text: Choose Options Compare Quick view Mechman S Series 240 amp alternator for Freestyle 3.0 w/ aux. A/C MSRP: Now: $399.00 Was: S Series The S series of 6 phase alternators offers incredible output in a compact and durable package. Highly efficient, these units use less horsepower than conventional 3 phase alternators. 12 diodes, twin rectifier plates and outstanding airflow... 11238240 MSRP: Now: $399.00 Was: Choose Options Compare Quick view


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Perfect Pound Cakes
Give your go-to pound cake recipe a breather and try one of these pound cake recipes from scratch.
Pound for pound, a pound cake is a dessert that certainly satisfies above its weight. A true Southern favorite, these pound cake recipes are simple and delicious. The Two-Step Pound Cake is an easy-to-make recipe, best served with ice cream or fresh berries. For a bite-size treat that is a decadent pleasure, enjoy the Mini Triple Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake. One of our readers' favorite recipes, it mixes cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, and semisweet chocolate, creating an irresistible combination. If you prefer a more sophisticated approach to this simple dessert, try our Sauvignon Blanc Pound Cake. Or, for simply Southern flavors, bake a Pecan Pound Cake, or a Key Lime Pound Cake. Any way you slice it, these pound-cake recipes are worth their weight in sweet delight.

subset: commoncrawl


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Angel in the outfield: Giants get Pagan for Torres, Ramirez
The Giants made their second significant move of the offseason Tuesday, acquiring outfielder Angel Pagan for outfielder Andres Torres and reliever Ramon Ramirez.
When comparing Pagan to Torres, the Giants got a clear upgrade offensively. Both players had breakout years in 2010.
Pagan had .290 AVG/.340 OBP/.425 SLG, 37-46 on SBs, 15.3 K pct.
Torres had .268/.343/.479, 26-33 on SBs; 22.5 K pct.
And both suffered drop-offs in 2011.
Pagan .262/.322/.372, 32-39 SBs, 11.7 K pct.
Torres .221/.312/.330, 19-25 SBs, 23.9 K pct.
Torres was clearly the better defender, but Pagan had an outstanding defensive season in 2010, when he ranked in the top 5 in Defensive WAR, Total Zone Runs, Range Factor, putouts and outfield assists. His defensive numbers took a big drop in 2011, most notably because he committed a whopping 10 errors. But has he had committed nine total error in his previous five major league seasons, we have to consider last season an anomaly.
In 2011, Pagan never seemed to get on track and battled through a series of ailments. Most notably, Pagan missed five weeks of the season with a stress fracture in his rib cage after opening the season batting .159. He hit .279 after coming off the DL. So even with his drop-off, Pagan's season was far superior than Torres' 2011 campaign. And Pagan is more than three years younger.
Pagan, Torres and Ramirez were all arbitration eligible. With Pagan set to make $5 in 2012, the salary exchange is basically a push.
Torres had essentially worked himself into a role as a reserve outfielder for the Giants in 2012. Pagan can step into a starting role. And with Pagan is a far better option as a leadoff hitter and center fielder than Melky Cabrera, who now moves over left field.
In order to get that upgrade, the Giants had to give something up. And that was Ramirez, who was coming off a season in which he had a 2.62 ERa in 68.2 IP. It was his fourth consecutive season with an ERA of 2.99 or lower. But with one of deepest bullpens in the majors, the Giants dealt from strength. And with organizational depth of relievers (notably Heath Hembree), the Giants felt Ramirez was expendable.
With Pagan, the Giants lineup next season could look like this:
CF Angel Pagan
2B Freddy Sanchez
LF Melky Cabrera
C Buster Posey
3B Pablo Sandoval
1B Aubrey Huff
RF Nate Schierholtz
SS Brandon Crawford
One missing name that was quickly pounced upon by Giants fans was Brandon Belt.
We expect Belt will get at-bats. If he hits and if Huff (or any of the outfielders) struggles, Belt will get starts.
A couple of other potential moves: The Giants were reported to be working on a trade to send 2B Jeff Keppinger (another arbitration eligible player) to an unnamed AL team. Given the team's financial constraints, it appears the next offseason splash won't cause much of a ripple. The Giants want a right-handed infielder to support Crawford. They may have luck after next week's non-tender date.
With the vacancy left by Ramirez, the Giants are talking about bringing Guillermo Mota back.


text:
By 2015, companies will generate 50 percent of their Web sales via their social-media presence and mobile applications, according to Gartner, Inc. As context gains importance, analysts revealed eight dos and don'ts to leveraging context-enriched mobile applications in customer relationship management (CRM) to drive sales and increase customer satisfaction.
"By 2015, context will be as influential to mobile consumer services as search engines are to the Web and information about customers will no longer be limited to data stored in company-owned systems," said Gene Alvarez, research vice president at Gartner. "Context information can be about identity – such as who you are and your calendar, environment – where you are and the device you use, process – things you do and what you allow and community – who is in your networks and who you communicate with. If used correctly, context information facilitates the move from e-commerce today to contextual commerce tomorrow."
This slideshow highlights the eight dos and don'ts Gartner identified for context-enriched mobile applications.
10 Hot New Tablets New and notable tablets for business and commercial users.
15 Top Android Security Apps Ensure your Android device and personal data are protected.
Creating a Data Loss Incident Plan Questions and recommendations for businesses to consider while building a data loss incident plan.
Related Topics : BPO, Mobile Applications, Mobile Operating Systems, Software Testing
Enterprise app stores provide a single "shopping experience" for employees and support both a BYOD model and a self-service IT model. ... More >>
Adopting MDM best practices can result in less hassle in supporting employees, increased overall productivity and assurance that valuable company assets are secure. ... More >>
Failure to invest in these key app development items upfront could result in a substantial amount of lost time and money down the road. ... More >>


text:
Jessica Beagley, the mom who videotaped herself pouring hot sauce in her son's mouth and giving him cold showers to get on Dr. Phil's "Angry Moms" episode, has been convicted of misdemeanor child abuse. Beagley and her husband, Anchorage police officer Gary Beagley, showed no emotion when the verdict was announced. Sentencing has been scheduled for Monday and Beagley is facing one year in jail, a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years of probation.
Beagley's lawyer says she reached out to Dr. Phil because she was desperate to find a way to handle her son, a Russian orphan who has psychological and emotional problems. The prosecutor countered in her closing argument, "There is no reason in the world why someone has to hurt a child to get on a reality show." (Particularly because you aren't likely to get much help from a guy whose claim to fame is spewing obvious advice in a Texan accent.)


text:
Binary System 2M J044144 (Artist's Concept)
This is an artist's conception of the binary system 2M J044144 showing the primary brown dwarf that is estimated to be approximately 20 times the mass of Jupiter (at left) and its companion that is estimated to be 7 times the mass of Jupiter (at right). The disk of the primary likely never had enough material to make a companion of this mass. As a result, this small companion probably formed like a binary star. In this illustration, both objects are presented at the same distance to show relative sizes. Not shown are two other nearby objects, a low-mass star and a brown dwarf that are probably both parts of this system.
Science Credit: NASA, ESA, and K. Todorov and K. Luman (Penn State University)
Artwork Credit: Gemini Observatory, courtesy of L. Cook


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How do I raise an hourly pay rate in the middle of a pay period in QBO?
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If I am a director of my own company am I W1 or W2 BAS entry
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I log in but a green circle just goes round and round no matter if im on my cell phone or desck top .Its now 2 weeks that it does this how can ó Foz it?
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Can W-2 with only 2 employees per page be printed?. I have been able to print this in previous years. Or can I create an electronic file for NC, like in Desktop?
From the answer: Hi there lukeleslie, The format of form W2 has defaulted to 4 copies per page.... You can use to manually file the QuickBooks W2 to the state since the North Carolina Department of Revenue didn't require the W2 to be filed with only 2 copies per page.
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Starting on Monday, I don't have access to "Reports", but can access most everything else. Thoughts??
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Using 3rd Party CRM systems
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From the answer: Hi there, laurakinion, I'm here to help share information about processing Direct Deposit payroll.... Upon processing payroll, the system follows the check date regardless of the scheduled lead time.


text: Home / Tartan TRUCK Curtains / CAB Curtains, Pelmets & ties / DUNOON - Blue & Gold Tartan - Curtains Pelmet & Ties DUNOON - Blue & Gold Tartan - Curtains Pelmet & Ties £109.99 Stock Status: In Stock Sizes: Regular 36" drop High Cab 48" drop Pelmet Shape: Peak Centre Pelmet Wavy Pelmet Trim Colour: Black Trim White Trim Gold Trim Silver Trim Cream Trim Red Trim Navy Blue Trim Charcoal Grey Trim Royal Blue Trim Sunflower Yellow Trim Emerald Green Trim Purple Trim Trim On: Trim on pelmet only Trim on Pelmet and Ties Trim on all items Loop Velcro on pelmet: NO VELCRO NEEDED Velcro on face of pelmet Velcro on back of pelmet Information Truck Curtains DUNOON - BLUE & GOLD TARTAN FABRIC Fully Lined We have for sale a set of HGV truck cab curtains which will custom make for you from an BLUE & GOLD TARTAN FABRIC which are lined in thermal & blackout lining. Fabric samples available on request We can trim the curtains, pelmet and ties in a choice of coloured trim. Standard cab set sizes:- 2 x CAB curtains each measuring 90 inches wide and 36 inches drop Choice of peak centre or wavy pelmet design Free tie backs Hightop cab set sizes:- 2 x CAB curtains each measuring 90 inches wide and 48 inches drop Choice of peak centre or wavy pelmet design Free tie backs THE ABOVE SIZES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ONLINE PURCHASES. Please feel free to email us your own sizes and we will provide a quote for you. Our curtains are custom made to order with a 1" Black Rufflette tape heading for easy fitting on either a track or wire. Professionally made to the highest standard, we manufacture everything ourselves in our own workroom using only premium quality fabrics. We require a contact phone number from you to give to our courier to aid with your delivery THANKS FOR LOOKING Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have. You can email us at email@example.com or if you prefer to talk in person you can call Suzi on 07525 214 814.


text:
The server can confirm users' identities with security certificates in two ways:
Using the information in the client certificate as proof of identity
Verifying a client certificate published in an LDAP directory (additional)
When you set the server to use certificate information for authenticating the client, the server:
Checks first if the certificate is from a trusted CA. If not, the authentication fails and the transaction is ended.
Maps the certificate to a user's entry using the certmap.conf file, if the certificate is from a trusted certificate authority (CA).
Checks the ACL rules specified for that user if the certificate maps correctly. Even if the certificate maps correctly, ACL rules can deny the user access.
Requiring client authentication to control access to specific resources differs from requiring client authentication for all connections to the server. If you set the server to require client authentication for all connections, the client only needs to present a valid certificate issued by a trusted CA. If you set the server's access control to use the SSL method for authentication of users and groups, the client will need to:
Present a valid certificate issued by a trusted CA
The certificate must be mapped to a valid user in LDAP
The access control list must evaluate properly
When you require client authentication with access control, you need to have SSL ciphers enabled for your web server.
In order to successfully gain access to an SSL authenticated resource, the client certificate must be from a CA trusted by the web server. The client certificate needs to be published in a directory server if the web server's certmap.conf file is configured to compare the client's certificate in the browser with the client certificate in the directory server. However, the certmap.conf file can be configured to only compare selected information from the certificate to the directory server entry. For example, you could configure the certmap.conf file to only compare the user ID and email address in the browser certificate with the directory server entry.
Only the SSL authentication method requires modification to the certmap.conf file, because the certificate is checked against the LDAP directory. Requiring client authentication for all connections to the server does not require modification to the certmap.conf file. If you choose to use client certificates, you should increase the value of the AcceptTimeout directive in the magnus.conf file.


text:
Developer Reading List, December 03, 2013 Ruby, Python, ASP.NET, Android development, PDF, and more.
Murach's Android Programming
by Joel Murach
The Murach series of tutorials are carefully designed volumes that aim to be self-paced tutorials. They present the principal topic as a series of bite-sized (almost always two pages) explanations that build on each other. Almost every nugget starts with the words "How to…" and this get-it-done orientation pervades the book. It's a supremely hands-on approach that works well. Judging by the reviews in various forums, this pedagogical style goes over very well. (So much so, that I'm surprised other publishers have not seized upon this approach.) While it might not be to everyone's liking, it is particularly well suited to topics that contain many sub-topics. And few topics today are more filled with smaller discrete and independent tasks than Web programming and mobile development. As the title suggests, the author is squarely attacking the latter (although, predictably, the topic does drift into the former).
Murach presumes only Java in the reader's skill set. He starts by explaining the basic operations: How to use Eclipse for Android development; how to move code to the device; testing; debugging; and so on. Much of the book is dedicated to layouts, widgets, themes, events, and the other core elements of the user experience (UX).
He then moves into more-challenging topics: services, notifications, location (and maps), and even running the SQLite database on Android. There is no scrimping on the contents here. The chapter on using SQLite, for example, is 40 pages in length plenty to show how to do the necessary prep, create a database, access it, and add/update data. That is, exactly what you'd hope to get from a tutorial.
In the last few sections, the book explains how to deploy a finished app and publish it on Google Play.
The tone of the work is friendly and approachable. The explanations are clear, supported by many images for the UI examples (black and white images in the hard copy version, color in the eBook), and invariably backed by clear code with illustrative quality that is never lost in details of little relevance.
Overall, this is an excellent volume and almost certainly the best place to start for Java developers new to Android programming.


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4135 members1739 Comments 272 Likes
Heather Bieber has not received any gifts yet
Welcome aboard! =) Hope all is well with you today...
Yeesh. Yeah, anywhere outside of Austin, Houston, or the Dallas area, it's a little hard to find a decent atheist group, in Texas. Have to turn to the internet, sometimes, to find sane people.
Welcome, Heather! Glad you could join us. :D
Please consider joining a group to meet people and talk about anything that's on your mind, Hang With Friends.
© 2019 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


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Every day until Christmas Eve you can click on the respective day on the Advent Calendar to reveal an installment of a Year of Cool Comics devoted to a Cool Christmas Comic Book! You can also click on all previous days on the calendar. Be sure to stop by every day for a cool Christmas comic book every day until Christmas Eve!
Vertigo Editor Karen Berger Reacts to DC Retiring the Imprint


text:
Half-Life Headcrab Hat
Headcrab: The Original Fascinator
- Hat shaped like a headcrab from Half-Life 2
- We're pretty sure it won't turn you into a killing zombie
- Be sure you know where the nearest crowbar is
Were you forced against your will to see footage of the royal wedding? Did you laugh your butt off at all the ridiculous hats? We thought the Cthulhu-esque one was pretty awesome (in a tentacly-kinda way). If you don't know, those wacky hats are called fascinators. We assume it's because they're fascinating. Y'know, in a "WTF is that thing on your head?" kind of way. Meanwhile, at ThinkGeek HQ, we'll stick to baseball caps, bandanas, and the occasional top hat or fez.
The headcrab of course, is the original fascinator. When this parasitic lifeform attaches to your head, it changes your brain waves. It makes you fascinated with the idea of killing other humans. This particular headcrab is specifically designed to be headwear. We've been told it's completely neutralized and won't actually turn you into a zombie, but we're not 100% sure. So be careful, okay? Keep a friend with a crowbar nearby the first time you try it on.
Product Specifications
- Hat shaped like a headcrab from Half-Life
- Officially-licensed Half-Life 2 product
- Features baseball-style hook-and-loop closure in back
- We're pretty sure it won't turn you into a killing zombie
- But not 100% sure, so y'know, take your chances
- Material: 100% polyester
- Care Instructions: Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild detergent
- Ages 17+
- Always know where the nearest crowbar is


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Jason Calacanis's funny money
With Mahalo Answers, the latest Web project from Brooklyn-born blog blowhard Jason Calacanis, you can pay people to Google for you with fictional bucks. Genius!
I've been wondering when this generation of Web companies would come up with an answer to Flooz and Beenz, the made-up Internet currencies of the dotcom bubble. How foolish of me not to realize that Calacanis, who has recycled so many other ideas (Web directories, wikis, crowdsourcing) in his failed quest to create a successful Web business, would be the one to revive this failed idea.
If you don't recall Flooz and Beenz, they were made-up currencies that websites could use to reward users, who would then spend them on real online purchases. Both went under in 2001, leaving their means of exchange worthless.
Mahalo Dollars have a more limited purpose: People with questions they're too lazy to Google can buy Calacanis's fake money with real coin, and then pay freelance Internet researchers to answer their questions.
The pay-to-search business is a lousy one. Google, which tried a similar scheme with real money, gave up on it last year. ChaCha, a Midwestern startup pursuing a similar idea, has had no apparent success.
I'm sure Calacanis will make some money in the short term by skimming currency-exchange fees from the suckers he gets to sign up. Eventually, the currency will collapse faster than the Indonesian rupiah did in the '90s. But by that time, he'll be on to some other scheme.


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The Oakridge School field at 5920 Bufkin Dr. in
San Jose, has two pitches, used by U9, U10 and U11 rec and comp teams. The same pitches are also used for practices by teams up to the age of U12 teams.
Park either on Calero or the school parking lot.
The FC is at Oakridge every Thursday from 5:00 to 6:30 to open and close the shed to access the paint and marking equipment. Teams that cannot make it on Thursday need to e-mail the Assistant FC ahead of time to make other arrangements. Fields have to be marked!
Field maintenance on this field is usually done on Thursday.


text:
Get the Flash Playerto see this player.
|Fuck My Jeans
Short review: There were ups and downs for me with this site, as an overall summation of what I found here, it's above average for sure, but with a few quarks that would really make a big difference. Offering more than one format for videos would have been nice, and also a ZIP and slideshow for the pictures would have been great because they are very well done. Quality will bring good marks.
Content Amount: For there to be bonus sites offered along with the stand alone material, I was pleased to find they can hold their own with the numbers, before you venture into any of the perks. Updates are random, a few times a month, which will continue growth.


text:
A very pure and peaceful but also dynamic Piano Song…. enjoy!
Check out my Bestseller music!
Follow me on Twitter to be always updated about the latest releases!
Follow me on audiojungle
Browse my portfolio by music style or application:
Customers using my music:
Sony Mobile • Project Humanity • www.hibuk.com • and many many others!
videohive projects using my music & Sound FX:Sparkle from russvirtual
Time Lapse Series – After the Storm from ORPHEUS_FX
> Holiday Photo Memories from Ashcat
Reaching | Atmospheric Cinematic Logo Reveal from Stro88
Smiley-balloons 3pack from VideoMagus
Mechanical Lower Thirds from Stro88
"Flower Reveal Transition" by dkposte76:
"Numbers" by Stephen Mendenhall: Marvellous "Beach Series – Logo Diving" by ORPHEUS_FX:
The absolutely great "Cubes" by Stephen Mendenhall:
Winter Background by Itthigorn
Magical Christmas Wreath by ORPHEUS_FX:


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Thursday, July 12, 2007
Remember this?
Which looked like this when it was spun?
And how we were wondering what it would look like when it was knitted? Well, here's the answer:
This isn't the best shot (the color is a bit faded), and I'm posting it just so you can see how the colors striped across the fabric. I'll upload better shots of the shawl itself on my own blog, but this is the thing I thought you'd find interesting---if only because *I* did. :-)
Remember that when I drafted the roving, I decided that I should break it up into color chunks if I wanted to preserve any of the color. It made sense to create strips which were predominately red, predominately yellow, or pure green. In other words, when I stripped the roving, I made a point of NOT getting pure yellow or pure red; there was always a bit of green in every strip. That gave me different hues of green rather than different colors, and I think that really worked out nicely. Now that I understand how it handles, I won't be afraid to do the same with other multicolor rovings where the colors run lengthwise in the fiber. I think that overall green tone kept the lace from disappearing in color shifts.
The one really critical thing I've learned by knitting this shawl is that I really do like a firmly-plied yarn, so I need to focus on getting things even during the ply. If I don't do that, then the singles separate a bit here and there. The second thing I discovered was that knitting hides a multitude of spinning sins. :-)
On other fronts, this is what was in the suitcases. (It's amazing how much fiber you can cram into a suitcase or so---even when you're packing it around a carder, books and a couple of training DVDs, four extra bobbins, a jumbo flyer and two of those bobbins, replacement parts for the wheel, and PVC for a niddy noddy.) I couldn't quite fit everything; there's superwash, dye, and raw fleece in a box making its slow way across the Atlantic. Do you reckon that this will keep me busy for a bit? ;-)
Wanda, the shaft to the new spindle was safely tucked in a PVC pipe---complete with caps---and put in my backpack. Airport security didn't even blink. :-) And have I told you yet that it's beautiful? Or that even my non-spinning family that it was a truly cool gizmo? :-)
And on a last note . . . . WOW! You guys have been busy over the past month! I'm soooo impressed!
7 comments:
- cyndy said...
Welcome back Rhonna! You have been pretty busy too, and from the looks of what was in the suitcases..you have lots more planned! The shawl looks lovely!
- July 12, 2007 at 12:42 PM
- anna said...
That shawl is AMAZING! I've got some roving that I'm spinning in a similar fashion. I don't think it'll be thin enough to be laceweight, but I hope it knits up as pretty as your stuff!
- July 12, 2007 at 10:28 PM
- Artis-Anne said...
That shawl looks gorgeous Rhona and MY what goodies you have :)
- July 12, 2007 at 10:52 PM
- Rhonna said...
Anna, I really liked the Swallowtail pattern, and one of the advantages to it is that it's really designed as a *small* shawl. Go up a size in yarn and it gets bigger. And I'm betting your own yarn will be beautiful. :-)
Thanks, Cyndy and Artis-Anne. And yes--I have my year's worth of fiber. ;-)
- July 13, 2007 at 12:58 AM
- Julie said...
That turned out just beautifully! Love the shawl.
- July 13, 2007 at 3:44 AM
- Fiberjoy said...
PVC pipe with caps - what a great idea!
The shawl is simply stunning! Your method of separating the colors worked very well. Makes me wish I'd done that for my merino project but I've already spun 4 oz and am well on my way.
- July 13, 2007 at 10:41 PM
- Beth S. said...
Oh my goodness! What a beautiful shawl--and handspun, too! I'm really impressed, especially at the careful way you handled the colors. I'll be off to read the whole story on your blog...
- July 15, 2007 at 7:27 AM


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
The following laws and regulations establish specific requirements for the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data processed, stored, and transmitted by the EEOC Training and Outreach Online Registration System:
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984
Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002
OMB February 1996 Circular A-130, Appendix III
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980
Privacy Act of 1974
EEOC Order 240.005, EEOC Information Security Program
Information Security Responsibilities of EEOC Employees
EEOC Order 150.003, Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended
Public laws and regulations applicable to all federal agencies
The individual's right to privacy must be protected in Federal Government information activities involving personal information. This assessment addresses the privacy impact of the EEOC Training and Outreach Online Registration System (the System) operated by the Office of Field Program's Revolving Fund Division. This system supports the training registration function of the EEOC Education, Technical Assistance and Training Revolving Fund (Revolving Fund).
1. Generally describe the information to be used in the system in each of the following categories: Registrant, Company, EEOC Employee, Other.
Revolving Fund Training event registrants provide data that is entered into the System. This data consists of personal and employer information, reasonable accommodations needed, if any, and payment data.
2. What are the sources of the information in the system?
2.1. What EEOC files and databases are used?
Electronic address files of previous registrants contained in the previous EEOC Revolving Fund registration system (the Marketing, Sales and Registration System), were transferred to the System in 2004. No other external files or databases are used.
2.2. What Federal Agencies are providing data for use in the system?
Those Federal Agencies whose employees register for Revolving Fund
training events. All Revolving Fund training events are open to all Federal
Agency employees.
2.3. What State and Local Agencies are providing data for use in the system?
Those State and Local Agencies whose employees register for Revolving
Fund training events. All Revolving Fund training events are open to all State
and Local Agency employees.
2.4. What other third party sources will data be collected from?
Those private and commercial, and non-profit entities whose employees register
for Revolving Fund training events. All Revolving Fund training events are open
to all private and commercial, and non-profit entities employees.
2.5. What information will be collected from the Registrant?
Information collected consists of registrant name, employer electronic and physical mailing addresses and telephone number, job title, disability and diet needs if any, training history, marketing methods that led to registration for training, employer name, size, type, address, telephone number, and payment data consisting of method of preferred payment, purchase order and credit card data if applicable, billing address if called for by payment method, interagency billing and collection data from Federal employers, and tax identification data.
3. How will data collected from sources other than EEOC records and the Registrant be verified for accuracy?
All data is provided by the Registrant (entered directly by the Registrant or by a representative from the EEOC Training Institute who enters information exactly as the Registrant has directed on registration forms).
3.1. How will data be checked for completeness?
Online registration can only be accepted if data is entered in all required fields. If registration data is submitted offline, contractor registration staff checks for completeness.
3.2. Is the data current? How do you know?
Contractor registration staffs check for current payment data. Registrants who do not provide current payment data may not be registered to attend training events. When marketing for future training events, any non-current mailing address and electronic mail information is deleted from the System and current data is entered. Non-current data is identified when mailing to a physical address is returned or electronic mail is returned as undeliverable.
4. Are the data elements described in detail and documented? If yes, what is the name of the document?
The data element names are sufficiently descriptive and self-explanatory for Registrants to provide information for training event registration. The data elements are described and documented within the online questionnaire and on hardcopy training event registration forms.
5. How will the data be used by the agency? Who is responsible for assuring proper use of the data?
The information that is captured and stored in the database is solely used to organize events, communicate with registrants, and process financial transactions for Revolving Fund training events. Responsibility to maintain confidentiality of this information rests with the EEOC Revolving Fund administrative and training staff.
6. Who will have access to the data in the system (Users, Managers, System Administrators, Developers, Other)?
There are internal and external users. Internal users are users that access the system to review data. All of these users require valid user identification and a password to access the system. The user identification and a password are created by the System administrator and are only issued to authorized users. Internal users are either authorized EEOC or System contractor employees and there are different levels of access to data. In addition to external user accounts, the following user types exist: System Administrator - access to meeting planner and administrative functions; Meeting Planner – access to view, create, modify, and delete the following: events, forms, web sites, registrations, and reports; and Meeting Owner - access to accept/deny invitations and view reports.
External users are able to enter registration data into the System. The external user can create their own user identification and password for subsequent data and information review and registration for additional training events in the future. The external user can update data and information they have previously entered into the System but does not have access to data entered by someone with different user identification and password.
7. How is access to the data by a user determined? Are criteria, procedures, controls, andresponsibilities regarding access documented?
Access to the data is determined by user type and is based on the user's need for data and level of access as approved by the System administration contractor.
8. Will users have access to all data on the system or will the users' access be restricted?
System Administrator access is limited to software development and maintenance staff/contractors. Meeting Planner access is limited to select EEOC Revolving Fund staff. Meeting Owner access is limited to EEOC Outreach Coordinators and selected Revolving Fund staff.
External users are registrants who only have access to the data they have entered in the System with valid user identification and password.
9. What controls are in place to prevent the misuse (e.g. browsing) of data by those having access?
Level of access is granted to individuals based on user type. There are restrictions to level of access corresponding to user type. Access will be restricted if any misuse is noted.
10. Do other systems share data or have access to data in this system? If yes, explain. Who will be responsible for protecting the privacy rights of the taxpayers and employees affected by the interface?
No other systems share data or have access to data in the system. However, updated System job number data, and billing and collection financial data is transmitted daily to EEOC's Integrated Financial Management System (official EEOC accounting system) in batch files. Data transmitted in these batch files does not contain any registrant personal or organizations' confidential information.
11. Will other agencies share data or have access to data in this system (International, Federal, State, Local, Other)?
No other agencies have direct access to this system. However information from the system may be shared with the U. S. Treasury, as outlined in response to Question #12.
12. How will the system ensure that agencies only get the information they are entitled to under applicable statutes or regulations?
Training event registration information fields are designed to solicit information that is only needed to identify training event registrants, their employers, evaluate training event marketing effort and collect payment. In order to collect potential delinquent payment, personal information may be required so that the U. S. Treasury will have the ability to offset other registrant federal payments if needed.
13. Is the use of the data both relevant and necessary to the purpose for which the system is being designed?
Yes. The data obtained is limited to what is required for a registrant to register for a training event and provide marketing feedback, and for EEOC to collect payment.
14. Will the system derive new data or create previously unavailable data about an individual through aggregation from the information collected?
No. The System does not have data-mining capability and is designed to only obtain training event registration and payment information.
14.1. Will the new data be placed in the Registrant's record?
The only new data in the System is updating of previously entered registration and payment information by the Registrant.
14.2. Can the system make determinations about Registrants that would not be possible without the new data?
14.3. How will the new data be verified for relevance and accuracy?
Data is only verified when Registrant registers for future training events and provides updated data and when Revolving Fund marketing campaigns result in returned or undeliverable mail.
15. If data is being consolidated, what controls are in place to protect the data from unauthorized access or use?
Not applicable
15.1. If processes are being consolidated, are the proper controls remaining in place to protect the data and prevent unauthorized access? Explain.
Not applicable
16. How will the data be retrieved? Can it be retrieved by personal identifier? If yes, explain. What are the potential effects on the due process rights of Registrants or companies of: consolidation and linkage of files and systems; derivation of data; accelerated information processing and decision making; use of new technologies. How are the effects to be mitigated?
An internal user can retrieve data by searching on a number of fields, including: last name, first name, electronic mail address, organization, event code, or telephone number. Some examples of why data may be retrieved would be to determine if a registrant is enrolled in a training event or needs to be notified of a change in the training event date, has made payment or to determine if an event has been set up in the System.
An external user, through use of user identification and password, can access the System to update previously entered information or register for additional training events.
The system has no effects on due process rights because it does not make any determinations with respect to registrants or companies.
17. Explain how the system and its use will ensure equitable treatment of Registrants. If the system is operated in more than one site, how will consistent use of the system and data be maintained in all sites?
System software logic rules based on type of training event, registration date and payment type are used to assign training event price. Users do not have the ability to modify training event pricing. Revolving Fund training event prices are entered in System reference table fields in advance of scheduled events and are based on training event length, method and timing of payment and cost recovery guidelines without regard to registrant personal and employer information. Since all registrants have access to the same software, equitable treatment is maximized.
17.1. Explain any possibility of disparate treatment of individuals or groups.
No personal information is solicited from registrants that identifies race, sex, nationality, national origin, religion, age or disability. The only exception is when registrants request special accommodations based on disability. Registrants must voluntarily provide sufficient information in order for EEOC to provide these accommodations. Moreover, the service delivered by the System is seat reservations for training events offered by the Revolving Fund. System program logic automatically reserves a seat, on a first come-first serve basis, for whoever registers for a training event.
18. What are the retention periods of data in this system?
Data is retained in the system indefinitely. Data can be updated or deleted at the request of registrants or if returned marketing material indicates address change.
18.1. What are the procedures for eliminating the data at the end of the retention period? Where are the procedures documented?
Not applicable
18.2. While the data is retained in the system, what are the requirements for determining if the data is still sufficiently accurate, relevant, timely, and complete to ensure fairness in making determinations?
Data is retained in the System as entered unless past registrants with data in the System update their data by registering for subsequent training events or returned mail indicates outdated addresses. Any incorrect data is immediately removed from the database.
19. Is the system using technologies in ways that the EEOC has not previously employed?
Yes. Prior to 2004, registrants did not have the ability to register for training events and pay online nor were registration billings and collections linked to the EEOC accounting system. Upon implementation of the System, the technology allowed registration and payment online as well as transfer of billing and collection data to the accounting system. In addition, the System has the capability for mass marketing of training events through use of electronic mail.
19.1. How does the use of this technology affect taxpayer/employee privacy?
There has been no effect on individual privacy.
20. Will this system provide the capability to identify, locate, and monitor individuals? If yes, explain.
This system has the capability to identify and locate individuals for verification of training event registration and payment and to market future events but not to monitor individuals.
20.1. Will this system provide the capability to identify, locate, and monitor groups of people? If yes, explain.
The system has the capability to identify and locate individuals who work for common employers (private and government), common federal agencies and who live in specific geographical areas. This information is used to comply with federal agency collection reporting requirements imposed by the Treasury and for marketing purposes.
20.2. What controls will be used to prevent unauthorized monitoring?
Only authorized users will have access to the data based on user type as described above. Moreover, the basic employee, employer and payment data required for training event registration is not the type of data that typically results in unauthorized monitoring.
21. Under which Systems of Record notice (SOR) does the system operate? Provide number and name.
EEOC-19, Revolving Fund Registrations.


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Eben Moglen Tech Talk at Google - Journal of Omnifarious
May. 18th, 2010
04:11 pm - Eben Moglen Tech Talk at Google
Eben Moglen is one of the principle lawyers behind the GPL. He's also a tireless free software advocate, and significantly more photogenic and diplomatic than Richard Stallman.
He recently gave this interesting tech talk at Google about the perception of Google by entities outside it. It was really well done, and struck a strong chord with me.
I've noticed that people frequently are incapable of believing that some things Google does are for the reasons Google says they're doing them. For example (and I don't really have the time to find references just now) many people seem to think that Google Doodles, those fun, timely modifications to their main search page, are a marketing tool, when in fact they are largely done purely out of whimsy.
I suppose, in one sense there is marketing purpose. Google is projecting their image of themselves out into the world. It's brand building. But, on the other hand, there isn't. I doubt that Google Doodles started as an idea for brand building in some marketing department. I'm betting some random small group of people decided one day that it would be fun to do, and the idea sort of caught on and now it's a tradition.
But people seem to want to analyze doodles for the marketing message they contain, despite the fact there generally isn't one. The more enigmatic the doodle is, the more determined people seem to be to find the marketing message in it.
This means there is a disparity in perception between people outside Google and people inside Google. One that might serve Google very poorly in the future. It's very important that Google understand this and respond appropriately. Perception is reality and people and organizations live up to expectations. Google risks becoming what people perceive them to be unless they act to correct that perception.
Google also frequently doesn't realize how the fact that they are so large and powerful affects people's perceptions of them. Witness the brouhaha over Buzz. Google did do some somewhat wrongheaded things in introducing it, but Buzz was not anywhere near the privacy destroying aggregator that people thought it was. And the fact that people perceived Buzz in this way seemed to mystify people inside Google, even though it was predictable given Google's size and people's perceptions.
Again, this points to a need by Google to better manage people's perceptions of them, and to manage their product releases better in terms of how people perceive them.
Eben Moglen suggests, quite wisely, that one thing Google could do is to change their policy on contributing internal changes back to Open Source projects. I think this is a good idea, but I doubt it will really be enough.
I am a little worried that if Google takes this advice to heart that they will grow a PR arm that does what every other PR arm in the world does, which is to try to make sure that perception stays far more positive than reality instead of simply trying to make perception match reality. But Google should do something, since I think people think far more ill of them than they generally deserve.
Google is, in fact, the only company I know of that has a revenue stream greater than 1 billion dollars a year that I actually have a positive opinion of.
Please reply to my original post on Dreamwidth. If you don't have an account there you can log in using your LiveJournal account. Just login using OpenID and give
http://<LJ account name>.livejournal.com/ as your OpenID. For example, for the LJ user rosencrantz319 that would be
http://rosencrantz319.livejournal.com/ as their OpenID.


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HAVANA — On a calm weather day, with blue skies and a flat sea, a Cuban Border Guard patrol boat made its way along the coastline near the capitol city.
Increasingly, the mission for the officers and crew aboard this vessel is to try to stop the hundreds of smugglers who come here illegally from Florida each year to pick up thousands of Cuban passengers and sneak them into the United States, often through Mexico.
Catching the smugglers is very difficult, because they typically arrive clandestinely in the middle of the night at remote beaches. They board their passengers and then speed away on their high-powered boats in just a few minutes.
A new form of aggression?
On the patrol boat, Colonel Jorge Samper used a nautical chart to point out many of the hidden coves and islands along Cuba's vast coastline where American smugglers have come and gone in the last few years.
Samper is second in command of the Cuban Border Guard, and has been in its service for more than 30 years. He believes the increasing activities of smugglers— most of them either Cuban-Americans from South Florida, or Mexicans working for the Cuban-American traffickers— are a safety hazard and a threat to Cuba's national security.
"Our country is subjected to a new type of aggression," he said. "Hundreds of boats a year flying a U.S. flag, registered in Florida, that illegally enter our territorial waters and violate our national borders."
To prove his point, Samper showed a reporter three speedboats with Florida registrations that he said were seized in Cuban waters with smugglers aboard. Two of the vessels were picked up during the same week after they broke down at sea, he said. On board each of the boats was an array of sophisticated navigation and communications equipment.
"Smuggling is a high-risk crime, because it endangers the lives of many people including children, women, the elderly— people of all ages who are caught up in this criminal activity," he said.
The smugglers from the three Florida boats were being held in a Cuban prison, Samper added. One of the vessels has been converted into a Border Guard patrol boat and flies a Cuban flag now.
A dangerous but lucrative business
While the organized efforts to smuggle Cubans to the United States or Mexico aboard speedboats is quite treacherous, it is also extremely lucrative for the leaders of the crime groups.
On average now, a smuggling trip costs the passengers $10,000 each, although recently some passengers told NBC News they were forced to pay $12,000. The smugglers, they said, informed them the price had gone up, because of the increased risk caused by stepped-up efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies.
Very few Cubans on the island actually have that kind of money, so their fees are usually paid by family members in the United States. Occasionally, the arrangement is for the passengers to pay as much as $2,000 up front in Cuba, and the families to pay the rest after their relatives either arrive in Florida, or in Mexico from where they then head to the U.S. border.
Assisting the smugglers within Cuba are local arrangers and transporters who contact the potential passengers, gather them together, then drive them to remote coastal areas to await the arrival of the speedboat.
To avoid the Cuban authorities, the local organizers are very cautious, and sometimes go to unusual lengths to make sure the passengers they pick up are actually headed for the smuggling boats, and aren't state security agents.
One man who boarded a smuggler's boat, but was caught at sea and repatriated by the U.S. Coast Guard, told NBC News that he was instructed to await the transporters at a particular location.
"That day I was to be at a specific traffic circle wearing a red T-shirt and white trousers and holding a big bottle of water in my hands," he said. "There, a guy was going to approach me and ask, 'Are you going to the party?' and I was to answer, 'Yes,' and it happened just like that."
With his intent and identity verified, the man then boarded a truck that made numerous other stops to collect a total of 58 people. Eventually, the ride ended and the passengers were then told to walk to a beach area.
"We had to walk 12 kilometers to get to the water and wait there for the speed boat to arrive," he said. "There was one guy who communicated with the speed boat." When the vessel arrived, everyone climbed aboard and then headed north toward Florida.
About four miles from the United States, however, the engine failed, and the illegal travelers were all picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard and were returned to Cuba, he said, as is the case with most Cubans intercepted in the water by American authorities.
The experience at sea, the man insisted, was terrifying. "It's terrible. There's nothing around you, just water and nothing else. One moment the sea is completely flat, but in 15 minutes you see waves taller than buildings."
A second Cuban told another harrowing story about a smuggling boat that he had taken to Mexico. Halfway there, the engines failed in bad weather and "horrible" waves. For two days he and ten others drifted at seas until the currents returned them to the western shores of Cuban's Pinar Del Rio province.
"The speedboat crashed there against the rocks," he said. "We jumped overboard, but I was the only one who managed to make it over the rocks. Everyone else stayed in the water." Before being rescued, he said, two of his friends died.
For desperate Cubans, a more treacherous route
For many Cubans desperate to leave the island, but unable to secure a travel visa from the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, or to pay an expensive smuggler, there is the most dangerous alternative of all: home-made boats that are constructed quietly in shuttered buildings under cover of night.
After sundown, and with most residents in a quiet Cuban neighborhood nestled in their homes to watch soap operas on television, three men removed a large piece of stone that covered a hole on the back side of a garage.
After making sure no one was watching, the men crawled through the hole and began working on a boat they were building inside, using old rebar for the frame. Their plan was to sail north toward the United States, as soon as they could find an engine to power the craft.
The men said they knew what they were doing was extremely dangerous. It's also illegal under Cuban law. When asked why he would take such a risk at sea, one man said, "Because of the economic and political situation, because here there is no future for my kids." He added, "I'm desperate, I don't have another choice."
The long argument over who is to blame
Over the years, three basic arguments have emerged to try to explain why thousands of Cubans a year risk their lives on the unforgiving sea to reach the United States: The U.S. government blames what it describes as the abject failure of Cuba's political system and its economic and social policies.
The Cuban government blames the U.S. trade embargo, the tightening of travel privileges for Cuban-Americans wanting to visit family members on the island and United States immigration laws which virtually guarantee political asylum to any Cuban who sets foot on American soil.
Even if they are smuggled, a Cuban stepping on U.S. soil is usually allowed to remain in the country under the "wet foot/dry foot" policy and the Cuban Adjustment Act passed by Congress in 1966.
The third argument comes from the Cuban passengers, themselves, who give a variety of reasons for boarding the sleek smuggling boats, or making the more grueling journey on rickety home-made vessels. The most common theme appears to be a desire to improve their lives economically, to secure a better future and to reunite with family. While many will also say they are fleeing political oppression, most observers agree that basic economic needs are the inspiration for most who leave Cuba now.
Recently, NBC News asked 28 Cuban immigrants who had just arrived in Miami to describe why they left. Twelve said they left because of economic hardships, five said they were fleeing political persecution, nine said a combination of economic and political factors convinced them to leave Cuba, and two said they wanted to reunite the family members in Florida.
One of the immigrants, a former political prisoner said, "Cuba is a country that has been totally destroyed. The market doesn't exist. What's happening in Cuba isn't just a political problem, it's a problem of a non-existent freedom and future. Cuba's youth are very sad."
Cuba's foreign ministry response
Josefina Vidal, the Director of the North American Division for the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, argued that Cubans are lured into taking dangerous trips to the United States by the promise of easy entry into the country and the special immigration privileges that stem from the Cold War.
"The law that grants Cubans preferential treatment regardless of the means and ways they use to reach the United States territory has to be repealed," Vidal said. "And the so-called wet foot/dry foot policy has to be rebuked."
"We are willing to cooperate with the U.S. in every possible way in order to stop this problem," said Vidal. She complained about the refusal of the United States government to resume bi-annual talks on immigration issue, and to fulfill its promise this year to grant 20-thousand visas to Cubans trying to leave the country. U.S. officials say they fell short by the about 5-thousand visas this year, because of a shortage of Cuban workers needed to process the paperwork.
Vidal insisted that Cuban migrants are no different that people from Mexico and other Central American countries who try to enter the United States for economic reasons. "Cuba is very much part of this phenomenon, of this trend of people from less developed countries trying to emigrate to more developed countries," she said.
Vidal claimed that by tightening its entry laws, the U.S. could attack the "source of the problem" and stop the Cuban immigrant smugglers. "They are dangerous for the United States, they are dangerous for Cuba, and they are dangerous for the Cuban people and the people the try to take illegally into the United States," she said.
Sadly caught in the middle
While the Cuban and U.S. governments fight their decades-long war of words, the immigrant flow increases, and the smuggling businesses continue to flourish, sometimes with disastrous results.
Maria Villalba, a middle-aged Cuban nurse, is visibly broken. As she clutched a photograph of her only son, her daughter-in-law and her nephew, she described in a quavering voice how all three of these young Cubans died last year while heading by boat for Honduras, hoping to later cross into Mexico to then head for the U.S. border.
Survivors of the ill-fated trip said the three had been swept away by huge waves and were never seen again.
Villalba shares her fate with many mothers in Cuba, Mexico and United States who have lost loved ones in accidents at sea. "Hay muchas," she said. There are many.
She also cautioned Cubans not to take the dangerous voyages. "It's a crazy, crazy idea," she said. "It wrecks your life. It wrecked mine. It destroyed my life."
© 2013 NBCNews.com Reprints


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It's been mentioned in other threads but I feel it deserves its own.
Please don't hate redside?
I know the alignment system will be very different but I assume there will still be a way to discern who is a "villain" and who is not, or which flavour of villain he happens to be.
A big mistake of CoH (specifically CoV) was not adding to Redside content at all. It was in great dearth: blueside had 19 more zones (7 more "city" zones, which excludes hazard and trial spaces), 10 more TFs (excluding co-op ones), and the entire shadow shard.
Furthermore, all the villain zones accept maybe Grandville (which, to give credit, was pretty awesome) felt the same, dingy skid rows where crime is ubiquitous and the sky is grey. To quote another "you just felt like a cog in the machine", and think about it, what do you call a person destroying evil in the bad part of town? A hero. Thumping thugs and monsters and cleaning the streets is the work of a hero, not a villain. More on that below.
I know that there will not be a great divide for blueside and redside, which almost makes this portion irrelevant, but it's been mentioned that there will be areas which only villains will be accepted and only heroes will be accepted. Which makes sense to a degree.
If we have such zones, please make them equally enjoyable for heroes and villains. The Shadow Shard is 100x better than The Abyss, and the Hollows is 10000x better than Monster Island (how many have actually even gone to those zones?). The heroes can have their specific zones, and they should be awesome, but villains should have the similarly awesome zones too.
Please don't hate redside.
Can we have villainous villains?
It can be difficult catering to "villainous" villains since they're motivations may vary far more widely than heroic ones, which may include, for the better of man, to protect the innocent, revenge, or "to fight the bad guys using their rules" (Punisher). Villains can vary from world domination to "watch[ing] the world burn" to ruling a smaller area to, again, revenge, to getting rich to for the "better" of man (Mad scientist anyone), etc.
But either way, please allow villains to have their own motivations, goals, and schemes to some degree, even if only at higher levels.
CoV made a huge mistake here. You had two choices, to work for Arachnos, or to "freelance", and to be frank, they weren't very different, and you could switch back at any time. No matter what you chose, the paths converged at the end to chose a patron (also a huge blunder) and you're ultimate goal is, to defeat Lord Recluse. Now, that is an honourable goal, and a formidable one, he's no pushover, and it's a great show of power. But, what did it change? Arachnos was no weaker, Lord Recluse was still supreme dictator over the Isles, and you still either worked for Arachnos, or did whatever jobs some other contact had.
You weren't a villain, you were a mercenary!
Please don't make the same mistake. Please allow a system were villains can be more than a cog in the machine, a mercenary, or a street cleaning hero.
What I'd suggest:
>Give a few story lines for villains to follow; take "tips" to a new level and allow villains to craft their own missions to a small extent.
>Allow a variety of ultimate goals. Defeating Doctor Tyche should not be the pinnacle of villainy. I'd narrow it down to these three for launch:
--Obtain Anthem's sword: now, idk how the lore works on this and if only certain people can wear the sword and armour, but work with me here. The point is, defeat a signature character (can be hero or villain), and obtain something which alters the feel of the game afterward. Using the example given, you trudge through a story arc that ends in a finale of team vs The Paragons or team (or solo) vs Anthem. After this, you gain a significant power. Maybe it could be a special attack ("Anthem of Victory" or whathaveyou), or an intro to an Incarnate-System-Like power system (which at launch, could just be one, simple, mega-attack).
This fills the goal of a power seeker, or a revenge seeker.
--Creation or Optimization of Lair: If the personal base system is implemented at launch, and if not, whenever it does, your personal base could be upgraded to a personal sector of town or island to rule over. This would be resource-intensive, but could be very awesome. You play the final mission of overtaking a villain's stronghold, or TCPD's precinct, and take it for yourself. This again fills the goals of a power seeker.
Analog to CoH, you could defeat Lord Recluse and take grandville (which would be a separate zone then the original), defeat the council for Striga Isle, defeat the Cage Consortium for Sharkhead, etc.
--Meltdown of the Titan City Reactor: Or other catastrophe, maybe an Agents of Revolution doomsday device could suffice. This fills the goals of a "watch the world burn" type, simply senseless destruction of a huge portion of the city to spread chaos and malice. This could be a huge zone event, or an instanced mission, or an instanced mission that causes a zone event. The trouble here is making the villain feel as though he's completed the end game after it's done. A alternate "Progress Park Ruins" doesn't serve much utility.
>Allow Choices of Faction: if a new villain is required to join a faction as in CoV ("freelancing" was an option, but I always felt like an Arachnos Employee), allow several choices, not just the premier villain faction (if there is one):
--Edentech: This one could be a choice for heroes or villains of science. It's implied that they want a better future, but with any fictional biotech company, there's always the possibility of unethical or downright evil experiments happening. This allows for alignment choices: if a hero is assigned to a task he feels wrong about, he can refuse and gain Honour points (and maybe Lawful points), whereas a villain may revel in it.
--IFRIT: International Fire Response/Ignition Team: A group of mercenaries that, again, a hero or villain could join. Fairly self-explanatory. Could lead to the destruction goal mentioned above.
--Tarot: A villain group of mages that a villainous mage could join. They could be a source of training and other power-ups (whatever they may be). In the end, one could overtake their leader, and take the stronghold for themselves (see "optimization of lair") or take a legendary weapon from him (see "Obtain...").
--The Black Rose: Another mercenary group, but strictly villainous. Chaser may be a way to gain powers (source of good temp powers). Again, could lead to Optimization of Lair goal.
>Allow Villainous Options in Co-Op Zones: The term "Co-Op" zone may be irrelevant given the nature of The City, but if certain [Hazard Zones] require a level and both Heroes and Villains fight to end one enemy, then this is relevant. I found it difficult the feel villainous in the Rikti War Zone and Cimerora, so please allow villainous plots a chance to thrive in such environments.
I know this has gotten long, but please, allow villains to be villains in CoT, not just mercenaries or employees of [Arachnos], but scheming villains with their own motivations and goals, and please, don't hate redside.
My Non-Canon Toons
Avatar by MikeNovember


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"Color is my passion. It's in every facet of my life, home, clothing, jewelry, food and garden. I think it's also in my blood being surrounded by magical colors my whole life in India. I started making jewelry for my family and when it started selling off their necks, I decided to spend more time at it. I design a line of jewelry, mostly "one-of-a-kind" pieces carried by special galleries, boutiques, sold at trunk shows, open studios and by invitation.
My pieces are handmade, hand knotted and made by me. I enjoy the time I spend creating my pieces and am always curious and appreciative of the people who buy them."
- Vrinda Bhalla
Necklace length: 15.75"


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MEDICLAIM POLICY: Why it is a MUST & Why people still don't buy it ? This is w.r.t. Financial Planning & Awarness. This focuses on a very very important instrument MEDICLAIM...and the attitude towards mediclaim of many people is "WE KNOW IT, BUT WE WILL BUY IT LATER".[Q.1] Why it is a MUST ?[ANS.1]: All of us get up every morning, and come to work and after work go back to home.This process willbe continued for atleast 30-35 years. Now as we travel to work (our job = Continuous speaking), again travel back home daily hence we are bound to fall ill someday or other......and sometimes get ADMITTED in Hospital too!! (Kindly do not get annoyed after reading 'HOSPITAL') .So when you or a person of your family gets admitted in Hospital for treatment, then entire family gets griped in tension. Also the complete course of treatment is done as instructed by your Doctor and after the treatment gets over the family gets a BILL !! Which now makes the person paying BILL fall ILL :-)In today's scenario...believe me in any Hospital the Treatment is seriously costly & even one visit to hospital for at least 5-6 days will make a hole in your pocket.So whats the solution to problem......[1.] Do not fall ill (good...but it is not in our hand) [2.] Buy a proper mediclaim policy [It is in our hand].A mediclaim policy not only covers you, but it can cover your entire family (Parents,Spouse,Kids) in case of an unfortunate hospital admission and provides an excellent treatment in a good hospital with maximum reimbursement of bills.Hence the person admitted gets a new WILL....and the person paying BILL does notfall ILL !!!Dear friends we all know the law of nature: LIFE IS UNCERTAIN...AND A MYSTERY. Hence buy a proper mediclaim and have PROACTIVE APPROACH. (Proactive = Getting ready for tackling problem even before it comes).[Q.2] Why people still don't buy it ?[ANS.2] (1.) I do yoga,meditation hence never ever i will fall ill.(2.) I do not want to WASTE money because I don't get anything in return.(3.) I always pray that I will never be admitted to hospital.(4.) Companies take your money, but reject your claim...see company X had rejected 5 claims out of 100.(5.) I don't believe in any kind of Insurance.(6.) Nobody told me...unless anybody tells me only then i will.(7.) I want to....but..."ABHI NAHI BAAD MEIN"...."TEY AATA NAKO...TEY MAAGH" Dear friends....the list is endless, because only EXCUSES have Endless List.Whats the solution then: Take Action...No postponing...Read...google mediclaim companies, call up people and do your homework for adequate cover for FULL FAMILY. BUY it and relax..it is as simple as that.Some Companies I recommend personally:1.] APOLLO-MUNICH2.] STAR HEALTH3.] ICICI LOMBARD GICHence I would now conclude by asking : Now will you buy MEDICLAIM ??HAPPY INVESTING & GOOD HEALTH-Anup Dhannawat
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James Glickenhaus, the Ferrari collector who's commissioning Pininfarina to build him a $3 million bespoke update of the Ferrari P4 over an Enzo chassis, the 612 P4/5, says AutoWeek's sea-mammalian rendering (above) completely missed the mark. He sent us an e-mail this morning to that effect.
The AutoWeek Computer Photo is NOT what this car looks like. It is quite different. They have NOT seen the styling model and their "photo" is a complete guess that is far off.
Whew. Multimillion-dollar mistake averted.
AutoWeek Reveals New P4/5 Prototype [internal]


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Lady Antebellum Get the Ball Rolling on Next Album
It looks like Lady Antebellum fans won't have to wait long for a new record! Less than a year after releasing their latest, the trio share that they are gearing up to start work on another one.
The band's fourth studio album, 'Golden,' was released in May 2013, and just four months later, they released a deluxe version with three additional tracks. But this week, Hillary Scott revealed to the Hartford Courant that they are already thinking about what's next.
"In the next couple of weeks, we're going to start bringing songwriters out to start writing for the next project. I can't tell you 100-percent where we're going, because we're still figuring it out," the Lady A songstress dishes. "It's exploration time. We're going to take our time. We're not going to rush. We're just going to write and be very selective."
Scott says the band had success with 'Golden' by embracing risk and realizing that "when you are pushing yourself to not go back to the same well, you're gonna come up with something different."
And she assures they won't back down with this new record, either.
"We're going to explore what we're not afraid to talk about, [what] we're not afraid to do production-wise," Scott spills. "We're not going to go too far left of the core of who we are, but I definitely think that we're going to see where it's going to take us, and we can always reel ourselves back in."
Perhaps the biggest factor in creating a record to be proud of, Scott divulges, is to trust your instincts. "The songs that stand out are the ones you go back to, over and over and over," she says. "That's my personal litmus test: if I want to go back and listen to it, there's a reason." And with seven No. 1 singles, fans don't seem likely to disagree.
Lady Antebellum are currently on the road on their Take Me Downtown Tour. To check them out live, see a complete list of their upcoming shows here.


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Registration available soon
The term "pesticides" is commonly used as a synonym for plant protection products. However, pesticides is a broader term that also covers products such as biocides, which are intended for non-plant uses to control pests and disease carriers such as insects, rats and mice and do not fall within the remit of EFSA.
Plant protection products are pesticides that are mainly used to keep crops healthy and prevent them from being destroyed by disease and infestation. They include herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, plant growth regulators and repellents.
Plant protection products contain at least one active substance. These substances can be chemicals or micro-organisms, including viruses, that enable the product to perform its action. A major part of EFSA's risk assessment work in the area of plant protection products focuses on these active substances.
EU framework
A large body of EU legislation regulates the marketing and use of plant protection products and their residues in food. Plant protection products cannot be placed on the market or used without prior authorisation. A dual system is in place, under which EFSA evaluates active substances used in plant protection products and Member States evaluate and authorise the products at national level. Plant protection products are principally regulated by framework Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.
All matters related to legal limits for pesticide residues in food and feed are covered by Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. This regulation also contains provisions on official controls of pesticides residues in food of plant and animal origin that may arise from their use in plant protection.
EFSA's role
EFSA gives independent scientific advice to risk managers based on risk assessments. The European Commission and Member States take risk management decisions on regulatory issues, including approval of active substances and setting of legal limits for pesticide residues in food and feed (maximum residue levels, or MRLs).
Before an active substance can be used within a plant protection product in the EU, it must be approved by the European Commission. Active substances undergo an intensive evaluation process before a decision can be made on approval.
EFSA's Pesticides Unit is responsible for the EU peer review of risk assessments of active substances used in plant protection products, in close cooperation with EU Member States. The risk assessment of active substances evaluates whether, when used correctly, these substances are likely to have any direct or indirect harmful effects on human or animal health – for example, through drinking water, food or feed – or on groundwater quality. In addition, the environmental risk assessment aims to evaluate the potential impact on non-target organisms.
The Pesticides Unit also gives scientific advice to the European Commission on possible risks related to the presence of pesticide residues in food treated with plant protection products and makes proposals regarding the setting of MRLs. In addition, the Unit is responsible for preparing the Annual Report on Pesticide Residues in the EU. Furthermore, the Pesticides Unit provides administrative and scientific support to the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR) Panel.
EFSA's Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR) gives scientific advice on issues that cannot be resolved within the peer review of active substances, MRL applications/MRL reviews or when guidance is needed on more generic issues, commonly in the fields of toxicology, ecotoxicology, fate and behaviour and the development of risk assessment practice.
The PPR Panel and the Pesticides Unit have the task of developing and revising scientific methodologies, including guidance documents, for pesticides risk assessment. In this context, EFSA regularly outsources tasks to external organisations to assist with gathering scientific data and information or developing modelling tools. Stakeholder views on new guidance and methodologies are collected through public consultations. The guidance documents provide advice to applicants and Member States on how to conduct a risk assessment for a particular area in the context of the peer review of active substances or national authorisations of plant protection products.
Peer review
Peer review of active substances
Since 2003, EFSA has been responsible for the EU peer review of active substances used in plant protection products. This task is carried out by EFSA's Pesticides Unit following procedures set out in the legislation and the latest scientific standards and methods. EFSA conducts its work in close collaboration with scientific experts from the Member States.
In general, active substances are evaluated through a phased approach:
- An application for approval of an active substance is submitted by the producer of the active substance to a designated rapporteur Member State (RMS), together with a dossier.
- For each substance an initial assessment report is produced by the RMS carrying out the first risk assessment.
- List of available rapporteur Member State assessment reports
- List of available rapporteur Member State assessment Reports (published before 22 September 2014)
- The RMS's risk assessment is peer reviewed by EFSA in cooperation with all Member States.
- EFSA drafts a conclusion on the active substance.
- The European Commission takes a legislative decision whether or not to include the substance in the Union's list of approved active substances.
EFSA is also responsible for the EU peer review of applications for renewal of the approval of active substances. Active substances are generally approved for a period of 10 years, after which it is possible for an applicant to apply for renewal. The application is submitted to an RMS, which provides its initial evaluation in a renewal assessment report (RAR). EFSA then carries out a peer review of the RAR in collaboration with Member States.
Furthermore, EFSA provides scientific assistance for the evaluation of applications concerning "basic substances". Basic substances are, broadly speaking, active substances that are not predominantly used as plant protection products but which may be of value for plant protection. Criteria for their approval are laid down in the framework Regulation.
Finally, EFSA gives its scientific view on confirmatory data. An approval may be made subject to the submission of further confirmatory information, where new requirements have been established during the evaluation or as a result of new scientific and technical knowledge.
The outcome of the peer review and/or other consultation processes is presented in EFSA's conclusions and technical reports.
Maximum residue levels
Maximum levels of pesticide residues in food
Pesticide residues resulting from the use of plant protection products on food or feed crops may pose a risk to public health. For this reason, a comprehensive legislative framework has been established in the European Union which defines rules for the approval of active substances used in plant protection products, the use of plant protection products and for pesticide residues in food.
Maximum residue levels (MRLs) are the upper levels of pesticide residues that are legally permissible in or on food or animal feed, based on good agricultural practice and the lowest consumer exposure necessary to protect vulnerable consumers. They are derived after a comprehensive assessment of the properties of the active substance and the intended use of the pesticide. These legal limits also apply to imported food.
Before an MRL is set or amended – for example, because an applicant requests the authorisation of a new plant protection product – EFSA assesses the residue behaviour of the pesticide and possible consumer health risks from residues in food. Provided that EFSA's risk assessment does not identify any unacceptable risks to consumers, EU-harmonised MRLs are set (Database of MRLs in the EU) and the plant protection product can be authorised.
As well as assessing new MRLs, the Pesticides Unit, in close cooperation with Member States, reviews the scientific basis of existing MRLs and performs consumer risk assessments to ensure they are compliant with current data requirements and are safe for consumers.
The outcome of EFSA's MRL assessments are presented as reasoned opinions.
Chronic (long-term) and acute (short-term) dietary consumer exposure to pesticide residues are estimated using a calculation model developed by EFSA (PRIMo – Pesticide Residue Intake Model). The model is based on national food consumption data and unit weights provided by Member States and implements internationally agreed risk assessment methodologies.
Annual report
Annual Report on Pesticide Residues
Member States are obliged to carry out controls to ensure that food placed on the market is compliant with legal limits. The European monitoring programmes comprise one of the most comprehensive food survey programmes in the world, analysing more than 75,000 food samples for over 600 different pesticides every year.
The Pesticides Unit is responsible for preparing annual reports on the control activities of EU Member States plus the two EEA countries Norway and Iceland. These reports summarise the results of pesticide analyses of food, identify areas of concern regarding compliance with legal limits and assess the exposure of consumers to pesticide residues via food placed on the market. In addition, EFSA provides recommendations on how to make future control programmes more efficient.
- Annual Reports on Pesticide Residues prepared by EFSA.
- From 1996 to 2006 the Annual EU-wide Pesticide Residues Monitoring Reports ;were published by the European Commission.
1. What are pesticide residues?
Pesticide residues are the measurable amounts of active substances – chemicals used to protect plants against disease and pests – and the related metabolites or degradation products that can be found on harvested crops or in foods of animal origin.
2. What is the EFSA pesticides report?
The European Union has a comprehensive legislative framework in place governing the use of pesticides. To ensure high consumer protection, legal limits – known as maximum residue levels (MRLs) – are set on the amount of pesticide residues that can be permitted on food (see question 6). MRLs have been set for more than 500 pesticides in over 370 food products. To ensure that food placed on the market complies with the legal limits, EU Member States carry out control programmes and take samples of various food products, which they test for pesticide residues. This data is analysed and published by EFSA to give an overview of compliance in the EU and the exposure of European consumers to pesticide residues. In addition, EFSA makes recommendations for future monitoring programmes.
3. What is the main finding of the latest report?
Ninety-seven per cent of food samples collected in the European Union in 2014 were found to be free of pesticide residues or to contain traces that fall within legally permitted levels. The figure is derived from 83,000 samples collected from the 28 EU Member States – including, for the first time, Croatia – as well as Iceland and Norway.
4. Who decides which foods and chemicals are analysed?
The report contains two data sets:
- The EU-coordinated programme, under which the European Commission obliges reporting countries to analyse a common list of food products and pesticides. Different groups of food products are analysed in a three-year cycle. The samples are taken randomly to get statistically representative results for the food consumed by European citizens.
- The national control programmes. The scope of these is defined by the individual Member States. The programmes are "risk-based", focusing on those products which are expected to contain residues in concentrations exceeding the legal limits.
The figure of 97% is derived from the combined findings of the two reports. Results from the EU co-ordinated programme, which in 2014 covered 12,850 samples from 12 food products, showed that 98.5% of samples fell within legal limits.
5. What does "free of pesticide residues" mean?
It means that the analysis of the sample failed to detect the presence of quantifiable residues. To be a bit more technical, the pesticide chemicals were not detected in concentrations exceeding the limit of quantification (LOQ). The LOQ is the smallest concentration of a substance that can be quantified with acceptable precision. For most pesticides the LOQ is between 0.01 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg. A concentration of 0.01 mg/kg is roughly equivalent to five teaspoons of sugar diluted in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. In 2014, 53.6% of the samples were found to be free of quantifiable pesticide residues.
6. So where does the figure of 97% come from?
In addition to the 53.6% of samples that were residue-free, 43.4% were found to contain residues that fell within legal limits (i.e. not exceeding the MRLs. See question 1). So, overall, 97% of samples fell within legal limits.
7. How are maximum residue levels (MRLs) set?
Before a pesticide can be approved for use in Europe, the applicant (usually the producer of the pesticide) has to provide a wide range of scientific studies. These should demonstrate that its use will not pose unacceptable risks to consumers (via residues in food), the operator (the farmer or worker using the pesticide) and the environment (by seeping into drinking water or hurting wildlife, for example). The applicant also has to provide studies that enable the expected residue level in the harvested crop to be estimated. EFSA then assesses whether this residue concentration would pose a health risk to consumers. An MRL is set at the lowest level at which the desired protective effect can be achieved. The EU maintains a database of current MRLs.
8. Are MRLs equivalent to toxicological safety levels?
No, MRLs are not primarily toxicological safety limits. They are set at a level that does not pose a risk to consumers, but they also reflect the minimum level of a pesticide that can be used to achieve effective plant protection i.e. to keep crops healthy and prevent them from being destroyed as a consequence of disease and infestation. MRLs are often set at levels far below toxicological limits. Furthermore, the presence of pesticides in food at a level exceeding the MRL does not necessarily imply a safety concern.
9. What about food that contains residues from more than one pesticide?
Residues of more than one pesticide were found in 28.3% of samples for the 2014 report. The presence of multiple residues does not constitute non-compliance with MRL legislation as long as individual pesticides do not exceed legal limits. However, products with multiple residues should be assessed carefully by the national authorities (for example, are combinations of pesticides being used deliberately to circumvent MRL limits on single substances?). EFSA did not consider cumulative risk assessment in its latest report because it is currently finalising a tool for assessing cumulative exposure to multiple pesticides. The tool is being piloted to investigate the cumulative effects of pesticides on the nervous system and the thyroid. The results will be published in 2019.
10. Are there differences between samples taken from goods produced within the EU and those from outside?
1.6% of samples sourced from within the EU/EEA countries were found to contain residues that exceeded permitted levels. Among samples from third countries the figure was 6.5%, a slight increase on 2013 (5.7%). Of the 3,265 samples that exceeded the legal limit in the 2014 collection, 1,253 concerned pesticides not approved or no longer approved in the EU. Most of these cases (957) involved imported products.


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With the exception of the big Final Fatasy XIII announcement, few JRPGs have been on display here at E3. That's something that Namco-Bandai seems poised to capitalize on in a big way. Though Soul Calibur IV drew the most attention at the company's private press meeting room, it was the company's two Tales Of titles that really caught my eye.
The premier title in the famous Japanese RPG series, which has become increasingly popular here in North America, was the Xbox 360 exclusive title Tales of Vesperia. Vesperia was pretty much ready to ship on the floor. Combat was as fast and fun as ever, and the ability to easily move around the 3D battlefield in real-time made positioning during combat more crucial than it had been in the past. But the game still feels like a classic Tales title: fun real-time combat, after-battle cooking (which has been streamlined), character asides, and four-player local co-op all make an appearance. Those interested in the title, which will hit store shelves on August 26, can check out the demo on Xbox Live Marketplace now.
The other entry to the series on display was Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World, a Wii follow-up to the Gamecube classic Tales of Symphonia that will arrive on August 7. While Vesperia may be playing it safe and taking few risks, Dawn adds a significant new feature to the action of the original Symphonia title. Players will now be able to trap monsters and enlist them in their parties, adding a Pokemon-like vibe to the game. Creatures level up and gain skills just like normal characters and, when used effectively, can be devastating in battle.
In addition, a new element-based battlefield system plays a pivotal role in this system. It allows users to manipulate the element of the battlefield to adjust damage taken and received by spells and spell-casters. Players will need to make use of various spells and abilities to change the battlefield in order to capture monsters. Again, the game looked like it was ready to ship.
Not to leave the PS3 stranded, the company was also happy to announce that Eternal Sonata—a game I hold dear to my heart—is scheduled to hit Western shores this holiday, with brand new content in the form of new characters and additional story sequences.
While Square-Enix remains preoccupied with the DS and its strange pet projects, it seems like Namco-Bandai is anxious to fill the JRPG void for Western gamers. And I'm not going to complain; as a huge fan of its series, I'm anxious to play more. Watch out for more coverage on both titles leading up to and following release.


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Tammy has a very nice post up about her mother. Please check it out. If you have written something and I missed it please leave me a note so I can read it and link to you here.
As March is Womans History month you still have plenty of time to honor one special woman.
Here are some links for you to check out this month.
Jasia, at CreativeGene, has a couple of great posts. First there is her Women's History Challenge. She makes a great case for all of us to write something:
Because women were often at home taking care of the children while the men folk were out back in the garage inventing cars, or far away from home marching across battlefields, they often weren't in positions to accomplish noteworthy things... except for an exceptional few. But their lives were impacted by the events around them and they in turn impacted the lives of their husbands and children in the course of everyday life. This month we have a chance to honor women, not only the ones whose accomplishments have made headlines but the ordinary and extraordinary women in our own family histories as well.
She also has a great post about the Womens History Project with lots of information and links.
Carol is sharing a year in the life of her grandmother, not just in March but all year long. If you're not already reading the Ruth Campbell Smith Diaries go over and take a peek into the day to day life of a mother in 1926.
Becky, at kinnexions, has a whole list of wonderful Womens History links posted here.
Maggiemac, at Civil War Women has been writing about women in the Civil War for awhile now and has dozens of short biographical stories for you to chose from.


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Diagnostic Imaging: Orthopaedics
Amirsys, 2004 - Medical - 992 pages
Authored by one of the acknowledged leaders and preeminent teachers in musculoskeletal radiology, this innovative text is certain to become the new standard among orthopaedic diagnostic imaging references. The first volume in the new Diagnostic Imaging Series from Amirsys and Saunders, it features a templated, full-color format that makes finding information much easier. Each chapter presents all of the information readers need to pinpoint a diagnosis. Coverage of each entity addresses Clinical Presentation · Pathologic Features · Imaging Findings for the appropriate modalities · and Differential Diagnosis lists. In addition, each chapter has detailed anatomic drawings in full color, an extensive image case gallery, and a visual "thumbnail" differential diagnosis. Numerous surgical, gross and histologic pathology photographs are included. No other musculoskeletal imaging text is as comprehensive and user-friendly. The unique bulleted format provides efficient reading, with the same information in the same place-every time! It's as if an expert has done the highlighting for you!
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Medical Boook Diagnostic Imaging OrthopedicsUser Review - tsmmd - Overstock.com
Best deal anywhere on the premier radiology text on musculoskeletal imaging. New shrinkwrapped quality. Prompt nohassle service. No downside to this deal! Read full review
Enchondroma 818
Olecranon Fracture 264
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acromion arrow arthritis arthrography Arthroscopic articular cartilage associated Avascular necrosis avulsion Axial FS PD Bankart Best diagnostic clue Best imaging tool bone bursa bursitis capsule chondral chronic CLINICAL ISSUES Presentation common signs/symptoms Coronal FS PD Coronal graphic shows cyst degenerative DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST Consider DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS displacement disruption distal dorsal edema femoral head FINDINGS General Features fragment FS PD FSE FSE MR shows glenohumeral ligament glenoid History & Prognosis Hyperintense IMAGE GALLERY Typical Imaging Findings Imaging Recommendations impingement increased signal intensity injury instability intermediate signal joint labral tear lateral lateral meniscus marrow edema medial meniscus Morphology muscle nerve Osteoarthritis osteochondral osteophytes pain partial tear patellar path comments Pathologic & Surgical PATHOLOGY General Features patient Protocol advice proximal radial Radiographic rotator cuff rotator cuff tear shoulder SLAP lesion soft tissue subchondral subscapularis supraspinatus Surgical Features syndrome synovial synovium T1WI T2WI tendinosis tenosynovitis Thickened Top Differential Diagnoses trauma tuberosity ulnar


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today is a big day for this little blog of mine.
i'm excited to announce my very first website!
[mental snap shot for the baby book]
pinch me,,,,this can't be real!
please take a few minutes to check out the new www.gracefullymadedesigns.com and bookmark, star, or sticky my new blog address: www.gracefullymadedesigns.com/blog.
i'm so excited about this new adventure for Gracefully Made Designs,
and i can't wait for you to come along with me! :)