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Broederenkerk is a Roman Catholic church built between 1335-1338 to the site of earlier abbey. In the 16th century it was moved as a Reformed church by Calvinists, but returned to Catholic in 1799.References:
The Broch of Gurness is an Iron Age broch village. Settlement here began sometime between 500 and 200 BC. At the centre of the settlement is a stone tower or broch, which once probably reached a height of around 10 metres. Its interior is divided into sections by upright slabs. The tower features two skins of drystone walls, with stone-floored galleries in between. These are accessed by steps. Stone ledges suggest that there was once an upper storey with a timber floor. The roof would have been thatched, surrounded by a wall walk linked by stairs to the ground floor. The broch features two hearths and a subterranean stone cistern with steps leading down into it. It is thought to have some religious significance, relating to an Iron Age cult of the underground.
The remains of the central tower are up to 3.6 metres high, and the stone walls are up to 4.1 metres thick.


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This week, a 23 year-old Foxconn worker fell to his death from a Foxconn company apartment. It's believed to be a suicide. Today, Foxconn confirmed the worker's death, which happened outside Foxconn's Chengdu plant at a company apartment.
The suicide is the first since Foxconn and Apple reached agreement over improving conditions for its 1.2 million workers who make the world's electronics. Foxconn workers don't only assemble the iPhone and the iPad, but also the Wii, the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation 3. According to rumors online in China, it's a suicide that authorities also tried to cover up.
It's also the first suicide since reports earlier this month when apparently as many as a thousand workers rioted at Foxconn's Chengdu complex, the location of this week's suicide. The riot seems to have broken out over declining work time that is cutting into worker pay. The actual number of participants is unconfirmed, and it could be much lower.
Online in China, there were rumors that after this week's suicide, Chinese police officers ordered all eye witness at the Chengdu complex to delete all photos and videos. Those who did not were threatened with arrest. These rumors, however, are unconfirmed. Moreover, the Chengdu police did announce the death on its website, so if there is a cover-up, it's not a very good one.
Above is a photo that was not deleted. It supposedly shows the 23 year-old man before he jumped to his death. It's believed that this suicide is somehow connected to the recent riot in Chengdu.
Foxconn has tried to improve working conditions. Earlier this year, for example, Foxconn raised employee salaries by 16 to 25 percent. However, there have been grumblings recently of fewer shifts, which, in turn, means lower worker pay.
Lately, the threat of suicide has become something of a bargaining tool at Foxconn. In January, a group of Foxconn employees on the Xbox 360 line threatened to jump in a mass suicide due to a labor dispute.
Foxconn says plant worker jumps from apartment [Reuters]
Foxconn Suicide in Chengdu: Did Authorities Request Witnesses to Remove All Evidence? [MIC]
(Top photo: Kin Cheung | AP/bianzhixin | Sina Weibo)

subset: commoncrawl


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Pan Seared Scallops with Spinach and Bacon – Julia Child
Seared sea scallops served over a bed of wilted baby spinach and salty bacon pieces, topped off with grated Swiss cheese.
I feel like I've been in my own mini Olympics this summer. I started off strong. The dishes were easier than they looked and tasted great. The weeks continued with more challenging and time consuming dishes thrown my way. Always satisfying a taste bud or two. Now that I'm in the home stretch, and though I can clearly see the finish line, I'm losing speed but have determination to finish. I only hope the final recipe is one my own taste buds will enjoy thoroughly.
This girl. Not a fan of seafood. But I've grown to enjoy cooking it. Truly. I've even enjoyed my trips to the fish market. Which you've heard too much about. Move over seafood market, time to annoy everyone with stories of apple farms and pumpkin patches. Yes? Fall is on the horizon and that makes me ridiculously excited.
But for now, put away the apples… they're my sparkly item that distract me from the present. Ooh an apple!
Okay so the seafood… This dish, continuing along with the easy recipes, was a snap to fix. But unlike the earlier dishes, I strayed away from the original here. Maybe strayed isn't strong enough. The original recipe was to be a scalloped au gratin recipe. I didn't broil this, nor did I cover it with an ton of cheese. Instead, I opted to use this week's recipe as a means for learning how easy it is to cook scallops… especially since I was running short on time and light for the day.
I used spinach for color. Bacon… well, bacon just makes everything better but it gave a nice salty flavor. Since bacon works great with both spinach and scallops, it pulled everything together nicely.
Pan Seared Scallops with Spinach and Bacon
- 1/2 lb sea scallops
- 3 oz baby spinach
- 5 strips center cut bacon
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 C Vermouth or white wine
- Swiss cheese for sprinkling
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until nearly done. Drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Carefully add to hot skillet one at a time. Cook in bacon grease until scallops are seared on both sides. If skillet is low on bacon grease, add 1 tbsp butter to pan while cooking scallops. Transfer scallops to a clean plate.
- Add minced garlic and spinach to pan. Toss until spinach is wilted. Pour in Vermouth. Top off with scallops. Toss for several minutes, allowing the flavors to mingle and scallops to cook through.
- Arrange spinach and bacon mixture, topped off with scallops. Sprinkle with freshly grated swiss cheese.
Celebrating 100 with Julia Child:
Week 1: Rolled omelette
Week 2: Chocolate mousse
Week 3: Coq au Vin
Week 4: Salade Niçoise
Week 5: Vichyssoise
Week 6: Reine de Saba
Week 7: Fillet Meunière
Week 8: Roast Chicken
Week 9: Charlotte Chantilly
Week 10: Bouillabaisse
Week 11: Ratatouille
Week 12: Celery Root Rémoulade
Week 13: Cheese Soufflé
11 Responses to "Pan Seared Scallops with Spinach and Bacon – Julia Child"
I much prefer the way you rolled with this than the original recipe. Scallops + cheese just sounds gross to me. Seafood is something that just shouldn't be gratin-ized. When I bite the bullet and fork over $20 for a pound of scallops I make them almost the exact same way. Soooo delicious.
This is pretty much my favorite type of seafood dish – some seared scallops, some greens + a little bacon. Perfection!
oh gosh, your scallops look perfect. that sounded weird/dirty but whatever. love your take on this than the original recipe. this looks like the perfect summer dish, seriously! whip out the grill and there ya go!
This is a beautiful seafood dish. It brings me so much joy to see everyone celebrating Julia Child! She's my hero.
They look perfect! I love that it's Swiss cheese on top!
I am impressed with all the seafood you have been cooking for not liking it. You do a beautiful job with it! This looks absolutely amazing! I think I prefer this over the original (the way it sounds anyway). Really beautiful photography as always too.
Oh, goodness….this looks amazing! I love scallops!
Looks good, Rachel! I love scallops and I don't cook enough of them at home.
ooo I have to try this! BF hates sea scallops but maybe if I adjust and use bay scallops. I could eat eafood like this every day!
Now this looks like a perfect scallop dish. I must try this.
Wow, this looks amazing! Scallops served with spinach and bacon sounds just about as perfect as you can make them. Thanks for sharing. :)


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Over the past decade, the cheapness and convenience of online testing has seen its usage grow tremendously. Its critics raise the openings it makes for cheaters, who might take a test many times under different identities, conspire with past users to identify answers, or even employ a proxy candidate with superior levels of the desired trait. Its defenders point to countertactics, from data forensics to follow-up tests taken in person. But the statistical models employed by researchers Richard Landers and Paul Sackett suggest that in recruitment situations, the loss of validity due to online cheating can be recovered simply due to the greater numbers of applicants able to take the test.
Landers and Sackett point out that test administrators normally intend to select a certain volume of candidates through testing, such as the ten final interviewees. The accessibility factor of online testing could allow you to grow your candidate pool, say from 20 to 50. Considering these numbers, its possible to now select those that scored better than 80% of the other candidates, rather than merely those in the top half. And if some of your candidates cheat, oomphing their scores to the 82nd percentile when they only deserve the 62nd, that's still a better calibre than the 50-or-better you would have been prepared to accept from your smaller face-to-face pool.
Landers and Sackett moved from these first principles to modelling out some realistic large data sets containing a range of true ability scores. They considered sets where cheating gave a small (.5 SD improvement) or large (1 SD) bonus to your test score; against this was another factor, how much your natural ability influenced your likely to cheat, from no relationship, r=0, into increasingly strong negative relationships, from -.25 to -.75, modelling the idea that weaker performers are more likely to cheat. And finally, they varied the prevalence of cheating in increments from zero up to 100%.
The researchers ran simulations in each data set by picking a random subset - the 'candidate pool' - and selecting the half of the pool with better test scores. In the totally honest datasets, the mean genuine ability score of selected candidates was .24. but that value was lower for sets that contained cheaters, as some individuals passed without deserving it. Landers and Sackett then added more candidates into each pool, allowing pickier selection, and reran the process to see what true abilities were obtained. In many data sets the loss of validity due to cheating was easily compensated by growth of applicant pool. For instance, if cheating has only a modest effect and is only mildly related to test ability (r= -.25) then doubling the applicant pool yields you genuine scores of .24 even when 70% of candidates are cheating, and higher scores when the cheaters are fewer in number, such as .31 for 30% cheaters.
Great...but wait. there are two important take-aways relating to fairness. It's true that if we're getting .31 averages instead of .24, our selected candidates should be more job-capable, even some of those who did cheat, and that's a win for whoever's hiring. But in the process we've rejected people who by rights deserved to go through. Essentially, this is a form of test error, and so not a uniquely terrible problem, but it's one we shouldn't become complacent about just because the numbers are in the organisation's favour.
Secondly, and as anyone trained in psychometric use will be aware, increasing selection ratios from top 50% to top 25% is no casual prerequisite. Best practice is that without evidence, such as an inhouse validity study, cut-offs on a single test should be capped at the 40th percentile, meaning you pass 60% of candidates. In particular, raising thresholds can have adverse impact on minority groups, on whom many tests still show differentials (although these are closing over time). As minorities tend to make up a minority of any given applicant pool, such differentials can easily squeeze the diversity out of the process before you even get a chance to sit down with candidates and see what they have to offer in a rounded fashion.
Nevertheless, this paper brings a fresh angle to the issue of test security.
Landers, R., & Sackett, P. (2012). Offsetting Performance Losses Due to Cheating in Unproctored Internet-based Testing by Increasing the Applicant Pool International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 20 (2), 220-228 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2389.2012.00594.x
Further reading:
Tippins, N. T. (2009). Internet alternatives to traditional proctored testing: Where are we now? Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2, 2–10.


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I' ll never forgive my ex hubby, Churchill for infecting me with STDs – Tonto Dikeh
Embattled Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh on Friday said her marriage to Olakunle Churchill was a sham. Churchill is alleged to be former President Olusegun Obasanjo's nephew. She made the revelation on her Instagram @tontolet while responding to advice from her fans persuading her to have a rethink over her marriage.
The Nollywood actress added she had been using her social media platform to lie and paint Churchill as the good man he is today, as her union with him 'was all a sham'. Tonto with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Churchill and mother Oladunni According to her, all the cars and jewelleries she flashes on social media were not bought for her by him. She wrote: "I posted stuffs my ex-husband bought for me doesn't make it true. I used my platform to lie, to make him the man he is today. The mother of one alleged that she treated so many sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) while being married to Churchill.
"Nobody knows how many STDs I have treated or pain I know in marriage. If laughter is all they have then the karma that bites me awaits them all. "Thank for your love. Yes no marriage is perfect but mine was based on gross lies deceit, scam and many more darkness. "I loved the man no one begged me to, I take all the blame." "So don't come at me with the bullshit of enjoying this man's money. " I have not started talking, I will bare it all but there is time for everything. "I care now for the STD's because I am no longer naive.
I am a mother who wants to live long for my child. "I am not a saint and cheating is not the only reason I took the forever walk, "she added. The controversial actress got married in 2015 to Oladunni Churchill,a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, and they have a son from the union. However, the separation crisis started when it was reported that a certain woman had stepped into the picture, with Tonto Dike removing her husband's surname from her Instagram account. The duo have been in a war of words on the social media, with Churchill demanding for exclusive access to his son. Vanguard


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A few times a each month we revisit some of our reader's favorite posts from throughout the history of Vectortuts+. This tutorial by Jonathan was first published on February 24th 2009.
A few times a each month we revisit some of our reader's favorite posts from throughout the history of Vectortuts+. This tutorial by Jonathan was first published on February 24th 2009.
This tutorial is perfect for the advanced beginner who wants to take her skills to the next level. We'll explore how to create 3D text and use depth-of-field to enhance a design.
Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join VECTORTUTS PLUS for just 9/month.
Step 1
Start by typing each letter separate so you can adjust the angle and 3D qualities of each. I'm using a font called Futura Bold. I'd recommend using a font that is not thin and delicate. The more weight the font has the better.
Also, use a grey or light color so when you proceed to the next step you'll be able to see what your 3D text looks like.
Step 2
Go to Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel... Enter variables where I've highlighted below to achieve the look indicated.
Step 3
Even after you apply 3D effects that you would like your letter to have you can also continue to rotate the letter to whatever angle you like, as I've done below. Just use the Selection Tool (V) to rotate the letter.
Click on a color and the shading will automatically be applied to the different faces of the letter.
Step 4
Use the same technique on the other letters. Use the Swatches Palette to quickly pick a range of vibrant colors and apply them to each letter.
Step 5
Create a depth-of-field (the appearance of objects being closer and farther away) by going to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur... Enter the variable below and click OK.
Note: Make sure your letter will not need to be scaled larger or smaller after you apply the blur, as blur effects do not scale regardless of any preferences you have designated in Adobe Illustrator.
Step 6
To create an even wider focal range, you can give different letters a unique blur amount.
Observe how the angle, scale, blur and color all factor into how the entire word is perceived. Each letter has a random quality about it. The scale is varied to suggest distance. Again, the blur reinforces the depth and the colors are all bright and not repeated next to each other.
Step 7
Type the rest of the phrase. The font I'm using is Bickham Script. As you can see, the font is very different from the font that the word "Playful" is written in. This creates a nice range and contrast between the two. Do the same for your layout.
Step 8
Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool to draw a rectangle as shown below.
Note: You can adjust the curvature of the corners by holding the up or down arrow while you draw the shape.
Step 9
Fill the rectangle with a 3-point gradient. The right-most green color helps create a slightly darker green that will frame the rectangle even more.
Step 10
Move the text over the background. In order to apply a gradient to the text you will first need to turn it into outlines. Go to Type > Create Outlines. Now, select the text and give it a subtle grey to white gradient.
Step 11
To make the text look even more 3D add an Inner Glow by going to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow... Select Screen, in the Mode drop down. Enter about 75 for Opacity and set the blur to your liking.
Step 12
Now that the letter looks somewhat rounded we'll take it a step further and add a drop shadow. Go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow... Set the Mode to Multiply (so the shadow blends nicely with the background). Set your Opacity to about 20 and give it a blur of your choosing.
Step 13
This is what your design should look like right now.
Step 14
We'll give certain faces of each letter an enhanced look by giving them gradients. First, make a copy of the letter. Select the copy and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Now go to Object > Ungroup. Continue to Ungroup the object until you can select the face of the object.
Step 15
Select the face of the letter and give it a moderate red to dark-red gradient.
Step 16
You can now delete the leftover parts of the letter that you did not apply a gradient to. Place the face of the letter over the letter with the 3D effects applied to it.
Step 17
Use this same technique to create depth on any other letters that need it. For instances where the letters are blurred simply apply the same blur to the face of that letter. To see how much blur a letter has double-click on that effect in the Appearance Palette.
Step 18
Next we'll give the background a random circle pattern. Draw a circle using the Ellipse Tool (L). For the purposes of this tutorial I've used a black circle but your circle should be white, or whatever color you want your pattern to be. Drag the circle into the Brushes Palette. The dialog in the next step will open...
Step 19
Select New Scatter Brush and click OK...
Step 20
Select Random for Size, Spacing and Scatter. Next, drag the small triangles to both sides of the slider for all three options. This will ensure the circle pattern is varied and not too repetitive. Click OK.
Step 21
In the Brushes Palette select the circle brush you just created. Select the Paintbrush Tool (B) and draw an arbitrary line. Your line will be replaced by a circle pattern similar to the one below. If your circles are not as random as you like, just double-click on the circle in the Brushes Palette to change the parameters.
Step 22
Place the circles on their own layer behind the letters. Feel free to draw more lines or copy and paste the other circle pattern to build a mass of circles.
Step 23
Using the Ellipse Tool draw a circle and give it a Radial fill with a 3-point gradient. Using 3-points will allow you to give the circle an extra highlight that will add to its realism. Copy and paste this shape a few other times throughout the layout.
Step 24
You can create other brushes using different shapes like squares, triangles and outlined versions of each shape to keep things interesting.
Step 25
Using the Pencil Tool (N) draw some erratic shapes that will function as moss or general greenery on the letters.
When you're drawing with the Pencil Tool it's sometimes difficult to close the shape. The easiest way to close a shape is to hold down the Option key when you are nearing the starting point of the shape. This will automatically close the shape.
Step 26
Add other assorted shapes and give them a green to dark-green gradient.
Step 27
To make vines I've simply used one of the alternate characters that was included with the font Bickham Script. If your font does not have alternate characters you can try using parts of other letters, like an S for example. Otherwise you will need to draw some curly shapes the old fashioned way... using a Wacom Tablet and the Pen Tool.
Step 28
Create a leaf shape in much the same manner that you did for the moss shapes. You'll get better at drawing shapes the more you practice.
Step 29
To amplify the look of the leaf give it an Inner Glow by going to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow...
Step 30
This is what your layout should look like right now.
Step 31
We'll give the background a bit of motion by using the Pen Tool (P) to draw a shape similar to the one below.
Step 32
Duplicate the shape a couple times and adjust the Opacity to lessen the appearance of the shape. Give some of the shapes a tenuous blur to again create the illusion of some of the swooshes being farther away.
Step 33
Using the Rectangle Tool, draw a rectangle and give it a 4-point gradient with white being on both ends.
Step 34
Place the gradient over the background and give it a blur. In the Transparency Palette set the shape to Multiply, so it blends well with the background. Feel free to also adjust the Opacity if need be.
Final Image
Here is the final image. You've just learned how to create a vector 3D letter design. Cheers!
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Approach Rolling Gear Bag, Large
Perfect for taking all your clothes and outdoor gear on the go - with impressive capacity, so you can pack it all in.
Designed for total flexibility, with a soft front for easier packing and a molded back that protects items inside. With interior and exterior compression straps that tighten gear down and keep it securely in place, plus rugged wheels to help with heavy loads. We even added multiple grab handles to give you more carrying options.


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Library Search
The NRFC Library is a collection of materials to build a knowledge base around fathers, fatherhood, and operating a Responsible Fatherhood program. It also houses all resources created by the NRFC, including fact sheets, PSAs, and past webinars.
Use the search options provided below to find resources that you are interested in.
Intergenerational factors have been suggested as a critical interactional context shaping African American fathers' beliefs and parenting practices. However, relatively little attention has been given to the identification of underlying processes guiding the association between intergenerational…


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CAMP LEJEUNE (AP) — A Marine Corps sniper captured on a YouTube video urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan is being reduced in rank after pleading guilty at a court-martial.
Marine Corps spokesman Col. Sean Gibson says Sgt. Robert W. Richards of Seminole, Fla., was tried Wednesday at Camp Lejeune and was reduced one rank to corporal.
The video got international attention. It shows four Marines in full combat gear urinating on the bodies of three Afghans in July 2011.
Richards faced a number of charges including dereliction of duty and violating orders. Military prosecutors said Richards had filmed himself and others urinating on the corpses.
Gibson says Richards' sentence means eight Marines have been punished for their involvement in the incident through administrative punishments or courts-martial.


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Israel: 'Barbarism by an Educated and Cultured People' — 1948 Dawayima Massacre was Worse than Deir Yassin
"There was no battle and no resistance (and no Egyptians). The first conquerors killed from eighty to a hundred Arabs [including] women and children. The children were killed by smashing of their skulls with sticks. Is it possible to shout about Deir Yassin and be silent about something much worse?" For the first time ever, a letter quoting one of the Israeli soldiers who were part of the Al-Dawayima massacre in October 1948 is published in full.
On Friday, February 5th 2016, Haaretz published an article in Hebrew by Israeli historian Yair Auron [pictured left], which covers one of the biggest massacres of 1948. The massacre is of Al Dawayima, west of Al-Khalil (which is often referred to as Hebron). In a 2004 interview with Haaretz, Israeli historian Benny Morris refers to this as a massacre of "hundreds".
This is a very exhaustive article, but I found it useful enough to translate this letter in full on its own. The letter, which first "disappeared,' was provided to Auron by historian Benny Morris. Although these matters have been referred to in passing in historical summaries, the letter has never been published before in full.
To comrade Eliezer Peri, good day,
Today I have read the editorial of "Al Hamishmar" where the question of our army's conduct was aired, the army which conquers all but its own desires.
Historian/sleuth Benny Morris
A testimony provided to me by an officer which was in [Al] Dawayima the day after its conquering: The soldier is one of ours, intellectual, reliable, in all 100%. He had confided in me out of a need to unload the heaviness of his soul from the horror of the recognition that such level of barbarism can be reached by our educated and cultured people. He confided in me because not many are the hearts today who are able to listen.
There was no battle and no resistance (and no Egyptians). The first conquerors killed from eighty to a hundred Arabs [including] women and children. The children were killed by smashing of their skulls with sticks. There was not a house without dead. The second wave of the [Israeli] army was a platoon that the soldier giving testimony belongs to.
In the town were left male and female Arabs, who were put into houses and were then locked in without receiving food or drink. Later explosive engineers came to blow up houses. One commander ordered an engineer to put two elderly women into the house that was to be blown up. The engineered refused and said he is willing to receive orders only from his [own] commander. So then [his] commander ordered the soldiers to put the women in and the evil deed was performed.
One soldier boasted that he raped an Arab woman and afterwards shot her. An Arab woman with a days-old infant was used for cleaning the back yard where the soldiers eat. She serviced them for a day or two, after which they shot her and the infant. The soldier tells that the commanders who are cultured and polite, considered good guys in society, have become vile murderers, and this occurs not in the storm of battle and heated response, but rather from a system of expulsion and destruction. The fewer Arabs remain – the better. This principle is the main political motive of [the] expulsions and acts of horror which no-one objects to, not in the field command nor amongst the highest military command. I myself was at the front for two weeks and heard boasting stories of soldiers and commanders, of how they excelled in the acts of hunting and "fucking" [sic]. To fuck an Arab, just like that, and in any circumstance, is considered an impressive mission and there is competition on winning this [trophy].
We find ourselves in a conundrum. To shout this out in the press will mean to assist the Arab League, which our representatives deny all complaints of. To not react would mean solidarity with moral corruption. The soldier told me that Deir Yassin [another massacre, by Irgun militants, April 1948] is not the peak of hooliganism. Is it possible to shout about Deir Yassin and be silent about something much worse?
It is necessary to initiate a scandal in the internal channels, to insist upon an internal investigation and punish the culprits. And first of all it is necessary to create in the military a special unit for the restraint of the army. I myself accuse first of all the government, which doesn't seem to have any interest to fight the phenomena and perhaps even encourages them indirectly. The fact of not-acting is in itself encouragement. My commander told me that there is an unwritten order to not take prisoners of war, and the interpretation of "prisoner" is individually given by each soldier and commander. A prisoner can be an Arab man, woman or child. This was not only done at the exhibition windows [major Palestinian towns] such as Majdal and Nazareth.
I write this to you so that in the editorial and in the party the truth will be known and something effective would be done. At least let them not indulge in phony diplomacy which covers up for blood and murder, and to the extent possible, also the paper must not let this pass in silence.


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Our Fabulous Fashionistas are:
Brenda Weaver
Brenda Weaver
And the Queen of Couture, winner of a $15 Gift Card to Simon Says Stamp is:
Congrats, ladies! May, please email me (firstname.lastname@example.com) to claim your prize!
Karolyn Loncon - Paper Therapy
Taheerah Atchia - *Fill Your Paper With The Breathings of Your {Heart}*
Mayuri - Candles in the Garden
Aga - Just Made From Paper
Tasnim Ahmed - Cards & Bookmarks
Jennifer Rzasa - Our Change of Art
Lindsay Amrhein - Note to Self
The design team will select 3 runners-up (the Fabulous Fashionistas) and one winner (the Queen of Couture) after the challenge closes. They will be posted here on the blog at the start of the next challenge, as well as on our Winners Page. The Queen of Couture will receive an awesome prize!
A $25 Gift Card to Ellen Hutson!
~You must create a new project for each challenge
Your projects for this challenge are due by Friday, January 30th at 11:59pm ET


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You are here: Social Security Administration > Research, Statistics & Policy Analysis > Research & Analysis by Author > Paul W. Nowlin
Research & Analysis by Paul W. Nowlin
Survivor Benefit Protection for Federal Judges
from Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 20, No. 4 (released April 1957)
Trends of Mortality in the United States Since 1900
from Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 11 (released November 1956)


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Well, this is pretty much as bad as a threesome in a car could go. (There's a video below, but it's NSFW-y.)
Firefighters in Wenzhou China had to rescue two naked women and a dude in his long johns when somebody bumped the parking brake in the middle of a threesome. The car rolled down a hill and into a tree.
The guy and one girl suffered minor injuries, but one girl ended up in the hospital with two broken legs.
Remember to scout your car sex locations carefully kids, and be sure you know what lever you're grabbing.
(Hat tip to Jesus!)


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ABUJA, Nigeria, May 2 (UPI) -- Militant Nigerian Islamic group Boko Haram is threatening the nation's media.
Boko Haram, which is formally known as Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, is fighting to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria. The group wants the country to be governed under Islamic Shariah law.
Suicide car bombers targeted the offices of the newspaper This Day on April 26 in Abuja and the northern city of Kaduna killing at least five people in coordinated strikes.
Boko Haram subsequently claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Read More
Boko Haram released an 18-minute video on the Internet outlining some of the reasons for the attacks, The Leadership newspaper reported Wednesday.
The posting includes videotape shot of the This Day Abuja's office exploding into flames, which indicates that the militants had a cameraman in place to record the strike.
The voice-over on the videotape says This Day was targeted because the newspaper "was used in dishonoring" the Prophet Mohammad in a November 2002 beauty pageant.
"No one has the power to forgive this type of offense and the judgment is for such persons to be killed," the tape says. "This lady that committed this crime, the judgment on her is to be killed at any opportunity."
Boko Haram said it planned to continue such attacks "until we drive them out of existence."
The voice on the tape goes on to say, "These media houses have committed a lot of offenses that are detrimental to Islam, and we don't have the power to forgive them. We will take revenge on them by God's grace."
Boko Haram said media outlets were divided into three groups: "The first group is the likes of This Day, whose offenses are big." Also, a second group Boko Haram threatened with attack included publications Punch, Daily Sun, Vanguard, Guardian, Nation, Tribune, and National Accord; with the third being Voice of America Hausa radio.
"All these media houses, we will attack them including their staff and offices, by Allah's grace," Boko Haram said.
Boko Haram appears to be gaining strength from an alliance with al-Qaida in North Africa. The emergence of Islamic extremists from Nigeria would mark a tightening merger between two dangerous organizations.
Nigerian authorities have suspected that Boko Haram -- the name means "Western education is sinful" in the Hausa language -- has splintered into several factions, with Islamic extremists moving away from the parent movement.
These militants are seen as responsible for a sharp escalation in attacks in Nigeria, including suicide bombings and kidnapping Westerners that have been al-Qaida trademarks, in recent months.
Nigerian security authorities say this faction allied with al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the jihadist movement's North African branch, which has provided paramilitary training and doctrine for the Nigerian fighters whose operations until 2011 were limited to drive-by shootings and killing Christians.


text:
INDIANAPOLIS -- USA Football's youth player safety program takes a major step this weekend with the first workshops for its Heads Up Football initiative.
The national governing body of the sport in the United States will conduct the workshops Saturday and Sunday, with 21 trainers teaching the concepts of Heads Up Football to youth league leaders from across the country.
Among the youth coaches taking part will be former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Buddy Curry; Chuck Kyle, head coach at Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School, winner of 11 Ohio Division I state titles and three USA Today national championships; and John Roderique, head coach at Webb City (Mo.) High School, winner of eight state championships and formerly an assistant with NCAA Division II national champion Pittsburg State University.
"Youth leagues have a tremendous opportunity in 2013 to adopt USA Football's Heads Up Football program," Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "USA Football has earned my trust -- they put the safety of our kids first and offer the training youth coaches need to be exceptional teachers.
"All of us in the football community, at each level of the game, need to be committed to raising youth football's standards, and Heads Up Football does that."
Heads Up Football is a comprehensive approach to a safer game and features proper tackling techniques; education of leagues on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, concussion recognition and response protocols; and instruction on properly fitting helmets and shoulder pads.
"Heads Up Football promotes a safer, better game," USA Football executive director Scott Hallenbeck said. "We are proud to have this group help us lead America's youth football community as Heads Up Football master trainers, helping to set the highest standards of player safety and coaching education in any youth sport."
In the program, coaches, parents and players are taught concussion-related protocols at the start of the season at a league-wide clinic, then have them reinforced throughout the season. Proper tackling without using the head is taught, as well.
The tackling technique was developed with contributions from USA Football's Tackle Advisory Committee. Members of the committee include Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, UCLA coach Jim Mora and former NFL running back Merril Hoge.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press


text:
9 Health Benefits of Vitamin C
This blog does not intend to provide diagnosis...
In this article:
- Risks Factors of Vitamin C Deficiency
- Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency
- Food Sources of Vitamin C
- Health Benefits of Vitamin C
- Anemia
- Cataracts
- Collagen and Skin Health
- Heart Health
- Memory
- Periodontal Disease
- Common Cold
- Sepsis (Blood Infection)
- Seizure Disorder
- Side Effects
- Drug Interactions
- Suggested Dosage:
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid or ascorbate, has been one of the most researched vitamins over the last 50 years. A search of the scientific literature reveals that over 53,000 studies have been conducted on vitamin C since 1968. Their findings show that it helps promote a strong immune system as well as cardiovascular, brain, and skin health among many others benefits.
Many scientists believe that at one time the human body had the ability to make vitamin C, but lost this capacity over time. Essentially, all species of animals, including most mammals, can make vitamin C—the exceptions are humans, monkeys and guinea pigs. The brain and adrenal glands have the highest concentrations of vitamin C, 15 to 50 times higher than that found in the blood. This makes sense when one realizes that vitamin C was first discovered by Albert Szent-Györgyi in 1928 while he was conducting research on the adrenal glands. Vitamin C, which has antioxidant properties, is also an enzyme "co-factor" for at least eight important biochemical reactions.
According to a 2009 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, over seven percent of people age six and older were vitamin C deficient when their blood was tested. More than half of those surveyed consumed low amounts of vitamin C rich foods. In the last five years, I diagnosed three patients with scurvy, a disease that was traditionally diagnosed in British sailors who had limited access to fresh fruit.
My first patient with scurvy was a 40-year-old woman who smoked (Vitamin C levels are lower in those who smoke tobacco) and admitted to a poor diet. She was concerned about her bleeding gums and easy skin bruising. After her dentist confirmed the absence of gum disease, I ordered a blood test which confirmed a vitamin C deficiency, leading to the diagnosis of scurvy. Her bleeding gums and bruising symptoms improved after a few weeks of vitamin C supplementation. The other two patients also had significant bruising as their initial symptom.
Risks Factors of Vitamin C Deficiency
- Poor diet
- Low consumption of fruits and vegetables
- Tobacco smoking (each cigarette oxidizes about 60 mg of vitamin C)
Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency
- Bruising
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Bleeding gums
- Joint pain
- Bone pain
- Muscle aches
- Swelling
Food Sources of Vitamin C
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Papaya
- Oranges
- Brussel sprouts
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
Health Benefits of Vitamin C
Anemia due to iron deficiency is common. It can occur in women who have heavy menses or may occur in individuals with hemorrhoids, colon polyps or even worse, colon cancer. Once the cause is identified, a physician may recommend iron supplementation. When taking iron, vitamin C should also be taken as this will help improve absorption of the iron and help reduce the constipation side effect of iron.
Cataracts are a clouding of the lens that occurs as one ages. The good news is this can be prevented. A 2013 study showed that a diet high in fruits, vegetable and vitamin C could help prevent cataracts from forming.
Collagen and Skin Health
Vitamin C plays a significant role in collagen formation, the main component of arteries and skin. Collagen is also important to keep teeth healthy. Studies show a diet high in foods containing vitamin C are good for the skin, teeth and bones. Consuming a diet rich in vitamin C is a good way to optimize this important antioxidant. Consumption of vitamin C also has many skin benefits—a 2018 study in which vitamin C was taken orally along with collagen protein showed significant improvement in skin health after only 12 weeks.
In addition, application of topical vitamin C directly to the face and other parts of the body is helpful in protecting the skin against solar damage, according to studies.
Heart Health
As one ages the risk for heart disease, which can result from clogged arteries and also manifest itself in the form irregular heartbeats (sometimes resulting in the need for a pacemaker), increases. The choices we make on a daily basis will impact the future version of ourselves. Eating well is important as studies show a diet high in vitamin C-rich foods is good for the heart while smoking cessation can also have heart-healthy benefits—non-tobacco smokers have vitamin C blood levels that are 4.3 times greater than that of smokers. This likely explains why smoking increases one's risk for heart disease and accelerates aging.
Clogged arteries are also known as arteriosclerosis, a condition where blood flow is affected. A 2017 study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry demonstrated that rose hips, which are rich in vitamin C, helped prevent atherosclerosis, an early indicator of heart disease. Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that is diagnosed when the heart has an irregular beat. The risk for this condition increases as one ages and also can occur after a person undergoes a heart surgery. A 2018 study in Clinical Cardiology showed that patients given vitamin C after heart surgery were less likely to develop atrial fibrillation when compared to those not given vitamin C.
Vitamin C may also be helpful for maintaining memory, a concern many have. Dr. Dale Bredesen from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has put together a comprehensive protocol in his 2017 book The End of Alzheimer's Disease. Vitamin C is one of the supplements he recommends among other supplements as part of his natural approach to Alzheimer's Disease.
A 2018 animal study testing memory showed that rats exposed to tobacco smoke had poor memory. However, when rats were given vitamin C prior to being exposed to the tobacco smoke, their memory improved. In addition, a 2015 study showed that sleep-deprived rats given vitamin C had better memory recall when compared to sleep-deprived rats not given vitamin C. It is believed that the vitamin C helps prevent oxidative damage to the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in memory.
Periodontal Disease
Gum and tooth disease is a leading risk factor for heart disease. The more gum disease one has, the higher the risk one has for having a heart attack. A 2018 study shows that vitamin C plays an important role in gum health while a 2015 study showed that vitamin C also plays an important role in gum health of the elderly.
Common Cold
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has been recommended to help prevent the common cold for decades. To this day there still is no cure for the common cold, but a 2014 study showed that vitamin C could reduce risk for developing a cold and also reduced the duration of the cold when compared to placebo (sugar pills). Other studies have shown those under physical stress we're more likely to prevent the cold with vitamin C. More studies, however, are needed. Suggested Dose: 500 mg to 2,000 mg daily.
Sepsis (Blood Infection)
A blood infection, or sepsis, can result in severe illness and sometimes death. The infection can start anywhere in the body, but frequently a blood infection starts from an infection in the lungs (pneumonia), urine (urinary tract) or skin. A 2018 study showed the intravenous vitamin C, when given with vitamin B1 and steroids could help prevent organ damage in those with sepsis. A 2018 study in the Journal of Critical Care showed that vitamin C could help reduce inflammation in those with blood infections. More studies are underway, and this therapy is being further evaluated before it becomes accepted by healthcare professionals.
Seizure Disorder
A 2018 study showed that those with epilepsy, a seizure disorder, were more likely to have nutritional deficiencies, including a vitamin C deficiency. This may be due to the medications used to treat epilepsy.
Side Effects
There have been a few case reports of vitamin C supplementation increasing the risk for kidney stones. However, this is rare. Those with pre-existing kidney stones should avoid taking vitamin C in excess of 1,000 mg due to possible risk of increasing oxalate production and calcium oxalate from building up in the kidneys. In addition, those with iron overload or hemochromatosis should be careful since vitamin C increases absorption of iron in the intestinal tract. Consult with your physician if you are unsure.
Drug Interactions
Daily aspirin use appears to lower vitamin C levels. Daily supplementation with vitamin C should be considered. In addition, chronic oral steroid (i.e. prednisone) use lowers vitamin C blood levels as do routine use of stomach acid-reducing medications.
Suggested Dosage:
Vitamin C Capsules/Tablets – 250 mg to 2,000 mg per day
Vitamin C Powder- 250 mg to 2,000 mg per day
Vitamin C Gummies - 250 mg to 2,000 mg per day
- Gaby, Alan. Nutritional Medicine , Second Edition April 2017
- Harrison FE, May JM. Vitamin C function in the brain: vital role of the ascorbate transporter SVCT2. Free Radic Biol Med. 2009;46(6):719–30. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2008.12.018.
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009 Nov;90(5):1252-63. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.27016. Epub 2009 Aug 12.
- Integrative Cancer Therapy. 2018 May 1:1534735418775809. doi: 10.1177/1534735418775809. [Epub ahead of print]
- Padayatty SJ, Riordan HD, Hewitt SM, Katz A, Hoffer LJ, Levine M. Intravenously administered vitamin C as cancer therapy: three cases. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2006;174(7):937-942. doi:10.1503/cmaj.050346.
- British Journal of Cancer. 2018 May 21. doi: 10.1038/s41416-018-0113-y.
- Pastor-Valero M. Fruit and vegetable intake and vitamins C and E are associated with a reduced prevalence of cataract in a Spanish Mediterranean population. BMC Ophthalmology. 2013;13:52. doi:10.1186/1471-2415-13-52.
- Heart Advis. 2015 Oct;18(10):10.
- Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018 Apr 30;11:195-201. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S150269. eCollection 2018.
- Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2017;10(7):14-17.
- Heart Advis. 2015 Oct;18(10):10.
- Clinical Respiratory Journal. 2017 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/crj.12757. (non-smokers have vitamin C levels 4.3 rimes higher than smokers)
- J Nutr Biochem. 2017 Jun;44:52-59. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2017.02.017. Epub 2017 Mar 21.
- Van Gorkom GNY, Klein Wolterink RGJ, Van Elssen CHMJ, Wieten L, Germeraad WTV, Bos GMJ. Influence of Vitamin C on Lymphocytes: An Overview. Antioxidants. 2018;7(3):41. doi:10.3390/antiox7030041.
- Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9(11):1211. doi:10.3390/nu9111211.
- Inhalation Toxicology. 2018 May 22:1-8. doi: 10.1080/08958378.2018.1474977. [Epub ahead of print]
- Brain Research Bulletin. 2015 Apr;113:41-7. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2015.02.002. Epub 2015 Feb 25.
- Molecules. 2018 May 20;23(5). pii: E1226. doi: 10.3390/molecules23051226.
- Geriatric and Gerontology International. 2015 Mar;15(3):241-54. doi: 10.1111/ggi.12408. Epub 2014 Nov 19.
- Johnston CS, Barkyoumb GM, Schumacher SS. Vitamin C Supplementation Slightly Improves Physical Activity Levels and Reduces Cold Incidence in Men with Marginal Vitamin C Status: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2014;6(7):2572-2583. doi:10.3390/nu6072572.
- Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Apr 21. pii: S0163-7258(18)30070-6. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.04.007.
- Clin EEG Neurosci. 2018 May 1:1550059418772755. doi: 10.1177/1550059418772755.


text:
Police say thieves stripped the kitchen of the Clayton Homes unit in south Wichita, taking all the upscale appliances, the wooden cabinets from the walls and, of course, the sink.
General manager Kevin McCracken says the model unit was nearly ready for display when the theft occurred, sometime between 9 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m. Monday.
A local that the missing appliances, cabinets, counters and sink, along with the cost of repairing the damage, amounts to a loss of several thousand dollars.


text: Storage technology has evolved and matured to the point where it has started to approach commodity status in many data centers. Nevertheless, today's enterprises are faced with evolving needs that can strain storage technologies\u2014a case in point is the push for big data analytics, an initiative that brings business intelligence (BI) capabilities to large data sets.\n\nHowever, the big data analytics process demands capabilities that are usually beyond the typical storage paradigms\u2014simply put, traditional storage technologies, such as SANs, NAS and others cannot natively deal with the terabytes and petabytes of unstructured information that come with the big data challenge. \n\nSuccess with big data analytics demands something more\u2014a new way to deal with large volumes of data\u2014in other words, a new storage platform ideology.\n\nLet's Hear It for HadoopEnter Hadoop, an open source project that offers a platform to work with big data. Although Hadoop has been around for some time, more and more businesses are just now starting to leverage its capabilities. \n\nThe Hadoop platform is designed to solve problems caused by massive amounts of data, especially data that contain a mixture of complex, unstructured and structured information, which does not lend itself well to being placed in tables. Hadoop works well in situations that require support of analytics that are deep and computationally extensive, like clustering and targeting.\n\nSo what exactly does Hadoop mean for IT professionals seeking to leverage big data? The simple answer is that Hadoop solves the most common problem associated with big data: efficiently storing and accessing large amounts of data.\n\nThe intrinsic design of Hadoop allows it to run as a platform that is able to work across a large number of machines that don't share any memory or disks. With that in mind, it becomes easy to see how Hadoop offers additional value\u2014network managers can simply buy a number of commodity servers, place them in a rack and run the Hadoop software on each one.\n\nWhat's more, Hadoop helps to remove much of the management overhead associated with large data sets. Operationally, as an organization's data is being loaded into a Hadoop platform, the software breaks down the data into manageable pieces, which are then automatically spread across different servers. \nThe distributed nature of the data means there is no one single place to go to access the data. Hadoop keeps track of where the data resides, and further protects that information by creating multiple copy stores. Resiliency is enhanced, because if a server goes offline or fails, the data can be automatically replicated from a known good copy.\n\nHow Hadoop Goes FurtherThe Hadoop paradigm goes several steps further when it comes to working with data. Take, for example, the limitations associated a traditional, centralized database system, which may consist of a large disk drive connected to a server class system that features multiple processors. In that scenario, analytics is limited by the performance of the disk and, ultimately, the number of processors that can be bought to bear.\n\nWith a Hadoop deployment, every server in the cluster can participate in the processing of the data through Hadoop's capability to spread the work and the data across the cluster. In other words, an indexing job works by sending code to each of the servers in the cluster and each server then operates on its own little piece of the data. Results are then delivered back as a unified whole. With Hadoop, the process is referred to as MapReduce, where the code and processes are mapped to all the servers and the results are reduced into a single set.\n\nThat process is what makes Hadoop so good at dealing with large amounts of data. Hadoop spreads the data out and can handle complex computational questions by harnessing all of the available cluster processors to work in parallel.\n\nUnderstanding Hadoop and Extract, Transform and LoadHowever, venturing into the world of Hadoop is not a plug-and-play experience. There are certain prerequisites, hardware requirements and configuration chores that must be met to ensure success. The first step consists of understanding and defining the analytics process. \nLuckily, most IT leaders are familiar with business analytics (BA) and BI processes and can relate the most common process layer used\u2014the extract, transform and load (ETL) layer\u2014and the critical role it plays when building BA\/BI solutions. \n\nBig data analytics requires that organizations choose the data to analyze, consolidate it and then apply aggregation methods before it can be subjected to the ETL process. What's more, that has to occur with large volumes of data, which can be structured, unstructured or from multiple sources, such as social networks, data logs, websites, mobile devices, sensors and other areas.\n\nHadoop accomplishes that by incorporating pragmatic processes and considerations, such as a fault-tolerant clustered architecture and the capability to move computing power closer to the data and perform parallel and\/or batch processing of large data sets. It also provides an open ecosystem that supports enterprise architecture layers from data storage to analytics processes.\n\nNot all enterprises require the capabilities that big data analytics has to offer. However, those that do must consider Hadoop's capability to meet the challenge. But Hadoop cannot accomplish everything on its own\u2014enterprises will need to consider what additional Hadoop components are needed to build a Hadoop project.\n\nFor example, a starter set of Hadoop components may consist of HDFS and HBase for data management, MapReduce and Oozie as a processing framework, Pig and Hive as development frameworks for developer productivity and open source Pentaho for BI. \n\nFrom a hardware perspective, a pilot project does not require massive amounts of equipment thrown at it. Hardware requirements can be as simple as a pair of servers with multiple cores, 24 or more gigabytes of RAM and a dozen or so hard disk drives of two terabytes each, which should prove sufficient to get a pilot project off the ground.\n\nHowever, be forewarned that effective management and implementation of Hadoop require some expertise and experience, and if that expertise is not readily available, IT management should consider partnering with a service provider that can offer full support for the Hadoop project. That expertise proves especially important when it comes to security. Hadoop, HDFS and HBase offer very little in the form of integrated security, so data still need additional protections against compromise or theft.\n\nAll things considered, an in-house Hadoop project makes the most sense for a pilot test of big data analytics capabilities. After the pilot, a plethora of commercial or hosted solutions are available to those who want to tread further into the realm of big data analytics.\n\nFrank J. Ohlhorst is a New York-based technology journalist and IT business consultant.


text:
Purported iPhone 5 part leaks show off Apple A6 chipset
The most recent in a slew of iPhone 5 part leaks shows two views of what's reportedly the next-generation iPhone logic board, including one with the shields removed. What makes this so interesting is that it appears from the photos, if they're accurate, that Apple will be using the Apple A6 designation for the iPhone 5's system-on-a-chip (SoC).
With the new iPad, instead of going to an Apple A6 SoC, Apple added a quad-core GPU to the Apple A5 and called it the A5X. That led to speculation that Apple might create a new Apple A5 series SoC for the iPhone 5 as well. Not so, according to the images below, which we've enhanced the image a bit to make out the text better:
Not going with an Apple A5X SoC, at least the way it's currently engineered for the new iPad, makes a lot of sense. The primary purpose of the Apple A5X chipset was to support the massive 2048x1536 Retina display that was brand new to the 3rd generation iPad platform. The iPhone has had Retina since 2010. It seems more likely Apple would go with the same type of general CPU and GPU performance improvements in the iPhone 5 that they delivered with the iPhone 4S.
Other than the processor you can see a Qualcomm chipset on the main board. That comes as no surprise. There are also different connector positions for the digitizer, LCD, and other components, which is consistent with previously leaked front panels.
In addition, the battery connector looks a bit wider than the current iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S battery connector. It's hard to be sure given the quality of the image, but it could be an indication of a larger battery, which would also be consistent with previously leaked parts.
Given the larger display, rumors of 4G LTE networking, along with space-saving changes like the rumored smaller Dock connector, nano-SIM, and in-cell display, a higher capacity battery certainly seems likely.
Considering the horrible quality of the image, it's always possible that the A6 designation or other features could have been Photoshopped into place. (Seriously, spies, invest in good quality cameras and lights!)
Regardless, iMore's information puts us less than a few weeks away from an official announcement and release. Until then, the parts leaks will no doubt continue, as will our analysis of them.
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!
iMore senior editor from 2011 to 2015.
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By Tammy Rogers


text:
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Elevation Program is a reimbursement grant program designed to help homeowners with the elevation of their primary single-family residences to meet the requirements of the flood insurance risk maps in flood-prone communities. The program is limited to the Sandy-impacted communities of Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union. There are no income requirements for the program and FEMA registration is not required in order to apply. Eligible applicants can receive reimbursement of up to $30,000 for elevations on existing single-family homes.
As part of the 'New Jersey Stronger' housing initiative, an application can be made to both the Homeowner Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program and the HMGP Elevation Program, but homeowners may receive a grant award from only one of the programs. Homes targeted for buyout under the state's HMGP acquisition program are not eligible to participate. Additionally, federal regulations restrict homeowners who have already begun elevation work from applying.
Homeowners can use any elevation contractor registered in New Jersey that is qualified to do the work. Once all necessary documents are received and the home elevation is completed, the homeowner will be reimbursed for all eligible expenses.
The HMGP Elevation Program application period is now open and closes on September 15, 2013.
Eligible homeowners can apply for elevation grant assistance at http://www.renewjerseystronger.org/hmgp/, by calling 1-855-SANDYHM or by visiting one of the Housing Recovery Centers open in each of the nine most-impacted counties.
NOTE: Individuals must apply to the HMGP Elevation Program directly regardless of whether they previously submitted Letters of Intent (LOI) or online applications with their local municipal governments.
Source: Department of Consumer Affairs


text:
The hard-working precursor cells that produce sperm just can't catch a break. Since men make sperm throughout their lives, these cells have to divide again and again, sending one copy of themselves off to become sperm cells each time. DNA doesn't always copy itself perfectly, so over the years, genetic errors pile up
. And now a new study has quantified
just how many mutations sperm will accumulate---and pass on to any offspring---for fathers of various ages. Scientists think that these mutations may be partly to blame for the fact that children with older fathers tend to have higher rates of bipolar disorder
, and autism
. In this study, Icelandic researchers sequenced the whole genomes of 78 family groups, consisting of two parents and a single offspring, many of whom had mental disorders. Looking at the child's DNA, researchers could recognize de novo mutations
, which come from errors in either the egg or the sperm that gave rise to the child, and, based on the sequences near the error, they traced the mutation to either the mother or the father. It turns out that men transmit more mutations than women, and on average, for each increasing year of age, a father passed two additional mutations on to his offspring
. By the time a man reached the age of 40, his offspring had on average 65 random mutations that traced back to the paternal genetic material---that's 260% more mutations than a 20-year-old dad would, on average, give to his children. Earlier research has shown that older men are more likely to father children with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism. Young fathers, however, do not guarantee healthy children, nor to old fathers doom their children to problems. Some of the autistic participants were the offspring of dads in their 20s, and while the children of older dads did have more mutations, they didn't always develop mental disorders as a result. Still, this potential genetic link between fathers' ages and their children's health suggests that the growing numbers of older dads
might, along with many other factors, be driving higher rates of mental disorders like autism
Image of father and son via Shutterstock


text:
My ethernet-based network connection doesn't stay up consistently. I'm running a ping against the gateway and it will:
- Work for a minute
- Freeze, time out, or give multi-second response times
- Repeat
If it's stuck and I disable/enable networking through the network manager applet everything will work fine again for a minute. After 280 packets transmitted I'm getting 41% packet loss. I've tried a different cable and connection to the gateway but this had no effect. The distance to the gateway is just about 3 feet.
Seems to work fine if I switch over to Windows, but Ubuntu is my main OS and I can't even use it right now as I depend on the network.
My setup...
- OS: Ubuntu 11.04, dual-booting Windows 7
- Mobo: Gigabyte Z68X-UD4-B3
- CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K
A little clarification... Network Manager is still showing me as connected, but I am unable to reach to gateway or anything beyond. At no point does NM suggest the connection is lost and calling ifconfig shows that I still have an IP address.
I tried connecting to a different gateway with a different cable and the same problem arises.
As requested:
lspci | grep -i eth
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 06)
dmesg | tail -f
[ 14.024709] EXT4-fs (sda5): re-mounted. Opts: errors=remount-ro,commit=0
[ 14.026443] EXT4-fs (sda7): re-mounted. Opts: commit=0
[ 14.176101] hda-intel: IRQ timing workaround is activated for card #2. Suggest a bigger bdl_pos_adj.
[ 23.917731] eth0: no IPv6 routers present
[ 726.109697] r8169 0000:07:00.0: eth0: link up
[ 733.169494] r8169 0000:07:00.0: eth0: link up
[ 753.930119] r8169 0000:07:00.0: eth0: link up
[ 880.787332] r8169 0000:07:00.0: eth0: link up
[ 1159.161283] r8169 0000:07:00.0: eth0: link up
[ 1406.623550] r8169 0000:07:00.0: eth0: link up
@roland-taylor: Network is always available under Windows. Pings do not timeout, applications do not complain of no network availability, large downloads are not interrupted or slowed.


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Immigration: Getting it right
Immigration reform is coming. Let's get it right. What counts as getting it wrong? The 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Act, signed by President Reagan. It granted amnesty to the then-3 million illegal immigrants and promised border enforcement.
Amnesty came. Enforcement never did. Reagan was swindled.
Americans are a generous people. They don't want 11 million souls living in fear among them. They would willingly, indeed overwhelmingly, support amnesty -- as long as it is the last. They don't want another Simpson-Mazzoli, another bait-and-switch that lets in another 11 million illegal immigrants -- and brings us back where we began.
There is an obvious solution: enforcement first. Hence the attraction of the bipartisan Senate deal reached by the Gang of Eight, led by Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republicans John McCain and Marco Rubio. It is said to feature border enforcement first, then legalization.
Not quite.
It is true that only after some commission deems the border under control do illegal immigrants become eligible for green cards and, ultimately, citizenship. But this is misleading because on the day the president signs the reform -- long before enforcement even begins -- the 11 million are immediately subject to instant legalization.
It is cleverly called "probationary" legal status. But the adjective is meaningless. It grants the right to live and work here openly. Once granted, it will never be revoked. Consider:
Imagine that the border-control commission reports at some point that the border is not yet secure. Do you think for a moment that the 11 million will have their "probationary" legalization revoked? These are people who, in good faith, would have come out of the shadows, registered with the feds and disclosed their domicile and place of work. Do you think the authorities will have them fired, arrested and deported?
Inconceivable. "Probationary" in this context means, in reality, "forever." (Unless, of course, you commit some crime.) It means they can stay and work here freely for the rest of their lives.
True, they must await the "enforcement trigger" before they can apply for green cards. But they already have the functional equivalent of a green card. They got that on Day One. That matters more than anything to those living here illegally: the right to continue living here without fear. Forever. That's the very essence of amnesty.
And all this happens before the first scintilla of extra enforcement takes place. Which brings us to the second problem. What does this extra enforcement consist of?
When I heard McCain talk about (among other measures) new high-tech border control with advanced radar and drones, my heart sank. We've been here. In 2006, Congress threw a ton of money at a high-tech fence. Five years, $1 billion and a pathetic 53 (out of 2,000) miles later, Janet Napolitano canceled the program as a complete failure.
That was predictable. And some of us predicting it were pleading for something infinitely cheaper and simpler: a prosaic, low-tech fence. Of the kind built near San Diego (triple-layered) that resulted in an astounding 92 percent drop in apprehensions. Like the Israeli fence built along the West Bank that has reduced terrorist infiltration to practically zero.
There's a reason people have been building fences for, oh, 5,000 years. They work.
The current Senate proposal must be improved, either in the Senate or by the House. It's not complicated. Build the fence. And give "probationary legal status" to the 11 million -- not on the day the bill is signed but on the day the fence is completed. Have the president drive in the golden fence post at Promontory Point II and sign the amnesty right there. Great photo op.
With the sequencing -- and thus the incentives -- so properly aligned, I assure you the fence will go up with amazing alacrity. As it should. The point is not to punish anyone or to make things harder, but to ensure we don't have to do this again -- agonizing over the next 11 million cruelly living here in the shadows.
I know many Republicans are coming over to immigration reform because of the 2012 election results. Fine. I've been advocating this for seven years ("First a wall -- then amnesty," April 7, 2006). Welcome aboard.
But remember: Enforcement followed by legalization is not just the political thing to do. It is the right thing to do -- an act both of national generosity and national interest. It has long been the best answer to the immigration conundrum. It remains so.
Charles Krauthammer's email address is email@example.com.
© 2013, The Washington Post Writers Group


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The ultimate unique product selection is on its way
See More Related to Sunglasses Eyewear Accessories
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Good morning folks, thank you to everyone who joined in last weeks challenge. Be sure to pop back later to see who won the lovely prize from Stitchy Stamps.
This weeks challenge is nice and easy....
'No Sentiments'
Our sponsor this week is my own online card making store.....
At One Stop Card Crafts we have a big range of ever changing discount making and card making craft supplies.
We are always adding to our range of craft supplies which are ideal for making handmade greeting cards, do-it-yourself invitations scrapbook pages, altered items and much more.
Our card making craft supplies include free UK postage, our popular discount scheme and quick service means our customers keep coming back for more.
Our prices are very competitive and this & makes us an ideal place to buy your card making supplies online. Some of our new products include Petaloo flower layers, Ranger Glitter Glue, liquid pearls and Martha Stewart Punches.
Here is some amazing inspiration from our super talented design team.
Thanks for stopping by and hope you all join in and have fun.
Hugs from the OSCC Design Team


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TimePort - Transporting Time
Product Information
TimePort from Chronos is a portable device that maintains time to within hundreds of nanoseconds of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) despite being disconnected from both GPS and external power source.
Conventional methods to calibrate time involve transporting a very heavy Caesium atomic clock or running a GPS cable from a convenient outside location into the equipment room and using other test equipment. TimePort™ enables time measurement or calibration at less than 5% of the power, weight and size of transportable atomic clocks and removes the need to provision new or additional GPS cables.
TimePort is ideal for financial institutions, telecom networks and power utilities where time delay errors caused by cables, equipment and networks must be quantified and removed to enable services to operate effectively.


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WASHINGTON – Exactly three hours after the game started, Joe Johnson finally won an exhausting game for the Brooklyn Nets.
Johnson's 18-footer with 0.7 seconds left in the second overtime lifted the Nets to a 115-113 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
Bradley Beal's two free throws tied the score at 113 with 9.1 seconds to play before Johnson, who had 18 points, hit the shot that improved Brooklyn to 4-1 under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo.
"That's what big-time players do. We put him in a good position to make the play, and he made the play," Carlesimo said.
Washington double-teamed Johnson as it had earlier in the game, but this time he knew it was coming.
"In that situation, man, I'd seen the double team coming and I just took one hard dribble and pulled up for a jumper," Johnson said.
Brook Lopez had 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, and Deron Williams added 24 points and 10 assists.
Beal had a career-high 24 points. Jordan Crawford scored 23 points and Nene, who fouled out in the first overtime, had 20 for Washington, which lost its fourth in a row and is now 4-27.
"How many times we've been here? I've lost count," an exasperated coach Randy Wittman said.
After Martell Webster's jumper gave the Wizards a 106-104 lead to begin the second overtime, Gerald Wallace made a layup and Keith Bogans converted a three-point play and a layup for a 111-106 lead with 3:21 to play.
Beal hit a 3-pointer as the first overtime ended to tie the score at 104. It was the second time Washington extended the game at the horn. Nene hit a hook shot to tie it at 93 in regulation.
The Wizards scored the first eight points of overtime to take a 101-93 lead with 1:27 left, but the Nets later scored 11 straight for a 104-101 lead with 3.4 seconds left, before Beal's shot.
"Bradley kept us alive when we should have been dead and we never should have been dead to begin with," Wittman said.
"The thing that's disturbing is that we do the same mistake over and over again as you're closing the game out. When a guy's doubled, you have to move the ball."
It was the third straight win in overtime for Brooklyn, and Washington's fifth straight loss in OT.
"Just went down to the wire. There was nothing they were really doing that was killing us. We were neck-and-neck the whole time," Beal said.
The game featured the return of Andray Blatche, who was let go by Washington last summer after seven stormy seasons. The Wizards used the amnesty provision on Blatche, who was banished from the team by Wittman last March for poor conditioning.
Blatche was booed by the crowd when he entered with just under five minutes to play in the first quarter. Moments later, with the crowd still booing, he hit his first shot and then drew laughs when he tripped as he ran down the court. He had 13 points and 12 rebounds.
"I probably screwed up by not playing him more than I did," Carlesimo said. "There's a lot of people that would not have been able to handle the situation, the first time back. He didn't handle it. He thrived in it."
Blatche said he didn't care about the crowd's reaction.
"The thing is, the booing didn't affect me at all because I don't play for them. They're supposed to boo me, they're supposed to go against me," Blatche said.
The Wizards started off quickly, shooting 9 of 11 as they took a 20-10 lead with 6:27 to play in the first quarter and led 30-20 after one.
In the second quarter, Washington stretched the lead to 36-22 before the Nets hit four consecutive 3-pointers to cut the deficit to two. The Wizards led 55-52 at halftime behind 13 points by Nene and Crawford.
NOTES: Washington G Garrett Temple had a career-high 11 assists. ... Brooklyn was without G C.J. Watson (bruised right knee) and F Kris Humphries (sprained left ankle). F/G Jerry Stackhouse returned after missing Wednesday's game at Oklahoma City with a sore right hamstring. ... Wittman was heartened by seeing all four of his injured players: G John Wall (left knee), G A.J. Price (broken right hand), F Trevor Ariza (left calf) and F Trevor Booker (right knee) at practice on Wednesday. "I didn't know we had 15 here. There for a while here, I thought this was an eight or nine-man squad," Wittman said. None were well enough to play. ... The Wizards' 113 points were a season high. Their two highest-scoring games came in double-overtime losses.


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Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Petaluma & Sonoma
This gallery holds images from an area from Santa Rosa and Sebastopol to Sonoma and Petaluma. Between Santa Rosa and Sonoma is a stretch of Highway 12 that Jack London called Valley of the Moon in his writings. This is certainly a "wine road."Read More
28 / 39
Agave Abstract (From Winery Garden)


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In response to my post about Hillary Rodham Clinton the other day, several people — including Rebecca Spiff, in comments here — wrote to remind me that President Obama has been pretty terrible on a number of racial justice issues. Fair enough. I thought it was worth taking a look at some of what Obama's done and what the landscape of racial justice looks like as he leaves office.
From my perspective, I'd chalk up these in the category of "accomplishments" toward racial justice for Obama:
- Symbolic Barrier Busted. Until Barack Obama was elected president, it was merely a theoretical idea that a black person could be president of the United States. It's hard to know how to measure the impact of this on the world, it could be that it has an aspirational effect (also difficult to measure).
- Aspirational. For young people born after 2007 or so, a black president is all they have ever known of the U.S. Perhaps this will aspire one young African American, like Marquis Govan – the inspiring 11 year old from Ferguson, Missouri – to run for the highest office in the land.
- Speeches. President Obama has given some amazing speeches, a few of them about race, and one in speech in particular that stands out.
And, now for his policies, which have not done much to advance racial justice:
- still hasn't closed Guantánamo prison, a major campaign promise, and which remains filled with people from the Middle East and fuels the global hatred of the U.S.;
- refused to prosecute Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld for war crimes, and even granted immunity to CIA torturers. Wars and torture campaigns that were conducted predominantly against black and brown people across the globe;
- increased drone strikes, killing almost 2,500 (as of January 2015) black and brown people in other countries;
- set a new record for the number of deportations, deporting more immigrants than any other U.S. president;
- didn't hold the financial industry accountable for the subprime mortgage disaster that disproportionately targeted African American homeowners and caused a staggering loss of black wealth in the U.S.;
- although he has expressed outrage, Obama has done little to disrupt the state-sponsored killing of unarmed black men by police officers, such as Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Walter Scott;
- with regard to the drug war, Obama has made some progress on addressing the racial disparities in drug sentencing, and recently, commuted the life sentences of 22 people convicted of drug offenses, but his contribution here has been minimal.
And then there is the attitudinal research.
In a poll from January, 2015 by Al Jazeera America and Monmouth University, researchers asked respondents about about "race relations" found just 15% say they've improved since Obama was elected, while nearly half say they believe that race relations in the United States have gotten worse since 2008.
And, a 2012 poll by the Associated Press found an increase in racist attitudes — or, I should say, an increased willingness to express racist attitudes — among people in the U.S. that they surveyed. This short video (3:40) from Al Jazeera discusses the findings:
Perhaps the point that Rebecca made is the relevant one here: that HRC and Obama are cut from the same cloth and we can expect about the same progress on racial justice under her that we've had under him, which is to say, not much. The larger point is that politicians will follow where the people lead and it's up to us to lead with our activism and holding them accountable.


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Turn Your Sound Into An iPhone Case With Shapeways
What happens when two creative communities join forces? They create The Vibe which lets you turn your favorite SoundCloud sound into a 3D-printed iPhone case.
Listen to Shapeways' Community Manager Ana and I talk about The Vibe at SXSW in Austin last week:
Want to touch the first sound you ever created? Want to carry your child's first words around with you every day? No matter which sound you care about most, The Vibe by Shapeways lets you keep it in your pocket *and* protect your iPhone at the same time. Pretty rad.
Shapeways created a super straight-forward way for you to print your sound as an iPhone case. Head over to our App Gallery to access the app, connect your SoundCloud account and select your sound:
Be quick to take advantage of the special offer and print your favorite sound for $19.95 (excl. shipping and taxes).
If you're getting your own Vibe, make sure to tweet at us with a picture or let us know in the comments.
Thanks to the Shapeways team for making this possible.


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SAOC 28. Saite Demotic Land Leases George Robert Hughes
The earliest extant leases from Egypt are briefly described as what they are like and how they compare in content with the more numerous demotic leases of the Ptolemaic period. They may legitimately be called leases in the accepted sense. They are not assignments, for the landholder retained his hold of the land and only provided usufruct for a stipulated term in return for a consideration less than the value of the land. They are not simply farming arrangements in which the "lessee" was in effect hired to farm the land in return for a share of the crop. The somewhat enigmatic arrangement, Document V, comes near being such a contract of hire, but even there both the oxen and the land appear to be "leased." The Saite leases are by no means verbose; indeed, they are unusually economical in setting forth only the bare necessities of the agreement. A number of the stipulations which we have learned to expect regularly in the Ptolemaic demotic leases appear only seldom or are not present at all. In the majority of cases such absences do not mean any difference in intent between the Saite and the Ptolemaic leases.
- Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 28
- Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1952
- Pp. x + 111; 3 plates
- Out of print


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Algebraic Geometry Seminar Fall 2017: Difference between revisions
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|[http://www.math.wisc.edu/~mkbrown5// Michael Brown (UW-Madison)]
|[http://www.math.wisc.edu/~mkbrown5// Michael Brown (UW-Madison)]
|[[#Michael Brown|Topological K-theory of equivariant singularity categories]]
|[[#Michael Brown|Topological K-theory of equivariant singularity categories]]
Revision as of 03:31, 26 August 2017
The seminar meets on Fridays at 2:25 pm in Van Vleck B321.
Here is the schedule for the previous semester.
Algebraic Geometry Mailing List
- Please join the AGS Mailing List to hear about upcoming seminars, lunches, and other algebraic geometry events in the department (it is possible you must be on a math department computer to use this link).
Fall 2017 Schedule
|October 6
|Michael Brown (UW-Madison)
|Topological K-theory of equivariant singularity categories
Michael Brown
Topological K-theory of equivariant singularity categories
This is joint work with Tobias Dyckerhoff. Topological K-theory of complex-linear dg categories is a notion introduced by Blanc in his recent article "Topological K-theory of complex noncommutative spaces". In this talk, I will discuss a calculation of the topological K-theory of the dg category of graded matrix factorizations associated to a quasi-homogeneous polynomial with complex coefficients in terms of a classical topological invariant of a complex hypersurface singularity: the Milnor fiber and its monodromy.


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After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Prepare and install Nano Server, a Server Core installation, and plan a server upgrade and migration strategy.
- Describe the various storage options, including partition table formats, basic and dynamic disks, file systems, virtual hard disks, and drive hardware, and explain how to manage disks and volumes.
- Describe enterprise storage solutions, and select the appropriate solution for a given situation.
- Implement and manage Storage Spaces and Data Deduplication.
- Install and configure Microsoft Hyper-V.
- Deploy, configure, and manage Windows and Hyper-V containers.
- Describe the high availability and disaster recovery technologies in Windows Server 2016.
- Plan, create, and manage a failover cluster.
- Implement failover clustering for Hyper-V virtual machines.
- Configure a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster, and plan for an NLB implementation.
- Create and manage deployment images.
- Manage, monitor, and maintain virtual machine installations.
Module 1: Installing, upgrading, and migrating servers and workloads
This module explains how to prepare and install Nano Server and Server Core. This module also explains how to upgrade and migrate server roles and workloads. Finally, this module explains how to choose an activation model based on your environment characteristics.
- Introducing Windows Server 2016
- Preparing and installing Nano Server and Server Core
- Preparing for upgrades and migrations
- Migrating server roles and workloads
- Windows Server activation models
Module 2: Configuring local storage
This module explains how to manage disks and volumes in Windows Server 2016.
- Managing disks in Windows Server 2016
- Managing volumes in Windows Server 2016
Module 3: Implementing enterprise storage solutions
This module describes the direct-attached storage (DAS), network-attached storage (NAS), and storage area networks (SANs). It also helps you understand Microsoft Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS) Server, data center bridging, and Multipath I/O (MPIO). Additionally, this module also compares Fibre Channel, Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI), and Fibre Channel Over Ethernet (FCoE), and describes how to configure sharing in Windows Server 2016.
- Overview of DAS, NAS, and SANs
- Comparing Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel over Ethernet
- Understanding iSNS, DCB, and MPIO
- Configuring sharing in Windows Server 2016
Module 4: Implementing Storage Spaces and Data Deduplication
This module explains how to implement and manage Storage Spaces. This module also explains how to implement Data Deduplication.
- Implementing Storage Spaces
- Managing Storage Spaces
- Implementing Data Deduplication
Module 5: Installing and configuring Hyper-V and virtual machines
This module provides an overview of Hyper-V and virtualization. It explains how to install Hyper-V, and how to configure storage and networking on Hyper-V host servers. Additionally, it explains how to configure and manage Hyper-V virtual machines.
- Overview of Hyper-V
- Installing Hyper-V
- Configuring storage on Hyper-V host servers
- Configuring networking on Hyper-V host servers
- Configuring Hyper-V virtual machines
- Managing Hyper-V virtual machines
Module 6: Deploying and managing Windows Server and Hyper-V containers
This module provides and overview of containers in Windows Server 2016. Additionally, this module explains how to deploy Windows Server and Hyper-V containers. It also explains how to install, configure, and manage containers by using Docker.
- Overview of containers in Windows Server 2016
- Deploying Windows Server and Hyper-V containers
- Installing, configuring, and managing containers by using Docker
Module 7: Overview of high availability and disaster recovery
This module provides an overview of high availability and high availability with failover clustering in Windows Server 2016. It further explains how to plan high availability and disaster recovery solutions with Hyper-V virtual machines. Additionally, this module explains how to back up and restore the Windows Server 2016 operating system and data by using Windows Server Backup.
- Defining levels of availability
- Planning high availability and disaster recovery solutions with Hyper-V virtual machines
- Backing up and restoring by using Windows Server Backup
- High availability with failover clustering in Windows Server 2016
Module 8: Implementing and managing failover clustering
This module explains how to plan for failover clustering. It also explains how to create, manage, and troubleshoot a failover cluster.
- Planning a failover cluster
- Creating and configuring a new failover cluster
- Maintaining a failover cluster
- Troubleshooting a failover cluster
- Implementing site high availability with stretch clustering
Module 9: Implementing failover clustering for Hyper-V virtual machines
This module describes how Hyper-V integrates with failover clustering. It also explains how to implement Hyper-V virtual machines (VMs) in failover clusters.
- Overview of the integration of Hyper-V Server 2016 with failover clustering
- Implementing Hyper-V VMs on failover clusters
- Key features for VMs in a clustered environment
Module 10: Implementing Network Load Balancing
This module provides an overview of NLB clusters. It also explains how to plan and configure an NLB cluster implementation.
- Overview of NLB
- Configuring an NLB cluster
- Planning an NLB implementation
Module 11: Creating and managing deployment images
This module provides an overview of the Windows Server 2016 image deployment process. It also explains how to create and manage deployment images by using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT). Additionally, it describes different workloads in the virtual machine environment.
- Introduction to deployment images
- Creating and managing deployment images by using MDT
- Virtual machine environments for different workloads
Module 12: Managing, monitoring, and maintaining virtual machine installations
This module provides an overview on Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and the requirements to implement WSUS. It explains how to manage the update process with WSUS. Additionally, this module provides an overview of Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) and Windows Server 2016 monitoring tools. Finally, this module describes how to use Performance Monitor, and how to manage event logs.
- WSUS overview and deployment options
- Update management process with WSUS
- Overview of Windows PowerShell DSC
- Overview of Windows Server 2016 monitoring tools
- Using Performance Monitor
- Monitoring Event Logs
This course is intended for IT professionals who have some experiencing working with Windows Server, and who are looking for a single five-day course that covers storage and compute technologies in Windows Server 2016. This course will help them update their knowledge and skills related to storage and compute for Windows Server 2016.
Candidates suitable for this course would be:
- Windows Server administrators who are relatively new to Windows Server administration and related technologies, and who want to learn more about the storage and compute features in Windows Server 2016.
- IT professionals with general IT knowledge, who are looking to gain knowledge about Windows Server, especially around storage and compute technologies in Windows Server 2016.
The secondary audience for this course are IT professionals looking to take the Microsoft 70-740 certification exam, Installation, Storage and Compute with Windows Server 2016.
Before attending this course, students must have:
- A basic understanding of networking fundamentals.
- An awareness and understanding of security best practices.
- An understanding of basic AD DS concepts.
- Basic knowledge of server hardware.
- Experience supporting and configuring Windows client operating systems such as Windows 8 or Windows 10.
Additionally, students would benefit from having some previous Windows Server operating system experience, such as experience as a Windows Server systems administrator.