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The changing faith of a Founding Father: Prof to lecture on John Adams
More than two centuries before Barack Obama faced questions about his religious background, John Adams knew something about church controversies.
As a boy in Braintree, the future president observed a heresy trial in his own home. Running for re-election in 1800, he saw his supporters call his opponent, Thomas Jefferson, a godless man who would seize their Bibles.
Along the way, Adams took a spiritual path that Curry College professor and author John Hill says in many ways anticipated the nation's modern embrace of religious equality – including the election of our first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy.
Born into a conventional Congregational faith, Adams was effectively Unitarian by the time he was elected president. Yet from first to last, "religion was at the center of his life," said Hill, who will lecture about Adams' faith and politics Sunday at Christ Episcopal Church.
In a nation where religion has often played a big role in national politics, Adams was a model of what a U.S. political leader should be – a man who often acted from a deeply held faith, but never in a divisive, sectarian way, Hill said.
A self-described "church-going animal," Adams touted policies "as common democratic ... not religious values," said Hill, author of "Democracy, Equality and Justice: John Adams, Adam Smith and Political Economy."
Massachusetts Puritanism was relaxing when Adams was born in 1735. Colonial authorities no longer banished dissenters or hanged Quakers. But Congregationalism was still unchallenged.
Hill said Adams may have been affected by a heresy trial he witnessed as a youth. His father, deacon Thomas Adams, and other leaders at the United First Parish Church charged the church's minister with Arminianism, which disputed the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. The minister was dismissed.
As John Adams grew older, "he abhorred the rigidity of the church he grew up in," Hill said.
Like his fellow colonists, Adams regarded Catholics with suspicion, even though few lived in Massachusetts. (There were even fewer Jews.) Then, in 1776, he attended a Catholic Mass while in Philadelphia with the Continental Congress.
A few years later, as a European diplomat for the new nation, he visited other churches and observed peaceable relations among Catholic and Protestant countries. He also held negotiations with a Muslim ambassador.
From those encounters, "something happened to him," Hill said. His views began to broaden. Even so, finding an obvious faith-based root in Adams' policies and actions is difficult, Hill said.
Like most of the Founding Fathers, he saw a divine hand in the Revolutionary War, though he never campaigned for independence on that claim. Anti-slavery by faith and moral conviction, Adams did not push that view, either, in an effort to make sure the Southern slave colonies supported the patriots' cause.
Though he attended church twice a day whenever he could, Adams apparently never served as a deacon or in any other formal church role, even after he retired from politics and returned to Quincy.
"He was always too busy," Hill said.
Lane Lambert may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
What: Presentation titled "John Adams: Religious Statesman"
Speaker: John Hill, a professor at Curry College
When: 3:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Christ Church, 12 Elm Ave., Quincy
Cost: Free
More info: Call 617-773-0310 or go to christchurchquincy.org
While four generations of the Adams family worshipped at United First Parish – first as Congregationalists, later as Unitarians – Christ Episcopal Church has its own ties to the presidential family.
Christ Church's pastor, the Rev. Clifford Brown, said first lady Louisa Catherine Adams was an active member of the parish for most of her life.
The wife of President John Quincy Adams was born in England and grew up going to Anglican churches there. She was 26 when she joined Christ Church in 1801, after returning with her husband after his stint as ambassador to Prussia, the Rev. Brown said.
Adams served one term as president, then was a congressman from 1831 until his death in 1848. For all those years, his wife attended Christ Church whenever they were home from Washington. John Quincy Adams, meanwhile, still attended United First Parish, also known as the "Church of the Presidents."
Louisa Adams died in 1852, a half-century after she joined Christ Church. She is buried with her husband and John and Abigail Adams in a basement crypt in the "Church of the Presidents."
But her affiliation with Christ Church lives on. Her granddaughter started the first Sunday School there, and several descendants are current members.


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Survey methods
The BSH makes use of various methods for surveying. By the single beam echo sounder, the water depth is measured with an electro-acoustic sound signal using the time that elapses between the emission of a sound pulse (waterborne sound) and the arrival of the sound waves reflected from the sea floor (echo).
The multibeam echo sounder, on the other hand, emits several hundred measuring beams. The fan detects a strip of the seabed along the measuring profile. From this, a digital terrain model can be created.
A new method is the aircraft laser scanning method (Airborne Lidar Bathymetry) for determining the topography of water soils in waters with low to medium water depth and low turbidity. Laser scanners simultaneously scan the water surface and the water bottom in the green wavelength range.

subset: commoncrawl


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02/19/2015 Liebherr-Aerospace at MRO Russia and CIS 2015
During the international conference and exhibition MRO Russia and CIS from February 26 to 27, 2015,Liebherr-Aerospace and OEMServices* will be welcoming local as well as international visitors to standNo. 227 in the Moscow World Trade Center. The team will be onsite to discuss current trends and share knowledge about the MRO market.
Liebherr-Aerospace's team stationed in Moscow supports a growing number of customers in Russia and the CIS, operating mainly Airbus aircraft as well as the An-148 by Antonov, the Boeing B747-8 and Sukhoi's SuperJet 100.
*OEMServices is a consortium of Diehl Aerospace, Liebherr-Aerospace, Thales Avionics and Zodiac Aerospace providing customer services worldwide.


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Built in 1962, The House Of Tomorrow was an architectural marvel of its time, landing on magazine covers for its futuristic design and amenities. Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac in a Palm Springs, it's still a sight to behold, further drawing attention to itself with a plaque out front (more on that in a second).
The house took an even more famous turn when its owners tragically died in a plane crash and Elvis snapped it up soon after as a rental. He loved the house so much that after he married Priscilla in Vegas in 1967, they spent their extended honeymoon there.
The House Of Tomorrow is as eccentric as its name suggests — there are three stories in four concentric circles and not a single room is square! And if you want your own look inside, there are guided tours of Elvis' honeymoon hideaway.
Back in October, Joey and I visited Palm Springs for our 5 year wedding anniversary and invited Made U Look to commemorate the occasion. Those photos of my wedding dress look will be featured in the March 2016 issue of Rock n Roll Bride Magazine but in the meantime, I can share these snaps we took as the day came to an end.
After we took our vow renewal photos, Joey and I wanted to unwind and show Made U Look around our favorite neighborhood in Palm Springs. Ladera Circle is full of beautiful mid-century modern homes but even so, Elvis' one-time hangout still draws the most attention.
Taking photos here was really special because Priscilla Presley was the inspiration for my original wedding day. I've always loved her look during the late 60s when she married Elvis so it felt fitting to shoot in front of her brief home.
Made U Look uses a variety of vintage cameras and films so the results are always unexpected and magical. Having photos to remember my 5 year anniversary was really important to me — now the memories can live on forever.
The second these photos were finished, I kicked off my heels, changed into something more comfortable in the car and we went out for Mexican food where we spent the night laughing and chatting. It was a great reminder that even though dressing up and taking photos is fun, real life is just as awesome.
I can't wait to show you the vow renewal photos next year!
To be continued….
Photos: Made U Look.
I wore: Love and Lemons Luau skirt, Forever 21 tank, Forever 21 choker and Camilla Skovgaard heels.


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Today the Moon will be in a Waning Crescent phase. In this phase the Moon's illumination is growing smaller each day until the New Moon. During this part of the Moon cycle, the Moon is getting closer to the Sun as viewed from Earth and the night side of the Moon is facing the Earth with only a small edge of the Moon being illuminated. This phase is best viewed an hour or 2 before the sunrise and can be quite beautiful if you're willing to get up early. It can also be a great time to see the features of the Moon's surface. Along the edge where the illuminated portion meets the dark side, the craters and mountains cast long shadows making them easier to observe with a telescope or binoculars.
Visit the January 2021 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today's Waning Crescent Phase
The Waning Crescent on January 12 has an illumination of 1%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On January 12 the Moon is 28.79 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
From Moongiant.com
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else, you know was on the date the person was born.


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Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Robert Hunter
A lyric in 'Box of Rain' but not performed by Robert Hunter so far as I know.
What was that cry I heard in the night?
That was no cry, child, that was the wind
What was that crash, what fell to the floor?
Just the branch of a tree or the slam of a door
Who was that man I saw running away?
That was no man, that was just Thomas Gray
What did he hold in his hand like a knife?
Only a candle he brough to his wife
Then it must be a candle to light her to Hell
Hush you, child, you must never tell
Those were the dreams you had in the night
Now pack up quickly, we must leave before light
If we leave before day we can run by the moon
Hurry, we cannot get started to soon
When you grow older and think like a man
Some of these things you may understand
Ring on the bell it was twenty years past
Each year I think I knew less the last
But I'm sure as I'm certain my name is not Gray
The roots of this matter shall not pass away
Who's in the drawing room that looks just like me
I found in your bible, say, who can it be?
That's just a servant we called Thomas White
Who was hanged from the gate post by dawn's early light
Who gave you this ring I found in your sack?
A very nice boy whom we called Thomas Black
I'll tell you no more, you just think through the night
No doubt the conclusions you draw will be right
There's more threads that bind us that you'll ever know
More chains inside us than chains that we show
The past that divides is now better forgot
Lest thoughts of revenge twist those threads in a knot


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Terrifying Android malware can record audio and video, spy on devices
GhostCtrl hides behind the names of popular apps like 'Pokemon Go'
GhostCtrl hides behind the names of popular apps like 'Pokemon Go'
GhostCtrl, a form of malware that can secretly film and record user activity, is targeting Android smartphone owners by hiding behind the names of popular apps like WhatsApp and Pokemon Go.
There are three versions of GhostCtrl - one restricts a device's functions and collects its data, a second version behaves like ransomware and can freeze a victim's smartphone, and a third carries out a combination of the first two strains.
"Based on the techniques each employed, we can only expect it to further evolve," said software security firm Trend Micro earlier this week. "The malware masquerades as a legitimate or popular app that uses the names App, MMS, WhatsApp, and even Pokemon GO."
"The data GhostCtrl steals is extensive, compared to other Android info-stealers," the Tokyo, Japan-based company explained. The malware also tricks the victim into believing it's a "legitimate system application."
Once installed, GhostCtrl can root a device, control its vibrate function, delete and rename files, download photos, use the text-to-speech feature, send text messages to specific phone numbers, delete text messages, make phone calls, record video and audio, delete browser history, open apps without permission, and spy on a user's call history, contacts, phone numbers, location, battery status, Bluetooth data and more.
Here's how to prevent GhostCtrl from infiltrating your smartphone:
Keep your Android-based device updated.
Restrict user permission to prevent unauthorized access and app installation.
Use a firewall or mobile security app to avoid cyberassaults.
Back up data in case of ransomware, data loss or device theft.


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LINCOLN BEACH, Ore. — Coast Guard Group North Bend, Ore., medevaced a woman who fell from a cliff in Lincoln Beach, Friday.
Group North Bend received a call from Depoe Bay Fire Department at approximately 12:10 p.m., stating a 56-year-old woman had fallen from a cliff at Fishing Rock in Lincoln Beach. The woman was reported to have injured her leg, knee, hip and arm.
Coast Guard Group North Bend launched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend and a land unit from Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay. The land unit arrived on scene and relayed communication from the ground while the helicopter crew was en route. The helicopter crew arrived on scene at approximately 1:25 p.m. and lowered a rescue swimmer and rescue litter. The swimmer, with help from Depoe Bay paramedics, loaded the woman into the litter. The crew then hoisted and transported her to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, Ore., arriving at approximately 2:11 p.m.


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Developers and IT administrators have, no doubt, the need the deploy some website through HTTPS using an SSL certificate. While this process is pretty straightforward for a production site, for the purposes of development and testing you may find the need to use an SSL certificate here as well.
As an alternate to purchasing and renewing a yearly certificate, you can leverage your Windows Server's ability to generate a self signed certificate which is convenient, easy and should meet these types of needs perfectly.
Creating a Self Signed Certificate on IIS
While there are several ways to accomplish the task of creating a self signed certificate, we will use the SelfSSL utility from Microsoft. Unfortunately, this doesn't ship with IIS but it is freely available as part of the IIS 6.0 Resource Toolkit (link provided at the bottom of this article). Despite the name "IIS 6.0" this utility works just fine in IIS 7.
All that is required is to extract the IIS6RT to get the selfssl.exe utility. From here you can copy it to your Windows directory or a network path/USB drive for future use on another machine (so you don't have to download and extract the full IIS6RT).
Once you have the SelfSSL utility in place, run the following command (as the Administrator) replacing the values in <> as appropriate:
selfssl /N:CN=<your.domain.com> /V:<number of valid days>
The example below produces a self signed wildcard certificate against "mydomain.com" and sets it to be valid for 9,999 days. Additionally, by answering yes to the prompt, this certificate is automatically configured to bind to port 443 inside the Default Web Site of IIS.
While at this point the certificate is ready to use, it is stored only in the personal certificate store on the server. It is a best practice to also have this certificate set in the trusted root as well.
Go to Start > Run (or Windows Key + R) and enter "mmc". You may receive a UAC prompt, accept it and an empty Management Console will open.
In the console, go to File > Add/Remove Snap-in.
Add Certificates from the left side.
Select Computer account.
Select Local computer.
Click OK to view the Local Certificate store.
Navigate to Personal > Certificates and locate the certificate you setup using the SelfSSL utility. Right-click the certificate and select Copy.
Navigate to Trusted Root Certification Authorities > Certificates. Right-click on the Certificates folder and select Paste.
An entry for the SSL certificate should appear in the list.
At this point, your server should have no problems working with the self signed certificate.
Exporting the Certificate
If you are going to be accessing a site which uses the self signed SSL certificate on any client machine (i.e. any computer which is not the server), in order to avoid a potential onslaught of certificate errors and warnings the self signed certificate should be installed on each of the client machines (which we will discuss in detail below). To do this, we first need to export the respective certificate so it can be installed on the clients.
Inside of the console with the Certificate Management loaded, navigate to Trusted Root Certification Authorities > Certificates. Locate the certificate, right-click and select All Tasks > Export.
When prompted to export the private key, select Yes. Click Next.
Leave the default selections for the file format and click Next.
Enter a password. This will be used to protect the certificate and users will not be able to import it locally without entering this password.
Enter a location to export the certificate file. It will be in PFX format.
Confirm your settings and click Finish.
The resulting PFX file is what will be installed to your client machines to tell them that your self signed certificate is from a trusted source.
Deploying to Client Machines
Once you have the created the certificate on the server side and have everything working, you may notice that when a client machine connects to the respective URL, a certificate warning is displayed. This happens because the certificate authority (your server) isn't a trusted source for SSL certificates on the client.
You can click through the warnings and access the site, however you may get repeated notices in the form of a highlighted URL bar or repeating certificate warnings. To avoid this annoyance, you simply need to install the custom SSL security certificate on the client machine.
Depending on the browser you use, this process can vary. IE and Chrome both read from the Windows Certificate store, however Firefox has a custom method of handling security certificates.
Important Note: You should never install a security certificate from an unknown source. In practice, you should only install a certificate locally if you generated it. No legitimate website would require you to perform these steps.
Internet Explorer & Google Chrome – Installing the Certificate Locally
Note: Even though Firefox does not use the native Windows certificate store, this is still a recommended step.
Copy the certificate which was exported from the server (the PFX file) to the client machine or ensure it is available in a network path.
Open the local certificate store management on the client machine using the exact same steps as above. You will eventually end up on a screen like the one below.
On the left side, expand Certificates > Trusted Root Certification Authorities. Right click on the Certificates folder and select All Tasks > Import.
Select the certificate which was copied locally to your machine.
Enter the security password assigned when the certificate was exported from the server.
The store "Trusted Root Certification Authorities" should be prefilled as the destination. Click Next.
Review the settings and click Finish.
You should see a success message.
Refresh your view of the Trusted Root Certification Authorities > Certificates folder and you should see the server's self signed certificate listed in the store.
One this is done, you should be able to browse to an HTTPS site which uses these certificates and receive no warnings or prompts.
Firefox – Allowing Exceptions
Firefox handles this process a bit differently as it does not read certificate information from the Windows store. Rather than installing certificates (per-se), it allows you to define exceptions for SSL certificates on particular sites.
When you visit a site which has a certificate error, you will get a warning like the one below. The area in blue will name the respective URL you are trying to access. To create an exception to bypass this warning on the respective URL, click the Add Exception button.
In the Add Security Exception dialog, click the Confirm Security Exception to configure this exception locally.
Note that if a particular site redirects to subdomains from within itself, you may get multiple security warning prompts (with the URL being slightly different each time). Add exceptions for those URLs using the same steps as above.
It is worth repeating the notice above that you should never install a security certificate from an unknown source. In practice, you should only install a certificate locally if you generated it. No legitimate website would require you to perform these steps.
Download IIS 6.0 Resource Toolkit (includes SelfSSL utility) from Microsoft
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The patent and intellectual property frenzy that has hit the high-tech industry has been felt in other fields as well. Biotech has seen a burst of gene-based patents and, although their actual value has been called into question, their presence has been cited as a potential hindrance to the biological sciences. A new survey of research biologists suggests that it's not the patents per se that are the problem, but the cumbersome agreements designed to protect the possibility of patenting materials that are actually felt the most by researchers.
An analysis of the survey is being hosted as an open access publication by Nature Biotechnology. It focuses on people engaged in plant and agricultural biology research at Arizona University and a number of schools in the University of California system; a total of 85 researchers took part, which was a 25 percent response rate from the faculty identified as relevant. The researchers were asked to describe their experience with the patent and intellectual property system.
The majority of the survey population were well aware of the possibility that various research materials, such as DNA constructs, plant strains, and sequence databases, were likely to be subject to patent restrictions. None of them felt that their publicly-funded research was entitled to any sort of exemption from those restrictions. For the most part, however, they didn't care; as the authors put it, "our respondents do not encounter an anticommons or a patent thicket." The reason? The researchers generally think that their low-profile, profit-free, public research efforts just aren't worth the bother of a lawsuit. Half of them reported never having even looked for whether a tool was patented at all for the last five years.
But that hasn't meant they've been free from hindrances imposed by the intellectual property system. For over a decade, there has been a growing reliance on the use of materials transfer agreements, or MTAs, by research institutions, both public and private. These don't necessarily involve material that has already been patented, but they typically protect the intellectual ownership of the material so that the institution can patent it if they choose to in the future.
Unfortunately, there's nothing like a uniform standard for what, precisely an MTA should permit or disallow, despite the National Institutes of Health's attempts to promote one. The distribution of rights is complicated by the fact that it often has to be negotiated among three entities: the owner of the material, the researcher's host institution, and the researcher's funding source. Frequently, these parties engage in negotiations regarding the precise phrasing that can take months or even years. The researcher is left on the sidelines during that process so that, when the reagent finally arrives in their lab, they have no idea precisely what strings were attached to it.
The survey respondents indicate that most MTA agreements are handled in a matter of months without excessive difficulty, but that the number of agreements that need to be negotiated has risen significantly in the past several years. They also note some painful exceptions, which the authors obtained details on through targeted interviews (those are collected as supplemental data). In one case, a researcher identified a genetic element called a homing intron. A researcher at a different institutions recognized its potential utility for transferring genes, patented it, then sold the patent to a commercial entity. That entity then placed conditions on its use that the original researcher's host institution found unacceptable—the end result is that he's not able to use his own discovery.
In the end, nearly half of the researchers surveyed described notable delays in the execution of MTAs, with a mean delay time of about nine months. Many of them described having to substitute alternate tools, as the delays were actively hindering the pursuit of specific avenues of research. In a number of cases, the substitute tools were inferior; in others, the entire research project was dropped.
The authors considered the prospect that the complaints might be sour grapes from the have-nots in the IP race, but a number of those in the survey population actually owned IP, and their answers didn't differ from those who didn't. In all, only one-third find the MTA system as helpful, and most consider the entire system as directed for the benefit of the institutions, rather than their staff or the research community at large.
Although the survey population was comprised entirely of agricultural biologists, my informal survey of three current or former medical researchers (me, my wife, and fellow author Jonathan Gitlin) agree that there are just as many problems in other areas of biology. The patents themselves aren't the issue, but the institutional concern that IP will be accidentally left on the table is definitely inhibiting progress in fields that have the potential for widespread benefits.
Nature Biotechnology, 2009. DOI: 10.1038/nbt0109-36


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The UFC still is considering more changes to its existing policies regarding drug testing, but in advance of UFC on FX 7, the promotion has instituted two new rules to act as deterrents.
All fighters who compete on international events will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Additionally, the promotion won't pay out fight-night bonuses until drug testing results are available, Ratner said.
Currently, the UFC offers cash incentives for "Knockout of the Night," "Submission of the Night" and "Fight of the Night." Typically, they are handed out after the event and announced by UFC President Dana White.
The changes will be in place this weekend when UFC on FX 7 goes down at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The event's main-card airs on FX following prelims on FUEL TV and Facebook.
In locales without an athletic commission, the UFC takes the role under the direction of Ratner, who is the former executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This time around, a new Brazilian commission appointed by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) will oversee the event, Ratner said.
Drug testing for the event will be held by an independent facility hired by the UFC, as with earlier international events.
Just this past week, two fighters, Rousimar Palhares and Joey Beltran, were flagged by the promotion for failing post-fight drug tests at UFC on FX 6, which took place in December in Australia. Both will be forced to sit out nine months.
UFC fighters are required to pass a drug test prior to signing with the promotion and are forbidden by contract from using banned substances.
Out-of-competition testing, which is widely considered the most effective way to keep the sport clean, has yet to be employed.
For the latest on UFC on FX 7, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Marc Ratner)


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Andy Samberg Weds Joanna Newsom In Big Sur
Andy Samberg is having a pretty big year. The former Saturday Night Live star signed on to his first big post-SNL TV gig, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Those duties are keeping him busy this fall, but not so busy that he couldn't get married to his longtime girlfriend, Joanna Newsom, over the weekend.
Samberg has been engaged to Newsom, an indie singer and harpist, since this past winter. The press first found out when the singer showed up to the Independent Spirit Awards wearing a pretty engagement ring. Samberg and Newsom have never really been super public about their relationship, so it's no real surprise that the press found out about the actual nuptials only after they had actually been accomplished.
The two were married in California at a popular destination for the wealthy and famous in Big Sur called the Post Ranch Inn, a hotel that costs more a per night to stay in than Disneyland annual passes. If the place sounds familiar, it's also coincidentally the location where actor Justin Bartha popped the question to fitness instructor Lia Smith. Samberg's representative confirmed the nuptials to Us Weekly, who also noted the wedding took place on Saturday, September 21.
The couple dated for five years before heading down the aisle, but Samberg had to put some groundwork in to initially catch the singer's eye, going to her shows to hang out and listen to her music. He eventually was able to meet her through some mutual acquaintances, and the rest is history. With that sort of commitment early on, you would think Samberg and Newsom are destined to last, and Pop Blend would like to wish the couple the very best as they settle into married life, together.
Given their professions, it will be difficult to make time for each other, but hopefully, with enough determination and love in their hearts, they can find a way to support each other emotionally and continue to grow their own careers.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Reality TV fan with a pinch of Disney fairy dust thrown in. Theme park junkie. If you've created a rom-com I've probably watched it.


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Freedom New Mexico
The Government Accountability Office has issued yet another study documenting gross overspending and underproduction in Pentagon weapons systems.
The GAO has been doing these studies and making recommendations for the past six years, followed by promises from the Pentagon and defense contractors to improve.
But the problems have not gotten better. If anything, they have gotten worse.
The GAO found, for example, that, as the Washington Post news story put it, "95 major weapons systems have exceeded their original budgets by a total of $295 billion, bringing their total cost to $1.6 trillion, and are delivered almost two years late on average."
This comes at a time when the Pentagon has doubled the amount committed to new weapons systems, from $790 billion in 2000 to $1.6 trillion last year. In 2000, 75 weapons systems came in at an average of 6 percent over original budget, but in 2007 the increase was 26 percent.
Development costs for Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter and Boeing's Future Combat Systems, for example, designed to connect vehicles (generally tanks) and unmanned aircraft, have risen 36 percent and 40 percent respectively — in part, the GAO says, because the government orders "new and unproven technologies" that might not even be feasible to produce.
This gross waste on weapons systems is distressing enough at a time when U.S. service people have had to cope with a lack of simple but potentially life-saving equipment like better-armored vehicles and body armor. Even more troubling is that most of these weapons systems are of little use for the kinds of conflicts the United States is likely to face in the near future. Many systems are relics of the Cold War, when the thinking was


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Mitsubishi's performance subsidiary Ralliart, responsible for supporting the company's past WRC and Dakar efforts, will wind down operations this month. With poor sales they've decided to kill the arm of the company helping make fast cars faster. UPDATE.
In a letter to customers of Ralliart company President Masao Taguchi said:
Partial Cease of Business Activities along with Ralliart Inc's Business Scale Down
Ralliart Inc (President Masao Taguchi) has announced as follows.
Dear all of our customers ,
First of all, we much appreciate for your usual patronage to our company.
Our company have done the various activities relating motorsport with the support of many people since the establishment in April,1984 so far. However, because of the sudden change of economy situation since the year before last, the business circumstance surrounding our company radically became worse and so, this time we have reached the conclusion that we Ralliart Inc., would scale down our business activities as of the end of March 2010.
Along with the scale down of our business activities this time, we would cease the following business and operation which we have done so far. We would like to express our sincere apology to all of customers though we would make you much inconveniences.
Meanwhile, we wish you a continuous support to Ralliart family and entrants driving Mitsubishi cars who play an active part all over the world.
Items which would cease our business and operation along with our business scale down;
1. Support to motorsport customers(Support to the participation, Technical Support, and Awarding of Mitsubishi/Ralliart Driver of the Year)
2. New Planning, Development and Merchandize of Ralliart products (Except FIA VO parts) :*1
3. Information of new products and dispatching motorsport information(at web):*2
*1 FIA VO parts development and those application work shall be done by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation as it is.
*2 FIA Group-N information shall be open at the web site of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
Date of the cease: 1st April, 2010
It sounds like they're getting rid of nearly everything making Ralliart relevant or important, which means it's all but shuttered even if they aren't saying so. Any necessary operations will be sent to Mitsubishi, including support of rally efforts.
This doesn't impact production of the Evo or Lancer other than a possible name change for the Lancer Ralliart. It makes us wonder what there's to like about a company that just builds beige crossovers and electric cars.
Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Drill & Driver Kit
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Comes equipped with an LED which goes on when the trigger is pulled. You'll a clear view of whatever you are drilling or screwing with minimal shadows.
UPDATE: According to Mitsubishi Spokesman Mo Durand this won't affect any vehicles within the United States or, in theory, any vehicles carrying the Ralliart brand as the company owns all the proper licensing rights. Since Mitsubishi has mostly withdrawn from motorsports this primarily impacts aftermarket parts.
[Yomiuri Shimbun (translated)]
Photo Credit: Images-Grazia Neri/Getty Images


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The first job I ever had was working in a grocery store, and you could often find me in the parking lot trying to see how many carts I could wrangle at once. That's kind of how Link Mugs work.
Deadly Mississippi Tornado Kills More Than 2 Dozen | Extreme Earth
Back then, the danger was smashing into cars with a 50-cart runaway train. With Link Mugs it's carrying too many cups and dropping them on others in a shower of ceramic and scalding hot fluid. Still, if you are sensible about it, these mugs might be helpful if you are unwilling to spring for a tray. These mugs were first introduced as a concept a few years ago, but you can actually purchase a set now for around $53. [Mocha via Holycool via Gearfuse]


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I'm shocked and dismayed at the looming "performance gap" and its potential to derail the medal hopes of American athletes participating in the upcoming Beijing Summer Olympic Games. The Russians have beaten us to the proverbial punch, yet again.
Wouldn't you think that in the interest of national security and global image that the U. S. State Department would have had the sense to enlist organizations like The Dallas Opera for this noble cause? And with the "dog days" of summer coming, couldn't we all use a radical change of scenery?
Suzanne Calvin, Assoc. Dir. of Marketing, The Dallas Opera


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Steve Jobs' Life Story
Bio of late Apple CEO is a larger-than-life portrait, warts and all
En español | When in 1996 Steve Jobs suspected DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg of stealing a movie idea from Jobs's animation studio, Pixar, he got on the phone. Katzenberg offered to delay the production of his film, Antz, if Pixar agreed to delay the release of A Bug's Life. When Jobs said he couldn't, Katzenberg retorted: "Of course you can. You can move mountains. You taught me how!"
See also: Secrets of an innovator.
This image of Apple cofounder Jobs as the archetypal entrepreneur who makes things happen pervades much of Walter Isaacson's biography of the computer mogul, now available in Spanish.
Steve Jobs traces the executive's rapid ascent from cofounding Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, their initial attempts at raising capital — in which one prospective investor turned them down after deciding they were "a couple of young, scruffy-looking guys" — and the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984.
The Mac was the first commercially successful personal computer with a mouse and a graphical user interface, which allowed users to drag their mouse and "click" on icons instead of typing commands in computer language.
The story of the Mac's creation sheds light on a darker side of Jobs's perfectionism and innovation. While acknowledging that the idea of an affordable "screen and keyboard and computer all in one unit" was Apple employee Jef Raskin's, Jobs decided to carry the initiative to fruition. It was, Isaacson writes, "inevitable that once Jobs set his sights on the Macintosh project, Raskin's days were numbered." Shortly afterward, Raskin left Apple.
Recounting these events, Isaacson repeatedly invokes a concept coined by Jobs's associates to describe his ability to seemingly bend reality to his will. Known as Jobs's "reality distortion field" — a geek term inspired by an episode of Star Trek — Isaacson tells how Jobs persuaded Corning Glass CEO Wendell Weeks to produce the specific type of glass he wanted for the iPhone despite the massive engineering challenges. "Get your mind around it," Jobs told him. "You can do it." And it was done.
But that "distortion field" didn't always work in Jobs's favor, as when he decided to postpone cancer surgery for nine months and try alternative medicine. "I really didn't want them to open up my body, so I tried to see if a few other things would work," he told Isaacson. By the time Jobs underwent the operation, doctors found that the pancreatic cancer that eventually cost him his life had metastasized.
Jobs's death at age 56 generated a flurry of eulogies in the media. The innovator was hailed as the intellectual heir of inventors such as Thomas Edison. His loss as head of one of the 21st century's quintessential manufacturing firms at a time when U.S. manufacturers are losing ground to global competitors seems to have left an unfillable chasm.
While careful not to fall into the realm of hagiography, Isaacson's book echoes these sentiments, especially when discussing Jobs's legacy in the final passages of the 630-page tome. "He was a genius," Isaacson proclaims. Somewhat losing the restraint exhibited in the book thus far, Isaacson concludes that Jobs was "the greatest business executive of our era" and that his "saga" of innovating from scratch is the "Silicon Valley creation myth writ large."
Eminently readable and thoroughly researched, Steve Jobs is the definitive biography of the computer tycoon — for now. It will probably take more time for the world to process the impact of Jobs and the products he designed and marketed. In the meantime, Isaacson has done an outstanding job of not only retelling Jobs's story, but also capturing the milieu in which it unfolded.
You may also like: How to ensure you don't lose data on your computer.


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Online Advanced Nail Courses
Online Advanced Nail Courses – Why Complete a Course?
Becoming a advanced nail technician and offering advanced nail treatments is a great way of making money and our online advanced nail courses cover a full range of advanced nail treatments.
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We provide training and online advanced nail courses using only fully qualified educators who have vast experience within the industry as well as full teaching qualifications. We provide several distance learning advanced nail courses for students wishing to complete their training from home.
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- Qualified and experienced tutors – Each of our advanced nail educators have been hand picked, have extensive industry experience and teaching qualification ensuring you are getting the best education in advanced nail.


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|Oracle® Database 2 Day + Data Replication and Integration Guide
11g Release 1 (11.1)
Part Number B28324-01
|View PDF
This preface contains these topics:
Oracle Database 2 Day + Data Replication and Integration Guide is for anyone who wants to perform data replication and integration tasks that involve Oracle databases. Data replication and integration tasks involve using information at two or more databases in a unified way.
This guide recommends best practices and describes efficient ways of performing data replication and integration tasks. This guide describes using Oracle Enterprise Manager to complete tasks whenever possible.
Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Accessibility standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all of our customers. For more information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at
Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation
Screen readers may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, some screen readers may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.
Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation
This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or organizations that Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.
TTY Access to Oracle Support Services
Oracle provides dedicated Text Telephone (TTY) access to Oracle Support Services within the United States of America 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For TTY support, call 800.446.2398.
For more information, see these Oracle resources:
Oracle Database Heterogeneous Connectivity Administrator's Guide
Oracle Database Advanced Replication Management API Reference
The Enterprise Manager online Help
The following text conventions are used in this document:
|Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated with an action, or terms defined in text or the glossary.
|Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for which you supply particular values.
|Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code in examples, text that appears on the screen, or text that you enter.


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|0818 666 999 (Ambulance Control 24 hrs)
|+353 1 661 1666 (Ambulance Control 24 hrs)
|(01) 496 6933 (Enquiries/Admin 09:00-17:00)
|+353 1 496 6933 (Enquiries/Admin 09:00-17:00)
K2 is the popular powerful content extension for Joomla! with CCK-like features. The version used in this Demo site is 2.6.5. K2 was built as a complete replacement of the default article system in Joomla!. Install it like any Joomla! extension, import your articles from the default Joomla! article system and you instantly get a host of new features for your existing content.
The 3rd party component K2 is NOT included in RocketLauncher. You will need to download them from Get K2 and configure them on your site.
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RokPad provides advanced functions such as an Ajax saving action, syntax highlighting, multiple cursors and selections, shortcut keys, and many other incredible features that traditionally would only be found in a powerful desktop editor.Download: RokPad


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Plymouth Marine set free while war crimes case appealed
A Plymouth Marine convicted in a major Iraqi war crimes case will remain free while his case is being reviewed after a military appeals court ruled he had an unfair trial.
Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III, 26, has served four years in prison for killing a 52-year-old Iraqi man.
"I'm going to be the best Marine I can be today," an elated Hutchins said after being released Monday. "Today is really a surreal experience. I think we had a good judge. ... It's hard to describe exactly what I'm feeling. I'm happy."
The 2002 Plymouth South High School graduate was the first Marine to be convicted of a war-zone murder since the Iraq invasion began in 2003.
Hutchins' defense attorney, Capt. Babu Kaza, argued that the married father of a 5-year-old girl is not a flight risk or a threat to society.
Hutchins said he called his family immediately afterward to tell them he will see them soon. He was preparing to call his daughter, Kylie, next.
"I'm going to tell her she's my little princess, of course," said Hutchins, who went to a Taco Bell outside Camp Pendleton after being released.
Monday's decision by a military judge marked another major blow for the government's prosecution of U.S. troops accused of killing unarmed Iraqis.
Attorneys for the government say Hutchins led a squad of eight who killed the man in the Iraqi village of Hamdania in 2006, and then planted a shovel and AK-47 to make it appear he was an insurgent.
Four Marines and a Navy corpsman pleaded to lesser sentences and testified against Hutchins and two others.
They said Hutchins was frustrated because insurgents around the rural Iraqi town kept getting held and released – so on April 26, 2006, he ordered them to take Hashim Ibrahim Awad from his home, kill him and make it look like he was an insurgent planting a roadside bomb – apparently as a lesson to locals.
According to their testimony, Hutchins fired the final shots and said, "Gents, we just got away with murder."
The U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals in Washington ruled Hutchins was not given a fair trial because his lead defense lawyer left the case shortly before his 2007 trial.
The Navy is appealing and the case is now in the hands of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, which can either affirm or overturn the Washington court's ruling.
Hutchins says he was not with his squad at the time. He was initially sentenced to 14 years but that was later reduced to 11. The others in his squad served less than 18 months.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces is expected to hear arguments from both sides in the case this fall and could take until next year to make a decision.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the Marine Corps Times last year that he believes Hutchins was the ringleader in the premeditated murder plot and attempted cover-up, and that he should complete the full sentence.
Hutchins said his squad told him they had killed an insurgent leader, and he did not learn of the mistake until after the investigation.
Hutchins told a Naval Clemency and Parole Board in January that he wants to live with his parents in Plymouth, and help them pay off their mortgage since they refinanced their home several times to cover his legal expenses.
He also said he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and would like to help others suffering from PTSD.
"I am forever diminished by the death and violence I witnessed in Iraq, and forever consumed with regret over what I brought about with my hands," Hutchins wrote to the board. "I do not find forgiveness as I lay in bed at night, nor would I accept it if it could somehow be offered. I am responsible for the loss of a human life on the night of April 26th, 2006."
READ MORE about this issue.


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In late December and in the absence of Christmas, the rabbit patch is most quiet. The children went home yesterday. When the back door shut, I started missing them. I always indulge myself, on such occasions, by sitting quietly in the den and mourning for a while. For many years, I just cried outright and convinced myself that surely I suffered from some mental calamity.
Yesterday, I tried to avoid a " nervous breakdown"-as folks used to call it. That term, when I was young, covered every sort of condition and mostly affected women. It could be brought on by such things as a flock of children in the house after three days of rain-though it was always the men that were yelling out and seemed in a state of panic. If a woman was caught crying, she was most likely having "a nervous breakdown". So, in that case , I have had one most every year for a decade now, when Christmas is over, and the children go home.
Christmas was a beautiful affair, altogether. The days before it, I was with Jenny and we made every day count. There was a family gathering and later a luncheon. We shopped and wrapped presents. I came home early, Christmas Eve morning and went to work at the rabbit patch. I cleaned and cooked while the linens were washing. Mama and Daddy came for an early supper and Brant came home later on that night and so waiting for Tres, Kelsey, Jenny, Will and Lyla was more bearable.
The hours progressed in a typical holiday fashion with a sweet fanfare. Christmas night, we always gather at my parents. Christian brought his guitar and Lyla managed to hand out a few gifts-so there were some truly beautiful moments. The most shocking thing happened. I have said earlier that I had started a collection of a Lenox china pattern, Winter Greetings-I soon regretted that as it is entirely too expensive for my budget- and I am almost sixty years old. At the rate I was going, I needed to live much longer than members of the tribal communities in Brazil- My mom and sisters gave me twelve dinner plates! I opened the plates with its' redbirds and ribbons and was on the verge of tears-My sister, Connie told me several times in the process, that this counted for my birthday too and daddy said I ought to be careful with them. I just kept unwrapping more redbirds with ribbons. I finally said "Now, all the children can get married!" -because now, I had a plate for each. It was a touching and funny moment, looking back.
Yesterday, we shared our last Christmas meal of this year. The sunroom needs a ceiling repair and a bedroom needs a new floor-but my table showed indications, that all was well at the rabbit patch. That table was "set by love" by the women in my family and I may sound vain, but it was beautiful!
This morning, is especially quiet and so I have already planned a strategy to avoid a "nervous breakdown" again, today. I will part with some of my other dishes to make room for that china. I will deal with left over food and I will look for Christopher Robin as he took a "a walk-about" and has never done so before. I looked this morning and saw a lifeless creature in the road. I glanced as it is all I could bare to do. I commenced to crying and vowed I could carry on without him. A neighbor saw me upset, and when I told her the story, she declared to me that what I had seen was not Christopher Robin, but a poor little rabbit. I went out again to the dreadful scene and found she was right. I had been crying an hour over losing the sweetest cat I had ever known, but now, with renewed strength, I will search again and proclaim him a naughty and worrisome companion, when I find him. I will fuss about his poor behavior, when a door is opened . . . . but oh, how, I hope I find him.


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If you're one of the few folks out there still looking to buy a Windows RT 8.1 tablet, the Nokia Lumia 2520 should be the hands-down choice over the Microsoft Surface 2, according to chipmaker Qualcomm.
The company said the tablet battle between tech's biggest pair of pals results in an easy victory for the Finnish manufacturer, which it claims outstrips Microsoft's own-branded device in all areas.
"The performance on [the 2520] is brilliant," Qualcomm's senior VP of product management for Qualcomm's application processors, Raj Talluri, told CNET in an interview.
"It's really at the next level. It's not even really a contest [compared to Surface 2] ... In every area, it's much bigger, faster, and lower power."
Snapdragon vs Tegra
Talluri's view isn't exactly impartial as Qualcomm chips sit within the Lumia 2520, whereas Nvidia Tegra processors power the Surface 2, but his assessment is played out by the device's respective specs.
Nokia's tablet brings a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, clocked at 2.2GHz, a 1920 x 1080p HD display and 11 hours of battery life.
Microsoft went back to the drawing board for its Surface 2 tablet with a much improved spec sheet. There's also a 1080p screen, but the quad-core Tegra 4 processor is only clocked at 1.7GHz.
The launch of the Nokia 2520 Windows RT tablet paints tech's BFFs as temporary rivals in the tablet space... at least until Microsoft seals the deal to buy Nokia!


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Bassel Shahade was martyred on the 28th of May 2012. He was honoured twice, by having lived a full life and then by dying a martyr.
Bassel Shahade, from Al-Qasa'a neighborhood in Damascus, a Fulbright scholar studying filmmaking at the University of Syracuse in the United States of America. Basel left his university at the beginning of the Syrian revolution and returned home to report on what is happening on the ground and convey it to the world. He moved to Homs three months ago, and became one of the most important and courageous photographers/filmmakers in Homs. He taught video-editing to the photographers in Homs and trained more than fifteen people during his stay there. One of his most prominent students is the heroic young reporter and director, Ahmed Al-Assam, known as Ahmed Abu Ibrahim.
Ahmed had a delicate artistic sense and has filmed and directed many films and reports about the revolution, the most famous of which is his final report talking about the forced displacements taking place in Homs.
Both heroes have lost their lives during their coverage of events in the Bab Sbaa neighborhood in Homs, by the fire of the Assad army, the traitor of humanity.
Tribute Facebook page for Bassel Shahade:
Tribute Facebook page for Ahmed Al-Assam
I Dream of My Homeland: A song written by Bassel
Saturday Morning Gift: A Short Film by Bassel with English subtitles
Singing to Freedom, a Film about the Syrian uprising featuring: Noam Chomsky , Norman Finkelstein, Amy Goodman, Erica Chenoweth and Syrian Protesters. Produced by Bassel.


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Ere Perez Eye Pencil - Forest
Ere Perez
This product is currently sold out.
Go wild with this Soft Deep Forest Green eyeliner pencil inspired by nature.
A soothing formulation of oils including jojoba, considered to help protect your eyelid and stimulate lash growth. Gentle on eyes, suitable for sensitivities. Frame eyes or smudge before drying for a smoky look. Practical design for easy application. Available in 8 tones.Available in 7 tones.
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America's DTV transition beset with problems
On Feb. 17, all full-power analog television broadcasts in the United States will cease and existing TV stations will begin broadcasting exclusively in a digital format. The switch to digital television (DTV) will free up frequencies for emergency uses and allow broadcasters to provide more programming for their viewers through 'multicasting.'
As a practical matter, people will need to subscribe to a cable or satellite television service, use a digital-ready TV set or hook up a digital converter box to an analog TV set in order to continue watching broadcast television.
Unfortunately, the number of people who stand to lose their access to TV programming in the coming DTV transition is considerable. Roughly 10 to 15 percent of all TV households ' about 30 to 40 million people ' still rely on over-the-air television, most of whom are senior citizens, poor or non-English speakers. In a city like Chicago, with high poverty rates and a large immigrant population, some 20 percent of residents still use antenna-only TV and an estimated 230,000 households are completely unready for the conversion.
The federal government has launched a coupon program that allows each household to claim up to two $40 coupons to help offset the cost of digital converter boxes for those who can't afford them otherwise. But the coupons expire 90 days after issuance, and half of the more than 25 million people who have requested them have seen their coupons expire.
What's more, surveys show more than three-quarters of those who are interested in getting converter boxes are not aware of the coupon program.
Preliminary testing of digital-only TV broadcasting in the U.S. has been all but non-existent. The sole switchover test, enacted in September in Wilmington, N.C., amounts to a false positive, since 92 percent of the viewers impacted by the test already subscribe to cable. Across the country, there have been sporadic tests, perhaps a minute or a few minutes at a time at various times and in various locales, but nothing systematic.
Outreach about the DTV conversion has been haphazard at best. For the most part, the FCC is counting on public service announcements (PSAs) voluntarily aired by broadcasters to inform viewers about the switch. But only 13 percent of PSAs air during the most-watched hours of prime time, and PSAs make up only one-half of 1 percent of all TV airtime.
In recent months, the FCC has partnered with senior centers and community groups to stage a series of 'town hall' meetings about the DTV transition in an effort to educate some of the most vulnerable populations. But scheduling of these town hall gatherings has been ad hoc and in many cities the meetings have been poorly attended.
The distribution of set-top converter boxes has also been fraught with serious problems. Research has shown that the sort of stores that carry converter boxes are typically located far from the low-income neighborhoods which need them most. And many retailers have been caught flat-footed, not knowing about the transition and sometimes providing incorrect information about the conversion or the coupon program.
Amid widespread confusion about the DTV conversion, there has been no shortage of unscrupulous retailers taking advantage. Both fly-by-night scam businesses and major satellite and cable TV providers have been pushing unwitting TV viewers to buy equipment they don't need at inflated prices. Worse still, earlier this year, the FCC fined several large big-box retailers a combined $3.9 million for failing to correctly label analog-only TV sets that will be rendered useless come Feb. 17.
Just last week, government officials overseeing the transition told Congress they may need an extra $330 million to keep up with the demand for converter box coupons. They also admitted that there might not be enough converter boxes available to fill anticipated needs and that the shortfall could be as high as 2.5 million boxes.
The saddest thing about this entire situation is that America's transition to DTV could've been handled much differently. The UK is currently in the midst of its own switch to digital television. But unlike here in the U.S., the British conversion is being rolled out gradually over the course of four years, converting region-by-region, practically neighborhood by neighborhood. What's more, the money the UK has spent on outreach and infrastructure, per capita, puts American efforts to shame. The British DTV conversion has had problems of its own, but the problems have been far smaller in scale and easier to address. Americans who watch TV and the regulators who shape our communications policies would be wise to take notice.
Steve Macek is an associate professor of speech communication at North Central College, and Mitchell Szczepanczyk is an organizer with Chicago Media Action and a frequent contributor to assorted Chicago-area independent media efforts in print, web, radio and television.


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The prosecutor's offices for two Washington counties - including the one that contains Seattle - announced today they will dismiss 175 misdemeanor marijuana possession charges, days after the state's voters legalized the drug.
The dropped cases all involve arrests of individuals age 21 and older for possessing one ounce or less of marijuana.
Washington state voters passed Initiative 502 on Tuesday, thus legalizing and regulating the production, possession, and distribution of cannabis for people ages 21 and older.
The initiative is set to take effect December 6, though King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg decided to act before then.
"There is no point in continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal next month," Satterberg said in a news release.
The King County Sheriff's Office subsequently announced that, in light of the county prosecutor's decision, its deputies "will not be directed to arrest or charge individuals caught with one ounce or less of marijuana."
This decision affects efforts only in the unincorporated part of the county, with the sheriff's office noting that leaders in 12 municipalities in the county will decide how deputies act between now and December 6 in their locales.
Mark Lindquist, the prosecutor for Pierce County in Washington state, said his office will dismiss simple marijuana possession cases as well. But cases in which a person is charged with other crimes, in addition to marijuana possession, will still stand, Lindquist said.
The Washington referendum called for a 25% tax rate imposed on the product three times - when the grower sells it to the processor, when the processor sells it to the retailer, and when the retailer sells it to the customer.
It is one of two marijuana-related ballot initiatives that passed this week. Amendment 64 in Colorado will amend the state constitution to legalize and regulate the production, possession, and distribution of marijuana for persons ages 21 and older.
But Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper warned after his state's vote that it's too soon to "break out the Cheetos," because his state and presumably Washington state must still navigate federal laws before citizens can legally buy and sell cannabis.
And germane to the Washington and Colorado initiatives, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a statement Wednesday morning saying its "enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged."
"In enacting the Controlled Substances Act, Congress determined that marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance," the DEA said. "The Department of Justice is reviewing the ballot initiatives, and we have no additional comment at this time."
When are the people going to stop taking crap from the corrupt DEA and justice department? We want it legal, it is our bodies and our right. Either leave us the Hell alone or die, that is your choice. The DEA should either all be hung or disbanded, but they need to disband before I get to make the decision for them.
I'm a disabled veteran, that spent the past 5 years on heavy narcotics. I decided I did not want to spend the rest of my life still in pain, walking around like a zombie. So I came off all the meds w/the help of marijuana...there's a lot of good that can come out of this. If people actually research actual facts on pot. There's a good movie out called the Union, the Buisness Behind Getting High.


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4 Things Young Adults Should Know about Financial Planning
Young adults often have limited knowledge about the world of personal finance. But whether they like it or not, money management is a part of growing up. The good news is there are a few key areas of personal finance that, once learned, can have an outsized impact on long-term success. Here are 4 things young adults should know about financial planning to ensure a stable financial future.
How to Set Great Savings Goals
Many young adults recognize the importance of saving money, but few understand how to set savings goals. The best goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART).
For example, many people's goals sound like, "I want to save $500." But a better goal will outline the goal's purpose and how it will be funded. That could look like, "I want to save $500 by June 1 to pay for my summer camping trip, and I'll contribute $50 a month toward this goal by cutting back on eating out two times." The second savings goal is easy to stick with and realistic to achieve. In turn, the goal will have a much higher chance of success.
How to Protect a Financial Plan
The shiny aspects of financial planning like investing and setting goals are easily the most appealing. But protecting a financial plan is a critical piece that many young adults do not consider. Protection comes in many forms, from setting up a life insurance policy to creating an emergency fund.
Whether term or whole life insurance, life insurance can help protect your loved ones if something unexpected happens. Especially for those who have children or are the primary breadwinner of their household, the right life insurance policy will ensure one's family has income replacement.
An emergency fund is another necessary form of protection. By saving up a cash cushion, one'll be protected from the unanticipated emergencies of daily life. And that means one won't need to take on debt to pay for a minor car repair or medical bill.
How to Create a Budget
Have you ever gotten to the end of the month with only a few dollars in your checking account and no idea how? Unfortunately, dollars without a clear purpose tend to disappear. But one can change the fate of lost money by creating a budget. To build a successful budget, one'll need to figure out exactly how much of every paycheck will be earmarked for saving, investing, retirement, debt repayment, etc. Then, one can choose a budgeting approach. Some popular options to explore include a zero-based budget, the 50/30/20 budget, and the envelope method. Whichever method is chosen, automation can help stay on track.
How to Automate Finances
Automation in finances is one of the best ways to keep everything running smoothly. Once your paycheck hits your checking account, set up automatic transfers for emergency savings, bill pay, investments, etc., as it aligns with your budget. Once your automation gets money where it needs to go, one'll know exactly how much is left over each month for spending. Plus, ensuring you have transfers happening for key transactions can help ensure you aren't missing any payments, which can help build credit.
The Bottom Line
When done properly, financial planning is about freedom and opportunity, not restriction. By setting great goals, putting protection in place, creating a budget, and automating your finances, any young adult is well on their way to a thriving financial future.
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SanDisk today announced its latest consumer-class solid-state drive (SSD), the SanDisk Ultra II, which comes with the company's lowest price point to date for a flash drive.
While SanDisk's media presentations and statement on the drive focus on the SSD's improved performance and a new dashboard tool for monitoring performance and SSD health, what stands out the most is the price point: as little as 44 cents per gigabyte of capacity.
The SanDisk Ultra II SSD
The Ultra II follows the Ultra Plus, but the Ultra II is SanDisk's first triple-level cell (TLC) NAND flash-based client SSD aimed at delivering high performance and reliability to the mainstream consumer. Triple-level cell flash simply means the three bits of data is stored per memory cell versus two bits with multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash.
Because TLC flash stores data more densely than MLC, it can achieve a lower price point.
The Ultra II is the follow-up to the SanDisk Ultra Plus SSD released early last year. At the time of its announcement, the Ultra Plus SSD came in capacities from 64GB ($75 retail price) to 256GB ($210 retail price).
The new Ultra II SSD comes in 120GB ($80), 240GB ($115), 480GB ($220), and 960GB ($430).
While the price point on the Ultra II SSD dropped dramatically, performance increased. The new SSD is up to 55MBps faster than its predecessor for writes and 20MBps for reads.
SanDisk Ultra II's read/write performance (Image: SanDisk).
The SanDisk Ultra II has a maximum sequential read/write speed of 550MBps and 500MBps, respectively. The SSD's random read/write performance tops out at 99,000 I/Os per second (IOPS) and 83,000 IOPS, respectively.
By comparison, Samsung's TLC consumer SSD, the 840 EVO, retails for as little as $469 for a 1TB model. Samsung's 840 EVO SSD read/write performance tops out at 540MB/s and 520MB/s, respectively.
As with other consumer-grade SSDs, SanDisk's new drive is designed and being marketed to deliver a cost-effective and upgrade for desktop and laptop users who want to increase performance, battery life and power efficiency.
For example, SanDisk claims the Ultra II SSD can increase laptop battery life by 15% over a system that uses a hard disk drive.
Like SanDisk's higher-end SSDs, the new SanDisk Ultra II comes with SanDisk's nCache Pro firmware, a write cache technology that reduces SSD wear by assembling data to be stored in the most efficient manner prior to being written to the NAND flash.
The SSD also comes with an enhanced SSD Dashboard that offers users visibility into the drive's performance, security and available firmware updates.
"We live in an era where we expect to have information at our fingertips anytime, anywhere, with technology that keeps us connected to both our personal and work lives on devices that won't fail," Dinesh Bahal, vice president of retail product marketing at SanDisk, said in a statement. "The new SanDisk Ultra II SSD, together with the improved SSD Dashboard, provides consumers with an easy, affordable way to ensure that their PC can keep pace with their increasingly connected, information-driven lifestyle."
Read more about ssd in Computerworld's SSD Topic Center.


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Teachers Teaching Teachers #204 – "We can't not deal with it!" says Diana Laufenberg – 1st in a series – 06.09.10
This is the first in a series of TTT webcasts that we are doing this summer in response to BP's gushing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. We are asking teachers from all over to join us each Wednesday evening this summer to put together a curriculum that will help our students build their own responses to the human, animal, and ecological devestation that has been happening every day since April. Incredibly, this "spill" promises to continue wrecking damage into the fall and winter.
Diana Laufenberg, a teacher at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, started us in this series of shows with a the powerful, clear-eyed stance of a history teacher commited to helping her students find their own answers to "How does this go on?" Diana's descriptions of a project in which her students made infographics this spring will inspire, and her ideas for connecting her students to students in the Gulf will make you want to join us in this endeavor. We also spoke to a math teacher, Matthew, from Pennsylvania.
Diana Laufenberg ( @dlaufenberg and Living the Dream ) is a history teacher at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. On the school's website, she is described as "a nomad."
Diana is a true life-long learner. She currently works with 11th grade students at SLA. Experiential education is an integral part of her educational pursuits taking students from the classroom to the real world and back again. Before finding her way to Philadelphia, she was an active member of the teaching community in Flagstaff, AZ where she was named Technology Teacher of the Year for Arizona and a member of the Governor's Master Teacher Corps.
In the second and fourth webcasts in June, podcasts of which will be available later this week, we were privilidged to have teachers from the Gulf join us. We are working to find a place for all of us to contribute resources, connections, and ideas. On this webcast we talk about the possibility of connecting in some way through the Learning Network of the New York Times. (See "The Gulf Oil Spill in the Classroom.") Another possibility is for some of us to work with Suzie Boss and the teachers who have signed up for Edutopia's Project-Based Learning Camp, which will start in the middle of July (although it's now closed to new participants). Also Matt Montagne started this Google Doc to begin collecting our thoughts, resources and plans.
Please enjoy to this podcast. Diana gets us off to a great start on this journey! And please plan to join us this summer 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World Times.
Click Read more to see a copy of the chat that was happening during the webcast.


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I'm not sure, back when the MLB postseason began in early October, that many people would have tabbed the Giants and Rangers to meet in the 106th World Series.
But that's what we have. While the pitching staffs have a big name or two, not many position players in this Fall Classic are household names outside their teams' cities. And there is little doubt that the Texas Rangers will win their first-ever World Series. Here are three main reasons why. (more…)


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Exclusive: Emmy Winner Darin Brooks Joins The Bold and the Beautiful
Liam is gonna crap. Former Days of Our Lives star Darin Brooks has joined the cast of CBS's The Bold and the Beautifulas Wyatt Fuller, a character described by a show rep as "clever and mysterious and a love interest for Hope Logan [Kim Matula]." Brooks, who won a 2009 Emmy as Days' Max and went on to star in three seasons of Spike's riotously raunchy sitcom Blue Mountain State, has already started shooting at B&B. He'll hit the air June 21. TV Guide Magazine spoke with the star about his juicy - and naked - new gig.
TV Guide Magazine: Word is, your first B&B scene is in the shower.
Brooks: Yeah, that's how they introduce me. [Laughs] Hey, I know the drill. You get used to this as an actor. Drop trou and go, you know? The scene takes place up at Big Bear Lake near the Forrester cabin. My character, Wyatt, is first seen in the nude taking a solar shower out in the woods. Hope stumbles across him and takes his picture on her smartphone and Wyatt catches her. She doesn't know what to do so she freaks out and starts running. He chases after her to get his hands on the photo.
TV Guide Magazine: And it's love at first sight?
Brooks: Wyatt doesn't know anything about Hope but he's definitely taken with her. Yeah, a little smitten. [Laughs] Hey, it happens when a woman catches you in your most private of moments.
TV Guide Magazine: How will this mountain man get mixed up with the show's Beverly Hills crowd?
Brooks: He'll eventually get himself into town and get settled. As the story unfolds, he moves into that whole fashion-industry world and you'll find out his connection to everything. It's all very mysterious for now. You know how this stuff works. You have to watch!
TV Guide Magazine: So the Liam-Hope-Steffy triangle is about to turn quadrangle?
Brooks: Wyatt will definitely get in the middle of all that and he's the type of guy who will stand up for himself. Wyatt has no problems encroaching on Liam's territory and stirring up the s--t. He's a badass. [Laughs] He will definitely enjoy the drama!
Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!
View original Exclusive: Emmy Winner Darin Brooks Joins The Bold and the Beautiful at TVGuide.com
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Holding the line on school spending? The job's not over
Here's some good news: Across New York state, 97 percent of the school budgets were approved by the voters this year.
Actually, 97.3 percent, or 653 or those 671 spending proposals, according to the New York State School Boards Association. Locally, school budgets passed in a clean sweep — no vote was even close.
Here's some better news: On average, spending was up in those budgets less than 2 percent (actually, 1.89 percent, again according to the association).
In many cases, this reflects a realization by district budget writers that these are lousy economic times. Many local districts pared back their work force and found other ways to hold the line on spending. In some cases, unfortunately, federal stimulus funds were used to hold down spending increases; those districts — and they were few locally — are simply putting off painful cuts for another year or two.
We hope this new economic reality is likewise recognized by unionized teachers, administrators and other school workers who bargain collectively. Teachers and administrators will get an average raise of 5.6 percent this year, based on labor contracts signed before the recession hit, according to the Associated Press. Labor costs are about 70 percent of a school district's spending.
Even those districts that did a good job of holding down spending this go-round have yet another hurdle just around the corner: Pension-fund payments by schools are expected to spike in about two years to absorb losses of 10 percent or more on Wall Street investments.
Clearly, cost-cutting needs to be pursued not only during budget preparations but during contract negotiations. And school workers need to realize that no matter what the contract says, a job with reduced benefits and a flat salary is better than no job at all. There are plenty of voters in every district who have learned that lesson the hard way.
Gov. David Paterson has made noise about reducing state aid to school districts — a major funding component both locally and across the state. The Legislature nevertheless adopted a state budget this year that raises spending to school districts; it may not have that luxury in 2010.
Finally, that federal stimulus funding was something of a wild card: Included in some districts' budgets for certain items, not included in others, and not even mentioned in others. There remains some questions as to what types of uses these funds can be put to. Which is another reason those districts that didn't lean too heavily on this money were particularly prudent.
In any case, the stimulus money will run out in two years.
At least that was the plan this morning.
Then the planning, scraping, trimming and laying off will start all over again. Because the other main revenue stream for public schools — district residents who pay property taxes — is pretty much tapped out as well.
So while this year's lower-than-usual increases in school budgets were welcome — and, indeed, necessary — it is incumbent on district financial officers to ensure they become the rule, rather than the exception.


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Restorative justice: One high school's path to reducing suspensions by half
In one tough high school in Oakland, Calif., a restorative justice program has cut suspensions in half in just a year.
| Oakland, Calif.
In the open-air corridor just outside his classroom, Eric Butler could hear snatches of escalating conflict: two girls talking trash about Mercedes Morgan – calling her the B-word and, even worse, a liar.
He saw Mercedes standing apart, pretending not to hear. He called the senior into his room. She was reluctant, resisting his first attempt to find out what was going on. So he started over and introduced himself, made her laugh, asked about her life. He didn't dress or talk like a typical teacher, and he lived nearby in the 'hood.
Here's what really got her curious: He apologized. He told her what he always tells students when he first introduces himself as the restorative justice coordinator at Ralph J. Bunche Academy: "A lot of adults have been promising you things and not following through, and I'm sorry for that. It won't happen with me. I don't blame. I don't punish."
His role, he explained, is to help people resolve problems and repair harm.
Mercedes finally opened up, telling him her friend was accusing her of stealing shoes from her house. It took another half-hour before she trusted him enough to admit it was true – and that she'd been afraid of what might happen if she "punked out" and didn't fight. The 18-year-old had been fighting with girls since elementary school, as if she didn't know any other way.
All three girls agreed to attend a "circle," an eye-to-eye talk in the folding chairs in "Eric's room" that are always set up in the round. The anger was palpable at first, but Mercedes apologized – and explained that she'd stolen the shoes to sell them so she could help her mom pay for a drug test. If her mom could prove to the court that she was clean, she might be able to get Mercedes's younger siblings returned to her from protective custody. When the other girls saw Mercedes crying, they empathized and gave her a hug. They didn't ask her to replace what she'd stolen, but they wanted to know that, going forward, she would be trustworthy.
That was shortly after Mercedes had arrived last fall at the 250-student Bunche Academy, a continuation school where she was sent after being expelled because of too many fights at Oakland High School.
"It was cool, because if Eric wasn't here, I probably would have been suspended, but he taught me a way to handle things," Mercedes says. She has surprised herself by managing to avoid fights ever since.
Restorative justice, which has cut suspensions by more than half at Bunche, is one of several strategies the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is embracing as it attempts a seismic shift in the culture of discipline – from punitive to preventive, exclusion to inclusion.
A model of restorative justice
Increasingly, adults here are tossing lifelines to students who've had trouble at home, felt harassed by police, or witnessed traumatizing crimes in one of the most violent cities in the country. Oakland's overall rate of suspension mirrors the nation's, with about 7 percent of OUSD students suspended in the 2010-11 school year. School discipline is now a focus because, for years, African-American students have been suspended and expelled at very high rates.
In the 2011-12 school year, African-Americans made up 32 percent of Oakland's students but 63 percent of the students suspended. In middle schools, principals suspended about 1 out of 3 black boys.
The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights investigated whether the discipline was discriminatory. Before making a legal finding, OCR collaborated with the district last fall on a five-year voluntary resolution plan to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and the racial disparity.
"We have been working really hard to basically move away from a zero-tolerance strategy ... [and create a] culture that is about healing from harm and restoring a sense of relationship," said Tony Smith, OUSD superintendent, at a press conference announcing the plan. "There have been deep and long-term structural reasons ... that have excluded and pushed out boys of color, and most often ... our African-American boys. The waste of so much human potential is not only unacceptable in Oakland, but across the country."
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised Oakland's plan as a national model.
Concerns about discipline had already been woven into a broader strategic plan – spearheaded by Superintendent Smith, who took the helm in 2009 – to offer more support for the social, emotional, and physical well-being of students. This whole-child approach is the key to better academic outcomes in the 46,000-student district, leaders here say. Four out of 5 OUSD students come from low-income homes; more than half of third-graders have insufficient reading skills.
Restorative justice has been integrated into about a dozen schools and is spreading.
"Restorative justice is not a program; it's a way of being," says Bunche Principal Betsye Steele.
Mr. Butler works at Bunche full time via a partnership with the community group Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, but the whole school has embraced the concept, she says.
As a result, "the environment has changed.... [Students] are focused; there's not the typical cutting [or] the student conflicts [or] the disrespect of teachers."
Suspensions not only dropped by 51 percent last year, but they continue to fall, and Bunche eliminated disproportionality in suspensions for African-Americans.
Among Oakland's other strategies is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, which has shown success around the country by having schools set up common expectations, give students positive feedback, and then step in with intensive support for those having trouble meeting the standards.
Nineteen OUSD schools received awards for reducing overall suspensions – and reducing by at least 20 percent suspensions of African-American boys – between the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
Time is also set aside for teachers, principals, even security officers to learn to respond more effectively to students, ideally before a suspendable offense happens.
"We've become reliant on distancing as a way to manage conflict. That's what a suspension is – I can't manage you, so I move you away," says Barbara McClung, OUSD'S coordinator of behavioral health initiatives. "Because of the cultural and class differences between our students and our educational system, there's a lot of conflict, [so] we have to build our capacity to use other means to resolve those conflicts."
Offense is in the eye of the beholder?
Among the most common reasons students are sent out of class at Oakland High School are disruption and defiance – refusing to participate, using profanity, arguing with the teacher or another student, or even walking around class, ignoring teacher instruction to do otherwise.
Within the first 15 minutes of one recent class, a teacher at Oakland High kicked out six of the seven African-American students in the class for disruption and defiance.
An assistant principal talked with the students about their behavior – but also sat down with the teacher to encourage him to try to engage his students in the class, rather than being so quick to remove them.
"Ours is a work in progress, from the teacher end and the student end," says Oakland High Principal Jeff Rogers, who is working to convince more staff that discipline is about teaching self-discipline.
"What we're fighting right now are people who ... [want to] eliminate those students from the formula that are going to make them look bad, or are going to require extra effort," Mr. Rogers says.
It's often more effective to work with students, perhaps through counseling during an in-school suspension, he says. "The danger is when we start throwing the kids away."
While suspensions aren't as effective as they once were, when more parents were at home to back up the discipline, "you also have to focus on what are the rights of all students to learn, and schools must remain safe," says Trish Gorham, president of the Oakland Education Association, the local union. "It is often a judgment call when there is disruption in the classroom: How much time is a teacher going to take with an individual student to address their social/emotional needs?"
Sometimes calls for reductions in suspensions feel like "a numbers game," Ms. Gorham says, and "teachers have suffered [in certain schools when] consequences are not apparent to the students for misbehavior."
Science teacher Nancy Caruso says she understands why the district wants more positive interventions, but students sometimes wait for weeks when they are referred for services.
Meanwhile, she says, there's still a problem with violence at Oakland High, where she's been teaching since 1996. "There have been serious threats against teachers," she says, noting that one student's hair was even lit on fire. Administrators, she says, "don't do the paperwork for [expulsion], so the kid gets a five-day suspension and [is] back." (The student who lit the fire also received counseling, Rogers says.)
Districtwide, three categories account for 75 percent of suspensions of black boys: disruption and defiance; causing, attempting, or threatening injury; and obscenity, profanity, or vulgarity. For black boys suspended multiple times, 44 percent are suspended solely for defying authority. Many of those offenses, district leaders and education experts say, are in the eyes of the beholder – and that's where racial disparity is most notable.
African-Americans will often say that "African-American boys are demonstrative, that they are challenging you because that's how they engage in learning," says Ms. McClung, but "teachers who [refer students for] suspensions [see] disrespect, disruption, and danger."
More school staff have been taking training to recognize unconscious bias. And, to better track fairness, the district now requires more detailed reporting of what behaviors led to discipline for broad categories such as defiance.
Life lessons: a firm handshake, eye contact
The onus is not just on the adults. One way the district is helping more African-American boys meet behavioral standards is through "manhood development" classes – so far at six high schools and several middle schools.
Visitors to Tiago Robinson's class at Oakland High are greeted with eye contact and a firm handshake from each student as he introduces himself.
It's one of the "life lessons" that 10th-grader Byron Williams appreciates about this elective for African-American boys. As he's followed the tips, he's noticed that "people actually listen to what you've got to say."
Before they fill out a practice college application, Mr. Robinson asks a series of questions about a film they recently watched. He tosses a ball to an upraised hand, and then tosses a snack once the question has been answered. "Thank you, brother," the boys respond.
"Brother." That's a word you hear more around campus now, Robinson says, since he introduced it as a replacement for the N-word, freely spoken by urban teens but hurtful to many.
Another trend that's fading (at least in school): waistbands that hang so low one wonders how they defy gravity. Noticing a boy's pants heading southbound, Robinson casually calls out, "No sagging," and the student makes a quick adjustment.
The larger goal is success in high school and college. Many of the students were encouraged to start the class in ninth-grade because they were at risk for dropping out or being expelled.
Robinson serves as a kind of go-between, talking with students, teachers, and parents if conflicts come up or grades slip.
"Last year, for the first semester I wasn't doing any of my work in math; I had a D," Byron says. After a talk with Robinson, the math teacher agreed to let Byron redo his work. He earned a B.
"[I didn't want to be] part of the black males that don't graduate," Byron says. "I was always thinking about college, but [Robinson] lets us know what we need to do to get there."
The classes are overseen by OUSD's office of African-American Male Achievement (AAMA), which draws outside funding to improve a vast array of outcomes.
AAMA executive director Christopher Chatmon says he's striving to "put forth a counter-narrative" about black boys – too often seen on the news as killers or victims. He publicizes the names of black students who get a perfect score on state tests. He organizes student performances at a downtown jazz venue. It's all part of what he calls, with a sly smile, a "conspiracy of care."
On a recent day at Bunche, clusters of students chat boisterously in the corridors and then settle quietly in their classrooms. On breaks they pop in to talk with Eric (he tells them not to call him Mr. Butler), to play dominoes and rib him for looking like comedian Tracy Morgan.
"On my bad days, the best way to turn it good is to walk up in here first," says Tyrell Kirk, an African-American student who expects to graduate in June. "He'll either try to work it out to the point that I get an understanding, or he'll try to make me laugh till I forget about it," he says.
The chairs in Butler's classroom encircle a memorial: tall white candles and a framed photo of Kiante Campbell, a Bunche student murdered downtown a week before. He was five weeks shy of completing his credits to graduate.
The students "can tell you so much about death, and how they want it and how they picture their death," Butler says, but when it comes to life, "they've lost their ability to dream."
So when he wraps up his restorative justice class that day, he asks what they want to be. "Mechanic," "entertainer," "join the military," "lawyer," the kids offer in hushed voices.
"Don't be afraid to dream big," Eric tells them in his booming voice. "Lawyer? Shoot for Supreme Court justice!" He makes it a homework assignment. "Tonight what I want y'all to do is dream.... I want you to see yourself paying them bills for your mama. I want you to see yourself buying me a new house!"
They're laughing as they head off to their next class.