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The following article below was originally published by the Return to the Source news blog:
January 11, 2013
True, we have a higher gun violence level, but overall, muggings, stabbing, deaths — those men raped that woman to India to death with an iron rod 4 feet long. You can't ban the iron rods. The guns, the iron rods, Piers, didn't do it, the tyrants did it. Hitler took the guns, Stalin took the guns, Mao took the guns, Fidel Castro took the guns, Hugo Chavez took the guns, and I'm here to tell you, 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms! It doesn't matter how many lemmings you get out there in the street begging for them to have their guns taken. We will not relinquish them. Do you understand?
– Alex Jones on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight, 1/7/13
Of all the most common arguments used by the Right in the US to defend their helter skelter view of the Second Amendment, none stands more dishonest than their indictment of socialist leaders like Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Fidel Castro as 'tyrants who take guns'.
The argument goes something like this. First, throw out the names of some political leaders demonized in the United States. Second, claim that they banned guns and confiscated firearms from the population and that this act more than anything else facilitated their rise to power. Finally, liken gun control advocates and liberals to these leaders and argue that regulation of gun ownership is a slippery slope towards 'tyranny.'
Incidentally, this argument has gotten a lot more press coverage in the last week. The now-infamous Alex Jones-Piers Morgan interview was only outdone by a Drudge Report headline from January 9th, which featured pictures of Stalin and Hitler above a caption that read, "White House Threatens Executive Orders on Guns."
It's all nonsense, of course, starting with the premise that the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler, warrior of the highest escalations of capital, has anything in common with revolutionary leaders like Stalin, Mao, Castro, and Chavez. Then there's the bloated death totals we hear quite often in the corporate media and Western academia, parroted most recently by Jones, who claimed that Mao "killed about 80 million people because he's the only guy who had the guns."
However, a closer examination of the historical record reveals that the entire argument is based on distortions or outright falsehoods. Guns were not summarily banned in any of these countries – including Nazi Germany, as a matter of historical note. Although firearm ownership took a distinctly different form than the Wild Wild West policies in the United States, which favor individual rights and vigilante justice over social and class rights, guns remained an important part of defending socialism from imperialist aggression.
Before we go any further, I want to make one point very clear: Return to the Source has already published a piece on the Marxist position on gun control, to which people ought to refer back. We have no interest in defending liberals and gun control advocates like Piers Morgan, whose position is just as much a part of bourgeois class oppression as the right-wing's gun fanaticism. We also have no interest in beating a dead horse by calling attention to Alex Jones' bizarre antics and combative demeanor.
Instead, our focus is on the allegations that socialist government is predicated on the confiscation of firearms. History runs completely counter to this claim by the right-wing, and the record in most socialist countries reflects that the people generally retained the right to bear arms socially as a class, while also retaining benign individual gun rights related to hunting and sports.
Let's start with Cuba. If Fidel Castro's goal was to confiscate all private firearms in Cuba, one has to conclude from the data that he's done a poor job. According to GunPolicy.org, there are an estimated 545,000 privately owned guns held by civilians in Cuba, meaning that approximately 4.8 people per 100 own guns. It's not as high as the staggering 88.8 guns per person in the US – a grossly inflated statistic that doesn't account for at least 48% of all gun owners having more than four guns – but it patently disproves the assertion by Alex Jones, the Drudge Report, and the right-wing fanatics that "Fidel Castro took the guns."
Of course, there are regulations for firearm ownership in Cuba, but even this reflects the very different meaning of 'the right to bear arms' in a socialist country. Chapter 1, Article 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba enshrines this right:
"When no other recourse is possible, all citizens have the right to struggle through all means, including armed struggle, against anyone who tries to overthrow the political, social and economic order established in this Constitution."
At first glance, this horrifies the gun fanatics, who argue that one only has the right to bear arms in Cuba if they are doing so in defense of the existing government. Indeed, that is exactly the case. Arms for hunting and personal protection in some cases are allowed, again according to GunPolicy.org, but the chief function of the right to bear arms in a socialist country is to defend the class power of the workers.
The lunacy of the anti-communist gun argument is accentuated further though by a look at Cuban history. After taking power on January 1, 1959, Castro and the July 26th Movement set to work expropriating the property held by oligarchs, corporations, wealthy land owners, and bankers in Cuba. This angered the US and those elements loyal to the Batista government, who sought to restore capitalism to Cuba through an invasion. Castro, well-aware at the foreign plots to bring down the Cuban revolution, "universally armed all of its workers, including women, for the defense of their country," according to the Cuba History Archive.
Castro put it this way in a 1960 speech entitled 'Establishing Revolutionary Vigilance in Cuba'. After a bomb went off nearby the place he was speaking, Castro defiantly proclaimed, "For every little bomb the imperialists pay for, we arm at least 1,000 militiamen!" His words received thunderous applause.
To best exercise the right to bear arms collectively in defense of the revolution, the Cuban people organized themselves and formed popular citizens militias to defend themselves and the revolution, which was immediately under attack. After US planes bombed three Cuban sugar mills in October 1959, "Cubans form[ed] a popular militia" to rebuild. By September 1960, the CIA was funding rogue forces within Cuba to sabotage industry and stage terrorist attacks aimed at bringing down Castro's government. The people responded in the form of popular citizens militias again, who promptly put down the imperialist-instigated unrest.
From the same speech, Castro described the role of these militias, which would later go on to form the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, as follows:
"The imperialists and their lackeys will not be able to make a move. They are dealing with the people, and they do not know yet the tremendous revolutionary power of the people. Therefore, new steps must be taken in the organization of the militia. Militia battalions will be created throughout Cuba. Each man for each weapon will be selected. A structure will be given to the entire mass of militiamen so that as soon as possible our combat units will be perfectly formed and trained."
Of course, the largest and most trying test for the new revolutionary government and the Cuban people was the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, organized by Eisenhower and executed by Kennedy. An armed band of Cuban exiles were to invade Cuba from the Bay of Pigs, establish a foothold in the country, and with US military support, create "a new Cuban government under U.S. direction." The Cuban History Archive describes the initial moments of the invasion:
Shortly before 3 a.m. on Monday morning, a civilian member of the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution spots the U.S. warships, just yards off the Cuban shores. Less than 20 minutes later, the entire Cuban government is informed about the invasion, and their response is immediate. Castro tirelessly coordinates defense of the island; first the civilian population is immediately alerted about the invasion: for the past months the Cuban government had begun an aggressive program of giving weapons to the entire Cuban population and training their people in basic military tactics to defend the island in case of invasion.
Coordinating with the newly assembled Cuban Armed Forces, the armed Cuban populace repelled the US invaders handily. A pledge of support by the Soviet Union discouraged Kennedy from fully committing to US air support for the rebels. When Kennedy did finally authorize overt US military intervention, it was too late. One last time, we look to the Cuban History Archive:
All planned support by the U.S. Air Force is called off, and the 2506 Brigade is left stranded to fend for itself in Cuba. The battle was going poorly for the U.S. invaders, not able to gain an inch on the beach they had been deserted. In the face of utter defeat, Kennedy continues to maintain that the U.S. is not involved in the invasion. After two days of intense fighting, Kennedy momentarily reverses his previous decision with his stomach full of regret, and orders the U.S. Air Force to assist the invasion force in what way they can. Four American pilots are killed, shot down by people who months ago had known little more about the world than harvesting sugar.
Let's call it what it is: the Alex Jones/Drudge Report argument against gun control is a flat-out lie. The Cuban people were widely and universally armed, and they received their guns from Castro's government, no less.
Jones was right about one point, though. Guns and an armed population were essential to resisting the rise of tyranny. Without an armed population, there's a chance that the Bay of Pigs invasion would have re-installed the corrupt, mafioso Batista regime for the profit of US corporations and banks. Instead, the Cuban people exercised their right to bear arms collectively – thus democratically – and defended the Cuban Revolution, free from foreign rule or dominance. They were successful, and their experience is a testament to the role of guns in a socialist society.
This isn't uniquely true to Cuba, either. The People's Socialist Republic of Albania's Constitutionguaranteed the right of its citizens to own firearms, for which military training was a necessity. Even before the right was enshrined in the 1976 Constitution, Chairman Enver Hoxha said this in a 1968 conversation with Ecuadorian leaders:
"All our people are armed in the full meaning of the word. Every Albanian city-dweller or villager, has his weapon at home. Our army itself, the army of a soldier people, is ready at any moment to strike at any enemy or coalition of enemies. The youth, too, have risen to their feet. Combat readiness does not in any way interfere with our work of socialist construction. On the contrary, it has given a greater boost to the development of the economy and culture in our country."
In her book Albania Defiant, Jan Myrdal describes the tremendous scale to which Socialist Albania armed its people:
The entire Albanian people are armed, but the navy, the air force, and armored units are—naturally enough—not particularly strong. In May 1961 the Soviet leaders tried to undermine Albania's defenses by giving their officers orders to steal Albania's eight submarines. Naturally, this theft irritated the Albanians. But it hardly undermined Albania's defenses, which are based on the ability of its totally armed population to defend its mountains.
Chinese support is important, but crucial to Albania's defense is that the entire Albanian people are armed, have weapons. There are weapons in every village. Ten minutes after the alarm sounds, the entire population of a village must be ready for combat. There has never been any shortage of weapons in Albania, but never have the people been as armed as they are today. (Source)
Other socialist states like the former Yugoslavia and nationalist states like Libya guaranteed widespread gun ownership. In the Soviet Union and the other Warsaw Pact countries, military-grade education that included the assembly and use of guns was mandatory for all students in middle school onward, according to Joseph S. Roucek's October 1960 article, 'Special Features of USSR's Secondary Education'.
The People's Republic of Poland went a step further and maintained a citizens militia called Milicja Obywatelska until its fall in 1990, which any citizen could join and receive indoor firearm training and bear arms. Some kind of collective outlet for gun use and ownership existed in most socialist countries, not unlike Cuba's own Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. Like all capitalist countries, the socialist countries adopted different laws and had different levels of regulation, but the overarching trend was that the right to bear arms was to be exercised socially and collectively. While this won't satisfy the cravings of fanatics like Jones, it provides leftists with a more democratic way of understanding the right to bear arms.
Different material conditions require different responses, though. Jones' claim that Venezuela has "taken the guns" under Hugo Chavez is dishonest for a number of reasons. It is true that Venezuela has discontinued the legal right of citizens to purchase firearms from state manufacturers for private use, but this came after international outrage at the unusually high murder rate in the South American country, with nearly 18,000 murders annually. About 70% of murders in South America are linked to guns – versus just 25% in Western Europe – so the Venezuelan government has taken the logical step of ending the widespread sale of firearms to curb crime.
Will it work? Time will tell. The point, though, is that Chavez didn't "take the guns" to consolidate 'tyranny'. In fact, he's stood for eight elections, most recently in October 2012; an elections process that former US President Jimmy Carter called "the best in the world."
All of it goes to say that Alex Jones and the Drudge Report are guilty of outright falsifications. It's not that we expect better from these two fringe right-wing sources, but we are concerned that many people will hear these outlandish claims and associate socialism with gun control.
The right to bear arms means something different in socialist countries, but it still exists. Instead of the individual bourgeois right as it exists in the US – resulting in the vigilante murder of Black and Latino people from Reconstruction to the present day – gun ownership becomes a social right of the working class to exercise in defense of the revolution. And regardless of the lies and distortions that the right-wing puts out, that socialist exercise of the right to bear arms makes it a fundamentally more democratic right than we have in the US.


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Sign up for news from Mark Onspaugh (we won't over-do, sell or share - we promise!)
New From Severed Press and Mark Onspaugh
Kua'Mau: Kaiju Mother of Wrath
The Spider Islands. A mysterious ship has completed a treacherous journey to this hidden island chain. Their mission: to capture the legendary monster, Kua'Mau. Thinking they are successful, they sail back to the United States, where the terrifying creature will be displayed at a new luxury casino in Las Vegas. But the crew has made a horrible mistake - they did not trap Kua'Mau, they took her offspring. Now hot on their heels comes a living nightmare, a two hundred foot, one hundred ton tentacled horror, Kua'Mau, Kaiju Mother of Wrath, who will stop at nothing to safeguard her young. As she tears across California heading towards Vegas, she leaves a monumental body-count in her wake, and not even the U. S. military or private black ops can stop this city-crushing, havoc-wreaking monstrous mother of all Kaiju as she seeks her revenge.
Also from Mark Onspaugh and Severed Press!
When a NASA probe crashes in the California desert releasing toxic spores, an unholy plague is unleashed, creating an army of walking dead that cannot be stopped. Tom Meyers has seen these horrors first-hand, as the girl he loves is torn apart and devoured and dead friends return to scratch at his door. Now Tom with a motley band of brothers must fight their way to a rumored haven in the North. As they travel the countryside filled with the rotting and ravenous dead, they find themselves immersed in a perilous new world where people will do anything to survive.
Read an interview with Mark by Anthony Servante on the literature of the Undead
hydra announces onspaugh's
DEBUt novel the faceless one
From a brilliant new voice in dark fantasy comes a riveting nightmare of ancient evil unleashed—and the bravery and sacrifice of those called to combat it.
Advance Praise:
"A stunning debut . . . With The Faceless One, Mark Onspaugh has given us a chilling dark fantasy with an Alaskan shamanic backdrop. The beauty of this weird world is as profound as its terror. I could not turn these pages fast enough!" Janet Fitch, author of White Oleander and Paint It Black
"Mark Onspaugh's writing captures that same eye-popping strangeness I loved so much in the works of Charles Beaumont and Fritz Leiber. The Faceless One is classic horror from an author who has earned his stripes and knows how to scare you blind." Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of Dead City and The Savage Dead
"Spine-tingling . . . Onspaugh has swirled together the elements of great storytelling: odyssey, myth, duty, loss of innocence." Ensuing Chapters
"The story line grabs you around the throat and keeps your eyes on the book. . . . Are you ready to go on a road trip with a demon? Get a copy and dig in." Journey of a Bookseller
more about the book:
In 1948, when he was just a boy, Jimmy Kalmaku trained with his uncle to be the shaman of his Tlingit village in Alaska. There he learned the old legends, the old myths, the old secrets. Chief among them was that of a mask locked in a prison of ice, and of the faceless god imprisoned within: a cruel and vengeful god called T'Nathluk, dedicated to the infliction of pain and suffering.
Now all but forgotten in a Seattle retirement home where his only bright spot is his friendship with George Watters, Jimmy finds his life turned upside down. For when an unwitting archaeologist pries the mask free of its icy tomb, he frees T'Nathluk as well. Stuck in spirit form, the Faceless One seeks a human to serve as a portal through which he can enter our reality. The Faceless One can control—and mercilessly torture—anyone who touches the mask, which means there is no shortage of slaves to ferry it across the country to its chosen host.
Yet the Faceless One has foes as well: Stan Roberts, a tough New York cop whose pursuit of justice will lead him into a dark abyss of the soul; Steven, Liz, and Bobby, the family of the doomed archaeologist; and Jimmy Kalmaku, who must at last become the shaman of his boyhood dreams.
Pre-order now at Hydra for a variety of ebook platforms
Read a short essay by Mark on The Allure of the Older Hero
Watch the Trailer!
Mark Onspaugh is a California native and the author of over forty published short stories. Like many writers, he is perpetually curious, having studied psychology at UCLA, exotic animals at Moorpark College's EATM program, improv comedy with the Groundlings and special effects makeup. Mark has also written for film and television. He currently lives in Cambria, California with his wife and two peculiar cats. THE FACELESS ONE is his first novel.
February 2013
Dark Valentines now available on Amazon in print & for Kindle
Always fresh and original, Mark Onspaugh, author of the popular new "Christmas Ghost Stories," brings us another thematically organized collection in his new book "Dark Valentines." Unexpected twists on the classic themes of love, loss, passion and horror are included in this bouquet of old and new offerings from Onspaugh's fertile imagination.
Among the previously published stories are "The Broken Hand Mirror of Venus," nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize, "A Sweet Girl for Todd" a lonelyhearts tale that exposes the dark side of the tanning industry, and the hauntingly heartbreaking "Song of Absent Birds," which explores the true meaning of love in the post-apocalypse.
New stories include the sweepingly timeless romance of "Let My Love Carry Me Home," a few comedic turns such as "Cupid Versus Dracula" and three new Red Lion fairy tales which readers of Christmas Ghost Stories have loved so much.
Whether intended as a treat for your nearest and dearest or just a delicious indulgence of your own, the thirteen tales of "Dark Valentines" offer a sumptuous feast for readers of new adult fiction.
Christmas Ghost Stories - a collection of winter tales
No Christmas stocking will be complete without the "scary ghost stories and tales of the glories Of Christmases long, long ago" promised by this tantalizing collection of dark, fantastical and romantic "winter tales" from the pen of writer Mark Onspaugh.
Sometimes funny, sometimes scary and occasionally bittersweet, this collection of Christmas ghost stories is perfect fare for sharing aloud by the fire or cuddling with someone (or something!) toasty on a moonless December night.
Featuring well over a dozen stories which can be read alone or sewn together, Onspaugh's original Christmas Ghost Stories entertain with supernatural flights of fancy, mysterious creatures and four interwoven fairy tales from the shadowy Black Forest.
Nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize, writer Onspaugh is delighted to have been compared to his favorite authors Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. He has several new collections of short stories and a novel Kushtaka coming soon.
Advanced praise for Christmas Ghost Stories:
"Mark Onpaugh's sixteen ghostly Christmas tales make the ideal read for filling cozy winter evenings with delectable shivers and chills. So pour your eggnog and settle in by the fire for a jolly haunted night!"
Janet Fitch, author, White Oleander and Paint It Black
"How do you know you're reading a Mark Onspaugh short story? I'll tell you. You'll laugh. Your skin will chill and crawl. You'll find yourself marveling that a writer can do so much so very well, all the while moving with a screenwriter's sense of pace and economy of words. But most importantly, you'll find yourself by turns surprised by love, warmed by the comforts of family, terrified by madness, and struck numb by sudden agony. Comparisons to Ray Bradbury will be, I think, inevitable…and far from out of place. Onspaugh is a gift to all lovers of the weird, and this book, a perfect sampling of his extensive range. Spend an evening this winter season with this collection and I know you'll thrill to it just as I did."
Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author, Flesh Eaters and Inheritance
"Reading this book is like finding blood at the bottom of your glass of egg nog. You start off with something tasty and familiar and then everything goes to hell! Mark Onspaugh has taken all that is good and holy about Christmas and turned it into something terrifying -- the way it should be!"
JW Schnarr, award-winning journalist and author, Alice & Dorothy
"Whether you've been naughty or nice, these stories are a welcome holiday gift. Like snowflakes, they are uniquely individual adding up to a storm of pleasure that should jingle your bells!
Harvey Jacobs, author, Side Effects and American Goliath
"With Christmas Ghost Stories, Mark Onspaugh gives us stories full of longing, regret, and fear to while away those winter nights. There's even the occasional dash of whimsy, and the sudden hammer strike of horror waiting for when you least expect it. Onspaugh's collection runs the gamut of human emotions and will keep you enthralled until the last page is turned."
L.L. Soares, author of Life Rage and Rock 'N' Roll
2011: Onspaugh nominated for a Pushcart Prize
Mark's story "The Broken Hand Mirror of Venus" from War of the Worlds: Frontlines (ed. by JW Schnarr) has been nominated for a prestigious Pushcart Prize which bestows honors on America's best small presses. Read more (This story is now included in the collection Dark Valentines!)
NEW: Read an excellent Q&A with Mark from One Buck Horror, publishers of his
poignant story "A Lullaby for Caliban", which they compare to Bradbury and King.
NEW: Voice artist Ian McMillan reads Mark's story "Welcome to the Federation"
free download
BLOOD LITE II - in stores now
Mark writes on Facebook, "My story 'A Sweet Girl for Todd' appears in Blood Lite 2: Overbite, edited by Kevin J. Anderson. It's a collection of humorous horror from some really talented people... and me! Look for it wherever actual books are (still) sold!"
Mark is also in the original Blood Lite - and he will soon be in the next Blood Lite III - a rare triple hitter for this popular series produced by the Horror Writers Association! see his author page at Amazon for more of his books & stories
Kill Katie Malone
Watch the the official trailer for the Onspaugh penned film "Kill Katie Malone" ~ now represented by American World Pictures.
It showed to good insider buzz at the DGA and the European Film Market at the Berlinale in 2010.
It showed to good insider buzz at the DGA and the European Film Market at the Berlinale in 2010.
See this link for pics & comments with director Carlos Ramos Jr. in Fangoria
fun wrap party pix
works in progress/projects
Mark's family friendly script "My Summer As A Superhero" is under option with Greg Feldman of Etosha Films, and he continues to work on several new projects while seeking representation.
In the fiction category, Mark is thrilled to announce his new holiday collections - Christmas Ghost Stories and Dark Valentines - have been followed by the science fiction Tales From Tomorrow. Up next: the creature collection A Mayhem of Monsters and the undead collection Z is for Zombies. These will be arriving later in 2015, under the umbrella of his own new publishing imprint Dark Ride Media. He is also at work on several more novels for Severed Press.
In 2011 - 2013, Mark wrote a series of television and TV movie reviews for Cinema Knife Fights. You can read the collection of his commentary online under the Remote Outpost heading.
In 2011, he was honored to have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize for his work with Northern Frights. In the past three plus years, Mark has sold more than four dozen short stories and an academic essay on slasher films. Some of those stories are being re-packaged now in collections of his work, along with new material.
Finally, he is collaborating with Joe McKinney on a horror anthology, The Forsaken, for his new imprint, Dark Ride Media. It will be somewhat similar to Joe's earlier zombie anthology Dead Set for which Joe is the co-editor and in which Mark also has a story. See a short promo below....


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Re: Multiple Line coloring and Dashing in ListPlot
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg131429] Re: Multiple Line coloring and Dashing in ListPlot
- From: Bill Rowe <readnews at sbcglobal.net>
- Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2013 06:01:46 -0400 (EDT)
- Delivered-to: email@example.com
- Delivered-to: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Delivered-to: email@example.com
- Delivered-to: firstname.lastname@example.com
On 7/3/13 at 5:01 AM, graser at gmail.com (graser) wrote: >I have a question about the coloring and dashing lines in listplot. >For example, Let's say there is a multiple data set like data = >Table[RandomReal[{2 i, 2 i + 1}, {20}], {i, 9}]; >I want to plot them in listplot or listloglogplot with all different >color and all different dashing with (joined -> True). How can I do >it automatically or minimum option? Here is an example of a list plot which has different dashing and different colors data = Table[RandomReal[{2 i, 2 i + 1}, {20}], {i, 3}]; ListPlot[data, Joined -> True, PlotStyle -> {{Red, Dashing[.01]}, {Green, Dashing[.015]}, {Blue, Dashing[.02]}}, Frame -> True] Here, I have reduce the number of lines to be plotted for clarity. You could replace the specific hard coded plot styles with a list generated using Table, i.e., something like styles=Table[{Hue[1/n],Dashing[5 n/1000]},{n,3}]; data = Table[RandomReal[{2 i, 2 i + 1}, {20}], {i, 3}]; ListPlot[data, Joined -> True, PlotStyle -> styles, Frame -> True] >The default number of coloring >in mathematica (I am in still 8) is 4. after that, it repeat same >color. Actually, version 8 does not repeat the same color after 4. But the first color and 5 color with the default colors are quite similar and difficult to distinguish. By default the first color is In[9]:= ColorData[1][1] Out[9]= RGBColor[0.2472,0.24,0.6] and the fifth color is: In[10]:= ColorData[1][5] Out[10]= RGBColor[0.24,0.353173,0.6] A way to avoid this issue is to use one of the named color schemes such as "Rainbow". See guide/ColorSchemes in the documentation center. But do note for this to be visually effective you need to map number of colors you want over the range of 0 to 1. In fact, the short snippet of code I show above for creating a list of styles using Table is fine for 3 colors but will not be visually effective for a large number of colors. There will be very little visual difference between Hue[1/n] and Hue[1/(n+1)] when n gets large.


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As last night's season premiere illustrated, polygamist Bill Henrickson's got 99 problems and a bitch ain't one—more like three or four of them. Also filling his plate were crab legs, a casino, Kenny Rogers, and his father-in-law's corpse.
Let's do a quick recap of where everyone stood at the end of last season. Bill married a fourth wife but then she left him; his brother Joey married a second wife, but then she died in an accident caused by her hair and Roman Grant; Joey murdered Roman; Bill and his second wife Nicki broke up, but he took her back; Nicki reconnected with the teenage daughter no one knew she had; Bill's daughter Sarah got engaged; Bill's son Ben developed feelings for Margene, Bill's third wife; Margene started a home shopping empire; Bill's first wife Barb was officially excommunicated from the LDS; and Bill decided to start a formal church to give his family the rituals and traditions that people seem to like about organized religion.
This new season also introduced a new opening sequence. Instead of Bill and his three wives ice-skating and eating dinner in the celestial kingdom, they are now floating and falling through blackness, grasping for one another. The significance of this has to do with the Mormon belief of outer darkness, which is essentially their version of hell. Only those who have committed blasphemy—an unpardonable sin—will be cast into the outer darkness, and they'll have to remain there for eternity because they won't be receiving an invitation into the kingdom of glory after Judgment Day. Barb was super afraid and upset that the LDS basically sentenced her to outer darkness after they excommunicated her, which is one of the reasons why Bill decided to start his own church. The new opening sequence suggests that the Henricksons are in outer darkness, but they're there together, and being together in the afterlife was their idea of heaven anyway. It's either that or I'm reading too much into it and Big Love producers just couldn't afford to use that Beach Boys song anymore.
So Bill has founded a new church and his congregation seems to be comprised only of his family and the family of Don, his Home Plus business partner. Don, Bill and Bill's son Benny are the holders of priesthood, and together act as the church's quorum. (If you remember, Benny has told his parents that he's totally into the idea of polygamy and wants to practice it in adulthood.)
Ben also started a Christian rock band.
He's so Johnny Bravo.
Alby, of course, is still homosexual, and has abandoned his truck stop bathroom trysts for Gaywatch. This is going to come back and bite him in the ass—figuratively, and if he's lucky, literally—because the guy he picked up while cruising the park turns out to be a lawyer who is working on dissolving the UEB trust. It's not likely that Alby will ever come out of the closet, not so much because it's against the religion he's practicing, but because he's only really practicing the religion as a means to gain power and control. Those cravings—stemming from his inferiority complex—have a much stronger hold over him than any sexual desires.
Gay guys and musical acts aside, the most compelling characters on the show are the women. Despite the fact that they are following a religion that uses patriarchy as its building blocks, is rife with double standards, and requires total submission to male authority and priesthood, it's clear that the women only view these as obstacles to work around, finding their own ways to manipulate—and ultimately determine the outcome of—situations. Having to constantly be on their toes and scheming has made them sharper, smarter, and more competent than their male counterparts. Nicki, her mother Adaleen, and Bill's mother Lois are prime examples of this, but even more so is Nicki's daughter Cara Lynn.
Nicki recognized herself in Cara Lynn, who wants to go to school and have something a little more than what was being offered to her on the compound. Despite her lack of a comprehensive education, Cara Lynn scored highly on her aptitude tests. However, when Cara Lynn's father showed up to fetch his daughter, Cara Lynn told him that she doesn't like living with the Henricksons and will eventually return to the compound with him. She might actually really dislike living with her new family, but I think it's unlikely that she will return to the compound. It seems more like she was taking a page from her mother's book of survival techniques by telling her father what he wanted to hear with no plans to do anything else except exactly what she wants.
It's not that these women truly think they aren't valuable or resourceful. They've just been told so often that they're supposed to believe in this irrelevance that they blindly repeat it without understand the meaning. Kinda like Lois' parrots.
How awesome was Mary Kay Place in this episode?
More awesome than a BLT.
Things are so weird at the compound. There's a dead prophet hidden in the freezer and contraband hidden in the fridge.
BTW, what is the deal with Alby's wife's false lashes? Secondly, she might not be clued into the fact that she's married to a gay guy, but she's well aware that she's married to a halfwit.
So do you think that a large part of the show's budget was spent on that Madame Tussauds reject of Harry Dean Stanton? They made sure it popped up every few minutes. It had movable eyelids. I couldn't help but make a gif of him, like one of those lenticular Jesus portraits in which the eyes open and close.
Did you notice Kenny Rogers' cameo via cardboard cutout? It was almost as realistic as Roman's corpse. The subplot involved Kenny being unable to make it to the opening of the casino, so Ben's Christian rock band performed instead.
This might be over-analyzing things a bit, but I couldn't help but think that when Barb said, "Benny, take care of Cara Lynn," it was a foreshadowing. After all, Ben does believe in polygamy…and he doesn't really understand who he is and isn't supposed to be attracted to, incest-wise. Do you think that Cara Lynn will recognize this, and marry Ben as a way to not have to return to Kansas with her father?
We'll have to wait and see, but for now, what we know for sure, is that nobody in Utah eats salmon.


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For as long as landscaping and irrigation have been an industry, trucks of all sorts have been that industry's preferred mode of transportation. After all, how else are you to get those skid steers and mowers around from site to site?
Pickup trucks offer contractors a comfortable and practical way to haul equipment or carry crewmembers, and can serve as pretty practical personal vehicles during off hours. And chassis cabs can support hundreds of pounds of debris, wrapped in a steel metal enclosure to keep those loose bits of green waste from flying out of the vehicle. They can also be customized in a variety of styles.
Whether you want to install shelves to hold smaller tools, or attach a trailer to the back of the vehicle to haul equipment separately, you can literally transform your truck into a veritable "warehouse on wheels." And the attachments trucks are able to fit are manifold. Just think of how easy it is to attach a lift bucket to the truck to reach those tall trees, or to attach a plow during the winter when snow removal could mean good profits during an otherwise slow season.
Simply put, it would be impossible to service customers efficiently without trucks. They are to the contractors what tool boxes are to the handy man. But deciding on what kind of truck you will need, what sort of body is best suited for the kinds of jobs your company is doing—that takes forethought, research and a whole lot of shopping around.
This coming year, contractors will be offered a whole new way to look at managing their fleets. As mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, all new vehicle engines must meet certain environmental standards for 2010. More specifically, all nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx) must be reduced by a minimum of 85 percent.
That's right. Truck engines are going green.
For the industry as a whole, this means a tremendous overhaul in engine technology. All gas, diesel and biofuel engines made after January 1, 2010 will have to adhere to these standards. Many automobile companies plan to use Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to reduce emissions to near-zero levels. SCR works by injecting precise amounts of a urea/water solution (also known as diesel exhaust fluid) into the vehicle's exhaust stream, thereby transforming NOx into harmless water vapor and nitrogen gas. Given the level of sophistication that engines will have to undergo to meet these new EPA rules, expect a higher upfront cost for new vehicles.
"For the average truck buyer in 2010, there will be increases on average of $6,000 to $8,000," says Brian Tabel, retail marketing manager for Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Cerritos, California. "One of the bottom lines behind the 2010 new emissions standards is this increase in cost, and the buyer will want to recognize this increase and know what to expect."
Yes, the term "increase in cost" sounds bad, but you will be able to recoup much of these costs over time through fuel efficiency alone. It also helps to put things into perspective if you take a look at the whole picture. This is not a spontaneous, radical change that was suddenly dumped on the industry. In actuality, there has been a gradual shift happening in the automotive industry for the past two decades to get our engines to where they will very soon be.
One of the main reasons for this shift is diesel engines. Diesel engines are notoriously known for burning an unseemly amount of NOx. Oxides of nitrogen are known to cause smog formation and damage to the ozone layer. They have also been linked to respiratory diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis.
But we also know that diesel engines are a great resource for lowering your fuel consumption.
This is a very practical benefit—especially when you consider today's gas prices.
"Diesel has always been well regarded for its fuel economy," says Todd Bloom, vice president of marketing for Isuzu. "But finding a way to cut back on emissions was absolutely crucial."
"There's been a continuous shift in reduction of NOx emissions since 1988," says Rob Cadle, manager of product planning at Isuzu.
From 2004 to 2007, NOx emissions were cut by one-half.
In 2007, the level of particulate matter from engine emissions was drastically reduced. According to legislation, any particulate matter that was allowed to emit from the engine could be only 1/10 of what was allowed prior to 2007. "Basically, this allowed for no visible smoke to come out of the engine," says Cadle.
The 2010 models feature the final step in the EPA's effort to minimize our exposure to NOx emissions. If the environment is a concern to you or your customers, the 2010 new emissions standards will help put those concerns to rest. Any new trucks you buy will make for a cleaner and overall more efficient fleet. "From a marketing perspective, you're working in an industry that I think has a certain responsibility to the environment," says Bloom. "People used to look at the exhaust that comes out of truck engines and say, 'Oh, look at all those dirty trucks everywhere!' But starting next year, the exhaust will be no dirtier than the air it goes into."
But the buck doesn't stop there. In addition to upgrading their engines to make them more environmentally friendly, companies are also tacking on a number of upgrades and improvements to their vehicles.
Owners can also retrofit a DPS/catalytic converter to their older trucks to bring them up to 2010 emissions standards. In areas such as California, where local governments have mandated that all older diesel trucks must convert to new emissions technology within several years, such a device is quite handy. The downside is it's also quite costly.
"Retrofitting a DPS onto your vehicle will cost about $10,000," says Tabel. "That will buy you about four to six years of service for that vehicle before you'll then have to retrofit it with a NOx aftertreatment device, which is an additional cost." Given how pricey retrofitting is, you might be best off simply buying a new truck—at least for the time being.
But emissions aren't the only aspect of the truck industry that's getting an upgrade. Truck companies are pulling their weight to offer the safest, most durable and most efficient product they can.
Dodge-Chrysler's 2010 line of Dodge Ram chassis cabs will feature the largest industry standard fuel tank, able to hold 52 gallons. These trucks will also feature an all-new optional integrated trailerbrake controller, variable-valve timing for an improved fuel economy of up to four percent and much more. "Dodge's 'new crew' of trucks is built on a road-tested, proven suspension system," says Roger J. Benvenuti, newsroom spokesman for Dodge-Chrysler, Auburn Hills, Michigan. "Our heavy-duty trucks will be available for the first time in crew-size cab models."
Ford, based out of Dearborn, Michigan, is also adjusting to the demands of today's modern day consumers. Its newest addition to its F-Series Super Duty trucks will feature a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbodiesel-charged engine. This will enable it to deliver more torque, horsepower and fuel economy. It will also allow drivers to haul more equipment while burning less fuel.
"Our all-new diesel engine has been so extensively tested both in the lab and in the real world that we're confident we're giving our customers the most reliable and productive powertrain available today," says Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Ford's Global Product Development.
The 6.7-liter Power Stroke uses "inboard exhaust" architecture. "This is an automotive first," says Kuzak. It will combine the best of proven technology with new labtested technology. The engine will be stronger than many others in its class, made of compacted graphite iron. Its reduced weight will help increase the torque and horsepower of the vehicle. And because of the engine's turbocharger capabilities, drivers will no longer have to physically remove the frame of the vehicle to gain access to the turbo.
Isuzu, meanwhile, is making similar strides to increase the overall performance of its trucks. They will be built with stronger connecting rods and pistons than ever before. The trucks will also feature an improved combustion performance, making for a more reliable, longer-lasting and more fuel-efficient vehicle.
Isuzu's new 4HK1 engine is designed to last for 310,000 miles, says Bloom. "In this case, it will last for 10 years if you're putting 30,000 miles a year on it. Chances are, if you're buying a truck, you want it to last. We've built an engine to accommodate this sentiment."
The last several years have ushered in a number of improvements for vehicles made by all companies. Electronic Stability Systems (ESS) is among the foremost of improvements. If your truck should happen to veer away from the direction you're steering, ESS will apply anti-lock brakes and throttle until the vehicle corrects itself.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is another popular (and safety-conscious) feature. TSC will kick in and apply anti-lock brakes should it happen to detect a shift in vehicle balance. This is very handy for when you're driving along curves in the road, where you run the risk of the truck and the trailer drifting away from one another in different directions.
Already, companies such as Isuzu have made ESS and TSC standard features for their vehicles. It's only a matter of time before such safety features become a standard for the entire industry.
Variable displacement technology is another popular feature being used today. This will allow the truck to operate on half of its cylinders when it's carrying a relatively light load, thereby cutting back on fuel consumption.
When making the decision on which truck is best for your company, always be cautious. In trying to save a few bucks, you wouldn't want to make the mistake of purchasing a truck that isn't built to handle all of your equipment. Furthermore, driving an overloaded vehicle can cause massive damage, and you could end up scrambling in order to make the necessary repairs.
It also pays to establish a close relationship with a dealership that you can trust. The more often you buy from one dealership, the closer that relationship will become, and the more likely you are to be offered great deals. Not only that, but your dealer will have a better understanding of your company's needs if you come to him every time you're looking for a new truck or are having maintenance issues.
In light of all the changes made in modern truck technology, particularly as far as the 2010 new emissions standards are concerned, it would be a good idea to contact your local dealerships and ask for brochures. Even if you don't need to add another truck to your fleet just yet, there's tons of useful information out there to be had.
Better to know now than to face a whirlwind of confusion later.
The year 2010 will be an exciting one for the truck industry. Not only will the trucks sport a wide variety of new features to benefit both horsepower and safety, but they'll leave practically zero nitrogen oxide emissions in their wake.
With cleaner engines the wave of the present, now is the perfect time to take advantage of fuel-efficient diesel engines. And don't let the initial costs scare you. As Tabel explains, "They might be more expensive to buy outright, but these engines will have a better fuel economy than ever before, and at a much lower operating cost. We think it's the way to go."
With cleaner engines the wave of the present, now is the perfect time to take advantage of fuel-efficient diesel engines.


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Job Information
Deloitte Infor Workforce Management Senior Consultant in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Infor Workforce Management (WFM) Senior Consultant
Are you passionate about driving organizational performance? Do you strive to help your clients sustain that performance long term? Our HR Transformation Team is thrilled to render results that help our clients transform their HR practices to reimagine talent models, organizational practices and business models to prepare for success in today s era of digital and cognitive disruption
Work you'll do
In our Human Capital practice, our practitioners deliver superior results for our clients working within an engagement team. Key responsibilities will include:
Use your hands on knowledge of the Infor CloudSuite Workforce Management product to enable our clients HR function to operate ahead of the curve and provide a simply irresistible employee experience
Function as integrators between business needs and technology solutions, helping to create technology solutions to meet clients business needs.
Leading and managing teams or workstreams on Infor CloudSuite Workforce Management projects through discovery, design, build, test, and deployment activities
Forging strong relationships with both the clients and project teams that will contribute to your growth and development.
4 years of relevant consulting or industry experience
4 year experience leading work streams or small teams
Experience in multiple full life cycle implementations of Infor WFM (Workforce Management) ERP projects
Strong functional knowledge around Workforce Management systems and processes
Demonstrated experience in the definition of systems strategy, gathering and documenting business requirements, leading fit-gap analysis, as-is and to- be business process designs, conference room pilots (CRPs) functional configuration, testing, client user training
Travel up to 80% (While 80%of travel is a requirement of the role, due to COVID-19, non-essential travelhas been suspended until further notice.)
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.
Bachelor's degree preferred
Additional experience implementing other leading Cloud based HRIS implementation experience
An advanced degree in the area of specialization
Proven skills as a team member or team lead on at least one full life cycle implementation
Ability to work independently and manage multiple task assignments
Adept at implementing technology-enabled business solutions for clients as part of a high-talent team
Strong oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills (MS Visio, MS PowerPoint)
Strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills with the ability to exercise mature judgment
Ability to collaborate with clients and have a strong desire to excel
The team
Human Resources Transformation
The HR Transformation team is a core component of our Human Capital practice the work we do supports the five major issues our clients are facing. We collaborate with our clients to develop leading global HR strategies and support organizations in achieving excellence through implementing solutions that transform how they organize, develop capabilities, deploy leading technology, and deliver a leading employee experience.
Keeping the employee in mind, all our services cater to improving an organization s productivity through their human capital asset. The client issues we work with range from the need for a comprehensive HR strategy to determining the need for new and enabling technologies, to streamlining HR operations and transforming the way HR is delivered.
How you ll grow
At Deloitte, our professional development plan focuses on helping people at every level of their career to identify and use their strengths to do their best work every day. From entry-level employees to senior leaders, we believe there s always room to learn. We offer opportunities to help sharpen skills in addition to hands-on experience in the global, fast-changing business world. From on-the-job learning experiences to formal development programs at Deloitte University, our professionals have a variety of opportunities to continue to grow throughout their career. Explore Deloitte University, The Leadership Center. at https://zoomforth.com/s/deloitte/du#home
At Deloitte, we know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and offer employees a broad range of benefits. Learn more about what working at Deloitte can mean for you. at http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/careers/articles/life-at-deloitte-benefits-and-rewards.html
Deloitte s culture
Our positive and supportive culture encourages our people to do their best work every day. We celebrate individuals by recognizing their uniqueness and offering them the flexibility to make daily choices that can help them to be healthy, centered, confident, and aware. We offer well-being programs and are continuously looking for new ways to maintain a culture where our people excel and lead healthy, happy lives. Learn more about Life at Deloitte.
Corporate citizenship
Deloitte is led by a purpose: to make an impact that matters. This purpose defines who we are and extends to relationships with our clients, our people and our communities. We believe that business has the power to inspire and transform. We focus on education, giving, skill-based volunteerism, and leadership to help drive positive social impact in our communities. Learn more about Deloitte s impact on the world. at http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/deloitte-corporate-citizenship.html
Recruiter tips
We want job seekers exploring opportunities at Deloitte to feel prepared and confident. To help you with your interview, we suggest that you do your research: know some background about the organization and the business area you re applying to. Check out recruiting tips from Deloitte professionals. at http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/careers/topics/recruiting-tips.html
Category: Management Consulting
About Deloitte
As used in this document, Deloitte means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.


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Visit Mossman Gorge and experience the Daintree World Heritage Rainforest with pristine waterfalls, mountains and vivid flora and fauna, all the while getting lost in its enchanting stories and rich Indigenous heritage.
Begin your trip by paying a visit to the Mossman Gorge Centre. Peruse the Indigenous art work, enjoy a light refreshment at Mayi café and book yourself onto one of the award-winning Ngadiku Dreamtime Walks, The walks are conducted by the traditional owners of the Gorge, the Kuku Yalanji people. Be taken on a journey steeped in heritage as you uncover their ancient culture and traditions.
After a visit to the Centre, a shuttle bus will transport you into the heart of the Gorge where the adventure begins through this unique wilderness. Whether at your own pace on one of the self guided walks through the National Park or with an expert local indigenous guide on the Dreamtime Walks the Gorge is guaranteed to leave you enthused and inspired.
|Cost AUD
|Valid From
|$5.90 - $5.90
|Shuttle Bus Service - Children 0-4 free Children 5-15 years AUD45.90 Rates valid until 31 March 2020
|Indicative Prices
|$11.80 - $11.80
|Shuttle Bus Service - Adults AUD11.80 Family Pass AUD29.50 Rates valid until 31 March 2020
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Michigan hunters and anglers will see their first significant fee increase in more than 15 years under a law Gov. Rick Snyder signed Tuesday that is expected to increase revenue for improving wildlife habitats and beefing up enforcement.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) ? Michigan hunters and anglers will see their first significant fee increase in more than 15 years under a law Gov. Rick Snyder signed Tuesday that is expected to increase revenue for improving wildlife habitats and beefing up enforcement.
The fees, which are to generate 40 percent more revenue, will kick in March 1 and include a new "base" hunting license costing $11 for in-state residents, with lower rates for youths and seniors. Out-of-state hunters will be charged $151.
The base license will pay for hunting waterfowl, migratory birds and small game like rabbits. Separate additional fees still will be levied for hunting certain species, and some of those will increase. Tags for deer will rise from $15 to $20, and the bear license from $15 to $25.
When the new fees take effect, Michigan will have 42 hunting and fishing license fees instead of the 227 it has today. The fees, which generated roughly $49 million in the last budget year, are expected to bring in nearly $20 million more in revenue.
"Everyone supported this. This was across the board in terms of hunters, fishermen, people really saying this is a good thing," Snyder said during a bill-signing ceremony in his Lansing office, where he was joined by state Department of Natural Resources employees and representatives of outdoor organizations.
"It gives us an opportunity to simplify a system that had become too complicated," he said. "... But more important than that is reinvesting resources back into these important areas."
The last big hike in hunting and fishing fees came in 1997, with $1 increases following in 2001 and 2005. Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm's calls to significantly boost the fees for the DNR budget were blocked by lawmakers, but this time Snyder secured crucial support from sportsmen's groups and others.
"Without their input, we probably wouldn't have gone anywhere with this bill," said its sponsor, Rep. Jon Bumstead, a Newaygo Republican and hunter.
Eric McDonough, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, said what made Snyder's proposal different was his administration seeking input from the outdoor community and pledging to put the additional money into areas that sportsmen's groups wanted to improve. The new state budget starting Oct. 1 includes funding to hire and train 30 new conservation officers. The fees in part could help pay for another 16 officers, according to Snyder's February budget proposal.
"We engaged from the beginning in saying we wanted more boots on the ground, we wanted more enforcement, we wanted more research and science, we wanted more of an investment in fisheries and habitat," McDonough said. "We don't want to do this if you're not going to put the money there and if you're not going to commit to being transparent and reporting and helping the groups understand how those investments are leading to outcomes on the ground."
Under the new law, in-state hunters and anglers will be able to buy a combination license that includes a base hunting license, two deer licenses and an all-species fishing license for $75, or $265 for a non-resident. Anglers will no longer choose between a restricted or all-species license. All fishing licenses will be all-species.
A 24-hour fishing license will increase from $7 to $10. The fee for a seasonal all-species license will drop from $28 to $25 for Michigan residents, but rise from $42 to $75 for out-of-state anglers.
A $1 surcharge included in the cost of a base hunting license, combination license or all-species fishing license will be dedicated to marketing, education and outreach.
Public Act 108 of 2013: http://1.usa.gov/1aQRk7j


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Qemu is a generic open source processor and system emulator. It achieves good performance from using a Just-in-time compilation.
System architecture
This paragraph describes the architecture of the MIPS system that currently is being emulated by Qemu. As Qemu is still very much work in progress this is expected to change.
There currently is no firmware for Qemu. This is only a minor problem as unlike on a real system Qemu's virtual hardware is mostly initialized after a reset.
Qemu is simulating a 4Kc MIPS32 processor with a 16 entry TLB. Both I-cache and D-cache are 4kB each, 2-way set-associative with 16 bytes per cacheline however the cache effects are not simulated and cacheops are treated as noops. This is a design decission to iprove performance over accuracy. No benchmarking has been done however it is expected that the performance of the virtual MIPS system will be comparable to emulation of the other processors.
Qemu's source code can also be configured to be built with support for a 4Km processor. However being TLB-less this processor is not of interest for Linux, so does not currently receive any sort of attention.
Graphics card
Qemu is emulating a standard VGA graphics card however underlined, bold and blinking attributes are not supported.
Serial interface
Qemu is emulating a PC-style 8250-based serial interface.
Other peripherals
Qemu supports other peripherals however support for them has not been integrated or tested into the MIPS port.
At this time the MIPS support still is in pre-alpha stage. There is no firmware for qemu yet and patches to add Linux support for running on Qemu have not been published yet.
Currently MIPS support has not yet been integrated into Qemu nor the Linux kernel yet, so you'll need to apply some patches.
Kernel patches
Qemu currently doesn't emulate any existing MIPS system. Therefor the Linux kernel needs [[1]] to add support the Qemu platform. The patch is meant to be applied on top of a Linux 2.6 kernel from the CVS archive.
Qemu patches
Qemu itself requires a fair bunch of patches available from ftp://ftp.linux-mips.org/pub/linux/mips/qemu which need to be applied to the Qemu CVS version of qemu in the order as listed below. Patches are being maintained using Quilt, thus they come as a collection of patches. If you don't use quilt, take a look at the series file of a patch subdirectory, then apply all the patches in that subdirectory in the order as listed in that subdirectory. A a general rule the first patch contains Jocelyn Mayer's MIPS patches, the remaining ones contain various bug fixes and modifications by Ralf Baechle.
See also
- The Qemu homepage at http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu.
Originally authored by French wizzard Fabrice Bellard, Jocelyn Mayer did add support for MIPS as a target, others are now trying to complete the project.


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If you follow my posts, you know that I wax poetic about my love for Italy; especially Rome! Where else can you witness 28 centuries of history?
I adore Rome's monumental fountains, so I have included some short video clips of the water features in this post. The glorious city of Rome is adorned with spectacular fountains.
Some are relatively simple and look like bathtubs as you can see in the picture of Fontana di Piazza Farnese that is located in front of the Palazzo Farnese.
The granite stone basin of that fountain came from the Roman Baths of Caracalla. The emblems on the upper part of the fountain represent the Farnese family and the the man who commissioned the construction of the Palazzo Farnese; Cardinal Alessandro Farnese who eventually became Pope Paul III. Many of the fountains depict the person responsible for the commission.
Some fountains support obelisks and others anchor famous piazzas. The dramatic iconographic fountains host a cast of interesting characters that generally spew water from their mouths. The basins are shaped in the form of chalices and decorative elements generally include dolphins, tritons, theatrical masks and shells.
Piazza Navona has three fountains with Giacomo della Porta's Neptune Fountain on the north end, his Fontana del Moro on the south end and Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers in the middle. These fountains were built in a straight line along the central axis of the elliptical piazza that replicates the floor plan of the arena built by Emperor Domitian in the 1st century. It was a place for athletic competitions and races known as "Agones". These fountains were supplied by water from the Vergine Aqueduct built by Agrippa in 19 B.C.
The fountains of Rome were originally operated by gravity. The source of water from the aqueducts had to be higher than the fountain itself to create a dramatic water feature. The difference in elevation and distance between the water-source and the fountain determined how high the fountain could shoot water. Today, they use gravity as well as mechanical pumps. Some fountains have powerful water sprays and others do not. Bernini's Triton Fountain spray reaches 16 feet above the conch shell of his Triton in Piazza Barberini but the Boat Fountain by the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon's Fountain have very little water pressure.
Here are some of my favorite Roman Fountains with a brief description and a short video clip that captures the water feature in motion:
1. The Fountain of the Naiads "Fontana delle Naiadi" is one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome.
It is located in front of the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (St. Mary of the Angels). The fountain is surrounded by four bronze nymphs embracing sea monsters. There are three tritons, a dolphin and an octapus in the center of the fountain. It was created by the sculptor Mario Rutelli to adorn the Piazza della Repubblica in 1901.
2. Bernini's Fountain of the Triton is located in Piazza Barberini. It was created in 1642. The muscular Triton is held up by four dolphins and is blowing into a sea-shell. After you admire the two Bernini Fountains in this square, stroll down Via Venato.
3. In close proximity to the Triton Fountain, you can find Bernini's Fountain of the Bees with three bees on a shell sculpted in 1644.
4. The spectacular Trevi Fountain is located on Via della Stamperia and was designed by Nicola Salvi.
It was completed between 1732 and 1762 and is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. The central figure is Oceanus and he is the personification of all the worldly bodies of water. He is riding an cockleshell chariot pulled by sea-horses, surrounded by Tritons and Sea Nymphs. Visit the beautiful church of Saints Vincenzo E Anastasio in the Piazza across from the Trevi Fountain. Find Agrippa approving his aquaduct blueprints in his dapper Roman military uniform in one of the niches in the Trevi Fountain. The niches convey significant historical messages in this fountain.
- "Abundance" in the niche of the fountain near Agrippa, holds her basket of goodies at the Trevi Fountain. The fountain is directly across from the gorgeous Chiesa dei Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio that preserves the hearts and lungs of 22 popes who died in the Quirinal Palace. Visit the interesting art gallery while you're in the vicinity.Chiesa dei Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio
5. The Fontana della Barcaccia was the work of Pietro Bernini with the help of his talented son Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
It looks like a submerged boat and was commissioned by Pope Urban VII Barberini around 1629 to commemorate a boat that was stranded in the square in the flood of 1598. It is located at the foot of the Spanish Steps below the church of Trinita dei Monti.
6. The Piazza del Popolo has two fountains. I like the interesting Fontana dell' Obelisco with a group of four mini lion fountains around the base.
Each lion is situated on a stepped plinth that was added around the base of the obelisk in 1818. The other fountain in the square is at the base of the stairs that lead to Villa Borghese.
7. The Fountain of the Moor is also known as La Fontana del Moro. It is located on the southern end of Piazza Navona with a figure of an African (a Moor) wrestling with a dolphin http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=Bk7Sb1eVp5I&next=%2Fmy_videos.
8. The Fountain of Neptune in Piazza Navona was built in 1572 and shows the God of the Sea using his trident to commandeer an unruly octopus. He is surrounded by cheribs, tritons, sea horses and mermaids. Have a Vino con Vista @ Caffe Nettuno in Piazza Navona.
9. Bernini's sumptuous Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZzmcRZ9GyM is also known as Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi.
It was built between 1648 and 1651. Bernini increased the strength of the jets of water for the fountain to increase the water pressure. His statues represent rivers from the four continents; the Nile, Danube, Plate River and Ganges. The structure supports a 54-foot Egyptian "Obelisk of Domitian" that is surmounted by a the emblem of the Pamphili famiy dove that represents Pope Innocent X Pamphili.
10. The Quattro Fontane (the Four Fountains) is a group of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and built by Muzio Mattei. They were built between 1588 and 1593. The figures of the four fountains represent the River Tiber (the symbol of Rome); the River Arno the symbol of Florence; the Goddess Diana; the symbol of Chastity; and the Goddess Juno, the symbol of Strength. The fountains of the Arno, Tiber, and Juno are the work of Domenico Fontana. The fountain of Diana was designed by the painter and architect Pietro da Cortona.
The later Baroque church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Francesco Borromini is located around the corner from the fountains.
11. Il Babuino or "The Baboon Fountain" portrays a reclining Silenus. This mythological Roman character is half man and half goat. This is one of the talking statues of Rome, Italy. It is located on Via Babuino next to the Chiesa di S. Atanasio dei Greci.
12. The vicinity around the Pantheon Fountain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQw95wqHJ34 and Piazza Navona's fountains offer the best Vino con Vista opportunities in town. The Pantheon Fountain was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII and is located in the Piazza della Rotonda in Rome. It is located directly in front of the Roman Pantheon. It was designed by Giacomo Della Porta in 1575 and sculpted out of marble by Leonardo Sormani. In 1711, Pope Clement XI had fountain modified. Filippo Barignoni designed a new layout and added the obelisk of Ramses II. Four dolphins decorate the base of the obelisk.
The area around the Pantheon is loaded with excellent restaurants, some of them are Michelin rated http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE95_YgbcgY. In addition, I love the interesting cast of characters that supports the obelisk in front of the Pantheon.
The cafe scene, restaurants and nightlife in Rome can't be beat! Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Italy Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com. Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for daily blog updates.
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- Top 5 Vino con Vista Opportunities in Piazza del Popolo in Rome Italy (vinoconvistablog.wordpress.com)
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Hold onto your butts folks, Top Gear is fliming a mega-supercar comparo in the UAE. The cars? A Bugatti Veyron, Mercedes McLaren SLR722, Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640 SV and the legendary McLaren F1.
The crew was spotted at Alain Airport on a police-closed road doing their Top Gear thing. It's assumed the team will be comparing the latest crop of super-supercars against the thoroughbred McLaren F1, which is inarguably a high-water mark of the craft. Considering the closed road they're on is almost two miles long, we can assume some fairly high speed runs way out there in the desert sun. This promises to be a good one. [Youtube via WCF]


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Friday, March 23, 2012
Hello, way off in the distance, to the new.
I've started a new contracting/consulting job in a new place, a gold mine up on one of the Nevada gold trends, a move from copper to back to gold. I'm still in exploration rather than production, that aspect hasn't really changed. Some of the particulars have changed, some particulars remain the same or nearly the same. (The same and not the same: geology, geochemistry, drill rigs, core, RC chips, logging, samples and sampling, microscopes, cross-sections, various investigative instruments, PPE, geologists, techs, support contractors and companies, etc.)
The gold trend mines (Carlin trend, Eureka–Battle Mountain trend, Getchell trend, and Midas trend) are often, though not always, a long way from towns and cities (primarily Elko, Carlin, Eureka, Battle Mountain, and Winnemucca). The two major companies and some smaller companies facilitate transportation to the mines with busses and vans. My regular 10 hour work days are now lengthened by 45 to 60 minute drives or rides in both directions. My time from doorstep back to doorstep in the morning to late afternoon or early evening runs from about 4:30 am to about 5:00 pm, sometimes a bit earlier or later depending on variable logistics. Consequently, the time I currently have available for blogging is a little limited.
I'm also getting resettled in the new town, not really quite yet moving out of the old town in the hinterland of eastern Nevada. This process may take as much as a couple-three months. In other words, I'm fairly busy on my days off. There is also a whole new area to explore and investigate.
I'll post when I can!
10 comments:
- Gaelyn said...
Off on a new adventure. Look forward to updates when you're able. Good Luck!
- Friday, March 23, 2012 at 10:10:00 AM PDT
- Hollis said...
kind of a scary title! I'm glad it's just a new job -- best wishes!!
- Friday, March 23, 2012 at 12:22:00 PM PDT
- Tony Edger said...
Agreed -- the title gave me a jolt as well. Rest assured, we'll be happy to have postings whenever you can make them.
- Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 9:28:00 AM PDT
- Silver Fox said...
Thanks, all! Sorry for the title, it's just one of those things that popped onto the screen. ;)
- Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 5:27:00 PM PDT
- D said...
Congrats! New opportunity, new adventures! I'm glad this is not forever goodbye!
- Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 2:23:00 PM PDT
- Dan McShane said...
Best of luck on the move, the new adventures and the geology
- Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 1:03:00 PM PDT
All the best, but hope to hear from you when you have settled down.
- Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 12:54:00 AM PDT
- Silver Fox said...
Thanks, everyone - finally a new post is up! :)
- Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 3:38:00 AM PDT
- Cath@VWXYNot? said...
I somehow managed to miss this at the time! Belated congratulations!
- Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 2:28:00 PM PDT
- Silver Fox said...
Thanks, Cath! I'd try to say something funny, but it's before 5:00 in the morning.
- Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 4:42:00 AM PDT


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Palace welcome Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea to Selhurst Park on Saturday, with their own top-flight status still in the balance.
Pulis, who was appointed as Ian Holloway's replacement in November, is looking to become the first man to keep a Palace side in the Premier League beyond a single season.
And, after his side went down to a closely-fought 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge, Pulis is hoping to get his own back on Blues manager Mourinho, who he holds in high regard having only come up against him for the first time last year.
"For me Jose is one of the elite managers in the world," Pulis said.
"If you look at his record he has managed the great teams and the great teams need to win and he does that for them
He doesn't just do it on home soil, but does that away as well.
"I met him after the game at Stamford Bridge and he's interesting.
"Whether you like him or dislike him for what he is, there is no doubting he is a top manager
The time I had with him was charming, but they had just beaten us
It would be nice to see on Saturday if he's charming."
With three wins in his first six league games in charge at Selhurst Park, Pulis' approach gave Palace fresh impetus following his initial appointment
Other impressive results, particularly at home, have followed but a lack of consistency means the Eagles remain only three points from safety and sit precariously in 17th place in the table.
"It was always going to be tough," Pulis said.
"But it's not about 10 games
The Premier League is from start to finish, as we will see this year
It is not just about a run of 10 games
You have to keep going and working hard and the lads have been brilliant.
"In the last eight we have four at home and four away
It's all evened up and we're still three points out of the relegation zone which is not too bad."
Having scored just once in their last five league games, accruing just one point in the process, Palace continue to suffer from a lack of fire-power in front of goal as both Marouane Chamakh and Dwight Gayle remain sidelined with injuries.
That means the burden for goals falls heavily on the fit-again Glenn Murray and Stoke loanee Cameron Jerome, but Pulis wants to see his whole side chipping in with the goals that could stave off relegation.
"We've got Gayle out and Chamakh, but Cameron and Murray have done smashing when we have played them," Pulis said.
"We need goals from everyone in the team
I think it's more confidence and good fortune
We need a break - we need things to go for you and at the moment one or two things aren't
When we create chances we have to take them."
Source : PA
Source: PA


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Trade News
Guildford, UK, 30 March 2010 - In recognition of the key role the company plays in the industrial economy of the region, BOC has been awarded a grant of over GBP 600,000 to modernise and upgrade its facilities at Middlesbrough. The grant has been made from the Government's Tees Valley Investment Programme announced by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.
BOC is to refurbish its main Air Separation Unit at the site, improving its efficiency by integrating the latest technologies into the unit. When complete, the project should deliver energy savings of nearly 4MW to the operation of the unit, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 20,000 tonnes a year. At the same time, the company is developing a new Trailer Hydrogen (TH) facility at Teesport to serve other businesses in the area with bulk hydrogen supplies.
While the area has been hit by some big name closures, other businesses are moving into the area. The work being carried out by BOC will align the supply of industrial gases more closely to the needs of the existing industrial infrastructure – as well as preparing for a number of new green business opportunities that are opening up in the area.
The work is a key part of BOC's long term strategy as a continuing key player in the region's industrial base. The upgrade to the ASU and the development of the Trailer Hydrogen facility will directly protect 40 jobs at BOC and support a number of other businesses in the region.
Commenting on the decision, BOC's Managing Director Mike Huggon said: "We are grateful for the support of One North East, the North East Process Industry Cluster and Tees Valley Regeneration – it has been invaluable in achieving a swift response to our application. This grant is in recognition of the key role that BOC plays in the local economy. The investment that BOC and One North East are making in these two projects will help other businesses in the region – not just BOC – move towards a greener and more sustainable future."
BOC is a member of The Linde Group. An industrial, medical and special gases provider, the company supplies compressed and bulk gases, chemicals and equipment. For more than a century the company's gases and expertise have contributed to advances in many areas of everyday life, and industries including steelmaking, refining, chemical processing, environmental protection, wastewater treatment, welding and cutting, food processing and distribution, glass production, electronics and health care.
For more information see BOC online at http://www.BOConline.co.uk
The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information, see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com
For further information:
Simon Napper
Telephone: +44.7500.815166
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Dune Vase 12"
Galway Crystal has long been one of the world's best known and loved brands of traditionally crafted crystal. Nestled in the heart of the West of Ireland, on the shores of Galway Bay, Galway Crystal is steeped in the rich and diverse heritage of this unique hinterland.
Their inspiration comes from the sheer beauty of the surrounding countryside and from the wealth of history and folklore which is synonymous with Galway.
The beautiful ranges of tabletop stemware and giftware reflect these influences in their timeless elegance.
At the the same time Galway Crystal know that discerning customers want a modern look, and have created this simplistic, fluid yet stylish pattern that reflect the modern lifestyle.
Enjoy the elegant simplicity and beautiful shape of the Galway Crystal Dune 12" Square Vase.


text:
Documents & Filing Forms
for Intrastate Natural Gas and Hinshaw Pipelines
Filing Tips and Instructions (Updated 6-23-2011)
Form No. 549D Availability
On June 14, 2011, the Office of Management & Budget approved corrected versions of:
- The fillable Form 549D
- The XML XSD
- Data Dictionary and Instructions
OLD <Row3> NEW <Row3a>
Step 3
Step B
Option B- Using XML data to file the Form No. 549D
Please print out these documents and this web page for future reference.
New eFiling Deadline and When Filings will be Accepted
The deadline for filing the first 2011 quarterly report is September 9, 2011. The second quarter report deadline is September 30, 2011. The third and fourth quarter 2011 reports are due 60 days after the end of the respective quarters.
Continue to work on either the corrected fillable Form 549d PDF or XML XSD file. DO NOT EFILE THE FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT UNTIL AUGUST 15, 2011. Staff is still making changes to our systems to accommodate the corrected versions.
Converting the old data in the fillable Form 549D PDF to the new version of the PDF
Many filers have already begun working on their fillable Form 549D filing using the older version of the fillable PDF. If you have done this you will have two options. The easiest and the safest thing to do is to reenter the data in the corrected fillable Form 549D PDF file. The second option is a work around.
The workaround involves exactly following the steps below and specifically changing the XML file. We only recommend this if your IT Department can assist you. Here are the workaround steps:
Step 1
Open the old form in Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 and export the data to an XML File. To do this go to the Menu and select Forms>Manage Forms Data and click on Export Data.
Step 2
Open the above XML file in the Notepad, Wordpad or in any other XML editor and rename the xml element Row3 to Row3a in the
<CID_Resubmit_Expln />
<CID_Resubmit_Expln />
Save the XML changes and import the corrected XML file into the blank new fillable Form 549D . To do this go to the Menu and select Forms > Manage Forms Data and click on Import Data. Then save the file.
Step 4
Please verify the new PDF and input the missing values before e-file it. If not, the e-filing system will show the validation errors during the e-filing process and the filers can correct it in the PDF.
Filing Options
Respondents may choose to file either the fillable Form No. 549D or the XML option for a given quarter. However they must choose one or the other and may not combine options within a quarter. Respondents do not have to notify the Commission of their selection and they can change their filing option in future quarters.
Option A- Fillable Form 549D
There are two steps when using the fillable Form 549D: a) completing and saving the fillable Form 549D PDF, and b) eFiling the saved fillable Form 549D PDF to the Commission. Paper filings and emails are not permitted. Note, if you used an older version of the fillable form 549D, see instructions above for converting the data to the newer version.
Step A
Note: If you are a new user, use the New Account menu and create a FERC Online Account which will allow you to eFile the Fillable Form No. 549D to the Commission.
Page Name
Item or Button Name
Log on to FERC Online
Enter your registered email address and password. You will designate your own password.
Click on
FERC Online Home Page
Click on
FERC eFile
Click on
Create Filing
Filing Type Selection **
Click on
What kind of Filing are you making **
Click on
Report/Form- No Docket Number
Filing Type **
Click on
Form No. 549D
File Upload
Click on
Find the saved copy of the Form No. 549D on your PC directory and attach. If desired, enter additional text to describe your filing.
Click on
Confirmation email
Click on
You should receive a confirmation email that your eFiling is complete. Print a copy of it. If you don't get a confirmation, contact FERC Online Support.
"Next" to finish submission process
FERC Online Support at 1-866-208-3676 (Toll Free) 1-202-502-6652 (Local) or firstname.lastname@example.com
** Failure to check the appropriate filing type will result in a rejection of your filing and you will have to eFile again to be in compliance. It is very important that you select the proper filing type. Our system checks your Form No. 549D data for common errors and makes the data available for Staff analysis and download.
Filing your data using XML may be more cost effective when you have many shippers and contracts in a given quarter. There are four steps when using XML data to file Form No. 549D data:
Step 3
Step B
Option B- Using XML data to file the Form No. 549D
Step A
- Compile your data in an XML format using Notepad, Wordpad, Excel or a variety of free open source and fee-based XML software using the XML XSD file which is now available from the Commissions website.
- Open the most recent version of the fillable Form No. 549D. Go to the Menu and select Forms>Manage Forms Data and click on Import Data.
- Select your XML file. You will now be able to see your data in the form easily. Review your data for accuracy, make any corrections and save the file to another name such as validated-acme-pipeline-form549d.pdf.
- Export your validated-acme-pipeline-form549d.pdf back into an XML file. Just go to the Menu and select Forms>Manage Forms Data and click on Export Data. Name it validated-acme-pipeline-form549d.xml.
- Once you are satisfied with your filing, simply eFile only the validated PDF file to the Commission following the directions above under Step B. Do not eFile the validated XML file.
- Make sure you select the correct filing types when eFiling so that your data can be parsed by our system and be placed into the Form 549D database. Failure to check the appropriate filing type will result in a rejection of your filing and you will have to eFile again to be in compliance.


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SOPA Supporter: If You Use DNSSEC You Can Ignore SOPA/PIPA
from the wait,-what? deptDaniel Castro from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is the guy who has been highlighted for coming up with the idea of censoring the internet to deal with copyright infringement online. In 2009, he wrote a whitepaper suggesting just such a strategy, and since then has been a vocal champion of the approach that mimics China's Great Firewall.
He's issued a "response" to "critics" over the bills which is, frankly, an embarrassment for supporters of these bills. There may be some compelling ways to defend these disasters (though I doubt it), but Castro's paper is beyond ridiculous. It rolls out all the usual bogus tropes, talking up the "size" of the problem with claims that simply aren't backed up by the data at all. But it's main focus is trying to respond to the claims of all sorts of people who actually understand internet security, about how DNS blocking would be a disaster. At this point, the incredible thing is that supporters of SOPA/PIPA have yet to come up with a single credible person who thinks DNS blocking is a good idea. On the flip side, DNS experts like Paul Vixie and David Ulevitch have been vocally opposed. In addition, there are other folks like Stewart Baker, the former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary and former NSA General Counsel, as well as the folks at Sandia National Labs, experts in internet security, who are opposed to it as well. All of them have pointed out that DNS blocking won't work, will likely make things worse, and will have disastrous consequences for internet security. These are people who understand this stuff at its core. On the other side? We've got Daniel Castro. There's a lot of ridiculousness here, but let's start with the most insane part, the response over how this will kill DNSSEC. Castro seems to suggest that those who use DNSSEC can just ignore the law:
PIPA/SOPA states that service providers are required to take only �technically feasible and reasonable measures� to comply with government court orders. The legislation further states that a service provider is not required to �modify its network, software, systems, or facilities� to comply with these requirements. This means that if DNS servers are deployed using DNSSEC, and if DNSSEC does not allow for the type of redirection or filtering specified in the legislation, ISPs would not need to take action. Thus there is no reason to suspect that ISPs would delay deploying DNSSEC because of provisions in SIPA/PIPA. If anything, to the extent that any ISPs oppose DNS filtering for ideological or technical reasons, the DNS filtering requirements in PIPA/SOPA would serve as a catalyst for ISPs to upgrade to DNSSEC since this may free them of unwanted obligations.Really? Is he really arguing that if you're running DNSSEC, you can ignore the government's official blacklist? Why do I get the feeling that any provider that actually does that will quickly find themselves hauled into court for... "enabling" or "facilitating" infringement? How can anyone take this seriously?
While technology should shape policy, it should not determine policy. The U.S. policies on the Internet should not be determined by the ideological points of view of a few network engineers in the IETF. Policymakers routinely ask the private sector to design systems to meet new technical standards so as to achieve a specific policy outcome.This is either ignorant or just stupid. DNSSEC has been under development for sixteen years. Part of the reason it's taken so long is because this is not easy. Castro's flippant suggestion that we just ignore the technological issues is downright scary. If the technology is carefully set up and clueless think tankers and regulators are about to throw a decade plus of careful development out the window for a "problem" they can't actually show with a "solution" that won't work... it seems pretty damn reasonable to raise the technological issues.
DNSSEC, as with many technical standards, is not an immutable set of rules carved by God on stone tablets. Although DNSSEC has been codified in various technical documents, it continues to evolve over time as researchers propose new modifications to the standard to address various limitations. The question policymakers should be asking is not whether the proposed solution is compatible with the current version of DNSSEC, but how to craft policies that best take advantage of potential improvements in the DNSSEC standard.Ah, the MPAA's "you techies can just change the code" argument. Once again, displaying a massive ignorance of what has happened over the last 16 years and the effort that has gone into creating DNSSEC and then beginning the process of getting it out there. Is Castro really suggesting that we go back to the drawing board, and leave security issues ignored for another decade and a half? Just because some movie studios are too lazy to adapt? That's scary.
Opponents of PIPA/SOPA, such as the Internet Society and Crocker et al., argue that DNS filtering will �puts users at risk.�31 However there are no security risks from DNS filtering. Instead, the purported security risks for users come about only for those Internet users who begin using alternative DNS services (i.e. those individuals intent on breaking the law). Yet, as we have seen, to date there is little evidence that the average user will begin using these alternative DNS services. In fact, users will be unlikely to use an alternative DNS service precisely because of the security risks.This is a disgusting smear from Castro, suggesting that the only people who might use alternative DNS systems are intent on breaking the law. Does he really not think that some people might not trust the US DNS system once it's been given orders for an official blacklist of sites to censor?
The Internet Society argues that DNS filtering �has the potential to restrict free and open communications and could be used in ways that limit the rights of individuals or minority groups.� Of course it could. ISPs or the U.S. government could use DNS filtering to block sites they do not like. But guns can be used by criminals to kill people too and that does not mean that we do not let the police or security guards have guns.Is he really arguing that DNS filtering isn't censorship in the US because we're giving it to "the good guys"? That seems to be the argument here... and it's ridiculous. The censors in China and Iran consider themselves the good guys too. Is this really the message we want to send to the rest of the world? Just make sure you say your official censors are "police" and all is good, according to Daniel Castro.
Critics of PIPA/SOPA are trying to suggest that if a user is prevented from obtaining a pirated copy of the latest Hollywood film, this is an unlawful restriction of their Constitutional rights.No, actually, that's not what they're arguing. They're arguing that this idiotic censorship system Castro is supporting will censor plenty of protected speech, which is a restriction of their Constitutional rights.
Ironically, many of the voices arguing that DNS filtering does not solve the core issue, which is that pirated content is made available online, often are the same ones opposing digital rights management (DRM) technology that is created to achieve the very goal of eliminating pirated content.That's not ironic. Neither DNS filtering nor DNS achieve the goal in question. The position of being against draconian, overly aggressive technology that harms consumers rights and is likely to be abused, is entirely consistent.
There's a lot more in the paper like this, but you get the idea. There's barely a sentence in there that's reasonable or sensible.
Filed Under: daniel castro, dns, dnssec, security


text:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration or Bachelor of Arts with a major in economics.
The economics program offers the opportunity to study prices, markets, and incentives (microeconomics) and economic growth and business cycles (macroeconomics).
The economics major provides preparation both for students planning to enter the world of work directly after Drake and for students planning to attend professional or graduate school. The economics major provides excellent preparation for professional study in law, business or public administration because economics is an important analytical tool used in these fields. Students interested in graduate study in economics or a closely related field (finance, public policy, international relations) should also consider the quantitative economics major.
The economics major requires 27 credits of economics, 3 credits of mathematics, and 6 credits of statistics.
All candidates for an economics major must complete the following courses:
All candidates must also satisfy the requirements of the Drake Curriculum.
Additional requirements for the B.S.B.A. degree: Candidates must complete the required business core curriculum, including Business 195 as the Capstone.
Additional requirements for the B.A. degree: Candidates must write a Capstone paper, registered as a 1-hour independent study (Economics 199). Candidates for the B.A. degree may not add a minor in marketing or a minor in business studies. Instead, students interested in business should consider the B.S.B.A. degree, which requires the same economics courses as the B.A. degree but includes broad training in business subjects.
The economics minor requires 18 credits of economics and 3 credits of mathematics.
Candidates for the minor in economics must complete the following courses:
It is recommended that candidates for the minor complete both Economics 173 and Economics 174. The second course counts toward the three additional 100-level courses.