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5 Reasons Startups Move to Silicon Valley, and 5 Things Boston Can Do to Keep ThemOctober 20th, 2010 Share
Galen Moore, tech & finance journalist at Mass High Tech, recently asked for my views on why startups leave Boston for the Valley. While the topic comes up every few months, I think several factors are a bit different than what I usually hear discussed, and having done angel investments in both places now I think I have additional perspective.
Today MassHighTech published my comments, and I'm posting them in their entirety below as well. Look forward to feedback whether here, on MHT.com or Twitter!
The common knock on Boston is we don't have enough angels, they don't move fast enough, and they don't invest in consumer Internet startups. That's not really true.
There are some awesome angels here. I have co-invested with several, and they can move fast and add real value. Speaking for myself I feel like I have enough contacts and pull that I could get any solid company funded here.
That said, the reality is entrepreneurs do leave Boston to relocate in Silicon Valley (TaskRabbit, Baydin, WePay, etc., in recent memory). Here are five legitimate reasons why they're doing so:
1) Number of Consumer Angels
There are about 30-40 active, fast angels in Boston with interest and/or experience in consumer. Not a small number, but probably about 10 times lower than the Valley. What Boston exit has resulted in a well-known, formalized group of angels coming out of it?
Since fundraising is to a degree a "game of chicken,†time and effort can be a barrier when entrepreneurs (especially first-time founders) can realistically only gain quick access to five to 10 angels.
2) Dollars/(Control+Speed) Ratio
Most consumer entrepreneurs these days, anywhere in the country, have read about and follow the 'Lean' startup mantra. Thus they want to maintain as much control as possible early on – e.g., not giving up a board seat or blocking rights for a sale – rather than rushing to VC money. Individual angels typically invest about $25,000, and with rounds commonly being $300,000 to $1 million, you can't realistically fill that with 20 individual angels.
This means getting money from super-angels or micro-VCs.
And the number of well-known, easily accessible super-angels and micro-VCs in Boston is…roughly 1 – Founder Collective. NextView Ventures will be great, but they're still fundraising. Many Boston VC firms are open to doing seed-stage investments, but Chris Dixon has (largely rightly) warned founders of signaling issues with those deals.
But bona fide, Boston super-angels or micro-VCs who will say "I'm in for $150,000†after one phone call, are near zero. Out west I can roll off Dave McClure/500 Startups, Ron Conway/SV Angel, Chris Sacca/lowercase, Mike Maples, Jeff Clavier, Eric Schmidt's fund, etc., off the top of my head.
3) Not enough frequent investors
As a corollary, there are few angels or micro-VCs here doing investments with enough speed and volume that they treat them as calculated bets. There are examples of companies with a great idea but limited traction, or with big traction but a first-time founder, that are interesting enough for West Coast folks to place some bets on because they are doing 30 or 50 deals a year. For individual investors (like myself) or the scant superangels/micro-VCs here doing 10 deals a year, each one has to be thought through more fully.
4) Valuations and terms
As another corollary, founders are often in the driver's seat these days when it comes to negotiating terms, and West-Coast investors are much more lenient. I think it's again because when you do 30+ deals a year, any single one isn't worth haggling over, but when you do five or 10, it can make a difference. The larger number of angels and small funds in the Valley makes greater competition for deals. This, combined with the higher tolerance for risky bets, means valuations can be double in the West versus the East. This isn't always entirely good for entrepreneurs, as overly high valuations can come back to bite in a very bad way, but if all goes well and the company keeps growing, it's great.
5) The Skynet Factor
To paraphrase Terminator II, the Valley is an order of magnitude closer to being self-aware, and evolving at a rapid pace as an innovation ecosystem. Chalk it up to the weather, social personalities, whatever the reasons. When I was working at PARC – Palo Alto Research Center – I started using Google when it was just a research project at Stanford. By the time other parts of the country started to try it, Google was an innate part of the fabric out West. This phenomenon happens in every consumer area. Whether it's Y Combinator's special access to Facebook's latest private-beta APIs; knowing about 10 stealth but highly innovative startups; or sharing secret tips over beers on what viral or SEO or marketing technique worked for Quora, Mint or Tagged, there is a big knowledge-sharing and access advantage. Like having better information in the stock market, that makes a material difference in decision-making.
There are more wrinkles, but to me these are five key factors that are not discussed as often or as clearly in the coastal conversations.
What can we work on here in Boston? Five things.
1) Get some more consumer(-ish) exits and encourage more angel investing.
2) Build real channels to the Boston higher ed system, which, other than MIT (and to a degree, Harvard) is very disconnected from the venture community.
3) Do a better job guiding local founders on the options and routes for success in Boston. There are fantastic events here, but not as many focused on practical, actionable advice. I think what many founders want is no-attitude, frank answers from peers they can trust.
4) Continue encouraging New York (and hopefully San Francisco) micro-VCs and super-angels to invest in Boston-based companies. For example, I just co-invested in a Boston company with a top West Coast micro-VC and there was no pressure to move.
5) Be more transparent with Boston founders and acknowledge that the Valley has a lot to offer them. We lose credibility by not doing so. At the same time, more effectively provide access to all the key related areas where we excel, like mobile, SaaS and analytics.
photo credit: David Paul Ohmer


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Product Description
Publication Date: January 01, 2009
Yang Jianguo was recently promoted from country manager for China to global head of product development at a staid French perfume maker. He was chosen for his technical smarts and his knowledge of emerging markets - a critical avenue for growth, given that sales in the company's core markets have stalled. Eager to succeed in his new role in Paris, Jianguo has lots of fresh ideas, but they seem to be falling on deaf ears. Members of the executive team, for their part, find Jianguo to be largely indifferent to their input. Can Jianguo adjust to this new culture? And can he succeed without sacrificing his identity? Three experts comment on this fictional case study in R0901A and R0901Z. Katherine Tsang, the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in Shanghai, explains the cultural differences between China and France and recommends that Jianguo push his thinking beyond the Chinese market. She also suggests that the company give all its executive team members multicultural training so they have the tools to understand one another and work together effectively. Mansour Javidan, the dean of research and a professor at Thunderbird School of Global Management, acknowledges that Jianguo's transition would be easier if he had the full support of the CEO, Alain Deronde. But since that isn't forthcoming, he advises Jianguo to work with Alain to develop targets for growth in emerging and traditional markets and a plan for building an infrastructure to achieve those goals. James Champy, the chairman of consulting for Perot Systems, is surprised that a family business would choose an "outsider" for this important post, but he recognizes it as a wise strategic move. He says that Jianguo needs a coach and should focus on learning the home market first, before trying to make inroads further afield.
This HBR Case Study includes both the case and the commentary. For teaching purposes, this reprint is also available in two other versions: case study-only, reprint R0901X, and commentary-only, reprint R0901Z.

subset: commoncrawl


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FRANK TALK: Ranking the rude
Today, we've become a society obsessed by ranking every single occurrence, from the obscure to the momentous. And in harmony with this trend is the ubiquity of polls on virtually every conceivable topic.
So, in an effort to conform, I offer the following hybrid in column form where you, the person reading this column (how are you, by the way), are asked to rank the following individuals encountered in a daily life perhaps not unlike your own by their rudeness level.
There will be three examples, and you, the person reading this column (unless you've already moved on due to the meandering preamble), will be asked to gauge them from one to three, with one being rudest, second being next most rude, and third being the least rude.
You are asked to put yourself in the role of rudee in each snippet, and judge for yourself which of the rudors is the more obnoxious.
Good luck.
· A man stands in the supermarket aisle, contemplating various brands of fruit roll ups. He's buying fruit roll ups as a gift so he wants to make sure he purchases as fine a fruit roll up as possible. This entails studying the packaging to determine not only the different flavors offered, but whether natural ingredients are employed, if the product contains sugar, or, saints preserve us, high fructose corn syrup. A woman comes ambling up the aisle behind the contemplative man and says, in tones of imperial indignation, "I'm trying to get by here," her point being that the man lost in fruit-roll-up reverie is blocking her path. This is not true, however. The man does not have a cart. There is plenty of room for the woman to pass.
· A man enters a neighborhood convenience store. He's looking for fruit roll ups for a gift. He peruses the rather ample display of various brands on the wall. He's impressed. He selects a brand that purports to be made from real fruit juice. He pays the young lady behind the counter, while humming the Carpenters' "Top of the World." He moves toward the door to make his exit. He pushes open the door and reenters the outside world, but before releasing the door, he notices another man approaching. The humming man holds the door open for the second man. Rather than the "thanks," the humming, door-holding man expects, the second man instead responds with a look of sullen hostility.
· A man is driving to leave fruit roll ups on a colleague's desk as a gift. He's driving 40 mph on a road where the speed limit is clearly marked by obvious signage to be 35 mph. Though the man is exceeding the posted speed limit by 5 mph in violation of state law, this is not enough for the impatient man driving behind him. The two-lane, north-south highway is also dotted with signs prohibiting passing. The impatient driver waits for the first opportunity for traffic to clear in the opposing lane and roars past the first driver, exceeding the posted speed limit by 40 mph. He rounds a curve and disappears from sight. Moments later, however, the driver bearing the fruit roll ups pulls in behind the impatient driver, whose quest to break the sound barrier has been interrupted by a red light.
And that's it.
Now it's up to you, the person reading this column (if you were polite enough to stick around), to rank the rude.
Frank Mulligan is an editor in GateHouse Media New England's Plymouth office, and can be reached at email@example.com.


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Berger, Victor Louis
Berger, Victor Louis, 1860–1929, American Socialist leader and congressman, b. Austria-Hungary. After studying at the universities of Budapest and Vienna, he emigrated (1878) to the United States and settled in Milwaukee. After 1892 he devoted himself to Socialist politics and journalism, editing the Milwaukee Vorwärts! (1892–98) and a weekly that became (1911) the influential Milwaukee Leader. With Eugene V. Debs he pioneered in creating the American Socialist party. His leadership brought (1910) the Socialists control of Milwaukee for many years and made Berger the first Socialist member of Congress (1911–13). Reelected twice (1918, 1919), he was excluded by Congress on grounds of sedition, for which he was sentenced (1918–19) to a 20-year prison term. The decision was reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1921, and he was allowed to take his seat when reelected in 1922. Again elected in 1924 and 1926, he was defeated in 1928. Voice and Pen (1929) is a collection of his speeches and editorials.
See U.S. Congress, House, Special Committee on Victor L. Berger Investigation, Case of Victor L. Berger of Wisconsin: Hearings (1919 and 1921, repr. 1972); study by S. M. Miller (1973).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies


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National Cemetery Administration
Black Hills National Cemetery
Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays.
This cemetery has space available to accommodate casketed and cremated remains.
Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
A Veteran's spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran.
Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.
The cemetery is located two miles east of Sturgis and 25 miles west of Rapid City. From Rapid City Regional Airport, take Highway 44 west to Elk Vale Road. Turn north (right), travel approximately four miles to Interstate 90. Travel west on Interstate 90 to exit 34. The cemetery is on the left. From Sturgis, take Interstate 90 east to exit 34. The cemetery is on the right.
Fax all discharge documentation to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to 1-800-535-1117.
For information on scheduled burials in our national cemeteries, please go to the Daily Burial Schedule.
Black Hills National Cemetery recently opened a columbarium for placement of your loved ones' cremated remains.
As the majority of our staff are Veterans, we are especially aware of the many and varied sacrifices made by our Nation's service men, women and their families. We are committed to maintaining our grounds in a manner reflecting the honor that is due. We will make every effort to demonstrate sensitivity to those who have suffered a loss. It is our practice to accommodate the needs of each family.
Military Funeral Honors
Although Black Hills National Cemetery does not have an honor guard, there are several honor guards in the area that provide military funeral honors for families. Please call a funeral director for availability.
For educational materials and additional information on this cemetery, please visit the Education section, located below.
Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed on the completed grave. Fresh cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time of the year. They will be removed when they become unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.
Artificial flowers and potted plants will be permitted on graves during periods when their presence will not interfere with grounds maintenance. As a general rule, holiday decorations and potted plants will be allowed on graves for a period extending 10 days before through 10 days after Easter Sunday. Memorial Day floral decorations may be placed the Friday prior to Memorial Day and must be removed by the Sunday following Memorial Day. Artificial flowers are allowed on graves starting the 2nd Saturday in October and must be removed by the 2nd Sunday in April.
Holiday wreaths, 18" in diameter, may be placed on graves from Thanksgiving through January 15. Grave blankets of any size are not permitted. Because of the high winds we frequently experience, we provide plastic ties and laminated flower tags, in the front foyer, to secure to the floral arrangements in case the flowers are blown off the gravesites. They may not be secured to headstones or markers.
Permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects and similar items are not permitted on the graves. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit adornments that are considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel. For example, items incorporating beads or wires may become entangled in mowers or other equipment and cause injury.
VA regulations 38 CFR 1.218 prohibit the carrying of firearms (either openly or concealed), explosives or other dangerous or deadly weapons while on VA property, except for official purposes, such as military funeral honors.
Possession of firearms on any property under the charge and control of VA is prohibited. Offenders may be subject to a fine, removal from the premises, or arrest.
Black Hills National Cemetery is located three miles east of Sturgis, S.D., in the shadows of the Black Hills. This region is the homeland of the Lakota Sioux Indians who traversed the Great Plains before the advent of Europeans in the mid 18th century. French explorers first arrived in the early 1740s, and Spain acquired sovereignty over the region in 1762. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase gave the United States title to the region. Yet, until 1856 when Fort Randall was established, fur trappers and traders were the sole European settlers. Soon after, the towns of Vermillion and Yankton became permanent establishments, and by 1861 the Dakota Territory had been formed.
The greatest rush of European immigration came in 1874 when gold was discovered in the Black Hills. A wave of prospectors flooded the area, radically transforming the region and causing disturbances as well as creating opportunities. Legally, the Black Hills had been closed to white settlement under the Treaty of Fort Laramie. The military, however, was in no position to halt the advancing settlers. In fact, it was the military that encouraged settlements when the 7th Cavalry, under Gen. George Custer, reported the discovery of gold.
America's first transcontinental railroad was completed in May 1869 through the combined efforts of government and private corporations. Subsidiary rail lines such as the Dakota Southern Railroad, established in 1872, proved to be more important for bringing newcomers into the region. Between 1870 and 1890, the white population in the Dakota Territory increased six fold.
The influx of settlers onto the Great Sioux Reservation culminated in a war of cultures at the Battle of Little Bighorn in June 1876. As a result of Custer's defeat, American Indians were forced to accept a reduction in their reservation land. This cleared the way for further development by settlers, which further angered the American Indians. As a result, the Fort Meade military reservation was established in the region shortly afterwards. The last serious cultural conflict began in the fall of 1890 with the death of Sitting Bull and ended with the massacre of hundreds of American Indians at Wounded Knee. Thus, barriers to settlement of the region eased.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, new railroads were laid across the Dakotas and aided in the further development of numerous communities. In 1890, Pierre was chosen as the permanent capital of South Dakota. Twelve years later, in 1902, the Battle Mountain Sanitarium was established in nearby Hot Springs to aid in the care of veterans within the region. Cemeteries at both the Fort Meade Military Reservation and the former sanitarium eventually became a part of the National Cemetery System in 1973.
Monuments and Memorials
In 1990, a memorial carillon was dedicated at the cemetery. It was replaced in 2005.
A memorial to Korean War veterans was dedicated in 2002.
Bivouac of the Dead erected 2004. A 52 Charlie memorial was dedicated in 2007.
Medal of Honor Recipients
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the president on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and eligibility criteria for the Medal of Honor have changed over time.
Recipients buried or memorialized here:
Sergeant Charles Windolph (Indian Wars). He received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Troop H, 7th Cavalry, for actions at the Little Big Horn River, Montana Territory, June 25–26, 1876. Windolph died in 1950 and is buried in Section A, Site 239.
Other Burials
Senator Francis H. Case was transferred from a private cemetery on December 3, 1981 and rests in Section F, Site 789.
Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth, Commander of Rapid City Air Force Base (which was renamed Ellsworth Air Force Base in his honor). Ellsworth died on March 18, 1953 and rests in Section D, Site 10.
John Bear King of South Dakota enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 18, 1943. PFC Bear King was one of eleven known Lakota Code Talkers in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Act honored all Code Talkers from World War I and World War II and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to American Indian tribes whose members participated in the top secret program; individuals would receive a Congressional Silver Medal. In 2013, the Lakota Code Talkers received their medals. Bear King died September 2, 1949, and is one of two Lakota Code Talkers interred in a VA national cemetery (Section E, Site 1394).
Clarence Eugene Wolf Guts, native of South Dakota, enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 17, 1942. He was one of eleven known Lakota Code Talkers in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He served in the army until January 13, 1946, as the personal Code Talker for Gen. Mueller. The 2008 Code Talkers Recognition Act honored all Code Talkers from World War I and World War II, and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to American Indian tribes whose members participated in the top secret program; individuals would receive a Congressional Silver Medal. In 2013, the Lakota Code Talkers received their medals. PFC Wolf Guts was the last living member of the Oglala Lakota Code Talkers from World War II. He died June 16, 2010, and is one of two Lakota Code Talkers interred in a VA national cemetery (Section H, Site 260).
We are developing educational content for this national cemetery, and will post new materials as they become available. Visit the Veterans Legacy Program and NCA History Program for additional information. Thank you for your interest.


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Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Nature Of Suspense And Our Love Of Cover Songs
This week, we're visited by the marvelous Barrie Hardymon for a show about the nature of suspense — brought on by Stephen's and my enthusiasm for the new Ben Affleck film Argo -- and about cover songs. We play a lot of music, including covers we love and the raw materials to put together covers that don't exist except in our dreams.
Stephen opens with a beef about this, which isn't really suspense, just ... a beef that puts him instantly at odds with Barrie. But he does go on to say nothing but nice things about Argo, which he calls "massively entertaining and great." Talk of suspense brings us naturally to Alfred Hitchcock, which brings Glen to some of the theories laid out in this book. We talk about the difference between suspense and horror as well as suspense and mystery — and the potential for misunderstanding in the phrase "male gaze."
We then move on to a topic dear to all of our hearts, but especially Stephen's: cover songs. He unleashes possibly the best idea he or anyone else has ever had for an unlikely cover, and the rest of us just try to think of anything remotely as promising. You might need this link. People, this needs to happen. If Betty White can host SNL, we can make this absolutely necessary thing come to life.
But this does lead to a very lively music discussion that covers everything from the Violent Femmes to William Shatner to what I call the "reverse cover." (Oh, I'll explain it.) So, you know. And we also got some information over the wires from our former producer Mike Katzif, who's shared information on great covers before. Glen also mentions one of his past works of genius, which you should absolutely read if you never have.
As always, we wrap up the show with what's making us happy this week. Glen is being made happy by the progress of his book. Stephen is being made happy by the fantastic, amazing Tig Notaro Live, which you should absolutely consider obtaining for yourself. Barrie is enormously happy about the return of one of her favorite shows, while I am happy about a documentary you can stream into your very own home.
Please keep in touch with us — you can find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter:me, Trey, Glen, Stephen, Barrie, producer Jess, and our producer emeritus and music director Mike.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Washington (CNN) - While a small majority of Americans are in favor of the immigration bill currently before the U.S. Senate, according to a new national poll the old and young don't see eye to eye on the issue.
And a CNN/ORC International survey also indicates that more than six in ten say border security rather than a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants should be the bigger priority.
The poll's Tuesday morning release comes as a bill backed by the bipartisan 'Gang of Eight' senators faces more legislative hurdles. The measure would offer a 13-year path to eventual citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the country. If the legislation passes through the Democratic Senate, it would face an uncertain future in the Republican dominated House of Representatives.
According to the poll, 51% say they support a bill that would attempt to increase border security and create a pathway to citizenship for many undocumented immigrants, with 45% saying they are opposed to such a measure.
"Support comes mostly from Democrats - six in ten favor the bill - with independents and Republicans split right down the middle," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "There is also a generation gap on this issue, with senior citizens opposed to the bill by a 17-point margin, while younger Americans tend to favor it."
The poll's release also comes as some GOP senators ready an amendment to the 'Gang of Eight' bill that they say would further bolster border security. Sixty-two percent of those questioned in the survey say that border security should be the main focus U.S. immigration policy, with 36% saying that creating an eventual path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants should be the top priority.
"Republicans and independents strongly support making border security the top concern, but even Democrats are split on this question," adds Holland.
There's also a generational divide, with those age 18-34 split on what's most important, and large majorities of those age 35 and older saying border security should be the top priority when it comes to immigration policy.
President Barack Obama and Democrats want to fulfill a promise to Hispanic Americans, the nation's fastest-growing demographic and a key voting bloc, to address the limbo of the 11 million immigrants living illegally in the country. If the bill becomes law, it would be one of the president's major legislative achievements of his second term.
But the poll indicates a majority of Americans don't give Obama a thumbs up on the issue. Only four in ten say they approve of the job he's doing on illegal immigration, with 56% saying they disapprove of his performance on the issue. Those numbers are little changed in CNN polling dating back to 2009, the president's first year in the White House.
The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International June 11-13, with 1,014 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
So basically all the Boomers are worried that their golden parachute won't last? They sold out their grandchildren and are looking forward to a nice cushy life of retirement (which my generation will never see) and are angry that they might have to tighten their belts and share some of the burden for cleaning up the debt-riddled mess they left us with with 50 years of pointless wars and deficit spending...
I just don't understand my country that I love so much. Why is it so easy to come here without an invitation and stay. No other country on this big ball in the sky is so lax on illegal immigration. So may countries put you in jail, immediately deport you or shoot you. In America we give them a job, food stamps and pay all their medical bills expecially as they have one little citizen after the other. They don't know about birth control obviously. Guess there is nothing we can do now but hopefully the ACLU will invite all of them to live in their house.
So NOW who is not compromising? This shows me the true colors of my representatives and it makes me see RED.
More proof that the voting age should be raised to 35, with voter id mandated.
No AMNESTY.. .. We do not have the jobs anymore to continue allowing more people in. Time to say NO MAS.
WILL NEVER HAPPEN! First of all OUR "elected children" will screw it up! Whatever one side wants the other side will say NO! Doesn't matter if it is a good thing & makes sense! I would agree that our border must be secured 1st!
Personally, I would bring ALL our troops home, give them a break, and then put THEM on the border! Let them use their hi teck equipement, have "detainment" power, use of deadly force only for self protection! Then they turn over detaines to border patrol for further processing. Build MORE processing stations along the border! It does not make any sense to me for a person, without proper paperwork, to cross our borders, get into the heart of our country and then disappear into the system! Don't agree with this 14yr?, to gain citizenship! IF the people involved have been living here, illegally, but have done nothing wrong, have been paying taxes, etc., then make it 5yrs! IF illegal, and doing bad things, get them OUT immediately, and get back in line! That includes children! HARD decisions require hard actions and if we are going to let sympathy guide our policy then why bother? Then the OTHER side of this coin is that WE had better get prepared to see price increases for those items that immigrants provide us, with their cheap, slave like, wages & conditions!


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On Thursday, OnLive launched CloudLift Enterprise, the company's second attempt to adapt its cloud gaming services to the business space.
Until now, OnLive has been the flag-bearer for cloud gaming, which uses low-latency connections between a thin client app on a PC or mobile device and a back-end server. Its CloudLift technology takes games that users have bought on Valve Software's Steam service, or via OnLive, and accelerates them using its own high-end gaming machines.
Now, the company has adapted that technology for business use. Working from the argument that PC games are about the most graphics-intensive application a user can buy, OnLive's CloudLift Enterprise service takes the same approach to "graphics-intensive applications" like CAD programs, medical imaging software, and more.
"Enterprises have told us that it is frustrating to build and deliver high-end applications for thin clients and remote devices given their hardware constraints," Mark Jung, executive chairman of OnLive, in a statement. "They want to provide spectacular real-time graphics, and responsive, fluid experiences regardless of the devices their audience chooses to use."
The OnLive CloudLift Enterprise service can run on an on-premise service or as a hosted and managed program within OnLive's data centers. Pricing was not disclosed. OnLive has already proven out its streaming technology over Wi-Fi and 3G, and onto Android and iOS mobile apps. The enterprise solution can tap into all of these capabilities.
OnLive, which re-emerged from a disastrous bankruptcy agreement in 2012, has tried to offer a business solution before with OnLive Desktop, which offered a virtualized Windows 7 desktop and Microsoft Office access. OnLive Desktop is still around and kicking, although executives have said previously that they plan to rework the experience.
OnLive's debut of OnLive Desktop prompted a sarcastic welcome from Citrix two years ago, as that company and others have offered virtualized thin clients for years. More recently, Nvidia and VMware began offering a remote virtual desktop for business use. OnLive clearly hopes to break into a market it has already invested in heavily, but never really addressed.


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Protests, cyber-skirmishes rage over WikiLeaks
(AP) -- Skirmishes raged across cyberspace between WikiLeaks supporters and the companies they accuse of trying to stifle the group, with websites on both sides of the battle line taken out of service or choked off by attacks.
The U.N.'s top human rights official raised the alarm Thursday over officials' and corporations' moves to cut off WikiLeaks' funding and starve it of server space - something she described as "potentially violating WikiLeaks' right to freedom of expression."
Navi Pillay also expressed surprise at the scale of the online attacks that have targeted major American financial players - in some cases denying access to their websites for hours at a time.
"It's truly what media would call a cyber-war. It's just astonishing what is happening," Pillay told reporters in Geneva.
In the Netherlands, a 16-year-old boy suspected of being involved in digital attacks by Wikileaks supporters was arrested.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the Justice Department was looking into cyber attacks on opponents of WikiLeaks and companies that have stopped doing business with it. Holder spoke at a news conference following a meeting with European Union law enforcement partners on cybersecurity, counterterrorism and data protection.
WikiLeaks has been under intense pressure since it began publishing some 250,000 secret U.S. diplomatic cables, with attacks on its websites and threats against its founder, Julian Assange, who is now in a British jail fighting extradition to Sweden on sex crime allegations.
U.S. officials say WikiLeaks' actions have thrown diplomacy into disarray, caused countries to curtail dealings with America and, in the case of an earlier release of classified military documents, put the lives of informants at risk.
While U.S. allies have also criticized WikiLeaks, some world leaders have questioned the arrest of Assange.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, questioning the reliability of leaked U.S. cables referring to his nation as undemocratic and corrupt, said the fact that Assange is in custody shows the West has its own problems with democracy.
"Why was Mr. Assange hidden in prison?" Putin asked at a news conference. "Is this democracy?"
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he was surprised by the lack of outcry against Assange's arrest.
"This WikiLeaks guy was arrested and I'm not seeing any protest for freedom of expression," Silva said Thursday in Brasilia. "There is nothing, nothing for freedom of expression and against the imprisonment of this guy who was doing better work than many of the ambassadors."
Many U.S.-based Internet companies have cut their ties to WikiLeaks, including MasterCard Inc., Visa Inc., Amazon.com, PayPal Inc. and EveryDNS. Those moves have hurt WikiLeaks' ability to accept donations and support publishing efforts - and touched off a bout of Web-based warfare.
Retaliatory attacks - which WikiLeaks says it does not sanction - have been claimed by a loose-knit group of "hacktivists" who gather under the handle "Anonymous."
They are using a modified version of software generally used to conduct "stress testing" on websites, according to Paul Mutton, an analyst with the London-based company Netcraft, which is tracking the attacks.
The technique allows even unsophisticated supporters to participate in attacks because all they have to do is download the file, which is then remotely operated to send a stream of bogus page requests to target websites.
Mutton said the number of computers spewing out spam had jumped from 400 to 2,000 machines on Wednesday - relatively small numbers, he said, but still apparently enough to overwhelm MasterCard and Visa.
"I've been surprised at how effective its been," he said. "You don't need huge numbers of people to carry out an attack like that."
The surprise was shared by Internet activist Gregg Housh, who is involved with Anonymous. "I was surprised Visa and MasterCard went down," he told The Associated Press.
Housh said the number of computers at Anonymous' disposal was rising rapidly, now about 3,000 strong. But he also said supporters were running out of anti-WikiLeaks targets.
"So far today, no one has stood up and said, `Me next,'" he said, noting that some companies threatened by online action - such as Twitter and Amazon.com, were considered too powerful to bring down.
WikiLeaks supporters in Switzerland and Germany have threatened lawsuits against U.S. financial companies who have cut their ties to the website, while judicial authorities in France have put the brakes on the French government's effort to purge WikiLeaks from the country's computer servers.
The Germany-based Wau Holland Foundation, which has described itself as WikiLeaks' main backer, on Thursday protested PayPal's decision to cut ties with WikiLeaks and said about ?10,000 ($13,000) in donations had been frozen.
The foundation rejected PayPal's allegation it was supporting illegal activity and said its lawyer had demanded that PayPal restore access to the account.
WikiLeaks' payment processor, DataCell ehf, said it was preparing to sue Visa and MasterCard over their refusal to process donations to WikiLeaks. DataCell CEO Andreas Fink said he would seek damages from the U.S. credit card companies, saying "it is simply ridiculous to think WikiLeaks has done anything criminal."
Pillay said if WikiLeaks had broken the law "then this should be handled through the legal system and not through pressure and intimidation."
The flow of online support has also sparked some solidarity on the streets. One pro-WikiLeaks protest in Australia sent about 250 demonstrators into the streets of Brisbane, while in the central Pakistani city of Multan, dozens took to the streets to burn U.S. and British flags to protest Assange's detention.
Organizer Tariq Naeemullah called for the Australian's immediate release.
"The brave man was arrested because he was exposing the real face of the big powers," he said.
More pro-WikiLeaks protests are planned for Friday in Brisbane and Monday in London.
©2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Having hit the headlines in Europe, music service Spotify aims to launch in the US – as well as on mobiles. Founder and CEO Daniel Ek also confirmed to us that it's looking at downloads as a way to further enhance the appeal of the service – named after a blend of spot and identify.
So is Spotify an iTunes killer? "We wouldn't necessarily describe ourselves in that way," muses the founder, "but Spotify certainly offers an alternative music platform to iTunes and one which enables users to listen to what they want, when they want, which up until now hasn't been available."
This previous inability to listen to any music you want at any time is the central idea behind Spotify. "That's the main problem we've focused on solving. The key for us is in offering the latest content and retaining users.
"This might be by giving them better recommendations, or it might be by getting music to them faster. There are so many ways where we can improve the service, but I still think it's about providing a service that is easy to use, clean and quick."
And what about launching elsewhere, including the US? Ek says it will happen, but not quite yet. "A Spotify launch in the US is absolutely part of our plans, but we want to fully establish ourselves in Europe before that happens.
"We've launched in eight territories already, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Norway and Sweden, but our aim, in time, is to be everywhere."
What about downloads?
So could downloads really form part of the Spotify offering? Ek says it's definitely of interest. "There are lots of different things that we could consider, downloads being just one option. However, our focus is on accessing content rather than owning content.
"In terms of downloads, we already work with different partners in this area, such as iTunes and 7digital, as well as other partners in local markets. Downloadable content is definitely of interest - whether that would be paid-for or ad-funded, we would have to wait and see - but is not in our core revenue model."
Ek says download formats are not an issue, as Spotify would work with its partners – and downloads are not in the service's "immediate plans."
Mobile app on the cards
What about a mobile application then? Ek says he can't comment on specifics, but says "we're extremely excited about platforms such as the iPhone, as it enables third-party developers such as ourselves to develop interesting functionality". The appointment of ex-Yahoo man Gustav Söderström suggests it's certainly an area Spotify is very interested in.
"We're investigating a number of ways in which we can integrate the service into other platforms and devices. It's great for the mobile industry in general if it becomes more open and we see people use mobile services a lot more. This is something we are keen to explore."


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In a previous post, I gave Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana a verbal kick in the shins because the rumored-to-be presidential candidate said nice things about a value-added tax.
While the VAT is a despicable idea, I don't want anybody to think I harbor a special animosity for Governor Daniels. I am very skeptical of all politicians.
So let's kick someone else in the shins, and we'll make Newt Gingrich today's target. I've actually known Newt since 1978, when I was a weekend volunteer for his first winning campaign while a student at the University of Georgia. And I think Newt was a superb Minority Leader for the GOP and he deserves considerable credit for dethroning the Democrats in 1994.
But that doesn't mean he would be a good President, particularly when (to my knowledge) has not recanted this nauseating commercial he made with Nancy Pelosi.


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So you've decided to obtain stucco applied to your house. Or, probably you simply need a fix. In either case, you'll want to look up stucco installers in the area so the project can be completed. You might be lured to just start a telephone publication and phone the very first licensed contractor having huge advertising, but that may be not the way to go. Practically you can now take out an ad, and having a greater one only implies that they invested a little bit more money in marketing. Like any other qualified business, figuring out how to use stucco is not merely an art form but a science as well. Finding the correct insurance policy, bonding, staff members, portfolio of satisfied consumers, and honest organization procedures ought to be the requirements you basic getting a service provider on. Performing a preliminary track record check on a possible contractor now could help you save copious quantities of work in the future.
First, you have to create just what your project will include. You will want to make contact with a few contractors and request the cost price. It's a good idea to inform them without delay that you are going to be talking to many installers to find out what their offers are. This can save you time when attempting to negotiate a good cost. Include some terminology concerning your particular venture provided you can. You are going to look more knowledgeable compared to the average customer, so you will be significantly less probably going to be undertaken benefit from it. Once you have received a few rates, look for the median value. An excellent licensed contractor will cost fairly. Also reduced of your price might point to a novice contractor, whilst a very high price can be a predatory contractor. Discover the three or four contractors which are close to the median cost and contact them for additional information.
Skilled stucco installers could have updated insurance plans and accreditation. This info will be either accessible or in their place of work. Inquiring to look at or come up with a backup in their paperwork is neither impolite nor uncommon. If a licensed contractor acts insulted or repeatedly offers justifications that explain why the paperwork can not be created, you probably shouldn't work with them. Whether these are generally stalling tactics or they may be just really unorganized, they can be signs of an unprofessional entrepreneur.
While using the information in the price quotation and insurance and accreditation forms should assist in really defining the selection. The other method must be based on the approximated time to complete the venture, the variety of employees applied, and the stock portfolio of labor. Studying the tasks these stucco building contractors have completed gives you advisable of the caliber of their work. By learning how a lot of staff work on a task and the way very long it may need to become completed, you can find a sense of how efficient a service provider is. Lots of staff more than a long time signifies a lackadaisical attitude combined with the lowest capability. All companies are motivated by completing employment efficiently and quickly in order to much more on to the following task.
Using each of the standards together should enable you to find one of the skilled stucco contractors available. While it probably had taken you a couple of weeks to pick one out, you ought to be thrilled along with your best selection. After you have analyzed the contract and created the initial installment settlement, they should be able to get to the job. Soon, you will have your stucco project completed.
Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Feedback / Re: Mikey D's feedback« on: September 9, 2006, 01:46 AM »
Just received a few more items from Mikey D. Arrived quick and in excellent condition.
Thanks for another smooth transaction Mike
Thanks for another smooth transaction Mike
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


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Story by
Anna Heim
Anna Heim is the founder of MonoLibre and a freelance writer for various tech and startup publications. She is a polyglot French news junkie Anna Heim is the founder of MonoLibre and a freelance writer for various tech and startup publications. She is a polyglot French news junkie with a love for technology.
The iPhone 5 still has to launch in Brazil, but one thing is for sure: when it hits the shelves, it will be much more expensive than in other markets. If you need a proof of it, just look at the new Apple TV, which costs R$399 in Brazil – roughly $197 USD, or twice its selling price in the US.
This isn't only about Apple products; we have already touched the subject several times, many articles are much more expensive in Brazil, especially electronics. Let's now try to understand why.
The usual culprit: Taxes and inefficiencies
It's impossible to talk about the prices of electronics without mentioning 'Brazil cost' ('Custo Brasil', in Portuguese). According to Wikipedia, this expression refers to "increased operational costs associated with doing business with Brazil, making Brazilian goods more expensive compared to other countries."
This applies to products that are manufactured locally, but also to imported goods, which suffer from the structural problems of this huge country. Here are some of the Brazilian challenges the World Economic Forum pointed out in its latest report on global competitiveness, where Brazil made it into the top 50 for the first time:
"Trust in politicians remains low (121st), as does government efficiency (111th) because of excessive government regulation (144th) and wasteful spending (135th). The quality of transport infrastructure (79th) remains an unaddressed long-standing challenge and the quality of education (116th) does not seem to match the increasing need for a skilled labor force.
Moreover, despite increasing efforts to facilitate entrepreneurship, especially for small companies, the procedures and time to start a business remain among the highest in the sample (130th and 139th, respectively) and taxation is perceived to be too high and to have distortionary effects (144th)."
Taxation is a recurring theme when you ask Brazilians about the cost of many imported goods. To take an example, the Brazilian website iG published an infographic on Apple products' tax burden, and noted that the different taxes hitting the iPad add up to almost 55%.
According to Mario Almeida, one of Brazilian Startups Association's regional directors, this has a highly negative impact on Brazil's place in the world:
"Our confusing national tax system, our labor costs and our flawed infrastructure are the perfect combination for products and services to have higher prices than their equivalents in rich countries and elsewhere.
When talking about imported goods, there's yet another aggravating factor, our tariff barriers – we are still a closed country. Despite our favorable commercial balance and the fact that we are recognized as a commodities exportation hub, our global trade's share is much lower than its potential and than our expectations."
As you can imagine, taxing imported goods is a way for Brazil to support Brazilian manufacturers and to give foreign companies an incentive to open plants in the country. Still, the Brazilian government defends itself from being overly protectionist, and points out that the US also guard their national market in many ways, starting with a low dollar.
Beyond taxes: A vicious circle
Although 'Brazil cost' certainly exists, "it is a fact that it doesn't explain or justify the price differences between the international products that are sold in Brazil and their equivalents or versions in other countries," Almeida insists.
This is where 'Lucro Brasil' ("Profit Brazil") comes into play. Coined in reference to 'Custo Brasil,' it denounces the fact that structural problems often hide abusive margins at all levels, which most Brazilian consumers aren't aware of.
While it is always difficult to find out about distributors' and manufacturers' margins, several details seem to confirm this suspicion. For instance, 60% taxes don't fully explain why items can be twice as expensive in Brazil, and why tax breaks take so long to be reflected, Gizmodo Brasil highlighted in a recent article.
As a matter of fact, Brazilians complain that multi-national companies often see their local subsidiary as a cash cow, which can sell lower-quality items or overpriced products without problems.
According to many analysts, the Brazilian elite may have its share of responsibility here. In practical terms, a high price tag has become a selling point for some, the anthropologist Roberto da Matta explained in an interview:
"When I was living in the US, I was running once when I saw then president George W. Bush, running as well, with security guards. He was using the same Nike shoes as I was. Here in Brazil, it's hard to picture such a scene. Because objects still very much reflect the social segment of their owners. The sneakers, the car, the restaurant aren't valued only for what they are, but also as status symbols. This is why it is more expensive to have dinner in Rio or São Paulo than in New York."
What's true of cars and fancy restaurants also applies to electronics, Brazilian journalist Henrique Martin tells us. The editor of Brazilian gadget blog Ztop, he describes the line of thinking that prevails in the market:
"This emerging posture of the Brazilian new rich means that consumer electronics manufacturers charge whatever they want for their products. If there are people that pay thousands of Brazilian reais for an iPad or a high-end smartphone, why would they lower their pricing?"
As for those who aren't willing to pay those prices, they increasingly rely on another option, which is to go shopping abroad – not only in places such as Brazil's frontier with Paraguay, but also in the US. "There's a saying that's used a lot in Brazil – 'I'm poor, I buy in the US' – and many people live by it," Martin says.
"Buying a plane ticket to Miami, staying there for two days and bringing back a camera or a tablet costs almost the same as purchasing them in Brazil," he explains. Miami aside, Brazilian shoppers are also flocking to New York en masse, and spending a lot more than many other nationalities, the Wall Street Journal reported last Christmas.
Reasons to keep hope?
While the problem isn't new, there are some reasons to think that the trend could start to change, although the signals are somewhat mixed:
"The only big case on electronics that saw their prices go down thanks to government measures are popular notebooks and PCs, thanks to the 'MP do Bem' [law]," Martin recalls. "In 2007, buying a basic notebook – a very basic one – would have cost you R$3,000 ($1,483 USD). Now it only costs R$1,000-R$1,200 ($494 to $593 USD) and sometime less, thanks to those government measures.
The only thing is that the same government voted a law to support tablets… and nothing happened. To give an example, the Brazilian iPad is still as expensive as the ones that are made in China."
Martin's comment is a reference to reports that Foxconn is now manufacturing Apple products in its Brazilian plants – a piece of news that didn't have any major impact on their price tags. Still, the Brazilian authorities are working on new tax breaks to democratize electronics, and e-readers are next in line, PublishNews Brazil reported a few days ago.
Beyond government incentives, there are macro-economic reasons for companies to lower their prices, starting with Brazil's own evolution. According to a recent study, 104 million Brazilians now belong to the middle class, and will spend a combined R$1 trillion this year ($494 billion USD).
As many of them still have limited budgets and won't shop abroad, this puts companies in front of a simple equation: either sell overpriced goods to a minority, or lower their prices to target millions of consumers.
Almeida points out that companies might not have a choice; as Brazilian consumers become more mature, they will be increasingly reluctant to pay inflated prices. "Who knows if in a near future, this mass of consumers won't start rallying for fewer taxes, increased economic openness and less industry tricks on their items of desire?"
Image credits: (1) YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP / Getty Images; (2) MAURICIO LIMA / AFP / Getty Images; (3) ODD ANDERSEN / AFP / Getty Images
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Cushion Size: 50cm x 50cm
Cushion Cover Material: 100% handwoven and hand dyed cotton
Cushion Cover Origin: Fabric made in Cambodia. Cushion cover sewn in Cambodia
Care: Handwash in cold water or dry clean
Additional Information: Cushion insert is included
This product is handwoven by highly skilled artisans. Any slight imperfection is not a defect due to the manufacturing technique


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Alkylating agents form highly reactive intermediate compounds that are able to transfer alkyl groups to DNA. Alkylation can result in miscoding of DNA strands, incomplete repair of alkylated segments (which leads to strand breakage or depurination), excessive cross-linking of DNA, and inhibition of strand separation at mitosis. Monofunctional alkylating agents transfer a single alkyl group and usually result in miscoding of DNA, strand breakage, or depurination. These reactions can result in cell death, mutagenesis, or carcinogenesis. Polyfunctional alkylating agents typically cause strand cross-linking and inhibition of mitosis with consequent cell death. Resistance to one alkylating agent often implies resistance to other drugs in the same class and can be caused by increased production of nucleophilic substances that compete with the target DNA for alkylation. Decreased permeation of alkylating agents and increased activity of DNA repair systems are also common mechanisms of resistance.
Individual alkylating agents are generally cell-cycle nonspecific and can be subgrouped according to chemical structure into nitrogen mustards, ethyleneamines, alkyl sulfonates, nitrosoureas, and triazene derivatives.
Nitrogen Mustards:
The most common subgroup of alkylating agents used is the nitrogen mustard group. Mechlorethamine hydrochloride is the prototype of the nitrogen mustards and is commonly used in veterinary medicine to treat lymphoma in conjunction with other chemotherapeutics. Because of the highly unstable nature and extremely short duration of action of mechlorethamine, its use is somewhat limited in veterinary medicine. Derivatives of mechlorethamine commonly used for various neoplasias include cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, and melphalan.
Cyclophosphamide is a cyclic phosphamide derivative of mechlorethamine that requires metabolic activation by the cytochrome P450 oxidation system in the liver. Cyclophosphamide is given PO or IV, and dose-limiting leukopenia associated with bone marrow suppression is the primary toxicity. However, among the alkylating chemotherapy agents, the myelosuppressive effect of cyclophosphamide is considered relatively sparing of platelets and progenitor cells. Sterile hemorrhagic cystitis may result from aseptic chemical inflammation of the bladder urothelium caused by acrolein, a metabolite of cyclophosphamide. Prevention of this toxicity is key to its management. Specifically, concurrent administration of a diuretic, such as furosemide, may be used when cyclophosphamide is given as a single dose to provide a dilutional effect. In addition, cyclophosphamide may be given in the morning so that patients can be provided several opportunities to urinate throughout the day to minimize contact time of acrolein with the bladder lining. In patients with evidence of sterile hemorrhagic cystitis, cyclophosphamide use should be discontinued. Although the signs may be self-limiting, treatment with fluids, NSAIDs, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and intravesicular DMSO may be considered. Mesna is a drug that binds and inactivates the urotoxic metabolites of cyclophosphamide within the bladder. Mesna coadministered with fluid diuresis is recommended when ifosfamide (an analogue of cyclophosphamide) or high-dose cyclophosphamide is used.
Chlorambucil, the slowest-acting nitrogen mustard, achieves effects gradually and often can be used in animals with compromised bone marrow. It can cause bone marrow suppression, which is usually mild; however, periodic monitoring is recommended with longterm administration. This drug is given PO and is most commonly used in treatment of chronic, well-differentiated cancers; it is considered ineffective in rapidly proliferating tumors.
Melphalan, an L-phenylalanine derivative of mechlorethamine, is given PO or IV and is primarily used in veterinary medicine to treat multiple myeloma.
Other Alkylating Agents:
Of the other subgroups of alkylating agents, several have limited but specific uses. Triethylenethiophosphoramide (thiotepa), an ethylenimine, has been reported as an intravesicular treatment for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder or as an intracavitary treatment for pleural and peritoneal effusions. Busulfan, an alkyl sulfonate, is used specifically in treatment of chronic myelocytic leukemia and polycythemia vera. Streptozotocin, a naturally occurring nitrosourea, is used for palliation of malignant pancreatic islet-cell tumors or insulinomas. Other nitrosoureas, such as carmustine and lomustine, readily cross the blood-brain barrier and have been useful in management of lymphoma (including epitheliotropic cutaneous lymphoma), mast cell tumors, histiocytic sarcomas, and CNS neoplasias. Dacarbazine (DTIC), a triazene derivative, has been used either in combination with doxorubicin or as a single-agent treatment for relapsed canine lymphoma and soft-tissue sarcomas.
Temozolomide is an oral imidazotetrazine derivative of dacarbazine and belongs to a class of chemotherapeutic agents that enter the CSF and do not require hepatic metabolism for activation. In people, it is used for refractory malignant gliomas and malignant melanomas. There have been reports in the veterinary literature of its use as a substitute for dacarbazine (DTIC).


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Note before you read further: since version 2.1.0 FORScan supports the STN11XX chip with a built-in MS-CAN bus support (example of adapter implementation: OBDLink EX, MX, MX+, ELS27). So it may be better choice for people who wouldn't like to modify anything by their own hands.
Note for Mondeo Mk3 owners: only models after restyling in July 2003 have MS-CAN modules. And this bus only keeps few modules like ACM and EATC. You do NOT need the MS-CAN modification to access engine, ICU and all other modules except ACM and EATC.
This article contains of 2 parts: How to modify ELM327 in order to add the HS/MS CAN switch, and some notes about MS CAN support in FORScan v2.
Note: If FORScan doesn't ask you about HS/MS CAN switch (see chapter 2 below), it means it doesn't suspect MS CAN modules on the board and will not check for them, even if you modify the ELM.
1. How to modify ELM327 in order to add the HS/MS CAN switch
ELM327 supports HS CAN from the stock, because Ford HS CAN completely matches to the OBD2 standards. It occupies pins 6 and 14. MS CAN bus occupies pins 3 and 11. The picture below illustrates the thing (ATTENION: the OBD2 jack on the picture means vehicle one, "female". The adapter's one is "male", so it is "mirrored". Pins are often mixed up because of this. Always note pins' numbering of the adapter's jack!):
The simplest way to implement the MS CAN support is to add a switch that will shift between MS/HS CAN. The scheme below explains the modification (ATTENION: the OBD2 jack on the picture means vehicle one, "female". The adapter's one is "male", so it is "mirrored". Pins are often mixed up because of this. Always note pins' numbering of the adapter's jack!):
- Purchase a 6 pin mini-switch of ON-ON type (for example, MTS-202-A2) in any shop that sells electronic components, also prepare a wire
- Disassemble ELM327 (for majority of china clones - carefully remove the label that hides 4 screws, unscrew them)
- Find a place for the mini-switch (most complex part of the whole operation for some devices that are extremely compact)
- Unsolder wires from pins 6 and 14 of the OBD2 jack and solder them to the 2 middle pins of the mini-switch
- Solder 2 new wires from 2 outer mini-switch pins to pins 6 and 14 of the OBD2 jack
- Solder 2 other new wires from 2 other outer mini-switch pins to pins 3 and 11 of the OBD2 jack
- Check the work (it is very important to do not mix CAN-L and CAN-H wires up!) and assembly the ELM327, mark the MS and HS can position on the device box to avoid confusion
2. FORScan v2 MSCAN support
FORScan v2 has support of MS CAN bus and optimized for using the HS/MS CAN switch. There is no necessity to adjust any ELM327 parameters for MS CAN, FORScan makes all the necessary changes in an automated mode. When FORScan establishes a vehicle connection, it analyses the vehicle configuration. If MS CAN modules are expected, FORScan will ask user about HS/MS CAN switch:
If no question is asked, it means FORScan doesn't expect a presence of MS CAN and is not going to look for it. If user confirms the MS/HS switch presence, FORScan will ask user to shift the bus, for example:
FORScan v2 is optimized for using the HS/MS CAN switch (minimize number of necessary shifts). For example, reading DTCs in all of 5 HS CAN modules and 2 MS CAN modules will always require only 1 shift.


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The Secret Beyond Matter
Excerpt from Mr. Adnan Oktar's Live Interview on A9 TV dated February 14th, 2012
Adnan Oktar: Ms. Yvonne Ridley is currently my guest. Do you have brief presentation regarding Ms.Ridley?
Ms. Aylin: She is a journalist. She went to Afghanistan where the Taliban took her prisoner. And after being released she became a Muslim.
Adnan Oktar: So she had been to Afghanistan as a freelance journalist.
Ms. Aylin: Yes, she is an English journalist.
Adnan Oktar: So she had been to Afghanistan as an English freelance journalist. She is so sweet. What business did she have in Afghanistan?
Ms. Aylin: She used to work as a war correspondent.
Adnan Oktar: It is really strange of them to send a woman for that task. So she was captured by the Taliban?
Ms. Aylin: She had been kept there for six months if I am not mistaken. And later on after being released she had become a Muslim.
Adnan Oktar: She is a very lovely lady. She has such beautiful eyes and she looks very sweetly. Insha'Allah. We have spoken briefly upstairs. She is truly distressed by all the sufferings of Muslims everywhere, masha'Allah. She is really very protective masha'Allah. She says that secularists are in a fierce attack in Great Britain giving Muslims no peace and truly inflicting suffering on them.
Yet the Jews are even more oppressed. A Jewish man wrote to me and said that people are spitting in his face wherever they see him. People attacked his children. They tried to cut one child's ear off. The British have become unbelievably aggressive. He says they give them no room to breathe. They tried to kick his front door in. He said that he was unable to stay there any longer and fled to France. They give Muslims a very hard time, too. But Muslims and Jews are also in conflict . Christians fight Muslims and Muslims fight Christians. And those people try to oppress them all in the meantime. Yet if Muslims, Jews and Christians were allied, the matter would completely be resolved and nobody would be able to hurt anyone. They would all be in comfort and the moral values of Islam would widespread to the whole world. But narrow thinking people, people with narrow minds, acting like cheap heroes cause both Muslims to be oppressed and the People of the Book as well. And they regard that as jihad.
That is why one should be unifying among people. In England, for instance, Muslims are always at one another's throats. Congregations are divided among themselves, there is competition in between them and so they refuse to go to each other's mosques. They do not look one another in the eye. They do not greet one another, and they all have their separate ideas and ways of thinking. The majority, that is. Of course there are good ones among them as well. I told her that we should work together and find a way for that together, and she agreed, insha'Allah. Yvonne had been here before. She came to our house, didn't she?
Ms. Didem: Yes she did Master. And she said that when she first became a Muslim and read the Qur'an for the first time, she saw the Qur'an had not been changed at all and the value attached to women in the Qur'an, she had been very much impressed.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah. She is really very sweet with her exceptionally lovely eyes.
Ms. Didem: Yes , Masha'Allah.
Adnan Oktar: Welcome. Selamun aleykum
Yvonne Ridley: Wa Alaikum salam.
Adnan Oktar: wa Rahmetullah wa Berekatuhu. How are you?
Yvonne Ridley: Fine, Alhamdulillah.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah, masha'Allah. Ahlan wa sahlan. I said in Arabic, but it didn't really work. Let us say something else. Let us say it in English. We are honored by your presence.
Yvonne Ridley: It's a great pleasure to be here, really.
Adnan Oktar: Yes, masha'Allah. You bring good news with you. We hear great things from you, but Muslims in England seems to be rather fragmented. You have described that a bit while we were talking upstairs. It is a religious obligation for Muslims to be in unity and collaboration. That is an explicit verse from the Qur'an. What do you say about this matter?
Yvonne Ridley: It's really a tragedy because of course, we all believe in the One God, we all have only one Qur'an, we believe in the Five Pillars of Islam, that is what defines us as Muslims, and so what is there to be disunited about; it is very sad, because especially in the current climate, Muslims need to come together. You've written a book about it, that we need to be united. And as a united ummah, we would be a real, powerful force; one in five Muslims – sorry, one in five people in the world are Muslims. So, that's a great amount of people; a fifth of the planet.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah. Masha'Allah. Yes, I am listening to you.
Yvonne Ridley: Well, I know that quite a few people from the organization have been to Britain with a message of unity, and I hope it is something that Muslims take on board. What really has me alarmed, not just in Britain but in the wider world, is the growth of sectarianism. And that is a very destructive force, and again, Muslims should ignore these siren calls and again focus on what unites us, not on what divides us.
Adnan Oktar: So how can Muslims come together? Has our Prophet (saas) shown us the path on that matter? Has he told us how the Muslims would be united in the End Times? Or have we been left to fend for ourselves? What is your opinion on this?
Yvonne Ridley: He would be in despair now if he could see the state of parts of the ummah. And Allah gave us the gift of Islam; it's the easiest religion to follow, it is a way of life and it's not complicated, it is so easy, a child can understand; yet it is intellectual that it will keep scholars occupied in debate for hours. But, we only pray in one direction, we only pray to One God, and we have only one Holy Qur'an; so why are we not together and unified and speaking in one voice?
Adnan Oktar: All Muslims will be united in 5-10 years' time. I can give you that good news.
Yvonne Ridley: Alhamdulillah, and I look forward to that, because the Muslim world is going through an upheaval at the moment, we have brothers and sisters who are at war with each other. And then we have other areas of the Middle East that have been transformed, and it shows you what happens when people, when brothers and sisters can come together. We've seen it in Tunisia, and insha'Allah, in Egypt and it's a very exciting period, a great decade to be a Muslim, I feel.
Adnan Oktar: Will the Mahdi come?
Yvonne Ridley: Insha'Allah. You say that in ten years time, there will be unity, and I'm looking forward to that day, because then we will see the full power, and the full strength, and the full joy of belonging to one united family, insha'Allah.
Adnan Oktar: Shiism, Wahhabism, Sunnism will all disappear. It will be an age like that of the Companions.
Yvonne Ridley: Well, that is exactly right. I embraced Islam only a few years ago, and some people will say, "Are you Sunni? Are you Sufi, are you Shia; what sort of Muslim are you?" And I say, "I am following in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him", and I don't believe he promoted or belonged to any sect; he was a Muslim, and that is what I am, a Muslim without a sect or a group; I don't need that sort of identity. I am a Muslim pure and simple, insha'Allah.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah. She is very radiant and delightful, masha'Allah. Really nice, masha'Allah. Of course, because we are ignorant at the moment, we are following a sect. I mean, we are obliged to follow a sect. But we do so because we are obliged to do so, rather than willingly. But the ideal, the correct thing to do is to be like the time of the Companions. A true Muslim would be like that. They will obey the Qur'an. They will live in the same way as the Companions. That is what you also desire as far as I see, insha'Allah. You will see the Mahdi, insha'Allah, and Jesus the Messiah. This is a very good time. We are in a very good time.
Yvonne Ridley: Insha'Allah, and I do share your optimism for the future, and I hope, when I said before that I'm a Muslim pure and simple, you know, that is me; that isn't to say that people who follow one route or another, as long as they stick to the five principles that define us as Muslims, which are the Five Pillars of Islam, I think that, again, if we focus on what unites us rather than what divides us the majority of Muslims have the same ideology, just a different methodology. We all get there in the end, insha'Allah.
Adnan Oktar:. Masha'Allah, you will see very happy days. Allah had blessed you with the right path in such a time, masha'Allah. You are striving for Islam and the Qur'an with all your might, what a great honor this is. All Muslims love you very much. The Muslims in Turkey love you, everyone loves you but I am the one that loves you the most.
Yvonne Ridley: Thank you; jazakh Allahu khairan [May Allah reward you for the good]. And I'm a big fan of Turkey, it is a great country, and I think that the next decade will also be a very interesting one for Turkey; she's already emerging as a regional power and the West is looking toward Turkey for advice and I think that Turkey is going to play a very pivotal role in the changing landscape of the Muslim world.
Adnan Oktar: That is because Allah has assigned her. Turkey is the place where the Mahdi will appear, furthermore Istanbul. Our Prophet (saas) says that quite explicitly. He has listed the portents. Furthermore there are some details; he speaks of Harista. Right? He says the Harista district of Damascus will be obliterated. Our Prophet (saas) says that war will break out there. This is one of the portents of the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). Newspaper reports about the destruction of the Harista district in Syria appeared in the papers the other day. This is one of the portents of the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). Our Prophet (saas) looked and foresaw all the events to come, he saw all of them. He foresaw the comet, the attack on the Kaaba, eclipses of the Sun and Moon at 15-day intervals, the Keban Dam, the stopping of the waters of the Euphrates, everything. Almighty Allah lifted the veil of time and showed our Prophet (saas). But last of all, look, is Harista. Look, the neutralization of the ruler of Egypt. The collapse of his sultanate. The ruler of Egypt. He even says he has a hook nose. The top of his nose has a concavity, he says. It is exactly as said down to the finest detail. Everything that Rasulullah (saas) has said is being realized just as he said. Almighty Allah is showing us the miracles of our Prophet (saas) in these fine days. Another miracle, another one, one more... I was amazed when I saw it the other day. Harista, exactly the same.. The same district referred to in the hadith. He says it will be obliterated. That there will be a disaster there. Just like he says. He says there will be grave disorder in Damascus. Everything Rasulullah (saas) said is coming about, exactly as he said. Almighty Allah has given you a responsibility in the same way as with Hazrat Maryam, masha'Allah. How nice this is. You went to Afghanistan as a journalist, didn't you? There, Allah has blessed you with the right path. And you were held captive there for 11 days?
Yvonne Ridley: Yes, I had sneaked into Afghanistan just after the events of 9/11 and I was arrested by the Taliban two days later and held there for eleven days; it was a terrifying experience, but it also provided the trigger for my interest in Islam. So, Alhamdulillah.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah, masha'Allah, masha'Allah..
Yvonne Ridley: The world is becoming a smaller place, especially because of the air travel, and I hope to come to Turkey much more frequently; as I said before, it is a great country, the people are great, the food is superb, and so I am a big fan of Turkey. But you mentioned the situation in Syria; and it reminds me of a video I saw just a few days ago of the people of Homs who turned out into the streets in their tens of thousands, and they said that they will continue in their resistance against tyranny, and they then said that they were putting all their faith in Allah; and they are God-fearing people and, insha'Allah, Allah will guide them and we must all pray for their safe delivery from tyranny.
Adnan Oktar: Getting rid of the oppressive regime.. In fact what is important is to get rid of the system of the dajjal [anti-messiah] in the world. Rescuing Syria is not the end of it of course. Rescuing Palestine is not the end of it. The essential thing, as you know, is to liberate the whole Islamic world. Insha'Allah, the time has come for this. That is a blessing that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and Jesus the Messiah (pbuh) can perform together. It is something they can bring about together. Even if many people cannot see it. That is the direction things are headed. Our Prophet (saas) speaks of a village called Harista. And that has come about, exactly. He says something else, and that also happens word for word. Pleading ignorance is one of the sicknesses of the End Times. Even if you punch them on the head they will probably say a fly has landed on them or a strong wind is blowing. They refuse to understand. But that incomprehension will soon disappear and they will see the truth more clearly.
We wish to benefit from your knowledge and learning frequently. Many communities and societies in Turkey will wish to benefit from your learning, insha'Allah. We would be pleased if you would come here at shorter intervals in future.
Yvonne Ridley: I would very much like that, but I'm Islamically just a few years old; I'm still very much a child, and even if live another fifty, sixty, years I will still be learning about Islam because every day there is a new challenge; every day there is something new to learn; you've just spoken of the hadith about the village in Syria and this is something new for me, and every day is an opportunity to increase my knowledge of Islam, so thank you.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah. That is amazing, Harista is the place the real bombardment has taken place. Harista.. it is the exact place and our Prophet (saas) giving the name, he speaks of a district called Harista that will be destroyed. He says this is a sign of the coming of the Mahdi in the End times. Something that had never happened now happens as the time comes.
Adnan Oktar: Are we preparing this book in English? The Islamic Union. Of course the English-language version must be produced at once. What advice does the hodja have for us? What would she like to say to us in conclusion?
Yvonne Ridley: Well, I can't believe that someone like yourself is asking me for advice; I am the student, you are the Master and I really... when people ask me as a new Muslim what my message is, I just say to the other Muslims "be very proud of who you are, be very proud of what you represent", and because everything we do is in praise of Allah, make sure we do at least one hundred percent for Allah.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah, you are humble, virtuous, you are sincere, radiant. You are a fine Muslim, Masha'Allah.
Yvonne Ridley: Well, thank you; I find that very humbling and some days I feel good that I'm getting there, and other days I take a few steps back, so like every Muslim, it's a challenge, but a good one.
Adnan Oktar: Masha'Allah. May Allah increase all our learning and give us happiness. May He give us health, happiness and beauty. I believe you are going to be speaking at a meeting at the university today, since I know that I can not detain you any longer, we shall call a brief break in the program. It has been an honor. I am delighted to have spoken to you. May Allah be pleased, and we are hoping to see you again. Let us your radiant face again and benefit from your discourse insha'Allah.
Yvonne Ridley: Thank you very much, and I wish you and your station and your viewers all the very best that there is out there, and thank you, I'm humbled.
Adnan Oktar: May Allah be pleased. May Allah be pleased with you. Thank you.


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What do you get when you take one of the world's most popular player-made Warcraft III mods and break it out into its own game? League of Legends: Clash of Fates.
League of Legends began life as Defense of the Ancients, a custom scenario for Blizzard's real-time strategy game Warcraft III, which features teams of player-controlled hero units trying to infiltrate the opposing team's base in order to destroy their Ancient - generally a strategically placed destructible building. Widely considered to be one of the most popular gaming mods ever created, Defense in its various incarnations is also one of the most played player-created gaming mods, in some parts of the world even rivaling the popularity of Counter-Strike, the ridiculously popular mod to Valve's Half-Life.
So how does a popular gaming mod make the leap to full-fledged video game? Just ask the team at Riot Games, the developer behind the upcoming persistent strategy title League of Legends, which takes the core gameplay of the Defense of the Ancients mod to the next level. Better yet, we asked them for you.
The Evolution of Defense of the Ancients
Marc Merrill, the Executive Producer for League of Legends and President of Riot Games, explains that League came about primarily due to the limitations of Defense of the Ancients as a game mod. Being an offshoot of Blizzard's Warcraft III, there were simply too many features that players were demanding that wouldn't work within Warcraft's framework.
"League of Legends primarily came about because the fans and players of (Defense of the Ancients Allstars) were constantly demanding more features and better around-game services that simply couldn't be provided in the mod. All of our guys felt this pain as early members of the (Defense) community and came together to help address this gap and to deliver something awesome to fans."
League of Legends' Director of Systems Design Tom Cadwell elaborates on some of the features that players craved that Defense of the Ancients couldn't deliver, such as matchmaking, stat tracking, and methods to deter players from simply quitting halfway through a match when their team was losing, which has ruined many a Defense game.
"It also lacks polish in a lot of little places — there are no custom hotkeys, the interface is built for an RTS, not for (Defense), there is no tutorial, etc. And of course, the item shop gameplay is tricky to use since the War3 store interface is not designed to support it. As we thought about developing LoL, it became more and more clear that there were many areas where we could make things better suited for a (Defense)-style game and provide a much more fun experience for players."
Assembling the Team
With exactly that goal in mind, Riot Games was formed in late 2006, with the intention to create League of Legends as its first product. Over the course of the past two years, the team has grown to include nearly 40 members spread across design, art, gameplay, engineering, platform engineering, and community.
Riot Games' team member credits include Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, World of Warcraft, Total Annihilation, Neverwinter Nights 2, Counter-Strike, Dungeon Siege, Sly Cooper, and Heroes of Might and Magic, but despite the high level of pedigree among the professionals, Merrill explains that the core development is still being driven by "the mod guys", including original Defense of the Ancients Allstars co-creator Steve "Guinsoo" Feak.
"The product vision is really being driven from the consumer point of view and is largely in the hands of Guinsoo and the mod guys; they have amazing ideas and are really talented guys."
Tom Cadwell himself worked extensively on the talent system on World of Warcraft, as well as heading up play balance for Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne during his time with Blizzard.
"When I was working on War3 at Blizzard, a lot of us were fans of (Defense). It's been a lot of fun to work with Guinsoo and the guys to instill some additional game design principles into League of Legends."
So What is League of Legends?
While League of Legends does benefit from the incredibly large fan-following Defense of the Ancients enjoys, Merrill explains that introducing new players to a title that is very nearly a new genre - team-based tactical role-playing - presents a real challenge.
"By far the more difficult thing for us will be explaining to non-(Defense) users how the gameplay works and why it is fun. It's extremely fun, but it's also new to many people, so breaking through that user education challenge is one of the problems we're focused on solving. "
Breaking out of the Defense of the Ancients mold a bit, League of Legends presents a much more persistent experience. Players take on the role of a Summoner - an avatar tied to the player's account that advances in power and grows over time. Summoners call forth Champions to represent them in combat, aiding their team in defeating the enemy team. Champions come in many different forms with a variety of unique functions, delivering what Merrill compares to the experience of playing different classes in various traditional role-playing games.
So rather than building up forces as you would in your normal real-time strategy game, you pick one Champion at a time, selecting them based on the powers and abilities you feel would best enhance your team's performance. League of Legends in effect adds specific classes to the RTS formula, similar to a game like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare giving players a choice of which role they hope to fill in their team.
The Call of Duty 4 similarity is no coincidence either, as Cadwell reveals the game was a major influence on League of Legends progression system as well.
"There is no perfect gaming analogy to capture the Summoner / Champion relationship, but some games are starting to come close. We drew a lot of inspiration from the COD4 and Battlefield 2142 unlocks system in designing this system. These offer very simple advancement compared to an MMORPG, but players love the sense of progress and purpose they get from knowing that a couple more wins will unlock something cool. We feel that by further expanding this, and creating a cool persistent identity that players can customize based upon their accomplishments that we can create something even more fun. "
So, in a nutshell, League of Legends is an online team-based strategy game with persistent-world elements akin to the sort of ranking system you would find in a first-person shooter like Call of Duty 4.
Creating a League of Their Own
Taking a mod for an established title like Warcraft III and crafting it into a standalone title takes more than just building upon the gameplay elements established in the Defense of the Ancients mod. The team at Riot has poured a great deal of effort into breaking out of the Warcraft III aesthetic, creating a world that is truly their own.
Art direction plays a big part in creating any game, and especially in a title that springs from
"Our Art Director, Hokyo Lim, is the key artistic visionary for the look and feel of League of Legends. Hokyo was previously on Sly Cooper 1, 2 & 3 up at Suckerpunch Studios in Seattle and just has a phenomenal eye. He brings a very stylized look to the game and has a team of talented guys who have worked on distinctive stylized games like Jak and Daxter and Psychonauts prior to joining Riot. "
The artistic pedigree of the League of Legends certainly shines through in the design of the world and its Champions, a motley crew of super-powerful beings that the player's Summoner can command. From the adorably deadly dark child Annie to the mysterious cardmaster Twisted Fate, each is completely unique to the world of League of Legends, the products of a creative team positively overflowing with new ideas.
"We've created a robust internal process that allows everyone to create Champion ideas," Merrill explains. "We have so many cool ideas, Champion themes and ability kits that by far the hardest part is filtering them down to focus on the best ones that also fulfill a core design need of the game."
Further aiding in making League of Legends is the team's focus on keeping things fun, creating what Tom Cadwell calls "a unique blend of whimsy with hardcore."
"Humor is pretty important to League of Legends. We wanted to create a universe that appeals to the hardcore while maintaining the ability to make fun of itself and not take itself "too seriously". We think that a lot of great games (Team Fortress 2 and World of Warcraft come to mind) have managed to create great gameplay that appeals to the hardcore gamer with lots of badassery, but still manages to have a good sense of humor and reach a wide audience. "
For an excellent example of Riot Games' sense of humor, be sure to visit their team bio page, where each team member is not only given a brief paragraph explaining their existence, but is also assigned a special power, such as Marc Merrill's "Night Merrill" ability.
Marc temporarily enters Beast Mode, which causes all employees to fervently increase in productivity by 300% for the next two hours.
What Comes Next
Nearly two years in development, League of Legends is rapidly approaching the the initial beta phase, where the game will be put to the test by the same people who inspired the original Defense of the Ancient mod, and Tom Cadwell couldn't be more excited.
"We're excited to have gotten the reactions we have seen so far, but ultimately can't wait to get users in the game because that is really what matters. That's really what it's all about for us. For me personally, all of my best experiences in design have been during betas, when you get to see how the stuff you worked on plays out, and see people enjoying the work you've done. "
Players interested in getting in on the ground floor of what could be one of the biggest games ever to sprout from a game mod can visit the official League of Legends website to get the scoop on upcoming beta dates while checking out the game and the talented team behind it.
As for what's coming next from Riot Games, the developer currently has two more games in the works, and while Merrill was tight-lipped about details, he assures us that Riot will continue to innovate in the multiplayer gaming space.
"Our plans for the future are to continue to develop titles that leverage our core technology platform that includes a proprietary back end as well as a game engine and associated toolset, while staying true to our core design philosophy which focuses on replayability through multiplayer emergent behavior, instead of creating massive amounts of linear content that you really only want to play through once. "
For now, Riot continues to work on League of Legends, taking a relatively simple player-made mod for Warcraft III and creating something hopefully as legendary as its name.


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Talk about the magic of television. HBO's "Veep" won an Art Directors Guild Award over the weekend for a most impressive act of TV transformation.
Led by production designer Jim Gloster, Baltimore's Engineers Club and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport were made to stand in for Helsinki, Finland, in a Season 2 episode titled "Helsinki."
The episode features Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on a disastrous diplomatic trip to Finland. (Does she have any other kind of diplomatic trips?)
"We didn't shoot anything in Helsinki," said S. Scott Clackum, location manager for the series. "We had a little second unit shoot some snowy streets, but it was otherwise all done here."
Production designer Jim Gloster won the Art Directors Guild Award for the episode in part because he made the Engineers Club stand in for Helsinki so successfully, using multiple rooms in the mansion, according to Clackum.
The crew from "Veep" also dressed Baltimore's airport for TV success as a stand-in for Helsinki's terminal.
"We shot the international side of BWI for the Helsinki airport, which believe it or not, is a pretty close match architecturally," Clackum said.
Other Art Directors Guild Award winners for TV included: "Game of Thrones," "Behind the Candelabra," "Battlestar Galactica," "Portlandia" and "The 67th Annual Tony Awards."
The "18th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards" were presented Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton.


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2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit: New York Jets Team Preview
We've got more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit for you today with yet another team preview (we're now well over halfway through these puppies). We're going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit's other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While you wonder whether Michael Vick is fit to work with children, let's see if the Jets have what it takes to build on last year's recovery and make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2006.
What Went Right
The signing of farmhand Brett Favre brought a Hilton-esque (Paris, not Nicky) feel to the Jets' 2008 season. New York got off to a great start, opening the season with eight wins in their first 11 games. Favre was jumping around like a schoolboy, there fans were chanting (J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS) and Eric Mangini looked like a boy-genius. Everything seemed on track for a storybook ending until about Week 13. Fantasy-wise, the only stud on the team was running back Thomas Jones, who racked up over 1,500 combined yards to go with 15 total touchdowns.
What Went Wrong
Nothing really went wrong until the calendar turned to December, as the Jets lost four of their last five games, resulting in another season at home come playoff time. Some would wonder if Favre's old bones have hindered his cold weather performance late in his career, but there is probably myriad issues. It was realized this offseason that he played a good amount of the season with a fairly serious shoulder injury that most definitely would have affected his play. Outside of Favre's problems, this team was filled with mediocre and below average Fantasy players that were never really on the radar.
Off-season Outlook
After the late-season collapse, Mangini was fired and replaced with Rex Ryan, the former assistant head coach of the Ravens. He brought with him LB Bart Scott and S Jim Leonhard, who were both signed by the Jets as free agents. The other notable move was acquiring CB Lito Sheppard from the Eagles for draft picks. With the change of leadership, the Jets should be more focused on defense this year and will play a more conservative brand of football on offense.
Draft Review
This was a big offseason for the Jets as they drafted their quarterback of the future, Mark Sanchez. Also drafted was running back Shonn Greene, out of Iowa, who was a total beast in college and could be an immediate factor. Overall, this draft was mortgaged for basically three players (Sheppard, Sanchez, and Greene), but in a few years we could be looking back at this as the draft that molded the future of the Jets. Then again, we could also be saying, what the hell were they thinking?
State of the Team
The starting job will be decided by the off-season preparation and play of Sanchez and Kellen Clemens. I think Clemens may have a slight edge to start Week One, but I would be surprised if Sanchez is not the starter by the midpoint of the season. Regardless who plays, neither guy is a bona fide Fantasy starter this year, so don't be surprised if the Jets are weak offensively this year. Sanchez has promise down the line, so don't be scared to snag him up if you are in a keeper league; just don't expect him to pull a Matt Ryan this season. I just think Sanchez has the head and moxy to be a star quarterback in this league and New York is the perfect market for a guy like him.
Running Backs
The starter is 2008 AFC rushing leader Jones, but he will be pushed by newcomer Greene, who will look to steal some carries and could be a very good late-round value pick. Also in the mix is return specialist Leon Washington, who has great speed and will get some time as a third-down back.
Wide Receivers
The main wideout will once again be Jerricho Cotchery, who slipped a little last year after averaging over 80 catches and 1,000 yards the previous two seasons. The fact that Laveranues Coles left via free agency will allow defenses to focus more closely on Cotchery, and that may be bad news if you're hoping for a recovery from him. Cotchery will be joined by David Clowney, a hard worker who looks ready to take a big step forward this year, and quarterback turned wide receiver Brad Smith, who enjoyed a big spring and could also be ready to break out. As things stand now, however, Cotchery is the only Fantasy starter on this squad, unless you are in the deepest of leagues.
Tight Ends
I think Dustin Keller is going to be a great tight end in this league and it would behoove Sanchez to buddy up with the second-year starter. Also on the squad is Bubba Franks, who the Jets re-signed as a free agent, but he is nothing more than a veteran that provides depth. Keller is a top 10 tight end, and is a nice player to have in a dynasty league.
Defense/Special Teams
The Jets gave up their share of points last year (finishing in the middle of the pack in points per game allowed), but they should have a renewed emphasis on defense with the arrival of new head coach Ryan and his stud linebacker Scott. I expect a turnaround in this unit, making them a top 15 defense which can be useful in Fantasy this year.