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Jacques Cousteau Centennial: What He Did, Why He Matters
Marking Cousteau's hundredth anniversary—five successes, one great legacy.
The late Jacques Cousteau's hundredth birthday is inspiring headlines and, Friday morning, a Google doodle—perhaps the ultimate Internet accolade.
Why is the ocean explorer such a legend? Here are five good reasons.
1. Jacques Cousteau pioneered scuba gear.
With his iconic red beanie and famed ship Calypso, the French marine explorer, inventor, filmmaker, and conservationist sailed the world for much of the late 20th century, educating millions about the Earth's oceans and its inhabitants—and inspiring their protection.
Little of it would have been possible without scuba gear, which Cousteau pioneered when in World War II he, along with engineer Emile Gagnan, co-created the Aqua-Lung, a twin-hose underwater breathing apparatus.
With the Aqua-Lung, Cousteau and his crew were able to explore and film parts of the ocean depths that had never been seen before.
(Get the inside story of Jacques Cousteau's adventures with the National Geographic Society.)
2. Cousteau's underwater documentaries brought a new world to viewers.
Jacques Cousteau's pioneering underwater documentaries—including the Oscar-winning films The Silent World, The Golden Fish, and World Without Sun—"had a storyline," said Clark Lee Merriam, a spokesperson for the Cousteau Society.
"Their message was 'Come with me and look at this wonderful thing and see how it acts and behaves,'" said Merriam, who had worked with Cousteau for nearly 20 years before the explorer died in 1997.
"It was a deep and complete introduction for the general public to the undersea world."
(Download wallpaper of Jacques Cousteau underwater and deploying a "diving saucer.")
3. Cousteau pioneered underwater base camps.
Jacques Cousteau and his team created the first underwater habitat for humans: Conshelf I, which begat Conshelf II and III. The habitats could house working oceanauts for weeks at a time.
"He was ahead of even the United States Navy, which was doing the same thing in proving people could live and operate underwater for extended periods of time," Merriam said.
Broadly speaking, "it's technology that industry uses now, because it's a lot less expensive to keep someone down there working than to have them down there for 30 minutes and come back up," she said.
4. Cousteau helped restrict commercial whaling.
Cousteau "intervened personally with heads of state and helped get the numbers necessary for the [International Whaling] Commission to pass the moratorium" on commercial whaling in 1986, Merriam said.
The moratorium remains in place today, though some countries still hunt whales in the name of scientific research.
5. Cousteau helped stop underwater dumping of nuclear waste.
Cousteau organized a popular campaign against a French-government plan to dump nuclear waste into the Mediterranean Sea in 1960—and took his fight straight to the president of the republic.
Cousteau "faced off with General de Gualle in France about the proposed dumping, and he continued to oppose nuclear power," Merriam said.
"He acknowledged that it was a clean power source and full of possibilities but felt that—as long as we're dealing with waste that we don't know how to handle—we should not pursue it."
In the end, the train carrying the waste turned back after women and children staged a sit-in on the tracks.
Jacques Cousteau, Late-Blooming Environmentalist
Cousteau's films and books could make the ocean seem like a boundless and bountiful wonderland, bursting with life and blessedly isolated. But the captain himself knew better.
"He thought it was a conceit of humans that the oceans are endless and that we can keep turning to them as an unending source of food and anything else we wanted," Merriam said.
By all accounts, Cousteau was not always an ardent environmentalist, nor was he always particularly sensitive to the creatures he was filming in the beginning. "He started out as a spear fisherman and a world explorer, not a guardian," Merriam said.
Merriam points to a "horrific" scene in The Silent World in which the Calypso collides with a baby sperm whale. Believing the animal to be near death, the crew shoots the animal—then also shoots sharks that attack the now dead whale.
Merriam remembers when The Silent World was remastered about 20 years ago. "Everyone in the organization said we have to cut out these really ugly scenes that show all of this bad behavior."
But "Cousteau said, 'No, no we're not. It was true, and it shows how far we've come and how dreadful humans can be if we don't curtail ourselves,'" she recalled.
Jacques Cousteau Legacy Endures
If Cousteau were alive today, he would probably be saddened by how little has been done to address pollution, overfishing, and other threats to the world's oceans, said Bill Eichbaum, vice president of marine and Arctic policy at World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an international conservation organization.
(Read why Jacques Cousteau would be "heartbroken" at our seas today—commentary by his son Jean-Michel.)
But Cousteau wouldn't be discouraged, said Eichbaum, who worked with Cousteau briefly during the 1970s.
"He would be passionately concerned, and I think, even more articulate and aggressive in urging governments, companies, and individuals to protect the environment," he said.
For her part, the Cousteau Society's Merriam said, "We miss the visionary, and we're glad he set us on the path that we're trying to keep on."


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Even with so many nonprofits shifting toward online marketing, the latest DMA Response Rate Report shows that direct mail remains seven times as effective as all digital fundraising channels combined. With a brand-new campaign, US Presort is helping nonprofits learn how an integrated approach bridge the gap between direct mail and Internet-focused marketing, providing the benefits of both and more.
For a recent annual appeal campaign, the US Presort approach produced a 78 percent surge in donations, thanks to combining the immediacy of direct mail with a full suite of powerful digital marketing tools like personalized URLs and landing pages. With a fact-filled brochure going out now to nonprofits nationwide, those interested can also learn more at the US Presort website at uspresort.com.
"The world of nonprofit fundraising is still evolving quickly, and that has many wondering how best to proceed," said US Presort CEO Milena Marguenski. "While there's no denying the value of strategic digital marketing in the modern fundraising environment, direct mail remains an extremely effective tool that should never be overlooked. Instead of pushing forward with uncoordinated efforts on two separate fronts, nonprofits today do far better to make use of integrated marketing services that smoothly bridge the gap between them. We're already opening some eyes to this with our new campaign, and we hope to make a difference for many more."
With over 20,000 successful projects to its credit, US Presort is one of the country's leading direct marketing companies. A proven, simple, four-step process consistently guides clients to measurable, cost-effective direct marketing outcomes, with US Presort providing all the required services at industry-leading levels of quality and responsiveness. From concept and list targeting to design, production, and execution through direct mail and web, the fully integrated US Presort approach to direct marketing produces results that no competitor can match.
The company's new campaign will help nonprofit fundraisers, marketers, decision makers and others understand how this form of marketing can benefit their own organizations. Visitors to the US Presort website at can learn more about the company's unique approach to direct marketing and are invited to submit any questions.
About US Presort:
With a full range of services that all contribute to measurable, highly cost-effective direct marketing results, US Presort helps clients cut costs, improve returns on investment, and succeed with campaigns of any kind or scale.

subset: commoncrawl


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I met with a lawyer a couple of weeks ago in a small town about two hours outside of the Twin Cities. Our conversation turned to operating a law firm in a small town and the lawyer told me two things I probably knew but did not really appreciate. One was a complaint about how difficult it is to attract new lawyers to join law firms in rural areas. The other was the lawyer's prediction that in the next ten years, half the lawyers in her quarter of the state were going to retire from the practice of law.
That prediction probably is not unique to Minnesota. New lawyers unable to find a job in a major American city may want to broaden their job searches beyond their local beltways.
There are many benefits to practicing in a smaller community. First off, there is plenty of work to do. All those farms you pass as you drive that two-lane road into the country? That farmland is worth several thousand dollars an acre in many areas. Those farm families need estate plans, contracts, and business advice. There are teachers, small business owners, bankers, and other professionals as well. The folk in small towns sometimes get divorced, commit the occasional DWI, and get in car accidents. They need local lawyers and they do not want to pay for some lawyer from the city to drive out to the rural courthouse to represent them. They need trusted advisors they can form life-long professional relationships with. That could be you.
Not sure what area of practice is best for you? In small towns, many lawyers are generalists. They take a variety of cases and get experience in multiple areas. Eager to get inside a courtroom? You may get more opportunities in a small town than you would as an associate in the big city.
The economics can work as well. The cost of housing may be less than half of what you would find in a major city. Your mortgage could be so small that even with your law school debt you would have less overall debt than you would have living in the city.
I know, you could never give up the city. You would miss the theater, even though you only go once or twice a year. Where would you shop? (Although you do most of your shopping online nowadays.) A small town only has one movie theater! (Of course, you stream most of the movies you see through Netflix.) These fears of cultural isolation may be just that — fears. The lawyer I met with told me that she and her colleagues are simply more intentional about going to the city for entertainment and probably do so more than city-folk. Many people in the city think nothing of traveling three hours each way in the summer to go up to the family cabin; rural residents just do a "reverse commute" to attend sporting events, concerts, and other big city attractions. I have a client who lives 2½ hours from Minneapolis and has seasons tickets to the Minnesota Twins.
Granted, there are some impediments. If you are single, it may be harder to find a mate in a smaller community. Even if you are married, your spouse may not be able to find suitable work in the same area. But rural lawyers love to tell you how nice it is to raise children in a small town, where they can ride their bikes to every friend's house and you know the parents of all of their playmates.
Quite frankly, rural lawyers probably do not want you to just show up for two or three years and then pack your bags and go back to the city. But there is always the possibility that once you get out to the country, you might like it and stay. There is risk in any venture, whether it is joining a big firm or starting your own practice. In tough economic times like these, some new lawyers may want to open their minds to a different type of risk and go west — or north, or south, or east — to find a job beyond their urban dreams.
The post How To Become A Small Town Lawyer appeared first on Lawyerist.com.


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GQ is revealing its picks for its annual "Men of the Year" issue one by one, and yesterday's announcement came with a little gender bending surprise: Kristen Wiig is the Bro of the Year! Yay! Women in comedy have finally arrived! Oh, wait, it's accompanied by a picture of Wiig in sexy black lingerie? I guess women have arrived, but their luggage got lost or something. Or they've arrived in one of those stress dreams where everyone else is wearing clothes except for them.
The write up accompanying the pictorial evidence that Wiig is indeed hot enough to chill with the bros fawns over her talent and hilarity; it was penned by the incomparable Jon Hamm. Hamm reflects on the non-fun involved in shooting the awkward Bridesmaids sex scene between Wiig and him, but also on her surprising shyness,
For a lot of comics, there's a persona they're not comfortable revealing unless they're performing. Kristen is incredibly shy; she has her hoodie pulled up and her sleeves pulled over her hands. But this is a woman who wore coconuts on her tits on SNL; she can go to the craziest, most grotesque places on the planet in character. Kristen came late to performing, and the way she rose through the ranks speaks both to her drive and to her wild talent.
Aw. Don't you just want to hug Jon Hamm?
It's great that Wiig's being recognized for her comedic contributions, but I have a dream that one day ladies can be considered ladybros without having to show their ladylumps.
Kristen Wiig is hilarious, and for all intents and purposes she's got a body that she's got no problem showing off and GQ is a magazine for straight men who like looking at ladies in their unmentionables, and, you know, fine. But naming Wiig "Bro of the Year" and then featuring her in a sexylady configuration poses questions that even Hamm's glowing writeup can't quell. For example: why is the bro of the year wearing even less clothing than Mila Kunis, GQ's Knockout of the Year? And why do none of the men who won awards feel compelled to pose in their skivvies? Maybe some of them have really enviable muscles? Is a ladybro simply a less hot but also less annoying to hang out with version of the knockout? Guess I have a lot to learn about the intricacies of the sacred path to brodom.


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Filey Properties are pleased to offer this wonderful 2 bedroom property. Property benefits from fitted kitchen, large bedrooms, laminate floor, gas central heating, double glazing. Property will be offered part furnished. The property is available from the 10th January 2023. 1 parking space shall come with the flat.
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This covers damages or defaults on the part of the tenant during the tenancy.
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This covers damages or defaults on the part of the tenant during the tenancy.
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Tenants are liable to the actual cost of replacing any lost key(s) or other security device(s). If the loss results in locks needing to be changed, the actual costs of a locksmith, new lock and replacement keys for the tenant, landlord any other persons requiring keys will be charged to the tenant. If extra costs are incurred there will be a charge of £15 per hour (inc. VAT) for the time taken replacing lost key(s) or other security device(s).
Variation of Contract (Tenant's Request) — £50 (inc. VAT) per agreed variation.
To cover the costs associated with taking landlord's instructions as well as the preparation and execution of new legal documents.
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Please ask a member of staff if you have any questions about our fee.
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After seeing the results of my cooking time poll, most folks had 30
minutes or less to cook dinner. I've been hearing this over and over
so I'm going to categorize which meals take 30 minutes or less to pull
together. This recipe is tagged Minute Meals as I hope to help you
create a fast meal with whole ingredients. I hope to go back into
recipes I've already posted and tag them too so you can find a whole
list of possibilities. Feel free to email me and ask for specific
foods. I love a challenge!
OK, these tasted much better than they looked. I didn't have time to make my own tortillas so I grabbed a package from the freezer. This means they will break apart and not roll up very well even when I preheat them. If you eat these regularly and keep them in the refrigerator you'll have better luck when rolling. Also, heat them up in the microwave a little and they will become more pliable.
I like to serve this with the Creamy Tomatillo Salsa on the side and chips. Love those tomatillos. If you are a fan of cheese add that to the filling.
To make this fast you need to either have already made your refried
beans and salsa, (keeps ingredients under your control) or use pre-made
from the store. If there are foods like beans and salsa that you like
to cook with make them yourself. Most are very easy and will not take
a lot of time, especially if you have a crockpot. It cooks while you
do something else.
corn tortillas
1-2 cups cooked chicken seasoned with ancho chili pepper, cumin, onion powder to taste
1-2 cups Refried beans
Tomatillo salsa
Place a little salsa in the bottom of the pan so your tortillas won't stick. I find that works better than oil but you could use oil instead. Assemble the enchiladas by spooning on some of the refried beans and chicken into the corn tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place seem side down. When you have filled the container with enchiladas, spoon the salsa on top. Cover the container with foil and place in a 375 degree preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes.
The tricky part is getting them in tact out of the pan and onto your plate. Two big spatulas helps. Top off with your favorite salsa and dinner is served.


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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'evil1 tweeters & evil6.5 mids'.
Found 1 result
NEM's Evilinator!!
nem posted a topic in Team SSALets get this build log started! I was debating a new build back in October, but with the haunt and buying the new building, well I had to put it off until now. What funded this build was, in my very little free time I clean saltwater aquariums and have been saving that money for a few months. I was undecided which way I wanted to go, but after talking to Aaron I decided to go with SSA subs. I have never been part of the team until now, but I have always promoted SSA in a positive manor. I decided on 2 18" XCONS sealed. The box is 54"x22"x22.75" total net vol after disp and bracing is about 11.6 cubes. Now for the pictures and yes this may be picture heavy.


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That One Privacy Guy's – Guide to Choosing the Best VPN (for you)
Disclaimer: The below guide is my opinion, which I will try to provide as many examples for and as much evidence as possible to support. I reference my VPN Comparison Chart throughout much of this post, not so much for shameless self promotion, but because I believe it to be a solid resource to determine if a VPN meets your criteria and to assist you in deciding which is best for you. Much of this guide is relevant and therefore repeated in the other guides I have on That One Privacy Site. If you just want an ELI5, read the bolded segments throughout the guide for the highlights. If you want to go down the rabbit hole on this topic, read on, and buckle up – this is going to be long.
The following is intended to be a detailed guide to answer the question, "How do I choose the best VPN (for me)?" The reason this is a hard thing to help people with, is that their needs and level of technical knowledge vary greatly – there is no one perfect VPN, they all have at least some flaws and some will just flat out be better for different people.
I very well might have forgotten to add a section I intended to, said something that needs clarification, or was just sleepy when I wrote parts of this guide, so I intend to update and expand it as needed.
I'm assuming that if you're reading this far, you have at least SOME knowledge as to the basics of what a VPN is, so I won't cover that here. This will be heavily emphasizing the need of a VPN for privacy, but I will echo and expand on other use cases as well towards the end.
No matter what reason you want a VPN, you want to know that the service you choose is trustworthy and is not compromising your data. Even if you're only concerned with geo-unblocking or other non-privacy uses, keep reading. I'll get more into this in the "Privacy" section, but it's important for everyone to be exposed to it at least a little.
A preface regarding privacy and trust, from a Reddit thread I made a while back. This applies to every company, but I would suggest especially so for VPNs.
We live in a society where privacy is undervalued and under assault daily. Some people eventually notice this and discover that they do value their own. They set out on a pilgrimage of sorts to educate themselves and learn about tools to help them protect it (as I did when I started my project). Because we depend on each other for direction and others to write software and run services to help keep us secure – TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY – are paramount.
However, transparency comes before trust.
You may have started your search for a VPN by looking for "VPN Reviews" in your search engine of choice. if you had, you would have gotten page upon page of what seem to be harmless review sites, top 10 or blog style reviews of different VPN services. You may even be coming here for confirmation of what you were told on those sites. The sites making these recommendations are, in almost every case, paid by the services they review and recommend. They are beginning their business relationship with you, with what essentially amounts to a lie. The technical term for this kind of marketing is "native advertising" and it's abuse is a huge problem in the VPN industry.
I purposefully made a point to capture this kind of data on my VPN Comparison Chart. There you can find information on services that have affiliate programs, the specific policies they have for them and whether or not the affiliates act ethically, essentially what the services tolerate from those representing them, when it comes to persuading YOU to buy into the information they put out.
Note that not all affiliates have to be bad actors and simply having an affiliate program is not necessarily grounds for mistrust of a VPN, but rather when those services allow their resellers to generate referrals by hook or by crook. If you see a service appear over and over again on the kinds of sites mentioned above, there is a good chance they are making money from, and are perfectly okay with these kinds of deceptive practices as a part of their business model. They often will claim that it's just the affiliate doing this, and that they can't control what others do. This is false. Affiliates, like anyone entering into a business relationship with someone, agree to certain terms put forth by the service hiring them. If a company doesn't expect and enforce certain standards from their affiliates (not spamming, not breaking copyright, disclosing who they are, etc), they are approving these methods, and are not worthy of your trust. If they are willing to lie to you before you even buy into their service, the stage is set for them to be dishonest with you when you interact with them on a normal basis as a customer.
- a. More on Trust
As a lawyer represents your legal interests, a VPN service (among others) represents your privacy interests. If a lawyer does something to violate your trust or is not honest about some aspect of their representation that could affect you, you would discard them and you'd be right to do so. Likewise with a VPN service. There are many out there that are not worth your time or money. Unlike a lawyer, a VPN can be put together and promoted by anyone with access to a computer, the key difference being that you would never even see their face.
If you are looking for a VPN for privacy purposes, you already believe you cannot trust certain parties. Those parties might be companies whose websites you visit or maybe even an oppressive government whose mass surveillance is encroaching on your rights. You are being put in a position where you must rely on someone other than yourself for protection and the last thing you need is one more party that you can't trust.
This decision is an important one, and not just any VPN service is worthy of that trust. You're trusting them to know what they're doing – to be able to operate a competent service that will protect your privacy. You are trusting them to be responsive to new technical and geopolitical threats to their operation. You're trusting them to be honest with you in the way they do business so that when you are shopping and comparing, you are getting accurate information.
- b. More on Affiliates
In the main section at the beginning of this guide, I talked about affiliate practices, so I will only briefly mention it here. If you choose a company with an affiliate program, choose one that expects and enforces good behavior from their reselling partners. You can usually read their affiliate terms on their site. If they are not publicly visible, they should respond with this information when asked. If not, or if they play games with you, look elsewhere. More information on affiliate policies and behavior can be found on my VPN Comparison Chart.
- c. Jurisdiction
In the last few years, certain revelations have been made manifest regarding the mass surveillance programs of various countries around the globe. These countries are known as the five, nine, and fourteen eyes. These countries not only spy on their own citizens where they can get away with it, but they spy on each others, and swap notes to bypass governmental restrictions on power. If a service, or the people who run a service is based in one of these countries, it's not unreasonable to expect that they may be susceptible to unlawful searches and compromises made in the name of national security. That said, if your threat model includes protection from such actions, choosing a company incorporated outside of these jurisdictions probably would not be adequate to protect you – as such actors have vast resources, and if singled out, you would need to worry about more than your VPN (by relying on other tools such as Tor, Tails, paying very close attention to your opsec, etc). Where the servers you're connecting to and the people who operate / have control of them are located are more important than where a company is incorporated, to protect yourself from government overreach
Other countries are not part of the spy collaboration mentioned above, but still have issues with government limitations on internet freedom and free speech. Avoid countries with limited internet freedom. The degree of internet freedom a country has can also be found under "jurisdiction" on my sheet.
- d. Logging
When you connect to a VPN service, you are essentially just adding one more stop along your route to the open internet. The VPN is a "man in the middle" who you are trusting with the traffic and connection data that is being generated in the background as you use the internet. Some VPN companies choose to log this data. There are many reasons for doing so, some more legitimate than others. Some services record this to protect themselves legally in the case they are approached by authorities. Some companies keep minimal connection logs to aid them in maintaining servers. Some will even sell your data to third parties as part of their business model. If your concern is privacy, you most likely do not want your browsing habits and connection data being recorded. Choose a service that specifically states that they do not keep logs, AND which types they do not keep. Make sure they do not keep ANY kind of activity or connection log Many services claim to not keep logs, but are vague, and upon closer inspection actually do keep certain types, so be wary of such promises until you've confirmed it for yourself in their respective terms and privacy policies.
- e. Payments and Communication
Assuming privacy is your priority, when you go to pay for your VPN service, there are many methods available, but only a few worth consideration. Services that offer the ability to pay by Crypto Currency, cash, or misc gift cards are the best way to ensure that you are kept as anonymous as possible. if these services require more personal information than an email address, look the other direction – this is information they're recording about you that may be used at best to sell to third parties, at worst to later identify you.
Some services offer a PGP key for additional privacy. This is a nice thing to have if you want to be able to communicate with them using encryption.
- f. Protocols
There are many different kinds of VPN protocols that allow you to establish a tunnel with your service provider – some more secure than others. Certain protocols are documented to have been compromised. Others are free and open source, and as such are freely available for security experts to audit and improve. The free availability of the source code helps to ensure that vulnerabilities are patched quickly and that individuals so inclined can see exactly how their software is working. Choose a VPN that supports OpenVPN and use it to connect to your VPN server. Avoid using other protocols, specifically PPTP as its not suited for privacy.
- g. DNS and IPv6 Leaks
Throughout the course of using the internet, your computer sends and receives a lot of data that isn't visible to you, the user. When you type in a web address, a request is sent to a server that is usually operated by your ISP. When you connect to the internet using a VPN, this responsibility is now on them. If they don't take certain actions, this request containing info for the site your want to visit is being sent to THEIR ISP instead. This may not be as bad as it going through yours, but as I mentioned logging above – if the company in question even keeps certain logs, there is a chance that the sites you try to visit can be correlated with the timestamps of when such a request is sent. As an alternative, some use public DNS servers, such as google's, which is not ideal for privacy. Choose a VPN service that maintains their own first party DNS server that won't leak – then TEST IT TO MAKE SURE.
When using the internet, you connect to IP addresses. Traditionally, IPv4 is used to accomplish this (you may have seen numbers in the past like 18.104.22.168 or 126.96.36.199, etc). There is another standard that will some day be more prevalent, called IPv6, but that is being used now during the time it transitions into normal configurations (vastly more IPv6 numbers exist than IPv4). When you connect and use the internet (unless you have specifically taken steps to disable it), you are sending and receiving IPv6 data. Again, normally, this data is sent and resolved through your ISP and their DNS servers, but unless properly configured, this information might not be securely passing through the VPN tunnel and could be leaking to the open internet. Given such routed global IPv6 addresses, it's easy for remote sites to identify user ISPs. And with requisite authority, account information could be obtained from those ISPs. Choose a VPN service that either blocks or provides new VPN-specific IPv6 address and provides an IPv6 DNS server that's reachable only through the VPN tunnel – then TEST IT TO MAKE SURE.
- h. Encryption and other Features
Around 1440 AD, the Printing Press was invented. It created a method for the common person to quickly disperse information, technologically reinforcing the natural right to freely speak and share information. More recently the internet allows billions to freely and openly share ideas and advance humanity. This reaffirmed the common person's rights in such a way that was difficult for governments or organizations to stifle. Similarly, until the invention of firearms, only those physically capable could defend themselves from those that wished to encroach on their rights, thus this technological advancement reinforced the individual's right to self defense. This brings us to Computerized Encryption. As with the other technological advancements mentioned above, Encryption provides a simple-to-use method that the average user can take advantage of to reinforce their right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Choose a VPN service that has strong data and handshake encryption. Make sure the protocol you choose has the level of advertised encryption available to it, as services typically provide more than one protocol with varying levels of encryption strength. The VPN Comparison Chart can help you determine what is considered strong by the color coding on these fields. Be sure that even if the service has the type of encryption you want available BY DEFAULT – some services will technically offer strong encryption, but it has to be manually configured (not user friendly).
Optionally, depending on your use case and threat model, you may be interested in making sure Authenticated SMTP (to send email) and P2P (to file share, download, use Bitcoin, etc) are not blocked on your VPN's servers
- i. Websites and your Privacy
When you start to search for services and are browsing on their websites, there are some additional items you may want to consider. Speaking of trust and privacy – some companies will use tracking cookies to determine how to best serve you ads, which other sites you've been to, and some will even phone home with specific personal information. Best case, this is an abuse of power by companies stretching the limits of their ideas on how to gather this info, worst case, it can be used to intentionally violate your privacy and tie your device back to the site and activity performed on it. Choose a company that respects your privacy enough to use few if any persistent or external tracking cookies. If they are already violating your privacy the moment you visit their site, you have no assurance that they will take your privacy seriously after hiring them to represent your interests. Available for years, https allows websites to entirely encrypt all data sent and received with the user, effectively blocking out those that might try spying on such web traffic. Choose a service that encrypts their website with an SSL Certificate. Additionally, CloudFlare, Incapsula, and similar services have recently become popular with websites for their DDoS protection and dynamic bandwidth scaling. However, these services act as an additional man in the middle between your VPN's website and you. In the wrong hands, the information they collect and have access to about your VPN's website, and your interaction with it, could be compromised. Avoid VPNs that use CloudFlare, Incapsula, and other such services.
Many of the points made above are relevant to security as well as privacy, and I will point some out below.
Jurisdiction, specifically Enemies of the Internet are important to be aware of, to ensure an environment where laws are enforced and physical security that we take for granted in some parts of the world are applicable to the servers we communicate with. This also helps indicate that our service and the servers we connect to are located in places that respect internet freedom. This information can be found on the Comparison Chart and confirmed on Reporters Without Borders' Website.
IPv6 should be specifically tunnelled or blocked outright the same as with the privacy scenario above.
First party DNS servers, as mentioned above, are ideal for preventing leaks of your data.
Both data and handshake encryption should be strong and available for the protocol you choose (which again, should not be PPTP). Other protocols are probably secure enough for daily use. Note that no protocol is bulletproof and exploits probably exist and are discoverable for each and every one of them. Such exploits are even more discoverable by governments with vast amounts of resources.
If your only concern is escaping geoblocks, your needs are far less numerous. Being able to connect to an exit node in the country of your choice is really the only requirement. This doesn't mean necessarily however that you want to neglect the proper security measures discussed above, only that for things like Netflix, Hulu, certain TV online channels and sporting events, they are less important if un-geoblocking is ALL you're trying to do, almost anything will work, HOWEVER – if Privacy and Security are of any concern whatsoever, heed the advice above and know that un-geoblocking will virtually always come naturally when shopping for those needs (as long as required server availability is a feature of your chosen VPN)
Some parts of the world are resisting the ever-growing ability for their citizens to freely share information and as such have implemented roadblocks in their networking infrastructure to cripple such communication. For example, the "Great Firewall of China" has several layers of VPN detection and blocking built into it. Other networks belonging to large corporations or maybe even your Internet Service Provider may restrict you from using certain ports, limiting what you can use the internet for. However, there are ways to get around these restrictions by using the right VPN.
Features such as multihop, TCP port 443, Obfsproxy, SOCKS, SSL tunnels, SSH tunnels, and some other proprietary solutions (which may be built specifically by a given VPN company) can be useful in avoiding these restrictions. As for which are most effective, it's a matter of which restriction is being inflicted upon the user. Speak with your VPN service's support team to determine which might be effective in your case. The VPN Comparison Chart shows which services support which of these protocols and features in their configuration. Using TCP port 443 is usually a relatively common and user-friendly measure to bypass a restrictive/oppressive network.
Kill switches – Many VPN services offer in their client a feature called a "Kill switch". The idea with a Kill Switch is that when the VPN loses its connection, it completely prevents the device from using internet, thus preventing accidental leaks of local connection data. Kill Switches are implemented very differently and will never be secure due to their design. The only 100% effective and secure configuration to accomplish prevention of leaks is a properly configured firewall. There are two main types of kill switches, those that shut down preconfigured apps in response to detecting the VPN connection has dropped and those that disable the network connection (or delete routes etc) if they detect a disconnection. In both of these cases the Kill Switch component is having to react to an event and very often leads to leaks – just a single packet is all it takes to compromise your privacy. The only way to be absolutely certain that packets cannot leak is for there to be an independent component (the Firewall) that blocks all packets unless destined for the VPN interface.
Warrant Canaries – Some VPN services maintain a document called a "Warrant Canary". This is a document put out and updated by them certifying that they have not been contacted by government agencies or coerced to compromise their user's data. In theory, if such an event occurred forcing them to compromise their principles, they would stop updating the canary, which in turn would indicate to users that their data is no longer private. Note that not all companies use effective warrant canaries. There is some debate as to the effectiveness of a warrant canary between experts to begin with – as force can be used by governments to coerce companies into maintaining them, thus nullifying their effectiveness. They are usually nothing more than marketing theater. If a company WAS operating a good canary, it would be almost impossible to tell. A warrant canary is almost a better feature to care about once you've found a trustworthy, capable service, rather than looking for a company that has one when shopping around.
I hope that this guide has been useful. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions – as usual you can contact me on using the contact info on the "contact" page of the site.
Written by That One Privacy Guy
If you like the project and find my work useful, please consider donating – your generous contributions help pay for the hosting, tools, and time I need to do my research and keep the data fresh.


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1355: Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice
5 comments April 17th, 2009 Headsman
On this date in 1355, Marino Faliero* was escorted to the spot where he had been crowned Doge of Venice scant months before. There, he was ceremoniously relieved of his robes of state … and then his head.
The Execution of Marino Faliero, by Eugene Delacroix (1827).
Some fog surrounds the day's proceedings, product not only of time but of the Doge's executioners' damnatio memoriae upon their victim. What was written was circumspect; even Faliero's portrait in the great hall of the Doge's Palace was veiled.
What is known — or at any rate, was admitted by the elderly first citizen — is that the ruler attempted a coup against the overweening power of Venice's great families.
The putsch was supposed to occur on April 15, with the bell of St. Mark's Cathedral tolling on a fabricated hue and cry. In the tumult, the Doge's supporters meant to cut down the nobles who flexed the real political muscle in the maritime republic and consolidate ducal power.
The salacious version has the old goat in a tiff with a noble, who made fun of his May-December marriage —
Marino Faliero of the beautiful wife,
Others enjoy her while he maintains her
A tribunal of fellow-nobles let the rascal off with a slap on the wrist.
Power being what it is, and princes and nobilities being born for conflict with one another across the centuries in Europe, one may as well discern a straightforward political intent — heightened, perhaps, by the then-dire state of Venice's naval contest with Genoa.
Downright Byronic under either scenario … and Byron wrote a play about Faliero. The doomed ruler gives throat to quite a magnificent curse upon his city, with all the foresight of Byron's half-millennium of hindsight:
I perish, but not unavenged; far ages
Float up from the abyss of time to be,
And show these eyes, before they close, the doom
Of this proud city, and I leave my curse
On her and hers for ever! —
— She shall be bought
And sold, and be an appanage to those
Who shall despise her! — She shall stoop to be
A province for an empire, petty town
In lieu of capital, with slaves for senates,
Beggars for nobles, panders for a people!
Amidst thy many murders, think of mine!
Thou den of drunkards with the blood of princes!
Gehenna of the waters! thou sea Sodom!
Thus I devote thee to the infernal gods!
Thee and thy serpent seed!
[Here the Doge turns, and addresses the executioner.]
Slave, do thine office!
Strike as I struck the foe! Strike as I would
Have struck those tyrants! Strike deep as my curse!
Strike — and but once!
This sort of thing knocking about among litterateurs in the 19th century practically guarantees an opera.
* Or simply "Marin Falier", in the Venetian dialect.
On this day..
- 1918: Bolo Pasha - 2020
- 1802: John Beatson and William Whalley, mail robbers - 2019
- 1922: Cemal Azmi, the butcher of Trabzon - 2018
- 1792: Three cadavers, to test the first guillotine - 2017
- 316 BCE: Olympias, mother of Alexander the Great - 2016
- 1635: Elizabeth Evans, "Canonbury Besse" - 2015
- 1954: Lucretiu Patrascanu, purged Romanian - 2014
- 1680: John Marketman, jealous chirurgeon - 2013
- 1689: William Bew, flatterer - 2012
- 1457: The Wallachian boyars - 2011
- 1222: An apostate deacon - 2010
- 1975: Long Boret, on Day One - 2008
Entry Filed under: 14th Century,Arts and Literature,Beheaded,Capital Punishment,Death Penalty,Execution,Heads of State,History,Infamous,Italy,Nobility,Politicians,Power,Public Executions,Scandal,Soldiers,Treason,Venice
Tags: 1350s, 1355, april 17, art, coup d'etat, doge's palace, eugene delacroix, Lord Byron, marin falier, marino faliero, opera, st. mark's cathedral, theater


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In 1905, Frank (Francis) Godwin started his art apprenticeship at the Washington Star. Later, during his studies, he became friends with James Montgomery Flagg. Thanks to Flagg's friendship, Frank Godwin started contributing to the major humor magazines. From 1908 onward, he became one of the most prolific comic artists and illustrators of the time.
Godwin did a lot of illustration work for various magazines. On 13 November 1927 Godwin started 'Connie' for the Ledger Syndicate, introducing book illustration style to the comics' section. 'Connie' was a liberated girl, who worked as a reporter, then a detective, and showed social conscience during the Great Depression. The strip ran until 1944.
'The Snake Pit', based on the novel by Mary Jane Ward (1946).
In the 1930s, Godwin additionally took up painting. In 1938, he took over the daily 'Roy Powers, Eagle Scout' comic from Kemp Starrett. The strip was called "the official strip of the boy scouts of America" and credited to a certain Paul Powell (presumably the writer). It appeared until 1942.
'Rusty Riley' (1948).
For King Features Syndicate, Godwin produced 'Rusty Riley' (1948) and illustrated comic adaptations from novels for the Book-of-the-Month feature. Godwin is also well-known for his advertising work, and his book illustrations, which include 'Treasure Island', 'Kidnapped', 'Robinson Crusoe', and 'King Arthur'. He died of a heart attack in 1959.
Frank Godwin was a strong influence on Jijé.
'Rusty Riley'.
'We the Living', novel by Ayn Rand.
'Rusty Riley' at Comic Art Ville site
Frank Godwin at Bud Plant website


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Pioneer Court will be the hub of activity between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. The city's emergency office is also on standby, making sure they're prepared for the large crowd. They're asking everyone coming down to the festival to be an extra set of eyes and ears, and if you see anything strange or unusual, to call 911.
While you watch the lights illuminate, the city's emergency management office will use cameras along the Magnificent Mile to look for trouble.
"Right now there are no credible threats to this event," said Gary Schenkel, executive director, Office of Emergency Management & Communication.
Schenkel says plenty of police will patrol the route and he says the city has met with federal law enforcement, too.
"We will do our very best to protect and ensure this is a good, safe, and fun event," said Schenkel.
The parade steps off at 5:30 p.m., travels east on Oak Street from Rush, and down Michigan Avenue to Wacker, where it turns east.
"It's just so magical. I mean, like you see all the lights just light up!" said Kelsey Glabowicz, Waukegan resident.
Barricades are up and several roads in the area will be closed. And watch out when you park, tow-zones are posted. If you're walking, you will not be able to cross the Michigan Avenue Bridge after 3:45 p.m.
"We're here from Ohio and we're here to shop, have a good time and see the parade," said Denise Armstrong.
Pioneer Court is ready for entertainment, too. This is a Chicago experience.
"Arizona you don't get to see this kind of stuff. It's just Christmas trees that are palm trees, and lights are on palm trees, and it's just like, not the same," said Jeremy Guire, visitor.
No, it's not. This is winter and the holidays in Chicago.
"You meet people in the crowd, everyone is happy, everyone is having a good time. And that's what it's all about," said Deloris Pacheco, Round Lake Beach.
Much of the entertainment will happen between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. The parade will take place between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., with fireworks planned for 6:55 p.m.
The event is a whole lot of fun, but it's also big business for Michigan Avenue retailers with sales this weekend expected to total about two-thirds of a typical Black Friday.
The stage is set and crews are ready for the unofficial kickoff of the holiday season in Chicago.
"It's real exciting to see Mickey lighting every light individually when it comes down Michigan Avenue. That's great. To see the kids' faces, real nice," said Marquita Hawkins.
It's a night the Mag Mile becomes even more spectacular. The parade featuring eye-popping balloons and plenty of music and dancing.
"We've got Debbie Gibson performing. We've got Megan and Liz. We've got Justin Roberts," said Joel Morales, Magnificent Mile Lights Festival spokesman.
The event usually draws about a million spectators and for retailers, it's a chance to add a week to the holiday shopping season.
"We're going to be getting a running start because Thanksgiving comes so late, so it's going to be very tight. But we look at this event as kicking things into high gear," said John Chikow, Greater North Michigan Avenue Association.
Last year, after the parade ended, a suburban doctor was stabbed in the neck during an attempted robbery in the bathroom of the Westin Hotel's restaurant, marring what is usually a family friendly-event.
"I'm sure the hotels will have probably enhanced security. . .But I would not let last year's event frighten anybody from coming downtown really enjoying what that festival is," said Jody Weis, Eyewitness News public safety expert.
Among those performing at the festival is the Coal City High School show choir. Despite that community suffering heavy storm damage earlier this week. Their appearance added more inspiration to an already-heartwarming event.
ABC7 will broadcast the event live from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. You can also watch it on the WATCH ABC live stream app, and will be available on-demand at abc7chicago.com.


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Ouaich, SMP is supported, and I am sure that ROSS's dual CPU modules are supported as you can see by yourself:
piou@ywing:~ > cat /proc/cpuinfo cpu : ROSS HyperSparc RT625 or RT626 fpu : ROSS HyperSparc combined IU/FPU promlib : Version 3 Revision 2 prom : 2.25 type : sun4m ncpus probed : 2 ncpus active : 2 Cpu0Bogo : 125.33 Cpu1Bogo : 125.33 MMU type : ROSS HyperSparc invall : 0 invmm : 0 invrnge : 0 invpg : 0 contexts : 4096 CPU0 : online CPU1 : online piou@ywing:~ >
The SparcStation 10 and SparcStations 20 are SMP capable computers and according to the FAQABOSS the following combinations are known to work :
And, as stated earlier, CPU modules in SparcStations 10 and can run a different clock speeds, the following ones __SHOULD__ work:
How does it performs? Well, it is fast, really fast. Some of the java
Demos can run faster on a dual HyperSparc 125Mhz 128MB (
ywing ) than on a dual
celeron BP6 433@433Mhz 192MB (
calimero ). The same applies for the Gimp. When it
comes to compiling
calimero runs faster than
ywing. Both computers
running 2.2.16 kernel and
calimero's hard disk subsystem is full SCSI.
One important detail when you plan to have different CPU modules in your computer is to have the same kind of modules, you cannot mix SuperSparc and HyperSparc for example, but you can have an odd number of CPUs, for example 3. They are said to be able to run modules at different clock speed as written in this article form AcesHardware , but I have not witnessed it.
ywing has been upgraded to quad-CPU. You can read the
kernel's message:
cpu : ROSS HyperSparc RT625 or RT626 fpu : ROSS HyperSparc combined IU/FPU promlib : Version 3 Revision 2 prom : 2.25 type : sun4m ncpus probed : 4 ncpus active : 4 Cpu0Bogo : 125.33 Cpu1Bogo : 125.33 Cpu2Bogo : 125.33 Cpu3Bogo : 125.33 MMU type : ROSS HyperSparc invall : 0 invmm : 0 invrnge : 0 invpg : 0 contexts : 4096 CPU0 : online CPU1 : online CPU2 : online CPU3 : online
and its main memory is now 256MB:
total: used: free: shared: buffers: cached: Mem: 263028736 29114368 233914368 22958080 1695744 12779520 Swap: 133849088 0 133849088 MemTotal: 256864 kB MemFree: 228432 kB MemShared: 22420 kB Buffers: 1656 kB Cached: 12480 kB BigTotal: 0 kB BigFree: 0 kB SwapTotal: 130712 kB SwapFree: 130712 kB
So I have performed an empirical
proftpd compilation test using the
make -JN. The results are:
with make real 3m27.466s user 3m15.670s sys 0m12.030s with make -j2 real 1m52.670s user 3m27.210s sys 0m15.310s with make -j3 real 1m22.560s user 3m43.910s sys 0m18.070s with make -j4 real 1m13.582s user 4m2.200s sys 0m22.830s with make -j5 real 1m13.445s user 4m4.060s sys 0m22.640s with make -j8 real 1m15.550s user 4m1.840s sys 0m22.960s with make -j 10 real 1m20.091s user 4m2.440s sys 0m22.170s
As expected the best results are with make -j5 ( one instance per CPU + one ready to enter when a cache miss occurs ); then N increasing the results are starting to worsen.
As a conclusion, those
sun4m SMP systems will be very
interesting when Gimp 2.0 will be available because of multitreading
and paralelization of algorithms.
If you want to learn more about SMP and Linux you can read the


text:
Microsoft formally announced its long-awaited $3,000 HoloLens development kit on Monday, which developers can buy as a testbed for holographic applications. But Microsoft has also announced its own games—yes, games!—and apps for the platform, some of which look pretty darn amazing.
The games complement Microsoft's own development tools, all of which can be found at Microsoft's developer site. (All of the apps are technically coded for Windows 10, but HoloLens-specific apps are referred to as Windows Holographic apps.) There, Microsoft has posted a number of videos and documentation, complete with a walkthrough on how to code a Holographic app for the HoloLens. You'll even find an entire HoloLens emulator to test code on.
But, just to show off what the HoloLens can do, there are also a few nifty apps and games—some of which we've seen before, and some which are brand new. Here they are.
Why this matters: Chances are that Microsoft developers have already had a chance to test out the hardware for themselves. But what can a polished, finished Holographic app for the HoloLens look like? Microsoft's demonstration apps will provide a bar for developers to clear.
HoloStudio was one of the original demonstrations during the January 2015 introduction of the HoloLens, so I've seen it live and in person. It looked incredibly polished then, as it does now. Think of HoloStudio as sort of a 3D object construction kit: You can import files from other apps, but also create your own using a lively, cartoonish interface. All of those models hover in the air, so you can walk around them and inspect them from any direction.
Skype Holographic
The Holographic version of Skype was another app that Microsoft showed off a year ago it was working then, so I have every reason to believe it will be an identically convincing experience now as well.
Last January, I used Skype as a communication tool to rewire an actual, physical light switch. I was able to "drag" the Skype window around, so I could interact with my guide directly or slide her to the side, so I could focus on the task in front of me. I was also able to share what I saw, so my Skype pal could highlight (with digital ink!) what I needed to accomplish. It was a powerful demonstration of Microsoft's augmented reality vision.
We don't know much about ActionGram, although some early developer code leaked out recently. Microsoft describes the app as a way to "blend holographic content into real world settings, allowing anybody to create emotionally compelling and humorous videos." Sounds a lot like Instagram, with holograms.
Microsoft didn't provide any illustrations of what HoloTour will do, but it appears to be a HoloLens-specific version of Google Earth or Bing Maps. Viewers will be virtually transported "to a different location and experience it like they are really there," according to a blog post by Kudo Tsunoda, Microsoft's corporate vice president responsible for the HoloLens. Examples include high-resolution 360-degree panoramic displays of places like Rome and Machu Picchu," he wrote.
But you just want to know what games you can play on it, right? Here they are.
Fragments looks fascinating. Microsoft describes it is a "a mixed reality crime drama that unfolds in your own environment,"—basically a version of a Sherlock Holmes drama where the suspects actually drop in for a visit at your home in 221B Baker St. What this means is that you'll experience virtual reality "characters" literally sitting on the couch next to you, talking about their experiences.
In the video explaining Fragments, the developers actually describe how they'll hide a virtual matchbox behind your coffee table. Because HoloLens can "map" your living room, it "knows" what surfaces characters can lean against, or a wall where it can superimpose a valve or safe. And that makes it even more lifelike."When your living room has been used as the set for a story, it generates memories for you of what digitally happened in your space like it was real," Tsunoda wrote.
So far, Fragments looks amazing.
Young Conker
Yep, it's the same Conker that battled a giant poo monster, only a virtual version. Hopefully he's a bit better behaved this time around.
But what makes this version of Conker special is that this platform game takes place in your living room—or your bedroom, or your office. "Unlike with traditional video games, where people play the same digitally created levels – Young Conker tailors each of the levels you play to your real world," Tsunoda writes. "This means every person gets a unique gameplay experience since each gamers real world environment is unique."
That means Conker can leap across your coffee table or climb your walls. I expect that HoloLens gamers will end up wandering from room to room and from building to building, constructing their own levels from physical objects.
Finally, there's RoboRaid, a game that Microsoft has shown off before. If you tuned into the Surface Book launch, you might remember Microsoft employees showed off a game where virtual robots burst from the walls. That's RoboRaid (formerly called Project X-Ray.), created by a team of 8 people over the course of 12 weeks—proof positive, according to Microsoft, that you don't need a big development house to make apps for HoloLens.
The one game that Microsoft didn't include was Minecraft, which it showed off a year ago and almost certainly will make an appearance in the future. But so far, what Microsoft has planned for the HoloLens looks extremely promising.


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A Wyoming Family Details How It Deals With DroughtA Wyoming Family Details How It Deals With Drought
A Wyoming ranch family chronicles its deliberations, decisions and goals, trying to make it work in a year ravaged by extreme drought.
August 29, 2012
By 5 a.m., my dad Tom can be found on the couch: pen, paper, calculator and notebook in one hand, a strong cup of coffee in the other. He steadfastly puts his ag economics degree to use, running the numbers on whatever latest idea he or another member of my family has come up with to survive the drought searing Eastern Wyoming this year.
As of mid July, Wyoming's largest salebarn, Torrington Livestock Market, reported sales up 940% compared to normal. The barn typically sells about 3,500 head in May, and this year sold 18,500 head. Normal June marketings are about 1,800 head, but were over 17,000 head this year. To date, the barn is up about 32,000 head from a year ago.
My family operates a cow-calf and yearling operation in Niobrara County, a semi-arid region of the state that generally receives less than 12 in. of precipitation annually. In addition to our livestock operation, we own a hay- and cattle-hauling business, and a mobile record and document destruction business. I also do writing and photography work. All these additional businesses are based on the ranch, and, by 6 a.m., my dad's figuring for the morning will be interrupted by a flood of phone calls from folks selling cattle and needing a truck, looking for hay, or wanting paper shredded.
Family is top priority
Family is number one to us, and we all work together to make our multi-faceted operation work. As a family, we have discussed and identified a number of goals for our ranch, the topmost one being to pay it off, regardless of any challenges we face. Another objective in our outfit is to look for ways to positively change and grow, and to improve our efficiency; we see 2012 as a year that will certainly highlight areas in which we can improve.
During the region's last dry streak, from 2000 to 2009, adding the hay- and livestock-hauling business was one way we paid for hauling our own feed. Grass is all we grow here, and my dad's goal when he started trucking was to be able to haul enough for others to pay for the feed we suddenly had to haul for our own cows, and it did. That was huge for us.
Over time, dad built such a customer base that my brother Kyle joined the trucking business, which also enabled him to return to the family operation. In the 2011 hay-hauling season, they hauled 10,000 tons of hay, and roughly 60 loads of cattle for area ranchers. We project 2012 to be significantly busier.
My ability to do the daily ranch tasks means my dad and brother can quickly respond to their customers' needs. That flexibility and diligence has built numerous relationships over the years that allow them to not only meet their customer's feed needs, but our own this year, despite the drought and the fact that the 2011 hay reserve went to Texas.
Getting creative
That isn't to say we don't have to get creative with our projected 2012 winter feed program. We're currently looking at feeding straw treated with a molasses product and possibly a nitrogen-based protein, two things we've never done before. When designing a feed plan for our cattle, we look at cost and meeting their nutritional requirements, then filling them up. We expect our cows to survive and thrive on whatever feed program is most affordable and available each year.
A Closer Look: Get Creative With Feeding Options
In addition to breeding for an efficient cow, we also expect her to produce a fast-gaining, high-yielding calf that can go in any number of directions post-weaning. Over the last decade, we've fed our cows everything from whole ear corn to hay to lick tubs and grass in the winter months, and have sold our calves as feeders, fats, on the grid, in the beef, and as grass-fed yearlings.
We're positioned to turn our livestock program 180° on the feeding and/or marketing end, and know exactly how our cattle will respond. That isn't an accident, we've worked hard on it through our genetic and management decisions for multiple decades.
This year, we plan to pull bulls and wean in mid-August, then ship our weaned calves to the feedlot where we will retain ownership. My dad has located hay that's 200 miles closer to the central South Dakota feedlot we use than to our ranch; by hauling it to the feeder, we'll save enough money to cover our yardage costs.
We also know our feeder personally, and built a solid working relationship with him during the last drought. That gives us the confidence to send him our cattle and know they will be well cared for and aggressively fed.
Our yearling heifers, which are currently grazing year-old grass and kochia weeds, will be pregnancy ultrasounded at 30 days post-breeding. Anything not pregnant will be immediately sold to preserve as much feed as possible for the cowherd.
Industry Related Resource: Drought Management
A short breeding season on dry years also helps us naturally select for the most efficient, fertile cows in our environment. Regardless of the year, any cow that doesn't breed back, or doesn't raise a calf for any reason, is sold and replaced with one that will.
Maintaining cow numbers
After much thought and figuring of the costs involved, we've established a new goal of maintaining our mother cowherd at its current level through this drought. With the U.S. cowherd being so small, we believe that if we can hang on there will be increased value in our product.
Expanding through a grazing association located on the Wyoming/Montana border in early 2012 has put us in a much better position to meet this goal as that location is receiving moisture this year. Being spread out over 200 miles is difficult during the spring and fall run, but it's valuable in dry years as we are less likely to be entirely droughted out.
I can't forget to mention my mother, Randi, whose job of shredding paper all over Eastern Wyoming provides an additional form of non-ag income. She also has an accounting degree, and keeps every one of our enterprise's budget and balance sheets on the straight and, what is this year, very narrow road. When we sit down as a family to discuss issues and make decisions, we constantly look at the bookkeeping and financial records she keeps to aid in our decision process.
My family is rounded out with my 17-year-old sister, Holly, who has down syndrome. Holly keeps us focused on what's important: God and family. She reminds us that, in the big picture, a drought really isn't the biggest issue out there, so we can't let it depress or overwhelm us.
We all really treasure our lifestyle here, even in the tough years. We love the freedom it gives us and that we're able to make our own choices and be solely responsible for the consequences. We want to ranch, and we like doing it as a family. We work hard to constantly improve our livestock, land and outside businesses so that we can keep doing what we love – ranching.
Heather Hamilton is a rancher and freelance writer based in Lance Creek, WY.
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A Toast to Resveratrol
Why this magic compound may be the closest thing to an antiaging elixir
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Want to live longer? Eat less.
Sorry. Don't kill the messenger. Calorie restriction is the only strategy that has been consistently shown to extend life in every species studied so far. Feed rats about one-third less than they normally eat, and faster than you can say "Methuselah," they live approximately 50 percent longer than their normal lifespan. It's worked in yeast, fruit flies, mice, the aforementioned rats, and-most recently-in rhesus monkeys.
And though the likelihood of a long-term human trial comparing "free-eating" and "calorie-restricted" subjects over a couple of decades is pretty remote, all indications are that reducing calories would extend life in our own species just as it does in every other one that's been studied. So that's simple enough, right? Just reduce your calories by about 33 percent, and you'll have a nice, long, healthy life. OK, class dismissed, lesson learned.
Yeah, right. As you can imagine, that particular strategy is not winning the popularity sweepstakes. Which is why there's been so much attention focused on a little plant chemical called resveratrol.
To understand exactly how resveratrol exerts its antiaging magic, we have to go back to those calorie-deprived rats. Apparently, caloric restriction turns on a set of genes known as the sirtuin genes, which are considered to be major influencers of how long we live. "The sirtuin genes are the holy grail of medicine and nutrition," says Mark Houston, MD. "These genes turn on or turn off different metabolic pathways that are designed to promote longevity and health."
Back in 2003, David Sinclair, MD, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, began investigating the sirtuin genes. To everyone's delight, Sinclair discovered that there was another way to turn on these genes. He and his associates published a now-famous paper reporting that plant compounds known as polyphenols could activate the human SIRT1 gene. And the polyphenol that seemed to do this best was resveratrol.
Resveratrol is found in red wine; the skin of young, unripe red grapes; grape seeds; purple grape juice; and, to a lesser extent, in peanuts and mulberries.
Recent research has shown that resveratrol may reduce insulin resistance, a key factor in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
If resveratrol lives up to its promise, it may not only extend life, but also improve its quality. Resveratrol has been shown in studies to inhibit the growth of several cancer cell lines and tumors. It's a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory; it ramps up detoxification enzymes in the liver; protects the heart through several different mechanisms; and also protects brain cells.
So should you add resveratrol to your daily supplement regimen? I certainly think so, and I'm not alone. The total amount of resveratrol in a capsule isn't as important as the amount of trans-resveratrol-the bioactive form that seems to have all the benefit.
The higher quality resveratrol products on the market are "standardized" for a certain percentage of trans-resveratrol. "No one knows the correct dose in humans," says Houston, "but any amount should have health benefits." The smart money is betting that 250 milligrams or more of the trans-resveratrol form should have an effect on aging and health. For 500-milligram capsules standardized to 20 percent trans that would be two-and-a-half capsules per day, three just to be safe!
Product Examples
Enzymatic Therapy Resveratrol Forte is a high-potency supplement formulated with 100 percent trans-resveratrol, the most absorbable form.
ReserveAge Organics World's Finest Resveratrol 250 mg is a potent combination of organic French red wine grapes and wild-crafted natural Polygonum cuspidatum root extract.
Nature's Way Resveratrol Synergic Formula combines a comprehensive blend of antioxidants, including red wine and grape seed extracts, to protect cells against lipid peroxidation and free radicals.


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I've been casually tracking the daily active user numbers for the top 40 Facebook game developers for the past six weeks. Why the top 40? Because that's the quantity displayed by Appdata.com on the first of 200 pages. Why daily active users? Because monthly active user numbers are widely considered to be an unreliable statistic for Facebook games, whereas DAU is, if not perfect, at least more directionally accurate.
I was mostly curious to learn how "hit makers" are faring on Facebook. (The 40th developer on the list has just 200k daily active users, so it's safe to assume that all the heavy hitters are represented in the top 40 list.) Facebook's total population has supposedly been growing by leaps and bounds over the past several months — it jumped from 350m "active" to 400m in the three months leading up to February 2010) so theoretically daily active users for the top 40 game developers should be growing as well, if for no other reason than there are more potential customers on the platform. However, it turns out the DAU count is down slightly since March.
How about Zynga, the king of Facebook?
How about EA+Playfish, Crowdstar & Playdom (2nd, 3rd and 4th place behind Zynga, respectively)?
All flat-to-slightly-negative, with the exception of EA+Playfish which experienced a small increase in DAU over the same time period. Coincidentally, Gamasutra and Inside Social Games jumped on this story on Friday (two days ago), identifying the falling active user numbers and blaming the drop entirely on "recent changes in the way Facebook manages notifications." You should be skeptical about that assertion. While changes to FB notifications may well be having a significant impact, the larger issue is simply that Facebook has clearly entered the inevitable misery phase, which I predicted just a few months ago.
The Facebook game development scene has become crowded. Facebook's platform managers are making decisions that are unpopular with many of their developers and looking to monetize developer activity more aggressively. And the average "hit game" has yet to shift from the "early glory" stereotype to the Facebook game of the future (whatever that might be.) To use a historical example, Facebook is like the MMO market when it was all about Everquest — just waiting for a World of Warcraft to show people what a truly successful social game actually looks like. Of course, Facebook's WoW won't look anything like WoW itself, and may not even have a higher development budget than the games launching on Facebook today. It will definitely have a better retention rate, better monetization, and better (less spam-like) viral functionality.
Remember all those VCs and pundits saying it's too late to become a top dog on Facebook? The guys currently choking the halls of one-too-many social gaming summits? To heck with those guys. The next several months (and perhaps longer) are going to be very ugly for the Facebook game development community. Lots of small developers are going to lose money. We may even see a big Facebook developer collapse under the ungainly weight that they have packed on while attempting to bloat their revenues pre-acquisition/pre-IPO. But this phase will end, and when it does, Facebook's "triumphant return" is going to make XBLA's triumphant return look like peanuts by comparison. The only question is: who will ride that wave and who will drown before it arrives?
PS. If anyone has access to the complete DAU data for Facebook — i.e. all 200 pages of it — I'd be curious to know if there's any meaningful evidence of Long Tail activity over the past several months. If there's anywhere the Long Tail should be manifesting itself, it's Facebook IMO.
PPS. If you'd like to download the data I used for those charts, please feel free to grab it here. It took a while to get the data in useable form so I'll be glad if someone else finds use for it. 🙂
Update: interesting to note that on May 7th, around the same time as Gamasutra's article, Techcrunch revealed that Zynga and Facebook are currently in the midst of a very ugly war and Wired published an article labeling Facebook "rogue" and advocating for a new social standard. Last Friday was truly a nasty start to Facebook's inevitable misery phase.


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Smart links for
What are you looking to achieve with smart links?
Run a pre-save campaign to make a big splash on release day.Read More
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Promote your music, merchandise, and shows all in one bio link.Read More
Easily promote shows, tours, and festival dates with a smart landing page.Read More
Linkfire fits perfectly across the music and entertainment industry
Linkfire customers' spotlight
"Linkfire made handling all our artist accounts much easier. Everything is in one place. With the Linkfire board feature, each artist essentially has their own account so our links don't get cluttered. It's brilliant!"
It was a big part of our first week numbers, as well as putting the music in the fans' hands."
Linkfire cuts down on time and it just shows us a lot. So I'd say, you know what, get a Linkfire account today. Trust me, you're gonna love it as much as I do."
"Linkfire has made a huge difference. I've used other landing pages and they don't really report as well.
Linkfire shows a very strong analytic system. if you're running ads, it helps you because you don't want to see your money being wasted. My favorite Linkfire feature is the Apple Music Insights. You get a good amount of traps to Apple Music and how many streams you get."
It helps you find the right markets in the right place and where to push your music. I love Linkfire and I'd recommend it to anybody."
"Linkfire has helped my record label Where The Heart Is's releases dramatically.
Of course, it's nice to be able to share our releases across various networks all in one clean link, but the time it's saved me and my team is really the invaluable part."
"Linkfire brings together the best of both worlds for artists and audiences. Artists can promote their releases with just one link.
In addition, the platform is very simple to use, and generates landing pages with beautiful designs!"
"We are very happy to use the Linkfire bio link.
It provides our Instagram followers with all the info we need them to see in one place: new releases, music videos, tour dates, and our merchandise. Plus, it's fully customizable."
"I've been using Linkfire for a few months now and I am in love with the platform.
I've seen a ton of growth since using it—my Spotify monthly listeners are now at 126K."
"Linkfire has increased my streams and made it easier for fans to find my music on streaming platforms.
It's also a great tool to keep track of visitors, clicks, and to identify where my fans are located."
"Selling tour tickets with Linkfire is more effective for us and easier for our fans. The data and insights that we got throughout the whole campaign were very helpful for our next steps in communication and budget optimization."
"I chose to use Linkfire because it's a very user-friendly platform. It's very quick and easy to get links to share my music with the world.
Linkfire provides my social media platforms on my website with that extra level of professionalism because my audience is able to be directed straight to the streaming service of their choice. So it's a win-win both for me and for them."
"Signing up for Linkfire has been one of the best decisions I've done for my music career.
I've tried all the other smart link providers.
Linkfire has been really good with helping us optimize our creatives, what kind of visuals are shown, and how different demographics react to different visuals.
If you have a strong ad buying team and you're giving them these links, they can actually see where the traffic is coming from and retarget and double down on those platforms."
My philosophy in my work is that I choose a singular best-in-class product that handles all possible work-related and professional needs—and for link management, music promotion, and much more, that is Linkfire."
Customizing it has been able to look really nice for fans to just go to one place and have every single thing that they want, whether it's streaming a song or YouTube video, or even buying merch."


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His face is instantly recognizable and his support of veteran causes is well known. Now the last action hero, Bruce Willis is donating five of his motorcycles that will be auctioned online to benefit Boot Campaign.
The auction started two months ago with a 2005 Ducati 1000DS which sold for $6,250.
On the block this month is a 1988 Yamaha TW, valued at $1,400. As of Feb 8th, the bidding had reached $1,450 with only 3 bidders competing for the bike.
Willis, who was born on a military base in Germany has long been a supporter of veterans and their charities.
Boot Campaign released a statement from the actor who said, "I wanted to use my bikes in a way that would benefit our military service members, and I am thankful to have found the Boot Campaign as the catalyst for using my bikes in a way that will give back to our country's true heroes," "These bikes have been a lot of fun to ride, and my hope is they can do a lot of good for our veterans."
The charity will auction the bikes in two month intervals. In April, the actor's 1962 Cushman Eagle will be up and in June a 1991 Yamaha XT. The final auction will be in August and will be a 1972 H-D Ironhead Sportster XLH.
Click here to go to the Boot Campaign website for more information.
The post Celebrity Donates Motorcycles To Veterans Charity appeared first on USRiderNews.


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The winter kittens
I remember when I was small at my grandmother's home there were farm cats. My grandmother would say sometimes, "Karen, the mama cat has found some kittens." I would be thrilled, and I'd run outside to try and find them, whispering, "Here, kitty, kitty."
One cold, snowy winter night, it was time for the mama cat to find her kittens. Grandpaw had a birddog that he had outside in a dog house all fixed up with hay and blankets to keep warm. The next morning, Grandpa saw his dog sitting outside of the dog house in the cold, cold snow and wondered what could've happened. He looked closer, and nestled in the house was the mama cat and a brand new litter of baby kittens. He said he'd never seen anything like that before. It was almost as if the dog was guarding the mother and her kittens.


text: Based in a small town in the Northern part of India, Sahib Biwi aur Gangster is a story packed with intrigue betrayal and ambition between a beautiful Begum, her Nawab husband and an ambitious young boy. The Nawab and his Begum, live in their ancestral royal house trying to maintain the status and structure their ancestors had left behind. But due to the changing time, some extreme financial conditions and the long gone habit of a royal having a mistress, the Nawab tries real hard to maintain his status and financial conditions.


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IDG has news, but no pricing details, about how PC makers will market Windows 7 to new PC buyers long before it's released to the public.
Some PC vendors and sellers will begin a coupon program on June 26 to entitle people who buy premium versions of Microsoft Windows Vista to upgrade to the new Windows 7 operating system when it arrives later this year, but the upgrade offers may not be free. Offers will vary by vendor and retailer.
PC vendors will have to pay between US$9 and US$15 per PC to include an upgrade coupon with a new computer, said an executive at one Taiwanese PC maker. People will use information on the coupon to download a copy of Windows 7 from a Microsoft Web site once the software is on sale, he said, and Microsoft will also send the holder a copy of the operating system on a disc.
Another executive said the upgrade coupons will be good from June 26 through Jan. 31, 2010 and are meant to encourage people to buy new PCs ahead of the Oct. 22 launch date for Windows 7.


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Shreveport Government & Administrative Lawyers
D. W. Haigler Jr
(318) 676-3850
St. Mary's UniversityTexasTexas State Bar
Leonard L. Kilgore III
(225) 382-3406
LSU Law CenterLouisiana State UniversityLouisianaMartindale Hubbell, Best Lawyers, Chambers USA and Super LawyersDefense Research Institute, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel...Contribution in Non-Collision Maritime Cases and Expert Depositions in the Era of Daubert (and its Progeny)
Charles S. McCowan Jr.
(225) 382-3404
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University5th Circuit, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, U.S. Supreme Court and LouisianaLSU Law School, Martindale Hubbell, Best Lawyers and Louisiana Super LawyersDean Henry George McMahon American Inn of Court, American College of Trial Lawyers...Louisiana Supreme Court Rejects Application of Punitive Damages in Toxic Tort Case and The Cy Pres Doctrine: A Settling Concept
Phyllis D. Sims
(225) 389-3717
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversitySouthern Arkansas UniversityLouisianaFederal Bar Association , Louisiana Association of Tax Representatives...Louisiana Department of Revenue Issuing Arm's Length Transfer Pricing Adjustments and Louisiana Sales and Use Tax rate Changes Cut the Additional Temporary Penny and Raise the Rate on Business Utilities – Effective July 1, 2018
Jonathan L Brehm
(504) 305-4117
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana and 5th CircuitThe Center for Computer-Assisted Legal InstructionLouisiana State Bar Association
Katherine W. King
(225) 382-3436
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisianaBest Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Louisiana Super Lawyers and Best LawyersAssociation of Energy Engineers, Baton Rouge Bar Association...
G. Trippe Hawthorne
(225) 389-3741
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityBaylor University5th Circuit, United States Court of Claims, United States District Courts for the Middle Districts of Louisiana, United States District Courts for the Western Districts of Louisiana, United States District Courts for the Eastern Districts of Louisiana, Louisiana and TexasLouisiana State Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, YMCA of the Capital Area and Baton Rouge Business ReportAmerican Bar Association, Baton Rouge Bar Association...Bill to Revise and Update the Louisiana Private Works Act Passes out of the House of Representatives, Louisiana Law Blog, May 9, 2019, Louisiana State Licensing Board of Contractors Updated Rules, Louisiana Law Blog, February 15, 2019...
Sean Morrison
(504) 308-0108
Case Western Reserve University School of LawTulane UniversityOhio, District of Columbia, American Samoa, Louisiana, Mississippi and U.S. Supreme CourtAmerican Samoa Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association...A Major Fish Tale: Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico and Foreign in a Domestic Sense: American Samoa and the Last U.S. Nationals
Jonathan Wasielewski
(504) 345-8595
Tulane University School of LawCornell UniversityU.S. District Court for Eastern District of Louisiana and LouisianaLouisiana State Bar Association and New Orleans Bar Association
Matthew David Lane Jr
(800) 451-0300
Georgia State University College of LawUniversity of Louisiana - Lafayette5th Circuit, Louisiana and U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans ClaimsAcadiana Profile Magazine and Acadiana Profile MagazineCourt of Appeals for Veterans' Claims Bar Association, 509th Parachute Infantry Association...
Daya Jennifer Naef
(866) 570-0555
Loyola University New OrleansSpring Hill College and Auburn University at MontgomeryMichigan and LouisianaNational Association of Women in Construction
Al J Robert Jr.
(504) 309-4852
Loyola University New OrleansLouisiana State University - Baton Rouge5th Circuit and Louisiana
Jason Adam Bonaventure
(222) 928-5400
LouisianaLouisiana State Bar Association
Regina Scotto Wedig
(985) 747-0440
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityTulane University and Loyola University New OrleansTennessee, Louisiana, 5th Circuit and U.S. Supreme CourtLouisiana State Bar Association and Rotary Club of Amite
Randell O Lewis
(985) 306-0113
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityLouisianaSt. Charles Parish Bar Association
Benjamin Thomas Sanders
(504) 367-9001
Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University and Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University - Baton RougeLouisianaLouisiana State Bar
William Edward Bourgeois
(985) 384-2055
Tulane UniversityLouisiana State University - Baton RougeLouisianaLouisiana State Bar, Louisiana Society of Hospital Attorneys...
Corey Orgeron
(225) 402-4440
5th Circuit and LouisianaLouisiana State Bar Association
Elzie Alford Jr
LouisianaLouisiana State Bar
Chester Theodore Alpaugh III
(504) 529-4141
Tulane University School of LawLouisianaState Bar of Texas and Louisiana State Bar Association
The LII Lawyer Directory contains lawyers who have claimed their profiles and are actively seeking clients. Find more Shreveport Government & Administrative Lawyers in the Justia Legal Services and Lawyers Directory which includes profiles of more than one million lawyers licensed to practice in the United States, in addition to profiles of legal aid, pro bono and legal service organizations.
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