2016 is just around the corner and it's time to predict which startups will take the tech industry by storm.
Who better to ask than the startup experts, the VCs that watch them, guide them, hear their pitches, and fund them?
So we reached out to a handful of top VCs and asked them which of their young or growth-stage startups did they think were going to boom in 2016.
We also asked them which startups outside their portfolios they expected to boom in 2016.
They sent us this list of startups from every corner of the tech market: from consumer to enterprise, from big data to men's clothing.
Relationship: VC is an investor.
What it does: Vulcun is a fantasy league for e-sports (a.k.a. pro video games).
Reason: "If you are not a teenager, you may not have heard of 'e-sports,' meaning competitive multiplayer video gaming where teams compete against each other for prizes," says Hilaly.
"But it's become a phenomenon: More people watch the finals of tournaments for League of Legends or Counter-Strike, than any sporting event other than the Super Bowl," he says. "Vulcun is capitalizing on this trend by enabling e-sports participants to trade skins (digital goods)."
Relationship: No relation. These VCs just think it's cool.
What it does: Confluent offers a commercial version of an open-source project called Kafka, a computer "messaging" system that handles bits of data computers send to one another.
Reason: "Ask any developer, and they will wax lyrical about Kafka, the open-source distributed messaging system," Hilaly says. "The team behind Kafka left LinkedIn and created Confluent, an open core company built around Kafka which, along with others like Docker and MongoDB, are becoming the leaders among a new generation of open-source companies."
"The team invented Kafka, the leading streaming data platform and is commercializing it for the enterprise," adds Janmohamed.
What it does: Take eBay and make it local. That's what VarageSale does: It let's people buy, sell, and connect with others in their neighborhoods.
Reason: "VarageSale unlocks local person-to-person transactions so anyone can buy and sell low-cost items without friction," Schreier says. "VarageSale's app is fun, fast, and engaging. And most of all, VarageSale's trusted community approach makes it the safest place to buy, sell, and be together on the internet."
What it does: Allows mobile apps to add hyperlinks inside their apps.
Reason: "Branch is quickly becoming the backbone of the mobile ecosystem and has become fundamental to the growth of many of our mobile startups," Schreier says.
What it does: All-in-one human resources software for payroll and benefits.
Reason: "People software (payroll, benefits, and talent management) has been a necessary evil for far too long," Grady says. "With Namely, it's a competitive weapon."
Customers praise it for being easy to use, he adds.
6. Datadog: "It's like crack for developers"
What it does: Lets developers and IT pros watch and monitor all of their apps and data across all of their cloud services at once.
Reasons: "It's like crack for developers," Grady says.
"It's changing the way enterprises monitor their cloud infrastructure," says Puttagunta. "The company has signed some of the biggest up-and-coming companies, such as Airbnb and Zendesk, as well as established enterprises like HP."
Feinstein adds, "Infrastructure and application monitoring in the cloud. Great visualizations and integrations with hundreds of services. Growing like a weed."
What it does: Uses big data to help companies find sales prospects.
Reason: EverString is a "SaaS [cloud computing] company at the forefront of bringing data science to B2B selling, resulting in dramatic increases in sales efficiency and performance," says Nieh.
EverString, he adds, is growing "rapidly" and has a "stellar team led by Vincent Yang, a product visionary in this space, and with some of the brightest minds in data science."
What it does: Juicero isn't even out of stealth yet and the whole Valley is buzzing about it. It's going to bring people the freshest juice they've ever tasted.
Reason: "Juicero is looking to be the Keurig of fresh juice," says Nieh. "Massive market waiting to be disrupted."
What it does: Corporate videoconferencing.
Reason: "Incredible founding team from Google that builds the world's easiest to use and most affordable videoconferencing system for the mobile and cloud era," Janmohamed says.
Highfive CEO and co-founder Shan Sinha previously co-founded DocVerse, bought by Google for $25 million in 2010. He then ran Google's product management for Google Apps Enterprise.
What it does: News site geared to Millennials.
Reason: Mic is "CNN for Millennials," says Liew. "A mission-driven company, focused on real news, meeting Millennials where they are, in their feeds and on their phones."
"It has 20 million ComScore uniques, scored an interview with Potus, co-hosted the Democratic presidential debate, hired the exec editor of NPR news as exec editor--pretty remarkable for such a young company," he adds.
Mic was founded in 2011.
What it does: Finds an interior designer online.
Reason: "Marketplace for interior design, extraordinary CEO, and finding a clever way to attack furniture e-commerce at scale," says Liew.
Relationship: Natarajan is an investor. Feinstein is no relation, just thinks it's cool.
What it does: Segment is a single place that collects all customer data, which can then be used by many other apps, such as analytics, marketing automation, and databases.
Reason: "Segment is one of Accel's fastest-growing SaaS companies," says Natarajan. "It has quietly built a tremendous reputation, powering analytics for a number of the Valley's fastest-growing companies."
"Single API that collects customer data and pipes it to any analytics tool," says Feinstein. "Seeing rapid adoption from the developer community."
What it does: Looker offers self-service big-data analytics software that makes it easy for data scientists to let business people ask questions and do research.
Reason: "Looker sits at the intersection of traditional B.I./visualization and more powerful analytics tools like Birst, Tableau, and others," says Natarajan.
"It's fast becoming one of the most beloved services in the 'data toolkits' of Silicon Valley companies," he says. "The B.I./analytics market is massive, and they are quickly stealing share."
What it does: InVision allows programmers and designers to build interactive realistic web and mobile app mockups and prototypes.
Reason: "InVision is a design collaboration platform for product teams and powers designers at Uber, Twitter, Evernote, and many others," Natarajan says. "It has quickly become of the de facto design and collaboration tools in Silicon Valley and beyond."
He describes it as the "fourth leg of the stool (Atlassian-Slack-GitHub-Invision) for how teams function."
What it does: Mapbox is a mapping platform that lets developers add maps to their apps. It's not just competing with Google Maps, but also with enterprise incumbents like GIS mapping company ESRI.
Reason: "Mapping is one of the most important apps on mobile," says Natarajan. "Mapbox offers an open-source, high-performance stack of tools for developers to integrate map-based experiences into apps. Importantly, developers aren't beholden to Google or Apple and can leverage the Open Streetmap community for free data."
Companies from Foursquare to Pinterest are using Mapbox, the company says.
What it does: Origami organizes a deluge of marketing data to show how all marketing efforts perform on a daily basis.
Reason: "It's becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to answer the simple question, 'What happened today?' let alone take action as a result of it," says Flomenberg.
"Customers like Visa, Cisco, Intel, JCPenney, Omni Hotels, and Pernod Ricard are already getting value out of Origami Logic," he adds. "Expect to see it make a big push into the mainstream market next year."
What it does: Databricks provides commercial support for a popular big-data open-source project called Apache Spark. Spark crunches through vast amounts of data very fast.
Reason: "Databricks is the driving force behind Apache Spark, an easy-to-use open-source data-processing engine," says Flomenberg. "Spark promises to democratize data analytics and make it easier for companies to build their own data-driven apps."
What it does: Companies have collected vast amounts of data stored in low-cost systems like Hadoop or open-source databases. Zoomdata lets them easily turn that data into charts, graphs, and answers.
Reason: "With Zoomdata's Visual Analytics Platform, users can now visualize billions of records in real time and query across multiple sources," says Flomenberg.
And it can work with data that's stored in the cloud and in the data center, he says.
What it does: Analyzes HR data to help companies assess their human resources efforts.
Reason: "Visier focuses on actionable analytics on our most precious resources, our employees," Flomenberg says. "HR data is gold that virtually no one is mining. Visier is helping to change that."
What it does: UserTesting provides crowdsourcing usability testing of apps.
Reason: "UserTesting provides qualitative feedback from real people at a cost-effective price point, with lightning-fast speed," says Fuller. "The feedback is crucial in helping companies understand what they can be doing better to offer the best experience possible."
What it does: It makes smart clothing full of sensors. Best known for its smart socks that track speed, cadence, and foot strike for runners.
Reason: "Sensoria is a wearable platform that can be integrated seamlessly into apparel or other wearable goods to provide quality biometric and user feedback," says Fuller.
"Wearables will become more and more part of our everyday lives," he adds. "The health and usage data will help inform us on how we can better live our lives, increase athletic performance, and more."
What it does: Banjo monitors social media by location to show off what's happening anywhere in the world, in real time.
Reason: "Banjo is identifying real-world events using the social web and advanced imaging processing faster than any other method of news discovery," Sandell says.
What it does: Nextdoor helps neighborhoods create private social networks.
Reason: "Just like LinkedIn has become a social network for professionals, Nextdoor can become the social network for communities," says Sandell.
24. Jet.com: Taking on Amazon with shopping "bundles"
What it does: Jet is a new Amazon competitor that charges low prices by selling bundles of products together.
Reason: It's the "fastest-growing e-commerce company in history," says Sacks.
What it does: Three-year-old online startup has upended the custom menswear market by offering finely crafted, 100 percent Italian wool suits that start from $160. The company now sells all sorts of men's clothing.
Reason: "Vertically integrated brand in men's formalwear that has scaled significantly while bootstrapped," Sacks says.
What it does: Raise lets you sell your unwanted gift cards or buy them off of someone else, saving money in the process.
Reason: Raise is attacking "the huge ($400 billion) and strategically important gift card market," says Sacks.
What it does: Shiftgig finds contract workers to fill job postings from restaurants and hotels and in the retail industry.
Reason: "Leading marketplace for hourly labor, a large and underserved industry with continual turnover," Sacks says.
What it does: A one-stop shop for online marketing needs for real estate agents.
Reason: "Every year, the real estate industry spends nearly $25 billion on marketing through largely offline means," says Puttagunta. "Placester is helping those agents better connect with home buyers and sellers online."
What it does: Affordable online investing.
Reason: "Changing how investors manage money; it continues to grow rapidly," says Puttagunta.
What it does: An automated real-time system that allows online retailers to approve purchases.
Reason: "With Forter, e-commerce companies can eliminate fraud and increase revenue," says Puttagunta. "Over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the company helped customers process billions of transactions while eliminating fraud."
What it does: It has brought the efficient, affordable air-conditioning technology created for submarines and the space station to commercial buildings.
Reason: "Cleans the air, saves huge energy, makes big bucks ... the poster-boy company for the post-Paris climate-change conference," says Medved.
What it does: It is creating breakthrough optical diagnostic devices and software services that use a smartphone's camera to detect cancer.
Reason: "Fighting cervical cancer in Africa with the cell-phone camera," Medved says.
What it does: Surgical Theater is a startup that makes a Surgery Rehearsal Platform on which neurosurgeons can plan operations, do trial runs to determine outcomes, and practice techniques.
Reason: "The operating room goes full virtual reality starting with the brain. For real!" says Medved.
What it does: Windward has built a platform that captures data from maritime sources. It can track a single ship and shipment as well as analyze worldwide trade patterns.
Reason: "Big-data mining on the high seas to save the planet," says Medved.
What it does: It offers easy-to-deploy wireless sensors and software for the internet of things world, where everyday devices join the internet.
Reason: "Software-centric sensors for industry," says Rubin.
What it does: Textio uses machine learning to show how your job listings and candidate emails will perform before you've even posted them.
Reason: "A.I.-powered text platform to optimize CVs, job listings, talent searches," says Rubin.
What it does: Gigster helps you hire contract Silicon Valley software developers or entire product management teams on demand. Promises a quote within minutes.
Reason: "Product managers and top software developers for any software project, large or small," says Rubin.
What it does: PlanGrid is a cloud-based app that allows users to store blueprints and construction documents on an iPad or iPhone.
Reason: "A collaboration tool for building and construction projects, from RFIs to blueprints," says Rubin.
What it does: Cloud software for construction management.
Reason: "Modernizing the construction industry," says Feinstein. "Used on some of the most important projects in New York City, like Hudson Yards and the WTC. Growing about 150 percent year over year."
What it does: A single suite of communication products that all teams can use, including sales, marketing, product, and support.
Reason: "Software for customer communication," says Feinstein. "Marketing, live chat, and support all rolled into one. Growing about 150 percent year over year."
What it does: A crowdsourcing platform for bug bounty platforms, meaning it allows companies to hire hackers to test the security of their apps and websites, paying for bugs found.
Reason: "Marketplace for bug bounty programs that has emerged as the leader in this new approach to security," says Feinstein. "Marten Mickos just joined as CEO."
What it does: Cloud software for company phone systems.
Reason: "Moving the enterprise phone system to the cloud," says Feinstein. "Growing about 130 percent year over year."
What it does: An early-stage startup building a database that can survive anything, even a data center outage.
"Cockroach Labs is launching a Web-scale database for the future," says Munichiello. "The team (multiple successful companies) has created an "unkillable" database."
"Big data is getting harder to manage," he adds, "and current databases pale in comparison with the tools that Google and Amazon offer to their internal teams. Cockroach Labs' CockroachDB is changing that."
What it does: Gives IT pros a dashboard for every network in use, from the private, corporate network to public cloud software-as-a-service platforms such as Slack, Salesforce, Box, Gmail.
Reason: "IT organizations' reputations are impacted daily," says Munichiello, "by their users' experiences on third-party SaaS platforms like Salesforce, Box, Slack, Gmail, Evernote, Workday, etc. ThousandEyes arms CIOs and CTOs with visibility."
What it does: Offers an extremely secure server and related software to keep very important apps and data safe.
Reason: "Skyport Systems believes in a zero-trust approach to computing," says Munichiello, "where servers or endpoints are actively kept secure while networks are treated as if they're continually open or breached."
"IT organizations are investing in a suite of security tools," he adds, "and we think they're going to start to invest in the most secure infrastructure (servers)."
What it does: Helps companies choose and manage cloud computing services.
Reason: "CliQr is a service that helps you figure out the best cloud for your application," says Faris. "It can then move workloads seamlessly to your cloud of choice (public or private) and make sure things are running as efficiently as possible there."
What it does: Analytics on data and transactions as they occur.
Reason: "Real-time analytics on big data without the need for manipulation and cleaning to unlock its value," says Faris.
What it does: ThreatStream helps IT pros aggregate and analyze enormous amounts of indicators that show hackers could be attacking their companies.
Reason: "There's a lot of bad stuff out there," says Faris. "ThreatStream lights up your existing infrastructure with real context so you can make the best possible decisions on what's dangerous."
What it does: Dtex is computer security that stops the hardest kind of hacks, those that come from "insiders": employees and others who are authorized to be on the network.
Reason: "Dtex has a very lightweight agent that monitors user endpoints to give the enterprise visibility on potential insider threats without impacting network traffic or user privacy," says Faris.
What it does: FullStory lets you record, replay, search, and analyze each user's experience with your website.
Reason: "A super-searchable DVR for all customer interactions," says Faris. "FullStory allows organizations to empathize with their users to improve the overall experience."
What it does: It takes manual security tasks, from examining threats to documenting them, and automates those processes.
Reason: "Invotas has developed a cool security solution that automates many of the tasks that analysts do manually," says Faris.
What it does: It's not enough to just collect all kinds of data. Companies also need to clean it for accuracy and categorize it before they can ask questions using it. That's what Tamr does.
Reason: Tamr is in the "hot area of big-data or data curation," says Miner. "Tamr organizes the data at enterprise scale and curates large numbers of data repositories."
Co-founder and CTO "Mike Stonebraker won the Turring award this year," Miner adds. That's the $1 million ultimate prize in computer science.
What it does: Trifacta is also in the data-cleaning business, organizing big data so that it can be better used by analytics.
Reason: "They focus more on the U.I. and tools for individual analysts to analyze a small number of different data sources," Miner says.


Event/Corporate/Wedding caterers using our own homemade produce. Beef from our herd of pedigree Aberdeen Angus cattle.
Here at Hacking Hill we are proud to offer the finest beef products from our pedigree herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle and locally sourced pork.
All our products are handmade in our on farm butchery and we are accredited with the Quality Standard mark for assured English beef.
We are a family business farming for 3 generations in the pennines.
We can tailor a menu to suit your event and we are proud to offer our own homemade products, for example angus burgers, homemade giant pork hotdogs, angus pulled beef and pulled pork.
We source fresh bread from a local bakery.
Our mobile units are of the highest specification and professional standard and carry a 5 star rating from our local council.
All staff wear smart uniforms and are level 2 food hygiene qualified.
Other products available on our units are hot and cold drinks, french fries, veggie burgers.
Angus Burger/Cheeseburger with or without salad.
Veggie Burger (deep fried in the chip fryer, no meat products in this fryer).
Event experience includes Northern racecourses, local and county shows, the Great Yorkshire Show, corporate events and weddings.
Gary and I hosted our East Midlands Open Karate Championships in Newark, finding John's Hacking Hill Burger van which looks professional on site, through this Add an Event site who offered their professional services. I called John who was so helpful. The service and the quality of food and prices were fantastic. Food was mouth watering tasty.. I couldn't recommend them enough and I will be booking them for next year's event .
Thanks again Hacking Hall, looking forward to seeing you all next year.
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Hacking Hill Farm attended our two day event, the communication from John was excellent from start to finish. The van looked great on-site and their food is highly recommended. We would definitely use them again.
I organised a Music Fest at Birstall Cricket Club and got contacted by Hacking Hill who offered their services. I spoke to John who was so helpful. They came to look at venue and unfortunately they couldn't get their trailer in so they sent a marquee tent instead. The service quality of food and prices were great and they sold out and everyone I spoke to said the food was great. I couldn't recommend them enough and have already booked them for next year. Thanks again Hacking Hall looking forward to seeing you all next year.
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The 10 Greatest MLS Cup Finals: What's #1?
The Scene: When it comes to utter significance and importance to the league's longevity, no Final can match the inaugural 1996 MLS Cup Final. In front of nearly 35,000 fans at Foxboro Stadium, DC United made the greatest comeback in Cup Final history to best the LA Galaxy 3-2 and complete the first MLS Double in league history.
The Build-Up: DCU had finished 2nd in the East behind Shield winners the Tampa Bay Mutiny, and LAG had rolled to an easy Western Conference title and the league's 2nd best record. DCU and LAG had both overcome early losses in the playoffs by winning two straight games to make the Conference Finals, and both teams easily dispatched their penultimate foes to reach the first MLS Cup Final.
The Game: This game had it all. The Gals took an early lead, and then struck again in the 56th minute to "put the game away". But it wasn't over yet. With only seventeen minutes left, DCU got one goal back. Ten minutes later, they had tied the game to force the Final's first overtime. Just four minutes in, Eddie Pope scored to give DCU the win.
The Legacy: Beyond the fact that it was the new league's first Final, the 1996 Final also featured the biggest comeback in Cup history. Watching DCU overcome a two goal deficit with less than 20 minutes to play likely sold many American fans on the excitement the league could provide. It also resulted in DCU beginning their dynasty and their completion of the first MLS Double. Oh, and did I mention the whole thing was played in a monsoon-like rain? All in all, I think it's the best game in league history, period. So that's why it's #1 on this list.
If I forgot any of your favorites, or if you think my rankings plain stink, let me hear about it in the comments. In any event, I hope you have enjoyed this jaunt through MLS Cup Final history. Hopefully, the 2009 Final will be on this list soon, and will be better than the 2008 Final where the Crew overwhelmed NYRB. We shall have to wait and see.
Until then, please keep coming back to STO for the best news and commentary on the interwebs. Peace.


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The Tech That Predicted Hurricane Florence
This past September, as Hurricane Florence bore down on the Atlantic coastline, researchers and forecasters were more prepared than ever before to deal with the daunting effects of the upcoming storm. While these destructive forces of nature will never be truly neutralized, cutting-edge observation systems have made predicting their effects, and making people safer, easier than ever. That's not to say it's a simple task.
While today's satellites can predict typical weather conditions fairly accurately, patterns of hurricanes making their way over the ocean are a bit more complicated. Predicting a hurricane's path is tricky, which is why scientists work hard to gather as much data as possible from each major storm to better predict the next one.
Over the past few decades, however, weather forecasters have been able to rely on the combination of satellite technology, advanced radar systems, and well-designed hurricane aircraft to bring about a clearer picture of hurricane and tropical storm behavior than ever thought possible. Today's technologies allow researchers and forecasters to track a hurricane's path and predict its size and force with a remarkably high degree of accuracy.
Up Close and Personal Data Collection
Accurately predicting the path and potential damage of a storm requires some truly up close and personal data collection that'd be far too dangerous for a human to conduct in person. To get the most valuable information available, researchers have a secret weapon about the size of a paper towel roll: the dropsonde. Dropsondes are designed by Vaisala, a company based out of Louisville, Colorado. These appropriately named devices are dropped out of high-altitude planes, directly into the hurricane to gather and send data about the storm to pilots and research labs.
Originally developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, these tools, formally the Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS™) debuted in 1997 for operational weather forecasting and atmospheric research efforts.
Dubbed by the National Science Foundation 'workhorses in hurricane forecasting' dropsondes can withstand extreme hurricane conditions to provide accurate, useful data. Each dropsonde is relatively lightweight and loaded with sensors. They're small and efficiently designed, capable of capturing data twice per second in the harshest conditions imaginable.
Released from airplanes straight into the storm, dropsondes fall to the ground quickly, making every second of data collection extremely precious. Developers attach a small parachute to each unit — slowing down the drop rate so the devices can accurately measure temperature, humidity, wind speeds, and other important data points. Back at the research center, scientists can extrapolate all the data to formulate detailed projections, adding to a body of knowledge that will one day predict hurricanes the way we can today forecast a sunny afternoon.
Tracking the Hurricane in real time
During Hurricane Florence, research scientists at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory were even able to launch high-tech weather balloons into the middle of the hurricane to capture data. Sensors inside the balloon helped scientists monitor Hurricane Florence as it made its way to the shore and transitioned from a hurricane to a tropical depression. This type of technology helps data scientists analyze various conditions before, during, and after the hurricane, track the hurricane's path, and make accurate estimates and assumptions when building models.
The National Hurricane Center has a formal process in place for forecasting all types of tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic and Pacific around North America and are responsible for communicating their forecasts every six hours. They use everything from satellites, aircraft, ships, buoys, radar devices, and land-based tools to track hurricanes and predict their paths as accurately as possible. Once a hurricane looks like it will make landfall and is identified as a real threat, it's closely monitored by the U.S. Air Force and NOAA hurricane craft.
While the storms themselves can't be stopped, high-tech data collection and analysis can greatly reduce the risk presented by each new storm, and influence building and city planning practices to further protect residents from these incredibly powerful weather systems. This high-tech development, perfected over time, will one day make hurricanes like Florence a much less daunting event. That's an evolution worth applauding.
By Bennat Berger|2019-05-30T19:13:00+00:00October 4th, 2018|Technology|

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The night was warm with the scent of rain and a few lonely stars visible through the clouds. I pulled my scarf up the back of my neck, flush against my helmet to take the edge off the wind. Ahead of me, the glow of my high beams threw the surrounding darkness into sharper relief and lit up the underbrush of the trees. Coming into the corner, I leaned forward low over the gas tank and let the bike slide gracefully into the curve as I hugged the edge of the mountain.
I had not intended to be out riding so late but I had one too many at dinner and wanted to wait until I was sober before driving home. I might have stayed the night, but a gentleman never overstays his welcome. Accordingly, I had refused the offered couch and headed homeward. Besides, the long slow curves of the empty road home are seductive in their own way..
Coming out of the last curve in the foot hills to the long straight expressway north I opened the throttle and stepped up through the gears, letting the wind wash over me. Above, the clouds parted and the moon stood full and bright opposite the last slivers of the setting sun. The wind washing over me was delicious, cool and invigorating but without the chill of the mountains.
Speed, adrenalin, engine roaring below, and the moon overhead. Perfection.
This entry was posted in fiction and tagged motorcycle by Jed.


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IORA Indian Ocean Blue Carbon Hub Inaugural Think Tank: Blue Carbon Finance
Theme of Event
25 – 26 Feb 2020
Blue carbon ecosystems (i.e. mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses) support livelihoods, stabilise and protect coasts, and can play an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, when degraded they can become significant sources of greenhouse gases and the benefits they offer diminish or disappear. Although lots of efforts are being placed to enhance the protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystem, the finance mechanisms and policy frameworks that are needed to facilitate investment into protection and restoration remain poorly developed.
The Indian Ocean contains a disproportionate amount of the world's blue carbon ecosystems, and the nations of the Indian Ocean are well-positioned to be global leaders in blue carbon protection and restoration. However, pressures associated with coastal developments have degraded these blue carbon ecosystems and eroded the natural capital that these ecosystems provide. Some of the highest rates of degradation occur in the Indian Ocean.
Owing to the high importance of this sector, Australia hosted the Indian Ocean Conference on Blue Carbon on 19-23 March 2018 in Perth and as a follow up of this initiative, Madagascar organised a Workshop on "Improving knowledge for research on blue carbon in the Western Indian Ocean. Focus on seagrass and mangrove ecosystems" on 29 April – 04 May 2019. In addition, in September 2019, Australia's Foreign Minister announced the IORA Indian Ocean Blue Carbon Hub at the Third IORA Blue Economy Ministerial Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Hub aims to build knowledge and capacity to protect and restore blue carbon ecosystems throughout the Indian Ocean, in a way that enhances livelihoods, reduces risks from coastal hazards, and helps mitigate climate change. A key activity to be implemented by the Hub is a set of short 'think tank' meetings that will target the most promising areas for accelerated action. The first of these 'think tank' meetings will focus on blue carbon finance.
In this line, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Indian Ocean Blue Carbon Hub will host the inaugural think-tank, on Blue Carbon Finance in Mauritius on 25-26 February 2020. Its objectives include inter alia: to present innovations and successes in blue carbon finance, and to engage in discussion about the most promising avenues forward; to identify the barriers to effective and sustainable blue carbon finance, and potential solutions to those barriers; to provide a forum where potential investors, policymakers and practitioners can engage in discussions on opportunities to support the conservation and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems; to build capacity in blue carbon finance in IORA; to encourage IORA Member States to think about practical extensions of the options discussed in their unique contexts; to exchange information about finance mechanisms and policy frameworks; and to launch the IORA Blue Carbon Hub 'think tank' series.
The intent of the Hub 'think tank' series is to generate accelerated actions to support protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems in the Indian Ocean, underpinning a robust and resilient blue economy. The meeting will see the participation of IORA Member States, Dialogue Partners and experts on Blue carbon finance in the region. It is expected that the think-tank in Mauritius would give rise to a set of recommendations, including avenues for investors, and how blue carbon finance can be accessed by IORA Member States to support blue carbon ecosystems conservation and restoration actions.
Concept Note \ Blue Economy
Agenda \ Blue Economy
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Myconstitution.info
News: Welcome to MyConstitution.info Forums!
Myconstitution.info »
Discussion Hall »
The Legislature »
Direct election of Senators?
Author Topic: Direct election of Senators? (Read 2282 times)
Jim Nunziato
Article 1, Section 3 of our Constitution stated:
"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote."
The Seventeenth Amendment changed that to read:
"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote...."
Do you think it was a good change? Should the People directly their Senators, rather than the Legislatures of their states?
"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." Thomas Jefferson
If Hillary was the answer, then it must have been a really stupid question!
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Wooden figurehead from the former HMS Arethusa launched from the former Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, in 1849. The Arethusa became a Training Ship in 1874 but was broken-up in 1934. The figurehead was retained for permanent display in Lower Upnor, River Medway.
MATERIALS: the wooden figurehead is attached to the original decorated stemhead and flanked by two short lengths of the Arethusa's hand rails. It is sited on a two-stepped square concrete plinth underneath a protective wooden canopy. Two small muzzle-loading cannon (given to the Arethusa in 1934) sit either side of the structure which is surrounded by a steel fence. The canopy, cannons and fence are excluded from the listing.
DESCRIPTION: a polychrome painted female bust with brown hair parted in the centre with ringlets at the side of the head and wearing a loose early Victorian period dress with a waist-band.
HMS Arethusa was a 50-gun Fourth Rate sailing frigate of the Royal Navy launched in the former Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, in 1849. The Arethusa served in the Crimean War and fought at Odessa and Sevastopol and was the last ship of the Royal Navy to go in to action under sail power alone. In 1860 the ship was lengthened and converted to screw propulsion at Chatham but never again went to sea. Following decommissioning in 1874, the ship was loaned by the Admiralty to a charity as a Training Ship to provide a refuge and teach maritime skills to destitute young boys. It was moored next to the charity's existing training ship Chichester at Greenhithe, Kent, and provided accommodation for some 250 boys together with staff and their wives.
In 1929, a survey found the ship to be rotten and leaking and three years later the wooden frigate was no longer viable. It was replaced by the steel-hulled ship Peking, which was moored at Lower Upnor on the Medway, and renamed Arethusa. The original Arethusa returned to the Admiralty and was sold to Castle's ship-breakers on 2 August 1933. It was demolished in London the following year. The figurehead was retained by the charity (now Shaftesbury Young People) and displayed at their onshore premises at Lower Upnor, where it remains (2019). The figurehead provides a strong and tangible link to the charity's past as a former Training Ship.
Rot to the central core of the figurehead, coupled with damage from wood wasps, threatened to destroy the outer carving. Following fundraising in 2010 by the Arethusa Old Boys Association – who trained on the second Arethusa – a specialist wood carver was employed to undertake renovation. The upper part of the figurehead was noted to be in a very poor condition and had to be to split into two pieces. The core had to be cut away with the remainder being treated and a new timber core added. Renovation of the figurehead was completed in 2013.
In Greek mythology, Arethusa was a sea nymph who fled from her home in Arcadia beneath the sea and came up as a fresh water fountain on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse, Sicily. This character contrasts with HMS Arethusa's figurehead which depicts a polychrome painted female bust with brown hair parted in the centre with ringlets at the side of the head and wearing a loose early Victorian period dress with a waist-band. In the C19, female figureheads gained in popularity and although women on board ships were thought unlucky, a naked woman was supposed to be able to calm a storm at sea; the right breast of the Arethusa's figurehead is exposed.
The figurehead was carved by James Hellyer and Sons of London and Portsmouth who were ship's carver for the Admiralty. The family concern was run by James Edward Hellyer Snr (1787-1872) and among the known members of the business were his sons, Frederick (1822-1906) and James (1828-1881), and his grandson, James Edward Hellyer Jnr (1846-1914). The company had a long tradition as ship's carvers having carved the figurehead for the famous screw-frigate Shannon in 1855, and the first naval iron-clad Warrior in 1860 and 1872 (on display in Portsmouth Dockyard). The company also bid £65 to replace the figurehead of HMS Victory. James Hellyer Snr is also known to have carved a statue of George III originally sited in Jubilee Terrace, Portsmouth, about1827. In 1871, Hellyer and Son exhibited a group of seventeen carved figures on a pedestal at the Great exhibition; the firm was described as 'designers' in the exhibition catalogue.
* by noted ship's carvers James Hellyer and Sons of London and Portsmouth.
* providing a strong and direct link to the Arethusa Venture Centre's past as a former Training Ship.


text:
Killing in the me of...
Killing in the me of 'Honour'
| 28 July 2016 12:00 AM GMT
By zira Ahmed
Quandeel Baloch, became the latest victim of 'Honour Killing' that has shaken the world very recently. The perpetrator, brother of the Pakistani social media star, confessed that he is proud he killed his sister, because "girls are only born to stay at home and to bring honour to the family by following family traditions". The 25 year old Quandeel was strangled to death by her brother on 15th of July in the Pakistani province of Punjab. This is another case of honour killing, as to the perpetrator his sister was bringing dishonour to the Baloch family and he could not tolerate that.
Under the wide scope of crimes of honour that happens, honour killing is perhaps the most heinous of them all. Honour killings can be called as customary killing, which is murder of a person in a family or a social group by other persons, as they believe that the victim has brought dishonour to their family or community. This is one of the most psychologically complex, sociologically complicated, morally distressed and legally challenging violent crimes against humanity. Such crimes have been happening all over the world in many countries, communities and cultures. Usually such killings are done towards girls of the family or the society and the perpetrator in most of the cases is a brother or father who is purely fuelled by the abstract desire to bring back honour to the family by elimiting the family member who brought dishonour.
In 2000, the United tions estimated that 5,000 women become victims of honour killing each year, which the BBC suspects to be 20,000 women worldwide every year. Unfortutely, India is not an exception to this kind of crime that has been happening throughout the history. India has witnessed thousands of such cases in the last few decades, the latest being the sensatiol Shee Bora murder case. In India, honour killing is majorly reported in the northern regions of the country like in states of Punjab, Harya, Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Punjab and Harya can be said to be the most notorious states in relation to honour killing. These states also mark poor sex ratio and high incidence of gender inequality. In Harya, the moment a young person decides to marry on his/her own choice, the question of family's honour arises, but the same honour does not get such importance when anyone in their family face trial for dowry death or rape charges.
There is a misconception in relation to the practice of honour killing that it is practised only in rural areas, but the truth is that it can also be found in the metro cities of Delhi and Tamil du, where well-educated university graduates predomite. Nitish Katara, Nirupama Pathak, Deepti Chhikara are few of the victims of such high profile educated society honour killing cases. Of all those surveyed, 60% are either high school graduates or at the very least literate. In context to India, the most obvious reason for this practice to continue is because of the fact that the caste system continues to be at its rigid best, and also because people refuse to change their attitude towards marriage. Also, in our country the society is mainly patriarchal.
Honour crimes in India are mainly committed against women who dare to choose their life partner much against the accepted mores or who has refused to enter into arranged marriage or who has been a victim of rape or because of homosexual behaviour. Somehow male reputation is dependent on female honour. It is the outcome of a clash between tradition and modernity. The traditiol norms of the society are being challenged by the younger generation who want to take their own decisions and prefer not to be shackled by values of the past. The increasing independence of women is threatening the patriarchal society which considers women as the "property" of the caste and the community. And women's chastity is viewed as an honour of the community. This honour is directly linked to their conformity to traditiol and restrictive roles.
Shameful as it may sound, such killings still continue in many parts of the country. Even after 68 years of independence, there is no codified law in India to deal with honour killings. The murders come under the general categories of homicide or manslaughter (Section 299 of Indian Pel Code). The 242nd report of the Law Commission of India has discussed in length to tackle the mece of honour killing in some parts of India and to deal with illegal orders of khap panchayats. In the year 2010, a bill was introduced in Parliament in the me of "The Prevention of Crimes in the ture of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2010", but this bill could not pass parliamentary procedure due to lack of political will of the members. It is high time the authority should condemn this strictly to protect the rights, liberty and dignity of every woman.
We claim to live in a new millennium. We are so advanced in the field of technology that we have even reached Mars. But is our mind really broad enough to give a girl the equal opportunity and freedom as we give to our sons? In our society, the only concern of the parent of a girl child is to find a groom. Is a girl born only to get married, give birth, mage households and always be subordite to men? It is a shame for India that even in the 21st century, crimes like honour killing still exist. In every step of our life, we always try follow the western culture, but what happens when it comes to our daughter's liberation and freedom? In the me of culture and tradition, they are not even permitted to choose their life partner on their own. Their right to live with dignity is being violated by their own blood relatives.
With each day, our tion is growing towards development in every aspect. But there still exist some groups of people who believe in the tradition of restricting the limits of their girl child. They have made their own law and govern by such stupid regulations to the extent of even taking law into their hands. In the me of tradition and honour, they are bringing shame to our country. The Government of India should remember its obligations and commitment to protect its citizens from such violence under the United tions Convention on the Elimition of all forms of Discrimition against Women (CEDAW) of which India is a sigtory and has also ratified it. It is also against the spirit of our very own Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Lastly, in spite of laws and regulations, we need to change people's attitude towards such killings through the modification of values, beliefs and knowledge. Through the virtue of 'interl control techniques', we can try to make people understand the value of life and the value of freedom to every individual, and we can try foremost to teach people that family honour has nothing to deal with such issues. We could try to make people understand the situations of their children and the importance of love and happiness in their children's lives. By killing their own children, these parents themselves bring poor reputation to their family. So, I think if we try to educate people, enough of such values then their attitudes will probably get changed and they would definitely start valuing the importance of the lives of their children.


I support independent contractors and small businesses in the areas of financial health, pricing, promotion, consumer retention strategies, online presence and capital raising.
Clients have coined me "The Pusher" & their "Money Coach."
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I was asked to step up to the plate after someone left the company, and was forced to clean up their mess.
--All servers in the primary office had the dreaded Amber Lights blinking. All servers had at least one failed HDD, and most had a failed power supply.
Yeah, my first day as the head of IT, and I walk into this storm.
Here is where things are now/what I did.
--We retired 15 servers, and moved all functionality necessary for the domain into 4 machines in the primary office. We now run VMware, and have virtual servers in our main office. In addition, we shut down 2 cloud servers.
--We migrated away from the tape backup system, and now use a hybrid local/cloud storage system.
--Moved the company website to the cloud, and changed the DNS records. The virtual server is a completely different network from our environment.
--Brought all documentation for backend and users up to date and posted it on the company intranet.
--straight up shutdown the unknown domain, I ain't payin for no one's domain.
--Killed DFS, as it isn't necessary for an office of 10 people to have their own server.


Considered one of essentially the most common electrical wiring inquiries is on how to wire a swap. Though applying switches at home is sort of effortless, wiring 1 might not be that straightforward for everybody. An ON-OFF switch is actually quite simple to wire. There are different kinds of switches, but for this example, let us say you are installing a single-pole toggle switch, an exceptionally typical switch (and also the most basic).
You will discover a few hues of wires in a typical single-pole toggle switch: black, white, and green. Splice the black wire in two and connect them about the terminal screws - one on top as well as the other within the base screw with the switch. The white wire serves to be a supply of uninterrupted electrical power and it is typically related to some mild coloured terminal screw (e.g., silver). Hook up the green wire on the ground screw of one's switch.
These measures would generally be sufficient to produce a typical switch perform without a issue. On the other hand, when you are usually not self-confident that you choose to can execute the job appropriately and safely and securely you much better enable the pros do it alternatively. Immediately after all, there is certainly a rationale why this task is among the most typical electrical wiring questions requested by plenty of people.
For a few reason, ways to wire a ceiling fan can also be certainly one of quite possibly the most frequent electrical wiring concerns. To simplify this process, you need to use a single change for just a single ceiling fan. To wire the lover, it can be merely a make any difference of connecting the black wire with the ceiling fan on the black wire on the swap. If there is a lightweight, the blue wire needs to be connected towards the black wire on the swap too.
You'll find explanations why they are the most usually asked electrical wiring queries. A single, several imagine it truly is very simple to do, and two, these are definitely the typical electrical jobs at home. But then you certainly mustn't place your basic safety in danger within your purpose to save cash. The stakes could even be much better should you seek to get monetary savings and do an electrical wiring task devoid of enough information or practical experience.


text:
package org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.mgt;

import org.apache.commons.lang.ArrayUtils;
import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
import org.wso2.carbon.CarbonConstants;
import org.wso2.carbon.context.CarbonContext;
import org.wso2.carbon.context.PrivilegedCarbonContext;
import org.wso2.carbon.context.RegistryType;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.common.IdentityApplicationManagementException;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.common.model.ApplicationPermission;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.common.model.InboundAuthenticationRequestConfig;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.common.model.PermissionsAndRoleConfig;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.common.model.Property;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.common.model.ServiceProvider;
import org.wso2.carbon.identity.application.mgt.dao.ApplicationDAO;
import org.wso2.carbon.registry.api.Collection;
import org.wso2.carbon.registry.api.Registry;
import org.wso2.carbon.registry.api.RegistryException;
import org.wso2.carbon.registry.api.Resource;
import org.wso2.carbon.registry.core.RegistryConstants;
import org.wso2.carbon.user.api.UserStoreException;
import org.wso2.carbon.user.core.UserCoreConstants;
import org.wso2.carbon.user.core.UserRealm;
import org.wso2.carbon.user.core.util.UserCoreUtil;
import org.wso2.carbon.user.mgt.UserMgtConstants;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;

public class ApplicationMgtUtil {

    public static final String APPLICATION_ROOT_PERMISSION = "applications";
    public static final String PATH_CONSTANT = RegistryConstants.PATH_SEPARATOR;
    private static final List<String> paths = new ArrayList<String>();
    private static String applicationNode;

    private static Log log = LogFactory.getLog(ApplicationMgtUtil.class);

    private ApplicationMgtUtil() {
    }

    public static org.wso2.carbon.user.api.Permission[] buildPermissions(String applicationName,
                                                                         String[] permissions) {

        org.wso2.carbon.user.api.Permission[] permissionSet = null;

        if (permissions != null) {
            permissionSet = new org.wso2.carbon.user.api.Permission[permissions.length];
            int i = 0;
            for (String permissionString : permissions) {
                permissionSet[i] = new org.wso2.carbon.user.api.Permission(applicationName + "\\"
                        + permissionString, "ui.execute");
            }
        }
        return permissionSet;
    }

    public static boolean isUserAuthorized(String applicationName, String username, int applicationID)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        if (!isUserAuthorized(applicationName, username)) {
            // maybe the role name of the app has updated. In this case, lets
            // load back the old app name
            ApplicationDAO appDAO = ApplicationMgtSystemConfig.getInstance().getApplicationDAO();
            String storedApplicationName = appDAO.getApplicationName(applicationID);
            return isUserAuthorized(storedApplicationName, username);
        }

        return true;
    }

    /**
     * @param applicationName
     * @param username
     * @return
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static boolean isUserAuthorized(String applicationName, String username)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        String applicationRoleName = getAppRoleName(applicationName);
        try {
            if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
                log.debug("Checking whether user has role : " + applicationRoleName + " by retrieving role list of " +
                          "user : " + username);
            }
            String[] userRoles = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUserRealm()
                    .getUserStoreManager().getRoleListOfUser(username);
            for (String userRole : userRoles) {
                if (applicationRoleName.equals(userRole)) {
                    return true;
                }
            }
        } catch (UserStoreException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while checking authorization for user: " +
                    username + " for application: " + applicationName, e);
        }
        return false;
    }

    /**
     * Create a role for the application and assign the user to that role.
     *
     * @param applicationName
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void createAppRole(String applicationName, String username)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        String roleName = getAppRoleName(applicationName);
        String[] usernames = {username};

        try {
            // create a role for the application and assign the user to that role.
            if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
                log.debug("Creating application role : " + roleName + " and assign the user : "
                          + Arrays.toString(usernames) + " to that role");
            }
            CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUserRealm().getUserStoreManager()
                    .addRole(roleName, usernames, null);
        } catch (UserStoreException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while creating application role: " + roleName +
                    " with user " + username, e);
        }
    }

    private static String getAppRoleName(String applicationName) {
        return ApplicationConstants.APPLICATION_DOMAIN + UserCoreConstants.DOMAIN_SEPARATOR + applicationName;
    }

    /**
     * Delete the role of the app
     *
     * @param applicationName
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void deleteAppRole(String applicationName) throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {
        String roleName = getAppRoleName(applicationName);

        try {
            if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
                log.debug("Deleting application role : " + roleName);
            }
            CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUserRealm().getUserStoreManager()
                    .deleteRole(roleName);
        } catch (UserStoreException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while creating application", e);
        }
    }

    /**
     * @param oldName
     * @param newName
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void renameRole(String oldName, String newName) throws UserStoreException {

        if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
            log.debug("Renaming application role : " + UserCoreUtil.addInternalDomainName(oldName)
                    + " to new role : " + UserCoreUtil.addInternalDomainName(newName));
        }
        CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUserRealm().getUserStoreManager()
                .updateRoleName(UserCoreUtil.addInternalDomainName(oldName), UserCoreUtil.addInternalDomainName(newName));

    }

    /**
     * Rename the registry path node name for a deleted Service provider role.
     *
     * @param oldName
     * @param newName
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void renameAppPermissionPathNode(String oldName, String newName)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        List<ApplicationPermission> loadPermissions = loadPermissions(oldName);
        String newApplicationNode = ApplicationMgtUtil.getApplicationPermissionPath() + PATH_CONSTANT + oldName;
        Registry tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getRegistry(
                RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);
        //creating new application node
        try {
            for (ApplicationPermission applicationPermission : loadPermissions) {
                tenantGovReg.delete(newApplicationNode + PATH_CONSTANT + applicationPermission.getValue());
            }
            tenantGovReg.delete(newApplicationNode);
            Collection permissionNode = tenantGovReg.newCollection();
            permissionNode.setProperty("name", newName);
            newApplicationNode = ApplicationMgtUtil.getApplicationPermissionPath() + PATH_CONSTANT + newName;
            ApplicationMgtUtil.applicationNode = newApplicationNode;
            tenantGovReg.put(newApplicationNode, permissionNode);
            addPermission(loadPermissions.toArray(new ApplicationPermission[loadPermissions.size()]), tenantGovReg);
        } catch (RegistryException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while renaming permission node "
                    + oldName + "to " + newName, e);
        }
    }

    /**
     * @param applicationName
     * @param permissionsConfig
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void storePermissions(String applicationName, String username, PermissionsAndRoleConfig permissionsConfig)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        Registry tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getRegistry(
                RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);

        String permissionResourcePath = getApplicationPermissionPath();
        try {
            if (!tenantGovReg.resourceExists(permissionResourcePath)) {
                boolean loggedInUserChanged = false;
                UserRealm realm =
                        (UserRealm) CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUserRealm();
                if (!realm.getAuthorizationManager()
                        .isUserAuthorized(username, permissionResourcePath,
                                UserMgtConstants.EXECUTE_ACTION)) {
                    //Logged in user is not authorized to create the permission.
                    // Temporarily change the user to the admin for creating the permission
                    PrivilegedCarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().setUsername(
                            realm.getRealmConfiguration().getAdminUserName());
                    tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext()
                            .getRegistry(RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);
                    loggedInUserChanged = true;
                }
                Collection appRootNode = tenantGovReg.newCollection();
                appRootNode.setProperty("name", "Applications");
                tenantGovReg.put(permissionResourcePath, appRootNode);
                if (loggedInUserChanged) {
                    PrivilegedCarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().setUsername(username);
                }
            }

            if (permissionsConfig != null) {
                ApplicationPermission[] permissions = permissionsConfig.getPermissions();
                if (permissions == null || permissions.length < 1) {
                    return;
                }

                // creating the application node in the tree
                String appNode = permissionResourcePath + PATH_CONSTANT + applicationName;
                Collection appNodeColl = tenantGovReg.newCollection();
                tenantGovReg.put(appNode, appNodeColl);

                // now start storing the permissions
                for (ApplicationPermission permission : permissions) {
                    String permissinPath = appNode + PATH_CONSTANT + permission;
                    Resource permissionNode = tenantGovReg.newResource();
                    permissionNode.setProperty("name", permission.getValue());
                    tenantGovReg.put(permissinPath, permissionNode);
                }
            }

        } catch (Exception e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while storing permissions for application " +
                    applicationName, e);
        }
    }

    /**
     * Updates the permissions of the application
     *
     * @param applicationName
     * @param permissions
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void updatePermissions(String applicationName, ApplicationPermission[] permissions)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        applicationNode = getApplicationPermissionPath() + PATH_CONSTANT + applicationName;

        Registry tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getRegistry(
                RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);

        try {

            boolean exist = tenantGovReg.resourceExists(applicationNode);
            if (!exist) {
                Collection appRootNode = tenantGovReg.newCollection();
                appRootNode.setProperty("name", applicationName);
                tenantGovReg.put(applicationNode, appRootNode);
            }

            Collection appNodeCollec = (Collection) tenantGovReg.get(applicationNode);
            String[] childern = appNodeCollec.getChildren();

            // new permissions are null. deleting all permissions case
            if ((childern != null && childern.length > 0)
                    && (permissions == null || permissions.length == 0)) { // there are permissions
                tenantGovReg.delete(applicationNode);
            }

            if (ArrayUtils.isEmpty(permissions)) {
                return;
            }

            // no permission exist for the application, create new
            if (childern == null || appNodeCollec.getChildCount() < 1) {

                addPermission(permissions, tenantGovReg);

            } else { // there are permission
                List<ApplicationPermission> loadPermissions = loadPermissions(applicationName);
                for (ApplicationPermission applicationPermission : loadPermissions) {
                    tenantGovReg.delete(applicationNode + PATH_CONSTANT + applicationPermission.getValue());
                }
                addPermission(permissions, tenantGovReg);
            }

        } catch (RegistryException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while storing permissions", e);
        }

    }

    private static void addPermission(ApplicationPermission[] permissions, Registry tenantGovReg) throws
            RegistryException {
        for (ApplicationPermission permission : permissions) {
            String permissionValue = permission.getValue();

            if ("/".equals(permissionValue.substring(0, 1))) {         //if permissions are starts with slash remove that
                permissionValue = permissionValue.substring(1);
            }
            String[] splitedPermission = permissionValue.split("/");
            String permissinPath = applicationNode + PATH_CONSTANT;

            for (int i = 0; i < splitedPermission.length; i++) {
                permissinPath = permissinPath + splitedPermission[i] + PATH_CONSTANT;
                Collection permissionNode = tenantGovReg.newCollection();
                permissionNode.setProperty("name", splitedPermission[i]);
                tenantGovReg.put(permissinPath, permissionNode);
            }

        }
    }

    /**
     * Loads the permissions of the application
     *
     * @param applicationName
     * @return
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static List<ApplicationPermission> loadPermissions(String applicationName)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {
        applicationNode = getApplicationPermissionPath() + PATH_CONSTANT + applicationName;
        Registry tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getRegistry(
                RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);

        try {
            boolean exist = tenantGovReg.resourceExists(applicationNode);

            if (!exist) {
                return Collections.emptyList();
            }

            boolean loggedInUserChanged = false;
            String loggedInUser = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUsername();

            UserRealm realm = (UserRealm) CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getUserRealm();
            if (loggedInUser == null || !realm.getAuthorizationManager().isUserAuthorized(
                    loggedInUser, applicationNode, UserMgtConstants.EXECUTE_ACTION)) {
                //Logged in user is not authorized to read the permission.
                // Temporarily change the user to the admin for reading the permission
                PrivilegedCarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().setUsername(
                        realm.getRealmConfiguration().getAdminUserName());
                tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext()
                        .getRegistry(RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);
                loggedInUserChanged = true;
            }

            paths.clear();             //clear current paths
            List<ApplicationPermission> permissions = new ArrayList<ApplicationPermission>();

            permissionPath(tenantGovReg, applicationNode);      //get permission paths recursively

            for (String permissionPath : paths) {
                ApplicationPermission permission;
                permission = new ApplicationPermission();
                permission.setValue(permissionPath);
                permissions.add(permission);
            }

            if (loggedInUserChanged) {
                PrivilegedCarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().setUsername(loggedInUser);
            }

            return permissions;

        } catch (RegistryException | org.wso2.carbon.user.core.UserStoreException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while reading permissions", e);
        }
    }

    private static void permissionPath(Registry tenantGovReg, String permissionPath) throws RegistryException {

        Collection appCollection = (Collection) tenantGovReg.get(permissionPath);
        String[] childern = appCollection.getChildren();

        if (childern == null || childern.length == 0) {
            paths.add(permissionPath.replace(applicationNode, "").substring(2));
        }

        while (childern != null && childern.length != 0) {
            for (int i = 0; i < childern.length; i++) {
                permissionPath(tenantGovReg, childern[i]);
            }
            break;

        }
    }

    /**
     * Delete the resource
     *
     * @param applicationName
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    public static void deletePermissions(String applicationName) throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        String applicationNode = getApplicationPermissionPath() + PATH_CONSTANT + applicationName;
        Registry tenantGovReg = CarbonContext.getThreadLocalCarbonContext().getRegistry(
                RegistryType.USER_GOVERNANCE);

        try {
            boolean exist = tenantGovReg.resourceExists(applicationNode);

            if (exist) {
                tenantGovReg.delete(applicationNode);
            }

        } catch (RegistryException e) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException("Error while storing permissions", e);
        }
    }

    /**
     * @param o1
     * @param o2
     * @return
     */
    public static Property[] concatArrays(Property[] o1, Property[] o2) {
        Property[] ret = new Property[o1.length + o2.length];

        System.arraycopy(o1, 0, ret, 0, o1.length);
        System.arraycopy(o2, 0, ret, o1.length, o2.length);

        return ret;
    }

    public static String getApplicationPermissionPath() {

        return CarbonConstants.UI_PERMISSION_NAME + RegistryConstants.PATH_SEPARATOR + APPLICATION_ROOT_PERMISSION;

    }

    /**
     * Get Property values
     *
     * @param tenantDomain Tenant domain
     * @param spIssuer SP Issuer
     * @param propertyNames Property names
     * @return Properties map
     * @throws IdentityApplicationManagementException
     */
    protected Map<String, String> getPropertyValues(String tenantDomain, String spIssuer, List<String> propertyNames)
            throws IdentityApplicationManagementException {

        ServiceProvider serviceProvider = ApplicationMgtSystemConfig.getInstance().getApplicationDAO()
                .getApplication(spIssuer, tenantDomain);

        if (serviceProvider == null) {
            throw new IdentityApplicationManagementException(
                    "No service provider exists in the provided tenant, with the given issuer id " + spIssuer);
        }

        Map<String, String> propKeyValueMap = new HashMap<String, String>();

        InboundAuthenticationRequestConfig[] inboundAuthReqConfigs = serviceProvider.getInboundAuthenticationConfig()
                .getInboundAuthenticationRequestConfigs();

        if (inboundAuthReqConfigs != null && inboundAuthReqConfigs.length > 0) {
            for (InboundAuthenticationRequestConfig authConfig : inboundAuthReqConfigs) {
                Property[] properties = authConfig.getProperties();
                for (Property prop : properties) {
                    if (propertyNames.contains(prop.getName())) {
                        propKeyValueMap.put(prop.getName(), prop.getValue());
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        return propKeyValueMap;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Combat Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Module 1 Resources
Unit 1 Slide Deck: Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Combat Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Unit 2 Workbook: Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Combat Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Unit 3 Recording: Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Combat Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Presenter: Cherice Hopkins, Rebecca Burney
It is truly heartbreaking when children end up involved with the juvenile justice system over issues that they rarely have control over, worse, when they're the victims and yet they're being treated as if they're criminals. Too often, this is the situation when it comes to Domestic Child Sex Trafficking (DCST),where instead of being rescued from the exploitative conditions that they are in, minors – mostly girls, are being arrested for prostitution.
Back on the Justice Clearinghouse are Rebecca Burney and Cherice Hopkins from Rights4Girls, a human rights organizations committed to ending gender-based violence. Rebecca is an Attorney and Equal Justice Work Fellow with experience working with survivors of sexual abuse. She provides mentoring and support to abused youth. Meanwhile, Cherice is a Staff Attorney mostly involved in policy research, education and reform in the effort to identify and address the root cause of problems girls are facing in the world today.
On this session, they will shine a light on the multi-disciplinary approach different jurisdictions are employing to combat DCST. Specifics of the course include:
What characterizes domestic child sex trafficking.
The nuances in language that make a difference in how DCST survivors are perceived.
An overview of the profile of the victims and the buyers that highlight the stark difference between the two.
Factors that put the youth at risk for domestic child sex trafficking.
The likelihood of those under child welfare to be vulnerable to DCST based on statistics.
The most common reasons why children do not leave the abusive environment or their abusers.
A look into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how it correlates to trafficking as seen in the ACE scores of trafficked youth.
Typical destructive responses that DCST survivors tend to take part in when not given a trauma-informed response.
How the justice system criminalizes the victims, and the abuse to prison pipeline that takes girls, especially those of color, in for offenses that are mere results of the abuse they experience with records that consequentially hinder their opportunities for a better life once they become adults.
The importance of looking past the behavior and the offense committed to genuinely understand what these trafficked children and youth are enduring.
A comparison of the typical responses between two agencies, and how these produce different outcomes for the minors.
Safe Harbor legislation that are being adopted across the US.
How these protect child trafficking victims from arrest and prosecution and aims to espouse the idea of 'victims, not criminals'.
The variance between legislation across states and the challenges in implementation and inclusion.
The various methods employed across states to further protect victims and survivors by sealing or expunging records that are results of DCST.
A list of all the services and support that survivors need that underlines the importance of a collaborative approach across concerned agencies.
Promising examples of jurisdictions that utilized a Multi-Disciplinary Approach when it comes to responding to and supporting victims and survivors of DCST.
Audience questions are about:
URLs for resources and meanings of acronyms mentioned.
The age range of girls being trafficked.
The race of the buyers.
The trend of domestic child sex trafficking in the US.
Statistics of girls at risk of DCST.
The gaps that must be bridged to recognize victims from criminals.
Audience Comments:
"The stats were eye-opening. Great presentation." — Adriana
"Good to know what is still needed to support survivors and change within the law enforcement system." — Amanda
"I appreciated the statistics. This training was not new to me, but it was a good refresher and I like having the updated statistics from the field." — Ann
"I found valuable information in the details provided towards the end of the presentation about states that have already implemented "Safe harbor" based programs." — Jasmine
"The presenters laid out their information clearly and well. The host was one of the most professional, prepared and well-spoken I've ever heard on any webinar." –Kathy
"The statistics were shocking. I was unaware of all the services to help victim and will be reaching out to them to assist our clients." — Tracy
"Excellent presentation on a TOUGH topic. Thank you!" — L
"Loved these presenters and excellent information! Thanks!" 🙂 — Michaela
"Coming to the sad realization that Trafficking is an epidemic and happening right under our noses." — Shelley
After the Webinar: Combatting Domestic Minor Sex Traffficking. Q&A with the Presenters
Webinar presenters Cherice Hopkins and Rebecca Burney answered a number of your questions after thei […]
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