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Offering beauty storage solutions is what Roo Beauty does best, thanks to our ever growing collection of cases and trolleys. Each piece of beauty equipment has been painstakingly designed with professionals and home users in mind. We have even collaborated with top names in the industry to find out what you all want from a beauty box or trolley. Complete with pockets, trays, drawers and many more features that will enamour you with our make up vanity cases, purchasing a new beauty trolley or box could be what you need to really maximise your current make up kit. Our versatile beauty storage range is perfectly designed for a range of uses, extending from personal vanity cases right through to professional beauty trolleys that are perfect for shows or just your bedroom. Whether you're a hairdresser, manicurist, make up artist or beautician, you'll be able to store all your cosmetic essentials in style thanks to our beauty cases and trolleys. Aside from beauty cases, trolleys, boxes and storage, Roo Beauty is also the home of funky hairdressing pouches, scissor wallets and hairdressing scissors. Originally the first company in the UK to produce vibrant and funky hairdressing pouches and the originators of over 20 unique pouch designs, Roo Beauty has been copied and cloned worldwide by numerous companies. Despite this, Roo Beauty remains at the forefront of the hairdressing pouch industry due to our unbeatable high quality, award winning customer aftercare and our constant dedication to product innovation and design. Hairdressing pouches come in all shapes and sizes with the smaller of the pouches becoming known as scissor pouches. A scissor pouch is worn on the belt and depending on the design, style and purpose, holds everything from hairdressing scissors to mini scissor wallets. Scissor pouches come in a variety of designs and colours, fit for any purpose or hair and beauty professional. Worn on the belts, waists and shoulders of hairdressers, hairstylists, barbers and many other hair professionals, the Roo hairdressing pouch is well known in the hair industry as a sign and mark of a serious professional stylist. Capable of holding various pairs of hairdressing scissors, combs, brushes, clips and other hairdressing accessories, Roo pouches keep all your essential tools close to hand, leaving you free to cut and style your clients hair.
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At the end of a year, it's common to tally up milestones -- and remember all the people who passed away. In that tradition, here are the five biggest things that died in California politics and government in 2011. And one that lived.
5. Faith in redistricting reform. Republicans, who had championed the establishment of a citizens' redistricting commission, finished the year pursuing legal and politicla challenges to the process -- and demanding investigaitons in the wake of a ProPublica report. Democrats never really bought into the process either, and tried aggressively to influence it. And the notion that redistricting will change politics somehow remains alive only in the minds of that most stubborn of species, the newspaper editor. It appears that even moderate reformers have awakened to the reality that redistricting reform doens't change reality. Now, how long until reformers seek reforms that will make a difference?
4. The Schwarzenegger-Shriver marriage. This union was central to California politics for seven years -- and it quickly fell apart after the revelation that the former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had had a child out of wedlock with the family housekeeper 14 years earlier. Schwarzenegger was unpopular as he left office, but this scandal -- almost certainly a career-ender politics wise -- was still a loss for Republicans, who have no one else electable statewide.
U.S. & World
3. The opportunity for real pension reform. Yes, Gov. Brown still is pushing a plan to make 12 changes that would slightly reduce pension obligations -- and make it harder for local governments to get out of line with retirement benefits. And Republicans are hitting the issue. But the opportunity for deep reform -- a sustainable public system that could be opened up to private workers -- is dead. All sides instead are engaged in a pension war--which is likely to leave us with minor improvements in the system (or a two-tiered system that itself is unsustainable.)
2. The idea that Gov. Jerry Brown could convince Republicans to support a vote on taxes. Brown had a mystical faith in his own negotiating abilities, and wasted much of the year -- and his entire political honeymoon -- pursuing Republicans who were never going to support anything related to taxes. Brown seemed surprised by this turn of events, despite many voices (including that of this blogger) explaining that he was wasting his time.
1. High-speed rail. Still not technically dead. But the plan to build a high-speed rail system is a zombie, without funds, public support, or a route that makes any sense.
So what lived? Steve Jobs. Yes, he died. But his products, ideas, and iconography live on.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Maranello team's 2013 car, the F138, was unveiled on Friday and will be put into action for the first time at the Spanish circuit on Tuesday, with Alonso's team-mate Felipe Massa and test driver Pedro de la Rosa sharing the duties.
"The first test is a general test in which one checks that all the components are put together properly," said Alonso. "Given the short amount of time available, we have decided that I will concentrate on the following tests."
He went on: "In the meantime, I will continue with my preparation and will follow the Jerez test, keeping in touch with Felipe and Pedro and analysing the data acquired by the engineers.
"To be 100% fit from now until November will require combining training and resting."
The arrangement also suits Massa, who is eager to get back on the track as soon as possible after ending 2012 with a string of significantly improved performances.
"The first test is very useful to understand the direction in which we should go and where we need to do the most work," the Brazilian said.
"Last year, I had a very positive second half to the season and I really want to get back on track and continue with the work that has seen me improve a lot over the past years."


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Commercial construction permits
Dr. Wilhelm- Central Virginia Oral and Facial Surgeons, interior renovations, adding ADA ramps, $60,000.
CV Associates c/o Colliers Cauble & Co., one 30x 80 tent with sidewalls, four others less than 900 square feet, $10,000.
Berkmar Park LLC, relocate wall sign, non-illuminated, to new location for Bruce's Floor Shop, $650.
Hollymead Town Center LLC, tenant upfit (Gamestop), building K, Hollymead Town Center, $15,000.
Hydraulic Professional Building Partners, install new wall sign for Central Virginia Oral and Facial Surgeons, $2,000.
George H. and Doris H. Pace, repair existing facing of billboard, $1,850.
Belfry Holdings Inc., demo house built 1950, $15,000.
Greencroft Club Inc., re-roof building, $66,744.
Records and Visitors of the University of Virginia, install three antennas and two equipment cabinets on existing rooftop, $65,000.
Heritage Land Trust, repair existing facing of billboard, $350.
County of Albemarle School Board, mobile classroom, CALE, $3,000.
Gary D. and Elizabeth M. Edgecomb, install new freestanding sign for Edgecomb's auto, $9,000.
County of Albemarle School Board, Western Albemarle High School, four mobile classrooms, $12,000.
The Square LLC, 3 x 8 ' non-illuminated wall sign, Georgetown West Day Spa, $1,500.
Jack and Betty B. Hawn, repairing existing facing of billboard, $1,450.


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When I left islam and realized all other religions are a load of bull crap and became atheist It was one of the best feeling i had i felt free from guilt and can do anything you want like accepting facts , sexual desires are ok , eating pork etc as long as your not hurting others. What about you what was how did it feel and what about your story ? Sorry for my bad English since it's not my first language.
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Fact is, as a young, 20-something, I was remarkably indifferent initially. The church I was raised in was very much on the liberal end of the spectrum (Protestant Congregationalist), very mild, not obscenely preachy, quite friendly, actually. My problem, as I've stated elsewhere, was that there was no experience or evidence to support or verify what the church and the bible said. Probably the hardest thing I had to deal with initially was the recognition of my emerging bisexuality in the face of what I had learned, less through the church than through society, about the taboo of man-on-man sex. For the rest of it, though, I was quite apathetic toward church, religion, the whole schmeer. I would not have called myself an atheist at that point, though. Someone coined the term, "apatheist," and it actually fits where I was at then pretty well.
Almost forty years of history since that time have shown me a lot of the underbelly of religion, though, from the Christian Coalition and its relationship with Ronald Reagan in the 80's through 9/11 and its roots in Wahhabi islam to the current efforts by evangelicals to dumb down education, push pseudo-science, and generally co-opt the US government in favor of its obviously christian agenda. That and participation in fora such as this one have pretty much pushed me over the edge.
I am an atheist ... and I am proud to say so.
A 100 pounds lighter. Like I had laid down that terrible burden of negative dogma I had been carrying around.
I felt good and relieved, leaving all the nonsense behind
Like most people growing up in South Mississippi I was saved and baptized as a Southern Baptist. I was twelve years old and my aunt convinced my parents to go to her new church.
There I heard my first hell fire and damnation/come to jesus sermon from Brother Williams and it scared the shit out me, especially when seeing my parents crying and going to the alter to be saved because they were convinced that they were born as sinners because a talking snake coned Adam and Eve into eating from the tree of knowledge.
That was 51 years ago and the reason I am an atheist today is because christianity despises knowledge, science and reason and glorifies ignorance, myth and superstition.
"christianity despises knowledge, science and reason and glorifies ignorance, myth and superstition."
Wow, in just 9 words (together with 3 ands) you have put together a fine new quotable quote.
Thank you Terence.
Excellent. Then I propose adding your words (+ their origin) twice in appropriate places in two of my newly completed books (which I call Testaments) and which constitute four parts of a New Bible (it is a Bible of Truths, as perceived by atheists).
i.e. once in Chapter 21 of Testament 3 (history of humankind), and once in Chapter 34 of Testament 4. The latter is a book of quotations.
Is that OK?
I am humbled by your request and yes you many use it.
Sorry Terence that should have been "may" use it.
Agreed ... and summarily cut-and-pasted into my collection of memorable atheist quotes!
Thank you Loren, Coming form you the word smith of Atheist Nexus I am again humbled
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Are you one of those women who slaves on the elliptical for hours each week and refuses to near the weight room at the gym? If you're of the mind that weights are for meatheads and will turn you into a mini-Schwarzenegger, we've got news for you. Weight lifting will give you the body of your dreams. Illinois-based fitness expert Angie Miller, founder of AngieMillerFitness.com, answers the most pressing questions women have about lifting weights.
Why women need to lift weights
Meet the expert:
Angie Miller is a personal trainer and fitness instructor certified through NASM, AFAA, and ACE. She is also a Kettlebell Concepts, Mad Dogg Athletics Spinning, YogaFit, and EFI Sports Medicine Gravity Group Instructor who teaches classes in Elgin and Huntley, Illinois. Miller is also the creator of the highly acclaimed exercise DVD's "Core & Strength Fusion," "Kettlebell Bootcamp," and her recent release, "Angie Miller's Crave Results. She is an ACE and AFAA Continuing Education Provider, AFAA Certification Specialist, BOSU Master Trainer, Kettlebell Concepts Senior Instructor, and workshop provider at professional conventions worldwide.
Q&A with fitness expert Angie Miller
SheKnows: Isn't cardio better than weight lifting when it comes to burning fat?
Angie Miller: If you think that your running shoes, kickboxing shorts, or cycle cleats are the only answer to your fat burning dreams, think again. I frequently remind my clients that cardio isn't the only way to burn fat. Strength training can increase the amount of muscle in your body, which in turn will decrease your body fat percentage, and improve your overall body composition. Furthermore, because muscle tissue is metabolically active, even at rest, strength training will help you efficiently burn fat continuously throughout the day. Strength training also has a positive effect on your resting metabolic rate, which is the minimum number of calories your body needs to support basic physiological functions such as breathing and circulating blood, and it increases your lean body mass. Bottom line, cardio isn't the only way to burn fat.
SheKnows: What is the link between weight lifting and bone health for women?
Angie Miller: One of the benefits of strength training is that it reduces our risk for osteoporosis, a condition which causes our bones to become weak or brittle and often leads to fractures, mainly of the hip, spine, and wrist. Breaking bones is serious stuff. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 10 million Americans are estimated to have osteoporosis; 34 million more have low bone mass, and 24 percent of hip fracture patients' age of 50 and over die in the year following their fracture. Often thought of as an older person's disease, osteoporosis can strike at any age, and it's never too late or too early to take measures to keep your bones healthy and strong. Strength training exercises are one of the key methods of prevention against osteoporosis. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, weight training in young women helped develop greater bone mass; in postmenopausal women it helped slow down bone loss and delay fracture risk; and in elderly women it helped to prevent falls due to improved strength and balance. Research supports that strength training will benefit your bones no matter when you start, but you'll reap the most rewards if you start when you're young and continue throughout your life.
SheKnows: Seriously, won't lifting weights give women bulky muscles?
Angie Miller: Being a huge advocate for women and strength training, this is one misconception I'm eager to dispel. Strength training, while it shapes your body, defines your muscles, and gives you a lean physique, does not turn you into a woman of herculean proportions. If you're afraid of getting bulky simply by participating in a regular strength training program, you can put your fears to rest. The reason is that women do not produce as much testosterone as men, and testosterone is one of main hormones responsible for causing muscle hypertrophy/ larger muscles. That being said, women, like men, don't all respond to weight training the same way either. The answer lies in our DNA. We are genetically predisposed to respond to exercise in a particular way. Genetics determine what type of muscle fibers we have, where they are distributed, where we store body fat, and our body type. The key is to understand your body, and its unique response to strength training. You can then set realistic goals and appreciate the results you are looking for.
SheKnows: Doesn't muscle turn to fat once a person stops lifting weights?
Angie Miller: A common misconception of weight training is that if a person stops, their muscle will turn to fat. The good news is that this isn't possible. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue and one cannot turn into the other. What happens is a combination of factors. Often when women stop lifting weights or doing resistance training, they fall off the bandwagon completely, in other words they stop working out all together. When this happens, bad habits set in and usually a poor diet follows. Before long they lose muscle mass, (use it or lose it), their metabolism slows down, and naturally fat starts to accumulate. Due to timing, this may give the impression that what was formerly muscle turned to fat, but essentially, if you stop exercising, stop lifting, and stop watching your diet, your chisel will turn to chub.
SheKnows: Isn't lifting weights hard to learn?
Angie Miller: Many cardio activities, from your favorite dance class to your kickboxing class have punches, kicks, and blocks of choreography you need to learn. But with strength training, there's little to no learning curve. While technique and form are critical, and proper execution of movement is imperative to remain injury free, you don't have to remember patterns of choreography while trying to manipulate your feet, move your arms, and stay on top of the beat. With so many strength training classes offered at your local gym, exercise DVD's that focus on weight training, and fitness shows on TV, isn't it time to give your running shoes a rest and pick up a set of weights?
SheKnows: Cardio shreds calories, why should women spend time lifting weights?
Angie Miller: A study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that women who do an hour-long weight-training workout can burn an average of 100 more calories in the 24 hours afterward compared to if they hadn't lifted weights. If you strength train three times a week, that's an extra 300 calories a week and 15, 600 calories per year! According to the American Council on Exercise, "Most women will experience a 20-40 percent increase in muscle strength after several months of resistance training." And don't be afraid to lift heavier weights. Often women who incorporate resistance training into their workout regime opt for lighter weights and higher reps. This type of workout certainly has its place for functional movements that make us stronger for everyday activity, but studies show that women who lift heavier weight with less repetition can burn more energy and experience a greater metabolic boost after exercise. Weight training, like cardio, is not a one size fits all, nor do you have to train the same way each time. Consider alternating sessions of heavier weights, less repetitions, and slower movements; with sessions that use lighter weights, higher repetitions, and move at a faster pace, for optimal results.
SheKnows: Shouldn't women be afraid of getting hurt lifting weights?
Angie Miller: Among its many other merits, strength training is actually a great means of injury prevention. Strength training doesn't just strengthen our muscles; it strengthens the connective tissue as well, such as the tendons and ligaments. This helps hold our body in proper alignment and protect our bones and joints during impact and movement while lifting weights and doing other activities.
SheKnows: Can weight lifting help get rid of our jiggly bits?
Angie Miller: Talk to anyone who has lost a considerable amount of weight and they'll tell you that once they drop the weight there's still work to be done. Now they have to tone the muscles that were formerly hiding underneath the layer of fat. Maybe you don't have a lot of weight to lose, but if you don't like to wave goodbye because you're afraid of the extra jiggle under your forearm, or you refuse to wear short sleeves even when it's 90 degrees outside, it might be time to pick up a set of weights, a resistance band, or some other strength training device. When you do more cardio, you may see the numbers go down on the scale, but that doesn't mean your weight will be distributed and proportioned in a way that shows off all your hard work. Doing cardio without strength, or vice versa, isn't going to give you the results you deserve. A healthy combination of both will get your arms summer ready and sexy strong.
SheKnows: Does weight lifting improve posture?
Angie Miller: Our society of modern conveniences and a fast paced lifestyle is not conducive to good posture. We hunch over computers, carry heavy handbags that strain our neck and burden our shoulders, and talk on cell phones propped in the crook of our neck so we can hold a conversation while completing other tasks. But with strength training we discover muscles we didn't know we had, our body awareness heightens, our posture improves, and we carry ourselves better. Inevitably, we become more confident. After all, knowledge is power, and the more you understand your body, the more confident you feel about what it can do. Your body is your investment and the return is almost guaranteed. Give it love and attention, and it will make you feel stronger, sexier, and fitter than you have even been.
SheKnows: Is it true that women who do strength-training don't actually lose weight and can even gain weight?
Angie Miller: Now that you're convinced of all the merits of strength training, it's time to dust off the dumbbells and put the scale away. If you use your scale to gauge your success against the battle of the bulge, you may find yourself disappointed. It's true that muscle weighs more than fat. So you may not drop weight as fast, but chances are you'll no longer have to lie down on the bed to get your jeans to zip. Also, muscle is denser than fat, therefore the same amount of weight fits into less space. In other words, you may not get lighter, at least not initially, but you will get leaner.
The bottom line for weight lifting: We know that complementing our cardio workouts with strength training will help us see results like we have never seen before. We become leaner, stronger, more aware of our bodies, and more confident. Soon we discover that a well rounded workout routine, like a well rounded lifestyle, is the key to long term health, wellness, and satisfaction.
For more health and fitness tips, be sure to visit Shape.com.
More expert health advice
Ask a dietician: 10 Best tips for losing weight and keeping it off
Ask a dietician: 10 Best diet tips for more energy
Ask a labor nurse: 9 Things you need to know about pregnancy and birth


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Editor's note: Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Arsenal of Democracy" and a book on former President Carter and editor of a book assessing former President George W. Bush's administration, to be published this fall by Princeton University Press.
Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- With the real possibility of a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, many Democrats are starting to argue for budget cuts.
In New Hampshire, Democratic Senate candidate Paul Hodes has called for $3 billion in cuts, saying, "For too long, both parties have willfully spent with no regard for our nation's debt."
This criticism will become louder this week with the president's proposal for a $50 billion infrastructure package to improve the nation's roads, airports and railways. These budgetary pressures will only intensify if the political strength of conservatives increases following the midterm elections.
But Democrats need to proceed with caution and avoid the pressure to target federal spending before the economy shows signs of stronger recovery. They should recall what happened in 1937 when a member of their party, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, decided to reduce federal spending to please fiscal conservatives and demonstrate that the New Deal had succeeded.
The strategy severely backfired as the spending cuts helped to push the economy into a severe recession and did almost nothing to stop the growing criticism from his conservative opponents.
The pressure to cut spending had intensified at the beginning of 1937. The economy seemed to be on its way to recovery. National income had risen, unemployment had declined, and prices had increased. In response to these signs of improvement, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau pushed the president to cut spending. Morgenthau believed that the budget could be balanced in 1938 with existing revenues, as long as new expenditures were not added.
Bursting with confidence, Morgenthau said that it was time "to strip off the bandages, throw away the crutches and see if American enterprise could stand on its own two feet."
During the spring of 1937, Roosevelt decided to balance the budget. Roosevelt had always been sympathetic to balancing the budget, though until this moment he had felt that the nation needed more government spending. Liberals in the White House warned that spending cuts would stifle economic recovery.
But FDR persisted. On April 20, he informed Congress that he wanted to do everything possible to "eliminate this deficit during the coming fiscal year." The Budget and Relief Message of 1937 called for a balanced budget in light of the success of the New Deal. The media portrayed Morgenthau as a leader of this campaign within the administration. The Wall Street Journal reported that "he stands today as probably the strongest advocate within the administration of an honest-to-goodness balanced budget ..."
The timing could not have been worse. The summer after FDR launched his drive to balance the budget, the economy fell into a major recession, reversing the recovery that had been under way since 1933. Over the next few months, stock prices tumbled, unemployment skyrocketed, and production declined. "We are in for a rather bad winter," lamented former presidential adviser Adolf Berle.
Economists still debate whether reductions in federal spending or Federal Reserve decisions were responsible for the recession of 1937-1938, but the evidence remains strong that the spending cuts were an important part of the mix.
Politically, the "Roosevelt Recession," as it was called, was devastating. The administration had already been struggling. After Roosevelt's landslide victory in 1936, a series of controversial decisions, including the plan to expand the size of the Supreme Court, had given rise to a conservative coalition of Southern Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill who were determined to block the administration's domestic agenda.
As a result of the recession, the president had lost his biggest asset going into the midterms: the evidence that his policies had reversed the devastating economic conditions that existed when he took office.
By January 1938, Roosevelt softened some of his rhetoric. Still calling for economy in government, the president outlined certain conditions that were necessary before he cut spending further. He also mocked budget hawks, saying that when he asked them, "What present expenditures would you reduce or eliminate," the "invariable answer has been 'that is not my business -- I know nothing of the details, but I am sure that it could be done.' That is not what you or I would call helpful citizenship."
Roosevelt would eventually drop his concern with the budget and focus instead on stimulating consumer demand through more government spending.
The economy would not fully recover from the recession until World War II. The high rate of unemployment and the weak economy harmed Democrats in the 1938 midterm election. The conservative coalition vastly increased its strength, even though FDR personally campaigned against key opponents. Democrats lost 70 seats in the House and seven in the Senate. Southern Democrats and Republicans now had the numbers they needed to block the administration's domestic legislation.
In the coming months, Obama and Democrats will face a choice similar to the one FDR had to make in the spring of 1937. The temptation to cut spending will only intensify. But Obama should think hard about taking this path. As FDR learned, he might very well help send the country into a "double dip" recession.
Given that unemployment is a major factor fueling electoral discontent with the Obama administration, he will do little to strengthen his approval ratings while conservative critics will only continue to attack. This would leave Obama and the Democrats in the worst of all possible worlds by 2012.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian E. Zelizer.


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i mean which season or month you will like to go Thailand?
i mean which season or month you will like to go Thailand?
I think the best time to go for Thailand if you really want to go, from November to April
The best time to travel is during the cool and dry season between November and early April. its very enjoyable place and you can vsiit here any time. all time you will get fun here and you can come india from thailand for visit taj mahal and book same day agra tour by car Or same day agra tour by train
Last edited by impressiveholidays; 03-31-2018 at 09:01 AM.
sophia ellison! I would like to say that there is three season in Thailand. One is rainy (May–Oct), second is cool (Nov–Feb) and third is hot (March–May). SO I suggest you will explore this region in Nov–Feb for having fun. This time is best to explore this region.
Yeah, Jason1 I would like to agree with you that the Nov–Feb sound really cool to explore. I just really sure about that to be around the places like that would be really fabulous to have more and more fun. well In the My father has explored 0ut Thailand in January and have really great fun time at this.
Last edited by discoverythailandadmin; 07-25-2017 at 07:57 AM.
It is my goodness you agree with me. Nice to hear that your father had visited this country in Jan and spent a great time there. I must say that in this month, I had also visited his country and my experience was also great there which your father had. In fact, now I am planning to explore this country in next months.
Jason1 you really know that you have a great plan because in the month of August there is less rain in the Gulf of Thailand which is really best to explore the great places properly. I am really sure about that to explore its beauty in August would be really fabulous to you for sure.
I have planned to go Thailand tour in November. I think November would good time travlling in Thailand.
Last edited by discoverythailandadmin; 09-14-2017 at 11:39 AM.
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Thunderous applause for the Ferrari California T
Maranello, 13th February
Over 800 select Prancing Horse clients have been given the unique privilege of attending the world preview of Maranello's latest-born model, the California T.
The unveiling ceremony took place over two emotion-charged evenings at the Casa Natale Enzo Ferrari Museum, the direct management of which the company took over just a few weeks ago. In the middle also was an event for the local authorities and representatives of companies from Modena and the surrounding region of Emilia Romagna, confirming the extremely close relationship Ferrari enjoys with the local area.
Those present were treated to the extraordinary sound of the new V8 turbo engine by two very special drivers: Chairman Luca di Montezemolo and Kimi Räikkönen arrived on the scene at the wheels of two California Ts in the new Blu California and Rosso California liveries. Both men seemed delighted that, for once, the thunderous applause was not merely for them but for the cars they had just stepped out of!


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Fair warning, I'm about to digress so if you came hear for the WIP eye candy, then skip this part.
Just to give you some backgound, before this apartment, I lived with my dad. The only space I had to worry about was my room and that's it. I mean I cooked when I felt like it (which was hardly ever), never bought groceries, rarely did dishes, I mean all I had to do was take care of my son, make sure my space was clean and that we had clean clothes to wear. Now I realize the prices we pay for space and privacy. I could go on and on about the many realizations I've learned the hard way moving out on my own so I'll just make a list of the following entities that can kiss my black ass (you know I must be mad cause I don't even curse like that):
#1-Con Edison - Thank you for sending me a bill for close to a G then telling me I had to read my own damn meter in order to fix your mistake. Don't you pay people to ride around and do this sorta stuff?
#2-Time Warner - Thank you for not correcting my address no matter how many times I call to fix it. I really do enjoy staying on hold and getting transfered to your customer service line about 3 times each call. Let's not even mention the two times it took your tech guys to actually hook me up and still forgot one of my products. It would still be nice to receive a bill even though you've charged me twice already.
#3-Pathmark- Thank you for your long express lines and for people who don't know how to use the self check out machines. Thank you for stocking something for one week, gettin me all in love with it, then never have it in your stores ever again.
#4-Taino Laundrymat - Even though you are pretty close to my apartment, I would still like to thank you for having a change machine but still make me walk all the way to the corner bodega to get singles. Thank you for making your machines so hard to figure out that I'm guaranteed to over pay by at least by 3 dollars each visit. Thank you for only having 5 chairs in the whole place and a public bathroom that doubles as a janitors closet. In case you didn't know, 4 year olds are guaranteed to use the bathroom at least 3 times while out in public.
Sorry, my father spoiled me. I'm really missing his washing machine, and his microwave, and his cable with all the movie channels, and his fridge stocked with food.(sigh) Thank god he lives right across the street so I can stop by everyday and go shoping in his kitchen. But for some reason, he doesn't stock as much groceries as he used to.
So I been knittin a little. It's been kinda scatter brained knitting. You know, knit a little on this, knit a little on that. I do have one FO. During the beginning of last week, it got kinda nippy outside and I realized I didnt' have a hat for this year yet. I just finished up a scarf using some homespun (Lionbrand, tryin to clear out the acrylic stash) in mistake rib. I dont' like for things to to be too matchy matchy, so here's my almost matching hat and scarf set.
my first ubiquitous bathroom mirror shot
The hat is roughly based on the tam pattern in the book The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns. I use the term roughly because my gauge was 3 sts/inch and their pattern starts t 4 so I had to fudge the numbers a bit. I needed it to be big enough to cover my ears and fit my 'fro when I have my hair out. I'll cast on for mittens next.
I've currently only got two things on the needles right now. I started a vest for my son using some acrylic I got for my birthday last year from my boss. I usually spread the word early around this time of year. Wanna get me a gift? Can't go wrong with yarn. Plus wool itches him as he likes to say. So here's the back and I cast on for the front already.
The border is the 2X2 Rib with Travelling Cables from the Knitting on the Edge book. I want her new book so badly but we're not even going to get into it right now.
Next are my cuzins STR Fairground socks. All this stockinnette work is driving me bananas but it does work up quickly. I think by the time I get to the leg stitches Ima throw a pattern up in that mug. Nothin too fancy as to mess with the varegation, but I don't know how much more straight stitch I can take.
My next project will most likely be a vest for my sweetheart. Those Aquarius' always like the fancy stuff. I don't know why I even asked, but he's always complaining about how I don't knit stuff for the family so I asked what he perfered. Of course he wants an Argyle sweater (sheesh). I had to smooth talk him into a vest and maybe a two color argyle pattern that I can do in fair isle. I've tried intarsia and we aint neva been friends. I also tried to convince him to try navy and grey or off white but nooooo. He wants blue and orange like Syracuse colors. And of course it has to be wool. I'm hoping that they have something I can work with at the Smileys sale this week. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
I've been spinning but I'd like to post solely on that so you'll get an update next time. By the way, my birthdays next month so we're celebrating the whole month of December here at Chez Harlem Purls. Be on the look out for crafty quizzes and fibery giveaways. Woo Hoo.
Happy Knittin.


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The weekend hits our final event in the Kitesurf Tour Europe here in Poland. Along with it come rows of spectators along with a little sun and a little breeze. The day commenced with racing as the wind was still light. It was ideal conditions for them and they proceeded with two races for the morning. Racing is such a spectacular discipline for the people on the beach to watch.
The points at the top of the men's fleet are still very tight overall, but Bruno Sroka pushed further ahead with a win in the first race. Bjeorn Jensen took the win for the second race with a brilliant port tack start, but Bruno is still way ahead in first place for this event. In the women's fleet Germany's Kathrin Borgwardt won both races, keeping her lead here in Poland.
After lunch the wind looked like it might be good for freestyle but dropped again and then held off all afternoon until around 5pm. It picked up enough for the freestylers to try it out and seemed like we could carry on with the Double Eliminations. But after starting heat 60 of the men a couple of times it was decided there was not enough wind. The evening turned sunny and calm and we were released by 6.30 for the Aftertour party.
See you all tomorrow morning for skippers meeting at 10am, with some bleary eyes!
Full results of racing and freestyle elimination ladders are online at http://results.extremience.com


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What is the Universe made of? How did it start? Physicists at CERN are seeking answers, using some of the world's most powerful particle accelerators.
LHC@Home is a volunteer computing platform where you donate idle time on your computer to help physicists compare theory with experiment, in the search for new fundamental particles and answers to questions about the Universe.
Volunteer computing is a well-established form of citizen science where you download scientific software on your own laptop or desktop and run simulations, in a way that does not interfere with your computer's normal operation.
Whether it's calibrating searches for particles, fine-tuning the machines and beam dynamics, contributing to building new theories on dark matter, or creating simulations of antimatter and new phenonema never-before seen in the LHC's giant detectors... Whether you choose one or several projects to participate in, your contribution will have a very real impact on which will help us make monumental discoveries about the Universe we live in.
LHC@Home consists of several projects - you can choose to contribute to one, or many. It's up to you!
"Known" physics and "new" phenomena - want to create alternative models of the universe?
"b" is for "Beauty" - the gorgeous little particle in antimatter physics.
CMS is on the lookout for completely new, unpredicted phenomena.
Help CERN accelerator engineers to run intensive simulations to check the stability of the twin proton beams circulating in the LHC machine.
Simulate high-energy particle collisions and help tune the theory to the experimental results.


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Schroders Quickview: UK economy slows more than expected
Weaker growth presents challenges for policy makers.
- UK GDP slows more than expected
- Pressure building on BoE to delay rate hike
- Slowdown presents challenge to fiscal tightening policy
Slowing UK economy presents fiscal challenge
The preliminary estimate of UK GDP for the third quarter showed economic growth slowing to 0.5% quarter-on-quarter compared to 0.7% in the previous quarter.
Consensus expectations were for a small slowdown to 0.6%, but the latest figures disappointed as the manufacturing sector struggles with a strong pound and subdued external environment.
The slowdown in UK growth is by no means a disaster, but it will put pressure on the Bank of England (BoE) to delay the first rate hike, especially as inflation remains in negative territory.
We continue to forecast no change in interest rates until May 2016.
The slowdown in growth presents an even bigger challenge for the Chancellor as he prepares to find a way to implement substantial fiscal tightening over the course of the next few years.
Moreover, the success of the introduction of the new living wage hinges on the strength of the economy to absorb the increase in labour costs.
If the economy slows further, the government's policy may cause unemployment to rise once again, making cuts to tax credits even more painful.
UK GDP report highlights
- Third-quarter UK GDP slowed to 0.5% quarter-on-quarter from 0.7% in the previous quarter.
- The recession in the manufacturing sector continues with activity contracting by 0.3%.
- The wider measure of industrial production did however grow by 0.3% thanks to a pick-up in mining and quarrying activity.
- The services sector grew by 0.7%, as strong retail sales maintained solid growth in distribution, hotels and restaurants.
- Business services also posted strong growth of 1%.
- Finally, the construction sector contracted by 2.2%, taking the level of activity back to levels not seen since the second quarter of 2014.


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This platinum print is printed by master printer Sal Lopes and bears the authorizing seal of the Paul Strand Archive. The print is accompanied by a paper overlay with copyright text and sold in a paper folder with four overlapping flaps.
Paul Strand (born in New York, 1890; died in Orgeval, France, 1976) is one of the great photographers of the twentieth century. As a youth, he studied under Lewis Hine at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, going on to draw acclaim from such illustrious sources as Alfred Stieglitz. After World War II, Strand traveled around the world—from New England to Ghana, France to the Outer Hebrides—to photograph, and in the process created a dynamic and significant body of work.
You may also be interested in:
American House, Ghost Town, Colorado, 1931
Paul Strand$500.00
Paul Strand: Portfolio Four$18,000.00
Paul Strand: The Garden at Orgeval
Photographs by Paul Strand
Regular Price: $45.00
Special Price $36.00


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Annika Sorenstam says "No plans to come back" to LPGA
COLORADO SPRINGS — Annika Sorenstam said Wednesday she is enjoying her role as honorary chairman of the 66th U.S. Women's Open and has no plans to return to competitive golf.
Sorenstam, 40, retired from the LPGA Tour following the 2008 season. Winner of 72 LPGA events, the Hall of Famer has become a mother and runs her own golf academy in the Orlando, Fla.
"Once I made a decision to step away, you know, I stepped away," Sorenstam said. "I practice very little; I play very little. I think what really keeps me in the game in is because of all the interests I have. I do a lot with the golf academy, coming to events like this, designing golf courses.
"… I'm still involved in the game. I'm part of the advisory board for the LPGA. It's golf every day, I just don't play it. I think that's kind of where I get my golf fix. I feel I can help the game grow in different ways.
"… I've taken my competitive drive in a different area. I've very competitive in the business world. With the economy, I can't think of a tougher time to jump into the business world with differnet ventures that I have. So I get my competitive fix there."


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Online 3-D mapping tools combine with GIS to deliver better location information.
Not so long ago, only a select group of users could take advantage of GIS tools and applications. The general public barely knew what GIS was, let alone knew how to use it. Today, the Web allows GIS data to be distributed via ever-evolving avenues, from the practical - traditional GIS services made available online - to imaginative applications like Google Sky, a Web-based, 3-D map of the universe.
Citizens, businesses and governments are finding new ways to reap the benefits of this revolution in how location data is understood and depicted. Data once found exclusively in GIS circles is appearing in common, everyday tools.
Some people wonder if these emerging applications should be considered GIS at all. Has the combination of location data and the Internet created something altogether new? How can government use new mapping tools to not only enhance citizen service, but also improve internal efficiency? And how do traditional GIS applications match up against the new kids on the block? These are just a few of the questions that have arisen in what may well be the golden age of GIS.
More Than a Map
For years, GIS existed as a tool for only technically skilled users. This was largely because most people couldn't tell what the heck these maps were supposed to depict. Companies such as ESRI and CARIS produced powerful mapping software that has been used for everything from wildlife management to sales and marketing; generally these products appealed only to a small community of experts.
Furthermore, GIS software was stand-alone and ran on large, high-end systems that could process the thousands of data points and layers needed to produce, say, a map of a suburban housing tract being developed in a floodplain. It was incredibly useful for a select number of people - but nevertheless, GIS wasn't much more than a complicated-looking map on a computer.
For millions of people today, the Web is as vital a utility as electricity or water. As technology is wont to do, GIS has not only adapted to the changing marketplace; it has also expanded beyond its traditional realm. GIS applications have transformed into simpler, user-friendly tools with mass appeal and - most important - they live entirely on the Web. Today, location data powers all kinds of programs, including many in government.
"Over the last several years, we've seen a move toward Web enabling many of our traditional GIS technologies, which has taken us into some really different opportunities to apply applications, which I think has dramatically changed the landscape for us," explained John Olesak, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Geospatial Intelligence Operating Unit. Olesak has more than 30 years of GIS experience under his belt, including work with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
"So if you think back a number of years ago to the geographic information systems being almost a boutique-type of capability, you really had to be a computer scientist, photogrametrist or geodesist to really take advantage of it," he said.
"Now we can deliver those applications into the hands of many more users at a variety of different levels. All with the simplicity of the tool to help us in decision-making, whether that's personal or from a business or homeland security perspective."
You could throw a dart at the map of the United States and probably hit a city or state that's doing something clever with location data. Whether it's "true GIS" or some sort of new hybrid depends on the individual application and whether you care about the distinction. In Utah, for example, traditional GIS tools exist side-by-side with Google Earth. The state built mapping tools that do everything from helping anglers find the best fishing to pinpointing all of the state's mining sites.
Utah's state Web site is home to a huge library of maps created with both traditional GIS applications and tools from Google. In fact, Utah Deputy CIO Dave Fletcher said the state keeps all of its geographic information databases online, giving Utah citizens an impressive resource at their fingertips. One new Web site, mapserv.utah.gov, hosts interactive maps on the ArcGIS server.
"We're also starting to create Web services that can be used within other peoples' applications to provide geo-coded results," Fletcher said. "We've created some things, our geo-sites using Google Earth, where it's sort of targeted at the student population, where they can basically do virtual flyovers over a lot of our geologic sites throughout the state."
Utah's Mapserv site is a great place to start for anyone seeking examples of how traditional GIS tools and newer "GIS-lite" applications can be used to produce compelling, useful maps. Mapserv hosts a variety of maps, including sex offender addresses, sites designated for historic preservation - even fueling locations for government fleet vehicles.
According to Fletcher, the state is doing everything it can to improve the public's access to GIS and other related data because the state believes the data improves people's experience with government and also strengthens government operations. Furthermore, Fletcher said new manifestations of location data - such as Google Earth and WikiMapia - don't diminish the traditional GIS market, but instead foster more interest in it.
"I think it significantly expands interest in [GIS], and I think some of the other products are trying now to compete and enhance what they do - where before they were generally client-server applications," Fletcher said. "They've seen what people have been able to do with Google Earth and are providing new functionality, which people are taking advantage of.
"Some of our GIS purists don't necessarily like it, but that's the way of the future. People want to have access to those kind of tools whereas, before, it was more exclusive."
Dixie Developments
Utah isn't the only state making the most of Google Earth. In late November 2007, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley announced the launch of Virtual Alabama, a project initiated by the Alabama Department of Homeland Security in partnership with Google Earth. The first-of-its-kind project, which was two years in the making, incorporates imagery from all of Alabama's 67 counties, and allows local officials to securely share access to statewide geographic data using Google Earth.
Virtual Alabama means mission-critical GIS data is no longer accessible only by GIS experts. Instead, GIS data can be quickly and easily obtained by first responders, helping them do everything from planning an escape from a burning building to evacuating areas affected by a hazardous chemical spill.
According to state Homeland Security Director Jim Walker, people issues - not technology challenges - were the biggest hurdles to creating Virtual Alabama. The state had to find up-to-date imagery of each Alabama county, a process that took more than a year to accomplish, Walker said. Along the way, political infighting and proprietary issues bogged down the process. The key, Walker said, was explaining how Virtual Alabama would improve public safety and help protect the lives of first responders.
"I went to the sheriffs and said, 'Look, if you give me this imagery, we've learned that we can start layering and tailoring information on top of your imagery that can allow you to do a lot of things. For example, we can show gas lines, power lines, fire hydrants, stop signs, stop lights, the location of every registered sex offender in your county. If you click on a button, this is where a sex offender lives. [If] you draw a 1,000-foot circle around his house, and pull up all the schools, bus stops, day-care centers, etc., you know immediately
if he is violating his parole.'
"We can 3-D model buildings and say, 'OK, you want to take down a meth lab or you want to have a surveillance or SWAT operation? Before you even go, you can do rehearsals, view line of sight, determine a way in, a way out, the best ways to enter, before you ever put an officer in harm's way. You can save lives.' Boy, they jumped all over that."
Virtual Alabama is unique for several reasons. First, the program succeeded where others failed by defeating the jurisdictional and proprietary issues that dog other projects. Walker credits Riley for delivering the necessary executive leadership and Norvin Goddard, a rocket scientist on loan to the state from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., for creating an application that uses the power of GIS data and delivers it in a format that even nontechnical emergency personnel can use during a crisis. Walker, a former soldier and firefighter, also believes that the platform Google Earth provides was paramount in making Virtual Alabama a reality.
"We have all 67 counties loaded; it's the most comprehensive data set in the country," Walker said. "No other state has it. What's beautiful about this program is it reflects the best of government."
Virtual Alabama gives emergency personnel - county commissioners, sheriffs, police chiefs, firefighters and emergency managers - the ability to achieve things they wouldn't otherwise be able to do. For example, with the 3-D modeling capabilities built in to Google Earth, law enforcement agencies can visually render a suspected drug lab, allowing SWAT officers to determine lines of sight, and the best entry and exit points. Similarly firefighters racing to a burning structure can quickly determine the fastest route to the site and whether any hazardous materials may be stored there.
Virtual Alabama also provides tools that help emergency officials react to even the most uncommon scenarios, such as a toxic gas cloud that may threaten a population.
"You can do plume modeling on the fly," Walker explained. "Let's say a tanker truck overturns on the interstate and is spilling chlorine gas. We populate all these real-time data centers on Virtual Alabama. I can click a couple of buttons and see what the temperature is - the wind direction, wind speed, etc.
"You factor all this stuff into a little software program called Aloha that's embedded in Virtual Alabama, and it will give you a plume model and tell you - given the fact this is chlorine gas - it's going to go in this direction, these are the people most likely to die, these are going to be incapacitated."
The hardware, software and licensing fees required to build Virtual Alabama set the state back $150,000. Even at such a bargain price, Walker claims Virtual Alabama is the most complete data set in the country. He doesn't appear to be exaggerating.
In addition to the capabilities already described, Virtual Alabama also features the floor plans for all Alabama schools and can layer data describing the concentration of students on campus at any given time. If a school shooting, or the threat of one, is reported, responders can quickly determine how and where the student population is distributed on campus. And if a school has surveillance cameras, the video can be viewed in real time.
What's more, Walker said Virtual Alabama helps cross the digital divide that exists between wealthy counties and their more rural neighbors.
"We've got some pretty poor rural counties in Alabama. It levels the technological playing field. If you've got a computer, you can layer and tailor just like the wealthier parts of the state," Walker said "We're empowering people who've never been empowered before."
Viva Sheboygan
The evolution of GIS is making an impact around the world, though in many cases, you don't have to go anywhere to experience it. Las Vegas and Sheboygan, Wis., are each enhancing the business of government through the use of clever GIS applications.
In Las Vegas, e-government managers Greg Duncan and Anthony Willis are rolling out an array of citizen-facing services that seamlessly employ GIS technology without end-users ever noticing it. Their motivation to deliver tools that use location data stems from a realization that using GIS no longer means you need to have a wealth of expertise.
"Instead it can be something where you can answer spatially related questions through a Web browser," Duncan said. "And that's what we've been trying to do with some of the new services we're starting to launch on the city's Web site. The user of the system doesn't have to be a GIS analyst, but [he or she] can still answer spatial questions."
In Sin City, it's the visitors who are usually the ones at the casinos. Residents of Las Vegas are just like anyone else. And as Las Vegas grows, people who live there may want to learn more about what their city offers. For example, arranging a special event at a city park used to mean finding the phone number for the parks and recreation department. Now, that service is available online at any time, with the data only a few mouse clicks away.
On the city's site, a user need only look on the left side of the screen and find the "I Want To ..." menu. The menu boasts an array of different services that can be accessed easily. One of the choices is "find." Selecting it brings up more options, such as "missing pets," "emergency services" and "parks and facilities." By choosing parks and facilities, a user can search parks by features or address. Currently there are 31 features a user can select to narrow a search - everything from baseball fields to bocce ball to fishing ponds. Once options are selected, the matching parks are displayed, each with a link to Google Maps. All this can be done in a few seconds.
The city also offers an online 311-type service that lets residents and visitors report problems or nonemergency incidents. While this might not seem particularly innovative on the surface, what many people don't realize is that a large portion of the famed Las Vegas Strip isn't actually in the city of Las Vegas, but in an unincorporated part of Clark County. With the system the city has built, someone who finds graffiti outside Caesars Palace or suffers a dog bite near The Venetian can simply input the approximate location, and the system will direct the person to the appropriate agency.
"Say someone rolls into a pothole outside the Bellagio in the middle of Las Vegas Blvd.," said Willis. "Many tourists would likely say, 'Hey, city of Las Vegas, you're responsible for this.' But actually it's Clark County. Now, the new way, you just tell what type of problem it is and where it exists, and this utility will link you to the right spot. No map involved, but it's fully GIS as the backbone of this application."
In Sheboygan, Wis., city officials are taking advantage of next-generation GIS to enhance internal operations by providing emergency responders a better look at what they're dealing with. The city wanted a way to give public safety the upper hand when disaster strikes. Tom Horness, the city's GIS specialist, found that software from Autodesk, a company specializing in CAD and 3-D imagery, offered tantalizing possibilities.
Sheboygan officials discovered that by using Autodesk tools, they could render their entire downtown in lifelike 3-D. Even more impressive: The software lets city personnel see inside of
buildings and under streets.
"For the city of Sheboygan, they realized they needed to be able to create a fully integrated environment that would enable their first responders, who are inherently nontechnical, to navigate the inside and outside of all the buildings within their city," said Juliana Slye, Autodesk director of government. "To be honest with you, a firefighter is not going to open up a GIS application. They'll start pointing and clicking. They need something that is just really one or two snaps away from giving them all the information."
First, Sheboygan's GIS manager set up a small "pilot project area" by designing just a few buildings and inputting basic footprint data.
"Then they married that footprint data, which is much more of an engineering data, to things like digital personal mapping data and aerial photography," Slye said. "They began to build this really smart digital environment that allowed them to really provide all this precision information in a Web-based interface that any firefighter could quickly navigate."
The Autodesk software takes CAD drawings, blueprints, schematics and GIS data, blends it together and spits out a highly detailed, 3-D rendered environment. For this article, Autodesk provided a virtual tour of what its software is doing for military officials in Iraq. The tour centered on a street in Baghdad, complete with moving cars, pedestrians and structures. One particular building afforded both exterior and interior views. From inside the structure, you can look out the windows and determine where, for example, possible sniper shots might enter.
The software also allows officials to strip away all the structures if they wish, exposing the sewer and electrical infrastructure. In fact, nearly anything designed in CAD and placed on a map can be generated virtually. Autodesk and others are creating virtual worlds that are practical and incorporate real-world data that can be layered just like traditional GIS. Only now, the end result is more than the sum of its parts. Most of the data rendered in these virtual structures - the plumbing, the walls, the number of steel girders, the thickness of the drywall in the building - already exists in digital format in the state offices. It's up to agency officials to make the decision to take advantage of it.
"We call it 'democratizing' the design data, breaking it out of the engineering department, and putting it in the hands of the business leader," Slye said. "One of the things we've seen is a really strong synergy now between the nontechnical decision-makers inside of government agencies and the engineering department getting closer together, and closer alignment between what's being created and what's really needed."
Google Earth, Autodesk and a host of other platforms offer possibilities limited only by the imagination. But do these applications threaten the demise of traditional GIS?
Old-School Renewed?
It might seem like these new, user-friendly manifestations of GIS data would spell the end for ESRI, CARIS and other traditional GIS solutions providers. But according to those using new-school applications, the opposite is true.
At deCarta, a company specializing in providing geospatial data and imagery to Google, Ask, Rand McNally, Zillow and others, Business Development Vice President Mike Agron said the new GIS opens the door for traditional GIS applications by creating new opportunities to use the data they create.
"The promise of GIS is huge - the promise of location-based information, the promise of location intelligence," Agron said. "I think the broader implications are that location is only going to become more and more important in our decision-making process. It's only going to become more pervasive in everything we do. The likes of the Web, and the power of the Web, are going to make that show."
Web-based GIS platforms signal a revolution
in how government uses GIS data to improve citizen services and strengthen internal operations. And a role for traditional, more powerful GIS systems is likely to materialize as it has in Las Vegas, where ESRI tools like ArcGIS do the back-end work, and Google Earth delivers the data in a user-friendly format.
Chikai Ohazama, product manager for Google Earth, said the relationship between old and new need not be adversarial. He said both can coexist and prosper if each is put to proper use.
"ArcGIS is really good at doing analysis of geographical data," he said. "You're trying to do watershed-sort of calculations or all different kinds of models to analyze the data you have. Google Earth, its forte, is more like taking the information that's used, already analyzed, and presenting that to the public so anybody can look at it and see how it impacts them, or see what it means."
Ohazama refers to Google Earth as "GIS for the masses." It's an apt description, given how many people now can utilize location data for a thousand different purposes. All industries and technologies evolve, and the stalwarts eventually are usurped by the upstarts.
But the GIS industry may be different. Now, more than at any time in history, people have incredibly powerful and relevant ways to interact with the world they live in. Whether that world is real, or only a virtual representation, GIS has grown to be far more than a mere electronic map.
Perhaps most important is the fact that - as Chuck Herring, communications director at satellite imagery provider Digital Globe, said - this new generation of GIS is doing what every technology should eventually do: move from an exclusive world of a few experts to an expansive existence where all can reap its benefits to improve lives.
"I think that really the [GIS] revolution has been able to put the basic level of technology in many more people's hands so they can understand how they could utilize it," he said "Once they start using that, they realize the types of services they actually need."


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Through the relationships and offerings from our partners and resellers, we deliver our customers the widest variety of innovative, integrated solutions to help them succeed. By partnering only with industry leaders, we ensure you gain the maximum value from your software investment. Our industry partners are listed below.
MS Govern's parent company, Harris Computer Systems, also offers a number of solutions that compliment our Govern and CityView suites; find out more on our Harris Solutions page.
Apex MedinaTM sketch is the industry standard for area calculation and building drawings and is used in over 1500 jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada. As an authorized business partner, MS Govern provides MS Govern+Apex integration and support.
MS Govern's partnership with Esri gives the company access to the latest technology from the leading GIS solution provider (i.e. Govern WebGIS). As an Esri partner, MS Govern is able to provide the innovation of industry-leading mapping to staff and citizens in cities and counties throughout North America and Canada.
Incorporated in 1980 and a trusted Harris Computer Systems partner for many years, Loris Technologies, Inc. is a leading innovator in the development of document management solutions. Loris' extensive Harris customer deployments across North America address document management, workflow and archival needs in such areas as eBilling, customer service, finance, purchasing, engineering, HR / payroll, and more. The FileNexusTM technology provides mission critical document management for millions of people generating hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue worldwide.
Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
The tools and resources available to MS Govern as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner allow us to grow and develop business, build and maintain expertise in our areas of specialization, and continue to incorporate new technologies that benefit our customers.
With 30 years experience providing database software to corporations and public sector organizations, Oracle is an original creator of the relational database and a current market leader. Oracle offers an advanced and easily supported database application that provides the core capabilities within the MS Govern suites for adding, deleting, and retrieving information.
Orinoco Systems is a full service information technology consulting firm that provides affordable IT solutions that generate value for medium and large sized corporations and government organizations. Orinoco works with customers to design, implement and maintain the technological solutions that allow them to operate their businesses with higher productivity and profitability. Orinoco is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.
As a technology partner of our nearly 340 clients, Selectron is committed to providing exceptional integration expertise for implementing our interactive solutions with custom and software database applications. In addition, we have had extensive success in creating custom interfaces that allow our clients to integrate our technology with data that is not normally accessible through a standard application programming interface (API). Selectron has the proficiency you need to ensure your interactive voice, web, or mobile solution can securely access your data.
For more than 20 years, Tele-Works has been a leader in delivering top-quality interactive voice response (IVR) solutions across North America. Tele-Works products have reshaped the way organizations communicate and transact business with their customers. From automated phone bill payments to building inspection scheduling to high-volume citizen alert systems, Tele-Works solutions ensure your customers are informed and satisfied. Our customers benefit by having access to the latest communication technologies without having to deal with multiple vendors.
MS Govern ensures you gain maximum value from your systems investment by partnering only with industry leaders.


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MEXICO CITY — One of the world's most secretive movements is taking aim at a just as clandestine mafia, right out in the open.
Bloggers and tweeters claiming to belong to the hacker movement "Anonymous" say they plan to expose collaborators of Mexico's bloody Zetas drug cartel, even if some of them seem to have backed away from the plan out of fear.
Several news sites reported Wednesday that Anonymous has pulled back from its plans, including The Guardian in Britain. Its headline was: "Anonymous retreats from Mexico drug cartel confrontation."
The hacking debate is playing out on chatboards, websites and Twitter messages, many of them open to public view.
But just what they might do, as the claimed Friday deadline approaches, remains unclear, perhaps even to the loosely coordinated Internet community. Its participants generally hide their real-world identities even from one another, partly as protection from officials and prosecutors who often consider them outlaws.
Self-proclaimed members of a movement best known for hacking public corporate and government websites are now talking about attacking a drug cartel that largely shuns the Internet and has killed, even beheaded, ordinary bloggers for posting information about it.
"The problem is, hack what? There are no drug cartel websites, that I know of, that would be hackable," said Raul Trejo, an expert on media and violence at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Warning came in video
In an Internet video posted last month, a person wearing a Guy Fawkes mask claimed the Zetas had kidnapped a member of Anonymous in the state of Veracruz while he was handing out political pamphlets. The video doesn't give the victim's name, and prosecutors say they know nothing about the supposed abduction.
The speaker in the video said that if the kidnap victim is not released, Anonymous will post the names, photos and addresses of taxi drivers, police, journalists and others allegedly working with the Zetas. He did not say how the movement would get such information, but suggested it can locate and blow up cartel associates' "cars, houses, bars and whorehouses" starting Friday.
"It won't be difficult, we all know who you are and where you can be found," said the masked speaker.
Members of Anonymous are more of a volunteer crowd, and generally don't even know where their own colleagues can be found. The participants are known more for sabotaging corporate and government websites than for WikiLeaks-style exposes.
Matt Harrigan, chief executive of the San Diego, California-based security firm Critical Assets, said that "absolutely it sounds like their MO," but he noted it is a change from past activities.
In the face of a death toll of 35,000 to 40,000 people killed in drug violence in Mexico since 2006, "maybe you're seeing Anonymous making some sort of a sea change to more positive actions rather than focusing on the corporate greed piece, or just 'hactivism' against corporations," Harrigan said.
Not clear how many are involved
But given the diffuse nature of the group, it's not clear how many activists might be involved.
"Anonymous isn't just one collective with one common goal, so if a member of Anonymous has an idea or an objective or a goal, it can execute on that agenda, objective or goal, completely independent of anybody else," hoping others will join in, Harrigan said. "You won't really know until something happens whether or not the petition for participation was successful."
And whether it would work against a drug cartel is another matter, though Harrigan notes "any group of people in the modern day and age are going to use computers to communicate in one form or another — a smart phone, or a laptop, or a desk top — ... and by virtue of that fact, it makes them vulnerable in some regard."
Anonymous-style videos from Veracruz have been posted on the Internet for at least two months, but none before has drawn as much attention, and none of the others threatened violence, or promised to take on a drug cartel.
"What the video is announcing is not hacking, but rather much more violent acts," Trejo said.
Some tweeters using the threat's OpCartel hashtag said the whole idea is too dangerous to carry out.
"They denounced the op after safety concerns. They thought about it and saw it was too dangerous," posted a tweeter under the name GeneralSec. "DragnDon" tweeted back: "The fear that surrounds this idea is astounding. Fairweather revolutionaries?"
Fear would be well-founded. In September, police in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo found a woman's decapitated body alongside a handwritten sign saying she was killed in retaliation for postings on a social networking site. The message was signed with a "Z," the Zetas' trademark.
Earlier that month, the bodies of a man and a woman were found hanging from an overpass in Nuevo Laredo with a message threatening, "this is what will happen" to trouble-making Internet users.
'Prefer to die standing'
A statement posted late Tuesday on the Anonymous IberoAmerica website said, "We know we are risking our lives but we prefer to die standing than to live a whole life on our knees."
In a tacit acknowledgment of the Zetas' gruesome methods, the statement added, "You can't stop anonymous as it is a worldwide idea, a global spirit impossible to shot (sic), impossible to burn in acid."
The movement, if it is one, may have more success than did the bloggers in Nuevo Laredo, who posted information on drug cartel shootouts and safehouses under online aliases. Somehow, and nobody has yet said how, the Zetas apparently found out their real identities.
The Anonymous IberoAmerica website says it will form a "special task force" by invitation only to find out and publish information about cartel collaborators, a potentially deadly undertaking since rivals often kill identified members of the Zetas. A statement posted in English stressed that "this is now international. This is global," suggesting outside resources were being brought in.
The website includes a series of security steps, such as urging members to send messages through a proxy server, and never to identify themselves as part of Anonymous.
The page also offers a supposedly secure widget to help protect users.
So far only one act has been attributed to the group: It apparently created a website decorated with jack o' lanterns that accuses a former state prosecutor of being a Zeta. The Tuesday statement also harshly criticized the Mexican government, accusing it of protecting or profiting from drug trafficking.
Perhaps the most telling detail is that the Anonymous IberoAmerica site is now soliciting anonymous tips on cartel collaborators. That suggests that, if the promised revelations materialize, they could be nothing more than common rumors or gossip sent in by tipsters or foes of those named.
Harrigan noted it would not be the first time "hacktivists" have taken up a fight with a violent organization.
Following the 9/11 attack, "a number of different hackers ... took it upon themselves to locate more information about this guy (Osama bin Laden), get involved intentionally in terrorist cell networks on the Internet, find encoded transmissions and assist the U.S. government in their case," he said.
Msnbc.com also contributed to this report.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Amanda Fredderick
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