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(Registration required.)
Closing data centers is only half the battle in the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative. The other equally important challenge is overhauling the data centers that remain to handle heavier workloads, and do so more efficiently and at lower cost than today's facilities.
Launched by the Office of Management and Budget two years ago, the FDCCI aims to close 1,200, or 40%, of the federal government's 3,133 data centers by the end of 2015. The data centers that continue operating will have to pick up the workload from those that close, in addition to handling the ever-growing requirements they already support. That means data center optimization -- in the form of virtualization, more tightly packed server configurations, increased energy efficiency and new cooling approaches -- is vital to success of the broader initiative.
The need for data center optimization is spelled out in the FDCCI documentation. Agencies are required to provide regular updates on the energy savings of their data centers, on virtualization and server-density rates, and on their use of cloud computing and shared services.
"While we continue to rack up closures and focus on consolidation opportunities to maximize savings, it's equally important to focus on the efficiencies of the data centers that remain in our inventory," Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel wrote in a blog post. "These data centers, which will take on additional work as we consolidate, will become the centerpieces of service delivery to American taxpayers." Agencies, he said, must focus on computing density, not just data center capacity.
What you'll find :
- No. 1 reason agencies don't choose public cloud services
- How to build a business case for cloud computing
FDCCI objectives include reducing energy consumption and costs, optimizing cooling and power distribution, lessening environmental impact, improving operational efficiency and enhancing the government's agility.
The FDCCI's consolidation plan lays out, in six phases, how agencies must proceed. First, federal IT teams must take an inventory of their technology assets and establish other metrics to gauge progress. The second, third and fourth phases cover application mapping, data center design and transition planning. Consolidation and optimization together account for phase five. The final phase is "ongoing optimization," whereby data center operations are monitored and improved constantly.
Federal agencies and departments will find themselves in different phases as they close or optimize data centers, then turn to others. The Army, which plans to shutter 70% of its data centers, is consolidating 13,000 applications. "This will help us drive down costs," says Col. James Parks, director of the Army's data center consolidation.
Pulling the stakeholders together is an important first step, Parks says. At each site the Army plans to close, it forms "discovery teams" of stakeholders, including personnel from other military branches.
Download the December 2012 issue of InformationWeek Government


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Hello Everyone! I have been away from here while getting things in my life in order. A lot of new changes are going on and coming for me. Here are some summer memories of me……My youngest two out of 5 kids are growing up so quickly! Teenagers now 😩😩Shopping and yes in my comfortable Nike are a must lolBeach day and Bon Fire 🔥 was a lot of fun!Costco Runs and the samples are the best! My Bestie came to visit ❤👯♀❤
Well I'm still collecting more memories and enjoying the rest of my summer with my kids and friends. I look forward to getting back here writing and sharing some positive thoughts and fun stuff. ❤
Listening to: Tamia "Leave it Smokin'"

subset: commoncrawl


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(AP) Pentagon to extend benefits to gay service spouses
Associated Press
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the Pentagon will begin the process to extend health care, housing and other federal benefits to the same-sex spouses of military members as soon as possible.
Wednesday's Supreme Court decision opens the door for married gay couples to get federal benefits.
Defense officials estimate there are 18,000 same-sex couples in the active duty, National Guard and Reserves. It's unclear how many of those are married. The court ruling also could allow same-sex spouses to be buried at Arlington Cemetery.
The Pentagon has said that by Oct. 1, it would extend a variety of benefits to same-sex partners, including access to on-base commissaries and some health and welfare programs.
The repeal of the ban on openly gay military service took effect in September 2011.
Pentagon to extend benefits to gay service spouses
(AP) Pentagon to extend benefits to gay service spouses


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DeBruine resigns as Belding City Manager
Belding City Manager Randall DeBruine has chosen to resign, according to a letter he wrote to city council members.
"I would like to thank all previous and current council members for their dedication and support over the past years," said DeBruine in his letter, adding it has been a pleasure to serve Belding citizens.
DeBruine said he will remember most the relationships he has developed with city staff, board and council members and volunteers, adding it has been a pleasure working with them.
"To walk away from it is difficult," he added.
He said he has accepted a position with the Kent County Sheriff's Office as a sheriff's administrative officer, and his resignation will be effective Dec. 28.
DeBruine said he has served eight years as the city manager and eight years as the finance director and treasurer for the city, which has made him develop strong feelings for the community.
"It was deeply gratifying to be instrumental in helping to bring in over $12 million dollars, or an average of $1.5 million per year, in grant funding in the past eight years for infrastructure projects and public safety related expenditures. It means a lot to me to be able to leave Belding in a very strong financial condition with healthy fund balances and also with cash on hand to undertake four large infrastructure projects in the next three years," he added.
City council members are feeling positive about DeBruine's decision.
"I truly wish him the best in his endeavors," said Belding Mayor Protem Andrea Belding. "I think this was a good opportunity for Randy to advance his career."
She said DeBruine has been excellent in helping the city, including grants and a stable fund balance, and it will be hard to find a new manager who is so keen to those details.
She said she expects the council to discuss more on the situation at Tuesday's meeting, and how it will be important to appoint someone who has knowledge of the city's current issues concerning grants and the Electrolux lawsuit.
Belding City Council members Jon Bunce and Mike Scheid said they wish DeBruine luck with the new position.
"The city's going to lose a good manager. He's going to be missed," said Bunce.
He added he considered DeBruine a friend besides simply a colleague, calling him hardworking, dedicated and talented as a city manager. The new city manager will have large shoes to fill, Bunce said.
DeBruine said he is thankful for area volunteers, department heads, city board members and employees and the support of the city council throughout the years.
He added he is confident in the city's future progression.
"We have a very talented and experienced group of department heads who will be able to keep things moving forward," he said.
Belding Mayor Ron Gunderson said he is thankful for DeBruine's years of dedication to the city and also wishes him luck.
"We will do our best to find a city manager best-suited to the city," said Gunderson.
According to city ordinance, an interim city manager will need to be appointed if a new candidate is not appointed by DeBruine's final day.
Follow Karin Armbruster on Twitter @ISSKarin


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|Grubman, Marvin
|Diaz San Segundo, Fayna
|DIAS, CAMILA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
|MORAES, MAURO - University Of Connecticut
|PEREZ-MARTIN, EVA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
|De Los Santos, Teresa
Submitted to: Future Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/14/2012
Publication Date: 8/15/2012
Citation: Grubman, M.J., Diaz San Segundo, F.C., Dias, C.C., Moraes, M.P., Perez-Martin, E., De Los Santos, T.B. 2012. Use of replication-defective adenoviruses to develop vaccines and biotherapeutics against foot-and-mouth disease. Future Virology. 7(8):767-778.
Interpretive Summary: Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an antigenically variable virus that causes an economically devastating disease of cloven-hoofed animals. Vaccines produced by chemical inactivation of virus are available, but there are concerns about their safety and about the ability to serologically distinguish vaccinated animals from infected animals. We initiated a project which uses a replication-defective human adenovirus to deliver an FMD subunit vaccine (Ad5-FMD). Production of this vaccine does not require expensive high-containment manufacturing facilities, can be made in the U.S., which currently prohibits work with infectious FMDV on the mainland, and allows distinction of infected from vaccinated animals. This Ad5-FMD vaccine can protect both swine and bovines after one inoculation. In collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and the biotechnology company GenVec, Inc. this vaccine format is currently under regulatory licensure approval for inclusion in the U.S. Veterinary Vaccine Stockpile. More recently we have developed second generation Ad5-FMD vaccines that when delivered subcutaneously have enhanced efficacy as compared to our first generation vaccine inoculated intramuscularly. In addition, since FMDV replicates and spreads very rapidly we have developed a biotherapeutic approach to induce protection prior to the vaccine induced adaptive immunity. We constructed Ad5 vectors containing the genes for porcine and bovine interferons (IFN). Inoculation of swine with Ad5 vectors containing IFN induces protection in 1 day. We obtained similar results in cattle. We propose that a combination of Ad5-IFN and Ad5-FMD can induce both rapid and long-lasting protection.
Technical Abstract: We have developed a replication-defective human adenovirus (Ad5) vectored foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine platform that with one inoculation protects both swine and cattle from subsequent challenge with homologous virus. This Ad5-FMD vaccine delivery system has undergone testing following the requirements of the Center for Veterinary Biologics of the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture needed for subsequent inclusion in the U.S. National Veterinary Vaccine Stockpile. We will describe the approaches we have taken to improve the potency and efficacy of this vaccine platform. Furthermore, we will describe the development of biotherapeutics to induce rapid protection against FMD virus prior to vaccine induced immunity and the use of a combination of these approaches to stimulate both rapid and long-lasting immunity.


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|The White House
President George W. Bush
|Print this document
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 1, 2005
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
James S. Brady Briefing Room
MR. MCCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everybody. I want to give you a couple of updates. First, on the Supreme Court confirmation process, Judge Roberts, over the last couple of weeks met with 43 senators. Some of those he met with twice. He also talked to additional senators by phone. He met with 23 Democrats in that overall number, and he also met with all 18 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has additional meetings that are already scheduled during August, and he looks forward to continuing to pay those courtesy visits and consult with senators as they move forward on the confirmation process.
We also appreciate Chairman Specter reaching an agreement with the Judiciary Committee that will enable the committee and the Senate to move forward in a timely manner to have an up or down vote on Judge Roberts by the end of September, so that he can be in place come October, when the Court comes back into session.
Secondly, on Ambassador Bolton. Ambassador Bolton is planning on taking the oath of office today and he is also planning on going to New York today to get about doing the important work at the United Nations. The President began thinking about the -- a nomination, a recess appointment of Ambassador Bolton after it became clear that a handful of Democrats were going to continue engaging in partisan delaying tactics and prevent him from having a fair up or down vote on the floor of the Senate. This was despite the fact that he had a clear majority of support from the United States Senate. On two occasions, as Chairman Lugar noted in his statement, the Senate showed a clear majority was in support of his nomination to the United Nations.
And the President, after it became clear that the Senate was -- that the Democrats were going to continue playing politics and blocking the nomination from receiving an up or down vote, the President began thinking seriously about recessing him, and he came to a final decision after the Senate had recessed over the weekend.
Q When did he begin thinking about it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, if you go back and look at the votes, there was a vote on, I believe, May 26th, and then a follow-on vote June 20th, and then it was becoming clear that Senate Democrats -- well, even after that time period, I think there was a lot of outreach by Republican senators and Republican leaders in the Senate to find a middle ground to move forward on providing him with a fair up or down vote. But it became increasingly clear during that time that Senate Democrats were simply interested in playing politics and not allowing his vote to go to the floor for an up or down vote, where he would have been approved.
Q Setting aside the question of the merits, or demerits of Ambassador Bolton, just that aside, the reality now is he goes up there without Senate confirmation. Does the President regret this in a sense, and does he feel that Bolton's efficiency up there, his effectiveness is going to be damaged by not having confirmation?
MR. McCLELLAN: Not at all. In fact, he has the full and complete confidence of the President of the United States and Secretary of State Rice. He has their full and complete confidence to get about doing the important work of reform at the United Nations and making sure that the United Nations is a strong and effective organization. Ambassador Bolton is someone who has a long record of working to get things done and bringing people together to move forward on important priorities, and he will take that record of accomplishment to the United Nations with the full confidence of the President of the United States and Secretary of State.
Q So Senate confirmation really makes no difference in how he carries out his job?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think it's clear to everybody that he had the majority support of the United States Senate. But, unfortunately, a handful of Senate Democrats were intent on using partisan tactics to delay the nomination from receiving an up or down vote on the floor of the Senate.
Q How do you square that, Scott, with the opposition from folks like George Voinovich?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me keep going on the first row, and then I'll come back to you, Carl.
Terry, you had something.
Q A lot of people say that he was very sharp with subordinates and that he was tough and too hard on them. Does he intend to moderate his behavior in this new job?
MR. McCLELLAN: A lot of people that have worked very closely with Ambassador Bolton recognize that he is someone who brings a results-oriented approach to the position. If you go back and look at people who know him well -- like former Secretary of State Baker, former Ambassador to the United Nations Jeanne Kirkpatrick -- they recognize that he will be a strong advocate for the priorities that we want to see at the United Nations.
The American people want to see comprehensive reform at the United Nations. The American -- we spend some $2 billion-plus a year, I think that we send to the United Nations. They want to make sure that those resources are getting real results, and that the United Nations is an effective and strong multilateral organization. And John Bolton is -- shares the President -- John Bolton shares the President's commitment to making sure that the United Nations is a strong and effective multilateral organization.
Q In fact, Scott, what a lot of people accuse Bolton of is being a hard-charging guy, abrasive, abusive. I mean, some of his critics have used all of these words. Even Kofi Annan, Secretary General, saying essentially, hey, take it easy up here; it's good to push, but you've got to work with other ambassadors. Is in fact -- is that, in fact, exactly what the President is looking for?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the Secretary General actually said he looked forward to working closely with Ambassador Bolton. He put out a statement a short time ago.
Q Right, and what I said is also what he said.
MR. McCLELLAN: Now, Ambassador Bolton is someone who has sometimes used a blunt style, but he is someone who brings passion and experience and a results-oriented approach to the position. That's exactly the kind of person we need at the United Nations during this time of war and time of reform. And that's why the President nominated him to be the ambassador.
Q And the President is a pretty plain-spoken guy, as well, so why don't we be -- why don't you be a little bit more blunt here. (Laughter.) Does, in fact --
MR. McCLELLAN: I try to be diplomatic with you all.
Q Yes. But the rap here is the President has chosen somebody who is quite undiplomatic for a diplomatic post.
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q Is that what he wants?
MR. McCLELLAN: He is a strong and proven diplomat who gets things done. And that's the kind of person we need at the United Nations. That's why a majority of the United Sates Senate supported him. He is the right person for this position at this critical time of war and critical time of reform at the United Nations. He is someone who, like the President, wants to make sure that the United Nations is a strong and effective multilateral organization. And if you look at his record, he has worked to get things done whether it's stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction, or working to repeal a resolution that tried to equate Zionism with racism. John Bolton has a record of getting things done.
Q He's the finger in the eye of Democrats?
Q Scott, some of the Democrats are saying this is abuse of power, and if you'd given over some of the information that you had, he would have gotten a vote. How do you respond to that?
MR. McCLELLAN: It was the -- well, first of all, there was a thorough confirmation process, and Ambassador Bolton spent more than eight hours before the committee answering their questions. He provided a number of additional responses in writing, when they came forward with additional questions. If you'll remember, Senator Roberts and other leaders in the Senate, I think Senator McCain tried to reach out to these Senate Democrats who claimed that they wanted more documents. It wasn't more documents that they wanted; they just wanted to play politics with this position.
And the President believed all along that he deserved a fair up or down vote on the floor of the Senate. I think the American people expect the Senate to do their duty and give people a fair up or down vote. It was Senate Democrats that chose to play politics and prevent him from being confirmed, which he would have been if it had gone to the floor of the Senate.
Q Scott, does the President envision Bolton being in this job for four years? And, if so, would he re-recess appoint him?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I'm not going to speculate about things down the road. He has been nominated to -- or been recessed appointed to this position, and he will continue to serve through that recess period. And beyond that, I wouldn't want to speculate, but he is someone --
Q But one of the knocks --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- the President believes in strongly.
Q Right, but one of the knocks on doing a recess appointment is you send someone in with a relatively short time period to actually implement the reforms that he would want. Does he think that you can do it in that short of time frame, or does he envision this being basically a --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, if you remember, first of all, the United Nations is coming back into session in September, so this is an important time for our ambassador to get in place after months of partisan delay tactics by Senate Democrats. And we want to move forward on major reforms this year. We've outlined a comprehensive reform agenda that includes management reform. It includes the establishment of a peace-building commission. It includes reform of the human rights commission. It includes the establishment of a democracy fund and the adoption of a comprehensive convention on counterterrorism. Those are important priorities.
And we want to move forward this year on major reforms. And that's why it's important to have him in place, in addition to the fact that we remain at war, we remain engaged in a global war on terrorism up against an ideology of hatred.
Q Scott, on Bolton's aggressive and abrasive managerial style, what does this send to --
MR. McCLELLAN: Is that your characterization?
Q Well, no, that's not -- I didn't work for him, but others are saying this, others who testified against him. Scott, basically, what does this send to corporate America, that the President hires someone or appoints someone who has this kind of style -- as you say, results-oriented -- but definitely there were workers who were upset, many workers who were upset. And they feel that he is not qualified to run anything because of his style. What does this send to --
MR. McCLELLAN: The United States Senate confirmed him on four occasions prior to this time. They would have confirmed him again, had not a handful of Democrats used partisan delay tactics to prevent him from receiving a fair up or down vote. And the President makes decisions based on what is right for the American people. The American people want to see reform at the United Nations. John Bolton is committed to reform at the United Nations and committed to making the United Nations a strong organization that is effective in getting real results, based on what its charter establishes.
Q Well, following up on what you just said, you're basically saying that a handful of senators, Democrats, are holding you up. What do you think about Senator Ed Kennedy talking about Bolton misled Congress by denying he had interviewed in the State Department CIA investigation of faulty pre-war intelligence on Iraq?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the State Department addressed that last week --
Q No, but you're saying that it's a delaying tactic.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm saying Senator Kennedy's views are well known.
Q No, but tell me -- no, but you made a statement; respond to this. You're saying that it's delaying tactics --
MR. McCLELLAN: It's already been responded to.
Q No, you're saying it's a delaying tactic. This is concrete information that Senator Kennedy is throwing out, and that's not delaying tactics, that's something that needs to be addressed.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I heard your question. It was addressed last week.
Go ahead, Bob.
Q He goes to New York today into an organization where delicacy is oftentimes the watchword. John Bolton has a reputation to live down, as evidenced by the questions you're still getting. What is he going to do to do that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, but look at the facts. Look at his record of bringing people together to get things done. Look at his record of resolving the payment issues to the United Nations. Look at his record of rallying the coalition for the Persian Gulf war. Look at his record of getting people to come together within the United Nations and repealing a resolution that tried to equate Zionism with racism. Look at his record of building a coalition of 60-plus nations to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction, one of the gravest threats we face, if not the gravest threat we face in this day and age.
Q So you're saying that he's going to operate up there as he has before?
MR. McCLELLAN: He's going to continue to focus on getting things done, and addressing the important priorities that we face in the 21st century.
Q Well, if I could belabor it just a little bit, his --
MR. McCLELLAN: You bet he's someone that is committed to getting things done.
Q But do you expect him to -- he is very, very proud of his hard-charging style. Do you anticipate that he's going to continue to operate that way in the United Nations environment?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, like I said, he's someone who cares passionately about these issues that are of concern to all Americans. And he's someone who brings a lot of experience and expertise to the position, having served for some two decades in various positions within government. And sometimes a blunt style is needed in order to get things done, and he has definitely gotten things done.
Q Scott, some Democrats are saying that this appointment will complicate the confirmation process for Judge Roberts. Did the President consider that? And does he have any strategy for trying to convince Democrats that they should abandon partisanship --
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't seen any comments to that effect and I really haven't heard much about that from the Senate. I think the Senate -- the Judiciary Committee, as I just pointed out at the beginning, reached an agreement to move forward on the confirmation process in a timely manner. And that's what the President has called for. All indications are that the Senate is committed to moving forward in heeding what the President's call was, which was to move forward in a way that will give him a fair confirmation process in a timely manner so that he can be in place by the time the court comes into session in October.
Q Scott, when was the last time the President spoke to George Voinovich about the nomination of Mr. Bolton? And to what extent do you square the criticism of Democratic stalling and partisanship with the idea that there was some Republican misgivings, led not least by Mr. Voinovich?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, like I said, he had a clear and strong majority support of the United States Senate. If you go back and look at the votes previously, on May 26th and June 20th, I think his views were expressed, well known. And in terms of the last time the President talked to him, I think it was the last time I informed you all -- I don't recall the specific date. I know our legislative staff reached out to let him know this morning, as well.
Q Scott, has President met with John Bolton, the concern he will be representing the United States at the United Nations during a critical time of reform and the 60th anniversary of the United Nations? As far as the Security Council membership for India is concerned, the Prime Minister (inaudible) with President Bush here at the White House --
MR. McCLELLAN: Right.
Q -- where is the Ambassador John Bolton going to stand on the membership of the United Nations --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we haven't made any decisions beyond supporting Japan for being a member of the Security Council at this point. We believe that Security Council reform ought to be criteria-based, that there ought to be some clear criteria for who should be a member of the Security Council. And we believe that Security Council reform ought to be undertaken in the context of broader reform at the United Nations, and that's how we're proceeding.
We have had good discussions with others who have expressed interest, but that's why we believe it's important to outline some criteria and make sure that it is in the context of broader reform at the United Nations.
Connie, go ahead.
Q Thank you. Would it be the President's preference, if he could, to overturn Roe versus Wade? And, also, does he think that embryonic stem cell research should be made illegal?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that -- two things. One, on the issue of abortion, the President has made it very clear that there are ways -- common sense, practical ways that we can work together to reduce the number of abortions in America. And he has worked to do that, if you look at what we have done, by placing a ban on partial birth abortion, by supporting efforts to increase adoption. The President is strongly committed to finding ways we can work together to reduce the number of abortions in America. He is someone who is pro-life.
Now, in terms of the question you bring up, I think this is trying to bring it up in the context of does the President have a litmus test for the Supreme Court -- no, he does not. And the President has made that very clear. He is not the one who has a litmus test. He believes that a judge ought to interpret our Constitution and our laws and not try to legislate from the bench. A judge is someone who ought to look at the facts and look at the law and look at our Constitution and apply the law. And that's what the President has consistently said.
In terms of -- what was the second part of your question?
Q The legality or illegality of embryonic stem cell research.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the President felt that taxpayer dollars should not be going to fund research where human life is created for the sole purpose of destroying it. Now, he believes strongly in advancing medical research, but we also must work to maintain the highest ethical standards. And that's why he came to the policy that he did. It doesn't place any prohibition on the private sector and research done in the private sector. He drew the line at taxpayer dollars because he is President of all the people.
And I think people do appreciate the need to move forward aggressively to advance science, but also look at those ethical considerations that really have far-reaching consequences into the future.
Q Scott, is the White House concerned about the latest moves by Iran to return to some of its nuclear research?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think the Europeans who have been working to negotiate a resolution, diplomatic resolution, to Iran's nuclear programs has expressed their concerns. I just -- yesterday I think they put out a statement saying that they would seek further clarification, but that it would be an unnecessary and damaging step by Iran. Iran made an agreement, the Paris agreement -- they agreed to abide by the Paris agreement, which called for Iran to suspend their uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities while the negotiations were ongoing. The Europeans, along with the United States, believe that Iran should adhere to the Paris agreement and continue to work with the Europeans to resolve this issue.
We've made clear that if Iran is going to violate its agreement and restart uranium reprocessing enrichment activities, then we would have to look to the next step and we would be talking with our European friends about that next step.
Q What would be the next step?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think we've repeatedly said that if they're not going to abide by their agreements and obligations, then we would have to look to the Security Council. And I think the Europeans have expressed that. But right now the Europeans are seeking clarification about what Iran's intentions are.
Q Do you have anything on the -- oh, I'm sorry.
Q Scott, two things. One, is there -- in January 2007, do you expect the Senate to give Bolton and up and down vote? And, also, is there any update to the delegation going to King Fahd's funeral?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not going to speculate about things down the road. In terms of the delegation, hopefully, we'll have more for you a little bit later today for the King's funeral. And in terms of -- the President will have a couple of statements out later today regarding the passing of King Fahd, as well as the ascension of King Abdullah to the throne.
Q Thank you, Scott. I have two questions. First -- and by the way, in answer to Carl's question earlier, that was my question to you about when the President spoke to Voinovich. And if you go back to your transcript --
MR. McCLELLAN: I thought you were going to give me the answer to that question.
Q Yes, it was the night before the vote on the foreign relations --
MR. McCLELLAN: Right.
Q -- you should check the date. The CIA reported last week in a story that did not get much attention in the newspapers that the President-elect of Iran was not a hostage-taker, and not the person in the photographs. Does the administration consider the matter closed?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, as I said, we were still looking into whether or not he was explicitly one of the hostage-takers. And what we know, and I think you heard some comments out of Iran, too, that he was a leader of the student organization that oversaw the takeover and the taking of hostages. What we don't know is whether he was explicitly one of the hostage-takers.
Q Well, the CIA --
MR. McCLELLAN: So that's something we continue to look into. Now, in terms of -- you're referring to pictures. I think they were talking -- the intelligence community was talking about their analysis of some of the pictures that we have seen from that time period.
Q So the matter is not closed then?
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q Scott, there are some U.N. members, including Security Council members, who are suggesting that Bolton begins as a lame duck, and they would have preferred to have someone, you know, who came with Senate approval. Is this something that the administration had to take into account --
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't seen any such comments out of any Security Council member. And, secondly, he did have the support of the majority of the United States Senate; most importantly, he has the complete confidence of the President and the Secretary of State. That's what he needs to be able to do his work at the United Nations.
Q And just to go back to April's question, aside from what came out of the State Department last week --
MR. McCLELLAN: And I don't think you've seen any indication out of anyone at the United Nations, other than they look forward to working with him.
Q I think the people are speaking otherwise, quite frankly, but getting back to April's --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'd look at Secretary General Annan's remarks.
Q Getting back to April's question, aside from what came out of the State Department last week, did the President have to -- was there any questions for Mr. Bolton regarding his filling out of that form after -- as the President made the decision this weekend?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, as I said, the State Department addressed that last week, and Ambassador Bolton was the one who addressed that last week, too.
Go ahead, Les.
Q Scott, a two-part. In his 18-minute speech to the Boy Scout National Jamboree last night, the President said not one word about Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's Support Our Scouts Act of 2005. And my first question: What if Senator Frist decides to say not one word in support of President Bush's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that he has said a lot of words about the President's nominee to the United States Supreme Court. And we appreciate -- and we appreciate his commitment to move forward on a floor vote as soon as the Judiciary Committee votes on his nomination.
Q But why didn't he say anything --
MR. McCLELLAN: In terms of the Boy Scouts, the President has always been a strong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, and he was pleased to go to their Jamboree last night in Virginia.
Go ahead.
Q Today -- wait a minute.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I've got to keep going. Go ahead.
Q Wait a minute, just two.
MR. McCLELLAN: I've got some interviews I've got to get to.
Q Today 19 members of Congress --
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, one question today. Sorry, go ahead.
Q Okay, thank you, Scott. Do you have anything up to date on the six-party talks?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I don't have any further update other than what you've heard from Ambassador Hill out of the region. They continue to move forward and have discussions about moving forward on a set of principles. And those -- the meetings continue. As Ambassador Hill said last week, this is going to take some time. But we are committed to seeing real progress. The parties are having good discussions, businesslike discussions. And we are committed to working with all the other parties on the goal of a de-nuclearized peninsula. And we want to see progress toward that goal from these talks.
Q Scott, the oil-for-food scandal happened under Kofi Annan's watch, and he is under investigation for possible involvement in that scandal. Is John Bolton going up to New York to say, hey, the party is over, and possibly, this Secretary General should resign?
MR. McCLELLAN: There are people that are looking into all the allegations in the oil-for-food program. And Paul Volcker has been leading the investigation from the -- independently, from the United Nations standpoint. Congress has been looking into these matters. We want to know what the facts are, and that's something that they continue to look into at this point.
MR. McCLELLAN: His position is that we need to reform the United Nations. In terms of that, people are looking into those matters, and we want to see what the facts are. It's important that it be a transparent and open process, so that we can see what the facts are and get to the bottom of it.
In back, go ahead.
Q According -- is the White House concerned about the growing drug violence in the border with Mexico, and that force already to the temporary closure of the U.S. consulate in Nuevo Laredo?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the State Department can probably provide you with the latest update. I think you're talking about the Nuevo Laredo region, and the violence there. Certainly, that is something that has been a concern of ours. And it has been something we've had discussions with the government of Mexico about. In terms of specifics, I think the State Department can provide you with additional details.
In the back.
Q Is the President concerned about the disappearance or death of John Garang, the Sudanese Vice President?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, we are deeply saddened to learn about the death of Vice President and Chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, Dr. John Garang. He is someone who will be remembered as a visionary leader and true peacemaker, who was instrumental in ending a 22-year civil war. His legacy of peace and democracy for all the people of Sudan survives in the comprehensive peace agreement. He was someone who was committed to moving forward on the peace process and implementing the agreement. And a way to honor him is to continue to move forward on the comprehensive peace agreement.
The United States remains strongly committed to the peace process in Sudan, and assisting in the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement, and also working to resolve the situation in Darfur, as well. Secretary Rice, as you're aware, was just out there. But we are deeply saddened to learn of his passing, and we extend our condolences to his family and to the people of Sudan.
Go ahead.
Q Scott, Major League Baseball has just suspended Rafael Palmeiro 10 games for steroid use. He's a friend of the President's, and the President has spoken out about steroids. What is his message to Palmeiro, and what does that do to his friendship with him?
MR. McCLELLAN: This must be breaking news, first I've heard about it.
Q And does the President --
MR. McCLELLAN: So you're asking me his views. I haven't had a chance to talk to him about it, or see the reports. But, obviously, that is an issue that the President took head on and called on Major League Baseball to address. They are taking steps to address it. It is a serious matter, and we appreciate the efforts by Major League Baseball and the representatives of the players to move forward and address it with stronger enforcement and stronger penalties.
Q What does that do to the President's friendship with a player like that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I just heard about this.
Thank you.


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With the KROSS, the sounds and songs that you've created at home and the system that you use every day can go with you onto the stage or into the street! Featuring rich sounds that exceed its class, yet remaining highly portable, the KROSS is designed for practical usability. There's a convenient mic input and a built-in audio recorder, and it can run on 6 x AA batteries. It's a distinctive new standard in music workstations, with specs and style that sets it apart from all others.A lightweight body that runs on AA alkaline batteries
In spite of being packed with functionality, the KROSS is lightweight and highly portable. The 61-key model with its distinctive rear bar is amazingly light; at only 4.3 kg/9.5 lb, it's the most portable in its category. The 88-key model packs a piano-touch hammer action keyboard into a mere 12.4 kg/27.3 lbs. Both models are highly portable and lightweight, and can operate on an AC adapter or on six AA alkaline or nickel-metal hydride batteries.
The piano, electric piano, and drum sounds of the KROSS have been taken from the flagship instruments used by these pros, giving the KROSS a set of sounds that surpasses other instruments in its class. The grand piano features lavishly-sampled decays with three levels of velocity as well as reproducing the noises produced by the damper pedal, ensuring that every nuance of your performance is reflected in the sound. Also included are an upright piano (unusual for a PCM synth), as well as distinctive sounds from Korg's famed SG-1D Sampling Grand and M1 Music Workstation. The five classic electric piano sounds are just as expressive as the acoustic piano sounds; they also include effect settings, giving you a complete package of the performance-ready sounds that you want. In addition, careful attention has been paid to the drum sounds that are indispensable for song production on a workstation, making them realistic and fresh.A wide variety of sounds
Because of its portability, the KROSS will be used in a wide range of situations, and that's why it provides a broad variety of sounds that surpasses even the flagship models of the previous generation. The PCM data is approximately twice as large as preceding models such as the X50 and the PS60. Staples such as the frequently-used rock/jazz organ, strings, brass, and synth sounds have been brushed up. There are also instruments such as toy piano, accordion, combo organ, church organ, and even vintage instruments such as a tape sampler, as well as bell-type sounds and the sounds you need for cutting-edge dance music and electronica - unique sounds that have not been included in a synth of this class.Pro-quality EDS-i sound engine is built-in
The EDS-i sound engine is a high-quality sound engine distilled from the EDS/EDS-X sound engines found on Korg's most advanced instruments. It allows you to use a total of seven effects simultaneously: five insert effects and two master effects. Ranging from standards such as delay, reverb, chorus, flanger, and rotary speaker, and also including amp modeling powered by Korg's proprietary "REMS" modeling technology, and even a robot voice vocoder, you can choose from 134 different high-quality effects.Mic or audio player connectivity
The MIC IN jack (1/4" phone jack) lets you directly connect a mic. If you're a vocalist as well as a player, there's no need to obtain a separate mixer. In addition, there's a LINE IN jack (stereo 1/8" jack) for you to connect your audio player, giving you the option of performing along with the playback in a variety of situations on stage or anywhere else you go.Quick Layer/Split function
Dedicated buttons are provided for Layer/Split settings. Start by selecting the first program you want to use; then press the dedicated button to enable Layer or Split. When this is on, a screen will appear inwhich you can choose the other sound and specify details such as the split point. Then simply write your settings and the layer/split sound will be saved as a Combination.Onboard Sequencers
The KROSS features a step sequencer inherited from the popular Electribe series. It's a simple design in which you use the sixteen buttons to turn individual notes on or off, allowing you to quickly and easily create original rhythm patterns of up to 64 steps. The lightweight body of the KROSS contains all of the basic functionality you expect from a music workstation, including a full-featured 16-track MIDI sequencer with quantization, copy and paste, and individual note event editing. By using an SD card (sold separately), you can exchange SMF-format data with your computer. The KROSS gives you a full set of workstation and production tools, including a Drum Track function that lets you add rhythm simply by pressing a dedicated button, and an arpeggiator that can be used not onlywith synth sounds but also to generate guitar and bass riffs.Connects to your computer via USB
You can connect the KROSS to your computer via USB for easy transfer of MIDI data. By using KROSS Editor and Plug-In Editor you can simultaneously view and edit large numbers of parameters on your computer, and use the KROSS within your DAW as if it were a software synthesizer.
*KROSS Editor and Plug-In Editor can be downloaded from the Korg website.Features:


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Why Investors Should Look Into Some Of 2013's Losers Before Heading Into 2014
FA Insights is a daily newsletter from Business Insider that delivers the top news and commentary for financial advisors.
When Adjusting Your Portfolio In 2014, Consider Some Of 2013's Losers (WealthManagement.com)
Instead of chasing investments that had a successful run in 2013, Tim McLaughlin of WealthManagement.com suggests that investors try a contrarian approach and go after "2013's real stinkers."
"Take the Nuveen Tradewinds Value Opportunities Fund. The $562 million fund was the second-worst performing U.S. mutual fund in 2012, according to Lipper data that compared how the fund stacked up against its peers," he writes. "The fund posted a 2.05 percent return, underperforming its peer funds by 13.28 percentage points, according to Lipper. But if you'd thrown your cash behind the fund in 2013, you would be up 24 percent while beating its benchmark and peer funds by 3 points and 1.4 points, respectively."
Enforcement Actions Result In Record Penalties Against Wrongdoers (SEC)
The SEC filed 686 enforcement actions in the fiscal year that ended in September. The $3.4 billion in penalties resulting from these actions were up 10% on the year and were a record high. Many of these actions were against stock exchanges and other participants, with the largest single penalty coming from NASDAQ, which agreed to pay a $10 million penalty for the Facebook IPO fiasco. "A strong enforcement program helps produce financial markets that operate with integrity and transparency, and reassures investors that they can invest with confidence," Mary Jo White, Chair of the SEC, said in a press release.
The Top 5 Resolutions Of Financial Advisors In 2014 (ThinkAdvisor)
A survey of 800 advisors by SEI Advisor Network shows the five top resolutions for advisors as they head into 2014. 1. 85% of those polled said their top resolution for 2014 was increasing referrals from current clients. 2. Not center most knowledge about client relationships in a few key people, with 67% citing this as a top priority. 3.Integrate technology into their practice not only because more clients will expect it but because it will increase efficiency, with 59% citing this as a priority. 4. Reaching out beyond their own network in finding new clients, with 59% citing this as a priority. 5. Advisors pledge to be more selective when picking new clients, with 48% citing this as a priority.
Short-Term Investment Results Are Dictated By Luck(Credit Suisse)
Credit Suisse's Michael Mauboussin thinks short-term investment results are largely dependent on luck, but not necessarily for the reason than one might think. "There is a lot of skill in markets and investors themselves are all very similarly skillful – this is reflected in prices," Mauboussin said in a video from Credit Suisse.
"As a consequence, that leaves more to luck and is the reason why short-term outcomes can mostly be put down to luck. Having said that, any serious study of past investment performance demonstrates that differential skill does play a role. Some investors clearly have more skill than others. But, by and large, especially in the short-term, luck mostly dictates the results."
Why Couples Need To Jointly Attend Financial Planning Meetings (FA Mag)
Fidelity Investments think that couples should jointly attend financial planning meetings. 31% of women say their husbands are the primary contact, compared with 13% of men who say their wives are, according to a Fidelity study cited by FA Mag. Men worry about their spouse being unprotected in the event of their death, but their failure to jointly participate in the financial planning process can lead to just that.
See Also:


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Lend your modern interior a traditional feel with these bowls, classic blue pottery motifs, intricate designs and glossy finish. You can use it for serving or as a decorative table top.
Handling Instructions:- This item is fragile. Clean it regularly with soft dry cloth. In case dust accumulates over the surface, gently rub some ordinary oil with soft cloth to restore shine
Material: Blue Pottery Ceramic
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Kent police have arrested a Puyallup man for supposedly driving under the influence of marijuana, based on the fact that the man's tongue appeared to have a 'green film.'
"As soon as the officer came to the vehicle, he asked me to stick out my tongue," said Simmons to Q13 Fox.
31 year old Mike Simmons, who has no criminal record, said he was put in jail Tuesday for 13 hours and is now in debt $5,000 for fee's including lawyers and towing due to the incident. He has also been told he can not drive while out on bail.
Simmons said that the officer told him that the green film on his tongue was a sign that he was using marijuana. Simmons said he had used marijuana three days prior, but was completely sober during the incident, while on his lunch break.
Despite nothing being found in Simmons car, the police claimed the tongue was probable cause. Simmons denied the police's request for a blood sample stating that he wanted a lawyer present for the blood draw. Under Washington state's newly established marijuana legalization, the law dictates that a driver can't have more than 5 nanograms of THC in their blood.
"I just feel like the system they have is unfair," said Simmons.
Washington state criminal defense lawyer Steve Graham, who has dealt with such claims before said, "we find no case stating that recent marijuana usage leads to a green tongue. The only case we could find that remotely supports such a proposition is State v. Baity, 140 Wn.2d 1, 991 P.2d 1151 (2000), wherein the opinion's fact section mentions that the defendant, who had admitted to recent marijuana usage, also had a green tongue. Beyond this observation, however, the court never analyzes whether the green tongue and the recent marijuana usage are linked."
Simmons says he may also sue the Kent Police Department.
Just last year Washington's newly-elected Governor Jay Inslee met with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss Washington's new marijuana legalization policies, including the controversial DUI provision.
At this time it appears the federal government may attempt to stop Washington and Colorado from moving foward based on comment's made by Gil Kerlikowske, President Obama's Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.


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I'm an old father now. Suddenly it seems.
My sons have sons. I own lots of memories. I polish the sweet ones and never dust the ones that hurt.
I mind time now. I didn't used to. In fact, like lots of you, I was reckless with time. Not any longer.
When I was a boy of about 9 or so, I had the temporary misfortune of being the last to the dinner table … and that meant sitting just to the left of my father. That was like sitting next to the district attorney … or the pope. My brothers loved my dilemma … because that's what brothers do. It's in the Irish Manual of Life.
So … there I was … waiting for my moment of challenge. The knives were clanging plates and there were two or three different conversations happening around this table with the fat legs. Someone mentioned that my grandfather had a birthday in a few days … and that little-bitty mention sprung my father's mind.
"So, young Denis" said my father, " how long would you like to live? What is a good, long life?"
Right off the bat I'm thinking this is a trick question … because my father was never familiar with the obvious. So, there I sat … and my brothers had caught wind of my dinner-table distress … and they were loving every minute of it.
Meanwhile, my father was sipping his usual cocktail and pushing some food around his plate … which means he's kinda waiting for an answer … to the trick question. And I don't have much in the way of trick answers … because … I'm nine. Gimme a break.
After several long minutes he leaned over and asked,
I went full-out bravado … more for my brothers than for any other reason. I gotta live in this family after all, right?
Strong is the key. Trust me.
"Seventy. Seventy years old is a good, long life."
I was so pleased with my answer, I smirked at every guy at the table … until I noticed that my father was completely unimpressed … still sitting there … at the head of the table … playing fork-hockey with his peas.
And me? I'm waitin' for a sign … any sign! … that my skinny answer is sufficiently smart. I'm dreaming of the big back-slap … or even the dreaded hair-muss.
There was none.
In fact, it seemed I was completely off his radar for a long moment.
I shouldn't have been surprised. My father didn't do that sort of stuff. I must've had him confused with my best friend's father … who was really normal.
After a few long minutes, he clasped his hands and leaned over toward me. And then the verdict.
"You're a silly boy."
Mind you … he said it softly. No mocking at all. Just a soft, blunt statement … designed to make me think all over again. To spin my brain-gears a bit more. And I did. Even my brothers were cranking their brains. I think that was part of my father's strategy … to make the moment belong to everyone. To glue everyone into the lesson.
Then he leaned over once again … and in a loud whisper … so all could hear … he said …
"If you live to be seventy … you will have lived just 840 months. Does that seem long enough for you?"
And, of course, it didn't then … and it doesn't now. And I learned the lesson he intended me to learn … to be careful with numbers and to respect time. And to not waste time … or let others waste my time.
So, from this old father … to you young fathers and young mothers … mind the time.
Mind those sweet moments with your children and seldom say "Hurry up!". Don't wish for anything except this moment.
Leave tomorrow alone. Tend to today.
Don't let anyone hurry your child.
Don't let anyone sandpaper their softest years with grit or rigor … because there's plenty of that stuff in the eight hundred months ahead.
Don't let anyone run innocence out of your child's life. It has its own cadence and rhythm … and it's plenty fast enough.
Don't let others spin those clock hands faster than they already spin.
Mind the numbers in your life as never before. Pay as much attention to the little moments as you do the big moments.
Remind yourself that a five-year old is sixty months on this planet. Less than 2,000 days old.
They're still brand new people!
No one has the right to whisper anything about college or careers to a child determined to conquer the monkey bars. All adults should respect the Law of the Chair … if a child's legs do not reach the floor … well … they are reality-exempt.
That eight year old … the one who sleeps in his Little League uniform? He's a third grader. Not yet 100 months old. Let that sink in. Why is he rip-roaring mad at himself over some junk-test? That's not the worry of an 8 year old. He should be anxious about base hits … not base line scores. His only career thought is what professional team to sign with … and that's heavy enough.
That music-blasting "tween" is maybe 150 months old. At that age their job is to not walk into door jambs … and to try to put a lid on some hormone havoc.
They're still closer to babyhood than adulthood.
Why do we let schools bum-rush them into anxiety-hell over tests? Mother Nature has already over-supplied them with all the anxiety they can barely handle. Why don't we just lay off 'em … and let 'em outgrow this messy moment? It's bad enough as it is … leave it be.
I'm glad my father cured me from becoming number-numb.
My hot-seat moment has served me well for … for lots of months. Maybe this will shake up your consciousness … and slow you down some. And maybe … maybe you won't say "Hurry up!" quite so often. And perhaps you'll remind that school to slow down … that there are children on board … and they are entitled to every last drop of innocence.
Don't let them tug your child into their warped world. If they think education is all about numbers, well, they've already forfeited their privilege to enjoy your child. They're just as silly as I was … but I was only about a hundred months old. What's their excuse?
Mind time.
This was written by father, grandfather, and education activist, Denis Ian.


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Venice ( VEN-iss; Italian: Venezia [veˈnɛttsja]; Venetian: Venesia or Venexia, pronounced [veˈnɛsja]) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is situated on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers (more exactly between the Brenta and the Sile). In 2018, 260,897 people resided in the Comune di Venezia, of whom around 55,000 live in the historical city of Venice (centro storico). Together with Padua and Treviso, the city is included in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area (PATREVE), which is considered a statistical metropolitan area, with a total population of 2.6 million.The name is derived from the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region by the 10th century BC.
Additional Information About Rome
Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With 2,879,728 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the second or third most populous metropolitan city in Italy depending on definition.
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哈希定位胆源码出售(www.hx198.vip)_3 simple ways to support your favourite local musician or troubadour
,Musicians are part of the labour market – performing onstage or even recording for a record label is just as similar as farming or working as a clerk. It is just the perception is often ill-informed. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 1, 2022.哈希定位胆源码出售(www.hx198.vip)采用波场区块链高度哈希值作为统计数据,游戏数据开源、公平、无任何作弊可能性,哈希定位胆源码开放单双哈希、幸运哈希、哈希定位胆、哈希牛牛等游戏源码下载、出售。
GROWING up, I used to wonder how musicians or singers earn a living. The image of a musician or popular singer is often romanticised and mystified beyond rational logic that most assume that because they appear to be glamorous or decked up onstage that their lives offstage must be equally plush.
Of course, Hollywood and the like often churn out so-called biopics or even fictional films depicting a pop starlet or rock star rise and fall from stardom, where humble beginnings often end in excess and despair.


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JibJab Launches Viral Video for July 4th — US Presidents, Past and Present, Sing and Dance to 'The Star Spangled Banner'
U.S. Presidents, past and present, star in our take on "The Star Spangled Banner". Watch them sing and dance to an updated, rock n' roll version of the patriotic classic — our own mini-celebration of the greatest @#$% country in the history of human civilization. The Video World Premiered on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Tuesday, June 26, 2007.
Venice, CA – June 27, 2007 – JibJab, the branded digital comedy network best known for its political satires, released a new viral video today celebrating American independence. In it, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, George W. Bush, Harry Truman, FDR, JFK and numerous other Presidents sing and dance to an updated, rock and roll version of "The Star Spangled Banner".
"The Star Spangled Banner isn't your typical 'skewer-them-alive' JibJab, but rather our own mini-celebration of the greatest @#$% country in the history of human civilization," said Evan and Gregg Spiridellis, the brother team who founded JibJab.
The video will premiere on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Tuesday, June 26th and will be available for free at JibJab.com
The release of "The Star Spangled Banner" follows JibJab's March 2007 release of "What We Call the News", a biting satire of the broadcast and cable news industry released at the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner with President Bush in attendance. The piece also premiered on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno", and can currently be seen for free on JibJab.com.
About JibJab Media
JibJab is a branded digital comedy network founded by brothers Gregg and Evan Spiridellis in 1999. The company achieved international fame in 2004 with its political parodies "This Land" and "Good to be in DC!" which were seen more than 80 million times on every continent (including Antarctica). NASA even contacted the brothers for a copy of "This Land" to send to the International Space Station! JibJab has grown considerably since the last election. Today, the company is comprised of the best and the brightest artists, technologists and business people working hard to change the way comedy is created, produced, distributed and monetized — all with fewer employees than the cafeteria of your local mega-media conglomerate. For more information go to http://www.jibjab.com/about/.
JibJab is a registered trademark of JibJab Media Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.


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Yamaha engineers have taken the guts from their Grizzly 660 4x4 ATV and added Jeep-like bodywork with side-by-side bucket seats for two adults. The result looks like a cross between the Kawasaki Mule that professional gardeners use and some goofy new ride at Disney World.
Don't be fooled. The Rhino 660 is as serious as a 30-06 round, as much at home in the woods as Crocodile Dundee. It can go anywhere a regular 1-man ATV can go, while carrying two people plus 400 pounds in the cargo bed. It'll dust down a fire road at 40 mph, plow through a stream at 1 mph or clamber up a mountain too steep to hike.
If the military doesn't buy thousands of these things to patrol the Afghan mountains, we'll be surprised. Two $8499 Rhinos will carry as many soldiers as one $100,000 Humvee, but with far greater mobility and versatility. Imagine an infantry patrol equipped with a half-dozen of these things. They could go anywhere and do anything, with no more of a heat signature than a man on a bicycle.
More From Popular Mechanics
Yamaha's Grizzly 660 ATV is only 82 in. long, 47.6 in. high and 45.3 in. wide. By comparison, the Rhino is quite a bit bigger all around: 113.5 in. long, 73 in. high and 54.5 in. wide. Half that height comes from the tubular roll cage. The Rhino's wheelbase is 2 ft. longer than that of the Grizzly. And at 1049 pounds, the Rhino weighs 450 pounds more than the Grizzly.
On the other hand, virtually all of the Rhino's mechanical components are shared with the Grizzly. It's powered by the same liquid-cooled 660cc SOHC 5-valve 4-stroke Single, driving through a V-belt automatic transmission. The front and rear suspensions are the same as the Grizzly's--independent upper and lower A-arms--as are the front disc brakes and driveshaft-mounted single rear disc. Even the AT25x8-12 front and AT25x10-12 rear tires and pushbutton 2wd/4wd/4wd differential lock are the same for both machines. Rhino ground clearance is 12.1 in., 0.3 in. more than that of the Grizzly.
What does all of this mean? Well, since it's only a few inches wider than the Grizzly, the Rhino can sneak up most narrow ATV or snowmobile trails. It also means that if you had to, you could squeeze a Rhino into the 8-ft. bed of a full-size pickup, but it would be a lot easier to carry it from trailhead to trailhead on a trailer.
Ready to go, including a 200-pound rider and 5 gal. of fuel, a Grizzly weighs 850 pounds. A Rhino carrying 8.5 gal. of fuel and two 200-pound men weighs over 1500 pounds. Obviously, since both are powered by the same engine and drivetrain, the Grizzly should handily outperform the Rhino under any conditions at any speed.
That's not the way it works. Driving a Rhino with a 100-pound passenger, we easily followed a professional rider on a Grizzly through a maze of trails in Kentucky's Turkey Bay off-road recreation area. Riding a Grizzly, we stuck to the bumper of a Rhino carrying a pair of Yamaha professionals. The Rhino is equal to the Grizzly. Period.
We know you don't believe this. Nobody does. But through some sort of engineering magic, Yamaha has built the first side-by-side vehicle that can compete with an ATV in serious off-road prowess. The coolest part is that while riding an ATV is, by definition, a solitary sport, the Rhino encourages you to bring a friend and share the good times.
Yamaha has created a whole new market segment. For the moment, the Rhino 660 is unique. That won't last, as the competition is sure to take note.


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The Delaware Court Motel is family owned and has been in business for over 50 years and has been providing excellent service, spacious and pleasant rooms to all our guests. Located in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, we are surrounded by nature's beauty and the finest ski resorts in the area. We are just minutes away from all of your favorite four season attractions.
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This light weight handmade jacket is made of genuine turkey feathers. The jacket has two pockets, round neck and normal fit. It fastens at the front by small hooks, or can be left undone and give a perfect causal look. The jacket is filled with soft padding that will keeps you warm in the winter time. Wear it as a daily jacket or for cocktail parties. It's famous for it's softness and fluffiness.
Feather Jacket Charcoal Grey
Charcoal Grey, one of the best selling color.
Like charcoal, like dark ashes.
This Charcoal Grey is simple, clean and clear.
Wear it with black or white and finish with an independent minimalist look.
Chest 92cm
Length 56cm
Sleeve 54cm
Chest 102cm
Length 58cm
Sleeve 56cm
Chest 106cm
Length 59cm
Sleeve 57cm
Pre-ordersOur pre-order system means that when an item is out of stock, it is possible to reserve the item by paying in advance and you will be among the first ones to receive the item at the time when it is back in stock again.
Many of our popular products are hand made and we have a limited amount of items that comes in stock every week. So we launched this service because it has been many requests about it and our customers want to make sure getting one of the jackets.
The pre-order works just like a normal order. You will receive a warning saying that the item is on backorder. This means that after you have completed and paid for your order it will usually take 1-2 weeks before it is dispatched.
The payment will only be reserved until we send the jacket. If you change your mind while you are waiting the reservation is refundable.
Custom Size ServiceWe are always happy to have open options for our customized service to our customers. We believe that everybody is unique and its's an honor for us to make a custom jacket.
You can extend the total length, extend or shorten the sleeves or make adjustments to the chest and shoulder measurements. It's all up to you.
Here you can find the extra cost list for a custom jacket.
The calculation will be added up by the total extra centimeters.
Please note that all our customized items are not available for exchange or refund.
The delivery time is normally 2-3 weeks and the custom size service is usually available on our Classic products.
Adjustment1-4 cm
5-9 cm
10-14 cm
15-19 cm
20-24 cm
25-29 cm
30-35 cm
SKU: feather-jacket-charcoal-grey Category: Feather Jacket


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Working with the pound version of our whole-wheat pizza dough (yeah, I'm sure you guessed that already!), I divvied the hunk of dough into four pieces, then stretched each out into a rough rectangle. I didn't measure the actual size, but if I have to guess, it probably ended up being about 4 or 5 inches wide by 8 or 9 inches long.
On top of the rectangles, we scattered a mess of shredded mozzarella, seasoned each with a bit of dried basil, then added ample amounts of chopped pepperoni. I did opt for turkey pepperoni, mainly because we like that it isn't nearly as greasy, but use regular if you like. To keep all those ingredients inside of the sticks, fold the short ends in (kind of like when you roll up a burrito), then roll up the dough jelly-roll style and use your fingers to tightly pinch the seam together.
Rather than tossing them onto a heated stone, which we normally like to do with pizzas, the sticks went onto a baking sheet, where we brushed each with beaten egg to give the dough a rich golden color. Even without the shape, we wanted to keep with the pretzel theme, so just before they went into the oven, we sprinkled the top with a bit of coarse salt.
You can vary the filling as you like, using different cheeses, herbs and whatnot (a spinach, feta and garlic combo sounded good to us!)... just try not to go too crazy with the amounts or the sticks are likely to bust open. I had mine as is, but I warmed up a bowl of a garlicky marinara sauce we had in the freezer as Jeff requested such to use as a dipper. I think I'll to that too when we warm up the rest for lunch tomorrow!
Stuffed Pizza Sticks


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The Sweeney (2012)
Based on the '70s UK TV show, The Sweeney is an action-packed British police thriller from the director of Football Factory. Jack Regan (Ray Winstone), a hardened cop who doesn't play by the rules, is confronted with a criminal from his past. With sidekick George Carter (Ben Drew aka Plan B) they are put on the case of a jewellery store heist that ends in a killing. But is that killing really an execution in disguise? With pressure from his boss and the fact that Regan is having an affair with that boss's wife, it's not going to be easy for him to stay out of trouble.
Views: 612
Genre: Crime
Director: Nick Love
Actors: Alan Ford, Ben Drew, Damian Lewis, Hayley Atwell, Paul Anderson, Ray Winstone, Steven Mackintosh
Country: UK
Duration: 112 min
Release: 2012
IMDb: 6.1


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Coronavirus Information for our customers
We're open for business and here to help
We want you to rest assured that in these exceptional times, we're open for business.
More than that, we want to help you buy the products you need from across the globe.
You can still place orders and benefit from access to our diverse, extensive, global product range.
We're continuously monitoring worldwide health guidance and adjusting our working practices to protect our customers, people and partners.
And we're working closely with our committed Retailer network to help them keep their businesses moving forward and keep products shipping to your door.
We hope our FAQ section below will answer your immediate questions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still place orders on Fruugo?
Absolutely, Fruugo is still open for business and you can continue to place orders for products from our huge global range.
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Our Retailers and the delivery companies they work with across the world are doing all they can to meet delivery dates as normal. Estimated time to ship goods is shown on our product details pages.
Major local and global couriers that are used to fulfil Fruugo orders are still operational and adjusting their working practices to cater for specific country restrictions. Where there are restrictions, these typically affect specific regions or specific countries and will affect all deliveries in that area for a period of time.
Due to the unprecedented nature of the situation, we ask for your understanding and patience where there are instances of late order arrivals due to circumstances outside of Fruugo, our Retailers or Couriers control and the high increase in deliveries of goods required across the globe.
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There is no evidence at this time to show that Coronavirus can be spread via products or packaging. You may see some local delivery practices change (such as no signatures required, social distancing and other measures) in order to protect delivery staff and you, and to keep the global distribution network operating as efficiently as possible.
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We hope you will be satisfied with your purchase, but our returns option is in place as normal and should you need it our returns policy can be found here.
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Our team are now all working remotely and adhering to local in-country restrictions and government guidance for working practices.
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We hope that the following options will help answer your query quickly and efficiently:
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Please note due to the current situation regarding Coronavirus, we are currently receiving a larger number of customer enquiries, and it's taking us a little longer than usual to respond, but rest assured, our team will be in contact as soon as they are able to..


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WASHINGTON – Nearly 4 million people across the United States, from Los Angeles to much of the East Coast, live in homes more prone to flooding from rising seas fueled by global warming, according to a new method of looking at flood risk published in two scientific papers.
The cities that have the most people living within 3 feet of high tide – the projected sea level rise by the year 2100 made by many scientists and computer models – are in Florida, Louisiana, and New York. New York City, often not thought of as a city prone to flooding, has 141,000 people at risk, second only to New Orleans' 284,000. The two big Southeast Florida counties, Miami-Dade and Broward, have 312,000 people at risk combined.
All told, 3.7 million people live in homes within 3 feet of high tide. More than 500 U.S. cities have at least 10 percent of the population at increased risk, the studies said.
'Southeast Florida is definitely the highest density of population that's really on low coastal land that's really most at risk,' said lead author Ben Strauss, a scientist at Climate Central. Climate Central is a New Jersey-based group of scientists and journalists who do research about climate change.
The studies look at people who live in homes within 3 feet of high tide, whereas old studies looked just at elevation above sea level, according to work published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research and an accompanying report by Climate Central. That's an important distinction because using high tide is more accurate for flooding impacts, said study co-author Jonathan Overpeck, a scientist at the University of Arizona's Institute of the Environment. When the new way of looking at risk is factored in, the outlook looks worse, Overpeck said.
'It's shocking to see how large the impacts could be, particularly in southern Florida and Louisiana, but much of the coastal U.S. will share in the serious pain,' Overpeck said.
It's not just residents of coastal areas who will be hurt by this, said Sharlene Leurig, a senior manager for the insurance program at Ceres, a Boston-based investment network. Most coastal areas get flood insurance from the federal program, and with more flooding, the program will have to spend more and that will come out of all taxpayers' wallets, she said.
Sea level has already risen about 8 inches since 1880 because warmer waters expand, Strauss said. In addition to the basic physics of ever-warming water expanding, scientist say hotter climate will cause some melting of glaciers in Greenland and western Antarctica that would then cause seas to rise even more.
Flooding from Hurricane Irene last year illustrated how vulnerable coastal places such as Manhattan are with a combination of storms and sea level rise, Strauss said.
Using data from the latest census, Climate Central also has developed an interactive system that allows people to check their risk by entering a ZIP code.
Sea level rise experts at the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration who weren't part of the studies said the results make sense and were done by experts in the field.
'All low elevation places in the many urban areas along the coast will become more vulnerable,' said S. Jeffress Williams, scientist emeritus for the USGS, who wasn't part of the studies. He pointed to Boston, New York City, Norfolk, Va., New Orleans, Charleston, S.C., Miami and Washington and its Virginia suburbs. 'More people and infrastructure will be at increasing risk of flooding.'
Online: Climate Central's report: http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/
Follow Seth Borenstein at http://twitter.com/borenbears


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An Act relative to the insurance partnership
By Mr. Fresolo of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3134) of John P. Fresolo relative to eligibility for the medical insurance reimbursement programs within the Division of Medical Assistance. Health Care Financing.
Bill Information
Bill Information
- Presenter:
- John P. Fresolo
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.


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MONTREAL – If Rafael dos Anjos is on a quest to show he's ready to be at the next level, his Saturday message may have been duly noted by the rest of the lightweight division.
Dos Anjos had little trouble with Mark Bocek, repeatedly stuffing the Canadian's takedown attempts – and instead taking Bocek down several times, himself.
In all, the Brazilian stuffed the home favorite 12 times and cruised to a unanimous decision victory with a sweep of the scorecards.
The lightweight bout was part of the preliminary card of Saturday's UFC 154 event at Bell Centre in Montreal. It aired on FX following additional prelims on Facebook and a main card on pay-per-view.
A right hook from dos Anjos landed, and the two immediately tied up. After Bocek kept dos Anjos pushed along the fence for a minute, dos Anjos landed several nice knees to the midsection to earn his way out of the position. A high kick from Bocek was blocked and had him slipping to the canvas, but dos Anjos didn't move in to capitalize. But Bocek's repeated takedown attempts were shrugged off by dos Anjos throughout the frame.
Just 20 seconds into the second, Bocek landed a big shot below the belt. But dos Anjos didn't need long recovery time and quickly landed a takedown of his own. On the ground, Bocek looked to isolate an arm, but dos Anjos turned it around and went for a kimura of his own. The two scrambled in the north-south position briefly before dos Anjos tried to turn for an armbar. But he couldn't capitalize, and halfway through the frame they went back to standing – with Bocek's face well bloodied. But with 30 seconds left in the round, dos Anjos picked Bocek up for another takedown and continued the punishment.
Bocek continued to look for a takedown in the third – but to no avail. And again, dos Anjos rather easily picked Bocek up and took him to the ground. Bocek went for it late in the fight, trying to throw a few haymakers. But there was nothing there for him.
"I watched Mark's previous fights and he always comes with the same combination," dos Anjos said. "I could tell he got frustrated, but I was prepared for him. This has been a good year for me. I got three wins and I'm ready to keep going and improving."
Dos Anjos (18-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) now has won three straight and four of his past five fights, with the lone setback being a close split-decision loss to Gleison Tibau a year ago. Bocek (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) had his two-fight streak of unanimous decision wins snapped and now is 3-3 in UFC fights in his native Canada – 2-2 in Montreal and 1-1 in his home city of Toronto.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 154 results include:
- Rafael dos Anjos def. Mark Bocek via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Pablo Garza def. Mark Hominick via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26, 29-28)
- Patrick Cote def. Alessio Sakara via disqualification (illegal strikes) – Round 1, 1:26
- Cyrille Diabate def. Chad Griggs via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:24
- John Makdessi def. Sam Stout via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
- Antonio Carvalho def. Rodrigo Damm via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Matt Riddle def. John Maguire via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Ivan Menjivar def. Azamat Gashimov via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:44
- Darren Elkins def. Steven Siler via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
For complete coverage of UFC 154, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.
(Pictured: Rafael dos Anjos)
Steven Marrocco and Ben Fowlkes contributed to this report on-site in Montreal.


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Prices: At Taps4Less.ie, the price shown includes VAT. The full VAT details are shown in the shopping cart. There are no extra charges.
Free Delivery: All orders over 99 include free delivery to any mainland Ireland address. Phone for rates to islands.
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Bulk Orders: Please contact us for details of discounts on bulk purchases.
Ceramic Valve Technology:All Taps4Less.ie modern bathroom taps use ceramic disc valves instead of traditional washers, except where noted in the full product description. Ceramic valves give you extra smooth operation and longer life.
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This costume could be free custom-made for both adults and children, 30 days money back, Fast Shipping, shipping time is 7-20days.
Welcome to Cosplaylab. Lovelive Sunny Day Song Eli Ayase Cosplay Costume is nice size, Comfortably dressed, Correct size, Delicate workmanship, Cost-effective.
Our Lovelive Sunny Day Song Eli Ayase Cosplay Costume choose the best material to ensure extensibility and the good feeling.
The size is ASIAN size, would be smaller than USA size, please check the size chart before ordering. Lovelive Sunny Day Song Eli Ayase Cosplay Costume is not only ideal costume for party, cosplay, but also is great impressive gift for your friends.
CosplayLab online cosplay store provides a complete series of costumes , wigs and props for Love Live! roles, including Honoka Kosaka, Nozomi Tojo, Eli Ayase, Dia Kurosawa, Mari Ohara, Chika Takami, Ruby Kurosawa, Nico Yazawa, Maki Nishikino, Rin Hoshizora, Hanayo Koizumi, Minami Kotori, , Kotori Minami, Honoka Kousaka, Umi Sonoda, Sonoda Umi, Ruby Kurosaw, Yazawa Nico, Tang Keke, Watanabe You, Kunikida Hanamaru, Tsushima Yoshiko, Kurosawa Ruby, Sakurauchi Riko, Chika, Honoka Kosak, Yazawa Niko
Your pleasant shopping experience is our destiny! Please rest assured to buy.
Delivery & Return
All Products ordered from us can be cancelled within 24 hours free of charge, but orders cancelled after 24 hours are subject to a handling fee equalling 50% of the item price. We thank you in advance for your understanding.


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Nautical product catalogue
The product catalogue of the BSH contains all nautical products such as nautical charts (in digital or paper form), sea manuals but also other printed materials produced by the BSH. A PDF version of the complete catalogue (only available in German) is available for download.
You can search for the products using the following illustrations:
The different product categories are listed in the separate tabs of the list view (Listenansicht). Only the metadata of these products is displayed.
By clicking on the plus symbol in the first column you will get a preview of the respective title page or nautical chart as well as additional information and metadata.
In the chart view you can select any position by clicking on it (Kartenansicht). All nautical products provided by the BSH are listed for this position. This search can also be carried out by entering concrete coordinates (product search with input of coordinates).


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Facebook eyes 4 billion without Internet
About 1 of every 7 people in the world uses Facebook. Now, Mark Zuckerberg, its co-founder and chief executive, wants to make a play for the rest — including the 4 billion or so who lack Internet access.
On Wednesday, Facebook plans to announce an effort aimed at drastically cutting the cost of delivering basic Internet services on mobile phones, particularly in developing countries, where Facebook and other tech companies need to find new users. Half a dozen of the world's tech giants, including Samsung, Nokia, Qualcomm and Ericsson, have agreed to work with the company on the initiative, which they call Internet.org.
The companies intend to accomplish their goal in part by simplifying phone applications so they run more efficiently and by improving the components of phones and networks so that they transmit more data while using less battery power.
For Zuckerberg, the formation of the coalition is yet another way in which he is trying to position himself as an industry leader. He has been speaking out more forcefully than other tech executives on topics like immigration overhaul, which the industry sees as critical to its hiring needs. With Internet.org, he is laying out a philosophy that tries to pair humanitarian goals with the profit motive.
"The Internet is such an important thing for driving humanity forward, but it's not going to build itself," he said in a recent interview. "Ultimately, this has to make business sense on some time frame that people can get behind."
But the effort is also a reflection of how tech companies are trying to meet Wall Street's demands for growth by attracting customers beyond saturated markets in the United States and Europe, even if they have to help build services and some of the infrastructure in poorer, less digitally sophisticated parts of the world.
Google, for example, began a program with phone carriers last year that offers wireless users in some developing countries free access to Gmail, search and the first page clicked through from a search's results. Google is also reaching for the sky with Project Loon, an attempt to beam Internet access from plastic balloons floating more than 11 miles in the atmosphere.
Twitter, which is preparing to offer shares to the public in an initial stock offering, has struck its own deals with about 250 cellphone companies in more than 100 countries to offer some free Twitter access and worked to make sure its service is easy to use on even the cheapest cellphones.
These companies have little choice but to look overseas for growth. More than half of Americans already use Facebook at least once a month, for instance, and usage in the rest of the developed world is similarly heavy. There is nearly one active cellphone for every person on earth, making expansion a challenge for carriers and phone makers.
Poorer countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America present the biggest opportunity to reach new customers — if companies can figure out how to get people there online at low cost.
The immediate goals of the new coalition are to cut the cost of providing mobile Internet services to 1 percent of its current level within five to 10 years by improving the efficiency of Internet networks and mobile phone software. The group also hopes to develop business models that would allow phone companies to provide simple services like email, search and social networks for little or no charge.
While that sounds far less exciting than, say, Google's idea of delivering the Internet by balloon, Zuckerberg says small efforts can add up to big changes.
"No one company can really do this by itself," he said.
Facebook is already working on techniques to reduce the average amount of data used by its Android mobile app from the current 12 megabytes a day to 1 megabyte without users' noticing.
Qualcomm, whose chip technology is prevalent in advanced cellphones, has created new designs to stretch a phone's battery life, slice the amount of data needed to transmit a video and extend the reach of mobile networks through tiny devices similar to Wi-Fi routers.
The coalition partners have also begun trying new ways of reducing the data charges paid by cellphone customers while still enabling phone makers and carriers to make money.
For example, Nokia, the Finnish cellphone maker, ran a recent experiment with Facebook and the Mexican phone carrier Telcel, in which it bundled free Facebook access with some of its Asha feature phones. Sales rose significantly, and the company decided to run similar promotions for customers of Bharti Airtel, a mobile carrier in India and Africa.
However, the Internet.org team does not plan to tackle some thorny infrastructure issues that are huge barriers in the developing world, particularly the long-distance transmission of data to far-flung places.
Michuki Mwangi, regional development manager for Africa at the Internet Society, a nonprofit group that has long worked to expand global Internet access, said the continent sorely lacked local interconnection points, forcing most requests for content like YouTube videos to be routed through Europe at high cost.
Creating more connection points would require navigating a thicket of government interests and powerful incumbents. But at the very least, the group would like Facebook and Google to put copies of their content on a greater number of African servers to deliver it more quickly and cheaply, something that both companies say they are considering.
As with the Open Compute coalition started by Facebook in 2011 to improve the efficiency of data centers, Facebook will seek to add partners to Internet.org, including national governments, wireless phone carriers and Microsoft, a longtime Facebook ally that has its own projects to expand access.
But Google — whose search and YouTube video products are as fundamental as Facebook's social network to many Internet users — is likely to remain outside the group.
For one, its own efforts to expand Internet access are aggressive. In addition, the company is constantly refining its Android software, which runs the majority of new smartphones sold, to improve efficiency and battery life.
"We're always making investments in technology and programs to help people get online," said Courtney Hohne, a Google spokeswoman. "We have teams around the world working on products tailored to local needs."
Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft and co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, recently suggested that Project Loon and similar projects were not the best use of resources to help people in the poorest nations.
"When a kid gets diarrhea, no, there's no website that relieves that," he said in a recent interview with Bloomberg Businessweek.
Zuckerberg acknowledged that basic health care is essential but said that "if you can afford a phone, I think it would be really good for you to have access to the Internet."
The potential is already obvious in places like the Philippines, where the second-largest mobile phone company, Globe Telecom, has used free Twitter, Facebook or Google access as promotions to increase the number of its 37 million users who also subscribe to a mobile data plan to 20 percent from virtually zero in two years.
"Once you're connected, you're connected, and you don't want to look back," said Peter Bithos, Globe's senior adviser for consumer business.
For Facebook, which generates most of its revenue from selling advertising that it shows to its users, the immediate profits from expanding Internet access will be minimal, Zuckerberg said, although he acknowledged that the long-term potential was there.
"We're focused on it more because we think it's something good for the world," he said, "rather than something that is going to be really amazing for our profits."


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Current program management capability has not kept pace with the demands of major railway and metro engineering programs. To address this issue, systems integration provides program leaders with practical methods for keeping the whole system in perspective and devolving leadership while still moving ceaselessly toward the end goal.
This article explores the leadership aspects of systems integration (SI) and how SI supports program delivery.