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BEIRUT — Syrian rebels, including Sunni extremists, stormed a village and battled pro-regime militiamen, killing more than 60 Shiite fighters and civilians in an attack steeped in the sectarian hatreds that increasingly characterize the civil war, activists said Wednesday.
In the raid, which comes at a time when the West is worried that extremists are increasingly joining the rebellion, the victorious fighters raised black Sunni Islamist flags over the eastern village of Hatla. In amateur videos, the fighters — some wearing al-Qaida-style headbands — vented anti-Shiite slurs and fired in the air.
"The homes of the infidel Shiites were burned," the voice behind the camera in one video shouted as smoke rose in the background from several houses.
In another video, the fighters pulled blankets off corpses to show them off, one with a wound to the head. A gunman talking to the camera gloated, saying, "This is your end, dogs." The videos appeared genuine and conformed with other Associated Press reporting on the events depicted.
The attack Tuesday on Hatla, in Syria's Deir el-Zour region near Iraq, underlined the increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict.
The regime called it a "massacre," and some opposition members expressed concern about the nature of the attack. The U.S. and other Western nations have been hesitant to arm the outgunned and outmanned rebels because of Sunni jihadi radicals among their ranks.
State Department spokesman Jen Psaki said the U.S. was "appalled by reports that rebels have killed 60 Shia in Hatla village."
"The motivations and circumstances surrounding this massacre remain unclear, but the United States strongly condemns any and all attacks against civilians," Psaki said.
The uprising began more than two years ago with peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad but later grew into a civil war that has killed more than 80,000 people.
Most of the armed rebels in Syria are from the country's Sunni majority, while Assad has retained core support among the minorities, including his own Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, along with Christians and Shiites.
In the past year, sectarian bitterness has grown in the conflict. Each sect has been accused of massacres against the other, and Sunni and Shiite fighters from other countries have increasingly joined the battle.
But the sense of the fight being a battle between faiths was taken up a notch after Shiite guerrillas from Lebanon's Hezbollah helped Assad's forces take the rebel stronghold of Qusair last week. Some fighters in Hatla can be heard in the video calling the attack "the first revenge for Qusair."
An activist based in Deir el-Zour said the rebel attack was in retaliation for an attack Monday by Shiites from Hatla that killed four rebels.
The town is home to several thousand people, about 30 percent of them Shiites, and was considered a pro-regime community in the Euphrates River valley, where rebels — including the al-Qaida-linked group Jabhat el-Nusra — have taken over much of the territory.
Rebels launched a counterattack Tuesday, said the activist, Thaer al-Deiry, who identified himself only by his nickname for fear of government retaliation, via Skype. He said some 150 Shiites from the village fled across the Euphrates to the government-held village of Jafra.
Activists said many of the dead were pro-government militiamen who had earlier attacked the rebel bases. But there were also many civilians killed in the raid, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based anti-Assad group that has a large network of activists.
"These atrocities were carried out on a sectarian basis," the Observatory said, adding that it was difficult to discern the fighters from the civilian casualties. The group posted two videos from the scene.
More people were believed killed in the fighting, including many children and civilians, according to an opposition figure who was informed of details of the attack. A Shiite mosque in the village was also set on fire, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he feared retaliation.
The Observatory said thousands of rebels took part in the attack, and at least 10 were killed. A Facebook page of Islamist activists in Deir el-Zour province said Jabhat el-Nusra and rebel fighters from the Free Syrian Army, the main rebel umbrella group, were involved. There was no immediate confirmation from the group, which includes many non-Syrian jihadists.
In the videos, Sunni extremists among the fighters were seen moving through streets that appeared vacant, cheering and insulting Shiites, whom they consider infidels and a breakaway sect from Islam.
"The flag of 'There is no god but God' was raised over the homes of the infidel Shiites," a voice rang out, referring to the black banners used by jihadists around the region, as others fired in the air in celebration. "The mujahedeen are celebrating entering the homes of the rejectionists," a reference to Shiites.
One fighter then addresses the camera, accusing Shiites in the Gulf state of Kuwait of financing the Shiite fighters from the village.
"People of Kuwait, Sunni people of Kuwait, you will be held responsible if you don't kill the Shiites in your country," the fighter, with a black al-Qaida type headband, said, explaining that signs of Shiite Kuwaiti funds were found in the village. "Help your religion, not necessarily the Syrian people."
In a video of a Sunni Kuwaiti cleric, Shafi al-Ajmi, hails the fall of Hatla and promises that other Shiite villages in the northern province of Aleppo will follow.
"Today we took Hatla village and we slaughtered its religious leader," he tells a cheering crowd that raised banners calling for the expulsion of the Lebanese ambassador. He was apparently speaking in Kuwait. "Like you slaughtered our women and children in Qusair, we slaughtered one of your symbols ... and his son."
A pro-Hezbollah Facebook page said the Shiite cleric was missing.
Each side has been accused of mass killings. Last month, Alawite fighters were blamed for killing dozens of civilians in two Sunni towns in western Syria, part of what rebels call an attempt by Alawites to clear their coastal heartland of Sunni communities. In the videos from Hatla, some fighters also refer to the attack as revenge from those two Sunni towns.
Radwan Ziadeh, a leading Syrian opposition figure in exile, described the attack on Hatla as a "dangerous development" triggered by Hezbollah's intervention in Syria.
"It also shows that the revolution is taking a sectarian angle. This will have effects on the long-term not only in Syria but also in Lebanon. There are dangers that that the fanatics from both sides, Shiite and Sunni will have the upper hand," Ziadeh said.
In the latest instance of Syria's violence spilling over its borders, a Syrian government helicopter fired at least two missiles at the border town of Arsal in Lebanon, officials and residents said.
The town is predominantly Sunni Muslim, and support for the Syrian rebels runs high. Scores of rebels and civilians who fled from Qusair have taken refuge there. Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman said the rockets were a "violation of Lebanon's sovereignty."
A statement issued by the Syrian military said Syria "respects Lebanese sovereignty," adding that a Syrian army helicopter was chasing armed groups some of whom fled to Lebanese territory.
Building on its victory in Qusair, the Syrian military has shifted its attention to try to clear rebel-held areas in the province of Homs, a linchpin area linking Damascus with regime strongholds on the Mediterranean coast, and the northern city of Aleppo.
On Wednesday, the Observatory reported heavy clashes in the center of Homs city, mostly in the neighborhood of Wadi Sayeh. The fighting appeared to be an attempt by government forces to separate two main rebel-held areas in the city, Khaldiyeh and the city center.
The state-run news agency SANA said troops killed several gunmen in the town of Talbiseh north of Homs.
The Observatory reported fighting and shelling in the northern Damascus neighborhood of Barzeh, which has witnessed clashes between troops and rebels over the past weeks. It said there were casualties without giving figures.
-- Sarah El Deeb, Associated Press


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This gallery contains 13 photos.
Most of us associate Patagonia with the rugged, southernmost tip of America and/or with a brand of colorful, high-tech, high quality (and somewhat high priced) outdoor clothes one would wear to explore that place. And most of us have at least a feeling … Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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If The Bachelor villainess Courtney Robertson's goal is solely to get famous and not to fall in love with Bachelor Ben Flajnik, she is kinda succeeding. Courtney, the formerly unknown, continues to garner regular headlines in the tabs.
Last week, it was the story of how she dumped her boyfriend to go on the show, and this week, we've got her mom Sherry Robertson giving interviews to several gossip rags, proving that the lust for fame runs in the family.
She had some harsh words to say about Ben in one interview, pointing out that just doesn't fit her aesthetic standards: "She's too good for Ben. Ben's not hot enough. I would not pick him out of a crowd for my daughter. Physically, he's not as handsome as the guys Courtney dates. [Courtney has] dated some really good-looking men."
And who are those other handsome men Courtney has graced with her charming personality? There's actor Jesse Metcalf, and in an interview for Life & Style, a source alleges she he dated Jim Toth, actress Reese Witherspoon's current husband. In fact, the "friend" says she dated him right before he started dating Reese, which means she should be just as famous as Reese, right? They say, "Courtney dated Jim right before he started going out with Reese. They went on several dates."
That sounds like a totally serious relationship. It turns out Jim wanted to settle down and Courtney wasn't down with that, "Jim made it very clear he was done dating around and was ready for marriage and a family — he was 38 and ready to settle down. Courtney felt the opposite, and they stopped seeing each other. Jim started dating Reese — and knew he'd found the one."
It looks like Courtney isn't looking for a relationship, as she is a ticket to fame. Jim Toth, after all, is a very big agent in Hollywood, and had she played her cards right, she could have made some serious connections. But, she may have been too transparent in her true motivations. In the Life & Style piece, Sherry agrees that her daughter is not looking to be wifed up: "I've never felt she was really looking for a permanent relationship and marriage. She's been out with a few very successful, good-looking men!"
In the meantime, on the show, Ben continues to look for his
next girlfriend / fiancee of 15 minutes, eternal love. He blogged about his now infamous skinny-dipping scene with Courtney, saying he'd be dumb to turn her down:
"I won't spend a ton of time on the skinny-dipping, because I feel like I've talked about it so much in the press! What I will say is that I try to focus on all these relationships singularly. It's odd to date more than one woman and in order to do so, you have to try to treat each one individually. If I were in Puerto Rico with a beautiful woman I was dating and she wanted to skinny dip, I would be a fool to decline. I treated this situation the same way."
"I will admit that at the time I wasn't thinking of the other women and how it would make them feel, and I'm sorry for that, but I can't blame Courtney for going out of her way to spend more time with me – that's why we are all here."
[Photos Credit: WENN]


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PARK CITY, UT January 24, 2011 – Fox Searchlight Pictures Presidents Nancy Utley and Stephen Gilula announced today that the company has acquired worldwide rights to the suspenseful drama MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE. Written and directed by Sean Durkin, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE stars Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes and Hugh Dancy. Maybach Cunningham and FilmHaven entertainment present a Borderline Films Production in association with This Is that. The film was produced by Josh Mond, Antonio Campos, Chris Maybach and Patrick Cunningham. Ted Hope, Matt Palmieri, Saerom Kim, Saemi Kim and Alexander Schepsman are executive producers with Andrew Corkin as co-producer. The film is scheduled to be released in 2011.
"We were all captivated by the compelling performances and the expert craftsmanship of Sean Durkin," said Gilula and Utley. "We are excited to bring this gripping drama to audiences everywhere."
"Sean Durkin has crafted a riveting first feature," said Claudia Lewis, President of Production. "We are thrilled to be working with a director who has such an original voice. We hope to make many more films with Borderline Films, this exceptional team of young filmmakers."
"Josh, Antonio and I have had such an incredible experience at Sundance this year," said Durkin. "We are excited to be working with Searchlight, a company that has consistently embraced new voices and unique storytelling."
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE stars Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a damaged woman haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, who struggles to reassimilate with her family after fleeing a cult.
The deal was brokered by Fox Searchlight's Executive Vice President of Worldwide Acquisitions Tony Safford, Senior Vice President of Business Affairs Megan O'Brien, Vice President of Acquisitions Ray Strache and Richard Klubeck, Rena Ronson and David Flynn of UTA's Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Borderline is managed by Melissa Breaux of Washington Square Arts.
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Nooh (peace be upon him)
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah chose Messengers and Prophets from among the sons of Adam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah chose Adam, Nooh (Noah). the family of Ibraaheem (Abraham) and the family of 'Imraan above the 'Aalameen (mankind and jinn) (of their times)." [Aal 'Imraan 3:33]
Allaah sent Nooh to his people to call them to worship Allaah alone:
"Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: 'O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah.) Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!'"
[al-A'raaf 7:59 – interpretation of the meaning]
The people of Nooh used to worship idols, so they transgressed, rebelled and were arrogant:
"And they have said: 'You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwaa', nor Yaghooth, nor Ya'ooq nor Nasr' (these are the names of their idols)." [Nooh :23 – interpretation of the meaning]
Nooh called his people, and he remained among them for one thousand years less fifty (i.e., 950 years), calling them to worship Allaah alone and to give up idol-worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people, and he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty years."[al-'Ankaboot 29:14]
But the people of Nooh did not respond to him and they did not benefit from his advice. Rather their nobles denied his Prophethood and accused him of lying, and they said that his followers were from among the poor and weak who had little understanding. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said: 'We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars'"[Hood 11:27]
Nooh continued to call his people, treating them kindly and calling them on every occasion, night and day, in secret and openly, but no one believed with him except for a few. Most of them disbelieved in him and mocked him; they accused him of insanity and tried to stop him from conveying the message of his Lord. They threatened to stone him if he did not stop:
"They said: 'If you cease not, O Nooh (Noah). you will surely be among those stoned (to death)'" [al-Shu'ara 26:116]
But Nooh paid no heed to their threat, and he continued to call them until, when he could no longer bear their mockery and arrogance, he turned to his Lord with this complaint (interpretation of the meaning):
"He said: 'O my Lord! Verily, I have called my people night and day (i.e. secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic Monotheism),
But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight (from the truth).
And verily, every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride.
Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud).
Then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private.
I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;
He will send rain to you in abundance,
And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.' "[Nooh 71:5-12]
When Nooh despaired of his people's ever believing, and they threatened to kill him and they persecuted him and those who believed with him, he had no choice but to pray against them. He said:
"My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth!
If You leave them, they will mislead Your slaves, and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers" [Nooh 71:26-27]
Allaah responded to the prayer of Nooh and destroyed the people of Nooh by drowning them. He commanded him to build a ship of salvation so that he and the believers could ride in it:
"And it was revealed to Nooh (Noah): 'None of your people will believe except those who have believed already. So be not sad because of what they used to do.
And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Revelation, and call not upon Me on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned'"[Hood 11:36-37 – interpretation of the meaning]
When Nooh (peace be upon him) had finished building the ship, and the signs of the beginning of the punishment appeared, with water springing up from the ground and water falling from the sky, Allaah commanded Nooh to take onto the ship one pair, male and female, of every living creature and animal, so that they might continue to survive. He also commanded him to take with him his family, except for those among them who disbelieved – who were one of his wives and one of his sons. And Allaah also commanded him to take with him those who believed, who were few in number. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"(So it was) till when Our Command came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: 'Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family — except him against whom the Word has already gone forth — and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.'
And he [Nooh (Noah)] said: 'Embark therein: in the Name of Allaah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'
So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst waves like mountains, and Nooh (Noah) called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart): 'O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.'
The son replied: 'I will betake myself to some mountain, it will save me from the water.' Nooh (Noah) said: 'This day there is no saviour from the Decree of Allaah except him on whom He has mercy.' And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned"[Hood 11:40-43]
Then Nooh was seized with compassion for his son, so he asked his Lord to save him from destruction:
"And Nooh (Noah) called upon his Lord and said, 'O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges.'
He said: 'O Nooh (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you should be one of the ignorant'" [Hood 11:45-46 – interpretation of the meaning]
When Allaah had destroyed the kuffaar by drowning, He commanded the earth to swallow up the water and He commanded the sky to withhold its rain. Then the ship came to rest on Mount Joodi in Mosul. The matter was settled and the wrongdoers were destroyed:
"And it was said: 'O earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).' And the water was made to subside and the Decree (of Allaah) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction of the people of Nooh (Noah). And it (the ship) rested on (Mount) Judi, and it was said: 'Away with the people who are Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoing)!'"
[Hood 11:44 – interpretation of the meaning]
After the ship had come to rest, Allaah commanded Nooh and those who were with him to disembark, encompassed with peace and blessings:
"It was said: 'O Nooh (Noah)! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you (and on some of their offspring), but (there will be other) people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us'"
[Hood 11:48 – interpretation of the meaning]
Thus Allaah helped Nooh and those who believed with him, and He destroyed those who disbelieved, and made them a lesson for mankind:
"And (remember) Nooh (Noah), when he cried (to Us) aforetime. We answered to his invocation and saved him and his family from the great distress.
We helped him against the people who denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). Verily, they were a people given to evil. So We drowned them all"
[al-Anbiyaa' 21:76-77 – interpretation of the meaning]
Then Allaah ordained Prophethood and the Book among the descendents of Nooh and Ibraaheem (peace be upon them), as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) and Ibraaheem (Abraham), and placed in their offspring Prophethood and Scripture. And among them there are some who are guided; but many of them are Fasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)"
[al-Hadeed 57:26]


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The life of a jailbroken second-gen Apple TV just keeps getting better. First there was weather. OK! But soon, thanks to a software suite called aTV Flash, your ATV will be able to browse the web and play Last.fm radio.
Fire Core's hoping to roll out the beta for aTV Flash within the next two weeks, and as these videos show, it'll mark a nice step forward for less-than-official second-gen Apple TV functionality. Couch Surfer Pro, the suite's web browser, seems to be running pretty smoothly already (with a nice big cursor for laid-back-in-the-couch viewing), and the team is working on ironing out support for a few more plugins before the release.
The first beta will aslo have a nice Last.fm radio player, complete with animated slideshows.
Fire Core says that their third major goal, support for additional video codecs, is coming along more slowly but steadily nonetheless:
Not surprisingly this has turned out to be no trivial task - because of this we've teamed up with a few outside developers to move things along a bit more quickly. We'll have more info as things progress but unfortunately this probably won't make it into the initial beta version. The end goal however remains the same - robust support for non-itunes media (including DVD files).
Between projects like these and the somewhat surprisingly wide swath of video that can be streamed from iOS devices via AirPlay, the $99 AppleTV is looking like a more versatile big screen companion than ever. [Fire Core via 9 to 5 Mac]


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cryolite or kryoliteboth: krī´əlīt˝ [key] [Gr.,=frost stone], mineral usually pure white or colorless but sometimes tinted in shades of pink, brown, or even black and having a luster like that of wax. Chemically, it is a double fluoride of sodium and aluminum, Na3AlF6. Its principal use is as a flux in the smelting of aluminum. It is used also as a source of soda, aluminum salts, fluorides, and hydrofluoric acid (by the action of sulfuric acid). It was discovered in Greenland in 1794 and occurs almost nowhere else. Cryolite has been produced synthetically.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Mineralogy and Crystallography


text:
|Keep It Simple, Stupid
comment on
|( #3333=superdoc: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
Sorry - re-reading it, I realized that I accidently inserted html tags that are not showing up.
I found the Greedy section to be quite confusing. First of all, I think you probably have a couple slash-s'es in your html that is causing it to not print and makes the last couple paragraphs very difficult to understand and read.
Also, I'm still confused about why there is a match at all in the first example. Why doesn't the engine continue backwards past the whitespace and look for a <\/tag> string?
Finally, why does the last example (still in the Greedy section) work? If, when creating the example string, I carraige return after the <\/tag>, there shouldn't be a whitespace to match on, right?
Finally, finally, thanks for putting this together... it's really speeding my ramp along...
In reply to Re: Re: Common Regex Gotchas
by Anonymous Monk


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NEW YORK- Internet freedom activist Aaron Swartz, who was found dead in his New York apartment Friday, struggled for years against a legal system that he felt had not caught up to the information age.
Federal prosecutors had tried unsuccessfully to mount a case against him for publishing reams of court documents that normally cost a fee to download. He helped lead the campaign to defeat a law that would have made it easier to shut down websites accused of violating copyright protections.
In the end, Swartz's family said, that same system helped cause his death by branding as a felon a talented young activist who was more interested in spreading academic information than in the fraud federal prosecutors had charged him with.
The death by suicide of Swartz, 26, was "the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach," his family said in a statement Saturday. Swartz's trial was set to begin in April, with an early hearing scheduled for later this month.
Federal prosecutors in Boston on Monday dismissed the charges against Swartz, including wire fraud and computer fraud. The brief notice says the case is being dismissed because of his death. Such filings are routine when a defendant dies before trial.
Swartz was only the latest face of a decades-old movement in the computer science world to push more information into the public domain. His case highlights society's uncertain, evolving view of how to treat people who break into computer systems and share data not to enrich themselves, but to make it available to others.
"There's a battle going on right now, a battle to define everything that happens on the Internet in terms of traditional things that the law understands," Swartz said in a 2012 speech about his role in defeating the Internet copyright law known as SOPA. Under the law, he said, "new technology, instead of bringing us greater freedom, would have snuffed out fundamental rights we'd always taken for granted."
Swartz faced years in prison after federal prosecutors alleged that he illegally gained access to millions of academic articles through the academic database JSTOR. He allegedly hid a computer in a computer utility closet at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and downloaded the articles before being caught by campus and local police in 2011.
"The government used the same laws intended to go after digital bank robbers to go after this 26-year-old genius," said Chris Soghoian, a technologist and policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union's speech, privacy and technology project.
Existing laws don't recognize the distinction between two types of computer crimes, Soghoian said: Malicious crimes committed for profit, such as the large-scale theft of bank data or corporate secrets; and cases where hackers break into systems to prove their skillfulness or spread information that they think should be available to the public.
Swartz was an early advocate of freer access to data. He helped create Creative Commons, a system used by Wikipedia and others to encourage information sharing by helping people to set limits about how their work can be shared. He also helped create the website Reddit and RSS, the technology behind blogs, podcasts and other web-based subscription services.
That work put Swartz at the forefront of a vocal, influential community in the computer science field that believes advocates like him should be protected from the full force of laws used to prosecute thieves and gangsters, said Kelly Caine, a professor at Clemson University who studies people's attitudes toward technology and privacy.
"He was doing this not to hurt anybody, not for personal gain, but because he believed that information should be free and open, and he felt it would help a lot of people," she said.
Plenty of people and companies hold an opposing view: That data theft is as harmful as theft of physical property and should always carry the same punishment, said Theodore Claypoole, an attorney who has been involved with Internet and data issues for 25 years and often represent big companies
"There are commercial reasons, and military and governmental reasons" why prosecutors feel they need tools to go after hackers, Claypoole said. He said Swartz's case raises the question of, "Where is the line? What is too much protection for moneyed interests and the holders of intellectual property?"
Elliot Peters, Swartz's attorney, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the case "was horribly overblown" because JSTOR itself believed that Swartz had "the right" to download from the site. Swartz was not formally affiliated with MIT, but was a fellow at nearby Harvard University. MIT maintains an open campus and open computer network, Peters said. He said that made Swartz's accessing the network legal.
JSTOR's attorney, Mary Jo White — formerly the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan — had called the lead Boston prosecutor in the case and asked him to drop it, said Peters, also a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who is now based in California.
Reached at home, the prosecutor, Stephen Heymann, referred all questions to the spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Boston, Christina Dilorio-Sterling. She did not immediately respond to an email and phone message seeking comment.
Swartz was charged with two sets of crimes: fraud, for downloading the articles illegally from JSTOR; and hacking into MIT's computer network without authorization, Peters said.
Peters said Swartz "obviously was not committing fraud" because "it was public research that should be freely available;" and that Swartz had the right to download from JSTOR, so he could not have gained unauthorized access.
As of Wednesday, the government took the position that any guilty plea by Swartz must include guilty pleas for all 13 charges and the possibility of jail time, Peters said. Otherwise the government would take the case to trial and seek a sentence of at least seven years.
JSTOR, one alleged victim, agreed with Peters that those terms were excessive, Peters said. JSTOR came over to Swartz's side after "he gave the stuff back to JSTOR, paid them to compensate for any inconveniences and apologized," Peters said.
MIT, the other party that Swartz allegedly wronged, was slower to react. The university eventually took a neutral stance on the prosecution, Peters said. But he said MIT got federal law enforcement authorities involved in the case early and began releasing information to them voluntarily, without being issued a subpoena that would have forced it to do so.
Swartz's father, Bob, is an intellectual property consultant to MIT's computer lab, Peters said. He said the elder Swartz was outraged by the university's handling of the matter, believing that it deviated from MIT's usual procedures.
In a statement emailed to the university community Sunday, MIT President L. Rafael Reif said he had appointed a professor to review the university's involvement in Swartz's case.
"Now is a time for everyone involved to reflect on their actions, and that includes all of us at MIT," Reif said in the letter.
Claypoole, the legal expert, said there will always be people like Swartz who believe in the free flow of information and are willing to "put their thumb in the eye of the powers that be."
"We've been fighting this battle for many years now and we're going to continue to fight it for a long time," he said.
For Swartz's family, the matter was clearer-cut, said Peters, his lawyer.
"Our consistent response was, this case should be resolved in a way that doesn't destroy Aaron's life and takes into account who he really is, and what he was doing."


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The United States Court of Appeals in New York City released its weekly calendar today which includes the case of John Parent v State of New York. This is a consolidated test case seeking to establish a privacy limit for parents and families subjected to abusive divorce, custody and support practices in state domestic relations courts. It is being argued by Dr. Leon R. Koziol, a parental advocate who spent more than 23 years in federal and state courts litigating civil rights cases on behalf of minorities, women and victims of government abuse.
It comes in the wake of the Founding Fathers March on Capitol Hill this past week and is set for Friday of Father's Day weekend. Whether the June 15th date means anything for long discriminated fathers is already the subject of widespread speculation. Regardless, civil rights activists across New York's metropolitan area are already organizing a rally at the Foley Square court in lower Manhattan. Although oral arguments are not scheduled, this is the date set to begin deliberations, and it affords Family Court victims an opportunity to express their support.
The plaintiff, John Parent, is not a real person. Like the case of Roe v Wade, it is a fictitious name allowed by a lower federal court on a sealed record to protect privacy interests. The name is also employed to represent the concerns of "parents similarly situated". In this manner, the high cost and complexities of a class action lawsuit were avoided. In short, you may be an interested party to this action, and your personal and financial support is crucial to its success. The lawsuit and appeals brief can be found on line at www.leonkoziol.com. Today's news was received with guarded optimism given the uphill battle. However, Dr. Koziol had this to say:
"Shared parenting and family retention are the final frontier of civil rights to be defended under the American Constitution. When parents raise their children, they exercise virtually every human right contemplated by that venerable document. And so, this is where I draw my line against further invasions of family privacy. I will not back down."
The case deals with a full range of parenting interests, including child alienation, attorney misconduct, oppressive collection practices and equal protection violations. A "separate but unequal" doctrine of custody laws is being challenged because it mandates superior and inferior classifications among separated paternal and maternal family units even when it harms parent-child relationships. Litigants are needlessly forced to fight over power and money awards which produce lucrative controversy for lawyers. Debtor prisons and other barbaric practices inflict greatest injury to minority fathers. The case is being defended by the U.S. Justice Department, New York Attorney General and law firms on behalf of named lawyers and municipalities.
See Complaint and Appeals Brief (Click Here)
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Hardwood Genomics Help
Welcome to the Hardwood Genomics Help Center!
Click on the tabs on the left to read documentation for different parts of the site.
This guide pertains to browsing and downloading different data types available on HWG. To learn more about the different tools hosted on HWG, read the Tools guide.
Organism Page
The organism hub is the most direct way to access data for a species of interest. Use the "Trees" dropdown to select the tree you are interested in, or, visit the list of organisms on HWG.
The resources available on an organism's page will vary depending on what is available. In the example below, Quercus lobata has a Reference Genome, JBrowse, Feature Search, and Analyses.
The Summary tab will display basic information about the page you are on. For a tree, this includes the scientific and common names, and a link to the NCBI Taxon entry for that species.
To download the entire genome assembly, or simply learn more about the assembly, click on the Reference Genome tab (or, Transcriptome Assembly for organisms lacking genomes) and follow the link to the genome analysis page. This page will have links to download the whole genome FASTA file and annotations.
In addition to offering data downloads, we provide a variety of tools for exploring and analyzing a genome. By clicking on the Jbrowse tab and the Go to Jbrowse button, you can manually explore the Jbrowse instance for a tree. Because there are often thousands of scaffolds for a given genome, it is often more helpful to use the Feature Search tool. The feature search tab will allow you to search the selected organism's set of mRNAs or mRNA contigs. You can search by name or annotations. In the below example, we search Q. lobata for kinase, and find 5,165 results. We can click the Download results as FASTA to download all features matching our search as a FASTA file.
You can also click on the feature name to go to that feature's page. The individual feature page has the Interpro and GO terms associated with that feature, its nucleotide and translated amino acid sequence, and the reference BLAST alignment.
The JBrowse tool on the feature page allows you to navigate directly to that feature in the organism's JBrowse instance.
Feature Page
Individual nucleotide and polypeptide sequences are found on the feature page. Features on HWG are either mRNA/polypeptide or mRNA_contig/polypeptide, corresponding to genomes and transcriptomes, respectively.
- The Summary pane includes information the feature type, name, and associated organism.
- The Relationship pane tells you what other features might relate to this one. Generally, a mRNA or mRNA contig has a polypeptide which derives it, and sometimes a gene which it is derived from.
- The Sequences pane has the nucleotide and polypeptide sequence associated with the mRNA or mRNA contig.
- The Homology pane has the BLAST annotations for a feature.
- The JBrowse pane will load that organism's JBrowse pointed at that feature.
The Annotation pane will show any GO, Interpro, or KEGG annotations available for that organism.
You can click on the links at the top of the Homology page to see the specific analyses used to generate these annotations. Clicking on the blast hit names will link out to the uniprot entry of a hit.
Analysis Page
The genomic data for every organism is linked to an analysis, which refers to a bioinformatic program or workflow. You can visit the page for an analysis to learn more about the specifics of how it was created.
- Resource Type - Analyses are group based on the general type of data they accept and produce. See below for the different analysis types on HWG.
- Name - The name of the analysis. This usually includes the name of the tree and the tool used.
- Program Pipeline & Version - These fields tell you more about the software used to generate the data. This should include the software name and its version.
- Date Performed - The date that the computational analysis was run. Data Source - The file that the analysis was performed on.
Transcriptome and Genomes might have an additional Description field with full information for the analysis, including data downloads and publications if applicable.
Analysis Types
There are many different analysis types, matching the different computational procedures used to generate different data sets. Hardwood Genomics currently has the following analysis types:
- InterProScan Annotation - Features were annotated using InterproScan.
- BLAST Annotation - Features were annotated using BLAST. mRNA or mRNA_contig sequences are searched against an abbreviated UniProt/Swiss-Prot and UniProt/TREMBL databases.
- Genome Assembly - The analysis resulting in a genome assembly. Input data is DNA and RNA. This typically includes read trimming, alignment, assembly, and annotation.
- Transcriptome Assembly - The analysis resulting in a transcriptome assembly given sequenced RNA. This typically includes read trimming, alignment, assembly, and annotation.
- Gene Expression Profile - An analysis where Biosamples had their RNA sequenced and quantified to estimate gene expression.
Account Creation
- Visit the registration page. You will need to provide a username, email, and password.
- If you visit the My Account page, you'll see information about your account.
Creating an account allows you to create and store data collections. These collections can be downloaded in a variety of formats, or they can be sent to Galaxy for custom analyses.
Can you host my tree's genome?
We'd love to! Please Contact Us and we can discuss loading your data into Hardwood Genomics.
What is the difference between the different SSR tabs?
A tree species might have up to three different SSRs associated with it.
Predicted SSRs are SSRs identified from a genome sequence experiment. We have generated primers for amplifying these SSRs, but they have not been tested and have not been confirmed as polymorphic.
Polymorphic SSRs are a subset of the predicted set, which have been screened for polymorphism.
Genomic SSRs are SSRs that have been experimentally validated, amplified from multiple individuals and found to have variable length.
How do I use the JBrowse tracks hosted on HWG?
Please see the JBrowse guide in our tools section.


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3 months after WLA reported in Marysville Moving On that the Marysville Urban Design Framework was released for public comment now comes news that the UDF has been fast-tracked and approved by Victorian State Planning Minister Justin Madden. Marysville was the township that was destroyed during the 2009 bushfires.
Mr Madden said that Murrindindi Shire Council had played a key role in the formulation and review of the UDF, working in partnership with the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRA) and with the community who had major input into the framework.
Minister for Regional and Rural Development Jacinta Allan, speaking from Marysville, said the new framework was designed to address the social and environmental needs of the community in the immediate and long term.
"The framework will build on the existing Marysville rebuilding projects such as the Gallipoli Park Masterplan, Marysville Motor Museum Shopping Centre, and the $7 million school and children's hub."
[SOURCE: Victorian State Government]


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Hedo Turkoglu remains on the Orlando Magic's roster for now, but his days playing for the team are over.
Although team officials and Turkoglu's camp have not reached a buyout deal, both sides have agreed that Turkoglu will not join the team when it convenes for the start of training camp Tuesday or at any time after that.
"Our organization has a great deal of respect for Hedo and the contributions he's made to the team over the years," Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan told the Orlando Sentinel.
"We've made an organizational decision to move in a different direction. During the pendency of our buyout negotiations, we've mutually agreed to have Hedo remain with his family while we work toward an agreement."
Turkoglu's agent didn't immediately return a phone call for comment.
Turkoglu will turn 35 years old in March, and he doesn't fit into the Magic's long-term plans. Franchise officials would rather allocate playing time on the wing to younger players such as Maurice Harkless and Tobias Harris.
The 2013-14 season is the final year of Turkoglu's contract, and only $6 million of his $12 million in remaining salary is guaranteed.
The full $12 million amount won't become fully vested until Jan. 10, which is the day when any remaining nonguaranteed contracts throughout the league become fully guaranteed.
So why haven't the Magic just waived Turkoglu already?
On one hand, team officials want to negotiate a buyout for under $6 million.
But — and perhaps more importantly to them — the Magic seem to regard Turkoglu's contract as an asset and want to hold onto the contract until they're convinced they've exhausted all options for a potential trade.
A 6-foot-10 forward with uncommon ball-handling skills for a player his height, Turkoglu has spent eight of his 13 NBA seasons with the Magic, and he remains one of the most popular and widely recognized players in franchise history.
He was the starting small forward on the 2008-09 Magic squad that reached the NBA Finals.
That season, he played his best in the playoffs, averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in the postseason as the Magic won separate series over the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers before they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Turkoglu became a free agent a couple of weeks after the defeat in The Finals, and team officials decided not to meet his asking price.
After one disastrous season with the Toronto Raptors, he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns.
On Dec. 18, 2010, the Magic reacquired him along with Jason Richardson and Earl Clark in a trade with the Suns for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick and cash.
Turkoglu didn't duplicate his prior success in Orlando.
Last season was a nightmare for him. He reported to training camp in good shape and seemed poised for a productive year, but he fractured his left hand during the regular-season opener.
In February, after he returned from the injury, the NBA suspended him for 20 games for testing positive for the anabolic steroid methenolone. Turkoglu said the positive test stemmed from taking a medication in Turkey during the offseason to treat a shoulder injury.
Turkoglu didn't play in another game. When he returned from his suspension, team officials elected to give minutes to younger players.
As last season wound down, Turkoglu sensed the Magic wouldn't want him back. He said he'd be "surprised" if the team brought him back for the 2013-14 season.
"I would be really surprised," Turkoglu said. "It's not like something that I'll take personal at all. Sometimes, the business of basketball makes certain things happen. One of them is the way they're trying to get a new team, a new rebuilding situation. You have plenty of players in that position [at small forward]. I would love to [return], but I just don't see any reason for [them doing] it."
Osby, 4 others invited
The Magic formally announced Friday they're bringing second-round pick Romero Osby, center Mickell Gladness, center/power forward Solomon Jones, forward Kris Joseph and guard Manny Harris to training camp.
Osby, a 6-foot-8 forward, likely was signed to a partially guaranteed deal.
Gladness, Jones, Joseph and Harris almost certainly signed nonguaranteed contracts.
Jones, who is 6-feet-10, attended Mount Dora High and has the most NBA experience of the invitees. He has played in 270 regular-season NBA games for a total of five teams.
Fitting in
By all accounts, rookie Victor Oladipo has fit in well with the Magic's legion of young players.
"Victor and I, we hang out a lot," Harkless explained. "He said today that he's an older version of me. We have so much in common it's crazy. We're always together, and he's a great guy."
Oladipo, the second overall pick in June's NBA Draft, has a well-deserved reputation as a tireless worker. But he also has a funny, light-hearted side.
That aspect of his personality is on display on a video that Magic preseason invitee Kris Joseph posted on Instagram. The video shows several of the team's youngsters running an out-of-bounds play after a recent workout on Amway Center's practice court.
As Andrew Nicholson set a screen, Kyle O'Quinn lobbed an inbounds pass to Osby. Osby bounced the ball off the backboard, and Oladipo gathered it and bounced it off the ground.
Harkless grabbed the ball and unleashed an emphatic windmill dunk.
O'Quinn, Oladipo and Harkless then did a goofy dance.
It's the most inventive video Magic players have posted to social media in years and it's worth a look.
Bass contributes
Former Magic power forward Brandon Bass deserves a salute.
On Friday, Bass was scheduled to take his first swimming lesson alongside a group of children from the Boys & Girls Club of Boston.
Bass, who grew up with no access to swimming pools, hopes he'll inspire minority children to take lessons, according to The Boston Globe.
His 6-year-old son, Brandon Jr., already knows how to swim. His 20-month-old daughter, Bella, has started taking swim lessons.
The National Basketball Players Association has taken a step toward hiring a new executive director. The NBPA announced Friday that it has hired a Chicago-based firm to conduct an executive search. The union has been without an executive director since mid-February, when the union's player representatives voted to fire Billy Hunter. . . . It didn't take long for former Magic star Grant Hill to find a new vocation following his retirement from the NBA. Hill has found work with Turner Sports as an NBA analyst, and Turner recently announced that Hill will co-host "NBA Inside Stuff." The TV show has been off the air since 2005, but it will return on Nov. 2 and will air each week.
Josh Robbins covers the Orlando Magic and the NBA for the Orlando Sentinel. You can reach him via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com and connect with him on Facebook at facebook.com/JoshuaBRobbins. Follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins.


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Take your photography to the next level with this a65 DSLR camera. Featuring Sony's groundbreaking Translucent Mirror Technology, you can focus and shoot simultaneously for fast, precise performance and continuous shooting of up to 10 frames per second, complete with continuous auto focus. View setting adjustments in real time with a Tru-Finder OLED electronic viewfinder, and choose from three HD movie modes-super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or richly cinematic 24p-to optimize the look and feel of your videos (records in 29-minute segments).
2nd Generation Translucent Mirror Design - Other DSLRs can shoot. Or they can focus with the speed and precision of Phase Detection AF. They cannot do both at once. Sony changes all that with the award-winning Translucent Mirror Technology system. It directs light to both the image sensor and the Phase Detection AF sensor simultaneously.
World's first OLED viewfinder - There's never been anything quite like the Tru-Finder OLED electronic viewfinder. For size, speed and brightness even after sunset, this is a gem. It begins with 2359K dots for amazing resolution and high contrast ratio for incredible depth. OLED reduces motion blur to a bare minimum. You can also see the results of camera adjustments in real time with superb color and detail.
Full-time Phase Detection AF - You get fast, accurate auto focus in every mode-even HD Movie and Live View-thanks to Sony's exclusive Translucent Mirror Technology. While Contrast Detection Auto Focus often hunts for correct focus, Phase Detection AF knows exactly where correct focus is, and goes straight for it.
Object Tracking AF - Locks onto a specified object and maintains focus even as the subject moves. Unpredictable subjects stay in focus even while zooming. You can concentrate on composition without worrying about focus.
Handheld Twilight mode - Get gorgeous shots at night without a tripod. Combines six frames into a single image for smooth, low-noise evening shots. (Recommended for still subjects.)
Sweep Panorama Mode - Capture expansive landscapes automatically. Press the shutter, sweep vertically or horizontally. The camera does the rest, continuously shooting images and stitching them together.
921K dot TruBlack LCD screen - Sony's 3.0-inch Xtra Fine LCD monitor has 921K dots for superb resolution. The TruBlack screen includes a special resin layer to suppress internal reflections, increasing contrast compared to conventional LCDs. Sunny Weather mode boosts visibility even further.
AUTO+ (Advanced Auto) mode - Get cleaner, more dynamic pictures and fewer missed shots. Unifies and simplifies Sony intelligent technologies. The camera automatically recognizes the correct scene mode.
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) - Improves results with backlit subjects and recovers details hidden in shadows. Settings include Auto, Level with a choice of five operating levels and Off.
HDMI output for HD viewing - Enjoy HD movies and stunning still images on a compatible HDTV. The camera includes an HDMI output. In addition, the BRAVIA Sync system works with compatible Sony BRAVIA HDTVs enabling you to control camera playback using the television's remote.
Advanced Anti-Dust Technology - Anti-Dust Technology helps keep the CMOS sensor clean, resulting in consistently clear pictures. First a static-free coating on the sensor's low-pass filter helps repel dust. Then vibration automatically dislodges dust from the sensor.
APS-C size HD CMOS image sensor - With 19.5 times the area of the typical camcorder image sensor, APS-C makes the difference between amateur and professional-looking video, delivering an exceptional combination of high resolution, high sensitivity and gorgeous, blurred backgrounds.
Face Detection and Registration - The camera can automatically detect up to eight individual faces and adjust focus, exposure, white balance and flash to help deliver crisp, properly lit images of people. Can prioritize children or adults. Face Registration can remember friends and family members and prioritize them.
Ultra-fast up to 10 fps continuous - The translucent mirror makes it far easier to capture the decisive soccer kick or your baby at her absolute cutest. Shoots up to 10 frames per second at full-resolution 24.3 megapixels with continuous auto focus (AE locked after first frame).
HD movies with full manual control - Now you don't need to surrender control when you shoot HD movies. Enjoy the full expressive potential of Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority or Manual (P/A/S/M) control in HD movie mode.
World's shortest release time lag - Helps ensure that the image you want is the image you get. Once auto focus occurs, release time lag is the delay between fully pressing the shutter release and when the camera actually starts taking the picture. Long lag makes it harder to capture fast-moving objects. The Sony A65 boasts the world's shortest release time lag at only 0.05 seconds.
Multi-frame NR - Experience incredible low-light shooting without a flash. The camera captures six images in a fraction of a second. Combining the data from all six, it creates a single image with a reduction in noise equivalent to two additional steps of ISO sensitivity. Sensitivity selectable up to ISO 25600. (Recommended for still subjects.)
3D Sweep Panorama Mode - Capture vast scenic vistas and 16:9 shots in spectacular 3D. As you sweep across the panorama, the camera records separate right-eye and left-eye images that make landscapes come alive on your 3D television1. Records both JPEG and MPO file formats.
Tilt/swivel LCD screen - Tilt it up or down to frame high- and low-angle shots that would otherwise be hit-or-miss. Tilt and swivel under the camera for self-portraits. Finally, the monitor folds flush to the camera with the LCD exposed for shooting or protected for travel.
ISO 16000 sensitivity - Incredibly clear low-light pictures without sacrificing detail, made possible by the low-noise Exmor APS HD CMOS image sensor and refined BIONZ image processor.
Upgraded BIONZ image processor - The brain of the camera is a Sony's BIONZ image processor substantially upgraded for the demands of 24.3 megapixel photography. Chroma noise reduction delivers high-resolution, low-noise photos even at ISO 16000. Also enables fast processing for up to 10 fps continuous shooting of data-intensive 24.3 MP images, 2D/3D Sweep Panorama modes and 6-image layering.
SteadyShot INSIDE stabilization - Image stabilization reduces blur by compensating for camera shake. Typical DSLR systems build image stabilization into selected lenses only. SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization is built into the camera body itself. You'll reduce blur with every A Mount lens, including macro and wide-aperture standard zoom lenses.
P/A/S/M exposure modes - The camera offers a full range of controls from the beginner's AUTO+ mode to P/A/S/M: Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual. On-screen prompts help you refine your skills, build your confidence and exercise greater creative control.
Slot for two media types - For cost-effective, convenient storage and sharing of your images, the camera accepts Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo and SD/SDHC/SDXC media (Class 4 or higher recommended, sold separately).
11 Picture Effect modes - Discover innovative ways to make your images and videos pop. These include Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (Red, Green, Blue, Yellow), Soft High-key, High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, and Miniature.
15-point Auto Focus - To maximize the value of Translucent Mirror Technology, Sony incorporates Phase Detection AF of great sophistication. 15 sensors with 3 cross sensors maximize precision for both vertical and horizontal subjects.
24.3 MP; best-in-class resolution - You get incredible detail and gorgeous enlargements thanks to an APS-C sensor with 24.3 megapixels. It's the worlds's first 24.3MP APS-C DSLR.
HD Movies at 60p, 60i, or 24p - Capture spectacular HD Movies4. This is the world's first DSLR to offer a choice of super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or cinematic 24p, all at Full HD 1920x1080 resolution. AVCHD Progressive codec delivers stunning picture quality. MP4 codec offers smaller files for easier upload to the web.
Full-Time Live View in LCD or EVF - You can use both the LCD monitor and OLED Electronic Viewfinder for composing shots in Live View. Both provide a what-you-see-is-what-you-get preview of white balance, focus, depth of field, exposure and 100% framing accuracy, plus informative on-screen displays.
6-image layering - Leverages the fast BIONZ processor to capture six images in a fraction of a second, and then combine the data. The result is one incredible single image that gets a cleaner result in Multi-Frame NR mode or sharper nighttime pictures in Hand-held Twilight mode.
Auto HDR built into camera - Captures more scene dynamic range than a single exposure can handle-and more range than photo film. Combines the best highlight detail from one shot, the best mid-tones from a second and the best shadow detail from a third for one incredible shot. (Recommended for still subjects.)
Shot Result Preview - See the results before you take the shot. This preview takes the guesswork out of camera settings by showing the effects of the aperture, shutter and DRO settings on the depth of field, motion and dynamic range.
Main Sensor Quick AF Live View - Combines the fast focus of Phase Detection AF with high quality Live View images right from the main sensor. This is made possible by Sony Translucent Mirror Technology. You get accurate images and 100% framing on the LCD monitor or eye-level viewfinder.
Graphic Display - Clarifies the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, as well as the effect each has on photographic results.
1200-Zone exposure metering - Reads exposure directly from the main image sensor. Choice of Multi, Center and Spot metering accommodates a full range of shooting situations.
Up to 560 Shots of battery life - Take up to 560 shots on a single charge with Sony Stamina battery power.8 Sony's InfoLITHIUM battery system enables you to see the percent of power remaining, so you can keep shooting in confidence.
Built-in Flash (GN12) - To help you shoot more effectively, the camera includes a built-in flash (Guide Number 12) that can also trigger a wireless accessory flash (sold separately). The integrated hot shoe enables you to expand your lighting options with a range of accessory flashes (sold separately).
Sony Exmor technology - Conventional image sensors use only a handful of analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, which can slow you down. The Exmor sensor provides more than 5,600 column-parallel A/D converters. This helps enable continuous shooting at up to 10 frames per second.
Smile Shutter technology - Captures a smile the moment it happens. Simply select the Smile Shutter mode and the camera takes the picture automatically. You can prioritize children or adults and adjust the smile sensitivity.
Product Specifications:
Exposure System
Metering : Advanced 1200-zone evaluative meteringMetering Modes : Multi-segment, Center-weighted, SpotMetering Sensitivity : -2EV to 17EV (at ISO 100 equivalent w/ f/1.4 lens)Exposure Compensation : +/-3.0EV?1/3EV steps)Exposure Settings : AUTO,AUTO Advanced (AUTO+), Scene Selection (SCN), Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Panorama (3D), Continuous Advance Priority AE (10fps), Movie, Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M)Scene Mode(s) : Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports action, Sunset, Night portrait, Night View, Handheld TwilightPicture Effect(s) : 11 types (15 variations): Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R,G,B,Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft High-key, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, MiniatureD-Range Optimizer : Yes: (Auto, Level, Off)Auto Exposure Lock : Yes (AE Lock button)Color Temperature : 2500 - 9900 k with 15-step each Magenta/Green compensation (G7 to M7), Amber/Blue (A7 to B7)Creative Style : Standard, Vivid, Portrait , Landscape, Sunset, Black & White, (Contrast (-3 to +3steps), Saturation(-3 to +3steps), Sharpness(-3 to +3steps))Exposure Bracketing : Bracket: Cont./Bracket: Single, /1/3EV, 2/3EV increments, 3 framesISO : Auto (ISO 100-1600); Selectable ISO100 - 16000 equivalentNoise Reduction : Long Exposure NR: (On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 second) High ISO NR: (High/Normal/Low)White Balance Mode : Auto,Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm White, Cool White, Day White) , Flash, Setting the color temperature, Color Filter, Custom
Battery Type : InfoLITHIUM? NP-FM500H (7.2V)Number of Still Images : Approx. 510 images with viewfinder, 560 images with LCD monitor (CIPA standard)
Service and Warranty Information
Limited Warranty Term : 1 Year Parts & Labor
Flash Compensation : ?2.0EV?1/3EV steps?Flash Coverage : FOV coverage up to 18 mm (in the focal length)Recycling Time : Approx. 3 sec.Flash Bracketing : 0.3/0.7EV steps, 3 framesFlash Metering System : ADI flash / Pre-flash TTLFlash Modes : Auto, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Hi-speed sync., Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable for Autoflash and fill-flash mode), Wireless, OffFlash Type : Built-in, Pop-up AutoGuide Number : 10 (in meters at ISO100)
Supplied Software : PMB (Picture Motion Browser) v5.2; Image Data Converter SR v3.2; Image Data Lightbox SR v2.2Operating System Compatibility : Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1; Mac OS X (v10.3-?10.6), PMB is not compatible with Mac OS. Camera (via USB), Image Data Converter, and Image Data Lightbox software are compatible with Mac OS.
Drive System
Burst Buffer : JPEG Standard (18 shots) JPEG Fine (17 shots) RAW (13 shots) RAW+JPEG (11 shots)Continuous Shooting Speed : Continuous (Hi: up to 8fps,Low: up to 3fps) Continuous Priority AE (10fps)Drive Mode : Single-shot, Continuous shooting (Hi/Lo selectable), Self-timer (10/2 sec delay selectable), Bracket (Continuous/Single/WB), Remote commander (RMT-DSLR1 Sold Separately)Self-timer : 2-sec. or 10-sec. delay,Shutter Speeds : 1/4000 to 30 seconds, bulbShutter Type : Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane shutter
Weights and Measurements
Dimensions (Approx.) : Approx. 5-1/4 ? 3-7/8 ? 3-1/4" (132.1 x 97.5 x 80.7mm) (W/H/D) excluding protrusionsWeight (Approx.) : Approx. 1 lb 3.1 oz (543g) (excl battery, lens & media) Approx. 1 lb 5.9 oz (622g) (w/battery & media)
Lens Compatibility : Sony A-mount lensCamera Type : Sony A-mount interchangeable lens digital camera
Imaging Sensor
Imaging Sensor : Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor (23.5 X 15.6mm)Processor : BIONZ image processorAnti Dust : Charge protection coating on Low-Pass Filter and electromagnetic vibration mechanismPixel Gross : Approx. 24.7 megapixelsEffective Picture Resolution : Approx. 24.3 megapixelsFocal Length Conversion Factor : 1.5xColor Filter System : RGB primary color filters
Media Type : Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG Duo/PRO-HG HX Duo media SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cardColor Space : sRGB, AdobeRGBStill Image Mode : JPEG (Standard, Fine), RAW, RAW+JPEGStill Image Size 16:9 : L size: 6000 x 3376 (20M) M size: 4240 x 2400 (10M) S size: 3008 x1688 (5.1M)Still Image Size 3:2 : L size: 6000 x 4000 (24M) M size: 4240 x 2832 (12M) S size: 3008 x 2000 (6M)Panorama Still Image Size : Horizontal Wide: 12,416 x 1,856 (23M) Horizontal Std.: 8,192 x 1,856 (15M) Vertical Wide: 2,160 x 5,536 (12M) Vertical Std.: 2,160 x 3,872 (8.4M) 3D Sweep Panorama: Horizontal Wide: 7152 X 1080 (7.7M) Horizontal Std.: 4912 X 1080 (5.3M) 16:9: 1920 X 1080 (2.1M)Video Format : AVCHD / MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC (H.264))Video Mode : AVCHD: PS - 1920 x 1080/60p @ 28Mbps FX - 1920 x 1080/60i @ 24Mbps FH - 1920 x 1080/60i @ 17Mbps FX - 1920 x 1080/24p @ 24Mbps FH - 1920 x 1080/24p @ 17Mbps MP4: HD - 1440 x 1080/ 30p @ 12Mbps VGA - 640 x 480/ 30p @ 3MbpsVideo Signal : NTSC color, EIA standardsAudio Format : Dolby Digital (AC-3) / MPEG-4 AAC-LCMicrophone/Speaker : Built-in stereo microphone; Built-in, monaural speakerStill Image File Format : JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3format), 3D MPO (MPF Extended compliant)
Accessory Shoe : Yes (Alpha)BRAVIA Sync : Yes, via HDMI with compatible BRAVIA HDTVDVDirect : Yes, via USBHD Output : HDMI (TypeC mini)Memory Card Slot : Dual compatibility slot: Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG Duo/PRO-HG HX Duo media - SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cardPhotoTV HD : Yes, with BRAVIA Sync enabled HDTV and HDMI cableUSB Port(s) : USB2.0 Hi-speed (mass-storage, MTP)
Focus Control
Focus System : TTL phase detection AF (CCD line sensors)Focus Points : 15 points (3 points cross type)AF Modes : Single-shot AF(AF-S), Continuous AF(AF-C), Automatic AF(AF-A) selectable, Manual FocusFocus Area : Wide (auto,15 points)/Zone/Spot/Local selectableFocus Sensitivity : EV -1 to 18 EV (at ISO100 equivalent, with F2.8 lens attached)Focus Features : Predictive control(AF-A, AF-C), Focus Lock, Eye-start AFAF Illuminator : Built-in LED, Range: approx. 3' - 15' (1m-5m)
Type : 0.50" XGA OLED EVF (Electronic viewfinder) (2,359k dots)Diopter Adjustment : -4.0m-1 to +3.0m-1Field of View : 100%Magnification : 1.09x (with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1 )
Advanced Features
Auto High Dynamic Range : Yes, (Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure difference Level (1-6 EV at 1.0 EV step), off)Embedded GPS : YesSweep Panorama : Horizontal (Wide/Standard), Vertical, and 3D PanoramaFace Detection : On/On (Regist. Faces)/OffSmile Shutter technology : Smile shutter (selectable from 3 steps)Image Stabilization : SteadyShot INSIDE in-body image stabilization
LCD Display
LCD Type : 3.0" TFT Xtra Fine LCD (921,600 pixels) w/TruBlack technologyAngle Adjustment : Tilt angle: Down: Approx. 180 degrees Rotation angle:180 degrees counterclockwise and 90 degrees clockwise.Brightness Control : Auto, Manual (5 steps between -2 to +2)Coverage : 100%Live View : Continuous Live View (LCD/EVF Auto, selectable)Real-time image adjustment display : Yes(On/Off)Histogram : Yes (On/off)Grid Display : Yes (On/off)Customization : Grid, Histogram display, Digital Level Gauge, Grid Line, Magnified display for playback
Lens Mount Type : Sony A-mount


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The Nissan-powered DeltaWing will start this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans from 29th on the grid following qualifying on Thursday for the 80th running of the endurance classic.
According to the Highcroft Racing team which campaigns the car, it dedicated Thursday night's pair of two-hour qualifying sessions to race preparation.
"The team had two distinct targets tonight: ensuring all three drivers completed their mandatory night laps prior to the race, as well as testing the car's unique lighting system in night conditions," it said.
The DeltaWing features four lighting pods—two in the nose and one each on the car's rear-wheel arches.
Drivers Marino Franchitti, Michael Krumm and Satoshi Motoyama were all able to complete their required mileage, after Wednesday night's first qualifying session was cut short when the car's onboard fire extinguisher went off after the DeltaWing struck a curb. As part of the machine's safety systems, extinguisher activation shuts down the car's electronics instantly.
Krumm's best lap of three minutes, 42.612 seconds put the DeltaWing in the back half of the LMP2 runners; the ADR ORECA-Nissan paced the class with a time of 3:38.181 to qualify 14th overall, meaning 15 LMP2 cars out-qualified it. The DeltaWing bettered the times of five cars competing in the class. The worst of those behind it with a representative time clocked in at 3:48.025.
"I'm obviously delighted to get all three drivers qualified for the race on Saturday," Franchitti said. "We got our night laps in and worked very hard on the race car—not a qualifying car. We didn't concentrate on qualifying speed at all, it was about race preparation.
"We do have some brake issues, which we are working through. We found some solutions at the end, and Michael's pace in the dark was good. We learned a great deal tonight and had our first real run in the dark. The guys have got a busy day ahead of them preparing the car, but now we're all ready to take the Nissan DeltaWing racing on Saturday."
Krumm said, "It was a great job of mine to not crash tonight! I was really pleased we all got qualified for the race tonight after losing so much time last night, when the fire extinguisher went off, shut down the electrics and we got stuck on course. Everyone got their laps in the dark and we had a relatively trouble-free run. We have some minor brake problems we're working on before the race. These things are to be expected because we have had a really short preparation time for the car. All in all, it was a really good day."
Ben Bowlby, the DeltaWing's designer, said, "Today we had a few silly issues with bleeding the brakes. We have some part of the system that is introducing air that we haven't identified. The hydraulic system is one part of the car that is certainly not an innovation, but it is causing us trouble.
"This is not your normal 24 Hour race—it really is special. It will be very interesting in the race. I don't have great expectations as to how we will go, because there are a load of simple things that can go wrong. On the other hand, we might surprise some people. We know the car can be very fast, we know it is very efficient, and we know it races extremely well in traffic amongst other cars. Saturday, it will be time to get stuck-in and see what happens."
Teams racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans have one final on-track session on Saturday morning, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. local time, before taking the green flag at 3 p.m.


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Laws, Regulations and Annotations
Business Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2023
Table of Statutes—Volume III
Table of Statutes—Volume III with Repeal or Sunset Dates
|Tax, Fee, or Surcharge Program and Title
|Repeal or Sunset Date
|§ 30102 (Revenue and Taxation Code
|Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law. Sales to certain federal instrumentalities
|The first day of the first calendar month commencing more than 60 days after existing federal law is amended by Congress to permit state taxation of sales of cigarettes by or through federal military installations
|§ 9278, 30459.15, 32471.5, and 60637 (Revenue and Taxation Code)
|Use Fuel Tax Law, Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law, Alcoholic Beverage Tax Law, and Diesel Fuel Tax Law. Offers in compromise
|January 1, 2023
|§ 34012.1 (Revenue and Taxation Code)
|Cannabis Tax Law. Medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product designated for donation
|Five years after it becomes operative


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New Camden, NJ, superintendent: Only 3 students who took SAT this year scored college-ready
CAMDEN, N.J. – The new school superintendent in Camden, N.J., says it was a "kick-in-the-stomach moment" when he learned that only three district high school students who took the SAT this year scored as college-ready.
Paymon Rouhanifard on Tuesday told the school board and the community what he learned on a "listening tour" after he was named to the post in August.
He told the city's Board of Education that low college readiness shows the district must do better.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (http://bit.ly/19cp4f3) the superintendent also says he also heard about safety problems in the district. He says one action he's taking immediately is waiving the $75 background check fee for parents who want to volunteer in the schools.
In June, the state assumed control of the schools in the poverty-stricken city of 80,000.
Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com


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If you've seen the stultifying ouroboros ad for Kate Upton's Super Bowl ad for Mercedes, then you're probably bored. So bored, in fact, that you've taken to the Wall Street Journal blog to reinvigorate your lust for life, your joie, your wonder at the bacterial Caligula orgy we so blithely call "life." But you've been betrayed by the cultural firestorm that is the Wall Street Journal, because it is also wondering about Kate Upton's ad for an ad, wondering just why it is that advertisers seem to think what the ad-gobbling American public wants is another entry in the women-washing-cars-in-slow-motion genre.
So, shrugs the Wall Street Journal as it kicks an empty soup can across the digital freight rail, how did this whole dames-washing-cars ad motif get started anyway?
We're talking about the video sub-genre of women in revealing clothing washing cars in a sexually suggestive manner. Such imagery has been fueling fantasies at least since the 1940s, when women's two-piece bathing suits met the auto industries new round, voluptuous, wheel-enveloping fenders. Just try typing "women washing cars" in your browser. Make sure you clear the kids out of the room first.
Yes, get the kiddies clear from the masturbating corner while you Google "car washing hotttttieezzzz." After you've climaxed, you can freshen yourself and realize that the round, dare we say breast-shaped fenders on old automobiles gave advertisers an idea: boobs. Boobs next to the car, boobs next to shaving cream, soda pop nestled between boobs, boob peaches, boob cupcakes, boobs for you, boobs for me, a boob for every American from sea to shining sea. And the Americans in Hawaii and Alaska, don't forget about them. How will they know what to buy if it isn't endorsed by boobs?
The Kate Upton ad of an ad car-washing parody lets us know that, like all storied genres, the women-washing-cars genre has gotten stale. It's starting to devour itself, but not in a clever way like Scream because, according to Ronald C. Goodstein from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, the Kate Upton ad sucks. Really. It doesn't make fun of the car-washing gag so much as it objectifies Kate Upton for a full-minute-and-a-half before the hose the male car washers are using prematurely ejaculates all over national TV. Mercedes may as well have just run a text-only TV ad that says, "Happy Super Bowl, America. You're all boorish idiots. Now buy a luxury sedan." Fart Noise. Fade Out.
Why Do Advertisers Think We Want to See Women Washing Cars? [WSJ]


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What makes Simi Shape 3D unique?
The possibility to work markerless is advantageous in various ways:
- no time loss due to attaching markers
- less failure potential due to misplacement of markers
- no artefacts because of markers moving on skin or clothes
- no disturbance of movement caused by markers
- hybrid tracking possibility
- automatic processing
With Simi Shape you can use all possibilities of Simi Motion regarding data acquisition (synchronized high-speed video, kinematics, force plates, EMG, pressure, etc.), data processing, and data analysis.
Simi Shape integrated with Simi Motion offers the unique solution for hybrid use of two technologies, marker-based and markerless. While capturing markerless it can use additional markers, for example for certain rotation axes or for validation of results.
What is the working process with Simi Shape 3D?
- Person is being captured by 8 cameras.
- Silhouettes are extracted (separation of person and background).
- Fitting of silhouettes for virtual 3D-model and person.
- Optimal fitting of silhouettes with 3D-model allows extraction of 3D joint positions and joint angles.
- The results are 3D joint positions and joint angles (similar to marker-based systems but without using markers)
Setup requirements
- Simi Motion with 8 cameras
- Cameras must be positioned in a circle around the actor
- Background seen by cameras must be stable and have good contrast to actor
What results do I get with Simi Shape 3D?
After automatic tracking with Simi Shape 3D you get 3D joint coordinates and rotations of all major body segments. This data is similar to the data being calculated by marker-based models, just without using markers.
Markerless motion capture under real competition conditions
Simi offers markerless motion capture without the necessity of lab conditions, motion capture suits or specific colouring of room and floor. This allows motion tracking and biomechanical analysis under real competition conditions - not only indoors but also outdoors as shown in the following videos:
Are you wondering about the accuracy of the markerless or hybrid motion capture technology by Simi?
Please find results of Research and Validations here.
Product Information
Should you be interested in any of our products or require further information, we are looking forward to your email to email@example.com. Or simply give us a call: +1 310 5931959.


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Lawyer: Jon & Kate divorce likely final in 2010
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jon and Kate Gosselin will likely ring in the new year as husband and wife as they await a final divorce decree.
A lawyer for Jon Gosselin says the reality TV couple's divorce is not likely to be finalized until early next year.
Mark Jay Heller tells The Associated Press that the arbiter's decisions on custody and finances is "a work in progress." He says the couple has not signed off on it.
The former "Jon & Kate Plus 8" stars, the parents of eight children, are divorcing after 10 years of marriage.
The divorce is pending in Pennsylvania's Montgomery County, although the family home is in neighboring Berks County.
Heller says the divorce arbiter's decisions will be final.
A spokeswoman for Kate Gosselin's lawyers did not immediately return messages Wednesday.


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Pelosi Still Supports Senate-Passed ENDA Despite Diminishing LGBT Support (Video)
As advocacy groups withdraw support for a Senate-passed bill to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered employees from discrimination in the workplace, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi signaled on Thursday that she was still prepared to support the legislation should it come to the House floor.
"I think it would be a great advancement," the California Democrat said at her weekly news conference. "Everybody has to make an accommodation."
A coalition of influential LGBT rights organizations jointly pulled endorsements earlier this week of the legislation, partly in protest of the recent Supreme Court Hobby Lobby decision. The Senate bill's "conscience clause," they said, is now too bitter a pill to swallow.
"The provision in the current version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that allows religious organizations to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity has long been a source of significant concern to us. Given the types of workplace discrimination we see increasingly against LGBT people, together with the calls for greater permission to discriminate on religious grounds that followed immediately upon the Supreme Court's decision last week in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, it has become clear that the inclusion of this provision is no longer tenable. It would prevent ENDA from providing protections that LGBT people desperately need and would make very bad law with potential further negative effects."
There are currently no plans to move the legislation in the House, where Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, has repeatedly signaled he was not supportive. "The Speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs," said Michael Steel, Boehner's spokesman, late last year.
The religious exemption provided in the Senate bill was originally included in exchange for workplace protections for transgendered individuals.
The Senate measure's protections for the transgendered made the bill a difficult choice for many Senate and House Republicans, even those who had supported ENDA in the past.
But if GOP leadership does agree to move ENDA through the legislative pipeline, Pelosi said she would still be inclined to vote for it, determined not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
"I think so," she said when asked directly what position she would take.


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Man pleads guilty to rape, posting nude photos of victim
DA: Photos were posted on fake Facebook account
A Marblehead man pleaded guilty Tuesday to rape and indecent assault and battery charges after he posted nude photographs of the victim on Facebook.
Reid Jones, 44, was sentenced to 5 to 7 years in state prison followed by 5 years of probation during which he must register as a sex offender and wear a GPS monitoring bracelet.
Jones also pleaded guilty to identity theft and photographing an unsuspecting person in the nude.
The Essex County District Attorney's office said Jones sexually assaulted the victim while she was unconscious and partially nude, took photographs of the acts and posted them to a fake Facebook page he created in her name.
Investigators said the victim was alerted to the fraudulent Facebook page containing the photographs a short time after she had stopped socializing with Jones.
A police forensic examination of Jones' computer revealed additional photographs, the district attorney's office said.


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By Mary Mack
The California Healthy Youth Act of 2015, which amended the California Education Code regarding sex education in schools, includes this specific direction: "Instruction and materials may not teach or promote religious doctrine."
This legal directive silences citizens who have moral objections to the comprehensive, all-inclusive, state-approved, sex-ed curriculum which now requires educators to teach children about concepts that conservative Christian, Muslim, and Jewish parents consider to be pornographic and antithetical to their core beliefs.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
—First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
The California Healthy Youth Act was first introduced in 2015 as Assembly Bill 329 in the wake of a lawsuit brought by the ACLU and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network against the Clovis, California, Unified School District (USD) in 2012. The lawsuit alleged that the school district was out of compliance with a 2003 sex education law. The school district took immediate steps to bring its curriculum into compliance, and the ACLU dropped the lawsuit in February 2014.
Therefore, it was highly irregular when Fresno County Superior Court Judge Donald S. Black ruled on the case in May 2015, more than a year after it had been dropped by plaintiffs. Whether or not it was a legal ruling, the ACLU took off running with it and immediately drafted AB 329, which was introduced to the California legislature by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber of San Diego County.
"On May 4, 2015, the Fresno County Superior Court ruled that Clovis Unified School District's sex education curriculum was out of compliance with California state law, which requires that students have a right to sex education that is complete, medically accurate, and free of bias, and that abstinence-only-until-marriage instruction is unlawful on the grounds of medical accuracy and bias." [Emphasis added] —ACLU Press Release, May 11, 2015
The ACLU website recommends that the above press release be filed under "Education Equity, LGBT Equality, Reproductive Justice" and the wording of AB 329 leaves no doubt as to the motives behind the drive to change the sex education laws of the whole state. By 'equity' they mean destroying opposing viewpoints and indoctrinating everybody's children, and by 'justice' they mean forcing their agenda upon the population.
Regarding the reference to 'medical accuracy', the ACLU et al. claimed during the Clovis case that it was inaccurate to teach students that abstinence until marriage is the only sure way to avoid getting pregnant and/or contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Hmm… I don't see how that teaching is inaccurate, either medically or logically. It might offend some people, but it is spot-on advice. That moral teaching makes sense to Christians, but not to people who want kids to dive into sex as early as possible, try various kinds of sex with multiple partners of different genders, and explore their gender identity—all of which are utterly reprehensible values to conservatives and Christians.
Do you think I'm sensationalizing? Take a look at a textbook that has been approved for classroom instruction for kids as young as 11 to 12 years old! Warning: the content of the textbook is so graphically illustrated and explicitly detailed as to require an X-rating if it was a movie and a consumer warning label if it was a music album. You need to know that unless you specifically opt them out of sex ed classes, your children are being taught about sex toys, oral and anal sex, lubricants, menstrual suppression, paternity testing, and abortion as an acceptable method of birth control, among other immoral teachings. The book is titled Adolescent Health Toolkit and is published by the Adolescent Health Working Group (AHWG) in San Francisco (see pages C-36,37,38, 50,51).
The AHWG also publishes a 'Healthy Me Wallet Card' that informs children as young as 12 that they do not need to get permission from a parent to seek abortions or to have confidential AIDS testing. They will even refer your child to a free abortion clinic so that the minor's "confidential" medical information does not show up on their parents' insurance claim forms. This wallet card is a classroom handout—one of the many state-approved sex-ed resources for teachers.
Sex education should be simple: Just teach the basics of how the reproductive system works and leave the moral application of that knowledge to parents. Teaching kids about the immoral lifestyles of a minority sector of society is not going to equip them to protect themselves; it's going to pervert their innocence and lure them into a lifestyle that may bar them from entering Heaven. Saturating society with hormone-driven teens who have been told to go out and enjoy their sexuality without shame or censure is going to create the very environment that the ACLU claim they want to protect children from. Those are our views. The ACLU and the Gay-Straight Alliance don't have to live by our beliefs, but they do have to tolerate them.
If the California Legislature had fairly applied Judge Black's Clovis ruling, they would have ensured that students are given access to information on both sides of the spectrum, and the California Healthy Youth Act would have permitted the teaching of abstinence and morality in sexual relationships in order that the curriculum be truly 'complete'; plus, they would have forbidden all bias, including the Act's blatant bias towards homosexuality.
If bias in favor of one side of an issue is unlawful, then bias in favor of the opposite side is equally unlawful. What the California Healthy Youth Act did was enshrine the ACLU/Gay-Straight Alliance's bias into law. According to Judge Black's ruling, a curriculum that promotes one bias and denies any other viewpoint is unlawful, yet the current sex education code forbids any Biblical teaching on the subject. The Education Code legislated exactly what the Clovis USD was sued for doing. In trying to distance themselves from the appearance of bias, the courts and legislature have swung to the opposite side of the arc and are now actively supporting the LGBTQ agenda and are forcibly silencing the religious with this unconstitutional law.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines religion as "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith." Religion does not apply strictly to adherents of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, etc. A person's religion is whatever cause, principal, or system of beliefs he/she holds to with ardor and faith.
The ACLU and the Gay-Straight Alliance regularly fight discrimination against their religiously held beliefs. They often take to the streets and march in protest to ensure their voices are heard during key social debates. That level of commitment is what constitutes a religious belief. Nobody denies their right to peaceably assemble, speak freely, and redress their grievances in court, but they overstep their bounds whenever they use violence or attempt to force others to embrace their views.
The ACLU sued the Clovis school district for forcing Biblically based morals on students, but then turned around and foisted their views on the entire state! When the Legislature inserted the unconstitutional clause that forbids religious doctrine from being included in the education of children, that struck a blow against civil rights everywhere.
The government is prohibited from promoting one religion over another, but the California Healthy Youth Act does that. The government is prohibited from suppressing free speech and religious expression, but the California Legislature did exactly that when they passed the California Healthy Youth Act.
To effect a balance, all must contribute to society. The silent majority of conservatives are, by nature, quiet individuals who respect the views of others and don't like shouting matches. But we can no longer remain silent. Our silence is seen as acquiescence. Our tolerance is seen as subservience. Our gentleness is seen as weakness. We are being out-shouted and out-maneuvered with laws that muzzle our voices in the marketplace of ideas. We must abandon civil discourse in exchange for aggressive debate and underhand tactics. We must, as the Bible urges, be sly as serpents and gentle as doves. Even a dove becomes dangerous when its nestlings are threatened.
There is no point in petitioning the California courts to redress the grievance of the abominable California Healthy Youth Act; the most effective course we can take is to hire Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a group of skilled attorneys who are sworn to defend the rights of Christians in schools and the workplace. If we flood the ADF offices with calls, letters, emails, texts, and faxes requesting their help in overturning the unconstitutional sex education law in California, we will get attention fast. The ADF is supported solely by private donations, so their loyalty is not in doubt. For information about the organization, to view their past and current caseload, and for ways to donate, visit their website at https://www.adflegal.org/.
We may never recover our losses in the California public school system, but we must never allow the Constitution to be chipped away in that manner again. Don't be intimidated. Rise up NOW and assert your First Amendment rights before any more are taken away. Bombard social media, the Press, and our elected representatives, and BE HEARD!
Mary Mack is an award-winning screenwriter (Table Read My Screenplay contest, Best Fantasy Screenplay, 2015) and has taught screenwriting workshops for the California Writers Club. Mary is the Editor of The Mohahve Muse, the official newsletter of the Mohahve Historical Society, and Assistant Editor of The Inkslinger, the newsletter of the California Writers Club (High Desert). As a freelance editor, Mary has earned a reputation among her clientele as an insightful story consultant and eagle-eyed proofreader. As a freelance graphic designer, she creates logos, book covers, business cards, letterhead, and promotional material for clients across the world.
Contact Mary at email@example.com
California Education Code 51930-51939, Article 2, SEC 6, §51933 (i), the full text of which can be read on the California Legislative Information website at http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=51933
American Academy of Pediatrics, et al. v. Clovis Unified School District. https://www.aclunc.org/our-work/legal-docket/american-academy-pediatrics-v-clovis-usd-comprehensive-sex-education


text:
Hi All
This is not a phpMyFAQ problem (and most – if not all – readers on this forum are likely to know this).
HTTP support for secure login (a very useful feature) was implemented in the phpMyFAQ 2.6.x series (thanks to the Development Team and to Tobias Hommel – that first suggested it and sent sample code).
In some circumstances it is possible to hijack cookies even when HTTPS is used.
This happens (for instance) if cookies aren't marked as secure by the server.
Some user-side browser protection software (e.g. NoScript for Firefox) may force cookies to be marked as secure. However, this action should be performed on the origin (that is, on the server).
In our situation (apart from other security measures), editing the php.ini and (simply) changing the value from 0 to 1 in one line activates this cookie behavior.
The changed line:
In your case it may be necessary to perform other steps/actions on some configuration files.
Code: Select all
session.cookie_secure = 1
If sensitive data is being served, a more reliable system is needed (naturally).
Note: one could also use HTTP ETag
Kind regards


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Hell hath no fury like a UCLA fan with some dirt on someone in the USC football program. The Internets are abuzz today with the news that Todd McNair, USC's running backs coach, was
convicted accused (and pleaded out) of dogfighting and animal cruelty back in the 1990s. The Los Angeles Times did up the story today, and the whole thing was started by Bruins Nation yesterday. Well played.
The details of McNair's situation seem as bad, if not worse, than Michael Vick's.
In March 1994, police in the New Jersey Borough of Paulsboro shot and killed a pit bull for biting and locking onto a neighborhood dog. They suspected the dog belonged to McNair, and discovered six more chained in his yard. He agreed to move them. On March 30, 1996, McNair was charged with cruelty to animals, failure to obtain licenses and keeping animals for the purpose of fighting on his property in East Greenwich, N.J. Animal control officers found up to 22 pit bulls, including 17 adults and five puppies. "I've never seen anything like it," Gloucester County officer Charles Barone told the Philadelphia Daily News in a story dated April 4, 1996. Police Chief William Giordano told the newspaper: "These conditions are deplorable."
The Rocky Mountain News reported later that year that the dogs were attached to heavy automobile towing chains. Some of the dogs were found in standing water, and many were scarred. Several had fresh wounds and one had a broken leg.
McNair has already paid his fines and served his probation, so we don't quite understand the notion of firing him, as some have called for. But we certainly have a better idea now how that whole USC running back logjam resolved itself: Halfback fights!
Southern Cal Now Engulfed In An Ugly Dog Cruelty Scandal [Bruins Nation]