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Separating fact from fiction is a very different challenge in the fake news age, and there's no end of people ready to opine on how to do it. Now boffins from famed Brit university Cambridge have decided to get in on the action by launching a game to "vaccinate" the public against it.
The Bad News game puts players in the shoes of someone who wants to spread mischief and lies, with the aim being to show people how the bad guys do it in a controlled environment so they are wise to it in the wild.
But the game's simplistic approach risks rendering it nothing more than a nice idea with little clout.
The aim is laudable: we don't need polls to tell us people struggle to spot fake news because the rapid spread of bullshit on the internet is testament enough to people's gullibility, obstinance and opportunism – or all three.
And, although the social media firms are coming under increasing pressure to fix the spread of misinformation, now the tap is open, it's going to be impossible for one organisation alone to close it.
The representatives hauled up in front of politicians do their best to look concerned, while the PR machine cranks out programme, after initiative, after global fund.
But even their best attempts are falling short, and so it's perhaps unsurprising that the onus for spotting fake news has begun to fall on the public. That's not an unreasonable idea - most people in the 90s knew if they were watching The Day Today rather than the News at Ten.
But identifying fake news is more complex than sniffing out satire from traditional news, because of the malicious intent of the actors and the fact their aim is to ape real news so people believe their lies. That's before the additional confusion added by genuine news sites and world leaders labelling things they don't agree with as "fake news".
'Vaccination against fake news'
This is where the game comes in - it is positioned as a way of helping people to understand how fake news is generated and spread. It shows them the tricks used to create a social media frenzy and perpetuate lies or half-truths, whether it's for political gain or a desire for mayhem.
However, the academics behind it - who worked with, and were funded by, a Dutch media group, DROG, that runs workshops and gives talks about fake news - claim that the game is a way of "vaccinating" people against misinformation.
The idea, according to Jon Roozenbeek, the PhD student who is running the work, is based on a principle known as inoculation theory, first put forward in the 1960s.
"It says that if you're exposed to a weaker version of an argument you have resistance against the real deal," he said.
The game - which already exists in Dutch - is based on a small-scale pilot Roozenbeek and his Cambridge colleague social psychologist Sander van der Linden carried out with 95 Dutch high school students.
This work has been accepted for publication (PDF) in the Journal of Risk Research, and showed that the perceived reliability of fake news dropped in the group that played, compared with a control group that didn't.
However, there are a lot of differences between that study and the experiment attached to the game: in the school, teams of three were asked to rank the reliability of certain facts before and after writing a fake news article about the politicised topic of European refugees, using pen and paper.
Players of Bad News are asked similar questions at the start and end of play, but it's obviously hard to define who is participating, and there isn't a clear control group identified. Moreover, given the game's length, it's possible there will be a few drop-outs.
Roozenbeek acknowledged the differences between the two set-ups, and was quick to say that playing the game on its own was not enough. The aim "isn't to drastically change behaviour, but instead trigger a simple thought process to help foster critical and informed news consumption", he said.
But it isn't clear how long the effects of playing will last, and the PR around the game means it's likely to appeal to people who are already aware of fake news or who are interested in learning how to combat it. It's hard to imagine people with ingrained opinions on politicised issues - who fake news appeals to - trying it out.
Bernie Hogan of the Oxford Internet Institute said that because players are primed about what to expect, it's also possible they will be "inoculated against the game" and its desired effects.
He added that the gamification of fake news was "putting a nice face" on the idea that individuals - not experts or respected institutions - are now in charge of defining truth and fiction.
"It's creating the impression that it's the consumer's job to arbitrate the facts - and all facts are fair game for the consumer to arbitrate," Hogan said.
"What it doesn't have is a sense of what to look for in a trusted news source."
Choose Your Own Adventure?
The game also takes a fairly simplistic approach to the production of fake news. For instance, one of the early takeaways (which might be a main one if you quit the game after a couple of minutes) is to look for misplaced umlauts in well-known names like HBO or NASA. (El Reg can't help thinking that if spotting fake news were that easy, we might not be in this situation.)
As you progress, you're told to watch how certain actions affect your followers and credibility levels, as you're walked through the stages to becoming a fake news kingpin.
Starting out on a fake Twitter, you're encouraged to impersonate a famous person, send out incendiary tweets, set up a blog peddling misinformation on topics that will garner an emotional reaction, buy followers, discredit critics and sow the seeds of conspiracies.
But the text-based play is of the Goosebumps Choose-Your-Own-Adventure ilk: you see a statement and are then faced with two - possibly three, but sometimes only one - options. And if you choose the more reasonable one, you're told to think again, until you're forced down the path the creators have laid.
You gather badges for things like trolling or impersonation ("a minute ago you were just an angry citizen, now you're a big shot editor-in-chief running a real news site"), but because you progress without really trying, it's easy to lose interest and just press the right button without processing the choices.
As well as potentially undermining the overall aim of the game, it also leaves the player feeling like they've been testing an educational tool.
Pete Etchells, a psychologist and video games researcher at Bath Spa University, said that this is a common issue with academic research that aims to gather data through games.
"They're missing a trick if they haven't spoken to games developers," he said. Without doing so, games can be reduced to a "tedious" system that's just a "glorified lab experiment".
Etchells acknowledged that such collaborations are expensive and time-consuming, but ultimately create a better experience and are likely to be more successful. He pointed to dementia research project Sea Hero Quest as an example of good game design that brought in masses of players, to the benefit of the research.
But beyond the game design, Etchells said he had other concerns about the robustness of the data the the game will gather. For instance, he said, the experiment inside the game "has been set up in a way it can't fail" - because people who have been through the game will certainly be more cynical by the end.
"Their heart's in the right place," he said. "Fake news is a big problem, but there's no evidence this game will help."
Ultimately, the game is a good gimmick that lets people while away a bit of time playing at being the bad guy, and we can live in hope that something like this will have a positive long-term effect on their ability to spot fake news. But it's more likely to simply amp up their scepticism about all news.
As Etchells put it, "the issues behind fake news are a lot more complicated" - and there isn't a simple fix.®


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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Steven Spielberg struck pure gold in 1981 with the release of this movie, which was written by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. Set in the 1930s, the film stars Harrison Ford as archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones and follows his breathtaking journey in search of the Ark of the Covenant, which is said to hold the Ten Commandments. He must find it before the Nazis do, because, according to the story, Hitler has plans to use the Ark as a weapon. The film received glowing reviews and grossed more than $242 million.

subset: commoncrawl


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Al-Jazeera Invades Canada and Threatens America
February 15, 2010
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has approved a request " to add Al-Jazeera English (AJE) to the list of television satellite services for distribution in Canada. Supporters of the Arab government-funded propaganda channel hope that acceptance in Canada will lead to more cable and satellite carriers in the U.S. picking up the incendiary network."
A group called "Canadians for Al-Jazeera" organized public pressure on the CRTC to approve the entry of AJE into the Canadian media market. Although the group's leader, Walied Khogali, is described in news reports as a Canadian, he identifies himself on his Facebook page as a fan of Barack and Michelle Obama, Students for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. He supports "the Red Movement" that mainly acts to protest Israeli policies and promotes the "I love Allah" T-shirt and the "Bush shoe thrower" from Iraq.
But Philip J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau for Public Affairs, criticized Al-Jazeera's coverage of the Haiti relief effort at the State Department press briefing on January 26. "When you're talking about international reporting," he said, "we have had¯I've had direct conversations with our friends at Al-Jazeera, for example. And we have spent some time critiquing what we felt was unfair, unbalanced coverage of operations in Haiti ." He explained that he had "a conversation" with "officials at [the] Al-Jazeera, English channel" about "inflammatory" coverage suggesting that U.S. relief efforts in Haiti constituted a military plan to take over the country.
More serious and severe criticism has come from Judea Pearl, father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who has called Al-Jazeera "today's greatest recruiter for terrorism." His son's murderer, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is now in Guantanamo but has been scheduled by the Obama Administration for a civilian trial in the U.S., boasted of his murder, saying that he "decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head."
CRTC commissioner Marc Patrone said in the lone dissenting opinion that the decision to permit broadcasting AJE was made without adequately addressing concerns that the channel could engage in spreading "ethnic and religious hatred."
He also expressed concern about the foreign ownership of the channel. "In weighing the merits of all foreign services, the regulator should be particularly sensitive to 'state-owned' or 'state-financed' services originating from nations with radically different attitudes towards freedom of speech and democracy in general," he said.
A group called Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) welcomed the decision to allow AJE into the country but said nothing in its statement about the fact that the channel is funded by the oil-rich Sunni Muslim monarchy in Qatar and that there is no freedom of the press in Qatar itself.
Commissioner Patrone noted that the CRTC had provided a "stark appraisal" of the record of Al-Jazeera Arabic (AJA) in 2004 when approving its license for the Canadian media market only if the content were recorded and monitored by cable and satellite carriers. No distributors picked up the channel because of those restrictions, which have not been applied by the CRTC in the case of AJE. This means the channel may find it easier to get in more media markets.
But Patrone said that because of the treatment of AJA, "one might have expected this most recent application by the same network's English-language service would have been subject to the most rigorous examination possible¯one which included a reconsideration of the entire network's journalism policies. Regretfully, this hasn't been the case."
"While some of the interveners argued that the Commission should consider AJA's broadcasting record, my colleagues, consistent with the Commission's usual approach, chose not to do so," Patrone explained. "The consequence of this decision, in my opinion, is that it did not allow for the kind of comprehensive investigation of Al Jazeera's entire record that I believe was warranted."
Patrone added that one of the interveners, a group called Honest Reporting Canada, had submitted documentary evidence to the commission noting that some reporting of AJE, despite its claims to be objective, has been unbalanced, unfair, and inaccurate. It cited specific instances of such reporting.
Honest Reporting Canada said, "We are apprehensive that AJE will be unabashedly anti-Israel, journalistically unfair, inaccurate and unbalanced, and may potentially carry content which exposes Jews to hatred and anti-Semitism. We have relayed our concerns to the CRTC and to the Canadian sponsor of AJE, Ethnic Channels Group Ltd."
Patrone noted that Ethnic Channels Group Ltd (ECGL) claimed that AJE and AJA "were distinct services and submitted that it would be inappropriate to consider AJA's broadcast record in order to assess the request to add AJE to the list, even if they share a common owner." The CRTC seemed to accept this dubious assertion.
In fact, an AIM special report found evidence that key Al-Jazeera English personnel had come from Al-Jazeera Arabic. The emir of Qatar , Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, is chairman of the boards of directors for both channels.
In the U.S. , largely because of efforts by Accuracy in Media to expose the channel's links to terrorists and funding by an undemocratic regime, AJE has had limited distribution and acceptance. However, it has spent countless oil dollars of the emir on expensive public relations firms in order to obtain more outlets. AJE is now being carried in the Washington, D.C. area through the MHz Networks.
While not arguing for any federal action to keep the channel out of the United States , AIM has told potential cable and satellite carriers that it offers anti-American programming designed to incite Arabs and Muslims to hate and kill Americans and Jews. AIM produced a documentary, Terror Television: The Rise of Al-Jazeera and the Hate America Media, featuring evidence that Al-Jazeera inspired foreign Muslim fighters to go to places like Iraq and Afghanistan for the specific purpose of killing U.S. service members.
AIM demonstrated, through a videotape captured after the liberation of Iraq by U.S. forces, that Al-Jazeera's first managing director was an agent of the Saddam Hussein regime. In addition, one of Al-Jazeera's Afghanistan reporters, Tayseer Alouni, went to prison in Spain on terrorism charges. Al-Jazeera paid Alouni's salary, legal fees and "related expenses" during his trial and continues to defend him.
Our charges of bias were vindicated when the top U.S. journalist at Al-Jazeera English, Dave Marash, left the channel and said that anti-American bias was a factor in his decision to leave. Prior to the channel's launch in 2006, Marash had claimed that Al-Jazeera English would be editorially autonomous and independent from Al-Jazeera Arabic.
Marash told the Columbia Journalism Review that Al-Jazeera officials in Doha, Qatar , had wanted to do a series on "Poverty in America " that was "so stereotypical and shallow" that AJE in Washington, D.C. rejected the idea. "And so the planning desk in Doha literally sneaked a production team into the United States without letting anyone in the American news desk know," he said. The result, he said, was just as he predicted¯a shallow and stereotypical story.
The U.S. House of Representatives in December passed a resolution (H.R. 2278) by a vote of 395-3 to "direct the President to transmit to Congress a report on anti-American incitement to violence in the Middle East…" It was sent after passage to Senator John Kerry's Senate Foreign Relations Committee for further action.
The resolution declared that "The broadcast of incitement to violence against Americans and the United States on television channels and other media that are accessible in the United States may increase the risk of radicalization and recruitment of Americans into Foreign Terrorist Organizations that seek to carry out acts of violence against American targets and on American soil."
The sponsor, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), said passage was a blow to "terror TV" and that the report from President Obama "must include a country-by-country list and description of media outlets that engage in anti-American incitement to violence in the Middle East and a list of satellite companies that carry such media."
However, Al-Jazeera was not named in the text of H.R. 2278 while other television networks associated with Hezbollah and Hamas were.
Yet the legislation defines "anti-American incitement to violence" as "the act of persuading, encouraging, instigating, advocating, pressuring, or threatening so as to cause another to commit a violent act against any person, agent, instrumentality, or official of, is affiliated with, or is serving as a representative of the United States."
It will be difficult for officials of the Obama Administration to argue that the definition does not apply to at least some of the programming from its "friends" at Al-Jazeera.
*Cliff Kincaid is president of America's Survival, Inc. - www.usasurvival.org
Visit Cliff Kincaid's website at www.usasurvival.org


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MCK commisioned to create a layout on a sloping site which acheived up to 36 dwellings with associated car parking, landscaping on the land off Southworth rd, Newton-Le-Willows.
For more information and to discuss this type of project without obligation please contact. You can call 01772 774 510 or in the first instance we would welcome your email to firstname.lastname@example.com


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The only thing better than owning a DJI Mavic Air drone is getting one at an incredible price. If you want a great DJI Mavic Air deal, this is how you get it. Buy a refurbished DJI Mavic Air!
There is absolutely no difference between a refurbished Mavic Air and a brand new one. Refurbished DJI Mavic Air drones have never been in an accident; they have no scratches or scuffs; they look and perform exactly the same as a brand new drone.
Refurbished drones are ones that were simply returned, for whatever reason, within 10 days of being purchased. Sometimes they were returned because of buyer's remorse, sometimes they get returned when a gift recipient exchanged the drone for another one and sometimes there was a minor problem like a battery that would not hold a charge or a board that needed to be replaced.
Upon return, the drone is thoroughly tested and inspected. If any problems are found, the components are replaced with brand new ones and then they are packaged in the same box a brand new drone comes in.
A refurbished DJI Mavic Air has EXACTLY THE SAME WARRANTY as a brand new Mavic Air, so you can rest easy knowing that your refurbished drone really is just as good as a brand new one.
It's your choice. You can pay $160 dollars more for a brand new drone or get exactly the same thing with a refurbished one. We'll let you decide!
When fully unfolded, the Mavic Air is smaller than a Mavic Pro but larger than a Spark. Folded, it is actually smaller than a Spark. The Mavic Air's 21 minute maximum flight time is more than the Spark's 16 minutes and less than the Mavic Pro's 27 minutes. It's flight distance of up to 2.1 miles is also in between the Spark's 1.2 miles and the Mavic Pro's 4.1 miles. That's where the comparisons end.
While it may seem like the Mavic Air has the same camera as the Mavic Pro, the 12 MP/4K camera is actually a little bit better. Although it has the same 1/2.3" lens, the Mavic Air has a better bit rate and records much higher quality in slow-mo than the Mavic Pro. In addition, the camera's gimbal is contained within the craft so in case of a crash, the camera is much better protected than the camera on a Mavic Pro. Even better vibration dampening makes the camera even more steady than the Mavic Pro, too.
Two new auto-pilot flight QuickShot patterns have been added to the Mavic Air that are not available with either the Spark or the Mavic Pro - Boomerang and Orbit - which produce some amazing video sequences that only the best of drone pilots could ever pull off.
The Mavic Air also outshines the Mavic Pro in terms of obstacle avoidance. The Air has sensors on the front, back and bottom where as the Pro and Spark only has them on the front and bottom. In addition, the Mavic Air utilizes infrared sensors in addition to GPS to provide incredibly steady flights (the Mavic Pro only has GPS sensors). We tested it in 40 MPH wind gusts (far more than the drone is rated for) and it held as steady as if there was no wind at all!
So which drone is better - The Mavic Air or the Mavic Pro? We'll leave that up to you to decide. If flight time and distance are your main concerns, the Mavic Pro may be the best drone for you. In all other areas, the Mavic Air equals or beats the Pro.
[Note: Drone protection plan options will be offered during the checkout process.]
Some drone pilots never really experience the true thrill and freedom of flying the DJI Mavic Air because they are so worried about crashing their drone. Don't be one of those people; get out there and have fun!
If for any reason your Mavic Air sustains impact or liquid damage, rest assured – you are covered with CPS! Having a full drone warranty plan gives you total peace of mind, knowing that you're covered by the best in the business.
Not only that, but if you get the 2 year warranty coverage, it extends the warranty beyond the manufacturer's limited warranty.
Select from either one year or two year coverage plans for your DJI Mavic Air, above. Check out the prices and we think you will agree that the two year plans are an incredible value!
[Note: Drone protection plan options will be offered during the checkout process.]
Anyone who has ever flown a drone before will tell you two things:
Even the most seasoned drone pilots still occasionally crash their drones. Accidents are inevitable for many reasons:
Not all crashes are fatal to drones. Sometimes they just need a new propeller or two and sometimes they just get a bit scuffed up. Anything beyond that, and repairs can get expensive - especially if the camera that came with the drone gets damaged. If the drone is too badly damaged, it cannot be repaired or the repairs are so expensive, you are better off buying a whole new drone.
We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of having extra drone warranty coverage. The manufacturer will not cover anything if your drone has been involved in a crash, regardless of the reason. And, like cell phone companies, they will always look for the slightest bit of "water damage" do deny warranty claims for any component failures.
[Note: Drone protection plan options will be offered during the checkout process.]
Drone coverage only applies to what came in the actual drone package and not to anything additional that may have been bundled with the drone (batteries and propellers excluded). There is a $150 deductible associated with any damage claim to a DJI Mavic Air.
What does the CPS Accidental Drone Warranty cover?
The CPS Accidental Drone Warranty covers full parts and labor on all internal hardware failure, as well as the extra added benefit of Accidental Damage Protection. This contract is specifically for drones used recreationally (consumer use only). Deductible applies at time of claim.
Does the Drone coverage start on the date of purchase, or is it an extended warranty plan?
The CPS Accidental Drone Warranty coverage begins on the end user's date of purchase. For example, if the customer purchases a drone with a 2 year CPS plan, they will receive 2 total years from date of purchase. There is a 30 day claims hold to prevent DOAs or manufacturer defects, and CPS coverage will begin on day 31. Any claims that occur during that first 30 days would not be covered under this plan.
Does accidental coverage protect my drone against crashes?
Yes it does! This is exactly what the CPS Accidental Drone warranty is for. It covers physical damage, excessive damage, impact damage, water damage, and everything in between.
What doesn't the CPS Accidental Drone Warranty cover?
Unfortunately this contract will not cover lost or stolen products, routine maintenance products (like propellers), consumables (like batteries) or any add-on accessories, whether they were part of a bundled purchase or not.
Does the CPS Accidental Drone Warranty cover the camera or gimbal?
If the camera and/or gimbal is included in the box from the manufacturer, then yes, the CPS warranty will cover it as well.
Will the CPS Accidental Drone Warranty cover propellers?
Replacing the drone's propellers is a maintenance issue and is not covered under warranty. Propellers are user replaceable parts. Depending on the manufacturer, it is recommended to replace propellers if you notice a change in flight experience or experience noisy/unbalanced flight.
Does the CPS Accidental Drone Warranty cover the rechargeable battery?
Batteries are consumables and are not covered under warranty.
What happens if the remote control malfunctions or is damaged. Would that be covered as well?
Great question! CPS will cover the remote (that was included in the box from the manufacturer) for full parts and labor on any hardware malfunctions, as well as any accidental damage claims. If the remote was not part of the original package by the manufacturer (even if it was an add-on in a bundle), it will not be covered.
How would I file a claim? Is there anything I would need to have?
Filing a claim is easy! You can contact CPS by phone or email to file a claim. You also can file a claim directly through your CPS Client Care account, and via the chat on CPS website. You would need to submit your CPS Membership ID # to file a claim, the drone's serial #, along with a copy of your original purchase receipt.
Who will repair my drone? Is there anywhere I can bring their drone in locally for service?
After providing the deductible payment, you will be directed to ship your product at your expense to CPS's depot repair facility. Once received, based on the manufacturer, the drone will either be fixed by our in house Drone Repair Center or sent to the manufacturer directly. Unfortunately at this time you would be unable to repair your drones locally, as CPS would not be able to control the quality of the repair.
I noticed that a deductible applies at time of claim, how is that determined?
Drone coverage only applies to what came in the actual drone package and not to anything additional that may have been bundled with the drone. It applies to the drone, any camera that was attached to the drone by the manufacturer and the remote if included in the drone package by the manufacturer. The amount of the deductible is determined by the retail price of the drone, itself.
Will my coverage continue after CPS repairs my drone?
Yes it will! The coverage will remain in place until the contract expires, or unless the drone is replaced under warranty.
How many claims can I file over the life of their warranty plan?
You can file unlimited claims on their product, but coverage will cap out once the repair costs reach the original purchase price of their product.
What happens if the service center cannot repair the drone because of excessive damage, or if it's beyond economical repair?
If CPS cannot fix the drone, CPS will replace it. CPS also will offer you the option of a check for the cost of the replacement.
Will the CPS coverage continue on to the replacement drone?
Unfortunately no, once the drone is replaced the CPS contract is considered fulfilled. You can purchase a new Drone Warranty for their replacement unit.
If I lost my drone, can they transfer the warranty over to the new drone I am purchasing?
Unfortunately no, if a unit is lost, the CPS warranty coverage would be voided and, therefore, not transferable to another drone.
I am selling my drone, can I sell the warranty with it?
You absolutely can. Transferring ownership is simple via the CPS Customer Experience Department. Please note, a $25.00 transfer fee will apply.
Does the CPS Accidental Drone Warranty cover commercially used drones?
This plan will only cover drones used recreationally (consumer use only). Unfortunately we do not have coverage for commercial pilots at this time.
[Note: Drone protection plan options will be offered during the checkout process.]
The following is included in your Refurbished DJI Mavic Air Drone Package:
* Not covered by warranty
The following is covered by the manufacturer's warranty. For full details about Expo Drone's and the manufacturer's shipping, returns and warranty policies, please visit our Store Policies page:
Main Controller: 12 Months
Gimbal Camera: 6 Months
Vision Positioning System: 6 Months
Propulsion system (excluding propellers): 6 Months
Remote Controller: 12 Months
Battery: 6 Months and Charge Cycle less than 200 Times
Battery Charger: 6 Months
Frame: No Warranty
Propeller: No Warranty
Expo Drone does not offer warranties of any kind on products. All warranties are manufacturer warranties. Any problems you may experience with your drone products must be addressed with the manufacturer.
At Expo Drone, we strive to process and ship your order as quickly as possible. Most in-stock, non-custom products ship within 2 business days (Mon-Fri excluding shipping holidays). In the rare event that a non-custom order takes more than 2 business days to ship, we will notify you.
These rules for shipping, returns and refunds apply to most products sold on this website except for crash warranties. Once a drone has shipped and a crash warranty # has been generated and emailed to you, crash warranties cannot be canceled or refunded in whole or part.
Order Changes
If you need to make any changes to your order, please do so immediately. We try to get orders processed and shipped as quickly as possible. Once an order's status has been marked as "Awaiting Tracking Number" it is too late to stop the order. It could be anywhere from already packaged to on the truck when you receive an email with the "Awaiting Tracking Number" order status. Any cancellations made after an order is marked as "Awaiting Tracking Number" will incur a 10% restocking fee.
No Address Changes Allowed
In order to help prevent fraud, we do not allow address changes to an order nor will we allow a package to be held for pickup at the shipping company's facility. If you place an order and need to change the delivery address, you must immediately request that the original order be canceled and then re-visit the website and place a new order. Obviously, once an order has been marked as "Awaiting Tracking Number" or "Fulfilled" (which means it has already been processed through our warehouse and shipped), there is no way to cancel the order nor change its delivery address.
Signature Required Delivery
All items shipped by Expo Drone require a signature for delivery. Please be sure that someone is at the shipping destination to receive and sign for your package(s) on the delivery date indicated through your tracking number. It is your responsibility to arrange for another delivery if nobody is available to sign for the package at time of delivery. It is also the customer's responsibility to ensure that the person signing for a package at their property is someone authorized to sign for the package. If someone signs for a package at your property, it is considered delivered. In order to mitigate fraud, under no circumstances will we have a package held for pickup at the shipping company nor will we re-route a package to another delivery address.
Expo Drone is only responsible for products up to the time that they are received by the shipping company and title to the package's contents is transferred to the buyer the moment the package is received by the shipping company. Any problems that arise after the package has been received by the shipping company need to be addressed with the shipping company.
Undeliverable Packages
If for any reason, a package cannot be delivered, the customer is responsible for our costs to ship the package and any additional costs associated with the delivery, re-delivery attempts and return shipment to us as well as a 10% re-stocking fee. This is true even if the customer received "free" shipping (shipping is only free for products that are delivered and not returned).
Refusal of Delivery: If a package is refused for delivery, outside of arriving damaged or in a damaged box, the customer will be responsible for actual shipping charges incurred by Expo Drone. Once we receive the package back in the warehouse, we will issue a credit to the original form of payment for the purchase price less the actual shipping cost of shipping the package to you. This shipping charge will apply even if you were not originally charged shipping under a free shipping promotion. In addition, there is a 10% restocking fee for all returned orders.
Incorrect Shipping Address Provided: Packages that are returned to us because of an incorrect address provided by the customer will be subject to additional shipping charges as well as a restocking fee of 10%. This shipping charge will apply even if you were not originally charged shipping under a free shipping promotion. Requests for packages to be reshipped will have the restocking fee waived but will be subject to a reshipping fee.
Expo Drone only accepts "buyer's remorse" returns of unopened packages within 10 days of the order date. We do not accept returns for drone products that are not working - that is a warranty issue that you need to contact the manufacturer about. Once a package is opened, all issues must be addressed with the manufacturer.
For "buyer's remorse" returns, please notify us within 10 days of the order date of your intention to return an unopened package in order to receive a return authorization from us and instructions on where to ship the package (we do not accept return shipments at our corporate offices). We do not accept "buyer's remorse" returns after 10 days of the order date, regardless of reason - even if it took more than 10 days for you to receive it. Any packages that are returned without a return authorization will be refused and the customer will be responsible for the return shipping back to them, as well.
There is a 10% processing fee on all returned orders. In addition, customers are responsible for the cost of returning packages to us as well as our original cost to ship the package to you, whether you received "free shipping" or not. In other words, shipping is only free to customers who keep their purchases. Refunds will be processed in the amount of the original order, less a 10% re-stocking fee, less our actual shipping costs to get the product(s) to you.
CPS Drone Protection
Once a drone has been marked as "Fulfilled", CPS Drone Protection Warranties cannot be canceled. There are no refunds whatsoever on drone protection policies, regardless of the reason.


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The proliferation of smartphones could provide security problems if users use them to access secure networks.
Simon Ford, international sales director of NCP, claimed that although smartphones such as the BlackBerry and iPhone do present benefits, there is a security consideration if the user decides to start transferring data or do online banking.
Ford said: "Before every phone had a camera, and soon you won't be able to buy a phone that doesn't have the internet on it, soon everything will be a smartphone. If you want that option why pick a smartphone? If you like to be able to read your emails, then you need to be secure and you need a virtual private network (VPN) client.
"One of the main problems on the internet is stealing IDs, this is a huge problem and fraud has now overtaken the drug industry, and we are protecting individuals and corporations who are accessing the data."
Ford claimed that this year alone, LG will launch 15 new smartphones, while another report claimed that Research In Motion will release three new BlackBerry handsets, all of which will reportedly sport GSM/GPRS/Edge and 3G capabilities, alongside WiFi and GPS.
Ford said: "How secure do you want to be? If you don't care then it is not a concern, but if you want to do online banking on a smartphone, then you have got to make sure that you are genuinely safe."


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Atomweight contender Paulina Granados is not a fan of fellow Combate Americas star, Kyra Batara.
Kyra Batara (5-4-0) is set to return to action on February 16th when she takes on Vanessa Rico Fernandez (2-2-0). Batara has received a lot of hype from the organization as of late. During the commentary of their last event they branded Batara as one of the most dangerous atomweights on the planet and said they find it difficult to find opponents for her because of how good she is.
Granados (4-2-0) says "spoiled little child" Batara is undeserving of the hype. She can't wait to someday be locked in the cage with her.
"I feel she is overhyped and I wasn't offered a fight with her until after my last win over Jenna Serio. She is a loud mouth spoiled little child and I absolutely cannot wait for the cage to be locked behind me when I beat her ass" Granados said.
29-year-old Granados is currently the number fourteen ranked atomweight in the world according to the Women's MMA World Rankings presented by WMMA Rankings. She holds impressive victories over Sarah Lagerstrom, Maria Lopez and Jenna Serio and more. Her sole career losses come by way of close decisions to the number nine ranked Tessa Simpson, and number eight ranked Julia Jones.
Granados, also known as "Firefox" has been out with an injury and has only recently completed successful surgery. She plans to make her return around May. "I just got surgery last month but I'm looking to come back as soon as May". There is no doubt when she does make her return, she'll be wanting a fight with Batara.
"Firefox" trains out of Alliance MMA, the gym behind high level UFC athletes including Dominick Cruz, Cat Zingano, Alexander Gustafsson, as well as UFC strawweights Jessica Penne, Bec Rawlings, Angela Hill and many more.
Do you agree with Granados' comments, is Batara overhyped? Are you excited for her return? Let us know in the comments below.
Follow Granados on social media for all the latest on her MMA journey:
Twitter – Click HERE
Facebook – Click HERE
Instagram – Click HERE


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Centre for Corpus Research (CCR), University of Birmingham
This is a special blog post, extending our thanks to the Centre for Corpus Research (CCR), located in the University of Birmingham for their valuable contribution to the All About Corpora (AAC) website. In particular, we would like to express our gratitude to Professor Michaela Mahlberg, who is the Director of CCR, for encouraging her colleagues to put forward their research profiles, as well as providing us with a treasure trove of research materials. At the time of posting this article, Researcher Profiles for the following CCR members can be found on our website: Michaela Mahlberg (Director) Paul Thompson (Deputy...Read More


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#CountdowntilGG (Gilmore Girls Readathon) Check Post #1
Friday, September 16, 2016
Hi Everyone!
Just stopping by with the first check in post regarding the Gilmore Girls Readathon! How has the first month of reading been going? Just want to leave a comment below with how you are doing or link me back to your blog post to let me know!
Here is my progress so far:
I have tried to pick books of the list of books that are mentioned in the TV show and so far I have read the following:
Rory-The Outsiders. This is in reference to when she calls herself Pony Boy.
Luke-How The Grinch Stole Christmas-How sometimes Luke a grinch, but sometimes his heart swells too.
Dave-Tuesdays with Morrie. A religious book for a religious guy :)
Christopher-Goldilocks and the 3 bears-Because it seems like he is never content.
Cinnamon the Cat-Stuart Little. Because he is a mouse and I just thought it seemed fitting :)
How is your reading going? Let me know!
Happy Reading!
2 comments:
Hi! You already got a Bingo! Good job, Valerie! Here's my progress so far for the Bingo:ReplyDelete
Kirk- Little Nothing by Marisa Silver. It's an odd book for an odd guy. The main character is constantly transforming and I feel Kirk is a jack-of-all trades guy who is changing jobs all the time throughout the show.
Dean- Delirium by Lauren Oliver. He obviously becomes delirious about Rory. He seems to be in love with her since the beginning and their each other's first love. He breaks some ethical rules to be with her.
Christopher- The Beginning Woods by Malcolm McNeill. Christopher is like a child in my opinion. He is always trying to do something right, but in his selfishness he can't go through with it. He keeps going back to Lorelai and Sheryl to try again.
I also read Winter's Bone during the past month, but it seems too dark and gritty for GG characters, lol.
Woohoo! Awesome job :) I love seeing what ideas you came up with for what characters. Keep up the great work and thanks for checking in!Delete


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Bankruptcy Judge Sends a Message to Bank of America
Bank of America Corp. has been ordered to pay $10,000 per month for every month it continues to badger a couple to pay off a loan that was discharged in bankruptcy, in a ruling from a prominent judge who says he means to "send a message."
"This is not just a stupid mistake. This is a policy," wrote Judge Robert Drain of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. "And frankly, $10,000.00 a month plus attorney's fees may not mean much to Bank of America, but at least it will send a message that other attorneys may pick up on."
Judge Drain's decision, memorialized in a written ruling issued Tuesday, documents a barrage of letters and phone calls attempting to collect the debt from Edwin and Michelle Ramos. Chapter 7 bankruptcy relieved them of the obligation to pay off their home loan while preserving the bank's right to foreclose on its collateral. The calls and letters kept coming to the Ramoses, even after their attorney pointed out that their personal liability had been discharged in bankruptcy. The bank ignored him, he said, and, according to court records, failed to respond to Judge Drain until 10 days after he signed an order imposing sanctions on the lender.


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Britain's biggest tobacco firm has turned to the wine industry for ideas on how to give its cigarettes some cachet.
British American Tobacco is bringing out premium packets of Dunhill cigarettes, containing details of the lineage of the leaf used, along with the year of harvest.
Its aim is to create a market in limited edition vintage cigarettes, similar to that found in fine wines.
The firm is trying to cash in on the move by consumers towards premium brands. Its packs of 20 will cost a hefty £18 – double the price of a standard pack
The packets could prove controversial among health campaigners, who may claim it is an attempt to glamorise a product that can kill.


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I have a sink full (read: overflowing) of dirty dishes, three piles of clean laundry that need to be put away and at least two or three more loads of laundry that need to be washed.
The entire house could use round with the Swiffer clothes and it probably wouldn't kill me to "mop" (and by that I mean Swiffer WetJet, I love Swiffer) the kitchen and bathroom.
But what did I do yesterday? Sat around. In my defense, I'm sick, sick, sick.
And what am I going to do today? As soon as my meds kick in and I stop coughing/sniffling constantly, I'm going to get ready and probably go into work (and maybe put the clean clothes away that are on the living room couch, cuz really, it's the living room) even though my editor won't be back into town until like 8 tonight. Boo that, by the way.
Does anybody else hate doing chores around the house as much as I do? I HATE it. Hate.


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At Ojeen today evening for my evening snack, I noticed a new dish under the glass counter. I could hardly believe my ears when I asked what it was: "Chicken masala caterpillar!" Naturally, I ordered it forthwith, and when the boy deposited it on my table, I asked him for the name. Could I have misheard? No, it really is chicken masala caterpillar. I suppose it is the segmented appearance of the outer covering that led to some imaginative soul conjuring up this name. "New dish," the boy informed me. And, yes, it was good.
I also ordered duck's eggs, and washed down everything with hot tea. A terrific Malabar snack!


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One week after Kelly Marie Tran deleted all posts from her personal Instagram account, sparking a dialogue about harassment in the Star Wars fandom, John Boyega has stepped in, addressing the issue with a handful of tweets. The actor, who plays Finn, a Resistance fighter in the core Star Wars saga, said that he hasn't spoken to Tran about her deleted Instagram, so he's "clueless" about why she left the service. "Just accept that you don't know as I have," he wrote to a fan.
He did, however, formally address the fandom's toxic wing in another tweet: "If you don't like Star Wars or the characters understand that there are decisions makers and harassing the actors/ actresses will do nothing. You're not entitled to politeness when your approach is rude. Even if you paid for a ticket!"
Boyega also thanked the "majority" of fans, who have been supportive rather than vicious.
Tran reportedly left Instagram after being harassed by racist and misogynistic fans, many of whom dislike her Star Wars: The Last Jedi character, Rose Tico. Tran has not publicly stated her reason for deleting her posts.
Mark Hamill, elder statesman of the Star Wars universe and the many Twitter arguments it spawns, quickly weighed in with a little joke.
When Tran initially left Instagram, Hamill—as well as Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson—was quick to tweet his support of her, sharing a photo of himself and the actress with the following caption: "What's not to love? #GetALifeNerds."
He also re-tweeted an article about the growing #FanArtforRose hashtag, created by fans who have been sharing art inspired by Tran's character.
"I really hope she somehow gets the chance to see the outpouring of love & affection for her in the #FanArtforRose- Adoring Fans! Amazing Artwork!" Hamill wrote.
Elsewhere in the Star Wars universe, a recent revelation from creator George Lucas reveals how the franchise's latest trilogy—Last Jedi included—could have inspired even more fan ire, or at least a different kind of anger. In the illustrated book counterpart to James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction AMC series, Lucas shared that his initial plan for the new trilogy was to focus on the microbiotic world of creatures called Whills, who "control the universe" and "feed off the Force."
"Of course, a lot of fans would have hated it, just like they did Phantom Menace and everything, but at least the whole story from beginning to end would be told," Lucas continued.
Given how The Last Jedi has already divided the fandom, it's probably for the best that viewers didn't get a Phantom Menace–esque series to groan about. Right?


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Markku Eskelinen. Independent scholar and experimental writer of ergodic prose and critical essays. Founding editor of both Game Studies, the international journal of computer game research, and Cybertext Yearbook. Latest publication: Cybertext Poetics: The Critical Landscape of New Media Literary Theory.
Gregory Ulmer. Professor in the Department of English at the University of Florida and professor of Electronic Languages and Cybermedia at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland. website
Sarah Kember. Professor of New Technologies of Communications, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK.
Yannis La Macchia. Comics artist. website
Ilan Manouach. Artist, writer, and musician. website
Johnny (Sue) Golding. Director, Centre for Fine Art Research (CFAR). Birmingham School of Arts, Design and Media, Birmingham City University.
Richard McGuire. Comic book artist, graphic designer, illustrator, animator and musician. Celebrated author of Here. website
Daniel Merlin Goodbrey. English writer and online pioneer known for his work in webcomics and the British small press. Lecturer in Narrative & Interaction Design at The University of Hertfordshire. website
Gregory Steirer. Assistant Professor of English and Film Studies, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA.
WREK (Olivier Deprez, Adolpho Avril, Miles O'Shea). Experimental artistic collective merging woodcut, installation art, performance, film, and comics. website


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Let's all go to the Algarve: 7nts from £136pp incl. 4* hotel & flights
Pirates, park your patootie in Portugal with 7 nights in the Algarve from £136pp including the 4* Quinta Pedra dos Bicos & flights. These cute apartments are the perfect place to chill before taking a walk to the beach or enjoying a dip in the pool. Holiday details: Travel duration: 7 nights (longer or shorter… jcrdawes


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Cornerstone Philippines
Mission to the Philippines
We are so excited, as we begin making plans for our next mission outreach to the Philippines in April 2018.
God has opened wonderful doors for effectual ministry in the Philippines. Our trip next March will include evangelistic crusades, prayer for the sick, medical outreaches and ministry to ministers in various conferences. Pastor Jacquie will go a week ahead to Davao City to connect with our partners from Davao Christian Bible Channel. This ministry has built a television station that touches a potential 3 million viewers. From this base, Jacquie will travel into smaller villages to do a series of worship seminars for worship ministers and their congregations. Find out more about that outreach here. We typically take teams on these mission trips and encourage you to seek the Lord about joining us. You can truly be used of God to touch lives and make a difference.
This opportunity will continue to expand our focus of the last 5 years in outreach to this nation. It adds to work done with and for our brethren in previous trips, as well as, to the television presentation of our weekly Sunday service broadcast, which has that potential to reach up to 3 million viewers. God opens doors and we count it a priviledge to serve Him, as we go through them. Thank you to all of you who support these endeavors.
And, we know from experience, when we arrive for this mission, that beyond the planned and scheduled outreaches, the Lord always leads us to additional and unexpected needs. We trust and pray that we will have the additional resources needed to minister to these needs also. This why we begin our planning and preparations many months in advance.
Perhaps you have come to the website today to support this effort. We thank you in advance for making it possible to touch so many lives. Perhaps you are here to support a particular team member. On behalf of them, we express to you our heartfelt thanks for making it possible for them to participate in this mission. You may make your contributions at above right. And, God bless you as you give.


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Omg, that grilled sparrow is so kechik!! I laughed the moment I saw that picture of the grilled sparrow with the bowl of rice and miso soup hahah! Hey, it's a good thing that you got a nice photo of the thousand torii without the crowds but I reckon even with the huge crowds, Japanese places of interests are always beautiful aesthetically.
Fushimi Inari Taisha And Its Thousand Torii, Kyoto
"Hot, hot, hot!"
That was the first impression of Kyoto's weather as we stepped out of JR Inari train station. We were in Japan during the middle of May – not too far from the coolness of spring yet not too close to the scorching heat of summer – so we were expecting the climate to be just nice.
However, the added heat did not help with our mood. We were hungry, sleepy and tired from the overnight plane ride and subsequent train trip but nothing could overcome our excitement of setting foot in Japan for the very first time.
We started a seven-day whirlwind of an adventure across Kansai at one of the most revered Shinto shrines in Japan – Fushimi Inari Taisha.
But First, Grilled Sparrow Anyone?
Since it was already late in the afternoon and we were famished, we sidestepped to an adjacent street in search of Oshokujidokoro Inafuku, a restaurant serving a rather peculiar local delicacy – suzume, or grilled sparrow.
The adventurous me ordered one skewer of sparrow while my wife went with the safer option of a tempura donburi. She was gleefully giggling away when our plates arrived for she got the better end of the deal – for a princely sum of ¥600, all I got was a bird the size of my thumb.
So, while she devoured the fat pieces of tempura in a heaping bowl of rice, I had to painstakingly use my teeth to nibble and tear away every single piece of meat from the sparrow.
The bird's flesh is a bit gamey but made to taste good with the sweet teriyaki-like sauce covering every square inch of the perfectly-grilled sparrow. Thankfully I ordered a bowl of rice and miso soup to accompany the meat – just enough fuel for me to last the whole afternoon.
Eating sparrow was definitely one of my culinary highlights in Kyoto but for my wife, it's a funny tale she will laughably bring up every time the topic of "exotic food" comes to mind.
Read Also: 10 Foods To Try For A Wholesome Nishiki Market Experience
Fleeting Foxes
Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of inari, the Shinto kami (spirit) of foxes, fertility, rice, tea and sake.
This temple was established in the year 711 at the foothills of Mount Inariyama and has since become the place to go for worshipers to pray for prosperity of their business, safety of their home and well-being of their family.
A huge torii greeted us as we made our way towards the romon, the main gate, guarded by fierce-looking statues of kitsune, or foxes, regarded as messengers of Inari Okami. I noticed one fox statue had a key in its mouth – said to be for a rice granary of which it guards.
Behind the main gate lies the haiden, a worship hall followed by a honden, the main shrine containing five deities that represent the five virtues embodying inari. Every building is coated a vermilion red to represent the bountiful harvests the kami gives its devotees.
A Thousand and One Torii
Behind the honden is a flight of stairs that leads to one of the most iconic images in Japan – the torii gateways of Fushimi Inari.
The seemingly endless senbon torii (thousands of torii) snakes all the way to the peak of the mountain and each gateway is engraved with the name of a donor who seeks Inari's blessings on their business.
The path starts with a row of huge torii before branching off to two identical paths of smaller gateways. We only made our way up to here for it was getting late in the evening and decided to admire the gateways up close. I also miraculously managed to snap a couple of shots devoid of tourists that were thronging the place!
Read Also: A Brief Encounter With A Geisha At Gion, Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Taisha was my first time experiencing a Shinto shrine up close and I absolutely loved its aesthetics.
I was really captivated at the simplicity of each structure that seems to be devoid of any from of grandiosity. Instead, the focus seems to be on the tiny details that make them stand out like the elaborate filigrees, intricate lamps and lifelike sculptures to the matching blend of colors that looks striking but perfectly in-tune with nature.
First impressions matter and Fushimi Inari Taisha was the ideal starting point for us to delve into Japanese culture, history and religion all in one place. Grilled sparrow aside, it was the right tonic for us to begin exploring the former imperial capital of Japan.
Travel Tips:
- The nearest train stop to Fushimi Inari Taisha is Inari Station along the JR Nara Line. A one-way fare from Kyoto Station is ¥140. The shrine is open 24 hours to the public.
- If you are really interested in learning about the history and significance of Fushimi Inari Taisha, you can go to their official website here or Temple Trail's detailed account here.
- If you're adventurous like me, try having a go at grilled sparrow at Inafuku. The restaurant is open daily except Tuesdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can browse through their menu here.
3 thoughts on "Fushimi Inari Taisha And Its Thousand Torii, Kyoto"
Oh my! That grilled sparrow is so small! Well, it's a sparrow, but for that price you paid I would expect them to give you more than just one skewer. However, this is a good memory for you and your wife to remember (and laugh at) though.


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So my mom, sister and I went to Winslow's Home today for brunch.
Every time I think of Winslow's Home, I'm reminded of Carl Winslow:
Am I the only one? Did anyone else watch Family Matters as a kid? Best. Show. Ever.
Back on topic! We went to Winslow's Home for a lovely brunch. Located on Delmar Boulevard in University City, MO, Winslow's Home is a cute little building with a lot of character.
It reminded me of a more upscale Cracker Barrel. Lot's of cute kitschy goodies, as well as wonderful food with lots of local ingredients. Let's dig in!
If you follow me on twitter, you know how obsessed I am with chai lattes. They're rich, creamy, and spicy…and the chai latte at Winslow's Home was no different!
I enjoyed every drop.
My sister ordered a hot chocolate, which she enjoyed.
All together now:
Winslow's Home offers many delicious options for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. I decided to go the brunch route and order a breakfast burrito. It contained eggs, spinach, crème fraiche, goat cheese, and a few other goodies that escape my memory. It came with a creamy sauce for dipping.
Delish! The eggs were soft and warm, and the goat cheese added a layer of depth that I really enjoyed. So creamy!
My sister went with the french toast. It was covered in sticky sweet maple syrup, fresh bananas, and bacon.
She wasn't a huge fan (said it was too soggy from the syrup), but I stole a bite and thought it was pretty good. It tasted like they cook some banana in with the batter. Very strong banana flavor, if you're into that sort of thing.
My mom ordered pancakes with butter and syrup. I snapped a quick photo before she dug in.
I also snagged a bite of her pancakes, and they were light and fluffy. She seemed to like them as well.
I was quite stuffed after my breakfast burrito, but that I managed to save some room for this:
3 words: Goat Cheese Cookie. Delightful! My mom spotted this in the case and urged me to try it. I'm always up for trying something new! It was soft and cheesy – it tasted just like a cheese danish in cookie form. Wonderful!
Service was quick and super friendly. It wasn't long after we placed our orders that our food came out to our table, fresh and hot. However, while the food was tasty, it was a bit overpriced for my tastes. Breakfast for 3 came to over 30 bucks. Ouch.
Score time!
Food: 3 stars (out of five)
Ambiance: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Value: 2 stars
The food was decent, but at those prices, I'm not dying to come back. However, this is definitely a great place to relax and chat with a friend over a hot cup of coffee (or chai!).
Until next time, friends!
Pssst…are you a fan of Off The Eaten Path on Facebook? What are you waiting for? Click here to become a fan! Pretty please with sugar on top!


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Took me 27 years do dig this hole..I suppose it will take longer than 2 weeks to get out of it.
Hi Unchained, Mate, I'm a little confused this morning? I was on here briefly yesterday and I saw you had written a post saying you had caved in, and I saw that your counter had been reset to 0. You wrote in that post words along the lines of "you weren't going to let the slip up deter you or rob you of the progress you'd made so far". Today I see that post is gone and your counter is back at 15 days? ..... What's going on?A big part of this journey is about being honest with yourself. We're all essentially anonymous individuals here so there is really no need to hide from the truth. If your not able to be honest here, what do you hope to achieve from being here?It's not about creating a journal that reads like a success story for others. It's about journaling your thoughts, struggles and successes for your own benefit, so you should never have to fear journaling your truth, or changing your truth for anyone elses benefit.So what's really going on?
Have pm'd you privately.
I have mixed feelings about yesterday. On one hand I feel a little like a failure in that I MO'd. On the other, I feel like a ton of pressure has been relieved. I think I put a lot of hope in being able to perform with the wife this week. I was constantly thinking of my dick, wondering if it would be ready. I was dying to touch her, but afraid I couldn't finish what I started. I was in constant turmoil. I was testing myself in the shower and keeping myself in a perpetual state of anxiety.


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The Miami Marlins wanted Jose Reyes to feel wanted.
Team executives arranged to meet with Reyes and his camp at 12:01 a.m. on the first day of free agency. They would have drinks at The Carlyle, a luxury hotel in New York. It was cold enough on Nov. 3 for owner Jeffrey Loria to wear a long overcoat, which hid the new Marlins jersey that hadnt yet been released to the public.
A few other people in the bar thought that this was some sort of strange, freaky show, Marlins president David Samson recalled, because this man the owner of the team stood up and literally (opened his coat) and underneath was Jose Reyes jersey.
Samson told this story at a news conference to announce the Reyes signing this week at the winter meetings in Dallas. That is where the Marlins are as an organization, trying to break through the clutter in their market and make a splash.
The Cubs are content with a slow drip of news, seemingly unlikely to make a 100 million-plus commitment to a single player this winter. Theo Epstein is trying to buy low and methodically put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Ian Stewart was the 10th overall pick in the 2003 draft and will be 27 next season. His home run totals with the Colorado Rockies the last three years have gone from 25 to 18 to zero. But the Cubs believe he can be their third baseman.
It does wonders for a guys confidence, Stewart said Friday on a teleconference. Theo Epstein just the name is one of those guys in sports that everyone can recognize just for the success he brought to the Boston Red Sox organization in such a short amount of time. To hear his voice on the phone was very refreshing.
The logic behind Thursdays trade was that the four players involved would benefit from a new environment, even if Stewart didnt necessarily see it that way.
I was never really a big change of scenery type guy, Stewart said. I always felt like I fit in great with the Rockies when I was there. It just didnt seem like all the time I was given the best opportunity to play.
(With Aramis Ramirez gone), this gives me a great opportunity to come in and to be that everyday third baseman and get those 500 or 600 at-bats that I need to be able to be successful. Change of scenery? I dont know. But I think in the long run being in the spot where Im going to be able to play every day is going to be the best thing for me.
Tyler Colvin and DJ LeMahieu wont be part of a homegrown youth movement on the North Side and their athleticism could play well at Coors Field. Casey Weathers another former first-round pick who once played with David Price at Vanderbilt University represents more pitching inventory for the Cubs.
Stewart is looking forward to working with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo and showing that a string of injuries (knee, hamstring, wrist) caused a 2011 season in which he hit .156 at the big-league level.
We have opportunity, Epstein said. We can acquire players and give them 500, 600 at-bats, players with real upside and see if they can blossom and reach their potential here. Thats a way of building for the future.
Maybe these names will become answers to a trivia question, or simply forgotten. It depends on how quickly the Cubs can rebuild. The first moves of the Epstein administration have been measured, like the modest commitment recently given to outfielder David DeJesus (two years, 10 million).
You cant necessarily point to anything with David and say, Hey, this guy is going to hit you 30 home runs because hes not, Epstein said. You cant say, Hes going to hit .320. Hes not going to do that either. Hes not going to steal you 40 bags. But I like players whose contributions are consistent across the board.
They help you defensively. They can swing the bat. They have good consistent at-bats. They run the bases well. The totality of their contribution can be equal to or more than the player who does one thing extremely well, like the guy (whos) going to go out and hit you 25, 30 home runs, but really hurts you in other areas.
If we have a club full of well-rounded players, were going to far exceed the expectations, because those subtle contributions really add up.
The president of baseball operations doesnt have to wine and dine superstars, or worry about filling a new ballpark in Little Havana. Epstein credited the Marlins for developing enough players and keeping their powder dry so they could fire away when the time was right. The Cubs arent there yet.


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NET+ SeeVogh
Time 04/07/14 04:30PM-05:00PM
Room Director's Row E
Session Abstract
This session will provide an overview of the NET+ SeeVogh service, including features, structure, status, and how to participate. SeeVogh is a service that makes video collaboration affordable to the Internet2 community, even K-12 and public libraries, for up to 50 participants at a time.
Speaker Benjamin Fineman Internet2
Speaker Bob Koche Evogh, Inc.
Secondary tracks Cloud Services Internet2 NET+ Services Cloud, Trust, Identity and Middleware Applications


text: The Staggers 10 April 2011 This house believes whistleblowers make the world a safer place: Part II Pictures, audio and reaction from the second half of Saturday's Frontline Club <em>New Statesman</em Sign UpGet the New Statesman's Morning Call email. Sign-up This is the second part of the New Statesman's report on the whistleblowers' debate. For the first, covering the speech by Julian Assange (including video), click here. If anyone had feared that interest levels would drop after Julian Assange finished his speech, they were about to be proved wrong. The debate got more heated as the evening progressed. Bob Ayers, following the WikiLeaks founder, immediately took him to task over the chronology of the Gulf of Tonkin incident he'd outlined in his speech, at which Assange leapt to his feet with a point of information. -- Julian Assange debate: in pictures -- Ayers wasn't giving way, though, sternly telling Assange that he hadn't interrupted during his speech, and he expected the same "courtesy". Assange persisted, and Ayers barked: "Sit down!" This didn't go down very well with the audience; neither did Ayers's assertion that there were other words for whistleblowers – "rats", "sneaks", "snitches" and "traitors". Clayton Swisher of al-Jazeera tried to get in another point of information – his was allowed this time. He told Ayers that he'd also previously worked for a government organisation, in which the term "snitch" was used for informants on drug and other criminal cases. Governments liked snitches when it suited them. Ayers acknowledged this and resumed his speech. The crux of it was that those in possession of sensitive information swore an oath of secrecy, which should not be broken. At this point, there was a pause to hear from two whistleblowers – Annie Machon, ex-MI5 agent and partner of David Shayler; and Paul Moore, who spoke out about the over-leveraging of HBoS and lost his job in consequence. Machon spoke first; she was engaging and forthright. She told Ayers that she had never "sworn an oath" of secrecy and that she had been obliged to speak out publicly because there were no internal procedures that allowed wrongdoing to be exposed. "The fourth estate are very easily controlled by the government and the intelligence agencies," she said, adding: "We need some sort of legal channel to protect whistleblowers." Douglas Murray asked to come back on this and showed he wasn't afraid to make the debate personal, citing Machon's "9/11 denial" and asserting that she worked at only a "low level" in MI5. He told her: "Being in the secret service means you should keep secrets." Machon was unbowed, getting rapturous applause for saying: "We signed the Official Secrets Act to protect secrets, not crimes." She added: "I know a lot more than someone who was never on the inside at all." Next up was Paul Moore. He kicked off by quoting Dwight D Eisenhower – "never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion" – before delivering a passionate (and at times painful to hear) speech on the personal cost of whistleblowing. He was outraged that there was no whistleblower on the proposition side, and produced his own whistle from his pocket to blow in protest. Moore went on to say that transparency leads to a better world, but his own actions had cost him job and left him seriously depressed. He said that whistleblowers were treated like "lepers" and "toxic waste"; but that if more people had spoken out about the banks' sharp practices in the run-up to the crunch, the lives of much of the British population would be better. Before Moore went back to his seat, he read out a birthday card from his daughter, received at the height of the storm over his revelations. In it, she told him he was a good person, and to carry on doing what he was doing. It was a heartfelt moment. After this, the chairman, Jason Cowley, decided to read out some questions submitted through the New Statesman website. The first was to Julian Assange (photos of him speaking can be found here). Cowley asked him whether he was concerned about the "collateral damage" charge against WikiLeaks: the possible harm to informants in Afghanistan, for example. Assange replied that "WikiLeaks has never got it wrong" and the charge that not enough redacting of the documents took place was "hot air" from the Pentagon. In an assertion that cut little ice with those live-tweeting the event, he advised people to google "Pentagon" and "blood on its hands" versus "WikiLeaks" and "blood on its hands" and compare the number of hits. As Samira Shackle tweeted, he "seems to think that internet search results are an indicator of guilt". After a bit of a to-do over whether Murray should respond to this – he said he preferred to "keep his powder dry" for his upcoming speech – it was agreed that Mehdi Hasan would deliver the final proposition speech next. As anyone who's seen him on Question Time will testify, Hasan can never be accused of being a boring debater. "Technically the best speaker of the night," is the journalist Patrick Smith's verdict (he's uploaded a decent-quality audioboo of the speech here). "The real star of this debate," said Nasri Atallah. "I've been to countless debates on fox-hunting and there were no foxes on the panel," joked Hasan, addressing Paul Moore's complaint. He continued: "I don't want to talk about Julian. I want to talk about a man named Joe Darby . . . a high-school graduate from small-town Pennsylvania who joined the US army reserves at the age of 19, and was posted to Iraq at the age of 24." In 2004, Darby received two CDs of images of prisoner abuse at the US-run Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq. "To use the lingo of the military, he ratted on his friends," said Hasan, outlining how Darby lived in fear for his life, sleeping with a pistol under his pillow, moving house and eventually quitting the army. This was the essence of whistleblowing, said Hasan – principled disclosure for the greater good. Until governments are perfect, we need whistleblowers. He also drew a distinction between spies who take an oath of secrecy and ordinary soldiers who uncover abuse, ending rousingly with a question addressed to Bob Ayers: "I'm here for the whistleblowers and the men who were tortured. Who are you here for?" (There is some early video footage here; higher quality on its way.) Closing the debate was Douglas Murray, self-described neocon and Mehdi Hasan's nemesis (they regularly debate each other on a range of issues, including Islam and multiculturalism). Murray cleverly decided that he couldn't match Hasan's passionate invective and opted to start his speech softly. "I agree with Mehdi," he began. "It is perfectly true that democracy can be dishonest and corrupt. It is a deeply flawed system. It is, as Churchill said, the worst system going – except for all the others." Murray's speech grew in intensity from here as he repeatedly asked Assange the question: "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" As Assange itched to answer him back, he continued: "Are you sure you know what you're doing when you release an element of chaos into the Middle East, a region that doesn't need any more conspiracy theories?" He argued that democracies have checks and balances, and elections (one of which threw out the government that went to war over Iraq, he noted). He raised the idea that whistleblowers have too much power and that their actions have consequences they do not intend. When he mentioned Annie Machon's disclosure that MI6 was considering an assassination attempt on Muammar al-Gaddafi, he asked: "Are you sure it was a good idea for Colonel Gaddafi to know that?" Assange had had enough, and jumped up again. Murray rebuffed him, saying he was going to ask him a lot of questions, and he would have the time to answer them at the end. A bit of a stand-off ensued (photo here) but Jason Cowley eventually persuaded him to sit down by promising Assange that he could speak later. Murray's next point was whether Assange had any idea what foreign intelligence agencies, hostile to the US, would make of the cables. He began to say it was all very well for al-Jazeera, which was "implacably hostile to the state of Israel", to release cables showing it in a bad light – and at this point Swisher (who works at al-Jazeera) jumped up. Murray was still having none of it, cuttingly remarking that Swisher would have his time, and anyway he worked in Qatar, "not exactly an open, democratic government". Now he was really on the offensive (leading several tweeters and bloggers to describe him as the opposition's "attack dog"). "What happens to whistleblowers?" Murray asked. "If Mr Assange is anything to go by, it's a lovely life, you can make a lot of money, you can get a lot of admirers . . ." Mehdi Hasan then became the third on the proposition side to try to raise a point of order, but was also batted aside. It felt a bit like a very polite game of whack-a-mole. Murray ploughed on, asking Assange more questions: why had WikiLeaks not released secrets about Russia? Was it because the FSB (the Russian secret police) actually assassinated journalists? At this point, Assange stood up, and this time got his point of information. He said that colleagues of his had been assassinated, and would Murray "please do his research before making comments like that". Murray didn't back down, moving on to make reference to the Guardian's claim that Assange "didn't care" about Afghan informants who were identified as a result of the release of the war logs. Assange hit back: "Point of order! We are in the process of suing the Guardian . . ." After a bit of back and forth about libel laws – Assange said he has campaigned for their reform, but that people should have recourse when allegations are made against them – Murray drawled: "I think I'll take from that that Mr Assange thinks libel law is good when he's using it." Jason Cowley announced that no more points of order would be allowed: Murray should finish his speech uninterrupted. And so he built to a series of questions: where does WikiLeaks get its funding from? Who works for it? What are its links to the Holocaust denier Israel Shamir? What right does it have to decide what we should know? "Governments are elected," he declared. "You, Mr Assange, are not. Who guards the guardians? Or, in this case, who guards the Guardian's guardians?" He then addressed Assange directly, referring to his phone call to Ian Hislop of Private Eye, saying he had become lost in the "fever swamps of conspiracy". Assange was allowed time to respond. "Mr Murray has nothing to say about the motion here tonight, if he has resorted, like so many of that type, to personal attacks on me, and my organisation, which are of course unfounded," he said. Assange added that he would reply to the "most interesting" of Murray's questions, which was how WikiLeaks was funded – it was directly supported by the public, who "voted with their wallets every week" with donations. "That dynamic feedback between us, whistleblowers, and the public, I say, is more responsive than a government structure elected after sourcing money from big business once every four years," he concluded. (Esther Addley of the Guardian used this as the intro to her report on the event here.) Murray wanted to know more, asking if he could confirm whether WikiLeaks received money from anyone other than the public. "You think you're better than our governments," he told Assange. "That's because he is!" shouted a fan from the floor. Murray took this triumphantly, as a sign that the Assangistas are too slavishly devoted to the man rather than the idea. Assange's PA scurried on stage to drag him back to Norfolk to meet his bail conditions, barely giving Jason Cowley enough to time to take another vote. Murray's bombastic speech had clearly done its work, because he seemed to have converted some of the pro side to his cause. And with that, Assange departed the stage with a rock-star wave, and was gone. Thanks to Patrick Smith, whose audio recordings were invaluable. You can listen to them here. To read the live tweets, search for the hashtag #fcnsdebate. Video from the event will be available later. › It's an education, all right: Laurie Penny on the commercialization of universities Subscribe For daily analysis & more political coverage from Westminster and beyond subscribe for just £1 per month!


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Steve and Mark were neglected from a young age. As brothers, they looked out for each other. Steve often stole money or food in order to bring some back for his younger brother, Mark. At age 7, Steve would be responsible to look out for 5-year-old Mark when their mother would go missing for days. Steve and Mark's parents were enmeshed in drug abuse which left Steve and Mark on their own most of the time.
With an absence from school and curious neighbors, Steve and Mark were taken into the custody of the state foster care system at ages 11 and 9. Mark was placed in a foster home, but there was no room for Steve. Steve was sent to a group home located 2 hours from Mark's new foster home.
The boys struggled. Steve, now missing his sense of identity as the protector of his brother, spent most of his time being angry and causing trouble. This caused him to be moved to several different foster families and group homes. Mark stayed for a while at his first foster home, but he was very unhappy being away from his brother.
After 1 ½ years of being in foster care, Steve was told that his mother's parental rights were being terminated. She could not agree to the court's list of rules in order for her to regain custody of her boys. Even though Steve saw this coming, he was devastated.
In the wake of this overwhelming news, Steve received something good. He was to be moved to Goshen Valley where, shortly after, his brother Mark would be joining him. After 2 years, the brothers would be able to be reunited.
After the boys were reunited, they continued to work on shedding the sense of shame that covered their hearts. What they went through was not their fault, but they couldn't help but feel a sense of ownership over the breakdown of their family. The boys slowly healed. They could not forget their parents, but they chose not to be defined by their mistakes.
Steve and Mark lived at Goshen Valley for two years and, one day, were introduced to a husband and wife who wanted to get to know them. They were unable to have children. They thought about adopting a baby, but realized that there were older children who also needed parents. Steve and Mark got to know the couple over weeks and months.
Within a year's time, they were officially adopted. Steve finished high school and went on to technical school to pursue a career in sports management. Mark is still in high school and is planning to graduate next year.
by Rachel Blend
Jim's father was never in the picture. He left when Jim was just a baby. Even though Jim grew up without a dad, things were good most of the time. He and his mom did not have much money. Sometimes it was difficult for Jim's mom to keep watch over him since she worked 2 part-time jobs to help pay their rent. With extra freedom, Jim would get in trouble on occasion and sometimes did poorly in school.
All of this changed when Jim's mom got sick. His grandmother tried to help, but she was very old herself. Jim missed school a lot in order to take care of his mother.
Jim's mother died when he was in 8th grade. A couple of family friends and relatives tried to care for Jim. They loved him, but they had a very difficult time controlling a young man who experienced lots of freedom and deep hurts.
A year after his mother's death, Jim was put into the foster care system because of truancy. Jim had a difficult time dealing with the grief of his mother's death. Jim also had a difficult time attending school since he had spent so much time on his own.
Jim arrived at Goshen Valley his freshman year of high school. Defined by his sense of "independence" he had gained from having very little family and a life of his own decisions, Jim struggled. He struggled to value relationships and his school work. He often wondered who he really was. He missed his mother.
At Goshen Valley, Jim met other young men like himself. In fact, several young men had also lost their mothers. Slowly Jim opened up and began to trust again. Jim received counseling for his loss and opportunities to excel in things he enjoyed. Jim has lived at Goshen Valley for 2 years and is looking forward to High School graduation.
Jason's home life had always been turbulent. Jason's parents got divorced when he was young, and he spent much time traveling between his parents' two houses. His mother struggled to maintain a steady job and had a new boyfriend whenever he came over. Jason's father worked late hours and drank alcohol on a daily basis.
As Jason got older, he tended to spend more time at his father's house. When he was there, he had more time to himself and did not have to care for his mother. Unfortunately, staying with his father meant that sometimes he was beat up when his father drank too much.
From late middle school to early high school Jason learned how to exist at his father's house. Most of the time he tried to avoid him. One evening, Jason's father came home to see Jason's report card on the table. Jason had stopped trying in school, and he had many failing grades. Jason's dad had been drinking a lot that evening and proceeded to hit Jason repeatedly. Jason escaped and spent that night at his friend's house.
The next morning at school, Jason's bruises were apparent. A school administrator called him into her office to ask Jason about the source of his bruises. Jason was scared, but hurt. He admitted to his father's physical abuse.
The administrator called the Division of Family and Children Services. By the day's end, Jason was in a local case worker's car headed to a safe place to sleep.
Jason arrived at Goshen Valley that evening. He discovered that he already knew a few other guys who lived there. Although he was scared and confused, he felt safe. Jason spent the next two moths getting to know his house parents and the other young men in his house.
Jason's father was remorseful. Through the court system, Jason's father agreed to counseling, parenting classes and a rehabilitation program. Jason and his father began to have weekend visits at Goshen Valley where their relationship began to be repaired. After months of work, Jason and his dad were reunited. Jason continues to go to school and live with his father. Their relationship has improved, and Jason will graduate high school next year.


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2017 Subaru Legacy
2017 Subaru Legacy at Reedman-Toll Subaru of Exton
The 2017 Subaru Legacy is a roomy, high-tech sedan that offers a sleek profile and elegant details. Like all Subaru vehicles, all-wheel drive comes standard on the 2017 Subaru Legacy, a completely unique feature for a sedan. With top safety scores and two powerful engine options, the 2017 Subaru Legacy offers an incredible driving experience you'll love! Read on to learn more about the 2017 Subaru Legacy!
Under the Legacy's Hood
The 2017 Subaru Legacy is a powerful vehicle, with two engine options based on the model type you choose. The five trim levels denote the engine type, with the trim name numbers indicating the engine available. The 2017 Subaru Legacy is available as the 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i, 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium, 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Sport, 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited and 2017 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited. The 2.5i trims come with a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that produces 175 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque. The EPA estimates the fuel economy of the 2017 Subaru Legacy at 34 highway-miles to the gallon, an incredible feat considering all Subaru vehicles have all-wheel drive. The 2017 Subaru Legacy 3.6R comes with a 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine that generates 256 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. The 2017 Subaru Legacy offers excellent power regardless of engine choice!
Design of Subaru Legacy
The 2017 Subaru Legacy is an all-weather vehicle, made more stable by the all-wheel-drive that comes standard on all Subaru vehicles. The simple and straightforward interior delivers on quality materials and comfortable touch-points. Touchscreen navigation systems are optional but intuitive, and controls are easily accessible for the driver and front-seat passengers. Standard features on all 2017 Subaru Legacy models include automatic headlights, air-conditioning, a rear-view back-up camera, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40 split folding rear seats and a 6.2-inch Subaru "Starlink" interface with touchscreen controls and Bluetooth/USB integrated four-speaker sound system. The USB port, auxiliary audio jack, CD player, iPod interface and HD/satellite radio systems are sure to please even the most ardent audiophile! Upgrading to the 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium trim adds the All-Weather package, with heated front seats, heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate controls, a larger 7-inch Starlink touchscreen, additional smartphone services, an emergency communications telematics system and optional sunroof. The 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Sport package adds foglights, keyless entry and ignition and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited upgrades the suspension for a softer ride, while adding an eight-way power driver seat, heated rear seats and a blind-spot warning system. The 2017 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited is only distinguishable by its turbocharged engine and xenon headlights. All 2017 Subaru Legacy trim levels except the base offer an optional navigation system and the EyeSight Driver Assist Technology safety suite. Choose your favorite features and enjoy the incredible versatility and smooth drive of the 2017 Subaru Legacy.
Is the rear-view back-up camera standard on the 2017 Subaru Legacy?
Yes! Drive safer with a standard rear-view back-up camera, now found on all 2017 Subaru Legacy vehicles!
What does it mean to be "Subaru Certified"?
Every Pre-Owned Subaru undergoes a rigorous 152-Point Inspection before it can be "Subaru Certified"! Learn More About Subaru Certified Vehicles!
Can I get parts for my Subaru vehicles at your location?
Yes! We offer parts and accessories built specifically for Subaru vehicles! Find & Order Your Part Online!
The 2017 Subaru Legacy comes standard with a suite of safety and security features designed to protect your most precious cargo. Standard with stability and traction controls, antilock disc brakes, a rear-view back-up camera and airbags found on the front, side and seat, the 2017 Subaru Legacy provides peace of mind every time you leave your driveway. The 2017 Subaru Legacy Premium and Limited trim levels offer Starlink Connected Services, which include emergency assistance and automatic collision notification. The optional Safety Plus and Security Plus upgrades can also add remote vehicle access, remote vehicle locating and stolen vehicle recovery to the 2017 Subaru Legacy. The EyeSight Driver Assist Technology package outfits the 2017 Subaru Legacy with forward collision warnings, pedestrian detection functions, automatic and reverse automatic braking and lane departure warning with automatic intervention. The 2017 Subaru Legacy is a fantastic, family-friendly vehicle that provides powerful acceleration and all-weather stability! Come in to our convenient Exton, PA location today to test drive the 2017 Subaru Legacy for yourself!


text:
Looking towards the Single European Sky: a Tailored Security Assessment for Future ATM Systems
AbstractThe objective of this paper is the definition of a new methodology for carrying out security risk assessment in the Air Traffic Management (ATM) domain. This process is carried out by modelling the system, identifying the assets, threats and vulnerabilities, prioritizing the threats and proposing countermeasures for the weaknesses found.
ATM security is concerned with securing the ATM assets, to prevent threats and limit their effects on the overall aviation network. This effect limitation could be achieved by removing the vulnerability from the system and/or increasing the tolerance in case of component failures due to attacks.
The security risk assessment methodology proposed is based on what is currently being done by the industry and international organisations (International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Common Criteria (CC), International Standard Organisation (ISO), EUROCONTROL Guidance Material, etc.) and comprises five main stages.
For demonstrative purposes, the methodology is applied to a case study on the Flight Data Processing Subsystem (FDPS), which is a component of many ATM systems


text:
Matching and Sorting in a Global Economy
, ,
NBER Working Paper No. 19513
We develop a neoclassical trade model with heterogeneous factors of production. We consider a world with two factors, labor and "managers", each with a distribution of ability levels. Production combines a manager of some type with a group of workers. The output of a unit depends on the types of the two factors, with complementarity between them, while exhibiting diminishing returns to the number of workers. We examine the sorting of factors to sectors and the matching of factors within sectors, and we use the model to study the determinants of the trade pattern and the effects of trade on the wage and salary distributions. Finally, we extend the model to include search frictions and consider the distribution of employment rates.
Supplementary materials for this paper:
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w19513
Users who downloaded this paper also downloaded* these:
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text:
Hey guys, I've been teaching myself SDL to start out w/ a simple API, using LazyFoo's tutorials. I created a Tic Tac Toe program, which works great in Windows XP, under Code::Blocks. When I tried running the code in Ubuntu 9.10 under Code::Blocks I get a segmentation fault. I recalled reading that TTF_RenderText_Solid may not work under linux, so I tried using both RenderText_Shaded and RenderText_Blended, but wound up getting the same error...this is the chunk of code I believe to be the culprit.
The disassembly of memory shows the crash happening here:Code:void printScoreBoard(){ int relwidth = (SCREENWIDTH - scores->w)/2; // FOR BUTTONS int relheight = (SCREENHEIGHT - scores->h)/2; int coords[3] = {relwidth+54,relwidth+115,relwidth+182}; char buffer[5] = {'\0','\0','\0','\0','\0'}; redrawBoard(); applySurface(relwidth,relheight,scores,screen); for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++){ sprintf(buffer,"%d",scoreboard[i]); // Scoreboard is a var holding wins and whatnot if (!(message = TTF_RenderText_Blended(font,buffer,textColor))) printf("Oh My Goodness, an error : %s", TTF_GetError()); else applySurface(coords[i],relheight+209,message,screen); } // CLSP is a constant specifying the location of the button to clear scores in the sprite applySurface(relwidth+35,relheight+268,buttons,screen,&mclip[CLSP]); }
if that's of any use...Code:0x80495fe mov eax,DWORD PTR [ebp+eax*4-0x28]
Essentially the C++ code is supposed to print the "score" of the current game, based on X wins, O wins, and Ties, using TTF fonts to display the score...
Here's some screenshots
I read the TTF documentation on the functions, which say that passing a NULL font can cause a segfault, and that passing NULL text causes undefined behavior, but I defined the font, and I'm linking against SDL_ttf and freetype...so I'm at a complete loss...does anyone know a workaround or something that I can use?
I attached the full cpp file, it was 342 lines so I didn't think it was really good etiquette to paste it all here ^_^


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Can I sell my Chesapeake house in foreclosure?
Do you have a Chesapeake VA house that's in foreclosure right now? Many people going through the VA foreclosure process want to get out from under that burdensome house and wonder if they can sell the house in foreclosure. The short answer: yes. The long answer: it's a little more complicated, but usually you can … Continued


text: On Sat, Jul 02, 2005 at 09:04:18PM +0200, Florian Weimer wrote: > * Wouter Verhelst: > > Some of us actually do care what is listed in that file, and edit it > > from time to time. Hashing those names makes that much harder > > There should be tools supporting this, I agree. There is such a tool, which I mentioned in the changelog: - ssh and ssh-keyscan now support hashing of known_hosts files for improved privacy. ssh-keygen has new options for managing known_hosts files, which understand hashing. Cheers, -- Colin Watson [firstname.lastname@example.com]


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The NFL is a little weird. They really don't like people using the term Super Bowl, at least not if it is for profit...or even hints at such. This is why whenever you see ads for companies trying to promote something for the Super Bowl -- pizza delivery, perhaps -- unless they are licensed with the NFL (a terribly pricey proposition, I've heard), they say "big game" instead of "Super Bowl." In fact, the NFL can be so litigious about such things, they won't allow the use of team names or even, in certain cases, team colors. You can say Seattle or Denver, but you can't say Seahawks or Broncos. There are some who believe the city names shouldn't even be used together lest one might face the wrath of Roger Goodell and company.
Of course, for news outlets, it's all good. This is ostensibly because we aren't directly selling something. We're reporting. Just never mind those ads over there on the right when we say SUPER BOWL!
I got to wondering how that would impact the average person if other landmarks and events were colored by the same restrictions.
Statue Of Liberty
That big green lady with the torch doesn't exactly have a ring to it. I'd guess that even Lady Liberty would be vorbotten given the tie to the statue.
New Year's Eve
Don't laugh. I have no doubt that Ryan Seacrest and a consortium of media outlets would love to co-opt that name for permanent use. Alternative: Hangover Eve. Christmas
While we're on holidays here, imagine if the "War on Christmas" extended itself into the realm of copyright infringement. Maybe the church would nab the name and prevent it from being used as to keep the Christ in Christmas and all that. Perhaps we could return it to what it was called before they co-opted it the first time: Winter Solstice.
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Insert Celebrity Name Here
What if celebs started trademarking their names. You obviously can't use the name of a person for an ad unless they endorse said company or product, but what if everyday use were banned. I guess I wouldn't mind calling Patrick Stewart "Real Life Picard," but what the hell am I supposed to do about Kate Upton? Don't answer that.
The Houston Press
Oh, hey, don't laugh. You might be infringing right now, buster. From here on out, don't even put the words Houston and Press together. Just like Albert Brooks said of "nest egg" in Lost in America to Julie Hagerty, you have lost the privilege, unless of course you are buying an ad, in which case, carry on, good sir.