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Freedom on the Net
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2012 Scores
Freedom on the Net Status
Freedom on the Net Total(0 = best, 100 = worst)
(0 = Best, 100 = Worst)
Obstacles to Access(0 = best, 25 = worst)
(0 = Best, 25 = Worst)
Limits on Content(0 = best, 35 = worst)
(0 = Best, 35 = Worst)
Violations of User Rights(0 = best, 40 = worst)
(0 = Best, 40 = Worst)
The political unrest and armed conflict that occurred in Libya in 2011, which resulted in the death of Muammar al-Qadhafi after over 40 years in power, led to a dramatic regime change. The country shifted from being one of the world's harshest dictatorships to a post-conflict aspiring democracy. As of May 2012, the government of Libya was comprised of a National Transitional Council (NTC) formed during the conflict and an appointed interim government mandated to steer the country towards elections scheduled for July 2012, after which a new constitution will be drafted. These political changes were also reflected in the internet freedom landscape. As such, this report straddles three radically different periods: a highly restrictive environment under Qadhafi, a partial internet and telephone blackout for much of 2011, and a relatively open online information landscape since the rebel victory in October 2011.
Qadhafi's regime employed a wide range of tactics for suppressing freedom of expression online, including maintaining monopoly control over the internet infrastructure, blocking websites, engaging in widespread surveillance, and meting out harsh punishments to online critics. Such restrictions intensified as the revolt against Qadhafi's rule gained momentum in February 2011, culminating in an internet shutdown that affected most of the country and lasted until the liberation of Tripoli in August 2011.[1] Since Qadhafi's death in October 2011, a frenzy of self-expression online has erupted as Libyans seek to make up for lost time. Nevertheless, periodic electricity outages, residual self-censorship, and weak legal protections pose ongoing challenges to internet freedom.
Internet first became available at state institutions in Libya in the mid-1990s, during a time of international economic sanctions imposed following the Lockerbie bombing. This expanded to public access in 1998, though priority was given to multinational companies, people close to the government, and some individuals authorized to open cybercafes.[2] It was only after Qadhafi endorsed information and communication technologies (ICTs) in 2000 as a means of promoting economic opportunities for youth that use of the medium began to spread more widely.[3] Few restrictions were imposed on communications in the early years of access and evidence of censorship was anecdotal until around 2003. It was then that sanctions were lifted and the government became free to purchase surveillance and filtering equipment. Soon after, more systematic censorship emerged, particularly of opposition websites based overseas.
When the internet became publicly available in Libya in 1998, prices were excessively high and access was limited to a small elite. After 2000, however, thousands of cybercafes sprouted up, even in desert towns, rendering the internet more widely available.[4] Over the following decade, Qadhafi's son, who was managing the state-run telecom operator, reduced prices, invested in a fiber-optic backbone network, and expanded ADSL, WiMAX, and wireless local loop technologies.[5] These measures brought the price for browsing down to 1LYD (US$0.75) per hour in cybercafes by 2004 and even lower in 2011 prior to the uprising.
Nevertheless, as of 2007, penetration remained at around 4 percent, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). By 2011, this had grown to 17 percent or about 1.1 million users, though such statistics do not include the small number of people using unregistered satellite phones to get online.[6]
Despite improved infrastructure and relatively low prices for accessing the internet at cybercafes, the cost for a home internet connection remains beyond the reach of a large proportion of Libyans, particularly those living outside major urban areas. As of early 2011, a dial-up internet subscription cost 10LYD per month (US$7), an ADSL one was 20LYD (US$15) for 7GB, and WiMax was 40LYD ($US30) for 10GB (after initial connection fees). By comparison, the average monthly income as of early 2011 was about US$1,400, reflecting relatively high salaries in oil and gas firms. Those employed in the public sector, who comprise a large contingent of the Libyan workforce, earn an average income of only 250LYD (US$195).[7] As a result, the number of broadband subscriptions was relatively low, at around 70,000 or just over 1 percent in 2011.[8] As elsewhere, a VSAT connection was extremely expensive, running to hundreds of thousands of dinars. Limited computer literacy, particularly among women, has also been an obstacle. By contrast, with literacy rates at almost 90 percent and a wide range of websites and computer software available in Arabic, language has not been a significant barrier to access.[9]
Compared to the relatively low internet penetration rate, mobile phone use is ubiquitous. By 2008, penetration surpassed 100 percent of the population, including individuals possessing two phones. The growth in mobile phone use was largely due to its increasing affordability, as a second provider joined the market in 2003 and prices dropped dramatically. By 2011, the price of a prepaid SIM card from the main provider, Libyana, was only 5LYD (US$4), to which a user could then add minutes depending on market prices, which were generally affordable. Smartphones and 3G connectivity have been available since 2006, though the prohibitive cost of more upscale models impedes their wider dissemination.[10] Since 2008, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has been freely accessible.
During the conflict that erupted in 2011, purchasing a SIM card became very difficult. A thriving black market emerged as illegal immigrants and expatriates sold their SIM cards for around 50LYD (US$40) before departing the country because mobile phones were being confiscated or stolen at checkpoints. Since the end of the fighting in August 2011, the above-mentioned tariffs have largely resumed, despite calls from the public to reduce them. In an effort to quickly appease customers as the NTC develops its telecommunications policy, the interim government topped up the majority of Libyan mobile phone subscribers with a 100LYD (US$80) voucher on two major Muslim holidays. Since the end of February 2012, there has been a serious shortage of WiMAX modems, driving up the price of second hand devices.
The state-run General Posts and Telecommunications Company (GPTC) is the main telecommunications operator and is fully owned by the government. In 1999, the GPTC awarded the first internet service provider (ISP) license to Libya Telecom and Technology (LTT) as a subsidiary of the state-owned firm. At least seven other companies—including Modern World Communication, Alfalak, and Bait Shams—have also been licensed to provide internet services, but they are subordinate to the LTT, which retains monopoly control over Libya's gateway to the international internet.[11] The GPTC also owns the two mobile phone providers, Almadar and Libyana.
This government chokehold over the communications network became critical in 2011, as Qadhafi's forces strategically limited access to the internet and mobile phones beginning January 25.[12] Initially, there were rolling outages, then in March, as the uprising gained momentum, the entire country's international internet connection was shut off. Mobile phone connectivity also became erratic. Access did not fully resume until August 2011, though there were some openings for government traffic and in the liberated enclaves. When the government shut down the internet, it did not completely sever the connection to the outside world as occurred in Egypt, but used a more sophisticated method that took longer to detect. One technical expert likened it to turning off a tap: "the stream of traffic was slowed to a trickle, and then a few drips."[13] In addition, strictly Libyan-based websites, like the state-run press and LTT-based email accounts, remained accessible to the population for a few more days.
Meanwhile, in April 2011, engineers supporting the rebels who had gained control of the eastern enclave of Benghazi hijacked the government-run cell phone towers of Libyana in that part of the country. They took independent control of the mobile phone network, renaming it Free Libyana.[14] In June 2011, a fiber-optic connection to Egypt was enabled with the help of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) firm Etisalat, improving internet connectivity. As a result, internet browsing and mobile phone calls were available in that part of the country throughout the conflict. In November 2011, the networks of the eastern and western parts of the country were unified, though infrastructure repairs continue in some areas.[15]
Internet access via ADSL or WiMAX was free of charge in the eastern part of the country during the conflict and became free throughout Libya for those with functioning equipment from November 2011 until March 1, 2012. This considerably increased the number of users and hours spent online. Pricing structures then returned and as of May 1, 2012, internet was available via mobile phone, landline, and cable networks throughout Libya for those who had modems and SIM cards. The account connection fees of the Qadhafi era returned, while monthly subscription rates slightly decreased and data usage quotas were raised. Despite these changes, internet speeds in Libya remain extremely slow.[16]
Since the end of the conflict, there have been no government-imposed restrictions on connectivity, but problems remain due to damaged infrastructure. As important as harm done to the telecom sector has been the damage to the electricity grid, which some estimate at US$1 billion.[17] For example, from mid-December 2011 to the end of February 2012, the western parts of Libya experienced rolling blackouts due to the heavy demand on conflict-damaged infrastructure. Without electricity, internet connectivity became impossible.
Although a popular access point previously, the cybercafe industry was decimated due to the months-long internet shutdown that began in February 2011, with almost all venues closing. As a result, in early 2012, most people accessed the internet from their homes, hotel lobbies, and workplaces (particularly those working for foreign organizations or companies).
The post-conflict regulatory environment remains very unclear. The interim government has a Ministry of Communications, but it has expressed no clear vision for the future. During the Qadhafi era, decisions on licensing were made by the government-controlled GPTC. In 2006, the General Telecom Authority (GTA) was formed with plans announced that it would be followed by a new regulator in 2009. At the time of the 2011 uprising, it remained unclear whether the GTA had come into existence, though some suspected it had been formed and mandated to oversee the monitoring of online activities.
From 1998 to 2003, there was little blocking of online content in Libya, perhaps because the government did not see it as threatening or because most users were not inclined to visit overseas opposition websites.[18] In 2003, the government changed its attitude and Moussa Koussa, head of the Libyan Intelligence Agency at the time and a close Qadhafi aid, was tasked with monitoring and restricting the influence of opposition websites. Initially, a code of conduct approach was taken and cybercafes were instructed to install stickers by each computer warning customers not to visit websites that might negatively impact so-called national security or public morals. The aim was to instill fear in users, prompting them to self-censor political discourse.
Soon after, the government began blocking access to certain websites, a phenomenon that became noticeable in 2004. Initially, Arabic language content was targeted, though later European languages were censored as well. The blocking was sporadic rather than constant, perhaps in order to allow the government to plausibly deny it was deliberately censoring.
A reformist effort initiated in 2006 and led by Qadhafi's British-educated son Saif al-Islam resulted in a more lenient internet filtering regime,[19] and new websites adopting a critical position on corruption were launched and accessible.[20] The most recent testing by the OpenNet Initiative (ONI) in 2008-2009 indeed revealed a slight reduction in filtering. Censorship primarily targeted opposition websites like those of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya and Libya Watanona. According to ONI, filtering was done via IP blocking at the international gateway controlled by the LTT and users received a time out message rather than an alert acknowledging access was being denied by the government.[21] The reformist experiment ended in June 2009 with the nationalization of several privately owned outlets linked to Saif al-Islam. From then on, conditions for internet freedom rapidly declined. Cyber dissidents were arrested and imprisoned,[22] though blocking did not dramatically increase.
The government also passed a rule in 2006 mandating that websites registered under the ".ly" domain not contain content that is "obscene, scandalous, indecent or contrary to Libyan law or Islamic morality."[23] This rule appears to still be in effect under the interim government, which has not yet abolished it, but has not enforced it either.[24]
Since the rebels' victory in August 2011, all previously blocked websites, including those of Israeli newspapers, have become accessible again. Under the interim government, there have been no reports of website blocking or pressure to delete content. However, many Qadhafi-era government webpages containing information on laws and regulations from before the uprising are inaccessible, as is the online archive of formerly state-run Libyan newspapers. Some of these websites may have become defunct after the officials running them were ousted or fees to hosting providers were left unpaid, but others were likely deliberately taken down when the revolutionaries came to power.
As of May 2012, social media applications like the video-sharing website YouTube, the social-networking platform Facebook, and the microblogging service Twitter were freely accessible. YouTube had previously been blocked under the Qadhafi regime beginning in January 2010. Observers suspected the restriction was in response to the circulation of a video showing demonstrations by family members of detainees killed at the notorious Abu Salim prison, as well as footage of members of the Qadhafi family at luxurious parties.[25] Due to the split in the network during the conflict, YouTube was available in eastern regions beginning in April 2011, while it became accessible in the western parts in November 2011 after internet connectivity was restored. Other social media applications like Facebook and Twitter were blocked for a few weeks beginning in February 2011, shortly before the entire internet was cut off.[26]
Under Qadhafi, the highly repressive environment and fear of harsh punishments for critical speech contributed to extreme self-censorship by internet users. The Qadhafi regime was fairly explicit about what forms of speech were off limits. In a February 2011 text message sent to mobile phone users throughout the country, the regime warned citizens not to challenge the government stance on the application of Islamic law, the security and stability of Libya, the country's territorial integrity, and Qadhafi's persona.
By early 2012, the environment had loosened considerably and freedom of expression was flourishing. Still, a sizable number of Libyan bloggers and online journalists continue to practice some degree of self-censorship due to the fluid and uncertain political situation. There are few mechanisms in place to hold the interim government to account should they abuse their power. In addition, given the already tense and violent environment, many bloggers choose not to touch on social taboos like rape or tribal conflicts. Many also avoid publishing content critical of the 2011 revolution. Such unseen pressures contribute to an atmosphere of less than complete freedom.[27]
Blogging first emerged in Libya in 2003—with even Qadhafi launching his own blog in 2006 (www.alqathafi.org)—though the number of blogs based inside the country remained meager compared to other Arab countries.[28] Since the start of the revolution in February 2011, however, the contingent of blogs written by those inside Libya has notably increased. Under Qadhafi, most Arabic language blogs in Libya focused on poetry and storytelling, while some English language ones occasionally ventured into veiled criticism. Criticism of the regime mainly came from bloggers and websites based outside the country, who would sometimes post letters or comments from individuals in-country, thereby giving them a platform for free expression but protecting their identities.[29]
Libyans in the diaspora used social media to spread the word and show support for the February 17 "day of anger" that launched the revolution. A large number of Libyans inside the country responded, changing their surname on Facebook to "Libya" in a symbolic protest against Qadhafi's regime.[30] As of the first quarter of 2011, there were about 64,000 active Twitter accounts of Libyans based in-country and almost 200,000 people's Facebook activity was abruptly interrupted when Libya became disconnected from the internet in March.[31] Even so, prior to the revolution, most of the content on these social networks related to personal affairs rather than political activism due to the atmosphere of fear and self-censorship.
Once the uprising began, online media, blogs, and social networks played a visible role amplifying the voices of those inside the country, often via bloggers based in the diaspora. People in the eastern parts of the country, where internet access was available, uploaded videos and tweeted updates about what was happening. From the western parts, however, there was an eerie silence, except for a small number of individuals who had sophisticated equipment or physically carried content across the border into Tunisia.[32]
By comparison, since the fall of Qadhafi's regime, Facebook, Twitter and other digital media have grown in popularity and been used to mobilize Libyans for activism around a variety of causes. By April 2012, Facebook use had doubled to around 400,000 people, and the social networking tool was the most visited website in the country.[33] Bloggers, online journalists, and other users have vocally expressed a diverse range of visions for the post-Qadhafi political order, the interim government and other topics, though lingering self-censorship remains. People have also turned to Facebook to learn the latest news about upcoming events and some have used mass text message campaigns to rally support in the run-up to elections scheduled for mid-2012. Websites related to the Amazigh minority, whose language was banned under Qadhafi, are now flourishing.
During the Qadhafi era, Libya's media environment was among the most tightly controlled in the world. Several laws provided for freedom of speech, but these protections were typically offset by vague language restricting the same freedoms. For example, the 1969 Libyan Constitutional declaration and the 1988 Green Charter for Human Rights both guarantee freedom of speech and opinion but also note that these must be "within the limits of public interest and the principles of the Revolution."[34] A new press law was discussed in 2007, but never realized.[35] A Telecommunications Law was discussed in 2010 but not officially put into effect and its draft is no longer available online. The judiciary was not independent.
Meanwhile, several laws authorized harsh punishments for those who published content deemed offensive or threatening to Islam, national security, territorial integrity, or the reputation of Qadhafi. The penal code called for imprisonment or the death penalty for anyone convicted of disseminating information critical of the state or the "Leader of the Revolution." The 1972 Publications Act imposed fines and up to two years in prison for a variety of violations, including libel, slander, and "doubting the aims of the revolution."[36] Particularly egregious was a law on collective punishment, which allowed the authorities to punish entire families, towns, or districts for the transgressions of one individual.[37] Because of their vague wording these laws could be applied to any form of speech whether transmitted via the internet, mobile phone, or traditional media.
As of May 2012, these laws remained on the books. However, in what many viewed as a positive sign for the future, the NTC in August 2011 published a Draft Constitutional Charter for the Transitional Stage, intended to fill the gap before full elections and a new constitution come into effect. Article 13 of the Draft Charter guarantees "freedom of opinion for individuals and groups, freedom of scientific research, freedom of communication, liberty of the press, printing, publication and mass media."[38]
Under Qadhafi's rule, several internet users and online journalists were detained, prosecuted, and in some cases, killed, for disseminating or accessing information deemed undesirable by the regime. For example, in June 2005, Daif al-Ghazal, a former journalist for a pro-government news outlet who then began contributing stories critical of the authorities to overseas news websites, was abducted and tortured to death in custody.[39] In February 2011, as anti-government protests were getting off the ground, Qadhafi forces arrested several online activists, including the director and editor-in-chief of Irassa, an independent news website, and blogger Mohamed al-Hashim Masmari, who had posted videos online and given interviews to foreign media.[40] They are believed to have been released when the rebels liberated Benghazi. In an incident that gained international attention, Mohammed al-Nabbous, a citizen journalist who had launched an online live broadcast of events called Libya al-Hurra TV, was killed by Qadhafi-linked snipers in March 2011 while reporting on a battle near Benghazi.[41]
Although there is less fear of government repression in the post-Qadhafi era than previously, threats still remain. In March 2012, Sharifa Alfisa, an outspoken female independent journalist writing for a number of online Libyan news sites, was abducted and beaten under mysterious circumstances in Benghazi by unidentified individuals.[42] She was released a couple of days later. Unconfirmed reports circulated that she was investigating the murder of General Abdulfatah Younis in which the NTC and Islamist militias are alleged to be implicated.[43] Others claimed she was kidnapped on suspicion of being pro-Qadhafi.[44]
Even under Qadhafi, there were few restrictions on anonymous communication over the internet, such as requiring user registration, perhaps because of other measures the authorities used to monitor users. However, customers were required to present identification when purchasing a SIM card.
Most Libyans had always suspected that the government was engaging in widespread surveillance of online communications. Beginning in 2009, cybercafe owners were required to sign binding commitments with the authorities to monitor those accessing the internet on their premises, including via installation of special software. However, the full extent of the Qadhafi regime's monitoring of Libyans' private communications became evident only after the liberation of Tripoli.[45] Indeed, it appeared that the regime had almost deliberately chosen to focus on surveillance rather than censorship as its main tactic for controlling online communications and curbing internet activism. State of the art equipment from foreign firms such as the French company Amesys,[46] and possibly the Chinese firm ZTE, were sold to the regime, enabling intelligence agencies to intercept communications on a nationwide scale and collect massive amounts of data on both phone and internet usage.[47] Wall Street Journal correspondents who visited an Internet Monitoring Center after the regime's collapse reported finding a storage room lined floor-to-ceiling with dossiers of the online activities of Libyans and some foreigners with whom they communicated.[48] According to current and former staff of LTT, as the rebellion gained momentum, the regime sought to ramp up surveillance and disable opposition websites. Among other measures adopted, the government reportedly recruited hackers from China and Eastern Europe to take down opposition websites and social media platforms, as well as generate malware to compromise activists' computers.[49] Extensive efforts were also made to develop the capacity to eavesdrop on Skype and VSAT connections. According to these LTT employees, the government even obtained backdoor access to Thuraya satellite phones, which were widely perceived as a secure means of communication.[50]
While many Libyans would like to believe that such widespread surveillance has ceased under the interim government, uncertainties remain. Given the lack of an independent judiciary or procedures outlining the circumstances under which the state may conduct surveillance, there is little to prevent the government or security agencies from resuming the practice. Some suspect that it has been activated to target those with an anti-Islamist agenda. During an interview on al-Hurra TV in March 2012, the Minister of Telecommunications stated that such surveillance had been stopped because the interim government wanted to respect the human rights of Libyans. An organization representing IT professionals in Libya refuted his remarks in an online statement, claiming those working in the telecom sector report that the surveillance system has been reactivated. Such allegations could not be independently verified, however.[51]
During the Qadhafi era, opposition websites like Libya Our Home (www.libya-watanona.com), those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, and ones belonging to minorities like the Amazigh (www.tawalt.com) were periodically hacked, with the government widely suspected of being behind the attacks.[52] In 2009, a wave of such attacks targeted prominent opposition websites. They were found to have been carried out by a Libyan based in the United States, believed to be connected with the regime.[53] Another attack was reported in January 2011 against the opposition website al-Manara after it had posted videos of early anti-Qadhafi protesters in Bayda and al-Mostakbal.[54]
[1] Hayley Tsukuyama, "Welcome back to the Internet Libya," The Washington Post (blog), August 22, 2011, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/faster-forward/post/welcome-back-to-the-internet-libya/2011/08/22/gIQArYrJWJ_blog.html.
[2] "Report on Internet in Libya" [in Arabic], by a committee of experts for www.reallibya.org, 2004, http://www.mohamoon-daleel.com/montada/messagedetails.asp?p_messageid=3334 (site discontinued).
[3] Ibid.
[4] Gamal Eid, "Libya: The Internet in a conflict zone," The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, 2004, http://www.anhri.net/en/reports/net2004/libya.shtml.
[5] "Libya – Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband," BuddeCom Focus Report, accessed August 30, 2012, http://www.budde.com.au/Research/Libya-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband.html.
[6] International Telecommunication Union (ITU), "Percentage of individuals using the Internet, fixed (wired) Internet subscriptions, fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions," 2011, accessed July 13, 2012, http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Indicators/Indicators.aspx#.
[7] Over the past decade, the government experimented with a flexible pay scale, awarding different wages for different jobs. Thus, average salaries in the public sector varied greatly according to the year of hiring and type of contract. In the private sector, especially in oil and gas, they varied according to company, location, industry, experience and benefits. In April 2011, the Qadhafi government increased salaries for some public sector positions, so the average income there rose to about 350 LYD.
[8] ITU, "Percentage of individuals using the Internet, fixed (wired) Internet subscriptions, fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions," 2011.
[9] "The World Bank World Development Indicators: Libya," The World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/country/libya.
[10] "Libyana Introduces 3G Services for First Time in Libya," The Tripoli Post, September 26, 2006, http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=2&i=311.
[11] United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, "The Status of Information for Development Activities in North Africa," (paper presented at the twentieth meeting of the Intergovernmental committee of experts, Tangier, Morocco, April 13-15, 2005), http://www.uneca.org/na/Information.pdf; "Internet Filtering in Libya – 2006/2007," OpenNet Initiative, 2007, http://opennet.net/studies/libya2007; "Telecoms in Libya" [in Arabic], Marefa.org, accessed August 30, 2012, http://www.marefa.org/index.php/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A7.
[12] "Project Cyber Dawn v1.0, Libya," The Cyber Security Forum Initiative, April 17, 2011, p. 20, http://www.unveillance.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Project_Cyber_Dawn_Public.pdf
[13] James Cowie, "What Libya learned from Egypt," Renesys (blog), March 5, 2011, http://www.renesys.com/blog/2011/03/what-libya-learned-from-egypt.shtml
[14] Margaret Coker and Charles Levinson, "Rebels Hijack Gadhafi's Phone Network," Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2011, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703841904576256512991215284.html;
Spencer Akerman, "How Libya's Rebels got their cell service back," Wired, April 13, 2011, http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/04/how-libyas-rebels-got-their-cellular-service-back/
[15] Fozia Mohamed, "Libya 2011: A Seminal Year Through Citizen Media," GlobalVoices, January 9, 2012, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/01/09/libya-2011-a-seminal-year-through-citizen-media/
[16] "Beyond LTT: The State of Libya's Internet," Kifah Libya, May 20, 2012, http://www.kifahlibya.com/2012/05/20/tech-beyond-ltt-the-state-of-libyas-internet/.
[17] "Cost of last year's damage to electricity industry put at $1bn," The Libya Herald, March 28,2012, http://www.libyaherald.com/cost-of-last-years-damage-to-electricity-industry-put-at-1-bn/.
[18] Doug Saunders, "Arab social capital is there – it's young and connected," The Globe and Mail, March 5, 2011, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/doug-saunders/arab-social-capital-is-there-its-young-and-connected/article1930770/.
[19] "Libya," OpenNet Initiative, August 6, 2009, http://opennet.net/research/profiles/libya.
[20] IREX,"Media Sustainability Index – Middle East and North Africa," Media Sustainability Index 2008 (Washington D.C.: IREX, 2008), 25, http://www.irex.org/system/files/MENA_MSI_2008_Book_Full.pdf.
[21] "Internet Filtering in Libya – 2006/2007," OpenNet Initiative, 2007, http://opennet.net/studies/libya2007.
[22] Ismael Dbarra, "Internet in Libya: Everyone is rebelling against continued blocking and censorship," Elaph (Arabic), March 5, 2009, www.elaph.com/Web/politics/2009/3/415948.htm.
[23] "Internet Filtering in Libya – 2006/2007," OpenNet Initiative.
[24] "Regulations," Libya ccTLD, accessed August 30, 2012, http://nic.ly/regulations.php.
[25] "Watchdog urges Libya to stop blocking websites," AFP, February 4, 2010, http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gMqNCaIpcd74x_33F16sT_6IDriw.
[26] "Libya Blocks Facebook, Twitter and Aljazeera.net," ArabCrunch, February 18, 2011, http://arabcrunch.com/2011/02/libya-blocks-facebook-twitter-and-aljazeera-net.html.
[27] Tracey Shelton, "Libya's media has its own revolution," Global Post, March 18, 2012, http://mobile.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/120301/libya-media-revolution-newspapers-television-radio-journalism-free-speech.
[28] Claudia Gazzini, "Talking Back: How Exiled Libyans use the web to push for change," Arab Media Society, February, 2007, 3, http://www.arabmediasociety.com/articles/downloads/20070312142030_AMS1_Claudia_Gazzini.pdf.
[29] "Libya 2011: A Seminal Year Through Citizen Media," Global Voices, January 9, 2012, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/01/09/libya-2011-a-seminal-year-through-citizen-media/.
[30] "Project Cyber Dawn v1.0, Libya," The Cyber Security Forum Initiative, April 17, 2011, p. 14, http://www.unveillance.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Project_Cyber_Dawn_Public.pdf.
[31] Racha Mourtada and Fadi Salem, "Civil Movements: the Impact of Facebook and Twitter, Dubai School of Government," Dubai School of Government, May 2011, Vol 1, No. 2, p. 5, http://www.dsg.fohmics.net/en/publication/Description.aspx?PubID=236&PrimenuID=11&mnu=Pri.
[32] "Libya: Bloggers Between Dictatorship and War," Global Voices, August 21, 2011,
[33] "Libya Facebook Statistics," Socialbakers, accessed April 10, 2012, http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/libya; "The Top Sites in Libya," Alexa, accessed April 10, 2012, http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/LY.
[34] IREX, "Media Sustainability Index – Middle East and North Africa," Media Sustainability Index 2008 (Washington D.C.: IREX, 2008), 27, http://www.irex.org/system/files/MENA_MSI_2008_Book_Full.pdf.
[35] IREX, "Media Sustainability Index – Middle East and North Africa," Media Sustainability Index 2006/2007 (Washington D.C.: IREX, 2009), 33, http://www.irex.org/system/files/MENA%20MSI%202007%20Book.pdf.
[36] Freedom House, "Libya," Freedom of the Press 2011, //www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2011/libya.
[37] IREX, "Media Sustainability Index – Middle East and North Africa," Media Sustainability Index 2005 (Washington D.C.: IREX, 2006), 36, http://www.irex.org/system/files/MENA_MSI_2005-Full.pdf.
[38] "Draft Constitutional Charter for the Transitional Stage," Project on Middle East Democracy, August 2011, www.pomed.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Libya-Draft-Constitutional-Charter-for-the-Transitional-Stage.pdf.
[39] "Opposition journalist Daif Al Ghazal tortured to death," IFEX, June 6, 2005, http://www.ifex.org/libya/2005/06/06/opposition_journalist_daif_al_ghazal/.
[40] "Attacks on media continues across Middle East," Committee to Protect Journalists, February 2, 2011, http://cpj.org/2011/02/attacks-on-media-continue-across-middle-east.php; "Protestors take over state radio in Libya," Global Journalist, February 23, 2011, http://www.globaljournalist.org/freepresswatch/2011/02/libya/protesters-take-over-state-radio-in-libya/.
[41] "Journalists under attack in Libya: the tally," Shabab Libya, May 3, 2011, http://www.shabablibya.org/news/journalists-under-attack-in-libya-the-tally; Elizabeth Flock, "Libyan citizen journalist Mohammed Nabbous killed in fighting in Benghazi," The Washington Post (blog), March 21, 2011, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/libyan-citizen-journalist-mohammed-nabbous-killed-in-fighting-in-benghazi/2011/03/21/AB2rcA8_blog.html.
[42] "Story of the abduction of Sharifa Alfisa" [in Arabic], Law of Libya (forum), March 28, 2012, http://www.lawoflibya.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18618.
[43] Maha Ellawati, "Freed journalist still unable to talk," Libya Herald, March 29, 2012, http://www.libyaherald.com/?p=3697
[44] "Story of the abduction of Sharifa Alfisa" [in Arabic], Law of Libya (forum).
[45] Matthieu Aikins, "Jamming Tripoli: Inside Moammar Gadhafi's Secret Surveillance Network," Wired, May 18, 2012, http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/05/ff_libya/6/.
[46] Ivan Sigal, "Libya: Foreign Hackers and Surveillance," Global Voices, October 27, 2011, http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2011/10/27/libya-foreign-hackers-and-surveillance/.
[47] Ibid.
[48] Paul Sonne and Margarent Coker, "Firms Aided Libyan Spies," The Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2011, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904199404576538721260166388.html.
[49] Sasa Milosevic, "Serbia: Gaddafi's Cyber Army Oppose Rebels and NATO," Global Voices, March 30, 2011,
[50] Ibid.
[51] "Libya Telecom" Facebook post [in Arabic], March 31, 2012 at 7:16am, https://www.facebook.com/LibyaTelecom/posts/201142566662920.
[52] "Internet Filtering in Libya – 2006/2007," OpenNet Initiative, 2007, http://opennet.net/studies/libya2007
[53] Ismael Dbarra, "Internet in Libya: Everyone is rebelling against continued blocking and censorship" [in Arabic], Elaph, March 5, 2009, www.elaph.com/Web/politics/2009/3/415948.htm.
[54] Amira Al Hussaini, "Libya: Gaddafi wages war on the internet as trouble brews at home, "Global Voices, January 17, 2011, http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/01/17/libya-gaddafi-wages-war-on-the-internet-as-trouble-brews-at-home/.


text:
Report: Unemployment drops in Wisconsin cities
Data is subject to significant revision
MADISON, Wis. — Unemployment rates are dropping across Wisconsin.
The state Department of Workforce Development released a new report Wednesday that shows unemployment rates fell in every one of the state's 32 largest cities between August and September. Racine had the highest unemployment rate of any city at 10.7 percent followed by Beloit at 9.9 percent.
Unemployment rates also fell in all 72 counties. Rates ranged from a low of 4.3 percent in Pierce County to a high of 13.7 percent in Menominee County.
The data isn't seasonally adjusted and is subject to significant revision.
The seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate in September was 7.3 percent.

subset: commoncrawl


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30 credit hours
The Master of Computer Science With a Specialization in Distributed and Cloud Computing is intended for students who are interested to learn about distributed systems and how they are applied to real world problems, as well as how emerging cloud computing technologies can be used to implement some of the worlds most popular services and applications.
To qualify for the specialization in Distributed and Cloud Computing, students must satisfy general Master of Computer Science requirements and are also required to select four of the following specialization courses. Below CS 550 is marked (Sys) because it also counts as a Systems core course.
- » CS 451 Introduction to Parallel and Distributed Computing
- » CS 546 Parallel and Distributed Processing
- » CS 550 Advanced Operating Systems (Sys)
- » CS 552 Distributed Real-Time Systems
- » CS 553 Cloud Computing
- » CS 554 Data-Intensive Computing
- » CS 570 Advanced Computer Architecture
» Master of Computer Science (General)
Last modified 11/4/2013


text:
I have in front of me a proof of this lemma:
If $f$ and $g$ are free $\mathbb{Z}_2$-actions on $S^1$, then $f(x)=g(x)$ for some $x \in S^1$.
A $\mathbb{Z}_2$-action on the unit circle $S^1$ is a homeomorphism $f \;:\; S^1 \rightarrow S^1$ such that $f(f(x))=x$ for all $x \in S^1$; and $f$ is free if $f(x) \neq x$ for all $x \in S^1$.
The proof (in a paper I'm refereeing) is clear but somewhat laborious. It would be nice to either have a succinct proof, or a reference, rather than a detailed proof from first principles. Has anyone seen this before? Thanks!


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|Written by
|Michaela Muntean
|Joe Ewers
|Western Publishing
|Sesame Street Good-Night Stories
Cookie Soup and Other Good-Night Stories is a 1990 Sesame Street storybook that includes three short stories.
In "Big Bird and the Lost Bear," Big Bird plans to take his teddy bear Radar to school for show-and-tell once he can get him fixed up again. But when he gets home, he can't find him anywhere. He asks all over Sesame Street: Ernie, Bert, Oscar, Luis... but none of them have seen Radar. As Big Bird walks past the Wash and Dry Laundromat, he sees his Granny Bird in the window. She has come to visit and presents Radar to him all clean and fixed.
"Cookie Soup" tells the story of the lucky day Cookie Monster decided to make dinner for Ernie. As Cookie heads for the kitchen, Ernie tells him that they there's no food in the house and that they have to go food shopping. Cookie solves the problem by staking out the last oatmeal cookie in the house and sets out to make cookie soup, an old Monster family recipe. After plopping the cookie into boiling water, he decides it needs more flavor and ends up adding a whole slew of vegetables and some leftover roast beef Ernie had in the fridge. As they dig in, they can't wait to tell Bert all about the soup they made with just one cookie.
Grover recounts the story, "Never Ask a Honker to Spend the Night." His cautionary tale includes a long list of when Honkers honk: while they eat, when they say hello to your Mommy, when she makes you popcorn, when it is time to go to sleep, and so on. After a night of sleeping in the hallway with earplugs in, Grover remains a very tired little monster.
Other editions
The book was reprinted in 1997, ISBN 0307295036.
The three stories were reprinted in a 2017 collection, 5-Minute Stories.


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In the first installment of this two-part series on dietary fat, I reviewed the differences between good fats and bad fats, where they come from and how to tell them apart. Today, I'll talk about fat in the diet, what to eat, how much is ok and how to make positive changes regarding the food you eat.
According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, the recommended total fat intake for adults is between 20 and 35 percent of calories, with less than ten percent of calories coming from saturated fat, and cholesterol less than 300 mg/day. Got that? I didn't think so. And even if you could remember these guidelines you'd still have to count your calories every day and, in addition, track fats as a percentage of those calories. That's a tall order.
Here's a better way. Eat as little fat as possible. Why? First of all, as I mentioned last time, every gram of fat (regardless of whether it's good, bad or indifferent) equates to nine calories, more than twice as much as either a gram of protein (four) or carbohydrate (also four). Second, the odds are that when you do eat fat it will be bad (saturated and/or trans) and we learned last time that bad fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol, which raises your risk of cardiovascular disease.
How do you reduce fat in your diet? Through awareness and thinking. That's right, you can think about the foods you buy and the foods you eat! I don't mean to sound all high and mighty, but it's pretty obvious that the vast majority of Americans don't think at all about what or how much they eat.
But let's get back to awareness. If you want to reduce fat in your diet, you'll need to think about how much meat, dairy and processed/packaged foods you eat. These are the major high-fat content foods. Those and foods that are fried. And of course eggs, which are high in cholesterol. How many times a day do you eat meat? And how many of those meat servings are especially high in fat (bacon, sausage, prime beef, poultry skin, etc)? Can you cut back on or cut out some of that meat? Or choose low-fat meats like "loin" or "round" or skinless chicken breasts?
Can you choose low-fat or non-fat dairy products? And/or cut back on full-fat ice cream? How about butter? Butter is pure fat (63 percent bad fat) and cholesterol. You can easily substitute a low or no fat margarine for spreading and liquid vegetable oil for cooking. I'm astonished at the amount of butter served at most restaurants. Whenever I get a huge scoop of butter on my food I ask for a small dish in which to put it. Of course, if I were thinking I'd have asked them to hold the butter, but it's always easier to give advice than to follow it!
Where else is fat lurking besides in meat and dairy products? In most baked goods. So limit the amount of bakery products you eat, including doughnuts, pies, cakes and cookies. Look instead for fat-free or low-fat varieties of crackers, snack chips, cookies and cakes. But baked isn't always bad. For example, instead of fried snacks, like chips, you can choose baked snacks, which have far less fat.
You can make significant changes in your fat consumption by eating less meat, less dairy and fewer eggs, high-fat processed/packaged and/or bakery products. Instead eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, whole grains, beans, nuts and fish. There's a wealth of information and other specific nutrition tips at the American Heart Association's Web site.
Good luck and good eating!


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What is engineering? Careers booklet
A leaflet for students aged 11 to 16, describing what engineering is and explaining the different routes into engineering.
The work that engineers do affects billions of people. It is creative and hands-on. It is about solving problems, designing things and improving things. As an engineer, you could tackle...
Engineering careers notes for teachers
There is a high demand for engineers in the UK – in fact engineering is one of the most in demand jobs globally. From apprentices to technicians; graduates to postgraduates – engineers are needed at all levels, in a wide range of sectors.
This leaflet from Tomorrow's Engineers helps teachers explain the...
A guide to vocational and apprenticeship routes into engineering
There are different routes into engineering, including apprenticeships, university and vocational qualifications. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with studying for vocational qualifications, or even a degree at university.
This Tomorrow's Engineers booklet, aimed at 14 to 19-year-olds, answers...
Studying Engineering at university
This Tomorrow's Engineers booklet, for students aged 16 to 19, explains the benefits of choosing a degree in engineering and helps with the decision-making process around courses and disciplines. Engineering skills are in high demand, so for students looking for a creative and practical job that makes a difference...
From idea to career: explore 12 areas of engineering
A closer look at 12 different engineering disciplines to help students work out which area(s) might be right for them.
Engineering is a diverse, wide-reaching sector and it can be hard to decide which of the many areas to pursue. In this booklet aimed at 14 to 19-year-olds, you will find an overview of...
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Find out how engineers who work in disaster response save lives on a massive scale. This Tomorrow's Engineers poster and accompanying teacher booklet, activities and a lesson plan will help students to understand the scale and impact of disaster response engineering.
Many types of engineering are employed in...
Engineering career route maps
Opportunities for engineers exist at all levels and these career route maps from Tomorrow's Engineers show various routes through education and training to become a professional engineer in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Tomorrow's Engineers careers resource pack
Tomorrow's Engineers careers resource pack for teachers, ambassadors and advisers to use with groups of students.
This resource pack is intended to inform and inspire young people and their influencers about the exciting opportunities presented by a career in engineering. The pack contains useful guidelines...
10 great reasons to become a scientist or engineer
A colourful display poster to inspire young learners to consider the exciting and meaningful careers available in science, technology, engineering and maths.
Make a difference, travel the world, invent something important, earn great money, solve the world's biggest challenges, gain respect and do something...
Make a difference - be an engineer
This interactive presentation from Tomorrow's Engineers introduces 11-14-year olds to engineering, inspiring them to think about a career in this sector. Developed in collaboration with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Physics, Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Engineering...
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We're in a golden age of gaming. Video games have never been more popular, and they have never been better either. The reason why can be attributed to one invention: the smartphone.
The industry slowly became more and more complex when arcade games made the move to consoles. If you hadn't played a game before it was difficult to master, and that's not to mention the complicated controls and playing systems that you had to navigate to get there in the first place. It made video gaming a niche.
However, in the era of the smartphone, I believe gaming has become a pass-time that anyone can enjoy regardless of age or gender. That's why we're in a golden age. Everyone knows how to use their phone and thus everyone knows how to play a game on it. What's more: because of the advanced technology of these devices, the games are frequently very, very good.
Just a decade ago, it was difficult to imagine innovative and groundbreaking titles being available on your phone. You may have had the likes of Snake and Solitaire on your phone, but games that allowed you to step into fascinating worlds and experience exciting gameplay were only found elsewhere. Phones were primarily just tools for communication – text messaging, calling and e-mailing (if you were really fancy!) Gaming had little or no place on the mobile phone.
But, today, phones contain games that are critically acclaimed, award winning and have the potential to become global phenomenons. We have everything from the immensely popular and addictive 'Angry Birds' to the multi-award winning masterpiece by Telltale Games 'The Walking Dead' (pictured above).
It's hard to find a phone that doesn't provide you with the ability to experience these games. No longer are handsets just storing numbers to call; they are consoles with thousands of puzzles, challenges and missions that you can install from the app store and attempt to complete. Games and numbers are now two very separate entities, but ones that exist on the same device.
I hope to explore many of the best smartphone games, from the biggest blockbusters to the smallest independent releases, on this blog.
Welcome to Games Aren't Numbers by Number Direct UK.


text:
You know that Gloucester's music scene is going places when we can attract a star like Entrain's Brian Alex three times in the same week!
Tonight (WED) he'll be the featured guest on the Cape Ann TV show "Local Music Seen with Allen Estes" airing at 6:30pm. And if you miss it, you can watch the whole show on-line here.
Tomorrow, you can see him live at The Rhumb Line 8:30pm with Dave Sag, John Keegan, John Hyde, Mark Earley and Ephraim Lowell.
Then on Saturday, he'll be fronting the ENTRAIN benefit for Gloucester's UU Church Meetinghouse at 8pm (save $7.25 if you get tickets here). It's a good week to get a taste of Brian's extraordinary and versatile talent!


text:
You don't have any saved vehicles!
Look for this link on your favorites:
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This Volkswagen Golf boasts a Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4 1.4 L/85 engine powering this Automatic transmission. Wheels: 16 x 6.5J Dover Alloy, Wheels w/Silver Accents, Valet Function.
This Volkswagen Golf Features the Following Options
Trip Computer, Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic w/Tiptronic -inc: sport mode, Tires: 205/55R16 91H AS, Tailgate/Rear Door Lock Included w/Power Door Locks, Systems Monitor, Strut Front Suspension w/Coil Springs, Streaming Audio, Steel Spare Wheel, Speed Sensitive Rain Detecting Variable Intermittent Wipers w/Heated Jets, Single Stainless Steel Exhaust.
Stop By Today
Test drive this must-see, must-drive, must-own beauty today at Chilliwack Volkswagen, 44615 Yale Rd W, Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H2.
Call or email today to schedule a test drive to experience all that this fantastic vehicle has to offer!
All vehicles undergo a 112 point Certified Pre-Owned Inspection, full detail, and comes with a full BC Certified CarProof. We love trade-ins, offer in-dealership financing, no payments for up to 6 months (oac), the lowest possible finance rates (oac), and vehicle insurance services in dealership. Our Sales Staff complete vigorous customer experience training and are ready to take care of all your needs and give you the best possible car buying experience in BC. Come see why we are the highest Rated Volkswagen Dealer in BC by DealerRater. All prices are net of all discounts, promotions. All prices are plus $697 admin fee and taxes.
Disclaimer: All advertised prices are net of all incentives, rebates, and offers, including push, pull, drag and other discounts. All prices and offers are mutually exclusive and cannot be combined with other offers and discounts. All prices are plus $697 Admin Fee, $380 Dealer Prep Fee, and applicable taxes, levies, and registration charges. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at 604.795.5771 or by visiting us at the dealership.
**OAC. Terms may vary. Monthly payments are only estimates derived from the vehicle price with a 72 month term, 4.9% interest and 20% downpayment.
"Must finance with VCI to qualify for the advertised price." — This will be the default unless the dealer requests that a different third-party credit lender is used instead of VCI.
*Number of views in last 30 days
† Based on 2019 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
Chilliwack Volkswagen is located in Chilliwack and serves as your British Columbia Volkswagen Dealer. Chilliwack Volkswagen is focused on ensuring all customers receive a premium Volkswagen experience.
If you are shopping for a New Volkswagen in our showroom you will find the Volkswagen Sales staff is courteous and professional. At Chilliwack Volkswagen, we carry the full Volkswagen line up. If you do not find the New Volkswagen of your choice then Chilliwack Volkswagen also carries an extensive Volkswagen Pre-owned inventory. Volkswagen Certified Pre-owned cars offer a level of performance, quality, and comfort that Volkswagen drivers have come to expect.
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44615 Yale Road W • Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H2Get Directions
Open Today! Sales: 8:30am-8pm
Open Today! Service: 8:30am-5pm
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text:
I have a special treat for you guys today, a tutorial on a character from the music and entertainment industry that is becoming quite popular. I decided to make this lesson on a chibi version of a female rapper that has a new hit song called 'Super Bass'. Today you will be learning "how to draw chibi Nicki Minaj", step by step. She is a talented hip hop artist that has an entertaining way of rapping. Even though her music isn't my style, a lot of people that come to Dragoart love her works. This chibi version of her is exactly what folks have been asking me for since last week. I already have a tutorial on a portrait of Nicki Minaj, and if you want to check that out you can find it in the portraits section or it may even be in the music category of Dragoart. This lesson is going to be very easy to tackle and complete because I didn't go crazy with outrageous detailing and definition. A good way to start the lesson is to look through each step first, and then go back to step one to begin the tutorial. When you familiarize yourself with what's to come, it's a whole lot easier to go about the task before you. I guess that's it guys, I will let you get busy with drawing chibi Nicki Minaj and when you're done let me know how you liked it. Peace out people and enjoy!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


text:
Labour's shadow minister for media, Helen Goodman, has slammed the government's handling of the 4G spectrum auction, claiming that repeated delays are costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds in lost revenue each year.
According to Goodman, the Labour Party had the auction ready to go in 2010, but the Coalition government decided it was not able to support Ofcom's sale of 4G spectrum in the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands at that time. The auction is currently scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Goodman, who is also MP for Bishop Auckland, said the auction could raise between £2 billion and £4 billion in capital, and generate about £300 million a year in licence fees. She expressed disappointment that it has taken the government 18 months to get on with the auction.
"At a time of deep cuts to the public sector the government is in effect losing almost £1 million of revenue a day," she said. "We will be one of the last major countries in Europe to get 4G coverage, which is shameful because Britain is one of the largest producers of mobile phone technology."
The auction was originally supposed to take place in 2008, but a legal challenge by T-Mobile and O2, demanding clarification of any refarming of the 2G bandwidth for 3G use, delayed the process. The auction has since been repeatedly set back, as Ofcom tries to devise a strategy for distributing spectrum without giving any network operator an unfair advantage.
Ofcom's latest consultation document on the 4G spectrum auction, published yesterday, aims to extend 4G coverage in areas of the UK where mobile signal is particularly poor, or non-existent. It also reveals that none of the 800MHz spectrum will be reserved for the UK's largest network operator Everything Everywhere.
Ofcom's first consultation document guaranteed that Everything Everywhere would get a portion of sub-1GHz spectrum, to ensure it could provide 4G services after the auction. However, it has since been brought to the regulator's attention that Everything Everywhere already holds a significant amount of spectrum at 1800MHz, which can also be used for 4G, so Ofcom has withdrawn the guarantee.
Everything Everywhere has voiced its dissatisfaction with the new proposal, claiming it puts the company at a competitive disadvantage to O2 and Vodafone, because 1800MHz is less suitable for 4G than 800MHz spectrum.
"Ofcom is missing a huge opportunity for the UK to address the imbalance in sub-1GHz spectrum holdings, which has damaged consumer interests for the past 20 years – and is a situation which is now threatening to continue," the company said in a statement.
Everything Everywhere's new strategy is to steal a march on other operators by launching 4G services in the 1800MHz band, (currently used for 2G), ahead of the auction later this year. The company has formally asked Ofcom for permission to refarm its 1800MHz spectrum for 4G services, and the regulator says it is considering this application.
Meanwhile, Everything Everywhere is preparing for its own auction. The operator is required to sell a quarter of its spectrum holding in the 1800MHz frequency band, in line with conditions imposed on it as part of the regulatory approval for the merger of Orange and T-Mobile in 2010.
According to a report the Financial Times, Everything Everywhere's auction could raise up to £400 million, which the operator intends to reinvest back into the mobile network.


text:
When you encounter a "Golden Girl" in your backyard, there's one thing to do: grab the camera.
The "Golden Girl," in this case, is an Italian honey bee (Apis mellifera liguistica), the most common honey bee in the United States.
Make that the world.
"Package producers prefer Italian bees because they can start the rearing process early and raise lots of bees to sell," writes beekeeper-editor-author Kim Flottum in his book, The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden.
Flottum, editor of Bee Culture magazine, goes on to say that commercial beekeepers especially like this trait when it comes to their bees pollinating early-season crops like almonds.
Then, too, Italian honey bees "produce and store lots of honey when there is ample forage and good flying weather," he writes.
There's still another good reason why beekeepers prefer the Italians: "they are not markedly protective of their hive," Flottum says. "Italians are quiet on the comb when you remove and examine frames; they do not swarm excessively, and they do not produce great amounts of propolis."
As for photographers preferring the Italians, these "Golden Girls" just stand out more so than the Carniolans and Caucasians, two other popular races.
Author - Communications specialist
Attached Images:


text:
Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Friday March 23, 2012 1:11 pm
Chrysler aims to deploy the Dodge Durango as the next SUV Police Cruiser
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Corporate News, Transportation
For years Ford has been the staple of law enforcement, so much so that instinctually my foot would hit the brake every time I saw a Crown Victoria in my rear view. But the Crown Vic is being sent to pasture, as a new era of police cruisers is upon us.
Chrysler has been on and off in producing a wanted cruiser. It's been over 40 years since the last great era of Chrysler vehicles being used regularly for law enforcement. Now Chrysler is back in the game. Departments nationwide have widely adapted the Dodge Charger as one of their own, alongside the Chevy Tahoe for those that need a larger cruiser. It seemed that the Tahoe was set to be the next Crown Vic, at least in the SUV-category of cruiser, but not if Chrysler has a say in it.
Chrysler has deployed its Dodge Durango to secure itself a spot in police departments across the U.S. This isn't frivolous attempt either, as the Durango has a lot going for it. It's range of travel is estimated to be 550 miles per fill up. The interior has been revamped with the officer in mind and, oddly enough, also for the perp in the back seat who has the option to control the rear HVAC. Departments will have the option of choosing their Durango with the Pentastar V6 or Hemi 8. We'd suggest the latter.
In all, we're excited to see this come to be. Not that we're excited to see them behind us, but more so a diverse cruiser selection for officers nationwide.
Read More | Autoblog
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|Female Celebrities
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|Short review: Were all obsessed with celebs, and nothing excites the public more than catching the stars showing a little skin. Whether its Paris Hiltons risqué cell phone pictures or Naomi Campbell caught bathing bare-breasted by the cameramen, we love a little peek at celeb individual parts. Female Celebrities gives you an uncensored peek at the stars of stage and screen. Youll get to see attractive bodies bared by the likes of Brooke Burke, Jennifer Lopez, and Demi Moore.


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Atex System
87 Place Drouet d'Erlon
Tel: + 33 (0)3 26 35 21 52
Fax: +33 (0)3 26 35 21 55
SARL au Capital de 83 000.00 €uros
N° TVA Intra FR 58441886199
For explosion-proof wall air conditioner, cooling and heating system to meet different requirements of low, medium and high temperature zones worldwide.
Measures to outdoor unit: by taking special technical and control, conduct explosion-proof treatment to internal control units, compressor, outdoor fan motor, protective system, cooling system, etc. Besides, explosion-proof control box and sensor system are coped with intrinsic safety.
The outline dimensions and installation are the same as the original ones after explosion-proof treatment. Rated voltage is AC220V/50Hz. other voltages are available, such as AC220V/60Hz, AC 230V/ 50Hz, AC230V/60Hz , AC240V/50Hz, AC240V/60Hz etc. please specify when ordering.


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Mar 26, 2011
The Muppet Madness Tournament 2011: Round 3
Greetings, Muppet fans! Here we are again, already time for Round 3 of The Muppet Madness Tournament 2011--or, the Regional, if you like sports or glee club competitions. The match-ups between Muppets is getting more and more intense! We now have two classic Frank Oz character variants pitted against each other... and we have Statler and Waldorf facing off against Scooter. How will it all go?! Well... once again, here are our predictions:
Character Variants
Alistair Cookie vs. Super Grover
Arguably the two most popular characters in this year's lineup, Alistair Cookie and Super Grover have been racking up record vote numbers since Round 1. It will be extremely interesting to see if their rampant fans continue coming out in full force to support them in the Regional. But who will win? Well, I've been calling for a Super Grover victory of the whole tournament, so my money is on the super monster who is furry, lovable, and cute, too. I suppose this race could go either way... but I find it hard to believe that the uber fan-favorite Super Grover could be beaten by Cookie Monster's Monsterpiece Theater character. Although, like I said last time, I've been wrong before!
Mr. Snuffleupagus vs. Mahna Mahna
Another hotly debated race. Snuffy and Mahna Mahna have been engaged in some of the most vocal and passionate competitions of this whole tournament. Snuffy's pull out over Cantus last round and Mahna Mahna's victory over the Doozers have solidified them both as heavy fan favorites. However, like always, Snuffy is heavier. I have to call a victory for Snuffy in this round. Yes, finally ready to prove he is so not imaginary by making it to the Final Four, Mr. Snuffleupagus will trounce Mahna Mahna. I'm sorry, Mahna Mahna fans... I just really don't think he can do doo do doo it.
Rizzo the Rat vs. The Penguins
Some of these matchups... it's like picking favorite children! (Obviously the one that runs a Muppet blog is always the favorite.) While Rizzo is one of my very favorites... the Penguins define Muppet randomness and zaniness! How will we choose?! I don't know about you... but I'll probably go back and forth voting for both. I suspect that most casual fans will vote for Rizzo, simply because of his history and characterization. The Penguins may be fantastic but they simply don't have the character or wit and charm of Rizzo. Sure, they're great for tossing around... but they can't bat the rat and that is that.
Statler and Waldorf vs. Scooter
Ladies and gentleman, the only matchup in the Regional that is completely one-sided! Unfortunately, Scooter just cannot stand up the might of Statler and Waldorf ("might" used here to mean overwhelming age). The two old geezers have the highest likelihood of going to the final round int he whole tournament. Poor Scooter just can't take that heat... No matter how much they may hate it (even though they probably secretly love it), I'm calling yet another all out victory for Statler and Waldorf.
And there you have it, Muppet fans! I guess we'll just have to see how it all plays out. Now... go vote! In this round only you'll be able to vote every 8 hours instead of 12. So what are you waiting for?! Hop on over to http://muppetfans.com/tournament and make your vote count!
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier
1 comment:
- Casey DaronSunday, March 27, 2011 at 7:28:00 AM CDT
Sad to see Cantus lose. :-(ReplyDelete
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National and State Personnel Data
Institute for Education Sciences, National Center for Education Sciences Releases Condition of Education 2011The Condition of Education 2011 summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report includes 50 indicators on the status and condition of education.
Teacher/Personnel Shortage Areas Nationwide Listing 1990-91 thru 2011-12
The nationwide Teacher Shortage Area (TSA) lists for the 2011-12 school years has been released by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. View a summary chart here.
National/state Data on Special Education Personnel
The website www.ideadata.org presents the most recent state-reported data available. It is collected annually by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs as required under Section 618 of IDEA, and reported to Congress. This information includes numbers of high qualified and non-highly qualified special education teachers and paraprofessionals, as well as fully qualified and non-fully qualified related service providers, by state.
National Center for Education Statistics
The website http://nces.ed.gov contains data related to education in the United States and in other nations. Two databases, SASS and IPEDS, have information related to working conditions and retention rates in schools, along with university programs' production rates of special education-related personnel.
Title 2 Reporting – Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
The website http://title2.ed.gov contains all of the teacher preparation reports from each state for the past five years, including the number of person who completed programs and passed the state teacher examination in teaching special populations, per preparation program and including alternative route programs.
National Center for Education Statistics Releases Projections of Education Statistics
This edition of Projections of Education Statistics provides projections for enrollment, graduates, teachers and expenditures in elementary and secondary public and private schools, as well as post secondary institutions. Included are national data on enrollment in higher education teacher preparation programs and their graduates for the past 15 years and projections to the year 2019.
State Surveys of Special Education Personnel:
California's Teaching Force: Issues and Trends, 2008
This report provides the latest available data and analysis of California's teaching workforce and examines the preparation, induction and professional development of teachers, including special education teachers.
Illinois's Supply and Demand Trends for Teachers and Other Related Personnel: 2000-2008
Reports for the years 2000 through 2008 are available online and address supply and demand trends for teachers and other education personnel.
Minnesota's Supply and Demand Trends: January 2009
The most recent report, which addresses supply and demand trends for teachers, is available online for the 2008 year.
New York's Supply and Demand Trends, 2006
The most recent report, which addresses supply and demand trends for teachers, is available online for the 2006 year.
Oklahoma's Teacher and Other Related Education Personnel Supply and Demand Study
Reports for the years 1998 and 2002 are available online and address supply and demands for teachers as well as other education personnel.
Oregon Special Education Recruitment and Retention Project, 2002
Survey Results: Findings Related to Recruiting Special Education Personnel
Wisconsin's Supply and Demand Reports
Annual Supply and Demand Reports may be of interest to educators, prospective educators, job-seekers, parents, education employers, educational administrators, researchers, and educational policymakers in Wisconsin. The Supply and Demand Report also fulfills the reporting requirements of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.


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Azamara® Appoints New Managing Director For The Uk And Ireland
MIAMI, Dec. 6, 2013 – Azamara has appointed Richard Twynam as its first ever managing director in the UK and Ireland. Twynam will lead a new 10-strong team dedicated to the destination immersive cruise line. Twynam brings almost 20 years of experience in the travel industry with him, having held senior positions at companies such as Air New Zealand, Tui UK, Virgin Holidays Cruises and Kuoni UK.
The appointment follows a decision earlier this year by parent company RCL Cruises Ltd to evolve its UK and Ireland business structure in response to business growth. Beginning January 1, 2014, there will be three dedicated businesses, however Twynam will continue to work in partnership with Stuart Leven, manager director Royal Caribbean International and Jo Rzymowska, managing director Celebrity Cruises.
"The UK and Ireland market continues to be one of the largest and most important for Azamara and is going from strength to strength," said Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara. "We are excited to welcome Richard Twynam to lead this evolution as we continue to grow and invest in our business in the UK. Now is a really exciting time for the business as the expansion continues."
Supporting Twynam as commercial director is David Duff, formerly commercial planning and analysis for RCL Cruises Ltd. Duff is joined by a business analyst and an air and inventory team member. The new commercial team will aid agents in planning pricing, itineraries and strengthen the brand among British and Irish travelers.
In addition, Twynam will oversee a three-strong sales team and a marketing communications and PR manger. The sales and marketing team will be supported by a trade marketing executive, the first time the cruise line has enjoyed this level of agent focus in the UK and Ireland.
Azamara offers distinct destination-immersive experiences for up-market travelers. The cruise line uniquely features voyages with longer stays and more overnights at ports to provide guests the opportunity to experience night touring at some of the most compelling destinations of Europe, Asia, South America, West Indies, as well as Central and North America. On board the intimate Azamara Journey andAzamara Quest, guests receive exceptional and personal service and the cruise line's authentic, exclusive and bespoke AzAmazing Eveningsevents that showcase the unexpected colors and flavors of a destination.Guests also enjoy fine cuisine and boutique wines from around the world, as well as more inclusive amenities, such as included gratuities; complimentary bottled water, sodas, specialty coffee, and teas, as well as complimentary boutique wines, international beers and select standard spirits in the ships' bars, lounges and restaurants when open; complimentary self-service laundry; English Butler service for suite guests; and shuttle transportation to city centers in ports, where available.
For more information, travelers can call their travel professional, dial 1-877-999-9553, or visit www.AzamaraClubCruises.com. Connect with Azamara on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AzamaraClubCruises, on Twitter @AzamaraVoyages or follow President and CEO @LarryPimentel. Travel agent professionals can access more information and make reservations at www.CruisingPower.com.
Azamara is a brand of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSX: RCL), a global cruise vacation company that also owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, and CDF Croisières de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venture. Together, the six brands operate a combined total of 41 ships with four under construction. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 460 destinations on all seven continents.