text:
Transferring a credit card balance: Wise move?
Offers from credit card companies to temporarily skirt interest charges can be enticing.
Reducing interest payments by transferring a balance from one card to another is a quick way to lower monthly finance charges. But taking advantage of such a promotion, even one offering a zero interest rate on balance transfers, doesn't always pay off. That's especially true for cardholders who have a tendency to carry a balance.
That's because once the low-rate period ends, interest on any unpaid charges starts adding up again.
"Some of the rates at the end of the promotional period can be quite punishing," said Christina Tetreault, staff attorney at Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports.
"Consumers who are considering a balance transfer should really take a hard look at the offer, do the math and figure out if they can commit to a payment plan," she added.
Here are some tips on gauging whether a credit card balance transfer offer makes financial sense:
Card issuers typically will charge a fee of about 3 percent on the amount transferred, but it can go even as high as 5 percent.
Let's say the fee is 3 percent. On a balance transfer of $10,000, you'll be charged $300 up front, usually rolled into your balance.
Some cards don't charge a fee on balance transfers. The Chase Slate card, for example, doesn't charge a fee to new cardholders, so long as they transfer the balance from another card within 60 days after being approved, said Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com, which track credit card offers.
Generally, card balance transfer offers include an introductory period to pay off the balance at zero or a sharply reduced interest. The period can last for a year or more. For instance, Discover IT provides as long as 18 months.
If you don't pay off the card before the promotional rate period elapses, you will be charged a higher interest rate on your balance and any transfer fees.
With Chase's Slate card, for example, after 15 months cardholders would move from zero percent interest to a variable rate ranging from 12.99 percent to 22.99 percent. With Discover IT, the interest rate on balance transfers jumps after 18 months from zero to a variable rate ranging from 10.99 percent to 22.99 percent.
In addition, the rules on balance transfers usually require cardholders to make all payments on time. Miss even one, and you may forfeit the low interest rate.
"Promotional rates can expire and one misstep can wipe out any of the benefits that a consumer might see to transferring a balance," said Tetreault.
Card issuers may approve you for a balance transfer offer, but the amount you will be approved to transfer can vary. And you typically won't know how much credit the lender will extend to you until after you've been approved.
That means you may only be able to unload a portion of your card debt onto a new one with a more favorable interest rate. Consider that when you apply for the card.
You've taken into consideration that there may be fees and a limited amount of time to pay down your debt before the interest rate jumps. But is opting for a balance transfer card ultimately worth it?
Look at the card jammed with charges that you're considering refinancing through a balance transfer. Estimate how long it will take you to pay the balance and how much in interest charges, given the card's annual percentage rate, or APR, you will rack up over the same period.
Then do the same calculation, based on the terms of a card balance transfer offer, specifically: The promotional interest rate and number of months that it's in effect. Assuming the entire balance can be transferred, that should tell you how much you stand to save.
You can do this calculation on an online card payment calculator like this one from Bankrate: http://apne.ws/1gSm3z5
Borrowers who are overwhelmed by debt may not qualify for a balance transfer card, as such offers are typically extended to borrowers who have a FICO score above 700.
And adding another credit card to one's wallet may not be the best option if there are several others already carrying high balances.
Consider asking the credit card company to lower your interest rate, suggests Tetreault.
That may not work, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
Another option: Seek credit counseling, which can provide assistance managing debt, making a personal budget and dealing with card issuers. Here's how to find a qualified credit counselor: http://apne.ws/1jSz7HC


text:
"IGN: "Fun and addictive." Destructoid: "A truly wonderful game 9/10." The Splatters are acrobatic masters with a unique death wish - to blow themselves up with style! In this award winning action-puzzler, you will unlock and master a variety of stunts to clear out each stage in the most show-stopping way possible. It's a messy, vibrant show of skill and splattery destruction. Life's short. DIE WITH STYLE."
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Windows RT distinguishes itself from Windows 8 in two main ways. First, it runs on ARM processors rather than x86 ones. Second, it bars the installation of third-party desktop applications. The built-in Windows applications like Notepad work, and of course, the bundled Office 2013 apps run on the desktop, but any attempt to run third-party applications is greeted with an error message. After a little under two-and-a-half months on the market, the first cracks have started to appear in Microsoft's lockdown. A developer going by the name of clrokr has published a way of defeating this limitation, enabling arbitrary desktop applications to be run on Windows RT. The complexities of this crack mean that it stops short of being a useful, practical jailbreak.
Breaking into Windows RT
Windows 8 and Windows RT both use digital signatures to determine whether an application is allowed to run. Windows defines four different "levels" of digital signature: unsigned (for programs with no signature at all), Authenticode (for programs that have a digital signature from any third party), Microsoft (for apps with a Microsoft signature) and Windows (for executables that are part of Windows itself).
The Windows kernel has a function that specifies which signing level a given executable needs. On x86, desktop apps have a required level of "unsigned"—because on x86 the desktop is unrestricted and can run any application. On ARM, however, desktop apps have a required level of "Microsoft." After loading an executable, but before actually running it, Windows compares the executable's signature level to the required level; if the executable's signature is good enough it will run, otherwise Windows just shows an error message and refuses to run the program.
If the function that returned the required signature level could be modified to always indicate that "unsigned" was good enough, then Windows RT would be able to run arbitrary desktop applications. The required signature level is stored within the Windows kernel itself, so the naive solution would be to modify the value in the kernel so that the value was always "unsigned." However, Windows verifies the integrity of its own core components before it loads them. On x86 and x64 Windows, this integrity checking could be bypassed using the same techniques used by malware: there are "bootkits" that load before the operating system and then modify the kernel as it loads to remove the integrity check. With one of these bootkits installed, the modified kernel could be loaded without difficulty.
Secure Boot stands in the way
But this route isn't possible on Windows RT, because of a feature called Secure Boot. Secure Boot is a feature of the UEFI firmware specification that all Windows RT devices are required to support. With Secure Boot, the system's firmware verifies the integrity of the operating system before it loads it. Bootkits fail the Secure Boot integrity check, and the system will fail to boot if a bootkit is in place.
Secure Boot has been a subject of great concern, especially within the Linux community, as the refusal to boot a bootkit also potentially translates into a refusal to boot an alternative operating system. On x86 and x64 machines, vendors are required to provide some way to disable Secure Boot as well as some way to trust alternative operating systems. However, ARM machines don't have this same stipulation. In fact, they do the reverse; Secure Boot is mandatory and permanent on ARM machines, including Surface.
This forced clrokr to find a different way of modifying the kernel. Permanent modification of the file on disk is impossible, but modification of the kernel in memory would allow the signature level to be changed. There are, of course, impediments to doing that. Modifying the kernel is something of a no-no. Fortunately for clrokr, the Windows RT kernel is identical to the Windows 8 kernel—it therefore contains the same security flaws that the Windows 8 kernel suffers from.
One such flaw was documented by Google-employed security researcher Mateusz "j00ru" Jurczyk in November 2011. Certain functions in the Windows kernel are designed to only ever be called by a special Windows process called CSRSS. These functions trust that the data sent by CSRSS is properly formed, so they don't perform proper validation. This can in turn be used to trick the functions into overwriting data in the kernel of an attacker's choosing—data including the required signature level.
If an attacker could persuade CSRSS to call one of these vulnerable functions "just so" he could set the required signature level to "unsigned," thereby allowing any and all desktop applications to run.
Microsoft happened to make this a bit easier for clrokr, because it ships a remote debugger for Windows RT, and because it allows any process to be run as an Administrator. Administrators have the authority to attach debuggers to the special CSRSS process. With a debugger attached, exploit code can be injected into CSRSS, and then one of the vulnerable kernel functions can be called. This overwrites the required signature level, allowing any desktop application to be run. In fact, clrokr's exploit code has to call the vulnerable function 524,288 times to set up the value to be exactly what it should be.
Since its publication on Sunday, people on the XDA Developers forums have been recompiling various applications to run on ARM and running them from the Windows RT desktop. Microsoft's own development tools can be used to produce ARM executables, albeit with a few extra hoops to jump through compared to producing x86 apps, as the ARM development tools are intended only for producing Metro-style applications.
Not yet a jailbreak
What does this mean for the Windows RT platform?
In the short-term, not a whole lot.
First, this crack is a long way from a useful jailbreak. The patch needs to be reapplied to the Windows RT system each time it gets rebooted. This in turn means firing up the debugger on the Windows RT device, and connecting a full Windows machine to that debugger over a network to inject the exploit code itself. The attack is also not 100 percent reliable at present; sometimes it can make the machine crash with a blue screen of death.
Second, this means that the crack isn't a serious security flaw. As it stands, the technique can't be used for drive-by browser-based jailbreaks; it requires complex user intervention.
Microsoft's response to the attack makes this very argument:
The scenario outlined is not a security vulnerability and does not pose a threat to Windows RT users. The mechanism described is not something the average user could, or reasonably would, leverage, as it requires local access to a system, local administration rights and a debugger in order to work. In addition, the Windows Store is the only supported method for customers to install applications for Windows RT. There are mechanisms in place to scan for security threats and help ensure apps from the Store are legitimate and can be acquired and used with confidence.
We applaud the ingenuity of the folks who worked this out and the hard work they did to document it. We'll not guarantee these approaches will be there in future releases.
To turn this into a useful general purpose jailbreak requires more work, and more exploitable flaws. The most useful way forward would be to make the jailbreak self-contained, so that it could run entirely on Windows RT. This is tricky, because Windows RT is designed to block the execution of arbitrary code (such as a little program to inject code into CSRSS and perform the exploit). However, applications such as Internet Explorer and Word almost certainly have exploitable arbitrary code execution flaws within them. A suitably crafted webpage or Word document could potentially be used to execute exploit code within these applications.
Normally, user privileges would also be a hurdle; in order to attach to CSRSS, programs need to be running with elevated privileges. For mere jailbreaking, this isn't a huge problem, simply because Windows RT allows any program to be run with elevated privileges. With this we could envisage a jailbreak process along the following lines: start Word or Internet Explorer as an elevated process (clicking through the UAC prompt), then open a locally stored Word document or HTML file that exploits a code execution flaw, attaches to CSRSS, and in turn modifies the kernel.
This would still be complex, due to the anti-exploitation mechanisms that Windows RT inherits from Windows 8, but it should in principle be feasible, as techniques for bypassing these mechanisms are well-known within the hacking community.
To turn it into a serious security flaw, something that could be run by a malicious webpage without user intervention, would require even more exploitation; attackers would have to break out of an unprivileged, sandboxed Internet Explorer before patching the kernel. This has been done before; it will probably be done again. But it's not very easy.
Even this wouldn't represent a permanent jailbreak: rebooting the system would restore it to normal operation, and any patches that repaired any of the flaws being used would prevent future jailbreaking. An effective permanent attack would probably require defeating Secure Boot or Windows' own integrity verification.
Patching problems
If a drive-by jailbreak were developed, Microsoft would certainly be spurred into action. But then the next question is, what can it actually do about it?
Obviously, the company can push out security patches via Windows Update, and anyone who doesn't want to get exploited by drive-by attacks could install the patches.
More tricky is dealing with people who want the bugs to remain, because they want to be able to run desktop apps on their Windows RT machines. Microsoft has no ability to force users to install patches—they can disable the Windows Update service if they really want to—and even if a user has patched their machine, he or she can trivially roll back to an earlier version of the operating system using the system recovery image. It's not clear what provisions, if any, Microsoft has for servicing this recovery image. Currently, doing a full system reset and rebuild from the image removes every security patch applied and reverts the device to the same state that it was in when originally purchased. This gives would-be jailbreakers the permanent ability to undo any fixes that Microsoft might make.
Microsoft's statement strongly implies that the bug being exploited by this crack will be patched in due course, but as it's not considered a security flaw (any "flaw" that requires Administrator rights to exploit isn't really a flaw, after all) there's no particular rush to get it out.
clrokr's stance is that breaking Windows RT's restriction makes it a more useful platform. In the description of the hack, clrokr closes with a request, asking Microsoft to "please consider making code signing optional and thereby increasing the value of your Windows RT devices." The first few apps ported to run on Windows RT's desktop, ssh client PuTTY and remote access tool TightVNC, certainly support this viewpoint; these are apps that lack any good alternative in the Windows Store and which undoubtedly make the platform more useful. Whether Microsoft is willing to entertain such uses, however, is another question. Thus far, the company has shown no willingness to open up Windows RT in this way. With further development of this kind of crack, it soon may not be Microsoft's decision to make.


text:
Realistic rose with rubis stone temporary tattoo
Choosing a Tattoo is a difficult task. You need to find something that you will enjoy looking at for the rest of your life. In the opposite case, it can turn into one of your biggest regrets. With us, you don't have to regret anything. A tattoo that only lasts 1 week is the best of both worlds. Don't limit yourself and go as crazy as you want! You get the experience of a real tattoo with none of the drawbacks.
All our Designs are unique and made by professional designers
The size will depend on the design on the temporary tattoo.
The little ones: 1 in / 2,5 cm
Medium sizes: 3 in / 7 cm
The biggest pieces: 11 in / 29 cm
How to apply :
1.Clean and dry the skin completely.
2.Choose a pattern, peel away the plastic sheet, place the pattern face down on skin and cover with wet sponge for 20-30 seconds
3.Carefully remove the back paper, now you have a beautiful temporary tattoos.
Remove the clear plastic sheet, lay face down. With a wet cloth, gently tamp the backside of the tattoo until it is entirely wet. Gently pull back the paper backing. Let dry completely.
How long do these tattoos last :
3-5 days if you regularly wash it but up to two weeks if you're careful with it.
How to Remove :
Dab tattoo with rubbing alcohol or baby oil.
Wait for 10 seconds,then rub gently and repeatedly again until removed.
Shipping details :
We offer FREE shipping worldwide.
Our products are shipped from France.
US : 5-7 Business days
EU : 3-5 Business days
Rest of World : 1-2 weeks


text:
Hunter voted out as head of NBA players' union
HOUSTON (AP) -- Billy Hunter was ousted from his job as executive director of the union in a unanimous vote by NBA players who said Saturday they will "no longer be divided, misled, misinformed."
"This is our union and we have taken it back," players' association president Derek Fisher said.
Fisher said it was a day of change for the union, which has seemed inevitable since a review of the union last month was critical of Hunter's leadership and urged players to consider whether they wanted to keep him.
They didn't.
"We want to make it clear that we are here to serve only the best interests of the players," Fisher said. "No threats, no lies, no distractions will stop us from serving our memberships."
Hunter said in a statement that he hadn't received word of his dismissal and blasted the interim executive committee for the process it followed, saying "certain individuals made sure the outcome was pre-ordained."
"In addition, given the legitimate legal and governance questions surrounding the eligibility of the members who voted and the adherence, or lack thereof, to the constitution and bylaws, I do not consider today's vote the end, only a different beginning," Hunter said. "My legal representatives and I will resume communication with the NBPA to determine how to best move forward in the best interests of all parties."
In brief remarks, Fisher said a new executive committee was elected and he will remain as president. The Spurs' Matt Bonner is vice president, Miami's James Jones is secretary-treasurer and the Nets' Jerry Stackhouse the first vice president. The Clippers' Chris Paul, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Denver's Andre Iguodala, the Hornets' Roger Mason, Jr. and the Clippers' Willie Green are vice presidents.
Hunter had led the union since 1996, guiding the players through three collective bargaining agreements and helping bring their average salaries to more than $5 million, highest in team sports. But Fisher pushed for the review after a falling out between the two leaders, and though it found Hunter wasn't guilty of any criminal activity involving union funds, it cited a number of conflicts of interests and poor choices that led the players to remove him.
Commissioner David Stern was aware of the union's actions but had little comment.
"We await notification from the union as to who we should be dealing with because it has been a principle of faith with us that we will deal with whomever the union tells us to deal with," Stern said.
Released in January, the review conducted by the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP criticized Hunter for hiring family members and friends. It said he knew his 2010 contract extension wasn't properly ratified by union rules, and raised questions about everything from travel expenses to the amount he spent on gifts.
Players acted quickly, putting Hunter on a leave of absence on Feb. 1. He hoped to be invited to Saturday's annual meeting, which included about 35 players, superstar LeBron James among them.
But Hunter's attorneys said their client was told he wouldn't be welcomed. They said his contract was legal and indicated there could be a lawsuit if the players removed him and attempted to withhold the more than $10 million that remains on his salary.
"We do not doubt that this process will possibly continue in an ugly way," said Fisher, who then reminded reporters that there are three ongoing government investigations into Hunter, likely the reason he didn't take questions after his remarks.
It's a swift fall for the 70-year-old Hunter, a former athlete who was well-respected by many players. But agents didn't like him, questioning his bargaining strategies and frustrated they didn't have a bigger role in his union.
Hunter's family did, and that was another central issue of the report. He had since fired his daughter and daughter-in-law, and cut ties with a financial institution that employed his son. He also instituted an anti-nepotism policy at the NPBA.
"After 17 years of representing NBA players during CBA negotiations and defending their rights in other proceedings, not once was there an occasion where one side was denied an opportunity to be heard," Hunter said. "The current interim regime in control of the NBPA has set a terrible precedent for the union. It violates every tenet of fairness upon which the union was founded. Now that this has occurred, I will continue to examine all of my options, including whether the fairness that was absent from the NBPA process might be available in a different forum."
Fisher, Paul, Bonner, Mason and Jones were holdovers from the previous executive committee. Stackhouse, who along with James was vocal during the meeting, joins Iguodala, Curry and Green among the newcomers.
Fisher and Hunter clashed during the 2011 lockout and their fractured relationship divided the union. Hunter originally persuaded the executive committee to vote to request Fisher's resignation last year. Fisher did not resign and instead pushed for the outside review, which lasted more than eight months and cost the union more than $4 million.
The law firm reviewed NBPA documents and emails, and interviewed more than three dozen witnesses. It found that Hunter spent more than $100,000 on gifts for executive committee members - including a watch worth more than $20,000 for Fisher before their falling out - and accepted a payout of $1.3 million for unused vacation time when records made it unclear how his time off was kept.
Fisher remains president even though he isn't on an NBA roster, having asked the Dallas Mavericks for his release after a brief stint earlier this season. He gave no update on what would happen to the executive director position. Union attorney Ron Klempner was appointed to the position on an interim basis when Hunter was placed on leave.


text:
Blaithin Antoinette McMahon, MB,BCh, PhD
Blaithin Antoinette McMahon, MB,BCh, PhD
Provider in Mount Pleasant, SC
Rating 4.9(67 Reviews)
Specialties: Nephrology
My Offices
Insurances Accepted
- Absolute Total Care (NEIC)
- Absolute Total Care Healthy Connections Prime Dual Medicare/Medicaid Plan
- Aetna (PPO)
- AllWell by Absolute Total Care
- Ambetter from Absolute Total Care (Marketplace)
- BCBS Blue Essentials (Marketplace)
- Blue Choice Blue Option (Exchange Plan)
- Blue Choice Medicaid
- Blue Choice MyChoice (Available as individual commercial product)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Choice HealthCare (Group Health Plan)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal (FEP)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Planned Administrators
Insurance plans vary by individual. Please contact your insurance provider to check your coverage.
Get Vaccinated Today
Have you gotten your vaccine yet? COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe infection. Find a vaccination clinic near you.


text:
- Home
- Type
- Pocketed Coil Mattresses
- Serta Perfect Sleeper Kirkville 2 Super Pillow Top Plush
Serta Perfect Sleeper Kirkville 2 Super Pillow Top Plush
✓ Save Big Over Retail
✓ New Inventory Liquidation
✓ Pick Up & Delivery Available
✓ Find Location Now
✓ Easy Payment Options
Product Description
Serta® - Perfect Sleeper® Kirkville™ 2 Super Pillow Top Plush
The 2019 Kirkville™ Super Pillow Top Plush mattress combines Serta's Cool Twist® Gel Memory Foam and the new 739 Custom Support® Individually Wrapped Coil Innerspring system. This mattress also offers Serta's Comfort XD™ Foam, an extra deep layer of soft yet supportive foam that gently cradles the body. To instantly save 50-80% off retail pricing, contact your nearest Mattress By Appointment® today. Find the mattress of your dreams, save BIG, and sleep like a baby tonight!
Engineered to Help Relieve the 5 Most Common Sleep Issues:
- Tossing and Turning - Helps reduce tossing and turning with Cool Twist® Gel Memory Foam
- Lack of Support - Assists with proper back support and alignment with Serta's 739 Custom Support® Individually Wrapped Coil System
- Sleeping Too Hot or Too Cold - Encourages a balanced sleep temperature with an overall mattress design that helps promote airflow
- Partner Disturbance - Minimizes potential partner disturbance with a premium support system and advanced foams designed for motion isolation
- Mattress Roll-Off and Sagging - Resists sagging with Serta's Custom Support System and Best Edge® Foam Encasement
- FireBlocker® Fiber
- Pillo-Fill®
- PillowSoft Aire™
- Serta Comfort XD™ Foam
- Cool Twist® Gel Foam
Support System
- 739 Custom Support® Innerspring
- Best Edge® Foam Encasement
Warranty Information
Code: W9
Total Limited Warranty Period: 10 Years
Period for No Charge Repair or Replacement: 10 Years
Normal Body Impressions/Sagging: less than 1-1/2"
Repair or Replacement Charge After No Charge Period: Not Applicable
• DO rotate your mattress as needed, this will promote even wear.
• DO use an appropriate frame with center support on Queen and King size sets to ensure validation of your warranty.
• DO let your new sleep set "air" upon removal from its plastic packaging. Discard the plastic wrapping on your mattress as soon as possible; a child or pet can become entangled and suffocate.
• DO keep your bedding clean and use a mattress protector. Stains, soiling, fluid penetration or other signs of abuse may invalidate the warranty and make your bedding ineligible for repair or replacement.
• DO replace the foundation when purchasing a new mattress to provide the proper support for your new mattress.
• DO carry your mattress upright on its side. It is easier to handle and less likely to damage the mattress. If you need to store your mattress for an extended period of time, store it flat.
• DO promptly dispose of old mattresses to avoid a fire hazard.
• DON'T remove the law tag at the end of your mattress as this has the identification needed to establish your warranty rights.
• DON'T bend excessively or jump on your mattress under any circumstances. Such treatment may damage the mattress or boxspring. Normal use on an adjustable base is permitted with an adjustable approved mattress.
• DON'T use cleaning fluids on your mattress. The chemicals may damage some of the materials.
• DON'T allow your mattress to get wet. Any liquids, water or other fluids may damage upholstery causing materials to compress. Serta recommends that you protect your mattress from water and other liquids with a water proof mattress pad.
• DON'T lift your mattress by the handles (if included). Handles are designed to position the mattress only
Your new mattress meets fire safety standards issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission when used by itself or with a foundation specified on the federal law tag attached to the mattress. Compared to older mattresses, your new mattress will, if ignited, burn more slowly and less intensely, giving you more time to escape.
• DON'T smoke in bed. This is a common cause of fatal fires.
• DO keep matches and lighters away from children.
• DON'T use candles on or around your bed.
• DO keep space heaters away from your bed or other flammable items. Follow all manufacturer's instructions and warnings.
• DON'T run electrical cords under your bed or trap them against a wall. Avoid placing lamps where they can fall on the bed.
To facilitate any future customer service or warranty inquiries, please keep a copy of this warranty card, all tags on your bedding and the sales receipt from your Serta dealer.
Congratulations on your new Serta sleep set. Our goal is to provide the highest product quality and durability, assuring you of the most comfortable and healthful night's sleep. This promise is backed by our Serta Quality Assurance Program, one of the most stringent and rigorously enforced product quality programs in the home furnishings industry. Through the Serta Quality Assurance Program, you can feel confident that your Serta sleep set will provide you with the long-lasting comfort and support you expect.
Because we strongly believe in the quality, design and craftsmanship of our products, Serta products are warrantied against manufacturing defects in workmanship and material (excluding covers and handles, except for handles on iSeries and equivalent level mattresses). For zippered mattress covers refer to the All Foam Mattress section within the Warranty Coverage Detail section. If you observe a defect, contact the Serta dealer from which you purchased the set. If the dealer cannot be reached, please contact Serta Customer Support at 888-55-SERTA. In either case, you must, within the duration of the warranty, provide the original law tags, proof of purchase (including date of purchase) and be the original purchasing consumer.
If defective in workmanship or material, your Serta mattress and/or foundation will be repaired or replaced (at our option) with charges, as shown on the Serta Warranty Schedule and exclusive of transportation and inspection costs. If the Serta product you purchased is discontinued at the time of repair or replacement, a current model of comparable quality and value will be selected.
All other claims including incidental or consequential damages are precluded. If identical materials are not available at the time of repair or replacement, the manufacturer reserves the right to substitute materials of comparable quality.
Any and all implied warranties on this product shall not exceed in duration the term of this limited warranty. This warranty begins on the day you purchase your sleep set. If your sleep set is repaired or replaced, this limited warranty will not be renewed or extended. Please refer to the Serta Warranty Schedule on this card to determine the length of your warranty. For previous warranty brochures visit the customer care section at www.serta.com.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights, which vary from state to state.
This warranty is extended only to the original purchaser from Serta or its authorized dealers. Please refer to the Do's and Don'ts of Bedding Care section of this brochure for proper sleep set care to insure warranty coverage.
The Serta Warranty covers only the following items during normal wear:
• Wires that are loose, broken or protruding through fabric.
• Sagging or Body impressions that measure 1½" or greater, only if the mattress has been continuously supported by a matching foundation (or equivalent) and used with an appropriate frame with center support or a minimum of 5 cross slats with center support that extends to the floor. A Serta adjustable base may be used with an adjustable approved mattress.
• Handles on all iSeries and equivalent level mattresses.
• Sagging or Body impressions that measure ¾" or greater, only if the mattress has been continuously supported by a matching foundation (or equivalent) and used with an appropriate frame with center support or a minimum of 5 cross slats with center support that extends to the floor. A Serta adjustable base may be used.
• Zippered mattress covers are warrantied for ten years after the purchase date from manufacturing defects and workmanship, flaws of the zipper or seams, and tearing of the fabric under normal use. Covers with a zipper located on the bottom of the mattress should never be removed, see tag for spot cleaning suggestions. Covers with a zipper located on the side of the mattress can be removed for cleaning, see label for cleaning suggestions.
• Wires that are loose, broken or protruding through fabric.
• Sagging or Body impressions that measure ¾" or greater, only if the mattress has been continuously supported by a matching foundation (or equivalent) and used with an appropriate frame with center support or a minimum of 5 cross slats with center support that extends to the floor. A Serta adjustable base may be used.
• Handles on all iSeries and equivalent level mattresses.
FOUNDATION - Not including Adjustable Base
• Broken or loose support elements
• Splitting of the wood frame
• Broken or loose grid top
• Compression or unstapling of support elements
• Loose, bent or defective wood beams
• Sagging, but only when continuously supported with an appropriate frame with a rigid center support that extends to the floor.
The Serta Warranty does NOT cover items not expressly listed in the "Warranty Coverage" section such as but not limited to:
• Transportation and inspection costs
• Bedding used in hotels, motels or institutional facilities
• Bedding sold "as is", or floor samples, or bedding purchased from second hand parties, non-retail establishments or received as a promotional item.
• Bedding height
• Comfort Preference
• Corner guards
• Bent perimeter border rods due to moving or bending the sleep set for innerspring models
• Replacement of another piece in a sleep set unless it is also defective • Damage of the mattress or foundation due to misuse or abuse
• Mattress damage due to an inappropriate foundation or when an incorrect bed frame is used
• Sheet fit
• Fabric Stains, soiling, fluid penetration, tears or burns
• Adjustable foundations (see owner's manual for details on warranty coverage)
• Mattress fabric (except as noted in the Warranty Coverage Detail section for an All Foam mattress)
• Zippered mattress cover damage due to improper care including removal of cover
• Normal change in softness and recovery time associated with memory foam and latex materials over time. This does not affect the pressure relieving qualities of these materials.
• Body impressions in the mattress that measure less than 1½" for an innerspring mattress; less than ¾" for all smooth top (non-quilted) hybrid mattresses and All Foam model mattresses.
• Sagging in the mattress that measure less than 1½" for an innerspring mattress; less than ¾" for all smooth top (non-quilted) hybrid mattresses and All Foam model mattresses.
Serta reserves the right to refuse service and invalidate the warranty when the sleep set, even if defective, is in an unsanitary condition (due to blood or bodily fluid stains or soiling, infestation or other abuse), when the sleep set has evidence of damage from liquid penetration, cleaning or the use of cleaning fluids, or whenever the product failure is caused by factors other than defective workmanship or materials.
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|The strength of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation is expressed as a Solar UV Index or Sun Index.The UV Index does not exceed 8 in the UK (8 is rare; 7 may occur on exceptional days, mostly in the two weeks around the summer solstice). Indices of 9 and 10 are common in the Mediterranean area. The Sun Index forecast refers to the daily maximum.


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The Quiet Man
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|The classic incarnation of Hollywood Irishness, and one of Ford's best, and funniest films. Wayne is Sean Thornton, a weary American ex-boxer who returns to the Irish hamlet of his childhood and tries to take spirited lass Mary Kate (O'Hara) as his wife, despite the strenuous objections of her brawling brother Red Will (McLaglen). Thornton's aided by the leprechaun-like Michaleen Flynn (Fitzgerald) and the local parish priest (Bond). A high-spirited and memorable film filled with Irish stew, wonderful banter, and shots of the lush countryside. Listen for the Scottish bagpipes at the start of the horse race, a slight geographic inaccuracy.
|Directed by:
|John Ford
|Merian C. Cooper Republic Argosy John Ford
|John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Victor McLaglen, Arthur Shields, Jack MacGowran, Ward Bond, Mildred Natwick, Ken Curtis, Mae Marsh, Sean McClory, Francis Ford


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Developers of the Cryptocat application for encrypting communications of activists and journalists have apologized for a critical programming flaw that made it trivial for third parties to decipher group chats.
The precise amount of time the vulnerability was active is in dispute, with Cryptocat developers putting it at seven months and a security researcher saying it was closer to 19 months. Both sides agree that the effect of the bug was that the keys used to encrypt and decrypt conversations among groups of users were easy for outsiders to calculate. As a result, activists, journalists, or others who relied on Cryptocat to protect their group chats from government or industry snoops got little more protection than is typically available in standard chat programs. Critics said it was hard to excuse such a rudimentary error in an open-source piece of software held out as a way to protect sensitive communications.
"It was simply a matter of what I would call a fairly rookie mistake," independent security researcher Adam Caudill told Ars. "They didn't understand the data they were working with. Key generation code is one of the most critical parts of a crypto system because it doesn't matter what else you get right if you get that wrong."
For their part, Cryptocat developers thanked researcher Steve Thomas for reporting the bug and apologized for the error. The vulnerability was fixed in Cryptocat version 2.0.42, although developers recommend users update to the 2.1.* branch of the application.
The bug stems from programming that confused the difference between strings of digits and an array of integers, according to Thomas's recently published autopsy of the bug. As a result, the number of possible keys generated by Cryptocat was 254.15, a number that's far too small to provide adequate protection against crack attacks. Using a technique known as a meet in the middle, Thomas was further able to significantly reduce the number of required key guesses
by almost half from 254 to 227.
Thomas wrote an app called DecryptoCat that needed just one day to calculate all possible keys. Once the table is built, the app can locate the decryption key for a specific chat in a matter of minutes, he said. Cryptocat was still using the secure sockets layer protocol to encrypt communications, but SSL alone is inadequate since it's vulnerable to a variety of known attacks. That susceptibility is precisely why activists and other privacy-minded people frequently insist on using programs that offer a much stronger level of encryption.
Given recent revelations that National Security Agency officers routinely store encrypted communications indefinitely, it's reasonable to assume other governments do the same. That means encrypted data could conceivably be deciphered years or decades after it was intercepted as vulnerabilities are uncovered or as new attacks and faster computers become available.
"This is where an issue like this can be so devastating," Caudill wrote in his own analysis of the Cryptocat blunder. "If those encrypted messages have been saved anywhere—any users engaged in activity that their local government doesn't care for are now at risk."
He went on to recommend people not rely on Cryptocat to keep their conversations private until the code and the cryptography in it are thoroughly audited by professional penetration testers and cryptographers. "If a mistake like this was allowed in and overlooked for so long, I've no doubt that other weaknesses exist," Caudill said. Users looking for a safer chat encryption alternative should consider
apps bundled with software from the TOR project switching to PGP-encrypted e-mail instead.
Article updated to clarify inadequacy of SSL protection alone, suggest encrypted e-mail instead of TOR bundle.


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'Expendables 3' cast rolls into Cannes in tanks
CANNES, France | Who needs a red carpet?
The megawatt cast of "Expendables 3" made a spectacular debut at Cannes on Sunday, rolling down the famous Croisette in tanks as a throng of onlookers and media jostled for a better view of its cargo: Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas, and Jason Statham. And that was just part one of the entourage.
Banderas was hardly exaggerating in the subsequent press conference when he called it the "hall of fame" of action heroes.
"The chance to work with all these guys is very very rare," said Stallone, the film's original star and creator, sitting between Schwarzenegger and Gibson.
Since the first "Expendables" in 2010, the cast has ballooned to seemingly include almost every star that's flexed a muscle on film: The third edition includes younger stars such as Kellan Lutz and Ronda Rousey (the only woman in the cast), as well as Wesley Snipes and Kelsey Grammer.
Ford called joining the cast "a lot of fun," and that was clear from the camaraderie at the press conference (which needed two rows of seats to fit everyone).
There were plenty of compliments: Schwarzenegger called Stallone one of his "great inspirations, while Stallone gushed about the former California governor's great mind; Banderas said he was honored, as a Spaniard, to be included.
The cast also cracked jokes at the expense of each other, and themselves: Age was a natural target, given the advanced age of most of it's top-billed stars.
"I think Lincoln was in the White House when we first met," quipped Stallone, 67, about Ford, 71.
Later, when asked when the stars when know when it was time to retire, Stallone said: "When you're ass falls off, it's time to retire," before adding: "We're children with arthritis! We're young forever!"
Though much of the cast are senior citizens, Stallone, is hoping to reach a younger generation with the next film with a PG-13 rating instead of the R-rating of the others to expand its reach.
Stallone also said the franchise would return to its action roots; the second one delved "too far" into the comic realm, he said.
"I realized we should get back into dramatic. When the action starts, I don't like to do joke action," Stallone said. "I feel like we finally got it right on the third one - kind of like a marriage."


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Get the five moves of doom mug.
the series of moves used by John Cena to end most of his matches. They are 1. Flying shoulder block, 2. Sitout hip toss or multiple clotheslines, 3. Side release spinout slam, 4. Five Knuckle Shuffle, 5. FU. Some also add the STFU as another and call it the Six Moves of Doom.
John Cena's five moves of doom have led to the decline of the WWE's ratings
by Robert Glory August 27, 2007


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The American space agency is hosting a competition in which a number of entrepreneurs will be showcasing a variety of interesting creations.
A National Aeronautics Space Administration competition will draw a number of international scientists to the New Mexico desert for them to unveil a number of different revolutionary projects. The overall goal of the NASA contest is to build some form of a space elevator that would hopefully one day replace expensive rocket missions. Even though the idea of a space elevator constructed out of a long enough cable to lift men and goods into orbit seems a bit outlandish, the entrepreneurs realistically believe it can be done.
University researchers, several corporations and scientists from several countries will test their devices to at the competition next month. Over $400,000 in cash prizes will be made available to the winners to the contests.
The LiftPort Group is one company that has openly stated its intentions of constructing a space elevator . LiftPort announced last month that it has completed a second round of testing on a prototype space elevator platform that stretches over a mile into the sky. The space elevator it hopes to construct would span over 100,000 kilometers. The company will be represented at the NASA challenge next month.
Even though a proper space base hasn't been constructed on Mars, some experts are hypothesizing about the ability of building a space elevator on the red planet. The 24 ½-hour days and proper atmosphere makes it an ideal location for a space elevator. Many scientists cited by the group agree that interested parties should first build some sort of elevator off Earth before even mentioning Mars.
News source: DAILYTECH


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Provenance Bentivoglio Family, Bologna [arms added on every page of illumination in 15th century]; Sale, London, 1880; Quaritch [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Yates Thompson, 1895, by purchase [bookplate inscribed "no. 4 and ytr.e.e. Quaritch June 14, 1895"]; Sale, 1919; Quaritch, 1919, by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Leaf from Bentivoglio Bible
Credit Acquired by Henry Walters
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December 3, 2012
Father John Anthony Hennessy, Jr., a Roman Catholic priest who most recently served as parochial vicar of both St. John the Apostle Parish in North Richland Hills and Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Fort Worth, died Sunday, Dec. 2, in Mansfield, Texas after a long illness.
He was 61 years old. He was born on Nov. 28, 1951, to Mary Emma and John Anthony Hennessy, Sr., in Fort Worth. He attended St. Andrew Catholic School and Church, and Nolan Catholic High School. He entered Holy Trinity Seminary, and continued his theological education at the North American College in Vatican City. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Fort Worth by Bishop John J. Cassata on July 29, 1978. He faithfully served the people in several parishes in the Diocese of Fort Worth.
His longest assignment was as pastor of St. Ann Catholic Church in Burleson 1986-2007. He had also served as associate pastor of St. Maria Goretti Church in Arlington 1978-1979 and at St. Patrick Cathedral 1979-1982. He then served as pastor of St. Mary Church in Henrietta, St. Jerome Parish in Bowie, St. Joseph Parish in Nocona, and St. William Parish in Montague 1982-86, and at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Keller 2007-2009. He then took a year of sabbatical that included study in Rome.
After returning from Rome, he served as parochial vicar of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Fort Worth from 2010 until his death, and concurrently at St. John the Apostle from 2011 until his death. In addition, at the time of his death, he was serving as chaplain of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns at the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington.
A vigil service will be offered at 6 p.m., Wednesday Dec. 5 at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Fort Worth. Fr. Hennessy's funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 6 at St. Andrew's, and interment will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, where he will be buried on the Priests' Circle.
He was preceded in death by his father, John, a veterinarian. He is survived by his mother, Mary Emma Lewis Hennessy, and two brothers, Pat Hennessy and his wife Cindy, of Hico, Texas, and Paul Hennessy of Austin, Texas.
Father John Anthony Hennessy, Jr., who most recently served as parochial vicar of St. John the Apostle Parish in North Richland Hills, died Sunday, Dec. 2 in Mansfield after a long illness. He was 61 years old.


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WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans were angrier about last month's horrific school shooting in Connecticut than they were about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.
And more favor stricter gun laws now than did shortly after the shooting deaths of 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech in April 2007.
Three-quarters of Americans said they reacted to the Connecticut massacre of with deep anger, higher than the 65 percent who said they felt that way in a poll from NORC at the University of Chicago after the 9/11 attacks. A majority, 54 percent, said they felt deeply ashamed that an event like Newtown could happen in the United States, well above the 40 percent who said they felt that way in the wake of the disaster that followed Hurricane Katrina and 35 percent who felt that way after the shootings at Virginia Tech.
The massacre prompted 3 in 10 to give serious thought to whether they could really be safe anywhere these days and 4 in 10 felt strongly that the deaths could have been prevented. Both figures are higher now than after the Virginia Tech shooting deaths.
About a third said that after Newtown, they felt there may be too many guns in this country. A similar share said they worried how the shooting would impact U.S. gun laws.
President Barack Obama unveiled Wednesday a wide-ranging package of steps for reducing gun violence, including proposed bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as universal background checks for gun sales.
Many of the more restrictive proposals under consideration, such as the assault-weapons ban, would face stiff congressional opposition, particularly among Republicans.
By contrast, the general public appears receptive to stronger federal action following the Dec. 14 shooting spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults.
Some 58 percent favor strengthening gun laws in the United States. Just 5 percent felt such laws should be loosened, while 35 percent said they should be left unchanged.
In comparison, after the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that 47 percent wanted stricter gun laws, 38 percent thought they should remain as is and 11 percent wanted to see them loosened.
Caroline Konczey, 63, a retired Navy officer from Indio, Calif., is among those supporting a ban on military-style assault weapons. 'I can't imagine why anyone would want one,' she said. 'What do you do with that, unless you're a collector?'
She suggested an underlying source of gun violence was the breakdown of the nuclear family and a lack of access to mental health care. 'Until you strengthen the structure of the family that teaches respect for people, then this stuff goes down,' she said.
Specifically, majorities in the new poll favored a nationwide ban on military-style, rapid-fire guns (55 percent) and limits on the amount and type of gun violence that can be portrayed in video games, movies or on television (54 percent). About half (51 percent) of those surveyed back a ban on the sale of magazines holding 10 or more bullets.
A lopsided 84 percent of adults would like to see the establishment of a federal standard for background checks for people buying guns at gun shows, the poll found.
At the same time 51 percent said that they believed laws limiting gun ownership infringe on the public's Second Amendment right to possess and carry firearms. Among Republicans, 75 percent cited such infringement.
Most Democrats (76 percent) and independents (60 percent) back stricter gun laws, while a majority of Republicans (53 percent) want gun laws left alone.
There is also a gender gap. Gun control is a more important issue for women, with 68 percent saying it was very or extremely important to them, than for men (57 percent). And women are more likely to back stricter gun laws: 67 percent favor them, compared with 49 percent of men.
'Military-style weapons should be military guns, not John Q. Public guns,' said Ellen Huffman, 55, of Huntersville, N.C., who supports a ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Huffman said early detection of mental health problems would go a long way to curbing gun violence. If such problems are caught early enough 'you won't have people killing people,' she said.
Among gun owners, just 40 percent back a ban on the sale of military-type, rapid-fire guns, and 37 percent favor a ban on high-capacity magazines, while 66 percent of non-gun owners would ban military-style weapons and 60 percent would ban high-capacity magazines.
However, 80 percent of gun owners do support federal standards for gun-show background checks, as do 87 percent of non-gun owners.
Gun owners lean more Republican than the overall public. Fifty-five percent of them are Republicans, compared with 30 percent who are Democrats.
Max Lude, 70, a retired teacher from West Frankfort, Ill., said limiting magazines to 10 rounds 'is probably the smartest thing they can do' to reduce mass tragedies. Mandatory background checks also would help, as would mandatory prison sentences for those convicted of gun grimes, said Lude, a National Rifle Association member and hunter-safety instructor.
'It's a complicated problem with a complicated solution,' he said. 'It's not just a one-time, quick-fix deal.'
The gun control debate heated up after Adam Lanza, 20, shot his way into the Newtown school on Dec. 14 and killed 26 people before committing suicide. Lanza also killed his mother at her home before the shooting spree. His mother kept guns at the home she shared with her son.
The poll of 1,004 adults was conducted by telephone Jan. 10-14, 2013. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
— Associated Press writer Matthew Daly and AP News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.
— Online: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com
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To purchase a printed manual listed on this page:
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Download and make your own this editable Free Printable May 2022 Calendar Word, PDF, Image and thousands free printable 2022 calendar with the US. federal holidays and observances (US. edition version), with week numbers or notes space in landscape, portraint layout document as Microsoft Word (.docx)PDF and jpg version also available for 2022 calendar templates and other years.
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The Bystander Effect at Penn State
Posted by The Situationist Staff on November 12, 2011
From Time:
The grand jury investigation that resulted in 40 counts of child abuse against Penn State's former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, has raised profoundly unsettling psychological and moral questions about the actions — or lack thereof — of others involved in the case.
Head football coach Joe Paterno was fired by the university on Wednesday for his failure to intervene upon learning about the alleged long-running abuse. But many more questions center on Mike McQueary, who is still employed by Penn State; he witnessed child rape firsthand in 2002, when he was a graduate assistant coach, but did not alert the police.
How is it that a powerfully built ex-quarterback could watch the rape of a 10-year-old boy and do nothing to stop it? Why did he neglect to report what he saw to legal authorities for nearly a decade, even knowing that the perpetrator spent much of his time with at-risk youth? And why did the team and the university fail to act at every possible step?
McQueary, who is now a wide receivers coach at Penn State, did tell his superior, Paterno, about the attack he witnessed eight years ago, but he did not call the police or get help for the boy at the time. (Now reportedly the focus of death threats, McQueary won't be coaching Saturday's game against Nebraska.) McQueary isn't the only alleged witness to do nothing: a Penn State janitor witnessed a separate assault on a child two years earlier, and similarly failed to contact police.
The rest of us would like to believe that no matter how small or scared we were, if we saw a child being raped, we'd step in and stop it, or at the very least call 911 immediately. But social psychology research on "bystander" behavior suggests that many of us might actually turn away.
* * *
. . . Mark Levine, a social psychologist at Lancaster University in the U.K., * * * says that group dynamics do influence our actions, but not exactly the way we think. His own research has shown that being with others doesn't always — or even typically — reduce altruistic behavior. However, the type of group we're in and the relationships we have with its members, and with outsiders, do tend to influence how likely or unlikely we may be to help.
When the actions of a group are public and visible, insiders who behave in an unacceptable way — doing things that "contravene the norms of the group," Levine says — may actually be punished by the group more harshly than an outsider would be for the same behavior. "It's seen as a threat to the reputation of the group," says Levine.
In contrast, when the workings of a group are secretive and hidden — like those of a major college football team, for instance, or a political party or the Catholic priesthood — the tendency is toward protecting the group's reputation by covering up. Levine suggests that greater transparency in organizations promotes better behavior in these situations.
"It's the norms and the values of the group that are important," Levine says, noting that this fact doesn't reflect very well on Penn State. Indeed, the riot that broke out after the firing of revered coach Paterno — who appears to have covered up for his former colleague, Sandusky, or at least looked the other way, rather than reporting him to the police — suggests that group solidarity with the football team still takes priority over support for abused children at the school.
Another factor that may have prevented action by McQueary and others is denial. Social psychologist Stanley Cohen identified several forms of denial that may cause people to ignore atrocities. There's the denial that commonly occurs in response to difficult situations like receiving a cancer diagnosis or becoming addicted to drugs: the simple repressing of information and refusal to admit that the problem exists or has occurred.
In McQueary's case, however, there seems to have been another type of denial at play, which Cohen labeled "interpretative." "You don't deny that something happened, but try to transform the meaning of it," says Levine, explaining that a witness might minimize the significance of a crime or try to see it as something other than it was.
McQueary may well have been psychologically unable to accept that a man like Sandusky, someone he admired, had actually committed the abhorrent crime he witnessed. Research suggests that when people are faced with situations that threaten their view of the world as relatively fair and decent, rather than revising their own perspective, they often create accounts that deny reality, blame the victim or otherwise rationalize the situation.
* * *
A third factor that influences the likelihood that people will intervene in violence is whether they feel their actions will be supported by others in the community around them. Levine studied the case of James Bulger, a 2-year-old who was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered by two older boys in 1990 in Liverpool. Many witnesses saw the boys with the bleeding toddler, but since the boys claimed to be the victim's brothers, no one confronted them.
* * *
While it is not clear exactly how the norms or values of Penn State may have affected the lack of action by its leadership in response to such vile abuse, it is clear that something went very wrong. A pedophile should not have been allowed to operate with impunity, especially after having been caught in the act twice.
Understanding the psychology of these situations can help increase the chances that bystanders will step up when people need assistance, but it does not excuse the failures of those who do nothing.
- Bystanders in Child Abductions
- The Situation of Bystanders,
- The Situation of Gang Rape,
- The Situation of Helping,
- The Situational Effect of Groups,
- The Positive Situation of Crowds,
- The Situation of Helping,
- The Situation of Hazing, Torture, Gender, and Tears, and
- Journalists as Social Psychologists & Social Psychologists as Entertainers.
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This entry was posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:01 am and is filed under Education, Illusions, Morality, Social Psychology. Tagged: bystander effect, Social Psychology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
One Response to "The Bystander Effect at Penn State"
November 13, 2011 at 4:49 pm
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SALEM, Ore. — Supporters of same-sex marriage said Monday they're aiming at a vote next year to reverse Oregon's ban on gay marriage, which was approved in 2004.
The state's leading gay-rights group, Basic Rights Oregon, said it's formed a campaign organization to get a constitutional amendment on the November 2014 ballot. The group will need to collect at least 116,000 valid signatures.
Voters in Oregon have become more inclined to support gay marriage since they approved the ban by a vote of nearly 57 percent to 43 percent, said Jeana Frazzini, Basic Rights Oregon's executive director. Approval of gay marriage in other states and vocal public support from President Barack Obama have helped shift momentum with supporters of same-sex unions, Frazzini said.
"We've seen the state and the country on a journey of understanding that loving and committed same sex couples want to marry, and they want to do so for reasons similar to any couple: for love and commitment and taking care of one another in good times and bad," Frazzini.
Theresa Harke, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Family Council said the group has been preparing to oppose such a measure and said both sides would have a difficult fight.
Only one man and one woman can procreate, Harke said, so that unique arrangement deserves a unique name.
"Oftentimes we get away from what we're actually talking about, which is the definition of marriage, as opposed to how we feel about same-sex couples and the rights of same sex couples," Harke said.
A 2007 Oregon law allows same-sex couples to register a domestic partnership that provides the same rights as marriage under state law. Last year, Oregon had 558 domestic partnerships through October, according to the Oregon Health Authority, which tracks vital statistics.
Basic Rights Oregon decided against seeking a same-sex marriage initiative in the 2012 election, saying at the time that it wasn't clear they could win.
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text: What is a drive-by download? 0 Shares What is a drive-by download? A drive-by download is a program that is automatically installed on your computer when you're visiting a booby-trapped website or viewing a HTML e-mail message. The malicious program is downloaded to your computer without your consent or knowledge, without your having to click on a link on the page or in the e-mail. Greetings... you've been infected Drive-by downloads are typically carried out by exploiting browser vulnerabilities or lowered security settings on your computer. Speakers showed how easy it is to craft such an attack in a presentation at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, held in February 2011. According to them, hackers can manipulate a visitor's computer without permission by using a simple PDF that contains malicious code. A study released by Google in December 2010 warned about "very high levels" of drive-by downloads attacks. This situation is a direct result of Web 2.0, Google found. The typical Web portal now uses many complex applications on top of the simple Web browser, making the Web 2.0 a fertile breeding ground for malware. Links, blog postings, shared applications and syndicated traffic are all backdoor opportunities for unknown exploits to invade legitimate sites. "On a financial services website, the malware will try to log the keystrokes. There were days when an attacker had to guess the user's credentials, now there is a new method of attack and you can infect a website with a bad page", the report said. Unfortunately, the idea that URLs containing malicious software reside only in the darker corners of the Internet is simply not true anymore. A well-known example was the official website of BBC radio that was hacked In February 2011 and was linked to an injected iframe. How to avoid drive-by downloads To minimize the risk of drive-by downloads, you should keep your browser and your internet security software updated at all times. Also install all Windows patches as soon as they are released and don't click on links in unsolicited or otherwise dubious e-mails. Was this article helpful? YesNo


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No central agency oversees, inspects cruise ships
MIAMI — A byzantine maze of maritime rules and regulations, fragmented oversight and a patchwork quilt of nations that do business with cruise lines make it tough for consumers to assess the health and safety record of the ship they're about to board in what for many is the vacation of a lifetime.
Want to know about a ship's track record for being clean? Want to assess how sanitary the food is? It's not that easy to find, in part because there's no one entity or country that oversees or regulates the industry with its fleet of ships that are like mini cities floating at sea.
In the case of Carnival Cruise Lines, the owner of the Carnival Triumph that spent days in the Gulf of Mexico disabled after an engine fire, the company is incorporated in Panama, its offices are based in Miami and its ships fly under the Bahamian flag — a matrix that is not unusual in the cruise line industry.
For potential passengers seeking ship information, there's no central database that can be viewed to determine a track record of safety or health inspections. No one agency regulates everything from the cruise line's mechanical worthiness to the sanitation of its kitchens.
The U.S. Coast Guard inspects each cruise ship that docks in the U.S. every year for a range of issues, from operation of backup generators to the lifeboats. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a database of recent disease outbreaks and other health inspection information for cruise ships. Had Triumph vacationers looked up information about the cruise ship through those two agencies before boarding, they would have found mostly clean marks and few red flags.
And when something goes wrong, as it did on Triumph, there are limits to how much the Coast Guard can investigate.
These are not new issues — they had been raised by members of Congress before the Triumph incident.
"This horrible situation involving the Carnival Triumph is just the latest example in a long string of serious and troubling incidents involving cruise ships," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., who led a committee hearing on cruise safety last year.
Last year, after the Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Giglio, Italy, Rockefeller held a Commerce Committee hearing to examine deficiencies in the cruise line industry's compliance with federal safety, security, and environmental standards and review industry regulations.
"As I remarked then, they seem to have two lives: One is at port, where the Coast Guard can monitor their operations; the other is at sea where, it appears once they are beyond three nautical miles from shore, the world is theirs," Rockefeller said in letter he wrote this week to Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr., the commandant of the Coast Guard. "The Carnival Triumph incident only serves to further validate this view."
The Triumph left Galveston, Texas, on Feb. 7 for a four-day cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. An engine-room fire paralyzed the ship early Sunday, leaving it adrift in the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers described nightmarish conditions on board: overflowing toilets, long lines for a short supply of food, foul odors, and tent cities where vacationers slept on deck. Tugboats slowly towed the 14-story vessel to Mobile, Ala. It arrived there late Thursday.
Before a ship like the Triumph sets sail, it's possible — but not easy — to find information about past incidents and safety or health issues. The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program is viewable online. The database shows recent disease outbreaks aboard cruise ships and how they were addressed.
Records for the Triumph show it was last inspected July 7, 2012. It scored 96 out of 100. The CDC considers scores of 85 or lower unsatisfactory. The lowest score the ship received was an 88, in 2009.
The Coast Guard also has a database, known as the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange, with inspections and any deficiencies found aboard ships, dating to when the vessels entered service. A search on the exchange's website for the Triumph turns up its certifications for things like passenger safety and pollution prevention as well as inspections. No violations or red flags are immediately evident. Searching a little deeper, the most recent report shows a propulsion issue from a Jan. 28 incident involving a short in a connection box of one of the ship's generators.
But the cause of the fire that crippled the Triumph is still under investigation. Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said Saturday that he could not comment yet on damage, timeline or estimated costs. In the meantime, the ship is expected to remain docked in Mobile to be cleaned and sanitized before it's back on open waters.
The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board will lend their expertise to the investigation, but in a support role. The probe will be led by the Bahamas Maritime Authority, where Carnival registers or "flags" some of its ships. The arrangement is commonplace under international maritime law, and it puts U.S. agencies and investigators in a secondary position even though the Triumph and other Carnival ships sail out of U.S. ports with primarily American customers.
Inquiries to Carnival about inspections and foreign flags were met by a response from the Cruise Lines International Association, which represents all of the major cruise lines. Bud Darr, the group's senior vice president for technical and regulatory affairs, said the industry is "very heavily regulated," from the way ships are designed to how crews train for emergencies. He said standards are set by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization.
But Jim Walker, a Miami maritime attorney and author of the www.cruiselaw.com blog, said, "the IMO guidelines are not law and there is no consequence if the cruise lines ignore the guidelines and recommendations. Customers have no way of knowing whether they are well maintained safely. There is no federal oversight with real teeth."
Fires — though not all as major as the Triumph's — happen virtually every year on cruise ships. There were 79 onboard blazes from 1990 to 2011, according to a list compiled by Ross Klein, a professor who specializes in cruise industry issues at Memorial University in Newfoundland, Canada.
In 2010, the IMO adopted rules that require any large cruise ship built after July 1 of that year to have a separate, redundant system able to maintain the ship's propulsion, steering and so forth in case one engine is disabled by fire. The rules also mandate that ships be capable of maintaining basic services such as sanitation, water, food and lights in such circumstances.
The Triumph was built in 1999 and isn't covered by the rules, as is the case for most ships among major cruise lines. Experts say the Triumph might have been able to limp into port more quickly if it had the newer systems, but retrofitting is costly and time-consuming.
"Provided the emergency generators worked and had enough power, they would have been able to return to port under their own power, but much slower," said Andrew O. Coggins, Jr., a Pace University management professor who focuses on hospitality and tourism industries.
"Once Carnival has evaluated the full cost of this incident," he added, "it might be cost effective to retrofit their older ships."


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Helpdesk and IT support staff should find this scenario familiar: a user with a desktop, a laptop, a netbook, a smartphone, and a computer or two at home wants a way to keep their files synchronized across all of them at all times. The rise of cloud services and the bring-your-own-device phenomenon have only reinforced the need to have access to everything from anywhere at all times.
Offering networked storage, VPNs, and collaborative tools like SharePoint can help to alleviate the problem, but these services often lack the automation, reliability, and simplicity that end-users demand. Many cloud services exist to fill this gap, but in so doing expose sensitive data to what many would consider an unacceptable risk. SpiderOak is an attempt to solve those problems by combining the security associated with internal filesharing options with the power of cloud-based file-syncing products.
For most individuals, cloud-syncing software is a great answer to the synchronization problem. The cloud sync field is fiercely competitive, and there are products for just about every usage model. Each of these products has its strong points: Dropbox's user-friendliness, SugarSync's wide support for multiple platforms and its increased customization options, and Box's many enterprise-targeted features. And there are less-directly-comparable cloud products like Apple's iCloud, which integrates tightly with iOS and OS X but requires that developers leverage its APIs; and Microsoft SkyDrive, which is closely tied to Microsoft's Office apps and will likely be the de facto standard cloud storage service in the forthcoming Windows 8.
Despite their differences, these products have one thing in common: employees of the companies that provide them can still access your data.
According to their respective privacy policies, the operators of these services normally only access files in response to a request from law enforcement or something similar. But that capability also leaves this data more susceptible to breaches or other illicit behavior. In an environment where users may upload sensitive information about the business and its clients, storing that information with a third party raises definite security and privacy concerns. System administrators often need to be able to demonstrate to higher-ups (and lawyers) that a data breach or accident on the part of a third party will not expose any sensitive or proprietary data.
SpiderOak tries to address data privacy concerns head-on. The service has a strong privacy policy, and it backs it up with client-side encryption. But does the beefed-up security model that will let IT managers sleep at night come at the expense of user-friendliness?
Product comparison
|Supported clients
|Windows (XP and up), OS X (10.4 and up), Linux (Ubuntu/Debian, Fedora, source code available), iOS, Android, Blackberry
|Windows (XP and up), OS X (10.5 and up), Linux (Ubuntu/Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, CentOS/RHEL, Slackware 12.1), iOS, Android, Nokia N900 Maemo
|Windows (XP and up), OS X (10.5 and up), iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile 5/6, Symbian
|Windows (XP and up), OS X (10.6 and up), iOS, Android, BlackBerry
All four of the products I looked at provide client support for the major desktop and mobile platforms—Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android—and provide Web portals for access to your files for those platforms that don't have their own client. Dropbox and SpiderOak also have Linux clients, and SugarSync is the only product of the four that filled the shrinking Windows Mobile and Symbian niches.
While SugarSync and Box both offer more storage for free, SpiderOak has an advantage in both capacity and price once you start spending money—you can get 100GB from SpiderOak for the price of 50GB from Dropbox and Box or 60GB from SugarSync. And while the other services have maximum capacity limits, SpiderOak will keep doling out storage in 100GB chunks for as long as you're willing to pay. SpiderOak also offers half-off educational discounts for any user with a valid .edu email address.
All of the services but Box also offer referral programs for their free products: Dropbox gives users 500MB per referral up to a cap of 16GB, while SpiderOak gives out 1GB per referral up to a cap of 10GB. SpiderOak's refer-a-friend program had a much more generous cap of 50GB until just last month, when abuses of the program led to its downsizing. SugarSync offers 500MB per referral up to a cap of 32GB when your friends open a free 5GB account, and 10GB per referral with no cap when your friends open a paid account.
On paper, SpiderOak stacks up well against the competition. To test its features and ease of use, I'll primarily be comparing it against Dropbox, which is really today's standard in terms of market share and ease of use.
Security features
The chief difference between SpiderOak and its competitors for the security and privacy-conscious is in how the services treat user data. Last year, for example, some poorly worded changes to the Dropbox Terms of Service appeared to give the company rights to its users' intellectual property. While the offending terms were quickly changed, they drew attention to the fact that Dropbox employees can still get file-level access to your data when they deem it necessary (for example, when complying with a request from law enforcement or a DMCA takedown request).
SpiderOak, on the other hand, tells users up front that it never knows a user's password or encryption keys, preventing anyone at the company from accessing your data for any reason. Both Dropbox and SpiderOak encrypt user data on their servers using 256-bit AES encryption, but SpiderOak takes the extra step of encrypting the decryption key itself. This key can itself only be decrypted with the user's password, which SpiderOak never knows (the full authentication process is laid out here).
The downside of this scheme is that your data is unrecoverable if you forget your password. But the upside is that you're absolutely guaranteed security and privacy, a must for individuals and businesses that deal with sensitive data—such as Social Security numbers, financial data, and pretty much anything that schools keep on file about their students. Dropbox offers no such capability, and while some users have used extra software like TrueCrypt to add an extra layer of security to files uploaded to Dropbox, the company doesn't officially support this solution—since, obviously, using TrueCrypt would also prevent easy file sharing and the use of the Dropbox Web client.
SpiderOak also offers two-factor authentication to paying SpiderOak customers in North America. For the uninitiated, two-factor authentication is a security principle that requires two pieces of information from you before allowing access to a service or resource. You may be familiar with this if you use banking or other financial sites, which often require a PIN or the answer to a secret question in addition to your username and password. In SpiderOak's case, enabling two-factor authentication will require a code sent to you via SMS as well as your account password every time you log in.