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a record payout involving online auctioneer ebay has been made, but it's not something being auctioned this time. u.s. district judge jerome b. friedman decreed the premiere online auction site must pay obscure virginia inventor thomas woolston us$29.5 million dollars because ebay apparently stole woolston's online auction patents regarding what ebay now calls its "buy it now" option.
the stinging payout was tempered by the fact that the judge did not hand down the stiffest penalty requested by woolston's attorney's, namely an injunction against ebay itself. if it had gone through, ebay would've been shut down overnight. judge friedman declined the injunction, however, stating that woolston's counsel had not presented adequate evidence that woolston would suffer harm if ebay stayed in business. that doesn't thwart attorney greg stillman who represented woolston, though. "we're going to appeal the refusal to grant an injunction," he stated, but was otherwise pleased with the results.
judge friedman further indicated he might be "more inclined" to increase damages if ebay did not cease infringement.
ebay remains optimistic about the long term legal results. ebay's vp of litigation, jay monahan, expressed disappointment at judge friedman's conclusions, vowed an immediate appeal, and continues to state that ebay is not infringing on any of woolston's patents. however, to be on the safe side, ebay is re-engineering the "buy it now" option in such a way that it can't possibly be confused with woolston's patents. users of ebay will not notice the changes, says monahan, as everything will be going on behind the scenes.
the associated press article has the full scoopage on this, and you can thank aceyman for having nothing better to do than send in article suggestions. :)
eric's opinion
i should've been a lawyer … i'd be rich by now with all the litigation going on these days. i'd also be a pariah outside my chosen field, but money covers a multitude of sins … or so they say.
i have two, somewhat contradictory feelings on this case. first, if ebay really did snipe (pun intentional) woolston's ideas in the hopes of getting away with it, i hope friedman and any other follow-on judges nail ebay to the wall for it. if you come up with a fantastic idea and patent it in this country, you deserve to be compensated for the usage of that idea. it's a system that rewards innovation, and it's what's allowed this country to become the technological leader it currently is. if we allow companies with the most lawyers to consistently steal from "the little guy" with the idea, the system collapses and innovation stagnates. nobody wants that to happen.
on the other hand, the u.s. patent office system has shown itself to be a ridiculous farce far more often than i'd like. it seems you can patent just about anything these days, and a great number of "inventors" do. in fact, most of these "inventors" are nothing of the sort; they are intellectual property lawyers, patenting anything and everything they can get away with in the hopes that someone, somewhere will be infringing on it. you end up with idiotic patents like amazon's "one click buy" patent, as if clicking on a button to conclude an online transaction is something that can or should be patentable. this is patent law gone horribly out of control, and if it's applicable in this situation, ebay is the victim, not the perpetrator.
user comments 23 comment(s)
|well said (1:05pm est fri aug 08 2003)
in fact, most of these "inventors" are nothing of the sort they are intellectual property lawyers, patenting anything and everything they can get away with in the hopes that someone, somewhere will be infringing on it. you end up with idiotic patents like amazon's "one click buy" patent, as if clicking on a button to conclude an online transaction is something that can or should be patentable. this is patent law gone horribly out of control, and if it's applicable in this situation, ebay is the victim, not the perpetrator.
– by i agree
|patent the human body (1:20pm est fri aug 08 2003)
i wonder if i could patent the human body… then every mother would be infringing on it every time they gave birth. – by maximusgeek
|heck, (1:27pm est fri aug 08 2003)
patent law has done *gone* wild. – by ziwiwiwiwiwiwiwiwiwi
|it is more likely that…. (1:31pm est fri aug 08 2003)
the judge did not understand the technology and/or the intricacies of how the "buy it now" feature works, and how it differs from the inventors property. his technology prowess is just as likely to be limited at being able to only read his e-mail at work. – by i hate lawyers
|yes you can patent the human body (1:44pm est fri aug 08 2003)
research companies are patenting human genome sequences faster then you can say hog wash. actually many companies that want to do legitimate genome research don't because someone else patented a specific sequence first.
– by lawyers suck
|buy it now patent (2:45pm est fri aug 08 2003)
seem a bit obvious to be worthy of a patent
what next? a patent for taking of womens clothes in order to bang them – by loser
|taking of womens clothes patent (2:48pm est fri aug 08 2003)
i already own that patent, so don't even try or you will have to pay big time – by evil patent lawyer
|lawyers… (4:09pm est fri aug 08 2003)
99% of lawyers give the other 1% a bad name. – by chickenman
|lawyers (4:30pm est fri aug 08 2003)
i once asked this little girl what her father does for a living. "he is happy because he makes lots of money taking other people's money and making them unhappy." you can guess his profession! – by grapevine
|lawyers… (5:27pm est fri aug 08 2003)
alright, it's the "lawyer's" hoedown on whos line is it anyway! – by abc
|light bulb is on (7:20pm est fri aug 08 2003)
i could patent taking a shit…
then the lawyers would have to pay me royalties every time they crap. – by f. lawyers
|re: f. lawyers (8:47pm est fri aug 08 2003)
could you parlay that patent into the crap that flies from their mouth as well? you'd have a mountain of money then as i don't think they deficate like normal people. they're always so full of shit and tight assed i think the only way for them to get it out is by spitting out inane jargon like this lawsuit. – by wedo
|i can't believe… (10:56pm est fri aug 08 2003)
that anyone with half a brain wouldn't have dismissed this patent as "obvious", thus revokable.
this weasel of a "patent owner" deserves nothing. – by e-bayer
|you think (12:50am est sat aug 09 2003)
you could patent a cirtain way to take a shit? after all, this guy patented a 'special' way to do the whole 'buy it now' thing.
i think i'll get a patent on the process of shitting in a ceramic bowl of water. – by lawyers suck
|patent (6:11am est sat aug 09 2003)
i just patented the process of argueing a case in front of a judge. – by taylor
|patent, patent, patent. (9:05am est sat aug 09 2003)
i have a friend who started his engineering career by spending 10 months filing patents for all possible slight gear modifications on a drive line the compnany never planned to use. just so if someone else did, they could lock them out. patent law needs reform if a device is not marketed withing 3 years the patent should expire. i work at a university, and the thought of royalty money has them so entranced that they are pushing short term "development" type project rather than long term discovery and science. its now, "acadamia, inc.". not working to well for them yet though nobody has come up with another nylon so far. – by pblwl
|think about it first (9:07am est sat aug 09 2003)
just to keep this whole thing fair, we should all consider all possibilities.
woolston isn't suing ebay over the "buy it now" idea, he's suing over the way it's implemented. in other words, the mechanics of the operation. this is completely legitimate. if ebay, for example, copied woolston's code in order to implement "buy it now" then it's clearly a case of infringement. since ebay has stated they will be rewriting the "buy it now" code, this strongly indicates woolston's point of contention is not the idea of "buy it now" but instead how it's implemented. – by j. eric smith
|information into the debate (5:30pm est sun aug 10 2003)
first, j. eric smith, you do not patent code, you patent the idea behind the code (the big picture). the code is protected by copyright.
second, there are a few patents out there of doubious worth. most patents, however, have merit or people would not spend the 10-25k to get the patents in the first place.
third, like a certain uncertainty principal, patents suffer from a general problem. the broad patent covers much more subject matter but it is relatively easy to show the patent is invalid. the narrower a patent is, the more difficult it is to show the patent is invalid but the easier it is to design around the patent.
so, patents tend to encourage innovation because they provide temporary monopoly like market barriers. these market barriers allow small companies the chance to innovate and protect the great ideas for 20 years from the date of filing. and, as the ebay dispute shows, competitors can easily design around many patents.
so, what the ebay dispute is all about is ebay's refusal to pay an inventor a royalty, forcing the inventor to go to court.
what is interesting to me is that the judge refused to issue the injunction. that is, imho, reversible error because the only thing a patent gives you is the right to exclude so the patent owner is automatically suffering irreparable harm. perhaps the judge felt sorry for ebay and did not want to shut them down until they could fix the software. an injunction would have been very valuable to the inventor because ebay would have paid a chunk of change to settle and reopen their doors. the 29 million was chump change compared to what was at stake.
all the lawyer slammers are free to complain but it sounds like jealousy to me. – by ip student
|lawyer slammers (10:18pm est sun aug 10 2003)
perhaps i'm missing the point, but slamming lawyers seems, to put it bluntly, stupid. while i won't deny that some lawyers are intent on taking advantage of the system, this is a sign that the system is flawed, not the lawyers. further, might i point out that it is the ridiculous cases that get sensationalized, so they're the ones most people are familiar with the gentleman saying that 99% of lawyers are not good people would be a prime example of this.
feel free to tell me how wrong i am, there's nothing to stop you besides common sense anyway. – by dragon lady
|sounds like a good idea to me (2:47pm est mon aug 11 2003)
ip student and dragon lady
so what percentage will the lawyers get?
funny how the people making the laws allow themselves to benefit so much from the misfortune of others… – by lawyers are fair
|patented oxygen (3:22pm est mon aug 11 2003)
i think i will patent oxygen and sue everyone the consumes it. – by o2
|re: patented oxygen (3:51pm est mon aug 11 2003)
not oxygen…
patent the "transformation of oxidizers into inert or nearly inert material in a suspension medium"
that way you get everything that moves… even the sharks…
|dragon lady (5:26pm est mon aug 11 2003)
you are very wrong. – by etcetera


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You sometimes learn more about yourself from what you don't feel.
Several months ago relatives invited us to a Bat Mitzvah celebration for their youngest on their (secular) Kibbutz. I had recently started experimenting off-and-on with wearing a bandanna as headcovering, and I decided I would wear it to the Bat Mitzvah. When we arrived, our hostess told us that she had arranged Kosher food for us and for the few other guests who kept Kosher. She had asked a friend who lives on a nearby Haredi Moshav to prepare the food. We ended up sitting with this friend at the dinner, to make it easier to share the nice food she brought.
I appreciated that our hostess looked after us in this way and that her friend was willing to prepare so much food for the people who keep Kosher. I enjoyed chatting with her and with some women at the table next to us. We were glad to be able to offer her a ride home, although it took some accommodating to make it work.
Afterwards, I realized – I had felt comfortable, and non-defensive. I wouldn't even have realized that I usually feel defensive, until I had this experience. Ordinarily I might have made religious references or felt judged by our table mate because I didn't wear Kisui Rosh. It was as though I used to have to say "hey, I'm religious too!" When I wore Kisui Rosh, I didn't have to do that. I was automatically identifiable as a religious married woman. I liked that! I felt freed to focus on being sociable, rather than on my own discomfort.
It was always important to me for some reason that people know that we were observant. If I was with my sons, I could automatically be tagged as religious, since they wear Kippot. But I never felt right about being vicariously identified as religious. Experiencing Mitzvot vicariously has never appealed to me. I love leading prayer services and reading Torah. I am bothered when I am in situations in which I'm barred from full participation and have to experience a Mitzvah through men. But my public religious identity was always established vicariously, through my sons or occasionally my husband. Now I identify myself wherever I go, and it feels good. If my sons wear baseball caps to keep the Israeli sun off their faces, it's ok. I don't need them anymore to show that we are a religious family. I can take care of that myself.
It surprised me, but wearing Kisui Rosh has been empowering in this way.
Postscript from several weeks later: My neighbor died several days ago, and some of us neighbors organized to make meals for the Shiva. Since the daughter is very frum, we consulted with her as to her Kashrut requirements. She said that as long as the people cooking keep a Kosher home, then she will eat food prepared from Badatz ingredients. I was happy to be able to help in this way, and it pleased me to know that she would not be nervous about my home's Kashrut. On the one hand, my home is no more or less Kosher than it was when I didn't cover my hair. It seems silly to be focused on the outer symbol that – in my case, anyway – doesn't indicate anything about our Kashrut. But on the other hand, I certainly don't want someone in Aveilut to be worrying about the Kashrut of the food provided to them.
It was a new experience for me, having someone who doesn't know me understand that my kitchen is Kosher. Ordinarily I might have felt defensive when cooking for someone frum or bringing a potluck to a gathering with frum people, etc. I would wonder if they trusted my Kashrut and feel irritated if they didn't. I was so used to feeling defensive that I didn't even notice I felt that way. It felt liberating to *not* feel that defensiveness. I liked that feeling.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Vicarious identity
Posted by Ilana at 12:07 AM
1 comment:
- Ciel said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- November 12, 2008 at 8:30 AM
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Click to see it bigger USAAF Squadron Patch - 640th Bomb Squadron Eastman Leather Clothing > Default $60 Free USA Shipping on purchases over $150 Notify when available Add to Wishlist Description Shipping Eastman's reproduction squadron patches are considered the gold standard. Every single one is authentic to actual WWII units, and hand-embroidered with a needle and yarn on a melton wool background fabric. During WWII there were many mediums which were employed in making squadron patches, from painted leather to hand embroidery each having their own level of skill required to create them. Typically, one would find hand-embroidered patches in the Asia and Pacific region due to the available skills in those regions but it would not be unusual to see this style of patch in other theatres of operation. Hand-embroidered 100% melton wool background 409th Bomb Grp. 9th Air Force European Theatre Measures approximately 4.8" diameter / 15" circumference Made in England USA Orders: In-store pickup: FreeSocks/Bandannas - free shippingOrders over $150 - free shippingOrders under $150 - flat rate of $8 shipping International Orders: Canada Shipping - Orders under $500USPS First Class (10 - 15 business days) - $15USPS Priority Mail (5 - 8 business days) - $30USPS Priority Mail Express (3 - 5 business days) - $40DHL Express (1-3 business days) - $30Canada Shipping - Orders over $500DHL Express (overnight) - $30 International Shipping - Orders under $500USPS First Class (10 - 15 business days) - $20USPS Priority Mail (5 - 8 business days) - $35USPS Priority Mail Express (3 - 5 business days) - $50DHL Express (1-3 business days) - $40 International Shipping - Orders over $500DHL Express (1-3 business days) - $40 We cannot be held responsible for any customs duties or taxes, nor any delays incurred by your country's customs procedures. We are unable to ship Red Wing Heritage products outside the USA/Canada. Further details


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Splashy pineapples
Yesterday I had a crazy craving for pineapple. I bought whichever ones I could find…the sweet small Victoria pineapple from South Africa, the big fat watery one, produced in Costa Rica, coming from Miami???… and lastly the heavy, juicy one from the Ivory coast. Of course I had to paint them. My light pencil drawing was fine and I started putting in washes. Arriving at the spiky leaves, all went horribly wrong. And from there it on it was downhill all the way. Finally I threw the paintbrush out the door, flew out of my atelier, jammed a cup of coffee together, grabbed a canvas and plastered it with modeling paste and a painting knife. Halfway through the oil painting, and eventually simmered down, I turned to my watercolour and thought I might as well finish it by simply pulling out all the stops, I have nothing to lose. So here is the final messy watercolour….. the oil painting is still drying.
Watercolour on Fabriano artistico HP extra white block, 30,5×45,5cm (12″x18″)
Afterwards I even had some time to put a recipe together…and eat it all. Interested in Pineapple carpaccio with saffron syrup and roasted pinenuts?
31 responses
I wish I could "mess" like that. A beautiful picture, Ronell. I look at blog updates, first thing in the morning, and they are such a great way to start the day. This has my mouth watering. And such is the weird way our systems work, I think I am smelling pineapple. I better go have breakfast.
October 17, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Your anger must have odne something because I love this spahly fresh look!!!
October 17, 2008 at 7:07 pm
What's not to love? This is lovely and I think pinapple is great. I'm off to check out your reciepe.
October 17, 2008 at 8:29 pm
October 17, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Ronell, some day I would love to come and eat at your house! All of your food looks beautiful and sounds delicious. My sister-in-law loves to cook so I sent her a link to your French Kitchen blog hoping she would start making your recipes and using me as the taste tester. 😀
As for your painting, it is fresh and full of energy. You have captured the rough spiky texture of the outside of the pineapple and its leaves and the beautiful golden glow of the fruit. Put it away and look at it with fresh eyes in a few weeks. I think you will be surprised by how good it is.
October 17, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Sublime! If only my watercolours would go so wrong 😉 Now I'm anticipating the oil.
October 17, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Ronell, you may have had a bad start but it turned out great. I love the combination of the angular composition with the loose drips and splashes.
October 18, 2008 at 12:55 am
You did pull out all the stops! This is stunning!!
October 18, 2008 at 2:57 am
Well look at you mad-woman with brush! I love your story and hope we get to see the oil painting too! Makes me want to eat some pinapple too!
October 18, 2008 at 6:56 am
Your watercolour is terrific – a pineapple bomb! Your frustration brought out such energy – wish I could get so free.
The recipe sounds fresh and delicious too (would never have thought of lemon with it) – looking forward to pineapple season…
October 18, 2008 at 9:24 am
You are so funny! I would have been thrilled to put together that pineapple painting. I don't see anything wrong, but I realize you continued to work, probably past the point where I usually give up. It is lovely!
October 18, 2008 at 4:55 pm
These are excellent! I love these pineapples.
October 19, 2008 at 2:51 am
It's absolutely gorgeous, Ronell! I can't imagine what part of this you didn't like!
October 20, 2008 at 10:50 am
This is fabulous! It's so fresh and alive. Pineapple and dark chocolate are one of my favorite taste combinations.
October 20, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Ronell! Don't you dare complain about results like this! Fantastic!
October 21, 2008 at 12:57 am
They are really so attractive that I can smell it; unfortunatelly I can't eat them! 🙂
October 21, 2008 at 1:05 pm
a beautifully passionate painting – glad you came back to it.
October 21, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Ronell, this painting is absolutely fabulous!!
October 21, 2008 at 10:46 pm
You have such a way with words. I could read anything you wrote and be happy. Your pineapple is awesome.
October 22, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Ronell, this is absolutely georgous! amazing texture.
October 23, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Ronell, i am glad things went "horribly wrong" on this one. You've created a strong piece — a beautiful combination of colors and textures thanks to it.
October 23, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Ronell–this is fabulous!!! I would have loved to see all the paint and brushes flying around when you did this! (Sounds like fun actually) I'll be watching for the oil painting….
October 24, 2008 at 12:00 am
Oh my goodness! This makes my mouth water! What a delicious, luscious, juicy painting.
October 24, 2008 at 11:12 pm
A glorious shower of juicy color…Stunningly yummy! 🙂
October 27, 2008 at 7:44 am
A wonderful pineapple and I must try out the recipe. I see the greengrocers here in South Africa have piles of pineapples at present – together with paw paws, nectarines, guavas, the eternal bananas, strawberries and the first early grapes of the season.
I see your surname is van Wyk. Are you of South African background? My best friend is a van Wyk!
October 30, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Well shoot! You sure know how to rescue a painting. LOVE that cut open one.
October 31, 2008 at 1:49 am


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Love My Baby, I'm Going Round In Circles, Baby Baby, Slow Your Speed, Geneva Blues, Daddy Pinocchio, Don't Ever Move A Woman Into Your House, I'm Just A Country Boy, Practise What You Preach, Moaning For You, Jump Children, There Ain't Nothing Better, Who's Been Jiving You, Drinkin' Beer, You Can't Kiss A Dream Goodnight, Operation Blues, I'll Be Right On Down, Oh Mother, I've Only Myself To Blame, Rain Rain Rain, Let Jesus Fix It For You, Each Step Of The Way, It's Raining Outside, Blowing The Blues.
There are three other Witherspoon CDs on Ace. "JIMMY WITHERSPOON" (CDCHM1062) is his original 1958 Crown album crammed with classic late 1940s material plus eight of his Modern singles. "BLOWIN' IN FROM KANSAS CITY" (CDCHD279) is another stack of great blues from Modern and "SINGS THE BLUES SESSIONS" (CDCHD896) is a wonderful remastered version of his Crown LP plus thirteen bonus cuts.
"I'll Be Right On Down" features all the remaining nine un-reissued Modern masters and two ultra-rare gospel masters as well as thirteen best of the yet-to-be-issued alternate takes and the early takes of material already issued on Ace. As far as I can make out, that's 24 unissued Modern recordings that have never been on CD before!
Everything is taken from the original acetates and master tapes where available or pristine 78s and 45s, then re-mastered to produce the optimum sound for which Ace Records is famous. Witherspoon fans know that he was at the top of his game on his Modern recordings between 1945 and 1955 and just one play of this CD you'll understand why. It doesn't matter if he's hollering the blues against a big band led by a honkin' sax or croon those note perfect lush ballads, it's obvious that Jimmy Witherspoon was one of the most vibrant and important blues singers ever.
There are quite a number of up-tempo rockers here too. Compiler Tony Rounce says "it shows how quickly R&B was evolving in those exciting pre-rock'n'roll years, and how easily Witherspoon embraced the many changes of style as they arrived". For proof, listen to him go on the stompin' opening track "Love My Baby" or the alternate take of "Jump Children" where Buddy Floyd slides in with his restrained but rocking sax solo.
On the slower stuff he's magnificent - especially when he gets together with Mickey Champion on the cool groove of "There Ain't Nothing Better" and I really like the way he gets to grips with the old Crudup number "Who's Been Jiving You?" which includes a nice funky intro by guitarist Chuck Norris.
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Review Date: January 2009


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Heisman Winner Derrick Henry on Faith
From the Christian Post:
After winning college football's most prestigious award Saturday night, University of Alabama running back Derrick Henry praised God and advised aspiring young athletes to keep God first while pursuing their dreams.Such attitudes will be sneered at in certain quarters, but not in Alabama, not among black people, not in the NFL and certainly not among fans of the Crimson Tide. In other words, not among the people who matter.
The 21-year-old Henry, who set a new Southeastern Conference record for nearly 2,000 rushing yards this season as a junior, fulfilled what he called a "lifelong dream" when he was named the 2015 winner of the Heisman Trophy in New York City on Saturday.
"First off, I just want to thank God for bringing me here and winning the prestigious award," Henry, who scored 23 touchdowns this season, said during his acceptance speech. "He's been so good to me in my life and I have been honored and blessed with this opportunity. Since I was a kid, it has been my lifelong goal and a dream of mine. I am just so thankful."
After thanking his mother and father, Henry then thanked his grandmother, who he says helped to make him into a man and taught him the importance of keeping God at the center of his life.
"My grandmother, the woman who made me into the man I am today, I want to thank you so much," Henry exclaimed. "Even though you couldn't be here, I feel you in spirit and I love you so much. You made me into who I am today — hard work, dedication and just doing what I wanted to do. You always told me to keep God first and pray that I always make it far. I just want to thank you and let you know that I love you and that I am praying for you."
The Florida native then thanked his teammates, brothers, other family members and his college and high school coaches for helping him to get to this point. After going through his list of acknowledgments, Henry then turned his attention to the children listening to him.
"I just want to talk to the kids who are watching this TV and listening to me today. I just want to give you all advice. I am hoping that I am somebody you can idolize yourself behind and look up to because God is everything and always keep God first," Henry urged. "Always pray; don't be afraid to pray. He always hears you cry. If you have dreams, chase them. If you believe it, you can achieve it and God will be there every step of the way. I am a living testament, man."
Henry then explained that he gets on his hands and knees every night to pray.
Labels: Christianity, Derrick Henry, Faith, Football, Heisman Trophy, University of Alabama


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Archive for April, 2015
Game Theory: Interesting Choices – Decision versus Selection
Posted by Oakleaf Games in Game Design, Game Theory on April 15, 2015
One of my key elements of a game is an interesting and meaningful choice. As I continue to play and design games, I have started to see that not all choices are equal. I don't just mean that some choices are big and some are small, or that some are hard and others are easy, although these are subjects worth discussing. The subject of what makes a choice interesting is very subtle, though. Many things can lead to choices that aren't interesting, and I think it's useful to identify some of them and see how they impact the choices in a game.
Read the rest of this entry »
What's the Big Idea?
Posted by Oakleaf Games in Game Design on April 7, 2015
Games are a form of art. Some is made just for fun. Some is made just for profit. And some is made for something great. And the greatest art is always inspired by a Big Idea. What is the big idea?
Dr. Wictz Games wrote a series of posts about the Controlling Idea. They compare games to other forms of art, and state that the Controlling Idea is the experience the designer is trying to create for the players. But the big idea I'm looking for is more than that. I want to extend the idea of the "Controlling Idea" to include both a "Controlling Experience" and a "Controlling Meaning".
The controlling experience is what I recently talked about in designing a game around an experience. What do I want players to be doing in a game? If I can identify that, I can make a good game. The controlling meaning adds another level to the game, and guides the development in a different way. What do I want players to take away from this game?
New Bedford was inspired by Moby Dick on that level. It is such a complex book with many levels of metaphor, and I wanted New Bedford to feel like great literature in a game form. The player choices are the primary drivers of the experience, but I also needed a "big idea" underlying the experience. In New Bedford, that idea is the complex connection between growing the whaling industry and depleting the whale population to do so–the idea that as whaling became harder, the industry was aware (or at least willfully ignored) of the harm they were causing (to the whales and themselves), but felt like they had no other choice but to keep going. It is up to the players to decide how well the game presents that idea.
Not every game needs to have that second level. One Card Wonder doesn't have one. It is more like popular fiction than classic literature, and it is a lot of fun and suitable for anyone, without needing a deeper message about history. In my opinion, there are only a few rare boardgames that achieve this second level. But it appears that boardgame design is starting to embrace its literary side, and I think we will see a lot more games that do this in the future. But boardgames as literature is a topic for another day.


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Today included elections that were important to several people I know. But really…what I want to highlight…
CNN's new election pundit: Ari Fleischer
My love for him is huge. Like the man may have been the reason I went into politics. I may have also admitted this to my roommates tonight when Ari's fantastic bald head appeared on screen. I may also be mocked for quite sometime about this now, because as my roommate said "most kids loved JTT, but not [W] she loved Ari."


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M.G. 15 machine gun firing forward through the starboard windscreen ; twin 7-92- mm. guns on a manual mounting firing ... 3, 520 lb. is carried within the fuselage bomb-bay and 2, 200 lb. in the four external faired racks beneath the centre- section. ... Five versions of the Junkers Ju 88 are now in service with the Luftwaffe , of which the latest is the Ju 88A6, which has been in ... The upper rear gun position, especially, has been improved and the cabin roof is seen to be higher at this point.
|Aircraft of the Fighting Powers
|Owen Gordon Thetford, Douglas Arthur Russell
|- 1942
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NORWICH With a proposed New York State Executive Budget now on the table, the Norwich City School District is likely to see a 3.4 percent increase in state aid for the coming year, but school officials are being cautious in moving forward as the district is still reeling from $7.5 million in recent state aid cuts.
Governor Andrew Cuomos proposed 2013-2014 budget calls for a 4.4 percent increase statewide in education, or $889 million. Should the proposed budget pass, the Norwich City School District is slated to receive more than $640,000 in education aid. Although NCSD administrators praise Cuomos efforts to relieve some of the financial burdens in public education, the aid increase is far from the $7.5 million in aid NCSD has lost since 2010.
We have to take a long-term view. We have to see where we have been with state aid and how much we have lost in recent years and compare what we gain to that number, explained NCSD Superintendent Gerard OSullivan.
According to Deputy Superintendent Robert Wightman, state aid accounts for nearly two-thirds the districts budget. He said NCSD is currently examining preliminary figures for the 2013-2014 school budget using numbers from the governors budget. Were not looking at this from a negative perspective, he added, but we would like to see some of what we have lost restored ... The trick is finding the right balance between a sound education and being fiscally conservative.


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Relations with Russia
For more than two decades, NATO has strived to build a partnership with Russia, developing dialogue and practical cooperation in areas of common interest. Cooperation has been suspended in response to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, which the Allies condemn in the strongest terms. Political and military channels of communication remain open. NATO remains concerned by Russia's continued destabilising pattern of military activities and aggressive rhetoric, which goes well beyond Ukraine.
NATO is pursuing a dual-track approach towards Russia: meaningful dialogue on the basis of a strong deterrence and defence posture. (NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, September 2017)
- Relations started after the end of the Cold War, when Russia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (1991) and the Partnership for Peace programme (1994).
- The 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act provided the formal basis for relations.
- Dialogue and cooperation were strengthened in 2002 with the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) to serve as a forum for consultation on current security issues and to direct practical cooperation in a wide range of areas.
- Russia's disproportionate military action in Georgia in August 2008 led to the suspension of formal meetings of the NRC and cooperation in some areas, until spring 2009. The Allies continue to call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.
- All practical civilian and military cooperation under the NRC with Russia was suspended in April 2014 in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But channels of political dialogue and military communication were kept open. The NRC is an important forum for dialogue and information exchange, to reduce misunderstandings and increase predictability; meetings are being held periodically on the basis of reciprocity.
- At the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, NATO leaders condemned Russia's military intervention in Ukraine and demanded that Russia comply with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities; end its illegal and illegitimate occupation and 'annexation' of Crimea; refrain from aggressive actions against Ukraine; withdraw its troops; halt the flow of weapons, equipment, people and money across the border to the separatists; and stop fomenting tension along and across the Ukrainian border.
- At the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July 2016, Allied leaders reiterated their concerns about Russia's destabilising actions and policies, which go beyond Ukraine and include provocative military activities near NATO's borders stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea; irresponsible and aggressive nuclear rhetoric, military posture and underlying posture; as well as the risks posed by its military intervention and support for the regime in Syria. NATO has responded to this changed security environment by enhancing its deterrence and defence posture, while remaining open to dialogue.
- NATO and Russia have profound and persistent disagreements; however, the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia.
- In the wake of the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, the United Kingdom, on 4 March 2018, NATO Allies were united in expressing deep concern about this clear breach of international norms and agreements. As a consequence, a number of Russian diplomats were expelled from the Russian Mission to NATO and from embassies across most Allied countries.
More background information
Response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict
NATO followed developments in Ukraine closely from the beginning of the crisis, which has had serious implications for NATO-Russia relations.
After Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea in March 2014, the Alliance took immediate steps in terms of its relations with Russia. It suspended the planning for its first NATO-Russia joint mission and put the entire range of NATO-Russia cooperation under review. In April 2014, NATO foreign ministers decided to suspend all practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia but to maintain political contacts at the level of ambassadors and above, to allow NATO and Russia to exchange views, first and foremost on the crisis in Ukraine. While the suspension of cooperation with Russia continues today, channels of political dialogue and military communication are being kept open. The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) is meeting periodically on the basis of reciprocity – it is an important forum for dialogue and information exchange, to reduce misunderstandings and increase predictability.
NATO has identified ways to transfer those cooperative projects that impact on third parties, in particular the NRC Counter-Narcotics Training Project, to other non-NRC mechanisms or structures.
At the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, NATO leaders condemned in the strongest terms Russia's military intervention in Ukraine and demanded that Russia stop and withdraw its forces from Ukraine and along the country's border. NATO leaders also demanded that Russia comply with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities; end its illegitimate occupation of Crimea; refrain from aggressive actions against Ukraine; halt the flow of weapons, equipment, people and money across the border to the separatists; and stop fomenting tension along and across the Ukrainian border. They reaffirmed that NATO does not and will not recognise Russia's illegal and illegitimate 'annexation' of Crimea.
At the Wales Summit in 2014, the Allies also noted that violence and insecurity in the region led to the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH17 on 17 July 2014. They said that those directly and indirectly responsible for the downing of MH17 should be held accountable and brought to justice as soon as possible. In May 2018, the Joint Investigation Team, which is investigating the MH17 crash, concluded that the BUK-TELAR that was used to down the aircraft originated from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, a unit of the Russian army from Kursk. Allies stand in solidarity with the Netherlands and Australia, which call on Russia to take State responsibility for the downing of flight MH17. Allies strongly support the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine by diplomatic and peaceful means and welcome the ongoing diplomatic efforts in this regard. All signatories of the Minsk Agreements must comply with their commitments and ensure their full implementation. Russia has a significant responsibility in this regard.
For more than two decades, NATO has strived to build a partnership with Russia, including through the mechanism of the NRC, based upon the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act and the 2002 Rome Declaration. Russia has breached its commitments, as well as violated international law, breaking the trust at the core of its cooperation with NATO. The decisions NATO leaders took at Wales demonstrate their respect for the rules-based European security architecture.
The Allies continue to believe that a partnership between NATO and Russia, based on respect for international law, would be of strategic value. They continue to aspire to a cooperative, constructive relationship with Russia – including reciprocal confidence-building and transparency measures and increased mutual understanding of NATO's and Russia's non-strategic nuclear force postures in Europe – based on common security concerns and interests, in a Europe where each country freely chooses its future. They regret that the conditions for that relationship do not currently exist.
The Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia, but it will not compromise on the principles on which the Alliance and security in Europe and North America rest.
At the 2014 Summit in Wales, the Alliance said that the nature of the Alliance's relations with Russia and its aspiration for partnership will be contingent on seeing a clear, constructive change in Russia's actions which demonstrates compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities.
At the 2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw, Allies agreed to strengthen their deterrence and defence posture, while remaining open to a periodic, focused and meaningful dialogue with a Russia willing to engage on the basis of reciprocity. Allies agreed that Ukraine would continue to be the first topic on the agenda at the NRC. Allies also decided to keep open military lines of communication.
Wider concerns about Russia's behaviour
NATO's concerns go well beyond Russia's activities in Ukraine. Notably, Russia's military activities particularly along NATO's borders have increased. Russia's behaviour continues to make the Euro-Atlantic security environment less stable and predictable, in particular its practice of calling snap exercises, deploying near NATO borders, conducting large-scale training and exercises and violating Allied airspace.
Russia's military intervention and considerable military presence in Syria have posed further risks for the Alliance. On 5 October 2015, in response to Russia's military intervention in Syria, the Allies called on Russia to immediately cease their attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians, to focus its efforts on fighting so-called Islamic State, and to promote a solution to the conflict through a political transition.
In 2016 and 2017, the NRC met six times to discuss three important topics: 1) the crisis in and around Ukraine, including the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements; 2) issues related to military activities, transparency and risk reduction; 3) assessment of the security situation in Afghanistan, including the regional terrorist threat.
In March 2018, in response to the use of a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury, the Alliance expressed solidarity with the United Kingdom, strongly condemned the attack, and reduced the maximum number of personnel in the Russian Mission to NATO by 10 people. In April 2018, Allies expressed strong support to the US, UK and French joint military action in response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
At the NRC meeting on 31 May 2018, three issues were discussed: 1) the crisis in and around Ukraine, including the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements; 2) issues related to military activities, transparency and risk reduction; 3) asymmetric techniques as aspects of doctrine and strategy. NATO and Russia both briefed on major upcoming exercises.
NATO and Russia have profound and persistent disagreements. NATO's decision to suspend all practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia remains in place. Political and military channels of communication, however, remain open. Dialogue is necessary among nations that share a common Euro-Atlantic space, including to reduce the risk of military incidents.
Key areas of cooperation prior to April 2014
Support for ISAF and the Afghan Armed Forces
In spring 2008, Russia offered to support the NATO-led, UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan by facilitating the land transit of non-military equipment for ISAF contributors across Russian territory. Similar arrangements have been concluded with the other transit states, opening up this important supply route for ISAF. These arrangements were later amended to allow for land transit both to and from Afghanistan of non-lethal cargo (2010) and for multi-modal reverse transit, using a mix of rail and air transit (2012). These arrangements have expired with the end of the ISAF mission.
An NRC Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund to help the Afghan Armed Forces to operate and maintain their helicopter fleet was officially launched in March 2011. It helped provide a much-needed maintenance and repair capacity, including spare parts and technical training. During the first phase of the project, financial and in-kind contributions to the project by ten NRC donor nations amounted to approximately US$23 million. Tailored training for Afghan Air Force helicopter maintenance staff started in April 2012 at the OAO Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant in Russia, which served as the main training centre for Afghan maintenance personnel under the project. Some 40 Afghan helicopter maintenance staff had been trained under the project by the end of 2013.
The scope of the project was expanded with the launch of the second phase in April 2013: maintenance training, which had previously focused on the Mi-17s (medium-sized transport helicopters that can also act as gunships), was offered for Mi-35s (large helicopter gunship and attack helicopters with troop transport capability); critical spare parts were provided for the repair of seven Mi-35 helicopters that were non-operational; and new support was directed at developing the AAF's medical evacuation capacity.
Counter-narcotics training of Afghan and Central Asian personnel
The NRC Counter-Narcotics Training Project was launched in December 2005 to help address the threats posed by trafficking in Afghan narcotics. It sought to build local capacity and to promote regional networking and cooperation by sharing the combined expertise of NRC member states with mid-level officers from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan became the seventh participating country in 2010.
The project was implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Along with the project's seven beneficiary countries, this was a joint endeavour of 20 NRC countries as well as two non-NRC contributors (Finland, since 2007, and Ukraine, since 2012). The NRC countries participating in the project convened with representatives of Afghanistan, the Central Asian nations and Pakistan for High Level Steering Sessions, which ensured that the project continued to meet the countries' counter-narcotics training needs.
Fixed training took place in one of four institutes either in Turkey, Russia or the United States and mobile courses were conducted in each of the seven participating countries. In 2013, the project also began work to encourage cross-border counter-narcotics training. This included supporting the UNODC's work in establishing border liaison officers at existing border checkpoints between northern Tajikistan and southern Kyrgyzstan, and offering joint counter-narcotics training to Afghan and Pakistani officers. By July 2014, over 3,500 officers had been trained under the project.
After NATO-Russia cooperation was suspended in April 2014, NATO has begun to organise training again under a new NATO-UNODC Counter Narcotics Training Project for Central Asia, Afghan and Pakistani counter-narcotics officers.
Combating terrorism
An NRC Action Plan on Terrorism was launched in December 2004 to improve overall coordination and provide strategic direction for cooperation in this area. NRC leaders underlined the continued importance of cooperation in the fight against terrorism at Lisbon in November 2010 and an updated Action Plan on Terrorism was approved in April 2011. A first NRC civil-military counter-terrorism tabletop exercise was conducted at NATO Headquarters in March 2012.
Regular exchanges of information and in-depth consultations took place within the NRC on various aspects of combating terrorism. Under the Cooperative Airspace Initiative (see also below), an information exchange system was developed to provide air traffic transparency and early notification of suspicious air activities to help prevent terrorist attacks such as the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
In the scientific and technical field, NATO and Russia worked together on the STANDEX project, a flagship initiative which aimed to develop technology that would enable the stand-off detection of explosive devices in mass transport environments. Successful live trials of the technology took place in real time in an underground station in a major European city in June 2013, marking the completion of the development and test phase of STANDEX – the result of four years of joint work between experts from Russia and NATO countries.
Countering improvised explosive devices was another important focus of cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Events facilitating the sharing of experiences in hosting and securing high-visibility events have also been held.
Over the years, several Russian ships were deployed in support of Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's maritime operation against terrorism in the Mediterranean.
Cooperative Airspace Initiative
The Cooperative Airspace Initiative (CAI) was aimed at preventing terrorists from using aircraft to launch attacks similar to those of 9/11. The CAI enabled the reciprocal exchange of air traffic data and the early notification of suspicious air activities. This facilitated air traffic transparency, predictability and interoperability in airspace management.
A total of around €10 million was invested in the CAI project by 13 NRC nations. Based on a feasibility study completed in 2005, implementation started in 2006 and the system reached its operational capability in December 2011.The operational readiness of the CAI system was demonstrated during live flying, real-time counter-terrorism exercises in June 2011 and September 2013. A simulated computer-based exercise to test and consolidate processes, procedures and capabilities took place in November 2012.
The CAI system consisted of two coordination centres, in Moscow and in Warsaw, and local coordination sites in Russia (Murmansk, Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don) and in NATO member countries (Bodø, Norway; Warsaw, Poland; and Ankara, Turkey).
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), formerly known as the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A), led the implementation of the NATO part of the CAI system and the software was procured from EUROCONTROL. Implementation of the Russian part of the system was led by the State Air Traffic Management Corporation, under the guidance of the Federal Air Navigation Authority. The Russian segment of the system was developed and supplied by the "Almaz-Antey" Concern.
Theatre missile defence/ ballistic missile defence
Cooperation in the area of theatre missile defence (TMD) was underway for a number of years to address the unprecedented danger posed to deployed forces by the increasing availability of ever more accurate ballistic missiles. A study was launched in 2003 to assess the possible levels of interoperability among the theatre missile defence systems of NATO Allies and Russia.
Between 2004 and 2006, three command post exercises were held in the United States, the Netherlands and in Russia. Computer-assisted exercises took place in Germany in 2008 and 2012. Together with the interoperability study, these exercises were intended to provide the basis for future improvements to interoperability and to develop mechanisms and procedures for joint operations in the area of theatre missile defence.
In December 2009, an NRC Missile Defence Working Group was established to build on the lessons learned from previous TMD cooperation and to exchange views on possible mutually beneficial cooperation on ballistic missile defence, based on a joint assessment of missile threats.
At the 2010 Lisbon Summit, NRC leaders approved the joint ballistic missile threat assessment and agreed to discuss pursuing missile defence cooperation. They decided to resume TMD cooperation, which had been suspended in August 2008, and to develop a joint analysis of the future framework for missile defence cooperation.
At the 2012 Chicago Summit, Allied leaders stressed that NATO's planned missile defence capability is not directed against Russia, nor will it undermine Russia's strategic deterrent. It is intended to defend against potential threats from beyond the Euro-Atlantic area. These points were reaffirmed at the 2014 Wales Summit.
Non-proliferation and arms control
The NRC developed dialogue on a growing range of issues related to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This resulted in concrete recommendations to strengthen existing non-proliferation arrangements and expert discussions on possible practical cooperation in the protection against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Work was underway to assess global trends in WMD proliferation and their means of delivery, and to review areas in which NRC nations could work together politically to promote effective multilateral arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. In December 2011, for example, a Joint NRC Statement was agreed for the 7th Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
Over the years, the NRC also provided a forum for frank discussions on issues related to conventional arms control, such as the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the Open Skies Treaty and confidence- and security-building measures. A key priority for all NRC nations was to work towards the ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty. The Allies expressed concern over Russia's unilateral "suspension" of its participation in the treaty in December 2007. At the Lisbon Summit, NRC leaders emphasised their strong support for the revitalisation and modernisation of the conventional arms control regime in Europe and their readiness to continue dialogue on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation issues of interest to the NRC. So Allies are concerned by Russia's subsequent decision in March 2015 to suspend participation in the joint consultative group that meets in Vienna regularly to discuss the implementation of the CFE Treaty.
Another critical issue has arisen concerning the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. In July 2014, the United States briefed the North Atlantic Council on its determination that Russia is in violation of its obligations under the Treaty not to possess, produce, or flight-test a ground-launched cruise missile with a range capability of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles. The Treaty, which entered into force in 1988, was concluded to reduce threats to security and stability in Europe, in particular the threat of short-warning attack on targets of strategic importance. It has a special place in history, as it required the verifiable elimination of an entire class of missiles possessed by the United States and the former Soviet Union.
The INF Treaty remains a key element of Euro-Atlantic security -- one that benefits the security of all parties and must be preserved. At the Wales Summit in 2014, Allied leaders underlined that Russia should work constructively to resolve this critical treaty issue and preserve the viability of the INF Treaty by returning to full compliance in a verifiable manner.
Nuclear weapons issues
In the nuclear field several seminars were held over the years to discuss nuclear doctrine and strategy, lessons learned from nuclear weapons incidents and accidents, and potential responses to the detection of improvised nuclear or radiological devices.
Between 2004 and 2007, experts and representatives from NRC countries also observed four nuclear weapon accident response field exercises, which took place in Russia and each of the nuclear weapon states of NATO (France, the United Kingdom and the United States). As a follow-on to these exercises, in June 2011, NRC countries participated in a tabletop exercise dealing with emergency response to a nuclear weapon incident. Such activities increased transparency, developed common understanding of nuclear weapon accident response procedures, and built confidence that the nuclear weapon states were fully capable of responding effectively to any emergency involving nuclear weapons.
Military-to-military cooperation
Since the NRC was established, military liaison arrangements have been enhanced, at the Allied Commands for Operations and for Transformation, as well as in Moscow. A key objective of military-to-military cooperation was to build trust, confidence and transparency, and to improve the ability of NATO and Russian forces to work together in preparation for possible future joint military operations. Areas of cooperation included logistics, combating terrorism, search and rescue at sea, countering piracy, theatre missile defence/missile defence and military academic exchanges – and related military activities.
Countering piracy
Countering piracy was one of the key areas of common interest and concern identified in the Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges approved at the Lisbon Summit in November 2010. Cooperation at the tactical level developed from late 2008 between Russian vessels and Allied ships deployed as part of Operation Ocean Shield, NATO's counter-piracy operation off the Horn of Africa. At the operational level, regular meetings between staffs sought to enhance NATO-Russia maritime cooperation. Russian ships also used the training facilities of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Training Centre in Crete, Greece, to prepare for counter-piracy missions.
Submarine crew search and rescue
Work in the area of submarine crew search and rescue at sea grew steadily following the signing of a framework agreement on cooperation in this area in February 2003. Russia participated in three NATO-led search-and-rescue exercises between 2005 and 2011. In December 2013, a sea survival course for aircrews took place in Germany.
Defence transparency, strategy and reform
Aimed at building mutual confidence and transparency, dialogue took place under the NRC on doctrinal issues, strategy and policy, including their relation to defence reform, nuclear weapons issues, force development and posture.
Past initiatives launched in the area of defence reform focused on the evolution of the military, management of human and financial resources, reform of defence industries, managing the consequences of defence reform, and defence-related aspects of combating terrorism.
From 2002 to 2008, a NATO-Russia Resettlement Centre helped facilitate the integration of former Russian military personnel into civilian life by providing information regarding job search and resettlement, professional courses for trainees, job placement services, and English-language and management courses for small and medium-sized enterprises. Initially set up in Moscow, its operations were gradually expanded into the regions. Over the project's lifetime, around 2,820 former military personnel from the Russian armed forces were retrained and over 80 per cent found civilian employment as a result of the retraining or job placement assistance.
Defence industrial cooperation
A broad-based "Study on NATO-Russia Defence Industrial and Research and Technological Cooperation", launched in January 2005 and completed in 2007, concluded that there was potential in combining scientific and technological capabilities to address global threats.
Opportunities for logistics cooperation were pursued on both the civilian and military side, including areas such as air transport, air-to-air refuelling, medical services and water purification. Meetings and seminars focused on establishing a sound foundation of mutual understanding in the field of logistics by promoting information sharing in areas such as logistic policies, doctrine, structures and lessons learned.
Civil emergencies
NATO and Russia cooperated between 1996 and 2014 to develop a capacity for joint action in response to civil emergencies, such as earthquakes and floods, and to coordinate detection and prevention of disasters before they occur. Moreover, a Russian proposal led to the establishment in 1998 of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, which coordinates responses to disasters among all countries of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (the 29 NATO members and 21 partner countries).
Under the NRC, an important focus of cooperation was to develop capabilities to manage the consequences of terrorist attacks. Two disaster response exercises in Russia (2002, 2004) and another in Italy (2006) resulted in concrete recommendations for consequence management. A tabletop consequence-management exercise was hosted by Norway in 2010. More recent work focused on risk reduction, capacity-building and cooperation in the area of civil preparedness and consequence management related to high-visibility events.
Scientific cooperation
Russia was actively engaged with the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme from 1992. The programme enables close collaboration on issues of common interest to enhance the security of NATO and partner countries. By facilitating international efforts, in particular with a regional focus, it seeks to address emerging security challenges, support NATO-led operations and advance early warning and forecast for the prevention of disasters and crises.
Scientists and experts from Russia sought to address a wide range of security issues, notably in the fields of defence against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents, mine detection and counter-terrorism (including explosives detection such as the STANDEX project mentioned above). Two important projects focused on addressing environmental and security hazards in the Baltic regions – the first aimed to develop solutions for effective oil spill management; the second sought to establish a continuous risk monitoring assessment network to observe munitions dump sites in the Baltic Sea.
Terminology and language training
To facilitate better understanding of terms and concepts used by NATO and Russia, glossaries were developed on the entire spectrum of NATO-Russia cooperation. Following the publication in 2011 of an NRC Consolidated Glossary of Cooperation covering some 7,000 terms, additional glossaries were developed on missile defence, nuclear doctrine and strategies, helicopter maintenance, counter-piracy, ammunition demilitarization and counter-narcotics.
Language cooperation was expanded in 2011 with the launch of a project to harmonise language training for military and selected civilian experts at the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Raising public awareness of the NRC
An NRC web site was launched in June 2007 to increase public awareness of NRC activities. It was suspended in April 2014.
Framework for cooperation
The 29 individual Allies and Russia are equal partners in the NRC, which was established in 2002. Until the suspension of activities in April 2014, the NRC provided a framework for consultation on current security issues and practical cooperation in a wide range of areas of common interest. Its agenda built on the basis for bilateral cooperation that was set out in the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, which provided the formal basis for relations.
Cooperation between Russia and NATO member states was directed by the NRC and developed through various subordinate working groups and committees, as agreed in annual work programmes.
The driving force behind the NRC's cooperation was the realisation that NATO and Russia shared strategic priorities and faced common challenges. At the Lisbon Summit, the NRC leaders pledged to "work towards achieving a true strategic and modernised partnership based on the principles of reciprocal confidence, transparency, and predictability, with the aim of contributing to the creation of a common space of peace, security and stability." They endorsed a Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges, which included Afghanistan, terrorism, piracy, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, as well as natural and man-made disasters.
To facilitate regular contacts and cooperation, Russia established a diplomatic mission to NATO in 1998. NATO opened an Information Office in Moscow in 2001 and a Military Liaison Mission in 2002.
Milestones in relations
1991: Russia joins the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (later renamed the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council), created as a forum for consultation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe following the end of the Cold War. The Soviet Union actually dissolves at the same time as the inaugural meeting of this body takes place.
1994: Russia joins the Partnership for Peace (PfP).
1996: Russian soldiers deploy as part of the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
27 May 1997: At a summit in Paris, Russian and Allied leaders sign the NATO-Russia Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security and establish the Permanent Joint Council (PJC)
1999: Russia suspends participation in the PJC for a few months because of NATO's Kosovo air campaign.
June 1999: Russian peacekeepers deploy as part of the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo.
May 2000: Broader cooperation in the PJC resumes, following a meeting of NATO and Russian foreign ministers in Florence.
2001: The NATO Information Office opens in Moscow.
September 2001: President Putin is the first world leader to call the US President after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which underscore the need for concerted international action to address terrorism and other new security threats. Russia opens its airspace to the international coalition's campaign in Afghanistan and shares relevant intelligence.
March 2001: A joint NATO-Russia Resettlement Centre is officially opened to help discharged Russian military personnel return to civilian life.
May 2002: NATO opens a Military Liaison Mission in Moscow.
28 May 2002: At a summit in Rome, Russian and Allied leaders sign a declaration on "NATO-Russia Relations: A New Quality" and establish the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) to replace the PJC.
September 2002: Russia hosts a multinational disaster response exercise in Noginsk.
February 2003: NATO and Russia sign an agreement on submarine crew rescue.
April 2003: Russia announces that it will withdraw its troops from the NATO-led peacekeeping forces in the Balkans.
January 2004: NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer tries out a new hotline to the Russian defence minister.
March 2004: The first NRC theatre missile defence command post exercise takes place in Colorado Springs, United States.
June 2004: Russia hosts a multinational disaster response exercise in Kaliningrad.
28 June 2004: At an NRC meeting of foreign ministers in Istanbul, Russia offers to contribute a ship to NATO's maritime counter-terrorist operation in the Mediterranean, Operation Active Endeavour.
December 2004: In the wake of several terrorist attacks in Russia, NRC foreign ministers approve a comprehensive NRC Action Plan on Terrorism.
December 2004: NRC foreign ministers issue a common statement concerning the conduct of the Ukrainian presidential elections.
March 2005: The second NRC theatre missile defence command post exercise takes place in the Netherlands.
April 2005: Russia signs the PfP Status of Forces Agreement (later ratified by the Russian parliament in May 2007).
June 2005: NRC defence ministers endorse a "Political-Military Guidance" aimed at developing, over time, interoperability between Russian and Allied forces at the strategic, operational and tactical command levels.
June 2005: Russia takes part in a major NATO search-and-rescue at sea exercise, Sorbet Royal.
December 2005: The NRC launches a pilot project on counter-narcotics training for Afghan and Central Asian personnel.
April 2006: NRC foreign ministers meeting in Sofia agree a set of priorities and recommendations to guide the NRC's future work.
October 2006: The third NRC theatre missile defence command post exercise takes place in Moscow.
October 2006: An NRC civil emergency exercise takes place in Montelibretti, Italy.
September 2006: The first Russian frigate deploys to the Mediterranean to support Operation Active Endeavour.
September 2007: A second Russian frigate deploys in active support of Operation Active Endeavour.
January 2008: A computer-assisted exercise takes place in Germany under the NRC theatre missile defence project.
March 2008: In support of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan, Russia offers transit to ISAF contributors.
May 2008: Russia takes part in a major NATO search-and-rescue at sea exercise, Bold Monarch.
August 2008: Following Russia's disproportionate military action in Georgia, formal meetings of the NRC and cooperation in some areas are suspended. Cooperation continues in key areas of common interest, such as counter-narcotics and the fight against terrorism.
December 2008: NATO foreign ministers agree to pursue a phased and measured approach to re-engagement with Russia.
March 2009: NATO foreign ministers decide to resume formal meetings and practical cooperation under the NRC.
December 2009: At the first formal NRC ministerial since the Georgia crisis, foreign ministers take steps to reinvigorate NRC cooperation and agree to launch a Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges.
June 2010: The NRC meets for the first time in a political advisory format in Rome for a two-day informal, off-the-record exchange of views on how to make the NRC a more substance-based forum.
September 2010: NRC foreign ministers meet in New York to chart the way forward in relations and cooperation.
November 2010: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen visits Russia for meetings with President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to prepare for the upcoming NRC summit meeting in Lisbon.
20 November 2010: At the Lisbon Summit, NRC leaders pledge to "work towards achieving a true strategic and modernised partnership". They endorse a Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges and agree to resume cooperation in the area of theatre missile defence as well as to develop a comprehensive joint analysis of the future framework for broader missile defence cooperation. They also agree on a number of initiatives to assist in the stabilisation of Afghanistan and the wider region.
April 2011: NRC foreign ministers meet in Berlin to discuss the situation in Libya and Afghanistan, as well as ongoing work on outlining the future framework for missile defence cooperation between Russia and NATO. They launch the NRC Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund to support the Afghan security forces' helicopter fleet and approve an updated NRC Action Plan on Terrorism.
June 2011: For the first time in three years, the NRC defence ministers meet in Brussels to discuss a broad range of defence issues.
June 2011: A Russian submarine takes active part in NATO exercise ''Bold Monarch 2011''.
June 2011: A joint exercise, Vigilant Skies 2011, demonstrates the operational readiness of the NRC Cooperative Airspace Initiative.
June 2011: NATO and Russia participate in a tabletop exercise dealing with a nuclear weapon incident scenario.
July 2011: The NRC meets in Sochi, Russia, and also meets Russian President Medvedev. NRC Ambassadors restate their commitment to pursuing cooperation on missile defence as well as cooperation in other security areas of common interest.
December 2011: NRC foreign ministers meet in Brussels to discuss international security issues and NRC practical cooperation, including on Afghanistan, counter-piracy and counter-terrorism. They approve the NRC Work Programme 2012 and announce that the Cooperative Airspace Initiative is ready to initiate operations.
March 2012: The fifth theatre missile defence computer-assisted exercise is conducted in Germany.
April 2012: A first civilian-military NRC counter-terrorism tabletop exercise is organised at NATO Headquarters.
April 2012: The first training course for Afghan Air Force helicopter maintenance staff gets underway in Novosibirsk under the NRC Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund project.
April 2012: NRC foreign ministers meet in Brussels to discuss NRC practical cooperation.
21 May 2012: Russia sends a special representative to participate in a meeting on Afghanistan, involving nations contributing to ISAF, at NATO's Chicago Summit.
November 2012: A simulated computer-based exercise tests the information exchange system of the NRC's Cooperative Airspace Initiative.
December 2012: NRC foreign ministers agree to increase cooperation in key areas under the NRC Work Programme for 2013.
February 2013: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at NATO Headquarters to discuss implementation of the NRC Work Programme, as well as ways to advance the NATO-Russia dialogue on missile defence.
April 2013: NRC foreign ministers agree to launch the second phase of the NRC Trust Fund project for the maintenance of helicopters in Afghanistan and discuss plans for cooperation in other areas in 2013. They also exchange views on progress in the NATO-led Afghan mission and on other regional and global security issues, including Syria, North Korea and missile defence.
June 2013: Technology for the remote, real-time detection of explosives is successfully tested live in an underground station in a major European city, marking the completion of the development and test phase of the Stand-off Detection of Explosives (STANDEX) project.
September 2013: Under the Cooperative Airspace Initiative, a live counter-terrorism exercise takes place in the skies over Poland, Russia and Turkey involving fighter aircraft, military personnel and command centres from the Arctic to the Black Sea.
October 2013: NRC defence ministers exchange views on pressing events on the international agenda, including Syria, and transparency on military exercises. They also discuss ways to widen practical cooperation including plans to work together to dispose of excess ammunition in Russia, possibly through a new NRC Trust Fund project.
2 March 2014: NATO condemns Russia's military escalation in Crimea and expresses its grave concern regarding the authorisation by the Russian parliament for the use of Russian armed forces on the territory of Ukraine.
16 March 2014: NATO member states declare that they do not recognise the results of the so-called referendum held in Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which is both illegal and illegitimate, violating the Ukrainian Constitution and international law.
1 April 2014: NATO foreign ministers urge Russia to take immediate steps to return to compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities, and to engage immediately in a genuine dialogue towards a political and diplomatic solution that respects international law and Ukraine's internationally recognised borders. They decide to suspend all practical civilian and military cooperation between NATO and Russia.
24 June 2014: NATO foreign ministers agree to maintain the suspension of practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia. Any decision to resume cooperation will be conditions-based.
5 September 2014: At the Wales Summit, NATO leaders demand that Russia stop and withdraw its forces from Ukraine and along the country's border. They express their deepest concern that the violence and insecurity in the region caused by Russia and the Russian-backed separatists are resulting in a deteriorating humanitarian situation and material destruction in eastern Ukraine. The Allies approve the NATO Readiness Action Plan – a comprehensive package of necessary measures to respond to the changes in the security environment on NATO's borders and further afield.
16 September 2014: The NATO Secretary General states that NATO does not recognise the reported elections held on 14 September in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine, calling on Russia to reverse its illegal and illegitimate "annexation" of Crimea.
31 October 2014: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg states that the planned 'elections' organised by self-appointed and armed rebel groups in parts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, due to take place on 2 November, undermine efforts towards a resolution of the conflict, violating Ukrainian laws and running directly counter to the Minsk agreements co-signed among others by the two self-proclaimed 'republics' and by Russia.
24 November 2014: The NATO Secretary General states that NATO fully supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders and that the Allies do not recognise the so-called treaty on alliance and strategic partnership signed between the Georgian region of Abkhazia and Russia.
18 March 2015: The NATO Secretary General states that NATO does not recognise the so-called treaty on alliance and integration signed between the Georgian region of South Ossetia and Russia on 18 March.
13 May 2015: NATO foreign ministers meet in Antalya, Turkey, to review the security challenges to the East and the South; the NATO Secretary General calls for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements in Ukraine, calling on Russia to stop supporting the separatists and to withdraw all its forces from eastern Ukraine.
25 June 2015: NATO defence ministers emphasise that Russia is challenging Euro-Atlantic security through military action, coercion and intimidation of its neighbours. They express continued concern about Russia's aggressive actions, while reaffirming strong commitment to an independent, peaceful and prosperous Ukraine and firm support to its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
19 August 2015: NATO Allies express serious concern about the recent sharp escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, stressing the need for all parties to de-escalate tensions and exercise restraint. Allies underline that the focus must be on pursuing a solution through diplomatic means, the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements being the path to peace. They emphasise that Russia has a special responsibility to find a political solution, calling any attempt by the Russian-backed separatists to take over more of Ukraine's territory as unacceptable to the international community.
5 October 2015: The North Atlantic Council meets to hold consultations on the potential implications of the dangerous military actions of Russia in and around Syria. In a statement, Allies express their deep concern with regard to the Russian military build-up in Syria, calling on Russia to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians, to focus its efforts on fighting so-called Islamic State, and to promote a solution to the conflict through political transition. Allies strongly protest Russian violations of Turkish sovereign airspace on 3 October and 4 October and note the extreme danger of such irresponsible behaviour, calling on the Russia to cease and desist, and to immediately explain these violations.
24 November 2015: At an extraordinary North Atlantic Council meeting, NATO Ally Turkey informs Allies about the downing of a Russian Air Force plane violating Turkish airspace. The Secretary General expresses concerns about the implications of the military actions of Russia close to NATO's borders and reiterates full solidarity with Turkey and support to its territorial integrity, calling for calm and de-escalation.
2 December 2015: After NATO foreign ministers meet, the Secretary General notes that challenges posed by Russia's actions in the Euro-Atlantic area will be with us for a long time, adding that Allies expressed regret at the decline in military transparency in Europe over the last decade, and noting that the Allies' priority now is to work to restore predictability in our relations. The Secretary General underlines that it is important to step up work on transparency and risk reduction, including through intensive efforts to reach agreement on a substantive update of the OSCE Vienna Document.
30 January 2016: The NATO Secretary General calls on Russia to act responsibly and fully respect NATO airspace after a Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish airspace on 29 January 2016, despite repeated warnings by the Turkish authorities. The Secretary Gen


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This foundation class is designed for professionals who want to leverage Time Matters and integrate the features into an organization's workflow, such as: navigation tips tricks, managing Contact and Matter records, documenting events and ToDo records, incorporating calendars, reminders and other pertinent functions. For over twenty years, Time Matters has assisted law firms, legal departments and other organizations to streamline operations, increase organizational productivity, decrease administrative costs and increase profitability by providing a comprehensive and easy-to-use collection of information management tools. The agenda for this class was designed for Time Matters version 9, 10, 11 and 12. Each participant will receive a 159 page Time Matters Basic Training Manual.
TM 101 - Agenda (8 to 11 am Pacific Time)
Please register 5 business days prior to class to receive a copy of your Time Matters Basic Training Manual (159 pages) in time.


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welcome to
ocean film festival belgium
THE next EDITION WILL START ON OCTOBER 2018
Created in Belgium in 2013
THE festival features a collection of the most inspiring
action, environmental,
cultural and adventure films
from both above and below the sea level.
Social Feed
Check out our latest updates!
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text:
She Never Shed a Tear Nor Voiced a Single Complaint
Projects > She Never Shed a Tear Nor Voiced a Single Complaint
Degree show development.
My work is mixed-media and a constant exploration into the language of gender-based violence. Most recently my work has attempted to highlight the widespread problem of the representation of women within art and society, and the importance in helping to redefine these portrayals.
Show opening on 14th June 2013, at Chelsea College of Art and Design.
Chosen by:
George Vasey, Curator, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art (NGCA) in Sunderland and independent writer, June 2015


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Mardy CollinsHt/Wt: 6-6 / 205 lbs
Position: PG
Team: Temple
Class: 21
Averaged 16.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4.0 APG this season. A 6-6 point point guard and an excellent defender. He uses his size and long arms to create turnovers, averaged 2.8 steals per game the last 2 seasons. Sometimes has trouble with small, quick guards but strong overall. He has good floor vision and keeps things simple. Decent scorer in a defensive system, but he needs to improve his shot. He needs to take advantage of his size in the offensive end.
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Outfit Details:
Necklace, sweater, jeans, flats, bag - Ann Taylor
Headband - Express
Striped tee - Target
Bracelet - Gift from India
Flower ring - Kohl's
Yesterday was unusually chilly for Los Angeles in March and I couldn't help but layer. (I suppose it was foreboding today's weather -- it's raining buckets!) Zach and I were about to spend our evening at a housewarming party, so I wanted to be both cute and comfy. Think I succeeded? Either way, I stayed warm. Also, this look includes a plethora of pieces from my 30 for 30 set. I thought I'd run out and buy a brand-new wardrobe once it was over, but then I realized I was broke. So, um, I didn't.
The end.


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|Skyping with Elder Perez on Christmas day
was the favorite Christmas present for each of us in the Perez Family!!!
So I hear that Josh is officially off of the RM market. That makes me the oldest Perez Bachelor! My word, I feel as if I will be keeping that up for the next 3 yrs after the mission... But anyway, it was great talking with you all. Did you like the recordings I sent you all? I can explain anything that doesn't make since if you want.
I already have bought a 2016 calendar since I will be in Guatemala for all of 2016. I even have new years goals written down and with the Lord's help I will realize those goals.
Elder Perez
|The temple nativity they had was cool!
|We went to eat at Applebees
after the temple session.


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Federal Judge Compels Cruise Line Workers To Arbitrate Injury Claims
Brenda K. Ringewald sued HAL - Antillen N.V., Holland America Line - USA Inc., Holland America Line N.V., Holland America Line...
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This product is included in the Ultimate Photography Bundle!
Learn how you can save money with the bundle.
Here you'll find another 15 actions for creating vintage effects with your own photos.
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2nd International workshop on sea ice concentration
Danish Meteorological Institute
Lyngbyvej 100, Copenhagen Ø
February 18 and 19, 2013
Preliminary agenda
Session 0, Monday February 18, 09:00
Welcome and workshop logistics (Leif Toudal Pedersen, DMI)
Session 1, Monday February 18
User requirements to Climate dataset
1.1 Stein Sandven, NERSC, Introduction to the Sea Ice CCI project
1.2 Walt Meier, NSIDC/NOAA sea ice concentration climate data record
Discussion: Requirements to sea ice concentration and extent climate datasets (Stein+Leif)
Session 2, Monday February 18,
Algorithms and tie-points
1.3 Mohammed Shokr, ECICE: an algorithm to estimate ice types and concentrations
1.4 Lars Kaleschke, SMOS sea ice observations
1.5 Natalia Ivanova, Implementation of 20 algorithms for comparison in the SICCI project
Discussion: Implementation issues, tie-points, weather filters, cut-offs, discontinuities etc (Natalia and Thomas)
Session 3, Monday February 18,
Validation data
1.6 Leif Toudal Pedersen and Roberto Saldo, A validation dataset for the SICCI project
1.7 Georg Heygster: A thin ice dataset for SICCI
1.7b Georg Heygster: Cross check of SICCI high concentration data with NSIDC gridded TBs
Discussion: How can we establish a free and open comon validation dataset. What should such a dataset consist of and how should it be organized. (Leif)
Session 4, Tuesday February 19, 09:00 CET
Validation & Algorithm Intercomparison
2.1 Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir, Comparison of in-situ ice observations and passive microwave imagery / Sea-ice concentration
2.2 Alexander Beitsch, Comparison of SSM/I Sea Ice Concentrations with ASPeCt Ship Observations around Antarctica
2.3 Natalia Ivanova et al, Results of algorithm Intercomparison in the SICCI project
2.4 Rasmus Tonboe, Brightness temperature simulations
2.5 Leif Toudal Pedersen, An integrated retrieval of ice/ocean and atmosphere parameters
2.6 Tom Carrieres, Assimilation of passive microwave data within an automated sea ice
analysis system
Discussion: What is proper ways of doing validation and intercomparison? What do you think about the SICCI method? Are we missing something? (Georg)
Session 5, Tuesday February 19
Uncertainties, resolution and geolocation issues
2.7 Georg Heygster, Checking Geolocation of SICCI RRDP
2.8 Ludovich Brucker, Sea ice concentration retrieval uncertainty from the NASA Team 2 algorithm
2.9 Christian Melsheimer, Remote Sensing of Snow Depth on sea-ice
2.10 Thomas Lavergne, Investigating the observation error covariance matrix of sea ice concentration datasets
2.11 Rasmus Tonboe, Uncertainty estimates in the EUMETSAT sea ice re-processing of satellite microwave radiometer data
Discussion: Should we move away from traditional algorithms towards assimilation type methods? (Rasmus and Thomas)
Discussion: How do we proceed from here, what are the major issues, future collaboration, …
The workshop will finish at 17:00 CET February 19 at the latest.


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Marquis® Student KD Lockers By Superior®
Marquis® Student
KD Lockers
General: Lockers shall be "Superior® Marquis® Student KD Lockers" as manufactured by List Industries Inc. or approved equal. Fabricate lockers square, rigid and without warp, with metal faces flat and free from dents or distortion. Make all exposed metal edges safe to touch. Weld frame members together to form rigid, one-piece structure. Weld, bolt, or rivet other joints and connections as standard with manufacturer. Grind exposed welds flush. Do not expose bolts or rivet heads on fronts of locker doors or frames except for fastening of number plates and recessed handle.
Lockers shall be GREENGUARD Children & Schools CertifiedSM
Finishing: All locker parts to be cleaned and coated after fabrication with a seven stage zinc/iron phosphate solution to inhibit corrosion, followed by a coat of high grade custom blend powder electrostatically sprayed and baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 20 minutes to provide a tough durable finish. Color to be selected from manufacturer's standard list of colors. Interior components to be painted #729 Parchment. Two-Tone Color Combination: Shall be at no additional cost with the locker frame and trim chosen from one color and the doors may be one of any other color chosen from manufacturers standard selection.
Frame: Fabricate of 16 gauge (minimum) channels, with integral continuous door stop/strike formed on both latch and hinge side vertical members. Cross frame members of 16 gauge channel shapes, including intermediate cross frame members on double and triple tier (frames with doors over 18" high) lockers shall be securely welded to the vertical framing members to ensure rigidity. Rubber bumpers shall be provided to cushion door closing.
Marquis Student Wardrobe Doors: Doors 20" high and over to be fabricated from single sheet prime 14 gauge with single bends at top and bottom and double bends at the sides. . Doors shall include a 3" wide 18 gauge full height channel door stiffener MIG welded to the hinge side of the door as well as to the top and bottom door return bends and spot welded to the inside of door face to form a rigid torque-free box reinforcement for the door. Doors shall be plain (non-louvered). Wardrobe doors shall include ventilating perforations in the top and bottom door flanges.
Marquis Seamless Drawn Locker Handle: All wardrobe doors 20" high and over shall have a seamless drawn not less than 304 stainless steel recessed handle shaped to receive a padlock or built-in combination lock. The recessed handle shall be deep enough to have the lock be completely flush with the outer door face.
Marquis Latch Assembly: Shall be single point rigid non-moving positive latch by means of a heavy 11 gauge (minimum) latch securely welded to the 16 gauge vertical frame member at both the continuous door strike as well as the area where the frame is fastened to the side panel to prevent the latch and frame from twisting. The latch assembly must be made of a single piece of steel and have a padlock loop that inserts through the recess pan. The latch must be able to accept either a padlock or built-in combination lock. A rubber bumper shall be securely attached to the latch.
Door Hinges: Shall not be less 16 gauge continuous piano type riveted to the frame and welded to the door. All doors to be right hand, side hinged.
Body: Fabricate back and sides of 24 gauge (minimum) sheet steel, with double flanged connections extending full height. Form top, bottom and intermediate tier dividers of 24 gauge (minimum) sheet steel with single return bends at all sides. Bolt top and bottom as well as horizontal tier dividers of wardrobe openings to front horizontal frame members at not less than one place in addition to side panels. Form hat shelves at 60" and 72" high single tier lockers of 24 gauge (minimum) sheet steel with single bends at sides and back and a double bend at front.
Locks (If Required): Shall be master keyed to one system for the entire project. (See lock use chart for suggested lock application).
Equipment: Furnish each locker with the following items, unless otherwise shown.
Single tier lockers: Openings 60" and 72" shall include one hat shelf, one double prong ceiling hook and a minimum of two single prong hooks.
Double tier lockers: Openings 30" and 36" high shall include one double prong ceiling hook and a minimum of two single prong hooks.
Triple tier lockers: Openings 20" and 24" high shall include one double prong ceiling hook only.
Two-Year Warranty: Superior KD lockers are covered against all defects in materials and workmanship excluding finish, damage resulting from deliberate destruction and vandalism under this section for a period of two years.