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Does the NSA Have a CA?
August 20, 2013 By Mark Draughn 7 Comments
Since Edward Snowden started leaking secrets to the media, we've learned that our government has been up to all kinds of sneaky things — surveiling our allies, getting call records from big telecom providers, retrieving information from online services about our online activity, building massive databases, keeping data about Americans for years.
One of the reasons these revelations are upsetting is because the government security apparatus has had massive cooperation from the companies we trust with our data — Google, Verizon, Apple, AT&T, Yahoo, Facebook, and Microsoft. We know this much about some of the ways that Microsoft has been helpful:
Microsoft has collaborated closely with US intelligence services to allow users' communications to be intercepted, including helping the National Security Agency to circumvent the company's own encryption, according to top-secret documents obtained by the Guardian.
So far, we know that Microsoft has allowed the NSA to circumvent their user's data security requirements on Skype, Outlook.com/Hotmail, and Skydrive. Microsoft claims to have had no other choice:
In a statement, Microsoft said: "When we upgrade or update products we aren't absolved from the need to comply with existing or future lawful demands." The company reiterated its argument that it provides customer data "only in response to government demands and we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers".
The devil is in the details, of course. Given the scope of the Verizon data requests (i.e. everyone), for all we know, the NSA has issued legal demands for hundreds of millions of accounts.
That these tech companies are compelled to cooperate due to secret orders from a secret court is not comforting. I wonder what else the court has compelled them to reveal. It reminds me of one nightmare scenario that I used to worry about even before Snowden's leaks: What levels of cooperation does the NSA get from root Certificate Authorities?
Unless you're a computer geek, that probably doesn't mean much to you. Let me explain…
When you go to secure site — one that begins in "https:" and makes the little lock symbol show up in your browser — that causes your browser to exchange encryption keys with the server to set up a secure encrypted connection. More than that, however, it guarantees that the browser is actually connected to the server you think it's connected to, such as your bank's online service page.
Without that second guarantee, a clever hacker or the NSA might be able to fake you out with something called a man-in-the-middle attack. That's an attack where someone diverts your communications channel through a computer that can monitor it. It would work something like this:
Your browser requests a secure connection to the bank's server.
Somewhere along the way, an NSA-controlled computer intercepts the connection request and pretends to be the bank's server.
At the same time, the NSA computer makes it's own request to the bank's server, pretending to be your browser.
The bank's server responds to the NSA request with an encrypted connection that you can use to talk to it securely.
The NSA computer intercepts that response.
The NSA computer responds to your browser's request with its own encrypted connection, pretending to be the bank.
Your browser receives the NSA computer's response, and sets up the connection, thinking it's talking to the bank, when it's really talking to the NSA computer.
Now, whenever you send something to the bank (probably starting with your username and password) your browser will encrypt it for transmission to what it thinks is the bank's server but is really the NSA computer in the middle. The NSA computer will decrypt it, read it, and then re-encrypt it for the real bank server and send it on its way. When the bank server sends it's response back, it will think it's talking to you (after all, you just sent the correct username and password) but it will actually be encrypting it for the NSA computer, which will intercept it, decrypt it, read it, and then re-encrypt it for you and send it back to you. As far as you'll know, it came from the bank, and neither you nor the bank will know the NSA computer is sitting in the middle, reading everything you do.
In reality, it's not quite that easy for the NSA (or anyone else) to insert themselves in the middle of a secure channel because the internet has a system in place for guaranteeing the identity of servers using public key signing. The operators of the server use a computer program to generate a random keypair — an algorithmically-related pair of digital strings, one public, the other secret, and each hundreds or thousands of bits long, that have a useful property: The secret key can be used to sign data, and the public key can be used to verify that signature.
This works by using the secret key as a parameter to a signing algorithm that, given a chunk of data, will generate a digital signature (another string hundreds or thousands of bits long) that is unique to that data and that secret key. Anyone who receives the data and the signature can check it by plugging the data and signature into a signature verification algorithm that is parameterized by the public key. In other words, only the owner of the secret key can sign the data, but the public key can be used by anyone in the world to verify that signature. So any data with a signature validated by the public key could only have come from someone who has the secret key.
So when your browser requests a secure connection to the bank, the bank sets it up by signing its response with its secret key. Your browser uses the bank's public key to verify that the signature on the setup message could only have been created by someone with the bank's secret key. Assuming the bank has been careful with its secret key, this means that the message could only have come from the bank. If the NSA tries to use a man-in the middle attack, it will fail when you ask for a secure connection to the bank. The NSA doesn't have the bank's secret key, so it can't produce a signature that your browser will recognize as valid for the message it uses to setup the encrypted connection.
(In the case of your U.S. bank, this may not really be a problem for the NSA, since U.S. banking law pretty much means the government has access to everything the bank knows about you anyway, and the bank can just give them copies of everything you send. So feel free to imagine that this is your offshore bank in the Cayman islands. Or maybe you want to download movies from The Pirate Bay, or gamble in an online poker site run out of the Isle of Man. Or maybe you just want to send an email message to a friend without some friggin' government agent looking over your shoulder. The signing system is intended to prevent anyone — including the NSA — from being able to insert itself into the middle of the encrypted communications.)
There's one big problem: Key distribution. How do you get the bank's public key? You could ask their server for it, of course, but that gets us right back to the man-in-the-middle attack — since you don't already have the public key, there's no way for you to verify that you actually received the key from the bank's server. The NSA could sit in the middle and when the bank sends its public key, their computer could intercept it and send you a fake public key that the NSA created just to fool you. How could you know?
The answer is that the bank's public key is transmitted in the form of a digital certificate. The certificate identifies itself as a server signing certificate, it identifies the domain name it represents, and it includes the public key. Most importantly, the certificate is itself signed by another corporation. For example, Cayman National Bank's certificate is signed by Verisign, Inc. using their Class 3 Extended Validation SSL certificate.
So how do you know that the Verisign signature is real? Well, when the server sends you its certificate, it also sends you a copy of Verisign's server signing certificate, which includes a public key your browser uses to verify Verisign's signature on the bank's server certificate.
This takes you further down the rabbit hole, because now your browser has to verify the server signing certificate. It can do this because (as you might expect by now) Verisign's server signing certificate is itself signed, this time by one of the root Certificate Authorities — commonly called CAs. As it happens, Verisign is its own root CA, so the Verisign server certificate is signed by the Verisign Class 3 Public Primary Certification Authority.
The reason it's called a "root" Certificate Authority is because it's different from the other certificates in that its authenticity is not guaranteed by another certificate. It's not signed. Instead, it has a trusted origin. It came with your browser, or as part of your computer's operating system. It's essentially built-in.
This establishes a chain of trust: You trust your operating system and browser, the browser trusts the root signing certificate, the root certificate validates the server certificate, and the server certificate validates your bank's server, allowing it to setup the secure connection. So when you connect to your bank and see the little lock symbol, you know you have a secure connection to the correct server for the domain name you requested. No room for the NSA in there.
Unless, of course, the NSA has compromised one of the root CAs. Does a FISA court have the power to order Verisign to disclose its root secret key? Or has the government pressured Verisign to sign false certificates, at least when one party to the communication is a foreigner? That way, if the NSA wanted to spy on your communications with an encrypted chat room in Antigua, all they'd have to do is get Verisign to sign a false certificate for that server and they could get in the middle and impersonate it. After all, your browser will believe anything Verisign says.
The thing is, it doesn't even have to be Verisign. There are a scandalous number of root CAs. The list of certificates Microsoft will trust is here, Firefox's list is here, and this might be Apple's list. (Google's Chrome uses the same certificates as the operating system it's running on — Microsoft or Apple — or Firefox's list when running on Linux.) Any authority can sign a server certificate for any domain, so if the NSA can get cooperation from any one of them, they can impersonate any server they want.
Seriously, take a look at one of those lists of CAs (the Firefox list is most readable) and ask yourself how much you trust those organizations — GoDaddy, America Online, Verizon, Equifax — not to mention all the ones you've never heard of (Turktrust? Camerfirma? Elektronik Bilgi Guvenligi A.S.?)
The NSA is not the only threat, either. Several CAs are operated by foreign governments, including Spain, Turkey, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. Also, both Comodo and DigiNotar have been compromised by hackers. Google's description of the DigiNotar incident is especially disturbing:
These actions by Diginotar raised serious questions about 1) their competence to run a Certificate Authority (of any kind, much less a Root CA), and 2) their interest in protecting the Internet as a whole, over their own interests.
All the major vendors revoked their trust of DigiNotar's certificates and the company went out of business.
Frankly, in the process of writing this, I think I've answered my own question. Given what Snowden has revealed about the NSA's proclivities, and with over 150 root CAs all over the world, run by both governments and private entities, I'm willing to bet that the NSA has at least one CA willing to do its bidding.
Maybe someday Edward Snowden will tell us.
Filed Under: Computer Science
a leap at the wheel says
Steve Gibson has raised the same concern on the Security Now podcast. Troubling, to say the least.
Mattias Åslund says
Someone could write a browser toolbar that retrieves all "trusted" server certificates from users and uploads them to a master server for offline verification. In that way, we could scan the Internet for any evidence of such an NSA-scheme.
It would take some man-hours and a trusted committee of people to pull off, but I'd be a willing participant.
Comments on that?
Mark Draughn says
Mattias, that sounds like a kind of shared certificate pinning system. It would be interesting to see if it picked up anything. One downside is that your browser would essentially be reporting every secure site you visit to the central repository.
Also, after the more recent NSA revelations, a compromised CA just doesn't seem like that big a deal any more.
netman86 says
If the NSA has cooperation from the Certificate Authorities, then they don't need to set up a man-in-the-middle attack. They've got the encryption keys.
They've already got boxes on every major backbone, on every major network. If you've got a job, some portion of every dollar you make goes to building them datacenters to store anything that passes through these major network hubs.
With the keys in hand, they can just decrypt the data in transit and look at everything you send to the server, as well as everything the server sends to you. Then they can save whatever they want for five years- unless it was encrypted when they intercept it, which most everything is. Then the rules get a bit fuzzy on how long they're allowed to hold onto it. Not that anyone actually has the authority to audit them on that.
Setting up a logging proxy to emulate a website is time consuming. A wiretap and "legally" obtained certificates from every CA is much easier… At least if you're willing to destroy the lives of a few administrators to get what you want.
I guess when you are in a position to tell the world what's right and what's not, it becomes easy to pillage and burn, and then cover it up by saying "Don't worry, it's all perfectly legal"
Thanks America- you've ruined the internet.
On the tech side I think you miss one thing; If Alice and Bob want to communicate securely they each create a pri ate key, on their own conputer. Only the signing request gets sent to a CA to generate a certificate. Thus, the NSA still needs to be a man in the middle to see the encrypted traffic. Owning a CA key only makes that objective possible – not moot.
On a second point; not all of us live in the USA. I can only hope my tax is better used, though I cant really know…
I totally agree they are killing the Internet (as we knew it) and much trust in the government with it.
I was about to respond, but Mattias Åslund beat me to it. Certificate Authorities sign public keys to authenticate them, but the private keys are generated locally and never shared with the CAs, so some sort of attack (such as man-in-the-middle) would be needed to get them.
Given more recent revelations made after I wrote this, it seems likely that the NSA has the technical capabilities to hack into many computers and servers and simply steal the encryption keys, or to weaken encryption systems to the point where they can be broken. It also seems likely that they have done this to CA systems, and may have been responsible for the fake DigiNotar signatures I mentioned.
Collin Merenoff says
It's a clever system Edward Snowden set up, where nobody can question the authenticity of his files without being called a government shill.
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Democratic Candidates for the Presidency, 1940
Third-Term Issue in Presidential Primaries
Proposal of Hull as Harmony Candidate
Outline of Career; Promotion of Tariff Reciprocity
Candidacies of Garner and Farley
Security Administrator Paul V. Mcnutt
Wheeler and Other Potential Candidates
Important tests of popular sentiment toward a third term for President Roosevelt will be provided by the advisory presidential primaries to be held April 2 in Wisconsin and April 9 in Illinois. In those states there is a contest for choice of delegates to the Democratic national convention limited to Roosevelt and Garner supporters; no slates of delegates favoring other Democratic candidates have been put forward. In Wisconsin the situation is complicated by entrance of two slates of Roosevelt delegates and by the fact that Progressive voters may cast their ballots in either the Democratic or Republican primary. In Illinois, on the other hand, there will be a straight Roosevelt-Garner contest.
Although the President himself has made no move to obtain delegate support at the Democratic convention, he has done nothing to discourage such moves by others acting in his behalf. In the first presidential primary, March 12, New Hampshire Democrats elected a solid slate of eight Roosevelt-pledged delegates. On March 27 the Maine Democratic convention chose a delegation instructed to cast that state's ten votes for Roosevelt or, if he does not run, for Farley. Capture of the 24 votes of Wisconsin and the 58 votes of Illinois would give Roosevelt a starter of 100 votes, a number likely to be increased as other state conventions and primaries are held, unless the President in the meantime takes himself out of the running.
The pre-convention campaign situation on the Democratic side has been held in suspense by Roosevelt's failure to declare whether or not he will be a candidate. Until recently, Vice President Garner alone had announced his determination to seek the Democratic nomination regardless of the President's decision. On March 20, however, Postmaster General Farley made a statement which was interpreted as putting him in the race without qualification. Other Democratic contenders, such as McNutt and Wheeler, have made their candidacies conditional upon the President's not seeking a third term. Should Roosevelt be renominated, his challenge of the tradition against a third term would doubtless become the paramount issue of the presidential campaign.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Russian Zvyozdochka Shipyard Repaired and Upgraded INS Sindhukirti SSK in India
Naval Forces News - India
Russian Zvyozdochka shipyard has repaired and upgraded Indian Navy`s Sindhukirti diesel-electric submarine (SSK) at the dockyard in Vishakhapatnam (India), according to the company`s press department.
Sindhughosh-class diesel-electric submarine - INS Sindhukirti
The modernisation of Sindhukirti was the first case of Russian submarine deep upgrade at Indian dockyard by Russian shipbuilding company, a Zvyozdochka`s official said. The related works were being done for approximately ten years, the official mentioned.
As a result of the modernisation, Sindhukirti has been rearmed with Club-S missile system, obtained the capability to destroy surface targets, while being submerged and turned into modern multi-role submarine. The Sindukirti`s motion control and automated information-management systems have also been enhanced, the official said.
The Zvyozdochka shipyard, which makes a specialty out of upgrade and utilization of nuclear-powered submarines, has upgraded five Indian Navy`s SSKs, namely, Sinduvir, Sinduratna, Sindugosh, Sinduvidzhai and Sindurakshak Project 877EKM (NATO reporting name: Kilo-class) submarines. The upgrade of the sixth Indian submarine, namely, Sindukesari (Project 877EKM) by Zvyozdochka is scheduled for Summer 2016. During the modernisation process, the submarines receive Club-S missile system (the export modification of Russian Kalibr missile system).-


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Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) , today announced Connect IQ, the first-ever open platform for third-party developers to create apps for Garmin products. The software development kit leverages the trusted technology that Garmin is known for, with an emphasis on low power consumption, extended battery life and connectivity to smartphones and peripheral sensors through Bluetooth(R) low energy (BLE) and ANT+(R). Garmin prides itself on creating active lifestyle products that become an essential part of customers' lives, and now with Connect IQ, third-party developers can utilize the expanding line of world class wearables, while also taking advantage of the loyal customer base and diverse distribution channels.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and ANT+ are is registered trademarks and Connect IQ is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
The Bluetooth word mark is a registered trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such mark by Garmin is under license. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.


A Letter from Kabwata: The 21st Zambian Annual Reformed Conference is here!
The 21st Zambian Annual Reformed Conference is here!
"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19-20).
The rallying point of the Reformed movement in Zambia for the last twenty-plus years has been the Reformed Conference held every year in August since its inception in 1990. Having entered its third decade of existence, it has become the rallying point of the Reformed movement in the sub-region, with Christians regularly coming to attend from Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Kenya.
This year the conference starts on Monday 23rd and ends on Friday 27th August. The theme is "The Christian Family". This theme was handled before in 1996, when the conference was held in Kabwe. Our invited preacher, Dr Voddie Baucham, has had to excuse himself due to pressing difficulties in his home church. So, as was the case last year, we have to rely upon our local team of preachers.
The keynote address on Monday evening will be given by Ronald Kalifungwa (photo above), the host pastor. The conference will be held for the first time in the Lusaka Baptist Church new auditorium (what many Zambian Christians wrongly refer to as a "sanctuary"). There will certainly be enough leg-room for everyone. The days of late-comers sitting under God's canopy, with twinkling stars providing just enough illumination for them to see their neighbour, are over!
At the Reformed Family Conference, the preachers will expound Proverbs 22:6, which says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." They will deal with the trainees (i.e. the nature of children and young people), the trainers (i.e. the specific roles of fathers and mothers), and the training (i.e. the biblical methods of child-training).
At the Reformed School of Theology, the preachers will deal with the theology of the father in the home as a priest. The example of Job will be used to draw out this principle.
The afternoons, apart from providing a time to relax and engage in informal fellowship, will also provide a time for "break out" sessions. These will be in seminar or workshop format and will handle subjects such as intimacy in marriage (Alfred Nyirenda, seen above with his wife, Tina), music in the church (Charles Bota), raising teenagers (James Williamson, seen below with his entire family), and courtship (Raphael Banda).
The evening meetings are plenary sessions that will bring together those attending the Reformed Family Conference and those attending the Reformed School of Theology. During these evening sessions, Ephesians 5:22 to 6:4 will be expounded, showing the biblical responsibilities of wives to their husbands (Choolwe Mwetwa), husbands to their wives (Bruce Button), children to their parents (Conrad Mbewe), and parents to their children (Grave Singogo).
If you can make it, please take time to come out and be part of this rally for the Reformed cause. Registration is still taking place on-line here. Our clarion call is to the church to take the Word and the Spirit seriously. This message has gone out for the last twenty years and will do so again this year. The fruit is evident for all to see! We want to remind ourselves once again that this must not only apply to our lives within the four walls of our "sanctuaries" (Ha!) but also within the four walls of our homes. With all due respect to those aspects of our culture that are praise-worthy, the Christian family must be a place where the Word and the Spirit reign supreme—to the praise of our great God and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Those of you who are unable to be with us are implored to be much in prayer for this year's conference. Pray for journeying mercies for all those who are travelling, and especially for those who are travelling exceptionally long distances. Pray that we will all be in good health throughout the conference period. Pray for rich fellowship as many homes in Lusaka host friends from across the country and beyond. Above all, pray that the Holy Spirit will come down and own the preaching of his Word. Pray that "times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." Amen!


The region Zell am See-Kaprun ist a unique holiday destination. Here in the Salzburg area you are surrounded by some of Austria's most beautiful sites. The variety of landscapes offers a wide range of activities right on their doorstep.
Haus Sonnenschein: just 100m from the lake & beach, located on lakeside trail and cycling path, free sunbathing area with beach volleyball by the lake, located directly opposite campsite with restaurant and small shop, bus stop directly in front of the apartments, bicycle and boat hire across from lakeside, surfing and sailing school nearby, a perfect starting point for swimming, jogging and mountain biking, ideal starting point for ski resorts (Schmittenhöhe and glacier in Kaprun).
If you would like to cancel your stay at short notice, please note that a free cancellation is possible up to 28 days before your arrival. In case of a cancellation up to 28 days before arrival, we reserve the right to withhold 50% of the total amount; In case of a no-show, a cancellation on the day of your arrival or an early departure, we reserve the right to charge 100% of the total amount.


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RS Guitarworks TeeVee Custom Electric Guitar Review
Ben Friedman
A V-shape body paired with the handsome, classic appointments of an early-'60s Telecaster Custom
Download Example 1
Bridge pickup, Tone and Volume at 10
Middle position, both pickups in parallel, Tone and Volume at 10
Neck pickup, Tone and Volume at 10
Clips recorded through a TomasZewicz 35112 Amp, Lava Cables, and Sony PCM-D-50 Recorder.
Go ahead, look again—your eyes do not deceive you. Yes, that is a V-shape body paired with the handsome, classic appointments of an early-'60s Telecaster Custom, faded to what looks like period-correct patina. Could this be the result of a clandestine meeting between Ted McCarty and Leo Fender years ago? Well, not exactly. Aptly named the TeeVee Custom, the integration of these two timeless designs is the brainchild of Roy Bowen and Scott Leedy, owners of RS Guitarworks, based in Winchester, Kentucky.
The roots of RS Guitarworks can be traced back to 1994 when woodworker and musician Leedy moved to Winchester and forged a friendship with fellow woodworker and guitarist Bowen, who was a seasoned repairman for a local Fender repair shop. They shared a passion for vintage guitars—particularly an interest in the components that made certain examples of these instruments special. Two years later, they set up shop in Bowen's basement offering repairs, vintage restorations, custom projects, and distressing jobs. RS has since grown into a full-service shop occupying a large, newly built facility with a staff of six. RS still offers repairs, restoration services, and custom builds, and has also generated a substantial following for its aged parts and electronics upgrade kits, but with guitars like the TeeVee, the company is fast establishing a reputation for building top-shelf vintage-inspired instruments.
A Touch of Vintage
If you didn't know better, you would swear that the TeeVee Custom was a vintage guitar. The aging of the finish, hardware, and overall appearance is nicely executed. The TeeVee even smells old. Consisting of a few dings and some checking and worming that look pretty authentic, the played-but-loved distressing treatment is tasteful and not overdone.
The guitar is finished with a proprietary blend of three different nitrocellulose lacquers, and I particularly like the aged, 3-tone sunburst finish with its receding brown and red hues that actually appear more vivid on the back of the guitar than the front—not unlike a guitar that spent years sitting in a sunny music store window. And the yellowed cream binding, aged 3-ply mint-green pickguard, and aged nickel hardware add to the instrument's convincing vintage aura.
Weighing in at a comfortable 7 pounds, 1 ounce, the TeeVee Custom stays close to its Telecaster Custom inspiration with a center seam, non-contoured, 2-piece alder body and a bolt-on, 1-piece maple neck with a dark rosewood fretboard. The 25 1/2" -scale neck has a 10" fretboard radius and is affixed to the body at the 16th fret, which enables excellent upper-register access.
The neck carve, which RS calls the "63C," is inspired by the shape of Bowen's favorite 1964 Stratocaster that has a C-shaped tapered carve measuring .835" at the 1st fret and .960" at the 12th fret. (Other carves are available.) And on the back of the neck, the worn satin finish combined with rolled fretboard edges gives the TeeVee a super-silky feel. The neck is topped off with the compact RS Guitarworks Tele-esque headstock that features aged nickel TonePros Kluson-style tuners. The fretboard sports a 1 5/8" Tusq nut and is capped with 21 polished 6105 nickel-silver frets. The TeeVee's clay-dot fret markers contrast nicely with the dark rosewood 'board. True to its vintage specifications, the single-action truss rod is accessed by removing the neck—not the most convenient setup, but true to the TeeVee's inspiration.
The guitar has a pair of proprietary, vintage-voiced Lindy Fralin RS 60 staggered single-coils that feature alnico 5 bar magnets. The nickel-covered neck pickup is wound hotter than the bridge pickup (these aged pickups spec at 7k and 6.2k, respectively).
The electronics and hardware reflect exacting standards and an eye for vintage realism and high quality. The TeeVee has a low-profile RS-stamped Glendale Bridge (with its treble side ground down), compensated aluminum saddles, a 280 kΩ RS Superpot for volume, and a CTS tone pot. All the parts are aged, and, where possible, conform to period-correct specifications. The builders at RS even dye the guitar's cloth-covered wiring to match the instrument's finish.
Perhaps my only real qualm with the instrument's design is the location of the Tele-type control plate on the V shaped body, which places the volume knob a bit closer to the bridge than I'd like, and right in the path of my picking hand when I'm strumming.
Care Translates to Tone
The high degree of craftsmanship on the TeeVee Custom translates into an instrument that has exceptional playability and offers a wide range of sounds on tap. The lightweight, resonant guitar sounded great before I even plugged it into the blackface Fender Bandmaster and TomasZewicz 35112 amps I used for this review.
The combination of alder body and rosewood fretboard works well with the spanky Fralin pickups to emphasize the lower midrange. In general, the tone seems somewhat more muscular and less bright than a typical Telecaster, but there's still plenty of traditional snap and twang on tap if you need it. The bridge pickup is not overly bright, and the tone control has a really broad range that enabled me to move from brighter Tom Petty-like rock tones to darker and more aggressive sounds.
The folks at RS and Fralin devoted a lot of time to designing these pickups, and the attention to detail is evident in their sound. The hotter neck pickup was a pleasant surprise, featuring a clear, harmonically rich color that's perfect for single-note passages or fingerpicking. And the middle position (pickups in parallel) also offered up some truly funk-worthy textures that were simultaneously fat and chiming with a trace of out-of-phase quack. In any setting, the Fralin pickups are impressive, consistently delivering sweet, balanced sounds in both clean and high-gain applications. The TeeVee Custom has enough sonic variety to adapt to virtually any musical style—just like a good Tele.
With its quality components and meticulous craftsmanship, the TeeVee custom stands out as a top-notch player's tool, and its unique synthesis of Tele and V designs and relic'd look make the RS TeeVee a real showstopper onstage. But the icing on the cake is the TeeVee's full-bodied, muscular tones and silky playability. This combination makes the TeeVee a professional-level instrument fit for a guitarist who doesn't mind a bit of flash.
Buy if...
you're looking for vintage Tele tone in a more individual-looking guitar, and you're not a wallflower.
Skip if...
the integration of the two classic designs doesn't resonate with you, and you like a Tele-sounding guitar to look like one too.
Rating...
Street $3095 - RS Guitarworks - rsguitarworks.net
whats-new april-2011 4-5 t-style reviews single-coil-equipped 3000-4000 guitars rs-guitarworks solidbody gear


text:
package main

import (
	"strings"

	"github.com/petergtz/goextract/util"
	"github.com/pkg/math"
)

type Selection struct {
	Begin, End Position
}

type Position struct {
	Line, Column int
}

func ShrinkToNonWhiteSpace(selection Selection, sourceCode string) Selection {
	lines := strings.Split(sourceCode, "\n")
	selection.Begin = makeValid(selection.Begin, lines)
	selection.End = makeValid(selection.End, lines)
	for isWhitespace(lines, selection.Begin) &&
		!endOfLines(selection.Begin, lines) &&
		!emptySelection(selection) {
		selection.Begin = rightOf(selection.Begin, lines)
	}
	for isWhitespace(lines, leftOf(selection.End, lines)) &&
		!beginOfLines(selection.End, lines) &&
		!emptySelection(selection) {
		selection.End = leftOf(selection.End, lines)
	}
	return selection
}

func makeValid(pos Position, lines []string) Position {
	return Position{
		Line:   math.Min(math.Max(pos.Line, 1), len(lines)),
		Column: math.Min(math.Max(pos.Column, 1), len(lines[len(lines)-1])+1),
	}
}

func isWhitespace(lines []string, pos Position) bool {
	isWhitespace := map[byte]bool{' ': true, '\t': true}
	return endOfLine(lines, pos) || isWhitespace[lines[pos.Line-1][pos.Column-1]]
}

func endOfLines(pos Position, lines []string) bool {
	return endOfLine(lines, pos) && pos.Line == len(lines)
}

func beginOfLines(pos Position, lines []string) bool {
	return pos.Column == 1 && pos.Line == 1
}

func endOfLine(lines []string, pos Position) bool {
	return pos.Column == len(lines[pos.Line-1])+1
}

func emptySelection(selection Selection) bool {
	return selection.Begin == selection.End
}

func rightOf(pos Position, lines []string) Position {
	if pos.Column == len(lines[len(lines)-1])+1 && pos.Line == len(lines) {
		return pos
	}
	if pos.Column < len(lines[pos.Line-1])+1 {
		return Position{pos.Line, pos.Column + 1}
	} else {
		return Position{pos.Line + 1, 1}
	}
}

func leftOf(pos Position, lines []string) Position {
	if pos.Column == 1 && pos.Line == 1 {
		return pos
	}
	if pos.Column > 1 {
		return Position{pos.Line, pos.Column - 1}
	} else {
		return Position{pos.Line - 1, len(lines[pos.Line-2]) + 1}
	}
}

// TODO: error handling. Do this with regex
func selectionFromString(s string) Selection {
	s = strings.Replace(s, " ", "", -1)
	beginEnd := strings.Split(s, "-")
	beginString := beginEnd[0]
	endString := beginEnd[1]
	begin := strings.Split(beginString, ":")
	end := strings.Split(endString, ":")

	return Selection{
		Begin: Position{util.ToInt(begin[0]), util.ToInt(begin[1])},
		End:   Position{util.ToInt(end[0]), util.ToInt(end[1])},
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The network infrastructure serves as the main method by which users within an organization communicate and share information. This makes it a particularly lucrative target for cyber criminals who want to infiltrate the organization to retrieve data or disrupt processes.
A Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack is a type of attack that involves a malicious element "listening in" on communications between parties, and is a significant threat to organizations. Such attacks compromise the data being sent and received, as interceptors not only have access to information, they can also input their own data. Given the importance of the information that goes back and forth within an organization, MiTM attacks represent a very real and potent threat that IT professionals need to be able to address.
To be able to mitigate MiTM attacks, it is important to understand the different techniques that cybercriminals use against individual users and organizations, as it will help IT professionals identify an ongoing attack.
The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a communications protocol used to resolve network addresses (such as IPV4 and IPV6) and physical ones (such as a MAC address) via the data link layer. A host will need to send an ARP request to the TCP/IP network to obtain a physical address. However, due to the unsecure nature of the ARP, it is vulnerable to MiTM attacks using a technique called ARP Spoofing.
The ARP lacks an authentication protocol, allowing an attacker to send spoofed or fake ARP messages to the Local Area Network (LAN). The objective of these attacks is to essentially map the attacking MAC address to the IP address of the target host, resulting in the interception of all traffic meant for the target host. The attacker can use the intercepted data for malicious purposes, such as spying or even modifying the communication between the parties involved.
Adding static ARP entries into the cache is one method of mitigating ARP cache poisoning attacks. This method prevents attackers from using ARP requests and replies as the devices in the network will rely on the local cache instead. However, this technique might not be feasible for larger organizations, as each system in the network will need be configured manually.
As an alternative, IT professionals can look into software that comes with anti-ARP spoofing solutions that can monitor and stop all endpoint processes that send suspicious ARP traffic.
For regular users, always visiting websites using the HTTPS protocol will prevent attackers from intercepting data.
The HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is a security mechanism sent through special response headers that can protect against MiTM attacks by only allowing websites to be accessed through TLS or SSL. This cuts out the vulnerable portion of website access by bypassing connection via HTTP. IT Professionals should look into implementing HSTS as a standard part of their security policies, as it greatly enhances website security, preventing MiTM incidents for both the organization and their website visitors.
For regular users, always verify if a website is secure by checking the URL bar for a (green) lock icon before typing any sensitive data like password. A (green) lock icon means the traffic to the website is encrypted with a legitimate certificate.
Spoofing is another common type of attack, and refers to an attacker impersonating the victim's identity to trick the network into the believing the legitimacy of the attacker's profile. Cyber criminals often use spoofing tactics to infiltrate networks, allowing them access to restricted data and information.
Spoofing can take many different forms. Domain Name Server (DNS) spoofing is commonly used in Man in the Middle Attacks. A DNS spoofing attack happens when an attacker uses weaknesses in the DNS software, often by injecting a "poisoned" DNS entry into the DNS server's cache. This causes it to return an incorrect IP address, which is often a compromised website used by the attacker for different purposes such as phishing attacks. DNS spoofing can be difficult to detect, as cybercriminals will often create malicious websites that resemble legitimate ones.
DNS spoofing can be difficult to detect for users who are unaware of this type of attack. IT professionals can help protect their network's users by regularly clearing the DNS cache of local machines and network servers. In addition, users of Microsoft-based systems can look into utilizing Domain Name Security System Extensions (DNSSEC), which are a suite of extensions that tighten DNS security by providing features such as origin authority, data integrity, and authenticated denial of existence. DNSSEC is particularly effective against DNS spoofing attacks.
Protecting the network from MiTM attacks requires a multistep approach that combines different mitigation techniques and security solutions.
In addition to these best practices, organizations should also look into solutions that can provide multi-layered solutions that can protect the network across all levels.
Trend Micro protects enterprises and small to medium sized businesses against network attacks via our Trend Micro Smart Protection Suites and Network Defense solutions. These solutions provide a comprehensive layer of protection through inspection of email headers, social engineering tactics, and forged behaviors, as well as the detection of other network related attacks.


text:
Images: Russian National Parks
By Andrea Mustain 2010-08-03T20:45:31Z
Russiamap
(Image credit: WWF Russia.)
Russia's federally Protected Areas (PAs). Regions that are currently national protected areas are outlined with red, purple, and orange lines. The red-outlined portions are known as zapovedniks. These areas are set aside as untouched preserves and offer very limited or no public access. National parks are outlined with purple lines, the orange lines mark zakazniks, sanctuaries for bird or game, usually.
Proposed protected areas are marked by red triangles (zapovedniks), purple triangles (national parks), and light blue triangles (maritime buffer zones).
Russsibsnow
(Image credit: Darren Jew / WWF-Canon.)
Nalychevo Nature Park, Kamchatka, Siberia. The park was established in 1995. Kamchatka is the massive peninsula that sticks out along Russia's eastern coastline, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on its east, and the Sea of Okhotsk on its west. The area is dotted with volcanoes, many of them still active, and home to great biodiversity. Sea otters and bears dwell here, eagles and peregrine falcons soar through the skies, and multiple species of salmon spawn in the area's wild rivers.
Russsibpark
(Image credit: Hartmut Jungius / WWF-Canon.)
The Lena Pillars in Lenskie Stolby National Nature Park, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Siberia.
Russtiger
(Image credit: David Lawson / WWF-UK.)
The largest of the tiger subspecies, the Amur tiger can grow up to nearly ten feet (300 centimeters) long, and weigh more than 650 pounds (300 kilograms). Once hunted nearly to extinction, in the mid-20th century only some 40 individuals survived in the wild. The species rebounded, and now around 450 Amur, or Siberian, tigers live in Russia's Far East. Poaching is still a big problem, driven in some part by demand for tiger parts in traditional Chinese medicine.
Russtrees
A mixed forest in autumn colors in the Shatak Nature Park, in the rolling southern Ural Mountains, Bashkortostan, Russia.
Russwalrus
(Image credit: Staffan Widstrand / WWF.)
A Pacific walrus, Chukotka, Siberia. Larger than their Atlantic walrus cousins, Pacific walruses can weigh up to 4,400 pounds (2,000 kilograms). Once hunted heavily, the biggest threat to walruses in recent times is climate change. As ocean habitats warm, receding sea ice is forcing the beasts to stay on land in overcrowded conditions.


Find out how others have experienced our training and academy.
Peaceful space with caring teachers. Love the studio with different choices for class times and classes that accommodate any student.
Inga is a superior instructor and the yoga space is peaceful and happy. Take it from someone who has traveled the Americas and had many different instructors.
Wonderful, peaceful atmosphere and incredible instructors. Just wanted to give an update to my review… I have an autoimmune disorder-Rheumatoid Arthritis- which lead me to practice yoga. since faithfully practicing yoga at the Florida Yoga Academy my blood work has came back normal for the first time in 7 years. Yoga and nutrition has had nothing but positive effects on my health. I'm thankful every day to have discovered the power of yoga.
I started going to the studio a few months ago and from the first day I took a yoga class, I was in love with yoga.
The instructors are very experienced and know exactly how to help each person based on their individual needs. I feel that the practice and the individualized coaching are helping me become a better version of myself.
I love that the classes are not too large and we each feel that we're getting one-on-one sessions with such excellent instructors. It's just amazing how much better I feel physically and mentally since I joined. So much so that I signed up for an unlimited membership so that I can take classes as many times as I can either early in the morning or later in the day or evening.
My first yoga class with Inga was today. It's the best decision I've made for my health and mobility. The atmosphere was relaxing and friendly and what amazed me was that after watching me walk across the room, Inga could tell exactly what my needs and limitations were and tailored my class to fit them perfectly. I totally enjoyed my first practice and have a feeling I'll be a regular from here on in!


Background and Objective: The current meta-analysis aims at evaluating whether the existing clinical evidence may ascertain the effects of growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy on cardiovascular risk, both in isolated GH deficiency (GHD) and in compensated panhypopituitarism including GH deficit.
Methods: Original articles published from 1991 to 2015 were searched on Medline (Pubmed). Among an overall number of 181 potentially suitable studies, 24 fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in the analysis. Data aggregation was carried out through the calculation of the absolute risk reduction. The meta-analysis was then conducted by means of a fixed-effects model, according to the heterogeneity test (Chi-square statistic).
Results: Fat-free mass (FFM) increase and fat mass (FM) reduction were found, together with a C-LDL reduction, a wide variation in glycaemia and a neutral effect on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and blood pressure. These effects were valid both for isolated GHD patients and for those with compensated panhypopituitarism. The global outcome D showed a nonsignificant reduction of the overall cardiovascular risk (0.53; 95% C.I. -1.23, 2.85).
Conclusion: Our meta-analysis shows no signnificatly positive trend in cardiovascular risk after both short and long-term GH supplementation therapy in adult GHD patients. However, a reduction of LDL cholesterol levels has been found. No differences were found between isolated GHD participants and those affected by panhypopituitarism well compensated since at least 3 months.
Keywords: GH deficit, panhypopituitarism, GH supplementation, cardiovascular risk, body composition, cardiovascular risk factors.
Keywords:GH deficit, panhypopituitarism, GH supplementation, cardiovascular risk, body composition, cardiovascular risk factors.
Abstract:Background and Objective: The current meta-analysis aims at evaluating whether the existing clinical evidence may ascertain the effects of growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy on cardiovascular risk, both in isolated GH deficiency (GHD) and in compensated panhypopituitarism including GH deficit.


text:
Can Vidal és una masia de Maçanet de la Selva (Selva) inclosa a l'Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya.

Descripció
Masia de dues plantes; la planta baixa, contempla quatre obertures molt interessants: en la part central, trobem dos portals d'accés. Per una banda, tenim el més noble, és a dir el que actua com a entrada principal, el qual és d'arc carpanell rebaixat compost de dovel·les, grans muntants de pedra i en la clau central hi ha uns inscripció molt interessant, que aporta informació sobre l'autor i la data de la reforma de la casa: "L'any 1992 – la casa- ha estat renovada pel paleta Narcís Gispert". Mentre que per l'altra, trobem l'accés secundari. Es tracta d'un portal adovellat de mig punt, amb dovel·les de grans proporcions. En els laterals, trobem dues obertures de similar tipologia: rectangulars, llinda monolítica, conformant un arc pla i muntants de pedra. Pel que fa al primer pis o planta noble, trobem tres obertures reproduïdes amb la típica solució compositiva, de llinda monolítica, conformant un arc pla, i muntants de pedra. Per sobre, trobem un rellotge de sol bastant minúscul en comparació amb d'altres de gran mida, però per contra molt ben definit i estilitzat. Coberta amb una teulada de vessants a laterals de dues aigües.

Història
La dada més antiga d'aquesta casa és de l'any 1732, quan n'era propietari en Francesc Masferrer hisendat de l'Esparra, municipi de Riudarenes. Al 1781, en Josep Selva n'era masover i treballava la terra conjuntament amb al seu propietari, Francesc Masferrer i Cabré. Al 1785, ja treballava la terra pel seu compte i pagava 30 lliures cada any d'arrendament. El mateix masover pagava l'any 1798 un censal de 150 sous a la família Font, de Santa Coloma. Al 1792, també pagava un cens de dos pollastres a Pío Feliu, i l'any 1802, 13,5 mesurons de blat a Josep Sala i Soler, el procurador del qual era en Miquel Aregay, de Can Corones. L'any 1786 en Josep Selva pagava dos mesurons i tres picotins d'ordi a la Marquesa de Cartellà. La propietat havia tingut una gran extensió de terra, això se sap perquè els veïns del voltant de la casa els feien censos de terreny que havien estat de Can Vidal. Al 1918 ho comprà en Josep Gelmà Sabaté a Francesc d'Asís Masferrer Morell. A finals dels anys vuitanta del segle passat, el propietari era el seu fill, Emili Gelmà i Pascual, casat amb Mercè Sureda, els quals es dedicaven a l'agricultura i ramaderia i treballaven les terres de Can Vidal, tot i que no vivien a la casa permanentment.

Referències

Patrimoni monumental de Maçanet de la Selva
Masies de Maçanet de la Selva

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Ketapang Pioneers the first Jurisdictional PPI Compact of West Kalimantan Landscape
News article28 Oct 2019
On October 29, District of Ketapang in West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, has signed an agreement with key stakeholders to promote sustainable production, forest protection and smallholders' inclusion. The Compact, designed by IDH in partnership with Government of Ketapang District, falls under West Kalimantan Landscape Production, Protection, Inclusion (PPI) strategy.
The Compact aims to protect 1 million hectares (ha) of forest cover including 90,000 ha High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) areas in agriculture land. It also aims to restore up to 20,000 hectares (ha) of forest and peatland and improve sustainable palm oil production, as well as to increase oil palm independent smallholders' livelihoods across Ketapang by 2022 through jurisdictional landscape approach.
It also commits to preserving biodiversity such as Orangutan corridor within the High Conservation Value (HCV) area of several oil palm concessions, located near the buffer zone of Gunung Palung National Park, Gunung Tarak National Park and Sungai Putri forest ecosystem.
Palm oil producer, PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro and agro industry investor, PT Varie Twelve have pledged to invest EUR 1 million in the Compact. These two companies along with other producers such as PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Tbk (ANJ) and Goodhope are committed to produce sustainable palm oil from the jurisdiction.
Martin Rantan, Bupati Ketapang, during his speech, said:
"We need to be innovative in order to realize a good governance and green economic growth in for the District. The compact is one of our efforts to collaborate with all stakeholders in sustainably managing natural resource in Ketapang"
Fitrian Ardiansyah, Executive Chairman of Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau (IDH), said:
"The Compact signed by the Ketapang District, and key stakeholders such as palm oil producers and IDH, is an important step for sustainable development – not only in the West Kalimantan, Indonesia, but globally. This signing marks the beginning of a new era of sustainability: connecting national, especially the independent smallholders, and international markets to sustainably managed production areas. This is a new sustainable market mechanism that rewards regions that address environmental, social and economic sustainability in one approach that managed by a multi-stakeholder platform."
The jurisdictional landscape approach will improve the productivity of independent smallholders to manage their oil palm plantations sustainably, therefore accelerating economic development in the area without increasing the need for converting forests into plantation.
Kamsen Saragih, Director of PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro, said:
"Bumitama has been supporting the PPI Compact since 2016 and we are happy that it has been officialised today, when the different stakeholders came together and signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that promotes sustainable palm oil production. We believe that his framework has the potential to institute a trademark Ketapang responsibly-produced palm oil on the global markets and its positive will be felt by all, especially the rural communities who need sustainable growth."
On the protection side, the Compact aims to protect and restore forest and peatland conservation areas. And on the inclusion side, it aims to regulate the land rights of independent smallholders yet boost livelihood opportunities through increased sustainable practices and its production.
West Kalimantan province plays an important role in the production of palm oil in Indonesia, accounting for about 5.5% of the national crude palm oil (CPO) production. It also has a very important environmental protection component due to its remaining forest area, of which 33% is conserved.
The Compact is therefore a crucial step in helping the district meets its economic, conservation and social goals. After the signing of The Compact, the parties will encourage more stakeholders to join and later agreeing to form action plan, its monitoring system and a multi-stakeholder platform, which will become the governance body of Ketapang PPI Compact.
The initiative will also contribute to Indonesia's national goals, declared by the UN under the Paris Agreement, which stress its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions by 29% in 2030. In addition, it will support the Government's National Action Plan on Sustainable Palm Oil, the country's set of action plan to strengthen the sustainable palm oil certification standard and capacity building of independent smallholders.
A closer look at the Compact goals
Increase smallholders sustainable CPO production up to 30% by 2022
Increase the regional income from plantation
Secure the sustainable palm oil supply chain from independent smallholders in the area
Provide incentive mechanism and access to market for growers to support sustainable palm oil production
Improve labour condition
Reduce the deforestation rate up to 50% by 2022
Decrease the risk of forest and peatland fires up to 50% by 2022
Restore peatland area
Support Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification program for independent smallholders
Increase independent smallholders' land legality up to 50% by 2022
Find out more about IDH work in the West Kalimantan Landscape.
Sector: Palm Oil
Landscape: West Kalimantan - Indonesia
Teaser link
Neha Simlai
The palm oil challenge: How India can push for sustainable edible oils
In recent decades, palm oil and soy have grown to dominate the global production mix and global consumption of edible oils by volume.  India - the world's largest importer of vegetable oils - has a unique opportunity and agency to address the environmental impact of vegetable oil consumption.
Press Release: Sustainable palm oil production critical to halting climate change
Today, the European Palm Oil Alliance (EPOA) and IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative publish…
Report – State of Play: Role of Europe in Driving Sustainable Palm Oil
This report is joint published by EPOA and IDH and examines Europe's progress…
Report – Moving Towards Responsible Sourcing: India and Palm Oil
India is one of the largest emerging markets with a complex equation…
Cargill & IDH partner with JDE Peet's to support independent smallholders towards sustainable oil palm production in Indonesia
October 18 2021, Jakarta, Indonesia | IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative & Cargill today…


text:
UFO stops for repairs in Sasketchwan, Canada
Location: Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Canada
Witnesses saw "a large oval shaped object that was domed at the top and slightly rounded on the bottom. It was supported by legs and from a central door- way, or hatch, about a dozen figures could be seen going up and down a ladder-like stairway. The Occupants appeared to be slightly shorter than the average man, and were all dressed in what appeared to be silver colored suits or uniforms. All appeared to be wearing helmets or ski caps, and all were busy running around "repairing the craft."
Source: John Brent Musgrave (FSR Vol 22 # 6 1976)
1933 - UFO stops for repairs
By John Brent Musgrave (FSR Vol 22 # 6 1976)
Even as late as the mid 1930's, much of the prairie provinces of Canada was still on the frontier of immigrant settlement. Particularly in the northern areas homesteaders were just beginning to open up the land to commerce and agriculture, and such Luxuries as telephones, paved roads and electricity were things of the future. The town of Nipawin, Saskatchewan, is situated in the northwest corner of the province and in the 30's was on the edge of this settlement. During the summer of 1933 stories drifted into Nipawin that some homesteaders. as well as a forest tower ranger, had been observing strange lights in the sky and near the ground. Whatever it was, they had been seeing it for the better part of a week. The land to the northwest of Nipawin, near the Tobin Lake area, is made up of rolling hills and low lying marsh. Parts of it bad begun to be farmed just a few years earlier, and it was without improvement Because of the local marsh, most of the towns- folk who beard about the strange lights explained them away as swamp gas - a convenient scapegoat that still gets used today.
Fortunately, not everyone in Nipawin was convinced that the stories were based on nothing more than ""hot air,,: and shortly after midnight that summer night two men and a woman (names known to the author) jumped into a small pick-up truck and drove to the area where the lights were reported to have been seen. They were not disappointed as the glow on the horizon gradually grew brighter as they drove on. After driving as close as the rough trail would allow them, they got out and hiked through the woods in the direction of the glow. They were blocked a quarter of a mile or less from reaching the source of the glow by a strip of muskeg that was too boggy to risk on to in the middle of the night. But it was close enough. From their vantage point they were able to make out that the light came from a large oval shaped object that was domed at the top and slightly rounded on the bottom. It was supported by legs and from a central door- way, or hatch, about a dozen figures could be seen going up and down a ladder-like stairway. The Occupants appeared to be slightly shorter than the average man, and were all dressed in what appeared to be silver colored suits or uniforms. All appeared to be wearing helmets or ski caps, and all were busy running around ""repairing,, the craft.
All about was a strange sort of quiet, even though the occupants were busy scurrying about. Not a sound could be heard. The three witnesses stared in silent amazement at what was going on, no one even thought to speak out. The bright orange glow that emanated from the craft lit up the surroundings area, and the three of them bad no difficulty spying on the activities. The light from the craft was not only bright, but bad an ""unearthly,, quality never seen by any of them before and added to the mystery of the scene. After about a half hour the three of them returned to the truck and started back to town hoping to find a way around the muskeg to get a closer look at the strange machine parked in the middle of a marsh miles away from the nearest farm- house or forest tower. But when they finally did come across a cut-off trail that might take them closer they realized that they didn't have enough gasoline to take them in and out. So they had to return home that night.
It was not until a couple of nights later that they were able to make a return trip out. It was a clear night with almost a full moon, and they hoped to get an even better view. But this night the object was gone. No trace of the glowing craft could be seen from the vantage point of two nights previous, and they returned to the truck to await dawn. They then walked back in across the muskeg to see if any evidence of what they had seen was Left. And there was. six large square imprints that must have been the bases of the legs that supported the craft proved that there indeed had been something there that night. Each imprint was the same size - 2 to 2 1/2 feet square, and approximately S to 10 feet apart. The imprints were 2 to 3 inches deep, and reminded the three of them of a kind of mark that would be made by boiler plate stomped into the ground. They could also see markings where the base of the stair- way met ground. As if this wasn't remarkable enough, a great burn mark in the center of the area covered a circle approximately 12 feet in diameter. They looked for footprints but found none though there was some scuffling of the vegetation surrounding the spot where the craft had been.
They came better prepared this time. One of the witnesses had brought along a small brownie box camera and took photographs of the burn marks and of the imprints. Later two of them wrote up an article about the whole affair and submitted it, along with copies of the photos, to a number of magazines and newspapers in Canada. But no publication was interested, and those publishers that replied wondered what kind of party they had been to those nights. Like many other UFO witnesses the three of selves. In the course of the 40 plus years since the incident, the original photographs have been lost by the witness who took them, and who bad learned the hard way that they were apparently of no interest to anyone else. Perhaps copies of them are still in existence stored in an attic or sandwiched between vacation shots in some photo album. If they are ever uncovered they may prove to be the earliest photographs of a physical trace case where there were witnesses, and which even had occupants to boot.
Source: http://www.ufoevidence.org/cases/case1143.htm


To assist us in caring for and enriching the day to day lives of the dogs in our care.
Ideally you will be studying towards an animal welfare qualification.
Possess a friendly and helpful manner.
A commitment to our core principles and procedures.
You will need to be fit and active as there is a lot of lifting and bending and some of our dogs are very strong.
Ideally you would need to commit to at least 2 days per week.
You will go through a risk assessment to ensure a safe and healthy working environment.
The opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing ones.
The opportunity of meeting new people.
The satisfaction of knowing that you are making a vital difference to our dogs' well-being.


SUGARLOAF, Pa. -- On Friday, June 2nd, shortly before 9 o'clock in the morning, Police responded to 305 Tomhicken Road for a male interfering with Emergency Medical Personnel.
Once officers arrived on scene they learned that EMS was there to tend to an elderly male.
Officers then learned that 50-year-old, Charles Marcinko, of Sugarloaf held an EMT at gunpoint and made threats to kill anyone that pulled in the driveway.
Marcinko was taken into custody, arraigned on $15,000 bail and transported to Luzerne County Correctional Facility. Marcinko was charged with Simple Assault and Terroristic Threats.
While inside the residence Officers discovered multiple firearms along with thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The firearms and ammunition were seized due to the nature of the crime.
Butler Township Police Department, West Hazleton Police Department and Schuylkill County Parole assisted in apprehending Charles Marcinko.


Up until reaching 33 weeks, my pregnancy had been great. Super easy with very little to no symptoms. I never had morning sickness with her and the heartburn everyone talks about? I was never lucky enough to experience that either. On February 11th, I started noticing strange discharge when I went to the bathroom. It didn't look normal and at first I thought it was my mucus plug. I researched everything I could find on the internet, which of course is a always a bad idea. I decided it was best to go to the doctor just in case. I called the doctor's office and they suggested I come in to just make sure that it wasn't signs of pre-term labor.
Upon arriving at the doctor's they did a few tests and it was determined I had a bacteria infection. They prescribed me some meds and we went home. I had been experiencing Braxton Hicks for a few weeks [at that point] and they had started to become familiar to me. After a few hours of being home though, they became more frequent. They started off just normal but then before I knew it, they were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Once again doing some research, I found that taking medicine for bacterial infections can cause you to cramp painfully. Not thinking anything of it, Zach and I carried on with our night. We ate dinner and sat down to watch some TV, but the pain progressively got worse. Zach mentioned going to the ER and of course I told him no. I refused to be that women that made a small thing into a huge deal. He kept insisting; I kept turning him down. We went to bed for the night and while he quickly fell asleep, I lay awake in pain. They started to be like clock work every few minutes a part. I got in the shower, thinking it would help the pain. It didn't. I thought maybe it was gas, so I tried going to the bathroom multiple times. It didn't help.
Well after midnight, I called the after hours line and spoke to a doctor at the hospital. I told him what was going on. He said because of "my voice" he could tell I wasn't in labor and to take some Benadryl so I could sleep and use a heat pad for the pain. I let about an hour go by but nothing was working. Around 2 a.m., I went into the bedroom and woke Zach up. I told him I couldn't take the pain anymore, something wasn't right and we needed to go to the ER. He called the after hours phone and got the same doctor and explained what was going on. At that point the doctor told us to come to the ER. We got in the freezing car and made the 10 mile drive to the hospital. Nobody was on the road and the snow was falling lightly. I sat there clutching the side of the car with every contraction, wishing we could go faster. We couldn't; the roads were incredibly slick. We got to the ER and someone mentioned that tonight was the night for deliveries. They called in for a wheelchair and said that we had "another one." A nurse showed up minutes later with a wheelchair to wheel me to the labor and delivery floor. Getting checked in was of course an ordeal. I clutched the counter with each contraction as they asked me questions nonchalantly like I wasn't in any pain at all. Zach answered them to hurry the process along. After getting checked in, they put us in a room and asked me to pee in a cup so they could check my urine to make sure that the pain I was experiencing wasn't due to the infection. They then hooked me up to the monitor to check Averie's heart beat. The thump, thump, thump came over the monitor. It was still there and strong… I felt a wave of relief.
Before I knew it, the anesthesiologist was in the room presenting me with paper work and asking questions about my prior health conditions. They gave Zach some stuff to suit up and started wheeling me to the operation room. The epidural went fast and before I knew it, I was staring up at the sky with a sheet between me and the doctors, but Zach was nowhere to be seen and because my glasses had fallen off back in the delivery room, I was blind. Arms strapped out to my sides, I remember just staring at the blurry ceiling while the commotion went on [over] the other side of the sheet. Thank goodness for the kind anesthesiologist. He knew I was alone and scared, so he did his best to tell me what was going on. I kept asking him, "Where is my husband?" and he would say he didn't know. I later found out Zach wasn't allowed to come in. When it was evident that Averie had been pulled from my body, I heard nothing. No cries; nothing. I said to the kind man, "I can't hear her! What's wrong?" He told me she wasn't breathing when they pulled her out and they were resuscitating her. The doctor was doing everything in his power to save our little girl. Before I knew it, I had been sewn back up and was being wheeled to recovery. Somewhere along the way, I saw my blurry husband in the middle of a blurry hall. He walked to the recovery room with me and told me he had seen Averie as they whisked her off to the NICU.
We chatted with the nurses for a bit and then Zach was pulled into the other room by the neonotal doctor. A few minutes went by and Zach came back in saying he saw our little girl and the doctor said she was doing better. Zach said when he saw her she was moving around and he mentioned that she had my nose. With our sprits high, we were wheeled back to the delivery room. A doctor came in to tell us that because of Averie's condition, they needed our consent to have her sent to the NICU unit in Syracuse about an hour away. They had a great facility there and she would get the best care. We were to wait and in a little while, we would be taken back to her to see her before she left. At this point it was 6 a.m. ET, only 4 a.m. in Utah where our family lives. I called my sister Vanessa and told her about our crazy night and that she was an aunt again. Averie was here early. Hours went by and nobody had come into the room to get us. I looked outside and the snow was falling. I thought, is it safe to take her in this weather? I was restless. I wanted to see my baby girl. I wanted to hold her.
We sat there for about 4 hours before someone came into our room. In walked the neonatal doctor and the doctor that had driven up from Syracuse to take our little girl. It was at that point I felt something was wrong. They proceeded to tell us that Averie's health had taken a turn for the worse. Our baby girl was showing no brain activity. We were then told that she would most likely not make the trip to Syracuse and would probably not make it over night. At some point during everything, she had swallowed meconium. The doctor then explained if she did indeed make it, she would be a vegetable for the rest of her life with multiple health problems. Zach and I had to make the hardest decision of our lives; to let our baby go. At this point, I was numb. I couldn't even cry. I remember just staring wide-mouthed between the doctors and Zach. The doctor from Watertown walked up to me and looked me in the eyes and said, "Mommy, don't blame yourself. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this." I kept thinking, this cannot be real, this cannot be real. They then told us we could go see her [then].
Everyone left the room for a short moment and I took Zach's hand. We looked each other in the eyes and I said, "We cannot let this break us. We have to be strong for Averie." I called Vanessa [and told her] the devastating news. They then wheeled me to the small NICU unit into this tiny room. Averie was lying there with tubes coming out of her in every direction. It was then that the tears really hit seeing our beautiful little girl so helpless. The doctor from Syracuse kept telling us that she had been doing this for 20 years and that blah, blah. I felt like she wanted us to hurry or something and say our goodbyes. I felt rushed. Zach and I sat in this tiny room holding our baby girl trying to take every part of her in. She didn't have my nose. She had her daddy's. She looked so much like him. At one point, her eyes were opened and she had the darkest, most beautiful deep blue eyes. They cleaned off her hair which was so blond and she had so much of it. As we held her, we discussed our decision. Zach and I didn't want her to suffer anymore we didn't want to keep her alive just for us to be selfish to have her.
My phone rang while I looked down on our beautiful little girl and it was my best friend Ashley. I answered it to sobs on the other end. Vanessa had told her the horrible news. We sat on the phone together and just cried. The hospital staff called a photographer from Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. Their motto is: Providing the gift of remembrance photography for parents suffering the loss of a baby. We sat in that room for a few hours just holding her, being with her as the photographer took pictures. The hospital staff then got Averie cleaned up and put her in a cute pink outfit. They then disconnected her from all the machines that kept her alive. Zach and I took turns holding her, kissing her little nose and saying our goodbyes. I just remember holding her thinking, "I can't do this, I can't do this." Watching her gasp for air, I felt like the worst parent on the planet. I believe she took her last breath in the arms of her daddy.
When he handed her off to me that last time, I knew her little soul was gone. They wrapped her up tightly in a blanket and put her in my arms and then wheeled me back to our room while Zach walked quietly beside me. I didn't look up; I didn't want to see anyone and their sorrowful eyes. Once in the room, they let us keep her and told us we could take as much time as we wanted with her. She was starting to get cold and very purple, but I didn't want to let her go. After 8 months, she was finally in my arms. We decided to have the nurses take her away for a bit. I was having a hard time seeing her that way. Hours passed while Zach watched TV and held my hand as I stared off at the wall. Vanessa had called me and told me she and my mother were on their way. Zach's mom was on her way as well as our second family, The Mullins. Everyone would be arriving the next day. Night time came and I told Zach I felt like we needed to say our final goodbyes to our sweet baby girl. I had been putting it off because I didn't want to. Goodbye was so final. I didn't want to think I wouldn't get to hold her again or kiss her or smell her. The nurse brought her back in as well as a large warm blanket to keep her warm. I stared down at her and cried. I told her I loved her. I handed her to Zach and he did the same. The nurse came back in and took her away from us. We sat in our dark room holding each other. They gave me something to sleep, but I didn't want to sleep. I didn't want to wake up to another day of knowing this nightmare was real. I hadn't dreamt it. Because there were so many women that had babies that night, there wasn't a special room for Zach and I to go to, so we stayed in the delivery room.
The nurses did as much as they could to make us feel comfortable. They were truly amazing. I remember in the dead of the night hearing the heartbeat of a healthy baby one room over as a mother delivered. Such a happy sound to them, but a painful reminder for me.
The next day, we were forced with reality. I wanted to leave the hospital because I couldn't be there anymore. Despite just having had a C-section, I made sure I passed all the tests they wanted me to do before they discharged me. I know most women stay for a few days, but I couldn't. Funeral arraignments had to be made before I could be discharged. Zach was amazing and so strong calling around to all the different funeral homes. He found one that would wave the "fee" since Averie was just a baby. Our families started showing up and once I saw my mother and my sister walk through the door, I just cried. My mother rushed to my side and held me. She whispered through her tears "My baby." Ruth and Sean walked in and more tears fell seeing these familiar faces that meant so much to us. They had flown such a long distance in such a short time to be with us. We feel so incredibly blessed to have such amazing family.
Sometime that morning, the very first nurse we had that had attempted to put my IV in me walked in our room. After I delivered the previous morning, she had left because her shift was over. Having just heard of our news, she walked in the room with tears in her eyes. She came over to me and hugged me and whispered "I'm sorry." It was a very tender moment. We packed up my stuff and I changed back into my pajamas I had on the day before and they wheeled me out of the room with our family by our sides. The next few days would prove to be some of the hardest, yet happiest times. But that's for another day.
I fought a long time with not having a reason for the way things happened. And even still, I find myself thinking about it. Dwelling on it won't bring our baby girl back to us and that is something I have to learn how to accept.
Since we will not be living in upstate New York forever, we didn't want to bury our baby here, and because the thought of sending her back to Utah away from us didn't sit well either, we decided to have our baby girl cremated. Her beautiful urn sits in our living room alongside other precious items the hospital staff so kindly gave us; a lock of her hair, her footprints and the clothes she wore in the hospital to name a few. They also took the sweetest pictures of her that we have up throughout our house. Friends and family sent us so many wonderful things as well. Someday we hope to find a spot for her in Utah where we will give her a headstone and a place for her ashes, but for now she is just where she needs to be…with Mommy and Daddy.
I'm so sorry for your loss. Reading your story took me back to the day we lost our daughter. I have this heavy feeling in my chest and it's for you. Thank you for having the courage to share your story of Averie.


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12.07.18 Uttarakhand (UKPCS) Current Affairs
Two residential Sanskrit Universities to come up in Uttarakhand soon
With assistance from Swami Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved Limited, Uttarakhand will soon have two Sanskrit Universities with residential facilities. One university will come up in Rudrapur in Kumaon region while the other will be constructed in Pauri in Garhwal. Both the universities will admit and accommodate 1000 students. Apart from that, Patanjali will also look after the affairs of other Sanskrit schools which are currently in shambles.
Better education and facilities will be provided at the two upcoming universities as well as the 4 Sanskrit schools already in Uttarakhand. Once the cabinet gives green light to the project.
Nepal to host BIMSTEC Summit on Aug 31
Nepal is set to hold a two-day Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, starting from August 31, in Kathmandu.
Nepal, the host nation and the current chair of the BIMSTEC, has made preparations to discuss over the trans-border crimes, terrorism, natural calamities, extremism, and illegal trade of arms, ammunition and drugs.
· India joined European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
India became 69th member of London-based multilateral lender, "European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)".
EBRD bank has already worked with Indian companies on joint projects worth almost 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion), including investments with Tata, SREI, Jindal, and Mahindra and Mahindra.
· Global Innovation Index: Switzerland Tops, India Ranks 57th
This year, India rankedas the 57th most innovative nation in the world, and has improved its ranking from 60th position last year.
Since 2011, Switzerland has been ranked at the top every year.
Top 5 Countries in Global Innovation Index 2018 are:
2. The Netherlands,
3. Sweden,
4. The United Kingdom,
· Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2019 to be held at Varanasi
The 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is being organized by Ministry of External Affairs in association with the State Government of Uttar Pradesh in January 2019 (Jan. 21 – 23, 2019).
Theme of 2019 event is "Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India".
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is annually celebrated on January 9 to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community towards their homeland.
Ministry of Water Resources Launches "Jal Bachao, Video Banao, Puruskar Pao" Contest
In an attempt to engage with the people of India on the important issues of water conservation and water management, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has launched a video contest titled "Jal Bachao, Video Banao, Puruskar Pao".
The Ministry has joined hands with MyGov portal of the Government of India to run the contest.
The fortnightly contest which was launched through MyGov, will last till 4thNovember 2018.
Three winners will be chosen every fortnight.
PM to inaugurate new ASI Headquarters in New Delhi
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will inaugurate the new Headquarters building of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), at Tilak Marg in New Delhi on July 12, 2018.
The new Headquarters building has been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including energy efficient lighting and rainwater harvesting.
It shall include a Central Archaeological Library with a collection of about 1.5 lakh books and journals.
· Government approved Net Neutrality, new telecom policy
To ensure open and free Internet in India, the government has approved the principle of net neutrality, which means that telecom and Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet equally, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, site, platform, or application.
They cannot engage in practices such as blocking, slowing down or granting preferential speeds to any content.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in November 2017, batted in favour of net neutrality – which has been one of the most hotly debated topics in India for over 4 years now.
· BSNL launched India's first internet telephony service, to enable making calls without SIM
Now BSNL customers will be able to make calls using the company's mobile app "Wings" to any phone number in the country.
Registration for the service will start this week and the services will be activated July 25
Telecom Commission, the highest-decision making body of the Department of Telecom, had allowed companies who hold valid telecom licence, to provide app-based calling serviceeven by using wi-fi connection.
In "Dec 2019"
In "March 2020"
23-24.12.18 Uttarakhand (UKPCS) Current Affairs
Categories july 2018 Post navigation


The Golden Records website was originally launched in 2013 to help promote the re-release of classic Golden Records music.
Produced by Verse Music Group, who were remastering the classic music along with newer recordings starring A-list talent, the site was a mixture of old-school Golden Records album art and a more modern cartoon style. It included games, activities, and samples of classic Golden Records music.
2A! created the interactive website and games, designed the new characters DJ and Monkey, and repurposed classic album art to create a whole cast of Golden Records characters.


text:
OngoingWorlds blog
News & articles about play-by-post games, for roleplayers & writers
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By David Ball
Interview with Elena Vasilescu, from Before the Mast RPG
Category: Interviews, non-PBP roleplaying, Play-by-post discussion Tags: Before the Mast RPG Leave a Comment
Last week I interviewed Elena Vasilescu from Before the Mast RPG, with a few questions left over, I wanted to ask how the game came about, and how someone from Romania who speaks French and Spanish, and with players across the world ended up creating a roleplaying game written primarily in English.
Before the Mast has been running since the 6th of August 2010, and has been very active using social media, especially on Twitter and Facebook. I interviewed their moderator Elena Vasilescu and asked her about the game.
How did Before the Mast first come about? Who set it up and why?
Once upon a time, two years ago, I discovered RPGs. It was 4th of August 2009 when I joined my first RPG, led by two administrators from the US, husband and wife. They were patient and they taught me what I needed to know. Fast forward to July 2010, when I was already a moderator there and I had four characters, the decision to close the site was taken, to my deep sorrow. I had been one of those who had struggled to keep it alive in the latest period, because I am the type who doesn't flee, but remains to switch off the light. A few people were in favour of keeping the site alive, but most of them agreed. I was sad and decided to write alone the stories I had in mind. Besides my favourite characters, Marina and Andrea, who came from several stories I had written in my teen years, I had there Chago and Raoul, who had been requested characters/ sort of canons, but whom I had not much opportunity to play.
I was a little angry on Raven, one of my friends with whom I was on 3 sites, because she hadn't said anything about the closing of the site and it seemed to me that she agreed with it. But one morning when I woke up, I found an offline message on Yahoo with the link to a site, telling that it was our new site. A pleasant surprise… Yes, it was "Before the Mast", freshly skinned that night (afternoon for Raven in the US). It was 19th of July 2010…
Then she convinced me that, with her IT skills and with my knowledge of the Age of Sail, this site could work. I had been afraid of being an administrator (well, I had been afraid to accept being a moderator before too) exactly for the technical knowledge required, because I can't do coding, or graphics… But I knew and loved the Golden Age of Piracy and I knew how to write… and this was needed too. So we started building the site, bringing our characters – especially those who hadn't got much played on that site – and thinking about our story; writing the documentation, writing a few posts too, inviting the other friends who wanted to come. I thought I would do my best to create the writing community of my dreams, but I doubted it would last so much, because I had seen too many sites dying.
Elena has told me that she's from Romania, and speaks French and Spanish, and that many of her members are spread out across the world including America, Britain, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, and Mexico. With such variety of languages, I asked her why she chose Before the Mast to be played in English.
Because Raven, its creator, is American, and because I was already playing on several games in English with her. I speak French and Spanish too, but when I discovered RPGs, I discovered them in English. I didn't know that they existed in French and Spanish then. Now I have 2 Spanish ones affiliates, Mar de Jaspia and Los Tudors.
Things have not always been going so smoothly for Elena, as she had her other administrator leave early on. She explains:
Three weeks after the official opening, college started and Raven left. She said she'd return but she never did. Now this was something I hadn't signed for – running the site alone without any knowledge of graphics and coding. It was not easy until December 2010, when I found Moru, after several advertisements on all resource sites. I love her, we are getting along well, I couldn't have wished for a better co-administrator.
In all roleplaying games I've encountered, things are run slightly different. I asked Elena what her daily duties are in Before the Mast.
Our duties are not necessarily daily, given that we have a small community. I think writing (and researching for it) is the most important duty, and anything else comes by need: some days I have applications to comment on and approve, lists to update, board calendar to update; other days I have advertising to do, the first week of the month is dedicated to the newsletter with priority… I think what I also do daily is browsing the game requests on the resource directories and post my ad.
I believe in discussion, negotiation, and pooling creative resources. I do push sometimes the story along, especially when it happens that some players vanish mid-thread and I have to think damage control, other times other characters are more suited to push the story along. We exchange ideas, and I am open to their suggestions too. I am no dictator. Again, I think that in writing a story together with other people, negotiation and compromise are the key words. (Some see compromise as something bad, they give it a negative meaning. No, I don't mean that kind of compromise, but giving and taking mutually, and meeting the others half-way. And some people are really willing to do this, others unfortunately don't have a flexible thinking.)
In her other interview, Elena explains how new members are quality controlled, and how she works with new applicants to improve their biographies, and make sure they're historically plausible.
I have been a newbie in RPGs too 2 years ago (but not a newbie to creative writing in general) and Gabe, God bless him, the administrator of the first game I had joined, helped me patiently. I have returned the favour to anyone in need ever since.
Elena is very active with Before the Mast on Twitter (it was because of her active postings on Twitter where I found out about her and the game). I asked her how social media has helped her get more members into her game.
Well, it has definitely improved the exposure of "Before the Mast" and, if not many members, at least we got many fans! (I mean people who like reading the threads or the "Monthly Histories and Chronicles of the West Indies", which are a monthly summary of the progress of the story.)
Unfortunately for my member base, some people are into reading, but not into writing (or not in English). At the same time, having fans who read our stories mean that we are doing something good and interesting, though. And isn't any writer's dream to have as many readers as possible?
You can find Before the Mast here, and if you want to know more you can read my more detailed article about the game here.
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BOND investors rattled by Bahrain's fiscal woes last year are bracing themselves for the next potential crisis in the Gulf region: Oman.
The cash-strapped sultanate has been slow to implement reforms following the crash in oil prices in 2014, and is seeking to tap the debt market for a fourth year. Its budget deficit is among the largest of all the sovereigns tracked by Fitch Ratings, which downgraded its debt to junk in December.
Concerns over Oman's dwindling buffers have also sparked a debate on whether it will need a bailout similar to the one that Bahrain got last year.
Abdul Kadir Hussain, the head of fixed income at Arqaam Capital, a Dubai-based investment bank, said: "Oman has the most concerning credit trends in the region. Issuance needs are high."
Oman's bonds are cheap relative Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) peers. At around 7 per cent, the sultanate's 2028 bond yields about 40 basis points more than Bahrain's debt of similar maturity - even though Fitch has rated Oman two levels higher at BB+.
Still, Emirates NBD Asset Management isn't rushing to buy. When Bahrain's bonds slumped following a ratings cut by Fitch in March, the Dubai-based money manager picked them up at a bargain. But the money manager stayed away when Fitch downgraded Oman in December. Without reforms, buying the debt would require a "leap of faith", said Salman Bajwa, who heads the firm.
The government plans to raise US$6.2 billion offshore and at home, but will need to borrow more if oil prices decline, Arqaam Capital's Mr Hussain said.
Sergey Dergachev, senior portfolio manager at Union Investment Privatfonds in Frankfurt, said it may have to pay a premium of at least 45 basis points to its existing debt, with the December sell-off sparked by Fitch's downgrade still fresh in investors' minds. "Other GCC issuers are also trying to borrow and muddle through until oil prices recover, but most of them have larger cushions to help weather the downturn," said Brett Rowley, the Los Angeles-based managing director for emerging markets at TCW Group Inc, which manages US$191 billion.
Oman's 2019 budget "confirmed that it has chosen to pursue growth over fiscal consolidation". While Bahrain has benefited financially from its close relationship with Saudi Arabia, Oman has resisted pressure to take sides in regional spats. The sultanate has pursued independent policies that sometimes put it at odds with its neighbours, including its good relations with Iran and Qatar.
Mohammed Elmi, a London-based emerging-market portfolio manager at Federated Investors, said: "In order to secure a GCC support package similar to that given to Bahrain, Oman would have to undertake serious budgetary reforms and have to make a change in its more neutral political orientation to a more pro-Saudi position." UK Brent crude prices at around US$60 per barrel are below what Oman needs to balance its budget, he said.
Philipp Good, Zurich-based chief executive officer of Fisch Asset Management, said he is not worried about the nation's credit profile for now. The sultanate is starting to diversify away from oil, investing in infrastructure and focusing on tourism, he said. Oman also plans to introduce value added tax this year.
"I see it as a double-B credit; it is priced as a single-B credit," he said. "As long as we have this discrepancy, you can imagine we'd remain overweight." Government debt will probably climb to 58 per cent of gross domestic product by 2020, from 48 per cent last year, said Fitch. Oman's net foreign assets will shrink to a negative 8 per cent of GDP in 2020, from an asset position of 7 per cent in 2018. This reflects the government's external borrowing, the drawdown of reserves and use of the sovereign wealth fund for financing.