however. I hate Obama but I give credit where it's due and that could really help down the line. - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:57 PM
Sure you are.
This is just another incremental step towards total gun control. We've gotten to the place we're at because every year or few years the government has made some policy or proclamation that seemed rational or justified and anyone who said "this is tyranny" was laughed at or marginalized as reactionaries or paranoids.
It's time to wake up. The government only seeks to gain more power. They don't give two sh!ts about our welfare. Proper health screenings for the government sound alright to you?
You've not been paying attention to government. You need to learn more about what government wants to do: CONTROL.Nothing the government does is reasonable, since it is all FORCE. The only ones that should get to determine these things is people in the productive sector.
Delete- AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 5:01 PM
If you visit a Doctor, and they ask "any guns in your home", don't answer yes or no. Ask a question back...:
"If any harm comes to me because as a result of any actions taken in the future, by any parties, related to your collection and/or reporting of that kind of information .... does your malpractice insurance cover it?".
I'd bet "not" (covered). This is a boundary violation - the docs are not licensed by the states as safety experts, so if any harm comes to you because of their advice ....
Doctors - or any other health "professional" for that matter - should be constantly reminded of their l-i-a-b-i-l-i-t-y.
- AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:00 PM
Number 7 caught my eye. You knew there had to be a way to spread around some cash in there somewhere.
ReplyDelete - StargazerJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:00 PM
#12: If it includes arming (volunteer) teachers & administrators who have a concealed-carry permit and tactical firearms training (per NRA guidelines) and eliminating gun-free zones (free fire zones for nut jobs), that may actually help.
#14: Causes: evil people. Prevention (i.e., quick nut job neutralization): concealed carry.
#16: Ha! Ask but don't tell.
The others are useless interference and maybe unconstitutional. - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:03 PM
What does the following mean:
"18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers."
Are these people who could actually protect the school from a shooter and they'd be on site? That could be something if that's what it is. - FreemanJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:05 PM
Oddly missing:
24. Instruct the ATF to no longer provide Mexican drug cartels with firearms. - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:08 PM
How about mental health checks on presidents before they levy war on innocents.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 1:22 PM
Individuals can nullify unconstitutional laws too... Nullify fed'l gun control en masse. The only way to stop democide.
The oligarchs hope that SH and Aurora false flags pay dividends in disarming the people. Goldman Sucks can't afford to have an armed populace when the economy goes into final death throes. If the oligarchs fail now, we can expect gov to murder more kids in near future. He's going backdoor. He's using ObamaCare and the mental health canard to either have people summarily committed (remember that ex-Marine they tried to have committed in Virginia last year because of what he wrote on Facebook), or to arbitrarily put a black mark on whomever's background check record they want, so they can either take away the guns you already own, or keep you from ever buying one.
It will be the equivelent of the TSA's secret no-fly list (a secret 'no-buy' list). Once you're on it, you'll never get off, and if you try to buy a gun, you'll be locked up as a 'mental patient'.- AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 2:11 PM
(24) Issue an executive order that citizens shall be required to take Beano prior to consuming any flatulence-producing legume. This will reduce the likelihood of citizens sticking cannonballs up their asses, lighting their farts, and firing said cannonballs at government officials.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 4:47 PM
What about the guns we let mexican cartel members have ? Haha
smoke and mirrors yet again. - AnonymousJanuary 16, 2013 at 4:53 PM
While these are bad, these are nowhere near as bad as it could have been. I sincerely believe that the massive backlash and open defiance many people showed for an EO banning rifles or limiting magazine capacity forced Obama to back down.
Former Delta Force member and professional trainer Larry Vickers, for instance, posted that his industry and govt sources told him Obama was looking at reclassifying all AR15s as "destructive devices" and classify them as the same as a fully auto rifle, which would mean the millions of owners would be felons overnight for holding them unless they turned them in to the govt.
I actually think that 250k people joining the NRA in a month, the gun shows, the gun stores being sold out, etc along with the emails and calls of the public forced Obama to back down once he realized he could either be impeached or even have an armed revolt on his hands if he pushed too much. The Oath Keepers did their job and showed that there would be quite a bit of open defiance.
I am not saying this lightly, but I think the reaction of the public going on a buying spree and joining the NRA in massive numbers may have saved our gun rights, at least for the moment. Obama specifically bitched about all of the people buying guns and their fear of a ban being incorrect with one of his speeches, so he clearly was shocked at the blowback. Deputizing doctors to ask you if you own any guns just seems like a backdoor trojan horse way to establish a national registry of gun owners. They can't outright come and do it, so they have to gather the information through a surrogate 3rd party (doctors in this example), who are then allowed to report back to their Federal overlords. In the end, the government gets their list of names.


text:
Update 10:22 a.m. ET: Not Necessarily An Insider Attack
According to a ISAF statement, the attack that killed a NATO service member and a civilian contractor in Afghanistan on Saturday may not have been an insider attack, as originally reported.
In the statement, the International Security Assistance Force says:
"What was initially reported to have been a suspected Insider Attack is now understood to possibly have involved insurgent fire. The incident occurred while an ISAF unit was manning a temporary check point in an area near an Afghan National Army unit. According to ISAF and ANA reporting, after a short conversation took place between ANA and ISAF personnel firing occurred which resulted in the fatal wounding of an ISAF soldier and the death of his civilian colleague. In an ensuing exchange of fire three ANA personnel are reported to have died."
Our Original Story Continues:
A NATO service member died after a " suspected insider attack" in eastern Afghanistan Saturday, the NATO-led coalition there reports. A press release from the International Security Assistance Force says one of the force's civilian contractors and Afghan National Army members also died. Afghan officials say both the contractor and service member are American.
A string of insider attacks over the past few months poses one of the greatest threats to NATO's mission in the country, endangering a partnership key to training Afghan security forces and enabling the withdrawal of international troops.
Saturday's shooting took place at an Afghan army checkpoint just outside a joint U.S.-Afghan base in Wardak province, government spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told The Associated Press. At least two Afghan soldiers died.
"Initial reports indicate that a misunderstanding happened between Afghan army soldiers and American soldiers," he said. Shahid said investigators had been sent to the site to try to figure out what happened. It was not clear if the assailant was killed.
Afghan soldiers and policemen — or militants in their uniforms — have gunned down more than 50 foreign troops so far this year, eroding the trust between coalition forces and their Afghan partners. An equal number of Afghan policemen and soldiers also died in these attacks, giving them reason to be suspicious of possible infiltrators within their ranks.
The growing insider attacks have prompted Gen. John Allen to tighten security for U.S. troops in the country. Hundreds of Afghan soldiers have been arrested or discharged due to incomplete or forged documents, and the training of about 1,000 Afghan police recruits was suspended at the beginning of the month.
This report contains material from The Associated Press
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.