text:
An international gang of cyber crooks is plotting a major campaign to steal money from the online accounts of thousands of consumers at 30 or more major U.S. banks, security firm RSA warned.
In an advisory Thursday, RSA said it has information suggesting the gang plans to unleash a little-known Trojan program to infiltrate computers belonging to U.S. banking customers and to use the hijacked machines to initiate fraudulent wire transfers from their accounts.
If successful, the effort could turn out to be one of the largest organized banking-Trojan operations to date, Mor Ahuvia, cybercrime communications specialist with RSA's FraudAction team, said today. The gang is now recruiting about 100 botmasters, each of whom would be responsible for carrying out Trojan attacks against U.S. banking customers in return for a share of the loot, she said.
Each botmaster will be backed by an "investor" who will provide money to buy the hardware and software needed for the attacks, Ahuvia said.
"This is the first time we are seeing a financially motivated cyber crime operation being orchestrated at this scale," Ahivia said. "We have seen DDoS attacks and hacking before. But we have never seen it being organized at this scale."
RSA's warning comes at a time when U.S. banks are already on high alert. Over the past two weeks, the online operations of several major banks, including JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo were disrupted by what appeared to be coordinated denial-of-service attacks.
A little-known group called "Cyber fighters of Izz ad-din Al qassam" claimed credit for the attacks, but some security experts think a nation may have been behind the campaign because of the scale and organized nature of the attacks.
In mid-September, the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) warned banks to be on guard against cyberattackers seeking to steal employee network login credentials to conduct extensive wire transfer fraud. Specifically, the alert warned banks to watch out for hackers using spam, phishing emails, Remote Access Trojans and keystroke loggers to try and pry loose bank employee usernames and passwords.
FS-ISAC also noted that the FBI had seen a new trend where cyber criminals use stolen bank employee credentials to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars from customer accounts to overseas locations.
Over the past few years, cyber crooks have siphoned off millions of dollars from small businesses, school districts and local governments by stealing online usernames and passwords and using those credentials to make the transfers.
The latest discussion suggests that they now have individual consumer accounts in their crosshairs, Ahuvia said, warning that the gang plans to attempt to infiltrate computers in the U.S. with a little known Trojan malware program called Gozi Prinimalka.
The malware is an updated version of a much older banking Trojan, Gozi, which was used by cyber criminals to steal millions of dollars from U.S. banks. The group's plan apparently is to plant the Trojan program on numerous websites and to infect computers when users visit those sites.
The Trojan is triggered when the user of an infected computer types out certain words -- such as the name of a specific bank -- into a URL string.
Unlike the original Gozi, the new version is capable not only of communicating with a central command-and-control server but also of duplicating the victim's PC settings. The Trojan essentially supports a virtual machine cloning feature that can duplicate the infected PC's screen resolutions, cookies, time zone, browser type and version and other settings. That allow the attacker to access a victim's bank website using a computer that appears to have the infected PC's real IP address and other settings, Ahuvia said.
"Impersonated victims' accounts will thus be accessed via a SOCKS proxy connection installed on their infected PCs, enabling the cloned virtual system to take on the genuine IP address when accessing the bank's website," she said in her alert.
Victims of fraudulent wire transfers will not immediately know of the theft because the gang plans on using VoIP flooding software to prevent victims from getting bank notifications on their mobile devices, she added.
Consumers need to ensure that their browsers are properly updated to protect against drive by downloads, she said. They also need to watch for any suspicious behavior or transactions on their accounts.
RSA has also notified U.S. law enforcement and its own FraudAction Global Blocking Network about the threat, she said. Banks, meanwhile, should consider implementing stronger authentication procedures and anomaly detection tools for spotting unusual wire transfers.
Jaikumar Vijayan covers data security and privacy issues, financial services security and e-voting for Computerworld. Follow Jaikumar on Twitter at @jaivijayan or subscribe to Jaikumar's RSS feed. His e-mail address is email@example.com.
See more by Jaikumar Vijayan on Computerworld.com.
Read more about cybercrime and hacking in Computerworld's Cybercrime and Hacking Topic Center.


text:
Developers appeal 'La Borgata' planning decision in PCB
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Back in 2005, "La Borgata" was poised to be an impressive Panama City Beach community featuring residential townhomes, retail and recreational space and ties to country music singer Alan Jackson.
Now, eight years and one economic downturn later, the 20-acre parcel off Back Beach Road (U.S. 98) is still vacant, and developers are pushing to alter the master plan for the planned unit development (PUD) to make the land more marketable.
However, area residents are concerned the change would negatively impact the area surrounding the development, located on the west end of Panama City Beach, east of Kelly Street and north of Marlin Avenue.
The city planning board denied a request to change the land use of the 3-acre parcel to a retail designation at a meeting Oct. 14, and developers have since appealed the decision to the City Council. The council is scheduled to conduct a new public hearing on the request Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.
Several residents spoke before the Planning Board, concerned changes could result in lower property values, traffic congestion and other issues.
Marlin Avenue resident Deborah Woodfin said she was fine with the original plan but opposed changing the 3-acre parcel to a retail designation.
"Why make rules if someone's going to come in the middle of the game and change them?" Woodfin said. "It affects us."
Resident Frank Campus said he didn't want to see homes surrounding the property end up like the homes surrounding Pier Park and Pier Park North.
"Whatever is there is going to have a serious effect on noise, water, traffic," Campus said. "We realize that along Back Beach Road something will eventually be commercialized there. It's a matter of how it can commingle and the compatibility of the people that have to live with it."
This is not the first request to change the development's master plan, or even the second.
An identical request from developers also failed to receive approval from the planning board in February 2012. In 2011, developers unsuccessfully requested permission to convert the 14-acre residential land use area into a 101-lot "luxury" RV Park.
"We've been at this for three years," said resident Nicole Hopkins, who spoke in favor of dissolving the PUD altogether, which would revert the entire site to residential land use. "If there is a change at all, it must be more restrictive."
The current master plan's business and professional services designation allows for clinics, medical offices, veterinary offices and financial institutions at the site, which originally was planned to be a bank.
Staff of the Panama City Beach Building and Planning Department also broke out a set of more restrictive retail conditions as an option for consideration if the council chooses to allow for more retail space.
If the request were to be approved, the development space would consist of 27 percent retail, 6 percent recreation, 6 percent business professional, 15 percent open space and 45 percent residential.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
New Zealand Red Cross
The New Zealand Red Cross is a branch of the world's largest humanitarian aid group, formed in 1915. Its mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity and enhancing community resilience. New Zealand Red Cross helps communities affected by emergencies and conflict globally. Being an international aid group, New Zealand Red Cross needed to be able to install, configure, and support communications networks in the most remote locations.
The New Zealand Red Cross outlined the need for a self-contained network solution that could be deployed quickly and easily in the Pacific, regardless of location. Fortinet and partner ServerWorks worked together to provide that using a ZLT network-in-a-box and Fortinet's Security Fabric.
Learn how New Zealand Red Cross supported "business as usual" telecommunications in this case study.
Business Impact
Easy to deploy in remote or temporary locations
Robust operations under extreme conditions
Remote management minimizes need for onsite support
Related Stories


text:
Jabra is offering a FREE Kensington Microsaver Micro DS Lock when you purchase a Jabra SPEAK 810 UC or MS speakerphone from now thru November 30, 2015 (or while supplies last). There is a max limit of 15 units per customer. All you need to do is fill out Jabra's LOCK IT UP promotion online claim-form with a copy of proof-of-purchase, and they will send a free Kensington lock to you (allow 1-3 weeks for Jabra fulfillment).
Jabra Speak 810 UC/MS conference phone is ideal for simple mid-sized conference calls with up to 15 people, with hassle-free connection via USB, Bluetooth (NFC) and a 3.5m jack for smartphone/tablet connectivity. Jabra Speak 810 is plug & play so you can set up in seconds, eliminating set-up issues that can often waste up to 15% of meeting time. Speak 810 utilizes unique ZoomTalk™ microphones with adaptive array (15ft range) focus on sound from human voices in "Speak mode" while eliminating echo, distortion or ambient sounds within the meeting room, increasing collaboration and productivity! The built-in Kensington lock secure port means you can keep it securely locked to replace more traditional dial pad and fixed meeting room collaboration solutions (lock not included)
About the Kensington Microsaver Micro SD Lock: The Kensington MicroSaver® DS Keyed Lock is designed for the ultimate defense of even the thinnest device. The nearly impenetrable disk style keyed locking mechanism along with an advanced cable design provides greater security. And with the rotation, slim lock head and a pivoting cable you can be sure it'll attach to your Jabra SPEAK 810 easily, without getting in the way.
Jabra's Lock it up offer end-user terms and conditions
Promotional offer: Purchase a Jabra SPEAK 810 and immediately become eligible to receive a FREE Kensington Microsaver Micro DS Lock ($54.99 Value). There is no minimum purchase on this promotion. Maximum purchase of 15 units.
Promotion running from: October 1, 2015 through November 30, 2015. Or while supplies last.
- This promotion is open to all end users in the United States and Canada.
- All claims must be submitted on or before December 15, 2015. Claims received after that date will not be fulfilled.
To claim your free Kensington Lock, please fill out an on-line claim form at the following website: http://www.jabra.com/campaigns/speak_810_kensington#claim. Please attach a copy of your original invoice to the online claim form.
- This promotion cannot be combined with any other Jabra Sponsored promotional programs.
- Kensington Lock units are strictly not for resale
- Jabra reserves the right to cancel this promotion at anytime and for any reason without notice
- This promotion is the exclusive property of Jabra and any use by unauthorized parties without the expressed and written consent by Jabra is prohibited
- Jabra will only allow returns for claims of "Out of Box Failure"
Shipping: The free Kensington Lock will be shipped to a single address indicated on the original invoice. If multiple purchases are made and placed on one purchase order or invoice, all free products will be shipped to one address. Please allow 1-3 weeks for order fulfillment.


text:
With no relation to our sordid sadistic sandbox – just a note to advise that; due to the number of page rank seeking comments received on this site, I'm moderating subsequent comments posted. This will mean that any personal posts will not display immediately, but be assured they will be listed providing they are on topic.
Thanks for yer participation y'all.


text:
Chefs in the making
Cooking schools help teens build culinary skills and confidence.
The current obsession of elevating chefs to rock-star status has made it easy for cooking schools to attract teenage students who want to learn to cook or who might be considering the field as a career. But to keep them focused for two or more hours requires savvy adult guidance.
"Today's kids know what they want, and they go after it with determination," says Tina Krinsky of the Julian Krinsky School of Cooking. "The Food Network, recipe websites, magazines, and an array of innovative cookbooks all play an important role in their decision-making process."
What teens seek from cooking school classes is the type of culinary knowledge and information that will help them realize their dream. Jill Prescott of Jill Prescott's Ecole de Cuisine sums this up simply as "experiencing the miracle of creating."
Many students see cooking as providing a creative outlet, instant gratification, and, if done well, tasty food.
At Jill Prescott's, it can be as easy as making the perfect omelet or sautéing vegetables. Students learn that when they follow the rules, master the techniques of cooking, and understand some of the chemistry of food, they experience success. When that happens, the kitchen erupts with expressions of joy: The students have taken a glob of dough, kneaded and shaped it, and turned it into a beautiful and delicious pastry.
Learning to use piping bags, balancing the flavors of a stew, and filling the room with the seductive aromas of baking bread all bring about instant gratification. To highlight the moment, there are lots of smiles and clapping and look-what-I've-just-done remarks.
"This is especially significant when all these experiences are presented structurally, rounded off with some relevant culinary information that they can always apply," Ms. Prescott says. "At that moment, a miracle occurs. A light bulb goes on in the teenager's head, and they leave class empowered, proud, like rock stars, quick to share their new talent with family and friends."
At Torte Knox, where Sheelah Kaye Stepkin conducts summer classes for teenagers, she identifies this classroom experience as a memory-making moment.
One day she found herself facing a group of bored, restless teenage students.
So Ms. Stepkin began telling them a dramatic story about the dumplings they were going to prepare. It was an emotional tale about a 4-day-old Korean girl who was gambled away in a poker game, then at 14 was sold to a silk factory, and at 18 to a Korean man living in America. What freed this young woman from her bondage was her skill at preparing mandoo (a Korean dumpling of minced meat and vegetables wrapped in thin dough).
The students were riveted by her story, and when she finished, they had many questions about the woman and her dumplings. They begged to learn more.
"It is together – the food and the moment – that makes eating special," Stepkin says. "For me, my special dining experience was when I had my first mandoo. The dumplings and this young woman's story became for me a very special memory-making moment."
When she mentioned this to the students, they shared examples of their own memory-making moments. This new understanding brought a complete turnabout in their attitude. They wanted to learn to dice, sauté, and deep-fry correctly. And they carefully listened to what Stepkin said, because she had charmed them with her knowledge and story.
Teaching the students recipes and cooking tips was easy after that, because she had engaged them on their level.
Joe Randall, of Chef Joe Randall's Cooking School, believes that fully engaging students is necessary for classroom success.
His summer 2008 culinary day camp for African-American teenagers, which began as an experiment, attracted nearly 100 young men.
"No doubt some of the teenagers were brought to the camp because of their parents. But many more came because of their own interest in learning about food. My responsibility was to build on this interest in an engaging way," he says.
At the Julian Krinsky Camp and Programs, the cooking program for teenagers is a little different because it's aimed at introducing and connecting teens to the food industry in general.
Since the program runs three weeks, students have enough time to experience a broad range of activities. Among them are trips to markets, where they are taught to shop smartly and read labels for content; conversations with respected local restaurateurs and chefs, whom they are encouraged to question about the business; and hands-on cooking classes from a professional staff who teaches them to create delicious and nutritious meals from scratch.
When the three-week saturation program is completed, the teens prepare all the food for a gala banquet for the whole camp to enjoy.
The staff's mission is to offer students a new appreciation of food and the background to achieve what Simon Solis-Cohen achieved after taking the cooking program: an opportunity to work in the industry. In Simon's case, it was a part-time job at the prestigious Osteria restaurant in Philadelphia.
Mrs. Jeneen Masih, whose 13-year-old daughter, Beatrice, took a culinary program at the Snowvillage Inn, sums up the results of her teenager's experience: "Beatrice's training at Snowvillage reinforced skills that she already had, which added to her confidence, while at the same time pushing her to grow in an amazing atmosphere under the guidance of a world-class chef."
While there, Beatrice worked side by side with executive chef Matthew Mitchell, prepping some of her favorite foods for the evening meal. The experience was a joy because the teenager was able to polish the cooking skills she had learned at home in a professional and enjoyable setting.
For her, it will always be a special memory-making moment.


text:
Is the Latino electorate finally beginning to make its mark?
When Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., announced his retirement in 2011, pundits predicted the GOP would easily hold the seat this November. After all, Arizonans last chose a Democrat for Senate in 1988, when as The Wall Street Journal reminisced, "gasoline cost less than 90 cents a gallon … and stirrup pants were in."
Yet Democrat Richard Carmona -- a former Surgeon General and Spanish-speaker of Puerto Rican descent -- is running neck-and-neck with Tea Party Republican Jeff Flake, even though it's Carmona's first high-profile race and Flake is a six-term congressman.
If the Democrats succeed in this improbable coup, and another -- making Arizona a tossup state in the presidential race -- credit will likely be due in large part to a mobilized Latino electorate, with whom Carmona's roots resonate, says Joseph Garcia, head of Arizona State University's Latino Public Policy Center.
The potential for Latinos to alter the nation's political landscape in coming years is broadly recognized, and their impact could be especially significant in Western states with sizeable Latino populations and competitive partisan balances. So far, chronically low turnout rates have made Latino voters a sleeping giant, but their importance is increasingly evident. In 2008, buoyed by excitement over Barack Obama's presidential campaign, Latino turnout helped Democrats take one Arizona congressional seat from Republicans, along with one in Nevada, two in New Mexico, one in Colorado and one in Idaho. In 2010, Latino turnout sagged and Democrats lost nearly all of those seats. Only 38 percent of Arizona's eligible Latinos voted, compared to 52 percent for white voters and 41 percent for blacks, according to Census Bureau surveys.
Arizonans Francisco Heredia and his older brother, Luis, are among the leaders of a West-wide effort to boost these statistics by registering more Latinos -- and making sure they actually cast ballots. "We're out there every day," says Francisco, who runs the Arizona branch of Mi Familia Vota, a nonpartisan group. Dozens of Mi Familia organizers knock on doors, stand outside grocery stores, roam college campuses -- whatever it takes to "grow our political power as a community."
In early October, just before Arizona's voter registration deadline, the group was approaching its goal of registering 7,500 new Latino voters, and had helped 17,000 sign up for mail-in voting -- one method for improving the odds that a voter will follow through. More than 10 other groups are doing similar outreach in Arizona to improve turnout rates.
"This year we'll definitely see the largest number of Latinos voting in the history of Arizona," says Francisco. His brother, the executive director of Arizona's Democratic Party, echoes that prediction. Luis Heredia's team is using "very sophisticated" combinations of polling, market data (who buys what), and analyses of voter addresses and surnames to identify potential Latino voters to organize and target with political messages. He estimates that 389,000 Arizona Latinos were registered in 2008. Now, it's around 589,000 -- a 51 percent increase.
While that's still a small fraction of Arizona's 3.1 million registered voters, the increase seems bound to turn Arizona more blue -- day by day, year by year. The state's Latinos now favor Democratic candidates over Republicans by a 3-1 margin, according to a poll by Seattle-based think tank Latino Decisions, a preference that has increased as Republicans take hard-line stands against undocumented immigrants.
Combining all of those statistics with the most fundamental of all -- the Latino population is growing faster than other ethnic groups, and young Latinos who will reach voting age over the next decade or so are almost all citizens -- and it's obvious, says Garcia: "There's a tsunami coming."
Fred Solop, a Northern Arizona University political science professor, adds: "Whoever can figure out the formula (to get Latino votes) will dominate politics."


text:
LARGE RENAISSANCE ORNATE DESIGN ANTIQUE SILVER WALL MIRROR. SOLID WOOD FRAME IN DULL SILVER COLOUR WITH INTRICATE CARVING AND DETAILS. BEVELLED EDGE MIRROR GIVING A UNIQUE LOOK. MADE TO THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND GUARANTEED TO ADD A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR AND LUXURY TO ANY ROOM. READY TO HANG ON THE WALL.COMPLETE WITH HOOKS READY FITTED. CAN BE HUNG BOTH LANDSCAPE AND PORTRAIT. Size: 123cm x 93cm (48"x36"approx). All our items are packaged securely and wrapped well to avoid any damages. We shrink wrap and place extra cardboard around the item to ensure it is tightly packed. Mirrors can be very delicate items, so we take great care and spend a lot of time wrapping them to make sure they reach you in perfect condition. We can deliver anywhere in UK. To deliver (bank holidays and weekends not included). Tracking information is also provided. We deliver worldwide to most of the countries. Deliveries are made to most areas on a daily basis (Monday - Friday). Tracking information is also provided where possible. Please note: You are responsible for the cost of returning unwanted items back to us , also. When returning an unwanted product(s) back to us, please send a copy of the order with a brief note highlighting the reason for return. We try our utmost best to send all our goods in the most secure way to avoid any damages. However in the event of receiving damaged goods - all customers must notify us within 24 hours.
Of receiving the goods and we will send you a replacement ASAP. Also as part of our company policy please. Of the damaged item and also outline a brief message stating what area is damaged and what you would like to do to resolve the matter. When emailing regarding damages please put your name, address, contact telephone number and item number. The item "Large Renaissance Antique Silver Ornate Bevelled Wall Mirror 123x93cm Wood Frame" is in sale since Friday, April 27, 2012.This item is in the category "Home, Furniture & DIY\Home Décor\Mirrors". The seller is "premier1198" and is located in Birmingham. This item can be shipped worldwide.


text:
We're seeing growing sings that all is most certainly not well in the Camelot Part Deux that liberals wanted to recreate in the Obama White House. Obama himself is cracking under the stress, smoking too much and drinking too much. I think we'd all like it if the man who had the responsibility of imposing his will on an Iran determined to develop nuclear ICBMs had at least enough willpower to impose his will on the next pack of cigarettes. Meanwhile, Obama's Chicago-thug "fearsome foursome" who form his paranoid inner circle are taking all kinds of heat – and showing signs of meltdown from all the gear-clashing.
Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel – Mr. "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste" himself – has been under fire from liberals who want to blame him for the near-total failure Obama's first year has been. But Emanuel has some allies in the press as well, who have come out to make a strong defense (mayhap with Rahm's help?) at the direct expense of Obama. I mean, the mainstream media is blaming the failure of the Obama administration on Emanuel's lack of discipline and management skills, while other parts of the mainstream media argue that Rahm Emanuel is the only thing preventing Obama from ending up worse than Jimmy Carter. I mean, you know there are a lot of hurt feelings and dead bodies in closets at the White House with this stuff going on.
And now we see the glue is coming off the veneer of David Axelrod, too.
March 6, 2010
Obama Message Maven Finds Fingers Pointing at Him
By MARK LEIBOVICH
WASHINGTON — David Axelrod was sitting at his desk on a recent afternoon — tie crooked, eyes droopy and looking more burdened than usual. He had just been watching some genius on MSNBC insist that he and President Obama's other top aides were failing miserably and should be replaced.
"Typical Washington junk we have to deal with," Mr. Axelrod said in an interview. The president is deft at blocking out such noise, he added, suddenly brightening. "I love the guy," he said, and in the space of five minutes, repeated the sentiment twice.
Critics, pointing to the administration's stalled legislative agenda, falling poll numbers and muddled messaging, suggest that kind of devotion is part of the problem at the White House. Recent news reports have cast the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, as the administration's chief pragmatist, and Mr. Axelrod, by implication, as something of a swooning loyalist. A "Moonie," dismissed Mr. Axelrod's close friend, former Commerce Secretary William Daley. Or as the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, joked, "the guy who walks in front of the president with rose petals."
Still, it is a charge that infuriates Mr. Axelrod, the president's closest aide, longest-serving adviser and political alter ego. "I guess I have been castigated for believing too deeply in the president," he said, lapsing into the sarcasm he tends to deploy when playing defense.
No one has taken the perceived failings of the administration more personally or shown the strain as plainly as Mr. Axelrod, who as White House senior adviser oversees every aspect of how Mr. Obama is presented. As such, Mr. Axelrod, the president's mustachioed message maven, has felt the brunt of criticism over what many view as the administration's failure to clearly define and disseminate Mr. Obama's agenda and accomplishments for the country.
"The Obama White House has lost the narrative in the way that the Obama campaign never did," said James Morone, a political scientist at Brown University. "They essentially took the president's great strength as a messenger and failed to use it smartly."
Mr. Axelrod said he accepts some blame for what he called "communication failures," though he acknowledges bafflement that the administration's efforts to stimulate the economy in a crisis, overhaul health care and prosecute two wars have been so routinely framed by opponents as the handiwork of a big-government, soft-on-terrorism, politics-of-the-past ideologue.
"For me, the question is, why haven't we broken through more than we have?" Mr. Axelrod said. "Why haven't we broken through?"
That question has dogged Mr. Axelrod in recent months and has preoccupied Mr. Obama's inner circle, fueling speculation that the vaunted "No Drama Obama" team might be fracturing. Not surprisingly, the White House has no patience with the notion.
"You guys want to fit people into boxes and categories that are just not accurate," Mr. Emanuel said.
Mr. Axelrod would not discuss what counsel he offered to Mr. Obama, though he denies any "fissure with my buddy Rahm" and any charge that he is too infatuated with the president to recognize the political risks of his ambitious agenda.
"Believe me, if we were charting this administration as a political exercise, the first thing we would have done would not have been a massive recovery act, stabilizing the banks and helping to keep the auto companies from collapsing," he said. "Those would not even be the first hundred things he would want to do."
But Mr. Axelrod argued that the president, confronted with "breathtaking challenges," did not have the luxury of moving more slowly or methodically.
In a lengthy interview in his office on Wednesday, Mr. Axelrod was often defiant, saying he did not give a "flying" expletive "about what the peanut gallery thinks" and did not live for the approval "of the political community." He denounced the "rampant lack of responsibility" of people in Washington who refuse to solve problems, and cited the difficulty of trying to communicate through what he calls "the dirty filter" of a city suffused with the "every day is Election Day sort of mentality."
When asked how he would assess his performance, Mr. Axelrod shrugged. "I'm not going to judge myself on that score," he said. But then he shot back: "Have I succeeded in reversing a 30-year trend of skepticism and cynicism about government? I confess that I have not. Maybe next year."
The criticism of the administration's communication strategy — leveled by impatient Democrats, gleeful Republicans, bloggers and cable chatterers — clearly stings Mr. Axelrod, as well as the circle of family, friends and fans he has acquired over three decades in politics as a consultant and, before that, a reporter for The Chicago Tribune.
"Every time I hear that the White House is getting the message wrong, it breaks my heart," said Mr. Axelrod's sister, Joan, an educational therapist in Boston. "I know he agonizes."
Ms. Axelrod says that while her brother is devoted to Mr. Obama, he is not a sycophant. She paused when asked whether he admired the president too much. "He is very, very loyal, sometimes to a fault," she said.
Added Mr. Gibbs: "The list of people who have to deliver bad news to the president is very small, and David is first on that list. I'm probably second."
Mr. Axelrod's friends worry about the toll of his job — citing his diet (cold-cut-enriched), his weight (20 pounds heavier than at the start of the presidential campaign), sleep deprivation (five fitful hours a night), separation from family (most back home in Chicago) and the fact that at 55, he is considerably older than many of the wunderkind workaholics of the West Wing. He wakes at 6 in his rented condominium just blocks from the White House and typically returns around 11.
Unlike other presidential alter egos, Mr. Axelrod is not viewed as a surrogate "brain" (like Karl Rove), a suspicious outsider (like Dick Morris in the Clinton White House) or a co-president (James Baker in the first Bush White House). Sometimes portrayed as a bare-knuckled Chicago operative, he is also a bantering walrus of a man in mustard-stained sleeves who describes himself as a "kibbitzer," not a "policy guy."
Sitting at his desk next door to the Oval Office last week, he was tearing into a five-inch corned beef sandwich on rye with a Flintstone-size turkey drumstick waiting on deck. "I am the poster child for the president's obesity program," he said.
A few minutes later, Mr. Obama walked in unannounced, scattering two aides like startled pigeons. "Hey," Mr. Axelrod said by way of greeting (no "sir" or "Mr. President.") Mr. Obama surveyed the spread on Mr. Axelrod's desk with a slight smirk.
"What is this, King Arthur's court?" he asked, then pulled Mr. Axelrod aside to talk about a health care speech he was about to deliver.
Mr. Axelrod is often at the president's side; he sits in on policy and national security meetings and is routinely the last person he talks to before making a decision. He directs every aspect of the administration's external presentation, overseeing polls, focus groups and speeches and appearing on the Sunday shows. Mr. Emanuel describes Mr. Axelrod as "an integrator of the three P's" — press, policy and politics — "and how they make a whole."
White House officials describe Mr. Axelrod's focus as big themes rather than day-to-day sound bites. There has been no shortage of Democrats willing to second-guess his messaging approach.
"They made a big mistake right out of the box with the Inaugural Address," said former Senator Bob Kerrey, adding that a president pledging bipartisanship should not have disparaged the previous administration in his speech, as many listeners believed Mr. Obama did.
Of course, they are continuing to make the same mistake of blaming Bush over and over and over again on a daily basis over a year later.
And that does go to the core of the Obama failure: the inability to match his rhetoric with reality, or even his rhetoric with his own rhetoric.
The man who pledged bipartisanship and a transcendent ability to reach across the divide and bring the country together has blamed and demonized the Bush administration and the Republican Party every single time he "reached."
The man who promised transparency, who promised repeatedly to open up the entire "bipartisan" health care negotiations on C-SPAN, has not never even bothered to try to do so (and dang I wish I could have seen the Louisiana Purchase, the Cornhusker Kickback, Gator-Aid, and various other acts of illegal political patronage being negotiated), but has routinely had closed door meetings which were not open to the press, the public, or certainly the Republicans. Meanwhile, the Democrats have been so byzantine, so secretive, so wheeling-dealing, that even senior Democrats have had to acknowledge they were completely in the dark as to what in the sam hill was going on.
And of course now we have the same Obama who basically said that reconciliation was a totalitarian act of "simply majoritarian absolute power" that was both unconstitutional and as partisan and evil as Karl Rove is, now saying that it's okay as long as he's doing it "to maintain his strong presidency."
That's just health care. You can take almost any other issue and find the same thing with Obama. Foreign policy? Take Renditions. Take Eavesdropping programs. Take the Patriot Act. Take Gitmo. Take the surge strategy. Take the Iraq War. Take the Iranian nuclear threat. And now, take military tribunals. In every single one of these cases Obama personally demonized the Bush position, and then did the same thing himself without ever once having the integrity to say that George Bush had been right and he had been wrong. Energy policy? Obama so completely abandoned his own stated energy policy promises that a senior Democrat was forced to say that Obama "is beginning not to be believable to me."
I have to say I feel sorry for the messengers who are being hounded for not being able to get the White House message out: it's full of lies and deceit; how do you make all the Obama lies look good without telling a whole bunch of other lies?
Then you've got the fact that a whole bunch of Democrats across the spectrum are just furious with the Obama administration for massively expensive policies that didn't work and for sheer flagrant incompetence.
How do you make a turd look good?
The one word that most accurately frames this piece is, "Wah." The people who most successfully demagogued mainstream media narratives when it came to George Bush and Republicans are the biggest bunch of thin-skinned whining crybabies I've ever seen. Someone else is ALWAYS to blame with these people.
And when they demonize Republicans for their criticisms when the Obama team has done nothing BUT demonize Bush and Republicans, it is beyond disgusting and even beyond despicable.
What couldn't be more obvious about Obama's inner circle – political rather than policy experts all – is that all they can do well is campaign. So they constantly campaign in campaign mode, and then cry the moment anybody suggests they're doing anything because of "politics." I mean, think about it: the same man who lambasts the press for their "every day is Election Day sort of mentality," is the guy who is closer than anyone to Obama – and who spends all his time as the "integrator of the three P's" — press, policy and politics — "and how they make a whole."
I mean, how DARE you people accurately describe us as what we are, and consider policies from the same uber-political perspective that WE consider them. HOW DARE YOU!
The Obama inner circle lives in a bunker and embraces a "bunker-view mentality" to the world. In contradiction to their statements to the contrary, they are hyper-hyper sensitive to any skepticism at all. And their growing problem is that the nastiest skepticism of all isn't coming from "the right" or from Fox News, but from their very own left and from media that should be in their pockets.
I don't know how long it's going to take before it happens, but this president and this inner White House circle are heading for a meltdown of epic proportions.


text:
Novell is on the move. While the Utah-based network software provider has tried to rebrand itself as "a leader in eBusiness solutions and Net services software", the true focus of their product continues to be the enterprise. NetWare 6 and ZenWorks for Desktops both won awards at Comdex.
Furthering the cause of network management is this week's announcement of ZENworks for Handhelds. Novell has agreed to acquire mobile and wireless device management technologies from Callisto Software, a developer of management solutions for mobile systems, including handheld devices. Through this acquisition, Novell will expand its management offerings to include mobile technologies in existing products and the new offering.
Novell claims that ninety-one percent of their more-than 35 million ZENworks for
Desktops customers have indicated they are investigating management polices and methods for mobile and handheld devices. The number of mobile and handheld devices in use continues to grow as they become fundamental to business success, particularly for organizations with large numbers of deskless employees. As these devices increase in number and significance, IT departments need better ways to manage and support them.
Administrators will be able to use a single set of integrated management tools to effectively manage the integrated combination of desktop, laptop, handheld and thin-client management from one vendor.
Brad Anderson, Novell's ZENworks business unit manager, said "The Callisto acquisition gives us mobile and wireless device management technologies to increase Novell's remote and mobile offerings, such as the anytime, anywhere access to information currently provided by Novell iFolder and GroupWise Wireless. With ZENworks for Desktops already being the most widely deployed directory-enabled desktop management solution on the market, this acquisition dramatically increases Novell's edge as we now provide mobile and wireless management to current and new customers."
Ronni Colville of Gartner, Inc., said, "Mobile and wireless devices have matured from being fringe devices and are starting to require management that integrates with the rest of the business. Businesses who are serious about using such devices should seek management solutions that complement desktop management systems and personalize management by using the directory."
Further details and availability of ZENworks for Handhelds will be announced in early 2002.
For more information on handhelds and network management, read our analysis in Can Handhelds Improve Support?


text:
This post touches on a process that I attempted. My brother drives a cab in our hometown. He has been a big supporter of my books and my writing. After I finished my first book, he suggested a medium for my books that I had not seriously considered. Many of his regular passengers are blind or vision impaired. They are also avid consumers of audio books. He told me that this would be a great market for my books.
I was a bit skeptical at first, but I began to research the audio book market. Audio books are very popular for commuters and there is a very active market. Because of the work involved, audio books often sell for more than their printed or e-book counterparts. Armed with these facts, I set out to pursue creation of an audio version of my first book, Frankly Speaking.
I read a couple of books on the subject and discovered that ACX, an audio book outlet owned by Amazon was an easy to use platform to initiate this project. ACX has a number of professional voice actors that will record audio books. This, however, is where I hit my first obstacle.
The voice actors are paid by two different methods, a flat fee, usually by the hour, or by a percentage of the royalties. Being an independently published author that was dabbling in this medium for the first time, I opted to solicit auditions for my book with the sharing of royalties in mind. I had no idea how many copies I would sell and I am trying to keep my investment in my writing in line with my earnings. The problem with this is that, at first, there were no voice actors willing to audition for a royalty sharing arrangement. Recording an audio book takes a long time and a lot of effort. Understandably, a voice actor doesn't want to invest the hours necessary to complete a book if the reward is unknown based on work from a new author.
So, what did I do based on these results? I decided to attempt to record it myself. This decision was against every instinct. I do not like the sound of my recorded voice. It's much lower than I hear it in my ears and it sounds very nasal to me. The prospect of hearing myself read aloud and then spending the hours necessary to edit the recording was not something I was looking forward to. But, enough about that. Friends, family, and others assured me that the sound of my voice would not make listeners rip their ears off. I put that issue behind me and forged ahead.
The next step was, how to record. From the books I read, the equipment needed was not as cost-prohibitive as one might expect. I found a good recording microphone and stand for under $100. A screen to eliminate popping 'Ps' was another $20. The only drawback is that the stand looked like a gun when it goes through the airport security scan. I had to explain it a few times. The Amazon reviews were very helpful with selecting a microphone. It plugs into the USB port of my tablet.
As for software, this is where the pleasant surprise emerged. One book that I read recommended Audacity as the software of choice. This software is free. It has a lot of great features and effects. It allows multi-track recording. It has a great noise elimination feature. This is great for me. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I travel every week and did most of my recording in hotel rooms. The software allows me to remove ambient background noise such as the heat kicking on or the refrigerator running. This noise is virtually eliminated using Audacity. I also found a free add-in module for Audacity that helps reduce the 'S' sounds if they get too annoying. Another tip to reduce noise is to run Audacity or whatever software you use on a tablet or a solid state storage device. This way there is no spinning hard disk or fan to add to the background noise.
So, now I had my hardware and software. If you are going to upload your audio book to audible or one of the other similar platforms, it is important to learn their rules. There is usually a certain format and quality of audio required and things like pauses and copyright information that need to be recorded.
Here are some other tips that may help you along the way. In the interest of full disclosure, I abandoned recording my book on my own. I just didn't think my voice had the quality to carry it and it is time consuming. I eventually went another route that I will discuss in future posts.
This isn't to avoid stomach cramps. It's to avoid unwanted noises like burping. Also, depending on what you eat, your voice may actually sound different right after a meal.
You will have to re-record anything that has an unwanted noise within it that is not part of the ambient background noise.
You don't need to stop the recording if you make a mistake. Just go back to the beginning of the sentence in which you made a mistake and read it again. Over time, you will begin to recognize the graphical shape of the audio your recorded and you will be able to easily cut out the bad audio.
You can take longer pauses if you want to catch your breath or rest for a minute. Just remember, you can shorten these pauses during the post-production process when you fix up your audio.
I tend to speak rapidly. When I began listening to playback of my first two chapters, I thought that it sounded rushed which made it hard to understand. You should read at a pace that is easy to understand and follow. The cool thing about Audacity is that you can actually slow down the tempo of your reading in post-production. You have to be careful, however. If you slow it down too much, you will end up sounding like Forest Gump.
I hope these tips are helpful. You may not have considered recording or producing an audio book. If you haven't, maybe you should. If you have, I hope you find some value in what I've gone through. It was not an enjoyable process for me, but the one benefit I've found (and I've mentioned this before in tips about improving the quality of your work) is that reading your book aloud will help you to be a better writer. You will feel any clumsy phrasing emerge, your dialog will be easier to assess for realism, and you will catch mistakes that you might have missed in editing.
Don't get me wrong. My books eventually sold enough for me to use a professional voice actor for two of my books. Trying to record myself chewed up a huge chunk of time that I could be spending writing!
I didn't actually complete the recording of my audio book. I've talked to other authors about this and have come up with some alternatives to using my own voice. It really is a time prohibitive exercise.
One suggestion I received and will be trying out is reaching out to local high school and college drama and journalism departments to see if students may be interested in recording an audio book as an experience item. I would still pay them, but the cost would be significantly less than paying a voice actor.
I really think there is benefit to releasing audio book versions of my work, but it is a process you shouldn't jump into lightly.


text:
Let $\varphi:\mathcal S^{d-1}\longrightarrow \mathbb R_{>0}$ be a strictly positive function describing the boundary $\varphi(\mathbf x)\mathbf x,\mathbf x\in\mathbb S^{d-1}$ of a $d-$dimensional closed convex set $C$ with barycenter at the origin. We consider the decomposition $\varphi=\oplus_{\lambda\in \mathbf{Spec}(\Delta)}\varphi_\lambda$ into eigenvectors associated to distinct eigenvalues of the Laplacian. To what extend does the sequence $\parallel \varphi_\lambda\parallel_{\lambda\in\mathbf{Spec}(\Delta)}$ determine $C$? (This is certainly the case for a sphere of radius $\rho$ since then $\varphi=\varphi_0=\rho$.) Are there examples of two non-isometric convex sets (or even two non-isometric polytopes) for which the two corresponding sequences of norms coincide?
Moreover, the convexity of $C$ gives probably constraints for the norms $\parallel \varphi_\lambda\parallel$ since spherical harmonics associated to high eigenvalues wiggle a lot and have thus to be involved with coefficients that are small with respect to $\parallel \varphi_0\parallel$. What are these constraints?


text:
Image courtesy of Boy Genius Report
Samsung Mobile's chief technology office Omar Khan is leaving the company for greener pastures, it was revealed yesterday. Khan is leaving for Citi where he will be responsible for their mobile initiatives. The unexpected departure arrives at a time when Samsung is chasing Nokia to become the world's leading phone vendor and fighting Apple's copycat accusations of stealing the design of iPhone's hardware, software, packaging and even marketing communications.
As it turns out, Samsung may have already lost orders from Apple, its biggest buyer, as a result of the growing rift. The Globe and Mail reports that Apple might end its relationship with Samsung by taking their five billion dollar a year in electronics parts orders elsewhere. For example, Apple could order NAND flash from Toshiba, Micron and Hynix Semiconductor and mobile processors from Intel and TSMC. Samsung also supplies Apple with LCDs for computers and iPads. Samsung's financial filings provide clues to its relationship with Appel.
For example, Samsung recently had to consolidate operations by merging component and manufacturing businesses in order to hide losses of the flat panel business among the lucrative semiconductor operations. This indicates Apple may have stopped buying LCDs from Samsung. They also issued weak second-quarter earnings, with profits dropping 26 percent to 3.7 trillion won (about $3.5 billion) due to sluggish television and semiconductor operations, signalling that Apple might have as well stopped ordering A5 and A6 processors from Samsung. The lower-than-expected guidance prompted analyst Kim Sung In with Kiwoom Securities Co. to slam the company hard over the misstep, arguing:
Only the phone business is holding up. Everything else is looking bad. There's no bright picture for the company looking ahead.
So, if the loss of Apple's business doesn't derail Samsung, any slump in phone sales at this point will. So far phone sales are holding up pretty well…
IDC pegged Samsung's first-quarter smartphone shipments at 10.8 million units, enough to rank the company the world's fourth-largest smartphone vendor by units, following Nokia, Apple and Research In Motion. However, they're #2 in terms of all handset units shipped globally, thanks to their own operating system Bada which powers feature phones. But Apple is expected to penetrate that low-end of the market with an affordable iPhone this Fall catering to feature phone owners who are upgrading to their first smartphone. Samsung outsells the iPhone in eight key markets now, a Kantar Woldpanel ComTech survey estimates, with a significant chunk of new sales coming from feature phone owners. The research firm expects that by the summer of next year nearly half of all handsets sold will be smartphones.
And about that Omar Khan departure. High-level hires are a fact of life, but it's interesting that the executive left barely a month after Samsung hired a new chief marketing officer, Todd Pendleton, to oversee all marketing activities for Samsung's mobile division in the US. This included "defining and leading integrated marketing, customer relationship management and customer experience management to create marketing strategies that align with Samsung Mobile's corporate business strategy", which is basically what Khan had been doing. It is therefore possible that Khan didn't like his new role of chief technology and product officer or the new marketing chief might have marginalized him.
Regardless of the reasons, Khan was an asset to Samsung and his departure is clearly a loss for the Korean consumer electronics conglomerate. According to The Droid Guy, Khan "was at the forefront of Samsung Mobile's entire move into Android from the Behold II to the Samsung Galaxy SII and everything in between and on the way". Another possible link: Citi, Khan's new employer, is a launch partner of Google's Wallet initiative. Did Citi charge him with furthering that project? Only time will tell…
Cross-posted on 9to5Mac.com
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


text:
I've been really excited about reading this book from the moment I saw its cover. Cinderella as a cyborg, you say? Why, yes, I think I will! I haven't read very many fairytale retellings, but there was just so much of interest to me about this book, and the buzz has been pretty good too. When I read Jill's review, I knew I needed to move this book up on the stack and give it a go, and what I found was not only original but full of the kind of intrigue and conspiracy that is easy to relish. It was a fun book to say the least, and my only real complaint is that I have to wait so long to find out where this series is headed.
Though this story keeps the bones of the fairytale intact, its innards and skin are of a very different construction. There are several elements going on throughout the novel, and even the less urgent story lines are worked with fluidity and a cohesiveness that I can see will set the stage for books to come. The main difference between this tale and the original is that the love story, as it were, isn't the main plot element vying for the reader's attention. In Cinder, the love story takes a back seat to political and social intrigue, guaranteeing that readers are kept dancing to Meyer's delicious tune of discord, disease and redemption. There's no page space wasted in this tale, and though the book is long, it blows by in a whirlwind of secrets, intrigue and plot twists. I also liked that the writing was fast paced and graceful without being overly embellished, which worked well for this type of story.
Some of the twists were not all that hard to figure out and I deciphered one of them very early on, but such was the creativity and ingenuity of this book that I wasn't displeased by this at all. In fact, as I raced through the pages, I was waiting for the big reveal in order to see how it would be shaped and twisted to fit the narrative. The worldbuilding was done on a small scale, and I'm eager to see how this is amplified in the next installment and the repercussions it will have on all the major players. The idea that this series will be a quartet doesn't really bother me because there's a lot about Cinder and her cohorts that remains shrouded and unclear to me, and I would relish the chance to see a more advanced look into the world they populate. With each thread of this story, I can see infinite possibilities for drama and pathos on a large scale, and it's plain to see that several interesting developments are in the process of being uncovered.
I also liked the cleverness and insatiable evilness of the antagonists in this tale. As outsiders to the planet, they are focused on total domination, and their particular brand of magic is not only enticing, but devious. Queen Levana, the leader of this nefarious race called the Lunars, has the ability to wield superior mind control skills and can keep even her own subjects from seeing her true appearance, which she masks with a powerful glamour that none can deny. She also has the ability to make people do whatever she wills them to do, which in this situation is a rather terrifying prospect. It's not only these character embellishments that make for intriguing reading, but her total lack of compassion or decency that make her the baddest of the bad. Cinder certainly has her work cut out for her with this evil witch! As the story closes, Queen Levana has yet to be fully dealt with but there are signs that this problem will be solved in future installments, though there is slight closure to this book in terms of a few plot lines.
If you're looking for a fairytale retelling that's markedly different from anything that has yet been published, this is the one to go for. It's perfect for teens and adults alike and has the added benefit of packing a powerful punch of a main character who is spunky, clever and has a lot of heart. It was a great read for me and I'm eager to discover what's in store for this cyber-Cinderella. Recommended!
Cinder is also available on audio from Macmillan Audio, and I've heard that the audio production is outstanding. To check out a sample, click below.


text:
How it Works
Bulk Messaging is one of the World's most cost effective marketing platform, which enables you to interact with your customers/audience by just a Click
Creating a SMS Campaign is Simple than sending an Email
- Login to your Panel
- Copy & Paste the Numbers OR Upload Numbers from CSV or TXT File
- Draft your Message Contents
- Click on "Send" Button or Schedule it for Later
Bulk SMS Features
We have combined all the available cutting edge technology together for your success, below are the features of our Bulk Messaging
All our packages are loaded with all the features which are currently available in the industry. You cannot find all such features together at an affordable price anywhere else.
- Easy-to-use Control Panel (Powered by HTML 5, JQUERY & AJAX)
- In Built Mobile Database* & Random Number Generator Tool
- Real-time DND Scrubbing & Re-credit
- Multi Language Messages (Unicode) Supports 9 Regional Languages
- 4 different routes are available to choose based on your requirements.
- Option to Remove Duplicate Number(s) from your Campaign
- Option to Include or Exclude any number(s) from your Campaign.
- 3 Options available to input numbers (Copy & Paste, CSV or TXT Upload & Select from Contacts)
Dynamic Messaging
Our Dynamic messaging allows you to send personalized message to each recipient; you can upload CSV or TXT File.
Example : Dear #dynamic value# Your Pending Amount is #dyanmic value#
Our System will automatically replace the value with the correct value in your excel or text sheet and sends to the corresponding recipient
Message Delivery & MIS Reports
- Robust delivery mechanism with retry option to ensure all your messages are delivered.
- Intelligent Queue Management System with Clustered Load Balancing to ensure the timely delivery of messages.
- High through put with Multiple Operator Connectivity ensure uninterrupted delivery of messages.
- 100% Transparent & Genuine Reports as how we are getting from our corresponding Telecom Operators (No Delivery Cut off OR Fake Reports)
- Quick Delivery Overview on the screen with Refresh Option (no need to download Data)
- Searchable & Detailed Delivery Reports to find the delivery status of a particular number.
- Export Complete Report to CSV Sheet
Scheduled Messages
Industry First Unlimited Scheduling Option allows you to schedule messages to any date and Time*
SMS Templates
SMS Templates allows you to save any number of pre-defined messages and can be inserted into the message with a click
Our Unique and most useful option – You can Save any Messages as Campaign by giving a Name, This campaign can be started later by just a Click OR an SMS
- Start Campaign with a Click
- Start Campaign by Sending an SMS from your registered Mobile Number
- Get Campaign Report as SMS
API & Third Party Software's
Our Robust & Powerful API's enables you to deploy messaging platform into your existing infrastructure or any 3 rd party Software or Applications
Compatible with all Development Platforms (PHP, ASP, .NET, JAVA, C , C++, VB)
Apart from API Connectivity we can also Provide SMPP Connectivity, FTP Upload, Database Drop or any Custom Made Connectivity Type to meet your requirements
- SMPP Protocol
- FTP Upload Database
- Drop Custom Solutions


text:
Librarians receive training to help people with mental illnesses
Librarians are learning how to help visitors with mental illnesses.
About 35 librarians in California completed a course in mental health on how to respond to signs of mental illness or substance abuse.
Many homeless people visit the library to use computers and read books.
They learned how to understand, identify and respond to sensitive situations, since some patrons are dealing with mental health problems.
"The library is really the last safe public space, and so we're open to everybody," said Christie Hamm, Manager of Youth and Literacy Services at the Sacramento Public Library.
The library hopes to have at least 50 librarians trained by the end of the year.
"There's kind of a good way and bad way to handle any situation, and the more tools we give our staff, the better off they're going to be able to keep things positive," said Hamm.


text:
Please click the link below to get the Macromedia Flash Player: DOWNLOAD FLASH PLAYER
If you think that you already have Macromedia Flash Player 6 installed and are seeing this message in error, please proceed:
The Doctor Is In
You use your senses every day to understand the world around you. Look. What do you see? Touch. What do you feel? Listen. What do you hear?
Doctors use their senses to determine their patients\' health. Often they rely on tools that help enhance their senses. View the text-only version


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) – Reliance on the death penalty continues to decline with 39 people executed this year, only the second time in 19 years that fewer than 40 people were put to death, a private group reported Thursday.
The Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization that opposes executions and tracks the issue, also said the number of new death sentences was near its lowest level since capital punishment was reinstated in the 1970s. There have been 80 new death sentences so far this year, three more than in 2012 and down from 315 in 1996, the group said.
The 39 executions were carried out in nine states. Texas had the most, 16, followed by Florida, which had seven. Oklahoma had six, Ohio three, Arizona and Missouri two each, and Alabama, Georgia and Virginia, one each.
Texas, the leader in executions, illustrates the downward trend. It recorded 48 death sentences in 1999. This year, it was nine, marking the sixth year in a row that Texas had less than 10 death sentences.
Maryland abolished the death penalty this year, the 18th state to do so and the sixth in the last six years.
"I think the decline begins with the revelations about mistakes in capital cases – that innocent people could get the penalty and almost be executed has shocked the public to the point where death sentences are harder to obtain," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the center.
"There's a healthy skepticism about imposing a death sentence knowing that new information is almost certain to arise 10 or more years later," Dieter added. "Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty less, juries are imposing it less and ultimately executions are occurring less frequently."
One explanation for the relatively low level of executions is that many drugs used in lethal injections are manufactured in Europe, where some governments opposing capital punishment have banned exporting drugs for executions.
Leading up to Maryland's decision to abolish capital punishment was the discovery that authorities had convicted and sentenced to death the wrong man in the assault and murder of a 9-year-old girl in Baltimore County. DNA testing not only excluded Kirk Bloodsworth as the killer, but identified the actual perpetrator who is now in prison. Bloodsworth was with the Maryland governor when the measure abolishing the state's death penalty was signed into law. Bloodsworth was the first man exonerated from death row by DNA evidence.
In April of this year, the number of people on death row declined to 3,108 inmates, compared to 3,170 at the same time last year. The death row population has decreased each year since 2001. In 2000, 3,670 inmates were awaiting execution.


text:
Raynol Wilson: Teen remembered at candlelight vigil after being shot dead
Family insists shooter must have been targeting someone else
A Fort Pierce community is rallying together after a teenager was shot dead over the weekend.
Raynol Wilson, 16, was killed Sunday night just moments after he walked out the front door of his home.
ALSO: Florida's Most-Armed Counties
His mother, Tycie Wilson, said that just after he walked out of the house, she heard what she thought were fireworks, until her nephew ran in and told her Raynol had just been shot.
"I come around the corner and see my baby laying on the ground," Wilson said. "And I couldn't take it. And I was there when my baby breathed his last breath."
Monday night, loved ones gathered at a candlelight vigil to remember the happy teenager who kept everyone in good spirits.
"He loved everyone," Wilson said. "He kept everyone laughing."
Added Raynol Wilson's aunt, Martha Wilson: "He was a loveable, caring person and we all going to miss him."
The victim's cousin, Kiaonza Robinson, said she's devastated.
"They took my cousin away from me and they really broke my heart," she said. "Nobody can heal my heart."
The family said they can't explain why Raynol was shot, insisting that whomever shot him must have thought he was someone else.
"Whoever did this, they need to say something," Tycie Wilson said. "Because they didn't need to do this to my baby."
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call police.
Follow Ari Hait on Twitter at @wpbf_ari.


text:
Burrows named chair of MCC Council of Presidents
Sister Joanne Burrows, president of Clarke University, was recently named Chair of the Midwest Collegiate Conference's Council of Presidents and MCC Representative to the NAIA's COP.
The COP is the executive body of the conference with all budgetary, membership and policy decisions resting with that group. The group is also the final authority on all disciplinary matters.
"I am pleased and honored to be named chair of the MCC Council of Presidents, as well as represent the MCC on the NAIA Council of Presidents," Burrows said. "Athletics is an important aspect of the higher education landscape, and I look forward to a leadership role in the MCC and NAIA, organizations that share the values of Clarke University."
Burrows, SC, Ph.D. became the 15th president of Clarke on July 1, 2006. In addition to her work on campus, Burrows is a highly respected leader in the Dubuque area and in the higher education community. She is on the Board of Directors of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, of which she is past chair. She serves on the Board of Directors of Opening Doors, a nonprofit organization providing transitional house for women and children.
Burrows is very involved as a professional in the field of higher education. She is a trustee for the College of Mount St. Joseph, as well as a trustee for the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accrediting agency for the North Central 19-state region. She is also a board member for the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Iowa College Foundation, the President's Committee of the Midwest Collegiate Conference chair, and Iowa Campus Compact, of which she is also chair.


text:
Barton dive ext. camera on sub ; #15
- 2005.002.01.006
- Item
- [ca. 1980]
Part of MacInnis AudioVisual Collection
Recorded in the Atlantic Ocean from Harbor Branch Oceanographic. Otis Barton joins the Johnson Sea Link Sub Crew for a commemorative dive. Barton was a pioneer underwater explorer and the designer of the bathysphere (1930). This recording is one of four that documents the conversation between Barton and the other diver during the dive. The view is solely of inside the submersible and of the two men. The bathysphere was designed by underwater explorers Otis Barton and William Beebee and took its first plunge in 1930. A bathysphere consists of a steel sphere with small circular windows of fused quartz. Inside it are the required oxygen tanks. During dives, these vessels were lowered into the water with cables and chains. During its first year, the bathysphere design could already dive to depths of 1,426 feet, two years later breaking records at 3,028 feet. Many discoveries about the deep sea were made from the confines of these vessels.
MacInnis, Joseph B.


text:
Flora MacDonald's Monument, Kilmuir, Skye
Active selection in cart:
|Flora MacDonald's Monument, Kilmuir, Skye. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 27 January 1872.
|English School (19th century)
|Artwork medium
|Look and Learn
stock images
by keyword
|Flora Macdonald's Monument Kilmuir Skye Jacobite Risings Monuments Memorials Graves Scotland Isle of Skye
|Stock image ref
|Sizes available
|Hi-res: 5,240 x 4,229 pixels
Lo-res: 1,113 x 898 pixels
Buy this stock image
Available worldwide for immediate download up to 5,240 x 4,229 pixels. This image may be licensed for any specified use.
- Log in or Register (in 30 seconds)
- image(s)
- Click on Go to cart
- Choose intended use or request a quote
- Confirm terms & conditions
- Pay by card, PayPal or bank transfer
Buy products
You can buy personalised gifts, including t-shirts, tote bags and mousemats, featuring this image from our print partner, Zazzle:
Can we help?
Look and Learn is one of the world's leading sources of historical and cultural images for personal and commercial use. Feel free to contact us with any questions or requests.


text:
Fiscal cliff deal brings some relief to California
The deal to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff in Washington will bring a reprieve to California's slowly rebounding economy, but uncertainty remains in part because Congress delayed action on federal spending cuts.
H.D. Palmer, Gov. Jerry Brown's finance spokesman, said Wednesday the agreement helps California avoid sliding back into recession. But economic forecasters say a two-month delay on the so-called sequestration cuts could lead businesses to delay hiring or investments.
One immediate benefit of the New Year's agreement is that about 400,000 jobless Californians will continue receiving extensions of unemployment benefits.
The deal brought a smaller hit to most people's pocketbooks. A 2 percent Social Security payroll tax holiday was allowed to expire, but most taxpayers will not see their federal income taxes increase.


text:
Have questions? Contact our Sympathy Store Advisors anytime at 1-888-932-7658
You'll pay nothing if unauthorized charges are made to your credit card as a result of shopping at The Sympathy Store.
All information is encrypted and transmitted without risk using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.
Earliest Delivery if Ordered Now : Today
Shop with ease by delivering your gift to our funeral home.
Learn More
Shop with ease by having your gift delivered to our funeral home. When you select this option, our system will automatically input our delivery address for you.
Add a custom Ribbon for your flowers, such as "Beloved Dad", "Dear Friend".
You don't have to follow the yellow brick road to find this emerald jewel. All kinds of gorgeous greens fill this 8" basket that makes a perfect sympathy gift. So beautiful and bountiful it will deliver your condolences eloquently.
• Pothos, nephthytis, dieffenbachia, croton and peperomia plants are perfectly arranged in a distinctive willow rope basket.
• This sympathy basket will be hand designed and delivered by a local florist.
• An appropriate gift from a family member, friend, or business associate.
• Can be sent directly to the funeral home or to the family's residence.
• This basket measures approximately 17 1/2" W X 17 1/4" H.
Arrangement measurements:
Your post is being reviewed by our team and will be available as soon as it is approved.
All Customer Reviews
from -
The basket was very nice ! Appreciate your help.
The family I sent this to loved it.
I didn't get to actually see the plant, but from what I've heard the recipient really like it, and appreciated it.
I had flowers delivered to our family out of state for a funeral. A family member sent me a picture of the arrangement that was ordered and delivered, since I was unable to attend funeral. The arrangement was beautiful.
The plant was a very appropriate choice for a funeral. Fresh and a long lasting gift too which is nice.
*Required Information
When finished click the "Save" button.
That's ok, we know how hard is to express your feelings at this moment.
We will help you. Simply click on a suggested message below.
Prefer to order by Phone? Our Sympathy Advisors are happy to help!
Call 24 hours a day – 365 days a year. 888-932-7658 or Email our Customer Loyalty Team
© 2023 The Sympathy Store. All Rights Reserved.


text:
© Josh Sager – August 2015
Apparently, the US government is not done making an example of whistleblower Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning. Today, Manning's lawyers revealed that their client is facing numerous "disciplinary" infractions and a hearing on Tuesday will decide whether she is sent to solitary confinement, possibly for the duration of her sentence.
Remembering Manning's "Crime"
Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison in August of 2013 after being convicted of 20 different charges related to her leaking of classified information. Her leaks blew the whistle on a variety of bad acts committed by the military during the Iraq and Afghanistan war, including an incident where American soldiers opened fire on unarmed journalists from a helicopter. Additionally, she exposed that the estimated "civilian casualty" numbers being publicized by the US government was intentionally falsified to conceal just how many non-combatants our military had killed.
Obviously, these leaks were extremely embarrassing for the government and they needed to make an example of Manning to make sure that potential whistleblower in the future were less likely to act. During the three years Manning spent in the brig awaiting trial, the military police held him in conditions that many called torture—they took away his clothing, prohibited him from exercising, kept him under constant supervision under bright lights, constantly moved him between cells, and denied him reading material. In fact, their treatment of Manning was so extreme that the UN special rapportour on torture formally accused the US government of torture and a military judge ruled that Manning was due 112 days off of his sentence because the military held him in illegal conditions.
Manning's 35 year sentence is unbelievably harsh, even if we discount the fact that Manning performed a service to our nation and exposed illegal activities. Just to put this into perspective, Willian Colton Millay was caught trying to sell American anti-IED schematics to the Russians (making it possible for them to create countermeasures) and only got 16 years in prison.
The Persecution Continues
After she was sentenced, it was assumed that the worst had happened and that the government would let Manning serve his draconian sentence in peace. Unfortunately, this doesn't appear to be the case. Chelsea Manning is currently facing "indefinite solitary confinement" for numerous infractions and disciplinary violations while incarcerated and may be moved to solitary as soon as next Tuesday.
These is what the average solitary cell looks like—imagine spending 23hrs a day here for 35 years.
Specifically, Manning is accused of "medicine misuse," "disorderly conduct," "disrespecting a prison officer," and "possession of prohibited property." While all of these charges SOUND serious, even a cursory exploration of the facts exposes them as nonsensical and an excuse to further punish Manning.
- The "medicine misuse" charge is in response to Manning possessing a tube of anti-cavity toothpaste that had expired. This is simply absurd, as this charge typically applies to an inmate who stockpiles and either trades or abuses medications.
- The "disorderly conduct" charge stemmed from an incident where Manning swept food from a table in the mess hall onto the floor.
- The "prohibited property" that Manning is being charged for possessing is several pieces of reading material, including the Senate Torture Report and a copy of the Caitlin Jenner Vanity Fair issue.
- The "disrespecting an officer" charge was filed when Manning requested a lawyer to represent her during the proceedings for the other "misconduct" charges.
These "disciplinary violations" are being absurdly blown out of proportion and the "disrespecting an officer" charge is just blatantly illegal (even inmates have the right to an attorney). There are really only two possible explanations for these charges, neither of which is in line with justice.
The first possibility is that the Fort Leavenworth guards are acting on their own volition and are targeting Chelsea Manning because they have a personal problem with him. This could either stem from his "crime" of embarrassing the government or from his sexual status (anti-trans bigotry is still common in the military).
The second, and more likely (given the cooperation of the administrators of the prison), possibility is that the government is trying to silence Manning even further by forcing him into a position that will keep him out of the public eye in the long term. If he is in solitary, he will not be able to talk to reporters and it will be difficult for him to participate in any movement towards greater transparency. Additionally, putting Manning in solitary for thirty years creates a very visible example for future whistleblowers that is a potent disincentive for them standing on their principles—after all, how unbelievably brave would you have to be to leak illegal actions that the government is engaged in if you know that it will retaliate by putting you into an 8×10 cell and segregating you from all human contact until you go insane.
Regardless of the root motives for these trumped up charges, the American public must pay attention to this situation. Chelsea Manning performed a service to our nation by exposing the truths about what military was doing in the Middle East and we owe her a debt for this. Even if we cannot secure her release from prison, we cannot stand silent while the military, or a bunch of bigoted prison officials, condemns Manning to a life of torture.
Please share this article and tell others about this situation. If you want to make your opinions on this subject known to the Fort Leavenworth administration itself, you can call the general brig contact number: (913) 758-3646 or send a letter to the following address:
Directorate of Inmate Administration
1301 N Warehouse Rd
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027


text:
RSS feed
Our main website …
Recent Posts
Independent bookshops
Presses we like
Sites we like
- Alan Richardson
- Basil & Martha King
- Chris Hill
- Daniel Staniforth
- Darryl Sloan
- Dee Sunshine
- Denise Sallee
- Diana Durham
- Elizabeth Guerra
- Gareth Knight
- Garry Craig Powell
- Gordon Strong
- Hugh Fox
- Iain Sinclair
- Janet Farrar
- John Matthews
- Kevan Manwaring
- Kirk Marshall
- Margaret Randall
- Martin Anderson
- Michael Howard
- Mike Harris
- Nick Farrell
- Patrick Harpur
- Peregrin Wildoak
- Pierre Joris
- Richard Froude
- Rikki Ducornet
- Rupert Copping
- Skylight Press
- Steve Blamires
- Wendy Berg
- William G. Gray
Tag Archives: Mstislav Rostropovich
My Ongoing Obsession with the Bach Cello Suites
At the tail end of 2014 I came across a book I had been previously been unaware of at a library liquidation sale and bought it for less than the price of a cup of coffee. That the book aroused … Continue reading
Posted in British History, Essays, Music, Recommended reads, Reviews Tagged alchemy, Anner Bylsma, Bach, Bach Cello Suites, Baroque, Catalan, cello, Cello Suites, classical music, Composer, Compositions, double bass, Elgar, Eric Siblin, German Composer, German Music, guitar, Heinrich Schiff, Hungary, J.S. Bach, jacqueline du pre, János Starker, Mischa Maisky, Mstislav Rostropovich, music, Nature, Pablo Casals, Paolo Pandolfo, Paul Tortelier, Pierre Fournier, Pieter Wispelwey, Ralph Kirshbaum, Shakespeare, Spain, Steven Isserlis, Suites for solo cello, The Cello Suites, Truls Mork, viola, Viola da Gamba, xylophone, Yo Yo Ma 4 Comments


text:
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, October 20, 1912:
November brings us many things
And among them is Thanksgiving
The first of the snow
The winds that blow
And all that makes life worthwhile.
We organized a Literary Society at school this afternoon. I am one of the committee. Just what I wanted to be.
Her middle-aged granddaughter's comments 100 years later:
Assuming that Grandma wrote the poem—and didn't copy it from somewhere—it's amazing how enthusiastic she was about November. It seemed like she was feeling down in several October diary entries. I hope that November proves to be a better month.
Was the Literary Society like a modern book club? Was it a school club . . . or did a group of friends organize it? Did both males and females belong. . . or was it a girl's only club?
I'm glad Grandma got the position she hoped to get. Committee member sounds like a worker bee position. Did the committee members help select books to read? . . bring desserts? . . . clean up after the meetings?


text:
Message Board
Paul Ferriss Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Ferriss has written!
Author Ferriss's Book Reviews
Never Too Fast: The Paul Tracy Story
Paul Tracy is a Canadian race car driver, currently driving in the CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) circuit. The book touches on his early years, however, the majority of the book covers his CART career. Paul's aggressive driving style has resulted in heated discussions with other drivers, penalties and some criticism. However, even his critics admit that success as a race car driver requires determination, aggressiveness and speed -- all of whic...


text:
We don't have any last minute holidays left in Cyprus right now. Want to see some other options?
Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. To find out more, please read our Cookie Notice. Close
Looking for last minute holidays to Cyprus? You're on the right page – these trips jet off in the next few weeks.
Last minute trips
If you're after a quick escape, our last minute holidays to Cyprus are ideal. Not only are they fantastic value, but they all fly off in the next few weeks, so it won't be long until you're in the sunshine.
Take your pick
One of the best parts about our last minute holidays to Cyprus is the flexibility. We've got a wide range of properties, from fully serviced hotels to tucked-away apartments. Some are great for couples, while others are just right for those travelling with children. So you can pick one which suits you to a T.
Out and about
Once you're out there, you're likely to have a tick-list of sights to explore right on your doorstep. Plus, sunshine is pretty much guaranteed, so you can fill your suitcase with sun cream and swimwear.
Find out more
You can narrow down your choice of last minute holidays to Cyprus by having a look through our guides – they've got lots of info about the best things to see and do in these parts. And once you're ready to book, you can use the boxes on the left of the screen.
We don't have any last minute holidays left in Cyprus right now. Want to see some other options?
See what other holiday types we've got in this area.
Take a look at some similar getaways.
Our top deals tailored to you, straight to your inbox Sign up for offers
The Department of Foreign Affairs has up-to-date advice for Irish citizens on staying safe and healthy abroad.
For more on security, local laws, health, passport and visa information see www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice and follow @dfatravelwise
Northern Ireland citizens should refer to www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
More information is available by checking https://www.tuiholidays.ie/f/info/travel-aware
Keep informed of current travel health news by visiting www.hse.ie/eng/health/az
The advice can change so check regularly for updates.
We're part of TUI Group - one of the world's leading travel companies. And all of our holidays are designed to help you Discover Your Smile.
Registered address: Company Reg. No: 116977, One Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Holiday Types
Popular Destinations
Short/Mid haul