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IP SLA Monitor Example for Fail-over Survivability of ISP .
That post will contain a similar configuration example to the following that uses the ip sla monitor configuration to accomplish the same task of redundancy/failover of an ISP link. Also similar to this post is that the primary interface or ISP for a custom application is a T! and the redundant or failover ISP is a DSL.
Configure ASA to allow traceroute responses
Below is a configuration example for IS SLA (no monitor in the command line interface):
Cisco IP SLA example configuration (not IP SLA MONITOR) also uses a track list and boolean operator condition. This was a working configuration so the IP addresses have been modified . The remote office this configuraiton was used for has a T1 connection to the internet (a "legacy" T1) and a DSL directly attached to the router. The interface for the T1 was 0/3/0:0.1 and the DSL was GigabitEthernet 0/1. they wanted a custome application to use the T1 exclusively but in case there was a T1 internet access failure, they wanted to ustilize the DSl as a failover. The custom application was cirtical to the business. The idea was simple, if the T1 fails, use the DSL for the custom applciation to connect to an online database source and server. There are some other mitigating factores that made this IP SLA configuration a little more challenging but I will not go into it at this time. It is not relevent actually to the commands used. The relevance came in to play in regards to what interfaces were to be used for sourcing the icmp ping used in the ip sla monitor. It is also the reaso nthe line-code tracker in combination with the bollean operator and track list.
There are two tracker objects in a tracker list. The list uses a boolean AND,
track 10 ip sla 20 reachability --> a ping to a target ip address for which there is ONLY a single static route to use the T1
track 11 interface Serial0/1/0:0 line-protocol --> Interface status
track 20 list boolean and --> boolean AND, two both conditions have to be met , almost seems redundant but TAC did this on another remote office router
object 10 --> tracker 10 shown above
object 11 --> tracker 11 shown above
ip route 188.8.131.52 255.255.255.255 192.168.1.11 track 20 --> tracked main route
ip route 188.8.131.52 255.255.255.255 192.168.1.1 100 --> alternate route is used if T1 is down
ip sla 20 --> referenced in tracker 10
type echo protocol ipIcmpEcho 188.8.131.52 source-interface GigabitEthernet0/0 --> had to use the interface as source, using the ip address did not work. This is the "inside" interface . Yes, I know "inside" is more (another
bug, perhaps) , there is a static route that says anny traffic for 188.8.131.52 use the T1 interface. so if there is a problem with the T1 the pings will time out.
timeout 1000 --> max ping reply time allowed in milliseconds
threshold 2
tag 20
frequency 5 --> status is checked every five seconds
ip sla monitor schedule 20 life forever start-time now --> scheduler for monitor 20
Cisco IP SLA Example for ISP failover
Some Cisco routers have IP SLA without the command option of monitor and other Cisco routers have IP SLA MONITOR. The configurations vary slightly, just enough to throw you off just a little.
Another simple article (or post) on a tech support for computers, servers, and routers blog site. It describes an example of how IP SLA was used for redundancy and how fears of asyncronous routing were dismissed. From what I have seen and found, support for ip sla monitor started at about the 12.3 release of Cisco's IOS for routers. The two connections or paths to a destination or the internet as it is most often used for, don't even have to be directly connected to the router.


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Monday, June 14, 2010
Will Joran Get Away with Murder Again?
22 comments:
- Rose said...
What about the broken neck... was this not accurate info?
Great blog post, well written and easy to read.
- June 14, 2010 at 12:28 AM
- Diane Fanning said...
I'm not certain about the broken neck, Rose. I considered adding it but in the end did not because I found contradictory information regarding it.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the post.
- June 14, 2010 at 5:31 AM
We have to hope that just because Peru can sentence Joran to less time for his confession, they won't.
- June 14, 2010 at 11:00 AM
- Diane Fanning said...
That's my fervent hope, too, Leah. The world is a safer place with him behind bars.
- June 14, 2010 at 11:32 AM
As I understood it, aggravated assault carries a 35 year sentence, while murder only 15. They have said he acted with great ferocity and cruelty but that he also robbed Stephane, so I think Peru is going for the aggravated assault...in addition to murder charges. I was translating a peruvian news site, and one person said someone could pay off the judges to get him released, he probably has many admirers and his prison number is there for all to see...someone could wire money to him. But as far as the official word, the police there don't believe his story about giving information on Natalle, as he has told so many lies about it in the last five years. So, barring some form on illegal pay off, he is there for the duration.
- June 14, 2010 at 2:06 PM
- Diane Fanning said...
Maybe he'll get consective instead of concurrent sentence, anonymous. That would be even better. Do you know if that is an option in Peru?
- June 14, 2010 at 2:25 PM
Breaking news, his current lawyer just quit. Said he didn't want to represent him. My guess is not enough money and he didn't want to be paid off in homemade bread.
I don't think there are concurrent sentences in Peru, only that he may have to serve the 35 year sentence vs. the 15 year, and half that with good behavior.
They are already having to take such precautions with him. He eats food the guards eat so he won't get sick. They can't put him in with the general population. Even thought trial in Peru typically take three years or longer to be heard, my guess is they may 'rush' this one through, so they won't have to use manpower they don't have to keep him alive.
- June 14, 2010 at 3:06 PM
- Diane Fanning said...
Can't say I'd want to defend a client that has shown a history of belligerance, dishonesty and ingratitude.
Will his mother come to his rescue?
- June 14, 2010 at 3:18 PM
My understanding is that since he also commited robbery, thus murder during the commision of robbery, plus the savagery he will likely get the full 35 years. Especially since it is so notorious.
His mom really cant do anything for him unless she is able to get a good lawyer to work for free. Joran has pretty much bankrupted the family over the last 5 years with his antics and all the legal fees. And she isnt a judge, she is a schoolteacher. Hopefully she just wishes him well and goes and takes care of her 2 younger boys.
- June 14, 2010 at 8:40 PM
- Diane Fanning said...
I don't know if there was any insurance money but I had visions of his mother possibly hiring an attorney with Dad's life insurance. But if they were financially strapped when he died in February, I doubt even life insurance would be enough to hire a good criminal attorney.
- June 14, 2010 at 8:57 PM
- piper said...
Someone may represent him for the notoriety.
- June 15, 2010 at 6:58 PM
- Diane Fanning said...
I'm sure there is someone who will represent him for the notoriety alone. But a *good* criminal attorney is not an ambulance chaser.
Casey Anthony got an attorney who is representing her for the notoriety and although it hasn't all played out yet, Jose Baez is almost universally regarded as a joke.
- June 15, 2010 at 8:06 PM
It's pretty sad to see that another post on this site is nothing more then a listing of assumptions. In another post Pat Brown claimed that Van der Sloot was a serial rapist. A claim which for which there isn't any evidence, it's just an assumption.
And now this post. There's a difference between manslaughter and murder. The latter has to be planned. Just another claim for which there is no evidence.
It's also funny that one the one hand you say that Van der Sloot changes his statements constantly, which he did. Year after year I've heard different stories about what happened to Natalee - Joran made a lot of stuff up to fill his pockets - a claim that can be backed up by evidence. But if you take in mind that Joran isn't the most trustworthy person in this world, why do you accept his current statements without the blink of an eye?
And there's a lot of cherrypicking in this post. Why put in the "some reports indicate that he also stabbed his victim" ? It's not supported by his statements, or statements by the police. It sounds juicy, everything for a good story?
Aside from the weird stuff that happened on Aruba in the Natalee case in the first week justice wise, I'm glad Joran didn't get convicted if there was no evidence to do so. It's how a good justice system works: no evidence, no conviction. This might be harsh for people involved, but it's of no importants compared to putting people in jail without proper evidence. Also, the fact that Van der Sloot is a foreigner in Peru shouldn't make a difference in the treatment the justice system gives him.
And a puny sentence? 35 years in a jail in Peru... Puny? Hehehe, I think the odds are very much against anyone surviving that kind of time this condition. So much for puny, it's more like a very slow deathpenalty.
I'm in no way defending Joran for the things he did or might have done. I'm talking about proper journalism here. Give me facts, not assumptions that sound juicy. Be a bit more critical of your own writings. This way you might be taken seriously in the future. Stay with the facts, don't make up stories.
I'm sorry for any, and I know there are a lot, grammar/spelling errors. I'm Dutch, English isn't my native language. But the fact that I'm Dutch is of importance. Van der Sloot has been in de media continuously here and I followed the case with great interest. It's safe to say that I _do_ know the facts and I _do_ know what I'm talking about. I'm afraid this isn't the case at Women in Crime Ink, and that's a shame...
- June 16, 2010 at 5:46 PM
- Diane Fanning said...
I stand beside my firm belief that Joran Van der Sloot is responsible for the death of Natalee Holloway and Stephany Flores Ramirez. And yes, he lies. But when the available forensic evidence supports what he says, he gains some factual basis.
This blog is not a news reporting space--it is a blog. Opinions are expected and appropriate.
- June 16, 2010 at 9:09 PM
Thank you for your reaction.
The belief that Joran is responsible for the death of these two girls is something different then saying he murdered them.
People consider the writers of this blog "criminal justice professionals and authors" and believe what you say. I would not take the responsibility that comes with that lightly.
But alright, let's play the guessing game:
Isn't it far more realistic to think that Joran was involved in the death of Natalee, but that it was an accident and not murder?
- June 17, 2010 at 2:02 AM
- Diane Fanning said...
Anonymous, If you are convinced that the death of Natalee was an accident, I certainly could not say with any authority that you are wrong.
But I look at the man who has now demonstrated clear signs of narcisstic traits, a proclivity to violence and a tendency to fly into a rage over a perceived violation of his privacy.
Before the death of Stephany, I could see the demise of Natalee as either an accident or murder. Since the murder of the young woman in Peru, it is obvious to me that Joran is a brutal man. Because of that, I see it as more realistic that Natalee died through an act of violence at his hand. Is it possible that he hit or without premeditated intent to murder and she died? Yes. But that act of intentional violence makes the act a homicide although not in the first degree.
- June 17, 2010 at 7:29 AM
So we agree that the murder charge is a bit over the top?
I'm not convinced Natalee died because of an accident, but the facts never pointed towards murder or violence. A drug-overdose could also be the cause, for example. I'm not convinced of anything besides the fact that he knows more then he's telling the authorities.
As we have all seen on (dutch) tv, it went downhill for Joran after he got arrested the first time. Maybe this is the time when his aggresive nature started to manifest. We don't know, do we?
All i'm saying is that people should be more carefull about the claims they make. People believe you. And that gives you, in my eyes, a responsibility to cherish the truth.
Again, thank you for your reaction.
- June 17, 2010 at 10:18 AM
Anon above. The TRUTH is, Joran is a psychopath who IMO did kill Natalee, and then proceeded to torture her mother for the next 5 years with his lies.
If it was an accident, then WHY? Why would he torture Beth? Why wouldnt he just tell what he did? Why wouldnt he keep a low profile?
- June 17, 2010 at 11:01 AM
- Diane Fanning said...
I appreciate and respect your opinion, Anonymous. But, actually, that's not exactly what I said. I said premediatated murder is too much to assume. But many murders are not premeditated.
I do agree that there is no direct proof of violence in Natalee's case; however, the best predictor of the presence of violence is other behaviour in that person's life. And Joran has proven he is capable of great violence and acts of impulsive rage. Did this blossom in his character after he was arrested? I doubt it. It seems to be a deeply ingrained personality trait.
And everything we've seen about Joran points to a man who is either a psychopath or a malignant narcissist.
Do I view my opinion about this case or others as correct and sacrosanct at all times? Absolutely not. I am always open to re-evaluating my stance based on new information.
The revelation of new facts or evidence could make me change my opinion. But at this time, with what I know now, I have presented what I believe based on my experience, my knowledge base and the application of logic.
All we can do now is hope that all the truth comes out and justice is served.
- June 17, 2010 at 11:09 AM
@anonymous two post above
The truth is that you have opinion? That doens't make your opinion a fact.
Here in the Netherlands there's only one type of murder, they are always premeditated. In fact, the definition of murder = premeditated manslaughter. I thought this was the same in the US. It's the difference between murder and homicide. Maybe a difference in legal systems (although i doubt it...) ?
You say you're open to re-evaluating your stance, based on new information. But in the post above you judge this 'new information' as truth, like the stabbing, and this is not the case. They are assumptions or rumors.
I agree that Joran has all the signs against him. But even if he did all the things he's suspect of, he still unguilty until proven guilty. All i'm saying is that people should focus more on facts and less on rumors. Don't let emotions cloud your vision.
People want Joran to rott in hell. And i agree that _if_ he is found guilty, he should be punished. But don't jump the gun.. (and ofcourse the jails in Peru are a disgrace to humanity, even if they house only the worst criminals...)
- June 17, 2010 at 1:45 PM
@anonymous two post above
The truth is that you have opinion? That doens't make your opinion a fact.
Here in the Netherlands there's only one type of murder, they are always premeditated. In fact, the definition of murder = premeditated manslaughter. I thought this was the same in the US. It's the difference between murder and homicide. Maybe a difference in legal systems (although i doubt it...) ?
You say you're open to re-evaluating your stance, based on new information. But in the post above you judge this 'new information' as truth, like the stabbing, and this is not the case. They are assumptions or rumors.
I agree that Joran has all the signs against him. But even if he did all the things he's suspect of, he still unguilty until proven guilty. All i'm saying is that people should focus more on facts and less on rumors. Don't let emotions cloud your vision.
- June 17, 2010 at 1:50 PM
Facts instead of rumors. He was on video meeting Stepahne Flores in the casino in Peru and befriending her. He was seen on video taking her to his room. He was seen leaving the room and re-entenring same room several hours later with two empty cups, for which he asked help from an attendant, claiming he could not get the door open. Then, several hours later he was seen leaving the room again. No one else came and went in said room and it was all recorded. He left the TV blaring and told the people at the front desk 'not to bother his girl', as he had paid for the room for an additional 4 days. When he recieved a phone call to said room, the attentdant was curious when he didn't answer. She found the body of Stephane Flores decompsing in a mass of bedclothes, as she had been there several days per his instructions not to be disturbed.
He was then found in Chili, having fled Peru in her jeep, with her money, and clothes with her blood on them.
His DNA is under her fingernails where she tried to defend herself against fatal blows and strangulation.
I can hardly think of a crime with more proof..almost as if it were meant to be..almost as if it were all filmed on camera.It is almost as if God scripted it.
- June 25, 2010 at 12:44 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Day 30: "But it worked in practice!"
The Pirates spent about 15 minutes of Friday morning's workouts having middle infielders, all of them, take turns firing balls intentionally in the dirt at the first basemen. The first sackers showed brilliant pick 'em skills, not one reminder of Dick Stuart, Dr. Strangeglove.
Chris McGuiness was one of those digging ball after ball out of the dirt, short shops and big hops. Didn't miss a single one.
So, the game with the Phillies begins. The very first batter, Tony Gwynn, strikes out on a wicked curve, which catcher Tony Sanchez can't handle cleanly. So he retrieves the ball, steps out in front of the plate for a clear line of vision and throws one at McGuiness' feet — just like the dozens he'd handled cleanly in practice.
This one clangs off McGuiness' glove. Error, Sanchez. Gwynn later scores, unearned run.
Practice may make perfect. But perfecter practice doesn't guarantee anything, I guess. That's baseball.
* * *
Charlie Morton is due to make a Saturday start in a Minor League game at Pirate City, where Wandy Rodriguez and Francisco Liriano have also made recent starts.
Good reason for these pitchers having to stretch out in Minor League exhibitions: The Pirates tried to schedule "B" games against Major League competition, to accommodate the needed work for the many pitchers still in camp, but couldn't find any takers.
* * *
Poor Brandon Cumpton. He lives by the ground ball — and dies by the ground ball.
Cumpton has allowed nine runs this spring — and five of them have been unearned. That's been a common problem for the right-hander, since his intention is to get batters to beat balls into the dirt, raising the possibility of misplays.
Cumpton gave up an unearned run in his brief Major League debut last season. In the Minors, he was victimized by eight unearned runs last year and seven in 2012.
"I try not to let that bother me," Cumpton says. "Over the course of the season, that stuff evens out . I get my share of double plays, too."
* * *
Given all the attention to the Pirates' frequent and very successful strategy of moving infielders around to match hitters' tendencies, I am amazed no one has yet flooded Pittsburgh-area stores with tee-shirts that say:
And just so you know, I hereby place a citizen's trademark on that. You know, like "citizen's arrest."
2 Comments
Great tee shirt idea! You should maybe take advantage and go for it, Tom.
Also, love the first ditty. I have actually heard that practice does not make perfect, but perfect practice does. Probably not so. And you could say, not only "that's baseball", but that's life. Television, etc. allows us to see athletes perform at very high levels doing outrageously difficult things and we can develop pretty unrealistic expectations of others and ourselves. Like you say, "shi(f)t happens."


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Peated and smoked malts serve as the malt foundation, and dry hopping is done with vanilla beans and oak chips. The pour is black, with some dark ruby brown overtones. The smell is of coffee, toffee, caramel, and vanilla. The taste is roasty and bitter to start, followed by a sweetness that is caramelly, chocolatey, and coffeey (I know it's not really spelled that way but it followed the others). This is a great beer! While I'm really loving stouts this winter (even with the somewhat mild weather), this is one I could enjoy on a more regular basis, especially since it's only 6.1% ABV. Unfortunately, my stash was limited to only 2.
Now, I'm not saying that you'll get to try the beer for free, but if you see Old Dominion around (and apparently it's available at Wegman's in PA), it's definitely worth a try. Cheers!


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Sunday, December 09, 2012
Catcher in the Rye dropped from US school curriculum
Schools in America are to drop classic books such as Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye from their curriculum in favour of 'informational texts'
American literature classics are to be replaced by insulation manuals and plant inventories in US classrooms by 2014. A new school curriculum which will affect 46 out of 50 states will make it compulsory for at least 70 per cent of books studied to be non-fiction, in an effort to ready pupils for the workplace.
Books such as JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird will be replaced by "informational texts" approved by the Common Core State Standards.
Suggested non-fiction texts include Recommended Levels of Insulation by the the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Invasive Plant Inventory, by California's Invasive Plant Council.
The new educational standards have the backing of the influential National Governors' Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, and are being part-funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Jamie Highfill, a teacher at Woodland Junior High School in Arkansas, told the Times that the directive was bad for a well-rounded education. "I'm afraid we are taking out all imaginative reading and creativity in our English classes. "In the end, education has to be about more than simply ensuring that kids can get a job. Isn't it supposed to be about making well-rounded citizens?"
Supporters of the directive argue that it will help pupils to develop the ability to write concisely and factually, which will be more useful in the workplace than a knowledge of Shakespeare.
British educational establishment 'blocking progress in maths'
Long division and times tables risk becoming taboo subjects in primary schools because of "resistance" to traditional teaching methods, a former education minister has warned. Pupils are struggling to develop a fluency in mathematics after being denied the chance to practice basic sums at a young age, it was claimed.
Nick Gibb, the ex-Schools Minister, suggested that learning times tables by heart was necessary to enable children to tackle more challenging topics at secondary school. But he warned that the methods were viewed as "stultifying" by the educational establishment, potentially acting as a bar on progress in the classroom.
The comments – in an article for Telegraph.co.uk as part of our Make Britain Count campaign – come after the publication of a proposed new maths curriculum for primary schools in England. Under the plans, five and six year-olds will be expected to count up to 100, recognise basic fractions and memorise the results of simple sums by the end of the first year of compulsory education.
By the age of nine, pupils should know all their times tables up to 12x12 and confidently work with numbers up to 10 million by the end of primary school, it was recommended. Currently, children only need to know up to 10x10 and familiarise themselves with numbers below 1,000 by the age of 11. It represents a dramatic toughening up of requirements in primary school maths.
But Mr Gibb, who oversaw the proposals before being moved out of the Department for Education in September's Government reshuffle, said he was concerned that teaching unions were attempting to oppose the proposals.
He said the best primary schools placed an emphasis on complex addition, subtraction and multiplication but there was "strong resistance to the teaching and practice of traditional algorithms amongst many in the educational establishment".
Mr Gibb, the Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, said: "On one side of the argument are those who believe that primary school teachers should put more emphasis on the teaching and understanding of mathematical concepts and less emphasis on the techniques or algorithms of calculation.
"Traditionalists, on the other hand, believe that by being taught the algorithms with a lot of practice children not only become fluent and confident in calculation they also develop an understanding of the concepts underlying those calculations as familiar patterns emerge from practice."
The Telegraph launched the Make Britain Count campaign designed to highlight the scale of the mathematical crisis in Britain and provide parents with tools to boost their children's numeracy.
What makes a kid do well at school?
Surprise! They have discovered that children from prosperous middle class families tend to become prosperous middle class adults!
KIDS who have a special space to do their homework, own lots of books and visit and talk about museums, galleries and films with their parents will push their way to the head of the class.
Research into parents' influence over children's learning has found mums and dads - possibly more so than teachers - are key to their success.
And parents should not be paranoid about their own level of schooling.
The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth report showed taking an active interest and showing a love of learning is what kids need far more than a parent who understands calculus.
Teachers should talk to parents about the best ways to encourage and motivate learning.
Mums and dad should talk to their kids about class, books and films, school subject choices, their dream careers, and what was expected of them at school.
Other suggestions included making learning fun, linking school work with current events, creating a homework area to study in, providing books and newspapers to read, taking children to museums, libraries, galleries, talks and performances and making sure there were family nights together.
Research found that a child with an engaged parent had an advantage that was equivalent to an extra $1000 in resources and improved results that were comparable to a student whose parents had an additional four to six years of education behind them.
Results included higher grades, making advanced classes, lower dropout rates and greater likelihood of tertiary study.
Schools with strong family involvement were four times more likely to improve student reading and 10 times more likely to improve maths results.
But volunteering at school had little impact, and parents demanding high achievement can actually damage a child's self esteem and result in their marks plummeting.
The report will be examined by Schools Minister Peter Garrett, who wants every school in the country to draw up a plan of how they will better connect with parents under federal Gonski reforms.
Parents were the "missing link in education", Mr Garrett said.
Posted by jonjayray at 1:41 AM
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text:
you can now buy all of the Hero Arts products currently available at heroarts.com, and get it fulfilled by a local retail store in the UK and Ireland. You pay only local shipping rates! With the popularity of our US online store, and the many requests for a UK product offering, we have designed this new store — launching today — just for you.
Where as before....we were limited what we could buy in the UK....now we have the whole catalogue available and only a quick online visit away....oh this could be a dangerous situation for the crafty stash pot. A big thank you to Aaron for listening to all us Moaning Minnie Hero Arts Addicts in the UK.
My delicious little hooligans have now gone home....we had a real fun day ....they were as good as gold and yes I did get to watch my Martha Stewart programme...and no I didn't order anything but a deal is a deal.....so we snuggled up on the sofa after lunch to watch "Polar Express" with a humungus ice cream each...all happy bunnies licking away....even "The Budster" managed to get in the act when Oliver held his cone upside down and the whole bang shoot landed on the floor and was scooped up at lightning speed by my furry hoover.
Buddy...you may have got my ice cream....but you ain't getting the cone
Catch up with you all tomorrow for some challenge cards....and blimey I need to get those crafty fingers working tonight and catch up with my DT stuff.
Hugs Kath xxxxxxx


text:
You can recover and change your wordpress.com password without having to supply your two-factor authentication token. Just let that sink in for a moment.
WordPress is such a rich source of infosec comedy.
Discussing software, the web, politics, sexuality and the unending supply of human stupidity.
You can recover and change your wordpress.com password without having to supply your two-factor authentication token. Just let that sink in for a moment.
WordPress is such a rich source of infosec comedy.
🎵 Currently playing: Makoto - Music Has Never Let Me Down.
Medium is Geocities 2.0. It is a beautiful way to share your ideas and stories with the world, until the owners decide they can't be bothered any more and shut it down or sell it or 'sunset' it or 'pivot' it or plaster it with fucking adverts or whatever the next excuse is to either delete or ruin all your contributions.
Build the alternative.
Pink News have an excellent piece debunking the lie that Pope Francis is in any meaningful way "pro gay". Won't stop the wishful thinking though. People desperately want to believe the hype.
Silicon Valley: where invite-only private members clubs are "meritocratic", billionaires dreaming of privatising public services is "democratic", and "disruption" is both a moral imperative and a compliment.
A week or so back, I blogged about the DVLA's incompetence over verifying my date of birth on my driving licence. I also sent in a Freedom of Information Act request to see if they have any data as to how often situations like mine happen.
Alas, they don't have any data on record about this. They don't know how often they have to reissue driving licenses due to failures of data verification. This isn't particularly reassuring. Should you trust driving licenses as proof of identity? That's up to you. I'd certainly say that my trust of the DVLA's capacity to verify identities is significantly lower than my trust of the UK Passport Agency. Passports remain gold standard when it comes to government proof of ID; driving licenses aren't nearly as good.
"I am disappointed by modern web development. Too many bloated frameworks, too much JavaScript, single page web apps, hash bang URLs—it's all a bit over engineered. We have lost the old techniques of progressive enhancement and in return we have ghastly nonsense like infinite scroll which looks nifty but does not really improve the user experience. It all seems a bit like we have reinvented the era of Flash intros but we think it is so much better because we have made all this pointless bullshit in JavaScript rather than Flash."
"I take your point, granddad. Perhaps this technology is excessive for mere web sites but we are building web apps now."
"At some point someone will give me a clear explanation of the difference, riiight?"
"Well a web app is something you can't really experience without a whole lot of scripting. Like, you can't progressively enhance it."
"Bah. Logic. I don't need logic. Just because you can't fit it into your theological categories doesn't mean there isn't a distinction. Like, I can point to clear examples of web apps. Gmail! Google Docs! They don't make sense if you don't understand them as apps. They don't fit that old fashioned web pages with little blobs of progressive enhancement model that you grumpy old Luddites keep banging on about. If I want to build Google Docs, I need to do it in the new way."
"You make a good point. You do kind of need a modern browser with bells and whistles to be able to edit a spreadsheet in Google Docs. The user experience of using that in Lynx is going to suck, so perhaps you don't really need that."
"See, this brave new world of apps is not so scary! Shall I help you with your Gulpfile now?"
"Let's not be too hasty. I mean the argument is that Google Docs is completely useless without all the modern front end stuff all working."
"And there is literally nothing you could display to someone viewing a Google Docs spreadsheet or word processing document if, say, their browser had scripting turned off?"
"Absolutely. This is why you need to approach it with an app mindset rather than a document mindset."
"What is the user editing in Google Docs?"
"Well, rich text files and spreadsheets."
"Which are types of what?"
"Can you repeat that word for me?"
"Oh fuck. Documents. You got me."
"So what could you do if the user loads the page in a browser that doesn't have the capabilities to edit the document?"
"Well, we could display the document, I guess."
"And what technology do you need to render rich text and tables in browsers?"
"You know the answer already. HTML and CSS."
"And if your browser can edit the document—"
"—then it loads the relevant code to edit it. It is still progressive enhancement! I get it."
"And you can even use your silly Node.js reimplementations of GNU Make if it makes you happy."
🎵 Currently playing: Sayonara by A Taste of Honey. An amazing 80s jam.
There is rather a good article currently doing the rounds: That 'Useless' Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech's Hottest Ticket. It is good that we are finally moving beyond ridiculous "do STEM or you are failure" kind of nonsense in tech, but the article seems to suggest that with the exception of Slack, the primary use case for arts and humanities backgrounds is to have cultured salesmen (and women) to go impress clients who value things beyond algorithms and so on.
There are a whole lot of people with liberal arts backgrounds in tech. A while back, I was at a meeting of Semantic Web technologists and we realised that all of us sitting round a table had degrees in philosophy, with some also having joint majors in sociology or theology or anthropology. I know developers and designers with backgrounds in languages, in non-computer engineering, in music, in publishing, in media or theatre, and much else besides.
Technologists with backgrounds in the arts and humanities bring enormous amount of value. We want to build products and experiences that chime with humans. Understanding human cultures—how humans think, what humans value, believe in, care about—what matters to humans is something that arts and humanities education emphasises. It's in the damn name.
Technical culture—Silicon Valley culture especially—likes to make it seem like programming is super difficult, and paint this picture of engineers as heroes. It all contributes to this very flawed Two Cultures model: that people with training in the humanities are incapable of understanding technical matters, and that those with technical backgrounds are completely anti-social and uncomfortable at a gallery drinks reception. Both can be taught and both can be learned.
I want a world where every engineer knows the value and importance of knowledge that falls outside of science, and where every non-technical person grasps the basics of algorithmic thinking. Creative problem-solving people should be enabled rather than limited by their training.
The Verge has an excellent "vintage" review of the Psion Series 5. It is worse than pretty much every device you can buy now, except for one thing… writing.
Good thing that nobody has to write anything anymore, right?
Alphabet graveyard: A for Answers, B for Base, C for Code, D for Dodgeball, E for Etherpad, F for Friend Connect, G for Gears, H for Health, I for iGoogle, J for Jaiku, K for Knol, L for Latitude, M for Meebo, N for Nexus Q, O for Orkut, P for Picasa, Q for Quickoffice, R for Reader, S for Sidewiki, T for Talk, U for University Search, V for Video, W for Wave, X for Google X.
I'm sure Google will discontinue a service starting with 'Y' and 'Z' soon. Rest in peace.
Firechat is a lovely idea in theory but in practice, it is completely useless. If they had built a private secure WhatsApp style service that used Bluetooth mesh networking to route messages when no Internet connectivity was available, it would be fantastic.
Instead, it's a way for people who you have never heard of to send you spam in languages you don't understand. Not exactly a compelling user experience.
Listening to Roy Ayers, master of the funkiest rare grooves ever put on record, at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho. Truly phenomenal.
This new product does not function the way I personally think it should, therefore it is not going to succeed in the marketplace because I say so.
Company X is not producing a product in this category, and it is essential for them to do so because I say so, and if they don't they will fail catastrophically.
Company X is late to the market in a particular category, and if they don't hurry up, they will fail catastrophically.
I've found a drawing on the internet of what an unannounced product might look like, so it will definitely look like this.
I'm a monolingual, English-speaking middle class Western white male in his 20s or 30s whose only experience of technology is in a milieu dominated by other monolingual, English-speaking middle class Western white men of roughly my age and I can't figure out why anyone would want to use product X, so therefore nobody will use product X.
Company X has a low market share in this category of products, so company X has failed regardless of tedious things like how much profit they make from said product. After this article, I shall write one on how Rolex aren't nearly as successful a watchmaker as Casio along the same broad principles.
I shall borrow a concept from one area of technology I don't know much about and apply it to another area of technology I also don't know much about.
I shall try and explain a moderately complicated technical topic which I don't really understand by coming up with an analogy that doesn't actually fit very well.
This new device that has come out will kill existing device for a bunch of subjective and arbitrary reasons.
I'm going to draw some overly broad conclusions from sales or analytics data that represents a tiny fraction of the overall market or is otherwise misleading, and I'm not going to couch my conclusions in the required level of uncertainty that my source justifies.
An analyst has written a report which I find similar to my opinions therefore it is gospel truth and contains no obvious technical flaws (not that I could spot them if it did).
Let's poke some fanboys and watch the sparks fly in the comments.
I'm going to cover the new shiny stuff without discussing the social and political values embedded in the technology.
I'm going to discuss the social and political values of technology but misunderstand how the actual technology works.
I have no understanding of the history of technology, so when some goofball PR comes to me and tells me that some idea is new and revolutionary, I believe every word he says rather than taking five minutes to check Wiki-fucking-pedia and see that it is simply a rebrand of the same concept that has been marketed under five different labels, often by the same company. (See: cloud computing which is what used to be called grid computing or network computing, which is basically what mainframe timesharing systems were doing.)
Teething troubles with a new product fatally undermines both that product—or even that whole class of products—for ever more.
Big company X has introduced a new programming language, therefore it will come to magically dominate all programming for ever and ever. (See: the hilarious comments from people who thought Google's Go language would suddenly become the lingua franca of back-end web development, replacing PHP, .NET, Rails, Node.js et al. despite being intended as a C replacement).
Open source product X will destroy all of its proprietary/commercial competitors because it is open source and open source will always win.
The products and services that young people use are the future because they are young people, and they are able to pay for said products and services using their vast income and resources and nonexistent credit cards.
Here's some shit security advice that doesn't actually take account of the current threats.
Someone told me about this database which is distributed, fully ACID and CAP compliant and has solved P=NP, and even though I don't quite know what those words mean (and the Wikipedia article kind of goes above my head) but I believe them because why would a PR person lie to me?
I went on an expensive course to learn how to make apps. They all had shiny new MacBooks and taught me some basic JavaScript and we made a web page. We had artisanal flatbreads with some very tasty hummous at a nice office in Shoreditch. I'm a programmer now.
Bitcoin will change everything. But, yes, I did struggle to buy anything with my Bitcoin and had to pull out my debit card.
I'm going to talk about free speech on social media while eliding the difference between free speech as a moral standard and free speech as a legal requirement. As part of this, I shall treat the First Amendment and other American free speech law as universally applicable because I'm an American and America FUCK YEAH GO USA.
Let me guilt shame you about using ad blocking software even though the web is literally unusable without the parade of bloated shitvertising and spyware-infected Flash crap that we need to install so we can pay writers to turn out this turgid, poorly researched shit we like to call "quality technology journalism". Our failure to find a sustainable business model is actually your moral failure.
I'm going to just ignore user experience and decide which product is best based on a series of feature lists and specifications: because who gives a fuck if the feature is actually useable in real life by real humans?
Rather than giving you a nuanced and detailed review describing the features and pitfalls of a number of competing products, I shall arbitrarily declare one member of this class of products the "winner"—because my subjective weighting of desired features and design will obviously match up exactly with yours, and it's my job to do the thinking for you.
Doing real research is hard, so I'm just going to rip some shit off an actual expert's blog without credit.
Why, yes, my representative sample of an open source community project is one cranky troll.
Let me tell you about how the NSA are nasty and evil. Yes, you could install some crypto software to protect yourself against their spying, but it's much more fun to get worked up into a lather about it than actually protect yourself.
I went to TED and met some exciting thought leaders who are going to build their own libertarian paradise, megadose on vitamin pills and upload their brains to the cloud while helping Bono solve all the world's social and economic problems. These people aren't colossal wankers and the things they have to say aren't horseshit. No, really.
This guy on Reddit has a summary he wrote on the back of a cigarette packet of what he thinks will be Apple's new product. He claims to have sources in China who tell him that they absolutely will be making this product. Yes, he's a completely trustworthy source.
Here's a bunch of predictions about the future of technology X. You won't hold me accountable to any of them. And, no, being the Psychic Sally of the tech industry isn't demeaning to me at all. (For entertainment purposes only.)
Big company P bought an infinitesimal stake in startup Q. Therefore, according to the bullshit law of valuations that everyone follows for some reason, Q is now worth $100 quintillion.
X is dead. Yes, you know, that product X that has billions of satisfied users around the world. I say it is dead, therefore it is totally dead.
Thank god for tech journalism. We would be so poorly informed without it.
I've been grumbling on Twitter about the DVLA.
A long time ago, I applied for and received a provisional driving license with the intention to learn to drive. That provisional driving license expired (I had other things to do besides take driving lessons), so I renewed it recently.
The license I had included a number of errors. Firstly, it had the wrong date of birth and it also had the wrong address. The typist who was putting the details in the system back when I was a teenager obviously was having a bad day and made a keyboard whoopsie.
When I got around to renewing my license, I thought "oh well, they'll fix that".
They've fixed the address (because I've moved since then) but the date of birth is still wrong. What this means is that the DVLA did not actually check the date of birth that I wrote on my application form against any other data: they didn't look at the existing license and go "wait, those two dates are different - that's a bit curious, we should probably check that against, say, your passport and birth certificate".
In addition, when I renewed my license, because of a medical condition I am legally obliged to disclose to the DVLA, they will have requested confidential health details from a hospital where I seek treatment to verify my fitness to drive. In the response sent back from the hospital, it will probably have had my actual date of birth, which will not match the one in their system. But obviously nobody checked that either.
The whole point of having credentials that expire is that when you renew them, you can ensure that all the details are still correct and to protect yourself against making mistakes the first time.
What possible harm could come from issuing documents with incorrect dates of birth? Well, obviously, people who are underage could use them to get served in bars or sneak into nightclubs or whatever. That's a concern, but not a major one for me.
Here's a much bigger concern.
When you put someone through a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check—a criminal background check used to verify if someone might have committed offences that might make them unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable adults—you have to provide a variety of forms of ID. It is possible to go through a DBS check with the following documents:
You can use a driving license to open the bank account and then get the credit card simply because of your good history of banking with the bank. The false information on the primary identity document transfers through the rest of the system.
This means that repeated failure by the DVLA to check primary identity documents on license renewals is a potential way that someone who wishes to evade a DBS check could construct a false identity.
It's a minor inconvenience for me: I have to send my driving license back to them and fill out yet more bloody forms to tell them who I am. But a malicious actor could exploit it to evade scrutiny.
Here's where it is even madder: the DVLA told me that it isn't even a criminal offence to knowingly use a driving license with incorrect information on it to pass a test. I phoned them up and told them that the date on my driving license is wrong and they were just "meh, send it back sometime, no biggie". Not "we're going revoke that license right now and send you a new one with correct details".
Government agencies not doing their job when it comes to the very basics of identity verification is a major concern when those primary identity documents are used as a primary marker of trust in an enormous number of interactions. The DVLA's identity management processes are a bad joke. If they were running a nightclub using the same kind of ID management, they'd probably have been shut down by now.
In a world with boundless opportunities for amusement, it's detestable that anyone would choose to get thrills from killing others who ask for nothing from life but the chance to remain alive. The animals whose lives he has so cold-heartedly snuffed out have precisely the same capacity to feel pain and suffer as we do. All leave family members or mates behind when they're killed, and none is exempt from grief.
I have no words to express my repugnance.
Jill Lepore's thorough debunking of "disruptive innovation" is delightful, but won't convince the people who buy into such silliness. Because Silicon Valley doesn't listen to historians with all their pesky facts and tiresome arguments about quality of sources—they prefer gurus and hucksters selling venture-backed get rich quick schemes.
Read this if you want a giggle.
Got a startup idea? That and some cash is all you need to get a fully functional app built for you by Gigster. Launching today, Gigster is a full-service development shop, rather than a marketplace where you have to manage the talent you find.
Oh, you mean like hundreds of other software development companies?
Just go to Gigster's site, instant message with a sales engineer, tell them what you want built, and in 10 minutes you get a guaranteed quote for what it will cost and how long it will take.
10 minutes for a fully estimated project plan: that's the biggest load of bilge I've ever heard.
Once you get your project back, Gigster will even maintain the code, and you can pay to add upgrades or new features.
You bet. Can you get anyone else to add upgrades or features? Or do they have any IP interest or right of first refusal? Those sort of questions are things a journalist might ask. But, oh, this is tech journalism.
And "maintain". Bit more detail required.
Gigster fixes [management issues] by assigning a project manager to handle 100 percent of the management of your developers and be your sole point of contact. If the project is behind schedule, Gigster just assigns more developers to it or fires under-performing ones so it gets done on time.
Yeah, let's ignore that the Mythical Man Month problem is a thing. Chuck more developers at the problem! "Beatings will continue until morale improves" is not a good management philosophy.
I'm sure that when your motivation is "get this shit out the door and get cash money now" and your clients are the sort of idiots who believe that they can hire coders like they do Uber cabs, you'll produce reliable, well-tested and secure code. Right? I mean, no motivation to cut corners or anything.
The Gigsters come from companies like Google or Stripe that are looking for some extra projects
I'm sure they don't have any no-compete or employer-owns-all-employee-produced-IP constraints in their contracts. Should work out just fine, right up until the client finds out that Google or Facebook owns a whole bunch of their IP.
10 minutes for full project costings? Mythical Man Month solved? This snake oil sure is deee-licious.
The idea that a guy who has built a whole bunch of Facebook apps is going to wave a magic wand and make software development cheap, predictable and with the kind of modularity and simplicity of booking a cab is such a laughable notion that the only people I can see believing it are tech journalists.
Just reading about how "brain training" games like Lumosity seem kind of bullshity. But the exact flavour of bullshit that smart people will buy into, just like all that Singularity bollocks…
I'm writing this because I've seen this shit far too often from people who ought to know better.
It would be really nice if "straight allies", whether self-identifying or not, could stop with this nasty little trope of wishing gay children on homophobes. It has become a common enough joke: some self-righteous preacher or politician makes some cruel homophobic remark, or works to enact a piece of legislation that will disempower lesbian, gay, bi, trans or queer people in some way, and then a sassy commenter will joke about how it would be a hilarious bit of fate if one of said homophobe's children to end up being L, G, B or T themselves. A gay son, a lesbian daughter: those would be be fitting punishment for such a ghastly person!
Yeah, hilarious.
Except it isn't so hilarious when you actually think about it. If you asked the person making this joke whether they consider having a child who grows up to be LGBT to be worse than that child growing up to be heterosexual (and cisgender), they'd tell you that they value the two equally, even though their words could cause one to dispute this claim. Why is having a queer child such a punishment? Is their LGBTness some kind of moral stain that marks the child out?
No, no, no, they say, it's not me who thinks it's bad. But the homophobic person, they would think it is bad!
Perhaps what they are hoping is that the sudden plot development of the Rick Santorums or Maggie Gallaghers of the world finding out that one of their offspring is themselves LGBT is going to cause them to rethink their position, much as it did for Republican politicians like Rob Portman and Dick Cheney. Sure, that would be a nice result, but what seems to get forgotten is the kids themselves, the unconsenting means to the desired Damascene end.
The imagined gay son-of-a-homophobe imagined by irony-loving liberal commentators would be subject to an upbringing of unending terror for their entire childhood. (And, you know, kids being in an unsafe environment is something I think we can probably agree is bad.) Even the kids of lovely hippy liberals feel a whole lot of often unwarranted fear and shame about coming out, but if you grew up watching your father go on TV comparing gay people wanting to get married to advocacy of "man-on-dog" marriage? May as well make that closet door out of concrete.
The lives of gay children aren't there to teach some moral lesson to the nasty homophobes of the world. Year after year of bullying, homophobia and fear is not a fair trade for some kind of "the universe is fucking with you" karmic justice for homophobes. And that's presuming that it actually works: homophobes having gay kids won't magically lead to some happy Oprah Winfrey redemption story where everyone comes out of it happy. That's sappy daytime TV shit. Some of those homophobes aren't going to feel shamed into not hating LGBT people because they happen to be related to one. They'll just kick them out, disown them and treat them like shit, just as they do to all the other LGBT people they come across. There's a reason why so many homeless teenagers are LGBT, especially in bastions of godliness like Utah.
But even if it did lead to some kind of conversion, that doesn't justify the pain the kid will have gone through. Just consider the harm to the kid and weigh it up with the benefit of their parent not being homophobic any more: there's a massive imbalanace of harm vs. good there, and the harm all goes to the hypothetical gay kid. All that fear and bullying and self-doubt (not to mention increased risk of self-harm and suicide) that the LGBT kid goes through by being born to parents ideologically committed to homophobia isn't some kind of "trade" for the eventual reluctant acceptance by their parent. The hypothetical queer kid's life story is—in this scenario—dictated by their reaction and resistance to the bigotry of their parents. Sorry, hypothetical queer kid, you don't get a happy childhood, nor do you get your own life or ambitions, you have to exist to satisfy the desire for some poetic justice by a straight person with a rainbow flag avatar on Facebook.
The person invoking this nasty trope doesn't care about the hypothetical queer child: they care about God, karma or Mother Nature or whoever using them as a way to get back at the homophobic baddie. The safety or best interests or wishes of the hypothetical queer child don't matter, because said child is just an actor in a morality play. The fact that actual LGBT people would find the prospect of growing up as the gay child of some big-time homophobe to be utterly horrifying doesn't matter, because their safety doesn't matter. They are soldiers in the war, and if winning the war means losing some troops, well, you gotta break some eggs, right?
The gay-kid-as-comeuppance-for-homophobia trope is exceptionally sad because it casts the child into a drama not of their own making: their life doesn't matter, their place in the grand historical psychodrama of whether or not their parent gets over their bullshit prejudices is what matters. For the whole history of representations of LGBT people, our existence has been less about defining our own stories, being the master of our own lives, telling our stories (albeit often through a queer lens), but has been about being the side plots, the amusing stereotypical fairy who does the straight protagonist's hair and nails perfectly, the oddball who provides comic relief, the Village People cartoon rather than the complex and nuanced people that heterosexuals get to be in films and TV.
We're either oversexed to the point of derangement or rendered in ascetic celibacy so as to not offend. We're the people who get interrupted when the bumbling straight dude wanders into our bars where we gobble him up like a piranha, or the sassy queen able to dispatch flawless fashion advice to his rich straight girlfriends—we're there to civilise straight people, whether by forcing them to confront their own prejudices or by fixing them up with an amazing manicure. We're not there to actually be ourselves or to have struggles or romances or lives of our own, just to serve as a plot device in the service of the straight protagonist. Existing solely to serve as divine punishment for wrongdoing is an example of this.
Thanks to this morality tale trope, we get to serve a new and exciting role as clumsy moral example by being legally tortured by our parents for years in order to finally shame them them into reluctantly admitting that we are human beings. Yeah, that sounds like a life I'd actually want.
The hypothetical queer kids are not actual people in this story, they are a curse. When you use this trope, you kind of imply that we're a curse too.


text:
Certain Authors
Jennifer Weiner (Certain Girls, In Her Shoes) talks to the magazine attached to JDate, the Jewish Singles network. Weiner talks about "her alter ego Cannie, the 'un-chosen chosen people' and why she's more Jewish than she thought she'd be."
I grew up in a town in Connecticut where there were not a lot of Jewish people. I think that gave me a stronger Jewish identity because it did set me apart, and I think that for me and for my siblings, it made us think hard about who we were and what kind of choices we were going to make.And, recently, in NPR's "Books We Like," Lizzie Skurnick gives a thoughtful -- and fairly enthusiastic -- review of Certain Girls:
Weiner, whose other forays include the critically underrated (on both page and screen) In Her Shoes, has spoken often about the trials of the chick-lit ghetto. Chief among them must be that a character as complex as Cannie disappears behind a hail of marketer-friendly blurbs like "wickedly funny" and "feisty," with little acknowledgment that darker forces are at work. It's telling that [Certain Girl's protagonist] Cannie, the writer, hides her face from the critical public. The market is still no place for a girl who is equal parts zaftig and Zola.Skurnick's NPR review of Certain Girls is here. The JMag, JDate interview is here.


text:
Misconception #3: Reading the Bible and going to church are enough.
Truth: Discernment must be practiced. "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:14, emphasis mine
Yes, we need to study the Bible. Yes, we need instruction from pastors and teachers. Yes, we must spend time with other believers. Without these, it is impossible to gain discernment. Let me state that again. You cannot gain discernment without spending time in the Word of God and with fellow-believers. For church is necessary to our growth as Christians, and Scripture provides us the standard to "distinguish good from evil."
However, many seem to think this is enough. This is a lie. While you cannot gain discernment without them, neither do church-going and Bible study guarantee the development of discernment. As James points out, knowing does not equal doing. This is why he says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." (James 1:22) This admonishment would not be necessary if Christ-like character could be gained by osmosis.
Likewise, discernment: It is not gained by osmosis, but as the writer of Hebrew says, "by constant use." Discernment is gained through practice, by applying it day in and day out in all situations.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Misconceptions about Discernment #3
Posted by Chawna Schroeder at 11:17 AM
Labels: fiction guidelines
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text:
Rodgers glad he avoided Tottenham vacancy
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is relieved speculation linking him with Tottenham never came to fruition, labelling it "a close shave."
Rodgers was mooted as a possible successor to Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane in March 2012 amid rumours at the time that the managerial veteran was set to take charge of England.
Redknapp, however, was overlooked by the Football Association in favour of Roy Hodgson, but left the club three months later, some two weeks after Rodgers left Swansea City to move to Anfield.
Andre Villas-Boas was in turn handed the reins at Tottenham, but his tenure lasted less than 18 months, prompting Rodgers to express how fortunate he is to be at a club where he is being given time to make a lasting difference.
When probed for his views on recent events at the north London club following the departure of Villas-Boas after Liverpool's 5-0 win at White Hart Lane last Sunday, Rodgers said: "(It was) a close shave.
"They are a great club and one of the things I looked at was their history. They'd had 11 managers in 18 years there.
"I needed to create something. I needed to go to a club who were going to give me that opportunity.
"I am more than happy with the choice I made to come here and hopefully in time it will prove to be the right one."
The departure of Gareth Bale from Tottenham to Real Madrid in September left an attacking void that Villas-Boas struggled to fill, even though the former Porto and Chelsea manager did spend heavily.
Rodgers has sympathy for Villas-Boas over Bale's exit, particularly in light of the way he managed to persuade Luis Suarez to stay in the close-season and the subsequent glut of goals that have followed – 17 in 11 Premier League games.
He added: "Obviously there have been difficulties from Bale leaving.
"It shows you that when you have someone with that X-factor, sometimes eight, nine or 10 players can't replace that.
"That was why we fought to keep Luis Suarez here because he is a top player. He is a performer."


text:
Name of Project: Bassem Youssef Show
Country: Egypt
Key Players: Tarek el-Qazzaz (Funder) , Dr. Bassem Youssef (Presenter)
Type: Political Satire digital show
Founding date: 8 March 2011
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/bassemyoussefshow
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/B-Bassem-Youssef-Show/133575320045773
Twitter Handle: @DrBassemYoussef
Key Decision: Selling exclusive rights to ONTV channel for the show to be produced in HD studios and broadcasted on the privately-owned satellite channel
Revenue model: Licensing and Advertisements
Next Steps: innovative plan for the show on the web in 2013 (undisclosed)
While digital entrepreneurship is thriving in Egypt and believed to be the endpoint of many innovative projects, some innovators took it the other way round. One example is Tarek el-Qazzaz, Founder & Managing Partner of QSoft Ltd in Egypt, who does Internet to TV production. Tarek, uses the web as a potential for later conversion into other offline mediums as he did with the Bassem Youssef show, the first political satire show in Egypt that is John Stewart style. Launching in March 2011, it was a big hit in Egypt in the aftermath of the overthrow of Mubarak's regime and what looked then like the transformation to democracy.
Tarek found in his friend, Bassem, the skills that make him a different taste of media. Tarek decided to take it first to the internet where they built their Facebook page and YouTube Channel back in March 2011. It was a pilot work producing 5 or 6 episodes, getting audience's feedback and testing the market for the next step. Four months later, the team moved from Bassem's apartment, where they shooted the videos, to HD Studios in Egyptian Media Production City (EMPC) for a 3 Million EGP deal (nearly $500,000) with ONTV channel. The channel ranks the first news channel watched in Egypt according to Ipsos market research in November 2011. The Initial cost of producing the show digitally was less than $12,000.
The "extremely successful" deal, as Tarek describes it, includes all related costs from production to salaries of the team behind it. There's no hidden formula for the success of this show as it's driven by two apparent factors. The first success factor is the talent that Bassem possesses (he still practices medicine), his hard work and endless eagerness to develop new skills and improve this show. In other words, Bassem continually strives to improve his skills, something that is lacking among Egyptian presenters.
The second factor is having an institutional back-up through QSoft that plans ahead how to take the show to the next level. The company's focus is internet production but the goal is cross platforms. Even when the show moved to TV, the episodes published online still attracted its own advertisements. Viewership jumped from quarter a million on the web to 2.5 million when the team moved to ONTV.
Measures of this success, Tarek says, can be summed up in the following: a) subscriptions to the Facebook Page and YouTube channel, b) sentiments and the number of likes, positive feedback received and also includes measures of interactivity, c)number of comments, d) expectancies of the audience and last but not least the number of views.
Competition was not big for the first Egyptian political satire show. Although there was another similar in-a-way show called "Monatov" that even had more views, yet the level of interaction in terms of "likes" and sharing the episodes was not even comparable to Bassem Youssef's. Monatov, presented by a young actress, was only done out of fun and did not have a vision which is why it soon came to an end.
Bassem Youssef quickly became a "brand that carries itself" as Tarek puts it. The show was built from scratch creating a production team that did not exist. Based on the skills, people were hired as full-timers or even volunteered in the crew. It officially became an internship hub too giving internship certificates and recommendations.
It is worth noting that Bassem Youssef Show was the first business for Tarek, but, he knew how to play it well. Seeing the first episodes spread virally, friends of Tarek would come to him and say: This is your lifetime opportunity, invest all you can in this show. However, Tarek was smart not to throw in a lot of money. He just threw enough.
"Balancing between how much you should spend to accomplish which result is very important. If we spent 2 million EGP to get 500,000 views, it will not be economically viable", Tarek added.
But, Tarek was not only looking for the business side of it. He had a message to deliver. The team negotiated the deal with many interested Egyptian TV channels even the pan-Arab news channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. Many of the potential buyers were only in for the humor while the team was looking for a complete uplift for the show. They even surveyed their Facebook fans on which channel they would like to see the show on and not surprisingly, ONTV was the first choice.
As Tarek gets ready to handle the digital side of the Bassem Youssef brand next year with a new innovative plan, he is taking another digital production of his company called "Amira fil Matbakh" (Amira in the Kitchen) to catering business. The cooking show, which started in December 2011, got more than 50,000 fans for 5 episodes and it's Tarek's latest market hit.
This research was done based on Skype calls with founders of and co-founders of booming digital media start-ups in the Arab world. Interviews were conducted in February and March 2012 originally for Tow Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at City University of New York (CUNY).


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i swear... it's not that i'm ungrateful, i can literally make a tent anywhere anytime, i can survive it all
but the problem isn't me. the problem is about the Mrs. Board, i have made a promise with her, like so many times i've bailed. i can not bail on this one, this is kinda last chance i break my promise, because this is the edge of my situation. it's like everything is so sure there, but unfortunately you make it so unstable here.
i've told you along ago to do it, but you didn't gimme much response nor effort to help me doing it. yet at that so along ago Depopriquille still got a whole lot to do, yet another hysterical creature always wants to be on your behalf. so what could i do?
when this time you bring it up to change it, i can't stand it but to dried my tears of disappointment again. i think you see it, i think you know i'm having a hard time, so you agree to get back on track. i know i'm not good at anything, yet i'm just ignorant. i'm sorry, if i've been a real burden.
i know you want to tag me along, i know for sure, but you just can't because something holds you here. i know you ask that person not because if that person wants to, but because if that person lets you. it's been really hard for us. please, be easy on each others. thank you
truly yours,


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Artist: MysterGuyitarMan
Genre: ??
So I feel like it doesn't quite add up using this dude on a music blog since he's more of a video editor, but I will always and forever associate him with YouTube music so here he is.
He's got a lot of really freaking cool videos that involve music though, but it's all stop motion stuff and he does it well. I dunno, you'll have to check it out for yourself to get a good idea.


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University of North Texas - Administrative Specialist III
- Employer
- UNT Main Campus
- Location
- Denton
- Posted
- Jul 12, 2017
- Administrative Jobs
- Institutional & Business Affairs, Clerical & Administrative Support
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
The Electrical Engineering Department at the University of North Texas is seeking to hire an Administrative Specialist III to join our team. Responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:* First Point of contact for the department, receiving and routing phone calls, visitors, and students.* Coordinates and completes all department travel, including arrangements and required documentation.* Responsible for management and maintenance of all departmental filing systems, digital and archiving.* Departmental purchasing needs for office supplies, events, and activities.* Coordination of efforts and assist with yearly inventory of departmental equipment assets.* Assist with administrative support of data basing, correspondence, reports, and event planning of activities for the department.The University of North Texas System is firmly committed to equal opportunity and does not permit - and takes actions to prevent - discrimination, harassment (including sexual violence), and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, family status, genetic information, citizenship or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, facilities, and employment practices. The University of North Texas System immediately investigates and takes remedial action when appropriate. The University of North Texas System also takes actions to prevent retaliation against individuals who oppose a discriminatory practice, file a charge, or testify, assist or participate in an investigative proceeding or hearing. The successful candidate will possess a High School diploma or GED equivalent and three years of general office or clerical experience. Substitution of education for experience allowed. The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are required:* Basic MS Office skills.* Ability to problem-solve and make decisions.* Ability to effectively communicate.* Knowledge of policies, practices, procedures and terminology of assigned function.* Skill in composing routine letters and preparing reports.* Skill in recording and compiling material for reports.


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When you experience jaw tenderness, it can be difficult to do basic tasks such as eating and speaking. TMJ, or temporomandibular joint pain, has a variety of causes and can be incredibly painful if left untreated. Our TMJ dentist specializes in helping patients find the treatment that is right for them.
TMJ is pain focused in one or both of the joints that connect the jawbone to the skull. Often times TMJ is caused by trauma to the jaw, cartilage damage as a result of arthritis, and disk movement or erosion. This disorder can also be a result of stress and clenching one's jaw. Contrary to popular opinion, TMJ is not technically a genetic disorder. However, many of the causes that lead to this condition may be hereditary. For example, misaligned bite, anxiety disorders, arthritis, and fibromyalgia can all play a contributing role in the development of TMJ. If you experience pain in your jaw or around your ear, have difficulty chewing, or experience locked jaw, it is possible you suffer from TMJ.
It is important to seek treatment at the diagnosis of TMJ to avoid severe headaches, tinnitus, and neck and shoulder pain. There are a variety of treatments for this condition, including physical therapy, oral splints, medications, and in certain circumstances, surgery. It is important to discuss all of your options with your doctor upon diagnosis.


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Sunday, February 19, 2012
When The Tripods Came... for him
John Christopher, one of my favorite authors of the apocalypse fiction, has died.
I'm not going to recap his life... there are plenty of resources on the internet for that (although not nearly enough, in my opinion). I'm just here to express my grief on the loss of this author.
I guess I should just start out with what most people will be familiar with, his Tripods Trilogy (+1). Fanboys a little older than me probably read the first three books in grade school... they were common in libraries across the country. The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead, and The Pool of Fire tell of a world thrown back into the pre-machine ages, ruled by aliens who strode across the land in thrice-footed titans known as Tripods, who are also worshipped and loved by the populace thanks to a "cap" they place on humans upon reaching an agreeable age of maturity. Naturally, there are people who eventually rise up against this... the Freemen... and this is the tale of three young boys who join their camp and the fight against the tyranny of the Tripods.
Most of us either read these books in the school library, or the public library, or watched the BBC adaptations of the books on PBS and THEN read the books. That's how it happened for me. It didn't help that I had a crush on the actor who played Will (who looks disconcertingly like a young Paul McCartney).
In the 80s, for some reason, Youd penned a forth book, When The Tripods Came, a prequel telling of how the Tripods took over. They apparently used viral programming on television to do so, which was a bit prescient of how the internet would eventually help spiral popular things to the top of popular culture. When the internet finally started doing this, I noticed this similarity and thought it very peculiar. I wonder who really put that Hamster Dance online... Anyway, the book was a good chapter in the story, but it did feel kind of tacked on.... good, but unnecessary.
I liked how the books played as a comedy in the strictest terms, because, after the Masters were defeated and driven from the planet, humanity started its in-squabbling again. Oh humanity, will you ever learn? Yes, I view The Tripods ultimate as a comedy, in the strictest sense, because my actual favorite trilogy from Youd is very definitely a tragedy...
Sword of the Spirits trilogy. It's a tragedy, in that our hero does not meet the best of fates at the end. Youd also manages to do something remarkable... he takes a likable protagonist, and through the course of three books, turns him into an absolute asshole without you really noticing it until the very end. Christianity also gets a very cold shoulder at first in the trilogy, being something to be ridiculed, but in the end it overturns the now-tyrant protagonist, who had become the aforementioned asshole. An awesome trilogy, with a very depressing end, that I can read over and over again.
Youd wrote other stories as well, some quite well received, still. Probably the most famous is The Lotus Caves. It takes place on a Moon base. Humans are living there, squee, so it's already pretty fun from the start. Two boys hijack a go-cart and have an adventure in the moon mountains, only to discover a hidden cave where a Hive mind lurks, wanting to soak them in. Pretty gripping stuff for youngsters, lemme tell you.
But I don't think anything compares to his apocalyptic novel, No Blade of Grass.
I came across this very edition in a used paperback store in Lexington, KY, for only two bucks. I was elated when I realized what I had found... a JC novel I'd never read and knew nothing about... I knew I'd eat it up in mere days.
Kind of ironic, because the book is about the world starving to death. All grain based plants... meaning, most of them, fall ill to a virus, and the story follows a group of survivors trying to make it to one of their relatives' farms to live off of potatoes. The depravity they have to endure along the way is astonishing, when you consider when the book was published. It's my favorite John Christopher book of all, I have a first edition in storage even.
Anyway, it's not like I thought that he was going to write another book, but it is sad that he is gone. I wish they'd finished the Tripods on BBC for him.
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/eleventhirtyate
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General comments and questions can be left at the bottom of this page; to e-mail specific staff members directly see the Staff Bios page.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eleventhirtyate
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eleventhirtyate
General comments and questions can be left at the bottom of this page; to e-mail specific staff members directly see the Staff Bios page.
I really love these essays. Great job. Is there any way to make contributions?
does anyone know why jj was only offered the 1st movie and not the trilogy? when it was announced that he was going to do Ep VII, i assumed it was for the new trilogy… when johnson got the nod for Ep VIII, i looked and couldn't find an answer. do you guys know what's up?
Found this yesterday and spent hours reading! Good material! Very good readings on the diversity/inclusion topics.
I recently found this site and am extremely impressed by the dedication and seriousness of the essays. I will be reading more of this site in the future.
What a great discovery this page is! Are there any openings for contributions or new blogs?
Hi fellow fans, I love this site. 3 questions to ask if anyone could answer..1 silly lol. 1) who is the character to the left of r2-d2 on the poster? 2) I seen a name of a group Kylo Ren was a part of about a month ago that was not "knights of ren" or "first order". Now I can't find it anywhere…anyone know what it is? 3) lastly what does 1138 stand for?..lol please don't kill me for the last one.
I was wondering your thoughts on c3-po's face on the poster? Is it just me or is something not right?
While reading your article on Ben Solo, I came across this comment:
["Snoke, knowing that the dark side was strong in the Skywalker bloodline, would likely attempt to keep a certain level of darkness present within Ben to constantly gnaw at him, the invisible fingers of the dark side pulling at his mind since he was a child."]
This comment makes no sense to me whatsoever. Do you really believe that you can describe the moral compass of anyone, let alone a fictional character, in this matter? Everyone . . . and I mean EVERYONE has a 50/50 chance of chosing whatever path they want to take, whether it is good or evil. EVERYONE has the potential to be either decent or monsters. EVERYONE can give in to evil, depending on the moment, an emotional state or situation.
The idea that Ben Solo or anyone related to Anakin Skywalker, has a strong potential for evil due to BLOODLINE is absolutely ludicrous to me.
Hi! I'm the author of this piece. Thank you for talking the time to read it.
I see where you're coming from and I now realized I could have phrased that part better. The Force (not the darkside) is very strong in their family. Snoke would see the potential to corrupt Ben and create a strong dark side user. I stand by my idea behind the statement you quoted, but now realize I should have not been as specific regarding the dark side.
If you'd like to keep talking about this you can find me on twitter @livetheforce so we don't take up too much place on this page.
Thank you!
My name is Scott Sandow. I am a public information officer for Placer County in California. I would like to bring to your attention a podcast we released about a local artist, Frank Ordaz. Frank was matte painter on Return on the Jedi and a bunch of other iconic films from the 80's. We thought you might want to give this a listen and possibly share with your audience.
The episode is titled "Hugging George Lucas." We hope you enjoy.
Scott Sandow
Hey, I'm wondering if you guys have any interest in publishing short-stories. I like to write Legends from the old EU into fireside tales. Thanks and MTFBWYA


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Hi everyone. Vera here and I am back today with a fun dry embossing technique tip.
First, let's see the card, shall we?
First, let's see the card, shall we?
Stamp: SP & Company For Every Woman set
Scrap paper
Grayish brown cardstock
Impression plate or embossing folder
Brown ink cube
For this card, I am hoping to get a balance of softness and strength. The flower is the softness part of course and for the panel I was aiming for a leather look for contrast to the flower softness. I cut a panel slightly smaller & shorter than the card base. Then I embossed it with the impression plate or you can also use any embossing folder. After you finish embossing the panel, gently rub the raised area with ink cube by going back and forth slowly. You can use ink pad, but I feel like I have more control of where the ink goes using the small ink cube.
Don't worry if the ink gets to the debossed (hmm... is that a word? I am talking about the are non-raised area) as it will just add to the grungy, rough leather look.
Once you're satisfied with the look of the panel, adhere it to card. Add a strip of patterned paper, then stamp the flower, color, fussy cut it (or use the coordinating SVG file), and adhere to card with pop-dots. Then stamp sentiment and you are done!
That's it for my tidbits for today. Hope you enjoy it and thank you so much for stopping by here. Cheers....
Stop on over at the Scrapmaster's Blog for more inspiration!!!
Shop with SP anytime 24/7 at the SP and Company Store! If you need any help, be sure to email Sami at email@example.com. Don't forget to sign up for the SP Weekly Newsletter (Click here!)!


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These past two weeks I have found my bum has permanently be glued to the sofa with my eyes firmly fixed on the television. I know whst your thinking she is over reacting, well what if I told you I have watched 7 that's right 7 seasons of Greys Anatomy in that time would you believe me now?
As much as I love that program I wish I had never started watching. Very very addictive you feel it sucking you in. So this week I gave myself a taking too. Basically of I want to watch it I have got to do at least 10,000 steps per day and if I want to have a sofa/laundry day on a Sunday I have to make sure I have more than 70,000 step by bed time Saturday.
This week is off to a fantastic start I have done 32,000 and we are just finishing day 2. Wont get to watch any tomorrow as I have a busy day then watch Liberty of London in the evening. If you have watched Greys Anatomy you will know it is killing me as my last episode ended with the car crash with Kali. I need to see what happens!!
Food has been good haven't been logging it at time of eating but have done it in evening. Under calories both days so pleased with that. Currently just aiming to get my weight down to 155lbs that is where I know my dress fits.
Then after the wedding in January I can start focusing on the remaining weight. I seem to do better from January to June for some reason once July and school holidays hit I fall off plan then play catch up for the remainder of the year.
I have decided for Christmas day not to buy a new dress but to wear the one I wore last Christmas. It hasn't had much wear throughout the year and it would be good to see if there is a noticeable difference in my shape.
Thank you for reading as always and I will up date you again soon. X


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By now, most Apple fans have already seen the prototype iPhone that Steve Jobs revealed in his last presentation. And what a great looking device:
But is this the killer device that many people are speculating about, or is it another bloated, RIM clone that have been popping up here and there in the last couple years? To be honest, I'm not sure! I haven't had a chance to actually use one of these slick-looking devices. But from a conceptual point of view, I can't help but think that this isn't it... As you pick you jaw off the floor, please remember that I am an Apple fan, but first and foremost, I am a fan of great concepts! The iPhone (and never mind the legal issues surrounding the choice of names) is a great looking, and probably easy to use device, but it's not doing anything for me...
There are many schools of thought when it comes to the ultimate portable device; what types of features should these devices include are the primary areas of differences. What remains similar are the basic elements, such as the form factor, and weight, and even then, there have been noted differences in concepts, such as the Sony PSP:
or a different Sony solution, the UX390N:
and even the Nokia 770:
Everyone has a different idea of what this type of device should do, and so do I... I will reserve judgement until I can actually test the device out for myself.
Until then...


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Both the United States and India need to overhaul their venerable electric grid. Dr. Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute outlines the costs of such an upgrade as well as the inherent risks that come with ignoring infrastructure improvements.
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Paul hints at legal challenge to debt 'supercommittee'
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) indicated on Thursday that he might challenge the creation of a new "supercommittee" in Congress aimed at finding $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade.
"I would challenge it in the courts and say that it is not a constitutional function," Paul said on CNBC Thursday. "There's no authority to have a super-Congress who takes over for what the House and Senate are supposed to do."
When asked specifically if he believes the committee is unconstitutional, Paul said, "I don't think there's any doubt about it.
"Where does it say that we can set up a program like this and then … pop something back into the House and Senate and say you have a vote, you can't take it to a subcommittee or full committee?" he asked. "So no, that is not what was set up by the Constitution. That was so far removed that it almost becomes a silly notion."
Other Republicans have so far called for the transparent operation of the supercommittee, but have not gone as far as Paul's argument that it is unconstitutional. Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) said this week that the committee would not operate as a commission, and would be made up of members and make recommendations that Congress can accept or reject.
But as Paul indicated, the committee's recommendations are privileged, as they are not open to amendment and must be voted on by Dec. 23.
Paul hints at legal challenge to debt 'supercommittee' - The Hill's Floor Action


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|Apr '07
|12:00 am
Don your trench coast and dark glasses and join us for authors Allan MacDonell and Josh Alan Friedman as they read and sign copies of their most recent books with host Mike McPaddenSaturday, April 28st, 7:00 PM
ALLAN MACDONELL is the author of PRISONER OF X: 20 YEARS IN THE HOLE AT HUSTLER MAGAZINE. Just as the subtitle of his memoir states, Allan MacDonell rose through the ranks at Larry Flynt Publications over the course of two decades. He ultimately ran America's Magazine from 1991 until 2002, when he was fired following his barbed jokes during a Larry Flynt Roast.
During his tenure, Allan brought numerous underground artists and writers on board as Hustler contributors, including Dan Clowes, Peter Bagge, Joe Coleman, Lisa Carver, and Feral House publisher Adam Parfrey. Among the derring-do detailed in PRISONER OF X are Allan's viewing of a sex tape involving Ted Turner, Jane Fonda and a strap-on dildo, pulling pranks on Dennis Hopper and Frank Zappa, and spearheading The Flynt Report, which prompted multiple Republican resignations from Congress in 2000. Post-Hustler, Allan has been a regular contributor to the LA Weekly.
JOSH ALAN FRIEDMAN is the author of TALES OF TIMES SQUARE, WHEN SEX WAS DIRTY, I, GOLDSTEIN: MY SCREWED LIFE (co-authored with Al Goldstein), ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD (with Drew Friedman), and WARTS AND ALL (with Drew Friedman). The son of '60s satirist Bruce Jay Friedman and the brother of astonishing illustrator Drew Friedman, Josh Alan Friedman carved out his own niche as the premiere chronicler of New York lowlife just moments before AIDS, crack and mainstream panic ended one of the sleaziest periods in the city's history. Josh was SCREW magazine's man on the (42nd) Street at the height of midtown Manhattan's professional sex explosion, an experience he turned into the anthropological mind-blower TALES OF TIME SQUARE.
In 2004, Feral House issued a follow-up titled WHEN SEX WAS DIRTY, and presently plans to edit the books together into a single volume. While covering the peepshow beat, Josh also wrote scripts that his brother illustrated for comic strips that hilariously and horrifically illuminate the lowest underbelly of show business. These works endure in the Fantagraphics collections ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD and WARTS AND ALL. In 2006, Josh returned to work with his former employer, SCREW magazine founder turned homeless crank Al Goldstein, on the latter's memoir I, GOLDSTEIN: MY SCREWED LIFE. Josh has been the subject of a documentary titled BLACKS AND JEWS (2003), and a movie adaptation of TALES OF TIMES SQUARE is currently filming.
The evening will be hosted by MIKE McPADDEN whose career highlights include: MRSKIN.COM (Editorial Director), HUSTLER, Entertainment Editor (1993-1995) & Contributing Editor (1992-2006), SCREW Contributing Writer (1993-1999), and HAPPYLAND, Editor and Publisher (1991-2001)


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Mizela Corporation
World class video surveillance and security system solution provider.
We offer comprehensive portfolio of world leading products and system solution for demand-based; innovative, high-quality integrated solutions, access control, intrusion, intercom systems and intelligent video analysis systems.
Time equals money, and when scaled up to enterprise-size projects, ease of installation can save hours or even days to complete an installation that saves end user money. Delays caused by installation challenges can add up. We guaranty you products, systems and accessories simple to install and maintain.
When you are searching for the best monitoring system, determine what you want most in a security system. Many CCTV company makes things overly complicated that cause headaches. We provide compatible equipment from the most trusted brands complying with the international standards that serves the purpose of security on location.
We address specific problems with product or service together with technical engineers coming from the manufacturer side. To expedite response we deliver over by e-mail, live support on website or business partners utilize technical guides as a tool where they can directly download from the manufacturer's websites.


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Give instant moisture to your dried out nails and cuticles with Leighton Denny's Slick Tips. A perfect quick fix for dried out cuticles, the nail and cuticle oil makes them look and feel softer and smoother.
Slick Tips gives added lustre to natural or painted nails and immediately improves their appearance. Dry, rough looking cuticles immediately look moisturised and healthier, whilst your dull nails become instantly more attractive. It helps wet polish dry faster too.
Directions for Use:
- Apply a drop to each nail
- Lightly massage into nail and cuticle with your fingertips
- Alternatively, to dry polish faster and moisturise cuticles lightly brush Slick Tips over touch dry polish


text: Not much else to report. We are still waiting for the beginning of next year to move forward with baby #2. Jude is a talking machine and has developed a huge love for books, which I love. He is so funny, he loves to make us laugh. And he is just the sweetest little guy. He is also becoming less of a picky eater and eats regular meals at least some of the time now, which is awesome. Oh, nap time is over, that's all for now!