text:
Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization: A solution to the signal mismatch problem
Sergiy A. Vorobyov, Alex B. Gershman, Zhi Quan Luo
Adaptive beamforming methods are known to degrade if some of underlying assumptions on the environment, sources, or sensor array become violated. In particular, if the desired signal is present in training snapshots, the adaptive array performance may he quite sensitive even to slight mismatches between the presumed and actual signal steering vectors (spatial signatures). Such mismatches can occur as a result of environmental nonstationarities, look direction errors, imperfect array calibration, distorted antenna shape, as well as distortions caused by medium inhomogeneities, near-far mismatch, source spreading, and local scattering. The similar type of performance degradation can occur when the signal steering vector is known exactly but the training sample size is small. In this paper, we develop a new approach to robust adaptive beamforming in the presence of an arbitrary unknown signal steering vector mismatch. Our approach is based on the optimization of worst-case performance. It turns out that the natural formulation of this adaptive beamforming problem involves minimization of a quadratic function subject to infinitely many nonconvex quadratic constraints. We show that this (originally intractable) problem can be reformulated in a convex form as the so-called second-order cone (SOC) program and solved efficiently (in polynomial time) using the well-established interior point method. It is also shown that the proposed technique can be interpreted in terms of diagonal loading where the optimal value of the diagonal loading factor is computed based on the known level of uncertainty of the signal steering vector. Computer simulations with several frequently encountered types of signal steering vector mismatches show better performance of our robust beamformer as compared with existing adaptive beamforming algorithms.
IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing
https://doi.org/10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
Manuscript received October 17, 2001; revised October 10, 2002. This work was supported in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, Communications and Information Technology Ontario (CITO), Premier's Research Excellence Award Program of the Ministry of Energy, Science, and Technology (MEST) of Ontario, Canada Research Chairs Program, and Wolfgang Paul Award Program of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The associate editor coordinating the review of this paper and approving it for publication was Dr. Rick S. Blum.
Optimal diagonal loading
Robust adaptive beamforming
Second-order cone programming
Signal mismatch problem
Worst-case performance optimization
10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
Dive into the research topics of 'Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization: A solution to the signal mismatch problem'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Beamforming Engineering & Materials Science 100%
Sensor arrays Engineering & Materials Science 22%
Scattering Engineering & Materials Science 19%
Cones Engineering & Materials Science 19%
Calibration Engineering & Materials Science 15%
Degradation Engineering & Materials Science 14%
Vorobyov, S. A., Gershman, A. B., & Luo, Z. Q. (2003). Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization: A solution to the signal mismatch problem. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, 51(2), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization : A solution to the signal mismatch problem. / Vorobyov, Sergiy A.; Gershman, Alex B.; Luo, Zhi Quan.
In: IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 51, No. 2, 02.2003, p. 313-324.
Vorobyov, SA, Gershman, AB & Luo, ZQ 2003, 'Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization: A solution to the signal mismatch problem', IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
Vorobyov SA, Gershman AB, Luo ZQ. Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization: A solution to the signal mismatch problem. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing. 2003 Feb;51(2):313-324. https://doi.org/10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
Vorobyov, Sergiy A. ; Gershman, Alex B. ; Luo, Zhi Quan. / Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization : A solution to the signal mismatch problem. In: IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing. 2003 ; Vol. 51, No. 2. pp. 313-324.
@article{fbc98f03aad1458391312689220b7727,
title = "Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization: A solution to the signal mismatch problem",
abstract = "Adaptive beamforming methods are known to degrade if some of underlying assumptions on the environment, sources, or sensor array become violated. In particular, if the desired signal is present in training snapshots, the adaptive array performance may he quite sensitive even to slight mismatches between the presumed and actual signal steering vectors (spatial signatures). Such mismatches can occur as a result of environmental nonstationarities, look direction errors, imperfect array calibration, distorted antenna shape, as well as distortions caused by medium inhomogeneities, near-far mismatch, source spreading, and local scattering. The similar type of performance degradation can occur when the signal steering vector is known exactly but the training sample size is small. In this paper, we develop a new approach to robust adaptive beamforming in the presence of an arbitrary unknown signal steering vector mismatch. Our approach is based on the optimization of worst-case performance. It turns out that the natural formulation of this adaptive beamforming problem involves minimization of a quadratic function subject to infinitely many nonconvex quadratic constraints. We show that this (originally intractable) problem can be reformulated in a convex form as the so-called second-order cone (SOC) program and solved efficiently (in polynomial time) using the well-established interior point method. It is also shown that the proposed technique can be interpreted in terms of diagonal loading where the optimal value of the diagonal loading factor is computed based on the known level of uncertainty of the signal steering vector. Computer simulations with several frequently encountered types of signal steering vector mismatches show better performance of our robust beamformer as compared with existing adaptive beamforming algorithms.",
keywords = "Optimal diagonal loading, Robust adaptive beamforming, Second-order cone programming, Signal mismatch problem, Worst-case performance optimization",
author = "Vorobyov, {Sergiy A.} and Gershman, {Alex B.} and Luo, {Zhi Quan}",
note = "Funding Information: Manuscript received October 17, 2001; revised October 10, 2002. This work was supported in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, Communications and Information Technology Ontario (CITO), Premier{\textquoteright}s Research Excellence Award Program of the Ministry of Energy, Science, and Technology (MEST) of Ontario, Canada Research Chairs Program, and Wolfgang Paul Award Program of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The associate editor coordinating the review of this paper and approving it for publication was Dr. Rick S. Blum.",
doi = "10.1109/TSP.2002.806865",
journal = "IEEE Transactions on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing",
T1 - Robust adaptive beamforming using worst-case performance optimization
T2 - A solution to the signal mismatch problem
AU - Vorobyov, Sergiy A.
AU - Gershman, Alex B.
AU - Luo, Zhi Quan
N1 - Funding Information: Manuscript received October 17, 2001; revised October 10, 2002. This work was supported in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada, Communications and Information Technology Ontario (CITO), Premier's Research Excellence Award Program of the Ministry of Energy, Science, and Technology (MEST) of Ontario, Canada Research Chairs Program, and Wolfgang Paul Award Program of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The associate editor coordinating the review of this paper and approving it for publication was Dr. Rick S. Blum.
N2 - Adaptive beamforming methods are known to degrade if some of underlying assumptions on the environment, sources, or sensor array become violated. In particular, if the desired signal is present in training snapshots, the adaptive array performance may he quite sensitive even to slight mismatches between the presumed and actual signal steering vectors (spatial signatures). Such mismatches can occur as a result of environmental nonstationarities, look direction errors, imperfect array calibration, distorted antenna shape, as well as distortions caused by medium inhomogeneities, near-far mismatch, source spreading, and local scattering. The similar type of performance degradation can occur when the signal steering vector is known exactly but the training sample size is small. In this paper, we develop a new approach to robust adaptive beamforming in the presence of an arbitrary unknown signal steering vector mismatch. Our approach is based on the optimization of worst-case performance. It turns out that the natural formulation of this adaptive beamforming problem involves minimization of a quadratic function subject to infinitely many nonconvex quadratic constraints. We show that this (originally intractable) problem can be reformulated in a convex form as the so-called second-order cone (SOC) program and solved efficiently (in polynomial time) using the well-established interior point method. It is also shown that the proposed technique can be interpreted in terms of diagonal loading where the optimal value of the diagonal loading factor is computed based on the known level of uncertainty of the signal steering vector. Computer simulations with several frequently encountered types of signal steering vector mismatches show better performance of our robust beamformer as compared with existing adaptive beamforming algorithms.
AB - Adaptive beamforming methods are known to degrade if some of underlying assumptions on the environment, sources, or sensor array become violated. In particular, if the desired signal is present in training snapshots, the adaptive array performance may he quite sensitive even to slight mismatches between the presumed and actual signal steering vectors (spatial signatures). Such mismatches can occur as a result of environmental nonstationarities, look direction errors, imperfect array calibration, distorted antenna shape, as well as distortions caused by medium inhomogeneities, near-far mismatch, source spreading, and local scattering. The similar type of performance degradation can occur when the signal steering vector is known exactly but the training sample size is small. In this paper, we develop a new approach to robust adaptive beamforming in the presence of an arbitrary unknown signal steering vector mismatch. Our approach is based on the optimization of worst-case performance. It turns out that the natural formulation of this adaptive beamforming problem involves minimization of a quadratic function subject to infinitely many nonconvex quadratic constraints. We show that this (originally intractable) problem can be reformulated in a convex form as the so-called second-order cone (SOC) program and solved efficiently (in polynomial time) using the well-established interior point method. It is also shown that the proposed technique can be interpreted in terms of diagonal loading where the optimal value of the diagonal loading factor is computed based on the known level of uncertainty of the signal steering vector. Computer simulations with several frequently encountered types of signal steering vector mismatches show better performance of our robust beamformer as compared with existing adaptive beamforming algorithms.
KW - Optimal diagonal loading
KW - Robust adaptive beamforming
KW - Second-order cone programming
KW - Signal mismatch problem
KW - Worst-case performance optimization
U2 - 10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
DO - 10.1109/TSP.2002.806865
JO - IEEE Transactions on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing
JF - IEEE Transactions on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing


My brother Mike recently moved to Portland, Oregon. In his place, our friend Lauren has moved in.
Besides providing a welcome chunk of the rent, Lauren brought her ibook, with wireless network card, which meant that she was going to share in the $49 monthly dsl bill from SBC.
She unpacked a wireless router on Thursday evening and handed it to me to hook up. Immediately I unplugged our "wired" router and swapped in hers. It didn't work right out of the box, and I was in the middle of another project, so I unplugged and set it aside.
Lauren would have to wait until tomorrow.
When I came home for lunch the next day, she was sitting on her bed, and her ibook was open next to her.
"Oh, sorry about not getting your wireless up and running, do you mind waiting until tonight for the internet hookup?" I said.
She replied, "My internet is working".
It took us about 3 seconds to figure it out: Someone else in the neighborhood must have a wireless hub, which Lauren had tapped into for free!
Simultaneously, we shouted "You still have to pay! / I'm not paying!"
The moral? If your new roommate has an ibook with a wireless network card, tell them that your router is already wireless.


Snapchat are finally straying from their longstanding tradition of no links, and it's certainly set to benefit marketers!
Snapchat users can now link to external websites thanks to Paperclip Links in Snap Map; the platform's latest feature. Whilst seemingly simplistic, this update generates huge opportunities for businesses by helping them gain more organic traffic.
This is particularly reassuring for unverified and local businesses, who now have the means to direct Snapchat users to their company website or blog. The Paperclip feature is readily available to everyone on Snapchat, a stark contrast to previous links which were only exclusively available to paid advertising campaigns on the "discovery" section of the app.
Before sending your Snapchat, clicking the paperclip button on the vertical toolkit will allow you to type in your chosen URL. A preview of the link then populates at the bottom of the window.
Users need only swipe up on your Snap to open the link.
Snapchat's Paperclip Links drive traffic from the app to mobile pages, meaning it's important to enhance your content so that it's mobile friendly. As our Head of Creative, Adam Ward details in his article on Accelerated Mobile Pages, improving your web pages augments the way in which users consume your content.
AMP implementation is especially important for businesses using Snapchat, as the mobile version of your website is the first version these users will encounter. Successfully optimising your content for mobile users means that those arriving from Snapchat will benefit from a vastly improved loading speed, which will ultimately reduce bounce rate for easily obtainable information.
AMP is particularly useful if you're using Snapchat links to direct users to a specific blog post or a news article, but is much less efficient for landing pages or complex information. For example, our website has been developed in-house to automatically filter news and blog posts into AMP articles. This allows for greater UX versatility, which offers huge benefits for those reading on the go e.g. commuting or outside of a 4G network.
Take home? AMP is essential when driving traffic from Snapchat links.
Snap Map was rolled out earlier this month and it doesn't disappoint! Publicly shared Snapchat stories are now positioned on the Snap Map according to their location, letting users view stories from events across the globe.
Whist Snapchat has yet to enable adverts on the Snap Map, viewable links using the app's internal browser is arguably the first step towards extending advertising to this update. Businesses using Snapchat's Paperclip feature would benefit from posting to local stories, to get their links positioned on the Snap Map. These would ultimately receive more exposure.
The location-based positioning of links is particularly important for local SEO. This is achievable for businesses both with and without a high-street presence, and increases visibility in a targeted location. Sharing links on the Snap Map should help smaller businesses to compete with big-budgeted marketing campaigns, by allowing them to connect with customers looking for similar services in their area.
Take home? Positioning links on the Snap Map is great for improving Local SEO!
For now, Snap Map and Paperclip Links have ensured Snapchat stays one step ahead of Instagram and its 'Link in Bio' gimmick. But it wont be long before the Facebook-owned platform fires something back, let's just hope it benefits marketers!


US monthly 'Bridal' Magazine ran a survey to find out the most popular honeymoon destinations. Thailand came 3rd for Asia and South Pacific region with 29.6% of the votes – go Thailand! I have lived in Thailand since 2007, and know Thailand to be a first class destination. There are literally no reasons I know of why you would not love your honeymoon in Thailand.
When you have your wedding in Thailand, the atmosphere is more relaxed, you get plenty of time to spend with everyone before you head off into the sunset with your partner, either to another little island or on a travelling adventure to see the sights. Your wedding guests can also continue with a holiday of their own, no need to fly in an out just for a long weekend, right?
If you come to Thailand for your honeymoon you can sunbathe on tropical beaches, walk barefoot at sunset, take daily massages, learn to scuba dive or even take up a little Thai Boxing. From glorious sandy beaches to historic temples and ancient jungles, Thailand is a fabulous honeymoon destination.
Teeming over with natural beauty and South East Asian romance, (and fun too) Thailand guarantees a honeymoon packed with culture, cocktails, relaxation and adventure too. Don't forget that the amazing wonder of Ankor Wat is nearby in neighbouring Cambodia, so that can easily be on your honeymoon itinerary too.
You can talk to us at any time about our recommendations for Wedding and Honeymoon packages, for couples, parents of couples, friends and family. Let everyone discover the magic of Thailand!


text:
Q: Independence of functions of independent random variables. Suppose $X_1,..,X_n$ are independent random variables and $X_i'$ is an independent copy of $X_i$, then how does one show that $$E[f(X_1,..,X_n)|X_1,..,X_{i-1},X_{i+1},..,X_n]$$ and  $$E[f(X_1,..,X_i',..,X_n)|X_1,..,X_{i-1},X_{i+1},..,X_n]$$ are equal almost everywhere and why is $f(X_1,..,X_n)$ and $f(X_1,..,X_i',..,X_n)$ conditionally independent over $G:=\sigma(X_1,..,X_{i-1},X_{i+1},..,X_n)$?
I am trying to argue using measure theoretic arguments but I can't seem to be able to show this. I am stuck trying to understand the $\sigma$-algebras generated by both functions which are measurable on $\sigma(X_1,..,X_{i-1},X_{i+1},..,X_n)$. Any ideas?
i.e. Possible proof of conditional independence:
Note: $\sigma(f(X_1,..,X_n))\subset \sigma(X_1,..,X_n)$ and $\sigma(f(X_1,..,X_i',..,X_n))\subset \sigma(X_1,..,X_i',..,X_n)$. Let $A\in  \sigma(X_1)\cup...\cup\sigma(X_n) $ and $B\in \sigma(X_1)\cup..\cup\sigma(X_i')..\cup\sigma(X_n)$ then $$E[1_A1_B|G]=E[1_A|G]E[1_B|G]$$
This implies that it holds for all $A\in \sigma(X_1,..,X_n)$ and $B\in \sigma(X_1,..,X_i',..,X_n)$.

A: Let $Y=[X_1,\ldots,X_{n-1}]$. Then
$$
\mathsf{E}[f(X_1,\ldots,X_{n-1},X_n)\mid Y]=\varphi(Y) \quad\text{a.s.}
$$
and
$$
\mathsf{E}[f(X_1,\ldots, X_{n-1},X_n')\mid Y]=\varphi'(Y) \quad\text{a.s.},
$$
where $\varphi(y)=\mathsf{E}f(y_1,\ldots, y_{n-1}, X_n)$ and $\varphi'(y)=\mathsf{E}f(y_1,\ldots, y_{n-1}, X_n')$. (See, e.g., Lemma 6.2.1 on page 236 here.) But $\varphi(y)=\varphi'(y)$ because $X_n\overset{d}{=}X_n'$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Rocky Top Farms specializes in custom handcrafted gifts made to order for each customer. That said, we would like to offer this selection of gifts that are ours and our customer's favorites. Choose from the items below and each product can be customized for your liking. We reserve the right to substitute based on availability.


text:
How Did Facebook Originate?
By Jennifer L. Betts Ad and Web Designer
Although the social networking site has nearly 2 billion monthly active users worldwide, Facebook only sprang into existence in 2003. In the past several years, it has gained popularity not only in college circles, but among people of every age from every walk of life.
The Harvard University Origin Story
The very first incarnation of Facebook was at Harvard University.
From Where Did the Word Blog Come?
Facebook Emoticons
Removing Spam from Facebook
Facemash and Hot or Not
Mark Zuckerberg, a sophomore at the time, created the site Facemash in October 2003. He created a version of the popular site Hot or Not exclusively for Harvard students.
Like Hot or Not, Facemash would show the user two pictures of people (normally young women) and ask the user to rate who was more attractive. In the case of Facemash, the young women displayed were members of Harvard's nine houses.
In order to get the site to work, Zuckerberg had to hack into Harvard's private network and grab photos from each house's dormitory ID pictures. Within a few days, the site was shut down by the Harvard administration. Understandably, Zuckerberg was charged with a breach of security and was set to be expelled. The charges were eventually dropped, and he was allowed to stay at Harvard.
The Creation of The Facebook
In February 2004, Zuckerberg used his knowledge from his last project to create "The Facebook." Many universities offer their students face books (literally books of faces) that help students recognize one another by name. Zuckerberg updated the idea for the 21st century with the creation of this website.
Within the first 30 days of the site's creation, over half of the undergraduates at Harvard were members of The Facebook. Due to the popularity of the site, Zuckerberg brought on Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Andrew McCollum to help further develop and promote the site.
In March 2004, the site expanded to three more universities: Stanford, Columbia and Yale. Throughout the spring of that year, the site grew to serve the rest of the Ivy League schools and most Boston area schools.
Evolving Into Its Current Form
Up until June 2004, Facebook was officially called "The Facebook." However, the site was growing. To accommodate this growth, the base of operations moved from Boston to Palo Alto, California, and Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to focus on the company. He also hired Sean Parker to be the first president and got funding from Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, former PayPal executives.
Getting Members and Capital
The following year, The Facebook officially became Facebook. The company purchased the domain name www.facebook.com for $200,000. They also gained more than $13 million in funding and over 1 million members.
In 2006, several changes happened to the site, further bolstering its popularity. It rolled out the Newsfeed and opened the site up to all high school students and selected work networks.
The population of the site's user base grew even larger as younger students were allowed to join. Although rival social networking site MySpace had become very popular with teens, just as many within this age group were interested in being part of Facebook.
Finally, the social network opened up to anyone over the age of 13. This opened the doors for other types of social connections. Mom groups, activist groups, political groups, marketing groups and fan groups were able to join together on the site.
Gaining More Features
Over the course of the next few years, Facebook continued to update its features, allowing people to network with others based on different criteria. Users can join networks based on the city they live in, their workplace, their school and their region. The website helped people connect by suggesting friends who were in the same networks. These applications helped people grow friends lists quickly, further adding to its popularity.
Outranking MySpace
In April of 2008, Facebook outranked MySpace by total number of visitors for the first time. Facebook had 123.9 million unique visitors, and MySpace had 114.6 unique visitors. Although the two sites launched within a year of each other, the initial restricted membership of Facebook was partially to blame for its slow build toward dominance.
Adding Messenger, Apps and Emoticons
In 2011, Messenger was introduced, allowing users to talk with friends without using the Facebook app on mobile devices. The social media giant also added stickers and hashtags a few years later, as well as the ability to edit posts.
In 2016, the site gained instant games, where users can play without installing new apps, as well as Facebook Live, the ability to stream live video to all your friends. The like button expanded to include new reactions, like angry, sad, and love.
Major Acquisitions
Facebook has made over 60 acquisitions in an effort to improve the site. Some of the more notable include the following:
FriendFeed (2009), adding the like button and updating the Newsfeed
HotPotato (2010), gaining the ability to add check-in locations
Instagram (2012), a popular photosharing site
Face.com (2012), for facial recognition code
Hot Studio (2013), for building brand tools
Branch (2014), a platform for web conversations
WhatsApp (2014), a mobile messaging platform
Pebbles Interface (2015), for virtual reality and gesture-control technology
Facebook Today
In 2017, Facebook has made leaps and bounds since its humble beginnings. It is a diverse, multi-faceted social media platform that can be used to connect with friends, promote business and relax during down time. It allows you to play games, chat with friends and connect with businesses in real-time.
Due to Facebook's loss of younger users to new media giants like Snapchat and Instagram, it released Stories, allowing you to use video and images, along with fun filters, that will only be available for 24 hours before disappearing forever. So while Facebook has seen decline in recent years, it is still very much a household name due to its continued upgrades to meet user needs and emerging trends.
What Does It Mean to Poke Someone on Facebook? By Mychelle Blake
How to Deactivate An Instagram Account By Michael Kwan
Reasons Why Social Networking Is Bad By Michael Kwan
What Types of Social Networks Exist? By Mary Gormandy White

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Serbian 7th-Graders Storm Classroom to Steal Teacher's Grade Book
By Katy Osborn
June 3, 2015 11:31 AM EDT
Police arrested two seventh-graders in a Belgrade, Serbia suburb on Tuesday, after the pair—clad in balaclava masks and sunglasses—entered their classroom armed with a knife and plastic replica handgun and stole their teacher's grade book.
A police officer who asked to remain unnamed told Reuters that the act was carried out in agreement with a third student, who was looking to have the record of his poor grades removed.
The two students face charges including violent behavior and jeopardizing public safety.
Serbia has seen notably high rates of school violence since the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. In 2005, UNICEF established a "School without Violence" program in the country, responding to a study conducted by The Institute for Psychology at the Belgrade Philosophy Faculty, which found that 65% of students across 54 schools in Serbia reported having been affected by violent behavior in schools.
[Reuters]
Migrants Find a Safer Route Into Europe


text:
How The American Technology Is Helping China Beat America in AI?
The latest official documents show that China is making a lot of progress in AI military applications and has the potential to even surpass the U.S. by 2030. The irony, however, is that China's growing power in AI is thanks to its access to American technology!
It was last week on Wednesday that the annual report on Chinese military power was released by the U.S. Department of Defense, the main focus of which was "artificial intelligence" as the word was mentioned over 20 separate times in the text of the report. According to the report, China will become the "world's major AI innovation center" by 2030 and it consequently demands a lot of attention and effort by the United States to accelerate the integration of AI throughout the economy, society, and national defense to be able to counter China.
The report also warns that Beijing is investing heavily in "intelligentized warfare", a strategy based on making weapons systems and military operations more networked and autonomous, as well as on artificial intelligence, which can "change the future of warfare faster than expected." And all this should be a source of concern for Washington not in the future, but right now.
Many experts in the U.S. national security community believe that in the area of artificial intelligence, China can never beat the United States and it is only a "near-peer competitor" in the worst-case scenario. But it is a wrong assumption. The fact is that today's China stands as a full-spectrum peer competitor of the United States in commercial and national security applications of AI. Beijing is not just trying to master AI—it is indeed surpassing the U.S. That's why it is of pivotal importance that the U.S. decision-makers be very much specific, careful, and exact about each and every movement that Beijing has made, is making, and intends to make in the near and far future in the arena of artificial intelligence.
As the DOD report mainly focuses on the future plans and strategies that China intends to follow to become an AI superpower, another new report by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology shows that China is already using its capability in artificial intelligence to further its military strategies. But this latter report reveals yet another important aspect of the topic, something that has not been addressed at all in the DOD report.
It has found that the Chinese military is making huge progress in "intelligentizing" warfare by purchasing AI systems of different varieties, including intelligence analysis, autonomous vehicles, decision support, cyber operations, and electronic warfare from American companies. In other words, it is thanks to China's easy access to American technology that China has made so much progress in the area of AI because the U.S. companies in fact play a major role in supplying China with data, software, and funding.
But how come that American companies are now acting against the U.S. national security and providing whatever that China needs to beat the U.S. on AI? The first and the most important reason is that there are serious shortcomings in the U.S. export control system, leaving highly sensitive companies to help America's arch-enemy to get stronger day by day. The main flaw in this broken system of export control is that it has not been built to screen the high volume of technology transfer and capital flows into countries such as China. In addition, the U.S. export system is weak with distinguishing between military and civilian purchasers.
Based on the findings from procurement contracts, which show the purchases of the Chinese military and the sources where these purchases have been made, it has been found that China is working to make its military more connected and autonomous in the immediate future and it is already buying commercial, off-the-shelf autonomous drones and AI-enabled surveillance software and ready-made AI tools from several U.S.-based technological companies.
According to the Center for Security and Emerging Technology report, American companies are unknowingly helping the Chinese military to become powerful and advanced in AI. It further notes that most of the advanced computer chips that are being used in China's sensitive military AI systems are designed and produced by U.S. technology companies such as Intel, NVIDIA, and Xilinx. As a matter of fact, China is enjoying very easy and cheap access to such sensitive technologies simply by purchasing them from U.S. companies not based in the United States, but in countries like Taiwan, where China can enter into business whenever and however it likes. To make matters worse, there are some companies that supply the Chinese military with AI-based technologies and cybersecurity software that are directly financed by American-based venture capital companies.
The fact is that China is working hard to free its military supply chain from dependence on the American-designed AI technologies. But as many industry leaders say, it will likely take China several years to achieve self-sufficiency in this area. Time is, therefore, very much important for the United States and the country must immediately stop this trend by decoupling supply chains from China when it comes to American highly sensitive technological products. To do this, the U.S. must first think of changing its broken export control system that currently allows American technologies to empower China.
AIArtificial intelligenceChinaTaiwan
Libertarians and Progressives Must Team Up Against the War Hawks
China Enters "Era of Negative Population Growth"
Who Are The 'Nepo Babies' and Why Are They Whining?
Biden's Long-Term Care Plan: No Money, No Prospect
High Inflation Rate: When Corporate Interest Comes First


The visit will starts at Piazza del Plebiscito, the most representative square of Naples. It is surrounded on the east by the Royal Palace and on the west by the neoclassical colonnade of the Church of San Francesco di Paola. The area is not only full of buildings of artistic importance such as the Teatro di San Carlo, the oldest continuously active venue for public opera in the world, the elegant Umberto I Gallery with its magnificent iron and glass roof, the royal residence and fortress Castel Nuovo, built by the Angevins – it is also an ideal shopping area.
Guided walking tour of the Historical Centre, to discover the real face of the city. The tour starts from Gesù Nuovo Square and its church, visiting S.Chiara Church, up to S. Gregorio Armeno street, the "street of cribs". Visit Cappella Sansevero with the Veiled Christ one of the most famous and impressive works of art in the world. Visit to the Cathedral of Naples, with the chapel of St. Gennaro, patron of the city.


Went to art school once and will never let you live that down... Official #Lord of Wansley Manor.. I'm still Lord KJ, and check out our restaurant !
We sell rhymes like dimes. The ones who mostly keep cash, but tell about the broke times #bruv #datish #landmark when it's his time I hope his soul go to heaven. He nasty like the old time old number 7.
#rip @trill_brazy 🧧😔🧧 health is another issue we have to pay attention to.


text:
How The Fusion GPS Founder's Testimony Fits In The Russia Saga
By Philip Ewing
Pablo Martinez Monsivais
On Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., released testimony that Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee. She released the material without coordinating with committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
The infamous Russia dossier was not the sole basis for the FBI's investigation into Donald Trump's ties to Russia, according to a newly public document that notched a tactical win for Democrats inside Washington, D.C.
That detail and a few others in a nearly 300-page transcript released on Tuesday by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., blunts charges by Republicans that the FBI and Justice Department used politically funded agitprop to launch an investigation into Trump's potential Russia connections — one that continues to this day.
Feinstein used her own authority to make public a long set of questions and answers from August between Senate Judiciary Committee investigators and Glenn Simpson, whose political research shop, Fusion GPS, plays a key role in the Russia saga.
Simpson and Fusion GPS were hired in 2016 to do opposition research on Trump, first by a conservative donor and later by Hillary Clinton's campaign. One way Fusion GPS did that was by hiring a former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele, to run the traps among his contacts inside Russia and find out what he could about Trump.
The result was the explosive, much-discussed and unverified dossier. NPR has not detailed its contents because it is unsubstantiated, but it describes an effort by powerful Russians to build bridges with Trump and his campaign. The file includes salacious details that could have embarrassed Trump and been used as leverage over him.
The question about how closely people in Trump's orbit worked with the Russians who attacked the 2016 election has always been bigger than the dossier. Court documents, congressional testimony and other reports have depicted a series of overtures by Russians to Trump campaign aides, including a meeting with Trump's son, son-in-law and campaign chairman in Trump Tower.
Trump and the White House insist there was no collusion between the campaign and the Russians. And Republicans have focused heavily on the scandalous aspects of the Steele dossier because they are outrageous and unverified, as part of a strategy to impeach the document as a way to impeach the case that Trump world might have conspired with the Russian interference campaign.
This is why Democrats say it's important that Simpson told Judiciary Committee investigators that he did not instruct Steele to dig up dirt on Trump or find ways to embarrass him. In fact, Steele was so shocked by what he learned from his sources that he felt obliged to report it to the FBI, Simpson says.
Steele felt like a person driving to work who sees an accident and feels compelled to call 911, Simpson said.
Trump opponents want that testimony to undercut the attack line propounded by Republican critics such as Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who has mused about Clinton or Democrats paying Steele to scare up gossip hot enough to entice the FBI into launching a baseless investigation.
Several important questions, however, remain unanswered, and Simpson, Fusion GPS and Steele are not fully inoculated against some of the charges they've endured from allies of the White House and other critics.
Moreover, nothing about Simpson's testimony will deflect the campaign of derision directed by Republicans against a Justice Department and FBI they call "biased" on behalf of Hillary Clinton and against Trump.
For other critics, the Simpson transcript includes a reminder about his potentially conflicting incentives: Fusion GPS has also done work for a law firm that represented the Russian company Prevezon Holdings. Prevezon's lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was also present at the 2016 Trump Tower meeting. Fusion GPS has told the Washington Post that it "had no prior knowledge" of that meeting and denied any involvement.
And nothing about the transcript resolves another of the questions Jordan has mused about: Did the FBI use material from the unverified dossier in asking the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court to grant warrants for eavesdropping or other surveillance?
Those details are highly classified — the FBI and National Security Agency would never discuss that publicly, and there would be no way for Simpson to know. But the ability for supporters of the White House to discuss classified subjects in ways that could never be resolved in the open is a potent political weapon in this saga.
The Judiciary Committee's chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and another key Republican member, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, used it on Jan. 5 in issuing a "criminal referral" against Steele to the Justice Department. They said he had given false information — but the details are secret, so the matter can't be hashed out in the open.
In releasing the Simpson transcript on Tuesday, however, Feinstein has taken away some of the advantage that Republican majorities enjoyed before. Now all of Simpson's testimony to her committee is available for review — and Democrats said that's the way it should be.
"For months, there has been a campaign to discredit Christopher Steele and cast doubt on the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election," said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who also sits on the Judiciary Committee. "The American people should have the opportunity to see the full transcript and judge for themselves."
For Republicans, however, including Chairman Grassley, Feinstein has actually hurt the work of the committee in finding out about potential conspiracy with Russians or the prospect of obstruction of justice.
"Feinstein's unilateral decision was made as the committee is still trying to secure testimony from other witnesses, including Jared Kushner," said Grassley's spokesman. "Her action undermines the integrity of the committee's oversight work and jeopardizes its ability to secure candid voluntary testimony relating to the independent recollections of future witnesses."
Philip Ewing
Philip Ewing is an election security editor with NPR's Washington Desk. He helps oversee coverage of election security, voting, disinformation, active measures and other issues. Ewing joined the Washington Desk from his previous role as NPR's national security editor, in which he helped direct coverage of the military, intelligence community, counterterrorism, veterans and more. He came to NPR in 2015 from Politico, where he was a Pentagon correspondent and defense editor. Previously, he served as managing editor of Military.com, and before that he covered the U.S. Navy for the Military Times newspapers.
See stories by Philip Ewing


Aloe vera is a plant with numerous health benefits. Therefore, it's often referred to as the 'plant of immortality'. The best thing about this amazing plant is the fact that you can grow it at home and you can use it in case of minor wounds, scrapes, burns, and cuts.
Aloe vera is rich in vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B12, and folic acid. B12, according to scientists, is needed for the production of red blood cells. So, aloe vera is highly recommendable for vegetarians and vegans.
It has 20 of the 22 essential amino acids that the body needs, like salicylic acid which treats inflammation and fights bacteria.
It has a high amount of magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, potassium, and manganese that support the metabolic pathways.
It's rich in enzymes like amylase and lipase which encourage digestion by breaking down fat and sugar.
It detoxifies the body by removing toxins from the liver, bladder, colon, kidneys, spleen, and stomach and it's also great against gut inflammation, ulcers, upset stomach, and indigestion.
Excellent against arthritis because it strengthens the digestive tract and alleviates joint inflammation.
Aloe vera juice makes a great mouthwash and it can remove plaque and treat mouth ulcers and sores.
You can add aloe vera juice to your smoothies and drinks or you can purchase pure aloe vera gel. Always consult your physician to establish the proper dosage.
« Stretch the Ring Finger with the Thumbs and Hold it for a Few Seconds- This Is Why You Will Love it!


text:
HomeUSAVirginiaVirginia Beach, Virginia - visiting the oceanfront resort
USAVirginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia – visiting the oceanfront resort
Updated: 2020-May-28
2020-May-28
Cape Henry, First Landing Park; Virginia Beach, Virginia [photo: Hanc Tomasz / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
Virginia Beach in a nutshell
The perfect destination for the classic beach vacation, Virginia Beach maintains a long-standing reputation as a family-friendly oceanfront resort.
In Virginia Beach, visitors are invited to "Live the Life!"
A recently-widened 300-foot beach, three-mile long oceanfront Boardwalk, historic landmarks, exciting attractions, manicured golf courses, parks and wildlife habitats, and popular events enhance any visit.
Seaside lodging with spectacular views and dining experiences with succulent seafood abound, and the resort city's mild climate makes it an ideal vacation spot any season of the year.
In Virginia Beach, balmy temperatures, cool breezes and an invigorating ocean have beckoned with the call of a classic American oceanfront vacation for more than 120 years.
Salty air, sandy beaches, a boardwalk and a relaxing hotel stay were key elements of a beach getaway even in the 19th century. Fast forward to the 21st century – where Virginia Beach is reaping the benefits of a $300 million face-lift, leaving it with a refreshing update to the historical oceanfront.
With a wider beach, new hotels, year-round attractions, historic landmarks, championship golf courses, and a new convention center on the horizon, the resort city invites visitors to relive old memories and create new ones along its shores.
View Larger Map | Get Directions
Climate and Temperatures
Best time to travel / Season
The seaside resort's mild climate continues to surprise visitors, and Virginia Beach's appeal as a quality year-round destination is steadily growing.
Oceanfront Boardwalk
First constructed in 1888, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk has received national acclaim in recent times as one of America's favorite boardwalks.
In its various forms, the thoroughfare has seen it all:
Prohibition and German U-boats, Big Bands and surfer girls, shag contests and roller blades.
Throughout time, the Boardwalk has remained an enduring symbol of the seaside City of Virginia Beach.
Built from wooden planks during the nation's "gilded age," the five-block promenade attracted thousands of Victorian vacationers lured by the area's salt water and fresh ocean air, and the famed Peacock Ballroom, where couples swooned to the music of legendary artists such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Tommy Dorsey.
A few things, however, have changed. Today's Boardwalk is wider, longer and prettier than ever at an impressive 28-foot width and three-mile length.
A separate bike path running alongside the promenade makes for an enjoyable ride on wheels, while a new retaining wall of sculpted stone stands to strengthen and protect the boardwalk from below.
Handicapped parking, accessible restrooms and water fountains also can be found along the main thoroughfare.
Ocean and Bay Beaches
Virginia Beach is the "World's Longest Pleasure Beach," according to the Guinness Book of World Records? It boasts more than 35 miles of ocean and bay beaches stretching from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay to Virginia's southern border.
With 35 miles of waterfront property, Virginia Beach has long been considered a "classic American beach vacation" spot. In the resort area, newly-landscaped pedestrian beach entrances are easy to find, and parking is ample. If your idea of a "day at the beach" is more relaxed, try a tranquil vacation spot along the scenic Chesapeake Bay. Swimmers will enjoy the bay's protected shallow waters, and parents will find its waves are gentle enough for even the youngest members of the family.
The beach has been expanded to wider than a football field. In 2001, a $22 million sand replenishment project pumped 3.2 million cubic yards of sand on the existing beachfront. In all, Virginia Beach has invested more than $300 million in resort improvements.
In Virginia Beach, a total of 14 miles of beach is open to the public.
Lynnhaven Inlet
Situated just a few miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the Lynnhaven Inlet offers anglers the chance to go after a diverse array of fish species.
There are several marinas and boat ramps situated at the Lynnhaven Inlet area where anglers can launch their own boat, or charter a guide for a day on the water. After a great day of fishing, visitors can enjoy some of the best seafood on the East Coast while in the midst of a majestic sunset view at the Lynnhaven Inlet area's diverse selection of restaurants.
From fine dining elegance at restaurants such as One Fish Two Fish, to locals' favorites like Chick's Oyster Bar and Bubba's Crabhouse, anglers will find plenty of tasty fish no matter how successful their day on the water.
Rudee Inlet
Rudee Inlet at the south end of the Virginia Beach oceanfront opens into the Atlantic Ocean. For those who enjoy fishing from pier and surf, there are two major spots to fish at Rudee.
Outside the inlet on the beach, fish like puppy drum and stripers are caught in season. Inside Rudee Inlet, there is about 100 yards of fishable water where several species congregate.
After a day on the water, you may have worked up a bit of an appetite, and Rudee Inlet offers a vast variety of delectable dining choices.
Fishing in Virginia Beach
With its modern marinas and easy access to the ocean and bay, Virginia Beach is the perfect departure point for a day on the water. Deep sea fishing for yellowfin tuna, marlin, amberjack and wahoo is a popular sport for both the experienced and novice angler.
North America's largest and most productive estuary, the Chesapeake Bay teems with striped bass, flounder, tautog and spot – as well as oysters, shrimp and crab.
Virginia Beach also hosts the annual Striped Bass World Championship each November through December.
This tournament offers thousands of dollars in cash and prizes to both locals and visitors.
The Old Coast Guard Station
Housed in a 1903 former U.S. Life Saving Station, this quaint, oceanfront museum is chock-full of rescue equipment used by turn-of-the-century surf men to save shipwrecked crews from a watery grave.
Learn about shipwrecks that occurred just off the Virginia Beach coast and the history of life saving service from World War II to the present day.
Don't leave without taking a peek through TOWERCAM, a roof-mounted video camera that zooms in on passing ships dotting the Virginia Beach horizon.
The camera transmits its pictures to a 27-inch television monitor, affording museum visitors the same view crewmen had from the tower nearly 100 years ago.
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Just a short stroll up the Boardwalk from the Old Coast Guard Station, discover another Virginia Beach treasure – the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum.
Located in the historically registered DeWitt cottage built in 1895, the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum displays art and artifacts documenting migratory wildfowl that pass through Eastern Virginia. Exhibits of wildfowl and shorebird carvings trace the evolution of this unique American art form.
Enjoy on-site wood-carving demonstrations, interactive computer programs, decoys dating from ancient times to present day and a collection of exhibits covering the history of Virginia Beach.
Web: https://www.awhm.org/
Naval Air Station Oceana
Virginia Beach is home to five military installations, including Naval Air Station Oceana.
A master jet base, NAS Oceana is home to both F-14 Tomcat squadrons the East Coast-based F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft.
Visitors to Virginia Beach marvel at the Aviation Historical Park, located just inside the main gate, as well as the power and grace displayed by the planes during regular flight training.
Base tours are available from Memorial Day through mid-September.
Also in Virginia Beach, the Little Creek Amphibious Training Command is the largest base of its kind in the world and the major operating base for the amphibious forces of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
Note: Access to military bases may be restricted for public tours and a valid picture ID is required.
First Landing State Park
History comes alive at First Landing State Park where, on April 26, 1607, three British ships, captained by John Smith, weighed anchor near the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay before continuing north to settle at Jamestown.
At departure, the crew planted a cross and claimed the land for England, and then named it Cape Henry in honor of the Prince of Wales.
A virtually undiscovered ecological treasure, Virginia Beach is one of the last great saltmarsh habitats on the East Coast. Virginia Beach's many state and federal parks offer hiking, bird-watching, biking, canoeing and kayaking. Some of the most popular parks include: First Landing State Park, a 2,900-acre park that fronts the Chesapeake Bay; ,Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge a 7,700-acre refuge of beach woodland and marsh; False Cape State Park,a maritime park accessible only by boat; and, North Landing River Natural Area Preserve owned and operated by the Nature Conservancy, and one of the largest and most significant natural area preserves in Virginia.
Web: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/first-landing
One of southeastern Virginia's first permanent residents was Adam Thoroughgood, a former indentured servant, who prospered in the colonies as a result of his astute business sense.
In 1635, he petitioned for a grant of more than 5,300 acres based on a 50-acre "headright" for each of the 105 men and women he transported from England.
For a peek into the lives of Virginia Beach's earliest residents, visitors may enter a number of historic homes located throughout the city:
The Adam Thoroughgood House (circa 1680) stands on land that was part of the original land grant.
Other historic homes still standing in Virginia Beach were constructed later in the colonial period such as the Lynnhaven House (1725) and the Francis Land House (late 1700s).
All homes are open to the public for tours and host special interpretative programs throughout the year.
1636 Parish Road, Virginia Beach
Lynnhaven House
4405 Wishart Road, Virginia Beach
Francis Land House
3131 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach
Location: 717 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach
Web: https://www.virginiaaquarium.com/
The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia
Each year, more than 300 juried artists travel to Virginia Beach for one of the nation's most prestigious events, The Boardwalk Art Show and Festival.
The Atlantic Ocean is the inspiring backdrop for this weekend event that showcases both visual and performing arts.
And, it's only natural that a city maintaining such a long-standing association with the arts has its own outstanding visual arts center.
The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia is the only facility in southeastern Virginia that focuses on 20th-century art. Additionally, visitors can experience opera, dance and musical performances at venues throughout the region.
Each spring, Virginia Beach also participates as a regional venue in the annual Virginia Arts Festival, which brings some of the world's finest performers of classical music, dance, world beat and more to Coastal Virginia cities within a 50-mile radius.
Web: https://virginiamoca.org/
Shopping in Virginia Beach
Malls, boutiques and shopping centers are nearby or easily accessible, so get ready to fill those shopping bags with wonderful treasures.
Approximately five minutes from the oceanfront, the Hilltop area contains several smaller shopping centers with stores such as Williams-Sonoma, Talbots, and Blue Ridge Mountain Sports.
Along Atlantic Avenue, visitors will find a number of quaint boutiques and souvenir shops offering a variety of selections
Greenbrier Mall
Greenbrier Mall is the heart of the family shopping experience and located in Chesapeake, easily accessible from Virginia Beach and Norfolk!
The center has 120 specialty stores including two sit-down restaurants and diverse offerings in the Food Court.
Located on Greenbrier Parkway, South (off I-64,exit 289B). Web: https://www.greenbriermall.com/
Hilltop Shopping Center
Discover over 120 award-winning shops, restaurants and services minutes from the beach!
Know how to make a great vacation even better? Great shopping!
In Virginia Beach, that distinction goes to The Shops At Hilltop North, East & West.
Located just 2 miles from the Virginia Beach resort strip, our outstanding quality, selection and service have earned them the area's prestigious "Best of the Beach" award nine years in a row.
At the northeast corner of Laskin Road (31st St.) & First Colonial Roads
Web: https://www.hilltopshops.com/
Lynnhaven Mall
One of the largest malls on the East Coast, Lynnhaven Mall offers over 1.4 million square feet of shopping. The mall features four department stores including the area's only Lord & Taylor, a flagship Hecht's, Dillard's, and JCPenney.
Plus great specialty retailers like Banana Republic, Brookstone, Charlotte Russe, Jessica McClintock and Old Navy. All in all you'll discover over 170 stores and services. Amenities include a complete Food Court, a one-of-a-kind double-decker carousel, an elaborate childrens' play area and FREE parking. Lynnhaven Mall is located 10 minutes from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront at 701 Lynnhaven Parkway
Web: https://www.lynnhavenmall.com/en.html
Neptune Festival
A boisterous and beloved send-off to summer, the Neptune Festival offers everything from a wine tasting and world-class sandcastle competition to numerous athletic competitions, an air show and the famous Neptune Parade.
It has been ranked among the Top 10 festivals in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society and is one of the top 100 festivals in the country.
Web: https://www.neptunefestival.com/
Pungo Strawberry Festival
Although known for its great beaches, Virginia Beach also has miles and miles of beautiful farmland. This area called Pungo, and so a 'Pungo Strawberry Festival' is held annually every Memorial Day weekend.
All the strawberries you can eat prepared in over 50 different ways is the Festival highlight, but activities will also include a Pie-Eating contest, several Racing Car exhibits, one of the largest Carnivals on the east coast, continuous entertainment on 4 stages, a Parade, Livestock Sale and Show, a multi-million Military Display, Pig Races, Youth Art Show, and some of the most unique Arts and Crafts exhibited on the east coast.
Don't miss this family-oriented, fun, wholesome, alcohol-free event.
Web: https://pungostrawberryfestival.info/
Data & Facts
248.29 sq. mi (643 sq. km)
ca. 455.ooo (2019 estimate); ca. 438.ooo (2010); 425,257 (U.S. Census 2000)
Norfolk International Airport
Web: https://www.norfolkairport.com/
Virginia Beach Visitors Center
2100 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Real-Life Mayberry — Mount Airy, North Carolina, USA
Arlington, Virginia, USA — Travel guide
Arlington's urban villages: Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Virginia Square, Ballston, Crystal City and Pentagon City
2020-Jun-01
Jamestown, Virginia, USA — a settlement established in 1607
The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, USA
All our content
Select: countries, states, cities
Select: countries, states, cities Select Category Australia NSW Travel Australia Victoria Germany Bavaria Berlin Bremen Cologne Constance Dessau Dresden Duesseldorf Frankfurt Garmisch-Partenkirchen Hamburg Hannover Heidelberg Kiel Koblenz Leipzig Lübeck Magdeburg Minden Munich Nuremberg Oberammergau Rothenburg o.d. Tauber Rügen Saarland Stuttgart Sylt Travel Germany Weimar Wittenberg Wolfsburg Würzburg good-to-know New Zealand North Island Auckland Wellington South Island Christchurch Dunedin Queenstown Travel NZ Norway Uncategorized United Kingdom USA Alabama Mobile Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Los Angeles San Diego San Francisco Colorado Boulder Denver Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Atlanta Hawaii Idaho Illinois Chicago Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana New Orleans Maine Maryland Massachusetts Boston Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York State New York City North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Portland Pennsylvania Philadelphia Rhode Island South Carolina Charleston South Dakota Tennessee Memphis Texas Austin Dallas San Antonio Travel USA US-History US-Originals US-Politics Utah Vermont Virginia Washington State Seattle West Virginia Wisconsin Milwaukee Wyoming World
DST in the USA 2023
Begin: Sunday, March-12, 2023, @2 am (clocks will be advanced 1 hr).
End: Sunday, November-5, 2023 @2 am (minus 1hr)
Arizona has no DST. During summer Arizona has the same time as California, in winter it has the same time as Colorado.
DST 2023 in Western Europe: e.g. Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Begin: Sunday, March-26, 2023 @2 am (plus 1hr)
End: Sunday, October-29, 2023 @3 am (minus 1hr)
DST New Zealand:
Since NZ is located in the southern hemisphere, DST is 'kind of' reversed:
Previously, DST started 25-Sep-2022 (@2am; plus 1hr)
2023: DST ends on 2-April-2023 (@3am; minus 1hr) and starts again on 24-September-2023 (@2am; plus 1hr)
DST Australia (Capital Territory, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania). Western Australia, Northern Australia, Queensland do not apply DST in 2022.
DST started 2-Oct-2022 (@2am; plus 1hr)
2023: DST ends on 2-April-2023 (@3am; minus 1hr) and starts again on 1-Oct-2023 (@2am; plus 1hr)
Australia has 3 Time Zones: ↦Australia Time Zones / Daylight Saving Time
Arizona Australia Australia-NSW Bavaria California Charleston Chicago Christmas Colorado Florida German Automobiles German Beer German Castles and Palaces German Christmas German Food German Wine Germany Germany Travel Tips Illinois Los Angeles Louisiana Milwaukee Munich Munich-attractions New Orleans New York New York City New Zealand Oregon San Diego San Francisco South Carolina South Dakota Stuttgart Texas USA USA Travel Tips US History US National Parks US Politics Utah Virginia Washington State West Virginia Wisconsin
GERMANY Travel guides
AUSTRALIA Travel guides
NZ Travel guides


If you try to look for the anCnoc (prounounced "an knock") distillery, you'll come up empty. That's because the anCnoc distillery doesn't exist. anCnoc expressions are released by the highland distillery Knockdhu. They use the brand name anCnoc to prevent confusion with the Knockando brand. Older versions of this release were spelled "An Cnoc" but they eventually combined the two words into what you see today.
Unlike the 40% ABV 12 Year, anCnoc 16 year is bottled at 46% and is non-chill filtered. This release is aged exclusively in ex-Bourbon barrels and the natural color shows it. Even in the 2015 whisky market, all anCnoc bottlings continue to be reasonably priced, especially the older releases. Take note, distilleries. End buyers notice and appreciate this!
Nose Fresh and fruity. Heavy on the citrus, lots of lemon, orange peel, vanilla, cereal, heather, other fresh cut flowers.
Taste Crisp and refreshing but a nice thick mouthfeel. Again, plenty of citrus up front, lemons and limes, sour candy, sugary sweetness, heavy vanilla, hint of almond and some wood influence. With water and time, some white pepper and less sour and citrus with some orange emerging instead.
Finish A burst of fruitiness and the spice that's been missing up until this point including some nutmeg and cloves. Some green apple shows up as well as some oak and vanilla.
Overall Thoughts I've been calling anCnoc 16 Year the "lemonade of whiskies" for years and tonight's tasting is no exception. It's crisp, clean, and heavy on the citrus. In a sherrybomb world, this is a pleasant breath of fresh air.


11-6pm Tuesday – Saturday Through January 31st.
On December 13th, 2007 Gallery 151's premiere exhibition, The Wild Style Exhibit, premiered to the public a collaborative wall of historical graffiti, discovered during the renovation of 151 Wooster Street in Soho. Matthew Namer, the son of the downtown developer Michael Namer, discovered the wall at the same time that renovations were planned to be made to the building. 151 Wooster Street became the first iteration of Gallery 151, which would subsequently call locations throughout downtown Manhattan home in the years to come while hosting over sixty exhibitions. Now, Gallery 151 celebrates DECADE, its 10th anniversary exhibition, at its current location, 245 West 14th Street in Downtown Manhattan.
For the 10th Anniversary exhibition, sections of the Gallery 151 Wild Style Wall will be available for public viewing alongside select historical photographs captured by Bobby Grossman of the Graffiti scene in the early 1980s and photographs from the 2007 discovery of the Gallery 151 Wild Style Wall by Robert Weingarten. DECADE will also feature recent works on canvas by Fab 5 Freddy and selections from the collection of Michael Namer, including ERO and LA2.
Visitors will be able to interact with the Gallery 151 Wild Style Wall through an augmented reality experience using Blippar technology, enabling viewers to see missing pieces of the wall directly in conversation with the successfully migrated tags for the very first time. The opening will also include an interactive touch-screen projection, allowing guests to virtually author their own tags. This interactive and augmented reality experience is produced by Wallplay.
Edit DeAk, a resident on the eighth floor of 151 Wooster until 1984, allowed young artists in the late '70s and early '80s tag a wall in her loft with spray paint, grease pencil, and marker. Many of these artists have gained canonical notoriety in the fine arts, including but not limited to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Fab 5 Freddy, Francesco Clemente, Futura 2000, ERO, Nesto, Koor, and Johnny Dynell. DeAk's graffiti wall was hidden beneath gypsum board for over 30 years, finally uncovered during the building's conversion in 2007.
Renovations to the building were quickly halted upon the discovery, allowing the Namer family to prioritize migrating the wall, helping to preserve and display the graffiti time capsule to a wider audience. Since the wall's discovery, Gallery 151 has supported emerging New York-based artists and provided a platform for their talent to be recognized by the public, expanding its vernacular to include issues of sustainability and environmental responsibility.


The Look Twice Save a Life campaign is dedicated to keeping motorists aware of the presence of motorcyclists.
It is a public awareness campaign that relies on support and donations to keep the message alive. Donations of advertising are also needed and welcomed.


text:
Octodon és un gènere de rosegadors histricomorfs de la família Octodontidae, coneguts vulgarment com a degús. L'espècie més coneguda és el degú (Octodon degus).

Taxonomia
 Octodon bridgesi - degú pont (Argentina i Xile)
 Octodon degus - degú (Xile i Argentina)
 Octodon lunatus - degú lluna (nord Xile)
 Octodon pacificus - degú d'illa Mocha (espècie de recent descobriment, solament coneguda en Illa Mocha, petita illa costanera a la VIII Regió del Biobío, zona central de Xile. Té cuir amb llarg pèl, i cua rasa; que marca el primitiu del seu esquema)

Octodòntids

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


More than one billion TV viewers across 150 territories had access to the $30million Dubai World Cup fixture from Meydan on Saturday.
January 28th 2017 will mark the inaugural running of The Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the world's richest thoroughbred horse race, with a purse of $12 million USD.
(London, 21 September 2016) Genius Sports, a global leader in sports data technology, commercialisation and integrity services, has been selected by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to develop and provide an automated Price Monitoring System that will further enhance the BHA's integrity analysts' ability to identify and investigate irregular betting patterns in real-time.
Two major British-based horseracing rights holders will be showcasing their businesses together at one of the world's largest sports conventions.
LONDON (June 29th, 2016) – Breeders Cup Ltd has renewed its global rights deal with Henry Birtles Associates (HBA) up to and including 2018.
The 2015 Emirates Melbourne Cup will be televised live on Eurosport in over 70 countries on their European and Asian networks, and by international broadcasters throughout the Middle East, India and Australia.
The 2015 Breeders' Cup World Championships will be televised live on Eurosport in over 70 countries on their European and Asian networks, and by international broadcasters throughout the Middle East, India and America.
US national television network NBC earned its largest audience for horse racing's Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, in four years for last Saturday's race.
Calabasas, California - April 11, 2007 The HorseTV Channel's Vice President, Production & News Director, Chris Stafford, has been named as Chair of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Media Committee.
Cheltenham Festival has been home to Channel 4 since 1995.  This year, March 13th – 16th, the dedicated team will bring viewers even closer to the action with the employment of modern technology; supported by an array of Festival features.
Vincent O'Brien, Paddy Mullins and Dermot Weld are among the twenty confirmed 'racing heroes' who have been invited by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) to be honoured on Ryder Cup Race Day at the Curragh on 19th September.
The FEI has received the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the matter of the appeal concerning the winner of the 2005 FEI Endurance World Championship, Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan al Nahyan (UAE). The outcome of the decision is that Sheikh Hazza is disqualified after his horse Hachim tested positive to the prohibited substance Methylprednisolone.
Significant promotions for the two members of BHB's Communications Department are announced today.
1st August, 2005, London - BT Media and Broadcast, the digital media and broadcast services arm of BT, and RaceTech, supplier of technical services to the horse racing industry, have signed a new contract that will see BT deliver all of RaceTech's broadcast requirements until 2010.
The new Racecourse Association (RCA) website is launched today.  It has been revamped and renamed to better reflect the RCA's function and enables search engines to locate the site more easily in order to encourage more potential racegoers to the site.
British Racing continued to thrive in 2004 with prize money passing the £100m barrier for the first time and racegoers once again attending meetings in record numbers.
2004 saw substantial growth in Tote betting, continuing success for the major festivals, increased sponsorship and significant growth in racehorse ownership. Overall attendances, however, fell just short of last year's record figure of 1.4m and on-course bookmaker betting declined by 4.6% from €183m to €174.7m.
Today (Wed, 15th December), Channel Four Racing enters the world of sports betting with the launch of its own online betting exchange.
Modifications to the new Flat Racing Structure announced by BHB today will increase flexibility and choice for owners and trainers, as well as enabling greater fine-tuning of the handicap programme during the year to suit the changing demands of the horse population.
Today (Wed, 15th December), Channel Four Racing enters the world of sports betting with the launch of its own online betting exchange. The exchange was developed by 4Interactive, the interactive division of Channel 4 in partnership with BETDAQ, the world's second largest betting exchange operator.
BHB today expressed its continued confidence of ultimate success in establishing its database right. However, the Board has agreed cost reductions totalling £8.7m to recognise the time that it may take for the necessary legal processes to be completed.
Irish racing has received a major boost with the announcement that next year's Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National which takes place at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, March 28, will be worth €250,000 and become Ireland's richest jumps race.
Dundalk has emerged as the sole racecourse being considered for development of the first all-weather racetrack in Ireland. At its meeting today (Monday 15th November, 2004) the Board of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) set out the circumstances in which they could provide funding for the all-weather facility at Dundalk.
The restructured BHB Board, marked by an increase in Independent and Executive representation and a reduction in appointees of Industry organisations, is set to hold its first meeting next month.
The British Horseracing Board today publishes the Fixture List for 2005. Next year's List is comparable to 2004's, which underwent major structural changes. It sees a small, further increase in the total number of programmed fixtures in order to build on the racegoer and punter-friendly improvements made for 2004.
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) are pleased to announce that Irish racing will be back on television screens this Sunday 13th June when the new At The Races (ATR) channel will show coverage from the two fixtures at Cork and Roscommon.
British Racing's commitment to modernisation has taken another major step forward with the announcement by the BHB today that it will be implementing a wide-ranging series of changes to the financial, administrative and governance structure of racing outlined in a 42 page document entitled 'The Modernisation of British Racing'.


All of the information that you will need regarding any New Features, Improvements, and Fixes that have been implemented to NeonCRM with the April 2018 product release.
[DEV-5998] Adds a new "Data Privacy & Consent" system settings page where users can add a privacy statement to their NeonCRM forms and enable a set of consent tracking fields, which allows your constituents to grant consent for various uses of their personal data.
[DEV-5755] Adds an event setting to automatically enable online event registration at the designated date and time so that System Users don't have to do this manually.
[DEV-5965] Adds a "Current logged in user account ID" field under a new "Dynamic values" lookup filter group so that you can restrict the "Front-End List Layout" constituent page to only show the Custom Object records linked to the logged-in constituent's NeonCRM account.
[DEV-6144] Updates the descriptions on the "Add Actions" modal to better explain the functionality of each Workflow Action.
[DEV-6177] Adjusts some wording on the Event Registration page from "This registration allows up to # attendee(s)." to "This event allows up to # attendee(s) per registration."
[DEV-5705] Updates the Names and Addresses by Account Relationship report to add the Account Source search criterion and output columns, along with a number of "Account 2" output columns previously only available for "Account 1".
[DEV-5783] Fixes an issue where the correct System Email version did not display when manually sending/resending the email from an Account page after the system email in use had been changed.
[DEV-5802] Fixes an issue where a system error was encountered when clicking "Skip to Next Match" when comparing an Individual Account to a matching Organization Contact Record.
[DEV-5843] Adds an "Account" column to the Balance and Payout Details pages for Neon Payment Processing.
[DEV-5846] Fixes an issue where the "Email" checkbox was disabled in the "Acknowledgements" section if you created a new Organization Account when adding a new donation.
[DEV-5907] Fixes an issue where the "NeonCRM Standard Version" of the Event Registration - Pay Later System Email did not include the following event location fields in the body of the email: Address, City, State, Zip Code, & Country.
[DEV-5919] Fixes an issue where the "Card" field was still required when trying to disable an Auto-Renewing membership in the login portal when using Neon Payment Processing.
[DEV-5950] Fixes an issue where merged Household Contacts did not retain the Household Name and Household Salutation fields.
[DEV-5979] Fixes an issue where the "Check #" field from the Payment Information section of NeonCRM transaction records were not syncing to the "Reference no." field on payment records and sales receipts for QuickBooks Online.
[DEV-6015] Fixes an issue where a system error occurred when attempting to register for an event on the front-end that had both "Wait List" options enabled and also had the "Maximum Attendees" field left blank.
[DEV-6018] Fixes an issue where users were not directed to a custom exit page if the user clicked on the "Register As An Organization" button on an event registration form.
[DEV-6037] Fixes an issue where there was no validation set to the "Login Name" field when joining a Sub-membership in the Constituent Login Portal.
[DEV-6055] Fixes an issue where the "You will be charged $<<Dollar Amount>>" value on the credit card payment form did not update to add the processing fee when a user checked the box to "Optionally add $ to cover processing fees" on a front-end form.
[DEV-6111] Fixes an issue where adding "Employment History" to an account multiplied the amount that displayed in the "(System) Pledge Initially Committed (A total of <<Amount>> fulfilled)" system note for a pledge as well as the FMV for an In-Kind donation.
[DEV-6116] Fixes an issue where a campaign could be set as its own parent campaign.
[DEV-6145] Fixes an issue where NeonCRM Processing Fees did not appear as a line item in the "Payment Information" section of a transaction in the Constituent Login Portal.
[DEV-6178] Fixes a QuickBooks sync issue where, if Credit Card & ACH Processing Fees had not been mapped to a specific service item, they would be assigned one at random when syncing transactions containing multiple items.
Unmapped fees will now use the service item associated with the most expensive item or, if all items are the same price, the first item added to the cart.
[DEV-6180] Fixes an issue where pledge payments synced to QuickBooks Desktop were not appended to their associated Invoices because the additional charge to cover the Credit Card & ACH Processing Fees resulted in a payment amount that exceeded the total balance.
These fees will no longer sync for Pledge Payments in QuickBooks Desktop only.
[DEV-6212] Fixes an issue where a timeout error occured with live tests using the IATS gateway.
[DEV-6263] Fixes an issue where the availability settings for an event disappeared after adding a Waiver Statement.


Floor ~ Honeyd Oak Laminate Flooring Natural Plank Flooringred Wood Flooringdupont Flooringhoney Flooringnatural 40 Remarkable Red Oak Laminate Floor Image Inspirations. Dupont Red Oak Laminate Flooring. Natural Red Oak Laminate Flooring. Natural Red Oak Laminate Plank Flooringred Oak Laminate Wood Flooringdupont Red Oak Laminate Flooringhoney Red Oak Laminate Flooringnatural Red Oak Laminate Flooring.
Floor cr home inline engineered best flooring from consumer reports tests red oak laminate remarkable image inspirations. Red oak laminate floor red_oak_home_decor remarkable image inspirations with pad mm lifetime residential warranty carolina flooring. Alloc elite red oak merlot laminate flooring remarkable floor image inspirations honey natural plank flooringred.


text:
What students think of government cyber jobs
by AFFIRM DC
By Chase Gunter, staff writer, FCW
Getting cybersecurity and tech talent into government has been a top management priority spanning administrations, but there remain fundamental challenges in selling government as an employer.
The U.S. Cyber Challenge, launched by former Federal CIO Karen Evans in 2010, holds camps and competitions around the country and helps students burnish their resumes and introduces them to recruiters.
USCCC leaders and participants said at a March 21 event that the government faces marketing and process challenges when it comes to attracting young cyber talent.
Doug Logan, USCC's chief technologist, said that for all the focus on government's inability to compete with private-sector pay, the exact dollar figure, while important, isn't disqualifying.
"The first reason why everyone tells me they don't want to work for the federal government is they think it's boring," he said. "The second reason why they say they don't want to work for the federal government is because they can't find job descriptions that match their entry-level capabilities because [agencies] all want people with a whole bunch of experience. The third reason is because the whole process of applying and actually getting hired in the federal government is horrible and painful and takes forever."
By Chase Gunter
Andrew Meserote, whose team won the Nevada-based camp's capture the flag competition last summer, plans to join the Department of Defense civilian cybersecurity workforce, pending a security clearance. He said the "the recruitment process [for government] is definitely slower than private industry." The slow hiring process means "there's still the chance that even if you get your clearance, the job's not there anymore."
Nicholas Bruno, whose team won the USCC's competition in Delaware back in 2016, currently does cyber and programming for a private company, but he said that he'd be open to part-time position -- or a stint in government -- if moving back and forth between government and industry was more viable.
What he said was most appealing about the prospect of working in government included the training government jobs could provide, the work he wanted to do and the prospect of obtaining a security clearance as a badge for proving trustworthiness.
USCC National Director Glenn Hernandez said not enough emphasis is put on marketing federal cybersecurity employment to job candidates.
"OPM doesn't advertise these positions because they leave it to agencies to push their own things, and there's not that type of recognition that these types of folks that are coming into the workforce need to have a different culture in order to attract them," Hernandez said.
Once new hires are on board, it's important to challenge them with interesting work.
"If they're staring at a screen for eight to 10 hours a day, you just lost them. Within months," he said.
The administration is piloting ways of getting folks already in government to fill those vacant positions. Jason Gray, CIO of the Department of Education, said the early interest among current federal employees on learning cybersecurity skills via the Cyber Reskilling Academy is a good starting point.
Gray, who is also the chairman of the CIO Council's IT Workforce Committee, said the "real goal" of pilot was to see if the model of cybersecurity training was something that would generate interest.
The reskilling effort is " really focused on enhancing the employee, and in many cases, the employees will probably get the education and bring it back to their organization and further the cyber efforts," he said. "It's really a win-win, regardless of whether they transition out of the work that they're in right now."
Click here for the original article.


In a departure from the colorful still life photographs he is known for, artist Sam Falls brings together a series of black and white images for the first time in his limited-edition artist book Visible Library. With a large format camera and a few boxes of expired film, Falls spent a day making these beautiful and haunting pictures in the stacks above the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Like "walking alone in the woods," as he refers to it, Falls created what can easily be considered his most intimate body of work, a personal meditation on art, history, preservation and the photographic medium.


In Florida, Mike Kennedy goes underwater to seize a seaplane. Meanwhile, Ken Cage and Danny Thompson chase a debtor who's fooling them with phony flight plans. And in Texas, Kevin Lacey runs into trouble when he's recognized at an airport.
Reed's new radar propels him from aggressive chaser to extreme scientist, but getting too close to an EF2 is playing with fire.


text:
Editorial: Those in the trenches know drainage best
June 27, 2022 ByBree Rody
I've been working as a trade journalist for the better part of a decade. In that time, I've covered land drainage and water management, manure management and other agricultural topics, media buying and advertising, broadcasting, entertainment, tech and more. If there's one thing I've learned from this line of work, it's that a lot of people like to think they understand others' jobs – just think of how often we hear comments like "how hard can that job be?" or "I could easily do that job." But the only people who truly understand a job are those who have done it themselves.
In the case of drainage, no one understands it like those who are quite literally in the trenches.
Drainage can be a contentious topic. The leaching of phosphorus and nitrogen into waterways has serious consequences, and many have pointed to subsurface agricultural drainage as a contributor to this. What some on the outside don't always realize, however, is that drainage contractors are highly aware of, and concerned about, such risks – and many are at the table actively contributing to solutions.
Few experts would agree that simply getting rid of subsurface drainage, especially before adjusting other practices in agriculture, would solve environmental or water quality woes. In fact, there's plenty of research out there that shows that the benefits of drainage are unignorable. Our feature on page 20 reveals that even amidst concerns about hydrology in Vermont, the number-one reason – by far – crops fail in the state is because of excess moisture.
The honorees of our first-ever GroundBreakers program (see page 26 for our feature interviews) were chosen because they understand that drainage, like all trades and practices, is ever-evolving, and that much of the excitement in drainage comes in finding new ways to lay tile and drain land while also protecting waterways. For example, AGREM's Jeremy Meiners' passion for drainage design has led to plenty of research in controled drainage, combination systems and more. Consultant Bruce Shewfelt's career of overseeing large-scale drainage projects has also included the development of best management practices to help keep drainage efficient, effective and equipped to handle the climate challenges of the future. And contractors like Brett Sheffield and Matt Mroz don't simply place pipe in the ground; they have worked with fellow contractors, specialists and subject matter experts in Canada and the U.S. to help understand what makes Manitoba soils and climate conditions unique – and how to tile for them. Finally, honoree Adam Fisher, owner of the Ditch Doctor, prides himself in always having a finger on the pulse of infrastructure management and effectively spreading awareness on the use case for surface drainage and ditches, the importance of maintenance and more.
Interviewing our GroundBreakers was an eye-opening experience – I didn't realize there was so much to talk about when it came to drainage, or that after the interviews I would find myself still wanting to know even more. It goes to demonstrate the immense value of different perspectives within drainage and water management. When we have those different perspectives at the table, the industry can not only grow in terms of economics and yield, but also in terms of positive impact to the environment. DC
Groundbreakers series: Bruce Shewfelt
Funding fact sheet: Water quality project grants available in Ohio


Since 1984, Cary and his team of professionals have been helping the residents of Wisconsin with their various insurance needs. Whether you are interested in Medicare planning, auto, home, business insurance, or health and life insurance, the multitude of carriers we are contracted with always ensure you have alternatives and choices to fit your specific individual and family needs.
The objective of our agency has always been to first educate our clients on ALL their insurance options, and then LISTEN so that we can assist in their decision making. Being an independent insurance agency means we work for you, not the insurance company, and with access to over 50 individual carriers, we can almost always find a perfect fit for whatever you are looking for.
We also have direct contact and longstanding relationships with the underwriters, account executives, and staff at each company to assist our agency in this process and to assure a smooth transition from our initial meeting thru the issuance of your policy. We pride ourselves on making your insurance purchase a simple pain free process, and we strive to build a long-lasting relationship with each and every client.
We are Independent Agents in Appleton, Wisconsin, free to choose the best carrier for your insurance needs. We do not work for an insurance company; we work for you. We work on your side when you have a loss and follow through to see that you get fair, prompt payment and service. Cary Wilder Insurance represents a carefully selected group of financially strong, reputable insurance companies. Therefore, we are able to offer you the best coverage at the most competitive price.


text:
Deirdre Cummings,
Report: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau turns 10
Decade filled with success, setbacks and promise; mission still critical with consumer complaints in Massachusetts showing need to reform credit reporting
BOSTON -- As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) turns 10 years old, a new report from MASSPIRG Education Fund recaps how the agency has helped consumers over the past decade and the steps under way to refocus the CFPB on its mission after three years of retrograde decisions under the Trump Administration. The report also provides recommendations for CFPB action moving forward, especially on credit reporting.
The CFPB opened its doors on July 21, 2011, one year after President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Typically referred to as "Dodd-Frank" or "Wall Street Reform," this law created the CFPB in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crash caused, in large part, by the financial industry's malfeasance. The CFPB became the United States' first federal agency dedicated to protecting consumers from financial shenanigans.
"Unscrupulous businesses drove millions of Americans down the road to financial ruin in the late 2000s. The creation of the CFPB soon afterward was a necessary -- and hard-won -- victory for consumers," said Deirdre Cummings, Consumer Program Director, MASSPIRG Education Fund. "The CFPB has shown its value in its first 10 years of operation. Just as important, it's shown resiliency in the face of efforts to defund and defang it and to undermine its mission during a recent period of questionable leadership."
Successes noted in the report include the following:
● Through 2020, the CFPB's enforcement actions have resulted in $12.9 billion in consumer relief, including money returned, principals reduced, and debts cancelled.
● The CFPB has taken nearly 300 actions against companies. In some of its most prominent responses, the CFPB held Wells Fargo accountable for creating more than two million unauthorized customer accounts, sanctioned the three major credit bureaus --Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -- for deceiving consumers about the credit scores they sold, and sued Navient for illegally cheating student loan borrowers out of repayment rights.
● The CFPB maintains a public Consumer Complaint Database, which has published 2.2 million consumer complaints nationwide and 37,462 complaints from consumers in Massachusetts.
The CFPB has been busy since former Director Kathy Kraninger resigned at the request of President Joe Biden on Inauguration Day and was replaced by Acting Director Dave Uejio. The report lists 39 activitie announced by the CFPB under Uejio from January 20, 2021 through June 30, 2021, including 12 COVID-19 related activities, 11 enforcement actions, and four reversals or delays of actions taken under the prior administration.
President Biden has nominated FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra to be the CFPB's next director. Commissioner Chopra appeared before the Senate Banking Committee for his confirmation hearing in March and is awaiting a full Senate vote.
"Acting Director Uejio has done an admirable job. Now, it's time for Rohit Chopra. He's the right person to not only get the CFPB back on track but also to take it farther than ever before," said Cummings.
MASSPIRG Education Fund has recommended that the CFPB take further action on credit reporting and several other products and services, including predatory lending, debt collection and overdraft fees.
"The top issue in the CFPB's complaint database from consumers in Massachusetts is problems with credit reporting company's investigations into existing problems with credit reports," said Cummings. "The CFPB should use all its tools -- from rulemaking to enforcement -- to reform the credit bureaus. But that's not all. Consumers need the CFPB to protect them from all the tricks and traps that abound in the marketplace."
A full list of our 24 reports since 2013 about the CFPB's consumer complaint database is available here.
OPEN SAFELY
COVID-19 Consumer Tips
Stop the Overuse of Antibiotics
Get Lead Out Of Drinking Water In Schools
Pledge To Be Toxic-Free
Beyond Plastic
Waste Is Out of Fashion
Tell Whole Foods: Move Beyond Plastic
Consumer Defense
Defend the Consumer Bureau
Make Polluters Pay
End Fossil Fuel Subsidies
End the Nicotine Trap
Ban Roundup
Democracy for the People
New Voters Project
Transform Transportation
Government Transparency
Ban Toxic PFAS
High Value Health Care
Ending Surprise Medical Bills
Consumer Hotline
OUR SISTER (C)(4)
OUR FEDERATION
Your tax-deductible donation supports MASSPIRG Education Fund's work to educate consumers on the issues that matter, and to stand up to the powerful interests that are blocking progress.
You can also support MASSPIRG Education Fund's work through bequests, contributions from life insurance or retirement plans, securities contributions and vehicle donations.
Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group 294 Washington St, Suite 500 • Boston, MA 02108 Phone: (617) 292-4800
MASSPIRG Education Fund is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.


The Loma Living Affiliate Program allows you to turn our awesome products and promotions into revenue for yourself. Join our affiliate program and put your web traffic to work for you. When we make a sale to a customer referred from your web site, you earn a commission. We are a lifestyle brand that creates beautiful items for the modern home, and we ship to customers around the world every day. Our products center around the very passionate markets of wine lovers, cyclists, and home goods enthusiasts.


Complete quest "That Which Was Lost" in Hew's Bane.
Seeds Untilled is awarded for completing the quest That Which Was Lost for Velsa in the Thieves Guild. You must first complete A Faded Flower before starting this quest. This achievement will allow you to purchase Vibrant Garden Flowers for your house. They cost 00000500500  and can be purchased from Listens-to-Sea in Abah's Landing.