text:
Q: Are night and day lengths over a year equal everywhere on earth? (Question from math.stackexchange, because people told me to better ask here:
Original link)
As you all know, in winter the nights are longer and there is nearly no sun, but in the summer there are really long days.
If you look at different places over the world, you find strange things like a 3 month day in summer with 3 months of darkness in the winter when you keep going north or south enough.
The question I asked myself was:
Question: Is the overall length of day equal to the overall length of night over the time span of one year (thus half of the year for both) at any specific point on earth?
I tried to solve this analytically, but looking at complex trigonometric function that include the earth rotating around its tilted axis around sun lead to nowhere.
However, I noticed that when looking at mountains / high buildings, the overall day length becomes longer, thus this question is meant for a spherical earth with no altitude differences.

A: The length of day depends on two parameters:

*

*the latitude $\phi$ of the observer

*the current day of year
We can represent the trajectory of the sun from the point of view of an observer on Earth by a solar circle that intersects Earth's plane. See figure below:

In red is Earth's circle, and the solar circle is divided in two parts:

*

*the blue part corresponds to the night (sun is below the horizon)

*the black part corresponds to the day time (sun is above the horizon)
This representation is valid only 1. during the equinoxes and 2. only at the North Pole:

*

*As time passes, the solar circle shifts away from the Earth's circle, along the obliquity of the ecliptic $\epsilon=23.439°$. This shift is upward during the summer, and downward during the winter.

*If we leave the North Pole the solar circle tends to be tilted along the West-East axis. At the equator, the solar circle is exactly perpendicular to the Earth's plane.
Let $\epsilon$ be the axial obliquity of the ecliptic of Earth, $\phi$ the latitude of the observer and $n_d \in [0;364]$ the current day of year, $n_d=0$ corresponding to the winter solstice.
We use a unit circle (radius = 1) to model both the Solar circle and Earth circle.
We can use this representation and parametrize the geometry in order to determine the length of the segment $m(\phi,n_d)$ at any latitude $\phi$ and any day of year $n_d$. The length of $m$ with respect to the diameter of the solar circle will allow us to determine the length of day.
When the sun is at its zenith, the angle between the observer's zenith  and the position of the sun is:
\begin{equation}
\delta \Phi = 90 - \phi - \mathrm{cos}\left( \pi \cdot \dfrac{n_d}{365.25 / 2} \right) \epsilon
\end{equation}
Thus, the angle $\delta \theta$ between the solar circle and sun's zenith is $\delta \Phi + \phi$, i.e.:
\begin{equation}
\delta \theta = 90 - \mathrm{cos}\left( \pi \cdot \dfrac{n_d}{365.25 / 2} \right) \epsilon
\end{equation}
We aim to determine the fraction of the radius corresponding to the exposed part of the sun's circle, i.e.:
\begin{equation}
m = 1 + \mathrm{tan}(\phi) t
\end{equation}
Where $t$ is the distance between the observer and the center of the sun's circle; given by:
\begin{equation}
t = \mathrm{cos}(\delta \theta) d
\end{equation}
Where $d$ is the distance from observer to the sun's zenith, given by:
\begin{equation}
d = \dfrac{1}{\mathrm{sin}(\delta \theta)}
\end{equation}
Hence the exposed fraction of the solar circle is determined by:
\begin{equation}
m = 1 - \dfrac{\mathrm{tan}(\phi)}{\mathrm{tan}(\delta \theta)}
\end{equation}
With $0 \leq m \leq2$. When $m=2$, the sun circle does not intersect with Earth's surface, thus the sun is shining in the sky the whole day: this is polar summer.
When $m=0$, the sun circle is completely below the horizon: it is polar winter.
The angle between the center the of sun circle and the sunrise/sunsets points on the solar circle is:
\begin{equation}
f = \mathrm{acos}(1 - m)
\end{equation}
And finally the exposed fraction of the sun's circle is:
\begin{equation}
b=f /\pi
\end{equation}
We can multiply this quantity per 24 to obtain the day length (duration for which the sun is above horizon).
Using trigonometry, the above formulas simplify into:

\begin{equation} \large b(\phi, n_d) = \mathrm{acos}\left(
 \mathrm{tan}(\phi) \mathrm{tan}(\epsilon \cdot \mathrm{cos}(0.0172
 \cdot n_d)) \right) / \pi \end{equation}

Where $0.0172=\pi / 182.625$ (see first equation)
I produced the curves corresponding to this relation for different values of the latitude from $\phi = 0°$ to $\phi=+90°$, with respect to the day of year.

In black is the curve corresponding to $\phi=48°$ (e.g. Paris, France.) where the length of day oscillates between 8 hours (winter) and 16 hours (summer).
In red is the curve corresponding to $\phi =70°$ (e.g. Hammerfest, Norway) where the sun never sets for approximately 10 weeks during summer, and never rises for the same duration during winter.
Your question is about the overall length of day over the span of one year. The answer is given graphically by this figure, where you can see that the summer variations of the length of day are completely symetrical with respect to the winter variations.
If you average the length of day over one year, whatever is the value of the latitude $\phi$, the mean length of day is exactly 12 hours. That is true everywhere on Earth.

Notes:

*

*The actual definitions of day and night are more subtile than what I used here. See Twilight - Wikipedia.

Definition of night used here: sun below horizon ($\theta = 0°$)
Civil dusk:  sun $6°$ below horizon.
Nautical dusk: sun $12°$ below horizon.
Astronomical dusk: sun $18°$ below horizon.
This discrepancy in definitions of the night is due to the fact that the sun continues to illuminate the sky even when it is not directly visible, due to sunlight scattering by the atmosphere.

*I supposed that Earth is perfectly spheric, which is not exactly true.

A: The total time of day and night when averaged over the entire solar year will only be equal in regions close to the equator. In regions close to the poles, the ratio deviates strongly towards more daytime.
For example, this graph of day/night times in Oslo clearly shows that the city experiences way more daytime as compared to night time. However Singapore experiences almost equal amounts of both.


text:
Q: Using Android Drag and Drop framework in My custom Launcher app I am trying to develop custom launcher app (with unlimited number of home pages)and i need to implement Drag and Drop as done in Launcher2(android 4.2).
So i found two approaches
1) Drag and Drop framework
2) Use the android launcher2 way like implementation DragController, DragSource as explained here.
But i am struggling to understand why didn't Android guys didn't use the Drag and Drop framework developed by them in their own application. Can anyone brief regarding possible rationale behind their approach?( i mean in terms of memory/performance)
Thanks in advance.

A: The Android drag and drop framework is very basic as compared to the one used in the Launcher app.
The Launcher app has a myriad of "layers" and the drag and drop occurs accross these layers, namely the DragLayer, Workspace and the All Apps view etc. It uses window flags and dynamically adds/removes views to the DragLayer when a drag is in progress and a multitude of activities monitor the drag. For more details look at the DragLayer.java and Workspace.java files particularly.

A: Drag and Drop in Android Launcher is done as Overlay drawing  within the same ViewGroup and in same window  . But android drag and drop approach creates a separate window  with a separate window type altogether .
Resource and memory wise standard android drag and drop approach is costlier.
If performance is very critical my suggestion is go as per Android launcher way else prefer standard android approach its easy and simple.

A: Drag and Drop framework is sice api 11.
My guess is, lot of code for launcher was written before that, and noone had time to refactor it yet. But api works similar like second approach.

A: http://javapapers.com/android/android-drag-and-drop/. This is the best drag and drop example since i have implemented the same in my application. Note: It will support versions only above 11. The drag and drop feature will not support for version 10. Instead u have to move the fields in a absolute layout by settin X and Y positons. But Absolute layout is completely deprecated...

A: You should use WindowManaager to control Drag And Drop if in case your Application is not so much complex. This is easy to implement and work on Position changed. get the code Here

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I've seen discussions around this, but not quite. I'm trying to read/write to an SD card in the Freedom64F card, using Processor Expert and the SDHC_LDD component. I'm using KDS 3.0.0, with no OS and no SDK. I'm following the documentation example as closely as possible, but I can't get it to work - I always get a timeout at SDHC_GetCardInfo. Looking into the code, specifically CardInfoRetrieval in SDHC.c, the last viable state is SDHC_CIR_TRANSFER_STATE.
I noticed that the board does not include a pullup resistor on the CMD line, which should be there (also possibly on D0). I changed the port pins to include pullups, but it made no difference. I also modified the example code to support active-high card detect. Card detection now works, but not the rest of the code.
I've tried Erich Styger's logger code, which uses SPI mode, and it works nicely, however its slow - both read and write take roughly the same time, ~190 kbyte/sec, which seems to be mainly driver code overhead, as it changes when I change optimization, and almost doesn't depend on SPI clock. I would really like higher read rates, and DMA/interrupts would also be nice though not essential.
Has anybody got SDHC_LDD or one of its derivatives working on this board, in full 4-bit data width and a higher data rate? Any ideas?
I think you can refer to the "Typical Usage" , there is demo code .
Thank you for your answer. Unfortunately, if it were that simple I would not have posted... The example does not work for me, failing (as I said in my post) at the GetCardInfo command. The project is a clean test of the component, with nothing else except what appears in the typical usage code.
One caveat - the code as described in the help also produces a hard fault in the OnFinished event, due to some problem with the UserData pointer. I changed the code to directly use the SD variable, instead of a cast on the UserData.
I know there is a wait. It doesn't help, it exists on a timeout. If I disable the timeout it waits forever.
After this line has been executed, the IRQSTAT register becomes 0x1000000, which according to the reference manual means that there was an ADMA error. The operation never finishes, and I get a timeout.


India Service Learning 2015: Saris, Mendhi and Ganges, oh my!
Our second weekend at Joybells School and Orphanage was even more eventful and full of surprises than the busy weekdays. On Saturday, the girls finally went shopping for Saris that we have long been craving. The seven of us including Priya, the amiable niece of Joy, and our friend and guide, Arun, drove by car to a busy market in downtown Dehradun. Amid the buzzing market we found our shop and were immediately startled by the marvelous rows and rows of Saris along the wall. After hours of selection, we finally settled on our decision and went to a street-artist to do mendhi—henna tattoos—in celebration of gaining the extraordinary pieces of clothing.
On Sunday, we went on a trip to Rishikesh—the holy town by the Ganges, amid the mountains. We started off our day by doing a little shopping in the various stores along the street. We patronized a Tibetan/Buddhist store, whose owner we have met before, and marveled at the handicrafts. Strolling along the busy road along the Ganges with wandering cows and marching pilgrims, we were from time to time greeted by the amiable local people. We arrived at the site where the Shiva statue used to stand, stepped down the stairs, and dipped our skin into the holy river of the Ganges. Last but not least, we visited the ashram where the Beatles once stayed. Breathing in the same air and looking out at the same scenery as our idols completed the wonderful day.
P.S. from Atta and Jim: Julius celebrated his 17th birthday on Monday and the entire Joybells community joined together to create a special day for him with a crown of flowers, dancing, and delicious treats and cakes made by the children. This was a birthday he will not soon forget, nor will we!
Girls shop for saris in downtown Dehradun.
The girls get mendhi, more commonly known as henna tattoos.
Close-up of the mendhi design.
Finding their balance in front of the Rishikesh Yoga Centre.
In front of the holy river of the Ganges.
Wait... are those some NMH Hoggers or a throwback photo of the Beatles staying at the ashram? You decide.
Julius celebrating his 17th birthday with his flower crown and friends.
Julius celebrating his birthday with more flowers and more friends.


text:
Петра () е село в Република Гърция, разположено на остров Лесбос, област Северен Егей. Селото има население от 1246 души (2001).

Личности
 Родени в Петра
  Неоклис Казазис (1849 – 1936), гръцки политик

Бележки

Села в дем Лесбос

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Flightgear for Mac, free and safe download. Flightgear latest version: Open source, multi-platform flight simulator.
The FlightGear Mac OS X is a Mac port of FlightGear, an open-source / free flight simulator with very realistic flight models.
(FlightGear) A free Flight Simulator for Mac os x, Windows and Linux Jonah Siegle. … Mac OS X – Duration: 9:23. Cat and Andrew 33,039 views. 9:23.
What is the best flight simulator for Mac? Update Cancel. Answer Wiki. 5 Answers. Allen Hoonkyo Lee, … What is the best flight simulator game on the iOS App Store?
Video of FSX Running on a Mac. The video below was created running FSX on a Mac by using Parallels. It gives you an idea of what can be achieved. Multiple Options.
X-Plane is considered the best flight simulator for the Mac. While you can technically download it for free, we don't recommend it due to its enormous size.


text:
Child Creativity Lab Gala to Recognize the Best Among Corporate Innovators on January 20
EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES AND WAHOO'S ARE RECIPIENTS OF ORGANIZATION'S CORPORATE CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION LEADERSHIP AWARD
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA (January 3, 2018) – The Child Creativity Lab, a non-profit organization that fosters the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, innovators, and leaders through hands-on, creativity-enhancing exploration, will honor Edwards Lifesciences and Wahoo's as its first-ever recipients of the Distinguished Corporate Creativity and Innovation Leadership Award at the organization's gala on January 20, 2018. The event will take place at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim.
The Child Creativity Lab's programs are all geared towards equipping tomorrow's leaders with skills that will allow them to successfully navigate the fast-paced and constantly evolving world. In its quest - in 2017 alone - the organization served more than 20,000 children including 70 percent of those considered at-risk or underserved with hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) workshops and activities. They launched this awards program to generate awareness of the need for more STEAM education and to recognize Orange County leaders that demonstrate innovative and industry-disruptive approaches that result in high performance and impact in the marketplace.
"We felt these honorees were deserving of being recognized because they are creative, nimble, and bold and have implemented successful strategies to ensure their organization's long-term sustainability," said Peter Chang, executive director of Child Creativity Lab. "These leaders are taking risks that allow them to succeed in their industries and they see change and uncertainty as opportunities. We value these characteristics as examples of what we should be teaching our children in order for them to grow up to be creative and innovative in their respective fields."
Edwards Lifesciences, a global leader in patient-focused medical innovations for structural heart disease, as well as critical care and surgical monitoring, has been a key contributor to the Orange County community with roots dating back to 1958. Starting out when Miles "Lowell" Edwards began his journey to innovate the first artificial heart valve and then setting up a laboratory in Santa Ana, the company has grown into a global organization, with a presence in over 100 countries and more than 12,000 employees around the world.
"We are honored to receive this award from an inspirational organization that is stimulating innovation in the minds of Orange County's youth," said David K. Erickson, vice president, investor relations, at Edwards Lifesciences and Advisory Board Member of Child Creativity Lab. "It is our hope that this work will inspire a new generation of scientists and big thinkers to help address the future needs of our community."
An equally integral member of the local scene, Wahoo's has been a dining staple with its fast-casual taco chain for business executives, families and surfers alike launching in Costa Mesa in 1988. With a unique menu that reflected the owners' – Wing Lam, Eduardo Lee and Mingo Lee - Chinese heritage and experiences living in Brazil and surfing in Baja, today they operate restaurants throughout California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Japan.
Sponsors of the gala include: Allyance, Kapstone, Hyundai Capital, Abbott Vascular, Vans, Fluidmaster, Shaar Legal Group, UPS Asian American Business Resource Group, Professional Plastics, Comprehensive Insurance Services, Selman Chevrolet, Century21/Heidi Twitchell, Radcliffe & Associates, In Memory of Joseph Estrada, Penelope Agosta, White House Catering, Bytelaunch, and The Complete Package.
For more information and to purchase tickets; visit https://tickets.childcreativitylab.org.
ABOUT THE CHILD CREATIVITY LAB
The Child Creativity Lab's mission is to foster the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, innovators, and leaders through hands-on creativity-enhancing exploration. The organization's vision is to inspire children to challenge their comfort levels and thereby raising their potential for personal development and contributions to society. The Child Creativity Lab opened its Depot for Creative Reuse in September of 2015. This facility features a community makerspace that offers an eclectic variety of STEAM-based workshops for children, teens, and educators that are hands-on, purposeful, and yet fun, engaging, and similar in excitement level and entertainment value of jump houses and other "pure-play" amusement centers. The organization also offers STEAM-based educational outreach programs, via the Child Creativity Lab Museum-on-Wheels, to schools, libraries, community events, afterschool programs, churches, and more. For more information, visit www.childcreativitylab.org.
The Child Creativity Lab is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For general information, visit www.childcreativitylab.org.
Peter Chang
Press ReleaseChild Creativity Lab Kaitlyn Lam May 26, 2018 Event, Gala
Child Creativity Lab Hosts Community Roundtable on the Maker Movement in Schools
Press ReleaseChild Creativity Lab Kaitlyn Lam May 26, 2018 Event, Maker, Program, MOW

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


P.S. I hope to share here a lot more often! My goodness, it had been so long I had forgotten how to post photos here! Ugh!
I'm glad you are blogging again; although I follow you on FB, I have decided I still enjoy the blogs I once visited regularly. And I always love your writing!
Oh, it is so wonderful to see you again! Really . . . hikes? In the Alps? Wow. Your knee must be so much better.
I love that you're returning, too....as blogging is such a special place to be!
I am interrupted by way too much snow and ice! I just love that first beach sunset photo!!!!!
I'm so glad I spotted your comment on Beth's blog that you had published a post. Welcome back!
It sounds like your time away has been wonderful, though.
Always important for bloggers to let life get in the way.
Great photo and loved the words.


text:
Workshop on Hebrew Proficiency for University Teachers
Workshop on
Hebrew Proficiency for University Teachers of Jewish Studies –
Reading Academic Hebrew Texts
Jerusalem, 30 July–9 August 2012
Workshop Chairman:
Prof. Cyril Aslanov, Academic Chairman, International Center for University Teaching of Jewish Civilization
Academic Coordinator:
Dr. Noam Mizrahi, Department of Bible, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The International Center for University Teaching of Jewish Civilization is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications to participate in its workshop for professors, post-doctoral and doctoral students in fields related to Jewish Studies who seek to improve their reading ability of academic literature in Modern Hebrew.
The two-week workshop this year will take place on the Mt. Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem from Monday 30 July, through Thursday, 9 August.
Participants in the specially tailored workshop will improve their proficiency in the specific Hebrew terminology required in their field of teaching and research, thereby gaining better access to a larger body of sources and bibliography – both classical and current – which are available only in Hebrew. Spending two weeks in the academic environment of Jerusalem will help achieve this goal.
Ø Classes will meet each morning over a period of two weeks (40 teaching hours), during which the participating scholars will be immersed in academic texts written in Modern Hebrew.
Ø Classroom instruction will consist of reading and analyzing texts, with special emphasis given to building vocabulary and coping with syntax.
Ø Participants will be introduced to essential tools that may help them with the task of reading and studying Hebrew texts and sources, such as various general dictionaries, specialized lexicons and online databases.
Ø Participants will become familiarized with the structure and style of modern academic Hebrew.
Ø The curriculum will include articles in the different fields of the participants, who are urged to submit the titles of articles that they wish to read.
Ø Reading selections will be taken from the leading academic Hebrew journals, and may also include chapters from seminal monographs written in Modern Hebrew. Some specimens of other types of Modern Hebrew writing (e.g. from daily newspaper, contemporary literary texts) will also be introduced in order to familiarize the participants with a spectrum of Modern Hebrew registers.
Ø When possible, authors of articles will be invited to discuss their works with the participants.
Ø The intensive workshop is open to those who already read Modern Hebrew and successfully pass a placement exam.
Ø The costs of accommodation, board, and travel to and from Israel are the responsibility of participants or their sponsoring institutions.
Ø Accommodation can be arranged through the International Center for University Teaching of Jewish Civilization.
§ Montefiore Hotel in the center of Jerusalem:
$101 per night, on the basis of single occupancy, bed and breakfast.
Additional rates (double room, double occupancy, meals on campus) are available on request.
Ø The fee for participation in the workshop is NIS 1,000.
Ø European scholars may apply to The Academic Jewish Studies in Europe Grant Programme (The Rothschild Foundation Europe) for a Language Studies Grant to help defray the costs of participation. An online application form is available at http://www.rothschildfoundation.eu/grants/academic-jewish-studies/language-studies . The closing date for applications is Monday, 6 February 2012.
Interested applicants should submit the following:
Ø CV;
Ø A short statement of the candidate's specific research interests;
Ø A description of the candidate's Hebrew language background.
Applications / further information:
The International Center for University Teaching of Jewish Civilization
Yitzhak Rabin Building for the World Center of Jewish Studies
Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 91905
Tel: +972-2-5881772; Fax: +972-2-5819096
E-mail: msjewciv@mscc.huji.ac.il


text:
Date of Submission 04-Nov-2020
Date of Decision 16-Nov-2020
Date of Acceptance 23-Nov-2020
Abhilash KP. COVID-19 pandemic: Quo Vadimus?. Curr Med Issues 2021;19:1-2
Abhilash KP. COVID-19 pandemic: Quo Vadimus?. Curr Med Issues [serial online] 2021 [cited 2021 Jan 15];19:1-2. Available from: https://www.cmijournal.org/text.asp?2021/19/1/1/306939
The year 2020 in its entirety has been centered on the events around the COVID-19 pandemic and its partner in crime, "the global lockdown." Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) came into late 2019 without an appointment and quickly assured us of its destructive potential and lasting impact. 2020 feels like an entire year lost, a year spent in turmoil, a year spent in home confinement for indefinite periods by large swathes of the population, a year that left lasting physical and mental scars on all of us, and a year that will realign our future.
The two demons of 2020, "COVID-19" and the "pan-global lockdown" with associated mortality, economic loss, and psychological scars, have left many individuals and organizations on the brink of survival.[1],[2] The pandemic has brought tectonic change to almost every aspect of life: how we live, where we live, where we work, how we meet, and how we celebrate the small remaining joys of life. Economy and tourism have been in the doldrums for the past 12 months. Pandemics ignore our calendars, but the absence of social events, planned vacations, sports and games, family gatherings, and fun times with friends will forever remain etched in our memories as a dark gloomy chapter. The "present eon" is certain to find a prominent place in the World's history in years to come. The year 2020 will certainly be used by historians as a reference point of a catastrophic event.
In India, the pandemic seemed to have peaked in early September as evidenced from data from the Emergency Department of our hospital [Figure 1]. Having infected more than 90 million and claiming 2 million lives thus far, when will this pandemic come to an end? While politicians and astrologers have answers, few scientists are willing to be drawn into making a prediction. Epidemiologists and public health specialists have been using mathematical models to predict the course and the outcome of the pandemic. However, with the many unknowns about this novel contagion, prediction modeling is tricky as models are not the "crystal balls" we all wish to have. The history of pandemics is full of frustrating truths. Once they emerge in humans, diseases rarely leave. The bitter truth is that ancient infections such as malaria, leprosy, tuberculosis, and syphilis that are as old as humanity and younger pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus, Ebola virus, influenza viruses, and SARS are still thriving with eradication not yet in sight. The only disease that has been eradicated thus far through mass vaccination campaign is smallpox.[3] In 1980, smallpox became the first, and to date, the only, human disease to be declared fully eradicated.[4] Now that it has been added to the repertoire of existing human infections in 2019, COVID19 is here to stay. Like all other pathogens though, SARS-CoV-2 is likely to settle down permanently at some point, in the "retirement villa of coronaviruses," simmering on and circulating at low levels, causing occasional flare-ups in local outbreaks.
Figure 1: Weekly COVID-suspected cases seen in the "COVID zone" of the Emergency Department through the COVID-19 pandemic.
With 2020 effectively "nullified," we enter 2021 with uncertainty with the query "Quo vadimus?' Where are we headed? We look ahead to the New Year with both fear and hope: fear of seemingly indefinite disruption of daily activities and devastation to life and with hope that an efficient vaccine will, before too long, contain the contagion and life can revert to the good old pre-COVID days.
This pandemic must be treated as a long voyage that requires planning and coordination while facing numerous obstacles. It is true that all colors agree in the dark. During this unprecedented crisis, all individuals, organizations, and countries must sink our differences and unite in the endeavor to overcome this pandemic. And together, we will succeed. This too shall pass.
Kumar SU, Kumar DT, Christopher BP, Doss CG. The rise and impact of COVID-19 in India. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020;7:250.
Nicola M, Alsafi Z, Sohrabi C, Kerwan A, Al-Jabir A, Iosifidis C, et al. The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): A review. Int J Surg 2020;78:185-93.
Lane JM. Mass vaccination and surveillance/containment in the eradication of smallpox. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2006;304:17-29
Strassburg MA. The global eradication of smallpox. Am J Infect Control 1982;10:53-9.
[Figure 1]


text:
package com.thoughtworks.go.util;

import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.io.OutputStream;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.CommandLine;
import com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.CommandLineException;
import com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.ConsoleResult;
import com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.EnvironmentVariableContext;
import com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.InMemoryStreamConsumer;
import com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.ProcessOutputStreamConsumer;
import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils;
import org.hamcrest.Description;
import org.hamcrest.Matcher;
import org.hamcrest.TypeSafeMatcher;
import org.junit.After;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.Test;

import static com.thoughtworks.go.util.command.ProcessOutputStreamConsumer.inMemoryConsumer;
import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.containsString;
import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;

public class ProcessWrapperTest {
    private File tempFolder;

    @Before
    public void setUp() throws Exception {
        tempFolder = FileUtil.createTempFolder();
        assertThat(tempFolder.exists(), is(true));
    }

    @After
    public void teardown() throws Exception {
        FileUtils.deleteQuietly(tempFolder);
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldReturnTrueWhenAProcessIsRunning(){
        Process process = getMockedProcess(mock(OutputStream.class));
        when(process.exitValue()).thenThrow(new IllegalThreadStateException());
        ProcessWrapper processWrapper = new ProcessWrapper(process, "", "", inMemoryConsumer(), null, null);
        assertThat(processWrapper.isRunning(), is(true));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldReturnFalseWhenAProcessHasExited(){
        Process process = getMockedProcess(mock(OutputStream.class));
        when(process.exitValue()).thenReturn(1);
        ProcessWrapper processWrapper = new ProcessWrapper(process, "", "", inMemoryConsumer(), null, null);
        assertThat(processWrapper.isRunning(), is(false));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldTypeInputToConsole(){
        OutputStream processInputStream = new ByteArrayOutputStream();// mock(OutputStream.class);
        Process process = getMockedProcess(processInputStream);
        ProcessWrapper processWrapper = new ProcessWrapper(process, "", "", inMemoryConsumer(), null, null);
        ArrayList<String> inputs = new ArrayList<>();
        inputs.add("input1");
        inputs.add("input2");
        processWrapper.typeInputToConsole(inputs);

        String input = processInputStream.toString();
        String[] parts = input.split("\\r?\\n");
        assertThat(parts[0], is("input1"));
        assertThat(parts[1], is("input2"));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldThrowExceptionWhenExecutableDoesNotExist() throws IOException {
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("doesnotexist");
        try {
            ProcessOutputStreamConsumer outputStreamConsumer = inMemoryConsumer();
            line.execute(outputStreamConsumer, new EnvironmentVariableContext(), null);
            fail("Expected exception");
        } catch (CommandLineException e) {
            assertThat(e.getMessage(), containsString("Make sure this command can execute manually."));
            assertThat(e.getMessage(), containsString("doesnotexist"));
            assertThat(e.getResult(), notNullValue());
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldTryCommandWithTimeout() throws IOException {
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("doesnotexist");
        try {
            line.waitForSuccess(100);
            fail("Expected Exception");
        } catch (Exception e) {
            assertThat(e.getMessage(),
                    containsString("Timeout after 0.1 seconds waiting for command 'doesnotexist'"));
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldCollectOutput() throws Exception {
        String output = "SYSOUT: Hello World!";
        String error = "SYSERR: Some error happened!";
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("ruby").withArgs(script("echo"), output, error);
        ConsoleResult result = run(line);

        assertThat("Errors: " + result.errorAsString(), result.returnValue(), is(0));
        assertThat(result.output(), contains(output));
        assertThat(result.error(), contains(error));
    }

    private String script(final String name) {
        return "../util/test-resources/executables/" + name + ".rb";
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldAcceptInputString() throws Exception {
        String input = "SYSIN: Hello World!";
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("ruby").withArgs(script("echo-input"));
        ConsoleResult result = run(line, input);
        assertThat(result.output(), contains(input));
        assertThat(result.error().size(), is(0));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldBeAbleToCompleteInput() throws Exception {
        String input1 = "SYSIN: Line 1!";
        String input2 = "SYSIN: Line 2!";
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("ruby").withArgs(script("echo-all-input"));
        ConsoleResult result = run(line, input1, input2);
        assertThat(result.returnValue(), is(0));
        assertThat(result.output(), contains("You said: " + input1));
        assertThat(result.output(), contains("You said: " + input2));
        assertThat(result.error().size(), is(0));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldReportReturnValueIfProcessFails() {
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("ruby").withArgs(script("nonexistent-script"));
        ConsoleResult result = run(line);
        assertThat(result.returnValue(), is(1));
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldSetGoServerVariablesIfTheyExist() {
        System.setProperty("GO_DEPENDENCY_LABEL_PIPELINE_NAME", "999");
        CommandLine line = CommandLine.createCommandLine("ruby").withArgs(script("dump-environment"));
        ConsoleResult result = run(line);
        assertThat("Errors: " + result.errorAsString(), result.returnValue(), is(0));
        assertThat(result.output(), contains("GO_DEPENDENCY_LABEL_PIPELINE_NAME=999"));
    }

    private ConsoleResult run(CommandLine line, String... inputs) {
        InMemoryStreamConsumer outputStreamConsumer = inMemoryConsumer();

        EnvironmentVariableContext environmentVariableContext = new EnvironmentVariableContext();
        environmentVariableContext.setProperty("GO_DEPENDENCY_LABEL_PIPELINE_NAME", "999", false);
        line.addInput(inputs);
        ProcessWrapper processWrapper = line.execute(outputStreamConsumer, environmentVariableContext, null);
        return new ConsoleResult(processWrapper.waitForExit(),
                outputStreamConsumer.getStdLines(),
                outputStreamConsumer.getErrLines(), line.getArguments(), new ArrayList<>());
    }

    private Matcher<List<String>> contains(final String output) {
        return new TypeSafeMatcher<List<String>>() {
            public boolean matchesSafely(List<String> lines) {
                for (String line : lines) {
                    if (line.contains(output)) {
                        return true;
                    }
                }
                return false;
            }

            public void describeTo(Description description) {
                description.appendText("to contain " + output);
            }
        };
    }
    private Process getMockedProcess(OutputStream outputStream) {
        Process process = mock(Process.class);
        when(process.getErrorStream()).thenReturn(mock(InputStream.class));
        when(process.getInputStream()).thenReturn(mock(InputStream.class));
        when(process.getOutputStream()).thenReturn(outputStream);
        return process;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Public Records Request - City Clerk's Office
About City Clerk Kimberley Clark
Agenda Forecast
Boards, Commissions, & Committees
Enterprise System Catalog
Fair Political Practices Commission Filings
Public Records Requests may be submitted electronically to the Burbank City Clerk's Office. Please email your Public Records Request Form to cityclerks@burbankca.gov.
California Government Code Section 7922.535 states that each agency, upon request for a copy of record, shall, within 10 days from receipt of the request, determine whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records in the possession of the agency and shall promptly notify the person making the request of the determination and the reasons therefore. In unusual circumstances, the time limit prescribed in this section may be extended, by written notice by the head of the agency, or his or her designee, to the person making the request, setting for the reasons for the extension and the date on which a determination is expected to be dispatched.
No notice shall specify a date that would result in an extension for more than 14 days. Per Government Code section 7922.000, certain records of a personal nature which may be part of an application shall not be disclosed where the City has determined that the public interest in disclosure is outweighed by the public interest in nondisclosure.
Download Public Records Request Form (PDF)


text:
by Resource Type or Special Collection
Searching for terms: ALL (Cyber AND Threat AND Report) in: title or summary
Results 1 - 30 (of 356) sort by relevance sorted by date
2020 National Preparedness Report [Executive Summary]
This document includes solely the Executive Summary taken from the full version of the "2020 National Preparedness Report." From the Executive Summary: "The National Preparedness Report (NPR) summarizes the progress made, and challenges that remain, in building and sustaining the capabilities needed to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats, hazards, and incidents that pose the greatest risk to the Nation. As a requirement of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) of 2006, and as a key element of the National Preparedness System, this annual report offers all levels of government, the private and nonprofit sectors, and the public practical insights into preparedness that support decisions about program priorities, resource allocation, and actions that can create more resilient communities. The NPR includes analysis based on data available as of December 31, 2019, that helps decision-makers understand the risks facing the Nation and the country's ability to address those risks. Additionally, the report includes content that can inspire action and identify areas of focus. The report provides an annual picture of the risks the Nation faces; the capabilities the Nation has--and needs--to prepare for those risks; and data-driven analysis of current, critical considerations in emergency management. Catastrophic risks will truly stress national resources and should not be confused with incidents that may result in regional impacts only. Systemic risks affect interconnected systems, such as cybersecurity threats or impacts to established supply chains."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; United States. Department of Homeland Security
Defense Acquisitions: DOD's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Framework [December 18, 2020]
From the Introduction: "In recent years, cybersecurity threats and attacks have become a key issue for the Department of Defense (DOD). At present an estimated 300,000 companies supply products and services to the nation's defense industrial base (DIB). Concerns have been raised that some of these U.S. military contractors may pose a substantial cybersecurity risk because they currently operate with limited oversight of their internal cybersecurity controls. One effort to address cybersecurity attacks and the associated economic and national security costs to the DOD supply chain is the department's ongoing work to implement its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework. This initiative is designed to provide a scalable cybersecurity standard for the full spectrum of defense acquisitions. Once fully implemented, with a current target date of fiscal year (FY) 2026, the framework would require all DOD prime contractors and subcontractors to receive verification through accredited third-party certification organizations that an individual organization's internal cybersecurity practices and processes meet certain standards. This report offers an overview and analysis of issues for Congress associated with the CMMC framework. This report also discusses congressional considerations related to the Defense Department's efforts to mitigate cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities within the DIB in the performance of DOD's government contract work."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Peters, Heidi M.
Justice Department's Role in Cyber Incident Response [Updated December 18, 2020]
From the Document: "Criminals and other malicious actors rely on the internet and evolving technology to further their operations. They exploit cyberspace, where they can mask their identities and motivations. In this domain, criminals can compromise financial assets, hacktivists can flood websites with traffic--effectively shutting them down, and spies can steal intellectual property and government secrets. When such cyber incidents occur, a number of questions arise, including how the federal government will react and which agencies will respond. These questions have been raised following a number of high-profile breaches such as those against the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Democratic National Committee, as well as intrusions into a number of federal agencies and other organizations via network management software produced by SolarWinds. Federal law enforcement has taken the lead in investigating cyber incidents, attributing certain malicious activities to specific perpetrators, and prosecuting cyber threat actors. This report outlines the federal framework for cyber incident response, highlighting the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) role in this response. It also discusses challenges for federal law enforcement and potential policy issues for Congress."
Finklea, Kristin M.
Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations: DOD Needs to Address Governance and Oversight Issues to Help Ensure Superiority, Report to the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "According to DOD, the EMS [electromagnetic spectrum] is essential for facilitating control in operational environments and impacts operations in the air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains. The pervasiveness of the EMS across warfighting domains means that maintaining or achieving EMS superiority against an adversary is critical to battlefield success. House Report 116-120 that accompanied a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 included a provision that GAO [Government Accountability Office] assess DOD's EMS strategy. This report (1) describes reported threats from peer adversaries; (2) outlines challenges to DOD's superiority in the EMS; and (3) evaluates the extent to which DOD has implemented EMS-related strategies and is positioned to achieve future goals."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Information Technology: Federal Agencies Need to Take Urgent Action to Manage Supply Chain Risks, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Federal agencies rely extensively on ICT [information and communications technology] products and services (e.g., computing systems, software, and networks) to carry out their operations. However, agencies face numerous ICT supply chain risks, including threats posed by counterfeiters who may exploit vulnerabilities in the supply chain and, thus, compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an organization's systems and the information they contain. For example, in September 2019, the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reported that federal agencies faced approximately 180 different ICT supply chain-related threats. To address threats such as these, agencies must make risk-based ICT supply chain decisions about how to secure their systems. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to conduct a review of federal agencies' ICT SCRM [supply chain risk management] practices. The specific objective was to determine the extent to which federal agencies have implemented foundational ICT SCRM practices."
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 20 Issue 44, October 29, 2020
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Critical drug shortages further complicate pandemic response"; "Increased and imminent cyber threat to healthcare and public health"; "2020 Wildfire Risk Report"; "FEMA hosting integrated preparedness planning workshop series"; and "Cyber Threats."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
Aviation Cybersecurity: FAA Should Fully Implement Key Practices to Strengthen Its Oversight of Avionics Risks, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the GAO (Government Accountability Office) Highlights: "Modern airplanes are equipped with networks and systems that share data with the pilots, passengers, maintenance crews, other aircraft, and air-traffic controllers in ways that were not previously feasible (see fig. 1). As a result, if avionics systems are not properly protected, they could be at risk of a variety of potential cyberattacks. Vulnerabilities could occur due to (1) not applying modifications (patches) to commercial software, (2) insecure supply chains, (3) malicious software uploads, (4) outdated systems on legacy airplanes, and (5) flight data spoofing. To date, extensive cybersecurity controls have been implemented and there have not been any reports of successful cyberattacks on an airplane's avionics systems. However, the increasing connections between airplanes and other systems, combined with the evolving cyber threat landscape, could lead to increasing risks for future flight safety."
Cybersecurity: Clarity of Leadership Urgently Needed to Fully Implement the National Strategy, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Increasingly sophisticated cyber threats have underscored the need to manage and bolster the cybersecurity of key government systems and the nation's cybersecurity. The risks to these systems are increasing as security threats evolve and become more sophisticated. GAO [Government Accountability Office] first designated information security as a government-wide high-risk area in 1997. This was expanded to include protecting cyber critical infrastructure in 2003 and protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information in 2015. In 2018, GAO noted that the need to establish a national cybersecurity strategy with effective oversight was a major challenge facing the federal government. GAO was requested to review efforts to protect the nation's cyber critical infrastructure. The objectives of this report were to (1) describe roles and responsibilities of federal entities tasked with supporting national cybersecurity, and (2) determine the extent to which the executive branch has developed a national strategy and a plan to manage its implementation."
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 20 Issue 33, August 13, 2020
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Newly released 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook now available"; "NTAC [National Threat Assessment Center] publishes report Mass Attacks in Public Spaces - 2019"; "TRACIE [Technical Resources, Assistance Center, Information Exchange] adds resources to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Workforce Virtual Toolkit"; "TRANSCAER [Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response] Seconds Count video series tackles rail hazmat incidents"; and "Cyber Threats."
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 20 Issue 32, August 6, 2020
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Investigators blow up house to dispose of homemade explosives"; "Succession planning for public safety communications roles"; "Next Generation 911 (NG911) Roadmap Progress Report"; "Webinar: Mass Violence and Terrorism Volunteer Management"; and "Cyber Threats."
Information Technology: Federal Agencies and OMB Need to Continue to Improve Management and Cybersecurity, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Each year, the federal government invests over $90 billion in IT [information technology]. Even so, IT investments have too often failed or contributed little to mission-related outcomes. Increasingly sophisticated threats and frequent cyber incidents also underscore the need for effective information security. To focus attention on these concerns, GAO [Government Accountability Office] has included both the management of IT acquisitions and operations and cybersecurity on its high-risk list. For this statement, GAO summarized its key related reports and assessed agencies' progress in implementing the reports' recommendations. Specifically, GAO reviewed the implementation of recommendations on (1) CIO [Chief Information Officer] responsibilities, (2) IT acquisition review requirements, (3) data center consolidation, (4) the management of software licenses, and (5) cybersecurity."
Harris, Carol C.
GEC Special Report: Pillars of Russia's Disinformation and Propaganda Ecosystem
From the Document: "Russia has operationalized the concept of perpetual adversarial competition in the information environment by encouraging the development of a disinformation and propaganda ecosystem that allows for varied and overlapping approaches that reinforce each other even when individual messages within the system appear contradictory. This ecosystem reflects both the sources of disinformation and propaganda--official government statements, state-funded media outlets, proxy websites, bots, false social media personas, cyber-enabled disinformation operations, etc.--and the different tactics that these channels use. [...] This report provides a visual representation of the ecosystem described above, as well as an example of the media multiplier effect it enables. This serves to demonstrate how the different pillars of the ecosystem play distinct roles and feed off of and bolster each other. The report also includes brief profiles of select proxy sites and organizations that occupy an intermediate role between the pillars of the ecosystem with clear links to Russia and those that are meant to be fully deniable. The emphasis on these proxy sites is meant to highlight the important role they play, which can be overlooked given the attention paid to official Russian voices on one end of the spectrum, and the social media manipulation and cyber-enabled threats on the other."
United States. Department of State
Botnet Road Map Status Update
From the Background: "This document provides a status update on efforts across the ecosystem to enhance the resilience of the Internet against distributed, automated attacks. [...]. In this document: [1] Section II offers a reassessment of the threat of automated, distributed attacks; [2] Section III reviews progress the community as a whole is making in the areas highlighted by the road map and the impacts of those activities; [3] Section IV provides an update on the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee's (NSTAC) Report to the President on a Cybersecurity Moonshot, as referenced in the Botnet Report; and [4] Section V identifies important activities that lie ahead in the coming year."
United States. Department of Homeland Security; United States. Department of Commerce
Impact of COVID-19 on Cyber Crime and State-Sponsored Cyber Activities
From the Background: "In March 2020, governments worldwide imposed curfews and rules on reducing physical social contact in order to stem the spread of the corona virus. Wherever possible, employers allowed their employees to work from home, where, more and more, private IT [information technology] devices are being used for official business. This larger IT surface is often less well protected than IT devices used at work. New programs, e.g. for conference calls and video conferences, are being introduced under time pressure, in most cases without adequate security checks. Also, there are more and more reports about cyber attacks on health-care organizations on whose proper functioning governments and societies are more dependent now than ever. What is the impact of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic on cyber security, cyber crime and state-sponsored cyber activities? How can governments reduce cyber threats and address them?"
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Wiggen, Johannes
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 20 Issue 22, May 28, 2020
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "FEMA releases guide on hurricane response during pandemic"; "NENA [National Emergency Numbers Association] releases second report on 9-1-1 and COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]"; "Online training: Contact Tracing for Public Health Professionals"; "Webinar: COVID-19 and Wildfire"; "Americans Care About Security But Don't Follow Through"; "Ransomware now demands extra payment to delete stolen files"; and "HICP [Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices]: Managing Threats & Protecting Patients."
EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 20 Issue 18, April 30, 2020
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Webinar: Protecting Healthcare Facilities from IEDs [improvised explosive devices]"; "Firefighters will deal with COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] for a long time"; "Fire Prevention and Safety grant period open through May 29"; "FBI releases 2019 active shooter report"; and "Cyber Threats."
Cybersecurity: DOD Needs to Take Decisive Actions to Improve Cyber Hygiene, Report to Congressional Committees
From the GAO [Government Accountability Office] Highlights: "DOD has become increasingly reliant on information technology (IT) and risks have increased as cybersecurity threats evolve. Cybersecurity experts estimate that 90 percent of cyberattacks could be defeated by implementing basic cyber hygiene and sharing best practices, according to DOD's Principal Cyber Advisor. Senate Report 115-262 includes a provision that GAO review DOD cyber hygiene. This report evaluates the extent to which 1) DOD has implemented key cyber hygiene initiatives and practices to protect DOD networks from key cyberattack techniques and 2) senior DOD leaders received information on the department's efforts to address these initiatives and cyber hygiene practices. GAO reviewed documentation of DOD actions taken to implement three cyber hygiene initiatives and reviewed recurring reports provided to senior DOD leaders."
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3207, Cybersecurity State Coordinator Act of 2020
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 11, 2020. From the Document: "S. 3207 would direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to improve the capacity of state and local governments to protect against cybersecurity threats. The bill would require CISA to appoint a cybersecurity coordinator for each state. Those coordinators would help entities affected by malicious cyber activity access the financial, technical, and operational resources that are available from the federal government."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3045, Cybersecurity Vulnerability Identification and Notification Act of 2020
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 11, 2020. From the Document: "Under current law, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) shares information about cyber threats with owners and operators of critical infrastructure (such as power generation and transmission facilities). In rare instances, the agency cannot do so because it is unable to identify the owners of computers or devices that are vulnerable to malicious activity. S. 3045 would authorize CISA to issue administrative subpoenas in those instances to compel Internet service providers (ISPs) to disclose the identity of owners of such critical infrastructure. The bill also would require CISA to provide annual reports to the Congress on its use of that authority."
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5823, State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security on February 12, 2020. From the Document: "H.R. 5823 would authorize the appropriation of $400 million annually over the 2021-2025 period for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to award grants to state and local governments. Grant recipients would use those funds to address cybersecurity threats and risks to their information systems. The bill also would establish the process through which DHS would assess grant applications, review cybersecurity plans, and monitor the performance of grant recipients."
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5780, Safe Communities Act of 2020
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security on February 12, 2020. From the Document: "H.R. 5780 would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to provide information and guidance on securing critical infrastructure (such as power generation and transmission facilities) to state, local, and private stakeholders. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that, under the bill, CISA would provide that information on an agency website to help nonfederal entities protect themselves and their systems from terrorist threats. On the basis of information from CISA regarding similar information sharing programs, CBO estimates that it would cost $6 million in 2021 to develop and disseminate security guidance, training modules, and fact sheets. CBO expects that the department would need 13 new employees by 2022, at an average salary of $150,000, to communicate with the critical infrastructure community and to review additional materials for the website. In total, satisfying that requirement would cost $14 million over the 2020-2025 period, CBO estimates."
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5680, Cybersecurity Vulnerability Identification and Notification Act of 2020
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security on January 29, 2020. From the Document: "Under current law, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) shares information about cyber threats with owners and operators of critical infrastructure (such as power generation and transmission facilities). In rare instances, the agency cannot do so because it is unable to identify the owners of computers or devices that are vulnerable to malicious activity. H.R. 5680 would authorize CISA to issue administrative subpoenas in those instances to compel Internet service providers (ISPs) to disclose the identity of owners of such critical infrastructure. The bill also would require CISA to provide annual reports to the Congress on its use of that authority."
Next Steps on U.S. Policy Toward North Korea, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, Second Session, June 5, 2018
This is the June 5, 2018 hearing "Next Steps on U.S. Policy Toward North Korea" held before the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Cory Gardner: "Over the last three decades, North Korea has built the world's largest illicit arsenal of mass destruction, including nuclear, ballistic missile, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons programs. According to intelligence assessments, North Korea is getting dangerously close to a viable intercontinental ballistic missile capability that can threaten the United States mainland. North Korea remains the world's most brutal violator of human rights, with up to 200,000 men, women, and children in gulag-style detention camps. A landmark 2014 United Nations Human Rights Report said that the regime is conducting genocide against its own people. Despite the grave threat the regime has posed, when I came to the Senate in 2015, few were focused on the North Korea problem set. [...] It was Congress that took the lead and recognized that, without an immediate change in U.S. policy and a robust global pressure campaign, we could never gain the necessary leverage to force the regime to change course and to denuclearize." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Joseph Y. Yun and Victor Cha.
United States. Government Publishing Office
Unclassified Joint Report on the Implementation of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015
From the Executive Summary: "On December 18, 2015, Congress passed Public Law 114-113, the 'Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016', which includes Title I - the 'Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015' (the Statute). The Statute was established to improve cybersecurity in the United States through enhanced sharing of cyber threat information. The Statute creates a framework to facilitate and promote the voluntary sharing of cyber threat indicators and defensive measures among and between Federal and non-Federal entities. The Statute requires the inspectors general of the 'appropriate Federal entities,' defined as the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, and the Treasury, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), 'in consultation with the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community and the Council of Inspectors General on Financial Oversight,' to jointly report to Congress by December 18--every two years--on the actions taken over the most recent two-year period to carry out the Statute. [...] The OIGs [Offices of the Inspectors General] determined that sharing of cyber threat indicators and defensive measures has improved over the past two years and efforts are underway to expand accessibility to information. Sharing cyber threat indicators and defensive measures increases the amount of information available for defending systems and networks against cyber attacks."
United States. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Office of the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 4461, Network Security Information Sharing Act of 2019
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on November 20, 2019. From the Document: "H.R. 4461 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to mitigate cybersecurity threats to suppliers of telecommunications services and equipment. Under the bill, DHS would establish a program office to share information with trusted participants in the telecommunications industry about efforts by adversaries to embed malicious software into communications equipment purchased by American companies. Using information from DHS about similar programs, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] expects that implementing the provision would require, on average, 15 cybersecurity advisors in each year beginning in 2020, at an average annual rate of about $150,000 per employee. CBO also estimates that the annual operating expenses of the program office would cost $1 million. In total, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4461 would cost $17 million over the 2020-2024 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriations."
Information Technology: Agencies and OMB Need to Continue Implementing Recommendations on Acquisitions, Operations, and Cybersecurity, Statement of Carol C. Harris, Director Information Technology Acquisition Management Issues, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "The federal government plans to spend over $90 billion in fiscal year 2019 on IT [information technology]. Even so, IT investments have too often failed or contributed little to mission-related outcomes. Further, increasingly sophisticated threats and frequent cyber incidents underscore the need for effective information security. To focus attention on these concerns, GAO [Government Accountability Office] has included both the management of IT acquisitions and operations and cybersecurity on its high-risk list. For this statement, GAO summarized its key related reports and assessed agencies' progress in implementing the reports' recommendations. Specifically, GAO reviewed the implementation of recommendations on (1) CIO [Chief Information Officer] responsibilities, (2) IT acquisition review requirements, (3) data center consolidation, (4) the management of software licenses, and (5) cybersecurity."
Audit of the Department of the Treasury's Cybersecurity Information Sharing
From the Document: "This report presents the results of our audit of the Department of the Treasury's (Treasury) activities to carry out the cybersecurity information sharing provisions of Title I, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. Section 107 of CISA, 'Oversight of Government Activities,' requires Inspectors General of 'appropriate Federal entities,' in consultation with the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community (IC IG) and the Council of Inspectors General on Financial Oversight, to jointly report to Congress on the actions taken by the respective agencies over the recent 2-year period to carry out the provisions of CISA. This report represents our second biennial report to support the joint report. Our audit objective was to assess Treasury's activities during calendar years (CY) 2017 and 2018 to carry out the provisions of CISA to share cyber threat indicators and defensive measures."
United States. Department of the Treasury. Office of Inspector General
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "2019 Wildfire Risk Report, new prediction methods"; "New online webPOISONCONTROL digital triage poison center"; "CFATS [Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards] revision: Congress works on new chemical security amendments"; "Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments"; and "Cyber Threats."
DHS Needs to Improve Cybersecurity Workforce Planning
From the Report: "DHS has not fully met requirements in the 'Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act' to assess its cybersecurity workforce and develop a strategy to address workforce gaps. The Department did not submit annual workforce assessments to Congress by the statutorily defined due dates for the past four years. DHS also did not include all required information in the assessments once they were submitted. Further, the Department did not submit an annual cybersecurity workforce strategy to Congress, as required, between 2015 and 2018. [...] DHS' lack of progress in meeting the requirements of the Act can be attributed to both external and internal factors. [...] Without a complete workforce assessment and strategy, DHS is not well positioned to carry out its critical cybersecurity functions in the face of ever-expanding cybersecurity threats. Lacking an assessment, DHS cannot provide assurance that it has the appropriate skills, competencies, and expertise positioned across its components to address the multifaceted nature of DHS' cybersecurity work. In addition, the Department may not have an understanding of its future hiring or training needs to maintain a qualified and capable workforce to secure the Nation's cyberspace. The Department concurred with all three recommendations and initiated corrective actions to address them."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
Future Warfare: Army is Preparing for Cyber and Electronic Warfare Threats, but Needs to Fully Assess the Staffing, Equipping, and Training of New Organizations, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "The rise of great-power competitors, such as China and Russia, prompted the Army to transform the way it plans to fight. The Army is developing a new warfighting concept to guide how its forces will engage jointly with other services in multiple domains, especially in cyber and space. The House Armed Services Committee included a provision in House Report 115-200 accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review the Army's implementation of the concept. Among its objectives, this report addresses (1) how the Army is changing its doctrine, organizations, and training in order to execute multi-domain operations; and (2) the extent to which the Army has established new cyber and electronic warfare units, including any challenges faced by these units, and whether the Army assessed risks associated with its plan to establish these units."


text:
Highest-paid actor in the world in 2021
Jonah Hill Highest-Paid Actor in the World
By Carol Kearney
Jonah Hill led People With Money's annual list of the "100 highest paid actors" released on Sunday.
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It's been a rough year for the actor, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 37-year-old Jonah Hill has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money's top 10 highest-paid actors for 2021 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.
Jonah Hill tops annual list of highest-paid actors
In 2018 it looked like the actor's spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Sunday (January 17) that Hill is the highest-paid actor in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between December 2019 and December 2020, a nearly $60 million lead over his closest competition.
People With Money's factors
In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.
The American actor-producer-screenwriter-comedian has an estimated net worth of $275 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the "Fat Hill Burger" chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the "Los Angeles Angels"), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderhill - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Jonah) and a fashion line called "Jonah Hill Seduction".
The ranking is significant for many Jonah fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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10 Unique Ways Montreal Could Reuse The Old STM Metro Cars
New life to the MR-63s.
Francis Bourgouin
Since the STM announced a plan to repurpose the soon-to-be-defunct MR-63 cars, one question has dominated the minds of Montrealers: how should Montreal reuse the old metro cars?
A full-on call for proposals has been launched by the STM regarding the new life for the old MR-63s, and plenty of articles have already popped up pitching potential ideas, and since we're completely unoriginal, we thought we'd do the same.
Casting off completely basic ideas like remaking the metro cars into roadside casse-croutes or the like, we've drummed up some unique (and altogether better) ways in which the MR-63s could be repurposed. If you're particularly inspired by one idea, feel free to write out a proposal to the STM on our behalf.
Public Transit Info Centres
Seeing tourists wander about the city of Montreal, unaware of where to go or how to use the metro or bus networks is annoying for everybody involved.
Information centres are already set up around the city to alleviate this issue and provide newcomers to the city with essential info, but they'd be much more noticeable (and aesthetically pleasing) if they were old metro cars.
It makes thematic sense too, with an old metro car housing needed info on public transit/getting around the city, thus prompting tourists to actually head there (instead of asking you on the street) when in need.
Dynamic Metro Entrances
This may be a major stretch, and might not be that feasible from a construction perspective, but how dope would it be if the old metro cars were remade as physical metro entrances? Really dope is the answer. For a visual, here's what a metro-car-entrance could look like.
Festival Stands
Montreal has no shortage of festivals, and plenty of ephemeral stands and shops are set up at almost every event. Grand Prix or the annual sidewalk sales on Saint Laurent street are great examples. So rather than have dingy tables or over-the-top stands, old metro cars could be used by festival organizers to house all sorts of vendors or activation-sites.
Organizers could use the metro cars as they please, or they could be used for a specific function at every major festival (e.g. selling water or a rest station) so you can instantly recognize them.
A Homeless Shelter
Homelessness is a prevalent issue in Montreal, one that always comes to the forefront during the harsh winter when you can't help but feel incredibly bad for anyone without shelter from the bitter cold. To aid the issue, all those metro cars could be linked together to make a public shelter for the homeless, like has already been done in Beijing.
Remake Them Into Public Terrasses
You've no doubt seen industrial containers remade into a free-to-use outdoor terrasses (there's one on Saint Laurent street every summer) and the same could easily be done with the old MR-63 cars. Altogether charming, this would also offer more places to commune in Montreal's busiest areas and streets.
Have Them Become Bus Shelters
From the metro to the bus network, not only would the idea to remake the MR-63s into bus shelters make perfect thematic sense, it would also just be really cool to see metro cars line the city's streets.
Create A Public Transit Museum
Given Montreal's long public transit history, it's about time there was a musuem showcasing this aspect of the city's ongoing story. This is a bit of a large endeavour, obviously, but one that would add a lot of cultural value to Montreal while also ensuring the old metro cars are put to great use.
The cars themselves could house various exhibitions while also standing as pieces of public transit history, making for a veritable meta-musuem, which is just really cool to say.
Rebuild Them As Public Work Spaces
Rather than have all of those pay-as-you-go cafes or startup offices where you pay for a single desk, it would be pretty cool if Montreal created a public work space (or several) out of the MR-63s. Place one or two in boroughs that are popular with young professionals, artists, and startups (Mile End, Griffintown, Saint-Henri) and the metro-car-work-space would provide a valuable service to Montrealers while not being as boring as another shared office space or cafe.
Put Them In Playgrounds
Here's one for the kids: have the MR-63s recreated as amusing centres of fun in Montreal playgrounds. The ways in which the metro cars could be remade into playground fixtures are limitless, and it would truly make your heart warm to see children finding joy in the metro cars that have served Montreal for so very long.
Fresh Fruit Stands Or Mini-Markets
As far beyond the realm of reason as this would be, if the City of Montreal launched a new healthy-eating initiative that saw the old metro cars pop up in boroughs as fresh produce vendors, we'd all benefit. That's asking for a lot, of course, but the metro cars could still function as such. Various mini-markets pop up in certain areas throughout the year (e.g. Prince Arthur, Peel) and the MR-63s could be used as stand-ins for basic tables.


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Q: Error FileNotFound System.Data.SqlClient when creating new database using ASP.NET Core and Entity Framework I have begun learning about MVC and ASP.NET Core. I have been following an online video tutorial to get used to MVC and I have run into a problem when using the Entity Framework to create a database in localDb.
A database named 'AspNetBlog' should be created in the localDb (if it's not already created). This should happen in the BlogDataContext.cs model when overriding the OnConfiguring() method, as can be seen in BlogDataContext.cs.
The error that I am getting is "FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'System.Data.SqlClient, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified."
The full output of the error can be seen here: https://gyazo.com/d8019f4b09732eb059bd291a7881b16b
Note that I have ensured that the localDb is running by going into the Command Prompt for VS2015 and entering sqllocaldb start.
I am not sure with what I have to do to fix this error and successfully create the DB. The tutorial was released in early 2015 and it was still using ASP.NET 5 at the time, so since I am sure that I've followed the tutorial correctly, I assume that the problem lies there.
Below you can see my code.
BlogDataContext.cs
The error is encountered when the statement "Database.EnsureCreated();" is reached. The output from Debug states "Exception thrown: 'System.IO.FileNotFoundException' in EntityFramework.Relational.dll".
using Microsoft.Data.Entity;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace AspNetBlog.Models
{
public class BlogDataContext : DbContext
{
    public DbSet<Post> Posts { get; set; }

    public BlogDataContext()
    {
        Database.EnsureCreated();
    }

    protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder)
    {
        base.OnConfiguring(optionsBuilder);

        var connectionString = @"Server=(LocalDb)\MSSQLLocalDb;Database=AspNetBlog";

        optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(connectionString);
    }
}
}

Post.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace AspNetBlog.Models
{

public class Post
{
    public long Id { get; set; }
    public string Title { get; set; }
    public DateTime PostedDate { get; set; }
    public string Author { get; set; }
    public string Body { get; set; }
}
}

PostsController.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using AspNetBlog.Models;

// For more information on enabling MVC for empty projects, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=397860

namespace AspNetBlog.Controllers
{
    public class PostsController : Controller
    {
        // GET: /<controller>/
        public IActionResult Index()
        {
            return View();
        }

        [HttpPost]
        public async Task<IActionResult> Create(Post post)
        {
            if (!ModelState.IsValid)
                return View(post);

            post.PostedDate = DateTime.Now;
            post.Author = User.Identity.Name;

            // Create new instance of blog data context
            BlogDataContext db = new BlogDataContext();
            db.Posts.Add(post); // - What should be added
            await db.SaveChangesAsync(); // - Save changes to DB (Execute)

            return View();
        }
    }
}

project.json
Here you can see that I am using "EntityFramework.SqlServer": "7.0.0-beta8". In the tutorial I'm following, the version "7.0.0-beta4" is used instead. I tried using the same version as the one used in the tutorial, however it seems that it is not compatible with .NET Core.
{
  "dependencies": {
    "Microsoft.NETCore.App": {
      "version": "1.0.1",
      "type": "platform"
    },
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Console": "1.0.0",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics": "1.0.0",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IISIntegration": "1.0.0",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.Kestrel": "1.0.1",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.StaticFiles": "1.0.0",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc": "1.0.1",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.TagHelpers": "1.0.1",
    "EntityFramework.SqlServer": "7.0.0-beta8"
  },

  "tools": {
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IISIntegration.Tools": "1.0.0-preview2-final"
  },

  "frameworks": {
    "netcoreapp1.0": {
      "imports": [
        "dotnet5.6",
        "portable-net45+win8"
      ]
    }
  },

  "buildOptions": {
    "emitEntryPoint": true,
    "preserveCompilationContext": true
  },

  "runtimeOptions": {
    "configProperties": {
      "System.GC.Server": true
    }
  },

  "publishOptions": {
    "include": [
      "wwwroot",
      "web.config"
    ]
  },

  "scripts": {
    "postpublish": [ "dotnet publish-iis --publish-folder %publish:OutputPath% --framework %publish:FullTargetFramework%" ]
  }
}

Thank you for reading. Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

A: There is now a release candidate of Entity Framework Core. Try to update your project.json to point to it.

A: Fixed it myself finally. In the 'project.json' file I added the following dependency:
"System.Data.SqlClient": "4.1.0"
Make sure that it's written that way, and not with lower-case letters. This was actually one of the first things I've tried but I wrote it in lower-case letters at first and got an error from the console. The tutorial I am doing is "Up and Running with ASP.NET 5". (So others like me who are doing this tutorial and ran into the same problem can find this, just in case)


It's funny. I started the series 'Fearless Friday' 2 weeks ago thinking I would face a new fear each Friday. By Saturday I realized it wasn't about facing a fear once a week, but everyday. Now, just two weeks later, I see it all much differently. Each day we have a choice. Will it be fear or will it be love. Which force will guide us. I hope we may all vibrate with the frequency of love through and through dispelling all fear. I've decided to hitch my horse to love full-time!
My sweet husband Gerald Clark walked the walk this last Wednesday and took his stand with no fear. He took the truths that burned in his heart and shared them with humanity for all to hear on Coast to Coast AM radio with George Noory. Divulging secrets hidden from mankind, secrets found within his new book "The Anunnaki of Niburu: Mankind's Forgotten Creators, Enslavers, Destroyers, Saviors, and Hidden Architects of the...New World Order."
He also advises that the Anunnaki never left and are working with the government. I remember having a hard time taking this all in when I first heard this. I come from a strong Christian upbringing. I listened to my spirit though and I knew he wasn't lying. I wanted to learn more. I never understood how a god could punish his people. I didn't understand how they lived so long. Now it all makes sense. My mind has been continuously blown ever since I met my husband, and I can't wait to see where the next part of our journey takes us!
Without fear he is illuminating others and sharing his love frequency with all to hear. Please listen to him today and buy his book on Amazon.com!


Fan favourite Shaun Fensom returns for his first game since breaking his leg in the opening exchanges of last season's grand final.
Fensom, who will face his old club for the second time since joining the Cowboys early in 2017, made his comeback through the Queensland Cup last weekend with the Townsville Blackhawks.
The 29-year-old comes into Green's side as a direct replacement for John Asiata who suffered a torn pectoral muscle in the Round 7 victory over the Titans.
Forward Francis Molo and outside back Enari Tuala are the final two players to drop out of the 21-man squad named by Green on Tuesday.
Tonight's game kicks off at 7.30pm.
RAIDERS: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (c), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Sia Soliola, 9. Siliva Havili, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Joe Tapine, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Josh Papalii, 14. Ata Hinganom 15. Shannon Boyd, 16. Luke Bateman, 17. Dunamis Lui.


Chinese supermarket and cash & carry based in Bristol, UK. Open to the public. Stocks food and ingredients from many South East Asian countries. Online shopping available.
Page modified 09:49, 28 September 2012.


WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday endorsed 81 Democrats – including Illinois contenders J.B. Pritzker, Kwame Raoul, Sean Casten, Lauren Underwood and Brendan Kelly – avoiding divisive feuds by staying out of states that have not yet held primaries.
A Democrat endorsing a Democratic nominee is routine.
What the Obama list signifies is who Obama is going to do something to help in advance of the November mid-terms.
Obama's priority list of 81 was put together in consultation with the Democratic House and Senate political operations and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, chaired by Eric Holder, who was Obama's first Attorney General. The redistricting group is focused on electing Democrats in target states to gain control of remaps following the 2020 Census.
The 81 also includes 20 alums from the Obama White House and Obama's two campaigns running for state legislative seats, governorships, other statewide offices and Congress.
Underwood, a health policy adviser in the Obama administration where she worked at the Department of Health and Human Services, is battling Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Ill., in the suburban 14th Congressional District.
Former Obama administration officials who have hosted fundraisers for Underwood include Valerie Jarrett, an Obama senior adviser who plays key roles in his post-presidency; former Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Mike Strautmanis, who worked with Jarrett in the Obama White House and now is an executive at the Obama Presidential Foundation.
The details of when Obama will hit the road and what kind of events he will do – or ads he will cut – or robo calls he will record – have yet to be determined.
Obama is popular with the Democratic base and has largely stayed out of the debate of the future of the Democratic party being played in out in various primaries and the developing 2020 Democratic presidential field.
In Illinois, Obama's home state, his backing will help get-out-the-vote – but that does not guarantee victory. In 2014, Obama and then first lady Michelle stumped for Quinn and he lost to Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The dynamics of 2018 are different – starting with Democratic activism at a high as a result of the election of President Donald Trump.
With Democratic voter enthusiasm in Illinois increasing, with an Obama jolt, "it is just another way to motivate them to get out and vote," Caprara said.
Raoul, a state senator from Chicago's South Side, running for Attorney General, replaced Obama in Springfield after he was elected a U.S. Senator in 2004.
Raoul faces Republican nominee Erika Harold for spot being vacated by Democratic incumbent Lisa Madigan. In the Trump era, the Attorney Generals are increasingly important in filing legal challenges to uphold or end Trump policies.
"We have lived in the same neighborhood, represented the same communities and worked to address many of the same "challenges. His confidence is meaningful to me," Raoul said in a statement.
Vice President Mike Pence has traveled to Illinois recently to do events for GOP Illinois Reps. Peter Roskam and Mike Bost, being challenged for the downstate 12th District seat by Kelly, the St. Clair State's Attorney.
Obama's vice president, Joe Biden, testing the waters for a 2020 presidential run, headlines the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association brunch on Aug. 16, during the Illinois State Fair – an event designed to fire up the base in the final weeks of the campaigns.
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama today announced his endorsement of dozens of candidates in advance of November's midterm elections. This large, diverse contingent comprises 81 candidates from across the country in federal, state and down-ballot races.
President Obama believes our long-term challenges can be addressed best when we all take a more active role in our democracy. That's why he is dedicating his post-Presidency efforts to identifying and elevating the next generation of leaders. In issuing this first round of endorsements, President Obama hopes to help current and aspiring Democratic leaders establish themselves, build their profiles, and lead their communities.
Since leaving office, President Obama has remained politically active, campaigning and issuing endorsements in key races in 2017, and holding fundraisers for the NDRC, the DNC, the DCCC and the DSCC.


Oil continues its strong year-to-date rally, as global benchmark Brent crude managed to climb above the psychologically important $70 per barrel level before losing some mojo and falling below that mark. Brent crude is up nearly 27% so far year-to-date.
Thursday's move, which came late in the day, showed that investors continue to respond to the increased levels of tightening in the global oil market, at least partially due to the surprising show of unity that OPEC and its allies continue to exhibit via their relative adherence to caps on production.
Brent crude is up nearly 27% so far year-to-date.
Several factors probably came into play to conspire to push the commodity back down below the $70 line.
Profit taking is all but inevitable when a stock or commodity breaks a resistance level for the first time in a while. And there remains a lot of uncertainty regarding global growth, as the current slowdown in the world economy could easily contribute to a decrease in demand for crude.
On the other hand, a new round of sanctions could be imposed on another key producer, Iran, but that decision won't happen until the end of April, when the Trump administration makes that call. If it does happen, it could continue to push oil higher.
The chaotic landscape over in Venezuela also is contributing to the bump in prices, as questions remain regarding its ability to maintain production levels.
Brent crude for June settlement ended up closing at $69.40 for a gain on the day of $0.09.
Meanwhile, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate saw its May futures contract, the most widely traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange, end the day at $62.10 a barrel. That was a loss of $0.36 per barrel.