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Now is the time for Scotland to be bold: why I'm voting Green
Adam Ramsay 1 May 2016 Now is the time for Scotland to be bold: why I'm voting Green2017-07-22T14:58:24+00:00 *Essays*, Comment, Green Parties, Scotland No Comment
As it approaches its fifth Holyrood election, Scotland faces five huge questions.
The first is simple: should we be an independent country? And if so, how can we progress our journey in that direction?
The first answer is equally simple: "yes". Scotland should be independent because the British state is an anachronism built to run a brutal empire, not a democratic government designed to administer a modern country. Scotland should be independent because the future cannot be left to the market, and government intervention is more effective where it is more local, more subtle. Scotland should be independent because England cannot liberate itself from the history or present of the British state, and the path to justice doesn't run through Westminster. I could go on.
Neal Ascherson once observed that you are no more likely to get democratic socialism from the British state than you are to get milk from a vulture. From the Iraq war to the Panama Papers, privatisation to financialisation, this has only become clearer in recent years.
For all the protests that this election shouldn't just be about independence, it's perfectly rational that many on both sides think that it is, at least in part. Whilst a second referendum may be unlikely in the coming five years, the make-up of the parliament and the power of different political forces in it will clearly have an impact on whether and at what speed the journey to independence continues. For me, Green proposals on independence – including an independent currency and an elected head of state – were always the most appealing, and it's key that those ideas remain in the mix as the debate moves forward.
The second question comes in many forms: why, in one of the richest societies in human history, do so many still live in such poverty? How have we ended up as one of the most unequal countries in the Western world? How can we build an economy for the many and not the few? And how can we avoid stumbling into a future financial crash?
Like the centre of a spider's web, these are questions to which the answer can be approached along any of many sticky lines. We could talk about how we lurk in the shadow of our once vast empire. We could discuss the destruction of manufacturing as our country is flogged to city speculators in the Great British Asset Striptease. We could investigate our tax-haven overseas territories and the deregulation of the banks. We could think about the advance of technology and the automation of jobs, the flow of wealth to the rich as trade unions are crushed and the public sphere privatised, the globalisation of capital and the resulting growth of corporate power, the increasing precarity of work and the way that the fast inflating housing market sucks in all our savings and takes it on a conveyer belt to the very richest, away from investment in the productive economy.
At the centre, though, is something fairly simple. A relatively small number of very rich people have managed to accumulate over the last 40 years increasing amounts of wealth and power, which they have used to secure more and more wealth and power. Scotland's richest four families now have significantly more wealth than her poorest million people.
Within the powers that Holyrood has, there is much that could be done to improve matters. First, the government must try to stop the inflation of the housing bubble, which sucks in ever-more of the country's wealth, using it to make houses more expensive rather than do anything productive: enriching speculators, mortgage sellers and equity gamblers at the cost of makers and inventors; carers and maintainers. Things Holyrood has the powers to do include:
introducing nation-wide rent controls. As well as ending the spiralling costs of tenents, this would discourage buy-to-let investors and so take some heat out of the market;
build significant amounts of new social housing (not just 'affordable' private sector housing) which as well as providing new homes for those who need them would ease pressure on prices for everyone;
end land banking and restrict prices by allowing those who wish to use sites which are zoned for building but not being used for it to buy the land at the price it had before it was zoned for building ('a land price freeze', as done in Germany);
replace the council tax with a proper, fairer tax on land and property values;
reform land ownership laws so more and more of Scotland's turf can be taken on democratically by the communities who live on it.
These are all ideas proposed by the Greens, and are key to starting to get a grip of the still unfolding crisis, in so far as our devolved parliament can. I started with housing because it sits at the core of what's wrong with Britain's fantasy-land economics. But of course, the economy is about much more than that.
Perhaps the most iconic power coming to the Scottish parliament is the ability to vary income tax rates. And given that inequality now is more marked than it was 20 years ago, it seems important that we at the very least use that power to introduce more steeply progressive income taxes, as well as raising the revenue to stop George Osborne's cuts from destroying public services in Scotland over the coming years.
Whilst four parties propose to do the latter: Labour, Lib Dems, Greens and RISE; only the Greens and RISE propose anything approaching changes which would begin to combat the soaring inequality in Scottish society, and only Greens propose a tax cut for the lowest earners.
Ultimately, our high inequality is a product of the sorts of jobs our economy creates, and so the sort of economy our society has created. And that can't be fixed with tax rates. But this isn't an excuse not to have fairer taxes, to clean up the mess as much as we can. And Green proposals, such as plans to shift towards an economy rich in co-operatives, to fight against the UK government attack on trade unions, and to only give procurement contracts to firms which pay the living wage and recognise trade unions, are a significant move in the right direction. It's vital that workers aren't abandoned to the whim of the free market.
No more is this true than in the energy sector. With oil prices plummeting, thousands of workers have been laid off. And while the jobs may return, no one knows if the next crisis will be the last. The yoyo of the global oil market provides fewer and fewer stable jobs people can build their lives around. Climate change demands that some fossil fuels must be left in the ground, and it's increasingly clear that the future lies elsewhere. As Bloomberg put it recently, "wind and solar are crushing fossil fuels".
The question for workers in Scotland's oil industry now is whether, like coal miners, they will be abandoned to their fate, left to fend for themselves in a spluttering global economy; or whether the government will develop an active strategy for a just transition into the jobs of the future. For me, one of the surprises of this election is that no party apart from the Greens seems to be offering any kind of long term future to those of my childhood friends who went into the North Sea Oil industry, and a strong Green presence in the parliament will be a good way to change that.
The third question is how we can advance the great liberation movements of our age. The pyramid of multidimensional oppression – racism, sexism, disablism, religious bigotry, homophobia, transphobia, classism, xenophobia, ageism… has in some ways started to crumble in recent decades. But it will not collapse of its own accord. Each of these power structures needs to be actively dismantled. They need peoples to come together and organise for change.
As a straight, white, posh, cis, man, it is perhaps not my place to judge which party is best placed on these questions, and it is certainly true that the SNP, Labour and RISE all have within them activists in all of these areas for whom I have huge respect, and each party has positive stories to tell about their role in the journey towards a just society.
However, the Scottish Green Party can rightly be proud of its record. Patrick Harvie was the first MSP to propose legislation on offering partnerships to same-sex couples in Scotland, starting the journey towards equal marriage at a time – astonishingly recently – when it was still considered politically risky to do so. Greens have stood firm and proud against populist migrant bashing rhetoric, and have in Maggie Chapman a rare example of an immigrant in a leadership position in a party.
Perhaps most importantly, the party sees these oppressions in what is often called an intersectional way: recognising that class, gender, race, disability, sexuality, faith, age, and nationality all act as separate and complex, intertwined forms of oppression, each operating differently and often together to shape each of us and our society.
The Green campaign is steeped in the work of the best feminist economists, focussing as it does on the care work upon which all other labour depends. It is clear on solidarity with disabled people as they face the brutality of George Osborne's social security cuts. The party is commitment to Equality Budgeting, and to standing up to racism. It supports not just minimal legal rights, but full equality in society for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Green demands for a more equal society are about liberation for all, and Green voices in parliament are a way of ensuring that the long journey to full equality never stops and settles for less.
The fourth question is how we can slow, stop and reverse the extreme changes to the physical environment upon which our civilisation depends?
Of course, the most famous example is climate change. The SNP government has been good in some ways on this: making serious strides on renewable energy, and introducing world-leading carbon reduction targets. But these targets have consistently been missed, and it's time for a more radical approach: empowering communities to take control of their energy supply, re-regulating buses so they properly serve communities and we can all depend less on cars, expanding the retrofitting of insulation, and delivering a plan for a transition away from a high carbon economy, rather than setting a few cues and hoping the market follows.
But it's not just about climate change. Scotland's seas have seen their marine life collapse over a century. Our soils are said to have less than a hundred harvests left in them. Our wildlife is in freefall, and we have allowed our unique, native and magnificent wild cat to become one of the most endangered kinds of feline on the planet.
We're largely going in the wrong direction not because of the active malice of our politicians – most MSPs in general would rather sort these problems than not, but rather because solving them is hard. It requires the political will to stand up to big estate owners, agribusiness and the supermarkets they team up with, and so on. On the whole, it's easier not to.
Which leads to the final question. How can we change Scotland?
Because, if we're honest, everyone understands that the SNP will remain the Scottish government: no one seriously thinks that Nicola Sturgeon is going to be replaced by Kezia Dugdale, Ruth Davidson, Patrick Harvie or Maggie Chapman. And I'm OK with that. The SNP have been a generally competent government who have the best interests of the country at heart. That shouldn't be remarkable, but when compared with the Tories at Westminster, it is.
But for the next five years of Scottish politics, I think we need something more than that too. With the country facing ongoing cuts from Westminster, we have a choice between asking those who are a bit better off to pay some more, or slashing to the bone public services which have been built up over decades. I think we need to vote for a party which will push to save the services which hold our civilisation together, and so is willing to ask those who earn above the average to pay a little more.
Likewise, we will have an increasingly urgent need for an economic strategy which radically changes direction so that we both avert disaster and build a fairer country. We're going to need MSPs who are loudly pointing the way.
That is not a job which Labour can do. Some of my friends, including supporters of independence, have been tempted back to the party by Kez Dugdale's step to the left on tax. But Scottish Labour is in turmoil, with deep conflict between its members about its direction and principles. If it can't stick to a line for two consecutive months, how can it be trusted to represent you for the next half-decade? Imagine voting for Dugdale in May and finding yourself represented by Anas Sarwar by September? In any case, a 1p rise in income tax does not a radical party make.
The Lib Dems too, though fast slipping out of consciousness, deserve one quick mention. The usually amiable Willie Rennie revealed a huge amount when given the opportunity in the STV debate to question Patrick Harvie. The Liberal Democrat attacked the Green for proposing that too-big-to-fail banks be broken up and suggesting that we listen to climate scientists telling us that we cannot burn all the oil in the lithosphere. In one minute, Rennie showed himself to be so politically opportunistic that he has lost touch with reality; desperately throwing the future of our economy and planet under the bus in an attempt to shore up the vote in his party's two target constituencies, the oil-rich Shetland and the banker-rich Edinburgh West. His principleless party is dying in the ditch of Scottish politics, unnoticed as the parade of history marches past. Let's leave it there.
RISE, on the other hand, are a radical, and principled party and have some impressive candidates. But it's not clear from their manifesto or campaign that they offer anything different from Greens other than less chance of securing seats.
And it's not just these questions that Scotland faces. We must invest in our education system, and ensure that we obsess with learning, not testing. We must embrace the challenges of an aging population, and value care. We must insulate NHS Scotland from the attack its neighbour is facing in England. We must reject the failing drug war, and defend our human rights and civil liberties. In each case, Greens are on the right side of these issues.
For the next five years, Scotland will be on a continued and winding constitutional journey, and those of us who support independence shouldn't hitch the hopes of its success on the ability of one party to remain popular among more than half the population for a full decade.
The direction of political travel in a country is shaped not by the centrists, but those who drag the debate forward and inject new ideas. The centre, after-all, only exists in relation to the cutting edge. We will have our most powerful parliament ever, and we need to give it the mandate to be bold in confronting the challenges we face. We need to instruct it to stand with the most marginalised, and to confront inequality. We need to embrace the diversity of the creative energy that enthused so many during the referendum. And that means we should send a large, feisty delegation of Scottish Greens to Holyrood on Thursday, to shake up our politics once more. A huge swathe of Scotland is restless for change. Let's vote for it.
Image: Harvey Duke
Hollyrood 2016, Scottish Green Party, vote2016
Fighting privatisation, from buses to schools – UK Green news round up week 24
Greens in Europe – putting hope into action
Sheffield, Scotland and Sultans – UK Green news round up week 14
About Adam Ramsay
Adam is Co-Editor of Open Democracy UK and a green activist based in Edinburgh. He co-founded Bright Green in 2010.
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Denny's back from New Zealand and boy, the stories he has to tell! And of course, we're back to our usual format - thank you for sticking with us as we planned our way around absences and April Fool's day. In this episode, we cover a rough few weeks in the beer world and some new guidelines for everyone to argue over, look at some lambic myths, Drew's stupid brew day and Denny's recap of the New Zealand Homebrewer's Conference including their unique competition format before we hit the hop fields to learn some New Zealand hop secrets. All of that plus we answer your questions, hit you with a hot tip and hotter wings too!


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Most have already wrote this season off as being another 100 loss season. I on the other hand believe that with the right coaching this team can be much better than many expect.
If Hyde and the rest of the coaching staff motivate these young guys and do what good coaches do which is get the best out of their players how good can the 2019 Orioles be?
I say we flirt with .500 finishing just shy at 79-83.
If Hyde and the rest of the coaching staff motivate these young guys and do what could coaches do which is get the best out of their players how good can the 2019 Orioles be?
I say they flirt with 60 wins and fall just a bit short.
I have to be with CoC on this one. Even if we can stitch together a non-terrible pitching staff, I don't see where the runs come from. If anyone has a great first half, they're likely to get traded.
So what you are saying is we are basically a minor league team. If you do well you get promoted.
But what if it's the young guys that are over performing? Their not going to get traded. Yes Cobb, Cashner, Trumbo, maybe Givens but what if the young arms that replace them live up to or exceed expectations. There is young talent inside this organization. It's up to the coaching staff to get the best out of them. I like Hyde and our staff and think they're more than capable of doing exactly that.
They will not lose 100 games and they will not be in last place in the AL East.
they will not be in last place in the AL East.
Now that's bold. I think the reason they won't reach 65 wins is because of the division. If they were in the Central I think they'd have a chance.
i dunno man. Sox, MFYs are loaded. Tampa won 90 last year. The Jays won 73.
The O's are simply stepping up to get smacked down this year. If we can stay out of last place, it'll be a fun summer even if the Orioles somehow end up winning 75 games or something.
I just don't see how it happens.
I think they're anywhere between 55-59 wins. Honestly wouldn't be surprised if they have another season like last year though.
They played the Rays and Blue Jays really well last season towards the end, when they had a lot of the new guys. They also had a few mistakes against the Red Sox and Yankees that cost them. If they clean those up, I could see them taking a few more games.
There's always a chance. There are a few young guys who could perform great and not get traded. The most likely guys IMO, will play much of the year in the minors and won't even have a chance.
I think we'll be something like 55-107 this year.
First of all, I've been a fan long enough to know that sometimes a team surprises you. 1989 and 2012 being two great examples.
That said, the veteran players on this team are, as a group, not very good, and our best young players for the most part aren't ready to contribute in the majors. I think we win 55-60 games, because it's damned hard to win fewer than that even though we managed to do it last year.
What I'm really looking for this year is to identify some nuggets who can be part of the core of our next good team.


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HomeTrack 7: Trip Around It
Track 7: Trip Around It
December 21, 2016 December 28, 2016 t4nky Story PostEliza Henderson, Jennifer Kagemoto, Nathan Jacobs
"Oi, Nate," Eliza said as we drove to the nearest city, "what'cha readin'?"
I looked up. "It's PP99. It's about this weird Psionic phenomena that happened in 1999. It came out last year because something similar happened." We were driving down the road to the nearest city. I was surprised because Eliza almost never talked while driving. I think it was a consequence of how seriously Eliza took guard duty, her earlier bad experiences with driving, and the fact that we were driving her sister's hundred-thousand dollar car. "You know how Psionic energy exists on a spectrum that's parallel to electromagnetic energy?"
"Yeah," Eliza said. "Just like that theoretical spectrum that Jumpers use to jump." I noticed that her eyes rarely focused on just one thing and her ears were constantly rotating. It was weird how she was simultaneously relaxed and alert.
"Didn't know about that one," I said. "Where did you hear that?"
"Jen," Eliza said. That made sense. Before Mayu, Jenifer Kagemoto was the only Jumper we had access to. "At least, at first. Then I Googled, and got a bunch of academic journals that said the same thing, just like complete chunguses."
"Well," I said, "I will have to check that out. Anyway, apparently in 1999, the background level of background Psionic energy just spiked."
"So it doubled?" Eliza asked. "Like, just randomly?"
"You got the 'just randomly' part," I said. "But…" I struggled to remember the exact phrase. I could tell that if Eliza wasn't on guard mode, she would have turned to cock her head at me in curiosity. "The book says that the electromagnetic spectrum equivalent is like going to sleep in a place with abnormally low background radiation to waking up in the core of a nuclear reactor that's in the process of melting down."
"And… and where did this happen again?" Eliza asked, understandably worried.
"It was a worldwide phenomenon," I said. "The interesting thing is how quickly people ignored it. This guy was a scientist studying it, and he had this anecdote about how quickly it was forgotten. This was in ninety-nine, and apparently there were only fifty places you could go to even measure ambient Psionic levels. He was being interviewed by someone at a cable news channel, and when they asked what all this meant. The author had no clue, so the anchor just listed a bunch of scenarios. Each and every time, the author either said he had no clue or dismissed it outright. Eventually, the anchor just got bored."
"Was it an American one?" Eliza asked with a good deal of wide-eyed faux-innocence.
"Not sure," I said, after failing to find a light-hearted way of reminding her about the existence of things like the Daily Mail or the Sun. "But he talked a lot about how most people seemed to lose interest. He was planning on releasing the book two years ago, but then there was another spike."
"Does 'e know about the Dragon's Teeth?" Eliza asked.
"Ironically," I said, "he did theorize that this new spike could be caused by a massive influx of new Psychics. He just never once mentions the possibility of an army of Psychic clones."
"Oo's the author?" Eliza asked.
"Doctor James Breyer," I said.
"I'll 'ave to check 'im out," Eliza said. "Always loved non-fiction. Especially the sciencey stuff."
"So, what about you?" I asked. "You read anything good?"
We were almost to the city. The trees, farms, and mountain roads had slowly turned into houses and small buildings. Now and then, we'd occasionally see areas that were more urban. If the architecture was different, I could almost think I was back home in New England. The only problem was it made Eliza even less focused on me.
"Oh, what?" she asked, somewhat distractedly. "Oh, yeah. Things I'm readin'. Well, this science bloke I follow's been doin' a lot of posts about the incomin' spaceship. That distress signal it sent?"
"I remember John talking about it a bit," I said. "I'm just not sure if I remember the gist. Something about it trying to translate its message and access the internet, I guess?" I paused. "Please tell me someone didn't give it access to the internet."
"God, no!" Eliza said. "As the guy said, 'Everybody there has watched Terminator.' You'd gotta be a complete idiot to do that." She didn't sound too convinced, though. "Anyway, they've been watching the ship, and it's moving faster than they thought. The poor bastards break down from time to time, so we've no clue when to put the kettle on, so to speak."
As Eliza pulled us into a parking space, I said, "Is it just me, or do I find the fact we're being visited by an alien race extremely disturbing?"
"Suppose so," Eliza said, "but it'd be kinda funny if we spent all our time actin' like this place's the most important place in the universe, then some… I dunno, feathered avian bastards just casually blow the entire planet up, wouldn't it? Anyway, I think this is the place."
"You know," I said, as she parallel-parked outside a café, "you have a sick sense of humor."
"Yeah," Eliza said, turning off the engine and putting the car into park, "but it's better'n bein' mental, innit?"
"Yeah," I said as we got out, "you may have a point."
After I managed to get through enough Japanese to order our drinks and pastries, I sat down across from Eliza. The table itself was near enough to the window to see out, but at sort of an angle so that a shooter would have a terrible angle. "You didn't tell me that this was a maid café," I said nonchalantly.
"It isn't a maid café," Eliza said, an innocent expression on her face. "There's also butlers."
I tried to look stern. Then I broke into giggles. Eliza quickly joined in. "So," I finally asked, "did you come here for the eye candy or to test me for secret fetishes?"
Eliza suddenly sobered up. "Actually…" she said, "I came 'ere mostly 'cause I wanted to get away from everyone else at the… at the room, y'know?"
"We're going to be staying here a while aren't we?" I asked.
Eliza nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Charlotte just says she wants to know what's going to happen with Mayu an' all, but if she doesn't like what's gonna happen to 'er, well…" She trailed off, then looked at my face. "Nate?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"
I tried to keep my tone casual. "The maid I took my order from? She took a phone call recently. After that, she's been staring at us, then at the road." My Japanese course last semester might not have sunk in, but my counter-surveillance course had.
"D'you think it could be because…" Eliza said, pointing to her ears. Then she said, "No… she'd have to've been staring before the phone call for me to believe that."
Pretending to focus on Eliza, I watched the maid in question duck back into the kitchen. She came back out with a butler. The butler had a tray with food and drinks on it. They would their way through the tables that were full of people. Despite my semester of Japanese, the only thing I was able to make out was "Bon appetite!"
"Thanks," Eliza said. "But can we get this to go?"
Instantly, the maid and butler began hurriedly trying to convince us to stay. I suddenly realized why they weren't making sense: they were speaking in English and butchering it so badly I couldn't even recognize what they were saying. Eventually, I could make out that they were saying something along the lines of, "Your friend is coming!"
"Our… our friend?" I asked.
"Hai!" the maid said. "Yes! Your friendu is coming! Pureasu be patient!"
"And… which friend is this?" Eliza asked. "We have so many friends, especially in Japan."
Our servers picked up on Eliza's sarcasm and became even more flustered. "Kagemoto Jennifer-sama is your honored friend!" the butler said, bowing deeply. "She is coming! Pureasu wait for her!"
Jennifer Kagemoto. I never knew her reach extended outside of Massachusetts. That… was not what I wanted. How the fucking hell had she managed to track us? From the expression on Eliza's face, I could tell she was wondering the same thing. Then horrific realization dawned on her face.
"We'll wait for her," I told our servers. They bowed and thanked us, then scurried their way back to the kitchen. I turned back to Eliza. "Do you have an idea how she managed to find out where we are?"
"Yes," Eliza said. "When we parked in her bloody garage for 'er bloody New Year's party. She coulda gotten one of 'er minions to get a GPS tracker on the Maybach. If she got it hooked up to an electrical cable, it could run as long as the car."
"Surely…" I said, checking to make sure my Berretta and Sig were with me and I hadn't forgotten them, "surely you had somebody look at the engine. How did they…" I didn't think I'd need either of them, but with Jennifer I wasn't confident I wouldn't.
"I don't know," Eliza said, "but I'm going to bloody rip that shit apart when we get back." She looked up. "'Eads up, I think that's 'er."
I looked out the window. Right behind the Maybach, a blue Cadillac Escalade was pulling in. When it was fully parked, four people got out. The two of them in the front were Asian, one a woman with a burned face, the other a burly man who was extremely intimidating except for what must have been a terrible case of acne in his youth. The two in the rear seemed less professional. The male was obviously black, the female could have been one of any number of ethnicities or a mix. They all wore suits and sunglasses.
The four scanned the area for a few moments. Finally, as if from some signal, three doors closed in unison. Simultaneously, the woman in the rear helped out someone from the rear seat while her fellow bodyguards watched for danger.
The person who emerged from the Escalade was a graceful woman about the same age as Eliza and I. She wore a blue Patriots hat, tightly-fitting Red Sox Matsuzaka shirt, dark blue jeans, and black thigh-high boots. Her gold eyes confidently surveyed her surroundings, pausing only to smile at us. Yup, I thought to myself, that's Jennifer, all right.
"So," Eliza said casually as the two females in Jennifer's retinue followed her inside, "at least half of 'er goons are professionals. D'you think she's got any Paras?"
"She leads a team of supervillains," I said. "Those guys are probably a mix of inventors and serious Paras. Those two that look like amateurs? There's gotta be a reason she keeps them around."
"Fuckin' 'ell…" Charlotte said. "Well, let's just see what she wants."
As Eliza said this, the door opened and Jennifer and her two female bodyguards walked in. The woman with the burned face leaned against the wall, gaining a commanding view of the entire café. She appeared perfectly still, but I could tell she was calmly scanning the room. The other woman (or maybe girl would be more appropriate, something about her screamed "teenager" to me) was taking in the entire room like she had never seen anything like this before.
"Lydia," Jennifer said as she sat down between Eliza and me, her cold voice warming with amusement, "don't gawp."
"Sorry, Jen," Lydia said, smiling awkwardly. "I'll get back to… you know." She then straightened up and tried her best to be intimidating. I didn't need the theatrics. If she was on first-name terms with Jen, the chances were pretty high that she was on Jen's supervillain squad.
Jen, meanwhile turned to us. "Nathan! Eliza!" she said to each of us, giving her predatory smile. "So nice to see you two! I had no idea you'd be here."
"I'm not sure I buy that," Eliza said. "Where'd you put the bloody tracker?"
"Really?" Jen said. "I'm surprised. And hurt. What would ever make you think such a thing of me?"
Eliza and I both raised our eyebrows in unison. "Weren't you the one 'oo pretty much bragged you were the slipperiest bastard I'd ever miss?"
"Sadly," Jennifer said, "I'm definitely my father's daughter and I have the DNA tests to prove it. But yes, I am slippery. And there is a bug in the steering column."
"Just one?" I asked.
Jen laughed. "I'll let you find that out for yourself," she said. "It'll be good for you and amusing for me. Lydia and Andrew made and placed them, so you might have to strip it down to the bolts. Hell, you may even have to dissect the bolts themselves."
Eliza clutched her head in her hands and groaned at this news. I turned to Jennifer and asked, "So, may I ask why we're meeting here? We were previously in Boston, you had ample opportunity to meet us there."
"To be fair," Jennifer said, "you didn't seem to want anything to do with me."
"That isn't stopping you now," Eliza said rather pointedly.
"Well," Jennifer said, "Lydia happened to note that you were nearby. When I checked, your car seemed to have stopped in what I first thought to be the middle of nowhere. I then did some digging of local news, and found that you were staying at what appeared to be the base of operations for a British military search and rescue training exercise. We also noticed that several rental vehicles had parked there, most loaned out to fellow foreigners. This, understandably, has piqued my interest."
"And you decided to just up and fly over 'ere?" Eliza asked.
"No." Jennifer said.
"Trust me," I said, "this is not the kind of thing you want to get involved in. Hell, I'm busy trying to get out."
Instantly, I realized my mistake. "Really?" Jennifer said brightly. "I can help with that, if you're interested."
"No thanks," I said. "It's… basically, it was kind of a treasure hunt, except no one seems to want it. We found the treasure, now people are arguing about what to do with it. We're just hoping we can get permission to go home sooner rather than later. How about you?"
"Mmm." Jen said. "My business here is… a bit more personal. My brother's killers might have come from here and I'm looking to have a talk with them."
"Well…" I said, "I guess everyone needs closure. I'd offer to help, but I kind of want to be able to come back here someday."
Jen nodded. "Of course. In the meantime, let me show you some interesting spots. That is, assuming you have some free time?"
Eliza and I looked at each other. Finally, Eliza said, "I guess. Not like we've got anything else to do."
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Premier Image Cosmetic & Laser Surgery is proud to announce that we've partnered with Dentistry with a Difference in an effort to provide patients with the best services for their entire body including their teeth. Dentistry with a Difference provides the same level of care and expertise in relation to your oral health as Premier Image does for you the rest of your body. If you're interested in having your teeth look as good as your body we recommend contacting Dentistry with a Difference to schedule an appointment today.


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All games in category "Shooting"
Air Buster: Trouble ...
Air Buster: Trouble Specialty Raid Unit a.k.a. Aero Blasters: Trouble Specialty Raid Unit is a 1990 horizontally scrolliRead more
Air Buster: Trouble Specialty Raid Unit a.k.a. Aero Blasters: Trouble Specialty Raid Unit is a 1990 horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Kaneko and licensed to Namco. The game was originally released in the arcades in 1990 and was subsequently released for the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 (as Aero Blasters) and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (as Air Buster in North America) in 1990 and 1991 respectively.In Air Buster, the player controls a fighter jet also designed for space travel and shoots enemies, collects power-ups, and defeats bosses to advance levels. As a console game, Air Buster had the distinction of being two player simultaneous, which was rare among side scrolling shooters on home consoles at the time; all games in the Thunder Force, Gradius, and R-Type series were only 1 player on the home consoles.
Air Buster: Trouble Spec...
Berzerk
A Berzerk Port similar to the arcade version ported to SEGA Gesnsis by Paul Lee .
Body Count is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by Ice-T, wRead more
Body Count is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by Ice-T, who co-founded the group with lead guitarist Ernie C. out of their interest in heavy metal music. Ice T. took on the role of vocalist and writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs. Lead guitarist Ernie C has been responsible for writing the group's music. Their controversial self-titled debut album was released on Sire Records in 1992. The song "Cop Killer" was the subject of much controversy. Although Sire Records' parent company, Warner Bros. Records, defended the single, Ice-T chose to remove the track from the album because he felt that the controversy had eclipsed the music itself. The group left Sire the following year. Since then, they have released three further albums on different labels, none of which have been received as commercially or critically well as their debut album. Three out of the band's original five members are deceased: D-Roc died from lymphoma, Beatmaster V from leukemia and Mooseman in a drive-by shooting.
Bonkers may refer to: Insanity
Cannon Fodder
Cannon Fodder may refer to: Cannon fodder, a derogatory term for expendable soldiers, now often used as a metaphor CannRead more
Cannon Fodder may refer to: Cannon fodder, a derogatory term for expendable soldiers, now often used as a metaphor Cannon Fodder (series), a series of video games Cannon Fodder (video game), the first game in the series Cannon-Fodder (novel), by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, autobiographical narrative of the 1930s Cannonfodder, a song on Don't Fear the Reaper (album), by Swedish thrash metal band Witchery
Contra: Hard Corps, released in Japan as Contra: The Hard Corps (魂斗羅 ザ・ハードコア?)[1] and in Europe and Australia as ProboteRead more
Contra: Hard Corps, released in Japan as Contra: The Hard Corps (魂斗羅 ザ・ハードコア?)[1] and in Europe and Australia as Probotector, is a side-scrolling run and gun-style shoot-'em-up video game released by Konami for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. It is part of the Contra series and serves as a follow-up to Contra III: The Alien Wars. The plot takes place several years after the events of that game. Contra: Hard Corps follows the same gameplay as its predecessors. New features include branching story paths and multiple endings.
Contra: Hard Corps, released in Japan as Contra: The Hard Corps (魂斗羅 ザ・ハードコア?)[1] and in Europe and Australia as Probotector, is a side-scrolling run and gun-style shoot-'em-up video game released by Konami for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. It is part of the Contra series and serves as a follow-up to Contra III: The Alien Wars. The plot takes place several years after the events of that game.Contra: Hard Corps follows the same gameplay as its predecessors. New features include branching story paths and multiple endings.
A curse (also called a jinx, hex or execration) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befRead more
A curse (also called a jinx, hex or execration) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity—one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, "curse" may refer to a wish that harm or hurt will be inflicted by any supernatural powers, such as a spell, a prayer, an imprecation, an execration, magic, witchcraft, God, a natural force, or a spirit. In many belief systems, the curse itself (or accompanying ritual) is considered to have some causative force in the result. To reverse or eliminate a curse is called removal or breaking, and is often believed to require equally elaborate rituals or prayers. The word "curse" may also refer to the resulting adversity; for example, menstruation has been described as the "curse of Eve". The study of the forms of curses comprise a significant proportion of the study of both folk religion and folklore. The deliberate attempt to levy curses is often part of the practice of magic. In Hindu culture the Sage or Rishi is believed to have the power to bless and curse. Examples include the curse placed by Rishi Bhrigu on king Nahusha and the one placed by Rishi Devala. Special names for specific types of curses can be found in various cultures: African American hoodoo presents us with the jinx and crossed conditions, as well as a form of foot track magic which was used by Ramandeep, whereby cursed objects are laid in the paths of victims and activated when walked over. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture is the source of the belief in the evil eye, which may be the result of envy but, more rarely, is said to be the result of a deliberate curse. In order to be protected from the evil eye, a protection item is made from dark blue circular glass, with a circle of white around the black dot in the middle, which is reminiscent of a human eye. The size of the protective eye item may vary. German people, including the Pennsylvania Dutch speak in terms of hexing (from the German word for witchcraft), and a common hex in days past was that laid by a stable-witch who caused milk cows to go dry and horses to go lame.
Ssega 2015-02-20 23:29:04 22k
Dangerous Seed
Dangerous Seed (デンジャラスシード) is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1989 only in Japan.Read more
Dangerous Seed (デンジャラスシード) is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1989 only in Japan. In 1990, a Sega Mega Drive version was also developed and released only in Japan. The player assumed control of three separate ships operated by three separate pilots: Alpha ship is piloted by Yugo Tyrone, Beta ship is piloted by Belle Vogato, and Gamma ship is piloted by Kenny Crawford. Each ship had a different firing pattern that the player could switch between when the ships were formed together as The Moon Diver. Their mission is to quell an alien invasion spanning all of the Milky Way and destroy the aliens' headquarters: the Danger Seed.
Darwin 4081
Death Duel
Death Duel is a 1977 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen under the Shaw Brothers Studio banner. The film stars DeRead more
Death Duel is a 1977 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen under the Shaw Brothers Studio banner. The film stars Derek Yee and Ling Yun and marked the debut of Candice Yu for Shaw Studio where she plays a prostitute.


With the holidays literally right around the corner, I know that many of you are having a hard time finding the perfect premium, but cost-efficient gift for the guys in your life. Well, have no fear, Barrett's here with the perfect gift idea!
Thus, I present to you the CONAIR Men's Super I-Stubble Trimmer. It's the latest must-have tool when it comes to facial hair grooming. Men's grooming has really taken off over the last few years, and I must say I'm super proud of all the men for stepping up their style game.
It's been a long overdue occurrence in my opinion.
As someone that prefers to have some facial hair, I can say that I've tried a lot of different grooming tools, and this one takes the cake. CONAIR has hit a total home run with their latest creation. It's powered by lithium-ion technology, so it's precision performance isn't only reliable and cordless, but also works amazing at lower charge levels.
Beyond changing the battery life game, the CONAIR Men's Super I-Stubble Trimmer has a hi-tech blue LED screen that shows the percentage of charge remaining. I can't tell you how often I've been cut short while trimming my beard because my old trimmer would just die out of nowhere. Not knowing how much battery life is left is now a thing of the past, so let's keep it that way. You don't want to be stuck walking around all day with a half trimmed beard because you were rushing, and your trimmer died. Trust me on this one.
Advanced blade technology, a rapid charging system, and being 100% water resistant package this bad boy up to be a true must have, and at around $79.99 on Amazon it's an investment piece that won't break the bank.
Help the guys in your life put their best face forward, and surprise them with the perfect holiday gift from CONAIR. Whether it's to keep a tight 5 o'clock shadow, or just maintain a tighter fuller beard, the CONAIR Men's Super I-Stubble Trimmer has got your guys covered, and will keep them looking fresh when it counts most.
For your chance to win this CONAIR Men's Super I-Stubble Trimmer like this photo and tag your best friend. Winner will be randomly selected.
If you want to grab one right away head over now to amazon.com, or click here: CONAIR Men's Super I-Stubble Trimmer to grab one just in time for the holidays.
It's fun to spread holiday cheer, and give a gift that is actually useful. Happy holidays everyone!
Men, it's time we started taking care of our bodies.
Posted on December 20, 2016 by Barrett Pall.


Actual product colour may differ or vary from colour shown on your phone screen or monitor. The actual colour can be determined by visiting our showroom to view the real product or samples. However, we wish to note that there is some slight variation which might still occur between the sample and the finished product. These run to run dye lot variations are common to the manufacturing process, and within industry tolerances. Hence, we won't regard this as defects.
IDS is an online platform which helps various suppliers and designers to distribute its unique interior products to interested buyers and resellers. Throughout the years, our flair in interior decor products has surpasses our reseller's expectations as we are able to provide reasonable priced, practical and beautiful wallcoverings, mural wallpaper, vinyl flooring, commercial carpets and designer furnitures. We do not stop exploring for more creative ideas in this industry, infact we have been in this industry since 2009 and we are the pioneer importer of Korean wallpaper, Korean Vinyl Flooring and 3D & Customised Mural Wallpaper. To better serve our customers, we move towards the online model to response faster to our customers needs. We strive to be the leading online marketplace for Interior Decor Suppliers, Designers & Resellers by creating value and simplfying their business through our platform.
Address: Wisma IDS, 2, Jalan PJU 3/48, 47810 Sunway Damansara, Selangor, Malaysia.


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Q: ASP.Net Identity Connect to Existing Non Identity Tables I'm working on a project in asp.net mvc. I want to authenticate users using Asp.Net Identity and Owin. I'm aware that Identity has its own tables which are created using code first approach. However, I want Identity to connect to our existing database which has existing non identity tables. Is that possible ? Thank you.

A: Yes it is possible, asp.net identity it's extensible.
I think this link fits your needs.
Probably you need to implement your custom userstore at least and, depending on your current data structure, maybe you'll have to modify some entities.
Hope this helps!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


At our animal hospital in Oakland Park, clients can expect that their pets will be in loving hands along with the best of care in veterinarian services. We implement the best in vet technology, including respiratory care equipment and critical care diagnostic tools. We treat routine, ongoing and urgent care needs of cats, dogs, pocket pets and exotics. During the day, we operate as an animal hospital, and at night we're an animal emergency trauma center. Clients can get medical assistance for their cherished companions 24/7. We're a Ft. Lauderdale veterinarian serving Ft. Lauderdale and surrounding areas.
Expect the best in vet care from our veterinarian Dr. Spencer Ratnoff and staff. Dr. Spencer Ratnoff is a believer in continual education and attends seminars and conferences centering on ultrasound, laser surgery and exotic animal are. With personal pets like bearded dragons, German Shepherds and macaws, he's a true animal lover. All of our veterinarian technicians are certified and experience.
We offer a broad range of vet services, including pet vaccinations, spay and neuter, microchipping, pet grooming, routine exams, dental services and emergency care. Keep your pet healthy with core vaccinations and spay and neuter. Sterilization helps prevent cancer and increases your pet's lifespan. Plus, it helps keep down the animal population and strays. With microchipping, you have a much better chance of recovering your lost pet with its GPS tracking device. It's a simple, painless procedure.
At Oakland Park Animal Hospital, we perform comprehensive nose-to-tail routine exams for pets. Our vet will inspect ears, eyes, skin, coat and abdominal area for any abnormalities. How often should your pet have a physical exam? We recommend at least once a year just like humans. Early detection of any medical problem is the key to successful treatment.
Enhance your pet's oral hygiene with our dental services. Keep in mind that most pets have periodontal disease by the time they reach three years of age. Our dental technicians remove plaque and tartar and seal the teeth with fluoride. We also perform extractions when needed.
Whether your pet has been struck by a car or ingested a poison, we provide immediate care. If your pet requires surgery, we carefully monitor pulse rate, heart rate, body temperature and organ function with our state-of-the-art technology. We keep your pet at our facility until they are ready to go home. All pet owners receive detailed instructions for the best aftercare. Trimming your pet's nails can be a frustrating experience. Let us do it for you. Plus, we offer pet grooming services to keep your companion looking clean and dapper.
Our Oakland and Ft Lauderdale animal hospital offers all the pet services to keep your pet healthy and happy. To learn more, give us a call at (954) 731-4228.


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Home / News & Media / Media Centre
Working with media is not just rewarding for ISSME but for its readers throughout the globe who are curious to know the latest postings on our media section. It is be best and effortless way to reach out to our targeted audiences. We work with media groups in print, electronic and web for the effective dissemination of information and to ensure visibility so that we can reach out to all corners of the world. We have been vigorously striving to make this section so resourceful with quality and up-to-date news that you need not to go anywhere for SME-related updates or news.
We act as a catalyst for the growth of the SME sector by providing inputs which are critical to the needs of small businesses. This includes information on issues and opportunities related to the sector.
Please write to us to be included in our mailing list for regular updates – now.
We have created this special section to facilitate your access to information about the ISSME and SME-related materials beyond ISSME.
Please feel free to contact us if you need any more information.
Public Relations Section
International Society for Small and Medium Enterprises
Tel.: +91-11-29993844 | Fax: +91-11-29993845
Helpline: +91-8587000190 (24×7 on: WhatsApp | WeChat | Line | Zalo | Viber)
Email: pr@issmemail.org | Skype: issmeorg
Branding Identity Guidelines
We have put in place a series of highly effective Branding Identity Guidelines to establish ISSME's visual identity. This includes standardizing the use of logos, fonts, colors and design styles. Members, Affiliates and Partners should review and share the guidelines with those who promote or communicate about ISSME.
Branding Identity Guidelines (.pdf format)
ISSME is committed to the dissemination of accurate information by adhering to its Code of Ethics so that it best serves the interests of small businesses and contributes to informed decision making. It expects Members, Affiliates and Partners to follow the same standards.
The ISSME Secretariat also applies principles of this Code while issuing Professional Service Advisories and as part of its Advocacy initiatives on key issues concerning the SME sector. Administered by the ISSME Secretariat, the initiative is an ongoing public affairs program by which ISSME tracks, identifies and speaks out on current issues, professional practice, principles and reputation.
Approved Spokespersons
When specifically authorized to do so by the president and/or Secretary General of ISSME, members, affiliates, partners and volunteers at all levels of the organization can speak with the media as a representative of ISSME and/or on ISSME's behalf. This policy applies equally to:
Governing Body Members (other than the Chair and Secretary General).
Secretariat Staff Members.
Committee Chairs.
International Chapter Heads.
International Partner Leaders.
ISSME Affiliates.
ISSME Volunteers.
Unless you are an approved spokesperson, please refer all inquiries to ISSME International Relations & Cooperation as explained below in "Media Inquiries."
ISSME members, affiliates, partners and volunteers can express their personal views or talk about their organization to the media. They, however, need to emphasise that these are not the views or the position of the ISSME.
All unsolicited telephone, e-mail and postal inquiries received from print, broadcast or electronic media should be directed to the Secretary General, Concerned Official of the International PR Section (in that order) at ISSME Secretariat. In the event that none of these individuals is available to field a telephone inquiry, the broadcaster's name, media organization, phone number and deadline (if any) will be noted and conveyed to the Office of the Secretary General, ISSME and/or International PR Section, ISSME Secretariat.
ISSME will respond to information requests and media inquiries from legitimate news sources, within its capacity to do so. ISSME reserves the right to refuse to supply certain confidential and/or other information, issue statements or make representatives available for media interviews when such actions do not serve to further ISSME's professional interests.
Dissemination of Media Information
ISSME distributes press materials to all legitimate and relevant small business and industry media (print, broadcast and electronic) except in cases in which media exclusivity has been requested or offered and subsequently granted.
Journalists who are interested in reporting on ISSME events, including the ISSME International Conference, Events, International Chapters, ISSME Global Awards, Section conferences, seminars, workshops, featured campaigns, governing body & council sessions and capacity development programs, may be eligible to attend those events at no cost by sending a written request for press credentials to the International PR Section, ISSME Secretariat at: pr@issmemail.org
These are granted after considering factors like the reach of the publication and the extent of coverage planned for an event.
Publishing professionals who are not journalists can attend these events by registering at the member or non-member rate as the case may be.
Serving SME's


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Meet your DWCA Office Bearers for 2016-17
By Lauren Davis September 4, 2016 September 4, 2016 News
The DWCA is pleased to announce the election results from its recent Annual General Meeting, held on Sunday 14 August at Club Burwood, Sydney.
Current President Lauren Davis and Secretary Roger Reynolds were the only ones to run for their respective positions; they were thus elected unopposed.
Two nominations had been received for the position of Treasurer, but one nominee withdrew their nomination prior to the election. The sole remaining nominee, Brad Harrison, was thus elected unopposed.
Finally, current Vice President Tony Cooke announced his resignation from the position of VP and from the committee, after several decades of service. As no nominations for this role were received prior to the election, former Treasurer Jon Andersen was nominated for the position and elected unopposed.
Congratulations to Jon on his new role and to Brad for joining the committee. Good luck to you both!
The meeting also saw the DWCA committee propose an amendment to Section 15.1 of the club constitution, titled 'Election of Office Bearers', and the reflection of this amendment in Schedule 1 to the club constitution. This amendment was reworded by the attending members on the day, in order to eliminate ambiguity, and voted in unanimously. Once the amendment has been accepted by the Office of Fair Trading, the DWCA website will be updated accordingly.
« 2016 DWCA office bearer nominations
Classic lost Second Doctor story re-animated back to life »


The GR-700 is classic Roland 1980s analog synthesizer technology. Released in late 1984, the GR-700 is the pinnacle of early Roland guitar synthesizer design. The distinctive and futuristic GR-700 features both a digital CPU for guitar tracking and a warm, fat hybrid digital/analog synthesizer engine for lush sounds.
A look at articles written about the GR-700 in Guitar Player, Guitarist, and other magazines, plus the synthesizer's appearance on television shows like The Tonight Show (US) and the Rock School series (UK), demonstrate the enthusiasm in the belief that the long anticipated age of the guitar synthesizer had finally arrived. The GR-700 launched just as the MIDI standard was being introduced, and musicians were entering a brave new world of electronic music where relatively inexpensive CPUs made possible instruments like the Prophet 5, Simmons drums, and the GR-700, instruments unimaginable a decade earlier.
Generally speaking, the GR-700 has not held up as well as its 24-pin brethren, like the GR-100 or GR-300. But for a guitar player in 1985, the GR-700 offered an astonishing range of sounds that could never have been triggered from a guitar: strings, basses, electronic effects, synths, and more. It was assumed that guitar players eventually would become fluent in GR-700 programming, and that the great silver box could become as ubiquitous as the wah-wah pedal.
Like the current generation of Roland guitar synths, the GR-700 controls the internal synth engine directly for faster response. But, make no mistake about it, when it comes to tracking the GR-700 is not a GR-300. Of all the products Roland has ever made, the GR-700 has the trickiest and most erratic tracking. The GR-700 is certainly better than equivalent products made by other manufactures at the time, but it is inferior to the GR-100, GR-300, GM-70, Korg Z3, or the Ibanez MC-1. The GR-700 has a MIDI out port for controlling other MIDI modules, but the MIDI output is erratic and unreliable. In addition, no pitch bend information is sent via MIDI.
Stand alone converters like the GM-70 became more popular toward the end of the eighties. They were faster and more accurate than the GR-700, plus via MIDI the range of sounds available to guitar players expanded considerably. The GR-700's combination of clunky pitch tracking, married to a limited synth engine, boxed up inside a huge, heavy foot pedal crammed with complex electronics made it more of a curiosity than a must-have piece of gear for the gigging musician. Still, for those who love the GR-700, nothing else sounds or responds quite like this unique guitar synthesizer.
The GR-700 was played and recorded by such prominent guitarists as Al Dimeola, Robert Fripp, Chuck Loeb (video), Jimmy Page and Andy Summers. The GR-700 was the top-of-the-line guitar synthesizer system in the mid-eighties. Retail price on a GR-700 was almost two-thousand dollars. More recently, Amir Derakh has used the Roland GR-700 extensively on several records.
The GR-700 has six, independent, analog synth voices, two oscillators on each voice. Roland digitally clocked these oscillators and called them "DCOs", as a response to the fact that the earlier Roland oscillator's pitch had a tendency to drift in performance. The DCOs on the GR-700 generate classic analog waveforms: sawtooth wave, square wave, and pulse width modulated wave, as well a noise for special effects.
The oscillators on the GR-700 can also be synced with cross modulation for hard, biting analog sounds or with ring modulation for metallic sounds. The GR-700 has a sweet Low Pass Filter with Resonance on each voice, with an additional High Pass Filter. And of course there are complete LFO and Envelope controls. To top it all off, the GR-700 adds a classic Roland analog Chorus circuit! If you like that expansive Roland Chorus found on early 80s products, you will love the Chorus on the GR-700.
The synth engine in the GR-700 is the same synth engine found in the Roland MKS-30 and Jupiter JX-3P. And, like these synths, the Roland GR-700 can use the PG-200 as a programming tool.
John Themis in-depth GR-700 system review from Guitarist magazine, May 1985.
Steve Carnelli article on three favorite GR-700 patches, with performance and programming tips.
Mark Wood article guitar synthesizers, featuring the Roland GR-700.
Vintage Guitar Player Magazine Interview with John Abercrombie highlighting the Roland GR-700.
Vintage Guitar Player Magazine Interview with Steve Morse highlighting the Roland GR-700.
Jimmy Page Roland GR-700 page at the Achilles Last Stand Zed Zeppelin website.
Download the GR-700 Owner's Manual (pdf).
Download 64 GR-700 Alternate Sounds (Alternate Patches #2) (pdf).
Download 64 GR-700 Alternate Sounds (Alternate Patches #3) (pdf).
Click here to learn how to upgrade the GR-700 operating system software.
Generally speaking, the Roland GR-700 shipped in two different versions. There is an early, and later, version of the hardware, an early and later version of the factory patches, and early and later versions of the owner's manual.
I have not had the chance to see if the changes in manual, patches, and software are related to each other. The cosmetic changes to the GR-700 manual seems to be related to achieving uniformity with other Roland products from the same period.
The early hardware versions are immediately recognizable for the open, metal frame trim pots. The later versions replaced these with more durable trimmers using a sealed plastic enclosure. This is shown in the first two photos at right.
Also, test points were added to reflect the calibration procedures outlined in the service manual. The bottom picture shows the "poly output" test point. In the early version, there is an analog ground test point, but no test point to easily attach your scope probe to analyze the poly out waveforms. In the later version a poly test point was added by moving the ground test point just a bit to the right.
Broadly speaking, there are two sets of internal sounds for the GR-700. The most common set is programmed into the EPROM chips for version 1.1 through version 1.4 software. This is the list of sounds included in the Roland GR-700 brochure. With version 1.5 software, Roland changed the internal sounds.
Cartridge sounds listed with version 1.5.
For me, the most distinctive GR-700 patches are the special effect sounds. Sometimes it is a little hard to distinguish a GR-700 brass patch from a poly synth patch, but the sound in the first list above, 1-8, "FX" is very cool. It features inverted filter resonance modulation, and I use it quite a bit.
Roland released a service bulletin regarding the problematic 80017a chips in the Roland GR-700. This problem continues to persist for GR-700 users. Perhaps one day one string on your GR-700 suddenly stops working. Or you can hear the string, but it plays very softly, followed by intermittent bursts of noise. Or you turn the GR-700 on, and after a few minutes, it starts making loud noises.
Download the original Roland 80017a chip failure bulletin.
Download the GR-700 Service Manual Schematics.
GR-700 replacement battery for internal memory or M-16C.
GR-700 Foot Switch Repair - Failed Switch or Broken Pin Mechanism.
6-Pin inline connectors for PG-200 and GR-700.
Erratic or sudden loud noise from synthesizer output, particularly after 10 minutes of powering up.
One synth voice will not respond to filter or amplifier changes.
One particular voice or string will not sound, "D" string, "A" string etc.
If you are familiar with the eighties Roland synthesizers, then you have likely heard about the dreaded 80017a VCF/VCA chip failure issue. Many synthesizers built by Roland in this period used the 80017a chip: the Juno 106, MKS-30, HS-60 and of course the GR-700. The 80017a is basically a voltage-controlled filter and a voltage-controller amplifier on a single, customized chip made for Roland. The actual components in the 80017a were found as individual elements in the earlier Juno 60 synthesizer: an IR3109 and two BA662 chips. The IR3109 was also used as the heart of the excellent -24 dB low-pass filter in the Roland GR-300.
Why exactly Roland chose to consolidate those three chips (and some surface mounted resistors and capacitors) onto a single ceramic chip dipped in plastic remains a mystery, though Roland seems to have an ongoing policy of creating custom chips that cannot be replaced or replicated. In any case, early in the process there were failures with the chips, and Roland issued a service bulletin and replaced lots of chips. Then, as the chips aged, problems started to show up with again. Third party suppliers started making clones of the original chips using modern equivalents. And I sold quite a few working chips on ebay after gutting GR-700s for parts. I extensively tested these chips, and no one had a subsequent failure from the chips I pulled. But this bothered me: would it be possible to modify a GR-700 in some way that would guarantee against a future 80017a chip failure?
As it turns out, the answer is to remove the problematic resin coating around the components. And this was not my idea, someone sent me a link to a YouTube clip showing how to get the job done. I happened to be working on a GR-700 that needed five (!) 80017a chips. I had five failed chips on hand, and used the Acetone procedure to remove the resin. Each chip was then individually tested in a special socket, running continuously for 12 hours with no failure. As each chip passed the test, I labeled it and replaced it in the GR-700.
The result is flawless operation. I do not know why the resin causes problems, but I am guessing that with aging the resin builds up electronic capacitance, causing the chip to fail once the temperature in the synthesizer warms up. This is the best possible solution to the 80017a problem. You keep the original chips that Roland designed, maintaining the sound of the instrument, and you protect against future failures as well.
If one string does not sound, make certain that it is not your 24-pin cable!
An easy way to determine if you cable is working correctly on the GR-700 is to press the EDIT foot pedal, followed by 4 and 8. This puts the GR-700 in tuning mode. Play each string on the GR-700, and you should see the display change for each string. The displays shows "1" for the high E string, "2" for the B string, down to "6" for the low E string. If the GR-700 responds to all six strings, then your cable is good, and most likely you have a failed 80017a chip.
If you need to have your GR-700 chips repaired, watch the YouTube repair clip and this yourself, or you can also contact Allen Coppock at the website Synth Spa. He can repair and calibrate your Roland GR-700. To restore the chips to factory specification, your really need some test tools, including an oscilloscope.
Failed 80017a chip from lot number 42B, with resin in place. Resin shell removed from the chip by soaking in Acetone. Tested and relabeled chip, ready for installation in the GR-700. The custom Roland IR3109 chip shown in the GR-300. This chip is part of the 80017a assembly.
MKS-30 interior Photo. Summing resistors circled in rear. Detail from GR-700 Interior. Resistors in rear. Summing Resistors Close-up, GR-700. Test side is on left.
There are six summing resistors used to combine each voice in these synthesizers. In the Roland GR-700 and MKS-30 example, shown above, the resistors bridge across the voice section to the output section. If you are not sure which voice is causing a problem, you can use a scope to see the VCF/VCA output by touching the left side of each resistor. If you do not have a scope, then attach a wire to chassis ground, and then touch the wire to the left side of each resistor. This will mute the output of the synthesizer voice. When you mute the output of the bad VCF/VCA, the erratic sound should stop.
Since the GR-700 is an analog unit, it requires calibration from time to time. The many analog components in the GR-700 give it a fat, unique sound. However, with time these functions can drift, and many GR-700s may not sound as good as they originally did from the factory. With some basic test components, such as a multi-meter and oscilloscope, it is fairly easy to re-calibrate the GR-700 to factory specification.
When the 80017a chip is replaced, the small trimmers around the chip may have to be adjusted. These trimmers adjust the level, DC balance, resonance and filter cutoff for each chip. Level controls how loud each chip is, Resonance fine tunes the amount of feedback resonance, Filter Cutoff is a fine tune control for the low-pass filter cutoff. Finally DC Offset adjusts the start and ending output of the chip so that when the sound stops, the amount of voltage is zero.
The synth will work without making these fine adjustments, but you may find one voice louder than another, or you may hear soft clicks as a sound decays, indicating some DC offset. While the technical documentation provides specific procedures for setting each chip, most experienced technicians rely on their ears for the final judgment. Also, Roland tends to be cautious with their recommended settings, so users may use these adjustment options to expand the tonal range of their synth.
Page six of the 1984 Roland GR series brochure lists several options and accessories for the GR-700.
FV-200 volume pedal: The FV-200 volume pedal could be used to control the filter cutoff on all the vintage Roland synths, GR-100, GR-300, GR-33B and the GR-700. The FV-200 could also be used as a pitch pedal with the Roland GR-700.
M-16C Memory Cartridge: These handy-dandy little cartridges double the memory of many Roland devices. Used with a Roland GR-700, patch memory goes from 64 to 128 patches. With a JX8P you add 32 more patches, and it can be used for synth patches on the JX-10 or for sequence memory!
More information on the Roland M-16C Memory Cartridge.
PG-200 Programmer: Roland also made the PG-200 programmer to help program the GR-700, JX-3P and MKS-30. Like other Roland programmers, the base is covered with a magnetic material to allow it to securely attach to the top of the GR-700 or the JX-3P synthesizer.
AB-700 GR Guitar System Case: For the heavy and bulky Roland GR-700, Roland made an aluminum case, the AB-700.
One of the best features of the Roland GR-700 is the excellent -24 dB per octave filter. The GR-700 shares the same general filter design as the Roland GR-300, based around the custom Roland IR3109 chips.
My favorite pedal is the flexible, versatile Korg EXP-2. With a Korg EXP-2, you do not have to re-wire the pedal, since it also doubles as a volume pedal. Just plug a standard guitar cable from the GR-700 filter/pitch pedal jack to the output of the EXP-2 volume pedal jack, and you will get a wide, musical range of filter sweeps.
The Behringer FCV-100 is a pedal that can function as a dual, stereo volume pedal, or as a control voltage pedal with a 50K pot. However, the FCV-100 cannot be used directly with the GR-300 or GR-700. Since the FCV-100 has an internal PC board, the easiest way to adapt the pedal for the GR-300 or GR-700 is to modify a TRS tip-ring-sleeve cable. To make the FCV-100 compatible with the GR-300, just reverse the tip and ring wires on one end of a tip-ring-sleeve cable. The other end should be left unchanged. This will reverse the operation of the pedal, resulting in pedal up (dark, filter closed), pedal down (bright, filter opened), as shown in the YouTube clip. I have tested this with both a GR-300, and GR-700. It works with the GR-700 with either the filter or pitch input. It does not matter which end of the cable is plugged into the synth.
I would note that GR-300 user Joe Bartone, of the band Thelonius Dub, found that the FCV-100 did not hold up well on the gig. By the third gig, the rubber pad came off the pedal. Joe patiently bought some epoxy and took care of that problem...then the bottom of the pedal disconnected from the chassis. Not a big issue, but it meant constantly putting it back together every time he took it out for use. Finally, Joe reported that the pedal went "soft" meaning that it would tilt down when he took his foot off it. It does not stay in position like a quality pedal does. Taking Joe's remarks in hand, I would not give the FCV-100 a strong recommendation at this time.
I frequently receive emails from people asking about adding a MIDI INPUT modification to the GR-700. In fact, there is a MIDI INPUT modification for the GR-700!
The GR-700 MIDI Input modification is credited to Mark Tsuruta, who I understand had come from Roland Japan to work at the Roland headquarters in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
As recently as 2005, Mark Tsuruta is listed as the executive vice president with Roland System Solutions. In any case, adding a MIDI input would have required a talented engineer with access to the original, commented, uncompiled operating system code for the GR-700.
The MIDI input requires both a change in the operating system, plus additional hardware and processing to convert the MIDI signals into the proper format for the GR-700's computer. A look inside the GR-700 shows quite a few modifications made to support the MIDI input.
Thanks so much to Ben Miler who sent me the "holy grail" of the Roland GR-700 MIDI input modification: the paper documentation on the exact features of the MIDI input modification!
While I reversed engineered many of the features, the part I like best is an explanation of the improved tracking in version 1.5 software: sensing the pitch of the note in one half cycle (waveform).
While this is the modern standard, the early versions of the GR-700 required a full-cycle. And the V1.5 software lets you select which mode to use: with the switch in mode 2 (the middle position), your GR-700 uses the original tracking algorithm, and in the mode 3 position, you get the faster tracking!
I have probably seen six of these rare birds for sale on ebay in the last ten years. Not surprisingly, most have been located in Los Angeles, where I got this GR-700. This is the only MIDI IN GR-700 that I have personally worked with, and the unit did not come with any additional documentation, so what I do know about the features of the rare GR-700 comes my personal experimentation, or trial and error.
First, a basic tip-sleeve, latching (not momentary) on/off foot switch is needed to toggle between regular guitar mode, and MIDI operation. Without the foot switch, the GR-700 always operates in standard guitar synthesizer mode. Plug in the foot switch and you can toggle between MIDI and guitar mode. The GR-700 does not respond to MIDI controller 7, volume. In fact, even in MIDI IN mode, the GR-700 volume is still controller by the volume knob on the guitar, and all editing parameters are controlled by the guitar. If you do not have guitar connected, you will not get any output.
Here are the new MIDI parameters added to the MIDI input: MIDI Channel, Program Change (on or off), Sustain (MIDI #64 on or off), Pitch Bend response (on or off), and Modulation (MIDI #1 on or off).
To change these parameters, press and hold down the Chorus switch. Pressing either switches 3, 4, 5 or 6 will show the status of the four MIDI controller settings. Just like the standard GR-700 editing mode, if a block is in the lower position, the function is off, and if it is in the upper setting, it is on.
Pressing foot switch 7 decrements the MIDI input channel, and foot switch 8 increments the MIDI channel.
Program change status, on or off is controller by foot switch 3. Pressing foot switch 3 will enable or disable program change commands to the GR-700. The GR-700 responds to program changes 1 through 64, corresponding to the 64 patches in the GR-700. With a memory cartridge installed, program changes 65-128 calls up patches on the memory cartridge. So program change 65 equals patch 1-1 on the memory cartridge, and program change 128 call up patch 8-8 on the memory cartridge. Without a memory cartridge, sending program changes 65-128 cycles through the original 64 patches, so sending program change 65 calls up internal patch 1-1, and sending program change 128 calls up internal patch 8-8.
Sustain on or off is controlled by foot switch 4.
Pitch bend on or off is controlled by foot switch 5. Pitch bend range can the changed at anytime, it is not necessary to hold down the chorus switch. Press the pitch bend switch, and the pitch bend range is displayed. Now pressing the VOICE switch increments the range, up to seven semitones, and pressing the HOLD switch decrements the range. Pressing pitch bend again exits pitch bend range.
And modulation, or LFO on or off is controlled by foot switch 6.
With all four blocks in the up position, the GR-700 responds to program change, sustain, pitch bend and modulation. You will notice that when you enter MIDI Input mode, the dynamics LEDS turn off. In MIDI mode, the dynamics are always on. For example, factory patch 2-7, Bell, does not respond to dynamics in guitar mode, so how hard to pick the string does not effect the loudness, or brightness, or the sound. And the patch has chromatic mode enabled, so it does not respond to pitch bends. In MIDI input mode, the sound responds to both velocity. changing the loudness and brightness, and pitch bend as well.hat a Roland M-64C can be used to hold four banks of GR-700 sounds. Additional delay and ambience has been added during mix down.
The GR-700 MIDI input extends the range of the GR-700. Normally, the lowest note on the GR-700 is low E on the guitar, and GR-700 extends this to the A below low E on the guitar, adding another fifth to the lower range of the synth. If you play below the A, the octave repeats. On the high side, the GR-700 will respond to the highest possible MIDI note, more than two octaves above what is possible on the guitar. The highest note on a 88-key synth is C7. The GR-700 will respond to G8, or a fifth above the last note on a keyboard.
Can the MIDI INPUT modification be done today?
For all practical purposes, the answer is "no." While the version 1.5 software, which implements MIDI INPUT can be found, the additional technical details on the extensive wiring and additional electronic hardware are not documented. Even if you had all the details to do this, and knew how to make the additional hardware for the buffered MIDI output, etc. there is a good chance the GR-700 would not survive.
GR-700s are pretty fragile now, and use lots of parts that are no longer available. When the unit sold for thousands of dollars, and MIDI units were rare, this modification made sense. However, there is a ready-made GR-700 with a MIDI-IN: the Roland MKS-30. The MKS-30 has the exact same voice board as the GR-700, and the exact same parameters. Even better, it has built in MIDI implementation and is a better MIDI sound module than than a GR-700 with MIDI IN will ever be.
The GR-700 Turbo PLUS adds the sound of the GR-100 hexaphonic polydistortion to the Roland GR-700, with all the original features of the GR-700 Turbo.
This includes a modern 13-pin input, top panel controls for string level and filter cutoff and EDIT parameters. The PLUS also adds a latching sustain input.
What can you do with a GR-700 that has this modification?
I use Digital Performer to play a sequence of Bach's 2-part invention in E minor, incorporating program changes to call up various patches.
The internal sounds are the original GR-700 factory patches, and the cartridge sounds are the second generation factory patches.
The standout feature of this GR-700 is the custom printed circuit board installed to buffer the internal guitar synth signals, and provide a modern, 13-pin Roland synthesizer output.
When the Ibanez IMG2010 is connected to this GR-700, you will be able to access both the classic analog sounds from the GR-700, plus the latest in cutting edge Roland guitar synth tones, using the Roland GR-55 or VG-99. It is like using a GR-700 with a Roland US-2 and BC-13.
The active circuitry is part of a DB25 input card, which frees the GR-700 user from searching for hard-to-find, expensive 24-pin cables. This GR-700 can use data-grade, shielded 25-pin cables which offer improved performance over the original Roland cable, at a fraction of the price.
The modern GK 13-pin controls have been integrated into the GR-700. The master volume control on the guitar controls the volume of the 13-pin synthesizer as well. There are two 1/4" jacks added for the controlling the 13-pin synth, both are TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) jacks. This first is for muting either the GK Volume (synthesizer volume) or the Guitar signal (hex fuzz), and this circuit works best with latching switches. The other TRS jack is for a momentary foot switches to send GK S1/S2 commands. Both the switches are basic on/off switches, connecting to ground. I like to use the Roland FS-6, a versatile pedal with latching or unlatching capability, and LED status indicators.
A vintage Roland guitar connected to this GR-700 will be able to access both the classic analog sounds from the GR-700, plus the latest in cutting edge Roland guitar synth tones, using the Roland GR-55 or VG-99. It is like using a GR-700 with a Roland US-2 and BC-13.
The GR-700 Turbo PLUS is an expansion of the original GR-700 Turbo. The primary feature of the original GR-700 Turbo is the modern 13-pin input, installed in place of the older 24-pin input, allowing a GK-2 or GK-3 equipped guitars to play the vintage Roland GR-700.
The Turbo PLUS goes one step further, integrating a vintage Roland GR-100 polyphonic distortion hex fuzz circuit with the processing power of the GR-700. It is like building a GR-100 inside a GR-700.
Each string has an input switch to select from the output of DCO-1, or from a hex fuzz signal. Parameter 18, Source Mix, controls the balance between the hex fuzz signal and DCO-2.
With the Source mix set at "00", the GR-700 sounds much more like the earlier Roland GR-100, with vintage Roland analog low-pass filters and rich analog chorus output. Sources can be mixed, with some strings outputting a blend of the two digitally controlled, analog oscillators, and some strings a mix of the polyphonic distortion hex fuzz, and the oscillator tone.
DCO-2 can be tuned independently of the hex fuzz signal, and oscillator synth and cross synchronization between DCO-1 and DCO-2 is still available, even when the string output is set to polydistortion, rather than DCO-1. The GR-700 improves on the feature set of the GR-100, with a four-stage envelope and LFO modulation, plus a high-pass filter.
Another new feature of the GR-700 Turbo PLUS is a latching sustain switch. The Roland GR-700 sustain feature only works when the pedal is depressed. Once the foot is removed, the sustain stops. A custom built sustain foot switch can be plugged into the Turbo PLUS, for infinite sustain. Synth parameters can be edited while the sustain is engaged, and strings can be switched between DCO-1 and polydistortion, with control over the blend of synth and normal guitar sounds using the GK S-Volume and conventional volume control on the guitar.
Like the original GR-700 Turbo, the Turbo PLUS has a foot switch input for LFO depth, designed for a Roland EV-5, plus a 4x memory expansion input, so that a Roland M-64C can be used to hold four banks of GR-700 sounds. Additional delay and ambience has been added during mix down.
The GR-700 Turbo PLUS has the ability to blend analog distortion with synthesizer tones for new synth sounds never heard before.
In place of the proprietary and awkward 24-pin input, the GR-700 Turbo has been retrofitted with a modern, 13-pin Roland-Ready input jack. Now you can directly play a vintage Roland guitar synthesizer without having to search for a costly vintage Roland guitar, and the expensive and rare 24-pin connecting cable.
A stock Roland GR-700 has 64 memory locations for storing synth patches. If you insert a Roland M-16C memory cartridge into the GR-700, the memory expands to 128 patches. However, the GR-700 Turbo has the ability to store an astonishing 320 patches with a Roland M-64C cartridge! How is this possible? A special 4-position switching circuit has been added to the GR-700 Turbo, which basically divides a stock Roland M-64C (64K) memory cartridge into four individually addressable 16K memory banks!
These are labeled as banks A, B, C and D. This upgrade does not effect M-16C cartridges! Regardless of the memory switch position, a M-16C will store 64 patches. This auction does not include the M-16C or M-64C cartridge.
There are four documented versions of GR-700 software noted in the GR-700 service manual. Version four (1.4) is the most common software found in the GR-700. However, some of the last GR-700s made by Roland shipped with the rare, version 5 (1.5) software. The GR-700 Turbo has the rare version 5.0 software! Unlike the earlier upgrades, version 5.0 software does not add any new features, but instead improves on the most neglected aspect of the GR-700: faster and more accurate tracking. On average, version 5.0 is 1.5 milliseconds faster than version 4.0. The GR-700 Turbo does not reach the speed and accuracy of modern synthesizers, but it is an improvement over earlier versions, and includes the final revisions of the GR-700 factory patches.
To take advantage of all cool features and programmability of the GR-700, new controls had to be added to replace the synthesizer controls found on a vintage Roland guitar synth controller like the G-303 or G-707. The GR-700 Turbo has top panel controls for filter cutoff, and edit value. In addition, there is a high/low sensitivity switch. To replace the LFO touch pads and LFO depth control found on a vintage guitar, a Roland EV-5 control pedal input has been added to the back of the GR-700 Turbo. This is a real advantage over the original Roland system, since the touch pads on a vintage Roland guitar were notoriously unreliable.
The GR-700 Turbo also has the final revision of the GR-700 Voice Board, plus a new battery for patch memory backup. The early GR-700 voice boards used open frame trimmers for the adjusting the critical parameters of each voice chip: level, DC balance, filter cutoff and resonance. The GR-700 Turbo has the last revision of the Voice Board with closed trimmers. The later Voice Boards also have additional test points to make testing and adjusting the board easier. And finally the 3 volt lithium memory backup battery has been replaced. This is the battery used to power the memory chip so that patches are retained even when the unit is turned off. This battery should last five years, so the original GR-700 batteries are long overdue for replacement!


This patent application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/901,594, filed Jul. 10, 2001 ("SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING A FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT"), which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/217,202, filed Jul. 10, 2000 ("RANDOM ACCOUNT ACTIVITY TO VERIFY A CREDIT CARD"), the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
In one embodiment of the invention, if a user for whom a series of verifying transactions have been initiated does not return to the system to submit details of the transactions within a predetermined period of time (e.g., five days, two weeks, one month), he or she may be contacted (e.g., via electronic mail and/or telephone) and prompted to complete the process. The foregoing descriptions of embodiments of the invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms disclosed. Accordingly, the above disclosure is not intended to limit the invention; the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.
verifying whether the entity is authorized to use financial instrument as the source of funds based on the risk level associated with the entity being between the first risk threshold and the second risk threshold.
storing a first set of one or more attributes associated with the at least one transaction.
accepting the financial instrument as the source of funds based on a determination, using the second set of one or more attributes, that the entity is authorized to use the financial instrument.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the financial instrument is accepted based on the second set of one or more attributes being similar to the first set of one or more attributes.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the storing of the first set of one or more attributes associated with the transaction comprises storing a verifying detail.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the verifying detail is at least one of an amount of value, a type of transaction, and an identity of a merchant.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the risk level associated with the entity is determined based on an amount of value associated with the value transfer.
9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the entity is a person.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the financial instrument is one of a credit card, a debit card, a bank account, a checking account, a savings account, or a charge card.
requiring the entity to confirm details of the at least one verifying transaction.
storing the details of the verifying transaction before requiring the entity to confirm the details of the verifying transaction.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the entity receives the details of the verifying transaction from a financial institution associated with the financial account.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the details of the verifying transaction include at least one of an amount of value, a type of transaction, or an identity of a merchant.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the risk level associated with the entity is determined based on a transfer value requested by the entity.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the risk level associated with the entity is determined based on the entity being an existing entity or a new entity.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the financial account is associated with at least one of a credit card, a debit card, a bank account, a checking account, a savings account or a charge card.
18. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform the computer-implemented method of claim 1.
19. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform the computer-implemented method of claim 11.
a second set of verifying details provided by the entity being similar to the first set of verifying details.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is to request the entity to provide the second set of verifying details.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the entity receives the second set of verifying details from a financial institution associated with the financial account.
23. The system of claim 20, wherein the risk level associated with the entity is based on an amount of value transfer requested by the entity.
24. The system of claim 20, wherein the risk level associated with the entity is based on the entity being an existing entity or a new entity.
25. The system of claim 20, wherein the financial account is at least one of a credit card, a debit card, a savings account, a checking account, a bank account or a charge card.