text:
Another slaughter, and here we go again
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 18, 2013
WASHINGTON — About 30 years ago as a young reporter in Florida, I was assigned a series on gun control in response to gun violence, which had peaked in the U.S. in 1980.
I began the series with profiles of three gun users, including a woman who had killed her would-be rapist, the owner of a sport shooting club and a convicted murderer on death row at the Florida State Prison in Starke.
Most dramatic was the woman, who was attacked as she entered her apartment after work one evening. She had just moved in and boxes were stacked floor-to-ceiling, nary a broom nor a pot to use in self-defense.
In her panic, she suddenly remembered the small derringer in her purse, which still hung over her shoulder. Already, the man had her pinned against the wall. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed the gun, pressed it to his side and, boom! He died instantly. To my question, she replied: "Hell, yes, I'd do it again in a New York minute."
Or words to that effect.
Most chilling was the murderer, whose name I no longer recall. I do remember that his fingertips were oddly flared and he pressed them together, expanding and contracting his hands like a bellows. No doubt aware that I was nervous, he seemed amused by my questions.
"Sure," he chuckled. "I'm all for gun control. Because that means you won't have a gun. And I will always have a gun."
All of which is to say, the conversation we're having today about how to avert the next act of gun violence is nothing new. Yet, we seem always to fall into the same pro-con template when a fresh shooting occurs.
Before we knew the name of the shooter who killed 12 civilians at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday, social media were atwitter with the usual exclamations:
More gun control!
Guns don't kill, people do!
It is easy to become cynical when there's nothing new to say and when, we know, nothing new will come of it. Gun control activists will push harder for tighter restrictions; Second Amendment champions will push back. The National Rifle Association will prevail.
Hit repeat.
Despite the redundancy of our renditions, there are some differences in gun violence between today and more than three decades ago. Even though firearm deaths have decreased, the recent rash of spree killings — five incidents this year alone — justifies a heightened level of concern. Nearly 70 mass shootings have occurred since 1982, according to Mother Jones, 28 of them in just the past seven years. Half of the 12 deadliest mass shootings have occurred since 2007.
Even so, for the sake of perspective, these represent a tiny fraction of total gun deaths. They're more horrific, so we take greater notice. But they represent less than 1 percent of all gun deaths between 1980 and 2008, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Indeed, nearly two-thirds of gun deaths are suicides (19,392 of a total of 31,672 in the U.S. in 2010).
In other words, the reflex to make tougher laws may be missing more important points. This isn't to say we shouldn't consider imposing restrictions on who owns guns, but as my guy in Starke suggested, there's little comfort in forcing law-abiding citizens to submit to tighter controls knowing that criminals will not.
As for the crazies who go on killing sprees, rules rarely apply.
Thus, what we're really fighting about in our national debate about guns is how to stop mentally ill people from wreaking havoc on society. And what are the causes that lead to the breakdowns that lead to the slaughter?
No wonder we'd rather limit magazine sizes.
Much more difficult to process and "fix" are the multitude of factors that lead a sick person to seek company in death. What we know about such people is that they tend to be loners and narcissists (low self-esteem, lacking in empathy, quick to take offense and blame others) who act impulsively and seek attention (and revenge) in dramatic and public ways.
That we have more such characters than we used to — or that they seem more inclined to act on their impulses — may have less to do with guns than with underlying cultural causes. No, I'm not singling out video games or family dissolution or any other single factor, though none should be excluded.
If we don't take a serious look at the environment that spawns these individuals, we'll likely be having this same conversation another 30 years from now.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Custom promotional tumblers make ideal giveaways for the eco-friendly company. Because custom printed tumblers can be reused for years, your customers and employees will appreciate these eco-friendly promotional products. Print your corporate logo and message on promotional tumblers and give them out at trade shows, corporate events, fundraisers or even around the office.
IASpromotes.com offers customized tumblers that appeal to everyone. Our large selection of promotional tumbler styles means that you can find the perfect tumbler for your target audience. If you need helping choosing from our wholesale tumblers, contact us. Our promotional products consultants are standing by to help you personalize the perfect tumbler for your brand.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Renal Vascular Disease
What is renal vascular disease?
Renal vascular disease is the name given to a variety of complications that affect the arteries and veins of the kidneys. These complications affect the blood circulation of the kidneys, and may cause damage to the tissues of the kidneys, kidney failure, and/or high blood pressure.
Vascular conditions affecting the renal arteries and veins include the following:
- Renal artery stenosis. Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a blockage of an artery to the kidneys. It may cause kidney failure and hypertension (high blood pressure). Smokers have a greater risk of developing RAS. RAS is most common in men between the ages of 50 and 70. High cholesterol, diabetes, being overweight, and having a family history of cardiovascular disease are also risk factors for RAS. High blood pressure is both a cause and a result of RAS.
- Renal artery thrombosis. Renal artery thrombosis is the formation of a clot in a renal artery. A thrombosis of a renal artery may cause kidney failure because of blocked blood flow to the kidney.
- Renal artery aneurysm. A renal artery aneurysm is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of an artery to the kidney. Most of these aneurysms are small (less than two centimeters, or about three-quarters of an inch) and without symptoms. Renal artery aneurysms are uncommon and are generally discovered during diagnostic procedures performed in relation to other conditions.
- Atheroembolic renal disease. Atheroembolic renal disease occurs when a piece of plaque from the aorta and/or other large arteries breaks off and travels through the bloodstream, blocking small arteries such as the renal arteries. Atheroembolic renal disease is becoming a common cause of renal insufficiency (poor kidney function) in the elderly.
- Renal vein thrombosis. A renal vein thrombosis is the formation of a clot in a vein to the kidney.
Renal vascular disease is often associated with hypertension (high blood pressure). Hormones that influence blood pressure are affected by kidney function. Decreased blood flow to the kidney(s) as a result of renal vascular disease may cause an excessive amount of renin to be produced. Renin is a powerful hormone that increases blood pressure.
What causes renal vascular disease?
The cause of renal vascular disease will depend on the specific condition involved:
- Renal artery stenosis. Stenosis (blockage) of a renal artery may be caused by atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque, which is a deposit of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin in the inner lining of an artery) or other conditions, such as fibromuscular dysplasia (a condition that weakens the walls of medium-sized arteries and occurs predominantly in young women of childbearing age), and Takayasu's arteritis (a rare inflammatory disease affecting the aorta and its branches, including the renal arteries). Atherosclerosis is the major cause of renal artery stenosis in the U.S.
- Renal artery thrombosis. Formation of a thrombosis (clot) inside one of the renal arteries may occur as a result of trauma, infection, inflammatory disease, renal artery aneurysm, renal cell cancer, or fibromuscular dysplasia.
- Renal artery aneurysm. There are four types of renal artery aneurysms:
- Saccular. These bulge or balloon out on only one side of the artery.
- Fusiform. These bulge or balloon out on all sides of the artery.
- Dissecting. This type is a weakened artery wall due to a tear in the inner layer of the artery wall.
- Intrarenal. These occur on an artery inside the kidney.
- Saccular aneurysms may occur as a result of a congenital (present at birth) weakness of an artery wall or trauma. Atherosclerosis may also be a factor. Fusiform aneurysms most often occur with fibromuscular dysplasia. Intrarenal aneurysms may be congenital, or may result from trauma.
- Atheroembolic renal disease. Small pieces of plaque (emboli) from atherosclerosis formation in other arteries of the body may break off and travel to the renal arteries, blocking blood flow to the kidney. Emboli may occur because of surgery, insertion of a catheter, or the use of blood-thinning medications. The disease most commonly affects older people.
- Renal vein thrombosis. Conditions associated with the presence of renal vein thrombosis include trauma, compression of a renal vein by an adjacent structure, such as a tumor or aneurysm, nephrotic syndrome (results from damage to the kidneys' glomeruli, the tiny blood vessels that filter waste and excess water from the blood and send them to the bladder as urine), pregnancy, administration of steroid medications, and use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills).
Risk factors for renal vascular disease include:
- Age
- Female gender
- Atherosclerosis
- Hypertension, particularly new onset of hypertension in an older person
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
A risk factor is anything that may increase a person's chance of developing a disease. It may be an activity, such as smoking or diet, family history, or many other things. Different diseases have different risk factors.
Although these risk factors increase a person's risk, they do not necessarily cause the disease. Some people with one or more risk factors never develop the disease, while others develop disease and have no known risk factors. Knowing your risk factors for any disease can help to guide you to the appropriate actions, including changing behaviors and being clinically monitored for the disease.
What are the symptoms of renal vascular disease?
Symptoms of renal vascular disease vary depending on the type of disease and degree of involvement present. Symptoms of various types of renal vascular disease include, but are not limited to, the following:
Renal artery stenosis |
Renal artery thrombosis |
Acute (sudden) complete blockage:
More gradual or incomplete blockages:
Renal artery aneurysm |
Atheroembolic renal disease |
Renal vein thrombosis |
Chronic (over a period of time) onset:
Acute (sudden) onset:
The symptoms of renal vascular disease may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.
How is renal vascular disease diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for renal vascular disease may include any, or a combination of, the following:
- Arteriogram (also called an angiogram). An X-ray image of the blood vessels used to evaluate various conditions, such as aneurysm, stenosis (narrowing of the blood vessel), or blockages. A dye (contrast) will be injected through a thin, flexible tube placed in an artery. This dye makes the blood vessels visible on X-ray.
- Duplex ultrasound. A type of vascular ultrasound procedure performed to assess blood flow and the structure of the leg veins. The term duplex"refers to the fact that two modes of ultrasound are used--Doppler and B-mode. The B-mode transducer (like a microphone) obtains an image of the carotid artery being studied. The Doppler probe within the transducer evaluates the velocity and direction of blood flow in the vessel.
- Renography. A specialized radiology procedure used to assess the function and structure of the kidneys. Renography is a type of nuclear radiology procedure. This means that a tiny amount of a radioactive substance is used during the procedure to assist in the examination of the kidneys.
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). A noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and intravenous (IV) contrast dye to visualize blood vessels. Contrast dye causes blood vessels to appear opaque on the MRI image, allowing the doctor to visualize the blood vessels being evaluated.
What is the treatment for renal vascular disease?
Specific treatment will be determined by your doctor based on:
- Your age, overall health and medical history
- Extent of the disease
- Your signs and symptoms
- Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the disease
- Your opinion or preference
Treatment will also vary depending on the type of renal vascular disease that is present.
Renal artery stenosis |
Medical treatment:
Surgical treatment:
Renal artery thrombosis |
Treatment of a renal artery thrombosis depends on the type (acute or chronic) of thrombosis, and the length of time since the thrombosis occurred. In acute situations, thrombolytic (clot-busting) medication may be infused into the renal artery for several hours to several days to break up the clot. Surgery to remove the clot or bypass the artery may be performed in some situations. |
Renal artery aneurysm |
Treatment of a renal artery aneurysm depends on factors such as the size and location of the aneurysm and whether or not symptoms are present. Certain types of small (less than two centimeters, or about three-quarters of an inch) aneurysms may not be treated, but may be observed for growth or development of other complications. Larger aneurysms (greater than two centimeters or three-quarters of an inch), dissecting aneurysms, aneurysms causing kidney ischemia (lack of blood flow to the kidney tissue) and hypertension, aneurysms that are growing larger, and aneurysms causing symptoms may be treated surgically. Because of the increased risk for rupture (bursting), a renal artery aneurysm in a pregnant woman or a woman of childbearing age will generally be treated surgically. |
Atheroembolic renal disease |
Treatment of atheroembolic renal disease depends on the extent of the disease and the individual situation. Medical treatment may include medications to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and other related medical conditions, such as diabetes. Surgical treatment may include:
Renal vein thrombosis |
Renal vein thrombosis is generally treated medically with anticoagulant (keeps the blood from clotting) medication. Anticoagulants may be given intravenously (IV) for several days, then given orally for several weeks up to an indefinite period of time. |


text:
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Look for lots of Harbaughs in New Orleans next week. Two of them will be working the sidelines in the Super Bowl.
Oh, brother!
John Harbaugh and his Baltimore Ravens set up a family reunion in the Big Easy, shutting down the New England Patriots 28-13 Sunday in the AFC championship game.
Waiting for them will be his younger brother Jim and the San Francisco 49ers, who beat Atlanta 28-24 for the NFC title. It's the first Super Bowl matching siblings as head coaches.
"I'd like to think that our two teams are very similar," said John, who is a year older than Jim. "I'd like to think when you look at those two teams, you are looking at mirror images of two football teams."
What the Ravens (13-6) are looking at is their first Super Bowl in 12 years, thanks to three touchdown passes from Joe Flacco and a defense led by Ray Lewis that made Tom Brady look downright ordinary.
It will be quite a last game for Lewis, the emotional linebacker who will retire after the matchup with the 49ers, who opened as a 5-point favorite.
"For me to come out and say that this is my last ride and for me now to be headed back to the Super Bowl, for the possibility of me possibly winning a second ring, how else do you cap off a career?" said Lewis, who had 14 tackles to give him 44 in three playoff games after missing 10 weeks with a torn left triceps.
As in the previous two playoff wins against Indianapolis and Denver, the Ravens were brilliant offensively in spots. This might be 17-year-veteran Lewis' team, but it's also Flacco's — and the quarterback's six road wins are the most in playoff history.
He has eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in this postseason.
"We've always believed in Joe," Harbaugh said. "And for Joe to come out and to have this kind of a game and this kind of a stage three weeks in a row …"
Flacco, whose contract ends after the Super Bowl, is the only quarterback to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons. He was dynamic with his arm and precise with his decision making. Looking much more the championship passer than Brady did, his scoring throws of 11 and 3 yards to Anquan Boldin and 5 to Dennis Pitta all were perfect.
"We didn't come all the way here to play it safe and hope to win," Flacco said. "We came here to win the AFC championship game and you have to play to win."
The defense played as big a part, shutting out the league's highest-scoring offense in the second half, twice picking off Brady.
Brady was 67-0 at home when leading at halftime, but this was no contest in the second half.
"We got behind in the second half there and became one-dimensional," he said. "We just couldn't string enough good plays together to get the ball in the end zone."
It also was a first for the Patriots, who hadn't lost an AFC championship at home.
"We've lost before. It takes a while to get over," Brady said.
After they had avenged last year's AFC title game loss at Gillette Stadium, many of the Ravens gathered on the field jumping, chest-bumping and whooping before several thousand fans wearing Ravens jerseys — mostly Lewis' No. 52 — who remained in the stands.
New England (13-5) lost a home AFC title matchup for the first time in five games. The loss denied Brady and coach Bill Belichick a shot at their sixth Super Bowl. They've gone 3-2, losing their last two times in the big game.
Instead, it's the AFC North champion Ravens heading to the Big Easy, seeking their second NFL championship. San Francisco has won five.
One of the Harbaughs will grab his first ring as head coach.
"I don't know if we had a dream this big," John Harbaugh said. "We had a few dreams, we had a few fights, we had a few arguments — just like all brothers."
The Ravens have gotten there the hard way, with no postseason bye. Then again, five of the last seven Super Bowl champions took that route.
The Ravens also were pushed into a second overtime in frigid Denver last weekend before eliminating Peyton Manning and the top-seeded Broncos.
And now they've cast aside the league's most successful franchise of the last dozen years.
"I'd probably say we came up a little short in every area," Belichick said.
New England, which hasn't won a Super Bowl since the 2004 season, had four injuries, the scariest when running back Stevan Ridley hurt his head when he was knocked flat by Bernard Pollard in the fourth quarter, forcing a fumble. Baltimore turned that into the final touchdown, on the only short scoring drive it had, 47 yards.
The touchdown by Pitta capped the Ravens' best drive of the game, covering 87 yards in 10 plays and made it 14-13. It started with a 15-yard defensive pass interference penalty, and it was an indication of things to come.
The Ravens gained just 130 yards in the first half, yet trailed by only six points.
Brady guided a 13-play drive to Stephen Gostkowski's 31-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Neither defense yielded a big play, and punters Zoltan Mesko and Sam Koch were the busiest guys on the field.
That changed when the teams switched sides for the second quarter. Baltimore again was pinned deep, at its 10, but Flacco led a 13-play drive. Ray Rice, whose 83-yard run on the Ravens' first play from scrimmage in their wild-card round victory here three years ago, ran left untouched for the TD.
Awakened by Baltimore's march, the Patriots staged a long one of their own, 79 yards, aided by a 15-yard personal foul by Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. Wes Welker picked up 24 yards on a short pass, then got free in the right corner of the end zone after a mix-up in the Ravens' secondary, making it 10-7.
It was 13-7 by halftime as Gostkowski connected from 25 yards, with New England outsmarting Baltimore several times. But Brady and Belichick made mental errors by not calling a timeout quickly enough after a short scramble by the 35-year-old quarterback. So the Patriots didn't get a shot at the end zone and Gostkowski made his second kick.
Shockingly for an offense that scored 557 points this season, that was it for New England.
"We are probably the only team in the AFC that matches up good with the boy, No. 12 over there and his coach," linebacker Terrell Suggs said of Brady and Belichick.
Now comes another intriguing matchup — for everything.
NOTES: Brady has 5,949 yards passing, the most in NFL history for the postseason. He threw for 320 yards Sunday but was picked off twice in the fourth quarter. … Patriots CB Aqib Talib hurt his thigh and DT Kyle Love injured his knee. Backup safety Patrick Chung was helped off the field after one play. … Baltimore beat San Francisco 16-6 in the 2011 season.


text:
Fanny Brice described Snooks as "my kind of youngster, the type I like. She has imagination. She's eager. She's alive. With all her deviltry, she still is a good kid, never vicious nor mean." Perhaps, but Daddy and Robespierre may beg to differ.
Neither Daddy's time, pet projects, nor peace of mind are safe from Snooks' reliably relentless intrusions. As for how she treats her younger siblings and what she thinks of them�well, the fact that she tries to trade them for cats pretty much says it all! And, corporal punishment doesn't seem to have much effect on this cheeky child.
These 28 elfish vignettes are digitally restored and remastered, and are accompanied by a Program Guide written by Ivan G. Shreve. Jr. featuring photographs and information about this playful program. Starring Fanny Brice and Hanley Stafford as Baby Snooks and Daddy. Created by Phil Rapp.
EPISODES INCLUDE: Flower Gardens 02-06-41, Taxes Again 02-13-41, Photographer 03-20-41, Buying Shoes 03-27-41, House Guest 01-15-42, Hiccups 01-22-42, Report Cards 01-29-42, Tent in the Living Room 02-12-42, Stealing Chickens 02-26-42, Fake Measles 03-19-42, The Red Cross Examiner 03-26-42, Easter Suit 04-02-42, Daddy's Birthday 04-09-42, Sore Back Poultice 04-16-42, A Fifty Dollar Raise 04-23-42, Quizzing Snooks 04-30-42, New Fishing Rod 05-07-42, 10th Wedding Anniversary 06-04-42, Birth of Twins 06-11-42, The Trade 06-18-42, Baby Buggy 07-02-42, The Camp Report 09-03-42, Baby Snooks Goes to a Movie 09-24-42, Gozinta 10-01-42, Christening a Ship 10-08-42, Getting Gas 12-03-42, School Play Cinderella 12-18-42, The Stolen Medal 01-14-43


text:
As President Obama prepares to start a second term, MORNING EDITION has asked NPR's foreign correspondents to gauge worldwide expectations for the next four years. We turn, this morning, to Kenya. Pride still runs deep there for the president, with roots in Kenya. But expectations of America's role have shifted from donor aid to partner in trade. NPR's Gregory Warner has the story.
GREGORY WARNER, BYLINE: Like the Obama Bar and Restaurant, the Obama cybercafe and the Obamart - spell that one out - the Obama Mini Shop, in the Kayole slum of Nairobi, was launched four years ago in a burst of hope and ambition.
CAROLINE OTIENO: (Foreign language spoken)
WARNER: The rise of Barack Obama inspired Caroline Otieno to sink the money she'd made stitching clothes, into stocking these shelves with sacks of sorghum and rolls of toilet paper. And when the president notched his second win, she started dreaming about what her convenience store could become.
OTIENO: I want this shop to be a wholesale arm or supermarket.
WARNER: The narrative of Barack Obama, this improbable rise of a man with African roots, still resonates deeply in this city. But if Obama - the symbol - still inspires hope, Obama - the president - does a little bit less. It still stings that Obama, as president, hasn't visited Kenya. He flew all the way to Ghana in 2009. Most of this continent, in fact, except for some military hot spots, has been low on the president's agenda.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Obama is coming.
WARNER: Obama is coming?
On the other side of Kayole slum is Obama restaurant, owned by a Mr. Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: His phone is off.
WARNER: Obama's cellphone is off. This is terrible.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Right.
WARNER: The restaurant is a one-room cave of cinderblock and corrugated tin, held up by tree branches. The owner, Augustine Obama, is one Kenyan who does not claim a relation to the president. He named this restaurant after himself. He echoes a common refrain - that although America gave $660 million to Kenya last year, he does not see it. It was siphoned off, he says, by corrupt politicians.
Obama to Obama, what would your advice be?
AUGUSTINE OBAMA: Yes, Barack Obama can just press; put more pressure on Kenyan leaders so that we can expand because what we lack, in Kenya, is leadership.
WARNER: He says he never expected President Obama to usher in more aid for Kenya. He just hoped he would have interceded in how that money gets distributed.
GODFREY MWAMPEMWA: A lot was expected of him, but little was delivered.
WARNER: Godfrey Mwampemwa, who publishes under the name Gado, is an editorial cartoonist and Nairobi media entrepreneur. He spends much of his creative energy exposing corruption. He says there's a lot of dissatisfaction here, with the old Western foreign aid model.
MWAMPEMWA: Something has always been expected from the American president. I don't think that will change anytime soon. What will change is what, exactly, is expected. That is really - is shifting; not necessarily aid, but more trade with Africa.
WARNER: Gado's fifth-floor office overlooks Nairobi's bustling business district. It offers a good view of just how much has changed here. In the last four years, while America struggled through a financial crisis, Africa's economy grew by an average 5 to 6 percent a year. And China eclipsed the U.S. as Africa's biggest trading partner, constructing highways and big energy projects that Gado says are highly visible to the average Kenyan.
MWAMPEMWA: That, in itself, opened up what Africa can do with other superpowers.
WARNER: He does not care if President Obama decides to visit Kenya this time around. What he wants, he says, is for America to be more visible here, a more meaningful partner.
Gregory Warner, NPR News, Nairobi. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
By Orest Deychakiwsky, CSCE Staff Advisor
United States Helsinki Commission staff observed the March 31, 2002 parliamentary elections in Ukraine as part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly contingent of the OSCE-led International Election Observation Mission (IEOM). Half of the deputies to the 450-member parliament were elected from party lists and the other half from single-mandate districts. Six parties passed the 4 percent threshold necessary to be seated in the party list vote, with reformist former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc winning the most votes. In the single-mandate district voting, the pro-presidential For United Ukraine bloc obtained the largest number of seats.
Both the OSCE and the U.S. State Department concluded that the March 31 elections indicated progress over the 1998 elections, but "important flaws persist." In its April 1 press conference in Kyiv, the IEOM declined to prepare a final analysis before post-election procedures are concluded, and promised to return to Ukraine within a month to follow up, after watching how election authorities and the judiciary perform while tabulating and publishing results and adjudicating disputes.
Positive elements cited included a new Election Law that took into account OSCE/ODIHR recommendations from previous elections; improvements in the mechanism to address election disputes, with clearer complaint and appeals procedures; multi-party commissions; the engagement of civil society in the electoral process; and greater access by candidates and parties to the media through TV debates, free air time and paid advertising.
On the negative side, media coverage was biased and state-funded television gave disproportionate coverage to pro-presidential candidates. Other problem areas included abuses of state resources in the election campaign, interference by local authorities, and a campaign sullied by the murders of two candidates, and other isolated instances of violence, including one just a few days before the elections.
Compared to previous elections, the level of pressure by government officials and workers to campaign in support of the main pro-presidential party, including direct pressure on individuals to vote for specific candidates, had significantly increased. The abuse of state resources created an uneven playing field and the main beneficiary of such violations was the pro-presidential bloc For a United Ukraine.
Despite these advantages, pro-presidential parties did not do all that well in the party-list vote, and several did not even surpass the four percent threshold required for inclusion in the Verkhovna Rada (parliament). Furthermore, the two opposition parties garnered more votes than expected, securing for themselves seats in the new parliament.
According to the IEOM, there were also shortcomings in the implementation of the legal framework, including uneven enforcement of provisions on violations of electoral rights, the lack of deadlines, and clear definitions regarding candidate de-registration and campaigning. According to the OSCE experts, these weaknesses derived from the inability of the Rada and the President to agree on amendments to the Administrative Code, so, in effect some of the positive provisions of the Election Law could not be enforced.
Another problem was the lack of reliable voter lists – outdated information, including voters who had moved to other districts, left the country, or are deceased – and the widespread practice of issuing absentee ballots to voters unrelated to their place of residence. Voter lists may be amended up until election day; however, voters cannot be included in the registers of their place of residence on election day without a judicial decision. Voters were added to registers and allowed to vote – without the required court order– in about one third of polling stations visited by international observers.
Voting day
During the polling on voting day, the most serious problems were violations of the secrecy of the vote and voters added to registers in apparent contravention of the law.
OSCE staff observed the elections in Lviv oblast in western Ukraine. Most polling stations visited by Commission staff were run efficiently, in a calm atmosphere, and commission members seemed hard-working and dedicated. Furthermore, there were numerous party, candidate and domestic observers.
In a minority of polling stations staff witnessed incompetence, chaos, overcrowding, inadequate facilities – usually premises that were much too small and had an inadequate number of voting booths. Overcrowding was responsible for the violation most frequently observed – voting outside of booths – but there appeared to be no element of intimidation here. Instead, voters simply did not feel like waiting in long lines. According to the non-partisan domestic observer group Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), 15 % of voters were unable to vote due to overcrowding or poor facilities. Also, CVU estimated that one third of precincts were not able to conduct the elections in an organized manner.
Despite the uneven playing field and violations with respect to the vote tabulations in a number of single-mandate constituencies, generally, the elections reflected the will of the voters. The actual results did not differ significantly from the results of several exit polls.
Results and What Next
The results indicate a country divided into three broad political orientations. Our Ukraine, the center-right, pro-reform, pro-Western coalition headed by Yushchenko, took the most seats in the party-list vote.
The Communists garnered 20 percent of the party-list vote, clearly indicating their continued downward trend with each passing election. For the first time since Ukraine became independent in 1991, they will not constitute the largest political grouping in the Rada. In third place in the party-list vote was the pro-presidential For a United Ukraine, which had benefitted the most from the authorities' abuses of state resources in the campaign. This bloc, however, had a strong showing in the single-mandate district voting, and will almost certainly end up with the largest number of overall deputies, especially as their numbers will be expanded with those who ran as "independents."
No one political grouping will have a viable majority in parliament; hence, will need to make concessions with other groupings to act. The pro-presidential For a United Ukraine may be compelled to team up with Yushchenko's Our Ukraine to form a government and pass pro-reform legislative initiatives. With this kind of political configuration, shifting alliances may be more likely than any kind of solid coalition. As a result, cautious moves towards economic and political reform rather than sweeping changes are more likely. Nevertheless, judging by the results, the Ukrainian people are increasingly endorsing a pro-European, pro-market, pro-democratic orientation.


text:
"Very Happy Customer"
Very happy with the service, the driver was very professional
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- Tim Hine
"Knowledgeable & Polite"
The service person was polite and knowledgeable. He came early and was finished pretty quickly. will definitely call them in the future.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- Angie's List "A" Review
"I called SSS and within 45 minutes the truck was in my driveway!"
I had a back up situation that was not good. I called SSS and within 45 minutes the truck was in my driveway. The service tech Chuck was absolutely outstanding, he had me up and running within minutes. Very fast and dependable service . Highly recommended!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
- Robert
06010 Grease Trap Cleaning - Call 860-267-6102
Grease trap cleaning in Bristol Connecticut
We offer services for both inside and outside grease traps in Bristol, Connecticut. Grease Traps can be a major problem for restaurants and other food processing establishments when they are not pumped and cleaned on a regular basis. With an automatic frequency of cleaning and maintaining your grease trap, Suburban Sanitation Service will make sure that this is not a problem for your business.
For Grease Trap Cleaning service in Bristol, please contact our office at 860-267-6102 for assitance with grease trap services.
We have the capability to service multi level buildings with our state-of-the-art equipment. Units are self-contained and fit in any elevator. Noise is minimal and odor is almost unnoticeable allowing us to clean during normal business hours. We are also capable of accommodating any hours that you would like us to be there.
Grease Traps are very important to a kitchen's wastewater drainage system. Wastewater from garbage disposals, sinks, and floor drains contains various amounts of grease and oils. The greasy waste passes through drainpipes that lead to the grease trap. The job of the trap is to slow the flow of water and allow the grease to cool. Once the grease is cooled it rises to the top of the trap because it is lighter than water. A large percent of the grease and oils are then contained or "trapped" in the grease trap. Both inside and outside grease traps cleanings should be scheduled regularly to:
Warning Signs of Problems:


text:
The May 2010 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Cat of "Little Miss Cupcake". Cat challenged everyone to make a "Piece Montée", or "Croquembouche", based on recipes from Peter Kump's Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.
Well, to tell you the truth, for this very challenge I was not the least stressed by the work that was awaiting nor apprehensive about the idea of putting together a "Pièce Montée" because making choux pastry (remember my DB post about "Chocolate Éclairs"), pastry cream or caramel was nothing new to me. Most Daring Bakers members have already made one or the other during the course of the last months.
I thought to myself "Finely, this recipe is not going to cause any trouble". Well, as incredible as it might seem, I did come across a very annoying problem while making my cream puff shells. My first batch was a total flop. The cream puff shells looked so sad and were flat like omelets. this made me slightly panick and question my capacities as a baker. it was one of those moments when you lose all self-confidence and blame yourself for the bad results. I mean, boy were they fugly and totally unusable!
After doing a little research, I realized that if they had this saggy shape it was due to the fact that the pastry was far too wet. So, for my second attempt at making cream puff shells I decided to use smaller eggs (53g instead of 63g), thus incorporating less liquid to the choux pastry. My second batch was just perfect. The cream puff shells came out all puffy and looked very pretty. Phew!
The cream puffs shells rose beautifully, were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They tasted of butter and reminded me of popovers. As I wanted to give a summery flavor to my cream puffs, I chose to make lemon pastry cream. Needless to say that the pastry cream was delightfully fresh and irresistibly silky smooth. In order to stick the cream puffs together, I opted for the caramel glaze wich added a layer of oomph to the whole dessert and gave a dramatic look to the pièce montée.
I wish to thanks Cat for having chosen that awesome treat and for giving me the opportunity to prove to myself that I have the skills to put together such a festive dessert. I will certainly make this goodie very soon again!
• Several baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• A whisk
• A pastry brush (for the egg wash)
• A pastry bag and tip (a plain tip or no tip is best for piping the puff pastry; you can use a plain or star tip to fill the puff pastry with the cream)
• A flat surface such as a baking sheet or cake board/stand on which to assemble your piece montée
• Some of the items you may want to use to decorate your piece montée include ribbons, Jordan almonds, fresh flowers, sugar cookie cut-outs, chocolates, etc.
1 Cup (225ml) Whole milk
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
6 Tbsp (100g) Sugar
1 Large egg
2 Large egg yolks
2 Tbsp (30G) Unsalted butter
1 Tsp Natural vanilla extract
3/4 Tsp Pure lemon extract
1. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.
2. Beat the whole egg, then the yolks into the cornstarch mixture.
3. Pour 1/3 of boiling milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not begin to cook.
4. Return the remaining milk to boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, continuing whisking. Continue whisking (this is important – you do not want the eggs to solidify/cook) until the cream thickens and comes to a boil.
5. Remove from heat and beat in the butter and vanilla. Pour cream into a stainless steel/ceramic bowl. Press plastic wrap firmly against the surface.
6. Chill immediately and until ready to use.
For Chocolate Pastry Cream:
Bring 1/4 cup (about 50 cl.) milk to a boil in a small pan; remove from heat and add in 3 ounces (about 80 g.) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, and mix until smooth. Whisk into pastry cream when you add the butter and vanilla.
For Coffee Pastry Cream:
Dissolve 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder in 1 ½ teaspoons boiling water. Whisk into pastry cream with butter and vanilla.
Yields about 28.
3/4 Cup (175ml) Water
6 Tbsp (85g) Unsalted butter
1/4 Tsp Sea salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Cup (125g) All-purpose flour
4 Large eggs (~53g)
1 Egg & A pinch of salt (for egg wash)
1. Pre-heat oven to 220◦C (425° F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally.
3. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.
4. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
5. Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.
6. Add 1 egg (The batter will appear loose and shiny). As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. It is at this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs.
7. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I piped directly from the bag opening without a tip). Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets (Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide). Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.
8. Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with pinch of salt).
9. Bake the choux at 220◦C (425° F) until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.
10. Lower the temperature to 180◦ C (350° F) and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more.
11. Remove to a rack and cool.
They can be stored in a airtight box overnight.
1. When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet (Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze).
1 Cup (225g) Sugar
1/2 Tsp Lemon juice
1. Combine sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan with a metal kitchen spoon stirring until the sugar resembles wet sand.
2. Place on medium heat; heat without stirring until sugar starts to melt around the sides of the pan and the center begins to smoke.
3. Begin to stir sugar. Continue heating, stirring occasionally until the sugar is a clear, amber color.
4. Remove from heat immediately; place bottom of pan in ice water to stop the cooking. Use immediately.
You may want to lay out your unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert.
For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer.
Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.
1. Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze (careful it may be still hot!), and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet.
2. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up. (You may want to use toothpicks to hold them in place).
3. When you have finished the design of your piece montée, you may drizzle with remaining glaze or use ribbons, sugar cookie cut-outs, almonds, flowers, etc. to decorate.
Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!
C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur le blog mentionné ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.
Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)
Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada)


text:
Remarks from witnesses called for the Congressional hearing over the Benghazi attacks last month seem to indicate that there was no mass protest against "Innocence of Muslims" concurrent with the attacks. In the NYT:
[T]he new account provided by the State Department made no mention of a protest. In this account, Mr. Stevens met with a Turkish diplomat during the day of the attack and then escorted him to the main gate of the mission around 8:30 p.m. At that time, there were no demonstrations and the situation appeared calm.
Congressional Republicans quickly seized on the fact that the State Department downgraded security in Benghazi despite the ratcheting up of warnings about the security threat to US nationals in the country ahead of 9/11/12 (Democrats struck back that it was Congressional Republicans who cut funding for such security in the first place).
Beyond these Beltway-minded hearings, though, that will focus on (and politicize) these failures, the Libyan response to the attacks gives me more hope, rather than less, that the country is at the very least capable of confronting the militias in the long run. What is still of great concern is where the country will go next now that tensions over the militias are back to the fore, and the US enters an election year with a bone to pick over the North African nation.
A more detailed (and official) presentation of the events of that day has now emerged from testimony delivered by Charlene Lamb, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Programs, Bureau of Diplomatic Security:
The attack began at approximately 9:40 pm local time. Diplomatic Security agents inside the compound heard loud voices outside the walls, followed by gunfire and an explosion. Dozens of attackers then launched a full-scale assault that was unprecedented in its size and intensity. They forced their way through the pedestrian gate, and used diesel fuel to set fire to the Libyan 17th February Brigade members' barracks, and then proceeded towards the main building.
At the same time, attackers swept across the compound …. At 11pm, members of the Libyan 17th February Brigade advised they could no longer hold the area around the main building and insisted on evacuating the site.
…. They took heavy fire as they pulled away from the main building and on the street outside the compound.
…. In the early morning, an additional security team arrived from Tripoli and proceeded to the annex. Shortly after they arrived, the annex started taking mortar fire, with as many as three direct hits on the compound. It was during this mortar attack that Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed and a Diplomatic Security agent and an annex quick reaction security team member were critically wounded.
A large number of Libyan government security officers subsequently arrived in more than 50 vehicles and escorted the remaining Americans to the airport. While still at the airport, we were able to confirm reports that the Ambassador's body was at the Benghazi General Hospital.
Witnesses also told Congress that they had felt in the months prior to the attack that the new Libyan government did not have the capability to protect the consulate or confront the "al Qaeda" presence in the country.
The biggest headache for the White House has been that contradictory remarks made by Obama Administration officials and the US intelligence community last month about the nature of the attacks have yet to be fully resolved. Arch-neoconservative John Podhoretz implied that the Foreign Service and intelligence community are falling on their swords to protect the White House, which is surely a stretch given the reality of the Administration's simple unpreparedness in light of a disaster like this goes a long way in explaining the muddled responses. But given the way in which information has been leaked/obtained by other news outlets about intelligence community assessments about the attack, it's hard to not come to that conclusion Podhoretz does. Former DCIA (and current Romney advisor) Michael Hayden certainly feels this way as well, taking a defensive tone in a CNN editorial criticizing the White House.
I think what we will end up seeing, though, is that Obama Administration just failed to gauge the warnings it was receiving. Libya simply does not seem to have been prioritized despite the warnings; it was the success story, things were under control, the peripheral MENA theater compared to Syria or Egypt, and even Yemen.
Anti-interventionists in Congress reiterated their opposition to the whole Libyan issue by noting that NATO intervention gave Islamists breathing room. One such Islamist is Abd al Hakim Bilhaj, who has an instructive interview on his countrymen's views of the attacks circulating in the UK Arabic press.
Before his rise to prominence in the Tripolitanian Military Council as a leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group was a person of interest to US intelligence because of his anti-Qadhafi AfPak excursions (arrested and extradited to Libya in 2004, he was pardoned by the regime in 2010). Bilhaj, who Al-Watan Party was creamed in the summer elections, recently granted an interview to the UK's Arabic press in which he condemned the attacks specifically, and al Qaeda in general, though ever politic, he did not blame any particular group.
Bilhaj, whose position has weakened greatly the 2012 elections and probably hopes to regain some influence in the new, "tense" atmosphere, is no fool. His reading of the mood in Libya — simmering anger at the militias, limited confidence in the government, an unwillingness to handover weapons "just in case" — shows that while Libya is not coming apart at the seams, it has weathered some truly trying tests better than others since 2011. Some of them have not gone so well, as we've seen with the highly symbolic airport siege, but other tests, such as the summer elections, did not end badly at all (and as Issandr has noted, when we talk about Libyan Islamists were are not generally talking about Salafists, though such men are represented among the militias and new political parties).
The attacks are indeed troubling because they illustrate how organized and professionally competent these Islamist organizations are — and how they have likely infiltrated the government.
But, for starters, the Libyan military did not abandon its posts when asked to defend American lives and property.
And if there were no crowds railing against that stupid Muslim-trolling con-artist film in Benghazi, there certainly were crowds protesting the attacks after the fact. Bear in mind that even in, say, Yemen, where protestors did storm embassy compounds and the US is deeply unpopular for its involvement in the government's counterinsurgency campaign, the anti-American turnout was at most a few hundred people — perhaps a hundred times that number turned out to protest the attacks in Libya in a "Friday of Outrage". The attacks were a final straw for many Libyans already tired of the militias' gunslinging (as was the case in Yemen, and elsewhere).
Perhaps the aftermath of the attacks will serve as a wake-up call for the new Libyan government, which is still reporting clashes in the stronghold of Bani Walid and hasn't gotten the worst of the militias to cease their "polity within a polity" behavior. Problems with the judiciary and police are not going away anytime soon, either. Obviously, Libyans will have a long road to walk, as Borzou Daragahi notes in his latest dispatch for The Financial Times, with the grim subheading of "[o]ptimism born of the July elections has been replaced by uncertainty and fear." It's worth noting that the protests turned violent in some cases and demonstrators clashed with fighters:
The result [of the "Friday of Outrage"] the has been political and economic deadlock in Tripoli as the various political forces battle for control of the direction of the new Libya. No camp wants any other to achieve success. Laws to clarify the role of civil society and private investment have been stuffed into drawers.
…. Islamist militias and their political allies now seethe with anger, feeling betrayed by the nation they defended during the revolution. They are openly mistrustful of the former exiles now dominating the government. They whisper of dark conspiracies by Gaddafi loyalists teaming up with liberal politicians and western powers.
But they are walking it, no one can deny that … except for Fox News, apparently.
While I've been critical of the Libyan government's response to the militias, I've also been critical of the US for thinking that intervention could be carried out from 30,000 feet and everyone goes home in time for happy hour (Libyans not included).
They claimed interventionism, now they'd better act the postwar part of helping the government handle such difficult matters as setting up a judiciary, training a police force and securing loose arms, and that doesn't mean putting dead Navy SEALs in a talking points memo or dispatching a fleet to show that all of a sudden "we mean business."
Whether a less muscle-bound policy in Libya would have somehow prevented this all is going to be debated for years to come. Our track record in the region suggests, though, that more of such policies now, directed at Libya out of a desire to "avenge" our loss of life and face there, are not going to help anyone — except the armed Islamist spoilers Libyans are demonstrating their disdain for.


text:
Tools to Enable a Mobile WorkforceBuilding on the CORE level, we've added File Server Security, Application Whitelisting and Control, Device Control and Web Control to the protection roster. Also included is a Mobile Protection Solution which consists of an endpoint security agent and Mobile Device Management (or MDM). If your needs include protecting a mobile workforce and enforcing IT policy, SELECT might be the right tier for you. |
Product Description
Tools to enable a mobile workforce, ensure IT security policy conformity and block malware.
Kasperskys Select tier includes mobile device deployment and protection via Mobile Device Management (MDM) and mobile anti-malware. Endpoint control tools (web, device and application) help your organisation enforce IT policy, keeping the essential elements of your IT environment secure.
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT has been developed to combine world-class protection technologies and ease of management.
Anti-Malware for Workstations
Across the world, Kaspersky is widely recognised for the effectiveness of its anti-malware technologies. Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT combines our latest signature-based, proactive and cloud-assisted technologies – to deliver superior anti-malware protection for your business.
More frequent updates
Compared with many other vendors, Kaspersky updates its malware database much more frequently – to help ensure you're protected against the very latest threats. In addition, by using pattern-based signatures, Kaspersky improves detection rates – while also reducing the size of the signature updates that your systems receive. By optimising updates, Kaspersky helps to minimise the load placed on your computing resources.
Urgent Detection System (UDS)
Even before a new malware signature can be released, Kaspersky's Urgent Detection System database is updated with information about newly discovered malware – to help deliver even earlier protection against new threats.
System Watcher
When a program is launched on one of your systems, Kaspersky's System Watcher will start analysing the program's behaviour. If suspicious behaviour is detected, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT will block the program and – if any malicious activity has occurred – you can 'roll-back' your system to an earlier state before the problem arose.
Active Disinfection
Working at the lowest levels of an operating system, Kaspersky's Active Disinfection technology neutralises malicious objects.
Deeper levels of protection
Kaspersky's Active Disinfection technology works at the lowest levels of a computer's operating system – to protect against malicious code.
Cloud-assisted protection
Millions of consenting users have 'opted in' to enable the cloud-based Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) to collect information about potential malware and suspicious behaviour on their systems. This enables Kaspersky to provide all customers with a much more rapid response to new threats. According to third-party tests, Kaspersky's response time – assisted by its KSN technology – can be as rapid as 0.02 seconds. Furthermore, this real-time collection of information from the field helps to reduce the occurrence of 'false positives'.
HIPS – Host-based Intrusion Prevention System with Personal Firewall
By controlling your inbound and outbound traffic – according to a choice of parameters, including the individual port, IP address or application – Kaspersky's advanced firewall helps to protect your systems against hacker attacks.
Network Attack Blocker
Kaspersky's Network Attack Blocker can detect and track suspicious activity on your corporate network – and then respond according to preconfigured criteria.
*Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT provides protection for the following platforms: Mac, Linux and Windows – including Windows 8. Not all features are available on all platforms.
Anti-Malware for File Servers
Anti-malware for multi-platform file server environments
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT delivers world-class anti-malware protection for file servers running Windows, Linux, Novell NetWare or FreeBSD. With a powerful antivirus engine – and optimised scanning – it helps you to protect against malware, without any significant impact on the performance of your systems. The application can protect terminal servers – Citrix or Microsoft – and also runs on cluster servers.
Robust protection
If your system malfunctions or is forced to shut down, Kaspersky's anti-malware protection technologies will automatically restart when your system restarts.
Easy to manage – and flexible reporting
User-friendly management tools and simple reporting systems help you to improve security – while spending less time on administration and reporting.
Support for virtualisation
Kaspersky's file server security solution has achieved VMware Ready certification.
view datasheet: Kaspersky Security for File Server: Reliable Protection for Intellectual Property
Mobile Security**
Mobile anti-malware
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT includes powerful mobile security that combines signature-based, proactive and cloud-assisted anti-malware technologies. You can scan every file, application, email attachment and media file – while the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) delivers cloud-assisted technologies to help protect you against new and emerging threats.
Application Control for mobile devices
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT gives you control over which applications are allowed to run on the mobile devices that have access to your corporate network. You can choose a 'default allow' policy that allows all non-blacklisted applications to run, or a 'default deny' policy that prevents all non-whitelisted applications from running. There's also automatic detection of rooting / jailbreak incidents.
To protect your data in the event of any files being illegally accessed, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT includes encryption for mobile devices. File / folder level encryption (FLE) lets you encrypt individual files or folders and, for iOS devices, you can encrypt a whole disk or a partition.
If your business has a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT lets you set up a separate container – within the mobile device – so that corporate data and personal data are held separately. You can set up automatic encryption within the container and also control whether specific applications are able to access various resources within the device.
Mobile anti-theft capabilities
In the event of a device being lost or stolen, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT lets you remotely lock the device, find its approximate location and erase corporate information. If the SIM card in a stolen device is changed, Kaspersky's SIM Watch feature will send you the device's new telephone number – so you can still run all of Kaspersky's remote anti-theft features.
**Only available for mobile platforms specified on the Kaspersky list of supported platforms. Not all features are available for some of the supported mobile platforms.
view datasheet: Kaspersky Security for Mobile
Mobile Device Management***
Extensive management functionality
Granular mobile device management capabilities – that support Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and Apple MDM Server – make it easier for you to deploy and control mobile security. You can customise your mobile security and deliver it to devices over the air or via the user's PC. In addition, you can monitor whether users have completed the security download process – and then prevent unprotected devices from accessing your systems and data.
***Only available for mobile platforms specified on the Kaspersky list of supported platforms. Not all features are available for some of the supported mobile platforms.
view datasheet: Mobile Device Management
Controls (Application, Device, Web)
Application Control
Flexible Application Control features give you granular control over the applications running on your systems:
- Application Monitor – monitors and classifies applications as trusted, restricted or untrusted
- Application Startup Control – lets you grant, block and audit application launches
- Application Privilege Control – regulates an application's access to the file system, registry and other resources
- Choose between a 'Default Allow' policy that only blocks blacklisted applications, or a 'Default Deny' policy that only allows whitelisted applications to run
Dynamic Whitelisting
Application Control is supported by Kaspersky's dynamic whitelisting service – whereby Kaspersky assesses the security status of common applications, in order to make sure they are safe for use. Currently, Kaspersky is the only company that has its own Whitelist Lab. The lab is responsible for monitoring all whitelist processes and constantly updating the whitelist database with details on legitimate applications.
Because Kaspersky delivers whitelist updates to you via the cloud – using the Kaspersky Security Network – you can benefit from the very latest whitelist information.
Device Control
Because users can easily attach devices to your systems, you need to ensure that only authorised devices are used for authorised processes. Kaspersky's Device Control features enable you to:
- Control device access privileges – according to bus, type of device or a device's serial number – to reduce the risk of data loss or the introduction of malware infections from unauthorised devices
- Set the times for controls to take effect – to help ensure your users can be productive during working hours and your 'data in motion' policies are adhered to
Web Control
Kaspersky's Web Control capabilities make it easy to monitor and filter a user's web browser activity – by category, content or type of data. You can permit, prohibit, limit or audit users' activities on specified websites or categories of sites – including social networks, online games sites and gambling websites – in order to help maintain productivity and ensure inappropriate or infected sites are not accessed from the corporate network.
view datasheet: Kaspersky Controls (Web, Device, Application)
Unified Management Console
Every feature within Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT can be managed and controlled from one easy-to-use, centralised management console – Kaspersky Security Center. So you've got a single, intuitive-to-use console that enables granular IT security management across your entire IT network.
Kaspersky Security Center also supports virtualised environments. By scanning your network, it can automatically identify virtual host machines and the virtualisation platform that they're running – including VMware and Citrix. Administrators are then able to set policies for their virtual machines.
Deeper protection for your business… its data… and its reputation
Kaspersky's anti-malware technologies deliver multi-layer defences to protect your systems and sensitive business data from today's increasingly sophisticated threats. With a combination of signature-based, proactive and cloud-enabled technologies – plus special features including our Network Attack Blocker and two-way firewall – Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT does more to keep your business secure.
Preventing the spread of malware via shared storage
A single infected file on one of your servers has the potential to affect every computer on your corporate network – and that can severely damage business productivity. Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT includes essential anti-malware for file servers – to protect servers running Microsoft Windows, Linux and Novell NetWare against malware.
Enabling mobile access and secure BYOD
Multi-level mobile security technologies help you to defend your business against the security risks that can result from enabling mobile access to your corporate systems. Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT, can help you to benefit from the cost savings and productivity gains that a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative can deliver – while Kaspersky technologies protect you against viruses, spyware, Trojans, worms, bots and a wide range of other threats.
Saving time and money – by simplifying mobile management
With integrated mobile security and mobile device management (MDM), Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT makes it easier to control how mobile devices access your business systems. As soon as a mobile device appears on your network, it's visible to your administrators – so they can rapidly start managing the device's security and how the device interacts with your systems.
Powerful control tools – to help you enforce your security policies
Kaspersky's Application Control, Device Control and Web Control technologies help to deliver a much deeper level of defence for your data and systems – so your IT team can easily control how applications run and manage how employees use the web and removable devices. Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT helps you to enforce your corporate security policies – across your business and your workforce.
Preconfigured for immediate protection
As soon as Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT is installed on your corporate network, Kaspersky technologies are ready to start protecting your business. Furthermore, because it's supplied complete with Kaspersky's centralised management console – Kaspersky Security Center – it's easy to tailor the configuration of all Kaspersky security technologies your business runs… including any Kaspersky Targeted Security Solutions that you add.
Tailoring your IT security to your requirements
If you need to add further security or management capabilities for your IT environment, Kaspersky's Targeted Security Solutions offer a range of additional technologies that can complement your Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT solution. You can choose to add protection for storage, virtualisation, mail, Internet gateways or collaboration… or wide-ranging systems management functionality.
Applications inside Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business SELECT:
- Kaspersky Security Center (including MDM)
- Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows
- Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Linux
- Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Mac
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Novell NetWare
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Linux File Server
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Windows Server Enterprise Edition
- Kaspersky Security for Mobile
View system requirements for each application by clicking on the item in the application list above.


text:
Main Page
Welcome to Bulbapedia! |
the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia |
Bulbapedia is an encyclopedia about Pokémon to which anyone can contribute. Since its launch in February 2005, it has grown to become one of the largest Pokémon resources on the internet. As part of Bulbagarden, this ever-growing wiki is supported by the Bulbagarden Archives, the Bulbagarden forums and the Bulbagarden Discord. You're welcome to browse for a while, if you wish, or make an account to start editing pages. We have 53,383 articles on a range of Pokémon-related topics. If you have any questions, first see the FAQ page. If this doesn't help, find an active staff member. They'll point you in the right direction. |
Getting started • FAQ • Lend a Hand • Style • Policy • Staff • About Bulbapedia |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||


text:
The body of slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was given an "Islamic burial" and buried at sea amid high secrecy, new emails released by the US Defence Department detailing the procedures of his burial have revealed.
The emails, obtained by The Associated Press news agency through the Freedom of Information Act on Wednesday, are heavily blacked out, but are the first public disclosure of government information about the al-Qaeda leader's death.
Bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011, by a Navy SEAL team that assaulted his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
One email stamped secret and sent on May 2 by a senior Navy officer briefly describes how Bin Laden's body was washed, wrapped in a white sheet, and then placed in a weighted bag.
According to another message from the USS Carl Vinson's public affairs officer, only a small group of the ship's leadership was informed of the burial.
"Traditional procedures for Islamic burial was followed," the May 2 email from Rear Admiral Charles Gaouette reads.
"The deceased's body was washed (ablution) then placed in a white sheet. The body was placed in a weighted bag. A military officer read prepared religious remarks, which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker.
"After the words were complete, the body was placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up, whereupon the deceased's body slid into the sea."
Intense secrecy
The email also included a cryptic reference to the intense secrecy surrounding the mission.
"The paucity of documentary evidence in our possession is a reflection of the emphasis placed on operational security during the execution of this phase of the operation," Gaouette's message reads.
Recipients of the email included Admiral Mike Mullen, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General James Mattis, the top officer at US Central Command. Mullen retired from the military in September 2011.
Earlier, Gaouette, then the deputy commander of the Navy's Fifth Fleet, and another officer used code words to discuss whether the helicopters carrying the SEALS and Bin Laden's body had arrived on the Vinson.
"Any news on the package for us?" he asked Rear Admiral. Samuel Perez, commander of the carrier strike group that included the Vinson.
"FEDEX delivered the package," Perez responded. "Both trucks are safely en route home base."
Although the Obama administration has pledged to be the most transparent in American history, it is keeping a tight hold on materials related to the Bin Laden raid.
In a response to separate requests from the AP for information about the mission, the Defence Department said in March that it could not locate any photographs or video taken during the raid or showing bin Laden's body.
It also said it could not find any images of Bin Laden's body on the Vinson.
The Pentagon also said it could not find any death certificate, autopsy report or results of DNA identification tests for Bin Laden, or any pre-raid materials discussing how the government planned to dispose of Bin Laden's body if he were killed.
The Defence Department also refused to confirm or deny the existence of helicopter maintenance logs and reports about the performance of military gear used in the raid.
One of the stealth helicopters that carried the SEALs to Abbottabad crashed during the mission and its wreckage was left behind.
People who lived near bin Laden's compound took photos of the disabled chopper.
The AP is appealing the Defence Department's decision.
The CIA, which ran the bin Laden raid and has special legal authority to keep information from ever being made public, has not responded to AP's request for records about the mission.


text:
Over half of respondents in 19 countries including the U.S. say they are concerned about their own and society's overreliance on technology; a sentiment closely shared between both prosumers – consumers on the leading edge of technology – and the broader set of consumers according to a Euro RSCG study[i].
This concern is particularly relevant to digital natives (e.g., consumers who have grown up with mobile technology). A Time Inc. study found that digital natives subconsciously move between devices and platforms like TVs, magazines, tablets, smartphones or channels within platforms a whopping 27 times per hour[ii].
To put this in perspective, research from the National Cyber Security Alliance[iii] found kids are spending eight hours of their day – or half their waking hours – online.
If we multiply the daily hours spent online by the frequency in which youth switch between devices or platforms, it means the average older child or teen is switching focus 216 times a day.
It's no wonder that 46 percent of consumers report that their online activity is often distracting, and 30 percent say the internet interferes with their family life.
The always-connected lifestyle is taking a toll
In addition to the frequent feelings of distractions and the interference with family time:
64 percent of consumers in the Euro RSCG study also reported concern about society's fast pace.
56 percent are concerned with technology and information overload; nearly half of respondents say they spend too much time rushing online and not enough time simply enjoying their lives[iv].
56 percent of women and 53 percent of men say they worry that digital communications are weakening human-to-human bonds.
66 percent of women and men report a concern for society's loss of face-to-face interaction.
This concern over the loss of face-to-face time is not just a perception. Thirty-nine percent of Americans spend more time socializing online than in person, according survey results by Badoo in April 2012[v].
The Time study also found that 65 percent of digital natives "take their devices from room to room with them, saying that smartphones are the first thing they reach for when they wake up and when they leave home. Smartphones are also the first device digital natives will think of having close at hand when home, and the first they will turn to if they wake up in the middle of the night."
Yet, 56 percent of prosumers and 51 percent of mainstream consumers say they enjoy deliberately taking breaks from their phones and mobile devices.
Concern over digital technologies is also apparent in respondents' answers regarding the impact of technology with only 47 percent of consumers saying they believe technology will make their lives better, vs. 44 percent who say it's too soon to tell, and 10 percent who are convinced technology will make life worse.
The view from the prosumer side is somewhat more positive with 58 percent of prosumers saying they believe that technology will make life better vs. 34 percent who aren't sure and 7 percent who believe it will make life worse.
How families' digital use impacts their relationships
Do you miss milestones in your kids' lives because you were too focused on your phone rather than on the soccer ball? A New York Times/CBS News poll conducted in May 2010 found that one in seven married respondents said the use of internet-connected devices was causing them to see less of their spouse, and one in ten indicated that technology causes them to spend less time with their children under 18[vi]. The issue has become so commonplace that child development experts have begun to research distracted parenting and the ways in which parents' use of technology affects their children.
Dr. Peggy Kendall, author and associate professor in the Communication Studies Department at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, says, "There are two primary ways that children generally respond to a parent distracted by technology. Some kids choose to act out to force the attention back to them, through physical misbehavior (hitting, biting or kicking) to demand the attention they are lacking.
Others, though, feel ignored, displaced and unworthy of attention each time their parent favors technology over interaction. [They feel] a little less worthy every time their parent takes that call. And you can be sure that when those children grow up, they will do the exact same thing with the people who are important in their lives."
The documented effects of high use of technology among children included a decreased interest in homework and school, resulting in lower grades; higher rates of obesity; diminished capacity for intimacy and face-to-face interaction; lower self-esteem; as well as higher levels of boredom, sadness, aggression and irritability when they are not engaged with technology[vii].
You can manage your own and your family's digital data intake
Begin by evaluating your own technology habits and those of other family members, and look at ways to carve out technology free time. Chances are you're just as bad as your kids when it comes to technology distractions.
Many families already restrict the amount of computer time allowed on school days and weekends or holidays. Consider including restrictions to mobile phone use that aren't directly tied to making calls; be sure to include online gaming and social networking. Another opportunity is to make mealtimes entirely technology free – no calls, texts or other distractions so you as a family can focus on your own conversations.
Provide opportunities for activities like sports, music lessons, dance, face-to-face play time with friends, family activities and games, and reading time to give healthy alternatives to sitting in front of a screen.
Then talk to your kids about keeping a healthy balance between these kinds of activities and online forms of entertainment. Perhaps you make one evening a week a family game night with traditional activities like board games some weeks and online games that the whole family can play together during other weeks.
The needs of each child and family are unique, but if you take some time you'll find what works for yours.
[i] Euro RSCG Worldwide April 2012
[ii] http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120409005536/en/Time-Study-Reveals-%E2%80%9CDigital-Natives%E2%80%9D-Switch-Devices
[iv] According to April 2012 survey results from Gyro, 85% of senior executives in the US and Europe at least occasionally send and receive work-related emails and have business discussions during vacations.
[v] http://corp.badoo.com/entry/press/54/
[vi] "Hooked on Gadgets and Paying a Mental Price" New York Times


text:
Two members of the Princeton University community were honored Jan.
17 for their efforts to continue the journey to achieve Martin Luther
King Jr.'s vision for America.
Robert Durkee, vice president and secretary of the University and a
1969 Princeton graduate, and Dylan Tatz, a junior from New York City,
were presented with the first MLK Day Journey
Awards during ceremonies commemorating King's legacy in
Richardson Auditorium of Alexander Hall.
"In accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, Dr. King declared, 'I have
the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a
day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and
dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits,'" said Princeton
President Shirley M. Tilghman as she introduced the recipients. "The
Martin Luther King Day Journey Award honors members of our faculty,
staff or student body who have actively advanced this dream in their
personal or professional lives."
Members of the University community nominated candidates based on their
support for King's philosophy and teachings and their contributions to
the improvement of civil rights and/or human rights. Preference was
given to candidates who have positively affected the Princeton
University campus and/or community. Members of the MLK Day Committee
judged the nominations, and Tilghman selected the finalists. The award,
which now becomes an annual honor, includes a commemorative plaque.
Durkee was named the first recipient of the Journey Award for
Lifetime Service and also received an engraved wristwatch. "For Bob,
diversity is a fundamental and intrinsic feature of Princeton, not a
fashionable catchword," Tilghman said in presenting the award. "He has
done as much as anyone I know to create conditions in which men and
women of color can feel at home at every level and in every sector of
our University community."
Durkee's advocacy for improving race relations can be traced to his
student days, when he wrote an award-winning article, "The Negro at
Princeton," for The Daily Princetonian. This study of the black
experience on what was then an overwhelmingly white campus offered a
realistic portrait of the complications of race relations.
After graduating from Princeton, Durkee taught fifth and sixth grades
for three years in the Trenton, N.J., public schools and earned a
master of arts in teaching degree from Montclair State University. In
1972, he returned to work at Princeton, serving first as assistant to
the president. He was named vice president for public affairs in 1978
and to his present post in 2004.
Durkee was the founding chair of the University's Martin Luther King
Day Committee, which sponsors the annual observance on campus, and he
has been a driving force behind the Princeton Prize in Race Relations,
which recognizes high school students who have worked "to increase
understanding and mutual respect among all races." He also has been an
active member of the Washington, D.C.-based Fair Labor Association,
which promotes humane and just conditions in the workplace, both at
home and overseas.
Tatz was selected as the first recipient of the Journey Award for
Special Achievement. Calling him "a true builder of bridges on our
campus," Tilghman said that Tatz "has a deep commitment to interracial
and intercultural understanding, as well as the vision and
determination to bring estranged communities together in a search for
common ground."
As a founder and chair of the Princeton Committee on Prejudice, Tatz
spearheaded an effort to organize a week-long conference in March 2004
on African-American and Jewish-American relations. The event was
modeled after King's historic partnership with Jewish-Americans and
their common struggle for civil rights. It attracted distinguished
scholars, hundreds of participants and more than a dozen sponsors.
Tatz, a graduate of Stuyvesant High School, is a religion major
pursuing certificates in Judaic studies and European cultural studies.
He works as a programming assistant at the Center for Jewish Life,
plays baritone saxophone in the marching band and is a freelance


text:
Port & Company® - Essential Fleece Crewneck Sweatshirt
Regular price
Regular price
Sale price
Unit price
Nothing is better for relaxing than our 9-ounce favorite at a budget-friendly price.|
- 9-ounce, 50/50 cotton/poly fleece
- Air jet yarn for softness
Due to the nature of 50/50 cotton/polyester neon fabrics, special care must be taken throughout the printing process.
Production Time
All orders are decorated on demand and ship in approximately 15 business days.
Transit time is additional and varies by location.


text:
Mời bạn tham khảo nếu có nhu cầu: trung tâm kế toán hà nội uy dich vu ke toan thue,dịch vụ làm báo cáo tài chính tín trung tâm đào tạo kế toán hà nội gia học kế toán tổng hợp re dịch vụ quyết toán thuế u công ty dịch vụ kế toán trungtamdaotaokthn https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv-...AmH7JH68l0x2ow
John PLEASE delete these 2 accounts immediately. They are killing the site: drolux, drcamila
John, some messages i've sent don't show up in the sent items in the mailbox and I'm unsure if the recipient got the message when sending a private message. Just so you know.
John. I need toi speak to you on the void please. Today.
John, what do you guys do if some member starts trying to use this site as a platform to spew forth their religious or political philosophy, or use it as some forum to hawk handbags and garments, none of which have a thing to do with tennis. The site seems to be slammed with them this morning.
I miss Coach.. is he coming back?
Senior Member
New Member
Probationary Member


text:
George (Karslidis) of Drama
Our righteous father George (Karslidis) the New Confessor of Drama (π. Γεώργιος Καρσλίδης ) was born in Argyroupolis, Pontos in 1901 of pious parents, Savva Karslides and Sophia. At baptism he received the name Athanasius. He is known to have been in Georgia, Armenia, and Russia before spending most of his life in the village of Sipsa (now identified as Taxiarches) in Drama of Northern Greece. He established a small monastery there and slept in the Lord November 4, 1959. He was glorified by the Patriarchate of Constantinople on November 2, 2008 at the Monastery of the Ascension in Sipsa. The elder was well known for his miracles and prophecies. The church commemorates his memory November 4. He is one of few saints known to bear an imprint of the sign of the cross on his skull.
While still being an infant, he was left orphaned and his grandparents looked after him and his two siblings; a brother and a sister. His brother did not treat him very well. Noticing that this was a problem his grandparents gave him to a Turkish family to look after him at an early age. When he was seven years old, his grandmother, being a devout Christian, took him on a pilgrimage to an ancient and famous monastery in the Pontos area; the Panagia Soumela.
In 1930, he permanently settled in the village of Sipsa in Drama, where he had quite a few acquaintances such as his first cousin, Elder Gregory Kiourtsides. He did not have much of an estate bringing only a few previous items; a few ecclesiastical books, priestly vestments, icons and a portion of the relics of his sister Anna.
In 1936, the Elder went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He visited many monasteries and also visited the Jordan River. At one of the hermitages near the Monastery of St. Savva he met in a wondrous way an ascetic who was his uncle. God enlightened the ascetic and revealed to him that the young clergyman passing by was his nephew.
In 1938, the Ministry of Agriculture granted four stremmata of land to the Elder. With the assistance of the villagers he built a little church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Theotokos. With the ever present help of the inhabitants, the construction of the monastery took place in the following year until eventually the consecration of the monastery church took place September 14, 1939.
In 1941, the Bulgarians captured the elder and led him to be butchered. He followed without protest and when they arrived at the place, he prayed and with calmness asked them to proceed with their work. They abandoned him out of fear and ran away.
- "If you pray without giving alms, your prayer is dead. Your hands should always be open. Give alms to orphans and widows. Alms and prayers go together."
- "Strive to intensify your faith, and during the Divine Liturgy be undistracted and attached to the celebration of the service so that you might be granted to behold the majesties of God."
- "Neither should wealth impress you, nor honor, but always walk justly. Eat your bread with your honorable sweat and not through unjust means. The things you gain honorably, do not squander aimlessly. Live honorably and humbly, and as much as possible extend your hands in charity.... Knock on the doors of the poor, the sick, the orphans. You should prefer the homes of the afflicted to the homes of the joyous. If you do good works, you will have a great reward from God."
- "Love all your fellow men, even your enemies. This is the most basic thing. Always love not only those who love us, but also those who hate us. Let us forgive them and love them all even if they have done us the greatest evil; then we are truly children of God. Then our own sins are also forgiven...Always preach love. This is the most basic law of God: love and love alone."
- "God cares for everyone. Despair is in effect a lack of faith."
- "The Panagia does not want big candles, she wants charity shown to the poor."
See also
Further Reading
In English
- The Blessed Elder George Karslides (1901-1959) by Monk Moses the Athonite. Published by Orthodox Kypseli Publications. See excerpts from this website: 1
- Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit: The Lives and Counsels of Contemporary Elders of Greece, by Herman A. Middleton. Published by Protecting Veil Press 2003.
In Greek
- Μονάχος Μωϋσής Αγιορείτης «ο μακάριος Γέροντας Γεώργιος Καρσλίδης, 1901 - 1959» (Official and original biography)
- Γ.Κ. Χατζοπούλου «Ο ΠΡΟΦΗΤΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΑΥΜΑΤΟΥΡΓΟΣ ΟΣΙΟΣ ΠΑΤΗΡ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ ΚΑΡΣΛΙΔΗΣ» των εκδόσεων «ΝΑΜΑ».
External links
In English
In Greek
- Holy Metropolis of Drama Official Article on Elder George and the Monastery in Sipses (in Greek)
- November 3, 2008 - Official Announcement by Church of Greece
- November 1, 2008 - Official homily of His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew at the Vespers of St. George the New in Drama (in Greek)
- November 1, 2008 - BlogSpot dedication to the Saint - includes a Video from TV4E of the Vespers.
- November 2, 2008 - BlogSpot dedication to the Saint
WikiSuite of Resources
Categories > Church History
Categories > Church History
Categories > Church History
Categories > Church History
Categories > Liturgics > Feasts
Categories > Liturgics > Feasts
Categories > Liturgics > Feasts
Categories > Liturgics > Feasts
Categories > People > Saints
Categories > People > Saints > Greek Saints
Categories > People > Saints > Modern Saints
Categories > People > Saints > Saints by century > 20th-century saints


text:
Remember how yesterday I wrote about the World Naked Bike Ride in Portland? Well, I sure do, because my eyeballs still sting from the Brillo pads. Now it looks like I should have blinded myself altogether*, because evidently the whole freeballin' and mammary-swaying debacle is coming to my own city this Friday, floppy dongs and all:
Here's the checklist, from which "pants" are conspicuously absent:
Great, I'll be sure to bring my suitcase of courage and my tube of anti-fungal cream.
*[Just kidding, this might as well be happening on Mars, because there's virtually no chance that the ride will come anywhere near where I live, which is precisely why I moved here.]
Of course, just because you're not wearing pants doesn't mean you shouldn't be safe, and while nothing spoils the clean lines of your birthday suit like a helment, that doesn't mean you can't fit your bike with some vibriSee luminescent bike whiskers:
I can't imagine anybody would choose these things over a blinky light for normal city riding, but I am sure they will be a huge hit at Burning Man.
As for the "biomimicry" approach, this is nothing new in the world of cycling. Turning yourself into a giant sea anemone may seem clever at first, but cyclists have been engaging in biomimicry for years. We use it to spot predators and to eat from tree canopies:
We use it to relax:
And we even use it to conserve energy:
Speaking of biomimicry, yesterday I had to go to Brooklyn for the day, and because it looked like maybe possibly it might rain a just little tiny bit I emulated the woosus domesticus by leaving the bike at home and taking the subway.
Anyway, I did what I had to do, and seven hours later my tattoo was finished and it was time to leave Brooklyn:
What's more, it wasn't raining, and there I was sitting on a bumper crop of fitness after a full weekend of mountain bicycle cycling with snappy legs and a stinging Hawkeye Pierce on my bicep. So instead of simply getting on the subway and going home, I decided to borrow a Citi Bike and seek out reverse Cat 6 glory upon the Manhattan Bridge and then simply get on a subway and go home.
Selecting a suitable machine, I deftly adjusted the saddle to my preferred height. However, the dock would not relinquish the bike, so I selected another machine, deftly adjusted that saddle to my preferred height, waited for the little light to turn green, and off I went.
I knew this was going to be a hard day of racing as soon as I mounted the bridge, because the riders were coming off the Brooklyn side at blistering speed:
Of course, I was going the other way, which meant I wasn't really racing against these people. Instead, I was technically competing against the small handful of riders going into Manhattan in the evening, which in the world of Cat 6 racing is considered "sandbagging."
By the way, I've been noticing that bicycle helments have taken a great many steps backward in recent years. First they were bulbous and poorly vented and difficult to adjust, then they got sleeker and cooler and more comfortable, and by the early 21st century you could put on a racing helment and forget your were even wearing the thing. You'd think this would make people happy, but instead helments are reverting, and suddenly everyone wants to ride around in DayGlo hard hats:
Though I admit the safety orange helment would look pretty good with this cargo bike:
Had I been on my Big Dummy I would have considered him a rival. However, today I was racing as a stagiaire in the Citi Bike category--which, judging from the large number of Citi Bikes I saw, is by far the fastest-growing subcategory in the sport of Cat 6 racing:
See, look at the bikes in the above photo. If you're racing in the Open Cat 6 category you're competing against riders on all different sorts of bicycles: fixies, folding bikes, hybrids, recumbents... This means some riders are at an unfair advantage. However, in the Citi Bike category, the equipment is totally standardized, and so it's a much more level playing field. In this sense, it's sort of the keirin of Cat 6 racing, only without the rampant corruption.
Clearly I'm not the only rider who feels this way, because Team Citi Bike was out in force:
Sure, at first glance we may not appear to be "hardcore," but we've got matching team bikes, corporate sponsorship, and a fleet of mechanics who ride around the city in team vehicles performing all our maintenance for us. Can your amateur racing team boast all of those things?
I didn't think so.
Speaking of being professional, remember when people on the Internet used to write "PRO" in all-caps so that the rest of us would know that they were idiots? Well, in the Citi Bike category we don't say someone we admire is "PRO." Instead, we say they're "CITI-PRO," and there are two types: one is the "put-on-special-clothes-just-to-ride-a-Citi-Bike CITI-PRO:"
There are even also some riders who try so hard to be CITI-PRO that they put on a shirt and tie before riding a Citi Bike, even though they don't have jobs. We call these riders FAKENDRONES.
But you don't have to be CITI-PRO to get out of the saddle and crush a climb on "your" Citi Bike:
The purple shirt is optional.
Anyway, as I got closer to the Manhattan side, I began to realize that the Citi Bike riders I'd already seen were merely going for the stage win, but there was a much more serious race going on behind among the four General Classification contenders:
By the way, the rider in the third position looked familiar, and as I got closer I realized he was indeed none other than Lance Armstrong, off the pace of the two leaders but putting a serious gap between his opponent and himself:
Hey, when you're banned for life by WADA you gotta take your races where you can get them--sort of like this fixie rider launching a devastating attack on a Team Citi Bike rider:
As for my own race, it was going all pear-shaped, for my Citi Bike refused to stay in the big gear (or, as we Team Citi Bike riders call it, "3"):
This meant that any time I attempted to deliver my massive power to the rear wheel of my Citi Bike with my dorky old man shoes, the bike would pop out of gear and immediately negate my efforts:
Though this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, since I'm trying to peak for the big Cat 6 race this Friday evening and my coach doesn't want me making any hard efforts before then.
By the way, Cat 6-ing on a Citi Bike might be the ultimate confirmation of my status as a washed-up fuddy-duddy, but who says bicycles sponsored by banks aren't punk rock?
Okay, they might not be quite as punk rock as the Crass composting toilet share program, but then again what is?
Anyway, as I approached the Manhattan side the Brooklyn-bound race was really heating up, with Team Citi Bike riders giving the rest of the field a massive lead-out:
Here are no fewer than two Citi Bike riders driving a relentless pace:
Yep, they dropped him like an iPhone drops an important call:
Though the riders behind him have no sympathy:
As for me, unable to get on top of by big gear on the downhill, I was first passed by Pannier Guy:
And then by Extremely Low-Slung Bag Guy:
Indeed, this was some of the most intense Cat6 racing action I've ever experienced, and the only rider on the bridge who wasn't Cat 6-ing was this guy:
Finally, I arrived in Manhattan:
Where riders continued to attack the bridge, both on Citi Bikes:
And on not-Citi Bikes:
I was also shoaled by the Amazing Technicolor Cyclist:
Who, with that psychedelic mining helment, looked like he was about to take a Jules Vernian journey to the bottom of Wavy Gravy's laundry hamper:
As for me, I rode for a little while longer to cool down, and then I took a more prosaic journey 20,000 millimeters under the street, boarded a subway, and went home.
Look for me at a Citi Bike station near you, practicing my undocking technique.


text:
The contents of all pages are searched to find links to the current page. The BackLinks function also answers the question: "Which pages contain the title of this page?".
6 pages link to BackLinks:
Such a list can be embedded on any page by using the BackLinks WikiPlugin. It accepts the following parameters:
6 pages link to BackLinks:
lib/WikiPlugin.php (In template 'body' < 'html'):236: Notice: trailing cruft in plugin args: 'page'