My research aims to identify and thwart security threats that plague widely used computer systems and software. My recent work is focused on mobile devices and Internet-of-Things. I'm interested in inventing threat detection and prevention techniques that are rooted in new operating system designs and program analysis methods. I enjoy building these techniques into real and useful systems and software tools.
 Yaohui Chen, Peng Li, Jun Xu, Shengjian Guo, Rundong Zhou, Yulong Zhang, Tao Wei, and Long Lu. Savior: Towards bug-driven hybrid testing. In Proceedings of the 41th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, S&P/Oakland'20.
 Heejin Park, Shuang Zhai, Long Lu, and Felix Lin. Edgeflow: Secure stream analytics at the edge with trustzone. In Proceedings of the 2019 USENIX Annual Technical Conference, USENIX ATC'19.
 Yaohui Chen, Dongliang Mu, Jun Xu, Wenguo Shen, Xinyu Xing, and Long Lu. Ptrix: Efficient hardware-assisted fuzzing for cots binary. In Proceedings of the 14th ACM on Asia Conference on Computer and Communications Security, AsiaCCS'19.
 Wenhao Li, Yubin Xia, Long Lu, Haibo Chen, and Binyu Zang. TEEv: Virtualizing trusted execution environments on mobile platforms. In Proceedings of the 15th ACM SIGPLAN/SIGOPS International Conference on Virtual Execution Environments, VEE'19.
 Xiaohan Zhang, Yuan Zhang, Qianqian Mo, Hao Xia, Min Yang, Xiaofeng Wang, Long Lu, and Haixin Duan. An empirical study of web resource manipulation in real-world mobile applications. In Proceedings of the 27nd USENIX Security Symposium, USENIX Security'18.
 Wenhao Li, Shiyu Luo, Zhichuang Sun, Yubin Xia, Long Lu, Haibo Chen, Binyu Zang, and Haibing Guan. Vbutton: Practical attestation of user-driven operations in mobile apps. In Proceedings of the 16th ACM International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications, and Services, MobiSys'18.
 Hyungjoon Koo, Yaohui Chen, Long Lu, Vasileios Kemerlis, and Michalis Polychronakis. Compiler-assisted code randomization and hardening. In Proceedings of the 39th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, S&P/Oakland'18.
 Yaohui Chen, Yuping Li, Long Lu, Yueh-Hsun Lin, Hayawardh Vijayakumar, Zhi Wang, and Xinming Ou. Instaguard: Instantly deployable hot-patches for vulnerable system programs on android. In Proceedings of the 2018 Network and Distributed System Security Symposium, NDSS'18.
 Yaohui Chen, Dongli Zhang, Ruowen Wang, Rui Qiao, Ahmed Azab, Long Lu, Hayawardh Vijayakumar, and Wenbo Shen. Norax: Enabling execute-only memory for COTS binaries on AArch64. In Proceedings of the 38th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, S&P/Oakland'17.
 Drew Davidson, Yaohui Chen, Franklin George, Long Lu, and Somesh Jha. Secure integration of web content and applications on commodity mobile operating systems. In Proceedings of the 12th ACM on Asia Conference on Computer and Communications Security, AsiaCCS'17.
 Arash Alavi, Alan Quach, Hang Zhang, Bryan Marsh, Farhan Ul Haq, Zhiyun Qian, Long Lu, and Rajiv Gupta. Where is the weakest link? a study on security discrepancies between android apps and their website counterparts. In International Conference on Passive and Active Network Measurement, PAM'17.
 Suwen Zhu, Long Lu, and Kapil Singh. Case: Comprehensive application security enforcement on cots mobile devices. In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Mobile Systems, Applications, and Services, MobiSys'16.
 Yaohui Chen, Sebassujeen Reymondjohnson, Zhichuang Sun, and Long Lu. Shreds: Fine-grained execution units with private memory. In Proceedings of the 37th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, S&P/Oakland'16.
 Yue Chen, Zhi Wang, David Whalley, and Long Lu. Remix: On-demand live randomization. In Proceedings of the 6th ACM Conference on Data and Application Security and Privacy, CODASPY'16.
 Christopher Neasbitt, Bo Li, Roberto Perdisci, Long Lu, Kapil Singh, and Kang Li. Webcapsule: Towards a lightweight forensic engine for web browsers. In Proceedings of the 2015 ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, CCS'15.
 Byoungyoung Lee, Chengyu Song, Yeongjin Jang, Tielei Wang, Taesoo Kim, Long Lu, and Wenke Lee. Preventing use-after-free with dangling pointers nullification. In Proceedings of the 2015 Network and Distributed System Security Symposium, NDSS'15.
 Kangjie Lu, Zhichun Li, Vasileios Kemerlis, Zhenyu Wu, Long Lu, Cong Zheng, Zhiyun Qian, Wenke Lee, and Guofei Jiang. Checking more and alerting less: Detecting privacy leakages via enhanced data-flow analysis and peer voting. In Proceedings of the 2015 Network and Distributed System Security Symposium, NDSS'15.
 Byoungyoung Lee, Long Lu, Tielei Wang, Taesoo Kim, and Wenke Lee. From zygote to morula: Fortifying weakened aslr on android. In Proceedings of the 35th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, S&P/Oakland'14.
 Tielei Wang, Kangjie Lu, Long Lu, Simon Chong, and Wenke Lee. Jekyll on ios: When benign apps become evil. In Proceedings of the 22nd USENIX Security Symposium, USENIX Security'13.
 Long Lu, Zhichun Li, Zhenyu Wu, Wenke Lee, and Guofei Jiang. Chex: statically vetting android apps for component hijacking vulnerabilities. In Proceedings of the 2012 ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, CCS '12.
 Christian Seifert, Jack W Stokes, Christina Colcernian, John C Platt, and Long Lu. Robust scareware image detection. In Proceedings of the 38th International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, ICASSP '13.
 Long Lu, Roberto Perdisci, and Wenke Lee. Surf: detecting and measuring search poisoning. In Proceedings of the 18th ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, CCS '11.
 Long Lu, Vinod Yegneswaran, Phillip Porras, and Wenke Lee. Blade: an attack-agnostic approach for preventing drive-by malware infections. In Proceedings of the 17th ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, CCS '10.
 Martim Carbone, Weidong Cui, Long Lu, Wenke Lee, Marcus Peinado, and Xuxian Jiang. Mapping kernel objects to enable systematic integrity checking. In Proceedings of the 16th ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, CCS '09.


text:
Motivation or abuse? Maryland confronts football's fine line as new allegations emerge.
Four games into the Maryland football team's season, Coach DJ Durkin remains on leave. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
Rick Maese and
Rick Maese
Reporter covering a variety of subjects, including health and safety, Olympics, legal and political issues in sports
Roman Stubbs
Sports reporter
September 30, 2018 at 1:45 PM EDT
For six weeks, investigators have interviewed current and former players, parents and coaches connected with the Maryland football team, and for six weeks those investigators have filed away their notes. Those notes will help shape a highly anticipated report, which probably will determine the future of the Terrapins' program and the professional fate of DJ Durkin, its embattled head coach.
Among the things investigators have heard: multiple tales of players plunged into depression; fear and humiliation wielded as weapons; players ridiculed, taunted and pushed past their limits; extreme workouts that resulted in players vomiting and passing out; and a team divided into a group favored by coaches and another that suffered their wrath.
"I don't know if I'll be able to get back to the point that I was before I came to Maryland," former offensive lineman E.J. Donahue told The Washington Post.
"I lost my love for the game," former linebacker Gus Little said. "It wasn't a game anymore."
"What was supposed to be a dream turned into a nightmare," said Kimberly Daniels, the mother of two former Maryland players. "They feel like they lived through hell."
But while some viewed such tactics as extreme and sadistic, others saw them as motivational and appropriate for the highest level of college football.
An eight-person commission that has been overseeing an investigation into allegations of abuse, bullying and toxicity in the program is expected to wrap up its review as early as Monday. Ultimately, the commission will deliver its findings to the University System of Maryland's Board of Regents, a presentation that could happen at its next scheduled meeting Oct. 19.
The body will have to decide whether Durkin, the state's second-highest-paid employee at $2.5 million per year, was performing his job of improving the Terrapins' competitive success or whether he was, in the words of the mother of one former player, "a psychopath who thinks he is more powerful than God."
More than 175 athletes have played under Durkin at Maryland in the past 2½ years, and it's not known how many spoke with investigators. Given that, distinguishing isolated complaints from a problematic behavioral pattern is among the commission's challenges.
Those examining the program are trying to understand acceptable behavior in college athletics and whether Maryland coaches crossed a line — "which isn't easy to do," said Henry Darmstadter, a former Maryland kicker who graduated last spring and was interviewed by a commission member last month.
"College football is not like most work environments," he said.
Several parents, players — past and present — and influential boosters have publicly voiced their support for Durkin, who remains on administrative leave. Others, though, have had concerns since early in the coach's College Park tenure. One former player's mother, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so she could speak candidly, shared with The Washington Post a letter she said she sent to school officials in December 2016, warning of what she viewed as a calamitous culture and abusive behavior in the football program. That letter would have arrived nearly a year and a half before 19-year-old Jordan McNair died as a result of exertional heatstroke he suffered during a team workout.
The unsigned letter, which the mother said was hand-delivered to Maryland President Wallace D. Loh's office and emailed to others, including then-athletic director Kevin Anderson and the athletic department's medical administrators and compliance office, warned that Durkin was "orchestrating valorous suffering on the football athletes." It was perhaps prescient, saying: "The fact that he allows his coaches to psychologically, physically, and emotionally abuse the athletes is paving the way for a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit against the school and the coaches, alleging assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
"Are any of you aware or do you even care about the number of student athletes suffering from severe emotional distress because of the abusive actions of Coach Durkin?" it asked. "His actions are extreme and outrageous; intentional and reckless, and the sole cause of the emotional distress."
Jenkins: Prehistoric college football coaches are killing players. It's past time to stop them.
The mother did not know whether the commission had seen the letter or whether anything was done to address her concerns. School officials, including Loh, have said they were unaware of any abuse or bullying allegations until media outlets reported on the accusations in August.
"I have committed as President that we will take the appropriate actions based on the conclusions of the investigation," Loh said in a statement. "These allegations are upsetting and underline the importance of the independent review to ensure that all allegations are fully examined. I encourage anyone with information to contact the commission."
A school spokeswoman said Saturday that the parent's email would be shared with the commission "so that they consider it as part of the review of the culture of our football program."
"I am sad beyond belief that it took the death of one's child to actually be listened to," the mother said.
'They had favorites'
Multiple former players and parents told The Post that they have spoken with investigators in recent weeks. Some offered positive reviews of their experiences in College Park; others corroborated many of the allegations of abuse first detailed in reports last month.
According to players interviewed by The Post, the investigators followed a familiar pattern in their questioning, asking players how they felt about Durkin going on leave, walking through incidents cited in media reports, inquiring about whether they were treated fairly and whether they have any complaints about their time in College Park.
The incidents relayed by players and parents primarily involved Durkin and former strength and conditioning coach Rick Court, Durkin's first hire when he took over at Maryland in December 2015. Durkin was placed on leave Aug. 11, and Court resigned two days later after negotiating a $315,000 settlement.
Svrluga: Maryland football kicks off without answers
Neither Durkin nor Court responded to requests to comment made through representatives. Neither has spoken publicly since the first wave of allegations.
While many of most serious allegations cited by players have centered on Court, Durkin oversaw the entire program, in essence serving as its chief executive. He tied himself closely to Court, who had more face-to-face interaction with most players.
"One of the biggest, most important things to understand from this whole thing is Coach Court and Coach Durkin picked certain people," one former player told The Post on condition of anonymity out of concern for his football future. "They had favorites, and the treatment you got depended on which side of the spectrum you were on."
Players said coaches chose some players for preferential treatment while alienating others. Durkin created a "Champions Club" that included high-performing, well-regarded players, intended to serve as an incentive for the entire team.
"If you were in that, you were treated with bags of gear, great food, massages," one ex-player said. "Meanwhile, people not in the Champions Club were fed hot dogs and beans. They wanted to make a point. You were either loved or hated. If they didn't like you, you were mentally and verbally abused by Coach Court and Coach Durkin."
Another player characterized the club differently: "You had to earn [the] right to be called a champion," he said. "If you didn't get to be a champion, you just knew you had to work harder."
An initial ESPN report in August and others that followed noted that Court could be verbally and psychologically abusive, often using food as a reward, a punishment and a tool for humiliation. Among the new allegations levied by former players interviewed by The Post, many of which also were shared with commission investigators:
●After a player on a weight-loss program had a poor weigh-in, staff members sat him in a chair and called together his teammates. Court poured snacks and Rice Krispie treats over the player, multiple ex-players said. "He was fat-shaming him," said Donahue, the former lineman.
●Players say they were routinely pushed beyond their limits in workouts and then ridiculed for their struggles. "They would make a point to openly humiliate and embarrass you to the players around you and the coaches," one ex-player said. "They also had video cameras. . . . Even if you were throwing up in a trash can, that would sort of be the highlight of their film — getting the camera as close as they could up to your face and videotaping you."
●Two former players told of a 2016 weight-room incident in which a player was vomiting in a trash can following a workout. Court was speaking at the time and grew upset that he was interrupted. Court pushed the player into a refrigerator, screamed at him and tossed the trash can across the room. He then forced the player to clean the mess, the players said.
●Injured players were sequestered from teammates in an gravelly area near the practice fields called "the Pit," and Durkin referred to them as a "waste of life," a phrase some players heard as degrading but another characterized as being said "in a joking way."
A person close to Durkin said the coach told investigators that he had never called any player "a waste of life" and that "the Pit" wasn't designed to punish injured players but rather was set up to provide a safe area for individualized workouts that were customized based on the constraints of their injuries.
●During meals and in the training room, players were shown graphic videos featuring loud music, violent imagery and animals killing each other. The videos were intended to motivate the players. "There would be videos of animals eating other animals, pulling them apart," one player said. "Video segments of, like, zombies just pulling out the intestines of other people."
"A predator attacking prey," former wide receiver DeAndre Lane said. "Kind of just to get you in that mind-set: Attack, kill or be killed."
When asked to comment, Maryland Athletic Director Damon Evans said in a statement Saturday: "These allegations, if true, are unacceptable. We will not tolerate any behavior that is detrimental to the mental or physical well-being of our student-athletes. When the commission completes its charge, we will act decisively and take all actions necessary to ensure the safety of our student-athletes."
Evans also said he has recently changed the staffing structure, so the strength and conditioning coach now reports to the associate athletic director for sports performance, not the head coach.
McNair family demands apology from Maryland board of regents chair
Robert L. Caret, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, told the board of regents at its Sept. 21 meeting that the commission's review was "proceeding very quickly" and could be completed by the end of the month. That means a report could be submitted without some scathing allegations from one mother, whose sons have not been interviewed by investigators.
A mother's anguish
Kimberly Daniels, a pastor who also serves in Florida's state legislature, said her twin sons, Elijah and Elisha, had dozens of scholarship offers but felt a special connection with Durkin. They backed out of their initial commitments to the University of Minnesota, and the defensive backs signed with Maryland in January 2016. They were among Durkin's first recruits.
"They went to Maryland because of Durkin," their mother said. "They looked up to him. He called every day when they were in high school. Then things started happening, and they'd tell me: 'Mom, you don't know these people. You don't know what they do.' "
Her sons didn't tell her the extent of their College Park experiences, but Daniels said she quickly had concerns about the environment. Her sons begged her not to complain to coaches and ruffle feathers, though.
Elisha received the worst treatment, she said, as coaches tried to force him to leave the program to free up a scholarship. She said Court once slapped him and that he was often verbally berated and dressed down. Elisha once showed up at 2:08 p.m. for a meeting that started at 2:15, his mother said. Being on time at Maryland, though, meant showing up 15 minutes early. Kimberly Daniels said Elisha had a plate of food and Court "came up in his face, grabbed his plate and threw it against the wall, screaming at him."
"My son would call and say life's not worth living. . . . They took something from them," she said.
The brothers had had enough toward the end of their sophomore seasons of 2017. The last straw, their mother says, was when Elisha accidentally pocket-dialed his mother during a meeting with Durkin.
"I heard Durkin say to Elisha: 'You'll never be nothing; nobody likes you. Why don't you just leave?' — in the most horrible voice," she recalled. "That's when I got on the plane. He had one last game, and then I took my sons out of there."
She says she flew back to Florida days later with her two sons and one of their teammates — "We was escaping, literally," she said, "like we were in the Underground Railroad" — and didn't hear from the football program until June.
Feinstein: College coaches know everything that goes on in their programs
Daniels said her sons had helped host McNair during the player's recruitment and had been close with the young offensive lineman. Following McNair's death in June, she said, Durkin texted, offering to fly them in for the funeral. She wrote an email back to the entire football staff, saying: "You have a lot [of] nerves. After you blatantly abused my twins, you are offering a plane ticket to Maryland? The twins do not want me to uncover your evil, they are afraid of [you], but you will not use them to cover your sins. Stay away from my sons."
Daniels said her twins are not ready to speak to the media, but in the weeks and months that followed McNair's death, they have started to open up more about their experiences in College Park.
"I have no faith in this investigation. If they haven't called my boys or me, the investigation is botched. They don't want to hear the truth," Daniels said. "And I'll tell you this: If Durkin goes back, I will be standing in front of that school with a neon sign; I'll be on the news every day. People need to know what it was really like."
After this report posted online Sunday, the commission provided The Post with an August email that requested interviews with the Daniels twins. The email was from Charlie Scheeler, a Baltimore attorney who was appointed to the commission by Loh, and was sent to a Florida attorney representing Kimberly Daniels. That Florida attorney, who had previously warned the commission about a potential lawsuit against the university, did not respond to the request, according to the commission.
Sifting through it all
Commission members have interviewed former players — including graduates and those who left the program early — as well as current players, in addition to many parents. Some have been vocal in their support of Durkin and praised the way he has treated players.
Just last week, for example, junior running back Lorenzo Harrison III underwent season-ending surgery on his right knee. Durkin, his wife and his two children showed up to visit the player shortly after surgery.
"That just shows you," said Lorenzo Harrison Jr., the running back's father. "When you start talking about caring for a player and a family, they're family to us. It's not just a coaching thing."
Players who have defended the program and enjoyed their experiences in College Park have said what others might perceive to be abuse they felt was more motivational in nature.
"They asked if you could sum everything up in a sentence or two," Darmstadter, the former kicker, said of his interview with a commission member. "I told them, to me, a bully is someone who picks on someone or belittles someone because they can or because it makes them feel good to put them down. Coach Durkin and Court never struck me as a bully. They did things with the intent of trying to make you better.
"Court would say I'm being hard on you because, when these workouts are over, you go into camp and you have to perform if you eventually want to get on the field," he continued. "Coach Durkin would say he's being hard or yelling because of these reasons. I thought they did a good job of saying the 'why.' I wouldn't classify it as bullying. I'd classify it as an intense, competitive atmosphere where they try to foster guys to work hard, take risks and hopefully be successful on the field."
Even before the Sept. 21 release of a report focused on the circumstances around McNair's death composed by consulting firm Walters Inc., there was a growing sentiment among many close to the program that the eight-person commission will find that allegations of an unhealthy and abusive culture were overblown.
McNair report details attempts at Maryland to revamp athletes' medical care
"My understanding is that the 'toxic culture' label was said, and then it was repeated so often that it was accepted as fact, and I don't believe that they are going to find that that's the case at all," ESPN's Scott Van Pelt, a prominent Maryland alum, said on a podcast recently. "In fact, I think they'll find quite the opposite among the rank-and-file players that are there that I believe are supportive of Durkin."
Some who witnessed the behavior firsthand say early media reports misconstrued the intents of what occurred. "I just felt like people were taking it out of context with the whole death of Jordan McNair," one player who was interviewed later told The Post.
"I believe that they mishandled the Jordan situation," that player continued, "but now they are making it about the whole football program and people having to leave their jobs because of the [potential] lawsuit. I think the lawsuit should be against our trainers and the university; I don't think it should be directed to Coach Court and his training methods."
That player also said he told investigators he saw multiple instances similar to what has been reported: plates of food slapped out of players' hands, a teammate punished by being forced to eat candy bars while his teammates worked out, a painful workout in which players were punished by spending an hour on a stair-stepper machine while holding a long pipe across their shoulders — a grueling exercise known in the program as "Jesus walks."
"I mean, it was just a punishment," he said. "I don't know if that penalty necessarily fits the crime of being a few minutes late for something."
The National Athletic Trainers' Association issued guidelines in 2012, which were endorsed by several other sports and medical organizations, urging schools not to use exercise and conditioning activities as punishment. Lane, the former receiver, said "Jesus walks" was a common punishment for players who were late to meetings or workouts.
"You would put it on your back and literally walk the stairs," he said.
Several players said they felt their health was neglected by coaches and athletic trainers. Little, the former linebacker, said following one practice his body was locked up from head to toe. He still has two small scars because staff in the training room couldn't get an IV needle in his arm.
"While I'm laying there with full cramps . . . Coach Court was demoralizing me in the background," he recalled, "calling me soft, calling me a p---- b---- for laying down on the table."
Donahue said he met with Durkin in December 2016 to tell him he could no longer deal with the constant bullying. He says Durkin told him that "sounds like a great story to tell my parents on why I'm quitting."
"You know, I'm a strong person," said Donahue, who said he has seen a therapist and taken the antidepressant Wellbutrin to treat his condition. "It's just, you go through all of that, and it really wears you down eventually to the point where you just don't know what to do, especially as a teenager — like 19, 20 years old and you're dealing with that life every day and you realize that you have four more years of it."
Lane said he told investigators the team's medical staff tried sending him onto the field with a torn tendon, and on another occasion the team's head trainer, Wes Robinson, urged him to return from a concussion before he was ready. Robinson has been placed on administrative leave and has not responded to requests to comment.
"He was trying to just rush me back, telling me I was lying, telling me that I was scared to play," Lane said. "Basically trying to pressure me into coming back before I was ready."
Lane's complaints were largely reserved for the training staff, and he said the entire investigation could serve as a reckoning for the Maryland football program.
"Everything they've done in the dark comes to light," the former wide receiver said. "They would sweep a lot of things under the rug, and now the truth is coming out, and you can't really do anything about it but face the consequences."
Jesse Dougherty and Emily Giambalvo contributed to this report.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
George Washington and the Continental Congress
Paul Mellon Collection, B1981.25.644/Yale Center for British Art
(1778–1842). English artist John Varley inspired a British school of watercolor painting. Varley was an enthusiastic, charming individual who painted landscapes and taught a number of important younger artists. The author of a book about astrology, Varley became a friend of the great poet-artist William Blake. Varley's younger brother Cornelius was also a skillful draftsman and watercolor painter.
John Varley was born on August 17, 1778, in London, England. He believed that artists should draw from nature, and as a young man he made several sketching journeys to northern Wales as well as to Yorkshire, in northern England, and to western England. The scenery Varley viewed on these tours inspired his finest paintings, which all come from early in his career, such as Sunrise from the Top of Cader Iris (1804). For 20 years, beginning in 1800, he studied with Thomas Monro, who had also taught artist J.M.W. Turner. Varley had to make and sell many paintings in order to support his large family. In time he became a conventional artist, painting landscapes according to a formula, in the styles of classic painters. Late in his life he spent periods of time in debtors' prison.
A talented teacher, Varley included important younger artists—such as the Romantics Samuel Palmer, John Linnell, and William Mulready and landscape painter Peter De Wint—among his students. Varley wrote manuals on landscape design and on drawing in perspective. Beginning in 1818, he was a friend of William Blake, who drew spirits he had envisioned for Varley's sketchbooks. Varley was also an astrologer and author of Zodiacal Physiognomy (1828), which was illustrated with engravings of Blake's spirits. Varley died on November 17, 1842, in London.
On occasion John Varley used a graphic telescope to trace objects. The graphic telescope was an invention of John's younger brother Cornelius Varley (1781–1873). Th instrument reproduced scenes on a sheet of paper. Cornelius himself used it to make a drawing of Turner. Besides inventing electrical and optical items, Cornelius, like John, was a masterful landscape painter who worked in watercolors.


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text:
"The Final Countdown" is a song by Swedish rock band Europe. It was published in the world music market in 1986.
Songwriter of the song is Joey Tempest. The source of inspiration is; It is the song "Space Oddity" by David Bowie. Inspired by this song, a keyboard rifi he made in the early 1980s forms the basis of his song "The Final Countdows".
Originally made for the sole purpose of being a concert start song, this song later became the first single and album start song to be featured on the Europe group's third studio album.
The song is number one on the top hits list in 25 countries, including the UK. It is one of the pieces that brought a voice to its period.
The song with the same name as the album mostly refers to extraterrestrial life.
The final countdown lyrics
We're leavin' together
But still it's farewell
And maybe we'll come back
To Earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame
We're leaving ground (leaving ground)
Will things ever be the same again?
It's the final countdown
We're headin' for Venus (Venus)
And still we stand tall
'Cause maybe they've seen us
And welcome us all, yeah
With so many light years to go
And things to be found (to be found)
I'm sure that we all miss her so
The final countdown (final countdown)
(Oh)
The final countdown, oh
(The final countdown)
We'll all miss her so
It's the final countdown (final countdown)
Watch the final countdown video clip
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Internet marketing statistics are sobering stuff. I mean really sobering.
Did you know anywhere up to 80% of your potential customers will be using the information they get from the web to decide whether or not they do business with you?
To most consumers that doesn't extend past typing your name into a search engine and glancing over the first five to ten things that pop up – what will they see?
Go ahead and see for yourself.
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Content is simply anything and everything your business is attached to that is able to be seen or interacted with by anyone on the Internet. But think about that. There's millions and potentially billions of pieces of content out there – and not only are people over it, they look over it – mostly all of it. Content competition is fierce. There are only so many hours in the day and only so many minutes people will devote to product and service content. Whether or not your company's content is ultimately seen is whether or not your online marketing strategy is working. The only way you can get those searches executed is if content is absorbed and curiosity sets in.
What can you do? Respect the awesome power that is search engine optimization – first and foremost. Make it a personal mission to research your industry like a potential consumer would – search what they'd search for, click on the first several hits, and see what you're up against. Afterward talk with the right people and formulate a solid online marketing strategy. It's easier than you think and more important than you can imagine. 80% of your business depends on it.


Austin, TX – May 12, 2016 – SmartTouch® Interactive, an interactive real estate marketing agency and real estate marketing automation and the lead nurturing CRM solution company, today announced that Rhodes Enterprises, a visionary and largest mixed-use developer of land in the Rio Grande Valley, chose SmartTouch Interactive to help it market the two most important new developments in the Rio Grande Valley, Bentsen Palm and Tres Lagos. As part of the market launch SmartTouch Interactive was commissioned to design interactive websites for both of these cutting-edge master-planned communities.
Bentsen Palm is Rhodes Enterprises' unique 2,600 acres, master-planned conservation community featuring new homes for sale in Mission, TX that brings together four distinctive neighborhoods in an eco-friendly environment. SmartTouch worked with Rhodes Enterprises to rebrand and relaunch the Bentsen Palm community in 2015. The centerpiece of the rebrand was to heavily invest in digital marketing including redesigning the Bentsen Palm website to help the community gain further traction across its multi-generational demographics; the single family home buyer as well as the active adult and retiree looking for RV homes. The new site offers visitors both English and Spanish versions and more interactive features including, driving directions, photo galleries, virtual tour, interactive map, real-time homes for sale listings, local resource library and online rental and vacation home booking. The website, which launched on December 30, 2015, has been nominated for the Texas Association of Builders 2016 Best Developer Website.
Tres Lagos, a masterplan community featuring new homes for sale McAllen, TX, is Rhodes Enterprises newest 2,571 acres, master-planned community designed to create a state-of-the-art living experience in the Rio Grande Valley. Rhodes Enterprises selected SmartTouch Interactive to develop the full branding for this community including, logo, tagline and a pre-construction website to help drive lead generation and set the stage for the official launch of the community next July.
Rhodes Enterprises, Inc., the McAllen area real estate developer of Tres Lagos and Bentsen Palm, approaches the Rio Grande Valley's real estate market needs with a clear vision. We are keenly in tune with the Valley's past, and our goal is to serve current real estate market needs while planning for the future.


text:
1st Female Rector of Pontifical University: Women Shouldn't Have 'Conquest Mentality' in Church
For the first time in the Church's history, a woman has been appointed to head a pontifical university.
This July, the Congregation for Catholic Education, headed by Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, chose Sister Mary Melone to head the Pontifical University Antonianum, run by the Order of Friars Minor.
In a wide-ranging, exclusive interview with ZENIT in Rome this month, Sr. Mary shared her response to her appointment, what it took to get there, and challenges she faced.
In the interview, the sister speaks on whether the role of women is changing in the Vatican, what's misundedrstood, as well as how Pope Francis is advancing women in the Church. She also gives advice to other women wishing to serve in the Church and the Vatican.
Considered an expert on Saint Anthony of Padua, Sr. Mary also was the first woman to obtain a permanent position as a professor on the theology faculty of the Roman university, as well as be its first female dean, according to Vatican Insider.
Born in La Spezia in 1964, Maria Domenica, her birth name, would finish school specializing in classics. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Blessed Angelina, taking temporary vows in 1986 and perpetual vows in 1991.
She is currently president of the Italian Society for Theological Research and former head of the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences "Redemptor Hominis."
Sr. Mary has held numerous leading roles in academia, and has published many articles and essays.
ZENIT: You are the first woman ever to be rector of a Pontifical University. Can you reflect on your emotional response to this appointment? What do you believe enabled you to achieve this?
Sr. Mary: My emotional response was one of great surprise: like everyone else, I also did not believe possible my appointment. And this is not because I am a woman, but because the university is an expression of the Order of the Friars Minor, and for me it was natural that the order would want to ensure its direct management of such an important institution.
Instead, the order has demonstrated great openness toward the whole Franciscan Family, also the feminine, and great seriousness and consistency in respecting the academic criteria, according to which the university academic community votes for the rector. This openness was then shared by the Holy Sees Congregation for Catholic Education, whose duty it is to make the definitive appointment.
ZENIT: What were the greatest challenges you encountered for being female in getting where you are?
Sr. Mary: I think that, in itself, the role of the rector requires essentially academic competence, which has nothing to do with being man or woman. The challenges, in fact, regards the capacity of a university institution to open itself to our time while keeping itself anchored in its tradition. However, it is true that being a woman bears some specificities, especially in the way of accepting and addressing such challenges; it seems to me that feminine sensibility gives much importance to relations, to the traits of listening and hospitality that they must have.
ZENIT: Do you think the role of women is changing in the Vatican? Can you speak of Francis vs Benedicts efforts?
Sr. Mary: The role of woman in the Church is certainly changing, and ever more possibilities are open to her, also to cover roles of responsibility. This, in fact, is one of the most reiterated objectives by Pope Francis, who continues to request the insertion of women in the Church at all levels, recognizing her irreplaceable contribution. But the previous Pontiffs had already begun to entrust governing posts to some women. As an example for all, I would like to recall the appointment of Sister Enrica Rosanna, FMA, as under-secretary of CIVCSVA.
ZENIT: What should people realize about the role of women in the Church, that they often misunderstand?
Sr. Mary: In the main, it is necessary to recognize the great capacity of reflection and management that women have and that can be put at the service of the different ecclesial communities. I allow myself a personal reference. I am a religious and I know very well how great and significant is the number of works that women religious create and manage all over the world. They are simple and grandiose works, many are in the vanguard and many are carried forward with sacrifices and, among these works, very many ensure the cultural and intellectual formation of young people.
ZENIT: What is your personal opinion of Pope Francis and what he is doing in the Church? ... What would you tell other women who wish to advance in the Vatican or the Church? (Could you make a comparison between advancement or ceilings in the Church vs. those in the business world or other industries)
Sr. Mary: I do not think women should nourish a mentality of conquest in matters of the Church and of governing roles. This must not be our attitude: we women have always contributed to building the Church in a unique, precious and irreplaceable way, even if it is often unknown. Hence, my wish is very simple: to invest ever more in our formation and preparation, to continue to collaborate actively in the building of the Church. In this way, we will ensure ever more for ourselves the space that we merit!
[Original Text: Italian]
[Translation by ZENIT]
On ZENIT's Web page:
Article following her appointment: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/first-woman-ever-appointed-rector-of-a-pontifical-university
Ike Ndolo Sings of Human Frailty, God's Power (Video)
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Church, Lay Officials Discussing Efforts, Work to Be Done


1. Religion is scientific, not superstitious.
Traditionally speaking, religion is about what we don't see in our observable world within the observable universe. It is a hopeful view point to bring order and meaning to the unprecedented chaos that truly does exist within every facet of existence — one that extends beyond the human experience.
In this regard, Spinoza feels that religion should take no identity with false hopes, and occult traditions in an attempt to appease the unknown. Instead, religion should address the unknown with observational science, discovery, and experience. In this manner, the unknown may someday become known– not by hope, but because it has been witnessed.
Likewise, Spinoza deems it a necessity that everyone's duty to explore the world– in such a manner — ultimately progresses the nature of existence from an intellectual standpoint.
The evidence of God's existence is all around us. The remnant of matter post-creation– the Big Bang, or whatever other version of creation you agree with– is proof enough to a superior energy. It is here where Spinoza exemplifies universal existence by bridging an identity within nature.
The sheer fact that things do exist in this world at all– let alone existing under such unimaginable intricacies — shows that there must be a source to all this matter. Therefore, the very laws that govern nature and reality is all that is necessary to illustrate the concept of a God. And that is to say, that this God also exists within the very same laws that govern nature and reality itself.
To take on the old watchmaker analogy: the watch can not exist without the watchmaker. And comically enough, the intention and design of the watch can not exist outside of the order that governs it after it has already been made.
What does this mean? That the energy put into such a watch is intricate enough to keep it a watch and nothing more– at least not without any further involvement.
Spinoza's take is to get real. God doesn't care about us, but most of all, we are not special in any right. In this regard, it is irrational to think that God plays favorites across the universe. God does not care about the trivial matters of our lives, nor should he care that you prayed 300 times last year to get that 10 cent raise at work. Spinoza feels that identifying with God in this manner is highly narcissistic. Moreover, it is delusional to think that the world is willfully changing specifically for your limited and greedy earthly desires.
In the grand scheme of things, we are all one and the same. And though we do have minuscule and unique features, we are 99.9% the same— genetically speaking. These similarities are observable throughout many different people and cultures, with similarities that can be furthered across many different species. However, the differences only become exacerbated when we are taking a look in through the microscope, but in looking through a telescope— so to speak– perhaps the perspective of an omniscient force, and everything on this planet, including the planet itself is one and the same thing.
The point is, we're not as great as we think we are. Even if we were created in God's image — at least from religion's perspective — it still doesn't make us special. If each of us is a 'mini God' than the person next to us on our commute to work is also a 'mini God', and the 'mini God' next to him is also a 'mini God', and so on and so forth.
Ultimately, we are a dime a dozen that is replaceable by our next of kin, if we haven't phased ourselves out in our lifetime.
Traditionally speaking, prayers address our individual problems with the world. In them, we typically ask God for favors to change, or to avoid painful circumstances. If God exists in the orderly nature of things, then there is clearly no time to peddle with humanity's tears and sorrows. The best way to address prayer then, is to address how the world is without conspiring for changing it. In this manner, it is imperative to accept the world for the chaotically organized wonder that it is.
Perhaps our perceptions are to blame for a miserable world view, but the problem with prayer is that they are typically intrinsic. And though many people do have altruistic intentions to their prayers, the underlying —and often subconscious– motive to praying is geared to be beneficial to the so called 'prayee'.
Spinoza seemingly associates traditional prayer with a victimized undertone. As we plead with God to bring some form of relief from the perils of our world, we are asking to be alleviated from our dilemmas in miraculous fashion.
Alternatively, Spinoza would prefer an origin of prayer that builds off a complete and unadulterated worldview– one that takes existence in for what it truly is— beautifully pleasant, yet frighteningly miserable. In this perspective, we accept all the good with the bad in our existing experience, where praying takes on a documenting role vs a victimized one. The latter separates ourselves from the responsibilities of this world, while the former objectively fills in the gap of knowledge between our maker's footsteps, and that of our own. According to Spinoza, if humanity accepted this perspective, we have also accepted a life of true meaning.
Spinoza terms the meaning of our existence with these two key terms: Sub specie durationis (under the aspect of time), and Sub specie aeternitatis (under the aspect of eternity). The former is the local perspective— one that escalates our problems between ourselves — while the latter is the global perspective — the orchestration of God's balance between order and chaos.
Saving ourselves from the victimization and suffering of humanity means to accept it all– the bad along with the good. In turn, our purpose should be to rise above our localized and limited motives, and drives, and to shift it towards the global perspective of better understanding. Therefore, we can rise above our local viewpoints that often absorb our energies into this everlasting battle between good and evil.
In this sense, we struggle for happiness because of our trivially diminutive needs. Our path then– towards happiness, growth, and enlightenment — should take on a broader approach to life by taking on an understanding of the universe. This means, to take an active account of the 'projects' that God has orchestrated before us to unfold. From this, we can grow by learning and piecing together a universal understanding that also helps us better understand ourselves.
Lastly, Spinoza deems it an imperative to make more of an effort as a unified species of human. In this unity, we must take greater strides in bettering our understanding of our universe. This –and only this– is perhaps the greatest reach towards ultimate greatness, where Spinoza's definition of a life devoted towards true meaning comes alive.
We tend to deviate from the typical supreme deity that is both father-like and trivially selective, to one that is unbiased and fully intertwined within the orchestration of its own creation.
In this manner, the laws of nature — the miraculous flow between chaos and harmony existing within the underlying fabric of our existence that has remained to mysteriously unfold — is proof and essence for God.
Being as it is then, what do we do with this philosophy?
Spinoza left a beautiful impression of philosophical literature behind, and though seemingly lost in interest– aside from its utilization of study by other philosophers, and educational purposes — the irony is that his vision of change for humanity against an 'outdated' religious perspective, was never fully realized.
Instead of a nature based, and scientifically observable religion — as one that discounts the trivial intervention of God– it seems that most have kept hope alive in the traditional aspect of things where faith trumps reason.
Comically enough, this proves Spinoza's philosophy in that his hopes and expectations of humanity were never heard to be realized in his death– beacuase as you know, God doesn't deal with such matters. Alternatively perhaps, disproving his efforts– simply because, he wasn't one of God's favorites.
Next Post Reflections Of A Camino: 900+ Km On Foot From Southern France To The Western Coast Of Spain. The Trials And Tribulations Of Experience.


text:
Suscribe now FE Week
City and Islington and Westminster Kingsway Colleges set to merge in August
Alix Robertson
Wed 16th Dec 2015, 16.23
City and Islington and Westminster Kingsway Colleges have announced that they plan to "merge" from August next year.
But while the move is likely to lead to services such as human resources, marketing, finance and IT being shared, governors from both colleges confirmed that the separate identities of the two colleges will be maintained — including their individual names and brands.
A spokesperson for both colleges said that that governors from City and Islington and Westminster Kingsway met on December 9 "to consider options with respect to closer collaboration" and agreed that "merger would best serve the interests of students, staff, and employers".
Andy Wilson, principal of Westminster Kingsway College (pictured above), was asked by FE Week why they were not going down the more traditional merger route of combining brands.
He said: "It could be seen in some ways as a federation, but there is only going to be one corporation, because that's a lot more efficient way to operate.
"The problem with a federation is that you are trying to service more than one corporation which takes a lot of effort.
"So we'll have a single corporation but it will be like a group of colleges.
"We're expecting to get a single allocation. And then at the corporation level we will divide that up between the two colleges. It's early days."
Alastair Da Costa, chair of governors at City and Islington College, said: "I am delighted that the two boards have agreed to merge.
"It is a really positive and bold move which will enable us to meet the needs of Londoners and those students who travel from other parts of the South East, to benefit from the specialist training and education that both colleges deliver."
City and Islington College was rated as 'outstanding' across-the-board by Ofsted in 2008 and Westminster Kingsway received a 'good' overall rating in 2011.
Mr Wilson said: "Essentially the reason for creating a bigger college is so we can save some money on central services and move those resources into continuing to provide excellent teaching and learning and develop new income streams that we're going to require in the future."
He added that he expects services such as human resources, marketing, finance and IT to be shared once the merger has taken place, but staff numbers should remain unaffected.
The spokesperson for both colleges, however, said that "staff will benefit from a collaborative approach to curriculum development, quality and continuing professional development".
Both colleges also said that there are currently no plans to sell any of the buildings of either college.
A shadow board, consisting of governors from both colleges, will be launched in January.
It will look into appointing a chair of the new corporation and other senior management roles in early 2016.
Mr Wilson said: "There will only be one chief executive of the new college, so the shadow board will select one of us.
Sir Frank McLoughlin
"The selection will take place at the end of January or the beginning of February we hope, but we'll stay in our current positions until the merger takes place at the end of July."
Sir Frank McLoughlin, principal of City and Islington College (pictured right), said: "This is a governor led process. The shadow board of the new college will have its first meeting in early January and appoint a selection committee which will then appoint the chair of the new college.
"That chair will then join the selection panel to appoint the chief executive officer (CEO) and senior staff before the new college is formed at the start of August.
"Announcements will be made into the New Year on the appointment of the new chair and chief executive."
Based on current figures, the two colleges expect to enrol 26,500 students next academic year, and receive a combined total income of £84m.
The move comes ahead of the colleges' involvement in the London post-16 education and training area review.
The capital was one of six regions that it was announced by the Government on December 3 would be involved in the second wave of area reviews, encompassing 34 general FE colleges and 15 sixth form colleges.
Just like the seven reviews of the first wave, in which 83 colleges are being reviewed, no school sixth forms were listed.
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text:
Singles Collection 1951-62
Artist: Tommy Edwards
Genre: Soul/R & B
All 19 pop and R&B hits plus choice B-sides from the prime years of this wonderfully versatile singer (and successful songwriter). You get his MGM hits "All Over Again," "It's All in the Game" (his signature smash), "Please Mr. Sun," "My Melancholy Baby," "Please Love Me Forever," "Love Is All We Need," "The Morning Side of the Mountain," "I've Been There," "(New in) The Ways of Love," "Honestly and Truly," "Don't Fence Me In," "I Really Don't Want to Know," "It's Not the End of Everything"…142 minutes of Tommy's finest! Acrobat.
1 Once There Lived a Fool
2 A Friend of Johnny's
3 The Morning Side of the Mountain
4 Christmas Is for Children
5 It's All in the Game
6 All Over Again
7 Please, Mr. Sun
8 Forgive Me
9 My Girl
10 You Win Again
11 Sinner and Saint
12 Now and Then, There's a Fool Such As I
13 Take These Chains from My Heart
14 Baby, Baby, Baby
15 So Little Time
16 It's Christmas Once Again
17 Secret Love
18 That's All
19 Wall of Ice
20 Linger in My Arms
21 If You Would Love Me Again
22 You Walk By
23 I Have That Kind of Heart
24 Welcome to My Heart
25 Teardrop on a Rose
1 Baby, Let Me Take You Dreaming
2 My Sweetheart
3 Love Is a Child
4 My Ship
5 We're Not Children Anymore
6 It's All in the Game 1958 Version
7 Please Love Me Forever
8 Love Is All We Need
9 Mr. Music Man
10 Please, Mr. Sun 1959 Version
11 The Morning Side of the Mountain 1959 Version
12 My Melancholy Baby
13 It's Only the Good Times
14 I've Been There
15 I Looked at Heaven
16 New in the Ways of Love
17 Honestly and Truly
18 Don't Fence Me in
19 I'm Building Castles Again
20 I Really Don't Want to Know
21 It's Not the End of Everything
22 Blue Heartaches
23 Vaya Con Dios
24 The Golden Chain
25 That's the Way with Love
26 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
27 Tables Are Turning
Tommy Edwards
Title: Singles Collection 1951-62
Artist(s): Tommy Edwards
Label: Acrobat


A pattern for an edge-to-edge jacket in Supreme Cotton DK. Long or short sleeve options available.
Photographed shades: Long sleeve cardigan worked in shade 1942 Cloves. Short sleeve version in shade 1947 Sand.


text:
A State of the Fraternity Update
Dates: Jan 27 2023 - Jan 27 2023
Location: Audience: All Members
Please join us virtually for a State of the Fraternity Update on Friday, January 27 at:
6:00 p.m. Central
5:00 p.m. Mountain
4:00 p.m. Pacific
This is an opportunity for Fraternity leadership to provide an update on the current status of the Fraternity. We will also provide time for Q&A, but we ask for questions to be submitted ahead of time by sending an email to ideas@dsp.org.


text:
«Astra 2F» — европейский телекоммуникационный спутник, эксплуатируемый компанией . Космический аппарат был выведен на орбиту ракетой-носителем Ариан-5 28 сентября 2012 в 21:18 UTC.

Описание
Спутник Astra 2F был разработан компанией EADS Astrium на базе платформы Eurostar-3000. Масса спутника — 5968 кг. В качестве полезной нагрузки он несёт 12 транспондеров Ka-диапазона и 48 транспондеров Ku-диапазона. Ожидается, что спутник прослужит как минимум 15 лет.
Сразу после старта спутник был переведён во временную точку c долготой 43,6 градусов восточной долготы для проведения технических тестов, а после их окончания был переведён в свою основную точку 28,5° в. д., где и находится с 21 ноября 2012 года.

Примечания

Астра (спутники связи)
Спутники связи на геостационарной орбите

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Third Annual Affinity Bar Charity Challenge will take place Thursday, Jan. 31, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Otus Supply Co. in Ferndale.
Among the organizations taking part in the event are the Oakland County Bar Association, Women's Bar Association (Oakland County region of Women Lawyers Association of Michigan), WLAM-Wayne, WLAM-Macomb, WLAM, the Black Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association, the Arab American Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Michigan and the Hellenic Bar Association.
All tips will go to the charities selected by each respective bar association.
The association that receives the most votes will win the challenge and receive an additional donation to its charity.
All net proceeds from the event will also be split between all of the charities.
Registration can be completed by visiting www.eventbrite.com/e/affinity-bar-charity-challenge-2019-tickets-53698980095. Anyone with questions can email wbaoakland@gmail.com.
ANN ARBOR (AP) — The University of Michigan has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a lawsuit by a former employee who claims she was wrongly terminated.
MLive.com reports Tuesday that the school, through its attorney, signed a settlement on Dec. 3.
It was released following a public records request by the news organization.
Amy J. Wang alleged that she was asked by her boss to lie to federal immigration officials about the duties of another employee, whom she says shouldn't have been working in a permanent managerial job.
The other employee was a non-U.S. resident.
Spokesman Rick Fitzgerald says the university "categorically denies" the allegation that Wang was asked to lie.
He says the university discovered the visa issues on its own.
The university didn't admit liability in the settlement with Wang.


text:
Q: Python is unable to import OpenSSL I created a virtual env for a matrix home server installation on a shared hoster.
$ virtualenv -p python2.7 /home/tristank/venv/synapse
$ source /home/tristank/venv/synapse/bin/activate

I installed all the necessary dependencies and started the server but for some reason Python won't recognize Openssl. Why is that and how do I make Python pick up OpenSSL?
$ python -V
Python 2.7.3

$ python -c 'import ssl; print ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION'
OpenSSL 1.0.0-fips 29 Mar 2010

$ which openssl
~/.toast/armed/bin/openssl

$ toast status openssl
openssl
  version 1.0.2d: stored
    urls:
      https://www.openssl.org/source/openssl-1.0.2d.tar.gz
    build 1: armed

$ python -m synapse.app.homeserver \
> --server-name my.domain.name \
> --config-path homeserver.yaml \
> --generate-config
ERROR:root:Can't import 'OpenSSL' which is part of 'pyopenssl>=0.14'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/synapse/python_dependencies.py", line 90, in check_requirements
    module = __import__(module_name)
      File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/OpenSSL/__init__.py", line 8, in <module>
    from OpenSSL import rand, crypto, SSL
  File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/OpenSSL/rand.py", line 11, in <module>
    from OpenSSL._util import (
  File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/OpenSSL/_util.py", line 6, in <module>
    from cryptography.hazmat.bindings.openssl.binding import Binding
  File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/cryptography/hazmat/bindings/openssl/binding.py", line 13, in <module>
    from cryptography.hazmat.bindings._openssl import ffi, lib
ImportError: libssl.so.1.0.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/package/host/localhost/python-2.7/lib/python2.7/runpy.py", line 162, in _run_module_as_main
    "__main__", fname, loader, pkg_name)
  File "/package/host/localhost/python-2.7/lib/python2.7/runpy.py", line 72, in _run_code
    exec code in run_globals
  File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/synapse/app/homeserver.py", line 22, in <module>
    check_requirements()
  File "/home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages/synapse/python_dependencies.py", line 98, in check_requirements
    % (module_name, dependency)
synapse.python_dependencies.MissingRequirementError: Can't import 'OpenSSL' which is part of 'pyopenssl>=0.14'

$ pip install pyopenssl
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): pyopenssl in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): six>=1.5.2 in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): cryptography>=0.7 in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): setuptools in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): enum34 in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): ipaddress in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): pyasn1>=0.1.8 in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): idna>=2.0 in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): cffi>=1.1.0 in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): pycparser in /home/tristank/venv/synapse/lib/python2.7/site-packages (from cffi>=1.1.0->cryptography>=0.7->pyopenssl)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


For many parents, schools that offer full day Kindergarten programs is a blessing. Particularly for working parents. Kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to learn at an early age. This is always a good thing, right?
I noticed a great change between the Kindergarten of today and yester years. My oldest son is in college. He attended a full day K program circa approx 1998. It was wonderful experience for him. He came home daily in a great mood and learned alot. But, I recall that they also played alot as well.
My youngest, 7, started Kindergarten last year he is now in first grade. Of course, instruction is now aligned to Common Core and my youngest son is tested frequently often on the computer. Every 2 – 3 weeks the children have a unit test in fill in bubble format for math as test prep. They take computerized tests, quizzes and use Smartboards and Ipads more often than not.
My 7 year old really enjoys school, he loves his teacher and he has some very nice friends in his class. I am greatful for all those things. He comes home everyday and every day I ask him how his day was. Every day he gives me the scoop and responds that it was fine and that he learned alot and there was a lot of classwork.
But, I noticed that he rarely speaks of play. The children in my district are permitted 20 minutes for recess and 20 minutes for lunch start to finish, including seat time but thats it. All other hours of the school day is micromanaged to provide instruction and/or specials aligned to the common core.
When he was in Kindergarten, Tyler came home with a HW assignment that required him to count and write the number of "vertices" each of the shapes. Well, Im embarassed to say, I had to look that term up. He spoke of composing and decomposing numbers. He told me all about oviparus animals.
I was impressed that my Kindergartner knew all these fancy shmancy words!
He was expected to write full sentences and learned reading and writing through Fundations learning. He wrote out sentences and pages and pages throughout his Kinder year and this year is no different. First grade is twice as rigorous..
Gone are the days of coloring, ABCs, counting numbers, legos and block play.
Hello, CC test prep and touchscreens!
The Kindergarten work is certainly more "rigorous". But, with that rigor comes consequence. He is a wonderful child. But, he is often tired, moody and sometimes yes….he comes home very stressed. His lunch box comes home daily packed with food that he didnt even have time to eat.
As a parent, I notced a stark difference between the schooling my eldest child recieved and the one my youngest is embarking on. And, it makes me worry and wonder what is in store for him.
"We have to front-load education when children are young " said a Buffalo school board member regarding Kindergarten.
Cancelling Kindergarten plays to make more time for college and career readiness is a dead give away that the days of coloring, legos and block play in Kindergarten is over.
Indeed, I just wanted to share with my readers a few pictures that speak volumes about instruction in our classrooms today. The following 2 pics are from my districts Twitter feed -as you can see, this represents the new normal in Kindergarten. Dont get me wrong, I firmly believe in high standards and want my child to feel challenged, but I cant help but wonder where play fits in to education these days, or if it does at all?
What do you think when you see these pictures of the new normal in Kindergarten ?
I think its great kids are learning to code. But, in Kindergarten? What happened to imaginative play? Blocks? Legos? Drawing and coloring?
The powerful ideas found in Dr. Kamii's paper are echoed in the recent essay released by Defending the Early Years in April, 2015 called Lively Minds: Distinctions between academic versus intellectual goals for young children by Dr. Lilian G. Katz (Katz, 2015). Dr. Katz is Professor Emerita of Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign). Dr. Katz is Past President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the first President of the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children. She is an influential leader in the field of early childhood education.
In Dr. Katz's paper, she explains the importance of intellectual goals for young children and contrasts them with academic goals. Intellectual goals and their related activities are those that address the life of the mind in its fullest sense – reasoning, predicting, analyzing, questioning – and include a range of aesthetic and moral sensibilities. Academic goals, on the other hand, involve mastery of small discrete elements of disembodied information designed to prepare children for the next levels of literacy and numeracy learning. Items designed to meet academic goals rely heavily on memorization and the application of formulae versus understanding. As Dr. Katz explains, intellectual dispositions may be weakened or even damaged by excessive and premature focus on academic goals.
Indeed, a recent study by a team from the Children's Digital Media Center in Los Angeles explores what happened to a group of sixth-graders who attended a nature camp without any digital media available for five days. No cellphones, no iPhones, no laptops, no computers, and no television. As written about in the New York Times, the researchers found that the children who spent just five days without screens scored higher on tests in which they were asked to interpret the facial expressions of either people in photographs, or people in videos without sound, than did children who had no such break from technology.
Which begs the question: is all this common core and technology really good for our kids?
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises on the importance of play and believes that schools should ensure that students enjoy opportunities for play.
Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play. This report offers guidelines on how pediatricians can advocate for children by helping families, school systems, and communities consider how best to ensure that play is protected as they seek the balance in children's lives to create the optimal developmental milieu.
In 2006, Sir Ken Robinson, an author and expert on innovation and creativity in education and business, gave a TED talk titled "How Schools Kill Creativity" that became the most watched in TED's history with more than 25 million views on the TED website and more than 6 million on YouTube. If you haven't watched it, here it is.
The picture of little kindergartners forced to sit still at the computer and concentrate solely on what is happening on the screen in front of them certainly resonates with me. This cultre is most telling. Children are growing up without being provided the opportunity to simply be a child.
Which begs the question, why not let children learn through play?
TWENTY years ago, kids in preschool, kindergarten and even first and second grade spent much of their time playing: building with blocks, drawing or creating imaginary worlds, in their own heads or with classmates. But increasingly, these activities are being abandoned for the teacher-led, didactic instruction typically used in higher grades. In many schools, formal education now starts at age 4 or 5. Without this early start, the thinking goes, kids risk falling behind in crucial subjects such as reading and math, and may never catch up.
The idea seems obvious: Starting sooner means learning more; the early bird catches the worm.
But a growing group of scientists, education researchers and educators say there is little evidence that this approach improves long-term achievement; in fact, it may have the opposite effect, potentially slowing emotional and cognitive development, causing unnecessary stress and perhaps even souring kids' desire to learn.
The stakes in this debate are considerable. As the skeptics of teacher-led early learning see it, that kind of education will fail to produce people who can discover and innovate, and will merely produce people who are likely to be passive consumers of information, followers rather than inventors. Which kind of citizen do we want for the 21st century?
In the United States, more academic early education has spread rapidly in the past decade. Programs like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top have contributed to more testing and more teacher-directed instruction.
Another reason: the Common Core State Standards, a detailed set of educational guidelines meant to ensure that students reach certain benchmarks between kindergarten and 12th grade. Currently, 43 states and the District of Columbia have adopted both the math and language standards.
The shift toward didactic approaches is an attempt to solve two pressing problems.
By many measures, American educational achievement lags behind that of other countries; at the same time, millions of American students, many of them poor and from minority backgrounds, remain far below national norms. Advocates say that starting formal education earlier will help close these dual gaps.
But these moves, while well intentioned, are misguided. Several countries, including Finland and Estonia, don't start compulsory education until the age of 7. In the most recent comparison of national educational levels, the Program for International Student Assessment, both countries ranked significantly higher than the United States on math, science and reading.
Of course, these countries are smaller, less unequal and less diverse than the United States. In such circumstances, education poses fewer challenges. It's unlikely that starting school at 7 would work here: too many young kids, disadvantaged or otherwise, would probably end up watching hours of TV a day, not an activity that promotes future educational achievement. But the complexities of the task in this country don't erase a fundamental fact that overly structured classrooms do not benefit many young children.
Some research indicates that early instruction in reading and other areas may help some students, but these boosts appear to be temporary. A 2009 study by Sebastian P. Suggate, an education researcher at Alanus University in Germany, looked at about 400,000 15-year-olds in more than 50 countries and found that early school entry provided no advantage. Another study by Dr. Suggate, published in 2012, looked at a group of 83 students over several years and found that those who started at age 5 had lower reading comprehension than those who began learning later.
Other research has found that early didactic instruction might actually worsen academic performance. Rebecca A. Marcon, a psychology professor at the University of North Florida, studied 343 children who had attended a preschool class that was "academically oriented," one that encouraged "child initiated" learning, or one in between. She looked at the students' performance several years later, in third and fourth grade, and found that by the end of the fourth grade those who had received more didactic instruction earned significantly lower grades than those who had been allowed more opportunities to learn through play. Children's progress "may have been slowed by overly academic preschool experiences that introduced formalized learning experiences too early for most children's developmental status," Dr. Marcon wrote.
Over the past 20 years, scientists have come to understand much more about how children learn. Jay Giedd, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego, has spent his career studying how the human brain develops from birth through adolescence; he says most kids younger than 7 or 8 are better suited for active exploration than didactic explanation. "The trouble with over-structuring is that it discourages exploration," he says.
Reading, in particular, can't be rushed. It has been around for only about 6,000 years, so the ability to transform marks on paper into complex meaning is not pre-wired into the brain. It doesn't develop "naturally," as do other complex skills such as walking; it can be fostered, but not forced. Too often that's what schools are trying to do now. This is not to suggest that we shouldn't increase access to preschool, and improve early education for disadvantaged children. But the early education that kids get — whatever their socioeconomic background — should truly help their development. We must hope that those who make education policy will start paying attention to this science.
Reblogged this on tmgrocki's blog.


This tee is perfect for your holiday, especially if your not the vest type. This design is printed onto the front of the t-shirt with bright palm trees printed on the bottom with the INCT logo on the chest. You'll be sure to stand out wearing this tee- for all the good reasons of course.
If you've been working hard in the gym getting that summer body ready. This vest is perfect for you. Order a smaller or bigger size for your desired fit weather that be tight or baggy. The vests are true to size so your normal size should fit. This vest is very simple yet effective. Navy goes with almost anything so you will have no problem wearing this vest.
For those looking for some new tee's but can't get away from black t- shirts! This t-shirt is your perfect excuse to buy a black t- shirt with a small logo located on the left chest followed by a large Aztec design on the back of the t-shirt. Some may see this as not very summery however you might see it as a cultural t-shirt as the Aztec's originated from mexico.
This t-shirt is ideal for the summer with the palm tree design printed onto the front of the t- shirt, however because if the colour of this t shirt you could always get away with it in the winter. Do you want to showcase a NEW brand being an individual? Then this tee is perfect for you.


The Minerva Conduct is a name you are most likely not familiar with just yet, simply because the band is gearing up to launch their debut album next month. Despite this, you might recognize their talents from the Indian underground metal scene: Demonic Resurrection, Gutslit and Albatross members are responsible for the melodic and compositional side of things, handling all guitars and bass of the instrumental tunes while one Navene Koperweis of Entheos (and ex-Animals as Leaders) lays down some truly sick session drums.
This last endorsement should be enough to catch your eye and let your brain know that you're being presented with top quality material. Groove and technicality, my two favorite musical things ever, are the winning combination on today's premiere track: "Unearth". Ashwin Shriyan's stringy, pulsing bass is the perfect compliment to Prateek Rajagopal's pick-attack heavy guitars and Nishith Hegde's creamy leads. I haven't been able to hear the full album yet, but if tracks like "Unearth", "Vile" or "Exultant" are anything to go buy, this album will tear you a new space-time paradigm and then let you chill out to heal. If the opening riff to this song doesn't make your head bob, go to your nearest doctor because you most definitely have a problem.
The Minerva Conduct comes out this September 20th on Transcending Obscurity India; pre-order it digitally and/or on CD now on the band's bandcamp, grab a cool shirt while you're at it and then show the band some love on the book of faces. Tell them the Toilet sent you, they'll (hopefully) know what it means.


There's no job out there that's too large for our professional electricians. Our team has the experience and the wherewithal to take care of whatever comes up. With 220 outlets, CATV and data, you bet your industrial electrical needs are always in good hands when you choose us for service.
You're going to be thrilled with the experience and even more thrilled with the results when you work with BG Electric. Let us make sure you're up to code and give you the upgrades and updates that are going to make a difference for your industrial property.
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From a panel upgrade to an underground cable locator, our expert electricians will make sure your factory or industrial property is completely safe and sound.
Expect the best when you choose to work with the electricians at BG Electric. Our team is dedicated to providing you with the personalized service you expect and deserve. You're going to get what you need when you choose us.
Our residential and commercial electrical service is simply the best around.


Podlasie. Worth to live. Worth to be.
In the land of Podlasie giants.
We have a beautiful winter in Podlasie.
We have used today's weather and dinner time for a short trip to the area of Suprasl.
We recommend ... a little differently.


Quality venue located in the heart of the West End are recruiting for an experienced and talented Chef de Partie to join their banqueting and events team.
The Chef de Partie will have a stable background, preferably within 4/5* hotels or event catering.
You will be passionate, enthusiastic, flexible and have an eye for detail.
Usually 40 hours per week.


Dr. Robert L. Rioseco graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1991. Prior to receiving his DMD, he earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College, studying Biology and Studio Art, with a concentration in Photography. After dental school, Dr. Rioseco completed a General Practice Residency at New York Medical College in 1992.
Dr. Rioseco has also completed Masters Level training at the Rosenthal Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry at NYU. He maintains a private practice in general dentistry with a strong emphasis on cosmetic and full mouth reconstruction.
Dr. Rioseco is involved in many prominent professional organizations. In addition to being an Accredited Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (a distinction he earned in 2019), he is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and a founding former Board Member of the Empire State Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is also an active member of the American Dental Association.
In 2018, The Center for Cosmetic Dentistry was honored to receive the Best of West Harrison Award in the "Cosmetic Dentist" category. Each year the West Harrison Award Program announces the businesses that have had the greatest positive impact on the local community within their business category.
In addition to managing his practice, Dr. Rioseco is the director of the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, a teaching facility for advanced cosmetic dentistry and hands-on training in East White Plains (West Harrison), New York. His teaching interests include cosmetic dentistry, dental technology, and design in the dental office. He is also a CEREC® Mentor and team teacher at the CEREC® Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.
In his spare time, Dr. Rioseco enjoys spending time with his two children and is active in church music and fine art Photography. He has also done a couple of international medical missions, which provide care for patients in need and education for local professionals.
What Does it Mean to Be an Accredited Member of the AACD?
At the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry Dr. Rioseco's philosophy focuses on providing comprehensive diagnosis and care. For each patient, he creates a complete profile that includes all of their dental needs and desires. Next, he encourages them to choose a manageable timeline for completing the treatment plan. Sometimes a patient may opt to finish a treatment regimen very quickly, and other times it may be more feasible for them to complete it in a phased approach. After a patient's initial visit, Dr. Rioseco's ultimate goal is for them to come away with a complete assessment of their current challenges and what it will take to bring them to optimal dental health, function, and aesthetics.
Q: What are your favorite procedures or areas of dentistry?
A: I really enjoy full mouth rehabilitation and high-end aesthetic cases. These are cases where the damage is severe and the results can be the most transforming for the patient. To regain your smile is to regain confidence in yourself. These cases can be life-changing for the patient and very rewarding for me and my team.
Q: What does a typical day look like at your practice?
A: Here at the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we do all phases of general dentistry. One minute we could be performing a smile makeover with porcelain dental veneers and crowns, and the next minute we may be doing Invisalign®, checkups, or fillings for kids and adults. It's a clinical potpourri all day long!
Q: What is your favorite piece of dental technology? And why?
We have cone beam three-dimensional x-rays and CEREC® technology. With CEREC®, crowns, bridges, and implant crowns can be made in a single visit. CEREC® is definitely the best thing that ever happened in dentistry. It has all but eliminated the need for rubber impressions. Furthermore, CEREC® has significantly increased the speed with which we can finish dentistry and the accuracy of the fit and precision of our work.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with and helping patients?
A: We treat so many different folks at the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry – it's the variety of patients that come here I enjoy the most. Everyone has a story. Every case is emotional. When we can accomplish what no other dentist has been able to offer, and end up with a great result, that's the most rewarding thing of all.
Q: What are a few reasons that patients enjoy coming to see you?
A: Well, first off, it would be that I have a great team. From our front office staff to our hygienists, assistants, and our internationally known Laboratory Technician, I have chosen to surround myself with the best in the business. Next would be the fact that we have the best technology available in dentistry, but more importantly, we know how to use the machines we have to streamline patient care so that it is comfortable, fast, and painless.
Cosmetic dentists mainly focus on rejuvenating and beautifying the smile. They have extensive training in aesthetic and restorative dentistry techniques that can correct dental imperfections, replace missing teeth, repair dental damage, and improve the appearance of the entire smile. Additionally, cosmetic dentists typically provide a full range of dental care options aimed at restoring and maintaining the health of the teeth, gums, and bite.
What Does it Mean to Be an AACD-Accredited Cosmetic Dentist?
Dr. Rioseco is the only AACD-accredited cosmetic dentist in Westchester County, but what exactly does that mean? It is important to understand that the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is considered by many to be the leading cosmetic dental organization in the world. When members of the AACD want to achieve the next level of post-graduate certification offered by the professional organization, they can participate in the AACD's Accreditation Program. AACD accreditation indicates that a cosmetic dentist upholds the highest standards of knowledge, excellence, ethics, and responsible/effective treatment. Dentists at this level also embody a strong dedication to the field of cosmetic dentistry, continuing education, and providing outstanding patient care.
The strenuous accreditation process takes years to complete (it took Dr. Rioseco 11 years) and involves a written examination, required coursework, submission of clinical case studies for review, and an oral examination. When an Accreditation Candidate passes all exams, he or she becomes an Accredited Member, which is a tremendous distinction and honor in the field of cosmetic dentistry. New Accredited Members are awarded at the Annual AACD Scientific Sessions. Along with only seven other dentists, Dr. Rioseco was officially accredited at the 2019 Annual AACD Scientific Session in San Diego.
Review credentials, training, and experience – Making sure your cosmetic dentist has the expertise and education necessary to deliver top-quality care is paramount. Check website bio pages and CVs to find out answers to the following questions—How long have they been practicing? Where did they go to school? What additional cosmetic dentistry training have they undergone? Do they participate in continuing education coursework? Do they have any advanced areas of study? Are they "Fellows" or "Accredited" members of any prominent professional organizations, such as the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD)? Any national or local recognitions may also provide some helpful information.
Look at examples of their work – Before-and-after photos of patients' smile transformations are often a great indicator of a dentist's talent. While these images may not tell the whole story, they can reveal results you might find to be aesthetically pleasing and would like to achieve yourself. If you meet with a particular dentist in person, we recommend mentioning the cases that interested you to get more information about the longevity of the results, all of the work that was performed, the materials used, and more.
Learn about the dental technology they offer – Use of advanced dental technology can indicate a cosmetic dentist who is current with the latest trends in diagnostic, planning, aesthetic, and treatment tools. Many innovations in dental technology can add convenience, precision, and comfort—and improve the quality and longevity of the final results.
Check out dentists' online ratings and reviews – Insight provided by real patients on platforms such as Facebook, Google+, and Yelp can give you an honest appraisal of how they feel about their results and overall experience. We suggest reading through a variety of online ratings and reviews to get a good sense of what you can expect if you visit the practice and/or undergo treatment. Some dentists' websites may also have a page dedicated to patient testimonials you can look at.
Meet for a cosmetic dentistry consultation – Once you have found a cosmetic dentist you think could be right for you, schedule a one-on-one consultation with him or her. During this appointment, you will have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss your needs and goals, explore treatment options, learn about cost, and decide if you'd like to move forward with improving your smile. By the end of a consultation, most patients know if they have found their cosmetic dentist; however, some opt to shop around and meet with other dentists for comparison—which is completely acceptable.
Is there a certain procedure you would say you are "best" at?
Which area of dentistry have you studied the most? Have you recently attended any continuing education courses?
Are you a member of the AACD or another similar professional association?
What approach do you think will help me achieve the results I want?
Will I require any dental treatment to improve my oral health prior to any cosmetic procedures?
Can I see before-and-after photos of patients who have undergone treatment plans that are similar to one you are recommending for me?
What materials can my restorations be made out of? Do you offer high-quality porcelain and ceramic options?
How long will it take to complete my treatment plan?
Will I experience any discomfort or require any recovery? What sedation or anesthesia options do you offer?
How much will my treatment cost? Why will it cost this much?
Will my dental insurance cover all or part of this treatment?
These questions are a good place to start; however, you may want to add more specifics based on the dental challenges you are experiencing. It is important that the dentist you are meeting helps you feel comfortable and answers all your questions. Having a line of open communication with your dentist is the most productive way to establish a relationship that can produce the results you are looking for.
For more information about the dental services we offer, we encourage you to contact the Center for Cosmetic Dentistry to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rioseco.