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Rumors of Israeli Involvement in 9/11
Posted in the database on Monday, May 29th, 2006 @ 13:13:34 MST (3545 views)
by Brooke Finley The Truth Seeker
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, many stories circulated about Israeli involvement. There was the story of the five Israelis filming the burning of the World Trade Center and the "art student" spy ring that warned of the attacks. While most of this information has been glossed over by mainstream media, the reports remain extremely important to understanding the overall picture of what happened on September 11, 2001. As the writer, I attempt to cover the facts without any bias and hope to be able to present them as clearly as possible to the reader. I used Paul Thompson's book The Terror Timeline, as a guide for the dates and incidents reported and then used his reference articles and any others that I could find, as research.
In January 2000, a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) document was leaked to the press suggesting that a large Israeli spy ring had congregated in the United States. [DEA Report, 6/01] In April of that same year, USA Today reported that certain DEA documents revealed that the Israeli spy ring, now commonly called the Israeli "art student" spy ring, "has been linked to several ongoing [Ecstasy] investigations in Florida, California, Texas and New York." [Insight, 3/11/02] Members of the "art student spy ring" would go door-to-door, claiming that they were selling artwork. Many of their areas of interest were offices and homes of DEA officials.
Between December 2000 and April 2001, Germany reported that Israeli counter-terror investigators were posing as art students and following terrorist cells within the United States. These "art students" identified Atta and Marwan Alshehhi as possible terrorists, while living within several feet of them in the town of Hollywood, Florida. The "art students" were discovered in April and were immediately deported, supposedly terminating the investigation of Atta and Alshehhi. [Der Spiegel, 10/01/02] It was later reported by Fox News that an additional 80 agents were taken into custody between the months of June and December 2001. [Fox News, 12/12/01]
In related foreign press reports, the Mossad learned of four terrorists, living in the U.S., who appeared to be planning an attack in the near future, on the U.S., through information gathered by its "art student" spy ring. [Die Zeit, 10/01/02; Der Spiegel, 10/01/02; BBC, 10/02/02; Ha'aretz, 10/03/02] By June 2001, close to 120 Israeli "art students" were apprehended. [le Monde, 3/05/02; Salon, 5/07/02] A leaked DEA document titled "Suspicious Activities Involving Israeli Art Students at DEA Facilities," described dozens of reports of the "apparent attempts by Israeli nationals to learn about government personnel and office layouts." [DEA Report, 6/01] "The report connects the spies to efforts to foil investigations into Israeli organized crime activity involving the importation of the drug Ecstasy. The spies also appear to be snooping on top secret military bases." [www.cooperativeresearch.org]
At some point, between August 8-15, 2001, two high ranking agents from the Mossad came to Washington and warned the FBI and the CIA that an al-Qaeda attack on the United States was imminent. [Fox News, 5/17/02] On September 20, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported that Mossad officials stated that indications point to a "large scale target" and that Americans would be "very vulnerable." [Telegraph, 9/16/01; Los Angeles Times, 9/20/01; Ottawa Citizen, 9/17/01] The Los Angeles Times retracted this story on September 21, 2001, because a CIA spokesman stated, "there was no such warning" and that the allegations were "complete and utter nonsense." [Los Angeles Times, 9/21/01] Israel denied that there was ever a meeting between agents of the Mossad and the CIA. [Ha'aretz, 10/03/02] The United States has denied knowing about Mohamed Atta prior to the 9/11 attacks. [www.cooperativeresearch.org]
Between December 12-15, 2001, the FBI, the DEA and the INS informed Fox News that there were no connections between the "art students" and the incidents of 9/11. They told Fox News that to continue pursuing this topic would be a form of "career suicide." On December 16, 2001, Fox News pulled any information regarding the "art student spy ring" from its website. Fox never made a formal correction. [www.cooperativeresearch.org]
The mainstream media continued to deny any information about the Israeli spy ring, which turned the original stories into "conspiracy theories" and myths. Jane's Intelligence Digest blatantly stated on March 13, 2002, "It is rather strange that the US media seems to be ignoring what may well be the most explosive story since the 11 September attacks—the alleged breakup of a major Israeli espionage operation in the USA." [Jane's Intelligence Digest, 3/13/02]
On March 11, 2002, the Palm Beach Post mentioned the DEA report about the Israeli "art students." The newspaper stated that the DEA determined that all of the students had "recently served in the Israeli military, the majority in intelligence, electronic signal intercept or explosive ordnance units." [Palm Beach Post, 3/11/02]
On March 15, 2002, Forward published the claim that "the incidents in question appear to represent a case of Israelis in the United States spying on a common enemy, radical Islamic networks suspected of links to Middle East terrorism." [Forward, 3/15/02]
May 7, 2002, Salon carried a story on the "art student" spy ring, mentioning that a government source suggested that the majority of the "art students" were a "smoke screen." The source suggested that while most were getting caught up in the DEA's Escasty case, others could complete other missions, such as the monitoring of potential terrorists, without being noticed. [Salon, 5/07/02]
There are other Israeli incidents revolving around September 11, 2001 that should be mentioned. On September 4, 2001, an Israeli-owned shipping company entitled Zim-American Israeli Shipping Co., moved their North American headquarters from inside the World Trade Center, to Norfolk, Virginia— one week before the 9/11 attacks. [Virginian-Pilot, 9/04/01] Zim had announced its move 6 months before the attacks, [Virginian-Pilot, 4/03/01] yet 10 employees were still in the building on Sept. 11, taking care of the final moving arrangements. They were able to escape, unharmed. [Jerusalem Post, 9/13/01; Journal of Commerce, 10/18/01] A year later, a Zim-American ship was caught attempting to ship Israeli military equipment into Iran. [AFP, 8/29/02]
About 2 hours before the first plane hit the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2002, Odigo, one of the world's largest instant messaging firms, received warnings of "an imminent attack in New York City." Odigo's headquarters are located two blocks from the World Trade Center but the warnings were received in their Israel location. The FBI was notified immediately after the attacks began. [Ha'aretz, 9/26/01; Washington Post, 9/27/01] The internet address of the instant message was given to the FBI by Odigo in an attempt to find the name of the sender. [Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 9/26/01] Two months after the attacks, the FBI reported that they were still in the process of investigating the instant message and reports have been nonexistent ever since. [Courier Mail, 11/20/01]
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) memo written on Sept 11 explained a situation where a passenger on Flight 11 was shot and killed by a gun prior to the plane crashing into the World Trade Center. The passenger who was killed was Daniel Lewin. On September 17, the Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz, identified Lewin as a former member of the Israeli special-operations unit, the Israeli Defense Force Sayeret Matkal. [UPI, 3/06/02] The gun story has been denied by officials, claiming that Lewin was most likely, stabbed to death. [UPI, 3/06/02; Washington Post, 3/02/02]
On June 21, 2002, ABC News reported that five Israelis were arrested on Sept 11, 2001 after being caught filming the burning of the World Trade Center from the roof of the "Urban Moving Systems" building, shouting cries of joy. The police found them driving in the company van. [Bergen Record, 9/12/01] Investigators said that there were maps of the city with certain places highlighted, found in the van. The FBI confirmed that two of the five men were Mossad agents and that all five were on a Mossad assignment. [Forward, 3/15/02] They were held on immigration violations, questioned excessively and then released after 71 days in custody. [ABC News, 6/21/02] The owner of Urban Moving System, fled the United States to Israel on Sept 14, 2001. The FBI later told ABC News that the company "may have been providing cover for an Israeli intelligence operation." [Forward, 3/15/02; New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, 12/13/01; ABC News, 6/21/01]
While little has been mentioned in the mainstream press about the "art student" spy ring, the questions still remain as to their involvement with the events of 9/11. Were they helping the U.S. government track information regarding the possibilities of an attack within the United States, or were there deeper connections of which the public is unaware? Mainstream media began this story as an investigation, but immediately stopped when officials claimed that it was a farce.
Paul Thompson, "The Terror Timeline: Year by Year, Day by Day, Minute by Minute", Regan Books, September 1, 2004.
For the online version of Paul Thompson's 9/11 Timeline: The Center for Cooperative Research, "Complete 9/11 Timeline: Israeli spy ring, Israeli foreknowledge",
www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline&theme=israel
DEA Report, "Suspicious Activities Involving Israeli Art Students of DEA Facilities", http://cryptome.org/dea-il-spy.htm, No date available.
Transcript of Fox News four part Israeli spy ring series, http://cryptome.org/fox-il-spy.htm, no date available.
Michael C. Ruppert, "Crossing the Rubicon: The decline of the American empire at the end of the age of oil", New Society Publishers, 2004.
Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed & The Institute for Policy Research & Development, "The War On Freedom: How and Why America Was Attacked September 11, 2001", Tree of Life Publications, 2002.
Intelligence Online, "Israeli Spy Operation Confirmed", www.911truth.org/readingroom/whole_document.php?article_id=136, March 14, 2002.
www.projectcensored.org/newsflash/unanswered_questions_911.html#israel
All 911 Airports Serviced by Same Security Firm
www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?id=810
Mossad and 911


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Q: How to compare Predictive Power of Models, why will some models work better than others? for an assignment, I am doing a regression problem on this dataset: https://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml/datasets/Online+News+Popularity, where I need to run Multiple linear regression, Forward stepwise, Ridge and Lasso, PCR and PLS, GAM, a Regression Tree, Bagging, Random Forests and Boosting.
I've managed (I hope correctly) to get MSE for each of these methods (Results at bottom). My issue lies in I'm not sure how to compare these models effectively. The bulk of the paper (60% of 3000 words) asks for an explanation of why certain models are working better than others and comparing them, which is where I'm stuck.
I this is caused by my lack of deeper understanding of the methods I'm using rather than just writing the code in R and plugging in data, but how would you guys recommend I compare these models beyond just looking at the outputs? Like if ___ has a lower MSE than multiple linear regression, it might imply the model isn't linear, etc. The issue is then there is so many methods I've used and I'm not sure of why each one might not work, like if the data is not distributed a certain way (boosting uses Gaussian distributions and others might use normal).
Also should I be worried about my MSE's all being over 1 million? They are all pretty similar so I haven't been worried and from what I've researched it shouldn't matter. I refrained from removing outliers even though when I did so it improved my test MSE to 0.4.
Finally any tips on what I should include for this "Number of variables and observation. Define the important variables. Scatterplots, histograms, box plots, etc. Tabulation, cross-tabulation, correlations." Was just planning on making a big correlation between all 59 variables and discussing leaving in outliers while looking at box plots, and important variables are just those with low Pr(>|t|) values).
MSE Values
MLR With CV: 108121212
FSS With CV: 108392105
Ridge with CV to choose lamda: 108208134
Ridge within 1 SE: 109326914
Lasso with CV: 108102179
Lasso within 1 SE: 110300252
PCR with CV: 108291010
PLS with CV: 108132752
GAM with CV: 131696858
Regression Tree: 113695881
Regression Tree using CV to prune: Error as it suggest to prune to 1, therefore no regression tree
Bagging: (Code currently running will update last 3 with results once I get them)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Based on the climate and weather in Corwen, the best time to go is July. See below for details.
If you visit Corwen during January, you are likely to find that it can be brisk and very rainy. Temperatures tend to hover around the 40s F (single digits C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the 30s F (single digits C).
In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain about half of the time. There is frost sometimes.
If you are traveling to Corwen in February, you will notice that it can be brisk and somewhat rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time.
Daytime temperatures are in the 40s F (single digits C). There is frost sometimes.
If you are traveling to Corwen in March, you will notice that it is cold and somewhat rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time. Daytime temperatures are in the high 40s F (single digits C).
April in Corwen is brisk and somewhat rainy. The rain can amount to several inches/centimeters. During this time, temperatures average in the 40s F (single digits C) to low 50s F (low 10s C).
May in Corwen is crisp and somewhat rainy. The rain can amount to several inches/centimeters. During this time, temperatures average in the high 50s F (mid 10s C).
If you vacation in Corwen during June, you are likely to find that it is crisp and somewhat rainy. Temperatures tend to hover around the low 60s F (high 10s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the high 40s F (single digits C).
If you are traveling to Corwen in July, you will notice that it is mild and somewhat rainy. Expect it to rain about a third of the time. Daytime temperatures are in the high 60s F (high 10s C).
August here is mild and somewhat rainy. Temperatures average in the 60s F (high 10s C) during the day. It rains about half of the time.
September in Corwen is chilly and somewhat rainy. The average overnight temperatures in the area are in the high 40s F (single digits C). It tends to rain regularly.
If you are traveling to Corwen in October, you will notice that it is relatively cool and somewhat rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time. Daytime temperatures are in the 50s F (low 10s C).
In November, Corwen is pretty cool and very rainy. Temperatures routinely are in the low 40s F (single digits C) range.
At night, lows are in the high 30s F (single digits C). This is also a rainy time for Corwen, with more than half of the days of the month having rain.
If you are traveling to Corwen in December, you will notice that it is cold and very rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time.
Here are some general tips on what to wear in Corwen, as well as several items to remember to pack when traveling there.
Check out our guides for these other locations: Neuquén, Argentina, Haines, Alaska, United States of America, Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Beaver Creek, Colorado, United States of America, Probolinggo, Indonesia, Southwest Harbor, Maine, United States of America, Istalif, Afghanistan, Criccieth, Wales, United Kingdom, Norvalspont, South Africa, Bujumbura, Burundi, and Dennis, Massachusetts, United States of America.


The problem in most households is getting things done where everyone feels involved and appreciated. In other words, being a productive couple. It's easy to get caught up in how much you do versus how much he or she does. It's like everyone is secretly keeping score. This friction builds, and eventually, arguments come bubble up resentment kicks in.
An online survey of 2000 adults revealed that couples fight more over who cleans the house, does the cooking and washes up than anything else except money.
Nearly two-thirds admit they argue over chores at least once a week. And one in five people knows a couple who row regularly or have broken up over the issue.
So there you go, house chores are a big deal, and can potentially ruin your relationship.
By the end of this post, you will learn how to effortlessly get things done at home with your partner, in harmony.
Masa and I have been living under the same roof for four years now, and for the first 2-3 years, most of our arguments stemmed from domestics. You know, cooking, cleaning and running errands. I couldn't believe how wiping your plate could turn into such a big deal. But these little battles build and manifest until things get ugly.
Our friction came from having different expectations in the house. Who is going to do what, and when? We tried timetables, daily lists, emails, cleaning days; you name it.
But there was still this feeling of unappreciation and constant messiness.
Things were slowly starting to work themselves out, but it still didn't quite seem right. It felt like we were 60% there. We're not ones to sit back and wait. We needed a system that would keep track of what needed to be done and to hold us accountable, not to each other, but to the team.
That's the first mindset shift. We need to stop thinking of ourselves as individuals who have different responsibilities, to a team that works in unity.
So what's the system? We kept asking.
I had been using a simple task management app called Wunderlist for my business, and I enjoyed using it so much that I took a short course on how to maximize its features.
Just a quick note: We do not promote anything on The Minimalist Vegan that we do not believe in and love 100%. We are not linked to or are getting anything from Wunderlist for this post. We have just found it super helpful for us in our relationship.
During the course, I learned that Wunderlist could be used for running a grocery list for the household. This got me excited because even though we loved our paper shopping list which lived on the fridge, it's not very handy when we're out of the house and remember that we need to buy something.
Wunderlist is on your phone which is with you pretty much all of the time. It also syncs instantly across all devices, so if I add a shopping item to the list, Masa will see that it was added on her phone pretty much instantly.
So we started trialing the software as a means to manage our grocery list. It was an absolute hit, and I stopped getting in trouble for not being proactive enough about what needs to be in the house.
I stopped getting frustrated that the foods I wanted in the house weren't getting bought. Either one of us can do the shopping without having to check in to see what we needed, cause the list was always up-to-date.
By the way, the "ding" sound that the app makes when you tick off an item is arguably better than crossing off a task on your to-do list. Big statement I know, but you have to try it!
As our grocery list was such a success, we started thinking about how else we could use this app to streamline our household. The next thing was errands—which included things like donating old clothes, fixing computers, etc. So we created another joint list to manage our chores.
The great thing about Wunderlist is that you can allocate tasks to members of the list. So if Masa needs me to do scan my paperwork that's on the desk, she can create a task and allocate it to me. When I open the app, I can see that I need to scan my documents.
You can also set a due date and reminder for each task. This is great as you can look at the week ahead to see what needs to be done. If it's unrealistic, you can reallocate the times, and the other person can see when you will likely get to it. This eliminates the problem of wondering when things are going to get done.
Another great function of Wunderlist is the ability to leave comments in tasks. We often have conversations with each other in the comments section. It's so much better than talking because we're forced to be succinct when we write to each other. It's also less personal then constantly asking each other to do things, which can get irritating for both parties.
The last thing I want to mention is the power of goal lists. For example, you can create a shared bucket list of things you want to do before you die, and watch yourself tick off some major dreams!
One interesting thing I've noticed about this method is that we're getting way more done than we were before, and we really feel like we're on the same team. We spend less time talking about what we need to do, and more time doing it.
If you feel that there's some domestic friction in the household, give Wunderlist a try. It's completely free and is simple to use. I know it has changed our relationship and we're better for it.
Do you have any useful suggestions on how to run a household, where everyone feels involved and appreciated? Leave your comments below.
Awesome Chrissie! Get them onto it!
I was a big fan of Astrid, until Yahoo killed it.
Then I switched to Wunderlist and was hooked by its simplicity, great UI and smart layout. They recently added folders which really helps keep your growing list quantities in check.
Using it with your SO to manage groceries, household chores and family priorities is amazing! WL is simple, non-tecchie, and works great on tablets and phones. So it crosses the bridge between people's different styles, focusing on simplicity and GTD.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Mark – very interesting!


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Project on National Security Reform
James R. Locher III, President and CEO
Guiding Coalition
Distinguished Fellows and Working Group Leaders
Report Contributors
Forging a New Shield
Toward Integrating Complex National Missions
The Power of People
Reform Resources
The Project on National Security Reform shares its legacy
The Project on National Security Reform ceased operations on December 31, 2011. This website records PNSR's history and work.
The transpartisan Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) was established in 2006 to assist the nation in an urgently needed transformation of the national security system. It was a single focus think tank dedicated to modernizing the currently antiquated national security system for 21st century challenges. PNSR envisioned a collaborative, agile, and innovative syste capable of integrating all elements of national power - both vertically and horizontally - and successfully addressing security challenges based on timely, informed decisions and decisive action.
To advance its agenda, PNSR developed a broad and diverse network of public and private partners and participants with expertise and experience in traditional and nontraditional security threats and opportunities. The first phase of PNSR's work focused on identifying problems and formulating recommendations. Subsequently, it focused on developing tools for implementation and applying its holistic principles for long-term reform to many of today's problems. This second phase provided a deeper understanding of the intellectual and political challenges of system transformation.
The project was led by James R. Locher III, a principal architect of the Goldwater-Nichols Act that modernized the joint military system. PNSR's Guiding Coalition, comprised of distinguished Americans with extensive service in the public and private sectors, set strategic direction for the project. A dedicated staff that included national security veterans, as well as the brightest and best new talent, worked tirelessly on its critical mission. Although the political environment was not right to implement large-scale change, PNSR had a variety of incremental successes and significantly influenced the prevailing narrative on national security reform.
The Andean Initiative and the Transnational Social Contract, 1989-1994 — Daniel Gibbons
In 1986, National Security Decision Directive 221 declared drug production and trafficking a threat to the security of the United States. The U.S. government response to the drug (predominantly cocaine) epidemic was multi-faceted, in keeping with the nature of the trafficking threat. In the source region, the United States urged the Andean countries to gain control of their traffickers, and provided law enforcement and judicial system support to the Andean countries––Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru–– through the Drug Enforcement Agency, the State Department, and other institutions. However, by the end of the decade, it was becoming clear that counterdrug efforts in the Andes were not working. In August 1989, newly inaugurated U.S. President George H.W. Bush launched the Andean Initiative––a five-year program that allied the United States with Andean countries in the fight against narcotics. The initiative provided financial aid, program support, and training for Andean military and law enforcement efforts.
The U.S. counterdrug strategy inaugurated in 1989, including its international aspects, was well thought out via an interagency analysis which took place after Bush Sr. came into office. The Andean Strategic Initiative was laid down by the president in National Security Directive 18 (NSD-18), released in August of 1989. In it, the president noted that drugs affected U.S. national security by their corrosive effect on American society and that they undermined international security by destabilizing friendly governments. The broad-based counternarcotics strategy was unveiled in the 1989 publication of the National Drug Control Strategy, a 154-page report covering international and domestic issues. The report iterated specific objectives for the Andean Initiative as configured by the overarching framework of NSD-18. The five key objectives in the Andean region included: 1) "… isolation of major coca-growing areas in Peru and Bolivia"; 2) "… interdiction in these countries of the delivery [precursor] chemicals used for cocaine processing"; 3) "… destruction of cocaine hydrochloride processing facilities"; 4) "… dismantling of drug trafficking organizations"; and 5) "… eradication of the coca crop when it can be made an effective strategy."
INTEGRATED ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL POWER:
The newly-created Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and its Director (commonly referred to as the Drug Czar) were charged with coordinating all U.S. domestic and international counterdrug efforts. ONDCP was additionally mandated with power to dictate national strategy and a national drug control budget. Thus, NSD-18 granted the ONDCP integrative and leadership responsibilities for the Andean Initiative. The elevation of Andean counternarcotics to the level of a national security threat meant that the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency would join the Department of State in the institutional structure. NSD-18 designated the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics Matters as lead agency in the development of Andean country programs. Department of Defense (DOD) policy directives and procedures were revised to expand DOD support of U.S. counternarcotics efforts and to permit DOD personnel to conduct training and operational support activities. In addition, the Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Customs Service, and U.S. Coast Guard provided advising and training for their Andean counterparts. The Agency for International Development and the United States Information Agency were also involved in the initiative.
Institutionalization of leadership, proactive crafting of strategy that recognized the multi-jurisdictional range and challenge of the Andean drug problem, and reconfiguration and integration of government security institutions constituted the primary strengths of the U.S. approach. Emphasis on collaboration in the strategy, initially configured by National Security Directive 18 and the first National Drug Control Strategy of 1989, helped bridge agency disjuncts. The president's declaration of the primacy of the drug threat also provided a fulcrum to motivate action. However, several critics have concluded the Drug Czar lacked real authority to enforce decisions. Notably, the czar did not command nation-wide drug policy budget authority and to solve bureaucratic disputes the czar remained dependent on presidential backing. The monitoring of military aid in achieving counternarcotics objectives was also particularly problematic.
Assessments of the Andean Initiative, and indeed of counterdrug strategy in general, do not provide a universal picture of success. Such measurable objectives as the number of hectares of coca destroyed or the amount of drugs seized were touted as a desirable means of evaluating success or failure, but difficulty in gathering reliable statistics on these drug trade measures makes them uncertain assessors. Still, the U.S. counternarcotics infrastructure was strengthened through the Andean Initiative. Almost immediately, coca crops were reduced. The Medellin cartel was effectively dismantled by the time Bush Sr. left office, and the Cali cartel followed in a few years. Gradually, the Andean countries were strengthened in their ability to fight cartels, combat insurgents, and improve governance. The counterdrug alliance between the United States and these countries was also solidified.
Analysis of the Andean Initiative provides an example of how the U.S. government attempted to integrate multiple tools of national power across disparate jurisdictions in pursuit of one primary strategic goal: namely, decreasing drug production and trafficking in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. While complete success in the so-called War on Drugs is elusive and hard to measure, tangible results were achieved in the Andean countries to the long-term benefit of U.S. national security. These gains were accomplished through an interagency approach that focused on justice and law enforcement but which also leveraged DOD assets in a way that avoided pulling the military into large-scale operations.
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Former Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, Convinced of the Need for National Security Transformation, Rejoins PNSR →
If you wish to reach former members of PNSR or have an interest in continuing its mission, please e-mail info@pnsr.org.
America's First Quarter Millennium
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Major Events in Globalization
Timeline created by yuniexiong
5,000 BCE
Movement of Humans
The movement of humans outside of Africa to other parts of the world in 5000 BC was important because it allowed for new resources to be discovered and trade to occur.
-200 BCE
The Silk Road, used in 200 BC, was a series of routes which connected China to the Mediterranean. It allowed for trade between the two major regions of the time.
Creation of the Printing Press
The creation of the printing press in 1440 allowed for the spread of information between regions. It changed the way humans saw the world around them and influence the spread of knowledge.
The Colombian Exchange
During the 15th and 16th century there a lot of transfer between the products and materials from the New World and the Old World. It affected the culture of society.
Atlantic Slave Trade
The movement of slaves from Africa to other parts of the world showed development in integrating economies. The Slave trade connected the New World, Europe, and Africa together.
Creation of Stream Train
The creation of the stream train made it possible to trade materials faster as well as letting humans move from one place to another faster. It helped advance the economies of the world.
The Great Depression hit all parts of the world at once. The decline of stock prices which caused the stock market crash drove the economy down and future changes were made to the banks.
Creation of United Nations
The creation of the United Nations in 1945 showed connections and interdependence between the economies of the world. It allowed for the promotion of institutions.
Creation of the World Wide Web
The creation of the World Wide Web in 1991 allowed for humans all around the world to connect via on the web. It was used as a connection to keep information spreading and for communication between people.


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The Rolling Stones – Got Live If You Want It!
Posted: November 28th, 2011 ˑ Filled under: Record Reviews ˑ 1 Comment
Got Live If You Want It! (1966)
1. Under My Thumb 2. Get Off My Cloud 3. Lady Jane 4. Not Fade Away 5. I've Been Loving You Too Long 6. Fortune Teller 7. The Last Time 8. 19th Nervous Breakdown 9. Time Is On My Side 10. I'm Alright 11. Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow? 12. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Whoever had the bright idea to release a live album from 1966 needs a smack upside the head. Do you have any idea what Beatles and Stones shows were like back then? The band rushed on stage and spent 20 minutes bashing through their hits at the quickest tempos they could physically manage while being completely drowned out by the psychotic shrieks of thousands of teenybopper girls passing out and pissing themselves, waiting their turn to have 5 minutes of special time with Bill Wyman in the dressing room after the show. So the boys can be forgiven for not exactly being brilliant on stage during this period. But they don't have to be forgiven for releasing this hideously recorded live record.
Still, Got Live is an interesting historical document of its era, and ends up resembling something like DIY punk rock. You'd play that fast and sloppy too if you couldn't hear yourself play and knew that a hundred zoinked out teenage girls could leap onstage and literally tear your hair out at any moment. The pure speed freak energy makes for a fun shot of adrenaline—or, more accurately, amphetamines—now and then ("Get Off My Cloud," "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby," which was already pretty messy and indecipherable), but occasionally throws the proceedings totally off the rails (they completely maul "The Last Time," for instance). Miraculously, they muster nice performances of "Lady Jane" and "Time Is On My Side," but Gob knows how they managed to hear themselves well enough to play the slow ones coherently. Plus, pick this one up and there's the added bonus of a couple of cover tunes ya can't get nowhere else. But hell, you might as well skip 'em anyway, since they pulled the dirty trick of dubbing screaming girls over studio-recorded tracks. "Fortune Teller," recorded all the way back in 1963, is good, though inferior to the Who's Live At Leeds version and serves as persuasive evidence as to why Bill soon stopped singing backing vocals for the band. The other fake live tune, a listless version of "I've Been Loving You Too Long," shows that maybe the band attempted one Otis Redding cover too many. Still, they're the only two songs on the album on which you can hear the guitars very clearly, or any instrumental nuance whatsoever – if ever there was an argument to be made against mono, Got Live is exhibit A. But hell, as part 1 of the 896 part series, "The Rolling Stones Release a Live Album," it's fun. Just remember that if the high-pitched shrieking sound persists after you've finished listening, it's probably tinnitus and not just an echo of the screaming girls. You might want to get that checked out.
victoreador wrote:
Two great moments on this bit of fluffy fun:
Girl in audience shouting between songs "Paint it Black you devil"!
Mick with some snappy chatter- "Charlie's good tonight innee"
I was lucky enough to see the Stones in '66 at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City for the $1.95 admission price to the pier. It was a typical 60's pop extravaganza, with a popular radio DJ as host. The Stones were preceded by a parade of local bands followed by acts with charted hits:
The Standells-Dirty Water
The McCoys, Rick Derringer's teen band (the drummer was so short he had to stand up to play) launching pad to Rock stardom-Hang on Sloopy
When the Stones finally took the stage, the hangover fog enveloping them was palpable. Brian immediately sat down (collapsed?) on the stage and remained there for most of the set. Mick mumbled something about it being good to be in Baltimore or some other non-sequitur. Keith began THE riff and Satisfaction woke the screaming hordes like a pack of wolves shredding a crippled deer.
They played a nice up-tempo 40 minute set that sounded much like Got Live and headed out the side door to their waiting limo. Problem was that the hall was at the end of a 300 yard long pier over the Atlantic Ocean. Because the famous Diving Horse had his diving platform blocked half of the narrow roadway along the side of the pier, the limo was quickly covered with teenage girls who could not be budged by the few cops who were assigned security for the boys. So the car just rolled down the pier until it reached the boardwalk whereupon the cops brushed most of the chicks off the car so it could then proceed to the hotel, where the fans kept an all night vigil outside.
All on all it was one of the best days of my life.


Earlier topic: Custom die-cutting suggestions?
I just went down into the shop to dig out a piece I printed 25 years ago. The piece is an earlier quote from William Everson and was titled The Final Joy of Printing.
"When type is cleanly inked with solid ink, dense and well-seasoned, and laid on ever-so-lightly with a true roller, the ink carefully built up through stroke after stroke, placed always on the very face of the type, never squashed down upon the counters; when this finely-inked type is pressed into the paper and held there in what is called the "dwell" of the handpress, to lie at the very bottom of the impression, then when the sheet is removed all about it the light refracts from the crimp the letter made in its strike, and glows there, and the whole page becomes radiant with a suffused, a subdued and upcast light.
This passage still can give me a tingle. Amen Brother Antoninus (William Everson) and thanks for reminding me of it Barbara.
Oh course it matters! Fidelity and image repoduction (resolution) via transfer of viscous liquids (ink) is all about rate and pressure! You can make most inks work the way you need them to if you have the right amount of pressure and the right amount of dwell (presuming your substrate is good).
It's amazing what "the extra minute" will bring you!
I've got to agree that dwell does indeed help. Those of us who use manually operated presses tend to dwell naturally.
The other thing that helps a lot is dampening the paper. With dampened paper, you can get nice, stong impressions using far less pressure. It works like a charm….. but for whatever reason it's not used a lot by hte newer crop of printers. I wonder if it's because they just don't know about it.
I think it's also because a lot of the newer crop of printers may be dealing with studio situations that don't allow for a lot of sheets to spread out re: drying.
Here we actually print a bit of intaglio, so we have a sheetrock drying system that helps to aid in paper drying/flatness. It's actually pretty minimal with regard to the footprint it takes up, as well, and was largely procured as scrap drywall offcuts.
Thanks, Rick, for the Everson quotation — it gave me a tingle, too.
HavenPress, this is why I concentrated on dwell for this piece, since increasing the pressure and certainly the amount of ink were not workable options. I was working with a text-weight paper, printed both sides, so I was going for a pretty much kiss impression. Adding ink would risk compromising the fine details, which are hardly more than scratched into the metal. Loosening the ink might have the same effect.
The paper was dampened, Dave. Honestly, I wouldn't print any other way if it suits the paper. I used to think it was a hassle, but like anything else, once you've done it enough it becomes routine. I actually enjoy the process now; it helps you focus on the fusion of animate (paper) and inanimate (typemetal) that is at the heart of printing.
Since, on a flatbed cylinder press, the paper comes in contact with the form only a thin line at a time, it takes some practice to develop a rhythm that produces consistent results. I suppose that on a platen press, you just slow down, right? And of course it helps to separate the larger solids from the fine-lined portions of the piece, making multiple passes.
Yes, on a platen you can slow the whole process in order to dwell; but also, if your setup is good you can print twice without unloading the sheet on many handfed platens; as long as the paper doesn't shift, this trick can really add quite a bit of coverage with minimal spread.
Another thing you can do on Vandercooks (or other proofing presses) is run the sheet twice without ungripping it.
This procedure takes a long time and it's a bit materials/labor intensive, but I've done it w/my number 4 with great success.
With the press on impression, you can put some masking tape at the tail of your sheet and then put it in the grippers against the guides. Your sheet needs to be long enough that you can have a bit of an extra tail to cut or tear off; Run the print through, being very careful to hold it up against the cylinder with your hand on the top of the impression cylinder so that it stays very flat. When the sheet comes off the cut/block, DO NOT LET GO. Burnish the masking tape down and make sure you have the entire sheet stretched out.
Back the press up, and print a second time.
This method works with really long forms especially (when the paper is very likely to fishtail and mis-register at the tail of the sheet).
Actually, dwell does not seem to matter. For well over 500 years it was not a concern. More of a concern was printing as fast as possible; not holding that devil's tail with eyes rolled upward like a saint as they do in the printing museums. Not exactly sure where this notion started. There is no magic in that hesitation, the magic is with the pressperson.
A Vandercook does have that single line of impression. Vandercooks are actually set up to run fairly slow, fast running the cylinder down the bed is just going to result in errant presswork. But trying to hold a dwell across a form can actually itself cause problems. The movement has to be sure without hesitation. Halting the movement to create dwell may cause the rollers to lay down ink erratically. Cylinder presses just don't function like an iron-hand press where dwell is inherent. But realistically, does ink really penetrate the paper more if the pressure is held for a bit longer? Really? Well, we do like our myths.
Yes, by far, dampening paper greatly increases the perfection of the printed page. Now that is test proven.
How can you produce an effective "dwell" on a Vandercook?
Or with any other hand powered cylinder press?
among the potential problems I can imagine might be a healthy case of rotator cuff tear. It seems to me that a good, proper makeready (neath the form or the packing) would be the solution on a cylinder instrument (even a hand powered one).
Might it be that your paper is over-dampened?
Yes Gerald, the ink coverage (on solid areas) is much better on a handpress if there is a slight dwell when the platen has reached full impression. Perhaps it is because it allows a little more time for the ink in interact and bond with the paper before it is pulled away? This has been observed from personal experience and observation time and time again. We are not talking "a minute" as stated somewhere above, but somewhere around a second or less.
No mythology, simply a fact.
Yes, capillary action is a "thing". It exists. And it is affected by rates. Amounts of time and rates of contact. It is physically verifiable…..
Running slower but at a steady rate produces more transfer of the liquid in question; in this case ink. Running faster vice versa.
I mean, the whole principle of processing a lithography stone with stiff senefelders black and a litho roller is BASED on this principle. It works. Same with printing flatbed litho. Same with printing flatbed letterpress.
There are points at either end of the viscosity bell curve where it is difficult to observe or record the gain, I grant you, but it can be observed.
Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful and expert comments.
If you look at the image on my Flickr page at the "original" size (see link in the initial post), you'll see a definite difference in the dwell versus non-dwell prints. Look particularly at the figure's eyes, as Enrique has pointed out. The difference carries through when looking at the print at normal viewing distances.
Dan, I doubt that the paper was too damp since it felt dry except for a bit more coolness to the cheek than the undampened paper.
vandy1905, I hear you. I never stop the impression cylinder. I just slow the rate of travel so that it goes across the form in such a way that the paper comes in contact with the form for about 1 1/2 seconds, at most, at each point. As Rick points out, that's all it takes to make a difference.
I'd agree on all points. Printing on a Vandercook, year after year, will just naturally lead to rotator cuff problems; one doesn't need to hugger-mugger the cylinder all day long attempting to create dwell to come to that unhappy ending. I've got the medical bills to prove it.
To say nothing of the damage it will do to a back. I couldn't run one now even if I wanted to. I never had any problem printing with a Vandercook. I did have problems with papers that were poorly made, or not manufactured for letterpress.
I'm not exactly unaware of the iron hand press and dwell. Christ, I have printed collotype images on an Albion. But I also am quite well read on Everson who I greatly admire. But you do realize he was a mystic, not a scientist. And I am quite adept at obtaining full coverage on solids, thank you.
Dwell is the period between pulling and releasing (on a hand press). To make more out of that is like, where are you getting this?
Just a note. I don't hide anonymously behind an avatar. I can be checked out. Who are you?
Gerald, I think you have heard of google? Google my Avatar. I'm not really exactly hiding under a rock, man.
"Dwell" can be used to refer to a few things, but in this case, the O.P. Barbhauser seems to have meant the amount of time spent in contact with the inked form. In this case, she is decreasing the rate/speed of travel as she cranks her cylinder across her Vandercook, which is maximizing this time spent with her sheet in contact with the inked form.
With decently loose ink, this isn't as much of a helpful item as one would likely not observe a difference; but with decently firm, tacky ink, it actually does make a rather large difference.
If you don't think 'dwell' or 'extended time in contact' or hell, Gerald, why don't YOU name the thing we're all discussing that you're digressing from- but if anyone does not believe that this promotes transfer, you're welcome to have that opinion but there is a way to 'proof' this, whether by observing rubber rollers or observing impression.
Ink vehicle is POLYMER. It is made of long oily polymers most of the time- rubber based polymers are a little shorter than linseed oil/vegetable oil based inks, but nontheless polymer. Polymers that are long like to stretch as if taffy; but they break when stretched too quickly. So, when you drag an ink knife through a pile of ink slowly, it moves. Or, if you touch an ink knife to a pile and slap at it, the ink knife doesn't really come away with much ink.
Conversely, if you push the inkknife down with the same pressure but hold it there, it will come away with more ink.
The same principle has been applied to stone lithography since leather rollers and senefelders black were used to roll up lithography stones during the processing phase- a very stiff black that 'lifts' if the roller is applied at speed, known as snapping; but it lets go if the roller is applied at a very slow speed, 'putting ink down'. Well, it aint 'dwell' insomuch as it's an iron handpress, but it sure is on topic if we're talking ink/cylinders/physics!!!
But why don't you get a rubber brayer and a piece of glass. Ink up an even little stripe of thinned/reduced tack ink, and then an even little stripe of the original ink. Put a piece of bond paper down over each and push on one with your finger, count to ten; then, push down in another spot but for a second.
You'll see a difference in the amount of ink transferred. It's just like, physics, man. Anyway, Gerald, I'd really love to meet you someday! You have a lot to offer and I chapeau to you often, but when I disagree- well, I disagree. Come out to New York and say hello and I'm happy to buy you a pint of your favorite beer.
Nice to meet you. Had a hell of a time finding you on Google though. Most references are either dead or won't open. One just showed a lot of photos but obliterated text. Found an article though which I assume is you. I'll take that beer in friendship.
I really don't give a crap about this dwell stuff but if it's physics, point me to a scientific reference. Then, I'll believe. I understand what you are saying about ink, been in the biz for over three decades (unfortunately), but still don't see how this relates to dwell. Dwell is an instantaneous function of the machine, whether it be a hand press, a job platen, or a cylinder press. I can say that I have never seen a legitimate technical study that gives it any more credence than that. Though I would like to see one.
We are just talking here, right? Same as we might in a bar. Not trying to win any points for winning, and am not in anyway concerned about losing, though I do like to find good info in doing so.
Opinion 2: that dwell MIGHT make a difference but it appears that there hasn't been sufficient technical study of the matter for it to be "accepted practice".
Both seem to be valid points to me. I think dwell does indeed have an effect on image quality, BUT I don't have any sort of technical back-up as to why it helps, or even if it has a measurable effect.
So I think this one boils down to one's philosophical outlook on printing. I happen to be VERY empirical in my approach….. if it seems to work, then I'll use the techique even if it's not "accepted practice". Others of a more technical bent tend to prefer the methodologies that have some scientific / documented back-up.
Either way, in the friendly atmosphere of us enjoying a beer and debating printing philosophy…. I'll buy the next round!
This post has me sort of cringeing ….
Whilst i was learning on the shop floor the old boy was always bantering with the other old uns about the hand fed presses and early treadles ,the interest for them i learned was the machines that were not snappy presses.
A snappy press i was told was one which had no DWELL at the feed , one with good reports was a press having a platen that tipped up almost flat and sat there for a moment before tipping off to impression , this dwell made the press easier to operate and considerably safer than a snapper . I have one that snaps its a John Haddon Swift .
That, and I've been told on many occasions (and read places I cannot recall) that people prize Chandler and price Platen Presses for their LONG DWELL ON IMPRESSION among other great atributes.
I'll try and dig up the advert I read that in. I have it somewhere….
Not much of a web presence. I've been collecting type and presses since the mid 70's and operate for my own education and entertainment. I have flown under the radar for decades because I simply do not have the time to be doing jobs for others, although I get sucked into it all the time (doing broadsheets for local events mostly).Reading and learing about letterpress and typography all the while.
I have a little over 2,000 fonts of classic and antique handset type in the shop. I print practically everything on a Poco proof press simply because I enjoy hand inking and hand pulling each impression.
I started out as a fool with a proof press and have been The Foolproof Press since April 1, 1976. Almost all of my type and presses reside in the basement of my huge century-old farmhouse in rural Iowa.
In the real world I was a print production manager in California until moving to Iowa to do the same thing for Meredith Corporation (Better Homes & Gardens et al.) until taking early retirement about seven years ago. I now pretty much have a full time job teaching people with mental dissabilities how to farm (sow/grow/harvest vegetables and raise chickens - both for meat as well as year-round egg production). Between that, maintianing my own acreage and gardens, maintaining/improving the grand old house, doting on grandchildren, I still manage to try to squeeze in a little time down in the shop - but that still isn't easy.
I am a member of the Amalgamated Printers' Association and also serve as a volunteer director for Printers' Hall - a 3,000 sq. ft. working letterpress museum in Mt. Pleasant, IA. My plate is full.
My strong suite is type. I taught myself how to print and merely offer observations from my own experience.
and we are very happy that you do and make your contributions. Thank you.
Thanks for the response. Nice personal history. Sure wish folks around here would actually reveal who they are when they make statements. Sure would help clarify things.
Philip Gallo is a great typographer, fine printer, and poet and used a Poco with his own registration device. The work was always perfect. The illustration by Gaylord Schanilec is a tribute.
Philip has a blog, that is well worth looking at. He is at the higher end of things. It hasn't been updated for a couple of years though.
Thanks you so much for the Philip Gallo info. I was totally unaware of him. I do know Gaylord and he is an amazingly talented individual.
I worked out my own registration system for my Poco decades ago. It basically involves prepunching oversized stock and having reistration pins taped onto the cylinder. Placing the punched paper on the pins serves as a gripper as well as registration system. There is a little bit of slipage between the teeth on the cylinder and the bed so it is critical that each multi-color print goes through the press in the same direction each time (I print going back and forth in both directions).
Reading through what I could with the time I have, I have to say that I always thought "dwell" was, as Peter mentions, the length of time in which the platen was open. I guess one has to qualify just what sort of 'dwell' they mean. I will soon be receiving a Kluge Open press, cammed by Brandtje Kluge for, what they call a longer dwell. The platen stays open longer.
I do hand feed automatic Kluges, and they do take some getting used, with their much increased cadence. However I think the actual impression time with the Open is the same as the automatics.
In my hand-press days about two decades ago, I used handpresses for my cuts, and did linger the impression. Not knowing there was a specific term for it, I just called it a 'longer impression', a hold over from my photographic background where in the darkroom we had longer or shorter exposures with the enlarger. Eventually at Heirloom Press, we spoke about 'long' and 'short' impressions. Ah, but that was just shop-talk.


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The Department for Transport will spend funds totalling over £181million in the East of England.
Of that, £7,892,000 will be handed to Hertfordshire.
Last year's unusually cold winter had intermittent thaws and re-freezes, conditions that play havoc with the road surface.
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text:
var Immutable = require('immutable');

/**
 * ES5 polyfills for PhantomJS
 */
require('core-js/es5');

/**
 * Create a set of webpack module ids for our project's modules, excluding
 * tests. This will be used to clear the module cache before each test.
 */
var projectContext = require.context('./app', true, /.*\.jsx?$/);

var projectModuleIds = Immutable.Set(
    projectContext.keys().map(module => (
        String(projectContext.resolve(module))
    ))
);

beforeEach(() => {
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     * Stores and Actions, are singletons that have state that we don't want to
     * carry over between tests. Clearing the cache makes `require(module)`
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context.keys().forEach(context);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home Stories Trees – battered and burnt, but resilient.
Dr Brett Summerell
Trees are amazing things – many are amongst the largest and the oldest living organisms on the planet. Trees are travellers in time, witnessing history around them and containing clues to how our environment has changed over hundreds and in some cases thousands of years.
Dr Brett Summerell Director Research & Chief Botanist
They moderate our climate, protect and provide habitat for a myriad of creatures and are critically important in cycling nutrients in Earth's ecosystems.
If we take a purely human focus, trees are also important in our urban environment, making it less hostile to us and in turn making us less hostile to those whom we share our environment with.
However, this fire season in 2020 has seen devastating impacts on trees and across Australia the whole natural world. The extent of the bushfires has been of a scale that is very difficult to comprehend.
I keep getting asked: What has an impact on plants has been? Burnt landscapes of immense size, are of course mainly made up of burnt plants – trees and the understorey species that comprise those rich and beautiful ecosystems. How many plants have been killed?
It is difficult to estimate the number of plants impacted by the fire.
Published tree densities in different types of ecosystems range from 500 – 1,200 trees per hectare. And if we multiply this by the area burnt (10 million hectares and counting) with an assumption that 60% was natural ecosystems this could give 3 – 7.2 billion trees impacted; with just as many understorey species also affected.
The impact on understorey species is usually much more dramatic, and final, as these species are more likely to be burnt completely.
We are currently monitoring the recovery of plants in bushfire affects areas across New South Wales – trying to understand what will survive and those species or ecosystems that will not. Our seed collectors are planning to ensure that as many species that are able to produce seeds are collected – leaving behind enough to ensure regeneration – so that we can protect those species for the long term.
We need trees - the most critical thing trees do is store carbon – taking in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and expelling oxygen for us and all other organisms to breathe.
There is substantial evidence that the presence of trees and our contact with them, especially in urban neighbourhoods leads to improved mental health outcomes, reduces stress and it is now proven decreases the incidence of crime. Additionally, urban trees mitigate air pollution, reduce storm runoff and water pollution. Via shading tress can also reduce energy consumption in homes and other buildings, especially in hot countries like Australia.
The most critical thing we can do right now is to protect existing trees in all our landscapes whether urban environments, rural landscapes or in the bush. These trees have already trapped huge amounts of greenhouse gases and continue to do so. We all need to be advocates for the preservation of these amazing living organisms that contribute in so many ways to our existence.
In this episode of Branch Out you'll discover the amazing fire survival mechanisms of plants, the recovery efforts to save some species from extinction and the potential long-term effects and future outlook of our fire season. Or hear an update from Dr Brett Summerell during a recent visit to the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah in the video below.
24 Aug 2020 The Australian Institute of Botanical Science
14 Aug 2020 6 reasons kids should take part in Sydney Science Trail
Reasons why exposure to science is so critical and healthy for kids
23 Jun 2020 Fungi facts – from freaky to fabulous
You might think you know fungi, but there is so much to discover about the delightful and deadly world of this special group of diverse organisms.
21 May 2020 Science and the importance of nature
Getting outdoors and interacting with nature has been so important for people during lockdown and it shows how vital it is to protect our environment.


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Nice clean straight cuts. How did you do it?
And a steady hand. Good job Jason.
That's some serious grunt in the power department.
May I ask what size props you'll be using and do you think that type of motor would be man enough to turn a 87mm prop on a direct drive?
Thanks for the info and it gives me an idea of what to look for.
Here's the hull I mentioned ~ 48 inch and based on the Damen 3110.


text:
Fundamentalism - Oxford Islamic Studies Online
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The Oxford Dictionary of Islam Covers the religious, political, and social spheres of global Islam in the modern world
Revival and Renewal
Order and Justice in International Relations
Muslim Rebels Muslim Rebels: Kharijites and the Politics of Extremism in Egypt
Term used to refer to early-twentieth-century American Christian Protestant movement based on affirmation of faith that defines belief in an absolutist and literalist manner. Involves an effort to purify or reform adherents' beliefs and practices in accord with self-defined fundamentals of faith, and a self-conscious effort to avoid compromise, adaptation, or critical reinterpretation of basic texts and sources of belief. In the Islamic context, the term typically refers to revivalist movements. Modern Islamic fundamentalist movements reject copying of Western methods, affirming instead the comprehensive and effective nature of the Islamic message. Some scholars believe that Islamic fundamentalism is a distinctively modern phenomenon, while others argue that activist movements advocating a return to pristine fundamentals of faith are evident throughout Islamic history.
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HR. 10660. HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION ACT. CONFERENCE REPORT ON FEDERAL HIGHWAY AND HIGHWAY REVENUE ACTS.
This vote was related to H.R. 10660 (84th): An Act to amend and supplement the Federal Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways; to amend the Internal Revenue Cede of 1954 to provide additional revenue teem taxes.


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The MSTA room rate and block of rooms closes on August 10, so get your event registration and room booking in early!
Call 740-374-9660 for reservations and tell them you are with FlyBy Week to get one of our blocked rooms.


Subscribers: enter the number of subscribers you have in the first month. If some of these subscribers existed prior to the start of your plan, check Pre-existing subscribers.
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Churn: % of subscribers up for renewal each period who don't renew.
The Links tab lets you configure COGS expenses, Commissions, Cross-Sells, and Upgrades/Downgrades related to this product.
The Conversion Rate tab lets you set up a conversion funnel for marketing leads to this product.
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[Pro] Metrics - this tab will display product-specific SaaS metrics for subscription products. Currently it is used to specify products as Add-on products for SaaS metrics calculation purposes.


text:
Home » News » Car News » 2019 BMW 7-Series breaks cover
2019 BMW 7-Series breaks cover
By Divyank Kushagra Bansal | on January 17, 2019
For 2019, BMW's flagship sedan gets more tech, new engine options and an X7-inspired mammoth-sized grille; to go on sale in the international markets from 13th April 2019.
BMW has recently unveiled the 2019 mid-life facelift version of its flagship luxury sedan, the 7-Series. Like the current model, the 2019 iteration will also be offered in SWB (Standard Wheelbase) and LWB (Long Wheelbase) versions. However, over the current car, the facelift's length has been increased by 22mm, taking the SWB and LWB lengths to 5,120mm and 5,260mm, respectively.
While the side profile does not give away much about the changes, its the front and rear of the car which has been reworked a fair bit. Up front, one can hardly fail to notice the new, ginormous kidney grille which has become a BMW tradition over the past few months. The grille also houses an active air flap control which operates to suck in more cooling air when needed. At its foremost point, the entire front end has been made taller by around 50mm. To up the premium quotient and improve cabin insulation, the 2019 update also includes 5.1mm thicker side glass (both front and rear) and new front wings to improve airflow and reduce wind noise. Even the insulation used in the rear wheel arches has undergone changes.
The rear profile of the car is also distinguishable, thanks to a LED light strip which runs across the width of the tailgate to join the taillights. the LED light strip works in tandem with the DRLs up front. The taillights itself are 35mm slimmer, three-dimensional OLED units now. Other changes on the rear include flush-integrated wider tailpipe tips with chrome surrounds.
Inside too the list of changes isn't long. Subtle upgrades include improved materials and new connectivity features. The highlight of changes comes in the form a Reverse Assistant (part of the Parking Assistant) which can back up the car up to 50m along the course it drove on.
The new BMW 7 Series also includes the latest version of the BMW Touch Command unit. This removable tablet with a 7-inch screen can be used from any seat and even outside the vehicle. It lets the occupants operate comfort functions such as seat adjustment, interior lighting and climate control, as well as the infotainment, navigation and communication systems. Also, the 2019 7-Series gets Parking Assistant Plus (in the UK) which has a Reverse Assistant feature. This allows the car to memorise the car's steering input while moving forward into a parking space. The user can then activate the feature and the car will use those same steering inputs to back out of a confined space by following the same line.
The 2019 7-Series continues to get a range of turbocharged petrol and diesel powerplants as well as a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain in combination with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, depending on the chosen model. The petrol motor options include a 4.4-litre V8 producing 523bhp and 750Nm of torque in the 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive and spearheading the petrol line-up is the 6.6-litre V12 producing a whopping 577bhp and 850Nm of torque. Available in the M760Li xDrive, the giant V12 can propel the 7-Series from 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds!
The three diesel options all make use of the same 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine, however, with different states of tune. With a single turbocharger, it develops 260bhp and 620Nm of torque in the 730d, 730Ld and their corresponding AWD versions. With twin turbochargers, the output jumps to 316bhp and 679Nm of torque in the 740d xDrive and the 740Ld xDrive. The most powerful of the new 7-Series' diesel options is the 750d xDrive and the 750Ld xDrive, which use a quad-turbo setup in the same engine to produce 393bhp and 759Nm of torque.
With no clear date of arrival in India yet, expect the 7-Series facelift to reach our shores sometime in the second-half of 2019.
Tags: BMW BMW 7-Series


text:
Q: Field of new records not updated by trigger I'm new to apex and trigger and have an issue. I need to update a field on a record when 2 other fields are updated. This field is supposed to calculate the time between 2 dates based on the business hours. My trigger work with old records but not with records that have been updated since I made this trigger.
Here is my trigger:
 trigger RequirementTrigger on Requirement__c (before insert, before update) {

    RequirementTriggerHandler.calculerDelai(Trigger.new);

}

Here is my updated handler:
public with sharing class RequirementTriggerHandler {

private static String businessHoursTMA;

//Récupère BusinessHours TMA
static{
    BusinessHours businessHours = [SELECT Id FROM BusinessHours WHERE isDefault = true];
    businessHoursTMA = businessHours.Id;

}

//Calcul délais entre changement de statuts en heure
public static void calculerDelai(List<Requirement__c> newRequirement){
    for(Requirement__c rq : newRequirement){
        if(rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c  != NULL){
            // Délai moyen de prise en charge DMC (Date début "statut DMR"– Date début prise en charge) en heures
            if(rq.Date_debut_prise_en_charge__c != NULL){
                rq.Delai_DMC__c = BusinessHours.diff(businessHoursTMA,
                                                 rq.Date_debut_prise_en_charge__c,
                                                 rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c)/ 3600000;
            }
            // Délai moyen de qualification/assignation DMA (Date début "statut DMR"– Date début "statut DMA") en heures
            if(rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMA__c != NULL){
                rq.Delai_DMA__c = BusinessHours.diff(businessHoursTMA,
                                                 rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMA__c,
                                                 rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c)/ 3600000;
            }
            // Délai moyen de réalisation DMR (Date de résolution du ticket – Date début "statut DMR") en heures
            if(rq.Date_de_resolution_ticket__c != NULL){
                 rq.Delai_de_realisation__c = BusinessHours.diff(businessHoursTMA,
                                                            rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c,
                                                            rq.Date_de_resolution_ticket__c)/ 3600000;
            }

        }
    }

}

}

A: It doesn't work on updates because of oldMap == null. If you want it to work on insert and update, remove that condition from your if statement. Also, it may not be working as you expect because you're using if-else-if-else-if, so only one of the three possible fields can be updated at once. I suspect you may want to remove the "else" conditions. Finally, the BusinessHoursTMA variable can't be null (because you would get a QueryException error in your static block if this could be true).
You can also optimize your code by combining common conditions:
    for(Requirement__c rq : newRequirement){
        if(rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c != NULL)
            if(rq.Date_debut_prise_en_charge__c != NULL) {
                rq.Delai_DMC__c =
                    BusinessHours.diff( businessHoursTMA,
                                        rq.Date_debut_prise_en_charge__c,
                                        rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c)/ 3600000;
            }
            if(rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMA__c != NULL) {
                rq.Delai_DMA__c =
                    BusinessHours.diff( businessHoursTMA,
                                        rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMA__c,
                                        rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c)/ 3600000;
            if(rq.Date_de_resolution_ticket__c != NULL) {
                rq.Delai_de_realisation__c =
                    BusinessHours.diff( businessHoursTMA,
                                        rq.Date_d_but_statut_DMR__c,
                                        rq.Date_de_resolution_ticket__c)/ 3600000;

            }
        }
    }

A: The trigger seems fine to me. I would suggest either some debug statements throughout your code:
ex: System.debug('Updating: Delai_DMC__c to ' + rq.Delai_DMC__c);
Then create a new record and check the log to get a better understanding of the reason the expected result is not achieved.
You can also make a test class/method that inserts a Requirement__c record. After you run the test, you can open your RequirementTriggerHandler class in the dev console and click on Code Coverage (top left corner). This will highlight which lines of code have been run in your test. This sometimes helps me pinpoint the line which I need to fix.

for ex: I see at line 504 that the if statement was evaluated to be false, so line 505 was not executed.

I know its not a direct answer to your question, but hopefully with a little work you will be able to get this working correctly.


Medium/High Voltage - TECO-Westinghouse Motors (Canada) Inc.
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Watch all arabic channels live on xbmc & kodi FREE. Sports, news, shows, documentaries and more.
+samir gladiator Subscribe at the site Samir.
register at what website for it to work well?
+Ali Hashim I showed the site on the description of the video or during the video itself.
I'm looking.g for Lebanese TV. I've found a lot of Arabic from many countries but I need Lebanon's TV channels. Can you help?
+Yukon Cornelious Specifically from Lebanon i haven't come across but i will look for you. Thanks !!
+brad Minytor Thanks Brad !
Which Kodi verison are you using? my Kodi Helix doesn't show icons like yours does?
I would like that, thanks.
+xSava Navi x has a new version for about a month now, which repo did you install it from? try from a different one. Total revolution repo, super repo, fusion, etc.
I installed it from total revolution, I may try with fusion.
None of my links for the steaing work why is this?
none of the Lebanese channels work.
so do i have register with shahid arabic in order to watch these channels?


text:
Ohomairaki
Sociodrama
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About AANZPA
The purpose of AANZPA is to promote spontaneity in the Members of the Association and through them the spontaneity, creativity and co-creation of progressive relationships that strengthen the health and well-being of society in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and in our relationships with those in other countries.
First established in 1980, AANZPA now has about 90 Ordinary and Distinguished members who are Certificated Psychodramatist, Sociodramatists, Sociometrists or Role-Trainers. 25 of these members are further certificated as Trainer, Educator and Practitioners (TEPs) or Educator Practitioners. A further 200 members are Associate Members. Members are mainly from Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand, with some in Japan, USA, UK or Europe
AANZPA is as an incorporated not-for-profit association in South Australia and in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Organisational member of the International Association of Group Psychotherapy
Founding constituent member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia
Our vision is of people all over the world expressing themselves relevantly in the ordinary here and now situations in which they live and work. This expression may be in silence, in learning, in building, in negotiating, in teaching, or in play. It is a responsive and creative expression that brings joy to the human spirit that uplifts the soul that makes us feel part of the universe again.
Access a copy of the AANZPA Constitution
AANZPA Constitution (PDF)
The object of the Association is to provide an organisation, property and facilities to promote psychodrama.
AANZPA's Objects
Information about the Ethics Committee, the Code of Ethics and the Complaints Procedure.
AANZPA Executive
The AANZPA Executive is elected from certificated members every two years.
AANZPA's Board of Examiners is appointed by the Executive.
Regions further the life of AANZPA and its members in each area of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
AANZPA Regions
Ohomairaki is a group of Māori and Pakeha working to develop a bi-culturalism within the Association.
AANZPA promotes spontaneity in the Members of the Association and through them others spontaneity.
Contact AANZPA
Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Psychodrama Association
AANZPA
PO Box 418 DAW PARK
AANZPA Treasurer
©2018 AANZPA. All rights reserved.


text:
Patrick M. Lawlor (born November 30, 1951) is a video game and pinball machine designer.

Pat Lawlor had originally been a video game designer and had entered the coin-operated game design industry in 1980, working for Dave Nutting Associates.  Lawlor's pinball career began as an engineer for Williams in 1987, when he co-designed a dual-playfield machine called Banzai Run with Larry DeMar.  In 1988, he was assigned his first individual design project, a machine entitled Earthshaker!, which was released in January 1989. Notably, Earthshaker! was the first pinball machine with a shaker motor.

Early games
Lawlor's first solo project, Earthshaker!, was noteworthy for its implementation of a relatively obscure theme (earthquakes). The follow-up to Earthshaker! tackled a different form of natural disaster: tornados. The new game, Whirlwind, was released in early 1990 to similar praise. Both games demonstrated components of Lawlor's design methodology.

Foremost, Lawlor introduced thematically appropriate elements that altered gameplay.  For instance, upon progressing toward multiball mode in Earthshaker!, the playfield vibrated to simulate the effect of an earthquake. In a similar mode in Whirlwind, rubberized disks set flush in the playfield spun rapidly back and forth to throw the ball off course as it passed over them, while an electric fan mounted on top of the backbox blew wind in the player's face.

Secondly, Lawlor created playfields that were especially crowded compared to the faster flow-oriented machines that were popular at the time. Lawlor also introduced his signature "bumper shot", in which players needed to shoot the ball between pop bumpers—a tricky shot that requires great precision. Also, critical shots in Earthshaker! and Whirlwind were obstructed when attempted from the lower flippers, and could only be hit directly from a third flipper, located near the middle of the playfield on one side, requiring that players develop acuity at sending the ball across the playfield rather than simply up the playfield. Thus, his style of gameplay has often been described by players as "stop and go". Whirlwind was among the first pinball machines to feature what became known as a "wizard mode," a final special mode accessed by particularly skilled players for completing numerous difficult tasks on the playfield, a reward that was imitated in many future designs. "Wizard modes" were important in giving pinball games a sense of progression absent from pinball in its earlier years.

Lawlor followed up Whirlwind with FunHouse, which released in November 1990. Funhouse was a carnival-oriented game which bore the trademark playfield elements established in Earthshaker! and Whirlwind, plus a unique talking head named "Rudy" (voiced by Ed Boon). Over 10,000 machines were produced.

Other releases from the 1990s

The Addams Family
Lawlor's next design went on to become the best-selling pinball of all time. The Addams Family (TAF) was released in March 1992 by Midway (under the Bally label) and ultimately sold 20,270 units. The Addams Family was the first time Lawlor developed a game around a licensed theme rather than an original concept.

The Addams Family included several new features. One of these was "Thing Flips," in which the game could automatically take control of one flipper under certain circumstances and attempt to make a particularly difficult shot for the player. Results of previous shots were used to adjust the timing of the flip for each new attempt. Lawlor also placed magnets under the playfield that were activated during multiball and other modes, adding tension and randomness to the gameplay.  In 1994, a limited-edition Gold version was produced to commemorate the record-breaking sales of the original. The Addams Family Gold featured minor rule modifications, as well as cosmetic enhancements such as a gold lockbar and gold-trimmed rails.

Twilight Zone
His next design (over which he was given complete creative control) was another licensed theme based on a popular television show: The Twilight Zone (TZ). While Twilight Zone never sold as many units as The Addams Family (although it did sell over 15,000 units) it is popular amongst pinball enthusiasts, due in part to its complicated ruleset.

Its complexity was a mixed blessing, highlighting many of the pitfalls of the coin-operated game industry in general and pinball in particular. That is, the more elaborate the game, the more likely it would overwhelm the average player, which in turn would hurt sales. Furthermore, Twilight Zone was expensive to produce, particularly in the massive quantities that were expected following the astronomical record sales of The Addams Family. Lawlor was well aware of the difficulties the project posed, as he told an audience at a trade show in 2003. "We had a nickname for Twilight Zone," he said, "and it was 'In Excess Pinball'...we had just gotten done setting the record with Addams Family, and [Williams executives] were willing to let us do anything, and we did, which was a big mistake." While he conceded that "extreme pinball players" would enjoy the game, he added that "from a commercial standpoint, we were out of control...nobody would be allowed to do something that complicated again; nor should they be."

Among its toys was an elevated, magnetic flipperless mini-playfield; the player pressed the flipper buttons to activate the magnets, driving the ball into switches on the walls and through a scoring hole at the top. The game also featured a gumball machine, which could be loaded by the player and which could dispense a ball into play. This machine was also connected to another new feature, the "Powerball" — a white ceramic ball which was lighter than the others and unaffected by the game's magnets. A fully operational, 12-hour analogue clock served as a timer for several modes and could also display the current time.

Red & Ted's Road Show
After the release of Steve Ritchie's Star Trek: The Next Generation machine in late 1993, the fortunes of the pinball industry began to decline as the coin-operated arcade industry faltered in the face of increasingly advanced home video game systems.  1994 saw the release of Red & Ted's Road Show, a game that paid homage in many respects to The Addams Family and Twilight Zone while reverting to the more generic theme-oriented play of his earlier games like Earthshaker!, Whirlwind, and FunHouse. Instead of another natural disaster theme, Lawlor decided to make a game based on construction work and cross-country travel. It is said that he arrived at the concept for Road Show while sitting stuck in rush-hour traffic outside of Chicago due to road construction. The game became particularly popular at truck stops.

While the theme of Road Show paid homage to Earthshaker! and Whirlwind, the game's most prominent feature duplicated the talking "Rudy" head in FunHouse. Road Show included two talking-head characters: a male bulldozer driver named Ted and his female boss named Red (voiced by country singer Carlene Carter; she also performs her song, "Every Little Thing" in the multiball and jackpot modes). The game's design, however, resembled The Addams Family and Twilight Zone in that a sinkhole started modes, the progression of which could be followed by a prominent display in the bottom center of the playfield. It had a dual-plunger design reminiscent of FunHouse.

Decline of pinball
1995 marked the first year since 1991 that a new Pat Lawlor-designed pinball machine did not appear. The decline of the pinball industry had intensified by this point, and even though several well-received pinball machines came out during this period, including Steve Ritchie's No Fear: Dangerous Sports, John Popadiuk's Theatre of Magic, and Brian Eddy's Attack from Mars, the commercial success of pinball machines was diminishing by each fiscal quarter.

In 1996, Lawlor designed a new take on pinball, an innovative game called Safecracker, which featured a much smaller playfield than standard pinball machines of the time, operated on a timer rather than a 3-ball structure, and featured a backglass-based "board game" as a major gameplay feature. Safecracker was unique in that players could earn collectible tokens by achieving certain goals. It is widely believed that Safecracker was actually originally intended to be a game based on the Monopoly board game, a contention supported by the prominence of the generic board game ultimately included in the final product, but Williams was unable to negotiate a favorable deal for the license. True or not, Lawlor got another crack at Monopoly in 2001. Safecracker, however, met with uneven critical response and was not a particularly successful commercial product: only 1,148 units of Safecracker left the Williams factory (compared to the over 20,000 units of The Addams Family only four years earlier.)

Lawlor returned to his more conventional style in 1997 with No Good Gofers, an amusing golf-themed machine that returned to his standard signature design elements as well as featuring the return of the spinning disc from Whirlwind. The game included a retractable ramp that launched a ball onto a transparent upper playfield with a hole at the top to simulate a golf shot for a "hole-in-one". No Good Gofers was a limited commercial success with only 2,711 units made.

1998, however, marked the beginning of the end for the Williams pinball franchise, as its final three games, The Champion Pub, Monster Bash, and Cactus Canyon were released. The production run of Cactus Canyon was cut short as Williams made a drastic alteration in their hardware philosophy, attempting to revitalize the pinball industry by integrating video screens with standard pinball playfields with Midway's Revenge from Mars (the sequel to 1995's Attack From Mars, and designed by longtime Midway employee George Gomez) in 1999. This experiment, called Pinball 2000, ended ignominiously after heavy initial losses, and Williams ceased pinball operations in late 1999, leaving Pat Lawlor's only planned game for the Pinball 2000 platform, Wizard Blocks, canceled.

Stern Pinball era

At this time, Lawlor founded Pat Lawlor Design (PLD) with partners John Krutsch (mechanical designer for all of Lawlor's games) and Louis Koziarz (software programmer), and agreed to terms with Stern Pinball to distribute pinball machines, beginning with a September 2001 release of a traditional pinball machine based on the world's most popular board game, Monopoly. Monopoly was well received by the pinball community and the signature elements of Lawlor design were prominently included.

Lawlor has since designed RollerCoaster Tycoon, Ripley's Believe it or Not!, NASCAR (also known as Grand Prix in Europe), Family Guy, and CSI pinball machines for Stern. NASCAR, released in 2005, was a bit of a departure from Lawlor's normal design philosophy, utilizing more "flow-oriented" gameplay due to the more speed oriented theme. Family Guy, released in 2007, was notable for a unique design element, the "Stewie Pinball", a mini playfield within a playfield.  Unlike other mini playfields which simply reduced the distance between pinball elements, "Stewie Pinball" actually engineered all the pinball elements to be completely reduced in scale, a first in mini playfield design. The Family Guy playfield design was duplicated and re-released as Shrek the following year, with all the same features and a different rule set.

Jersey Jack Pinball
On January 24, 2014, Jersey Jack Pinball announced that Pat Lawlor would be designing their third release and that the machine would feature an original theme.  On October 13, 2016, Dialed In! was announced, which was the first pinball machine to feature Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone integration.

Dialed In!
Lawlor worked on this title for nearly 2 years, citing when it was announced that he was joining the Jersey Jack team that he would have creative freedom again like he did back in the Williams days.  This third title for Jersey Jack was released in 2017 and would be its first standard body game, yet packed with features similar to previous Lawlor titles.  This theme sort of ties into his existing Whirlwind and Earthshaker! themes as a disaster city, but this time updating it to modern times where a rogue cellphone begins causing the havoc.  This game features a hologram that is similar to the premium/LE Stern Ghostbusters.  It also has a built-in camera that takes selfies during the game.  Lastly, it also has Bluetooth that can pair with a phone, and allow the player to control the flippers remotely, a first in pinball.

Games designed

Williams
Wreck'n Ball (1987, by Cyberkidz)
Banzai Run (1988)
Earthshaker! (1989)
Whirlwind (1990)
FunHouse (1990)
Red & Ted's Road Show (1994; part of WMS' SuperPin series)
No Good Gofers (1997)
Wizard Blocks (1999; prototype running on Pinball 2000)

Midway (Bally)
The Addams Family (1992)
Twilight Zone (1993; part of WMS' SuperPin series)
Safecracker (1996)

Stern / Pat Lawlor Design
Monopoly (2001)
RollerCoaster Tycoon (2002)
Ripley's Believe it or Not! (2004)
NASCAR (known as Grand Prix in Europe) (2005)
Family Guy (2007)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2008)
Shrek (2008)

Jersey Jack Pinball
Dialed In! (2017)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (2019)
Toy Story 4 (2022)

References

External links
Pat Lawlor Design, Inc.
The Design Giants: Pat Lawlor

1951 births
Living people
People from Chicago
Pinball game designers
Video game designers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia