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Security Scene: Know What's Targeting Your Network Infrastructure
Improving the accuracy of security monitoring is an evolving process that takes into account both updates to the operational environment being monitored, as well as hunting for emerging threats. Our security program for the national R&E network has improved the security monitoring capabilities of the network, progressing from basic break/fix monitoring for operational purposes, to adding the identification of potential security events which may represent malicious traffic or actions targeting our network infrastructure. While there are multiple sources of data often used for security monitoring, this article is about a sometimes- overlooked source of data, syslog from core packet-forwarding routers. This article discusses some of the security insights gleaned from syslog, hopefully encouraging more network service providers to incorporate security monitoring using syslog from their infrastructure as a security operations practice.
First, a simple description of our operating environment for security monitoring. Our core routing platform consists primarily of Juniper MX960 routers all running the same version of JUNOS. There are two feeds of syslog data from the routers, one is to the Internet2 NOC for break/fix monitoring and the second feed is encrypted and sent via syslog reflectors across Merit's network to the Internet2 Splunk indexer located in Ann Arbor, which decrypts the data and stores the events in Splunk. The security team uses a Splunk search head for routine reports and ad-hoc queries of the syslog data. Following are some examples of what was uncovered through analysis of syslog from our routers.
Developing a baseline of "normal" events occurring within the network can be helpful in identifying abnormal events when they occur. One of the events our routers syslog is a firewall filter 'discard'1 which happens when the router is the destination of packet that does not have a corresponding firewall filter rule accepting the packet. Here's a recent trendline showing the rate of discards per 10-minute periods:
Most of the packets discarded are involved in scanning IP address ranges which happen to include the IP addresses of the interfaces of our routers, falling within the range of about 60,000 discards per 10-minute period or 6,000 scans per minute. Knowing the baseline rate of discards allows us to look into increased activity and determine if our network infrastructure is at risk or not. Having a baseline of scanning activity also yields insight into emerging threats targeting networks in general. Similarly, a significant decrease in the discards per minute usually means that our something is broken with our monitoring.
In the fall of 2016, we began to see an increase in scanning of tcp/23 and tcp/2323. At the time we were unaware of cause for this increase but continued tracking it. Soon the source code for Mirai botnet was released2 and the reason for the scanning became immediately obvious, the scanning was related to searching for infected IoT devices. Here's a graph showing the frequency of scanning over the fall of 2016:
Since then, we have been able to notify campuses of potential Mirai botnet infections when we observe scanning of our network infrastructure originating from their networks.
Using a Splunk add-on called GeoASN, we are able to correlate source IP addresses with Autonomous System Numbers plus geographic location based on the MaxMind database. These correlations are sometimes imperfect and may require manual cross checking using whois and traceroute for confirmation. Below is routine report based on scanning of our routers showing source ASN, source country, destination port of our router, a sparkline indicating frequency over time, and a total count of discarded packets for the period. The AS numbers showing a red line after the name appeared in an Akamai State of Internet Security Report3 as top sources for DDoS reflection attacks. While the discards from these top sources of attacks were not service impacting to our operations, it does demonstrate the need for continued vigilance of security monitoring. Also in the report below, "AS87 Indiana University" appears high in the discard list. This is due to repeated and continuous reachability scanning of our network infrastructure performed by the Internet2 NOC as part of production monitoring.
Another example of syslog information providing insights into security threats occurred earlier this year when we noticed a significant increase in scanning activity originating from Russia. Typically, Russian sources of traffic recorded as discards is noticeable, but usually China is the top country for discarded traffic. But Russia was the largest source of scanning and we were unsure as to the motivations. Here is a graph showing discards by country that depicts the increased Russian activity (purple line) when compared with the top five countries of origin:
The increased scanning of our network infrastructure shortly preceded the US CERT Alert TA18-106A "Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Actors Targeting Network Infrastructure Devices"4 issued. As a result, we notified the Research and Education Network provider community of the advisory with evidence of reconnaissance of our infrastructure.
Future Security Scene articles will look into additional security monitoring topics and how they are used to identify threats within the Internet2 network. If you are doing some interesting work with security monitoring, I would like to hear from you. Please contact me and tell me what you're doing. We can share lessons learned with the community in a future blog post.
1. Discard a packet silently, without sending an ICMP message.
2. https://krebsonsecurity.com/2016/10/source-code-for-iot-botnet-mirai-released/
3. q2-2017-state-of-the-internet-security-report.pdf


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Women's World Cup Draws Strong Advertiser Demand for Fox Sports
Fox Sports is close to selling out TV ad space for the U.S. broadcast of the Women's World Cup, which begins on Saturday.
In fact, the network is on pace to generate upwards of $17 million in sponsorship revenue for the event, according to a person familiar with the matter, showing that marketers haven't been scared off by the major scandal erupting in international soccer with the U.S. investigating corruption at FIFA, soccer's governing body.
The sponsorship revenue this year is almost three times as much as the close to $6 million that ESPN pulled in from ad revenue for the 2011 Women's World Cup, according to Kantar Media.
A big reason that sponsors may be pouring more money into the U.S. broadcasts this time around may simply be because of geography. The last World Cup was played in Germany, while this time around, the tournament is being held in Canada, which should theoretically help TV ratings given that time zones won't be a major issue for U.S. fans to tune in live.
Plus, the U.S. women's team is ranked second heading into the tournament and is expected to have a real chance at winning this year.
To be fair, the women's tournament draws far less sponsor revenue than the men's version, which brought in over $529 million last year.
Fox will broadcast a total of 52 matches over the next month or so. The company has signed on close to 20 advertisers, including Fiat and Nationwide Insurance. Nationwide will serve as the pregame sponsor for all matches, while Fiat will create branded content for Fox's TV, digital and social platforms and sponsors Fox Sports 1's nightly highlights show "World Cup Tonight."
(21st Century Fox, owner of Fox, and News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, were until mid-2013 part of the same company.)

subset: commoncrawl


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Boeing to Provide Fighter Jet Navigation Kits
September 25, 2013
About the Author
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded $12,871,280 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 0164 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-11-G-0001) for the procurement of 114 advanced navigation system retrofit kits for F/A-18E and F/A-18F aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in May 2017. Fiscal 2013 aircraft procurement contract funds in the amount $2,752,243 will be obligated at the time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.


text: Prior Scientific Inc. has launched the ProScan III microscope automation system. With its compact modular design and its programmable TLL, it can control up to 16 axes, including a motorized stage, focus drive, three filter wheels and three shutters for fast analog interfacing and camera control with the speed, accuracy and precision required by highly automated and demanding applications. Its improved processor provides up to a 250% increase in stage speed. Communication to the controller has been improved with a true USB with direct human interface device connection, making the unit Windows- and Mac-compatible. The microscope automation system is suited for use in demanding imaging applications that require high accuracy, speed and repeatability, with the option to encode all axes.


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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Farmington Bank Parent Reports Lower First Quarter Earnings - Courant.com
President Obama's unfinished business | The Fix
Malloy cool to Stag Arms rifle plan Republican American
CPOA Alert Mayor to sign Off on HRS'S Back Taxes and future as well
New Britain Man Charged With Making Bomb Threat On Ferry - Courant.com
Monday, April 29, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
A week of incoherence in government around Connecticut - Journal Inquirer: Chris Powell
Saturday, April 27, 2013
How Did Public Participation Speakers Know of the HRA Issue?
Are you sick of having your tax money paid to cronies of Mayor O'Brien? Are you sick of having the City bilked of $ hundreds of thousands of tax dollars by political operatives? Are you sick of seeing campaign contributions in the tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions going to O'Brien from well known political contributors. Then, you must be sick of the O'Brien administration. Read the list of contributors in the Herald from O'Brien's recent campaign report then, read the following letter. All you had to do was watch the first few minutes of Wednesday's Council meeting to understand.
During public participation, citizen, Alton Brooks spoke in favor of giving the HRA of NB (former Benjamin Franklin Elem. School) an exemption to paying property taxes. How could he know to speak on the issue since it would not be put on the agenda until later in the meeting? HRA owes the City of $220,707.98 as of 4/11/13. His reasoning was that it is a school. Really? Is it a NB School? NO! Is it a Charter School? NO! Is it State Magnet School? NO!
When the City sold the former Benjamin Franklin School to HRA the deed reported that the property would be exempt from property taxes. JUST THAT BUILDING! HRA built a huge addition to the property; this addition was not exempt and was agreed to by the principals!
Now, HRA cries foul and hires private Attorney, Michael Carrier to mediate the issue, COMPLETELY BYPASSING ALL CITY ATTORNEYS IN THE CORPORATION COUNSEL'S OFFICE, A CITY OFFICE THAT IS COSTING TAXPAYERS WELL OVER $ HALF A MILLION TO MAINTAIN. Again, check the contributions list. See who contributed how much !
In addition, at the most recent Council meeting, the Council agreed to extend the contract of David Pudlin (so far paid over $30 thousand) for another year for what? As of this date, Pudlin has produced nothing to show for his "work." And all the sheep voted for it, in particular, Alderwoman Bielinski and Alderman Trueworthy.
And how about O'Brien having an Executive Aide, Michael Baczewski (out of towner),page 6, Herald, 4/25/13 being paid by taxpayers to do what, change O'Brien's diapers? How much help does O'Brien need?
Lou Salvio
Friday, April 26, 2013
You Can't Make These Things Up
NewsBusted 4/23/13 - YouTube
Pudlin Deal Extended
New Britain's Weekly Online Newspaper | New Britain City Journal
CPOA Meeting: New Britain Residents May Have to Pay Mid-Year Tax
Questionable Deal: HRA Not Paying Negotiated Taxes
New Britain Police Conduct Drug Sweep - Courant.com
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Ron Fournier: George W. Bush Is a Good Man
Weird: Quasi-public agencies can't hire lobbyists but they can employ them
Weird: Quasi-public agencies can't hire lobbyists but they can employ them
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Police: Robbery Suspect Sought Out New Britain Police To Confess - Courant.com
Charges dropped against Mississippi man in ricin letters case - Courant.com
Former UConn Employees Charged With Stealing Thousands of Dollars - Courant.com
Monday, April 22, 2013
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev charged with using 'weapon of mass destruction' - The Washington Post
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Anti-Obamacare states want to skip trial | Amarillo Globe-News
Friday, April 19, 2013
Work of Fiction
New Britain's Councilman, Jamie Giantonio, Questions Budget Transfers of $6 Million
New Britain's Top 25 City Hall Employee Salaries
NewsBusted 4/17/13 - YouTube
Editor's Note Of the New Britain City Journal 4/19/2013
Councilman Questions Budget Transfers of $6 Million
•O'Brien's Budget Ignores Malloy's Proposal •Fictional Revenues
Thursday, April 18, 2013
New Britain Property Owners Association To Meet On April 21 - Courant.com
Agenda for the Annual Meeting
April 17, 2013 / Nicholas Mercier / No comments
If you'd like to help spread the word please sign up to attend via our Facebook Event and share it with all your friends. (You can also use the "Like" and sharing buttons at the bottom of this post.)
The agenda for the meeting is as follows:
2:00-2:15 Gathering and Socializing
2:15 Meeting Begins
- Call to Order
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Greeting and Opening Comments - New Britain Chief of Police, James Wardwell
- Year in Review – President, Nicholas Mercier
- Special Guest Speaker – New Britain Superintendent of
Schools, Kelt Cooper
- Overview of the Mayor's Proposed Budget - President, Nicholas Mercier
- Presentation of Tax Payer Appreciation Award – Vice President, Henry Zembko
- Nomination and Election: CPOA Board – Board Member, Jim Sanders Jr.
- Nomination and Election: Executive Board – Board Member, Jim Sanders Jr.
- Closing Comments – President, Nicholas Mercier
- Adjournment
Mayor O'Brien's Spokesman, Phil Sherwood, disobeys the Laws we as citizens must obey!
Now if only state government noticed its own high salaries - Journal Inquirer: Chris Powell
Rand Paul: Obama politicizes tragedy, uses Newtown families as 'props' - CSMonitor.com
UConn's Thirsty, But State Needs Plan Before Water Transfer - Courant.com
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Democrats link Boston bombing to sequestration | Human Events
Sherman on the defensive as Skakel trial begins - GreenwichTime
Boston-like bomb plans published by al Qaeda
Update: Massive citizen smartphone photo and video probe underway into Boston bombings
12 Years after 9/11 Immigration Plan Offers Security Measures | Judicial Watch
Jailed WTC Terrorist Has Website, Twitter, Facebook | Judicial Watch
Kevin Hunt: WD TV Play a Roku rival for HD streaming? -- Courant.com
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Annoucing The CPOA Annual Meeting
April 21, 2013 at 2:00 P. M.
We are extremely excited to hold our annual meeting in the
Community Room of the brand new police department.
-After being barred from City Hall we are glad to once again in holding
our meetings in a municipal building.
station, will be greeting us with opening remarks and words of
welcome. We look forward to hearing from the chief who helps
protect our properties and our community.
Our main guest of honor will be none other than New Britain's
Superintendent of Schools, Kelt Cooper. Superintendent Cooper
has recently taken the helm of our school district and has a plan
to get our schools, and our community back on track. He will
share his vision for the future of New Britain's schools and what
his plans will mean for us as property owners.
Finally we will be honoring one of our recently deceased
members, former Mayor, Senator, and Ct. State MV Commissioner Stanley Pac who passed
away this past year. Mayor Pac was a staunch advocate for
property owner and taxpayers'.rights and-a valued member of
our organization. We will be posthumously presenting him with
our Tax Payer Appreciation Award.
Democrats Pulling Shades Down On Government Business - Courant.com
Monday, April 15, 2013
State Audit Cites Problems, Progress At New Britain's DiLoreto School - Courant.com
Explosions kill at least 2 at Boston Marathon; dozens injured - The Washington Post
Gadsden flag, called Tea Party symbol, removed from New York military armory | Fox News
Communism Survivor Explains Why Our 2nd Amendment Rights Must Not Be Infringed
Manuel Martinez stated:
In 1957 a Revolution … individuals … malicious individuals, masquerading as Democrats, revolutionaries, established a regime … a dictatorial regime … in my nation. Called Communism, Socialism, Stalinism, Marxism, and whatever other named -ism you want to put on it. The reason why it was done was to take away the guns from the People.
Hartford Must Stop Financial Foolishness - Courant.com
Sunday, April 14, 2013
We need a Thatcher, even an opposition - Journal Inquirer: Chris Powell
Saturday, April 13, 2013
After 17 Months of the O'Brien Administration
By:Lou Salvio
Superintendent of NB Schools to Speak at Annual Meeting - CPOA
Anti-Obamacare states want to skip trial | Amarillo Globe-News
Connecticut is no guide for federal gun control - Journal Inquirer: Chris Powell
Israel May Fast-Track Plans to Attack Iran
The New Britain Mayor's Budget Revealed! - Citizen's Property Owners Association Inc.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Donovan Campaign Manager Pleads Guilty - Courant.com
HUD Rules CDBG Funds Still Ineligible
Democrats are Blocking Resolution to Honor Lady Thatcher
Landlord and 911 Fees has Real Estate Agents advising customers to stay away from Investing in New Britain
CTPOA Announces It Will Form a PAC
Same Old Story
HUD Fees Questionable
The Radical Transformation of America's Classrooms
Obama Warns NKorea Amid Reports of Nuclear Risk
Details Released On Pudlin Hiring
New Britain police looking for shooting suspect - MyRecordJournal.com: Connecticut News
Gun Debate Shouldn't Stall Coltsville Park Effort - Courant.com
Thursday, April 11, 2013
New Britain police looking for shooting suspect
Connecticut gun-maker to leave state over new laws | Fox News
Connecticut gun-maker to leave state over new laws | Fox News
Mayor O'Brien Calling for "No New Taxes" in His Budget Porposal to the Common Council
Could it be that he had eliminated city services for the general public through reducing city personnel and leasing out the empty spaces these employees left on their way out of city hall to make up for the lost income from all the gun factories and their suppliers leaving our state because of the adverse gun laws our legislature passed recently?
GUNS (Virtual State of the Union 2013) - YouTube
O'Brien's Folly
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
New Britain Mayor Proposes $239.56 Million Budget; Says Plan Will Not Increase Taxes - Courant.com
By KEN BYRON
New Britain Property Owners Meeting Tuesday Night:
Obama unveils $3.78 trillion spending plan - The Washington Post
PTR In Bristol Is First Rifle Maker To Declare It's Exiting Connecticut | Dan Haar
Capitol Watch | CT Politics New Town Parent disagrees
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Senate to gunmakers: Move to Texas | www.statesman.com
Mychal Massie is a respected writer and talk show host in
Los Angeles.
The other evening on my twitter, a person asked me why I didn't like the Obama's? Specifically I was asked: "I have to ask, why do you hate the Obama's? It seems personal, not policy related. You even dissed (disrespect) their Christmas family picture."
The truth is I do not like the Obamas, what they represent, their ideology, and I certainly do not like his policies and legislation. I've made no secret of my contempt for the Obamas. As I responded to the person who asked me the aforementioned question, I don't like them because they are committed to the fundamental change of my/our country into what can only be regarded as a Communist state.
I don't hate them per definition, but I condemn them because they are the worst kind of racialists, they are elitist Leninists with contempt for traditional America . They display disrespect for the sanctity of the office he holds, and for those who are willing to admit same, Michelle Obama's raw contempt for white America is transpicuous.
I don't like them because they comport themselves as emperor and empress. I expect, no I demand respect, for the Office of President and a love of our country and her citizenry from the leader entrusted with the governance of same. President and Mrs. Reagan displayed an unparalleled love for the country and her people. The Reagan's made Americans feel good about themselves and about what we could accomplish. His arrogance by appointing 32 leftist czars and constantly bypassing congress is impeachable. Eric Holder is probably the MOST incompetent and arrogant DOJ head to ever hold the job. Could you envision President Reagan instructing his Justice Department to act like jack-booted thugs?
Presidents are politicians and all politicians are known and pretty much expected to manipulate the truth, if not outright lie, but even using that low standard, the Obama's have taken lies, dishonesty, deceit, mendacity, subterfuge and obfuscation to new depths. They are verbally abusive to the citizenry, and they display an animus for civility.
I do not like them, because they both display bigotry overtly, as in the case of Harvard Professor Louis Gates, when he accused the Cambridge Police of acting stupidly, and her code speak pursuant to now being able to be proud of America. I view that statement and that mindset as an insult to those who died to provide a country where a Kenyan, his illegal alien relatives, and his alleged progeny, could come and not only live freely, but rise to the highest, most powerful, position in the world. Michelle Obama is free to hate and disparage whites because Americans of every description paid with their blood to ensure her right to do same.
I have a saying, that "the only reason a person hides things, is because they have something to hide." No president in history has spent over a million dollars to keep his records and his past sealed.
And what the two of them have shared has been proved to be lies. He lied about when and how they met, he lied about his mother's death and problems with insurance, Michelle lied to a crowd pursuant to nearly $500,000 bank stocks they inherited from his family. He has lied about his father's military service, about the civil rights movement, ad nausea. He lied to the world about the Supreme Court in a State of the Union address. He berated and publicly insulted a sitting Congressman. He has surrounded himself with the most rabidly, radical, socialist academicians today. He opposed rulings that protected women and children that even Planned Parenthood did not seek to support. He is openly hostile to business and aggressively hostile to Israel . His wife treats being the First Lady as her personal American Express Black Card (arguably the most prestigious credit card in the world). I condemn them because, as people are suffering, losing their homes, their jobs, their retirements, he and his family are arrogantly showing off their life of entitlement - as he goes about creating and fomenting class warfare.
I don't like them, and I neither apologize nor retreat from my public condemnation of them and of his policies. We should condemn them for the disrespect they show our people, for his willful and unconstitutional actions pursuant to obeying the Constitutional parameters he is bound by, and his willful disregard for Congressional authority.
Dislike for them has nothing to do with the color of their skin; it has everything to do with their behavior, attitudes, and policies. And I have open scorn for their constantly playing the race card.
I could go on, but let me conclude with this. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the media for refusing to investigate them, as they did President Bush and President Clinton, and for refusing to label them for what they truly are. There is no scenario known to man, whereby a white president and his wife could ignore laws, flaunt their position, and lord over the people, as these two are permitted out of fear for their color.
As I wrote in a syndicated column titled, "Nero In The White House" - "Never in my life, inside or outside of politics, have I witnessed such dishonesty in a political leader. He is the most mendacious political figure I have ever witnessed. Even by the low standards of his presidential predecessors, his narcissistic, contumacious arrogance is unequalled. Using Obama as the bar, Nero would have to be elevated to sainthood... Many in America wanted to be proud when the first person of color was elected president, but instead, they have been witness to a congenital liar, a woman who has been ashamed of America her entire life, failed policies, intimidation, and a commonality hitherto not witnessed in political leaders. He and his wife view their life at our expense as an entitlement - while America's people go homeless, hungry and unemployed."
George Courtney
Monday, April 8, 2013
Facebook is but a dorm room
CURL: Obama's 1 percent lifestyle hits a nerve - Washington Times
Banning Guns Will Keep Us Just As Safe As Banning Wood Chippers!


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Advantest's CSR Advantest's CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy
Advantest Group aims for sustainable development and to enhance our corporate value under the corporate mission of "Enabling the Leading-Edge Technology" and our "Quest for the Essence" corporate mantra.
Also, we will respect stakeholders as described below to promote harmony with society and contribute towards the realization of a sustainable society.
- In harmony with society, we will work for environmental conservation and to reduce environmental impacts.
- We will respect customers, and provide high quality products and services that meet their needs.
- We will respect shareholders and investors, return corporate profits to them, and disclose information.
- We will respect our business partners and build cooperative relationships emphasizing mutual development.
- We will respect our employees, provide fair treatment, and strive to create employee-friendly workplaces that are conducive to effective working.
CSR Policy Initiatives
Based on the Advantest Group's corporate mission of delivering "Enabling the Leading-Edge Technology," our purpose as a Group is to use our "measurement and testing technologies" to support the development of society and to help to ensure that people throughout the world can live safely and securely. We provide our customers in many countries around the world with a wide range of products and services, and we are contributing to society through our business activities in our core competence field of "measurement and testing technologies." In addition, we are using our business activities to meet the needs of our stakeholders and of society, and to fulfill our social responsibilities as a group with a presence throughout the world.
Organization for Promoting CSR
We established the CSR & Environmental Affairs Promotion Center, which is headed by the President and CEO, in order to clarify the objectives and responsibilities of the executives within the Advantest Group. The Center is responsible for the overall promotion of our CSR initiatives and affairs. Beneath this organization we have positioned the CSR & Environmental Affairs Promotion Office, which is responsible for implementing our social and environmental contribution activities. In addition, the CSR & Environmental Affairs Promotion Office shares CSR-related information with divisions and departments throughout the Company exchange CSR-related information, and provides support for the CSR activities that are undertaken on a daily basis by individual divisions and departments, as well as reporting to the director responsible for supervising CSR operations, and requesting approval of key materiality aspects from the Managing Executive Officers Committee as necessary.
To facilitate the development of a company-wide CSR framework, a CSR Working Group has been established with members appointed from the company's units responsible for general affairs, human resources, PR, IR, sales, quality assurance, production, etc.; the CSR Working Group implements activities on a worldwide basis.
Advantest's Organization for Promoting CSR
Main Activities in fiscal 2016
We have established Key Performance Indicators (KPI) as well as fiscal 2018 targets for materiality designated by the Advantest Group.


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Teachers Share Their #RecertifiedMess, #RecertifiedSuccess Stories
For teachers, renewing a teaching certification can be a chore or a valuable opportunity for professional growth. It's expensive and time-consuming, but it's still a way to keep learning and advancing as an educator. Education Week Teacher asked educators to share on Twitter both the best parts of the recertification process and the horror stories. Here's a sample of their responses. Feel free to add your own perspective of the good, the bad, and the ugly of renewing your teaching license in the online comments section below.
For me it's a tie between having to pay $25 to submit and any PD after I've earned my 180 points feeling meaningless. #recertifiedmess —@QuinnEng8
Why over 100 PD hrs when state only cares about recert dollars? I put "watching the time go by" as an objective once - state never cared. —@LoudGovTeacher
Do you know how many "Williams'" there are? My paperwork is ALWAYS confused with someone else. —@teamwilliams03
Having to pay 50$ for fingerprinting & 75$ to renew. I've been a teacher for 38 years & now you want my fingerprints —@MrsPMarshall
I didn't have a problem with recert, but changing states. Even with 6-10 years experience they want my SATs and first born child. —@MeanMzGreen
Balancing family & classroom duties while completing continuing education classes (plus the cost of college classes on a teacher salary) —@dailystem
Continued validity of the profession and years of hard work. Interaction with other professionals who are also struggling but persisting. —@pinksneekaz
For me the best part is just continuing to keep current in my craft. —@vickie_jarrene
I have realized I am a better learner with on-site classes rather than online classes! Love the real life conversations & interactions! —@angela_lange25
Completing the mentorship/supervision category helped reaffirm my goal of someday working in a teacher training program #RecertifiedSuccess —@QuinnEng8
Learning is an ongoing process in life. To cultivate that culture of learning we teachers must be learners n constantly progressing —@nisrine_n
Web Only
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


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Scott Blewett couldn�t throw a strike when the game began and then barely made a mistake after that.
The Burlington Royals right-hander was one disputed short-hopped single away from throwing five innings of no-hit baseball in a 10-1 victory against the Bristol Pirates on Thursday night at Burlington Athletic Stadium.
�I was a little nervous because I was thinking a lot,� Blewett said after notching his first professional victory in his seventh appearance. �A lot of things going through my head, like �Why can�t I throw a strike?� �
Soon after, it was the Pirates probably wondering why they couldn�t produce a hit in a matchup between teams with the two worst records in the Appalachian League.
If there was a down side for the Royals, it came in the top of the fourth inning when catcher Chase Vallot was struck on his bare hand by a pitch from Blewett. Vallot will be out tonight, but he said he doesn�t believe he has any broken fingers despite indentations from the seams of the ball showing on his ring finger.
Blewett (1-1), a second-round draft pick in June, proved to be a ringer after the opening two batters. His first 10 pitches were balls.
�When he�s in his groove with his fastball, he�s very, very good,� said Royals manager Tommy Shields, figuring that oddly the game�s turning point might have come on the third batter.
After going to a 2-0 count on Daniel Arribas, Blewett recovered for the first of back-to-back strikeouts. Vallot said the adjustment was �just small, little things.�
Blewett settled in and retired 12 consecutive batters. He issued two more walks in the fourth.
�I struggled to find the zone,� Blewett said. �It tends to get worse before it gets better.�
Bristol�s lone hit through six innings came when Candon Myles� line drive was ruled to be scooped on a short hop by charging left fielder Leland Clemmons in the fifth. The Royals disputed the umpire�s ruling.
�He caught it,� Shields said. �� He got a bad jump and he came in late.�
Clemmons said he was surprised by the ruling, saying he takes extra pride in his defense.
�I ran in and made a shoestring catch,� he said. �I caught it in the web of my glove. The umpire made the safe call and it kind of confused me.�
Blewett, an 18-year-old right-hander, said he heard someone in the crowd mention the no-hit bid in the fourth inning.
More than allowing a hit, Blewett said he was bummed about the injury to Vallot.
�He called fastball. I threw curveball,� Blewett said. �It�s definitely not something you want to do.�
Vallot�s ring finger and middle finger were swollen.
�We got crossed up,� he said. �It just broke at the last minute and did some pretty good damage. Just swelled up right away. � If it was broken, I wouldn�t have been able to move them. At least it wasn�t a fastball.�
Vallot, who turned 18 years old Thursday, is the team leader with seven home runs, 13 doubles and 26 runs batted in.
Bristol (18-41) finished with five hits, breaking up the shutout in the ninth inning.
Burlington (26-33) scored three first-inning runs, with the first coming with the ball going a few feet on Logan Moon�s bases-loaded swing. That allowed Clemmons to score as he leaped catcher Danny Arribas, who was trying to retrieve the ball. The other two runs scored on errors.
Vallot�s RBI single after Manny Olloque�s double gave the Royals a run in the second.
�At least I got a hit,� Vallot said of something to cherish on his birthday before leaving for more icing of his fingers.
Josh Banuelos tripled in a run in the six-run fifth, then scored on Moon�s third single of the night. Clemmons stroked a two-run double.
▪ EXTRA BASES : Scott Sharp, parent Kansas Citys director of player development, and Kyle Vena, the organizations assistant director of player development, attended their first game in Burlington this year. The game marked the first time a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate played here since the Princeton Pirates in 1989.
▪ Burlington is without a player on the Appalachian League all-star team, which was revealed earlier Thursday (with each team having at least nine games remaining). The Royals are without an all-star for the first time since 2011.
In eight seasons, the Royals have only five league all-stars, with three of those in 2012.


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The explanation for the carnage in Las Vegas may be as mundane as this: Stephen Paddock may have had Asperger's Disorder—part of the spectrum of autistic disorders.
Now, please note the fact that the vast, vast majority of people who suffer with autism spectrum disorders do not harm anyone. They are brave victims of mental illness and perpetrators of nothing. Also, I did not, of course, examine Mr. Paddock.
Stephen Paddock displayed, however, many signs of Asperger's Disorder.
He was reported by his neighbors to lack usual social graces. A wave or hello to him might well not be returned.
He was reportedly gifted with numbers, and this gift allowed him to profit as a gambler. Such gifts are, inexplicably, often part of Asperger's Disorder.
He moved near Las Vegas to play video games. It doesn't much matter that the video games were video poker and that he was a gambler. Fascination with video games is very common amongst those with autism spectrum disorder.
He had two relatively short marriages, potentially because his partners realized that Mr. Paddock displayed the inflexibility and obsessive thinking typical of Asperger's Disorder.
He was fascinated with firearms and collected them to an extraordinary extent—another obsessive preoccupation.
Many patients with Asperger's Disorder become progressively more enraged as they note their tendency to fail in relationships, to lose employment and to lack the ability for joy. And, sometimes, that feeling of being on the outside of everything makes them want to destroy everything.
I know this from my 25 years practicing forensic psychiatry, including my treating many people with Asperger's. Some of these people shared with me thoughts of harming many others, and I took the proper precautions to prevent that.
Asperger's Disorder or other disorders on the autism spectrum have, in fact, clearly been implicated in mass murders such as Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and Aurora, Colorado.
Of course, those with Asperger's are ideal recruits for organizations like Isis that offer an instant sense of belonging, lots of rules and an outlet for underlying feelings of violent rage.
If the FBI knows of no other conspiracy, one to consider might be this: Many people around Mr. Paddock may have profited from his genius with numbers—including family members and his girlfriend. Celebrating his gift and receiving lots of gifts from him may have led them to willingly ignore, or may have blinded them to, his underlying suffering and growing desire to destroy others.
It may not be politically correct to say it, but saving lives demands that I state this very clearly: Despite the fact that the vast, vast majority of those with autism spectrum disorders would never hurt anyone, the mental health community must begin asking all those with autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger's Disorder, whether they have any underlying desire to harm others or any plan to do so. It is probably also the case that those with Asperger's Disorder who own firearms should be screened repeatedly and far, far more carefully for any underlying violent intent.
Keith Ablow, MD


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LEADENHALL HALL MARKET, LONDON – "There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England." Sir Winston Churchill
Tag Archives: Leadenhall Market
Lunch time outing: Leadenhall market
Your 5 a day
Lunch time outing
I'm trying to get out of the office more on my lunch break. Took the camera with and played around with filters. I think I want to take some more black and white images of the City. This one is from Leadenhall Market. It's a favourite with bankers!


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For many runners completing a marathon is a bucket list item. The training and the toll marathon running can take on one's body and social life alike can be significant. Add in a full time job with a demanding schedule and running one marathon, or many marathons, may seem just too crazy to consider. There are many runners in the DC area who train and compete in marathons at a high level year in and year out. What is their magic?
When Caroline Cunningham of the Washingtonian asked for tips on how runners balance their training there was no one better to connect her with than our Pacers Running//GRC- New Balance Coach Jerry Alexander. Coach Jerry set her up with some of his athletes and they share how they maintain the demands of running along with the demands of their careers. Jerry is a committed supporter of his athletes and when asked about this article he had some words to share.
When Caroline Cunningham from Washingtonian Magazine asked me if I could connect her with marathoners who have demanding jobs and still find the time to train, it wasn't hard for me to come up with numerous athletes with compelling tales to tell. The five Pacers Running//GRC New Balance athletes Caroline included in her article race at a very high level—the astute observer will notice that Emily Potter and Kieran O'Connor are pictured competing in the 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon—and they all have demanding careers, and family commitments. And none of these athletes, or any of their Pacers Running//GRC New Balance teammates, use their busy schedules as an excuse to slack off the training. For us, working hard by day and running hard by night (and morning) is what we do. I hope that their stories will help inspire you to do the same.
Thank you Caroline for asking, we love learning the pro-tips too.


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After to 2 weeks of hard work, lets change it up a bit! Here are some new goals and challenges. Phase 1 ends in 2 weeks so make it count! Continue reading
After to 2 weeks of hard work, lets change it up a bit! Here are some new goals and challenges. Phase 1 ends in 2 weeks so make it count! Continue reading
Beach Body Bootcamp officially starts Monday! Here, I will be outlining all the workout and diet changes I want you all to make.
Welcome to the Beach Body Bootcamp Challenge. This challenge is for anybody of any level and age. It's a heath/fitness/weight loss challenge. This is an 12 week challenge in which our goal is to get a beach ready body. It starts on March 18th and ends June 8th. This is my second year doing this challenge and would love for it to be as successful this year as it was last year.
This is the last post in the Beach Body Bootcamp Challenge! This was like a huge part of me for the last 10 weeks. Now for the last weigh in and measurements.(end date changed to August 10, 2012)
9th week!
The fifth week of Beach Body Bootcamp! (Love Vanessa Ann Hudgens legs)
The fourth week of Beach Body Bootcamp!
Above is my workout plan for the next 4 weeks to get super hot but links and lists can be found in this post. I also went shopping today and it was awesome! I bought so much stuff and did not at all stick to the plan. But I bought so much cute stuff and will post all of it tomorrow. A sneak peak picture can be found here: Continue reading
The clothes are gonna be my reward after working hard for 5 weeks. I am so excited to try on the bikini it's ridiculous.
So this is the end of the 2nd week of Beach Body Bootcamp! For anyone who followed the workout plan I am so proud of you because I did not 😦 School got in the way and my eating went down hill. I didn't workout all week or count my calories. But this week I plan on hopping back onto the train and working hard. I've made a workout plan for the next 8 weeks that is sure to get me into bikini shape. If you aren't already in the challenge with me please consider joining. The workouts are really intense but I know the results will be worth it.
This is the outfit I hope to be able to wear to a graduation party I'm going to on June 29th.
So this is the end of the 1st week of Beach Body Bootcamp! For everyone who is following this program with me, I am so proud of you. It was really hard and most of the time all I wanted to do was crawl in a ball and sleep. I was super sore for days on end.


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If you are new to real estate investing, you may often encounter a lot of real estate acronyms when skimming through classified ads, while discussing with bank officers, real estate brokers, and other seasoned real estate professionals. You might even see them while driving past a house that has a for sale sign, just like the one above…
Here's what the for sale sign actually means:
House – For Sale By Owner, 3 Bed Rooms, 2 Toilet and Bath, 3 Car Garage, with Maid's Room, Ready For Occupancy. Direct Buyers Only!
While some real estate acronyms can be easily deciphered, others may take some serious searching to find out what they mean.
I know how it feels to be the only person in a discussion who does not know something, and it can be a dead-giveaway that you are a newbie when it comes to real estate investing.
To help save us from the trouble and embarrassment, I have started compiling a list of local real estate acronyms and their meanings, as most often used here in the Philippines. Check them out below.
Real Estate Acronyms commonly used in the Philippines
AP – Asking price
APT – Apartment
ARV – After Repair Value
ATS – Authority to sell
AV – Appraised Value
BLLM – Bureau of Lands Location Monument
BR – Bedroom
BSMT – Basement
CAR – Certificate Authorizing Registration
CCR – Cash on Cash Return
CCT – Condominium Certificate of Title
CF – Cost Factor
CG – Car Garage
CLOA – Certificate of Land Ownership Award
CLOP – Contract of Lease with Option to Purchase
COMP – Comparable
COMM – Commission
CONC – Concrete
COS – Certificate Of Sale
CPD – Continuing Professional Development
CR – Comfort Room
CRB – Certified Real estate Broker
CRESR – Comprehensive Real Estate Seminar and Review
CTC – Community Tax Certificate
CTS – Contract-To-Sell
CWT – Creditable Withholding Tax
DBO – Direct Buyers Only
DOAS – Deed Of Absolute Sale
DOM – Deed Of Mortgage
DP – Down Payment
DR – Door
EOP – Exclusive Option to Purchase
EAR – External Appraisal Report
FA – Floor Area
FAR – Floor Area Ratio (Thank you to Doc Mary Gaw So for mentioning this during a recent CPD lecture at REBAP LMP. I finally remembered to add this here).
FMV – Fair Market Value
FSBO – For Sale By Owner
GF – Ground Floor
GFI – Government Financial Institution
GMTOE – Government Mandated Taxes and Other Expenses
GSIS – Government Service Insurance System
HL – House and Lot
HOA – Home Owners Association
HVAC – Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
IP-RU – Investment Properties – Retail Units (applies to GSIS Foreclosed Properties)
ISP – Indicative Selling Price
LA – Lot Area
LARES – LAand REgiStration
LOG – Letter Of Guarantee
LOI – Letter Of Intent
LRA – Land Registration Authority
LTCP – Land Titling Computerization Project
LTS – License To Sell
LTV – Loan To Value
MA – Monthly Amortization
MAO – Maximum Allowable Offer
MBP – Minimum Bid Price
MBR – Masters Bed Room
MC – Manager's Check
MLS – Multiple Listing Service
MOA – Memorandum Of Agreement
MR – Maids Room
MRI – Mortgage Redemption Insurance
MV – Market Value
NOAS – Notice Of Approval of Sale (applies to GSIS Foreclosed Properties)
NEOP – Non Exclusive Option to Purchase
NOI – Net Operating Income
NROC – Non Refundable Option Consideration
OCT – Original Certificate of Title
OP – Over Pricing, Option to Purchase
PA – Parking Area
PITI – Principal Interest Taxes and Insurance
PC – Purchase Contract
PKS – Product Knowledge Seminar (Often given to licensed real estate brokers/ salespersons when there's a new real estate project)
PS – Parking Slot
RD – Registry of Deeds, Roof Deck
RA – Republic Act
RE – Real Estate
REB – Real Estate Broker
REI – Real Estate Investing
REIT – Real Estate Investment Trust
REM – Real Estate Mortgage
RESA – Real Estate Service Act
REO – Real Estate Owned
RFO – Ready For Occupancy
RM – Room
ROI – Return On Investment or Return Of Investment
ROPA – Real and Other Properties Acquired
ROPOA – Real and Other Properties Owned or Acquired
ROW – Right Of Way
RPT – Real Property Tax
RTO – Rent-To-Own
SA – Service Area
SPA – Special Power of Attorney
SQM – SQuare Meters
TRAIN – Tax Reform for Acceleration and INclusion
TB or T&B – Toilet and Bath
TCT – Transfer Certificate of Title
TH – Town House
TFA – Total Floor Area
TLA – Total Lot Area
TT – Transfer Tax
UV – Usable Area
VAT – Value Added Tax
ZV – Zonal Value
What do the terms actually mean?
While knowing what an acronym stands for is useful, it would be more helpful if we also knew what the term actually meant. This is the reason why I have also added useful links to more detailed explanations for terms behind the acronyms (much like an online glossary), and I shall continue to add more links as they become available.
Want to add an acronym?
This is a work in progress so if you can't find an acronym in this list, or if you need more details for an acronym or term, just leave a comment and I'll ask around from friends and contacts who are veterans in the real estate business, then I'll include them here.
We also welcome contributions, so if you want to add an acronym to the list, you may also leave a comment below. Of course, we give credit where it's due, so all contributions will include full attribution details (make sure you include a link to your website if any, thanks!).
Avoid losing money, wasted time and effort caused by buying foreclosed properties that have too many problems, with our free 60-item Property Due Diligence Checklist. Grab your free copy now.


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Can you solve the puzzle of the Dancing Men?
THE CASE OF THE DOUBLE CAST – The Barnstable High School Drama Club's production of The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes this weekend features two sets of Watson and Holmes: Hannah Wolfe and Maeve Moriarty, left, and, with Sara Kuene as Mary Doyle, Nora Canaday and Caleb SeaverThings are "elementary" at the high school
Can you solve the puzzle of the Dancing Men?
That's the question that will confront you at the door – literally, on the door – of the Knight Auditorium as you arrive at the Barnstable High School Drama Club's production of The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes this weekend.
The cast of more than 35 people is eclectic, drawing not only on BHS students but also children, alumni, and faculty. This multigenerational and also gender-blind approach is fun to watch in this quickly-performed play. It began at 7, and I was back home just a little after 8:30, even with a 15-minute intermission.
Part of its speed is due to the pace at which some of the younger cast members deliver their lines. Their skill is good, their diction crisp; it's just that at times they're speaking too fast to be understood.
Masters of pacing their speech are drama teacher Keith Caldwell (Prof. Moriarty/Arthur Conan Doyle) and BHS alumnus and current Drew University drama student Sean Potter (John Clay). They have a scene together that's a gem.
Most of the other roles are double-cast, and I don't know who will act on which night, but Wednesday's cast was poised, well-rehearsed, and enthusiastic. Holmes is alternatively played by Caleb Seaver and Maeve Moriarty, and Watson by Nora Canaday and Hannah Wolfe.
The play by Suzan Zeder (might her nickname be ZZ?) weaves together the Conan Doyle stories "The Empty House," "The Speckled Band," and "The Final Problem," along with a reflection on fiction itself and its relationship with its author.
Jeffrey Billard directed, with Sean Potter as co-director and Keith Caldwell as associate director, and their team effort looks seamless. Billard says he wanted to give a "Sixties feel" to the production, which explains the spy-movie music played before the show and during the intermission and the early-Sixties look of one female character's costumes.
The program doesn't name a set designer – just a 16-member painting and construction crew – but it's nice, clean, and professional-looking. By the way, the program itself contains puzzles based upon the Dancing Men code (I look forward to solving them).
And in a running BHS joke about Spam, one street urchin who makes an entrance down an aisle early in the play offers a can of it for "a pound" to an audience member before he scurries away to his place on the stage.
The program notes say Sherlock Holmes "remains today as one of the most widely published characters in history," played by Basil Rathbone, of course, but also by Sir John Gielgud, Sir Ralph Richardson, Frank Langella, George C. Scott, Christopher Lee, and even William Gillette of Connecticut's Gillette Castle.
This weekend's performances offer a chance to see some local young people bring the story to life.
The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes will run through June 14 at Barnstable High School on West Main Street in Hyannis. Curtain is at 7 p.m. General admission seating is $10.


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Who is SILUET?
My name is Eva Plzakova, I am a Fashion designer and owner of Fashion brand SILUET mode.
After 20 years of everyday hard work in Fashion industry I needed a change in my life. Challenge!
A decided to leave stable and comfortable life and I followed my other passion in life, Yoga.
In 2011 I went to US, Los Angeles and after Months of studying with Master Bikram Chodhury I graduated from Bikram Yoga College of India. I became a certified Yoga instructor.
My hobby became a part of my professional life and I have a great opportunity to combine both of my interests, Fashion and Yoga. I practise BY since 2006 and from personal experience I understand what to expect from Yoga wear. I design my Yoga wear to be functional, comfortable, beautiful and top quality in the same time.
All my products are hand made in own studio in Prague under my supervision.
I respect all my customers. I love my work, I enjoy Yoga and my Motto is: "Nothing is impossible".


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Casting Crown's lead singer, Mark Hall, has a book to his name entitled "Your Own Jesus". My brother has an excellent review of it on his blog. To check it out, click here!
14 October 2013
12 October 2013
I'd have never thought myself an envious person. But recently, after hearing a sermon on the famous passage on love in the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (the 13th chapter), I discovered that I suffered from an acute problem of envy.
It turned out that mine was at quite an advanced stage. I was really envious of a lot of people who had things better than me by any measure. For some reason I never realized it was a problem in my life.
The thing that has stuck with me most from Haddon Robinson's words on love not being envious (though it was more of an aside point) was how unreasonable envy is. The unreasonableness of envy is that it will not likely be willing to 'swap clean'. Haddon said in his sermon that the envious person must be ready to 'swap clean'. If I'm envious of a friend who has a certain car, isn't it unreasonable to want the good he has in his life without having to contend with the bad? I mustn't get the car only, I must get everything else; his asthma, his broken family, his loneliness, his undetected cancer, his few remaining years on the earth etc. When you think about it that way, you stop and think twice before envying. It is unreasonable to envy; you can't want the good only. If you envy, you must swap clean. It should be all or nothing.
Unfortunately, in my depravation, I used this to make myself feel better. I opted to dwell, therefore, on the negative aspects of the lives of those I envied which of course wasn't Haddon's point.
I think the most sinful thing about envy is that it is an affront to God. To be envious is to tell God that he isn't doing his job right and that you know better. It is to tell him that he should have given you kids like that family has, a car like that person has, a wife who cooks as good as that other guy's wife, etc. It is to basically tell God that he made a bad call. What can be more offensive? Wasn't that God's point in those several chapters in Job where he responds to Jobs complaints for the terrible circumstances he had found himself in, going from hero to zero. God was saying in all those chapters, are you sure? Are you sure you can sit on my throne and do a better job? Of course, all Job could do was repent. There is a delicate balance we must find where we do our best and not be lazy while simultaneously accepting the place God puts us, with the things and people that he gives us. We must work hard so that we avail ourselves the best things of this life while being ready to live with the things God causes us to end up with.
The heinous thing I've found with envy, especially in my life on a social level, is its paralyzing effect. I have found myself failing miserably and literally unable to genuinely rejoice with those around me when they are blessed in some way or other. When you envy the progress of others, it is not possible to truly be happy for them and with them. This invariably results in a failure to mourn with them in their sorrow as well since you're happy to see them go down and lose out. It is a terrible place to be. I've also found myself crippled; too focused on what I don't have that I fail to enjoy what I do have. How sad! Worse off, I end up robbing God of the thanks he deserves for what he has actually given me all because I'm so consumed by what he hasn't.
The trickery of envy is in its perpetuity. When does it end? When will you ever have a life that is so great, no one else has anything better than you? Sure, you'll end up with a lot of money, but you're not likely to have the best spouse or kids as well. You can never envy enough. I remember a song that used to be played a lot when I was in high school which had a line, "Remember when you're feeling blue, there's always someone who has it worse than you…" Well, they'll always be someone who has it better than you in one area or other. So envying won't get you anywhere. Contentment really is the better alternative.
Finally, the folly of envy is that it works on assumptions. It assumes that having that thing that the other person has will finally make you happy. It assumes that you deserve better than the person you're envious of. It assumes that the thing(s) you envy about the other person is/are the aspect(s) of their lives that complete them. These assumptions are all faulty. That thing you envy won't make you happy; true happiness is not found in the things we envy. No sir, no ma'am, you don't deserve better than the person you're envious of; on your best day, you deserve nothing from God at the very least. And finally, nothing temporal can complete a person; the people we perceive to be happy and complete are often not and if they truly are, it has everything to do with something permanent that cannot be corrupted or taken from them, something which comes only from above.
Envy is a disease of the heart, and every time I find myself with a wrong attitude i.e. a heart problem, I pray this little prayer I heard sang as a child:
Change my heart, Oh GodMake it ever trueChange my heart, Oh GodMay I be like YouYou are the potterI am the clayMold me and make meThis is what I pray
I am yet to be let down after praying this prayer sincerely!
04 October 2013
Faith – A Must for Any Relationship
Here's the thing about faith. The bible says without it, it is impossible to please God. The truth of the matter is that without faith, it is impossible to please anyone.
Any father would want his son to have a reasoning mind, to think through actions before taking them and to decide whether an action is profitable or not and not just do things blindly. However, no father would want to have to explain the reasoning and benefit before issuing his every instruction or conveying his every request. Why? First of all, because his son must be obedient and seek to honour him but more so because he would like his son to have a level of reverence and TRUST so that he can carry out instructions and honour requests without first questioning them.
This is true of any relationship; parent-child, boss-employee, sibling-sibling, friend-friend, etc. We rarely ever have to explain the benefit or reasoning behind every request we make to people we relate with from day to day. This is because, for most of them, they love and care for us and/or simply TRUST us and we them and they carry out more of what we ask and believe more of what we say without questioning it, even if it doesn't make sense, than they do while requiring proof and reasoning from us first.
This is especially so with a romantic relationship. A man's chief puzzle is his woman and vice-versa. Women are always talking about how they can never understand men and men say the same. Why then is it that a man will carry out instructions and requests and do things for his wife/fiancée/girlfriend even if they do not make sense to him? In fact, ask any man who decided to have a "why" mentality towards his woman and find out how long he was able to go on with that! You'll discover that he couldn't keep it up because it displeased her, and rightly so.
Spending hours shopping for the house when it could really all be done in 30 minutes? Going back to the shop to get a particular kind of cheese when the one he brought home first works up to 99.9% as well? Celebrating the baby's first birthday even if the child will neither understand nor have any recollection of it? These are things that an average man may not appreciate and yet goes ahead to do anyway. Why? Because would like it and he loves her. And if he only does things which make sense to him in his relationship then she will not be PLEASED with him. Faith is necessary to please those we love.
Why should it be any different with God?
How can God be pleased with us if we only accept him when everything he has said and everything about him makes sense to us? How is our trust in him demonstrated when we choose to believe him ONLY when all the evolutionist's questions are answered? What underlying message must God receive when we refuse him until all questions are answered and everything makes perfect sense in our heads? A belief in God on our own terms is no belief at all.
I understand that God took away a person or people you loved from you, but must he explain himself before you follow him? I understand that so many of your questions remain unanswered, but must you require a file from God containing answers to all your questions and before you come to him? No. We do not hold those around us to such an insensible standard, why must we do it to God?
Just as we do not demand that everything we do for those we love make sense, if we are to love God, we must believe in him and exercise trust in him and do as he says even if it doesn't all make sense.
This is where atheists get it wrong. They have good questions. They ask, among other things; If God exists, why does he allow evil? Why does he allow suffering? Why doesn't he speak in an audible voice and show the world that he is real? Why am I unhappy and unfulfilled if God really loves me and cares for me and wants the best for me? And so on. What I find illogical from people these people who claim to be very logical is that they do not demand ALL the answers from those they love and care for, and yet they demand this from God, who loves and cares for them. Yes, God encourages us to bring our heads with us when enter into a relationship with him by believing and trusting in him but to demand all our questions and queries answered before we yield to him is unacceptable. He will not answer them all because he is pleased when we exercise faith in him. When we submit to him even if it hasn't all made sense, he is well pleased with us. It is the ultimate sign of love for him when we surrender to him with our questions and queries still unanswered.
Thankfully, as we grow in our relationship with him, through the study of his word and prayer, our questions and queries get answered along the way. Hence the good old song we sing, "We will understand it better by and by." And thankfully, he promises us that when all is said and done and history is wrapped up, all will be made plain and clear. He doesn't owe it to us but because he loves us, he will. Why did you lose your loved one who meant so much to you? Put your faith in him, you will understand it better by and by. Why did you lose your job/health/wealth? Why did that unfortunate circumstance befall you? Put your faith in him, you will understand it better by and by. Why doesn't the bible make a 100% clear, beyond shadow-of-doubt argument for God's existence? Put your faith in him, you will understand it better by and by.
Matthew 10:26 ~ So have no fear for them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be made known.Hebrews 11:6 ~ And without faith, it is impossible to please God.
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Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
All institutions and individuals living outside the United States, including US citizens living abroad, and branches, subsidiaries, and other affiliates abroad of US banks and business concerns; also central governments, central banks, and other official institutions of countries other than the United States, and international and regional organizations, wherever located. Also refers to persons in the United States to the extent that they are known by reporting institutions to be acting for foreigners.


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Arcbound Ravager - Foil
Slightly Played, English, 3 In stock
Moderately Played, English, 2 In stock
David Ochoa - The love for Affinity has ebbed and flowed throughout the seasons, yet Arcbound Ravager has never stopped being an integral part of the robotic menace that has enjoyed its dynasty. The Ravager helps dodge removal, and also feeds on artifacts that have become less than useful, and will quickly grow into a lethal construct.
Color: ArtifactCard Text: Sacrifice an artifact Put a +1/+1 counter on Arcbound Ravager. Modular 1 (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it. When it's put into a graveyard, you may put its +1/+1 counters on target artifact creature.)Rarity: RCost: 2Pow/Tgh: 0/0Card Type: Artifact CreatureName: Arcbound RavagerFinish: FoilSet Name: Darksteel


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Smartphone-connected ECG maker AliveCor is teaming up with the Mayo Clinic once again, this time to develop algorithms to screen for Long QT syndrome, a heart condition that can often cause sudden death, especially in children. The partnership also includes an additional, undisclosed investment in AliveCor from Mayo Clinic.
Long QT syndrome is named for the interval between the Q Wave and the T Wave on an ECG.
"For a number of people, they have a genetic mutation that causes the extension of the QT interval and they die," AliveCor CEO Vic Gundotra told MobiHealthNews. "It's particularly tragic when this happens to children. You have no warning. What you find out is that their kid suffered from genetic Long QT and it was never caught. Parents spend much of their efforts afterward trying to educate other parents and to put into place screening programs to catch these things. Because if you know you have genetic Long QT, there's lots of ways to treat it and it's very very treatable."
AliveCor is working with Dr. Michael Ackerman, one of the world leaders in Long QT research, to combine AliveCor's largest ECG dataset and machine learning experience with Ackerman's existing work on Long QT.
"The dream here is one day we will take the expertise of the Mayo Clinic and the expertise of Dr. Ackerman and dramatically combine them with the AI work we've been doing, which would lend to an inexpensive, noninvasive screening test, that one day even a coach who isn't a doctor, with FDA approval, could inexpensively screen kids and potentially save thousands of lives."
In addition to genetic Long QT, the syndrome can also be triggered by drug interactions. This means the screening test could also be used by pharmacists before they give patients a drug that could potentially trigger the syndrome. The company hopes to have an FDA-cleared version of the screening test within a year.
In the long term, AliveCor hopes to combine the new algorithm with its existing AFib algorithm, the algorithm the company is developing with Mayo Clinic for high blood potassium (hyperkalemia), and other algorithms.
"We'll connect all these things," Gundotra said. "As we improve our algorithms to include more conditions, whether it be hyperkalemia or long QT, it just makes our device more and more valuable and more important for you to have in your home. We believe one day it will be as prevalent as the thermometer. Just like you have a device to check your kid's temperature at home and know that if it's dangerously high you should go to the hospital, you similarly will have a device in your home that checks your family members for heart conditions. This is the number one (deadliest) disease in the world, and today people don't have the tools to check their heart and know what's really going on."
The combination of machine learning and small, accurate mobile-enabled ECG readers could lead to a huge paradigm shift in early detection and prevention of heart conditions. A recent study at Stanford University showed that a machine learning algorithm could outshine cardiologists at detecting a number of conditions, given a large enough dataset to train on.
Despite all this, Gundotra says that worries about AIs replacing human doctors are misplaced.
"If we went outside and were walking on a dark path, which one of us would say 'Hey, I'm not going to use a flashlight because it might replace human vision,' it would be stupid. We would all take the flashlight because it supplements human vision and makes it much easier to walk at night. And the tools we're developing will be exactly like that. These are not going to replace your cardiologist, but they will allow your cardiologist to see further than they've ever seen before and they're going to become a key way to manage your health and supplement your doctor's oversight."


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Stephen Harper had the suburban Vancouver crowd stomping and cheering, to the extent people who hold up signs like "Harper is Stability" can stomp and cheer.Substitute "Canada" for "Stability" and we are there. To hell with democracy, he makes the trains run on time. Recommend this Post
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world. Jack Layton
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Creeping Fascism
The Conservatives are getting much closer to creating their own Il Duce:
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Kansas was not nice to me at the end. The last three days were marked by thunderstorms, then hail the next night, vicious winds and torrential rains on the last complete with tornado sirens. The power in the City of El Dorado and the park (That is El DorAdo there, sort of a kin to "AmblAnce" and other odd A's in the mid-western colloquial style) went off. It was about 4 AM when it did. The refrigerator of course was working on electric and not the optional Propane when it happened. Why not? After all, when we went to bed it was a lovely night.
Once I hauled myself up to fix that I decided I might as well start screwing down all that moves, get unhooked from the land lines at first light and get on the on the road. I pulled out about 6:00 AM and enjoyed a peaceful and lonely drive across the gypsum "hills" of western Kansas on an overcast morning. Kansas is essentially closed on Sundays so until the church goers appeared I had the roads to myself and found the next scheduled stop about noon. The NOAA radio said it would be 102 there with a chance of rain later so, with another five hours available, and the temperature beyond even the pale of mad dogs and Englishman, I soldiered on for an additional 350 miles to the place I was supposed to be on Monday. I stopped at a favorite side of the road campsite in Tucumcari and found the temperature there less than 100 but the much advertised winds of New Mexico were present. However, I had gained both a day on the schedule of the worst part of the trip and and hour on the clock. The good people of New Mexico are wise enough to adopt daylight time unlike there less informed neighbors to the west.
I vowed the next day not to drive any more than I had originally planned. One day of over 500 miles seemed sufficient. So I had breakfast at the diner, read the paper and left in what still seemed a cool day. Climbing off the desert floor to pass through Albuquerque and on to a small and uninteresting RV park at Grants, NM. The altitude of 6500 feet made the day a delight, The air required no conditioning and a good book was finished in the early evening. Cable Television was available and I learned it would be 42 degrees when the sun rose there on the first day of summer. Quite a difference, but one that would last only as long as the altitude was maintained. As I passed through Gallup and into Arizona and Pacific Daylight Time I was descending again and reached Flagstaff AZ at either 2:30 PM or 3:30 PM depending on which clock one looked at for assurance.
The road between was a grinding bore, a landscape of the moon by comparison to my previous bucolic journeys on the National Highway and the farm roads of Missouri and Illinois. There is a meteor crater one can go look at if one wishes, there are ruins from the earliest human settlers here about which little is still known that are best seen in the early spring or late fall when the temperatures are livable. There is also between Grants and Two Gun, AZ a higgily- piggily village of squalor at the side of the Interstate that should make you sad to be related to the people who put the Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo out here to suffer the indignity they now enjoy. The grinding poverty from there to the end of the state and the beginning of the Mojave is occasionally interrupted by a perky town like Winslow and Flagstaff singing the praises of the famous Route 66, "America's Road" as they would have it and where the pale faces settled for there own reasons and live in what can only look to those who reside between the Sante Fe Railroad Tracks and Interstate 40 as the lap of luxury. It is a sad journey, a figurative walk along the trail of tears that brought them to this place, these noble and, in most cases, gentle people.
Tomorrow I will saddle up as early as sleep will allow to pass through Needles CA, a place no one should have to live, but where there is a remarkably good place to eat breakfast. Then it is south on U.S. 95 past Twenty-Nine Palms where every combat Marine that ever served has been taught to do scary things, on to Desert Center which is simply that, then Riverside, down Interstate 15 to home.
The journey will have covered more than 7,500 miles by then and I for one will be glad it is over. Juan agrees and La Coachasita will be very relieved, although she returns in excellent condition for a machine of her age.
I look forward to a day of high 70's. no rain or threat of it, no sirens to warn of impending doom, no smoke to remind of man's carelessness with his planet.
There are things there waiting to be done, but as always as my journey ends in this overheated wasteland this time of year--a place capable of remarkable beauty at other times--I will be glad to see the people and places of home.
Until next time, stay well, do good works, and stay in touch.


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Comandante C40 Grinder
- Regular price
- £219.00
- Regular price
- Sale price
- £219.00
- Unit price
- per
- Availability
- Sold out
Rituals, Ventures or Rarities? All great coffees, so which to choose? Let us help you find your match in 6 simple steps.
How experienced are you with coffee and flavour notes?
Great! Now, How curious are you about developing your palate for more complex flavour profiles?
Nice. Ok. What brewing method do you like to use?
Cool. What do you want from your brewing experience?
Which of these best describes your favorite coffee?
Right. Last one, Do you take milk?
We think you'll love Rituals — those things in our life which ground us, be it a morning run or some evening journaling, our rituals are things we wouldn't be the same without.
We think you'll love Ventures — selected as coffees which can open up our minds further to the potential of coffee. These cups will highlight more fruit forward or floral characteristics but with the balance of sweetness to back it up.
We think you'll love Rarities — our rarities are designed to blow our preconceptions of coffee out the water. Each month this category allows us to showcase cups which have flavours even we would not have thought possible from our humble coffee seed.
Watch House Coffee
We are excited to announce the arrival of our very own Watch House Coffee. Roasted at our central hub on Maltby Street, this coffee has been crafted with our community in mind and will now fill our grinders behind the bar and our retail shelves in front.


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Aaaaaaand, breathe. It's over, for another year at least. The turkey leftovers have been gobbled up as sandwiches, the misguided presents re-boxed and receipted ready to be exchanged, the TV re-runs and farts all cleared up. Christmas 2016 is over. How was it for you?
Did little Timmy get that iPad he's been dreaming of? Did you finally catch-up with all the Netflix boxsets you've added to your watch lists? And did you bag any Boxing Day bargains? Were there tears? Did you experience and dish out goodwill to all men? Or was it just another day? Spill your tinsel-tarnished guts in the comments section below.
Image Credit: Pretty little boy in Santa hat crying from Shutterstock


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Friday, December 31, 2010
Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R/636 Modification0 comments Posted by eightq at 3:48 PM
|Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R/636
Vehicle Description Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R/636 Modification
The fastest 600 anytime produced!
2006 Kawasaki ZX6R; 636
Low Mileage
Never Crashed
Very Good to Excellent. (some cossack scuffs from accepted leg over, some actual ablaze scuffs on lower belly, actual adamantine to see...from actuality lowered)
Some of the adorned upgrades:
* Permanant 6" stretch; Thompsons Swingarms (best around)
* Lowered
* Erion Carbon Fiber Exhaust
* Galfer Steel Braided Brake Lines/Red
* Sportech Windscreen
* Powder Coated: Pegs/Brackets/ Levers/Bolts
* Gold DID chain
Labels: KAWASAKI
Toyota Corolla Rumion0 comments Posted by eightq at 1:13 AM
Toyota Corolla Rumion Gallery . . . .
Red Toyota Corolla Rumion
Silver Toyota Corolla Rumion Looking Great
Toyota Corolla Rumion Fashion
Toyota Corolla Rumion Interior
Toyota Corolla Rumion Concept
Labels: Toyota
BMW 3 Series0 comments Posted by eightq at 1:07 AM
The BMW E90 series is the fifth generation of the BMW 3 Series range of compact executive cars. The car is also available as a touring (designated as E91), coupé (E92) and coupé cabriolet (E93). A high performance BMW M3 version of the E90, E92, and E93 is also available. It is the successor to the E46 model, and was launched in March 2005. The E90 is slated to be replaced in 2012 when a new 3 Series body is introduced.
In 2002, Head of Production Norbert Reithofer and Development Chief Burkhard Goeschel started an initiative to halve the time it took to reach full production of the next generation 3-series from six months to three.
First marketed in March 2005, the car quickly became BMW Group's best selling automobile worldwide, and by the end of the year 229,900 vehicles had been delivered. It is by far the best-selling entry-level luxury car in Canada and the United States.
BMW 3 Series Fast Cars
BMW 3 Series Fashion
BMW 3 Series Concept
Black BMW 3 Series Front View
BMW 3 Series on the Road
BMW 3 Series Exterior
Labels: BMW
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Acura MDX0 comments Posted by eightq at 11:23 PM
Elegant Black Acura MDX
Silver Acura MDX on the Road
Black Acura MDX Looking Great
Acura MDX on the Snow
Acura MDX Exterior
Acura MDX Black from Left Side
Black Acura MDX Concept
Acura MDX Parking
Labels: Acura
Audi TT0 comments Posted by eightq at 6:52 PM
Audi TT car review - Top Gear - BBC
The Audi TT is a two-door sports car manufactured by Audi Hungaria Motor Kft. in Győr, Hungary, since 1998, for the German automaker and Volkswagen Group subsidiary AUDI AG.
The Audi TT is now in its second generation — and both generations have been available in two car body styles; as a 2+2 Coupé, or two-seater Roadster. They have been built on consecutive generations of the Volkswagen Group A platform, starting with the A4 (PQ34). As a result of this platform-sharing, the Audi TT has identical powertrain and suspension layouts as its related platform-mates; this includes a front-mounted transversely oriented engine, front-wheel drive or quattro permanent four-wheel drive system, and fully independent front suspension using MacPherson struts.
The styling of the Audi TT began in the spring of 1994 at the Volkswagen Group Design Center in California.The TT was first shown as a concept car at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.The design is credited to J Mays and Freeman Thomas,with Hartmut Warkuss, Peter Schreyer,Martin Smithand Romulus Rost contributing to the award-winning interior design.A previously unused laser beam welding adaptation, which enabled seamless design features on the first-generation TT, delayed its introduction. Audi did not initially offer any type of automatic transmission option for the TT. However, from 2003, a dual clutch six-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) became available, with the United Kingdom TT variants becoming the world's first user of a dual clutch transmission configured for a right-hand drive vehicle, although the outright world first for a road car equipped with a dual clutch transmission was claimed earlier by a Volkswagen Group platform-mate, the left hand drive Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32.The Audi TT takes its name from the successful motor racing tradition of NSU in the British Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle race. NSU began competing in the TT in 1911, and later merged into the company now known as Audi.
The Audi TT also follows the NSU 1000TT, 1200TT and TTS cars of the 1960s in taking their names from the race. The TT name has also been attributed to the phrase "Technology & Tradition"
Audi TT Fast Car
White Audi TT Concept
Labels: Audi
Kawasaki Ninja 650R Modification0 comments Posted by eightq at 10:26 AM
Well.. actuality we go.. 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R Modification. The 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R prices msrp(US) $6,399.00, and it's arresting your country. See added detail about 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R specs, prices and account beneath :
|Kawasaki Ninja 650R Modification
|Kawasaki Ninja 650R Modification
2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R Specifications :
Engine Type Parallel Twin
Cylinders 2
Engine Stroke 4-Stroke
Cooling Liquid
Valves 8
Valves Per Cylinder 4
Valve Configuration DOHC
Compression Ratio 11.3:1
Starter Electric
Fuel Requirements Regular
Fuel Type Gas
Front Brake Type Dual Disc
Rear Brake Type Disc
Transmission Type Manual
Number Of Speeds 6
Primary Drive (Rear Wheel) Chain
Front Tire (Full Spec) 120/70 R17
Rear Tire (Full Spec) 160/60 R17
(specs may not 100% accurate, pic from google chase and alone for sample)
If you like the simple ninja series, i affair Kawasaki Ninja 650R is absolute for you.. abundant ability with simple design..
Labels: KAWASAKI
Monday, December 27, 2010
Toyota Yaris0 comments Posted by eightq at 7:09 AM
The Toyota Yaris is a subcompact car produced by Toyota since 1999. Between 1999 and 2005, some markets received the same vehicles under the Toyota Echo name. Toyota has used the "Yaris" and "Echo" names on the export version of several different Japanese-market models
First generation models were marketed between 1999 and 2005 under the "Yaris" and "Echo" names depending on the market. Hatchback, coupe, and sedan body variants were offered.
* Hatchback: versions derive from the Japanese-market Toyota Vitz.
* Coupe and sedan: versions derive from the Japanese-market Toyota Platz.
Second generation models have been marketed since 2005 under the "Yaris" name worldwide. Hatchback and sedan body variants are offered.
* Hatchback: versions derive from the Japanese-market Toyota Vitz.
* Sedan: versions derive from the Japanese-market Toyota Belta.
Toyota Yaris Interior
Elegant Toyota Yaris Silver
Red Toyota Yaris on the Road
Silver Toyota Yaris
Labels: Toyota
Acura TL 20100 comments Posted by eightq at 4:59 AM
Elegant Maroon Acura TL
Acura TL on the Road
White Acura TL Looking Great
Black Acura TL Right Side Shown
Bkue Acura TL Concept
Acura TL Exterior
Black Acura TL Front View
Acura TL 2010 on the Road
Acura TL 2010 Interior
Labels: Acura
Nissan Juke0 comments Posted by eightq at 3:49 AM
The Nissan Juke is a mini-crossover being released by the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan during 2010. The production version made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March, and was introduced to North America at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.
On 11 February 2009 Nissan announced that the model would go into production at the NMUK plant in Washington, UK, during 2010 following its appearance as the Nissan Qazana concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Sunderland plant manufactures for the European market, while Nissan's facility in Oppama, Japan, produces the vehicle for all other countries and is the sole supplier of the all-wheel drive variant.
In Japan, where the car was launched on 9 June 2010, orders totalled 10,943 units in its first month, surpassing Nissan's monthly target of 1,300 by a margin it never predicted. By 5 October 2010, Japanese sales had increased to 20,000 while European and US figures also exceeded expectations with orders for 30,000 and 17,500 cars taken for the respective markets.The Juke was designed at Nissan Design Europe in London and refined at Nissan's Design Centre in Japan. It is based on the Nissan B platform.The car's profile is dominated by the prominent wheel arches and the body's high waistline, which combine to give an impression of strength and which contrast with the slim side windows. Echoing a style first seen on the Mixim, Nissan's high performance electric coupé concept shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, the glasshouse resembles a crash helmet visor. A coupé-like appearance is achieved by the rear door handles being located near the C-pillars, within the window frame. The sport motif continues inside with the red- or grey-painted center console bearing similarity to a motorcycle fuel tank.
The front end features a stacked array of lights. Running lamps and indicators are mounted atop the front wings, their lenses visible from inside the cabin as an aid to manoeuvrings. Below them, under the lower edges of an expansive, curved grille, the main headlamps are intended to be reminiscent of those fitted to rally cars during the 1960s and 1970s. Where fitted, fog lamps are situated on a third level within the sump guard at the bottom.Common to all but base models is Nissan's Integrated Control System, dubbed I-CON: a command module that sits in the lower dashboard, which manages both the climate control and the vehicle's drive mode (Normal, Sport or Eco). Its display and nomenclature change according to the function selected.
Reviews by the motoring press have been generally positive. While most liked the Juke's unusual styling, several noted that it represented a brave design choice by Nissan that could divide the opinions of car buyers. Test drives have provided conflicting reports about the car's ride and handling: the body lean and steering response have each been singled out for praise and criticism in equal measure. However, the overall response indicated that the Juke is expected to be a success.Nissan ambitiously expects to sell 20,000 Jukes in its first full year of production, which will be 2011. And I can see that happening. A plague of Jukes is about to descend on the landscape, devouring young mums and their offspring and raising eyebrows wherever they go. Expect an unfamiliar looking car to start becoming very familiar indeed.
Labels: Nissan
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Nissan 350Z0 comments Posted by eightq at 9:42 PM
The Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan from 2002–2009 and marks the fifth generation (codename: Z33) of Nissan's Z-car line. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model. It was available in several trim packages and is sold as both a coupé and roadster before being succeeded by the 370Z for the 2009 model year.After the Nissan 300ZX was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1996, Nissan initially tried to keep the Z name alive by re-creating the 240Z the following year. The car was conceived by Nissan's North American design team in their free time, and the concept was introduced in a four state Road Show in July 1998 to various car media, dealers and employees. Yutaka Katayama, regarded as the "Father of the Z" unveiled the Z concept sketch to the public when he received a motor industry award. The design, representing a modern vision of the 240Z, did not please the original 240Z designer Yoshihiko Matsuo, who compared it to the Bluebird and Leopard.Z Concept was unveiled in Detroit Motor Show two years later, which was similar in body shape but with a new front end. The car then underwent a minor redesign and was eventually assigned the VQ35DE engine, hence becoming known as the 350Z.
The 350Z is a front-mid engine rear-wheel-drive two door,two seat, sports car designed by Ajay Panchal of Nissan Design America(San Diego, California).
The vehicle features the long-hood short-deck design common to the Z-Car family. Currently, external design highlights include: sloping fastback style roof line, unique brushed aluminium door handles, high waistline, and bulging fenders that are pushed out to the corners of the vehicle.
Interior cabin design is straight forward with brushed aluminium accents. The main gauge pod is mounted directly to the steering column allowing their movement to coincide with steering wheel adjustments. Additional gauges are mounted in a center triple gauge cluster (similar to the 240Z/260Z/280Z). The 350Z's interior does not have a conventional glove box, instead it makes use of various storage compartments located either behind or between the 2 seats.
For the 2006 model year, the 350Z received a number of notable changes for its mid-cycle facelift. The 300HP/260TQ Rev-up engine that was introduced mid-year 2005 with 6-speed manual was offered for every trim now. Purchasing a 5-speed automatic meant you still got the VQ35DE with 287HP/274TQ. The headlights now sported larger bi-xenon projectors, the front bumper had been revised, the rear taillights now use LEDs, and interior changes brought differences to the center console, among other small things. Touring and Grand Touring models have radio-steering controls standard, MP3 CD compatibility, and Satellite Radio became an available option. The 5AT transmission also received an update, which made it rev-match for every downshift.
For the 2007 model year, the 350Z was again moderately revised. The VQ35DE V6 was replaced with a new, but still 3.5 L VQ35HR V6. It produced 306 hp (228 kW) at 6800 rpm with 268 ft·lbf (363 N·m) at 4800 rpm. The hood was revised featuring a bulge reminiscent of the original 240Z. In the US, trims levels were narrowed down to 350Z (base), Enthusiast, Touring, and Grand Touring, while in Europe the same trim levels remained.
Labels: Nissan


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So I have this great app called PowerAMP
on my Galaxy S phone.
Everything it does is fantastic, except for the playlists.
They get wiped out if you reboot the phone, which I do daily due to the custom rom I use has some video quirks.
So, I figured why not try to make my own playlist in Audacious and save it on the phone to see if it works, it does.
Connect up your phone and mount it via usb like normal. Open up Audacious (or whatever program you winders/apple folks use) and click the files you want to put into the play list. Save the playlist to the folder your music is kept. Open the file in your favorite text editor that has a replace function like gedit.
Replace all the text that relates to your computer and leave the parts that relate to your phone, for example.
My playlist had lines like :
Well my music was in the /music/jpop directory on the phone so I used the replace function in my text editor to remove the path that was part of my computer, replaced /media/16G/music with nothing and ended up with ;
Since the playlist file was in the music folder already there was no need to put that in the path.
*edit 2011/06/08*
Seems the playlists you create in this manner are also prone to be magically deleted by the Android OS.
Working on a workaround for my workaround.


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Set UPS shipping charges are added to the final order. Items are available for shipping within the United States and Canada only. Please allow 1-10 business days for shipping during normal mailing season, longer at peak delivery times. Washington state residents will be charged 10% sales tax. California state residents will be charged 8.0% sales tax.
In stock items will be shipped within 3 business days via UPS. If an item is temporarily out of stock, we will contact you to inform you of the estimated availability of the out of stock item, so you can decide whether to hold your order to ship all at once or drop the out of stock item and ship the available items immediately.
Items returned in the same condition as shipped are eligible for a refund within 10 days of delivery date, less the shipping charges. Please include the bank authorization code and the order ID number with your return and send items to the address given below.
firstname.lastname@example.com (425) 602-3026
For questions about your order, please e-mail the Bastyr bookstore or call (425) 602-3026.
Our mailing address is: Bastyr University Bookstore, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore, WA 98028
When you purchase items from our bookstore, you are supporting programs,services and students at Bastyr that ultimately serve our mission.


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Indianapolis-based Pearl IRB LLC, a life sciences consultancy operating as Pearl Pathways, announced Tuesday morning that it plans to add 38 jobs by 2016 as part of a $355,000 expansion.
The company, located in Indiana University's Emerging Tech Center near the central canal, will use the investment to lease and equip a 2,000-square-foot facility at 29 E. McCarthy St.
Pearl Pathways plans to move in March and is hiring additional regulatory-affairs, quality-compliance and clinical-trial specialists.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. said it will provide Pearl Pathways up to $750,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $75,000 in training grants based on the company's job-creation plans.
Founded in 2010 by former Eli Lilly and Co. employees Diana Caldwell and Gretchen Miller Bowker, Pearl Pathways provides research and product development services for drug, biologic and medical device companies.