text:
Founding of Acadia
Founded in 1604, the French colony of Acadia was ceded to Great Britain in 1713. By the time the Anglo-French struggle for North America was finally resolved, the Acadians were among its visible and most tragic victims. During the period 1755-63, most of the Acadians were deported to the American Colonies, Great Britain, and France. In exile, the Acadians exhibited remarkable tenacity as they tried to return to Nova Scotia or else searched for new homelands.
The population of Acadia grew from around 400 in 1670 to nearly 900 in 1686, with settlement spreading from Port-Royal up the Bay of Fundy to Minas Basin and Cobequid Bay, and around Cape Chignecto to Beaubassin. The unique agricultural economy was based on cultivation of tidal marshlands reclaimed through an extensive system of dykes. In 1690, a Massachusetts expedition under William Phipps took Port-Royal in retaliation for attacks on New England by French troops from Canada. The Acadians were caught in the middle of a colonial power struggle in which they took little interest. After surviving a naval blockade in 1704 and two attacks in 1707, Port-Royal fell for the final time on 13 October 1710. A British garrison was installed and the town was renamed Annapolis Royal.
Click here for details on the "Acadian-Cajun Family Genealogy" CD-ROMs
Many of the factors that contributed to the expulsion were evident during Acadia's first years, foremost among them geography. Acadia was the eastern outpost and flank of the French and British empires in continental North America. When Samuel Argall destroyed the colony of Port-Royal in 1613, it marked the beginning of Anglo-French rivalry in the area. As the century progressed, New England took a growing interest in Acadia, drawn by trade opportunities and rich fishing grounds off its coast. After a naval force from new England destroyed Acadian settlements in 1654, the colony remained under nominal British control until it was restored to France in 1667.
In 1713, by the Treat of Utrecht, Acadia became a British possession, named Nova Scotia. France continued its presence in the region by retaining Isle Royale (Cape Breton Island) and Isle Saint Jean (Prince Edward Island). The treaty gave the Acadians the option of either moving or remaining on their land as British subjects. At first, the French tried to entice them to Isle Royale, but most Acadians were reluctant to leave their fertile lands. Also, the British hindered emigration by forbidding the Acadians to build boats or to sell their property and cattle. They realized that the Acadians could serve as a shield against the Micmac Indians and as a source of labour and sustenance for the garrison at Annapolis Royal. The French, after initially encouraging emigration, decided it was also to their advantage to leave the Acadians where they were, since they might prove useful allies in the event of war.
The Acadians refused to swear an oath of allegiance to the British crown unless the oath was qualified by recognition of their freedom of religion, their neutrality in case of war, and their right to emigrate. Governor Richard Philipps received qualified oaths in 1729-30, formally recognizing Acadian neutrality.
After Utrecht, the Acadians experienced three decades of peace. The population swelled from 2900 in 1714 to 8000 in 1739. The British presence was confined to the garrisons at Annapolis Royal and at Canso, shore base of the New England bank fishery. Life went on much as it always had, save for trade between the Acadians and the new fortress town of Louisbourg on Isle Royale.
Rising Tensions
By the 1740's, New England's traditional wariness of the Acadians was compounded by militant Protestantism and economic competition from Louisbourg in the fishery. Thus in 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession, a force from New England defeated the French at Louisbourg and deported the inhabitants to France. France responded by sending out a naval armada under the Duc d'Anville in 1746 to reconquer Acadia and Louisbourg. However, d'Anville's fleet was decimated by storms and disease while crossing the Atlantic, and the attempt was abandoned.
There was surprise and anger in New England in 1748 when the British returned Louisbourg to France by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. In the wake of the treaty, both Britain and France took steps to strengthen their positions in the region. To maintain the overland communications network between Canada and Isle Royale, and to keep the British at a safe distance from Canada, the French set out to solidify their claim to the disputed part of Nova Scotia north of the Missaguash River, ie. present-day New Brunswick. In 1749, Charles Deschamps de Boishébert was sent from Canada to fortify the mouth of the Saint John River, a key element of the communications network. This was followed by the dispatch of the Chevalier Louis de la Corne to the Isthmus of Chignecto, where in 1751 he established Forts Beauséjour and Gaspéreau. The Chignecto Acadians were then pressured into emigrating north of the Missaguash in order to strengthen France's claim to New Brunswick.
The British reacted by founding a new capital at Halifax in 1749 as a counterbalance to Louisbourg. Governor Edward Cornwallis was also supposed to push British settlement north of the Missaguash, but plans to settle foreign Protestants on the isthmus were abandoned in the face of superior French military strength. Nevertheless, Major Charles Lawrence succeeded in erecting Fort Lawrence on the south bank of the Missaguash in 1750; the foreign Protestants ended up settling the strategically remote south shore community of Lunenburg.
With both sides stepping up their efforts to control Nova Scotia, the Acadians realized that change was afoot. To avoid trouble, some began emigrating to Isle Saint Jean. Cornwallis had tried to force them to take an unqualified oath, but relented when they threatened to leave Nova Scotia en masse. His successor, Peregrine Hopson, did not push the issue, and it seemed as though the Acadian neutrality would continue to be respected. However, when Hopson returned to England with health problems, his acting successor, Charles Lawrence (appointed lieutenant-governor in 1754) proposed drastic action to resolve the Acadian problem. A career soldier, Lawrence saw the Acadian problem strictly in military terms, especially in view of the outbreak of hostilities between Britain and France in the Ohio Valley. In August 1754, he informed his superiors in London, the Board of Trade and Plantations, that if the Acadians refused to take the oath, it would be better to remove them from Nova Scotia and replace them with British subjects.
Lawrence had an important ally in William Shirley, the Governor of Massachusetts. Both men considered Fort Beauséjour the key to the French presence in Nova Scotia. After General Edward Braddock, Commanded-in-Chief of British forces in North America, authorized the expedition, 2000 Provincial troops departed Boston on 19 May 1755. Reinforced by 250 British regulars, they commenced the attack on Beauséjour on 14 June. Two days later, the French surrendered.
The Deportation
The capture of Fort Beauséjour left Lawrence free to deal with the Acadians. On 3 July, he and his Council, which had a pronounced New England membership, met in Halifax to consider a petition from the Acadians of the Minas area, who objected to the confiscation of their boats and arms by Captain Alexander Murray of Fort Edward, near Pisiquid. Lawrence pressed the Acadian delegates to take an unqualified oath, which they refused to do when they reappeared before Council the next day. The delegates were imprisoned and new ones summoned from Minas and Annapolis Royal. During meetings with Council on 25 and 28 July, they likewise refused to swear an unqualified oath. Lawrence, his resolve hardened by the news of Braddock's defeat in the Ohio Valley, ordered them into confinement, and with Council's concurrence decided to disperse the Acadians among the American Colonies.
Lawrence entrusted responsibility for the deportation to Colonel Robert Monckton (Chignecto and Chepody), Lieutenant Colonel John Winslow (Minas, Pisiquid, and Cobequid), and Major John Handfield (Annapolis Royal). At Chignecto, Monckton made Fort Cumberland (formerly Fort Beauséjour) his base of operations. On 11 August, 400 adult male Acadians appeared there in answer to a summons and were taken prisoner. On the 28th, Captain Frye sailed from the fort for Chepody, Memramcook and Petitcodiac, stopping along the way to destroy Acadian property and crops. While putting the torch to a village on 4 September, Frye's men were ambushed and forced to withdraw to Fort Cumberland. They had managed to take 23 prisoners, burn over 200 buildings and destroyed acres of wheat and flax. Another party under Captain Gilbert wreaked similar havoc at Baie Verte. The embarkation began in early September and on 13 October approximately 1100 Acadians departed aboard transports for South Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
John Winslow arrived at Grand-Pré on 19 August and took up headquarters in the church. In answer to his summons, over 400 Acadian men and boys appeared before him there on 5 September. Winslow informed them of the purpose of his mission and declared them prisoners. Winslow was uneasy because the prisoners greatly outnumbered his troops, so when he learned of the attack on Frye's party, he rounded up 230 men and placed them on five transports anchored in Minas Basin. The embarkation commenced on 8 October, and by 1 November over 1500 Acadians had been shipped to Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. A second group of 600 left Grande-Pré on 13 December, while at Pisiquid Murray orchestrated the departure of over 1000 in late October.
At Annapolis Royal, matters proceeded somewhat slower because Handfield did not have enough men for the job. The deportation finally began in December after the arrival of reinforcements from Grand-Pré. Over 1600 Acadians were carried off to North and South Carolina, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
The deportation of over 6000 Acadians in the fall of 1755 was just the beginning. Many who escaped in 1755 (including the entire village of Cobequid) made their way to Isle Saint Jean or hid in northern New Brunswick where Boishébert organized a range of guerrilla activities. A large group of 1500 left Acadia for Canada. After the capture of Louisbourg in 1758, approximately 3500 Acadians were deported to France from Isle Saint Jean, a dependency of Isle Royale. Two of the transports sank en route, claiming 700 lives. About 600 Isle Saint Jean Acadians escaped in ships to northern New Brunswick, bringing the number of refugees there to over 1500.
Pockets of fugitive Acadians began surrendering after the fall of Quebec in 1759. Most were imprisoned and used as cheap labour by the British, although about 200 from Cape Sable and Saint John River were deported to France. The French capture of St. John's, Newfoundland in June 1762 gave rise to another round of anti-Acadian sentiment, and in August about 1300 Acadians were shipped from Halifax to Boston. There they were rejected by the Massachusetts Assembly and were forced to return to Halifax. This was the last attempt to deport Acadians from Nova Scotia.
Between 1755 and 1763, over 10,000 Acadians, 75% of the entire population, were deported. Through the deportation, Lawrence, who died suddenly in 1760, succeeded in his primary goal. After the fall of Quebec, the last obstacle to British settlement in Nova Scotia was removed, and in the 1760s approximately 8000 New Englanders came to Nova Scotia, occupying the Acadian lands. The deportation of a conquered population was not unusual in the context of the times. The French inhabitants of Plaisance, Newfoundland were relocated to Isle Royale in 1713, and the inhabitants of Isle Royale to France in 1745 and again in 1758. In 1746, the Duc d'Anville had orders to deport Acadians who were not loyal to the French crown. But the deportation of the Acadians was unusual because so many were sent not to their motherland or to another French colony, but to British possessions. Also, the deportation occurred long after the actual conquest of Acadia.
The initial group in 1755 were dispersed among the American Colonies approximately as follows: Massachusetts-900; Connecticut-675; New York-200; Pennsylvania-700; Maryland-860; Virginia-1150; North Carolina-290; South Carolina-955; Georgia-320. Virginia refused to accept its complement and they were sent instead to England, where they remained until the end of the Seven Years War. The Acadians were not welcome in the colonies. Anti-Catholicism was rampant, as was hatred of the French in the wake of Braddock's defeat of July 1755; the colonists were reluctant to assume the financial costs of supporting the Acadians; and in the southern colonies, there was fear that the Acadians would join forces with slaves in a general uprising. Antipathy towards the French persisted throughout the Seven Years War.
Many Acadians died before reaching the colonies because of overcrowding and filth on the transports, and their make-shift accommodations in the seaports were equally conducive to disease, especially smallpox. Eventually they were distributed among the parishes where they came under the supervision of the overseers of the poor. Some families had been broken up during the deportation, and this continued after their arrival in the colonies, where children were occasionally taken from their parents and bound out to well-to-do parishioners. In some of the colonies, the Acadians refused work on the grounds that they were prisoners of war. This perpetuated their poverty, ill health, and dependence on the state.
Photo courtesy of Madelaine Pearson
The Migrations
Unhappy in their new surroundings, the Acadians began a determined quest to return to Nova Scotia or else find new homelands. The governments of Georgia and South Carolina, anxious to be rid of the expense of supporting the Acadians, encouraged their departure by issuing them passes. In 1756, about 250 Acadians from the two colonies set out in small vessels to make their way up the coast to Nova Scotia. This prompted a circular from Lawrence urging his fellow governors to prevent the return of the Acadians. Most were captured in New York and Massachusetts, but 50 managed to reach the Saint John River in June. Many Acadians returned after the war when the British government eased the restrictions on Acadians settlement in Nova Scotia. Since their former property was occupied, they settled instead in the Saint John River valley and St. Mary's Bay. Those who settled at Saint Anne (Fredericton) were later forced to move to the Madawaska River and Chaleur Bay after the arrival of the Loyalists.
Nova Scotia was only one of several destinations of Acadians in the American Colonies. A group of 90 exiles sailed from Massachusetts to Quebec in 1766, joining forces with the Acadians who had fled there from Nova Scotia after 1755. They settled near Quebec City and along the Nicolet and Richelieu Rivers. Another group of 116 Massachusetts Acadians sailed to St. Pierre and Miquelon in 1763. Many left via New York; 129 to Martinique in 1764, and 500 to Santo Domingo in 1765. Acadian exiles in the middle and southern colonies gravitated towards the former French colony of Louisiana, whose new Spanish rulers were sympathetic to Roman Catholics.
Next to the American Colonies, France itself received the largest number of exiles. The nearly 3500 there in 1763 included the deportees from Isle Royale, Isle Saint Jean, Cape Sable, and the Saint John River, as well as 750 who arrived from England that same year. One hundred of France's Acadians moved to Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1763, and in 1774 another group of over a hundred emigrated to Chaleur Bay. Over the course of 20 years, the French government made unsuccessful attempts to establish Acadians colonies in Brittany, Belle-Isle-en-Mer, Poitou, Corsica, French Guiana, Santo Domingo, and the Falkland Islands. Ordinary Frenchmen resented the Acadians because of their government pensions and land allotments. The Spanish government finally came to the rescue with an offer of land in Louisiana, and in 1785 nearly 1600 Acadians left for the Spanish colony.
Ironically, while some Acadians struggled to return to Nova Scotia, many who were still there decided to leave, preferring not to live any longer under British rule. In 1764, about 600 sailed for the French West Indies, eventually finding their way to Louisiana. Another group of over 200 settled in Louisiana in 1766. In 1765, 183 left Nova Scotia for Saint Pierre and Miquelon, joining their fellow exiles who had come earlier from Massachusetts and France.
The wanderings of Acadians of Saint Pierre and Miquelon had only just begun. The resources of the tiny archipelago could not support them all, and in 1767, at the insistence of the French government, 163 returned to Nova Scotia and 586 to France. The French government reversed its decision in 1768, and 322 Acadians from France went back to Saint Pierre and Miquelon. The entire population was deported to France in 1778 after France allied itself with the United States during the American Revolution. About 600 returned after 1783, to be deported to France yet again in 1794 because of the Napoleonic Wars. Over 600 exiles returned for the final time in 1815 and 1816, some having experienced five or six deportations during their lifetime.
By 1816, the Acadian migrations were over. Acadians did move after that date, but not because of forceful deportation. Rather, individuals and families moved in hopes of improving their economic conditions. Although the migrations left the Acadians scattered around the Atlantic rim, their sense of their own identity remained intact. Today, the five main concentrations of Acadian descendants are found in the Canadian maritime provinces, Quebec, Louisiana, New England, and France.
The above-noted is reproduced from "The Deportation of Acadians", published by Parks Canada, 1986 and appears on the "Acadian-Cajun Family Trees" CD-ROM produced in 1999
Acadian Family Names of the 18th Century
Reproduced from "Acadian Family Names of the 18th Century" wall poster, published by Parks Canada and La Société du Monument Lefebvre inc.
Little physical evidence remains of pre-expulsion Acadia. However, most of the family names of the Acadian settlers are known from historical documents. Many of these names continue in today's Maritime Acadian communities, dramatically illustrating a people's survival. Acadian names also survive in areas such as Louisiana, France, and Quebec, a legacy of the Acadian Deportation and subsequent migrations.
This list of approximately 300 family names was drawn from parish records, census records and other documents from Acadia/Nova Scotia in the first half of the 18th century. All Acadian civilian families known to have lived in the colony at any time between 1700 and 1755 are included. This list does not include the families of the French garrison which served in Acadia.
Abbadie, de Saint Castin d'
Amirault dit Tourangeau
Angou dit Choisy
Babineau dit Deslauriers
Bastarache dit (Le) Basque
Belliveau dit Bideau
Belliveau dit Blondin
Benoit dit Labrière
Bergeron d'Ambroise
Bergeron dit Nantes
Bergeron dit Machefer
Bertaud dit Montaury
Bézier dit Touin dit Larivère
Blanchard dit Gentilhomme
Boisseau dit Blondin
Bonnevie dit Beaumont
Boucher dit Desroches
Brasseur dit Mathieu
Caissy dit Roger
Calvè dit Laforge
Célestin dit Bellemère
Cellier dit Normand
Chênet dit Dubreuil
Chesnay dit Lagarenne
Chiasson dit La Valée
Chouteau dit Manseau
Cormier dit Rossignol
Cormier dit Thierry
Creysac dit Toulouse
D'Amours de Chauffours
D'Amours de Clignancour
D'Amours de Freneuse
D'Amours de Louvière
D'Amours de Plaine
David dit Pontif
Denys de Fronsac
Deschamps dit Cloche
Deveau dit Dauphiné
Dominé dit Saint-Sauveur
Doucet dit Laverdure
Doucet dit Lirlandois
Doucet dit Mayard
Dubois dit Dumont
Duon dit Lyonnais
Fontaine dit Beaulieu
Garceau dit Boutin
Garceau dit Richard
Garceau dit Tranchemontagne
Giboire Duvergé dit Lamotte
Gisé dit Desrosiers
Godin dit Beauséjour
Godin dit Bellefeuille
Godin dit Bellefontaine
Godin dit Boisjoli
Godin dit Catalogne
Godin dit Châtillon
Godin dit Lincour
Godin dit Préville
Godin dit Valcour
Grandmaison (Terriot dit Guillot dit)
Guédry dit Grivois
Guédry dit Labine
Guédry dit Labrador
Guédry dit Laverdure
Guérin dit Laforge
Guillot dit Langevin
Guy dit Tintamarre
Haché dit Gallant
Hébert dit Manuel
Hélys dit Nouvelle
Henry dit Robert
La Barre
Labat, dit Le Marquis, de
La Bauve
La Chaume
la Croix
La Lande dit Bonappetit
La Pierre dit La Roche
La Vache
La Vigne
Lebert dit Jolycoeur
Le Blanc
Le Blanc dit Jasmin
Le Borgne de Belisle
Le Clerc dit Laverdure
Léger dit La Rozette
Le Jeune dit Briard
Le Juge
Le Marquis dit Clermont
Le Mire
Le Neuf de Beaubassin
Le Neuf de Boisneuf
Le Neuf de La Vallière L'Enfant
Le Poupet de Saint-Aubin
Le Prieur dit Dubois
Le Prince
L'Eschevin dit Billy
Le Vanier dit Langevin
Lavasseur dit Chamberlange
Levron dit Nantois
Lord dit La Montagne
Maisonnat dit Baptiste
Mangeant dit Saint-Germain
Marchand dit Poitiers
Marres dit La Sonde
Martin dit Barnabé
Mazerolle dit Saint-Louis
Melanson dit Laverdure
Melanson dit La Ramée
Mercier dit Caudebec
Michel dit La Ruine
Migneau dit Aubin
Mignier dit Lagassé
Mius d'Azit Mius d'entremont de Plemarais
Mius d'entremont de Pobomcoup
Monmellian dit Saint Germain
Morin dit Boucher
Moulaison dit Rencontre
Moyse dit Latreille
Naquin dit L'Etoile
Orillon dit Champagne Oudy
Part dit Laforest
Petitot dit Saint-Sceine
Pincer Pinet
Pitre dit Marc
Poitevin dit Cadieux
Poitevin dit Parisien
Poitier Porlier
Poujet dit Lapierre
Préjean dit Le Breton
Pugnant dit Destouches
Racois dit Desrosiers
Renaud dit Provençal
Richard dit Sansoucy
Richard dit Beaupré Richard dit Boutin
Richard dit Lafont
Robichaud dit Cadet
Robichaud dit Niganne Robichaud dit Prudent
Rodrique dit de Fonds
Rousse dit Languedoc
Roy dit La Liberté
Saint-Etienne de la Tour, de
Saint-Julien de La Chaussée, de
Saulnier dit Lacouline
Sauvage dit Forgeron
Sauvage dit Chrystophe
Semer Serreau de Saint-Aubin
Simon dit Boucher
Testard dit Paris
Thibault Thibodeau
Toussaint dit La jeunesse
Triel dit La Perrière
Turpin dit La Giroflée
Viger Vigneau dit Maurice
Vincent dit Clément
*** I am grateful to Orin Manitt for having provided source information to support his opinion that the surname "Manet" belongs on this list! HOWEVER, as Robert Blackman outlined in his email of September 13, 2009… "Manetis not an Acadian name. Augustin Manet came from France to Louisbourg sometime in the 1720s/30s. He was not an Acadian as he never lived or settled in Acadia. He was a Frenchman who settled in Louisbourg in the first half of the 18th century." And frankly, I'm inclined to go along with Mr. Blackman's opinion!
The above-noted is reproduced from "Acadian Family Names of the 18th Century" wall poster, published by Parks Canada and La Société du Monument Lefebvre inc., and appears on the "Acadian-Cajun Family Trees" CD-ROM.


text:
WASHINGTON – Did you see the UFO on the Beltway?
Twitter exploded late Wednesday evening with reports and photos that a UFO landed on the Capital Beltway near College Park. Construction at Kenilworth Avenue had traffic backed up, which escalated concerns that something big was happening.
Maryland State Police at the McHenry Barrack have confirmed the aircraft seen on the Beltway was a military airplane being moved from West Virginia to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Southern Maryland.
The plane is 82 feet long, 32 feet wide and 14 feet high. The X-46B is the same type of military vehicle that crashed earlier this week near Salisbury, Md.
This isn't the first time an aircraft like this has been confused for a UFO. Check out the video below from military.com of a similar craft in Kansas. Defense Tech reports the one below also was headed to Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
What did you see? Use #beltwayufo.
WTOP's Michelle Basch and Lacey Mason contributed to this report. Follow Michelle , Lacey and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Confidential Shredding in Kildare
Shredding Services In Kildare
Did you know that we provide shredding services in Kildare on a weekly basis? Whether you require On Site or Off Site, all our shredding services are tailored to meet your needs.
I'm not sure how much I have.
We can have our secure bags and ties delivered free of charge to help you quantify the material. When filled, seal the bag with the cable tie and call us to arrange a collection.
My paper is in boxes, do I have to transfer into bags?
Not at all. We can also charge per box, weight or time if required. You can arrange a call with a member of our sales team to agree a fixed price on the amount of boxes you have.
Do I have to remove the paper from folders, staples, hard backs etc?
No you can leave the material as it's presented. We'll take all lever arch files, folders, hard backs and any other paper based material you have. This not only saves you time but also ensures total confidentiality.
What happens once the paper is collected?
A trained and Garda vetted member of our team will securely transport the material back to our Destruction Facility in Limerick. We operate a same day shred policy so you can be sure all material will be destroyed the day of collection. An invoice will then be issued along with a Destruction Certificate.
How can I pay?
You can pay by cash, cheque, or bank transfer. We also can take your credit card details over the phone. Our standard terms of payment are 21 days.
We also have regular On Site and Off Site Shredding Services in Dublin, Galway, Waterford and Kerry.
For more information on all our services please don't hesitate in calling 1850 491 333 to speak to a member of our sales team.


text:
Concert Portfolio
Portfolio of my favorite concert or other live event photographs. These are photos that I've taken just for fun and for the love of music. All photos in this collection were taken as an audience member -- never from the pit. These photos are not for sale.Read More


text: Having initiated macro / insect photography for more than 2yrs now, this is my initial library of some selected photographs that I like. All were taken with Nikon D200 or Nikon D3S using AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 IF-ED lens or 200mm f/4 lens. Please feel free to provide your comments, so that I can improve further. Also, I am no entomologist so unable to identify all of these pretty insects accurately. If you know any of these, pls. do provide species name in comments and I will update accordingly. Also, more importantly, none of these photographs have been taken in the zoo and neither any artificial baits been put to attract these insects. All shots are taken in natural environment with all caution to minimize disturbance to these creatures. Hope you enjoy this gallery.Read More


text:
About World Meeting of Families
Dublin, Ireland, has been chosen by Pope Francis to host the next World Meeting of
Families from 21-26 August 2018, guided by the theme "The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World".
Held every three years, this major international event brings together families from across the world to celebrate, pray and reflect upon the central importance of marriage and the family as the cornerstone of our lives, of society and of the Church. The event has at its heart the following key moments:
- 21 August 2018, a National Opening of WMOF2018, which will take place simultaneously in all the different dioceses of Ireland.
- 22 to the 24 August 2018, a three-day Congress. Each day will reflect on the theme "The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World" chosen by the Holy Father and will include an enriching programme for adults of keynote speakers, workshops, talks, testimonies and discussions; an engaging and exciting programme for young people as well as fun activities for children. The Congress will also include daily celebration of the Eucharist, prayerful activities, exhibitions, cultural events and musical performances.
- Saturday 25 August 2018, a Festival of Families, comprising a reflective concert style event within a prayerful and joyful atmosphere, in which personal stories of faith will be shared by families from all continents.
- Sunday 26 August 2018, WMOF2018 will close with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration, that will gather thousands of people from Ireland and all over the world.
Catechesis Pre-WOMF
This important and joyful international gathering will be preceded by a period of catechesis/faith education, which has been prepared by the Church in Ireland for use by local parishes and across the world. The Amoris: Let's talk Family! Let's Be Family! Programme is an interactive multimedia platform of catechetical resources that will be available through our website and a dedicated app. An official prayer, logo, icon and hymn have also been especially prepared for WMOF2018, as key elements of the journey of preparing for the event.


text:
Albion College has a number of student organizations active in religious, spiritual, and philosophical life. All students are welcome in all organizations. The Office of Integrated Wellness actively supports the work and life of each organization, as well as bringing them together for Albion College Chapel. For more information on specific groups, ecumenical outreach, and interfaith initiatives, contact the Assistant Director for Spiritual Wellness (x0492).
For more information on student organizations in general, visit the Office of Campus Life website.
Athletes in Action at Albion College exists to reach student athletes for Jesus Christ through the influences of sports. This is accomplished through small group Bible studies, discipleship, summer opportunities and a conference. Athletes in Action is an offshoot of Campus Crusade for Christ.
Campus Crusade for Christ is an international, interdenominational Christian ministry dedicated to turning spiritually lost students into Christ-centered laborers. Primary focus is on discipleship and fellowship. There are many different Bible studies, and a weekly meeting. Also, there are several opportunities to attend various retreats, conferences, and concerts.
Catholic Connections is the Catholic group on campus dedicated to spreading the Catholic teaching, while growing deeper in faith. Rides are provided to Mass at St. John Church every Sunday at 10:00 a.m., and there is a weekly Meeting/Bible Study/Fellowship night on campus. Some years, Catholic Connections organizes a retreat. During Lent, members help out at Fish Fries at St. John. In the past the group has also helped with a Theology on Tap at Cascarelli's during the spring semester.
Albion College Hillel offers a voice to the Jewish students on campus to improve awareness about cultural issues such as anti-Semitism. It gives Jewish students and faculty an opportunity to observe holiday traditions, as well as provide non-Jewish members of the community the chance to learn more about the Jewish culture.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is an interdenominational group whose purpose is to build student-led collegiate fellowships that are committed to evangelism, discipleship, engagement of the campus in all its diversity, and the world mission of the church in obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The chapter is affiliated with the international IVCF, and participates in a number of conferences and training events. There are large group meetings, smaller Bible studies in every residence hall, regular prayer meetings, and various social events. Everyone is welcome to participate in any activity.
Muslim Student Association is a support network for Muslims on Albion College's campus, and is affiliated with the national Muslim Student Association. The group provides programs that teach about Islam and the Islamic culture. These range from special dinners to religious observances.
The Secular Humanist Group serves as an open forum and support group for students who are nonreligious. The group helps students develop ideas and skills for their future in a religious society and emphasizes making life meaningful by helping others and building long-lasting friendships. The group is affiliated with the Center for Inquiry - Michigan, part of a national network for nonbelievers.
UVAC is an organization that stands on the foundation of Christian unity, diversity, knowledge, and leadership. UVAC exemplifies African-American heritage through gospel music. The group's main event, United Voices in Praise, is a concert each year involving students and the community. Student leaders in UVAC direct and manage rehearsals, and produce the gospel concerts. UVAC welcomes students of all backgrounds.
Wesley Fellowship is a welcoming group that strives to connect students to real relationships with God, each other, and the rest of the world. Operating out of a Christian framework but a group for all students who want to grow spiritually, Wesley Fellowship discusses ideas and concerns, and serves others. While historically United Methodist, Wesley welcomes all students interested in faith and celebrates the diversity that is to be found in Albion. Weekly meetings consist of some kind of activity (ultimate, Cranium etc.), reflection, and discussion over a meal, interspersed service and cultural events. The group is supported by the local First United Methodist Church of Albion.


text:
(KCPW News) Less than two years after getting out of federal prison, former superlobbyist Jack Abramoff is in Utah, talking about the corrupt practices that led to his downfall and what should be done to put an end to such practices in Washington. We sat down with him at the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics.
And former Utah House Speaker David Clark now has his sights set on a higher political office, running for Congress in the 2nd District. The state lawmaker of 12 years counts several ethics reforms passed in the Utah legislature among his accomplishments. He joined us to discuss what he has to offer voters.
And the AARP is pushing to get more seniors to become Republican and Democratic delegates at next month's caucus meetings. We talked with Advocacy Director Danny Harris.
Download a podcast of the entire show here:
How do you feel about this topic?
Is there anything else you think we should know? We'd like to hear your thoughts. Send us your feedback using the form below.


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 5:13 PM
Town Square
Stanford grad's site nets Southwest 'cease and desist'
Original post made on Oct 23, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 5:13 PM
Comments (44)
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Oct 23, 2012 at 5:42 pm
Excellent hack. Too bad Southwest has no sense of humor.
You've got a bright future ahead of you Nikil.
a resident of another community
on Oct 23, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Maybe it's the survivalist in me, but I'll take a C ticket and fly in the last row over an A ticket and sit in the front every time.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 23, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Earl, the A-B-C designation has nothing to do with sections of seats. Rather, the A boarding allows you to choose any available seat, and all the As board and choose, and then the Bs board and choose, before the Cs get to. So with an A pass, you can sit in the back if you want, plus you can probably score an aisle or window seat, and get to sit with your traveling companions.
With a C pass, there's a good chance that you'll be stuck in a middle seat, and your traveling companions will be in middle seats in different rows. Maybe you also run a greater risk of being bumped from an overbooked flight. Not what most travelers want. Hence, the desirability of an A pass — and the ability of Southwest to make money by selling early-boarding privileges. And hence the desirability of a Website that allows one to check in as soon as allowable.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 23, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Nikil Viswanathan has just ended his career prospects with any legitimate company in the USA and Europe
Hacking is very a serious matter these days
Boasting about it just makes it so much worse
What a waste
a resident of Professorville
on Oct 23, 2012 at 8:06 pm
@Sharon, perhaps you failed to note the mention in Sue Dremann's story that Expedia already offered Nikil a job on the strength of what he did here.
And he didn't 'hack' anything, if by 'hack' you mean do something malicious. He simply violated the terms and conditions under which Southwest offers its web site for customer use.
@Hulkmania, as Nikil himself notes, it's not a matter of SWA corporately possessing a sense of humor. It's that they offer a service somewhat similar to Nikil's, but they offer it only to paying customers.
Naturally, they would be loath to allow free alternatives to their paid-for service.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 23, 2012 at 8:13 pm
@Sharon, you clearly have no idea what you're talking about. So why talk at all?
Nikil isn't a hacker in the antiquated sense of the term that you're familiar with... he merely exposed a flaw in Southwest's system that allowed people to check-in exactly 24 hours before a flight. Is that malicious? Southwest didn't lose a dollar on this, but it does violate their T&C and that's why they have the right to shut it down.
The coolest part of this is that Nikil built this powerful tool in less time than it takes the average American to watch Dancing With the Stars... So let's applaud our hacker friends instead of cursing them.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 23, 2012 at 9:28 pm
I find it rather amusing, personally. Such things are bound to happen eventually. Some brilliant hacker is bound to figure a way around all the "preventive measures".
It wasn't malicious, but it was illegal, and the problem has been taken care of as far as SWA is concerned.
Chill out and see the humor in it.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 23, 2012 at 9:56 pm
" It wasn't malicious, but it was illegal"
That is exactly the reason that Nikil Viswanathan has just ended his career prospects
All senior Hi Tech executives need high security clearances
Nikil Viswanathan will never get such clearences
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 23, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Thanks for the support everyone! I wanted to make a few facts clear.
1. I literally built this for myself and didn't think that anyone else would want to use it.
2. I didn't realize that it was against Southwest's Terms of Service when I built this.
3. This actually doesn't compete with anything they offer. Their early bird checkin is $10 and checks you in 36 Hours ahead of time while normal check in only opens to the public at 24 hours ahead of time (which is when checkintomyflight.com) checks you in.
Thanks again for everything!
a resident of Stanford
on Oct 23, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Yes, he is clearly very clever. But why reward him for creating something that plays fast and loose with a company's policy, especially if they lose money as a result? It's interesting that he is mostly lauded here. (And yes, I have a sense humor.)
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 23, 2012 at 10:27 pm
I don't believe for a minute that this guy has limited his career prospects. He's someone who makes things that people apparently want. That's what I call marketable.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 23, 2012 at 11:28 pm
@Jeff - thanks! I wanted to explain a bit about how this works. So it actually doesn't exploit a flaw in Southwest's website or checkin system.
Think about when you wash dishes. You could scrub them by hand or you could ask a machine (we call it a a dishwasher) to scrub them for you. Similarly, what checkintomyflight.com does is
1. opens up a web browser
2. goes to www.southwest.com
3. fills in the checkin forms as if you were doing it
Its definitely not "hacking" in the "write malicious code" sense (which would be very hard to do) and its more of "hacking" in the "oh look I can make a computer automate a routine task for me" sense (which is what they were explicitly designed to do).
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 23, 2012 at 11:53 pm
@Sharon, I assume you would have advised a young Steve Jobs or Steve Wozniak to not tinker around with and sell their blue boxes?
a resident of Palo Verde
on Oct 24, 2012 at 12:06 am
Nice explanation and analogy Nikil. Some people are just unclear on the concept of automation. In the old days I tied a string to a wind-up alarm clock that flipped on my light switch in the morning. The electric power company did not issue a cease and desist order then, and the hack did not limit my career options. It did get me to school on time, an unfair advantage the results of which I still exploit to this day.
a resident of another community
on Oct 24, 2012 at 12:44 am
Couldn't this be converted from a site and made into an app? By creating an app you would seemingly not be violating the SW terms of service (i am not a lawyer).
When an app user makes their reservation they activate the app, then the app does the rest - it is then the individual customer who is checking them self in.
Shaky legal ground to sell an app, but OK to do a one-off for yourself(?): TOS = "in connection with offering any third party product"
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 24, 2012 at 1:06 am
No point in trying to work around the TOS - if they don't like what you are doing, they'll just change them. Perfectly legitimate in my view.
But kudos for putting together a useful service. Not everybody can, and there's a lot of value creation in that capability.
"Hacking is very a serious matter these days"
He might not get a job with IBM, not sure; not sure he would want one ;-) There are plenty of jobs for resourceful software engineers.
a resident of another community
on Oct 24, 2012 at 1:34 am
Also note "hacking" does not necessarily carry a negative connotation. The Unix- and DIY-hardware hobbyist community contains many self-proclaimed "hackers", where the term basically means people who like to build cool stuff. "Hobbyist Software/Electrical Engineer" is a boring term and implies formal education, when the "hacker" community is informal and fun.
Another meaning for "hack" is a small, clever piece of software usually written for fun and in a short period of time that does something cool usually by putting together several different pieces of software or services that weren't originally intended to work with each other, such as a music-based Twitter-integrated 3D arcade shooter that runs in the browser that is controlled using two Kinects and a Wiimote, or something more mundane like a website that automatically schedules a check-in. Point being that it builds some sort of unintended, cool or useful functionality around other already existing services and software.
A "hack" in terms of software can also mean a quick and dirty solution to a problem that isn't very pretty to look at and might be unstable, but solves it nontheless. It can be a clever bit of bizzare pointer voodoo that makes something work faster than the conventional way of doing things, or an ugly 2000 line monstrosity of a function written at 3AM with the power of caffeine to meet a deadline that makes absolutely no sense but just seems to work anyway.
a resident of Mountain View
on Oct 24, 2012 at 1:42 am
OMG, I just couldn't stop myself LMAO reading a few of these comments.
Firstly, I know this guy pretty well (yay!!!.... Nikil, you owe me a Jamba Juice treat when you make your first billion :) ), and he definitely didn't write and malicious code or "hack into" any system, break any system's security or breach any cyber law!! The term hacking is usually referred to building a computer application to do some cool task (like automating filling out web forms in this case... it's actually a pretty straightforward client-side script, especially when you know the structure of the form, and you don't break any network security here).
Secondly, to all those guys who are concerned about him limiting his job prospects (like in IBM.... who would want to work there anyways? :P), didn't anyone read he already turned down offers from Facebook and Expedia???? Companies love people who can build stuff.... this guy can get any software dev job in the valley in the blonk of an eye (and from what I remember, he had tons of offers upon graduation).
Maybe, rather than being concerned about the consequence of what Nikil did, people should really think about sending him their resume to work in his new startup?? just saying... you never know, you could just make your fortune working with Nikil :)
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 24, 2012 at 2:17 am
Cool stuff. Look forward too seeing more of this guy in Tech. News.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Oct 24, 2012 at 3:12 am
@Abhik, great suggestion about sending resumes. I'm thinking of getting in line with the angel investors!
a resident of another community
on Oct 24, 2012 at 8:22 am
I wish I knew this exited when I was in Vegas. I have no smartphone, no laptop, no tablet, none of that stuff. What I did have was a tight schedule, with no time to wait at the hotel service booth, paying someone $$ to access SW site for boarding number.
Nikil came up with this idea, worked on the program for a very short time, made it work. Now, just think what he can do with just a little more time.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 24, 2012 at 10:47 am
I knew something was haywire when I clicked into the Southwest site this month trying to be first and got B32. I knew something was up!
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 24, 2012 at 11:54 am
Of course Southwest should not allow this entitled Stanford Grad to change the rules to benefit himself. I am sure the "kid" is brilliant. I really hope he can put all of his smarts into something productive. [Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]
a resident of Crescent Park
on Oct 24, 2012 at 12:04 pm
Why is it that certain "adults" have to immediately assume that any kid from Stanford, Paly or Gunn is "entitled" whenever they do something that doesn't necessarily fit into local laws or an issue such as this.
You don't know the kid, you don't know his family. Yet you assume he is entitled/spoiled.
Book. Cover. Enough said.
a resident of another community
on Oct 24, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Why are so many giving this brilliant young man such a hard time? First, he found a creative solution to his forgetfulness issue. Isn't creativity a valued trait in the software world? He did not know it was a violation of Southwest's policies and now that he does, he won't be doing it again. I would think there are many companies that would want to hire him. I do think it was about time his Mom stopped enabling him....Even geniuses need to be able to take care of themselves, although their brains are 36,000 ft in the air! Nikil, we need more creative thinkers like you. But how in the world did you ever remember to get to class on time? :=)
a resident of Los Altos
on Oct 24, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Gee, I just create a calendar alert on my iPhone for my flight with 24 hour notice - to check-in - and 90 minutes to leave for the airport. Of course, I have my phone with me so I can do it from anywhere. I am not be able to program and I am forgetful so I used the tools that I have;-). What I don't understand is why he created a website as supposed to a simple script and how lots of people found his website? That is the part that doesn't sound like 'an accident'.
a resident of Los Altos
on Oct 24, 2012 at 3:11 pm
I should add SW has an iPhone app so after creating the calendar alert, go to the app and check in. It really is that simple.
a resident of another community
on Oct 24, 2012 at 3:30 pm
The divide: if you are smarter or richer or own things others can't afford (or don't want to own), you clean up in a way you never could before. From me, thumbs down. There's enough inequality without this.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 24, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Crescent Park Dad, the word entitled is defined as "to furnish with a right or claim to something" Please let me explain.
Southwest does have a way for you to have yourself automatically checked in. It is called
Earlybird. You simply go on-line to the Southwest website, pay $10, and you are automatically checked in 24 hours before your flight. No need for your mom to worry.
This very bright young man, thought he was entitled to automatically
check himself in with his own app for free. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online.]
I graduated from Gunn, have kids here in school & have lived in Palo Alto for 50 years.
Some people here feel entitled, and this is an excellent example of that.
a resident of Green Acres
on Oct 24, 2012 at 4:04 pm
If we all read the Terms for every site, software, and business we used, we'd be better prepared, but we wouldn't have any time to live life. I heard on NPR that someone did a study that just the EULA's people come across in ordinary life would take a person over a year of time to actually read.
He took down the site when asked. It violated the agreement, which is a contract violation, not a violation of law, as far as I can tell. (So, not illegal.) Until businesses start using templates for agreements and simply note how theirs is different (hopefully in short enough lines that they can be eyeballed), it's unreasonable to expect people to know what's in those terms -- most companies design their terms just so people don't know (gotcha...)
Lighten up people. Good luck with your future work, Nikil. (I have a philanthropic website, can I have 45 minutes' help with it?)
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Oct 24, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Anyone who believes this guy has ended his career prospects needs to have their head examined.
He has incredible talent.
He did not intend anything malicious.
I would hire him in a heartbeat.
a resident of Mountain View
on Oct 24, 2012 at 4:58 pm
@Felicity - I'll tell you why just writing a simple script wouldn't solve Nikil's problem of him forgetting to check in early.
It's simple... sane people usually code scripts on a desktop/laptop and run it on them (never heard of someone coding anything on a smartphone or tablet :P), and the script lives on the local disk (obviously). Now, fast-forward to sometime in the future, where he's booking a SW flight, and he's probably traveling or busy with some work, so quickly books it and can't access the machine where the script is immediately. He'll lose out on that precious A-list seat because he couldn't "tell" the script his flight information that moment (and will definitely forget it later, because he's too busy or something)!! Solution - code up a simple webpage that runs the script (I bet it was in JS) and host it on a server so that it can be accessed from any device (even a mobile), and input the flight info while booking the flight (it's in your mind at that moment), and feel relaxed about the whole issue because you know you're getting a good seat on the flight :) That's exactly what Nikil did.
Also, if putting simple reminders on his phone would work, he really wouldn't call himself "forgetful"... coz, these days that's exactly what normal unforgetful people do.
Smart people, especially students at Stanford, are so overburdened with work, that they just don't have the time to take care of these mundane issue... they'd rather free up that time to work on something exciting, and make this world a better place for you and I to live in (there was someone back in the day like Nikil, who built stuff that allows you to put in your gibberish comment in the first place!). So, they come up with creative ideas to deal with this problem.
I guess, I just ended up rephrasing everything that's there in the original article... but, it seems like people still wondered why Nikil built the website! .... I am just amazed at these comments!!
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 24, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Hey Local Parent, check out what Abhik Lahiri says,
"Smart people, especially students at Stanford, are so overburdened with work, that they just don't have the time to take care of these mundane issue... they'd rather free up that time to work on something exciting, and make this world a better place for you and I to live in (there was someone back in the day like Nikil, who built stuff that allows you to put in your gibberish comment in the first place!). So, they come up with creative ideas to deal with this problem."
What do you think? Any entitlement issues around here?
a resident of another community
on Oct 24, 2012 at 6:48 pm
I'm actually the second passenger to use the site after it launched. Nikil emailed me directly and seemed genuinely suprised that I'd found his site (I live on the east coast). He asked about my experience and whether I had any problems. The site worked precisely as advertised, and I shared my experience. Nikil replied and thanked me for taking the time to respond to his email and for using his new site.
Bottom line: In addition to being an incredible talent, Nikil is a humble gentleman. I wish him the best and look forward to investing in his future comany.
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 24, 2012 at 8:35 pm
Good to see Stanford is still churning out creative innovators like Nikil. This was a small little project for him, but its indicative of the mindset that will see him have a very successful career.
People who would call this guy entitled are small-minded takers who will be counting on people just like him to create value in the economy to support themselves and our giant, inefficient public sector bureaucracy.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 24, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Hello Citizen,
Small-minded taker here.
At least I won't ask for your comment to be removed! I wonder what the difference is between
me and the person that had my comments removed. Hmmm what is the word. Does it start with an e? No hard feeling everyone. Use your brilliance to help make the world a better place.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 25, 2012 at 12:19 am
really? The basis for your "entitlement" argument is that this guy's not having to pay $10 to automatically check himself in. But you're working with incorrect information.
The EarlyBirds, who pay $10, are checked in 36 hours in advance -- not 24 hours.
When he (or his website) checks in at 24 hours, for free, it's along with all the other regular ticket holders, who are checking in for free.
Bottom line: He's not getting a $10 free ride. Ergo, not entitled.
a resident of Stanford
on Oct 25, 2012 at 12:58 am
A sense of entitlement is a personality characteristic, not a matter of getting or not getting $10.
He certainly does have it, for example the company is not punishing him, the just want him to Cease and Desist. But he still wonders whether he can fulfill the requests he has received. Not so smart after all.
And sending a brief email to a long list of people is a trivial task.
Being smart has lots of dimensions. Like a lot of programmers, he has some of them but is missing some common sense.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Oct 25, 2012 at 1:19 pm
"He is not the first person to be threatened by Southwest for offering automatic check-in services that get travelers A-list boarding passes," reads the third paragraph of this story.
I overlooked this point earlier. So CheckInToMyFlight.com was a concept that already had occurred to others, a TOC violation of a similar format that already had been challenged on similar grounds:
Web Link (Southwest v. MySouthwestCheckin.com, Filed 02/27/12)
The lesson here is the importance of "due diligence", which catches up with anybody who tries to be innovative and then releases their creation into the real world. People may regard this as unfortunate or even spirit-crushing, but it's just a fact of competitiveness in the marketplace that mutually agreed upon (i.e. legally enforceable) boundaries exist. We are surrounded by examples of individuals and new ventures that have successfully navigated these obstacles, so don't lose hope for the little guy who try, try, tries again. We can all benefit when we applaud and encourage them.
a resident of another community
on Oct 26, 2012 at 8:27 am
Why such an obviously brilliant guy has to be reminded by his mom to check-in for a flight is beyond me.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 26, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Ducatigirl is a registered user.
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of another community
on Oct 28, 2012 at 8:49 pm
I don't see anything wrong with Nikil's site and what it offered. The original
SW online check-in system gave computer owners and people with an
Internet connection at home (few libraries are open at midnight) an
an edge over those who went to the airport to get a boarding pass.
Nikil just made the online check in easier.
What is the inherent virtue in staying up and being adept with a mouse-keyboard? How is this different from a program that reminds you to check in?
a resident of another community
on Oct 29, 2012 at 9:59 pm
Brilliant? Anything that you can type into a computer can easily be made into a program. You simply let the computer do the typing, which they are very good at. I'm surprised it took 45 minutes.
a resident of Barron Park
on Nov 3, 2012 at 12:22 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
Don't miss out
on the discussion!
Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic.
Post a comment
Stay informed.
Get the day's top headlines from Palo Alto Online sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter.
Worried about the cost of climate change? Here is some hope.
By Sherry Listgarten | 23 comments | 3,385 views
Two Hours - 75,000 Meals – Wanna Help?
By Laura Stec | 0 comments | 1,843 views
Sign-up now for 5K Run/Walk, 10k Run, Half Marathon
The 39th annual Moonlight Run and Walk is Friday evening, September 29. Join us under the light of the full Harvest Moon on a 5K walk, 5K run, 10K run or half marathon. Complete your race in person or virtually. Proceeds from the race go to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, benefiting local nonprofits that serve families and children in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.


text:
Jeff Licquia: Happy 2015!
[en] Look, it s 2015. How d that happen? Blogging has been pretty much nonexistent this year, apart from a public service announcement about the Heartbleed bug and a public statement about boring encryption stuff. (Which, if you re actually interested in that sort of thing: I did finally get the requisite number of signatures and replaced my key in Debian just in time to avoid the Great Key Purge of 2014.) It s a new world. Social media has made blogs obsolete, supposedly, except that they re now too busy competing with each other (and, sometimes, their own fans) to be terribly useful. I ve tried to write a blog post about that a few times, only to delete it out of frustration and long-windedness. So there s a resolution for 2015: get past these social media issues and get back to regular communication. Maybe what I need is a good social media rant. I m sure you re all waiting on pins and needles for that one. Lots has been going on. I m an empty-nester now; the youngest kid started college this fall. I ve been busy at work and busy at skill freshening, including getting on this funky Haskell bandwagon that seems to be all the rage among the cool kids. And plenty of other things going on, some of which probably deserve their own blog posts. Maybe those will get written in 2015. Plan: write. Journey of a thousand miles starting with single steps, and all that.


text:
Return to College of Business Administration | MIS | Courses Index
[1] Courses in Quantitative Methods (QMTH)
2330 BUSINESS STATISTICS This is a required course for all business majors as a part of the business foundation. The mode of instruction is lecture, working problems, and discussion. This course includes an introduction to descriptive statistics, probability theory (theoretical and empirical), discrete and continuous distributions, estimation, and sampling concepts. An emphasis is placed on hypothesis testing including type I and type II errors. Prerequisite: MATH 1390. [ACTS: BUSI2103]
3325 DATA ANALYSIS This course is an option for Finance and Management Information Systems (MIS) Business Analysis Concentration majors. Lectures emphasize computer use to solve problems and interpret results. The course includes in-depth study of experimental design, data cleaning, exploratory data analysis, confirmatory data analysis and data modeling. Prerequisite: QMTH 2330 or equivalent.
4341 QUANTITATIVE ANALYTICAL METHODS The course emphasizes quantitative aids to decision making including a review of probability, linear programming, queuing theory, simulation techniques, network analysis, and Markov analysis. Lecture/discussion. Prerequisite: QMTH 2330.


text:
Hasselhoff, GF Go Nuclear -- Security Called
Hasselhoff, GF Go Nuclear Security Called
TMZ has learned ... David Hasselhoff had some sort of blow-out argument with his girlfriend in Las Vegas Saturday night ... and it got so heated hotel security had to come to the rescue.
Hasselhoff was at the Wynn to celebrate his 59th birthday. His friends were throwing the bash for him at Blush, inside the hotel.
But early this evening, Hasselhoff's girlfriend called for security and one source says she appeared to have been in some sort of distress.
Security came ... and for a while there was some question as to whether David would make it to his own party, But now we're told David will indeed show up -- he's scheduled to walk the red carpet with his girlfriend at 11 PM.
Stay tuned.


text:
Tuning Machines
GroverGrover offers tuning machines and accessories for a variety of stringed instruments.
Tuners - Grover, Rotomatic, "Milk Bottle", 3 per side, PearloidThis model offers the same specs and styling as the Original "Milk Bottle" style 102 Series, but with Pearloid Buttons and button retainer. 18:1 ratio.
Package of 6
Colors Available:
Starting at $70.95


text:
Progress Poster (11" x 17") — #CivilRightNow
#CIVILRIGHTNOW Protest Poster (11" x 17") — Be #READYTOMARCH
Proceeds from the sale of these postcards are donated to a non-profit organization committed to the empowerment and equal protection of black, indigenous, immigrant, muslim, LBGTQIA, disabled, poor, women, and all people of color.
Your purchase is currently serving the following non-profit organizations:
REFUGE - Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO)
PROGRESS - National Women's Law Center (NWLC)
FORTIFY - Just Detention International (JDI)
EMPATHY - National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
Use these posters to:
Share with your community
participate in local events, celebrations, and protests
Express yourself
customize the back of this poster to double your impact
Show your support
display this poster in the window, a frame, or any public space
Practice kindness
Be kind to yourself & others
You have a voice!
Posters are printed on extra thick paper and packaged flat in a clear recyclable (#5 BOPP) sleeve.
We Also Recommend
CLEARANCE - Beautifully Brilliant Art Print in Metallic Silver Ink (8 x 10")
SALE - Other Than That, Mrs Lincoln, How Was The Play? Art Print (8 x 8")


text:
An interview with AMD last week shed light on the latest battleground between Intel and AMD which underlies future changes in computing.
In a meeting with corporate vice president for global channel sales, Roy Taylor, he said both AMD and Intel are both investing in microprocessor architectures which give equal prominence to both serial and parallel computing. And he claimed AMD is ahead of the game.
Using both the CPU as a serial processor and the GPU as a parallel or GPGPU (General Purpose GPU) processor these new devices form a category that AMD calls the APU. The APU will be the bedrock of a new generation of x86 based HSA or Heterogeneous System Architecture devices. Current generation APUs such as Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and the forthcoming Haswell parts from Intel, and AMD's Trinity and Richland parts from AMD still use separate memory configurations, with each processor havin its own defined memory block.
But future devices in 2014, said Taylor, will use single memory configurations, allowing both the CPU and GPU to dynamically share a single memory array and be true HSA enabled processors. Intel's introduction of an L4 cache to speed up the performance between its CPU and GPU is also an indication of its intentions.
In defense of his argument for APU as a new microprocessor category, Taylor showed a diagram that illustrated the increasing commitment by Intel to a larger GPU configuration in its APU generations. These indicated, he said, the need for successful HSA architectures to be balanced.
APUs and Open CL
The growth and success of Open CL, which is able to take advantage of APU devices by using the GPU to accelerate parallel functions, is further ammunition to the establishment of the category, said Taylor. Popular applications such as Handbrake for transcoding, and VLC Player for watching movies, take advantage of this open standard maintained by Khronos and supported by AMD, Apple, IBM, Intel and Nvidia. Open CL received a strong endorsement last week by the announcement by Adobe that it is using Open CL to hardware accelerate its Premier Pro product.
Since html5 also takes advantage of GPU acceleration it seems to make sense that in the future we will see APUs used wherever there is a need for a device which can replace the traditional but separate PC configuration of having a separate CPU and GPU. "That configuration makes sense for higher end systems," said Taylor. But in the meantime currently available APU performance is surprisingly strong, he said. He went on to show the performance of AMD current APUs compared to Intel's or configurations using both Intel and a separate Nvidia GPU together.
When asked what this meant for the channel, Taylor said that at a time of austerity, being able to build relatively high performance desktop and notebook computers at a fraction of their traditional prices could have a huge impact. He may be right, but only if system builders and e-tailers recognize the value of the new category and get behind it.
A quick read of the HSA Foundation website, seems to show a significant ground swell behind the use of balanced compute architectures. With companies like Qualcomm, ARM, Imagination Technologies and Samsung also investing in HSA it does seem that we can expect to see strong developments in this area. It will be interesting to see what Microsoft thinks of the use of APUs to power Windows and whether the software community in general gets behind the category too.
We contacted Intel in Santa Clara for comment but at press time had not received a response.


text:
I have been off the Internet for the holiday as I was visiting mom who has none. I hope everyone had as good a Christmas as we did. Here are some pix of my hometown.
I'll be back in Humboldt for New Years Eve! 2012 is almost here!
|Former Southern Pacific Railroad Station, now an Old Spaghetti Factory
|Old Santa Fe Passanger Terminal, now Amtrak Fullerton


text:
QIAGEN®, Sample to Insight®, QIA®, QIAamp®, QIAamplifier®, QIAcard®, QIAcube®, QIAcuity®, QIAEX®, QIAexpress®, QIAGEN GeneRead®, QIAGEN GeneReader®, QIAgility®, QIAlab®, QIAlink®, QIAprep®, QIAprep&™, QIAGEN Quality®, QIAquant®, QIAquick®, QIAreach®, QIAscreen®, QIAseq®, QIAsphere®, QIAstat-Dx®, QIAsure™, QIAsymphony®, QIAwell®, QIAxcel®, QIAxpert®, QIAzol®, 4NS1C®, AllPrep®, Allprotect®, AllTaq®, artus®, AmniSure®, Autopure LS®, BioRobot®, BiOstic®, Bisulfitome®, BLU-V®, careHPV®, Certal®, Clotspin®, Cignal®, CLC bio®, CleanStart®, ClearMag®, CompactPrep®, CoralLoad®, CRISPR-Q™, DiagCORE®, digene®, DirectPrep®, DML 3000®, DNase Max®, DNeasy®, DyeEx®, EasiCollect®, EASYartus®, EasyXpress®, Effectene®, EndoFree®, EpiTect®, ESEQuant®, EZ1®, EZ2®, EZ1&2™, FastLane®, FastSelect™, FlexiGene®, FlexiTube®, FTA®, FusionChip®, FusionQuant®, GelPilot®, GeneGlobe®, Generation®, GeneRead®, GeneRead QIAcube®, GeneReader®, GeneSolution®, Gentra®, HC2®, HC2 High-Risk®, HC2 High-Risk HPV DNA Test®, HiCap®, HiPerFect®, HiSpeed®, HotStarTaq®, Hybrid Capture®, Ingenuity®, InhibitEX®, Inhibitor Removal Technology®, Investigator®, IPA®, ipsoAnalyzer®, ipsogen®, iReport®, LifeGuard®, LNA®, LyseBlue®, MagAttract®, Making improvements in life possible®, MaXtract®, mericon®, MinElute®, miRCURY®, miScript®, MutaQuant®, MutaSearch®, NeuMoDx®, NoviPure®, Oligotex®, Omniscript®, PartoSure®, PolyFect®, PowerBiofilm®, PowerClean®, PowerFecal®, PowerFood®, PowerLyzer®, PowerMag®, PowerMax®, PowerMicrobiome®, PowerPlant®, PowerSoil®, PowerViral®, PowerWater®, Premolecular®, Premolecular Diagnostics®, Prep&Amp™, ProfileQuant®, Puregene®, Pyro®, Pyrogram®, PyroMark®, Pyrosequencing®, Q-Bond®, Q‑Solution®, qBiomarker®, QCI®, QFM®, QFT®, QFT-Plus™, Qproteome®, QuantiFast®, QuantiFERON®, QuantiFERON Monitor®, QuantiNova®, Quantiscript®, Quantiplex®, QuantiProbe®, QuantiTect®, Rapid Capture®, R.E.A.L.®, REPLI-g®, RNAiFect®, RNAprotect®, RNeasy®, Rotor-Disc®, Rotor-Gene®, Rotor-Gene AssayManager®, RT2®, RT2 Profiler®, Scorpions®, ScreenClust®, ScreenGel®, Sensiscript®, SensiPhi®, SeqTarget®, SpeedXtract®, SpinClean®, STM®, SuperFect®, SwiftMag®, T-Script®, therascreen®, TissueRuptor®, TopTaq®, Transfac®, TransMessenger®, TurboCapture®, TurboFilter®, Type-it®, UltraClean®, Ultraplex®, UltraRun®, UltraSens®, Uni-Core®, Vapor-Lock®, WeLLevator®, XploreDNA®, XploreRNA®.
2D Matrix® (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); Abbott® (Abbott Laboratories); Abbott RealTime® (Abbott Laboratories); ABgene® (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); ABI 5500 SOLiD™ (Life Technologies Corporation); ABI PRISM® (Life Technologies Corporation); Affymetrix® (Affymetrix, Inc.); Agilent® (Agilent Technologies, Inc.); Air-Mate™ (3M); ÄKTA® (GE Healthcare); Alexa Fluor® (Life Technologies Corporation); Amgen® (Amgen, Inc.); AmpFlstr® (Life Technologies Corporation); Apple® (Apple Computer, Inc.); Applied Biosystems® (Life Technologies Corporation); APTIMA® (Gen-Probe Incorporated); ATCC® (American Type Culture Collection); Avastin® (Genentech, Inc.); bactotype® (Indical Bioscience GMBH); BD™ (Becton Dickinson and Company); Benzonase® (Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany); BigDye™ (Life Technologies Corporation); BioLogic™ (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.); BioMag® (Polysciences Inc.); Bio-One® (Greiner Bio-One GmbH; Bio-Rad® (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.); Bluetooth® (Blootooth SIG, Inc.); CDP-Star® (Life Technologies Corporation); CEQ™ (Beckman Coulter, Inc.); CLART® (Genomica S.A.U. Sociedad Anònima Unipersonal); cobas® (Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.); Coomassie® (ICI [Imperial Chemical Industries] Organics Inc.); Copan® (Copan Italia S.P.A.); Corning® (Corning, Inc.); CryoTube® (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); Cy® (GE Healthcare); DACRON® (Invista North America S.A.R.L. Corporation); DAPase™ (UNIZYME); DART™ (Genome Diagnostics); DeepWell™ (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); DYEnamic™ (GE Healthcare); EasyXtal® (Molecular Dimensions, Inc.); eNAT™ (Copan Italia S.P.A.); eppendorf twin.tec® (Eppendorf AG); Eppendorf® (Eppendorf AG); ERBITUX® (ImClone LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company); Excel® (Microsoft Corporation); FACS® (Becton Dickinson and Company); Falcon® (Corning, Inc.); FAM™ (Life Technologies Corporation); FPLC® (GE Healthcare); GeneAmp® (Life Technologies Corporation); GeneChip® (Affymetrix, Inc.); GeneMapper® (Life Technologies Corporation); GeneReader™ (Intelligent Bio-Systems, Inc.); GeneScan® (Life Technologies Corporation); Genotyper® (Life Technologies Corporation); GILOTRIF® (Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH); Hard-Shell® (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.); HiSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); Horizon™ (Horizon Discovery Limited); iCycler iQ® (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.); Identifiler® (Life Technologies Corporation); llumina® (Illumina, Inc.); Infinium® (Illumina, Inc.); Internet Explorer® (Microsoft Corporation); Ion PGM™ (Life Technologies Corporation); Ion Torrent™ (Life Technologies Corporation); iPad® (Apple Computer, Inc.); iPod nano® (Apple Computer, Inc.); iPod® (Apple Computer, Inc.); IRESSA® (AstraZeneca Group); iSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); J&J® (Johnson & Johnson); JOE™ (Life Technologies Corporation); K-Y® (Johnson & Johnson); KAPA® (Roche Group); KAPA Biosystems® (Roche Group); LIAISON® (DiaSorin); LightCycler® (Roche Group); Luminex® (Luminex Corporation); LyoSphere™ (BioLyph Inc.); LyoSpheres™ (BioLyph Inc.); March of Dimes® (March of Dimes Foundation) ; Mastercycler® (Eppendorf AG); MegaBACE™ (GE Healthcare); Merck® (Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.); Merz® (Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA); MethylScreen™ (Orion Genomics, LLC); Metrogel® (Galderma S.A.); MGB™ (Epoch Biosciences); MicroAmp® (Life Technologies Corporation); Microgard™ (Becton Dickinson and Company); Micronic™ (Micronic Holding B.V.); Microsoft® (Microsoft Corporation); Microtainer® (Becton Dickinson and Company); MiniSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); MiSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); Monistat® (Johnson & Johnson); MVS® (Artel, Inc.); Mx3005P® (Stratagene); Nanosep® (Pall Corporation); NASBA® (Organon Teknika); National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (National Comprehensive Cancer Network); NCCN® (National Comprehensive Cancer Network); NEB® (New England Biolabs, Inc.); NEBNext® (New England Biolabs, Inc.); New England Biolabs® (New England Biolabs, Inc.); NeXtal® (Molecular Dimensions, Inc.); NextSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); Norforms® (C.B. Fleet Investment Corporation); NovaSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); Nunc® (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); Opera™ (Evotec Technologies); Oragene® (DNA Genotek Inc., a subsidiary of OraSure Technologies, Inc.); PAXgene® (PreAnalytiX GmbH); pBluescript® (Stratagene); pGAPase™ (UNIZYME); PIPETMAN® (Gilson Inc.); PIQRAY® (Novartis AG); PPT™ (Becton Dickinson and Company); PrepStain® (Becton Dickinson and Company); PreservCyt® (Hologic, Inc.); Primer Express® (Life Technologies Corporation); Puritan® (Puritan Medical Products Company); Qcyclase™ (UNIZYME); QIAGEN GeneReader® (Intelligent Bio-Systems, Inc.); Remp® (Remp AG); RespiFinder® (PathoFinder BV); Ribo-Zero® (Illumina, Inc.); Roche® (Roche Group); Sarstedt® (Sarstedt AG and Co.); SBTengine® (Genome Diagnostics); SBTexcellerator® (Genome Diagnostics); Schering-Plough® (Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.); Siemens® (Siemens AG); sign® (Diatech srl); S-Monovette® (Sarstedt AG and Co.); SNaPshot™ (Life Technologies Corporation); SSP™ (Olerup SSP AB Company, Sweden); Starlab® (Starlab Group); SurePath® (Becton Dickinson and Company); SYBR® (Life Technologies Corporation); TaqMan® (Roche Group); Teflon® (E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company); Terumo® (Terumo Europe N.V.); Thermo Scientific® (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); Thermo-Fast® (Thermo Fisher Scientific or its subsidiaries); ThinPrep® (Hologic, Inc.); TRACKMAN® (Gilson Inc.); TraXis® (Micronic Holding B.V.); TruSeq® (Illumina, Inc.); Tubersol® (Sanofi Pasteur Ltd.); Vacuette® (Greiner Bio-One GmbH); Vacutainer® (Becton Dickinson and Company); Vagisan™ (Dr. August Wolff, GmbH & Co. KG Arzneimittel); Vagisil® (Combe Incorporated); Vectibix® (Immunex Corporation); Venoject® (Terumo Europe N.V.); Venosafe® (Terumo Europe N.V.); VEROGEN® (Verogen Inc.); Vertex® (Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated); VIC® (Life Technologies Corporation); virotype® (Indical Bioscience GMBH); Whatman® (Whatman International Limited Corporation); Windows® (Microsoft Corporation); xMAP® (Luminex Corporation); Yeast Gard® (TCF National Bank). All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Registered names, trademarks, etc. used in the QIAGEN website, even when not specifically marked as such, are not to be considered unprotected by law.
External links on this web site are provided only for the convenience of QIAGEN web site visitors. QIAGEN has no interest in, responsibility for, or control over non-QIAGEN affiliated linked sites. QIAGEN makes no promises or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, as to content of linked sites. In no event shall QIAGEN be liable for any damages resulting from use of these links even if QIAGEN has been informed of the possibility of such liability.
Differential display technology is covered by US patent No. 5,262,311 and other pending patents licensed to GenHunter Corporation.
ImmunEasy technology is covered by U.S. Patents 6,194,388 and 6,207,646 exclusively licensed by Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc.
The SAGE process is covered by U.S. Patent 5,695,937 owned by Genzyme Molecular Oncology.
TAGZyme technology is licensed under U.S. Patent No. 5,691,169, U.S. Patent No. 5,783, 413, and E.U. Patent No. 00759931B1.
Hoffmann-La Roche owns patents and patent applications pertaining to the application of Ni-NTA resin (in certain countries) and to 6xHis-coding vectors and His-labeled proteins. All purification of recombinant proteins by Ni NTA chromatography for commercial purposes, and the commercial use of proteins so purified, require a license from Hoffmann-La Roche in certain countries.
'Black Hole Quencher,' 'BHQ', 'CAL Fluor', and Quasar are registered
trademarks of Biosearch Technologies, Inc.. Novato, CA. BHQ
technology is the subject of US Patent No. 7,019,129, CAL Fluor
technology is the subject of US Patent No. 7,344,701, and Quasar dyes are
subject to US Patent 7,705,150.
QIAGEN products incorporating the BHQ, CAL Fluor, and Quasar dyes
are licensed and sold under agreement with Biosearch Technologies, lnc.
These products are sold for use by the end-user only and may not be re-sold, distributed or repackaged
except for authorized OEM Customers.
For products comprising Scorpions Primers:
This product is sold under license from PHRI Properties.
The PAXgene Blood RNA System (cat. nos. 762105, 762115, 762331, and 762134) and the PAXgene Blood DNA System (cat. nos. 761105, 761115, 761125, 761132, and 761133) are for research use only and not for use in diagnostic procedures.
The PAXgene Blood RNA Kit (cat. nos. 762164 and 762174) is for in vitro diagnostic use. Not available in all countries.
The PAXgene Blood RNA MDx Kit (cat. no. 762461) is intended as a general-purpose device for laboratory use. No claim or representation is intended for its use to identify any specific organism or for clinical use (diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, or blood banking). It is the user's responsibility to validate the performance of the PAXgene Blood RNA MDx Kit for any particular use, since the performance characteristics of these kits have not been validated for any specific organism. The performance characteristics of this product have not been fully established.
siRNA technology is licensed to QIAGEN under European Patent 1 144 623 and foreign equivalents from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, USA and is provided only for use in academic and commercial research (excluding the evaluation or characterization of this product as the potential basis for a siRNA-based drug) and not for any other commercial purposes. Information about licenses for commercial use (including discovery and development of siRNA-based drugs) is available from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 300 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
siRNA technology is licensed to QIAGEN from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under United States Patent Application 09/821,832 and corresponding US and foreign patent applications. siRNA technology is licensed to QIAGEN from the Carnegie Institute of Washington under United States Patent 6,506,559 and corresponding US and foreign patent applications.
"RNAlater®" is a trademark of AMBION, Inc., Austin, Texas and is covered by various U.S. and foreign patents.
RNAlater® may not be re-sold or used for commercial purposes, which both require a specific license.
"Intelli-Plate™" is a trademark of Art Robbins Instruments, LLC.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network®, NCCN®, NCCN GUIDELINES® (National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc.). NCCN GUIDELINES® referenced with permission from The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology® for Colon Cancer V.3.2012. © National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc 2012. All rights reserved. Accessed June 15, 2012. To view the most recent and complete version of the guideline, go online to www.nccn.org.
Oregon Green and Texas Red are licensed from Molecular Probes, Inc.
Oligotex products are not available in Japan.
Strep-tag technology for protein purification and detection is covered by US patent 5,506,121, UK patent 2272698 and French patent 93 13 066; Strep-Tactin is covered by US patent 6,103,493.
The QIAGEN BioRobot MDx DSP workstation and QIAamp DSP kits comply with EU Directive 98/79/EC on in vitro diagnostic medical devices. Other (non-DSP) QIAGEN workstations and kits are intended as general-purpose devices. No claim or representation is intended for their use to identify any specific organism or for a specific clinical use (diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, or blood banking). It is the user's responsibility to validate the performance of QIAGEN non-DSP workstations and kits for any particular use, since their performance characteristics have not been validated for any specific organism. QIAGEN non-DSP workstations and kits may be used in clinical diagnostic laboratory systems after the laboratory has validated their complete system as required by CLIA '88 regulations in the U.S. or equivalents in other countries.
QIAGEN REPLI-g Kits are for use only as licensed by Amersham Biosciences Corp (part of GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences) and QIAGEN GmbH. The Phi 29 DNA polymerase may not be re-sold or used except in conjunction with the other components of this kit. The REPLI-g Kit is developed, designed, and sold for research purpose only.
Benzonase® Nuclease is supplied by Merck KGaA and its Affiliates. Benzonase® is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
The QuantiTect Whole Transcriptome Kit is for use only as licensed by Amersham Biosciences Corp (part of GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences) and QIAGEN GmbH. The Phi 29 DNA polymerase may not be re-sold or used except in conjunction with the other components of this kit. The QuantiTect Whole Transcriptome Kit is developed, designed, and sold for research purpose only.
This multiplex PCR product is licensed under US5,582,989 and corresponding patents.
SBTexcellerator HLA Kits are licensed from Genome Diagnostics BV. QIAGEN acts as a co-exclusive distributor of SBTengine software.
Use of this product is covered by one or more of the following US patents and corresponding patent claims outside the US: 5,994,056 and 6,171,785. The purchase of this product includes a limited, nontransferable immunity from suit under the foregoing patent claims for using only this amount of product for the purchaser's own internal research. No right under any other patent claim and no right to perform commercial services of any kind, including without limitation reporting the results of purchaser's activities for a fee or other commercial consideration, is conveyed expressly, by implication, or by estoppel. This product is for research use only. Diagnostic uses under Roche patents require a separate license from Roche. Further information on purchasing licenses may be obtained by contacting the Director of Licensing, Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, California 94404, USA.
The use of this product is covered by at least one claim of U.S. Patent No. 7,687,247 owned by Life Technologies Corporation. The purchase of this product conveys to the buyer the non-transferable right to use the purchased amount of the product and components of the product in research conducted by the buyer (whether the buyer is an academic or for-profit entity). The buyer cannot sell or otherwise transfer (a) this product, (b) its components, or (c) materials made by the employment of this product or its components to a third party or otherwise use this product or its components or materials made by the employment of this product or its components for Commercial Purposes. Commercial Purposes means any activity for which a party receives or is due to receive consideration and may include, but is not limited to: (1) use of the product or its components in manufacturing; (2) use of the product or its components to provide a service, information, or data; (3) use of the product or its components for therapeutic, diagnostic or prophylactic purposes; or (4) resale of the product or its components, whether or not such product or its components are resold for use in research. The buyer cannot use this product or its components or materials made using this product or its components for therapeutic, diagnostic or prophylactic purposes. Further information on purchasing licenses under the above patents may be obtained by contacting the Licensing Department, Life Technologies Corporation, 5791 Van Allen Way, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
No license is conveyed with the purchase of this product under any ofUS Patents Nos. 5,804,375, 5,994,056, 6,171,785, 5,538,848, 5,723,591, 5,876,930, 6,030,787, and 6,258,569, and corresponding patents ontside the United States, or any other patents or patent applications, relating to the 5' Nuclease and dsDNA-Binding Dye Processes. For further information contact the Director of Licensing, Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, California 94404, USA.
Purchase of this product carries with it a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive (without the right to resell, repackage, or sublicense) license under U.S. Patent Nos. 6,030,787; 5,723,591; and 5,876,930, and corresponding foreign patents. No other license under these patents or any other patents is granted expressly, impliedly, or by estoppel. No license under the PCR process is conveyed through purchase of this product. This limited license permits the person or legal entity to which this product has been provided to use the product, and the data generated by use of the product, only for its internal research purposes involving hybridization-based analysis of nucleic acids in the ordinary course of Buyer's normal internal research and development activities within the life sciences field (including without limitation, drug discovery, drug development, medical research, fermentation research and agricultural research). The product may not be used for any other commercial, clinical, diagnostic or any other use, including, without limitation any human or animal diagnostic uses (including any use of the results of any testing performed with this product in making therapeutic or treatment decisions for a patient), industrial (including food industry) testing, forensic testing, environmental testing (including bio-terrorism and bio-warfare), or any use of these products to provide services of any kind. Buyer agrees and understands it is not licensed to (a) provide commercial data or databases to or on behalf of any third party that relate to use of the product; or (b) use the product or data there from in a clinical diagnostic setting where data from an individual's sample is given to such individual or their caregiver. Neither Nanogen nor its licensors grants any other licenses, express or implied, to permit the manufacture, use, sale, or importation of the product, any other nucleic acids, or any data generated from use of the product. This product or portions hereof are subject to proprietary rights of Nanogen, Inc. and this product is made and sold under license from Nanogen under Nanogen's patents and patent applications and there is no implied license for any other use with respect to this product. A license must be obtained directly from Nanogen with respect to any other proposed use of this product.
Powered by innovation from Nanogen
Manufactured for QIAGEN by Nanogen
The purchase of this product includes a limited, non-transferable right to use the purchased amount of the product to perform Applied Biosystems' patented Passive Reference Method for the purchaser's own internal research. No right under any other patent claim and no right to perform commercial services of any kind, including without limitation reporting the results of purchaser's activities for a fee or other commercial consideration, is conveyed expressly, by implication, or by estoppel. This product is for research use only. For information on obtaining additional rights, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com or Out Licensing, Life Technologies, 5791 Van Allen Way, Carlsbad, California 92008.
For applicable countries:
The purchase of this product includes a limited, non-transferable license to one or more of US Patents Nos 6,787,338; 7,238,321; 7,081,226; 6,174,670; 6,245,514; 6,569,627; 6,303,305; 6,503,720; 5,871,908; 6,691,041; 7,387,887; and U.S. Patent Applications Nos. 2003-0224434 and 2006- 0019253 and all continuations and divisionals, and corresponding claims in patents and patent applications outside the United States, owned by the University of Utah Research Foundation, Idaho Technology, Inc., and/or Roche Diagnostics GmbH, for internal research use or for non-in vitro diagnostics applications. No right is conveyed, expressly, by implication or estoppel, for any reagent or kit, or under any other patent or patent claims owned by the University of Utah Research Foundation, Idaho Technology, Inc., and/or Roche Diagnostics GmbH, or by any other Party. For information on purchasing licences for in-vitro diagnostics applications or reagents, contact Roche Molecular Systems, 4300 Hacienda Drive, Pleasanton, CA 94588, USA.
For applicable countries:
This real-time thermal cycler is licensed under pending U.S. Patent rights for an apparatus or system covering automated thermal cyclers with fluorescence detectors and seeking priority to U.S. Serial No. 07/695,201 and corresponding claims in any foreign counterpart patent thereof owned by Applied Biosystems LLC, in all fields, including research and development, all applied fields, and human and animal in-vitro diagnostics. No rights are conveyed expressly, by implication or estoppel to any patents on real-time methods, including but not limited to 5' nuclease assays, or to any patent claiming a reagent or kit. For further information on purchasing additional rights, contact the Director of Licensing at Applied Biosystems, 850 Lincoln Centre Drive, Foster City, California, 94404, USA.
For applicable countries:
The purchase of this product includes a limited, non-transferable license to one or more of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,787,338; 7,238,321; 7,081,226; 6,174,670; 6,245,514; 6,569,627; 6,303,305; 6,503,720; 5,871,908; 6,691,041; 7,387,887; 7,273,749; 7,160,998; U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2003-0224434 and 2006-0019253, and PCT Patent Application No. WO 2007/035806, and all continuations and divisionals, and corresponding claims in patents and patent applications outside the United States, owned by the University of Utah Research Foundation, Idaho Technology, Inc., Evotec Biosystems GmbH, and/or Roche Diagnostics GmbH for human or animal in-vitro diagnostics only. No right is conveyed, expressly, by implication or estoppel, for any reagent or kit, or under any other patent or patent claims owned by the University of Utah Research Foundation, Idaho Technology, Inc., Roche Diagnostics GmbH, or by any other Party. This product may be operated only with authorized reagents such as fully licensed QIAGEN kits and assays. For information on purchasing licenses for in-vitro diagnostics applications or reagents, please contact Roche Molecular Systems, 4300 Hacienda Drive, Pleasanton, CA 94588, USA.
Purchaser agrees that use of this product and data therefrom is limited solely to the purchaser and for only the purchaser's own internal molecular biology research applications ("Permitted Use"), and shall not be re-sold or used for any other purposes (all of which are expressly prohibited), including without limitation diagnostic purposes, uses that could require regulatory approval for diagnostics from an agency of any government or regulatory entity anywhere in the world, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of disease, and the right to perform commercial services of any kind, including without limitation, reporting the results of purchaser's activities, including without limitation, for a fee or other commercial consideration. Except for the Permitted Use, no rights, titles, or interests in or to any tangible or intangible property rights are conveyed or shall be deemed conveyed by implication, estoppel or otherwise. The performance characteristics of the product other than for the Permitted Use are unknown.
QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) is an in vitro diagnostic aid for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. QFT-Plus is an indirect test for M. tuberculosis infection (including disease) and is intended for use in conjunction with risk assessment, radiography, and other medical and diagnostic evaluations. QFT-Plus package inserts, up-to-date licensing information and product-specific disclaimers can be found at www.QuantiFERON.com.


text:
I woke up this morning and saw an article detailing Snapchat's new verification system designed to help cut back the snap spam that seems to be slowly infiltrating the service.
You may not have seen it but if not I will summarize it for you. They basically have you choose from amongst a bunch of images, identifying the ones that have the Snapchat ghost to prove you are a person. It is kind of like a less annoying CAPTCHA.
The problem with this is that the Snapchat ghost is very particular. You could even call it a template. For those of you familiar with template matching, which is what Snapchat is asking you to do to verify your humanity, it's one of the easier tasks in computer vision.
This is an incredibly bad way to verify someone is a person because it is such an easy problem for a computer to solve.
After I read this, I spent around 30 minutes writing up some code in order to make a computer do this. Now there are many ways of solving this problem, HoG probably would have been best or even color thresholding and PCA for blob recognition but it would take more time, and I'm lazy (read: efficient). I ended up using OpenCV and going with simple thresholding, SURF keypoints and FLANN matching with a uniqueness test to determine that multiple keypoints in the training image weren't being singularly matched in the testing image.
First, I extract the different images from the slide above, then I threshold them and the ghost template to find objects that are that color. Next, I extract feature points and descriptors from the test image and the template using SURF and match them using FLANN. I only use the "best" matches using a distance metric and then check all the matches for uniqueness to verify one feature in the template isn't matching most of the test features. If the uniqueness is high enough and enough features are found, we call it a ghost.
With very little effort, my code was able to "find the ghost" in the above example with 100% accuracy. I'm not saying it is perfect, far from it. I'm just saying that if it takes someone less than an hour to train a computer to break an example of your human verification system, you are doing something wrong. There are a ton of ways to do this using computer vision, all of them quick and effective. It's a numbers game with computers and Snapchat's verification system is losing.
This post originally appeared on the author's blog, and it was republished with permission.
Steven Hickson is an avidtechnical blogger and current graduate student researcher at Georgia Institute of Technology. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Computer Engineering from Clemson University before moving on to the Department of Defense. After consulting and working at the DoD, Steven decided to pursue his PhD with a focus in computer vision, robotics, and embedded systems. His open source libraries are used the world over and they have been featured in places such as Linux User and Developer Magazine, raspberrypi.org, Hackaday, and Lifehacker. In his free time, Steven likes to rock climb, program random bits of code, and play Magic: The Gathering.