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In Skeleton Dance, one of our new Halloween eCards, you can turn you & your friends into kooky, bone rattling, dancing skeletons! Our director of eCards, Jeff, thought this eCard would be a great puppet Starring You video and his idea was inspired by a few different sources. First this skeleton marionette street performer really got his attention with his dance moves, and after watching the SuperGrass "Pump Up Your Stereo" music video, the light bulb went off and the making of Skeleton Dance began.
Mike, our puppet maker, used foam, felt and a lot of time to make the skeleton puppet. To film the puppet without being seen the crew put on black clothes and turned the lights off. Check out the video:
After filming the single puppet, we multiplied it by 5, color corrected, added the head animation and connected the pieces to bring you Skeleton Dance! If you haven't already, create it today & make your friends crack up with laughter this Halloween.


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Spring Valley Bulldogs/
French Bulldog Puppies for sale/
English Bulldog Puppies for sale/
Bulldog Resources
Our Adult French Bulldogs/
Our English Bulldogs/
Bulldog Breeder/
Satisfied Bulldog Owners
Like our Facebook page here
We welcome any inquiries about bulldogs in general and our puppies in particular.
We are a home based business and are available the majority of the time by phone or email. We have been breeding English bulldogs for 13 years and French bulldogs for 9. Our goal is to produce healthy well socialized puppies that will be a perfect fit for their new home. We strive to educate the new owner before their new addition arrives and are always available for questions afterwards. Adding a bulldog to your home is a very exciting time and we love to hear updates on how the puppy is doing and adjusting to their new family. Check out ourSatisfied customers webpage for all the cute bulldog pictures people have sent us over the years!
English bulldogs and French bulldogs are so unique in their personalities; there are never two that look or act the same way. We just love how wonderful they are with children and are excited that our 3 year old daughter enjoys playing with them as much as we do. Bulldogs will play for 1 hour and then sleep for 2; they are ideal for any age of child and usually get along well with other pets. They tend to shed more as the seasons change but you will always notice some shedding. As puppies they tend to have more energy but as they age; getting them off the couch to go potty can become a chore. We love all of our bulldogs and enjoy getting to know the new families that they will be joining.
Thank you for visiting our website and we would love to help you find your dream puppy.
Past Puppies
© Copyright 2007 Spring Valley Bulldogs - All Rights Reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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Click Here For Kids Brown Belt (7-12) Course Page
Are you ready to Sign Up and Start? Click or Tap "Sign Up" below. Upon graduation for your Brown Belt, access will be free and unlimited as long as you are a member of Nikidokai Worldwide University | Mix Martial Arts.
To Join NWU Click or Tap > "Sign Up" First
Tap the Logo below to Access your course if you are already a member and logged in.
Follow Your Path to Achieve Junior Black Belt Ranking:
Kids Yellow Black Belt (4-6)
Kids Orange Black Belt (4-6)
Kids Yellow Black Belt (7-12)
Kids Orange Black Belt (7-12)
Kids Green Black Belt (7-12)
Kids Blue Black Belt (7-12)
Kids Purple Black Belt (7-12)
Kids Brown Belt (7-12)
Kids Red White Belt (7-12)
Junior Black Belt (7-12)
There are 3 important points to all Belts that you will earn in Nikidokai. (A) All Belt Ranks must be "given life" by Shihan before you can wear them. (B) Never wash your belt. Keep your gi clean at all times, but never wash the belt. Once the belt as been given life to it by Shihan it must remain as it is at all times. (C) Never let your belt touch the ground or floor, (Unless you are wearing it.) This is a sign of great disrespect and must be adhered to at all times.


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Michael Jordan applies for wedding license in West Palm Beach
Basketball legend applies for license at Palm Beach County courthouse Thursday morning
Basketball legend Michael Jordan appears ready to get married again.
The former NBA star and Charlotte Bobcats owner appeared at the main Palm Beach County courthouse Thursday morning to apply for a marriage license, clerk's office spokeswoman Kathy Burstein said.
IMAGES: Where Are 'Dream Team' Stars Today?
Jordan's application shows he is marrying Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto, his longtime girlfriend to whom he became engaged in December 2011.
The application lists Jordan's address as Jupiter. He has until May 9, when the application expires, to tie the knot.
Wedding details were not listed on the application.
It will be the second marriage for No. 23. He married Juanita Vanoy in September 1989, and they divorced in 2006. They have two sons, Jeffrey Michael and Marcus James, and a daughter, Jasmine.


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In this group, you will have the chance to speak with others who understand and share your experiences with issues related to being in a neurodiverse couple. Discussions are focused on learning tools and coping strategies for particular issues that arise because of the neurological differences between partners.
Contact Name : --
Contact Email : --
← Return to calendar


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Chinese Communist Party (CCP) throws temper tantrums over Davidam 16.05.2012 09:57:33 von Satish
China Rebukes David Cameron For Meeting Dalai Lama
China today protested about Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to
meet the Dalai Lama during his visit to London yesterday.
Britain's ambassador in Beijing, Sebastian Wood, was summoned to the
Foreign Ministry to receive a rebuke from China's Vice Foreign
Minister Song Tao.
Mr Song said the meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader
amounted to serious interference in China's internal affairs.
Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg met the Dalai Lama
privately yesterday at St Paul's Cathedral, where he was receiving the
=A31.1 million Templeton Prize for his work affirming the spiritual
dimension of life. He donated the bulk of the prize to Save the
Children to support its work in India.
China's Foreign Ministry said Mr Song told Mr Wood British leaders
should consider the "serious consequences" of meeting the Dalai Lama,
who is regarded as a separatist by Beijing.
The meeting "seriously interfered with China's internal affairs,
undermined China's core interests, and hurt the feelings of the
Chinese people", said the Foreign Ministry in a statement.
Mr Song urged Britain to take "practical actions to correct the
Mr Cameron's official spokesman said: "The Dalai Lama is an important
religious figure.
"We don't want to see our relationship with China disrupted by the
visit of the Dalai Lama.
"The Dalai Lama travels all over the world and has visited the UK
several times in the past, and I believe that former prime ministers
also met with him when they were in office."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "British ministers believe that who
they see is a matter for them.
"The Dalai Lama is an important religious figure and the Prime
Minister expects to meet important religious figures from time to
"If they choose to see someone, it does not necessarily indicate they
support that individual's viewpoint. Ministers place value on
dialogue, discussion and gathering a wide range of viewpoints on
issues of importance."


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Today's mobile devices are as powerful and connected as any PC or laptop. Take the same precautions on your mobile device as you do on your computer with regard to messaging and online safety.
Mobile devices are computers with software that need to be kept up-to-date (just like your PC, laptop or tablet). Security protections are built in and updated on a regular basis. Take time to make sure all the mobile devices in your house have the latest protections. This may require synching your device with a computer.
- Keep security software current: Having the latest mobile security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware and other online threats.
- Protect all devices that connect to the Internet: Computers, smartphones, gaming systems and other web-enabled devices all need protection from viruses and malware.
Phones can contain tremendous amounts of personal information. Lost or stolen devices can be used to gather information about you and. potentially, others. Protect your phone like you would your computer.
- Secure your phone: Use a strong passcode to lock your phone.
- Think before you app: Review the privacy policy and understand what data (location, access to your social networks) the app can access on your device before you download.
- Only give your mobile number out to people you know and trust and never give anyone else's number out without their permission.
- Learn how to disable the geotagging feature on your phone at https://gcn.com/articles/2012/12/10/how-to-disable-smart-phone-geotagging-feature.aspx
Use common sense when you connect. If you're online through an unsecured or unprotected network, be cautious about the sites you visit and the information you release.
- Get savvy about Wi-Fi hotspots: Limit the type of business you conduct and adjust the security settings on your device to limit who can access your phone.
- Protect your $$: When banking and shopping, check to be sure the site is security enabled. Look for web addresses with "https://" or "shttp://," which means the site takes extra measures to help secure your information. "Http://" is not secure.
- When in doubt, don't respond: Fraudulent texting, calling and voicemails are on the rise. Just like email, requests for personal information or for immediate action are almost always a scam.
Stay informed of the latest updates on your device. Know what to do if something goes wrong.
- Stay current. Keep pace with new ways to stay safe online: Check trusted websites for the latest information, and share with friends, family, and colleagues and encourage them to be web wise.
- Know how to cell block others: Using caller ID, you can block all incoming calls or block individual names and numbers.
- Use caution when meeting face-to-face with someone who you only "know" through text messaging: Even though texting is often the next step after online chatting, it does not mean that it is safer.
It is easy to say things via phone or text message that you would never say face to face. Remind your kids to maintain the same level of courtesy online as they would in the real world.
- Safer for me and more secure for all: What you do online has the potential to affect everyone – at home, at work and around the world. Practicing good online habits benefits the global digital community.
- Text to others only as you would have them text to you.
- Only give your mobile number out to people you know and trust and never give anyone else's number out without their permission.
- Get permission before taking pictures or videos of others with your phone: Likewise, let others know they need your permission before taking pictures or videos of you.


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Design submitted by Andrew from the UK.
Andrew says: I decided to create a watch that uses old fashion / calligraphy styled digits.
This lead to the "Gothic" wristwatch design. Which uses a: LED, LCD or E-paper / E-ink to display the time Display. Constructed in either: IP black, Gun-Metal or Stainless Steel This watch has three display modes: Alarm, Date & Time (Default).


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I felt very fortunate last week to have the opportunity to attend Creative Innovation 2012,a two day conference organised by Tania De Jong, a pint sized marvel with a resume that makes me wonder how she has time to breathe, let alone pull together a conference like this. This was a conference attended largely by people from business with its focus being, "Wicked problems, great opportunities! Leadership and courage for volatile times." I met only one other teacher over the course of two days. I'd like to see the organisers consider providing more incentive for schools to send teams along by offering discounted rates to educational institutions, who can benefit greatly from the ideas being shared, but might be hard pressed to send more than one person along.
I've put together a Storify that contains a chronological view of my tweet stream over the course of the two days. I take my notes via Twitter. I figure it's beneficial to not just me, but to others who get a view of what is going on at an event they are not attending. The feedback from Twitter was that it was beneficial – take a look at the Storify and judge for yourself.
It was a conference that surprised me. Every session was worthwhile, providing takeaways that I could apply to my experience. Even when I thought I wasn't going to gain much from a session, a speaker would blow me away. Dr Megan Clark, CEO of the CSIRO was amazing – her identification of what she described as megatrends confirmed a lot of my thinking. See the Storify where they are outlined. Jason Drew, an Eco-entrepreneur had a really interesting story to share. Take a look at the following TEDx talk he delivered in 2011 to see what I mean.
I would have liked to hear Thomas Frey, futurist speaker from the Da Vinci Institute speak for longer about his vision of what the future holds, and thanks to the wonders of YouTube I can, with the following 49 minute video filmed at The Getty Images Inspiration Session in September of this year. His topic, the future of content.
Michael Rennie spoke beautifully about the importance of loving what it is you do. He asked us to think of a moment when we we were truly energised in our work. For many of us there, we could recognise his recipe for a high performing environment. Have an almost impossible but meaningful goal. Be aware that failure sits alongside it (there is a risk factor involved), as does a caring trusting environment (and this will support you through all the hard work). Michael has a very interesting background – he contracted cancer at 30 and it changed his approach to work, life and leadership. You can read about his experience and insights in this article. Here's Michael speaking at last year's Creative Innovation conference.
Li Cunxin spoke about his experiences and had me transfixed. I know his story well, but his delivery is impeccable; you can't help but be moved. Wade Davis, the man with the best job title in the world, Explorer in Residence at National Geographic, put things in perspective with his tales of tribal communities in many lands who have much to teach those of us who think the Western world has all the answers. Here he is delivering a TED talk in 2008.
Who impacted on me the most? Unexpectedly, Steve Vamos. Steve is President of Society for Knowledge Economics and is a Non Executive Director of Telstra, David Jones and Medibank Private. He spoke in a no nonsense fashion about the need for us to participate in the difficult conversations with people we work with, but to do it with humanity, to treat people respectfully. It's his belief that people need feedback, they need to have clear purpose in their work and know what they need to be doing. Here he is speaking about similar things at last year's Creative Innovation conference. Sensible man speaking. Listen.
It was a wonderful conference that will be running again in 2013. If you get an opportunity to go, I'd highly recommend it. In the meantime, read the Storify and look at the conference program. Google the speakers and do what I've done -check out what you can find on YouTube. There's much to learn when you find the right kind of people to listen to.


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We've all had our share of makeup mishaps (um, my neck and face were living two separate lives all through middle school), but sometimes cosmetics gone wild can really foul up a lady's appearance. While makeup was created to make us look that much more beautiful, in some instances, it can be downright scary. Sadly, even celebrities with the best in the business in their arsenals can have their very own makeup misdemeanors. While some may be only minor… others leave these ladies looking hauntingly similar to some of our very favorite spooky Halloween characters. Pretty sure these photos speak for themselves:
Yikes! Someone hand me a Wet Wipe!


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SEATTLE – While speed has been his hallmark, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson mixed in some noticeable strength in his latest title defense.
The UFC's ever-active 125-pound champ overpowered title challenger John Moraga while using frequent takedowns, suplexes, and a steady stream of ground and pound before notching the first stoppage win of his UFC title run.
The bout headlined Saturday's UFC on FOX 8 event at Seattle's KeyArena. It aired on FOX following prelims on FX and Facebook.
Moraga (12-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who went from a pair of low-profile wins on untelevised UFC preliminary cards to a network-televised main event, was simply outmatched once Johnson (18-2-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) closed the distance. Both fighters come from wrestling backgrounds, but "Mighty Mouse" continually put Moraga on his back and clearly won rounds before securing a final-round armbar to halt the bout.
The flyweight division was the most recent and remains the lightest male weight class added to the UFC, but it's failed to gain the type of traction with fans that the heavier weight classes have. Part of the reason is the lack of finishes; in his first seven UFC fights, inaugural champ Johnson had never earned a submission or knockout win, and instead relied on the judges' scorecards.
However, following Rory MacDonald's uninspired win over Jake Ellenberger in UFC on FOX 8's co-headliner, Seattle fight fans were simply satisfied to see some action. And Johnson, a Washington resident and the clear crowd favorite, provided plenty of it before he outmuscled Moraga and straightened out the fight-ending armbar. The ref halted the bout at the 3:43 mark of the fifth round.
It marked the latest stoppage win in UFC history, with just 77 seconds remaining in the bout. Johnson, though, said he wasn't too concerned about the method of victory as he was with simply getting the win.
"It wasn't important to me at all," he said. "I'm here to fight, and like I said, if the finish comes to me, I'm going to take it."
Moraga had early success with low kicks, and after a few scrambles and escapes from the mat, he tagged Johnson with some heavy punches. In fact, he clearly wobbled the champ late in the fourth round with a perfectly timed right hook that drew blood. However, as in earlier rounds, Johnson quickly took the fight to the mat and avoided any sustained attacks.
The jarring blow added pep to Moraga's step in the final round of the fight, but Johnson quickly recovered between rounds, darted in and out of range, and then scored his 10th takedown of the fight. It ultimately set up the submission win, which was Johnson's first since November 2010.
The champ, meanwhile, believes more are on the way.
"I felt great," he said. "It's just a sign of things to come."
Official UFC on FOX 8 results include:
- Champ Demetrious Johnson def. John Moraga via submission (armbar) – Round 5, 3:43 – to retain flyweight title
- Rory MacDonald def. Jake Ellenberger via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
- Robbie Lawler def. Bobby Voelker via KO (head kick) – Round 2, 0:24
- Liz Carmouche def. Jessica Andrade via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 3:57
- Jorge Masvidal def. Michael Chiesa via submission (D'Arce choke) – Round 2, 4:59
- Danny Castillo def. Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Melvin Guillard def. Mac Danzig via KO (punches) – Round 2, 2:47
- Daron Cruickshank def. Yves Edwards via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
- Ed Herman def. Trevor Smith via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
- Germaine de Randamie def. Julie Kedzie via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
- Justin Salas def. Aaron Riley via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Yaotzin Meza def. John Albert via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:49
For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 8, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.
John Morgan and Steven Marrocco contributed to this report on-site in Seattle.


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Two Ukrainian Members of the SS
Two Ukrainian members of the SS, known as "Askaris," peer into a doorway past the bodies of Jews killed during
the suppression of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. The original German caption reads: "Askaris used during the operation."
Photo credit: Polish National Archives
A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust
Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology,
College of Education, University of South Florida © 1997-2013.


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Reading 0 QPR 0
Reading and QPR were both relegated from the Barclays Premier League today with neither side able to secure the win they required at the Madejski Stadium to still have an outside chance of surviving.
In a game bereft of quality both sides were guilty of wasting the few chances that fell their way as they both bowed out of the top flight with a whimper.
A win for either would have kept them mathematically in the hunt for survival and relegated the losers, whereas the draw condemned both clubs to the npower Championship.
Reading boss Nigel Adkins had remained positive ahead of the game while his QPR counterpart Harry Redknapp had seemingly already accepted his side's fate and both will now spend the summer building teams to fight for promotion straight back into the Premier League.
Reading arguably started the better of two sides who were obviously nervous but they could not test QPR goalkeeper Robert Green.
The visitors got back into the game and both Jermaine Jenas and Esteban Granero went close to putting Rangers ahead, with the latter clipping the crossbar from a free-kick.
While their fans vented their anger at former manager Mark Hughes the QPR players were still trying to prise open the Reading defence.
Stephane Mbia played a perfect ball into Jay Bothroyd whose lofted effort beat Alex McCarthy but dropped just wide of the post.
With half an hour on the clock Reading had still yet to force Green into a noticeable save.
But the former England goalkeeper had a scare as Jobi McAnuff chased a weak pass back from Jose Bosingwa and Green's kick hit the on-rushing Reading captain before flying behind for a goal-kick.
Adel Taarabt side-footed wide from outside of the box before Bothroyd's clever backheel found Armand Traore, whose shot was deflected wide.
Seven minutes before the break Adrian Mariappa and Pavel Pogrebnyak almost bundled Reading into the lead but QPR kept the ball out through a combination of Green and Bosingwa.
McAnuff then stung the palms of Green on the stroke of half-time with the Royals enjoying a rare spell in the ascendancy.
Taarabt had another great opportunity to put Redknapp's side ahead after he exchanged passes with Loic Remy seven minutes after the re-start but he fluffed his lines.
The Morocco international was guilty of placing another shot wide moments later with Adkins introducing Hal Robson-Kanu from the bench in his search to unlock the QPR defence.
Pogrebnyak was almost the man to break the deadlock for Reading as he picked up McAnuff's pass before cutting inside Bosingwa and bending an effort inches wide of Green's post.
The home supporters had been singing the name of leading goalscorer Adam Le Fondre throughout the game and he was introduced with 25 minutes remaining as Garath McCleary made way.
But it was Pogrebnyak who again wasted a chance as he headed Chris Gunter's cross into the ground and safely into Green's hands. Redknapp freshened up his side with Junior Hoilett and Fabio coming off the bench as the game started to open up.
Jenas blazed two shots wide before Le Fondre headed over from close range with both sides looking to prolong their top-flight status for at least another day.
Green tipped a later Sean Morrison header over the bar and Bothroyd forced McCarthy into a smart low save but neither team provided a moment of class to collect all three points with both clubs sharing the spoils and the heartache of relegation.


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Why it's so hard for NATO to train Afghan forcesPosted: December 2, 2010 Filed under: Afghanistan | Tags: ANSF, Sangin, transition Leave a comment
Corruption, drug addiction, and too many Afghan deserters, make handing over power a daunting task, say NATO officials and Western diplomats.
Sangin, Afghanistan
Men hurried through the dark with a stretcher, flares burst, and a helicopter thumped in to the forward operating base in southern Afghanistan. The evacuation was evidence of slick professionalism. But the casualty – a young Afghan policeman who had apparently overdosed on drugs – was an illustration of the immense difficulties facing NATO as it prepares Afghan National Security Forces to take responsibility for their country.
Handing over security to the Afghan government, as per the Lisbon summit two weeks ago, is an uphill task. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen want to finish transferring security by the end of 2014. Yet there are too few NATO trainers, too many Afghan deserters, and too much corruption, NATO officials and Western diplomats say, to make that a credible scenario.
A recent review commissioned by the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan, the body responsible for strengthening the Afghan security forces, found that most Afghan police "did not know the law they were responsible to enforce," that the training mission was critically understaffed and that most ordinary Afghans see the police as a predatory militia "rather than trusted law enforcement officials." Drug addiction and illiteracy are also problems.
"All these factors make it difficult to recruit people and train them," says Thomas Ruttig, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a well-respected think tank in Kabul. "Already the timeline of handover by 2014 makes it hard enough to meet the target figures," which call in the short term for the 115,500-man police force to hit 134,000 officers by October next year and the Army to reach 176,600.
"I would be skeptical whether it's possible," Mr. Ruttig says. "Vetting has never been very good of policemen and the feeling is that the criteria have been lowered," he says.
What's needed, he says, is more time for training programs: "If we rush it, we risk missing the target we set for ourselves."
There are bigger failings within Afghanistan's security forces, too. On Monday, a man in police uniform killed six US Army soldiers in eastern Afghanistan. Here in Sangin, in the southwestern province of Helmand, a member of the Afghan National Army is suspected of shooting two US Marines in early November and fleeing into the night. The event is still under investigation although the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the gunman was a plant.
NATO characterized both incidents as the actions of a "rogue" individual and Afghan military leaders expressed shock and embarrassment at the killings in Sangin, according to US Marine Maj. John Bobo, a military adviser. But there have been at least four other shootings in the past 13 months.
Meanwhile, US trainers – proud of the improvements they say they've seen by many of their charges in the Afghan National Army or Afghan Uniformed Police – say that incidents such as the drug overdose are the exception to the rule. "It's just a small handful," says US Marine Gunnery Sgt. Jens Orsen, a police adviser. "We really have to weigh our options: Do we take action on someone smoking weed and … just lose five people that otherwise do their jobs well and contribute out there?"
"They operate well, they know what to do… we're really trying to get these guys to operate a little more independently," Orsen continues. "They're biggest shortfalls are accountability and some of their gear… my biggest heartache is trying to develop their leadership," he says.
What happens in Sangin, the setting for some of the insurgency's fiercest fighting, has now become the focus of trainers in southwestern Afghanistan. "The police are the first-line offense against the insurgency," says Col. Robert Golden, the US official overseeing the training program in the region. "If we can have a strong police presence in the districts, they can do a very good job of separating the population from the insurgency and protecting the population."


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Despite the hacking theft of some 40 million debit and credit card numbers from Target Corp. in December, most banks say they are not yet ready to begin large-scale distribution of the more secure cards that are common in Europe.
Issuers have said the Target breach has spurred them to work harder to meet an October 2015 deadline to replace the current cards with ones whose microchips generate unique codes for every transaction. So-called chip cards — also known as smart cards and EMV cards — make it more difficult for thieves to use fake cards made with stolen data.
Yet a report by a Boston-based consultancy, Aite Group, estimates 30 percent of credit cards and nearly 60 percent of debit cards will not have the new technology by October 2015.
After that date, the payment processors Visa and Mastercard have said, any card issuer or retailer that has not adopted the new technology will foot the bill for any fraudulent transaction that could have been prevented by EMV chips.
"It's disappointing, because consumers needed more secure payments technology yesterday, not tomorrow," said Christina Tetreault, a staff attorney for Consumers Union, an advocacy group. "This technology has been around for decades."
In Europe, chip cards have been in use since the 1990s. EMVCo LLC, the company that sets global standards for smart cards, says that more than 80 percent of European payment cards and nearly all point-of-service card readers are equipped with the more secure technology.
Aite Group's report, issued this month, included interviews with 18 of the top 40 credit card issuers in the United States. Only one of the seven largest card issuers surveyed by Aite said it was planning to have all of its cards embedded with EMV technology by October 2015.
Aite Group also analyzed conditions in five countries that have made the switch to EMV cards and found that fraud committed with counterfeit cards has dropped by about half.
However, EMV technology has not curbed theft in one important area: purchases that are made online.
There, Aite found that fraud is on the rise around the world, even in countries with chip cards.
Credit and debit card theft is a growing problem globally, currently totaling more than $11 billion a year. The amount of theft has convinced at least one important player to accelerate the transition to chip technology: Target.
After the Minneapolis-based retailer was hit with one of the largest such thefts in history in late 2013, it said it would install chip-and-pin payment terminals in about 1,800 stores by September, six months ahead of schedule.
However, many other retailers around the country don't have updated payment systems that can accept cards with the EMV technology.
Meanwhile, US customers may be able to get chip cards by asking their banks.
Again, adoption rates are low: Visa said that only 12 million out of 700 million Americans' cards on its network include EMV technology.
But the credit card companies said they have made considerable progress, given the obstacles.
Randy Vanderhoof, who leads an association of banks and payment companies called the Smart Card Alliance, said the complexity of the US payments system has made a standardized rollout more difficult than in other countries.
US banks are expected to receive some 100 million new cards with the EMV technology this year. Putting the new technology to work, however, is another story. Currently, only about one-sixth of the 12 million credit card terminals installed by US retailers can accept EMV cards, Vanderhoof said, and businesses are moving at an uneven pace to update their equipment.
Banks, Vanderhoof said, "are trying to tie issuance of their cards to when merchants will be able to accept those cards."
The payments industry also noted that the cards take time and money to produce. Industry specialists put the cost of microchip-embedded EMV cards at between four and 15 times that of simple magnetic strip cards. Replacing the 1.5 billion credit cards in Americans' wallets would cost more than $1 billion.
Ed Mierzwinski, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based US Public Interest Research Group, said that even with EMV, credit card companies and banks could do more to protect consumers. For example, most banks still plan to have consumers sign for credit card transactions, instead of requiring a PIN, as is common in Europe. It can't be faked like a signature can.
Julie Conroy, the researcher who wrote the Aite Group report, said that for many banks, the decision to use signatures instead of PINs is meant to prevent confusion among consumers, who typically sign for credit cards but use a PIN number with their debit cards.
"You're going to have those quirks at the point of sale" if EMV credit cards use PIN numbers, Conroy said.
Banks and payment networks also say they were dealt a setback on issuing the new cards when Congress passed the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law and included new rules about the use of debit cards. Those rules forced card issuers to spend years adapting EMV technology to the law's provisions.
Conroy said that some card issuers had to put their EMV plans "on the back burner" during the fight over Dodd-Frank.
"Now there's just a mad scramble among those issuers to get their plans in place," Conroy said.
Banks and payment experts predict consumers will need to learn how to use the new smart cards.
For instance, instead of simply swiping their cards through magnetic stripe readers or dipping them in and out, consumers will have to leave smart cards inside a payment terminal for the duration of the transaction for the chip to work.
Card issuers also say that just as with standard magnetic strip cards, consumers won't be on the hook for fraud perpetrated with smart cards.
Still, consumer groups say fraud is a much worse inconvenience than adapting to more secure payment methods.
"The reality is that consumers do suffer aggravation and worry when their payment cards are compromised," said Tetreault.
"This is the kind of thing that gives consumers headaches."
Jack Newsham can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheNewsHam.


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Or: Why I am dreading Alpha Protocol.
This post requires a bit of background. I highly recommend reading Thomas Macaulay Millar's essay "Toward a Performance Model of Sex", from the recently published anthology Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape. You can read the essay on Google book search. This post intends to look at video game relationships in the context of the two models Millar describes, so please read it if you have the time.
In short, Millar describes how society sees sex as a commodity, and argues that the commodity model—which enables rape, allows the concept of the "slut" to exist, and frames consent as "the absence of no", rather than "the presence of yes"—should be replaced by what he calls the performance model, where sex is seen as a collaborative effort between two equal participants, like two musicians playing a song together. In this excerpt he describes the commodity model:
We live in a culture where sex is not so much an act as a thing: a substance that can be given, bought, sold, or stolen, that has a value and a supply-and-demand curve. In this "commodity model," sex is like a ticket; women have it and men try to get it. Women may give it away or may trade it for something valuable, but either way it's a transaction. This puts women in the position of seller, but also guardian or gatekeeper … Women are guardians of the tickets, men apply for access to them. This model pervades casual conversation about sex: Women "give it up." men "get some."
The commodity model is shared by both the libertines and the prudes of our patriarchy. To the libertine, guys want to maximize their take of tickets. The prudes want women to keep the tickets to buy something really "important": the spouse, provider, protector.
(There is a LOT more to the piece, and it's fascinating and clear, so definitely read it.) To give an example: a guy I know once received a call from a couple of his friends, who asked if he wanted to go to a strip club. He said something like, "Why would I want to go to a shady bar and pay a random stranger to show me her boobs when I can have sex with my girlfriend?" And his oh-so-clever friends informed him that Hey! When you think about it, you are still just paying to see boobs! Except the payment is in dinners and dates and compliments, rather than dollar bills.
Ha. Ha. Get it? Because all women are prostitutes.
There are so many things wrong with the "joke": it ignores the fact that the girlfriend likely enjoys sex, too, and that the guy also gets companionship, stability, love and attention out of the relationship, in addition to sex. It ignores the fact that theirs is a sexual and social partnership, not some kind of transaction or business arrangement. But the relevant part here is that the "joke" just doesn't work if the participants aren't invested in the commodity model of sex described by Millar.
So what does this have to do with video games? Well, some video games allow the player character to have sex with NPCs; even more allow the player to have romantic relationships with NPCs. What the vast majority of these games inevitably do is present relationship mechanics that distill the commodity model down to its essence—you talk to the NPC enough, and give them enough presents, and then they have sex with/marry you.
This design approach is extremely simplistic and perpetuates the commodity model of sex—the player wants sex, they go through certain motions, and they are "rewarded" with what they wanted (like a vending machine). Furthermore, when sex is included in a game, it is generally framed as the end result—the reward—of romance, rather than one aspect of an ongoing relationship/partnership. For example, one gamer commented that the romance in Mass Effect seemed like the romantic interest was really saying, "Keep talking to me and eventually we'll have sex". The relationship is not the goal; the goal is the tasteful PG-13 sex scene. The NPC's thoughts and desires aren't relevant; what matters is the tactics you use to get what you want. This is a boring mechanic in games and dangerously dehumanizing behavior in real life.
Where the simplistic relationship mechanics really get problematic is when someone makes a game where your protagonist is a James Bond-wannabe and there's an achievement for sleeping with every woman in the game. I am talking, of course, about Alpha Protocol. The quotes in the linked MTV Multiplayer article are infuriatingly sexist (as well as displaying insultingly limiting definitions of masculinity), but the relevant part is the bit about the "Ladies' Man" achievement.
It is seriously problematic to have a game where the male player/avatar can have sex with any and every woman in the game. On top of reinforcing the commodity model of sex, it is desperately heteronormative. For all the player's "choice" of with whom to engage, there's no possibility that the player might want to have a relationship with another man. It also shows that lesbians just don't exist in this world, if every single woman is open to a sexual encounter with a man. In addition, it perpetuates the narrative of the Nice Guy (described in Millar's essay, and elsewhere): that men are entitled to sex from women if they follow the rules and do the right things, or in the case of Alpha Protocol, "select your responses wisely." It is not only dangerous but just plain unrealistic to portray a world in which every single woman is a potential sex partner: in the real world, there are lesbians, and there are straight or bisexual women who won't sleep with you no matter what you do, because they are human beings with their own preferences and desires and interests. (If I remember correctly, a counterexample may be The Sims, where often certain personalities just won't get along well enough to develop a relationship no matter how hard you try.)
So what can video games do to portray better relationships? For one, they can stop being so goddamn heteronormative and allow options for queer relationships. And secondly, designers can start thinking of sex as a collaborative performance between two equal partners, and romantic interests as actual human beings with lives and thoughts and preferences outside of where they intersect with the player, rather than as conquests. And everyone would do well to read Millar's essay!
Read more on the While !Finished blog.
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review - November 4, 2009
- Beyond Gender Choice: Mass Effect's varied inclusiveness - September 10, 2009
- Is BioShock Feminist? A response in defense of Bridgette Tenenbaum - September 2, 2009


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Modeling. I'll be honest: I didn't really give much of a shit about the plight of its willowy practitioners before I met Tatiana. Now, Tatiana's going to be okay: she's doing this to travel and learn and meet the sort of people you wouldn't meet performing the other types of slave labor to which educated young twentysomethings generally subject themselves, but the rest of them remind me of all those once-promising high school basketball players languishing in foreign club teams and living paycheck to paycheck in incredibly cramped quarters with nothing getting them up in the morning beyond the whole "Well, I've held out this long…" rationale. Which is to say, models are just like us. Except! In what other industry can your boss get away with telling an 108-pound cash cow like Coco Rocha: "We don't want you to be anorexic, we just want you to look it"? I mean, sure, it's one thing to "look" anorexic to me, an objective observer, but this is an industry, as we found out yesterday, in which the conventional wisdom holds that Karolina Kurkova is "fat"? Anyway, after last week's harrowing experience volunteering for the Plutocracy, Tatiana came up with some good ideas for reforming the business. We really do hope the agencies of the world take her advice!
It occurs to me that frequently in these columns, there is a moment where, finally alone and generally late into the night of a long day, I find myself reduced to tears by some list of knocks and slights. Perhaps this only means I need a new device; I don't think of myself as such a sad sack figure as all that. But this week, actually the night after my spirit-crushing turn as a volunteer clotheshorse for a designer who most definitely could have afforded to pay me, my sadness metastasized not into tears, but into a rage-inflected political platform that just might transform my industry.
Well, OK, first I cried. Then I thought: models should unionize to work for better conditions and rates of pay.
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It's a common misconception that modeling is easy, safe and highly lucrative - the reality is that the girls with the million-dollar campaigns are so rare I wouldn't believe they actually existed if I didn't see them at night clubs during fashion week. Most models I know are lucky if they are working at all; between agency commissions (70% in Paris, 50% in Milan, 20% in New York), travel expenses, and rent in the various pricey cities in which we are required to live, your eventual wages come so garnished I've known plenty of models who can't always afford food. Even the girls who are lucky enough to work every day are doing well if they break even, and can sneak off to Germany or Los Angeles or Hong Kong and make a quick buck shooting catalog jobs every once in a while.
And safe? Once I was staying with a girl from Seattle in a shitty one-bedroom (total number of models: six! Minimum in rent our agency would've made from the shitty one-bedroom that month, assuming a consistent model population: $5400!). We were both on option for the same editorial (daily rate: $150 and lunch). She got the job.
She returned home nine hours later, hair and body painted silver. The magazine was doing a "green" issue; this eco-conscious theme was enacted in, variously, shots in which the poor Seattle girl had a tulip plant placed in her mouth, shots in which she had to lie on top of a scratchy 8 ft. hedgerow while the photographer shot from a crane, and shots in which she closed her eyes and shards of broken glass were applied to her face. They put dirt in her mouth and glass on her eyelids and painted her silver from head to toe. My roommate showered twice and vomited once that night.
Models have incredibly short-lived careers, and our collective youth, third-world origins, and the instability of the market we work in makes our bargaining positions, individually, weak. For every 15-year-old wunderkind who stalks 40 runways a season and books $100,000 perfume campaigns for college money, there are at least a hundred girls who turn 25 with a few grand in bank at best, realize their careers are over, and that they never graduated high school.
It's also no wonder given how close many models are to insolvency that there are areas where modeling shades into prostitution; modeling sort of prepares you - trains you, even - to see your income in your own body. And also to hang around with plenty of creepy, older, rich dudes. A + B can = C. The BBC did an exposé in 2000 that caught Milanese businessmen on hidden camera trying to buy sex from models as young as 13 in night clubs, and uncovered evidence of agency bookers acting as procurers and drug dealers. In the furor that ensued, Gérard Marie and Xavier Moreau, two top executives at the Elite agency, lost their jobs. The industry promised a clean-up. There was talk of "standards," of girls younger than 17 being accompanied by chaperones at all times, of blacklisting clients who used or promoted drugs.
Gérard Marie - who was filmed soliciting a reporter who he thought was a model for sex - is currently back at the helm of Elite Paris. I do not know if the man who explained his desire to sleep with underaged models thusly: "We are men, we have our needs" has reformed. I do know that such episodes of revolving-door contrition and forgiveness fill me with disgust, and that one of the biggest tasks of any models' union would be to keep its membership safe.
A union would also offer, obviously, the benefits of collective bargaining. The overwhelming counterweight of the fashion business class's wealth give models an unacceptably weak negotiating position. A union could help insure models' best long-term interests are served by their jobs - a union could argue for retirement benefits, and, in the USA, health insurance coverage. A union could mandate that sufficient time be given for models under 16 to attend school, without setting back their careers. A union could also serve as a voice for models' interests in the ongoing debate over what is perhaps our biggest immediate health issue - the slightly-underweight physique we are required to maintain. A union could protest and shame under- and non-paying clients, a union could mandate that appropriate food be available at every job, and a union could ensure that conditions on the job site always meet safety standards, so nobody has to pose covered in broken glass or eat dirt ever again.
The obvious counterpoint to modeling is, of course, acting. The Screen Actors' Guild does an admirable job of representing the interests of a workforce that is dispersed over a vast geography, and which enjoys short-term contract-based employment, when it gets employment at all. It's ironic that one of the reasons commercial modeling - catalogs, television ads and their ilk - is so rewarding when compared with high-fashion modeling - magazine editorials, runway, etc - is because of SAG's vigilance; commercial castings in Los Angeles are not infrequently stated union jobs. And even the ones that are non-union are pretty highly paid. I have friends who are only able to work full-time in Paris because they have commercials still airing in the U.S., and receive the appropriate checks quarterly.
Individually, we are weak, and wealthy white men manage to make an awful lot of cash off our bodies and labor. Collectively, we could hold the industry we work in to a higher standard, and perhaps even change the nature of fashion itself. I imagine the union would have an awful lot to say, for instance, about those clients who put "NO ETHNICS" on their casting notices, and those agencies who fail to notice, or care, that certain of their charges have eating disorders.
Of course there are plenty of reasons to doubt any of this will come to pass. The economy is especially dreadful right now; any moves to unionize would be viewed as a threat by the class that controls the fashion capital. Besides, every year there's a new raft of 14-year-olds from countries with economies far shittier than ours, and these 14-year-olds are all six feet tall and very, very hungry. And, through no fault of their own, they exercise a huge deflationary force on the modeling labor market. But it occurred to me, as I was working that presentation for that designer who amuses herself by collecting Picasso, that the reason she was paying the security guards at the event and not me was because the security guards have a union. And I don't.
I want to at least try my best to change that.
E-mail Tatiana at firstname.lastname@example.com
Earlier: Welcome To America, Models! Tatiana Can't Wait For The Extra Competition. It Was Almost Getting Too Easy.
Model Bosses Quit After BBC Exposé [BBC]
<a href="http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/politics/columns/citypolitic/1866/
Girls Interrupted [NY Mag]


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January 10th, 2013
President's Day Ahead: More Cabinet picks
It's a busy day at the White House for both the president and vice president. At 1:30 p.m. ET, President Obama will announce his pick of current White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew to lead the Treasury Department. If confirmed by the Senate, he will replace current Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who has said he would like to leave by Inauguration Day.
The Treasury pick follows Obama's recent nominations of John Kerry to lead the State Department, Chuck Hagel to lead Defense, and John Brennan to head up the CIA. More high-level announcements remain, including those to fill vacancies at the top of the Department of Labor, Department of Commerce, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Meanwhile, Vice President Biden continues his so-called listening tour Thursday on the issue of gun control, set to meet separately today with hunting enthusiasts, gun owners, and media and entertainment executives.
The president's full schedule after the jump:


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A new TV spot is now online for Walter Hill's upcoming graphic novel adaptation Bullet to the Head. Check it out in the player below.
The R-rated action thriller opens on February 1, 2013 and co-stars Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christian Slater and Holt McCallany.
Bullet to the Head tells the story of a New Orleans hitman (Stallone) and a DC cop (Kang) who form an alliance to bring down the killers of their respective partners.


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I had a post for the week but something else came up that I had to write about. So I was watching Lion King yesterday (after a long time). I think it's my all-time favourite cartoon! Lots of lessons to learn from it! Well, yesterday I caught a part I had never really paid attention to.
Remember the part where young Simba had to stay with Timon and Pumbaa after his dad died? Well there was this part where he started eating slimy insects along with them. Then it hit me, Simba had completely lost his sense of identity. He didn't remember He was a king. Clothed in lion skin, he had more or less the mind of a Meerkat and a Warthog.
Pause. For those of you who haven't seen the classic Disney cartoon, it's a beautiful story about a kingdom where the Lion is the king (obviously) and His son (Simba) was to take over when he died. And yeah he (the father, Mufasa) was killed by his brother Scar who wanted to take over the kingdom. Simba blamed himself for the death of his father and ran into hiding and that's where he made friends with the Meerkat and the Warthog (Timon and Pumbaa). Whew! I hope I described it well.
Okay, so here is a Lion growing up with a meerkat and a warthog and everything seems to be just fine. And he forgets who he is. Well, who wouldn't want to let go of the memory of being the reason their father died. Until he is finally reminded of his identity by an old friend.
Now this reminds me of another story; the prodigal son in the Bible. This dude thinks he's 'all grown up' and can fend for himself without his father's help. He collects his inheritance (even when his dad hasn't died). Apparently the phrase; 'you're dead to me' was real to him. So he sets off to spend all his money in Las Vegas. And then he gets real broke. All his friends leave him and go on to the next big thing. Of all the jobs a guy can get, he settles for feeding pigs (not as if he had many choices- he probably dropped out of school so he couldn't apply for real jobs) I digress. Yeah, when I say pigs, please don't think of 'Babe' or any cute pig that lives in an exquisite home. This dude is feeding pigs! Gross animals that enjoy playing in the mud. As if that wasn't enough, he begins to eat their food! Yuck! What's it with eating unlikely foods?
Let's do a quick checkup!
Have you lost your identity? Have you been rolling with a set of people who derail you from your destiny and purpose? Have you started eating meals which are not right for you? (By meals I mean values, habits, attitudes which you may be feeding on from the crew you're now hanging out with).
Well, reality check!
- You are a child of light and you have no business rolling with the dark. (Ephesians 5:11)
- You are the child of God and that's royalty! Stop living like a beggar on the street and go recover your identity in Christ! (1 Peter 2:9)
- You are destined to reign! *in Joseph Prince's voice* 😉 (Romans 5:17)
Please cut off from every association that is not building you up. It takes a long time to build a mansion, but it takes a couple of hours and a little petrol to bring it down. Be mindful of your association. You can easily lose your identity by hanging out with the wrong crowd. Stick with people who remind you of your true identity. Remember, any one you call your friend is a reflection of your person. If you don't wanna be a pig stop dining with one! Prov 27:17
Let's conclude the prodigal son's story; so he has the reality check (above) and decides to go back home. At least, he could be a servant in a tux and a bow tie, he thinks to himself.
Guess what? His dad welcomed him with open arms and threw a party for him! How cool is that? 😀
Tell you what, that's the same thing our Heavenly Father would do for you when you return back to Him (which should be now, as tomorrow aint guaranteed- Prov 27:1)
Oh yeah, Simba gets reminded of his identity by a cute chic, Nala (women have awesome convincing powers though!) So he finally returns to take back the throne. Yay! Everyone is happy!
It is extremely important to keep friends that remind you of who you really are and encourage you to fulfill your destiny 🙂
So what are you waiting for? Go get back your identity in Christ!
Have a wonderful week!
Much love ❤ ❤
©Mfon Etuk, 2016


text:
WebLogic Server provides the option of using an external RDBMS as a datastore that is used by authorization, role mapping, credential mapping, and certificate registry providers. This datastore, called the RDBMS security store, is strongly recommended for the use of SAML 2.0 services in two or more WebLogic Server instances in that domain, such as in a cluster.
Note:In order to use the RDBMS security store, the preferred approach is first to create a domain in which the external RDBMS server is configured. Prior to booting the domain, you create the tables in the datastore that are required by the RDBMS security store. The WebLogic Server installation directory contains a set of SQL scripts that create these tables for each supported database.
The following sections explain how to configure and manage the RDBMS security store:
For the most up-to-date details about the specific database systems that are supported for use as the RDBMS security store for WebLogic Server, see the Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations page at
The following security providers use the RDBMS security store if that store is configured in a domain:
XACML Authorization provider
XACML Role Mapping provider
The following providers for SAML 1.1:
SAML Identity Assertion provider V2
SAML Credential Mapping provider V2
The following providers for SAML 2.0:
SAML 2.0 Identity Assertion provider
SAML 2.0 Credential Mapping provider
WebLogic Credential Mapping provider
PKI Credential Mapping provider
Certificate Registry
When the RDBMS security store is configured in a domain, an instance of any of the preceding security providers that has been created in the security realm automatically uses only the RDBMS security store as a datastore, and not the embedded LDAP server. WebLogic security providers configured in the domain that are not among those in the preceding list continue to use their respective default stores; for example, the Default Authentication provider continues to use the embedded LDAP server.
Oracle recommends that you configure the RDBMS security store at the time of domain creation. The Configuration Wizard has been enhanced to simplify this process. This utility includes an option for testing the RDBMS connection to help ensure that when the domain is booted, the security policies required to access the domain can be retrieved.
In addition to the Configuration Wizard, WebLogic Server also contains the
RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean, which is the interface for configuring the RDBMS security store via the WebLogic Scripting Tool (WLST).
To create and configuring the RDBMS security store in a domain, complete the tasks described in the following sections:
To use the RDBMS security store in a domain, Oracle recommends that you configure the RDBMS security store at the time you create that domain. Modifying an existing domain in place to use the RDBMS security store is possible; however, it is not recommended because if the database connection is not configured correctly, the policies necessary for granting access to the domain could become unavailable, resulting in a domain that cannot be used.
WebLogic Server provides two ways to create a domain in which the RDBMS security store may be configured:
By using the Configuration Wizard, which includes an option to configure the RDBMS security store. This option is available from the Customize Environment and Services Settings page.
If you choose this option, the Configuration Wizard displays subsequent windows in which you can:
Select the specific database system you wish to use as the RDBMS security store
Configure the database connection settings
Test the database connection
By using the WebLogic Scripting Tool (WLST) Offline. Operations for creating and configuring the RDBMS security store are available via the
Regardless of the method you choose to create the domain, be sure to configure the connection properties for the database that serves as the RDBMS security store as explained in the following sections.
When configuring the RDBMS security store in either the Configuration Wizard or WLST, you need to specify or configure the following:
RDBMS type
The following RDBMS systems are supported for containing the RDBMS security store:
Oracle 9i, 10g, and 11g
MS-SQL 2000 and 2005
DB2 9.2 and 9.5
Note:When you use the Configuration Wizard to configure the RDBMS security store, the Configuration Wizard provides a drop-down list for selecting the database you want to use. The databases appearing in this drop-down list are not exclusive to only those supported for the RDBMS security store. Make sure you choose a database that is supported for this purpose. (See Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations at
http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/files/fusion_certification.html for the most up-to-date list.)
JDBC driver and class name for connecting to the RDBMS
RDBMS name, host, port, and URL
Username and password of the domain user who can access the RDBMS system
Caution:For clarity, the WLST examples provided in this section show passing username and password credentials of the RDBMS system user in clear text. However, you should avoid entering clear-text passwords in WLST commands in general, and you should especially avoid saving on disk WLST scripts that include clear-text passwords. In these instances you should use a mechanism for passing encrypted passwords instead.
Optionally, any properties that need to be passed to the RDBMS system
The parameters that you specify in the JDBC driver connection properties attribute must be a comma-separated list. The following examples show the use of WLST to configure the database connection properties for Oracle, MS-SQL, and DB2.
Example 10-1 shows an example of configuring Oracle for the RDBMS security store.
Example 10-1 Configuring Oracle for the RDBMS Security Store
create('base_domain','SecurityConfiguration') cd('/SecurityConfiguration/base_domain') a=get('DefaultRealm') cd('Realm/myrealm') rdbms = create("myRDBMSSecurityStore", "RDBMSSecurityStore") rdbms.setUsername('ortiz') rdbms.setPassword('welcome1') rdbms.setConnectionURL('jdbc:bea:oracle://avitek21:1521') rdbms.setDriverName('weblogic.jdbc.oracle.OracleDriver') rdbms.setConnectionProperties('user=ortiz,portNumber=1521,SID=pint101a,serverName=avitek21')
Example 10-2 shows an example of configuring MS-SQL for the RDBMS security store.
Example 10-2 Configuring MS-SQL for the RDBMS Security Store
create('base_domain','SecurityConfiguration') cd('/SecurityConfiguration/base_domain') a=get('DefaultRealm') cd('Realm/myrealm') rdbms = create("myRDBMSSecurityStore", "RDBMSSecurityStore") rdbms.setUsername('garnett') rdbms.setPassword('welcome1') rdbms.setConnectionURL('jdbc:bea:sqlserver://avitek6:1433') rdbms.setDriverName('weblogic.jdbc.sqlserver.SQLServerDriver') rdbms.setConnectionProperties('user=garnett,portNumber=1433,databaseName=wls3,serverName=avitek6')
Example 10-3 shows an example of configuring DB2 for the RDBMS security store.
Note:If you choose DB2, you have the option of selecting the WebLogic Type 4 JDBC driver for DB2 that is provided in WebLogic Server. However, if you use this JDBC driver, you must also specify the additional property
BatchPerformanceWorkaround and set it to
true. If you do not set the
BatchPerformanceWorkaround to
true in this configuration, WebLogic Server may fail to boot, generating a SecurityServiceException message.
Example 10-3 Configuring DB2 for the RDBMS Security Store
create('base_domain','SecurityConfiguration') cd('/SecurityConfiguration/base_domain') a=get('DefaultRealm') cd('Realm/myrealm') rdbms = create("myRDBMSSecurityStore", "RDBMSSecurityStore") rdbms.setUsername('brady') rdbms.setPassword('welcome1') rdbms.setConnectionURL('jdbc:bea:db2://avitek3:50000') rdbms.setDriverName('weblogic.jdbc.db2.DB2Driver') rdbms.setConnectionProperties('user=brady,portNumber=50000,databaseName=wls,serverName=avitek3,batchPerformanceWorkaround=true')
For more information about specifying connection properties for the WebLogic Type 4 JDBC driver for DB2, see "The DB2 Driver" in Type 4 JDBC Drivers for Oracle WebLogic Server.
Internally, the RDBMS security store uses Oracle Kodo to connect to and interoperate with the database using the WebLogic Type 4 JDBC driver for DB2. The attributes set on the
RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean are converted into attributes set on the properties of Kodo's
javax.sql.DataSource implementation.
For more information about these attributes, see the following topics:
For more information about the attributes you can set on the
RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean, see "RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean" in the Oracle WebLogic Server MBean Reference.
For information about the default database connection properties in the Kodo DataDource, see "Using the Kodo DataSource" in the JDBC chapter of the Kodo JPA/JDO Reference Guide.
During the process of configuring the RDBMS security store via the Configuration Wizard, you are presented with the option of testing the database connection. Oracle strongly recommends using this option because it can verify that the connection is set up properly. If there were a problem with the database connection, you might not be able subsequently to boot the domain if the security providers that control access to that domain are unable to obtain the necessary security policies.
For information about configuring the RDBMS security store via the Configuration Wizard, see "Select Optional Configuration" in Creating Domains Using the Configuration Wizard.
Prior to booting the domain, the database administrator needs to run the SQL script that creates the RDBMS tables in the datastore used by the RDBMS security store. A set of SQL scripts for creating these tables for, and also removing them from, each supported RDBMS system is available in the following WebLogic Server installation directory:
When running the appropriate SQL script for the database serving as the RDBMS security store, be sure to specify the same connection properties, including the credentials of the user who has access, the database URL, etc., as specified for that RDBMS during domain creation.
Table 10-1 identifies the name of each of these SQL scripts.
Table 10-1 SQL Scripts for Creating and Removing RDBMS Datastore Tables
|Script for Creating Datastore Tables
|Script for Removing Datastore Tables
Oracle 9i, 10g, 11g
If the RDBMS security store is configured in a domain that includes two or more WebLogic Server instances, or a cluster, Oracle strongly recommends that you also perform the following tasks:
Enable JMS notifications for that domain.
Configure a JMS topic that can be used by the RDBMS security store.
JMS notifications enable the security data that is contained in the RDBMS security store, and that is managed by security providers in the realm, to be synchronized among all server instances in the domain.
Caution:If you do not configure a JMS topic that can be used by the RDBMS security store when configured in a multi-server or clustered domain, care should be taken when making security policy or security configuration updates. If no JMS topic is configured, it may be necessary to reboot the domain to ensure that all server instances function consistently with regards to those security updates.
You can enable JMS notifications by booting the domain in which the RDBMS security store has been configured, and configuring attributes on the
RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean via either of the following mechanisms:
WebLogic Scripting Tool
The Security Realms > RealmName > RDBMS Security Store page in the Administration Console
The attributes of the
RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean that must be set to enable JMS notifications are listed and described in Table 10-2.
Table 10-2 RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean Attributes for Configuring a JMS Topic
|Attribute Name
The JMS topic to which the Kodo remote commit provider should publish notifications and subscribe for notifications sent from other JVMs. The target JMS topic needs to be pre-deployed.
The JNDI name of a
The topic "Connection Factory Configuration" in Configuring and Managing JMS for Oracle WebLogic Server describes the WebLogic JMS connection factory,
A comma-delimited list of key-value properties to pass to the JNDI InitialContext on construction, in the form of xx
The identity of any valid user in the security realm who has access to JNDI.
The password of the user specified in the
The number of reconnect attempts to be made if the JMS system notifies Kodo of a serious connection error. The default is 0, which causes an error to be logged, but does not result in a reconnect attempt.
For more information, see the following topics:
"Configure topics" in the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console Help
"Configuring Basic JMS System Resources" in Configuring and Managing JMS for Oracle WebLogic Server
"Configure the RDBMS security store" in the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console Help
"RDBMSSecurityStoreMBean" in the Oracle WebLogic Server MBean Reference
Normally, the WebLogic Security Service contained in each WebLogic Server instance in a multi-node domain connects at startup to the JMS server. If a security provider that uses the RDBMS security store makes a change to its security data, all WebLogic Server instances are notified via JMS, and the local caches used by the WebLogic Security Service in each server instance are synchronized to that change.
If the JMS connection fails in a WebLogic Server instance that has been successfully started, the WebLogic Security Service associated with that server instance starts the JMS connection recovery process. The recovery process sleeps one second between reconnect attempts. The recovery process is stopped if the JMS connection failure persists after the number of reconnect attempts with which the
JMSExceptionReconnectAttempts property has been configured is reached. No further reconnect attempts are made: If a change is made to the security data in one WebLogic Server instance, the local caches managed by the WebLogic Security Service in other WebLogic Server instances are not synchronized to that change. However, if the JMS connection is successfully recovered by other means (such as a server reboot), those caches become synchronized.
If the JMS connection is not successfully started at the time a WebLogic Server instance is booted, a timer task that makes reconnect attempts is automatically started. The timer task is cancelled once the connection is successfully made. Two system properties may be configured for this timer task:
Specifies the delay, in milliseconds, before the connection recovery task is executed. The default value is 1000, which causes the connection recovery process to be executed after a delay of one second.
Specifies the maximum number of reconnect attempts that can be made prior to cancelling the timer task. The default value is 3600, which causes the timer task to be cancelled once 3600 reconnect attempts have been made. No further reconnect attempts are made.
You can calculate the maximum connection polling duration by multiplying the values specified by each of the preceding system properties. For example, multiplying the default values of these two properties yields a maximum polling duration of one hour (1000 millisecond delay multiplied by 3600 reconnect attempts).
To upgrade a domain to use the RDBMS security store, Oracle recommends creating a new domain in which the RDBMS security store is configured. After you create the new domain, you should export the security data from the security realm of the old domain, and import it into a security realm of the new domain. When you import security data into a security realm in a domain that uses the RDBMS security store, the data for the security providers that use the RDBMS security store is automatically loaded into that datastore. Data for security providers that do not use the RDBMS security store is automatically imported into the stores that those providers normally use by default.
It is possible to selectively migrate security providers individually from one security realm to another. However, when migrating security data to a domain that uses the RDBMS security store, Oracle recommends migrating the security realm's data in a single operation.
For information about migrating security realms, see the following topics:
"Export data from security realms" and "Import data into security realms" in the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console Help


text:
Smaller ACA hikes forecast in 2015
Insurance premiums under Obamacare are projected to rise less than 3 percent in 2015, a smaller-than-expected jump as the health insurance exchanges enter their second year.
The CBO and Joint Committee on Taxation released a series of new estimates Monday on the law's costs and the number of people it will cover. The figures show that 12 million more Americans will have health coverage in 2014 than would have been the case without Obamacare — down from a February projection of 13 million because of a dip in expected Medicaid enrollment. Many Republican critics of the ACA have sharply questioned whether the program is reaching the nation's uninsured.
Coverage through the law will cost the federal government about $5 billion less than expected this year. And overall, the law's 10-year cost for the coverage provisions is pegged at $1.383 trillion — $104 billion less than prior calculations. Both figures are lower than prior estimates mostly because the CBO and JCT anticipate premium subsidies being smaller.
( Also on POLITICO: Vulnerable Democrats wait out Obamacare hits)
At the same time, a piece of the law that Republicans call a bailout for insurance companies will cost $8 billion more than expected. That program is meant to help health plans get through the potentially rough financial start of the new markets. Its bottom line is now budget neutral rather than showing actual savings, according to Monday's report.
Both supporters and opponents of Obamacare typically cherry-pick the numbers in these dense updates that best back their claims. Supporters latched onto the premium projection to counter opponents' predictions of skyrocketing plan bills in 2015. Opponents typically are skeptical of the estimates, arguing that the law was crafted to game the budget system.
This year, the national average cost of an individual policy for the second-lowest cost silver plan on the exchanges is about $3,800. That level of plan is the benchmark for determining subsidies, and CBO and JCT expect it to rise next year to $3,900 and "more rapidly" after that — to $4,400 in 2016 and $6,900 in 2024.
( WATCH: Timeline of Obamacare deadlines)
The budget estimates now project premiums to be about 15 percent lower in 2016 than initial projections four years ago.
CBO and JCT said that this year's exchange-offered policies are generally stricter than a typical employer plan, with lower payment rates for providers and narrower networks. But they expect those differences to lessen over time, and they modified their estimates to reflect lower exchange premiums in the next few years especially.
The two entities also expect the government to collect $61 billion less over the next decade through the individual mandate penalty. Their new estimates are that about 1 million fewer people will be uninsured in most years and that those who are will have lower incomes than previously projected, meaning more will pay the lower flat penalty rather than a percentage of their income.
The collection number has nothing to do with recent administrative moves to broaden and extend the hardship exemption to the mandate, according to their report. "CBO and JCT expect that those actions will have only negligible effects on payments because most of the people eligible for that exemption will seek alternative sources of coverage rather than become uninsured," it says.
( CARTOONS: Matt Wuerker on Obamacare)
The report explains that the latest projections on the ACA's coverage provisions — which have been updated several times since its passage in March 2010 — reflect changes in the law, administrative changes, new data, updates in the CBO and JCT modeling, judicial decisions and lower projected health care costs for the federal government and private sector. The previous estimate was released in February.
CBO and JCT cut the most recent estimate of Medicaid and CHIP enrollment in 2014 to 7 million, down by 1 million. An estimate last year had suggested enrollment could hit 9 million, but that was trimmed when the federal sign-up site, Healthcare.gov, suffered major technical problems in transferring Medicaid applications.
The report projects 6 million Americans to have private plans on the exchanges this year — the same total that it noted in February but well below the 7.5 million signups the administration reported last week. Some people who chose plans aren't expected to follow through and begin paying premiums.
( PHOTOS: 25 unforgettable Obamacare quotes)
Among other changes, the CBO and JCT say that the risk corridor program — the controversial provision that Republicans say is intended to bail out insurance companies — will be budget-neutral. The administration "has sufficient flexibility to ensure that payments to insurers will approximately equal payments from insurers to the federal government," they note. In contrast, prior estimates said the program would result in $8 billion in budget savings.
The CBO and JCT also expects to collect less in employer mandate penalties. The amount will fall by $12 billion over a decade, reflecting the administration's latest delay so that employers don't have to begin complying until 2015.
But the government will collect an additional $12 billion in revenues from the excise tax on so-called Cadillac insurance policies over the next decade, the report says.


text:
United States copyright regulators are agreeing with Wikipedia's conclusion that a monkey's selfie cannot be copyrighted by a nature photographer whose camera was swiped by the ape in the jungle. The animal's selfie went viral.
The US Copyright Office, in a 1,222-page report discussing federal copyright law, said that a "photograph taken by a monkey" is unprotected intellectual property."The Office will not register works produced by nature, animals, or plants. Likewise, the Office cannot register a work purportedly created by divine or supernatural beings, although the Office may register a work where the application or the deposit copy state that the work was inspired by a divine spirit," said the draft report, "Compendium of US Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition." [PDF]
The report comes two weeks after Wikimedia, the US-based operation that runs Wikipedia, announced that the public, not British photojournalist David Slater, maintains the rights to the selfie and the other pictures the crested black macaque monkey snapped. The monkey hijacked the camera from Slater during a 2011 shoot in Indonesia and took tons of pictures, including the selfie.
The picture is among the thousands Wikipedia makes available for free under its Wikimedia Commons, a fact that Slater says is costing him royalties. The picture went viral in 2011 when the media reported on the selfie. "He must have taken hundreds of pictures by the time I got my camera back, but not very many were in focus. He obviously hadn't worked that out yet," Slater told The Telegraph in July 2011 as he described the monkey taking his gear.
Federal regulators said the report, released Tuesday, "presents more than 1,200 pages of administrative practices and sets the stage for a number of long-term improvements in registration and recordation policy." It is to take effect "around" December 15, regulators said.
Under UK federal law, however, Slater could claim the intellectual property rights to the picture—even if he didn't press the shutter—if the image is part of his "intellectual creation." However, The Telegraph said "such a case has never been tried in court."


text:
CNN finds dozens of employees from Disney as well as Universal Studios and SeaWorld have been arrested in connection with alleged child-sex crimes since 2006. None of the cases involved children or teens visiting the parks.
Click here to read the rest of this report.
If you have a tip for Kyra on this, or any other story, you can let her know by going to CNN.com/Investigate
Post by: AC360
Filed under: CNN Investigations • Exclusive • Kyra Phillips
Reblogged this on WELCOME TO DHIZZKID'S BLOG.
This is so disturbing. Disney must be rolling in his grave. I see so many things that need to change SOON!
First and foremost, we MUST secure our schools – not only to keep the unsavory out – but to keep older children in!
Another issue I have a problem with is photographing minors without parental consent. This should be outlawed! Where do they get off?? Paparazzi must be stopped, as well as those taking anonymous photos of children for the purpose of child porn with the aid of Phototshop. I even find many of the tv commercials disturbing too! Just yesterday I watched a huggies ad and the camera zoomed in on the toddler's crotch as he put on his pull ups. Is that necessary?? Am I the only one who realizes how grimy these sick freaks are and how they misuse EVERY bit of media possible to get their twisted kicks?! I see far too many images on FB that should never be made public too. I'm sure many don't see it as I do, but as a mom with 2 grown sons, visuals like these trigger my protective instincts. People need to wake up!
There is a lot of hypocrisy about this in the USA. If you look at porn you will surley be offered child porn mixed in with the other. That how many young people get started. These cases are now Federal and make a young man who has never touched, contacted, sold or created child porn a lifetime felon and a registered sex offender. Their live are ruined for crimes they may commit in the future, just like the movie Minority Report. Just for possessing and trading childporn you will get a minimum 7 year sentence, with a lifetime registry as a sex offender and a felon who will never get decent work. These are people who have never contacted or touched anyone.
But rich people like billionaire SC Johnson, serial rape their own children (child endangerment, rape, incest) and they get reduced to a misdemeanor and a $6k fine. DuPont Heir billionaire Robert H. Richards IV admitted to both molesting his infant son and raping his daughter between the ages of 3-5 and get zero prison.
If Law Enforcement is obviously capable of detecting these images, why don't we legislate that internet carriers immediately delete them like you would a virus? Why entrap people with these files.
Something is just not correct about this moment in our legal-technological paradigm. There is a kid in Florida, who is a non contact child porn possessor who has received a LIFE SENTENCE. This just crazy.
Lastly, Sheriffs like the one you're promoting are very scary. He is obviously a pious zealot. Law Enforcement Officers do that, enforce the law. Not judge people, not make moralistic campaigns. Either he's a wacko or running for some office.
I've accidentally ran across some REALLY disturbing images of child porn online too!
It's SCARY how abundant it is! I thought I had seen everything up until that point.
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text:
Story highlights
The U.N. says it thinks Israeli artillery was behind deadly strike on school
Israel says it is still reviewing what happened during exchange of fire with militants
"It appears that there is nowhere where you can be safe," a U.N. official says
The shelling is the sixth time a U.N. facility has been hit during the Gaza conflict
Mangled limbs wrapped in blood-stained rags were strewn across rooms in the school.
Run by the United Nations, the building was meant to be a refuge for more than 3,000 civilians fleeing the deadly conflict raging between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
But shells hit it in the early morning hours as those inside slept, punching huge holes in the roof and killing at least 20 people, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
"We saw the shells when they hit and shrapnel was falling like rain," said Sanaa abu Gerard, a woman who witnessed the blasts. "I was so scared and the school filled with smoke. We poured water in our eyes just to see."
The deadly strike Wednesday underscores growing concerns that in Gaza, where fighting is taking place in densely populated areas, safe havens appear to be anything but safe.
It's the sixth time a facility run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been struck in the current conflict, intensifying questions about the tactics being used by both sides in areas crowded with civilians.
"People who go to these places expect that they go there because they will be safe," said Pierre Krahenbuhl, the commissioner-general for UNRWA. "And here is the confirmation that it appears that there is nowhere where you can be safe."
'Such horror'
The United Nations said it thinks the rounds that hit the school, in the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, were fired by Israeli artillery. The Israeli military said it is reviewing what happened, acknowledging that it exchanged fire with militants in the area.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack.
"Nothing – nothing – justifies such horror," he said.
The U.N. Security Council was expected to hold an urgent meeting Thursday morning over the attack on the shelter. Amnesty International called for an independent investigation into what it described as "a possible war crime."
The coordinates of the school had been repeatedly communicated to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) – as recently as 8 hours before it was hit – the U.N. said.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the IDF, said that the Israelis were aware of the people sheltering at the U.N. building and that "they were in no way or form a target."
"We haven't ruled out that it was a Hamas mortar that landed in the premises," he said.
But the United Nations pointed the finger at Israel.
"Based on initial elements we have clear indications in the first assessment that three projectiles hit the school, and on analyzing the shrapnel we believe we have all the elements in place to conclude it was Israeli artillery fire," Krahenbuhl said.
Schools hit before
The deaths in the Jabalya school are far from the first time UNRWA facilities have been dragged into the current conflict, which has killed more than 1,300 people in Gaza, most of them civilians.
The organization, which has been helping Palestinian refugees in the region for more than 60 years, says it's currently sheltering around 220,000 people in increasingly cramped conditions in its buildings. That's 12% of Gaza's population of 1.8 million.
Civilians in Gaza have had to flee their homes amid the fighting and airstrikes – but many of them say they feel they have nowhere to go in the small, impoverished territory. The U.N. facilities have been one of the few places available to seek refuge.
Sixteen people were killed last week at a different U.N. shelter in northern Gaza. The Israeli military admitted misfiring a mortar into the courtyard of that school during clashes with militants, but it said the explosion couldn't have caused deaths because the courtyard was empty.
A CNN team that visited the shelter several hours after the mortar attack saw evidence that people were badly wounded at the courtyard.
UNRWA said seven of its staff members have been killed since July 7, the day before Israel began its operation against Hamas.
U.N. schools were also hit during Israel's previous incursion into Gaza in 2009 – in one instance, Israeli shells killed more than 40 civilians in the area of one school. Israel said at the time that Hamas was firing from the school grounds, an assertion that the U.N. disputed.
Rockets stored in empty schools
The U.N. has also accused Hamas of violating the rules of war by storing rockets in three other schools in Gaza during the current conflict. The U.N. said it had abandoned the schools concerned because of the intensity of the fighting nearby.
No weapons have been found in U.N. schools that have been sheltering people or that have been under the control of the U.N., according to John Ging, operational director of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The shelling of the Jabalya school has intensified criticism suggesting Israel isn't doing enough to avoid civilian casualties in its operation aimed at stopping Hamas rocket fire and taking out the militant group's underground tunnel system.
"If the strike on this school was the result of Israeli artillery fire it would constitute an indiscriminate attack and a likely war crime," said Philip Luther, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Amnesty International. "Artillery should never be used against targets in crowded civilian areas and its use in such a manner would never be considered a 'surgical' strike."
Amnesty also called on Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups "not to endanger civilians by storing ammunition in UN facilities and other civilian buildings."
'Safe zones not combat zones'
Lerner of the IDF accused Hamas of exploiting civilians and humanitarian organizations.
"They are hiding behind the U.N. emblems, they are hiding behind the Red Cross ambulances and utilizing anything they can," he said. "We on the other hand are warning the civilians … We are trying to limit the impact."
But Israel is coming under increasing pressure to improve its efforts.
While reiterating Israel has a right to defend itself, White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said, "We've also been very clear that Israel needs to do more to live up to its own standards to limit civilian casualties."
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf backed up the call.
"Hamas is taking steps here that put civilians at risk. But we do believe the Israelis need to do more," she said.
The U.N.'s Ban put it more simply.
"United Nations shelters must be safe zones not combat zones," he said.
READ: Opinion: Why Qatar's intervention won't help end the Gaza crisis
READ: How long will it last? Gaza conflict by the numbers
READ: Anatomy of failure: How Gaza cease-fire never happened
CNN's Karl Penhaul, Tim Lister, Chelsea J. Carter, Richard Roth, Samira Said and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report.