#1 Peaches: Available mid July through mid September. We hand sort and field pack tree ripe peaches into 18-pound boxes, resulting in approximately 40 peaches per box.
#2 Peaches (Seconds): We have #2 peaches available throughout the season at a reduced price. #2s, or seconds, are just fruit that isn't quite up to our #1 standards. They are usually smaller, sometimes with imperfections and blemishes, but are still just as tasty, and are an economical option for canning and/or cooking/baking with.
Mid-July. Medium sized, early variety with slightly red-blushed, yellow skin and bright yellow flesh. Mild tartness and sweetness. Clingstone – Semi-freeestone.
Mid-late July. Medium sized early variety, nearly fuzzless fruit, color is a beautiful red and golden yellow. Flesh is firm, smooth textured and fine-flavored. Clingstone – Semi-freeestone.
Late July. Early, medium sized fruit with outstanding color; firm, flavorful, and sweet flesh. Clingstone – Semi-freeestone.
Early-mid Aug. Large, nearly round, attractive yellow fruit. Mostly yellow skin with some red blush, is practically fuzzless. Firm yellow flesh has a very pleasant flavor and is resistant to browning. Superior canning and freezing qualities. Freestone.
Early-mid Aug. A large round peach. Skin is a highly blushed red over a golden color. Firm, yellow flesh with excellent sweet flavor. Red Globe is one of the most attractive peaches of the season. Excellent for fresh eating, canning, or freezing.
Mid Aug. Large, round, attractive fruit that colors to about 80% bright red blush over yellow background. Flesh is yellow, firm and melting with great texture and flavor. Freestone.
Mid-late Aug. A nice, large peach; color is 60% dark red with a bright yellow background. Great sweet peach flavor; Flesh is melting, yellow and very freestone.
Late Aug. Large in size, nearly round, golden yellow with a reddish blush. Firm, juicy, clear, bright yellow flesh. While many varieties have better color than the Cresthaven, it's flavor is one of the best. Great canner, freezer and shipper. Freestone.
Late Aug. A very beautiful, large, yellowish-red fruit with red around the pit. Lovely texture and nicely balanced sweetness and tartness; it is excellent fresh and an exceptional freezing peach. Freestone.
Late Aug.-early Sept. A very large, firm peach. Fruit is a gorgeous bright red (90%) over a yellow under color. It is mild and low in acid content; very sweet. Excellent fresh as well as for canning or freezing. Freestone.


I've got something I want to blog about, but it's going to take longer than I have today. Especially since today is shaping up to be a no nap day. Seriously.
2. He thinks it's fun to hang upside down in the doorway jumper....seriously!
3. I've seriously found 8 ticks on my dog and one of them was crawling on my last night.
4. I thought I'd never climb my laundry mountain yesterday, but I did. Now I'm using the FLY lady motto...a load of laundry a day keeps CHAOS away. Seriously!
Maybe Michael will get the hint about you needing a new computer! I validate that thing is slow :) Also no naptimes here for like 3 days...so I feel your pain. What's up with that? Ugh. That's how I feel about it...ugh.
Seriously (!) ticks are the grossest thing, EVER. I hope you get a new computer!!
Whatever you do, when you buy a computer, HOLD OUT FOR A MAC. I know people hate to hear that, but I spent $900 on a Sony Vaio in July, and it runs hot and slow on most days. Even though the hard-drive is basically empty. Ticks are disgusting...and that photo is SO cute!
And my baby is bound to roll/crawl off the bed any day now. I just know it.
second off... I about died when I read number 1.
I am SO glad you posted this. Because it happened to me LAST WEEK! And I kept thinking about how awful I was... and then kept saying "i'm sure it happens to a lot of moms" but then was so afraid to write it on blogger because of the krazy's out there!
but i'm glad i'm not the only one. they survived. we survived... just another first to mark off. lol!
and i LOVE that pic! what a funny little kiddo!!
And Lily took a nose dive off the couch about 4 months ago. Yikes! You're not alone.
he's so cute hanging there!


Geographic Information System (GIS) refers to systems that integrate hardware, software, and databases linked to a place on Earth (geo-referenced). GIS is used to create maps and models, usually with several layers that represent features or patterns of a particular location. These maps and models are used to discover, monitor, analyze/interpret, predict, and mitigate, allowing users to see a problem or a possibility for informed decision making. SGT links and integrates a variety of types of imagery and data to relate vast amounts of information on spatial relationships. SGT designs and develops GIS methods to monitor, interpret, predict, and mitigate the impact of natural and human processes changing the global landscape and environment. SGT is an ESRI partner and also supports open source activities including Open GIS and NASA World Wind.
National Archive for Remote Sensed Land Data provides technical and science support for USGS's EROS Center to operate an end-to-end land sciences data and information enterprise with a major remote sensing component. This enterprise encompasses one of the world's largest data archives of environmental and Earth imagery — over 5 petabytes of data with 8 terabytes of new data daily.
National Land Cover Database (NLCD) provides consistent public domain information on the nation's current and historical land cover characteristics.
Land Cover Applications and Global Change (LCAGC) — AID Senegal integrates field data, remote sensing and simulation modes to better understand and seek solutions to national and global issues.
Land Characterization and Land Cover Status and Trends provides assessment of the rates, causes, and consequences of contemporary U.S. land cover and land use change.
Spatial Data Warehouse (SDW) for Homeland Security Infrastructure Protection (HSIP) 133 Urban Areas high-resolution orthorectified imagery products. SGT performed system engineering, data management, website development and management, and data delivery of geospatial data through The National Map. Website providing elevation data in support of the SDW received an average of more than 10 million hits per day for the month of September in 2011.
National Science Foundation (NSF) — SGT provides mapping products, visualizations, and training for resident staff at the U.S. McMurdo Bay Research Station in Antarctica. SGT works closely with disaster response coordinators at EROS in order to provide state, federal, and international agencies with satellite images, aerial photos, elevation and land cover data, and other information necessary for a prompt and effective response to both natural and man-made disasters.
NASA World Wind – NASA's World Wind is a highly adaptable, high performance visualization platform based on international standards for spatial data. It provides the virtual globe technology and tools for visually managing spatial data. This open source tool can be integrated into any application so that geospatial data can be experienced in a real world context. SGT's Intelligent Systems Research and Development (ISRDS) contract supporting NASA Ames Intelligent Systems Division (Code TI) provides development and sustaining engineering support to the NASA World Wind project. Our ISRDS engineers are the original development team for World Wind — the team was awarded the 2009 Software of the Year Award by the NASA Inventions and Contributions Board. ISRDS engineers work with NASA to manage open source releases, maintaining the integrity of the "main branch" of World Wind source code. They work in collaboration with other agencies (e.g., FAA, DoD, NGA, USGS, DOE, USDA) to develop new features and applications for NASA World Wind. SGT, through our GIS Integrated Technology Center, is partnering with NASA to further promote and maintain World Wind in the open source community.


Hi and Welcome to Raw Balance!
Raw Balance is a nutrition and holistic wellness clinic focussed on helping you to achieve a healthier and happier lifestyle.
Raw Balance offers 3 bespoke services; Nutrition, Holistic Therapies and Active Programmes.
Within these three services we offer a range of empowering nutritional programmes and nutrition advice coaching, relaxing holistic therapeutic treatments and personal introductions to trainers who will work with you to help improve your activity level.
Our mission at Raw Balance is to enlighten, inspire, heal and empower you to achieve a more balanced and healthier lifestyle.
We hope you find our Raw Balance website insightful, inspiring and above all supportive in your journey to becoming a healthier and happier New You!
We offer personal coaching and a range of nutritional programmes and Courses that will help you achieve your goals.
Exercise can be very empowering for people of any age, shape or size. 30 minute walks per week could be all you need.
Whether you are looking to relax and unwind after a busy or stressful time or looking to treat a medical condition.


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White, 'Christian' terrorists masquerade as patriots
by Chris Kelly | Jan 5, 2016 | 27 comments
The latest demonstration of the dementia that defines modern "conservatism" and the GOP's Faustian bargain with well-armed, mentally-challenged extremists is playing out in Oregon.
A "militia" has occupied the headquarters of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, taking over federal property by force of arms and the implied threat of bloodshed. The refuge, which encompasses 292 square miles, was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican and the greatest elected American hero of environmentalism.
The leader of the armed occupation of Malheur is Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy, a Nevada rancher who suggested blacks were better off as slaves and thumbed his nose at federal law. The government backed down after his family staged an armed protest in 2014. Little wonder his son believes he can achieve the same in Oregon.
The spark of this latest insurrection was the inevitable imprisonment of Dwight Hammond Jr., 73, and his son, Steven Hammond, 46. They were convicted in 2012 of setting fires on public land. They both served prison terms (Dwight three months, Steven a year), but a federal judge deemed the sentences insufficient and ordered them back to jail. Federal law dictates a minimum five-year sentence for their crimes.
The Hammonds have disowned any connection to Occupy Malheur, but Ammon Bundy isn't about to pass on a chance at Fox "News" fame. Among the ridiculous demands he has made is that the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge be surrendered to private ownership. What's next? Occupy Yosemite?
The Feds, including President Obama, are seeking a peaceful resolution. If the FBI, ATF or soldiers are sent in, there is a risk of making martyrs out of impotent fools made dangerous by firearms and childish ideas. Any responsible gun owner who respects the Constitution that enshrined his or her right to keep and bear arms should see Ammon Bundy and his ilk as enemies of American liberty.
If Muslim-Americans dared stage an armed occupation of federal property, these same thugs and their enablers in government and Corporate Hate Radio would label them terrorists and demand the Kenyan Marxist Socialist Appeaser-in-Chief send in the Army to drive them out. Because Ammon Bundy and his benighted followers are at least primarily White Christians, they are seen by many as freedom-loving American patriots, even as they take up arms against the federal government, the definition of treason.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


No one knows you better than God does. He knows your past, present and future. He knows your coming and your going. He knows your heart. He knows what you're thinking. He knows you better than you know yourself so why not trust in Him to lead you to where He wants you to go. I bet it's far better & greater than anywhere you can ever imagine. Let God lead you in the way everlasting!
« Natural Hair Congress Canada Recap (Part 1)!


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Gray knows Saracens must improve for final at Saints
Ned Keating
Will Skelton carries the ball forward for Saracens at Bath in the Gallagher Premiership (pic: David Davies/PA) - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Allianz Park outfit were beaten 18-9 away to Bath in the Gallagher Premiership last weekend
Saracens last won the domestic cup in the 2014/15 season, with the final also at Franklin's Gardens (pic: Tony Marshall/PA) - Credit: PA Archive/PA Images
Saracens will hope to claim the first part of an unprecedented treble this season when they face Northampton Saints in the final of the Premiership Rugby Cup on Sunday.
As well as being in the final of the domestic cup, the north Londoners are currently second in the Aviva Premiership and host Glasgow Warriors in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals later this month.
The Allianz Park outfit are well on course for a highly-successful season, but know their chances of winning all three trophies rests on Sunday's final.
With Saints the highest seed out of the two finalists, they will enjoy home advantage with Sunday's showpiece event taking place at Franklin's Gardens.
Sarries, though, already have one victory at Northampton this term having won 38-27 in the league in September and will hope to replicate that success this weekend.
Hooker Joe Gray is aware, though, that the north Londoners will have to improve to beat Saints after losing 18-9 in the league at Bath on Friday night.
The 30-year-old told the club website: "It was a really frustrating, disappointing game against Bath. It was very tough and a lot of it was our own doing.
"Our discipline let us down a lot and we had a lot of opportunities which we messed up due to our lack of discipline.
"There were lots of opportunities out there, but we just let Bath into the game and gave them momentum.
"We lost a lot of the physical battle and they got momentum to play; they had too much time, too much space and we let them offload.
"In the conditions, we knew it was going to be a physical battle. We needed to get off the line, hit people when we carried and drive hard, but we didn't do that for large parts of the game.
"Everyone has to have a big week going into the final."
The domestic cup has been a competition full of great memories for Saracens in the past, having won it twice previously in its various guises.
Their last success, though, came in the 2014-15 campaign when a 20-year-old Maro Itoje led the north Londoners to glory against Exter Chiefs in the final.
Sarries will hope to claim their third domestic cup title with a victory at Saints in Sunday's final as they aim to keep their hopes of an historic treble alive.


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Christopher S. Porrino, Attorney General
Michelle Miller, Acting Director
Sharon Joyce, Acting Director
 For Further Information Contact:
Lee Moore (609) 292-4791
Attorney General Porrino Announces Amended Insys Complaint Naming Company Founder Kapoor as Individual Defendant
 Amended Complaint
TRENTON – Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced today that New Jersey has filed an amended consumer fraud and false claims complaint against Insys Therapeutics, Inc. -- maker of the powerful opioid-fentanyl drug Subsys -- that adds as a defendant John N. Kapoor, billionaire founder of the company.
Insys and Kapoor are accused in the State's complaint of endangering the public through a greed-driven, unlawful marketing campaign designed to exponentially increase sales of Subsys by making fraudulent claims and unlawfully incentivizing health care providers to prescribe Subsys to an inappropriately broad array of pain patients.
Subsys is only approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating breakthrough cancer pain in opioid-tolerant cancer patients.
Filed in Superior Court in Middlesex County, the State's amended complaint notes that Kapoor not only founded Insys and is its principal shareholder, but also held executive management positions in the company including Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Kapoor's public claims that he was "not involved in day-to-day operations" concerning Subsys and that he was merely "an investor" in the company are contradicted by documentary evidence, the State's amended lawsuit notes. The complaint charges that, in reality, Kapoor exercised "firm direction" and "close management" of the illegal push to have Subsys inappropriately – and dangerously – prescribed for patients with routine chronic pain.
"This individual (Kapoor) founded Insys and for all intents and purposes ran the company. We reject the suggestion that he had only a hands-off, observer's role in the process of illegally expanding the off-label prescription market for his company's flagship drug Subsys. And, as our amended complaint filed today makes plain, we believe that available evidence suggests otherwise," Porrino said. "We allege that Mr. Kapoor was firmly at the controls as Insys coldly set aside any concerns about addiction and death, and forged full-steam ahead with a campaign to have more doctors prescribe Subsys to more patients, and to have doctors who were already prescribing the drug prescribe higher doses. Naming him as a direct defendant credits his alleged role in a calculated scheme to drive profits at the expense of human life, and allows us to look beyond the corporate veil and obtain a judgment against Mr. Kapoor and his personal assets."
Among other things, the State's amended complaint alleges that the greed of Kapoor and Insys put "hundreds" of lives in jeopardy and "led to the death of at least one New Jersey resident" -- a 32-year-old Camden County woman who was prescribed Subsys for fibromyalgia. In addition, the suit notes that two New Jersey state employee health benefits plans paid a total of approximately $10.3 million to reimburse Subsys prescriptions between 2012 and the third-quarter of 2016, while the State Worker's Compensation Program paid another $300,000.
The lawsuit includes three counts alleging violations of New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act and one count alleging violations of the New Jersey False Claims Act. The suit asks that Insys and Kapoor be assessed maximum civil penalties for each violation of the Consumer Fraud Act, and seeks three times the State's actual damages for violations of the False Claims Act, per that statute. The suit also seeks to have Insys and Kapoor held responsible for costs and fees incurred by the State in bringing the case.
From the 2012 market launch of Subsys until the present, the drug has accounted for approximately 98 percent of net revenues for Insys, a Delaware corporation with headquarters in Chandler, AZ. Insys, which has raised the price of Subsys every year since its launch, sold $74.2 million worth of the drug in New Jersey between 2012 and the third-quarter of 2016.
The State's complaint alleges that Insys's corporate decision-makers – led by Kapoor -- devised a strategy to expand what they recognized as a limited market for Subsys by aggressively pushing "off label" uses of the drug – even to podiatrists and other specialty practitioners who typically would have little call to treat cancer patients or prescribe powerful Schedule II painkillers. (Off-label use denotes use of a drug for purposes other than that for which it was approved by the FDA.)
Deputy Attorneys General from the Division of Law's Government and Healthcare Fraud Section -- including Section Chief Janine N. Matton, DAG Lara J. Fogel and DAG Evan A. Showell, are handling the Insys matter on behalf of the State.
 Follow the New Jersey Attorney General's Office online at Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & YouTube. The social media links provided are for reference only. The New Jersey Attorney General's Office does not endorse any non-governmental websites, companies or applications
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Last Modified: 11/29/2017 8:46 AM


Not only is Hotel North Woods the perfect place for the whole family, it even welcomes your furry friend. This premiere historic hotel is located in charming downtown Lake Placid, appropriately named one of the 20 "prettiest towns" in America, according to Forbes.
Hotel North Woods has a program called Outward Hound, which was created in order to ensure your pets have a great vacation as well. The program includes use of their signature, custom pet beds and pet dining stations, as well as a complementary homemade Nutty Maple Bacon dog treat. The official Official Outward Hound Canine Ambassador, Liberty, is often on property to welcome guests.
"Our Outward Hound program is unique in the industry as it goes well beyond being pet-tolerant and is truly pet-friendly," said Tracy Smith, owner and marketing manager.
With its proximity to so many mountains, Lake Placid offers various hiking trails for all ability levels. With only a 15-minute drive from your hotel room, you have no excuse to miss the most breathtaking 30-minute walk in the Adirondacks. High Falls Gorge contains four waterfalls shooting over rocks and a crevice carved a billion years ago by ice, water, and wind.
Mirror Lake is only a five-minute walk from the hotel, making boating, swimming, fishing, and more easily accessible. The hotel provides each guest a guide to pet-friendly locations and hikes in and around Lake Placid, making it easier to plan their days with their four-legged friend in mind. Grab your family and your dog and explore the natural wonders of the Adirondacks.
With stunning lakes and mountains only minutes away and fine dining, shopping, and entertainment only an elevator ride away, Hotel North Woods provides the best of both worlds. Lake Placid is the two time home to the Olympic Winter Games, giving visitors the opportunity to tour the Olympic sites and experience ski jumps, take a bobsled ride, and on many occasions, see Olympic athletes train.
When you and your family are ready to grab a bite, check out two onsite dining options at the hotel, including Delta Blue, a southern-themed restaurant offering Memphis-style barbecue, Cajun cuisine and live music every week, and The Cabin Grill, serving classic Adirondack breakfast. Both restaurants allow pets on the outdoor patio so don't worry about having to leave them behind. If you would like to try out one of the delicious restaurant on Main Street, many are also pet-friendly. It is not easy to find a hotel so accommodating to pets, so don't pass up the opportunity to plan your pet-friendly Lake Placid vacation today!
Exciting Family Getaways for the Fall and Winter!


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DemandGen Report To Host B2B Content2Conversion Event This April In New York City
Published in Feature Articles
Progressive B2B organizations have realized that the traditional approach to marketing products and services requires a ramp-up in value-add and buyer insight.
As content marketing becomes an increasingly critical tool for B2B companies, DemandGen Report (DGR) has announced the launch and preliminary agenda for the first annual Content2Conversion Conference, to be held Tuesday, April 24th at the Times Center in Manhattan.
Conference sessions will cater to a growing need for progressive marketing — centered on using thought leadership as a connecting point for solution providers to effectively engage with prospective buyers.
Highlighting this opportunity, a recent survey conducted by DGR showed that:
More than 90% of B2B buying purchases start with content engagement; and
More than 40% of B2B buyers had their first contact with a solution provider after downloading content from their site.
Author and industry expert Ardath Albee will deliver the keynote address, entitled "Starting From Scratch: 10 Steps To Launch a Content Marketing Strategy." Albee is the author of E-Marketing Strategies for the Complex Sale, and owner of Marketing Interactions, Inc., which helps B2B companies generate more sales-ready leads with e-marketing and content strategies.
"DemandGen Report is a must-have resource for the latest news, insights and research about marketing and sales automation," Albee said. "Now, with Content2Conversion, they're bringing us a conference designed to provide attendees with solid takeaways from each progressive session. I'm excited to be presenting!"
Other industry leaders taking part include HubSpot, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of integrated marketing solutions, also a sponsor of the event. Jeanne Hopkins, VP of Marketing at HubSpot, will present on the topic of using content for inbound discovery and nurturing existing prospects.
"Research has shown that engaging content is critical to supporting an inbound marketing strategy and helping companies get found," Hopkins noted. "Furthermore, progressive marketers are realizing that content also plays a key role in advancing prospects from the middle of the funnel to closed deals by nurturing and educating buyers with information that speaks directly to their needs at different stages."
And as metrics become an increasingly critical part of marketing programs, Jim Lenskold, President of The Lenskold Group, will present a session examining the roles of data and measurement in content and demand generation strategies. "Today's B2B marketers are actively using content to educate, engage and drive conversions," Lenskold says. "It is now more critical to have quality measurements to manage content marketing toward higher ROI."
In addition to the Conference, DemandGen Report is proud to announce the launch of the First Annual Killer Content Awards, recognizing organizations and individuals that have raised the bar in content marketing tactics. Winners will be honored at an awards ceremony during the Content2Conversion Conference. B2B organizations can nominate their content by filling out the short nomination form at this link. Winners will be chosen based on — but not limited to — the following criteria:
Social media/viral/targeted content marketing;
Mapping content to the buyer's journey;
Quantitative results (increased leads, sales, revenue, etc.);
Qualitative results (partnerships formed, increased interaction, etc.);
Video/interactive content;
Overall market positioning; and
Cross-channel marketing presence.
B2B content marketers interested in nominating collateral are encouraged to submit their content by March 23, 2012 for consideration.
Click here to access the nomination page.
For more information on the conference or to register, click here.
DemandGen Report
Content2Conversion
Ardath Albee
Jeanne Hopkins
Content2Conversion Conference
The Lenskold Group
Jim lenskold
mapping content
qualitative results
quantitative results


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State Charitable Giving Incentives
Submitted by cnp_admin on Tue, 01/13/2015 - 9:45pm
The tax laws in many states encourage individuals to give to charitable organizations whose missions they support by providing an itemized deduction or tax credit. Tax reform efforts in recent years in some states have sought to cap or eliminate charitable giving incentives. Reduction or removal of charitable giving incentives threaten the ability of nonprofit organizations to serve people in need and to continue to strengthen work in communities.
Limitations on state charitable deductions and other giving incentives effectively remove motivations for donations to churches and synagogues, domestic violence shelters, early childhood programs, food banks, school alumni groups, and all other charitable nonprofits, and would further reduce the ability of charitable organizations to meet the increasing need for services in their communities.
Nonprofit organizations in every state are dedicated to the public good; their work improves lives, strengthens communities and the economy, and lightens the burdens of government, taxpayers, and society as a whole. Maintaining the value of the charitable giving tax incentive is essential to the ongoing work of nonprofit organizations in delivering essential services, enhancing quality of life, and uplifting the spirit of faith, innovation, and inspiration in local communities across America.
If lawmakers truly want effective tax policies and more efficient government, then we also need a thriving charitable nonprofit sector that provides essential services for the people who need them the most.
- Mayor Walter Weeks, Coats, NC, writing in "Senate bill harms nonprofits, communities," Fayetteville (NC) Observer, April 19, 2015.
The National Council of Nonprofits is committed to supporting existing, enhanced, and new tax and other incentives at the federal level that encourage individuals to volunteer their time and contribute money to the missions of nonprofits and opposing caps or limits on charitable giving incentives.
- Public Policy Agenda
The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted at the end of 2017, is generating bills at the state level through which legislators are seeking either to conform state law to the revised federal tax code or to create variances from the federal law. Lawmakers in several states have introduced bills to reduce or limit the expected adverse impact of the federal tax law on charitable giving resulting from the near doubling of the federal standard deduction to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples. Nationwide, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is predicted to cause 28.5 million fewer taxpayers to claim itemized deductions.
Five states (Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, and Virginia) considered legislation to allow individuals to elect to itemize charitable contributions as deductions on their state tax filings regardless of whether they elected to itemize on their federal tax filings in 2019. A separate Virginia bill would provide a nonrefundable tax credit (capped at $250 individual/$500 couple) to those who do not itemize deductions on their federal tax returns. None of the bills was enacted this session.
Non-itemizer Deductions
During the 2019 legislative session, an Arizona measure would have established a non-itemizer charitable deduction, retroactive to 2018. According to a University of Arizona study, "Arizona nonprofits could lose approximately $273 million in charitable giving" because of the federal tax law. The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate. More than 250 nonprofits signed onto a letter calling for passage of the giving incentive. Learn more from this op-ed that explains the need and impact of the legislation.
Similarly, lawmakers in New Jersey, currently without a state charitable giving incentive, introduced a bill creating a non-itemizer deduction to allow all taxpayers, regardless of whether they itemize or take the standard deduction, to claim charitable contributions on their tax forms. Specifically, the bill would permit a taxpayer to deduct from state income taxes the amount of charitable contributions made to a "qualified New Jersey-based charitable organization" equal to the amount that is allowable as a charitable deduction under federal income taxes. Lawmakers have called the state charitable deduction "an emergent priority because there are individuals who can reduce their tax burdens and help out charities at all income levels." The NJ Center for Non-Profits is actively advocating for this type of giving incentive, pointing out, "Demand for the programs and services provided by charities continues to grow, while needed resources lag behind" (as outlined in the Center's recent report).
If enacted, these states would join Colorado and Minnesota in providing charitable tax incentives for all taxpayers, regardless of whether they take the standard deduction or itemize.
Charitable Giving and Endowments
Whether in response to the 2017 federal tax law or a growing hostility and misunderstanding of the purpose of endowments, the concept of giving to nonprofit endowments is under review is some states in 2019. Tax laws in five states (Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, and North Dakota) incentivizing charitable donations via tax credits helped generate increased donations to endowments. Charitable endowments in Iowa have increased sevenfold since the state enacted a giving incentive in 2003. Each state provision is structured differently, with some allowing the benefits to be applied only to gifts to community foundations, while others also allow donations to charitable organizations, including nonprofit colleges and universities. Four legislatures (Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Mississippi) considered similar measures in 2018, each with varying provisions on rates, caps, and qualifications for which nonprofits may receive the donations.
In 2019, the Montana Governor signed legislation to continue the state's nonprofit and foundation endowment tax credit for another six years, and he Mississippi Governor signed legislation creating the Endow Mississippi Program that grants a 25 percent tax credit for qualified contributions of up to $200,000 to qualified community foundations. Advocacy by charitable nonprofits in North Dakota eliminated legislative threats seeking to weaken the endowment tax credit program in the state. One bill would have diminished incentives by expanding the scope of the endowment tax credit but reducing the amount of the tax credit from $5,000 to $500 at the same time. A separate measure was amended to strip out a provision that changed the endowment and planned gift tax credit to a deduction. In Missouri, a bill sought to target certain nonprofit university endowments by imposing a 1.9 percent tax on the aggregate fair market value of assets, potentially penalizing nonprofits for building reserves to maintain operations into the future.
Charitable Giving and Tax Credits
The 2017 federal tax law capped state and local tax (SALT) deductions at $10,000. Several states responded by passing legislation in 2018 allowing their residents to avoid ("workaround") that cap by letting state taxpayers treat their payment of state income taxes made to government-run charitable organizations as "donations." Treasury and the IRS looked to curtail those workarounds in proposed regulations that, however, also appear to apply to many programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia that provide a state or local tax credit for donations to certain charitable nonprofits.
Despite the proposed federal regulations, state policymakers continued to extend, expand, and create state tax credits to incentivize contributions to various nonprofits subsectors. Two states – Georgia and Missouri – enacted or expanded their existing tax incentives in 2018. Bills introduced in Michigan after the proposed regulations were published would have created 50-percent tax credits for charitable contributions to support the work of food banks and donations to community foundations.
In 2019, Georgia continued the streak by extending tax credits to 2024 for donations to rural health organizations. A newly enacted law in Mississippi makes contributions to nonprofits working with Child Protective Services are now eligible for a business tax credit equal to 50 percent with an aggregate cap of $5 million, while an annual aggregate cap for individual contributions has been raised from $1 million to $3 million. A separate bill would have established a tax credit for private school and home-schooling expenses for the taxpayer's dependent children. North Dakota lawmakers expanded a tax credit for charitable contributions by individuals to nonprofit private schools; prior law had allowed credits only for donations via a partnership or other pass-through entities.
The Indiana Legislature considered a bill that provides a 50-percent tax credit, with caps, for charitable contributions to a public school foundation. Lawmakers in Arizona sought to change definitions for certain charitable tax credits, notably expanding the benefit for donations to charities that provide services to individuals, not just children, with a chronic illness or physical disability. In Iowa, legislators proposed a state tax credit for charitable contributions to regenerative medicine research and an exemption from taxation of wages received by an individual from a nonprofit for services provided to individuals with disabilities.
The ultimate value of these state tax credits depends on federal decisions yet to be announced. The Treasury Department and IRS issued draft regulations in 2018 with the stated goal of the federal proposal is to block state "workaround" laws designed to avoid the new federal $10,000 cap on the amount individual taxpayers can deduct for state and local taxes they paid. As written, however, the proposed rule would apply to most state tax credits, limiting the amounts that donors would be permitted to deduct from federal taxes.
What Nonprofits Can Do
Changes to the charitable giving incentive proposed as part of comprehensive tax reform at the state and federal levels represent major threats to the work of nonprofits in communities. Help protect charitable giving now and in the future by sharing your story with your state association of nonprofits and contacting your legislators to tell them how the giving incentive allows nonprofits to make a positive impact in your community.
2018 Individual Giving Data: What's the Bottom Line?, Rick Cohen, National Council of Nonprofits, March 20, 2019.
The Give (by donors) and Take (by taxes) of Nonprofit Funds, Tiffany Gourley Carter, National Council of Nonprofits, March 20, 2019.
The Effects of 2019 Tax-Policy Decisions Will Linger for Decades. It's Time to Weigh In., Tim Delaney and David L. Thompson, January 14, 2019.
Contributions in Exchange for State or Local Tax Credits, U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service, published August 27, 2018.
Treasury Issues Proposed Rule on Charitable Contributions and State and Local Tax Credits, Treasury Department news release, August 23, 2018.
Nonprofits Respond to Release of Proposed Rules on SALT Workarounds, National Council of Nonprofits, news release, August 23, 2018.
The Lab Results Are in on Tax Reform, Tim Delaney, The Hill, July 23, 2013.
Tax Reform Lessons Learned From State Experiments, Lisa Maruyama and Tim Delaney, Huffington Post, July 25, 2013.
Hawai'i Governor Neil Abercrombie's Testimony, March 15, 2013.
Letter from Kansas Charitable Nonprofits on the Charitable Giving Incentive, May 31, 2013.
Nonprofit Association of Oregon's Testimony on the Charitable Giving Incentive, April 9, 2013.
Impact on Giving After the Repeal of the Michigan Community Foundation Tax Credit, February 2013.
Charitable Giving Incentive One-pager, National Council of Nonprofits.
State & Local Policy Issues
Giving Incentives
Policy Issue Categories
Government-Nonprofit Contracting


If you have no qualms about the idea of eating a Pokémon, there could be a really cute cake at your next party thanks to this adorable Pikachu cake pan from ThinkGeek.
This officially licensed silicone mold will create one perfect Pikachu in your oven and is dishwasher safe, so it's easy to care for. Measuring 12″ tall x 9″ wide x 2 1/2″ deep, it's fairly sizable too, so there'll be enough cake for everyone.
At $9.99, it's a good deal. If you want to get even more extra, bust out your Pokémon cookie cutters and whip up some cookies too. People are going to hate you a little, but they're not as awesome as you, so there's not much they can do about that.


Every year the Vancouver International Wine Festival hosts winery principals from around the world to pour their wines and give us their backstory. There has not been an easy place though for the wineries to talk directly to you about themselves and their wines before the Festival starts, until now. On these pages you will find posts written by the wineries, passing along their information to you, making you better informed about them before you present your glass at their table during the Vancouver International Wine Fest. You may even have more courage to ask the winery principals a question or two based on what you read about them or their wines. A grape experience for you and them. Read on and enjoy!


text:
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;

public class Game_Manager : MonoBehaviour {
    public static int MAX_HEALTH = 100;
    public static float MAX_DIFFICULTY = 1f;

    private int health = 100;
    private float difficulty = 1f;
    private int money = 0;

    private int round = 0;
    private int enemiesDeployed = 0;

    private UI_Manager UIManager;
    private Map_Manager mapManager;

	// Use this for initialization
	void Start () {
        UIManager = GameObject.FindGameObjectWithTag("Canvas").GetComponent<UI_Manager>();
        mapManager = GameObject.Find("Manager_Map").GetComponent<Map_Manager>();
        this.health = MAX_HEALTH;
        this.difficulty = MAX_DIFFICULTY;
        if (MAX_DIFFICULTY == 2.5f && GameJolt.API.Manager.Instance.CurrentUser != null) GameJolt.API.Trophies.Unlock(34601);
        this.money = 0;
        UIManager.setHealth(health);
        UIManager.setMoney(money);
    }

	// Update is called once per frame
	void Update () {

        if(health <= 0)
        {
            EndGame.roundNumber = round;
            Application.LoadLevel("end");
        }

	    if(round > 0)
        {
            if(enemiesDeployed < round)
            {
               //TODO: randomize enemy deployment time
                if(GameObject.FindGameObjectsWithTag("Enemy").Length == 0)
                {
                    mapManager.spawnEnemy((40f * difficulty), (difficulty * .95f));
                    enemiesDeployed++;
                }

                if(Random.Range(0, 420) < 2f)
                {
                    mapManager.spawnEnemy((45f * difficulty), (difficulty * .90f));
                    enemiesDeployed++;
                }
            }
            else
            {
                if (GameObject.FindGameObjectsWithTag("Enemy").Length == 0)
                {
                    nextRound();
                }
            }
        }
	}

    public void nextRound()
    {
        round++;

        if (round == 10 && GameJolt.API.Manager.Instance.CurrentUser != null) GameJolt.API.Trophies.Unlock(34437);
        if (round == 25 && GameJolt.API.Manager.Instance.CurrentUser != null) GameJolt.API.Trophies.Unlock(34438);
        if (round == 50 && GameJolt.API.Manager.Instance.CurrentUser != null) GameJolt.API.Trophies.Unlock(34439);
        if (round == 75 && GameJolt.API.Manager.Instance.CurrentUser != null) GameJolt.API.Trophies.Unlock(34440);
        if (round == 100 && GameJolt.API.Manager.Instance.CurrentUser != null) GameJolt.API.Trophies.Unlock(34441);

        enemiesDeployed = 0;
        difficulty += .05f;
        if (round > 15) difficulty += .15f;
        UIManager.alertRound(round);
        if (round == 1) return; //Player won't have any money at this point
        UIManager.getRewardUI().SetActive(true);
        UIManager.getRewardUI().GetComponent<Animator>().Play("RoundEnd- ENTER");
        UIManager.getRewardUI().GetComponent<Reward_Manager>().generateTower(round);
    }

    public void addRoundNoReward()
    {
        round++;
        enemiesDeployed = 0;
        UIManager.alertRound(round);
    }

    public void enemyPass(float enemyHealth)
    {
        health -= (int)(enemyHealth * difficulty);
        UIManager.setHealth(health);
    }

    public void enemyKilled()
    {
        this.money += (int)(100 / difficulty);
        UIManager.setMoney(money);
    }

    public void addMoneyFromTower(int amount)
    {
        money += amount;
        UIManager.setMoney(money);
    }

    public int getMoney()
    {
        return this.money;
    }

    public void acceptTowerReward()
    {
        subtractMoney(Reward_Manager.cost);
    }

    public void subtractMoney(int money)
    {
        this.money -= money;
        UIManager.setMoney(this.money);
    }

    public void acceptCashReward()
    {
        money += Mathf.FloorToInt(Reward_Manager.cost / 2f);
        UIManager.setMoney(money);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Kurds reject Turkish soldiers in Iraq
Kurds oppose any form of Turkish military deployment in Iraq, according to an official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
Turkish troops are unlikely to be welcomed by Kurds
Barham Salih made clear that foreign military forces in occupied Iraq could not guarantee security for the population and that a Turkish presence would only deteriorate an already bad situation.
His comments were published on Tuesday in Iraq's al-Sabah newspaper before Turkey's parliament later in the day agreed to a cabinet motion to send soldiers to Iraq.
"Turkish troops will face difficulties if they enter Iraq, because the majority of Iraqi groups do not want any military participation from any neighbouring country," he said.
No military assistance
Ruling out military assistance, Salih said Turkey would have a role to play in rebuilding a free and unoccupied Iraq.
"It is the wrong thing to do. It does not add to security. It is not useful"
Mahmud Othman,
aqi Governing Council member
"The Iraqi people seek political and economic help from Turkey, but not military," said Salih, who is in Ankara.
The official said his comments were representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and its leader, Jalal Talibani.
Iraq council rejection
Iraq's US-appointed Governing Council has also rejected any Turkish deployment in the north of the country.
Council member Mahmud Othman told journalists on Tuesday that the council was unanimous in its decision.
"It is the wrong thing to do. It does not add to security. It is not useful," said Othman, whose Kurdish ethnic group has a long history of bad blood with the Turks.
Othman added the council was also against the sending of troops from any neighbouring country.
He said the communique would be issued by the council in due course, but might be delayed by the US-led occupation authority.
Council spokesman Muhannad Abd al-Jabbar said no communique had been issued so far.
Parliament vote
The Turkish
operation could start as early as next month and last for up to a year, according to Turkish press reports.
The Turkish decision to send troops, which has sparked sharp public opposition, does not specify how many soldiers would be sent and to which part of Iraq.
But the popular Vatan daily said 6000 soldiers - from units in Ankara and from the neighbouring province of Cankiri - would initially be deployed, starting in November.
Anti-US and Israeli sentiment is
running high in Turkey
Turkey will become the first predominantly Muslim nation to contribute troops to the US-led occupation.
Hostile opposition
But many Turkish lawmakers rejected the idea of sending troops, having opposed the war that ousted former President Saddam Hussein from the beginning.
Many parliamentarians doubt whether their soldiers - consisting mainly of conscripts - should risk dying for a mission they do not support. A recent opinion poll indicated that 64.4% of Turks oppose sending troops.
However, Ankara has been determined to help the US-led occupation.
Government spokesman Cemil Cicek will not disclose how many soldiers will be sent, but officials have said the United States has requested about 10,000.
The number "will be assessed according to needs", Cicek said.
US security assurance
The Turkish government has received assurances from the US State Department's "counterterrorism" chief, Cofer Black, that the United States will remove the threat posed by Kurdish rebels of the autonomy-seeking Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, based in northern Iraq.
But Barham Salih says no one is in a position to guarantee anybody's security in Iraq.
Most of northern Iraq is in the hands of two mainstream Kurdish parties - the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).


Not every home is created the same and the unique design of the Phelps Collection allows for maximum flexibility with its reversible chaise. With five available coverings - brownish gray, blue, dark grey, teal and chocolate brown microfiber, the refined track arm and comfortable seating, the collection's style is compatible in a number of settings. The matching ottomans provides additional comfort and function to your living room.
FEATURES: Brownish Grey / Blue / Dark Grey / Teal / Chocolate Brown Color ~ Contemporary / Transitional Style ~ Microfiber / 100% Polyester Covers ~ Reversible Chaise ~ Configurable To Needs.


text:
Statement from the Association of London Directors of Children's Services
As Leaders of London's Children's Services, we are appalled by the killing of George Floyd. It served as a stark example of the systemic nature of racism and the lived experience of many black people around the world, including the UK.
London is one of the most diverse cities in the world and it is our privilege to lead services which support, protect, nurture and educate London's children. We are therefore committed to challenging racism so that it will cease to impact on the lives and futures of our children and young people.
We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and acknowledge the huge contribution that Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic members of that workforce make.
We are committed to improving our working practices, training, support and recruitment processes to ensure that the leadership of London's children's services better reflects the workforce and the communities we serve. We will actively challenge stereotypes and racial injustice whether in frontline practice, work with partners, or management of services.
We recognise that the Black Lives Matter Movement presents a challenge to do better which applies to all of us.
The Association of London Directors of Children's Services (ALDCS) is a pan-London body representing all of London's statutory Directors of Children's Services. It provides strategic leadership which promotes and improves the work boroughs do to offer all children and young people the best start in life and opportunities and support to achieve their full potential.


The big attraction at the stunningly refurbished Musée Picasso was the 'Picasso.Sculptures' which had rolled into town after MOMA for the first major international exhibition since the reopening.
Upstairs there were a few painting from the collection, none more arresting than La Mort du Torero.
After, we sat quietly nearby for a while and I thought the light was nice on the two gentlemen in front.


Arrive in Halifax. As the cultural and historical capital of Atlantic Canada, Halifax has been welcoming visitors for over 250 years. This vibrant and lively port city embraces its love of the sea, offering a diversity of galleries, cafes and shopping opportunities. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Drink and orientation with your Tour Manager. Your journey will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 7 PM on the day of arrival. We recommend that you select flights which arrive in your destination no later than 5 PM on Day 1 of the itinerary or earlier, if possible.
Land only price does not include departure transfer. It is recommended that passengers select flights that arrive no later than 5 pm on Day 1.
Triple rooms consist of two double/queen beds for three persons; where available, a fee may be charged by the hotel for the addition of a cot/rollaway.
This moderately active program covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect from two to three hours walking every touring day. The pace is moderate, and you will encounter some uneven or wet surfaces. This is a Classic program.


2015 – A YEAR OF CHANGES.
2015 – A YEAR OF CHANGE.
I will pray more about the next year later, but God gave me the word: Changes. It might be for me and it might mean changes in general. I do think both. I do believe that we will see great changes in the year ahead of us. When we look back on 2014 we have seen and heard about more demonic activities than I can remember during my lifetime. Some of the same things might have happened before, but in lesser scale. Only a few days ago, I heard that almost two hundred children were killed during school-time in Pakistan. Thousands and thousands of Christians and others must flee from extreme Islamists in order to save their lives, natural disasters happens everywhere in the world and I could continue to mention all the terrible things happening. I have never seen the devil more visible than now. His time is short and he tries to destroy as much as possible before he gets bound in order to finally be cast in the lake of fire. How should we Christians react to all of this? Should we get anxious, angry, passive or indifferent? Luke 21 says that we should not be afraid when we hear about wars and natural disasters. Verse 17 and 18 says that we will be hated for His name's sake, but not a hair on our heads will be lost. "If you do not give up, you will possess life," says the Lord.
I do not believe that we can stand firm in this fight if we lack conviction. We must know Jesus. We cannot be indifferent to Him if we want victory over the devil. If someone threatens to kill you if you do not deny Jesus, I think that the decision might be very difficult if you do not have a close and intimate relationship to Him. I have heard men saying that they are willing to fight for their wife and children. How much more shouldn't we be willing to live and die for Jesus who gave His life for us? If we think we can stand in the fights in our own strength, I am afraid that we will lose for much stronger forces. We must be in Him Who protects us and gives us power and new strength. Do you remember the shepherd – boy David winning over the giant Goliath because he trusted God Who is with us? He won over the giant with a small stone and a sling. The stone sank so hard into Goliath's forehead that he fell on the ground.
We cannot continue to look at circumstances and resistance with natural eyes. We have to look at the world through God's perspective. We must count on supernatural help and believe in solutions much greater than we can think. We have a big God and a kind Daddy!
Will there only be misery in 2015? No, I seriously believe that the light will shine brighter and the darkness will get darker. I believe that the devil will continue to be angry, but God will help us Christians to stand as lights in this dark world. We will shine in such a way that many want to follow Him Who is the Light. If this is going to happen, you might have to lay down your own self, your own ideas and plans and your own ambitions. Your Daddy in heaven has much greater ambitions for you than you have yourself. You must believe that He is good and wishes you well. He is for you and not against you.
If you think that everything will be the same way as it always has been and you can do the same things as you always have, I do not think 2015 will be that way. I can see what God has done in my life only the last year. There have been tough times, but I had to lean on Him more than ever before. Every resistance has forced me to go deeper into the Word, pray more and Jesus has become more and more real to me. I have gotten a deeper desire to see others saved and I had a chance to pray with more people for salvation last year. Problems that seemed big before have minimized by the help of God. I can now see them through the eyes of God and then I see possible solutions.
When I seek Him, He meets me.
The Lord never forces Himself on us. We must approach Him. He is always there and He is always for us. Many do not dare to come to Him since they are afraid of God, but they must have a wrong picture of Him then. I have many times destroyed these wrong pictures in the Spirit both in me and others. God wants us to see Him with the glasses of truth and not with fear.
I started to write about 2015 as the year of change. If we are going to walk with the Lord, we might have to leave our comfort zone and move into the unknown. If we are going to do that, we must have our safety in the Lord. We might sometimes feel like we are alone, but that is only a feeling. We can't leave our comfort zone without the Lord. He is there with us and for us and will support us in all possible an impossible ways. I remember that I used to have some personal problems when I was out travelling. When the Lord wanted me to travel more, I asked Him to heal and release me from these problems and He did. Before that He healed me from car-sickness. I have been taken by cars mile after mile in different countries and I have not always had drivers keeping the rules and speed limits. I didn't feel that I always could comment on the driving, but I am sure that the angels were very busy. I never got sick.
Fear for the unknown is often caused by wrong pictures of God or oneself.
We are often limiting ourselves and think that we might not manage new challenges. I often pray for people that they should get the right and true picture of God and themselves. In Scandinavia we have a law called "janteloven". That means that you must not think that you are something or that you can more than anybody else. That means that people are hindered in taking new steps. We are also limited in our creativity. This manmade law has nothing to do with God Who says: "Everything is possible for those who believe" We must believe that we can be used to perform things that in our eyes look impossible. I am usually saying that the devil is an expert to blow up problems that are small to big balloons. I want you to look at obstacles as possibilities. Somebody called repeated problems for a way of correcting us. I do not think that God sends us problems, but He does allow them to come, but He doesn't make them since He is the solution.
How do you meet the New Year? I personally meet it with a certain excitement. What will happen in the New Year? What plans does the Lord have? What will I participate in? When and where will I be travelling? Will personal and general prophesies come to pass during the year? I am very lucky to be on pension. That means that I easily can move around. Some feel very bound by having small children. I recently heard about a family with four children between three and seven. They have opened their home and their home is becoming like a small church. Others feel limited because they are alone. That's a lie. I am alone and I am busy all the time. It is really a privilege since I do not have to ask anybody else for permission than the Lord. He and I are a team. Sickness might be a hindrance, but look upon sickness as an enemy that Jesus took with Him on the Cross. Don't make your illness to a friend. It is difficult to get rid of it then. If you are sick, you can always pray. I know handicap people who function as intercessors.
I WISH YOU AN EXITING 2015. KEEP CLOSE TO JESUS AND TRUST HIM AND HIS POWER. HE DOESN'T LIMIT YOU, BUT GIVES YOU NEW AND GREATER POSSIBILITIES.


text:
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AYE SAH- CHINA AND DI HACKING
Published March 4, 2013 | By
As Hacking Against U.S. Rises, Experts Try to Pin Down Motive
By NICOLE PERLROTH, DAVID E. SANGER and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
SAN FRANCISCO — When Telvent, a company that monitors more than half the oil and gas pipelines in North America, discovered last September that the Chinese had hacked into its computer systems, it immediately shut down remote access to its clients' systems.
News Analysis: In Cyberspace, New Cold War (February 25, 2013)
Follow @NYTNational for breaking news and headlines.
Twitter List: Reporters and Editors
Company officials and American intelligence agencies then grappled with a fundamental question: Why had the Chinese done it?
Was the People's Liberation Army, which is suspected of being behind the hacking group, trying to plant bugs into the system so they could cut off energy supplies and shut down the power grid if the United States and China ever confronted each other in the Pacific? Or were the Chinese hackers just trolling for industrial secrets, trying to rip off the technology and pass it along to China's own energy companies?
"We are still trying to figure it out," a senior American intelligence official said last week. "They could have been doing both."
Telvent, which also watches utilities and water treatment plants, ultimately managed to keep the hackers from breaking into its clients' computers.
At a moment when corporate America is caught between what it sees as two different nightmares — preventing a crippling attack that brings down America's most critical systems, and preventing Congress from mandating that the private sector spend billions of dollars protecting against that risk — the Telvent experience resonates as a study in ambiguity.
To some it is prime evidence of the threat that President Obama highlighted in his State of the Union address, when he warned that "our enemies are also seeking the ability to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems," perhaps causing mass casualties. Mr. Obama called anew for legislation to protect critical infrastructure, which was killed last year by a Republican filibuster after intensive lobbying by the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups.
But the security breach of Telvent, which the Chinese government has denied, also raises questions of whether those fears — the subject of weekly research group reports, testimony and Congressional studies — may be somewhat overblown, or whether the precise nature of the threat has been misunderstood.
American intelligence officials believe that the greater danger to the nation's infrastructure may not even be China, but Iran, because of its avowal to retaliate for the Stuxnet virus created by the United States and Israel and unleashed on one of its nuclear sites. But for now, these officials say, that threat is limited by gaps in Iranian technical skills.
There is no doubt that attacks of all kinds are on the rise. The Department of Homeland Security has been responding to intrusions on oil pipelines and electric power organizations at "an alarming rate," according to an agency report last December. Some 198 attacks on the nation's critical infrastructure systems were reported to the agency last year, a 52 percent increase from the number of attacks in 2011.
Researchers at McAfee, a security firm, discovered in 2011 that five multinational oil and gas companies had been attacked by Chinese hackers. The researchers suspected that the Chinese hacking campaign, which they called Night Dragon, had affected more than a dozen companies in the energy industry. More recently, the Department of Energy confirmed in January that its network had been infiltrated, though it has said little about what damage, if any, was done.
But security researchers say that the majority of those attacks were as ambiguous as the Telvent case. They appeared to be more about cyberespionage, intended to bolster the Chinese economy. If the goal was to blow up a pipeline or take down the United States power grid, the attacks would likely have been of a different nature.
In a recent report, Critical Intelligence, an Idaho Falls security company, said that several cyberattacks by "Chinese adversaries" against North American energy firms seemed intended to steal fracking technologies, reflecting fears by the Chinese government that the shale energy revolution will tip the global energy balance back in America's favor. "These facts are likely a significant motivation behind the wave of sophisticated attacks affecting firms that operate in natural gas, as well as industries that rely on natural gas as an input, including petrochemicals and steelmaking," the Critical Intelligence report said, adding that the attack on Telvent, and "numerous" North American pipeline operators may be related.
American intelligence experts believe that the primary reason China is deterred from conducting an attack on infrastructure in the United States is the simple economic fact that anything that hurts America's financial markets or transportation systems would also have consequences for its own economy. It could interrupt exports to Walmart and threaten the value of China's investments in the United States — which now include a new, big investment in oil and gas.
Iran, however, may be a different threat. While acknowledging that "China is stealing our intellectual property at a rate that qualifies as an epidemic," Representative Mike Rogers, the Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, added a caveat in an interview on Friday. "China is a rational actor," he said. "Iran is not a rational actor."
A new National Intelligence Estimate — a classified document that has not yet been published within the government, but copies of which are circulating for final comments — identifies Iran as one of the other actors besides China who would benefit from the ability to shut down parts of the American economy. Unlike the Chinese, the Iranians have no investments in the United States. As a senior American military official put it, "There's nothing but upside for them to go after American infrastructure."
While the skills of Iran's newly created "cybercorps" are in doubt, Iranian hackers gained some respect in the technology community when they brought down 30,000 computers belonging to Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, last August, replacing their contents with an image of a burning American flag.
The attack did not affect production facilities or refineries, but it made its point.
"The main target in this attack was to stop the flow of oil and gas to local and international markets and thank God they were not able to achieve their goals," Abdullah al-Saadan, Aramco's vice president for corporate planning, told Al Ekhbariya television.
President Obama has been vague about how the United States would respond to such an attack. No one in the administration argues that the United States should respond with cyber- or physical retaliation for the theft of secrets. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has made clear that would be dealt with in criminal courts, though the prosecutions of cybertheft by foreign sources have been few.
But the question of whether the president could, or should, order military retaliation for major attacks that threaten the American public is a roiling debate.
"Some have called for authorizing the military to defend private corporate networks and critical infrastructure sectors, like gas pipelines and water systems," Candace Yu, who studies the issue for the Truman National Security Project, wrote recently. "This is unrealistic. The military has neither the specialized expertise nor the capacity to do this; it needs to address only the most urgent threats."
But the administration has failed to convince Congress that the first line of defense to avert catastrophic cyberattack is to require private industry — which controls the cellphone networks and financial and power systems that are the primary target of infrastructure attacks — that it must build robust defenses.
A bill containing such requirements was defeated last year amid intense lobbying from the United States Chamber of Commerce and others, which argued that the costs would be prohibitive. Leading members of Congress say they expect the issue will come up again in the next few months.
"We are in a race against time," Michael Chertoff, the former secretary of homeland security, said last week. "Most of the infrastructure is in private hands. The government is not going to be able to manage this like the air traffic control system. We're going to have to enlist a large number of independent actors."
The administration's cybersecurity legislation last year failed despite closed-door simulations for lawmakers about what a catastrophic attack would look like.
During one such simulation that the Department of Homeland Security allowed a New York Times reporter to view at a department facility in Virginia, a woman played the role of an "evil hacker" who successfully broke into a power plant's network. To get in, the hacker used a method called "spearphishing," in which she sent a message to a power plant employee that induced the employee to click on a link to see pictures of "cute puppies."
When the employee clicked on the link, it surreptitiously allowed the hacker to gain access to the employee's computer, enabling her to easily turn the switches to the plant's breakers on and off.
Although the officials providing the briefing acknowledged that the simulation was a bit simplistic, their message was clear: with so many vulnerable critical infrastructure systems across the country, such an attack could easily occur, with huge consequences. No one rules out that scenario — whatever the current motivations and abilities of countries like China and Iran.
"There are 12 countries developing offensive cyberweapons; Iran is one of them," James Lewis, a former government official and cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said at a security conference in San Francisco. Those countries have a long way to go, he said, but added: "Like nuclear weapons, eventually they'll get there."
Nicole Perlroth and Michael S. Schmidt reported from San Francisco, and David E. Sanger from Washington.
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We've all been there or we'll all be there soon. It may be that you are there right now. Somebody you know has lost a family member. You want to help, but you are not sure how you can do that.
In a recent issue of the Gospel Advocate there was an informative article by a sister in the Lord. Michelle Moore wrote about the loss of her son and provided what I thought was some very practical advice.
She wrote of things that many of us have thought of. For example, she suggested that ministering to those who are grieving "…will most likely be a thankless job for a while…" This, she suggests, is because those who are grieving cannot process things as they once did.
She also suggested that those who are grieving need to continue to be invited to events. She further suggested that those who do the inviting need to understand if they decline.
Sister Moore also reminded us of something that we probably already know. There is no definite schedule to grieving. Grief is a process, not an event. It may take much longer for some than it does for others. We each grieve differently, so we must not press our expectations upon others.
What I found to be helpful were some very practical suggestions. What follows, then, are the words of sister Moore without any "editorial comment" from me. I have shortened most of them for the sake of space and the comments in parentheses are mine. You may find yourself adding some of your own.
While some of sister Moore's ideas seem to have been written from the perspective of a woman, not all of them are. I hope you find them as practical and helpful as I did.
1. Pray for them every single day.
2. Send a card – or even more than one… Include a story about the loved one.
3. Send a gift card to a restaurant.
4. Text them. Include scripture, not just the reference, but write out the scripture. Let them know specifically what you are praying for when you text.
5. When you head to the store, call the family asking what they might need.
6. Take care of some difficult tasks: Mowing the yard, preparing a meal, or Christmas dinner, putting up or taking down holiday lights, etc.).
7. Drop off a care package.
8. Offer to help when it is time to go through their loved one's things. Among other things, this gives the one grieving a chance to share memories.
9. Take a friend or two and go help around the house.
10. Invite your friend to go out to lunch or grab coffee.
11. If your friend has small children, offer to take them for an afternoon to give them time to grieve alone, uninterrupted.
12. If the death is that of a child, do not forget the siblings.
13. In conversations with someone who is grieving, say the loved one's name frequently.
Most of all, may we remember to "bear one another's burdens, thus fulfilling the law of Christ."
Our heartfelt thanks to Michelle.


1Kings 15:1 ¦ Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
1Kings 15:2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his motherÕs name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
It is noted that in the 18th year of the reign of King Jeroboam in Israel, Abijah ascended to the throne in Judah. He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. He was the son of Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. There seems to be a discrepancy between Kings and Chronicles regarding Maachah.
Already I am a bit confused because of the notes from the previous chapter on Abijah leading his people out to battle against Jeroboam in the name of the LORD. It would seem that this must have been at the beginning of his reign, because verse 3 is clear in declaring that he Òwalked in all the sins of his father,Ó Rehoboam. Maybe he was one who acknowledged the LORD God of Israel but did not submit to Him as LORD.
The Chronicler also tells us a bit about his family.
Only for DavidÕs sake did the LORD God allow this man to reign and establish Jerusalem firmly under the rule of the house of David because of DavidÕs love for the LORD. We know that David sinned, but David was always quick to repent when confronted with his sin and to renew his commitment to follow the LORD in obedience. It is noted that DavidÕs great sin centered on the circumstances associated with the murder of Uriah the Hittite.
As noted in the previous chapter, we are told that there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their lifetimes.
Abijam died and was buried in the city of David; his son Asa succeeded him to the throne.
1Kings 15:9 ¦ And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
1Kings 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his motherÕs name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
In the 20th year of JeroboamÕs reign in Israel, Asa became king over Judah. He was the (grand)son of Maachah, the (grand)daughter of Absalom. He ruled in Judah for 41 years. The Chronicler tells us in 2Chronicles 14:1 that Òthe land was quiet for ten yearsÓ during his reign—presumably the first ten years.
According to the Chronicler, he made use of this time to build up the cities of Judah and fortify their walls. It would also seem from his record that it was the victory that God gave Judah over the attacking armies of Ethiopia that spurred Asa into making the reforms that are noted in the next verses. He then notes that there was no more war in Judah until the 35th year of the reign of Asa. Once again there is a discrepancy between the two accounts. Gill offers the following explanation.
1Kings 15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless AsaÕs heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
In contrast to his father, Asa did that which was right before the LORD, following the example of his great great grandfather David. Asa removed all the sodomites and idols out of the land. He even removed his grandmother from being queen because she had made an idol in a grove, a place of worship to false gods. Asa destroyed her idol with fire by the brook Kidron.
Asa did not, however, destroy all the high places. In spite of that bad decision, it is noted that his heart was at peace with the LORD throughout his life.
Once again, there is an apparent discrepancy with the record of the Chronicler.
Even with this explanation, it was wrong for Asa not to have removed the high places that were used to worship the LORD. The LORD had commanded that such worship was to take place at the temple.
Asa gathered together all the things that he and his father had dedicated to the house of the LORD—silver, gold and vessels.
See verse 25-28 below as to Baasha becoming king in Israel.
Asa responded by taking all the silver and gold that was left in the treasures of the house of the LORD and the kingÕs house and sent them with trusted servants as a gift to Benhadad, the king of Syria that lived in Damascus. The messengers reminded Benhadad that there had been a covenant between their fathers. He urged him to break covenant with Baasha and intervene on JudahÕs behalf. He wanted his help in getting Baasha out of Judah.
Benhadad did as Asa asked and sent his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked the cities of Ijon, Dan, Abelbethmaachah, Cinneroth and the land of Napthali. When Baasha heard what was happening, he left Ramah to go back to Tirzah.
King Asa made a proclamation requiring all the men of Judah to come and remove the stones and timber at Ramah and take them to Geba in the land of Benjamin and Mizpah.
The Chronicler adds some important information.
Asa made a grave mistake by seeking help from men before seeking the counsel of the LORD and trusting in Him as JudahÕs defender. There seems to be clear indication that his relationship with the LORD was faltering in his old age.
How sad it is when a servant of the LORD falters after many years of faithful obedience!
The writer notes that the rest of the acts of Asa are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah. There is a note made, however, that he was diseased in his feet in his old age. Again, the Chronicler adds important information.
Once again, Asa chose to place his faith in man rather than seeking help from and placing his faith in the LORD. This incident spoke to me early on in my life. Since then, it has been the foundation upon which I have dealt with health issues in my own life. I do not consider it wrong to go to doctors, but I will always seek GodÕs counsel first as long as I have the choice. My faith is in His provision, not in the knowledge and skills of men.
Asa died and was buried in the city of David with his ancestors. His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him to the throne. Once again the Chronicler adds a little bit more information.
1Kings 15:25 ¦ And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, succeeded his father Jeroboam to the throne of Israel in the second year of the reign of Asa in Judah. His reign only lasted for two years. He followed in the steps of his father and did evil in the sight of the LORD.
Baasha, son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar, plotted to overthrow Nadab. When Nadab and his troops laid siege to the Philistine city of Gibbethon, Baasha found an opportunity to kill him and seize the throne.
This occurred during the third year of AsaÕs reign in Judah.
This is not a reference to the books of Chronicles in scripture.
It is noted that there was war between Asa and Baasha throughout their lives. Baasha seized the throne of Israel during the third year of AsaÕs reign in Judah; he reigned over Israel in Tirzah for 24 years (into the 27th year of AsaÕs reign). Baasha was an evil man, just as evil as Jeroboam. The last phrase testifies to the fact that he too worshipped idols and false gods.


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