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Yuli Edelstein.(Photo by: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Edelstein: 8200 conscientious objectors serving interests of Israel-haters
By LAHAV HARKOV
Likud minister Livnat says letter by intelligence reservists refusing to serve is a well-funded left-wing extremist campaign; Meretz calls to end "occupation," calls objectors courageous.
Conscientious objectors from the IDF's 8200 signals intelligence unit are motivated more by extreme left-wing politics than genuine concern for human rights, Likud politicians said on Sunday, two days after 43 reservists published a letter refusing orders in protest of the army's conduct in the West Bank and Gaza.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein called the letter published on Friday political, pointing to the timing of its release, after Operation Protective Edge, as problematic and saying the protesters are providing "an excellent service for those who hate Israel."
"It pains me that there are people like this among us," he said.
"This is a clearly political declaration, which is meant as an attack against the IDF, that is published when the whole world is criticizing us harshly and baselessly, in a way that shows no understanding of the reality of our lives here," the Knesset speaker wrote on Facebook.
Edelstein praised Unit 8200's work as life-saving and essential to the military's success.
"If there is reasonable and justified criticism, it should be examined, but not through mudslinging against the IDF and the State of Israel," he wrote.
"Tell me who your lawyer is, and I will tell you who you are," Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat wrote on Facebook, pointing out that the protesters are represented by attorney Michael Sfard, who also represents left-wing organizations such as B'Tselem – The Israel Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights, Peace Now and Courage to Refuse.
"Sfard represents Palestinian prisoners... He stood behind petitions against the separation barrier, represented residents of [Palestinian village near the barrier] Bil'in and petitioned for the evacuation of Migron, the Ulpana neighborhood in Beit El [both in the Binyamin region of the West Bank] and more," Livnat wrote.
The minister called the reservists' letter "nothing more than a cheap gimmick, a media spin, and cynical and manipulative use of military service for purely political ends."
According to Livnat, the way the letter was sent to the media, and the interviews the reservists gave, in addition to the fact that they are represented by Sfard, shows that this is a well-timed, well-funded political campaign.
"Don't be too surprised if we find them, together with their lawyers, signing a petition [to the High Court of Justice] against soldiers or settlers who refuse to evacuate an outpost," she added.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that "refusing orders should be condemned and using it politically by voicing false accusations is not valid."
"The IDF, including all of its units, is the most moral army in the world," Netanyahu stated at the International Cybersecurity Conference in Tel Aviv University. "It completes the missions we give it in the best way possible to ensure the security of Israeli citizens."
The prime minister added that, from years of experience working with Unit 8200, he knows that the "baseless slander" against it will not harm its essential efforts to defend Israel, and called on the unit to continue that work.
Coalition chairman Yariv Levin (Likud), who is also chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Subcommittee on Intelligence and a Unit 8200 alumnus, said he rejects all of the letter's claims.
"Military service is a privilege, and whoever refuses to help protect our country crosses the line from those who support Israeli democracy and the liberty it represents to those who support Palestinian terrorism, which attacks innocent Israeli citizens," he said.
The IDF is the most moral army in the world, and he is certain that it does not waste its resources on harming or spying on innocent civilians, Levin said.
The coalition chairman called for the army to dismiss the protesters from reserve duty immediately.
"These people don't deserve the privilege of continuing to serve in Unit 8200," he said.
Levin and opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Labor) both served in the intelligence unit in their mandatory service and reserve duty. On Saturday night, Herzog said he was "revolted" by those who wrote the letter, that Unit 8200 saves thousands of lives and that the protesters are only hurting Israeli civilians.
On Sunday, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (Hatnua) wrote on Facebook that she "opposes refusing orders whether the person is on the Right or Left. Period.
There are other, appropriate ways to voice opinions and even criticism."
Livni added that, as a member of the security cabinet, she appreciates the "life-saving information" gathered by Unit 8200 and encouraged it to continue.
Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman Ayelet Shaked called the Unit 8200 rebels "a bunch of hypocrites... who are slandering Israel in the world and acting as tools in the hands of those who seek to delegitimize Israel."
MK Shelly Yacimovich (Labor) wrote an angry status on Facebook saying the objectors' complaints "have no connection to reality."
"If you did things that were so immoral, why didn't you refuse orders in real-time? You would have refused, been put on trial, thrown out of the unit, paid a price, and lived peacefully with your conscience. That is what real conscientious objectors do," she wrote.
The Labor MK asked why the rebels said they only have a problem spying on Palestinians, and not on other fronts: "Why? Where did the terrorist attacks that killed Israelis in the last 20 years come from? From Iraq?" Yacimovich explained that she is more angry than politicians on the Right, because "with this selfish and self-righteous act, you didn't harm the country, you harmed the Zionist Left.
You didn't influence the Israeli public discourse by a millimeter. The opposite is true. With your collection of shallow and childish clichés, taking advantage of the IDF, spitting into the well from which you drank and will continue to drink your whole lives, with endless arrogance, you moved us a step back."
Meretz chairwoman Zehava Gal-On said that the Unit 8200 protesters acted bravely, making a values-based decision even though they know they are breaking the law, and are willing to pay the price.
"A government that refuses peace condemns its soldiers to face difficult moral dilemmas and carry on their consciences harm to innocent people, especially in a war between a military power and a civilian population," she said.
"Is it not time for the government to face the content [of the letter] and not be shocked and insulted?" Gal-On asked. "The soldiers are saying 'We are serving, we want to serve, but we don't want to violate human rights because of political decisions not to end the occupation. Take politics out of our service.'"


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For California, By Californians
CRC goes all in for the Golden State, providing a safe and reliable energy supply while also working to change perceptions of the oil industry
Photos: Caleb Fox
By	Alison Ver Halen
For California Resources Corporation, California and its residents come first.
The independent oil and natural gas company, also known as CRC, spun off from Occidental Petroleum Corporation and became a California pure-play with all of its operations in the state. CRC benefits from its heritage in the established corporate world, but executives knew they needed to differentiate CRC as a company keenly attuned to the state's energy and sustainability needs.
The company is making a conscious effort to prioritize issues that improve Californians' quality of life—not only for the sake of the company but also to help advance the well-being of the state's communities. One of the best ways to best align those goals is by hiring 100 percent of its workforce from California and making sure the workforce represents California's population. Industry employees in the state are 27 percent Latino, 13 percent Asian, and 6 percent African American, and CRC has plans to expand on those percentages.
Four CRC employees playing a large part in bringing this new corporate direction to life are Margita Thompson, vice president of communications; Carlos Contreras, commercial vice president; Francisco Leon, vice president of portfolio management; and Alana Sotiri, vice president of human resources. Hispanic Executive recently met with the four CRC leaders to discuss how they integrate their roles for success and work in the best interest of all Californians.
A Shift in Perspective
Margita Thompson has developed a specialty of driving unexpected change as she has jumped between the public and private sectors. She's been in the hot seat herself, having served as press secretary for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California Bush campaign in 1999 and 2000, and Lynne Cheney in the White House. She's also been an executive with Disney Consumer Products, Health Net, and served as political producer for CNN's Larry King Live. These experiences have provided her with a sound knowledge of public policy and its effect on the private sector and consumers.
"My passion point is driving connectivity between diverse stakeholders and company operations in regulated industries. I'm happiest at that intersection between public policy and the private sector," the VP of communications says.
One of the first things Thompson did on the job was discuss with CEO Todd Stevens how best to position an upstream oil and gas company in the public eye.
"As a B2B [business-to-business] commodity, upstream oil and natural gas companies haven't traditionally thought of themselves as consumer facing," Thompson says. "So I'm working internally with our leadership team to shift the culture to be one where employees and leaders know how to best connect our value to Californians."
"My passion point is driving connectivity between diverse stakeholders and company operations in regulated industries. I'm happiest at that intersection between public policy and the private sector."
Margita Thompson
To build that bridge, Thompson has developed an employee communication program to help people understand the value of the domestic oil and natural gas CRC produces for Californians, and the benefit of affordable and reliable energy.
"California is an energy island. We import 64 percent of our oil, 90 percent of our natural gas, and 34 percent of our electricity—increasingly from foreign countries that don't share our state's environmental protections," Thomson says. "The solutions lie in having those conversations, not just for the business but also with your friends and family. Because energy issues are complex, we're developing a way to show people how to navigate a conversation."
Through it all, Thompson credits her biculturalism for her ability to communicate with almost anyone.
"I think being bicultural makes it very natural to live in the nuance," Thompson says. "This is a world where people are trying to give stark choices, but as Latinos, we understand how to navigate through challenges and that there are benefits and costs to any option."
Thompson uses her ability to look at issues from multiple points of view to find common ground. That, in turn, allows her to do what she calls "speaking into people's listening," which is about getting people to actively listen, engage, and realize the ramifications of the decisions they make. This allows her to deliver on what motivates her: sparking unexpected positive change.
"That's why I really like working in this regulated environment," Thompson says. "I'm able to get to the core, identify what motivates people, and really achieve breakthroughs on issues that impact people's quality of life, economic mobility, and educational attainment."
Commercial Shake-up
One of the benefits of helping lead a new company is you get to write the definition of your role. CRC decided its commercial vice president would be "ringing the register on the way in and on the way out." That means that marketing and trading, commercial analysis, and supply chain groups all report to Carlos Contreras.
"As a new company, CRC was able to take a fresh look at how many resources were dedicated to California operations. We are doing more with less," Contreras says. Even as a smaller group, his team's scope has expanded to where they're managing multiple categories. It's a process by which they meet with the proponents on the operations side and then with our customers or vendors to negotiate the best possible price for CRC.
As the largest independent producer of oil and natural gas in California, CRC has significant leverage to negotiate the best deals with their vendors, but they also changed the way they use that leverage.
"By streamlining our practices, we've been able to negotiate significant cost savings with our vendors, even compared to the previous downturn in oil prices in 2009."
Carlos Contreras
Previously, everything was compartmentalized so that the different operations were all competing for capital and signing their own contracts. By contrast, Contreras decided to maintain a single contract with each vendor across CRC's statewide operations, which has given CRC the opportunity to negotiate lower prices and improve the bottom line.
"By streamlining our practices, we've been able to negotiate significant cost savings with our vendors, even compared to the previous downturn in oil prices in 2009," Contreras says. "That's been very important for us and is working out to be a win/win for both parties, not just for today but going into the future."
In addition to the way they negotiate contracts, Contreras also pointed out that the culture and feel of working at CRC could not be more refreshing.
"Everybody has a sense of ownership in the company," Contreras says. "They will think of a way of lowering costs. They will think of a ways of improving processes and that percolates throughout CRC."
Value Comes First
Deciding where the company should focus its resources to maximize its return on investment falls on the plate of Francisco Leon, VP of portfolio management and strategic planning.
"The oil and gas industry today is focused on production growth," Leon says. "Most upstream companies set aggressive growth targets, and the operating teams are asked to work toward getting that production no matter what the cost."
By contrast, Leon says, CRC's strategy is to place value at the forefront of decisions, rather than chasing production growth for its own sake.
Leon says that CRC's unique value proposition is threefold: providing clean and affordable energy for the state of California, generating strong returns for shareholders, and contributing to the success and prosperity of the communities where employees live and work.
"We understand California and the importance the energy we provide has for our shared future."
Francisco Leon
He notes that CRC's employees are very proud to work for an oil and natural gas company because the company puts time and effort into getting involved and helping people throughout California. This a clear result of having changed the strategy—previously they were less engaged with the public.
"We understand California and the importance the energy we provide has for our shared future. We're also collectively committed to sustainability and feel proud when our operations are recognized for conservation efforts," Leon says. "You can see us working with many charities throughout the state and donating time and money to help our local communities. It's about producing energy for California, by Californians."
Culture Challenge
Alana Sotiri started working for Occidental Petroleum right out of college, so she has an extensive background in the industry. As the new vice president of human resources, she understands the culture CRC was leaving and the opportunity to develop the entrepreneurial culture CRC needs.
"I was very fortunate to have great mentors throughout my career that really developed my appreciation for strong networks and relationships. I am still relying on this foundation at CRC today," Sotiri says.
CEO Todd Stevens saw Sotiri's natural diplomatic skills and ability to cultivate relationships with people at different levels in the company as a strategic asset. The faith Stevens has in Sotiri is critical to making a successful cultural transition across the entire company. Thanks to Sotiri's long history in working with Stevens, she has been able to introduce new programs and foster cultural innovation while strengthening her relationships with her coworkers and building trust among both the leadership and the employee base.
"In order to make sure we are going in the right direction, I really believe feedback is crucial," Sotiri says. "So I constantly seek feedback from my team members, my peers and different people in the company at all levels."
Another aspect of her focus on feedback is a culture of collaboration. Not only does this increase the good ideas she gets, but it also helps foster a sense of ownership among all the employees.
"When hiring, I want to make sure our workforce reflects the strength of California's unique diversity. It is important to us that our employees represent the communities where we live and operate."
Alana Sotiri
"When you reach out to others in your organization and solicit ideas, they're happy to give them to you," Sotiri says. "They're also going to help make sure these things happen because they believe in them; there's buy-in."
Most of all, Sotiri appreciates that her unique position has given her a chance to be innovative.
"I'm energized by the fact that I have the freedom to implement real change, to look at creative ways to solve problems, and to create opportunity for employee and company growth," she says. "Our employees, my peers, and my team have been incredibly engaged, and are an amazing resource."
To help foster even better ideas, Sotiri has been working to make sure CRC's employees reflect California's diversity. By hiring more women and people of varying races and ethnicities, Sotiri is able to access an even wider pool of experiences and perspectives to help create more opportunities for CRC and to better address the challenges faced by California.
"CRC is 'all in' in California, so I actively monitor the state's population demographics," Sotiri says. "When hiring, I want to make sure our workforce reflects the strength of California's unique diversity. It is important to us that our employees represent the communities where we live and operate. In fact, research shows that diversity of thought leads to better decisions and better bottom-line results."
Call to Action with Maribel Hines
Build a shared sense of purpose. A shared sense of purpose among team members and leadership breeds a laser focus on what matters most. Purpose fuels energy and drive, and draws people into a collective vision. CRC has a crystal clear desire to prioritize issues that improve Californians' quality of life, and this laser focus helps their management team to advance the well-being of California's diverse communities.
Create alignment around that shared purpose. Creating alignment is one of the most important roles of leadership. Whether it is starting at the management level or singularly focused on department or team alignment, it often falls to the leader to ensure the purpose is defined, clear, and communicated.
Ask Yourself: Does everyone understand your purpose?
Are the benefits as clear to others as they are to you?
Is it relevant enough for everyone in the team to want to be a part of it? (If no or not sure, reevaluate who is on your team and how their contributions can best be served.)
Is the purpose of enough significance to make it worth the effort?
Is it an aspirational, yet achievable goal that makes the time, energy, and resource investment worthwhile to the bigger picture vision of the organization?
Alignment is achieved one person at a time and through deliberate conversations, not mandates or pleas. A good leader ensures that the benefits are not only clear, but also positioned in a manner that is most relevant and meaningful to each team member.
Encourage perspective-taking. The CRC management team makes it a point to approach issues from multiple points of view to find common ground. This has contributed to their team alignment, impact, and success.
To interact effectively with other people, it helps to know their minds. One way to do that is through perspective-taking: an opportunity to imagine, honestly, the other person's point of view. While you do not literally see the world through the eyes of another, you can imagine how you would understand the world (or issue, challenge, or problem) if you were in the other person's circumstances. Good leaders make a conscious determination to not only be open to different ideas, but also to foster creativity by encouraging different perspectives. "

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


There are many cool things one can do to leverage the power of Slack – private channels, embedding various content, searching all the messages from one place, sharing files and code, using some of the many available integrations or building one yourself. In this post I will focus on the last one. I have finished such an implementation myself recently. My project was a creation of a simple Slack bot for scheduling foosball games for my teammates called Foosie. It is a Spring Boot application that I open-sourced and it is available on GitHub. In this article I will share some of the noteworthy aspects of this little project and hopefully entice you to give it a try yourself.
As with any project, it is important to start with the basics. Clarity on what is the purpose of the product you are developing and the intended use should be a center point which the whole process revolves around. Remember, you are creating an interface for your users, making it easier to access the functionality you implemented.
Depending on the way your bot communicates you should consider what drives the interaction if there is any. In case you are trying to integrate some tool you are using and want to send some statistic or results of some actions, a simple message to a channel of your choice might be just what you need. These applications are usually stateless in their nature which makes the implementation much simpler. You can go even one step further and use the code to customize your statistics. Generate a graph or some nice presentation of the data for purposes of tracking the changes over time.
However, if your application is driven by the user input or requires multiple users collaborating (like mine did) you need to consider tools provided by Slack to facilitate this. In this case, slash commands seem like a way to go. Slash commands are simple to use and they are typically bound to a URL allowing you either to GET or POST messages to the back-end system. Since there might be a plenty of slash commands already in use, you might consider prefixing your set of slash commands to make it easier for your users to find and use them.
Great thing about Slack and its documentation is that they allow you to play around with these ways of integration from documentation page itself so you can see the results in your team or channel. This should give you a good idea about what to do once you start implementing your bot. Webhooks are the simplest of the three allowing your back-end to react to certain actions from your users. Whether it is a link posted by your continuous delivery pipeline, or a query to kick off a build, webhooks are a simple way of facilitating this feature. If more verbosity is what you need, Slash commands might be worth looking into. They allow more advanced communication to take place while not forcing you to go into implementation of more robust solutions. Last of these options is a full-blown messaging API exposing the whole plethora of Slacks APIs and provides all the supported methods one can use to implement their bot (including channel, user, group, team, file and private message related operations).
When it comes to security, there are several mechanisms in place that will help you out trying to secure your bot and the communication with Slack. Communication is carried over HTTPS protocol. You can either make use of OAuth 2.0 which is supported by all the major frameworks at this point, or keep it simple and put a simple token based checks into your code. There are also some limits in terms of number of messages, how often they can be posted as well as timeouts in place guarding the integrity of the content in your channels. The level of the security should match your intended use and the sensitivity of the data being transported over the wire.
One of the most challenging aspects of bot development turned out to be testing of its feature (at least for the bot I was working on). Good news here is that since we are dealing only with a REST API calls you can leverage mocking to its full potential. I decided to go with mock-server library for my project, since I had good experience with this library from my previous projects. Building at least a semi-robust testing infrastructure proves extremely useful in cases when you have to serve large amount of users or when concurrency needs to be accounted for. I highly recommend not underestimating this step as it is really the only feasible way of assuring the quality and the behavior of your bot.
Trying to put your first bot together and seeing it work (regardless of the complexity of the operations it performs) is a great exercise. Whether you want to post a random Nicolas Cage expressions into your team channel or roll out a bot bridging your performance monitoring solution and Slack, it is a fun project to work on. I intentionally didn't include any particular code, or usage of Slacks APIs since you can find enough resources on their official documentation page. If you are curious how such an implementation might look, feel free to check out (or contribute to) my project called Foosie using Spring Boot to host foosball games. Writing your first Slack bot is not a trivial task, however it was easier than I expected it to be. And great fun too.


Gavin, csshX is great. I now smile when managing my little 10-node cluster.
Great stuff…I have a bunch of switches clustered into pairs with nearly-identical configurations on both. This makes it a breeze to keep things in sync and compare output from the whole cluster at once. Thanks!
No master at /usr/local/bin/csshX line 1179.
Any quick tip / help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for such an amazing tool. I've seen it work elsewhere.
Looks like it might be a shell related issue since it doesn't seem to understand "history -d". Could you open a ticket at http://code.google.com/p/csshx/issues/list with a few more details, such as the csshX version, the shell you are using and anything else that might be relavent.
Solution was to have a plain user shell and everything worked fine. I do avoid to read Jean Pauls' cmd-line trickery though.
As you discovered, running under sudo is not going to work. It's actually because the applescript triggers the new windows to open as the logged in user, but the communications socket is owned by root.
I'll add a check for this case, so people don't have to go through the same pain.
Hi. I've just started using csshX and I want to thank you for such a simple and wonderful script. I've just got one question.
In order to log in to several clusters I maintain, I must first ssh into a box where I can then ssh into each node within the cluster. How would I set this up within csshX? Is it possible?
Thanks again. Looking forward to showing people this application!
Glad it's working out for you Matt.
This is assuming your gateway machine is "gateway-host" and the remote servers are called something like "far-away-server-01", etc. The "Host" line is actually very flexible, it can handle multiple host names or patterns.
This all assumes you have the "nc" command available – which most OS-X's have.
I'll add this to the csshX FAQ some time.
Thanks for an awesome piece of software. I don't know what I would do without it.
problem of "No master" at csshX line 1179.: I faced same problem. I am using mac 10.6.8 and csshx .74 version.
Solution is: problem is my profile settings. I use bash not the default 'sh'. so in my home directory I have a .profile file which calls 'bash'. once I removed it, my default shell is '/bin/sh' and csshx started working fine. hope this helps.
csshX should work fine with bash, but loading it through the profile is a bit risky. If you want to use bash, or any other shell, the best way to select it on OS-X is by using "chpass -s bash" to set the default shell for your user.
Can you show an example of how to use screen_bounds in /etc/clusters and .csshrc, please. I'm stumped. An example config file would be a plus!
Hi there, first of thanks for this it's exactly what I've needed. I wanted to ask if there was a way to specify which folder you go to. Something like csshX user@remoteserver.com cd ./MYFOLDER user2@otherremoteserver.com cd ./OTHERFOLDER . Is this possible?


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Insomaniacs
Lag Guide
Custom Monsters
Server Save in
Welcome, wanderer, to the fascinating world of Peora, a customized multiplayer online role playing game. Take the role of a valorous adventurer, explore a huge realm of magic and mystery and make friends with people from all over the world! To start playing sign up for a free account and download your client. See you in Peora!
Sat, 18 Jan 2020 -
39th Update!
This is yet another small update consisting of minor repairs. As the Wizardry update is being tested, several older files are being reviewed and repaired accordingly.
After next server save, the following changes will take effect:
1. Multiple NPCs have been repaired for spelling.
2. The 3 brothers corpse graphic has been changed.
3. Several server side movement scripts have been repaired.
4. Several monsters have been updated to ensure their bags are dropping correctly. (Note: Loot rate of the monsters was not changed)
5. The damage rates of the wands available for use have been adjusted slightly. (Note: This only applies to the unique Peora rare wands)
6. The experience reward for killing the monster Lava Giant has been raised to 3000.
7. The NPC Original Knight has had his script improved.
8. Native armor, dagger, hand axe, and rapier should now be able to be sold at normal equipment NPCs.
9. Several more stone pile holes have been adjusted slightly so they match the ground area properly.
The wizardry update testing is progressing well, and the next update progress news will contain information on chest mechanics as well as some of the more technical aspects and goals of the update. In the meantime, kindly report any errors (visual or game play) and as always, best of luck in quests and have fun!
by God Evan
Thu, 9 Jan 2020 -
Update Progress News #3!
Today we will descibe the newer book system and the new (or changed) NPCs that will be introduced with the upcoming update.
Currently in Peora, Quest Tomes aside, most books function in 2 ways:
1. The book can be taken by any player; any other players searching for that particular book will need to wait for server save for it to respawn, or hope the player that took it will share it with them.
2. The book is "locked" and cannot be taken by anyone; players can only read the information of the book while standing at it.
Both of the above methods are limiting in the RPG aspect; players need to be able to accumulate information and review it often, and building their own "Quest Library" is a goal many RPG players have. Furthermore, we would like game information to be available in game; it is understood (and common for the 7x era) that players often cut and paste books, NPC dialogue, etc. onto notepad/word on their own computer, but we would like to head Peora towards a more immersive environment, reducing the need to leave the game client to puzzle over quests. Understandably this is difficult when it comes to NPC dialogue, but hopefully the new book system will function more towards this goal.
Starting with the upcoming Wizardry update, all new books installed in Peora will function as follows:
When the player finds a book and clicks on it, an exact copy of the book will appear in their backpack. The orginal book, however, will remain in game where it is, unmoveable. This gives all players an equal chance to find and read the book, and lets all players have their own copy to review anywhere in game they choose. The player only gets 1 copy of the book; should they lose it, the only way they will have to read the book is either a) return to the original book and read it there, or b) hope another player is kind enough to loan them their copy of the book. This prevents populating massive amounts of copies of books, especially ones that are rare and meant to be hard to find.
It is important to remember that this also applies to books that are not in traditional book form. For example, if a player clicks on the animal fur located on level 5 of the Proving Grounds, the book hidden there will spawn in their backpack. If the player were to lose this book, they will need to return and click on the animal fur itself to be able to re-read the book.
As for NPCs, the following will be available (or changed) in the update:
1. Lord Trebor
Having successfully deposed of King Nave, Lord Trebor now rules over Koya and constantly searchs for brave adventurers willing to take the journey to the Proving Grounds and retrieve the magical amulet. He can be found in Koya castle, and you will need to speak to him in order to access the Proving Grounds area.
2. Librarian
The famed curator of the largest collection (8) of Wizardry Tomes in one place, he resides in the Library above the Proving Grounds, to the north of the Treasury Warehouse. You will need to speak with him in order to enter the Proving Grounds maze.
3. Small Wizard
Short in stature, and shorter in dialogue, this stranger despising wizard can be found on the first floor of the Proving Grounds.
4. Maintenance Man
Found somewhere in the Proving Grounds, he provides repair and access related to devices of movement. He serves Archmage Werdna fearfully, and will likely not help anyone unless they can prove they are fully authorized.
5. Chason
One of the strongest and bravest adventurers of Peora; always off on an adventure somewhere!
6. Geralet
The finest scribe of Peora, author of many tomes throughout the land. He is often hired by groups of adventurers to record their journeys.
7. Kerlang
The original architect of the fabled Draconia. He is often hired to design or evaluate buildings, structures, and quests.
8. Several inmates, located in the new prison beneath Koya castle
9. King Nave
Deceived and deposed by Lord Trebor, he is now confined to the prison beneath Koya castle.
The next update progress news will review some new chest mechanics and other unique features of the coming update. Please note that due to the extensive testing that comes with trying to introduce so many new features and new types of functions/code, it may be some time until the next update. In the meantime, best of luck in quests and have fun!
Tue, 7 Jan 2020 -
This is a very minor update, mainly meant to ensure the death & rook system are functioning in a way that best matches Peora.
As most know, players on Peora tend to be experienced Tibia players, thus everyone skips Rookgaard and starts at level 8 in front of an Oracle, so they can choose a vocation and begin their RPG and quest focused adventure. Of course Rookgaard is an actual place in Peora, and is basically a replica of the Rookgaard of the 7x era, with a few extra Peora RPG elements added.
As there may be newer, non experienced players who would benefit from the original Rookgaard experience, the death system has been changed slightly to allow players a chance to better learn game mechanics in a safer environment.
Going forward from next server save, when a player dies to level 6 (5 deaths in a row upon login, with no experienced gained) it will be seen as a sign that the player is "Tibia inexperienced" and better game mechanic understanding is required to play Peora successfully. That same player will respawn in Rookgaard at level 1 with no vocation. The player will then need to gain experience until level 8, at which point they can speak to the Rookgaard Oracle, "re-choose" a town and vocation, and return to "mainland" Peora. The player will be unable to leave Rookgaard until they reach level 8 and choose a vocation. This will hopefully allow for the player to learn the game mechanics in a safe and "tutorial" themed environment, with the added bonus of being in a non pvp zone to be protected from players while learning. There is also the side benefit for experienced players to, should they choose, create a new character, de-level it until they spawn in Rookgaard at level 1 with no vocation, and then enjoy playing what is referred to as a "RookStayer".
Overall, hopefully this creates a more rounded and immersive experience for players. As well, although Peora has a massive over-abundance of houses, there may be a few custom Rookgaard houses added in the future to flush out the "RookStayer" experience.
1. The new death and Rookgaard system will be in effect.
2. An escape method for players accidentally trapped in Sircera trolls has been implemented.
3. The dialogue of NPC Uzgod has been repaired.
4. Several visual map errors have been repaired.
There will be another Update Progress News post soon. Kindly report any errors (visual or game play) and as always, best of luck in quests and have fun!
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© Peora. Credits.


As will be immediately obvious if you're reading this in a web browser, I've redesigned mattgemmell.com - yes, you're still in the right place!
I've wanted to change that theme for some time now, and I've finally been motived to do it by the clean, readable presentation of The Magazine, Medium, and indeed the new Loop Magazine (I wrote a piece for the inaugural issue, you know).
The header has been redesigned.
The typography is now serif-based, rather than sans.
The theme is now more responsive to varying screen sizes and devices.
I've integrated the default Octopress theme's responsive mobile navigation.
I added my footnotes popover functionality.
Purple is my favourite colour, so it's the active/hover link colour rather than the usual blue. I've kept the dark red visited-link colour, for contrast.
The header navigation has been simplified.
I've made my About page a bit briefer.
I've removed (almost) all sidebar elements, except for the one and only ad.
It should also work well on your beloved iOS devices too, as the following screenshots show. The article shown in each screenshot is Staying Afraid.
This layout uses the mobile navigation popup-menu, to avoid having lots of tiny links.
The additional horizontal space on a landscape 4-inch display allows the full navigation to be shown.
There are inevitably some rough edges, of course, and I'll be continuing to test and tweak the design over the coming weeks. I hope you'll find the new design more pleasant to read and browse.
My hope is that the cleanliness of the design will not only be more comfortable for you, the reader, but will also encourage me to improve my writing's focus, succinctness and indeed frequency. In the worst case, it'll at least look that way.
As ever, thanks for reading.


dir="ltr">With a 16.7 percent National prevalence of blindness in Nigeria, Glaucoma is responsible for 4.2 percent, the Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association Committee on Eye Health, Dr. Biyi Kufo has said.
Commemorating the International Glaucoma Week, Dr Kufo said in a statement made available to our correspondent that Glaucoma is a public health problem and it remains a leading cause of blindness worldwide.
He said, "in Nigeria, with a National prevalence of blindness of 16.7 percent , Glaucoma is responsible for 4.2 percent of that figure. In addition, management of the disease can be quite costly."
He said Glaucoma consists of a group of diseases with common characteristics which mainly affect the optic nerve, adding that the optic nerve is the nerve which connects the eye to the area of the brain responsible for the sensation of sight, he stressed that glaucoma if untreated, results in loss of optic nerve function, and irreversible blindness.
Dr. Kufo who is also a Fellow of the Medical College of Ophthalmology (FMCOPH), National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, further explained that, "most often, when we talk about Glaucoma, we are referring to its most common form, primary open angle Glaucoma, which is also sometimes called chronic open angle Glaucoma.
"It is referred to as open angle because in this condition, the angle between the transparent cornea in front of the eye and the iris, which is usually seen as dark brown inside the eye (in black people as well as in the majority of people of other races) remains open.
"In most cases Glaucoma does not present with any symptoms, until the late stages of the disease, meaning that people who have the disease often do not know until it is advanced and the vision is seriously affected. They usually then experience cloudiness which gradually worsens vision.
"When the Ophthalmologist examines patients with glaucoma, the signs of glaucoma can be seen. When there is doubt, that is, when the Ophthalmologist deems the person a suspect, there are a number of tests that can be done to establish the diagnosis," Dr Kufo explained.
The Expert say there are a number of factors which increases the possibility that a person may develop Glaucoma but a more serious factor is; a high intraocular pressure as it is more common, and often more aggressive in the black race, adding that "there is a greater chance of developing it if a person in your family has it."
Dr. Kufo said increasing in age, is another factor as some diseases such as high blood pressure increases the possibility of developing Glaucoma.
However, the expert is worried that awareness of Glaucoma in Nigeria is poor, pointing that the disease often presents late, as early detection will require screening programs which can be very expensive.
He said Glaucoma can be treated, with the use of medicines as well as with surgery. However, blindness resulting from Glaucoma is not reversible.
Management of Glaucoma on a National level, he said, should involve screening programs designed to detect the disease early and institute treatment, hence, when treatment is begun early, useful vision can usually be maintained and blindness is often prevented.
Dr. Kufo advised that, "everyone from the age of 40 years (younger if there is a family history) should have their eyes checked by an Ophthalmologist once a year. In this way, people with the disease can be detected, and treatment, which will often prevent blindness as treatment may include surgery, which has been found to be more effective in the treatment of Glaucoma than medical management alone."


For one, the British correspondent, Nile Gardner, writing in October 18th issue of The UK Telegraph, said this: �It is hard to think of a presidency in modern times that has done more damage to the United States both at home and abroad than the current one, with the possible exception of Jimmy Carter�s�.
As a Brit, Mr. Gardner can�t vote against Mr. Obama. Well, ACORN could probably �fix� that; however, that would be counterproductive for ACORN which is unlikely to go against Mr. Obama, ACORN�s former legal counsel.
Of possible interest to the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) crowd is this quote: �Wall Street has moved to K Street,� said Barbara Lang, president and CEO of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce. K Street is the Washington street that houses D.C.�s most prominent lobbying firms. �Those two industries [Wall Street and lobbying] clearly have grown in our city,� said Lang. Advice to OWS: Decamp from Wall Street in NYC and move to D.C.�s K Street.
Also, in fairness to Mr. Obama, please note that his political party only took control of Congress for the last two years of the Bush Administration. Obviously, those two years of Democrat control of Congress under Bush and the control the Democrats have had under Mr. Obama (with the exception of the GOP grabbing control of the House in 2010), have not given Mr. Obama and his party sufficient time to accomplish what he set out to accomplish.
But, if Mr. Obama intended to do all the things Mr. Nile Gardner says he has done in Mr. Obama�s first 1,000 days in office, then Mr. Obama�s time in office has been a roaring success. If not, then that�s a different story.
So, what�s wrong with the D.C. area becoming more prosperous than Silicon Valley? Consider what those computer gurus in Silicon Valley produce. They produce innovative products that enhance economic development and create all kinds of jobs. What do they produce in D.C.? Tons and tons of paper (paper trash is now America�s leading export product) bearing zillions of pages of economy-crippling regulations. Take your pick.


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Home > Latest Sports > Oceania > PNG > Sports News > Fallen Giants will return even stronger next season, insists PNG International Jason Chan
Fallen Giants will return even stronger next season, insists PNG International Jason Chan
Saturday, September 28, 2013 Latest Sports, Oceania, PNG, Sports News
HUDDERSFIELD Giants second-row Jason Chan believes the squad can be proud of their achievements this year despite missing out on a maiden Grand Final.
The West Yorkshire club lifted the League Leaders' Shield after finishing top for the first time since 1932 but, vitally, fell just one step from Old Trafford when they lost 30-22 in Thursday's tense play-off semi-final at Warrington.
There was no disgrace in that performance, though, as Paul Anderson's side pushed last season's beaten finalists – who had caused a stir by going against convention and selecting the highest-ranked team at ClubCall – right until the end.
"I wouldn't say it was a great game as we didn't win but we tried to dig in there," Chan told the Yorkshire Post.
"We didn't get the bounce of the ball and we made a few bad decisions on kick plays – they got three tries and 18 points from those and we're better than that.
"Overall I thought we played all right, though, and we held our own.
"We just need to defuse those kicks but we are improving," he said
Anderson transformed Huddersfield from a seventh-place finish in 2012 to top in his debut season as a head coach after being promoted from assistant and there is a real belief they will go further again in 2014.
"We're retaining most of our squad and Baloo (Anderson) has got Stuey (Fielden) coming in on the coaching staff so he'll fix up a lot of our wrestling and defence," added Australian-born Chan, with Warrington's pack crucially winning the ruck too often at Halliwell Jones Stadium.
"We're going to just keep on improving. I think we have over the last couple of years let alone thinking about how strong we could be next year.
"We've got the talent, we've got the squad, we've got the coaching, the fans and the backing of (owner) Ken (Davy) and the club.
"I think we're going to be fighting at the top."
Losing their first play-off at home to Wigan Warriors, which cost them ClubCall and a home semi, could be seen as the critical point in their downfall.
It meant – after vanquishing Hull FC 76-18 in a sudden-death tie – they were at the mercy of going to the only side they have failed to defeat this term, a confident Warrington who have now beaten them in their last nine meetings.
But Chan, 29, insisted: "I preferred how it happened.
"I hated losing to Wigan and what not but I think a week off wouldn't have done us any justice. The Hull win gave us a bit more confidence and ironed out a few errors in our game.
"We'd ironed them out in training and took Hull down really convincingly.
"I thought we then played okay against Warrington but we just didn't come away with the win."
The strong-running former Crusaders forward was impressed by Huddersfield's rookie full-back Jake Connor, the 18-year-old who acquitted himself brilliantly in only his second senior appearance after Scott Grix failed a fitness test.
He scored a well-taken try and was authoritative throughout especially given the magnitude of the contest.
While Huddersfield are soon set to announce the capture of Salford City Reds winger Jodie Broughton and London Broncos' Australian back-row Chris Bailey for 2014, Connor's display pointed at the rich homegrown talent being nurtured too.
"I really rate him," admitted Chan, who is now preparing to head to Papua New Guinea for the Kumuls' World Cup training camp.
"I knew he was going to go well. He's just one of those natural players who looks like he's not even trying.
"He eats up the ball when it's up in the air. I don't know how he does it.
"He's safe as houses," added Chan.
"He took his eye off one near the end – one of the easier kicks – but I think he was already looking at a gap or something!
"Jake ate up all the hard bombs though and before the game I told him to talk.
"He was ripping in to the boys talking from the back and that's what a young full-back needs to do.
"He's got plenty of potential; he's going to learn and be a great player in the future.
"It was touch and go with Grixy. He was running around during the week and I didn't even really know (if he was going to play)," he said.
"He was trying to train with us and I think it was Baloo's call at the last minute with the physio.
"But Jake came in and held his own."
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Blue Swan Daily > Istanbul
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From Istanbul's 'other airport' to its 'city' airport, Sabiha Gökçen seeks to stand out in Turkey
With the opening of a new domestic terminal, Turkey's Sabiha Gökçen airport is now positioning itself as 'Istanbul's City Airport'. The new slogan can be…..
The billion dollar airport rental – new Istanbul airport operator set to pay almost USD1 billion a year in rent!
Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan has reported Istanbul airport operator IGA Havalimani Isletmesi AS will pay the Turkish state EUR822…..
Airport Arrivals – the top five most anticipated airport openings in 2019
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Istanbul becomes the eighth global city to join the 100 million passenger per annum club
At this time last year The Blue Swan Daily reported that in 2017 Paris had joined the exclusive club of cities whose airports collectively handle…..
New Istanbul Airport on schedule for October opening, but the ORAT needs to be spot on and worker deaths mar preparations
The opening of the new Istanbul Airport later this year will impact air travel for passengers across all parts of the world with its anchor…..
Airport Insight: Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
As we see more examples of airlines entering the airport business, we question… Is this the start of a new phenomenon?
In the last month we have seen stories of one airline officially opening its own passenger terminal while another – a very large one at…..
Turkey on track to meet aspiration for all of its citizens to be within 100 km of an airport by 2023
Turkey's Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ahmet Arslan says there are 55 operational airports in Turkey, and that 90% of citizens can reach an…..
Airport Insight: Istanbul Ataturk Airport
Air and rail in harmony – new calls in major European cities for high-speed rail access to airports
Three separate announcements made this week underline the growing importance of the co-operation between air and rail services, with high-speed rail (HSR) invited to provide…..


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oman flag
When is Oman a 'state'?
hsbc oman
oman pronunciation
wadi shab oman
By JEREMY E. MCCLINTICTSHUB, Associated PressThe word Oman means "state" in Arabic, but there are no official names for the Islamic Republic.Oman's ruler, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has declared it the country's "state."But in practice, it's a bit...
Oman's Empress Cafe: Oman Leader: We won't give up
empress cafe oman
oman leader
Empress cafe Oman's empress has said that the country's armed forces will remain vigilant over its sovereignty and will not give up its independence, a defiant statement from the countrys leader.In an interview with Oman news channel al-Ahram, Sheikh...
How you can buy the best orthodosities in Oman
lamborghini oman
omana orthodontics
Oman has become a top tourist destination for expats, with a new list of its best orthosis options.Omani orthodists have released their first list of the best omani brands to buy in the Gulf Arab country, and it's no...
What is the Oman National Flag?
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Posted October 10, 2018 07:22:00 In a country where many people are still unaware of the Omen National Flag, the country's flag has long been used by people in Oman to denote their nation's independence and territorial integrity.It's the...
Which nations are the best to be a soccer fan in?
The best soccer fans in the world are almost always located in the South of the country, and it's no surprise to see them there, either.For example, the UAE is the only nation with a strong fanbase in the...


Magnifying mirrors are essential for perfecting your grooming routine. We also offer many workholding clamps machine guards and task lighting. Toilettree products now has a deluxe fogless shower mirror that is 20 larger than our original and is illuminated by led lights.
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Member Chad Choate was sworn in to Seat 4 on Monday at the regular meeting of the Marlow Board of Education. Choate had been appointed to fill the seat after a previous member resigned in January. Choate is a 1995 graduate of Marlow High School.
Superintendent George Coffman reported that Marlow Public Schools are "at a pretty good point for expenses," but reminded the Board that with three months of revenue still to come this year, there are four months of expenses to cover. He also told the board that MPS had once again been accredited and had no deficiencies.
High School Principal Bryan Brantley was not present, but Coffman delivered his report. In it, Brantley celebrated the recent success of the High School Speech team, which had just won the second state championship in a row for class 4A. The speech team was also the State Academic Runner-Up with a grade point average of 3.81.
Marlow Middle School principal Ross Ridge reminded the Board about the upcoming Middle School Band concert, and reported that pre-enrollment for High School is scheduled for April 29.
Kim Kizarr, Marlow Elementary School principal, thanked the middle school staff for their assistance with setting up online testing, and credited the push notifications sent out for the near-perfect attendance during test weeks. She also advised the Board that Pre-K enrollment would begin soon. The PTO carnival is this Thursday, April 11 from 5pm-8pm.
In other business, the Board accepted the resignations of science teacher Taylor Schooling, who is relocating to Alaska, and Robin Johnston, who is retiring from the custodial staff.
After an Executive Session, the Board voted to approve contracts for Brantley, Ridge, Kizarr, Assistant High School Principal Jeremy Gage, Assistant Middle School Principal Chad Gilbert, and Athletic Director/Assistant Elementary Principal Kirk Harris, all for the 2019-2020 school year. The contract for Brenda Parker-Tillian, who has served as Federal Programs, District Testing and Curriculum Director for several years, was approved with a title change to Assistant Superintendent.
Approved the contract with Angel, Johnston, & Blasingame in the amount of $9,600 to provide treasurer's services for the 2019-2020 school year.
Also passed was a resolution setting the date, time, and place for the sale of the $1,010,000.00 General Obligation Building Bonds of the school district. The bonds will be sold on April 29, 2019 at 1pm at Marlow Public School administration office, 407 W Seminole.


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Home >> Encyclopedia Americana, Volume 23 >> Runes to The Lock Rape Of >> Russell_4
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RUSSELL, William Eustis, American lawyer and political leader : b. Cambridge, Mass., 6 Jan. 1857; d. Little Palos, Quebec, Canada, 16 July 1896. He was graduated from Harvard in 1877, and from the Boston Univer sity Law School in 1879, winning the Lawrence prize for the best legal essay. He was ad mitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1880 and began the practice of law with his father's firm. He also became an active member of the Democraticparty; was elected to the common council of Cambridge in 1881, to the board of aldermen in 1883 and 1884; and was mayor of the city 1885-82. His efficient administra tion as mayor, and his effective campaign speeches during the Presidential campaign of 1884, had made him a prominent figure in State politics, and in 1888 he was the Democratic nominee for governor. He was defeated in that year and again in 1889, but in 1890 was elected and twice re-elected in 1891 and 1892. He took an active part in all his gubernatorial campaigns, making numerous speeches in all parts of the State. His election as governor for three suc cessive years was a remarkable testimony to his personal integrity and popularity, as the ma jority of the legislature and the State officials were Republicans. ,Several laws were passed on
his recommendation, including a measure to reg ulate the lobby, and a law 'abolishing the prop erty qualification for goveinor and the poll tax. At the close of his term he resumed the prac tice of law, and in 1894 was appointed a mem ber of the board of Indian commissioners. In 1896 he was one of the most active opponents of the adoption of the free silver platform at the Democratic National Convention, and dis tinguished himself by a remarkable speech pleading for a return to the original principles of the lDemocracy; he was prominently men tioned as a candidate for the presidency by those who favored the gold standard. His death occurred suddenly, shortly after the con vention, and was thought to be due largely to the strain he had undergone at that time.
From "Encyclopedia Americana" by The Encyclopedia Americana Corporation (1918)


WEST BARNSTABLE – The new Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Cape Cod Community College which gets underway in January will be on display today at the college.
The school is holding an Aviation and Engineering Expo in the gymnasium from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will showcase the school's programs along with more than 11 vendors including manufacturers, equipment dealers and distributors.
Prospective employers from the region will also be at the expo.
"I'm not sure the public understands at all the amount of very high-tech work and very specialized work that is done around us and the kind of employees they really need," said Gross.
The Aviation Maintenance Technology program will provide immediate opportunities for students to get jobs that start at $50,000 to $60,000 a year, according to Gross.
Hundreds of high school and middle school students will be attending the expo which is free and open to the public.
A Massachusetts State Police helicopter will be landing on the soccer field on campus around 10:30 a.m. and will be on display for about an hour.
The Aviation Maintenance Technology program is more than 60 percent funded from two federal grants including a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and an award for just under $900,000 from the National Science Foundation. A state appropriation of $1.95 million dollars funds the remainder of the program.


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Active Directory auditing: What it entails and how to implement it effectively
Post author:Written By Matthew Vinton Post published:February 1, 2022
Active Directory auditing is essential for one simple reason: Active Directory (AD) controls the keys to your IT kingdom. Without solid Active Directory auditing, your organization is at increased risk of costly security breaches, business disruptions and compliance failures.
But exactly what is involved in truly effective Active Directory auditing, and how can you achieve it without overburdening your limited IT resources or blowing your budget? This blog provides the answers you need.
What is Active Directory auditing and why it is important?
Active Directory stores critical data about your users and computers and their permissions, and provides crucial authentication and authorization services that control access to your IT ecosystem and its resources. Moreover, Active Directory Group Policy enables centralized management of users and computers, controlling everything from Windows updates to password requirements to allowed authentication protocols.
Therefore, it's not hyperbole to say that keeping Active Directory healthy and secure is vital to your business itself. Just one improper deletion of a user account, errant change to group membership or unauthorized modification of Group Policy could lead to costly consequences: a security breach, data loss, business disruptions, compliance penalties and more.
Effective Active Directory auditing is the key to avoiding those unpleasant outcomes. For example, being able to promptly spot unusual activity by a privileged account or a spike in account lockouts can mean the difference between blocking an attack and suffering a serious security incident. Key components of a solid Active Directory auditing strategy include:
Complete and timely data collection — Having all the relevant details at hand immediately is essential for promptly spotting, investigating and responding to threats. In particular, it's important to have the five Ws for each event: who, what, when, where and originating workstation.
Data normalization — Having data from various sources standardized into a common format speeds incident detection and investigation.
Correlation and analysis — Because modern IT ecosystems are complex and dynamic, making sense of what's happening can be very challenging. To be able to identify true threats in the vast ocean of activity, IT pros need to be able to quickly and accurately correlate and analyze activity across systems, for example, to understand what a particular user is doing and how much of a threat they pose.
Clear and efficient reporting — To be able to properly audit Active Directory, IT pros need to be able to quickly create easy-to-understand reports on a wide range of topics: effective permissions, domain controller configuration, GPO changes and much more.
Real-time alerting — Knowing about threats promptly is critical to containing the damage. Ideally, alerts should be paired with proactive measures, such as prevention of changes to critical objects and automated response to known threat patterns, such as disabling an account that exhibits behavior associated with ransomware.
Does Active Directory auditing matter in a hybrid environment?
Yes! Many organizations today use a hybrid model in which their on-premises Active Directory is synched to the cloud using Azure AD Connect. In those situations, improper changes or activity in Active Directory can definitely impact not just your on-prem environment but your cloud IT ecosystem as well.
Examples are easy to come by. If a user account is deleted from your on-prem AD, that deletion will be synched to the cloud, and the user's Azure AD account will soon also cease to exist, leaving them unable to access SharePoint Online, Teams and so on. A successful on-prem password spraying attack can enable attackers to gain a foothold in Azure AD. And an on-prem service account that is made hybrid can be used to compromise Azure AD. Effective Active Directory auditing can help you spot these unwanted events and take action before you suffer business disruption or a breach.
So, how do I enable Active Directory auditing?
Starting in Windows 2000, Microsoft has offered nine basic audit settings (Local Policies\Audit Policy), and those settings continue to be available. However, advanced audit policy settings were introduced in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (Security Settings\Advanced Audit Policy Configuration); using the 53 advanced policy settings, you can define a much more granular audit policy.
Important: Microsoft advises not to use both the basic audit policy settings and the advanced settings, since doing so can cause "unexpected results" in audit reporting.
You can access the advanced audit policy settings through the Local Security Policy snap-in (secpol.msc) on the local device or by using Group Policy. The advanced audit policy settings are divided into the following categories:
Account Logon
Detailed Tracking
DS Access
Logon/Logoff
Object Access
Privilege Use
Global Object Access Auditing
What data should be included in an Active Directory auditing strategy?
Because organizations have different priorities and strategies, there is no definitive list of specific things you need to include in your Active Directory auditing. However, the overarching goal is to spot activity that could be a threat to your organization, which means watching for activity that could have serious repercussions, falls outside of your normal baseline or violates your established policies. At the same time, alert fatigue is a very real risk, so you need to ensure you're focusing on the small subset of events that truly matter in the vast sea of activity occurring in your IT environment every day.
For example, changes to powerful administrative groups like Enterprise Admins are inherently risky, and they are also normally quite infrequent. Therefore, it might make sense to closely audit every change to those groups. Other groups, like those created to ensure consistent provisioning of teams in various departments, might warrant more nuanced auditing, with alerts on only truly unusual modifications. Similarly, your IT teams would probably quickly be swamped if they needed to look into every deletion of content from your file shares, but a spike in file deletions is definitely worth auditing, since it could indicate ransomware or another attack in progress.
At a high level, here are some of the key things you want to include in the scope of your Active Directory auditing:
Changes to Group Policy — A single improper change to a Group Policy object (GPO) can open a huge gap in your security posture, for example, by allowing unlimited attempts to guess an account password, enabling use of the command prompt on users' devices, or allowing unidentified users on remote computers to connect to a network share.
Changes to privileged groups — Membership in Active Directory's built-in privileged groups, such as Enterprise Admins or Domain Admins, gives a user enormous power in the environment. Most organizations also create their own privileged groups to administer highly sensitive data or applications. Clearly, it's essential to monitor any changes to the membership or rights of any of these groups.
Activity of privileged accounts — Of course, it's not enough to monitor privileged groups themselves; you also need to audit what members of those groups are actually doing. Administrators can accidentally or deliberately misuse their accounts to cause serious damage to your organization. Moreover, privileged accounts are a prime target for takeover by attackers. In addition to user accounts, be sure to keep a close eye on all service accounts that have elevated rights.
User account lockouts — User account lockouts can bring critical business processes to a halt. Moreover, a surge in account lockouts can be a sign of a brute-force attack on your network.
Creation of new user accounts — The creation of a new Active Directory user account opens up a lot of access doors to your IT environment, including your cloud resources if you're synching your on-premises AD to Azure AD.
Domain controller changes — Domain controllers (DCs) are where Active Directory actually runs. Improper changes can lead to slow logons, poor performance and even catastrophic outages. Moreover, DCs store the critical NTDS.dit file, which records critical AD data, including your users, groups, computers, password hashes and directory configuration, so you need to watch for attempts to exfiltrate it.
Active Directory logon activity — Tracking user logon/logoff activity is essential for both security and compliance. It's also important to be able to monitor use of the older and riskier NTLM authentication protocol, as well as to be able to spot attempts to exploit Kerberos vulnerabilities, which can indicate Golden Ticket and Pass-the-Ticket attacks.
Azure AD sign-ins — If you have a hybrid environment, you'll also need to track Azure AD sign-in activity. Ideally, you want easy correlation that empowers you to understand all the logon and sign-in activity across your on-prem and cloud IT ecosystem.
Azure AD role changes — Azure AD roles, such as Global Administrator, Conditional Access Administrator and Teams Administrator, empower users to manage critical Azure AD resources. Turning on Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all users who are assigned to these roles is a best practice, but it's not sufficient; you also need to keep a close eye on changes to Azure AD roles in case rogue admins or hackers try to claim them to escalate their privileges.
Microsoft provides guidance on how to implement specific advanced audit policy settings to collect the Active Directory auditing data you need.
Are the native auditing tools sufficient?
Microsoft does provide useful Active Directory auditing capabilities. Because they are free, they are widely used. However, they have limitations in all three areas described above: data collection; data normalization, correlation and analysis; and reporting and alerting. Here are some of the key drawbacks:
Audit logs are very decentralized. To get an accurate picture of Active Directory activity, administrators must analyze the Security event log on each domain controller where auditing is enabled.
Audit logs are incomplete. Critical aspects of Active Directory, such as Group Policy, are either partially audited or not audited at all. For example, the native event logs record that a GPO was modified but do not capture which specific settings were changed.
The log data can be noisy and hard to interpret. Events often contain irrelevant or obfuscated information, such as GUIDs rather than recognizable object names. Plus, a single audited event can generate multiple events in the log.
Log data can be short-lived. Directory auditing information is written into the Security event log, which is highly active and regularly overwritten.
The Event Viewer is limited. You can review the data collected by your Active Directory auditing policy using the Windows Event Viewer. You can filter the events, but only by certain set criteria, such as time period, source, ID, user and computer. To make use of any other data in the event entries, you'll need to spend time building an XML query. You can also use PowerShell to explore the audit data; of course, that option also requires significant time and expertise.
Reporting and alerting are limited. With native tools, alerting is inconsistent across on-premises and cloud workloads, inflexible, and difficult to set up.
Understanding a hybrid environment requires manual correlation. As explained earlier, Active Directory can affect Azure Active Directory, so it's essential to understand activity across the entire IT ecosystem. With native options, this typically requires manually trying to correlate activity from two different auditing systems: the Active Directory domain controller logs and the Microsoft 365 audit stream.
Can a SIEM help with Active Directory auditing?
Security information and event management (SIEM) tools, such as Splunk and Microsoft Azure Sentinel, are powerful systems designed to aggregate and analyze security data from many different sources. For example, they can often accept and correlate data from network devices, low-level endpoint auditing tools like Sysmon, on-premises Active Directory audit logs, and data about activity in the Microsoft 365 platform.
However, SIEM systems can be very expensive, complex to configure and challenging to operate. Moreover, in larger organizations, they are often managed exclusively by security teams, so AD administrators have little or no access to the data.
In additional, SIEM systems aggregate and analyze security events, but they don't produce them. As a result, they suffer from the same noise issues and blind spots inherent in native Active Directory auditing.
Are there other options for Active Directory auditing?
Yes! Many organizations choose to invest in a purpose-built solution for Active Directory auditing. These systems often produce independent audit information from on-premises Active Directory in order to overcome the gaps in native audit data collection. For example, they can provide details about the before and after values for changes, and pinpoint users or applications that are still using the older NTLM protocol so you can configure them to use the stronger Kerberos protocol instead.
In addition, third-party solutions often provide prebuilt dashboards and reports that simplify the job of staying on top of activity, as well as easy-to-configure alerts that notify you about suspicious activity in real time. Many enable you to quickly roll back unwanted changes to close security gaps and avoid business disruptions. Some solutions even empower you to proactively prevent changes to your most critical AD objects, such as powerful groups like Domain Admins.
Organizations with a hybrid IT environment will want to look for a solution that can ingest audit events from both on-premises Active Directory logs and the Microsoft 365 unified audit log, normalize and combine them into a single audit stream, and deliver a unified view of the entire IT ecosystem.
Moreover, third-party solutions can also help you avoid alert fatigue and quickly hone in on true threats to your business. For instance, in today's highly dynamic organizations, new employees might be hired every day. You don't want to waste valuable IT team time checking into every new account — but it's vital to spot the creation of a rogue backdoor account. With a third-party solution, you may be able to create an alert that excludes the legitimate activity of the service account tasked with provisioning work, instantly focusing your attention on suspicious user account creation.
Finally, if you use a purpose-built Active Directory auditing solution, make sure you can ensure that the tool itself is not compromised or misused. For example, you don't want a malicious actor who gains access to the tool's administrative account to be able to make changes to your IT ecosystem and then cover their tracks by altering or erasing the records in your auditing solution. Therefore, make sure the solution you choose has solid defenses, including a clear log of all logins to the system, all changes to its configuration or operation, and all attempts to purge records.
Active Directory auditing is a multi-faceted challenge, but it's absolutely essential to security, business continuity, user productivity, regulatory compliance and other critical business goals. While Microsoft provides valuable free Active Directory auditing capabilities, investing in the right third-party solution can pay for itself by saving valuable IT team time while enabling far better and faster threat detection that helps the business avoid breaches, downtime and compliance penalties.
Tags: Active Directory auditing, Azure Active Directory auditing, Azure AD Connect, Business Continuity, Compliance, Cybersecurity, Group Policy, Microsoft Platform Management, Office 365 Management
Matthew Vinton
Matthew Vinton is a pre-sales engineer at Quest Software serving Quest's largest accounts. Matthew specializes in Microsoft platform management, specifically migrating, managing, and securing workloads both on premises and in the cloud. Prior to joining Quest, Matthew was a consultant for over thirteen years in the Microsoft platform technology space where he specialized in Active Directory engineering and migration, Microsoft messaging, unified communications and endpoint management platforms.
The top activities to track when auditing Active Directory
By Ian Lindsay
Learn why auditing Active Directory is vital to security and business continuity, and what types of activity to track.
Password spraying, credential stuffing, brute force attacks: What you need to know
Password spraying, credential stuffing, brute force attacks—the similarities extend beyond their names. Learn how they work and how to prevent them.
What is Active Directory? Part 5: Active Directory reporting
In Part 5 of our "What is AD?" series, we'll dig deeper into Active Directory reporting and what is needed for great visibility into your AD environment.


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Auburn Crime
Vocational school teacher arrested for firing handgun in Auburn yard
Police say the man's four juvenile children were "freely running" around the residence when they arrived on the scene.
Auburn Cities & Towns Crime Worcester
Former Auburn elementary school music teacher heads to jail for raping student
During sentencing, the Assistant District Attorney said the defendant continually exploited the vulnerabilities of an 11-year-old girl by using a position of trust and an institution that upholds it, as a platform of predation.
Former Auburn elementary school music teacher found guilty of raping a student over a decade ago
The Worcester District Attorney's Office said he was found guilty on all charges for the rapes, which took place in his classroom from 2009 to 2010.
Alleged rape victim of former Auburn elementary music teacher takes the stand again Tuesday
The defense attorney questions the credibility of the accuser, who has known mental health issues that make it difficult for her to accurately interpret external events and memories of the past.


Our Blog /2018 /March /Do I Need to Repair or Replace My Air Conditioner?
Do I Need to Repair or Replace My Air Conditioner?
As summer approaches, it is important to prepare your air conditioner and have it inspected and repaired if necessary. Having it break down during the hot summer days is inconvenient, and could put you at risk for poor indoor air quality and respiratory problems. That is why we provide Los Angeles air conditioning installation and repair services to meet your needs. We will inspect the system and discuss whether repairing it or replacing it would provide the greatest benefit.
The $5,000 rule is a trick to help you decide whether repairing or replacing your air conditioner is more affordable. If the age of your system multiplied by the cost to repair it is greater than $5,000 (the average cost to replace an air conditioner), then you should go ahead and replace it. However, if the age multiplied by the cost of repairs is less than $5,000, it may be a good idea to have it simply repaired. For example, a 10-year-old air conditioner that needs repairs of $400 would multiply to $4,000, meaning you should repair it instead of replacing it entirely.
In general, air conditioning units last about 15 years. Once they pass this mark, they may start to experience a lot of issues that require minor repairs. While replacing it may seem too expensive up front, it can actually be more cost-effective because you will be able to avoid a lot of minor repairs in the future.
However, if the unit is fairly new, simply repairing it could be the best option. In short, if your unit is old, breaks down often, or is inefficient and causes unnecessarily high utility bills each month, you should strongly consider replacing it. However, if it is fairly new and the cost of repairs isn't higher than the cost of replacement, you should probably just repair it.
At Moe Plumbing Services, we offer a variety of residential maintenance and repair services for your convenience. Our technicians are fully trained, and will work quickly to provide a solution. Whether your system needs a simple repair, or it needs to be replaced with a newer and more efficient model, we can get the job done right. Our Los Angeles HVAC technicians will respect your time and property throughout the process, and will leave your home clean and tidy when we leave.


Sofia Antonova, Risk Insurance Director of Armeec., guest of Dobroutro information broadcast on BNT 2, commented the Travel Assistance Abroad insurance product, the conditions of the insurance and the risks covered in case of damage.
In order to ensure peace and comfort during traveling abroad Ms. Antonova advises not to save money but to conclude an insurance policy with Armeec, which shall guarantee payment of costs incurred within the agreed limit of liability.
Unlike the European Health Insurance Card, which covers only certain hospitals, Armeec Insurance Jsc. provides coverage for all hospitals and specialists. It also covers emergency dental treatment, transport costs from the place of accident to the nearest hospital or to Bulgaria, costs for medicines and drugs in outpatient treatment.
In addition to standard medical expenses covered for examination and treatment in hospitals the non-medical risks such as theft, loss or delay of baggage, Third Party Liability Insurance for damages caused to third parties, rescue costs, especially popular in the winter season for searching and rescuing missions are also provided.
The Travel Assistance Abroad insurance policy may be concluded by all persons. Customers over 70 who are regarded as a risk category are insured for a higher insurance amount.


There are different laser cutting tools depending upon the sort of finished item that you like.
Laser cutter routers that are computer-driven can reduce each letter precisely, capturing every detail of the picked style. The said manufacturing systems serve in cutting out icons as well as logo designs in an affordable manner.
Laser that is in a strong state makes use of one crystal rod with standard as well as parallel ends. Both ends have areas that have the capacity to mirror. A light source that has high thickness and a flash tube surrounds the crystal.
When electrical is given by the network of pulse-forming, an extreme light pulse called photon is launched in among the rod crystals. The light released is one wavelength and also allows for minimal aberration.
A hundred percent of laser light is assessed the rear mirror while thirty to fifty percent will travel through the mirror then to the shutter setting up to the angled mirror before dropping via the lens then to the job item.
The laser beam is not just defined however additionally has high energy content. When it is focused on the surface, the laser light develops warmth used for welding, drilling, as well as cutting.
The laser beam of light and also the work item is manipulated via the use of robotics. It can be adapted to different dimensions and heat strength. The smaller sized laser is made use of for boring, cutting, as well as welding while the larger machines are utilized in off offering heat.
Among the benefits of laser cutting is that cutting lubes are no more needed. Likewise, this procedure shows off very great size of cut as well as thermal input with a slim area affected by home heating.
So select from various sorts of laser cutting tools to provide you the outcomes that you want.


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Pictures of Paintings
by Richard Misrach
Texts by Weston Naef and Navjotika Kumar
Photography / Art History
Slipcased clothbound with tip-on
13.25 x 11.25 inches
128 pages including 4 multipage gatefolds, 73 four-color photographs
What do paintings signify in an age of photographs? How do photographs modify the visual language of paintings? Richard Misrach's Pictures of Paintings showcases photographs of select museum masterpieces. Working primarily in the art museums of the American West, along with The Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Misrach photographs paintings to reexamine specific details, not so much as a guide to the artist's style or technique, but as a means of understanding a lexicon of cultural values, among them race, gender, religion, and power.
By collapsing the barriers between the traditional practice of documentation and the recent strategies of appropriation art, these photographs raise important questions regarding representation itself. This publication marks the first comprehensive compilation of this significant body of work.
Blind Spot Books, a division of Blind Spot Inc. (publisher of the premiere art photography magazine Blind Spot), is now partnering with powerHouse Books to produce elegantly designed, sumptuously produced works of artistic and literary significance. Founding Blind Spot editor and publisher Kim Zorn Caputo will use the same uncompromising production standards and the finest printing available for the series. Each book will be treated as a creative medium that celebrates the integrity of the best in art and literature.


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Will Artificial General Intelligence Ever Rival Humans?
Futurists are predicting a full-scale disruption in the near future. Some think machines will surpass human intelligence in most domains by 2045. But there is a whole array of obstacles standing in the way.
In Brian Aldiss's short story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, we see a world of intelligent robots that very well function as human beings. They mimic the same string of emotions and even strive to understand the meaning of love. In fact, the realm of science fiction has been so long obsessed with sentient machines from Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep to William Gibson's cyberpunk masterpiece Neuromancer. The idea of benevolent machines serving humanity or the opposite—of wiping it out—has its roots deep in the human conscience.
"Infrastructure capabilities needed to implement AI are coming together at a faster rate than expected. Soon, AI will be an integral part of everything that we do and eventually take over most of the activities that require human ability today. Just like every other transformative idea, AI is a double-edged sword that can be used for the good of mankind or for destructive purposes. It is very important that we aim at regulating AI and start working on new social contracts as machines will start producing everything that we need to live our day-to-day life." — Varghese Samuel, CEO, Fingent.
It's quite peculiar to think of intelligence in general. We attribute our current level of intelligence and cognitive capabilities to millions of years of painstaking evolution. Our vast cerebral capacity has enabled us to surpass all other species. Now, we're using our intelligence to replicate intelligence computationally. Revolving around the term artificial intelligence, computer scientists and statisticians across the world are hard at work, attempting to create machines that learn from the world around them more efficiently and reliably.
AI research is catching up with an outpouring of remarkable developments. There are neural networks capable of producing dream-like imagery (Deep Dream), machine learning models that decipher human speech in real-time, algorithms that beat seasoned Go players and recognize images and what they contain much, much more quickly than humans.
Nonetheless, AI in this sense only applies to specific tasks. It's often called "Narrow AI." A machine that matches human cognition is referred to as "Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)." However, our focus here is to examine whether AGI will ever equal human intelligence (or even exceed it) in the near future, taking into light the vast progress made in the field but also the massive obstacles that remain.
How Far Away Are We From AGI?
AI isn't some distant dream but a reality today, even though most AI systems today are relatively narrow and limited—certainly not the AGI for which we're searching. Most of our smartphones comes readily integrated with some form of AI to assist us, whether it's capturing the perfect photo or understanding our speech inputs.
Services like Siri and Alexa are certainly narrow rather than general AI. They have the ability to execute tasks based on the verbal commands you provide. They can interpret your voice commands and do a host of things from searching for nearby restaurants to playing your preferred tracklist or giving you directions to your office on the quickest route. They can even tell you a joke or two. But impressive as those feats are, that's about it.
A true AGI could theoretically perform any task you serve it while learning any new task you may throw at it. That single AI could generalize to new domains distinct from the data on which it was trained.
Breakthroughs in the Search for AGI Show Promise
Several organizations and individuals have started developing algorithms that simulate human-like intelligence, with some notable developments. Here are some of the breakthroughs in AI that hold promise:
DeepMind, a Google project-turned-company, came out with the Impala architecture. It proved to be a breakthrough in the search for AGI, with its deep reinforcement learning model.
DeepMind was behind AlphaGo, the world's first computer program that defeated the world champion Lee Sedol at the ancient Chinese strategy board game, Go. Being a more complex game than Chess, the AlphaGo program utilized a combination of human and AI opponents to train itself of every single move. It's similar to the historic chess match in 1997, when IBM's Deep Blue beat the reigning champion, Garry Kasparov.
IBM Watson is another example of major breakthroughs. It's chiefly a question-answering system that excels in natural language processing. In 2011, Watson took part in the game show Jeopardy and beat two of the leading champions.
The ImageNet challenge is yet another major breakthrough in AI research that assesses object detection and image classification capabilities of algorithms on a large scale. Technology behemoths like Microsoft and Google have put to use their own systems that are able to pinpoint and identify images much faster than humans.
A key breakthrough in AGI is underway with a redefined approach to developing neural networks. The Whole Brain Architecture Initiative, with its objective of supporting research at simulating human cognitive abilities artificially, is going a step forward with its novel approach in neural networks. The approach has been to build a computer system that can mimic human brain activity that allows it to learn and think by itself, as well as to develop intelligence gradually. AGI will emerge after all, but as we have said, it will take more time than expected.
How Far Away Is "The Singularity"?
Futurists are predicting a full-scale disruption in the near future. Ray Kurzweil, a famous futurist, thinks that AI will enhance our abilities rather than displace us. Amongst the wave of predictions that he has made over the years, Kurzweil believes that machines will surpass human intelligence by 2045, at which point we'll become synthetic, hybrid beings—part machine, part human. He calls it the "Technological Singularity." However, he's largely optimistic about computers attaining that level of intelligence. Kurzweil claims that by 2029, AI will pass the Turing test and achieve human-level intelligence.
"I set the date for the Singularity — representing a profound and disruptive transformation in human capability — as 2045. The nonbiological intelligence created in that year will be one billion times more powerful than all human intelligence today." —Ray Kurzweil, "The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology."
These claims are most definitely up for dispute. Elon Musk and the late Stephen Hawking voiced their concerns over the looming existential threat of AI. Whatever the concerns and optimism are, in this article we'll keep things in a positive light. There may or may not be a Terminator-like scenario, in which machines try to stomp out the human race. However, these things are not only impossible for the near future; they're also quite unlikely in the more distant future.
In fact, the claims of AI one day superseding the capabilities of the human brain are largely exaggerated. As far as anything that mankind has yet discovered or invented, the human brain is the most complex thing that exists in this universe. Between our ears sits an organ weighing just three pounds, comprising some 80-100 billion neurons. It would take a supercomputer about 40 minutes to replicate one second of brain activity.
Of course, computing is getting more powerful. In the future, we may see that time lag decreasing and ultimately becoming negligible. Computer science has progressed to new heights, so it's now possible to replicate specific areas of brain activity more efficiently. For instance, in areas of gathering sensory inputs and information processing, computers are way ahead of the human brain. It's edging closer to achieving complicated movements, processing visual data, figuring out language and reasoning.
However, the human brain still has the edge when it comes to creativity, empathy, emotions, planning and ultimately consciousness. Computers up to now have not been able to simulate any of the above. The most advanced AI today clearly mimics these vital activities and makes it seem cognitive, but it's actually not.
"We are at a similar point in the consideration of machine intelligence. Machines are just passing over an important threshold: the threshold at which, to some extent at least, they give an unbiased human being the impression of intelligence." —Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden
Will AGI Ever Equal Human Ability?
The short answer is no. Although it's made tremendous progress, AI is still sorely lacking the flexibility and creativity that we possess as a species. Even though computer scientists and futurists claim AI can surpass human intelligence, it simply can't. Medical science still struggles to wholly understand the brain apart from the billions of neurons engaged in crosstalk.
The way the brain perceives, remembers and processes information is something with which scientists struggle today. How can we even know when we've reached human intelligence in a machine when we barely know what human intelligence is in humans?
There's also the ultimate mystery of "consciousness." It's puzzling, and it's baffled philosophers and now neuroscientists for centuries. If we set out to create machines that think, the fundamental thing is to center our understanding of ourselves and to discover what truly constitutes consciousness. Is it just that consciousness is a byproduct of the firings between neurons at various regions of the brain, or something else?
Well before we attain AGI from a technological perspective, there are a whole host of questions we need to answer.
Written by Tony Joseph, a Software Developer at Fingent.