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Every security professional knows the basics of encryption, but does everyone really understand what a block cipher for example is supposed to achieve? The fact is that we often look at cryptographic primitives as mystical black boxes. This is sometimes advantageous but can also lead to misunderstandings and mistakes. For example, a deep understanding of how block ciphers work and how sophisticated attacks (like differential and linear cryptanalysis) work makes it clear why it is so important to only use standardized ciphers like 3DES and AES and why modes of encryption are so essential. Similarly, how many of us know what key lengths must be used for public-key encryption and why. To properly understand this, we need to know what the best algorithms are for factoring RSA moduli and for solving the discrete log problem, and what the difference is when Elliptic curve cryptography is used. Furthermore, we need to look at the history and development of these attacks in order to make safe predictions for the coming decade.
In this course, participants will gain an in-depth understanding of how cryptographic primitives are constructed and broken. This course is comprised of two distinct and independent 2-day units. In 2009, the first unit will be given in DC in February, and the second unit will be given in Las Vegas in July. The units are as follows:
Unit 1: Asymmetric Primitives
In this unit, we will study asymmetric primitives, and in particular cryptosystems based on RSA and the discrete-log problem. In addition to understanding the schemes themselves and the main algorithmic issues that arise, we present some important attacks on RSA and study algorithms for factoring and discrete log. We conclude with an intensive session on how key lengths should be set, based on the material learned in the unit.
Unit 2: Symmetric Primitives
In this unit, we will learn how block ciphers and cryptographic hash functions are constructed and broken. In particular, we will study the main construction paradigms as well as basic cryptanalytic attacks on these primitives. The course also covers important advanced cryptanalytic attacks like differential and linear cryptanalysis, with a focus on how to apply them. Finally, we will study popular constructions like the DES and AES ciphers, and the SHA family of hash functions.
In addition to frontal lectures, this course includes multiple interactive and exercise sessions where participants will be challenged to apply the material learned to new problems.
This course is essential to developers who need to understand cryptographic primitives in depth in order to properly use them and also to security professionals who need to make decisions about what products to use and why.
This course will assume mathematical maturity, but no specific mathematical knowledge. For example, it is not assumed that the students know modular arithmetic and number theory, but it is assumed that if explained, they will catch on fairly quickly (this is mainly needed for the unit covering asymmetric primitives). In addition, participants should be familiar and comfortable with very basic probability, with the notions of algorithms and with basic notions of computer science. Some basic programming knowledge is helpful, but not necessary.
Andrew (Yehuda) Lindell is an Associate Professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Andrew attained a Ph.D. at the Weizmann Institute of Science in 2002 and spent two years at the IBM T.J.Watson research lab as a Postdoctoral fellow in the cryptography research group. Andrew has carried out extensive research in cryptography, and has published more than 50 conference and journal publications, as well as an undergraduate textbook on cryptography and a book detailing secure protocols. Andrew has presented at numerous international conferences, workshops and university seminars, and has served on program committees for top international conferences in cryptography. In addition to Andrew's notable academic work, he has significant industry experience and has worked on the cryptographic and security issues that arise in the design and construction of authentication schemes, smartcard applications, software protection schemes and more.
Super Early:
Ends Mar 15
Ends May 1


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I haven't posted here in a long time. I can't believe my join date was in 2000! I was a regular on these forums and then I guess life got in the way. Anyhow, I am back.
I am in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Are there any Fixxtures from the area?? I'd love to hear from you, I feel like I'm all alone here!!
I have loved the Fixx since 1983 when I heard Saved by Zero, and then One Thing..... I became a Fixx fanatic in high school in the 80's, so much so that my friends callled me "Fixxy" and I have the yearbook picture and caption to prove it.
I saw the Fixx in the 90's and got to meet them after the show.
I love the messages in their songs, and above all, that they have remained true to themselves all these years.
It's good to be back. Happy Holidays to All!
Myself and one of my kitties. Cats are another love of mine besides the Fixx.

subset: commoncrawl


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Automatic EcoBoost 2.7L V6 GTDi DOHC 24V Twin Turbocharged
Please call to ensure the vehicle you're interested in is still available. Due to our AMAZING PRICES, they go quickly! 20/26 City/Highway MPG
Here at Ron Carter you get the deal you see. We do not advertise it if you don't qualify for it. Honest, Straight Forward deals you can trust. Price includes: $1750 - F-Series Retail Customer Cash. Exp. 01/02/2020 $750 - Bonus Customer Cash. Exp. 01/02/2020
New 2020 FordF-150 Truck SuperCrew Cab
- Stock: F200288
- Fuel Economy
- 19.0/25.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Ext Color
- Blue
- Int Color
- Medium Light Camel
- Body
- Truck SuperCrew Cab
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Drivetrain
- 4x2
- Engine
- 2.7L V-6 cyl
Ford F-150
Highlighted Features
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Auto high-beam headlights
- Split folding rear seat
- Fully automatic headlights
- Trailer sway control
Detailed Specifications
- Air conditioning
- Driver door bin
- Front beverage holders
- Passenger door bin
- Passenger vanity mirror
- Rear beverage holders
- Rear door bins
- Telescoping steering wheel
- Tilt steering wheel
- Front anti-roll bar
- Front wheel independent suspension
- Power steering
- Speed-sensing steering
- 1st row LCD monitors: 2
- AM/FM radio
- Basic warranty: 36 months/36,000miles
- Corrosion perforation warranty: 60 months/ unlimited distance
- Powertrain warranty: 60 months/60,000miles
- Roadside assistance coverage: 60 months/60,000miles
- Front center armrest
- Rear seats: split-bench
- Split folding rear seat
- Drive type: rear-wheel
- Engine location: front
- Fuel economy city: 19mpg
- Fuel economy combined: 22mpg
- Fuel economy highway: 25mpg
- Manual-shift auto: SelectShift
- Mode select transmission
- Variable valve control
- Approach angle: 24 deg
- Departure angle: 24 deg
- Ground clearance (max): 224mm (8.8")
- Ground clearance (min): 221mm (8.7")
- Ramp breakover angle: 18 deg
- Left rear passenger door: conventional
- Rear cargo: tailgate
- Rear step bumper
- Right rear passenger: conventional
- Trailer sway control
- Exterior body width: 2,029mm (79.9")
- Exterior height: 1,920mm (75.6")
- Exterior length: 5,890mm (231.9")
- Front headroom: 1,036mm (40.8")
- Front hiproom: 1,588mm (62.5")
- Front legroom: 1,115mm (43.9")
- Front shoulder room: 1,694mm (66.7")
- Interior maximum cargo volume: 1,470 L (52 cu.ft.)
- Passenger volume: 3,732L (131.8 cu.ft.)
- Payload: 771kg (1,700lbs)
- Rear headroom: 1,026mm (40.4")
- Rear hiproom: 1,643mm (64.7")
- Rear legroom: 1,107mm (43.6")
- Rear shoulder room: 1,674mm (65.9")
- Towing capacity: 2,268kg (5,000lbs)
- Turning radius: 7.3m (23.9')
- Wheelbase: 3,683mm (145.0")
- Auto high-beam headlights
- Compass
- Delay-off headlights
- Display: analog
- Exterior parking camera rear: Dynamic Hitch Assist yes
- Forward collision: Ford Co-Pilot360 - Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) mitigation
- Fully automatic headlights
- Low tire pressure warning
- Oil pressure gauge
- Outside temperature display
- Tachometer
- Variably intermittent wipers
- Voltmeter
- 4 wheel disc brakes
- ABS brakes
- Brake assist
- Dual front impact airbags
- Dual front side impact airbags
- Electronic stability
- Ignition disable
- Occupant sensing airbag
- Overhead airbag
- Traction control
Dealer Notes
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 4.0
Auto On/Off
By Whitetiger on Tuesday, August 27, 2019Great truck the auto on/off is a little annoying but it probably does help with the MPG as I avg 15.6 most of the time around town and some hwy. When it rains just be careful on making a turn with the pavement being wet or accelerating too quick as the rear end will want to come around and see you very easily. Lots of compliments though!
- 5.0
I understand why they sell so many F-150s
By Tampa Tom on Saturday, November 23, 2019This F-150 Lariat replaces an older Super Duty that was thirsty for expensive diesel fuel. I was hesitant to get the 3.5 liter eco-boost engine because the reviews seemed too good to be true, but it's every bit as good as they say. The truck is roomy, quiet, and comfortable. I've had zero problems since new, and haven't yet even opened the hood. My only concern is the seemingly hundreds of buttons, knobs and switches I cannot read, reach, or see in the dark.
- 3.0
Style and look is great but some quality issues.
By Gbn on Monday, November 18, 2019Style is great and I love the look of my Super crew Lariat. It feels very solid and the ride is great. I've owned 3 an 2003, 2016, and 2019. The issues I've found with this truck have been with the driver seat seeming to shift from side to side slightly, it was missing a few inches of defroster element in the sliding back glass(they have ordered a replacement) and a very noisy engine compared to the 2016 model 5.0 v8. The 2019 5.0 has some faint valve chatter and a single pop noise when taking your foot off the gas under load. Louder going up hill. Also the 2019 was below minimum oil requirement at just 2500 miles. So far it has used about a half a quart in a 1000 miles since change so that has slowed down some. The noises do not seem to hurt my mileage or vehicle operation, they are just annoying in a $55000 truck.
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Fiber Optic Multiplexers
Featured Product from Moog Inc.
To exploit the full bandwidth of fiber, multiplexing combines many signals of various types - video, serial data, network data, control lines - onto one optical fiber. Multiplexers that combine a number of signals electrically are typically called time division multiplexers (TDM); discrete parts of each input signal is assigned a time slot in the outgoing data stream. Moog has a wide range of TDM options that allow multiple electrical channels to be multiplexed onto one or more optical fibers.
We also produce multiplexers that combine a number of optical signals onto one or two fibers. These multiplexers use wave division multiplexers (WDM) because they transmit different signals on different wavelengths of light on the same optical fiber.
Both multiplexing techniques can be used separately or together to simplify optical transmission systems and reduce cost, improve reliability, reduce weight and improve performance. Multiplexed systems also simplify system upgrades since numbers of channels and channel bandwidth is a function of the electronics rather than the transmission line or components. Moog multiplexers accommodate the ever-increasing data rates needed for digital video and industrial data protocols, as well as high speed networks such as Ethernet and IEEE-1394 (Firewire).
View the Focal Multiplexer Product Line and browse our Focal Multiplexer Product Catalog.


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NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Josh Balch, the top penalty-killer and
defensive forward on his team, has two goals this season and both
were overtime game-winners. His tally with 2.5 seconds left in the
extra frame gave the No. 14/15 Yale men's hockey team a 4-3 victory
over Colgate in a crucial ECAC contest before a sellout crowd at
Ingalls Rink.
Balch got the puck on the left edge of the crease after it bounced off the back boards and then off the side of the net before burying the winner in game one of senior weekend at the Whale. That was Yale's second straight goal after falling behind 3-2 in the third period.
"It all happened really fast. We went down on a rush," said Balch, who set up Yale's second goal. "Stu cycled it behind the net and it took a fortunate bounce to me, and I got it over the goalie's shoulder. I think it bounced off a defenseman's stick and then it hit the side of the net. I went straight to the net and was fighting for position, and the puck came straight to me. It went over the goalie's right shoulder."
The Bulldogs, winners of two straight, can clinch a tournament bye with a win against a hot Cornell team Saturday night.
The Elis overcame a three-goal swing to split the season series with the Raiders. Yale blanked the visitors for two periods and scored a pair of pretty goals that eventually helped Jeff Malcolm get the win in goal with 26 saves.
The game's first goal was a beauty. The Raiders barely cleared the zone while a penalty-killer was recovering from a broken stick. It went over the blueline by a few feet and then it was grabbed by Kenny Agostino and brought back quickly with an odd-man opportunity. The junior forward spun around at the top of the right circle and sent it across for Andrew Miller above the opposite dot. The Yale captain, who led the Elis with two goals, connected on a one-timer and sent the puck inside the near post at 4:46 for his 13th of the season.
That was the only tally of the opening frame despite the Elis having a 17-7 advantage in shots. Colgate's best chance came on the power play with three very near misses, and Malcolm stopped six shots overall.
The Blue made it two after killing off another advantage in the second. Balch, who missed a goal on the PK in the first period when his laser slap shot hit the inside of the pipe, flew coast-to-coast on the right and then sent a perfect crossing pass to his center coming down the slot. Clinton Bourbonais got his stick on the lead feed and re-directed it to the open left side of the cage at 7:08. Colgate had a 10-7 edge in shots but that was the only goal of the second.
The 2-0 lead lasted until the second minute of the third period when the visitors tallied 11 seconds apart and evened the score. Robbie Bourbon one-timed a pass from the slot, and then a Yale defender deflected a shot over the Yale goalie's glove at 1:16.
Baun, who leads his team with 13 goals, made it three in a row with a tip-in midway through the third on a power play. Malcolm had little chance on either of his shots, both changed direction very quickly.
"Our guys regained their focus and got back in the game," said Keith Allain '80, Yale's Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach.
The home team worked hard for the next 14 minutes to get the equalizer, and it came after a long scrum for the puck along the boards on the left side in the Colgate end. Agostino poked it out of the pile and Root pulled away with it before scooting toward the net on the left side. He waited for the goalie to commit and then sent it across for Miller. The senior forward held for a moment as Eric Mihalik (37 saves) went low and then flicked a shot top shelf with 5:35 left.
Both teams had quality chances the rest of regulation and both Malcolm and Mihalik were thoroughly tested with some great saves.
"It's a great feeling. It says a lot about the character of the team," said Balch. "It's not easy having a two-goal lead and then losing it in the first few minutes of the third. We did the same thing last week against Princeton. This is the type of character it takes to go far in the playoffs. It was a great team win."
Allain was happy to extol his senior forward's virtues after the victory.
"He's [Balch] on the ice for a reason… and it was one of his better nights," said Allain. "He is playing with the determination and confidence that you like to see from senior athletes at this time of year. Balch and Andrew had outstanding nights."
Miller's goal gave him a team-high and a career-best 14 for the season… Yale can finish as high as third and as low as sixth with one game left in the regular season… Saturday's game with Cornell is completely sold out.
Balch OT Goal Lifts Blue Over Colgate
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Josh Balch, the top penalty-killer and
defensive forward on his team, has two goals this season and both
were overtime game-winners. His tally with 2.5 seconds left in the
extra frame gave the No. 14/15 Yale men's hockey team a 4-3 victory
over Colgate in a crucial ECAC contest before a sellout crowd at
Ingalls Rink.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
"Literature to me has always meant a gateway into a world that has been created by people who have thought deeply about many different issues. It has meant a chance to explore issues...and to try to understand how I can become a better person."
-Bileni Teklu, 5th-Grade Teacher,
Fair Oaks School, Marietta, Georgia
For a complete guide to the workshop session activities, download and print our support materials.
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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Le Vasa Resort Samoa
With welcoming staff, ocean and island views and a restaurant offering delicious food and sunsets to die for, you'll want to never leave.
Valid for travel 01 November - 19 December 2019, 05 January - 31 March 2020
Price is per person twin share in AUD unless otherwise specified. Price is correct as at 27JUN19 & is subject to change without notice & availability at time of booking. Seasonal surcharges & single supplements may apply. Price may vary due to currency fluctuations & changes to taxes & surcharges. Valid for new bookings only & not combinable with any other offers. Further conditions may apply. Booking & cancellation fees may apply. Credit card service fees may apply.
3 nights
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For discussion of Electric Universe and Plasma Cosmology. The ideas and opinions expressed on this forum do not necessarily reflect those of T-Bolts Group Inc or The Thunderbolts Project(TM)
"Theoretical arguments suggest that there are magnetic structures on scales as small as a kilometre or less," wrote Thomas. The filaments observed are typically 150 to 180 km wide, and their dark cores are less than 90 km wide.
Listening to Leonids
November 26, 2001: All at once there was a eye-squinting flash of light and a strange crackling noise. Puzzled sky watchers looked at one another ... and confessed: "Yes, I heard it, too."
Hearing meteors? It could happen -- and indeed it did, plenty of times during this month's Leonid meteor storm.
"I am sure I could hear several of the meteors," recalled Karen Newcombe, a Leonid watcher from San Francisco -- one of many who reported meteor sounds to Science@NASA on Nov. 18th. "Several times when a Leonid with a persistent debris train flew directly overhead, I heard a faint fizzing noise [instantly]." There was no delay between the sight and the sound.
"How is that possible when the meteor was so many miles above my head?" she wondered.
The same question has bedeviled some of history's greatest scientists. For example, in 1719 astronomer Edmund Halley collected accounts of a widely-observed fireball over England. Many witnesses, wrote Halley, "[heard] it hiss as it went along, as if it had been very near at hand." Yet his own research proved the meteor was at least "60 English miles" high. Sound takes about five minutes to travel such a distance, while light can do it in a fraction of a millisecond. Halley could think of no way for sky watchers to simultaneously hear and see the meteor.
Baffled, he finally dismissed the reports as "pure fantasy" -- a view that held sway for centuries.
Here's how it works: Radio waves induce currents in electrical conductors. "Strong, low-frequency currents can literally shake ordinary objects," explains Dennis Gallagher, a space physicist at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. "When things shake, they launch vibrations into the air, which is what we hear."
When a meteoroid races through Earth's atmosphere, the air around it becomes a plasma -- that is, a cloud of ionized gas. Plasmas have a curious property: Lines of magnetic force that permeate them become trapped. Wherever the plasma goes, the magnetic field follows. If a magnetized plasma becomes turbulent, the magnetic fields inside it become twisted and tangled as well.
The plasma tails of certain meteors do become turbulent, says Keay, and they are permeated by a magnetic field: Earth's. "The plasma is swirling so fast that the magnetic field can be scrambled up like spaghetti." And therein lies a source of energy for VLF waves.
Keay continues: Eventually the plasma cools. Electrons return to the atoms from which they were earlier ripped, and the gas becomes neutral again. Magnetic fields find themselves suddenly free to straighten out. That abrupt rebound is what produces the low frequency radiation.
"Theoretical arguments suggest that there are magnetic structures on scales as small as a kilometre or less," wrote Thomas. The filaments observed are typically 150 to 180 km wide, and their dark cores are less than 90 km wide.
D_Archer wrote:Such a bright flash for such a tiny object?
D_Archer wrote:I counted three distinct discharges, the large one first, then 2 smaller ones after. Seems like a pattern that repeats with most meteorites, 3.
dahlenaz wrote:Why do you use the word discharges? Are you speaking in an electrical sense?
D_Archer wrote:dahlenaz wrote:Why do you use the word discharges? Are you speaking in an electrical sense?
Because the bolide discharges and yes.
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We Look Forward to Seeing You!
About Quinn's Lighthouse
Est. 1890 Re. Est. 1984 - The Quinn's building was constructed in 1903 as the Oakland Harbor Entrance Lighthouse by the U.S. Lighthouse Service.
Gift Card
Give the gift of Food & Spirits with our new gift card!
Making a reservation at Quinn's couldn't be easier. You can either give us a call or go online to OpenTable to reserve your next meal. We look forward to seeing you.


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Watching what you eat, exercising properly and ensuring adequate nutrition with a vitamin supplement which has adequate amounts of folic acid may improve chances of conception in diabetic women.
Women with diabetes face a special challenge-getting and then staying pregnant. Poor glucose control may create an environment where the high sugars prevent both conceiving as well as maintaining the pregnancy, Diabetic Living India reported.
Women who develop diabetes can be prone to developing other disorders such as thyroid disease or autoimmune premature ovarian failure.
Miscarriage rates among women with poorly controlled diabetes can be as high as 30 to 60 percent during that crucial first trimester of pregnancy. The risk of birth defects is also high, and also stems from uncontrolled blood sugar levels around the time of conception.
A baby's brain, heart, kidneys and lungs form during the first eight weeks of pregnancy, therefore high blood glucose levels are especially harmful during this early stage.
The main diabetes complication, including gestational diabetes, related to pregnancy is macrosomia – or a big baby (higher than the 90th percentile in birth weight).
Women with Type 1 diabetes will require insulin before, during and after their pregnancy.
However, if a woman has type 2 diabetes then she will require oral medications with or without insulin to achieve appropriate control of your diabetes.
In order to enhance chances of delivering a healthy baby, diabetic women should work with health care team to get their blood glucose under control before getting pregnant.


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--Help! My personality got stuck in this signature machine and I cant get it out!
"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley
© 1998 - 2019 Home of Poi Ltd,New Zealand unless otherwise stated.All rights reserved
*All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com.


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Madagascar's Tiny Chameleons!Posted by Will on
One of our favourite creatures from our trip to Madagascar was the tiny Brookesia Chameleon. Brookesia is a genus of chameleons found only in Madagascar. Some of the species in this genus are considered to be the smallest chameleons in the world! We photographed these tiny chameleons in Amber Mountain National Park in the North […]
- Category: Madagascar
- Posted by: Will
- 9 Comments »


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The Library uses the gifts of money to purchase books, magazine, and other library materials and equipment. Donations are tax-deductible. Learn more.
The Library is grateful for your donations of books and other library materials. Please call the library for specific instructions about what types of materials are useful and for directions about where to bring your items. Learn more.
Many individuals and organizations wish to make contributions to their local community libraries. A gift may be used to memorialize a loved one, to celebrate an important occasion in the life of a friend or relative, or to enrich the library's resources. Learn more.
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Venue: Seasons, Washington Township, New Jersey
Megan: Tony and I were set up through a friend. At the time Tony was going to school in Tennessee. We talked through email, and when he asked me for my number I said no twice - on the third time, I finally gave it to him. He persistently called me for the next three months - I was totally surprised by that! We had our first real date in New York when he came home on winter break.
Tony: My first impression of Megan was she was very pretty. I had seen a photo of Megan before we met and she was even more beautiful in person.
Megan: When I first met Tony he seemed more nervous in person then he had on the phone. He brought daises for me which are my favorite flower, I loved that he remembered that. I thought that he was very attractive and sweet.
Tony: When I proposed to Megan I wanted it to be special and a surprise. I wanted to throw Megan off so I told her that I had made reservations with friends at a restaurant for dinner. (Which wasn't true - it was going to be just the two of us). The dinner was very romantic with a candlelit table and views of the city.
Megan: After realizing that our friends weren't coming to dinner, I thought that Tony was going to propose at the restaurant. When it didn't happen at dinner, I thought, OK, it's not happening tonight. I thought the moment had passed.
Tony: I fooled her though - I had it planned for somewhere else. On our way home from dinner, we were driving along the Hudson River and Megan wanted to take photographs of the city. The pictures weren't coming out very clearly, and I stopped the car so Megan could get some better shots. We started walking along the path next to the river. I didn't want Megan to suspect that anything was coming so I got down on my knee and tied my shoelace. Then a few minutes later I went to tie my shoe again, and this time had the box in my hand. When I looked back up this time, I asked Megan to marry me.
Megan: I wasn't expecting it at all. When we were walking and he went to tie his shoe and then proposed to me I was still taking pictures of the city. When I finally looked down and saw the ring I was in shock it took me a few seconds of just staring at him before I said: "Yes."
Megan: I didn't hire a wedding planner - I did everything myself, which was a lot of stress considering I only had seven months. The day of the wedding was so emotional. When I saw myself with my hair, makeup and dress on it took all I had not to cry. Before I walked down the aisle I had calmed down, I was just trying to focus on not tripping over the dress.
Tony: My favorite part of the day was when I was standing up in the front, waiting for Megan to enter. Just seeing her in that dress…it hit me that I'm marrying the most beautiful girl in the world.
Megan: For our first dance we had a surprise planned for all of our guests. When we walked out onto the dancefloor, "Baby Got Back" started playing. Our entire bridal party had no idea what was going on they weren't sure if they were supposed to start dancing. After 30 seconds the DJ said just kidding and played our real first dance song which was Love by Nate King Cole.
For the reception, I wore a traditional Korean dress. My father gave a toast in Korean, and spoke about when I was little and how his only daughter was getting married. It was a very touching speech even my friends who don't speak Korean were crying because they could hear the emotion in his speech.
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Today marks the 236th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. oldest military service: The U.S. Marine Corps. Older than the United States itself, the Marines are the quintessential incarnation of the best of the American spirit. For more than 200 years, the USMC has defined the standards of courage, spirit, and military prowess. The Heritage Foundation is honored to commemorate the birthday of this great brotherhood.
President Ronald Reagan said (1985): "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the Marines don't have that problem." With a proud tradition of excellence in combat, rituals, and code of honor, the Marines impose high standards on anyone who would wish to join the service. And once you are in, there is no turning back: Once a Marine, always a Marine. To date, more than 41,000 Marines have died so that Americans can live in peace and prosperity.
"As Marines we will not stand down until the mission is complete and our nation is once again secure," says Sergeant Major Micheal P. Barrett. At a time when the country is engaged in two wars, the Marines continue to serve above and beyond the call of duty with an "uncommon valor," making essential contributions to winning the battle and the hearts and minds of America's allies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. For their heroic and selfless service, the USMC has earned the gratitude of their fellow Americans. Thank you, USMC.
Semper Fidelis!


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HIi I'm Marie. I'm a actress. i'm 17 and in a releastionship...
Age is just a number ( Justin Bieber Fan Fiction )31420122129
- by Kat_Styles1314
- Rating:
- Published: 11 May 2013
- Updated: 18 Jan 2014
- Status: In Progress
Isabella is a 15 year old girl with big dreams. She has always wannted to be famous and show people what she could do. Nothing could get in her way until she meet her idol Justin Bieber. Isabella always had a speical love for him. The only thing that she doesnt like about him is hes over age.
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Sven and Kate Thesen's front yard is a dead giveaway: Here lies a net-zero-energy home.
A sign proclaims "This house is saving energy (and money too!)," an electric-car plugging station sits proudly in the half driveway, four bicycles lie ready to ride and mulch covers the front yard, awaiting further landscaping.
The Thesens' home is one of five that will be on a self-guided tour on Saturday, Oct. 13, offering visitors up-close-and-personal views of what it takes to lower one's carbon footprint. The 2012 Solar Home Tour begins with an informational session at the Girl Scout House, with presentations on how photovoltaic (solar) systems work and what they cost, including information on the city's rebate program and federal tax credits.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their monthly utility bill, with its average monthly cost kilowatt-hour usage, as well as a bag lunch to enjoy before embarking on the home tour.
Thesen is eager to share the details of his new home, beginning with how he had to negotiate with the city to honor both the need for siting the house as far back as possible to get the best sun exposure for the solar panels and still meet the requirement to line up with his neighbors along the street.
"The best solar gain is farther back," he said, but they compromised by adding a façade that juts forward.
After a year in the house, all is complete except the landscaping, which is slowly being added with edibles and California natives. Whenever tree trimmers work in the neighborhood, Thesen asks them to drop off the ground-up mulch that now covers his front yard.
Much of what was on the property has been reused, he said, beginning with the rotting planking from a side fence that was trimmed down to a narrower low picket fence at front and side. Now the posts are elevated. "They should last a long, long time," he said.
"There's a lot of sweat equity in this fence," he added, but they saved more than $1,000 by re-using the posts and pickets.
Thesen and his family are literally walking the walk, or riding the ride, of energy efficiency. Although trained as a chemical engineer, he's now become an expert on energy efficiency and consults on the topic.
He points to the electric-car charging station in front, noting that "the real carbon footprint is in the use of the car." He said it takes about four hours to recharge his electric Prius after driving to San Francisco and back.
Inside, he points to the low volatile organic compound (VOC) cabinets, induction cooktop that uses 75 percent less energy, and paperstone countertops.
"I don't know why everyone doesn't have one," said Kate Kramer Thesen. "It's a little more expensive than traditional electric cooktop, but cheaper than gas."
She said the paperstone countertop is as hard as granite, and after a year, it's holding up well -- despite their mistake in oiling it (they had to have it refinished).
A small, 18-cubic-foot Samsung refrigerator readily meets the needs of the family of four.
Concrete flooring was used throughout the first level, which the family stained themselves using fertilizer (iron sulfate).
Details of the Thesen family home can be seen in a "booklet" on the projectgreenhome.org website. Designed by Arkin Tilt Architects of Berkeley, the home incorporates numerous energy-efficient design features, including airtight construction, insulation, and passive solar and passive ventilation.
An entire section of the booklet is devoted to reconstructed and salvaged materials, including beams in the living room, sliding "barn" doors in the living room, recovered redwood siding in the carport and exposed wood siding on the porch. They even took old lead-painted siding and used it between their metal roof and the exposed redwood ceiling on the outside porch.
The first floor is an open structure, with only the exterior walls load-bearing. That will make the home flexible as the family grows and ages, Thesen said. What is now an office could one day be a "senior suite" -- on the ground floor with its own bathroom and access to the backyard.
Homeowners will be on hand during the tour to explain just what each has done to make their houses more energy-efficient. Tour participants can also check out EV and plug-in vehicles, and take home free copies of the Solar Energy Resource Guide (while they last).
What: 2012 Solar Homes Tour - The Road to Net-Zero Energy
When: Saturday, Oct. 13; information session 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., tour 1 to 4 p.m.
Where: Information session: Girl Scout House in Rinconada Park, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; a map for the self-guided tour of five homes in Palo Alto will be handed out there.
Cost: Free


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This is the second in a three-part series on building a government cybersecurity ecosystem.
The Department of Homeland Security and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology are spearheading an effort to develop a self-healing cyber "ecosystem" across government and industry organizations that could automatically assess and respond to threats.
A multiagency group hopes to create a cyber ecosystem that could learn to automatically assess and respond to threats. Where would humans fit in the loop? Read more.
Government researchers are using the human immune system as a model for building a cybersecurity ecosystem, whose features would include automation, interoperability and authentication technologies. Read more.
Plans to develop an automated system for defending agencies from cyber attacks could look to existing agency projects, including the Energy Department's Smart Grid and FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System, as models for self healing networks. Read more.
The agencies, which asked for input on the idea in a recent request for proposals, say the seriousness and the scale of today's cyber threats make the idea of a self-defending network an idea whose time has come.
Yet the search for models for an "automated collective action" goes back a decade or more. Most recently, creating a healthy, secure cyber ecosystem was one of the two focus areas identified in the DHS Blueprint for a Secure Cyber Future, released in late 2011. The other was protection of the nation's critical infrastructure.
Work on the idea dates to much earlier, however. The earliest technical reference in the RFI was a paper from 1990, An Immunological Model of Distributed Detection and Its Application to Computer Security, by Steven A. Hofmeyr.The paper that spurred the current request for information, entitled Enabling Distributed Security in Cyberspace: Building a Healthy and Resilient Cyber Ecosystem with Automated Collective Action and published in March 2011, also uses the human immune system as a model.
It was written under the direction of Philip Reitinger, then DHS deputy under secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate who has since moved on to Sony Corp.
It envisions "a 'healthy cyber ecosystem' -- where cyber devices collaborate in near‐real time in their own defense." In such a system, "power is distributed among participants, and near‐real time coordination is enabled by combining the innate and interoperable capabilities of individual devices with trusted information exchanges and shared, configurable policies."
Such a system is not a perfect model, however. In humans, auto-immune diseases lead the immune system to attack the body it is supposed to protect, a situation that researchers and developers want to avoid in a secure cyber ecosystem.
The ecosystem would start where continuous monitoring for vulnerabilities is today, and the end state would advance to include automated responses, with broad-based threat and incident monitoring, data dissemination, threat analysis, intervention recommendations and coordination of preventive actions. The three building blocks identified in the Reitinger paper as necessary to enable such a system are:
Tools embodying these elements would not have to be universally deployed to enable a secure ecosystem. "Some simulations indicate that about 30 to 35 percent of devices would need to cooperate in order for such a course of action to work," the paper says. "These numbers are important, because they indicate that success is not dependent on the participation of all or even a majority of devices; therefore, large‐scale infrastructure modification is not required to make the ecosystem fundamentally more secure."
NEXT: Laying the groundwork for a collective automated cybersecurity system.
PREVIOUS: Could a cyber ecosystem automatically defend government networks?
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CAIRO (Reuters) - Thousands of Egyptian riot police and conscripts have gone on strike to demand the interior minister's resignation, saying he is too close to the country's Islamist leadership, security sources said on Wednesday.
The action takes place after security forces and anti-government demonstrators have clashed in the capital and other cities. At least 59 people were killed in protests between January 25, second anniversary of the uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak, and February 4.
The strikers, mostly conscripts but led by police officers, say Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim is "in thrall to the Islamist president" and must resign, said a general at the Cairo security directorate, who declined to give his name.
Another officer also told Reuters that Ibrahim, who is a general, was too close to President Mohamed Mursi.
They were also upset that he had directed the state security force to protect the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's dominant political group.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that some police officers and soldiers were on strike and said it had told commanders to listen to their demands.
The ministry said the cause of the strike was that riot police erroneously believed the government planned to ban demonstrations which would pitch them into confrontation with protesters.
Pro-opposition daily Al Masry Al Youm splashed pictures of a rare police demonstration on its front page on Wednesday. It said officers were protesting against the "Brotherhoodisation" of the ministry and demanding legal changes and danger money for having to deal with political violence.
A police major, who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, said: "Ibrahim is not neutral and has given orders to police to guard the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood.
"He does not work to represent the interests of his personnel," the major said.
The riot police feel they are dragged into politics by being forced to confront protesters during mass rallies, he said.
"This ends up stoking hatred between the ministry and the people," the major said.
The strikes have spread to state security camps in Daqahliya, Gharbiya, Sharqiya, Menya and Damietta provinces, the security sources said.
The Interior Ministry has been at the forefront of clashes involving protesters, mainly young, who complain that Mursi has done little to reform the police since Mubarak was ousted two years ago.
Police and security officials were involved in the torture of detainees in the Mubarak era, according to human rights groups and activists.
Police reform was a demand of the 2011 revolution but no police officer has been punished for the deaths of around 850 protesters during the uprising.
Both the general and the major said the riot police personnel have demanded that former Interior Minister General Ahmed Gamal be reinstated as he was more neutral.
On Tuesday, hundreds of policemen demonstrated outside the security directorate in the port city of Alexandria, most wearing civilian clothes, to demand that Ibrahim step down.
"The people demand the reform of the Interior Ministry," they chanted. "Leave, leave, Ibrahim!"
Video footage circulated earlier this month showed a protester beaten and dragged naked across the ground by policemen during a protest in front of the presidential palace.
Reporting by Marwa Awad, Abdel Rahman Youssef and Shaimaa Fayed; Editing by Paul Taylor and Angus MacSwan


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RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Commonwealth University Men's Soccer Team captured a 4-0 victory over visiting Elon University in the final game of the 2011 VCU Tournament.
Although the Rams finished with a 2-0 record in the 2011 VCU Tournament, Coastal Carolina University was declared tournament champion after posting a 2-0 record as well. The Chanticleers collected a goal differential of plus 10 (12 goals scored, two goals surrendered), while VCU held just a five goal advantage (six goals scored, one goal surrendered).
"I thought it was a typical Sunday afternoon game on a two-game weekend," said head coach Dave Giffard. "It was hot and there was not a lot of atmosphere, but I was proud of the guys for starting the game with the right energy and urgency to our play."
Elon had a chance to score in the 23rd minute, as Gabe Latigue collected a pass from a teammate with open space in front of him. Latigue fired off a dangerous shot from just outside the 18-yard box, but VCU senior goalkeeper Josh Pantazelos made a sprawling save to keep Elon off the score sheet.
The Rams scored the game's first goal just five minutes later, following a foul a foul on the Phoenix. Senior defender Nick Rich, standing just a few yards away from the corner kick area, directed a cross into the scrum of players inside they six-yard box; the ball caromed off an Elon defender and into the net, handing VCU a 1-0 lead.
The Rams tacked on another goal shortly after the halftime break, as Pantazelos sent a booming punt past the half field mark; an Elon defender won the ball in the air, before sophomore forward Jason Johnson stole possession away and started on a breakaway. Johnson took several touches before shooting into the low left corner for VCU's second goal.
The Black & Gold turned another turnover by the Phoenix into a goal, this time with junior forward Yoram Mwila finding the net. Mwila stepped in front of a pass intended for an Elon defender in the 18-yard box, before turning to his left, then back to the right before unleashing a shot into the lower right corner of the goal.
VCU's final goal of the contest came with just seconds to play in the contest; freshman midfielder Ragnar Leosson collected the ball on the six-yard line, then drove the ball across the face of the goal to wide-open teammate Jose Carlos Castillo. The sophomore forward's deft touch crossed the goal line, handing VCU the 4-0 victory.
Pantazelos notched his second shutout of the season as he posted a season-high six saves. Elon's Reed Dillard turned in an impressive performance, with eight saves.
VCU placed three student-athletes on the 2011 VCU Tournament all-tournament team, including Mwila, sophomore defender Garrett Harvey and freshman defender Juan Monge Solano. Harvey was named Defensive MVP of this year's tournament.
Coastal Carolina's Ashton Bennett received the MVP award, while teammate Justin Portillo was named the Fair Play recipient.
VCU is set to participate in Coastal Carolina's tournament this upcoming weekend. The Rams are scheduled to face University of South Carolina-Upstate this Friday at 5 p.m. VCU will close out play in the tournament on Sunday, with a 3 p.m. match against Coastal Carolina.
"It's always good to score four goals and keep the shutout, especially against a strong opponent like Elon," added Giffard. "We will need this week to get back to work and prepare this weekend's trip to Coastal Carolina for their tournament."


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VANCAT Men Lace-up Boots Anti-slip Comfortable Warm Durable - DARK SLATE BLUE EU 39..only by $29.03
I'm happy to introduce the Styleforum Happy Hour, our brand new podcast featuring lively discussion about menswear and the fashion industry. In the inaugural edition, a discussion of what's going on in retail today. Please check it out on the Journal. All episodes will be also be available soon on your favorite podcast platform.
Styleforum Gives - Holiday Charity Auction 8: Cuir de Russie card case from Equus Leather
We are very proud to present this year's edition of the Styleforum Holiday Charity Auctions, this year in support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane (www.rmhcspokane.org). Each Auction lasts 24 hours. Please follow and bid on all the auctions.
The 8th auction is for a Cuir de Russie card case from Equus Leather. Please bid often and generously here
Fok and the Styleforum Team.
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text: Hello All :biggrin: I thought I had better start a separate thread for finished knives which are available to purchase. This little lot is ready and all finished. Details for each are on my website. If your not already on there, click to join my mailing list to hear when extras are available and any special offers, I will have more stock to add shortly in plenty of time for Christmas. http://www.catchesidecutlery.com/shop.html


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Elizabeth Parker collected the game-winning goal against Colgate last weekend (Gil Talbot).
Complete Game Notes (pdf)
Katey Stone Leads Team USA to Four Nations Cup Gold
The Particulars
Harvard opens its home schedule against a pair of familiar foes as the Crimson welcomes Clarkson and St. Lawrence to Bright Hockey Center this weekend. Harvard has already faced both the Golden Knights and Saints this season, defeating both teams on their home rinks at the end of October.
Series History
After a tough 2009-10 season against the Golden Knights, the Crimson rebounded last year with a win and a tie in the teams' two meetings. Harvard edged Clarkson, 2-1 in overtime, earlier this season. The results helped Harvard increase its all-time series lead to 15-5-2 over Clarkson.
Against Clarkson in Potsdam earlier this season, a Josephine Pucci power-play goal gave Harvard the lead early in the second, but the Golden Knights tied it with just 35 seconds left in the middle stanza. A scoreless third pushed the game into overtime, and it was Marissa Gedman to the rescue, as the sophomore received a pass from rookie Michelle Picard and fired true just 1:32 into the extra frame to seal the dramatic 2-1 victory.
Harvard and St. Lawrence have some recent history, as the teams squared off in the 2011 ECAC Hockey quarterfinals. The Crimson holds the all-time series lead against St. Lawrence,
33-11-5, aided by a quartet of victories over the Saints last season and a win in the teams' first meeting of the 2011-12 campaign.
The Crimson put on an offensive display in its season-opener against the Saints, netting seven unanswered goals after falling behind early to notch a 7-1 road win. Classmates Lyndsey Fry and Gedman tallied three points each on the day, with Fry netting a pair of goals and Gedman dishing out a pair of assists. Jillian Dempsey also scored twice in the game, while Samantha Reber posted her first collegiate points with a goal and an assist.
Last Weekend
The Crimson put together another successful road trip to New York, picking up two points with a win over Colgate and a loss to No. 2/2 Cornell.
An early goal from sophomore Elizabeth Parker just 42 seconds into the game proved to be huge as junior Laura Bellamy posted her first shutout of the season with 20 saves on the night. Lyndsey Fry added an empty-net goal with 51 seconds to play in the game to seal the 2-0 victory.
A pair of first-period power-play tallies put the Crimson in a 2-0 hole against the Big Red, but rookie Sarah Edney got Harvard on the board with her first collegiate tally to close the first period. Cornell reclaimed a two-goal cushion midway through the middle stanza, but freshman Hillary Crowe answered back with her first collegiate goal, and a Kaitlin Spurling marker tied the game at 3-3 late in the third. However, Cornell answered with two more scores in the final 7:23 to sink the Crimson by a 5-3 final. Bellamy collected a season-high 31 saves in the loss.
Dramatic Win for Stone
While the Crimson was in New York fighting for league points last weekend, Harvard head coach Katey Stone and three Crimson players (Josephine Pucci, Michelle Picard and Jillian Dempsey) were in Sweden with the U.S. Women's National Team competing in the Four Nations Cup.
After putting together a 2-1 record through pool play, Team USA avenged a first-round loss to Canada, topping the Canadians, 4-3 (2-1) in a shootout to claim the tournament crown. It was Team USA's first Four Nations title since 2008 and the team kept Canada from claiming its third-straight championship. Former Harvard stars Caitlin Cahow '07-08 and Julie Chu '06-07 were also on the United States' roster.
Spreading The Wealth
Through four games this season, 12 of the 15 Harvard skaters that have seen action have scored points. Ten different players have scored goals this season, while assists have been recorded by 10 players as well.
Thanks For Helping
Against No. 2/2 Cornell, sophomore Kalley Armstrong assisted on all three of Harvard's goals. It was the first multi-assist game of her career, and the three points were also a career best. Armstrong's first multi-point game came against Quinnipiac Feb. 5, 2011, when she netted a pair of goals in a 3-2 Crimson victory.
Welcome Additions
All four freshmen position players have made an impact already this season. Through just four games, all four rookies have logged at least one point. Hillary Crowe and Samantha Reber are pacing the class of 2015 with 1-1-2 points each while Sarah Edney scored against Cornell and Michelle Picard logged an assist against Clarkson.
Harvard in Home Openers
While the Crimson has gone 0-1-2 in its last three home openers, the team has been strong over the past decade in such games. Harvard is 7-1-2 in home openers since the 2001-02 season, compiling seven straight victories from 2001-2007. Harvard is 15-16-2 all-time in home openers.
Pucci Please
With a pair of assists in the St. Lawrence game and a goal and an assist against Clarkson, Josephine Pucci extended her team-leading point streak to seven games, dating back to last season. The streak started with a goal in Harvard's 7-0 win over Colgate Feb. 18, 2011, and was highlighted by her three-assist night in an 8-3 blowout of St. Lawrence in the ECAC Quarterfinals Feb. 26. Pucci has goals in five of the seven games during the scoring stretch.
Road Warriors
Harvard began its season with four-straight road contests for the first time since the 2002-03 season. That season got off to a hot start as well, as the Crimson went 3-1-0 in its first four games. Harvard topped Vermont (13-0), Dartmouth (9-2) and Minnesota Duluth (2-1) before dropping a 4-3 decision at Minnesota.
After downing St. Lawrence and Clarkson, two teams that were receiving votes in both major polls, in its season-opening weekend, the Crimson jumped up to No. 10 in both the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and the USCHO.com polls.
Crimson, White and Blue
Three current members and two formers members of the Crimson were on the U.S. roster for the 2011 Four Nations Cup in Nykoping, Sweden. Josephine Pucci played in her fourth tournament with the team, having earned a spot on the roster prior to the 2010 Four Nations Tournament. Jillian Dempsey made her second appearance with the team after debuting at the 12 Nations Tournament this summer, and Michelle Picard made her debut with the U.S. National team. Veterans Julie Chu and Caitlin Cahow were also on the roster for the 2011 Four Nations Cup.
First Things First
Over the past three seasons, Harvard is a combined 32-3-2 when scoring first and 8-16-7 when conceding the first goal. Harvard picked up wins against St. Lawrence and Clarkson Oct. 28-29, scoring first against the Golden Knights and conceding the first goal against the Saints. The Crimson was 13-1-0 last season when netting the first goal of the game.


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Lucas Glover, Camilo Villegas, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Gainey and Ben Crane have committed to play in the 44th annual RBC Heritage.
This year's tournament will be April 9-15 at the Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island.
Glover is back competing on the PGA Tour after having to withdraw from the Sony Open with a knee injury. He is a three-time Tour winner.
The Clemson grad battled fellow Tiger Jonathan Byrd in a playoff to win the 2011 Wells Fargo Championship.
This will be the Greenville native's 10th time competing at Harbour Town.
Villegas has earned three victories on the PGA TOUR since turning pro in 2004. The Colombia native won the Honda Classic in 2010 and both the BMW and Tour Championships in 2008.
The University of Florida grad has not missed a RBC Heritage since 2006. He won the 2003 Players Amateur conducted each summer by the Heritage Classic Foundation.
Fowler turned pro in 2009 and has one International victory under his belt. He beat Rory McIlroy at the Kolon Korea Open on the OneAsia Tour last October. He received a sponsors exemption at Harbour Town as an amateur in 2008 thanks to his 2007 win at the Players Amateur. His best finish was in 2010 when he tied for eighth place.
Gainey goes by the nickname "Two Gloves" for wearing two golf gloves when he plays. The South Carolina native was born in Darlington but now calls Camden home. The former "Big Break V" contestant has played Harbour Town three times and he tied for third place at last year's Heritage. He carded six additional top-10 finishes in 2011.
Crane has competed at Harbour Town eight times and has only missed the cut once. He has earned four PGA TOUR victories including last year's McGladrey Classic. He has earned fame off the course as the mastermind behind the "Golf Boys" video that he stars in along with Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson.
They will be joined by several other PGA Tour stand-outs, including defending champ Brandt Snedeker, Luke Donald, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink and Brian Gay.
The entire field will be shooting for the top prize of $1,026,000 from a purse of $5,700,000.
Daily tickets and week badges for this year's tournament are on sale online at www.rbcheritage.com or by calling the tournament office at (843) 671-2448. The Hilton Head/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is selling tickets at their mid-island location and at the Hilton Head Island Welcome Center. The Bluffton Town Hall at 20 Bridge St. is also a ticket outlet.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
Examine Cueing Strategies
In this section you will explore an activity to better understand reading as an English Language Learner.
Reading is a complex activity that involves interactions between the reader and the text. A reader's prior knowledge and experiences play a significant role in effective reading and comprehension of text. The more we know about a topic, situation, or event before we read, the better our comprehension will be during and after reading. Readers use their "schema" in conjunction with the text features to construct meaning. These text features include three cueing systems: graphophonic, syntactic, and semantic. Reading may be difficult for English Language Learners because they need to develop the skills and knowledge in one or more of these areas of the reading process.
The interactive activity Examine Cueing Strategies allows you to understand the strategies readers use to comprehend text, and the difficulties English Language Learners face when reading English. A non-interactive version of this activity is available as a PDF document.
After completing the activity, consider these questions:
© 2003 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved.
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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New construction homes for sale in North Richland Hills, TX - a city located in Tarrant County - are displayed below and updated daily from the MLS.
To receive more information on any of these new construction listings in North Richland Hills, TX, click the "Request More Information" button located on the detail page of each property. In addition, we can provide you with disclosures, past sales history, dates and prices of homes and condos recently sold nearby, and more.
And, for your convenience, register for a free account to automatically receive email alerts whenever new North Richland Hills new construction homes and condos hit the market that match your specific criteria and save your favorite properties for quick and easy access.
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6 Ways To Winterproof Your Home This Fall If you want your home to make it through the winter months unscathed, you'll need to take the proper measures to protect it. In other words, you need to winterproof your home. But if ... Read More


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I'll have to admit to you that I've never understood the underlying connection that we all seem to make between times of high stress and multiple sclerosis flares. I know that my diagnosing attack came at one of the highest stress times of my life, but I wouldn't say that I remember any of the next six major attacks as having taken place during stressful times.
In fact, if you start to consider the autoimmune theory of MS, it begins to make less sense to me.
Stress seems to lower immune activity (stressful time = getting sick with whatever bug is going around), so how is it that we can equate our multiple sclerosis disease activity — or at least its symptomatic expression — with times of great stress? Many of us have made mention in the pages of Life With MS Blog that a stressful lifestyle may have been a causative or at least relational factor in our contracting multiple sclerosis.
A new study out from Norway found that incidences of high stress (in the form of both general stress at home and work as well as physical or sexual abuse in childhood and early adolescence) — both of which are considered factors in altering the way the body processes stress) seem to have little to no prescience in forecasting whether one develops MS in her lifetime.
Yes, I wrote "her lifetime."
The aforementioned study used a combined cohort of nearly a quarter of a million women nurses over several decades. The findings, which were published in the latest edition of the journal Neurology, counter the results of several smaller studies on stress and multiple sclerosis.
I think that all of us can agree that MS = Stress. That Stress = MS is the question that researchers in this instance seem to negate… but more research is in the works. The study's authors hastened to mention that, "future studies with more focused and frequently measured stress assessments are needed to preclude a firm exclusion of stress as a potential risk factor for MS."
I'd not be true to myself if I didn't plant my tongue firmly in my cheek and say that the revelation that stress doesn't cause MS but does seem to have an effect on the course of the disease — even though it appears counterintuitive when we think of how stress typically works on the immune system — is causing me enough stress to have a bloody exacerbation right here and now! But I digress…
Have a read of the MedPages review of the article (as the Neurology article requires a subscription to read), and let us know what you think about the whole — stressful? — idea.
Wishing you and your family the best of health.
Don't forget that you can also follow me via my Life With MS Facebook page and on Twitter.


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Welcome to ParanormalHooD Live Radio ,
Join us every Thursday night from 8-11pm Est and the HooDeeZ (Host JiGGY,Co Host Smoke King , Ghost , Buddy Greenberg , Meta4 , JR and more take you on a Paranormal ride threw the HooD . Every week we present a live show with either a special guest(s) or topic nights . We cover all things paranormal and our brand of crazy talk where nothing is off limits . come experience the HooD side of the Paranormal and our personal experiences and beliefs . Everything from cryptozoology , ufology , religion , ghost , aliens , NASA , Near Death Experiences and more ! you can call in when the show goes live too listen at 563-999-3033 or press 1 to talk live with host(s) or guest(s). Or you can Listen/Chat via www.paranormalhood.com
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NASA to Provide Space Data to 'Worldwide Telescope'
NASA and Microsoft said Tuesday that the space agency will provide Microsoft with more than 100 terabytes of data and images for use with Microsoft's Worldwide Telescope, the software giant's rival to Google Sky. Only the most interesting content will be added to Worldwide Telescope, including high-resolution scientific images and data from Mars and the moon. NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. (just a few miles from Google) will actually host the data.
Ames is also developing a suite of planetary data processing tools. These software tools convert historic and current space imagery data into a variety of formats and images of the moon, Mars and other planetary bodies readily available for easy browsing and use by the general public, enabling the creation of enhanced educational tools for students and teachers, NASA Ames said.
"NASA has a wealth of images and data, from the Apollo and Lunar Orbiter missions to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mercury Messenger flybys," said Chris C. Kemp, chief information officer at Ames. "This collaboration makes it possible for NASA to leverage exciting new Microsoft technologies to make NASA's data -- and America's space program -- more accessible to the public."
WorldWide Telescope will incorporate the data later in 2009, Microsoft said, and feature imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, known as the MRO, plus the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is scheduled to publish its information this fall.Originally posted to AppScout.


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Van Gaal's tactical evolution
Louis van Gaal has begun his time in charge of Manchester United by playing a 3-4-1-2 formation, an alignment with which he enjoyed success as Netherlands manager at the World Cup.
"Success" must be qualified, of course -- the Netherlands came third. However, it was a dramatically better performance than was expected, as many tipped them to finish behind Chile and Spain in the group stage. In the end, only a defeat to Argentina on penalties denied them a second consecutive appearance in the final.
However, it's worth remembering that 3-4-1-2 was Van Gaal's default formation, rather than his only one. He also played 4-3-3, 4-3-1-2, 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1 at various stages, varying his approach according to the nature of the opposition, and the situation of the game. Besides, Van Gaal has never been a "template" manager, someone who brings an identical approach to different sides. He's often used 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 as his first-choice formations.
The question then, is simple. Why is he so keen to play a 3-4-1-2 at Manchester United?
The latter part of the formation makes most sense. In Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata, Van Gaal possesses three ultra-talented attackers who prefer to play centrally. None of the trio have been at their best for the past year -- in keeping with the rest of the United squad -- but all three are superbly efficient footballers.
Rooney, for all his faults, is just one goal behind third-placed Thierry Henry on the Premier League's all-time scoring list, Van Persie has finished as the league's top goal scorer in two of the past three seasons and Mata was close to being the best player in the league in his final complete season at Chelsea, racking up 12 goals and as many assists.
Using those three together in central positions makes perfect sense, which means a "...1-2" format is natural. In theory, the 3-4-1-2 allows United to have a spare man in defence and ensures plenty of thrust in wide positions.
It's highly questionable, however, whether the other seven outfield players suit the formation. For the first two games of the Premier League season, Van Gaal has been without any recognised full-backs, and therefore playing a four-man defence would have been extremely difficult, which is why using Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young as wing-backs was a logical, if far from perfect, solution. But when Rafael and Luke Shaw return to full fitness, and now that Angel Di Maria has completed his transfer from Real Madrid, it makes sense for Van Gaal to play 4-3-1-2, rather than 3-4-1-2.
Up front, Van Persie, Rooney and Mata would continue in a tight, central triangle, and while there would be less natural width (with the wing-backs becoming full-backs) there would be more forward running from the "shuttlers" on the outside of the diamond, who could charge forward with a solid holding midfielder protecting the defence.
The role of the shuttler involves great energy. Essentially, it means playing as a central midfielder but then providing width having made sudden diagonal bursts. In this particular position, Di Maria is arguably the world's best and it was particularly useful when he played in the same Real Madrid side as Cristiano Ronaldo, who always made the reverse movement, cutting inside from a wide starting position.
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The Argentine is frequently misunderstood and often termed a winger, which suggests he's in the mould of Arjen Robben or Gareth Bale. In reality, at no point in his seven-year European career has Di Maria played in a front three -- he has generally been tucked inside into a deeper, more central position. At Benfica, for example, he excelled on the opposite side of the diamond to Ramires.
For Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho, he played a disciplined, narrow wide role in a 4-2-3-1 to compensate for Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil's attacking positioning; again, almost tucked back into a midfield three alongside Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira. He turns defence into attack, rather than being stationed permanently in attack.
Meanwhile, for Argentina he's been fielded on the left of a midfield three under both Diego Maradona and Alejandro Sabella, although he was pushed wider in a 4-4-1-1 at the recent World Cup.
Fitting Di Maria into a 3-4-1-2 would be more awkward because he doesn't belong in the front three, using him and Ander Herrera together in a two-man midfield would be risky and playing him as a wing-back would be a waste.
This 4-3-1-2 formation also would perfectly suit Herrera, another expensive United newcomer. He is a good all-round midfielder, almost a throwback as a box-to-box player, and accustomed to covering huge distances under former coach Marcelo Bielsa at Athletic Bilbao.
This system would release him to play his natural game, storming forward into attack and running in advance of Mata and Rooney, something obviously lacking in United's first two games of the campaign.
Further back, United could revert to a back four comfortably. Shaw and Rafael could be wing-backs, but they've both been trained as full-backs and would be more at home in those roles. Centrally, United's lack of defenders is less worrying if Van Gaal needs to play only two of them.
Perhaps the most interesting position would be the holding midfield role. Here, Van Gaal could play Michael Carrick or perhaps Phil Jones, who has been one of United's better performers in the opening two matches.
Carrick's distribution is superior but Jones would be capable of dropping back between the centre-backs, which would mean United could become a 3-4-1-2 as an option within matches, rather than as a default system. This would be useful against sides playing two strikers. The problem with the 3-4-1-2, as was shown against both Swansea and Sunderland, is that three-against-one at the back was entirely unnecessary, and left them overrun in other positions.
There are merits to every system, of course, and given that he spent the past couple of months drilling players in the 3-4-1-2, it seems that Van Gaal perhaps wanted to bring tried-and-tested training ground drills with him.
Nevertheless, the 3-4-1-2 requires specialist players in specialist positions, and this transfer window has not yet prompted the revolution in the playing staff Van Gaal was anticipating.
It's difficult to identify a key Manchester United player who loses out by Van Gaal playing 4-3-1-2 rather than 3-4-1-2. Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia wouldn't command a place, but then that's a reflection of their underperformance for the past two years anyway.
Van Gaal is a famously stubborn individual and would be reluctant to change his approach so soon, but Di Maria's arrival means United have a squad perfectly suited to 4-3-1-2.
Michael Cox is the editor of zonalmarking.net and a contributor to ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @Zonal_Marking.
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In the "Star Trek" saga, the United Federation of Planets never figured out the cloaking technology that allowed Romulan warships to pop in and out of Federation space without being detected. But 21st-century Earth scientists are working with ways to bend light and time to achieve the same effects.
It is a technology that the government might well be interested in to mask online snooping.
"Although this sounds like science fiction, the lesson from metamaterials research in the last decade has taught us that, within certain restrictions, such speculations are not fantasy," researchers at Imperial College London wrote in an online article published in 2010 in the Journal on Optics. "We here show how the magic of editing history can be achieved by introducing the concept of the space-time cloak."
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It is not just cloaking that could be possible with the technology, they wrote. "The space-time cloak can achieve the illusion of a matter transporter," in which an object appears to move from one location and instantaneously appear in another.
The Imperial College research, which described the theoretical creation of a space-time cloak, or history editor, was funded in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. A practical demonstration of the cloak was described by researchers at Cornell University in a recent issue of the journal Nature.
"This approach is based on accelerating the front part of a probe light beam and slowing down its rear part to create a well controlled temporal gap — inside which an event occurs — such that the probe beam is not modified in any way by the event," the Cornell team wrote. "The probe beam is then restored to its original form by the reverse manipulation of the dispersion."
They succeeded in creating a time hole in a fiber-optic cable lasting 50 picoseconds (trillionths of a second) in which events could be hidden.
It is easy to imagine why the military would be interested in cloaking. It would come in handy getting an aircraft carrier past those pesky Iranians in the Straits of Hormuz. It is unlikely that the space-time cloak could be implemented on this scale before the 23rd century, however.
But consider that most of the world's data today travels over or is accessed via fiber-optic cable. The ability to open a gap and slip something past sensors without being observed could be a powerful tool for hacking.
I don't pretend to understand the mathematics involved in either the theory or the application, but time-cloaking and history-editing on the fly could make system monitoring and event logs useless in understanding what is going on in IT systems, especially as those systems move to optical computing as well as transport. It would be the equivalent of the old (in movies, anyway) trick of foiling a video monitoring system by running a loop image while the bad guys do their thing.
Given the resources required to develop this kind of technology and field it, we are not likely to see it in the hands of garden-variety hackers any time soon. But the U.S. government is interested. Who can say what the practical applications of this research will be?
About the Author
William Jackson is a Maryland-based freelance writer.
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Freedom in the World
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2012 Scores
Freedom Rating (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Civil Liberties (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Political Rights (1 = best, 7 = worst)
In July 2011, police in the capital dispersed a peaceful demonstration in favor of electoral reforms, arresting some 1,700 people and firing tear gas into the crowds. Prime Minister Najib Razak in September promised changes to restrictive laws on security, assembly, and the media. However, hopes for reform were undercut by crackdowns on academic freedom, violations of religious rights, and the passage of harsh new legislation on assembly late in the year.
Malaya gained independence from Britain in 1957 and merged with the British colonies of Sarawak and Sabah to become the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. The ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front, or BN, known as the Alliance before 1969) won at least a two-thirds majority in 10 of the first 11 general elections after independence, the exception being the 1969 elections, which were nullified following largely anti-Chinese race riots. The BN consists of mainly ethnic parties, dominated by the conservative, Malay-based United Malays National Organization (UMNO).
Mahathir Mohamed served as prime minister from 1981 to 2003. His development policies transformed Malaysia into a hub for multinational corporations and high-technology exports. At the same time, he stunted democratic institutions, weakened the rule of law by curtailing the press and political opponents, and drew allegations of cronyism with his state-led industrial development.
In 2003, Mahathir stepped down and handed power to his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The BN won 198 of the 219 seats in the lower house of Parliament in the 2004 elections, though opposition allegations of vote buying and problems with the electoral roll were substantiated. Abdullah's government achieved little in the way of substantive reform. A series of court rulings during 2006 denied certain religious and legal rights for non-Muslims, sparking a national debate on constitutional guarantees and the role of Islam in Malaysia. The government took action to suppress press coverage, public discussion, and related activism on ethnic issues by non-Malay groups, citing the need to prevent national unrest.
During 2007, public frustration skyrocketed in response to government suppression of peaceful protests, high-level political corruption cases, a related crackdown on online media, and a crisis involving alleged politicization of the judiciary. Demands for electoral reform in advance of the 2008 general elections—coupled with perceptions of rising crime, corruption, and inflation—triggered the largest antigovernment demonstrations in nearly a decade.
In the March 2008 elections, the BN lost its two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament for the first time since 1969, meaning it could no longer amend the constitution unilaterally. The BN secured just 140 of the 222 lower house seats, and Abdullah faced calls for his resignation. The opposition People's Justice Party (PKR) captured 31 seats, followed by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) with 28 and the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) with 23. These opposition parties also won control of five of Malaysia's 13 states, and formed a coalition called the People's Alliance (PR). However, the PR later suffered from defections and infighting, and lost control of the state of Perak in 2009 after a handful of crucial defections in the state assembly. Meanwhile, Abdullah stepped down as UMNO leader and prime minister, and was succeeded in April 2009 by his deputy, Najib Razak.
In December 2010, PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim was suspended from Parliament for six months after he compared Najib's 1Malaysia program—designed to promote racial and religious unity—to a similar program in Israel. Three of his PKR colleagues received similar punishment for vocally objecting to the suspension. Anwar was also dogged by claims that he sodomized a young male aide in June 2008, a charge he said was a politically motivated fabrication. The trial proceeded slowly in 2011, and a verdict was pending at year's end.
In another case that the opposition characterized as politically motivated harassment, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu was charged with criminal defamation in September 2011 for supposedly defaming police and soldiers who defended a police station from an attack by communist guerrillas in 1950. He faced two years in prison and a fine if convicted. By the end of 2011, Mohamad's lawyers had applied for a declaration that the defamation charge was invalid.
A mass demonstration calling for electoral reform was forcibly dispersed by police in July 2011, prompting domestic and international criticism. In September, the government announced plans to repeal the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), amend the Police Act to expand protections for freedom of assembly, and ease media restrictions in the Printing Presses and Publications Act. However, by year's end it appeared that the ISA would be replaced by similar legislation that was still under consideration, and freedom of assembly would be further curtailed by the Peaceful Assembly Act, passed by both chambers of Parliament in November and December.
Malaysia is not an electoral democracy. The leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in legislative elections becomes prime minister. Executive power is vested in the prime minister and cabinet. The paramount ruler, the titular head of state, is elected for five-year terms by fellow hereditary rulers in 9 of Malaysia's 13 states. Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah was elected to the post in December 2011. The upper house of the bicameral Parliament consists of 44 appointed members and 26 members elected by the state legislatures, serving three-year terms. The lower house, with 222 seats, is popularly elected at least every five years.
The ruling BN is a coalition of 13 parties, most with an ethnic or regional base, including the dominant UMNO as well as the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC). The 2008 electoral gains of the three main opposition parties—the DAP, PAS, and PKR—came despite serious obstacles, such as unequal access to the media and restrictions on campaigning and freedom of assembly, which left them unable to compete on equal terms with the BN. The first-past-the-post voting system also increases the power of the largest grouping, and national electoral outcomes have been affected by the malapportionment of constituencies in favor of East Malaysia. In 2008, the BN won just 51 percent of the vote but secured 140 of 222 lower house seats.
The Election Commission (EC) is frequently accused of manipulating electoral rolls and gerrymandering districts to aid the ruling coalition, and the Registrar of Societies arbitrarily decides which parties can participate in politics.
Government and law enforcement bodies have suffered a series of corruption scandals. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) came under scrutiny itself in 2009, when DAP official Teoh Beng Hock was found to have fallen to his death from the window of an MACC building while being questioned about an investigation into the disbursement of state funds. An inquest ruled the death a suicide brought on by aggressive interrogation. Similarly, customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed was found dead after falling from the third floor of an MACC office in Kuala Lumpur in April 2011. He was allegedly tied to a corruption investigation involving 62 customs officers; an inquest ruled his death an accident in September. Also during 2011, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the minister for women, family, and community development, became embroiled in a corruption scandal along with her husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail, the executive chairman of National Feedlot Corporation. They were accused of using an $82 million loan to the company to buy personal real estate. Malaysia was ranked 60 out of 183 countries surveyed in Transparency International's 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index. A Whistleblower Protection Act took effect in December 2010, but it did not appear to significantly improve transparency in 2011.
Freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed but restricted in practice. The 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act gives the government the authority to revoke licenses without judicial review. It also requires that publications and printers obtain annual operating permits, encouraging self-censorship and limiting investigative journalism. Privately owned television stations have close ties to the BN and generally censor programming according to government guidelines. State outlets also reflect government views. Books and films are directly censored or banned for profanity, violence, and political and religious material.
The internet has emerged as a primary outlet for free discussion and for exposing cases of political corruption. The government has responded in recent years by engaging in legal harassment of critical bloggers, charging them under defamation laws, the ISA, the Official Secrets Act, and the Sedition Act, all of which can draw several years in prison. The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), an agency responsible in part for regulating the internet, has been known to monitor online content and order outlets or bloggers to remove material it views as provocative or subversive.
While the BN government continues to articulate the need for a tolerant and inclusive form of Islam, religious freedom is restricted in Malaysia. Ethnic Malays are defined by the constitution as Muslims, and practicing a version of Islam other than Sunni Islam is prohibited. Muslim children and civil servants are required to receive religious education using government-approved curriculums and instructors. Proselytizing among Muslims by other religious groups is prohibited, and a 2007 ruling by the country's highest court effectively made it impossible for Muslims to have their conversions to other faiths recognized by the state; in very rare exceptions, a small number of non-Malays have been allowed to revert to their previous faiths after converting to Islam for marriage. Non-Muslims are not able to build houses of worship as easily as Muslims, and the state retains the right to demolish unregistered religious statues and houses of worship.
A court ruling in late 2009 overturned a government ban prohibiting non-Muslims from using the word Allah to refer to God, touching off a wave of January 2010 arson attacks and vandalism that struck Christian churches as well as some Muslim and Sikh places of worship. Appeals in the case seemed to be in stasis by 2011, and the 2009 ruling had yet to be enforced. However, acts of anti-Christian persecution continued during the year. In August, authorities in Selangor raided a multiracial dinner at a Methodist church, alleging that Christians were proselytizing to Muslim guests. The sultan of Selangor later ruled that neither the Christians nor the Muslim religious officers breached any laws. At the end of 2011, an evangelical Christian leader faced charges of sedition for questioning the monarch's responsibility to safeguard the special position of the Malay community.
The government restricts academic freedom; teachers or students espousing antigovernment views or engaging in political activity are subject to disciplinary action under the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) of 1971. In July 2011, the Court of Appeal ruled that the National University of Malaysia had breached Article 10 of the constitution when it disciplined four students involved in a political campaign in 2010. The prime minister announced in November that the UUCA would be amended, but he stressed that his administration would still appeal the court ruling, and that political activity on campuses remained strictly prohibited. This led to protests by student activists who called for the act to be repealed. On December 17, about 100 undergraduates marched to UMNO's headquarters. Up to 17 were arrested, and several were beaten.
Freedoms of assembly and association are limited on the grounds of maintaining security and public order. A police permit is required for all public assemblies except picket lines, and the granting of permits is sometimes politically influenced. Demonstrators can be detained under laws including the Sedition Act, the Police Act, and the ISA. On July 9, 2011, the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih)—an alliance of civil society organizations working for electoral reforms, transparency in government, and an end to corruption—attempted to hold a rally of 20,000 or more participants in Kuala Lumpur. The authorities responded with water hoses, tear gas, and batons, and arrested almost 1,700 people, drawing domestic and international condemnation for their harsh tactics. In an attempt to block further demonstrations by Bersih, a curfew was imposed in the capital, along with roadblocks and police checks for residency papers. Despite the September 2011 announcement of possible legal reforms, the Peaceful Assembly Act passed at the end of the year was seen as a bid to restrict rather than safeguard freedom of assembly. There were protests against the bill before its passage, and opposition politicians walked out of Parliament to express their disapproval.
The Societies Act of 1996 defines a society as any association of seven or more people, excluding schools, businesses, and trade unions. Societies must be approved and registered by the government, which has refused or revoked registrations for political reasons. Numerous nongovernmental organizations operate in Malaysia, but some international human rights organizations are forbidden from forming Malaysian branches.
Most Malaysian workers—excluding migrant workers—can join trade unions, but the law contravenes international guidelines by restricting unions to representing workers in a single or similar trade. The Director General of Trade Unions can refuse or withdraw registration arbitrarily, and the union recognition process can take from 18 to 36 months. Collective bargaining is limited. Unions in essential services must give advance notice of strikes; various other legal conditions effectively render strikes impossible. Amendments in November 2011 to the Employment Act further weakened workers' rights by removing responsibility from employers and allowing greater use of subcontracting arrangements. The changes triggered protests in the capital and in Penang.
Judicial independence has been compromised by extensive executive influence. Arbitrary or politically motivated verdicts are not uncommon, with the most prominent example being the convictions of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in 1999 and 2000 for corruption and sodomy. The 1999 sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004, and Anwar was released from prison, but the corruption charge was upheld, delaying his return to elected office until 2008. The second, current sodomy case against him began that year.
Malaysia's secular legal system is based on English common law. However, Muslims are subject to Sharia (Islamic law), the interpretation of which varies regionally, and the constitution's Article 121 stipulates that all matters related to Islam should be dealt with in Sharia courts. This results in vastly different treatment of Muslims and non-Muslims regarding "moral" and family law issues.
Individuals may be arrested without a warrant for some offenses and held for 24 hours without being charged. The ISA, in force since 1960, gives the police sweeping powers to hold any person acting "in a manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia" for up to 60 days, extendable to two years without trial. The law has been used to jail mainstream politicians, alleged Islamist militants, trade unionists, suspected communist activists, ordinary criminal suspects, and members of "deviant" Muslim sects, among others. Detainees have reported cases of torture while in custody, but official documentation of these claims is rare. More than 40 people remained in detention under the ISA at the close of 2011, as lawmakers considered a replacement law that would focus on combating terrorism.
Although the constitution provides for equal treatment of all citizens, the government maintains an affirmative-action program intended to boost the economic status of ethnic Malays and other indigenous people, known collectively as bumiputera. Bumiputera receive preferential treatment in areas including property ownership, higher education, civil service jobs, and business affairs, and bumiputera-owned companies receive the lion's share of large government contracts.
Foreign household workers are often subject to exploitation and abuse by employers. Indonesia lifted a 2009 ban on sending such workers to Malaysia in December 2011, after the two governments agreed on a minimum wage and other rudimentary worker protections, but Cambodia imposed a similar ban in October. An estimated two million foreigners work in Malaysia illegally. If arrested and found guilty, they can be caned and detained indefinitely pending deportation.
Women are still underrepresented in politics, the professions, and the civil service. Violence against women remains a serious problem. Muslim women are legally disadvantaged because their family grievances are heard in Sharia courts, where men are favored in matters such as inheritance and divorce and women's testimony is not given equal weight. Despite some progress in investigating and punishing sex-trafficking offenses, efforts to combat trafficking are criticized as inadequate.


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