text:
Король Леодегранс, иногда Леондегранс, Леодогран, или иногда другие незначительные варианты, — отец королевы Гвиневры из легенды об Артуре. Его королевство Кармелайд (или Камельярд) обычно отождествляется с местностью на юго-западе Англии, но, может быть, и расположено в бретонском Корнуай, неподалёку от города Каре-Плугер, что является Carhaise из Истории Мерлина (XIII век).

Леодегранс служил у Утера Пендрагона, у отца Короля Артура. Леодегрансу было поручено при этом хранить Круглый стол после смерти Утера. Когда Гвиневра стала женой Артура, Лодегранс передал Артуру стол в качестве свадебного подарка. Позже, в романе Лодегранс — это один из королей, что принял Артура как своего сюзерена. За это в его земли вторглись мятежники короля Ринса, но Артур пришёл, чтобы спасти его и изгнал врагов. Артур впервые встречает Гвиневру во время этой поездки, их отношения перетекают в любовь и, в конце концов, приводят к роковому браку.

Следуя циклу Ланселота-Грааля, Лодегранс стал отцом своей второй внебрачной дочери; он также назвал этого ребёнка Гвиневрой. Лже-Гвиневра позже предательски убеждает двор Артура, что она — его настоящая жена, а её сестра — самозванка, принуждая настоящую королеву и её любовника Ланселота скрываться с их другом Галеаутом. Гвиневра в конце концов возвращается и получает обратно свой трон.

В валлийской мифологии отец Гвенвифар (Гвиневра) — великан Огируан/Огирван или Гогирфан, несколько раз упоминаемый в средневековых валлийских текстах.

Персонажи артурианы
Великаны
Рыцари Круглого стола

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Yesterday morning around 8am I had my 11km run and then went for a swim to cool down. Usually I always do my training before 6:30am. The early, the better. I was actually too lazy and too tired. I went back to sleep after the Subuh prayer and woke up around 7:15am. I look outside and the weather was a bit 'mendung'. I had my breakfast and went to Stadium and had my 11km run in a time of 1:10:00 hours. I had 2 walks break in between.
Since I parked my car near the swimming pool and my swimming gear are all in the car, I decided to go for a cool down swim.
Today plan will be mountain biking at McFarm with Ali Sofian. Hopefully around 10 cyclists. I be reporting and uploading images after the ride.
I am planning to get a road bike soon, what is your recommendation for a beginner like me? How much do I expected to burn my wallet? Arah triple star atu ok kah price nya? Thanks man.


text:
DVD / December 16, 2012
The Charlie Brown And Snoopy Show: The Complete Animated Series
Randall Cyrenne
A Lee Mendelson-Bill Melendez Production (1983-85), Warner Archive (November 20, 2012), 2 discs, 402 mins, 4:3 ratio, Dolby Digital 1.0, Not Rated, Retail: $29.95
The little round-headed kid and his dog, along with their friends, engage in a series of skits based on the beloved Peanuts comic strip in this Saturday morning classic.
At last Warner Bros. is getting back to its promise to serve collectors of the Charlie Brown TV shows. We are still waiting for multi-disc sets of the 1980s specials, but at least they are finally doing right by the 1980s TV show. A few episodes of the show have snuck out onto bargain DVDs the past couple of years, paired with vintage specials, but those were really useless to collectors, who for the most part had the specials already (only as couple of those discs had specials that were new to disc), and wanted more than just a sampling of the Saturday morning cartoon. We are well into the TV-on-DVD era now, folks— go big or go home, right?
After producing 25 TV specials, Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez got an order from CBS to develop a regular series, to appear on Saturday mornings beginning in the fall of 1983. As was the case with the specials, the TV series was to be a blend of skits based on the newspaper strip, and all-new stories. The quality of the show was evidenced by its earning an Emmy nomination.
Over eighteen episodes broadcast over the course of two seasons (just five were original to the second season), the series presented Peanuts in a mostly distilled format of familiar archetypical skits. It's a pleasant show, if perhaps overly familiar, depending on so many tried-and-true shticks. Anyone who has seen a handful of specials or has read a few years of the strip will find the show comfortably recognizable to the point of being bland. However, those who truly love everything Peanuts will certainly find the show enjoyable enough.
The skits run from a minute to just a few minutes (a little longer in the second season), and are generally given simple titles like Sally And Snoopy, Baseball, or Piano. The stories, such as they are, take place around the usual Peanuts settings: the ball game, school, Snoopy's doghouse, Lucy's psychiatric booth, etc. Name a Peanuts trope, and you'll likely find it here. It's like a travelogue of the newspaper strip, dropping in on stories we've seen told many times, with a steady succession of comments on the foibles of life. That's fine if you love those stories, but anyone looking for sustained plots will find this collection pretty spotty. Rather, it's a close reflection of the actual strip, meant to be enjoyed for a few moments before moving on to the next thing.
It may be easy to dismiss the shows as a simple series of skits, but as with anything Peanuts, never mix up "simple" and "simplistic." The humanity of these little stories is still remarkable, and one will find more insight on the human condition in a single episode than you will in a whole season of your average cartoon. The plots may be pretty slight, but it's like taking a vacation day to walk on the beach instead of rushing around a theme park. There are pleasures in simple observations, and in small stories; not every journey has to be full of adventure, and not every story worthwhile telling has to be full of plot. Many of the Peanuts TV specials were along the same lines. Just understand that the TV series is more like those anthology specials rather than the ones that contained sustained narratives.
This is a Warner Archive release, so it will only be available online, but at least these well-regarded shows are finally being made available in a single set. For those who adore Peanuts, it's a fine way to dive into their universe.
No bonus features appear on these discs. The menus allow you to pick an individual episode. As the episodes never had titles, it appears that random titles have been given, which reflect the content of the episode if not a specific skit. Each skit does get its own chapter stop, which is nice, and goes way beyond what earlier Warner Archive discs offered.
The series appears here on two DVD-R discs, inside a clear keepcase with a suitably restrained cover design. This is a standard-sized case, with a swinging tray for one of the discs. Disappointingly, the Warner Archive staff doesn't know how to spell creator Charles Schulz's name, as they've added a "t" to it. Good grief.
No one would expect pristine video for this set, and expectations are met. That's not entirely a bad thing, as the shows are appropriately subdued in their colors, with a bit of grain showing the age of the material. The source materials are quite clean, and even though the transfers could be sharper, to me they look about like they should. A little restoration might have been nice, maybe just to remove the slight softness of the image and improve on the color consistency, but overall I'm pretty satisfied.
The modest sound on these discs is true to the material as well. The original mono track is all you need, and even if it's not a full-bodied sound, we wouldn't have it any other way. As a manufacture-on-demand disc, there are no other language tracks or subtitles.
There is no question that a Peanuts fan would find this series enjoyable. Anyone who has been charmed by Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Sally, Lucy, Schroeder, Pigpen, and all the rest will find the same qualities they love in the strip to be in evidence here. Gentle humor, angst, and profound thoughts wrapped in metaphysical musings are all on display here. There are no bonus features, but the video and audio are adequate. With dozens of charming little stories here, you can't go wrong with The Charlie Brown And Snoopy Show.
Peanuts Double Feature: A Boy Named Charlie Brown & Snoopy, Come Home
The Dick Tracy Show: The Complete Animated Crime Series
I Want A Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown
A Charlie Brown Valentine
I Want A Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown: Remastered Deluxe Edition

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Financial Facelift
Can this 54-year-old with two children retire from his stressful job immediately?
Dianne Maley
Email to friend Share on twitter Share on facebook Share on linkedin Share on whatsapp
Marvin and Melody have done well, earning professional degrees, paying off the mortgage on their Toronto home, and paying for their sons' university education. They've also managed to save a tidy sum.
Lately, the stress of running his own consulting company has Marvin thinking about scaling back or even quitting – especially now that Melody is back working full time. Melody is sympathetic. If Marvin quits, he'll be leaving behind income of nearly $150,000 a year. Melody earns about $95,000 a year in high tech. He is age 54, she is 53.
"I have recently returned to work full time after nine years of working part time, preceded by a decade of staying at home with our children," Melody writes in an e-mail. Marvin is suffering from "extreme stress," she adds. "I wonder if we could live in comfort for the rest of our lives if he stops working or greatly reduces his workload," she adds. They would live on her salary and savings, if necessary, until she retires at age 65. She'll be entitled to a defined-benefit pension of only about $6,000 a year.
Their aspirations are high: A retirement spending goal of $100,000 a year after tax, including an expensive vacation each year. In the meantime, they have to finish paying for the boys' tuition and living costs at an out-of-town university. One graduates next year; the other in 2020.
"When can Marvin stop working?" Melody asks.
We asked Stephanie Douglas, a partner and portfolio manager at Avenue Investment Management in Toronto, to look at Melody and Marvin's situation.
What the expert says
Marvin and Melody's $100,000 a year goal will have risen to $126,000 with inflation by the time she retires in 12 years, Ms. Douglas says.
If Marvin decides to retire this year, they would deplete their investable assets by 2050, when Melody would be 85 and Marvin 86. At that point they would either have to borrow against their house, which would be worth an estimated $1.7-million with inflation, or sell it to help pay for their living expenses.
"Marvin and Melody would not be able to fund their retirement goal without using the equity in their home," the planner says. Her forecast assumes a rate of return on their investments of 4.5 per cent, an inflation rate of 2 per cent and that they live to age 95. The calculations are based on their living on Melody's salary and their investable assets until Melody retires at age 65.
The couple face some substantial demands on their income, the planner notes. They want to continue to support their children through university at an estimated cost of $110,000 over the next two years. They value their annual family vacations at a cost of $15,000 a year. And they have a $38,400 loan to pay off.
A better option would be for Marvin to work part time, she says. This would help them meet their retirement goal by preserving their capital and allowing them to save more.
"For example, they could achieve their spending goal if Marvin works until age 61 at a reduced salary of $70,000 a year and continues to save $3,408 monthly [$2,491 to registered retirement savings plans and $917 to their tax-free savings accounts] until retirement."
Alternatively, they could save more aggressively while Marvin is still working at his current salary, which would allow him to retire earlier, Ms. Douglas says. Their monthly budget shows a big cash surplus, at least some of which should be available for savings.
"I suggest they carefully track their spending to figure out where those extra funds are going and look at options to cut back."
Once Melody retires, they will get $6,000 a year from her defined-benefit pension plan. The planner recommends they wait until age 65 to collect Canada Pension Plan benefits, which she estimates will be 60 per cent of the maximum if Marvin retires early. Both will get Old Age Security pensions at age 65.
If none of these options works, they could lower their retirement-spending goal by $15,000 a year, adjusted for inflation. If they chose to do this, their investable assets would last them until age 95.
Now, it's possible they will earn a higher rate of return on their investments than the planner used in her calculations. "Melody has done a great job investing and the rate of return for their accounts has been higher than the assumed rate of return used for the plan," of 4.5 per cent, Ms. Douglas notes. "However, I caution them against planning for similar high returns in the future, especially considering a more conservative asset allocation during retirement."
Their current asset allocation is 70-per-cent equity, 24-per-cent bonds and 6-per-cent cash. Melody's goal is to gradually lower the stock component and raise the fixed income.
Finally, Marvin and Melody should eliminate their $38,400 in debt before Marvin retires. With their current debt payments of $400 a month, it would take nine years to pay off. "They should focus on paying this down as soon as possible."
The people: Marvin, 54, Melody, 53, and their two children
The problem: Can Marvin leave his stressful job immediately while Melody continues to work until age 65?
The plan: Marvin works a few years longer, if only part time, allowing them to save more, and meet short-term financial obligations. Track spending carefully to see where the money is going. If all else fails, lower their retirement spending goal.
The payoff: A clear view of what it will take to relieve immediate stress and still achieve their goals
Monthly net income: $15,465
Assets: House $900,000; his RRSP $540,977; her RRSP $89,564; his TFSA $63,894; her TFSA $72,171; his locked-in retirement account $22,483; her LIRA $36,647; joint nonregistered portfolio $245,000; her stocks $15,000; joint cash $32,660; her cash $5,540; estimated present value of her DB pension plan $40,719; RESP $22,206. Total: $2.1-million
Monthly outlays: Property tax $854; utilities $442; property insurance $452; maintenance $860; transportation $585; groceries $500; clothing $90; loan payment $400; gifts, charity $130; vacation, travel $1,250; other discretionary $200; dining, drinks, entertainment $435; grooming $15; club memberships $35; sports & hobbies $100; subscriptions $60; vitamins & supplements $8; life insurance $10; phones, TV and Internet $482; RRSPs $2,491; TFSAs $917. Total: $10,316 Surplus: $5,149 (some goes to nonregistered savings, some is unaccounted for)
Liabilities: Loan $38,400
Want a free financial facelift? E-mail finfacelift@gmail.com.
Some details may be changed to protect the privacy of the persons profiled.
Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign up
Be wise with your money
We have more than 20 newsletters. Explore
View original article
You are viewing an Accelerated Mobile Webpage Opens in a new window.
theglobeandmail.com


Sorry! I meant to do this much earlier, but it's been one of those weeks. At least I made it before ep 2.3 airs!
Obviously, spoilers for ep 2.2 within this review. And pictures. lots and lots of pictures.
Okay, so having had a week to get used to the new feel of the show, episode 2.2 wasn't such a surprise, and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot more.
Medea didn't have as much to do this week, which is a shame. Ariadne continues to get ever more hardened and politically savvy, which is good for Atlantis, but not so good for our brooding hero Jason.
The moral of the story is, do not piss off the queen.
The surprise awesome random character of the week was Dion, who proved to be cool, hard, badass, and ridiculously loyal to the queen (he's essentially the replacement for Ramos). As such, I'm currently predicting he's going to die by the end of the series, probably doing something incredibly heroic while trying to protect Ariadne. Although I kind of hope they don't go down that route, partly because it's too obvious, and partly because Dion is quietly awesome.
The boys felt a little more like their old selves this episode, although there was still a whole lot less banter and fun than there used to be. Jason still doesn't seem to have remembered how to smile (and given his conversation with Ariadne after the battle, it looks even less likely that he will be smiling again any time soon), so it's lucky his friends have better memories.
So, Hercules was quietly awesome in the caves with the cyclops, while Jason continued to be blessedly unconscious (which meant he wasn't wittering on about his destiny or his promise to Ariadne), and Pythagoras reverted to type and cowered behind something and tried to look after his friend until the danger went away (or in this case, until the danger got head-butted by Hercules and then went away).
Apparently, even Pythagoras couldn't face another speech about Jason's destiny.
While Pythagoras witters on about the chances of them surviving the fall, Hercules can usually be counted on to take the most expedient and practical route. Because Hercules is brilliant.
Right, while we're here, let's discuss how completely awesome Hercules is. Based on the first two episodes, he is rapidly becoming my favourite thing about series 2. Gone is the ridiculous buffoon of series 1, and in his place we have a Hercules who really has become the 'adult' of the group. He took on the cyclops single-handed, and defeated it with a combination of stealth, cunning, and brute force. He also now tends to provide the practical skills and leadership qualities that Pythagoras lacks, on the occasions when Jason is out of the picture.
But, and this is an important 'but', he is still the main comedy character of the show in many ways, but this series there is very much a sense that the audience is laughing with him rather than at him. This year, instead of juvenile fat and fart jokes, the comedy is very much more in the dialogue, and Hercules gets most of the comedy one-liners, all delivered in that deadpan Yorkshire accent.
The implications of his discovery of the truth about Jason and Pasiphae are yet to be seen, but the fact that it is Hercules and not Pythagoras who worked it out, and who cared enough to follow it up with the Oracle, is an interesting shift in character dynamics from series 1.
And finally, it's good to see them making a lot of use of his legendary strength as well. We saw occasional hints of it in series 1, but in series 2 they have made far more plot use of it. It's nice that Hercules now appears to have something that only he can bring to the team.
Hercules: "Don't just stand there with an idiotic look on your face." Oh, Hercules. Never change.
Pythagoras, on the other hand, hasn't had an awful lot to do in the first two episodes at all, especially once they got into the final battle for Atlantis. He did come up with the idea of sneaking back into the city by pretending to be dead, but that was about it. I'm hopeful that once we start to get episodes that aren't huge epic battles, he might have more to contribute.
Nevertheless, he continues to be shown to be a good fighter in all the battle scenes. It's interesting that he opts for a bow and arrows in the final fight, and only falls back on using his sword once the fight has closed to a general melee. This is something we have not seen before (Jason occasionally used a bow in series 1, but never either of the other two). Actually, in many ways, a range weapon like a bow seems far more suitable for a man of Pythagoras' physique, so this is something I would quite like to see more of.
It's also interesting to see Hercules choose a hammer for the final battle as well. In fact, Hercules seems to be using a far greater variety of weapons, particularly blunt weapons, than the others. Could this be a knowing nod to the mythology, where he is often depicted using a club? We did actually see a club amongst the collection of weapons in their house in series 1, and Hercules was the one who worked out that bludgeoning the skeletons in 1.12 was more effective than trying to stab them with swords, so it's actually a nice bit of continuity.
Pythagoras: "The odds suggest we will all be slaughtered." The lesson for today is never trust Pythagoras to give the pre-battle pep-talk.
So, I very much enjoyed this episode. The battle scenes really worked well, and the plot has definitely advanced in terms of character development for several of the main characters. It also looks like there will a lot of ongoing consequences and reactions, rather than each individual episode feeling self contained and neatly rounded off at the end. All incredibly promising.
I just hope we get a little bit more banter and friendship with the guys now the battle is over and the dust is beginning to settle.
Finally, I have no reason for these pics, other than a thank you to the producers for continuing to provide excellent fanservice. What they have taken away in shirtlessness, they have replaced with bonus soaking wet pretty boys. Not exactly Mr Darcy, but definitely not bad.
And Hercules is the best.
Hercules is just brilliant this series.


text:
CASSIE PREMO STEELE
Beautiful Waters
Earth Joy Writing
Moon Days
The Pomegranate Papers
The ReSisters
Shamrock and Lotus
This is how honey runs
Tongues in Trees
We Heal from Memory
The ReSisters hit #1 on Amazon in the second week after publication.
Praise for The ReSisters
"I read The ReSisters in one fascinated sitting, completely drawn into the story of a dystopian future already present in too many ways. Steele writes with a confident energy that is captivating—I could not put down the novel until I learned the fate of Sanna, an indigenous teenage girl whose life has been blown apart. She won my heart."
--Susan Power, Author of Sacred Wilderness
"Cassie Premo Steele has written a stunner of a novel, one that speaks profoundly to (and of) our times, yet also carries a timeless wisdom—a wisdom that knows the power of art, the power of story, the power of love, yet also knows sometimes there are no easy answers. The ReSisters left me breathless and shaken and grateful."
--Gayle Brandeis, Author of The Book of Dead Birds, winner of the Bellwether Prize for Fiction of Social Engagement
"Weaving alternate history with ancient history, The ReSisters forms a herstory that transcends time and shines a light on the shadows with which America currently wrestles. Both timely and timeless, the story will leave you questioning your version of the American Dream and the impact of your own choices within it."
--Laraine Herring, author of Writing Begins with the Breath
"A suspenseful novel that reflects contemporary American realities. With a cast of intersectional feminist characters, including lesbian and transgender characters, the book inspires readers to ask critical questions about what constitutes the right action in the face of injustice. How do we hold our pain as we work toward healing? As 15-year-old narrator, Sanna, says, 'There's somehow some kind of wholeness that can be recovered in the world when women work together.'"
--Emily Withnall, contributor to The Kenyon Review
"After reading The ReSisters, I am still catching my breath. The book is haunting, harrowing, a statement. A warning, a blessing, a multi-faceted diamond enlightening us all."
--Barbara Straus Lodge, Founder of TruthTalks and Co-Editor of Janeland, a 2018 Lambda Literary Award Nominee
"The ReSisters offers a striking portrayal of a world that is both alarmingly possible and already here--a vision of a United States in which patriotism, nationalism, and xenophobia are valued above all else, and in which those who resist are targeted, detained, and endangered. At the same time, Steele offers us a glimmer of hope, revealing the many ways in which resistance can take root, heal, and grow. A chilling, moving, and all-too-possible story."
--Alexis Stratton, author of the BLOOM chapbook "Fratricide" and the blog you are (queer) here
Copyright 2022 Cassie Premo Steele


The nightmare of cyberattacks crippling critical infrastructure systems still has the sound of science fiction to most Americans. But in Ukraine, this nightmare is real. As the laboratory for Russian activities, Ukraine has seen a significant uptick in attacks on its critical infrastructure systems since the 2013–14 Maidan revolution. A barrage of malware, denial of service attacks, and phishing campaigns bombard Ukraine's critical infrastructure environments on a daily basis. In December 2015, a well-planned and sophisticated attack on Ukraine's electrical grid targeted power distribution centers and left 230,000 residents without power the day before Christmas. The attackers were able to override operators' password access to the system and also disable backup generators.
Ukraine is all too familiar with Russian attacks against critical infrastructure. For a while it almost appeared as if Ukraine was some kind of testbed or cyber range of sorts for Russia to try and perfect its attack capabilities against electric power plants and substations.
Imagine the chaos a debilitating critical infrastructure attack would have on the US population. There has been a lot of news lately about Russia being embedded in the US power networks. This is no longer an "if it is possible" scenario, but rather "when will it occur".
Schneider Electric has apparently designed their Triconex safety controllers to only be modified with physical contact, not via network-based interfaces. So if this is in fact the true design, then why would there be any worry of a potential physical explosion? No malware should be able to send a command to modify the Triconex system unless there is a missing link.
It is possible the attackers have studied Triconex so well, they were able to locate a bug Schneider Electric is unaware of, which could force other components to receive commands which would affect the safety controllers. If this is the case, then the culprit is likely an extremely sophisticated actor backed by deep resources. There are only a limited number of nation states with these advanced capabilities and the funding to purchase expensive equipment like this for the sole purpose of bug hunting.
Iran is likely the nation state with arguably the strongest reason to want to physically attack Saudi Arabia. Leveraging this type of cyber attack to perform such damage would make attribution exceedingly difficult, and therefore with no conclusive evidence to support any claims, chances are no public pronouncements of responsibility would ever be made.
So how did the hackers get in? Investigators found an odd digital file in a computer at an engineering workstation that looked like a legitimate part of the Schneider controllers but was designed to sabotage the system. Investigators will not say how it got there, but they do not believe it was an inside job. This was the first time these systems were sabotaged remotely.
You can bet the attackers will not make the same mistake twice, assuming their actual intent was to cause physical disruption.
More than 60 percent of vulnerability warnings said critical infrastructure could get hijacked, while 71 percent of reported vulnerabilities that year could disrupt a person's ability to monitor systems, according to the report.
In these warnings, up to 72 percent of the advisories told IT teams only to patch their systems. Except "patch your system" means nothing for 64 percent of critical infrastructure, according to the report.
That's because they were insecure to begin with — applying a security patch would be like putting a Band-aid on a broken leg. Applying patches is generally fine for the average person, who only needs to update a phone or a laptop. It's different for factories, which might be running nonstop for 24 hours, said Reid Wightman, Dragos' senior vulnerability analyst.
While you can afford to have your phone off for 10 minutes while it applies the security patch, factories and power plants don't have that luxury. There are usually only one or two opportunities a year for critical infrastructure to shut down and get updates, Wightman said.
The electric power industry is concerned not only with the security of their infrastructure and IT assets, but the reliability and stability of the power supply as well. Often times it is impossible to patch on a whim, therefore a comprehensive, multi-layered, multi-faceted security strategy is what is vital in ensuring all of the above.
While, for example, data centers are concerned with reliability and uptime, virtualization generally allows network operations to continue unhindered while applying a patch on one system. Essentially, using standardized tools, it is easy to temporarily migrate a virtual machine to different hardware, apply security and operating system patches, then move the VM back. This is almost unheard of in the electric power industry.
It is going to take some time before this problem is solved, unless someone comes up with a unique yet useful idea overnight.
It should come as no surprise to see North Korea attempting to develop the same type of cyber weaponry other major nation state players are leveraging. The recently semi-cozy relationship between Russia and North Korea could be a factor in a focal change for the country.
Generally North Korea conducts cyber attacks primarily for financial gain due to the global sanctions imposed against the nation, as well as the country having been cut off from the world banking system. Additionally, the tensions between Trump and Kim Jong Un are likely pieces of a strategic puzzle being developed in Pyongyang, leading North Korea to pursue more destructive cyber weapons than mere ransomware and other forms of financial generation.
Smart Meters are a tough proposition. They offer convenience for consumer and electricity suppliers alike, but the history of how the power industry has adopted connected technology is not comforting when considering cyber security. It is a good idea to delay the deployment of smart meters to take a good, strong look at the plan to ensure it is leveraging strong encryption, has no known backdoors, and is utilizing well established and peer reviewed standards.
Unfortunately, all too often, the electric power industry allows vendors to dictate the solution rather than the industry working together to agree on a secure, smart, resilient solution to this very challenging issue. Hopefully smart meters will help the industry take a step back and reevaluate their strategy, potentially refocusing on a better way of deploying and implementing smart meters.
Industrial plants may prove an enticing environment for malicious miners. Many don't use a lot of processing power for baseline operations, but do draw a lot of electricity, making it relatively easy for mining malware to mask both its CPU and power consumption. And the inner networks of industrial control systems are known for running dated, unpatched software, since deploying new operating systems and updates can inadvertently destabilize crucial legacy platforms. These networks generally don't access the public internet, though, and firewalls, tight access controls, and air gaps often provide additional security.
As attackers grow in sophistication, so will their attacks. It should come as no surprise to see this type of malware having made its way into OT networks. If an OT network can be penetrated, attackers will find a way to leverage those assets, whether it is for hactivism, politics, to cause damage, or to even mine cryptocurrency.
As the article notes, if stations are networking the pumps because they are geographically separated, there is a strong chance the vulnerable pumps may be located on Shodan.
In fact, a new network reconnaissance group, dubbed Advanced Persistent Threat 34, has spent the last few years burrowing deep into critical infrastructure companies.
The Middle East is seemingly always involved in one conflict or another. It should come as no surprise to see Iran leveraging cyber attacks to their benefit. Implementing strong defense should be a major priority for any business within the region, but especially more so for critical infrastructure companies. They have a lot to lose, and an attack could cause major devestation in the affected country.


A PGL outdoor adventure weekend is packed with thrilling adventure activities to motivate and challenge your sports teams. Watch as they take on a raft-building challenge across the lake, see who has a head for heights on the trapeze – it's a great way to develop team building and skills in the great outdoors!
Our enthusiastic instructors encourage everyone to push their limits, challenge themselves and experience success as a team as you and your group work your way through the series of land- and water-based activities. There's more to come in the evenings too, with some lively entertainment sessions.
A popular course for sports clubs. We have over 50 different adventures for your club to try out. It's a fun-filled experience with something for everyone!


text:
Home News liverpool turn down bid for daniel agger
Liverpool turn down bid for Daniel Agger
Crippy Cooke
Liverpool have recently turned down a bid for their defender Daniel Agger – said to be in the region of £14M. Barcelona are the side whose interest they have snubbed.
'We're aware Barcelona have made an offer for Daniel that Liverpool have rejected. It would be up to the clubs to agree a fee for his transfer in order for that to change.' – Agger's agent Per Steffensen.
Liverpool currently have Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, and Kolo Toure as their options in the centre of defence for the 2013/14 Premier League campaign.
Martin Skrtel lost his place in the side during the tail-end of last season, and has been linked with a move to Napoli. The Serie A side are now managed by Rafa Benitez – formerly of Liverpool. Benitez has admitted he has been trying to procure the 28-year old's signature, but has so far been unsuccessful as the Merseyside outfit have no plans to let him go.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has the same stance on Daniel Agger – as he hopes the pair can once again form a formidable partnership next season. However, Barcelona are not reportedly finished with their pursuit for the Danish international.
The Catalan giants have been in desperate need for a defender to replace the veteran Carles Puyol, and in order to partner Gerard Pique. Midfielders Alex Song, Javier Mascherano, and Sergio Busquets have been used at the back as a temporarily solution, but new manager Gerardo Martino wants the side to have a natural centre-back.
Chelsea's David Luiz has also emerged a potential target for the La Liga champions this summer, but they've been met with resistance from the London outfit.
Barcelona have found their interest snubbed for a number of defenders this summer, and it looks likely the search will go on until the summer transfer window closes.
Previous article Premier League 2013-14 preview: Money at pocket but a wasted summer for Arsenal
Next article Premier League 2013-14 preview: Benteke key to Aston Villa success
Crippy can be found on Twitter (@CrippyCooke) He is a sports journalist who has written for the Independent, Bleacher Report, Huffington Post, Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph among others. Crippy treats football gossip with a dash of cynicism and loves tearing apart outlandish rumours.