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Quocirca Comment : how to find out who is doing what to your data systems
Some things only appear suspicious when looked at in a broader context. An accountant may regularly access financial data when working at their organisations headquarters in London; it may also be usual for them to access the same data on occasions when visiting regional offices in other cities. What would not make sense would be for the accountant to download data in New York when the companys physical security system shows them to be in London and already accessing other systems from there. Spotting suspicious activity in such a way is the concept behind context aware security. It involves reviewing a single event alongside other events currently taking place as well against historical log data and relevant information from a range of other sources. This involves real time access to extensive volumes of data and the ability to process it in real time. Some call putting in place context aware security a big data challenge; i.e. you need the ability to process and gain useful insight from large volumes of data. There is nothing new about storing and processing log data. Vendors of log management software have been around for years, often given away by their names, for example LogRhythm and LogLogic (the latter acquired by Tibco in 2012). The drivers for investing in log management were principally to do with compliance, allowing IT staff to produce audits of who has been doing what on their organisations IT systems by collecting and analysing data from the log files of servers, network devices, security systems etc. Log management vendors have evolved their offerings over the last decade to provide a broader capability to view log data against other events happening on and around their systems. This led to the term SIEM (security information event management), first used by Gartner around 2005. SIEM tools combine log data with other information, for example about users and their rights, third party feeds (about
vulnerabilities, malware, news, weather etc.), locational data (using IP addresses, mobile device tracking) and new regulatory requirements. They use all of this to provide enriched reports for both compliance reporting and security review. As SIEM has become a mainstream offering, many of the big IT security vendors have entered the market via acquisitions, the most notable being; HP/ArcSight (2010), IBM/Q1 Labs (2011), McAfee/Nitro Security (2011), EMCRSA/Netwitness (2011). LogRhythm is now considered to be a SIEM vendor; others include Red Lambda, Trustwave and Sensage. Splunk is often included in list of SIEM vendors, but its focus is even broader, using IT operational intelligence for providing commercial as well as security insight (an area Quocirca will be publishing new research into later in 2013). However, to go further still and provide the promise of context aware security in real time requires SIEM tools to be souped-up so that they can do their analysis at speed and thus provide real time protection. Quocirca termed this advanced cyber-security intelligence (ASI) in a July 2012 report1, another term used by some is next-generation SIEM (NG-SIEM). Whatever term you prefer, any vendor claiming to offer a broad context aware security capability should have tools that can do all of the following: Process and analyse large volumes of data in real time Have an advanced correlation engine to process and compare information from disparate sources Be able to enforce advanced rules that link disparate events and prescribe what should happen if there is an anomaly Include a range of out-of-the-box rules as well as allowing customers to write their own Have the intelligence and insight to act and prevent security breaches as they happen Have the capability to adapt to events and improve future responses
Gather data from external feeds Have the capacity for the long term storage of IT intelligence data in a central repository Provide an intuitive interface and dashboard for ease of use by all security staff
NG-SIEM is not the only way to provide more context aware security. Some vendors have added specific capability to provide context around their various security products. For example Kaspersky Labs System Watcher combines information from its firewall, behaviour analyser and cloud-based reputation server to provide a broader overall risk assessment of suspected malware. Other tools provide very specific context awareness. For example Finsphere, uses mobile phone numbers as an additional means of user authentication. The vendor compares this with information about the users location to make sure a given login makes sense (similar to the example used at the start of this article). To achieve the high speed processing necessary to achieve this in real time, Finsphere has just signed a deal with Violin Memory. Context aware security is not a replacement for existing point security technologies such as antivirus, firewalls and intrusion prevention systems (IPS), but a supplement to them. It provides insight that can identify a malicious attack or undesirable user behaviour (an even greater risk that needs to be mitigated). Here are some examples of where ASI may succeed where point security products may fail: Detecting zero day attacks: signature-based anti-virus software cannot detect newly constructed malware, which is often used during targeted attacks. Correlating server access logs to identify that the same server is being used to contact many other servers and user end-points on the same private network and is sending messages home to an unusual IP address would give an early warning that something is amiss. Detecting hacking/preventing data theft: An intrusion prevention system (IPS) may prevent multiple failed attempts to access a server from a particular IP address, but may not see that data is already being copied from that server due to a single successful penetration from the same IP address. Correlating log and event files could identify
that two such events are related and lead to the prevention of a data theft. Target attacks often have this sort of profile. Non-compliant movement of data: it might be usual for an employee to access customer information; it may also be usual for them to download it to a file for reporting reasons. However, for them to copy the data to a noncompliant location, for example a cloud storage resource in a certain country, should raise an alarm. This requires rules that understand user access rights and current compliance requirements and the ability to correlate these in real time with attempts to copy data and the location of the target storage service. Absence of an event: SCADA systems are often controlled using human machine interfaces (HMI); this requires someone to be present, which, with a physical security measures in place, should be preceded by a record of the employee involved having used an ID badge to enter the premises in question. So, if an action is logged on an HMI system at a remote location that is not preceded by a valid record of physical entry, then either someone has gained unauthorised access or the HMI has been hacked remotely. An advanced correlation rule that looks for the presence of the badge reader log within a specified time prior to an HMI access request enables such a breach to be detected Anomalous sys-admin activity: if a system administrator account has been compromised there may be an attempt to create a new account for future use. Correlating this activity with a change control system will identify that the creation of such accounts has not been authorised. Unexpected access routes: some databases are only normally accessed via certain applications, for example credit card data is written by an e-commerce application and only read by the accounts application; access attempts via other routes should raise an alarm if the tools are in place to correlate such events and observe that a rule about the normal access route is being broken.
For businesses, there will no end to the struggle to get the upper hand over cyber-criminals, hacktivists and indeed, their own users. For governments, the situation is arguably even worse, as cyber-space becomes the 5th theatre
for warfare (after land, sea, air and space) and terrorists see cyber-space as a way to go after critical infrastructure. All have to keep upping the ante, to avoid falling too far behind, or perhaps even get ahead, turning cyber security into an offensive rather than defensive act.
So much criminal activity and political activism has now been displaced from the physical world to cyber-space, or at least extended to cover both, that IT security teams are now in the front line when it comes to ensuring that the businesses they serve can continue to function and that their continued good reputations are preserved. To this end they must be enabled with the tools that provide broader context for the activity on the systems they manage in order to protect their business from problems tomorrow that no one can envisage today. Quocircas report Advanced Cyber Security Intelligence is freely available here http://ecrm.logrhythm.com/WebQuocircaAdvanc edCyberSecurity7-2012.html This article first appeared on: http://www.computerweekly.com/
About Quocirca
Quocirca is a primary research and analysis company specialising in the business impact of information technology and communications (ITC). With world-wide, native language reach, Quocirca provides in-depth insights into the views of buyers and influencers in large, mid-sized and small organisations. Its analyst team is made up of realworld practitioners with first-hand experience of ITC delivery who continuously research and track the industry and its real usage in the markets. Through researching perceptions, Quocirca uncovers the real hurdles to technology adoption the personal and political aspects of an organisations environment and the pressures of the need for demonstrable business value in any implementation. This capability to uncover and report back on the end-user perceptions in the market enables Quocirca to advise on the realities of technology adoption, not the promises. Quocirca research is always pragmatic, business orientated and conducted in the context of the bigger picture. ITC has the ability to transform businesses and the processes that drive them, but often fails to do so. Quocircas mission is to help organisations improve their success rate in process enablement through better levels of understanding and the adoption of the correct technologies at the correct time. Quocirca has a pro-active primary research programme, regularly surveying users, purchasers and resellers of ITC products and services on emerging, evolving and maturing technologies. Over time, Quocirca has built a picture of long term investment trends, providing invaluable information for the whole of the ITC community. Quocirca works with global and local providers of ITC products and services to help them deliver on the promise that ITC holds for business. Quocircas clients include Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, O2, T-Mobile, HP, Xerox, EMC, Symantec and Cisco, along with other large and medium sized vendors, service providers and more specialist firms.
Full access to all of Quocircas public output (reports, articles, presentations, blogs and videos) can be made at http://www.quocirca.com


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Click beetles: Hatch's click beetle (Eanus hatchi)
(Arthropoda: Insecta: Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae)
Profile prepared by Sarah Foltz Jordan, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Eanus hatchi is endemic to Sphagnum bogs in the Puget Sound area of Washington. In the Seattle are, much of the available habitat for this species has been heavily altered or eliminated by urban development, and the species may be extirpated at both of the known sites (Chase Lake and Carkeek Park). This flight-capable species, however, is suspected to be more widespread than is documented, and springtime surveys of additional Sphagnum bogs in the region are needed.
National Status (United States): NNR
State Status (WA): S1
IUCN Red List Category: NE – Not evaluated
(NatureServe 2008)
Characteristic of the click beetle family (Elateridae), this species is elongate in shape, with the pronotum pointed on the posterior corners. The prosternum has a spinelike process that fits into a grove in the mesosternum, and the prothorax and mesothorax are loosely joined, enabling adults to arch, "click," and flip over when they are upside down. This species is relatively small (7-9 mm, 0.28-0.35 in.) and has a metallic-bronze color which may reflect bright green or purple (reviewed in Martin 2003). The lack of flattening is one of the key field characters which distinguishes this species from other elaterids (Bergdahl 2009, pers. comm.).
Adults are most active in early spring, typically in April and May, although they may be encountered in June as well, particularly at mid-elevation (e.g. 450 m (1476 ft.)) bogs (Bergdahl 2009, pers. comm.). Although the larvae probably take multiple years to develop (Johnson 2008, pers. comm.), little is known about the seasonal activity of the larvae. The feeding habits of this species are unknown, but adults likely visit flowers and feed on honey dew, pollen, nectar, and floral structures. Extrafloral nectaries, including the exudates of new conifer growth, are another probable adult food source. Larvae probably predate on small insects (Johnson 2008, pers. comm.).
Washington: This species is endemic to the Puget Sound area of Washington. It was historically known from Sphagnum bogs in Snohomish and King counties, although the species may be extirpated at both of the Snohomish County sites (Chase Lake and Carkeek Park) in which case the only extant populations would be restricted to King County (Johnson 1984 and Bergdahl 2009, pers. comm.). Sphagnum habitat has been heavily altered by urban development at both sites, and survey attempts were not successful at locating this species or even Sphagnum habitat at the Carkeek Park site (Bergdahl 2008, pers. comm.). Records in King County are from three sites (Lake Marie, Snoqualmie Bog and Kings Lake Bog), although more recent survey work in the region by James Bergdahl revealed additional populations in southern King County at undisclosed localities (Bergdahl 2008, pers. comm.).
Oregon: This species has not been found in Oregon, although there is the possibility that it occurs in suitable habitat in the northwest part of the state (Bergdahl 2009, pers. comm.).
Federal Land: There are no known sites on of this species on federal land. Due to proximity of sites and habitat, the species may occur on the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest (Bergdahl 2009, pers. comm.).
This species is found in low to mid elevation eutrophic Sphagnum bogs in forested areas, usually below 305 m (1000 ft.). Although this species has been found in relatively dry bogs, it is unknown if it prefers dryer habitats (J. Bergdahl in Martin 2003). Adults have been collected on low, floating mats of vegetation (Lane 1938), and may prefer the interface between Sphagnum mats and sedges (reviewed in Martin 2003). Additionally, adults spend at least some of their time higher up in bog vegetation, and tend to be found in association with Ledum groenlandicum and other flowering shrubs (reviewed in Martin 2003). The species has also been found on the foliage of hemlock (Tsuga spp.) (P. Johnson in Martin 2003). Larvae have been encountered above the water line near bog margins (Lane 1971), where they may inhabit decaying wood (P. Johnson in Martin 2003).
Inventory: Survey for new populations in lowland Sphagnum bog habitat. This flight-capable species is suspected to be more widespread than King County and to occur at many more bogs (Bergdahl 2008, pers. comm.). The main challenge with this species is that the adults are active only during a short period in early spring, which happens to be when few entomologists are in the field collecting insects (Bergdahl 2008, pers. comm.). Significant areas should be surveyed during the appropriate survey window (early spring). Among the six species in the Eanus genus, E. hatchi is the only one found in Sphagnum bogs at low elevation (less than 1000 m).
Management: Manage bog habitats to maintain water quality and quantity both at known and potential sites. Avoid application of pesticides or other chemicals in the proximity of such habitat.
Research: Studies designed to answer questions about the life history and ecology of this species are needed.
Bergdahl, J.C. 1997. Endemic Sphagnum bog beetles from the Puget Sound Region: Kings Land and Snoqualmie Bogs, King Co., Washington. Unpublished report for the Northwest Biodiversity Center.
Bergdahl, James. 2008. Personal communication with Sarah Foltz, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Bergdahl, James. 2009. Personal communication with Sarah Foltz, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
LaBonte, J.R., D.W. Scott, J.D. McIver, and J.L. Hayes. 2001. Threatened, endangered, and sensitive insects in Eastern Oregon and Washington forests and adjacent lands. Northwest Science. 75:185-198.
Lane, M.C. 1938. A new species of the genus Eanus (Coleoptera Elateridae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 14(4): 188-191.
Lane, M.C. 1971. Key to the genus Eanus. in M.H. Hatch, Beetles of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Publications in Biology. 16: 28-29.
Johnson, 1984. Letter on file with the Washington Department of Wildlife, Nongame Division.
Johnson, Paul. 2008. Personal communication with Sarah Foltz, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Martin, R. 2003. Analysis Species Assessment:
Hatch's Click Beetle (Eanus hatchi). Baker River Terrestrial Working Group Analysis Species. Puget Sound Energy, Inc. Available at:
http://www.pse.com/Hydro%20Licensing/baker/reports/TerrestrialWGStudies/T04%20Analysis%20Species/An_Sp_it_Review_HatchsBeetle_RM_Final%20Report_8_24_03.pdf. (Accessed 4 Dec. 2008).
NatureServe. 2008. "Eanus hatchi." NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Feb. 2008. Version 7.0. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. 15 Dec. 2008 .
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1989. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; animal notice of review. Federal Register, Department of the Interior. 54(4): 554-579.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1991. Hatch's click beetle. Available at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/archives/pdf/94025119.pdf. (Accessed 4 Dec. 2008).

subset: commoncrawl


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search for a card
TIP You can check the stats for all the games you have played online by visiting your home page. You can also check the stats for other players and compare how you are doing.
Result of the search for the collectible card:
The following 1 users match with the requested search. Click on their names to contact them.
For some advice on how to trade cards click here.
- jcar LV44 (Spain-Madrid)
When you register you will be able to search for all your cards in one go, and we will send you any new results of the search every day by email.


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Whether you use your computer for business, pleasure, or a combination of the two, it is important to keep it in good shape if you are to get the best possible performance from it. There are a number of tools built into Windows that can be used to help maintain system health and performance, but Advanced SystemCare 6 provides you with a more automated option so that much of the hard work is taken care of for you. While this is not a completely new product, it is a beta preview of an upcoming release, showcasing a number of new features.
There are all of the usual suspects in terms of optimization tools – hard drive and registry defragging, process explorer, startup manager and much more. If you have used previous versions of the program you'll notice that there is a redesigned interface, and while this is still little on the cluttered and unusual side, it is an improvement on what it replaces.
This is a system utility that is not just about maintenance, although this is clearly at its heart; it is also about protection and you will find that there are tools on hand to help to keep you safe online. In practice this means that you are simply steered away from malicious web sites, but it is a helpful inclusion nonetheless. Other handy features and improvements include faster defragmentation, a smaller overall footprint and enhanced turbo boost feature.
Depending on your level of computer knowledge, you can choose between working in simple or expert mode, with the latter revealing some additional options that are not otherwise available. There is also a configuration wizard that makes it incredibly simple to select the settings that are most appropriate for your computer and the fact that there is an AutoCare feature means that once this has been done your computer will be looked after on your behalf.
Note that this is the FREE version of IObit Advanced SystemCare 6. You can upgrade to the PRO version with more functionality. The PRO version ships with deeper cleansing, anti-malware support, automatic updates, no adverts and much more.
New v6.4 features/improvements include:
+ Updated database for Malware Removal for better security
+ Updated database for Privacy Sweep for better privacy protection
+ Updated database for Surfing Protection for safer online surfing and searching
+ Updated multiple languages to the latest
+ Updated and optimized multiple tools in Toolbox
+ Added Support for Windows 8.1
+ Fixed general bugs
It's not a major upgrade, but Advanced SystemCare 6 does include some worthwhile improvements and it's now an extremely comprehensive PC maintenance and optimisation suite.


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Roy Prieb needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 68 designs submitted by 15 freelance designers.
We are three guys (two developer nerds and one business wonk) building some very neat, cutting-edge web services--hence the inclusion of "software-as-a-service" (saas) in our name. The services are advanced, but also accessible and affordable, targeting small-to-midsized e-commerce enterprises and giving them the same tools that their much bigger competitors have. In essence, we're leveling the playing field for our clients to succeed and stand equal footing with the big boys--hence the inclusion of "aspire" in the name.
Our flagship product is a personalization engine, that clients can use to auto-generate product recommendations similar to what Amazon does. The product will have it's own brand name. As will future products that will roll down the pipeline. So, Saaspire is the corporate identity.
The company culture is very open, straight shooting, and hard-working (like most start-ups). We're passionate about our products spend a lot of time making sure that we are giving our clients the best possible services. We don't like corporate bull and unnecessary process. And, in many ways, we expect our clients to be like us, focused on delivering great results.
Our target audience is the small to mid tier enterprise. Within the organization we usually deal directly with the principal or the marketers, who decide whether or not they need our services. When that decision is made we deal with the internal IT department or web agency to implement the solution.
One potential resource, therefore, is to look at some trusted brands that serve these segments and adopt elements of their logos. A lot of our initial marketing will be through agencies in our local market New York, but we expect to do a lot of marketing in the near term through our website.
We also think that developers and IT techs themselves could be an important audience in spreading the word to the marketers and principals about what we are doing and how it can be a good solution for their needs. So we'll be running outreaches to that group to generate some good word of mouth.
We need a corporate logo that we can use on all our collateral material (website, business cards, letterhead, etc.)
The logo should contain the name saaspire in it. The capitalization of the name is up to you...eg. SaaSpire or SAASpire.
Keep in mind that this is a corporate logo and that we will have individual product brands that we will be marketing. So the logo should not be so strong that it overpowers product brand.
We've uploaded an image that will give you a start for color schemes, but we're not wedded to it at all.
Other than that, go for it!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Israel and the Jihadi Connection
Israel's complex game with Jihadi terror groups pays off as more and more African states look to Israel for protection.
Earlier this year, with little publicity, the official position of Israel on terrorism was explained by Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon
"I would like to see ISIS rule all of Syria (by inference, the whole region – RG); ISIS and its offshoots do not pose a threat to the Israeli State. Iran remains the main enemy!"
Ya'alon was being disingenuous, but the thinking behind his words is actually clear enough from the words themselves. Put simply, Israel's relentless emphasis on the supposed threat from Iran is simply a diversionary tactic intended to conceal the continuing realisation of the 'Greater Israel' Project.
Ya'alon added
"Iran is a rogue regime with designs on a regional hegemony. Hezbollah is Iran's proxy, with the ability to declare war. Iran currently has terror infrastructure in place in five continents: Asia, Africa, Europe and both in South and North America."
Ya'alon's last comment refers to Iran as a rogue regime. However experienced Middle East observers will no doubt hesitate after reading the totality of his comments, and will wonder whether in light of them it is actually Israel and the US which should be considered the rogue regimes rather than Iran or indeed anyone else, other than obviously Israel's and the US's staunch ally, the odious Saudi regime.
Many similar comments of this nature have been made by senior Israeli officials, but one in particular stands out. This is a speech made at the Herzliya Conference by Israel's military intelligence chief, Major General Herzi Halevy. He took Israel's long-standing position that it "prefers ISIS" over the Syrian government to a whole new level, declaring openly that Israel does not want to see ISIS defeated in any war. As quoted in the Hebrew language NRG site, owned by the Maariv Newspaper conglomerate, Major Gen. Halevy actually expressed worry about the recent offensives against ISIS, expressing concern that military offensives in the last three months had placed ISIS in the "most difficult" situation it has known since its inception or at least since its declaration of a caliphate.
Needless to say most people are not aware that Major Gen. Halevy has in effect become a spokesperson for ISIS.
So what is going on?
The short answer is that the real 'game' in the region is being played out by and an on behalf of Israeli interests. An indirect but nonetheless highly revealing clue has just been provided by the recently developing relationship between Israel and Chad. Chad, located south of Libya in the Sahara, faces a mountain of difficulties which Israel can help it deal with. These range from extreme water scarcity to Chad finding itself on the front line in Africa's fight against Islamist terrorism, be it in the form ISIS, al-Qaeda or Boko Haram. This supplies the reason for Chadian President Idriss Déby recent visit to Israel, which has taken place 46 years after Libya's former leader Muammar Gaddafi pressured Chad into breaking off diplomatic relations with Israel in 1972, a step which Chad took even before the big wave of African countries severing diplomatic ties with Israel took place, which happened after the 1973 Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War.
Chad broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 1972 because it believed that it would gain more by forging close ties with Gaddafi's Libya than by retaining ties with Israel. Obviously since the fall of Gaddafi that calculation has changed.
However another – obviously unacknowledged – reason is almost certainly Chad's worry that it might find itself facing the same sort of Islamist terrorism in Chad that Syria has recently experienced. After all if Israeli officials can publicly admit to Israel's de facto support for Islamist terrorism in Syria why should it be any different in Chad?
So the bottom line is that Chad – and no doubt plenty of other countries in the region – find themselves needing Israel's help to protect themselves from the Frankenstein's monster of worldwide Islamist terrorism which Israeli and US policies have conjured up. It amounts to the classic protection racket, with countries like Chad looking to Israel to 'protect' them from the very Islamist threat Israeli and US policies are themselves creating.
Given that this is so, and given the extent to which the spread of Islamist terrorist groups across the Middle East and North Africa actually serves Israeli and US interests, there is simply no point looking to Israel and the US for a 'solution' to the problem caused by them. Certainly no such solution is going to be found in Palermo, site of the latest Libya peace talks. No such solution is going to be found whilst the 'protection racket' serves Israel's regional interests so well. Indeed Déby's visit to Jerusalem, as does the rush of other African countries restoring relations with Israel, shows the spectacular success of the 'protection racket'.
In view of this it should come as no surprise that all attempts to change it are furiously resisted. Thus in the US "The Stop Arming Terrorists Act" proposed in early 2017 by Representative Tulsi Gabbard and Senator Rand Paul, which sought to prohibit use of US government funds from providing assistance to terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, ISIS, and the rest, and to those countries which support these organizations, predictably ran into a wall of opposition. As of November 2017 only 14 out of 435 members of the US House of Representatives were prepared to co-sponsor the bill with Gabbard, whilst in the Senate Rand Paul could find no co-sponsors at all.
Given the extremely close ties between the US and Israel, there is in fact no possibility of the bill – at least in the form proposed by Gabbard and Rand Paul – being passed.
Given the strong feelings many in the US have about Islamist terrorism – with memories of 9/11 still fresh – one might suppose that this would be an enormous scandal. However – predictably enough – neither the US media nor the global media seem at all interested in it.
Authors note: many of the sources and quotes, details etc, contained herein came from Israeli media.
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What a sickly bunch of perverted coward sneaky traitors to democracy and the world of peace.
As I have been voicing (ad nausea) the USA and Israel are two of the world's worst terrorist nations! When will we see them in the dock in The Hague?
Airline wars heat up, as industry undergoes massive disruption (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 145.
The Duran's Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris examine the global commercial airline industry, which is undergoing massive changes, as competition creeps in from Russia and China.
Reuters reports that Boeing Co's legal troubles grew as a new lawsuit accused the company of defrauding shareholders by concealing safety deficiencies in its 737 MAX planes before two fatal crashes led to their worldwide grounding.
The proposed class action filed in Chicago federal court seeks damages for alleged securities fraud violations, after Boeing's market value tumbled by $34 billion within two weeks of the March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX.
According to the complaint, Boeing "effectively put profitability and growth ahead of airplane safety and honesty" by rushing the 737 MAX to market to compete with Airbus SE, while leaving out "extra" or "optional" features designed to prevent the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes.
It also said Boeing's statements about its growth prospects and the 737 MAX were undermined by its alleged conflict of interest from retaining broad authority from federal regulators to assess the plane's safety.
Boeing said on Tuesday that aircraft orders in the first quarter fell to 95 from 180 a year earlier, with no orders for the 737 MAX following the worldwide grounding.
On April 5, it said it planned to cut monthly 737 production to 42 planes from 52, and was making progress on a 737 MAX software update to prevent further accidents.
Remember to Please Subscribe to The Duran's YouTube Channel.
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Step aside (fading) trade war with China: there is a new aggressor – at least according to the US Trade Rep Robert Lighthizer – in town.
In a statement on the USTR's website published late on Monday, the US fair trade agency announced that under Section 301 of the Trade Act, it was proposing a list of EU products to be covered by additional duties. And as justification for the incremental import taxes, the USTR said that it was in response to EU aircraft subsidies, specifically to Europea's aerospace giant, Airbus, which "have caused adverse effects to the United States" and which the USTR estimates cause $11 billion in harm to the US each year
One can't help but notice that the latest shot across the bow in the simmering trade war with Europe comes as i) Trump is reportedly preparing to fold in his trade war with China, punting enforcement to whoever is president in 2025, and ii) comes just as Boeing has found itself scrambling to preserve orders as the world has put its orderbook for Boeing 737 MAX airplanes on hold, which prompted Boeing to cut 737 production by 20% on Friday.
While the first may be purely a coincidence, the second – which is expected to not only slam Boeing's financials for Q1 and Q2, but may also adversely impact US GDP – had at least some impact on the decision to proceed with these tariffs at this moment.
We now await Europe's angry response to what is Trump's latest salvo in what is once again a global trade war. And, paradoxically, we also expect this news to send stocks blasting higher as, taking a page from the US-China trade book, every day algos will price in imminent "US-European trade deal optimism."
Below the full statement from the USTR (link):
USTR Proposes Products for Tariff Countermeasures in Response to Harm Caused by EU Aircraft Subsidies
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has found repeatedly that European Union (EU) subsidies to Airbus have caused adverse effects to the United States. Today, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) begins its process under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to identify products of the EU to which additional duties may be applied until the EU removes those subsidies.
USTR is releasing for public comment a preliminary list of EU products to be covered by additional duties. USTR estimates the harm from the EU subsidies as $11 billion in trade each year. The amount is subject to an arbitration at the WTO, the result of which is expected to be issued this summer.
"This case has been in litigation for 14 years, and the time has come for action. The Administration is preparing to respond immediately when the WTO issues its finding on the value of U.S. countermeasures," said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "Our ultimate goal is to reach an agreement with the EU to end all WTO-inconsistent subsidies to large civil aircraft. When the EU ends these harmful subsidies, the additional U.S. duties imposed in response can be lifted."
In line with U.S. law, the preliminary list contains a number of products in the civil aviation sector, including Airbus aircraft. Once the WTO arbitrator issues its report on the value of countermeasures, USTR will announce a final product list covering a level of trade commensurate with the adverse effects determined to exist.
After many years of seeking unsuccessfully to convince the EU and four of its member States (France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom) to cease their subsidization of Airbus, the United States brought a WTO challenge to EU subsidies in 2004. In 2011, the WTO found that the EU provided Airbus $18 billion in subsidized financing from 1968 to 2006. In particular, the WTO found that European "launch aid" subsidies were instrumental in permitting Airbus to launch every model of its large civil aircraft, causing Boeing to lose sales of more than 300 aircraft and market share throughout the world.
In response, the EU removed two minor subsidies, but left most of them unchanged. The EU also granted Airbus more than $5 billion in new subsidized "launch aid" financing for the A350 XWB. The United States requested establishment of a compliance panel in March 2012 to address the EU's failure to remove its old subsidies, as well as the new subsidies and their adverse effects. That process came to a close with the issuance of an appellate report in May 2018 finding that EU subsidies to high-value, twin-aisle aircraft have caused serious prejudice to U.S. interests. The report found that billions of dollars in launch aid to the A350 XWB and A380 cause significant lost sales to Boeing 787 and 747 aircraft, as well as lost market share for Boeing very large aircraft in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, Singapore, and UAE markets.
Based on the appellate report, the United States requested authority to impose countermeasures worth $11.2 billion per year, commensurate with the adverse effects caused by EU subsidies. The EU challenged that estimate, and a WTO arbitrator is currently evaluating those claims
Mueller report takes 'Russian meddling' for granted, offers no actual evidence
Special counsel Robert Mueller's 'Russiagate' report has cleared Donald Trump of 'collusion' charges but maintains that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. Yet concrete evidence of that is nowhere to be seen.
The report by Mueller and his team, made public on Thursday by the US Department of Justice, exonerates not just Trump but all Americans of any "collusion" with Russia, "obliterating" the Russiagate conspiracy theory, as journalist Glenn Greenwald put it.
However, it asserts that Russian "interference" in the election did happen, and says it consisted of a campaign on social media as well as Russian military intelligence (repeatedly referred to by its old, Soviet-era name, GRU) "hacking" the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the DNC, and the private email account of Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, John Podesta.
As evidence of this, the report basically offers nothing but Mueller's indictment of "GRU agents," delivered on the eve of the Helsinki Summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in what was surely a cosmic coincidence.
Indictments are not evidence, however, but allegations. Any time it looks like the report might be bringing up proof, it ends up being redacted, ostensibly to protect sources and methods, and out of concern it might cause "harm to an ongoing matter."
'Active measures' on social media
Mueller's report leads with the claim that the Internet Research Agency (IRA) ran an "active measures" campaign of social media influence. Citing Facebook and Twitter estimates, the report says this consisted of 470 Facebook accounts that made 80,000 posts that may have been seen by up to 126 million people, between January 2015 and August 2017 (almost a year after the election), and 3,814 Twitter accounts that "may have been" in contact with about 1.4 million people.
Those numbers may seem substantial but, as investigative journalist Gareth Porter pointed out in November 2018, they should be regarded against the background of 33 trillion Facebook posts made during the same period.
According to Mueller, the IRA mind-controlled the American electorate by spending "approximately $100,000" on Facebook ads, hiring someone to walk around New York City "dressed up as Santa Claus with a Trump mask," and getting Trump campaign affiliates to promote "dozens of tweets, posts, and other political content created by the IRA." Dozens!
This is what it takes to bring down an empire! https://t.co/PXrlsfYp8j
— Yasha Levine (@yashalevine) April 18, 2019
Meanwhile, the key evidence against IRA's alleged boss Evgeny Prigozhin is that he "appeared together in public photographs" with Putin.
Alleged hacking & release
The report claims that the GRU hacked their way into 29 DCCC computers and another 30 DNC computers, and downloaded data using software called "X-Tunnel." It is unclear how Mueller's investigators claim to know this, as the report makes no mention of them or FBI actually examining DNC or DCCC computers. Presumably they took the word of CrowdStrike, the Democrats' private contractor, for it.
However obtained, the documents were published first through DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0 – which the report claims are "fictitious online personas" created by the GRU – and later through WikiLeaks. What is Mueller's proof that these two entities were "GRU" cutouts? In a word, this:
That the Guccifer 2.0 persona provided reporters access to a restricted portion of the DCLeaks website tends to indicate that both personas were operated by the same or a closely-related group of people.(p. 43)
However, the report acknowledges that the "first known contact" between Guccifer 2.0 and WikiLeaks was on September 15, 2016 – months after the DNC and DCCC documents were published! Here we do get actual evidence: direct messages on Twitter obtained by investigators. Behold, these "spies" are so good, they don't even talk – and when they do, they use unsecured channels.
Mueller notably claims "it is clear that the stolen DNC and Podesta documents were transferred from the GRU to WikiLeaks" (the rest of that sentence is redacted), but the report clearly implies the investigators do not actually know how. On page 47, the report says Mueller "cannot rule out that stolen documents were transferred to WikiLeaks through intermediaries who visited during the summer of 2016."
Strangely, the report accuses WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange of making "public statements apparently designed to obscure the source" of the materials (p.48), notably the offer of a reward for finding the murderer of DNC staffer Seth Rich – even though this can be read as corroborating the intermediaries theory, and Assange never actually said Rich was his source.
The rest of Mueller's report goes on to discuss the Trump campaign's contacts with anyone even remotely Russian and to create torturous constructions that the president had "obstructed" justice by basically defending himself from charges of being a Russian agent – neither of which resulted in any indictments, however. But the central premise that the 22-month investigation, breathless media coverage, and the 448-page report are based on – that Russia somehow meddled in the 2016 election – remains unproven.
Rumors of War: Washington Is Looking for a Fight
The bill stands up for NATO and prevents the President from pulling the US out of the Alliance without a Senate vote.
Authored by Philip Giraldi via The Strategic Culture Foundation:
It is depressing to observe how the United States of America has become the evil empire. Having served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War and in the Central Intelligence Agency for the second half of the Cold War, I had an insider's viewpoint of how an essentially pragmatic national security policy was being transformed bit by bit into a bipartisan doctrine that featured as a sine qua non global dominance for Washington. Unfortunately, when the Soviet Union collapsed the opportunity to end once and for all the bipolar nuclear confrontation that threatened global annihilation was squandered as President Bill Clinton chose instead to humiliate and use NATO to contain an already demoralized and effectively leaderless Russia.
American Exceptionalism became the battle cry for an increasingly clueless federal government as well as for a media-deluded public. When 9/11 arrived, the country was ready to lash out at the rest of the world. President George W. Bush growled that "There's a new sheriff in town and you are either with us or against us." Afghanistan followed, then Iraq, and, in a spirit of bipartisanship, the Democrats came up with Libya and the first serious engagement in Syria. In its current manifestation, one finds a United States that threatens Iran on a nearly weekly basis and tears up arms control agreements with Russia while also maintaining deployments of US forces in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and places like Mali. Scattered across the globe are 800 American military bases while Washington's principal enemies du jour Russia and China have, respectively, only one and none.
Never before in my lifetime has the United States been so belligerent, and that in spite of the fact that there is no single enemy or combination of enemies that actually threaten either the geographical United States or a vital interest. Venezuela is being threatened with invasion primarily because it is in the western hemisphere and therefore subject to Washington's claimed proconsular authority. Last Wednesday Vice President Mike Pence told the United Nations Security Council that the White House will remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, preferably using diplomacy and sanctions, but "all options are on the table." Pence warned that Russia and other friends of Maduro need to leave now or face the consequences.
The development of the United States as a hostile and somewhat unpredictable force has not gone unnoticed. Russia has accepted that war is coming no matter what it does in dealing with Trump and is upgrading its forces. By some estimates, its army is better equipped and more combat ready than is that of the United States, which spends nearly ten times as much on "defense."
Iran is also upgrading its defensive capabilities, which are formidable. Now that Washington has withdrawn from the nuclear agreement with Iran, has placed a series of increasingly punitive sanctions on the country, and, most recently, has declared a part of the Iranian military to be a "foreign terrorist organization" and therefore subject to attack by US forces at any time, it is clear that war will be the next step. In three weeks, the United States will seek to enforce a global ban on any purchases of Iranian oil. A number of countries, including US nominal ally Turkey, have said they will ignore the ban and it will be interesting to see what the US Navy intends to do to enforce it. Or what Iran will do to break the blockade.
But even given all of the horrific decisions being made in the White House, there is one organization that is far crazier and possibly even more dangerous. That is the United States Congress, which is, not surprisingly, a legislative body that is viewed positively by only 18 per cent of the American people.
A current bill originally entitled the "Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act (DASKA) of 2019," is numbered S-1189. It has been introduced in the Senate which will "…require the Secretary of State to determine whether the Russian Federation should be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism and whether Russian-sponsored armed entities in Ukraine should be designated as foreign terrorist organizations." The bill is sponsored by Republican Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado and is co-sponsored by Democrat Robert Menendez of New Jersey.
The current version of the bill was introduced on April 11th and it is by no means clear what kind of support it might actually have, but the fact that it actually has surfaced at all should be disturbing to anyone who believes it is in the world's best interest to avoid direct military confrontation between the United States and Russia.
In a a press release by Gardner, who has long been pushing to have Russia listed as a state sponsor of terrorism, a February version of the bill is described as "…comprehensive legislation [that] seeks to increase economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on the Russian Federation in response to Russia's interference in democratic processes abroad, malign influence in Syria, and aggression against Ukraine, including in the Kerch Strait. The legislation establishes a comprehensive policy response to better position the US government to address Kremlin aggression by creating new policy offices on cyber defenses and sanctions coordination. The bill stands up for NATO and prevents the President from pulling the US out of the Alliance without a Senate vote. It also increases sanctions pressure on Moscow for its interference in democratic processes abroad and continued aggression against Ukraine."
The February version of the bill included Menendez, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina as co-sponsors, suggesting that provoking war is truly bipartisan in today's Washington.
Each Senator co-sponsor contributed a personal comment to the press release. Gardner observed that "Putin's Russia is an outlaw regime that is hell-bent on undermining international law and destroying the US-led liberal global order." Menendez noted that "President Trump's willful paralysis in the face of Kremlin aggression has reached a boiling point in Congress" while Graham added that "Our goal is to change the status quo and impose meaningful sanctions and measures against Putin's Russia. He should cease and desist meddling in the US electoral process, halt cyberattacks on American infrastructure, remove Russia from Ukraine, and stop efforts to create chaos in Syria." Cardin contributed "Congress continues to take the lead in defending US national security against continuing Russian aggression against democratic institutions at home and abroad" and Shaheen observed that "This legislation builds on previous efforts in Congress to hold Russia accountable for its bellicose behavior against the United States and its determination to destabilize our global world order."
The Senatorial commentary is, of course, greatly exaggerated and sometimes completely false regarding what is going on in the world, but it is revealing of how ignorant American legislators can be and often are. The Senators also ignore the fact that the designation of presumed Kremlin surrogate forces as "foreign terrorist organizations" is equivalent to a declaration of war against them by the US military, while hypocritically calling Russia a state sponsor of terrorism is bad enough, as it is demonstrably untrue. But the real damage comes from the existence of the bill itself. It will solidify support for hardliners on both sides, guaranteeing that there will be no rapprochement between Washington and Moscow for the foreseeable future, a development that is bad for everyone involved. Whether it can be characterized as an unintended consequence of unwise decision making or perhaps something more sinister involving a deeply corrupted congress and administration remains to be determined.
Will the Mueller Report Make the New Cold War Even Worse?
Robert Mueller Did Not Merely Reject the Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theories. He Obliterated Them
The Mueller Report Vindicates Bill Barr
The 'Guccifer 2.0' Gaps in Mueller's Full Report
Senate Leaders Want Information On 'Highly Classified' FBI Memo About Clinton
With RussiaGate Over Where's Hillary?
Russia Gives US Red Line On Venezuela
US media suffers panic attack after Mueller fails to deliver on much-anticipated Trump indictment
Tucker Carlson puts Assange's deeds and arrest in perspective [Video]
By 3-to-1, Americans Want Assange Prosecuted
Airline wars heat up, as industry undergoes massive disruption (Video)
Nigel Farage stuns political elite, as Brexit Party and UKIP surge in polls (Video)
London Protests Outside Prison Where Julian Assange Is Being Held (Video)
Can the beauty of Notre Dame and all it symbolizes ever be regained? (Video)
May & Merkel finalize Brexit betrayal, but will Farage's Brexit Party & UKIP have last laugh? (Video)
Quick Donate
The Duran Newsletter
Airline wars heat up, as industry undergoes massive disruption (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 145.
Nigel Farage stuns political elite, as Brexit Party and UKIP surge in polls (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 144.
London Protests Outside Prison Where Julian Assange Is Being Held (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 143.
Can the beauty of Notre Dame and all it symbolizes ever be regained? (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 142.
May & Merkel finalize Brexit betrayal, but will Farage's Brexit Party & UKIP have last laugh? (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 141.
Lavrov: A New World Order Is Replacing A Globalist World Order (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 140.
Geopolitical Blowback From U.S. Decision Targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 139.
Ukraine officials offer evidence of election meddling in favor of Hillary Clinton to Trump's DOJ (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 138.
All Smiles. Theresa May Hands Over U.K. Sovereignty to the E.U. (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 137.
8 years after Hillary & Sarkozy destroyed Libya, new war aims to unify country (Video)
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 136.


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The sun-bleached shores of your Florida home demand a dazzling sense of fashion, with shirts that drip with color and fun to keep it light and breezy no matter the occasion. Our plus size tops embrace all of the effortless elegance of a Florida lifestyle. With plus size tank tops and plus size blouses from Bealls Florida, you'll feel confident, cool, and ready for whatever life throws your way. For example, our Connie animal print top from Gloria Vanderbilt combines comfort and breathable fabrics for fun in the sun with a splash of color. Make a statement in this plus size top at a party, an evening out, or an afternoon at the beach.
Our plus size blouses range from casual chic to professional class, and their superior design fits your curves and accents your natural beauty. We stock all the best brands at prices that reinforce the Bealls Florida promise – you don't need to drop a monthly paycheck to look fabulous. Stock up on plus size tank tops for beach and theme park season, or swing by our stunning collection of blouses to flatter your figure and dazzle your coworkers on a daily basis. Take control of your fashion – this is Florida, and a Florida woman knows how to have fun without sacrificing comfort and style.
From camisoles to button-ups to tropical prints, Bealls Florida has the entire spectrum of options for plus size tops. Browse by type or brand: Bealls Florida stocks the most bankable brands in the business, like OneWorld, Nue Options, Hearts of Palm, and Caribbean Joe. With savings typically in the 30-40% off range, it's no wonder why more and more women are turning to Bealls Florida. Unleash your inner fashionista with our sun-drenched (and fun-drenched) selection of plus size tops.


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pianopop9 needed a new t-shirt design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 136 designs submitted by 55 freelance designers.
Fooling April is a pop/rock band from Philadelphia. The band's last line of t-shirts were very popular and we are hoping to match if not top the last set of designs this time around!
fooling april
Here are 2 designs that were very popular for us in the past to give you a feel for our style:
There are no restrictions with fonts or colors (except number of colors must be limited to 2). We are looking for something that could be sold in a trendy t-shirt shop in the vein of affliction (minus the skull theme). It doesn't necessarily have to be as busy as these previous designs however.
Themes that go along with the current album release and might inspire your shirt design would be: love, people being together, high school, piano. All abstract organic ideas like flowers, trees, etc are welcomed!
- MUST include the words "fooling april" somewhere on the shirt.
- MUST be limited to 2 colors for silk screening.
- Nothing having to do with April Fools or anything having to do with the month of April or a play on the word "fool".


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This website offers products that will help you reduce the threat of illnesses caused, at least in part, by environmental influences... Alzheimer's disease, asthma, heart disease, SIDS, autism, depression, arthritis, allergies, immune system dysfunction, fibromyalgia, central nervous system dysfunction, anemia, emphysema, chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as most forms of cancer.
We bring you non-toxic products such as mattresses, bedding, furniture, carpeting and rugs, water filtration systems and air purifiers that we have researched for use in our own home to protect our family, in hopes of helping you create a cleaner indoor environment for you and your loved ones. This will be a continually expanding product line-up as we do the legwork for those of you who want to protect your family's health.
NO SALES TAX charged to any state in the USA!
Organic • Green • Sustainable
Pollution from toxic chemicals and global warming are CRITICAL issues today. If we don't reverse the environmental degradation and destruction caused by the use of toxic chemicals and fossil fuels, the outlook for our children's future on this earth is bleak.
The organic and natural/sustainable-source products we offer are not only good for your health; they are good for the environment...
BedWorks of Maine, Pacific Rim, and Dapwood non-toxic, natural, solid wood bedroom furniture
For many decades, BedWorks of Maine, Pacific Rim, and Dapwood have been crafting furniture in the USA of renewable, sustainable, domestic hardwoods. Any glue used in production is water-based, and they offer unfinished furniture as well as a variety of non-toxic wood finishes.
Earthweave and Nature's Carpet non-toxic, natural wool carpeting; Earthweave, Nature's Carpet and Hook & Loom natural wool rugs
100% sustainable resource floor coverings. These rugs, carpet and padding are 100% biodegradable and can be commercially composted at the end of their long life, unlike floor coverings made from non-renewable petrochemicals like nylon and polyester.
Natural latex (rubber) mattresses covered with organic cotton and eco wool; natural-fill pillows
Unlike synthetic rubber made from petroleum and steel made
from scarce, non-renewable raw materials, the natural rubber
used in our mattresses is a renewable resource and there
are no toxic substances or ozone-depleting agents used in
its production. NEW SUPPLIER COMING SOON!
Organic cotton and wool bedding
Organic agriculture doesn't use toxic, persistent pesticides
and herbicides. The manufacture of organic bedding uses no
formaldehyde, flame-retardants and other toxic chemicals,
and produces no dioxins from bleaching. Colors are produced
using low-impact environmental dyes.
Soaring Heart organic cotton, latex & wool beds
Soaring Heart uses all organic materials in their mattresses, futons, shikibutons and bedding. All of their cotton and wool is grown in the United States, and all products are hand-crafted in Seattle, WA.
Organic Beds & Mattresses
Futons, shikibutons, mattresses w/organic cotton, organic latex & organic wool
How to protect yourself from radioactivity in drinking water
Organizations we support:


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Åland (Finnish: Ahvenanmaa) is an autonomous area in the Baltic Sea, consisting of one main island and a surrounding archipelago. While legally a part of Finland, in practice the islands run their own affairs and are rather different from the mainland.
The Åland Islands (pronounced "Oh-lahnd") are a group of small islands officially belonging to Finland but awarded a wide degree of autonomy by a League of Nations decision in 1921 that settled a long-running dispute between Sweden and Finland. Still at the time when Åland was under Russian sovereignty, a treaty was concluded between Russia, France and the United Kingdom at the issue of the Crimean War, by virtue of which the islands were demilitarized. Finland assumed the same obligation upon achieving independence. Among other things, Ålanders have their own parliament, publish their own stamps, are exempt from military service and maintain a special tax status in the European Union.
The archipelago consists of around 80 inhabited islands plus around 6000 uninhabited islands, islets and rocks. The total population is only 26,530 (2004), 90% of which lives on the main island Åland (also known as Fasta (Mainland) Åland), which includes the capital Mariehamn.
Åland is divided into 15 municipalities and one city Mariehamn.
There are plenty of ferry connections between Åland and mainland Sweden and Finland. Primarily for tax reasons, ferries plying between Helsinki and Stockholm all stop off at Mariehamn or the nearby (30km east, approximately) jetty of Långnäs, making this the easiest and cheapest way to get in (although docking often happens at inconvenient times in the middle of the night - the Långnäs stops). Mariehamn also has a small airport that serves flights to mainland Finland and Sweden.
It takes two hours from Grisslehamn to Eckerö. From there the line 1 bus connects to Mariehamn.
It takes two hours from Kapellskär to Mariehamn. This is by far the fastest route between Stockholm and Mariehamn, unless flying.
Ålandstrafiken ferries are free to pedestrians and to motorists between the smaller islands. For pedestrians bus lines 4 and 5 from Mariehamn go respectively to Hummelvik and Långnäs, each of which is a terminal for a route to the Finnish mainland.
A combination of ferry between the islands and a bicycle on the islands themselves is the most popular option.
The trip to Åland through the archipelago is something you will never forget. Choose a route through either the southern or northern archipelago. Bookings can be made for trips to and from an intermediate port. Trips from one destination port to another can only be made if you spend a night on the some of the small islands. The archipelago ferries is served by Ålandstrafiken .
The islands are monolingually Swedish, a point of some contention in otherwise bilingual (or, in practice, frequently Finnish monolingual) Finland: Närpes, Korsnäs and Larsmo are the only mainland municipalities to be monolingually Swedish.
Although Finnish is optionally taught in schools, most Ålanders choose not to study it, and while many signs are written in Finnish in addition to Swedish and often English, you should not attempt to get along in it. For your information, communication between Finns unable to speak Swedish and Ålanders is done in English, which is very widely spoken, even by many elderly, so stick to it if you can't speak Swedish or something closely related to it.
The official currency is the euro (€). Swedish Krona (SEK) is usually accepted in most shops and restaurants during the peak season.
Please note: Shopping in Åland is very expensive. Due to import of most goods, with sometimes unsurmountable difficulties in filling the stores with enough supplies, prices in most stores are in the EU highs, mostly 10-50 percent higher than in the Stockholm or Helsinki metropolitan areas. Prices on some groceries can be even higher, with oatmeal and gruel selling at more than double the price in, say, Stockholm or Helsinki.
Recipe: Ålands pancake
Åland has its own parliament, its own executive government and is generally autonomous from Finland. The cultural heritage though is mostly Swedish.
Speaking Swedish and being a part of Finland, the people of Åland regard themselves as a separate and independent nation, and appreciate if you refer to them as one.


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Juggling a Startup and a Baby
Getting a startup off the ground is just the beginning. Growing a business is the next step. In Season 2 of Project Grow, we talk to entrepreneurs at New York's In Good Company coworking space as they meet the challenges.
For better or for worse, women business owners are often more impacted by the birth of a child than their male counterparts. More high-profile female entrepreneurs, everyone from Send the Trend's Divya Gugnani to Rent the Runway's Jennifer Fleiss, are showing they can start a successful company -- and a family.
In this video, wedding dress designer Angela Broyles recounts how she was just getting her line, Winifred Bean, off the ground when she discovered she was pregnant. To juggle a startup and a newborn, she's brought on an unpaid marketing intern, become super-organized, and uses a "mother's helper" one day a week. Listen to how she's doing it, plus expert tips.
Project Grow:Season 2
Motivating Employees to Work As Hard As You
How to Stop Working 24/7
How to Negotiate. . . as a Business Owner
Project Grow: Season 1
How to Get Low-Cost Legal Services
How to Deal With Copycats
How to Create Buzz on No Budget
Starting Lean: Selling a Vision
Hiring on a Shoestring
Can't Code? How to Find a Technical Co-Founder
Three Ways to Get a Niche Product into Retailers
Three Ways to Make Your App Stand Out
Three Ways to Pick the Best Software for Your Startup


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10 of the most memorable space photos
December 28, 2012, 3:18 p.m. by Space.com Inc.
Scientists, photographers, authors and space leaders pick their 10 favorite space photos.
Drill issue could threaten Mars rover Curiosity's mission
December 10, 2012, 2:53 p.m. by SPACE.com Staff
At some point a bond in the drilling mechanism will fail, causing an electrical short that could threaten to knock out the entire rover.
Secretive Air Force space plane ready for Tuesday liftoff
December 10, 2012, 7:42 a.m. by Leonard David, SPACE.com
The X-37B vehicle and its cargo bay packed with a classified payload is set to make the third mission of the program.
'Born-again' nebula foreshadows death of our sun
November 29, 2012, 7:36 a.m. by SPACE.com Staff
The images give a glimpse of what our sun might look like in 5 billion years when it nears the end of its life cycle.
Monster black hole is biggest ever found
November 28, 2012, 1:24 p.m. by Elizabeth Howell
The supermassive black hole has a mass equivalent to 17 billion suns and is located inside the galaxy NGC 1277 in the constellation Perseus.
Misplaced moon rocks found in Minnesota, more still missing
November 28, 2012, 1:06 a.m. by Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com
The small lunar stones, which are better described as dust and pebbles rather than moon rocks, were found by the National Guard.
NASA outpost beyond moon could lead to Mars
November 20, 2012, 7:46 a.m. by Mike Wall, space.com
Such an effort would allow scientists and engineers to work their way up to even more distant targets such as asteroids and Mars.
Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend
November 12, 2012, 10:24 a.m. by Space.com Inc.
This year is unusual in that the Leonids are expected to show 2 peaks of activity: one on Saturday morning and another on Tuesday morning.
'Super-Earth' alien planet may be habitable for life
November 7, 2012, 7:09 p.m. by Mike Wall, space.com
Called HD 40307g, the planet is located inside its host star's habitable zone, a range of distance where liquid water may exist on a world's surface.
Obama win keeps NASA on course -- toward an asteroid
November 7, 2012, 1:53 a.m. by Mike Wall
Here's a brief look at some of NASA's larger aims and ambitions, which it should continue to work toward over at least the next 4 years.
Why alien life needs asteroid belts
November 2, 2012, 11:28 a.m. by Space.com Inc.
Fewer than 4 percent of known alien solar systems are likely to have an asteroid belt like the one in ours.
Gamma ray scope spies light from universe's first stars
November 1, 2012, 2:06 p.m. by Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com
Astronomers have detected glow extragalactic background light and have separated out the light from later stars.
A horse named Jenny takes a daily stroll through the streets of Frankfurt
Use baking soda for easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs
What's next for SpaceX in its mission to send humans to space?
At least this year wasn't as bad as A.D. 536 — the worst year in human history
6 exercises for building muscle without equipment
Notre Dame rooftop bees appear to have survived the fire
10 ways to give without buying stuff
Thoughtful gifts can be experiences, time or even a special treat.
Carbon footprint reality
If you really want to reduce your footprint, have fewer kids and ditch your car.
Why you should kick the plastic straw habit
Straws create litter and end up in the marine food chain — but it doesn't have to be that way.
16 simple ways to reduce plastic waste
These easy things can decrease the amount of plastic trash you make.
9 skills they don't teach in school (but should)
From CPR to car repair, these building blocks create safe, successful adults.


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Reynolds Landing
5741 Lake Oconee Parkway
Greensboro GA 30642
Phone(866) 405-0574
Related Categories:
Reynolds Landing, located on Lake Oconee, Georgia and developed by the creators of Reynolds Plantation, provides an award-winning lifestyle with world-class amenities. Reynolds Landing features a classic Bob Cupp golf course, called one of Georgia's best at its debut, when it was ranked second only to Augusta National, and has earned numerous awards since its opening in 1986. In 2006, the course hosted the 53rd annual Georgia Open and in June 2008, it hosted the 41st PGA Professional National Championship, the showcase event for PGA Professionals. Home to the Village at Reynolds Landing, the community features a new clubhouse with golf shop, fitness center, restaurant with veranda, guest rooms and meeting space; a new amenity center that includes a family pool with 143-foot waterslide, splash pad and hot tub; and tennis courts and a multi-purpose athletic field. This community showcases an exclusive collection of cottages designed by Southern Living. For inquiries, please call Reynolds Plantation Realty at 866-405-7400 or visit www.reynoldslanding.com.
|Facility Amenities
|General Information


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This article sent me really laughing. It starts out as a discussion of seaweed in McDonald's milkshakes and descends into a discussion about what to call a "cow". A male "cow" is a "bull" but the fact that you said male "cow" implies a female "cow" which is in fact called a "cow". Confused yet? It set me laughing when it fell into a discussion of suggestions:
'He looked at a field of cattle' can become `he gazed at the herd of land whales roaming majestically through the sea of grass,'" writes James Parker.


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Judge: Prosecutors can use evidence found in Colorado theater shooting defendant's apartment
DENVER – A judge says prosecutors in the Colorado theater shootings can use evidence found in defendant James Holmes' apartment, which includes homemade bombs and a calendar with the day of the shootings highlighted.
In a ruling dated Friday, the judge rejected defense arguments that the apartment search was illegal because it began before police had a warrant.
Prosecutors argued the search was legal because Holmes told them he had explosives at his apartment, and they didn't have time to wait for a warrant because of the danger.
The bombs didn't go off.
Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of murder and attempted murder in the July 20, 2012, attack. Twelve people were killed and 70 injured.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.


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Erin Andrews Replacing Pam Oliver as Fox Sports' Top NFL Sideline Reporter
Jul 15, 2014 9:26 AM EDT
Erin Andrews will replace Pam Oliver as NFL sideline reporter this fall for Fox Sports' No. 1 team, Sports Illustrated reports. Oliver, 53, told SI she wasn't on board with the decision. "To go from the lead crew to… Read more


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When you visit the pretty western country town of Talwood, with its neat lawn and tree lined main street, the thing that will strike you is the friendliness and pride of the local people.
It's a small town with a whole lot of community spirit that has grown to service the surrounding rural industry.
The main event in Talwood is the annual Picnic Races which are held each August, a great day of racing and socialising that attracts people from all over Queensland and New South Wales and the town swells to ten times it's normal population.
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2012/11/12 - Hublot to support Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts
Hublot lends a Helping Hand
NEW YORK, Nov 11, 2012 – Hublot has designated Thursday, November 15, 2012 as a day to unite and raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. In support of those who have been affected by the destructive storm, 25% of the proceeds from all sales in US Hublot boutiques will go to help Sandy's victims reconstruct their lives. All funds raised will be donated to Charity to support those in need.
"So many lives have been severely impacted by this devastating storm and it's our duty as human beings to offer support during this time of recovery," stressed Jean-Claude Biver, Hublot's Chairman and Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot's CEO. "Our thoughts are with everyone working to rebuild their lives and communities."
Hublot operates seven boutiques nationwide, including New York City/Madison, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Bal Harbour, Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Atlanta. With the help of all employees and customers, the brand hopes to raise significant funds during these challenging times. For those customers who have been eyeing their favorite Hublot timepiece, this is the perfect opportunity to make a difference. For more information, visit www.hublot.com
Copyright © 2012 Watch Mobile 7


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Discovery World in Milwaukee and South Shore Cyclery in Cudahy are joining to present a week-long exploration of bicycling. The dates are April 9th-13th and from the Discovery World website it looks like there will be something for everyone….
"We'll feature maintenance, safety presentations, demonstrations, bike displays of the old, not-so-old, and brand new in the world of bikes. Enjoy displays from other bicycling organizations regarding bike issues, events, and activities in the world of bicycles." –quote from Discovery World website


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Publication Details
Title:Total intensity aeromagnetic profile of the Brooks Range, Alaska
Authors:Andreasen, G.E.
Publication Date:1960
Publisher:U.S. Geological Survey
Comments:This publication was reclassified with a new publication number in 1975; see below for the updated classification number.
Ordering Info:This publication is out of print. Reproductions may be available. USGS Publications Warehouse
Bibliographic Reference
Andreasen, G.E., 1960, Total intensity aeromagnetic profile of the Brooks Range, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report: Technical Data Unit classification number 194, 3 sheets.
Publication Products
- This publication has been superseded by OF 60-4.
Geophysics; Geophysics Search Tag


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About the Author
- Brenda Frketich is a third generation farmer from St. Paul, Oregon. She has been farming full time since 2006 and currently manages her family's 1000 acre farm. They raise grass seed, hazelnuts, crimson clover, wheat, vegetable seeds and peas. She grew up on the farm but never thought that farming was what would be her future. She left her small town to Los Angeles to get a degree in Business. But after years of city living she realized farming was in her blood. Brenda is very involved in many parts of her industry and community. She is a volunteer Firefighter and EMT in her small town. She is involved in Farm Bureau, is a Clover Commissioner, and always tries to find new ways to bridge the gap between her urban neighbors and her rural life of farming. One of the ways she does this is through this blog, and also her personal blog, www.Nuttygrass.com Brenda is married to Matt Frketich who has also recently started farming with her. They also have a son, Hoot, and old hunting dog, Diesel and farm dog Yukon.
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|Additional Classmate Information
|Sue (Mitchell) Shapiro
Email me!
I invite you to visit my personal web site at http://findingyourdivinespark.com.
I've moved away from the day-to-day grind of the corporate world and am of service to others offering Transformational Life Coaching and Transpersonal Hypnotherapy. These healing arts modalities can assist you in clarifying your personal goals, helping create the life you see yourself living!
Feel free to contact me to discover ways you can learn to live a life created by your own design. I offer virtual/distance, or in-person, individual and group, Life Coaching or Hypnotherapy sessions, do speaking engagements, and offer virtual/distance Toe Readings via email. I've had several holistically themed articles published and am currently working on a book.
Link to a blog the school did on me, regarding life coaching:
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Activewear & Performance
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Tailored Services for Distinctive Branding
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Sunday, December 03, 2006
new york : post 10
If you love desserts and are heading to New York, check out some of my other posts.
post 1 : Jean George
post 2 : Chickalious & Room 4 Dessert
post 3 : Cream Puffs in New York
post 4 : Bouchon, Fauchon, Minamoto Kitchoan, Wichcraft
post 5 : Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, Rice to Riches, Fluff
post 6 : Serendipity 3
post 7 : Blue Ribbon Bakery, Nougatine
post 8 : Buttercup Bakeshop, Amy's Bread
post 9 : Kee's, La Maison Du Chocolat, Michel Cluizel, Richart, Vosges Haut-Chocolat
post 10 : Doughnut Plant NYC, Lady M Cake Boutique, Tavalon Tea Bar
See a slide show of my New York 2006 Dessert Adventures!
Doughnut Plant New York City
I think the Doughnut Plant served the best donuts I have ever eaten. The storefront for this shop is simple and utilitarian. Their focus is to make the finest doughnuts they can with the highest quality ingredients. Based on my sample, their doughnuts are light, moist and extremely flavourful. Their selection included: Valrhona chocolate, banana pecan, grapefruit, chocolate crumble, cranberry, pannetone, tres de leche and vanilla bean. Being overwhelmed by the choice, I asked for help from my friendly server, who suggested the cranberry doughnut. Based on appearance, I was skeptical of this choice because the donut was glazed in pink and covered in tiny red specks. Nonetheless I bravely took his advice. It was so delicious that I immediately had to try another. I chose the tres de leche. I had one bite and was in heaven. I found it even better than the first. That was it: I had fallen in love with the Doughnut Plant. If you like doughnuts, or just have a sweet tooth, the Doughnut Plant will probably win your heart too.
379 Grand Street
New York
212 505 3700
Lady M Cake Boutique
Lady M is a classy salon on the Upper East Side that has a lovely selection of desserts. Their display case is filled with classic cakes that sound, look and taste exactly as you would imagine. Their cakes include: Lady M Mille Crepes, Miroir Caramel, Gateaux aux Marrons, Gateaux aux Chocolate, Gateaux aux Fromage Blanc, Mille Feuille, Gateaux Citron, Montague de Fraise, Tarte aux Fruits and Le Gateaux New Yorkais. I tried their Lady M Mille Crepes Cake, which I was told was a favourite. It is composed of perfectly shaped, light-as-air, crepes that are sandwiched between thin layers of cream custard. The cake has a hint of cherry liquor and a caramelized top. It was amazing. Although you'll pay a bit more, I suggest you go to Lady M for a slice of high quality cake. Desserts this satisfying can be hard to come by.
41 east 78th Street (between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue)
New York
212 452 2222
Tavalon Tea Bar
Tavalon Tea Bar is a fairly new teashop near Union and 14th Street that offers a variety of premium loose leaf teas, including green, white, black and chai. They also sell a selection of teapots, tea gift sets and tea accessories. Tavalon offers hip and stylish hot and cool drinks, like the Healthy Buzz, Detox, Chai Seduction, Genius, Herbal Oasis, Tropical Peony, and After Dark. During my visit I sampled a number of flavours and bought a canister of After Dark, which is a blend of herbs, such as chamomile, and tangy exotic fruits that smells absolutely spectacular. I also purchased green tea cookies that Tavalon sources from Amai Tea and Bake House. Some of you might be familiar with Amai Tea and Bake House: It's run by the lovely Kelli of the blog Lovescool. I have made green tea cookies, but they we certainly not as good as Kelli's. Tavalon is a cute and stylish tea store and worth a visit if you are interested in quality teas.
22 East 14th Street (between University and 5th)
New York
Here are two other dessert venues that I visited and want to mention:
Balthazar Bakery
Balthazar Bakery is a small and busy shop that you can count on for a small and lovely selection of baked goods. Many loyal New Yorkers frequent Balthazar for their morning coffee and snack. Their display cases are filled with croissants, Danishes, scones, cookies, breads, tarts and miscellaneous small snacks. I had a wonderful pear tart, which had pears poached in red wine arranged on light puff pastry. It was one of the finest pear tarts that I have had in a while. Balthazar has delicious and reliable baked goods.
80 Spring Street
New York
212 965 1785
Francois Payard
It would be wrong to write about desserts in New York without mentioning Francois Payard . If you have never visited Payard's Patisserie and Bistro, I suggest you go. Payard is undoubtedly one of New York's most well known pastry chefs. His pastries and desserts are beautiful, elegant and delicious. Upon entering Payard's, you will see marvelous display cases lined with tarts, cakes, mousse cakes, petit fours, cookies and chocolates. If you have a sweet tooth, are a pastry chef or just love beautiful desserts, I recommend dropping by and picking up some lovely pastries to go.
1032 Lexington Avenue (between 73rd and 74th Streets)
New York
212 717 5252
Since I will not have a chance to head back to New York this year, I have decided to end my series of posts on sweets in New York. I have had a wonderful time discovering, eating, drinking and sharing my experiences. Thank you to all the sweet friends who accompanied me on these excursions, as well as to all the amazing people on-line who recommended places to try. Also, a big thanks to everyone who has continued to read and support my blog. Cheers, Sam!
6 comments:
- Helene said...
Thank you so much for this sweet trip to New York. I have enjoyed each installment and hope to make it to NY city one day, now that I have a great guide!
- Mon. Dec. 04, 04:56:00 p.m. EST
- gnuf said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Thu. Dec. 07, 08:18:00 a.m. EST
- gnuf said...
Ah, so there's an actual Doughnut Plant in New York City! I tried a Valrhona in Tokyo.
- Thu. Dec. 07, 08:20:00 a.m. EST
- Kieran said...
Wow! As an ex-New Yorker, these posts really makes me nostalgic! Thanks...
- Sat. Dec. 09, 06:02:00 a.m. EST
- sam said...
Hi Helene,
I'm glad that you enjoyed the posts! Thanks for you comments and I hope you get a chance to make it to NYC as well.
Hi Eric,
That Valrhona doughnut looks awesome! I heart the Doughtnut Plant!
Hi Kieran,
Thanks for reading my posts. Some of these places were really amazing! I also wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your blog.
- Sat. Dec. 09, 11:03:00 a.m. EST
I remember all the doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant being square shaped. Is it just the filled ones?
- Sat. Dec. 23, 08:58:00 p.m. EST


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Jamie Dimon and the other mega-bankers who derailed the economy have a new PR campaign to sell you. They're saying that families who can't pay their mortgages must bear the blame – all the blame – for the foreclosure crisis. That means the public should just ignore banks' widespread lawbreaking in the registering and transfer of property titles. For the bankers who would appoint themselves the nation's moral arbiters, It's always somebody else's fault.
Not that we should be surprised. After all, the Mortgage Bankers Association, which calls itself "the voice of the real estate finance industry," did a short sale on its Washington DC headquarters which left CEO John Courson uncharacteristically speechless. It seems he didn't want to talk about how he walked away from the loans he took out to buy that building. But before the cat got his tongue, Courson managed to lecture homeowners on their "legal obligation" and the terrible "message they would send" by walking away from their mortgages.
Morality and law for thee, but none for me.
John Courson paid $79 million for his Association's headquarters and sold it three years later for $41.3 million. In his defense, anyone who loses nearly $38 million on a single real estate deal is, in fact, uniquely qualified to speak for the real estate finance industry. They mismanaged their finances so badly that they brought down the economy. They needed to rescued by the rest of us, a privilege they're working overtime to deny others. They claim that struggling homeowners are "undeserving" of help, even if the other party in their transaction has broken the law or violated a contract.
The bankers have benefited from a stacked deck, or what's known as "moral hazard." That's the term for what happens when people don't bother protecting themselves from risk because they know somebody else will take care of it for them. The banks are saying they've been reasonable business partners, giving their borrowers all the information they need to make good decisions while asking no special favors for themselves. Does that sound right? We created the "Home Loan Blame Game Scorecard," which is at the end of this post, to find out.
As CEO of JPMorgan Chase, you'd think that Jamie Dimon might hesitate before saying "We're not evicting people who deserve to stay in their house." His argument rests on the idea that homeowners bear sole responsibility for taking out loans they couldn't repay. He might be shocked, shocked, to learn that his own employees have relentlessly been trying to push these loans on people:
The "blame homeowners" argument is hypocritical, but it's been effective. It helped bankers get themselves massive bailouts, pay themselves huge bonuses, and walk away with the profits they made by selling and trading these mortgages at inflated prices. And it's helped them avoid having to write down their books to reflect the actual, reduced value of the assets they're holding. That means millions of homeowners are propping them up by paying mortgages at property values that the banks themselves artificially inflated.
Now they want to use the same argument to get around the fact that they've been breaking property laws on a massive scale for years. It's just "paperwork," they say. But any homeowner who filed false affidavits – a crime that's legally equivalent to perjury – would be looking at jail time. Remember: Law and morality for thee …
"But if these people had paid their mortgages, there wouldn't been a problem." That's a pretty compelling argument (if you're willing to ignore the widespread lawbreaking by the banks). But why couldn't they pay their mortgages? In many cases, it's because banks have violated HAMP rules for helping distressed homeowners modify their loans. That's breaking the law.
As the Wall Street Journal reported last week, the banks are "largely unsympathetic" to the idea of a foreclosure freeze, and they consider reports of widespread lawbreaking merely a bureaucratic problem. ""If you didn't pay your mortgage, you shouldn't be in your house," said a portfolio manager at Greenwood Capital Associates. "People are getting upset about something that's just procedural."
"Procedural" … you know. Abiding by the law. Doing what the little people do …
Bank of America has been a particularly egregious violator of HAMP's legal requirements, which means that many of the people it's foreclosing on shouldn't even be in that position. Yet you could almost see CEO Brian Moynihan rolling his eyes sarcastically as he said of the missing titles, "We'll go back and check over our homework one more time."
Please, Mr. Moynihan, don't trouble yourself. Allow us to check your "homework" for you. Surely bankers that hold homeowners to such high moral standards won't object to a thorough and very detailed audit of these transactions by the proper authorities. I'm sure such ethical and meticulous leaders want to know how many home appraisals were carried out by "friendly" appraisers, for instance, rather than ones who were known to come up with whatever number the bank wanted. And I'm sure they'd want to know if any of their employees had misled borrowers, perhaps by telling them that they could be sure that refinancing would be available long before their adjustable rate mortgages went up.
Remember, they're lecturing homeowners for not managing their finances well, when their entire industry would have collapsed because they didn't manage their finances well.
In a famous (and probably apocryphal) story, it's said that FDR finally got frustrated during a meeting of his economic advisors. After hearing talk about loan rates, interest, borrowing, and various financial mechanisms, the story says that FDR finally blurted out "What the hell! It's all our money, isn't it?"
That's how bankers feel about the current foreclosure crisis: It's all their money. Who cares about titles and property laws? If a homeowner hasn't been making their mortgage payments, the argument goes, then surely they should lose their house to somebody . It doesn't matter whether its Chase or Citi or Wells Fargo. As long as the banks agree among themselves who gets to put that family into the street, what's it to you, pal? And if the family's only in trouble because their bank (whoever it was) broke the law, well, we can't blame the bank if we can't find them, can we?
We're not saying that no homeowners bear responsibility for defaulting on their mortgages. Sure, some people should've known better. But three million homes have been foreclosed upon in the last three years. That's a systemic problem. One in every five houses is underwater. That's a systemic problem, too. The only factors common to the system as a whole are the bankers, and the rules that let them get away with running up housing prices in a gambling frenzy and walking away with everything when they fell. They've written millions of loans without proper risk management. Many experts were warning us that the housing bubble was about to burst, and they were getting paid extraordinarily well to understand the dangers.
Bank stocks took a steep hit last week, and why shouldn't they? The executives running them aren't very good at what they do. It's about time bankers took some responsibility for their failures. It's about time banks shared some of the lost value of these properties with homeowners – not just those who are defaulting, but all affected homeowners.
Stockholders should can the executives who have so badly mismanaged their banks. To paraphrase Jamie Dimon, we're not about talking evicting people who deserve to stay in the corner office. Word to Brian Moynihan: If you can't manaqe your business, you don't deserve to keep your job. Nothing personal, of course. For those who want to see the finance industry run by competent people, firing you is what we would call "just procedural."
Were financial professionals
Cheated on property laws, taxes, titles, etc.
Mostly no
Got rich off the deal
Made trillions
Some got to buy boats or flat-screen TVs
Acted as unfair trading partners
Yes; had FICO, databases, teams of economists
A few hid things, but the banks knew anyway
Could influence politicians with fat campaign contributions
No; never attended $20,000/plate fundraising dinners
Able to influence public opinion with PR campaigns, etc.
Absolutely shameless about blaming others for financial mismanagement after accepting massive bailout
No; most feel guilty about missing a payment and ashamed if they default
Forced to bear financial burden of overpriced homes
Who else?
Final score: To be determined in the court of public opinion, and in the corridors of Washington power.
This post was produced as part of the Curbing Wall Street project.


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What is it about WrestleMania that makes it so special? Perhaps the best person to answer that is someone who has actually competed at the event. In fact, Leilani Kai not only competed at the first WrestleMania, but she was also the first ever Women's Champion at a WrestleMania, which is an accomplishment in itself.
"I didn't realize until I got to the arena how big it was," Kai said, referring to the initial event at New York City's Madison Square Garden. "I had done a lot of TV at the time, and I just thought that it would be another TV."
Some might say that Kai's match at the first WrestleMania was extra special, because of the celebrity involvement. After all, her match was second from the top and it was really the first and only time that a women's match was pushed as a main event at a WrestleMania.
Cyndi Lauper was just starting to make a name for herself in the music industry, and she accompanied Wendi Richter to the ring, with The Fabulous Moolah in Kai's corner. (Kai had been one of Richter's trainers.) It's been said that that WrestleMania appearance might have helped Lauper's career just as much as she helped make WrestleMania what it is.
"I thought that it was exciting to have them (celebrities) involved. It was a very unique concept at the time," Kai said. "Cyndi added a lot to the event. I have always thought that she was very talented and she did a great job that night."
Following WrestleMania 2, women's matches at WrestleMania kind of disappeared for a while. Sure, there was the big mixed tag match at WrestleMania 6, but female wrestlers never really got any major attention again until WrestleMania X.
Around that time, the WWE introduced a new face of women's wrestling, Alundra Blayze, who had previously been seen in WCW, AWA and All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling as Madusa Miceli. But in order for Blayze to shine at WrestleMania X, she needed an opponent who would bring out the best in her, and vice versa. Re-enter Leilani Kai.
Fast forward to the current year, and even though professional wrestling isn't the same as it once was, it is still very much a part of Kai's life, just as it has been since 1976, when she debuted after training with Moolah.
"Pro wrestling is always changing. That's a great thing. You can be the best today, but by tomorrow, you may have to change your style to adapt. That's one of the greatest things about wresting; it's always a challenge," Kai said. "It's the greatest sport in the world."
Kai has wrestled a few matches this century for the NWA, and she's also trained some of the hot young prospects on the current indie scene such as Amber O'Neal and Tatevik the Gamer.
And now, as the world gets ready for WrestleMania 29, Kai is looking forward to the future of women's wrestling -- and will be attending the event at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
"I do follow the current product. I have to keep up with the style of what's happening in the ring, so that I can train students for that," she said. "There are some tremendous female wrestlers involved in the sport today. I encourage everyone to support ladies wrestling and take a look out there. There is some great talent wrestling."
Blaine van der Griend is disappointed that there is no women's match at this year's WrestleMania.