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Webology, Volume 8, Number 2, December, 2011
The new competitive intelligence agents: "Programming" competitive intelligence ethics into corporate cultures
Emilie Steele Giustozzi
M.S.K.M., College of Continuing Education, University of Oklahoma, 1700 Asp Avenue, Norman Oklahoma 73072, Tel: (405) 325-7161. Email: esteele (at) ou.edu
Betsy Van der Veer Martens
Ph.D., Knowledge Management Program, University of Oklahoma, Schusterman Center, 4502 East 41st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74135, Tel: (918) 660-3376. E-mail: bvmartens (at) ou.edu
Received September 30, 2011; Accepted December 9, 2011
This article examines some of the ethical issues involved in competitive intelligence activities on the Internet. We discuss the importance of an ethical framework for the performance of competitive intelligence, especially the Code of Ethics of SCIP (the leading professional association for strategic and competitive professionals), in the context of today's networked global environment. The virtual borderlines separating national economic and military territories online are becoming increasingly hard to determine, and a variety of intelligence activities now impact organizations of every size. We describe how competitive intelligence is often practiced by employees and firms with no clear understanding of the legal and public relations problems that various ill-advised initiatives may create for both individuals and the organization, inasmuch as the Internet greatly facilitates the use of sophisticated software products without correspondingly sophisticated ethical perspectives. Specifically, we offer two mundane and seemingly minor examples of how the uninformed use of microtasking software such as Field Agent and identity misrepresentation software such as Persona Management may actually be detrimental to the existence of an ethical organizational culture. We concludes by offering suggestions as to how to help employees "program" themselves into being effective and ethical CI "agents" for their organizations.
Astroturfing; Competitive intelligence; Ethics; Field agent; Mystery shopping; Persona Management; Strategic & Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP)
Every business leader knows the truism that business success is the ability to provide the right product to the right market at the right time for the right price. Achieving these goals in today's highly competitive marketplace requires sound leadership, strategic vision, and a firm understanding of the competition. As such, the field of competitive intelligence (CI) has become vital to organizational success (Rittenburg, Valentine & Faircloth, 2007). CI practitioners seek out information about the competition and create organizational knowledge to support managers and leaders in their decision-making. As a curious blend of ancient military strategies (Cantrell, 2003) and contemporary marketing research techniques (Walle, 1999), CI's focus is broader than just the realm of advertising and market share. Rather, an "understanding [of] the strategies, capabilities, and options" (Walle, 1999, p. 519) of others in the industry can influence decisions throughout an organization. Businesses of any size may benefit from undertaking CI projects, but must be careful to understand the ethical considerations surrounding such work, especially in today's global information environment.
As both corporate and nation-state information technologies become more globally connected and, thus, more accessible to competing needs for what Luhn (1958) dubbed "actionable intelligence," the shifting lines between civilian and military environments continue to blur (Eeells & Nehemkis, 1984; Knapp & Boulton, 2006). Cyberwarfare can now take place on both the economic and military fronts of any nation, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish whether it may be a country or a competitor behind any given instance of "industrial espionage." Recent examples in the news run the gamut from Dupont's winning of a $920 million lawsuit against South Korean competitor Kolon for the theft of trade secrets involving Dupont's Kevlar body armor (Valk, 2011), to the hoax perpetuated on French car-maker Renault, which led the automotive company to accuse China of suborning some of its managers, finally resulting in public apologies and financial recompense to the accused by Renault (Reed & Thompson, 2011); to the out-of-court settlement between Motorola and its Chinese competitor Huawei regarding the "leakage" of intellectual property belonging to both firms (Cheng & Raice, 2011).
While the companies involved in newsworthy CI scandals tend to be large in size and international in scope, these are also the companies that have had the opportunity to create compliance policies and invest in formal CI. Organizations like these are compelled by legal and industry expectations to have such governance controls in place. Companies that do not have organized programs or interest in CI from their leadership may find themselves both victims of and vulnerable to similar problems related to information gathering and use. However, most attention has been focused towards managing the information security risks (e.g., Fowler, 2011) rather than the ethical risks (e.g., Fleming & Zyglidopoulos, 2008). Similarly, most attention to the ethical issues of corporate online activities tends to focus on those involving customers (e.g., Bush, Bush & Orr, 2010; Roman, 2010) rather than competitors.
While it can be argued that every company today should have leaders who understand business information issues, including those related to CI, small and start-up businesses are seldom in a position to cultivate such knowledge. But, as a company grows, the needs for strategic planning and for controls spike at the same time that responsibilities and tasks must be distributed (Churchill & Lewis, 1983, p. 42). Employees, therefore, must take on new organizational information-processing roles as the company becomes "a knowing organization" (Choo, 2006) and be made aware that their online responsibilities can impact the reputation management of their firm, both positively and negatively (Tennie, Frith & Frith, 2010; Fiedler, 2011). Just as employees should be informed upon entry into the organization that their at-work email behaviors must conform to company guidelines, they must be made aware of the implications of and temptations offered by globally networked information seeking. This becomes increasingly important as companies employ a more diverse workforce, representing a wider range of ages, backgrounds, and sociotechnological proclivities (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010).
Existing Ethical Guidelines
Before exploring the challenges awaiting organizations developing and maintaining a CI program, it is important to understand what kinds of guidance are available in this field. Codes of ethics are lists of rules intended to promote good behavior (Kaptein & Schwartz, 2008). Codes written by professional organizations are closely associated with the associated field, but only members of such organizations are obligated to uphold them. The code of ethics of the leading professional organization for CI, the Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), forms the bedrock of any discussion of CI ethics. This code reads as follows:
To continually strive to increase the recognition and respect of the profession.
To comply with all applicable laws, domestic and international.
To accurately disclose all relevant information, including one's identity and organization, prior to all interviews.
To avoid conflicts of interest in fulfilling one's duties.
To provide honest and realistic recommendations and conclusions in the execution of one's duties.
To promote this code of ethics within one's company, with third-party contractors and within the entire profession.
To faithfully adhere to and abide by one's company policies, objectives and guidelines. (Strategic & Competitive Intelligence Professionals, n.d.).
These seven points are straightforward in theory, and yet they can be vague in practice. Honesty, adhering to law, and following company policies are obviously good guidance for behavior, yet Trevino and Weaver (1997) point out that there are times when the law is unclear, and companies may try to push employees past their ethical boundaries. To add even more confusion, what is legal in one country may be illegal in another (Rittenburg, Valentine & Faircloth, 2007). SCIP's code does not guide practitioners in weighing such facts in particular situations, but appears better suited to introducing ethical boundaries to those new to the field.
Of course, as the SCIP Code of Ethics notes, companies often have their own codes of ethics and other governance policies. Fehringer & Hohhof (2006) collected 22 of these to allow practitioners to see the range and depth of the field. Some are short, providing minimal elaborations on SCIP's code, while others go into more detail and even provide specific guidelines for behavior. Fuld and Company's ethical policies start with the procedure for identifying oneself at the beginning of a phone call, thus providing clear expectations on how to uphold SCIP's third point regarding the disclosure of identity. SCIP's wording does not define how much information must be given. Fuld and Company clarifies this for its employees: "Begin telephone calls by asking your question. When asked to identify yourself, give your full name. If also asked where you are calling from, state 'Fuld and Company,' …" (Fehringer & Hohhof, 2006, p. 154). Studying these policies can help CI practitioners understand what the expectations are within the professional community.
Practitioners grappling with real-world situations can also turn to other ethical models. For instance, Laczniak & Murphy (1991, p. 264) present four rules of thumb to guide marketing professionals:
The Golden Rule–act in a way that you would expect others to act toward you.
The Professional Ethic–take only actions that would be viewed as proper by an objective panel of your professional colleagues.
Kant's Categorical Imperative–act in a way such that action taken under the circumstances could be a universal law of behavior for everyone facing those same circumstances.
The TV Test–a manager should always ask, would I feel comfortable explaining this action on TV to the general public?
Charters (2001) developed a similar model specifically for the field of CI. The CHIP model is comprised of four factors: Community Virtues, Harm, Individual as End, and Personal Virtues. Like Laczniak and Murphy's rules of thumb, each factor is related to a different context in which to view a troublesome action. Unsurprisingly, given that marketing and CI have much in common, the models are so similar that Charters' Community Virtues factor maps to the Professional Ethic and the TV Test, Personal Virtues maps to the Golden Rule, and the Categorical Imperative maps to Individual as End. Where Charters's model differs is his focus on the evaluation of the cost vs. the benefit of an action and on his consideration of individuals with whom the CI practitioner interacts. The Harm factor is based in utilitarian ethics in which the consequences of an action determine its ethical quality, i.e., the ends justify the means. This factor considers whether the product of the action is worth more than the harm caused by the action. There are some situations, however, in which no amount of benefit should outweigh the harm caused to another. To avoid such actions, CHIP uses a different wording of Kant's Categorical Imperative: "all humanity should be treated as an end and never as a means only" (Charters, 2001, p. 48). This humanizes others with whom a practitioner may come into contact or conflict.
Neither of these models is comprehensive in scope, but they both serve to guide practitioners in reflecting on specific situations. While the practitioner is still left to decide what to do, these models provide some rubrics for considering the underlying ethical issues.
Hazards in the Road
The literature reveals three challenges to companies creating and implementing programs to encourage ethical behavior in CI programs. First, the most well documented code of ethics for the field belongs to SCIP. However, CI tasks are often undertaken by those who do not consider themselves CI practitioners (Ng Kwet Shin & Spence, 2002; Marin & Poulter, 2004). This opens organizations up to unintentional bad behavior by those who do not realize they are engaging in CI. Second, ethical behavior is often tied to codes of ethics and other behavioral codes. While studies of the efficacy of ethical codes are inconclusive, some evidence exists that such codes are of limited use lower in organizational hierarchies (Nyberg, 2008). Third, technology and business practices normally develop faster than formal codes of ethics or laws, creating wide gray areas for practitioners to wander through with limited guidance (Rittenburg, Valentine & Faircloth, 2007).
Challenge 1: Who Does CI?
When CI first began to emerge as a profession in the 1960s, gathering intelligence was a full-time task, requiring highly developed skills and resources (Wilensky, 1967). Finding the right information is still a skill that must be refined and practiced, but the Internet has ushered in a new age in information access. Information requests that may have once taken days or even weeks to complete can often now be accomplished with a quick search engine query or with the ongoing use of a computer algorithm on a company's web site. The software programmers who develop these algorithms, moreover, often have little or no contact with those who make use of these algorithms for their own purposes. The Internet also allows CI consulting companies to market directly to managers, potentially sidestepping in-house CI staff. These issues cause problems in understanding who actually performs CI functions within organizations. Marin & Poulter's (2004) survey of SCIP members highlights the diversity of positions in which employees identify as CI practitioners. Of their ten possible job labels, only one, "Lone CI manager" was defined as exclusively related to CI (p. 197). Of the respondents, only 18% felt that label described their position.
Unlike the members of SCIP, not everyone who participates in CI identifies such tasks as belonging to a particular profession. For instance, a manager who is curious about operations within a competitor's store may commission a "mystery shopping" study from a consulting firm. Mystery shopping is commonly used by businesses to evaluate their own customer service performance; however, the practice is also used to evaluate competitors and monitor their sales practices. In such a situation, a person from the firm would pose as a customer to the competitor. In this scenario, the manager would not necessarily see this as part of CI work. Rather, in a company that does not discuss CI, he or she could easily consider this information collection as just part of his or her strategic planning process. Without knowledge of CI as a field, the manager cannot evaluate whether the consultants are acting in an ethical fashion, thus opening up the company to potential problems.
Mystery shopping itself is an ethical sticking point. Yes, it is commonplace and legal, but the mystery shopper is not forthcoming with his or her identity or purpose, which seems to conflict with the third point in SCIP's code of ethics. In studying this conflict, Ng Kwet Shin & Spence (2002) interviewed managers who commission mystery shopping studies, sales associates who have been mystery shopped, and a professional mystery shopper dedicated to CI information collection. They also recognized that mystery shopping is often conducted by student workers or consultants, distancing employees from the actual act of deception. Their results showed little concern amongst anyone involved about the ethics of collecting information from competitors. Indeed, since "mystery shopping" can be accomplished online by the utilization of software agents ("shopbots" and "pricebots") without any direct human supervision, it can be viewed as a purely technical exercise in data collection (Desouza, 2001). Thus, those who commission and participate in online or offline mystery shopping may not consider possible backlash from competitors or customers.
Challenge 2: Deciphering the Code
Since employees may not be aware of SCIP or their own participation in the CI field, companies need to address ethics as a broader issue within their organizations. One way they may do this is by implementing a company-wide code of ethics with sub-codes as needed. Nyberg recognizes that the consequence of various business scandals has been the development of such ethical codes (2008, p. 587). Organizational codes of ethics have been shown by some studies to influence ethical behavior positively (e.g., Adams, Tashchian & Shore, 2001), but the literature is by no means conclusive on the subject (Kaptein & Schwartz, 2008, p. 114). The success of ethical codes relies on such rules applying universally (Clegg, Kornberger & Rhodes, 2007, p. 109). Yet in practice, ethical codes are not always clear, and real-world CI activities can be complex.
Despite the implementation of many well-intentioned codes of ethics, Nyberg (2008) found that employees lower in an organization's hierarchy are less influenced by formal codes as they are by practical wisdom. While codes are useful tools for leaders and managers evaluating business decisions and employee performance, employees find themselves making practical decisions in situations in which a code of ethics is but one of many influences. In realistic situations, ethical considerations are weighed against competing concerns like performance metrics, time, convenience, and personal investment. In practice, pressure from a manager who wants efficiency even at the expense of customer service will eventually wear down an employee's personal dedication to the customer (Nyberg, 2008, p. 594).
Kaptein & Schwartz's (2008) model of business code effectiveness supports Nyberg's findings. In their model, the content of a business code is filtered through its implementation by corporate leadership, the organizational culture, and the character of the employees themselves. Leaders who implement these codes are much closer to their content than other employees. And yet it is the actual behavior of front-line employees that create the largest effect for the organization, not the codes themselves (p. 118). Due to such limitations, company leaders cannot assume that the adoption of an organizational code of ethics will result in ethical behavior throughout the workforce. Ethical compliance by employees needs to be regularly scrutinized as part of any performance review.
Challenge 3: Technological Temptations
Internet communication is known for its ability to elicit bad behavior from otherwise "good" people. Such behavior can include harassment (Davis, 2002) and piracy (Lysonski & Durvasula, 2008). Dehumanization of those on the other end of Internet-based interactions can cause people to fail to recognize situations in which they would otherwise follow a moral or ethical rule when interacting directly with a person (Alnuaimi, Robert & Maruping, 2010). The anonymity provided by screen names and online communication can psychologically separate people from their actions, which can relieve Internet users of their sense of responsibility (Johnson, 1997). Further, as Boyd (2007) points out, as the use of avatars and personas become increasingly common in personal online life, the boundaries between personal and professional lives become even more problematic. The automatic deployment of arrays of so-called "intelligent agents" to collect information online can further separate any inappropriate actions from the responsible parties (Kwon & Sadeh, 2004).
Such new technology often exposes organizations to unexpected problems. Those writing ethical guidelines even 15 years ago could not have fathomed the amount of previously private information made public through the Internet, the widespread computing power, nor the vulnerability of many information systems to internal and external intrusion, both covert and overt. Nevertheless, the problems that arise from these developments can be seen as permutations on existing issues. Paine (1991, pp. 426-249) recognized four indicators of unethical behavior in CI activities: misrepresentation, improper influence, covert surveillance, and unsolicited intelligence. New dangers from digital technology can be placed in these categories as readily as the hazards of a more analog age.
Misrepresentation can be as simple as someone giving the wrong name in a conversation or as complex as submitting a bid as a non-existent vendor to a competitor in order to investigate their internal environment. But in any real-world deception, the utmost care must be given to maintain the lie. Phones must be answered with the correct name. Letters must go out on the right stationery. The truth must be kept separate from the fiction. These little particulars are often the ones that are forgotten, unraveling the entire scheme. Many see the Internet as a place full of lies and untrustworthy interactions (Johnson, 1997), but those with skills and time can often find the holes in such fabrications as well. For instance, email headers can provide a plethora of identifying information, IP addresses can reveal a user's location, and an identity's lack of backup references across open information sources can signal that it is a fake. Just as in real life, the devil is in the details.
However, the development of so-called "Persona Management" software by HB Gary Federal reportedly allows even an average user to manage multiple personas from one computer with much greater ease and effectiveness (Rockefeller, 2011). In this case, a "persona" is an artificial identity, complete with email and web site accounts, convincing web references, and other content meant to prove that this person is "real." This software would handle the crafting of otherwise identifying information, like IP addresses, to conform to the requirements for a specific identity, and failure points of manually-managed fake personas (i.e., sending an email from the wrong email address) would be mistake-proofed with features like visual cues to remind users of the persona as whom they are acting.
This technology can be used to create the artificial appearance of popular support for an idea, product, or candidate, a practice called "astroturfing" (so named because it involves the creation of an artificial illusion of "grass-roots" support). Lee (2010) recognizes this as an extension of marketing techniques going back to the early 20th century. Nevertheless, astroturfing is recognized as unethical amongst the marketing community and has been linked to damage to the corporate image when discovered. Astroturf posts to blog comment threads and forums are marked by an unnaturally positive attitude toward a product and an overreliance on links to marketing web sites (Cox, Martinez & Quinlan, 2008). Regular users have often been able to recognize such insincere participation, but Persona Management makes detection more difficult. As this software was designed specifically to facilitate mass deception by government agencies, critics are already deeply concerned about it (Anderson, 2011). The strong nexus between military and business intelligence research and development technologies has become even stronger in recent years, as the military solicits civilian firms to create a variety of intelligence software applications and then eventually transfers the resulting technology back into the civilian sector for use (Mowery, 2009). Persona Management software and similar products are very likely to find non-military markets as well.
This practice causes problems for CI professionals on two fronts. First, blogs, forums, and other social media are open information sources which can be mined to study the public's perception of a company or its competitors. Astroturfing contaminates these resources and any analyses based on them. While this is a hindrance to data collection, CI practitioners may also be tempted to use Persona Management software to pose as competitors' customers, business partners, job applicants, etc. This would clearly be in violation of SCIP's Code of Ethics, but the factors associated with anonymity and dehumanization may make such practices almost irresistible unless specifically prohibited.
Technology can also be used to conduct covert surveillance. This type of ethical violation need not be associated with obvious spying technology like bugs or hacking. Ethical issues can arise from seemingly unrelated technology as well. Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk service is a microtask site in which workers are given small tasks to complete. These tasks are generally difficult to process by computer, i.e. dictation, categorization, proofreading, etc., leading to the site being dubbed "Artificial Artificial Intelligence" (Amazon, 2012). This refers to the fact that from a company's perspective, they enter a task into the computer interface, and later, results come back. Yet in reality, the job has been broken down into its component tasks and completed by workers who are unaware of the goal of the work or others who are working on it. Various other microtask sites have emerged since Mechanical Turk's introduction in 2005, but a company called Field Agent (2011) has a new spin on the model. Whereas older microtask companies rely on computers, Field Agent is an iPhone app, allowing for tasks that require workers to go to a specified location to complete. "Retail intelligence" is one of the named uses by clients on the Field Agent web site.
In a previous section, the challenges presented by the large CI consulting industry were identified as a problem for managers unaware of CI or its associated ethical considerations. Microtask companies pose similar problems, though the influence of technology may make bad behavior alluring even for CI practitioners. Microtask platforms are best suited for time-consuming and repetitive tasks. There are a variety of CI gathering tasks that fall into these categories. Online mystery shopping is one such example, bringing with it all the ethical baggage associated with its real-world counterpart. Another example that takes advantage of Field Agent's mobility would be a hypothetical task that asked a worker to take a picture at a certain place and time within a competitor's store. Whereas it would not be feasible to send an employee or contractor to monitor a competitor's deployment of cashiers throughout a week, both for cost concerns and the possibility of raising suspicion on the part of the competitor, mobile microtasks make this type of data collection possible.
While these examples of possible uses of microtasking for CI are relatively ethically tame, the anonymous nature of such systems makes users vulnerable to bad behavior. There are documented instances of CI practitioners using contractors to do work that would go against CI ethical obligations (Fitzpatrick, 2003). Microtask platforms add another layer of distance between the practitioner and the action–the platform is a faceless computer interface and the contractors are completely anonymous. The backlash by the public for an egregious covert surveillance campaign using microtasking could potentially be more severe than other outcries over ethically questionable behavior because of this use of members of the public.
We have outlined a variety of ethical challenges that may await unwary businesses. Small and growing businesses would no doubt find such a list daunting. Nonetheless, despite the differences in these problems, their root causes can all be addressed by two actions: 1) the dissemination of information regarding the field of competitive intelligence, and 2) the promotion of ethical cultures within businesses. Both of these solutions are within reach of any interested organization and, ultimately, will provide more than just protection from harm.
SCIP's Code of Ethics' first point, "to continually strive to increase the recognition and respect of the profession," can seem self-serving at first reading. Ethically obligating its members to tell others about it is definitely a good marketing strategy. However, the point is made for a much more important reason. CI is relatively unknown as a profession outside of business management. As such, laypeople are unable to recognize actions that are part of this profession. Anyone could tell you that heart surgery is a medical procedure and that only a doctor should perform it. By educating employees about CI, leaders can help avoid problems arising from CI activities being completed and contracted by employees who are unfamiliar with the field. Such discussions can also help remind CI practitioners about the ethical boundaries of their field so that they are not seduced by new opportunities offered by technology.
The development of an ethical culture within an organization is not a simple task, however. As Challenge 2 showed, ethical codes are not enough to develop an ethical culture, though they are often the first step. Trevino and Weaver (1997) found that the ethical culture of an organization, or lack thereof, had an effect on the behavior of CI practitioners. Those who worked for companies with a compromised ethical culture reported a willingness to bend ethical guidelines because they felt it was expected of them. However, those who perceived ethics as being important to the organization took their ethical obligations more seriously.
Ethical codes are important to the formation of ethical cultures because they provide the basis for beginning the discussion. Leaders can continue to promote ethical behavior by doing the following:
Making ethical compliance part of employees' performance review (Fitzpatrick, 2003)–Clearly stating expectations for ethical behavior as part of the job description sets expectations before problems arise.
Encouraging upper management to commit in word and action to ethical behavior (Trevino & Weaver, 1997)–Not only is it important to set a good example, but employees who can trust their leaders feel safe enough to stand by personal principle when faced with external pressures.
Providing opportunities for discussion and training based on practical application of ethical guidelines (Nyberg, 2008)–As highlighted by Challenge 2, ethical codes are meant to be universal and, thus, necessarily vague. Therefore, employees need practice applying ethical guidelines to real-life situations. Also, by opening lines of communication on the topic, ethics become a topic for ordinary conversation, not a stressful discussion initiated only in a crisis. Just as the biggest threat from competitors is the unknown, competitive intelligence is only dangerous when it is left unexamined and misunderstood. By discussing the role of competitive intelligence with employees and promoting an ethical culture throughout the organization, firms of any size can help their employees "program" themselves as CI agents capable of operating successfully and ethically in any environment they may enter.
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Trevino, L.K., & Weaver, G. R. (1997). Ethical issues in competitive intelligence practice: Consensus, conflicts, and challenges. Competitive Intelligence Review, 8(1). Retrieved September 30, 2011, from http://osint.pbworks.com/f/Trevino.pdf
Valk, V. (2011). DuPont wins $920 million in Kevlar trade secrets case. Chemical Week, 173(23), (September 19- 26, 2011), 9.
Walle, A.H. (1999). From marketing research to competitive intelligence: Useful generalization or loss of focus? Management Decision, 37(6), 519-525.
Wilensky, H.L. (1967). Organizational intelligence: Knowledge and policy in government and industry. New York: Basic Books.
Giustozzi, Emilie Steele, & Van der Veer Martens, Betsy (2011). "The new competitive intelligence agents: "Programming" competitive intelligence ethics into corporate cultures." Webology, 8(2), Article 88. Available at: http://www.webology.org/2011/v8n2/a88.html
Copyright © 2011, Emilie Steele Giustozzi, & Betsy Van der Veer Martens.


text:
Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe is a CEGEP (College of General and Vocational Education) located at 3000 Boullé Street, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. More than 4500 students attend the CEGEP to study in one of five pre-university general studies programs and eighteen vocational studies programs.  The CEGEP's twelve intercollegiate sport teams are called Lauréats.

General studies programs
 Arts et lettres (arts visuels et médiatiques)
 Arts et lettres (cinéma)
 Arts et lettres (exploration théâtrale)
 Arts et lettres (culture et création)
 Sciences de la nature
 Sciences de la nature (Sciences de la santé)
 Sciences de la nature (Sciences pures et appliquées)
 Sciences humaines
 Sciences humaines (administration)

Vocational programs
 Techniques de diététique
 Technique d'analyses biomédicales
 Techniques d'éducation à l'enfance
 Techniques d'hygiène dentaire
 Techniques de l'informatique de gestion
 Techniques de gestion de réseaux informatiques
 Techniques de l'informatique de gestion
 Techniques de laboratoire : spécialisation en biotechnologies
 Techniques de soins préhospitaliers d'urgences
 Conseil en assurances et en services financiers
 Technologie de la mécanique du bâtiment
 Techniques de santé animale
 Soins infirmiers
 Techniques de comptabilité et de gestion
 Gestion de commerces
 Théâtre - Interprétation théâtrale
 Théâtre - Production théâtrale

Gallery

References

Saint-Hyacinthe
Educational institutions established in 1968
Buildings and structures in Saint-Hyacinthe
Education in Montérégie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Scientists Link Brain Structure To Social Networks
A team of researchers has found a link between the size of our amygdala, that tiny part of the brain linked to emotions, and the size and complexity of our social networks: the bigger the amygdala, the bigger the network.
By Sara Yin
Ever wonder how our brains have evolved in the age of Facebook, Twitter and hundreds of "friends"?
A team of researchers has found a link between the size of our amygdala, the epicenter of our emotions, and the size and complexity of our social networks. The bigger the amygdala, the bigger and more complex the network.
In a study published yesterday in Nature, doctors from Boston University and Harvard University measured the social networks of 58 adults based on two factors: the number of people they were in regular contact with (size), and the number of social groups these contacts could be divided into (complexity). They also measured the volume of the participants' amygdalas and hippocampus, as a control.
Even after accounting for social factors like life satisfaction and perceived social support, they found a linear regression between the size/complexity of social networks and the size of the amygdala.
Although the study doesn't determine causation, like whether a bigger amygdala leads to a bigger social network and vice versa, the research does suggest an evolutionary aspect to the size of our amygdalas as socializing becomes more complex.
"To get along while getting ahead, it is necessary to learn who is who, who is friend and who is foe. It might be productive to form an alliance with certain group members in one context, but to outmaneuver them in another," the researchers wrote.
The results of the study will help scientists better understand how our brains determine behavior and emotions. Scientists have also been researching a woman with no amygdala, who apparently feels no fear.
KA-SAT European Broadband Satellite Launches Successfully
See the Future with Zapaday's Global Calendar
Sara Yin Junior software analyst
Sara Yin is a junior analyst in the Software, Internet, and Networking group at PCmag.com, pouring most of her energy into app testing and security matters at Security Watch with Neil Rubenking. She lies awake at night pondering the state of mobile security (half-true). Prior to joining PCMag.com, Sara spent five years reporting for publication... See Full Bio
More From Sara
Can You Trust Android Anti-malware Rankings?
UberHype (for Android)
Lookout Mobile Security Premium (for Android)
SecurityWatch Summit 2012: A Lively Debate Over Mobile Security
Android Devices Scream WiFi Network Names

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The Arab Posts / / Politics / "The 9/11 terrorists did not come from Iran, but from your favourite destinations in the Middle East," Zarif replies to Pompeo
"The 9/11 terrorists did not come from Iran, but from your favourite destinations in the Middle East," Zarif replies to Pompeo
thearabposts_admin
. January 13, 2021
On Tuesday, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the Al Qaeda terrorists who carried out the September 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York were from Washington's "favored" countries, an implicit reference to the Kingdom of Arabia. Saudi, not from the Islamic Republic.Coinciding with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's accusation that Iran has become the "new headquarters of Al Qaeda," Zarif tweeted: "No one is fooled by what the US minister says."
From designating Cuba to fictitious Iran "declassifications" and AQ claims, Mr. "we lie, cheat, steal" is pathetically ending his disastrous career with more warmongering lies.
No one is fooled. All 9/11 terrorists came from @SecPompeo's favorite ME destinations; NONE from Iran.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 12, 2021
All the 9/11 terrorists came from the favourite destinations in the Middle East of US diplomacy's head. "No bombers came from Iran," he stressed.According to the United States previous reports, most of the nineteen people who carried out the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington were Saudis.
In early November, The New York Times revealed that Al Qaeda's second-highest commander, blamed for being one of the masterminds of the deadly 1998 attacks on American embassies in Africa, was killed in Teheran by Israeli intelligence.Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, alias Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was shot down in a street of the capital by two slayers on a motorcycle on Aug. 7, the anniversary of the embassy attacks. His daughter, Miriam, the widow of Osama bin Laden's son Hamza bin Laden was also killed in the operation.According to the NYT quoting four officials, Israeli operatives carried the offensive at the behest of Washington. The Pentagon was following the movements of al-Masri and other Qaeda operatives in Iran for years.
Yesterday the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that al Qaeda had established a new home base in the Islamic Republic and that it was time for America and all free nations to crush the Iran-al-Qaeda axis.Iran has always rejected these allegations, describing them as unfounded. Pompeo stated he was announcing publicly for the first time that al Qaeda's second leader al-Masri, died on Aug. 7 last year.
Thanks to @StateDept diplomacy, more than 10 countries have banned Iran's Mahan Air from landing, including Germany, France, and Italy. #Winning pic.twitter.com/LcXsKpAZiI
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 12, 2021
However, Pompeo said he was announcing publicly for the first time that al Qaeda's Abu Muhammad al-Masri, accused of helping to mastermind the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, died on Aug. 7 last year. Numerous reports have emerged over the years of Iran's hospitality to commanders and leaders of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda. A silence, agreement, but sometimes much more.
Pompeo accused the Iranian government of providing safe havens as well as logistical support such as documents, visas and passports to permit al Qaeda activity. Also, he explained the terrorist organization had centralized its leadership in Teheran.Terrorism experts confirmed that senior al Qaeda operatives have found refuge in Iran, but they considered exaggerated to say that Iran is Al-Qaeda new head quarters.On Tuesday evening, Pompeo anticipated that thanks to the US Department of State and diplomacy, more than ten countries have banned Iran's Mahan Air from landing, including Germany, France, and Italy.
Tags:Al Qaeda, Iran, Javad Zarif, Mike Pompeo, Terrorism, Washington
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Syria, Libya and Yemen: Even the pandemic asks us to worry about children who do not know the smell of peace
Israel launches airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants near Abukamal
As Libya prepares for a stable political system, UN asks for…
The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum comes to an end Success or…
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Urges Foreign Fighters to Exit Libya by…
US Suspected Air strikes launched pro-Iranian militants in southern Iraq
Houthis terror escalates humanitarian crisis in Yemen, officials accuse militia group of stealing food
Joe Biden is set to reverse multiple Trump's orders on climate, travel ban, Iran
Pompeo cancels Europe Trip in the zero hours as EU leaders decline to meet him
As Libya prepares for a stable political system, UN asks for exit of mercenaries
The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum comes to an end Success or failure?
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Urges Foreign Fighters to Exit Libya by Oct 23
Chinese Ice Cream Becomes Breeding Ground For Corona Virus
Iraqi Election Commission postpones general election to October
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Training tricks for fun and to impress your friends!
The first week of Good Manners is orientation only - dogs do not attend the first week of class.
This class is $125. Fees for classes are subject to change and are non-refundable.


text:
'use strict';

angular.module('myApp.view6', ['ngRoute'])
.config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider) {
    $routeProvider.when('/view6', {
        templateUrl: 'view6/view6.html',
        controller: 'View6Ctrl'
    });
}])
.controller('View6Ctrl', ['$scope', function($scope) {
    function WebGL(){
        var canvas;
        var gl;
        var squareVerticesBuffer;
        var mvMatrix;
        var shaderProgram;
        var vertexPositionAttribute;
        var perspectiveMatrix;

//
// start
//
// Called when the canvas is created to get the ball rolling.
// Figuratively, that is. There's nothing moving in this demo.
//
        this.start = function() {
            canvas = document.getElementById("glcanvas");

            initWebGL(canvas);      // Initialize the GL context

            // Only continue if WebGL is available and working

            if (gl) {
                gl.clearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);  // Clear to black, fully opaque
                gl.clearDepth(1.0);                 // Clear everything
                gl.enable(gl.DEPTH_TEST);           // Enable depth testing
                gl.depthFunc(gl.LEQUAL);            // Near things obscure far things

                // Initialize the shaders; this is where all the lighting for the
                // vertices and so forth is established.

                initShaders();

                // Here's where we call the routine that builds all the objects
                // we'll be drawing.

                initBuffers();

                // Set up to draw the scene periodically.

                setInterval(drawScene, 15);
            }
        }

//
// initWebGL
//
// Initialize WebGL, returning the GL context or null if
// WebGL isn't available or could not be initialized.
//
        function initWebGL() {
            gl = null;

            try {
                gl = canvas.getContext("experimental-webgl");
            }
            catch(e) {
            }

            // If we don't have a GL context, give up now

            if (!gl) {
                alert("Unable to initialize WebGL. Your browser may not support it.");
            }
        }

//
// initBuffers
//
// Initialize the buffers we'll need. For this demo, we just have
// one object -- a simple two-dimensional square.
//
        function initBuffers() {

            // Create a buffer for the square's vertices.

            squareVerticesBuffer = gl.createBuffer();

            // Select the squareVerticesBuffer as the one to apply vertex
            // operations to from here out.

            gl.bindBuffer(gl.ARRAY_BUFFER, squareVerticesBuffer);

            // Now create an array of vertices for the square. Note that the Z
            // coordinate is always 0 here.

            var vertices = [
                1.0,  1.0,  0.0,
                -1.0, 1.0,  0.0,
                1.0,  -1.0, 0.0,
                -1.0, -1.0, 0.0
            ];

            // Now pass the list of vertices into WebGL to build the shape. We
            // do this by creating a Float32Array from the JavaScript array,
            // then use it to fill the current vertex buffer.

            gl.bufferData(gl.ARRAY_BUFFER, new Float32Array(vertices), gl.STATIC_DRAW);
        }

//
// drawScene
//
// Draw the scene.
//
        function drawScene() {
            // Clear the canvas before we start drawing on it.

            gl.clear(gl.COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | gl.DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);

            // Establish the perspective with which we want to view the
            // scene. Our field of view is 45 degrees, with a width/height
            // ratio of 640:480, and we only want to see objects between 0.1 units
            // and 100 units away from the camera.

            perspectiveMatrix = makePerspective(45, 640.0/480.0, 0.1, 100.0);

            // Set the drawing position to the "identity" point, which is
            // the center of the scene.

            loadIdentity();

            // Now move the drawing position a bit to where we want to start
            // drawing the square.

            mvTranslate([-0.0, 0.0, -6.0]);

            // Draw the square by binding the array buffer to the square's vertices
            // array, setting attributes, and pushing it to GL.

            gl.bindBuffer(gl.ARRAY_BUFFER, squareVerticesBuffer);
            gl.vertexAttribPointer(vertexPositionAttribute, 3, gl.FLOAT, false, 0, 0);
            setMatrixUniforms();
            gl.drawArrays(gl.TRIANGLE_STRIP, 0, 4);
        }

//
// initShaders
//
// Initialize the shaders, so WebGL knows how to light our scene.
//
        function initShaders() {
            var fragmentShader = getShader(gl, "shader-fs");
            var vertexShader = getShader(gl, "shader-vs");

            // Create the shader program

            shaderProgram = gl.createProgram();
            gl.attachShader(shaderProgram, vertexShader);
            gl.attachShader(shaderProgram, fragmentShader);
            gl.linkProgram(shaderProgram);

            // If creating the shader program failed, alert

            if (!gl.getProgramParameter(shaderProgram, gl.LINK_STATUS)) {
                alert("Unable to initialize the shader program: " + gl.getProgramInfoLog(shader));
            }

            gl.useProgram(shaderProgram);

            vertexPositionAttribute = gl.getAttribLocation(shaderProgram, "aVertexPosition");
            gl.enableVertexAttribArray(vertexPositionAttribute);
        }

//
// getShader
//
// Loads a shader program by scouring the current document,
// looking for a script with the specified ID.
//
        function getShader(gl, id) {
            var shaderScript = document.getElementById(id);

            // Didn't find an element with the specified ID; abort.

            if (!shaderScript) {
                return null;
            }

            // Walk through the source element's children, building the
            // shader source string.

            var theSource = "";
            var currentChild = shaderScript.firstChild;

            while(currentChild) {
                if (currentChild.nodeType == 3) {
                    theSource += currentChild.textContent;
                }

                currentChild = currentChild.nextSibling;
            }

            // Now figure out what type of shader script we have,
            // based on its MIME type.

            var shader;

            if (shaderScript.type == "x-shader/x-fragment") {
                shader = gl.createShader(gl.FRAGMENT_SHADER);
            } else if (shaderScript.type == "x-shader/x-vertex") {
                shader = gl.createShader(gl.VERTEX_SHADER);
            } else {
                return null;  // Unknown shader type
            }

            // Send the source to the shader object

            gl.shaderSource(shader, theSource);

            // Compile the shader program

            gl.compileShader(shader);

            // See if it compiled successfully

            if (!gl.getShaderParameter(shader, gl.COMPILE_STATUS)) {
                alert("An error occurred compiling the shaders: " + gl.getShaderInfoLog(shader));
                return null;
            }

            return shader;
        }

//
// Matrix utility functions
//

        function loadIdentity() {
            mvMatrix = Matrix.I(4);
        }

        function multMatrix(m) {
            mvMatrix = mvMatrix.x(m);
        }

        function mvTranslate(v) {
            multMatrix(Matrix.Translation($V([v[0], v[1], v[2]])).ensure4x4());
        }

        function setMatrixUniforms() {
            var pUniform = gl.getUniformLocation(shaderProgram, "uPMatrix");
            gl.uniformMatrix4fv(pUniform, false, new Float32Array(perspectiveMatrix.flatten()));

            var mvUniform = gl.getUniformLocation(shaderProgram, "uMVMatrix");
            gl.uniformMatrix4fv(mvUniform, false, new Float32Array(mvMatrix.flatten()));
        }
    }

    var webgl;
    $scope.init = function(){
        webgl = new WebGL();
        webgl.start();
        webgl.initShaders();
    };

    $scope.add_2d_content = function(){
        webgl.drawScene();
    }

    $scope.init();
}]);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


2 thoughts on "Extreme vs extreme"?
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This page is a spellcheck for word extreme. All Which is Correct spellings and definitions, including "Extreme vs extreme" are based on official English dictionaries, which means you can browse our website with confidence! Common searches that lead to this page: how to spell extreme, correct spelling of extreme, how is extreme spelled, spell check extreme, how do you spell extreme.


A super fried rice recipe for all the Prawn lovers out there.
Add garlic paste, chicken tikka masala and vinegar in prawns then mix well and set aside for 30 to 45 minutes. Pour half cup oil in a pan add marinated prawns stir fry until prawns are tender, now remove the pan from heat, Add other half oil in wok, add chopped garlic, stir-fry until garlic is golden.
Now add chili garlic sauce, add oyster sauce, add cooked prawns, add boiled rice, add black pepper Chinese salt, chicken powder, salt and stir fry for 2 to 3 min.
Add chopped carrot and spring onion mix and serve hot.


text:
Problems of the System of Exercises in Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching
Автор: Исламова Зарина Нурмат кизи
Рубрика: Педагогика
Статья просмотрена: 3 раза
Исламова З. Н. Problems of the System of Exercises in Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching // Молодой ученый. — 2019. — №21. — С. 499-501. — URL https://moluch.ru/archive/259/59388/ (дата обращения: 15.07.2019).
In modern methodology, the process of learning foreign languages is considered as a continuous chain of exercises consistently performed. The quality of the exercises affects the success of mastering speech activity in a foreign language.
Exercises, based on the activity nature of learning foreign languages, act as a form of communication language material and the implementation of the objectives of learning. In other words, exercises are not only a means of mastering linguistic material, but also a means of mastering various types of speech activity.
The concept of «system" implies the presence of a certain set of elements, parts that are combined in a certain way.
Elements and parts of the system have a specific function. They are characterized by the presence of strong links between the elements of the system. These bonds, moreover, ensure its stability and integrity.
The exercise system provides:
a) selection of the necessary exercises, appropriate to the character of a particular skill or skill;
b) determining the required sequence of exercises;
c) the correct location of the material and its ratio;
d) systematicity (regularity) of a certain material and certain exercises;
e) correct interrelation (correlation and interaction) of different types of speech activity among themselves and within themselves.
In methodical science, exercise is considered differently. Some scientists consider it a structural unit of the methodical organization of educational material. Others see it as a unit for learning foreign language speech activity. Exercises implement a variety of teaching methods, create favorable conditions for the development of speech skills in the foreign language.
Exercises can be performed in various conditions. If the students' attention is directed to the content, and not to the language form, then in this case they perform speech actions associated with the expression of their own thoughts or with an understanding of the thoughts given by the author of the text (in listening or reading).
Psychologists understand as an exercise the repeated fulfillment of certain actions or activities with the aim of mastering them, based on understanding and accompanied by conscious control and adjustment (L. B. Itelson).
I. L. Bim sees in exercise the minimum unit for organizing the student's learning activities in mastering the elements of a foreign language system. Units of instruction personify the way in which units of material are used directly in students' performance.
Exercise, in the understanding of I. L. Bim, is a form of interaction between a teacher and students (for independent work — students and a textbook), mediated by educational material and having a standardized structure. The exercise includes the following elements in its structure:
a) problem statement;
b) an indication of the way to solve it (supports, landmarks);
c) its decision;
d) control (self-control).
S. F. Shatilov sees in an exercise specially organized in training conditions of one or multiple execution of a single operation, a series of operations or actions of a speech (or language) nature.
Exercises are characterized by the following parameters:
a) purpose (target setting), speech problem (conditional or real);
b) speech actions;
c) language form and content;
d) a certain place in the exercise system;
e) a certain time for its implementation;
f) the result that is achieved as a result of its implementation;
g) verbal and non-verbal material;
h) the way to perform the exercise;
i) the organizational form of the exercise.
When solving an exercise problem, two questions arise:
a) determine the criteria for distinguishing types of exercises;
b) to build a specific system of exercises based on the selected criteria.
In the theory of methods of teaching foreign languages, the classification of exercises was carried out on the basis of various criteria:
a) on the basis of taking into account the processes of memory, recognition, comprehension and reproduction of linguistic material (K. A. Ganshina, I. A. Gruzinskaya);
b) based on the distinction between language and speech (I. V. Rakhmanov, M. S. Ilyin);
c) on the basis of the stages of the process of mastering foreign language speech (E. I. Passov).
The existence of a large number of points of view on the problem of classification of exercises is explained by the versatility of this problem, the possibility of approaching the problem of classification of exercises from different points of view.
The first attempt to develop the main types and types of exercises for teaching foreign languages was made by academician I. V. Rakhmanov, who singled out:
a) language and speech exercises;
b) exercises related and not related to text;
c) translation and non-translational exercises.
B. A. Lapidus in his classification of exercises offers:
a) purely training exercises;
b) elementary combined exercises;
c) combined exercises.
Special attention should be paid to the classification of exercises offered by E. I. Passov. As an initial criterion for determining the types of exercises, he outlines the purpose of the exercises in terms of the stages of the formation of speech skills. According to this criterion, all exercises are divided:
a) on exercises for the formation of skills (conditional speech exercises);
b) exercises «on the development of skills" (speech exercises).
Among the types of exercises E. I. Passov distinguishes their types by the following parameters:
1) by speech problem;
2) situational correlation of phrases;
3) conditionality of the statement with the content and structure of the parties;
4) on supports used in the preparation of statements.
The close interaction of exercises with each other, as IL Bim points out, and their inter-level transitions, that is, their system, provide a set of targeted actions to achieve specific learning goals for basic types of speech activity.
Based on the methodological requirements for isolating the difficulties in teaching oral speech, S. F. Shatilov proposed an aspect classification of speech training exercises. Therefore, the purpose of grammatically oriented communication exercises is the formation of speech grammatical skills in familiar lexical material. The goal of lexically oriented speech exercises, in turn, is to practice vocabulary in speech in familiar grammatical forms and structures.
Classification of exercises is necessary both in theoretical and in practical terms. For methodical science, the presence of an updated classification of exercises is especially important, since it determines the state of the technique as a science and the level of its development. In practice, the system of exercises allows you to effectively build the process of learning a foreign language.
Galskova ND Modern methods of teaching foreign languages / — Moscow: Arctic-Glossa, 2000. — 165 p.
Methods of teaching foreign languages: Society. course / resp. ed. A. N. Shamov. — M.: AST Moscow; Publishing house East-West, 2008. — 253 p.


text:
Protein Is An Uncontroversial Ingredient, But Issues Remain For Manufacturers
February 3, 2015: 12:00 AM EST
The high-protein content trend continues unabated, as more and more drinks and foods make the claim -- a relatively safe one. Unlike fats, carbohydrates, sugars, and salt, protein remains unscathed by health criticisms. But food and beverage manufacturers still need to be aware of a few things. For one, the main source of protein in the diet varies from country to country: dairy products, for example in Australia, and baked goods in Mexico. Two other concerns are at play. Manufacturers might want to use vegetable proteins to deflect the sustainability issue. And adding protein to some products -- confectionery, ice cream and baked goods loaded with sugar and fat – might invite the "healthwash" criticism.
Simone Baroke, "Protein: The Rise of the Only 'Safe' Nutrient", Nutraceuticals World, February 03, 2015, © Rodman Media
Proteins, non-dairy


The 19 Drive-In opened in 1950 with a capacity of 250 cars. It operates March thru October. Sound is via traditional drive-in speakers or radio FM. The 19 Drive-In is still open playing first-run movies and operating seasonally.
The Drive-In is still open though on the market. They are showing The Amazing Spider Man this weekend along with Brave.
Opening for the 2017 season on April 14. Per its Facebook page.
Also, the 19 charges just $1.16 (probably $1.25 with tax) for a small popcorn. Know of any theater selling popcorn any cheaper?


The way Americans eat has changed a lot over the decades, and some of the statistics about food in the United States may surprise you. Take a look at these numbers while you're biting into that next juicy cheeseburger.
Twenty-five percent of Americans eat some kind of fast food each day.
The average American eats 14 different types of food each day.
We tend to eat one-third more packaged meals than freshly prepared.


text:
Home › Celeb News
Mike Tyson Selling Gummy Edibles Shaped Like An Ear, "Mike Bites"
By Alex Zephyr
Nike Film 'Air,' Starring Ben Affleck & Matt Damon, Gets April Release Date
T.J. Holmes Called A "Predator" After Allegedly Sleeping With Intern In His Office
Source: Focus On Sport / Getty
Mike Tyson has been a consistent proponent of complementary and alternative medicine, going as far as touting some pretty unorthodox options, including psychedelic toad venom. But "The Baddest Man On The Planet" is now entering the world of cannabis gummies, and the chewy treats take a bite out of one of Tyson's most memorable moments: his 1997 bout with Evander Holyfield where he chomped out a portion of Holyfield's ear.
"Holy ears! They're finally here! Go get your Mike Bites now 👂😤," Tyson posted on social media. The edibles are produced by his Colorado-based company Tyson 2.0, which he launched four months ago. And Mike Bites are currently available from select dispensaries in California, Colorado and Nevada.
Mike Tyson Sued For $5M After Allegedly Raping A Woman In The '90s
Mike Tyson Rips Hulu Over Upcoming Series: "They Stole My Life Story And Didn't Pay Me"
Trailer For Hulu's 'Mike' Starring Trevante Rhodes Teases A No-Holds-Barred Look At Mike Tyson's Life
"It's really all about the love of the medicine," the former heavyweight champ told CNBC in a November 2021 interview. "I put a great deal of time in agriculture and discovering the right strain."
There's been no official word as to whether Holyfield receives any royalties for his ear's likeness, but Tyson and Holyfield have patched things up well since their fight 25 years ago. In fact, the two became chummier as the years progressed, and they even appeared together in a 2013 Foot Locker commercial where Tyson shows up at Holyfield's doorstep and returns the ear.
But Tyson also hinted at the idea of Mike Bites in November 2019, when he sat down with Holyfield during an episode of Hotboxin' With Mike Tyson.
"People keep asking, 'How are you gonna forgive somebody that?'" Holyfield said. "I say, everything that ever happened, at some point in time, I did it… Mike bit me. I say I bit somebody too. It just wasn't on TV. I bit a guy in his shoulder. He dropped me, and I didn't know when you had a concussion, you'll bite too."
So that's when Iron Mike made his pitch. "You might be in business because we're going to make some holy ears," he told Holyfield. "Some edibles [of your ear] that got a bite taken out of 'em."
And Holyfield replied like someone who knew a good idea when he heard one: "Well, I could do that."
Cannabis mike tyson Newsletter