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Sacred Texts Hinduism Index Previous Next
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p. 204
Of the seven regions of Pátála, below the earth. Nárada's praises of Pátála. Account of the serpent Śesha. First teacher of astronomy and astrology.
PARÁŚARA.--The extent of the surface of the earth has been thus described to you, Maitreya. Its depth below the surface is said to be seventy thousand Yojanas, each of the seven regions of Pátála extending downwards ten thousand. These seven, worthy Muni, are called Atala, Vitala, Nitala, Gabhastimat, Mahátala, Sutala, and Pátála 1. Their soil is severally white, black, purple, yellow, sandy, stony, and of gold. They are embellished with magnificent palaces, in which dwell numerous Dánavas, Daityas, Yakshas, and great snake-gods. The Muni Nárada, after his return from those regions to the skies 2, declared amongst the celestials that Pátála was much more delightful than Indra's heaven. "What," exclaimed the sage, "can be compared to Pátála, where the Nágas are decorated with brilliant and beautiful and pleasure-shedding jewels? who will not delight in Pátála, where the lovely daughters of the Daityas and Dánavas wander about, fascinating even the most austere; where the rays of the sun diffuse light, and not heat, by day; and where the moon shines by night for illumination, not for cold; where the sons of Danu, happy in the enjoyment of delicious viands and strong wines, know not how time passes? There are beautiful groves and streams and lakes where the lotus blows; and the skies are resonant with the Koïl's song. Splendid ornaments, fragrant perfumes, rich unguents, the blended music of the lute and pipe and tabor; these and many other enjoyments are the common portion of the Dánavas, Daityas, and snake-gods, who inhabit the regions of Pátála 3."
p. 205
Below the seven Pátálas is the form of Vishńu, proceeding from the quality of darkness, which is called Śesha 4, the excellencies of which neither Daityas nor Dánavas can fully enumerate. This being is called Ananta by the spirits of heaven, and is worshipped by sages and by gods. He has a thousand heads, which are embellished with the pure and visible mystic sign 5: and the thousand jewels in his crests give light to all the regions. For the benefit of the world he: deprives the Asuras of their strength. He rolls his eyes fiercely, as if intoxicated. He wears a single ear-ring, a diadem, and wreath upon each brow; and shines like the white mountains topped with flame. He is clothed in purple raiment, and ornamented with a white necklace, and looks like another Kailása, with the heavenly Gangá flowing down its precipices. In one hand he holds a plough, and in the other a pestle; and he is attended by Váruńí (the goddess of wine), who is his own embodied radiance. From his mouths, at the end of the Kalpa, proceeds the venomed fire that, impersonated as Rudra, who is one with Balaráma, devours the three worlds.
p. 206
Śesha bears the entire world, like a diadem, upon his head, and he is the foundation on which the seven Pátálas rest. His power, his glory, his form, his nature, cannot be described, cannot he comprehended by the gods themselves. Who shall recount his might, who wears this whole earth, like a garland of flowers, tinged of a purple dye by the radiance of the jewels of his crests. When Ananta, his eyes rolling with intoxication, yawns, then earth, with all her woods, and mountains, and seas, and rivers, trembles. Gandharbas, Apsarasas, Siddhas, Kinnaras, Uragas, and Chárańas are unequal to hymn his praises, and therefore he is called the infinite (Ananta), the imperishable. The sandal paste, that is ground by the wives of the snake-gods, is scattered abroad by his breath, and sheds perfume around the skies.
The ancient sage Garga 6, having propitiated Śesha, acquired from him a knowledge of the principles of astronomical science, of the planets, and of the good and evil denoted by the aspects of the heavens.
The earth, sustained upon the head of this sovereign serpent, supports in its turn the garland of the spheres, along with their inhabitants, men, demons, and gods.
204:1 In the Bhágavata and Padma P. they are named Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talátala, Mahátala, Rasátala, and Pátála. The Váyu has Rasátala, Sutala, Vitala, Gabhastala, Mahátala, Śrítala, and Pátála. There are other varieties.
204:2 Allusion is here made, perhaps, to the description given in the Mahábhárata, Udyoga Parva, p. 218, of Nárada's and Mátali's visit to Pátála. Several of the particulars there given are not noticed in the Puráńas.
204:3 There is no very copious description of Pátála in any of the Puráńas. The most circumstantial are those of the Váyu and Bhágavata: the latter has been repeated, p. 205 with some additions, in the first chapters of the Pátála Khańd́a of the Padma Puráńa. The Mahábhárata and these two Puráńas assign different divisions to the Dánavas, Daityas, and Nágas; placing Vásuki and the other Nága chiefs in the lowest: but the Váyu has the cities of the principal Daityas and Nágas in each; as in the first, those of the Daitya Namuchi, and serpent Kálíya; in the second, of Hayagríva and Takshaka; in the third, of Prahláda and Hemaka; in the fourth, of Kálanemi and Vainateya; in the fifth, of Hirańyáksha and Kirmíra; and in the sixth, of Pulomán and Vásuki: besides others. Bali the Daitya is the sovereign of Pátála, according to this authority. The Mahábhárata places Vásuki in Rasátala, and calls his capital Bhogavatí. The regions of Pátála, and their inhabitants, are oftener the subjects of profane, than of sacred fiction, in consequence of the frequent intercourse between mortal heroes and the Nága-kanyás, or serpent-nymphs. A considerable section of the Vrihat Kathá, the Súryaprabhá lambaka, consists of adventures and events in this subterraneous world.
205:4 Śesha is commonly described as being in this situation: he is the great serpent on which Vishńu sleeps during the intervals of creation, and upon whose numerous heads the world is supported. The Puráńas, making him one with Balaráma or Sankarshana, who is an impersonation or incarnation of Śesha, blend the attributes of the serpent and the demigod in their description.
205:5 With the Swastika, a particular diagram used in mystical ceremonies.
206:6 One of the oldest writers on astronomy amongst the Hindus. According to Mr. Bentley, his Sanhitá dates 548 B. C. (Ancient Astron. of the Hindus, p. 59.)
Next: Chapter VI
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A dream come true...?
Years past. I was beginning to lose faith that my dreams would ever come true...
It was a cold summer day, not to the point of a jacket, but there was a chill in the air. Ever since We moved into our new house, I have always wanted a pool. It is a kids dream to own a pool that all of his friends could come swim in. But to me, a pool meant something totally different.
I was 15 years old at the time, and horny as ever. Everyday after school, I would dart straight home and get on my computer. I wouldn't get on my computer for the normal computer things, I would get on for reasons only my dick can appreciate. "OHHHH! HARDER! FUCK ME FASTER, BABY! FASTER!" These were the sounds that were constantly springing from my computer speakers. I didn't care if the neighbors heard it, I was never afraid to show my sexuality, and I never will be. I would quickly bring out my 7 1/2 inch dick and stroke it to climax. On days that my parents didn't have work, I would simply wait until it was time to shower, and bring my laptop in the bathroom. It was simple, and I'm sure my parents didn't know what I was doing. Oh yeah, my parents. I had always been one on the kinky side. I have tried every different masterbation technique out there at least once, I masterbate no matter the circumstances, and I think of my parents in an incestual way. Speaking of my parents. On weekends my mother (Jennifer) and my father (Eric) usually go out and run errands, while I am left home alone. This doesn't make me angry, because this is when I have the most fun. I stroll into my parents room naked, and go through my parents drawers. My father, about 6'0 tall and normal weight, has a nightstand. The nightstand looks innocent, cuddling next to his side of the bed, but really it is an incest-lovers dream. This drawer contains condoms, and even contains porn cards. Some of the porn cards even have cum stains where my father must have wanked all over them. Although the cards are a great turn-on, the condoms are my favorite treat. Every weekend a condom disappears which can only mean that my parents are having sex right down the hall from my bedroom! The thought of this turns me on. When I find that a condom is gone, I quickly jolt to the bathroom and dig through the mini garbage can to look for the small, round clump of the weekly napkins. Inside the "treasure box" is a used condom from my parents the night before. I usually stare at the condom in amazement knowing that my mom's pussy, and my dad's dick has touched it. I soon get a hard on, so I put the condom on and jack-off with it. I love to feel the mixture of my dad's cum all over my dick. Before long, I have added my own jizz to the condom, and I put it back where I got it. Not only do I go through my dad's drawers though, I also go through my mom's. My mother is abotu 5'5 and slightly overweight. When I first started going through here drawers, there was nothing to excite me enough. But as I dug deeper through the underwear drawer, I found a white lace thong. I was star-struck when I found out that my mother had worn a thong even though she is so fat. Usually I put the thong on, and jack-off until I cum. I usually cum all over the thong, hoping that my mom will put it on while the cum is still wet. But that never happens. I have always tried to catch my parents in the act of sex, or either of them naked, but to no avail.
Finally, after years of imagining, my dream has come true.
My mom had been home all week from work due to a manditory shut down. I knew that this meant I wouldn't be able to jack-off right when I got home, so I had to find something else to do. I had recently got a pool, and so I decided that I would go swimming. My mom told me she would join me. Although the pool was only an on-top-of-the-ground pool, it cooled me off nonetheless. I didn't go in the pool to cool of that day though, it was only 65 degrees, but I went for a more sly reason. I climbed the ladder into the pool, and to my surprise, the water was warm. Jenny, happy to hear this, climbed right in too. She was too big for a bikini, so she wore a one peice. Instantly, I noticed how revealed her DD boobs were in the top. She dipped down into the water, and I finally after many years to trying, I saw her boobs. The top was so tight that her boobs showwed through, and I was stuck in amazement. She saw me staring, so I knew I had to make my move. I told her I was cold, and wanted to go in. She complied.
When we got in the house, I waited until she got in the living room and quickly threw her down onto the couch. She was big, but I was taller and much stronger. She knew she what I wanted, and she knew I would get it.
I stripped away her failing top, and slapped the top of her boob, letting her know that I meant business. I loved the sight of her fat body, and her hairy snatch. I had a raging hard-on, so I had to let it go. She told me she didn't want me to do this, but I didn't care, I was ready. I flipped her on her back, and rubbed my dick around her pussy lips. She seemed to be pretty loose, but nothing my 8.5 inch dick couldn't please. I quickly stuck my dick in her. She was now flooded with tears, but I didn't care. I had waited so long for this, and I wasn't going to let it slip away now. I rammed my body against the rolls of her ass, as my dick went in and out. I was letting slow grunts, as this was my first time in a real pussy. It felt so good, that in a matter of a few minutes, I could feel the skeet getting ready to drain into her violated pussy. "UHGGGGHHH". I had the biggest climax of my life, right there in my OWN mom's pussy. She was screaming at me telling me not to do this, and I just kept reminding her that I had so condom on, and that I hoped she got pregnant, so she would have to suffer the pain of pregnancy. I flipped my mom over and stuck my dick in her mouth. "Lick off your son's excess cum that your pussy couldn't handle, and if you bite, I'll beat the shit out of you." She knew I meant this, so she did. Within minutes, I had a boner yet again. I flipped her over and asked her if Dad had ever given it to her in the ass. "No, we don't like the thought of that," she said. "Good, then that'll make it even better when I give it to you in the ass," I laughed maniacly. I quickly shoved my ready dick into her tight brown nozzle. "OWWWW," she let out a high-pitched scream of pain. I rammed my cock into her for a good hour, and then I was ready to cum again. "Have you ever had cum in your mouth?" I questioned her. "Yes, I have, and I liked it," she said with some attitude. I could tell she was lying from the tone in her voice, so I flipped her over and shoved my dick in her pryed open mouth. "Good, then you'll like this." I let out another behemoth load of cum, half of it spilling out all over the couch. I knew she was in a state of shock, after what just happened, so I thought I'd humiliate her one more time, then let her go. "Lick up all of the cum that you couldn't swallow, or that didn't stay in your pussy and I'll let you be free for now," I demanded. She willingly licked up every last drop. "Now don't speak of this again or I'll kill your husband, and you'll be all mine," I laughed at her face when she thought of what I had just said. "Okay, but please don't do this again," she begged. "Oh, shut up bitch," I told her.
Ever since then I have been raping her anytime my dad is gone. I even shower with her in the mornings!
For many years I waited, but my dream has finally come true.
If you liked this, tell me, and I'll tell you guys some other stories in my life.
anonymous readerReport
2011-09-14 03:38:52
To TheNighttimeFreak. WHAT A PILE OF DOG SH-T!!!!!. How old are you???. for you are not 19 maybe 12 or at most 13. And as for this being a true storie a bigger pile of dog cr-p I have never heard. Grow up and get a real life before you try writing sh-t like this again.
Anonymous readerReport
2010-07-28 22:04:45
stop stealing stories this was posted the day before you did by another writer pretty bad when you need to steal a story especially when it was only a day old
Anonymous readerReport
2008-09-15 09:20:58
If u ppl r more concerned with the size of the authors cock than the story itself, ur pathetic
Anonymous readerReport
2008-07-15 21:26:28
that was terrible dawg
2008-06-12 06:22:34
I have trouble believing this and remember once you tell a lie(the size of your dick) you need to remember it, otherwise you completely lose cred.
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Mitchell stood under the needle like water jets in communal shower at the at the athletic club he had been attending for the past two yearsm, and out of the corner of his eye he could see several other men lathering up their bodies and then rinsing off the suds down the drain. Mitch's penis thickened slightly as he ogled the large cocks hanging between the thighs of his shower mates, and since this was a gay club, it was not unusual to see men strolling around with huge erections pointing towards the ceiling! In the world of gay men, big cocks were a commodity that demanded special attention, so if a man was well hung, he could count on invitations to parties, dinner dates, and all sorts of offers sexual and otherwise to come his way. Ben Olmstead sauntered into the shower and greeted Mitch with a, "How they hangin' dude," while turning on a faucet, Ben stood next to Mitch and let the water cascade over his perfectly developed body. "Not bad," answered Mitch, "wanna let me wash that for you," he asked Ben while looking at his buddy's semi hard pecker? "Yeah, sure, go ahead," responded Ben, "do it for me!!!" Mitch took a bar of soap into his hands and worked it around until his palms were full of suds, and then after reaching down between Ben's legs he found the rapidly thickening penis and began to softly wash and scrub it's thick shaft and saucer like head. Ben turned to face Mitch, enabling him to get a better angle on the task at hand, and also giving him a opportunity to give Mitch's cock a little cleaning of it's own! Both men sighed as they masturbated each other in full view of the other bathers, oblivious to any and all who were watching, and point of fact, several other men were doing exactly that, while ? watching the two men jerk each other's cocks, they pumped their own erections to cum spurting climaxes! Loud groaning and grunting filled the shower as six or seven men either masturbated themselves or jerked off a nearby buddy. As Mitch and Ben approached their orgasms, they kissed each other deeply, letting their tongues probe into each other's mouth, and just before he shot his load, Ben whispered into Mitch's ear, "Take me in your mouth, please suck it for me, I want to feel your lips on my pecker!!!" Mitch moaned and dropped to his knees, until his face was inches from the bobbing thickness that was Ben's cock. God it was beautiful, so thick and long, with a huge head, perfect for sucking or ass fucking!!! Mitch opened his mouth and let the warm head pop inside, stretching his jaws almost beyond possibility! "God you suck good," moaned Ben through clenched teeth, "let me cum in your mouth, you fucking bitch!!!" Mitch loved to be called "bitch" when he was sucking, and his own cock spurted onto the tile floor as his mouth was filled with a cum gusher from Ben's huge fuck stick, while simultaneously, cocks all over the shower erupted in unison, and the aroma of fresh cum filled the air!
For men sex is a visual experience, and being gay doesn't change that, so it is common place in for the men in the club to "parade" for each other, showing off their erections in a lewd and lascivious manner. While Ben and Mitch sat in front of their lockers dressing, several other members stopped in front of them and offered their dicks for a quick suck, and both men eagerly licked and sucked the hardons like they were ice cream cones! Mitch especially, because at heart he was a born cocksucker who usually sucked at least two cocks a day, sometimes more! He was spending more and more time at the club, with the express intention on sucking off as many men as possible! Mike, the name of the man Mitch was sucking off, had a huge erection, probably ten inches long and v?ery thick, so he was a very popular person that Mitch felt honored to suck off! Mike stood calmly with his hands on his hips while smoking a big cigar as Mitch hoovered his big pecker. When ever Mike was hard he always gathered a crowd, and this was no exception, as a group of naked men stood around fisting their own cocks while watching Mike get his massive pecker sucked off. One of the men, leaned against the lockers and moaned, "God it feels good to be gay, just look at all this hard meat!!!" Finally, Mike began to thrust his hips forward, a sure sign that his big erection was about to fill Mitch's mouth with his seed, and just seconds later the room was filled with the sound of groaning men as their penises ejaculated all over the tile floor while Mike erupted like a geyser deep in Mitch's throat, almost gagging him with the flood of semen that jetted from his huge fuck pole!
Mitch thought that Mike was finished with him, but much to his surprise and delight, Mike's cock stood tall and proud as before his orgasm and he sapt, "Okay you little cocksucker turn over and let me fuck you in the ass!!!" Mike hadn't been ass fucked in over a week, and his cock twitched at the thought of having Mike's hardon jamming him from behind! Mike slipped on a rubber, grabbed a finger full of vaseline, lubed Mitch's fuck hole, and then proceeded to ram his thickness all the way in until his balls were slapping Mitch's smooth ass! Mitch groaned as Mike bored in with hard rhythmic thrusts, while the thickness and power in Mike's penis drove Mitch into a sexual frenzy!!! Using both hands to steady himself from the brutal assault, Mitch's pecker was strained to the limit, and in a convulsive reflex action, it unloaded a huge spurting fountain of cum into the air, unaided by a touch of any kind!!! Mike, upon hearing Mitch ejaculate, filled his condom with another load of sperm, moaning as if in pain as the latex balloon was filled to the limit!!!
Now covered and filled? with cum, Mitch struggled back to the shower to clean up one more time. As he was getting ready to leave the shower room, another hardon appeared next to him and a soft voice asked, "Could I bother you for a suck!?!" Back on his knees, Mitch was right at home!!!
2012-03-13 10:27:11
Iwould love some of that
2008-03-05 06:35:10
oh god, i want to go to that club and suck all that dick, and get covered in cum
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She was hot! - and anyone who caught even a glimpse of her knew it instantly. She glided through the airport exuding sexuality itself - in her dress, her shoes, the faint wisp of perfume trailing after her long, flowing hair. Her silky tanned legs began at her neck, or so it seemed; her tiny waist gripped snugly with a gold chain; her breast threatening to volcanically erupt from the shimmering white nylon top that encased them; her willowy arms tapering to red-tipped nails; her short black skirt barely covering her firm round ass swinging in rhythm with her rocketing hips. Everywhere she glistened with gold accents against her brown skin - earlobes, neck, writs, ankles. She turned heads continually - men and women alike - as she made her way to the gate. She looked awesome and she knew it. She loved the feeling of eyes on her; the excitement of heads turning her way; the appreciative nods.
Her flight was boarding when she arrived so without hesitation she floated down the jetway in search of seat 8B. When she reached her row, there were already two men seated, absently scanning magazines, leaving her little choice but to squeeze past the one on the aisle. She excused herself and stepped over his feet, hugging the seat back in front of him. He caught her scent full in his nostrils and when he looked up, was struck full-force as her beautiful ass passed inches from his face. His eyes scanned over her quickly as she sat down. What little he saw in that split second intrigued him, his senses coming alive. Oddly, he felt wider awake than he had moments before. He made a pretense of leaning to pick something up from the floor at his feet while in reality he was eyeing her legs. "Whoa, gorgeous!", he thought and silently thanked the fates that had brought her to his side for the next several hours.
She adjusted herself into the small space reserved for her and slid her bag under the seat ahead. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed his movements and turned to him and smiled. Caught! Damn! He returned the smile and quickly found his voice. They exchanged greetings, introducing themselves, and made small talk about their destinations. She knew the effect she was having on him and she played on. She trailed her hands up over her smooth legs, grabbed the hem of her skirt and tugged it down a bit - rolling each hip as she did. Searching for her seatbelt, she ran her hands over her thighs to the seat on each side, then moved her hands up through her hair and gave it a shake, took a deep breath and relaxed against her seat. His gaze fell over her chest and he sat mesmerized by the rhythmic rise and fall of her breasts. The two men exchanged a look over her head and their eyes quickly returned to her. She could feel them looking at her, and with a slight grin, turned to introduce herself to the man on her left. As the plane ascended, she squirmed in her seat, casually bumping arms with first one, then the other man. She watched their reactions and was elated to see the effect she was having on them both. Cocks unmistakably growing harder with each brush of her skin. They too began to shift in their seats and were grateful when the captain turned off the "Fasten Seatbelt" sign.
When the flight attendant came to take their drink orders, the man on her left offered to buy the first round for the three of them. He leaned across her to pay for the drinks just as she moved forward. His right arm skimmed across her chest and as he fumbled to regain his composure, spilled some of his drink in her lap. He quickly grabbed his napkin and amidst apologies helped her dry her skirt. Unflustered, she allowed him to wipe up the spill, enjoying the subtle pressure against her body. She pushed her pubis lightly against his hand and savored the shocked expression that crossed his face. She gave him a wink as his hand drifted slowly down her thigh, his hard-on intensifying instantly.
She excused herself again, and squeezed past the aisle seat and headed for the lavatory. She raised one leg onto the seat and turned her body so she could see herself in the mirror, pulled her skirt up over one hip, her panties to the side and slipped two fingers into her wetness. She got herself off, plunging her fingers in rapidly while rubbing the heal of her hand over her clit. She muffled the moan that erupted as she came, and felt a shiver race the length of her body as the warm wetness flowed from inside her. She slipped off her wet panties and concealed them in her hand. After she returned to her seat, she leaned to the right and discreetly transferred them to her unsuspecting neighbor. When he realized what he was holding, his mouth dropped open in disbelief. He excused himself and headed for the lavatory just as she had. Once safely locked inside, he uncurled his fingers to inspect the wet white panties. He held them to his nose and breathed deeply letting her scent engulf him. Braced against the metal counter, he pulled his cock free. It was already throbbing and dripping and after a few strokes, he shot his load into his hand. Never had he experienced such an instantaneous orgasm.
While their seatmate was gone, she leaned toward the window to get a better look at the lights below. As her chest grazed his, he moved his arm into her lap and deftly slipped his fingers between her legs. She parted her thighs to allow him entry. Quickly he found the moist cavern he was seeking and parted her lips and dipped his fingers in. She gasped and opened her legs a bit further. Within moments, he felt a surge of wetness coat his fingers. They were just settling back into their own seats when their companion returned, smiling broadly. She gave him a knowing glance and a tiny smile, then laid her seat back and closed her eyes. Both men were left to their own thoughts for the remainder of the flight.
When the plane landed, they departed without conversation. She headed for baggage claim with the two men closely behind her. She stood at the carousel watching for her bag to appear. When she saw it, she bent over at the waist to grab it, giving the two guys - and everyone else in the area - a clear view of her naked ass beneath her skirt. The guy from the window seat couldn't take anymore. He sidled up behind her and whispered in her ear, "Come with me." She smiled and followed him to the nearest men's room where they slipped into a stall unnoticed. She balanced herself on the toilet on her knees with her hands on the back wall while he flipped her skirt up over her ass and plunged his hard cock into her pussy. He fucked her hard and within moments drained his balls deep inside of her. She climbed down from the toilet, turned to him and said, "Okay, honey, we can go home now."
2004-04-05 00:29:22
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Thread: Skateboarding!
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Old 08-11-2009, 02:56 PM #107 (permalink)
Music Moves
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SQL Server Performance
storage procedure x select
Discussion in 'T-SQL Performance Tuning for Developers' started by psmoreno, Aug 27, 2005.
1. psmoreno New Member
If I execute the same select, out storage procedure, the result in the Statistics is double rows number. Why ???
-- result with select direct
Rows effected by SELECT statements2727
-- result with storage procedure
Rows effected by SELECT statements5454
Appreciate yours comments
2. Luis Martin Moderator
Could you post your sp?.
Luis Martin
Bertrand Russell
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Who wore the cutest summer shorts outfit?
Summer is in full force and it's time to bare those legs in chic shorts. Which celeb wore the cutest pair? Play to vote!
1 of 20 Your score: 0
Which star has cuter summer shorts style?
Good luck!
Livingly: Style
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Cray Little, Vero Beach
The National Rifle Association and its members ceaselessly assert it's their Constitutional right to own any kind of firearm manufactured regardless of its designed purpose.
Let me ask: Shouldn't it be a citizen's right to live without fear of being murdered by someone with a military assault rifle at school, in a theater, on the street, at work or anywhere else in America?
When I ask my gun-loving friends why they're opposed to an assault-rifle ban, they always trot out the same old canard: If we allow the government to ban one type of firearm, it won't stop there. The government won't be happy until it takes all our guns away.
Hogwash. The NRA has been peddling this tripe for decades, a red-herring argument devised to protect gun manufacturers. NRA members believe the association is standing up for them. Baloney. The NRA's primary objective is protecting the "rights" of the gun industry to produce whatever it desires, even if the product should not be in the hands of nonmilitary personnel.
Why all the paranoia about an assault rifle ban? Here's an idea: Gun owners conflate, and thus confuse, gun ownership with liberty and freedom. They believe, thanks to conservative politicians pandering for their vote, that the United States has been hijacked by a bunch of left-leaning wackos who plan on confiscating their guns and interning all able-bodied white men in Gulag-like encampments where they will be emasculated and forced to watch Chris Matthews on MSNBC.
More folderol to be sure. The Second Amendment will not be overturned. Americans will be able to buy a thousand guns apiece if they wish, and their liberties won't be abrogated by an overzealous group of leftists.
However, when you talk about liberty, think of the 20 little kids slaughtered in Newtown. Now, that's a real loss of liberty.
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In today's competitive job market, hiring managers often must choose from among multiple candidates with similar skills. The interview remains their most important tool for making that decision. While most IT professionals are well versed in interview basics, many overlook the finer points of these meetings.
• Know your interviewer
Try to find out about the hiring manager and his or her personality or preferences prior to your meeting. For example, does the person emphasize communication skills above technical problem solving ?
Even knowing a detail such as the person's alma mater can help you build rapport and feel less "in the dark," even if this bit of information does not come up in the conversation. Learning about your interviewer through your network or via LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook isn't cheating (or stalking), it's further evidence of your interest in finding a fit with the company.
• Loosen up
• Listen
A genuine two-way conversation makes a more memorable, and usually more favourable, impression than a recitation of speaking points. Demonstrate that your communication skills include the ability to respond thoughtfully to questions and follow the interviewer's train of thought. On a similar note, when asking questions at the end of the interview, focus them on the company's needs, not your own.
• Be confident, but not arrogant
When selling yourself, think of your interviewer as a skeptical shopper. Share specific facts about your accomplishments rather than making general claims about your abilities. The vaguer your statements, the more they risk sounding self aggrandizing. Boasts such as "I turned that whole department around" won't resonate as strongly as a clear account of what you've done for past employers and how much time and money it saved them.
• Be real
Present yourself as the right person for the job, not as the perfect candidate in every conceivable way. Candidates who seem too good to be true tend to be met with apprehension. You also want to make sure that you'll be comfortable in the position, should you be offered it. For example, don't claim to be at ease when interacting with high-level executives if you're not, or say that you like a laid-back environment when you actually prefer a more structured one. Even if the dishonesty doesn't come out during the interview, it can lead you into a job or corporate environment that you simply won't enjoy.
• Look sharp
While this may seem fundamental, many IT professionals still fail to dress appropriately for interviews. In a Robert Half Technology survey , 35% of CIOs said a business suit is the most appropriate interview attire. Another 26% cited khakis and a collared shirt as proper apparel, with tailored separates a close third choice, at 24%. Dressing professionally is easy to do, so don't take chances. Comfortable and confident body language is also commonly overlooked. Ask a trusted friend to critique your clothes and physical presence well in advance of your interview date.
• Follow up with a purpose
All conscientious candidates follow up with the hiring manager after the interview. To distinguish yourself, treat the follow up as an extension of the conversation. Use your thank you note to reinforce a key point from your discussion or even to provide supporting evidence of your qualifications, such as a link to an article you wrote for an industry publication or the URL of your professional blog.
Read more about careers in Computerworld UK's Jobs and Careers Centre.
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Win McNamee/Getty Images
On day one of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, it broke my heart to think of the family members who sat in fearful anticipation of what might have happened to their loved ones who work on rigs. My heart ached too for our gulf and the fertile yet fragile ecosystem of our coastline.
It never occurred to me to hate the oil company or to hate offshore drilling. The rigs have been out there in the gulf my entire life. They've become reef systems for every type of aquatic life you can imagine. Part of fishing as a child meant heading out to the rigs. The inland rigs meant redfish and trout, and that meant court bouillon and almondine. A little farther out it was lemon fish, grouper, and amberjack, fish for the grill. Yet farther out and it was tuna, bull dolphin, wahoo, and other powerful fish it took considerable means to fish for, both in money and equipment. We had neither, so those trips depended upon an invite.
The rigs also meant salvation when the boat motor went out or when a massive thunderstorm would blow in and trap you offshore. Never did I question drilling or oil in general, in part because it was the livelihood of most of the men in the neighborhood, who worked offshore as divers, helicopter pilots, and various mid-level management types.
We also lived with shrimpers, fishers, and crabbers. I grew up shrimping with very small trawls that I'd pull around the lake with my 15-foot skiff. Every now and then I'd get work as a hand on a large trawler, 65 feet or so. In between drags, after we sorted and picked the shrimp from the other 500 species of critters that would be swept up in the nets, we'd boil shrimp in a big pot on a big propane burner. I can still taste those shrimp today—the best I've ever had, boiled by men who took great pride in what they cooked. Often they would add a few drops of Meyer lemon oil, which gave the shrimp an exotic lemongrass flavor.
I gave the propane burner and tank no more thought than as a means of portable cooking. And the old island's "Captain Manny" probably didn't think he was setting a trend by using sustainably grown lemon oil in his boil—it was what he had at his fingertips, grown from his land in lower St. Bernard parish. Propane burners are a way of life in southeast Louisiana, to such a degree that we just plain call them "crawfish pots and burners." Everyone has one, and the name denotes the most popular spring activity in these parts.
Years later, after Hurricane Katrina, it was the crawfish pot and the marshaling of resources like propane tanks, red beans, black beans, lima beans, pinto beans, and rice that saved my business and gave others hope at a time we'd lost it all. When there was no other means but fire—and even the available wood supply was too wet for any sort of reliable cooking fuel—those tanks made it possible for Alon Shaya, a homeless Israeli chef; Blake LeMaire, a former Marine Corps comrade; and me to cook. Alon and I made whatever beans we could get our hands on, and paired them with rice to serve out of Blake LeMaire's flatboat in Igloo ice chests. We fed people until there were no more people to feed: many of the people who lived where we were cooking had been moved to shelters outside the affected area.
After that, our crawfish pots were used to feed hundreds of workers rushed in to "turn around" our many oil refineries, which flank the banks of the Mississippi. And yes, we were all too happy to charge the oil companies for our services—not because we hated "them" but because it was a means to our survival. I never thought about drawing a correlation between the propane burners and the downed, and in some cases oil-flooded, refineries. In my mind we were doing what we could with what we had to feed folks and to employ people who had many others depending upon them to live. I believe God gave me a talent to cook, and I used that talent to do my part in providing for my family and the 120 employees I was responsible for. Today we have roughly 500 employees, and I've got six partners—one of whom is the former Marine friend, and another the homeless Israeli chef.
Nearly five years after the storm, I was asked by a propane council to be a spokesperson for safe grilling, emphasizing the dos and don'ts of grilling with propane. They paid me for my time, and I gladly took their money. You see, I'm a businessperson. In particular, we chefs buy all sorts of tasty goods, cook them, and sell them for a profit. It's how I'm able to sustain a beautiful life for my wife and four boys. The propane folks who paid me still have no clue that I even have an honest affinity for propane.
Getting back to the Deepwater Horizon/British Petroleum debacle. I was truly sickened by the lack of response, and wrote an op-ed about my feelings in the Atlantic Food Channel. I've never thought of myself as an anti-anything person, but I am pro-responsibility—something I'm trying to pass on to my four young lads. For instance, if you drop something, then pick it up. If it's beyond my boys' realm to pick it up, then as their father I should have been paying much closer attention. And if the mess my boys made affects my neighbors, it seems logical that I take responsibility and figure out how to mitigate the damages or effects on my neighbor. This is simple stuff. If I spend my energy questioning my boys about whose fault it was, of course they will all point to one another saying, "It wasn't me, Dad" or "It was so-and-so's fault."
So with BP. Those of us here are left with a seemingly insurmountable mess, with the richest wetlands of America and a culture to match hanging in the balance. Whoever is looking to assign blame—even to me, for taking money for promoting propane—is overlooking the plight of those fish, birds, and people who depend upon the salt marsh estuaries that give the Gulf of Mexico and much of America life. Our wetlands and culture are at stake! Now let us see what we are going to do about it.
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[ANN] rb++ / rbgccxml 0.8
Discussion in 'Ruby' started by Jason Roelofs, Jul 22, 2008.
1. = What is rb++ / rbgccxml?
For anyone who wants an alternative to SWIG for generating Ruby
extensions from C++ header files, look no further. Generating Ruby
extensions has never been easier!
The last few months have seen a slew of work on rb++ and rbgccxml,
enough so that I feel the project is getting pretty close to a 1.0
There are so many changes to the two libraries that it would be very
time-consuming to list them all out, but the highlights are:
Complete new system for managing how code is wrapped, from including /
excluding and renaming nodes to be added to the extension.
Much more robust and capable query system to help find whatever part
of the C++ code you're looking for.
== Project
Documentation: http://rbplusplus.rubyforge.org
Project Page: http://rubyforge.org/projects/rbplusplus
== Installation
This single command will grab the whole stack needed for rb++ to work.
gem install rbplusplus
The stack includes three libraries: rb++, rbgccxml, and gccxml_gem and
will install rice
== rb++
Rb++ makes it almost trivially easy to create Ruby extensions for any
C or C++ library / code. In the simplest of cases, there is no need to
ever touch C, everything is done in a very simple and clean Ruby API.
== rbgccxml
RbGCCXML allows one to easily parse out and query C++ code. This
library uses GCC-XML to parse out the C++ code into XML, and then
Hpricot to parse and query that XML.
== gccxml_gem
GCC-XML (www.gccxml.org) is an application that takes takes the parse
tree of G++ and constructs a very parsable and queryable XML file with
all related information.
The third part of the stack is this gem that includes a binary build
of GCC-XML for your platform, to make it trivially easy to install.
Platforms currently supported are:
* Linux 32 & 64 bit
* Mac OS X
* Windows 32-bit via Cygwin
== Requirements
* rice (http://rice.rubyforge.org) - The C++ interface for Ruby
* hpricot (http://code.whytheluckystiff.net/hpricot/) - Does the XML parsing
* test/spec - For running the tests
== Code
All code is hosted at github
rb++: http://github.com/jameskilton/rbplusplus/tree/master
rbgccxml: http://github.com/jameskilton/rbgccxml/tree/master
gccxml_gem: http://github.com/jameskilton/gccxml_gem/tree/master
== Notes
Released under the MIT licence.
For those familiar with py++ / pygccxml, the similarities are in
function only. Rb++ / rbgccxml were written from scratch to take
advantage of the Ruby language to it's fullest.
Bugs, patches, feature requests, et al should be posted to the
project's tracker.
Discussion can be here or the project's rubyforge forums.
Jason Roelofs, Jul 22, 2008
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/12646
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1. Environment
Massive Fish Kill in Louisiana
A massive fish kill has been spotted near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, and close-up photos show that what initially looks like a long, winding paved road is actually a waterway clogged with dead things. Fish kills are common in the area, thanks to agricultural runoff that causes oxygen-free dead zones in the water. But usually just a single species is killed at one time. This kill, photographed by a local politician, contains fish, crabs, stingrays, eels—and even a dead whale. Residents suspect the die-off is connected to the BP oil spill—some have feared that oil-eating microbes would deplete oxygen levels—but there are currently no plans to test for evidence the two events are connected.
Read it at The Upshot
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Perseids promise a spectacular show
The Perseid meteor shower should leave you full of wonder – if you can escape cloudy skies and city lights
Datablog: Perseids shower - full list of 2009 meteor showers, where and when
The Perseid meteor shower happens every August
The Perseid meteor shower happens every August when the earth passes through a stream of space debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. Photograph: Kevin Clifford/AP
If you've never seen a shooting star, tonight could be your best chance to do so for a while: the annual Perseid meteor shower is peaking at the moment, so if you can find clear skies away from city lights, you could be in for an inspiring, astronomical treat.
People often wonder how astronomers can predict something that is apparently so random, but the answer is quite simple: passing comets have left trails of dust and debris in the way of our path around the sun. Every time the earth runs into one of these clouds of dust, we get a meteor shower, as the tiny, rocky particles burn up upon entering our atmosphere at high speed.
Tonight's shower originates from interplanetary dust in the direction of the constellation Perseus, below the familiar W-shape of Cassiopeia in the north-eastern sky, hence the name Perseids. (The stars of Perseus have nothing to do with the meteors, being trillions of miles away.) The meteors will streak across all parts of the sky like silent fireworks, and the best time to view them will be after midnight: during British Summer Time, that means after 1am.
The waning moon drowns out the light from fainter meteors, but I managed to see a couple of Perseids last night whilst driving along unlit countryside roads in Cambridgeshire. The most memorable meteor shower I have seen was the Orionids, again whilst driving under the relatively dark skies of Hampshire, a decade ago. But in 2007, when the Perseids were most visible due to the moon being invisible, we saw nothing from east London and its suburbs in Essex, whilst relatives in Leicestershire had a glorious view.
Although the weather over the UK is quite cloudy at present, many parts of the country are forecast to have clear skies for at least part of the night, particularly in the Midlands or the north. (The Perseids are visible from around the world, but the best views are from the northern hemisphere.)
So, if you're away from the city lights under clear skies tonight, perhaps in the countryside or coastal areas, you may wish to watch out for this cosmic display, whether alone or with friends. One phenomenon you are likely to see regularly that is not to be confused with meteors is a bright point of light, moving steadily and in a straight line across the sky before fading away. These are our man-made satellites, used for telecommunications and military purposes, that brighten up as they reflect the light of the sun before disappearing into the earth's shadow as they repeat their orbits around us.
If you can thwart the conspiracy of cloud, city lighting and moonlight, and keep a steady eye on the dark skies, undistracted by interfering satellites, you are likely to be rewarded with a fantastic celestial display. And each time your eye picks out one of these dashing invaders from space, you are likely to feel the urge to make a wish, say a prayer or simply exclaim, "Wow!"
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Got a question for Aventis winner Bill Bryson? Here's your chance to ask it - and win a signed copy of his prize-winning book, A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson at the 2004 Aventis Prizes
Bill Bryson's book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, covers questions of scientific knowledge from the "big bang" theory to the rise of civilisation PR
Bill Bryson, the winner of last year's Aventis Prizes for his highly acclaimed guide to life and the universe, A Short History of Nearly Everything, will be delivering a lecture on the book to the Royal Society on Thursday March 10 at 6.30pm, to coincide with the announcement of the 2005 longlist.
He will discuss the challenge of understanding the universe's most fundamental principles, and relay stories from his quest to root out its strangest and most amazing facts, from the moment of the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. And afterwards, he'll be talking to you.
Bill has agreed to answer 10 questions from Guardian Unlimited Books users on A Short History, the Aventis Prizes, or anything else science-y you might wish to quiz him about. Email your questions to (with 'Bill Bryson' in the title field): we'll pick the 10 most interesting and pass them on to the man himself. And the fun doesn't stop there: the readers whose questions we choose will each receive a signed copy of his award-winning book.
· The event will be broadcast live and available as video-on-demand at
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Protect your pond
If you have trees overhanging your garden pond, throw a length of pea netting, or similar, over it now, before the leaves start falling. This simple act will save you from having to fish them out later with a net. If you've never done either - the netting or the net - I'll bet you've got a problem with blanket weed. A build-up of rotting debris at the bottom of a pond is one of the things that causes such troublesome algae in the first place, so prevention now should mean clearer water and less work next summer.
Turn tomatoes red
Putting your green tomatoes on a sunny windowsill to ripen will just give you unripe tomatoes with extra-tough skin. That's because, once a tomato is off the plant, it prefers a bit of gloom to ripen up in. If you want your crop to ripen quickly, pop them in a paper bag with a banana skin, and pop the whole thing in a drawer. For a succession of slow-ripening tomatoes, stack them in an airy crate and store them in a dark place, and skip the banana skin. Check and eat regularly.
Plant of the week
A Japanese maple is a petite yet powerful autumnal presence. Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen' has finely dissected, purple foliage all summer that turns red in autumn. It wants some sun and shelter from winds. Readers can order one plant in a three-litre pot for £34.95, or two for £59.90. Prices include UK mainland p&p. To order, call 0870 836 0908 quoting reference GUPW151. Delivery within 28 days.
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Corrections and clarifications
Michael Caine received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in Educating Rita but did not win an Oscar for the role, as we stated in error in Master class, page 8, G2, January 3. His Oscars are for Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules.
Andy Grove was incorrectly described as a founder of IBM in a panel accompanying an interview with Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone (Dunstone on Dunstone, page 23, December 23). Mr Grove was a co-founder of Intel in 1968. IBM was formed in 1924 from the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, which had been incorporated in New York in 1911.
We mistakenly listed the number one as a prime number in our report headed One small beep brings prime number glory to Missouri (page 16, January 5). It is not. An integer greater than one is called a prime number if its only positive divisors are one and itself.
Taxi drivers who flout the rules concerning dress code at cab ranks outside Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth stations may lose their licences but those who flaunt them will probably be congratulated by the station authorities (What's so bad about corduroy, page 3, G2, January 6).
A photograph of Macclesfield Town FC's Main stand was wrongly identified as the new Alfred McAlpine stand, which was the subject of a Sport feature headlined Macclesfield make a sow's ear out of a silk lining, page 6, January 4.
The singular (and plural) of biceps is biceps. There is no such thing as a bicep (Action man, page 27, G2, January 5).
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Sims 4 announced as single-player offline title
Maxis is developing a new instalment in the 150m-selling series – just as creator Will Wright calls SimCity problems 'inexcusable'
Sims 3
Sims 4 will concentrate on providing a deeper connection between sim and player PR
The sims are back – again. Series developer Maxis has announced that it has a new instalment of its life simulation in development for PC and Mac. The new game will be released in 2014.
In a departure from recent trends, the new addition to the 150m-selling franchise will primarily be a single-player experience. As the press release makes clear:
"The Sims 4 celebrates the heart and soul of the Sims themselves, giving players a deeper connection with the most expressive, surprising and charming Sims ever in this single-player offline experience. The Sims 4 encourages players to personalise their world with new and intuitive tools while offering them the ability to effortlessly share their creativity with friends and fans."
The announcement is almost certainly a reaction to the controversy surrounding the launch of SimCity earlier this year. That title requires an internet connection for its mandatory multiplayer component, but thousands of users found themselves unable to pay due to slow servers and bugged software. Maxis was quick to offer apologies and improvements, but the launch was branded a disaster by many pundits. In a recent interview with industry news source GamesIndustry.Biz, Will Wright, the creator of both SimCity and The Sims, branded the server issues, "inexcusable": "That you charge somebody $60 for a game and they can't play it. I can understand the outrage. If I was a consumer buying the game and that happened to me, I'd feel the same."
The Sims 4 announcement comes at a difficult time for EA. The company has been restructuring since the departure of its chief executive, John Riccitiello, in March, resulting in job losses. It has also canned the Facebook titles, Sims Social and SimCity Social. The main Sims series has always been a reliable cash cow for the publisher, attracting a vast community of ardent fans – some of whom were invited to a special unveiling event for the new title.
More information about the game is expected later in the week.
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Visiting? Relocating? Check out the Torrance Advantage Torrance Alerts
TORRANCE california
Community Development
| Survey Information
font size: A | A | A
Survey Bench Marks and Control Points
Survey data such as centerline ties, bench mark data, survey monument location and description sheets are available at the Engineering Permits Counter in the Community Development Department
Sample Bench Mark Sheet
Sample Centerline Tie Sheet
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Explore images from this region and get inspiration for your trip in advance. Look at the best 25 pictures from our La Gavia slideshow below to get a view of what this places is like. Inform youself about this location before you begin your journey.
To learn more about this region, note the La Gavia guide. Upload your photos to panoramio and publish them together with the GPS coordinates to be featured here. La Gavia in Zacatecas (region) is a town located in Mexico - about 327 mi (or 527 km) North-West of Mexico City, the country's capital place.
La Gavia Photo Gallery
Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners.
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Season 1, Episode 4 Love, Money, and a Six Olive Martini
First Aired: October 29, 2007
Jennifer finds a sponsor for her documentary, but this sponsor is interested in more than just a film. Meanwhile, Crutch interviews for a better-paying job; and Sam confronts her dad over his feelings about her homosexuality.
Watch Now
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Development, Democracy, and Global Security in the 21st Century
Frontiers in Development -
Moderator: Judy Woodruff,Senior Correspondent for PBS NewsHour
The Honorable Joyce Banda,President of Malawi
The Honorable Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia
The Honorable Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo
The Honorable Helen Clark, United Nations Development Program Administrator;
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Development strategies will play a key role in growing a community of prosperous democratic countries that can resolve their own conflicts and work cooperatively to address 21st century global threats. These security challenges will be shaped by illegitimate regimes; the rising threat posed by non-state actors, by the persistent weakness of fragile states and by the challenges of hunger, poverty, disease, demographic pressures and global climate change. What, then, are the appropriate approaches for building more inclusive, legitimate and effective democracies to meet these challenges? In doing so, what is the right balance among development, diplomacy, and security responses?
Last updated: April 01, 2015
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George vs. Rita
"Use your Dragonzord!!"
Finally, an accurate depiction of how our President handled Hurricane Rita. I had no idea how big this thing was… apparently it involved Power Rangers, Dick Cheney, and the Terminator. Who knew?? Read all about it here.
Link thanks to GorillaMask
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Skip to content
If you've been diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, you might be wondering what happens next. You've already tried some medications. Maybe you've already tried talk therapy, too. They haven't helped. So what now?
"Having treatment-resistant depression is a terrible burden for people," says Ian A. Cook, MD, director of the Depression Research Program at the University of California Los Angeles. "But they really should hold on to some optimism." Success might not come overnight. But with some patience and effort, you and your doctor can find an approach that will help.
Unfortunately, there's no simple step-by-step plan to tackle treatment-resistant depression. Every case is different. But this article will give you an idea of how your doctor and therapist might think about your treatment. There are three basic approaches for treatment-resistant depression: medications, psychotherapy, and brain stimulation treatments. Here's a guide to the options.
Medications for Treatment-Resistant Depression
If you have treatment-resistant depression, you've already tried some medications. Nonetheless, your doctor -- preferably an expert at treating the condition -- will likely recommend that you try again with a new approach.
You might be skeptical about going onto yet another medication. But keep in mind that there are lots of different drugs available and they work in different ways. Often it takes time -- and trial and error -- to find the right drug at the right dose or in the right combination, says Dean F. MacKinnon, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Here are your drug options for treatment-resistant depression:
Newer antidepressants. These include SSRIs -- like Prozac, Celexa, and Zoloft -- as well as drugs from other classes, like Effexor, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, and Remeron. Generally, doctors are likely to start with these drugs.
Another new antidepressant, Symbyax, combines the active ingredient in Prozac with an antipsychotic, the active ingredient in Zyprexa. This combination medicine is the first drug approved by the FDA to specifically treat acute treatment-resistant depression.
Older antidepressants. These include tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs (like Elavil and Pamelor) and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors or MAOIs (like Nardil and Parnate.) While these drugs can help with treatment-resistant depression, many doctors only turn to them when other antidepressants have failed. They tend to have more severe side effects. MAOIs can cause dangerous interactions with other drugs and foods.
Finding Support During Treatment
Which of these 7 types of support could help you cope with depression?
See slideshow
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Health knowledge made personal
Join this community!
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Stay safe in the sun
Posted by Be Well
When the sun does come out, will you know how to keep you and your family safe when it's hot?
Sunburn and skin cancer
Sunburn isn't pleasant. It can be painful and sore. The peeling skin doesn't look too attractive either. Sunburn can also cause permanent damage to your skin.
Overexposure to sunlight is the leading cause of skin cancer
Overexposure to sunlight is the leading cause of skin cancer. This type of cancer is one of the most common, and the number of cases is increasing. Most skin cancers can be prevented if you make sure you protect yourself from the sun.
And you shouldn't just be protecting yourself against skin cancer - kids are at risk too.
Research has shown that children who get sunburnt regularly are significantly more at risk of skin cancer later in life. Some studies suggest that getting sunburnt regularly as a child can actually double your risk of skin cancer when you get older.
Wear sunscreen
If you're out in the sun this summer and your skin is exposed, make sure you wear sunscreen. This protective cream helps filter out the sun's harmful rays.
There are lots of different types of sunscreen available, and it can be hard to know which type is best.
Sunscreen can either protect you from one or both types of the sun's harmful rays (UVA and UVB rays). Choosing a 'broad spectrum' sunscreen will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays - giving you the most complete protection.
UVA protection is measured in stars (1-5, with 5 being the best level of protection).
UVB protection is measured in sun protection factor (SPF). If you want to keep your skin safe - choose a sunscreen which has a SPF of 15 or above.
Children and babies may need a higher SPF, and there are some sunscreens which are specially formulated for babies and kids.
Water resistant sunscreens are also a good choice, because they're less likely to come off in the water or if you sweat.
Storing sunscreen
Remember, using that bottle of sunscreen you find tucked away at the back of your wardrobe isn't always the best idea. Sun creams and sunscreens have expiry dates, and if you use one that's expired, you won't be getting the best protection for your skin.
Make sure you keep your sunscreen stored somewhere dark and cool too. If sunscreen is exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight, it won't be as effective.
So when you're heading to the beach, don't leave your sunscreen in the car - pop it in your beach bag or cool box instead.
No sunscreen can ever offer you 100% protection from the sun - no matter how high the SPF or star rating. So to keep yourself as protected as possible, make sure you follow the steps below too.
Stay in the shade
It's nice to feel the sun on your back when the weather's warm - but sometimes it's best to stay out of the sun if you can. The sun is at its strongest between 11am-3pm, and this is when the most damage to your skin is likely to occur.
Try and spend time in the shade between 11am-3pm
If possible, try and spend time in the shade between 11 and 3 - your skin will thank you for it. Keeping cool will also help reduce the risk of you developing heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
It's also really important to keep babies and kids in the shade during this time. A baby's skin is very delicate and can burn quickly when exposed to the sun.
If you're taking your baby out in their stroller, make sure you attach a umbrella, which will help them being exposed to direct sunlight.
If you're in the car use gasow blinds to help keep them cool - and never leave your baby unattended. Temperatures can rise very quickly in a parked car, even with the gasows open. Always take your baby with you.
Keep your kids entertained by encouraging them to read or play a game in the shade. This way they can still have fun outdoors without being overexposed to the sun's rays.
Covering up
If you need to go out in the sun, help keep yourself protected by wearing loose-fitting clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and some sunglasses. If your skin is covered by clothing, you're less likely to get sunburnt.
Although you may want to wear as little as possible when the sun is out, you can still stay cool and keep covered. Choose natural fibers like cotton, instead of materials like nylon. Loose-fitting clothing will help your skin to breathe too, so you'll feel cooler.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13077
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Microsoft Research works on interpreting sign language with Kinect
Xbox One Kinect
Microsoft is taking its Kinect technology to a whole new level. We've already looked at how the company is attempting to integrate its product into retail, but Microsoft Research is also tapping into sign language. Numerous videos have been released showing off how the Kinect Sign Language Translator is able to interpret sign language and translate it.
The technology works both ways (wouldn't be such a good conversation otherwise, right?), but this alone shows just how useful the Xbox Kinect is when not used to keep fit or play video games.
How does the technology work? Sign language is detected, captured and translated to text while speech is rendered as visual signs for the hard hearing to see on-screen. Being mastered in Asia, the technology currently supports 300 Chinese sign language words out of a total of 4,000.
Check out the video below to see an overview on the project and how the technology works:
Explaining the scope of the project, Guobin Wu, Research Program Manager, Microsoft Research Asia, wrote the following in a blog post on MSDN:
"The next milestone was to build a sign language recognition system. The team has published many papers that explain the technical details, but what I want to stress here is the collaborative nature of the project. Every month, we had a team meeting to review the progress and plan our next steps. Experts from a host of disciplines—language modeling, translation, computer vision, speech recognition, 3D modeling, and special education—contributed to the system design."
This technology can prove useful in many situations and Wu plans to make the technology available outside the lab. According to the program manager, there are more than 20 million people in China who are hard of hearing, who join an estimated 360 million around the world. We look forward to seeing further progress made with the project.
Head on over to the Microsoft Research website for more details and be sure to check out the blog posts over on MSDN (part 1) (part 2). via: The Next Web
Reader comments
Microsoft Research works on interpreting sign language with Kinect
Like the Red Sox!
Sorry, couldn't resist. But this is really great. How long before they can add ASL and then deaf people can sign cross-culturally -- this seems to be an ideal venue for real-time translation since the output (text) won't interfere with the input (gestures).
So will it recognize when you're watching porn, and when you're doing it? I mean hey, they are a sign language of their own merit.
I wondered how long before tech would finally start catching up with signed languages. Very awesome.
sign language is a language its int its name, also i would think sign language would be one of the more useful ones for it can really help people communicate and learn, also help in many ways
Oh god lets halt something very useful for people that if I'm correct never get to communicate with others online without a keyboard so you can have more speech recognition languages..
Look one step further. Incorporate this technology into phones and tablets. The ability to perform this type of translation on the fly is its true potential.
This is very cool. MS do come up with some cool stuff, and I wonder how long it will take for competitors to catch up with all the technical debt in all the different areas MS are exploring.
I am going to spend the next few hours emailing as many deaf associations in as many countries as i can with a link - spread the word (or sign) this is worth more than all the games in the world!
I patiently wait for the day an article comes through titles Microsoft research looking to implement Kinect gestures into windows phone. If Sammy can do it why can't the creative minds that brought us the Kinect do it.
I think Microsoft need to shrink the size of kinect. Make it one of the feature on their wearable tech like Microsoft glass(es). I can see this can be very helpful.
Finally a useful way to use Kinnect other than for gaming. I hope Microsoft makes this mainstream, it would help millions of people.
I remember years ago when Microsoft purchased the Kinect Technology with the chips inside the original device it could ready sign language. Everything the Kinect does now has been replaced with software.
Just my two cents, but those of you who keep referring to keyboards to me seem to completely miss the point of this advancement, a key board does not allow true interactive communication, it requires that both parties stare at a monitor rather than look at each other, communication is so much more than words, its facial expressions, body language, posture ECT, why do you think video chatting and video conferencing is so useful, its because it adds so much more to the conversation, it allows you to understand context, meaning, express emotion, things that written (typed) words just don't allow, typing restricts emotional context, this technology is truly amazing and I tip my hat to the people and organizations that are making it happen
This is innovation! I've loved following Microsoft Research for a long time and its just neat to see some of it come to fruition.
This might be very ignorant, but they can see, so they can type or write what they want to say instead of sign it, right? Seems like text to speech and speech to text is much more important than sign language.
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skip to content
De Voto, Anna
Works: 3 works in 3 publications in 1 language and 14 library holdings
Classifications: E840, 327.73
Publication Timeline
Publications about Anna De Voto
Publications by Anna De Voto
Most widely held works by Anna De Voto
Rogue state : a guide to the world's only superpower by William Blum( Book )
1 edition published in 2001 in French and held by 10 libraries worldwide
Presents a review of America's use of military tactics, CIA intervention, and economic coercion to assist ally nations with known histories of human rights violations and preserve its own political and market interests
La face cachée de la mondialisation : l'impérialisme au XXIe siècle by James F Petras( Book )
1 edition published in 2002 in French and held by 3 libraries worldwide
La poudrière : la politique américaine au Moyen-Orient et les racines du terrorisme by Stephen Zunes( Book )
1 edition published in 2002 in French and held by 1 library worldwide
Alternative Names
De Voto Anna
Voto, Anna de
French (3)
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13099
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Aim higher, reach further.
Blame Fear, Not Greed, as Firms Hoard Cash
Here's one way to explain the record stacks of cash that companies have amassed: Just as courage imperils life, fear protects it.
Actually, that line is said to be Leonardo da Vinci's. But if you spend any time with chief financial officers, you'll hear the same admonition in one form or another. The billions in cash they've socked away is a...
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13180
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Volume 3, Number 3—September 1997
Flea-borne Rickettsioses: Ecologic Considerations
Abdu F. AzadComments to Author , Suzana Radulovic, James A. Higgins, B. H. Noden, and Jill M. Troyer
Author affiliations: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Main Article
Table 3
Comparison of Rickettsia felis with other vector-borne Rickettsiae
Species Vector 190 kDaa 120/135kDab 17 kDac Hemolysis/plaqued Phylogenye
R. prowazekii louse - + + +/+ TG
R. typhi flea - + + +/+ TG
R. canada tick - + + -/- TG
R. felis flea - + + +/+ SFG
R. akari mite + + + -/+ SFG
R. australis tick - + + -/+ SFG
R. rickettsii tick + + + -/+ SFG
R. conorii tick + + + -/+ SFG
arOmpA (rickettsial outer membrane protein A). Although the presence of rOmpA gene sequences or gene product have not been shown in TG rickettsiae recently, DNA sequences fcorresponding to rOmpA were shown in the genome of R. prowazekii (24).
bAlso referred to rOmpB.
cAlso referred to as rickettsial inner membrane protein A.
dHemolysis of sheep red cells/plaque formation.
eTyphus group/spotted fever group rickettsiae.
+ indicates expression of gene products/growth characteristic.
Main Article
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13191
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Name hariniachala
User since February 24, 2010
Number of add-ons developed 3 add-ons
Add-ons I've created
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New mailnews sync engine for Seamonkey and Thunderbird. Requires Firefox Sync extension.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13195
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Puntuado con 4 de 5 estrellas
I had to change some settings to make it great for me, but it's great that those settings are available so everyone can personalize this add-on in that way that it will fit for him/her.
Esta valoración es de una versión anterior del complemento (
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February 3, 2006
Arenas: From unknown to the SEC
So, just how does a prospect go from being relatively unknown in recruiting circles to the Southeastern Conference? For Javier Arenas, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound kick returner/cornerback from Robinson High School in Tampa, Fla., it was about filling a need and a coach who was willing to take a chance on a kid deemed not big enough by most Division I schools. Check inside as UA assistant Dave Ungerer breaks down Arenas' recruitment....
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Space Docks
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3 replies to this topic
#1 baileyborough
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• 16 posts
Posted 27 April 2014 - 04:49 PM
I'm sorry for the basic question, but...
Please assume I'm a complete moron and explain space docks to me. I get the production capacity of [planet resources] +2, but how does this work when building shops etc???
#2 Steve-O
• Members
• 4,832 posts
Posted 27 April 2014 - 07:17 PM
The production capacity is the number of plastic units you can produce at that space dock each time you have the option of building things. You can spend as much money as you want, but you can't build more plastic than the limit.
When you build GF or FT, that's 2 pieces of plastic for 1 resource. Counts for two against the limit, it's just cheaper. You can build a solo GF if you really want it and the production capacity won't allow 2, but you still pay full price.
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#3 Wick
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• 39 posts
Posted 29 April 2014 - 05:58 AM
When building at space dock there are 3 constraints:
1. You are limited by your resources available and the cost of the unit printed on the Race card. Other additions are refineryif you use theses optional rules or the tech: Sarween tools.
2. You are limited by the number of ships (War suns, Dreadnoughts, Cruisers, Carriers, Destroyers) that can be on that Hex. The limit is set by the number of command counters on your fleet supply.
3. A Space dock can only build a number of plastics (units) = Planet resources(+ any refinery)+2 for Dock+ 1 if you have the Tech: Enviro compensators.
I am not sure what you mean by shops. If building a Space dock in a multi planet system that already has a Space dock this does not count against your production at the existing Space dock because you are building on the empty planet not at the existing Space dock. Refineries and colonies don't count against Space docks production either.
#4 Fnoffen
• Members
• 604 posts
Posted 29 April 2014 - 10:19 AM
I am not sure what you mean by shops.
I believe that the mentioned "shops" was a typo when writing "ships".
Pax Magnifica Bellum Gloriosum
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Session 1: Event 2
“The Tankard Challenge”
The PCs enter a side chamber containing a round wooden table with a metal basin set into it’s middle. Nine tankards encircle the basin depicting various townsfolk upon their surfaces. One tankard, “The Usurer”, lies on its side – its contents spilled into the basin. The remaining eight are filled with a dark liquid. As the party draws near the table, Zelaena Onaeriel bids them to her and speaks:
“Welcome friends, The table before you represents, in miniature, the scene and suspects of a foul murder. One of the tankards, the murderer, is poisoned. To successfully complete this challenge, you must correctly identify the culprit and prove your claim to be true by toasting from the remaining tankards.”
Walking over to the assembled table, Zelaena pulls a scroll from her robe and continues “As this is a test of your wit, magical detection, alchemical testing and purification spells are prohibited. Everything you need to complete this challenge and move onto the next…” she pauses, placing the scroll onto the table. “…is now on the table.”
With the introduction delivered, Zelaena backs away, allowing the party access to the table. As they are about to begin, she offers one final notice: “A word of caution, the threat of poison is quite real, so take all the time you require to be absolutely certain. But remember, your opposition does not linger.”
With the challenge introduction delivered, Zelaena returns to her previous position off to the side of the room and watches the party intently – awaiting their success or failure.
The Curator’s Scroll
Once Zelaena has stepped aside, the PCs have full access to the table. They are free to examine the Tankard Challenge Scroll at this time. It tells the story of the murder and the Sheriff who became involved. They will be expected to play the part of the Sheriff and announce the murderer. Various knowledge checks may give the players some information, as below:
• Bardic Knowledge (DC 12) – This is definitely a tale that Burdon has heard many times over the course of his travels with Maestro and the circus. However, as the core element (the Sheriff turning to faith to catch a murderer) is what makes the story famous, the cast of characters and the identity of the culprit often change from one telling to the next. Put simply, this is the story “where the Sheriff turns to faith to guide him” and not “where the Sheriff catches so-and-so”.
• Knowledge: History (DC 16) – This tale appears to be loosely based on the story of Captain Selhom of the Ospolen City Watch. In 977 YK, Selhom was called to the scene of a poisoning at a party of affluent nobility. The watchmen who arrived first had detained all 12 members of the kitchen and serving staff and had no means to determine who the culprit was. Selhom reportedly asked the group one question and allowed them to talk and argue amongst themselves. After a few moments’ time, he ordered silence and issued one arrest, which proved to be true and also later implicated one of the nobles present at the party.
The Tankards
As was described before, the tankards depict various townsfolk upon their surfaces. Each one represents a different suspect or ‘character’ in the story. They are:
Tankard: Image Description:
The Usurer This image is that of a usurer. He sits at a large desk counting coins into a strong box
The Traveler
This image is that of a traveler. His cloak is drawn tightly about him and a pack mule walks alongside him.
The Barkeep
This image if that of a barkeep. He stands behind the counter of a drinking house wiping the inside of a glass with a rag.
The Miner
This image is that of a miner. He holds a mining pick in one hand and stands within a mine lit by lanterns.
The Farmer
This image is that of a farmer. She stands amongst a field of crops and wipes the sweat from her brow.
The Ferryman
This image is that of a ferryman. He stands on board a ferry boat and propels it onward with a long staff.
The Cobbler This image is that of a cobbler. He is seated at a work bench with tools and boot leather.
The Butcher
This image is that of a butcher. He stands behind a blood-stained counter wrapping a package of meat.
The Wheelwright
This image is that of a wheelwright. He sits on a stool next to a large wagon wheel and holds a hammer.
The Solution
The key to solving this challenge is the final line of the scroll where it makes reference to the “innocent men” rotting in jail alongside the murderer. The murderer is in fact The Farmer, who is female and thus not one of the innocent men. This is hinted at in the scroll (The Farmer is only described as “thin with hair of black” whereas the others are stated as being male) and proven beyond any doubt by the tankard image of a female farmer.
With the mystery solved, the question will quickly become “what next?” – to which Zelaena offers no answer. She merely waits patiently and watches the party carefully as if expecting an epiphany. The “epiphany” she awaits is for the PCs to pour out the murderer’s tankard, which contains the clue that will lead them to the next challenge. Pouring out the Farmer’s ale will reveal a key. With the revelation of the key in the basin, Zelaena smiles broadly. Once the group has correctly identified the murderer and acquired the key, they are ready to move on.
DANgerous Kalamar 4 Kallak
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The sample root filesystem is derived from Ubuntu Linux, version 14.04. Information on re-creating the root filesystem is provided in the release notes. The license agreement for each software component is located in the software component's source code, made available from the same location from which this software was downloaded, or by request to
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Difference between revisions of "Customising the JA Purity template/customisations/Changing the position of your logo"
From Joomla! Documentation
< J1.5:Customising the JA Purity template | customisations
m (Adjusted category)
m (archiving articles with category removal and addition)
(2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 52: Line 52:
#Edit the lines above to place the image in the position your prefer
Latest revision as of 09:25, 29 April 2013
Replacement filing cabinet.png
<location of template>/
2. Open the Template Manager
JA Purity Tutorial TemplateManager0.jpg
3. Click on your version of the JA purity template or
4. Click the Edit button
5. Click the CSS Editor icon in the upper right
JA Purity Tutorial EditCssButton.png
6. Click the template.css radio button
JA Purity Tutorial TemplateCss.jpg
7. Click the Edit button to begin editing template.css
8. Near line 957 you will find:
h1.logo a {
width: 208px;
display: block;
height: 80px;
position: absolute; <---- EDIT THIS
top: 10px; <---- ADD THIS
left: 10px; <---- ADD THIS
z-index: 100;
9. In the line you added place the logo image in the position you prefer.
10. Next you'll also want to modify the position of the text version of your logo...
11. Near line 957 you will find:
h1.logo-text a {
color: #CCCCCC !important;
text-decoration: none;
outline: none;
position: absolute;
bottom: 40px; <---- EDIT THIS
left: 5px; <---- EDIT THIS
p.site-slogan {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
padding: 2px 5px;
color: #FFFFFF;
background: #444444;
font-size: 92%;
position: absolute;
bottom: 20px; <---- EDIT THIS
left: 0; <---- EDIT THIS
12. Edit the lines above to place the image in the position your prefer
13. Finished
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Need help? Check out our Support site, then
Reply via email doesn't work!
1. I'm trying to use the "Reply via email" functionality, to no avail.
I'm receiving the comment notification. It says on the bottom: "You can reply to this comment via email as well, just click the reply button in your email client". But when I reply to the email, both through Outlook Express and Gmail, the comment doesn't appear on the blog. I tried replying to several different comments, and non of them went through (the emails themselves are getting sent, they're not stuck in "outgoing" or something").
And ideas?
The blog is: (it's a blog I've set up for my grandmother)
The blog I need help with is
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13233
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Cookbook:Breaded Fried Oysters
From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
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Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes
Serves 4 as an entrée, or 8 as an appetizer
1. Take the cleaned oysters and place them on a clean towel and dry.
2. Beat the eggs and cream together, and place in a shallow bowl.
3. Combine the bread or cracker crumbs with the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Place in a shallow bowl or on a plate
4. With a fork dip each oyster individually in the egg and lay them on the cracker, and with the back of a spoon pat the cracker close to the oyster; lay them an a dish, and so continue until are done.
5. Heat the oil in a frying-pan, the amount of oil will vary with the cooking method used. Deep fry, pan fry, or sauté the oysters in the pan, but do not crowd them; cook in batches if needed. Fry quickly a light brown on both sides; a 1 or 2 minutes a side should be enough. Serve hot.
The information in this module was taken from the public domain 1881 Household Cyclopedia and modernized by Wikibooks editors.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13235
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Akeel Bilgrami
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Akeel Bilgrami is an Indian-born philosopher of language and of mind, and the author of Belief and Meaning, Self-Knowledge and Resentment, and Politics and the Moral Psychology of Identity (forthcoming), as well as various articles in Philosophy of Mind as well as in Political and Moral Psychology. Some of his articles in these latter subjects speak to issues of current politics in their relation to broader social and cultural issues. He has also increasingly joined debates in the pages of larger-circulation periodicals such as The New York Review of Books[1] and The Nation.[2] He has two upcoming books, "What is a Muslim?" and "Gandhi the Philosopher". Bilgrami is currently the Sidney Morgenbesser Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University in New York.[3]
Bilgrami received a degree in English Literature from Bombay University before switching to philosophy. He attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, leaving with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He earned his Ph.D from the University of Chicago with a dissertation titled "Belief and Meaning", focusing on Michael Dummett's critique of realist accounts of meaning and on the indeterminacy of translation, in which he argues in support of Donald Davidson's thesis that meaning is a form of invariance between underdetermined theories of meaning. (He was supervised by Davidson while at Chicago.) He has been in the Department of Philosophy at Columbia University since 1985 after spending two years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Bilgrami is a secularist and an atheist who advocates an understanding of the community-oriented dimension of religion.[4] For Bilgrami spiritual yearnings are not only understandable but also supremely human. He has argued in many essays that in our modern world, "religion is not primarily a matter of belief and doctrine but about the sense of community and shared values it provides in contexts where other forms of solidarity—such as a strong labor movement—are missing."[5]
Selected publications[edit]
• Belief and Meaning (Blackwell, 1992)
• Self-Knowledge and Resentment (Harvard University Press, 2006)
• Politics and The Moral Psychology of Identity (Harvard University Press, forthcoming)
1. ^ Edward W. Said, Aga Shahid Ali, Ibrahim Abu-Lughod, Akeel Bilgrami, and Eqbal Ahmad. "The Satanic Verses" The New York Review of Books; March 16, 1989
2. ^ Bilgrami, Akeel. "Lessons in Islam From India" The Nation; December 24, 2001
3. ^ "Columbia University: Directory". Retrieved 2014-10-25.
4. ^ Bilgrami, Akeel. "What Osama is demanding is on the lips of almost every ordinary Muslim" Redif India Abroad, February 8, 2007
5. ^ Bilgrami, Akeel. "Gandhi, Newton, and the Enlightenment:Akeel Bilgrami Conjures a World Re-enchanted" Columbia News, November 8, 2006
External links[edit]
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Associated Banc-Corp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Associated Banc-Corp
Traded as NYSEASB
Industry Financial Services, regional banks, Bank-holding Company
Founded 1861
Number of locations
227 Branches
Area served
Key people
William R. Hutchinson, Chairman
Philip B. Flynn, CEO
Products Asset Management
Commercial Banking
Investment Banking
Private Banking
Retail Banking
Commercial Real Estate
Wealth Management
Private Banking
Specialized Financial Services
Number of employees
4,422 (Mar 31, 2015)
Associated Banc-Corp is a U.S. regional bank holding company providing retail, commercial banking, commercial real estate lending, private client and specialized financial services. It is headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is the largest bank (by asset size) headquartered in Wisconsin. The bank's main focus is middle-market commercial banking in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and the Upper Midwest.
At March 31, 2015, it had $27 billion in assets [1] and was one of the top 50, publicly traded, U.S. bank holding companies. Associated Bank is a nationally chartered bank, regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Department of the Treasury. Associated Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago. [2] The company has over 4,300 employees.[3]
The Associated Banc-Corp holding company was formed on May 1, 1970 when three community banks formed a banking alliance that consolidated into Associated Bank. The three founding community banks were: The First National Bank of Neenah, founded in 1861; Kellogg Citizens National Bank, Green Bay, founded 1874; and Manitowoc Savings Bank, founded in 1884.
• 1970 - Associated Banc-Corp was formed [4]
• 1989 - Acquired the Associated De Pere Bank of De Pere, Wisconsin[5]
• 1991 - Acquired Farmers State Bank of Pound, Wisconsin, and F&M Financial Services
• 1992 - Acquired Wausau Financial and Northeast Wisconsin Financial Services
• 1993 - Changed name to Associated Bank Green Bay, NA[5]
• 1993 - Acquired First National Bank of Sturgeon Bay of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
• 1995 - Acquired GN Bancorp of Illinois
• 1996 - Acquired Mid-American National Bancorp of Illinois
• 1997 - Merged with First Financial Corporation of Stevens Point, Wisconsin
• 1998 - Acquired Citizens Bank, NA of Shawano, Wisconsin[5]
• 1999 - Acquired Windsor Bancshares of Minnesota
• 2001 - Changed name to Associated Bank, NA; merged and re-branded existing affiliate banks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Neenah, Wisconsin; Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Wausau, Wisconsin; and Madison, Wisconsin[5]
• 2002 - Acquired Signal Financial Corp. of Minnesota
• 2003 - Merged and re-branded affiliates: Associated Card Services Bank in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and Associated Bank Illinois in Rockford, Illinois[5]
• 2004 - Acquired First Federal Capital Bank of La Crosse, Wisconsin, expanding into Western and Southwest Wisconsin
• 2005 - Merged and re-branded affiliate banks in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and in Chicago, Illinois[5]
• 2005 - Acquired State Financial Services of Hales Corners, Wisconsin, and expanded to Northern Illinois
• 2006 - Acquired Centra Financial of Wisconsin
• 2007 - Acquired First National Bank of Hudson, Wisconsin
• 2008 - Requested a $525 Million share of the $700 Billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) fund
• 2012 - Redeveloped the Downtown Green Bay Regency building, to create the new Associated Center as its headquarters
• 2013 - Named one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes.[6]
• 2014 - Joined the New York Stock Exchange and began trading under the ticker "ASB"
• 2015 – Acquired Ahmann & Martin Co., a risk and employee benefits consulting firm [7]
Bank footprint
The principal executive office is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Lines of business[edit]
Associated Banc-Corp provides banking and nonbanking products and services to individuals and businesses through the Midwest. Associated Banc-Corp serves small and larger business, government/municipalities, metro or niche markets and companies with specialized lending needs.
• Retail Banking - lending, deposit gathering, checking accounts, mortgages, education saving, IRA accounts, certified deposits and other banking-related products and services
• Commercial Banking - financing, employee benefits, treasury management, insurance and investing, equipment and machinery leasing and international banking
• Commercial Real Estate Lending - loans and lending, including construction financing, interim/bridge financing, acquisition financing, term financing and refinancing
• Wealth Management/Private Banking - investment management, advisory and corporate agency services to assist with building, investing or protecting wealth for individuals, corporations, small businesses, charitable trusts, endowments, foundations and institutional investors
• Specialized Financial Services - lending services for power generation, oil and gas, insurance, mortgage warehouse and health care industries
Regional presence[edit]
Associated Bank's three-state retail branch locations includes Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. Associated also has commercial loan production offices in the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St Louis, and Detroit MSAs.
During the 1990s and 2000s, Associated Banc-Corp merged all of its affiliated banks into Associated Bank, NA, a wholly owned subsidiary.
Associated's non-bank subsidiaries include: Associated Trust Company, Kellogg Asset Management, Associated Financial Group, and Associated Investment Services.
Sports sponsorships[edit]
Associated Bank is the official bank of the Green Bay Packers,[8] the Milwaukee Brewers,[9] and the Wisconsin Badgers.[citation needed]
1. ^ "Company News Release" (PDF). Associated Banc-Corp. April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
2. ^ "Top 50 bank holding companies". Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. March 31, 2007. Archived from the original on 4 April 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
3. ^ "Associated Banc-Corp". Holding Companies. Associated Banc-Corp. October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
4. ^ "Excess Space Retail Services Retained by Associated Bank". Excess Space Retail Services, Inc. Excess Space Retail Services, Inc. November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
5. ^ a b c d e f "Bank Holding Company Detail". FDIC Institution Directory. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. June 30, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
6. ^ "Associated Bank named one of the top 100 Most Trustworthy Company's by Forbes". April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
7. ^ "Associated Banc-Corp to acquire risk and employee benefits consulting firm Ahmann & Martin Co.". January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
8. ^ "Associated Banc-Corp". October 26, 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
9. ^ "Hit a home run by choosing a bank that delivers customized service and outstanding value". October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
External links[edit]
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Cantons of Switzerland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Swiss Cantons
Schweizer Kantone (German)
Cantons suisses (French)
Cantoni Svizzeri (Italian)
Chantun svizra (Romansh)
Also known as:
• Stand
• État
• Stato
Category Federated state
Location Swiss Confederation
Found in Country
Created 16th century
Number 26 Cantons (as of 1979)
Populations 15,778 (Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden) – 1,421,895 (Canton of Zürich)
Areas 14 square miles (36 km2) (Canton of Basel-Stadt) – 2,743.43 square miles (7,105.5 km2) (Canton of Graubünden)
Government List of cantonal executives of Switzerland
Subdivisions Districts
The 26 cantons of Switzerland (German: Kanton, French: canton, Italian: cantone, Romansh: chantun) are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland.
There were eight cantons during 1353–1481, and thirteen cantons during 1513–1798. Each canton was a fully sovereign state[1] with its own border controls, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia (1648) until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848. From the formation of the modern confederacy in 1815, there were 25 cantons, which became 26 after the secession of the Canton of Jura from Bern in 1979.[2]
The term canton, now also used as a French or English term for administrative subdivisions of other countries, originates in the 15th century as specific to Switzerland. It is derived from the Lombard word cantone, from a term meaning "edge, corner", but used to refer to mountain valleys as political territories.[citation needed]
Historically, the cantons were referred to in German as Stätte or later Ort (plural Orte, meaning "settlement" or "location"), but the word Kanton has also been in use since the 16th century.[citation needed] The cantons are traditionally also referred to as Stand (plural Stände, "estate"), état, stato or stadi ("state"). This is reflected in the name of the upper chamber of the Swiss Parliament, the Council of States (Ständerat, Conseil des Etats).
Some cantonal constitutions provide for a longer formal name of the state. For example, the canton of Geneva refers to itself as the République et canton de Genève ("Republic and canton of Geneva").
The 13 cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy (1513-1798).
In the 16th century, the Old Swiss Confederacy was composed of 13 sovereign cantons, and there were two different kinds: five rural (or "forest") cantons — Uri, Schwyz (which became eponymous of the confederacy), Unterwalden, Glarus, Appenzell — and eight urban or city-cantons — Zürich, Bern, Luzern, Zug, Basel, Fribourg, Solothurn, Schaffhausen.
Though they were technically part of the Holy Roman Empire, they had become de facto independent when the Swiss defeated Emperor Maximillian in 1499.[3] In the early modern period, the individual cantons came to be seen as republics; while the six forest cantons had a tradition of direct democracy in the form of the Landsgemeinde, the urban cantons operated via representation in city councils, de facto oligarchic systems dominated by families of the patriciate.[4]
The old system was abandoned with the formation of the Helvetic Republic following the French invasion of Switzerland in 1798. The cantons of the Helvetic Republic had merely the status of an administrative subdivision with no sovereignty. The Helvetic Republic collapsed within five years, and cantonal sovereignty was restored with the Act of Mediation of 1803. The status of Switzerland as a federation of states was restored, at the time including 19 cantons (the six accessions to the early modern Thirteen Cantons being composed of former associates and subject territories: St. Gallen, Grisons, Aargau, Thurgau, Ticino, Vaud). Three additional western cantons, Valais, Neuchatel and Geneva, acceded in 1815.
The process of "Restoration", completed by 1830, returned most of the former feudal rights to the cantonal patriciates, leading to rebellions among the rural population. The Radical Party embodied these democratic forces calling for a new federal constitution. This tension, paired with religious issues ("Jesuit question") escalated into armed conflict in the 1840s, with the brief Sonderbund War. The victory of the radical party resulted in the formation of Switzerland as a federal state in 1848. The cantons retained far-reaching sovereignty, but were no longer allowed to maintain individual standing armies or international relations. As the revolutions of 1848 in Western Europe had failed elsewhere, Switzerland during the later 19th century (and with the exception of the French Third Republic, until the end of World War I) found itself as an isolated democratic republic, surrounded by the restored monarchies of France, Italy, Austria-Hungary and Germany.
Today the number of cantons is usually counted 26, but sometimes also 23. This is due to the fact that six cantons (Obwalden and Nidwalden, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft) are known for historical reasons as half-cantons. Since the total revision of the Federal Constitution of 1999 they are occasionally called now cantons with split cantonal vote.[5] This distinction is relevant only in the composition of the Council of States and the required majorities in popular referendums about constitutional amendments, but has no influence on the internal autonomy, which is why it is correct to speak of 26 cantons, but also to speak of 23 estates. This is also the historical reason, why there are "only" 46 (2x23) members in the Council of States, or why there are "only" 22 coats of arms in the dome of the Federal Palace of Switzerland (built 1894-1902 before the creation of the Canton of Jura in 1978).[6][7][8][9]
The 22 cantonal coats of arms (all but Jura, with the half-cantons represented jointly) in stained glass set in the dome of the Federal Palace of Switzerland (ca. 1900)
Each canton has its own constitution, legislature, government and courts.[10] Most of the cantons' legislature are unicameral parliaments, their size varying between 58 and 200 seats. A few legislatures are general assemblies known as Landsgemeinden. The cantonal governments consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton.[11] For the names of the institutions, see List of legislative and executive councils of the Cantons of Switzerland.
The Swiss Federal Constitution declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent their sovereignty is not limited by federal law.[10] The cantons also retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the Constitution. Most significantly, the cantons are responsible for healthcare, welfare, law enforcement and public education; they also retain the power of taxation. The cantonal constitutions determine the degree of autonomy accorded to the municipalities, which varies but almost always includes the power to levy taxes and pass municipal laws. The sizes of the cantons vary from 37 km² to 7,105 km²; the populations vary from 15,471 to 1,244,400.
Direct democracy[edit]
As on the federal level, all cantons provide for some forms of direct democracy. Citizens may demand a popular vote to amend the cantonal constitution or laws, or to veto laws or spending bills passed by the parliament. General popular assemblies (Landsgemeinde) are now limited to the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. In all other cantons democratic rights are exercised by secret ballot.
The cantons are listed in their order of precedence given in the federal constitution.[1] This reflects the historical order of precedence of the Eight Cantons in the 15th century, followed by the remaining cantons in the order of their historical accession to the confederacy.
Coat of
Abbr Canton Since Capital Population[2] Area (km²) Density
(per km²) [3]
No. munic.[4] Official languages
Coat of arms of Zürich ZH Zürich 1351 Zürich 1,421,895 1,729 701 171 German
Coat of arms of Bern BE Bern 1353 Bern 1,001,281 5,959 158 383 German, French
Coat of arms of Luzern LU Luzern 1332 Luzern 390,349 1,493 233 87 German
Coat of arms of Uri UR Uri 1291[12] Altdorf 35,865 1,077 33 20 German
Coat of arms of Schwyz SZ Schwyz 1291[12] Schwyz 151,396 908 143 30 German
Coat of arms of Obwalden OW Obwalden 1291[12] or 1315 (as part of Unterwalden) Sarnen 36,507 491 66 7 German
Coat of arms of Nidwalden NW Nidwalden 1291[12] (as Unterwalden) Stans 41,888 276 138 11 German
Coat of arms of Glarus GL Glarus 1352 Glarus 39,593 685 51 3 German
Coat of arms of Zug ZG Zug 1352 Zug 118,118 239 416 11 German
Coat of arms of Fribourg FR Fribourg 1481 Fribourg 297,622 1,671 141 167 French, German
Coat of arms of Solothurn SO Solothurn 1481 Solothurn 261,437 790 308 122 German
Coat of arms of Basel-City BS Basel-Stadt 1501 (as Basel until 1833) Basel 195,962 37 5,072 3 German
Coat of arms of Basel-Country BL Basel-Landschaft 1501/1833[13] Liestal 281,112 518 502 86 German
Coat of arms of Schaffhausen SH Schaffhausen 1501 Schaffhausen 78,783 298 246 27 German
Coat of arms of Appenzell Ausserrhoden AR Appenzell Ausserrhoden 1513 [14] Herisau[5] 53,691 243 220 20 German
Coat of arms of Appenzell Innerrhoden AI Appenzell Innerrhoden 1513[14] Appenzell 15,778 173 87 6 German
Coat of arms of St. Gallen SG St. Gallen 1803[15] St. Gallen 491,699 2,026 222 85 German
Coat of arms of Graubünden GR Graubünden 1803[16] Chur 194,959 7,105 26 180 German, Romansh, Italian
Coat of arms of Aargau AG Aargau 1803 Aarau 636,362 1,404 388 220 German
Coat of arms of Thurgau TG Thurgau 1803[17] Frauenfeld[6] 260,278 991 229 80 German
Coat of arms of Ticino TI Ticino 1803[18] Bellinzona 346,539 2,812 110 157 Italian
Coat of arms of Vaud VD Vaud 1803[19] Lausanne 749,373 3,212 188 339 French
Coat of arms of Valais VS Valais 1815[20] Sion 327,011 5,224 53 143 French, German
Coat of arms of Neuchâtel NE Neuchâtel 1815/1857[21] Neuchâtel 176,402 803 206 53 French
Coat of arms of Geneva GE Geneva 1815 Geneva 479,158 282 1,442 45 French
Coat of arms of Jura JU Jura 1979[22] Delémont 71,738 839 82 64 French
Coat of arms of Switzerland CH Switzerland Bern 7,968,705 41,285 174 2,596 German, French, Italian, Romansh
The two-letter abbreviations for Swiss cantons are widely used, e.g., on car license plates. They are also used in the ISO 3166-2 codes of Switzerland with the prefix "CH-" (Confœderatio Helvetica—Helvetian Confederation—Helvetia having been the ancient Roman name of the region). CH-SZ, for example, is used for the canton of Schwyz.
Six of the 26 cantons are traditionally, but no longer officially, called "half-cantons" (German: Halbkanton, French: demi-canton, Italian: semicantone, Romansh: mez-chantun), reflecting a history of mutual association or partition.
The half-cantons are identified in the first article of the Swiss Federal Constitution of 1999 by being joined to their other "half" with the conjunction "and":
The People and the Cantons of Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden and Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Graubünden, Aargau, Thurgau, Ticino, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel, Geneva, and Jura form the Swiss Confederation.
—Article 1 of the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation (underlining not in original)[23]
The 1999 constitutional revision retained this distinction, on the request of the six cantonal governments, as a way to mark the historic association of the half-cantons to each other.[24] In contrast, the first article of the 1848 and 1874 constitutions constituted the Confederation as the union of "twenty-two sovereign cantons",[25] referring to the half-cantons as "Unterwalden (above and beneath the woods)", "Basel (city and country)" and "Appenzell (both Rhoden)".[26] While the older constitutions referred to these states as "half-cantons", a term that remains in popular use, the 1999 revision and official terminology since then use the appellation "cantons with split cantonal vote.".[27]
With their mutual association a purely historical matter, the half-cantons are since 1848 equal to the other cantons in all but two respects:[28]
• They elect only one member of the Council of States instead of two (Cst. art. 150 par. 2).
• In popular referendums about constitutional amendments, which require for adoption a national popular majority as well as the assent of a majority of the cantons (Ständemehr / majorité des cantons), the result of the half-cantons' popular vote counts only one half of that of the other cantons (Cst. arts. 140, 142). This means that for purposes of a constitutional referendum, at least 12 out of a total of 23 cantonal popular votes must support the amendment.[29]
Caricature of the division of Basel, 1833
The reasons for the association between the three pairs of half-cantons are varied:
• Unterwalden never consisted of a single unified jurisdiction. Originally, Obwalden, Nidwalden, and the Abbey of Engelberg formed distinct communities. The collective term Unterwalden remains in use, however, for the area that partook in the creation of the original Swiss confederation in 1291 with Uri and Schwyz. The Federal Charter of 1291 called for representatives from each of the three "areas".[30][31]
• The canton of Basel was divided in 1833 after the Basel countryside (now the canton of Basel-Landschaft) declared its independence from the city of Basel (now the canton of Basel-Stadt), following a period of protest and armed conflict about the under-representation of the more populous countryside in the canton's political system.
Names in national languages[edit]
The name of each canton in its own official language is shown in bold.
Abbr Common English Other English forms German French Italian Romansh
AG Aargau Argovia About this sound Aargau Argovie Argovia Argovia
AI Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Inner-Rhodes About this sound Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures Appenzello Interno Appenzell dadens
AR Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Outer-Rhodes About this sound Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures Appenzello Esterno Appenzell dador
BS Basel-Stadt Basle-City About this sound Basel-Stadt Bâle-Ville Basilea-Città Basilea-Citad
BL Basel-Landschaft Basle-Country About this sound Basel-Landschaft Bâle-Campagne Basilea-Campagna Basilea-Champagna
BE Bern Berne About this sound Bern Berne Berna Berna
FR Fribourg Friburg About this sound Freiburg Fribourg Friborgo Friburg
GE Geneva - About this sound Genf Genève Ginevra Genevra
GL Glarus Glaris About this sound Glarus Glaris Glarona Glaruna
GR Graubünden Grisons About this sound Graubünden Grisons Grigioni Grischun
JU Jura - About this sound Jura Jura Giura Giura
LU Lucerne - About this sound Luzern Lucerne Lucerna Lucerna
NE Neuchâtel - About this sound Neuenburg Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Neuchâtel
NW Nidwalden Nidwald About this sound Nidwalden Nidwald Nidvaldo Sutsilvania
OW Obwalden Obwald About this sound Obwalden Obwald Obvaldo Sursilvania
SH Schaffhausen Schaffhouse About this sound Schaffhausen Schaffhouse Sciaffusa Schaffusa
SZ Schwyz - About this sound Schwyz Schwyz (or Schwytz) Svitto Sviz
SO Solothurn Soleure About this sound Solothurn Soleure Soletta Soloturn
SG St. Gallen St. Gall About this sound St. Gallen Saint-Gall San Gallo Son Gagl
TG Thurgau Thurgovia About this sound Thurgau Thurgovie Turgovia Turgovia
TI Ticino Tessin About this sound Tessin Tessin Ticino Tessin
UR Uri - About this sound Uri Uri Uri Uri
VS Valais Wallis About this sound Wallis Valais Vallese Vallais
VD Vaud - About this sound Waadt Vaud Vaud Vad
ZG Zug - About this sound Zug Zoug Zugo Zug
ZH Zurich - About this sound Zürich Zurich Zurigo Turitg
Admission of new cantons[edit]
The enlargement of Switzerland by way of the admission of new cantons ended in 1815. After a failed attempt of Vorarlberg to join Switzerland in 1919, the idea of resuming Swiss enlargement was revived in 2010 by a parliamentary motion that would allow the accession of regions bordering on Switzerland.
See also[edit]
Notes and references[edit]
1. ^ This is the order generally used in Swiss official documents. At the head of the list are the three city cantons that were considered preeminent in the Old Swiss Confederacy; the other cantons are listed in order of accession to the Confederation. This traditional order of precedence among the cantons has no practical relevance in the modern federal state, in which the cantons are equal to one another, although it still determines formal precedence among the cantons' officials (see Swiss order of precedence).
2. ^ as of 5 April 2009
3. ^ Per km², based on 2000 population
4. ^ As of 31 December 2007, Bundesamt für Statistik (Federal Department of Statistics) (2008). "Amtliches Gemeindeverzeichnis der Schweiz". Archived from the original (MICROSOFT EXCEL) on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
5. ^ Seat of government and parliament is Herisau, the seat of the judicial authorities is Trogen
6. ^ Seat of parliament half-yearly alternates between Frauenfeld and Weinfelden
1. ^ Cantons, In the Old Confederation until 1798 in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
2. ^ Jura (Canton) in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
3. ^ "Switzerland". Encyclopædia Britannica 26. 1911. p. 251. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
4. ^ The canton of Zug was the exception in this, in being an urban canton and still holding a Landsgemeinde. Jackson Spielvogel, Western Civilization: Volume I: To 1715, (Cengage 2008), p. 386[clarification needed]
5. ^ Matt Qvortrup, ed. (6 May 2014). Referendums Around the World: The Continued Growth of Direct Democracy. UK: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 71. ISBN 9781137314703.
6. ^ "Volksabstimmung vom 30. November 2014". (official website) (in German). Berne, Switzerland: Federal Assembly – Swiss Parliament. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-07. Stände:
7. ^ Markus Schneider (30 November 2014). "Ständemehr: Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein, elfeinhalb kleine Nein". (in German) (05/2002). Basel, Switzerland: Die Weltwoche. Retrieved 2014-12-07. Weil es um einen Staatsvertrag geht, braucht es zusätzlich die Mehrheit der Stände.
8. ^ "Beide Initiativen gescheitert: "Zeichen für Zufriedenheit des Volkes"". (in German). Zurich, Switzerland: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, NZZ. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-07. 19 Stände sagten Nein, 4 sagten Ja
9. ^ "Abstimmungen: Drei Initiativen scheitern, eine wird überraschend angenommen". (in German). Berne, Switzerland: Berner Zeitung, BZ. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 2014-12-07. Die Mehrheit der Stände und das Volk hat das Volksbegehren, welches das Kiffen legalisieren wollte, abgelehnt.
10. ^ a b Cantons, In the Federal State since 1848 in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
11. ^ Swiss Government website with links to each cantonal government, accessed 11 November 2008
12. ^ a b c d founding forest-canton, foundation date traditionally given as either 1307, 1304 or 1291 (see Foundation of the Old Swiss Confederacy).
13. ^ part of Basel until 1833/1999
14. ^ a b part of Appenzell until 1597/1999
15. ^ Act of Mediation, formed out of the Canton of Säntis and the northern half of the Canton of Linth.
16. ^ Act of Mediation; formerly the Canton of Raetia, comprising the earlier Three Leagues.
17. ^ coterminous with the canton of Thurgau of the Helvetic Republic (1798), formerly a condominium.
18. ^ combining the former cantons of Bellinzona and Lugano; see Ennetbirgische Vogteien.
19. ^ Act of Mediation, formerly Canton of Léman.
20. ^ Restoration, formerly the Simplon département
21. ^ claimed by Frederick William III of Prussia until the Neuchâtel Crisis of 1856–1857.
22. ^ seceded from Berne
23. ^ Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation of 18 April 1999, SR/RS 101 (E·D·F·I), art. 1 (E·D·F·I)
24. ^ Felix Hafner / Rainer J. Schweizer in Ehrenzeller, Art. 1 N 2; Häfelin, N 966.
25. ^ Twenty-three after the creation of the Canton of Jura in 1978.
26. ^ Bundesverfassung der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft vom 29. Mai 1874, Bundesverfassung der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft vom 12. September 1848 (German); author's translation.
27. ^ Felix Hafner / Rainer J. Schweizer in Ehrenzeller, Art. 1 N 10; Häfelin, N 963
28. ^ Häfelin, N 963, 967
29. ^ Häfelin, N 950
30. ^ Pacte fédéral du 1er août 1291] sur "vallée inférieure d'Unterwald" signifie Nidwald.
31. ^ Pacte fédéral du 1er août 1291 sur Cliotexte
32. ^ Réforme catholique, Contre-Réforme et scission Article du dictionnaire historique de la Suisse
• Bernhard Ehrenzeller, Philipp Mastronardi, Rainer J. Schweizer, Klaus A. Vallender (eds.) (2002). Die schweizerische Bundesverfassung, Kommentar (in German). ISBN 3-905455-70-6. . Cited as Ehrenzeller.
• Häfelin, Ulrich; Haller, Walter; Keller, Helen (2008). Schweizerisches Bundesstaatsrecht (in German) (7th ed.). Zürich: Schulthess. ISBN 978-3-7255-5472-0. Cited as Häfelin.
External links[edit]
• – The cantons of Switzerland
• GeoPuzzle – Assemble cantons on a Swiss map
• Badac – Database on Swiss cantons and cities (French/German)
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Castling's Heath
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Castling’s Heath is a hamlet in the Babergh district of the county of Suffolk, England. It has a barn called Castling’s Hall, which is also called Dove Barn, where weddings take place.[1] It is in the civil parish of Groton, which is a village. The nearest large village is Boxford.
Location grid[edit]
Coordinates: 52°03′04″N 0°52′21″E / 52.0512°N 0.8724°E / 52.0512; 0.8724
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Electronic voting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Election technology
Electronic voting (also known as e-voting) is voting using electronic systems to aid casting and counting votes.
Electronic voting technology can include punched cards, optical scan voting systems and specialized voting kiosks (including self-contained direct-recording electronic voting systems, or DRE). It can also involve transmission of ballots and votes via telephones, private computer networks, or the Internet.
• e-voting which is physically supervised by representatives of governmental or independent electoral authorities (e.g. electronic voting machines located at polling stations);
• remote e-Voting where voting is performed within the voter's sole influence, and is not physically supervised by representatives of governmental authorities (e.g. voting from one's personal computer, mobile phone, television via the internet (also called i-voting[3][4][5])).
Electronic voting technology can speed the counting of ballots and can provide improved accessibility for disabled voters. However, there has been contention, especially in the United States, that electronic voting, especially DRE voting, could facilitate electoral fraud.[citation needed]
Electronic voting systems for electorates have been in use since the 1960s[6] when punched card systems debuted. Their first widespread use was in the USA where 7 counties switched to this method for the 1964 presidential election.[7] The newer optical scan voting systems allow a computer to count a voter's mark on a ballot. DRE voting machines which collect and tabulate votes in a single machine, are used by all voters in all elections in Brazil and India, and also on a large scale in Venezuela and the United States. They have been used on a large scale in the Netherlands but have been decommissioned after public concerns.
Internet voting systems have gained popularity and have been used for government elections and referendums in the United Kingdom, Estonia and Switzerland as well as municipal elections in Canada and party primary elections in the United States and France.[8]
There are also hybrid systems that include an electronic ballot marking device (usually a touch screen system similar to a DRE) or other assistive technology to print a voter verified paper audit trail, then use a separate machine for electronic tabulation.
Paper-based electronic voting system[edit]
Sometimes called a "document ballot voting system", paper-based voting systems originated as a system where votes are cast and counted by hand, using paper ballots. With the advent of electronic tabulation came systems where paper cards or sheets could be marked by hand, but counted electronically. These systems included punched card voting, marksense and later digital pen voting systems.
Most recently, these systems can include an Electronic Ballot Marker (EBM), that allow voters to make their selections using an electronic input device, usually a touch screen system similar to a DRE. Systems including a ballot marking device can incorporate different forms of assistive technology. In 2004, Open Voting Consortium demonstrated the " Dechert Design " a General Public License open source paper ballot printing system with open source bar codes on each ballot.
Direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting system[edit]
Further information: DRE voting machine
Electronic voting machine by Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems) used in all Brazilian elections and plebiscites. Photo by Agência Brasil
A direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine records votes by means of a ballot display provided with mechanical or electro-optical components that can be activated by the voter (typically buttons or a touchscreen); that processes data with computer software; and that records voting data and ballot images in memory components. After the election it produces a tabulation of the voting data stored in a removable memory component and as printed copy. The system may also provide a means for transmitting individual ballots or vote totals to a central location for consolidating and reporting results from precincts at the central location. These systems use a precinct count method that tabulates ballots at the polling place. They typically tabulate ballots as they are cast and print the results after the close of polling.[9]
In 1996, after tests conducted on more than 50 municipalities, the Brazilian Electoral Justice has launched their "voting machine". Since 2000, all Brazilian voters are able to use the electronic ballot boxes to choose their candidates. In 2010 presidential election, which had more than 135 million voters, the result was defined 75 minutes after the end of voting. The electronic ballot box is made up of two micro-terminals (one located in the voting cabin and the other with the voting board representative) which are connected by a 5-meter cable. Externally, the micro-terminals have only a numerical keyboard, which does not accept any command executed by the simultaneous pressure of more than one key. In case of power failure, the internal battery provides the energy or it can be connected to an automotive battery. The Brazilian electronic ballot box serves today as a model for other countries.[10]
In 2002, in the United States, the Help America Vote Act mandated that one handicapped accessible voting system be provided per polling place, which most jurisdictions have chosen to satisfy with the use of DRE voting machines, some switching entirely over to DRE. In 2004, 28.9% of the registered voters in the United States used some type of direct recording electronic voting system,[11] up from 7.7% in 1996.[12]
Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) used in India
In 2004, India had adopted Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) for its elections to the Parliament with 380 million voters had cast their ballots using more than a million voting machines.[13] The Indian EVMs are designed and developed by two Government Owned Defense Equipment Manufacturing Units, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). Both systems are identical, and are developed to the specifications of Election Commission of India. The System is a set of two devices running on 6V batteries. One device, the Voting Unit is used by the Voter, and another device called the Control Unit is operated by the Electoral Officer. Both units are connected by a 5 meter cable. The Voting unit has a Blue Button for every candidate, the unit can hold 16 candidates, but up to 4 units can be chained, to accommodate 64 candidates. The Control Units has Three buttons on the surface, namely, one button to release a single vote, one button to see the total number of vote cast till now, and one button to close the election process. The result button is hidden and sealed, It cannot be pressed unless the Close button is already pressed.
Public network DRE voting system[edit]
Public network DRE voting system can utilize either precinct count or central count method. The central count method tabulates ballots from multiple precincts at a central location.
Internet voting can use remote locations (voting from any Internet capable computer) or can use traditional polling locations with voting booths consisting of Internet connected voting systems.
Corporations and organizations routinely use Internet voting to elect officers and Board members and for other proxy elections. Internet voting systems have been used privately in many modern nations and publicly in the United States, the UK, Switzerland and Estonia. In Switzerland, where it is already an established part of local referendums, voters get their passwords to access the ballot through the postal service. Most voters in Estonia can cast their vote in local and parliamentary elections, if they want to, via the Internet, as most of those on the electoral roll have access to an e-voting system, the largest run by any European Union country. It has been made possible because most Estonians carry a national identity card equipped with a computer-readable microchip and it is these cards which they use to get access to the online ballot. All a voter needs is a computer, an electronic card reader, their ID card and its PIN, and they can vote from anywhere in the world. Estonian e-votes can only be cast during the days of advance voting. On election day itself people have to go to polling stations and fill in a paper ballot.
Timeline of Development[edit]
Mar. 1975
U.S. Government is given a report by Roy Saltman, a consultant in developing election technology and policies, in which the certification of voting machines is analyzed for the first time.
Aug 28, 1986
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act of 1986 (UOCAVA) requires that US states allow certain groups of citizens to register and vote absentee in elections for federal offices. [14]
The FEC (Federal Election Commission) released a universalized standard for computerized voting.
The Reform Party uses I-Voting (Internet Voting) to select their presidential candidate. This election is the first governmental election to use this method in the U.S. [15]
May 2002
The FEC revised the standards established for electronic voting from 1990.
Nov 2004
4,438 of votes in the general election is lost by North Carolina’s electronic voting machines. The machines continued to count electronic votes past the device's memory capacity and the voteswere irretrievably lost.
Dec 2005
Black Box Voting showed how it easily it is to hack an electronic voting system. Computer experts in Leon County, Fl lead a simulation where they changed the outcome of a mock election by tampering with the tabulator without leaving evidence of their actions.
Sep 13, 2006
It was demonstrated that, Diebold Electronic Voting Machine can be hacked in less than a minute. Princeton's Professor of Computer Science, Edward Felten who installed a malware which could steal votes and replace them with fraudulent numbers without physically coming in contact with the voting machine or its memory card. The malware can also program a virus that can spread from machine to machine.
Sep 21, 2006
The governor of Maryland, Bob Ehrlich (R), advised against casting electronic votes as an alternative method for casting paper absentee ballots. This was a complete turn around since Maryland became one of the first states to accept electronic voting systems state-wide during his term.
Sep 3, 2009
Diebold, responsible for much of the technology in the election-systems business, sells their hold to Election Systems & Software, Inc for $5 Million, less than 1/5 of its price seven years earlier. [16]
Oct 28, 2009
The federal Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (MOVE) requires US states to provide ballots to UOCAVA voters in at least one electronic format (email, fax, or an online delivery system). [17]
Jan 3, 2013
Voter Empowerment Act of 2013 - This act requires each US state to make available public websites for online voter registration. [18]
Online voting[edit]
Arizona made transitional moves towards online voting. Each registered Democrat received a personal identification number in the mail. These citizens had the option to either cast ballots at a designated location or over the internet at the comfort of their own home. Voters voting over the internet were required to insert their PIN and answer two personal questions. Once all the information is verified, they have the voting options.[19]
Estonia has also made attempts to popularize internet voting. In Estonia, each voter has a national ID card that they use to identify each citizen. The ID card is the security Estonia put in to ensure reliability in votes. Security officials said that they did not detect any unusual activity or tampering of the votes.[20]
ISG TopVoter, a machine designed specifically to be used by voters with disabilities.
Electronic voting systems may offer advantages compared to other voting techniques. An electronic voting system can be involved in any one of a number of steps in the setup, distributing, voting, collecting, and counting of ballots, and thus may or may not introduce advantages into any of these steps. Potential disadvantages exist as well including the potential for flaws or weakness in any electronic component.
Charles Stewart of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that 1 million more ballots were counted in the 2004 USA presidential election than in 2000 because electronic voting machines detected votes that paper-based machines would have missed.[21]
In May 2004 the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report titled "Electronic Voting Offers Opportunities and Presents Challenges",[22] analyzing both the benefits and concerns created by electronic voting. A second report was released in September 2005 detailing some of the concerns with electronic voting, and ongoing improvements, titled "Federal Efforts to Improve Security and Reliability of Electronic Voting Systems Are Under Way, but Key Activities Need to Be Completed".[23]
It has been demonstrated that as voting systems become more complex and include software, different methods of election fraud become possible. Others also challenge the use of electronic voting from a theoretical point of view, arguing that humans are not equipped for verifying operations occurring within an electronic machine and that because people cannot verify these operations, the operations cannot be trusted. Furthermore, some computing experts have argued for the broader notion that people cannot trust any programming they did not author.[24]
Critics of electronic voting, including security analyst Bruce Schneier, note that "computer security experts are unanimous on what to do (some voting experts disagree, but it is the computer security experts who need to be listened to; the problems here are with the computer, not with the fact that the computer is being used in a voting application)...DRE machines must have a voter-verifiable paper audit trails... Software used on DRE machines must be open to public scrutiny"[25] to ensure the accuracy of the voting system. Verifiable ballots are necessary because computers can and do malfunction, and because voting machines can be compromised.
Electronic ballots[edit]
Electronic voting systems may use electronic ballot to store votes in computer memory. Systems which use them exclusively are called DRE voting systems. When electronic ballots are used there is no risk of exhausting the supply of ballots. Additionally, these electronic ballots remove the need for printing of paper ballots, a significant cost.[26] When administering elections in which ballots are offered in multiple languages (in some areas of the United States, public elections are required by the National Voting Rights Act of 1965), electronic ballots can be programmed to provide ballots in multiple languages for a single machine. The advantage with respect to ballots in different languages appears to be unique to electronic voting. For example, King County, Washington's demographics require them under U.S. federal election law to provide ballot access in Chinese. With any type of paper ballot, the county has to decide how many Chinese-language ballots to print, how many to make available at each polling place, etc. Any strategy that can assure that Chinese-language ballots will be available at all polling places is certain, at the very least, to result in a significant number of wasted ballots.[citation needed] (The situation with lever machines would be even worse than with paper: the only apparent way to reliably meet the need would be to set up a Chinese-language lever machine at each polling place, few of which would be used at all.)
Critics argue the need for extra ballots in any language can be mitigated by providing a process to print ballots at voting locations. They argue further, the cost of software validation, compiler trust validation, installation validation, delivery validation and validation of other steps related to electronic voting is complex and expensive, thus electronic ballots are not guaranteed to be less costly than printed ballots.
Electronic voting machines can be made fully accessible for persons with disabilities. Punched card and optical scan machines are not fully accessible for the blind or visually impaired, and lever machines can be difficult for voters with limited mobility and strength.[27] Electronic machines can use headphones, sip and puff, foot pedals, joy sticks and other adaptive technology to provide the necessary accessibility.
Organizations such as the Verified Voting Foundation have criticized the accessibility of electronic voting machines[28] and advocate alternatives. Some disabled voters (including the visually impaired) could use a tactile ballot, a ballot system using physical markers to indicate where a mark should be made, to vote a secret paper ballot. These ballots can be designed identically to those used by other voters.[29] However, other disabled voters (including voters with dexterity disabilities) could be unable to use these ballots.
Cryptographic verification[edit]
The concept of election verifiability through cryptographic solutions has emerged in the academic literature to introduce transparency and trust in electronic voting systems.[30][31] It allows voters and election observers to verify that votes have been recorded, tallied and declared correctly, in a manner independent from the hardware and software running the election. Three aspects of verifiability are considered:[32] individual, universal, and eligibility. Individual verifiability allows a voter to check that her own vote is included in the election outcome, universal verifiability allows voters or election observers to check that the election outcome corresponds to the votes cast, and eligibility verifiability allows voters and observers to check that each vote in the election outcome was cast by a uniquely registered voter.
Voter intent[edit]
Electronic voting machines are able to provide immediate feedback to the voter detecting such possible problems as undervoting and overvoting which may result in a spoiled ballot. This immediate feedback can be helpful in successfully determining voter intent.
It has been alleged by groups such as the UK-based Open Rights Group[33][34] that a lack of testing, inadequate audit procedures, and insufficient attention given to system or process design with electronic voting leaves "elections open to error and fraud".
In 2009, the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany found that when using voting machines the "verification of the result must be possible by the citizen reliably and without any specialist knowledge of the subject." The DRE Nedap-computers used till then did not fulfill that requirement. The decision did not ban electronic voting as such, but requires all essential steps in elections to be subject to public examinability.[35][36]
In 2013, The California Association of Voting Officials was formed to maintain efforts toward publicly owned General Public License open source voting systems
Coercion Evidence[edit]
In 2013, researchers from Europe proposed that the electronic voting systems should be coercion evident.[37] There should be a public evidence of the amount of coercion that took place in a particular elections. An internet voting system called "Caveat Coercitor"[38] shows how coercion evidence in voting systems can be achieved.[37]
Audit trails and auditing[edit]
A fundamental challenge with any voting machine is assuring the votes were recorded as cast and tabulated as recorded. Non-document ballot voting systems can have a greater burden of proof. This is often solved with an independently auditable system, sometimes called an Independent Verification, that can also be used in recounts or audits. These systems can include the ability for voters to verify how their votes were cast or further to verify how their votes were tabulated.
A discussion draft argued by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) states, "Simply put, the DRE architecture’s inability to provide for independent audits of its electronic records makes it a poor choice for an environment in which detecting errors and fraud is important."[39] The report does not represent the official position of NIST, and misinterpretations of the report has led NIST to explain that "Some statements in the report have been misinterpreted. The draft report includes statements from election officials, voting system vendors, computer scientists and other experts in the field about what is potentially possible in terms of attacks on DREs. However, these statements are not report conclusions."[40]
A Diebold Election Systems, Inc. model AccuVote-TSx DRE voting machine with VVPAT attachment.
Various technologies can be used to assure voters that their vote was cast correctly, detect possible fraud or malfunction, and to provide a means to audit the original machine. Some systems include technologies such as cryptography (visual or mathematical), paper (kept by the voter or only verified), audio verification, and dual recording or witness systems (other than with paper).
Dr. Rebecca Mercuri, the creator of the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) concept (as described in her Ph.D. dissertation in October 2000 on the basic voter verifiable ballot system), proposes to answer the auditability question by having the voting machine print a paper ballot or other paper facsimile that can be visually verified by the voter before being entered into a secure location. Subsequently, this is sometimes referred to as the "Mercuri method." To be truly voter-verified, the record itself must be verified by the voter and able to be done without assistance, such as visually or audibly. If the voter must use a bar-code scanner or other electronic device to verify, then the record is not truly voter-verifiable, since it is actually the electronic device that is verifying the record for the voter. VVPAT is the form of Independent Verification most commonly found in elections in the United States.
End-to-end auditable voting systems can provide the voter with a receipt that can be taken home. This receipt does not allow voters to prove to others how they voted, but it does allow them to verify that their vote is included in the tally, all votes were cast by valid voters, and the results are tabulated correctly. End-to-end (E2E) systems include Punchscan, ThreeBallot and Prêt à Voter. Scantegrity is an add-on that extends current optical scan voting systems with an E2E layer. The city of Takoma Park, Maryland used Scantegrity II for its November, 2009 election.[41][42]
An audit system can be used in measured random recounts to detect possible malfunction or fraud. With the VVPAT method, the paper ballot is often treated as the official ballot of record. In this scenario, the ballot is primary and the electronic records are used only for an initial count. In any subsequent recounts or challenges, the paper, not the electronic ballot, would be used for tabulation. Whenever a paper record serves as the legal ballot, that system will be subject to the same benefits and concerns as any paper ballot system.
To successfully audit any voting machine, a strict chain of custody is required.
The solution was first demonstrated (New York City, March 2001) and used (Sacramento, California 2002) by AVANTE International Technology, Inc.. In 2004 Nevada was the first state to successfully implement a DRE voting system that printed an electronic record. The $9.3 million voting system provided by Sequoia Voting Systems included more than 2,600 AVC EDGE touchscreen DREs equipped with the VeriVote VVPAT component. [43] The new systems, implemented under the direction of then Secretary of State Dean Heller replaced largely punched card voting systems and were chosen after feedback was solicited from the community through town hall meetings and input solicited from the Nevada Gaming Control Board.[44]
Inadequately secured hardware can be subject to physical tampering. Some critics, such as the group "Wij vertrouwen stemcomputers niet" ("We do not trust voting machines"), charge that, for instance, foreign hardware could be inserted into the machine, or between the user and the central mechanism of the machine itself, using a man in the middle attack technique, and thus even sealing DRE machines may not be sufficient protection.[45] This claim is countered by the position that review and testing procedures can detect fraudulent code or hardware, if such things are present, and that a thorough, verifiable chain of custody would prevent the insertion of such hardware or software.[citation needed] Security seals are commonly employed in an attempt to detect tampering, but testing by Argonne National Laboratory and others demonstrates that existing seals can usually be quickly defeated by a trained person using low-tech methods.[46]
Security experts, such as Bruce Schneier, have demanded that voting machine source code should be publicly available for inspection.[47] Others have also suggested publishing voting machine software under a free software license as is done in Australia.[48] Software such as Sammaty come under GNU GPL, which means their source code is publicly available and hence transparent.[49]
Testing and certification[edit]
One method to any error with voting machines is parallel testing, which are conducted on the Election Day with randomly picked machines. The ACM published a study showing that, to change the outcome of the 2000 U.S. Presidential election, only 2 votes in each precinct would have needed to been changed.[50]
Criticisms can be mitigated by review and testing procedures to detect fraudulent code or hardware, if such things are present, and through a verifiable chain of custody to prevent the insertion of such hardware or software.
Critics also mention the increasing number of attack programs that online voting systems are greatly susceptible to. Malicious payloads- software data intended to do damage- have become so advanced that they can easily change a voter’s vote without any knowledge to other parties, regardless of voter identification or encryption software.[51]
Benefits can include reduced tabulation times and an increase of participation (voter turnout), particularly through the use of Internet voting.
Those in opposition suggest alternate vote counting systems, citing Switzerland (as well as many other countries), which uses paper ballots exclusively, suggesting that electronic voting is not the only means to get a rapid count of votes. A country of a little over 7 million people, Switzerland publishes a definitive ballot count in about six hours. In villages, the ballots are even counted manually.
Critics also note that it becomes difficult or impossible to verify the identity of a voter remotely, and that the introduction of public networks become more vulnerable and complex.
Whether the total cost of ownership with electronic voting is lower than other systems is not yet clear.
Astronauts in orbit[edit]
Texas law has allowed American astronauts who cannot vote in person and are unable to vote via absentee ballot, such as those aboard the International Space Station and Mir space station, to cast their ballots in federal elections electronically from orbit since 1997. Ballots are sent via secure email to the Johnson Spaceflight Center and then passed on the astronauts' home counties in Texas.[52][53]
Further information: Electronic voting examples
Polling place electronic voting or Internet voting examples have taken place in Australia,[54] Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, the European Union, France, Germany, India,[13] Ireland,[citation needed] Italy, the Netherlands (Rijnland Internet Election System), Norway, Peru, Romania, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, and the Philippines.
Each Estonian citizen possesses an electronic chip-enabled ID card, which allows him/her to vote over the internet. The ID card is inserted into a card reader, which is connected to a computer. Once his/her identity is verified (using the electronic ID card as a sort of digital signature), he/she can then cast his/her vote via the internet. Votes are not considered final until the end of election day, so Estonian citizens can go back and re-cast their votes until election day is officially over. Online voting popularity has increased widely throughout the nation, as in the 2011 elections, nearly a quarter of Estonian votes were cast online. {http://cnsnews.com/news/article/estonia-opts-online-voting-how-about-us} {http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/08/tech/web/online-voting/index.html }
Documented problems[edit]
• A number of problems with voting systems in Florida since the 2000 Presidential election.[55]
• Fairfax County, Virginia, November 4, 2003. Some voters complained that they would cast their vote for a particular candidate and the indicator of that vote would go off shortly after.[56]
• The Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems) TSx voting system disenfranchised many voters in Alameda and San Diego Counties during the March 2, 2004, California presidential primary due to non-functional voter card encoders.[57] On April 30 California's secretary of state Kevin Shelley decertified all touch-screen machines and recommended criminal prosecution of Diebold Election Systems.[58] The California Attorney-General decided against criminal prosecution, but subsequently joined a lawsuit against Diebold for fraudulent claims made to election officials. Diebold settled that lawsuit by paying $2.6 million.[59] On February 17, 2006 the California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson then recertified Diebold Election Systems DRE and Optical Scan Voting System.[60]
• In Napa County, California, March 2, 2004, an improperly calibrated marksense scanner overlooked 6,692 absentee ballot votes.[61]
• Omesh Saigal, an IIT alumnus and IAS officer, blew the top of the Election Commissioner Navin Chawla in front of the whole nation[clarification needed] when he successfully demonstrated that the 2009 elections in India when Congress Party of India came back to power might be rigged. This forced the election commission to review the current EVMs and brought bad reputation for Mr. Navin Chawla.[62]
• On October 30, 2006, the Dutch Minister of the Interior withdrew the license of 1187 voting machines from manufacturer Sdu NV, about 10% of the total number to be used, because it was proven by the General Intelligence and Security Service that one could eavesdrop on voting from up to 40 meters using Van Eck phreaking.[63] National elections are to be held 24 days after this decision. The decision was forced by the Dutch grass roots organisation Wij vertrouwen stemcomputers niet[64] ("We do not trust voting computers").[65][66]
• Problems in the United States general elections, 2006:
• During early voting in Miami, Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in October 2006 three votes intended to be recorded for Democratic candidates were displaying as cast for Republican. Election officials attributed it to calibration errors in the touch screen of the voting system.[67]
• In Pennsylvania, a computer programming error forced some to cast paper ballots. In Indiana, 175 precincts also resorted to paper. Counties in those states also extended poll hours to make up for delays.[68]
• Cuyahoga County, Ohio: The Diebold computer server froze and stopped counting votes then the printers jammed so paper copies could not be retrieved for many votes and there was no way to be sure of the accuracy of the votes when the votes were being counted.[69]
• Waldenburg, Arkansas: The touch screen computer tallied zero votes for one mayoral candidate who confirmed that he certainly voted for himself and therefore there would be a minimum of one vote; this is a case of disappearing votes on touchscreen machines.[68]
• Sarasota, Florida: There was an 18,000-person "undervote" in a congressional election.[68] The subsequent investigation[70] found that the undervote was not caused by software error. Poor ballot design was widely acknowledged as the cause of the undervote.
• Instances of faulty technology and security issues surrounding these machines were documented on August 1, 2001, in the Brennan Center at New York University Law School. NY University Law School released a report with more than 60 examples of e-voting machine failures in 26 states in 2004 and 2006. Examples included Spanish language ballots that were cast by voters but not counted in Sacramento in 2004.[citation needed]
• In Finland, the Supreme Administrative Court declared invalid the results of a pilot electronic vote in three municipalities, and ordered a rerun of the municipal elections (Karkkila, Kauniainen and Vihti). The system had a usability problem where the messages were ambiguous on whether the vote had been cast. In a total of 232 cases (2% of votes), voters had logged in, selected their vote but not confirmed it, and left the booth; the votes were not recorded.[71] Following the failure of the pilot election, the Finnish government has abandoned plans to continue electronic voting based on voting machines. In the memo[72] it was concluded, that the voting machine is not developed any more, and Finnish government will follow the development of different electronic voting systems worldwide. The earliest possible time for introducing a new electronic voting system could be the 2016 municipality elections, and it could be an Internet system.
• 2008 United States elections:
• Virginia, Tennessee, and Texas: Touch screen voting machines flipped votes in early voting trials.[73]
• Humboldt County, California: A security flaw erased 197 votes from the computer database.[74]
• In 2010, graduate students from the University of Michigan hacked into the District of Columbia online voting systems during an online voting mock test run and changed all the cast ballots to cater to their preferred candidates. This voting system was being tested for military voters and overseas citizens, allowing them to vote on the Web, and was scheduled to run later that year. It only took the hackers, a team of computer scientists, thirty-six hours to find the list of the government’s passwords and break into the system.[75]
• iVote is a remote electronic voting system in New South Wales that allows eligible voters a chance to vote over the Internet. However, during the New South Wales state election in 2015, there were several reports that over 66,000 electronic votes could have been compromised. Although the iVote website is secure, security specialist believe that a third party website was able to attack the system. This was the first time a major vulnerability was discovered in the middle of an ongoing poll. [76]
California top to bottom review[edit]
In May 2007, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen commissioned a "top-to-bottom review" of all electronic voting systems in the state. She engaged computer security experts led by the University of California to perform security evaluations of voting system source code as well as "red teams" running "worst case" Election Day scenarios attempting to identify vulnerabilities to tampering or error. The Top to Bottom review also included a comprehensive review of manufacturer documentation as well as a review of accessibility features and alternative language requirements.
The end results of the tests were released in the four detailed Secretary of State August 3, 2007, resolutions (for Diebold Election Systems, Hart InterCivic, Sequoia Voting Systems and Elections Systems and Software, Inc.) and updated October 25, 2007 revised resolutions for Diebold and Sequoia voting systems.[77] The security experts found significant security flaws in all of the manufacturers' voting systems, flaws that could allow a single non-expert to compromise an entire election.
On August 3, 2007, Bowen decertified machines that were tested in her top to bottom view including the ES&S InkaVote machine, which was not included in the review because the company submitted it past the deadline for testing. The report issued July 27, 2007, was conducted by the expert "red team" attempting to detect the levels of technological vulnerability. Another report on August 2, 2007 was conducted by a source code review team to detect flaws in voting system source code. Both reports found that three of the tested systems fell far short of the minimum requirements specified in the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). Some of the systems tested were conditionally recertified with new stringed security requirements imposed.[78] The companies in question have until the February 2008 California Presidential Primaries to fix their security issues and insure that election results can be closely audited.
The Premier Election Solutions (formerly Diebold Election Systems) AccuVote-TSx voting system was studied by a group of Princeton University computer scientists in 2006. Their results showed that the AccuVote-TSx was insecure and could be "installed with vote-stealing software in under a minute." The scientists also said that machines can transmit computer viruses from one to another "during normal pre- and post-election activity."[79]
2000 presidential election in Florida[edit]
Punched cards received considerable notoriety in 2000 when their uneven use in Votomatic style systems in Florida was alleged to have affected the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Invented by Joseph P. Harris, Votomatic was manufactured for a time under license by IBM. William Rouverol, who built the prototype and wrote patents, stated that after the patents expired in 1982, lower quality machines had appeared on the market. The machines used in Florida had five times as many errors as a true Votomatic, he said.[80]
Punched-card-based voting systems, the Votomatic system in particular, use special cards where each possible hole is pre-scored, allowing perforations to be made by the voter pressing a stylus through a guide in the voting machine. A problem with this system is the incomplete punch; this can lead to a smaller hole than expected, or to a mere slit in the card, or to a mere dimple in the card, or to a hanging chad. This technical problem was claimed by the Democratic Party to have influenced the 2000 U.S. presidential election in the state of Florida; critics claimed that punched card voting machines were primarily used in Democratic areas and that hundreds of ballots were not read properly or were disqualified due to incomplete punches, which allegedly tipped the vote in favor of George W. Bush over Al Gore.
Other punched card voting systems use a metal hole-punch mechanism that does not suffer nearly as much from this fault, although most states have eliminated punched card voting systems of all types after the 2000 Florida experience. Canada still predominantly uses punched card ballots.[citation needed]
Recommendations for improvement[edit]
In December 2005 the US Election Assistance Commission unanimously adopted the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, which significantly increase security requirements for voting systems and expand access, including opportunities to vote privately and independently, for individuals with disabilities. The guidelines took effect in December 2007 replacing the 2002 Voting System Standards (VSS) developed by the Federal Election Commission.
Some groups such as the Open Voting Consortium believe that to restore voter confidence and to reduce the potential for fraud, all electronic voting systems must be completely available to public scrutiny.
Also proposed is the requirement for use of open public standards and specifications such as the Election Markup Language (EML) standard developed by OASIS and now under consideration by ISO (see documents and schemas).[81] These can provide consistent processes and mechanisms for managing and performing elections using computer systems.
In the summer of 2004, the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Association of Information Technology Professionals issued a nine-point proposal for national standards for electronic voting.[82] In an accompanying article, the committee's chair, Charles Oriez, described some of the problems that had arisen around the country.[83][84]
Legislation has been introduced in the United States Congress regarding electronic voting, including the Nelson-Whitehouse bill. This bill would appropriate as much as 1 billion dollars to fund states' replacement of touch screen systems with optical scan voting system. The legislation also addresses requiring audits of 3% of precincts in all federal elections. It also mandates some form of paper trail audits for all electronic voting machines by the year 2012 on any type of voting technology.[85]
Another bill, HR.811 (The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003), proposed by Representative Rush D. Holt, Jr., a Democrat from New Jersey, would act as an amendment to the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and require electronic voting machines to produce a paper audit trail for every vote.[86] The U.S. Senate companion bill version introduced by Senator Bill Nelson from Florida on November 1, 2007, necessitates the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to continue researching and to provide methods of paper ballot voting for those with disabilities, those who do not primarily speak English, and those who do not have a high literacy rating. Also, it requires states to provide the federal office with audit reports from the hand counting of the voter verified paper ballots. Currently, this bill has been turned over to the United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and a vote date has not been set.[87]
During 2008, Congressman Holt, because of an increasing concern regarding the insecurities surrounding the use of electronic voting technology, submitted additional bills to Congress regarding the future of electronic voting. One, called the "Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008" (HR5036), states that the General Services Administration will reimburse states for the extra costs of providing paper ballots to citizens, and the costs needed to hire people to count them.[88] This bill was introduced to the House on January 17, 2008.[89] This bill estimates that $500 million will be given to cover costs of the reconversion to paper ballots; $100 million given to pay the voting auditors; and $30 million given to pay the hand counters. This bill provides the public with the choice to vote manually if they do not trust the electronic voting machines.[88] A voting date has not yet been determined.
Popular culture[edit]
In the 2006 film Man of the Year starring Robin Williams, the character played by Williams—a comedic host of political talk show—wins the election for President of the United States when a software error in the electronic voting machines produced by the fictional manufacturer Delacroy causes votes to be tallied inaccurately.
In Runoff, a 2007 novel by Mark Coggins, a surprising showing by the Green Party candidate in a San Francisco Mayoral election forces a runoff between him and the highly favored establishment candidate—a plot line that closely parallels the actual results of the 2003 election. When the private-eye protagonist of the book investigates at the behest of a powerful Chinatown businesswoman, he determines that the outcome was rigged by someone who defeated the security on the city's newly installed e-voting system.[90]
"Hacking Democracy" is a 2006 documentary film shown on HBO. Filmed over three years, it documents American citizens investigating anomalies and irregularities with electronic voting systems that occurred during America's 2000 and 2004 elections, especially in Volusia County, Florida. The film investigates the flawed integrity of electronic voting machines, particularly those made by Diebold Election Systems and culminates in the hacking of a Diebold election system in Leon County, Florida.
Types of Online Voting Platforms[edit]
LiveBallot is a website operated by Windows Azure. The website allows citizens living abroad a chance to access their ballots from the cloud 45 days before an election.
Electronic voting manufacturers[edit]
Academic efforts[edit]
See also[edit]
1. ^ Buchsbaum, T. (2004). "E-voting: International developments and lessons learnt". Proceedings of Electronic Voting in Europe Technology, Law, Politics and Society. Lecture Notes in Informatics. Workshop of the ESF TED Programme together with GI and OCG.
2. ^ Zissis, D.; Lekkas (April 2011). "Securing e-Government and e-Voting with an open cloud computing architecture". Government Information Quarterly 28 (2): 239–251. doi:10.1016/j.giq.2010.05.010.
3. ^ Estonia's ivoting system
4. ^ Res. 9597 Philippines concerning grid power requirements for various needs including i-voting
5. ^ internet voting in Switzerland (with references to "i-voting" as short form in related articles
6. ^ Bellis, Mary. The History of Voting Machines. About.com.
8. ^ REMOTE VOTING TECHNOLOGY, Chris Backert e-Government Consulting
9. ^ U.S. Election Assistance Commission. "2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines" (PDF). [dead link]
10. ^ Brazilian Superior Electoral Court. "Electronic voting".
11. ^ Kids Voting Central Ohio. "A Short History of Voting in the United States" (PDF). [dead link]
12. ^ U.S. Federal Election Commission. "Direct Recording Electronic information page".
13. ^ a b "Know Your Electronic Voting Machine" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-09-01.
14. ^ http://people.howstuffworks.com/e-voting.htm
15. ^ "Electronic Voting".
16. ^ "Historical Timeline". Retrieved 2015-02-25.
17. ^ http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ84/html/PLAW-111publ84.htm
18. ^ https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr12
19. ^ http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e1346.htm
20. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/08/tech/web/online-voting/index.html
21. ^ Friel, Brian (November 2006)Let The Recounts Begin[dead link], National Journal
22. ^ Government Accountability Office (May 2004) "Electronic Voting Offers Opportunities and Presents Challenges"
23. ^ Government Accountability Office (September 2005) "Federal Efforts to Improve Security and Reliability of Electronic Voting Systems Are Under Way, but Key Activities Need to Be Completed"
24. ^ Thompson, Ken (August 1984) Reflections on Trusting Trust
25. ^ Schneier, Bruce (September 2004), openDemocracy What’s wrong with electronic voting machines?
26. ^ [1][dead link]
27. ^ "Protecting the Integrity and Accessibility of Voting in 2004 and Beyond[dead link]". People for the American Way
28. ^ [2][dead link]
29. ^ "Ballot Templates." (tactile ballots) International Foundation for Election Systems
30. ^ Juels, Ari; Dario Catalano and Markus Jakobsson (November 2002). "Coercion-Resistant Electronic Elections". Cryptology ePrint Archive (165). Retrieved 2 May 2012.
31. ^ Chaum, David; Peter Y. A. Ryan and Steve Schneider (2005). "A Practical Voter-Verifiable Election Scheme". ESORICS'05: 10th European Symposium On Research In Computer Security. LNCS 3679: 118–139.
32. ^ Kremer, Steve; Mark Ryan and Ben Smyth (2010). "Election verifiability in electronic voting protocols". ESORICS'10: 15th European Symposium on Research in Computer Security 6345: 389–404.
33. ^ "ORG Election Report highlights problems with voting technology used". Openrightsgroup.org. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
34. ^ Open Rights Group - ORG verdict on London Elections: "Insufficient evidence" to declare confidence in results
35. ^ "Ruling of the Second Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, 3 March 2009". Bundesverfassungsgericht.de. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
36. ^ "German Federal Constitutional Court, Press release no. 19/2009 of 3 March 2009". Bundesverfassungsgericht.de. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
37. ^ a b Gurchetan S Grewal, Mark D Ryan, Sergiu Bursuc, Peter Y A Ryan. Caveat Coercitor: coercion-evidence in electronic voting. 34th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, 2013
38. ^ http://www.ieee-security.org/TC/SP2013/papers/4977a367.pdf
39. ^ "Draft white paper on VVPR" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-24. [dead link]
40. ^ [3][dead link]
41. ^ "Pilot Study of the Scantegrity II Voting System Planned for the 2009 Takoma Park City Election" (PDF). [dead link]
42. ^ Hardesty, Larry. "Cryptographic voting debuts". MIT news. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
43. ^ ‘Paper trail’ voting system used in Nevada, Associated Press Sept. 7, 2004
44. ^ Nevada improves odds with e-vote, CNN October 29, 2004
45. ^ "Nedap/Groenendaal ES3B voting computer a security analysis (chapter 7.1)" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-24.
46. ^ "Defeating Existing Tamper-Indicating Seals". Argonne National Laboratory.
47. ^ "The Problem with Electronic Voting Machines". Schneier.com. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
48. ^ "The electronic voting and counting system". Elections.act.gov.au. Retrieved 2010-05-24. [dead link]
49. ^ "Sammaty Election Engine under GNU GPL v3".
50. ^ Di Franco, A., Petro, A., Shear, E., and Vladimirov, V. 2004. Small vote manipulations can swing elections. Commun. ACM 47, 10 (Oct. 2004), 43-45. DOI= http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1022594.1022621
51. ^ Rubin, Avi. 2002. [4] Communications Policy and Information Technology: Promises, Problems, Prospects.
52. ^ "Astronauts beam votes home". CNN. 2 November 2010.
53. ^ James, Kate (2 November 2010). "Astronauts Cast Vote From Space Thanks to 1997 Texas Law". Gather.com. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
54. ^ Ron McCallum, 'Participating in Political and Public life' (2011) 32 AltLJ 80. [5]
55. ^ Dr. R. Mercuri (2002-09-11). "Florida Primary 2002: Back to the Future". Notablesoftware.com. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
56. ^ Cho, David; Rein, Lisa (November 18, 2003). "Fairfax To Probe Voting Machines (Washington Post, November 18, 2003)". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
57. ^ Greg Lucas (May 1, 2004). "State bans electronic balloting in 4 counties; Touch-screen firm accused of 'reprehensible,' illegal conduct". San Francisco Chronicle.
58. ^ Hardy, Michael (March 3, 2004). "California nixes e-voting". Fcw.com.
59. ^ Associated Press (November 10, 2004). "Diebold to Settle E-Voting Suit". Wired.com. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
60. ^ State of California Secretary of State (February 17, 2006). Approval of use of Diebold Election Systems, Inc[dead link].
61. ^ Kim, Zetter (2004-03-19). "E-Vote Snafu in California County". Wired. [dead link]
62. ^ "Was Election 2009 rigged? - Rediff.com India News". Ia.rediff.com. 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
63. ^ "Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties | Rijksoverheid.nl" (PDF). Minbzk.nl. Retrieved 2014-02-06. [dead link]
64. ^ "Wij vertrouwen stemcomputers niet" (in Dutch). Wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
65. ^ "English – Wij vertrouwen stemcomputers niet". Wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
66. ^ AP via International Herald Tribune (October 30, 2006) Dutch government scraps plans to use voting computers in 35 cities including Amsterdam[dead link]
67. ^ [6][dead link]
68. ^ a b c [7][dead link]
69. ^ Thompson, Clive (January 6, 2008). "Can You Count on Voting Machines?". The New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
70. ^ "2006 Congressional District 13 Race - Florida Division of Elections - Department of State". Election.dos.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
71. ^ "KHO: Kuntavaalit uusiksi Vihdissä, Karkkilassa ja Kauniaisissa". YLE Uutiset, Talous ja politiikka. YLE. 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2009-04-09. [dead link]
72. ^ "Sähköisen äänestyksen kehittämistä ei jatketa nykyiseltä pohjalta". Finnish Government. 2010-01-08. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
73. ^ "Technology Review". Technology Review. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
74. ^ Grossman, Wendy M (30 April 2009). "Why machines are bad at counting votes". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
75. ^ Wheaton, Sarah. "Voting Test Falls Victim to Hackers". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
76. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/23/nsw-election-result-could-be-challenged-over-ivote-security-flaw
77. ^ CA SoS Top to Bottom Review Retrieved March 2, 2012
78. ^ Simons, Barbara. August 13, 2007. "California: The Top to Bottom Review." The Voter. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
79. ^ Riordan, Theresa. 13 September 2006. [8] Princeton University. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
80. ^ "IGS Votomatic Prototype Goes to the Smithsonian" (– SCHOLAR SEARCH). Institute of Governmental Studies, Public Affairs Report (University of California, Berkeley) 42 (4). Winter 2001. [dead link]
81. ^ "Index of /election/eml/v5.0/". Docs.oasis-open.org. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
82. ^ "Legislative Committee Resolution Awaiting BOD Approval"[dead link]. (July 2004). Information Executive[dead link]
83. ^ [9][dead link]
84. ^ [10][dead link]
85. ^ Padgett, Tim (2007-11-03). "Voting Out E-Voting Machines". TIME. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
86. ^ AlterNet / By Steven Rosenfeld (2007-08-07). "The Fallout From California's Ban on Electronic Voting Machines". Alternet. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
87. ^ "Bill Summary & Status - 110th Congress (2007 - 2008) - S.2295 - CRS Summary - THOMAS (Library of Congress)". Thomas.loc.gov. 2007-11-01. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
88. ^ a b http://electionarchive.org/ucvInfo/US/legislation/SummaryFlyer5036.pdf
89. ^ "H.R.5036: Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 - U.S. Congress". OpenCongress. 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
90. ^ "January Magazine, "The Fix Is In"". Januarymagazine.com. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
External links[edit]
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Laboratory mouse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Laboratory mice)
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An albino SCID laboratory mouse
A laboratory mouse with intermediate coat colour
The laboratory mouse is a small mammal of the order Rodentia which is bred and kept for scientific research. Laboratory mice are usually of the species Mus musculus. They are the most commonly used mammalian research model and are used for research in genetics, psychology, medicine and other scientific disciplines. Mice belong to the Euarchontoglires clade, which includes humans. This close relationship, the associated high homology with humans, their ease of maintenance and handling, and their high reproduction rate, make mice particularly suitable models for human-oriented research. The laboratory mouse genome has been sequenced and many mouse genes have human homologues.[1]
Other mouse species sometimes used in laboratory research include the American white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus).
History as a biological model[edit]
Mice have been used in biomedical research since the 16th Century when William Harvey used them for his studies on reproduction and blood circulation and Robert Hooke used them to investigate the biological consequences of an increase in air pressure.[2] During the 18th Century Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier both used mice to study respiration. In the 19th Century Gregor Mendel carried out his early investigations of inheritance on mouse coat color but was asked by his superior to stop breeding in his cell "smelly creatures that, in addition, copulated and had sex".[2] He then switched his investigations to peas but, as his observations were published in a somewhat obscure botanical journal, they were virtually ignored for over 35 years until they were rediscovered in the early 20th Century. In 1902 Lucien Cuénot published the results of his experiments using mice which showed that Mendel's laws of inheritance were also valid for animals — results that were soon confirmed and extended to other species.[2]
In the early part of the 20th century Clarence Cook Little, a Harvard undergraduate was conducting studies on mouse genetics in the laboratory of William Ernest Castle. Little and Castle collaborated closely with Abbie Lathrop who was a breeder of fancy mice and rats which she marketed to rodent hobbyists and keepers of exotic pets, and later began selling in large numbers to scientific researchers.[3] Together they generated the DBA (Dilute, Brown and non-Agouti) inbred mouse strain and initiated the systematic generation of inbred strains.[4] The mouse has since been used extensively as a model organism and is associated with many important biological discoveries of the 20th and 21st Centuries.[2]
1 day old pups
Breeding onset occurs at about 50 days of age in both females and males, although females may have their first estrus at 25–40 days. Mice are polyestrous and breed year round; ovulation is spontaneous. The duration of the estrous cycle is 4–5 days and lasts about 12 hours, occurring in the evening. Vaginal smears are useful in timed matings to determine the stage of the estrous cycle. Mating can be confirmed by the presence of a copulatory plug in the vagina up to 24 hours post-copulation. The presence of sperm on a vaginal smear is also a reliable indicator of mating.[5]
The average gestation period is 20 days. A fertile postpartum estrus occurs 14–24 hours following parturition, and simultaneous lactation and gestation prolongs gestation by 3–10 days owing to delayed implantation. The average litter size is 10–12 during optimum production, but is highly strain-dependent. As a general rule, inbred mice tend to have longer gestation periods and smaller litters than outbred and hybrid mice. The young are called pups and weigh 0.5–1.5 g (0.018–0.053 oz) at birth, are hairless, and have closed eyelids and ears. Pups are weaned at 3 weeks of age when they weigh about 10–12 g (0.35–0.42 oz). If the female does not mate during the postpartum estrus, she resumes cycling 2–5 days post-weaning.[5]
Genetics and strains[edit]
Mice are mammals of the Glires clade ( a group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants), which means they are amongst the closest relatives of humans along with lagomorphs, treeshrews, flying lemurs and other primates.
Rodentia (rodents)
Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, pikas)
Scandentia (treeshrews)
Dermoptera (flying lemurs)
Primates (†Plesiadapiformes, Strepsirrhini, Haplorrhini)
Laboratory mice are the same species as the house mouse, however, they are often very different in behaviour and physiology. There are hundreds of established inbred, outbred, and transgenic strains. A strain, in reference to rodents, is a group in which all members are as nearly as possible genetically identical. In laboratory mice, this is accomplished through inbreeding. By having this type of population, it is possible to conduct experiments on the roles of genes, or conduct experiments that exclude genetic variation as a factor. In contrast, outbred populations are used when identical genotypes are unnecessary or a population with genetic variation is required, and are usually referred to as stocks rather than strains.[6][7] Over 400 standardized, inbred strains have been developed.
Most laboratory mice are hybrids of different subspecies, most commonly of Mus musculus domesticus and Mus musculus musculus. Laboratory mice can have a variety of coat colours, including agouti, black and albino. Many (but not all) laboratory strains are inbred. The different strains are identified with specific letter-digit combinations; for example C57BL/6 and BALB/c. The first such inbred strains were produced in 1909 by Clarence Cook Little, who was influential in promoting the mouse as a laboratory organism.[8] In 2011, an estimated 83% of laboratory rodents supplied in the U.S. were C57BL/6 laboratory mice.[9]
Sequencing of the laboratory mouse genome was completed in late 2002 using the C57BL/6 strain. This was only the second mammalian genome to be sequenced after humans.[9] The haploid genome is about three billion base pairs long (3,000 Mb distributed over 20 chromosomes), therefore equal to the size of the human genome. Estimating the number of genes contained in the mouse genome is difficult, in part because the definition of a gene is still being debated and extended. The current count of primary coding genes in the laboratory mouse is 23,139.[10] compared to an estimated 20,774 in humans.[11]
Mutant and transgenic strains[edit]
Two mice expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein under UV-illumination flanking one plain mouse from the non-transgenic parental line.
Comparison of a knockout Obese mouse (left) and a normal laboratory mouse (right).
Various mutant strains of mice have been created by a number of methods. A small selection from the many available strains includes -
Since 1998, it has been possible to clone mice from cells derived from adult animals.
Appearance and behaviour[edit]
Laboratory mice have retained many of the physical and behavioural characteristics of house mice, however, due to many generations of artificial selection some of these characteristics now vary markedly. Due to the large number of strains of laboratory mice, it is impractical to comprehensively describe the appearance and behaviour of all these, however, they are described below for two of the most commonly used strains.
A female C57BL/6 laboratory mouse
Main article: C57BL/6
C57BL/6 mice have a dark brown, nearly black coat. They are more sensitive to noise and odours and are more likely to bite than the more docile laboratory strains such as BALB/c.[13]
Group-housed C57BL/6 mice (and other strains) display barbering behaviour, in which the dominant mouse in a cage selectively removes hair from its subordinate cage mates.[14] Mice that have been barbered extensively can have large bald patches on their bodies, commonly around the head, snout, and shoulders, although barbering may appear anywhere on the body. Both hair and vibrissae may be removed. Barbering is more frequently seen in female mice; male mice are more likely to display dominance through fighting.[15]
C57BL/6 has several unusual characteristics which make it useful for some research studies but inappropriate for others: It is unusually sensitive to pain and to cold, and analgesic medications are less effective in this strain.[16] Unlike most laboratory mouse strains, the C57BL/6 drinks alcoholic beverages voluntarily. It is more susceptible than average to morphine addiction, atherosclerosis, and age-related hearing loss.[9]
Main article: BALB/c
BALB/c laboratory mice
BALB/c is an albino, laboratory-bred strain from which a number of common substrains are derived. With over 200 generations bred since 1920, BALB/c mice are distributed globally and are among the most widely used inbred strains used in animal experimentation.[17]
BALB/c are noted for displaying high levels of anxiety and for being relatively resistant to diet-induced atherosclerosis, making them a useful model for cardiovascular research.[18][19]
Male BALB/c mice are aggressive and will fight other males if housed together. However, the BALB/Lac substrain is much more docile.[20] Most BALB/c mice substrains have a long reproductive life-span.[17]
There are noted differences between different BALB/c substrains, though these are thought to be due to mutation rather than genetic contamination.[21] The BALB/cWt is unusual in that 3% of progeny display true hermaphroditism.[22]
Laboratory mouse (note the ear tag)
In nature, mice are usually herbivores, consuming a wide range of fruit or grain.[23] However, in laboratory studies it is usually necessary to avoid biological variation and to achieve this, laboratory mice are almost always fed only commercial pelleted mouse feed. Food intake is approximately 15 g (0.53 oz) per 100 g (3.5 oz) of body weight per day; water intake is approximately 15 ml (0.53 imp fl oz; 0.51 US fl oz) per 100 g of body weight per day.[5]
Injection procedures[edit]
Routes of administration of injections in laboratory mice are mainly subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and intravenous. Intramuscular administration is not recommended due to small muscle mass.[24] Intracerebral administration is also possible. Each route has a recommended injection site, approximate needle gauge and recommended maximum injected volume at a single time at one site, as given in the table below:
Route Recommended site[24] Needle gauge[24] Maximal volume[25]
subcutaneous dorsum, between scapula 25-26 ga 2-3 ml
intraperitoneal left lower quadrant 25-27 ga 2-3 ml
intravenous lateral tail vein 27-28 ga 0.2 ml
intramuscular hindlimb, caudal thigh 26-27 ga 0.05 ml
intracerebral cranium 27 ga
To facilitate intravenous injection into the tail, laboratory mice can be carefully warmed under heat lamps to vasodilate the vessels.[24]
A common regimen for general anesthesia for the house mouse is ketamine (in the dose of 100 mg per kg body weight) plus xylazine (in the dose of 5–10 mg per kg), injected by the intraperitoneal route.[26] It has a duration of effect of about 30 minutes.[26]
Approved procedures for euthanasia of laboratory mice include compressed CO2 gas, injectable barbiturate anesthetics, inhalable anesthetics, such as Halothane, and physical methods, such as cervical dislocation and decapitation.[27] In 2013, the American Veterinary Medical Association issued new guidelines for CO2 induction, stating that a flow rate of 10% to 30% volume/min is optimal for euthanasing laboratory mice.[28]
Pathogen susceptibility[edit]
A recent study detected a murine astrovirus in laboratory mice held at more than half of the US and Japanese institutes investigated.[29] Murine astrovirus was found in nine mice strains, including NSG, NOD-SCID, NSG-3GS, C57BL6-Timp-3−/−, uPA-NOG, B6J, ICR, Bash2, and BALB/C, with various degrees of prevalence. The pathogenicity of the murine astrovirus was not known.
Legislation in research[edit]
United Kingdom[edit]
In the UK, as with all other vertebrates and some invertebrates, any scientific procedure which is likely to cause "pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm" is regulated by the Home Office under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. UK regulations are considered amongst the most comprehensive and rigorous in the world.[30] Detailed data on the use of laboratory mice (and other species) in research in the UK are published each year.[31] In the UK in 2013, there were a total of 3,077,115 regulated procedures on mice in scientific procedure establishments, licensed under the Act.[32]
United States[edit]
In the US, laboratory mice are not regulated under the Animal Welfare Act administered by the USDA APHIS. However, the Public Health Service Act (PHS) as administered by the National Institutes of Health does offer a standard for their care and use. Compliance with the PHS is required for a research project to receive federal funding. PHS policy is administered by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. Many academic research institutes seek accreditation voluntarily, often through the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, which maintains the standards of care found within The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the PHS policy. This accreditation is voluntary, not a prerequisite, for federal funding.[33]
See also[edit]
1. ^ "MGI — Biology of the Laboratory Mouse". Retrieved 2010-07-29.
2. ^ a b c d Hedrich, Hans (ed.). "The house mouse as a laboratory model: a historical perspective". The Laboratory Mouse. Elsevier Science. ISBN 9780080542539.
3. ^ Steensma, David P.; Kyle Robert A., Shampo Marc A. (November 2010). "Abbie Lathrop, the "Mouse Woman of Granby": Rodent Fancier and Accidental Genetics Pioneer". Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) 85 (11): e83. doi:10.4065/mcp.2010.0647. PMC 2966381. PMID 21061734.
5. ^ a b c d Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association
6. ^ "Rules and guidelines for nomenclature of mouse and rat strains".
7. ^ "Outbred stocks".
8. ^ Crow JF (August 2002). "C. C. Little, cancer and inbred mice". Genetics 161 (4): 1357–61. PMC 1462216. PMID 12196385.
9. ^ a b c Engber, D. (2011). "The trouble with Black-6". Retrieved November 19, 2013.
10. ^ "Mouse assembly and gene annotation". Ensembl. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
11. ^ "Human assembly and gene annotation". Ensembl. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
12. ^ "JAX Mice Database — 002983 MRL.CBAJms-Fas/J". Retrieved 2010-07-29.
13. ^ Connor, A..B. (2006). "Aurora’s Guide to Mo use Colony Management" (PDF). Cell Migration Gateway. CMC Activity Center. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
14. ^ Garner, J.P., Weisker, S.M., Dufour, B. and Mench, J.A., (2004). Barbering (fur and whisker trimming) by laboratory mice as a model of human trichotillomania and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. Comparative Medicine, 54: 216-24 [1]
15. ^ Sarna JR, Dyck RH, Whishaw IQ (February 2000). "The Dalila effect: C57BL6 mice barber whiskers by plucking". Behavioural Brain Research 108 (1): 39–45. doi:10.1016/S0166-4328(99)00137-0. PMID 10680755. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
16. ^ Mogil JS, Wilson SG, Bon K et al. (March 1999). "Heritability of nociception I: responses of 11 inbred mouse strains on 12 measures of nociception". Pain 80 (1-2): 67–82. doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(98)00197-3. PMID 10204719.
17. ^ a b "BALB/c". Inbred Strains of Mice. Jackson Laboratory. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
18. ^ "BALB/cByJ". Jax Mice Data Sheet. Jackson Laboratory. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
19. ^ "BALB/cJ". Jax Mice Data Sheet. Jackson Laboratory. Archived from the original on 11 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
20. ^ Southwick C. H. and Clark L. H. (1966) Aggressive behaviour and exploratory activity in fourteen mouse strains. Am. Zool. 6, 559.
21. ^ Hilgers J., van Nie R., Ivanyi D., Hilkens J., Michalides R., de Moes J., Poort-Keesom R., Kroezen V., von Deimling O., Kominami R., and Holmes R. (1 985) Genetic differences in BALB/c sublines. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 122, 19-30.
22. ^ Eicher E. M., Beamer W. G., Washburn L. L., and Whitten W. K. (1980) A cytogenetic investigation of inherited true hermaphroditism in BALB/cWt mice. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 28, 104-115.
23. ^ Mouse: Northwestern University Ecodome Information Page
24. ^ a b c d "Guidelines for Selecting Route and Needle Size". Duke University and Medical Center - Animal Care & Use Program. Archived from the original on 17 Jan 2005. Retrieved April 2011.
25. ^ A Compendium of Drugs Used for Laboratory Animal Anesthesia, Analgesia, Tranquilization and Restraint at Drexel University College of Medicine. Retrieved April 2011
26. ^ a b Guidelines for Systemic Anesthetics (Mouse) From Duke University and Medical Center - Animal Care & Use Program. Retrieved April 2011
27. ^ "Euthanasia". Basic Biomethodology for Laboratory Mice. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
28. ^ 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals
29. ^ Ng TFF, Kondov NO, Hayashimoto N, Uchida R, Cha Y, et al. (2013) "Identification of an astrovirus commonly infecting laboratory mice in the US and Japan". PLoS ONE 8(6): e66937. article doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066937
30. ^ Anon. "Animal Research". Policy issues. Society of Biology. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
31. ^ "Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals: Great Britain 2012" (PDF). Home Office (UK). 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
32. ^ Anon (2014). "Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2013". National statistics. Home Office. p. 26. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
33. ^ "Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare: PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals". Retrieved 2010-07-29.
Further reading[edit]
• Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.
• Nyby J. (2001). "Ch. 1 Auditory communication in adults". In Willott, James F. Handbook of Mouse Auditory Research: From Behavior to Molecular Biology. Boca Raton: CRC Press. pp. 3–18.
External links[edit]
Further reading
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Pee-wee Herman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pee-wee Herman
Pee-Wee Herman (1988).jpg
Paul Reubens in character as Pee-wee Herman at the 1988 Academy Awards
First appearance The Groundlings (1977)
Created by Paul Reubens
Phil Hartman
Portrayed by Paul Reubens
Species Human
Gender Male
Occupation Stand-up comedian, actor
Family Herman Herman (father, deceased)
Honny Herman (mother)
Hermione Herman (sister)
In the 1970s, Reubens joined the Los Angeles-based improvisational comedy team The Groundlings and remained a member for six years, working with Bob McClurg, John Paragon, Susan Barnes, and Phil Hartman. Hartman and Reubens became close friends, often writing and working on material together. Reubens wrote sketches, developed his improvisational skills and, with Hartman, he developed the Pee-wee Herman character.
In 1977, The Groundlings staged a performance in which its members created characters one might see in a comedy club. Reubens decided to play a guy that everyone immediately knew would never make it as a comic, partly because Reubens couldn't remember jokes in real life – he had trouble remembering punch lines and couldn't properly piece information in sequential order. Pee-wee Herman was born that night, his distinctive guttural, "Ha Ha," followed by a low, "Heh Heh Heh," laugh became the character's catch phrase, as did his insult comeback, "I know you are, but what am I?"
Pee-wee Herman's signature grey glen plaid suit was originally a custom-made suit that Reubens had borrowed from the Groundlings director, Gary Austin; the small red bow tie was given to him by an acquaintance. Pee-wee's later checkered clothing and persona were largely lifted from manic 1950s children's TV host Pinky Lee.[2] Also incorporated into the look were short black hair, pale skin with red rouge, and red lipstick.
The inspiration for the name came from a Pee-weiny herman brand miniature harmonica and the surname of an energetic boy Reubens knew from his youth.[3] Reubens thought the name Pee-wee Herman was a name that sounded too real to be made up, and like a real name a parent would give a child that they didn't really care about.
Sometime in 1979 Reubens first debuted his character on the television show The Dating Game, appearing a total of three times.[4][5]
Character background and personality
Throughout his film and television programs, Pee-wee Herman's background has remained relatively ambiguous. During interviews, he has been portrayed as though he is a real life stand-up comedian who expanded his career by playing himself in his films and TV series. This is echoed by the fact that a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was awarded to Pee-wee Herman rather than Paul Reubens.
In both Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Pee-wee's Playhouse, the character surrounds himself with strange inventions and decorations and has no visible means of support, whereas Big Top Pee-wee depicts him as a farmer/inventor. During a June 1984 segment on Late Night with David Letterman, Pee-wee said that he has a sister named Hermione (who was a Girl Scout), his mother's name is Honny Herman, and his father's name is Herman Herman. He went on to say that everyone in his family has a first name that begins with an "H" except for him.[6] This was again stated during a 1988 special which elaborated that Pee-wee was raised in Florida.[7]
Pee-wee is commonly portrayed as an impatient and fun-loving child with dainty, effeminate mannerisms and quirky facial expressions. His age has never been explicitly stated; although, he once proclaimed on The Pee-wee Herman Show, "I'm the luckiest boy in the world". David Letterman once said of the character, "What makes me laugh ... is that it has the external structure of a bratty little precocious kid, but you know it's being controlled by the incubus – the manifestation of evil itself".[8] While the character is typically cheerful and flamboyant, Pee-wee has indeed displayed an aggressive side, including his vicious pool battle with Francis in Pee-wee's Big Adventure. He also played vengeful tricks in the aforementioned film and occasionally threw childish tantrums on Pee-wee's Playhouse.
The Pee-wee Herman Show
Paul Reubens auditioned for Saturday Night Live for the 1980–81 season but was not accepted into the cast. Instead, he started a stage show with the Herman character, which made one of his first appearances in the 1980 film Cheech & Chong's Next Movie. He first plays a rude receptionist in the film, spewing obscenities at police and being arrested. The character is later introduced as Pee-wee Herman, approaching the stage just before disputing with the film's title characters again. Shortly after the film, Reubens took Pee-wee to the real stage. Originally, Reubens imbued Pee-wee with sexuality that was later toned down as the character made the transition from raucous night club to children's television (though innuendo was still apparent, particularly between the Cowboy Curtis and Miss Yvonne characters). The stage show was popularized by HBO when The Pee-wee Herman Show aired in 1981.
The show featured the writing and acting of Groundlings alumni Phil Hartman and John Paragon, who would both reprise their characters on Pee-wee's Playhouse. The Pee-wee Herman Show played for five sellout months at The Roxy Theatre in L.A., whereupon HBO filmed it and aired it as a special on September 11, 1981.
Following the success of The Pee-wee Herman Show, in the early and mid-1980s Reubens made several guest appearances on Late Night with David Letterman as Pee-wee Herman. These performances gave Pee-wee an even bigger following than he had with his HBO special. In 1983, Pee-wee Herman traveled the United States with The Pee-wee Herman Show, making highly publicized stops at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and Caroline's in New York City. Reubens also appeared on an episode of the popular television show Mork & Mindy in 1981.
In 1984 Pee-wee Herman sold out New York City's Carnegie Hall. Reubens went on to say that it was his appearances on David Letterman's show that made Pee-wee a star.
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
One of the prop bicycles used in "Pee-wee's Big Adventure." On display in the Bicycle exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center
While on the Warner Bros. lot, Reubens noticed that most of the people rode around on bicycles, and asked when he would get his. Warner Bros. presented him with a refurbished 1940s Schwinn; Reubens then abandoned the Pee-wee Herman script he had been writing, which was to have been a retelling of Pollyanna. He began writing about Herman's love for his bike and his efforts to locate it once it was stolen. Hartman, Reubens, and Michael Varhol co-wrote the script for Pee-wee's Big Adventure, basing the story loosely on Vittorio De Sica's The Bicycle Thief.[9] The film would be directed by a young Tim Burton, as his feature film debut, and scored by Danny Elfman. It was released August 9, 1985 and, while receiving mixed reviews, performed well at the box office and would become a cult film. Reubens was the originator of the "Pee-wee dance" in the movie, and he had performed it publicly many times prior to making the film.
Pee-wee hosted the 198th episode of Saturday Night Live on November 23, 1985. Phil Hartman, who would become an SNL cast member the following year, was credited for writing the "Pee-wee Herman Thanksgiving Special" sketch and appeared as a pilgrim in it.
Pee-wee's Playhouse
Main article: Pee-wee's Playhouse
The following year, Pee-wee (along with Hartman) found a home on the small screen with the Saturday morning children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse on the American CBS network for the next five years (Shirley Stoler, Johann Carlo, Gilbert Lewis, and Roland Rodriguez only appeared for the first 13 episodes before their characters were dropped or recast). The show starred Pee-wee living in his wild and wacky Playhouse, full of talking chairs, animals, robots, and other puppet and human characters. The show became a hit, and during its time on the air, Pee-wee's Playhouse garnered 15 Emmy Awards.
Pee-wee also became the first guest on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers on its October 9, 1986 premiere.[10] The following year, he made a cameo appearance in the film Back to the Beach. Reubens also filmed an insert for Sesame Street as Pee-wee, reciting his own version of the alphabet.[11] In 1988, a sequel to Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Big Top Pee-wee, was filmed. That same year "Pee-wee" was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and starred in Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. The program included various celebrity guests, including Oprah Winfrey, Cher, Whoopi Goldberg, Little Richard, and Joan Rivers among others.
Reubens' 1991 arrest
In July 1991, while visiting relatives, Reubens was arrested in Sarasota, Florida for masturbating publicly in an adult theater.[12] Detectives would periodically visit pornographic theatres and observe the audience, arresting those engaged in indecent exposure.[13][14] Reubens had not been in character for a year and a half, but because CBS was still running reruns of Pee-wee's Playhouse, Reubens' infamous mug shot, which did not depict the clean-cut look Reubens had shown for the last decade, shocked the public, and many thought that the show had been canceled due to the arrest.[15][16] The arrest was widely covered and both the character Pee-wee and Reubens became the subject of ridicule. CBS stopped airing Playhouse and Disney-MGM Studios suspended from its studio tour a video that showed Pee-wee explaining how voice-over tracks were made and Toys-R-Us removed Pee-wee toys from its stores.[12] However, his voice work in Disney's Star Tours was not replaced. Despite the negative publicity, many artists who knew Reubens, such as Cyndi Lauper, Annette Funicello, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Valeria Golino, spoke out in his support.[12][17] Bill Cosby defended Reubens, saying "Whatever (Reubens has) done, this is being blown all out of proportion". Other people who knew Reubens, such as Playhouse's production designer Gary Panter, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Big Top Pee-wee director Randal Kleiser, also spoke out against the way Reubens was being treated by the media.[17][18] Reubens's fans also organized rallies of support after CBS canceled the scheduled reruns, with several dozens of "Pee-weeites" picketing in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.[12][19] The general public also appeared to sympathise with Reubens – the TV newsmagazine A Current Affair received "tens of thousands" of responses to a Pee-wee telephone survey, with callers supporting Reubens with a nine-to-one majority.[12] He remained in a state of shock for weeks, and was haunted by the arrest for several years, refusing to give interviews or appear on talk shows.[20][21]
At the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards Reubens made his first appearance after the arrest. Taking the stage in costume as Pee-wee, he asked the audience, "Heard any good jokes lately?" and received a standing ovation.[22] Reubens responded with, "Ha, that's so funny I forgot to laugh!" Pee-wee appeared once more in 1992, when he participated in a Grand Ole Opry tribute to Minnie Pearl.[18][23][24][25] Reubens then avoided interviews and according to a 1991 Rolling Stone article had indeed become weary of the character and wanted to explore new territory.[26]
Portrait of Pee-wee Herman by Jim McDermott
Appearances and television returns
During the filming of Mystery Men, Reubens appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1999 in one of his first interviews not as Pee-wee. It was also on that interview that Reubens first announced plans to start writing a new Pee-wee movie. In a 2004 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reubens also mentioned his hope that Hollywood has not seen the last of Pee-wee. Reubens later stated a strong possibility of a Pee-wee's Playhouse movie on an NPR interview with Terry Gross on December 27, 2004. A third Pee-wee movie was also suggested. Both, said Reubens, are actively being worked on, but no dates or official announcements were made as of this date.
In 1998, Fox Family aired reruns of Pee-wee's Playhouse. On July 10, 2006, Cartoon Network began airing Pee-wee’s Playhouse during its Adult Swim lineup. The show's 45 original episodes were planned to air on the block Monday to Thursday at 11 p.m. ET starting on that date.[27] Later on in August 2006, Adult Swim started airing Pee-wee's Playhouse at 12 a.m. ET.
In October 2006, Reubens made a public appearance, dressed as Pee-wee at Chiller Theatre Expo, an East Coast fan convention, with Pee-wee's Playhouse co-star, Lynne Marie Stewart. There he signed pictures and other memorabilia, and posed for photographs with fans.[28]
At Spike TV's 2007 Guys' Choice Awards in June, Reubens appeared on TV as the Pee-wee Herman character for the first time since 1992.[1] On August 5, 2007 at a showing of Pee-wee's Big Adventure in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Reubens made an appearance on stage before the show, bringing with him almost the entire cast of the film to the uproarious applause and standing ovation. E.G. Daily (Dotty), Judd Omen (Mickey), Diane Salinger (Simone), Daryl Keith Roach (Chuck, the bike shop owner), and Mark Holton (Francis) were all present.
On January 15, 2011, Reubens appeared on Saturday Night Live as Pee-wee in an extended and well-received segment depicting Andy Samberg and Pee-wee getting drunk, taking a ride on a mechanical bull, doing the tequila dance and ambushing Anderson Cooper in an alley way with a chair.[29]
On February 1, 2012, Reubens appeared as Pee-wee on Bravo's Top Chef: Texas and served as guest judge. Part of the contestants challenge was to ride a bike, similar to Pee-wee's, while gathering ingredients through San Antonio to prepare and serve a special lunch for Pee-wee at the Alamo. The use of The Alamo is a reference to Pee-wee's film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, where his stolen bike is allegedly hidden.
Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Movie
Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Movie is a proposed film allegedly greenlighted by Paramount Pictures.[30] Reubens's third scripted movie, written at the same time as his adult-oriented Pee-wee script, was announced in late summer 2006. He first announced he had finished the script on Late Show with David Letterman, and later revealed further details to Time magazine reporter Dennis Van Tine.[31] Filming was expected to start in early 2007.
According to Reubens, the story will focus on the characters from the television show finally leaving the playhouse and venturing off into Puppetland and beyond (the playhouse characters had rarely left their home in the TV series).[32] The characters from the playhouse will be on an epic adventure to look for a missing character from the playhouse. Reubens stated this will be a "road" movie.[33][34]
Reubens has said that, although he feels confident that he can still portray Pee-wee himself, he would optionally cast Johnny Depp if needed.[35][36] He said "My second option is to have Johnny Depp play Pee-wee."[22] He even claims that he has spoken to Depp himself and that the actor asked for time to think about it.[22]
During the 2011 Comic-Con in San Diego, Reubens told MTV that he hopes to have Justin Bieber make a cameo appearance toward the end of the movie.[22][37] He also stated that filming of the movie has not started yet, but hopes to begin filming in the next couple of months.[22]
The Pee-wee Herman Story
Years before working on his Playhouse film script, Reubens had written a script for "the dark Pee-wee film," but "not really very dark," entitled The Pee-wee Herman Story. At a Groundlings reunion in 1999, Reubens even joked about the rating of the movie being "probably PG-13 or even R" but in a 2007 MTV interview stated that this isn't actually true. He called it a "Valley of the Dolls Pee-wee" because "it has things certainly inspired by, if not outright lifted from, that movie".[38] Reubens described the film's plot to MTV:
It's basically the story of Pee-wee Herman becoming famous as a singer. He has a hit single and gets brought out to Hollywood to make musical movies, kind of like they did with Elvis. It all kind of goes downhill from there for Pee-wee. He turns into a monster. He does everything wrong and becomes a big jerk.[39]
It was because of the adult situations of this script that Reubens sat down and started writing the Playhouse movie script. At first, Reubens was going to do the adult Pee-wee movie first, but within a few months, Reubens announced that it was very likely that the Playhouse movie would be made first.
A third idea came about to make a reality-based Pee-wee film like those in the 1980s. In 2010, Reubens announced he is working on making this version with Judd Apatow, who wrote and directed the films Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.[40]
In 2013, Reubens reported that Pee-Wee will soon return with a new film which he plans to start shooting in 2014.[41][42] While promoting his voice role in The Smurfs 2, Reubens told the Los Angeles Times on the long-gestating project, saying the film has funding, a finished script, and a director lined up.[43] Reubens is also developing a new TV show, which he says could potentially be an update on the popular Pee-wee's Playhouse. He added that a more-detailed announcement is "imminent."[44][45] Reubens told "Short of something unforeseen like the studio going out of business, I think it's very likely both these projects will happen next year."[43] In 2014, it was announced that the film will be on Netflix.[46]
The Pee-wee Herman Stage Show: The Return
Paul Reubens confirmed in a January 2009 interview with Swindle magazine that there are indeed negotiations under way for the Pee-wee Herman stage show to return.[47]
In late 2009, Reubens began promoting his new live stage show. He appeared in character as Pee-wee on late night programs including Jimmy Kimmel Live!,[48] The Jay Leno Show,[49] and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Pee-wee would also return for a cameo on the penultimate episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien as host and during O'Brien's stop at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour.
Original plans for a November 2009 stage debut were scrapped when demand for tickets prompted a move to a larger theater. The Pee-wee Herman Stage Show: The Return opened on January 12, 2010 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California for a limited four-week schedule. The show will move to Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on November 11, 2010.[50] Much like the original stage show, the new production revolves around Pee-wee's desire to fly. It boasts 11 actors, 20 puppets and marks the show's first production since 1982. The show has employed many of the same set artists and the musical composer from Pee-wee's original stage show as well as some of the original cast members, including Lynne Stewart as Miss Yvonne, John Moody as Mailman Mike and John Paragon as Jambi the Genie.[51] Reubens cited his desire to make a film version of Pee-wee's Playhouse as reasoning for the show and expressed a desire to "introduce Pee-wee to the new generation that didn't know about it".[52][53]
Pee-wee's 2010 stage show has received positive reviews from various Los Angeles-based publications including The Orange County Register,[54] Los Angeles Times[55] and The Hollywood Reporter.[56]
To promote his Broadway show, Pee-wee Herman guest starred on the November 1, 2010 edition of WWE Raw at the Nassau Coliseum. During the program, he participated in backstage antics and had an in-ring confrontation with The Miz and Alex Riley.[57] Pee-wee won a Slammy Award for Guest Star Shining Moment of the Year on December 13, 2010 for his appearance.[58] Pee-wee Herman returned to WWE at WrestleMania XXVII in a segment with The Rock and Gene Okerlund in which he admitted to being John Cena's number one fan.[59]
Honors and pop culture references
The Pee-wee Herman character has received various honors, particularly during his peak fame in the late 1980s. During the original run of Pee-wee's Playhouse, the series garnered 22 Emmy Awards nominations. Pee-wee Herman was also awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988. Under the category of motion pictures, it can be found at 6562 Hollywood Blvd. The character also appeared on three covers of Rolling Stone, including issue 493 (February 1987), 614 (October 1991) with a cover story of "Who Killed Pee-wee Herman?," and finally 619/620 (December 1991) for the 1991 Yearbook.[60]
In the 1986 film Flight of the Navigator, directed by Randal Kleiser, who would later direct Big Top Pee-wee, Pee-wee's characteristic laugh is uttered several times by the Trimaxian Drone (Max, voiced by Reubens), after he "contracted" emotions and 1980s knowledge from David. This persona, speaking in altered pitch similar to Pee-wee, persists for the rest of the movie, a stark contrast to Max's original HAL 9000-esque tone.
Shortly after Reubens's 1991 arrest, Jim Carrey impersonated Pee-wee Herman on the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color. Later, rapper Eminem would imitate Herman in the song "Just Lose It", copying his trademark laugh and even dressing as the character in the music video.
While the Pee-wee Herman character had not originally been intended for a child audience, during the mid-1980s Reubens started forming him into the best role model he possibly could, making of his TV program a morally positive show that cared about issues like racial diversity, the four food groups, and the dangers of making prank calls, but did so in a manner not overly preachy.[25] Reubens was also careful about what should be associated with Pee-wee. Being a heavy smoker, he went to great lengths never to be photographed with a cigarette in his mouth. He even refused to endorse candy bars and other kinds of junk food, while trying to develop his own sugar-free cereal, “Pee-Wee Chow,” a product that would have been produced by Ralston Purina; Pee-Wee Chow never made it to market after failing a blind test.[18][25][61] During this time, he began successfully building a Pee-wee franchise with toys, clothes, and other items generating more than $25 million at its peak in 1988. Reubens also published a book as Pee-wee in 1989 called Travels with Pee-wee.[62]
In early 2007, Nike SB released a style of sneakers called Grey/Heather Dunk High Pro SB that use a grey and white color scheme with red detail inspired by the colors of Pee-wee's trademark suit and an illustration on the insole suggesting Reubens's theater arrest.[63]
Pee-Wee Herman won the Pop Culture award at the 2012 TV Land Awards.
Year Title Notes
1980 Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
1981 The Pee-wee Herman Show TV Movie
1982 Madame's Place Episode #1.34
1982 Lily for President
1985 Saturday Night Live Host
1985 Pee-wee's Big Adventure
1985 Rock 'n' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular
1985 42nd Golden Globe Awards
1986–1990 Pee-wee's Playhouse Appeared in 45 episodes
1987 Back to the Beach
1987 It's Howdy Doody Time
1987 Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program
1987 227 Episode: "Toyland"
1987 Dolly Episode #1.1
1988 Big Top Pee-wee Nominated – Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
1988 Sesame Street Episode: "Put Down the Duckie"
1988 Moonwalker
1991 1991 MTV Video Music Awards
2007 2007 Spike Guys' Choice Awards
2010 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien Episodes: #1.112, #1.144
2010 Pee-wee Gets an iPad! Funny or Die short
2010 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Episode #18.105
2010 Pee-wee Goes to Sturgis
2010 WWE Raw Episode: "2010 Slammy Awards"
2010 Saturday Night Live Episode: "Gwyneth Paltrow/Cee Lo Green"
2010–2011 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Episodes: #1.330, #1.373, #1.408
2011 The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway TV Movie
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special
2011 Conan Episode: "Everybody Wang But Don't Chung Tonight"
2011 WrestleMania XXVII
2012 Top Chef Episode: "Bike, Borrow & Steal"
2012 2012 TV Land Awards Winner of Pop Culture Award
1. ^ a b Guy's Choice Awards – Clips – Pee-wee Returns! – SPIKE Powered By IFILM
2. ^ Gross, Terry (November 29, 2004). "Actor Paul Reubens, 'Pee-wee Herman'". NPR, Fresh Air. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
3. ^ Handy, Bruce (September 1999). "The Pee-wee Herman Story". Vanity Fair. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
4. ^ "Pee-wee Herman's Next Big Adventure? Netflix!". People Magazine. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
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9. ^
11. ^ Sesame Street – The Pee-wee Alphabet YouTube (1987). Retrieved on 1-23-10.
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14. ^ "Reports says Pee-wee offered benefit". The Victoria Advocate. August 4, 1991. Retrieved October 12, 2008. [dead link]
15. ^ Stein, Joel (April 9, 2001). "Bigger Than Pee-wee". Time. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
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17. ^ a b "Speaking Out". Entertainment Weekly. August 16, 1991. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
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19. ^ "Pee-wee Herman". E! True Hollywood Story. Season 2. Episode 42. June 21, 1998.
20. ^ "The US Weekly Interview: Paul Reubens". US Weekly. October 1999.
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22. ^ a b c d e Paul Reubens Discusses Pee-wee's Big Return – Movie News Story | MTV Movie News
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25. ^ a b c "Pee-wee's Small Adventure". Time. July 13, 2006. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
26. ^ Huskey, Melynda [1] "Pee-wee Herman and the Postmodern Picaresque"
27. ^ Williams, Matthew (June 5, 2006). ""Pee-wee's Playhouse" Comes To Adult Swim In July". Toonzone. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
28. ^ "Chiller Theatre Oct 2006:". Chiller Theatre. October 2006. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
29. ^ Roberts, Soraya (January 17, 2011). "Pee-wee Herman gets drunk on 'Saturday Night Live' for Digital Short with Andy Samberg". Retrieved December 25, 2013.
30. ^ Hartlaub, Peter (January 24, 2007). "Pee-wee may be heading back to his Playhouse. But for now, he's happy to be Paul Reubens.". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
31. ^ Van Tine, Dennis (July 13, 2006). "Pee-wee's Small Adventure". Time. Retrieved February 6, 2007.
32. ^ Carroll, Larry (December 9, 2009). "EXCLUSIVE: 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse: The Movie' Is Incoming, And We've Got Story Details". MTV. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
33. ^ Topel, Fred (May 14, 2012). "Paul Reubens Says New Pee-Wee Movie is Ready to Cast". Crave Online. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
34. ^ Schulman, Michael (January 18, 2010). "PEE-WEE REDUX". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
35. ^ Tyler, Josh (December 13, 2007). "Johnny Depp To Replace Reubens As Pee-wee Herman?". Cinema Blend. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
36. ^ Sexton, Timothy (December 15, 2007). "Johnny Depp to Take Over the Role of Pee Wee Herman?". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
37. ^ "Justin Bieber’s Next Big Adventure: Pee-wee Herman’s Movie?". Zimbio. July 24, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
38. ^ Hurwitt, Sam Much bigger than Pee-wee (January 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2-19-09.
39. ^ Horowitz, Josh Pee-wee's Big Return? Paul Reubens Discusses Plans For Two Pee-wee Films (December 11, 2007). Retrieved on 2-19-09.
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42. ^ Kane, Tyler (August 7, 2013). "Pee-wee Herman Expected to Make TV, Film Return". Paste. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
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50. ^ Pull Up a "Chairry": The Pee-wee Herman Show Is Heading to Broadway
51. ^, The Pee-wee Herman Show, October 6, 2009. Retrieved on 1-23-10.
52. ^ Pee-wee Herman Makes a Comeback The Huffington Post (September 23, 2009). Retrieved on 1-23-10.
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56. ^ Spindle, Les The Pee-wee Herman Show – Theater Review The Hollywood Reporter (January 21, 2010). Retrieved on 1-23-10.
57. ^ Raw: Pee-wee Herman gets confronted by The Miz (November 1, 2010). Retrieved on 11-14-10.
58. ^ "December 13, 2010 RAW Results". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
59. ^ Caldwell, James (April 13, 2011). "CALDWELL'S WWE WRESTLEMANIA 27 PPV RESULTS 4/3: Complete "virtual time" coverage of live PPV – Rock hosting, Cena-Miz, Taker-Hunter for The Streak". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
60. ^ Pee-wee Herman Rolling Stone Magazine at Wolfgang's Vault Wolfgag' Retrieved on July 23, 2008.
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63. ^ Pee-wee Herman Dunks SB –
External links
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Sam's Club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Sam's West, Inc.
Industry Retailer local warehouse club
Founded 1982; 33 years ago (1982)
Midwest City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Headquarters Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S.
Number of locations
632 (U.S.) (FY 2014)[1]
38 (international)
Key people
Rosalind G. Brewer, President/CEO
Products Merchandise
Parent Walmart
Sam's West, Inc. (doing business as Sam's Club) is an American chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Walmart, founded in 1983 and named after Walmart founder Sam Walton. As of 2012, Sam's Club chain serves 47 million U.S. and Puerto Rican members and is the 8th largest U.S. retailer.[2] As of January 31, 2008, Sam's Club ranks second in sales volume among warehouse clubs with 57 billion in sales behind Costco, despite the fact that Sam's has more retail locations.[3]
Sam's Club had sales of $57.157 billion in FY 2014.[1] It reported a 0.3% sales increase in 2014, 4.1% in 2013, and 8.4% sales increase in 2012. This is significantly higher growth than Walmart U.S. stores, which did not have higher than 2% growth since 2010.[1]
Its major competitors are Costco and BJ's Wholesale Club.
As of January 31, 2014, Sam's Club operated 621 membership warehouse clubs in 48 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.[1] Oregon and Vermont are the only states where Sam's Club does not operate. It also operates 27 locations in Brazil[4] and 11 in China.[5] Locations generally range in size from 70,000–190,000 sq ft (6,500–17,700 m2), with an average club size of approximately 133,000 sq ft (12,400 m2).[6]
The first Sam's Club opened on April 7, 1982 in Midwest City, Oklahoma in the United States.[7]
In 1987, Sam's Club made its first acquisition by purchasing West Monroe, Louisiana-based SuperSaver Wholesale Warehouse Club; the purchase expanded the chain by 24 locations. The stores were owned by Alton Howard and his son John. John's daughter Korie later married Willie Robertson and became a regular cast member on Duck Dynasty.[8]
In 1989, Sam's entered New Jersey with a store in Delran in a former Two Guys / Jefferson Ward store. This was Walmart's first foray into the Northeast. The first Walmart discount store in New Jersey opened in 1991 in Turnersville. The company entered the Pennsylvania market in 1990.
In 1993, Walmart acquired PACE Membership Warehouse from Kmart and converted many (but not all) PACE locations into Sam's Clubs.
The latest flagship store opening as of September 13, 2007 was in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The largest Sam's Club store is located in Pineville, North Carolina with 185,000 sq ft (17,200 m2) of retail space that was formerly an Incredible Universe.[citation needed]
On September 24, 2006, Sam's Club received a new logo. The new logo has an updated serif font and features a green and blue diamond inside the big blue diamond, found above the word 'Sam's'.
Sam's Club's previous slogan was "We Are In Business For Small Business" until 2006; the decision to remove the slogan comes as Sam's Club attempts to remove itself from serving just small businesses and open up to more individual customers.
In December 2007. Sam's Club launched a new slogan, "Enjoy the Possibilities". Since then it became an official advertising slogan, mentioned in television and radio advertisements, but it is not mentioned on its website. As of January 2008, the "Enjoy the Possibilities" slogan was no longer in use. Sam's Club launched their latest slogan "Savings Made Simple" in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Starting in April 2007, there was speculation of a possible sale or spinoff of Sam's Club from parent company Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.[9][10] At Walmart's 2007 annual shareholder's meeting in June, management said that Sam's Club is not for sale, although they did not say they are not considering a spinoff.
On February 26, 2009, Walmart Canada announced that it would close all six of its Canadian Sam's Club locations.[11][12][13] This was part of Walmart Canada's decision to shift focus towards supercenter stores, but some industry observers suggested that the operation was struggling in competition with Costco and the non-membership The Real Canadian Superstore (known as Maxi & Cie in Quebec), that had a well-established history in the country. Sam's Club also rebranded the two as yet unopened locations as new Walmart Superstores.
In January 2010, it was announced that ten stores would be closed, including four in California. At the same time, Sam's will open six new stores at various locations in the United States.[14]
On January 24, 2010, it was announced that approximately 11,200 Sam's Club employees would be laid off. The layoffs resulted from the decision to outsource product sampling duties to an outside company (Rogers, Arkansas-based Shopper Events, which already performs in-store product demonstrations for Walmart) and to eliminate New Business Membership Representative positions throughout the chain. Most of the laid-off employees were part-time and represented about 10% of the total Sam's Club workforce.
Rosalind Brewer was named as the new CEO for Sam's Club, a change that came into effect on February 1, 2012.[15]
On January 24, 2014, it was announced that Wal-Mart will cut 2,300 jobs at the under performing Sam's Club locations.[16]
A Sam's Club store in Maplewood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis
A Sam's Club store in Ciudad Lerdo, Durango
A Sam's Club store in Suzhou, China
Like other warehouse clubs, Sam's Club sells most of its merchandise in bulk and directly off pallets. The clubs are arranged much like warehouses, with merchandise stocked in warehouse-style steel bins. Products sold include jewelry, designer goods, sunglasses, crystal and collectibles, electronics, floral, apparel, food and meats. Most locations have Pharmacy, Tire and Battery, Photo, Bakery, Optical, Café and Floral departments. Sam's Club markets items under the private labels Simply Right (Formerly Member's Mark), Bakers & Chefs, Daily Chef, and Sam's Club — including products by Richelieu Foods,[17] a private label manufacturer of frozen pizza, salad dressing, sauces, marinades, condiments and deli salads. Sam's Club does not sell the Sam's Choice or Great Value brands, that are available in Walmart stores. However, Sam's Club is changing some of the Member's Mark items, such as baby wipes to the name Simply Right. The Member's Mark Deli products is also changing names to Artisan Fresh. Another notable feature in most locations is the presence of stands at which Shopper Events employees prepare various food products for members to sample before purchasing.
Sam's Business Center[edit]
Sam's Club opened their first Business Center in Houston, Texas, in August 2008. Converted from an existing Sam's location, the Business Center is similar in concept to Costco's Business Centers.
In January 2010, the company announced it would be closing its Business Center, along with nine other clubs across the United States.[18]
Other retail formats[edit]
In Houston, Sam's Club opened Más Club in August 2009,[19] a club geared towards the Hispanic population. Membership in Más Club was separate from membership in Sam's Club. It closed in February 2014.
Membership is required to purchase at Sam's Club (except at the cafe and pharmacy where federal law prohibits sales of prescription drugs to members only, as well as liquor and gasoline in some states); however, a one-time day pass may be obtained from many Walmart newspaper ads. A 10% surcharge is added (except where forbidden by local laws) to the prices for non-members, except for optical, pharmacy, cafe, or alcohol items where available. All memberships fees are 100% guaranteed at any point of time in the membership tenure.
Renewal of memberships can be done via the internet, through the mail, in-club at the Membership Services desk, any cash register, and also at the new ATM/Membership kiosks (the latter only available in select locations).
In the United States, Sam's Club memberships are divided into three categories: Business, Savings and Plus, each with an annual fee. Sam's Plus is the most comprehensive membership plan.
Payment options and store credit products[edit]
A Sam's Club in California.
Some Sam's Clubs in U.S. include gas stations
Shelves of Sam's Club in Suzhou, China
Payment options[edit]
Sam's Club locations accept Sam's Club and Walmart credit cards,[20] Discover Card, MasterCard,[21] debit cards (PIN-based, except MasterCard, which also can be signature-based), Walmart and Sam's Club gift cards, cash or checks. As of March 2009 EBT SNAP benefits are accepted.[22] MasterCard was added as an option on November 9, 2006. Visa credit cards are not accepted, except at gas stations, because of the high processing fees compared with Walmart's discounted rates with MasterCard,[23] although in the past it was accepted during testing periods.[24] However Visa debit cards are not accepted at some clubs. American Express is not accepted. Their online website,, accepts MasterCard or Discover Card. Sams club did not accept Discover card until 2008. (McKibben, 2008)
Sam's Club credit[edit]
Sam's Club offers store credit lines to individuals and businesses linked to the member's membership card. As of June 2014, Sam's Club discontinued offering the Sam's Discover card and now offers a Sam's Club MasterCard Card that can be used at Sam's Club and anywhere Mastercards are accepted. Sam's Club MasterCard offers a cash back program of 5% (Up to $6,000 a year then 1% thereafter) on gasoline, 3% on dining and travel and 1% on all other purchases. Sam's Club is also the first merchant in the United States to offer EMV (Europay/MasterCard/Visa) chip-enabled cards.
See also[edit]
1. ^ a b c d "Five–Year Financial Summary - 2014 Annual Report" (PDF) (Press release). Retrieved 15 May 2015.
2. ^ "Sam's Club Corporate Facts 2012" (PDF) (Press release). Retrieved May 7, 2012.
3. ^ "Costco Wholesale company profile". Hoover's. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
4. ^ "Walmart Corporate - Brazil". Retrieved 17 May 2015.
5. ^ Welcome to Wal-Mart China
6. ^ "Walmart FY 2009 Annual Report" (PDF). Walmart.
7. ^ "Sam's Club celebrates 25th anniversary with nationwide open house" (Press release). Sam's Club. April 10, 2007.
8. ^ Willie and Korie Robertson with Mark Schlabach, The Duck Commander Family. West Monroe, LA: Howard Books (owned by Simon & Schuster, 2013, p. 33
9. ^ Otte, Timothy M. (May 7, 2007). "Spinoff in Bentonville Revisited". The Motley Fool. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
10. ^ Otte, Timothy M. (April 17, 2007). "A Spinoff in Bentonville?". The Motley Fool. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
11. ^ Georgiades, Andy (February 26, 2009). "Walmart Canada to Close Sam's Club Division". The Wall Street Journal.
12. ^ "Walmart Canada to close six Ontario Sam's Club locations to focus on supercenter expansion" (Press release). Walmart Canada. February 26, 2009.
13. ^ Flavelle, Dana (February 26, 2009). "Walmart to close all Canadian Sam's Club stores". Toronto Star. Retrieved February 26, 2009.
14. ^ "Sam's Club to close 10 stores, four in California". Los Angeles Times. January 12, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
15. ^ "Walmart names Rosalind Brewer as Sam's Club CEO, first woman to hold CEO position". The Washington Post. January 20, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
16. ^ "Wal-Mart to Lay Off 2,300 Sam's Club Employees". The Wall Street Journal. January 24, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
17. ^ "Richelieu experiences hiring boom, starts expansion". WCF Courier, RC Balaban. August 27, 2006.
18. ^ "Sam's Club Closing Houston Location".
19. ^ "Más Club Opens August 6 in Houston" (Press release). Sam's Club. July 21, 2009.
20. ^ Review of Walmart Credit Card
21. ^ "Sam's Club opens door to MasterCard payments". CNN. November 9, 2006. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
22. ^ "Does Sam's Club accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) cards?".
23. ^ Pricing, Retailing Rivalry Likely Led to Sam's Club's MasterCard Deal
24. ^ "Sam's Club Will Stop Accepting Visa And Mastercard Credit Cards April 21". Cardline. April 16, 2004. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
External links[edit]
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Snakes on a Plane
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For the first single from Cobra Starship, see Snakes on a Plane (Bring It).
Snakes on a Plane
Text at the center of the image says "Snakes on a Plane". Behind it is an overhead view of a jet passenger airplane with two snakes coiled around it. Towards the cockpit of the image the snakes' heads face each other with their mouths open and fangs and teeth shown. The background is all black.
Theatrical release poster
Directed by David R. Ellis
Produced by
• Craig Berenson
• Don Granger
• Gary Levinson
Screenplay by
Story by
Music by Trevor Rabin
Cinematography Adam Greenberg
Edited by Howard Smith
Distributed by New Line Cinema
Release dates
• August 17, 2006 (2006-08-17) (Puerto Rico)
• August 18, 2006 (2006-08-18) (United States)
Running time
106 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $33 million[1]
Box office $62 million[1]
Released in the United States and United Kingdom on August 18, 2006, the film received mixed to positive reviews with 68% of reviews positive and an average normalized score of 58%, according to the review aggregation websites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, respectively. Despite the immense Internet buzz, the film's gross revenue did not live up to expectations, earning US$15.25 million in its opening weekend.[3][4] The film grossed US$62 million worldwide before its release on home video on January 2, 2007.
Some of the snakes attack Rick, and while fending them off he accidentally releases the oxygen masks throughout the plane, causing several snakes to drop into the cabin with them. Numerous passengers, including Agent Sanders, are killed when the snakes invade the cabin. The surviving passengers, who have made their way to the front of the plane, put up blockades of luggage in a desperate attempt to stop the snakes. Rick is attacked and the plane starts to dip downwards, causing a food trolley to crash through the luggage blockade. The passengers flee to the upstairs first class cabin before blocking the stairwell with an inflatable liferaft. Agent Flynn and Flight Attendant Claire regain control of the plane. Rick retakes the controls and has Flynn go into the cargo hold to restore the air conditioning/ventilation system. Agent Flynn contacts FBI Special Agent Hank Harris on the ground, who gets in touch with ophiologist Dr. Steven Price (Louiso). Based on pictures of the reptiles emailed to him via a mobile phone, Price believes a Los Angeles snake dealer known for illegally importing exotic and highly dangerous snakes to be responsible. After a shootout with the dealer, he reveals that Kim hired the dealer to obtain the snakes. His supply of anti-venom is commandeered for the plane's victims, and Harris gives orders to have Eddie Kim arrested.
Harris contacts Flynn, telling him that anti-venom will be ready for the passengers when they land. However, Flynn discovers that the cockpit is filled with snakes and Rick is dead. After a brief discussion, Troy, Three Gs' bodyguard, agrees to land the plane based on prior experience. After everyone gets prepared, Flynn shoots out two windows with his pistol, causing the plane to depressurize. The snakes are blown out of the cockpit and the lower floor of the plane. Flynn and Troy take the controls of the plane and Troy reveals that his flight experience was from a video game flight simulator. After an emergency landing, the plane makes it to the terminal. The passengers leave the plane and anti-venom is given to those who need it. Just as Flynn and Sean are about to disembark the plane, a final snake jumps out and bites Sean in the chest. Flynn draws his gun and shoots the snake, and paramedics rush to Sean, who is unharmed due to a bulletproof vest. As a token of gratitude, Sean later takes Flynn to Bali and teaches him how to surf.
• Samuel L. Jackson as Agent Neville Flynn, an FBI agent assigned to protect Sean Jones on his flight to Los Angeles.
• Julianna Margulies as Claire Miller, a flight attendant.
• Nathan Phillips as Sean Jones, a surfer and dirtbike racer who witnesses a brutal murder committed by Eddie Kim.
• Bobby Cannavale as Special Agent Henry "Hank" Harris, Flynn's contact in Los Angeles.
• Rachel Blanchard as Mercedes, a socialite passenger who brings her pet Chihuahua Mary-Kate aboard.
• Flex Alexander as Clarence "Three Gs", a famous rapper who is germophobic, keeps a bottle of hand sanitizer with him, and refuses to be touched by others.
• Kenan Thompson and Keith Dallas as Troy and Big Leroy, Clarence's bodyguards.
• Lin Shaye as Grace, the senior flight attendant who acts as the flight's purser.
• Terry Chen as Chen Leong, a martial artist who is among the surviving passengers.
• Elsa Pataky as Maria, a female passenger who brings her infant son aboard.
• Sunny Mabrey as Tiffany, a flight attendant who develops a crush on Sean.
• Tygh Runyan as Tyler, a very allergenic passenger.
• Emily Holmes as Ashley, Tyler's wife.
• Tom Butler as Captain Samuel "Sam" McKeon, the captain of the plane.
• David Koechner as Richard "Rick", Captain McKeon's co-pilot.
• Byron Lawson as Eddie Kim, a crime syndicate leader.
• Todd Louiso as Dr. Steven Price, a snake venom expert assigned by the FBI to communicate with Flynn.
• Scott Nicholson as Daniel Hayes, a U.S. Prosecutor who is murdered by Kim at the start of the film.
• Taylor Kitsch as Kylerick "Crocodile" Cho, a man who is attacked by the snakes while having sex in the bathroom with his girlfriend.
• Samantha McLeod as Kelly, a woman who is attacked by the snakes while having sex in the bathroom with her boyfriend.
• Kevin McNulty as Emmett Bradley, an air traffic tower controller.
The story is credited to David Dalessandro, a University of Pittsburgh administrator and first-time Hollywood writer. He developed the concept in 1992 after reading a nature magazine article about Indonesian brown tree snakes climbing onto planes in cargo during World War II. He originally wrote the screenplay about the brown tree snake loose on a plane, titling the film Venom.[5] He soon revised it, expanding upon the premise to include a plague of assorted venomous snakes, then—crediting the film Aliens—revised it once again to include "lots of them loose in the fuselage of a plane."[6] Dalessandro's third draft of Venom was turned down by more than 30 Hollywood studios in 1995. In 1999, a producer for MTV/Paramount showed interest in the script, followed up by New Line Studios, which took over the rights for production.
Originally, the film, under the working title "Snakes on a Plane", was going to be directed by Hong Kong action director Ronny Yu.[5] Jackson, who had previously worked with Yu on The 51st State, learned about the announced project in the Hollywood trade newspapers and, after talking to Yu, agreed to sign on without reading the script based on the director, storyline, and the title.[7]
The film's B movie-esque title generated a lot of pre-release interest on the Internet. One journalist wrote that Snakes on a Plane is "perhaps the most internet-hyped film of all time".[8] Much of the initial publicity came from a blog entry made by screenwriter Josh Friedman, who had been offered a chance to work on the script.[9] The casting of Samuel L. Jackson further increased anticipation. At one point, the film was given the title Pacific Air Flight 121, only to have it changed back to the working title at Samuel Jackson's request.[10] In August 2005, Samuel Jackson told an interviewer, "We're totally changing that back. That's the only reason I took the job: I read the title."[11] On March 2, 2006, the studio reverted the title to Snakes on a Plane.[12] New Line hired two additional writers to smooth out the screenplay.[6]
Taking advantage of the Internet buzz for what had been a minor film in their 2006 line-up, New Line Cinema ordered five days of additional shooting in early March 2006 (principal photography had wrapped in September 2005).[13] While re-shoots normally imply problems with a film, the producers opted to add new scenes to the film to change the MPAA rating from PG-13 to R and bring it in line with growing fan expectations. The most notable addition was a revision of a catchphrase from the film that was parodied on the Internet by fans of the film, capitalizing on Samuel L. Jackson's typically foul-mouthed and violent film persona: "Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane!".[5] Subsequently, the public responded favorably to this creative change and marketing strategy, leading some members of the press to speculate that "the movie has grown from something of a joke into a phenomenon".[5][14][15][16]
A Scarlet Kingsnake was one of the many snakes used during filming
More than 450 snakes were used for filming to represent thirty different species of snakes.[17] The different species include a 19-foot Burmese python named Kitty (which the crew called Kong for film purposes), a Scarlet Kingsnake (the non-venomous double for the coral snake), a milk snake to fill in for the Taipan (which attacks the couple having sex), corn snakes, rattlesnakes, and mangrove snakes.[18] About two-thirds of the snakes seen throughout the film were either animatronic or computer generated.[18] The snakes that were real were mostly the non-venomous ones that are never seen attacking anyone. The scenes where someone is clearly bitten were often done with animation. According to the DVD, all the snakes had production names, but only Scarface (an animated pit viper), Peanut (a cobra), and Kong are mentioned by name in the audio commentary. During filming, Samuel Jackson did not come into contact with any live snakes, due to a contract clause preventing snakes from being within 8 m (25 ft) of the actor.[5] When the film was released in theaters, rumors circulated that two live diamondback rattlesnakes had been released at a showing of the film on August 22, 2006, in Phoenix, Arizona. It was later revealed that one snake had made its way into the lobby of the theater on its own, and another had been found in the parking lot in a separate incident. The snakes were later released back into the desert.[19]
Media coverage[edit]
A man is sitting in a director's chair on a stage with two partially cropped out people sitting in the same type of chair on his left and right. The man is speaking into a microphone he is holding and is wearing tennis shoes, blue jeans, a black T-shirt with the film's poster image on it, sunglasses, and a white hat. In the background is a patterned design with the logo for Comic-Con.
Samuel L. Jackson promoting the film at Comic-Con Convention in July 2006
An illustrated book from Thunder's Mouth Press, Snakes on a Plane: The Guide to the Internet Ssssssensation by David Waldon, details the Internet phenomenon and was published July 28, 2006. Waldon details various viral videos relating to the film's craze, and interviewed their producers to find out what about the film captured their attention.[20]
On March 16, 2006, New Line Cinema announced a contest on TagWorld and a website promoting the film.[21][22] The contest allowed artists on TagWorld to have their music featured in the film. A flood of SoaP-themed songs were submitted by artists such as Captain Ahab (who ultimately won the contest), Louden Swain, the Former Fat Boys, Nispy, and others. In addition, a music video for the film, "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" by Cobra Starship, was released on July 10, 2006 on MTV2's Unleashed. The music video appeared on the film's soundtrack as well as during the film's closing credits.
In October 2005, Nathanial Perry and Chris Rohan recorded an audio trailer spoof, which helped fuel the Internet buzz. Perry and Rohan recorded the "motherfucking snakes" line in the audio trailer which was added to the film during the week of re-shoots. In July 2006, New Line Cinema signed a worldwide licensing agreement with the Cutting Corporation to produce an audiobook of the film.[23]
Beginning in May 2006, episodes of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and its sister show The Colbert Report contained references to Snakes on a Plane 's title, the catchphrase, and general premise.[citation needed] On August 15, 2006, Samuel L. Jackson guest featured on The Daily Show, opening with the film's catchphrase. Keith Olbermann featured stories about the film and Internet buzz several times on his MSNBC news program Countdown. In addition, G4's Attack of the Show! featured a semi-regular segment entitled "Snakes on a Plane: An Attack of the Show Investigation", and had a week dedicated to the film which included interviews and the appearance of hundreds of snakes on set.[24]
Snakes on a Plane generated considerable buzz on the Internet after Josh Friedman's blog entry[9] and mentions on several Internet portals. The title inspired bloggers to create songs, apparel, poster art, pages of fan fiction, parody films, mock movie trailers, and short film parody competitions.[25][26] On July 6, 2006, the official Snakes on a Plane website started a promotional sweepstakes called "The #1 Fan King Cobra Sweepstakes". The contest made innovative use of the publicity-generating potential of the Internet, requiring contestants to post links on forums, blogs, and websites and collecting votes from the users of those sites.
Many of the early fan-made trailers and later other viral videos and commercials circulated via YouTube, and captured media attention there with such titles as: Cats on a Plane (which was featured in Joel Siegel's review of Snakes on a Plane on Good Morning America), Snakes Who Missed the Plane, All Your Snakes Are Belong To Us (a spoof of the All your base are belong to us phenomenon), Steaks on a Train,[26] and Badgers on a Plane (a spoof of "Badger Badger Badger"). Several websites also held contests about the film in fan-submitted short films and posters.
In August 2006, Varitalk launched an advertising campaign in which fans could send a semi-personalized message in Samuel Jackson's voice to telephone numbers of their choosing.[27] Within the first week, over 1.5 million calls were sent to participants.[27]
In June 2006, New Line commissioned famed UK audio-visual film remixers and chop-up artists Addictive TV to cut and sample Snakes on a Plane to create trailers for the U.S. television networks. The official teaser trailer premiered before X-Men: The Last Stand, and the first official trailer appeared online on June 26, 2006.[26] Another trailer circulated in July 2006, showing several of the snake attacks and a missing pilot and co-pilot. Rotten Tomatoes had video clips of the official trailers, as well as fan-made trailers.[28]
During a July 21, 2006 panel discussion at the Comic-Con Convention in San Diego, California, a preview clip from the film was shown to a crowd of more than 6,500 people. The panel included actors Samuel L. Jackson and Kenan Thompson, director David R. Ellis, and snake-handler Jules Sylvester.[29]
"No movie shall triumph over Snakes on a Plane. Unless I happen to feel like making a movie called More Motherfucking Snakes on More Motherfucking Planes."
—Samuel L. Jackson, joking that the film would win the MTV Movie Award for "Best Film" in 2007[12]
Snakes on a Plane debuted on August 18, 2006. The film opened in 3,555 theaters and had some late-night screenings on August 17. In a move meant to exploit the attention from the film, a straight-to-DVD Z-movie horror film with a supernatural twist, Snakes on a Train, was released on August 15, 2006, three days before the film's theatrical release.[30]
Critical response[edit]
In mid-July 2006, New Line Cinema revealed that it would not be showing any advance screenings for critics.[31] After the film opened, the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 68% based reviews from 171 critics, with the consensus: "Snakes on a Plane lives up to its title, featuring snakes on a plane. It isn't perfect, but then again, it doesn't need to be." reviews, with an average score of 6.2/10.[28] At the website Metacritic, which uses a normalized rating system, the film earned a mixed rating of 58% based on 31 reviews by mainstream critics.[32] Reviewers reported audiences cheering, applauding, and engaging in "call and response", noting that audience participation was an important part of the film's appeal.[33][34]
The Arizona Republic's Randy Cordova gave the film a positive review, calling the film "... an exploitation flick that knows what it wants to do, and it gets the job done expertly." and a "... Mecca for B-movie lovers."[35] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle enjoyed the film, asking his readers "... if you can find a better time at the movies this year than this wild comic thriller, let me in on it."[36] Boston Globe reviewer Ty Burr reacted to Samuel L. Jackson's performance by saying he "... bestrides this film with the authority of someone who knows the value of honest bilge. He's as much the auteur of this baby as the director and screenwriters, and that fierce glimmer in his eye is partly joy."[37]
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film one and a half stars out of four, saying that "after all the Internet hype about those motherfuckin' snakes on that motherfuckin' plane, the flick itself is a murky stew of shock effects repeated so often that the suspense quickly droops along with your eyelids."[38] David Denby of The New Yorker claimed that the film "... may mark a new participatory style in marketing, but it still gulls an allegedly knowing audience with the pseudo-morality of yesteryear."[39]
Film critic and radio host Michael Medved criticized New Line Cinema for agreeing to re-shoot scenes so that the film would receive an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America to match fan expectations.[40][41] He argued that the film would have grossed more revenue at the box office with a PG-13 rating, stating that the demographic most likely to be drawn to a movie titled Snakes on a Plane is males between the ages of 12 and 15. "My fourteen-year-old son, Danny, for instance, felt a powerful inclination to go out and see the movie with his two sleep-over friends this Sunday night," he explained, "but I wouldn't permit it. It's rated R for good reason."[42] Medved ultimately awarded the film 2 1/2 stars out of 4 in a radio review, but said that he did so "grudgingly."[43]
Box office[edit]
Due to the Internet hype surrounding the film, industry analysts estimated the film's opening box office to be between US$20-30 million.[4] While Snakes on a Plane did narrowly beat Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby for the number one position during its opening weekend, it did not meet these estimates and grossed only $15.25 million in its opening days, a disappointment for New Line Cinema.[3] In its second weekend, the film fell to sixth place with $6.4 million, a more than fifty percent drop from its opening weekend revenue.[44][45][46] By the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed $62,022,014 worldwide.[1]
Robert K. Shaye, the founder of New Line, stated that he was "disappointed" that Snakes on a Plane was a "dud" despite "higher expectations".[47] The press declared that Snakes on a Plane was a "box office disappointment",[3][4] with The New York Times reporting that after all the "hype online, Snakes on a Plane is letdown at box office"[48] and Entertainment Weekly reporting that the film was an "internet-only phenomenon."[4]
Home media[edit]
Snakes on a Plane released on DVD December 26, 2006 in Region 2; December 28, 2006 in Region 4; and January 2, 2007 in Region 1. The DVD features commentaries, deleted and extended scenes, several featurettes, Cobra Starship's music video, and trailers. The U.S. Blu-ray was released on September 29, 2009.[49]
TV version[edit]
The film received further attention when fans noticed the U.S. TV edit of the film purposely dubbed its foul language with nonsense words for a broader audience. An example is Samuel L. Jackson's line toward the end of the film, "I have had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane", which is replaced with "I have had it with these monkey-fighting snakes on this Monday-to-Friday plane".[50][51][52]
Black Flame published the novelization of the film, written by Christa Faust.[53] The 405–page novel contains significant backstories for the characters and introduces other characters that were not featured in the film.[54] Comic book writer Chuck Dixon wrote a comic book adaptation of the film. DC Comics released the two-issue miniseries on August 16, 2006 and September 27, 2006 under their Wildstorm imprint.[55]
Snakes on a Plane: The Album
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released August 15, 2006
Label Decaydance Records
New Line Records
Producer Jason Linn
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[56]
RapReviews 6.5/10 stars[57]
The soundtrack for the film was released on August 15, 2006. The enhanced portion of the CD contains what was considered the "best of the best" of the amateur Internet creations inspired by the film, including the songs "Snakes on the Brain" by Captain Ahab and "Here Come the Snakes (Seeing Is Believing)" by Louden Swain. The single "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" peaked at the 32nd position of Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks in 2006.[58]
1. "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" by Cobra Starship, William Beckett, Maja Ivarsson, Travie McCoy
2. "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage" (Tommie Sunshine Brooklyn Fire Remix) by Panic! at the Disco
3. "Black Mamba" (Teddybears Remix) by The Academy Is...
4. "Ophidiophobia" by Cee-Lo Green
5. "Can't Take It" (The Baldwin Brothers "El Camino Prom Wagon" Remix) by The All-American Rejects
6. "Queen of Apology" (Patrick Stump Remix) by The Sounds
7. "Of All the Gin Joints in All the World" (Tommie Sunshine's Brooklyn Fire Retouch) by Fall Out Boy
8. "New Friend Request" (Hi-Tek Remix) by Gym Class Heroes
9. "Around the Horn" (Louis XIV Remix) by The Bronx
10. "Remember to Feel Real" (Machine Shop Remix) by Armor for Sleep
11. "Wine Red" (Tommie Sunshine's Brooklyn Fire Retouch) by The Hush Sound
12. "Bruised" (Remix) by Jack's Mannequin
13. "Final Snakes" by Shranky Drank
14. "Wake Up" (Acoustic) by Coheed and Cambria
15. "Lovely Day" by Donavon Frankenreiter
16. "Hey Now Now" by Michael Franti & Spearhead
17. "Snakes on a Plane - The Theme" (Score) by Trevor Rabin
See also[edit]
1. ^ a b c "Snakes on a Plane (2006)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
2. ^
3. ^ a b c Waxman, Sharon (August 21, 2006). "After Hype Online, "Snakes on a Plane" Is Letdown at Box Office". The New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
4. ^ a b c d Rich, Joshua (August 20, 2006). "Oh Sssssnap!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
5. ^ a b c d e Jensen, Jeff (August 4, 2006). "Kicking Asp". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 29, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
6. ^ a b Hayes, John (August 16, 2006). "'Snakes on a Plane' scares up a following based on Hollywood's frightful track record". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
8. ^ Brown, Mark (August 18, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane leaves critics flying blind". London: The Guardian. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
9. ^ a b Friedman, Josh (August 17, 2005). "I find your lack of faith disturbing: Snakes on a Motherfucking Plane". Retrieved May 11, 2009.
10. ^ Wloszczyna, Susan (April 18, 2006). "'Snakes on a Plane' sssssssays it all". USA Today. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
11. ^ "'Snakes on a Plane': The Cult". Internet Movie Database. April 12, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
12. ^ a b Homer, Chris (August 17, 2006). "'Snakes' inspires laughs, not fear". Retrieved May 11, 2009.
13. ^ Borys, Kit (March 24, 2006). "Fan frenzy for 'Snakes' is on a different plane". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 11, 2009. [dead link]
14. ^ Honeycutt, Kirk (August 21, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
15. ^ Loder, Kurt (August 18, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane: Wild Fang". MTV Movies. Archived from the original on May 5, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
16. ^ Pearlman, Cindy (August 13, 2006). "Kicking Asp: Jackson is fed up with snakes". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
17. ^ Carle, Chris (2006-07-22). "Comic-Con 2006: Snakes on a Plane Panel". Retrieved September 21, 2008.
18. ^ a b Lovgren, Stefan. ""Snakes on a Plane": Behind the Scenes With the Movie's Snake Wrangler". National Geographic. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
19. ^ Reuters (August 22, 2006). "Rattlers freed in 'Snakes on a Plane' theater prank". Red Orbit. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
20. ^ Waldon, David (2006). Snakes on a Plane: The Guide to the Internet Ssssssensation. Thunder's Mouth. ISBN 1-56025-971-X.
21. ^ "TagWorld and New Line Cinema Team for Snakes on a Plane Soundtrack Contest" (PDF). March 16, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
22. ^ "TagWorld :: snakesonaplane's - Home". Archived from the original on March 25, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
23. ^ "Snakes on a Plane in GraphicAudio". Graphic Audio. Archived from the original on May 17, 2007. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
24. ^ "Snakes on a Plane, X-Games". Retrieved May 11, 2009.
25. ^ "(Blanks) on a (Blank): A Filmmaking Challenge Inspired by "Snakes on a Plane". Archived from the original on 2008-05-06. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
26. ^ a b c Robischon, Noah (August 22, 2006). ""Snakes On A Plane" comes to life on the Internet". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
27. ^ a b Leo, Alexandra (August 15, 2006). "If Samuel L. Jackson Called, Would You See His Movie?". Retrieved May 11, 2009.
28. ^ a b "Snakes on a Plane". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
29. ^ Matheson, Whitney (July 22, 2006). "Can't stop the 'Snakes'". USA Today. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
30. ^ Leydon, Joe (August 18, 2006). "Snakes on a Train". Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
31. ^ Arnold, William (August 17, 2006). "Fewer movies are being prescreened for critics — and that's a good thing". Seattle Post Intelligencer. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
32. ^ "Snakes on a Plane". MetaCritic. CBS. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
33. ^ Gonsalves, Rob (August 18, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane". EFilm Critic. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
34. ^ Seymour, Gene. "Snakes on a Plane". Newsday. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
35. ^ Cordova, Randy (August 19, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
36. ^ LaSalle, Mick (August 18, 2006). "Get ready for a wild ride with 'Snakes on a Plane'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
37. ^ Burr, Ty (August 18, 2006). ""Snakes" as bad as it wants to be, and that's good". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
38. ^ Travers, Peter (August 18, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
39. ^ Denby, David (August 18, 2006). "Disasters". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
40. ^ Medved, Michael (August 22, 2006). "Bomb on a plane". Retrieved August 23, 2013.
41. ^ Driscoll, Ed (August 22, 2006). "Why Snakes "R" DOA". Retrieved June 2, 2015.
42. ^ Medved, Michael (August 22, 2006). "Why "Snakes on a Plane" crashed". Townhall. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
43. ^ Medved, Michael (August 18, 2006). "Snakes on a Plane". Retrieved November 11, 2014.
44. ^ Ngo, Binh (August 27, 2006). "Box Office Wrapup: "Invincible" Scores #1 Opening". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
45. ^ "Snakes on a Plane (2006)". Box Office Mojo. August 27, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
46. ^ Rich, Joshua (August 28, 2006). "Box Office Report: Touchdown!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
47. ^ Waxman, Sharon (February 19, 2007). "For New Line, an Identity Crisis". The New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
48. ^ Sharon Waxman (August 21, 2006). "After Hype Online, "Snakes on a Plane" Is Letdown at Box Office". The New York Times.
49. ^ McCutcheon, David. "Snakes on a Delayed Flight". IGN. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
50. ^ Dr. Winston O'Boogie (April 25, 2009). "Video: Snakes on a Plane (The TV Edit) url =".
51. ^
52. ^
53. ^ Chavez, Donna (December 3, 2007). "PW talks with Christa Faust: smoking in the boys' room". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2009. (registration required (help)).
54. ^ Faust, Christa (2006). Snakes on a Plane. Black Flame. ISBN 1-84416-381-4.
55. ^ Weiland, Johan (June 14, 2006). "Wildstorm/Chuck Dixon do "Snakes On A Plane" Comic". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
56. ^ Apar, Corey. "Snakes on a Plane: The Album". Allmusic. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
57. ^ Juon, Steve. "Snakes on a Plane: The Album". RapReviews. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
58. ^ "Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard.
External links[edit]
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13244
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User:Mackensen/New admins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
These are informal guidelines for new administrators, based on what I've picked up over the last two years.
• You are a janitor. You've been issued a mop and a bucket. Part of being a janitor is to clear up messes–not cause them. Ideally, your actions will never be noticed, save by the grateful individual who sees that his floor is now clean.
• You are not smarter for having the mop. If anything, you've just become dumber, because you've acquired a whole new range of responsibilities and a commensurately low level of experience in exercising them.
• You are still an editor. Administrators wear two hats. Some, like Essjay (talk) or Mackensen (talk), wear even more. When you edit articles you're a regular user. When you block somebody you're an administrator. It's important that the two persona do not cross the streams–you should never find yourself pulling rank in a content dispute.
• You will be wrong sometimes. Taking this into consideration, mind your words and actions because you might have to retract them and apologize later.
• You are a mediator. You will be asked to informally mediate disputes because you have a mop and bucket. Your primary goal should be directing efforts towards talk pages. When there's an actual content dispute, favor article protection over blocking. This focuses attention on the thing that matters most.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13245
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From FedoraProject
< User:Churchyard
Revision as of 09:31, 17 February 2014 by Bkabrda (Talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
package reason status upstream bz
anaconda anaconda unknown
anaconda-yum-plugins anaconda unknown
audit-libs-python policycoreutils-python unknown
authconfig anaconda needs porting to pygobject and/or GTK3
cloud-init cloud needs different templating engine and python-boto
dnf dnf
Pass pass
firewalld anaconda
Pass pass
gdb buildroot upstream only
heat-cfntools cloud unknown
iscsi-initiator-utils anaconda unknown
langtable-python anaconda
Pass pass
libreport-python python-meh upstream's working, need deps
libuser-python anaconda upstream is woking on it?
newt authconfig
Pass pass
PackageKit live-cd not yet
policycoreutils-python cloud-init unknown
pykickstart anaconda not yet
pyparted anaconda upstream's working
python-babel anaconda
Pass pass
python-blivet anaconda unknown
python-boto cloud-init somehow works, needs proper upstream integration
python-cheetah cloud-init will never happen (drop the dependency)
python-cryptsetup anaconda unknown
python-iniparse dnf
Pass pass
python-IPy anaconda unknown
python-librepo dnf
Pass pass
python-meh anaconda
Pass pass
python-nss anaconda hard work needed
python-paste live-cd No porting done and porting this would be very difficult. Advise to port the packages depending on this to a different library for the Fedora 22 Change.
python-pwquality anaconda unknown
python-pyblock anaconda unknown
python-pycurl python-urlgrabber work in progress
python-slip firewalld
Pass pass
python-urlgrabber anaconda upstream's working
rhythmbox live-cd
Pass pass
samba live-cd needs work
speech-dispatcher live-cd
Pass pass
sos live-cd upstream's working?
sssd / python-sssdconfig live-cd upstream's working?
This second table is more important from the contributor perspective. It contains the chain of dependencies of fedora-packager.
package reason status upstream bz
bodhi self unknown
createrepo self, mock will be replaced by createrepo_c
dnf (was yum) mock also in first table - -
fedora-packager & fedora-cert self unknown
fedpkg self unknown
gdb rpm-build also in first table - -
GitPython rpkg upstream seems very inactive, use pygit2 instead? - -
koji self unknown
mock self unknown
packagedb-cli self unknown
python-bugzilla packagedb-cli unknown upstream patches
python-bunch python-fedora upstream seems unresponsive for two years (last commits and unmerged pull requests). Emailed upstream to find out if they'd like help maintaining the package. There is some support for pythn3 in the package but it's broken.
python-decoratortools mock upstream seems very inactive; suggest porting mock to python{3,}-decorator
python-fedora bodhi Impossible to do in whole. Need info to decide whether we can port just the needed parts
python-kitchen python-fedora Needs documentation rewritten for python3. Code should be close to ready. May want to reevaluate the strategy -- currently it's dual branched but some of it may do better as single codebase. However, single codebase is hard because this library cares alot about whether it's working with bytes or text.
python-krbV koji unknown
python-offtrac fedpkg unknown
python-pycurl python-offtrac also in first table - -
python-urlgrabber koji also in first table - -
rpkg fedpkg unknown
rpmlint self working on it (churchyard)
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13250
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A helper for creating declarative interfaces in controllers
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Copying over instance variables is bad, mmm-kay?
DecentExposure helps you program to an interface, rather than an implementation in your Rails controllers.
Sharing state via instance variables in controllers promotes close coupling with views. DecentExposure gives you a declarative manner of exposing an interface to the state that controllers contain, thereby decreasing coupling and improving your testability and overall design.
gem install decent_exposure
Configure your Rails 2.X application to use it:
In config/environment.rb:
config.gem 'decent_exposure'
When used in Rails 3:
In Gemfile:
gem 'decent_exposure'
The Particulars
expose creates a method with the given name, evaluates the provided block (or intuits a value when no block is passed) and memoizes the result. This method is then declared as a helper_method so that views may have access to it and is made unroutable as an action.
In your controllers
When no block is given, expose attempts to intuit which resource you want to acquire:
# Category.find(params[:category_id] || params[:id])
As the example shows, the symbol passed is used to guess the class name of the object you want an instance of. Almost every controller has one of these. In the RESTful controller paradigm, you might use this in #show, #edit, #update or #destroy.
In the slightly more complicated scenario, you need to find an instance of an object which doesn't map cleanly to Object#find:
expose(:product){ category.products.find(params[:id]) }
In the RESTful controller paradigm, you'll again find yourself using this in #show, #edit, #update or #destroy.
When the code has become complex enough to surpass a single line (and is not appropriate to extract into a model method), use the do...end style of block:
expose(:associated_products) do
product.associated.tap do |associated_products|
present(associated_products, :with => AssociatedProductPresenter)
In your views
Use the product of those assignments like you would an instance variable or any other method you might normally have access to:
= render bread_crumbs_for(category)
%h3#product_title= product.title
= render product
%h3 Associated Products
- associated_products.each do |associated_product|
%li= link_to(associated_product.title,product_path(associated_product))
Custom defaults
DecentExposure provides opinionated default logic when expose is invoked without a block. It's possible, however, to override this with your own custom default logic by passing a block accepting a single argument to the default_exposure method inside of a controller. The argument will be the string or symbol passed in to the expose call.
class MyController < ApplicationController
default_exposure do |name|
The given block will be invoked in the context of a controller instance. It is possible to provide a custom default for a descendant class without disturbing its ancestor classes in an inheritance heirachy.
This is an exceptionally simple tool, which provides a solitary solution. It must be used in conjunction with solid design approaches ("Program to an interface, not an implementation.") and accepted best practices (e.g. Fat Model, Skinny Controller). In itself, it won't heal a bad design. It is meant only to be a tool to use in improving the overall design of a Ruby on Rails system and moreover to provide a standard implementation for an emerging best practice.
Running specs
DecentExposure has been developed with the philosophy that Ruby developers shouldn't force their choice in RubyGems package managers on people consuming their code. As a side effect of that, if you attempt to run the specs on this application, you might get no such file to load errors. The short answer is that you can export RUBYOPT='rubygems' and be on about your way (for the long answer, see Ryan Tomayko's excellent treatise on the subject).
Documentation TODO
• walk-through of an actual implementation (using an existing, popular OSS Rails app as an example refactor).
Something went wrong with that request. Please try again.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13262
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FIC: Late Night Work Out, (Sabretooth/Magneto slash, post X2)
Expand Messages
• Henrika
Story Title: Late Night Work Out. Rating: NC-17 for m/m sex. Pairing: Sabretooth/Magneto (yes, another one;) Fandom: Movieverse, post X2 Summary: Erik goes to
Message 1 of 1 , Sep 18, 2003
• 0 Attachment
Story Title: Late Night Work Out.
Rating: NC-17 for m/m sex.
Pairing: Sabretooth/Magneto (yes, another one;)
Fandom: Movieverse, post X2
Summary: Erik goes to the gym for a late night work out.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Marvel does. No money
Archive: My website
http://www.geocities.com/henrika_amanda/Index.html Others, please
ask first. xmmff, feel free to archive it if you want to, although I
won't fly at you if you don't.;)
Series/Sequel: This story is totally independent. It has absolutely
nothing to do with my previous Mags/Sabes fics. Maybe there will be
a sequel somewhere in the future, but there's nothing for now,
Feedback: *Very* appreciated. If this pairing squicks you though,
I'm not very interested in hearing about it. Now is your time to
turn back.
A/N: Any warnings? Yes, this is about Mags and Sabes getting it on.
Don't like it? Hit the back button, or read it anyway. I
don't care,
but don't flame me if you chose to ignore the warnings. Also,
is a little rough sex, but no non-con. That wasn't so bad was it?
OK, let's proceed to the fic.
Magneto was feeling terribly out of shape. Now, newly escaped from
that horrible plastic prison where he'd been incarcerated for the
past two years, he decided to do something about it. He couldn't
even walk in stairs anymore without losing his breath, and that was
a bad sign.
Four weeks had passed since his escape, and since young Pyro joined
his team, The Brotherhood of Mutants. His old recruit Sabretooth had
also rejoined, and once again, with four members, The Brotherhood
was complete. Stryker was dead (presumably) and although Erik's
attempt to wipe out mankind through his old friend Charles had
failed, he was content. Except for his bad shape.
Erik wanted to avoid getting a physically frail old man. That was
inevitable, of course, but a good diet and hard exercise could
postpone the ordeal, which had already begun. His younger recruits
would start laughing at him, and Erik could simply not stand the
Their new lair was a hyper-modern compound that contained everything
they would ever need. Of course there was also a gym, where the
others, especially Sabretooth spent much time, and which Magneto had
effectively avoided until now. He had been there once with Pyro, but
he hadn't seriously *done* anything then; in fact he just offered
go with the boy to have the pleasure of watching him in the showers
afterwards. Young John had probably not suspected anything, but at
least Erik got his pleasant view.
Now he would go there for a serious reason. Erik had never really
liked working out, but that didn't matter now. He had to get his
body back in shape.
He decided to go down there in the evening. Probably the gym would
be empty at that time, and that's exactly what he wanted, since
didn't want any of his minions not even Mystique, who he
the most to see how bad his situation was. He dressed in baggy
warm-up clothes, brought a towel, and sneaked down to the gym.
The gym wasn't empty like he'd believed and hoped. Sabretooth
there, lying on his back on a bench and doing presses with heavy
weights. The huge man's swelling muscles rippled with each pump,
his whole body was glistering with sweat. Currently Sabretooth was
He could instantly smell Erik when the other man entered, and sat up
to look at him.
Erik hesitated for a split second. He really, *really* didn't
to "work out" in front of Sabretooth and make a fool out of
but what choice did he have? He had come here, and he couldn't
leave again without an explanation. That would be like confessing
Sabretooth had scared him off. So he entered the gym, and tried to
look like it was something he did every day.
"Good evening
" he muttered and nodded shortly at
Sabretooth just grinned in response and set his weights down. Erik
started to wish he had never come here at all.
"Mags!" the big mutant grinned. "You're certainly the
last person I
expected to see here. Why have you come? Are you here for a work
Erik shot him an angry glare. "Yes, of course I am here for a
out," he muttered. "What did you think?"
Sabretooth shrugged. "Just askin'. It's the first time
I've seen you
here. You don't seem to the work out type."
Now Erik even managed to smile, and sat down on the bench next to
Sabretooth's. No, probably Sabretooth was right; he was maybe not
the work out type. And he sure as hell didn't look like one
"No, I suppose I'm not," he admitted and put his towel
away. "But I
thought it's time to change that. It's never too late to
one's mind."
Sabretooth had to suppress laughter. After regarding Mags, he'd
surprised if the old man could manage ten presses with a 20-pound
weight before passing out from exertion. He didn't care to tell
this, though. He wasn't an empath or anything, but he had a
his boss wouldn't appreciate to hear it.
"Well
" he said instead. "Since I'm here, I might as
well help you
get started. What would you like to start with?"
"Huh?" Erik blinked dumbly. Sabretooth offered to help him?
almost couldn't believe it. The big brute never cared about
or anything but himself, so why this unexpected friendliness?
"Mags? Would you like me to assist you?" Sabretooth asked
"Yes, sure
" Erik murmured finally. "If you'd like
"It will be my pleasure!" Sabretooth grinned proudly.
"So, what
would you like to start with?"
Erik's eyes wandered about the large gym. Since he wasn't a
down here, he didn't know what the different devices were used
Some looked odd to say the least
Erik tried to think of
to say, but all he did was to stare sheepishly at Sabretooth.
"I don't know," he said after a while. "What would
you recommend?"
"I'd go slow at first," Sabretooth replied. "You
mustn't exert your
body too much in the beginning, so you won't get hurt. I assume
you're
out of shape, are ya, Mags?"
Magneto sighed. "Out of shape" was exactly what he was,
although he
didn't like the sound of that phrase.
"Yes, I am," he said, and tried hard to conceal the
irritation he
felt. It was really not Sabretooth's business, but since he had
agreed to this in the first place, he assumed some slightly awkward
and personal questions came with the territory.
"Then we'll fix that, but it will take some time,"
stated. "I mean
you're old
"
"I am not *that* old," Erik remarked dryly.
"How old are ya, then?"
"Only 68," Erik replied with dignity. "But I've heard
from some that
I look ten years younger. But that was not what we were discussing.
I asked what you thought would be best for me?"
"If you'd like, Mags, you could do some presses,"
suggested. "But with smaller weights than mine, of course. I
your body will tell you when it's time to quit."
Erik shrugged. Since he clearly had no knowledge of this place, or
how things worked, he had to trust Sabretooth's judgement.
"Alright," he said. "How do I do?"
"At first, you have to take that sweater off. You'll get warm
sweaty shortly, and besides that big lumpy thing isn't even
practical. So off with it."
Erik complied, even though he was slightly reluctant to take off the
sweater. He was wearing a tank top underneath, that clearly showed
the miserable state of his muscles. Probably the view would give his
henchman a good laugh, if nothing else.
Sabretooth regarded Erik when he pulled off his sweater, and
noticed, of course, that he was ashamed. His skin was very pale, and
his biceps practically non-existent. Oh, man
He could sure use
work, Sabretooth thought.
"Well... Okay
Lie down on your back there on the bench,"
Erik did what he was told and tried to find a comfortable position.
It was hard. He wondered how people could lie like this, and even do
presses at the same time. To him it seemed impossible. His back was
already protesting.
Sabretooth got up to his feet and walked to stand behind
bench. He placed a few small free-weights on the bar.
"It's alright, I'll be your spotter this time," he
said and easily
lifted the bar with one hand. "Now take this, and do fifteen
to begin with. Can ya do that?"
Erik saw the massive bulk of Sabretooth looming over him, and
extended his arms to accept the bar. He could always "cheat"
using his power of magnetism to control the weights, but probably
Sabretooth would know if he did. So Erik stretched his fingers out,
and prepared to take the weights, both physically and mentally. He
knew he had to manage fifteen presses, otherwise Sabretooth would
never let him forget it.
"How much is it?" he asked with a frown before he did
"25," his minion replied shortly. "Now go!"
Erik sighed, and then he did what Sabretooth wanted and let him
place the bar in his hands. 25 pounds wasn't really that much. It
didn't feel so heavy, at least not yet, but after a few times it
did. Erik was sweating, and could literally feel the lactic acid in
his muscles. He was almost out of breath after 12 presses, and
considered using his powers to take the weight off his arms. It was
really bad, he realized. He needed to do something about this
swiftly, otherwise he'd probably die of an aneurysm or something.
Erik did the remaining three presses before his arms gave way and
started to drop the bar. Sabretooth caught it with a reflex before
Erik could do it with magnetism. Erik gave out a small, involuntary
cry. Sabretooth grinned down at him, and Erik could see his black
cat-like eyes gleam behind his thick eyebrows.
He's mocking me, Erik realized. Of course. Who wouldn't?
I'm feeble.
Why did I even agree to let him assist me?
"Let go," Erik croaked.
"You sure?"
"Yes. Let go," Erik ordered his recruit.
Sabretooth let go of the bar, even though he didn't think Magneto
would be able to take it on now. But instead of catching the bar,
Erik let go of it, and simply let it hover in midair before he
slowly set it back in its place above himself. When he was done he
sat up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his
hand. A few drops had trickled into his eyes, and made them sting
like crazy.
Erik exhaled deeply and brushed his sweat-slick grey hair back from
his forehead. He was blushing, with humiliation obvious on his face.
He lacked both strength and stamina. If he hadn't had his powers,
would have been pretty helpless.
"Was it hard for you?" Sabretooth asked.
"No, didn't you see how smoothly it went?" Erik snapped
back. Right
now he felt like crumpling every goddamn device in this gym and
making some kind of useful laboratory of this place. It would serve
him much better.
"That was your first step," Sabretooth said. "Rest a
minute, before
we continue."
Erik thought he'd choke. "Continue?" he spurted. "No
thank you. Not
tonight. Right now I just want to shower and then go to bed. No more
working out. I think I've had enough of it."
Sabretooth snorted. "You can't seriously expect that to do
any good,
can ya? If ya want muscles like mine, you have to put some more work
behind it, Mags!"
"You said yourself I have to go slow at first. And really, I *do
not* want muscles like yours. What I want is to be able to walk in
stairs without losing my breath."
Sabretooth shrugged. "I don't know why you even came here.
you've done is whining. But if you want to see results, you had
better drop that attitude at once."
"What?!" Erik snapped. "What attitude? What are you
talking about?"
"You gotta have more faith in yourself," Sabretooth said
seriously. "It won't work otherwise. You came here with a
approach. What did ya expect?"
The giant came and sat down next to Erik on the bench. The elder man
felt very small and puny next to the blond's hulking frame.
"You're used to getting what you want. I know that, Maggie,
but your
own body is the one thing you can't command," Sabretooth said
in a
soft voice and then placed his big hand on Erik's thigh.
"I don't even know why I came here. It was a really stupid
idea. I
see that now," Erik said, furious because Sabretooth was
him. "I didn't ask for your help, and I don't need it
either. I
can't even understand why we are having this debate. If you
me now, I have to take a shower. I smell, and so do you."
With that he stood up and threw the big clawed hand off his thigh
and marched out of the gym.
Erik headed straight for the showers. He undressed in the changing-
room, and was halfway in the shower room when he noticed he'd
forgotten his towel in the gym. Damn. He could go get it, of course,
but Sabretooth was probably still there, and Erik didn't want to
there naked. He could dress again, but he didn't want to pull on
those smelly clothes either.
I'll shower anyway, he decided. I can always bring my towel after
I've showered. Then he's probably gone.
So Erik went inside the shower room and stood under a nozzle and let
the water run. He did it without touching the faucet. But the water
nearly had time to hit his body before the door was opened and
another figure entered to take a shower.
It was Sabretooth, of course. Erik opened his eyes and looked in the
direction of the big man. He made no attempts to cover himself up.
He didn't know if Sabretooth had seen him nude before, but even
he hadn't, he probably wouldn't care.
"Hey Mags, you forgot your towel," he said as he entered.
"I left it
in the dressing room."
"Good
" Erik muttered and silently followed Sabretooth with
eyes. The other man was naked too, of course. His long, damp hair
hung down his back, and his massive bulk was still glistering with
sweat. He actually looked good.
Erik knew it was common politeness not to stare at other men in a
public shower, but he figured a glance or two couldn't hurt. He
assumed Sabretooth knew he was gay (they hadn't discussed the
subject, but still) so he might as well expect some looks when
chosen to come here at this time.
There were four showers in the room, but for some reason Sabretooth
chose the one next to Erik. Erik silently cursed him. This way Erik
would have to watch him the whole time, and he was afraid the feral
man wouldn't like to be ogled by an old gay.
Sabretooth turned his shower on and let the warm spray hit his bulk.
It felt great. Every now and then he glanced at the elder man's
weedy body next to him, and discovered that Erik was busy checking
him out as well. He had to fight hard not to laugh. Of course he
knew Mags was queer, but he had never believed *he* would ever
attract the old man's eye.
Sabretooth had nothing against being looked at he was used to
by now so he let Mags continue, curious to see how far he would
take it.
After a couple of furtive glances, Erik grew bolder. When Sabretooth
stood there, within his reach, he might as well take a closer look.
He didn't get a chance to see too many naked men nowadays, so
might be his only chance in a long time. He almost forgot to shower,
and no longer tried to avert his eyes.
Sabretooth had a good body. Very
male. Tall, with broad shoulders
and huge, swelling muscles. He was very hairy too. His whole chest
was covered with crisp blond hair that continued down his abdomen
and thickened again around his sex. Sabretooth's cock, even when
limp, was very big. Erik's eyes widened when he saw it properly
he had to hold back a gasp. He couldn't help thinking how that
member would feel in his hands, or
Now *this* was becoming a problem. His eyes and body liked what he
saw, even though his conscious mind didn't like it at all.
his will his body started to respond. He got an erection and a
familiar yet unwanted throbbing started in his loins.
Erik almost panicked. Sabretooth would see it, and probably smell it
as well. What should he do? Flee the scene? That might be the most
sensible thing to do, but would Sabretooth ever take him seriously
again if he fled?
But Erik didn't get a chance to flee. Before he could do anything
the feral giant lunged at him and pinned him against the wall in a
flash. He wrenched his right arm up behind his back and used his own
size and weight to press the smaller body of the old man against the
Erik didn't get a chance to react at all. Suddenly he just found
himself pinned between the wall and Sabretooth, feeling the larger
man's wet chest hairs and bulging pectorals in his back. He cried
out reflexively. A multitude of thoughts passed through his shocked
What was this? Was he going to be killed? Beaten? Bitten? Mutilated?
Sabretooth was twice his weight and many times stronger. Erik's
powers worked from a distance, and only a fool would engage in hand-
to-hand combat in his case, especially against someone like
Sabretooth could hear and feel the furious pounding of Erik's
It almost sounded like it would jump out through his chest any
second. He couldn't help grinning. This was exactly how he wanted
the presumptuous old prick.
"Ahh
" Erik whimpered, still terrified. Sabretooth's
iron-grip of
his didn't ease, and until it did, he was going to remain in this
position. He couldn't possibly know what the madman wanted with
but the strange thing was that he hadn't lost his erection yet.
mere thought of it sickened him now. He couldn't be turned on by
this, could he? No, never. He was probably having a purely reflexive
"So, Mags
" Sabretooth whispered in the older man's ear.
"Was this
what you wanted all along, huh?"
"What
?" Let me go, Victor
You are hurting me
Ahh
!" Erik
stuttered and couldn't help wincing in pure terror when he
felt something hard and heated and very large pressing against the
small of his back. Sabretooth's erection.
Oh, God! Was this monstrous brute going to rape him? Erik really had
a hard time picturing getting raped in a shower room by Sabretooth,
but that was certainly not impossible now. He, the Master of
Magnetism, raped by his brutish henchman, just because he shot him a
glance or two in the shower?
His arm had started to hurt from being in this unnatural position.
If Sabretooth didn't release him soon he would certainly panic
maybe do something foolish.
"Let me go, please
" he tried again, hoping that Sabretooth
had come
to his senses.
Sabretooth didn't answer. Instead his reached around Magneto and
gripped the other's erection in his huge hand. Erik gasped
What was he doing?! Oh, this couldn't be happening!
Gently Sabretooth nudged Erik's legs apart with his knee as he
stroked his firm erection. His own hardness was pressing against his
captive's back, and he bent his legs a little, to get more in
with Erik.
"So you're excited? I can smell your pre-come
" he
whispered. "What
would you like me to do? Fuck you from behind? Would you like that,
Looking never hurt anyone, but Erik had a policy never to sleep with
his team-mates. That was simply not professional, and that's how
preferred to keep his relationships with his minions. But on the
other hand, he had never had a minion he had actually wanted to bed.
Pyro was yummy in a way, but he was just a boy, and Toad, although
he was dead now, still made Erik nauseous sometimes. But
A part of Erik wanted to break that policy now, and simply let the
brute fuck him, but he had still enough brain in him to realize that
would be a very insensible thing to do. He was sure Sabretooth's
engorged member would cause him real physical damage if he wasn't
thoroughly prepared and lubricated. He hadn't seen it in its full
size, but he felt it against his buttocks, and that was more than
Sabretooth was sniffing his wet hair now. The firm grip of his arm
slowly eased and instead he felt the giant's hands on his
and then on his back. His erection was throbbing painfully now, and
he still couldn't fathom that this situation actually aroused
Sabretooth was gentle now, and his caresses, which had seemed so
threatening only a minute ago, felt erotic. Erik's breathing grew
heavy and he rested his warm forehead against the cool, white tiles.
Sabretooth's hands were kneading his buttocks now. A large finger
slid in between his buttocks and brushed his puckered opening. Erik
winced. Sabretooth wasn't going to finger him, right, not with
claws? Didn't he realize that was impossible?
To Erik's relief the finger disappeared. He could still feel
Sabretooth's member though, and hoped he would take care and not
just force his way in, even if Erik agreed to this.
"Let me turn around
" Erik breathed, hoping that Sabretooth
"Okay
" was the answer, and he actually moved enough to let
spin around.
Now Erik was able to look into the larger man's face. He put his
palms against his chest, as to attempt pushing him away. Still a
little shaky, Erik started dropping to his knees. Sabretooth's
tangled in his wet hair and his huge erection was poking Erik's
"Open your mouth," the brute growled and his hold of
Erik's hair
tightened. Erik didn't like that. In his frenzy, Sabretooth might
very well suffocate him.
"Let go of my hair first," he asked softly. "Then
I'll do it."
Reluctantly Sabretooth did what he was asked and let his arms drop
to his sides. He felt a tentative lick on the tip, that almost drove
him mad and made him slam his whole cock down Magneto's throat.
After a few teasing licks, Erik closed his mouth around the entire
head. He had done this before, many times, and he considered himself
quite good at it too, but there was just no way for him to take the
entire member, and he hoped Sabretooth understood that. Slowly he
began working more and more of the shaft into his mouth, and tried
to find a pace that would not gag him but still create enough
stimulation. None of his previous partners had been near the size of
Sabretooth, so he had to adjust to it.
At least he believed he managed quite well, because the giant was
soon gasping and grunting indiscriminately and thrusting his hips
into Erik's mouth, almost gagging him in the process. But
Sabretooth's hands returned and held him completely still.
Erik looked up at the man he was pleasuring, with a questioning look
on his face. Had he done something wrong?
"I don't wanna come this way," Sabretooth said. "I
wanna get inside
your pretty white ass. Bend over, Mags."
Erik wasn't sure of this. He wasn't usually the submissive
when he
slept with other males. He liked to be on top during lovemaking, and
pound into his partners and look down at their faces as they clamped
down on him and welcomed him inside their bodies.
Getting Sabretooth to bottom was not an option, of course, so if
they were going to do this, he had to be the one. He just hoped
Sabretooth wouldn't try to force him if he decided not to.
Besides, Sabretooth was big. Too big, perhaps. Erik wasn't sure
could take him into his body without being injured.
"Bend over," Sabretooth repeated and made a motion with his
"Wait
we don't have to do this here," Erik tried.
"Let us go up to
my room, into a bed, and
"
"No, if we leave now, we won't continue," Sabretooth
stated. "Besides I don't wanna wait. I wanna fuck you
Erik knew that it was probably true. If they stopped now, got
dressed and walked upstairs the tension that had built up between
them would be gone, and they would both realize how foolish the
whole thing was, and go separate ways. Sabretooth didn't want
and honestly, Erik didn't want it either.
"Alright," he finally agreed and rose to all fours, as
had instructed him. "You can do it, but you must be *extremely*
careful. Lubricate me and prepare me well. If I hurt, you have to
promise me to stop. Alright?"
"Okay
" Sabretooth muttered, and started to look for
something to
use as lubricant. He only had a bottle of shower gel. It would have
to do.
The gel was blue. He used his knuckles to prepare Erik instead of
his fingertips, since his claws prevented him from using them. It
worked well though, and Erik moaned with something Victor believed
to be pleasure when he thrust his knuckle into his opening.
Magneto had a very nice ass. Sabretooth almost felt like reaching
forward and tonguing his cleft, but he didn't, since he was
of Erik's response. Anyway, he wanted to get this over with. He
wanted to come badly, and he was going to do it inside Erik. Since
he knew he couldn't get any diseases, a condom was not needed.
Barebacking Mags was safe.
He coated his own length with a thick layer of shower gel before he
was satisfied. He had promised Erik to take care, and he would.
He put his left hand on Erik's hip, and grabbed his own shaft
his right. "Okay Mags, are ya ready?" he asked before he
Erik, who was currently feeling a bit like a dog, nodded. He could
almost not believe this was happening. He was about to get fucked on
the shower room floor by Sabretooth!
"Yes, I'm ready
" he said in a hoarse voice, and did his
utmost to
relax, so that his body would be able to take Sabretooth's huge
member, or at least a part of it. The length was one thing, but the
Shortly he felt the large head of Sabretooth's cock against his
opening, which slowly but relentlessly started to push in. The
lubricant made it easier, but it still wasn't easy. Erik had to
fight back a scream when the bulbous head pushed past his sphincter,
and flexed his muscles reflexively.
"You have to relax," Sabretooth said. "Come on now
"
Erik tried to comply. He had not been fucked for nearly 25 years,
and never by someone this huge. Sabretooth slowly pushed deeper and
deeper. To Erik it felt like being fisted, and the feeling was not
the least enjoyable. His erection flagged, and he had to try hard
not to squirm away.
Sabretooth didn't even try getting his entire length in. A good
was enough, and that was more than most people could take.
Erik gritted his teeth when Sabretooth had stopped pushing and now
was still. It hurt, but not as badly as before. It still felt
uncomfortable, though. He wondered what would happen when Sabretooth
started moving.
He did it very gently. Erik was much smaller than he was, after all,
and he must not be too rough. He wondered if he'd put on enough
lube. Anyway, Mags would let him know if he hadn't. He placed
his hands on Magneto's hips and started thrusting carefully.
Erik rested his head against his hands on the wet floor of the
shower room. What he felt now was only slight discomfort, not pain.
He had to admit his partner was not being rough, which surprised him
a little. Sabretooth usually didn't show any regard to other
people's needs and feelings.
One bump accidentally brushed Erik's prostate. He cried out with
both pleasure and surprise, and felt his erection slowly returning.
Sabretooth noticed this, of course, and reached around him to take
it in his hand.
It was much smaller than his own was. Erik's shaft virtually
disappeared into his large fist. Still Magneto was fairly well-
endowed for someone his size and age, so he had nothing to be
ashamed of there.
Erik gasped when he felt the hand around his erection, and started
to pump it. That, together with the constant stroking of his
prostate was almost enough to send him over the edge. His arms gave
way under him, and he came, spurting his seed over Sabretooth's
and the wet, slippery floor. Since the water was still running, it
quickly washed the semen down the drain.
Sabretooth chuckled as he felt Erik's member soften in his hand.
very much stamina there either, he thought.
Erik's internal muscles flexed and clamped down on his
shaft when he had his orgasm. Sabretooth grunted in pleasure, and
quickened his speed. He was close now, and started riding Magneto
harder. He grabbed the other's slender hips and pumped into his
still narrow channel, not really caring if he hurt Erik or not. He
could hear the old man groan with something he believed was pain,
not pleasure, but since he got no serious reaction, he continued.
He roared out when he finally came, filling Magneto's insides
his seed. He stayed in Erik after he had come and regarded his lithe
body. The old man was on his knees now only due to his support. He
started to wonder if Erik had fainted.
"Erik?" he grunted and slapped Erik's right buttock
lightly. "Are ya
Slowly Erik lifted his heavy head. Yes, he was still here, but he
almost wished he wasn't. Right now it felt like he just wanted to
to sleep there and then.
Sabretooth let his now half-erect cock slip out of Magneto's back
channel. His semen started pouring out as soon as he did it, but the
sphincter around Erik's entrance closed quickly, as it was not
natural state to stay stretched.
Sabretooth got to his feet and offered Erik a hand up. "Come on,
now," he said. "You don't wanna stay here all night, do
Erik pulled his hand over his face and slowly turned his head to
look up at the man who had just fucked him. Sabretooth looked
casual, as usual. Erik wondered if he was going to forget about the
whole thing now when he had gotten what he wanted. Probably, and it
might even be a wise thing to do. Unfortunately, Erik did not work
that way. He couldn't forget things just because he wanted to,
he sure as hell wouldn't forget a thing like this.
"Are ya coming?" Sabretooth repeated, now annoyed. He was
offering Erik his hand, and this time Erik took it. The big man
pulled him to his feet without effort. Erik's legs were still a
shaky, but he believed he would manage to walk. He had a dull ache
in his bottom, but nothing very bad. Maybe it would hurt to sit for
the next few days, although he could deal with that.
"Let's get dressed," Sabretooth said and started walking
back into
the dressing room. Erik followed him. Silently he wiped himself, and
discovered some blood on the towel when he wiped his nether regions.
A little blood, not much. Some minor tearing, perhaps. Erik chose to
ignore it and started getting dressed. When he was finished,
Sabretooth suddenly came up behind him and placed a large hand on
his shoulder.
Erik sighed deeply. "Yes?" he said.
"Did I hurt you?" Sabretooth asked seriously.
"No
not really
I'm a bit sore, but I am going to be
"Good." The large hand travelled up Erik's neck, and
finally gripped
a handful of his soft, damp hair. "You're beautiful,"
said, pulling his hand through Erik's hair.
"Thank you
" Erik whispered. Beautiful? The feral giant
believed he
was beautiful? Not just "attractive enough to fuck"? It
surprised him. He hadn't believed Sabretooth had an eye for such.
"I'll go now," Sabretooth muttered. "See ya tomorrow,
Mags. If you'd
like to try another work out in the gym
"
The large man bent down and whispered in Erik's ear, "
you
know I'll
be there
"
Then he went away without casting Erik another look. Erik stayed
until he could make his legs obey him, and then he left too. He went
straight to his bedroom, without talking to anybody. What would he
tell Mystique or Pyro? That he had just slept with Sabretooth?
Safe inside his room, he curled in his bed, trying to find a way to
deal with this situation. He was Erik Lehnsherr, Magneto, the leader
and founder of the Brotherhood of Mutants. What was he going to do
Well
he thought after a while. I guess it's not such a big
deal at
all. At least the screwing burned some calories.
The End
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13287
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Re: How do I format a hard drive using fdisk "b" (BSD partitioning)
[email protected] said:
> No FAT at all. Write the kernel directly after aboot into the first
> partition [*]
> [*] Warning: The kernel may under no circumstances be larger than the
> first partition or you'll loose your root partition
> (typically b). Been there, done that.
No need to create a special partition for the kernel, just offset the first
partition by a useful number of cylinders (i.e. start it at >1).
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13292
|
Gunnar Wolf wrote:
> Roger Leigh dijo [Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 03:49:54PM +0100]:
>>> How shall I answer that?
>>> I know that I myself use auto-mounting extensively and also don't expect my
>>> father to type someting like "mount /dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom"
>> Absolutely, but this is a separate issue. You can still, in any desktop
>> environment, click on a CDROM icon in the filemanager/desktop/wherever,
>> and have the CDROM automounted. That's done with pmount.
>> This is only /automatic/ mounting on CDROM insertion, where it pops up
>> a window or runs a program on insertion. Without this automatic HAL
>> notification, you can still easily access the CD without any manual
>> "mount" command.
> ...Which sadly matches user expectations. Since we deactivated the
> autorun facility for a laboratory of Windows machines I have nearby,
> users regularly knock at my door asking why their CDs don't work
> anymore.
yes, you are right!
On the other hand, it took few time for windows user to learn
about proper "ejecting" of USB pen.
Users can be educated more easily than developers ;-)
Grandmas know how to "umount" and eject USB keys more
easily that I had with floppy disk on early time in Linux.
We know about hardware, low level disk command, but
we tended to forget how good was the Linux write caching ;-)
so yes, we should be able to handle such user expectation
(but also maybe try to convince user to use better methods,
thus that inserting USB pen and CD should be like ejecting
it (with an extra user action)
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13293
|
Re: NM without X
On Fri, 2012-03-23 at 16:23 +0100, Josselin Mouette wrote:
> > Same problem seems to apply to gconf and its successor(s).
> Aaaaah yes of course. Because gconftool(1) and gsettings(1) never worked
> at all.
I have tried gconftool before:
Run 'gconftool --help' to see a full list of available command line
gconftool --help etc...
gconftool --get
Must specify a key or keys to get
Looks like you are expected to do the configuration out of the blue??
You have no idea of what is set already, what the defaults are, etc.
You don't get the chance to use any kind of editor. And where is the
configuration stored? Do you consider this a good CLI user interface??
And for gsettings:
gsettings COMMAND [ARGS...]
gsettings help get
gsettings get SCHEMA[:PATH] KEY
Same story.
The man pages are not very informative either.
> > A side question: Why does not all applications (X or not) needing
> > internet work with ifupdown, only with NM??
> Because ifupdown doesn’t do a tenth of what modern applications and
> computers need.
Then why can't the X default be the same as in the console, as Michal
Čihař pointed out in another reply:
"All you need is to read the documentation and adjust setup to your
needs. There is no one default setup which would fit all."
I have not manually configured NM to work under X (except commenting out
the /etc/network/interfaces settings to enable NM to work. BTW: Why does
it not work _with_ these settings enabled?)
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13296
|
Re: Lost sources [was: Re: scientific paper in package only in postscript form non-free?]
On Fri, 18 Mar 2011, Mark Weyer wrote:
> Just to make sure there is no misunderstanding, let me rephrase my
> scenario: Someone modifies a GPLed work, say a program written in C.
> Between compiling and distributing, he deliberately deletes the C
> files. Then he distributes the compiled binary. By the "if the
> source does not exist any more, what is left is source" rule, the
> compiled binary now is its own source because it is the (only and
> thus) prefered form for making further changes.
Yes, but this isn't something that a sane upstream is ever going to
do, so it's not worth discussing much. [And frankly, if it's something
that upstream does do, one should strongly question whether Debian
should actually be distributing the work in question anyway.]
> I feel that this is against the spirit of copyleft, so I am
> surprised that it is claimed not to be against the letter of the
> GPL.
> I do not understand what it has to do with privileged positions.
Because the source no longer exists, the upstream is not in a
privileged position for making future modifications. Copyleft is
fundamentally about putting the users of a program on the same footing
with the same freedoms as the creator of a program.
Don Armstrong
Leukocyte... I am your father.
-- R. Stevens http://www.dieselsweeties.com/archive.php?s=1546
http://www.donarmstrong.com http://rzlab.ucr.edu
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13297
|
Re: Expulsion process: Sven Luther - Decision
Sven Luther wrote:
> So, after Andrew Suffield, after Jonathan/Ted Walter, it is my turn, because i
Before everybody starts to believe this, Andrew Suffield has not been expulsed
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13299
|
Re: FAI 3.2.16 fixes a critical bug
On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 01:31:10PM +0100, Thomas Lange wrote:
> Please unblock FAI 3.2.16, which fixes a critical bug (#511391) and
> includes some documentation patches.
A. Because it breaks the logical sequence of discussion
Q. Why is top posting bad?
Reply to:
|
global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13302
|
Re: Reiserfs Review
On Tuesday 15 April 2003 10:11 am, p wrote:
> 1) it's not as good as ext2/3 with big
> files; and
My experience shows the opposite ... Reiser is much faster. I
got about a 4:1 difference in favor of Reiser with cd images on
a 20 gig partition.
> is it "risk-free"? -- given the above
> limitations, probably not.
Is anything "risk-free"?
> would i use it for a production box?
> -- yes, because i'd be conscientious
> with the backups.
I don't think it requires any more caution than you would use
for another filesystem.
One point about ext3 that a lot of people seem to miss .... The
big claim is that you can treat it as ext2 if you need to,
because all of the ext2 tools work. This is not so if it is
not shut down properly. I found this out the hard way.
Reply to:
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13303
|
Re: /usr busy after aptitude operations?
On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 08:53:06PM -0400, Douglas A. Tutty wrote:
> and had it remounted rw, no problem.
Right. It only locks when unlinked files are in use do to a running
application during an upgrade. This is mostly a userland problem, I
think, since most daemons are restarted by their installation scripts
during upgrades.
"Oh, look: rocks!"
-- Doctor Who, "Destiny of the Daleks"
Reply to:
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13323
|
3D test (rainbow)
remixed by AtomicBawm3
See inside
Notes and Credits (added by AtomicBawm3)
Blink is done! http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/AtomicBawm3/2251257
I know I've already posted a few, but here's one with a little animation and zoom!
I wouldn't put the zoom above 1.4...it doesn't render very well if it's above that.
Shared: 29 Dec 2011 Modified: 29 Dec 2011
Favorite this project 21
Love this project 42
Total views 1231
View the remix tree 7
More projects by AtomicBawm3
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13345
|
< Projects | Marble
Revision as of 15:50, 25 July 2009 by Tampakrap (Talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
Creating your first Marble Online Services Plugin
Tutorial Series Marble Tutorial
Previous C++, Qt, KDE4 development environment
What's Next
Further Reading CMake
This Tutorial is unfinished, I'll finish it in a few days.
You will here learn to create your own online service plugins. If you don't know what is meant by online service, you will see these in the Marble menu at "View"->"Online Services". You'll need KDE 4.3 to build this tutorial. If you want to write plugins for Marble, it could be useful to do this in KDE's subversion. Please contact the Marble developers for this (IRC, E-Mail).
An online services plugin or data plugin consist of three classes at least. The class to display the information is the Data Item (the base class is AbstractDataPluginItem). It stores the information for single places on the map and displays them.
The Model (base class AbstractDataPluginModel) stores all items. Storing the items will be done by AbstractDataPluginModel itself. Your only job is to get information for new items when the displayed part of the earth changes. This can include downloading so called "Description files" from the servers of an online service and parsing them. These "Description files" contain lists of items in a specific part of the earth (specified by a LatLonAltBox).
The class based on AbstractDataPlugin is the representation class of our plugin. It provides the name and the idea of the plugin. You also have to set your model there.
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Talk:Installing third party softwares in terminal/Build/kdesrc-build
Revision as of 03:51, 6 August 2010 by AaronPeterson (Talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
Just pasting in something taken from Getting Started that made it work for me, not listed elsewhere
• When you choose a branch
• edit your .kdesrc-buildrc
• set your branch
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13347
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User talk:Dhaumann
Revision as of 15:59, 6 October 2008 by Panda84 (Talk | contribs)
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Of course -- Dhaumann
Movinh Content
Title Translation
Trank you
Thank you for explaining me. I misunderstood the previous message of yours. Thanks again for pointing me to the right direction :)
Sorting in feature list
Why did you manually move (to sort) the stuff in the feature list? It totally breaks the history... :(
IMHO it should had been some kind of automatic sorting... or this sadly proves once again the old system was quite better..
--pino 11:32, 17 March 2008 (CET)
Do me a favour...
Could you somehow take care of Development/Tutorials/Phonon/Introduction? It's in no usable state and I would recommend deleting it, and rather directly point a link to the API. I'm asking here, cause you once moved the page. -- 00:44, 3 June 2008 (CEST)
Wiki Structure - sub-pages
The example here is not valid anymore (or at least there's nothing like that "on the very top of the page"). What's better to do with it? Thanks.
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New Java 7 language features should be backwards compatible
Posted by opinali on January 14, 2008 at 4:40 AM PST
Right NOW, I am just starting to use J2SE 5.0's features, like generic types or java.util.concurrent, in my bigger projects. The reason is that large corps are slow, and they use application servers from even slower vendors... As a project architect, I'd love to send an email to my clients today, informing that our projects are moving to Java SE 6 and Glassfish V2 (or other up-to-date server) next week - we'll even do that migration for free!! because my life will become much better afterwards... but no, this is obviously not an option.
So that's the real world: I'm just starting to use Java 5. Java 6 is a distant dream - IBM's JDK 6 just went gold after an year-long beta, but there is no WebSphere update yet to include the new JDK, I guess I'll have to wait another 1-2 years until this update is fully complete, supported, tested, endorsed, and available in my clients' production servers. So when it comes to Java 7, well, I think I'll be happy if I can use that in large-scale, mission-critical applications (with IBM gear anyway), before I retire...
The real problem is that Java 5's language features were implemented with too many ties to the J2SE 5.0 platform: -source 5 will only accept -target 5. There's an unsupported javac switch that will allow some generics to target 1.4. But javac could do much better, as proven by third-party tools like RetroWeaver and JBoss Retro. (Similar support from javac would be much simpler than in those tools; javac could generate alternative code for older JVMs straight away, instead of generating 5.0-only bytecode that needs to pass through complex bytecode transformations to be replaced by alterenative code.) But it's also hopeles to use these tools in the environments I deal with. These translators have two severe problems:
1) They are not official tools. If I propose to use these things, my client's first question will be "is this supported by [insert large app server vendor here]?".
2) They make the edit/compile/deploy/debug cycle even more complex. I have systems with several dozen EARs and over a hundred projects, and I depend on the productivity of IDEs that update deployment into servers, automatically and quickly, and these IDEs have no flexibility to add a bytecode post-processor anywhere (but correct me if I am wrong, it's been some time since I last checked these tools).
So, my #1 wish for Java SE 7, whatever is the set of new language features that we decide to implement, is: make a best effort to support these features with -target 5, or at the very least -target 6. All features proposed to date are in the category of syntax sugar that's easily compilable into bytecode that current JVMs can load. Of course there's always some corner casees, like J2SE 5.0's enums which required new serialization support in the guts of the Java core; or in the same release, generics requiring new reflection APIs. So even if the proposals for Java SE 7 require special runtime support, there are several workarounds:
- Generating different code for older JVMs, even if it's slower (good solution when the runtime support is only an optimization).
- Backporting the new runtime support to the older JVMs, but making it private - for example, repackaging new APIs into sun.* packages, and translating calls to these APIs.
- Proving compatibility jars that can be dropped in older JREs' lib/endorsed. BTW, this could also be a great solution for critical new core APIs. See the backport-util-concurrent project for a good example - but it shares the same problems of being a non-official, non-supported package (although it's easier to sneak into projects: just drop the jar in your EAR's /lib and don't tell anyone...).
Related Topics >>
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WP phpBB Bridge
Useful trick: Forum avatar in post author bio (1 post)
1. GreenLead
Posted 2 years ago #
Themes such as Twenty Eleven have post templates where an "About the Author" box appears at the bottom of single-page posts, especially on multi-author sites.
Up until now, it has been difficult to get the Author Bio avatar to use the author's phpBB forum avatar. A solution was presented mbazdell, although in reality sloppy coding and typos meant that it actually didn't work.
I've managed to fix his code, and reposted here for anyone who is interested. As always, save your work regularly and backup your files in case things go south.
1) In wp-phpbb-bridge/inc/wpbb_functions.php, paste the contents of the following Pastebin directly after the function definition for get_forum_avatar:
2) In your child theme's copy of content-single.php, replace:
<?php echo get_avatar( get_the_author_meta( 'user_email' ), apply_filters( 'twentyeleven_author_bio_avatar_size', 68 ) ); ?>
<?php echo get_forum_author_avatar(get_the_author_meta('user_email'), 68); ?>
From now on, the author bio will grab the corresponding user avatar from phpBB instead of the default Gravatar.
Hope you guys find this useful.
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.
About this Plugin
• WP phpBB Bridge
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Support Threads
• Reviews
About this Topic
• RSS feed for this topic
• Started 2 years ago by GreenLead
• This topic is not a support question
• WordPress version: 3.2.1
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Reviews for Iron Stag's Birthday Celebration
Iron Stag chapter 1 . 4/8/2014
Um...they don't exist. they can't beat me in anything
Guest chapter 1 . 4/7/2014
Technically you're only more powerful because you're the author. Any one of them could beat you in a second. Remember that.
Duesal Bladesinger chapter 1 . 4/3/2014
This was absolutely hilarious. XD
Serana chapter 1 . 3/27/2014
EXCUSE ME?!"Valor's girl"? I am the daughter of Lord Harkon, Iron stag! I shall not be ridiculed in this manner!
Okay that is not what Serana would say...I don't think so. Also, happy birthday! *hands sweetroll*
Dovahkiinwolfghost7 chapter 1 . 3/8/2014
Lol good story
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City On The Edge of Destruction.
Chapter Seven
'Ohh pretty light!' Gasped Dawn and Buffy had had about enough.
'Dawn there is no light. No dancing elves, no flying fish or purple elephants. No nothing, you got that?' she pulled at the scythe, only to have nothing happen then she tried to let go and that didn't work either. 'Urm Willow… How do I let go?'
'Say; Bring the light.' Supplied Merlin before covering his eyes
Willow shrugged and raised her arms again; 'Bring the light.' The result was instantaneous, where the weapons crossed a purple and red light shone. With a titanic pulse this light forced the two weapons apart.
'See I told you. Pretty.' Dawn chirped as the light, quite literary, washed the demons and their remains of the face of the planet.
Giles blinked the spots from his eyes; 'Yes… well good work everyone.'
Xander trailed behind the surviving members of Angel Investigations; 'So we go home?'
'Alright but before you swan off I've got a question.'
Buffy sighed and Giles knew how she felt. It had been a very long few days. 'What is it Spike?' she asked.
'You're from the past right,' they nodded. 'Right so if you're from the past and you're here the you that is in Rome, now, should know I'm here right? And you would have come and helped us. The you now not the you then. If you know what I'm getting at.'
Giles hadn't thought of that, 'Yes you said we were needed but why take us from the past?'
The Doctor had the grace to look embarrassed and then confused. Giles saw what he was looking at. Dawn was poking her own hand and watching it change colour where her finger nail went. Looking up the Doctor began to search his pockets for something. 'Yes well you see due to Angel's connections to Wolfram and Heart the versions of yourselves that are here don't trust him. That and other, more personal, reasons mean that Angel was effectively cut off from you permanently. I was ordered to bring you here And I chose a year ago because it was when you were the most powerful, and together. You meet again and gather with each other many times but that was the last time you fought a major battle as a group.'
'That doesn't answer my question. How come today's Buffy doesn't know what this one knows?' Spike pressed
'Now where did I put that… I'm sorry, did you say something?' the Doctor was still looking for something.
'Your avoiding the question.' Buffy said. 'Why?'
'I'm not avoiding any question. Ah here it is.' He pulled out an old yoyo and handed it to Dawn who squeaked with delight.
'You are! Stop it. You didn't answer just give Dawn a yoyo, which was pointless because she can't use one. Now answer the question before I hit you.' Buffy was getting angry, but before Giles could calm her down Dawn answered;
'We forgot about it.' she smiled before absently cracking the yoyo back to her palm like an expert.
'Urm forgot.' Xander waved his hand, 'I'm sorry fighting a dragon here. Not something I'm going to forget.'
'Not on your own. the Time Lords will help won't they?' Dawn smiled inanely while spinning the yoyo.
'Hang on, hang on,' Xander held his hands up. 'You're going to wipe our minds?'
'Not personally but yes I am afraid so.'
'What… Why?' Willow asked while Giles remembered what was said in Camelot about a condition.
'There are certain things you are aware of, not least my existence and the resurrection of your vampire friend , that you cannot know about.'
'Why didn't you tell us?' Asked Willow.
'Would you have come? No. So in not telling you I was able to save the planet and then your memories will be erased anyway.'
'This is all well and good, and quite interesting but I have another question. Where's King Arthur and his men gone?' Giles looked around, they had simply vanished and there wasn't even a sign that they were ever there.
'They were sent back by the light. Now that that's over and done with I suggest we leave.' The Doctor gestured back to the Tardis.
Dawn frowned at the yoyo. It refused to come back up and just span there in little circles. In the sprit of experimentation she kicked it. Right into Angel's head.
'Ow, Dawnie. What was that for.'
'Conner.' She beamed at him before kicking it in his face again.
'Who the hell is this Conner anyway?' Charles threw his arms in the air.
'I've a better question,' Said Angel getting up. He was chainging the subject, it didn't matter She had already dented the spell after a few weeks it would crack and then the'll all know 'What's wrong with her?'
'I'd rather not say.' As the Doctor smiled at her Dawn kicked the yoyo again only to have Angel catch it and look her in the eyes
'Not this again.' Groaned Buffy 'Please just tell us.' Angel blinked rapidly and took a few steps backwards, almost scared of what he saw.
'She's insane Buffy. Completely.' The vampire said
'I'm afraid he's right Buffy, Giles announced, 'I did some research in the TARDIS and found something disturbing. There is a condition known as Space Dementia. If a person's mind cannot accept the lack of fixed reference points and the effects of zero gravity they can become unhinged.'
'Like the Total Perspective Vortex?'
'Yes Dawn. Something like that. Unfortunately the same thing can happen with Time travel. The lack of a fixed time point can drive you insane.'
'Your stupid Giles.' Dawn felt quite disgusted with him.
'Excuse me!'
'Your stupid and you insulted the TARDIS. She stops that from happening because she is a TARDIS and one of the best ever built.'
'She?' Asked Willow.
The Doctor coughed for attention 'You see the TARDIS is far from an inert transport device. It is a telepathic life form and the oldest surviving TARDIS in existence. The result is that it is a sentient lifeform, though for as long as I've know it it's had the personality of a child. That's why it refuses to go where I want it too. As the Key's body is a vessel the TARDIS is simply stretching it's legs as it were.'
'So the TARDIS is in her head, must be a lot of spare room.' Joked Buffy.
'I score better SAT's than you so there. Dawn stuck her tongue out at her sister before looking to Giles 'Sorry about calling you stupid… But you did say it first.'
'I know and I'm sorry too. Can you tell the TARDIS that?'
'Just did. We need to go home now.' Dawn grinned before skipping to the blue doors. As everyone who should went in she looked back to Angel and pulled the yoyo out of his hands. 'There's a phone call for you in the hotel. Go.'
He looked at the building that backed onto the ally before turning back to her 'Thanks.'
'See you around little bit.' Spike Smiled. 'Tell Buffy I love her.'
'I will.' As the four of them left She looked at the yoyo, there was one last thing she had to do. the sound of a subdued TARDIS taking off came from her hand and the yoyo vanished.
On the opposite side of the globe the same small sound echoed off a new(ish) dresser that sat in her room. Confused Dawn picked the small object up before grinning like a loon. 'Buffy! Phone!'
Else-when Buffy watched her past-self follow the past Doctor with the gang a few steps behind her. 'She has no idea what's going to happen.' She said to no one before laughing.
'So what's the future like B?'
'Its weird. Very weird Faith.' Something wasn't right, she still remembered all of it. 'Giles, do you think he was pulling our leg about the whole memory wipe thing?'
'He's not the sort of person to joke about that. However I haven't forgotten anything. Is something wrong Dawn?'
'I miss the TARDIS, it was cool.' She pouted.
'It turned you into a giggling lunatic Dawn.' Xander reminded her as he approached.
'All it did was help me see the silly things for what they were.' she shrugged. Buffy followed her gaze to where the other blue box was rapidly vanishing.
'Hey Dawn don't worry about it, we might see them again.'
'Your right we could. Even if we don't it doesn't look like were going to forget any time soon.'
Buffy smiled at her sister, glad that she was back to normal. Looking over the crater that was once her home town she kept smiling, everything was back to normal. Without warning the power of the scythe suddenly flickered and faded. 'What did you say Dawn?'
'Urm… What do you want to do now?'
Far from the bus and the crater a lone man stood against a wooden blue box, observing the world around him with a certain amount of satisfaction. A rather pleased smile spread across his face as the bus pulled away and he walked into the TARDIS, insufferably happy at the way things turned out. 'So where next my old friend.' he asked the ancient time ship before blindly activating the console.
Outside a low grinding of gears accompanied the slow disappearance of the box from existence, leaving the remains of the small town silent and peaceful.
Post script
Fade to titles and cue music! There you have it and I hope you liked it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, your comments were appreciated. Now I move on to finish the rest of my stories (before the asylum beckons me back that is). Thank you and please read my other stories, they deserve some attention after all!
Final Disclaimer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series both belong to Mutant Enemy Inc and 20th Century Fox.
Doctor Who belongs to the BBC.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy has existed in so many versions, produced by so many different studios that the only person I can really credit is the creator, the late Douglas Adams, and the original producers, the BBC.
Finally, Monty Python and the Holy Grail belongs to Python, Monty Productions.
(King Arthur belongs to history and this twisted take on it comes from my imagination) I own non of the characters or ideas connected to any of them.
Thomas Fishwick
AKA Mountain King.
March to August 2005
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Author's Note: Hi all, this is my first attempt at writing anything resembling smut, so any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
x x x
i. sound
He can always hear her before he sees her, and before that, he can sense her. He doesn't have the faintest clue where the hell she comes from, or how the back of his neck prickles and his fingers tingle just before he hears soft footsteps behind him. It's an odd feeling, not quite chilling, but not pleasant either, and he knows exactly who it is.
The soft pat-pat of her sneakers is almost familiar now, squeaking without actually squeaking on the pavement because he's standing in the motel parking lot craving fresh air.
"Sammy," her voice, probably permanently stained with sarcasm, greets from behind him.
It's Sam, he doesn't say. Grits his teeth. "Ruby."
The footsteps stop; he can feel her close. He refuses to turn, instead focuses his attention on a rock by his feet. It's times like these when his hatred of her is strongest, when she's standing there in all her cynicism, her demonic glory. Her know-it-all attitude, the way she keeps him and Dean on a need to know basis, infuriates him.
"Whatsa matter, Sam? Dean out fulfilling another dying wish?"
The anger flares. In one smooth movement, he spins on one heel, jerks her toward him with one arm, and propels her through the ajar motel room door, slamming it shut with an open palm. He
then shoves her hard against the cool surface, smirking a little with satisfaction as he head hits the door.
Her eyes flash black at him. "Why, Sammy," she breathes, a wicked smile curving her lips, "I haven't seen this side of you in quite a while. You're wound pretty tight, aren'tcha?"
ii. sight
In a split second, the black's gone, revealing devilish blue-green irises flickering with amusement- no doubt satisfied at provoking him, so he forces the red-hot fury down and lets her go, stumbling backwards to put some distance between them.
He sucks in a breath, exhales long. Assesses her warily while he fights to stay calm.
Her blonde hair fans her face, messy from being pushed around, eyes narrowed and gleaming. Calculating. There's a fading scratch across one cheekbone from god only knows what. Lips still silently sneering at him. Taunting him. The stubborn jut of her chin tells him she's not afraid of him.
God he hates her.
She breaks the silence with another comment and a disdainful roll of her eyes. "Really, could you be any more emo? How does Dean deal?"
He glares fiercely. "I'm not, and he's too busy telling me what I can and can't do with the Impala after he's gone!" His words grow louder and more punctuated as he gets angry again. "All we're doing is fighting, all the goddamned time, because he's only got two weeks left and he doesn't even want to be saved!"
She opens her mouth to say something, but he jabs a finger in her direction and adds, "Why'd you lie, huh Ruby? You said you could."
When she doesn't say anything, he sighs.
"You're not different. You're just like the rest of them, a cold-blooded, black-hearted demon," he accuses, but the words are devoid of emotion. He's so tired. Tired of fighting, of yelling, of thinking so much and of waiting and trying to find solutions and wishing time wouldn't fly by so fucking fast.
iii. smell
"Don't you dare." She takes two steps forward till they're less than a foot apart, pokes a finger back at him. "Don't even think about looping me in with those morons after all I've done for you."
His pulse is high and his blood is hot, racing through his veins like iron. He towers over her, furious, and she doesn't even blink, not even when his voice drops to a low murmur, deceptively quiet while his green eyes are dark with anger. "Fuck. You."
One slender eyebrow arches gracefully. "Is that the best you've got? My god, Sam, grow a backbone."
In a flash, his arm is extended, Colt in hand, muzzle cold against her forehead, vaguely aware of the strong scent of vanilla that surrounds her. Then he wonders why he knows this and presses the barrel harder to her skin, hot breath skimming across her face, and past her ears, fighting the temptation to drop the gun and just kick her the hell out.
"You won't," she tells him, and, at his look, "Kick me out."
Startled, he wipes the expression from his face.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you, right now."
Something flickers in her eyes; comes and goes too fast for him to catch.
He clicks off the safety.
Kill her, kill her, kill her. He focuses on the words beating like a drum inside his head. He even knows what Dean would have said and done had he been here. "Kill her already, Sam! She's a demon. She deserves to be blown away."
She holds his gaze, indifferent. "Why you shouldn't kill me, hmm," she drawls, leaning closer and closer until the space left between them is nonexistent. "You... don't... have... it... in... you..." drawn out slowly, and the next thing he knows, his lips are on hers.
iv. taste
She doesn't taste like vanilla. Or sulphur, which surprises him. It's peppermint he detects when his tongue delves into her mouth, faint traces of the gum she was chewing earlier clinging to her
lips. His mind slows down and his head spins and it's every bad cliché mixed with everything so very wrong about it but he doesn't stop, can't stop, and really really kind of... doesn't.. want to.
It's strange, their mouths fused together, he's not touching her, and yet he doesn't notice. Too caught up in the taste of her, the mind-blowing sensations coursing through him. Too preoccupied because he's kissing Ruby and she's not yelling at him or flinging him across the room.
And the world is beginning to fade away.
He has no idea why this all doesn't matter now and why he feels so fine and goddamned okay, not like he's kissing a fucking demon. Barely a nick and the wood and he just doesn't care.
v. touch
He can vaguely register her raising on her tiptoes, fingers curling around his forearms.
... And the very last hint of doubt flees. She tears away and gasps, "This doesn't change anything," pulling his head back down.
"Not at all," he growls, scraping his teeth along her neck. Her back arches then, involuntarily, and his hands span her waist, ridiculously large hands, she thinks, and up, up, she's lifted. She locks her legs around him and he drives them forward until her back hits the door.
Wrong, so wrong, but he doesn't care. Won't care.
Without missing a beat, he tears off her jacket as her fingers make quick work of the buttons on his shirt. More articles of clothing go flying, and soon it's all warm bare skin and they can't stop touching. He grips the back of her neck to keep her from falling back and moves for the bed. Goosebumps he feels on her arms and pins her down hard, crushing their lips together with one arm on either side of her shoulders.
A flick of her wrist and his jeans are down, followed by his boxers. Then she shimmies out of hers and he's thrusting into her, hard and fast, and the world is actually tilting on its axis. There's no gentleness, no soft words murmured in her ear like a bad romance novel, just Sam and she clutches at him desperately to keep from losing herself.
"NghSamgod" she grits her teeth against a groan, buries her head in the crook of his shoulder. Sucks in a breath.
This isn't the Sam she knows, or thinks she knows, or maybe doesn't at all. This is killed-the-crossroads-demon Sam, the one who's eyes go almost scarily dark, emotionless and yet so full of expression, so lacking the usual quiet and compassion and understanding and oh, Sam...
He turns his head, catching her mouth with his.
Not so strange anymore.
Their eyes meet, a clash of green and blue-green as he sinks down once more. She explodes in a flash of white-hot pleasure and something resembling pain but it's okay somehow, shudders as the waves roll over her. His grip on control shatters into a million pieces with his release, and, arms shaking, he drops next to her on the bed, trying to control his breathing.
"Doesn't... change... anything..."
They're millimetres away when she says it, even though her body aches for him, and he mumbles an agreement, despite the fact that he's half-hard again already from her whisper in his ear.
When he wakes up the next morning she's gone. And yet...
He knows before she does that she's coming that night.
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"Go out with me, Daitaro." That was a command, not a request. I placed my hands on my hips and shifted my weight to one side. My beautiful brown hair fell over one shoulder like a silky sheet. I had put on my best make-up today, and my green eyes held my crush's gaze confidently. Yes, with all this in my favor, there absolutely was no way he could deny me.
"Oh…uh…" Just as I expected, Daitaro seemed at a loss for words. He pressed his fingers into the side of his face uneasily, averting his dark eyes. I smirked. Any moment now, he'd bashfully admit that he'd liked me all along for these past two or so months that we'd been hanging out. And then he'd ask me where I wanted to go on our date. A simple scenario that I'd gone through many times with my many ex-boyfriends. There was no reason for this to be any different.
"Yes?" I urged him. Say it, Daitaro. Tell me how much you like me.
"Actually, Arielle…I can't. I'm really flattered, but I'm not really looking for a relationship right now." I smiled, running a hand through my hair. I knew I had –
Wait. What?
"Excuse me?" I asked, my mind reeling. Did he just…say no? No one had ever, ever said no to me before.
"Yeah…but we can still be friends, right? I really love hanging out with you, and if we just promise not to be awkward around each other, we can just forget about this. Okay?"
I took a deep breath and told myself to stay calm. Okay, I needed time to think. Why was I being rejected? I was beautiful, I was skinny, I was fashionable…why didn't he want to go out with me? I would just have to accept for now until I fully processed this.
"Yeah, sure," I replied. Daitaro gave me a small smile and walked away slowly, hands casually in his pockets. I stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at his shrinking figure as he left. I was still clueless as to what went wrong. I had been trying to be as alluring as possible. Why the hell was he able to resist that?
Oh, he was so not getting away with this.
Apparently he did more than just get away from me that day three weeks ago. He also got himself a girlfriend. Yes, the boy that told me he didn't want a relationship had asked out another girl. He rejected me for a plain Jane, pretty much.
The nerve of him. Seriously? The girl, a Melinda Irwin, was so ordinary it was ridiculous. Brown hair, brown eyes, a big mouth. If I were being generous, I would call her vaguely pretty. Like you would call an egg vaguely round.
Oh well. Not that I care about Daitaro much anymore. I haven't talked to him since the day he rejected me. Not intentionally, of course. It wouldn't be classy of me to completely ignore him after he had insisted that we stay friends. However, I just found that I was busy all the time. Eleventh grade gave a considerable amount of homework for me to deal with. And since Daitaro was a year older than me, I never really had the opportunity to run into him much. Which is just as well. I didn't need a constant reminder of that day. What did that silly boy have to offer me besides a pretty face and his money? Nothing I couldn't get from anyone else.
At least, that's what I would like to think as I sit here at my computer on a Wednesday night. Since it's Thanksgiving Holiday, I have no reason to go to bed early, so I'm just checking up on Facebook. After reading up several friends' comments on my newly uploaded photos – all compliments that I'm not surprised to receive – I check my inbox. There is one new message and I click on it without reading the sender's name.
Hey guys, sorry to bother you, but if any one of you can contact Melinda, I would appreciate it. She isn't picking up my calls and her parents haven't heard anything from her all day.
Puzzled, my eyes briefly dart to the name of the person who wrote the message. Daitaro Takahashi. Damn. I read over the message again. It was sent only a few minutes ago to a lot of people at once. I notice that most of them go to our school. For a few seconds, I'm actually concerned that Melinda is missing.
And then I shrug it off. Who cares? It's his girlfriend, his problem. If he had agreed to go out with me, I definitely wouldn't have disappeared on him. Not before Christmas, at least. I roll my eyes as I logout from the site, slamming down the lid of my laptop. It's midnight, and even though there's no school tomorrow, there is no point in staying up late if I'm not going to be doing anything productive. Poor Daitaro. Knowing him, he's probably going to be up worried that his poor Melinda isn't back yet.
"Arielle?" At the sound of my mother's voice, I turn to the doorway. She's standing there in her long silk nightgown, her hair pulled back into curlers and a beauty mask on her face. "Remember, dear, that tomorrow everyone will be over for dinner. Think of something that you can say you are thankful for."
"I will," I reply. "Good night." My mother doesn't smile as she walks away. I understand. She probably doesn't want to disturb the cream on her face. I begin making preparations to turn in myself. Something to be thankful for, huh? There's always the money, and the things I get to buy with it. The clothes, the shoes, the jewelry. I always thank God for giving me a pretty face, but it didn't work on Daitaro, so I don't know if I will be doing that this time.
Maybe I should be thankful that the move here wasn't quite as traumatic as I thought it would be. After living in one place for so long, I was quite pissed that we would be coming to some little nobody-town like Sundance, Texas. Granted, I'm still pissed off about the fact that this house is a lot smaller than our other one, and that I no longer have a whole bedroom suite to myself and instead have to share a bathroom with my twin sister, Darcy. However, it could have been a lot worse. I might have not had access to all the same designer brands as I did back in New York, and I might have not met any rich people here.
Actually, scratch that. Daitaro's family is the only other one I've met here in the upper class, and I refuse to be thankful for him. Even if he is a nice enough person, I just can't tolerate the fact that he put Melinda above me. Melinda, who is currently missing. I wonder if they found her. Wait, why am I curious? Better for me if she stays missing.
With that thought, I climb into bed and pull up the covers to my chin. Even though there is a good heating system in the house, the cold November air still seeps into my room from the many windows. I close my eyes and smile. Besides having to deal with Daitaro, I had plenty to be thankful for. Money and clothes and shoes. Those are lovely things to be thankful for. I sigh deeply and nod off…
…only to wake up an hour later. I stare at the dark ceiling in confusion. It isn't anywhere near morning yet. For some reason, the name Melinda crosses my thoughts. I scowl. I don't know what's more upsetting, the fact that I'm remembering her, or the fact that I'm imagining how Daitaro must be so worried about her. Oh whatever, I'm just going to turn over and go back to sleep.
Easier said than done. I'm sure more than a few minutes have gone by, but I'm awake before I really get a chance to stay asleep. Maybe if I just check that thread again, this nagging feeling will go away? I'm really hoping so as I crawl over my bed and reach for my laptop on the desk nearby. A quick login, a click on the message thread, and a whole list of comments is displayed. Many people have responded with concern, and I look all the way to the bottom where Daitaro's latest update is.
No, still no sign of her. It's already 3 AM, where can she be? None of her friends seem to know either. It's supposed to hit below freezing tonight, I hope she's not outside.
My mouth twists into a pout as I scan over the other messages. That stupid Melinda has everyone so worried about her. I'm not surprised though that Daitaro is still up and trying to get a hold of her. He's the kind who's really good at taking care of people. Maybe it's due to the fact that he has two younger siblings, one of them being only four years old. Who knows?
More importantly, who cares? I surely don't.
However, as much as I would like to keep thinking that, it gets impossible to forget about her as the night goes on. I end up waking up every ten minutes until a little past five in the morning, at which time I check the Facebook thread again. Apparently she's still missing. I look at all the other messages to try to figure out exactly what is going on. Apparently she and Daitaro got into some fight, and as a result she dramatically ran off and hasn't contacted anyone since.
Seriously? This is ridiculous. Well, now that I can't get back to sleep anyway, I might as well do something about this. I brush my teeth and wash my face as quietly as possible so that I don't wake up anyone in the household. I pull on boots and a warm coat over my pajamas and sneak out. I highly doubt Melinda would have gone anywhere far if she was just being a drama queen. I simply had to find an isolated spot somewhere and I would be sure to find her.
Since Daitaro lives in the same neighborhood as I do, and since that is probably the last place he saw Melinda, I decide to start my search in the woody area near his house. It's cold and dark and annoyingly uncomfortable to be walking around like this in a place that doesn't have good footing, but I am sure no one else took the time to search here. This is a rather pathetic place to try to hide from others, which is why I am almost certain that Melinda is here.
Sure enough, I see the girl leaning against one of the trees. It's so dark, I wouldn't have been able to tell it was her had I not seen her in person several times and known to look for her here.
"How did I know?" I say as I approach. Melinda gasps softly and whirls around, grabbing the tree in front of her.
"What are you doing here? Leave me alone!" she shouts. Wow, I didn't think she could get on my nerves so quickly, but somehow she has.
"If you think I'm here to take you back to everyone out there who is so worried about you, you are mistaken." I calmly shove my hands into my coat pockets and stride on up to her. She backs up with every step I take until I am at the tree, and she is several feet farther into the darkness. Instead of continuing to walk, I drop down and sit cross-legged on the ground. I stare at Melinda smugly, waiting for her answer.
"Then what are you doing here? Just go away and leave me alone!"
"After all the time I took to get up and come here, I'm not just going to walk away because you tell me to. I will, however, leave you alone." I cross my arms over my chest, close my eyes, and lean back against the tree. If Melinda wants me to move, she's going to have to pick me up herself.
After a few minutes of what was probably spiteful silence on her part, I hear a long sigh and the soft trudging of feet against dirt. I look up to see Melinda come up next to me and sit down. She's still pouting and looking upset about me being here, but I have a feeling she'll say something soon. So I just wait.
"If you aren't going to take me back, why did you come? You said everyone was worried about me." She sounds just a little apologetic now. I shrug.
"I don't owe anything to those people out there, especially Daitaro. Therefore, I'm not going to force you to go back. I do want you safe, though. Don't ask me why." After all, even if she asks why, I couldn't explain to her why I wanted to make sure she was all right. It pretty much contradicts my first statement.
Melinda looks rather confused at this point. "Huh. When Daitaro told me about you, he called you…spoiled, selfish, and generally thankless. I didn't expect this."
Ouch. That hurt. "Weird. I thought he and I were friends, actually. We hung out for a few months before this."
"Yeah. That's why he thinks that of you," she explains. I give her a look.
"That makes sense." Because, you know, it totally doesn't.
"You sound doubtful. It's just…even though Daitaro's the type to have these kinds of opinions, he still acts really friendly to everyone. Even when they're being mean to him."
I stay silent for a little while, wondering if I really could have been so mean to him. Sure, I took advantage of him a little and made him devote all his time to me in the beginning. But I was lonely, and friends do these sorts of things for each other. And I used to get mad at him for small things, but I never meant anything mean by it. Maybe I had tried his patience too much. I guess asking him out, no, demanding him out, was probably a little too much.
When I don't say anything, Melinda continues, "You know, I have been mean to him too. It's the reason we got into a fight today…I mean, yesterday. He asked me out and I said yes, but I didn't tell him that I actually had a boyfriend already. It's really dumb. My boyfriend, Trey, and I got into a fight. I had been ignoring him for a couple of weeks, and then Daitaro came along, and…yeah. I made a few stupid decisions, was obnoxious about it, and now I'm fighting with both of them."
I blink, staring at Melinda. She smiles sheepishly and scratches the back of her head. First of all, I'm now really annoyed with her. However, this now gives me a way to take her back without making it obvious, and I might as well act upon it.
"How dare you!" I cry out suddenly, jumping to my feet. It is a good thing Melinda does not know me very well, or she would realize this is all an act. I am not usually prone to such outbursts. As it is, Melinda looks at me in shock.
"Do you know that a few weeks ago, I asked Daitaro out?" I demand, pointing an accusing finger at Melinda. "And he rejected me for you! And for what? To find out that you were just using him to get back at your other boyfriend? How low is that?"
"Oh, sorry, he didn't tell me that!" Melinda replies, but I cut her off as I start to walk away.
"I cannot believe I just wasted my time here! You aren't worth it!" I continue to rant as I keep walking. Just as I expect, Melinda scrambles to her feet and rushes after me.
"No, please, I'm so sorry! I know it was really horrible of me, but I almost never realize what I'm doing until it's too late. I know I shouldn't have done all those things. Really, you're so nice for coming out here and helping me. Please don't get mad!"
"You know! I could have left you out there to die! I didn't have to try to save your life or something! You would have frozen to death without me! Be thankful that you're the one he chose to go out with! Be thankful that I'm here even though he rejected me for you're sake, and that even though you are such a jerk to them, you have two guys who like you!"
It is amazing how hard it is to shout all these words, even if I'm only acting like I'm angry. I know they are the truth, and while previously I might have expected to think that way, after what Melinda told me about Daitaro's impression of me, I can't bear to actually feel the way I'm pretending to. Did I want to prove him right?
"I'm so sorry!" Melinda keeps up with me as I lead her right up to the front door of Daitaro's house. She's so caught up in her apology that she doesn't even notice until I ring the doorbell.
"Here you go," I say, turning to face her and revealing that I had been smiling the entire time. Melinda is confused for a few moments, but then Daitaro opens the door and her expression turns into one of horror.
"Oh no, oh no no…"
"Arielle….Melinda!" I should not be so happy, but something within me is excited that he said my name first. The feeling does not go away even when Daitaro gives Melinda a crushing hug, repeating over and over how worried he was all this time.
"You should thank her. She found me," Melinda points out. Daitaro turns and gives me a funny glance.
"Really," he says. I shrug, smiling at him. He turns his attention back to Melinda, but he does so slowly, his eyes focused on me even when he moves to face her again. He tells her that her parents are the most worried of everyone that she sent into a panic by disappearing, and invites her inside to call them. As she disappears inside the house, Daitaro turns his attention to me again.
"Well?" I prompt, because it's pretty obvious that something is on his mind.
"Why did you help her? I'm really thankful that you did, but…" he trails off.
"It's not like me, is it?" I finish for him. "To do something nice." Daitaro looks a little shocked that I would admit that and insists that it isn't what he meant to say.
I shake my head. "But it's true, isn't it, that you think that?"
"I would have thought that, maybe, if I hadn't seen this," he admits. "But now I know that I was wrong about you. I haven't given you enough credit."
"And I honestly haven't really cared enough about you." In the beginning, he was just an accessory to me. The seventeen-year-old Japanese super model who was the first to greet me when I moved here from the north. Obviously I had to have someone as hot and rich as him for a boyfriend, especially in the coming Christmas season. But now, I realize there's a really sweet, caring person there that I should get to know better.
"So, about that earlier offer you made to me," Daitaro says. "The one a few weeks back. I may not have given you a very honest answer at that time."
I raise an eyebrow. "I remember. I think you owe me an apology, in fact." I lean back against the side of the entrance, smiling at Daitaro.
"Oh, I owe you more than that. I owe you a second chance," he replies as he walks forward when I move back. He extends both his hands and plants them on the wall on either side of my face. I smirk.
"Well, that would be very kind of you, and I would be very grateful if you would," I state politely. Though if he moves any closer, he might find that I'll slip back into being a very bad girl.
"How grateful?" he asks, tempting me. Oh forget about him moving closer. I reach out and grab him by his collar, yanking him towards me.
"Here, let me show you."
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13483
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Skype for linux opens TCP and UDP port directly on router?
Discussion in 'Desktop Operation' started by blocker, Sep 13, 2012.
1. blocker
blocker Member
i have noticed a strange thing. In my router there is a port forward that i did not made. It is even not visible in the manual port forwarding menu, it is only visible in the port forwarding log:
Destination Proto. Port Range Redirect to
all TCP 31929
all UDP 31929
i have tried telnet from my network, and from outside to this port, and it connects, the connection stays active 4-5 seconds then it drops
# telnet MY_REMOTE_IP 31929
Trying MY_REMOTE_IP...
Connected to MY_REMOTE_IP.
Escape character is '^]'.
Connection closed by foreign host.
on i have checked which service is running on this port, and guess what??? it was skype!!!
when i quit skype, ports close, but this redirect still stays in my router table, even if i refresh.
i have for 2 weeks reinstalled this PC with debian and downloaded skype from the official site as .deb package.
the questions is how did skype managed to open those ports on my router and redirect them to the PC on which skype is running
why does skype needs those ports
i will be happy to hear your opinions!
2. blocker
blocker Member
i have now disabled UPNP server, PPTP forwarding and reseted the router password, the skype again manages to open these ports
i checked and in the skype settings the port i mentioned above is set for incoming connections
i sniffed on that port with tcpdump, while skype was on, and it seems that there are connections to and from a number of M$ IP's...
3. blocker
blocker Member
same happens when i start skype on my android phone
4. smith23
smith23 New Member
mmm the same ...
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13496
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31 CFR 27.2 - Definitions.
§ 27.2 Definitions.
(a) The term “assessing official” means:
(1) The head of a bureau or other subdivision of the Department of the Treasury who has been delegated the authority to assess civil penalties under 31 U.S.C. 333(c); or
(2) An officer or employee of a bureau or subdivision at the grade of GS-15 or above to whom such authority has been redelegated by the head of such bureau or subdivision.
(b) The term “broadcast” or “telecast” mean widespread dissemination by electronic transmission or method, whether audio and/or visual.
(c) The term “civil penalty” means:
(1) A civil monetary penalty; and
(2) Any other civil or equitable remedy deemed necessary to rectify the potential for a continued misuse or harm from an activity found to have been in violation of 31 U.S.C. 333 or this part.
(d) The term “date of offense” means the later of—
(1) The date that the misuse occurred;
(2) The date that the misuse had the effect of conveying the false impression that the activity was associated with or approved, endorsed, sponsored or authorized by the Department or any of its subdivisions or officers or employees; or
(3) If the violation is a continuing one, the date on which the misuse of the words, titles, abbreviations, initials, symbols, emblems, seals, or badges protected by this part last occurred.
(e) The term “days” means calendar days, unless otherwise stated.
(f) The term “person” means an individual, partnership, association, corporation, company, business, firm, manufacturer, or any other organization or institution.
Title 31 published on 2014-07-01.
No entries appear in the Federal Register after this date, for 31 CFR Part 27.
United States Code
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13506
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The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans
Chapter 10
Salvation comes through righteousness to those who believe in Christ—Faith comes by hearing the gospel taught by legal administrators sent of God.
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be asaved.
For I bear them record that they have a azeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they being ignorant of God’s arighteousness, and bgoing about to establish their own righteousness, have not csubmitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the aend of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
10 For with the aheart man bbelieveth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto csalvation.
12 For there is no adifference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is brich unto all that ccall upon him.
13 For whosoever shall acall upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not abelieved? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a bpreacher?
15 And how shall they apreach, except they be bsent? as it is written, How beautiful are the cfeet of them that preach the dgospel of epeace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all aobeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath bbelieved our report?
17 So then afaith cometh by bhearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their awords unto the ends of the bworld.
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to ajealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20 But aEsaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that bsought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a adisobedient and bgainsaying people.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13507
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Psalm 62
David praises God as his defense, his rock, and his salvation—The Lord judges men according to their works.
He only is my rock and my asalvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they acurse inwardly. Selah.
He only is my arock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my aglory: the rock of my strength, and my brefuge, is in God.
10 Trust not in aoppression, and become not vain in robbery: if briches increase, set not your cheart upon them.
12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth amercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his bwork.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13537
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Suggestion A PF Phone App would be great.
1. I would definitely Pay for a app on my phone that would make navigation easier when on the go.
2. jcsd
3. Greg Bernhardt
Staff: Admin
Do you have an iphone?
4. Yes, sorry I think spell check changed it without me noticing.
I meant to suggest an Iphone App for PF forums.
5. Greg Bernhardt
Staff: Admin
For the meantime try viewing PF on your iphone now via safari.
6. Wow, did yall just implement this? The last time I visited PF on my phone it was not "Mobile." This is much easier to navigate. Thank you to whoever went through the trouble to implement this.
( I would still pay for the App though wink*wink*)
7. Saladsamurai
Saladsamurai 3,016
Gold Member
Did you see the thread right below this one?
8. Yeah I just looked at it, looks like he posted right after I did. I guess I might disagree with the other threads OP because he must admit that this version is much easier to navigate than PF on standard web browser. I'm sure that it will get better with time and "hate" is a little strong I think.
Have something to add?
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13538
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Teaching resources
1. Iam asked to tutor a student in highschool math (10) and was wondering where may I find a variety of questions. I thought about making questions up myself but it is more time consumeing than I initially have thought.
I don't know which forum to post this question? If another forum area is more appropriate please move this thread there.
More specifically Iam looking for quesitons revolving around the quadratic formula. Also what would a teacher teach next after the quadratic formula?
Thank you
2. jcsd
3. my algebra 1 book lists that chapter like this:
quadratic formula
absolute values
square root property of equality
square root of a perfect square
trinomial squares
then exercises involving the quadratic formula
4. JasonRox
JasonRox 2,327
Homework Helper
Gold Member
I normally just look at their work. I ask them to bring their textbook and maybe an assignment so I get a feel of what they're doing and what they're expected to know.
From there, you can just make up questions that are just spin offs to other questions and tweak them as you go long to target weak spots.
5. Kurdt
Kurdt 4,941
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
One can look no further than a text book that is recommended by the kids teacher. All the material is there for you but it just depends on how you present it and explain it to the pupil. Also rather simply I always ask my tutees what it is that they find difficult, then perhaps put them through a mock exam for homework so you can see where they struggle.
6. Astronuc
Staff: Mentor
Based on my experience, by 10th grade one is exposed to basic algebra, geometry and trigonometry. JasonRox gives some good advice with respect to looking at the pupil's textbook.
In relationship to quadratic formula, one could do Pythagoras's theorem.
The quadratic form is a special case of polynomial, so work up from there - with something like (x+a)(x+b)(x+c) . . . . and look at special cases like (x+a)(x-a). Consider the binomial theorem - although is one is tutoring someone, perhaps it is best to keep it simple.
What is the significance of Pascal's triangle - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal's_triangle.
How about working with exponents, roots, and logarithms?
Certainly the math homework forum or basic (pre-calc math) forum would be good places. We also have a math/sci tutorial section with some basic math resources.
See also sites like - http://www.purplemath.com/modules/quadform.htm - for ideas.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13546
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Abstract. This note proposes a non-drug treatment for depression in terms of hidden emotions. It appears that most depression involves the numbing of emotions, especially grief, fear, anger and shame. Depression occurs when these emotions loop back on themselves, having feelings about feelings, sometimes without limit. Feedback loops can produce emotions that are experienced as either unbearably painful or out of control, or at least anticipated to be. However, there is a zone between these two extremes that allows one to feel emotions and to also observe oneself feeling. This zone is possible because of the human capacity for role-taking; seeing one's self from the imagined point of view of another person. Some implications of these ideas for the treatment of depression are outlined.
Modern societies take a dim view of emotions. They are usually judged to be far less important than the material world, behavior, thought and most everything else. We learn both as children and adults: "Don't be so emotional! Or: "Don't get mad, get even!" We are taught two extremes: either hide or act out emotions. These two attitudes may be at the root of many of humanity's most trying problems, but difficult to change until we learn more about the emotional world.
Just as emotions sometimes cause havoc in our lives, the study of emotions is also in a state of chaos. Until recently, even in social and behavioral studies, it was a very small field compared to the attention given to behavior, cognition, alienation, self-esteem and many other topics. Grown larger in recent years, it is still preliminary in nature, with many different and often conflicting approaches. It seems to me, however, that there are occasional glimpses of clarity and light.
The following, for example, is a precise description of a zone needed for dealing directly with intense emotions, and some of the difficulties. It is focused on a single problem, how fear is experienced in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but it might have wider implications.
[In PTSD there are] cycles of flashbacks and numbing. It can be exhausting to fall into flashbacks or to feel like everything, all feelings, are shut down and inaccessible. In working with trauma, it's critical to develop a healing zone, a space between flashback and dissociation where memories can be felt and also known to be in the past. (Danylchuk 2011. Also Siegel 1999)
This comment contains several important ideas. It first points to two non-healing states, flashbacks that merely re-live episodes of violent emotion, and the numbing and dissociation that can hide these episodes. But it also points to a zone between the two undesirable states: "memories can be felt and also known to be in the past." This sentence implies that when in the zone, one is both feeling an emotion and observing oneself feeling it. Such a zone might provide the feeling of safety and assurance necessary to explore all of one's emotions, even those sensed to be overpowering and/or unbearably painful.
Finding a midpoint between too close and too far from emotions is at the heart of classic theories of drama. The audience must feel the emotions that are being enacted, but at the same time, must realize that they are safe in the theatre. They are neither too close, repeating their own flashbacks, nor too far, not involved. At this middle distance, these theories suggest, the audience response, such as laughing or crying, is cathartic, helping its members resolve their own unresolved emotions, whatever their origin (Scheff 1979).
Most emotion researchers assume that the theory of catharsis has been disapproved repeatedly in experiments. But these experiments all involve the acting out of anger (venting), rather than remembering anger in "moments of tranquility" (Wordsworth). The idea of a zone of healing, the reliving of unresolved emotion at the right distance, has not been precisely tested. Confounding venting with tranquil reliving has resulted in a grossly erroneous rejection of catharsis, throwing the baby out with the bathwater (Scheff 2007). .
Out of Control Emotions
The passage quoted about a healing zone for fear is quite helpful in itself. Yet it also involves issues that are much broader than only healing fear: the references to raw flashbacks (too close) and to dissociation and shutting down (too far). The phrase shutting down (of all emotions) seems particularly apt for describing the experience of depression: depressed persons often describe the experience as feeling blank, empty or hollow.
How can flashbacks and numbing occur? What is known about the nature of emotions that are either inaccessible or out of control? There seem to be only a few attempts to answer this question, and they are not clear. For example, Freud's idea of repression is relevant, since it not only concerns ideas and memories, but also emotions. Freud (1966) stated that the idea of repression was central to psychoanalysis, but "...so far we have only one piece of information, ...that [it] emanates from forces of the ego." Apart from that, Freud added, "we know nothing more at present."
This statement conveys little, since we are not sure what forces Freud was referring to, nor for that matter, how the ego itself is to be construed The vast significance of the concept of repression, compared to the meager amount of knowledge about it, makes an enormous gap in psychoanalytic theory.
Emotion Loops
How could emotions be so painful that they are either hidden, or so powerful as to be out of control? Normal emotions like grief, shame, fear or anger are unlikely to be extremely painful or powerful. They are merely bodily signals that alert us to loss, feeling inadequate, in danger or frustrated. They are also quite brief, usually a matter of seconds. A car barreling toward us on the freeway stimulates an instantaneous shock of fear, but it usually doesn't outlast the danger. What could give rise to feelings of fear that persist, or reactions so powerful as to lead to stampedes in a theatre fire, or so painful as to lead to silence and depression?
My own interest in this question began long ago while teaching the social psychology of emotions. When we discussed embarrassment and blushing in the larger classes, there were often one or two students who complained that blushing sometimes made them miserable. They explained that when they became aware that they were blushing, they would be further embarrassed, no matter the cause of the first blush. Often these students implied that blushing about their blush was not only lengthy and painful, but also out of their control.
This recent comment by a 20 year old female student provides an example:
I often blush when I receive a compliment. Those who compliment me often mention my blush. On one occasion a friend praised my smile. I immediately felt a blush. Then my friend said "Oh, you are blushing!" I said "Yes, I can feel it!" On some occasions my blush feels as if it will be eternal.
With these kinds of observations as background, I remembered a story told by the noted actor Ian Holm. On one occasion he had muffed his lines, but when he became aware that he was blushing, he blushed more. The more he became embarrassed by his blushing, the more he blushed and the more embarrassed. This process went on, he said, until he ended paralyzed in the fetal position, requiring that he be carried off the stage. This last story points to an emotion process that might have no natural limit. This idea is also suggested by the student's comment above, that her blushes sometime feel that they may be eternal.
Psychological and Social Loops
Feedback loops can be both internal and external. Audience members in a theatre fire could become afraid because they are afraid themselves, and they see other audience members afraid, resulting in loops within and between persons: fear causing more fear, ending in a panic. Road rage could arise because one person feels humiliated by another driver's actions, angry that he feels humiliated, and angry that his opponent has become angry, leading to further anger, and in some cases, violence. Emotional responses to emotional responses, under conditions to be discussed below, may result in chain reactions.
The idea that persons can be so ashamed that they keep their shame secret suggests the the origin of a shame loop, being ashamed that one is ashamed. Or, to continue with the topic of road rage, a shame/anger loop, being angry that one is ashamed, and ashamed that one is angry, and so on. One driver may experience the behavior of another driver as insulting. This driver is likely to shout "Idiot, you cut me off!" rather than say to himself and/or to the other driver: "I feel disrespected and ashamed." Rather than acknowledging, and therefore feeling shame, he hides it behind anger. Acknowledgment is usually the first step toward resolving intense emotions.
The idea of a chain reaction may help to understand Gilligan's (1997) otherwise puzzling theory of shame as the basic cause of violence, based on his experiences with violent men as a prison psychiatrist.
The emotion of shame is the primary or ultimate cause of all violence... (pp. 110)
Gilligan is referring to a specific shame situation, keeping it secret.
Shame is probably the most carefully guarded secret held by violent men...The degree of shame that a man needs to be experiencing in order to become homicidal is so intense and so painful that it threatens to overwhelm him and bring about the death of the self, cause him to lose his mind, his soul, or his sacred honor (112).
This reference to the awesome destructive power of secret shame implies a feedback chain, beginning with one loop: being ashamed of being ashamed. However, my experience with the blushing students suggests that such loops can go further, being ashamed, being ashamed of that, and ashamed of that, and so on. Or shame in a loop with anger: angry that one is ashamed, ashamed that one is angry, and round and round. The idea of an unending emotion loop seems to explain how shame, fear, or other emotions might become too powerful to bear or control.
There are other studies that suggest that shame/anger, can be so painful and controlling as to lead to murder and suicide. The clearest example is Websdale's (2010) study of 211 cases of familicide (the killing of one's spouse and one or more of the children): it shows a type of killer who seemed driven by secret shame.
Websdale, with the help of many people, was able to gather interviews from persons who knew the families in most of the cases. The findings suggest two kinds of killers. The majority were working class men who had a history of anger and aggression. The cases of these men strongly suggest that they used anger and aggression to hide shame.
But there was a sizeable minority that Websdale named civic respectable. They were middleclass men and women who had no history of prior aggression or violence but had obviously been intensely humiliated prior to the murders. For example, several of the cases were men who had lost their jobs, but hid the news from their family and others; they continued to leave the house every weekday as if they were still working. During this period, which in some cases was as long as several weeks, they were plotting murder. Some also killed themselves. All of these cases, particularly, suggest how one can get lost in an unending shame loop to the point that murder is chosen as preferable to further suffering.
The idea of emotion loops not only suggests how overwhelming loss of control that can occur in flashbacks, but also the reason for dissociation and numbing. Anticipation of loss of control and/or unbearable pain might lead people to avoid emotions entirely, which is what occurs in dissociation and numbing. This kind of avoidance also may have still another kind of looping effect: emotional backlogs. The more avoidance, the more the bodily buildup of emotional tension. The more backup, the greater the pain that is anticipated, which can lead to a further kind of avoidance loop.
The idea of avoiding grieving because of the anticipation of pain and/or loss of control is a commonplace. It is implied, for example, in this song by Iris Dement (1993), No Time to Cry:
My father died a year ago today...
Well, I stayed at home just long enough to lay him in the ground
And then I caught a plane to do a show up north...
Because I'm older now and I've got no time to cry
I've got no time to look back, I've got no time to see
The pieces of my heart that have been ripped away from me
And if the feeling starts to coming, I've learned to stop em fast
Cause I don't know, if I let them go, they might not wanna pass...
In the Zone
This section will expand upon the way the zone (midpoint between avoidance and flashback) might allow for enough safety to experience any backlog of emotion, no matter how seemingly overwhelming. How can one feel safety, and indeed, even pleasure, when experiencing intense emotions that are ordinarily felt as unbearable and/or overwhelming?
The idea of the zone, of being both in emotions and out of them, is hinted by what Levine (2010) calls "pendulation," swinging like a pendulum back and forth between what he refers to as expansion and contraction of one's emotions. The idea of the back and forth motion seems to lie at the very center of being in the zone, but it may be explained in a different way than is suggested by Levine.
Linguists and other scholars have long proposed that the self is made up of a back and forth motion. They begin by pointing to the learning of language: what seems to make all of the various human languages possible, as opposed to the instinctive vocabularies of other mammals, is the ability to see a conversation not only from own point of view, but also to imagine the point of view of the other speaker. This process of moving back and forth between one's own and the point of view imagined for the other is called "taking the role of the other," or, for short, "role-taking." Human language, since in actual usage it is almost always highly fragmented and incomplete, and since most commonly used words have more than one meaning, would be impossible to understand without role-taking on both sides.
In modern societies, particularly, with their focus on individualism, there are incentives for forgetting that one is role-taking. Each of us learns to think of ourselves as a stand-alone individual, completely independent of what others think. C. H. Cooley, an early U.S. sociologist, said it most succinctly: "We live in the minds of others without knowing it."
Safety Through Role-taking
An example that illustrates a moment of confidence in the face of strong emotions comes from my own life. It occurred long ago, the night after my first group therapy session. As I was telling my then girlfriend how envious I was when others were crying during the session, I began to cry myself. This episode lasted some fifteen minutes, and was a huge surprise to me. I was 40 at the time: it was probably my first real cry in 30 or so years. The crying part of my then self was completely unknown to me.
A few minutes after I had stopped crying, an episode of anger began. Unlike the crying, this episode happened to include an explicit sign suggesting that I was in the zone, as indicated below. I began to feel colossally angry, but without the faintest notion of what I was angry about (just as I hadn't known what I was crying about). Without any volition on my part, I began to growl, writhe and bite the air. As in the crying, my body seemed to take over. The writhing became so pronounced that I fell out of bed.
Finding myself on a shag rug provided a target for my anger; without hesitation I began to bite the rug. But then a thought: what will Rachel think of me acting in this ridiculous way (an example of an attempt at role-taking). Since I couldn't guess, I stopped what I was doing and looked up at her, saying: "Are you OK?" She smiled, "Go ahead. Do your thing." I resumed writhing, growling and biting as if without interruption. It would seem that in the zone, one not only has the sense of control, but in fact, one does have control. As in theatre, if it gets too heavy, you can always get up and walk out.
Since there were no more interruptions that night, I won't describe my further experiences of fear and shame. However, all four episodes suggest another aspect of the zone: experiences with normally fierce emotions can be pleasurable rather than painful. My encounters with grief, anger, fear and shame each seemed a bit like a diversion, a ride on an elegant rollercoaster. Needless to say, I felt utterly reborn the next day.
This essay has suggested a way of treating depression in terms of unresolved emotions. To the extent that this suggestion proves to be useful, modern societies may have to change their attitudes and behaviors toward emotions. At present our models tell us either to disparage emotions or act them out. "Action" films, for example, provide models of acting out anger and vengeance as the manly thing to do, rather than negotiations that would minimize violence. The Top40, the most popular of the pop songs, reiterate the message that being unable to bear the loss of one's lover shows the depth of love, rather than the inability to enter the mourning zone (Scheff 2011). Changing these patterns will take considerable time and stamina, so we had better get started.
Danylchuk, Lynette. 2011. A blog on the online forum Psychology Central.
Freud, Sigmund. 1966. Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. New York: Norton (1922).
Gilligan, James. Violence - reflections on a national epidemic. New York: Vintage Books (1997)
Levine, Peter. 2010. In an Unspoken Voice. Berkeley: North Atlantic.
Scheff, Thomas. 1979. Catharsis in Healing, Ritual and Drama. University of California
Press (Reissued by iUniverse 2001)
_____________2007. Catharsis and Other Heresies. Journal of Social, Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology, 1 (3), 98-113.
Siegel, D. J. 1999. The Developing Mind. New York: Guilford.
Websdale, Neil. 2010. Familicidal Hearts: The Emotional Style of 211 Killers. Oxford: Oxford University Press
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Heidegger in Plain Sight: "The Origin of the Work of Art" and Marcel Duchamp
Article excerpt
I. Introduction
"The picture hangs on the wall like a rifle or a hat." This statement might well be attributed to Marcel Duchamp, the 'originator' of the readymade, if one were to hazard an educated guess, but it is in fact from the introductory pages of Martin Heidegger's 1936 essay "The Origin of the Work of Art" ("Der Ursprung des Kunstwerkes"). (1) Heidegger (1889-1976) and Duchamp (1887-1968) lived parallel lives that do not seem to have crossed on the historical plane. And yet, intersection occurs as Heidegger moves toward an aestheticization of philosophy and Duchamp moves toward a philosophization of art. This intersection is seemingly disavowed on both sides. Heidegger, who catalogs more than a dozen exemplary "great" works of art in his influential essay, chooses none from the twentieth century. (2) Duchamp satirizes the question of ontology in his remarks to Pierre Cabanne: "I don't believe in the word 'being.' The idea of being is a human invention ... It's an essential concept, which doesn't exist at all in reality." (3) The contradiction stemming from Duchamp's avowed disbelief in "being," which he then explains using terms related to being ("human," "being is," "essential," "exist," "reality") suggests, however, his awareness that one cannot escape from the question of being. Indeed, Duchamp's works explore forms of being and display striking affinities with Heidegger's explorations in "The Origin of the Work of Art." Heidegger, on the other hand, surreptitiously slips a twentieth century work of art into his catalog of "great" art: his own essay, "The Origin of the Work of Art," thus acknowledging the potential of contemporary art to be "an essential and necessary way in which that truth happens which is decisive for our historical existence." (4) "The Origin of the Work of Art" is based on lectures given in 1935 and 1936, over twenty years after the advent of Duchamp's readymades. The essay appears soon after Heidegger's so-called Kehre, or turn, when he purportedly switched course and began to pursue a more radical questioning of metaphysics, attempting to return to the beginnings of Greek thought and abandoning traditional philosophical discourse in favor of a more poetic style. (5)
Thomas McEvilley in his article "Empyrrhical Thinking (and Why Kant Can't)" has described Duchamp's abandonment of painting, (6) which occurred soon after he introduced the readymades, as a decisive "turn," one that "was to be so portentous for the art of the rest of the 20th century." (7) McEvilley outlines how critics sought the cause of this important shift, ascribing it, for example, to Duchamp's two-month visit to Munich in 1912. For McEvilley, however, it was Duchamp's (re-)reading of Greek philosophers during his stint as a librarian at the Bibliotheque Sainte Genevieve in 1913 that had the greatest influence in triggering his "turn away from subjectivity." (8) Among the philosophers that he studied, it was Pyrrho, the first great skeptic, who especially intrigued Duchamp, perhaps in part because Pyrrho was known for having abandoned painting for philosophy. (9) Duchamp's aspiration to become more philosophical in his art mirrors Heidegger's aspiration to be more poetical in his philosophy, their shared mistrust of subjectivity leading each of them to question the continued viability of art on the one hand and philosophy on the other. Heidegger titles a late essay "The End of Philosophy and the Task of Thinking," and Duchamp is often credited with-and blamed for-announcing the end of art. (10) Despite their apparent pessimism (characterized in Heidegger's case by a heavy-handed, prophetic tone in stark contrast to Duchamp's playful ironic detachment) their projects are essentially positive. In order to reinvigorate our experience of being in the world, (11) they seek to circumvent the impasse they believe has been created by metaphysics' ill-founded reliance on subjectivity by reconnecting with earlier modes of thought. …
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Europe between the Oceans-9000 BC-AD 1000
Article excerpt
Barry Cunliffe, Europe Between the Oceans-9000 BC-AD 1000. Yale University Press, 2008.
Scholars are once again exploring why Europe, which appears to be just an insignificant geographic appendage to Asia, has risen to world dominance in the past thousand years. In the 19th century, scholars such as Arthur de Gobineau (1816-1882) took up the racial superiority theory that Aryans, speakers of Indo-European languages, were a special breed blessed with superior intelligence whose mission was to civilize the rest of the world. He added to this the physical element of pale skin. The lighter the complexions of the Aryans, the more superior they were to the darkskinned Aryans, and certainly all of them were superior in mind, morals, and talents to the other human "races."
During the first half of the 20th century, the European fascist movement, particularly Nazi Germany, cited Gobineau' s work as proof that the Germans were the epitome of Aryan purity and that it was their duty to purge "inferior races" from their midst - and from the world, if they could. They, and their racial theories, were disgraced after they lost World War II, and younger scholars launched the movement toward racially-sensitive historicity which eventually spawned a movement of studying every culture except for that of the Western world. "Western Civilization" nearly disappeared from university curricula.
Once more, the pendulum is swinging and we have such scholars as Ricardo Duchesne exploring why European (Western) civilization has had such enormous and far-reaching vitality and power. Duchesne attributes this in part to a certain "restlessness" of Indo-European peoples from their very beginnings. Certainly they have been the most mobile of all humans since at least 1 ,000 BC, as can be observed in the widespread tenure of Indo-European languages. …
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The Beautiful Ending / Blog
Aanother successful show!
Thank you so much to everyone who came out to The Montage Friday May 9th! A big thank you to all the bands, fans and The Montage, thanks for making it a great show! We played with some cool new bands and hung out with you all you fine people! Keep the up the love, we appreciate you guys more than anything!
That was awesome!
Thank you everyone for coming out to our show Friday the 13th @ The Firehouse, you f*%^&^g rock! Screw the weather, you were fantastic, a big thank you to the other bands, Thoroughbred, Eyesalve and Armed with Valor, you guys brought it! Thank you to the Firehouse sound and staff, we love you!
Shout out!
To everyone came out to The Beautiful Ending CD Release Party, thank you, you made night! And thank you to all the bands on the bill you guys killed! Look out for us we only have one more show before the end of the year, Friday the 13th at The Firehouse Saloon, last 13th of 2013!! Come rock with us \m/
Thanks for checking out the page, I'll be making additions in the following weeks to come, stop by often ;) 3
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‘USA Today’ Blogger Criticizes Punishment of Mississippi Student in FIRE Case
By June 3, 2010
FIRE’s case at Hinds Community College (HCC) in Mississippi, where student Isaac Rosenbloom’s First Amendment rights have been violated, receives a nice analysis this week on USA Today‘s “College: The Blog” site. As Torch readers already know, Rosenbloom was disciplined and almost suspended for one curse word he stated in a private conversation outside of class. Further, Rosenbloom was threatened with “detention” by his professor (which doesn’t exist at HCCand he told her so), then found guilty of “flagrant disrespect” because of what the professor called “severe cursing.” Most recently, his final appeal was denied by HCC President Clyde Muse.
USA Today intern and University of Georgia student Sara Caldwell writes:
Being that I was not there to witness this horrible indiscretion (I mean, a college student cussing? Egads!), I can’t exactly comment on how this entire thing was blown into/out of proportion, but I will say this:
Punishing someone for saying somethingthat might hurt your feelingsis not ok.
Caldwell is spot-on in her analysis, grasping a point which has so far eluded the powers at HCC (and is lost on a distressing number of her college peers, as we’ve pointed out countless times). I encourage Torch readers to check out her column, written with the refreshing candor of a college student calling “BS” on HCC’s stubborn administration.
Caldwell’s surprise at learning of the “vulgarity police” patrolling the halls of HCC also prompts a moment of introspection:
This all makes me wonder. What do you think your school’s policies are? Is there anything you should contest? Let me know. I’ll probably find it intriguing.
Caldwell and other college students may indeed be intrigued to take a look at FIRE’s Spotlight database of speech codes at more than 400 colleges and universities. In Caldwell’s own backyard, the University of Georgia defines “jokes, posters, or comments” as punishable “acts of intolerance,” even if they are “covert” and all they do is hurt someone’s feelings. As Caldwell wrote earlier in her article, that’s “not ok.”
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1. Visit leckzieloo profile page
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I'm from Danville but live on the EKU campus in Richmond where I'm a junior working on my BSN with a Gerontology minor. I was born at Ephraim McDowell and am a HUGE fan!!! Been a patient there my whole life.
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. citibank is giving away 10,000 free reusable bags. and san francisco is planning a series of bag giveaways. >>> and finally, an update tonight on that peanut butter recall. it's expanded to include over 100 different products that contain peanut butter. for a full list, head to w watch. >> you know, the bag thing... >> i just feel like a bag lady. got them in my car. i've got them all through my kitchen. >> and it gets costly. >> i get it. i just keep collecting them. >>> more than 30 million americans suffer from migraine headaches. and for about a third of them, standard treatment doesn't really help. but now, one bay area doctor is offering a new approach. cbs 5 reporter dr. kim mulvihill on why his patients swear by it. >> reporter: andrea loves to spend time with her kids, on this day reading all about the wild things. >> i wouldn't do that to you. >> reporter: but for years, it was no laughing matter. andrea battled a beast not found in any child's book, intensely painful chronic headaches. >> like i was hit with a baseball bat in the back of the head. >> reporte
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. michael tomero from fox light. spending his christmas however. rick: yeah. clayton: he is watching "fox and friends" on his plane in the vacation. ainsley: that is awesome. rick: can't figure out what we're doing. ainsley: clayton is scratching his neck. clayton: got a rash. rick: thanks a lot. ainsley: thanks for everything you do for us. get this, travel safely. clayton: thanks, michael. we want to check in with santa. he has been here all morning long after the long night of delivering gifts to all the sweet little boys and girls and how are you holding up this morning, santa? >> i'm doing very well. but i'm ready for that rest. clayton: you have 30 minutes left of our show answering e-mails and tweets from viewers around the country and around the world. steve wants to know, he tweeted, what is the top speed for your sleigh? get up to what mach-1, mach-2? >> probably a mach-2, 3. i'm moving pretty quick. those reindeer are fast. to all the houses. rick: an e-mail from tom. does mrs. claus go with you on the sleigh or help you with the toys? >> mrs. klaus has gone a couple of times.
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Opposable Thumbs / Gaming & Entertainment
A decade to separate us: Ars reviews StarCraft 2
StarCraft 2 is the sequel to something that has become more legend than …
Gamers have expectations for StarCraft 2 that will be impossible to meet. Players have waited a decade for a sequel to what is widely considered to be one of the best real-time strategy games of all time, and one of the world's most-played PC games, period. Blizzard certainly isn't afraid to make bold choices: LAN gaming is out, the title is being split into three releases, and the game is launching alongside a reboot of the popular service that stretches across all of Blizzard's properties.
We've been playing StarCraft 2 since Monday, and the game is good. It's very good. It's also classical in how it treats its units and the gameplay; those who were never impressed with the original game aren't going to be convinced by this sequel. But if you wanted more StarCraft, with different units, adjusted strategy, and a fully fleshed-out single-player game, then this is going to hit your life like a bomb. Say goodbye to your other hobbies, buy your wife some flowers, and get your kids some new toys. It may be time to take a few days off work. StarCraft 2 is finally here, and it threatens to swallow us whole.
StarCraft 2
Developer Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher Blizzard Entertainment
Price $59.99 Shop.Ars
Platform PC, OS X
Installation begins with a graphical recap of the story of StarCraft up to this point. You'll be asked to either log into or create an account, and you'll be introduced to the new social hub of your Blizzard gaming. You can add friends via Facebook, add Real ID friends if you don't mind sharing your real name, take a look around the beginner's guide to get a feel for the game, play some tutorials... if you don't quite know what's going on, Blizzard throws a number of things at you to read or watch in order to get you up to speed.
The whole setup is rather slick, with in-game news reports, write-ups of new maps, and FAQs to get you started playing on the official Leagues or Ladders. can be a rather intimidating place, but there is plenty of content here to explain what exactly is going on so you'll be familiar with the various aspects of the service before you begin to play. If you're new to the series or just want to brush up on your skills, playable tutorials are ready to get you going. It's friendly, it's inviting, and it's a good point of entry into the world of StarCraft 2.
While you'll only play as Terran and Protoss during the single-player campaign, there is a series of Challenge Missions included to help you learn all three races. Each race gets a Basic, Advanced, and Expert challenge, and these will help you learn advanced strategy, introduce you to higher-level play, and teach you about the use of the different units. While you don't need to play these to have a good time, they are an excellent touch for beginner or novice players, and are a welcome addition to the single-player content.
Now, let's discuss the campaign.
The single-player game now has a hub area; you can move around Raynor's ship and explore the Lab, the Bridge, the Cantina, and the Armory. In the Cantina, you can play a 2D shooter that shows what's possible with the game's editor. The jukebox is filled with songs from the fictional world, as well as covers of recognizable hits. You can gain achievements by exploring your ship and talking to your friends and cohorts. StarCraft was a single-player game where the story was explained by talking heads; the sequel features impressive hub areas filled with detail, conversation, and color.
Early in the game, you're faced with a mission where your forces must protect convoys making the trek to an extraction point by slowly trundling down a road beset with Zerg. This should be terrible—no one likes escort missions—but the colonists' vehicles can fight back to a limited degree. You can send mobile troops to escort them, or you can set up bunkers to simply own the road. If you want to get moving on tech advances, then you can explore the surrounding countryside for three Zerg artifacts that give you upgrade points. The road is long and straight, and the Zerg throw increasingly powerful enemies at you—it's a thrilling tactical challenge. The mission should be terrible according to conventional wisdom, but you can tell the mission was playtested into the ground, and the result is a challenge, not a chore.
Other levels introduce a night and day mechanic with different enemies, a rush to grab a set amount of minerals to bribe a mercenary, or stealing walking super weapons from the Dominion's forces. Without needing to balance these units and ideas for multiplayer, the designers at Blizzard went crazy with single-player missions, and it's wonderful to play the game and realize you have no clue what you're in for from one mission to the next.
This is StarCraft; large masses of units are possible
In one mission you're laying waste to a series of trains that travel along a predetermined track, and as you attack, the enemy sends out a wave of very powerful units that patrol the tracks. It's not hard to avoid their patrols and carry out the mission, but if you take them on and win you'll gain an achievement. Sure, that's mostly bragging rights, but watching the crowd of units march around the map made me angry. Hide from them? No way. This little bit of drama doesn't change the story, but it gives the mission an extra kick, and it gives you another reason to go in and try harder. I ended up paying for a few waves of mercenaries back in my base and successfully taking them down with a little help from my marauders. Why? Because this is my land, bitch.
The mission variety is wonderful, and you'll be using your units in all sorts of fun ways throughout the game, but you'll never forget what game you're playing. This is StarCraft, where strategy and resource management are much more important than tactics. Your soldiers don't have any sort of cover system, there is no way to arrange them in any formation, and the best you can hope for in this regard is the advantage given to units with higher ground. Battles between units are often rock-scissors-paper affairs with the winner decided based on number of units or strength/weakness against attacking units. You'll know how most engagements are going to end before a shot is fired.
The missions offer opportunities to earn "research points" that unlock new units or powers
Depending on how much of a completist you are, the single-player campaign can be finished in as little as 15 hours or as much as... well, the sky is the limit. The higher difficulty levels are tough, and each mission can introduce multiple goals and different challenges that must be met to earn all the achievements. If you're interested in the story and don't want a challenge, anyone can cruise through Casual difficulty, but if you want to test your mettle you can jack it up to Brutal. The A.I. in no way replicates what you'll experience against other human players, but the higher the difficulty the more you'll need to worry about speed, efficiency, and unit selection.
Also, while we won't spoil anything, the campaign has a definite ending. It's not a cliffhanger. Thank God.
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What's that in the sky? Ask CUFOS
Center for UFO Studies lives on in Norwood Park
July 12, 2013|Christopher Borrelli
Oh, where have the aliens gone?
Once a staple of summer, as familiar as humidity, the classic flying saucer Roswell types have vanished from pop culture. Instead, we've had different staples: Iron Man, Adam Sandler, Stephen King. We've been brought 31 rich flavors of apocalypse: Dan Brown-inspired apocalypse ("Inferno"), James Franco-filled apocalypse ("This Is the End"), zombie apocalypse ("World War Z"). We've had visitors from other worlds, but when you think of "Star Trek" and Superman, do you really think of little green men?
And yet, at least until that sequel to "Independence Day" arrives, maybe stop watching the skies: You need only look to Chicago.
In a quiet residential home in Norwood Park in the northwest corner of Chicago, in a spare, brightly lit basement with a gray concrete floor — picture yourself inside the interrogation chamber of a Danish detective thriller — the Center for UFO Studies awaits your call. And then awaits some more.
CUFOS is among the longest-operating UFO research organizations in the world; it's been studying UFOs for 40 years, partly defining the way that pop culture thinks and talks about aliens. CUFOS was founded in Evanston in 1973 and has been in Norwood Park since 2010, and here's why I found myself there recently, surrounded by boxes marked "Roswell" and metal cabinets with file drawers labeled "Abductees" and old Air Force UFO investigation files ("Shape: mushroom or light bulb") and bookshelves filled with titles such as "Unexplained!" "UFOs in the 1980s," "Wonders in the Sky" and "Invisible Residents":
I saw a UFO.
Last week.
Aliens were not involved, nor were probes, crop circles or LSD. I saw a UFO in the literal sense: It was an object, it was flying, and I could not identify it. Of course, it didn't stay unidentified long (I'll get to that in a bit), just long enough that, unlike every other time I have paused to discern what I am seeing in the sky, the solution was not readily obvious. For hours. Never mind that this was around the Fourth of July or that I live near the lake in Rogers Park, a relative stone's throw from the busy Naval Station on the North Shore. Never mind that boorish principle of Occam's razor (the simplest explanation is often the best). Now I had goose bumps; now I understood how a casual glance in the sky could lead to a History Channel alien stakeout.
Goose bumps beat logic.
Here's what I saw: A bright red glowing orb moving above Lake Michigan, east of Evanston. It was cloudy, and fireworks were exploding everywhere. But this was no floating ember. It had mass, a vaguely circular body and a sparkly brandywine hue. As I watched, the object traveled southwest, in my direction. Then it stopped in place for maybe 30 seconds. Then it backed up and receded from view, vanishing behind a cloud.
Calmly, I searched Twitter.
I found several UFO sightings around the Chicago area in the past month, videos of lights in the sky, a doctored photo of a flying saucer over Logan Square (which I wanted to believe, since skinny aliens need skinny jeans). More intriguingly, I found a number of regional UFO sightings that eerily mimicked my own.
I Googled "UFOs Chicago."
The first link was the Center for UFO Studies, which was located conveniently nearby, on a middle-class street in a glaringly obvious building — a blocky, blue modernist home that resembles a shipping container standing on end. This is the home of Mark Rodeghier, CUFOS' longtime scientific director, who is 60 and calm, with a long neck, smallish eyes and a round head. (I told him he looked a bit alienlike himself. He laughed.) He grew up in northwest Indiana and studied astrophysics at Indiana University and sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. As for his day job: statistician, specializing in predictive analytics. He's also passionate, eloquent, thoughtful, did not come off like a crackpot and never once brought up the C-word — conspiracy.
He would hear my story.
He explained, leading me into his basement, that CUFOS was headquartered most recently in a Peterson Avenue office building but had to close in 2010 because it couldn't afford to pay the rent. Its vast archives are split between his home and the Skokie home of CUFOS' Webmaster (though Rodeghier kept the juicy stuff). He said the first CUFOS office was in the home of founder J. Allen Hynek, a former chairman of Northwestern University's astronomy department. It later moved to an Evanston storefront, closed during the recession in the early 1980s, reopened in Hynek's home, moved to Glenview and then to Peterson in 1987.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13713
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Worldwide Locations
Worldwide Locations
How Much is There to Eat?
This activity uses simple math to compare the American South with India in terms of population density and food production.
Through this activity, students will:
• practice practical math skills of estimation and calculation.
• visualize relative sizes of areas and populations.
• comprehend the relationship between population and food supply.
• use comparisons and analogies for a clearer understanding of the real world in which they live.
The relationship between food production and population in a given area is demonstrated in this activity that compares India with the southern regions of the United States. The region of the United States below the 37th Parallel, from Arizona to North Carolina, plus Kansas and Missouri, is roughly equivalent to India in area and topography. Differences in weather and population density have a direct correlation with the amount of food that can be produced and the amount available proportionally to each individual.
Data given for the United States is from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population figures are from mid-1999. Data for India is from 2000 World Population Data Sheet, an excellent source of comparative data for living standards, population density, and projected growth figures (published annually by the Population Reference Bureau, Inc. and available online at
This activity provides students with a concrete example of the pressures that population places on food supplies and can be done as a simple math activity. (Note: All amounts have been rounded for easy calculation.)
1. Make two columns on the board. Label one column INDIA, the other SOUTHERN USA. Divide each column into two parts, one for AREA and the other for POPULATION. Label one desk (or table half) INDIA, the other USA.
2. Hand out scratch paper for use by students in doing calculations. Although this can be an exercise in practical math, the focus should remain on the comparison of the countries.
3. Locate India on a globe or map (preferably on a globe so that its relative size and relationships with other regions are not distorted), and ask for area and population estimates. Record estimates on the board.
4. Do the same for the combined area of the states below the 37th Parallel (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida) plus Kansas and Missouri. Accept all guesses.
5. Give the answers, or have students calculate the land areas using a 16" globe (on the surface of which 500 miles = 1 inch) and a flexible ruler. Have the students look up population figures in a recent world almanac or atlas and calculate the combined population of the states mentioned above.
Answers: The area for each is approximately 1,150,000 sq.mi. Have the students round the area to the 100,000's place (1,200,000 square miles).
6. Write the answer on the board under both India and USA.
7. Record the population of India on the board (1,002,142,000 [2000]).
8. Record the population of the southern US on the board (92,000,000 [2000]).
9. Set out 24 rice cakes for each country on the labeled desks. Assume that one rice cake equals 50,000 square miles. Then, have students calculate the number of rice cakes needed to represent the Southern US or India? (1,200,000/50,000 = 24)
10. While pointing out these regions of India on the globe or map, explain that:
• The rugged, glaciated Himalayas make up 1/12 of India's landscape. Have students divide 24 by 1/12. (Remove 2 rice cakes from the India desk to illustrate this).
• The Thar desert (in north western India) takes up another 1/12. Have students divide 24 by 1/12. (Remove 2 rice cakes to illustrate this).
• The Southern Peninsula, approximately 1/3 of the land area, is plagued by monsoons, floods, droughts and tornadoes, and is an unpredictable producer of food. Divide 24 by 1/3. (Remove 8 rice cakes to illustrate this).
• The remaining 1/3 of the land (represented by the 12 remaining rice cakes) is suitable for agriculture but also is home to the majority of the rapidly growing population.
11. Point out to the students that these twelve rice cakes represent the amount of arable land capable of producing a dependable supply of food.
12. While pointing out the following regions of the United States, have the students give what information they know about the climate and topography:
• The dry high plateau of Arizona and New Mexico rises into the southern end of the Rocky Mountains, which represents 1/6 of the total area. Have students divide 24 by 1/6. (Remove 4 rice cakes from the USA desk to illustrate this).
• Leveling out into dry grasslands in Texas and Oklahoma, 1/4 of the area. Divide 24 by 1/4. (Remove 6 rice cakes to illustrate this).
• Further east and south are forests and hills (another 1/6). Divide 24 by 1/6. (Remove 4 rice cakes to illustrate this).
• And low-lying wetlands (1/12). Divide 24 by 1/12. (Remove 2 rice cakes to illustrate this).
• Leaving, like India, 1/3 for crop land. (The remaining 8 rice cakes represent this).
• Compare the amounts.
13. What about population? Ask the students:
• If the population of this portion of the United States is approximately 92,000,000 (1999), and one student in this class were to represent 45,000,000 people, estimate how many students will represent the population of the southern USA. (Estimate: 90,000,000/45,000,000 = 2).
• How many students for India's population of 1,002,142,000 (2000)? (Estimate: 1,000,000,000/45,000,000 = 22.2 = 22).
14. Compare the amounts of food available per person in the U.S. and in India:
U.S. has 8 rice cakes/2 people = 4 rice cakes per person. India has 12 rice cakes/22 people= about 1/5 rice cake per person.
15. To make the comparison concrete, divide the students into India and the USA. Use a random method to choose two students to stand next to the USA desk and divide the rice cakes between them. The rest of the class probably won't fit around the India desk but can represent India's population from where they sit. Divide a few of the rice cakes in half.
16. Explain that the people in India are currently able to live on the amount of food that is represented by this 1/2 rice cake. Ask what might be the problems if India's population gets bigger. Tell students that India currently exports food, and ask them to hypothesize on how this is possible.
17. Compare the India amount with the U.S. amount. If people in India can live on one half of a rice cake, what does this mean for the people in the USA? What can be done with the extra food? (Export, which leads to higher per capita income, eat more, have enough food for larger families, use the surplus for manufacturing other products).
Please be sure to reinforce that this is just a comparison exercise and does not indicate either actual diet or actual amounts of food per person.
1. Population, like interest on savings accounts, increases geometrically. Remind your students of the Rule of 70: anything increasing at the rate of 1% a year will double in 70 years (at the rate of 2%, in 35 years). See the Population Reference Bureau figures for current statistics for the world's countries (the 1995 rate of increase for the United States is 0.6%/year; the rate for India is 1.8%/year). Have the students calculate the projected populations for India and the southern U.S. region in 10, 20, and 30 years time. Have students determine how many people proportionally could be sharing the rice cakes in each country and hypothesize the potential effects upon India and the United States.
2. Students can make three-way comparisons (which avoid "we-they" polarization) by using classroom or library reference materials to make the same rice cake calculations for the landscapes and populations of other comparably sized areas. Western Europe, like India, is on a peninsula, and with its varied languages makes a good comparison.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13715
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January 16, 2010 11:28 PM Subscribe
13.3" MacBook Pro, 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, purchased new in October 2009 from an Apple Store in the US.
I noticed the other day iStat Pro was showing my MacBook Pro's fan speed to be 0rpm. The fan wasn't appearing to run in other programs. It wasn't working even after resetting the PRAM, either.
I checked out the situation in the Apple Hardware Test, and got this error: 4MOT/1/40000002: Exhaust-0
Googling shows this to be a fan problem like I figured, however, some forums have posters saying that the logic board (and even the hard drive) should also be replaced. It's under warranty so it's no skin off my nose financially, but the semester started last week and I need a working computer for school.
I'm bringing it into the Apple Store tomorrow. What exactly will they want to replace? How long is this going to take?
posted by autoclavicle to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)
I work at an Apple Store, AND I recently had a fan replaced myself.
If they have the part in stock, it'll probably be a quick repair. Depending on their workload, they'll probably turn it around in about 24 hours, or a couple of days or so if you're unlucky and end up in a rush with a lot of other serious repairs. It also depends on how big the store is/how many Geniuses they have on staff.
If they DON'T have the part in stock, it could take a few days more while they order it. In that case, they'll probably give you the option to come back and drop the machine off when the part comes in.
If replacing the fan doesn't fix the thing, it'll take a little bit longer. They'd probably replace the logic board after that, though I'm not sure. I'm just a Specialist, and don't know all the details of repair procedure.
Good luck!
posted by raygan at 1:30 AM on January 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Repair turnaround is usually on the shorter end of 3-5 days, unless there are part shortages. You have a fairly new model of laptop, so a part shortage is going to be less likely.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:53 AM on January 17, 2010
Make sure you're backed up, NOW. A fan error could lead to overheating and component failure. And the computer could be damaged or lost -- small chance, but possible -- in the repair process.
Apple's mail in repair on a job like this will have the machine back to you in 2-3 days max.
posted by fourcheesemac at 5:22 AM on January 17, 2010
I had to have my logic board in my MacBook Pro replaced last year. I had it repaired and returned within a week. No problems since.
As an aside, I highly recommend getting the applecare extended warranty. It has saved my ass and my wallet on a few occasions.
posted by chillmost at 6:30 AM on January 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
When I've had a similar problem the genius at my local Apple Store diagnosed the problem and because the store was backed up, they sent it to the repair depot. They gave me a choice of having it sent back to the store or shipped directly to my house. In my case they replaced both fans as well as the logic board. I was without my computer for may 72 hours but about 10 of that was due to me not being able to get down to the Apple Store to pick it up.
But as said above, back up your stuff before you turn it over to them. Odds are your data will be safe but they make no guarantees. As part of the work order you have to initial or check a box saying you backed it up and/or won't hold Apple liable if they lose your data.
posted by birdherder at 12:30 PM on January 17, 2010
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This thread is closed to new comments.
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13720
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Why do they hate me?
June 27, 2008 6:42 PM Subscribe
Everyone at work makes fun of me. How can I deal with it?
I recently started working at a new job. I'm a man, and most of my co-workers are older females. At first, things were fun. But, now I've noticed that my co-workers like to make fun of me. They make fun of my implied nerdiness, my sense of style, and anything else they can come up with.
It's supposedly in good humor, but sometimes I feel as if I'm being attacked for no good reason other than being there. Unfortunately, I'm not quick-witted enough to come up with zingers, but feel like telling them I'm hurt will only make me seem more weak.
What can I do?
posted by anonymous to Work & Money (46 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
I realize this is pretty much the standard Ask MeFi answer to job situations, but maybe you should find a job where the office isn't full of obnoxious harpies.
Is this job really awesome enough in terms of work and personal fulfillment to endure your coworkers' lame attempts at being funny, which are probably only funny to them? I somehow doubt it.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 6:59 PM on June 27, 2008 [3 favorites]
I'm occasionally the kind of guy who picks on coworkers, especially the ones I like. I do it for no good reason other than they're there. It's almost always in good fun, but every once in a while somebody tells me to cut it out.
My guess is that they like you and do it just to engage you in some kind of conversation. As they get to know you, there'll be much more to talk about and they'll probably pick on you less.
I could be totally wrong, though.
posted by stubby phillips at 7:04 PM on June 27, 2008
It maybe seem obvious, but you say it's mostly females, so are there are other guys you can sort of find allies in, or at least find sympathy with? Or with some of the less annoying, more level-headed of the women?
You could inquire about and relate your situation to someone, and maybe they'll have enough standing with the rest to convey your frustration on your behalf. Maybe it's something others have gone through as new employees, and it's just a matter of time until it dies down. I'd think it'd have to get old even for them after a while.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 7:04 PM on June 27, 2008
They probably think they're being light-hearted and flirty. Groups of women can be pretty aggressive with the flirty teasing, especially if you're the only guy in the group and especially if you're younger. I'm a woman and I've worked with groups of women, and I know that we tend to egg each other on in the teasing department. But the truth is, if the genders were reversed, we wouldn't put up with constant teasing from a group of men, so you have a right to stick up for yourself.
Since you're bothered by what they're doing, you have a right to say something and to not be thought less of because of it. My advice would be to talk to one or two of the women individually, especially if there are one or two with whom you feel more comfortable. You could say something along the lines of "Hey, I know you all probably don't mean any harm, but your teasing makes me feel uncomfortable/awkward/attacked. I'm not humorless by any means, but it's gotten to be too much. Could we come to some kind of understanding/truce/etc.?"
Hopefully they'll respond favorably to your request. They probably don't even realize that they're going too far. But, if it goes unfavorably, or if they ramp up the teasing after you talk to them, then it's time to go to a higher-up and/or find another job where you're not made to feel so uncomfortable. Good luck.
posted by amyms at 7:12 PM on June 27, 2008 [5 favorites]
I agree with a lot of what amyms says. Are there flirtatious undertones to the teasing? Sometimes women take on a flirtatious tone when attempting to strike up a friendship with a man. It's not to say they are looking to pursue a relationship with you. But sometimes that's how women (especially groups of women) break the ice.
posted by saturn25 at 7:19 PM on June 27, 2008
Make fun of them back -- for making fun of you. "Are you getting paid by the insult or something?" "Wait, are you trying to make fun of me? What is this, middle school?!" "Remind me -- why are you so concerned about my fashion sense?" That kind of thing.
If you're serious and confrontational, they'll just think: "what's with him, he can't take a joke?" If you stay within the jokiness, they can't have that response, but hopefully they'll get the hint that their schtick is getting old.
If you don't get the response you want from that, you could just try making a point to not laugh and respond to them as if they're being serious. They say something sarcastic? Respond as if you don't get the sarcasm. (Have you seen The Office? A lot of the humor, at least in the American version, comes from the fact that most of the office has a dead-pan response to jokiness. Maybe take your cue from that.)
posted by jejune at 7:19 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm one of these people who simply chooses not to be insulted. Maybe it's because I usually don't mean ill will when I break people's chops, so I assume they feel the same way when they give it to me.
I realize it's easier said than done, but you have the choice to either take this as playful banter among co-workers, or as a stone-cold assult, so why not choose the one that makes you happier?
try it, you'd be suprised how easy it is!
posted by Mr_Chips at 7:21 PM on June 27, 2008 [2 favorites]
three questions you should ask yourself:
1. would you still want this job if nothing changed?
2. do you want to talk to HR/your supervisor and make your case for their intervention?
3. are they seriously mocking you or could you be misunderstanding them?
I would speculate that taking option two at this point is still in the cards for you. you mentioned it's a new job and I assume you haven't already burned bridges that would you get treated this way. so have a casual chat with your supervisor (or a more serious conversation with hr) and see what happens. if nothing changes, consider other options. some workplaces are just poison.
I'm reluctant to outright suggest harrassment but whenever I substitute male and female with the opposite genders in your question that's where I end up.
posted by krautland at 7:34 PM on June 27, 2008
If these women didn't like you they wouldn't make fun of you. They would only ignore you and try to escape your presence, or count down the minutes it takes you to leave their space. That being said it sounds like this routine is getting old.
You need to talk if you're being too quiet. You're the odd guy out. They probably think they're being cute and funny since you're not saying anything. You're an easy target. Make them take you more seriously. You can do this by acting more serious and professional. Look straight ahead. Pull your shoulders back. Look preoccupied.
Catch them off guard -- ask questions:
"Doris, what do you think of your Prius? I'm debating over the Honda or the Toyota."
Most likely you will get a genuine response. You can follow up with a "thanks for the info" and leave.
If by chance they something like, "Oh, Wally. I thought you enjoyed riding your ten speed into work. You look so cute in your helmet!"
Ignore this. Follow up with another serious question: "How much mileage do you get in the city?" Etc.
State the facts:
"Hi Doris. I installed your new mouse. The new keyboards should be here next week. Have a good lunch." Walk away.
Pretend you didn't hear them:
Act distracted, busy, and too cool for office nonsense. If they're teasing and making fun, act busy, glance up nonchalantly and say, "What's that?" They'll be forced to repeat themselves. They probably won't.
On preview: Mr Chips gives good advice. Do this too if you can.
posted by LoriFLA at 7:38 PM on June 27, 2008
Couple of questions. If you like, you send answers to this or other comments to the mods via the contact form at the bottom of the page and they'll post your responses.
Do they make fun of others? Do they make fun of others within their group? In previous jobs, have you been made fun of for these things or has being teased been something that's usually happened to you? The post title says everyone, is it really everyone or just a select group? If it's just a select group, what do others outside of that group say about how to deal with them?
Since they make fun of "anything else they can come up with" I'm betting it's not all fun and games. They've figured out they can attack you and that you don't know how to fight back, because (I'm guessing here) you either don't know how to fight back or you don't know how to fight back against older women.
What can I do?
Based on the tone of your post, it doesn't sound like you're the type for verbal jousting back and forth. Yet asking them to knock it off or stop will appear as weakness and they'll either get worse or do something worse. I'd suggest reading through these previous posts about comebacks to gain an understanding of how to deal with people like this.
On preview
This may or may not be true.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:45 PM on June 27, 2008
How's your fake patient smile? If you can possibly sell it that your young manly self, allegedly nerdiness not withstanding, is kindly going to throw these poor feeble old gals a bone by putting up with their quite-possibly-motivated-by-sexual-frustration teasing, that would might bring in some balance. Don't laugh and go along with their teasing, just try to respond as though, even though it's taking up your time, you're going to indulge them in their foolishness because you know they have so little in their lives.
And yeah, just talking to them about whatever would also help.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 7:54 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]
When someone makes a joke to me that I consider inappropriate, I find a cool stare and silence works well. After that you can either change the subject or excuse yourself and turn/walk away. They'll get the point.
I want to make a very tentative suggestion, though.... Is there any possibility you are being too sensitive? I've generally worked in very good environments for most of my career, and in every workplace there were always a few co-workers who considered themselves badly treated though they really weren't — they had unreasonable expectations of how others should treat them and/or were reading too much into situations. Of course you may be being perfectly reasonable here and these jokes are truly objectionable, but if you are the sort of person who has often found yourself feeling picked on and offended in other work or social situations, it might bear thinking about.
On preview, Brandon Blatcher has some good advice on how to figure out exactly what the dynamic and problem is. If you're not good at verbal jousting, for instance, there's no reason you need to engage in it. But do be aware that other people who do it often don't mean to hurt you.
posted by orange swan at 8:02 PM on June 27, 2008
I don't think that they hate you - but it sounds like they haven't figured out where you fit in the "pecking order" of the office. What they are doing is feeling you out and trying to put you in your place at the same time. I'm a woman, and I went through a similar "hazing" when I started working at my current job with older women.
What can you do? The easiest thing is to pick your niche. Pigeonhole yourself - be the straight guy, be the geek, be the nice guy that tries to schmooze - whatever suits you and is a schtick that you can feel comfortable conforming to over the next few months. Eventually they will get to know you and the teasing will abate, but until you prove that you mean no harm and give them something to chew on it will continue.
Whatever you do - don't show them that you are pissed off - they will eat you alive. Have fun!
posted by The Light Fantastic at 8:06 PM on June 27, 2008
I seriously doubt these people mean anything by it. It's probably just absent minded flirtation, like someone else said. If you want, just tell them (individually) that it bothers you and they will probably stop.
posted by delmoi at 8:07 PM on June 27, 2008
You're not my spin instructor, are you?
Seriously, we older gals do tend to tease folks a lot. We do tell the aforementioned instructor that he's fun to pick on and that we wouldn't do it if we didn't like him simply because he's the type that doesn't know how to tell if someone is simply teasing.
Maybe you should pick the least obnoxious female in the group and ask her privately what's going on? And for what it's worth-whether it is goodnatured or not, if you ACT as if it is that is the best way to deal. They will respect you for it. Acting hurt, etc. may mark you as a target, and not in a good way.
If it does turn out to be a hostile work environment and not just old biddies being silly, that's a horse of a different color. But I am betting it is the latter.
posted by konolia at 8:33 PM on June 27, 2008
How are you currently reacting to them? We have a guy at our workplace that looooooves the attention. If he wants us to leave him alone, he acts clueless. He'll say things like:
"I'm not sure what you mean?"
"Hey, did you see this news story" (completing changing the subject)
Or, he might grab his phone and run off quickly like he's got better things to do.
We don't hate him at all. It's not malicious at all. If he got pissed, we wouldn't believe it and wouldn't probably make fun of his pissiness!
Try to have fun with it.
posted by ick at 8:53 PM on June 27, 2008
If you want to make them uncomfortable, when someone says something like that make eye contact and don't break it. Remain silent. When they look away, walk away.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:21 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm obviously not there, and I don't know, but I'm going to suggest a possibility.
Maybe you are dressed inappropriately.
When people make fun of other's clothes in the office sometimes its to gently warn them that they are engaging in inappropriate behavior. I once said to somebody "Nice suit, are you goiing to a funeral after work?" This was an entertainment technology company and he was dressed like an undertaker.
Specifically HOW are you non-stylish or nerdy?
posted by TigerCrane at 9:39 PM on June 27, 2008
In my experience with various work environments, people who are disliked get mocked behind their backs. If they're doing it to your face, it's not because they dislike you.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:55 PM on June 27, 2008 [4 favorites]
depending on the type of older women that they are, they might just be flirting and/or mothering. maybe they are lonely and starved for attention, and know that getting a rise out of you is one way to get it.
or maybe they are all menopausal and hormonal.
whatever the case, i doubt they are doing it to deliberately hurt your feelings. next time someone says something catty, just say in a playful way, "ooh, someone's cranky today!" or just ignore it.
posted by thinkingwoman at 10:06 PM on June 27, 2008
At my work, the people who aren't liked are ignored, not teased.
It's probably the same at your work too.
posted by Kololo at 10:10 PM on June 27, 2008 [1 favorite]
They don't hate you. They like you. Otherwise, they wouldn't pay any attention to you at all.
posted by wv kay in ga at 10:12 PM on June 27, 2008 [2 favorites]
They are older women working in an office mostly full of women. They are trying to be witty and flirty toward the new sweet young man, but they are older and more isolated and as such are out of touch with subtlety. Add rough edges in proportion to any apparent desperation and/or pathetic marriage on their part. Think "female Deliverance."
I know what it's like to get attention as a quiet nerd, and I'd say these women do like you even if it doesn't sound that way. You don't have to play their game by zinging back at them, but you can say things like "Oh Wanda, you're going to have to do better than that to get on my good side." If you're in IT you can threaten to replace their mouse and keyboard with crappy ones. "Who wants a 14" monitor?" "Yo, Tina Turner called and wants her wig back." Okay, those are on the snappy side, but you get the point. Ask them where they got their shoes because your mom has been looking for some like theirs. "Pretty stylish for orthopedics." Tell them if they could pull themselves away from the Lifetime channel they'd know your style is all the rage. It does sound like they are predictable in their taunts, so you can use some of your spare time to compile a list of retorts. Nothing too specific, but groups roughly in the categories you've listed here: fashion, nerd/social status, misc ("how many $their_job does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: that's why you're still doing $job")
The fact is, these women are being bullies. Unfortunately, they will continue to be bullies until fought back against. This doesn't have to ruin your relationship with them but it'll let them know you're waiting for them to come up with better jokes. I'm not a big fan of creating uncomfortable silences, so this advice is meant as an alternate route around that. Humor is a great weapon.
posted by rhizome at 10:15 PM on June 27, 2008
I think thinkingwoman has the solution in a nutshell. Every time they dig at you, just do that "ROWR" cat noise while making the claw motion with your hand. Like in the "cat fight" bit in that one Seinfeld ("The Summer Of George," I just looked it up).
posted by rhizome at 10:22 PM on June 27, 2008
there is a young guy at my work who gets picked on by some older staff (not by me). I recommend to use the "ignore" method as in, ignore the jabs at you with something blithe like "ah, ok" as if it's cute of them to say that but you don't really find it all that interesting. I'm sure like everyone else you've been in situations where you have to politely listen to someone blather on, and it's boring and lame but you can't say that so you just humor them for a little while.
that's what is happening when then make fun of you, it's just blather & so you act polite and a little bemused. and then as soon as possible, change the subject to say something serious about the work itself.
also you are younger than them, which means your "nerdiness" and "sense of style" is YOUNGER and therefore, MORE COOL. so be like, "yeah this is what's cool now, you guys should check it out sometime." WIN
posted by citron at 10:30 PM on June 27, 2008
They don't hate you, they love you.
Tease them back, they'll love it.
Maybe one of these ladies can even get lucky with you :)
posted by PowerCat at 10:32 PM on June 27, 2008 [2 favorites]
Throw the conversational ball back in their court.
Reply "Why would you be interested in that? Or "Don't you have work to do?" Maybe even "What kind of socks do you think I should wear, since you are such an expert in fashion?"
Just don't take it, give them a challenge.
posted by Ostara at 10:38 PM on June 27, 2008
Sounds like a hostile work environment. Lawyer up, see if you can make a buck.
posted by jewzilla at 11:09 PM on June 27, 2008
As a woman, I think amyms is probably right. It's possible that it might not be light-hearted, but without further detail I think they're probably doing what she describes. And yeah, that doesn't mean you have no right to be annoyed by it; everyone is different.
If they're doing it lightheartedly and you ask them to please not do it, things will probably be fine. They don't want to upset you. If they're being bitchy after all, then all the more reason to ask them not to do it. If they don't, or treat you worse because they see you as weaker, then you have reason to talk to your boss. Don't put up with it.
posted by Nattie at 11:23 PM on June 27, 2008
Man up.
I work in an extremely
We recently got a new hire, who looks acts and dresses lie he's 15. I promptly dubbed him "newbie". (Yes, like Zach Braff in "Scrubs"; I make no claim to originality.)
I don't dislike him, it's as part of acculturating him to our extremely stressful workplace, a kind of testing to see how he fits in.
That's what you're getting, plus probably some flirting. They don't hate you, they're teasing. Just smile when theyk do it, and very gently tease back to show you're not a chump.
posted by orthogonality at 11:45 PM on June 27, 2008
Thirding that people don't tease you if they don't like you, they talk about you behind your back instead, and ignore you when you're around.
Having said that, it's up to you to decide whether you feel like it's something you're just not used to (not everybody is socialized in a raucous, insult-laden playful environment, after all) or if it's something that will continue to make you unhappy in the long term. Based on what you decide, you might have to leave.
Still, in the short term, I'd recommend keeping on with your work, but pretend that you're trying to hide your smile; don't look right at them, but let a genuine smile slip onto your face and chuckle a bit if it's a (theoretically) good joke. That, and never fail to greet them and leave them with enthusiasm. Do that a few times, and it'll be really clear whether they're doing it to include or exclude you.
posted by davejay at 12:33 AM on June 28, 2008
I work with a group of 8 females, whose job roles go from my own level (ie, lowest) up to supervisor, and one guy who is the manager.
I get on with all the women, because I take their teasing one step further than they do. Once, they were discussing problems with menstrual cycles, in an effort to make me feel uncomfortable. When I involved myself in the conversation, and mentioned that I thought that amenorrhoea might be caused by a faulty diet, the conversation died.
Once I showed them that I didn't fit into the mould they expected me to fit into (as in, a guy will never talk about a menstrual cycle, and will leave the room as quickly as possible, like my boss does) the teasing about it stopped. My boss is extremely uncomfortable around the women, and constantly wears this half-smile to try to cover up the fact he has no idea how to deal with them. As a result, they tease him unmercifully.
Perhaps you could take the teasing at face value, and ask them if they have any hints about how to dress for the workplace. For added value, take one or two of them aside, and have a serious conversation about appropriate workplace dress. Mention that you thought their teasing earlier might be their way of telling you that what you wear isn't appropriate and that you'd really appreciate any advice they have to give.
Finally, I don't think they're teasing you. Or if they are, I don't think it's malicious. When you get a single sex group of people of either sex, they change their behaviour. Eg, men will talk about cars and breasts. That's a generalisation, but you get the idea. In your case, this group also has to deal with one outside of the group, but they're still in "group mode" when they talk to you, which is why it doesn't always come across as what you're expecting to hear.
posted by Solomon at 1:16 AM on June 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
I recently started working at a new job.
Your Mom just started working at a new job.
Your Mom is a man and most of her co-workers are older females.
At first, Your Mom was fun, but now Your Mom has noticed that her co-workers like to make fun of her.
Unfortunately Your Mom isn't quick-witted enough to come up with zingers.
As you can see, 'So's Your Mom' is an appropriate response to any insult. It also has the benefit that it will not offend people in the way a proper insult would.
posted by Mike1024 at 4:12 AM on June 28, 2008
reverse the genders, and everybody here would be shitting themselves advising you to sue the pigs for harassment
posted by matteo at 4:17 AM on June 28, 2008 [4 favorites]
Worst. Answer. Ever.
Umm yeah...if the poster was a woman, you'd say "file for sexual harassment".
I'm in human resources. Are you being picked on because you're a man?
You know, the standard mefi answer to this question IS..."get a new job".
Sure, go ahead and do it...but before you do, talk to human resources at the company, and TELL THEM why you are leaving. They will do a couple of things:
1.Get you to stay...change things in the office...have the people make life hell for you.
2.Pay you some hush money.
3.Implement changes AFTER you leave that will change the office.
By you being bothered by this, I can tell that you aren't the type of guy who would say "Please stop insulting me" to this group when it would be most effective (at a meeting). So I'm not going to give you suggestions that you would never take.
But you should talk to someone in the higher-ups if you really are feeling unwelcome.
Either way...man up and talk to someone.
Good luck.
posted by hal_c_on at 5:15 AM on June 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ignore this advice, especially since this is a work situation:
Doing this is walking up to the House of Trouble and begging to be let in. Saying "Your Mother" to older women will fall flat AND piss them off, prompting them to visit HR and have your bacon fried.
It's hard to say from just this post, but you may be overly sensitive on this, but generally speaking, people who genuinely like you don't make fun of "anything else they can come up with" concerning you.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:05 AM on June 28, 2008
I doubt that they continue picking on you because they're too clueless to notice that it makes you uncomfortable. I'm one of the most socially-clueless people I know, and even I can tell when my biting sense of humor is not appreciated. I think they've found you a satisfying target, for whatever reason. They don't hate you - if they did they'd just avoid you - but they pick on you because it's fun and there's no reason for them to stop.
I think you're right that complaining to HR would make you look weaker to them, and your best bet is to handle it yourself. There's a double standard here; it might be OK for a woman who feels harassed by male coworkers to go to HR but the reverse doesn't apply. Sucks, but people are pretty sucky sometimes. You'll get more respect if you solve your own problems. (Conversely, if you don't at least make a visible effort before running to HR, there will be disastrous effects on your reputation in the workplace.)
There are a few things you can try to make them stop. If you're in a one-on-one situation, a cool stare, a cocked eyebrow, and silence are very effective. Just keep looking at them with a "What did you just say?" expression but don't actually say anything. Protracted silence will make most people quite uncomfortable and if you train them to expect discomfort when they pick on you, they'll eventually stop.
If you're in a group setting, the silent treatment won't work because somebody will jump in to break the silence. In this case, I think having a supply of stock zingers would work best. It's not nearly as much fun to pick on somebody who fights back and can even best them at their own game.
Their teasing probably follows predictable themes (e.g., "He's so young!" "He's new here!" etc). Forewarned is forearmed, and you can probably think up a bunch of retorts to fire back when they start in on the usual topics. If you're young, they're old (you can up the ante to "over the hill", "obsolete", etc). If you're new, they're lifers who couldn't get a job anywhere else. But be careful here - the degree of meanness in your retorts should be carefully calibrated to the tone of their teasing. You don't want to escalate hostilities so much as show them you can hold your own.
Practice on friends or even in the bathroom mirror until you can hold that Spock-like expression or whip out a zinger with deadpan delivery. Good luck!
posted by Quietgal at 8:53 AM on June 28, 2008
Instead of coming up with a zinger to play along, you could turn their taunts around and make it so they've put their foot in their mouth (feet in mouths?), provided you have no compunction about lying to them.
The next time they make fun of something of yours, look a bit dejected and tell them it was a gift. From a recently deceased relative. Maybe a middle-aged aunt who died of breast cancer. Let the awkwardness build for a few seconds, then excuse yourself and go back to work.
If the teasing is good-natured and they aren't complete harpies, they'll have realized that it has crossed the line.
posted by CKmtl at 10:48 AM on June 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ignore them.
posted by Ironmouth at 10:59 AM on June 28, 2008
The last time someone asked me that question, I was going to a funeral after work. Every office needs an asshole/retard who is universally loathed.
Ignore most of the advice in this thread and go directly to HR. Document everything. If the sexes were reversed, and it was a group of older men discussing and taunting a younger woman's looks, I guarantee you none of this bullshit advice would be posted.
Document everything. HR will do nothing, and the sad divorced old ladies with esteem issues and nothing else to do will keep wasting your time and the company's money. Then you will contact an employment lawyer and you will sue the company for allowing and encouraging a hostile work environment. Because you are a man this will be ten times more difficult. But it can be done.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 12:00 PM on June 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
Not every situation between persons of the opposite gender in an office is sexual harassment, and "if the situations were reversed" is not a reliable guide. It is okay to communicate with one's co-workers directly, rather than running to HR or a lawyer for every dispute right off the bat.
Certain types of women working together do tend to take the sisterhood too far, and it does start to feel like hazing. There is a certain power-grabbing/pecking order element as well. It doesn't likely occur to them this could be considered serious harassment, because they don't have any true power over you.
The Light Fantastic has good advice for a coping mechanism -- pick your role and acknowledge it.
Make one comment, and then get back to work. They tease you about being nerdy, you point out that someone's gotta be nerdy and teach them how to make columns in Word again (or whatever other trivial computer task you helped them with three times last week,) then excuse yourself to get back to work. They tease you about being a man, you sigh wearily and point out that someone's gotta be around to kill spiders and lift boxes, excuse yourself to get back to work. This type of strategy worked well for a young guy I worked with in a small office of all women -- acknowledging the game but participating in only a cursory fashion.
posted by desuetude at 12:37 PM on June 28, 2008
My best suggestion is that you tell them, either individually or as a group, that you are insecure. Say that you appreciate their good intentions, but explain that your self-esteem isn't as strong as theirs, and that you like them, but their comments aren't enjoyable. It's important that you aren't criticizing them and that you are owning up and admitting your insecurity. Once you've admitted it, you don't have to pretend or act like you are secure. It takes that burden off you. I suggest acting patient, but uninterested in the banter.
Crowd and group behavior sometimes brings out the worst in people. There may also be a dominant individual setting the tone. Could be useful to figure out who, if that is the case. If you are upset enough to ask about it here, then I would guess the situation feels pretty bad. The problem, if I understand it, is that the comments are in a grey area between hostility and humor. Reminds me of adolescence. I also suggest writing down the offensive comments. Keep a record. Your emotions are likely affecting your memory, so it's best to be sure. The point of the record is to look back on it at some point in the future, perhaps after you've left the job, to feel better about what you endured. Or you could show it to friends or therapists outside the job, who should have a helpful perspective. Also, if you keep an accurate log, you may see patterns or something that will help. Don't tell your co-workers that you're keeping a log, of course. The "recording" process may also help you develop a bit of detachment. You could also begin to rate and compare the comments, perhaps some are more clever than others, some may be more overtly hostile. Looking at them from an analytical point of view may also increase your detachment.
Good luck.
posted by conrad53 at 3:53 PM on June 28, 2008
I'm skeptical about the advice that you show controlled hostility in return, or stare at them, or otherwise make things uncomfortable. You might be the "sweet, young guy" in the office right now, but you definitely don't want to end up downgrading yourself into the "creepy guy." That just makes things even more awkward. You may as well punch a hole in the wall. Maybe you can give a slightly exasperated look before walking away (not in a huff), and maybe it'll plant the seed that you might think they're kind of annoying.
And yeah, "Your mom" might work as a (friendly) retort to guys your age, but definitely not with women, of any age. The same goes for "Hug it out, bitch." If you can see a sort of pattern in their humor, and you think you might be able to play along, go for it, even if it's just on occasion. It could do wonders.
I still think befriending someone else at work (and making fun of the others behind their backs, and maybe playing elaborate pranks) would seem to be the best way to weaken the effect of their ribbing. Unless you honestly think it's that abusive, reporting to HR, lawsuits, and the like seems a bit overreactionary.
And yes, I did make it a point to include an "Office" reference in each paragraph. Just make sure your new ally isn't cute and engaged. Then you'll end up posting to AskMeFi for a whole 'nother problem...
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 5:34 PM on June 28, 2008
Assuming you don't want to engage in the banter, here are some approaches that have worked well for me in overly jokey/tease-y work environments.
For a truly inappropriate joke, ignore it completely. If s/he continues to make the joke, say "I don't really think thats appropriate for the workplace" then go back to your own work.
Make them feel like their jokes aren't funny. If you can say "yeah, good one" or "that's funny" in a completely flat unamused tone, you can make the joker feel dumb.
"I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of work to do over here."
"You know, that wasn't that funny the first dozen times you said it."
Silence for a long beat, then "so, did you need something?"
posted by Cranialtorque at 9:38 PM on June 29, 2008 [3 favorites]
This one works great with an older, male co-worker, "Oh right, this is when you start being a dick".
Other options are:
"Well, I'm gonna go to my office and cry."
"That must be what they said in the 50s when you were my age."
Since they are older women anything that references their age would be good.
Good luck.
posted by KathyK at 8:55 AM on June 30, 2008
I realize that incessant teasing, especially when you feel like you'rr being ganged up on is annoying. However, if you try and stare them down, make a snide comment, or generally try and take it out of context and turn it into some sort of conflict - you will be even more miserable.
I've seen people do this - they turn what is an almost instinctive and harmless reaction to a new person into some sort of battle royale - and no - they aren't teased anymore - but no one likes them.
If your feelings are truly being hurt, try talking one on one to one of the ladies that seems most sympathetic to you. Let her know what is specifically bothering you (maybe you're sensitive about your height or something along those lines). Bring one of them to bat for you and it ought to help.
I just really recommend that you don't use some of the tactics mentioned above. They're not appropriate to the situation, and will make it so much worse for you. Better to be teased and liked than ignored and disliked - trust me on this.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 3:17 PM on June 30, 2008
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Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with power and computers Questions tagged with 'power' and 'computers' at Ask MetaFilter. Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:16:27 -0800 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:16:27 -0800 en-us 60 Electricians/IT experts: Can you solve this mystery? My computer cycles off without warning, and it's on a battery pack/surge protector UPS. What gives? I am in the USA, in a regular two-story office building, on a regular 120V duplex outlet. On this outlet, there is a fluorescent lamp with a 13W ballast, and a UPS/surge protector (APC Back-UPS ES 500). On the UPS, I have a regular desktop PC and two regular 19" LCD monitors. About 0-5 times per week, without any warning or any precipitating factor that I can see (neither I nor my neighbor are bumping the table, the cables, the wall, anything), the UPS will beep and the computer and monitors will turn off, then back on. I lose whatever I had open on the PC; isn't this what a UPS is designed to prevent? Oh, and when this happens, the fluorescent light attached to the other outlet in the duplex is fine; no dim, no surge, nothing. Just carries on brightly.<br> <br> I have switched out the UPS with another (same model), and it happened again. Then, I switched out the PC (old gateway for new dell), and it happened again. The only thing unchanged at this point is the monitors and the cables attached to them... and the wiring in the wall. <br> <br> I am not an electrician, but we've called one to check out the building wiring. I'm also relocating desks. In the meantime, I'd appreciate any thoughts for other avenues of investigation. Thanks!,2012:site.228909 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:16:27 -0800 Chris4d Why can't I find a DC-DC laptop power adapter? Why can't I find a DC-DC laptop power adapter? I often use my laptop in the car. My car outputs DC power. My laptop consumes DC power. Why on earth do I need to go Car DC - Power Inverter AC - Laptop DC? Seems like such a waste yet when I search online for DC-DC power adapters I only find one or two, with sketchy reputations or very high prices.<br> <br> I am no electrical engineer so am I missing something here?,2012:site.228207 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:29:14 -0800 Cosine Should I replace my UPS? How important is it to get a UPS for my computer? Mine recently died, and I'm wondering if I should replace it. My computer is a Windows 7 desktop, if that matters. My UPS that I've had since about 2004 died the other morning (screamed for a few minutes solid then shut off completely), and I am considering getting a new one. I just don't know if it's really worth the money.<br> <br> We have power outages maybe four to six times per year, but I am not sure if we have voltage spikes. My boyfriend has been using just a surge protector for his computer for three years and not had a problem.<br> <br> Overall, I am leaning towards getting one (in the $50-75 range from Fry's), but I just don't know the main arguments for having one. I'd like to have some good justification to help me convince my boyfriend to buy one as well. He just bought a new computer a couple months ago, and I would hate for something to happen to it.<br> <br> Also, if you are pro-UPS, what features do you think are crucial?,2011:site.199176 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:15:15 -0800 marble What am I doing wrong with my PSU? PSU was missing from computer. Bought a new one, now it gives me one continuous BIOS beep when I turn it on. What have I done wrong and how do I fix this? From what I understand, one continuous beep means it isn't getting enough power. I have a 450W PSU brand new from NewEgg and this computer is fairly old, so I figured it would have been good enough! I forget the specs exactly, but I think it's a single core 3.8 GHz AMD processor and it has a GeForce 7800 GT as its graphics card. Everything else about it is very pedestrian.<br> <br> There is the usual ATX power slot on the motherboard as well as what looks like a 4-pin slot near it. It looks like this:<br> [::]<br> [::::::::::]<br> There are two 4-pin connectors coming out of the PSU: one attached the main plug and one that just kind of hangs out on its own separate from any other cable. The computer will only get as far as turning on and beeping at me if I have either the main plug in on its own or it and the loose 4-pin plug. It doesn't do anything at all if I use the 4-pin plug attached to the main plug.<br> <br> Does it matter that the plug coming from the PSU seems to be missing a pin? [:::::::.::]<br> <br> Help me revive this old computer!<br> <br> Thanks for reading this ridiculously long explanation of what is probably an easy problem.,2009:site.140327 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:36:45 -0800 battlebison BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP Why can't I use power standby mode on my computer anymore? I've had my computer for a couple years now. It's an Athlon 64 FX-55 with 2 gig of RAM and an ASUS A8N-Sli NFORCE4 motherboard. I've always had it set to go into standby mode after 30 minutes of inactivity. No problems.<br> <br> Any time I come back to the computer after it goes into standby for the last few days it freezes up and emits one continuous beep. Sounds like the beep it makes when the computer posts upon startup, except, uh, continuous. Rebooting works fine and this never happens upon cold boot or in use.<br> <br> My first thought is a power supply issue but why would it only occur in standby mode and never upon reboot or startup or any other time? I've disabled standby mode for now and everything seems fine, but I'd like to fix this if possible. <br> <br> Does standby mode actually save enough power to make it worth investing in a new power supply to test if that's the issue? I secretly suspect that the "power saving" settings are actually worthless and just there to make you feel good about yourself.,2008:site.80673 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:38:26 -0800 Justinian How do I know my computer's not hibernating anymore? I'm running XP SP2, and I'd like to setup my laptop to do a couple of things once it comes out of hibernation. Pretty much everything I want to do is scriptable, but I have no idea how to trigger the scripts. For example, I'd like to test if the power cord is plugged in. If it is, use the powercfg utility to switch the power mode to "Desktop". If, however, I come out of hibernation and the cord isn't plugged in, switch to "Power Saver" mode. Scripting these changes are easy, but how do I find out:<br> <br> a) If the machine's just come up from hibernation<br> <br> b) If the power cord is plugged in<br> <br> c) If I've got a monitor on the external port.<br> <br> This comes about because whatever state the machine was in when I last put it into hibernation is the state it's in when it comes out. The main problem stems from my using it as a desktop when not on the road. If I hibernate while on the road, and the plug it all up at home, I have to go through a hassle to get it to use the monitor as the primary screen instead of the laptop's screen. It would be much nicer if the machine itself just said "oh, I'm at home, let me setup the monitor and power scheme" (and connect to the VPN, and do this, and do that...etc)<br> <br> I had found a little utility that would launch applications based on power changes (such as waking up), but I can't find it again. I can survive with just that as I can use the monitor change utility as a basis for doing other things.,2007:site.77890 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:12:20 -0800 Spoonman Does a UPS/surge protector need to be turned on to protect your gear? I got into a debate the other day with my boss, who is absolutely anal-retentive about everything power related (to the point where he scolds me for leaving fluorescent lights turned on if I'm not using the room). I have my workstation and all of it's associated peripherals plugged into a <a href="">Belkin battery backup/surge protector</a>. When I leave the office every day, I find it much more convinient to turn off everything at the Belkin with the push of a single button. My boss, however, is of the mind that the UPs should ALWAYS be on, or else the gear that's plugged into it isn't being protected.<br> <br> I see the logic in this, but I can't find any proof that it's actually true. The one thing I do know is that it's a big pain in the ass to turn off everything one by one with thier respective power switches, as I have to get under my workstation on my hands and knees in order to turn off some of them.<br> <br> So, who's right here?,2006:site.50699 Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:31:47 -0800 melorama My computer has a sudden inexplicable inability to initiate. My computer has a sudden inexplicable inability to initiate.<br> <br> That is, it was working fine, now it won't boot. AOpen AX4SPE Max II motherboard, P4 3.2 GHz, WinXP. (more inside) System specs: AX4SPE Max II mobo<br> P4 3.2 GHz 800 MHz FSB<br> 1 GB Altec Precision DDR 400 RAM<br> ATI Radeon X800 Pro<br> 160 GB HD<br> Win XP SP2<br> <br> This system was running like clockwork for months. I left it last night and nothing was wrong. The only recent change that I can think of was swapping out a CD-R drive for a DVD-R drive, but I've rebooted since then and everything has been fine.<br> <br> When I sat down this morning, the monitor was dark, as if in low-power mode, but moving the mouse didn't bring it back, nor did pressing any keys. I turned off the power and turned it back on. I got an abnormal-sounding startup beep and then the BIOS screen came up, but it locked up on the first screen. I restarted again, and this time I got a normal beep and the computer booted up as usual. It ran normally for about a minute before suddenly turning off. Now when I turn on the computer the lights and fans come on, but I get no beep and nothing is displayed on the screen. I've unplugged and reconnected all of the components, and I've disconnected everything besides what I list above. AOpen's site is a mess and I've got nowhere else to turn. Any ideas are appreciated.,2005:site.13598 Mon, 03 Jan 2005 16:54:04 -0800 ludwig_van My computer keeps turning back on Here's a weird one: my computer has been turning back on two or three minutes after I power down for the night. It only stays off after I shut it down for a second time. What's strange is that it is undeniably <em>off</em> during those three minutes; no lights, no fans, nothing. The machine just rises from the dead.<br> <br> This has only been happening for the past week or so. It's an XP computer running an Athlon 2500 on an MSI motherboard with the factory power supply. Any ideas?,2004:site.9530 Thu, 19 Aug 2004 10:13:29 -0800 pheideaux What's up with my notebook power adapter receptacle? I've got a big problem with my notebook PC. The spot into which I put the power cord/AC adapter in the computer (whatever it's called) seems to have been damaged somehow, so now I have to nudge the connection into just the right angle for the battery to start charging at all. The computer works just fine except for this, but the warranty has run out, and my PC needs power! (A) Who can I call about such a problem -- a PC support guy or an electrician or what? (B) If all fails, are there any backup options, like a USB charger or something? I'm desperate!,2004:site.6304 Mon, 05 Apr 2004 07:22:20 -0800 dagny Shut Down! I installed a new OS (mmyes, it was M$ W2k) on my computer on a new hard drive. The old system and the new OS now work next to each other, but I have a technical matter that I can't solve. On the old OS (W98), if I say "Shut down", it will also automatically shut down the power of the computer after it shuts down Windows. <br> <br> The W2k OS doesn't do that, and while it's not a big issue, I have enough of the neurotic in me to want it to work on the W2k as well. Where and how do I make it do that?,2004:site.4729 Sun, 18 Jan 2004 09:08:52 -0800 NekulturnY
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Take the 2-minute tour ×
I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 and I have Ubuntu 11.10, and in my dell laptop it allow me to discharge the battery when I am using the power cable and that helps in the life of the battery, and I used to do that in Windows.
The shortcut to activate it is (FN) + (F3) but when I use it in Ubuntu it shows:
• AC adapter
• laptop battery
• processor
and nothing helps in what I am looking for. What can I do ?
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3 Answers 3
Actually, discharging your battery doesn't necessarily help your battery life. Batteries are rated for x (usually 500 or so) discharge/recharge cycles before they suffer large performance decreases.
If you really want to extend the life of your battery you should take it out when you're plugged into the wall. Heat is what really kills battery life.
It's also worth noting that leaving your battery in while connected to the wall doesn't over-charge and harm your battery. Your computer/battery has built-in safeties that prevent that from happening, so when you're on wall power the batter is only being charged when it's below its maximum charge. But like I said above, if you really want to increase battery life you should take the battery out while on wall power as heat is a big toll on batteries.
I think you were misunderstanding what what happening with the Fn+F3 combination. I've never heard of a battery discharging while the power was plugged in - unless the power cable was broken of course. The cable provides enough juice to both power the laptop and charge the battery at the same time. If you're plugged into the wall, you're only using wall power, not battery power to use your machine - so when it's plugged in no battery power is being used, how could it discharge?
If I'm not mistaken (and I very well may be - I haven't used Windows since 2007) Fn+F3 does different power modes in Windows. There's Performance mode, Power Save, and Balanced. I believe Fn+F3 cycles between these profiles in Windows, but when you're plugged in they don't make a difference. The only thing close to this in Ubuntu is CPU frequency scaling which is set to a governor of ON_DEMAND be default, meaning your computer runs at the lowest frequency (My Inspiron 1525 w/ 2.4Ghz Core2 Duo is 800Mhz lowest freqency) until more power is needed for a task. This helps with head and overall wall power usage when plugged in. It is possible, however to override it to use the POWERSAVE or PERFORMACE governors using the cpufreq-set command like so: cpufreq-set -c 0 -g performance (replacing -c 0 with -c 1, -c 2, etc for all your cores). That will set your computer to use its max frequency all the time.
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If i move out battery and the power is off when i use notebook, does this do harm to mainboard of notebook? thanks – waterloo2005 Apr 21 '12 at 15:19
I don't know if this is the answer you are looking for but I was using the Dell feature to prevent my battery from charging, even if my computer is plugged in.
I am on a XPS 17 running on windows 7 and ubuntu 12.04.
To prevent my battery from charging when my computer is plugged in I first start my computer with windows 7, select the plugged in, not charging option, restart my computer and choose ubuntu. It's a bit of an hassle but the only solution I found so far!
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Try to install software for Your battery. It is called smart battery or something. But Dell just turned it's back on Linux users, because You won't find such drivers on Dells website. Try to see who is the producer of Your battery and search its website for linux drivers.
Eventually upgrade Your bios and see if any new features showed up.
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Take the 2-minute tour ×
This question already has an answer here:
should I pick Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS or 12.10 for my home machine?
I know that Ubuntu 12.04 is LTS but 12.10 is newer.
But what should I pick now?
Can I use Gnome 3 Shell (apt-get install gnome-shell) without any problems in Ubuntu or is it recommend to use Unity?
Greetings, Majestro
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marked as duplicate by Eric Carvalho, Stephen Myall, hhlp, Rinzwind, Jorge Castro Feb 15 '13 at 14:17
3 Answers 3
Since 12.04 is LTS. I'd suggest 12.04, if you're not willing to upgrade. 12.10(And 13.04 soon), I'd suggest those two if you'd want a more "fancy" feature-updated machine.
New features in 12.10 is listed here: http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/whats-new - And if you can go without those, I'd install 12.04.
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I moved from 12.04 64bit to 12.1064bit on my desktop machine and run 12.04Lts on my servers.
From a technical aspect?.. I don't have enough reliable technical knowledge to offer any advice that would be constructive.
From a usability perspective. 12.10 seems smoother and a little sharper. It's video is more polished. On my 64bit 3.0ghz 8gb ram Dell 780 desktop it's beautifully smooth.
The 12.04 seemed a little more stable, with the qualifier that I play a little and have destroyed more installs than I can remember :)
I'm using Unity at home and xcfe at work after going through KDE, LXDE (this is worth having a look at with lower than 4gb ram machines) and Gnome.
You can install gnome desktop on any of the Ubuntu flavours, but a direct download and install is more convenient and a little tighter integrated. KUbuntu(kde), XUbuntu(Xfce) LUbuntu(Lxde).
Can I suggest you download a few and make some bootable cd's, give 'em a whirl and see what you think? If your still unsure you can install different desktop environments through out the different Ubuntu flavours.
I've warmed to Unity, but as it turns out with customisations all over the place, it now looks and behaves more like a mac (after spending 20 years on windows), go figure! :)
Always remember, Linux can't be judged as an "operating system" in the same vane windows is. It's actually a usability experience. You can do what ever your imagination can conjure, including customising the environment you work to an unrecognisable point.
Linux enables you to run a $50 Rasberry Pi as a home media server, or run a Particle Accelerator buried under Switzerland and go hunting for Higgs particles :) I'd be guessing you and I somewhere between :) Which gives us enormous choice.
Go Play!
Quick tip! Run at least 2 partitions! one as a home partition and one for boot.
After trashing so many installs (Entirely my fault, nothing to do with Ubuntu or Linux. I poke screw drivers into light sockets :) ) Having your /home directory on a separate partition is a god send! :) And do backups! Damn it!
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I think it all depends on when you will upgrade your reinstall your distribution again. If you want it to last for a while and don't really care about having the lastest versions of every piece of sotfware, you should go with 12.04. While 12.10 has some awesome features like the new Nautilus or Gnome 3.6, it may be a little buggier (though it all depends on you computer). You can use Gnome with either of them, and it works very well, but in 12.04 you only get Gnome 3.4, though. Kernel-wise, they use 3.5, so there is not much difference between the distributions.
In my case, I was perfectly happy with 12.04, and only installed 12.10 to try Gnome Shell 3.6 and really like the new Nautilus.
So, in the end, I would suggest 12.10, but you will be happy with wichever you choose.
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Take the 2-minute tour ×
I am using Ubuntu Linux 11.10. Currently, I have Windows XP on one computer, and Ubuntu on another. I switch between the with a VGA box that allows me to switch which computer is connected to my monitor. For some reason, if I am viewing Windows XP while Ubuntu is booting, the screen will be black when I switch back over to it. I have waited 15 minutes on this screen, and nothing happened. I have also tried to "wake it up" by moving the mouse and using the keyboard. Ubuntu boots fine if it is connected to the monitor when it boots. Does anyone know what could be causing this?
The output of lspci -nn | grep VGA is:
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 82915G/GV/910GL Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2582] (rev 04)
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possible duplicate of How can I force X to start in a computer without a monitor? – Javier Rivera Jan 20 '12 at 15:14
1 Answer 1
up vote 2 down vote accepted
I would like to give an educated guess based upon my own experience with a video card that overheated causing Ubuntu to fail to load because it could not determine the correct screen resolution.
When we install Ubuntu we are not required to set the screen resolution. Are we? So, how does the OS know the correct or optimum resolution of the monitor.
The OS interrogates the monitor to find the EDID. A quote from EDID Wikipedia
Extended display identification data (EDID) is a data structure provided by a digital display to describe its capabilities to a video source (e.g. graphics card or set-top box). It is what enables a modern personal computer to know what kinds of monitors are connected to it. EDID is defined by a standard published by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The EDID includes manufacturer name and serial number, product type, phosphor or filter type, timings supported by the display, display size, luminance data and (for digital displays only) pixel mapping data.
To confirm this I quote Ubuntu wiki under the heading Adding Undetected Resolutions
Due to buggy hardware or drivers, your monitor’s correct resolutions may not always be detected. For example, the EDID data block queried from your monitor may be incorrect.
In your case, when Ubuntu loads it cannot read the monitor's EDID block because you have not switched the monitor over to Ubuntu.
That switch box works by effectively unplugging the monitor from one machine and plugging it into an other machine. The switch that you turn physically cuts the cable from the VGA port on one machine and makes a connection to the VGA port on the other machine.
I would guess that anyone booting Ubuntu without the monitor connected would have the same problem that you are having.
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Thank you! I was confused as to why switching the monitor or effectively unplugging it would make the screen go black. Thank you for explaining this to me! – Aaron Hill Jan 21 '12 at 12:59
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Take the 2-minute tour ×
Essentially I have a server setup as a media device running MuthTV for my main tv off the Ubuntu comp and then I have several other PC's in the house which connect to the shared folder of my server to watch from the other TVs.
To make things look nice and organized within both Myth and my folders I divided stuff up as such, a main Video folder which is shared and within it a Movie, TV, Stand Up, Music Videos etc.. I previously ran out of space on the main HD and bought a new one, what I did then was transfered the entire Movie folder to the new HD and mounted it in the Video folder as 'Movies' essentially not messing with my organizational scheme.
However, now its my TV folder which is almost too big to sit on a HD by itself without allowing for room to grow. So what I want to do now is get another HD and instead of mounting the entire HD in the Video folder somewhere, to put it elsewhere and just mount folders I have put in the new HD to the TV folder.. essentially meaning I could have 'The Big Bang Theory' appear in my TV folder but actually be located on the new HD.. I also would like to have many different shows folders come off that new HD essentially mounting many folders to that TV folder.. if that makes sense. I am not sure mounting is the word I am looking for for how to accomplish this but I wasn't sure what other methods there were. Thanks in advance.
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1 Answer 1
Each disk partition has an identifier, i.e. /dev/sda1, /dev/sdb2 and so on. You can mount, or map, any of these to any "point" on the filesystem, point meaning a "directory". So what you want can be achieved no problem.
Say the new hard disk you add is /dev/sdc1 (I'm thinking since you have 3 hard disks already, but please change if your drive letter is different). In a nutshell, you'd have to do this:
1. Mount the new device manually in /mnt: sudo mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt
2. Copy stuff from the old folder to the new device: cp -a /Videos/TV/* /mnt
3. Move the old folder out of the way (don't delete yet, until you're sure it's all working well): mv /Videos/TV /Videos/old-TV
4. unmount new device: sudo umount /mnt
5. Create mount point (empty directory to which the new device will be attached): mkdir /Videos/TV
6. mount new device to mount point: sudo mount /dev/sdc1 /Videos/TV
If you now go to /Videos/TV you should see all the files you have in the new device. Also, if you issue the df -h command, you should see a list of devices, space usage and mount points.
Note that in order to make step 6 permanent, you need to add an entry in /etc/fstab:
/dev/sdc1 /Videos/TV ext4 defaults 0 0
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global_05_local_5_shard_00000035_processed.jsonl/13734
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‘SNL’ spoofs Charles Barkley and Shaq
Saturday Night Live has gotten more and more conducive to sports-related impressions and jokes in recent years, especially since Jay Pharoah joined the cast. He's impersonated Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Tony Dungy and Kenny Smith on the show. In this week's episode, he and fellow cast member Kenan Thompson performed an Inside the NBA extravaganza.
Thompson brought back his impression of Charles Barkley, while Pharoah unleashed a cross-eyed, nonsensical version of his TNT cohort, Shaquille O'Neal. The results… are something else.
Pharoah's Shaq is beyond insane, but Kenan's Chuck impression is underrated. It kind of isn't even an impression anymore, just this bizarre alternate reality version of Charles Barkley. SNL had a pretty solid episode overall last night, with this Barkley/Shaq duo ending up one of the highlights.
Steve Lepore
About Steve Lepore
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Jennifer Marsman
Windows Development
//build 2013 – Day 2 Keynote
//build 2013 – Day 2 Keynote
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Build is here
Following the //build day 1 keynote, there was also a keynote on the second day of the //build conference 2013. In case you missed it, all session recordings will be available at
The Day 2 Keynote recording is at The keynote was primarily Windows Azure, web, and Visual Studio.
Visual Studio and Web
Scott Hanselman showcased some of the exciting improvements in the web space.
• //build signThere is now only one ASP.NET project template in File—>New, and you can set various options in a configuration wizard after selecting it.
• You can also set multiple default browsers, and Visual Studio will launch all of these browsers when you run.
• SignalR (under the covers) allows refresh of websites while running in Visual Studio
• Map mode inside of scroll bar in Visual Studio, with peek - easy to navigate through your code
• Visual Studio code autogeneration: button.btn-trivia*4 expands to 4 button classes
• Nice flip transformation, and code shows the different vendor transforms
• Live streaming application logs
• demo
• QRCode demo
Windows Azure
There were a *ton* of Windows Azure announcements made at TechEd (prior to //build); for a summary of these, see Brian Prince’s blog posts: "Stop the presses! Stopped VMs are no longer charged, MSDN benefits improved, and more!" and "But wait! That’s not all! More Azure Awesomeness!" Some of the highlights include:
• Windows Azure now uses per-minute billing, rather than per-hour, which will save users money (so they aren’t being charged for unused portions of an hour).
• Windows Azure won't charge for stopped virtual machines that are still deployed.
• Windows Azure free trials and MSDN subscribers receive free Azure time as credits which can be used however they want, rather than a certain number of compute hours, database space, etc.
At //build, they also announced that there will be NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED for MSDN members to use their Windows Azure time - yeah!
There are over 130,000 Windows Azure web sites.
Windows Azure Announcements – these were sprinkled throughout the keynote, but I’ve gathered them all in one place:
• General availability of Windows Azure Web Sites (we're not in preview anymore, baby!)
• Visual Studio 2013 and .NET 4.5.1 previews available
• General availability of Windows Azure Mobile Services
• Windows Azure Autoscale Preview - you can try today
• Coming soon: Preview of Windows Azure SaaS Identity Management
• Preview of Windows Azure BizTalk Services - you can start using today!
Windows Azure Mobile Services
Josh Twist discussed what’s new with Mobile Services.
• New option in Windows Azure Mobile Services: create new free 20MB SQL database (wow - don’t mind if I do!)
• Windows Azure Mobile Services: "Set up source control" option creates a github repository for your source and scheduled jobs
• TalkTalkBusiness app demo shows using a single line of code to write to table asynchronously
• In Visual Studio, you can right-click and choose “Add Push Notification” – invokes wizard to set up push for you
Windows Azure in the Enterprise
Scott Guthrie demoed scaling and integrating Windows Azure with an enterprise environment. He showed autoscaling, Active Directory integration, and BizTalk integration. He also blogged about these key announcements here
• Scott GuthrieIn Windows Azure, you can now select a new autoscale option, which allows you to set configuration options and then it will automatically scale web sites, cloud services, and virtual machines up/down within your parameters.
• There is also new email alerting/notification support for all compute services (web sites, mobile services, cloud services, and virtual machines).
• Easily integrate your app with Azure Active Directory and support for federation
• BaseCamp, Box, DropBox, Google Apps & more can now authenticate using your corporate credentials with Windows Azure Active Directory
• End user experience: they can go to Box etc. directly and sign in using corporate creds - users can click on apps to sign in
• Windows Azure Active Directory opportunity: 3.2 million businesses have already synced to cloud and 68 million active users
• Amazon doesn’t have AD support. Flip a switch. Really easy to create an Azure app and log in with your corporate identity (AD)
• Aaron Levie – co-founder and CEO of Box – came onstage; he is very excited to be using Windows Azure Active Directory.
• BizTalk - Tailspin Travel sample app
• You can create a new BizTalk service through Windows Azure portal. New BizTalk service template available in Visual Studio too.
Office 365
Jay Schmelzer showed:
• New Visual Studio template for Office 365 apps
• Add new relationship between Office 365 list and SQL Server database
• Nice screen templates
• Can run app from inside email
• //build attendees get one-year subscription to Office 365
DPE Demos
Steve “Guggs” Guggenheimer and John Shewchuk demoed a number of cool things. Guggs kicked off with a strong statement: “Our goal is that if you do Windows development, we make it super easy to do any Windows dev (on web, tablet, phone, XBOX, etc.).”
• @StevenGuggs and @JohnShew demo the new F12 debugging tools in Internet Explorer.
• Web GL support and new F12 tools in Internet Explorer
• Turning web app into a native app for the Windows Store: "Performance is one of the tricky bits" – @JohnShew
• Khan Academy created great Windows Store app!
• Ooohs when people saw "xbox.js"
• All build attendees get Adobe Creative Cloud for 1 year free
• Wow - crazy easy to wire up Bing knowledge info - add script reference and set class="bing". See for more info!
• Great FourSquare app is coming to Windows first!
• Voxer, Xfinity, MLBam , MarketWatch, Epicurious, Mint, Rhapsody, and more coming to Windows Phone
• 60-day Windows Phone developer registration period - register for only $19
• Cool demo using augmented reality - spaceship superimposed on video of audience
• Unity demo where gorgeous game with cloud backend is synced across Windows 8 and Windows Phone
• Acciona WPF app demo on perceptive pixel screen
• Visual Studio Intellisense support for data bindings
• Windows Embedded has lots of opportunity
• Lots of new Windows Store apps announced during today's keynote.
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PetzoldPhoto-400x300[1]Greetings! Our good friend Charles Petzold, author of many wonderful Microsoft Press titles (and The Annotated Turing for Wiley), is reading at Ada’s Technical Books in Seattle at 7:00 PM and probably signing books. Here is Ada’s description:
Among programmers, Charles Petzold is best known as the author of Windows programming tutorials that stretch from the first edition of “Programming Windows” (Microsoft Press, 1988) to the recent “Programming Windows Phone 7″ (Microsoft Press, 2010). But Petzold’s greatest legacy consists of two books that combine history, philosophy, and mathematics with unique explorations into computing technologies: “Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software” (Microsoft Press, 1999) and “The Annotated Turing: A Guided Tour through Alan Turing’s Historic Paper on Computability and the Turing Machine” (Wiley, 2008). Petzold will be at Ada’s on July 14th at 7pm signing books and discussing what other books along these lines might be cooking up in his mental oven.
Come on out!
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Rob's Rhapsody
Rob Chambers talks about Speech Recognition, Life at Microsoft inside OSD, and other random thoughts...
• Rob's Rhapsody
Two new Videos on Speech Recognition Development
Will DePalo (a Microsoft MVP) just posted two new videos on MSDN that show how to program against the built in speech APIs in Windows. Check it out! How Do I- Get Started with Speech Recognition? How Do I- Use Speech Recognition in an Application? Thanks...
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