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Blockchain and Government Efficiency
05 Nov Blockchain and Government Efficiency
Posted at 11:54h in dndfeature	by	Disini & Disini Law Office
It is no secret that the Philippine bureaucracy is inefficient. This is shown by the long line of driver's license applicants in the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in East Avenue. Up to now, the LTO still employs personnel to manually input applicants' personal details into the computer, charging generously for this menial and non-essential task. This is the kind of inefficiency that plagues most government agencies which can ultimately be traced to the lack of automation even for simple processes.
In addition, government services in the Philippines also suffer from a lack of systematization and coordination, especially in handling of data. A phone call to a government office for a simple request for information would see one having to talk to ten different government agencies in seriatim, with each one referring you to another department more obscure than the last. Each office also has different methods of tracking and tracing documents, some employing more effective systems than others. Individual agencies tend to build their data in unprotected, but non-transparent silos, quite open to data breaches but closed off to the discerning public.
These recurring issues in the handling of critical data – insufficient security, lack of transparency and integrity, and the non-sharing of data between government agencies – are easily addressed by blockchain technology. Blockchain technology allows digital information to be distributed but not copied. It is comprised of data records, or "blocks".[i] This means each individual piece of data can only have one owner while being stored in a public database. The information is constantly reconciled and stored in multiple locations and updated instantly. The records are public and verifiable, and since there is no central location, it is more difficult to hack. Moreover, once the "blocks" of data records are collected in a chain, they cannot be changed or deleted by a single actor; instead they are verified and managed using automation and shared governance protocols.[ii]
A key-feature of blockchain-based technology is transparency through decentralization wherein participating parties are able to see and verify data. Transactions are recorded chronologically, forming an immutable chain and allowing for the full traceability of every transaction. Hence, the recurring issue of lack of government transparency is effectively managed by providing a sufficient "digital trail" to identify illicit or fraudulent activity.[iii] In addition, by leveraging a shared and distributed database of ledgers, the need for intermediaries is eliminated.[iv] This reduction in red-tape and discretion strengthens the integrity of government services and data management.
This level of transparency is balanced by the security provided by the blockchain. Nowadays, criminals can easily gain access to government databases and steal or manipulate records due to the low level of security or encryption that the government employs in protecting critical data. Oftentimes this data is not digital, hence a simple photocopying of records will leave one vulnerable to identity theft or fraud. To address this type of security issue, the nation of Estonia for example, is rolling out a technology called Keyless Signature Infrastructure (KSI) to safeguard all public-sector data. KSI creates hash values, which is akin to fingerprints for files. The contents of a file (which may or may not contain large amounts of data) is processed using an algorithm and a unique numerical value – the hash value – is produced.[v] This hash value can be used to identify records but cannot be used to reconstruct information in the file itself. Multiple hash values (i.e. representing multiple files/ data sets) are then stored in a blockchain and distributed across a private network of government computers.
Whenever an underlying file changes, a new hash value is appended to the chain, and this information can no longer be changed. The history of each record is fully transparent, and unauthorized tampering from within or outside the system can be detected and prevented. KSI allows government officials to monitor changes within various databases—who changes a record, what changes were implemented, and when they were made. The electronic health records of all Estonian citizens are managed using KSI technology, and the country is planning to make KSI available to all government agencies and private-sector companies in the country.[vi]
The problem of redundancy and disorganization is also solved whereby the blockchain serves as an "online ledger" where data can be verified and reconciled.[vii] Governments could create central repositories or enterprise systems using blockchain technology for sharing information across agencies. Of course, not all of these data are accessible by the whole world. What is needed is an environment where data can easily be accessed across systems but at the same time, individuals and organizations can take back ownership of their data and control the flow of personal information. Emerging blockchain technology may support such a scenario. Each person or organization would have all relevant data about them (basic personal information, for instance, or records of previous interactions with government agencies) stored in a dedicated ledger within an encrypted blockchain database. Individuals or companies could access these ledgers through the Internet. End users could then give government agencies the authority to read or change specific elements of their individual ledger using public- and private-key cryptography.[viii] India[ix] for example, is upgrading their National Unique Digital Identity system (called "Aadhaar), a system that generates a single digital identity for its citizens (consolidating all relevant information across all involved agencies), using biometric technology and blockchain.
While the Philippines has experienced an incredible increase in internet foot traffic since 2000, researches from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) still noted a relatively weak uptake of ICT services in our country.[x] Thus, it is no surprise that though we are dubbed as the social media capital of the world[xi], the Philippine ICT environment remains significantly below international standards.[xii] On a positive note however, this means that there is a potential for improvement, especially considering the speedy developments happening in blockchain technology.
A promising application of blockchain technology in the Philippines would be automating and tracking high-risk transactions, such as public contracts, cash transfers, and aid funds. Government payment systems and cash transfers are particularly vulnerable to corruption. They have multiple points of human discretion that make them vulnerable to fraud and falsification and create opportunities for bribery. Limiting the physical interaction between citizens and officials will reduce opportunities for rent-seeking. Moreover, many governments distribute benefits without appropriate controls or verification mechanisms, hence, falsified claims by recipients are not uncommon. Conditional cash transfers and aid flows are such examples. In Jordan, the UN World Food Program recently conducted a pilot project using blockchain to manage cash-based transfers to Syrian refugees to increase transparency, eliminate leakages, and reduce transfer costs.[xiii] The same could be done to the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) being implemented in our country.
Technology solutions should first be implemented to provide end-to-end transparency in government payment systems, allowing one to detect red flags, fraud and malversation. Blockchains only add value to an already technology-driven system and can do little for systems that have yet to be digitized.
It appears that the main problem in implementing blockchain solutions in the Philippines lies in the fact that blockchains only strengthen already existing institutions[xiv]. This means that if the current institutions are inherently faulty, corrupted or primitive, adding on a blockchain system to digitize the same will not help solve problems in inefficiency. In fact, it may even aggravate the same. This suggests that the value of introducing blockchain in any weak government system is questionable. Resources may be better spent in fixing and strengthening institutions instead.[xv]
[i] https://medium.com/the-mission/a-simple-explanation-on-how-blockchain-works-e52f75da6e9a
[ii] https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/digital-mckinsey/our-insights/using-blockchain-to-improve-data-management-in-the-public-sector
[iii] https://ssir.org/articles/entry/will_blockchain_disrupt_government_corruption#
[iv] Ibid.
[v] https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/definition/hash-values
[vi] https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/digital-mckinsey/our-insights/using-blockchain-to-improve-data-management-in-the-public-sector
[vii] https://medium.com/the-mission/a-simple-explanation-on-how-blockchain-works-e52f75da6e9a
[viii] https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/digital-mckinsey/our-insights/using-blockchain-to-improve-data-management-in-the-public-sector
[ix] https://hbr.org/2017/11/how-india-is-moving-toward-a-digital-first-economy
[x] https://www.pids.gov.ph/infocus/113
[xi] https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/03/1784052/philippines-still-worlds-social-media-capital-study
[xii] https://www.pids.gov.ph/infocus/113
[xiii] https://ssir.org/articles/entry/will_blockchain_disrupt_government_corruption#
[xiv] Ibid.
[xv] Ibid.


Disclaimer: For anyone who is a comic book savant, please forgive the license I took with these teams and characters. Focus on the educational value and not the slight inaccuracies in comic book lore.
This semester, I created a superhero themed game wherein each of my four classes were designated a team of heroes: freshmen were the X-men, sophomores were the Lantern Corps, juniors were the Legion of Superheroes, and seniors were the Brotherhood of Mutants. Within each team, the students were divided into two squads. X-men = New Mutants and Generation X. Lantern Corps = Green Lanterns and Indigo Lanterns. Legion of Superheroes = All-Star Squadron and Teen Titans. Brotherhood of Mutants = House of M and Freedom Force. This was all following the model created by Michael Matera and his book EXPlore like a Pirate. During the semester, students could earn points (XP) as individuals, as a squad, or as a team. These were awarded as character cards for various tasks, some academic (quiz challenges) and some not (school spirit week). Winners in each category would be announced at the end of the semester, but leaderboards were public so there were no surprises.
The whole premise was released in a BreakoutEDU I created for the students. It began the night before with a video from a character I portrayed (and made up) named the Fictamorph. This was released to the students on Schoology. In this video, I addressed the students as heroes, renamed my classroom Headquarters, and explained that I had information regarding an alien race coming to Earth. When the students entered the classroom the next day, they found the whole room in disarray. Tables and chairs were overturned, papers on the floor, etc. There was also a box with a hasp clasp and multiple locks in the room. I won't take you through step-by-step, but by figuring out the answers to a series of puzzles, each of which contained a bit more information about the alien race, the students discovered that the Fictamorph had been captured. Once they completed all of the puzzles and opened the box, they were able to access a group on Schoology for Superheroes that contained videos to let them know what teams and squads they were on. Needless to say, the students got excited when they saw their names in the lineups and wanted to know more. And there would be so much more.
Since the Fictamorph had been kidnapped, the goal of the third quarter was to rescue him from the alien base in which he was being held. To do this, they got a weekly message from the Fictamorph with clues about his whereabouts. These video messages were not given to the students directly; rather, I enlisted the help of various staff members throughout the school to perform as secret agents. The staff member was given multiple pieces of paper with the same YouTube link on it. As we were studying characterization, students were then taken through a series of questions and/or statements related to the secret agent, who was operating under a code name. Some were simple, such as "I am short. Do you know who I am?" Answering no would move on to another statement to help the student narrow it down. Answering yes would take the students to a list of staff names, whereupon they would make their guess. If they were right, a picture of the staff member would show up. If not, they were free to start again. As the weeks continued, the questions got more involved, such as, "Rainbow Star brushes her long, dark hair every morning. Is this an example of direct or indirect characterization?" Correct answers moved the student forward. Incorrect answers sent the student back to the beginning. Students then used the statements to compile information and determine the identity of the agent.
One main reason for this, aside from characterization practice was that students got to know different staff members around the school, what they do, and how to spell their names. From a professional learning network (PLN) perspective, it brought colleagues together as a team and invited staff members to interact with a curriculum and method that they might not be used to. Everyone who participated as a secret agent said they really enjoyed it!
Code names were invented by the agents themselves. Some of the more colorful ones were, The Olympic Torch, Mama Nae Nae, Blackstar, and Chameleon. I used Google forms embedded in the Schoology Superhero group for this task. Once the heroes discovered the identity of the secret agent, they would have to go and find the agent, who would make them answer a question or perform a task before they could earn the paper. Tasks were determined by the staff member. For example, Mama Nae Nae required the students to dance the nae nae. Other agents were more topical, asking for the current frontrunners of the Democratic and Republican parties. Successfully answering or performing would yield the reward of the YouTube link and students would race back to my classroom to watch the video. All of the videos can be found here. Each video contained another clue to bring the students closer to finding the base.
Once students knew the location of the base and had collected all four characters, they were invited to try to enter the base. Only a hero who had completed the task and earned the card could try for the base by rolling a large pair of dice. Certain numbers indicated success or failure. It cost a hero his or her own XP to roll the dice each time, so heroes had to carefully weigh the risk against the penalty and decide whether they, or another teammate with the same card, would attempt the task. Once the final objective had been achieved, I revealed that not only had the Fictamorph been rescued, but that the Flash had obtained a piece of information vital to the success of the overall mission: saving the Earth. I presented this to the hero who had used the Flash, but there was a catch: it was in a wooden box with a golden lock. Confused and curious, the students all asked how to get the information and I told them that it was something to be revealed the following week.
You guessed it. The next week was another BreakoutEDU and what they found inside was a poem. The poem explained that the goal of the 4th quarter was to defeat the Dominators and send them back to the stars. In order to do that, they needed to enlist the help of three superhero teams: the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the Justice League. There would be various tasks throughout the semester in order to collect heroes from all three teams. In order to discover those tasks, heroes must once again find secret agents.
This time, however, students were given a coded message which could only be decoded by using the real name of the agent. The message, once decoded, set forth a task that had to be completed in order to recruit a superhero for their cause. For example, one of the more humorous tasks was to find a connection to three Avengers in the periodic table of the elements and report their symbols. The answers? Iron Man (Iron = Fe), Captain America (Americum = Am), and Thor (Thorium = Th). Some were more academically oriented, such as four mathematical problems to recruit Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman or a labelled volcano diagram to have The Human Torch and The Thing join the team. Seven lists, each containing seven items, were required to get all seven members of the Justice League, including naming the original seven members of the team.
Once the task was achieved, students were given cards like the ones you see to the right. One team member was in charge of keeping these cards safe for the duration of the quarter. Each superhero was given a certain amount of HP (health points) and a series of outcomes related to the roll of a die or two dice. These would be used in battle against the Dominators. For example, when rolling for Batman, a student would roll two dice. If a 2, 3, 4, or 5 was the total, Batman would punch the Dominator, eliciting 10HP worth of damage. This 10HP would be subtracted from the Dominator total. If a 6, 7, or 8 appeared, Batman would miss completely. If a 9, 10, or 11 appeared, bats would attack the Dominator for 20HP worth of damage. And if a 12 showed up, Batman performed an aerial assault, doing 30HP worth of damage. I also created cards for four Dominators (to be played by my assistant): a Drone, a Soldier, a General, and a Queen. Each of these had HP and outcomes on the card. I created a Flippity spreadsheet for tracking HP. The enemy was yellow and the heroes were green.
Now comes the moments you're all waiting for: THE FINAL BATTLE.
I explained the rules to the students. Students would come up to the board one by one and choose a square to reveal a question. If they answered the question correctly, they would have an opportunity to attack the Dominators. They could choose any hero that they wished and roll the die or dice. Depending on the outcome, they would either miss completely, protect themselves from attack, or do a certain amount of damage. The Dominator (played by my assistant) would then have a chance to attack that hero back. Play continued until all four Dominators or all superheroes were defeated. Although the student who flipped the question was required to answer, he or she was allowed to use any resource in the room, including papers on the walls, the internet, notes on his or her phone, even ask teammates. The goal was to see if the student could A: find the information, and B: use the information correctly. Many times students knew the answers, but didn't trust themselves and waited to ask teammates, who sometimes gave incorrect answers. It was as much a lesson for them as an assessment.
The students were excited. They debated passionately about answers. They developed strategies to choose heroes for their attacks. They even had certain methods of rolling the dice that they felt would achieve the results they wanted. The seniors, for example, were convinced that rolling the dice against the wall would get the number they wanted. To be sure, they took down the Dominator Drone in a series of very swift attacks, using The Human Torch's flame attack (-30HP), The Thing's rock smash (-75HP), and The Hulk's hulk smash (-75HP). Students quickly recognized these last two as powerful figures and tried to get the smashes as much as possible. There was only one number on each card to get the smash, however - 4 for a rock smash and 6 for a hulk smash - but I was shocked to see that they achieved them more often than not. One freshman student, normally reserved and quiet, screamed and danced in joy when she achieved a hulk smash twice in a row!
On my end, I had my tablet to keep track of right and wrong answers by filling in the cells green or red, respectively. Just like a test, the number of right answers over the total number of questions answered reveals the score. I also had to keep changing the numbers in the spreadsheet for the HP as the results of the dice rolls were revealed. The Flippity HP tracker page automatically updated. I told students that they had access to the HP tracker through Schoology and they used that information to help each other select stronger heroes to attack the Dominators. As the Drone and Soldier were defeated, I realized that I wanted to do something to make the game more interesting, so I added two new elements. I announced that the General and Queen had the power to attack anyone they wanted, not necessarily the superhero that attacked them. This made it possible for my assistant to remove superheroes from the game and heightened the excitement and challenge for the students. Of course, he focused on taking out the major players: Hulk and The Thing.
I also created a video message from Deadpool, who announced that all points would now be doubled. This included the Dominator attack and made the game start to go faster. Not only was this for excitement purposes, but it required the students to use their mathematical skills to double all of the points. Once they reached the Queen, I added yet another bonus: students could attack with two heroes simultaneously. As heroes started to be removed from the game, students became even more careful in their answers and their choices of attackers. Thor became a frequently used character.
The students loved it. They enjoyed it so much that they begged to continue the game the following Monday and one group (having had a two periods of playing the game that morning) even asked to come into my class for a third period that afternoon to play the game. None of them realized they were asking for more assessment. I am confident that the game could have continued through the week. As time ran out, I made a deal with the freshmen who were battling the Dominator Queen: I would roll the dice and if the students' next roll matched my number, the Dominator Queen would be defeated and that team would win the game. When I rolled the dice for the freshman class, they came up 5 and 1 for a total of 6. The freshman student who rolled after me got a 4 and 2. The freshmen didn't realize what this meant until I asked them to add the numbers. When they found out it was 6, they started yelling. It was so exciting to see them win that I offered the same deal to the juniors. They agreed. With their class, I rolled a 2 and a 1. I looked over at my assistant doubtful that success was on the horizon. Two junior students rolled one die each. The result? 1 and 2. As soon as the dice settled, the students began shouting in joy and my assistant and I shared shocked smiles. Both teams had won. The students left, chatting happily. They informed me that this was better than any paper final exam.
There are things I might change in the future, such as the point values or the timing of it, but overall, I am very pleased with how this turned out. The other benefit was that my assistant and I both enjoyed ourselves as well!


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EORG of voluit Europese Organisatie ter bescherming van de Rechtspositie van Gedetineerden is c.q. was een belangenvereniging die opkomt voor de rechtspositie van gedetineerden.

De organisatie is opgericht in 1992 om de rechten en belangen van gedetineerden te bewaken. Hoeveel leden de organisatie heeft is onbekend maar op de website van Het Vrije Volk stelt Aad Leering dat de organisatie bestaat uit één enkel lid, en dat de gehele organisatie een hoax is.

De Nederlandse organisatie EORG Netherlands ging op 31 januari 2007 failliet, waarna een doorstart of herstart werd aangekondigd. De website van de organisatie is niet meer bereikbaar.

Naast algemene belangenbehartiging waarbij de organisatie bij vermeende misstanden actie voerde en zorgde voor het openbaar maken van de misstanden, was de organisatie ook verantwoordelijk voor een zelfstandige stichting welke rechtsbijstand verleent aan gedetineerden of andere direct betrokken personen.

Belangenorganisatie
Strafrecht in Nederland

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Maybe you've already read about the fundamentals that underpin our services, if not, take a look here.
Also, as it says on the our home page, a list of services can make accountants all seem the same but perhaps you've also taken a look at the Landmark reviews to discover accountants are not all the same.
So, now to some of the areas we cover when providing what overall is a comprehensive service taking care of all your accounting and taxation needs from Start-up through growth, to maturity and finally to exit phases (business and personal).
Discover more about the core services you can choose and also some things we won't do.
Fail to return your phone calls.
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Bamboozle you with accountancy jargon.
Tell you at the last minute what you ought to be doing.
Tell you after the event what you should have done already!
Make you feel uneasy or feel like you've asked a stupid question… (there are no stupid questions).


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Austin, Texas is now ground zero in the battle for the future of TV
Brad Reed @bwreedbgr
February 24th, 2014 at 11:15 PM
TV fans in Austin, Tex. are very lucky. Not only do they have Google Fiber and Time Warner Cable aggressively trying to win them over with faster speeds they can use to enjoy lag-free Netflix streams but they're about to get Aereo in their fair city as well starting on March 3rd. Aereo, for those who don't know, is a television streaming service that takes over-the-air broadcast signals and delivers them to your smartphone, tablet or laptop over your Internet connection. This means that you can use Aereo to watch over-the-air television even if you're not at home in front of your television.
Broadcasters have unsurprisingly been screaming bloody murder about Aereo and have been pushing to get in banned in every market where it's launched. Now that it's launched in Austin, however, viewers in that city have an embarrassment of riches to choose from when it comes to getting their TV fix. Given that TV is rapidly becoming just another app delivered over the Internet, residents of Austin should consider themselves lucky that they're on the bleeding edge of this massive change in how we watch our favorite shows.
Aereo's press release follows below.
AEREO ANNOUNCES LAUNCH DATE FOR AUSTIN
Starting March 3, more than 1.25 million consumers in Greater Austin will have access to Aereo's innovative antenna/DVR technology to record and watch live television online
New York, NY (February 24, 2014) – Aereo, Inc., today announced plans to launch its groundbreaking remote antenna/DVR television technology in the Greater Austin area on March 3. Greater Austin is Aereo's 4th market to launch in Texas and includes a 12-county area.
"We're excited to launch in Austin, our fourth Texas market," said Aereo CEO and Founder Chet Kanojia. "Aereo's innovative cloud-based antenna/DVR technology brings the old-fashioned antenna into the 21st Century, providing consumers access to the over-the-air broadcast signals that belong to them. Aereo makes using an antenna easy again – the way it should be. We're looking forward to kicking off in Austin."
Greater Austin residents who pre-register at Aereo.com will receive priority access to sign up. Aereo's technology will be available to all consumers across the 12-county area on March 3.
Aereo's innovative remote (cloud-based) antenna/DVR technology makes watching television simple and user-friendly. Using Aereo's technology, consumers can pause and rewind any program that they are watching live, or save a program for future viewing.
In the Greater Austin region, consumers will be able to use Aereo's unique antenna/DVR technology to record and watch 19 over-the-air channels including major networks such as KVUE (ABC), KXAN (NBC), KEYE (CBS), KTBC (Fox), KNVA (CW) and KLRU (PBS); special interest channels ThisTV, MOVIES!, GetTV, Create TV and AccuWeather; and Spanish-language channels UniMás, UniVision, Telemundo and Estrella TV. In addition, consumers will also have the ability to add Bloomberg Television.
Aereo membership begins at $8 per month, for access to Aereo's cloud-based antenna/DVR technology and 20 hours of DVR storage. For an additional $4, consumers can upgrade their membership and receive 60 hours of DVR storage for a total of $12 per month. Consumers who join Aereo will get their first of month of access for free.
Aereo membership will be available to consumers residing in the following 12 counties in Texas: Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Gillespie, Hays, Lee, Llano, Mason, Travis and Williamson.
Aereo's technology works on 'smart' devices from tablets to phones to laptop computers. Aereo is currently supported on iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch. The Aereo app for Android™ (currently in beta) is available for download for devices running Android operating system version 4.1 or higher. Aereo is also supported on Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Opera, AppleTV (via airplay) and Roku platforms.
To learn more about Aereo's technology and how to pre-register, visit Aereo.com.
Tags: Aereo
Red wine may hold a secret that will keep Mars travelers fit
By Mike Wehner 1 day ago
Samsung announces ultra-fast 12GB LPDDR5 RAM ahead of Galaxy Note 10 – but we have some bad news

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Home > Uncategorized > 'Baduk' gets first female chief
'Baduk' gets first female chief
Kim Hyo-jung
Kim Hyo-jung, a professional baduk player, was appointed president of the Korea Baduk Association (KBA) on Thursday.
Game of Baduk
At the general meeting, she received 105 votes out of 206, becoming the first woman to head the association. At 32 years of age, she is also the youngest president ever voted in. "I am very grateful to all of those who have supported me," she said. "I feel a huge burden on my shoulders, but I will do my best for the development of the KBA."
Kim, who was born in Busan, entered the KBA in 1996, and has served on its executive board.
Baduk is a board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,500 years ago. The rules are simple, but the game requires a great amount of strategy.


Should you Buy a Home in This Neighborhood?
Everybody loves the feel of a new home, or in the absence of that, an old home with a new look. If you truly want to give your home a new look, you could try out some of these ideas. They are well within budget range and are sure to give your home that wow factor for at least a few more years.
Change the covers on your sofas. Changing your entire chair and sofa set is guaranteed to change the look of your home, but if that's out of pocket reach for you, get new covers for your armchairs and settees. It does the work beautifully, even though the chairs are the same, they look different and previous guests might not be able to tell the difference. For an extra touch, rearrange the placement of the chairs around the house.
Spraypaint your dining chairs If you have wooden or plastic chairs in your kitchen or dining area, then spray painting them will entirely not be a bad idea. You could decide to do different colors for different chairs and see how they look. If your chairs happen to have padded seats or upholstered in any way, you should call in a professional to do the paint job so as not to damage them. But a new color in your kitchen is definitely worth it.
Add a personalized touch The difference between owning a house and making a home is usually that added touch of personality. Adding new photos and personal mementos around the house gives it a new look. The entire family could all go for a new photo shoot and hang up the pictures around the home. Alternatively, decide to change the frame of the current images you have up. Nothing is off limits. Let your home breathe "you" for every guest to see.
Add wall art You might not be the most astute art collector, but you can definitely pick out a good piece of art, and good art is not always pricey. Check out your local thrift store or garage sales around your neighborhood for attractive pieces you can hang on the wall. Sculptures, paintings, ceramics, all will contribute to making your house take on an entirely different look. For more options on affordable wall art, check out auction sales and exhibitions at local art colleges near you.


As citizens Across America gathered at the polls today to cast their votes for midterm elections, we reflect on the ways in which politics and dance are connected through American culture and history.
Countless artists today express their political views through fashion, visual art, and of course, music and dance. A buzz worthy example is the recently, critically acclaimed music video for the song "This Is America", by rapper Childish Gambino (also known as actor Donald Glover, who co-stars in the latest Star Wars film). With raw, thought provoking lyrics, his video is a not so subtle look at current news headlines, addressing topics like racial profiling, police brutality and school shooting. Controversy and all, the song and quirky dancing in the video became an instant viral smash, rising to the top of the charts. Pop stars such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Katy Perry have used their tremendous platforms to advocate for various causes affecting the LGBTQIA community and other marginalized groups. That as well as joining movements like the Women's March on Washington, and other protests against current politicians and their counter-progressive measures and policies. Their catchy yet socially conscious tunes have spawned chart topping hits and entire dance crazes, helping to inspire and drive socio-political action, protest and sometimes, ultimately positive change.
While it may seem to some as though politically charged art and messaging is something of a present day trend, this couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, as far back as the early 1900's choreographers were creating dances that reflected a wide range of cultural and political perspectives. Some choreographers even crafted dances as vehicles for protest of injustice and to advocate for social reform.
Isadora Duncan, Sophia Maslow and Jane Dudley boldly created pieces commemorating the ideas of the "Communist Experiment", founded by the then Soviet Union, following the Russian Revolution of 1917. In 1929 Isadora Duncan declared "I see America Dancing", which was a reference to a Walt Whitman poem "I hear America Singing," proclaiming the ability of dance to be used as a powerful tool for cultural expression.
In the 1930's and 1940's other notable choreographers such as Daniel Nagrin, Charles Weidman and Eric Hawkins used their talents to fight against racism, homelessness, hunger, workers rights, unemployment, the rise of fascism and other socio-political issues.
In response to growing fears over the spread of communism following World War II, the US government sent numerous dance troupes abroad to help ease fears in a show of cultural diplomacy. They also set out to contend anti-American sentiment via the tours, which carried on through the end of the Cold War and Soviet collapse in 1991.
Lester Holt, Ted Shawn and other iconic choreographers like Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey created works that paid homage to traditional American folk music, Native American customs and immigrant practices. They also reflected the lives and struggles of marginalized American communities.
The exhibition Politics and the Dancing Home investigates how American choreographers used their artistry to promote social consciousness and speak out in social protest between World War 1 and the Cold War. It also exhibits how vital dance has been to America's cultural and political outlook, particularly throughout the twentieth century.
The original exhibition and gallery talks shone during the first half of 2012, and were curated in part by the Library of Congress and Columbia University. Current exhibitions referenced in relation to this are Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 50 Years Cultural Ambassador to the World, and American Ballet Theatre: Touring the Globe for 75 Years.
To learn more about the impact of dance on our political landscape, the Library of Congress directs readers to its websites with related subjects such as Katherine Dunham, Martha Graham, and "The New Deal Stage: Selections from the Federal Theater Project, 1935–1939".


A biologically active protein which is bonded to a water-insoluble porous copolymer based on N-vinylimidazole and/or substituted N-vinylimidazoles and monomers which can be copolymerized therewith, its preparation and its use for carrying out enzymatic reactions.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD.sup..sym.) is electrochemically hydrogenated to NADH in aqueous solution and in the presence of a metal complex as an electron carrier.
New hybridoma cell lines which synthesize highly specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against human tumor necrosis factor (TNF), monoclonal antibodies against TNF, a process for the preparation of such hybridoma cell lines and antibodies, and the use of the monoclonal antibodies are described.
Pharmaceutical mixtures are prepared by continuous metering of the components and shaping by a conventional method.


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Interfaith Series: Islam
This semester, I'm working as a teaching assistant in a non-Western religions course. A couple of weeks ago, the professor asked me to write a series of devotionals for the students, relevant to the ideas they would be discussing each week. So my task was to write Bible-based devotions for students at a Christian university who are studying non-Christian religions. Fun, right? It was. So I thought I'd take a few days and share some of these devotionals in this space.
Today: Islam.
There is, of course, a tremendous interest in Islam as it continues to become a large player on the world stage. And when we talk about Islam from a biblical perspective, there are really a couple of things we need to look at - one which helps us to understand Islam, and one which draws us deeper into the heart of God.
Islam is the great untold story of our Christian Bible. It traces its roots all the way back to the early chapters of Genesis, to Abraham himself. You may remember part of this story. Abraham is promised a child by God, a son who will be an heir. Abraham himself will be the father of many nations. But it's taking a little longer than Abraham and Sarah would like, so they enlist Sarah's maidservant, Hagar, to become a surrogate. She then gives birth to Ishmael, Abraham's first-born son.
It's easy for us, at this point, to skip ahead through the Ishmael narratives until Sarah has her own son, Isaac, and then we start really engaging with the story of Abraham. But that's a mistake. Because between Ishmael and Isaac, something interesting happens: God makes a covenant with Abraham.
Yes, Ishmael is a young man and Isaac is still only a promise when God initiates the covenant ritual of circumcision among Abraham, his household, and his descendants. Which means...Ishmael is part of this covenant. Ishmael is the son who is circumcised with his father. He witnesses first-hand, and participates in, this new thing that God has called Abraham to do.
So when Muslims say that they have this ultimate, important relationship with God, they're right. They do. They were there at the sealing of the covenant. They were circumcised along with Abraham. They were part of this thing that Isaac would never understand in exactly the same way. They're there when God starts doing this new thing. And they're still talking about this new thing God is doing. The image of God that stems from this may be quite the diversion from the image of God that comes through Isaac for Christians, but that doesn't mean their claim is illegitimate. They are, indeed, children of Ishmael, descendants of Abraham.
The very same Abraham.
This gives us a little background on the bold claims of Islam. Now, when we keep reading Ishmael's story, we come necessarily to the moment when Ishmael is sent away with his mother, Hagar. Sarah has become jealous and demanded that Abraham send away his firstborn for the sake of his promised son, Isaac, and he does so. This story will draw us deeper into the heart of God.
Abraham was not a poor man; he had a great richness of resources. But he essentially sends the maidservant and his son away with little more than a snack. No livestock. No goods. No servants. Nothing but a little bite to eat and a little bit of water. As they travel further and further away from Abraham's land in search of a place to settle, the rations run out with no home in sight. Hagar begins to mourn. She leaves her son and goes a short distance away from him so that she doesn't have to watch him die...and so that he doesn't have to watch her do the same.
It's heartbreaking. (And, I must say, a poignant reminder for us, as Christians, who are often so tempted to send others away with little more than a snack when we have such great wealth of mercy, grace, and love within us.)
But when she looks up, she sees an oasis. Fresh water. Living water. A new hope. She takes the boy and goes running to respite.
And isn't this just what our God is like?
I think sometimes, we're upset that God doesn't seem to give us enough to get us from point A to point B. We feel like we run out of everything we need in the middle of our journey. We get halfway there, and then we feel stuck. Like we can't possibly go another step, like maybe there's not another step even to take, like there's no such place any more as home. We're going nowhere, and maybe...we've arrived.
Then God shows up at just the right time. Just when we feel that we don't have enough to make it all the way, just when we feel like God doesn't love us, we discover just how much He loves us. He gives us just enough to get us to the middle of nowhere and then, when our hope has all but died, He shows Himself once more and provides an oasis - living water and a new hope. It's the story of Ishmael and Hagar. And it's the story of us.
Because it's the story of God.
So when we talk about Islam, we must look deeply into the story of Ishmael. It is in this story that we find the roots of this religion that, now more than ever, is shaping the landscape of the world that we live in, and it is in this story that we are drawn deeper into the heart of God. Ishmael, then, has much to say to us. Then...and now. The question is: are we listening?
The Betrayer
Among the Thieves
Heart, Interrupted
Carry Our Stories
Old Testament Christ
Self and the Savior
Interfaith Series: Closing Thoughts
Interfaith Series: Tao, Confucius, Shinto
Interfaith Series: Buddhism
Interfaith Series: Hinduism
Keeping the Books
The Foot of the Mountain


Aurora borealis is a luminescence in the atmosphere. In ancient times flashes of cold fire were considered as words of gods, their fiery dance in the northern sky. The scientific explanation of appearing of these beautiful lights relates to the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field.
The aurora has different visual forms - stripes, rays, arcs, and twists through which we can see the stars. This atmospheric phenomenon, similar to long colorful curtains in the sky, may extend for thousands of kilometers from west to east. The lower edge of the aurora is usually sharp and clear, while the top edge is blurred. We always enjoy these spectacular shining views, continuously and rapidly changing, with the rich color spectrum.
Direction . Draw with the tool one or more base lines to choose the lower edge of the aurora. It's possible to rotate and move the lines, changing the position of the effect, with the Transform tool .
Eraser . Click with the tool on any part of the line to remove it. You can change the tool's size in a pop-up window appearing with a right mouse click on the image.
Colors. The color line with two sliders allows you to set colors of the aurora. The left edge of the line is responsible for the colors at the bottom of the glow, right - for the colors at the top.
Reverse Colors. The check-box reverses the order of colors.
Blend Mode. In the drop-down list, you can specify a method of mixing the image with the effect. The program provides 10 blend modes.
Color Blending (0-100). The parameter changes the level of color blending. At low values there is a clear separation between the colors. Increase the parameter to smooth the transition and mix the colors.
Lightness (0-100). The parameter defines the number of light tones.
Opacity (0-100). The parameter regulates the transparency of the aurora and visibility of the background. At value = 100, the glow is opaque. At lower values, it becomes lighter and weaker.
Glow Spots (0-100). The parameter adjusts the irregularity of brightness in different parts of the strip and adds bright and dark spots. At low values, the glow looks more uniform.
Spot Size (10-100). The parameter changes the size of the bright areas in the glow.
Blurring (0-100). The parameter lets stretching the glow spots in the horizontal direction making a uniform glowing strip.
Height (10-100). The parameter sets the vertical size of the glow (in % of the image height).
Uniformity (0-100). The parameter changes the uniformity of the aurora's structure. At low values, the surface is uneven. At high values, the glow looks smoother.
Smooth Transition (10-100). The parameter adjusts the width of the transition zone at the edges of the effect area. The lower the value, the clearer the edges are.
Deformation (0-100). The parameter adds random shifts and distortions to the aurora. Increasing the parameter can attenuate the glow or move it beyond the boundaries of the image.


Tax collector, Colchester May 1379, Dec. 1385.
In August 1392, along with Stephen Baron† and Henry Boss*, Algar was granted the advowson of Holy Cross hospital, Colchester, in order that they might transfer its income to the town authorities in aid of repairs to the walls.5 He is not recorded after the last of his five terms as bailiff, in 1394.
1. CPR, 1381-5, p. 170.
2. Colchester Ct. Rolls ed. Jeayes, iii. 163; Cal. Colchester Ct. Rolls ed. Harrod, I; Colchester Moot Hall, ct. rolls 21, 22, 24, 26, 28.
3. Colchester Ct. Rolls, iii. 27, 150; E179/107/54; Cal. Letter Bk. London, H, 146; CAD, vi. C5903; Colchester Oath Bk. ed. Benham, 75, 203; ct. rolls 22 m. 58v; 27 m. 25; Ipswich RO, recog. roll 10 Ric. II.
4. Ct. roll 21 m. 50v; C67/29 m. 25; C241/174/74.
5. Essex Rev. xlv. 33; CPR, 1391-6, p. 154; VCH Essex, ii. 181.


I'm personally and professionally dedicated to doing what I can to help this be a safer and saner world.
One place I've put a lot of my effort in that direction has been through my involvement with the Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner and SE® learning community. I'm a Fan.
I like doing that. It helps me feel safer imaging other practitioners having an easier time helping their clients feel better.
SE-Reflections.com was created out of my commitment to this sharing and effort.
I'm glad you're here. If you're an SE Practitioner or other Helping Professional the material on this site offers solace and encouragement along your way in supporting other people to feel better in this wayward world.
"Thank you Twig for your tremendous understanding of SE and for your spontaneous spirit, your humanness and all round openness to be brilliant, to stumble, to pause, to create.
I joined the SE learning community in 2004 as a bodyworker and social theorist with a great personal need and a defined ambition to help spread the good news I'd found in Peter Levine's book Waking the Tiger.
Fortunately I received profound personal and professional assistance through the SE training, both from receiving the work personally and through contact with my primary SE mentor for many years – Steven Hoskinson, now of Organic Intelligence®.
Along the way I've helped train hundreds, if not thousands of Somatic Experiencing® Practitioners throughout the world assisting in trainings and providing introductions, public speaking events and adjunctive workshops in Europe, DR Congo, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Canada and throughout the US.
I'm fully dedicated to an inclusive, expansive and world wide awareness of the psycho-biological insights and therapeutic rationale and guidelines formulated by Peter Levine, PhD and enhanced by the worldwide SE training community.
Everywhere I've engaged with the SE community I've found thoughtful, heartfelt, insightful people who are revitalizing the nature of aide and therapy by including appreciation of the autonomic stress response and how we can better support its completion and cultivate resiliency. In short, I'm a huge fan of SE Land.
As one participant in a worldwide effort of dedicated helping practitioners to realize the potential of healing with attention to our psycho-phsyiology, I've created this site SE-Reflections.com to share my contributions to our shared work.
Please make yourself at home here. I've spent over 10 years cultivating the material available on this site.
There is plenty for you to make use of as you see fit.
Twig's SE-Reflections.com is entirely self-produced and self-financed by Anthony Twig Wheeler or by direct financial contribution to support his projects from users and patrons.
There are currently no affiliate links, advertisements or other hidden revenue streams for this site. Everything said on this site comes from Twig without influence from marketers or others' agendas. This project was designed, created and offered by Twig with this independent voice in mind.
Thus your patronage is particularly important and well-recieved.
Tell your friends and colleagues about something you found that was helpful to you.
Send in some feedback and provide a public comment about what you like about Twig's SE-Reflections.com.
Sent Twig a Tip – You can help keep things moving forward.
I'm a cheerleader for Somatic Experiencing® students becoming refined, artful and fully realized SE Practitioners.


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CCar News
Suzuki Recall: about 200,000 Vehicles affected
The article is about one of the latest recalls affecting Suzuki vehicles.
There are hundreds and thousands of Suzuki vehicles on American roads now, though the motor corporation may not sell any more cars in the US. Yet, some of the remaining vehicles that have already been sold in the country have got a problem related to the airbags. Suzuki recall thus affects approximately 193,936 cars.
The affected vehicles are model-year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara SUVs and 2007-2011 SX4 compact cars. The defect is seen in the fact that the front passenger-side floor mat may fail making the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor to fail working, too. If the OCS sensor fails, it may cause the front passenger seat airbag to deploy during a crash independent of the fact whether it is an adult or a child sitting there.
Thus, the automaker is recalling about 200,000 vehicles to replace the front passenger-seat cushion assembly. There are not yet enough car parts available to fix all the vehicles affected by Suzuki recall. The automaker will notify the owners about the recall during October, 2013. Also, Suzuki owners may get a second notification when the sufficient number of car parts is available. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-255-2550 for more information.
52 Year Old Classic Car Set to Explode in Popularity at Auction
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Kia Sportage Recall: More than 11K Vehicles affected
Kia Sportage Recall affects more than 11,000 crossovers.
Toyota Recall: More than 780,000 Vehicles affected
One year later Toyota is again announcing a huge recall due to suspension problems.
Changing Car Tyres: A Savvy Way to Save Money or a Hassle Best Left to the Experts?
When you're living on a budget, the last thing you want to hear is that you need to change the tyres on your car. Depending on what you drive, new car tyres can be mighty expensive, and that doesn't include the cost of getting the outside help needed to change them.
Porsche Engine Fire Risk Investigation
Porsche engine fire risk investigation is being carried out in collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you have got a 2014 911 GT3 Porsche, turn to your dealer immediately!!!!
BMW Motorcycle Recall: 50,000 Motorbikes affected
BMW recalls more than 50,000 motorbikes for fire risk.
Why Electric Cars May Not Be Environmentally Friendly
The idea of going green and running on solar and electric power has become more and more popular over the years, though electric cars may be just as hazardous to the environment.


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Anglo delivers real-time journal content for Energy, Built Environment, Civil & Structural, Water and Mining sectors sourced from a range of industry sources based on our deep experience in the industries we serve and the contacts we have made with key figures over 30 years. Updated every week day, Anglo.com is a leading source of news, project updates, contract information and jobs within a variety of engineering sectors in the UK and worldwide.
IT&Telecom
TfL allocates extra cash to fix ageing bridges and tunnels
/ 9 December /
Of that, TfL's major asset renewals programme will receive a £135M additional investment to repair key bridges and tunnels. TfL figures show that about 200 out of 500 bridges and other structures that it maintains in the capital have sections in "poor" or "very poor" condition. The
Farringdon-first Central London station to complete construction
Construction work at Crossrail's Farringdon station has come to an end.The station becomes the first central London station along the new line to reach the T-12 landmark; this means the station is substantially complete and it is now considered to be 12 weeks away from handover to
The government has cut £1bn from the rail infrastructure budget
Rishi Sunak had previously promised record infrastructure investment as part of the government's "levelling up" agenda. Until now, Network Rail's "enhancement" budget for the five year period from 2019-24 had been set at £10.4bn. But, this week rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said
Government commits to funding Crossrail completion
/ 26 November /
The project has been beset by a series of delays and cost overruns, raising concerns over its delivery. The decision to finance the completion of the project was confirmed in the government's National Infrastructure Strategy, which insists levelling up the rest of the UK should not mean
CONTRACTOR NAMED FOR £56M RAILWAY STATION PROJECT
A contractor has been named to transform a major railway station in Birmingham. West Midlands Combined Authority has appointed VolkerFitzpatrick to undertake the detailed design and build of the new £56m University Station. University Station in Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, has been earmarked
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Home Americas Chinese Fighter Pilots 'Intimidate' Canadian Counterparts With 'Aerial Stunts'; Ottawa Raises Concerns
Chinese Fighter Pilots 'Intimidate' Canadian Counterparts With 'Aerial Stunts'; Ottawa Raises Concerns
The Canadian government has expressed serious concerns over a dangerous escalation in aggression by Chinese fighter pilots in the skies above the Asia-Pacific region.
Su-35 & MiG-29 Are Now One! Russia Merges Sukhoi and MiG Into One Company Under UAC
Since December 2021, Chinese fighter pilots have been conducting dangerous interceptions on a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 maritime patrol aircraft, reported Canada-based Global News.
The Canadian aircraft is part of a UN mission patrolling over international waters. According to Global News, there have been nearly 60 such intercepts by Chinese fighter jets, with more than two dozen labeled dangerous.
The report says that Chinese jets routinely fly within 20 to 100 feet of the Canadian plane — so near that "Canadian pilots can make eye contact with the Chinese pilots, and sometimes see them raising their middle fingers."
Charles Burton, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, told the outlet, "(That distance is) scary close at those high speeds, and it could lead to a crash. You do it too much, and eventually, sometime, it's going to go wrong."
The Canadian CP-140 Aurora plane currently participating in Operation Neon — a UN mission to monitor sanctions against North Korea — involves multiple rotating crews flying the Canadian plane regularly.
A Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft from 14 Wing Greenwood prepares to leave Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy, before a patrol in the Mediterranean Region, as part of Operation SIRIUS in 2004. – Twitter
The events are "of concern and increasing frequency," according to a spokesperson for the Department of National Defense. "In some instances, the (Canadian) aircrew felt sufficiently at risk that they had to quickly modify their flight path to increase separation and avoid a potential collision with the intercepting aircraft," the spokesperson said.
The Canadian government has issued repeated diplomatic reprimands to Beijing in response to the incidents, describing the Chinese pilots' actions as "unsafe and unprofessional." But, Beijing is believed to have remained silent on these incidents.
Billie Flynn, a former F-35 fighter jet test pilot and retired squadron commander for the Royal Canadian Air Force, believes the Aurora the Canadians are operating would have difficulties maneuvering away from a fighter jet flying so close.
"It'd be terrifying for (the Aurora pilot) to do any kind of evasive maneuver because they might trip the Chinese fighter pilot into doing something even more irresponsible and more dangerous," he told Global News.
"The best they can do is fly along and hope the Chinese fighter pilot disappears." Flynn went on to say that the fighter jet's turbulence would put the Aurora pilot at even greater risk of losing control. All of these circumstances, he claims, would leave the Aurora to the "mercy" of a nearby fighter aircraft pilot's competence.
He also cast doubt on Chinese pilots' abilities, saying, "Being so aggressive, that much 'hotdogging,' suggests that (the Chinese pilots are) probably not that seasoned, not that good, placing the Aurora crews at even greater risk."
The report expressed fear that Chinese fighter aircraft pilots' "buzzing" strategy will continue, escalating the risk level for future flights.
File Image: F-35 By Lockheed Martin
China-Canada Tensions
The nearly three-year custody of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou by Canada over fraud accusations, as well as the concurrent imprisonment of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China, have exacerbated tensions between Canada and China.
Last September, after Meng reached an agreement with US authorities, all three were released.
Furthermore, Canada recently announced its decision to ban Huawei and another Chinese telecom firm ZTE from providing equipment to its expanding 5G network last month, infuriating Beijing even more.
It was no secret that Canada has been under increasing pressure from allies to block Huawei's 5G equipment citing national security concerns.
Over the last two years, China has boosted its military footprint in Asia-Pacific, notably surrounding Taiwan. Beijing claims the island nation as its own and has pledged to merge it with mainland China.
Meanwhile, North Korea has conducted a fresh spate of rocket launches this year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles. This has prompted condemnation from the US and its allies.
The Chinese government, on the other hand, has continued to help North Korea economically and financially.
In reaction to North Korea's nuclear tests, China and Russia vetoed fresh sanctions backed by the US at the UN Security Council last month.
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What is a Standardized Field Sobriety Test?
What is Standardized Field Sobriety Testing?
The Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) is a battery of three tests administered and evaluated in a standardized manner to obtain validated indicators of impairment and establish probable cause for arrest. These tests were developed as a result of research sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and conducted by the Southern California Research Institute. A formal program of training was developed and is available through NHTSA to help police officers become more skillful at detecting DWI suspects, describing the behavior of these suspects, and presenting effective testimony in court. Formal administration and accreditation of the program is provided through IACP.
The three tests of the SFST are:
1. the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN)
2. the walk-and-turn
3. the one-leg stand.
These tests are administered systematically and are evaluated according to measured responses of the suspect.
HGN Testing
Horizontal gaze nystagmus is an involuntary jerking of the eyeball which occurs naturally as the eyes gaze to the side. Under normal circumstances, nystagmus occurs when the eyes are rotated at high peripheral angles. However, when a person is impaired by alcohol, nystagmus is exaggerated and may occur at lesser angles. An alcohol-impaired person will also often have difficulty smoothly tracking a moving object. In the HGN test, the officer observes the eyes of a suspect as the suspect follows a slowly moving object such as a pen or small flashlight, horizontally with his eyes. The examiner looks for three indicators of impairment in each eye: if the eye cannot follow a moving object smoothly, if jerking is distinct when the eye is at maximum deviation, and if the angle of onset of jerking is within 45 degrees of center. If, between the two eyes, four or more clues appear, the suspect likely has a BAC of 0.10 or greater. NHTSA research indicates that this test allows proper classification of approximately 77 percent of suspects. HGN may also indicate consumption of seizure medications, phencyclidline, a variety of inhalants, barbiturates, and other depressants.
Divided Attention Testing
The walk-and-turn test and one-leg stand test are "divided attention" tests that are easily performed by most sober people. They require a suspect to listen to and follow instructions while performing simple physical movements. Impaired persons have difficulty with tasks requiring their attention to be divided between simple mental and physical exercises. In the walk-and-turn test, the subject is directed to take nine steps, heel-to-toe, along a straight line. After taking the steps, the suspect must turn on one foot and return in the same manner in the opposite direction. The examiner looks for seven indicators of impairment: if the suspect cannot keep balance while listening to the instructions, begins before the instructions are finished, stops while walking to regain balance, does not touch heel-to-toe, uses arms to balance, loses balance while turning, or takes an incorrect number of steps. NHTSA research indicates that 68 percent of individuals who exhibit two or more indicators in the performance of the test will have a BAC of 0.10 or greater. In the one-leg stand test, the suspect is instructed to stand with one foot approximately six inches off the ground and count aloud by thousands (One thousand-one, one thousand-two, etc.) until told to put the foot down. The officer times the subject for a 30 seconds. The officer looks for four indicators of impairment, including swaying while balancing, using arms to balance, hopping to maintain balance, and putting the foot down. NHTSA research indicates that 65 percent of individuals who exhibit two or more such indicators in the performance of the test will have a BAC of 0.10 of greater. The effectiveness of SFST in court testimony and evidence depends upon the cumulative total of impairment indicators provided by the three-test battery. The greater the number of indicators, the more convincing the testimony. Because SFST is administered according to national standards and is supported by significant research, it has greater credibility than mere subjective testimony.
Alternative Testing Methods
Sometimes, an officer will encounter a disabled driver who cannot perform the SFST. In such cases, some other battery of tests such as counting aloud, reciting the alphabet, or finger dexterity tests may be administered. If the proper motions are filed, these test are usually not admissible at trial.
What you should know about Field Sobriety Test
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