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Dr. Weeks' Comment: we recommend this test for patients concerned with cardiac function and risk of sudden death. Your doctor may be reluctant to order it since it makes him or her seem like an "over-utilizer" to the folks who pay his or her salary: the insurance company. But whether or not he /she orders this test for you, check it out – you deserve the best.
Comprehensive Cardiac CT Scan May Give Clearer Picture Of Significant Heart Disease
ScienceDaily (Sep. 16, 2009) "" A team of researchers led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) radiologists has developed a computed-tomography-based protocol that identifies both narrowing of coronary arteries and areas of myocardial ischemia – restricted blood flow to heart muscle tissue – giving a better indication of clinically significant coronary artery disease. Their report appears in the September 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
"This is among the first demonstrations of the use of cardiac CT [computed tomography] to detect both coronary artery stenosis and resulting myocardial ischemia simultaneously in a single examination," says Ricardo C. Cury, MD, a cardiac imaging specialist at the MGH Heart Center and the study's principal investigator.CT scanning uses conventional X-rays to produce cross-sectional images of anatomic structures and can detect plaques in coronary arteries. But the appearance of plaques on CT images may not indicate whether or not they actually compromise the heart muscle's blood supply. More detailed angiographic images obtained via invasive cardiac catheterization give a better picture of how obstructive a plaque may be, and perfusion studies utilizing technologies such as MRI scans or the nuclear medicine technologies SPECT and PET reveal areas where limited blood flow has damaged the heart muscle, information that can determine whether a patient can be treated with drugs or requires surgical intervention.
Earlier studies showed that CT can identify areas of restricted coronary blood supply in resting individuals. The MGH-led study was designed to see whether a comprehensive cardiac CT examination could incorporate myocardial perfusion studies in both resting and stress situations along with the anatomic data provided by CT angiography. The study enrolled 34 cardiac patients who recently had SPECT stress tests and were likely to also require angiography via cardiac catheterization.
Participants first had a cardiac CT taken while receiving an infusion of adenosine, which produces physiologic stress symptoms such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure. When vital signs returned to normal several minutes after the adenosine infusion, a resting cardiac CT was taken. Both of those scans involved the use of contrast material, and to detect areas with little or no contrast agent – indicating restrictions to the myocardial vasculature – a third CT scan was taken 7 minutes later.
The accuracy of CT-based perfusion imaging in diagnosing coronary artery narrowing that significantly affected myocardial perfusion was virtually the same as SPECT stress imaging, and the results of coronary CT angiography also compared favorably to those of cardiac catheterization. Because the investigators used new radiation-dose-reduction techniques, the radiation dose of the three CT scans did not exceed the dosage involved in the SPECT stress perfusion study.
"While nuclear perfusion imaging provides information that can help guide patient treatment, it has limitations that can lead to either false negative or false positive findings," Cury explains. "The ability to acquire anatomical visualization of coronary artery stenosis together with physiological assessment of myocardial perfusion in a single study could improve diagnostic accuracy while potentially reducing costs and radiation exposure. Since our study was relatively small, we need to test this approach in a larger multicenter trial and further investigate the additional value of CT perfusion studies over CT angiography." A consulting radiologist at MGH, Cury recently joined the Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute in Miami.
Ron Blankstein, MD, of the MGH Cardiac MR/PET/CT Program and the Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imaging Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is the lead author of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology paper. Co-authors of the JACC report are Leon Shturman, MD, Ian Rogers, MD, Jose Rocha-Filho, MD, David Okada, MD, Ammar Sarwar, MD, Anand Soni, MD, Brian Ghoshhajra, MD, Milena Petranovic, MD, Ricardo Loureiro, MD, Henry Gewirtz, MD, Udo Hoffmann, MD, MPH, and Thomas Brady, MD, MGH; Hiram Bezerra, MD, Case Wastern Reserve University; Gudrun Feuchtner, MD, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria; and Wilfred Mamuya, MD, PhD, BWH. Support of the study includes grants from Astellas Pharma, Inc., the National Institutes of Health, GE Healthcare, Bracco Diagnostics and Bayer Healthcare.
Adapted from materials provided by Massachusetts General Hospital,


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- Home
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Admittedly, shopping is a lot of fun but at times certain specifics like money, time constraints etc influence our buy. Again with so many big and small brands knocking at your door with self-promotion and marketing gimmicks, it becomes a perplexing experience to zero in on the product you desire. We at Naaptol understand your wish for a bigger and better life, and help you achieve it the easy way! Welcome to our Hot Deals Store where we segregate and showcase our best-selling products, keeping in mind your convenience. We value your time. So, in our Hot Deals Store you will find all those products across myriad categories that have already won rave reviews, thanks to our beloved customer's satisfactory purchases. Take the category of Games and puzzles. All the products listed under Games and puzzles are from reputed brand names. They are premium quality products that are affordably priced. So, visit our Hot Deals Store and get amazing, jaw-dropping deals.

subset: commoncrawl


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Collective Nouns
"Parliament" is the generally accepted word for a group of owls, but I've found some really fun ones:
A bazaar of Owls
A hooting of Owls
A looming of Owls
A stooping of Owls
A brood of Owlets
A diss of Owls
A sagaciousness of Owls
A stare of Owls
A wisdom of Owls
A stable of Barn Owls
A jail of Barred Owls (I like this one!)
A prohibition of Barred Owls
A schizophrenia of Hawk Owls (?????!!!!! Are hawk owls crazier than other owls?)
A volery of Little Owls
A blizzard of Snowy Owls
That is a whole lot of collective nouns for a bird family that rarely gather in groups larger than one bird.


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BERLIN – The second citizen visioning meeting for the new Berlin Comprehensive Plan will be held on July 23 at the Flower St. Multi-Purpose Building.
The meeting "will help us to be a little more in tune with that neighborhood," said Tim Bourcier, the planning consultant writing the new Berlin Comprehensive Plan.
Census information shows that Berlin is 33 percent African American, and Bourcier said the town needs to hear from that segment of society.
"They generally don't come out and give input on these things. We're making sure we target the African American population," Bourcier said earlier this year when he described the comprehensive planning process.
The Flower St. meeting will echo the meeting held in late April at Berlin Town Hall in format, with citizens formed into smaller groups to discuss a set list of topics and concerns, Bourcier said.
Some of those topics will be more tuned to the largely African American Flower St. neighborhood, such as affordable housing and neighborhood redevelopment, but the list is not final yet.
Bourcier will work with community leaders to develop a subject list.
While he does not plan to hold more visioning meetings after the July 23 event, Bourcier said a public workshop on the draft plan, once written, would be held at the request of interim Mayor Gee Williams.
"I want to make sure citizens have every opportunity to put their input into the plan. This is not a plan for the shelf. This is a road map for the future of the town," Williams said.
Williams said he envisions holding at least one more meeting than originally planned, and possibly more, to get all the citizen opinions possible.
"It'll be more, not less, in terms of opportunities for input, " he said.
The draft plan will be posted online, with a mechanism for comment.
The process will include mailings, and surveys, which elected officials will back, according to Williams.
"The Mayor and Council are going to support it with the money needed to do it," he said.
Surveys, developed from citizen comments at the visioning meeting, will go out with the town newsletter and tax bills and will be available online.
"There'll be multiple [comment] options," Bourcier said.
The process will not be dragged out, said Williams.
"I want to keep the momentum going," Williams said.
The first meeting yielded useful information, according to Bourcier, especially on historic district issues, which were much on the minds of townsfolk.
"I was impressed and surprised by the overwhelming response to have residential downtown," Bourcier said.
Many citizens expressed a desire for mixed uses with residential above retail and within easy reach of services. Townspeople also felt that there were not enough services in town.
Some areas did not get as much of a response.
"I think we really need to talk more about growth," Bourcier said. "How Berlin is going to grow, the type of growth Berlin wants. We didn't hear too much about that."


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Yes, growth is a good thing. But high growth can easily overwhelm a small enterprise, and put it at risk of going under. Before you push your company toward an audacious sales goal, know the following:
Understand your true operating costs. Know what they are and how they evolve as your business grows. Rapid growth will increase the cost of doing business and you need to be prepared.
Get a solid grasp of your working capital needs. Understand how much cash your firm requires to conduct day-to-day business.
Look at more than your income statement. It's not the only index of health. To get a quick pulse of how your business is doing, you need to look at other metrics besides revenue. These include cash available, status of accounts receivable, inventory, and other metrics specific to your business.
Source: Harvard Business Publishing : Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Are You Growing Too Fast?" by Sandeep Dahiya.


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Boy, I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this. I've had requests for some sort of expressions tutorial dating back a while now, so I figured, "Sure! I can explain expression drawing...and it'll be way better than all those tutorials out there that are nothing but charts of generic expressions. Yeah! Just give me a day or two to whip something up..."
Um. Sometime a lot more than two days later, I have this messy behemoth and the realization that I haven't a clue how to teach expression drawing. There's just so much material to cover, and so much of it is like intuitive language translation, I can't figure how to put it into tutorial form any more than I could draw a picture of how to speak Russian. I guess that's why expression tutorials are always just charts of what happy, sad and confused look like.
Anyway, I found all I could really do was try to explain ways to teach yourself...and then add some pictures. Hopefully that amounted to something at least marginally informative.


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Supernatural Season 5
This is the fifth season finale of Supernatural. It focuses on the looming Apocalypse and, sadly, the death of a beloved character.
On this episode, Crowley informs Bobby that he'll give him the location of Death. In exchange for what? Only his soul. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean confront Pestilence.
A plan to trap Lucifer is at the center of this episode. It's titled "The Devil You Know."
A god betrays his fellow gods this week. The episode is titled "Hammer of the Gods."
Zachariah come up with a new strategy against Lucifer this week. The episode is titled "Point of No Return."
Michael Shanks guest stars on this episode of Supernatural. He plays a character named Rob.
This installment is titled "Dark Side of the Moon." Pamela Barnes returns in it.
This week's episode is titled "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid." During it, the brothers investigate Bobby's home town
Cupid makes an appearance this week. The episode is titled "My Bloody Valentine."
Anna travels through time this week on Supernatural. The episode is titled "The Song Remains The Same."
This week's episode is titled "Swap Meat." During the hour, Sam is targeted by a high school student.
This is the first Supernatural episode of 2010. It's titled "Sam, Interrupted."
This week's episode is titled "Abandon All Hope..." During it, the brothers go after Lucifer.
On this episode of Supernatural, Sam and Dean attention a fan convention. This episode is titled "The Real Ghostbusters."
This week's episode is titled "Changing Channels." During the installment, Dean and Sam are trapped inside a TV show.
Bobby risks his life during this episode of Supernatural. It's titled "The Curious Case Of Dean Winchester."
What an inspiring episode title this week. The hour is named "I Believe the Children Are Our Future."
On this episode of Supernatural, Sam and Dead go to a town where people are being killed by dead icons. That's unusual.
Dean won't help Sam battle the Devil on this episode of Supernatural. It's titled "The End."
Let's take a quick look at what went down on this episode of Supernatural. In it, Dean and Castiel attempt to locate the Archangel Raphael.
The fifth season of Supernatural is in full swing. Here's a brief recap of events from the second episode of it.
Welcome to the fifth season of Supernatural. This new episode of the series is titled "Sympathy for the Devil."
- Show:
- Supernatural
- Season:
- 5
- Air Dates:
- to
- Total Episodes:
- 22


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Monday lunches at the office are not only the best because the whole team gets together, but also because Maker's Mgmt marketing lady Susan introduces us to all her talented pals. When we saw Daniel's portfolio we knew he was a keeper, so now we stock his works on the Mrkt. Talk about productivity!
Product Information:
Size 1: 900x700mm
Size 2: 700x540mm
Size 3: 560x430mm
Archivally printed on 310gsm 100% matte cotton rag.
This item is available unframed, and can also be framed for Australian customers.
Please note this product is printed to order so allow time for delivery. This item is shipped from Melbourne
From the 'Franco's Bandits' series
At the height of Franco's reign, Southern Spain was used for all types of actvities.
This body of work explores the network of pathways and journeys undertaken to either escape or indeed enforce the plight of fascism at its most brutal.
About the Maker:
Artist and filmmaker Daniel Bushaway's impetus for his work is his fascination with contemporary manufacturing and industry, which is inherently politically charged with ideas of conservation and sustainability. Aiming to construct a narrative rich and dense in detail, the implicit topography and architecture of these spaces mirrors the complexity of our own daily interactions with industry. Daniel challenges the viewer to meditate on human endeavour and our relationship with nature, more specifically, the disconnect between the commodities we use daily.
Daniel's work is an exploration and investigation of the human impact on the natural world. His objective is to observe, document and ultimately understand why we cultivate our environments in the way that we do - exploring and documenting a variety of infrastructures, systems, processes and people that help to support the spectrum of industry.
He has been shortlisted for multiple photographic awards and has his work held in private and public institutions.


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das Gewissen4:39 PM Tuesday, August 30, 2005
I have been a lot busy lately.
Anyway, one realization/affirmation that has been tickling me all kinds of pink is the fact that my breasts are nice...
And unlike other women, they're generally the same size... I won't ever have to have a gown made where one breast would require an extra pad.
And they're generally in front, and perky still (am turning 28 na) to always suggest a cleavage, even if am not wearing a bra.
As opposed to some women who may have larger breasts than I ever will, but whose breasts always hope to rejoin their armpits once freed from the trappings of a brassiere.
Oooohh, I sometimes can't wait to be pregnant or lactating... because I swear, no matter how rhino-like in size i'd be, i'd be strutting around in tube tops!!!
hail to my wonderful, beautiful, non-droopy breasts!!! may they continue to defy gravity just a little bit longer!


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Take A Spin – Saturday, July 22, 6pm-8pm
Come TAKE A SPIN! Saturday, July 22 from 6pm-8pm. Try our new mini pottery wheel workshop for beginners…great for couples, friends, or small groups.
Enjoy a small group lesson on the pottery wheel with step-by-step instruction. Each person makes 2 pieces in two hours, guaranteed. Course includes the 2-hour guided lesson, use of studio tools and clay, choice of 15 glaze colors, and firing for 2 pieces.
Each student gets their own wheel. Instructor pre-centers your clay. Items are fired, finished, and ready for pickup within 3-4 weeks. Minimum age for the pottery wheel is 12.


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Trudging beneath the scorching sun up the steep slope connecting the Delphi Archaeological Museum to the actual archaeological site 200 metres up Mount Parnassus, Melisande Aquilina tried to convince herself that the eagle's nest of ancient ruins she was about to admire was surely worth the effort. This was not hard to do, especially when confronted with the spectacular cliff-side panorama around her.
Nestled amidst pine forested hills and rocky crags, Delphi, which is a Unesco World Heritage, is situated on Mount Parnassus. It is a picturesque reminder of the flowering of Greek culture at its peak. It is the second most popular cultural touristic destination on the Greek mainland, after the Acropolis. The ancient sanctuary, perched on one of the largest mountainous regions of Greece, was famous for hundreds of years as the location of the supreme oracle of the ancient Mediterranean world.
The oracle, or seer, was considered to be a prophet of the gods, and the oracle at Delphi in particular was famed for being the mouthpiece through which the god Apollo made his will known. Apollo, the Greek and Roman god of the sun, was also the god of healing, music and prophecy, and he is tied to Delphi through a well-known legend which maintains that he once slew a giant serpent there. The serpent was called Python, and this is why all subsequent oracles at Delphi were called the Pythia.
I have always loved Greek mythology, and was thinking about this story, told to us at the Delphi Museum, when I suddenly started spying the remains of statuary and broken columns at the sides of the track. These are all that are left of the hundreds of sculptures and votive statues that many pilgrims and nobles dedicated to the god Apollo.
A number of 'treasuries', small buildings which held different offerings given by various cities around Greece, were also scattered along the so-termed 'Sacred Way', which is the main route through the sanctuary of Apollo. The most well-known of these, and the best preserved, is the Athenian Treasury, a marble monument built between 510 and 480 BC to commemorate the victory of an important battle.
Pink and yellow flowers adorned all that remained of the original Temple of Apollo further on up the Sacred Way. Although the temple was rebuilt three times, always on the same location, only the foundation and some columns are still to be seen today. These are supported by a platform made up of a sixth century BC polygonal wall carved with ancient inscriptions.
When visiting such sites I am always saddened by the thought that at the time when such marvels were constructed, the people obviously believed they would last forever. And yet, such a great temple, which originally boasted around 90 marble columns, not to mention various altars and adornments, couldn't withstand the test of time.
The Omphalos was an enormous ancient stone which the god Zeus had placed in Delphi to mark the centre of the world
Although the temple itself was pulled down in AD 390, when the Romans destroyed all pagan temples by decree following the onset of the Christian religion, the worship of Apollo itself too had previously eradicated and toppled another religious cult that had dominated Delphi before it. This was the worship of Gaia, the mother goddess of fertility, since previous to classical Greece, Delphi had already been a place of worship, and in fact, traces of human settlement and religious ritual as old as the Neolithic period (4,000 BC) were found on Mount Parnassus.
It was in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Apollo that the mythological Omphalos was kept. The Omphalos was an enormous ancient stone which, according to legend, the god Zeus had placed in Delphi to mark the centre of the world, which is why the Greeks considered Delphi to be so important.
The marble Omphalos was called 'the navel of the earth', and together with the Oracle and her prophetic visions, contributed to the rise of Delphi as an important centre for religious worship, commerce and trade. This was because many important rulers, nobles, politicians and wealthy people came as pilgrims to visit the oracle, in order to consult her before making any important decisions.
The process was a lengthy one. After purifying herself at a sacred spring, the prophetess would burn and drink laurel leaves, after which an animal was sacrificed to Apollo, before she would sit and meditate for hours, while inhaling the fumes coming from a fissure in the earth. It is believed that this chasm, supposedly caused when the giant snake Python was slain by the god Apollo, could have really existed, and that the noxious fumes, together with the intoxication caused by ingesting laurel leaves, could have caused hallucinatory effects.
Moving on up the steep path, I finally arrived at the Ancient Theatre of Delphi. Originally constructed in the fourth century BC, the theatre could accommodate around 5,000 spectators on 35 rows of stone benches, as well as an orchestra. Although abandoned with the rest of the site in late antiquity, the theatre was later restored due to the threat of landslides, and can today host live theatrical performances. The acoustics are still amazing, and one can admire not only the entire sanctuary from it, but also the lush valley below. Truly an awe-inspiring panorama.
If one continues to climb Mount Parnassus, one also finds the Hippodrome, or stadium, where political leaders and athletes competed with their chariots during the Pythian Games. These games, which occurred every four years and were actually the precursors of our modern Olympics, drew competitors and spectators from around the Mediterranean and were another source of income and fame for the sanctuary of Delphi. The stadium itself was originally built in the 5th century BC, could seat 6,500 spectators and has a 177-metre-long track.
I must admit that at this point of my ascent up the mountain I was not just famished, but also totally parched. I had not thought about bringing any food or water with me, and though it was still April, the heat was truly unbearable. At least I had worn flat, comfortable shoes though, so that was a blessing.
The only source of water I had seen during the whole climb had been a small modern drinking fountain close to the street near the museum, and the dubious liquid it provided hadn't attracted me much. So, be warned, take some provisions with you, and wear light clothes and good shoes before you start the track.
Delphi is situated only two hours and a half by car from Athens. There are many day tours available from the capital itself. The modern settlement of Delphi is to be found west of the archaeological site. It is replete with taverns, hotels and accommodation for those who wish to stay overnight.
Those who love hiking, not to mention bicycle enthusiasts, will surely appreciate the beautiful experience of leisurely walking or bicycling from modern Delphi to the ancient sanctuary, which is to be found only half a mile away.
Before leaving the mountain, make sure to walk down the slope from the museum and parking site to the Tholos of Athena Pronaia at the base of the sanctuary around a mile to the southeast of the main complex. The Tholos is a small circular structure constructed around 380 BC. Only a few columns are left of the 30 original ones. However, again, it is well worth the effort.


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- Henry de Bracton
- Henry de BractonHenry de Bracton† Catholic_Encyclopedia ► Henry de BractonAlso called HENRY OF BRACTON.A famous English juridical writer, the Blackstone of the thirteenth century, b. probably in King John's reign and died about four years before the close of that of Henry III. His lifetime therefore comprised and almost coincided with the momentous period between the grant of Magna Charta and the defeat and death of Simon of Montfort, Earl of Leicester, at the battle of Evesham. By birth, property, and ecclesiastical preferment he appears to have been a man of Devon, in which shire there are two parishes of the name of Bratton, viz., Bratton-Clovelly and Bratton-Fleming, one or the other of these parishes being almost certainly his birthplace, for he claim of Minehead parish in Somerset, may be dismissed as untenable. Hence it may be gathered that the correct form of this great jurist's name is hardly Bracton, but rather Bratton, by which appellation, as well as by the occasional variant of Bretton (most likely then sounded much like Bratton) he was almost invariably described in his own day, not to add that, in point of etymology, "Bradtone" (broad town) seems likelier than "Bractone" to have been the earlier form of the name. To come to his laborious and distinguished career, it is said that Bratton in his youth was a student at the University of Oxford, where he is further alleged to have taken the degree of doctor of civil and canon law but this, though indeed possible, is altogether lacking of proof. Certain it is that he was taken into the service of King Henry III. By this time the kings curia had grown distinct from King's Council and a race of professional judges had sprung into existence. Of these professional judges Henry Bratton became one. It is in 1245 that we first find him acting in a judicial capacity, and from that year onward we continually meet with him either as a justice in Eyre (especially in his native Devon and other neighbouring counties) or as holding please before the king himself, until the end of the year 1267. Thus he was undoubtedly a regular permanent judge, though he never appears as holding placito de banco, in other words, as sitting on the Bench at Westminster. Meanwhile more than one special mark of royal favour towards him is upon record. Yet in the civil broils of his time he was neither side's partisan and was respected and trusted alike by king and barons. Of his great and epoch-making literary work, "De Legibus et Consuetudinibus Angliæ", Professor Paul Vinogradoff (the Athenæum, 19 July, 1884) writes that it is a treatise which "testifies to the influence of Roman jurisprudence and of its medieval exponents, but at the same time remains a statement of genuine English law, a statement so detailed and accurate that there is nothing to match it in the whole legal literature of the Middle Ages." The number of decided cases therein referred to (for Bratton's law is naturally case-law) amounts o four hundred and fifty. Like all or almost all of the professional judges of his time, Bratton was an ecclesiastic. His known church preferments are Barnstaple archdeaconry, conferred upon him in 1264, but which the same year he quitted for the chancellorship of Exeter cathedral, retaining this latter dignity until his death in 1268. At his decease he enjoyed like wise a cononry, and prebend as well, in Exeter cathedral church, as in the collegiate church of Bosham. All these benefices were of the Bishop of Exeter's gift. At the same time as the king's clerk engaged in the kings business, Bracton could seldom or never have kept residence. His body was buried in Exeter cathedral, before an altar at which he had founded a perpetual chantry for his soul. Of Bratton's great and comprehensive treatise "De Legibus", etc., written before 1259, the first printed edition was published in 1569 in folio, and reprinted in quarto in 1640. A recension and translation of the whole work in six volumes, by Sir Travers Twiss, was issued in London (Rolls publications) from 1878 to 1883.FOSS, Biographical Dictionary of the Judges of England (London, 1886), VI; MAITLAND, Bracton's Note Book (London, 1887), for biography see introd. pp. 13-25.C.T. BOOTHMANTranscribed by Theodore Rego
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat. 1910.
Catholic encyclopedia.


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Millions of pounds stolen through cyber enabled crime in Scotland
Officers are investigating 19 significant crimes of vishing fraud since July last year, with just over £7 million stolen from both businesses and individuals collectively.
Frauds of this nature are generally orchestrated by organised criminal gangs operating in the UK, Europe and further afield.
The variety of techniques used suggests involvement of multiple individuals or groups and can be broken down into three categories: phishing, vishing and smishing.
Phishing type incidents often use emails from the well-known online purchasing sites, either informing a victim that there is an issue with the items they have just ordered (items that they have not ordered at all) and asking them to click the link in the email to verify payment or account details.
Vishing crimes involve contacting a victim by telephone or voice messages pretending to be from the victim's bank or a reputable company and thereafter persuading the victim into revealing personal information, such as bank details, credit card numbers and other personal security information. Once this information is obtained the criminals can access the victim's account and move money or through social engineering persuade the victim to make the transfer on their behalf.
Smishing frauds are conducted in the form of text messages, which aim to obtain personal info related to credit card and banking details. Complainers receive a text message from an unknown number with wording along the lines of: "we have noticed that there seems to be fraudulent activity on your credit card/bank account, please clink the link within the text message to confirm your banking details."
The complainer then clicks the link and follows the instructions set up on the fake webpage, allowing the offender to view the complainer's personal information and use it to their advantage.
The three types are all aimed at getting the victim to provide personal information that will assist the criminal.
Police Scotland is reminding everyone that their bank will not contact them asking for personal information or to carry out a transaction.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Robertson, from the Economic Crime and Financial Investigation Unit, said: "Cyber enabled crime is still crime.
"People make sure that their house and cars are locked and secure, and the same policy should be adopted online.
"Simple things like making sure you use strong passwords for personal and business accounts and being wary when accessing public or open Wi-Fi can help keep people safe."
Police have reported a rise in reported incidents such as impersonation and deception scams where bank details are compromised to enable criminals to commit fraud.
DCI Robertson added: "Banks will not contact businesses or individuals asking for personal information or ask you to carry out a transaction. If someone starts asking for these details end the call and contact your bank.
"If you decide to ring back and verify the call it is advisable to do so on a different phone line like another landline or your mobile. If you are still unsure, consider visiting your local branch instead of speaking to someone over the phone."
If you are the victim of a fraud in Scotland then please report this to Police Scotland either through the internet reporting page or by calling 101.


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A long overdue improvement on our website has finally arrived! We decided to retire the filament browser and replace it with a much simpler page. You can now find your favorite filament in just a few simple clicks. Either browse by brand or start with a diameter, and select a material. Pretty straightforward with a much better overview.
If you encounter any issue, please let us know.


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Intro to Outdoor
Enjoy the pleasure and excitement of outdoor rock climbing, no experience necessary. All equipment is provided.
Rock climbing specialists since 1974
Enjoy the pleasure and excitement of outdoor rock climbing, no experience necessary. All equipment is provided.
Designed for both avid and occasional gym climbers, this program will help you transfer your skills outdoors.
Already have some climbing experience? We'll work with you to improve your technique.
This program is designed to help experienced climbers to bring their climbing skills to the next level.
Learn rock climbing safety principles and practice using gear and building various top rope anchors.
This advanced course teaches climbers how to retreat from unexpected dangerous situations.
Become an AMGA Certified SPI or renew your cert!.
For corporate team building or outdoor adventure, rock climbing is a great way to bring people together.
Scout groups can count on a full day of climbing and rappelling, learning to trust and count on each other.
We designed this program specifically for women to help developing a unique and more efficient climbing style.
A guided climbing day is a fantastic way to treat yourself to the best routes The Gunks has to offer.
Treat your friend or your significant other with a guided day of climbing in the Gunks. No experience necessary.
Price for a full day or rock climbing instruction
|Groups larger than 4
|Call for discounted pricing
We were founded in 1974, and have been guiding rock and ice climbing trips in the Gunks and Catskills Mountans for more than 40 years. We became an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) accredited guiding service in 1986, when the accreditation program was established.
We work with clients with wide range of abilities and experience - from total beginners, introducing them to outdoor rock climbing, to avid climbers visiting the Gunks from other regions and interested in climbing the Gunks classic routes. We help organizing group climbing trips - corporate outings, family retreats, adventure groups. We have extensive experience working with kids - during school breaks, we guide rock climbing outings for summer camps and boy scout groups.
We also offer a wide range of climbing programs - we teach rock climbing techniques, rope management and anchors, multi-pitch, lead climbing and more. Additionally, we organize customized programs, based on your abilities and goals. We bring 40 years of high professionalism and safety.
"I have been fortunate to spend the last 23 years of my life climbing in one of the most pristine climbing areas in the Northeast, the Shawangunk mountain range. I am the owner of HighXposure and it is my aim to provide the best possible climbing experience for our clients."
Sue is passionate about teaching and climbing. She is a boxing instructor at the United States Military Academy, and the director of the Cadet Mountaineering Club. She is an AMGA certified Rock Instructor, and an SPI and CWI provider. She has a long history of guiding in the gunks and will deliver an exceptional rock climbing experience.
Tom is a licensed NYS climbing instructor who also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, along with a NYS Teacher Certification. He has been a guide with HighXposure for 15 years, and has been living and climbing in the Shawangunk Ridge area since 2001.
Dave Gates, a.k.a. Smiley Dave, is a licensed NY state Rock Climbing Guide. Dave started climbing in 1998 at Smith Rock in Oregon. Before becoming a guide at the Gunks, Dave guided at the Obed in Tennessee and Devil's Tower in Wyoming.
Andrew started climbing in the mid 1970s. He is AMGA SPI certified and has extensive climbing experience in the Shawangunks as well as many other locations in the Americas and Europe. He has been a guide with HighXposure for 13 years.
Simeon is a licensed rock climbing guide, and a certified Wilderness First Responder who has been technical rock climbing since 1995 and has taught people how to climb and mitigate risk in the vertical world for the better part of twenty years.
Scott Michelsen is a licensed NY state Rock Climbing Guide and AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor. Scott is a highly motivated local climber living in New Paltz NY.
In the early 90s, I learned to climb in the Gunks. Although I moved to Boulder, Colorado in 2006, I still call the Hudson Valley home and try to make it back every season.
Recognized as one of the outstanding climbing centers in the United States, the "Gunks" offer a wide variety of high quality climbing opportunities at every level from beginner to expert. Easy access to the climbs and the friendly nature of the area combine to provide a comfortable atmosphere which makes for a great learning environment.
With the spring rock climbing season upon us, HighXposure Adventures suggests taking advantage of our special pre season mid-week rates, as well as our new family packages. It is a great time of the year to experience all the wonderful climbing the northeast has to offer. So if you are interested in learning the newest AMGA skills and techniques or would just like to refresh the ones you already know, we are offering many new climbing clinics and classes.


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Desktop e-mail programs like Apple Mail and Microsoft Entourage pack a lot of power, but if you want the flexibility to quickly check your e-mail from any computer in the world, an online e-mail service is the way to go. One of the best is Google's free e-mail service, Gmail. Its generous storage allocation, killer spam filter, and the ability to group related messages into conversations are just some of its strengths. But are you getting the most out of this mature Web application? Look under Gmail's hood and you'll find lots of advanced features that can help you manage your email smarter and faster.
Use labels
Gmail doesn't use conventional folders to file e-mail messages. Instead, it offers labels. These tags function like folders, but with one fabulous difference: a single message can have multiple labels, so there's no limit to how many places you can "file" your messages. To assign a label to a selected message, click on the More Actions drop-down menu. Under Apply Label, choose the desired label. You can create new labels by clicking on Settings and selecting the Labels tab. You can even color code your labels for easy identification in lists of messages. From the Labels box on the left side of your screen, click on the clear box the right of a label's name and select a color from the resulting pop-up menu.
Archive it
Don't let e-mail just sit in your Inbox. Whisk away e-mail messages you don't need staring at you any more by archiving them. Select the message and click on the Archive button. This moves it into the All Mail list. Archiving your e-mail de-clutters your inbox but still keeps the message in your Gmail account for future reference.
Filter it
Just as with Mail and Entourage, you can have Gmail automatically process incoming messages based on specific characteristics. For instance, you can label incoming messages from a mailing list as Read Later, automatically forward e-mail from your spouse to your cell phone, or star messages from the boss. In Gmail's Settings screen, click on Filters to set the search criteria, preview the results, and configure what action Gmail should take. Or you can jumpstart the process by first opening an example of the type of message you want to filter, clicking on the Reply drop-down menu in the message's right-hand corner, and then selecting Filter Messages Like This.
Search smart
Need to quickly call up a message from your enormous e-mail archive? Spend a little time mastering Gmail's search tool. Gmail combines the power of Google's search prowess with e-mail specific operators to quickly pinpoint the message you need. For example, to find messagesfrom Jim that discuss his favorite movies, type
from:Jimsubject:movie into the search box. Or use
from:"John Smith"has:attachment to locate that PDF map John sent a while back.(The quotation marks indicate that a group of words must appear next toone another.) You can use these tricks to build complex searches. Totrack down messages from anyone at Example.com except Jill, forexample, type
from:example.com AND -from:email@example.com. For more ideas, take a look at Gmail's
fulllist of search operators.
Spot personal correspondence
Want to quickly see which messages were intended for your eyes only? Gmail's Personal Level indicators will show you when an e-mail was sent only to you, as opposed to a large group. To turn it on, open your General settings and select Show Indicators. From now on, messages sent to your address only will display a double arrow (>>) next to the subject line; messages sent to your address and others get a single arrow (>). Messages not set to your specific address (such as mailing list messages) get no arrow at all.
Mute conversations
Tired of being distracted by an annoying e-mail thread that just won't die? When chatty co-workers or talkative mailing-list members extend a conversation beyond its usefulness, try "muting" the conversation. With one of the messages selected, press the M key, which tells Gmail to automatically archive new messages in the conversation as they arrive. (In other words, they don't show up in your inbox.) To later view all the conversations you've muted, enter is:muted in the search bar. To unmute a conversation, select it, and from the More Actions drop-down, choose Move To Inbox.
Get IMAP access
While most Web-based e-mail services can download your messages to a desktop client via POP, Gmail goes a step further by offering support for IMAP access, which provides two-way syncing between your client and Gmail. That means that messages you read, write, or label on your iPhone or in Mail get synced back to Gmail-and every other IMAP client you're using-so you always have access to the most current state of your inbox. Gmail even maps folders in your IMAP client to labels in the Web application. For example, when you place a message in a folder in Mail, Gmail assigns a label with the same name to the message.
Import mail from other accounts
If you want to turn Gmail into a single, universal inbox for non-Gmail e-mail accounts, you can. The Mail Fetcher feature can download messages from up to five accounts via POP. To set it up, click on the Settings link and go to the Accounts area. In the Get Mail From Other Accounts section, click on Add Another Mail account and follow the prompts to enter your AOL, EarthLink, or any other POP-enabled email account.
If you need to respond to a message from one of those other accounts and don't want it to look like it came from your Gmail address, no problem. Return to your Account settings and add the appropriate e-mail address in the Send Mail As section. Then turn on the Reply From The Same Address The Message Was Sent To option.
Use keyboard shortcuts
Want to navigate Gmail's Web interface without touching the mouse? Use Gmail's built-in keyboard shortcuts. First, make sure they're enabled: in Settings, on the General tab, select the Keyboard Shortcuts On option. Some shortcuts are obvious and easy to remember: for example, press the R key to respond to a message, press Z to undo an action, or press G and then I to go to the Inbox. Others will take some practice to memorize. To get a quick reference to Gmail's keyboard shortcuts, press the question mark (?) for help.
[Gina Trapani is the lead editor of Lifehacker.com and the author of Upgrade Your Life: The Lifehacker Guide to Working Smarter, Faster, Better (Wiley, 2008).]


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Carnival said Thursday it was spending about $400 million to clean up the air pollution from the massive diesel engines it uses to power more than 70 cruise ships.
The company said it had decided to invest more money and put the technology in more ships than initially planned. Last year, Carnival said it would deploy scrubbers to reduce sulfur dioxide and use filters to trap soot on as many as 32 ships over the next three years as part of an agreement reached with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Emissions from oceangoing vessels had largely been unregulated, but in 2010, the International Maritime Organization, at the EPA's request, created buffer zones along U.S. coasts requiring foreign-flagged ships to reduce pollution.
Carnival Corp. spokesman Tom Dow the technology will be in about 70 percent of its fleet.
"We are more than doubling the number of ships that are going to get these installations," he said. "This is based on our confidence coming out of the first projects we've had installing the technology."
Scrubbers have been in power plants for decades and diesel trucks and cars have long used filters to reduce the soot from exhausts.
At port, the ships will plug into the electrical grid, rather than idle, or use a lower sulfur fuel.
Dow said that cruise ship passengers won't notice the new technology because it will be inside the engine room.
Carnival executives say prices won't be affected by the scrubbers.
Filed Under: Motion control • motor controls


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Calgary Herald Archive
Search the history of Alberta! Online access to 127 years of the Calgary Herald.
Use this full text archive to search all content in the Calgary Herald from 1883-2010.
Click on the Historical Newspaper tab before you search to get only results in the Calgary Herald.
To browse for a specific day's paper go to Publications in the top menu then choose the paper and date you wish to find.


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Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon Solves African Hair Transplantation With Two New Technologies
28 Sep, 2018, 08:00 ET
Dr. Sanusi Umar Announces The Release Of Dr.UPunch Curl 2.0
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2018 /CNW/ -- Dr. Sanusi Umar, a Los Angeles dermatologic surgeon, has announced the release of two new, separate hair transplant tools to solve a matter that has vexed the hair transplant community. All aspects of surgery have trended towards minimally invasive procedures as more patients prefer discretion. In hair transplantation, the minimally invasive procedure is called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). It differs from previous techniques that result in a linear scar. When performed properly, FUE leaves tiny scattered wounds that heal into less visible dot scars, enabling shorter hair cuts. This is not typically possible with the older procedure, which leaves a noticeable line-shaped scar.
While a majority of the world population has enjoyed this procedure, patients of African descent-- particularly males who prefer shorter haircuts-- have not benefited uniformly from this boon. This is because of skin and hair characteristics that render current FUE tools ineffective for most of this demographic. Some practitioners with experience in Afro textured hair FUE using conventional tools often acquire specialized methods that involve using larger punches, guessing hair bending and curve angles, and manual curve navigation while accepting a relatively higher graft attrition rate.
Dr. Sanusi Umar announced two new, separate inventions (patent-pending), either of which offer a comprehensive solution to the Afro textured FUE problem. The provider now has a wider menu where no options existed, and faces less technical demands. One procedure uses a specialized rotary tool-- The Intelligent Punch (patent-pending), mounted on a patented graft-hydrating and punch-lubricating system (Dr.UGraft™ Nurture handpiece). According to Dr. Umar, "The system is intuitive and comes with optimized settings, so the operator needs no PH.D in computer science to dial them in." Used with the Dr.UGraft Nurture handpiece, the Intelligent Punch intuitively navigates graft angles, enabling safe extraction of grafts in all Afro textured hair FUE.
Dr. Umar then announced the launch of yet another new invention-- Dr.UPunch Curl 2.0 (Patent pending)-- an unconventional non-rotary tool. This is an enhanced version of a previous invention - Dr.UPunch 1.0 ( European Patent 2939617B1). According to Dr. Umar, the new version is more user friendly. The punches are smaller, sharper and faster, hence its early release to other FUE providers. Less skill is required as guessing hair curving and bending angles is irrelevant. "Minimal effort is needed, and it is very easy to learn," says Dr. Umar (aka Dr. U). An instructional video released by Dr. U reveals how both of these independent technologies work.
Dr. U continued, "I went into the field of hair restoration to find a solution for my own hair loss and found only limitations. It became my life's mission to fix this. I started developing tools which benefited all hair types -- except mine. My hope is that these new tools can contribute to more universal hair loss treatments. Any FUE practitioner with average skill can operate these devices and provide as good a result as they can for other racial groups."
Both tools are ready for purchase on the Dr.UGraft website. They are also available for the first time at the Los Angeles Hair Transplant Hands-On Cadaver Course this Oct. 6-7, and at the ISHRS annual congress in Hollywood, CA on Oct. 10-14 at Booth # 61.
Dr. Sanusi Umar is a globally recognized dermatologic surgeon in Los Angeles. He is the founder of Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic, Dr. U Devices and FineTouch Laboratories. He is also on faculty at the David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA, and the Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at the Harbor-UCLA Dermatology Department.
Contact Information:
Anahit Moumjian
Dr. U Devices Inc.
[email protected]
SOURCE Dr. U Devices Inc.


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The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum
The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit Handouts, New Testament contains 23 four-color child handouts – one for each New Testament lesson covered in the curriculum. Each handout includes an activity, memory verse, note for parents, and reinforces what the child discovered about Jesus in that lesson. One Old Testament handout pack and one New Testament handout pack needed per child. Designed for use with The Jesus Storybook Curriculum Kit. These are the same handouts that are provided in PDF format on the Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit DVD-ROM.
The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum features everything you need for nearly a year of curriculum lessons. Kit includes 44 individual lessons plus 6 review lessons (3 Old Testament, 3 New Testament) plus ideas for engaging activities, easy-to-use instructions and notes for teachers based on material from Timothy Keller, memory verses, color handouts, and much more. The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation—and at the center of their story too.


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The Chateau pulls are a very dramatic accessory to any cabinets or drawers. Pulls are inspired by the designs used all over the French country-side chateaus. They were the houses in which nobility resided. The Chateau design is meant to look strong an unyielding while giving an incredibly elegant and delicate touch. The Chateau pulls are a great match with the Chateau knobs.
- Made in USA.
- Fine-art foundry hand-pours and hand-finishes every drawer pull using Old-World methods.
- Lifetime guaranteed against flaws in craftsmanship.
- Exceptional clarity of details and depth of relief.
- All pulls are hand-cast from solid fine pewter or solid bronze.
- The term "antique" refers to special methods of treating metal so there is contrast between the raised relief and recessed areas.
- Pulls are lacquered to protect the finish.
- Alternative finishes available (see below)


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Gymnophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of nudity. Sufferers of this phobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. They may worry about seeing others naked or being seen naked, or both. Their fear may stem from anxiety about sexuality in general, from a fear that their bodies are physically inferior, or from a fear that their nakedness leaves their bodies--and their personalities--exposed and unprotected.
"Gymnophobia" is derived from the Greek "gymnos" (naked) and "phobos" (fear). The word "gymnasium" comes from the Greek "gymnasion" (a place for athletic exercises) and the Greek "gymnasein" (to train naked).


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(681) 235-3124
105 Liberty Square, Hurricane, WV 25526
Regular price
Don't just show off your sports fandom during tailgates — let everyone see it even when you aren't using your grill with a Boston Bruins Deluxe Grill Cover. This heavy-duty grill cover proudly displays your team's logo on the side, making it clear who you root for. The Bruins grill cover is every bit as functional as it is eye-catching — it's weather-resistant so you don't have to worry about your team's emblem fading over time, includes hook-and-loop closure straps to securely hold it to the grill on windy days and has a felt lining to prevent scratches on your grill. You'll love adding this Boston Bruins grill cover fandom.
Orders over $100 receive FREE Shipping !


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Lilac Jasperware Cupid and Oracle Pill Box. A Wedgwood lilac jasperware pill box with white bas-reliefs depicting Cupid and Oracle on the lid. The pill box measures approximately 1 3/4 inches in diameter by 1 1/4 inches deep and is marked'Wedgwood Made in England' on its base. The pill box has been previously owned, it is first quality and is in very good condition. Terms and Conditions and Other Important Information.
We cannot deliver to PO Boxes. Our P&P charges not only include the cost of courier or postal service, but also sufficient packaging materials to protect your delicate item in transit.
Cheques can also be accepted, but only from UK buyers. If you wish to pay by cheque please advise when purchasing this item so we can provide you with further details. Please see our full terms and conditions.
This item is in the category "Pottery, Ceramics & Glass\Decorative Pottery, Ceramics & Glass\Vases". The seller is "nivagcollectables" and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped worldwide.


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TVS - Shree Golju Motors
- Address Ground Floor, Narayanpuram, Gumti
Nainital - 262402
- landmark Near Pal Stone Crusher
- Phone +917824006023
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- Open until 07:00 PM
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TVS Blogs
Get Ready for Long Rides with these TVS Raider Accessories
The sub-125 cc segment, despite being a key volume driver, hasnt attracted aspirational bu...
The Most Advanced 125 cc Bike In Its Segment
In September 2021, TVS Raider, the Wicked Ride arrived and its launch was as wicked as the...
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TVS Jupiter 125 is the two-wheelers equivalent of an evangelist - it is a product that ans...
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TVS - Maa Saraswati Automobiles
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TVS - Maa Kali Automobiles
Ward No 02
Rajnagar ganj
Madhubani, Bihar - 847235
Near Kothi Hat


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From the rise of foundations to emerging revenue models, the open source movement is primed for even greater impact on tomorrow's technologies
Nearly 15 years since the term "open source" was first applied, the trends driving the open source movement are not the same. Back then, price advantage, direct differentiation on licensing versus proprietary software, adoption-led marketing by innovative entrepreneurs, and market reaction against an ever more abusive monopolist were key factors shaping the direction of open source.
Today's open source movement is more mature, and the trends underlining it are more nuanced and widely engaged. The revolution has had a meaningful impact, and to treat open source as if it is still about saving a few bucks on a software license or socking it to Microsoft is to misunderstand how far the open source movement has come.
[ The Bossies are back, bigger and badder than ever! Check out the top open source products of 2012, as selected by InfoWorld. | Track the latest trends in open source with InfoWorld's Open Sources blog and Technology: Open Source newsletter. ]
The following five trends are key drivers of today's open source communities and projects. From governance to emerging revenue models, they paint a picture of an industry evolving to see the value of the freedoms at the heart of the open source movement.
1. The rise of open source foundationsFifteen years into the movement, it's clear that no single form of open source governance is ideal. While many successful open source projects share characteristics in the abstract, every approach has its pitfalls and every community faces governance challenges. That stated, two themes summarize the recurring strengths of today's most successful open source projects.
First, while they may appear to be democracies, almost all are not. In nearly every case, the right to have a binding voice in determining outcomes -- by voting or as part of a formal consensus -- is granted to a limited number of community participants on the basis of merit associated with contribution of some kind. This results in a strong, relatively stable core leadership comprising the most favored leaders.
If the project is truly open, anyone can become a recognized contributor if they demonstrate merit, but in the end, "open, meritocratic oligarchy" is more apt than "democracy" in describing the way many open source communities operate: led by a stable group of recognized leaders, whose actions have demonstrated fitness to lead, yet who remain replaceable at any time should others prove more suitable. This characteristic has been clear throughout the history of open source.
A second common theme has become a trend in the past few years. As corporate engagement in open source has become stronger, projects have realized their common ground needs a place of its own, resulting in the rise of independent legal entities that act as containers for open source communities.
Usually labeled "foundations" regardless of their actual legal form, these nonprofit legal entities offer multiple benefits, including:
- A host for managing fiscal and other shared resources such as trademarks and shared copyrights
- An employer for staff serving the community and project
- A guarantor and enabler for governance
- An infrastructure provider
- A liability firewall for community participants
These benefits individually reassure different parts of the community, but having them collected into an independent nonprofit frees participants from being unduly concerned about aspects that don't relate to them directly. Consequently, forming a foundation is usually noncontroversial because everyone can see a benefit.
Of course, starting a foundation does not resolve community relationship issues. If there's dysfunction, such as a crisis of trust between community members, merely incorporating won't likely solve it. Addressing community relationship and trust issues before incorporating is key, otherwise these issues are likely to be wired into the foundation's structure and bylaws, perpetuated indefinitely.
The steady growth of long-term entities such as the Apache Software Foundation and the Eclipse Foundation, the introduction of foundations for large projects such as OpenStack and LibreOffice, and the existence of general-purpose foundations such as OW2 and OuterCurve provide ample evidence of the increasing importance of foundations in driving open source forward.
All of these foundations cultivate trust in the stability of the activities they represent and encourage corporate participation. We will see more of them.
2. The proliferation of open source licensing choicesAnother key driver of today's open source movement is the sheer volume of available licensing choices and how choice of open source license is changing, thanks to increased participation from corporate organizations that recognize the importance of community.
All software automatically benefits from copyright protection for its author, giving her control over who can make copies of the source code or derivatives, including extracts of source and compiled binaries. Since the executable version of software has to be copied onto a computer to be used and into memory to be executed, it's necessary to have a license from the copyright holder for any use of the software.
In the earliest days of open source, there were broadly two choices for licensing copyright. People sharing Bill Joy's pragmatic do-what-you-want outlook picked licenses like the one used on the Unix Berkeley System Distribution (BSD) he pioneered. Others sharing Richard Stallman's view that software freedom demands social engineering picked the General Public License he devised for his GNU Project -- so called because it is a license benefiting the general public.
The adoption of these ideas by businesses was a key motivation for creating the Open Source Definition as a tool for categorizing licenses as open source. In 1998 it was clear that others wanted to replicate the experience of the Mozilla project and declare their work "free" while frequently disregarding the need to deliver software freedom, much as many businesses in today's food industry seek to use the term "organic" without delivering on the holism behind the term. To combat this, the Open Source Initative was formed to promote the term "open source" to signal truly "free" software. From that point, only licenses granting anyone freedom to use, study, modify, and distribute the software would be approved by OSI as representing.
Businesses wishing to avoid using the GPL tended to follow the example of the Mozilla project and created their own license. As a result, over 60 new licenses were approved by OSI in the first few years of the open source era. But this proliferation has come with a cost. Open source licenses often don't mix; when you make your own, you condemn your project to isolation. Creating a new license like this is a problem that arises from a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of the license in open source, treating it as a traditional bilateral legal agreement. Instead, an open source license is a multilateral agreement, "the constitution for the community," as Eben Moglen once put it.
In recent years, new projects have been much more aware of the role of the license in enabling community formation and function. The result has been a trend toward liberal licenses such as the Apache License or the BSD/MIT licenses, thereby eliminating perceived barriers to participation for corporate contributors. OpenStack, for example, uses liberal licensing.
Yet even projects that use the liberal BSD Unix license have at times railed against corporations who use their work without contribution, suggesting there's a role for copyleft, too. Most communities are offended when a profitable consumer of their work is all take and no give. This sense of justice will likely push the needle that has swung full-scale from GPL to BSD back to the middle ground, best represented by the recently revised Mozilla Public License, MPLv2.
MPLv2 is explicitly compatible with the GPL, and it contains no clauses that prevent mingling with liberal licenses, aligning it with the sensibilities of most of today's open source communities. It does include a weak copyleft requirement that changes to files managed by the project must be published, but it allows developers complete freedom to use the compiled binaries any way they want, including mixing them with non-open-source code to create proprietary products.
3. The specter of software patentsThe legal system is having an increasing effect on today's open source movement in the form of software patents, a stark contrast from 15 years ago.
A form of social contract between inventors and society, patents exchange a temporary monopoly of a practical invention for the publication of that invention so that the public at large -- "the commons" -- can benefit from it.
Patents protect implementations of ideas, not ideas themselves. But over time, clever drafting by legal experts has pushed the envelope for what can be patented, and in the software industry, a loophole that allows ideas to be associated with a physical object and thus rendered patentable has yet to be addressed by legislators. While software can only formally be protected by copyright, verbal constructs attaching software or algorithms to general-purpose computers have allowed patents on software to increasingly be granted.
Worse, software patents make no allowance for the reality that, unlike the creation of physical objects, two programmers in two unconnected places may in fact devise the same method to solve the same problem without copying one another. Thus, for proprietary and open source software alike, patents represent a threat. At any time, a well-resourced corporation wishing to chill competition can challenge another entity of any size. There's really nothing an individual developer can do to be protected from software patents, although Debian provides worthwhile advice.
Counterclaims can sometimes protect an organization from a patent aggressor, but an increasing number of patent aggressors are entities that make patent threats to force licensing. Against such companies, there is no recourse for countersuits, as the aggressor has no products that might infringe patents in your own portfolio. Consequently, the best defenses for developers have become:
- Building patent pools to defend against corporate aggressors
- Buying portfolios to take patents out of circulation
- Building tools to establish prior art and engage in defensive publication
- Proactively litigating and securing cross-licensing from competitors
Much of the problem is one of threat, the vast majority of which never reach the press, let alone the courts. The most lucrative patent shakedowns are conducted secretly, starting with massive private threats accompanied by an offer to license in exchange for a share of revenue and a guarantee of secrecy. This is a significant revenue stream for big corporations such as IBM and Microsoft. Apparently, IBM makes close to half a billion dollars annually from this technique.
None of this was a serious problem 15 years ago. Today, open source is evolving in the context of such patent scenarios. Software patents are a major motivation for foundations and license evolution. Foundations offer a "liability firewall" that works both ways, protecting patent-holding corporations from community claims on their patents and providing a venue for sheltering from patent attacks. Modern open source licenses such as GPLv3 and MPLv2 offer a "patent peace," granting licenses to contributors' patents in exchange for an agreement not to litigate.
Dealing with software patents is probably easier in the context of open source because there are many eyes to look for prior art, there are many targets for attack so that aggressors are drawn into the open sooner, and there are more minds available to work around patent claims when they are detected. Software patents are thus likely to continue to be a key driver for the evolution of open source, both as communities deal with them and as corporations exploit the benefits of open source foundations and licenses.
4. Cloud computing: Open source hotbedBuilt predominantly on open source software, cloud computing has evolved to be a significant driving force in today's open source movement.
Cloud computing has many meanings. It can refer to shared storage accessible via a network, an API to a remote application, a remotely managed VM running a stack of server software, or an application reached via a Web or client app.
Whatever the form, cloud computing's varying instances have shared consequences. First, cloud solutions must be deployed flexibly, especially in load-balancing situations where multiple temporary instances may be required instantaneously. As a result, most proprietary packages, which use complex, metric-based pricing under the assumption that every installation means equal-value use, are unaffordable in cloud applications.
Open source software, on the other hand, is unshackled from the need to obtain or track licenses. It can also be modified to fit your needs. As a consequence, open source software is hugely preferred for delivering the cloud. Moreover, the low cost of getting started with open source software in the cloud means that startup companies overwhelmingly use open source components for the nondifferentiating parts of their business.


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By Antonio Guerrero
African oil producers stand to benefit from continued sanctions on Iranian oil exports. But their path is not without challenges.
As the US and EU tighten the screws on Iran, imposing sanctions on Iranian oil shipments, African oil producers have moved to take up the slack. It could create a windfall for the continent's producers. However, with the battle lines drawn, some African governments must make some difficult choices.
The US imposed sanctions on Iranian oil shipments last December, and the EU did likewise in July. Vessels carrying Iranian oil, moreover, have been denied insurance on their shipments. The West seeks to deal a hard blow to Iran in a bid to get it to drop its nuclear program. Iranian authorities contend the program aims to boost the country's energy production, though the international community has expressed concern that Iran may be enriching uranium to produce nuclear weapons.
"I think West Africa will increase its [oil] production in the near term to meet growing demand from countries that relied heavily on Iranian oil," says Chris Faulkner, founder, president and CEO of Breitling Oil and Gas, of Texas. "There is an opportunity here, and while oil prices remain high, it's a win-win for African oil."
Asia is leading the way in buying African oil to replace Iranian shipments. "What we are seeing are increased exports of West African oil headed to China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan," says Faulkner. "Those countries averaged 1.8 million barrels of oil per day from West Africa throughout the first three-quarters of this year; that is a 10% increase from the same period a year ago. The Iranian embargo is the sole reason for this."
Some African countries are better positioned to benefit from the situation. "It is likely that the established producers, such as Angola, Nigeria, Libya and Algeria, will be the short- to medium-term beneficiaries," says Hamish McArdle, partner in the London office of international law firm Baker Botts. "Others, such as Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan—North and South—would most likely be second-tier beneficiaries."
"The sanctions are not just going to impact the South African economy, but [they will] also impact that of our neighbors"
– Nelisiwe Magubane, South African energy department
McArdle warns that the continent's ability to produce consistent and reliable oil supplies is not guaranteed. "African producers can be divided broadly between those that are new or emerging, predominantly in East Africa, and those that are established, predominantly in North and West Africa," he says. "The Arab Spring has significantly impacted production and investment in a number of the North African producer countries, most significantly Libya, whilst consistency of production, investment and regulation in many others, such as Nigeria, is patchy."
McArdle argues that African producers' ability to become long-term suppliers will depend on secure access to markets, and the stability of legal and fiscal regimes in emerging producers, among other factors. He notes: "One should also consider the political volatility in many parts of Africa, where unforeseen, or at least unwelcome, political events, such as the escalating tension between North and South Sudan, can have an immediate impact on the level of oil production and export."
Faulkner, Breitling: While oil prices remain high, it's a win-win for African oil producers
Tanzania has had to make some tough choices. The US, EU and Iran are among the country's key trading partners. Some US lawmakers have accused Tanzania of helping Iran sidestep the oil embargo and threatened to impose sanctions on the African nation. Critics allege the government has provided Tanzanian registries for Iranian ships, exempting them from the insurance ban. Tanzania recently reported that it had deregistered 36 oil tankers it says were illegally given Tanzanian flags by a Dubai shipping agent. Those tankers were found to be Iranian-owned.
For South Africa, the dilemma is both political and economic. "South Africa imports more than 20% of its oil from Iran, and the sanction is affecting its economy," says Faulkner, who was recently in South Africa and believes the embargo is already causing hardships. "The long-term effects could put a major strain on an already fragile economy there." South Africa, which had received a temporary waiver to import Iranian oil, cut its Iranian imports in June, when it instead imported 60% of its oil from Saudi Arabia. The remainder was imported from Angola and Nigeria.
"The sanctions are not just going to impact the South African economy, but [they will] also impact that of our neighbors," Nelisiwe Magubane, director general of South Africa's energy department, told media in August. The previous month, Kenya had also ended its Iranian oil purchases. Labor strikes and refinery problems have caused oil supply shortages in South Africa over the past year. The country at one time imported as much as one-third of its oil from Iran.
McArdle believes that if African countries have a level of price and market certainty, the situation could lead to an acceleration of oil-sector investment plans on the continent to initiate or increase output. "However, mid- to long-term development and investment programs are unlikely to be materially impacted if the outcome or longevity of Iranian sanctions is uncertain," he says. "The key determinant of investment remains the global oil price. Political pressure on African producer states and the international oil companies operating in them from the importer countries, including those in the EU and Asia, is also likely to impact investment decisions."
Faulkner demurs. "I do not expect the Iranian embargo to continue for any length of time," he predicts. "I think Iran will give in soon and temporarily drop their nuclear program." There is no indication that Tehran's actions support Faulkner's outlook. Instead, Iranian oil minister Rostam Qassemi says Iran has found ways to deal with US and EU sanctions, including increasing shipments to nonaligned countries.
What African countries ultimately do with the potential oil windfall is yet to be seen. "Underlying much of the development in social and government services are Africa's natural resource sectors," says a new report from McKinsey & Co. "New discoveries of oil, gas and hard minerals in many countries have the potential to spur development in other sectors and benefit the local population—but only if governments harness the wealth created by these sectors appropriately."


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Tipster Catherine has alerted us to this video, which is an irritatingly scored ten-minute highlight video from Mexico's upset of the USA in a World Cup qualifier last year. But buried within that video is the highlight we've cut for you above, and we took the electro-crap out of it too.
Is Texas or Florida State a bigger national title contender? | Agree to Disagree
And, as you'll see, Abby Wambach is really, really tough. She goes for a ball, bashes heads, takes a giant, oozing gash, gets the thing stapled up, and stands up.
"Unpopular, unpretty?" Whatever. Abby Wambach could kick Jay Mariotti's ass.


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Let's say you start to brainstorm a list of all the emotions you've ever experienced. Just for fun, try it now.
What's on your list? Chances are, you included things like happy, sad, excited, angry, afraid, grateful, proud, scared, confused, stressed, relaxed, amazed. Now sort your list into two categories — positive emotions and negative emotions.
Feeling both positive and negative emotions is a natural part of being human. We might use the word "negative" to describe more difficult emotions, but it doesn't mean those emotions are bad or we shouldn't have them. Still, most people would probably rather feel a positive emotion than a negative one. It's likely you'd prefer to feel happy instead of sad, or confident instead of insecure.
What matters is how our emotions are balanced — how much of each type of emotion, positive or negative, we experience.
Negative emotions warn us of threats or challenges that we may need to deal with. For example, fear can alert us to possible danger. It's a signal that we might need to protect ourselves. Angry feelings warn us that someone is stepping on our toes, crossing a boundary, or violating our trust. Anger can be a signal that we might need to act on our own behalf.
Negative emotions focus our awareness. They help us to zero in on a problem so we can deal with it. But too many negative emotions can make us feel overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, or stressed out. When negative emotions are out of balance, problems might seem too big to handle.
The more we dwell on negative emotions, the more negative we begin to feel. Focusing on negativity just keeps it going.
Positive emotions balance out negative ones, but they have other powerful benefits, too.
Instead of narrowing our focus like negative emotions do, positive emotions affect our brains in ways that increase our awareness, attention, and memory. They help us take in more information, hold several ideas in mind at once, and understand how different ideas relate to each other.
When positive emotions open us up to new possibilities, we are more able to learn and build on our skills. That leads to doing better on tasks and tests.
People who have plenty of positive emotions in their everyday lives tend to be happier, healthier, learn better, and get along well with others.
Science is helping us find out how valuable positive emotions can be. Experts have learned a lot from recent brain studies. Here are two findings that can help us use positive emotions to our advantage:
When we feel more positive emotions than negative ones, difficult situations are easier to handle. Positive emotions build our resilience (the emotional resources needed for coping). They broaden our awareness, letting us see more options for problem solving.
Studies show that people feel and do their best when they have at least three times as many positive emotions as negative emotions. That's because of something called the negativity bias.
The negativity bias is a natural human tendency to pay more attention to negative emotions than to positive ones. It makes sense when you think about it: Negative emotions call our attention to problems — problems we might need to deal with quickly. Tuning in to negative emotions can be a survival mechanism.
The negativity bias has a downside, though: It can make us think a day went badly, not well, even if we experienced equal amounts of positive and emotions that day. It takes at least three times as many positive emotions to tip the scales and make a day seem like a great one.
Building habits that encourage us to feel more positive emotions can help us be happier, do better, and reduce our negative emotions. Building positive emotions is especially important if we're already dealing with a lot of negative feelings such as fear, sadness, anger, frustration, or stress.
Building a daily positivity habit is pretty simple. It comes down to two basic steps:
Positive emotions feel good, and they're good for you. Pay attention to these powerful tools and find ways to make time for them in your everyday life. Create room in your day for joy, fun, friendship, relaxation, gratitude, and kindness. Make these things a habit and you positively will be a happier you!
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date Reviewed: Aug 21, 2018


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On 11 March, 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey the Experts' meeting brought together consultant authors from the six countries targeted for special Development Centre Working Paper reports under Phase one of the Black Sea and Central Asia Initiative: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine in order to discuss work in progress with the Paris combined team and a number of local experts.
Financially supported by the Government of Romania and the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, the meeting opened with a description of the whole project and an explanation of its objectives.
A brief introduction to the Programme was also provided for participants. BSCAI is working in partnership with the OECD's Eurasia Competitiveness Programme, which is particularly concerned with private sector development. This partnership enriches the process by providing expert analysis of private sector development in several of the countries under review and an overall methodological strategy.
After that, each consultant presented her or his work which was then discussed with all meeting participants.
At the end of the meeting, conclusions for further BSCAI development were reached. Visits will be arranged throughout May to work with authors on finalising their contributions. A minimum of one meeting per country to present the results of the studies to the local authorities and to the media will be held around the month of October.
Related Documents


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Update June 11, 2011: S.B. 223 has now been signed into law by Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval. The bill was approved by the Senate and the Assembly by overwhelming margins. The new law is called Cooney's Law, after Cooney, a dog Raymond Rios adopted from a shelter and then tortured to death with a box cutter. He subsequently pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor animal cruelty charge, the most severe crime he could be charged with, paid the $640 fine and was released with jail time served.
Under Cooney's Law Rios could have been charged with a felony.
The final version (1) authorizes a person to report an act of cruelty against an animal to any peace officer, officer of a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or animal control officer; (2) provides that the report is confidential; and (3) prohibits releasing any information concerning the report except for the purposes of a criminal investigation or prosecution.
The new law limits increases in penalties for animal cruelty to animals "kept for companionship or pleasure" or any cat or dog.
A person who willfully and maliciously tortures or unjustifiably maims, mutilates or kills one or more of these animals is guilty of a category D felony on the first offense, except that the person is guilty of a category C felony if the act of cruelty is committed against the animal in order to threaten, intimidate or terrorize another person.
The new law retains the prohibition on breeders from separating a puppy or kitten from the mother before 8 weeks of age or the animal stops nursing, whichever is later.
For a look at the bill as initially proposed, read Animal Law Coalition's report below.
Original report: Senate Bill 223 would increase penalties for wilful and malicious animal cruelty. Certain acts of animal cruelty that are done willfully and maliciously would be a Class D felony on the first offense if the animal did not die as a result and a Class C felony if the animal died because of the cruelty.
The acts that would trigger the increased penalty if done willfully and maliciously would include depriving an animal of necessary sustenance, illegal tethering, failing to provide an outdoor shelter of an appropriate size, abandoning an animal and other cruel treatment.
These offenses are currently misdemeanors on the first and second violations and a Class C felony on the third and subsequent offenses.
The bill would also make it a misdemeanor for a breeder to separate a puppy or kitten from the mother before 8 weeks of age or the animal stops nursing, whichever is later.


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Down in the Quote Mines
Creationist Joe Lary, Ph. D. wrote a argument that Alabama schools should teach intelligent design in science classes that appeared in the Tuscaloosa News on March third of this year. What I found the most stiking feature of Lary's argument is that he makes crystal clear that there is no substantive difference between "intelligent design" and the "creation science" of the 1970s and '80s. His arguments are lifted straight from standard young earth creationist sources, as are his methods. The false, or out-of-context quote is a favorite tactic of professional young earth creationists' efforts to undermine science and reason. This is so widely recognized among those who follow these efforts that it has come to be called "quote mining" and a compilation of many examples, and their corrections has been published on-line at: The Quote Mine Project. The Answers in Genesis Ministries, formerly the Creation Science Foundation of Brisbane, Australia, even produced a book of quotes called The Revised Quote Book (copyright 1990) that has been debunked at Cretinism or Evilution? No. 3 .
Further "quote-mine" information and examples dating as early as 1905 are found in Ron Numbers' book The Creationists (1992, pg. 50-53), and an large library of quotes are analyzed at Quotations and Misquotations .
Lary shows himself to be well versed in quote mining as I'll now examine.
Lary 3/3/04, "Francis Crick, who won the Nobel Prize for co-discovering the structure of DNA, has concluded that the biochemical evolution of life from nonliving matter could not have occurred on Earth."
Lary seems to have profoundly failed to understand Francis Crick, for example he wrote in 1981:
"But this [the ostensibly "miraculous" seeming origin of life] should not be taken to imply that there are good reasons to believe that it could not have started on the earth by a perfectly reasonable sequence of fairly ordinary chemical reactions. The plain fact is the time available was too long, the many microenvironments on the earths surface too diverse, the various chemical possibilities too numerous and our own knowledge (in 1981) and imagination too feeble to allow us to be able to unravel exactly how it might or might not have happened such a long time ago. ...at the present time we can nly say that we cannot decide whether the origin of life in earth was an extremely unlikely event or almost a certainty--or any possibility in between those two extremes. Life Itself p.88.
The last 23 years have seen more research published on the origin of life than the prior 23 centuries, and I have no doubt that Crick would greatly alter even those comments today. As they stand, there is no support for Lary's assertions.
Lary has employed one of creationist's favorite gimmicks, the out-of-context, out-of-date quote scam. This particularly shameful when he has misrepresented dead men unable to defend themselves.
Biochemist and Nobel laureate George Wald of Harvard University proclaimed: "One only has to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible."
How about the very next sentence, Joe?
"One only has to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet, we are here as a result, I believe, of spontaneous generation." - George Wald, "The Origin of Life", Scientific American 191:48 (May 1954).
It is obvious that Lary is trying to fool his readers. Wald did not say anything that contradics modern research on the origin of life even less evolutionary biology. Further, the chopped quote Lary foisted off was written just one year after Stanley Miller's discovery of amino acid synthesis, and the publication of Watson and Crick's historic analysis of DNA. We earlier noted that Lary was stuck in 140 year old research, and now he feeds us a 50 year old out-of-context quotation.
Lary next supposedly quoted poor Edwin Conklin (1863-1952). Conklin was widely attacked by creationists who claim he supported racism because he was a "Darwinist", and now he is frequently misrepresented as arguing for special creation.
Let us consider this so-called quote further. I find it is typically found presented pretty much as Lary has copied it (obviously not from an original source but from some anonymous text), " According to Princeton Biology Professor, Edwin Conklin, " The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a print shop."- Reader's Digest Jan.1963 pg.92. Some creationists use the year 1956– Conklin still would have been dead for at least four years. Even more creationists claim this was said by Albert Einstein, or just make the claim as if they thought it up themselves. We are forced to disregard this bit of propaganda due to its lack of honest reportage. Clearly Lary has never read the original text (if one exists), and has dogmatically reguritated creationists web sites, or books.
What did Conklin really belive? Consider this, "Man in his entirety is regarded by science as the product of evolution. His actual origin goes back not to Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden…but to more primitive races of men, and then to prehuman ancestors, and in the end to the earliest forms of life upon the earth. Between us and these earliest forms there has been an unbroken line of descent, an uninterrupted stream of life, through all the ages." Professor Edwin Conklin of Princeton in The Direction of Human Evolution, page 4.
Yet despite their frank admissions, these eminent scientists ignored theirown scientific reasoning and continued to have faith in the theory of evolution.
These scientists made no "admissions" in the sense that Lary wants us to believe. In each case these men admitt that science is incomplete and that there is more to learn, and in each case they affirm that evolutionary science has so far met the test of time.
We have just seen that Lary was either ignorant of, or willfully misrepresented the true positions of these scientists. We have shown that Lary has misrepresetned evolutionary theory as being contingent on the origin of life, and that he is uninformed as to expanding research in that area as well. He next propounds on paleontology which if anything, he is more ignorant of than evolutionary biology.


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Moe's Southwest Grill announces the launch of a nationwide mobile and online ordering solution in partnership with app design company Splick–it. Now, guests who are accustomed to the freshest, quality ingredients and signature greeting, "Welcome to Moe's!," can bypass the line and get food faster.
"This is a great way to keep Moe's up-to-date in the fast-paced, social media world we live in today," says Paul Damico, president of Moe's Southwest Grill. "Splick–it provides a tremendous opportunity for us to stay technologically current and give the best customers in the world a more efficient and user-friendly way to pre-order and pre-pay for their meal."
The app was designed around speed and efficiency. With customer information securely stored, hungry diners can open the app, customize their order, and pre-pay in an average of 60 seconds.
Once on location, it's as easy as walking through the door, bypassing the line, and getting fresh food to go.
In addition to adding iPhone and Android apps to Moe's mobile presence, Splick–it created fully revamped online ordering websites for each participating location. Moe's will also have access to new mobile marketing tools created by Splick–it to send targeted, outbound promotions to their user base.
"As an innovative brand in their space, Moe's was quick to recognize and harness the opportunity presented by the proliferation of recent technological advances in mobility," says Splick–it founder, Rob Taylor.
Guests can order from over 440 participating locations from the new Moe's mobile ordering app, which can be downloaded for free at the iTunes store or Android Market.