text:
As-Built Updates
Carry out as-built updates on a real-time basis.
Pictured: Before and After (left to right) images of As-Built Changes converted from PDF to AutoCAD
Data gets imported in real-time, directly, from your design platform to our software.
Changes can be made promptly to reduce costs and turnaround time.
Network Data (Strand, RF, Fiber, Copper)
Digitizing & Re-Posting
Move on from non-intelligent data collection.
Pictured: Digitized Network Design View in the Bentley platform with Network Elements Labelled and Mapped
Many still collect data on paper or in PDF formats.
Move to intelligent and interactive data formats, compatible with any spatial GIS platform.
Address Verification
Pictured: Address Verification Spreadsheet involving Lat, Long Measurements, Distribution Type, Curb, Sidewalk Material, and more
We use multiple sites' data to verify addresses while deleting duplicates.
Pictured: Spreadsheet View to Map View with Geo-spatially Accurate Address Data
Massive amounts of billing address data can be moved to map views.
This allows for a better view of the subscriber base.
Geographic Data for RF Network Planning
Pictured: Spreadsheet View to Map View with Geo-spatially Accurate Address Data
Network Area Planning
Pictured: Geographical Project Area Divided into Smaller Work Zones
Smaller work zones are created around geographical boundaries, using existing network and topography for efficient infrastructure design.
Land Base Creation
Pictured: Land Base with Geographical Features Taken into Account
GIS maps with street names, water bodies, railroads, and many other geographical features are used to create an accurate land base for field engineering.
Call-Before-You-Dig (CBYD) / Dial-Before-You-Dig (DBYD)
Contact Us
Sales Inquiries:
+1 770-345-1670
Corporate Office
230 Mountain Brook Ct,
Canton (Atlanta), GA 30115 USA
Global Offices
Sydney, Australia
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Kochi, India
Canton (Atlanta), GA, USA (HQ)
Last updated: May 27, 2022
© 2022 IMMCO, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Last updated: September 30, 2018 This privacy policy (this "Policy") describes the collection of personal information by IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates), a Georgia corporation (IMMCO," "we," or "us") from users of our Web site at www.immcoinc.com (the "Website"), as well as all related applications, widgets, software, tools, and other services provided by us and on which a link to this Policy is displayed (collectively, together with the Website, our "Services"). This Policy also describes our use and disclosure of such information. By using our Services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information in accordance with this Policy. This Policy is subject to the provisions of any IMMCO Terms of Use that incorporate this Policy by reference. Personal Information "Personal Information," as used in this Policy, is information that specifically identifies an individual, such as an individual's name, address, telephone number, or e-mail address. Personal Information also includes information about an individual's activities, such as information about his or her activity on our Services, and demographic information, such as date of birth, gender, geographic area, and preferences, when any of this information is linked to Personal Information that identifies that individual. Personal Information does not include "aggregate" or other non-personally identifiable information. Aggregate information is information that we collect about a group or category of products, services, or users that is not personally identifiable or from which individual identities are removed. We may use and disclose aggregate information, and other non-personally identifiable information, for various purposes. Although information uploaded to the Service by an IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) customer for processing ("Customer Data") may include information that specifically identifies an individual (e.g., an IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) customer could upload to the Service information about its customers in order perform wealth management services for those customers via the Services, including information that specifically identifies individuals such as name and email address), that information is not Personal Information for the purposes of this Policy. Please see the "Customer Data and Security" section below for information regarding IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates)'s handling of Customer Data. Collection of Information Collection of Voluntarily-Provided Information We collect Personal Information that our users provide to us in a variety of ways using our Services. If you contact us by e-mail, using a contact form on the Services, or by mail, fax, or other means, we collect the Personal Information contained within, and associated with, your correspondence. Passive Information Collection When you visit our Services, some information is collected automatically. For example, when you access our Services, we automatically collect your browser's Internet Protocol (IP) address, your browser type, the nature of the device from which you are visiting the Services (e.g., a personal computer or a mobile device), the identifier for any handheld or mobile device that you may be using, the Web site that you visited immediately prior to accessing any Web-based Services, the actions you take on our Services, and the content, features, and activities that you access and participate in on our Services. We may collect this information passively using technologies such as standard server logs, cookies, and clear GIFs (also known as "Web beacons"). We use passively-collected information to administer, operate, and improve the Website and our other services and systems, to improve the effectiveness of advertising on our Services, and to provide advertisements and other content that is tailored to you. If we link or associate any information gathered through passive means with Personal Information, or if applicable laws require us to treat any information gathered through passive means as Personal Information, we treat the combined information as Personal Information under this Policy. Otherwise, we use and disclose information collected by passive means in aggregate form or otherwise in a non-personally identifiable form. Also, please be aware that third parties, such as companies displaying advertisements on the Services or sites or services provided by third parties ("Third-Party Sites") that may be linked to from the Services, may set cookies on your hard drive or use other means of passively collecting information about your use of their services, Third-Party Sites or content. We do not have access to, or control over, these third-party means of passive data collection. Information From Other Sources We may receive information about you, including Personal Information, from third parties, and may combine this information with other Personal Information we maintain about you. If we do so, this Policy governs any combined information that we maintain in personally identifiable format. Use of Personal Information We use Personal Information to provide services and information that you request; to enhance, improve, operate, and maintain our Services, our programs, services, Web sites, and other systems; to prevent fraudulent use of our Services and other systems; to prevent or take action against activities that are, or may be, in violation of our Terms of Use or applicable law; to tailor advertisements, content, and other aspects of your experience on and in connection with the Services; to maintain a record of our dealings with you; for other administrative purposes; and for any other purposes that we may disclose to you at the point at which we request your Personal Information, and pursuant to your consent. Disclosure of Personal Information Except as described in this Policy, we will not disclose your Personal Information that we collect on the Services to third parties without your consent. We may disclose information to third parties if you consent to us doing so, as well as in the following circumstances: Service Providers We may disclose Personal Information to third-party service providers (e.g., payment processing and data storage and processing facilities) that assist us in our work. We limit the Personal Information provided to these service providers to that which is reasonably necessary for them to perform their functions, and we require them to agree to maintain the confidentiality of such Personal Information. Business Transfers Information about our users, including Personal Information, may be disclosed and otherwise transferred to an acquirer, or successor or assignee as part of any merger, acquisition, debt financing, sale of IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) assets, or similar transaction, as well as in the event of an insolvency, bankruptcy, or receivership in which Personal Information is transferred to one or more third parties as one of our business assets. To Protect Our Interests We also disclose Personal Information if we believe that doing so is legally required, or is in our interest to protect our property or other legal rights (including, but not limited to, enforcement of our agreements), or the rights or property of others, or otherwise to help protect the safety or security of our Services and other users of the Services. Access If we offer the ability to create user accounts or profiles on our Services, you may have the ability to access and update many categories of personal information that you provide to us by logging in to your account and accessing your account settings. If you wish to access or amend any other personal information we hold about you, you may contact us at email@example.com If you request that we delete your account on any of our Services (via a user settings page, by e-mail, or otherwise), we will do so within a reasonable period of time, but we may need to retain some of your Personal Information in order to satisfy our legal obligations, or where we reasonably believe that we have a legitimate reason to do so. Links The Services may contain links to other Web sites, products, or services that we do not own or operate. For example, the Services may contain links to Third-Party Sites such as social networking services. If you choose to visit or use any Third-Party Sites or products or services available on or through such Third-Party Sites, please be aware that this Policy will not apply to your activities or any information you disclose while using those Third-Party Sites or any products or services available on or through such Third-Party Sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these Third-Party Sites or any products or services on or through them. Additionally, please be aware that the Services may contain links to Web sites and services that we operate but that are governed by different privacy policies. We encourage you to carefully review the privacy policies applicable to any Web site or service you visit other than the Services before providing any Personal Information on them. International Visitors Our servers and data centers are located in the United States. If you choose to use the Services from outside the U.S., then you should know that you are transferring your Personal Information outside of your region and into the U.S. for storage and processing. By providing your Personal Information to us through your use of the Service, you agree to that transfer, storage, and processing in the U.S. Also, we may transfer your data from the U.S. to other countries or regions in connection with storage and processing of data, fulfilling your requests, and operating the Services. You should know that each region can have its own privacy and data security laws, some of which may be less stringent as compared to those of your own region. Customer Data and Security IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) customers may electronically submit Customer Data to the Service for processing purposes. IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) will not review, share, distribute, or reference any Customer Data except as provided in the license agreement between IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) and the customer, or as may be required by law. In accordance with IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates)'s license agreements, IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) may access Customer Data only for the purpose of providing the Service, preventing or addressing service or technical problems, at a customer's request in connection with customer support matters, or as may be required by law. IMMCO, Inc. (and its affiliates) uses reasonable security measures that are designed to protect Personal Information and Customer Data from accidental loss, disclosure, misuse, and destruction. These measures include regular review of our data collection and storage process, ensuring that the data is encrypted and that we have up-to-date security software on our networks and servers. Please be aware, however, that no data security measures can be guaranteed to be completely effective. Consequently, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information that you or our enterprise customers provide to us. You transmit information to us at your own risk. Updates to this Policy We may occasionally update this Policy. When we do, we will also revise the "last updated" date at the beginning of the Policy. Your continued use of our Services after such changes will be subject to the then-current policy. If we change this Policy in a manner that is materially less restrictive of our use or disclosure of your Personal Information, we will use reasonable efforts to notify you of the change and to obtain your consent prior to applying the change to any Personal Information that we collected from you prior to the date the change becomes effective. We encourage you to periodically review this Policy to stay informed about how we collect, use, and disclose personal information. Contacting Us If you have any questions or comments about this Policy, please contact us using the following contact information: IMMCO, Inc. 12395 Morris Rd. Alpharetta, GA, 30005 United States of America firstname.lastname@example.com
1. Acceptance of Terms The following agreement outlines your obligations when using the IMMCO, Inc. website available at immcoinc.com, (the "Site"). The Site is owned and operated by IMMCO ("IMMCO, Inc.") and is accessed by you under the terms of use described below ("Terms of Use"). PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE SERVICES. BY ACCESSING THE SITE OR ANY CONTENT ON THE SITE, YOU AGREE TO BECOME BOUND BY THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, THEN YOU MAY NOT ACCESS THE SITE OR USE THE CONTENT OR ANY SERVICES IN THE SITE. IMMCO, Inc.'S ACCEPTANCE IS EXPRESSLY CONDITIONED UPON YOUR ASSENT TO ALL OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, TO THE EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER TERMS; IF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE CONSIDERED AN OFFER BY IMMCO, Inc., ACCEPTANCE IS EXPRESSLY LIMITED TO THESE TERMS. 2. Modifications of Terms of Use "IMMCO, Inc. reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace the Terms of Use at any time. If the alterations constitute a material change to the Terms of Use, IMMCO, Inc. will notify you by posting an announcement on the Site. What constitutes a "material change" will be determined at IMMCO, Inc.'s sole discretion, in good faith and using common sense and reasonable judgment. You are responsible for reviewing and becoming familiar with any such modifications. Use of the Site by you following such notification constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Terms of Use as modified. 3. Content Ownership and Usage Rights IMMCO, Inc. shall retain all worldwide rights in the intellectual property of the Site, including, but not limited to, trademarks, the "look and feel" of the Site, its color combinations, layout, and all other graphical elements, and the copyright in and to its original content. You should assume that everything you read or see on the Site is copyrighted or otherwise protected and owned by IMMCO, Inc., or a third party who licensed the right to use such content to IMMCO, Inc.. Unless otherwise expressly noted, nothing that you read or see on the Site or other site content, or any of the source code or HTML code that IMMCO, Inc. uses to generate the Site may be copied, reproduced, modified, distributed, transmitted, republished, displayed, or performed for commercial use without the prior written consent of IMMCO, Inc., except as provided in the Terms of Use without prior written consent or otherwise permitted by relevant law. 4. Indemnity You will indemnify and hold harmless IMMCO, Inc., its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, customers, vendors, officers and employees from any liability, damage or cost (including reasonable attorneys. fees and cost) from any claim or demand made by any third party due to or arising out of your access to the Site, use of the Services, violation of the Terms of Use by you, or the infringement by you of any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity. 5. Warranty Disclaimers Diligent care has been taken in acquiring and providing the information included and posted on the Site. Nonetheless, IMMCO, Inc. makes no guarantee or warranty, express or implied, as to the reliability, accuracy, timeliness or completeness of that information and assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions therein. USER ACCESSES THIS SITE AT HIS OR HER OWN RISK. THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS, AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND AND ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT ARE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED. NEITHER IMMCO, Inc. NOR ITS AFFILIATES, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS RESULTING FROM USE OR UNAVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION OR CONTENT ON THIS SITE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY LOST PROFITS, LOSS OR DAMAGE TO DATA, OR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPENSATORY OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THIS DISCLAIMER IS APPLICABLE TO ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY RESULTING FROM NEGLIGENCE OR OMISSION OF IMMCO, Inc., COMPUTER VIRUS OR OTHER SIMILAR ITEM, TELECOMMUNICATIONS ERRORS, OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF USER INFORMATION THROUGH THEFT OR ANY OTHER MEANS. IMMCO, Inc. IS NOT LIABLE FOR CRIMINAL, TORTUOUS, OR NEGLIGENT ACTIONS OR OMISSIONS OF THIRD PARTIES THAT AFFECT THIS SITE. IN NO EVENT WILL IMMCO, Inc. OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, ASSIGNS OR THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY TORTUOUS OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS. IN NO EVENT WILL IMMCO, Inc. OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS, EMPLOYEES OR ASSIGNS BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT, HARDWARE OR OTHER PROPERTY OF USER OR PERSONAL INJURY THAT ARISES IN CONNECTION WITH USE OF THE SITE. 6. Linking and Framing IMMCO, Inc. does not object to links on third-party sites to the homepage of the Site in an appropriate context. However, "framing" or "mirroring" the Site or any of its content is prohibited without the prior written consent of IMMCO, Inc.. The Site may provide links to other sites or resources available on the Internet. Because IMMCO, Inc. has no control over such sites and resources, you acknowledge and agree that IMMCO, Inc. is not responsible for the availability of such external sites or resources, and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products or other materials on or available from such sites or resources. You further acknowledge and agree that IMMCO, Inc. shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any such content, goods or services available on or through any such site or resource. 7. Trademarks and Trade Names IMMCO, Inc., graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks and trade names of IMMCO, Inc.. IMMCO, Inc.'s trademarks and trade names may not be used, including as part of trademarks and/or as part of domain names, in connection with any product or service in any manner that is likely to cause confusion. 8. Electronic Communications We use reasonable security measures and take reasonable system, process and administrative precautions to protect the security and integrity of email and other electronic communications that you may send to us. Despite all these precautions, no method of transmission over the Internet is entirely secure and we cannot guarantee the confidentiality or security of the electronic communications or its contents. You transmit such information at your own risk and you should decide very carefully which information you want to send us via any electronic communication. 9. Security Users are prohibited from violating or attempting to violate the security of the site. IMMCO, Inc. will investigate occurrences of possible violations and will cooperate with all applicable law enforcement authorities in prosecuting violators. 10. Miscellaneous The Terms of Use constitutes the entire agreement between users of the Site and IMMCO, Inc., and regarding the subject matter hereof. If you breach any term of the Terms of Use, IMMCO, Inc. may pursue any legal or equitable remedy available, including but not limited to, direct, consequential, and punitive damages and injunctive relief. IMMCO, Inc.'s remedies are cumulative and not exclusive. Failure of IMMCO, Inc. to exercise any remedy or enforce any portion of the Terms of Use at any time shall not operate as a waiver of any remedy or of the right to enforce any portion of the Agreement at any time thereafter. Users of this Site are responsible for compliance with all applicable regulations and laws. Any dispute arising out of the Terms of Use shall be governed by the laws of Georgia, notwithstanding any conflicts of law principles. Any action relating to the Terms of Use must be filed and maintained in a court in the state of Georgia, USA, and users consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in such courts for such purpose.


text:
Covid-19 information
Best price guaranteed
Adventure awaits
Enjoy the city of art and creation
Visit the enchanted city
Enjoy the city that never sleeps
The Costa del Sol into a unique experience
Immerse yourself in magical corners
Experience the history
Enjoy the beach and the mountains
Scuba dive in the Mediterranean
Visit a historical city
Subscribe and start receiving news and exclusive promotions.
The best locations
Secure bookingOnline booking
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Call it Netflix's spring binge. At the end of March, the streaming giant released the critically acclaimed 13 Reasons Why. April has featured new shows Girl Boss and Bill Nye Saves the World, while May's lineup includes the second season of Aziz Ansari's Master of None, along with the return of binge favorite House of Cards, back for its fifth season.
Many will relish getting lost for hours on end in these shows. But others might feel guilty about their extended screen time, seeing it as sign of laziness. Or maybe they've seen an article about one of those studies linking binge watching to depression.
As a professor of communication studies, I'm interested in understanding the ways people use TV, video games and social media to improve their well-being. And I've learned that even though watching TV gets a bad rap as the "junk food" of media diets, it can be good for you—as long as you give yourself permission to indulge.
Why TV gets the shaft
My colleagues and I collected some data suggesting that there is, in fact, a double standard for how we think about different media bingeing experiences. We administered a survey that recorded participants' thoughts about reading or watching TV for certain amounts of time.
Respondents associated more attributes like laziness and impulsivity with people who consume several hours of a television show in one sitting, compared to those who do the same with novels. This finding probably comes as no surprise.
Although reading a novel for several hours at a time for entertainment can arguably be just as sedentary and addictive as watching TV, no derogatory term like "bingeing" exists for the act of devouring an entire Harry Potter novel in one night. We simply call it "reading."
Just think about the pejorative term "binge," which conjures images of excess and abuse (as with binge eating or binge drinking). Contrast this with "marathon viewing," which connotes accomplishment, and has traditionally been used to describe the experience of consuming multiple installments of film—not TV series—in rapid succession.
Why is it that we "binge" when we watch a lot of TV, but it's a "marathon" when we're watching a bunch of movies? Perhaps this double standard is rooted in television's lower status as a source of entertainment. Historically, TV viewing has been considered a mindless activity, capable of dulling the intellect with "a vast wasteland" of shallow, lowbrow content. Watching TV has also been regarded as a lazy activity that displaces time spent on more active, productive pursuits.
Meanwhile, headline-grabbing research linking TV viewing to depression and loneliness hasn't helped binge viewing's reputation. These correlational studies may give the misleading impression that only depressed or lonely people engage in binge watching—or worse, that binge viewing can make people depressed and lonely.
In truth, it's just as likely that people who are depressed or lonely due to unrelated life circumstances (say, unemployment or a break-up) simply choose to spend their time binge watching. There's no evidence to suggest that binge watching actually makes people depressed or lonely.
The good news about binge watching
But binge viewing TV has become popular for a good reason: Despite its negative reputation, television has arguably never been better. We are in the midst of a "golden age" of television, with a variety of shows that provide a steady diet of novel premises, long-running, elaborate plots and morally complicated characters. Far from dulling the intellect, these shows create more suspense, interest and opportunities for critical engagement.
According to journalist and media theorist Steven Johnson, watching these shows may even make you smarter. He argues that because television narratives have become increasingly complex, they require viewers to follow more storyline threads and juggle more characters and their relationships. All of this makes the audience more cognitively sophisticated.
Gorging on stories is pleasurable, too. When individuals binge watch, they are thought to have what's called a "flow experience." Flow is an intrinsically pleasurable feeling of being completely immersed in a show's storyline. In a flow state of mind, viewers intently focus on following the story and it's easier for them to lose awareness of other things, including time, while they're wrapped up in viewing. One study found that viewers will continue viewing additional episodes in order to maintain this positive flow state, so there is an addictive quality to binge viewing. Interruptions like advertising can break the continuous viewing cycle by disrupting the flow state and drawing viewers out of the story. Luckily, for TV bingers, Netflix and Hulu are ad-free.
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits binge watching can offer is psychological escape from daily stresses. What better way to decompress than watching four (or seven) straight episodes of House of Cards? A 2014 study found that people who were particularly drained after stressful work or school experiences watched TV to recharge and recuperate.
Unfortunately, this study also found that TV watching didn't help everybody. Individuals who bought into the "lazy couch potato" stereotype enjoyed fewer benefits from watching TV. Instead of feeling revitalized after watching TV, they felt guilty. The researchers believe that the shame associated with TV watching can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, making it hard for viewers to reap psychological benefits.
For this reason, we need to shake the notion that bingeing on stories we engage with on TV is somehow a less worthy leisure pursuit than bingeing on stories that we consume other ways, like novels. Immersing ourselves in narratives on TV can be good for us, even in heavy doses, but only if we truly appreciate it for what it is: a pleasure. Not a guilty pleasure, simply a pleasure.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.


text:
I asked Abû 'Abdillâh (Imâm Ahmad) about something that had occurred in Baghdâd, and [because of which] some people were considering revolting [against the ruler].
I said, "O Abû 'Abdillâh, what do you say about taking part in the revolt with these people?" He decried it and started saying, "Subhânallâh! The blood [of the people], the blood [of the people]! I do not believe in this and I do not tell others to do it. For us to suffer our situation in patience is better than the fitnah (tribulation) in which blood is spilt, property is taken, and the prohibited are violated (e.g. the honor of women). Do you not know what happened to the people (in the days of the previous fitnah)?" I said, "And the people today, Abû 'Abdillâh, are they not in fitnah [because of the ruler]?" He replied, "If so, it is a limited fitnah, but if the sword is raised, the fitnah will engulf everything and there will be no way to escape. To suffer patiently this [current difficulty], where Allâh keeps your religion safe for you is better for you." I saw him decry revolting against the leaders, and say, "[Do not spill the people's] blood. I do not believe in this and I do not command it."Abû Bakr Al-Khallâl, Al-Sunnah article 89.
Source: Sayings of the Salaf


text:
Renee + Brendan couples session
Renee + Brendan have become good friends of ours over the past few years. Seeing them grow as a couple has been wonderful and their Weimaraner pup, Sterling, is such a perfect addition to their family! We loved shooting a cozy couples session in their home. <3 KenRead More
Photo credits Ken + Kate (associate)
Photo credits Ken + Kate (associate)


text:
The Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Situated in New York City in the United States of America, the Chrysler Building is instantly recognizable and a beautiful sight to behold. Along with other New York landmarks like the Empire State Building, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler Building has been immortalized in countless appearances in film and television appearances.
The Chrysler Building as a poster
Like other famous New York City buildings and landmarks, the Chrysler Building has been depicted in poster form for almost as long as it has stood over the city. In large poster form an image of the building is a great addition to any room, and a poster that will be enjoyed by all.
A beautiful art print
Whether in poster, canvas print or as a piece of framed art, a poster of the Chrysler Building can give a touch of charm, of New York glitz and glamour to any room, office or public space. Artwork can lift spirits and make your home more of a pleasant place to be, or your workplace a more productive environment. At ARTFLAKES a beautiful poster, art print, canvas print of piece of framed art can be yours.


text:
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Residents of the Indian capital woke on Wednesday to a third day of thick gray smog in one of the worst episodes this year, which disrupted dozens of flights and train services and caused a rash of health complaints.
New Delhi is among several Asian cities, including Beijing, that are suffering from toxic levels of pollution fuelled by industrial growth and a surge in the numbers of vehicles crowding their roads.
The cloak of fog draping much of north India forced dozens of flights to be diverted or canceled, disrupted train schedules and led to a doubling in the number of medical emergencies caused by breathing difficulty, officials said.
Runway visibility has been dropping to as low as 50 m. (164 ft) in Delhi over the past few days.
"Both departures and arrivals were stalled," said airport spokesman Kapil Sabarwal, as planes hovered in holding patterns, waiting for conditions to clear.
Two passenger trains were canceled on Wednesday, while 60 trains were running late and 25 had been rescheduled on the third straight day of disruptions, said railways spokesman Neeraj Sharma.
The fine particles suspended in the fog ranged as much as seven times beyond the concentration that India considers safe, to reach a level the United States Environmental Protection Agency calls "hazardous".
At that point, the agency urges that all outdoor physical activity be avoided and that victims of heart or respiratory ailments stay indoors, along with children and the elderly.
The fog mingled with high pollution was an extreme event "when the air quality goes from very poor to dangerous," said Gufran Beig, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
Calm wind conditions and a smaller gap between extreme temperatures helped trap pollutants in the air, Beig said. The frequency and duration of such events have been rising every year since government records started in 2010, he added.
The only time this year that Delhi has choked in such severe air pollution was during traditional fireworks celebrations of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in November, which coincided with a foggy cold snap.
The number of patients seeking treatment for respiratory and cardiac diseases has risen by about a quarter since the fog descended on Monday, said Dr. Randeep Guleria, head of the pulmonary department at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, a leading hospital in the city.
Particle pollution is linked to many health problems, ranging from breathing difficulties to heart attacks, strokes and early death.
(Reporting by Sruthi Gottipati; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Clarence Fernandez)


text:
One moment can change your day one day can change a life and one life can change the world.
- If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone.
- When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.
- You only lose what you cling to
Change the World ….
Four Noble Truths – dukkha and its ending
The Buddha teaching the Four Noble Truths. A Sanskrit manuscript. Nalanda, Bihar, India.
The Four Truths express the basic orientation of Buddhism: we crave and cling to impermanent states and things, which is dukkha ,incapable of satisfying and painful. This keeps us caught in saṃsāra, the endless cycle of repeated rebirth, dukkha and dying again. But there is a way to liberation from this endless cycle to the state of nirvana, namely following the Noble Eightfold Path.
We expect happiness from states and things which are impermanent
The truth of dukkha is the basic insight that life in this mundane world, with its clinging and craving to impermanent states and things dukkha, and unsatisfactory. Dukkha can be translated as "incapable of satisfying," "the unsatisfactory nature and the general insecurity of all conditioned phenomena" ; or "painful." Dukkha is most commonly translated as "suffering," but this is inaccurate, since it refers not to episodic suffering, but to the intrinsically unsatisfactory nature of temporary states and things, including pleasant but temporary experiences. We expect happiness from states and things which are impermanent, and therefore cannot attain real happiness.
In Buddhism, dukkha is one of the three marks of existence, along with impermanence and anattā (non-self). Buddhism, like other major Indian religions, asserts that everything is impermanent (anicca), but, unlike them, also asserts that there is no permanent self or soul in living beings (anattā). The ignorance or misperception (avijjā) that anything is permanent or that there is self in any being is considered a wrong understanding, and the primary source of clinging and dukkha.
Clinging and craving produces karma
Dukkha arises when we crave (Pali: tanha) and cling to these changing phenomena. The clinging and craving produces karma, which ties us to samsara, the round of death and rebirth. Craving includes kama-tanha, craving for sense-pleasures; bhava-tanha, craving to continue the cycle of life and death, including rebirth; and vibhava-tanha, craving to not experience the world and painful feelings.
Dukkha ceases, or can be confined, when craving and clinging cease or are confined. This also means that no more karma is being produced, and rebirth ends. Cessation is nirvana, "blowing out," and peace of mind.
By following the Buddhist path to moksha, liberation, one starts to disengage from craving and clinging to impermanent states and things. The term "path" is usually taken to mean the Noble Eightfold Path, but other versions of "the path" can also be found in the Nikayas. The Theravada tradition regards insight into the four truths as liberating in itself.
Love Peace & Understanding


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NEW YORK (JTA) — Republican presidential front-runner Newt Gingrich stood by his assertion that the Palestinians are an "invented people," drawing criticism from other GOP candidates.
"Is what I said factually correct? Yes. Is it historically true? Yes," Gingrich said during a GOP debate Saturday night in Iowa. "We are in a situation where every day rockets are fired into Israel while the United States — the current administration — tries to pressure the Israelis into a peace process."
"Somebody ought to have the courage to tell the truth," he continued. "These people are terrorists, they teach terrorism in their schools."
Gingrich added that "it's fundamentally the time for somebody to have the guts to say enough lying about the Middle East."
He first made the "invented people" comment in an exclusive interview with The Jewish Channel.
In response to Gingrich's comments at the debate, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said, "That's just stirring up trouble."
Many prominent Jewish Republicans view Paul as an isolationist whose opposition to tough anti-Iran actions and foreign aid, including for Israel, would be bad for the Jewish state. But Gingrich also drew criticism from GOP candidates with records of strong support for Israel.
Mitt Romney, who stands first or second in most polls, said he agreed with Gingrich's comments about Palestinian terrorism, but said the former House speaker went too far in publicly questioning Palestinian peoplehood.
"I happen to agree with most of what the speaker said," Romney responded. "Except by going and saying that the Palestinians are an invented people. That I think was a mistake on the speaker's part."
Romney warned against throwing "incendiary words into a place which is a boiling pot" — and that doing so could make things harder for Israel.
Another candidate with strong pro-Israel credentials, Rick Santorum, followed Romney's comments with similar criticism of Gingrich.
In recent days, Gingrich's campaign issued a statement stressing that despite his comments on Palestinian peoplehood, he still favors the eventual creation of a Palestinian state. The statement, released by spokesman R.C. Hammond, declares that "Newt Gingrich supports a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, which will necessarily include agreement between Israel and the Palestinians over the borders of a Palestinian state."
Hammond added, "However, to understand what is being proposed and negotiated, you have to understand decades of complex history, which is exactly what Gingrich was referencing during the recent interview with The Jewish Channel."
Gingrich's comment has been criticized in even stronger terms by an assortment of Palestinian spokesmen and liberal commentators.


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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers finally figured it out.
When given the chance to take command of a playoff series, they can't give it back. On Tuesday night, they didn't.
George Hill scored 26 points and Paul George had 18 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, leading the Pacers past the New York Knicks, 93-82 and to within one win of their first conference finals appearance since 2004.
"We wanted it," George said. "For us to come out with that edge, still, after being up 2-1 and being on our floor for Game 4, for us to be up and ready and have an edge to play, it just speaks to how focused we are right now."
It was a far cry from what Indiana experienced a week ago in New York. Or last year at home against Miami.
Last week, the Knicks rallied from a Game 1 loss, using a 30-2 run to blow out Indiana at Madison Square Garden and even the series.
A year ago, the Pacers held a 2-1 lead over Miami but gave away Game 4 and never won again. Miami went on to win the NBA crown.
So the Pacers went into Tuesday night determined not let it happen again, certainly not with former stars Reggie Miller and Rik Smits in the house watching their old team hand it to their old rivals.
"I just think that our focus has been better than it was," Indiana's David West said. "We might have surprised ourselves going in there and getting Game 1. Naturally, we may have had a little letdown, but we talked about maintaining our home court and our focus in these two games and we were able to accomplish that. Our next goal is to compete hard with an opportunity for a close-out game in a tough environment."
The Pacers were strong defensively again, had another big rebounding advantage (54-36) and never really let the Knicks challenge them in the second half. They can wrap up the series Thursday night in New York.
Desperate New York tried everything to change the script. Nothing worked.
Kenyon Martin played 29 minutes and J.R. Smith logged 31½ despite missing practice Sunday and Monday because they were ill. Guard Iman Shumpert started even with a sore and swollen left knee that had the Knicks so worried they brought an orthopedic doctor to Indy to examine it Tuesday. The doctor determined there was no structural damage.
Amare Stoudemire was called for four fouls in 11-plus minutes in his second game back since March 7 and had only four points and four rebounds.
NBA scoring champion Carmelo Anthony finished with 24 points before fouling out with 2 minutes left in the game. He took only four shots in the fourth quarter and was held without a basket over the final 12 minutes for the second straight game.
Smith, the NBA's top sixth man, scored 19 points, most coming in a futile attempt to rally his team late.
And on a night New York shot just 35.6 percent from the field and 28.6 percent on 3-pointers, the ugliest part may have been how the Knicks lost their composure, giving away points on technical foul calls, arguing with the refs, even smacking the press table in frustration.
"I can't lose hope," coach Mike Woodson said. "It takes four games to get out of this series. We go home, we handle our business and we get back here on Friday and see if we can force Game 7."
Game 6 would be Saturday, but given the Knicks' track record at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, it might not matter.
New York dropped to 0-4 at Indiana this season. The Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies are the only playoff teams that are unbeaten at home. Indiana has won all five home games by double digits and has won five of its last six overall.
New York is convinced it can get things turned around quickly after losing five of its last seven, mostly because of horrendous shooting.
"It's do or die, we got to win the next game," Anthony said. "But there's no need for anyone to hang their heads at this point. We've still got a game to play, we've still got to play basketball and we've got to do it being very confident and knowing and believing that we can do it."
How bad was this one?
New York tied the score at 14, then allowed the Pacers to go on a 9-2 run to make it 23-16 after one quarter. The Knicks never got as closer than five the rest of the way, and never led Tuesday night.
Instead, Indiana methodically extended the lead by fighting off New York rallies.
After the Knicks got within 35-30 in the second quarter, Indiana pulled way to make it 48-34 at halftime. When New York closed to 54-43 in the third, Indiana scored seven straight. And when the Knicks finally cut the deficit to 69-61 in the fourth, Indiana went on another 7-0 run to retake control.
But if the Pacers have learned anything over the past year, it's this: The series is not over.
"I think we have to go into New York like we're in an elimination game, like we're going about to get eliminated and play like we're down 1-3," Hill said. "I think if we do that and play with the same type of energy and passion that we played with tonight, we can come away with a win. But it's not going to be easy."
Notes: The defending WNBA champion Indiana Fever were honored during a break in the game. … Miller, the former Pacers star working the game for TNT, waved to the crowd that was chanting his name after a highlight reel from a previous Pacers-Knicks series was shown on the replay board. … Former Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti and Colts players Robert Mathis, Cory Redding and Samson Satele all attended the game. … Smith and Anthony were a combined 16 of 45 from the field on Tuesday.
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Health column: Fighting inflammation is a key to good health
Most Americans know health risks such as high blood cholesterol and blood sugar are important to monitor, but a growing number of researchers believe that other major factors with far–ranging effects on heart disease and cancer should be getting more attention. Among them is inflammation.
Basic healthy lifestyle choices are the key to fighting inflammation, but we need to beat the epidemic of excess abdominal obesity to take the most powerful anti–inflammation step of all. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that among 500 adults with diabetes, medical treatment reduced blood sugars to near normal levels, but markers of inflammation, present in all subjects, were not reduced. Researchers suggest that this may help explain why several large studies of heart disease among patients with type 2 diabetes did not show any lower risk of heart disease despite intensive blood sugar control. Reducing high blood sugar is crucial to limit small blood vessel damage in the kidney and eye caused by diabetes, but it doesn't appear to be enough to stop the heart disease–diabetes link.
The body's ability to respond to infections and injury with inflammation is an immediate response crucial to health. But chronic, low–grade inflammation seems to damage body tissues in ways that lead to and accelerate development of chronic health problems linked with age. Scientists now consider atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, an inflammatory process and inflammatory cells have been found in the fatty plaque that builds up in blood vessels. Inflammation may also promote cancer development by damaging genes, increasing cell turnover and increasing development of blood vessels that allow cancer cells to grow and spread.
A variety of lifestyle changes can reduce or prevent chronic low–grade inflammation. Studies show lower levels of inflammation markers in those who don't smoke and those who exercise regularly. One recent study showed that several inflammation markers dropped within weeks among women in a smoking cessation program. Good dental care that prevents the gum inflammation known as gingivitis may even help to reduce overall body inflammation. Moderate exercise like walking seems to directly reduce signs of inflammation, even after adjusting for its impact on weight control.
A plant–based diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and beans also seems to decrease inflammation. Studies link a Mediterranean–style diet with lower levels of an inflammation marker called CRP. Scientists emphasize that it's the impact of the overall diet and whole foods that supplies interacting antioxidant and anti–inflammatory phytochemicals like carotenoids and flavonoids with vitamins like vitamin C that provide protection, rather than just a single compound. A Mediterranean–style diet is traditionally higher than the typical American diet in omega–3 fat, found especially in fish. A healthy balance between omega–3 and other fats reduces production of hormone–like substances that stimulate inflammation.
While all these lifestyle choices impact inflammation, research suggests that obesity may be the single largest influence. Fat cells secrete certain proteins such as interleukin–6 and tumor necrosis factor that stimulate inflammation throughout the body. Fortunately, even a modest 7 percent to 10 percent weight loss as part of a healthy lifestyle is enough to reduce markers of inflammation.
Karen Collins is a registered dietician and certified diabetes nutritionist with the American Institute for Cancer Research that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk.


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LSU's Morris Claiborne is widely considered the top defensive back prospect in April's draft. He's also the main figure in a recent media controversy surrounding his reportedly low score on the Wonderlic test.
Casserly: Wonderlic woes
Morris Claiborne reportedly struggled on the Wonderlic Test. Will this impact his draft stock? Charley Casserly weighs in. **More ...**
Numerous NFL figures have since come out to publicly dispute the value of the test scores -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber said Wednesday he doesn't "think it really translates into the football IQ" -- and now NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has circulated a memo, obtained by NFL Network's Albert Breer, to all 32 teams, reminding them to keep certain draft information confidential or face "significant discipline."
"As we near our annual college player draft, please be reminded that certain information obtained during preparations for the Draft, including personal and family details, results of drug tests, scores on the Wonderlic test, and the like, are strictly confidential for club use only and are not to be disseminated publicly under any circumstances," Goodell wrote. "Disclosing this confidential information about draft-eligible players to the public can be extremely damaging to players, clubs and the league.
"Bear in mind that the publicly disclosed information is frequently inaccurate, incomplete or misleading, and often results from an effort of an individual to advance a self-interested goal. What is lost in the pursuit of that goal is concern for the reputation and well-being of the young men who have worked so hard to reach their own goal of becoming an NFL player and concern for the reputation of the NFL and our game.
"You should be reminded that disclosure of inappropriate private or confidential information concerning draft-eligible players is conduct detrimental to the league and will be met with significant discipline when a violation can be established. Please ensure that all members of your club who have access to such information understand their obligations and take steps to prevent its dissemination."
The Wonderlic test is used by NFL teams to try to gauge a prospect's intelligence, problem-solving ability and cognitive skills. League rules prohibit officials from disclosing the results.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Air Serbia can mark your luggage with the Priority Tag. You will find the conditions of Priority Baggage Tagging service here.
Any customer purchasing Priority Baggage Tagging service is considered to have read, understood and accepted the Conditions highlighted below.
Air Serbia would be able to sell Priority Baggage Tagging to all Air Serbia passengers (passengers flying on any Air Serbia operated flights and holding tickets issued on JU ticket stock (tickets beginning with 115)), as long as passenger's itinerary consists of a single flight operated by Air Serbia.
Air Serbia would not be able to sell the service to passengers flying on Air Serbia operated flights, holding tickets issued on other airlines' ticket stocks (tickets starting with any number other than 115) or to Air Serbia passengers (passengers flying on any Air Serbia operated flights and holding tickets issued on JU ticket stock (tickets beginning with 115)), whose itinerary consists of a multiple or connecting flights operated by Air Serbia.
In situations of partial/total system failure when entire handling needs to be done manually (i.e. boarding pass issuance, bag tagging creation, PIL report creation, PBL, APIS etc), Air Serbia would not be able to provide the service. In such cases, passengers are to contact our dedicated passenger affairs representatives. In such events, Air Serbia would compensate you according to its internal business policy.
Purchasing the service
Priority Baggage Tagging is not the same as Fragile Baggage Handling.
Air Serbia does not allow service reservation. Service is to be booked and paid at the moment of making the reservation for it, otherwise Air Serbia would not be able to guarantee service fulfilment.
Priority Baggage Tagging could be purchased through airserbia.com, Contact Center, any of Air Serbia offices, through designated travel agents, Air Serbia Web Check-In platform as well as at the check-in counters and service desks outstation wide. It can be purchased up to 60min prior to departure the latest (only at the airport desk check-in counter).
Prices quoted are per bag per passenger. They are subject to change and may vary due to fluctuations in exchange rates.
In the event of family or group travel, companion travelers do not get the services free of charge (would have to pay for it separately).
Priority baggage tagging fees apply equally to adults and children (age 2 to 12). Infants' bags get priority tagged free of charge only if all accompanying passengers paid priority baggage tagging fee for all of their bags.
Priority baggage tagging is free of charge for Air Serbia passengers flying business as well as all Etihad Guest Platinum and Exclusive members only.
Number of bags can be increased at any time. If extra bags are purchased, passenger would have to purchase as many Baggage Priority Tagging services as extra bags purchased so that all her/his bags would be tagged as priority. The easiest way to do so in advance is through Manage my booking up to 4hrs prior to your flight departure.
In the event when post purchase of Priority Baggage Tagging, more bags are added to the passenger's baggage allowance, extra bags would not be automatically tagged as priority. Additional fee is to be paid to tag these bags as priority as well (when extra bags are additionally purchased).
Using the service
passengers do not earn additional Etihad Guest points by purchasing andor using the service.
All passengers who purchased the service are advised to bring along the proof of purchase (in any form - electronic or paper) when travelling.
In the event of system error and/or shutdown, Air Serbia would request its passengers to show a valid proof of purchase otherwise the service would not be delivered.
Valid proof of purchase is an EMD - abbreviated from Electronic Miscellaneous Document (received as a confirmation that the service has been purchased). Payment slip transaction is not a valid proof of purchase.
passengers who have purchased Priority Baggage Tagging shall have to drop off their baggage at one of our dedicated drop off counters / or first available check-in counter upon arrival at the airport and have them tagged as priority. Note that Air Serbia does not have dedicated drop off counters at all outstations. In this case, bags are to be dropped off at the standard check-in counter, with no priority in queuing (compared to passengers queuing to check-in at the airport).
Complaints & refunds
Priority Baggage Tagging refund terms & conditions are independent from ticket refund conditions.
Once purchased, the service is non-refundable (even in the events of voluntary air ticket cancellation).
In the event of Air Serbia rebooking you to a flight not operated by Air Serbia, previously paid Priority Baggage Tagging fee would be refunded.
In the event of ticket upgrade to higher class of travel, Priority Baggage Tagging fee could be used to pay for the upgrade (applies to any kind of ticket upgrade) or it could be refunded (for any type of ticket upgrade except involuntary upgrade).
In the event of ticket exchange (for reason such as upsell or voluntary travel date change), Baggage Priority Tagging gets transferred to the new flight (if available). The passenger could decide to cancel the service at that time and use it to pay for the ticket reissue.
Any complaints and/or compensation requests driven from Priority Baggage Tagging service cannot be processed at the airport or on board.
Priority Baggage Tagging is a service provided by 3rd party handlers on behalf of Air Serbia. In the events when passengers believe that promised service has not been delivered, passengers are to contact Air Serbia passenger response representatives and file a written report accompanied with valid evidence to support their claims for Air Serbia. Air Serbia reserves its right to analyze such cases at its sole discretion on case by case basis.
Any request for compensation would be rejected by Air Serbia if submitted later than one month after the date of the flight.
Priority Baggage Tagging service is non-transferable.
Air Serbia reserves the right to modify the Terms & Conditions of Priority Baggage Tagging at any time without giving any prior notice and/ or assigning any reason. The passengers that at the time of the amendment already have bought the service, will be subjected to the Terms & Conditions they accepted when buying the service initially, unless they were informed and accepted amendments to Terms & Conditions.
Air Serbia commits to post any changes to the Terms & Conditions in a written form through airserbia.com.


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There are many thousands of apps. Whatever your goal, as Apple's erstwhile advertising campaign proclaimed, "There's an app for that." But some apps are simply must-haves—whether for their functionality, their interface brilliance, or just their entertainment factor. Here are ten apps your new iPhone shouldn't be without.
1. Google Maps (free)
When it comes to online mapping services, Apple has made inroads, but Google still rules. The free Google Maps app gives you more than just maps: It also provides turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, and bicycling, and—Apple Maps's one major omission—public transit directions. It's quick and easy to use, too.
2. Reeder 2 ($5)
Silvio Rizzi's Reeder is an RSS reader, and if you're not yet on the RSS bandwagon, you should be. The app, which can sync with your favorite RSS services or work as as a stand-alone reader, presents a simple interface for reading the latest articles from all your favorite websites. Tap a headline, and the article slides into view. If the feed in question shows only a summary, Reeder's built-in Readability support can help: Reverse-pinch on the text (or tap the Readability button), and Reeder quickly loads the rest of the article automatically. Tap and hold on links to bring up a sharing window; Reeder makes it easy to email links, save links to Instapaper (another great reading app), post links to various social networks, and more.
3. Vine (free)
Who knew six seconds of video could be so much fun?
Vine is a social network based around a smartphone app that lets you create and publish six-second videos that you can share with the world. Vine is easy and fun to use, and creating and watching Vine videos is strangely addictive.
4. Flickr (free)
Apple's Shared Streams let you share your photos with your close contacts, but Yahoo's Flickr service and app opens that to the world. View images from your friends and fellow Internet denizens; upload images to your own Flickr account; and mark photos that make you smile as favorites.
5. Kindle (free)
Your iPhone is a lot smaller than a Kindle, but it can emulate one pretty well. With the free Kindle app, you can read ebooks and magazines you've purchased from Amazon's Kindle bookstore.
Unsurprisingly, the interface is simple: You swipe to turn pages, tap and hold on a word to see its definition, and tap and drag to highlight text. You can adjust the color scheme of your virtual book (black text on a white background, the inverse, or sepia tones), as well as change the font size. Kindle also lets you search books for specific text, jump to individual chapters, and post to social networks about favorite passages. Using Amazon's Whispernet technology, the app syncs your current page with Kindle Cloud Reader, Kindle for Mac, Kindle for iPad, and actual hardware Kindles. The only downside: Apple's rules prevent Amazon from including a link to its bookstore; you'll need to hop over to Safari to buy more books, though this workaround can make that process a bit less painful.
6. Netflix (free, subscription required)
It feels almost like science fiction when you first use the Netflix app to stream movies and television shows to your iPhone.
You can browse your Watch Instantly queue, search for other titles, and begin playing any of them in seconds. Netflix isn't the iPhone's most elegantly implemented app; it feels a bit like a website crammed into an app with minimal spit and polish. But it does what it's supposed to do, which is to let you stream movies—over the Internet! Just remember you'll need a decent Internet connection, too.
7. Dropbox (free)
Because it can invisibly sync your files between all your Macs (and PCs), Dropbox is already magical. Add in the Dropbox iPhone app, and now you can access your Dropbox-synced files wherever you are.
You don't necessarily need to be online, either: The Dropbox app lets you mark individual files as favorites, the latest versions of which the app caches when you open them. Dropbox can play video and audio files, and preview text from Microsoft Office and iWork documents. Sharing files from within Dropbox is snappy: The app emails the recipient a link to a Dropbox-hosted copy of the file you're sending, instead of forcing you to wait for an attachment to upload.
8. Google Search (free)
Siri is great for a lot of queries, but sometimes you need a search engine with a few more options.
Google's app offers live vocal transcription and photo search for your queries as well as traditional text search; in addition, you can view your Google Now information (similar to Notification Center's Today view) if you sync the app with your Google account.
9. Perfect Weather ($3)
If you need a bit more information about your local weather, turn to Perfect Weather as a Weather app replacement. The app is gorgeously designed and offers multiple locations, multiday forecasts and radar maps, rain predictions, and alerts. It's a perfect companion for anyone who needs better weather information without too much data clutter.
10. Moves (free)
Your iPhone is not only an excellent communicator—it can be a very effective fitness tracker, too. The Moves app is an innovative way to combine traditional fitness tracking with a visual journal of your day: It uses your iPhone's location and directional sensors not only to tell whether you've been sitting, walking, running, biking, or taking transportation, but also to chart your journey along the way.
At the end of the day, you get a timeline of your day with a full map of where you've been, how long you were there, and what you did during that time. It's a nifty way to keep tabs on your fitness—and to keep an automated diary of your movements while you're at it.
Honorable mentions
Given that there are over 900,000 apps in the App Store, it's hard to narrow that list down to just ten. So here are a few honorable mentions for app categories we haven't mentioned above:
CALCULATOR: PCALC ($10) PCalc has long been a great calculator for the Mac, and an equally great one for iOS. For math nerds and anyone else who needs a bit more than the stock Calculator app offers.
CALENDAR: FANTASTICAL ($5) iOS's first calendar with natural-language processing, Fantastical is a great tool for quickly adding events and viewing your calendar if you want something a little more powerful than Apple's included Calendar app.
DOCUMENTS: GOODREADER ($5) Need to download a .zip archive, PDF, or other odd file to your iPhone? Chances are, GoodReader can handle it. The app supports full PDF notation, downloads from FTP, and more.
WEB: CHROME (FREE) Safari is a fantastic Web browsing tool, but Google's Chrome can be a good alternative if you use the company's browser on your computer. Besides, you never know when you might need a different Web browser.
NOTES: SIMPLENOTE (FREE) If you're looking for a few more features than the included Notes app offers, Simplenote is your app. It offers simplicity, sleek design, automatic iOS and Mac sync, collaboration features, and more.
RADIO: PANDORA (FREE) If iTunes Radio isn't quite doing it for you, Pandora offers a different spin on curated radio, using its Music Genome Project to create stations from artists and songs.
TWITTER CLIENT: TWITTERRIFIC 5 ($3) Twitterrific is an elegantly designed, fun-to-use Twitter client that takes iOS 7's design cues to the next level.
SOCIAL: FACEBOOK (FREE) If you're a Facebook fan, the company's app doesn't get much better. It's been redesigned for iOS 7 and supports almost every feature available on the Web.
FOOD: YELP (FREE) Hungry? Yelp can help you find delicious food in your neighborhood based on recommendations from local users.
VNC: SCREENS ($20) Your iPhone can do a lot, but sometimes it's just not the tool you need for the job. Screens lets you view your home computer's display—no matter where you are—and work remotely with ease.


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It's all about nonstop family fun at Great Wolf Lodge, so pack your
swimsuit and get ready to splash and play for 3 whole days at the
resort's epic water park — it's gotta be seen to be believed! You can
soar down 14 waterslides, including a tandem tube ride that drops 4
stories, float along the lazy river or simply chill out and catch your
breath in one of the pools. The choice of fun is all yours!
What we love:
Your DreamBreak includes 3 days and 2 nights in Manteca, California, at Great Wolf Lodge San Francisco, as well as:
time on Day 1 begins at 4 p.m. or as rooms become available. However,
you are welcome to play in the water park as early as 1 p.m. See Itinerary for details on early admission to the water park.
Please note:
Water park access:
Take your vacation up a notch at Great Wolf Lodge San Francisco, a popular resort that's brimming with endless
opportunities for family adventure, relaxation and fun — from exciting
splash sessions in the on-site water park to games and events for kids
of all ages. At the end of each action-packed day, your comfortable
guest room offers the perfect quiet setting in which to unwind.
Know before you go: As you make plans for current and future travel, stay up to date on your resort's COVID-19 protocols and other precautionary measures.
Resort features:
Family Suite* accommodations with:
*Want to upgrade to a Themed Suite or Premium Suite? Email email@example.com today and ask about availability and our special DreamTrips pricing for Themed Suites (Wolf Den Suite; Kid Cabin Suite) and Premium Suites (Grizzly Bear Suite; Grand Bear Suite; Great Bear King Suite; Deluxe Wolf Den Suite)!
Check-in: 4 p.m.
Checkout: 11 a.m.
Minimum check-in age is 21.
Great Wolf Lodge San Francisco
2500 Daniels Street
Manteca, California 95337, United States
For peace of mind, why not consider an optional travel insurance plan through Travel Guard? Offering assistance with common travel problems like flight delays or lost luggage, Travel Guard can help you start your next adventure prepared for the unexpected!
Please note:
Travel is unpredictable and country restrictions due to COVID-19
change regularly; please understand that the policies below apply and
you are encouraged to purchase travel protection.
Cancellation Policy*: If you cancel 46 days or more before the start date of your trip, you will get a refund less a fee of up to US$100. If you cancel within 45 days of the start date of your trip, your trip will not be refunded. All fees are applicable on a per-person basis.
*This cancellation policy is subject to rules and regulations in applicable jurisdictions in which our travel supplier is based. In the event of conflict between the cancellation policy displayed here and cancellation terms in supplier booking terms, the more restrictive of the two terms will prevail.
Name Change Policies: Name changes are generally not allowed on trips to avoid fraud, gaming and profiteering. We want to ensure that most of our travelers are members. For this DreamTrip, we do make certain exclusions, including the policy below:
We reserve the right to refuse a name change at our sole discretion. If allowed, name changes must be done no later than February 28 and are subject to a fee up to US$100. Name changes after this date are not allowed.
Transfer of Booking Policies: Transfers of bookings from one member to another member are subject to the policy below:
Booking transfers must be done no later than February 28 and are subject to a fee of up to US$100. Booking transfers after this date are not allowed.
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Article: Building Your Own Linux Kernel, Part IMy latest article is up on Linux Planet: Building Your Own Linux Kernel, Part I.
"But aren't there a gazillion howtos already on the web on kernel building?" I thought so too. But when someone showed up on LinuxChix recently asking for help building her kernel, I went looking -- and all the howtos I could find were out of date (even the README in the very latest kernel gives instructions based on LILO, not GRUB).
More important, none of them offered help in that all-important question: How do I start with a configuration file I know will work?
My quick-and-dirty howto shows you how to take your distro's configuration file and build the latest mainstream kernel based on it. The next article will cover how to change that configuration and tune it for your own machine.
[ 10:45 Sep 25, 2009 More writing | permalink to this entry | ]


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Olympus E-PM1
Written by Gordon Laing
The Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 is one of the most affordable mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) to date. It was announced in June 2011 alongside the mid-range E-PL3 and flagship E-P3, and like all Olympus PEN cameras, is based on the Micro Four Thirds standard it jointly developed with Panasonic. Unlike previous PEN models which were aimed at photo enthusiasts though, the E-PM1 is the first Olympus ILC to really address the needs of those trading up from a point-and-shoot camera. As such it's the smallest, lightest, most accessible, and affordable model in the range.
The E-PM1 is based on the same updated 12.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor as the other two models in the range, the E-PL3 and flagship E-P3. It has a fixed 3in screen with 460k pixels and is capable of shooting 1080i60 video. Like all PENs it benefits from built-in sensor-shift image stabilisation that works with any lens and very fast auto focus.
Consumer-friendly features include iAuto mode with 'Live Guide' results-based controls for easy manipulation of colour and exposure controls. But the E-PM1 isn't just for novices. With PASM exposure modes, a hotshoe and plenty of potential for customisation it's sufficiently advanced to appeal to DSLR owners looking for a smaller, lighter alternative. In this review I've compared the PEN E-PM1 with two rival mirrorless ILC's that offer a similar mix of ease of use features and control, but have some key differences. The Sony NEX-C3 and another Micro Four Thirds body aimed at novice users, the Panasonic Lumix GF3. Find out which model will be best for you…
Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 Design and controls
It's called the PEN 'Mini' for a reason: the E-PM1 is an extremely compact ILC. It's similar in style and dimensions to the next model up in the range, the PEN 'Lite' E-PL3, but lacking the flip-out screen is a fair bit slimmer. As well as the screen the Mini lacks the PEN Lite's mode dial and several other buttons, but from the front the two models look more or less identical. The NEX-C3 is actually a little bit smaller and lighter than the PEN E-PM1, but add on the stabilised 18-55mm kit zoom and that advantage evaporates. The Panasonic Lumix GF3 is a little taller than the PEN E-PM1 and its 14-42mm stabilised kit lens, though not as big as the Sony 18-55mm also adds considerably to the overall size.
Despite the fact that it has no front grip the PEN E-PM1 feels comfortable and secure with your left hand supporting the lens. On the rear there's a rubberised grip pad that runs from top to bottom along the right side. The rear controls are quite small but the control dial with its knurled edge is easy to operate and the clear plastic info, menu and playback buttons inset into the plastic cover of the screen are a nice design touch. If you're looking for a colourful body the E-PM1 is available in silver, black, brown, silver-rose, purple, and white. There's also a range of underwater accessories including the PT-EP06L underwater housing which is waterproof to a depth of 45 metres.
The 3in LCD screen has an aspect ratio of 16:9 – great for HD movies, but you lose nearly a quarter of the area when shooting 4:3 stills in the best quality mode. The screen has a 460k pixel resolution and is bright and contrasty; though the illumination drops off a little when held at an angle you can see the image even at quite acute angles so shooting overhead is manageable, but obviously nothing like as versatile as a flip-out screen.
Compared with screens on other PEN models the PEN Mini's screen looks and feels a bit ordinary. The PEN E-P3 has a 614k dot OLED touch screen and the E-PL3's screen flips out, as does the one on the Sony NEX-C3. Then there's the Panasonic Lumix GF3 with its 3:2 aspect ratio touch-screen. So while there's nothing wrong with PEN E-PM1's screen, compared with what's on offer from the competition and on other PEN models it lacks lustre. You can't help but wonder what the thinking was behind Olympus' decision to provide a touch screen on the top of the range E-P3 and omit it on the E-PM1 which, lacking many of its higher end stablemate's physical controls and aimed at novice users is arguably much more in need of a touch interface.
Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 lens and stabilisation
The Olympus PEN E-PM1 is available as a kit with a choice of lenses including the M Zuiko digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 that I tested it with. This lens features a clever collapsible mechanism which allows it to shrink considerably when not in use. A sliding catch on the zoom ring allows rotation beyond the 14mm stop which completely retracts the extending barrel into the main housing. The 'crop factor' on the micro Four Thirds lens system is 2, so the 35mm equivalent focal length of this lens is 28-84mm – a 3x optical zoom range which takes you from wide angle to a short portrait telephoto.
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 coverage wide
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 coverage tele
|14-42mm at 14mm (28mm equivalent)
|14-42mm at 42mm (84mm equivalent)
One of the advantages of the Micro Four Thirds system is having access to the largest range of native lenses for any ILC. With the Olympus 17mm f2.8 prime attached, the E-PM1 is just about coat-pocketable. Other zoom lenses in the range include a 40-150mm f4-5.6, 75-300mm f4.8-6.7, and a 9-18mm f4-5.6 ultra wide angle zoom. You can of course also mount Micro Four Thirds lenses from third parties, including a number of tempting options from Panasonic, including the 20mm f1.7 and 14-42mm Power Zoom pancakes, although you may find some focusing restrictions.
Olympus PEN E-PM1 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 IS Off/On
100% crop, 14-42mm at 42mm, 200 ISO 1/10, IS off.
|100% crop, 14-42mm at 42mm, 200 ISO 1/10, IS on.
The E-PM1 body has built-in sensor-shift stabilisation which you can use regardless of the lens attached- a key advantage over ILCs from Panasonic, Sony and Nikon. The stabilisation has three positions for stabilisation in the vertical or horizontal planes or both. To test the stabilisation on the Olympus E-PM1 I set the kit zoom to its maximum 42mm (84mm equivalent) focal length and took a series of shots in Shutter Priority mode at progressively slower shutter speeds both with stabilisation turned on in auto (both axes) mode and with it turned off.
As you can see from the crops above, the PEN E-PM1 is just about able to manage three full stops of stabilisation. The 1/10 crop is a little soft, the camera shake hasn't entirely been eliminated, but you'd just about get away with this at smaller sizes. It took me several attempts to this result at 1/10, possibly because of the smaller body and lack of a grip, the E-PM1 stabilisation isn't quite as effective as on the E-PL3.
Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 shooting modes
Shooting modes on the E-PM1 are accessed via the menu screen. In iAuto mode the Live Guide screen provides access to saturation, white balance and exposure controls presented in a non-technical way with slider controls. So changing white balance, or widening the aperture to limit depth of field simply involves rotating the control dial to move a slider between 'flat and muted' and 'clear and vivid', or 'blur and sharp'.
In PASM modes the E-PM1 provides good access to exposure settings which are activated by pressing the up position on the control wheel. In Program auto mode you can then shift the aperture/shutter speed combination either by up/down pushes on the control wheel or by rotating it, with exposure compensation achieved by pushing the left/right positions.
The E-PM1 lacks the composite modes of the NEX-C3; it does have a DIS scene mode designed for low-light conditions but this is a single shot mode. Likewise the PEN E-PM1 has a panorama mode which it turns out is does nothing more than provide guides for you to take overlapping shots which can subsequently be stitched on your PC with the supplied software. It's a far cry from the instant high resolution Sweep panorama mode of the NEX-C3. There are however a couple of shooting modes that are a little out of the ordinary. With Multiple exposure you can overlay two shots to simulate what happens in a film camera if you shoot without winding the film on. You can also overlay three raw images to create a composite. There's also a 3D mode which takes two shots, the second automatically after you've moved the camera a couple of inches to the right. You can't see the 3D image on the E-PM1's screen, but the 1920 x 1080 image is saved with an MPO file and can be viewed on a 3D TV.
Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 movie modes
The PEN Mini E-PM1 has the same movie modes as the E-PL3. The best quality movie mode is 1080i60 which is encoded as an AVCHD file at an average bitrate of 17Mbps. There's also a 13Mbps option at the same resolution and two 720p settings at 17Mbps and 13Mbps. Finally, there's a 720p option that records editing-friendly MJPEG files at 30fps and a standard resolution 640×480 mode.
Movies can be shot in any of the PASM modes with the ability to set the shutter speed or aperture prior to recording in PASM modes. In PAS modes you can use exposure compensation for plus or minus three stops. The Panasonic Lumix GF3 which shares the PEN E-PM1's 1080i60/50 best quality video mode doesn't provide the same degree of video exposure control, but does allow you to control focus manually using its touch screen. And with a best quality movie mode of 720p30, the Sony NEX-C3 provides aperture, but not shutter speed control, so I'd say the E-PM1 has a definite advantage here.
It's great to have the option of shooting movie footage using the Art filters (you can see an example of the miniature Art filter in action in our Olympus E-P3 review), something that's also possible on the Lumix GF3 and NEX-C3, though many of them result in slow jerky playback at severely reduced frame rates. You can shoot a still image during movie recording (though recording stops, then a new clip is started) and there's an option to automatically take a shot at the end of each clip.
The E-PM1's sensor-shift stabilisation is substituted in video modes by a digital system which analyses each frame and post processes it to align the edges. This can produce some peculiar artefacts with moving subjects and when panning. When you combine both, such as the fast flowing river in our outdoor panning example, the results can be particularly unpleasant.
The maximum recording time in AVCHD is 29 minutes, or when the file size limit of 4GB is reached. Olympus recommends SD cards with a speed class rating of 6 or above for video recording.
When stationary, the PEN E-PM1's best quality 1080i60 video mode produces good results, but the moving water in this clip and, to a lesser degree, panning causes some very noticeable jittering.
With the stabilisation disabled for this tripod-mounted shot, the jittering is no longer evident. The exposure takes a while to sort itself out and the focus wanders during zooming, but quickly corrects itself.
The focus is a little unsure in this interior low light panning clip but the exposure is responsive without stepping and the colour balance is good.
Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1
Press the on/off switch and the Olympus E-PM1 is ready to take a shot in around a second; it's impressively quick. As on the Lumix GF3 the absence of a mode dial feels like a compromise, but maybe that's only because there's the E-PL3, (or in the case of the Panasonic Lumic GF3 the much earlier GF1) to compare it with. With the Sony NEX-C3 it's a case of not missing what you never had.
The E-PM1's mode dial functions perfectly well for controlling exposure in PASM modes and, like other models in the PEN range, the E-PM1 doesn't lack customisation potential. You can assign custom functions to the record button (using the shutter release to start video recording having first selected movie from the mode menu) and the right and down buttons on the control dial. But you can't assign shooting modes to the E-PM1's custom buttons the way you can on the NEX-C3.
One of the strengths of the PEN range is that its shooting options are very accessible via the Live Control screen. Pressing the OK button at the centre of the control dial displays Live Control settings down the right side of the screen with options displayed along the bottom. Alternatively the Super Control Panel displays everything (except the shooting mode) on one tabulated screen.
Conversely, the way the PEN E-PM1 displays information overlays is a little frustrating. Pressing the info button toggles though the options including a grid, live histogram, highlight and shadow clipping display and view magnification, but you can only see each of these individually, it's not possible to see the histogram with the clipping display and none of the ancillary overlays displays the shooting info so if you display the histogram for example, you lose not only the grid, but the ISO, shooting mode, picture mode, picture quality, video quality and remaining recording time readouts.
The PEN E-PM1 has two continuous shooting modes, Sequential L and Sequential H, the latter providing quoted speeds of 5.5fps with the stabilisation turned off and with focus and exposure locked on the first frame. I tested the PEN E-PM1's fastest continuous shooting by fitting it with a newly formatted Lexar 16GB 133x SCHD card with a speed class rating of 10. I set the picture quality to Large Fine and turned off image stabilisation. With the shutter held down the E-PM1 fired off a burst of 9 frames at exactly 5.5fps before slowing to around 2fps. That's more or less the same as the Sony NEX-C3's 5.9 fps and marginally better than the Lumix GF3 at just over 4fps.
The E-PM1's 12.3 Megapixel Four Thirds sensor produces 4:3 images with a maximum size of 4032 x 3024 pixels. Images can be saved as RAW data files or JPEGs at one of two compression settings. Best quality JPEGs have a file size of between 4 and 6MB. The ISO sensitivity ranges from 200 to 12800 ISO and the shutter speed range is from 60 seconds to 1/4000 plus Bulb.
To see how the quality of the Olympus PEN E-PM1 measures-up in practice, take a look at our real-life resolution and high ISO noise results pages, browse the sample images gallery, or skip to the chase and head straight for our verdict.


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Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.
The disorders include problems such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies and anti-social behavior that can sometimes lead to violence. The study also found that fewer than 25 percent of college-aged Americans with mental problems get treatment.
One expert said personality disorders may be overdiagnosed. But others said the results were not surprising since previous, less rigorous evidence has suggested mental problems are common on college campuses and elsewhere.
Experts praised the study's scope — face-to-face interviews about numerous disorders with more than 5,000 young people ages 19 to 25 — and said it spotlights a problem college administrators need to address.
Study co-author Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute called the widespread lack of treatment particularly worrisome. He said it should alert not only "students and parents, but also deans and people who run college mental health services about the need to extend access to treatment."
Particularly vulnerable
Counting substance abuse, the study found that nearly half of young people surveyed have some sort of psychiatric condition, including students and non-students.
Personality disorders were the second most common problem behind drug or alcohol abuse as a single category. The disorders include obsessive, anti-social and paranoid behaviors that are not mere quirks but actually interfere with ordinary functioning.
The study authors noted that recent tragedies such as fatal shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech have raised awareness about the prevalence of mental illness on college campuses.
"For many, young adulthood is characterized by the pursuit of greater educational opportunities and employment prospects, development of personal relationships, and for some, parenthood," the authors said. These circumstances, they said, can result in stress that triggers the start or recurrence of psychiatric problems.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 1 in four U.S. adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
Highlighting a need
The study was released Monday in Archives of General Psychiatry. It was based on interviews with 5,092 young adults in 2001 and 2002.
Olfson said it took time to analzye the data, including weighting the results to extrapolate national numbers. But the authors said the results would probably hold true today.
The study was funded with grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the New York Psychiatric Institute.
Dr. Sharon Hirsch, a University of Chicago psychiatrist not involved in the study, praised it for raising awareness about the problem and the high numbers of affected people who don't get help.
Imagine if more than 75 percent of diabetic college students didn't get treatment, Hirsch said. "Just think about what would be happening on our college campuses."
The results highlight the need for mental health services to be housed with other medical services on college campuses, to erase the stigma and make it more likely that people will seek help, she said.
In the study, trained interviewers, but not psychiatrists, questioned participants about symptoms. They used an assessment tool similar to criteria doctors use to diagnose mental illness.
Dr. Jerald Kay, a psychiatry professor at Wright State University and chairman of the American Psychiatric Association's college mental health committee, said the assessment tool is considered valid and more rigorous than self-reports of mental illness. He was not involved in the study.
Personality disorders showed up in similar numbers among both students and non-students, including the most common one, obsessive compulsive personality disorder. About 8 percent of young adults in both groups had this illness, which can include an extreme preoccupation with details, rules, orderliness and perfectionism.
All good students have a touch of "obsessional" personality that helps them work hard to achieve. But that's different from an obsessional disorder that makes people inflexible and controlling and interferes with their lives, he explained.
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder differs from the better known OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, which features repetitive actions such as hand-washing to avoid germs.
OCD is thought to affect about 2 percent of the general population. The study didn't examine OCD separately but grouped it with all anxiety disorders, seen in about 12 percent of college-aged people in the survey.
The overall rate of other disorders was also pretty similar among college students and non-students.
Substance abuse, including drug addiction, alcoholism and other drinking that interferes with school or work, affected nearly one-third of those in both groups.
Slightly more college students than non-students were problem drinkers — 20 percent versus 17 percent. And slightly more non-students had drug problems — nearly 7 percent versus 5 percent.
In both groups, about 8 percent had phobias and 7 percent had depression.
Bipolar disorder was slightly more common in non-students, affecting almost 5 percent versus about 3 percent of students.


text:
Helping make sure you never get stuck on the wrong side of town with your Mercedes, the German automaker is working with Google and Yahoo to be able to send the latter two's maps and directions onto the car so you never get lost. Or at least recover when you are lost.
This way, you can plan directions before you head out (instead of spending 10 minutes punching it in while your car's running in a garage like some kind of failed suicide attempt). Plus, once you do have directions programmed into Google and Yahoo maps, you can just press the "i" button and it'll auto-fetch them. The best feature is probably having other people send you maps and directions while driving.
These are available in the S-class and CL-class starting September 5, and in all 2008 C-class cars. [News.com]


text:
*1 If P3P policy is embedded in PRF as an inline policy, its syntax is also checked at the same time.
*2 This check is done by using XML Schema Validator.
This function does the same thing as 1.3. The difference is that the user in the firewall can check his policy file with File Upload button.
When File Upload feature is used and the policy file includes relative links in it, the Link Check will be failed.


text: Most successful CSOs will tell you it was a unique mix of skills that propelled them to their current position. Technical background is important, certainly, but practice in the business and excellence in communication are paramount for any CSO truly worthy of a place in the C-suite. We don't expect that to change any time soon. But every few years, a few super-hot skills get added to the mix, ones that will make you even more attractive (to your company and to future employers) and keep you on top of your game. You may need to bring in some of these skills by maintaining a well-rounded staff, rather than by acquiring them yourself.Here are the skills that our sources say are among the most important right now.Diverse technology experienceFamiliarity with both information and physical-security technologies is important at the highest rung of the security ladder, according to Carl Young, CSO of Stroz Friedberg, a global digital-risk-management and investigations firm. The increasing interdependence between these areas demands a broad perspective on risk management. [5 more tough security questions (and how to answer them)]Ability to anticipate needs. By understanding the needs of the industry and keeping on top of new technologies and threats, good CSOs can identify the special skills and expertise (such as analytics expertise or a specialty in malware) needed in their new hires on both the information- and physical-security fronts, says Young. Fluency in the IT side of physical securityTom Verzuh, president of recruiting firm SCW Consulting, is seeing great demand for physical-security professionals who are fluent in technology, especially digital-video software management and analytics. Brent O'Bryan, vice president at AlliedBarton Security Services, confirms his firm is hiring professionals who have experience in the convergence of physical and information security. Many, if not all, of the devices used in physical security today (including smartphones and digital-video surveillance systems) produce loads of data. Making sense of that sea of data requires special expertise, which is highly in demand right now. "The way to increase your value as a physical security professional is to invest in learning the world of IP networking and Microsoft server technologies and data analytics solutions," says Charles Foley, chairman and CEO of Watchful Software. "Security pros that know these two areas will be able to spearhead their companies efforts to streamline costs, increase value delivered, and will literally sell information collected to the rest of the organization."Advanced data-protection expertise Hardening the perimeter is good basic hygiene, but it is no longer enough. Information-protection skills are in great demand, according to Foley \u2014in particular, knowledge of data-centric technologies such as enterprise rights management, multilevel security models, data classification techniques and biometrics. [15 tips for landing and acing a job interview]"This is why you see increasing \u2014 numbers of courses and certifications. The skills to approach the business problem, lay out coherent strategies that are digestible to the common user, and set forth tactical deployment plans are extremely difficult to find," says FoleyBusiness and financial acumenSought-after CSOs understand the key business lines in their respective organizations and the impact of security on a company's bottom line, says Young. This understanding is also important for recognizing where potential vulnerabilities might lie within the organization, such as with outsourced services or data, or lines of business that are popular targets for cyberattacks. CSOs that have an advanced business degree such as an MBA are always going to be that much more desirable than those who do not, according to Jerry Irvine, CIO of IT outsourcing company Prescient Solutions and a member of the National Cyber Security Task Force. "From the standpoint of being able to understand business drivers, strategic planning, understanding the mission and vision, CSOs must have business experience. If they're going into large multinational corporations, that will probably require an MBA or a degree in business administration, says Irvine. Technical certifications such as CISM, CISSP, CRISK and CTBIT are helpful, but CSOs need to prove they have a grounding in business-risk analysis. Good communication skillsIt will always be extremely important to be able to communicate with diverse audiences, says Young. Not only must CSOs make complex security issues understandable to the enterprise at large, they must also make it clear how important security risk, particularly digital risk management, is to the executive suite's agenda. David Luzzi, executive director of Northeastern University's Strategic Security Initiative, adds logical reasoning and the ability to inspect ideas as important skills to build on the foundation of excellent verbal and written communication skills. AdaptabilityDavid Frymier, CSO at Unisys, has more than three decades of experience in IT, with much of his recent years devoted to information security. Frymier is not inclined to get a certification or an MBA to make himself more attractive at this point in his career. His take on one of the top skills to have today?"The ability to self-teach is a given," says Frymier. "As fast as things change, you have to be able to teach yourself how to do new things."