text:
Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology is the scientific
study of the workplace. Rigor and methods of psychology are
applied to issues of critical relevance to business,
including talent management, coaching, assessment,
selection, training, organizational development,
performance, and work-life balance.
Kurt Kraiger1 and Anthony Abalos
University of Tulsa
1 Send correspondence or requests for individual program feedback to Dr. Kurt Kraiger, McFarlin Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Tulsa, 600 S. College Ave., Tulsa, OK 74132 or
Graduate training programs in industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology are periodically ranked on objective and subjective criteria related to the quality and output of their graduate faculty. For example, the
U.S. News and World Reports (1995; 2001) rankings are based on psychology department chairs judgments of program reputation. Objective criteria used to rank I-O programs include the number of I-O faculty in a program serving on editorial boards (Jones & Klimoski, 1991), the number of faculty publications (Levine, 1990; Winter, Healey, & Svyantek, 1995), and total student conference presentations (Payne, Succa, Maxey, & Bolton, 2001; Surette, 1989, 2002).
As often noted, the basis for any ranking system is subject to criticism (cf., Cox & Catt, 1977; Gibby, Reeve, Grauer, Mohr, & Zickar, 2002; Winter et al., 1995). For example, rankings based on program reputation may be unrelated to current faculty productivity given halo (general reputation of the university), turnover, or raters who do not fully understand the discipline or activities of individual institutions. As our department chair likes to proclaim, When you look at the nighttime sky, some of the brightest stars have burned out a long time ago.
Objective systems based on faculty research productivity have been criticized as well. Gibby et al. (2002) noted problems with the criterion of membership on editorial boards: It is an indirect and contaminated measure of research productivity; it fails to measure direct contributions of the faculty to the development of graduate students; and it may penalize programs with young, productive faculty who have not yet attained the professional stature that triggers invitations to the editorial boards of prestigious journals.
The most popular objective method for ranking I-O programs has been counting faculty publications (Gibby et al., 2002; Levine, 1990; Winter et al., 1995). There are several advantages to such ranking systems. The criterion is reasonably objective and virtually all academic departments use publication counts in the assessment of faculty productivity. Further, research that leads to a publication frequently involves students. Finally, to the extent that the publication-based ranking system considers only upper-echelon journals, there are built-in controls for the quality of the research. The most recent such ranking system was by Gibby et al., who reviewed both narrow and broad lists of journals and also considered both recent and career accomplishments when compiling those lists.
While the relative merits and drawbacks of using various criteria for ranking programs will continue to be debated, it is likely that similar systems will be used to rank graduate training programs in I-O psychology. In addition to the shortcomings of these systems already addressed, we would like to add two others. First, all rankings to date place limited emphasis on the quality of the training experience from the perspective of the student. For example, Gibby et al. (2002) noted that rankings based on editorial board membership may be deficient in that involvement on editorial boards may take away time otherwise spent engaged with graduate students (p. 17). Instead, they advocated for the use of number of publications as the criterion for ranking programs. However, such rankings fail to measure faculty time spent with, or impact on, graduate students. It is possible that when graduate faculty devote too much time on publishing or editorial duties their classroom preparation suffers. We do not mean to suggest that teaching and research are mutually exclusive. Many faculty excel (or fail) at both. Further, active engagement in research may result in grants, joint authorships, and research experience that are all valuable to students. However, our point is that no ranking system to date explicitly quantifies these opportunities for students. Further, for students pursuing a nonacademic career path, variables such as availability of internships, networking opportunities, and skill training may be more important determinants of satisfaction with graduate school than faculty productivity. A ranking system that assesses the experience of being a student may provide alternative, important information for prospective students or undergraduate faculty who provide recommendations to their students on potential graduate programs.
The second shortcoming we would like to address is the focus of most ranking systems solely on doctoral programs (notable exceptions are systems based on student presentations at conferences). Currently, there about 98 North American MA/MS programs and 66 PhD programs listed on the SIOP Web site. Since MA programs typically take in many more students than doctoral programs, it is reasonable to assume that there are currently two to three times as many MA students as PhD students in North America. Accordingly, it seems important to provide rankings of MA programs to provide guidance to prospective students or undergraduate faculty who provide recommendations to students pursuing that degree option. However, traditional criteria used to rank doctoral programs may be inadequate for ranking MA programs. Departments that offer terminal MA programs typically assign higher teaching loads (than departments with doctoral programs) and often place more emphasis on instructional activities (compared to research and publishing). Further, students entering terminal MA programs may have different expectations for their graduate training, with a greater emphasis on faculty accessibility, applied classroom training, and internship or practicum opportunities. Thus, while a ranking system for terminal MA programs would provide important information for prospective students or undergraduate advisors, it should be based on variables relevant to the professional objectives of faculty in those programs.
Accordingly, our research was conducted with three objectives explicitly defined. The first was to develop a ranking system of graduate programs in I-O psychology based on a broader set of criteria than has traditionally been considered. Specifically, our goal was to develop a ranking system based on current graduate students evaluations of variables important to the quality of life and quality of training from a students perspective. Second, we wanted to develop a ranking system that would be applied to both terminal masters and PhD programs. Finally, we wanted to determine if the set of criteria students used to evaluate quality of life and quality of training differed between students in terminal masters versus PhD programs.
This research study consisted of three phases. First, in the criterion development stage, current graduate I-O students (both MA and PhD candidates) helped develop the criteria used to evaluate the quality of a program. Second, we had both program directors and graduate students review this list of criteria and evaluate the importance of each variable for judging the quality of graduate programs (either MA/MS or PhD) in general. Third, we elicited ratings from current graduate students for their respective programs. These ratings were weighted by the importance judgments obtained in the second phase to compute an overall index. In phases two and three, all I-O psychology programs listed on the SIOP Web site were contacted and invited to participate in the study.
Scaling Issues
It is important to note that in phase three, when we sent out requests to program directors to provide a link to their graduate students to rate their programs, there were a number of program directors who refused to do so. There were others who begrudgingly agreed to do so (so as not to be left out), but expressed reservations (as did the first group) about the validity of the ratings. The concerns expressed by these program directors are important and should be reviewed before the rankings are presented.
One specific concern came from program directors in expensive metropolitan areas. Because we included cost of living as a variable in the calculation of our final index, some directors felt that their programs would be disadvantaged in our rankings; further, there was a perception that inclusion of this criterion was unfair, since it is beyond their control. For example, a graduate program in an expensive area might do everything possible to create a positive climate for its students but still not rank highly if it is penalized for its location. We included variables such as location and cost of living in the survey because respondents in phase one of the research indicated that these variables contributed to the quality of life as a graduate student. However, we recognize that inclusion of these variables may create inequities in the calculation of an overall index for variables beyond the control of individual programs. More importantly, when we calculated variable weights in phase two, cost of living actually received a slightly negative weight, so that the more favorably students rated local cost of living, the worse the overall weighted index for their school. Accordingly, we excluded cost of living from the calculation of the overall weighted index; it has been included only in a ranking based solely on cost factors (see Table 6).
The other issues raised by program directors dealt with concerns about the fairness of the process, the validity of the ratings, or the suitability of student ratings as a criterion for judging graduate programs. Three directors refused to solicit student ratings because they believed that such opinions were unimportant for evaluating program quality. Because of their concerns about the fairness of the process or the validity of the data, six directors were unwilling to participate, while others participated while expressing reservation. Issues raised included concerns that (a) other program directors might only send the survey to graduate students likely to express positive opinions (or avoid sending to students likely to provide negative opinions); (b) other program directors might send the survey to all students but with instructions to provide only positive ratings; (c) the surveys would be sent to all students but students with negative attitudes would be the most motivated to respond; (d) students in some schools would choose to either rate their program more negatively than warranted to express overall dissatisfaction or more positively than warranted to express overall satisfaction and enhance the reputation of their program.
Our response to these concerns is that they represent valid issues and are applicable to any type of survey administration. We are clear that we are providing subjective criteria for ranking programs. Sampling and response biases may affect the validity of any data based on personal attitudes, opinions, or judgments. Our intent is that the rankings generated by these ratings will be used in conjunction with other, more objective rankings to help prospective students make important decisions about where to attend graduate school. We caution all readers to remember the source of our data and realize its limitations.
Survey Development
As noted above, the survey was developed in three phases. In phase one, University of Tulsa I-O graduate students were asked to list the criteria people use to choose a graduate program or to recommend a program to another person. Taking this initial list of possible criteria, we logically combined related criteria, then wrote definitions for each. The final list of 20 variables appears in Figure 1.
Faculty support and accessibility
Overall extent of faculty support,
accessibility, and involvement in student affairs. Includes faculty
advising and interaction outside of the classroom.
Quality of instruction
quality of classes; the extent to
which classes prepare students for careers
in academic or applied settings.
between applied and academic emphases
A program with
both applied and academic foci; faculty with applied experience to augment
academic knowledge.
interests of the faculty and the program
Faculty with
varied research interests, and
which students find relevant.
quality of research that takes place in the program
The number of
faculty publications at this program compared with that at other programs.
opportunities for students
willingness of professors to include
students in their research and actual student
for work in the local community
quality and quantity of available
internships and jobs; programs relationships
with local organizations.
Cost of
Cost of
living in the city in which the
program is located.
services and employability of students after graduation.
faculty aid with searching for
internships and jobs; and/or a formal job
placement service; network between
current students and alumni.
graduation rate/length of time required to complete
degreeMasters Students only2
graduation rate/length of time required to complete
degreeDoctoral students only
with the I-O community
faculty and student involvement
in professional organizations and conferences.
quality of students
selectivity of the program in
admitting students and number of student
publications. The quality of students at this
program compared with that at other programs.
of funding
funding through assistantships;
monetary support for attending conferences.
The availability of funding at this program
compared with that at other programs.
of the university
Qualities of
the city in which the program is
located such as weather, cost of living,
availability of housing, entertainment
opportunities, and so forth.
Variety or
breadth of course offerings
Class size
Size of
classes that are conducive to learning.
Culture of
the program
versus competitive atmosphere;
relationships between students and
professors; pervasiveness of politics.
The rate of
faculty turnover at this program
compared with that at other programs.
of educational resources
quality of departmental and
university resources such as libraries,
computers, software, journals, and so forth.
2 Responses to items 10 and 11 were collected for research purposes but not used to rank programs.
Figure 1. Variables used to elicit ratings on graduate training programs
The second phase of the study was conducted in the fall of 2002. Two surveys comprised of the 20 variables were constructed using ZipSurvey by corporatesurvey.com; links to both surveys were sent to all MA, MS, and PhD program directors listed on the SIOP Web page affiliated with North American psychology departments. One survey was for program directors and asked them to rate the importance of each variable for recommending a graduate program to potential graduate students. Directors were instructed to forward the link for a similar survey to their graduate students with instructions to complete the survey. The second survey contained identical items and scales but asked students to rate the importance of each variable for choosing graduate programs from the perspective of a current graduate student. Ratings were on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = Not at all important; 5 = Extremely important). Students also indicated their year in school and whether they were in a terminal MA/MS program or a doctoral (PhD) program. Completed surveys were stored on the corporatesurvey.com server and downloaded to a spreadsheet file without any information that could identify respondents. All surveys were completed anonymously.
Importance ratings were obtained from 68 program directors (43 from an MA or MS program and 36 from a PhD
program)3, as well as from 313 graduate students (142 self-identified as from MA/MS programs, and 164 from PhD programs). It is not possible to specify an exact response rate since it was not known exactly how many program directors received an e-mail to participate; neither was it known how many graduate students received forwarded e-mails. However, e-mails were originally sent to 160 program directors, suggesting that approximately 43% all directors contacted completed the survey.
3 Numbers by degree total more than 68 as many respondents directed both an MA/MS and a PhD program.
Once the importance ratings were averaged by program, weights were computed for each item to use in the determination of the final rankings. The weight for each item was calculated using the following formula:
Importance item n = Mean importance rating item n
− Mean importance rating all items
Standard Deviation All items
We had originally intended to use separate importance weights for faculty and student ratings. However, across the variables, there was a correlation of .89 between mean importance ratings by faculty and students. For ease of presentation, we used only one weighted index based on the student weightsthese weights were used instead of the faculty weights because we were primarily interested in students perceptions of factors influencing quality of life as a graduate student. It is significant to note that faculty and students place similar importance on each variable when evaluating graduate programs.
While not a primary goal of the study, examining the difference between the factors important to graduate students in MA/MS programs and those important to doctoral students was of interest to the researchers. For example, MA students might place greater value on faculty instructional support while PhD students place more emphasis on research opportunities. We calculated average ratings on each item for both MA/MS students and for PhD students, and then correlated the two vectors. The importance ratings for both groups of students were very similar (r = .80), indicating that variables affecting quality of graduate education were similar for both groups of students. We compared the mean differences between groups on all variables and found no significant differences.
The third phase of the study began in the fall of 2003. The 20 items in Figure 1 were used to construct the online survey. Potential respondents were told that the purpose of this study was to collect perceptions of the quality of the graduate programs from the perspective of their customersthe graduate students. Respondents rated each of the 20 items using a five-point Likert-type scale with anchors tailored to the item. For example, Culture of the program was rated on a scale ranging from 1 =
very unfavorable culture to 5 = very favorable culture. Students also indicated their year in program, gender, and race.
An updated list of program directors was obtained from the SIOP Web site and program advisors at all North American I-O graduate programs (listed on the site) were contacted and sent a link to the online survey. Reminders were sent to all program directors in November and were sent to specific programs that had not responded in December. Data were collected through the end of December 2003.
Ratings of programs in phase three were completed by students only. Responses were anonymous and submitted to the corporatesurvey.com server, then written as a spreadsheet file and sent to the researchers for analysis. Unlike the data from phase two, data in phase three included the degree program in which the respondents were enrolled.
A total of 923 ratings were obtained from graduate students, both masters and doctoral. As noted above, it is impossible to determine a response rate since all that is known is how many program directors received requests to participate, not how many students received forwarded links. In this sample, 285 respondents were male, 592 were female (46 did not specify sex). Race and ethnicity were broken down as follows: 704 Caucasian, 36 Latino/Latina, 35 African American, 44 Asian American/Pacific Islander, 3 Native American, and 54 self-described as
other. Table 1 shows mean ratings, standard deviations, and intercorrelations for each of the 18 items used to calculate the weighted index.
Table 1
Correlations and Descriptive Statistics for Rating Items
To create an overall rank, we first calculated the average rating on each item for each graduate program. If a school had both a PhD and a terminal MA program, we calculated separate averages for each. A program had to have at least five respondents to be included in the ranking. As readers examine the rankings in the following tables, there will be programs not listed in the tables. Their absence reflects one of three conditions: (a) the program director chose not to respond; (b) there were fewer than five respondents from the program; or (c) there were five or more respondents, but the program received a lower ranking than those schools shown in the table.
An overall weighted index for each program was computed by multiplying the average item rating (obtained in phase 3) by the average item weight (obtained in phase 2), and then summing over all products (recall that cost of living was not included in this index). The calculated values for the weighted index ranged from 4.93 to 7.83 for PhD programs and from 4.78 to 7.62 for MA/MS programs. The top 20 programs by rank are shown in Table 2 for PhD programs, and in Table 3 for MA/MS programs.
Table 2
Top 20 PhD Programs by Overall Weighted Index of Student Ratings
Rank Program
N Weighted Z-
index score index
Table 3
Top 20 MA/MS Programs by Overall Weighted Index of Student Ratings
Rank Program
N Weighted
Z- Converted
index score index
Because the weighted index is not an intuitively meaningful metric, Tables 2 and 3 provide two other indices. First, we calculated a z-score for each programs ranking (compared to all other rankings within that program type). Thus, a PhD program with a
z-score of 0 received an average overall index score, while programs with positive
z-scores received above-average overall scores. Finally, we converted the
z-scores to a familiar 100-point scale, centered on an average score of 75 for PhD programs and 70 for MA/MS programs. To do so, we multiplied the
z-score by 14 (for PhD programs) or 13.5 (for MA/MS programs) and added the product to 75 or
70.4 The converted scores are also shown in Tables 2 and 3 and are offered as an intuitive reference for readers who may be less familiar with properties of
4 14 and 13.5 were arbitrarily chosen values. We chose them because they work, that is, they produced a desired distribution with many scores clustered in the 70s and low 80s, fewer scores in the 90s, and no scores over 100. We had hoped to use the same conversion that was used for both program types, but the greater variance in the MA/MS programs necessitated a smaller multiplier.
We also wanted to provide distinct rankings for specific factors influencing overall perceptions of quality of life. To determine these factors, we tried factor analyzing the program ratings by students. Both principal components and common factor analysis methods were used, but we were unable to identify a clean underlying factor structure. We then factor analyzed the mean item ratings for each of the 69 programs for which we had five or more respondents. Even though the cases-to-variables ratio is low, each individual scorean item meanis more reliable than simple ratings in the full data set. We used principal axis factoring and an oblique rotation to find a clean three-factor solution accounting for 61% of the common variance. Factor one was labeled Program Resources and indicated by the following items: quality of students, research quality by faculty, availability of funding, research opportunities for students, availability of educational resources, research interests of the faculty, and placement services and employability of students. Factor two was labeled Program Culture and indicated by the following items: balance between applied and academic emphases, culture of the program, faculty support and accessibility, variety and breadth of course offerings, and quality of instruction. Factor three was labeled Program Costs and indicated by the following items: availability of funding, cost of living, location of the university, and class size.
Using unit weights for the variables with the highest factor loadings, a score was calculated on each factor for each program. Rankings of the top 20 MA/MS and PhD programs on each factor are shown in Tables 4 through 6. Note that doctoral programs appearing in the top 20 on Program Resources (Table 4) are primarily those that traditionally score highly in rankings based on program reputation or faculty productivity, lending validity to our rankings. One discrepancy in the various rankings should be noted. There were several variables that were used to calculate an overall ranking but not used to calculate any of the three specific factors. On several of these variables (e.g., opportunities for work in the local community), there were programs that received very low scores and consequently scored low on the overall weighted index. One example of such a program is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which finished in the top 10 on all three factors, but not in the overall top 20.
Table 4
Rankings of PhD and MA/MS Programs on Program Resources
Rank PhD Program
Rank MA/MS Program
Table 5
Rankings of PhD and MA/MS Programs on Program Culture
Rank PhD Program
Rank MA/MS Program
Table 6
Rankings of PhD and MA/MS Programs on Program Costs
Rank PhD Program
Rank MA/MS Program
The objectives for our research were as follows: (a) to develop a ranking system of graduate programs in I-O psychology based on a broader set of criteria than has traditionally been considered; (b) to apply the same system to rank terminal masters and PhD programs; and (c) to determine whether criteria used to evaluate quality of life and quality of training differed between students in terminal masters versus PhD programs.
We wish to thank those program directors, and in particular those graduate students, who participated in every phase of the study. While we would have liked to have received ratings from more graduate programs, we believe that the data reported in this study represent a valid, alternative way of evaluating the quality of graduate programs and provide a useful impetus for additional discussions about factors influencing the perceptions of quality of graduate training.
Regarding the third objective, we were surprised to see that the criteria used to evaluate program quality did not differ between MA/MS and PhD students. This was determined by comparing mean importance ratings from both groups in the second phase of the study. Both groups place similar emphasis on research opportunities, instructional quality, availability of funding, and so forth. As terminal MA/MS programs look to add faculty and develop their programs, they should strive to improve in the same areas that doctoral programs do.
With regard to the first two objectives, the rankings reported in Tables 2 through 6 provide alternative ways of ranking graduate programs in both degree options. We elected to publish only schools at the top of the rankings, rather than publish all rated programs. Our goal was to draw attention to programs that are doing well in the eyes of their students, not those that have issues to be addressed. Also recall that there are several reasons why a program may not appear in the top 20: fewer than five respondents, the choice to not participate in the study, or a ranking below 20. We believe that the factor rankings provide as much or more value for comparing programs than do the overall rankings. Different prospective graduate students will value different attributes in a graduate program, and the factor tables provide considerable information about the strengths of certain programs on those attributes.
There are several possible uses for the data we collected and presented. Schools ranking high on either the overall index or on specific factors may choose to use the information to publicize strengths of their programs. As noted above, many of the program directors who participated requested specific feedback for their programs. These data may be used in several ways, such as targeting areas for improvement or as leverage when seeking out more resources from school administrators. For example, the doctoral program at the University of Tulsa scored high on a number of variables, but scored below average on three: opportunities for work in the local community, availability of funding, and faculty turnover. The low score on faculty turnover reflects the fact that in the past 2 years we have lost two junior faculty to higher paying jobs in business schools. The impact of this variable and the funding variable on our overall ranking can be used to build a case to the administration for better pay for junior faculty and more internally funded R.A. or T.A. positions. In addition, using principles of survey feedback, the University of Tulsa psychology faculty plan to present all the results back to the students as a whole, elicit critical incidents regarding problems associated with work opportunities, turnover, and so forth, and create an action plan to develop a more positive environment for graduate students.
We anticipate that there may be some controversy regarding the rankings we present. There may be other controversies regarding our methods for choosing or weighting variables, even for the idea of evaluating program quality by the use of student ratings. We welcome feedback and commentary as we believe any discussion on how to rank the quality of graduate training will, in the end, lead to better experiences for our students.
Americas Best Graduate Schools. (1995, March 20). U.S. News and World Report.
Americas Best Graduate Schools. (2001, April 9). U.S. News and World Report.
Cox, W. M., & Catt, V. (1977). Productivity ratings of graduate programs in psychology based upon publication in the journals of the American Psychological Association.
American Psychologist, 32, 793813.
Gibby, R. E., Reeve, C. L., Grauer, E., Mohr, D., & Zickar, M. J. (2002). The top I-O psychology doctoral programs of North America.
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 39(4), 1725.
Jones, R. G., & Klimoski, R. J. (1991). Excellence of academic institutions as reflected by backgrounds of editorial board members.
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 28(3), 5763.
Levine, E. L. (1990). Institutional and individual research productivity in I-O psychology during the 1980s.
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 27(3), 2729.
Payne, S. C., Succa, C. A., Maxey, T. D., & Bolton, K. R. (2001). Institutional representation in the SIOP conference program: 19862000.
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 39(1), 5360.
Surette, M. A. (1989). Ranking I-O graduate programs on the basis of student research presentations.
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 26(3), 4144.
Surrette, M.A. (2002). Ranking I-O graduate Programs on the basis of student research presentations at IOOB: An update.
The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 40(1), 113116.
Winter, J. L., Healy, M. C., & Svyantek, D. J. (1995). North Americas top I-O psychology doctoral programs:
U.S. News and World Report revisited. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist,
33(1), 5458.
July 2004 Table
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Skip to comments.160 million credit cards later, 'cutting edge' hacking ring cracked
Posted on 07/25/2013 1:59:48 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
For nearly a decade, a band of cybercriminals rampaged through the servers of a global business who's who: Among the victims were 7-Eleven, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, JetBlue and JC Penney. Prosecutors say the hackers stole "conservatively" 160 million credit card numbers, and the dollar value of the crimes they helped facilitate is enormous just four of the victims are out $300 million. The suffering caused to identity theft victims was "immeasurable," say prosecutors.
On Thursday, five of the gang's members were indicted. One is in custody in the U.S., a second is awaiting extradition in the Netherlands, and three more are still at large in what U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said is the largest data heist case ever prosecuted.
Dmitriy Smilianets, 29, of Moscow, is in custody, while Vladimir Drinkman, 32, of Syktyykar, is awaiting an extradition hearing. The other three Aleksandr Kalinin, 26, Roman Kotov, 32, and Ukrainian Mikhail Rytikov, 26, remain at large.
Originally part of a crime ring led by Albert Gonzalez, who was arrested back in 2008, the five continued their data conquests even after Gonzalez was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The group kept security professionals and journalists busy for years, causing embarrassing data leaks at grocery-store chain Hannaford Brothers Co. (4.2 million cards), Discover (2 million cards), and Dow Jones (10,000 corporate logins).
Often, one of the criminals would shop at the retailers to observe checkout registers and deduce which systems were used, assessing their vulnerability. Then, they'd gain access to credit card payment systems and siphon off millions of victims' account numbers as they were involved in transactions.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Gee whiz, you'd think they worked for the government.
The NSA must have gotten jealous.
Government hacking is "legal:" NSA. And so is highway robbery: IRS.
Just watch, this may be the last you hear of this, they will be working FOR the NSA very very soon.
That's why you should never steal. The Feds don't like the competition.
They should get a year in jail for each card that they stole.
Whatever prison they go to should do an investigation and match the hackers up with other prisoners that had their identity stolen at some point for a cellmate.
I would give them a small cut for each card they stole....they might last for a good thousand cuts or so....
3/30/13 NY Post, By Mitchell Madux ---Latino bank-fraud ; pizza guy really knew how to make some dough A latino Dominos Pizza employee was a key player in a bank-fraud scheme that netted a NY crime ring millions of dollars, the feds said yesterday. Elvis Rodriguez, 24, of Yonkers, was slapped with federal bank-fraud charges after he and his accomplices allegedly used phony debit cards to withdraw millions in cash from ATMs in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Secret Service agents say the ring paid Russian and Romanian mobsters for confidential financial info hacked from the computers of banks in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Rodriguez and his pals then used the stolen data to make counterfeit cards.
The feds say they have bank surveillance photos of Rodriguez wearing a black Dominos Pizza cap withdrawing cash with the stolen cards. He also listed the restaurant as his employer on a passport application. The suspect and two cohorts flew from JFK to Romania in January to deliver $300,000 to the gang that provided the hacked bank data, prosecutors said at his Brooklyn federal court Thursday appearance. Defense lawyer Michael Anthony Marinaccio said Rodriguez maintains his innocence. A judge ordered Rodriguez detained pending trial. Dominos rep did not immediately return a call for comment.
SOURCE http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/domino_rakes_in_bank_fraud_dough_acg4r5AIIJcj6JSCuOatgP
The wife, mother and a cousin of the mastermind behind the massive NY CityTime payroll-system scam pleaded guilty today to helping Mark Mazer launder $25 million in kickbacks. Mazers wife, Svetlana, his mother Larisa Medzon, and cousin Anna Makovetskaya also agreed to forfeit more than $27 million in cash and various properties worth more than $4 million as part of their agreements ironed out before a federal judge in Manhattan. The trio last month had said they needed a separate trial from Mark Mazer because of the overwhelming amount of evidence federal prosecutors have against him and the other defendants in the case, which is set for trial Sept. 30. Prime contractor Science Applications International Corp. last year paid the city $500 million to avoid prosecution for profiting from the scandal, in which the cost of a new, high-tech municipal payroll system ballooned from $63 million to more than $600 million.
Along with the citys recovery last year of $500 million from the vendor, this case continues to move forward yielding results for the taxpayers, said city Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn following the hearing. Having turned the tables on this criminal network years ago when DOI found their shell companies and the millions salted away in the hidden accounts, DOIs work on this case will continue through its conclusion, including a commitment of extensive resources.
Svetlana Mazer, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, admitting that in June 2010 she filed fraudulent documents with the citys VENDEX system while disclosing companies she owned. She has agreed to serve 10 to 16 months behind bars and shell out $3,000 to $30,000 in fines as part of a signed plea deal. Medzon, 68, through her Russian interpreter pleaded guilty to structuring transactions to evade currency reporting requirements. She admitted withdrawing $200,000 from multiple banks citywide between June 2006 and June 210 but in increments of $5,000 or less to avoid scrutiny.
She agreed to spent 24 to 30 months in jail and pay $5,000 to $50,000 in fines through her plea agreement. Makovetskaya, 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements to a bank. Shes agreed to spent 18 to 24 months in jail and pay $4,000 to $40,000 in fines. All remained stone-faced and mum while leaving Manhattan federal court yesterday. Mark Mazer also remains out on bail. His three relatives have asked that their sentencing be held after Mazers case is decided.
SOURCE http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/wife_mom_and_cousin_plead_guilty_zpjQlgvkLq03uVj1RWm3pK
They got to mean the corporate victims... it's not like anyone had a $75 million credit line on his or her credit card?!?
That sounds fair to me. Sure, 160 million years is a lot but they'll be up for parole in only 80 million.
Amazing dollar amounts here. Must be a better way to protect
this info.
Where do you think Obama's Organizing for America is getting it's money, hmmmm?????
There's some cunning criminals out there-—no matter the built-in safeguards.
I heard that the higher up the chain you report credit card fraud the less and less they care —they simply want you to GO AWAY and quit making work for them.
VERY rarely you can get local cops close to where the fraud might have originated to take an interest, but it's rare.
The feds' view is that this is all a very natural part of the business —a BUILT IN cost.
They don't care how much agony you're in —not their job.
Unless THEY are the perps, of course...
If some 'ordinary' Russian people can devise a system of such extensive research and data I would bet that Putin and the Russian government can have and probably even has the complete electronic files on Obama. This is why Putin can look so disdainful in the presence of Obama. I remember in WWII when Truman went to Potsdam to announce the USA had the 'terrible' bomb old Joe Stalin had the same look as Putin has. The Russian government knew even if Truman was or was not aware of such.
Isn't it about time that 0bama awards them all with U.S. Citizenship? ;-)
If they were illegal immigrants identify theft is no big deal...
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Find Ulster County New York child, youth, and family services. Child, youth, and family services provide support in all aspects of child and family welfare, including social services, abuse services, and protection services.
Marbletown Youth Commission 3564 U.s. 209 Stone Ridge NY 12484 845-687-0800
New Paltz Youth Center 220 Main Street New Paltz NY 12561 845-255-5140
Woodstock Youth Center 60 Rock City Road Woodstock NY 12498 845-679-2015
Depending on the state and locality, various programs are often available to assist families in paying for childcare services. Eligibility for these programs is often income-based. In some cases, childcare may be guaranteed if the parent is meeting job participation or job training requirements as part of a public assistance program.What is adult abuse?
Adult abuse is mistreatment, neglect, or financial exploitation of an adult who has a physical or mental impairment that makes them vulnerable. Child, Youth, and Family Services may intervene in situations of adult abuse by providing mental and physical assessments, securing alternative living arrangements, and coordinating with law enforcement.What is the process for becoming a foster parent or foster family?
The process for becoming a foster parent or foster family can be lengthy and complicated. Multiple background checks are required, including FBI and state police criminal background checks and clearance through the state registry for child abuse and neglect. A home study must be completed, interviews of household members conducted and multiple references checked. Foster parents are also required to participate in training prior to fostering and on an ongoing basis.


text:
Financial Sales Consultant – Established International Financial Firm
- Recruiter
- Location
- London (Central), London (Greater)
- Salary
- £24,000 - £45,000 OTE + Benefits
- Posted
- 05 Jun 2017
- Closing date
- 05 Jul 2017
- Industry
- Finance & accounting, Financial services
- Job function
- Sales
- Hours
- Full time
- Contract
- Permanent
- Listing type
- Job vacancy
Financial Sales Consultant – Established International Financial Firm
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Salary: £24,000 - £45,000 OTE + Benefits
This client is a global financial firm with exciting international opportunities seeking intelligent, ambitious and money-motivated graduates to help further progress their current expansion programme. With over 15 years' experience this firm boats one of the most reputable names in the financial world. Extensive training is provided to all new employee's to ensure they are effectively prepared to perform the role to highest expected standard.
The role will entail selected graduates to develop new business through proactive telemarketing - sourcing and communicating with clients at a financial director level. Performing initial introductory and follow up consultation calls to establish client needs. Obtain examples of previous currency transactions in order to complete currency audits. Arrange and perform sales presentations outlining our effective brokerage solutions.
This is a multi-national organisation with offices all over the UK, New York, Dubai, Zurich and Monaco and hires on a truly international scale. This company very much embellishes the 'work hard, play hard' ethos and has some extremely high quality incentives such as –
- Annual International holidays
- Uncapped Commission
- Monthly Incentives
- Michelin * Lunch Clubs
- 2.2 or higher from a Russel Group University
- Preferably a Recent Graduate, however not essential
- Desire for quick Career Progression coupled with a Competitive Nature
- Proactive Sales Experience is preferable, however not essential
If you want to fast track your career and you can face challenges head on then apply today by sending you sending your CV to me.
Due to the high volume of applicants only successful candidates will be contacted. If you have not been contacted within 5 working days consider your application unsuccessful.


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In a stubborn attempt to bring a bad idea to fruition, I ignored the advice I'd often dispensed when I was a restaurant chef. "The reason why this hasn't been done before is because it has been done before," I'd say, leaving the cooks to intuit the rest of the critique: "And it was awful."
How I came to experiment with Asian pears was serendipitous. Recently, I attended the taping of a radio show at Poste Moderne Brasserie in Washington. On every table were large, unblemished Asian pears, one of my favorite fall fruits.
These pears bore no resemblance to the pale, bruised specimens typically found in grocery stores. They came from Subarashii Kudamono (Japanese for "wonderful fruit"), an orchard in eastern Pennsylvania begun in the 1970s by Joel Spira, an Asian pear enthusiast and inventor of the electronic dimmer. With his botanist wife, Ruth, Spira developed and patented five of the 10 varieties of Asian pears he grows and sells.
I ordered various samples, plus derivative products: golden dried Asian pear slices and extra-dark dried slices; and a concentrated, caramelized spread with the consistency of applesauce and the color of wine-infused Marmite.
Asian pears differ from European pears in that they are ripe when harvested and are meant to be crunchy. Tasting the various ilks of Subarashii fruit convinced me the Asian pear could be the love child between a pear and jicama with some melon thrown in.
I found the varieties basically interchangeable. Some were denser than others; some were floral, where others evoked butterscotch or apple.
Asian pears, a common ingredient in Korean barbecue marinades, contain enzymes that tenderize meat. That was the driving force behind my recipe for a Thai skirt steak salad. The idea was to use Asian pear in the meat marinade and as one of the ingredients in the salad.
The predominant flavoring was Thai red curry paste, which added hot chili zing, lemon grass and ginger in one ingredient instead of three. I chose beef skirt steak, a thin, affordable cut from the flank, known to be both flavorful and tough. This would test the marinade's mettle.
I marinated two eight-ounce rectangles of steak in some of the pear puree, then seared them in a hot, lightly oiled cast-iron skillet. I blotted the meat dry on paper towels first so the sugar in the marinade wouldn't burn.
The Asian pear did not discolor or denature the protein in the same way that acid-based marinades do.
I opted for standard ingredients you might find in a Thai salad: blanched green beans (I wound up preferring thin asparagus tips - more flavor), red bell pepper julienne, shredded Savoy cabbage (more delicate than white cabbage, less stalky than Napa), red onions, scallions and cilantro stems, much more flavor-packed than the leaves.
The next day, I refashioned leftovers into a Thai curry by warming the salad in a wok with hot coconut milk mixed with extra curry paste, adding the beef at the end.
Sticking with the salad theme, I made an arugula salad with thin shavings of Asian pear and dressed it in a light blue cheese dressing with bacon. No reinventing the wheel here; just giving it a different rim. The idea was to use the fruit as you might shaved fennel in a salad.
Confidently, I embarked on a gratin - no matter that I knew Asian pears were watery and notoriously resistant to cooking. Their cell structure just doesn't break down like that of other fruits. But still I sought to tame the beast.
I wanted to treat the pears like potatoes.
After 45 minutes, a knife stuck into the center indicated the pears were still crunchy. Same thing 15 minutes later. After another 15 minutes, I just took it out of the oven. There was so much water in it, the pears had drowned and the Gruyere had curdled. The pears were still not soft.
Okay, I could fix all that. For the next try, I used fewer pears, sliced them thinner, halved and coated them with cornstarch, a la apple pie. I used one cup of cream instead of three. Result: The liquid was thicker, but still thinner than I wanted.
For the third try, I added layers of brioche crumbs (to absorb more liquid and hopefully make attractive striations in the gratin), even more cornstarch and double the cheese, as if it would all magically transform into a luscious Mornay sauce.
Well, it looked lovely. As I attempted to remove a neatly cut stack of it, the fruit slices slid off their foundation like a California house.
I didn't even taste it.
So here's the deal. Unless you're cooking Asian pears to death and concentrating their flavor, as in a jam, it's not worth the effort. The fruit's subtle, haunting flavor disappears and its effect, like its texture, becomes uninteresting.
If ever there was a lesson in "less is more" to be learned, this was it.
My thoughts turned to the tuna tartare I had recently tasted in a restaurant, which had diced Asian pear in it, little bursts of crunch and brightness.
I ran to the store, bought large, pristine sea scallops and made a simple relish by cutting neat half-inch cubes of Asian pear and tossing them in pureed Asian pear seasoned with minced jalapeno, salt, lime juice and seasoned rice vinegar for sweetness and acid. That was it.
I lined up ultra-thin slices of scallop, topped them with relish (the enzyme and acid would "cook" the scallop a bit, I reasoned, like seviche) and finished them with piles of grated red radish skin and a dash of chili oil.
Five simple bites that brought both the scallop and the pear to light in blissful harmony.
The idea I had for the dried fruit, to make Newton filling from them and use gingerbread dough to envelop it, worked out as I had hoped. I cooked the dried fruit with enough water, Asian pear dessert wine, pear spread and cardamom to puree it into a thick filling.
I researched all kinds of gingerbreads and formed my own recipe, coming up with the right balance of shortness (the richness from butter) and durability. The dough needed to be pliable enough to roll around the filling without breaking and remain soft after baking. An egg provided protein binder and added moisture.
I employed a Martha Stewart method to form the Newtons. I rolled the dough into a rectangle, piped filling down the center, sealed the rolled log with egg wash and patted it into a squared-off shape.
They turned out beautifully. Fearing that the spices in the dough would overpower the pear filling, I was too timid the first time out.
Reviewing my hits and misses, I decided that I deserved a cocktail. So I made one, using Subarashii Kudamono Asian pear dessert wine as a base. To enhance its pear essence, I added pear juice, a soupcon of freshly grated ginger and vodka (a neutral alcohol), shook it over ice and strained it into a martini glass. For a garnish, two balls of fresh Asian pear on a bamboo skewer, to resemble cocktail onions.
I tested the cocktail several times, to get the proportions right, of course. Immensely satisfied with the outcome, I amended a prior credo: Sometimes the reason something hasn't been done before is because no one has thought of it yet.
Thai Skirt Steak Salad With Asparagus and Asian Pears, 6 servings
Asian pears contain enzymes that act as meat tenderizers; you often find them listed on the ingredients of Korean barbecue marinades. The dressing in this recipe is used as a marinade for skirt steak: a thin, flat cut that comes from the flank. The meat is flavorful, but it can be tough. An hour in this pear marinade eliminates that problem.
If you can't find thin asparagus, cut thicker stalks in half lengthwise. Green beans are also excellent in this salad.
A mandoline or Japanese slicer makes short work of slicing batons from around the Asian pear's core.
MAKE AHEAD: The meat needs to marinate for 1 hour. The dressing can be made a day in advance. The salad is great the next day, but drain off some of the liquid that will have leached from the pear batons. Do not marinate the steak for more than an hour.
For the dressing/marinade: 1 large Asian pear, about the size of a softball, peeled and cored; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons Thai red chili paste; 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the salad: 1 pound skirt steak; 8 ounces thin, 4-inch-long asparagus tips, blanched (see NOTE); 8 ounces (1/4 head) Savoy cabbage, cored and very thinly shredded; 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into matchstick-size strips (julienne); 4 scallions, white and light-green parts, trimmed and chopped (1/2 cup); 1 large Asian pear, about the size of a softball, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch batons (like shoestring French fries); 1-inch piece peeled ginger root, grated; 1 small jalapeno pepper, sliced into razor-thin rings; Salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1/4 cup water; Sesame seeds, for garnish
For the dressing/marinade: cut the Asian pear into chunks, transfer them to a mini-food processor and add the fish sauce, soy sauce, chili paste, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Puree until smooth. The yield is 1 1/2 cups.
For the salad: Place the skirt steak in a gallon-size resealable plastic food storage bag. Pour in 1/2 cup of the dressing/marinade, massaging the bag to make sure the meat is completely coated. Place the bag on a plate so that the meat lies flat, and let it marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Combine the asparagus, cabbage, red bell pepper, scallions, Asian pear, ginger and jalapeno in a large bowl. Add the remaining 1 cup of dressing/marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate.
When ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and blot dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the marinade.
Heat the canola oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat until the oil is almost smoking. Add the steak and sear on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate to rest for 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the water to the skillet, scraping to dislodge any browned bits, then add that pan liquid to the vegetables.
To assemble, mound the vegetables on a platter. Cut the meat into thin strips and arrange them on the vegetables, pouring any accumulated juices from the plate on top of them. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve right away.
NOTE: To blanch the asparagus tips, have ready a bowl of ice water. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus tips and cook for 30 seconds, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice water bath to stop their cooking. Blot dry on paper towels.
Sea Scallop Sashimi With Asian Pear Relish, 6 servings
This dish is wonderfully simple and refreshing. Use ultra-fresh sea scallops and a very sharp knife to slice them. Grate the radish at the last minute to maintain its brightness.
MAKE AHEAD: The relish needs to be assembled at least 1 hour in advance and can be made up to several hours in advance. The scallops can be sliced and plated a few hours ahead; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
1 large Asian pear, peeled; 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 or 2 limes); 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper; 8 ounces U-10 sea scallops, muscle discarded; 6 large red radishes; Sesame-flavored chili oil, such as Dynasty brand
With a sharp knife, make 4 cuts to slice off the sides of the pear from top to bottom, cutting next to the core. (You should be left with a rectangular-shaped piece of core; discard it.) Trim the slices to create 1 cup of neat 1/2-inch cubes, retaining the scraps.
Transfer the cubes to a small bowl and the pear scraps to the bowl of a mini-food processor. Add the lime juice, vinegar and salt to the processor and puree until smooth. Add the puree to the pear cubes along with the jalapeno, and toss to combine into a relish. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Use paper towels to pat the scallops dry. Cut the scallops horizontally into 4 or 5 very thin disks. Arrange them decoratively on 6 plates, making sure the slices don't overlap. Place a small spoonful of relish and juice on top of each scallop.
Finely grate the red skin of the radishes and place a small pile on each scallop. Dot the radish piles with drops of chili oil. Serve immediately.
Arugula and Asian Pear Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing, 6 servings
The crispness of Asian pear slices and their delicate flavor come through in this simple salad. A little blue cheese goes a long way, so you want just enough to suggest its presence in the dressing and a few bits in the salad to provide a counterpoint to the sweetness of the fruit and the pepperiness of the greens.
You'll have leftover dressing, which can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Use it for other salads or as a dip for chicken wings or raw vegetables.
A mandoline or Japanese vegetable slicer makes it easy to create razor-thin slices.
MAKE AHEAD: The dressing can be made 3 days in advance, covered and refrigerated.
For the dressing: 1 cup sour cream; 1/2 ounce blue cheese, such as Maytag; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
For the salad: 3 small or 2 large Asian pears (24 ounces total), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored and sliced into 1/8-inch-thick half-moons; 9 ounces baby arugula or arugula salad mix; 1 1/4 ounces blue cheese, such as Maytag, in small crumbles; 6 strips cooked, crisp bacon, chopped; 3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
For the dressing: Puree the sour cream, blue cheese, pepper, salt and vinegar in a blender or mini-food processor until smooth. The yield is 11/4 cups.
To assemble the salad, place the pear slices, arugula, blue cheese, bacon and 3/4 cup of dressing in a large bowl and stir to coat the leaves evenly. Serve on salad plates.
Asian Pear Gingerbread Newtons, makes about 60 cookies
Subarashii Kudamono (Wonderful Fruit) in Lehigh, Pa., grows several varieties of Asian pears. In addition to fresh fruit, the company sells dried and extra-dark dried Asian pear slices and an Asian pear spread, which are the main ingredients for the filling for these cookies. A gingerbread cookie dough surrounds the filling.
The dried fruit can be purchased from Subarashii Kudamono at www.wonderfulfruit.com and at some Wegman's stores. Subarashii Kudamono Asian pear dessert wine is available at www.winesofsubarashii.com.
If you have any filling left, spread it over cream cheese as an appetizer or use it as a condiment with a cheese assortment.
MAKE AHEAD: The cookie dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for several hours or up to overnight. The cookies can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container.
For the cookies: 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar; 1/4 cup molasses; 1 large egg, beaten
For the filling: 10 ounces dried Asian pear slices (see headnote); 4.2 ounces extra-dark dried Asian pears (see headnote); 1/2 cup Asian pear spread (see headnote); 3/4 cup water; 1/2 cup Asian pear dessert wine or bourbon; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
For the cookies: Stir together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cayenne pepper and black pepper and salt in a large bowl.
Combine the butter, sugar and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until lightened, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low; add the egg and beat to incorporate. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, to form a dough that comes together. Divide in half, forming each half into a 1-inch-thick square. Wrap the squares separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
For the filling: Combine the dried pear slices, dried extra-dark Asian pears, pear spread, water, wine or bourbon and the cardamom in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. You should have about 2 cups of filling.
Transfer the contents of the saucepan to the bowl of a food processor. Puree to create a smooth paste. Let the filling cool, then spoon it into a bowl, cover and refrigerate it.
To assemble the cookies, remove a dough square from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Lightly flour a long sheet of parchment paper and both sides of the dough. Place the dough on the paper and use a rolling pin to whack it firmly, so it becomes soft enough to roll.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle large enough so you can trim it into a 6-inch-by-16-inch rectangle that is 1/4-inch thick. (Gather the trimmings and freeze them to make crisps out of later.) Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut the rolled dough, cutting down through the paper, into four 3-inch-by-8-inch rectangles. Brush any excess flour from the rectangles, transfer them to a baking sheet and let them rest for 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a rimmed baking sheet at hand.
Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with a 1/2-inch opening. Working with two dough rectangles at a time, place them on the counter with the long sides parallel to the edge of the counter. Pipe a row of filling down the center of each rectangle. Brush egg wash down one edge of the dough. Starting with the dry edge, carefully bring the dough up over the filling. The dough should be cool but pliable enough to encase the filling without cracking it. If it isn't, wait a minute or so. The warmth of your fingers should help work the dough.
Once the filling in encased, continue rolling the tube of dough, using the parchment paper to guide you as if rolling sushi, over onto the egg-washed edge of dough. Use the tips of your fingers to press the cylinder lightly into a flattened square and transfer it (still on the parchment) onto the baking sheet with the seam side down. Repeat with the other rectangles and then the other dough square.
Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool. While they are still warm (after 10 minutes or so), use a serrated knife to cut the cookies into 1-inch squares. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
Impear Me Cocktail, 1 serving
Subarashii Kudamono orchards in Lehigh, Pa., makes an Asian pear dessert wine with floral, plumlike notes. Combined with pear juice, vodka and ginger, it becomes a lovely cocktail that's ideal for fall.
Use a melon baller to make the garnish, scooping out spheres the size of large cocktail onions.
Subarashii Kudamono Asian pear dessert wine is available at www.winesofsubarashii.com.
Ice; 2 ounces Subarashii Kudamono Asian pear dessert wine; 1 ounce vodka; 1 ounce pear juice, such as Looza brand; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated peeled ginger root; 2 Asian pear balls, threaded onto a cocktail skewer
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the wine, vodka, pear juice and ginger. Cover and shake vigorously, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a cocktail (martini) glass.
Garnish with the Asian pear balls.
All the Asian pear products used in the accompanying recipes are available at www.wonderfulfruit.com. Dried Asian pears are available at some Whole Food Markets.


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Fact Sheet
Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs
October 6, 2006
The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. There also are flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat and prevent the flu.
Printable Materials for Promoting Good Health Habits
This article was provided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visit the CDC's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.


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Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa
Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa
Balmy tropical nights, warm and friendly Fijian hospitality in an atmosphere where everything you've ever dreamed about experiencing on an island vacation is right here for you. One and a half hours drive from Nadi along the famous Coral Coast. the Warwick Fiji, long established as one of Fiji's most popular resorts, nestles amid 25 acres of tropical gardens on the edge of a white sand beach overlooking a calm
About Pleasant Holidays
Founded in 1959, Pleasant Holidays is one of the largest tour operators in the U.S., offering vacation packages, flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, travel protection and related travel services to the world's most popular destinations including Hawaii, Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Australia , New Zealand, Central America, Las Vegas, Orlando, New York, Canada, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Bora Bora and French Polynesia. The Company's portfolio of travel brands includes Pleasant Holidays, Journes ...
Sep 12, 2019 through
Nov 30, 2019
May 14, 2019 11:59 PM
Per Person
from San Francisco - Thur, Sat; Roundtrip airfare on Fiji Airways. Garden View Room. Daily breakfast. Meet & greet with shell lei. Roundtrip airport transfers.
Warwick Fiji


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Brooklyn Decker — Crush of the Day [PICTURES]
We all know Brooklyn Decker. She's been on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue and even worked with Victoria's Secret. She has done guest appearances on 'Chuck,' 'Ugly Betty' and 'Royal Pains' and made her film debut in 'Just Go with It' with Adam Sandler. Brooklyn is our crush today because of this picture from her high school days that got us to thinking about hot celebrities and their formative years.
There are more than a few thousand guys walking the Earth right now that can say "I dated _____ before she was famous." That statement could either be a brag or it could be a regret. It's probably a regret. Imagine the guy (possibly multiple guys) that let Brooklyn Decker get away. Imagine the guy that turned her down. Imagine the guy that teased her every day in Algebra class. Imagine the guy that dated Brooklyn Decker but they just broke up because they were young, fell out of love or because guys in their teens are idiots. How bad do you feel for that dude that dated Brooklyn Decker before she turned into, well, THIS!
Regrets, we've had a few, but then again, too few named Decker. We suppose it's better to have loved (and possibly touched in the naughty places) and lost than to have never loved at all.


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No Fo. Read it again. Then come back here for a proper discussion...fokiten wrote:BITW wrote:http://www.gokitesurf.com/articlesstory.asp?ID=30
Kudos on the fully assisted deep-water lessons program....
Done reading it yet?
Okay. So you'll see that the fully assisted deep water lessons only beginning AFTER someone has mastering "Ground School", like almost all other lesson programs in the world. Only you suggesting a silly system of drowning the student while they are still learning the simple basics of flying a kite. You are trying to fleecing the masses by making them paying for expensive assisted water time for hours and hours on end, when they should initiating their training on the ground, heading out to the water for some water-assisted training, and then finishing their training on their own. Fully assisted deep water training is a wonderful thing, as you pointing out, but only AFTER learning the basics on the beach.
Also, flying a big kite on the beach (underpowered and away from people) is a lot of fun! Admit it.
And why do you posting these repetitious thinkings of yours in every other thread. This was a thread about North bars. What does that having to do with your wet dream lesson program?


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Experience the Pristine Beauty of Nature during Munnar Tour
Munnar is one of the famous tourist destinations of Kerala where tourists come in a large number to feel the charm and glory of nature. Though I have heard and read about this mystic destination several times but I have felt its soul stimulating beauty during my Munnar tour last weekend. This is a beautiful Kerala tourist destination situated at an altitude of 5200 feet above sea level in the Idukki district. This is a premium hill station of this place located at the confluence of three Mountain rivers namely Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala which meet in the centre of the town.
Large number of tourists from several parts of the globe comes here to spend memorable and pleasurable holidays amidst serene and scenic natural ambiance. The incomparable beauty of this scenic land provides solace to the weary souls. This hill station is also a favoured destination for adventure freaks. The popular adventure activities of this place are rock climbing, trekking and paragliding.
Major attractions which we covered during our Munnar Tour are:
The beauty of gorgeous greenery with mountain backdrop makes this place a beautiful and romantic destination which calls on scores of tourists from several parts of the globe. Velvet lawns, cool mountain air, scenic landscapes, diverse flora and exotic fauna make this place an enchanting destination. Beautiful Sita Devi Lake and spectacular Pallivasal Waterfalls are the two foremost attractions of this place. Sita Devi Lake is a wonderful place to enjoy leisure or picnic. Trout fishing can be enjoyed here by tourists.
Eravikulam National Park
The diverse collection of flora, fauna and bird species make this place a popular destination for spending pleasurable holidays. It is one of the popular wildlife reserves of India where tourists come in large number for watching the wild animals in their natural habitat. This national park sprawled over an area of 97 km. The Tropical Evergreen Forest, Shola trees and rolling grassland dominate the flora of this sanctuary which nurtures a variety of wild animals. This park was founded in the year 1975 with an aim to protect the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. Some of the other wild animals which can be seen during a safari at this place are lion-tailed macaque, nilgiri langu, tigers, leopards and several species of birds.
The unending stretch of tea and spice gardens makes this place a renowned tourist destination which calls on scores of tourists round the year. This plantation hub of Munnar is situated at a distance of 6 km from the city center. The scenic beauty of rolling hills, tea plantations and dense vegetation makes it a famous destination of Kerala Tourism. Apart from offering sheer natural beauty this place also provides facilities for adventure sports.


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Contrary to what almost everyone else thinks, I do agree that the OT should indeed be re-done...in like 100 years from now.
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Location: Joyzee! (NJ)
quote: (post)Originally posted by Unknown Jedi
They should re-do episodes 4-6. Seriously.... It doesnt look right when episodes 1-3 have better graphics and more action then episodes 4-6. 4-6 were made a long time ago and back then they didnt have that kind of technology to make a good of a movie with great picture and etc.
If this is the wrong forum plz move it
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Being an antique collector of old radios, I found myself in search of a repairman three years ago. What was amazing is that I did and he just so happened to live right here in Indian Land.
Not only is Dave De Betta a great repairman, but full of knowledge of interesting information about other antique tidbits of radios, record players and TVs.
One of the things he exposed me to enjoy the sound coming out of my antique radios was a wonderful radio station here in our area. If you have never tuned in, I beg you to. It is WAVO 1150 AM.
Reading W.B. Evans' columns causes me to reflect on my past years, especially the 1950s and 1960s.
Drinks were in returnable bottles and they tasted a lot better than the ones of today.
Bob Lambert ran a moving company at a store that was run by Curly Briscoe. Mama would send me to the store and I could buy a candy bar for 5 cents. Back then, you could get four pork chops for 75 cents. Curly and his wife were two of the nicest people I've ever met.
The Van Wyck post office was the subject of a community meeting July 9.
The meeting was scheduled to be held at the post office, but was moved to the community center, due to threatening weather and the large crowd trying to fit into our tiny "village post office."
It seems that small towns across America are losing the heart of their community as the U.S. Postal Service downsizes, closing or drastically reducing counter service hours.
I would like to thank Boggs Paving Co. for fixing a road that badly needing fixing – Boxcar Road. I live on Boxcar Road and I am so glad that we don't have to dodge all of the potholes. Thank you, again.
Now, if we could just get Riverside Road and a lot of other roads in Lancaster fixed.
Betty L. Bailey
I applaud and encourage the insightful and informative guest columns submitted by Brooks Walker and frequently published on the opinion page of The Lancaster News.
Many should – and no doubt do – appreciate the well-written, well-cited facts that he presents in a direct, creditable manner.
In the June 29 edition, his column, "There's a time when loyalty is not a virtue," his skillful analogy of the Nordic lemming to the low-informed voter is of particular note in its creativity and in its merit.
On Aug. 2, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott will host a special ceremony in Columbia to honor South Carolina's Vietnam War era veterans for their service to our country.
During the ceremony at the First Baptist Church of Columbia, 1306 Hampton St., Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. James Everett Livingston, retired from U.S. Marine Corps, will deliver the keynote address. Military bands from around South Carolina will perform and military artifacts and memorabilia from the era will be on display.
In the June 29 edition of The Lancaster News, John Lage blasts Carolyn Taylor's rebuttal article for the inclusion of her educational background.
Then, Mr. Lage praises television's Fox News, which is apparently his source of intellect. Nuf said!
W.B. Evans
This letter is to my guardian angel. I don't know who you are, but my mind is in a daze over your generosity. You are truly an angel who will always live in my heart. I really appreciate what you have done. May God bless you.
Rita M. Mungo
Not wishing to belabor the issue, but I wish to thank The Lancaster News for publishing the rebuttal of Michael Jedson "Democrats protect all Americans," on June 1 as it proves my points quite well concerning Democrats – broken-record responses and low-information voters. He needs to be addressed.
This is a response to John P. Lage's article entitled, "Tea party believes in the Constitution," in the May 21 edition of the Lancaster News. His article responded to an article, "Tea Party Demise," written by me, Michael Jedson, published, which was retitled by the editor as "According to polls, tea party's demise is obvious." Part of the original article was edited also.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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Johanna Rothman is a software development consultant who focuses on requirements and other software life-cycle issues. Dr. Dobb's editor Jon Erickson recently talked with her about software quality.
Dr. Dobb's: What's "software quality"?
Rothman: I like Jerry Weinberg's notion of "quality is value to someone." That helps me see who the someones are and what they value. For example, some people want more features. Some people want more defects fixed. Some people want the product faster. Some want all three! When you start a project, you make decisions about which customers you want to please first. This is a business decision. Capers Jones' definition is more concrete: "software that combines the characteristics of low defect rates and high user satisfaction."
If you are looking to retain customers, maybe you focus on fixing problems and adding just a few new features. If you're trying to attract new customers, you focus on adding and making sure you haven't broken anything else.
But when you think about your "someones", and what they value, that means you think about who is your primary customer for now, for this release and you define quality for that person or persons.
Dr. Dobb's: What's your favorite metric quality metric?
Rothman: When I'm using Agile, or defining requirements with user stories, I like acceptance tests so we get the "music and the words", the intent of the story. I use burn-up velocity charts in any incremental life-cycle. They show total requirements, requirements done, and requirements remaining to do. Seeing that trend really helps management realize when the project will be done, assuming we care about quality.
If I'm not using Agile, the project team tends to incur more technical debt, so I like "Fault Feedback Ratio" -- the ratio of good fixes to bad ones. That tells you if you're making progress. I also look at cost to fix a defect, if I'm trying to decide if it's worth fixing problems before release. It always costs more to fix post-release, and you have to look at the business value of fixing before release vs. post-release. Sometimes, the potential revenue is worth the cost of fixing post-release.
Dr. Dobb's: Why does quality software seem so hard to achieve?
Rothman: Quality is not just quantitative, it's qualitative. That's why I like release criteria for projects, so we can agree at the beginning what done means and how to get there. When I use release criteria, I may have quantitative criteria about the number of defects -- I often do. But I often have scenario-based criteria. Something that says, "This scenario runs <with some performance> or <some reliability>.
At first glance, those seem quantitative. They are. And, we chose them based on who the customers were. We, the project team, don't define release criteria as the acceptance criteria for all the features. We are purposefully singling some out, saying "This/These are more important than the other criteria." That's why it's qualitative, not just quantitative.
Dr. Dobb's: What's your favorite metric for measuring quality in software?
Dr. Dobb's: What are the most effective testing methods for improving quality?
Rothman: I really like test-driven development because the quality is in the design. Not every team is ready for TDD. I think of TDD as an advanced skill. It's difficult to think ahead with tests, when all of our professional lives we've been trained to think about design and then test! Without TDD, I'm a huge fan of unit testing, feature, and integration testing from developers. If the developers are ready to pair, pairing. Pairing improves the people's ability to see the whole system as well as improving the quality of the code. If people aren't ready for pairing, then peer review of some sort.
Of course, I believe in automating regression tests (from under the GUI) so you don't have to run the same boring test over and over. Exploratory testing is good for systems where you have a bunch of automated system-level regression tests. It's also good for figuring out where to automate.
I'm actually a fan of testing all the time. Long ago, a client asked me how much time the developers should spend in development vs. testing. I said 50-50, assuming that peer review was part of testing. I now think I underestimated that. I suspect that with continuous testing all up and down the chain, developers spend closer to 70% testing, which feels about right to me.
Dr. Dobb's: Does Agile really make a difference?
Rothman: Agile makes it easier to get feedback, which is a Good Thing. It's so hard to see where you are in a waterfall or phase-gate lifecycle. It's a little easier in an iterative lifecycle, such as spiral, or incremental, such as staged delivery. But the thing that agile really brings to teams is this notion of being done at the end of an iteration.
Knowing that you've finished something, really honestly finished it, is such a wonderful feeling. For product developers, it makes you want to do the next thing, because you really finished the part you were working on. For the people who fund the project, it's a feeling of "Yes, they will finish in my lifetime!" That helps them trust the team, so the trust increases on both sides. Then, when something happens, the two sides can work together to solve it.


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Facility Name: South Shore YMCA
Location: Quincy, MA
Research Type: Strength training
Traversing the labyrinth of hallways that is the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA, it is hard to imagine that hidden somewhere within the 50-year-old building located just on the fringe of the town's center, leading research in the field of strength training is taking place nearly every day. Yet, tucked away primarily in a tiny room outfitted with several strength-training systems, Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., C.S.C.S, fitness research director at the South Shore Y, leads a team that has produced reams of research and several books on the science behind effective strength training.
"We are just a group of people that do simple studies to help the practitioner," Westcott says. "We are really interested in finding information that will help trainers and other fitness professionals do their jobs more effectively."
For more than 20 years, Westcott has been conducting these "simple studies" at the South Shore Y to bring some science to weight training. His studies, some lasting several years or more, have compared strength training and stretching and have looked at the effects of strength training on young female figure skaters as well as the effects of regular and slow speed training on muscle strength.
"So much of what has been taken as fact or science on the floor is really just a compilation of anecdotal stories," Westcott says. "It doesn't mean that they are untrue, but it means that they are just anecdotal accounts."
Although Wescott and his associates often work with universities on many of the research studies, much of the research is geared to the fitness floor instead of in the classroom.
"We take more of a real-world approach to the research done here," he says. "We can't be as controlled as some journals would like with a two- or three-day study. We also draw most of our subjects from the membership, so randomly assigning them is difficult because they are paying us."
He said their research is detailed, in-depth and usually long term and gives fitness practitioners theories that they can apply to clients to help them achieve their goals.
While their research is not geared toward academia, Westcott and the South Shore Y staff have worked on their research with various universities and companies such as Town Sports International and Nautilus — all of which have helped fund additional research. However, the bulk of the research funding comes from grants and the South Shore Y's budget. Research costs consist primarily of salaries since the facility and subjects are already available at the Y and its partners' facilities.
Westcott has primarily studied weight training and weight training principles, but he would like to turn his focus to the psychology of strength training for upcoming studies.
"We have looked at weight training on the obesity epidemic, adults, seniors and youth — in fact, we've done more kids' research than anyone," Westcott says. "What we need to do now is look a little deeper at the psychology of motivation. We need to find out what motivates someone to come to the gym consistently and achieve results for a long-term. We need to really understand the psychology of strength training and let practitioners use that research to teach strength training to their clients."


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Canadian auto parts maker Magna International plans to cut jobs in Europe and the United States as it seeks to reduce costs and offset weak demand in Europe, Chief Executive Donald Walker told German magazine WirtschaftsWoche.
Magna, which also manufactures complete vehicles on a contract basis, has been pushing to turn around inefficient operations in Europe, where sales rose 2 percent in 2012, compared with a 10 percent increase in North America.
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Magna needs new orders for its factory in the Austrian province of Styria and wants to facilitate getting those orders by cutting costs, Walker said.
(Reporting By Peter Dinkloh; editing by James Jukwey)