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The argument that earning profit is like earning interest by lending money (where profit is fixed like the rate of interest on loan) is indeed an age-old debate which has also been pointed out 1,434 years ago in the holy Qur'an.
"Those who devour usury will not stand except as one whom the Evil one by his touch hath driven to madness. That is because they say: "Trade is like usury," but Allah Hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (To Judge); but those who repeat (the offence) are companions of the Fire: They will abide therein (for ever)." (Al Qur'ān 2:275)
Money lenders have been trying to claim that earning through trade is like earning interest on loan, but 'by permitting trade and prohibiting interest' Islam clearly declined the disbeliever's view that 'trade is like usury'. Murabaha is basically a trade activity (quite different from lending money on interest) because under Murabaha the financier purchases and sells goods on credit after adding a margin of profit over the cost of purchase; whereas under interest based lending financier does not take part in any economic activity, but just lends money and gets back along with interest over principal amount after a set time.
There are around 10 Qur'ānic verses and 23 Hadith on prohibition of Interest (Riba) of different nature. According to Shariah, Riba technically refers to the "premium" that must be paid by the borrower along with the principal amount as a condition for the loan or for an extension in its maturity. So, Riba has the same meaning as interest in conventional banking in accordance with the consensus among all Islamic schools of thoughts. There are two major types of Riba in Shari'ah. The first (Riba al Nasiah) describes prohibition of lending money on interest whereas the second (Riba al Fadl) prohibits all unfair commercial transactions that leads to exploitation. Since Murabaha does not fall under any category of Riba described in Hadith, it cannot be rated alike lending on interest. Furthermore, there are operational differences between lending money on interest and cost plus finance.
Lending Money on Interest
Cost Plus Finance (Murabaha)
Financier lends money to earn interest over principal amount without bearing risks associated with the borrower's economic activity. Financier practically doing trade by purchasing and selling goods on credit at a price set after adding profit margin over cost of purchase. Money is considered a kind of asset and accumulation of monetary asset is made out of monetary asset without changing its form from money to goods. Money is treated as means to measure value of goods and medium of exchange. Value of goods may enhance only after selling the bought goods to customers. Financier has nothing to contribute towards Government revenue. Financier pays sales tax on trade volume to the Government. Financier does not interfere in business activity of the borrower and does nothing to help the borrower get competitive prices for sought goods or commodities. Financier bargains with the supplier to avail discount in price of goods so as to offer competitive prices of the goods to the customers. Financier has nothing to do with quality of the goods sought by its customer. Financier bears associated risks on quality of the goods sold to its customer. Through lending loan on interest the Financier increases customer's demand force which may inflate the economy with limited resources for suppliers. Purchase and sale by financier boosts production process and flow of liquidity from the customers to the bank and reduces inflation by slicing purchasing power. Rate of interest on loan amount is related to time factor. There is no interest and the price value of sold goods is not related to time factor. Borrower needs to repay the instalment of interest and principal on due dates. Customer is supposed to repay part of total price value of goods on due dates. Financier does not allow the borrower to reschedule the instalment on due dates even in case of any genuine financial crisis. Penalty may be charged for that. In case of genuine financial crisis, the financier does allow the buyer to reschedule the due instalment dates without any penalty. Financier need not to get any registered sale tax number. Financier needs to obtain registered sales tax number. Financier has nothing to do in collection and submission of sales tax. Financier used to pay and charge sales tax; and submit to sales tax department. Financier need not to have any purchase officer with specialisation in trade. Financier does need to have purchase officer with specialisation in trade.
Besides above operational differences, it is important to analyse and evaluate the impacts of interest based lending and cost plus finance on the economy. Interestingly, Cost Plus Finance has the potential to increase economic growth by pushing consumption, production and Government revenue with putting customers demand forces under control with flow of liquidity from customer to bank segment.
We can evaluate the differential impact of interest based lending and cost plus finance by a hypothetical study. Suppose there are two types of banks in our economy. One is lending on interest and the other is offering cost plus finance. Both can offer same rate of returns to their depositors (e.g. 8% annual interest or dividend to the depositors) and charges 15% annual interest on loans or adds 15% profit margin (over cost of purchase) in case of cost plus finance. Since bank extending cost plus finance with intention to get competitive quote for the goods, bargains with the supplier and pass on the discounts to the buyer, it helps the customer pay less for availing required goods; and also provides more revenue for the Government.
The practice of cost plus finance by banks can help us to -
Increase in consumption (as the consumer takes goods from bank on credit) to increase potential for economic growth rate. Decrease in prices as purchase of goods by bank allows the supplier to produce more; and increase in productivity with constant demand would lead to fall in prices. Control in demand side inflation because the customer does not get liquidity rather would need to repay value of bought goods back to the bank; and the customer needs to transfer access of income over expenditure to repay cash to the bank.
We hope that the RBI would introduce cost plus finance under Para banking as an optional product with intention to keep inflation under control with increase in economic growth rate. Hopefully, money lenders would not argue again and again that trade is like lending on interest.
(Radiance Views Weekly / 25 Jan 2013)
Alfalah Consulting - Kuala Lumpur: www.alfalahconsulting.com
Consultant-Speaker-Motivator: www.ahmad-sanusi-husain.com
Islamic Investment Malaysia: www.islamic-invest-malaysia.com


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On Wednesday I went wandering about the downtown with Maria. We browsed through some interesting little shops and sat down for korvapuusti (or cinnamon roll, if you prefer that) and hot chocolate at one of my favourite cafes in Helsinki, Café Succès. I first went there with my dad when we were going to the Open Night at my future high school. He had been somewhat of a regular customer back when he went to the same school and the warm ambience on a somewhat cold and slushy February evening stayed with me and during my years in high school, I would frequently skip the lunch break and get myself a huge croissant and a cinnamon roll with a cup of hot chocolate to go. Sadly the service and the product quality are not quite up to the same level as before but there is always something very nostalgic about Café Succès.
After the short pause we continued walking. We walked through Ullanlinna, all the way across the Market Square and Senate Square, looking for a nice place to take my outfit pictures. Maria suggested the small park in front of Ritarihuone, the House of Nobility, but as beautiful as the flower arrangements and the fountain were, we deemed (or I did) it unfit for my outfit. I did however snap these pictures because the milieu was stunning to say the very least.
The last picture is from Mariankatu, right next to the House of Nobility. Throughout the day Maria and I had been admiring the old buildings and wailing every time a horrendous monster like the one in the picture scarred the otherwise picture-perfect scenery. I honestly don't know what they were thinking back in the day... ripping down beautiful historical buildings and replacing them with something "hip and contemporary." When traveling in Europe I always admire the way most cities have a very ubiquitous feel and look to them. Helsinki, however, has many beautiful streets and neighbourhoods that reflect the different eras and styles, but it also has these buildings that look simply out of place. I actually feel a little sorry for the misfit buildings. In some other company they might be even somewhat attractive but next to the neoclassical beauties they just appear even more plain and awkward. Sort of like when a tall person stands next to a short person. Then again, this is one of the features that makes Helsinki so unique and interesting. You can never know what you're going to find.
You may wonder where the outfit pictures are, but I thought I'd let them have their own post, or actually, I thought that these pictures deserved their own post without my face gawking at you a million times. Thus the outfit post will follow later...
Hard to believe it's already Friday but here we go again. I'm going to work today and tomorrow so no weekend for me just yet. We'll be celebrating Erica's real birthday tomorrow by going out so that ought to be fun. Other than that I'll be cleaning and organising my closet so I can finally take those pictures of my little apartment. I've lived here for almost 5 months and I still haven't shown you any pictures. Shame on me... I promise to get to it asap!

subset: commoncrawl


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Coroner IDs Ga. man who died after scuffle with Ala. police
PHENIX CITY, Ala. - The Lee County corner has identified a man who died after a struggle with sheriff's deputies and police in the Phenix City area as 25-year-old Khari Neville Illidge of Columbus, Ga.
Lee County sheriff's officials say they responded to a call about a naked man who entered a home and threatened its occupants Sunday night. Police say the man fled and tried entering another house when officers tried subduing him.
Phenix City police assisted sheriff's deputies in a struggle authorities say lasted more than 10 minutes. Authorities say the man was combative even after deputies used a Taser to try subduing him. The man passed out and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Sheriff Jay Jones has requested the Alabama Bureau of Investigation to probe the incident.


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Autopsy: Brown shot 6 times
Michael Brown was shot at least six times, including twice in the head, when he was killed by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, according to a preliminary autopsy.
The results, first obtained by The New York Times, showed that Brown was shot four times in the right arm. Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner for the City of New York who conducted the autopsy, said the bullet that caused the fatal injury struck Brown near the top of his skull and suggested he was bent forward when it hit.
The autopsy, which was also reported by The Wall Street Journal and CNN, came on the same day that Attorney General Eric Holder ordered an additional autopsy to be performed as part of the federal investigation into Brown's death.
( Also on POLITICO: Holder, Obama to meet on Ferguson)
"Due to the extraordinary circumstances involved in this case and at the request of the Brown family, Attorney General Holder has instructed Justice Department officials to arrange for an additional autopsy to be performed by a federal medical examiner," DOJ spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement Sunday. "This independent examination will take place as soon as possible."
Brown, an unarmed African-American 18-year-old, was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson last Saturday. The autopsy reported that there was no gunpowder on Brown's body, suggesting that the bullets might not have been not fired at close range. The report said that determination could change depending on whether gunpowder is found on Brown's clothing, which have not yet been examined.
The attorney for Brown's family Benjamin Crump called the privately requested autopsy "very preliminary" and said it "only tells part of the story," but said its result support the numerous eyewitness accounts of Brown's shooting.
( Also on POLITICO: Nixon: 'Thunderstruck' by 'overmilitarization' in Ferguson)
"It's going to be one of those things that we have to get all the witness statements out and look at all the autopsies, all the evidence to put this picture together," he said at a press conference Monday following the release of the private autopsy.
Baden said six bullets struck Brown, including two head wounds and added there weren't any signs of a struggle. However, Baden said x-rays, which should be available at some time whether in the next few weeks or month, will give more information. He added that "at some time" there will be access to Brown's clothing.
"But often in an investigation like this, it's not uncommon for prosecutors not to want information released, but I think in my experience, when that happens it only get the community more upset," Baden said.
( PHOTOS: Scenes of unrest from Ferguson)
On ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday morning, Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden called the autopsy "very, very troubling."
"It confirms our worst fears that the witnesses were telling the truth — that our son was shot many times," she said during the interview. "What is worst is the head shot."
Baden said he recovered only three of the six bullets from Brown's body, and the Times report added that "some of the bullets entered and exited several times, including one that left at least five different wounds."
The doctor criticized the Ferguson Police Department for failing to disclose how many times Brown had been shot. "People have been asking: How many times was he shot?" Baden said. "This information could have been released on Day 1. They don't do that, even as feelings built up among the citizenry that there was a cover-up."
( Also on POLITICO: Nixon sends National Guard to Ferguson)
Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, expressed a similar criticism. "This is a perfect example of the way in which the unnecessary withholding of information has created more concern, more questions," she said on MSNBC on Monday.
The department were also criticized for failing to promptly identify the officer who shot Brown. Police Chief Thomas Jackson released Wilson's name on Friday, six days after Brown was killed. After the department released video and a police report that said Brown was a suspect in a convenience store robbery, Jackson said that Wilson hadn't been aware of that at the time of the shooting.
Lucy McCalmont contributed to this report.


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A wonderful Lion Bronze Statuette. The lion has characteristic patterns carved on bronze statuettes. A figurine of perfect size for decorating the desk or shelves.
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- The Columbia 15000-D Series Discography (1924 - 1933) by Cary Ginell
- The Fiddle Book by Marion Thede
Festival Recordings
Miscellaneous Collections
- Clawhammer Banjo
- Emmett Lundy
- Fiddle-L Anthology 1999
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Audio Files For Books
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- Fiddler's Dream - by Howard Marshall
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- Now That's A Good Tune: Masters of Traditional Missouri Fiddling
- Old Time Fiddler's Repertory - by R.P. Christeson
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Using The Search Page
Say you're looking for Tommy Jarrell tunes, type in Tommy Jarrell. Every Tommy Jarrell track will show in the list. Furthermore, if you're looking for just Tommy Jarrell tunes in the key of D, over on the side, you can narrow your search to just Tommy Jarrell tunes in the Key of D.
On the right hand side of the Search Page are dozens of searches ready to go. For instance, if you are looking for fiddle tunes in DDAD tuning, Click on DDAD.


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The Quelccaya glacier is at a similar latitude to Kilimanjaro and is also receding. It's a logical point of comparison. Core 1 is 163.6 m deep (Summit Core- 154.8 m) and is attributed a start date of 470 AD (Summit Core: 744 AD). Annual dust layers are a guide to dating in the upper portions. In Core 1, the layer dated to 1800 AD is at 106 m in depth, the layer dated to 1590 AD at 130 m in depth (Summit – 120 m). It is both much younger and much thicker than Kilimanjaro. If you calculate accumulation rates at both glaciers according to a thickening model, it turns out that the assumed accumulation at Kilimanjaro is about 100 times lower than at Quelccaya, which is a young glacier. Precipitation levels appear to be comparable.
Glaciers become increasingly compressed with age. The usual equation linking the total thickness of the glacier H and the annual accumulation a to the age at a given depth z is as follows:
The main sensitivity in this equation is to a. For Quelccaya, the average accumulation is said to be 1.368 m. See footnote at ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/trop/quelccaya/q83cor1.txt. There is an interesting aliasing artifact discussed by Hans Erren here.
Assuming that I've done this right – I've cross-checked it, but this is a new calculaiton for me – putting H at 165 m, the value of a needed to yield the 1800 AD layer at 106 m is 0.85 m; to yield AD1590 at 130 m is 0.65 cumulatively (i.e. a much lower rate from AD1800 to AD1590) and to yield AD500 at 160 m is cumulative 0.38 m. I'm unaware of any detailed discussion of the reasoning for this at Quelccaya. But, aside from this, the key point here is that the glacier is both much younger and much thicker than Kilimanjaro.
Here are the ages at 50 m under various accumulation rates a for H=55 m and H=80 m. Thompson does H=50 m, which leads to singularity in the equation, for which he does an odd coercion. Thompson concludes that the accumulation rate is 0.0128 m and that the basal layer is 11700 BP through this odd coercion. For the argument here, it doesn't matter whether a=0.0128 m or a= 0.0067 m. The point here is just how sensitive this age calculation is to the accumulation rate a and just how low the Kilimanjaro accumulation rate is compared with Quelccaya where, in the well-measured period since AD1800, a=0.85.
|Accumulation Rate a (m)
|Age (H=55 m)
|Age (H=80 m)
Thompson is saying that Kilimanjaro a is about 1% of the value at Quelccaya. Thompson says that precipitation occurs in all months at Kilimanjaro with monthly totals "typically" less than 100 mm. I'm looking for annual precipitation totals at Quelccaya; if the average accumulation is said to be about 1.268 m, it would appear that annual precipitation at both Quelccaya and Kilimanjaro are pretty similar. Ergo, the average annual ablation rate at Kilimanjaro must be pretty nearly equal to the average annual precipitation. Add in some autocorrelation and I cannot imagine how you can get a plausible age model resulting in Kilimanjaro being 11700 years old. I'm not even sure how you can prove that it's as old as Quelccaya on the information proffered to date.
It would have been nice if Thompson had commented in the original publication on these astonishingly low accumulation rates and how they reconcile with (say) Quelccaya, where he had previously worked.


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Bellus stud earrings
Two gorgeous fair-trade rubies or tourmalines in a minimalist channel setting of 14k gold. Designed and made in our Portland studio.
Most rubies on the market have been heat treated to remove their crystal inclusions and to alter the color by allowing more light to pass through. We're using untreated rubies in these rings. While traditional treated rubies are beautiful, we think the inclusions and color variations found in these natural rubies adds a uniqueness and a connection to the beauty of the earth that is missing in heat treated stones.
Due to Mother Nature's whims, every stone – both rubies and tourmalines – may vary slightly from what's pictured here.
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Read about our product guarantee and warranty.
Our stones and metals are sourced only from suppliers who guarantee they are conflict-free.
Please allow 3-4 weeks for production, plus additional shipping time (varies by carrier and service).
Matte Gold: Use a very soft 100% cotton cloth and/or a soft toothbrush with warm water and a gentle soap.
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We stand by our work and have taken great care to make a solid, long lasting beautiful piece of jewelry. That said, jewelry is not indestructible and extra care should be taken to ensure that your cherished piece remains in great condition for years to come. Stones and metal can become loose, chip, or crack through prolonged heat/cold exposure, contact with harsh chemicals, certain perfumes/lotions, chlorine, or knocking up against another hard surface (e.g. don't wear it while sledding or in the hot tub...); basically, when in doubt, remove your jewelry.Click for more jewelry care information.
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As awesome as a great workout can feel, it's hard to magic up the motivation to make it happen some days. But new research suggests you should power through, even if you're not 100 percent feeling it.
Even "forced" exercise can help protect against anxiety and stress, according to a study from the University of Colorado at Boulder. So essentially, dragging yourself to the gym is just as beneficial to your Zen levels as going voluntarily. "Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and push yourself to work out, even if you're feeling less than inspired," says Wendy Larkin, master trainer at Crunch San Francisco. "I have to force myself to go on a run every Sunday, but after I do, I feel better, my mood is better and I sleep better."
Need a little help getting off the couch? These tactics can keep you strong the next time you get the urge to bail.
More From Women's Health
Schedule sessions with a trainer
If this seems like a duh, that's because it is. Think about it: You commit a) weeks in advance to b) actual appointments where c) someone will be expecting you, so you basically have to show. Plus, you'll still get charged if you back out. "Go in on a regular sessions with a few friends, and make it a regular thing," suggests Larkin. "You'll get the same workout, but you can divvy up the cost." That, and sweating it out with your crew sounds way better than going at it solo.
Start a work-buddy system
Larkin says she sees it all the time: People plan to get their sweat on after work, but then talk themselves out of it by 5 p.m. With crazy deadlines, last-minute meetings and the like, your workplace is booby-trapped with gym-bailing temptations—so you need allies to stay strong. "Find a few people in the office with similar fitness goals, and make a pact to keep tabs on each other," says Larkin. Tell them to make sure you leave at X time so you make your workout—and vice-versa. Then follow up to keep each other accountable.
Splurge on foxy workout gear
Like a good LBD on a night out, gym gear that plays up your assets can give your mojo a serious boost and make you want to put it to good use. "When you look and feel good, you have a little more pep in your step, and the reasons you didn't feel like going to the gym earlier will fade," says Larkin. Plus, paying top dollar for super flattering workout clothes definitely makes you want to get your money's worth.
Establish a gym family
Introduce yourself to your fitness instructor before class, and take a few minutes to chat it up with people you recognize as regulars. As people get to know you, they'll be more likely to learn your capabilities, push you if they see you slacking off, and call you out when you skip a week, Larkin says. You'll also feel more compelled to show up at the gym if you know you'll be expected.
Leave important things in your gym locker
If you accidentally-on-purpose forget to bring your hairdryer and make-up bag home after a gym sesh, you'll be forced to go back the next day to get ready. "Half the challenge is getting in the door, so the more reasons you give yourself to stop by, the better," Larkin says.
Get a vacation on the books ASAP
Beach season is so close, you can practically smell the sunscreen already. "Most people rev up their workout routines right before taking a big trip, so wherever you're going this summer, get your reservations nailed down as soon as you can," says Larkin. Not only will thinking of your trip give you that extra push you need to get through a tough workout, but it also gives you a deadline you can't cheat. Nothing is more motivating than having to show off your bikini body in, oh, 35 days.
Can you handle 15 minutes of belly-melting exercise?
More From Women's Health:
Gymspiration Techniques That WORK
Workout Motivation: You're Too Legit to Quit
Workout Motivation: No More Excuses!


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OAKVILLE – Workers in the Ontario Public Service (OPS), represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, will protest at their local MPP's office over the government's refusal to bargain a fair collective agreement.
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2015
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Location: MPP Kevin Flynn's office, 2318 Lakeshore Road West, Unit 2
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas said that the government is refusing to recognize the legitimate bargaining demands from his members, and is intent on freezing wages and cutting benefits in the current contract.
"Government negotiators at the bargaining table appear they would rather push the OPS into a strike than negotiate a fair deal with their employees," Thomas said. "Yet this same government seems to have no problems with wasting billions of dollars on failed privatization schemes.
Thomas said that the union has repeatedly told Premier Kathleen Wynne that his members can provide these services better and cheaper than the private sector, which has been affirmed by Ontario's Auditor General. Despite this, that message is not filtering down to the bargaining table.
"Investing tax dollars directly into public services and public sector jobs will actually save the taxpayers money," Thomas said. "If the government spent even a fraction of the money on public services and public service workers that is now wasted on private contractors, we would have better, more reliable and more accountable services for everyone."
Members are now protesting directly to the MPPs in a bid to get that message across. "If Kathleen Wynne can't properly direct her negotiators, maybe her caucus members can convince her that a fair contract with those who provide crucial services in this province is in the best interests of all Ontarians."
OPSEU represents all frontline Ministry employees who work directly for the Ontario government. The current collective agreement expired Dec. 31, 2014.
For more information: Rick Weaver: (519) 754-9912
Related: OPS Bargaining 2014 Index Page


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On the launch day of Warlords of Draenor, I thought I'd change it up and talk about Diablo. I recently hit 70 on my crusader – the first time I've hit the level cap in Diablo III. I never actually posted about this character at all. After gem and I finished Reaper of Souls near the end of September, I created a seasonal crusader and leveled only through Adventure Mode. The game is much more fun and quick in Adventure Mode, so I was very happy with that. I enjoyed the crusader as well. He has a strong and steady feel like he could walk through any barrier. I particularly like using flails, but I use whatever's best.
Now that I'm at the level cap, I could check out endgame. I'm playing on Master currently because I can't quite handle Torment. As such, no Greater Rifts for me yet, but I did try my hand at Nephalem Rifts. They're… not that fun. In addition, combining gems has always been one of the most satisfying parts of the game for me, but now I can't afford to combine all my gems. Boo! I intend to play some more, pushing into Torment and trying Greater Rifts, but I don't know if it'll happen. After the first night of being max level, my drive to play fell greatly. However, I know I'll be back in season two to try a new class!


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Recently escaped from the hospital for the criminally insane…the Mad Killer, Gunther Wyckoff
So one of the librarians was processing a group of donated DVDs, and I just happened to spot Film Noir Classic Collection, Volume 5. It had eight films on it: Cornered (1945), Deadline at Dawn (1946), Desperate (1947), Armored Car Robbery (1950), Backfire (1950), Dial 1119 (1950), The Phenix City Story (1955), and Crime in the Streets (1956).
After I mentioned it would be a good film to watch, they let me be the first one to check it out. Some of the films were good and some were okay. That happens in a collection.
I thought this movie was really exceptional and all because of Marshall Thompson, who plays Gunther Wyckoff. He was phenomenal in playing his part. He was able to be cold, calculating, creepy; but then have moments of appearing almost innocent and a troubled boy. Not as good as Anthony Perkins in Psycho, but close.
I haven't found a lot of pictures so this will mostly contain ones from other films and reviews. But I don't let that stop me, let's begin our review.
The film starts off with gruntled newspaperman, Harrison "Harry" D. Barnes. Harry is tired of being paid so little and working his whole life to only be in the exact same place as he started. He tells his pal that he is quitting and heads off to the Oasis bar to drink up his troubles. Because of his early departure, he misses an important announcement that Gunther Wyckoff has escaped from his institution.
Elsewhere in Terminal City, Helen is leaving to go on vacation with a friend of hers. She lives with her mother, taking care of her as she has a weak heart, but is sorely in need of a break. She heads out but instead of meeting up with a her girl friend, she instead is meeting Earl at the Oasis Bar. Earl is a married salesman and the two are planning to go away for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Gunther Wyckoff is headed to Terminal City. Three years ago he murdered a woman, was found to be insane, and instead of being executed, resided in the institution. But now he is out.
Next to him is a women traveling as well to Terminal City ands she notices that something is off about Wyckoff. Like most psychopaths he has no "normal" ways of interacting with other people.
At the front of the bus, the driver has a gun for protection. They all take a five minute break to stretch and use the bathroom, and when they return to their traveling, the woman notices the gun is missing; and that the man next to her was the only one to remain on the bus during the break.
They reach Terminal City, the woman stays as long as she can and warns the driver in their native tongue about what has happened. After she leaves the driver approaches Wyckoff, and tells him to return the gun and clip. Wyckoff shoots him.
Wyckoff is extremely creepy and scary as he is so emotionless, cold, and calculated. He doesn't freak out, break a sweat, or worry; just demolishes what is in his way.
Wyckoff heads out to Dr. John E. Faron, police psychologist. When no one answers his knock, he decides to go to the nearby bar to wait. The Oasis Bar.
In the bar we have Harry, Helen, and Earl; as mentioned before. Also there is Chuckles the extremely pessimistic, sarcastic, and grumpy bartender/owner. His assistant/waiter Skip is the exact opposite, pleasant, kind, and optimistic. Today he is extremely worried and frantic as his wife is about to have a baby and he doesn't want to miss a thing. In fact he didn't even want to come to work, but his wife made him go as the baby won't be coming for a while. She's going to regret that decision.
There is also Freddy, a bar floozy who is drunk all day and night on anything she can get and hits on any young guy that moves.
All are talking while Wyckoff waits. Freddy tries to hit on a big, strong, young man; but when he leaves She turns toward Skip. Skip keeps calling to see if the baby has come yet, but no luck. Helen is trying to justify what she is doing as she is lonely and unsure about if she really wants to go away with a married man. Earl is trying to get Helen drunk so she can "relax" and "settle down." Harry gets the call about the dead bus driver, but as he has "quit" his job, he decides not to go. Too bad.
Meanwhile as the newsmen and police are going crazy as they are worried about Wyckoff killing again and searching for him. They locate the woman who was sitting next to him to get confirmation, and when they do flash his picture on TV.
Chuckles is the only one who notices the TV news flash, and knows it is Wyckoff in his bar. He looks at his gun under the bar and heads down "cleaning" to grab it. But at the last minute he changes his mind and tells Skip to take over, while he "heads in the back to get Vermouth". Big Mistake.
He goes to the phone, but doesn't count on Wyckoff being paranoid and very suspicious. He follows Chuckles and shoots him.
Body count is at two already.
Afterwards, he shuts down the bar and gets the rest of the people together, they are now his hostages.
A couple of people walking by hear a scream from Helen, and tell the police. When an officer goes to investigate, Wyckoff shoots him in the leg.
Lieutenant "Whitey" Tallman heads out to handle the situation. They set up barriers on the street and try to figure a way in.
Wyckoff calls the police and tells them he wants Dr. Faron in 25 minutes or he will kill everyone in the bar.
Lt. Whitey is very upset over all this. He was the arresting officer, he worked hard to get Wyckoff convicted for his crimes; and to have him sent to a hospital instead and be out in three years is extremely upsetting. He is furious with Dr. Faron who was the one who provided the evidence and testimony that sent him free to the hospital rather than prison and the death penalty. He has no intention in trying to get Dr. Faron involved, but in finding another way to free the hostages.
Dr. Faron is out walking when he comes upon the huge crowd of police, newspapermen, and bystanders. He finds out that he is needed ad goes to Lt. Whitey, but Whitey doesn't want him involved at all.
Meanwhile the group inside is trying to figure out what to do. They recognize that the gun he has holds eight rounds, two of which have been used on killing Chuckles and shooting the policeman (the earlier third one hit the bus driver but they don't know about it). They believe him to have six (really five) left; but then he pulls out another clip and puts it in. They discuss charging at him, but think that it is not a good idea and will get them all killed.
Outside the police have come up with an idea to sneak a smaller policeman into the air conditioning to shoot at Wyckoff. Which is a bit strange to go about it.
Dr. Faron wants to go in and speak to Wyckoff, as he believes that he won't harm him ad that he will be able to shock him out of his delusions ad bring him into reality. The Lt. says no.
Inside the bar Harry tries to get Wyckoff to let him go, as this is the story of the year; just like his previous exploits were. Wyckoff says no and starts going on about how the government is to blame for making him this way. They gave him a gun and uniform, trained him to kill,and expected him to come back into society. He is a killing machine because of them.
While that is going on, the police work hard to get through the air conditioning. But unbeknownst to them, Wyckoff has been looking at it all night, and when it turns off suddenly he notices, and shoots at it;
killing the policeman.
Freddy tries to seduce him, but no dice. Wyckoff sees right through her.
Wyckoff has them turn on the TV so that they can see what is happening outside. They see that the Dr is there but that the Lt. won't let him in. Harry convinces him to let him call the newspaper, and that they will get the public going and force the police to let the doctor in. Wyckoff lets him, but the newspaper ignores him, because of his earlier conversation, they think he is just drunk and going to mouth off.
Wyckoff s extremely angry and trying to determine what to do next. Outside the Lt. has decided to blow open the bar and cut the lights. While they are planning, Dr. Fanroe goes in to speak with Wyckodff.
Dr. Fanroe tries to get Wyckoff to put down the gun down but he won't listen. You see the only reason Wyckoff came to Terminal City was because he wants to kill Dr. Fanroe.
Wyckoff makes everyone sit at the bar while he deals with Dr. Fanroe. Freddy notices Chuckles' gun under the counter.
Dr. Fanrie tries to bring Wyckoff back to reality, and here Thompson shines in his acting. We discover that Wyckoff was not a soldier. He always dreamed of being one and wanted to, but they wouldn't let him as he didn't pass the psych evaluation. He went crazy upset and killed.
Wyckoff argues with Fanroe and kills him.
Afterwards he looks at his hostages trying to determine who is next. While doing so the phone rings. Skip afraid that it might be his wife, rushes at Wyckoff to knock him off balance. Meanwhile the cops have set the charge blown up the door and cut the lights. Wyvkoff picks up his gun and intends to shoot them all when before he can, Freddy shoots him.
I have to admit I never saw that one coming. The drunk saving them all? Pretty cool ending as I never would have guessed that.
Afterwards the cops come in and the people all go their separate ways. Skip to the hospital to see his newly arrived eight pound baby. Helen goes home as she believes the whole thing was an intervention from God to keep her from sinning. Earl tries to pick up Freddy and she tuns him down flat, heading to a different bar. Harry calls the desk and starts to relate the story of all that occurred. The mad killer is dead.
To start Horrorfest V from the beginning, go to Who You Gonna Call?: Ghostbusters (1984)
For the previous post, go to How To Survive A Horror Film
For more film-noir, go to I Do Think You Are Confused Mrs. Bowman: Dangerous Crossing (1953)
For more "mad killers", go to We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes: Psycho (1960)


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Spetzofái – the last of Blaencamel Farm's Broad Beans Crop
Whilst I may have skipped a month of sharing recipe ideas with you inspired about one of my favourite places in Wales, it seems that the summer crop that has done so well on Blaencamel Farm's land this summer keeps going strong this first week of September. This year the almighty broad bean has inspired various summer version of one of my favourite Greek dishes, Spetzofai, a stew which hails from beautiful Pelion on the Greek mainland (the land of the Cyclopes).
This simple sausage stew requires flavoursome, good quality sausages containing at least leek with a hint of spice, fresh seasonal vegetable and beans. The freshly podded broad beans make for a lighter and quicker version of the dish. To replace the broad beans chose either giant (Lima/Butter) beans or cannellini. As I am always inspired by my Greek heritage, Welsh producers and my local farmers' market so I recommend you use Charcutier's Italian fennel or their Thyme sausages for this recipe. The stew follows the same cooking method as the July 2017 Fasolakia dish which is popular in Greek cuisine. You can adapt it to make your own vegan, vegetarian and meat dishes Greek-Stylee. As usual you can source most of the recipes at the Roath and Riverside Farmers' Market in Cardiff as well as other farmer market locations supplied by the farm in Wales.
Order your seasonal Blaencamel veg box online www.blanecamelbox.com Find out more about Lia's Kitchen and subscribe on Lia's newsletters here www.liaskitchen.com
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 pack Charcutier Italian Fennel or Thyme sausages, in chunky cubes (280 g)
- 1 bag Blaencamel farm broad beans, podded (250g when podded)
- 2 Blaencamel bell peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
- ½ Blaencamel Hungarian wax pepper
- 4 Charlotte potatoes, washed and halved with skin on
- Optional – half a pack of Blaencamel farm spinach (200g)
- 1 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste or 1 large tomato grated
- ½ glass white whine
- 1.5-2 tsp. sea salt
- 0.5 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 parmento/all spice berries
- Olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
Preparation (60 min)
- Coat the base of a wide pot with enough olive oil to cover it.
- When the oil is hot add the cubed sausage and sauté until browned.
- Add the onion, peppers, one teaspoon sea salt and sauté until the onion softens.
- Add the tomato paste or grated tomato and fry for a couple of minutes stirring well.
- Add the chunky cubed potatoes, beans of your choice and roughly chopped spinach. Stir fry for a couple of minutes until they are well coated in tomato paste and oil.
- Add the wine and the chopped parsley. Stir well.
- Add half to one tsp of sea salt and enough boiling water to almost cover the veg and meat (but don't submerge them).
- Stir well but before you place the lid on the pot to simmer for around 40 minutes, try to push the meat and potatoes to the bottom of the pot and the beans and courgettes closer to the top so that they steam.
- From this point on do not stir so that your vegetable does not fall apart when cooked.
- The dish is ready when the water has reduced but not fully evaporated.
- Set aside for 20-30 minutes. Or for a real Greek meal enjoy (cold or in room temperature) the next day.
Enjoy with a chilled glass of Greek Agiorgitiko Wine .


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Consumer Reports recently posted this chart showing the percentage of laptops that need some serious repair - we believe/hope over the life of the product. These numbers are staggering, as is the fact that there is only a 3% difference between leaders Sony and Lenovo and losers Compaq and Gateway.
Everyone's products suck. Great. But at least it's good to know that the companies with the best reputations rose to the top, even if it's only by a margin of 1% in some cases. I guess we recommend buying that overpriced extended warranty after all.
All Laptops Break. Period. [consumerist]


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Pentatonix is a five-member a cappella group. consisting of Mitch Grassi (tenor), Scott Hoying (baritone), Avi Kaplan (bass), Kirstie Maldonado (mezzo-soprano) and Kevin Olusola (beatbox), originally from Arlington, Texas, USA.
Each year they publish at least one christmas song cover , this one is a new one from 2013 "Little Drummer Boy " do you know the stoy behind ??
Little Drummer Boy ("The Little Drummer") is an American Christmas song. It tells the story of a poor boy who can not afford it to make a gift to the newborn Jesus and thus plays with the consent of the Virgin Mary for him on his drum. Miraculously, the newborn seems to understand and smiles at him gratefully.


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The management team regularly attends key industry conferences to meet investors and potential partners. Our scientists also represent Oxford Biomedica at key scientific and medical congresses.
To arrange a meeting with Oxford Biomedica at any of the investor conferences listed below, please contact our IR team at firstname.lastname@example.com.
To discuss licensing or collaboration opportunities with Oxford Biomedica, or to arrange a meeting at any of the partnering conferences listed below, please contact our business development team at email@example.com.


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The RRBC Holiday Train Book Trailer Block Party keeps right on rolling, but it's making a pit stop here at my blog today!
All you have to do is follow the link to my brand new Book Trailer Video on YouTube, leave a comment, like and share to be entered in a giveaway!
Prizes up for grabs:
$10.00 Amazon Gift Card
eBook version of DISCOVERY – Poetry and Art by Rick and Jan Sikes.
So, grab a cup of coffee and a Christmas cookie and take a look!
And don't forget to follow the tour each day for great trailers and more chances to win fantastic prizes. Just click HERE to follow the tour!


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Tell me what you have and I'll tell you
what you can make!
BarBug! shows you how to make a SINGAPORE SLING (3) Mixed Drink.
BarBug! is now serving up a Singapore Sling (3)! He shows you his Singapore Sling (3)
mixed drink
recipe and makes suggestions for spirits, mixers and the proper serving
Singapore Sling (3) Mixed Drink
Serving Glass: Collins With IceIn Mixing Glass With Ice Add:1 1/2 oz Beefeater Gin1/2 oz Cherry Brandy1/4 oz Cointreau1/4 oz Benedictine1/2 oz Lime Juice4 oz Pineapple JuiceShake and StrainGarnish: CherryGarnish: Pineapple (3) means there are multiple drinks with this name
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In my over twenty years of experience at the large, very successful aerospace company where I labor, I have spent a great deal of time trying desperately to get the IT people to talk to the Engineering people. I haven't, for the most part, been all that successful. Back in the day IT was truly an empire unto itself and it was pretty blind when it came to listening to the needs of the Engineering community. Furthermore, many of the systems that were used by various programs were dictated by the customers who were paying for our services and our products, basically NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and DOE.
This resulted in some very interesting problems with respect to systems, tools, and their use and subsequent development. What used to happen was Engineering would get an itch for a certain type of functionality but, since it hadn't been contemplated in the original contract and since it might be some time before it could be renegotiated in order to get some money for developing the code required, Engineering would take it upon themselves to develop what they needed. You can imagine what happened many times. Though not an Engineer myself, I believe all Engineering students study one or more computer languages . . . I'm fairly certain most of them do. Well, they would just get on the problem themselves, either writing code or – even worse – creating a tool in Excel.
So now we find ourselves in the interesting position of having something like a couple hundred tools, many quite useful, many overlapping in functionality. Many of them are unwieldy and kind of out-of-date, yet we don't quite know how to get rid of them. This does seem to be changing somewhat as the tools of Enterprise 2.0 are gaining traction, i.e. blogs, wikis, user-generated content in general. Regardless, there are still numerous choices for how to deal with each of these as well. What wiki should we use? What about Open Source? (Anathema, btw, in my company – at least for now).
So the beat goes on. We keep adding tools, if at a slightly slower rate than previously (I think), and we seldom shed any. I suspect, as more and more content gets generated through the use of social media, and the ability to organize and make sense of it improves, we will eventually move away from many of the tools we've kind of grown up with. Data, too, will probably migrate toward a common format that can be accessed easily by anyone who wishes to and has authority to do so. It would be nice to see everyone on the same page, rather than pockets of people talking about the same thing in slightly different, and frequently incompatible, formats and locations.


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Even though Dora the Explorer is getting older and making a move to a big city, the Queens native and voice behind the popular cartoon is not going anywhere.
Fátima Ptacek has been the voice of Nickelodeon's 7-year-old "Dora the Explorer" since 2010 and will now also be the one behind 10-year-old Dora in "Dora and Friends: Into the City!"
L-R: Alana, Emma, Dora, Kate, Naiya, Pablo in Dora and Friends: Into the City! (Photo courtesy of Nickelodeon)
"She's stunning, I'm so excited," said Ptacek about the older Dora who will premiere on Monday, Aug. 18 on Nickelodeon. "Now that she's in the city, she can identify with city kids."
The 13-year-old actress says growing up and still living in Queens helps her understand her new role more because she can identify with being a city kid.
"I'm very proud to be living in Queens, it's one of the coolest places I know," Ptacek said. "I know it like the back of my hands. I make sure to brag about it to anyone."
She said she loves living in the borough because of its diversity and food options.
"I'm a total foodie," Ptacek said. "What's great is right where I live. We basically have every nationality's cuisine."
In "Dora and Friends: Into the City!", Dora moves to a city named "Playa Verde" and finds a new group of friends who embark on explorations with her including riding the subway, and going to school and parties. There is also a lot more music in this series, with a "pop-feel to it," according to Ptacek.
Along with the new show, the Emmy-award winning series "Dora the Explorer" will also still air.
"I've really loved growing up with Dora and I am so lucky to be the first voice of this [new] show," said Ptacek, who hopes both shows continue on for a long time. "I want my kids to be able to watch the show just how I did."
Along with being the voice behind Dora, Ptacek has also performed on stage and starred in films, such as "The Rebound" with Catherine Zeta-Jones, and television shows such as "Saturday Night Light" and "Sesame Street," where she was able to work alongside Michelle Obama.
She also serves as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, youth ambassador for the Latino Commission on AIDS and volunteers for foundations such as the SAG Foundation BookPALS program.
"Dora and Friends: Into the City!" premieres on Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. on Nickelodeon.


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Defending itself in the Ed O'Bannon lawsuit, the NCAA has made some stunning claims. One, backed by an NCAA-commissioned poll, is that people so hate the idea of paying players that they will stop watching college sports if amateurism ends. In the filings, ex-CBS Sports President Neal Pilson estimated that ratings would drop 15-20 percent if the players were paid.
This is horseshit, for two reasons:
A. The NCAA's poll is crap
The poll in question, provided to the NCAA by market researcher J. Michael Dennis, found that 68.9 percent of respondents opposed "paying money to student-athletes on college football and men's basketball teams in addition to covering their college expenses," with 37.7 percent of respondents reporting that they would be less likely to watch, listen to, or attend games if the players were paid a salary of $20,000. Hal Poret, a researcher brought in by the plaintiffs, found two major issues with these results:
- The poll was vague about its definition of "paying players," and thus did not address compensation for use of likeness. It's clear from the poll results—which included some more in-depth responses—that the vast majority of those polled associated "paying players" with impermissible-benefit scandals (like Ohio State), or plans to pay student-athletes set salaries or stipends. The O'Bannon lawsuit is seeking over-the-table compensation for the use of student-athletes likenesses in video games. This sort of payment—where the players get a cut of money being made directly from their likeness—is different from the types of payment that the respondents assumed was being discussed. (Compensation for use of likeness is at least fractally related to payment under a pay-for-play regime, but the two are still different enough in the popular imagination that a poll conflating them isn't telling you much.)
- The poll surveyed a bunch of people who didn't give a shit about college sports anyway. Fifty percent of respondents reported that they had watched zero college football games in the last year, and 64 percent had watched zero basketball games. Those who don't watch college sports were the most likely to claim they would watch less if players were paid. If you're making the case that ratings will decline, you should probably listen to the people who are actually generating those ratings.
B. Polls say nothing about consumer behavior
Let's say that a better poll had been commissioned, and it found that a good chunk of actual college basketball/football fans reported that they'd be less likely to watch games if the players were being compensated for their likeness in video games and such. Would these fans actually put their money where their mouths are? Daniel Rascher—an economist at USF (and the author of another study discussed elsewhere)—argues no, using these five points and one excellent chart:
- Universities already pay college athletes, as Defendant's economists have noted.
- College sports are popular – but this says little about the importance of amateurism.
- Sports that have transitioned away from amateurism have not experienced decreased consumer demand.
- Defendant's evidence from polls and surveys does not speak to consumer purchasing decisions.
- In the past, the NCAA itself has argued that amateurism decreases, rather than increases consumer demand.
The chart accompanies that fourth bullet point. After a long history lesson on sports that only became more popular when they went from amateur to professional, Rascher comes to baseball. Fans have bitched about MLB salaries ever since free agency threatened to "destroy baseball," and yet MLB revenues have done just fine. If college basketball and football players start getting compensated for their likenesses, some fans—probably way less than 69 percent—will complain, but they won't stop watching.


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|Return to sun3.mdwn CVS log
|Up to [NetBSD Developer Wiki] / wikisrc / ports
update for 6.1.5
[[!template id=port port="sun3" cur_rel="6.1.5" future_rel="7.0" pkg_rel="6.0" changes_cur="6.0" changes_future="7.0" thumbnail="http://www.netbsd.org/images/ports/sun3/110.gif" about=""" NetBSD/sun3 is the port of NetBSD to the [Sun Microsystems](http://www.sun.com/) **sun3**, and **sun3x** series of computers, which are based on the Motorola [68020](http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MC68020) and [68030](http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MC68030) CPUs respectively, with a Sun-designed custom MMU. Sun sold these computers as both servers and desktop workstations from the mid to late 1980's. They were superseded by the **sun4** SPARC RISC systems, which are supported by NetBSD as [[NetBSD/sparc|sparc]]. Nathan Williams and Jeremy Cooper are the maintainers of NetBSD/sun3. """ supported_hardware=""" ###Supported System Models See [[Supported System Models|sun3_supported_system_models]] page. ### Disk and RAM Requirements * Minimum * 4MB RAM, ~80MB disk * Normal * 8MB RAM, 200MB disk * Normal + X11 * 16MB RAM, 300MB disk The complete NetBSD sources without objects require 200MB of disk. To run the X Window System or compile the NetBSD system sources (i.e. development), more RAM and disk are recommended. Good performance requires 8MB of RAM, or 16MB of RAM when running the X Window System. ### Supported Hardware The following Sun3 devices are currently supported: * RS-232c Serial ports: * built-in z8530 SCC as ttya, ttyb (*zs*) * Sun Video adapters: * 1 bpp framebuffer, (*bwtwo*) * 8 bpp framebuffer (*cgtwo*) * 8 bpp (+overlay) framebuffer (*cgfour*) * Network interfaces: * On-board AMD LANCE Ethernet (*le*) * On-board Intel Ethernet (*ie*) * VME Intel Ethernet board (*ie*) * SCSI bus host adapters: * On-board NCR 5380 SCSI Bus Controller (*si*) * On-board Emulex SCSI controller on sun3x (*esp*) * Sun-3 VME SCSI (also NCR 5380 SBC, Sun part # 501-1236) (*si*) * SMD Disks: (the big, heavy ones) * Xylogics 450/451 (*xy*) * Xylogics 753/7053 (*xd*) * Floppy drive: * Sun 3/80 built-in floppy drive (*fdc*) * Input devices: * Sun keyboard (*kbd*) and mouse (*ms*) * Miscellaneous: * Battery-backed real-time clock. If you have a device that's not listed, it might be compatible with something else, or we might have simply forgotten it. If all else fails, maybe you could write a driver! Note: The Sun VME *sc* SCSI card is not yet supported. """ additional=""" ### Features of NetBSD/sun3 * Native boot programs for disk, network, and tape * Automated installation tools (using a "miniroot") * SCSI drivers supporting DMA, interrupts, and (optional) disconnect/reselect * Frame buffer drivers compatible with SunOS and X11R6 * Support for the Virtually Addressed Cache (VAC) on Sun3/2XX models * Storage Module Device (SMD) disk drivers * Supports most SCSI devices (CD-ROM, disk, etc) * Diskless (network) boot capability * Built-in kernel debugger * [SunOS 4.1 Compatibility](http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/sun3/faq.html#sunos_compat) ###links * [ILVSUN3](http://www.ilvsun3.com/) page by arthur also has various useful information about TME and Sun3 stuff. * [The Machine Emulator (tme)](http://people.csail.mit.edu/fredette/tme/) can emulate a Sun 3/150 running NetBSD. * [Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)](http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/sun3/faq.html) """ ]] [[!tag tier2port]]


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Shifts in the job structure in Europe during the Great Recession
This report describes the impact of the 'great recession' on employment and the job structure in the EU27. It finds that despite a net loss of over five million jobs between 2008–2010, employment continued to grow in top-paying jobs, largely in knowledge-intensive services and business services. Meanwhile, sharp losses in medium-paying jobs in construction and manufacturing led to a shrinking of employment in the middle of the wage spectrum. More jobs were lost to men than to women and employment levels of older workers grew while those of core-age and, in particular, younger workers declined. Part-time work expanded across the wage spectrum while levels of temporary employment began to recover quickly from 2009 onwards after having borne the brunt of the early-recession job losses.


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Story highlights
Diego Maradona sacked by Dubai-based soccer club Al-Wasl
The 51-year-old had poor results in his only season in charge
His future was decided by the club's new board of directors
Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona has been sacked by United Arab Emirates club Al-Wasl after only 14 months in charge.
The 1986 World Cup winner arrived in Dubai on a lucrative contract in May 2011, but could only manage to take Al-Wasl to eighth place in the 12-team UAE Pro-League – which resulted in the club's board resigning.
The 51-year-old, who coached Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, was not given the chance to continue his two-year tenure by the new board.
"Following a meeting held by the board of directors of Al Wasl Football Company held today to evaluate the technical staff of Al Wasl Football Team … it was decided to terminate the services of coach Diego Maradona and his technical staff," the club said in a statement on Tuesday.
Al-Wasl has won the UAE league title seven times, but not since 2007.
Under Maradona, the club won just seven of 22 league games and lost in the quarterfinals of the UAE President's Cup and the final of the Gulf Clubs Champions League.
In March, Maradona angrily confronted fans who abused his wife and friends during a match, and Al-Wasl issued an apology which condemned the supporters' actions.
Maradona is one of the greatest players in soccer history, having starred for Barcelona and Napoli, but his career was marred by controversy over drug use and he suffered from subsequent health problems.


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In a critical blow to AT&T's proposed $39 billion merger with T-Mobile USA, federal regulators issued a staff report today that concluded the deal would lead to huge job losses and less competition.
In the 109-page report (PDF), the FCC said that a merger of the two wireless carriers "would substantially lessen competition and its accompanying innovation, investment, and consumer price and service benefits."
The report, which the FCC released this evening despite AT&T and T-Mobile's objections, also accused the carriers of making misleading statements about the benefits of the merger.
"The staff finds the applicants' assertions that the transaction would create jobs in the United States to be inconsistent with AT&T's internal analyses and record statements concerning cost reductions from the merger," the report said. "The staff also finds that there are serious questions whether the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile would cause other public harms that are not offset by the claimed benefits."
AT&T chief counsel Jim Cicconi criticized the commission for releasing the report, calling the decision "troubling."
"It is simply a staff draft that raises questions of fact that were to be addressed in an administrative hearing, a hearing which will not now take place," Cicconi said in a statement. "It has no force or effect under law, which raises questions as to why the FCC would choose to release it."
Cicconi also complained that the commission did not give AT&T time to review the report before releasing it to the public.
"The draft report has also not been made available to AT&T prior to today, so we have had no opportunity to address or rebut its claims, which makes its release all the more improper," he said.
The FCC, which said it released the report in the interest of transparency, had earlier in the day approved AT&T's request to withdraw its merger application before the commission. AT&T announced on Thursday its intention to withdraw the application and take a $4 billion charge to cover the possibility that the deal falls apart.
The withdrawal request came on the heels of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski saying that he didn't believe the merger was in the public interest and had asked the other four commissioners to approve an administrative hearing, in which AT&T would have to prove otherwise.
In a briefing with reporters, FCC officials said that their evaluation of the deal found that the merger between AT&T and T-Mobile would create an "unprecedented" level of concentration in the wireless market. Officials went on to say that it was impossible to see how the deal could serve the public interest.
The FCC's opposition comes on top of an existing Department of Justice lawsuit filed to block the merger. The trial is scheduled to begin in February.


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How to Arrange Your Private Transfer From Girona Airport to /from Port de la Selva
Page Content
You can book a private transfer service that runs between Girona Airport And Port de la Selva. A private transfer service is a private car and driver service that is exclusively for you and your group. Your driver will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your final destination. The driver will assist you with your baggage to the vehicle. Since this service is booked and paid in advance you don't need to worry about speaking the local foreign language, paying for the service on the day, or working out your route and connections. It is all done for you. The private transfer service is a comfortable and stress-free way to get to your accommodation or other venue.
For clarification, for our non European visitors, when we use the word "Transfer" we mean organized transport from one location to another typically from an airport to your accommodation or other venue. With a private transfer the vehicle is for exclusively for you and other members in your group. This affords privacy and another level of comfort over a shared transfer. In addition the private transfer is quicker than the shared transfers because you do not have to wait for any other passengers.
How to make your booking
You can book your private transfer between Girona Airport to Port de la Selva online using the link below.
On the day of your travel make sure to bring your booking voucher with you and present it to your driver at the designated meeting point. You will know the exact meeting point after you make your booking.
Luggage Allowance
Each car can hold 4 passengers and 4 large suitcases (or luggage of an equivalent size). If you have more luggage you would need to indicate this when you make your booking and there would be a supplementary charge or possibly a larger vehicle to accommodate.
Standard Private Transfer Service
For this service the driver will meet you at the designated meeting point and then assist you with your luggage to the car. You will be travelling in one of the following car types (or similar): Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Superb, Citroen C5 or Peugeot 407. For larger groups a minibus will be selected.
Booking Information
Price for a private car and driver for 4 persons:
Single: €172.50
Return: €345.00
Book at least 48 hours in advance. However you can book up to 6 months in advance.


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INDIANAPOLIS — They raced 1-2-3 in line, trading the lead a whopping 15 times over the final, frantic 75 laps. All three drivers had a last-lap plan in mind when they zipped past the white flag, and it was Takuma Sato who acted first .
Sato pulled out of line, dipped inside of Dario Franchitti, and tried to pounce as they headed into the first turn. Scott Dixon watched and waited from third, figuring he was now in position to slingshot past both for the victory.
Instead, Sato and Franchitti nearly touched. Sato spun out and into the wall and Franchitti zipped to his third victory in one of the most dramatic Indianapolis 500 finishes in memory. Some even argued it was one of the greatest Indy 500s ever.
It sure won't be easy to top on Sunday.
''I got a lot of comments from drivers in NASCAR and Formula One saying it was the best 500 they'd ever seen,'' Franchitti said. ''But I think this year will also be a very close, exciting race.''
The bar was certainly raised at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year with 34 lead changes, passing throughout the field, Franchitti rallying from the back to win and three of the late Dan Wheldon's closest friends sweeping the podium.
But the IndyCar Series has given every indication this season that Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway could be another thriller.
The series is off to a terrific start this year with three winners in the first four races, and for the first time since 1991, none of the winners drive for the mighty Penske Racing or Chip Ganassi Racing teams. Instead, it's been three wins for resurgent Andretti Autosport and one for A.J. Foyt Racing, which celebrated Sato becoming the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race.
So steady this season, Sato goes into Sunday as the series points leader. And, he'll start from the sixth row — right next to Franchitti and Dixon.
Sato, who calls last year's race ''an unforgettable day,'' has the chance to give Foyt his first Indy 500 victory since Kenny Brack in 1999. Sato's win at Long Beach last month was the first for the Foyt organization since 2002.
''We're here for it. We are here aiming to win the 500, so there is no reason why we cannot,'' Sato said. ''Winning, I was so close last year. Knowing that now, how to get there, what you need there, so it's been a tremendous experience last year to hopefully I can translate it to . . . this year's performance.''
The field is stacked, though, and has a pair of drivers trying to join the exclusive club of four-time winners. Franchitti and Helio Castroneves are each vying to join Foyt, Al Unser Sr., and Rick Mears as the only four-time winners of the Indy 500, a feat that's not been done since Mears's 1991 victory.
''What an incredible opportunity for the fans to have not only one, but two guys trying to make history,'' Castroneves said. ''Forget about the names, forget about who it is. But imagine people who didn't even see the last time when the guy won four times.''
They've got five Andretti Autosport cars standing in their way and two of them start from the front row.
Carlos Munoz, a 21-year-old Colombian making his IndyCar debut, will start second alongside Marco Andretti, who is once again considered a favorite but must overcome a curse that has limited his famous family to one win — Mario Andretti in 1969 — in 80 starts.
Andretti feels far more comfortable about his chances this year than he did last season, when he called the race ''mine to lose.'' Graham Rahal, the other half of the closest rivalry in the mild-mannered series, doesn't consider his nemesis the favorite.
''Do I think it's Marco's race? No. Marco hasn't led in the pack all week,'' Rahal said. ''He just sits in the back and runs a big lap time and pits.''
Instead, Rahal thinks everybody is overlooking AJ Allmendinger, who will make his Indianapolis 500 debut seven years after he left open-wheel racing for NASCAR. A failed drug test cost him his NASCAR ride last summer with Roger Penske, but the team owner has given him a second chance with this IndyCar opportunity.
Allmendinger has been fast at Indy — so good that struggling teammate Will Power used his setup in qualifying. Power said Allmendinger has the best car in traffic of all three Penske entries.
Allmendinger is one of 11 American drivers in the field of 33 — there are also a record-tying four women — and leading the red, white, and blue charge is local boy Ed Carpenter, the only owner-driver in the field.
Carpenter, the stepson of IndyCar Series founder Tony George, is a graduate of Butler and a diehard Indiana Pacers fan and the surprise pole winner for the Indy 500. He is noted for his skills racing on an oval, and he's twice beaten Franchitti in wheel-to-wheel races to the finish line. But now he'll be leading the field to the green flag of his hometown race with all of Indiana watching.


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Walker downplays impact of federal cuts on Wis.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker is downplaying the potential harm to Wisconsin's economy from the federal spending cuts set to take effect Friday, calling the across-the-board cuts bad policy but not economically crippling.
Walker tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he might be afraid if he was the governor of Virginia because of that state's large defense presence. But he says Wisconsin doesn't have big military bases, and that Wisconsin's military contractors have already started to prepare.
The White House says Wisconsin stands to lose millions of dollars. It's trying to persuade Republicans in Congress to accept a deal that would include spending cuts and higher tax revenue.
But Walker says Republicans are right to insist that any 11th-hour deal comprise spending reductions only and not tax increases.19080574


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Free from the bright lights of Wall Street, Dell's decision to go private is likely to lead to the company downplaying if not entirely eliminating consumer products in favor of building out its enterprise product portfolio, analysts said.
Dell on Tuesday announced a buy-out agreement in which Michael Dell and equity investor Silver Lake will acquire the PC maker for $24.4 billion. The transaction includes a $2 billion loan from Microsoft and debt financing commitments from Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets.
[ Also on InfoWorld: Good-bye PC maker Dell and hello cloud company Dell. | Stay up to date on the latest news in information technology with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: First Look newsletter. ]
Dell in recent years has tried to transform itself from a low-margin PC vendor to an enterprise IT provider offering servers, storage, networking, software and services. Since 2007, Dell has acquired 25 companies to beef up its enterprise product portfolio, but has had trouble bundling the new offerings into a cohesive product strategy.
Dell's strategy to develop end-to-end IT products for the enterprise will likely remain intact, and it can now pursue that goal without the pressure of delivering steadily increasing quarterly profits to Wall Street or answering investors, analysts said. Dell has had to make adjustments that slowed progress toward its long-term goals, but now the company can withstand a few rough financial quarters to develop its strategy, analysts said.
The big change could come in the PC division, where it may exit the low-margin consumer PC and device market and instead focus on enterprise PCs and mobile devices that fit a bring-your-own-device to work (BYOD) strategy, analysts said. Microsoft's loan puts pressure on Dell to remain in the PC business in some fashion, and client devices are also an important way to attract and retain enterprise customers, analysts said.
Dell has been largely profitable, and share prices do not accurately reflect the company's success in recent years, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. There won't be a huge change in Dell's product line, and the company will continue to execute on its strategy to deliver more enterprise products, King said.
King highlighted the company's SAP HANA in-memory database appliance, which was introduced last week. The company will likely continue to blend hardware and software offerings together into enterprise offerings in an effort to broaden its product portfolio.
Dell will also keep PCs as part of the product mix for enterprises, and there could tablet and smartphone products in the future, King said.
IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Oracle also package software, hardware and services as part of integrated services offerings. But Dell will likely differentiate itself by tuning its offerings to the midmarket, said Ezra Gottheil, senior analyst at Technology Business Research.
"The midmarket makes a lot of sense and it's a market ... that's valuable," Gottheil said. "That's a solid business."
Dell won't be like IBM, which offers specialized products to high-end customers and also has a large consulting service. With respect to its acquisition and buy-out strategy, Dell is in a better position than HP, which made questionable acquisitions and went through a failed attempt to separate the PC business from main operations, Gottheil said.
There will a larger Dell investment in data-center capabilities to extend the PowerEdge server brand, said Matthew Eastwood, group vice president and general manager of IDC's Enterprise Platform Group.
"I could see Dell exiting the consumer market, about 20 percent of their revenues, and perhaps printing as well," Eastwood said, adding that the PC business adds little to the bottom line and dilutes Dell's margins.
But the company will continue to offer client products geared toward health care and education and other vertical markets, Eastwood said.
Dell will likely continue to acquire companies to expand its product portfolio, analysts said. Dell has successfully integrated EqualLogic, Boomi, SecureWorks and Perot Systems into daily operations, though there have been questions surrounding the integration of software assets it acquired. The company intends to unite its disparate software assets under the umbrella of Quest Software, which was acquired last year for $2.4 billion and was hailed as being the centerpiece of Dell's software strategy. Dell is also stepping up its focus on cloud and virtualization.
The decision to go private, however, also carries risks related to products and the company's ability to meet its debt obligations, analysts said.
"A leveraged buy-out is utterly dependent upon the company generating significant cash to pay off a crushing debt load. In a hypercompetitive market and during a recession, the lenders must have great deal of confidence that Dell can pay them back," said Anthony Sabino, a professor at St. John's University's Peter J. Tobin College of Business, in an email.
Until the dust of the buyout settles, there will be questions about Dell's product strategy and the impact on the company's customers, said Carter Lusher, chief IT analyst at Ovum, in a research note.
Companies should assess the risk involved and "put in place plans should Dell's radical hardware, software, and services shifts require changes to procurement plans," Lusher said.
"While the company might come out of this transition stronger with a product lineup that better meets the needs of businesses and public sector organizations, there will be uncertainty as to what products and services stay, get strengthen, or get eliminated," Lusher said.
Dell shares, meanwhile closed at $13.42 Tuesday, up by $0.15.
Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's email address is email@example.com


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AAA Mid-Atlantic: NJ gas prices still falling
Associated Press
TRENTON — Motorists continue to see lower prices at the pumps in New Jersey.
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the state on Friday was $3.43, down 3 cents from last week. That's also lower than the price from a year ago, when motorists were paying $3.58.
This marks the fourth straight week that gas prices have fallen in New Jersey.
The national average price on Friday was $3.53, down a penny from last week. That's also slightly less than the national average from a year ago, when motorists were paying $3.58.
Analysts say greater than expected gasoline production at the nation's refineries has spurred the lower pump prices, despite ongoing concerns about simmering geopolitical tensions.


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Touch Goes Digital
After touch screens, researchers demonstrate electronic recording and replay of human touch.
After touch screens, researchers demonstrate electronic recording and replay of human touch
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego report a breakthrough in technology that could pave the way for digital systems to record, store, edit and replay information in a dimension that goes beyond what we can see or hear: touch.
"Touch was largely bypassed by the digital revolution, except for touch-screen displays, because it seemed too difficult to replicate what analog haptic devices – or human touch – can produce," said Deli Wang, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering. "But think about it: being able to reproduce the sense of touch in connection with audio and visual information could create a new communications revolution."
In addition to uses in health and medicine, the communication of touch signals could have far-reaching implications for education, social networking, e-commerce, robotics, gaming, and military applications, among others. The sensors and sensor arrays reported in the paper are also fully transparent (see optical image of transparent ZnO TFT sensor array at right), which makes it particularly interesting for touch-screen applications in mobile devices.
|Deli Wang. Photo courtesy of UCSD
Wang is the senior author on a paper appearing in Nature Publishing Group's Scientific Reports, published online Aug. 28. Co-authors include 11 researchers at UC San Diego, including fellow ECE professor Truong Nguyen, and UCLA professor Qibing Pei, whose team contributed to the sections on using polymer actuators for analog reproduction of recorded touch.
The first authors of this article, Siarhei Vishniakou and Brian Lewis of UCSD and co-authors Paul Brochu and Xiaofan Niu from UCLA, received the Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (QInF) in 2012. (This project is partially supported by a Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship.)
In addition to professors Wang and Nguyen, other researchers on the project affiliated with the Qualcomm Institute at UC San Diego include recent Ph.D., Ke Sun, and Namseok Park, recipients of the institute's Calit2 Strategic Research Opportunities, or CSRO, Graduate Fellowships in 2010 and in 2012, respectively.
"Our sense of touch plays a significant role in our daily lives, particularly in personal interaction, learning and child development, and that is especially true for the development of preemies," said Nguyen, another senior author of this Scientific Reports paper. "We were approached by colleagues in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's neonatology group to see if there was a way to record a session of a mother holding the baby, which could be replayed at a different time in an incubator."
|Tactile feedback display system and demonstration of real-time reproduction and modification of touch contact with temporal and spatial resolutions. Image courtesy of UCSD
In their Scientific Reports paper, the researchers reported the electronic recording of touch contact and pressure using an active-matrix pressure sensor array made of transparent zinc-oxide (ZnO), thin-film transistors (TFTs). The companion tactile feedback display used an array of diaphragm actuators made of an acrylic-based dielectric elastomer with the structure of an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN). The polymer actuators' actuation – the force and level of displacement – are modulated by adjusting both the voltage and charging time.
One of the critical challenges in developing touch systems is that the sensation is not one thing. It can involve the feeling of physical contact, force or pressure, hot and cold, texture and deformation, moisture or dryness, and pain or itching. "It makes it very difficult to fully record and reproduce the sense of touch," said Wang.
As noted in the article, there has been significant progress on the development of flexible and sensitive pressure sensors, as well as tactile feedback displays for specific applications such as for remote palpation that could be used during laparoscopic surgery.
Digital replay, editing and manipulation of recorded touch events were demonstrated at various spatial and temporal resolutions. The researchers used an 8 × 8 active-matrix ZnO pressure sensor array, a data acquisition and processing system (sensor array reader circuit, computer, and actuator array driver circuit), and a semi-rigid 8 × 8 polymer diaphragm actuator array (click here to see video of the experiments).
The ability to digitize the touch contact enables direct remote transfer of touch information, long-term memory storage, and replay at a later time. "In addition, with the ability to reproduce and change the feeling of touch with both temporal and spatial resolutions make it possible to produce synthesized touch," said UC San Diego's Wang. "It could create experiences that do not exist in nature, as we have done with computer-generated imagery and synthesized music."
While Wang and his colleagues recognize that the touch revolution is still in its infancy, and human trials will probably be needed to calibrate the optimal actuator response needed to conform to the human perception of pressure strength, which depends on actuator displacement (amplitude), frequency, and how much time the actuator spends in its on- or off-state (duty cycle). Yet, say the researchers, there is every reason to believe that their experimental system, by adding an extra dimension to existing digital technologies, could extend the capabilities of modern information exchange.


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Handouts and Reviews
Click on the course to get a list of available department handouts. Not all of the courses currently have department handouts. If the course you are looking for is not listed, it does not have department handouts.
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