text:
October 22, 2020 | Insight
The Trump Administration's High-Stakes Gambit to Curtail Rocket Attacks in Iraq
John Hannah
Behnam Ben Taleblu
October 22, 2020 Insight
In an unexpected announcement on October 10, a group of Iran-backed Shiite militia groups declared their intention to suspend forthwith their attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq, while conditioning the ceasefire's continuance on the Iraqi government's development of a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. This unsolicited declaration followed the Trump administration's equally unexpected threat on September 20 (delivered via a phone call from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Iraq's President Barham Salih) to shutter the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and launch large-scale military strikes against the militias if Iraq did not do more to prevent attacks on U.S. interests there.
For over a year and half, Iran-backed militias have regularly targeted the U.S. presence in Iraq with rocket and mortar strikes. Washington has absorbed these attacks without retaliating, except when the strikes crossed the red line of taking American life. Indeed, in the face of no fewer than 78 reported instances of indirect fire since May 2019 (as documented by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies), the Trump administration hit back only twice – in both instances after Americans were killed. The only exception to this pattern was the targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani, Iran's terrorist mastermind, as well as his Iraqi counterpart, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in Baghdad last January, which came in response to a militia-organized assault on the perimeter of the U.S. Embassy.
As the data below indicates, there have been at least 55 reported rocket and/or mortar attacks just this year against U.S. targets attributable to the militias. Just over a third of those attacks occurred in August and September alone – in the period leading up to and following the successful visit to Washington of Iraq's new prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. While the frequency of the attacks represented a clear escalation of efforts to harass the United States and embarrass Kadhimi, the vast majority involved low numbers of rockets per volley and the use of lower-end weapons, not the most deadly capabilities believed to be in the militias' arsenals. None, fortunately, resulted in any U.S. casualties – though an errant attack on September 28 killed six members of an Iraqi family, including several children.
While the attacks have long been a source of tension in U.S.-Iraqi relations, the administration's sudden threat to close the embassy and unleash a massive attack against the militias came as something of a shock. During Kadhimi's Washington visit, he held what appeared to be extremely cordial meetings with both President Donald Trump and Secretary Pompeo, in which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership. In that context, Pompeo's threat to abandon America's diplomatic presence in Baghdad was a bolt from the blue that caught not only Iraqi officials, but many of their U.S. counterparts, by surprise.
The administration's gambit carried significant risks for U.S. interests. U.S. military commanders have made clear that evicting the United States from Iraq has been among Iran's top priorities. Being able to claim that its proxies had put the Great Satan's agents to flight from Baghdad, 17 years after they entered as occupiers, would clearly be a major victory for Tehran. It would also be a massive blow to Kadhimi, who is as pro-Western a prime minister as Iraq has had since 2003, and who has staked his premiership on strengthening relations with America and reining in the militias. A large-scale U.S. assault on militia targets would also almost certainly sound the death knell for the U.S. military presence in Iraq and the viability of its ongoing counterterrorism operations there against the Islamic State (ISIS).
Despite these major risks, the administration's threat may actually be paying off. It certainly triggered a panic amongst Iraq's governing class and generated an unprecedented amount of political pressure aimed at stopping the militia attacks. Kadhimi, Saleh, and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein repeatedly issued unambiguous public warnings about the potentially catastrophic consequences of an embassy closure on Iraq's precarious political, economic, and security situation. They convened emergency meetings with other Iraqi political leaders. They bolstered the presence of Iraqi security forces in areas near the U.S. Embassy and made clear that units would be held accountable for failing to prevent attacks from their areas of responsibility. They reached out for support to foreign governments in Europe and the Gulf, while Hussein was dispatched to Tehran to convince the Iranians to back off. Powerful political factions and anti-American militias led by leaders such as Moqtada al-Sadr and Hadi al-Ameri felt compelled to issue statements decrying the embassy attacks as harmful to Iraq's interests and demanding that they stop. All of which culminated in the decision by Iran's most hardcore loyalists to issue their October 10 statement, in the name of the "Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee," declaring a suspension of attacks against U.S. interests.
How long the ceasefire lasts, if at all, remains to be seen. In light of the enduring enmity of Iran and its proxies to the U.S. presence in Iraq, not very long is probably the safest bet. To the extent that the administration's precipitous threat was triggered by an immediate concern that Iran might seek to embarrass Trump by staging a major attack on the embassy before the U.S. elections, the calculations of both Washington and Tehran may well change after November 3. The United States should clearly be ready for all eventualities.
What lessons to draw from the high-stakes game of diplomatic poker triggered by the administration's threat are not entirely clear. It may still be too early for any firm conclusions. On the one hand, if the United States were forced to carry out its threat by actually shuttering the embassy under fire, the potential harm to U.S. interests could well be severe – with Iran, the militias, and ISIS likely the only winners. The same can be said if the attacks had escalated and the administration did nothing, exposing its threat as an empty bluff.
On the other hand, it is indisputable that Pompeo's dire warning concentrated the minds of Iraq's elite on the dangers posed by militia attacks like no previous diplomatic overture had ever done. Confronted by what they clearly took to be a plausible U.S. threat not only to abandon Iraq, but possibly to burn it down on the way to the exits, the entire Iraqi political class, both pro- and anti-U.S.; the Iran-backed militias; and, importantly, Iran itself, reportedly including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saw the better part of wisdom in seeking, at least temporarily, to defuse the situation by taking action to allay U.S. concerns.
Ideally, of course, U.S. policy in Iraq would not be dependent on making threats that, if implemented, would risk doing grievous harm to important American interests. Washington would be better off taking a more balanced approach that sustains badly needed pressure on Iraqi politicians to take U.S. red lines seriously, while also closely coordinating with and supporting Kadhimi in implementing a methodical and comprehensive strategy to erode the power of the Iran-backed militias and the acute threat they pose not only to U.S. interests, but to Iraq's independence and sovereignty as well.
APPENDIX: Documenting and Analyzing Recent Rocket and Mortar Attacks
Iran-backed militias' rationales for rocket and mortar attacks against the U.S. presence in Iraq are diverse and have included: signaling resolve against attempts to deter militia activity; distinguishing themselves using violence to show loyalty to their patron; responding to localized action taken by Baghdad or Washington; and responding to the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" policy against their Iranian patron. However, as has been apparent in 2020, the root cause behind these attacks appears to be a desire to chip away at the American presence in Iraq and use limited force to beget a cycle of violence resulting in the eviction of U.S. forces.
A closer look at the data reveals that escalation does indeed correlate with changing political and military dynamics in Iraq. For the first half of 2020, for instance, attacks using rockets or mortars peaked in response to the U.S. use of force in Iraq in January and March – the latter of which was in response to the loss of American life.
But, more recently, other factors, such as the onset of the U.S-Iraq Strategic Dialogue and the Kadhimi visit to Washington, appear to have been opportune times for the militias to escalate. The second round of that dialogue, which was held in August during Kadhimi's trip to the United States, coincided with the highest monthly total of rocket attacks on record this year – 11. Combining August and September, there have been 19 attacks against U.S. positions in Iraq, amounting to just over a third of the 55 attacks on record this year. What has decreased, however, is the actual number of rockets fired in a single attack, which only once (in September against Erbil International Airport) reached a rate last seen in March, which was six. By comparison, in March, militias once fired 33 Katyusha rockets in a single attack against an Iraqi base known to house U.S. forces.
For counting purposes, we define an attack as rocket or mortar fire toward U.S. facilities, persons, areas known to house them, or entities or areas affiliated with the broader U.S. presence in Iraq. Admittedly, a deeper analysis would require also incorporating the reemergence of roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices, targeting the United States in Iraq – which took hundreds of American lives during the 2003–2011 Iraq War. Nonetheless, rockets and mortars, which function as part of the lower tier of Iran and its proxies' military capabilities, deserve to be studied on their own and are accordingly recorded in the table and graphs below.
Figure 1 offers a compendium of attacks reported by at least one news source. It builds on previous research by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which analyzed and aggregated rocket and mortar attacks against U.S. positions in Iraq from May 2019 to April 2020, discovering 43 reported instances. The aim of both efforts is to introduce quantitative data into the conversation about escalation by Iran-backed groups in Iraq. Once that is achieved, members of the public can then draw their own inferences about things such as sourcing, injuries, or non-U.S. fatalities by following up on each documented attack. Figure 2 depicts the number of attacks per site, proving that Baghdad remains a key target for militias. Lastly, Figure 3 shows the distribution of attacks by month thus far in 2020.
Figure 1: Rocket and Mortar Attacks by Shiite Militias on U.S. Positions in Iraq, May 2020–Present
Number Date Weapon(s) Target/Location U.S. Fatalities
1 May 6 Katyusha rockets (3X) Military complex near Baghdad International Airport None
2 May 19 Katyusha rocket (1X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
3 June 8 Rocket (2X; later reporting claims 1X) Baghdad International Airport None
4 June 10 Katyusha rocket (1X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
5 June 13 Rockets (2X) Camp Taji, Taji None
6 June 15 Rockets (3X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
7 June 18 N/A (3 explosions heard, 4 rockets reported) Green Zone, Baghdad None
8 June 22 Rocket (1X) Baghdad International Airport None
9 July 5 Rocket (1X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
10 July 19 Rockets (2X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
11 July 24 Katyusha rocket (4X) Besmaya Base, south of Baghdad None
12 July 27 Katyusha rocket (3X) Camp Taji, Taji None
13 July 27 "Twin blasts" (assumed rocket, mortar, IRAM, or other indiscriminate fire) Speicher Base, Salahaddin Province None
14 July 30 Katyusha rockets (2X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
15 August 3 Rockets (2X) Camp Taji, Taji None
16 August 5 Katyusha rocket (1X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
17 August 11 Katyusha rocket (1X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
18 August 13 Katyusha rockets (3X) Al-Balad Air Base, Salahaddin Province None
19 August 14 Rockets (2X) Camp Taji, Taji None
20 August 15 Katyusha rockets (3X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
22 August 18 Katyusha rocket (2X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
23 August 27(28) Katyusha rocket (3X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
24 August 29 Rocket (1x) Green Zone, Baghdad None
26 September 6 Katyusha rockets (3X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
27 September 10 Katyusha rocket (1X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
29 September 16 Katyusha rocket (1X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
30 September 20 Katyusha rocket (1X) Baghdad International Airport None
31 September 22 Mortars (3X) Green Zone, Baghdad None
32 September 28 Katyusha rocket (1X) Near Baghdad International Airport None (6 Iraqi civilians killed)
33 September 30 Rockets (6X) Near Erbil International Airport None
34 October 1 Rocket or possibly rocket-propelled grenade (1X) Convoy carrying equipment for the Anti-ISIS Coalition, Babil province None
35 October 5
Rockets (2X) Near Baghdad International Airport None
Sources: Hyperlinks to each attack included in table above.
Figure 2: Location of Shiite Militia Attacks on U.S. Positions in Iraq, May 2020–Present
Source: May 2020–present: Hyperlinks to each data point in Figure 1.
Figure 3: Shiite Militia Attacks on U.S. Positions in Iraq, January 2020–Present
Sources: For January–April 2020, see Behnam Ben Taleblu, "Collecting and analyzing Shiite militia attacks against the U.S. presence in Iraq," FDD's Long War Journal, May 5, 2020. (https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2020/05/collecting-and-analyzing-shiite-militia-attacks-against-the-u-s-presence-in-iraq.php). For May 2020–present, see hyperlinks to each data point in Figure 1.
John Hannah is a senior counselor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow. They both contribute to FDD's Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) and Iran Program. For more analysis from John, Behnam, CMPP, and the Iran Program, please subscribe HERE. Follow FDD on Twitter @FDD and @FDD_CMPP and @FDD_Iran. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
Iran Iran Global Threat Network Iran-backed Terrorism Military and Political Power U.S. Defense Policy and Strategy


text:
Dem congressman says monthly inflation is zero, claims US not in a recession
Rep. Don Beyer said in the House Rules Committee that the United States is not experiencing a recession, despite two negative growth quarters
Rep. Don Beyer said Wednesday that there was no month-over-month inflation and that the U.S. economy is not in a recession during a House Rules Committee markup on Democrats' social spending and taxation bill.
"This morning we just found out that inflation last month was 0.00%. That was the inflation from June to July," Beyer, D-Va., said.
"We've come a long way adapting to the supply chain disruptions of COVID and the Russia-Ukraine war, adapting as quickly as possible. And I was thrilled to see that GasBuddy yesterday said the average price of gasoline in America was under $4 — $3.99," the congressman continued.
Beyer's comments came after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the latest consumer price index numbers Wednesday morning. The agency found that due to a decline in gas prices, the monthly consumer price index change between June and July 1 was 0.0%, despite prices increasing for electricity, food, housing and more.
However, the year-over-year inflation number, according to the BLS, was 8.5%, still hovering around 40-year highs.
Like Beyer, President Biden touted the 0.0% monthly inflation number in remarks earlier Wednesday, drawing criticism from conservatives.
"It's a bogus math trick. This is the overall one-month index change," Brownstone Institute President Jeffrey Tucker tweeted. "Using the same tactic, you could also observe a one-month 19.2% increase in electricity! But of course we would not do that because that's dumb."
Beyer also during his testimony in the Rules Committee markup said that the United States in not in a recession, despite the U. S. seeing two quarters of negative growth — a generally accepted definition of a recession.
"We also note we are not in a recession, we delivered 528,000 new jobs in the month of July, 9 and a half million new jobs in the first year and a half of the Biden administration," Beyer said.
"The National Bureau of Economic Research, which is the entity formally dedicated to declare … a recession, clearly said that we are not in a recession right now," he added. "Yes, there was a small, small second-quarter dip of GDP, almost completely due to the sell-off of inventory across other businesses."
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has not yet declared the U.S. economy to be in a recession. But the group usually takes quite some time to make such a decision — for example, it declared a recession from the 2007 crash in December 2008.
It's unclear what Beyer was referring to when he said NBER said the U.S. is not in recession. It has no recent publications saying such a thing, and reports say it is still making its evaluation.
The decline in U.S. economic growth in the second quarter of the year meets the technical, but unofficial, criteria for a recession, which requires a "significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months."
The Rules Committee meeting Wednesday afternoon featured debate between Republicans and Democrats about the effect of Democrats' social spending and tax bill, including if it would help reduce inflation.
Members also feuded over tax provisions of the bill and how they will affect Americans at the onset of a recession. Republicans cited numbers from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) showing that a significant burden from the taxes in the bill will fall on the middle class, including $17 billion on Americans making less than $200,000, according to House Budget Committee Ranking Member Jason Smith, R-Mo.
Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., pushed back on that, saying the JCT numbers reflect costs that would be passed to consumers and workers from taxes on corporations. He said middle-class Americans won't actually see that reflected on their tax bills, and that he disagrees with the analysis that the burden for taxes on corporations would fall on them.
"This is not a tax increase," McGovern said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
1 - 12 of about 24 matches containing Cynthia Nixon (0.09 seconds)
Sex And The City: The Essential Collection - Series 1-6 [DVD]
Starring:Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Willie Garson
Directors:Susan Seidelman, Nicole Holofcener, Alison Maclean, Michael Fields, Matthew Harrison
Babys Day Out (1994)
Starring:Joe Mantegna, Lara Flynn Boyle, Joe Pantoliano, Brian Haley, Cynthia Nixon
Director:Patrick Read Johnson
Sex and the City: The Movie [2008] [DVD]
Starring:Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Kim Catrall, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth
Director:Michael Patrick King
A Quiet Passion [DVD] [2017]
Starring:Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Ehle, Duncan Duff, Keith Carradine, Jodhi May
Director:Terence Davies
SEX AND THE CITY SEASON SIX [DVD]
Starring:Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, David Eigenberg
World Without End (Blu-ray) [Region Free]
Starring:Cynthia Nixon, Miranda Richardson, Ben Chaplin, Peter Firth
Director:Michael Caton-Jones
RRP: £39.99 | Price: £16.00
Sex and the City: The Complete HBO Season 2 [DVD]
James White [DVD]
Starring:Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon
Director:Josh Mond
Sex and the City: The Movie (Extended Cut) (Blu-ray)
Sex and the City: The Movie 2 [DVD] [2010]
Starring:Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth
Sex and the City: The Movie 2 (Blu-ray + DVD) [2010] [Region Free]
RRP: £7.48 | Price: £5.66
Sex And The City: The Complete Season 1 [DVD]
Starring:Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Christopher Noth
Under £5 (11)


Sana'a: Yemenis are using street art to lobby the government to tell what happened to hundreds of people who disappeared in years of political turmoil, but even their images on the walls have troubled powerful figures who sought to remove the graffiti.
The country is undergoing a tricky transition after a popular uprising last year forced longtime president Ali Abdullah Saleh from office, lifting the lid on a host of social, economic and political problems in the Arabian Peninsula state.
Many disappearances are from the unrest last year, but some date back to the turbulent 33 years of Saleh's rule that saw a civil war in 1994 and the uprising of 2011.
A government official said most of those who vanished last year were youth protesters while those from years back were mainly political figures or military officers viewed as a threat to the regime. Many were taken from home or work and have never been heard from since.
"Society has forgotten about the forced disappearances but we are painting pictures of them on walls, with notes in English and Arabic on who they are and when they disappeared," said Murad Subai, 24, an artist who launched the project.
The first efforts of his 'The Walls Remember' campaign three weeks ago appeared to upset someone, Subai says.
The post-Saleh cabinet — which still includes many members of his General People's Congress party — is working on a 'transitional justice' law that could encourage families of disappeared activists and others to seek legal redress.
"Our sadness is still young and with us since the moment dad disappeared," said Hala Al Quraishi, daughter of a former minister who disappeared in 1978 when she was 10. "This campaign has made us happy again, since it is still important to the youth movement. Keeping quiet about it was what hurt," she said, standing beside a black stencil image of her father near a main road in Sana'a.
Many of the disappeared are assumed to be dead.
"We don't know where many people are buried, there was no announcement on whether they were killed and no one received the bodies," said Zebn Al Matari, a youth activist in last year's revolt who lost his father and brother during political turmoil in 1978.
Activists say at least 129 people disappeared during last year's uprising in which more than 2,000 people died.
"Every few days we receive new cases," said an official from the Human Rights Ministry, which this month ran advertisements on state television and in newspapers calling on families to come forward with cases of missing relatives from last year.
Saleh and his relatives were granted immunity from prosecution in a US and Saudi-backed arrangement for him to step down, but thousands of Yemenis have protested in recent weeks against that deal, suggesting the issue will not go away.
The capital stills bears signs of bloody confrontation. Pock-marked and destroyed buildings dot the Hasaba area of town where tribesmen of the powerful Al Ahmar clan fought Saleh's forces. The offices of Yemenia Airways are an empty shell.
Subai and other street artists have covered walls in the area with colourful murals, signalling their hopes for a better future. The designs purposefully avoid slogans in an effort to escape the partisanship that has plagued Yemen.


text:
#ifndef SerialFirmata_h
#define SerialFirmata_h

#include <Firmata.h>
#include "FirmataFeature.h"
// SoftwareSerial is currently only supported for AVR-based boards and the Arduino 101
// The third condition checks if the IDE is in the 1.0.x series, if so, include SoftwareSerial
// since it should be available to all boards in that IDE.
#if defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_AVR) || defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ARC32) || (ARDUINO >= 100 && ARDUINO < 10500)
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#endif

#define FIRMATA_SERIAL_FEATURE

// Serial port Ids
#define HW_SERIAL0                  0x00
#define HW_SERIAL1                  0x01
#define HW_SERIAL2                  0x02
#define HW_SERIAL3                  0x03
// extensible up to 0x07

#define SW_SERIAL0                  0x08
#define SW_SERIAL1                  0x09
#define SW_SERIAL2                  0x0A
#define SW_SERIAL3                  0x0B
// extensible up to 0x0F

#define SERIAL_PORT_ID_MASK         0x0F
#define MAX_SERIAL_PORTS            8
#define SERIAL_READ_ARR_LEN         12

// map configuration query response resolution value to serial pin type
#define RES_RX1                     0x02
#define RES_TX1                     0x03
#define RES_RX2                     0x04
#define RES_TX2                     0x05
#define RES_RX3                     0x06
#define RES_TX3                     0x07

// Serial command bytes
#define SERIAL_CONFIG               0x10
#define SERIAL_WRITE                0x20
#define SERIAL_READ                 0x30
#define SERIAL_REPLY                0x40
#define SERIAL_CLOSE                0x50
#define SERIAL_FLUSH                0x60
#define SERIAL_LISTEN               0x70

// Serial read modes
#define SERIAL_READ_CONTINUOUSLY    0x00
#define SERIAL_STOP_READING         0x01
#define SERIAL_MODE_MASK            0xF0

namespace {

  struct serial_pins {
    uint8_t rx;
    uint8_t tx;
  };

  /*
   * Get the serial serial pin type (RX1, TX1, RX2, TX2, etc) for the specified pin.
   */
  inline uint8_t getSerialPinType(uint8_t pin) {
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL_RX)
    // TODO when use of HW_SERIAL0 is enabled
  #endif
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL1_RX)
    if (pin == PIN_SERIAL1_RX) return RES_RX1;
    if (pin == PIN_SERIAL1_TX) return RES_TX1;
  #endif
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL2_RX)
    if (pin == PIN_SERIAL2_RX) return RES_RX2;
    if (pin == PIN_SERIAL2_TX) return RES_TX2;
  #endif
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL3_RX)
    if (pin == PIN_SERIAL3_RX) return RES_RX3;
    if (pin == PIN_SERIAL3_TX) return RES_TX3;
  #endif
    return 0;
  }

  /*
   * Get the RX and TX pins numbers for the specified HW serial port.
   */
  inline serial_pins getSerialPinNumbers(uint8_t portId) {
    serial_pins pins;
    switch (portId) {
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL_RX)
        // case HW_SERIAL0:
        //   // TODO when use of HW_SERIAL0 is enabled
        //   break;
  #endif
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL1_RX)
      case HW_SERIAL1:
        pins.rx = PIN_SERIAL1_RX;
        pins.tx = PIN_SERIAL1_TX;
        break;
  #endif
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL2_RX)
      case HW_SERIAL2:
        pins.rx = PIN_SERIAL2_RX;
        pins.tx = PIN_SERIAL2_TX;
        break;
  #endif
  #if defined(PIN_SERIAL3_RX)
      case HW_SERIAL3:
        pins.rx = PIN_SERIAL3_RX;
        pins.tx = PIN_SERIAL3_TX;
        break;
  #endif
      default:
        pins.rx = 0;
        pins.tx = 0;
    }
    return pins;
  }

} // end namespace

class SerialFirmata: public FirmataFeature
{
  public:
    SerialFirmata();
    boolean handlePinMode(byte pin, int mode);
    void handleCapability(byte pin);
    boolean handleSysex(byte command, byte argc, byte* argv);
    void update();
    void reset();
    void checkSerial();

  private:
    byte reportSerial[MAX_SERIAL_PORTS];
    int serialBytesToRead[SERIAL_READ_ARR_LEN];
    signed char serialIndex;

    Stream *swSerial0;
    Stream *swSerial1;
    Stream *swSerial2;
    Stream *swSerial3;

    Stream* getPortFromId(byte portId);

};

#endif /* SerialFirmata_h */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The quote module is a zentools2 module. In the quickstart package it is titled 'Bottom Stacked', id 465 and is assigned to the 'bottom1' position.
It used the 'stacked' layout and 'gallery' as a content source.
The module uses 3 elements, image, title and introtext.
The module is set to show one item.
After dragging an image into the gallery area, expand the item by clicking on the green icon and fill in the intortext area.
In the advanced tab, the module has a class suffix of ' nomargin' (with a space at the start).


Are you looking for Shop and Yard Space Outside Homer City Limits?
Look no further here it is!
and 512 SQ FT Covered Shed all contained in a 5.10 Acre Fenced in Yard!
RV Storage and other Amenities for Seasonal Uses!
Sterling Hwy North of Anchor Point At Mile 153 Shop is on Left side of Highway.
Good luck with your new listing. Looks like a great piece of property with quite a bit of flexibility. I hope you sell it quickly and for maximum value!
Good morning Debra. Interesting piece of property offering an opportunity for the right person! Enjoy your day!
With the close proximity to Anchor Point, I bet this opportunity is sold quickly as many anglers would most likely prefer to m=not have to drag their boats for hundreds of miles on bumpy dirt roads. Good Selling!
That is a lot of space and a lot of opportunity! Congratulations on the new listing.
thank you Doug Dawes I appreciate you taking a look!
Hello Matthew Klinowski It does offer up some real choice to people with big stuff!!
Hello Sandy Padula and Norm Padula, JD, GRI NMLS#1483386 You are so right! Boat storage is really needed here and they could freeze wrap them and store them for the winter here! Make Money!
Hello Nathan Gesner it is a great space and fenced which costs a fortune up here! Thank you!
Thank you Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers I hope so too!!


Men face many challenges today. Some might think strength comes from walking the path of life alone. But, man was never meant to travel alone. Every man needs back up; a personal platoon to help face the battles of life.
Men grow in strength as they gather together in smaller groups. Together, they have the power to dispel the lies of the enemy while building the tools necessary to face every battle. We hope every man will gather and join the men's ministry of Grace Pointe Church.
You don't need to feel like you have to wait if you missed a few sessions in any of the studies we do… come as you are, every week the topic will be relevant, it doesn't matter when you start, but we urge you to come and be a part of the community of men here at Grace Pointe Plainfield.
If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Larry Dolendi at 630-542-5763 or larry@dolendi.com or you can contact Tom Ivanic at tomivanic@gmail.com.


text:
Governor Hogan Announces Maryland's First Education Inspector General
Richard P. Henry, Former Federal Law Enforcement Official, to Serve as Schools Watchdog; Administration Continues to Press For Accountability Measures to Ensure Better Results for Maryland's Students
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced the appointment of Richard P. Henry as Maryland's first Inspector General for Education. Mr. Henry, who has over 30 years of law enforcement experience at the federal level, currently serves as executive director of the Maryland State Department of Education's Office of Compliance and Monitoring.
"For five years, our administration has been working hard to root out corruption, wrongdoing, and the mismanagement of state tax dollars by local school systems," said Governor Hogan. "With the appointment of the first Inspector General for Education in state history, we are reaffirming our commitment to providing more accountability for parents, teachers, and taxpayers and better results for our children. Richard Henry has the experience and the passion to serve as a tough but fair watchdog in this new role."
Governor Hogan pushed for and enacted the establishment of the Maryland Office of Inspector General for Education to provide accountability and transparency in the expenditure of public education funds in the state. The Inspector General is jointly appointed to a five-year term by the governor, the attorney general, and the state treasurer.
To further bring much-needed accountability to our school systems, Governor Hogan has introduced the Community and Local Accountability for Struggling Schools Act of 2020 (CLASS Act), HB 347/SB 275. Based on a model developed by Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, the CLASS Act will empower local communities to take charge of failing schools and enact critical changes in leadership and curriculum.
"We are proud to have some of the best and most highly funded schools in America, and we have continuously increased funding and worked hard to make them even better," continued the governor. "But unfortunately, far too many of our deserving children continue to be stuck in persistently failing schools. Much tougher accountability measures are still desperately needed."
About Richard P. Henry: In his current post, Henry, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University, leads a statewide program to ensure local school systems comply with state regulations. From 1992-2018, Henry served in several capacities for the United States Marshals Service, including chief inspector for the Information Technology Division, chief inspector for the Human Resources Division, senior inspector for the Judicial Security Division, senior inspector for the Financial Fraud/Asset Forfeiture Division, and supervisory deputy for Prisoner and Investigative Operations. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star for Bravery presented by the Howard County Police Department, the Organized Crimes Drug Enforcement Task Force Director's Award for Investigative Excellence, and the United States Attorney's Pete Twardowicz Award for Investigative Excellence. Henry's appointment is effective March 4, 2020.
Learn more about Governor Hogan's plan for education reform here.


There's nothing nicer on a hot summer's day in the capital than sipping cocktails on an open-air roof terrace, gazing at London's impressive skyline. Cuervo's Cantina, a new Mexican pop up bar at Skylounge – at the top of the DoubleTree hotel in Tower Hill – is definitely one of the best new pop-up hotspots to check out.
The food was delicious and we were treated to taquitos, nachos with chicken, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeño peppers, bean burritos, and fajitas with pulled pork and pineapple (trust me it works).
The décor was brilliant – you could almost imagine you were in a traditional bar in Central America, if it wasn't for the steely surroundings of London's commercial centre. The view was fantastic; you could see The Gherkin, The Shard and the 'Walkie-Talkie' building (the one that melts cars), as well as Tower Bridge and The Tower Of London – a real mix of old and new London.
The pop-up runs until 10pm everyday, throughout summer. If you haven't organised a holiday just yet – this is the perfect compromise to transport you to exotic climes – even if it's just for the the time it takes you to polish off a Margarita.


Executive Order D-216-13 Automotive Engineered Products, Inc.
Executive order D-216-13 was approved by the California Air Resource Board on February 17, 1994 for emissions compliance and installation on vehicles in New York and California. This executive order approved parts marts manufactured by Automotive Engineered Products, Inc. /.
WIL-302/351-990-2 1994 and older Ford vehicles with a 289, 302, & 351 CID engine.


In the state of Texas, workers compensation is a insurance program that provides compensation for lost wages and reasonable medical care to Texas workers who have suffered work-related injuries or illnesses. The state of Texas doesn't require employers to participate in the workers' comp program for their employees, but according to state law, employers are required to let employees know.
If you've been injured or made sick while furthering the affairs of your employer, you may need the help of a trusted Texas Workers Comp Lawyers. Workers' comp benefits provide for income replacement benefits, money for financial losses due to the injury, and reasonable and necessary medical treatment.
Texas Workers Comp Lawyers know workers' comp laws and can make a big difference after an on-the-job injury. You may be eligible for workers' compensation if you were injured while on-the-job. Texas Workers Compensation insurance is meant to provide employees with lost wage benefits and medical care after an on-the-job injury or work-related illness.
Usually, most initial consultations with Texas Workers Comp Lawyers are free for those with questions and problems related to workers compensation claims or job-related injuries. Get help now from an experienced Texas workers comp lawyer.


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Center for Language Studies (5)
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Spanish & Portuguese (3)
Center for Language Studies French & Italian Foreign Language Literature Localization
All (26) Center for Language Studies (5) Comparative Arts & Letters (5) English (6) French & Italian (1) Spanish & Portuguese (3)
All (31) Foreign Language (5) Humanities News (31) Language Learning (2) Literature (1) Localization (1)
Silent Struggles
BY Molly Ogden Welch, March 29, 2021 05:12 PM
How ASL Students and Professors Have Dealt with COVID-19 Restrictions
Corry Cropper on Albert Camus' The Plague (1947)
Albert Camus' novel depicts the city of Oran, Algeria during a contemporary outbreak of the plague. While there are obvious parallels between the plague in the novel and the peste brune (the brown plague, a nickname for the Nazis who occupied France during World War 2), by transforming the threat into an act of nature, Camus shifts the focus from human cruelty to the many reactions to suffering: some pretend it doesn't exist, some try to escape it, others accept it and try to alleviate pain.


Now that leaders have been discussed, turn your attention to the other tabs along the right end of the screens: Events, Projects, Regions, and Map. These may have been mentioned a bit earlier when discussing leaders, but now it's time to go over them in a bit more detail.
Events are random occurrences that you can attempt to exploit for your benefit (Opportunities), or that you must resolve lest you face some detrimental consequences (Problems). Individual events are represented by cards at the bottom of the screen, and many of them are random, appearing as time progresses. This gives you incentive to check your kingdom screen regularly and assign Leaders to oversee them, which you can fortunately do even when you're away from Tuskdale. Succeeding at these events is one of the primary goals of a Leader, as doing so will either mitigate a penalty incurred by the event, or reward you for exploiting an opportunity. The currency of event cards is usually kingdom stats.
To handle an event you'll need to click on the event card and assign a Leader to the task. The Leader(s) available will vary depending on the nature of the event, and they'll make a skill check in a relevant kingdom-related field to determine success or failure of the endeavor. Fortunately, while a Leader is deployed on an event or project, they can still adventure with you (don't ask why, just take the gift and be glad).
Sometimes you'll get to choose which Leader you wish to deal with an event or problem, and this reflects the nature of your response. If you send your Regent, for example, the response is understood to be a diplomatic one, while sending your General is a military response. The nature of your response can influence the difficulty of the task, as well as the reward, and it's not uncommon for the reward to reflect the kingdom stat the selected leader represents - succeeding at a task with your High Priest will typically boost your kingdom's Divine stat, for instance.
While some event cards are random and will appear of their own volition (sometimes repeating several times - turns out religious festivals and bandit attacks aren't always one-time affairs) others appear in response to specific events. Some quests may have events associated with them often being introduced by a stranger visiting your throne room and telling you about the problem (quest) they need you to resolve. Other time specific quest objectives - often optional - can be resolved via an event card. Event cards can also appear to reflect minor opportunities and problems that arise based on your actions and interactions with others.
By far the most important event cards, however, are the ones that accompany main quests. These frequently take the aforementioned role of introducing a quest to you, but they can also serve as… motivation for you to resolve the next main storyline quest. Main quests are usually centered around something that's a vital threat to the stability of your kingdom, and while the time you have to resolve these quests is usually generous (and usually measured in weeks, if not months), the time available can also be rather variable. The longer a main quest-related threat endures, the more damage it will cause, lowering your kingdom stats to reflect the loss of life, trade, stability and loyalty inflicted by these hardships. Ignoring the problem entirely will cause the situation to deteriorate faster, but you can often send leaders to deal with event cards related to the quest, mitigating its effects and buying you more time, albeit at the cost of your leader's time and always subject to the risk of failure. This will be covered in more detail when it occurs.
Note: Since the exact event cards that unlock - and when or whether events become available at all - can be random, their completion will be largely left up to your own initiative.
Projects are generally longer-term than Events, giving you more time to deal with them. Otherwise they're very similar, often requiring the investment of one of your leader's time and/or some material resources. Select them via the cards at the bottom of the screen, which will appear when the Projects tab is selected.
Note: Some projects requires the undivided attention of your assigned leader and your protagonist. For these, you'll automatically skip the time it takes to complete the project, so have your affairs in order beforehand.
For events and projects, your assigned leader will still be able to adventure with you (provided it's not something that must be immediately resolved via time-skip), so don't worry too much about that. In fact, you should see to whatever business is currently available at your barony, and once you've assigned as many tasks as possible and made a note of the completion dates of assigned tasks and the expiration dates of outstanding ones, use that time to get some adventuring in.
Regions are the rarest of the three events, appearing when you've met the conditions required to claim a slice of territory. That being the case, don't expect this to happen terribly frequently. Otherwise they function like events and projects: You'll need to assign a Leader to prosecute the claim, which usually requires an investment of time (which you'll automatically be forced to advance) and BP. Once a new territory is claimed you'll be able to found a new settlement there, the mechanics of which is the same as building anywhere else, and can be learned about in the Building section below.
Note: You'll generally be able to claim new territory as you complete quests, explore areas and eradicate monsters in a province. Even more incentive to go exploring!
Map allows you to get a wider view of the area, from which you can select various icons representing events or settlements.
Not much to say here, you can use this to take a gander at the map and scheme above regions you don't yet control.


You will absolutely fall in love with this stunning pair of earrings! The earrings are hand crafted out of genuine sterling silver and multicolor inlay. The inlay consists of: real Turquoise, Magenta Turquoise, and Oyster Shell. The inlay is carefully set, while forming a lovely design. The earrings are stamped sterling.


TT 2016 marks 35 years of TT Races involvement, for TT stalwart Jim Hodson.
Over the years Jim has competed on many a high calibre machine, around the Mountain Course.
For TT 2016 he's set to embark on another new challenge, piloting BMW Motorrad machinery for the first time at the most famous road race in the world.
The DCR Racing for Life team S1000RR BMW that he will be competing on with backing from John Pointon & Sons who purchased the bike and iDesign Kitchens & Bathrooms Ltd, Richard Stubbs & Denise Chenoweth co-Directors, features a pink colour scheme with the motto Racing for Life, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Recently the DCR team secured a deal with BMW Motorrad, which sees the manufacturer provide direct support to the teams Superstock bike.
Additional backing comes from Williams BMW and title sponsors John Pointon & Sons.
Since first competing at the Isle of Man TT in 1983, Jim Hodson has gone onto enjoy many a momentous moment, at the meeting which always produces ground breaking and historical moments.
Main highlights of his TT Races career to date include finishing runner up in the 2002 lightweight 400 race, fifth place finish in the 1997 production 1000 TT.
Recent years have seen Jim ZX10R Kawasaki mounted for the 1000cc races, whilst last years Monster Energy Supersport races, saw him wrap up 36th and 27th place finishes.
Another landmark in Jim's TT career this year, will be competing alongside his son Rob Hodson, reigning super twins Manx Grand Prix winner, in the RST Superbike, Royal London 360 Quantum Superstock, Monster Energy Supersport and Pokerstars Senior races.
It's set to be a top class two weeks of pure road racing competition at TT 2016 for Jim Hodson and the Denise Chenoweth Racing team.
All at Road Racing News wish Jim, his sponsor and the charity that he is raising money for, every success.


Okorder.com is a professional Beach Chairs With Straps supplier & manufacturer, offers integrated one-stop services including real-time quoting and online cargo tracking. We are funded by CNBM Group, a Fortune 500 enterprise and the largest Beach Chairs With Straps firm in China.
My 97 Suzuki Marauder sat all winter with no additives in the gas tank.?
Use of iron ??????? plz help?
Disinfection cabinet can kill the helicobacter pylori on the tableware?
Why can't electromagnetic cookers be made of stainless steel pots?


Django & Juliette Nesenti Dk Tan Shoes ON SALE at Styletread. Keep your look contemporary with this intriguing T-bar flatform. A classic shoe with a modern slant, honeycomb cut-outs and a two-tonal sole mean this design will be the focal point of any outfit.. Material: Leather. Colour: Dk Tan.


People often tell me that they want to be a writer. To this question I always respond, "Do you want to, or would you like to be a writer?" There are many things we would like to do, but never get around to. The reason? We don't want to badly enough. This is evidenced by guitar that is languishing in the corner of my room. I have dragged it cross country more than once in the 23 years I've owned it. From time to time I decide to get back to trying to play it. That usually lasts between 1 day and 2 weeks. If I really wanted to play the guitar, I would be. Still not ready to give that up yet. Maybe tomorrow.
Here's a clue about being a writer. A writer writes. Period. If you want to be a writer, start writing. Write in a journal. Write a story. Write a letter. Most importantly, WRITE. The minute you start writing, you are a writer. When you stop, you are no longer a writer. Think on these things.


The main language used to create websites is known as HTML which stands for Hypertext Markup Language. Hypertext implies that the content is built by linking various bits of information. When linking to web pages we need to know the address of the website.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the official term used for website address, which starts from "http: // www" and ends with something like.org, .com etc.
– Path, which shows the location of the information that should be displayed.
While visiting a particular website you will see a webpage containing a combination of text, images, audio and video. The phrase web page is used to describe the content displayed within a browser after the file has loaded, even if you must scroll to view all the content.
Websites are usually built from many web pages, related to different subjects. There are basic websites which contain only one webpage and very complex websites contracting of as many web pages as needed.
The first way of publishing content on the World Wide Web was based on the framework of desktop publishing module, more specifically the concept of pairs of tags which were used to tell when to start an action and when to stop it. There were specific tags for features like Title, paragraph, heading etc. For example the opening tag <p> denotes the start of a new paragraph, while the closing tag </ p> denotes the closing of the paragraph.
New paragraph starts here, and finishes here.
Knowing the code, you can easily create a HTML web page using a notepad. If you save the file as html file and then open the file in your browser, it will display a HTML web page.
The idea was improved and the tags for images and links were developed. This allowed other elements to be displayed within the textual content of the web page such as images and other graphic or audio elements, etc.
HTML went through so any changes and improvements that the need for a set of universal standards appeared. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was formed and it maintains the web publishing standards for the global internet.
HTML and CSS became the main two publishing standards among others. Both languages, when combined together can be used to build a complete web page.
– HTML – Hypertext Mark-up Language – which is used to create the framework for each web page and defines the primary structure of a web page including such elements as title of the page, heading, subheadings, and paragraphs. HTML tags are also used to include some graphic elements, tables and pictures.
– CSS – Cascading Style Sheets which is used to style each web page, more precisely CSS styles the content in HTML structure. In the beginning there were few options for styling text available in HTML itself, but very limited. There was a higher interest in the control over the style of website.All the other aspects of the design, such as background color, fonts and their characteristics, style and size of textboxes etc. can be described by CSS.
Now, let's have a look what's behind it. If you want to see what it looks like from developer's perspective just open any web page in Google Chrome. It will allow you to view the source of the web page including HTML and CSS codes. Once the webpage has been opened you need right click and choose 'Inspect Element' position from the option menu.
The HTML code is displayed on the left hand side, in HTML box we can check what position separate elements of the code hold in the structure. If the HTML element is highlighted a corresponding CSS code is displayed on the right hand side.
You can view and inspect the codes of any web page. You do not have to be a website designer to see how HTML and CSS work together.


tool that uses only quantum-computer-resistant algorithms.
Show a simple help with option listing.
specify "-" to force reading from stdin.
details about why decryption or verification fails.
through e-mail or similar text communication channels.
Assume the user knows what he is doing, and answer "yes" to all questions.
Produce a signed message from input.
message content if the verification succeeded.
Produce an encrypted message from input.
Decrypt the message from input.
combined into one command, simply by specifying both options usually as "-se" or "-dv".
of a private key paired with public key specified by keyspec can decrypt it.
is defaulted from CCR_USER environment variable.
by users, therefore it is a very popular method to e.g. sign e-mails.
must be put into program's input (potentially using "-R" option.
contents of input was changed.
separated  by comma need to be selected. Additionally, user can specify "longblock"
possible to combine more stream ciphers and hash functions.
name, which is a convenience tool for users who can store arbitrary information about e.g.
characters of the KeyID that identify a single key with that prefix.
contains the specified string. Matching is case-insensitive.
should be newly renamed to keyname.
When listing, importing or exporting keys, only process keys that match keyspec.
List available private keys (in keypairs).
similar way as fingerprints known from other crypto tools.
Export public keys in keyring format.
Remove matching keys from public keyring.
Remove matching keys from private keypairs.
Rename matching public keys. Use "-N" to specify a new name.
password interactively (i.e. "-w @") will be assumed.
keyring representations of user's public and private keyring.
on each change, written to files "pubkeys~" and "secrets~".
fails (e.g. the signature is bad or likely forged), the program returns 3.
"ccr -g help" to get a list of supported algorithms.
used in Fujisaki-Okamoto padding scheme.
using stronger algorithms seems just completely unnecessary.
2^128 security (where the resulting 2^108 is still strong).
which estimates the size of whole observable universe (!) to around 2^270 atoms.
large quantum computers being built are advised to use 2^192 or 2^256 bit security keys.
user for the password interactively.
algorithm, which will in turn be used for the requested action.
modified  can  be  selected  using --filter) or symmetric keys (if used together with -S).
Action -g can be modified by -L in the same way.
themselves used for locking other keys).
current state of cryptanalysis before you put your data at risk.
reduced. Use the QC-MDPC variant which dodges similar attacks.
files). See the --symmetric option.
how the Diffie-Lamport signature scheme degrades after publishing more than one signature.
FMTSeq  can only produce a limited amount of signatures (but still a pretty large number).
messages. In that case, users are advised to generate and certify new keys.
can bring serious inconsistencies into your key naming scheme.
has a colliding KeyID, kiss him and generate another key.
source code instead of specifying the seed each time you invoke Codecrypt.
If the seed source of your system can not be trusted, fix the system instead.
prone to $5 wrench attacks.
file. Doing that for any real purpose is a bad idea.
Q: I can't read/verify messages from versions 1.3.1 and older!
identificators, things should work perfectly after that.
Q: I can't read/verify messages from versions 1.7.4 and older!
advice as in previous case applies.
Q: Some signatures from version 1.5 and older fail to verify!
`load_key()' function is called on empty vector instead of `out'.
Q: My Cubehash-based FMTSeq key produces invalid signatures after version 1.7.5!
Q: I want to sign/encrypt a large file but it took all my RAM and takes ages!
A: Use --symmetric option. See the `CAVEATS' section for more details.
Q: How much `broken' is the original quasi-dyadic McEliece?
the public key with standard computer equipment pretty quickly.
ccr -ia -R friends_pubkeys.asc --name "Friendly Frank"
ccr -m Frank -N "Unfriendly Frank"
Codecrypt was written by Mirek Kratochvil in 2013-2017.


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FOX Sports Radio's Rob Parker Joins The Herd Podcast Network with Launch of "Inside The (Rob) Parker" Podcast
LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2019 – FOX Sports Radio (FSR), a division of Premiere Networks, announced today the launch of a new baseball-themed podcast Inside the (Rob) Parker, which debuts tomorrow, April 24, on The Herd Podcast Network.
Produced by FOX Sports Radio, Inside the (Rob) Parker is a weekly podcast airing throughout baseball season and will feature the multimedia sports personality and journalist as he shares his red-hot opinions on the biggest stories in Major League Baseball, as well as interviews with the most notable names in the game.
New episodes of Inside the (Rob) Parker will be available every Wednesday throughout baseball season, and the podcast debuts tomorrow with an interview with eight-time All-Star & four-time World Series Champion Darryl Strawberry.
"Baseball is my first love, my true sports passion," said Parker, who is a Baseball Hall of Fame voter. "If you think I have hot takes on the NFL and the NBA, wait until you hear them about the national pastime. For sure, it will be fun and informative."
Parker will continue co-hosting FOX Sports Radio's The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard, which broadcasts weekdays on nearly 340 stations nationwide from 7-10 p.m. ET. The longtime sports writer is also a regular analyst for several FS1 programs, including The Herd with Colin Cowherd and Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, and writes a column for TheShadowLeague.com.
Visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen to Inside the (Rob) Parker on The Herd Podcast Network on your favorite device. The Herd Podcast Network, which also features The Herd with Colin Cowherd, All Ball with Doug Gottlieb and 3 and Out with John Middlekauff, is available for download everywhere else podcasts are heard.
About Rob Parker
Rob Parker's career started with a bang. At 22, he was a full-time sports writer at the Daily News in New York. Along the way, Parker was a trailblazer, becoming the first African American sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press (1993) and at Newsday in New York (1995). In 1993, Parker was the first African American beat writer to cover the Cincinnati Reds for The Cincinnati Enquirer. He was also an award-winning sports columnist at The Detroit News for nine years. In Detroit, Parker had long-running radio show, "Sports Night with Parker and The Man." On TV, he worked for WDIV Local 4 for 20 years as an analyst and fill-in anchor. At WXYZ TV, he was the 10pm sports anchor in 2016. Parker, a New York native, graduated with a degree in journalism from Southern Connecticut State University and went on to receive a Master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. In 2018, he was named National Association of Black Journalists Sports Journalist of the Year. Parker joined FOX Sports Radio in March 2018 to host The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard on Sundays, and in just six months, the show was promoted to a weekday timeslot. Today, The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker broadcasts weekdays from 7-10 p.m. ET, and features dynamic discussion as the two polar opposites take listeners through the biggest hits in sports. Parker is also an adjunct professor at USC. Fans can follow @RobParkerFS1 on Twitter and Instagram.
About The Herd Podcast Network
Launched in February 2018, The Herd Podcast Network features daily and weekly podcasts from Colin Cowherd's top rated FOX Sports Radio, FS1 and iHeartRadio program The Herd with Colin Cowherd, along with All Ball with Doug Gottlieb, a basketball-focused program, and the football-themed 3 and Out with John Middlekauff. The Herd Podcast Network is an extension of TheHerdNow.com, the digital home for content created and curated by Colin Cowherd, including bold opinion pieces, viral news stories, exclusive podcasts, and original video series. The site also serves as a portal for fans to find stories covering the best moments and interviews from Cowherd's radio show, as well as the daily podcast and streaming audio of The Herd. Visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen to The Herd Podcast Network on your favorite device. It's available for download across various other podcast platforms.
About FOX Sports Radio
The FOX Sports Radio Network, based in Los Angeles, Calif., is a division of Premiere Networks in partnership with FOX Sports. All entities have combined their considerable resources to develop a turnkey, personality driven sports programming network for radio stations nationwide. The FOX Sports Radio Network more than 12 million monthly listeners on more than 400 radio stations, and can also be heard on iHeartRadio and FOXSportsRadio.com. Fans can also follow the network on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.


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Cindy Ord/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Khloé Kardashian Is Wearing Some Pricey-Looking Bling On *That* Finger
On Wednesday, Khloé Kardashian shocked the world — in more than one way. Not only did she reveal her pregnancy with partner Tristan Thompson on Instagram, but she rocked some pretty hefty jewels on a certain finger in her announcement picture. She hasn't shared whether she and Thompson are engaged or married (or neither!), but fans have all sorts of questions. First of, woah... just how much is Khloé Kardashian's ring worth?
According to Hollywood Life, Kardashian has worn the two diamond rings pictured in her Instagram shot before: she shared a picture back in October of her and Thompson's hands together, and in it, she was wearing what looked to be the same two rings. Similar ring pictures have shown up on her Snapchat, as well. According to TMZ, actually, she's been wearing the rings for more than a year now.
No one has managed to identify what brand the rings are yet, but if they're anything like Kardashian's last engagement ring (from her previous relationship with Lamar Odom), the two rings are likely worth a pretty penny. Estimates put the value of Kardashian's last engagement ring at an whopping $850,000, according to Forbes, so I'm willing to guess her current rings are also on the expensive side.
Kardashian and Thompson also already have a history of giving each other expensive jewelry. In August, Kardashian showed off a fairly extravagant gift from Thompson: an Armenian gold necklace covered in diamonds, according to Hollywood Life. And according to Cavs Nation, Kardashian gave Thompson an $85,000 watch of his own for Christmas last year, so the couple clearly has a pretty healthy budget for their jewelry.
In fact, the Kardashians as a whole have a habit of ending up with expensive rings on their fingers. According to Us Weekly, sister Kim Kardashian's engagement ring was 20 carats and worth a steep $4 million, and Scott Disick reportedly proposed to Kourtney Kardashian with a Lorraine Schwartz ring once upon a time.
On Wednesday, however, Kardashian remained mum about the rings on her finger, so it seems like we'll all need to wait a little while longer to find out more about the bling. Even if it turns out to not be an engagement or a wedding ring, fans are now definitely curious about the jewelry, so hopefully Kardashian will share more information soon.
But, what is clear, is that Kardashian and Thompson are so obviously thrilled to welcome their bundle of joy. In Kardashian's pregnancy announcement, she penned a heartfelt message to Thompson, writing:
My greatest dream realized! We are having a baby! I had been waiting and wondering but God had a plan all along. He knew what He was doing. I simply had to trust in Him and be patient. I still at times can't believe that our love created life! Tristan, thank you for loving me the way that you do! Thank you for treating me like a Queen! Thank you for making me feel beautiful at all stages! Tristan, most of all, Thank you for making me a MOMMY!!!
She went on thank her beau for making her pregnancy experience "even more magical than I could have envisioned!" She added, "I will never forget how wonderful you've been to me during this time! Thank you for making me so happy my love!"
Kardashian also took a moment to thank her fans for all "the love and positive vibes" while she was keeping quiet about the exciting news. "We wanted to enjoy this between our family and close friends as long as we could privately," she wrote. "Thank you all for understanding. I am so thankful, excited, nervous, eager, overjoyed and scared all in one! But it's the best bundle of feelings I've ever felt in my life!"
Although Kardashian didn't dish about every detail in her announcement photo, including her gorgeous rings, fans can rest easy now that all those rumors are finally a thing of the past.


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Certificate of Deposits (CDs)
CD Ladder
Julia Kagan
Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia.
Khadija Khartit
Reviewed by Khadija Khartit
Khadija Khartit is a strategy, investment, and funding expert, and an educator of fintech and strategic finance in top universities. She has been an investor, entrepreneur, and advisor for more than 25 years. She is a FINRA Series 7, 63, and 66 license holder.
Learn about our Financial Review Board
Fact checked by
Yarilet Perez
Fact checked by Yarilet Perez
Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.
What Is a CD Ladder?
A CD ladder is a strategy in which an investor divides a sum of money into equal amounts and invests them in certificates of deposit (CDs) with different maturity dates. This strategy decreases both interest rate and reinvestment risks.
A CD is an investment product that offers a fixed interest rate for a specified period of time. The invested funds, which are insured up to $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), are locked in by the issuing bank until the maturity date of the CD. Maturity dates for these savings instruments are typically set at three months, six months, one year, or five years. The higher the term for which funds are committed, the higher the interest paid. To take advantage of the various interest rates offered for different time periods, investors can follow a strategy known as the CD ladder.
A CD ladder can decrease both interest rate and reinvestment risks for certificates of deposit (CDs).
The ladder is created by allocating the same amount of funds across CDs with different maturities.
With a laddered CD portfolio, an investor can still achieve quarterly payments but with a much higher total portfolio rate of return.
How to Build a CD Ladder
Let's say you have $20,000 to invest and want to build a four-year CD ladder.
Step 1: Open separate CDs
Rather than putting all the funds in one CD, you put $5,000 in each of four CDs that will mature in one, two, three, and four years. You look to find banks with the best rates on CDs before investing the funds. What you start with is:
$5,000 in a one-year CD
$5,000 in a two-year CD
$5,000 in a three-year CD
$5,000 in a four-year CD
Step 2: Renew and convert each CD at maturity
As each CD matures, you renew it as a four-year CD. By doing so, after four years you will have four four-year CDs, but only one of those CDs will mature annually.
If you had opened all of your CDs in January 2021, setting up the ladder would look like this:
January 2022: renew the one-year CD into a four-year CD
January 2023: renew the two-year CD into a four-year CD
January 2024: renew the three-year CD into a four-year CD
January 2025: renew the four-year CD into a four-year CD
This would allow you to leverage the higher interest rates on the longer-term CDs while building the ladder and to pull out 25% of the funds from the ladder per year without penalty by virtue of one CD maturing each year.
Mini CD Ladders
A mini CD ladder is the same concept as a regular CD ladder but with shorter-term CDs. You could build a mini CD ladder out of three-month, six-month, nine-month, and one-year CDs to deploy the same strategy. Keep in mind, though, that by building a ladder with shorter-term CDs, the interest rates that you'll be able to get will be lower.
Benefits of a CD Ladder
A CD ladder strategy is followed by investors who value the safety of their principal and income. It also provides you with steady cash flow, as the CDs will mature at different times. By spreading the investment over CDs with varying maturities, you benefit from the higher interest rates of longer-term CDs and do not have to repeatedly renew a short-term CD that holds all your funds.
CDs also offer FDIC insurance against default should a bank become insolvent. With the exception of U.S. Treasury bonds (T-bonds), which are also backed by the federal government, no other vehicle offers equivalent protection for fixed-income investors.
Additionally, by laddering your CDs, you are able to customize their aggregate (or total) rate of interest, generally on the upside. If, for example, you only purchase three-month CDs to produce quarterly cash flows, you'll realize a relatively low rate of return. With a laddered CD portfolio, however, you can still achieve quarterly payments but with a much higher total portfolio rate of return, because longer-maturity CDs generally pay higher interest.
If you put all your funds in one CD, you may miss out on a rise in interest rates that occurs while your funds are locked away. With a CD ladder, however, you can take advantage of short-term interest rates by reinvesting proceeds from maturing CDs into newer CDs with higher interest rates. On the other hand, if interest rates fall, you still enjoy the benefits of the high interest rates that your existing long-term CDs provide.
A CD ladder thus provides regular opportunities to reinvest cash as the CDs mature while reducing interest rate risk. In the event that an emergency ensues and you need cash, the laddering strategy ensures that you consistently have a CD maturing, thereby reducing liquidity risk.
Who should make a certificate of deposit (CD) ladder?
Certificate of deposit (CD) ladders are a great investment for individuals looking for a secure investment to build over time. CD ladders require patience, because investors will be penalized for any early withdrawals. Additionally, the high level of security means that a CD ladder won't necessarily have a huge return, so keep that in mind.
What are the benefits of a CD ladder?
A CD ladder has all the benefits of a regular CD; it's a secure investment that delivers an expected return over time. The great thing about a CD ladder is that there's less risk of early withdrawal fees, because investors will gain access to some of their money at an earlier date.
Is a CD ladder a safe investment?
CD ladders, when purchased through an insured bank, are a secure investment. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) protects CD ladders, up to $250,000. As long as investors don't withdraw money early, most CD ladders provide a clear picture of the expected return.
As with any other investment, the practice of using laddered CDs depends entirely on your personal financial goals. Generally speaking, they are great for people who want safety of capital, predictable cash flows, and simplicity. CDs are very easy to understand, access, and structure to meet your financial goals.
On the other hand, the rates of return for CDs are generally low due to the safety that they offer. Moreover, they provide no special tax treatment to save money on local, state, or federal taxes. Therefore, if you are in a high tax bracket, they are difficult to justify. If you are in a low tax bracket, they make a lot more sense.
Just keep in mind that the safest course of action with CDs is to go through your bank and make sure your deposits are covered by FDIC insurance limits. If you decide to go through a brokerage house, understand that you have introduced a variety of risky variables, including commissions, the questionable motivations of salespeople (the broker), and potential loss of principal. Keep it simple to reap the benefits.
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. "Deposit Insurance FAQs."
Investor.gov, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "Certificate of Deposit."
Certificate of Deposit (CD) Guide
What Is a Certificate of Deposit (CD) and What Can It Do for You?
Fixed-Rate Certificate of Deposit (CD)
Variable-Rate Certificate of Deposit (CD)
Jumbo Certificate of Deposit (CD)
Negotiable Certificate of Deposit (NCD): Definition and Risk
Brokered CD Definition, Pros/Cons, Other Types
Callable Certificate of Deposit (CD)
Yankee Certificate of Deposit (CD)
Liquid Certificate of Deposit (CD)
Can Certificates of Deposit (CDs) Lose Value?
Promotional Certificate of Deposit (CD) Rate
Zero-Coupon Certificate of Deposit (CD)
6 Reasons to Beware of Market-Linked CDs
How Are Yields Taxed on a Certificate of Deposit (CD)?
CDs vs. Bonds: What's the Difference?
Are Certificates of Deposit (CDs) a Type of Bond?
Money Market Accounts or CDs: Which Investment Is Better?
U.S. Savings Bonds vs. Certificates of Deposit (CDs): What's the Difference?
Municipal Bonds vs. Taxable Bonds and Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
Best Jumbo CD Rates
Best Bank CD Rates
Best 6-Month CD Rates
Best 1-Year CD Rates
Best 10-Year CD Rates
Guide to Fixed Income: Types and How to Invest
Fixed income refers to assets and securities that bear fixed cash flows for investors, such as fixed rate interest or dividends.
In finance, the term laddering is used in a variety of ways depending on the industry. A common usage relates to bond ladders for retirement income.
Risk Averse: What It Means, Investment Choices and Strategies
The term risk-averse describes the investor who prioritizes the preservation of capital over the potential for a high return.
Time Deposit: Definition, How It's Used, Rates, and How to Invest
A term deposit is a type of financial account where money is locked up for some period of time in return for above average interest payments on those amounts.
A fixed-rate certificate of deposit (CD) is an investment instrument that has a set interest rate over its entire term.
Bond Laddering Definition
Bond laddering is an investing strategy that involves buying bonds that mature at various dates so that the investor can take advantage of upswings in interest rates.
What Is the Best Age to Invest in a CD?
4 Sources of Income for Your Retirement
Fixed Income Trading Strategy & Education
Are CDs Good Protection for a Bear Market?
How to Invest With CDs
Should You Put CDs in an IRA?
How Many CDs Can I Have?


Charlotte Kauffman is the senior literary agent at the Nantucket Agency, representing a variety of authors, as well as emerging writers in various non-fiction fields. Kauffman was previously at Penguin (prior to Penguin Random merger), served as an assistant editor at Campanile Books and started her literary career with an internship at the venerable George Magazine in the 1980s. After years loving the publishing business, she has now transitioned to the agency side of the business. She loves travel and translations work. Her off-time is spent with her two Jack Russell terriers, named Faulkner and Hemingway (see their pictures to the left) and her cat, named Virginia Woolf. Charlotte is not currently open to queries.
Please contact ONLY thru the submission form on our website.
Jill Holmes is an associate literary agent representing primarily non-fiction authors and authors working with corporate clients. Her sixteen-year career in publishing has taken her from Holistic Health Services Publishing (HHS) to Rodale Press and now to her current position as a representative for non-fiction and business authors. Jill is not currently open to queries.
Linda Marus is an associate literary agent representing a variety of literary authors of note, as well as emerging writers in various non-fiction fields. Marus was previously an editor at Campanile Books in New York City. She got her start in the industry working at the DeHart Literary Agency in Chicago before her first job as an assistant editor at Madigan Books. She has also worked at the Bellingham Review, and as Editorial Manager for First Light: A Magazine of Poetry and the Arts. Linda is currently open to queries.
Please contact Linda ONLY thru the submission form on our website.


Sidharth is the co-founder of Treebo, a new-age affordable accommodation brand that is solving the problem of poor quality assurance in this space. Before launching Treebo, he was Vice President - Strategy & Corporate Development at Myntra where he was leading several strategic initiatives for the group. Prior to joining Myntra, he worked at McKinsey & Company for ~6 years and was a Senior Engagement Manager when he left the firm. At McKinsey, he served clients across geographies on topics related to operations, sales & marketing, organization, customer experience, and launching new businesses. His passion and experiences as a traveler drew Sidharth towards the idea of launching Treebo, through which he is trying to solve the problems he has personally faced as a traveler.


Now you should be able to group auctions that are at least 10 seconds apart from each other (as opposed to 2-5 minutes that was case up until now). This is still in testing, so, until further notice, use at your own risk.
This interval is increased to at least 17 seconds now. This is a consequence of added check for "outsnipes".
So, for someone who isnt used to free sniping ^^ Grouping several bids under the heading 1 for example, means that if you win the item, all the other items following will be cancelled ? But if you dont win it will keep tendering bids on the remaining items until you win one ?
That is great. So I will not end up with 2 items, if the auctions are 40 seconds apart.
This has changed since this post, for number of reasons. I recommend at least one minute between auctions, and prefer two minutes.
I must learn to check my facts before responding.
No problem Mark, I forget too. As far as I can remember, distinguishing "outsniped" from "won" is one reason why this time had to be extended - now Gixen waits up to 15 seconds after auction end to make sure it was really won.
I'm trying to figure this out on here. I want a purse and a matching wallet, two separate auctions five minutes apart. I do not want the purse if I do not win the wallet. How do I set that up?
The feature you are looking for is known as a Contingency Group here on Gixen, you have to enable that feature on the Settings page before they become available for setting snipes.
With a Contingency Group the first item that is lost cancels the rest of the snipes in that Contingency Group.
Thank you, Cupid, I'm going to try to set that up now! Yay!
UPDATE: I set it up successfully. Now I'm just gonna wait & see how it goes. I love Gixen! Thanks again for your help, Cupid.
Keep in mind that if subsequent bids in the group fail, you cannot "undo" the ones already won.
Okay I'll keep that in mind for the future, but in this case, I won the purse & the wallet! hooray! Gixen is so sweet!


Terry & Cahill Didn't Make a Tackle Against United. Seriously.
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The Situation: Consumers don't like banks. At all. Banner hadn't done research in very long time, did not know their customer, and were unsure why they banked with them.
Program/Brand Goals: Prove Banner is on your side. We conducted consumer research and translated those research findings into a creative brief that focused on featuring products that prove we're on your side: Free ATM, Nickel back every on debit purchases. Media mix included TV commercials, radio spots, and an integrated online, print, and billboard campaign.
The Outcome: Our support of Banner Bank lasted just over 2 years before transferring to an internal team. During our time new customer acquisition targets were exceeded in every market. The result on the Banner Bank stock price was a more than doubling ($18 to $41).


The West and Beyond explores the state of Western Canadian history, showcasing the research interests of a new generation of scholars while charting new directions for the future and stimulating further interrogation of our past. This dynamic collection encourages dialogue among generations of historians of the West, and among practitioners of diverse approaches to the past. It also reflects a broad range of disciplinary and professional boundaries, offering new ways to understand the West.
Sarah Carter is Professor and Henry Marshall Tory Chair in both the Department of History and Classics and the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. Recent books include The Importance of Being Monogamous: Marriage and Nation Building in Western Canada and Montana Women Homesteaders: A Field of One's Own.
Peter Fortna is a historical and traditional land use consultant in the Fort McMurray area. His research interests include Aboriginal history, traditional environmental knowledge, and public history. He was also the co-organizer for "The West and Beyond: Historians Past, Present and Future" conference, on which The West and Beyond is based.


text:
William Hague to speak at Lib Dem conference in bid to cement Coalition
By Jason Groves for the Daily Mail
Updated: 00:00 EST, 7 August 2010
William Hague is being lined up to speak at the Liberal Democrats' annual conference next month in a move designed to cement relations between the coalition partners.
The Foreign Secretary, widely seen as one of the best orators in the Commons, is expected to lead a Conservative charm offensive at the gathering in Liverpool in the hope of winning over disaffected LibDem activists.
Tory sources suggest Mr Hague will give a 'witty' address, rather than focusing heavily on policy.
Speech: William Hague (left) is set to address the Lib Dem conference in a bid to cement cross-party relations, but he may not be popular - just last year Lib Dem Chris Huhne, right, planned to attack him with a Nazi slur
A source said: 'It is potentially a rather tense occasion that could be difficult to handle. But William is brilliant at piercing that sort of tension with humour.'
The attendance of the former Conservative leader is designed to symbolise how close the parties' top brass have become since the coalition deal was struck.
But the presence of the right-winger, whose views on issues such as Europe and immigration are the antithesis of LibDem policies, risks alienating some activists who are already queasy about Nick Clegg's decision to ally himself so closely to the Conservatives.
Just last year Chris Huhne, now the Energy Secretary, planned to attack Mr Hague with a Nazi slur in the hope of winning approval from conference activists.
Mr Huhne was forced to rewrite his speech when it emerged he planned to described Mr Hague as a 'skinhead who has toured the beer cellars of central Europe'.
It was supposedly designed to highlight the Tories' decision to form a new alliance with rightwing European parties.
LibDem activists are alarmed by the collapse in the party's poll rating, which has fallen from almost 24 per cent at the election to 12 per cent in the latest survey.
Many are also deeply uneasy at the sight of LibDem MPs serving as ministers and pushing through a Conservative-dominated agenda of public spending cuts.
Conference organisers are divided over whether to offer Mr Hague a place on the main platform or confine his appearance to a dedicated event.
LibDem Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander and education minister Sarah Teather are expected to attend the Tory conference in October, but will have low-key roles, such as acting as chairmen of a fringe meeting.


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