Four years ago, Austin Peachey lauched his blog, titled, simply, "The Adventures in Odyssey Blog". Now, at that time so many Adventures in Odyssey fan blogs and websites were starting it wasn't even funny. But then, as time went on, they all began to shut down, some by the end of that year. Austin, however, persevered. One year passed. Then, on December 4, 2009, Austin released his first edition of The Adventures in Odyssey BlogCast. Two years passed, three years. Now we get to four years. He has joined an elite group. You wouldn't think four years is that hard, but oh, yeah. The only sites that were running for more than four years are: The Soda Fountain, AIOHQ, The Odyssey Scoop, AIOWiki, The Official Site, and The Town of Odyssey. Considering there have been about fifty Odyssey sites made, that's really a low number. In its four years of existence, the Adventures in Odyssey Blog has turned from a run-of-the-mill blog to being an icon in the Adventures in Odyssey fan community. Actually, as of the time I am writing this, they have exactly four hundred posts. The site has The Adventures in Odyssey Search Engine, a most amazing tool. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's basically Google, except only for Adventures in Odyssey-related sites or items. That took a stroke of creative genius to come up with. The BlogCast has turned from just another attempt at a fan podcast to a top-notch quality production, with amazing interviews, and even its own audio drama. Yes, the Peacheys are entrepreneurs. Not only have they made their own podcast, they've made their own audio drama. But, it's now time for the good part of this tribute; what others say.
Thank you for bringing your blog and podcast to the Internet airwaves! Just kidding, there aren't any airwaves on the Internet. Your BlogCasts were one of the inspirations for creating Out of Control in Odyssey and I just wanted to write and tell you that I appreciate all of your amazing contributions to the Odyssey community. Your interviews are so much fun and I love your sibling chemistry. Happy fourth anniversary; things are looking PEACHEY KEEN in the future. God bless.
Out of Control in Odyssey"
Congrats Austin on your fourth anniversary.
"Thanks for the effort you put into your podcast, Austin. You've obviously made a pretty decent impact on the AIO community. Keep doing what you're doing."
"...I think it's amazing that Austin has been doing this for four years, though, and I advise him, if possible, to continue doing it."
"A well-done blog. Thank you so much for the AIO online fan-base. I enjoy the features thoroughly. It stands out in quality. Thank you for making this blog, and remaining dedicated, keeping it going so amazingly long!"
"Congratulations Ausitn and Tasha!! I love your podcast!!
"Austin, Tasha, you have shown incredible perseverance in doing what you're doing. You have been there has a pillar in the Adventures in Odyssey fan community when all your other counterparts fell by the wayside. The same way with your podcast. You are amazingly creative people, and the Adventures in Odyssey community is lucky to have you two. Keep serving the Lord one hundred percent, and you'll do fine. No matter what happens, or however many new websites or podcasts pop up, you have endeared yourself to so many people, and we don't ever want it to end. Just remember that it was the Lord who gave you the ability to do what you do and who gave us Adventures in Odyssey in the first place. We can't wait to see what you have in store for us, and to borrow an overused Whit quote, 'The best is yet to come'."
Well, that's my tribute. I hope you liked it. I'm sorry I couldn't get more quotes. Oh well, that's all for now, so stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy Twists and Turns!
Yes Austin. Your blog is one of the best blogs ever!!
Yay! Suzy made it before Suzy commented this time!
Splendid! A lovely news article. You are so thoughtful to do that, Old Judge. As for the Blackgaard courtroom, I loved it. It's so good to see some new stuff on your blog. What a wonderful pair of updates!
Congratulations, Austin and Tasha! It's amazing how many years you've been going when so many other sites have stopped!
Austin's blog is great! It is, indeed, pretty amazing that he's kept it up so long.
Over the weeks, (yes, weeks) The AIO Blogcast has replaced UAIOP as my favorite AIO Podcast. It has wonderful, hilarious episode reviews, absolutely fascinating interviews, and radio dramas that rival Odyssey in their well-writteness (I know, that's not a word) and performances. Thank you for this tribute, Old Judge. I really, really enjoyed it. But I suppose I would have to, since it has a quote from me! When will your next post be out?
That's a Great Tribute Old Judge! Congrats AIO Blog!!


text:
Is she sending me mixed signals am I misinterpreting her signals
reyzer100387
January 8, 2015 at 4:27 pm #70153
I apologize in advance for this long story. I am 27 years old and the girl in question is 26 years old.
We met in the elevator of our apartment block. Our cars park in the same basement. We would casually chat until one day I asked her name, then we spoke for a quite a few minutes and I told her that I was moving out – she seemed sad to hear that. For the life of me I don't know why I never asked for her number.
Anyway, a week later, just before I could move out I went to her flat to ask her out. She was not at home and her car was out. The next morning I see a note on my windscreen with her number, saying that we should meet up some time. I contacted her thereafter but she was out of town for 2 weeks and said we should meet up when she's back (by this time I had moved out).
We only met 6 weeks later, as she was busy. I even messaged her prior to that and told her don't bother as it's clear I am pestering her and she's not interested. She responds and profusely apologizes saying it's all her fault and that she is really busy but wants to meet.
We did eventually meet at a bar (6 weeks later), with some other random people who were friends of her friends. The conversation went very well, but somewhere during the night I ended up talking to some of the other random people while she was talking one of the guys. Nevertheless it seemed like a standard hangout night with a group of people. The next day I messaged her and say I had a nice time, she says likewise and asks if I feel better knowing that she's 26 (as I thought she was 20 – she looks young).
January 9, 2015 at 5:35 am #70163
I think she is definitely interested. I don't think she would have gone out of her way to leave her number on your windscreen if she wasn't. I would only do that if I was really interested and thought I would miss a chance at a good thing.
She could have genuinely been busy. There has been times when I have struggled to juggle work, family and friends during certain periods when work is super busy, so adding dating to the mix would have been the last thing on my mind.
As for this standard hangout, maybe suggest going to see a movie or go for food, something that implies it just being the two of you guys. You'll be able to tell then if it's something that could possibly lead somewhere or if it's more of a friendly thing. So ask her on another date but make it clear it's a date:) hope it goes well!
After that I was out of town for a few weeks with work but we chatted quite often. I sent her pictures of my travels and she mentioned that I have to take her there. When I returned home, we went out to a bar – just the two of us – some 10 weeks after she left me that note. She told me that she said to her friends that she finally met a nice guy in the apartment and now he's moving out (referring to me). She mentioned how she was waiting for me to ask for her number but I never did hence she left the note. The night went well; we talked, laughed, teased etc. She asked me if I'm an ass man or boobs man, among other things. She also mentioned that just because she talks to other guys it doesn't mean infidelity, and that was something her previous boyfriends did not understand. She likes talking and socialising with all types of people.
Eventually the bar closed and there were no places nearby so she said that we should go to my place and continue drinking, which I agreed on. Then I remembered that I had no alcohol so I told her so and said I would stop somewhere and get alcohol. She said no problem. We took a taxi to get the drinks and then go to my place, but before getting back she said she's tired and asked if it's ok if I drop her home. So I got the taxi to do so.
She apologized the next day, saying she was very tired. I said it's cool. We continued to chat over the next few days. I tried to arrange for us to meet but she was busy during the week. When I tried to meet with her on the Friday after, she said that she had a girls' night out and therefore could not make it. She then calls me at 3:00 am that morning to chat.
The next day I call her to continue our chat, which goes well. She agrees to meet me for breakfast but then cancels as she was too hung-over.
A week later she contacts me to meet for drinks and asks me to bring my friends along as she would be there with some female friends. We meet at the bar and we chat for while before she goes back to her friends and I go back to mine. Later in the evening she's talking to some other guy who approached her at her table. I then accept that she's not interested. Later on she approaches me to chat and I ask her if she's interested in that other guy because I'm interested in her (which I thought was obvious by now). Well she says she's not interested in that other guy, but that her life is a bit complicated right now and I respond by saying its cool.
Even later that night she tells me that she told the guy that she's not interested in him, because she's interested in me (she was stone sober, while I was not). That guy actually tells me later in the night that she brushed him off and said it's because she's interested in me.
Me and her continue to chat for the rest of the night, and thereafter she leaves with her friends. The next day she says she had a nice time and asked me what my friends thought of her. I said they said she was cool.
That was 1 month ago, in December. We have not met since then because she went home to her family, but we have chatted during that time.
She leaves her number on my windscreen, but takes 6 weeks to go out with me, and it was with a group of others. Thereafter, when just the two of us do go out, she asks me to take her back to my place for drinks, but eventually bails out. She tells me how she was waiting for me to ask for her number, and she tells her friends about me. Then, in December she arranges to meet with me because she won't see me during the festive season. Now that she's back from holidays we have chatted but she cannot see me this weekend as she has plans, but says that we will meet soon.
Now, did I misinterpret her signals?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The park has 36 privately owned static caravans and 48 touring pitches. The caravan park has a modern toilet block, play area, snooker room, football pitch, laundry room, picnic area, fishing, a library, games room and Wi-Fi.
The caravan park is within easy reach of Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Ironbridge, beautiful Shropshire towns; Welshpool and Montgomery idyllic local towns and you will be close to the Mid Wales coast. All in all a wonderful holiday experience and only 1.5 hours drive from Birmingham or Liverpool.
Rates: Touring and tenting from £15.
To make a reservation or to request more information about staying at Bank Farm Caravan Park.
Contact Gill Corfield on 01938 570526 / 07753 685260 or fill in the form below.


Utter and complete failure. Followed the directions to a 'T' to replace my home button. Home button works now. Digitizer and screen now only work periodically. Degreased the connections with windex and it only made it worse.
hey man great tutorial, was wondering if you can make a video?
Job complete. Took me 2 hours and everything is working as good as new. Excellent guide. The only thing I didn't use was Windex but everything worked fine without it.
I bought a new home button on ebay ..
Note to myself: Check home button BEFORE disassembling the whole phone ..


text:
Gettysburg Students Join National Park Service in Frontline Positions
Civil War Institute
Student Historians
Fall Field Program
Civil War Era Studies
As visitors return to America's national parks and national historic sites this coming spring and summer, five current Gettysburg College Public History students will be on the frontlines to engage them. These veterans of CWI's Brian C. Pohanka Internship Program have drawn on their field experience as interns and their academic study of history, public history, and the Civil War era to land positions as National Park Service guides and visitor use assistants for the 2021 summer season. In their new positions, they will provide guided tours and formal programs on the history, culture, and natural resources of their park sites; work Visitor Center desks and fee collection booths; and provide directions and orientation for visitors.
Thompson Dasher '21 (History, Public History, and Civil War Era Studies) will join the staff of one of the nation's most visited parks, Acadia National Park, home of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States. Garrett Kost '21 (IDS, Public History) will work in "America's front yard," the National Mall, home to many of the nation's most iconic monuments and memorials. Benjamin Roy '21 (History, CWES, and Public History) will serve at Gateway National Recreation Area, the gateway from the Atlantic Ocean into New York Harbor, with cultural landscapes, beaches, and historic structures that function as the gateway to the National Park Service for millions of visitors. Cameron Sauers '21 (History, CWES, and Public History) has accepted a position at Cape Cod National Seashore, once described by Henry David Thoreau as a place in which a person could stand and "put all America behind him." At the end of their summer seasons, some of these soon-to-be Gettysburg alumni will begin graduate programs in history, while others will pursue permanent careers in the National Park Service or other public history organizations. Returning student Erica Uszak '22 will spend the spring and summer as a park guide at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, a sprawling site encompassing portions of four different Civil War battlefields as well as plantation grounds supported by an enslaved labor force.
All five of these students got their start in public history through the Civil War Institute's Pohanka Internship Program and Gettysburg's interdisciplinary Public History minor. When combined with their own initiative and hard work, their well-rounded approach to public history work and extensive field experience has opened exciting professional doors that will move them into post-graduate employment in their chosen field.


text:
Children's graves found in Dublin unmarried mothers' home
A researcher looking into the deaths as a result of neglect at the Bethany mother and baby home in Dublin has di...
A researcher looking into the deaths as a result of neglect at the Bethany mother and baby home in Dublin has discovered a further 200 graves, which date between 1922 and 1949.
Many of the babies in the Bethany Home died from malnutrition and their deaths were never recorded.
Niall Meehan, a Griffith College lecturer, has previously discovered 40 unmarked graves, but he has now uncovered a further 200.
Meehan has published his discoveries in the publication "History Ireland."
He said 54 of the children's bodies which were found died from convulsions, 41 from heart failure and 26 from malnutrition. Nineteen of the babies were still born.
Two thirds of these deaths of the babies in unmarked graves happened between 1935 and 1944 and therefore they should have been declared. Run by evangelical members of the Church of Ireland,the home had no formal connection to the Church.
As well as being a home for mothers and children, it was a place of detention for women convicted of theft, prostitution, infanticide and birth concealment.
In 1934, a new law was brought in Ireland, the Maternity Act, whereby child deaths would have to be registered.
In his article in "History Ireland" he says, "The Irish State failed to do anything substantive about death, neglect and export of children in a home it inspected, to which its courts sent convicted women and young people.
"It misused its Maternity Act inspection regime to achieve merely a level sectarian playing field. The state then delayed providing financial resources throughout the 1940s, until recognition under the 1939 Public Assistance Act was achieved in 1948. Had it been otherwise lives might have been spared and life experiences improved."


Local land-based pollution makes coral reefs more vulnerable to ocean acidification and could trigger coastal coral reef ecosystem collapses sooner than projected, according to new research.
Coral reefs are threatened globally by ocean acidification caused by rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide influx heightens the ocean's acidity, creating an environment that stunts coral growth.
The new study, accepted for publication in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, finds local land-based pollution can make coral reefs even more vulnerable to ocean acidification by magnifying its effects.
Degraded coral reefs at Kahekili Beach Park. The study's researchers found little evidence of live coral cover.
The new study finds pollution from a wastewater treatment facility in west Maui, Hawaii, has drastically weakened local coral reefs for more than 10 years. By increasing local seawater acidity and nutrient levels, the polluted water has instigated harmful bioerosion and inhibited coral reef growth.
Recent research has highlighted how individual local stressors like overfishing and nutrient run-off can independently impact corals from the Florida Keys to the Great Barrier Reef. But the new study shows how multiple local stressors, including acidity and nutrient levels, work in concert to accelerate coral reef decline.
This new research emphasizes how coral reefs adjacent to densely populated shorelines are particularly vulnerable to the effects of ocean acidification amplified by local pollution.
"What we've shown here is that reducing any stressors at a local scale is critical to coral reef health, particularly when local stressors interact with changing ocean conditions on a global scale," said Nancy Prouty, a research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey's Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California and lead author of the study.
If coral reefs erode faster than they can grow, they will be less able to protect coastal communities from hazardous storms and waves, especially if sea levels keep rising, according to Nyssa Silbiger, a marine biologist at California State University in Northridge, California who was not involved with the study.
Coral reef health has been a concern in west Maui, where reefs are exposed to freshwater that flows underground from the island to the seafloor.
This process, submarine groundwater discharge, is natural and has been occurring in Maui for decades. However, this discharge system caused concern when a local water treatment facility began injecting treated wastewater deep underground. In 2013, scientists revealed that the facility's acidic, nutrient-rich water eventually makes its way to the sea through submarine groundwater discharge.
Nutrient enriched seawater can trigger algal blooms. The algae become a feeding ground for bacteria, sponges and bivalves. While eating the algae, these organisms often burrow into coral skeletons and erode coral exteriors, a process known as bioerosion. Bioerosion is a natural process that modulates coral growth, but excessive nutrient levels can throw the system out of balance, causing corals to erode faster than they can develop.
The facility's acidic wastewater can disrupt coral reef growth as well. Corals form by calcification, in which they use the calcium and carbonate ions in the ocean to build their calcium carbonate skeleton. Under optimal conditions, the ocean is saturated with both ions. But when the seawater's pH lowers, the newly free hydrogen ions trap carbonate ions in the form of carbonic acid, reducing the number of calcium-bonding carbonate ions available. In severe situations, calcium carbonate structures start to dissolve to make up for the ocean's depleted carbonate stock.
Computerized tomography (CT) image and respective photograph of coral core collected near a seep at Kahekili Beach Park. The coral core shows a high degree of bioerosion and loss of calcium carbonate skeleton.
In the new study, Prouty and her colleagues examined how low pH and high nutrient conditions from the treated wastewater influenced west Maui coral reefs. They collected seven core samples from corals growing by the Kahekili seashore in west Maui at varying distances from groundwater-discharging seeps on the seafloor. The researchers assessed coral growth and bioerosion by generating 3-D images of the cores with computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan technology, similar to CAT scan machinery found in hospitals. They also analyzed Kahekili beach's water conditions, including its salinity, temperature, acidity, and dissolved carbon and nutrient levels.
The researchers found seawater closer to the groundwater-leaking seeps had a lower pH, less carbonate available, and nitrate levels 50 times higher than seawater farther from the seep site. Accordingly, the corals closer to the seeps grew slower and exhibited more bioerosion compared to corals situated farther from the seep sites. These corals were noticeably pitted and riddled with holes, a sign that algae-hungry creatures had excavated into the coral skeleton.
The authors conclude that the polluted groundwater infiltrating the seashore is likely responsible for altering coastal water chemistry and detrimentally impacting local reef systems. If this process continues, local problems can become an additional burden to coral systems already stressed from ocean acidification occurring due to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, they said.
—Olivia Trani is a public information intern at AGU.


text:
10 Best Wii U Open World Games of All Time
We already published the list of best Wii U games of all time, now it's time to discover the best Wii U open world games of all time.
With amazing titles like the Batman: Arkham series, The Amazing Spider-Man series, and Zelda series, the Wii U surely have a great collection of open world games.
If you're a fan of both Wii U and open world games, there's a chance you'll like this list.
Most of you will know (or even still playing) some of the games mentioned in this list.
Open-World (You're Here!)
See also: Best 3DS Games & Best Switch Games
#10. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Beenox/Activision, 2014
Action Adventure » Open-World
#9. The Amazing Spider-Man
#8. Batman: Arkham Origins
Human Head Studios/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, 2013
#7. LEGO City Undercover
TT Games/Nintendo, 2013
#6. Assassin's Creed III
Ubisoft Quebec/Ubisoft, 2012
#5. Batman: Arkham City – Armored Edition
WB Games Montreal/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, 2012
#4. Darksiders II
Vigil Games/THQ, 2012
#3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Tantalus/Nintendo, 2016
#2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
HexaDrive/Nintendo, 2013
#1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo, 2017
Are your favorite games on the list?
Determining the best Wii U open world game is no doubt a never ending topic (mostly because new games are still being released), but it's worth the time!
10 Best GameCube Simulation Games of All Time
10 Best 3DS Virtual Simulation Games of All Time
10 Best N64 Sim Racing Games of All Time
25 Best PS3 Arcade Racing Games of All Time


Ribbon Communications announced that Franklin (Fritz) W. Hobbs, a director of the Company, has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Hobbs is a highly-experienced executive who has led company transformations across multiple industries. The appointment follows the resignation of Ray Dolan, as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a director of the Company.
Mr. Hobbs said, "Ribbon is at the forefront of real-time communications, dedicated to serving our customers as an innovative and secure global real-time communications organization. Following the successful merger, and as we accelerate the synergies which are resulting from bringing together the talents of the teams, Ribbon is well-positioned to execute and capitalize on our many opportunities. I look forward to leading Ribbon, with the incredible support and guidance from the Company's Board and deep bench of highly skilled technical and management talent. Working with all of our employees around the world, we will continue focusing on creating value for our shareholders, customers and partners as we deliver market-leading real-time communications and security solutions across the globe."
The Company noted that today's announcement is not related to the Company's financial performance for the current quarter or progress to-date on the Company's merger integration efforts.


text:
Percat disappointed at being unable to share celebrations
Monday 29th June, 2020 - 1:00pm
Nick Percat
Nick Percat admits that it was disappointing not to be able to properly celebrate his first win for Brad Jones Racing with the team due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Percat took out Race 8 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship at the BP Ultimate Sydney SuperSprint, the first event since the local outbreak of the coronavirus.
A number of infection prevention and control measures were implemented at Sydney Motorsport Park, including the scrapping of podiums.
For Percat, however, the greater disappointments were the fact that several crew members, including owner Brad Jones, were absent, and those that did attend were unable to join him at his car post-race in order to prevent teams from intermingling.
"I think the biggest thing was not having the team over the (pit) wall at the end of the race, not being down in parc ferme with you," he explained.
"Obviously, they do all the hard work and we, as a driver, get all the coverage and the limelight, so it would have just been nice to have all the BJR guys down there with me.
"The podium, obviously that's cool personally, but I think just (to) share it with the team that does all the hard work would have been really cool."
The win was the third of Percat's Virgin Australia Supercars Championship career, after a rookie triumph as co-driver to Garth Tander in the 2011 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and a shock victory with Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport in Adelaide in 2016.
The latter of those was a chaotic, rain-shortened affair in which Percat inherited the lead late in the piece when five drivers in front of him had to peel off to meet their mandatory fuel drop.
Strategy did still come to the fore in Sydney, with the need to ration five sets of tyres across three races having a major influence on how the Sunday encounters played out.
Percat had better tyres at his disposal for Race 8, which allowed him to pass Jamie Whincup for the lead in the second stint after coming to pressure the pole-sitter during the first.
"It was nice to win it not with a cloud over it (like) the Adelaide 500 win," he remarked.
"It was good fun, this tyre strategy stuff, because you're sitting on the grid and you're looking around at who's with you and it's kind of like playing poker but you're playing it with 24 people on the fly and you can't actually see their expressions.
"It was mega fun and I think it was by Lap 3 or 4 when I realised that Shane (van Gisbergen) had nothing on his car that was any good and then Scotty (McLaughlin) obviously didn't have a very good tyre on at the start of that race.
"I thought, 'You know what, we just need to have a crack here, all in, see how we go,' and had a bit of fun with Jamie there, and just kind of nursed it home."
Percat finished fifth and ninth in the weekend's other two races, leaving him seventh in the championship on the way to the Truck Assist Winton SuperSprint on July 18-19.


text:
package org.parboiled.support;

import org.testng.annotations.Test;

import static org.testng.Assert.assertEquals;

public class CharactersTest {

    @Test
    public void testSimpleCharactersOps() {
        assertEquals(Characters.NONE.toString(), "[]");
        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.toString(), "![]");

        assertEquals(Characters.NONE.add('A').toString(), "[A]");
        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.add('A'), Characters.ALL);

        assertEquals(Characters.NONE.remove('A'), Characters.NONE);
        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.remove('A').toString(), "![A]");
        assertEquals(Characters.of('A').remove('A'), Characters.NONE);
    }

    @Test
    public void testMultiCharactersOps() {
        assertEquals(Characters.NONE.add(Characters.ALL), Characters.ALL);
        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.add(Characters.NONE), Characters.ALL);

        assertEquals(Characters.NONE.remove(Characters.ALL), Characters.NONE);
        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.remove(Characters.NONE), Characters.ALL);

        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.remove(Characters.of('A', 'B')).toString(), "![AB]");
        assertEquals(Characters.ALL.remove(Characters.allBut('A', 'B')).toString(), "[AB]");

        assertEquals(Characters.of('A', 'B').add(Characters.of('B', 'C')), Characters.of('A', 'B', 'C'));
        assertEquals(Characters.allBut('A', 'B').add(Characters.of('B', 'C')), Characters.allBut('A'));
        assertEquals(Characters.of('A', 'B').add(Characters.allBut('B', 'C')), Characters.allBut('C'));
        assertEquals(Characters.allBut('A', 'B').add(Characters.allBut('B', 'C')), Characters.allBut('B'));

        assertEquals(Characters.of('A', 'B').remove(Characters.of('B', 'C')), Characters.of('A'));
        assertEquals(Characters.allBut('A', 'B').remove(Characters.of('B', 'C')), Characters.allBut('A', 'B', 'C'));
        assertEquals(Characters.of('A', 'B').remove(Characters.allBut('B', 'C')), Characters.of('B'));
        assertEquals(Characters.allBut('A', 'B').remove(Characters.allBut('B', 'C')), Characters.of('C'));
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Locke Bowman (right), Director of the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center, and G. Flint Taylor, a founding partner of the People's Law Office, both attorneys representing the family of David Koschman, speak at Northwestern Law School in Chicago on Sept. 19, 2013. | J.Geil/for Sun-Times Media
Prosecutor: Cops can't be charged
CATEGORY: Koschman Archive, Latest News, Sun-Times investigation
By TIM NOVAK, CHRIS FUSCO, CAROL MARIN AND DAN MIHALOPOULOS
Nearly 10 months after former Mayor Richard M. Daley's nephew Richard J. "R.J." Vanecko was indicted in the 2004 death of David Koschman, a grand jury investigation into the way police and prosecutors handled the case has ended, and no new indictments will be issued.
The 17-month-investigation led by court-appointed special prosecutor Dan K. Webb didn't clear police and prosecutors of wrongdoing in their original investigation of Koschman's death. Instead, Webb said Thursday in announcing the end of the probe that the statute of limitations on bringing criminal charges in that investigation had run out.
"No additional indictments have been sought because the applicable statute of limitations bars any prosecutions under state law for the Chicago Police Department and Cook County state's attorney's office actions taken in 2004," Webb said in a court filing.
Webb, a former U.S. attorney, said the law that applies bars charging anyone after three years.
He also reexamined the police department's 2011 reinvestigation of the case and found "insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any state criminal law violations as to actions taken by CPD personnel in 2011."
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
1. Special prosecutor Dan K. Webb's statement on Thursday's development. Read more
2. A closer look at the punch, two police investigations and the aftermath. Read more
3. Get the ebook "The Killing of David Koschman: A Watchdogs Investigation." Read more
WHERE VANECKO TRIAL STANDS
A trial date in the involuntary manslaughter case of Richard J. "R.J." Vanecko in the death of David Koschman could be set next week. Vanecko, a nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, has his next scheduled court appearance on Tuesday. In May, McHenry County Circuit Judge Maureen P. McIntyre — appointed to handle the case after the Illinois Supreme Court agreed there were too many potential conflicts of interest for the case to be heard by a Cook County judge — told attorneys to "keep January and February open."
At Webb's request, Cook County Circuit Judge Michael P. Toomin issued an order temporarily delaying the public release of the 162-page report on his findings. Webb said sealing the report was necessary to help ensure Vanecko, who's charged with involuntary manslaughter, gets a fair trial.
"In some circumstances, pretrial publicity can be so intense that it threatens the ability of a defendant to select an impartial jury," Webb wrote. "While there is a strong public interest that supports the immediate release of the report, there is an overriding interest in protectng the defendant's right to a fair trial."
Vanecko, 39, is due in court next week. A trial date could be set then.
Keeping the special prosecutor's report under seal for now leaves a host of unanswered questions, said G. Flint Taylor and Locke E. Bowman, the attorneys for Koschman's mother, Nanci Koschman.
"We are very interested in finding out exactly what the special prosecutor found with regard to the Daley family," said Taylor, founder of the People's Law Office. "We want to find out whether a code of silence maintained itself within the state's attorney's office and within the police department to cover for the mayor and his family, and whether that, in fact, was one of the main reasons why, in 2004, there were not indictments brought against Vanecko."
Bowman, director of Northwestern University's MacArthur Justice Center, added: "We don't have answers to the questions of who in the police department was involved in this. We don't have answers to the fundamental question of how this investigation got derailed and what the role of the Daley family was in influencing that."
Bowman also said that even if no charges can be filed, anyone who was engaged in wrongdoing could still face penalties — including firing and possibly bar sanctions.
"The special prosecutor, in effect, is saying that in 2004 there was criminal misconduct," Bowman said. "If there are people still in public service who, in 2004, were engaging in obvious acts of official misconduct, then those people . . . need to be fired."
The grand jury Webb oversaw returned the indictment against Daley's nephew on Dec. 3. Since that time, it had continued to look into the police and state's attorney's handling of the investigations into the 21-year-old Mount Prospect man's death.
While Webb said that no charges could be filed regarding the original 2004 investigations because of the statute of limitations, he wrote, "There is no evidence of any kind suggesting any violations of Illinois criminal law as to actions taken by [state's attorney's office] personnel in connection with its participation in the Koschman investigation in 2011 and 2012."
A spokeswoman said Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez "is pleased that the special prosecutor makes clear . . . that there was no evidence of any kind suggesting misconduct on the part of anyone in the state's attorney's office during her administration's investigation into the Koschman matter."
In the 17 months since his appointment, Webb said he obtained information from 146 witnesses — including police, prosecutors and Chicago city officials — and reviewed 22,000 documents totaling more than 300,000 pages, including "telephone records, e-mails, police reports, policy and procedure manuals, internal memoranda, attendance records, medical records, access logs, historical cell site data, recovered computer data, video surveillance, billing records and receipts."
Richard Devine, who was state's attorney in 2004 and had Alvarez as his chief of staff, told the Sun-Times he met twice with the special prosecutor's staff — about six weeks ago and over a year ago.
"While prosecutors can draw different conclusions from the evidence, I certainly don't believe there was anything improper done by the assistant state's attorneys," Devine said Thursday. "Based on the knowledge I have of what the prosecutors did, I did not find anything wrong or improper in their work or their conclusions."
Devine said he conveyed that view to the investigators and "answered all the questions they asked me."
He would not say what he was asked, except to say, "We had a full discussion."
Webb's assertion that the statute of limitations on any 2004 crimes expired was "a statement of law, not a statement of what they did find or didn't find," said Devine, who was second-in-command when Daley was state's attorney in the 1980s. "It's all speculation beyond that."
Former Mayor Daley had no comment on the latest developments in the case, according to a spokeswoman for the law firm where Daley has worked since leaving office in 2011.
A spokesman for Phil Cline — the police superintendent in 2004 — said Cline had no comment.
Attorney Thomas Breen, who along with Terence Gillespie and Marc W. Martin is representing Vanecko, said they had no comment.
The bill for the special prosecutor's investigation — being paid, at Toomin's order, by Cook County — amounts to more than $1 million. Webb announced in January that his law firm, Winston & Strawn, would not bill taxpayers for its services beyond that time. He continues to bill for expenses.
Koschman died 11 days after getting into an argument in the early-morning hours of April 25, 2004, and being punched in the face and knocked to the ground, striking his head on the pavement on Division Street west of Dearborn, according to police reports.
Vanecko, who was 6-foot-3 and weighed 230 pounds, is charged with causing the death of Koschman, who stood nearly a foot shorter and weighed about 100 pounds less than Vanecko.
Vanecko ran off afterward and was later identified by someone he was with that night. He refused to speak with the police, who said witnesses were unable to identify him in a lineup.


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To Push Forward U.S. Agenda, Obama Must Attend Winter Games
Alexei Nikolsy/Abaca Press Via MCT
By FREDERIC ADOR
Every four years, the world gathers to watch athletes compete in the Olympic Winter Games, and this year will be no exception. Starting Feb. 6, competitors will meet for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia and face each other in their respective sports over the course of 16 days before returning home, hopefully with a medal or two in their bags.
However, the 22nd Winter Olympics will be slightly different—if the events leading up to it are anything to go by. Commentators around the world have used this competition to voice their disapproval of Russia's policies concerning international issues and discrimination against minorities. This international debate took an unexpected turn when President Barack Obama, citing a busy schedule, stated that neither he, the first lady nor the vice president would attend the Games this year. If this is indeed the case, it will be the first time since 2000 that the U.S. delegation will not feature a U.S. president, first lady or vice president.
The relationship between Russia and the U.S. is one that is rocky at best, and it is extremely important that a major government figure be in attendance at this year's Olympics. Even though NBC News reported that Alexander Zhukov, the head of Russian Olympic Committee, was "not really concerned" about the president's refusal to come, not attending the Games would mean skipping out on a great opportunity to improve the USA's image abroad and show support to victims of discrimination in Russia. In fact, since enacting a law preventing homosexual propaganda, cases of violence against the LGBT by far-right groups have soared. Moreover, a mere 16 percent of the population in Russia thinks homosexuality should be accepted by society, according to the Washington Post.
In order to promote acceptance and diversity, naming a U.S. delegation led by three openly gay athletes, tennis legend Billie Jean King, Olympic hockey medalist Caitlin Cahow and figure skating champion Billy Boitano, is a great political move. The president's disapproval of Russia's anti-gay laws is clear, and even though the White House did not openly mention said laws, President Obama's message will be well carried by these exceptional athletes. Still, I believe that the president's presence with the delegation would empower his message. In a country with a biased media and rampant propaganda, President Obama has the opportunity to speak without filter and end his message with an exclamation mark.
A presidential visit would also improve the opinion of the U.S. in Russia. According to the Pew Research Center, favorable opinion has been slowly decreasing in the last four years, currently standing at a low 51 percent. For the second half of 2013, however, both countries have reached compromises on Syria and terrorism that seemed to indicate a positive trend in their bilateral relationship. If President Obama were to attend the Olympics, he would show Russia that he is committed to a peaceful and diplomatic approach. Additionally, such a visit might help suppress the memory of Obama and Putin's awkward meeting in June 2013, where they avoided eye contact and disagreed on virtually everything.
Finally, the Sochi Olympics are held less than two months after a wave of terrorist attacks in Volgograd, one of the largest cities in the region, by Chechen Islamic terrorists. In addition to showing a common front against terrorism and establishing the U.S. not only as a friend of Russia but as a friend of the Russian people, President Obama has the opportunity to make the Olympic Games a safer place for all by simply attending. Not only would his presence be an example of empathy for the victims of discrimination and for those suffering from terrorism, but in a time when there are very real terrorist threats near and in Sochi, and when there are less U.S. security experts attending the Games than there have been before, the presence of an important U.S. state official would actually lead to higher security for everybody throughout the Games.
Regardless of the Olympics, it is hard to forget that U.S.-Russia relations have always been a tricky matter. Many topics are sources of tension, from Edward Snowden to LGBT discrimination to Syria—however, refusing to meet one's counterpart will certainly not lead to viable and peaceful solutions. Today is a moment when Obama can think about his legacy: does he want to be remembered as the president who turned the US-RU relationship sour again? I do not think so. This is an opportunity for Obama to set his problems aside to focus on the bigger picture and work towards a more peaceful and accepting world, the kind of world a Nobel Peace Prize winner should aspire to.
Tags: Discrimination, Frederic Ador, LGBT laws, obama, olympics, policy, Putin, russia, Sochi, Winter Games, Winter Olympics
NYC Power Outage Hits Fordham Lincoln Center
Just before midnight Saturday, Con Edison confirmed that power had been restored to all customers affected by the blackout.
Check out this month's astrological predictions in the Observer's second horoscope.
Doing Good with Your DCBs
It's the end of spring semester. You have over $200 left on your meal plan. There are only a couple days of school left. What on earth are you going to do? I used my remaining DCBs to buy meals for the homeless.
July Crossword
Ram Jams: Jonas Brothers' 'Happiness Begins' Defies Expectations, Is Actually Pretty Okay
The brothers' long-awaited comeback album may not be especially deep or revolutionary, but it sure is fun.
Summer Sounds: Belgian Band Balthazar
Indie-pop band Balthazar recently ended a U.S. tour with a sold-out show in Brooklyn and is ready to take the American music scene by storm.
I Hate Dogs and I Am Not a Horrible Human Being
Reflections on Sydney Monfries' Passing
Fordham Receives "Mixed" Rankings
Summer Sounds: Introducing the Unstoppable Suzi Wu


AAISX - Get the latest information on American Beacon International Equity Fund Advisor Class including quotes, interactive charts and more. Find funds related to American Beacon International Equity Fund Advisor Class by Mutual Fund sector and Mutual Fund family.
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This Is Not An Emergency. This Is Only A Test.
I saw this sign the other day during my travels and it got me to thinking.
I am very interested in preparedness. I like the idea of being ready for what may come. I like collecting things, organizing them and planning ahead for 'just in case'. A friend once told me we were the most self-sustaining people he knew. If that's true, then we are all in trouble because for all the planning ahead and preparing for the worst that we do here in the Big Cedars, it's still not nearly enough.
The ice storm of 2007 was proof enough of that. Twelve days without electricity was brutal for me.
We prepare for the worst in all sorts of ways. We buy insurance. We save money. We plant gardens. We raise animals. We go to church. All of these things we do in an effort to hedge against the worst-case scenarios. That's probably why I like the Worst-Case Scenario books so much. It's good to know exactly how to survive a falling elevator, jump from a building into a dumpster or stop a runaway passenger train if need be.
The chances of those things happening are low for sure. I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on them. I do often think about what I would do if the world went to hell, and I was in Rolla or Osage Beach when it happened. I figure that's how it will go. Then I'll have to make my way home and fight off the angry hordes of zombies.
The good news is, there's a manual for that too. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Paranormal. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't an app for it. There were two Worst Case Scenerio apps but one was for work. The best way to avoid those scenarios is to stay out of the office.
At least if I'm in Rolla when it happens, I know where NOT to start my trek to safety. Right here, at the "Incident By-Pass Route" because we all know that following the advice of the government or in this case MoDot in the event of a catastrophic emergency will solve all of our problems.
Do not follow the "Incident By-Pass Route". They may be the Government, but they are NOT here to help.


It is important to know the extent of the property included in the lease to ensure that you have access to everything you need to run your business. For example, you may require a right to use other parts of the Landlord's property in common with other tenants, such as a lift or a kitchen area. You may also need a right of access to the premises via a private roadway.
You should also ensure that the permitted use under the lease accords with your intended use of the premises.
It is unlikely that you will be able to negotiate the rent required by the Landlord but you could try to negotiate a rent free period to enable you to carry out any fit out works to the premises prior to trading.
Please be aware that it is common for the Landlord to insure the premises and recover the cost from the tenant. The Landlord may also charge a service charge to provide certain services.
You should try to include a break clause in the lease, especially if the lease is for a term of 3 years and above. This will allow you to terminate the lease before the expiry of the contractual term of the lease on a certain date and/or after a specified date stated in the lease. This will be useful if your business does not generate as much profit as expected and you require smaller or alternative premises.
You should always try to limit your repairing obligation by a photographic schedule of condition. This will ensure that you are not required to put the premises in any better state of condition at the end of the term, than the premises was given to you at the beginning of the term. You should also consider whether you are required to repair the whole of the premises, or only the internal parts of the premises. Although a Landlord will usually recover the cost of his external repairs to the premises via the service charge provisions, if any.
You should ensure that the lease is within the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 so that on the expiry of the contractual term of the lease, you are entitled to a new lease on substantially the same terms. The Landlord can only refuse to grant a new lease if limited grounds are established. This does not mean that you are required to take a new tenancy of the premises once the contractual term expires, but you are entitled to a new tenancy if you wish.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and there are many more factors which you should consider when negotiating a commercial lease. If you require any assistance with a commercial lease, please contact the Commercial Property team.


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Interview with Marshall Rosenberg: The Traveling Peacemaker
By Margaret Cullen, Ronna Kabatznick
Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D., founder and director of education services for the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC), is a traveling peacemaker. He visits about thirty-five countries every year to meet with people in places riddled with conflict, violence and suffering. It's his job to promote reconciliation and peaceful resolution to situations that most people see as hopeless or impossible. Israel, Palestine, Ireland, Russia, Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Serbia and Croatia are some of the international hot spots he visits to help angry, bitter and hostile people learn how to identify their unmet needs and find connection to themselves and to each other. Not that it's so easy. Screaming and name-calling ("Nazi!" "Murderer!") are all part of a day's work.
Whether he's working in a war-torn area or an inner-city slum, Rosenberg's goal is the same: to teach and encourage compassionate communication. Unpretentious in both his dress (he often wears crewneck sweaters) and his demeanor, Rosenberg bypasses cultural norms and local etiquette by heading to the heart and teaching people about the feelings and needs that unite humans regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion or gender. To illustrate his points, he strums his guitar, sings and uses two puppets.
Trained as a clinical psychologist, Rosenberg became fed up with the diagnostic system of labeling people as sick or disturbed. He believes that this dehumanizes people and undermines reconciliation. Remarkable stories of healing and transformation fuel Rosenberg's energy and faith in the process he teaches. A Rwandan woman caught in the crossfire of loyalties (she is a Tutsi and was married to a Hutu) became a victim of both sides when the Hutu killed her family and the Tutsi killed her husband. Her work with Rosenberg enabled her to transform this tragedy: "It is by looking at the feelings and needs of each side that I have seen the conflict differently and have been able to experience real healing."
Born in Detroit to Jewish parents, Rosenberg's personal experience of anti-Semitism—being called a "kike"—helped him realize the pain and misery involved in hatred. Rosenberg began his reconciliation work when Detroit was literally burning in the fire of racial conflict. He was determined to find a way of speaking that would stop the need for violence. Over the past forty years, he has helped countless people, from politicians, police officers and prisoners to clergy people, lawyers and gang members to reframe how they express themselves and how they hear others.
Ronna Kabatznick and Margaret Cullen interviewed Marshall Rosenberg by phone on May 10, 2004.
Marshall Rosenberg: My trainings are based on an assumption that when we are clear and connected to ourselves, there's nothing that we like better than to contribute to one another's well-being. But there are a number of things that can happen that disconnect us from that. So for me, reconciliation is connecting people again so they enjoy contributing to each other's well-being rather than contributing to each other's suffering. By "connecting" I mean clearly seeing what's alive in one another, with no enemy images.
Inquiring Mind: What do you mean by "enemy images"?
MR: If my child is not picking up the room and I say, "You are lazy," lazy is an enemy image. If my life partner is not meeting my needs for intimacy and I say, "You are insensitive to my needs," insensitive to my needs is an enemy image. When we say that some people are "terrorists," that's an enemy image. Enemy images turn people into things. When we see the other person as a monster, all we want to do is to punish them. This type of language disconnects us from what's alive in one another, disconnects us from life
IM: Is the challenge of reconciliation a language problem?
MR: No. The language is part of a broader scheme of things. For about 8,000 years, we have been living under domination cultures in which a few people claim to be superior. Partner this with the belief that people are basically selfish and evil, then the people who claim to be beyond that feel as though they have to control the others. We're educated to believe in authorities and their right to inflict punishment and suffering on us if we don't do what they think is right. So this whole scheme requires a language.
IM: Does the enemy image have more to do with those who perceive it or those it is projected onto?
MR: An enemy image always has to do with the person who perceives it. It's our thinking, not other people's behavior, that makes us angry. Angry, judgmental and punitive thoughts are always an expression of our unmet needs. When people are out of touch with themselves they become good slaves to authority: loving women have "no needs" so they sacrifice themselves for their families; brave men have "no needs" so they're willing to sacrifice their lives for the king or the president. If you want people to be docile and subservient, disconnect them from their needs. This shapes their brains to wonder how others are judging them instead of focusing on how to meet their unmet needs.
IM: Could you give us a concrete example from the international work that you've done in conflict resolution?
MR: About eight years ago, I was mediating between a Muslim tribe and a Christian tribe in northern Nigeria. In their conflict, a quarter of the population had been killed. At that time, they were fighting about how many places in the marketplace each side would have to display their products. I started the reconciliation process with them by saying that I was confident that if we could hear each other's needs, we could find a way to get everybody's needs met. Inviting whoever wanted to start, I asked: "What needs of yours are not getting met?" The chief from the Christian tribe screamed, "You people are murderers!" Notice that when I asked him what needs weren't getting met, his response was to tell me what was wrong with the other side. This provoked a counter judgment. Somebody on the Muslim side screamed back, "You've been trying to dominate us! We're not going to tolerate it any more!"
Because our training is based on the assumption that all violent language is a tragic expression of unmet needs, when the chiefs finished screaming, my job was to translate the enemy image of "murderer" into language describing the needs of the person who screamed. I said, "Chief, are you saying that your need for safety is not being met and you want some agreement that no matter what the conflict, that it be resolved some way other than violence?" He looked shocked for a moment because this is different from how people are trained to think. Then he said, "That's exactly right!"
But getting the chief to acknowledge his need wasn't enough. I had to get the Muslim side to see through their enemy image. I said, "Would somebody on the other side please tell me what you heard the chief say his needs were?"
A gentleman from the Muslim tribe screamed back, "Then why did you kill my son?" In fact, there were several others in the Muslim tribe who knew that someone present had killed one of their children. So there were a lot of feelings. The Muslim tribe had to put down their rage long enough to hear the needs of the Christian tribe. And that wasn't easy. I had to give them some empathy before they could do that. But finally I got them to hear just one simple thing, that the Christian tribe had said they had a need for safety.
It took me about an hour and a half to get both sides to release the enemy image long enough to hear a need of the other side. At that point, one of the chiefs came up and said to me, "If we know how to communicate this way, we don't have to kill each other!"
In another example, a group of Israelis and Palestinians on the West Bank were hoping to be able to work toward peace in that area. I asked, "What is it that you want from each other that would make it easier for you to work together?" The Palestinian mayor of the village responded by telling the Israelis, "You people are a bunch of Nazis." Predictably, one of the Israelis fired back, "That was totally insensitive for you to say." So instead of peace and harmony, they were creating violence and hostility. I helped them translate their judgments into what it was that they were wanting from one another. When you get people to talk about what they want from each other, instead of what's wrong with the other, there's a possibility for reconciliation to begin.
IM: What is the most inspiring story you know of people who have reconciled?
MR: I have been with a rapist and the person who's been raped. The survivor was in so much pain that she hadn't been able to sleep for three years. All she wanted was to have the rapist punished. Within two or three hours of helping each of them identify their unmet needs, they became concerned about each other and wanted to contribute to each other's well-being.
IM: Must there be a powerful motivation for reconciliation? What if people feel too vulnerable to express their needs?
MR: Certainly some people might have the need to feel safe and protect themselves. But deep down inside, I think everyone has a deep and strong need to con-tribute to the well-being of others. No matter how much pain has gone on, that's the motivating force. When we can see the needs of others, we see our oneness—not as an abstract concept, but as a reality.
IM: Have you been in circumstances where reconciliation seems impossible?
MR: It almost always seems that way when both sides have had every member of their family killed. The pain is so deep, I think, "Oh, my god, there's no way!" But that's my brain talking. My experience tells me that if I stay with the process and help these people connect, it's inevitable that both parties are going to want to contribute to each other's well-being.
IM: Even Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon?
MR: Get the two of them to agree to have me or someone else do backdoor diplomacy! People have done different kinds of peace talks and gotten quite different results from those that involve taking positions and creating mental justifications of their righteousness.
IM: Reading about what's going on in the Middle East, in Afghanistan and Iraq, it often seems that stereotyping and conflict in the world are increasing, not decreasing. What is your perspective?
MR: I see a radically different world from the one you see in the newspaper. Such incredible things happen when I leave groups so that when I go back, I can hardly believe what they've accomplished in the time since I was last there. I see this everywhere I go. The people I work with want to radiate this kind of process and transform things. They want everyone to have access to these principles, and they have enormous energy for spreading this kind of work. It's overwhelmingly delightful to me. It's hard to know how to keep up with it.
IM: And the basis of that process? Could you say what it is that sustains it?
MR: What sustains reconciliation is a consciousness of divine energy and the realization that there's no more fun game than contributing to life. The people that I work with worldwide know that we are really programmed in this other way even though at times all we want to do is punish and blame. They work very hard to stay connected to this divine energy and are usually part of a community of like-minded people.
IM: Do you think it takes some kind of meditation practice to stay connected to what is true and to be able to see through punitive thinking?
MR: I'm from Detroit, so I don't use the word meditation. I see it as getting my shit together. This means getting clear on how I choose to live before I go out in the world. I also want to know how to get back to that place if I lose it during the day. In our training I talk about the importance of having a password. When I see myself losing it, I say a password real quickly so I can return to my consciousness of how I choose to live.
IM: Could you take us through that process? You're in the airport and you feel enraged—what do you do?
MR: First, I know it's not what the other person is doing that is making me angry. It's my thinking. If I'm angry, I sit back and enjoy what I call the jackal show going on in my head. I know that all such language and images are tragic expressions of an unmet need. I say tragic because if we act out of that imagery, all we want is to punish or blame. I take the time to look inside and identify the need that isn't getting met. Then I'm in the world that Rumi talks about: "This place beyond right and wrong doing, I'll meet you there."
IM: Wouldn't meditation practice help us in our capacity to arrive at this place and to bring a spirit of reconciliation to the world?
MR: I think some people's practices do. Meditation helps people become more aware of the thinking process, and that's a good thing. I have found, and research confirms this, that within every religion there are two radically different groups of people in terms of how they experience the identical religious practices. Some people get tremendous energy from their practice and work hard to transform the social structures that are starving and oppressing people. Others engage in the same practice in a way that gives them comfort and tolerance with living in the world as it is.
IM: Do you think it's everyone's job to transform the structures?
MR: If people have what is called transformative spirituality, they cannot rest when others are dying of starvation. It's not enough that they believe that if they purify the self, energy will radiate to take care of things.
IM: What about dealing with inner violence?
MR: This is a big part of our training. We show how to give empathy and connection within ourselves and with the people with whom we have daily contact. This helps reshape the structures that are contributing to the violence on our planet.
IM: You've told some very inspirational stories over the years of remarkable people who were able to respond to difficult circumstances and still keep their hearts open. What do you think allows these people to do this?
MR: I go around the world and speak with people who have had such horrible things happen to them that I can hardly even imagine how they've stayed so compassionate. So I ask them, "What have you seen from others that has helped you stay conscious of compassion?" Almost always it's one of their parents or both who helped educate them to escape the reward-and-punishment paradigm.
IM: Can we develop such qualities later in life?
MR: I think they are natural qualities and part of our intrinsic nature. Gandhi tells us not to mix up what's natural with what's habitual. If we haven't been programmed to be this way, that doesn't mean it isn't natural. We can develop our true nature even if it requires a tremendous effort to get beyond all the programming in the other direction.
IM: Some of the transformations you describe seem to happen so quickly. How is that possible?
MR: When we get people to experience a certain quality of connection to the pain that's been inside a long time, it can be rapidly transformed. Day in and day out, I do healing work with people who within thirty minutes have a major breakthrough in terms of how they relate to the world. I'm not saying, "Come into psychotherapy with me for three or four years, two or three times a week, and we'll really take care of you." No, I'm saying thirty, forty minutes with people is what it takes to give them a real taste of what it's like to liberate themselves from deep habits.
IM: When does it become part of our evolutionary makeup and when is it just a cognitive thought that can be replaced?
MR: When a critical mass of people find it much more gratifying to serve life than to destroy it. This mass, called Cultural Creatives, is rapidly evolving and keeps growing. We are now actively involved in trying to connect networks of people so that they can synergistically work together to speed up the process.
IM: It seems that, from what you're saying, the minority is growing, but right now many Americans are in a very dark place with what's going on in the world.
MR: There's a Hungarian named Ervin Laszlo who wrote a book called Macroshifts. He points out that there has been a series of times throughout evolution where things come to a point: either there's an opportunity for a radical change in a positive direction, or there's death and total destruction. I think we are at such a point, and I'm confident we can transform this horror into something precious. But it's going to take an enormous concerted effort on the part of those blessed to see that there is another way.
IM: But hatred is so addictive. It often seems that feelings like empathy and understanding don't have a chance.
MR: No matter what pain has gone on, if we connect people in a human way, their nature is to reconcile and to understand each other's needs. What's more addictive than hatred is compassion.
For more information about Nonviolent Communication and the work of Marshall Rosenberg, please visit www.cnvc.org.
Text © 2004 Inquiring Mind, Ronna Kabatznick & Margaret Cullen
Art © Mary Curtis Ratcliff. Circle Dance. 26″ x 38″. 2003. Acrylic, prismacolor, acetate on paper. Used by permission.
Communication, Conflict, Nonviolence, Reconciliation, Right Speech, Transformation
Margaret Cullen is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction instructor, a marriage and family therapist and a senior teacher at the Center for Compassion, Altruism, Research and Education at Stanford University. She is the coauthor of The Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance Workbook: An Eight Week Program for Improved Emotion Regulation and Resilience (New Harbinger Publications, 2015) and other publications.
Ronna Kabatznick is a social psychologist in private practice. Her books Who by Water: Reflections of a Tsunami Psychologist and The Zen of Eating are available on Amazon.com. She lives in Berkeley with her husband, Peter Dale Scott.
Mary Curtis Ratcliff is an artist who lives and works in Berkeley, California. Her work can be viewed at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artists Gallery, ArtScape Gallery in Walnut Creek, California, and online at HealingCircleArtworks.net or MaryCurtisRatcliff.com.


Both Iraq and Syria are insisting today that the worsening tensions between them are the fault of the other party. The two governments withdrew their respective ambassadors last week following an Iraqi government demand that Syria hand over top Ba'athists who went into exile following the 2003 US invasion. Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari today insisted the demand still stands.
The ante was significantly upped yesterday when Iraqi state media broadcast a confession from an alleged al-Qaeda operative who claimed he was trained at an al-Qaeda camp inside Syria. Not only that, he claimed that Syrian intelligence officials were managing the camp on al-Qaeda's behalf.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also commented on the situation, saying he was given information to back up Iraq's accusations against Syria, and said what he saw was "convincing." Davutoglu is in Baghdad, and will soon stop off in Damascus in an attempt to mediate the dispute between the two.
The Iraqi population had more than enough suffering from wars and sanction since 1980, Maliki perhaps needs another war with Syria to keep the the Iraqis on their toes.


They said this was a Green Bay Packer Bar and place to visit to watch Packer games and play some golf. It felt more like the Ice Bowl against the Cowboys. Fabulous views. Fabulous greens. I snuck one over the "goal line" on the par 3 and almost made a hole in one. Bart would be proud.
This course is perfect, for the everyday player.
The food is the best kept secret in our area.
Service keeps me coming back.
The Last review was spot on. A great golf course for a heck of a price. The driving range is underrated. The best set of par 3's in the United States. The view from the fourth tee looking at the green, and looking up the hill at the massive and beautiful clubhouse. The sixth hole is set in the most beautiful part of the property with the woods and the quarry behind the green. The par 5's are better than most. The second hole has a narrow opening in the trees that opens up to the best spot for a green that there is. The seventh hole has the world famous quarry to the right of the fairway. The best course I have ever played with the most exclusive membership in the world.
This course has immaculate greens. The best 9 holes you will ever play. Has the most scenic tee shot in the state, on the third hole. The quarry hole is unreal. And it is a luxury to play. A true steal for $12. With all the history here you will get first tee nerves on the best opening hole ever.
Excellent place to take the kids to play. Had the best times. Will return for sure.


note cards, photography classes and special gifts.
Click on the image to enter the individual shop.
These note cards are perfect for all occasions. They are printed on handsome natural color Cougar card stock with matching envelopes. There are various themes to choose from including Italy, florals, Philadelphia scenes, sea and landscapes, as well as abstracts and architectural details.These cards could be designed for any occasion: holiday greetings, special events, business announcements, or just to send a note.They are ideal for all occasions and make a thoughtful gift. See More.
Armond Scavo's fine Art Photography reflects his unique vision throughout his wide range of subjects. He has always strived to experience grace, beauty, and harmony in his life. His photography is one way he immortalizes and shares these experiences. He instinctually is attracted to subjects that convey these qualities of grace, beauty, and harmony in his work, using composition, form and color to emphasize them. The camera allows him to edit out all distractions, so that he is left with the pure pleasure of the experience. See More.
These sensitive portraits of Rittenhouse Square reflect the kinetic and optimistic aspects of Philadelphia's soul. Armond Scavo's photographs of this fine city's parks burst forth with light and life, the city streets breath mystery and promise, beckoning the viewer towards further exploration. These images reflect an optimistic perspective of an artist who, finding no substance in negative depictions of his environment yearns for a more harmonious composition to express his fondness, attachment and pride for his City of Brotherly love and the birthplace of our nation. See More.
After many years of walking around Philadelphia with my camera, meeting people and talking about the city and how I approach it as a photographic subject, I am now offering Photography Tours of Philadelphia.
Join me in one of my many Photography Tours of Philadelphia. Whatever you favor; cityscapes, people or architecture you will find what you're looking for during these tours.
The Armond Scavo Photographyonline gift shop is the only gift shop of its kind. The many items offered through this online gift shop are skillfully imprinted with beautiful photographs of Philadelphia; it's landmarks, Historic site, and places of interest, as well as a wide variety of other subjects. I will let you know when new products are added to the always-growing selection. Whether you like Historic Philadelphia, Rittenhouse Square, Independence Hall, Longwood Gardens, or the Rocky statue you will find it in this unique collection.
I highly recommend Armond to anyone interested in taking more than common snapshots and plan to do it again myself.
Simply a great opportunity to get a Hands on photography lesson from a Philly local and expert artist. Armond is a great teacher and my husband and I left with lasting memories and great pics. A fabulous way to be a tourist in your own city or to explore Philly if you're visiting while learning more about photography. No camera? No problem! I just used my Samsung camera and it was great to learn how to capture better composition. Try it out. Great time!
Took both the Historic Philly and Rittenhouse Square tours on separate days. Both tours were fantastic. Armond showed up without a camera. This told me right off that these tours were going to be about me getting his undivided attention, good instruction and lots of opportunities for great shots. With his thorough knowledge of the city, he has a well planned route that provides loads of interesting subjects. He gave lots of good pointers on composition and how to take different views of subjects. Helped me become more aware of shapes and lines and how to use them. These tours gave me a good feel for the Historic area so I was able to return on my own and continue to shoot. Armond has a warm personality that sets a great tone, is an excellent photographer so he's able to critique on the fly, and worked very hard to ensure I was getting the maximum enjoyment and learning from his tour. When we return for another conference in Philly, I'll be seeing Armond again.


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www.gov.nt.ca » Careers » Director, Stanton P3 Operation
Director, Stanton P3 Operation
Location: Yellowknife
Department: Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Employment Type: Full-Time, Regular
Closing Date: Feb 5, 2021
The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) offers challenging and exciting careers in health and social services delivery and administration in Canada's North. The Territorial Authority has service locations in communities across the territory and a staff of more than 1,600 serving over 43,000 residents of the NWT and 5,900 residents of the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. Challenging work, welcoming communities, and expanded opportunities are some of the benefits offered to employees of the NTHSSA.
Located in Yellowknife, the Director, Stanton P3 Operations (Director) reports to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA).
The Director is accountable for establishing and maintaining an effective professional relationship with NTHSSA project stakeholders and Project Company (Project Co.), ensuring that all aspects of the Stanton P3 Project Agreement (PA) are met, including identifying and managing risks and maintaining value for money.
The Director, Stanton P3 Operations leads the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) oversight of the Stanton Hospital public private partnership (P3) performance-based Project Agreement (PA) signed between Boreal Health Partnership (BHP) and the GNWT. The Director leads a team and is accountable for the GNWT's oversight of the PA, which in turn is fundamental to ensuring the GNWT's Territorial hospital is operating within the terms of the PA, and therefore is available for the people of the NWT.
The position is accountable to manage the P3 project agreement built under a Design-Build-Finance-Maintain (DBFM) and Build-Finance-Maintain (BFM) delivery model, providing expert support and leadership on the Stanton P3 PA, ensuring adherence of the PA hospital operator provider and the associated performance-based contract provisions of the PA, all while managing complex relationships that include the provider and P3 signatories.
As the lead Stanton P3 representative for the GNWT, the Director is accountable for GNWT-related Stanton P3 performance oversight, analytics, and reporting, the latter including communication with senior levels of the Northwest Territories Health & Social Services Authority (NTHSSA), Ministers and Cabinet as required. This role therefore has significant independent accountability to the people of the NWT, being accountable for the strategic implementation and effective performance management of the Stanton P3 Agreement.
A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline such as Engineering or Business Administration, with a minimum of 8 years of experience at a management level, including 3 years in the oversight of a P3 Infrastructure Performance Agreement. Oversight experience in a hospital P3 setting would be an asset. A professional designation, such as a P. Eng., PMP or CPA would be an asset.
YELLOWKNIFE CENTRE 5TH FLOOR
BOX 1320 YELLOWKNIFE NT X1A 2L9
jobsyk@gov.nt.ca
Candidates must provide a satisfactory criminal record check. Failure to provide a satisfactory check may deem you disqualified from the competition.
Immunization Status
The successful candidate will be required to obtain proof of current up-to-date immunization status.
Transfer Assignments
Transfer Assignments may be considered.
Closing Date: February 5, 2021 23:59, Mountain Time
The salary range for this position is from $59.81 per hour to $85.44 per hour (approximately $116,630 - $166,608) plus an annual Northern Allowance of $3,700.


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ATB makes more than $5 billion in new loans in first quarter
By Mario Toneguzzi on August 16, 2019 No Comment
ATB Financial saw its operating revenue increase while net income decreased in its fiscal first quarter as the institution also contributed over $5 billion in new loans.
"We know that times have been tough for many Albertans and through it all we have been here, providing expert advice and much needed capital," said Curtis Stange, president and CEO of ATB Financial, in a news release.
"Just as we have been here for Albertans, ATB is here for our province, serving as a catalyst for economic growth — from supporting entrepreneurs and our energy industry to helping Albertans purchase a home and build wealth."
ATB's investment arm, ATB Wealth, had assets under administration of $20.7 billion, up over $1 billion from last year's first quarter.
Curtis Stange
President and CEO of ATB Financial
"With our entrepreneur centres, our unwavering support for the energy industry and our investment in new and varied industries, ATB is well-equipped to support Albertans now and in the future," said Stange. "We will be where our customers need us, whether that be online as we invest in our digital offerings or in the more than 100 communities where ATB is the only local financial institution."
Operating revenue of $433.9 million increase by 5.3 per cent from last year while net income of $45.8 million fell by 20.1 per cent.
Deposits of $36.1 billion were up 4.8 per cent while loans of $46.5 billion rose 3.1 per cent.
At the end of the first quarter, total assets of $54.2 billion, an increase of 1.6 per cent.
ATB said some highlights of the quarter included:
a commitment of $250,000 to support agriculture technology, research and education through Olds College's high-tech Smart Farm;
ATB's Financial Legacy Fund partnership with Ducks Unlimited's Revolving Land Conservation Program;
reaching a milestone in its Teddy for a Toonie campaign raising $10 million for Alberta children's health care over the past 20 years;
ATB's entrepreneur centre in Grande Prairie celebrated one year;
ATB partnered with the Prostate Cancer Centre to bring the fifth annual ATB Man Van tour to 11 destinations across the province, including two First Nations; there were a total of 12 clinics and for the first time, along with the PSA blood test for men aged 40 to 80 years, the Man Van offered a quick mental health check;
After a trial in Calgary, the ATB X business accelerator program made its debut in Edmonton and online. ATB is now positioned to serve even more entrepreneurs through this innovative program.
Alberta economy, Banking
ATB makes more than $5 billion in new loans in first quarter added by Mario Toneguzzi on August 16, 2019
Alberta credit unions launch public awareness campaign Want to show Albertans at any stage of life why credit unions are a compelling banking alternative...
ATB Financial net income drops by close to 45% from a year ago Third quarter marked by challenges in the energy market...


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Polyandry strikes at the heart of patriarchy
Author: Lize Mills & Amanda Gouws
Polyandry gets men hot under the collar because it strikes at the heart of patriarchy and can break their monopoly over women's sexuality, domestic and care labour, and their property. This is the view of Dr Lize Mills (Department of Private Law) and Prof Amanda Gouws (Department of Political Science) in an opinion piece for Daily Maverick (1 June).
Read the article below or click here for the piece as published.
Lize Mills and Amanda Gouws*
In South Africa, there are men who have as many as ten wives according to polygynous marriage practice that is legal in South Africa. But when women desire to have more than one husband, also called polyandry, all hell breaks loose. Or this is what the reaction to the mere mention in the Green Paper, published by the Department of Home Affairs in May this year, that "activists submitted that equality demands that polyandry be legally recognised as a form of marriage" shows. Mostly men are up in arms. Some have claimed that polyandry will "destroy family values", "has never existed" and will demand more DNA tests to determine who the father of a child is.
Hence, a woman must never be allowed to have more than one husband, let alone ten. Nor must same-sex partners be able to have more than one spouse. What is good for the gander, cannot be good for the goose. What this means is that South Africa must ignore section 9 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996; the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 4 of 2000; the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa 2003; and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979 (CEDAW), all confirming women's equality, because the social evils that will follow will be too much to bear.
However, a study published in 2012 by Starkweather and Hames of 53 societies outside of the classical Himalayan and Marquesean area that permit polyandrous unions, found that polyandry may have existed throughout human evolutionary history. Polyandry, which is also practiced in parts of Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya, becomes more likely where the operational sex ratio is male-biased (there are more men than women in the society), environmental resources are scarce (it is believed to limit population growth and enhance child survival) or men are forced into prolonged absences from home. In these societies, men are committed to be involved in the raising of children, because the children belong to all of them (no man can be certain of his paternity), and in the case of fraternal polyandry (brothers who marry the same wife), a joint estate remains intact from generation to generation.
The benefits of polyandry show that because there is no single (male) authority in polyandrous households, power is dispersed through the union. Property is usually owned collectively which means that nobody is excluded from property ownership, even after one of the husbands dies. These unions are also economically more prosperous because women are not economically dependent on one man. Paternity is not located in who fathered the child but in the knowledge that any of the men can be the father and therefore fathering is a social and collective issue and men are more committed to be involved in child rearing. Children and property belong to families not individuals. As far as women are concerned, it gives them more agency (decision making capacity) and control over their sexuality and their bodies.
In May 2021, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women again expressed its concern regarding the "alarmingly high" levels of domestic violence and femicide in South Africa. In several of its reports, it has called for the abolition of polygamy since it has "grave ramifications" for the human rights of women. Their 2021 report was issued following information that was submitted by several NGOs working with female victims of violence, pointing out that the extraordinary levels of gender-based violence in this country are also exacerbated by polygyny. In fact, in a joint general recommendation in 2014, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Committee on the Rights of the Child discussed the relationship between polygynous relationships and violence against women and children, criticising "[c]onstitutional and other provisions that protect the right to culture and religion … used to justify laws and practices that allow for polygamous unions". The South African Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998 allows for polygynous unions. By permitting only polygyny, the Government is contravening Article 5(a) of CEDAW, an international legal instrument that the country ratified in 1995, and thus negating to take appropriate measures "[t]o modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women".
So, why is the reaction of men so stark when it comes to polyandry? We argue that polyandry is deeply threatening because it poses a challenge that strikes at the heart of patriarchy. In most heterosexual relationships a man enjoys a monopoly over his wife's sexuality, domestic and care labour and her property and can claim a right to children born of that union. A father therefore can know with great certainty who his children are. Polyandry diminishes male dominance and the control over women's sexuality, something that is integral to patriarchy. In her landmark article "The Traffic in Women: Notes and the 'Political Economy' of Sex" (1975) Gayle Ruben (a cultural anthropologist) argues that we need to understand kinship relationships and how women fit into "gift transactions". Women are the objects of exchange in monogamous or polygamous marriages. As she puts it - women are given in marriage (the father gives his daughter away), taken in battle, exchanged for favours, traded, bought and sold, or forced into arranged marriages. In this gift exchange men dispose of women, but women cannot dispose of men, giving men power over women. But more than merely the exchange of women, kinship systems also exchange sexual access, genealogical statuses, lineage names and ancestors in concrete systems of social relationships. It spells out the rights of men in relation to women - this is embedded in the power and the control over women's sexuality that determines how families are constructed and governed. What polyandry does is that it undermines these power relations, prevents control over women's sexuality and enhances women's agency, at the same time as it demands of men to care for their children.
Polygamy and polyandry therefore are not symmetrical systems, because polygamy gives men access to more than one woman to satisfy his sexual needs, with the benefit of having multiple wives rearing his children, very often with little help from his side. Research shows that polyandry, on the other hand, is more egalitarian, ensures greater care equality and more harmonious relationships between all parties involved.
By legalising polyandry nobody will be forced into such marriages. It will be a matter of personal decision, just like same sex marriages is a personal decision. It is time that South Africans who still oppose same sex marriages and now polyandrous marriages reflect on their attitudes that are deeply sexist, homophobic, unconstitutional and offensive.
*Dr Lize Mills is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University (SU). Prof Amanda Gouws is the SARChI Chair in Gender Politics at SU.


And the journey into the heart of love continues.
In the past year I have made it a habit to meditate between 10 minutes to 45 minutes every day. A lot of this meditation has been focused around the practices of self-compassion (as inspired by the work of Kristin Neff, which is amazing), coherence (as inspired by HeartMath Institute and the use of their Inner Balance app) and future-self visualization (as inspired by two decades of work as a student and teacher of Concept Therapy).
In addition to my own practice, I often build individualized visualizations from these techniques for clients following an adjustment as they rest in our zero-gravity chair resting room. These techniques build upon one another, and are like a deep innate hug.
I finally sat down to record a meditation for others using this method I have been working with. I call it "Golden Healing Heart Coherence." Upon request of a friend, I also loaded it onto a free meditation app called "Insight Timer", and, much to my amazement, I watched the track get listened to 3,000 times in a 24 hour period, and it is now up to around 4500 times the last I checked.
When I feel down about the state of the world, taking a moment to realize there are that many people out there intentionally picking up an app to meditate at the same time, I get pretty uplifted. I particularly love knowing they are doing this one, since it includes wrapping our mother earth in golden healing light.
You can try it out right here. Soon there will also be a 30 minute version available, for those with a more advanced meditation/concentration practice.
Newer PostWhat does the healing?
Older PostWhat kind of Sabbatical?


The Columbia 300 Tyrant Pearl is the second ball to use the HyperSHOCK additive not only in the filler material, but also in the coverstock. This ball uses a pearlized version of the Reflex HST cover that was used on the original Tyrant in solid form and it comes out of the box with a polished finish. The Tyrant Pearl's 500/1000 Abralon with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish box finish gives it much more length, more angle at the breakpoint, and more back end hook than the original Tyrant. This is really a reaction that was missing in the current Columbia 300 line.
To compare the Columbia 300 Tyrant Pearl to any other bowling ball(s), please use our Bowling Ball Comparison tool.


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Home » News » The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Right Lighter for Smoking
The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Right Lighter for Smoking
Last Updated on: December 22, 2022 by Libby Austin
A lighter can be an essential tool for someone who uses it for smoking, and it's important to make the right choice when selecting one for your own needs. This guide will help you through some things you should consider when choosing the perfect lighter for smoking. We'll outline the different types of lighters, review factors to consider when selecting one, and provide tips to ensure your lighter is operated safely.
How to Select the Right Type of Lighter
There are numerous types of lighters, and it's essential to understand the differences between them to make the best choice.
Gas Versus Electronically-Powered Lighters
One of the most important considerations when selecting a lighter for smoking is whether to opt for a gas or electronically-powered lighter. A gas lighter uses butane gas to ignite a flame, while an electronically-powered lighter is powered by a battery and uses electric sparks to ignite.
Gas lighters such as the st dupont gold lighter are generally preferred by those who are looking for a long-lasting and reliable flame. In contrast, electronically-powered lighters are better suited to those who want a quicker and more efficient ignition. They also tend to be more reliable in icy weather and low temperatures than gas lighters.
Once you've chosen the type of lighter best suited to your needs, it's essential to consider the size and weight of the lighter. Your lighter should be an appropriate size for your hand and storage area and easy to carry. Additionally, you should also think about how heavy you want the lighter to be — heavier lighters may be more inconvenient to carry around, but they also tend to last longer.
Refillable Versus Disposable
Another consideration when selecting a lighter for smoking is whether to go for a refillable or disposable lighter. Refillable lighters are the most common type, and are designed to be refilled with fuel when the existing fuel runs out. Disposable lighters, on the other hand, are one-time-use items and cannot be refilled.
Refillable lighters offer convenience and often come with a range of features, while disposable lighters are cheaper and don't need to be replaced as often.
Safety Tips for Using a Lighter
When using a lighter, it's essential to follow a few basic safety guidelines to ensure it is used properly and safely.
Always Keep Away from Children
Lighters should always be kept out of the reach of young children. Even lighters that are designed to be childproof can be dangerous if they get into the wrong hands.
Do Not Use Near Combustible Sources
It's imperative to avoid using your lighter in an area where there are combustible materials, such as gasoline. Doing so can be incredibly hazardous and could result in a fire or explosion.
Extinguish Lighter Before Storing
Once you're finished using your lighter, it's crucial to ensure that any remaining fuel is extinguished before storing it away. This will prevent a potential fire hazard.
In conclusion, making the right choice when selecting a lighter for smoking is essential. There are several things to consider, including the lighter type and its size and weight. Additionally, it's essential to always keep your lighter out of reach of children and away from any combustible material. Following these guidelines will ensure you get the best experience possible when using your lighter.
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Summary: As a member of the Malware and Countermeasures (MAC) Team, you will be working closely with a globally distributed team of a dozen reverse engineers. Your time will be divided between picking apart various classes of malware and side projects to improve our team workflows and company products.
Have any questions for the hiring manager or about the job? List them here and they will be passed along with your application!


TAMPA, Fla. – June 5, 2018 – AVI-SPL, a global service provider specializing in communications and collaboration technology, today unveiled Rapid Rooms, a strategic system that optimizes meeting room deployment by intelligently recognizing organizational needs and matching them with the most suitable AV and UC technology, in turnkey ready-to-order bundles. With a first of its kind AV-as-a-service model for hardware, software, and managed service contract wrapped into one, fixed, monthly fee, AVI-SPL Rapid Rooms include planned refresh cycles to remedy lifecycle management and technology obsolescence.
Designed to fast-track the organizational benefits of enhanced collaboration spaces – like more efficient real estate use, increased talent attraction and retention, and improved customer engagement – Rapid Rooms eliminates the guesswork with proven solutions designed for installation within 45 days so organizations can reach peak performance quicker than ever. AVI-SPL Rapid Rooms resolve common interoperability challenges, have intuitive interfaces for easy adoption, and provide quick onboarding to AVI-SPL's remote monitoring platform Symphony to ensure an optimal meeting experience at all times.
AVI-SPL's Rapid Rooms' turnkey ready-to-order, all-in-one bundle includes design, integration, installation, and programming services, AVI-SPL's Customer Care support, as well as all applicable AV and UC hardware and software from today's leading manufacturers. Prior to deployment, Rapid Rooms offers quick quoting for standard room configurations and a functional drawings tool to help customers visualize their collaboration spaces.
The new Rapid Rooms are a subset of AVI-SPL's suite of Smart Spaces designed to demonstrate optimal technology configurations for a host of applications.