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Khashoggi's fate shows the flip side of the surveillance state
It's been over five years since NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden lifted the lid on government mass surveillance programs, revealing, in unprecedented detail, quite how deep the rabbit hole goes thanks to the spread of commercial software and connectivity enabling a bottomless intelligence-gathering philosophy of 'bag it all'.
Yet technology's onward march has hardly broken its stride.
Government spying practices are perhaps more scrutinized, as a result of awkward questions about out-of-date legal oversight regimes. Though whether the resulting legislative updates, putting an official stamp of approval on bulk and/or warrantless collection as a state spying tool, have put Snowden's ethical concerns to bed seems doubtful — albeit, it depends on who you ask.
The UK's post-Snowden Investigatory Powers Act continues to face legal challenges. And the government has been forced by the courts to unpick some of the powers it helped itself to vis-à-vis people's data. But bulk collection, as an official modus operandi, has been both avowed and embraced by the state.
In the US, too, lawmakers elected to push aside controversy over a legal loophole that provides intelligence agencies with a means for the warrantless surveillance of American citizens — re-stamping Section 702 of FISA for another six years. So of course they haven't cared a fig for non-US citizens' privacy either.
Increasingly powerful state surveillance is seemingly here to stay, with or without adequately robust oversight. And commercial use of strong encryption remains under attack from governments.
But there's another end to the surveillance telescope. As I wrote five years ago, those who watch us can expect to be — and indeed are being — increasingly closely watched themselves as the lens gets turned on them:
"Just as our digital interactions and online behaviour can be tracked, parsed and analysed for problematic patterns, pertinent keywords and suspicious connections, so too can the behaviour of governments. Technology is a double-edged sword – which means it's also capable of lifting the lid on the machinery of power-holding institutions like never before."
We're now seeing some of the impacts of this surveillance technology cutting both ways.
Tech-enabled exposés revealing the modus operandi of brutal regimes — e.g. @bellingcat IDing the GRU agents who poisoned the Skripals or Turkish surveillance leaking graphic details of Khashoggi's fate — keep reminding me of this piece I wrote 5yrs ago https://t.co/CTGUf956s7
— Natasha (@riptari) October 18, 2018
With attention to detail, good connections (in all senses) and the application of digital forensics all sorts of discrete data dots can be linked — enabling official narratives to be interrogated and unpicked with technology-fuelled speed.
Witness, for example, how quickly the Kremlin's official line on the Skripal poisonings unravelled.
After the UK released CCTV of two Russian suspects of the Novichok attack in Salisbury, last month, the speedy counter-claim from Russia, presented most obviously via an 'interview' with the two 'citizens' conducted by state mouthpiece broadcaster RT, was that the men were just tourists with a special interest in the cultural heritage of the small English town.
Nothing to see here, claimed the Russian state, even though the two unlikely tourists didn't appear to have done much actual sightseeing on their flying visit to the UK during the tail end of a British winter (unless you count vicarious viewing of Salisbury's wikipedia page).
But digital forensics outfit Bellingcat, partnering with investigative journalists at The Insider Russia, quickly found plenty to dig up online, and with the help of data-providing tips. (We can only speculate who those whistleblowers might be.)
Their investigation made use of a leaked database of Russian passport documents; passport scans provided by sources; publicly available online videos and selfies of the suspects; and even visual computing expertise to academically cross-match photos taken 15 years apart — to, within a few weeks, credibly unmask the 'tourists' as two decorated GRU agents: Anatoliy Chepiga and Dr Alexander Yevgeniyevich Mishkin.
When public opinion is faced with an official narrative already lacking credibility that's soon set against external investigation able to closely show workings and sources (where possible), and thus demonstrate how reasonably constructed and plausible is the counter narrative, there's little doubt where the real authority is being shown to lie.
And who the real liars are.
That the Kremlin lies is hardly news, of course. But when its lies are so painstakingly and publicly unpicked, and its veneer of untruth ripped away, there is undoubtedly reputational damage to the authority of Vladimir Putin.
The sheer depth and availability of data in the digital era supports faster-than-ever evidence-based debunking of official fictions, threatening to erode rogue regimes built on lies by pulling away the curtain that invests their leaders with power in the first place — by implying the scope and range of their capacity and competency is unknowable, and letting other players on the world stage accept such a 'leader' at face value.
The truth about power is often far more stupid and sordid than the fiction. So a powerful abuser, with their workings revealed, can be reduced to their baser parts — and shown for the thuggish and brutal operator they really are, as well as proved a liar.
On the stupidity front, in another recent and impressive bit of cross-referencing, Bellingcat was able to turn passport data pertaining to another four GRU agents — whose identities had been made public by Dutch and UK intelligence agencies (after they had been caught trying to hack into the network of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) — into a long list of 305 suggestively linked individuals also affiliated with the same GRU military unit, and whose personal data had been sitting in a publicly available automobile registration database… Oops.
There's no doubt certain governments have wised up to the power of public data and are actively releasing key info into the public domain where it can be poured over by journalists and interested citizen investigators — be that CCTV imagery of suspects or actual passport scans of known agents.
A cynic might call this selective leaking. But while the choice of what to release may well be self-serving, the veracity of the data itself is far harder to dispute. Exactly because it can be cross-referenced with so many other publicly available sources and so made to speak for itself.
Right now, we're in the midst of another fast-unfolding example of surveillance apparatus and public data standing in the way of dubious state claims — in the case of the disappearance of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 for a pre-arranged appointment to collect papers for his wedding and never came out.
Saudi authorities first tried to claim Khashoggi left the consulate the same day, though did not provide any evidence to back up their claim. And CCTV clearly showed him going in.
► VIDEO: CCTV footage shows journalist Jamal Khashoggi walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul before he disappeared https://t.co/cHGjwmNT4a pic.twitter.com/ML4aItvOuP
— Irish Times Video (@irishtimesvideo) October 10, 2018
Yesterday they finally admitted he was dead — but are now trying to claim he died quarrelling in a fistfight, attempting to spin another after-the-fact narrative to cover up and blame-shift the targeted slaying of a journalist who had written critically about the Saudi regime.
Since Khashoggi went missing, CCTV and publicly available data has also been pulled and compared to identify a group of Saudi men who flew into Istanbul just prior to his appointment at the consulate; were caught on camera outside it; and left Turkey immediately after he had vanished.
Including naming a leading Saudi forensics doctor, Dr Salah Muhammed al-Tubaigy, as being among the party that Turkish government sources also told journalists had been carrying a bone saw in their luggage.
Men in the group have also been linked to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, via cross-referencing travel records and social media data.
"In a 2017 video published by the Saudi-owned Al Ekhbariya on YouTube, a man wearing a uniform name tag bearing the same name can be seen standing next to the crown prince. A user with the same name on the Saudi app Menom3ay is listed as a member of the royal guard," writes the Guardian, joining the dots on another suspected henchman.
A marked element of the Khashoggi case has been the explicit descriptions of his fate leaked to journalists by Turkish government sources, who have said they have recordings of his interrogation, torture and killing inside the building — presumably via bugs either installed in the consulate itself or via intercepts placed on devices held by the individuals inside.
This surveillance material has reportedly been shared with US officials, where it must be shaping the geopolitical response — making it harder for President Trump to do what he really wants to do, and stick like glue to a regional US ally with which he has his own personal financial ties, because the arms of that state have been recorded in the literal act of cutting off the fingers and head of a critical journalist, and then sawing up and disposing of the rest of his body.
Attempts by the Saudis to construct a plausible narrative to explain what happened to Khashoggi when he stepped over its consulate threshold to pick up papers for his forthcoming wedding have failed in the face of all the contrary data.
Meanwhile, the search for a body goes on.
And attempts by the Saudis to shift blame for the heinous act away from the crown prince himself are also being discredited by the weight of data…
Here is Saud al-Qahtani – advisor to MBS who has been sacked and blamed for the murder of Jamal #Khashoggi – saying a year ago he only acts on the orders of King Salman and the Crown Prince MBS "Do you think I'm acting on my own without guidance?"(correction on date) https://t.co/mN2NEkbihX
— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) October 20, 2018
And while it remains to be seen what sanctions, if any, the Saudis will face from Trump's conflicted administration, the crown prince is already being hit where it hurts by the global business community withdrawing in horror from the prospect of being tainted by bloody association.
The idea that a company as reputation-sensitive as Apple would be just fine investing billions more alongside the Saudi regime, in SoftBank's massive Vision Fund vehicle, seems unlikely, to say the least.
Thanks to technology's surveillance creep the world has been given a close-up view of how horrifyingly brutal the Saudi regime can be — and through the lens of an individual it can empathize with and understand.
Safe to say, supporting second acts for regimes that cut off fingers and sever heads isn't something any CEO would want to become famous for.
The power of technology to erode privacy is clearer than ever. Down to the very teeth of the bone saw. But what's also increasingly clear is that powerful and at times terrible capability can be turned around to debase power itself — when authorities themselves become abusers.
So the flip-side of the surveillance state can be seen in the public airing of the bloody colors of abusive regimes.
Turns out, microscopic details can make all the difference to geopolitics.
RIP Jamal Khashoggi
In State Tectonics, an explosive ending for the future of democracy
An omnipotent data infrastructure and knowledge-sharing tech organization has spread across the planet. Global conspiracies to disseminate propaganda and rig elections are ever present. Algorithms determine what people see as objective truth, and terrorist organizations gird to bring down the monopoly on information.
Malka Older faces a problem few speculative science fiction authors face in their lifetimes: having their work become a blueprint for reality. The author, who began formulating her Centenal Cycle series just a few years ago, now finds that her plots have leapt off the page and have become the daily fodder for cable news programs and Congressional investigations. Her universe is set decades into the future, but history is accelerating, and decades into the future can now mean 2019.
So we arrive at the third and final volume of a trilogy that began as a single work called Infomocracy and has proliferated into Null States and now State Tectonics. Ending a trilogy is rarely easy, but State Tectonics does what Older has always done best with her works, smashing together ideas about the future of politics with a medley of thriller styles to deliver an ample helping of thought-provoking nuance.
Older's world is built on two simple premises. First, through a project called microdemocracy, the world has been subdivided into 100,000 person governing units known as centenals, and every citizen in the world has the right of migration to choose the government they want. This creates strange artifacts — for instance, in dense areas like New York City, citizens can change governments from a corporate-backed libertarian paradise to a leftist environmental oasis in as quick as a subway stop.
Second, to ensure that citizens can make the best choices for themselves, a global organization called Information (a hybrid Google, United Nations, and BBC) tirelessly works to provide objective information to citizens about politics and the world, verifying claims about everything from election promises to the taste of items on a restaurant menu.
Together, they allow Older to explore a world of information manipulation and electoral strategy while meditating on the meaning of objective truth. Across the trilogy, we follow a crew of Information staffers as they uncover political plots and intrigue around a series of global elections. This structure allows Older to create paced thrillers without losing the intellectual spirit of speculative fiction.
While in her last work Null States, the focus was on inequality and lack of access to information, in State Tectonics, Older interrogates the meaning of Information's monopoly on … information itself. In this microdemocratic world, it is a crime to provide unverified information to people, and yet, Information hardly has infinite knowledge about the world. A shadowy group starts to purvey local information about cities and people outside the normal Information channels, and that raises profound questions — who ultimately "owns" reality? How do we decide what objective truth even is?
In the background of this central question is a trial for an Information staffer accused of the crime of algorithmic bias, of adjusting reality to suit her own ends. Sound familiar?
As a work of speculative fiction — particularly about a subject as complex as the future of democracy — State Tectonics is superlative. Older is striking in her frenetic ability to weave together idea after idea into vignettes that caused this reader to constantly stop and wander in thought. In just this book, we have discussions on the future of politics, mental health, infrastructure finance, transportation, food, nationalism, and identity politics. The dynamic range here is exhilarating.
Unfortunately, that enormous range forces Older to sacrifice depth, not only in the sophistication of some of these topics, which are often only conceived in slight brushstrokes, but also in the characters themselves. After three reasonably hefty books, I still don't feel as if I truly know the characters I've spent so much time with. They are like friends in a transient city such as New York City, people to hang out with on weekends, but not worth a followup once they move on.
More pejoratively, the book feels constantly weighed down by extraneous details that at times can feel more like Wikipedia than assiduous worldbuilding. In this regard, Older has actually matured as a writer from her earlier works, as the detailed digressions are fewer and far between, but they remain as distracting from her core plot, and take time away from the needed work of fleshing out her characters further.
State Tectonics, like its earlier siblings, is the best and worst of fusion cuisine: the brilliant items on the menu can inspire us to think radically beyond our traditional categories and beliefs, but the vast majority of the dishes end up being mishmashes that are ultimately ephemeral and forgotten. The novel is brilliant in discoursing on the future of democracy, and if that is a topic of keen interest, few books will satisfy that urge like this one will.
Hackers breach Healthcare.gov system, taking files on 75,000 people
A government system used by insurance agents and brokers to help customers sign up for healthcare plans was breached, allowing hackers to siphon off sensitive and personal data on 75,000 people.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirmed the breach in a late Friday announcement, but revealed few details about the contents of the files stolen.
The hacked system was connected to the Healthcare.gov website, the front-facing portal for anyone signing up for an insurance plan under former President Obama's healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. Hackers targeted the behind-the-scenes system that insurance agents used to help customers directly enroll in new plans, and not the consumer Healthcare.gov site itself.
In order to sign up for healthcare plans, customers have to give over a ton of personal data — including names, addresses, and their social security number. CMS didn't say exactly what kind of data was included in the stolen files, nor did it say how the breach happened.
Spokesperson Jonathan Monroe didn't respond to a request for comment.
CMS said that the Healthcare.gov website was unaffected. Open enrollment in new healthcare plans — set for November 1 — will be unaffected, the statement said. Officials are "working to identify the individuals potentially impacted as quickly as possible so that we can notify them and provide resources such as credit protection."
This $33 Bluetooth speaker sounds better than it has any right to – CNET
Incredibly enough, the Audiophiliac is smitten with the Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth speaker!
iPhone XR early presale demand and the next Apple event is Oct. 30th – CNET
Which iPhone XR models are showing shipment delays and what we're expecting at Apple's next launch event. Catch up on all your iPhone news for the week.
Free societies face emerging, existential threats from technology
Bilal Zuberi
Bilal Zuberi is a partner at Lux Capital, and is on the boards of Evolv Technology, CyPhy Technologies, and Nozomi Networks, among others.
Silicon Valley is currently, and correctly, under fire for the failure of leading platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter to protect against the spread of disinformation, hate speech and efforts to disrupt our elections. I don't know why these companies behaved as they did.
But whatever the reason – naiveté, excessive focus on near-term profits, or simply a lack of proper attention on mind-numbingly complex problems – it's clear they have to do a better job of making sure technology makes our world safer, freer and more stable rather than the opposite.
But it's not just these big companies that need to up their game. As venture capitalists, we need to do more to find, fund and help a new generation of technology companies that build the infrastructure and applications to deal with technology-based threats to stability and security. Yes, Facebook and Twitter must deal with unintended consequences of their massive platforms. But if history is any guide, it will be new companies that come up with the bold new visions and business models to address fundamental, once-in-a-generation challenges.
I don't use the word fundamental lightly. Just think about all security failures you now take for granted, that once would have been unthinkable. Our PCs and other devices are patched every few hours or days, rather than every few months. We are routinely warned by merchants—sometimes even credit agencies!—to change our passwords because they've been hacked. We are relieved, rather than annoyed, when the credit card company calls to verify our recent purchases.
We feel abused when we read how our online identity has been monetized without our knowledge or used to micro-target us with ads by groups seeking to polarize our politics. And there are deeper-seated concerns, like the nagging fear of a terror attack or a lone-wolf gunman when we enter an airport or let our teenage kid go to a concert. Our physical and cyber selves feel threatened on a regular basis. Like it or not, we are too often under attack, as individuals, consumers and as citizens. But like the proverbial frog in a pot, we don't seem to notice the rising water temperature.
If we stick with the status quo, that water is only going to get hotter. We already know the Russians (and the Iranians, and the North Koreans) are again targeting U.S. voting systems in advance of the midterm elections, and the Russians also have the ability to shut down large parts of our electric grid. It hasn't happened yet, but will Americans start worrying about congregating in public spaces, whether it is to protest, attend large rallies, or go to concerts? I grew up in Pakistan, where horrific gun and bomb attacks on civilians are more common. I can't help fear the same scourge will come to our shores.
If this sounds like scare-mongering, so be it. There is no getting around the fact that more people have more ways to do large-scale damage than ever before. Thankfully there are technologists and entrepreneurs working diligently to find ways to defend us from such harm.
Our portfolio company Evolv Technology, for example, is using advanced sensors and AI in weapons detection systems that can screen hundreds of people per hour without making them slow down or empty their pockets and purses. Companies like ShieldAI, Convexxum, Echodyne and others are using machine vision and advanced radars/lidar technologies to prevent people from being put in harm's way by drone-type attacks.
A drone flying and filming over Dubai
Funding such companies can be different than the deals Silicon Valley VCs are used to. In most cases, these firms must collaborate with trusted government actors, intelligence agencies and enforcement organizations–not to mention comply with their regulations. To be successful, they need to share information with other companies, including competitors.
But I'm betting the trouble will be well worth it. History tells us that companies that overcome big obstacles to create new markets often enjoy years of rapid growth, and few competitors.
Most of all, I believe a nervous world is ready to reward companies that make it feel safer. Just as Uber and Airbnb caught the front edge of the sharing economy boom, companies whose mission is aligned with a change in the societal zeitgeist can create huge value.
Investors are already doing their part. DCVC recently invested in Fortem Technologies, and Shasta Ventures in AirSpace, which make Star Wars-ish systems of AI-based drones whose only role is to automatically detect, identify, and slam into drones that wander into unauthorized airspace — say, over a private estate, or a factory.
General Catalyst invested in Mark43, which makes a cloud platform to help police departments and their detectives investigate crimes more quickly and effectively.
While these mission-oriented companies may not provide the fastest or steepest ramp to riches, the best of these mission-oriented companies will create technology that affects each of us every day, and businesses that will be resilient to economic cycles, fads and fashion. For investors, it's a twofer of enlightened self-interest — both as investors, and as citizens. To paraphrase JFK, we should invest in such companies "not because it is easy, but because it is hard."
Gearing up to step into virtual reality
Makula Dunbar
Makula Dunbar is a writer with Wirecutter.
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Editor's note: This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and TechCrunch may earn affiliate commissions.
For the past two years, we've been closely following the advances of new VR experiences. Much of this gear is still in development, but if you're eager to dive in and get a sense of what's available right now, we've put together our current recommendations for mobile, PC, console and budget VR headsets.
The Oculus Go is light enough to wear comfortably, but it's still a bit front-heavy. (Photo: Signe Brewster)
Standalone Headset: Oculus Go
The Oculus Go is a standalone headset that doesn't require a PC, game console or mobile phone to run. The Go comes with a sharp built-in screen and a comfortable controller that convincingly puts your hand in whatever virtual world you're exploring. It's compatible with Oculus games and shares the Stream VR app library with the Samsung Gear VR, so there are enough games to keep you busy for hours.
You can also watch movies and TV via streaming services. Its straps fit around the sides and over the top of your head and it's light enough that you'll forget you're wearing it. Although its field of view is wider and its lenses are better than Gear VR's, its screen resolution is lower. While you can move your head from left to right, up and down, and forward and backwards, your view won't change when you tilt your head.
For what it currently offers, we think the Oculus Go is bit pricey, and some people might want to wait for the Oculus Quest next year. But the Go's hardware is impressive and it's the best overall standalone headset for most people right now.
Photo: Signe Brewster
VR Headset for PC: Oculus Rift + Touch
Whether you're a beginner or seasoned gamer, the Oculus Rift + Touch VR headset for PC provides an enjoyable experience that's easy to navigate and deeply immersive. The Rift + Touch has three cords, one that's tethered to your PC — which gives the system more processing power — and two that are connected to its included sensors. It's the most comfortable headset we tested, fitting to wear over long periods of time, and easy to set up. Playing games with it calls for a bit of space; Rift recommends at least a 5-by-5 box.
We found that gameplay in a larger area (a 5-by-11 space) is even better. You'll be able to interact within and see different parts of virtual worlds through head movements and by stepping from side to side. We like that its controllers are balanced and that the system comes with its own set of headphones. Like the Oculus Go, the Rift + Touch can be used with Oculus and Stream VR games.
PS4 Headset: Sony PlayStation VR Bundle
If you already own a PlayStation 4 and want to give virtual reality a try, we recommend doing so with the Sony PlayStation VR. This system's tracking isn't as powerful as a high-end PC's, but it still offers an incredibly immersive experience. Tracked by the PlayStation VR camera, the Move controllers are responsive and one of the system's best features.
The bundle we recommend comes with two Move controllers, a camera, and the Skyrim VR game — it's important to note that PlayStation VR bundles are frequently discontinued and the only difference in the newer versions have been the featured game. Unlike our VR headset for PC picks, PlayStation VR does not have separate screens for each eye and it has a higher refresh rate for a high-quality visual experience. The headset fits more like a hard hat as opposed to goggles, but it's one of the most comfortable headsets we tested.
Mobile Headset: Samsung Gear VR
Samsung Gear VR is the best VR headset made for a phone — but it's only compatible with Samsung Galaxy and Note smartphones. It can be used with a broad variety of apps and games, and overall offers the best mobile VR experience. We like its UI and that there's more to explore within its app ecosystem than with than with our runner-up pick, the Google Daydream View.
Its headset has adjustable straps, comfortable padding and a lens adjustment dial. The Gear VR's controller is intuitive, easy to hold and connects to your phone over Bluetooth. Instead of tracking every hand movement, the remote is primarily limited to pointing and clicking, but its trigger button and trackpad feel natural and still give you a sense of immersion. It's a bit heavier to wear than other mobile VR headsets we tested, but it fits better to the face for some and is more secure.
Aside from puzzle, shooting and adventure titles, you can download any Oculus games you already own and play them with the Gear VR for free. If you don't own one of Samsung's flagship phones, we recommend the Google Daydream View, or the standalone Oculus Go.
Budget VR & AR Headset: Merge VR/AR Goggles
If you don't need the absolute best experience and want an inexpensive way to try VR for the first time, Merge VR/AR Goggles for Google Cardboard is the best offering. Compared to the other six budget headsets we tested, we preferred its combination of adjustability, price and comfort. It's an upgrade from Cardboard and is still compatible with Google's ecosystem of apps.
We like that it doubles as an augmented reality headset that can be paired with the Merge Cube and Merge's curated VR library. You can play games, go on virtual expeditions, and watch films with the Merge VR/AR Goggles. It works with more phones (including iPhones). But that makes the quality feel a bit lower than experiences tailored for specific mobile systems. So long as you have a smartphone with a large screen and high resolution you'll get a decent introductory VR experience.
These picks may have been updated by Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and TechCrunch may earn affiliate commissions.
You don't have to be a secret agent or a notorious hacktivist to care about anonymity. Consult this guide to learn tips, tricks, and best practices for staying anonymous and keeping your online activity private
The post How to stay anonymous online appeared first on Digital Trends.
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UA review
It's never been truer that you don't need to spend over a thousand bucks to buy a good laptop. The ZenBook 13 takes we've always loved about its predecessor and makes enough small refinements to keep it ahead of its competitors.
The post Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UA review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Dungeons & Dragons Art Is Finally Getting the Respect It Deserves
It's no longer just valued in game stores and comics shops.


(makes 1 serving) All Biggest Losers know that you need to fuel up at breakfast for work, workouts, whatever your day is going to bring. Chef Devin Alexander offers this healthy twist on the breakfast burrito. Plus, it's portable! If you need to eat at your desk, no problem!
Mist a small microwaveable bowl with cooking spray. Add the egg whites. Set aside.
Set a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot enough for a spritz of water to sizzle on it. With an oven mitt, briefly remove the pan from the heat to coat with cooking spray. Set over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Add the onion. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Add the tomatoes. Cook for about 1 minute, or until just heated. Remove the bacon mixture to a bowl. Cover to keep warm. Place the tortilla in the pan and return to medium-high heat. Cook for about 30 seconds per side, or until just warm.
Meanwhile, microwave the egg whites on low power for 30 seconds. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until they are just a bit runny on top. Stir them with a fork, breaking into large pieces. If they are still undercooked, cook them in 10-second intervals until just done. Stir in the reserved bacon mixture.
Place the tortilla on a serving plate. Sprinkle on the cheese leaving about 2 inches bare on one end, in an even strip (about 3 inches wide) running across the center. Top with the reserved egg white mixture and drizzle on the taco sauce. Fold the bare end of the tortilla up over the filling, and then fold the sides of the tortilla over the middle. Serve immediately.


text:
| Retiring 'PAACH mom' Kusum Soin helped generations of students find a home at Penn
Retiring 'PAACH mom' Kusum Soin helped generations of students find a home at Penn
By ASHLEY AHN 05/14/19 2:12am
Credit: NAATI HAMDA
When her husband was studying architecture at Penn School of Design in the early 1990s, Kusum Soin spent many nights sitting on the benches in front of Van Pelt, bringing her children to play next to the Button.
"I used to watch all these [students] with their backpacks, so compassionate, so intelligent, and I used to sit there and think — can I become part of this community? How can I become part of this community? All my friends who are here have Ph.D.s, master's [degrees], and I only have a diploma in architecture," Soin said.
Having worked in the Penn community for more than 18 years, Soin retired from her position as office coordinator at the Pan-Asian American Community House on May 10. Soin, well-loved by staff and students alike, who cheerfully called out her name when they saw her in the hallways of ARCH, was "the face of PAACH," 2009 College graduate Monica Chen said.
"While one might expect the director of the organization to be its most recognizable representative, I would say Kusum has definitely been the face of PAACH for nearly two decades," Chen said.
On any day of the week, you might have found Soin sitting at her desk organizing budget and expense work. When she wasn't organizing events such as the annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, you might have seen Soin in the basement of ARCH, chatting with students. When PAACH moved from the first floor of ARCH in Spring 2014, Soin purposely oriented her desk to face the current PAACH common area so that she could easily welcome visitors in when they arrived. At her retirement party on April 23, more than 60 students, staff, and alumni held up paper cutouts of Soin's face to honor her legacy at PAACH.
Credit: Maria Murad
Soin has her desk purposely oriented to face the current PAACH common area in order to easily welcome visitors in when they arrive.
For the past two decades, Soin attributed her interactions with students as what made her work at PAACH an "unforgettable journey." Yet, students said it was the love and care she had shown them that had made a lasting impact at Penn.
College senior Rudmila Rashid, a frequent PAACH visitor, said Soin always offered her words of encouragement, especially as she was going through the "disheartening and emotionally taxing" medical school application process this past year.
"Every single time she'd be like 'Rudmila, I know you, you know you. You have to have faith in yourself. You have to believe in your capabilities,'" Rashid said.
College senior Annie Batsaikhan, who worked as a PAACH intern last year, said as a way to comfort her for missing her parents, Soin offered to cook Batsaikhan's favorite Thai curry. Batsaikhan's mother cooked the dish for her at home.
"No one has offered that to me," Batsaikhan said. "No faculty [member] at Penn has been like 'I'll cook for you and I'll make this for you.'"
"She has this way of keeping students grounded in a way that a lot of other administrators don't, and I think it's because in her position, she interacts with students daily from the time she walks into PAACH and the time she leaves PAACH," College junior and Asian Pacific Student Coalition Chair Kamal Gill said.
Soin has interacted with many students in the PAACH common room, located on the ground floor of ARCH.
Growing up, Soin lived in a small, two-bedroom apartment in India. Her apartment was cozied by a large, bustling family: Soin lived with her parents, three younger siblings, aunt, and cousin. In addition to being the only source of income for her extended family, Soin's father volunteered his time to tutor schoolchildren in math in the evenings and donated money to a local blind school every month. Soin said her dad was the first person to teach her the importance of community service.
"He always mentioned to us always look to people who only get one meal a day and help them," Soin said.
In 1980, Kusum and her husband, Devinder, moved to Kuwait, where her two daughters were born. Her daughters would go on to attend Penn, one studying biology and the other studying fine arts. Soin's family made plans to fly to America in September 1990 after Devinder was accepted to Penn's School of Design to pursue a master's degree in architecture.
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 complicated their plans. Food was rationed, banks and airports closed, and Soin's family had no money or means to leave the country. A month later, Soin's family took a taxi to Baghdad, relocated to Amman, Jordan, and then flew to West Philadelphia.
At her retirement party on April 23, more than 60 students, staff, and alumni held paper cutouts of Soin's face to honor her legacy at PAACH. (Photo by Wenting Sun)
In the United States, Soin held a part time job at a grocery store and sold jewelry at local flea markets — the main source of income for her family while Devinder was in school. She began volunteering at her children's school and became the chair of the Home and School Association there. As the chair of the Association of Indians in America, Soin helped immigrants who lacked proficiency in English gain citizenship.
After encouragement from Greenfield Intercultural Center Director Valerie De Cruz, Soin attended PAACH's opening in November 2000 and then applied for the office coordinator position. When Soin first joined PAACH in January 2001, she was shy and could not bring herself to talk to many students.
"I was afraid to talk to students because of my accent and [thought], 'If I say something, maybe they will laugh at me,'" Soin said.
Soin slowly broke through her shell and decided interacting with students was crucial to creating the PAACH community.
"First thing I said, I'm going to make a community here," Soin said. "I will greet everyone who will come. Ask them how their morning was, what did you do last night — like these small talks. Students also started opening up to me."
Different minority groups on campus created this blanket with members of PAACH that symbolizes the unity between different communities at Penn.
Soin never thought she would retire from PAACH because of the joy students brought her. She smiled as she recounted how students were willing to teach her how to use Microsoft Excel, Word, and social media and show her the latest YouTube videos. After considering retirement for the past five years, Soin now looked forward to making pottery, as she had done for the last seven years, and volunteering for the benefit of first-generation students in Philadelphia schools.
PAACH Director Peter Van Do calls Soin "the PAACH mom" and said it had always been a pleasure to work with her during his seven years at PAACH.
Soin will be recognized at the Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs' APA Heritage Month Reception on May 28 for her service in the Asian American Pacific Islander community. She was nominated by two members of the commission including Asian American Studies Program Associate Director Fariha Khan.
"She's been an incredible support to me on a personal level and I always seek her counsel on a variety of things, like how to manage particular issues with my own kids applying to college," Khan said. "She is always willing to listen not in terms of work but also personally. I really value her."
Soin hoped to use what she learned from her time at PAACH to help other communities in need. For the time being, she remembered the students she met over the past two decades.
"Students brought so much brightness and love to me," she said. "That's unforgettable. How many times I will give it to them, that's not enough."
Penn Med study finds new vaccines that could protect infants against infections
Drexel University prof. arrested for using cancer research funds at strip clubs and bars
Pair of recent losses weaken women's basketball's chances for at-large NCAA bid
How to be safe when subletting online

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Enfermo amor es una película de comedia romántica y comedia dramática mexicana de 2022 dirigida por Marco Polo Constandse y Rodrigo Nava. La película cuenta con un elenco formado por Estefanía Hinojosa, Gonzalo Vega, Jr., Francisco Rueda, Jesús Zavala, Natalia Téllez, Luis Arrieta, Daniel Tovar, Cassandra Sánchez Navarro, Alejandro de la Madrid, Camila Sodi, Eréndira Ibarra, Alberto Guerra, Mónica Huarte, Andrés Palacios, Fernanda Castillo, Adriana Louvier, Maya Zapata, Ferdinando Valencia, Juan Pablo Medina. La película está basada en la obra Love/Sick de John Cariani y fue lanzada por Vix+ el 27 de julio de 2022.

Sinopsis
La historia de las luchas amorosas de 9 parejas diferentes, conectadas solo por la complejidad de las relaciones humanas.

Reparto
 Estefanía Hinojosa como Ana
 Gonzalo Vega, Jr. como Fernando
 Francisco Rueda como Santiago
 Jesús Zavala como Andrés
 Natalia Téllez como Luisa
 Luis Arrieta como Botarga
 Daniel Tovar como Sergio
 Cassandra Sánchez Navarro como Celia
 Alejandro de la Madrid as Guillermo
 Camila Sodi como Sara
 Eréndira Ibarra como Karla
 Alberto Guerra como Marco
 Mónica Huarte como Julia
 Andrés Palacios como Enrique
 Fernanda Castillo como Liz
 Adriana Louvier como Sofía
 Maya Zapata como Emilia
 Ferdinando Valencia como Ricardo
 Juan Pablo Medina como Jaime
 Rebecca Jones como Candelaria
 Enrique Singer como Rogelio

Producción
El rodaje comenzó en mayo de 2021 y finalizó en septiembre de 2021.

Lanzamiento
La película fue estrenada el 27 de julio de 2022 por Vix+.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Películas de 2022
Películas de México
Películas en español
Películas rodadas en México
Películas cómicas
Películas originales de Vix

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


If a contract is to be legally binding, the parties who sign it must have the legal capacity to do so. Generally most people participating in the legal environment have the legal capacity to sign a contract unless he/she is disqualified from doing so. Besides ensuring you are actually dealing with the owner as seller, you also need to take their full legal capacity in mind.


text:
// +build go1.4

package main

import (
	"crypto/sha1"
	"encoding/base64"
	"encoding/csv"
	"io"
	"log"
	"os"
)

// lookup passwords in a htpasswd file
// The entries must have been created with -s for SHA encryption

// HtpasswdFile is a map for usernames to passwords.
type HtpasswdFile struct {
	Users map[string]string
}

// NewHtpasswdFromFile reads the users and passwords from a htpasswd
// file and returns them. If an error is encountered, it is returned, together
// with a nil-Pointer for the HtpasswdFile.
func NewHtpasswdFromFile(path string) (*HtpasswdFile, error) {
	r, err := os.Open(path)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}
	defer r.Close()
	return NewHtpasswd(r)
}

// NewHtpasswd reads the users and passwords from a htpasswd
// datastream in file and returns them. If an error is encountered,
// it is returned, together with a nil-Pointer for the HtpasswdFile.
func NewHtpasswd(file io.Reader) (*HtpasswdFile, error) {
	cr := csv.NewReader(file)
	cr.Comma = ':'
	cr.Comment = '#'
	cr.TrimLeadingSpace = true

	records, err := cr.ReadAll()
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}
	h := &HtpasswdFile{Users: make(map[string]string)}
	for _, record := range records {
		h.Users[record[0]] = record[1]
	}
	return h, nil
}

// Validate returns true if password matches the stored password
// for user. If no password for user is stored, or the password
// is wrong, false is returned.
func (h *HtpasswdFile) Validate(user string, password string) bool {
	realPassword, exists := h.Users[user]
	if !exists {
		return false
	}
	if realPassword[:5] == "{SHA}" {
		d := sha1.New()
		d.Write([]byte(password))
		if realPassword[5:] == base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(d.Sum(nil)) {
			return true
		}
	} else {
		log.Printf("Invalid htpasswd entry for %s. Must be a SHA entry.", user)
	}
	return false
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home News World
Mandate of UN Verification Mission in Colombia extended
United Nations: The Security Council has adopted a resolution to expand the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to include monitoring the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement's comprehensive rural reform and ethnic chapters.
The decision to expand the mandate of the Verification Mission was made at a shared request by the Colombian government and representatives of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) contained in a letter by Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva Duran in October 2022, reports Xinhua news agency.
Wednesday's decision was also in line with the recommendations and proposals of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the issue.
Resolution 2673, which won the unanimous support of the 15-member council, expresses the council's willingness to continue working with the Colombian government on the mandate of the Verification Mission on the basis of agreement between the parties.
The Colombian government and FARC struck a peace deal in August 2016 after four years of negotiations in Havana, Cuba.
The Security Council in July 2017 approved the establishment of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to verify the political, economic and social reintegration of former FARC combatants as well as security guarantees.
In May 2021, the Security Council decided to expand the mandate of the Verification Mission to include verifying compliance with and implementation of the sentences handed down by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, which is a transitional justice mechanism to investigate crimes committed during the five-decade-long armed conflict between the government and FARC.
The Verification Mission succeeded a UN mission of unarmed observers tasked by the Security Council to monitor and verify the laying down of arms and to help monitor and verify the cease-fire following the signing of the 2016 peace agreement.
Indian-American loses election to head Republican Party after challenging establishment
Russia not invited to ceremony marking Auschwitz liberation
US reports 100 paediatric flu deaths this season
Anjali death case: MHA directs action against cops, addition of murder charge
Rakhi Sawant's lawyer says there's 'nothing fake' about her marriage
Your mobile calls may turn pricey in 2023
Study links sedentary lifestyles with more Covid deaths
PM Modi changed size & scale of policy planning in India: Amit Shah
Afghanistan and flow of abandoned US weapons to Kashmir topped NSA Doval's agenda in Dushanbe
NATO allies boost military, practical support to Ukraine


Authors' and First Lines' Indices were updated to match poems.
The page numbers have been updated for the plain text version of this book.
He flicked a button that gave him an updated status report on each of the three men in question.
Except in the index, page references have been updated to reflect the new positions of the footnotes.
Updated editions will replace the previous onethe old editions will be renamed.
If the correct block could be easily identified, the link has been updated to the correct block.
Thus the display, automatically rewritten over and over, is updated from time to time by the computer.
Over 1000 linked footnotes were prepared for the last volume of the latter set in this updated edition.


Episode 367: 2 Brothers of Hardstyle!
Episode 365: DJ The Prophet!
Episode 363: Live at Hardclassics!
Episode 358: Live at KTRA Plymouth!
Episode 355: Potato - Bits 'N Pieces (Live)!
Episode 352: End Of Year Special!
Episode 350: Kutski's EP350 Special!
Episode 349: feat. Mike Reverie!
Episode 344: feat. Noize Suppressor!
Episode 342: Kutski live at KTRA Portrush!
Episode 341: feat. Crystal Mad!
Episode 340: feat. Crystal Lake!
Episode 338: feat. Destructive Tendencies!
Episode 335: feat. Wreck Reality!
Episode 334: Kutski live at Coloursfest!
Episode 333: feat. Joey Riot!
Episode 330: feat. Rob Gee!
Episode 329: feat. The Melodyst!
Episode 328: feat. Alex Kidd!
Episode 325: feat. Wasted Penguinz!
Episode 320: feat. Act Of Rage!
Episode 319: feat. Andy The Core!
Episode 318: Kutski live at KTRA Newcastle!
Episode 317: feat. Digital Punk!
Episode 316: feat. Kit Hype!
Episode 312: feat. Code Black!
Episode 311: feat. Mark With A K!
Episode 304: feat. Deadly Guns!
Episode 303: feat. Tears Of Fury!
Episode 302: feat. Crystal Mad!
Episode 300: Best of 2017!
Episode 298: feat. Sub Zero Project!
Episode 296: Kutski live at KTRA Glasgow!
Episode 295: feat Pat B!
Episode 294: feat Tha Playah!
Episode 293: feat Sub Sonik!
Episode 292: Kutski live at Escape: Psycho Circus!
Episode 291: feat. Al Storm!
Episode 289: feat. Lords Of TEK!
Episode 288: feat. Sam Jones!
Kutski's Hard Boiled Breakfast Radio Show!
Episode 285: feat. Fracus & Darwin!
Episode 282: feat. Evil Activities!
Episode 281: feat. High Voltage!
Episode 280: feat. DJ Cotts!
Episode 279: feat. DJ Mad Dog!
Episode 278: Kutski Live In Tokyo!
Episode 277: feat. Ricardo Moreno!
Episode 275: feat. Big Worm!
Episode 274: feat. Yoji Biomehanika!
Episode 273: feat. DJ Isaac!


This rectangular shaped Angus cushion from Scatterbox will make your home décor stand out. A beige cushion that features a bull design with a 3D hair effect. The feather filled inner cushion will keep it well plush and gives a comfortable soft feel.


TIFFANY & CO. STERLING SILVER HOT MILK JUG In bottle form with matte finish and die-cast registers. Mark for J.C. Moore and 550 Broa..
BALL, BLACK & CO. STERLING SILVER SAUCEBOAT Probably by John Wendt. With two exotic female masks and a bifurcated handle. Length 9.25."
WOOD & HUGHES AESTHETIC MOVEMENT STERLING SILVER DISH In oyster shell form with a monogrammed Japanesque handle. Length 6.75. Appro..."
THREE-PIECE S. KIRK & SON CO. STERLING SILVER TEA SERVICE Consists of a bottle-form teapot, height 9.5, a squat creamer and a cover..."
TIFFANY & CO. STERLING SILVER TAZZA Acid-etched with neoclassical design. Spreading foot. Not monogrammed. Height 2. Diameter 8.75"..."
VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER COVERED ENTREE DISH WITH FIGURAL FINIAL Maker's mark IH". Finial formed as a male servant holding a chali..."


text:
Q: Check the convergence (& absolutely) of parametric integral $$\int\limits_{-1}^{1} \left(\frac{1+x}{1-x}\right)^{\alpha} \ln(2+x)dx$$
Don't know where to start..

A: Set $$ f(x):=\left(\frac{1+x}{1-x}\right)^{\alpha} \ln(2+x), \quad x \in (-1,1).$$ This function is continuous on $(-1,1)$, let's see what happens near $-1$ and near $1$.

*

*Near $x=-1$.

$$
f(x) \sim_{-1} \frac{1}{2^{\alpha}}(1+x)^{\alpha+1}
$$
where we have used $\ln (1+u) \sim_0 u$, then the integral of $\displaystyle (1+x)^{\alpha+1} $ is convergent near $x=-1$ if and only if $\alpha >-2. $

*

*Near $x=1$.

$$
f(x) \sim_{1}  \frac{2^{\alpha}\ln 3}{(1-x)^{\alpha}}
$$
and the integral of $\displaystyle \frac{1}{(1-x)^{\alpha}} $ is convergent near $x=1$ if and only if $\alpha <1. $
Consequently, your integral is convergent for all real numbers such that $ -2<\alpha <1.$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Specsavers East Grinstead has been awarded a prestigious accreditation for people management.
The store, in London Road, has been awarded Platinum Employer status.
This means that it has achieved high standards in employee communications, learning and development, reward, performance management, talent management, and recruitment and induction.
Kumar Keshavji, store director in East Grinstead, said: 'Making sure our staff are supported to deliver their best is key to delivering the best possible experience for our customers.


NFL-licensed New York Jets Christmas ornament celebrates baby's first Christmas. FREE do-it-yourself personalization kit. Jets colors, logos.
There is nothing small about this proud New York Jets fan's spirit! Introducing a first-of-its-kind precious personalized baby Christmas ornament celebrating your little one's first holiday season as a New York Jets fan. This adorable African-American baby Christmas ornament even includes a FREE do-it-yourself personalization kit, so that the baby's name is displayed as part of the festive presentation.
Officially licensed by NFL Properties LLC, this winning New York Jets personalized baby Christmas ornament is available from The Bradford Exchange, and showcases an African-American baby cheering on the Jets while resting in a football helmet. Expertly handcrafted of artist's resin and hand-painted in Jets colors, this NFL Christmas ornament boasts your true Jets devotion while welcoming the newest little fan to the family. Don't wait - order now!


Wood Plastic Composite (Plastic Lumber & Plastic Wood) ... tables and chairs, handrail, flower box, dustbin and pallet etc. ... Good day to you !
Plastic Lumber healthy building network The Healthy Building Network s A report by The Healthy Building Network A project of the Institute for Local Self Reliance plastic lumber inquiries, e mail plasticlumber@ Good recycled content but end of life recyclability hampered by wood plastic mixture.


At Help!, we pride ourselves in making each Participants' international experience safe, worthwhile, memorable, and life-changing.
This unit gives me a brief understanding of what a good teacher and a good student should be. Understanding this basic definitions will help me to identify my teaching style as well as to understand students' behaviours in class, hence to give effective and interesting classes. With the knowledge learnt from this unit, I will be able to provide a better environment for my classes as well.The video from this Unit it's a great help to understand the usage of the future tense, specially the Future Perfect and Future Perfect Continuous tense. I really appreciate the teaching ideas for each tense because they give me many resources to use in my class as ideas to create materials to help the learners to get the structure, meaning and how to use every form form the future tense.


I shared this before briefly here, but thought it was worth a post of its own. I am always so thrilled to discover a parenting idea that is particularly brilliant, and as it happens to me so seldom, I'm sharing one such amazing discovery here: sketch pads.
The last time we went to the San Diego Zoo (one of the most amazing zoos in the world!), the boys lasted less than three hours there. I was so disappointed. So this time, as Jake has been really into drawing, we brought the sketch pads and they wanted to stop and draw every animal we saw. Our first model was this beautiful leopard who did us the favor of sitting regally by the front of the cage, so Jake could capture him with his crayons.
There's something so gratifying about watching children be so amazed by something and then transfer their ideas to paper. I simply swam in their joy as they sketched. And now we have a huge pile of animal drawings, all with immensely creative names like "Leppy the Leopard" and "Pandy the Panda." But best of all, we all saw the zoo with new eyes. Together.


My company name is Lanny McDowell Avian Art. The name means that I am an artist; that I think and create in an individual and artistic way; and that my artwork revolves around birds … avian art. While my foundations as an artist derive from years as a fine art painter, my current endeavors are photographic: taking bird photographs while, not surprisingly, birding on Martha's Vineyard.
I want to show, publish and sell high quality prints of bird photographs to people who are fascinated by bird life, who respond to intriguing, inspiring nature scenes and who appreciate artful photographs that have content, color, texture and composition beyond the ordinary. Any of those interests will qualify you to take a look online at the collection of bird photographs I have chosen for fine art prints. To peruse, click on "Gallery & Store for Bird Photographs", in the list of PAGES just to the right on this page or at the tab up top.
My photographs of birds capture moments. Much of the time birds are on the move, doing what birds do to survive, to get where they need to be, to raise the next generation.
The images I have chosen to print – from the thousands of digital images I keep on file – may show birds in motion, but the viewer sees them as they are rarely seen in person, in detail that is usually lost in the blur of motion or the fading of distance.
I believe in paying attention to the marvels that surround us. My art, paintings and avian photographs, has been about expressing my awe and respect for powerful natural cycles: in my paintings, the patterns of wind and water that drive waves to our shores; in my photographs, it's the wondrous life cycles of the birds that share the planet with us and inspire us.
I believe in the interconnectedness of all things on earth. The classic story of the canary in a coal mine has elaborated into a recognition that wildlife populations are indicators of the health of the Earth.
Nature is my belief. It is my religion, my faith, my truth. I believe the lessons that instruct me, the lessons that give my contributions value, that guide how I treat the world around me, are generated in the context of being outdoors and watching and feeling what is happening. Those highs temper the lows in my life. That knowledge balances the ignorance in my life. That exuberance and vitality overpower the resentments in my life.
I choose to share what I observe and feel by carefully selecting images that reflect themes essential to my world view and that will resonate with both the artistic and the spiritual sense of the viewer.


text:
Daily Show/Colbert Report taping FAQ
Show Taping Stories
Odd Google Searches
LOLberts
"This show is not about me. No, this program is dedicated to you. The heroes.
And who are the heroes? The people who watch this show."
"Colbert's Heroes," launched in May 2006, is a fan site dedicated to "The Colbert Report" and its charming star, Stephen Colbert. It is a gesture of admiration for Mr. Colbert and a sign of slavish devotion to his punditry.
Truth is the founder, designer, principal writer, and maintainer of this site. Liberty and AJ are writers of episode commentaries and reviews for the site. If you're interested in joining the writing team, new writers are always welcome. Write to us.
We could tell you more about ourselves...but, honestly, do you care? Go do something more productive.
this site was designed using dreamweaver 8 for mac os x and optimized for mozilla's firefox browser. if you're using anything else and the pages look funny, maybe you should rethink your computing choices.
this site is not affiliated with stephen colbert, the colbert report, comedy central, viacom networks, or anything even remotely official. Click here to contact the management with any questions or concerns.
All original content © 2006 - 2008 colbert's heroes dot org / laurie. All fan-submitted taping accounts and photographs remain the property of their contributors. All articles archived and reproduced on this site are for educational and research use by fans. To request that material be removed from the site, please send an e-mail.
...and technically, stephen, this site does not violate the restraining order.


A quick tutorial on how to set up the sun hood / sun shade on the Atomos Flame and Atomos Inferno monitors.
Flame and Inferno Sun Hood Setup from Atomos Video on Vimeo.
Here is a quick Sun Hood setup guide for the Flame and Inferno.


text:
Wines and Spirits Products
Logo Mark
Logo Mark Trademark Information
Trim Tab Brewing Co., LLC
This is a brand page for the the Logo trademark by Trim Tab Brewing Co., LLC in Birmingham, AL, 35233.
Write a review about a product or service associated with this the Logo trademark. Or, contact the owner Trim Tab Brewing Co., LLC of the the Logo trademark by filing a request to communicate with the Legal Correspondent for licensing, use, and/or questions related to the the Logo trademark.
Status Update! On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, status on the trademark changed to PUBLISHED FOR OPPOSITION.
On Thursday, March 7, 2019, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for the above pictured logo. The USPTO has given the trademark serial number of 88330000. The current federal status of this trademark filing is PUBLISHED FOR OPPOSITION. The correspondent listed for is MICHAEL S. DENNISTON of BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS LLP, 1819 Fifth Avenue North, Birmingham AL 35203 . The trademark is filed in the category of Wines and Spirits Products . The description provided to the USPTO for is hard seltzer.
(NO WORD)
Filing Date: 3/7/2019
Goods and Services: hard seltzer
Mark Description: The mark consists of a water droplet design with a 5-pointed asterisk to the upper right of the droplet.
Last Applicant/Owner: Trim Tab Brewing Co., LLC
Mark Drawing Code: Drawing/Design (No Words)
A single star with five points (Celestial bodies, Natural phenomena, Geographical maps - Stars, comets) see more design...
A single drop (including a single raindrop or a single teardrop) (Celestial bodies, Natural phenomena, Geographical maps - Natural phenomena ) see more design...
MICHAEL S. DENNISTON
1819 Fifth Avenue North
Alcoholic beverages (except beers).
First Use Anywhere: : 11/15/2018
First Use In Commerce: 11/15/2018
Trademarkia-Network law firms can help you incorporate a business around your the Logo trademark in less than 5 minutes. Trademarkia makes the process easy and convenient, so start now!
MICHAEL S. DENNISTON is a correspondent of the Logo trademark.
Please Rate and Review for the Logo
the Logo is providing hard seltzer.


One of the things I love most about teaching writing is hearing from former students and seeing what their writing life is like. Here's a lovely piece by a student who was in one of my workshops at the Writer's Center, back in the olden days, and what I love most about reading this is that it echoes exactly what I like to say: It is NEVER too late to write. All you need to do is…start.
My wife knows me to be a writer. She knows I graduated from college with a degree in Creative Writing. She knows I took time off between jobs in my twenties to write a novel which was never published or workshopped. She knows I talk about wanting to be a writer. She just never saw me doing any writing in the three and half years we have been together.
Maybe she wanted to change that. For our one year anniversary in 2015, my wife got me a present – a small leather journal. It's a present many writers probably receive. Leather journals are beautiful things when they are blank and my first irrational fear is that I would hate to fill it up with poor, meandering writing.
This pretty collection of paper forces you to write by hand. After a few days of writing I decided on a pattern – every day I would write two pages on a different character. As the days went on I freed myself from that initial irrational fear – dirtying a perfectly clean journal with my weakly written words. An empty journal untouched in a closet is like a nice leather jacket – it is meant to be used and to be among the elements.
I didn't write every single day. I was able to get writing done on Saturdays and Sundays. On weeknights, I sometimes got around to writing at night after work and while my wife was cooking dinner. I'd go into the bedroom, get my pen and journal from my nightstand, come over to the couch or leather chair, and I dove right into it. Let the words come out.
What I have experienced in my life since the last time I did any writing several years earlier was being put into words – marriage, relationships, and being a man in his thirties. Again, the only goal when I sat down to write was to complete two pages. I liberated myself and my psyche by not producing writing that I would re-read or re-write, or at least not re-read or re-write immediately. I wrote like some would walk around their neighborhood at sunset – solely for the brisk act itself, to collect and articulate thoughts, to be reflective, and to find joy in the simple act. I spent some small amount of minutes of my day doing something I enjoyed - something I have always told myself and others that I enjoyed doing. And then, I closed the journal, put the cap on the pen, and put the journal back on my nightstand.
I wrote from March 1, 2015 to the journal's completion on January 23, 2016. I plan to sit down soon and re-read it in its entirety. Maybe with a glass of red wine in one hand. The leather journal has a first draft of something in there.
ABOUT: Ryan Krausmann and his wife live in Sausalito, California. He graduated with a BA in English from the University of Central Florida in 2002.


text:
NATIONAL EMPANADA DAY - April 8
NATIONAL EMPANADA DAY
Each year on April 8th, National Empanada Day recognizes a delicious pastry that comes in several different forms. The name empanada comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb em pandar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.
Empanadas are made by folding the dough or bread around a seasoned stuffing. The stuffed dough is then baked or fried. Very much like hand pies, these delicious pastries offer a variety of choices. You can make your empanadas with meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit fillings. However, they may be made with other ingredients, too.
A cookbook published in 1520 in Catalan, the Libre del Coch by Ruperto de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood.
If you've never had an empanada, you might be surprised just how versatile they are. Different parts of the United States make them with their own style and flavors. Starting in the Southern and Southwestern United States where an empanada is called a Creole empanada, the dish becomes a savory meal. There, they fill the half-circle flaky crust with seasoned pork, beef or chicken, and cheese.
Head to the Southeastern part of the country and empanadas transform. A little more on the sweeter side, they fill these pastries with fresh or reconstituted dry fruit. Some choices include apples, apricots, peaches or sweet potatoes. Once fried, the pies have a crispy outer shell with piping hot fruit inside.
Further west in New Mexico, making empanadas for Christmas is a winter tradition. They make sweetmeats, similar to mincemeat, using ground pork, sugar, pinon nuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Everything is then sealed in a tortilla-like dough and deep-fried in lard.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalEmpanadaDay
Make your favorite version of empanadas. You can choose from a variety of fillings and make one for everyone in the family. Have everyone try their hand at making the dough and filling them. Whether you prefer to make them into a meal or a dessert, the day will be celebration-worthy! We even have a terrific recipe for you to try!
If you're doubting your dough-making skills, try frozen or canned dough. While you're cooking, be sure to share your recipes, too!
Empanada recipes.
Use #NationalEmpanadaDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL EMPANADA DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues researching this delicious food celebration.
April 8th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History
SS Great Western sets off on its maiden voyage from Bristol, England to New York City. The steamship was the first of its kind built for transatlantic service. It completed its maiden voyage on April 23, 1838.
The states ratify the 17th Amendment giving the people the right to directly vote for their senators creating a direct election. Before the 17th amendment, each state's legislature elected the senators.
Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run. The Atlanta Brave was playing at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he hit Al Downing's 1-0 fastball.
April 8th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) Birthdays
Mary Pickford – 1892
The American actress co-founded United Artists and helped establish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts. Pickford made her mark on the film industry when it was in its infancy and watched it transform into the world of talking movies.
Melvin Calvin – 1911
In 1961, the American biochemist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Andrew Benson and James Bassham for his discovery of the Calvin cycle.
Winifred Asprey – 1917
Mathematician and computer scientist, Winifred Asprey earned her Ph.D. in mathematics at a time when very few women did. Asprey established the first computer lab at Vassar College in 1967. Vassar soon became the second college to acquire an IBM System/360 computer.
Betty Ford – 1918
In 1974, the Fords were suddenly thrust into the roles of President and First Lady upon the resignation of Richard Nixon. The 40th First Lady took on many roles, including equal rights advocate and she spoke openly about breast cancer awareness and drug and alcohol. In 1982, following her own treatment for alcoholism, the former First Lady established the Betty Ford Center.


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Mexican Officials Pass Proposal To Ban Donald Trump From Their Country
Esther Yu-Hsi Lee Immigration Reporter, Think Progress
Mexico City legislators passed a proposal this week to ban Donald Trump from entering their country, following the presidential candidate's repeated xenophobic rhetoric surrounding immigrants, particularly those from Mexico.
The proposal, which passed unanimously, is largely a symbolic recommendation since the local legislature cannot enforce federal legislation, as the Huffington Post pointed out. But Deputy José Manuel Delgadillo of the conservative National Action Party noted that the proposal was a way to urge Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to more forcefully confront Trump.
From the Mexico City legislature, which asked the federal government to ban Donald Trump from the country today pic.twitter.com/VNdykeEQ9f
— Roque Planas (@RoqPlanas) March 3, 2016
"What we're saying is that if he wants to build a wall so that Mexicans can't enter his country, then he is not welcome in our country," Delgadillo said, according to the publication. "What we need now is for President Peña Nieto to make a strong statement condemning Mr. Trump's anti-Mexican comments."
Trump has been running his presidential campaign on inflammatory rhetoric that denigrates Mexican immigrants as "rapists" and criminals, as well as the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. He recently stated that Mexico was "killing" the United States by providing cheap labor. Meanwhile, former Mexican President Felipe Calderon said Trump reminded him of Adolph Hitler.
Local Mexico City legislators aren't the only ones pushing back on Trump's rhetoric. After Trump called for Mexico to build a wall along its shared border with the United States, former Mexican President Vicente Fox responded by using profanity. "I'm not going to pay for that fucking wall," Fox said.
Up until now, the current Mexican government hasn't directly addressed Trump's charges. But Peña Nieto's chief of staff hopes that the government may be able to counter some of his harsh views by eventually meeting with the Republican and Democratic nominees to talk about its relationship as an economic opportunity.
A potential Trump presidency may actually be spurring an increase of migrants at the southern U.S. border, according to Reuters . Between October 2015 and February 2016, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency reported a 24 percent increase in the number of migrants detained as they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. One worker at a migrant shelter in Mexico attributed Trump's rhetoric to the surge in migrant crossings, stating to the publication, "They think they need to take advantage while they can."
This has been reposted from Think Progress.
Esther Yu-Hsi Lee is an Immigration Reporter/Blogger for ThinkProgress. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Middle East Studies and a M.A. in Psychology from New York University. A Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiary, Esther is passionate about immigration issues from all sides of the debate. She is originally from Los Angeles, CA.


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Dan + Shay Bringing Arena Tour to Boise and Salt Lake City
Ellyn Felton
Ellyn Felton Published: October 7, 2019
Kevin Winter, Getty Images for NARAS
A country music duo who has been taking on the industry by storm over the past few years has announced they'll be going on an arena tour in 2020.
The Dan + Shay (Arena) Tour is slated to make stops in Salt Lake City, on October 16, 2020, and in Boise on October 29, 2020.
The Boise show will be held at Extra Mile Stadium and the Salt Lake City tour is set to happen at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Dan + Shay, made up of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, started out as two separate artists who were trying to gain a following on YouTube. However, after they were brought together in 2012 it seems they and their music writing has been inseparable ever since.
Their most recent single with Justin Bieber, "10,000 Hours", dropped on Friday and is still number one on the iTunes Top Songs chart as of Monday morning, October 7.
This year has appeared to be the year for Dan + Shay, as they took home two Teen Choice Awards, a CMT Music Award for their song "Speechless", were nominated for seven Billboard Music Awards and went home with one, took home three Academy of Country Music Awards,
With their current trend being a new album every two years, it's entirely possible fans will hear even more new music. If they keep that trend, a new album should drop sometime in 2020.
Tickets for the 2020 shows go on sale on October 11 for the public and presale for the tour starts October 7 on Ticketmaster. It appears VIP Packages will also be available for this tour, so you might get a chance to meet the duo as well.
Categories: Country, Country Music News, Events, Music, Music News
Don't Miss Seeing this Country Music Star Coming to Idaho
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Fun, Delicious Event Happening this Weekend in the Magic Valley
7 Events Taking Place in the Magic Valley this January Weekend
Chocolate Lovers Rejoice: Twin Falls Death by Chocolate is Back
The Most Fun Museum You Will Ever Visit is Temporarily in Idaho


The Villa Sophia property, has been totally restored but has maintained all the original architectural features of a Tuscan house, with its' domed painted ceilings, color washed walls and stone floors. The rooms are beautifully furnished with Italian antiques and attractive rugs. Wonderful pictures hang on the walls. The bedrooms and bathrooms are all luxuriously appointed with beautiful Egyptian cotton bed linen and towels. The Villa is in a private hill town with 4 other Villas, all with a beautiful Michilin Star Restaurant, Gardens overlooking vineyards and high rolling hills.
If you're looking for relaxing by the pool, or a hearty feast after a day of sightseeing, the estate's Ristorante run by Michelin-starred Italian chef Gianluca Renzi promises unforgettable meals.
Check-in is Saturday at 4:00 PM ; Check-out is Saturday at 10:00 AM.
There is a security deposit of €1000 per week (per house), which is to be paid along with the final payment and will be refunded one month after departure less any unpaid expenses.
House heating (if required) according to consumption, swimming pool heating according to consumption (€6.8 per unit/kw), extra maid service (€10 per hour), additional sheet or towel change, consumables, spa services, chef or cocktail service, sporting activities and/or adventure excursions. However, all may be arranged upon prior request.
Six days of maid service (either one maid for three hours per day or two maids for 1.5 hours per day), fresh bed linens changed once per week, and fresh bath linens changed twice weekly.


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FC Dallas to host preseason match with Alianza FC at Toyota Stadium
February 5, 20164:00PM CST
FCD Press Release
Follow@ FCDallas
Dallas side elects to forego Colombia trip after scheduling conflicts interfere with game plans
FRISCO, Texas (Friday, Feb. 5, 2016) – FC Dallas will host Alianza FC at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Toyota Stadium for a pre-season friendly.
The 2015 Apertura champions in El Salvador's Primera Division, Alianza also played at Toyota Stadium against FC Dallas in 2011 during CONCACAF Champions League group play. The two sides met on July 28, 2011, in San Salvador, and again on Aug. 3, 2011, in Toyota Stadium. FC Dallas won, 1-0, both times the teams met.
FC Dallas originally was scheduled to travel to Colombia Feb. 13, but scheduling conflicts with Colombian clubs participating in Copa Libertadores prompted the Dallas side to change preseason plans. The club will train at Toyota Soccer Center for the remainder of preseason, following its return from Casa Grande, Ariz., next week.
General admission tickets to the friendly with Alianza FC will go on sale Monday, Feb. 8. Tickets are $15 each, or $10 for FC Dallas season ticket members.
For more information, visit FCDallas.com, or call 888.FCD.GOAL (323.4625). Limited tickets for the 2016 season opener at Toyota Stadium versus Philadelphia, presented by AdvoCare, are available now starting at $26. FC Dallas season ticket packages, including the home opener, July 4 and multiple marquee matchups, are also available starting at less than $16 per match. For more information, e-mail memberships@fcdallas.com or visit fcdallas.com/memberships.


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From dirty gold washing to the emergence of a "clean gold" market?
Puerto Maldonado (Peru) (AFP)
In addition to the direct consequences on deforestation in the Amazon, gold panning contaminates rivers, fish and humans. But a clean extraction exists, ensures to AFP César Ascorra, Peruvian biologist and director of the center of scientific innovation of the Amazon, which calls for the emergence of a market of the "clean gold".
Traditionally used in gold panning, mercury separates gold from rocks or sand, as it adheres to gold forming an amalgam, which is then heated to evaporate the mercury and leave the gold.
Q: What is the impact of mercury?
"Mercury is a heavy metal that affects living things in the organs that have the most metabolism: the nervous system, the heart, the liver, the lungs, the kidneys ... Mercury enters the food chain, in the tissues of the fish and in our tissues.It penetrates the placenta, passes the encephalic barriers, reaches the brain, the nervous system, it can damage the chromosomes, transmit itself to the following generations and cause the disease known as Minamata (intoxication Mercury is hiding behind 160 symptoms: you can have headaches (...), lose sleep, be irritable, suffer allergies, predispositions to cancer, pancreatic diseases anemia, other neurological consequences, poor school performance, poor attention, understanding. "
Q: Is gold panning without mercury possible?
"It is possible to do alluvial gold panning, without using mercury, because unlike extraction in the veins, as in the Andes, where gold is mixed with other minerals and must be purified, the alluvial gold is pure, it is powdered gold, in flakes, the gravity can thus separate the gold (sediments) without the need of mercury.Thanks to this method, the goldsmith uses a kind of carpet that separates gold and sediments by vibration, that is to say, it uses gravity to separate the gold.It gets gold powder, without using mercury. no gold powder, he learned to melt it at high temperatures and sell it like that, without using mercury.This is not high technology, it's just learning new techniques that are If the ordinary citizens and decision-makers were made aware of the seriousness of the problem so that they could take action, the miners would not They would not use mercury, they would only use it in the final phase, in very small amounts in a closed environment, and with 100% recovery.
Q: What is a "clean gold" market?
"The market wants gold, regardless of where it comes from, when we should be able to say, 'I want clean gold, the process of which did not require mercury. If the market was selective, we would also guide the offer. The market should change not only here in the Amazon, where we destroy forests for mining with the use of mercury, but also in the market that generates this demand, which is in the + first world +. Is another gold panning possible? Yes, with social and environmental responsibility, and this must be supported by governments, by citizens, by decision-making and also by the market, which must be selective and condition the demand. "
Source: france24
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The prefect de facto prohibits the night torchlight demonstration in Lille


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You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit
By: James K. A. Smith
Brazos Press / 2016 / Hardcover
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Christians are called to transform society, but often culture shapes us. How can we shift our focus from secular gods to the One who made us? Using illustrations from film, literature, and music, James K. A. Smith identifies worship as the "imagination station" that redirects our yearnings to concentrate on God's kingdom as we work to stimulate cultural change.
Title: You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit
Vendor: Brazos Press
Dimensions: 8.50 X 5.50 (inches)
Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, Cultural Liturgies Volume 1
James K.A. Smith
Baker Academic / 2009 / Trade Paperback
Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works, Cultural Liturgies Volume 2
Teaching and Christian Practices: Reshaping Faith and Learning
David I. Smith & James K.A. Smith, eds.
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. / 2011 / Trade Paperback
The Economy of Desire: Christianity and Capitalism in a Postmodern World
Daniel M. Bell
Christianity Today Book Award Winner
Martin Institute and Dallas Willard Center Book Award
You are what you love. But you might not love what you think.
In this book, award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that who and what we worship fundamentally shape our hearts. And while we desire to shape culture, we are not often aware of how culture shapes us. We might not realize the ways our hearts are being taught to love rival gods instead of the One for whom we were made. Smith helps readers recognize the formative power of culture and the transformative possibilities of Christian practices. He explains that worship is the "imagination station" that incubates our loves and longings so that our cultural endeavors are indexed toward God and his kingdom. This is why the church and worshiping in a local community of believers should be the hub and heart of Christian formation and discipleship.
Following the publication of his influential work Desiring the Kingdom, Smith received numerous requests from pastors and leaders for a more accessible version of that book's content. No mere abridgment, this new book draws on years of Smith's popular presentations on the ideas in Desiring the Kingdom to offer a fresh, bottom-up rearticulation. The author creatively uses film, literature, and music illustrations to engage readers and includes new material on marriage, family, youth ministry, and faith and work. He also suggests individual and communal practices for shaping the Christian life.
James K. A. Smith (PhD, Villanova University) is professor of philosophy at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he also holds the Gary and Henrietta Byker Chair in Applied Reformed Theology and Worldview. He is the editor of Comment magazine. Smith has authored or edited many books, including Imagining the Kingdom, Who's Afraid of Relativism?, and the Christianity Today Book Award winners Desiring the Kingdom (over 30,000 copies sold) and Who's Afraid of Postmodernism? He is also editor of the well-received The Church and Postmodern Culture series.
James K.A.Smith's You Are What You Love provides a user-friendly introduction to the sweeping Augustinian insight that we are shaped most by what we love most, more than by what we think or do. If sin and virtue are disordered and rightly ordered love, respectively, and if the only way to change is to change what we worship-this will lead us to rethink how we conduct Christian work and ministry. Jamie gives a some foundational ideas on how this effects our corporate worship, Christian education and formation, and our vocations in the world. An important, provocative volume! -Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
Books, eBooks & Audio >> Academic >> Theology >> Culture
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I'm the author/artist and I want to review You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit.


Stir fry all ingredients except food coloring for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add food coloring. Set aside to cool.
Cut 36 squares of waxed paper (3 x 3 inches).
Punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes. Turn out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 36 pieces. Flatten and fill with a tablespoon of filling. Place seam-side down on waxed paper squares. When double in size, steam for 20 minutes.


Welcome Staff & Concert Stewards: Stina Brandin, Anna Karlsson, Malin Gunnarsson, Simon Persson, Evelyne Lauwers etc.
Submit a description of the artist/band as well as links to music and videos.
We receive numerous great suggestions; unfortunately, there is not enough time to respond to all emails. We will be in contact in the event of a possible gig at Stallet.
Organise your own concert/dance at Stallet!
Stallet Friends is Stallet's venue for external producers/event organisers in the folk & world music genre. We contribute with a venue, marketing, ticket sales, etc. You are responsible for the content as well as staff costs, sound, etc.


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Altice updates operating system
Altice has updated the offering to its Optimum and Suddenlink subscribers in the United States. The Altice One Operating System 2.0 offers new features, including the ability to watch network recordings on its mobile app and live show restart on more than 20 additional networks.
The update comes a year after Altice USA introduced its cloud-based platform, Altice One, following its acquisition of the Cablevision and Suddenlink cable businesses.
Calling it an operating system may not be the most consumer friendly approach, but it perhaps reflects the reality that customers are used to regular upgrades of their mobile phone software and that this brings new features.
"The Altice One OS is an ever-evolving platform, focused on simplification through innovation," reads the copy on the Optimum and Suddenlink web sites. "The new OS 2.0 includes enhancements and features catered to your needs that elevate the quality and ease of your entertainment experience. Increased mobility, new apps, and more 4K content are just the beginning."
Altice One OS 2.0 delivers live television, digital video recording and video on demand, including 4K video, in a compact home hub that also provides WiFi and home phone service.
It includes the ability to watch digital video recordings stored in the network cloud on the Altice One mobile app.
With the restart feature, viewers that miss the beginning of a programme can watch from the start even if they have not set it to record. The feature is available on a number of networks for those served by Optimum, including A&E, History Channel, Lifetime, Viceland, FOX News, FOX Sports 1, FX, and the National Geographic channel.
Altice USA reported the loss of 20,700 Optimum television customers and 7,000 Suddenlink subscribers in the third quarter of 2018. The services have 2.31 and 1.02 million subscribers respectively. Between them they have lost 107,400 subscribers in 12 months, or just over 3% of their base.
However, Altice USA is investing in upgrading the user experience to retain its customers, integrating other services like Netflix and YouTube and adding features like voice search.
Meanwhile, Altice Europe is also focussed on improving customer experience.
In France it had its best quarter for customer acquisition since 2005, with 166,000 net additions to its fixed line customers, including 64,000 on fibre.
In Portugal its fixed base grew for the fourth consecutive quarter, with 8,000 net additions.
Patrick Drahi, the founder of Altice, said the company continues to benefit from the best practices of its different assets worldwide, including its experience in the United States.
www.altice.net
www.alticeusa.com
www.optimum.com
www.suddenlink.com
Altice One improves experience
Altice approaches 8 million homes
Altice buys Cablevision


Sept 5 - sorry you missed it!
With the Graduate Certificate in Strategic Human Resources Management program, you gain the strategic skills and tactical understanding to be an active player at the executive level. Build on existing technical human resources knowledge and learn to effectively manage a diverse workforce in organizations undergoing change. Through a partnership with the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon (CPHR BC & YK), you may be eligible, upon graduation, to earn 100 CPHR hours toward recertification in the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation – all while creating an upward trajectory in your HR career.
I quickly learned how little I actually knew about the art form that is Project Management.


Where did you learn about kindness? Who have been the people who showed you kindness? How did they show kindness?
Tom has made an enormous contribution to helping people to build on their strengths and also take care of their health.
Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful. E.F. Schumacher.
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss educator and social reformer who had a profound influence on education.
Henry was a remarkable man and a great educator. He passed away on April 6, 2011, but his legacy continues to live on. Here is his obituary in the Guardian.
Norman Cousins was born in 1915 and lived till 1990. In this video he explains how he learned a lot from the illnesses he experienced in life.


At MACOM we design, manufacture, and support a family of Variable Gain Amplifiers (VGAs) for RF, microwave, and millimeter wave applications. Our VGA Product family covers frequencies from 5 MHz to 20 GHz. The Variable Gain Amplifiers are used in a variety of Network, Commercial and Aerospace and Defense applications. These products are available in industry standard plastic packaging and are designed for both 50 Ohm and 75 Ohm applications.
36 dB MER, 64 QAM 39 Channels, 52 dBmV/ch.


Welcome to the Spa at The Oaks. Relax and unwind with one of our many Spa treatments and Spa days or come take advantage of our pool and gym for a truly full body experience. Please feel free to download our brochure and begin you Spa journey today.


Only the die hard swim at 5:30 AM. Only the dedicated swim on a holiday. And the crazy? They swim at 5:30 AM on the 4th of July in a steady, cold rain. My kids were none too happy that today wasn't the day we "accidentally" missed our alarm.
It is a tradition in our club that birthdays are celebrated with Donuts. I saw it fitting that today after practice the kids had donuts. Many of them were confused, knowing it wasn't Sarah or Sophie's birthday. A few understood right away, some as they were leaving.
It was going to take a long nap.
Happy Birthday to our Independence. Hope you all have a happy 4th of July!


Summers in Iran used to be about swimming all day and napping all afternoon. They used to be filled with everyone in one place all the time, whether it was lunch at his house or dinner at her place. Parties were all the rage, even if family parties in Iran can often mean nothing more than a giant kickback with a lot of rice and tea.
Summers in Iran used to be about relaxing, reading 12 books in 7 weeks, trying new restaurants and getting friends souvenirs.
Now, a trip to Iran is about seeing the family we haven't seen in months. Simple as that. No fluff, no frills. It was a wonderful childhood while it lasted, and although I refuse to believe or feel like I've entered adulthood (trust me I haven't), i just need to accept this new purpose.


Continued eligibility for financial assistance: If structured wisely, this trust can provide financial assistance without disqualifying the beneficiary from public assistance programs like Medicaid.
Money management options: It can include instructions for money management. A third party can manage the money for the intended beneficiary.
How is a supplemental needs trust funded?
A creator can fund a supplemental needs trust with assets of the estate or a life insurance policy. The use of an insurance policy may be more favorable than it once was due to the recent passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This tax reform resulted in an increase in the estate tax exemption, essentially doubling this amount to $11.8 million in 2018. This higher exemption amount may allow a family more planning flexibility: Instead of only planning for funds to transfer to a special needs trust to care for a disabled loved one, families now have a larger amount to work with and could plan for other family members without concern of exceeding the estate tax exemption amount.
Once funded, the trust can provide financial support to cover the things not covered by public assistance programs. This can include educational opportunities, therapy, some medications and additional niceties.
The exact language used to put together a special needs trust will depend on the details of the circumstances. As such, it is wise to seek legal counsel to structure a supplemental needs trust to meet your unique situation.


UIA has always been focused on youth-friendly programs.
Now more than ever, UIA team committed to offering engaging and exciting programs for Muslim youth!
From weekly classes, to monthly "Let's Talk" sessions, to "We are Listening" counselling programs, to March break and summer camps!
Check out our current programs for young Muslims!
Copyright © 2014 Understanding Islam Academy. All Rights Reserved.


I sit on the wooden bench surrounded by other spectators decked out in purple and white, taking in the sights -- the bright lights overhead, illuminating the green turf grass with its perfectly straight white lines and the brilliant regal purple double horseshoe emblem in the exact center; the old steel mill garage in the background, behind the visiting team stands, with its broken out windows, a sad sign of better times gone by. The handful of people who stand on the bridge over the state route overlooking the field and surrounding areas, taking in the intermingling of young and old who gather to watch the "boys of fall" battle it out on the gridiron.
I feel the excitement in the air as the marching band starts their processional around the track the beat of the drums keeping their step. Behind the goal post trumpets, now lifted in the air, start their trilling, the long slide of the trombones, and the rich baritone sounds of the tuba raise in the air as all the instruments join together in the school's swing march, to the familiar cadence of the drum line. Like a wave, starting at the east end of the stands, fans rise to their feet, cheering and clapping in time to the music. My eyes water a little, knowing that moments like this are ingrained deep into my soul and have played out just as they have in this moment, on fall Friday nights for several decades, knowing that I am a part of the honor, pride and tradition. There's no escaping it. I bleed purple and white. I will forever be a Purple Rider.
There's a certain comfort in knowing that some things never change—the pregame rituals, the singing of the alma mater, the cannon that's fired every time the team scores a touchdown. The familiar faces of past coaches and teachers, catching up with former classmates you happen to run into during the 3rd quarter at the concession stand. Yes, perhaps the band and student section are smaller, but there are still guys who lead the student section in chants and the ones who rush the field after the games. The names of the players have changed but the gray pants, the purple jerseys, the white helmets emblazoned with a silver horseshoe and the game itself, always remain the same.
In small towns like mine, school pride runs deep. I grew up with it, sitting beside my parents, grandparents watching my aunts play in the band, mimicking the movements of the cheerleaders. As a middle school student, watching from the stands, my feet dangling loose above the track holding on the railings, then as a high school student with horseshoes painted on my cheeks stomping and cheering loudly, and now as alumni still intensely proud to don the purple and white colors I identify so closely with.
What about you, are you from a town where school pride runs deep?