text:
The Focus Of American Attention: Every Place But Where It's Needed
News of Chinese influence.
In 2021, China's policy banks — the China Development Bank (CDB) and Export-Import Bank (Exim) — made no loans to Latin America for the second consecutive year. Beijing is now essentially focused on financing Chinese companies to operate in the region.
This shift in strategy and the resulting proliferation of Chinese companies in Latin America will increase the circulation of people and money that are no longer under the direct control of local governments. Based on current trends, Chinese criminal organizations will likely thrive in this new economic environment. Extortion, money laundering through front firms, and smuggling are already increasing, posing a severe threat to the population's safety in the region.
Drug production is one of China's fastest-growing businesses in Latin America. After China's booming export of fentanyl or its precursors to Mexican cartels, a new market has emerged for non-fentanyl synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, also known as benzimidazole opioids such as the synthetic opioid derivative ISO, which are 20 times more potent than fentanyl.
US authorities believe that these drugs are being manufactured in China and shipped to Mexico where they are then smuggled into the US. In March, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody issued a warning against ISO, as law enforcement agencies advised that the drug might be responsible for the recent rise in overdose fatalities. "Isotonitazene is so strong that it can kill just by coming in contact with someone's skin or being accidentally inhaled," stated Moody.
Concerns are growing that ISO may be manufactured directly in Mexico or other countries in the region, where Chinese criminal groups have already established production facilities for "creepy," the name given to a potent cannabis strain popular amongst criminal grow operations, particularly in South America.
Mexico is a failed state, just as are most or all of Central and South American countries (Brazil may be an exception). Michael Yon has documented the flood of immigrants that will soon overwhelm the Southern border, and are already doing so. They will crash the American medical system demanding free medical care, and the food and logistics situation won't fare much better.
Meanwhile, here is the focus of the U.S. Marine Corps: The South Pacific.
Here is the focus of the U.S. Army: Europe.
The Navy is have trouble meeting recruitment and retention goals, as is all of the military.
The U.S. Border Patrol, perhaps the only real police force left in America, isn't allowed to do their jobs.
If Congress was comprised of anything other than gargoyles, demons and pit vipers, they would hold a vote tomorrow and unanimously declare the Southern border to be a war zone, America to have been invaded, and the military deployed under arming orders to shoot trespassers.
But that won't be done. Per a Michael Yon dispatch, this was seen.
Costly food and energy are fostering global unrest https://t.co/HNubS6vrWv
"The Economist has built a statistical model to assess the relationship between food- and fuel-price inflation and unrest." pic.twitter.com/AGpAtyQUJu
— wonkmonk (@wonkmonk_) June 28, 2022
The authorities want chaos and unrest. They thrive in it. They need it. It helps to maintain their authority. It makes the know-nothings beg for more government intervention and control. It's all by design.
Never forget that. This is all by design.
China,Mexican Cartels,Mexico,U.S. Border Security,U.S. Sovereignty
On June 29, 2022 at 11:00 pm, George 1 said:
The Immigration Courts are now just granting status as cases enter the courts. No bother with appeals. The Biden administration will grant amnesty officially to nearly all illegals by the end of summer. As we have talked about in the past, they won't even need to cheat on elections anymore. They will have the votes.
Not to mention the crime rates soring and will only get worse.
On June 30, 2022 at 6:27 am, Bob in NC said:
@George-
"…they won't even need to cheat on elections anymore. They will have the votes."
I think the Dems may still feel the need to cheat, because the economy is just going to get worse, and when it has been bad, that has usually been the enough to topple those in power in elections.
What I wonder about is how many of the Hispanic illegals from South America are really conservative enough to vote with morality… especially since:
– the government bribes them with so much "free" stuff
– the current Pope is openly socialist; yet South American Hispanics tend to be very devoted to the apostate Roman Catholic- more so than most American RCs.
I also wonder when Pedo Joe will start to bribe the public with our own money, as he did with "stimulus payoffs." I feel sure that he will do it disproportionately for illegals, and that will require different name.
Whatever happens it will not be good.
On June 30, 2022 at 7:40 am, Fred said:
The same people who eagerly encourage and pay for Israel to have walls eagerly discourage and refuse funds to pay for a wall in the US.
On June 30, 2022 at 7:49 am, George1 said:
@Bob in NC
You are correct. It won't happen this time. They will still cheat on the mid terms this year.
Hispanics have historically voted about 70% democrat. There are signs that many of them are turning away from the democrats. How many is difficult to say but I doubt it would ever be under 50%.
@Fred
Yes. Nice walls they are that as you point out we basically paid for. Recently Congress passed the, I think, "The Iron Dome Replenishment Act.". Or it could be some other name, I can't remember.
The act is so we can replace Israel's Iron Dome missiles that they recently used to shoot down cheap home made drones. Sounds great. We give them missiles.
Except we don't make the missiles for the Iron Dome system. Israel does. So we just gave them more money on top of the billions we already give them so they don't have to take money from another place in their budgets.
Our greatest ally. So says Sean Hannity.
On June 30, 2022 at 8:20 am, Frank Clarke said:
We could tolerate «open borders», but not «open borders + welfare state». Up until the 30s, the only things that kept anyone from entering the United States were a virulent disease or a history of blowing things up, and we did fine.
Suddenly there's a Depression or a Dust Bowl or something similar and good-hearted Americans say "Never mind about Article I section 8. Do something!"
Nowadays, we recognize that government is almost never the solution to any problem, but it's too late. We're in so deep, most people can't even envision a non-governmental solution despite the fact that it doesn't solve anything.
Nope. We're going to have to experience a "cratering event" before enough people figure out that we've been doing it wrong for a hundred years. It's going to get much worse before it gets any better.
On June 30, 2022 at 9:40 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Frank,
I cannot tolerate either. For if we don't take an interest in who comes into the country, whether we have a welfare state *now* won't have anything to do with whether we have a welfare state *in the future*. And replace welfare with Christian, Western, civilized, etc., etc.
On June 30, 2022 at 10:40 am, George 1 said:
As the Apache and Comanche in the 1860s came to realize, "It is already too late." The current population demographics of America ensure that we will not maintain the civilization we grew up with. That is before the Biden/Obama regime doing away with all of the immigration processes. That would be the case even if we somehow could stop ALL immigration today.
The "New Americans" do not possess the social capitol needed to maintain a first world society. When you import Mexico, South America and Africa you eventually become Mexico, South America and Africa. The "America is an idea" crowd are fools.
On June 30, 2022 at 12:54 pm, BRVTVS said:
Drugs pushing was a major component of the communist revolution in China and subsequently in the advancement of the communist block. This was all well documented in "Red Cocaine" by Joseph D. Douglass. https://archive.org/details/redcocainedruggi0000doug
On June 30, 2022 at 8:39 pm, Bradley A Graham said:
This is with out a doubt the Black Swan Theory in full effect.
Import the Third World become the Third World.
On July 1, 2022 at 2:44 am, Georgiaboy61 said:
Manufactured crisis is the modus operandi – "M.O." – of the oligarchs and the ruling class. Tranquility and peace do not serve their purposes; on the other hand strife, chaos, fear and violence serve their purposes admirably.
The communists call it the Hegelian dialectic, but in plain English, the method is simple yet highly effective: Use a naturally-occurring crisis or abnormal event (or manufacture one if necessary) to create or provoke a crisis of some kind. Make it severe-enough to provoke a reaction of some kind, a backlash. At this juncture, the rulers arrive on the scene posing as the good guys, the knights on horseback, the sheriff coming to save the day…. but don't buy it. They'll propose a "solution" (what the Hegelians call a "synthesis") which gives them what they have wanted all along.
Crisis > Reaction > Resolution
This deceptively simple method has been used time and again down through the ages by those in power. Why? Because it works. And they'll keep using it until people figure out what is being done to them and put a stop to it.
Former Presidential Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel wasn't lying when he said, "Never let a good crisis go to waste…" …in fact, he was describing in plain language how he and his fellow communists move the ball up and down the field.
Most people are blissfully unaware of how often manufactured crises and false-flag acts of terror occur, or how often they are used to start wars, topple regimes, and the like.
For example, two false-flag operations figure prominently into the history of WWII.
On September 18, 1931, Lt. Suemori Kawamoto of the 29th Japanese Army Infantry Regiment, detonated a small explosive device under a railway line near Mukden (now Shenyang), China – an "attack" which was blamed upon the Chinese dissidents and partisans. Tokyo used the incident as a pretext for widening the war in Manchuria and later establishing the puppet state of Manchuko, thereby touching off the Sino-Japanese War which later took place under the umbrella of the wider conflict of WWII.
In Europe, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler wanted badly to re-establish a corridor between Germany and East Prussia, which were divided by the Danzig Corridor established after the Great War ended in 1918. However, Poland would not give him sufficient cause to intervene. The SS-Gestapo instead manufactured an incident to serve the purpose.
On the night of 31 August 1939, Gestapo operatives staged an attack upon the radio station Sender Gleiwitz along the Polish-German frontier. Led by SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) Alfred Naujocks, a team seized the station and broadcast a short anti-German message in Polish, and then staged the scene to look like an attack by Polish guerillas.
To make the attack look legitimate, German authorities arrested a nearby Silesian farmer, Franciszek Honiok, drugged him and then shot him to death after dressing him as a saboteur. His body was left at the scene as "evidence" of the incident, which received wide play in the German press.
Along with the Gleiwitz, two dozen similar incidents that night along the German-Polish frontier provided Hitler with the pretext for war that he needed, and German forces invaded Poland via the Blitzkrieg at dawn on September 1st 1939.
Some historians believe that the Tonkin Gulf Incident was a false-flag operation used by the U.S. and the Johnson Administration to widen the Vietnam War.
It is now known that the Spanish-American War of 1898 began under false pretenses. When the U.S. Navy battleship U.S.S. Maine blew up in Havana Harbor on 15 February 1898, the U.S. government blamed the explosion on a mine in the harbor, blaming the Spanish then in Cuba. The incident was one of the major reasons why the U.S. invaded Cuba. Much later, historical and technical research determined that the explosion was accidental and caused by a defect in the design of the ship's coal bunkers, which had been placed in too close proximity to the powder storage for the main guns.
There are many other examples, both in peacetime and in war.
You are currently reading "The Focus Of American Attention: Every Place But Where It's Needed", entry #30839 on The Captain's Journal.
This article is filed under the category(s) China,Mexican Cartels,Mexico,U.S. Border Security,U.S. Sovereignty and was published June 29th, 2022 by Herschel Smith.


Students are able to achieve this certification while also pursuing a master's degree and also provides graduate learners with the tools to engage in leadership activities, instructional innovation, and ongoing assessment.
Students pursuing the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction can also seek preparation as a Secondary certified teacher in the content areas of Biology, English, Social Studies, or Mathematics.
This program is designed for the professional who holds a Bachelor's degree and who seeks to obtain Pennsylvania Instructional I Teaching Certification in order to teach at the secondary level, grades 7-12. This program is designed to allow graduate learners to accomplish this while pursuing a master's degree. Courses, except those that have a field experience component, are conveniently offered online to accommodate work and family schedules. Gannon University provides graduate learners with the tools to engage in leadership activities, instructional innovation, and ongoing assessment.
Graduate learners in the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction are required to complete assignments labeled as portfolio evidence. The portfolio assignments enable graduate learners through action research to develop projects that will impact their classroom, school, and/or school district. As a result of these projects, graduate learners have the potential to make significant changes in schools and to emerge as leaders in their respective districts.
Individuals seeking initial teaching certification are also required to complete a professional portfolio. The portfolio is intended to demonstrate and document the professional educator's knowledge, skills, abilities, performances, and professionalism. At the university level, portfolios must demonstrate the degree to which the teacher candidate has attained the outcomes designated by the School of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Equally important, the professional portfolio is a tool for the interviewing process.
Teacher candidates are required to complete more than 180 hours of field experiences and 14 weeks of student teaching. Teacher candidates are encouraged to talk to their advisor early in the program so that they can take the proper course sequence and meet all certification and program requirements.


text:
Spyware becomes a tool for stalking, domestic abuse
By Erik Sherman
April 2, 2014 / 5:27 AM / MoneyWatch
Given recent stories about online spying, you might immediately think of either criminal hackers breaking into personal data at a retailer like Target (TGT) or the National Security Agency monitoring communications. But a story out of Australia is a good reminder of how so-called spyware has become a major tool in stalking and domestic violence cases.
According to a 2013 study by the Domestic Violence Resource Centre of Victoria, more than 96 percent of domestic violence workers said perpetrators used mobile technologies to stalk women, including GPS-based software to locate their positions. The problem doesn't end at Australia's borders.
In the U.S., cases of cyberstalking happen on a regular basis, some of which can end in violence. The hardware and software are often marketed as tools to track kids, monitor employees or catch cheating spouses. Physical access to a phone, vehicle or premises and spending as little as $50 to $85 can allow one person to monitor another to an astonishing degree, according to KXBT-TV, which tested special smartphone software:
"All phone calls are recorded. Once you log into your account, you can see when the call was made, the number associated with the person on the other side and even listen in.
The same goes for text messages. Even more shocking, if a phone call wasn't taking place but the phone was on, it could be used to bug a room and even record video. The GPS also allows someone to track where you are at any given moment of the day."
Commonly available surveillance technology allows people to "intercept all manner of communication such as audio, email, instant messaging, text messaging and computer passwords," sending the information to the watcher's remote location, according to the U.S.-based Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
GPS-tracking software on a phone or a device planted on a car can precisely trace someone's movements in real time or after the fact. Tiny video cameras or even software misusing a computer webcam can give one person a direct window into the life of another.
How legal is all of this? There's no single clear answer. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has reported that even countries with apparently solid cybercrime laws may have gaps in coverage. EPIC notes that specific twists in laws may leave some activities legal. For example, software that captures a screenshot may not count as communications interception because the shot occurs only after a message has already been received.
Or in the case of a married couple, community property laws may allow the use of GPS to track a vehicle in which both partners have a financial interest.
If you think you're being cyberstalked, security company Symantec suggests you take the following steps:
Use strong passwords that would be difficult to guess, and change them frequently.
Lock down privacy settings for any social media or other online systems so that information is available only to people you trust.
Run security software that can detect the presence of spyware.
If you think your physical safety is in danger, only use public computers or phones to ask for help.
You could also add asking a trusted mechanic to examine your car for a potential tracking device or hiring a technology expert to check a computer or phone. Better to be embarrassed at being unreasonably paranoid than to learn the hard way you weren't suspicious enough.
Erik Sherman
Erik Sherman is a widely published writer and editor who also does select ghosting and corporate work. The views expressed in this column belong to Sherman and do not represent the views of CBS Interactive. Follow him on Twitter at @ErikSherman or on Facebook.
First published on April 2, 2014 / 5:27 AM

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando Resort.
Orlando is a hot destination for travelers with its theme parks and top hotels, and we've rounded up a few ways for agents to cash in on the destination.
Travel industry professionals can enjoy the city for themselves with deals from Visit Orlando as part of its Global Hospitality Days, which runs from Aug. 15 to Sept. 30.
Savings include double queen suites starting at $89 per night at Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel and Convention Center, near International Drive; 25 percent off at The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Orlando, Grande Lakes; a pool view room at Avanti Resort on International Drive for $55 per night; a room at Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando for $79 per night, including breakfast and parking; and up to 20 percent off Broadway shows at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre with Broadway Across America.
For more information, visit visitorlando.com/hospitality.
Agents can also provide savings for their clients, such as Universal Orlando Resort's deal for Florida residents this summer with the Exclusive Florida Resident Universal Partner Hotel Getaway.
The package, which starts at $115 per adult, per night, includes 2-night accommodations at a Universal partner hotel; a 2-day base ticket, valid for one park per day; and early park admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. In addition, guests can upgrade to one of the three AAA four-diamond onsite hotels—Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort—which include free Universal Express Unlimited access to skip lines at the parks, as well as complimentary onsite transportation to the theme parks and CityWalk.
The package is available now through July 29 for travel through July 31. For more information, visit universalorlando.com.
For clients planning a trip to Disney, hotels in Celebration are offering summer sales, such as the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration, a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel.
The 718-room property has rates starting at $89 per night with complimentary scheduled shuttle service to the Epcot Transportation Center and free breakfast for children under 5 with the purchase of a full adult breakfast. The resort, set on 20 acres located a half-mile from Walt Disney Resort, features two tennis courts, a fitness center, a game room and complimentary high-speed Internet.
For more information, call (800) 634-4774 or visit radissonorlandoresort.com.


Handmade in Italy natural brown T.BONE lace-up ankle boots. Round cotton laces. Brass-finished metal eyelets. Buttero logo impressed on the side. Leather lining. Sole in natural leather with rubber insert at heel. Leather lining. The 1.5 cm-high raised insole allows for optimal comfort. Sole height: 1.5 cm. Heel height: 3 cm.


text:
Who will be upset by panel's proposal on national debt? Nearly everyone.
The co-chairs of Obama's deficit-reduction panel issued a proposal to reduce the national debt by $4 trillion in 10 years. But the budget cuts and tax increases promise to anger just about everyone.
Alex Brandon/AP
Erskine Bowles (l.) accompanied by former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson, co-chairmen of President Barack Obama's bipartisan deficit commission, take part in a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 10.
By Peter Grier Staff writer
@petergrier
The co-chairmen of President Obama's deficit-reduction panel issued a draft proposal Wednesday outlining ways to achieve a nearly $4 trillion reduction in national debt over the next 10 years. Among other things, they urge deep cuts in domestic and military spending, raising the retirement age to 69, and ending or curbing popular tax breaks such as the deduction for mortgage interest.
Whose hair will light on fire as they peruse this interim report? Plenty of people. It includes something to make folks of almost every political persuasion mad.
But that may be a point of pride for the leaders of the bipartisan deficit panel, Erskine Bowles, a former chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, and Alan Simpson, a former Republican US senator from Wyoming. They appear to be trying to wake up official Washington to the scale of the problem and the scope of needed solutions.
"A sensible, real plan requires shared sacrifice – and Washington should lead the way and tighten its belt," said the pair in their draft.
So who won't like this, and why? Here's a partial list here to give you an idea:
The co-chairs' proposal would take a paring knife to the big entitlement programs upon which Democrats have built their political appeal for decades. Medicare beneficiaries would have to pay more toward the cost of their health coverage, while the amount Medicare would pay for catastrophic medical conditions would be capped, for instance. The Social Security retirement age for full benefits would rise gradually to 69, for example, while cost-of-living benefit increases would be reduced.
The deficit panel co-chairmen say Social Security needs to be reformed for its own long-term health, as opposed to deficit reduction. But the program's advocates are suspicious.
"What is really happening is cuts advocates are using the Social Security funds ... to reverse other federal programs that do have deficits or are unpaid [for], and to pay for the tax breaks for the wealthy," said Robert Weiner, former chief of staff of the House Aging Committee.
The proposal raises taxes, which the GOP in general, and tea party adherents in particular, might not like. Every three dollars in spending cuts would be matched by one dollar in revenue enhancements, according to Mr. Bowles and Mr. Simpson. The level of income to which the payroll tax applies would rise, for instance. Popular tax deductions, such as those for mortgage interest and state and local taxes, would be ended.
The gasoline tax would go up by 15 cents a gallon to fund transportation programs.
"It's a very provocative proposal," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R) of Texas, a deficit commission member. "Some of it disturbs me. And some of it I've got to study."
Generals. The military and defense contractors would face bleaker financial futures under the co-chairs' proposal. The armed forces are a large part of the US budget, and deficit reduction is difficult unless they share the pain, argue Bowles and Simpson. Illustrative suggested cuts include a 15 percent reduction in weapons procurement, a 10 percent reduction in research and development spending, and a three-year freeze on wages for Defense Department personnel.
Lawyers. The proposal includes promises of significant tort reform for medical malpractice cases as a way of lowering America's health-care costs. This is something trial lawyers (and their largely Democratic political patrons) have resisted for years, saying it would deprive those truly harmed of a chance at redress in the legal system.
Farmers. Agriculture subsidies would be reduced by $3 billion annually under the proposal.
Students. Bowles and Simpson would eliminate in-school interest subsidies for student loans.
Bureaucrats. Government workers would have to pay in more towards their retirement plans under the co-chairs' plan.
We could go on, but you probably get the picture. The possible pain is so widespread that it is unlikely Bowles and Simpson will get the nine other Democrats and seven other Republicans who serve as members of their panel to sign on to the plan as it is. If 14 of the 18 total commissioners agree, then the plan gets sent to Congress for a vote in December.
So who likes the plan? Washington's corps of deficit hawks, that's who.
The proposal "represents a commendable, comprehensive, aggressive and good-faith effort to address our nation's structural deficit," said David Walker, a former Comptroller General of the US who is now CEO of the Comeback America Initiative.
The Vote Social Security: Alan Simpson offends almost everyone with 'cow' quip
Can Obama's deficit commission work, as partisanship rages?
Will Obama commission on federal deficit mean a new tax?


text:
public final class Connections {
	private Connections() {}

	public static final String Primary = "Primary";
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This world we live in is not perfect. It is never going to be and there will never be the perfect time to give of some of your time or money. Despite the economic rises and falls and your own finances, the reality is that when you give, you help others in need.
AnswerFirst Cares and its partners encourage you to make a contribution of time or money. If you are fortunate, contributing your time and money can have a double impact. What many people have come to realize throughout their years of philanthropy, is that often giving to others fills a void in their own lives.
Many times when we help others in need, we experience a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure. Scientific studies by the National Institutes of Health have proven that pleasure centers are activated in the brain while giving. Along with the pleasure, giving can also help bring more meaning to our lives.
When you connect with a charity through giving of money and time, you create moments to meet individuals who can inspire you and infuse your life with greater meaning. So, if you have been stuck in a rut, try giving some of your time and/or money. It may do the trick.
Giving can also promote generosity in your children, family and friends. Letting your friends and family know of your donations may prompt them to find causes of their own to support. As for your children, when they see firsthand your gift of money and time, they may adopt a habit of giving when they grow up.
AnswerFirst Cares and its partners realize that every little bit matters. It doesn't take a gift of $10 thousand to make a difference in a person's life. If only a few dollars or an hour of your time is all you have to give, the impact you have on someone's life can be immense. And, at the end of the day, you may have broadened your own horizons.


I'm usually a size small (size 4 in pants), and the size small was a little small. Otherwise, great material and super cute.
You know this teddy has gold sparkle glittery fabric wherever the mesh is not. It looks like your sparkling as you walk around in it. I'm 5'8, 164 lbs. 34B. I got a small and it looks freaking amazing. Its so comfy and has a stretch, so, If you're bigger up top no worries this teddy's got you covered.
This piece is so beautiful. The lace and design is so intricate and made extremely well. The colors pair nicely together. The metallic is fresh and unique. I had to exchange to size down to a medium to fit my body type properly. I have a short torso. I absolutely love love love this. It's so girly and delicate and soft and inviting. You will definitely cherish and love this piece. Get this!!!


text:
Q: Drols exception Unable to load dialect 'mvel' I'm trying to start a rather trivial example
KieContainer kieContainer = KieServices.Factory.get().getKieClasspathContainer();
StatelessKieSession kieSession = kieContainer.newStatelessKieSession("MyStatelessValidationStep");

and at the 2nd line I get an error NullPointerException which seems to be caused by the exception Unable to load dialect 'mvel'.
It happens with the latest Drools version 7.57.0.Final but works OK with e.g. 7.39.0.Final. I've listed the docs trying to find out what changed between those versions, but couldn't find the answer. So, is this a bug or I'm missing something new in my source code?
p.s.
Here is a list of the libraries I'm using:
ext {
    drools_version = '7.57.0.Final'
    slf4j_version = '1.7.32'
    mvel_version = '2.4.12.Final'
    junit_version = '5.6.0'
}

@"Roddy of the Frozen Peas", here are the dependencies:
dependencies {
    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.drools/drools-core
    implementation group: 'org.drools', name: 'drools-core', version: "$drools_version"

    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.drools/drools-compiler
    implementation group: 'org.drools', name: 'drools-compiler', version: "$drools_version"

    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.kie/kie-api
    compileOnly group: 'org.kie', name: 'kie-api', version: "$drools_version"

    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.kie/kie-internal
    implementation group: 'org.kie', name: 'kie-internal', version: "$drools_version"

    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.slf4j/slf4j-api
    implementation group: 'org.slf4j', name: 'slf4j-api', version: "$slf4j_version"

    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.slf4j/slf4j-nop
    implementation group: 'org.slf4j', name: 'slf4j-nop', version: "$slf4j_version"

    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.mvel/mvel2
    implementation group: 'org.mvel', name: 'mvel2', version: "$mvel_version"

    testImplementation "org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-api:$junit_version"
    testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-engine'
}

Note that if I replace compileOnly with implementation for the kie-api, nothing changes in the final result - I still get NPE.

A: Since 7.45.0.Final MVEL evaluation has been moved to a separated module called drools-mvel, see the release notes. Please add that module as well or use instead the aggregator module drools-engine-classic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I'm having a horrible time trying to find out how to play hotseat multiplayer. In Civ 4 its so easy in this game its seems non-existent.
How do you set up a Hotseat 2 player game in Heroes 4?
you press single player (or what's it's name, the symbol to the top right) and the list if you'd like to play a campaign comes up or a scenario option, press scenario, you should find a deatails option in the lower left of the screen that comes up, press it and tick all options. now, if you then go back to the screen where you can select maps, a human head will appear on the top, and in the column below a number, if the number is 2 or more that means you can play multiplayer hotseat on that map. select a map and change player two from CPU to human player. hope it helped.
hey guys just reinstalled after a while. A bud of mine and I are trying to play online but whenever I host i get the error message "direct play failed when attempting to open a listening connection." I get this whether my firewall is on or off and I have already added heroes and gamespy to my exceptions on my firewall. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Edited by Totoro at 10:17, 27 May 2009.
Try playing with GameRanger instead of GS. With it you don't have to worry about firewalls or routers.
Edited by isabel at 08:00, 29 Jun 2009.
While playing Barbarian campaign mission 2 it requires me to defeat all hostile towns and armies, which I did but nothing happens, probably the script crashes. Is there any way other then restarting which can solve the problem? Any "cheat victory"?
Good news: I found this guide which contains a part about cheat codes, so if the script is corrupted, try to see if there's a code that will bring you to next level. Hope this helps.
Thanks a lot for your help, the cheat codes really work and I successfully passed the bugged scenario.
I'm trying to put some maps together into a campaign but I don't know how to make heroes appear in the next maps with their level, skills and stats.Can somebody tell me?
how to play multiplayer on wireless router?
the only problem is how do we save and load it a day after.
Just save the game after the move (better each turn) and after that load from that moment.
Hi guys, I have a major problem.
I installed heroes 4 on my new widescreen laptop, which runs windows 7, has 4 gigs of ram, has a dual core 2.2 ghz processor, and a 9600m gs nvidia video card. My specs are obviously way way higher than what is required, but whenever I try to play heroes 4, it slows down to a crawl. I've tried using compatibility mode, but it doesn't make a difference. Windowed mode makes it even slower. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this?
My laptop has almost the same specs as yours, and I also use Windows 7.
My Heroes 4 works flawlessly, but I did had some problems with other games. Most of those games work well now thanks to patching.
Have you patched your game? What DirectX version do you have? Windows 7 32 or 64 bits?
Edited by Nebdar at 08:03, 14 Mar 2010.
Edited by Realaz at 17:36, 16 Mar 2010.
Not sure where to post it and since I can't post a new topic, posting it here.
What are the most widely played HoMM 4 multiplayer maps? Is there a Jebus / Balance "version" for Heroes 4? Could anyone hook me up with them?
Edited by brett at 19:35, 22 Mar 2010.
I guess Heroes IV app slowness in Windows 7 is caused by the same issue MS Powerpoint 2003 has in article here.
Both apps draw information on screen in an inefficient way, which Microsoft made even slower in Windows 7 with the introduction of Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 1.1, thinking not many used it anyway.
The elimination of the duplicate system memory copies [leads in some cases to] reduced performance as the CPU now has to read data back from the video memory. (. . .) Our observation has been that these slow-downs do not impact the end-user functionality directly and that the memory savings directly result in Windows 7 being much responsive overall.
I don't know if it'll ever be fixed by Nvidia or ATI drivers, but you may want to try to install Vista graphic drivers, which still use WDDM 1.0 (if that doesn't do it, try XP's, these are the ones I've tested and they speed up Heroes IV for sure, however, it's not recommended, they also disable the fancy Aero Glass effect).
I've installed Windows 7 and now when I run HOMM4 the game starts up as the size of a square in the middle of my widescreen monitor instead of stretching out the size of my widescreen monitor. I have a 20.1 inch widescreen and with WinXP the game would start up and run the same size of my monitor. Now it's just the size of a typical monitor screen in the middle of the display (like two thick black bars on each side of the game. Here's a screen shot I just took and uploaded.
I have tried everything under the compatibility option for the shortcut. Under the game options I have also made sure the 1280x1024 and full screen options are checked. I've tried unchecking full screen just to see as well as the other resolutions which have made no difference.
Under the shortcut properties under the Run tab I have set to Maximized window instead of normal window.
Nothing seems to work. Any ideas?
I don't have an answer either other to note that I also have some slowage issues with Windows 7 and HOMM4 but only when I'm running video (like free tv shows off of ABC or other places) while running HOMM4 in windowed mode. This shouldn't be as I'm running it on some beefy hardware (i7 4 cores 8 threads, 6 gigs of ddr3 ram, nvida gtx 275 video card). I think it has something to do with Windows 7 because I was running WinXPx64 on the same box and ran into no problems doing the same thing (tv shows and heroes running side by side). Win7 isn't perfect, for sure.
I think I'm going to have to dual boot two OSes forever.
2.wasprots act in combat. can't deal with them even when paralize..
Anyone know if its possible to make custom heroes for certain maps. By custom I mean new names.


Dr. Rever understands the joy most patients feel when orthodontic care is complete and braces are removed, revealing a beautiful new smile you have been waiting to see. Straighter teeth have improved the aesthetics of your smile as well as your overall dental health. As your Silver Spring family dentist, we want to help you keep your smile looking and feeling this way for years to come.
The key to maintaining the results of your orthodontic care is the use of a retainer as directed. Wearing your retainer all day, every day is often recommended for up to a year post treatment. This is to reinforce the new position of your teeth and their supporting structures. Without proper retainer use, you can experience shifting of teeth due to the flexible nature of the ligaments and soft tissue that hold them in place.
After the recommended initial phase of use, most patients will wear a retainer at night. It is often recommended that it be used for the rest of your life to ensure your new tooth position is maintained.
There are several different types of retainers and Dr. Rever will recommend the most appropriate for you needs.
Hawley retainer: this is the traditional style of retainer consisting of a thin layer of plastic molded to your palate and a wire that goes over the front of the teeth.
Clear retainer: similar to clear aligners, this retainer is like a mouth guard and fits snugly over the teeth.
Fixed bonded retainer: for patients at a higher risk for tooth movement after treatment, this type of retainer is permanently fixed to the back of the teeth, removable by Dr. Rever when no longer needed and replaced with a different style of retainer.
Misalignment can have a negative impact on both the health and appearance of your smile. In fact, an uneven smile can increase the risk of oral health issues, such as tooth decay, gingivitis, TMJ disorder, and bruxism (teeth grinding). To address misalignment, you need orthodontic treatment. We actually offer a less visible alternative to braces with Invisalign. How does Invisalign differ from braces?
Treatment begins with the doctor taking detailed impressions of the patient's smile. These impressions are used create a series of custom-made clear plastic aligners. Each day, the patient wears aligners for between 20 and 23 hours, upgrading to a new set around once every two weeks. Your smile is corrected over a period of a year to 18 months (depending on the severity of the misalignment. Results may vary). Patients can remove the aligners before eating or when brushing & flossing teeth.
Braces employ metal brackets connected to the front of the teeth and connected with an arch wire. Using tension, the teeth are gradually repositioned, typically over a period of 18 months to 2 years. We can use this option to address much more serious malocclusion. However, the braces cannot be removed and you must avoid foods that could become stuck in your orthodontics, such as hard or chewy foods. You also need to brush and floss carefully and regularly to avoid spots on your teeth once the orthodontics are removed.
Typically, Invisalign works best for patients over the age of 16 and who have minor alignment issues. We can examine your smile to see which option will best address your misalignment. If you have any questions about Invisalign then please contact our dentist office today.


From 12 to 16 March 2017, the capacity building coordinators of the Customs of the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) held their second annual meeting in Doha, Qatar. This meeting jointly organized by the WCO and Qatar Customs was attended by 8 Customs administrations from the region. The meeting benefited from the financial support of the General Authority of Customs of Qatar.
The meeting allowed monitoring the capacity building progress and customs reform at national and regional level. It also helped initiate a discussion on the role of regional structures, discuss the annual process of identifying assistance needs and develop the regional capacity building cooperation.
The meeting was also designed as an awareness-raising workshop aiming at familiarizing and updating the representatives of the MENA Region Members with the WCO Customs modernization concepts, tools and instruments.
Capacity building coordinators of Member States who participated in the second regional meeting committed to play a crucial role as a two-way communication and information channel to support the WCO in meeting better the Capacity Building needs of the region.


The Sidobre plateau was sculpted by the action of water as it slowly eroded the granite rock that had been pushed up to the earth's surface at the end of the primary era. Overlooking the plain of Castres, the natural landscape is dominated by monumental shapes of granite blocks. The Sidobre enjoys an international reputation for its granite production. For a long time, its only use was the fabrication of monuments and gravestones, but modern urban architecture has provided a new outlet. It is also used for kitchen worktops and floors. In Paris, the decoration of the Arche de la Défense and the paving of the Champs Elysées are both made of this stone.
In the small town of Lacrouzette, there are many interesting monuments and museums celebrating this stone. Nestling in a green setting at the foot of "Mont Paradis", Burlats is a welcoming village, with narrow and picturesque lanes, that offers large open space and many outdoor activities. There are many stone properties for sale, including some featuring granite stone. It is close to the lively city of Castres with its airport with flights to Paris (Airlinair).
East of the Sidobre plateau are the hills of Lacaune which boasts many beautiful lakes. Because, it is away from main roads, it is the perfect hide away for nature and mountain lovers. In the autumn it is apparently an excellent place to pick mushrooms. Because of the altitude the climate tends to be cooler than the rest of Tarn in the summer and quite cold in the winter. There are even some places where you can practice cross- country skiing!.
If you are seeking a real bargain in a lovely and unspoilt region of the south, you really should take a close look at Lacaune. There may be cheaper areas, but the prices here are still very reasonable, especially when compared with the rest of the south of France. Lacaune is fairly rural, which helps to keep prices down further, and also means that the likelihood of finding that dream farmhouse, with land, to renovate is quite high.


text:
Q: What are the shorthand operators for TensorFlow? I've been using TensorFlow for very little but it seems promising. I'm doing the Coursera second course from DeepLearning.ai (Improving Deep Neural Networks: Hyperparameter tuning, Regularization and Optimization).
I noticed that there is an equivalent(ish) to simple operations like:

*

*tf.matmul(a,b) ≈ a @ b

*tf.add(a,b) ≈ a + b

I prefer shorthand operations because they might make code easier to read. So...
What are all the shorthand operators?
Is there some place where I can find all the possible operations?
Also, I would appreciate to hear some feedback on whether it is a good practice or not to use these shorthand operators...

A: This is not specific of tensorflow but a functionality of the python language. By defining some special member functions, you enable the use of those "shortcuts" -- for example if you implement the __add__ member function then you use + to call this function.
You can find more about those here regarding "numeric" operators, and here regarding "container" operators (such as []). There are some more on the same page.
The fact that this is a python functionality, means that they may depend on the version of python you are using. I am thinking more particularly to @ which came in python 3.5 and therefore cannot be used in python 2.7 AFAIK.
Those shortcuts make the code easier to read and I have not seen any induced penalty so far, so you can use at will.


text:
'Los Pasos de Capiz' exhibit opens for Capiztahan
Home » Capiz » 'Los Pasos de Capiz' exhibit opens for Capiztahan
Posted By Mary Therese Encina on Apr 10, 2015 | 0 comments
by Mary Therese A. Encina & Ronnelyn B. Parohinog
In support for the week-long Capiz fiesta, paso owners joined together in opening the 'Los Pasos de Capiz' exhibit, showcasing different well-treasured pasos typically only used in the annual Good Friday procession.
Occupying Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center (DRCC) as organized by City Councilor Cora Balgos, ten pasos were displayed as the exhibit opened on April 10.
One of the pasos, Nuestra Señora de la Dolorosa (Our Lady of Sorrows) depicts the Blessed Mother on her intense misery, widely-known as her Seven Sorrows: the flight to Egypt, the loss and finding of the child Jesus in the temple, Mary's meeting of Jesus on His way to Calvary, Mary standing at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified, her holding of Jesus when He was taken down from the cross; and Jesus' burial.
Another one, Jesus con la Cruz a Cuestas (Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno) is believed to be hand-carved by the sculptors of Paete, Laguna before World War II, procured and commissioned by Don Gregorio Calinao and Doña Carmen Abalajon Calinao of McKinley St., Roxas City. It has found its home in the Tanque, an 1800 vintage water reservoir converted to a place of worship in 2009, during the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. The place is now called Sanctuario de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno.
Another carro is for Simon Cireneo Ayuda A Jesus (Simon helps Jesus carry the Cross) which is the depiction Simon of Cyrene who was compelled to carry Jesus' cross. The paso was made in the early 1980's as initiated by Maritess Gonzales with her mentally-challenged daughter as her inspiration. Seeing pasos being carved during her visit to Bulacan, she came home offering a sponsorship of creating a paso to Msgr. Fuerte who suggested that of "Simon of Cyrene". With help from her parents, they had the pasos made in Bulacan.
Following this is the carro Jesus se Desnuda de sus Vestidos (Jesus is stripped of His garments) – It depicts Jesus' nothingness, as symbolized by the stripping of his garments. It is also a reminder to Christians of their expulsion from the Paradise, with which the Christians were stripped of God's magnificence, as their 'first garment'. The paso came around five years ago as Mr. Manuel Jimenez granted Mr. Manuel Roxas, Jr.'s childhood wish. From then on, it has joined the yearly Good Friday procession.
La Oracion en el Huerto (The Agony in the Garden), equally important with the others, this paso depicts the beginning of Jesus' sufferings. It is one of the oldest pasos to have participated in the Good Friday procession as was said to have existed before the Philippine Revolt against Spain. It was originally owned by Doña Eustaquia Alba, a spinster, who then turned it over to Don Canuto and Doña Dolores in Brgy. Dinginan, located at the outskirts of Roxas City. It has remained under their property until World War II. Unfortunately, the paso was destroyed during the great fire of the war. It was in the mid 50's when her eldest daughter, Mercedes Fuentes commissioned to have it remade.
Loz Azotes de Jesucristo (Scourging at the Pillar) – This paso is a portrayal of the dolor that Jesus suffered for the love of the people. One of the oldest, it was assumed to have been made soon after the Capiz church was constructed in the final quarter of the 19th century. The statues of the paso were made in Mexico, Spain. It was indicated in its history that Don Abdon Ignacio obtained the paso from a Spanish friar who was with the parish of Capiz.
Also part of the exhibit, Segunda Caida (The Second Fall) – The paso represents the scene when Jesus fell to his knees on His way to Golgotha while carrying the cross. This paso was originally owned by Doña Manuela Consolacion. Its original carro, however, was burned during the Japanese occupation in Capiz.
Santo Entierro (The Burial of Jesus) – Santo Hierro, or Holy Burial, the 14th station, completes the way of the cross. As a consequence of the great fire caused by the Second World War, the church where the Santo Hierro was kept was burned. The post-war reconstruction was then commissioned by the late Msgr. Vicente Gonzales. The pre-war carro, however, was said to be made in Mexico in the late 19th century.
The pasos portraying La Coronacion de Espinas (The Crowning of Thorns) and the Primera Caida de Jesus Nazareno (First Fall of Jesus Nazarene) were also displayed; their history unavailable as of this writing.
The exhibit will be open until April 15 from 9 AM to 6 PM
Author: Mary Therese Encina
500 voices take over plaza with folksongs and drama
Seafood fair dominates People's Park for Capiztahan '15
People protest amidst celebration, scream for MCN 24 abolition
Flag-raising opens Capiztahan, gov't officials praise Capiznon resilience
CPC Online
Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion


Thanks to everybody for participating in the contest! I'm in the processing of polling the top designs and will award the grand prize winner before May 21st. Best of luck to everyone!
What do you think about #294 ?
Please check the updates #265 , #264 , #267 , #268 , #271 , #272 . Thanks.
Hello everybody, we're nearing the end of the competition. If I haven't provided feedback to you yet it probably means your design is not in the top 10. Don't feel bad though because there's been 186 entries to date. Your logo is probably great it's just not as mind-blowing as the top 5%. When I see something that amazes me with creativity AND originality and it's on point - I will provide feedback. If you haven't gotten feedback yet and want to win, please submit some more designs! Thanks very much.
please check #198 #199 #200 #201 #202 .Thanks!
Kindly check #179 & #180. Feedback would be great. Thanks.
Please check #174 and #175 . Thanks.
#146 , #147 , #148 , #149 .
Please check and feedback #135 . Thanks.
Please check and feedback #109 . Thanks.
Can you give me some feedback on entry 78 please.
Hello everybody. Thank you for your submissions thus far. Every day I'm seeing something new and surprising, people keep raising the bar. I had an idea this morning - what about the idea of being immersed in water? enveloped in liquid? Nobody has played with that idea yet.
Sir, i have an idea, can i please discuss it with you.
please check #99 . thank you.
Please check and feedback #97 . Thanks.
Is your company's name - immersive media production studio or Boston Immersive Unltd Inc.?


Alex will be presenting his research on formation of smooth nanocellulose films by the spray-coating method. He will discuss the effect of incorporating a glycerol plasticizer to these films, to improve their flexibility and transparency. He will also describe a new method of plasticizing these films, by spray-coating a plasticizing solution separately. Using this new method, he will outline how this can rapidly produce waterproof films upon addition of AKD into the plasticizing spray.
Saveen Giri and Guillaume Garnier will also be presenting their work on "Freezing red blood cells: automated classification of shape and improving survivability". Due to the short shelf-life of donated red blood cells (RBCs), freezing is required to store them for long periods of time. While we are unable to freeze cells in their native state, traditional additives allow 70-80% of frozen cells to survive. Here we investigate the use of different additives to shift RBC shape to improve the survival rate. We have developed bespoke software to quantify RBC shape and determine how it affects survivability during freezing. Due to the complex nature of cell shape, it can be difficult to manually categorize cells into shape groups. Thus, the software was created to give distinct classifications to a large number of cells. By changing the shapes of the RBCs prior to freezing, we consistently increase their survivability to 93%.


text:
Q: Why Zoom plugin is not working of chart js? This code creates a line chart using Chart.js to display Nifty PCR COI and Bank Nifty PCR COI data that is being fetched from a Google Sheets spreadsheet. The chart is shown in a canvas element and the data is updated every interval set by setInterval(). The zoom plugin for Chart.js is also being used for zooming in the chart but **Zoom plugin not working i want to zoom with fingers in touch enabled devices
**
How can i solve this issue

Loading...

    <canvas id="myChart" width="400" height="400" style="display: none;"></canvas>

Any one can help me ?


text:
No user-facing changes.

## 0.0.4

No user-facing changes.

## 0.0.3

No user-facing changes.

## 0.0.2

No user-facing changes.

## 0.0.1

* Initial release. Extracted common SSA code into a library pack to share code between languages.


Galapagos Rebreathers: What type of diving is there in the Galapagos? Is it mainly Drift Diving?
Due to the currents throughout the archipelago dives usually follow the flow of the current. Most of the diving in the Galapagos is drift diving. Usually divers will descend in a rapid but controlled manner and hold on to an insensitive feature on the bottom. Once in the bottom, rocks and other natural features serve as good hiding places from the current. There is where a lot of the wildlife as hides so it's a natural place for observing it. Once ready to move, just think ahead of where you are going, work with the current and find another anchor point or hideaway.


text:
Home/iConsumer/Can artificial intelligence be the author of copyright protected works?
Can artificial intelligence be the author of copyright protected works?
A robot exploiting AI can be considered the actual author of a copyright protection work?
Tommaso Fia Send an email October 29, 2018
Artificial intelligence has limitless potentials, but if it creates a piece of art, who is the author and can copyright laws apply to this work?
In 2013, industrial band Nine Inch Nails released "Copy of A" as a second single of the album "Hesitation Marks." The issue is on the concept of copy, that is rather picturesque in a time when the copying of digital files is possible without any limit and any noticeable decrease in quality.
Recently, analysis of large quantities of data relating to old creative works, digitally copied and reproduced by way of complex systems of artificial intelligence, can transform machines into creators and authors. How is this possible? Let's discuss it in an article as part of iConsumer.
The portrait of Edmond de Belamy made by an AI system
Let's begin from a very recent fact. In late October 2018, the portrait of Edmond de Belamy, a gentleman with a black suit, was sold for 432,500 US dollars. It may not seem an attention-grabbing piece of news since this work looks basically like an official portrait from the 18thor 19thcentury. Moreover, the clearing price is not that high, considering that the highest price ever reached at an auction is 450 million US dollars, paid by the Saudi prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud for Leonardo's Salvator Mundi.
The sale of the portrait of Edmond de Belamy has been sensational not for its features, but its author's. Indeed, the creator of such work was a complex system of artificial intelligence (AI) called GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks) – briefly and journalistically known as an algorithm. The French collective Obvious developed such technology, that was fed with data about 10,000 portraits from the 15th to the 19th Century and, as a result, made the auction-breaking work.
Can artificial intelligence be deemed to be an author under copyright laws?
Leaving aside ethical and philosophical questions on the role of the algorithmic artist – someone wonders if still, this is art – several legal challenges arise here. Can a creative work made by an artificial intelligence system be protected under current copyright law?
As is widely known, copyrighted works must be original. Such a requirement prevents an algorithmic work from access to copyright protection since originality is a human feature. And yet such element is fundamental for both the legal systems of the Western legal tradition – i.e., common law and civil law.
Member States of the EU unanimously link originality to individuals. For example, under art. 8 of the Italian Copyright Law,
he / she is considered the author of the creative work, unless proven otherwise, who is indicated therein as such in the forms of use, that is, it is considered as such in the performance, execution, representation or radio-diffusion of the work itself.
At EU level, the originality standard has been subject to limited harmonization, since EU directives generally provide that software, databanks, and photographs enjoy copyright protection only where they are their
author's own intellectual creation.
Also, recitals 9 and 11 of the InfoSoc Directive undoubtedly set out that the standard of copyright originality is purely a human intellectual creation and
Similar conclusions are relevant to the US scenario. Indeed, according to the landmark Feist decision of the Supreme Court, copyright law only protects
the fruits of intellectual labor which are founded in the creative powers of the mind.
Both legal approaches exclude machines and therefore artificial intelligence from the notion of authorship under copyright laws. But is this enough to preclude IP protection for such kinds of works? In the next post, I'll discuss this topic.
AI big data consumer copyright eu law
Tommaso Fia
II am specialized in data protection, consumer law, and intellectual property law. I am very keen on music and its regulation.
Personal data validated as price for digital contents and services


text:
An Academic Publisher
Journal Book
Home > Journals > Computer Science & Communications > JSEA
JSEA> Vol.2 No.4, November 2009
Cite This Paper >>
The paper is not in the journal.Go Back HomePage
Research on the Trust Model Based on the Groups' Internal Recommendation in E-Commerce Environment
Abstract Full-Text HTML Download as PDF (Size:367KB) PP. 283-287
DOI: 10.4236/jsea.2009.24036 6,298 Downloads 9,805 Views Citations
Author(s) Leave a comment
Nan REN, Qin LI
The trust plays an extremely important role in online shopping. In order to make online shopping trusty, this paper puts foreword a new trust model in e-commerce environment GIR-TM (Groups' Internal Recommendation Trust Model). First, it regarded the network as a combination of groups, and then did the internal recommendation based on these groups. The GIR-TM, in the process of recommendation, distinguished clearly between the trust degrees of recommen-dation node and the trust degrees of recommended node, and then calculated the integrated credibility value of the recommended node according to the weight of recommendation node in the group, the partial trust degree and the de-gree of recommendation when the recommendation node recommends the recommended node, and the overall credibil-ity value of recommended node as well. Lastly through listing the experimental data and comparing with the HHRB-TM (History and Honest Recommendation Based Trust Model) on the same condition, it is verified that GIR-TM is feasible and effective.
E-commerce, Groups, Internal Recommendation, the Credibility Value
N. REN and Q. LI, "Research on the Trust Model Based on the Groups' Internal Recommendation in E-Commerce Environment," Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, Vol. 2 No. 4, 2009, pp. 283-287. doi: 10.4236/jsea.2009.24036.
[1] X. Li and L. Liu, "A reputation-based trust model for peer-to-peer e-commerce communities[C]," Proc of IEEE Conference on E-Commerce, ACM Press, California, pp. 275–284, 2003.
[2] M. H. Hanif Durad and C. Yuazlda, "A vision for the trust managed grid [A], Proceedings of the sixth IEEE International Symposium on Cluster Computing and the Grid [C], IEEE Computer Society Washington, DC, USA, 2006.
[3] G. Liang, L. Junzhou, and X. Yaobin, "Developing and managing trust in peer-to-peer systems [A]," proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Database and Expert Systems Applications[C], IEEE Computer Society Washington,DC,USA,2006.
[4] F. Almenarez, A. Marin, D. Diaz,and J. Sanchez, "De-veloping a model for trust management in pervasive de-vices [J]," 2006.
[5] A. J?sang, R. Ismail, and C. Boyd, "A survey of trust and reputation systems for online service provision [J]," De-cision Support Systems, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 618?644, 2007.
[6] W. Li, "A history and honest recommendation based trust model in peer-to-peer Networks [D]," Hunan University, pp. 28–29, September 2007.
[7] X. L. Chen, "Research on the modeling and application of initial trust for e-commerce[D]," Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 2008.
[8] A. Gummadi and J. P. Yoon. "Modeling group trust for peer-to-peer access control," Database and Expert Sys-tems Applications, Proceedings 15th International Work-shop, pp. 971–978, 2004.
[9] W. Dou, H. M. Wang, and Y. Jia, "A recommenda-tion-based peer-to-peer trust model [J]," Journal of soft-ware, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 571–583, 2004.
[10] G. Zacharia and P. Maes, "Trust management through reputation mechanisms [J]," Applied Artificial Intelli-gence, Vol. 14, No. 9, 2000.
● Open Special Issues
● Published Special Issues
● Special Issues Guideline
JSEA Subscription
JSEA Most popular papers
Publication Ethics & OA Statement
History Issue
JSEA News
Recommend to Peers
Copyright © 2018 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Follow SCIRP
About SCIRP
Submission System Login
Journals A-Z Journals by Subject Manuscript Tracking System Open Access
Books For Authors Translation & Proofreading Publication Ethics
Jobs Publication Fees Careers Preservation
Blog Special Issues Subscription Retraction
Sitemap Peer-Review Resources Frequently Asked Questions Advertising
Contact Us News Volume & Issue Privacy Policy


Keep your baby entertained with some of the fantastic activity toys from our great range. These toys are loads of fun and will hold your babys attention for hours. Our activity toys feature bright designs, colourful characters and really interactive experiences so you can be sure your little one will be enjoying themselves.


text:
Andrew Paul Clements (born 11 October 1955) is an English former footballer who played as a defender. He scored six goals in 152 league appearances in an eight-year career in the Football League with Bolton Wanderers, Port Vale, and York City.

Career
Clements began his career with Bolton Wanderers, who allowed him a two-month loan spell at Roy Sproson's Port Vale in February 1977. He appeared as a substitute on 7 February in a 2–0 defeat to York City at Vale Park, making his full debut four weeks later in a 1–1 draw with Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow. In total, he featured in just three Third Division games for the "Valiants" at the end of the 1976–77 season. He played one Second Division game at Burnden Park for Ian Greaves's "Trotters" in the 1977–78 season, before joining Charlie Wright's York City. Having survived a re-election vote, the "Minstermen" finished tenth in the Fourth Division in 1978–79. York then finished in 17th place in 1979–80, before finishing bottom of the Football League in 1980–81 under the stewardship of Barry Lyons. Clements scored eight goals in 163 league and cup games during his four years at Bootham Crescent. He later played in the Northern Counties East League for Rowntree Mackintosh.

Career statistics
Source:

References

1955 births
Living people
People from Swinton, Greater Manchester
English footballers
Association football defenders
Bolton Wanderers F.C. players
Port Vale F.C. players
York City F.C. players
Nestlé Rowntree F.C. players
English Football League players
Northern Counties East Football League players

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — University of New Mexico officials have proposed charging $10 more per credit hour for students who have declared a major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Albuquerque Journal reports a subcommittee of the university board unanimously approved Tuesday a recommended budget that includes adding a differential tuition.
The change would increase students' tuition by about $300 per year. Officials expect to generate about $1.7 million per year.
The college includes a broad field of studies, including chemistry, anthropology, English, American studies, economics and others.
Interim Provost Richard Wood says about 40% of the undergraduate student body have a major within that college.
University regents are scheduled to vote on the university's budget next week.


No other form of 19th century scientific advances would have such a profound effect on the nature of communication as the success of the telegraph. The telegraph rapidly increased the speed at which communication took place. Sending a letter could take days, weeks or even months to travel across the country. The telegraph reduced the delay to near instant communication. Messages were sent and received as quickly as the sender could tap out the message and the receiver could copy it down to paper.
Now, information that had taken weeks or months to travel long distances could be transmitted in an instant. Business transactions, government communications, and news of important events traveled through wires that were usually strung along America's rapidly expanding rail system. The impact of the telegraph was comparable to the development of the modern internet. Both changed our world forever.
© 2019 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum™. All Rights Reserved.


text:
namespace SparkSharp.Core.Datasets
{
    using System;
    using System.Collections;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.IO;
    using System.Linq;
    using System.Text;

    public class TextFileDataset : BaseDataset<string>
    {
        private string filename;

        public TextFileDataset(string filename)
        {
            this.filename = filename;
        }

        public override IEnumerable<string> Elements
        {
            get
            {
                StreamReader reader = File.OpenText(this.filename);

                for (string line = reader.ReadLine(); line != null; line = reader.ReadLine())
                    yield return line;
            }
        }
    }
}


Museum :- Separate Museum available of size is 30 sq. mt. with different types of pathological Specimen maintained, More than 200 specimens are available.
Audio Visual Aids :- The facility of audio visual aid is also provided in this department..
clinical pathological laboratory :- Separate clinical pathological laboratory which is attached to the 50 bedded hospital and 7 speciality O.P.D.s where all types investigations are carried out students of this departments are also posted time to time to the clinical lab to upgrade their knowledge.
Separate Lab technician who is M.Sc. Micro with DMLT is also provided for this department.
Slides :- There are more than 100 no.s of Microbiological slides, 150 no. of parasitological slides as well as so many slides of Human diseases with their sections.
Lab and department in collaboration with college hospital conducts regular blood , urine checkups on free basis.
Departmental library :- The department has its own separate departmental library as well as separate rooms for HOD has also provided.
Adequate water supply, electricity, LPG connection, fire extinguisher is also available.


Smart and stylish, this traditionally made ready-to-wear white bow tie is made from high quality poly dupion. It is pre-tied for your convenience and is easily adjusted to any collar width. This bow tie has been custom made to ensure the perfect match with our waistcoat range.
bought with matching waistcoat for my son's first communion.perfect.


2018 (Junior): Played three games in goal...stopped all five shots he faced in one half played against Merchant Marine in NCAA second round.
2017 (Sophomore): Shmerler started all 19 games in his sophomore season totaling 556:45 minutes..he made 151 saves and gave up 113 goals giving him a save percentage of 57.2%.. ended with a 11-3 winning record in the 2017 season..was selected for the All-New England 3rd team having the 2nd highest save percentage in the NESCAC and came in 3rd in total wins with 11 in the NESCAC rankings.
2016 (Freshman): As a freshman, Shmerler played in five games making one start as the team finished 20-3, won the NESCAC Tournament, and made it to the NCAA Tournament Championship...played a total of 100:26 minutes.. made 18 saves and gave up 13 goals with a save percentage of 58.1%..ended with a 1-0 winning record.
Before Tufts: Was on the hockey and lacrosse teams at Gilman High School.
Personal: Son of John and Laura...has two siblings, Sarah and Natalie...father, John, played golf at Bucknell.


text:
Transcript: 'The Journal Editorial Report,' February 10, 2007
This is a rush transcript from "The Journal Editorial Report," February 10, 2007.
PAUL GIGOT, HOST: This week on the "Journal Editorial Report":
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: I'm in this to win.
GIGOT: Rudy Giuliani comes one step closer to a presidential run. But how will the former New York City mayor's social views play with cultural conservatives in the South and West?
Plus, a looming fiscal showdown, the president vows to balance the budget without a tax increase. But Democrats say something's got to give.
Those topics and our weekly "Hits and Misses," but first, these headlines.
GIGOT: Welcome to the "Journal Editorial Report." I'm Paul Gigot.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani moved closer this week to a run for the Republican presidential nomination, filing papers with the Federal Election Commission, and telling FOX News that he's in it to win.
GIULIANI: I've no idea who's going to get the nomination. But you do this because you believe that you can win the nomination of your party. And then you believe that you are the strongest candidate to win the election for your party. GIGOT: Fred Siegel is a former Giuliani campaign advisor and author of "The Prince of the City: Giuliani in New York and the Genius of American Life."
Fred Siegel, welcome.
FRED SIEGEL, AUTHOR, "THE PRINCE OF THE CITY": Thanks for having me.
GIGOT: You watched Rudy Giuliani as mayor here. Now, we all know about his performance after 9/11. But what else did he accomplish in that office that recommends him for the White House?
SIEGEL: Well, it's little known, but when he came into office, one out of every seven New Yorkers, 1.1 million people, were on welfare. Now, this is significant not only because welfare itself was a problem. It's because when he came into office, New York was bankrupt. It was technically bankrupt.
And he pulled New York back from bankruptcy, partly through welfare reform, partly through cuts, partly through some privatizations. And the fiscal accomplishments in his first term were enormous, but not widely known.
GIGOT: Some people say in the second term, though, he let that get away, not on welfare, but on the fiscal side, where he started to spend a lot and left his successor, Mike Bloomberg, with a deficit.
SIEGEL: He did. I think he loosened the reins in the second term. He wasn't — he wasn't the fiscal manager then that he had been in the first term.
GIGOT: A lot of people say, Rudy Giuliani, some people says he's a conservative. Other people say he's a liberal? Is he a mix of the two? How would you describe his political philosophy?
SIEGEL: I describe him as an immoderate centrist.
GIGOT: What does that mean?
SIEGEL: What that means is, that when he takes on an issue near and dear to his heart, like crime or welfare, he goes all the way. And the way he goes all the way, it's not just because he has an operatic personality. He is very...
GIGOT: He does have an operatic personality?
SIEGEL: Oh, there's no question. No one can doubt that. He's very, very bright. He's wonkish, the way Clinton was wonkish. Concerned with the mechanisms of how things really work. And that served him very well. And if he was in the White House, it would probably serve him well there, too.
GIGOT: Let me ask you about another episode, when he was U.S. attorney. He was very rough in going after the mob. And that was successful.
But also white collar criminals, a couple of which he had very publicly thrown up against the wall at their offices, hauled out. And he lost some of those cases in court. What does that say about judgment or his going too far, this operatic personality? Is there a danger of excess?
SIEGEL: He can push things too hard. There's no question.
By and large, he avoided that in his first six years as mayor. When his personal troubles hit, when his health troubles hit, this, again, became a problem.
In a certain sense he paved the way for Elliott Spitzer with his prosecutorial excess.
GIGOT: Is that something you would worry about in a Giuliani presidency?
SIEGEL: I would. I would. Giuliani can hurt himself in this campaign about he shows that side.
Now, the question is, is he now so confident, so successful that he's put that behind him. He's not trying to make a name for himself any more. He is a name.
GIGOT: Let me ask you the question that really is, I think, at the heart of whether or not he can win this nomination, which is his liberal views on the culture. He is for gay marriage. He's for gun control. He's pro-choice on abortion.
Is the Republican nominating electorate going to nominate somebody with those views?
SIEGEL: Paul, I can't give you a definitive answer. But I can tell you, when I went around the country flogging my book, I talked before conservative audiences who loved him. And they knew what his positions were — terror trumps, national security trumps.
Now, for a certain percentage of primary voters, it doesn't matter how much they like him on these other issues, they will vote a bullet on abortion, say.
What is done, which is quite thoughtful, is the talk about judges, the kind of judges he would nominate.
He talks about his friendship with Scalia, and the way he wants strict construction on the Supreme Court. That will mitigate some it, but not all of it.
GIGOT: And do you have any doubt where he stands on the war on terror? Would he be a big supporter, a prominent supporter, of the Bush doctrine on foreign policy?
SIEGEL: You can describe him in the simple way. The very Saudi prince he refused money to is now funding the Carter Center. And I'm sure he will be pointing that out.
GIGOT: But he has supported the president's policies in Iraq. He has supported the president's policies against the axis of evil, by and large. That... SIEGEL: He has. But he hasn't set a great deal on this. McCain has gone much further in this direction than he has, because McCain is in the Senate.
Giuliani has the great advantage of not being on the spot in a daily basis when it comes to foreign policy.
GIGOT: Let me ask you about another aspect of New York politics. It was the Bernie Kerik episode and the fact that he was nominated to be secretary of Homeland Security and had to withdraw under pressure after some details came out about his private life and other things.
And there are people out there, and not just with the other campaign camps, who say are there any other Bernie Keriks out there, because Rudy Giuliani recommended him for the job.
SIEGEL: Let me say something that's going to sound odd in terms of Bernie Kerik. Had Bernie Kerik been secretary of Homeland Security, you wouldn't have had the Katrina disaster.
Bernie Kerik, in that position, wouldn't have been the lawyer Michael Chertoff was — was arguing with the Governor of Louisiana on posse comitatus law. The cavalry would have arrived immediately.
And that is what Giuliani liked about Kerik. Kerik, as prison director, did a fantastic job.
GIGOT: He was a can-do guy?
SIEGEL: He's a can-do guy. And that is what Giuliani liked about him. And I don't think I could be wrong. I don't know if Giuliani was fully aware of his nocturnal activities.
However, what will come out in the campaign is that, when he made Kerik police commissioner, he didn't fully investigate Kerik's background.
And that will lead to something else. How is it that when Giuliani was approved as a federal attorney, his father's own Mafia connections did not come up. So it could open up a can of worms.
GIGOT: You think there are some other land mines out there?
SIEGEL: No, I don't. I don't. But I think it will be access — It'll be a way of raising questions about Giuliani. Talking about Kerik will be a way of raising questions about Giuliani without going after him personally.
GIGOT: OK. All right, Fred Siegel, thanks for being here. We'll be watching.
More on Rudy's run when we come back.
Plus, President Bush's proclamation that the budget can be balanced without a tax hike leaves Democrats saying something's got to give. Our panel previews the looming budget brawl when the "Journal Editorial Report" continues.
GIULIANI: The experiences that I've had as mayor of New York City, United States attorney, all of them very, very strongly — kind of in the executive area where you have to have leadership and organization and focus, and having dealt with a city that was really in bad shape when I took over, and that had to kind of turn around. I think it gives you the background to approach it, and to feel pretty comfortable that you can make a difference.
GIGOT: Big city mayor, former federal prosecutor — will Rudy Giuliani's past experience help or hurt him in a presidential bid?
Joining the panel this week, "Wall Street Journal" Columnist and Deputy Editor Dan Henninger, as well as Jason Riley and Steve Moore, both "Wall Street Journal" editorial board members.
Dan, I have to say, I thought I would never see the day when a New York City mayor would be leading in the polls for the Republican presidential nomination.
We have a national poll up that shows him, I think, ahead of even John McCain. And then there's a New Hampshire as well that has him pretty close. Is this just name recognition? People know Rudy Giuliani. He's famous. Or is there something else going on here?
DAN HENNINGER, WSJ COLUMNIST AND DEPUTY EDITOR: A little bit more than that. Fred Siegel touched on it. I think in our media age, stereotypes matter, even good stereotypes.
And Rudy's symbol is 9/11. He will be forever attached in the broad public mind with the war on terror.
Now, Republican voters — polls suggest that for the Republican base, either the war on terror or Iraq are the foremost thing on their mind, combined, well over 50 percent as their primary interest.
And I think Giuliani is just like a tunnel vision antiwar-on-terror figure, whereas John McCain is a little more less-defined than Giuliani on that issue. So I think, at this point in time, it is helping Rudy a lot.
GIGOT: Well, the voters are looking for an executive who has a record of accomplishment as well, Steve. Can Rudy point to that in New York City?
STEVE MOORE, WSJ EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER: Well, it certainly is an incredible record. And Fred talked about the way he turned around this city with something like 21 tax cuts. He talked about the reduction in crime and also the reduction in welfare. So it's a good story.
I agree with Dan that what the American people are looking for in a presidential candidate this year is somebody — it has two characteristics that Rudy has — toughness and confidence. And on those Rudy gets an A.
GIGOT: All right, Jason, where the rock?
JASON RILEY, WSJ EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER: Well, the tax cuts that Steve alluded to. Again, this was first-term Rudy Giuliani. He served two terms.
And in the second term, he didn't do so well. The budget grew. Again, the quality of life improvements, indisputable. But his budgets did grow in the second term.
And he left his successor, Mike Bloomberg, with a $2.5 billion budget gap, which is larger than the budget gap he inherited from his predecessor, David Dinkins.
So it's something that — people care about these issues. Fiscal conservatives, who vote on these issues, might have a tough time overlooking that City Hall spending record.
GIGOT: Steve, you know the Republican Party. Are they really going to nominate somebody with his social views? For 25 years it has been a litmus test that, if you are pro-choice and pro-gay marriage and pro-gun control, you can't get the nomination.
MOORE: If you'd asked me a year ago, I would say Rudy has a zero percent chance of winning. Now, I think he is maybe even a frontrunner in this.
Two reasons. Number one, he basically said to social conservatives, I'm going to put conservatives on the Supreme Court. And that is the number one issue to them.
And second of all, social conservatives care a whole heck of a lot about the war on terrorism. And they look — they agree with Dan that this is an important family issue as well.
HENNINGER: And one more quick-note point to that. Rudy Giuliani is a politician. And he holds these views because he was running for mayor of New York City.
MOORE: That's true.
HENNINGER: You could not possibly have been elected mayor of this city unless you held those views. Does he believe them? Who knows? But I think it might be.
MOORE: And who else is there that the social conservatives — if there were a Ronald Reagan type in the field, I would say yes, he is going to obliterate Rudy. But there is no strong social conservative.
GIGOT: Is this judicial point that he is trying to make, saying, look, I will appoint a Scalia, I'll appoint a Thomas — conservative judges. Is that enough to get him past these?
RILEY: I don't know how that will play in South Carolina and Iowa. I really don't. I mean, and some of these primary voters have a visceral reaction to New York City people...
GIGOT: That is true.
RILEY: ... that Rudy will have to overcome. These people condescend to the rest of the country.
I think Rudy's got some...
MOORE: But when he goes to South Carolina, he has this sort of Beatles quality to him. He's a rock star.
He really is. He's the one who's getting the big crowds.
GIGOT: You've got to update your rock bands.
MOORE: Bon Jovi?
GIGOT: Keep coming.
GIGOT: All right, Steve.
Coming up, Democrats are seeing red over the new Bush budget, calling the president's plan to eliminate the federal budget deficit by 2012, unrealistic. Is it? Our panel weighs in when the "Journal Editorial Report" continues.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I strongly believe Congress needs to listen to a budget which says no tax increase, and a budget, because of fiscal discipline, that can be balanced in five years.
GIGOT: President Bush sent his proposed $2.9 trillion budget to Congress this week, calling on lawmakers to make permanent his first-term tax cuts, and setting the stage for a fiscal showdown with Democrats.
Steve, not to long ago, you were worried the president was going to raise taxes this year in the deal with Democrats. And now, he is saying I can balance the budget without one. Can he do it?
MOORE: This was his best budget yet, in my opinion. And it's Reaganite. It basically says we're going to spend more on the military. We're going to cut domestic programs. And we are not going raise taxes.
The big story of this budget, though, is how well the fiscal picture of this country has improved over the last two or three years. The budget deficit is down 70 percent. Tax revenues to the government are pouring into the treasury at a record pace. That is bringing the deficit down.
As long as the economy continues to do well — and Bush has made this point — we're going to see this deficit continue to decline without a penny of new taxes.
GIGOT: This revenue picture is amazing, Dan, 15 percent in 2005, 12 percent in 2006, 10 percent, so far, in the first four months of this year. The government is rolling in tax dollars.
HENNINGER: Yes. And, as a matter of fact, what it has meant is that it's brought the deficit down to close to one percent of gross domestic product.
That said, the Democrats have saddled themselves with the idea of eliminating the deficit as their Holy Grail. So they are pushing an idea that virtually no one understands, to do something that no one wants to do, raise taxes.
How did they get there?
GIGOT: Well, Jason, the alternative minimum tax rolling down here. It's going to hit 20 million Americans if Congress doesn't do anything. Democrats have a $40 billion bogie. Do you think they can do something about that?
RILEY: Yes, they do. The Democrats have a big problem. On the one hand, they want to use these Pay-Go budget rules in order to budget. And Pay-Go means that any tax cuts have to be offset by spending reductions.
GIGOT: Or tax increases.
RILEY: Or tax increases. On the other hand, they want to solve this Alternative Minimum Tax problem.
The Alternative Minimum Tax has been around for about 40 years. It was meant to target very wealthy individuals. But it was never indexed to inflation. So now, it is capturing more and more of the middle class.
In order to provide, particularly in blue states, which have high state and local taxes...
GIGOT: California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey.
RILEY: California. So in order to provide AMT relief, it's going to be hard to do that within the confines of these Pay-Go rules that they want to budget by. Got a bit of a problem there.
GIGOT: So, Steve, are the Democrats going to walk into this trap on taxes?
Or are they going to say, no, sorry, we're not going to do it. We're gong to have to find the money somewhere else? How do you...
MOORE: I do think that their going to do what they have done for the last few years. It's just a one-year fix to the ATM pundit in the future.
The big bite this year is going to be about the military budget. Bush wants a 25 percent increase in the military budget to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Democrats are saying, hell no, we want — the big thing they will keep an eye on, will George Bush use his veto on some of these spending bills this year.
GIGOT: What about the idea that Nancy Pelosi, the speaker, floated, a couple of weeks, which was, well, maybe we'll look at raising taxes on people who make above a half million dollars or the wealthy?
MOORE: Well, I certainly hope George Bush has his veto ready for that because — you know, the tax cuts for the rich have actually led to a record amount of revenues paid — taxes paid by the very wealthy people that Nancy Pelosi wants to tax.
HENNINGER: And the Alternative Minimum Tax was supposed to be just a tax on the rich. It is now a tax on everyone.
Why should we trust them to pass a tax on the rich, thinking it can be somehow corralled off on the rest of the population?
GIGOT: All right, do we get out of this year without a tax increase, Dan, Steve?
MOORE: Yes, absolutely.
GIGOT: Jason?
RILEY: I think so, yes.
HENNINGER: Maybe a tiny one.
GIGOT: I think we'll get by without it.
All right, we have to take one more break. When we come back, our "Hits and Misses" of the week.
GIGOT: Winners and losers, picks and pans, "Hits and Misses," it's our way of calling attention to the best and the worst of the week.
Item one, first Hillary, then John Edwards, now Barack Obama says he won't take public funds to run for president.
Dan, what's going on?
HENNINGER: Well, what is going on here is that campaign finance reform is being reduced to an absurdity. To run for president now, you need about $500 million.
The problem is that, if you accept public money, it puts a ceiling on how much money you can raise privately.
Now, there is a public campaign fund to run these campaigns. By the end of 2007, there will probably be $200 million in it. Not quite enough for, say, six presidential candidates.
So why is there not enough money in the fund? The fund source is the $3 check off on your tax return. And the fact is, most people are not doing it. There is simply not enough money in the fund.
I think the public is voting with its check book on campaign finance reform. They might be willing to finance campaign elections in machinery, but not going to give their money to the bozos running for president.
GIGOT: All right.
Next, Snickers really satisfies its critics by dropping its Super Bowl ad — Jason?
RILEY: Yes, this was a miss for the Mars Candy Company, which gave into gay activists who demanded that they pull their Super Bowl ad, which featured two men accidentally kissing, and then pulling out their chest hair to prove that they're still men.
I mean, it was perfectly innocent fun. And the reaction to it shows just how humorless these activists can be sometimes.
I mean, the real butt of the joke is macho men, not gays. And it's too bad that Mars was so easily intimidated. They should have acted like a real man.
GIGOT: All right, Jason, thanks.
Finally, Jacques Chirac warns the U.S., sign Kyoto or else.
MOORE: Yes, Jacques Chirac is up to his old antics. He is basically saying that, if the United States does not sign the Kyoto treaty, he is going to place a tax on American products.
Now, there are two problems with this.
Number one, if they impose a large tariff on American products, the people who are going to hurt by this are not the Americans, but the French because they are going to have to pay more for the products they buy from America. And, of course, France already has a 50 percent tax.
The second problem is that France itself is not in compliance with the Kyoto treaty.
So I think that when you look at their record, you have to say that people, who live in glass French villas, probably shouldn't throw stones.
GIGOT: But, Steve, don't you think that we are headed to a carbon tax eventually in the U.S., too, at least down the road?
MOORE: Well, we may be. But if we decide that, it should be Americans who decide it, not the French.
GIGOT: And maybe we can cut other taxes in return. That would be a gain we could think about.
MOORE: No capital gains tax?
That is it for this week's edition of the "Journal Editorial Report." Send your e-mails to jer@foxnews.com. And visit us on the web at www.foxnews.com/journal.
Thanks to Dan Henninger, Jason Riley and Steve Moore.
I'm Paul Gigot. Thanks to all of you for watching. And we hope to see you right here next week.


There are a lot of different Amsterdam canal cruises available in the city, and each one offers something slightly different. The supply of Amsterdam canal boats is even a bit dazzling to the unsuspecting visitor.
From large boats packed with daytime sightseers and photograph hunters to intimate, candlelit dining on the 165 canals in the "Venice of the North", you can be sure to find the cruise to suit you, if you're prepared to investigate a bit. This page shows your main options.
The Lovers cruise company is one of Amsterdam's most prominent and can be found at Prins Hendrikkade 25 - 26, just outside of Central Station. As the name suggests, Lovers is great for couples and the 2 hour Redlight Candlelight Cruise, complete with wine and cheese, is a great way to see the canals with your partner.
It's not just for couples though, the Lovers Day Canal Cruise or Hermitage Cruise are great for sightseeing while the Dinner Cruise during the summer offers a four course menu and makes for an enjoyable group trip. Call 020-5305412 for more information or visit www.lovers.nl.
Canal Company, with a main office at Weteringschans 26, is known best for the Hop-On-Hop-Off Canal Bus for which you can buy tickets for 24, 48 and 72 hour time slots. The Canal Bus, depending on the day, follows up to 4 routes where you can get in and out at 20 stops between 10am and 7pm. As most places in the Amsterdam city center can be reached through the canals, it's a nice alternative to the hop-on-hop-off buses.
The company also runs the Canal Hopper, which is also a hop-on-hof-off canal bus but with a much smaller 12-person boat. Contrary to the standard long canal cruise boats, this one can also get into the canal roads less traveled. The skippers tells you personally about things to see, while the larger boats typically play tapes about the sights.
You can also rent their canal bikes (pedal boats for 2 to 4 persons) at their docks near the Leidseplein, the Anne Frank House and the corner of Keizersgracht & Leidsegracht. Call at 0900-3334442 or visit www.canal.nl.
Amsterdam Canal Cruises is found a little out of the city centre close to the popular area of de Pijp and the Heineken Experience at Nicolaas Witsenkade 1a. This family and group oriented cruise company offers drinks, lunch and dinner cruises as well as the more standard sightseeing tours.
Dinners cruises are offered via the Blue Boat Company and can take many different forms with varied menus while the drinks cruises have either an American party or Dutch theme. Timetables change between the busy summer months and quieter winter months, so call 020-6791370 or check their website at www.amsterdamcanalcruises.nl before you show up.
The sister company of Amsterdam Canal Cruises, Blue Boat Company has a truly staggering variation of cruises to choose from. Sightseeing trips include the standard City Cruise and Evening Cruise as well as the open Blue Sky Boat for sunnier days. If you're looking for something as little bit different, the Sing Along Boat offers passengers the chance to be part of a live skit.
For the gastronomically inclined, Blue Boat Company has the best selection of lunch and dinner cruises in Amsterdam; the Breakfast Cruise, Coffee Cruise, Gentleman's Lunch, BBQ Summertime, Italian Buffet and traditional Dutch Experience to name but a few. Pay them a visit close to the Heineken Experience at Stadhouderskade 30, call them on 020-6791370 or visit www.blueboat.nl for more details.
Started in the 1920s by a true Dutch entrepreneur, this canal tour company is now proud to call itself one of the largest in Amsterdam. The hour long tour departs every 30 minutes from the jetties at Central Station, Rokin, Damrak, Leidseplein and Amstel and makes a circuit of the old centre of Amsterdam.
During the summer a candlelit evening cruise is also available. The Amsterdam by Candlelight must be booked in advance and departs the jetty at Rokin 125 at 9pm. For information/bookings call 020- 6233810 or visit www.rederijkooij.nl.
If you are interested in something a little different from the regular large, tourist filled Amsterdam canal cruises, Jewel Cruises may well be what you're looking for. A much smaller company than most of the Amsterdam cruise operators, Jewel Cruises operates from the city's only classic riverboat, built in 1898. The cruise is focused around gourmet food and lasts just under three hours, in which time you will be wined, dined and have seen much of Amsterdam's canals.
Their base is in the city centre at Singel 235 and the boat is also available during the day for private or business cruises; call for booking at 020-4221385 or visit www.amsterdamjewelcruises.com.
The city is full of companies offering Amsterdam canal cruises, so feel free to check out Holland International Canal Cruises at Prins Hendrikkade 33a (tel. 020 625 3035, web www.hir.nl) for their 100 Highlights Cruise, Ultimate Cruise, Candlelight or Dinner Cruise as well as Canal Cruise Amsterdam by the Anne Frank House at Leliegracht 51 (tel. 020 337 9733 web www.canalcruisesamsterdam.com) for their 1 hour cruise.
If a cruise boat isn't your thing, then check out Canal Bus at Weteringschans 24 (tel. 020 623 9886 web www.canal.nl) to rent one of the canal bike peddle boats they offer in addition to their Hop On Hop Off lines.