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Promote comfortable and healthy living for your customers with our furniture tests
A high level of quality and safety in the interior furnishings of your customers will greatly increase their home comfort. Our experts carry out testing and certification services for all types of furniture, from commercial office furnishings to kitchen cabinets, bathroom furniture, and beyond—even laboratory and workshop furniture.
We conduct product testing in accordance with national and international standards before issuing various test marks, such as the GS mark for certified safety (Geprüfte Sicherheit), our TOXPROOF quality seal and other certificates for harmful substances. This allows you to document the safety and quality of your furniture with full transparency for your customers, while at the same time conforming to all applicable test standards for interior furnishings.
You want to have your furniture products tested and certified? Contact us to arrange a meeting with our experts.
Get a decisive competitive advantage by testing and certifying your furniture products
As an independent third party, our testing and certification procedures are the best way for you to demonstrate your furniture's safety and reliability. This helps to boost the confidence of your customers in the quality of your products and provides them with additional guidance in their purchasing decisions.
Furthermore, we will incorporate your products into the Certipedia platform, our online database of certificates, once they have been certified. This entry is another way of increasing the visibility of your furniture's certified quality.
Use our quality and safety tests for any type of furniture
All tests are conducted in accordance with the current national and international standards for interior furnishings, for example: DIN, EN, RAL GZ 430, NEN, NF, BS, or ANSI/BIFMA. For every testing program with a certification order, you will receive a comprehensive test report along with your certificate. Our experts are capable to conduct the following tests:
- Technical furniture tests: strength, durability, shock resistance, structural stability
- Mechanical and electrical safety test
- Material and surface tests
- Ergonomic and functional testing, evaluation
- Fitness for use
- Inspection of assembly instructions user manuals, and product information
- Sensory testing
- Testing and analysis for contaminants and harmful substances, such as RAL-UZ 38 or the German "Blauer Engel" (Blue Angel) environmental label
- Hygiene tests, assessments and reports, - IT for instance for kitchen and bathroom furnishings
- Life cycle tests and ageing tests
- Microbiological tests and assessments - for example, material resistance to bacteria and fungi
- VOC and Formaldehyde emission testing
- Sustainability
Count on the persuasiveness of an independent third party
Thanks to our cooperation with international institutes and organizations, you can take advantage of our longstanding experience and proven competence as well as short testing times. In other words, we provide holistic solutions from a single source.
Furthermore, we are members of national and international furniture committees such as the European Committee for Standardization (Technical Committees CEN TC 207) and ISO TC 136.
As a result of these memberships, we are involved in the development of new as well as existing standards. That means our specialists are always up-to-date and closely involved in rapidly changing markets. This in turn bolsters their professional expertise and informs their work on a daily basis, a fact that is clearly reflected in our comprehensive testing.
Contact us now for more information on furniture testing and certification!
You want to learn more about furniture testing and certification? We have collected and answered the most frequently asked questions on this topic.
As a manufacturer, why should I have my furniture tested on harmful substances?
The well-being of your customers can be compromised by unpleasant odors, contaminants, or other environmentally harmful substances coming from your furniture. By certifying your products with our mark for pollutant testing, you can demonstrate your high quality standards while offering your customers additional guidance in their purchasing decisions.
Which substances are tested in the furniture?
The contaminants to be examined depend on the test object at hand. Our specialists are intimately familiar with the different standards and requirements for each piece of furniture. With our service, you can be sure that your product is free from harmful substances and toxic contaminants.
What type of test marks are available for me to certify my furniture as tested for harmful substances?
You can have your furniture certified with our "TÜV Rheinland Tested for Harmful Substances" and "LGA Tested for Harmful Substances" marks. Since there are no legal limits for pollutant emissions from furniture, our certification marks close the gap between a lack of legislation and end-user expectations. They include demands that go beyond existing legal requirements.
How can I certify mattresses and polyurethane foam as contaminant-tested?
Likewise, we can certify mattresses and polyurethane foam products with our in-house LGA certification mark. The emissions testing procedures at TÜV Rheinland LGA Products GmbH focus on the measurement of pollutant emissions from flexible foams and their end products. These tests are designed to verify that your products contain only minimal traces of carcinogens, mutagens, and reprotoxic substances as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the form of total VOC (TVOC) .
Is it possible to have TÜV Rheinland certify the quality of individual furniture components, materials, or fittings?
Yes, it is possible with our "LGA-tested quality" certification mark. Indeed, the quality of furniture as a whole is integrally dependent on its vendor parts, materials, and components. The use of pre-tested, certified furniture components is therefore an important aspect of quality management and a helpful tool to maintain documentary proof of heightened quality and product safety standards for furniture with the GS mark and the TÜV Rheinland Q-mark.
What are the benefits of testing and certifying my products for harmful substances?
By certifying your furniture with our test marks, you have a documented proof that they meet a higher standard of quality and product safety for furniture along with their component parts. In addition, testing and quality certificates from a neutral appraiser and independent third party are an invaluable aid to furniture manufacturers looking for the best choice of vendor parts. And finally, the inspection of mattresses and foams for pollutants provides consumers with the assurance of safety—for a relaxing, healthy night's sleep.
What types of furniture does TÜV Rheinland test and certify?
Our specialists test and certify all types of furniture:
- Office and commercial furnishings
- Furniture for educational institutions
- Children's furniture
- Bedroom furniture
- Upholstery furniture
- Kitchen furniture
- Bathroom furniture
- Household furnishings
- Outdoor furniture
- Laboratory furnishings
- Workshop furniture
Your question is not listed here? Do not hesitate to contact us! We are happy to help.


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Marketing your image, brand, products and/or services with fresh video productions may be just what your organization needs to weather the current economic storm. Video presentations that candidly address topics such as financial stability and current strategies could help put investors, customers and employees at ease. Now is the time to present a message of impassioned, optimistic and sincere values that will inspire confidence both within and outside your company's arena.
As Woody Hayes the famed OSU coach once said, "You win with people". The people in your organization are its greatest assets. Their passion and pride for their work, along with their expertise and inside knowledge about your products, services and brands are the high octane fuel that can give your videos some real horsepower.
A documentary style video, featuring real people expressing real life experiences and knowledge, is an effective way to highlight your organization's culture, values, strengths and uniqueness. This type of "humanized" video presentation connects with audiences in passionate, memoriable ways that a voice-over laiden, mumbo jumbo production simply cannot.
Many businesses have a long colorful history that often includes stories of an innovative founder and/or humble beginnings. A documentary film that explores the company's history through first-hand, retrospective accounts and historical photos, videos, documents, etc., would be a great way to promote your company's image and brand for years to come.
Whether producing documentaries, television commercials or videos for corporate communications, investor relations, marketing, sales, tradeshow presentations or employee training, my goals are the same: to create interesting images with an attention to detail and to edit those images into a precise, streamlined, well paced presentation that will keep viewers engaged. Experience and creativity make a big difference when it comes time to put it all together.
If you do have upcoming film or video production plans or would like to explore ideas, contact Greg Wolske at Lasso Productions.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Fresh corporate promotional videos could help put investors, customers and employees at ease in tough times.
Labels: corporate video, documentary, employees are greatest assets, film, investor relations, woody hayes, you win with people
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subset: commoncrawl


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freemexy: Foil cutting machine with part length measurement
Foil cutting machine with part length measurement
Foil cutting machine with part length measurement
ROBUST is specialized in slitting machines and winding technology. The product range includes roll slitting and winding machines, lengthwise slitting and cross cutting machines as well as machines for laminating, coating and gluing. In ROBUST cutting machines, ELOVIS length measuring systems ensure that the length accuracy is maintained and that the measurement results are 100% documented. In the application described here, the SLM discrete part length measuring system measures transparent, optical foil format sheets for displays and monitors with high precision over length.cut to length machine for sale
Typical application data:
Measurement of foil formats after cutting, before sorting / packaging
Production speeds: typically up to 1 pcs/sec or 20m/min
Cutting system without SLM system: only random sample inspection possible, accuracy: +/- 0.5mm/m
100% measurement with non-contact length measurement SLM, typical accuracy: 0.2mm/m
Amortization: 2 months, integration of the measuring system into Weerth Anlagentechnik
Material examples:
Foil formats, foil plates
Foil thickness: from 100 µm to 500 µm
Foil size: up to 1200 mm x 2050 mm
Foil-Material: PE, PUR, PVC, …
ROBUST machines, which are extended by non-contact length measurement:
Longitudinal and cross / format cutting machines
Roll cutting and winding machines
Cutting machines for the photo voltaic industry
Cutting machines for the timber and furniture industry
Winding and rewinding systems
Core cutting machines
Coating and laminating systems


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Verena Schoepf
Verena is 34 years old and lives in Perth, Western Australia. Her fascination with marine life began when she was only a little girl.
"We can only care for something when we are aware of its importance." As a little girl her fascination for the ocean began as she started snorkelling in the Mediterranean sea and chasing the waves. Nowadays Verena is a Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia and strongly believes the important responsibility scientist have to communicate how climate and environmental change impacts the ocean and what we can do about it. Today she shares her story.
What is your earliest memory of the ocean?
We used to go on family vacations in Italy when I was a little girl. I would spend all day playing with my siblings, building sandcastles and chasing waves. My love for the ocean only grew stronger when I started to read books by the Austrian marine biologist and underwater pioneer Hans Hass. All the following vacations I'd be snorkelling in the ocean for hours and dreaming of pursuing a career in marine sciences.
And so here you are, with a career in marine sciences. What does the ocean mean to you today?
I indeed ended up pursuing a career in marine science and now I spend my days studying how coral reefs are affected by climate and environmental change. An important component of my work is to raise awareness for the many threats that coral reefs face today and how they are putting the future of these fascinating eco-systems at stake. But the ocean also plays a huge role in my personal life. I feel deeply connected to nature when I'm near the ocean so I've always dreamed of living close to the ocean. I finally managed to do so when I moved to Australia and I consider myself very lucky to be able to go the ocean whenever I want.
What changes have you witnessed in the ocean?
Over the course of my short lifetime, coral reefs have entered an unprecedented period of decline worldwide due to a number of natural and man-made stressors, such as overfishing, water pollution, climate change and ocean acidification. In the early 1990's, when I went snorkelling for the first time in my life, not even coral reef scientists would have guessed that a global coral reef crisis was looming. Only three decades later, coral reefs have already been devastated by several global mass bleaching events caused by ocean warming and marine heatwaves.
From 2014 to 2016, the third global mass bleaching impacted coral reefs all around the world and this was actually the first time that I witnessed mass bleaching first hand. The first time was while visiting Hawaii and then on the coral reefs in Australia. I was actually studying naturally heat-resistant coral communities, but the heatwave was so intense that even these communities bleached severely. It was devastating to me to see how the healthy, colourful reefs turned ghostly white, died and became overgrown with algae.
"It was devastating to me to see how the healthy, colourful reefs turned ghostly white, died and became overgrown with algae."
And how do these changes in the ocean affect you?
In contrast to many other Ocean Witnesses and the numerous communities that depend on the ocean for their livelihood, I am fortunate that these changes have no direct impact on my livelihood. But as my work continues to highlight the threat of climate change to coral reefs, and the ongoing decline of these ecosystems, I am deeply saddened and concerned about these changes and the future of coral reefs. And of course, coral reefs are by far not the only marine ecosystems that are threatened by ocean change…
And what do you do to ensure the future of the reefs?
I am passionate about raising awareness for the predicament coral reefs are in and communicating the findings from my research to the general public. We can only care for something when we are aware of its importance. So I believe that scientists today have an increasingly important responsibility to communicate how climate and environmental change impacts the ocean and what we can do about it. For example, I had the unique opportunity to serve as ship-based outreach officer during a Schmidt Ocean Institute research cruise which allowed me to write daily blog articles and social media updates and conduct online "live" tours to connect scientists and the general public so they can see science in action. And I also participated in the documentary series "Ocean Heroines" which highlighted the important work female marine scientists all around the world do. I also often write articles for science communication websites, have given numerous interviews to various media outlets about the impacts of climate change on coral reefs and I recently gave a TEDx talk about the future of coral reefs. Finally, I also believe that social media can play a huge role in raising awareness and therefore maintain an active Twitter account.
"We can only care for something when we are aware of its importance. So I believe that scientists today have an increasingly important responsibility to communicate how climate and environmental change impacts the ocean and what we can do about it."
In 2030, what does the ocean look like according to you?
I have to admit that I am worried that the decline of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems will continue unabatedly over the next decades… but at the same time, I am also hopeful because more and more people are concerned about the state of our oceans and want to do something about it, all in their own capacity. From individuals organizing beach clean ups, to fishermen changing their practices to more sustainable oceans and to people advocating for better protection of 'their' ocean and governments effectively managing Marine Protected Areas. This is key because our actions over the next 10-20 years will be absolutely critical and determine the trajectories of marine ecosystems, whether their degradation will continue or whether we will be able to slow down their decline and start on the path of recovery towards a more sustainable future.
Thanks for sharing your story; you're an Ocean Witness now! What do you want to say to other Ocean Witnesses?
We all need to work together to save the ocean and reverse the negative trends that we're seeing everywhere. We need more ocean witnesses because it is through these personal stories that we can truly understand the impacts that ocean change has on communities and marine ecosystems. The combined impacts of many small actions cannot be underestimated – and we can all be ambassadors of change.
"It is through personal stories that we can truly understand the impact that ocean change has on communities and marine ecosystems."
Verena Schoepf is 34 years old and lives in Perth, Western Australia. Her fascination with marine life began when she was only a little girl: snorkelling and chasing the waves of the Mediterranean Sea on family vacations. Today, she is a Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia and Program Co-leader in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. She is a first hand witness to the decline of coral reefs. You can read more about her research and media publications on www.verenaschoepf.com.


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One of the most frequent problems associated with orthodontic treatment is the development of sores or blisters on the cheek, lips and gums. Fortunately most of these minor irritations can be resolved relatively easily and quickly. Often times, it is simply a matter of getting used to new appliances in the mouth. Orthodontic wax (or even better, sugarless gum) can be applied over the wire or the brace that is causing the discomfort. Eventually the soft tissues will adapt and the soreness will disappear.
A specific type of sore—called a canker sore-- can develop inside the mouth as small white or gray areas that have a red border. These are not contagious but are often painful, the cause is unknown (although trauma is often suspected), they can occur in multiple locations, and they are frequently aggravated by spicy and acidic foods. Canker sores usually heal on their own after a week or two. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics and antimicrobial mouthrinses may provide temporary relief.
Another type of sore—called a cold sore or fever blister—can also appear as clusters of red, raised blisters outside the mouth, typically around the lips, although they can also appear on tissues inside the mouth. These blisters are filled with fluid, are highly contagious and can scab over until they heal. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus in which the initial infection can be accompanied by cold and flu like symptoms. Once you are infected, the virus stays in the body causing occasional flare-ups with these associated sores and blisters. These sores and blisters can also be quite painful but usually heal up within a week. Over-the-counter topical anesthetics can provide some pain relief. In severe cases, your dentist or orthodontist may prescribe antiviral drugs to reduce the healing time.


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Natural & Organic
Go back to basics with gorgeousshop\'s selection of organic skin care and body care products. Men and women are increasingly using natural skin care to ensure their skin is free from nasties and these organic remedies work wonders. Choose from our leading organic brands like Inlight Organic to heal your skin the natural way.Read more


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Many may equate a lifestyle lived entirely self-contained or self-sufficiently with preppers, rural communities, on farmlands, or due to location such as in the Alaskan bush. Actually, it may be by choice to downsize, seek a healthier lifestyle, or live fully self-contained.
The lifestyle of bypassing modern conveniences to be a modern pioneer or homesteader can be in any setting, as it's a mindset.
Many 21st century people, who may be seeking independence from government interference, or just want to free themselves from any dependence on their supplies coming from the bigbox and commercial chain stores, do not have to be off grid to use traditional pioneer skills to live a healthy and simple kind of life.
Here are some traditional skills that any modern day homesteader can utilize in making themselves more self-sufficient and in control of their materials, supplies, workmanship, and food sources, and in some cases ultimate survival.
We will look at a quick overview of how each old-time skill was used by the pioneers for clean living, homemade quality, and satisfying craftsmanship in their day-to-day survival.
There is no greater sense of accomplishment than making or providing for your family by hands-on know-how. When it comes down to survival situations, these are 35 pioneer skills that will help you survive.
1. Being your own blacksmith
For pioneers, the blacksmith was essential. Blacksmiths fashioned and repaired everything from the farm equipment, carriage equipment, cooking implements, household items like irons, fishing equipment, wheels, and most important: the horseshoe. He was valued by farmers, shop owners, and business that needed transporters alike.
2. Planting a garden
A garden was the biggest source of food besides hunting, and each Pioneer needed a garden. The garden and its care were tantamount for survival, as it produced food, medicine, dyes, herbs, spices, fragrances, animal feed and even bedding for animal and human alike.
The key to careful living, and living well was a well-tended garden, Pioneers studied European and even Native American methods for the utmost output.
3. Milking your own cows
The Pioneers raised many breeds of cattle. The males could be worked with plows and used to pull wagons if necessary, and the cows could be used for milk, cream, or meat. Actually, Pioneers drank little milk due to no pasteurization, storage, and weather, so most of the cream was used for butter.
4. Tending your own chickens
Chickens are cheap to feed and keep, and a fast resource of valuable protein and meat. Optimizing your egg output by care and feeding would help the pioneers in daily food output and using their bedding and waste helped keep the gardens fresh with compost. Older hens not producing can be used for the cookpot.
5. Make your own drinks
Besides water, you had to brew or mix any drinks from raw materials. Even simple tea was a process. When soda shops popped up, it was a novelty and only available at the shop by a soda jerk.
6. Handling your own waste needs
With people and animals producing pounds of it every day, knowing how to manage your waste and make it work for you on a farm is a good skill to have. The Pioneers, well the fancy townsfolk later on, had some of the first indoor plumbing and toilets.
7. Making your own candles
In a nonelectric time, using tallow or beeswax to make candles meant light past the setting of the sun.
8. Knowing how to wood build
In Pioneer times, houses were made of hewn logs and with no nails, they used wooden pins to hold them in place, and special cuts in the wood to lock them together.
9. Knowing how to build a canoe
Without cars, traveling by canoe was faster than horses in many ways. Knowing how to construct a canoe from branches and hides, or do a dug-out canoe provided transportation for 1-4 people, maybe more.
10. Knowing how to sew
When you wove your cloth, the next step was sewing. Any clothing for work or daily wear was made by sewing.
A seamstress, or home sewer, was a highly valued skilled person and for many Pioneer ladies, the only presentable way to make a living if a widow or unmarried maid.
11. Knowing how to barter
Bartering is a skill that can make your life a whole lot easier by providing goods and services you need.
12. Knowing how to can your foods
Canning foods was a main preparation for making it through the winter and food storage. This was one of the only ways to have fruit and vegetables off season.
13. Knowing how to preserve your meat
Meat preservation was the only way to ensure meat for the winter besides. Salting, drying, pickling, curing, pemmican, jerky, and sausages are forms of preserving meat.
14. Knowing how to set snares
The cheapest and easiest way to trap animals, snares have been around since the cavedwellers. To get fur and meat for the table or trade, snares helped immensely.
15. Knowing how to bake
Bread is a main sustenance even today in many countries, and baking helped feed Pioneers by adding grains and a variety of food to the table. Baking includes heat, frying, or ground methods.
16. Knowing how to start a fire
When there were no matches, fire making, and starting fires was a life skill for survival. Pioneers would borrow fire from a neighbor if theirs ran out.
17. Knowing how to harvest seeds
Seed saving and making selective choices by the Pioneers insured the next harvest and garden, and has been the traditional way farms have been maintained for over 12,000 years. Pioneers bartered and traded seeds for biodiversity to keep strains strong.
18. Knowing how to catch fish
The knowledge in catching fish to plump protein stores meant knowing how to snare, trap, spear, and hook them. The Pioneers used cleaning with proper preservation to store fish, add to their food supply, and as a bartering material.
19. Doing your own gathering of fruit
The Pioneers had to hunt and collect berries and fruits for jams, jellies, dyes, drying, storage, and baking needs.
20. Working on leather
Leatherworking from animal hides was needed for clothing and gear. Working items like harnesses needed proper preparation, sewing, and tanning for it to have quality, longevity, and value.
21. Knowing how to weave
Colonial America introduced spinning, dyeing, and weaving to Indians who traditionally finger wove. Learning to weave provided cloth for trade and home weaving was a currency.
22. Being able to plant an orchard
The pioneers and colonists reconstituted the fruit and apple orchards of England for fresh use, culinary preparations, drying, ciders, meads, and alcohols.
23. Being able to raise livestock
Animals meant the difference between survival or starvation in Pioneer times. They could work, be bartered, or even slaughtered. Being able to raise them from breeding and fattening a herd meant success and wealth.
24. Caring for your livestock
Knowing how to properly care for the animals meant your survival, as that was your wealth and your workforce in Pioneer times. Proper feed, care, and rest went into these workers.
25. Doing your own beekeeping
Bees are crucial to pollinate crops, produce wax, and provide a high energy, natural sweetener in honey. Phoenicians kept bees, but the Pioneers started making movable comb hives so they could protect the bees.
26. Making your own soap
Soap was of great value to colonial people from peasant to peddler for its versatility, cleaning properties, and bartering value. Using animal fat from butchering, usually once a year as an event in fall, the Colonists revolutionized the potash soap and lye recipe brought from England.
27. Making your own beer
Native Americans were the first to brew beer by using corn, teaching the early European Settlers and Virginian colonists. Almost every culture in civilization used some form of beer to drink, celebrate, and barter with.
28. Building your own well
Instead of being primitive, many hand-dug wells are considered works of amazing engineering and have reached over 80 feet deep to supply cool, fresh water. Pioneers also used materials such as stones and wood, brick and early mortar.
29. Being able to butcher your own meat
Knowing how to use every part of an animal, its fat, and hide were crucial to a family. They all pitched in to help, and saved every scrap for sausages, pemmican, and kidney pie. Hides, fat, bones, tallow, brains to tan with, even the sinew were collected.
Making your own pemmican from meat 18th century style:
30. Knowing how to forage
An important skill to collect food, medicine, herbs, moss and berries, especially for winter stores, passed down generationally.
31. Knowing how to compost
Collecting matter to enrich and fertilize soil for more abundant crops for food production and soil care.
32. Knowing the best ways to hunt
Hunting was the single most source of protein for the Pioneers and the biggest food producer. Fur was a big trade item and a main profession during the winter for survival.
33. Knowing how to use the sun to collect water
Utilizing condensation at night, and using materials with the hot sun to induce water is a must.
34. Being able to identify edible plants
Pioneers passed identification skills down so each generation could collect food, medicine, remedies, animal feed, and barter materials to survive.
35. Being able to make primitive weapons
Hunting with bows, arrows, spears, bolos, powder guns, atlatls enables the collection of meat and in some instances defense of one's home and farm.
Many of these skills, people may take on as a passion or hobby. But in the pioneer days, you needed to know as many as you could for survival.
The same can foretell successful independent living for the modern day homesteader and self-sufficient lifestylist when he learns these 35 skills.


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We believe Tim (Tebow) could make a fantastic contribution to the Ohkay Casino management team.
Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico (PRWEB) May 07, 2013
There is a job waiting for Tim Tebow in the Southwest and it is his for the asking. Ohkay Hotel Casino, situated on the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico, has offered the NFL star a position on their team in the newly created role of CWO or "Chief Winning Officer". The casino hotel has reached out to Mr. Tebow's management at William Morris Endeavor in an attempt to negotiate a deal.
"We believe Tim could make a fantastic contribution to the Ohkay Casino management team," remarked Steve Penhall, Ohkay Casino General Manager. "Tim has a fantastic attitude and work ethic, he is charismatic and driven to win. Most importantly though, is admired by our guests and people the world over. Tim likes to win and our guests like to win. Those are the qualities we need here, and we believe Tim can fill this role nicely."
As CWO, Mr. Tebow would be the face of the casino hotel and principle liaison with the casino's guests. He would serve as the master planner for all types of entertainment and guest activities at Ohkay Casino and he would ensure that all of the social and promotional events are coordinated properly, ensuring that they are all having a winning and enjoyable experience. Most importantly though, Mr. Tebow would assure that Ohkay Hotel Casino continues to be the friendliest hotel casino in New Mexico.
The Ohkay Hotel Casino is located halfway between historic Santa Fe and Taos on State Road 68 and is proudly owned and operated by Ohkay Owingeh. Dedicated to providing our guests with an exceptional gaming and entertainment experience, Ohkay Hotel Casino includes over 600 slots, 4 table games, a 101 room non-smoking hotel, 3 dining outlets, a night club and the 12,000 square feet conference center offers an outstanding venue for entertainment, receptions, trade shows, meetings, presentations and seminars. For more information please call 877-747-1668 or visit us online at http://www.Ohkay.com.


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PDS are a family run business that holds a full international operator's license and all of our trucks are fitted with tachographs.
We work with Prestige & High Performance Vehicles. i.e. Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Lotus and Porsche, just to name a few. Also we are fully BMW and Mercedes Approved.
PDS offer an excellent corporate delivery service, where you will liaise with one of our friendly office team from the start of the booking to the end of the successful delivery to your customer.
Jonathan says: "The service and professionalism at PDS is of the highest order, I am proud to work for such a proactive family business".


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July 9, 2010 Posted by admin in Behind The Scenes, Events
PRS reviews live music fees
Innovative promoters and event organisers have been instrumental in pushing the revenue boom of the live music sector. Chairman of the Performing Right Society/PRS for Music Ellis Rich applauded this success, stating "British music has thrived and remains popular across the globe." However, the organisation's proposals to increase its share of the ticket sale booty is causing concern within the live music sector. Sat Bal (9 Jul 10)


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2013-01: There are now two flavors: the Classic/Desktop (outdated) and the Mobile/Fluid magic-mushrooms.net.
2012-12: Check out the new web sites by Dikkie: Guts Up! (Scream and shout and let it out) & Fotoquiz (Language game).
2012-06: Check out the new research section.
2011-09: Magic mushrooms may cause personality change. See the research section.
2011-08: Check out the new video section.
Just wanted to compliment you on the wonderful site [ magic mushrooms net / dikkie ]
you have. Thanks for the many links. I will put your
site on mine in a few days. Thanks for bringing this site to he public.
Mushroom John Allen
MagicMushrooms.net is one of the most thorough websites in existence on the subject of Psilocybe mushrooms. Bookmark this website now for future reference and further study.
James Arthur (Author of: Mushrooms and Mankind; the Impact of Mushrooms on Human Consciousness and Religion )
Testing game, learn a language
Scream and Shout and Let It Out!
Forum with topics like Psychonautic News and Research, Psilocybe Mushrooms, Salvia Divinorum, Cannabis, more
On line book about magic magic mushrooms by Luc Sala and others. Brought exclusively to you by magic mushrooms net.
Psilocybin mushrooms are fungi that contain psychoactive indole alkaloids. There are multiple colloquial terms for psilocybin mushrooms ....
Shop for legal highs, psychoactive herbals, mushroom spores and grow kits
Post your feedback, trip report or ask questions about any aspect of magic mushrooms
1000 plus photographs of magic mushrooms, information about more than 55 different species of magic mushrooms
The most compact internet-datasheet about shrooms I have found
Entheogenic Database & Community
Mega mushroom site created to provide information related to psychedelic mushrooms, so that people can make intelligent, informed decisions about what they put in their bodies.
Information on all aspects of Magic Mushrooms from www.erowid.org, one of the largest internet archives on psychoactives.
A revamped project by Dikkie: web site about ayurveda (life knowledge), the acient knowledge from India that will keep you happy and healthy
Shop for magic mushroom books, psychedelic music and DVDs. Powered by Amazon USA
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Scream and Shout and Let It Out!


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By Tom Arnold
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Accused of spying on its BlackBerry subscribers' emails, Etisalat is facing a rising chorus of disapproval from its customers.
Accused of spying on its BlackBerry subscribers' emails, Etisalat is facing a rising chorus of disapproval from customers demanding answers from the embattled UAE telecoms operator.When Kalyan Charan downloaded a piece of software from Etisalat onto his BlackBerry smartphone he received a nasty shock.
Instead of the performance enhancement Etisalat promised Charan the patch would provide, the software had exactly the opposite effect on his handset.
"My phone started overheating," explained a distinctly unimpressed Charan in a post on ArabianBusiness.com.
"All my calls to 101 [Etisalat's customer helpline] were put on hold for eternity and then disconnected, then eventually my LCD screen burnt out from the heat the patch was generating," he added.
Charan was just one of several hundred BlackBerry subscribers left frustrated after downloading the "performance enhancement patch" issued by the UAE telecoms provider at the start of July only to find it led to problems, not least, severely sapping the battery life of handsets.
At the time, state-controlled Etisalat said the software it issued to its 145,000 BlackBerry subscribers was designed to improve coverage for users moving from 3G to 2G network coverage areas within the UAE.
But frustration among BlackBerry users turned to anger as various software and telecom security experts concluded that Etisalat's claims about the application were false and that it was, in fact, a surveillance patch, enabling the operator to intercept emails sent from the smartphone.
Online message boards were inundated with irate customers venting their fury with Etisalat, while the controversy of the spyware scandal even spawned a catchy song at the operator's expense posted on YouTube.
"This is a total invasion of privacy by Etisalat. I wonder who or what inspired this? Are they trying to tie us down?," said Jeny Michaels, an angry BlackBerry subscriber, in a post on ArabianBusiness.com.
"Moreover, we have critical corporate data on our BlackBerry which we now are unsure is safe or not."
The problems deepened for Etisalat when handset partner and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) added its weight to the spyware allegations in a statement on July 17, claiming that the operator appeared to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application without the Canadian firm's knowledge.
"Under such circumstances, independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorised access to private or confidential information stored on the user's smartphone," read the statement.
For its part, Etisalat has kept its response to the accusations to a minimum but it has repeated its insistence that the Java-based software was to aid 2G to 3G handovers.
This patch is not for spying," Abdulla Hashim, vice president of enterprise solutions for Etisalat, told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview on July 23.
"The patch was needed to improve performance on the Blackberry coverage.
"Etisalat has 3G and 2G networks and this [the patch] was to enhance the handover from 3G to 2G when people are moving around the UAE as 3G is not 100 percent. 3G is 97 percent coverage."
Hashim's comments contradict RIM's assertion that it was "not aware of any technical network concerns with the performance of BlackBerry smartphones on Etisalat's network in the UAE."
Asked if Etisalat regretted issuing the patch, Hashim said: "We don't feel happy as we were hoping it [the patch] would improve things but it caused problems, despite testing.
"But we don't regret the intention of what we tried to achieve. Whenever we find software to enhance the performance of a mobile device and improve customer experience we will issue it. It is our duty to improve network performance."
The firm, he said, had since stopped issuing the patch.
BlackBerry subscribers, however, remain unconvinced by Etisalat's insistence the patch was not a surveillance application.
"You'll be telling us the world is flat next and at the centre of the universe," read a sarcastic post by a BlackBerry user on ArabianBusiness.com.When Arabian Business contacted Hashim three days later he said Etisalat could not comment further on the patch.
Repeated requests for a statement or interview with Etisalat through its public relations firm ASDA'A also proved fruitless.
So far, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has remained silent on the issue, despite requests from Arabian Business for a comment.
However, this has not stopped other independent voices from having their say about the software.
"It's negligent," says one software security expert who asked to remain anonymous. They [Etisalat] are sending software to customers that could lead to a situation where people lose personal data."
In what may provide further embarrassment for Etisalat, RIM said it did not endorse the software and issued advice to BlackBerry users to not download applications from unknown or untrusted sources.
For its part, RIM, which with Etisalat launched the first BlackBerry smartphones in the UAE in 2006, developed its own software to enable BlackBerry users to remove the Etisalat update.
However, if the spying allegations are true, what remains unclear is why Etisalat felt the need to deliberately infect its customers' phones with spyware in the first place.
RIM said the patch Etisalat issued appeared to be designed and distributed by SS8 Networks, a US software surveillance firm. According to SS8's website, it has supplied lawful interception devices to help hundreds of service providers "meet regulatory requirements and satisfy the needs of law enforcement."
SS8 established its presence in the UAE in February this year when it acquired OCI Mobile, a technology provider that specialised in providing surveillance solutions to government organisations.
No one was available to comment from SS8 Networks.
The number of malware programmes — software designed to infiltrate technology devices without their owner's consent — is on the rise globally, according to Hamed Diab, regional director of the Middle East and North Africa for software security firm McAfee.
"According to the FBI, they've seen a 33 percent increase in loss of data between 2007 and 2008 and that's a value that keeps on growing expediently," he says.
"From our surveillance, there were about two million malware [programmes] last year and that was five times the number of [such programmes in] 2007."
Daniel V Hoffman, chief technology officer of US security software firm SMobile Sytems, says the scandal demonstrates the need for smartphone users to ensure their devices contained security software to protect not only their emails, but their identity and financial transactions.
"The truth about smartphones is that they are used in the same manner as personal computers and are susceptible to the same threats," he warns.
Ultimately, the painful outcome from the fiasco for Etisalat could be felt in the form of lost revenue as customers vote with their feet by ditching the telecoms provider in favour of its smaller but fast growing rival du.
du has already been quick to reassure its BlackBerry subscribers that it would not deploy any software not approved by RIM that risked the usability or performance of the devices.
"For Etisalat, it seems to be a brewing PR problem as they don't seem to be addressing the concerns of their customers affected. From a business point of view, if those customers feel misled they will switch to du," says Matthew Reed, senior analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media in Dubai.
Reed's comments appear to be borne out by an Arabian Business online poll conducted in the wake of the spyware scandal which shows that more than half of Etisalat's BlackBerry customers are planning to leave the UAE telecoms provider.
Some 36 percent of BlackBerry users who took part in the poll said they would cancel their Etisalat contract "immediately" and switch to du.
"We continue to receive new enquires about our BlackBerry offering but it would be impossible to attribute these enquires to any one reason in particular," says Saugat Chatterjee, PR manager for brand and communications at du.
Only time will tell how badly the spyware scandal will dent customer confidence in Etisalat as a service and a brand.
i cant say i would necessarily switch providers because of the spying issue given that we live in a country with no rules or regulations in terms of privacy and I am sure that we were already being spied on with all other handsets, so what makes this so different? However compensation is due considering that they ruined peoples days and harmed business because of phones running out of battery and burning out.
Reporters without Borders have now sent Etisilat an open letter demanding that they respond further to the accusations. http://www.rsf.org/Spyware-on-BlackBerry-phones.html


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In accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services established a National Health Insurance Marketplace to facilitate access to affordable health insurance. Signed into law in March of 2010, the ACA was enacted to reduce the population of uninsured by expanding public and private insurance coverage.
As part of the law, each state was to establish its own state-based exchange. If a state elected not to create an exchange or was unable to do so, the law directed HHS to establish a federally facilitated exchange in each state and/or territory. While 17 states and the District of Columbia have established individual state insurance exchanges in accordance with the ACA, the remaining 33 states and territories rely on the federal government to manage efforts related to enrolling uninsured citizens as mandated by the ACA.
Enrolling citizens in the coverage requires collecting and managing millions of paper-based health insurance applications and supporting documents (as well as eligibility appeals, correspondence and redeterminations). These documents must be scanned and captured, reviewed, verified and distributed for processing to determine eligibility.
The agency turned to Kofax to help automate and manage the information-intensive process of enrolling uninsured citizens in insurance exchanges; the goal was streamlining the process for quicker access to coverage and better service.
The comprehensive case management solution that manages the overall application process uses Kofax Capture™ to extract data from scanned application forms and trailing documents. In addition, Kofax VRS Elite™ cleans up poor quality images to ensure that image quality is adequate and information is accurately extracted from the paperwork.
The solution helps accelerate the information-intensive application process from receipt through approval by automatically digitizing and classifying the applications. It also helps collect supporting documents that may be requested after-the-fact and need to be matched with the original application to complete processing. Then, whether the documents received are on paper or in electronic format, Kofax Transformation™ can automatically extract and validate the appropriate information to verify the applicant's status.
By automating and streamlining what would otherwise be manual, error-prone and time-consuming data entry, the Kofax solution reduces labor costs, eliminates errors and saves taxpayer money. It also eliminates expensive document sorting and filing to increase productivity and the volume of information that can be accurately collected and managed. This results in a streamlined application process.
To ensure the solution's maximum up-time, Kofax Monitor™ provides real-time performance measurement, including service-level metrics, historical performance data and real-time processing status. It monitors the hardware infrastructure and notifies operators prior to a potential incident occurring, which allows preventive actions to be taken. This minimizes downtime and also keeps staffing and operating costs in check.
All paper-based applications and supporting documents are mailed to the processing center. Once received, employees scan the handwritten forms into the Capture and Transformation Modules system, review them for completeness, validate the data, export them into the comprehensive case management solution, process requests for appeals and notify consumers of any problems with their applications. After data is captured, the system automatically distributes relevant documents to processing centers.
The Kofax solution ensures compliance with established government protocols; including data governance, audit trail and eligibility rules, triggering alerts to applicants for missing information, pausing processing while awaiting supporting documentation and notifying constituents of eligibility. Through an eligibility support tool, operators can electronically monitor and search for paper applications that have not been processed due to validation errors or existing applications that are awaiting verification documents.
Customized views in the solution help operators manage and expedite processing while enabling them to update or correct missing or invalid information. Operators can contact the applicant electronically or by mail to request missing information or any necessary supporting documentation. After missing information is received, operators are notified to go back into the system and complete the consumer's application. Additionally, there are processes for handling expedited applications.
With Kofax, the Federal Health Insurance Exchange has established a much more efficient and streamlined case management process in which all applications and supporting documentation are automatically scanned, classified and indexed on arrival. This enables operators to maintain visibility and control throughout the entire onboarding process. With the ability to monitor the status of all applications and their supporting documentation, the agency can enroll constituents more quickly and allows faster access to healthcare coverage, all while saving time, increasing accuracy and reducing labor expenses.


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Map:emp escort
From Empires Wiki
Escort is a conquest map. The objective is to capture every flag. There is no Command Vehicle on this map. Each faction has pre-built bases. There are also obstacles on this map such as bridges that can only be constructed by an engineer and wooden blockades that can be destroyed to allow vehicles to pass.


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Mummified Remains Found in Dead Hoarder's Home
JENNINGS (AP) - Investigators are trying to determine whether mummified human remains found in a suburban St. Louis home are those of the mother of the home's hoarding elderly occupant, who died nearly three weeks earlier. The mother of the newly deceased has not been seen for more than a decade.
Police and a forensic investigator with the St. Louis County medical examiner's office tell the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that it's unknown how long the remains had been in the Jennings home.
The home's occupant, Gladys Bergmeier, was 75 when she was found dead in her bed Feb. 7. A relative found the mummified remains of an elderly woman weeks later.
Neighbor Gussie Harrison called the discovery "just shocking."
The mummified body now is on a gurney at the medical examiner's office, where investigators are trying to determine roughly the time she died.


text:
New U of L football commits 'real significant'
Friday was possibly Bobby Petrino's finest day of high school recruiting since he was rehired as the University of Louisville's football coach, landing Class of 2015 commitments from two well-regarded three-star players — all-purpose back/slot receiver Traveon Samuel and safety Khane Pass — who had multiple other major scholarship offers.
Samuel, of Phenix City (Ala.) Central High, and Pass of Carver High in Columbus, Ga., committed during a visit to U of L. There, they were accompanied by another major prospect, Pass' brother Jawon, who is rated the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the 2016 class by 247Sports.com.
Jawon Pass posted on Twitter that he received a U of L offer, joining the likes of Auburn, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Alabama and Clemson on his powerhouse list.
Samuel, a small but explosive player at 5 feet 8 and 180 pounds, is rated the No. 11 all-purpose back nationally by 247Sports and held offers from Auburn, Ohio State, Florida State, South Carolina, Clemson and many others. He is expected to play slot receiver at U of L, according to Ryan Bartow, a 247Sports analyst who first reported news of both commitments.
Khane Pass, who is considered the No. 34 safety nationally by 247 and Rivals.com, picked U of L over offers from Clemson, North Carolina, Nebraska and Mississippi State, among others.
"I think it's real significant," Bartow said. "I think those are the best two kids in (the Cardinals') class right now. For their move to the ACC, they need to get more guys out of the South like Charlie Strong did. To get both of these guys, who live in the heart of deep-South SEC country — and they both had multiple SEC offers — that's impressive.
"It shows that Louisville's brand is expanding. But also at the same time, it's a proven coaching staff and a consistent winner."
Bartow said Samuel and the Pass brothers are friends from nearby schools along the Alabama-Georgia border, and Samuel and Khane Pass wanted to play together in college. U of L, they decided, was the best common option on their lists.
They are Petrino's 11th and 12th commitments in the class. The Cards also added Demopolis, Ala., defensive end Tim Bonner on Monday.
According to the ratings scale (1-100) used by 247Sports, Samuel (89) and Pass (88) are U of L's best recruits so far. The Cards' class moved up to No. 49 nationally in 247's team rankings and No. 51 in Rivals'.
Samuel had 781 rushing yards, 452 receiving yards and 24 total touchdowns in 2013.
"He's pretty jacked up, and he runs so fast," Bartow said. "Louisville took him as a slot receiver. They want to use his speed out in routes, and (receivers coach) Lamar Thomas loves him. … He's a guy that could line up and play some running back for them, but he's a guy they'll use at receiver first."
Bartow said U of L coaches can rest assured that the 6-foot, 200-pound Pass will come to college prepared after playing in Carver's top-notch program. He called Pass a "striker" and praised his approach to the game.
"This is a guy that's got an edge to him," Bartow said. "Some guys shine in camps or combines. He shines when it matters, under Friday night lights. … He can play in the box. He also has got deep range. He's got a toughness and a confidence and a swagger that he brings to the field."
If Khane Pass is adept at stopping a pass, his brother is good at completing them. And how could a quarterback have a better name than Pass?
So with his older brother now in the fold, could U of L emerge as a legitimate option for Jawon Pass in the 2016 class?
"It doesn't hurt," Bartow said. "… But Khane Pass is a (player to) take on his own merits, a high-major Division I guy who can play almost anywhere. This is definitely not a package deal, but it's definitely going to help (Louisville). It'll probably help to get Jawon back on (U of L's) campus (for more visits), but I don't know if (U of L) is entirely a scheme fit."
Bartow thinks Jawon Pass is favoring Notre Dame and Ohio State, with Auburn close behind. Those three teams utilize spread, zone-read offenses that fit Pass' elite dual-threat profile, whereas U of L figures to run more of a pro-style offense under Petrino.
"But it certainly doesn't hurt having his brother in the boat because that'll be a place Mom goes and watches him, and he'll be back up there again," Bartow said. "The staff will have a better shot at him than they did yesterday."
Whichever team gets Jawon Pass, ideally sized at 6-5 and 225 pounds, will be a getting a major prize.
"He has huge upside," Bartow said. "He's like (FSU Heisman Trophy winner) Jameis Winston but a little faster. He's got a live arm. It's all in front of him. He's just scratched the surface."
Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-717 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.


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Ester Abeja was captured by Uganda's feared rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and was forced to join them.
But not before the soldiers made her kill her one-year- old baby girl, by smashing her skull in, and then gang raped her.
It has been nine years since she was abducted, and almost five years since the country's civil war has ended. But Abeja has never had medical treatment for the violence she had to endure.
In Ogur, Lira in northern Uganda, Abeja has come to a temporary medical camp run by Isis-Women's International Cross Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE), a women's organisation working with women in conflict and post-conflict settings.
The camp is specifically for women with reproductive health complications, which they have mostly sustained from being raped during the almost two decades of war.
First time treated by a doctor since the war
For most of the women here it is the first time they have been offered special medical attention since the war ended in 2006, and for many it is the first time they have been treated by a doctor. It is also the first time that many of these women have ever spoken out about the violence they had to endure.
Abeja is one of the many women struggling to survive the horrors of the war. Her home is a few kilometres from Barlonyo, where the LRA massacred over 200 people in a single attack in February 2004.
The LRA fought in the north and north eastern parts of Uganda for 23 years. The war, which forced close to two million people into internally displaced persons camps for decades, was the most brutal that Uganda has faced since independence from Britain in 1962.
Thousands of people died as a result and the war was characterised by its use of child soldiers and the conscription of civilians into the rebel group. The LRA were forced out of the country in 2006 and are currently operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and western South Sudan.
They forced me to kill my child
Abeja was captured in 2002. She was a wife and a mother of six children when the LRA abducted her with her youngest daughter and her son.
"When they abducted me I had my one-year-old baby girl and the boy. A few kilometres away from home, they forced me to kill my child," she says tearfully. "I hit her head on the tree and she died. The rebels immediately began to rape me."
Abeja can't remember how many men they were; she says there could have been 10 to 15.
Afterwards they raped me
"The group that captured me raped me right after (I killed) my child. They even pushed different objects inside me as they raped me. Others were cutting (me) with machetes as some raped (me)," Abeja says as she shows the scars that remain on her arms and thighs.
She doesn't know what happened to her son or if he's still alive.
Abeja was sick for many weeks in the bushes of what is now South Sudan. Once she recovered she had a man waiting to be her 'husband'. Like many abductees, Abeja had to kill or be killed. In her four years with the LRA she tells IPS she can't recollect the number of people she was forced to kill, but she puts the number at more than 40.
One of the lucky one's who escaped
Abeja was one of the lucky few that escaped. She returned home in 2006 with a boy who is now about five years old.
Since the war ended in 2006, people went back to their original homes and depended on emergency aid.
A recovery and development plan was put in place in 2009 by the Ugandan government but this has not covered the emergency medical needs of the population. Most of the money went into building new blocks of health units and rehabilitating the destroyed ones.
It is not surprising that of the 400 women screened here at the Isis-WICCE medical camp, many are found to have pelvic inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Tom Charles Otim, a lead gynaecologist at the camp, says Abeja has lived with a prolapsed uterus for years now.
Long-term complications from sexual violence
Uterine prolapse – the descent of the uterus into the vagina or beyond – is one of the long-term complications associated with sexual violence.
In Abeja's case, her uterus is hanging out. But she allows her photo to be taken saying it is important for sexual violence survivors to have a face.
She and 39 other women are referred for further treatment to a regional hospital many kilometres away. She will need surgery, which costs about 200 dollars, to remove her uterus.
Like the many women who were raped during the war, Abeja not only has to live with the physical scars of the rapes but the psychological effects as well. She and women like her have to endure intense stigma from the community.
Her husband rejected her after she returned, and left her to raise their four surviving children and her child from the war.
Do they think I wanted to be abducted?
As Abeja struggles to narrate her story, fighting back the tears she wonders: "Do they think I wanted to be abducted and raped by the rebels? Do they think I wanted to kill my own child?"
Otim tells IPS that women like Abeja need more support than just surgery.
A majority of the women seeking medical treatment at the camp have chronic pelvic pain as a result of pelvic inflammatory infections.
"The infections are high here; because of the war, the women were not able to access medical care early," says Otim.
"This has had an effect on the women's sexual lives and the majority of them have painful sex, and sometimes they don't want to have sex but they have to because their husbands don't allow (them to refuse)."
Many women who have come to the camp have fertility problems. Otim says pelvic pain takes a long time to cure and the women will need about 40 dollars for more follow-up visits at regional health centres, which are usually more than 40 kms away.
"Women cannot claim to have peace if their reproductive health is still an issue they are trying to contend with and struggle with on a daily basis," Isis-WICCE's programme manager Helen Kezie-Nwoha tells IPS.
She says because of the sexual violence behind these reproductive health complications, women in northern Uganda need a specialised programme to provide them with the needed health services.
"Reproductive health issues are not easily spoken about, it is not something women will come out in public and speak about," Kezie-Nwoha says. But "we have built confidence over years of working with these women; that's why the women can be able to open up and talk about the wartime rapes."
She says government needs to rethink its approach in post-conflict northern Uganda by putting human security needs first.
The district health officer in Lira, Nelson Opio, tells IPS that most of the reconstruction in the health sector has largely concentrated on building structures, and cannot address the immediate medical needs of a post-conflict community.
When war ends, there's a silent war to be fought
"When war ends, there's a silent war that has to be fought," he says. "Politicians here think they will just put up structures so they can say 'This is what I did during my time' and ignore people's real needs."
Most health centres in the district have no medical officers, while the entire district has only two gynaecologists.


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A former personal assistant to Lady Gaga, who
says she was cheated out of overtime pay, can
take her case to trial, a judge has ruled.
Jennifer O'Neill worked for the singer in early
2009 and again for a year from February 2010.
She claims she was required to be available to her
27-year-old boss 24 hours a day, seven days a
She says she was paid at a flat rate of $50,000
(£32,000) annually when she was first hired and
$75,000 (£48,000) annually the second time.
It is believed she is suing Gaga for more than
7,000 unpaid hours.
In his written decision, district judge Paul
Gardephe noted that lawyers said Gaga and Ms
O'Neill frequently slept in the same bed because
Ms O'Neill never had her own hotel room while on
tour and was required to address Gaga's needs
throughout the night.
Ms O'Neill had testified in a deposition that if Lady
Gaga was watching a DVD in the middle of the
night and grew tired of it, she woke her up to
take it out and replace it with another.
"Every day is a work day for her, so every day is a
work day for the rest of us," she said. "There is no
'We're going to stay in, we're going to sleep'.
There is no, 'Let's put on sweatpants and go out
to the movies and be girlfriends'. It doesn't work
like that."
In her deposition testimony, Gaga had testified:
"You don't get a schedule. You don't get a
schedule that is like you punch in and you can
play … at your desk for four hours and then you
punch out at the end of the day. This is when I
need you, you're available."
Ms O'Neill had testified she was responsible for
sometimes monitoring the singer's email and
telephone communications and for handling all
her luggage – generally 20 bags – including
clothing, accessories, makeup and toiletries.
She was also responsible for making sure that
"special food" was available at every location and
for making sure the singer arrived at
performances on time and had ample time for
hairstyling, makeup and voice warm-ups and that she appeared on stage on time.
She said she assisted with costume changes
during performances and was responsible
afterwards for arranging ice packs, tea and a
shower, along with dinner and an exit from the
The judge noted that the women met after Gaga
moved into Ms O'Neill's apartment building on the
Lower East Side of Manhattan before 2008, when
they became roommates and friends.
Ms O'Neill was offered a position as her personal
assistant because they were friends and she had
experience in the music industry, court papers
Mr Gardephe said a jury can decide to what
extent Ms O'Neill might be owed compensation
from the pop star, whose real name is Stefani
Lawyers did not immediately comment.
Gaga performed in the UK for the first time in a
year at the beginning of September after
undergoing hip surgery.


text:
Economic Policy Uncertainty and the Credit Channel: Aggregate and Bank Level U.S. Evidence over Several Decades
, ,
NBER Working Paper No. 22021
Economic policy uncertainty affects decisions of households, businesses, policy makers and Financial intermediaries. We first examine the impact of economic policy uncertainty on aggregate bank credit growth. Then we analyze commercial bank entity level data to gauge the effects of policy uncertainty on Financial intermediaries' lending. We exploit the cross-sectional heterogeneity to back out indirect evidence of its effects on businesses and households. We ask (i) whether, conditional on standard macroeconomic controls, economic policy uncertainty affected bank level credit growth, and (ii) whether there is variation in the impact related to banks' balance sheet conditions; that is, whether the effects are attributable to loan demand or, if impact varies with bank level financial constraints, loan supply. We find that policy uncertainty has a significant negative effect on bank credit growth. Since this impact varies meaningfully with some bank characteristics – particularly the overall capital-to-assets ratio and bank asset liquidity–loan supply factors at least partially (and significantly) help determine the influence of policy uncertainty. Because other studies have found important macroeconomic effects of bank lending growth on the macroeconomy, our findings are consistent with the possibility that high economic policy uncertainty may have slowed the U.S. economic recovery from the Great Recession by restraining overall credit growth through the bank lending channel.
Acknowledgments and Disclosures
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w22021
Published: Michael D. Bordo & John V. Duca & Christoffer Koch, 2016. "Economic Policy Uncertainty and the Credit Channel: Aggregate and Bank Level U.S. Evidence over Several Decades," Journal of Financial Stability, . citation courtesy of
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text:
You know how long it's been since I did a link love post? FOREVER!
I'm exhausted after a traumatic week, so instead of making you read my pathetic whining, I thought I'd send you to read some awesome posts from awesome people while I take care of some business. Lots to post about in the near future – I'm just trying to decide what to share and what I should keep to myself.
For the record, Jayden did survive his first day of high school. I was a complete wreck all day on Wednesday. I couldn't even eat (and we all know that means there's a serious problem) until I picked him up and found out "it wasn't that bad." For him, that's like saying it was the best day of his life! Yesterday was not a good day for him, though, so I'm waiting to see how today goes. Fingers crossed!
Also, I have determined that I am probably the most immature parent ever and/or a horrible person. So the high school's mascot is the Mustangs. There are two campuses – a 9/10 Center and an 11/12 Center – and the bus to the other campus is called the Mustang Express. I can handle that. Or at least I thought I could, until I found out that there is also a name for the short buses that transport disabled students. I'm sitting in my car yesterday and this announcement comes over the intercom (which I could hear from the parking lot):
Just a reminder that Mustang Express riders should wait until the second bell to leave the building. Only car riders and Pony Express students may leave on the first bell.
SERIOUSLY?!?!? The Pony Express? I. Could. Not. Stop. Laughing. Don't get me wrong – I do appreciate the school board's attempt to take the stigma away from riding the short bus. But you'd think they could have come up with a name that wasn't so unintentionally hilarious.
Anyway, on to the links!
The Linky Linky Links – Check it Out! (Bonus points to whoever gets that lame reference. And you're welcome for the earworm.)
TL at Budget and the Beach wrote an awesome guest post at Debt and the Girl about things to consider before you start freelancing. After 8 months of self-employment, I can wholeheartedly agree with everything on the list. If you're thinking of taking the leap someday, I highly recommend this post!
On a similar note, Kevin at Invest it Wisely asked, "How hard is it to become a freelancer?" I will not be offended by the fact that he didn't mention me in his list of freelancers. Well, maybe a little. But you should still read the post. I agree with him; it really isn't hard but that doesn't mean you don't need to prepare.
Jessica at Mo' Money Mo' Houses wondered if her blog is "financial enough." Boy, can I relate! Much like me, she decided that money, while important, isn't the only thing worth talking about, and has done a slight rebrand as finance AND lifestyle. Blog on, Jessica!
Sunil at The Extra Money Blog wrote a very timely post about dealing with accounting when you have one or more online businesses. Since my web design business just became a LLC on Wednesday, I devoured this info. Now if only I could stop being a control freak and outsource some things!
Jana at Daily Money Shot is doing a series called The Oregon Trail Guide to Personal Finance, and it's awesome (that link goes to the first post in the series). I have such fond memories of dying of dysentery in my elementary school's ancient computer lab….
Mutant Supermodel wrote one of my favorite posts ever – ten things she has learned about single motherhood. Some of the things on her list had me nodding in agreement, while I still struggle with others (like #8!). Still, it's always nice to remember that I'm not the only one doing this whole parenting thing on my own.
I'm relieved to know that other people have weirdo dogs besides me. L Bee from L Bee and the Money Tree made me literally LOL with her post about her dog's interesting fetish. Trust me, as grossed out as you'll be, you will crack up reading this post!
That's all from me until Monday! If you're just dying for more, check out Curiosity Killed the Blog, where I talk about all things blogging. I've got a couple of interesting posts coming up over there! And, as always, feel free to come hang out on Facebook and Twitter.


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To drop a new tune by Björk might not be the obvious choice but we have to give credit where credit is due. Most artists we write about love breaking boundries and don't care about the norm. In your minds it's that kind of attitude that push music forward. Björk has never been one to compromise. Her new album Biophelia was released on July 19th as an app for iPhone/iPad. The main concept of the album is available for free and then the ten songs/sub-apps will be released for purchase during the weeks to come. App based releases - the next logical step after Spotify mobile - ace!
Creative move from Björk but in the end we don't really care if our new tunes come from a handed CDR, released via Bandcamp, vinyl 7" or dropped in our inbox. It all about the music and Björk delivers. Check her first single Crystalline below in an Edit;Erase version. Chopped up beats, deep subbass and moody chords - just the way we like it.
Björk - Crystalline (edit;erase Remix) by edit;erase


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|10th century - 11th century - 12th century - 13th century- 14th century
- 1154: The Andorians become warp-capable. [1]
- 1154: Alari seduces the Ucali High Suzerain. [2]
- 1156: After spreading across Europe for several years, the Black Death reaches Great Britain. During the plague, 11% of the population of London died. [3]
References and notesEdit
- ↑ ST reference: Star Charts
- ↑ Decipher RPG module: Starfleet Operations Manual
- ↑ TOS novel: The Entropy Effect
External linksEdit
- 12th century article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- 12th century article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Unisys has unveiled the Recovery Act Reporting Environment tool to help government agencies and recipients of economic stimulus funds meet reporting requirements.
The tool simplifies the reporting process by extracting data elements from existing financial systems, translating that data into American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-mandated reports, said Andy Hoskinson, vice president for technology strategy and consulting with Unisys federal Systems. Then the tool delivers the reports over the web using formats such as Atom feeds with embedded Extensible Hypertext Markup Language to make them suitable for aggregation by the Recovery.gov web site that tracks spending under the economic stimulus law.
The tool performs analytics such as alerts, notification and scorecards. Agency officials are alerted about any stimulus spending occurring outside of established parameters. For instance, an alert might say that the funding amount for a regional airport in Idaho Falls exceeds the actual funding level for a grant program by a factor of five.
The red-yellow-green accountability scorecards provide a snapshot of recipients' performance against desired program and economic outcomes.
Additionally, the tool integrates with geospatial technology such as Google Earth so people can see how stimulus spending is dispersed geographically, Hoskinson added.
The tool runs on any application server that conforms to Java 2 Enterprise Edition such as, IBM Websphere, JBoss, Linux and Windows servers, he added.
Unisys also provides consulting services to helps agencies leverage ARRA-related data collection, data quality and risk mitigation a processes.
Before the deployment of the solution, Unisys consultants conduct a one- to three-week discovery phase to match required data elements with agency systems. Unisys architects then develop a blueprint for integrating the reporting tool into the agency's existing systems architecture. They develop and configure adaptors for integrating specific agency systems with the reporting solution, Hoskinson said.
Deployments range from one to three months, depending on complexity. The tool is offered as part of a professional service engagement so no software license is required, Hoskinson said. Pricing depends on the maturity of an organization's data collection process and how much work is involved integrating the tool with an agency's back end systems, he added.
The stimulus law, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, requires federal, state and local government organizations receiving stimulus funds to report data on how and where these funds are being spent.
The Office of Management and Budget and the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, created to oversee stimulus funds, require agencies to provide the reports as web data feeds. The feed will be aggregated by the Recovery.gov web site for presentation to the appropriate departments and persons.
Unisys joins a growing list of companies -- Acumen Solutions, IBM, Microsoft, and MicroStrategy -- offering software and services aimed at helping agencies account for where and how stimulus dollars are being used.
About the Author
Rutrell Yasin is is a freelance technology writer for GCN.
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Full-Time Research Fellow in Biomedical Engineering
NOTE: This job listing has expired and may no longer be relevant!
Job Description
Tampere University of Technology (TUT) is an active scientific community of 2,000 employees and more than 10,000 students. The University operates in the form of a foundation and has a long-standing tradition of collaboration with other research institutions and business life. Many of the fields of research and study represented at the University play a key role in addressing global challenges. Internationality is an inherent part of all the University's activities.
Welcome to join us at TUT! The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a multidisciplinary unit employing novel applications of materials science, electrical engineering and information technology for the benefit of healthcare. Our aim is to develop advanced treatments and diagnostics for the needs of different types of healthcare providers. The department employs seven professors and a staff of roughly 60 people. We are looking for a Research Fellow in Biomedical Engineering, focused on Neuronal Network Modeling and Measurement Analysis.
The selected person will conduct research on modeling the functionality of neuronal cells and networks, and analysis of electrophysiological measurement data.
The work may also include planning and conducting associated electrophysiological measurements and other 3DNeuroN tasks of BME.
The aim of the work is to yield new knowledge on neuronal network formation and functioning. Thus, the work also contributes towards stem cell based cures for central nervous system disorders and other stem cell based applications. High quality publishing is of foremost priority in this job and project, without forgetting commercial potential. Part of the post is allocated to teaching and thesis work instruction. Topics will be determined based on the specialty of the selected person. To see requirements and other further details, please log on to www.tut.fi/openpositions.
The position will be filled for a fixed term period from 15 October 2012 to 31 October 2013, with a potential extension until 31 December 2014. The closing date for applications is 7th October 2012.
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I am leaving my apartment at the end of July. I already provided my 30 days notice. We had discussed with our landlord that we knew someone interested in taking the place over after we left.
The prospective new tenant was told to provide a notarized letter from my roommate and I saying we renounce our rights to the apartment. Is this standard practice? Didn't we already do that though by providing the 30 days notice?
The only thing I am worried about is the security deposit I paid when I signed my original lease. If I "renounced my rights to the apartment" am I still entitled to get it back?


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Slow Food Southwest Washington is hosting its annual dinner and auction at Warehouse '23 from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18. Bring your taste buds and your curiosity about local food networks and savor a multi-course meal prepared from Clark County's abundant farms and world-class chefs. Learn more about the local Slow Food chapter and meet others who love local food and the growers who tend the soil so that it can keep producing delicious, healthy food. The menu reads like a tantalizing paean to food:
- Raw oysters with preserved cranberries and watercress salsa verde
- Duck confit with pickled chanterelles and cold smoked duck breast with savory huckleberry jam served on brown butter-butternut squash crackers
- Rabbit and mushroom sausage, sunchoke purée. and huckleberry whole grain mustard reduction
- Chickory and arugula salad topped with candied squash, beets, hazelnuts, goat cheese and kombucha vinaigrette
- Roasted carrots and delicata squash with smoky romesco
- Collard greens and beets with roasted leek dressing
- Beef with chanterelle confit, huckleberry wine sauce and goat cheese, served with turnip gratin
- Morel mushroom Marsala over roasted chicken, served with cranberry chestnut polenta
- Walnut and bean paté served with farmhouse caponata with pickled apple, sweet pepper, and green tomato
- Honey polenta cake with orchard fruits, cranberry and mascarpone
- Selection of cheeses from Walapa Hills Creamery
All the food has been grown, produced and harvested by Southwest Washington farmers, and prepared by chefs from places as varied as Skamania Lodge, the Clark College Culinary Program, Gather and Feast Farm, Simply Thyme, Rally Pizza, Bleu Door Bakery, and Warehouse '23. There will be a wine bar featuring local produced fine wines, with beer and cider also available for purchase. The evening's guest speaker is from Southwest Washington's leading cheesemaker, Wallapa Hills Creamery. For more information, including a complete list of chefs and farms, visit http://mailchi.mp/ddec2acfe14f/volunteer-wire-1900813. General admission tickets are $95 per person, VIP tickets are $160 and include wine and a pre-event culinary presentation with Champagne, couples are $190, and tables seating 10 are available for $950. For more information or to buy tickets online now, click here.
Attendees will also have a chance to find out more about Clark County Grown, a local organization that is creating a culture of eating locally through marketing and education; Plate to Planet, which works with Clark County youth to explore food heritage, the local food system, food justice, and healthy eating; and Urban Abundance, which rescues fresh, local produce that would otherwise go to waste and gives it to people in need. To learn more about Slow Food Southwest Washington, visit www.slowfoodswwa.com, follow them on Instagram or Twitter, or get regular updates about Slow Food activities and meetings on the Slow Food Southwest Washington Facebook page.


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Volunteer at the ToolBank
Your volunteer support is critical to the ToolBank's success as it enables us to equip hundreds of not-for-profits and their volunteers with the tools needed to completed thousands of service projects every year. There are many ways you can volunteer at the ToolBank and we gladly welcome individuals and groups.
To learn more about volunteering at the ToolBank or to schedule a group volunteer opportunity, please contact Toby Vernon, Executive Director, at (804) 219-0606 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Volunteer Needs
If you'd like to become a regular volunteer or if you'd like for us to contact you when a volunteer opportunity of interest to you arises, then click here to complete our Volunteer Application.
- Tool repair & maintenance
- Tool lending program support
- Inventory management/warehouse
- Office/administrative duties
- Special events/fundraisers
- Outreach/marketing


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- Home
- About Us
- People
- Research
- Courses
- Publications
- Open Positions
- Systems Group Blog
Find below the dates and details of tutorials (T) and exercises (E):
|16. Nov.
|Exercise session on network of queues.
|14. Nov.
|Tutorial session on analyzing a system.
|09. Nov.
|Exercise session on M/M/1 and M/M/m queues.
|07. Nov.
|Tutorial session on queueing theory (cont.)
|02. Nov.
|Exercise session on 2K experiments
|[2K exp]
|31. Oct.
|There will be no tutorial session on October 31st.
|26. Oct.
|This exercise session focuses on good and bad practices when plotting and explaining your results.
|24. Oct.
|Tutorial session on queueing theory.
|19. Oct.
|The fifth exercise session will cover GnuPlot, and good and bad practices when generating plots.
| [Plots]
[GnuPlot Examples]
|17. Oct.
|Tutorial session on planning experiments.
|12. Oct.
|The fourth exercise session will cover good and bad practices in Java middleware development.
|10. Oct.
|There will be no tutorial session on October 10th.
|05. Oct.
|The third exercise session will take place in individual groups. Please look up your assigned group in the table below.
|03. Oct.
|Tutorial session on the life cycle of an experiment.
|28. Sept.
|The second exercise session will take place on Sept. 28th in CAB G61. It focuses on Microsoft Azure, Bash and Git.
|21. Sept.
|The first exercise session will take place on Sept. 21st in CAB G61. It gives an overview of the project.
|19. Sept.
|The first tutorial session will take place on Sept. 19th in CAB G61.
Project Description: [Project Description]
Report: [Report Outline] [Report Outline Tex]
Programming: [Java Main Class] [ANT Build File] [Bash Script Examples]
Azure: [VM Template] Caution: When creating the VMs, the machines are started automatically. Stop them if you do not run experiments right away.
Project Deadline: December 18th, 2017 at 17:00 (CET)
Azure Billing Information: [Internal page]
"Art of Computer Systems Performance Analysis" - Raj Jain
John Wiley & Sons Inc; Auflage: 2 Rev ed. (21. September 2015)
"The Art of Computer Systems Performance Analysis" - Raj Jain
Wiley Professional Computing, 1991
From the 1st edition of particular relevance are the following chapters:
Tutorials: Tuesday, 17:00 – 19:00, CAB G 61.
Exercises: Thursday, 17:00 - 19:00
General Contact: sg-asl [at] lists.inf.ethz.ch
Exercises sessions are held on Thursday from 17:00 - 19:00 in small groups. In the exercise sessions, we answer high-level questions related to the project and the report.
| Assistant
|Last names assigned
|Claude Barthels
|claudeb [at] inf.ethz.ch
|David Sidler
|dasidler [at] inf.ethz.ch
|Kaan Kara
|kkara [at] inf.ethz.ch
|Muhsen Owaida
|mewaida [at] inf.ethz.ch
| Zsolt Istvan
|zistvan [at] inf.ethz.ch
Office hours are indented to provide you advice that will help you to complete the project and the report. To make an appointment, contact your teaching assistant by email.
|Thursday, 10:00 to 12:00
|Muhsen Owaida
|Thursday, 15:00 to 17:00
|Kaan Kara
|Thursday, 15:00 to 17:00
|Claude Barthels
|Friday, 09:00 to 11:00
|Zsolt Istvan
|Friday, 09:00 to 11:00
|David Sidler
Q: How do I check if I have been assigned a voucher?
A: First go to https://www.microsoftazuresponsorships.com/Manage. Make sure that you see a subscription there. Then, log in to https://portal.azure.com/, and change your directory as explained in the slides. If you do not see the directory, check the Spam folder of the provided email address.
Q: Which Java version am I allowed to use?
A: Use Java 7 or 8.
Q: Which Ubuntu version am I allowed to use?
A: You can use Ubunu 14 or 16.
Q: What types of clients and commands will be used to automatically test my middleware implementation?
A: We run automatic tests as a way to reduce the complexity of grading so many reports. We have no hidden unit tests or performance bounds that must be reached. The tests check basic things: that the system actually runs when connected to memtier clients and plugged to memcached servers; that the system actually processes the requests as required (get, sets, multiget); that the constraints specified in the project specification are followed regarding message sizes, control commands, etc. Such tests are performed because, in the past, we have received incomplete submissions, even some not working at all. This made it next to impossible to understand the results that were presented in the report since we can only work on the assumption the project submitted follows the specification. We do not have the capacity to manually check the code for every student so, instead, we do a basic sanity check to ensure the system submitted is the platform used for running the experiments.Although we do not do it for all projects, if we feel your performance numbers reflect a system's behavior we cannot understand, it is possible that we will then try to reproduce your results by running the same workloads you claim to have run and see if we get approximately the same results. If we cannot reproduce your results, we will call you for a meeting in person to clarify the situation.Finally, all submitted code will be checked against this and last year's projects. Any plagiarism will be reported and lead to a failing grade.
Q: Can i aggregate my statistics outside off the middleware (after termination of the experiment)?
A: Yes, you can collect the data for each thread separately and then collect it after termination of the experiment with some scripts. In general, you have quite some freedom how you implement this, for instance you could also introduce a helper thread to collect the statistics. Important is that you collect in each thread the required statistics and then either collect/combine these results already in the middleware (online) or afterwards with some scripts (offline).
Q: Why do i have to collect/aggregate statistics over a 5 second window?
A: The 5 second window is an upper limit suggested by us to reduce the overhead of logging (writing to a file) or the amount of data you collect in-memory. If your implementation can deal with smaller windows and thereby collect more datapoints without introducing a visible overhead, feel free to do so.
Q: Should I measure service times separately for each request type? ..,for each thread?
A: Ideally you measure the service time separately for each request type (SET, GET, multi-GET). As we have shown in the exercise session, aggregating (calculating the average) over different request type can lead to a value that in practice never (rarely) is measured/occurs. For building the M/M/m model it is necessary to have the service time (service rate) for each thread separately.
Q: Why don't you just tell me exactly what I need to measure?
A: There are different ways to measure the same things depending on how the system has been constructed. It is important to look at the whole report and the questions we are asking in it because that provides very accurate information on what is needed. For instance, regarding getting service rate data for each worker thread separately, the report requires to demonstrate the middleware balances the load across all memcached servers. This is difficult to accomplish if you do not have information on what each worker thread is doing. We strongly recommend to go over the report template and make a list of all the data required and then proceed to implement the instrumentation accordingly.
Q: Should I implement a network queue?
A: The network queue is, from a functional point of view, not strictly necessary as worker threads could get the requests directly from the network interface. However, if there is no network queue where the requests are placed before being processed, it becomes difficult to do many of the necessary measurement to understand the performance of the system. For instance, it will not be possible to measure the time a message waits to be processed or the average number of requests waiting in the queue at any given time. Without such information, the experimental analysis and definitely the analytical treatment become next to impossible and the results will be very poor. This is why we require that the middleware includes a network queue.
Q: What do I put into the network queue?
A: You decide the type of the objects you place on the network queue. Each design decision has implications in terms of the performance you are going to observe because, depending on this decision, the way messages are actually processed varies. The design decision will also have implications in terms of what you measure inside the middleware as overall response time, service time, waiting time, etc.
Q: Why don't just tell me exactly what I need to do instead of pointing to the several choices available?
A: The course is about making design choices, building a system, and then experimentally, as well as analytically, explaining why the system behaves the way it does. How you implement the network queue, where you actually do the message parsing, what objects you give to the worker threads, etc. will influence how the system behaves. We expect you to make a choice on the design and then explain what are the consequences of that design in terms of the performance observed. To make such choices, you should think carefully about the overall system behavior, the overheads that each operation will cause, and -very important- to look at what we are asking you to do in the complete report. Some of the questions about whether a network queue is needed can be easily answered from what we ask to measure since, as pointed our above, without the queue, such measurements become very difficult.
Q: In case in Section 4.2 I have a different number of clients for each worker thread scenario that produce the maximum throughput, how should I show this?
A: In general throughout the report it is a good idea to be as explicit about your setup and measurement points as possible. This helps us interpret your results and it makes it possible for you to quickly verify and compare inside and across sections. In this particular case you can either include the number of clients as part of the explanation of the table, or as an additional row in the table.


text: Akron, Ohio duo the Black Keys delivered an hour-long set of bluesy rockers that were every bit as grizzled as frontman Dan Auerbach's increasingly bushy beard. A rowdy "Set You Free" found drummer Patrick Carney pummeling his kit like a back-alley brawler finishing off an over-matched opponent; "Strange Times" veered between spacey psychedelia and whale calls of feedback; a cover of Captain Beefheart's "I'm Glad" — all chiming guitar and heartfelt vocals — proved a lone tender moment. Still, Auerbach seemed struck by the crowd's mellow nature. "We should go for a record today," he offered near the set's midpoint. "World's Most Peaceful Mosh Pit. Can we do it?"